Above The Sky
Chapter 946 - 946 80 Funds in Place Difficulties Overcome!

946: Chapter 80: Funds in Place, Difficulties Overcome!

946: Chapter 80: Funds in Place, Difficulties Overcome!

It is said to be two months, but actually, Ian can start the countdown ’10, 9, 8, 7…’ directly now.

After all, he has already mastered the general principles of the ‘Alchemy Plating Agent.’ The reason he did not release it all at once is mainly because he wants to save some for academic papers and to swindle some funding—sustainable output is indeed real output; impulse sales always leave one regretful.

But the Firestone Group gives too much.

Since the Firestone Group is willing to offer two hundred thousand Talle all at once, Ian does not mind packaging his results to sell to them… But he must not be too quick, to avoid the opponent discovering that he already had the results and was merely concealing them.

“So it’s settled.”

Colonel Maress is also very satisfied with the two-month response.

The Firestone Group has dealt with too many scientific alchemy researches, how could he not understand these people’s thoughts?

The reason for the procrastination in delivering results is either insufficient funding or lack of motivation to research until a deadline.

Ian is clearly the former, and the opponent values the territory greatly.

To manage the territory well, aside from investing time, the necessary financial need is also bottomless.

Dealing with such researchers is really too simple.

——With the funding in place, difficulties vanish!

The Firestone Group is willing to spend the astonishing amount of two hundred thousand Talle to support Ian, even if it amounts to buying three Armor Suits at the external sale price, only because of a very simple matter.

The Alchemy Plating Agent is very useful!

‘Alchemy Plating Agent’ is the official name of the armor-use agent developed by Ian, which provides a temporary protective layer to the armor suit that enhances the suit’s inherent functions by adding one to two active and passive abilities.

It may seem that each use of the Plating Agent consumes a large number of agents, making it costly… but that is not actually the case.

Contrary to what most suppose, armor suits are a type of elite forces that infrequently engage in combat, especially the Sky Armor, which spend most of their time in patrols, standoffs, or training.

Real combat operations might not occur even once in several years, perfectly embodying the phrase ‘a decade of forging a sword.’

Even during this period of total war, Sky Armor is not frequently deployed.

Given that, the consumption of the agent is actually very low.

Compared to the cost, the military prefers to stock up a variety of Alchemy Plating Agents for different functions in preparation for potential ‘missions’ in the future.

After all, surprise attacks, stealth operations, frontal confrontations, sky battles, and ground-to-air confrontations are different fields—instead of developing dozens of different types of armor suits and wasting money, it’s more convenient to develop several different types of agents.

In this respect, agents are always more cost-effective and practical than developing new armor modules… even in terms of technological reserves.

For the military, the Alchemy Plating Agent represents a new tactical choice and can even slightly alter strategic directions.

The Firestone Group is also developing Alchemy Plating Agents on their own, but as a leading developer in this field, Ian’s experience and ideas still guide the Firestone Group’s subsequent research work—an order worth two hundred thousand Talle from the military in the future is absolutely worth it.

Not to mention how important it is for the Firestone Group to use money to foster a relationship with Ian and keep him away from the other military industrial groups of the Empire.

After finishing this discussion, Colonel Maress didn’t say much more and took his leave: his background includes Marquis Barton and the Great Princess, and since he had obtained Ian’s promise, he naturally had to go back to report and apply for funding.

As for whether Ian can deliver the results after two months—on this matter, the young man has never let anyone down before.

Soon, basically all the merchants had left, and the staff arranged by Ian led them to visit the projects they were interested in.

It wasn’t just because they focused on work, but everyone tacitly left the spatial and temporal space for Ian and Viscount Decas.

“Almost a perfect territory.”

Viscount Decas clapped his hands and earnestly praised: “Although it currently seems a bit impoverished, far from being able to compare with major cities like Icewind City or Floating Peak City…

In my view, within ten years, Xia Hui Territory will become the brightest star in South Ridge.”

“You flatter me, Viscount.”

Ian, sitting opposite Viscount Decas, poured a cup of floral tea for him, “Icewind City thrives because it is overseen by Governor Bai Ji, and Floating Peak City is the largest gathering place for alchemists in the Empire outside the Imperial Capital—what merits does my territory have to compare to these cities?”

“Because it’s new.”

Viscount Decas handed Ian a calming cigarette, saw the young man shake his head, and then pocketed it himself, smiling, “I saw many completely new things in your territory that I had never seen before.”

“I once saw the old Xia Hui Territory when it was still under Baron Leyan from generations ago; Leyan City under his rule was an ordinary small city, ordinary in its quietness, boredom, lack of progress, indistinguishable from other frontier cities of the Empire.

Its future was foreseeable at a glance, and its development held nothing noteworthy.”

“But how long have I been in Xia Hui Territory?

New defensive facilities, new weapon equipment, new alchemical potions, new planting fertilizers, new agricultural methods… Haha, and a new genius.

Baron Aljomong, don’t you think this is a sign of prosperity?”

