Chapter 449

Since the last time in the dungeon when I had a heart-to-heart with Ji Ming (see vol. 3 chapter 131), the Aurora Dance, having untied the biggest heart-knot of over ten years, embarked on its own new life.

Specifically, she decided to start a side business in the other world where she at least can act freely.

That way, even if she will eventually kick the bucket in bed due to her worsening ALS, she can live a few more years on the walls, in writing, and in everyone's minds, which is a roundabout way of prolonging life.

Thus, Aurora joined the official R&D department of Huaxia, relying on a tiny bit of family connections to take on a decent mentor, becoming a well-paid research grunt.

Now that she has determination and a career, she is no longer the previous cyber rice cake that couldn't part from Ji Ming, and their chat logs have returned to normal.

【Hold on, is this even considered normal?】

"It's totally normal, this manga is really good, I love Nurse Heichuan inside, I recommend you check it out."

【……】

【I can smell the contraband】

Um, although a full eighty percent of the chat content is still resource exchange, as well as various related discussions.

But at least, at least, twenty percent of the content is about serious matters, about what they each experienced in the game.

Of course, in the online chat that is eighty percent monitored, he simply said he has been gathering various intelligence lately, then conducting proper and reasonable one-way supply to Huaxia's sales.

But in the definitely safe game, he, who is accustomed to concealing his identity, still claims to be an employee of the Production Team, recently managing the player environment in the Royal Capital, adjusting operational strategies, improving various experiences and such.

【Everyone, definitely don't learn from this kind of person, who only shows half their cards when confronting friends, never tells the truth to anyone, a pure liar】

"Get lost!"

Meanwhile, Aurora, due to the confidentiality agreement, didn't dare say more, only stating two months ago that she had recently participated in an ultra-important project, and once it lands smoothly, Ji Ming will definitely have a blast.

After that, her chances to chat with Ji Ming sharply decreased; aside from occasional resource exchanges, she just complains about being tired, curses the damned White Eagle People for another technical breakthrough, really wishing to continue lying in bed as a corpse.

As for whether Aurora actually continued to be a corpse, Ji Ming doesn't know; he only knows that after that, every time they chat she repeats this, then waits for the next time to repeat it again.

【Don't ever learn from this kind of person either, who has turned themselves into a toiling slave of life, yet still manages to keep a struggling pose to add fun】

"I'm her dad, I'll say 'get lost' for her!"

Ji Ming initially thought she had joined Chief Engineer Zhang Hai's project, promoting the independent development and production of Huaxia's next-generation magi-mech armor.

After all, besides a super big mech tyrant that's huge, strong, hard, and maxed out on iron content, what else could make one feel awesome?

Result……

【I thought you went off to do a great undertaking that would let human civilization thrive for eternity, but turns out you're just doing hype silk?】

Aurora Dance: 【???】

【Do you have a problem? This isn't a great undertaking that will last for eternity?】

【No way, no way, nobody could dislike looking at legs, right?】

【I'm telling you, this is still just the first-generation version, completely a trial run】

【White silk! Flesh silk! And more colors, color-translucent, venue-limited, all in development, landing soon!】

【Besides, I also need to break out of this logical prison to think, expanding into more products, for example……】

Ji Ming just watched her flood the chat page with frantic posts, enthusiastically discussing her prospects for the brand-new material, the talisman.

The simple leg exoskeleton is merely the first step in her plan; afterward she still needs to develop abdominal exoskeleton, heart-protecting external skeleton, and even full-body varied armor.

For now, using private custom orders, she only supplies the wealthy ladies of the Royal Capital, merely to probe audience preferences and feel out market trends.

Once advertising and brand effects pick up, she can immediately launch large quantities of mid-range to low-end products, conducting massive stocking and market share growth.

【Brother, after I die I'll surely be able to snag a spot as a top scientist or big merchant in the Civilization 8 Yangyue World DLC, I'm like, winning big!】

All this sounds incredibly arrogant and domineering, as if Aurora Dance could soon become the richest person in Yangyue, reaping fortunes from the world with its miraculous little fabric.

But Ji Ming had already spotted a loophole in her plan, and immediately replied.

【The script is well written, whose plan is this?】

Silence.

