Above The Sky
Chapter 708 - 708 616 It's Time to Rub Armor Suit with Empty Hands!

708: Chapter 616: It’s Time to Rub Armor Suit with Empty Hands!

(5600, First Update)_3 708: Chapter 616: It’s Time to Rub Armor Suit with Empty Hands!

(5600, First Update)_3 “Awake?”

Accompanied by leisurely footsteps, Master Gossay came to the basement room carrying a cup of tea, “What’s the next plan?

I guess you must have several contingency plans ready, right?”

He sat on the edge of the bed, handed Ian a cup of tea, which Ian tasted and found it to be a kind of bitter wheat tea.

After drinking it, there was a unique refreshing fragrance that invigorated the spirit and cleared the mind; the taste was quite good.

“Well, we’re still waiting to see how the situation develops before deciding on the strategy to return to South Ridge.”

Putting down the newspaper and finishing his tea, Ian answered the old man’s question, “Right now, Leyan Territory is theoretically managed by me and the other Hillsman Knights, but I plan to use my connections with the Dragon Worship Cult to take actual control of all the lands in the knights’ hands and become the true lord of the Leyan region.”

“Then, I will try to expand into the Bison Mountain Range, continue to unify the tribes of the Mountain People and the former wilderness of the Magical Beasts, develop new lands, and strive to multiply my actual control several times over while The Empire is at a standoff with Fiery Flame Land.”

“The only concern is the population issue.

Due to Duke of Solin’s actions, absorbing refugees from the Western Border might be sufficient.”

There was nothing for Ian to hide from Master Gossay, who was aware of his identity as the Heir of Hiliard as well as his true strength, and most certainly understood the significance of the Silver Chip.

This man, who had experienced the golden age of Inega II in his youth, was now advanced in years.

Master Gossay didn’t know whether Inega II was right or wrong, but he knew that the current Empire was not to his liking, and the Guardian’s Echo experiments particularly filled him with worry, even disgust.

Hence, he chose to believe in Ian.

Believe in the hope of the future.

And Ian would not betray this trust.

“So that’s how it is.

No wonder you risked maintaining a publicly known Second Energy Level strength… planning to become the new Baron Leyan, or even Viscount, through actual occupation and later negotiations?”

Master Gossay scoffed at this, his face stern as he said, “Isn’t it a bit early to be making such plans?

You’re alone; even if you go to Leyan Territory, and you suppress those stubborn Mountain People using your Second Energy Level strength and connections to the Dragon Worship Cult, where will you find the staff for management?”

“Domain residents can be bolstered by refugees and displaced persons, but what about your administrative layer?”

“I know Green Tide already works for you, and a portion of your laboratory’s funding was moved back to Harrison Port—I just pretended not to see it… He’s likely to be capable of serving as the captain of your guard squad, but that’s all he would be.”

“Even if you include the members of your White Folks, managing the original Leyan Territory with outsiders will certainly face some underground resistance.”

“But if you choose locals, how can you guarantee their loyalty and competence?

Not to mention that after attracting refugees, the Western Border Refugees themselves will inevitably form a power bloc.”

This was a very realistic issue, and Master Gossay clearly anticipated Ian’s preparations for a covert development back in South Ridge, so he had already thought through these related issues for Ian.

—I have Foresight View and the Silver Chip though.

Ian wanted to answer this way, but he knew that was actually cheating—who else’s leader was a Prophet?

Oh, wait…

it seems that one cannot be called a major power without a Prophet…

It looks like fair play doesn’t get you good results in Terra.

That’s too much.

However, Ian did have another plan that didn’t rely on his Spirit Energy.

“I plan to simply go there in an Armor Suit and beat up those knights.

Those who obey will stay, and those who don’t will be killed.”

Ian spoke casually of a proposal heavy with the scent of blood, which caused Master Gossay to display an expression as if he had seen a ghost, “South Ridge is not as refined as you think.