Viscount Decas gazed at the young man in front with those azure eyes, his tone carrying a slightly intriguing flavor, while Ian sensed this and became cautious, laughing it off: “After all…

I am young.”

“This isn’t something that can be explained just by youth.”

Viscount Decas spoke softly, his eyes narrowing as if instinctively wanting to shield something.

As a Spirit Energy User, Ian noticed at a moment that a deep blue luminescence flared in Viscount Decas’s eyes.

The luminescence flickered momentarily, and the noble with black hair and azure eyes calmly asked, “Baron Silverpeak—I just want to ask one thing.”

“With such determined efforts and clear goals in managing your journey…

what is it really for?”

“Let me ask with the simplest question—what is your dream?”

In such a manner, Viscount Decas awaited Ian’s response.

Yet, the young man felt a slight shock in his heart.

Because he just saw a radiance in the other’s eyes.

It was the radiance of Spirit Energy.

A familiar radiance to Ian…

one that felt oddly familiar!

“Knight Chris of Magnetic Light!”

A warning bell rang in Ian’s mind, recalling the time when he left Nauman City and fought with the Magnetic Light Knight, when suddenly at the end, the opponent unleashed a ‘Divine Force Conduction’ phenomenon—At that time, Chris, who should have had no Spirit Energy, suddenly had a deep blue glow in his eyes, and his overall strength increased dramatically.

Although Ian had anticipated it and still defeated Chris, he was very interested in this ‘Divine Force Conduction’ phenomenon.

But no matter what, he couldn’t find any relevant information afterward, so he just noted it down in his journal.

And now, it has appeared again.

[Tymo Decass (a variant of the Black Iron People)]

[Second Energy Level·Mature Form·Excellent·Innate Intelligent Organism·Major Intelligent Organism of the Starfield·Undergoing Divine Force Conduction]

[Body Material…

Water Series Sublimation Change…

Transitioning and Sublimating into an Origin Quality Life Form]

[Strength Level: Excellent]

[Contained Primordial Essence: 10542.6653 Elite Units]

[…]

The identical ‘Divine Force Conduction’ confirms that behind Knight Chris and Viscount Decas, there must be the same entity or organization.

And with the intelligence Ian knows now…

“Great Prince Carlos?”

Quickly drawing conclusions, Ian suddenly realized: “So that’s it, the traitor among Marquis Barton’s circle was arranged by the Great Prince… No, it’s not right to call it a betrayal, rather Chris chose to join the Great Prince’s side!”

“Marquis Barton definitely would not execute Chris directly, so he used me or the Dragon Worship Cult to eliminate him, and the subsequent investigation was so negligent, which had me worrying unnecessarily for a long time…”

This is all in the past now, Ian no longer pondered it, focusing on the present.

Behind Viscount Decas is the Great Prince, and the Great Prince holds the technology related to Divine Force Conduction.

His being here to receive a medal can basically be considered the Great Prince’s attempt to recruit him, and the current ceremony, without a doubt, also aligns with the will of the Great Prince.

So, this issue… is definitely also something the Great Prince wants to ask him about.

“Dreams, huh?”

Ian was silent for a moment, then slowly said, “My dream…

well, it’s quite simple.”

He stood up and walked to the window of the Lord’s Mansion, Viscount Decas also stood up, and together they looked outside through the glass window.

Looking down from the cliff top over the entire Xiawei Territory, they could see vast expanses of reddish-brown tiles, the roof tiles gleaming with an indigo copper light from the waterproof coating, and farther away, Xiahui City’s Alchemy Workshop was in full swing, a huge circular structure akin to a fan was slowly rotating horizontally, collecting all the byproducts produced, gathering them at the center to form a pitch-black yet multicolored viscous liquid.

Surveying the entire city, the urban planning of Xiahui City was beginning to take shape; with the internal conflict bringing destruction and creation, and Ian’s long-standing massive road construction, one could see silver-gray flat rock roads running throughout the city, crisscrossing, weaving into a vast grid.

A city of the future, taking form…

“I want to revive my family.”

Ian said calmly: “I want to build up Xiawei Territory using my own methods—if possible, to make the entire Empire even better.”

“The new things I invent and create shouldn’t just be limited to one place, but should expand to the entire world…

Can entirely new and more advanced technology change the world, reshape the entire ethical order of the world, and give people a better life?”

“These are the things I want to do.”

Turning back, Ian looked directly at Viscount Decas and said earnestly, “Basically, that is it, this is my dream.”

“I want to use my intelligence and wisdom to change this world, to make it a better place.”

“Xiawei Territory is my foundation, the testing ground for my technology and dreams, naturally, I will care deeply about it.”

Viscount Decas pondered for a moment: “Hmm…”

He nodded his head, speaking solemnly, “That is indeed a very grand dream…

one might even say, I did not anticipate it to be such an extensive dream.”

“Change this world, huh?

Through brand-new technology, naturally transforming the world…

That indeed is a very orthodox path, just like the invention of Armor Suits led to the optimization of large numbers of low-level Sublimators, creating the social structure where today’s adventurers