Mystery Paradise: Wishing Power Demon
Chapter 321 - 320: The Seeker of Knowledge

Chapter 321: Chapter 320: The Seeker of Knowledge

Once the unexpected visitor had left, Li Xi cautiously made her way into the office. "Boss... I was scared to death just now; who were they? Why did they take the Editor-in-Chief away?"

Walter collapsed into his chair with a long sigh.

"They were Wilson’s men."

"Long, Longjiu Duke!?" Li Xi’s eyes widened, "That usurper—"

She quickly covered her mouth midway through her sentence, making sure no one had heard before she whispered, "Did Mr. Qiu Ji offend them?"

Even she could tell these people were not really there to invite the Editor-in-Chief for a meal.

At that moment, Walter was also feeling very anxious. He had heard about the origins of these grey-clothed men; rumor had it they were a loyal Internal Affairs Troop of the Longjiu Family, tasked with carrying out duties too dirty or dangerous for the police. Even before Wilson acquired Longjiu Peak, this force had already struck fear into the hearts of local nobility. He just hadn’t expected them to intervene in the operation of a newspaper agency.

Could it be that among Walter News Agency’s business rivals, there was a company backed by the Longjiu Family?

"I don’t know... It shouldn’t be a personal issue..."

"Boss, the third batch of newspapers is ready to go!" At that moment, the person in charge of the printing department burst into the office, "Should we start selling at the original price? Eh... What brings you here, boss? Where is Mr. Qiu Ji?"

The warning from the grey-clothed man immediately echoed in Walter’s ears.

He looked at the man, then at the bewildered young girl, and finally shook his head, "We are not selling anymore. The news agency will close early today, and everyone should go home and rest. Don’t leave the Royal City for the time being; cancel any plans for remote interviews."

"Ah? Why?" exclaimed Li Xi.

"Right! Our weekly edition is rarely this popular, why stop selling it?" The people from the printing department were also perplexed. "Boss, if we don’t sell these printed newspapers, it’s like losing money!"

"Let it be a loss! The company will be closed for these next days, but your salaries will be paid as usual. Just go home; I don’t want to repeat myself!" Walter slammed his fist on the desk.

With those words, no one dared to question further.

After Li Xi relayed the message, a series of confused and noisy discussions arose in the editorial department, but the office door remained shut.

Damn it... What kind of trouble had he gotten himself into? Walter couldn’t figure it out. Was it because they just reported a major news story that they were specifically suppressed by the Duke?

Related to the content of the report? That’s a joke... The event took place in a border city and was unrelated to politics; how could it possibly touch Wilson Longjiu’s raw nerve? As the creator of Gao Feng Industrial Company, the Duke’s attitude toward novel constructs should be appreciation and praise...

After all, that is the domain managed by the God of All Machines!

Thinking about what angered him, Walter abruptly pushed his hand, sweeping all the desk decorations and newspapers onto the floor.

Wait a second—what’s that?

Suddenly, something in the corner of his eye caught his attention.

Walter sat down puzzled and opened all the drawers that Qiu Ji had used. The tobacco pipe was not tidied up, just shoved in a corner of a drawer, with a lot of tobacco spilled out and accumulating on the sides of several books.

Was he that scared at the time?

Because of fear... his hands shook, causing a lot of tobacco to spill out.

No, no matter how much it shook, it couldn’t possibly result in such a large amount of tobacco; it looked more like it had been poured out. At that time, Li Tening was standing opposite the office table, unable to see Qiu Ji reaching into the drawer...

With this thought, Walter suddenly sprang up.

He brushed aside the tobacco and took out those books, laying them flat on the table one by one.

All these books are the most common interview logs, the contents of which have been accumulated over many years, and they shouldn’t hide any secrets.

Walter tried to pick up one of the books and shook it downwards.

Nothing happened.

He tried a second book... This time, a small card slid out from the pages.

Walter picked it up and discovered that it was an immaculate business card, the ink marks distinctly visible.

The name on the business card read "Kort Dane."