【Why can't it be mine?】

Crooked Neck Tree: 【(sweating soybeans)】

【First, even for an ordinary person with a normal growth trajectory, socializing is a difficult thing, so I don't think you, a social inept, have the ability to secretly contact so many wealthy ladies in the Royal Capital】

【Second, I also don't think you have the ability to lead a research team in crunch time while simultaneously driving the factory and marketing department to smoothly stock goods, since you're still working for others; if you truly had that skill, you'd have started your own business already】

【So stop being stubborn, tell me, are you secretly cooperating with some private company?】

【I can tell you, greed leads to choking; you should first get your current R&D work done properly—that's the real deal; these side paths are best left for later】

Just as Ji Ming's keyboard went clack-clack, the other side of the chat popped up an emoticon.

Aurora Dance: 【(sweating soybeans)】

【Holy shit, you think I'm secretly taking private jobs?】

Crooked Neck Tree: 【Otherwise? It can't possibly be a task sent down from above, right?】

……

Aurora Dance: 【Otherwise?】

???

"Huh?"

Ji Ming almost doubted his eyes; disbelieving, he leaned in for a closer look, then hurriedly changed what he had typed—【that's really fucking stupid】—to 【fine, I have no objection】.

Exactly, the one secretly selling stockings in Guanghui Capital turned out to be the YangYueExternalAffairsBureau official!

However, due to the task's special nature, the R&D work is temporarily led by Aurora, a mere intern researcher.

It sounds utterly absurd and laughable— the Huaxia Yangyue External Affairs Bureau, known for being stern, professional, and meticulous, would actually go all out researching and selling such strange merchandise.

But if you really see it that way, you'll only be scratching the surface.

But when you think deeply, you might reach the second layer.

But actually, Bureau Chief LaoZhao, he's on the fifth level!

Question: what is the most terrifying weapon in this world?

Is it a nuclear bomb? A hydrogen bomb? Or an antimatter bomb?

The answer is none of them; the most terrifying weapon in this world is the legendary "soft blade"!

It has no blade, no shadow, no sound, no form, yet it can ignore the sturdiest armor and pierce straight into your soft flesh, killing and striking at the heart without drawing blood.

Throughout history, countless civilizations have been slain by this divine weapon; no matter how glorious they once were, they ultimately end up as mere bubbles on the pages of books.

The biggest example among them... I won't elaborate here, but amid increasingly fierce competition among nations' officials, such weapons have also been brought from Earth to Sun Moon.

So, if Ji Ming had participated in the nobles' banquets during this period, he would discover that these little punks have added a new pastime.

Please watch the VCR——

"Beautiful lady, I think the piece of music just now is really very moving."

"Yes, I especially like that orchestral ensemble; it really feels like a lark singing."

"Oh? So you also like orchestral instruments?"

"Of course, in fact I have been studying with a teacher since I was eight; now... my skill is highly proficient."

"Hehe, then I don't know if I may invite you to my room……"

"Ay yo, stop recording, stop recording; this bunch of idiots really aren't doing anything proper."

In short, just a month ago, the White Eagle People sent over a symphony orchestra of decent strength to Guanghui Capital.

It sounds impressive, but this dream team hastily assembled by high-level players actually didn't look good in its debut.

Because Ji Ming had seen it at the press conference earlier, the old nobles of the Royal Capital prefer leisurely, smooth music or strong rhythms, suitable for embracing and having fun with a beautiful or handsome dance partner.

So they aren't really into symphonies that emphasize grandeur and coordination; they just feel it's too stupid to sit together watching a bunch of Pioneers busy with something, and would rather enjoy the refreshment of listening to old-timers bragging.

However, after several failed attempts to break onto the big stage, the unwilling symphony orchestra chose to go downmarket, seeking help from those rich second-generation nobles and third-generation nobles.

Hey, who would have thought that the old-timers not shining would actually make the youngsters shine, and they really succeeded!

Exactly, for these young nobles, grandiose symphonic music perfectly matches their restless hearts.

Moreover, watching a symphony is like an otherworldly cinema, giving them a chance to invite a specific person on a date and sit together to interact.

What's more, because of that appeal letter, the conflict between the dissatisfied young nobles and the old nobles who resent their lack of contention suddenly deepened.