I am more familiar with it than you, Master.

You just need to prove your strength by beating them up, then give them some incentives, and tell them they can get promoted if they listen to me.

They will respect my authority just as they respect the Emperor.”

“What they need is a tyrant, ruthless enough to lead them through the barbaric life in South Ridge—I don’t kill, they won’t obey, nor will they trust my power.”

“I also know that my appearance might give some people false hope, thinking I’m easy to talk to…

So, I plan to use the resources available here in the Imperial Capital to try and produce a personal Armor Suit, to serve as a symbol in my stead.

It will also be good practice for the future Aether Armament.”

“Let’s not talk about why you are so keen on killing…

Do you know what you’re talking about?

You want…

to make an artificial Armor Suit?”

Master Gossay’s expression was as if someone claimed they could create an Elite Potion barehanded, without any Alchemy tools—it was a presumptuous thought.

What did Ian think The Empire’s industrial system was, and what did he think an Armor Suit was?

That was the essence of The Empire’s most advanced industrial technology, an object integrated with the vast majority of the Alchemical Inscription Art!

Unlike Aether Armament, which is often specialized for a particular Sublimator Heritage and not necessarily developed for combat but as a scientific research standard for pioneering explorations.

On the other hand, an Armor Suit is a violent weapon with extremely high performance meant for mass production; it is the most advanced kind of weaponry.

Its existence signifies a nation’s power itself.

Creating an Armor Suit alone is as difficult as declaring that one person equals the entire industrial production chain of The Empire, equivalent to the technological assembly of dozens of high-end Alchemy Workshops!

Of course, Ian was well aware that this difficulty was akin to conjuring a computer out of thin air.

—Which just so happened to be within his capabilities.

“I am not trying to create a Sixth-Generation Aerial Armor Suit, a high-end creation with technological complexity comparable to an ordinary Aether Armament,” Ian said, dismissing the idea with a wave of his hand as he earnestly explained his thoughts to Master Gossay.

“I just need to manufacture an Armor Suit framework that can adapt to my abilities…

For example, a Powered Armor that can work with my Fairy Abilities to create ice blades and Extreme Cold Storms.”

“After all, any Armor Suit, no matter how weak, can surely carry more Alchemical Potions and raw materials than I can with just myself and a waist pouch, right?”

“Given that, I can use it to achieve a destructive power far beyond my own capabilities, which is more than sufficient in the rural area of South Ridge.”

“I see,” Master Gossay frowned and pondered for a moment, only to realize that Ian’s strategy was quite viable.

Ian wasn’t planning to create equipment that could rival currently active Armor Suits but wanted to make an externally mounted potion rack that could maximize the use of his identity as an Alchemist…

With such a perspective, the approach became broader, focusing only on the Power Furnace Core and the activation abilities, which could still result in very strong combat capabilities.

But the issue was with the Power Furnace Core.

Did Ian have the technological reserves for this?

—I can perfectly power everything with the Aether Crystal alone, so why bother making a power unit?

Although Ian wanted to say this, he actually did possess the relevant technological reserves.

Within the Silver Chip, Ian already had several different Power Furnace Core designs for Armor Suits and even engines for Floating Stone Aircraft.

This was all thanks to his excellent tradition of tirelessly freeloading technology, which left him with an abundant reserve.

With the help of the laboratory provided by Yisen Gard and the precision bonuses from the Domain of Extremes, it wasn’t difficult for him to produce with his own hands.

In fact, he had already prepared all the essential materials in the laboratory.

“It seems I needn’t worry,” Master Gossay could tell from Ian’s expression that technological challenges like this wouldn’t trouble him.

He simply shook his head slightly, “Since you’ve already considered it and made the decision to establish authority through killing, I won’t say much.”

“However, being an excellent Lord, an excellent Alchemist, an outstanding technologist, and a Sublimator are different things.

I hope you make the necessary mental preparations for that.”