...

In Star Peak City, headquarters of the Glaik Academy Company.

Located on the north side of the Royal Capital, it is merely forty-five kilometers from Shengxia, reachable within twenty minutes by steam train.

Its scale is not large, comparable to ordinary towns, and it can only be called a "city" entirely because of the behemoth company, the Academy. It can be said that there are no poor people in this city, the most common facilities being constant temperature book storage and the office personnel who maintain it. The city has no lord; the chairman of the Academy Company is the city’s administrator.

In a certain sense, Star Peak City is like a giant library.

And today, the library welcomed an exceedingly noble guest.

A lavishly decorated carriage entered the company’s front courtyard, the Astral Plaza, stopping in front of a welcoming line. As the carriage door opened, Wilson Longjiu straightened his clothes and descended the carriage steps. An older man past his fifties immediately approached him, extending his hand enthusiastically, "Welcome, welcome, Duke! What brings you to our humble abode?"

This man was the manager of Star Peak City, the current chairman of Glaik, Lucius Haifa.

"Is it so strange for me to appear here?" Wilson said with a smile.

"It is somewhat," Lucius didn’t shy away from the other’s status and chuckled, "You just took over Royal City, so there should be a lot of follow-up work to do. And our quiet little Academy doesn’t seem to be something that would catch your eye... Of course, that doesn’t mean Glaik Academy doesn’t welcome your visit, our mission is to fairly serve everyone."

"Good, I admire your mission, and indeed, I have come seeking knowledge."

"Oh? Is the branch in Royal City not sufficient for you?"

"It’s understandable for the public not to be clear, but do you see me as an ordinary citizen?" Wilson waved his hand, signaling no need for formalities, "The answering machines at the branches can only mechanically transfer answers, while the core of the Panlogical Machine can contemplate the questions and then select the most appropriate answer from countless possibilities. I seek the most precise answer, thus coming to Star Peak City in person is the only choice."

"So you’re also a connoisseur of the Panlogical Machine," Lucius laughed, "Then I won’t beat around the bush. A visit to the core costs fifty thousand Serir per time. Is that alright?"

Wilson raised his hand, "Of course, please, lead the way."

The two of them walked through the company’s entrance, all around they could see exquisite statues and wool carpets. Unlike the cold and dry weather outside, there was a warm current here, as if basking in the breezy air of late spring and early summer.

"I remember that painting..." Duke Longjiu suddenly stopped, turning his gaze toward a large oil painting hanging on the wall, "It’s by Montrose, isn’t it? The auction price exceeded two hundred thousand Serir back then, a work of astronomical value."

"My Lord has a keen eye indeed. This is truly a master’s authentic piece," Lucius nodded.

"Everyone says Shengxia is the convergence of wealth, but that’s because their vision is too short-sighted. In my opinion, Glaik Academy is a real goldmine, and moreover, one that will never run out," Wilson commented.

"You flatter us," Lucius laughed, though his expression showed some pride, "The company’s profits are indeed stable, but our expenses are also quite astonishing. No matter if our income were to double, it would still not be enough for us. You know, there are a total of eighty-five Academies in the world, five of which are in the New World, but adding up the two landmasses, there are precisely five hundred and eighty-four towns, and even more if we include the villages..."

"Let me guess, your grand aim is to build an Academy in every human settlement?"

"That is precisely our goal," Lucius said frankly, "Knowledge is like food, a necessity needed by everyone. Does Your Grace think that poor people should be illiterate? The development of society requires knowledge, and the poorer people are, the more they need it, because continuous development brings a multitude of opportunities, and it is only through knowledge that they might seize one or two chances to stand out."

Wilson clapped his hands, praising sincerely, "Well said. Such vision and scale are not something an ordinary company would have. But I also have some concerns, the Academy has indeed accumulated a vast wealth, but what if it becomes the object of someone’s envy? Of course, I’m not talking about any ordinary bandits or thieves who can be dismissed with security and a few guns, I’m worried about other competing companies."