Thus the youngsters took a close look and found that their old-timers seemingly don't like symphonies, so they immediately started opposing just for the sake of opposing.

As a result, the symphony orchestra that had previously been idle to the point of numb scalp instantly became busy to the point of numb scalp, wishing to run seven or eight venues a day, exhausted like Tom in a cartoon.

But a certain well-known public service announcement once said: "Being busy, being a bit busy is good."

So the symphony orchestra's status in Guanghui Capital also rose accordingly, instantly becoming a top-tier celebrity chased desperately by all sorts of second-generation heirs, earning money until their hands went soft.

What's more, they successfully used this to infiltrate the Guanghui noble circle, easily obtaining much confidential information that previously required special forces to risk their lives to get.

Moreover, by extension, this group calling themselves White Eagle People, whose appearance already resembles that of the Pioneers, is increasingly favored by the young nobles, their social status rising steadily.

Even out of respect, this bunch of useless second-generation heirs plan to unite to help the symphony orchestra's leader obtain an honorary title of 【Kingdom Baron】, which, though without a fief, is absolutely considered a noble rank.

"What?"

"There's still something like this?"

Faced with such success of the Eagle Sauce, other factions naturally turn into anxious kings, all wanting to play their cultural cards into the hearts of the Guanghui people.

Thus the Gaul people began promoting opera, the Royal people began promoting Shakespearean drama, the Iron Cross people began marketing the purest beer, and Huaxia began promoting the various cuisines of the eight great culinary traditions……

The old flute immortal, who already regards himself as a deity, is not to be outdone; he lowered his exalted status to present the Guanghui friends with curry he personally made.

But seeing his left hand literally mixing starch into soup, and a tiny Indian bee flying in from somewhere, some Guanghui nobles who couldn't bear it could only shake their heads wildly.

——and this rejection encompasses all of the above together.

At this point some people might object; leaving aside other matters, what about the promised multiverse-level iced Huaxia cuisine?

Could it be that these Guanghui second-generation heirs are each so robust that playing poker every day has somehow trained them to have immunity?

No, it's not that; rather, for them, the completely new gameplay and rules from EastJapan seem more intriguing.

"Wow! Who would have thought that such a tiny rope could be used to create so many variations?"

"Eating a meal on a beauty's body, sigh... how utterly sacrilegious, I love it!"

"By the grace of the Holy Light, I never imagined there was such a shuffling method; praise the divine, for letting me meet you today!"

The Holy Light God suspended outside the world: ……

【He says, "Ammonios, why must even this kind of beep thing require me to first chant my title?!"】

"Perhaps it's to give their beloved, beloved old sun a little sense of participation."

Thus the excellent culture and art from Earth were, in this way, utterly defeated by the trifling nonsense below the navel, losing utterly.

Officials from all nations, including the White Eagle People themselves, were astonished, wondering if these noble second-generation heirs were all madmen, too lazy to eat just to play cards.

But actually this is also normal; without even mentioning Ji Ming's real-life experience of attending so many noble banquets, just that short VCR segment earlier……

Just a few sentences, and that dog-boy-and-girl couple will floor the accelerator and charge along the mountain road drainage ditch; is there anything crazier than that?

No choice, everyone had to switch to a new approach—at least cater to their preferences first, otherwise it'd be too humorous.

As a result, Huaxia held an internal meeting and discovered……

They seemingly really don't have any suitable cards to play; can't just send over some kidney tonic pills, can we?

But time waits for no one; seeing as Third Brother's side has already started carrying divine oil to go around visiting friends and relatives, making all sorts of noble second-generation heirs laugh and ask, 'Where do these guests come from?'

"What kind of thing is this, ah?"

Even the usually steady LaoZhao finally couldn't hold back, slamming the table.

"Our Foreign Affairs Bureau bears the earnest expectations of so many people; we absolutely cannot fall behind on this matter!"

"Let's do this: we'll pool our wisdom, delegate this issue, and see what everyone, especially the young people, think."

The result……

The result is, there really is.

Aurora Dance (with a flash of inspiration, raising the index finger): "Hey, I'll get you a pair of stockings—try giving a black silk as a gift!"