“Because you exceeded the mission requirements, and even helped our mailman birth the ‘Glory Light,’ so these two rows here… “

Schmidt’s finger traced across two rows of Silver Coins.

“…amounting to forty coins in total are all an extra reward for you. Since you don’t need assistance contacting work, the originally promised ten coins are included within. Now, all of this is yours. “

“So much? Didn’t you say… “

“The rest is my investment in Hurst Investigation Company. I’m very interested—don’t mind if I take a stake, do you? From now on, I’ll handle the salary collection and distribution. It’s only a matter of two or three months anyway. “

Schmidt was smiling broadly, and Yang Zicang let out a teasing snort. “All right, then. Looks like working here is a pretty good gig. “

“I also need to secure some benefits for my land lease. I’ll be handling the handover procedures this afternoon. For now, let me go apply to open the Ether Beacon channel’s magic rune array device, along with the required crystals. Two trips’ worth should be fine, right? You just prepare five thousand prime-hour principal. “

“By the way, ” Yang Zicang raised his head, “the Colonel wanted me to join the military standoff against Telanaxi. I turned it down. “

The blond man, just opening the door, turned to him with a slightly surprised look.

“Because I’m too busy, ” Yang Zicang let out a sigh. “I just want to quickly find some leads that might be related to resurrection. So if you happen to know anything, could you tell me? “

Schmidt, with his golden hair, narrowed his eyes in deep thought for a moment. “Information like that isn’t something I’m authorized to disclose at my level. Do you understand what that means? “

With that, Schmidt closed the door and left.

A flicker of delight crossed Yang Zicang’s face.

He pulled the box over and stared at the gleaming coins inside, his mood a bit elated as he pondered the man’s implication. At the same time, he was considering how much to allocate to She Liqi’s crew—when he heard the door open again.

Schmidt, with a slightly more serious expression, cleared his throat softly, drawing the attention of the youth on the sofa, and said:

“Mr. Yang Bucheng, there is a commissioned job here. I suggest you take it. “

……

A woman wearing the uniform of the Land Lease Company was accompanying Yang Zicang as they walked towards the hall.

“What is it this time? “

“Are you worried about the time it will take? It shouldn’t be too long. ” The young woman handed Yang Zicang a new document sheet.

Yang Zicang skimmed through it while walking. It listed some instrument names and corresponding material data, looking like a crude data sheet. All of this was filled out according to the Land Lease Company’s requirements.

“There’s a native who wants to hire us to send someone to protect him. “

“Hmph, same old story. “

Yang Zicang gave a faint smile.

But the woman said solemnly, “This time, he really needs our protection, you can rest assured. He’s a researcher, and his workplace is just outside the city. “

Yang Zicang stepped out of the passageway and looked toward the front hall, where a robust man in his fifties or sixties was sitting on a chair by the edge, looking as if lost in thought.

“A researcher? He seems like someone who’s been wearing the same clothes for years. Can he afford the pay? “

Yang Zicang was simply curious about how the Land Lease Company took on assignments, and the woman could hear the curiosity in his tone—it wasn’t meant as a slight toward someone who might offer low pay.

“Usually, based on the urgency of the matter and its potential impact on the old fate, we take the initiative to list the compensation. Right now, his research is at a critical juncture, and that itself carries great value, so we didn’t put forward any separate request for money this time. “

The young girl turned her head to look at Yang Zicang, a gentle smile spreading across her face. Beneath that expression, there was an unmistakable melancholy that couldn’t be concealed. “But if it succeeds, given Mr. Kerry’s habits, he’ll likely give you some payment. You can accept it at your discretion—after all, these researchers and their pride ought to be respected. “

“Alright, I understand. “

Yang Zicang lightly patted his thigh with the documents and walked over.

“How do you do? ” he said.

The sudden sound of his voice jolted Jean Kerry, who had been sitting anxiously at the edge of the silent hall, into looking up in surprise.

“I heard you’re seeking protection. “

“Ah, that’s correct, ” Jean Kerry stood up with joyful surprise. “So there are still some of you Mist Folk around after all…. “

……

There were no vehicles, and even if there were, none could drive—the streets were crammed with people. The air was thick with fervent shouts and the searing heat from the crowd.

Yang Zicang, along with Jean Kerry, both wearing hats with earflaps, moved through the surging crowd like two steady fish swimming against the swift current. They walked quickly yet steadily, threading their way to the west of the city.

The surroundings here were dim and gloomy; so many refugees had set up makeshift sleep shelters along the roadside. Still, patrols from the 47th Division could be seen frequently.

Yang Zicang looked up at the thick, high city wall, which blocked most of the light.

“You live here? It’s quite quiet. “

“Yes, my research is rather noisy, so I chose this place. “

Jean Kerry’s hair was a mixture of black and white, his arms quite thick, but his face was that of a scholar, bearing the long-term marks of contemplation. Only his high, prominent nose gave him a simple, slightly naive look.

“Grandpa. You brought the Fogfolk back. ” As the two returned, a young man ran out of the house, looking nervously yet delightedly at Yang Zicang, who had taken off his hat.

“Yes, indeed, lucky for us this Fog gentleman hasn’t left yet. Quick, his time is precious; let’s go inside to talk. “

The old man led Yang Zicang into this single-story tile-roofed house. It was built as large as a basketball-court-sized warehouse, with a second floor partitioned off for living quarters. Ahead were set a massive bench vise, a manually operated press arm, and several heavy little smelting furnaces.

“What do you research? “

“At one time, it was bearings. But I underestimated their difficulty. “

“That, ” said Jean Kerry, “involved an expense far beyond my means. The precious metals needed for a single formulation experiment would have taken me years of labor to afford. If the old Section Chief hadn’t funded us all this time and connected us with buyers, we would have long been forced to stop. “

Following the old man’s gaze, Yang Zicang looked toward the side, where a partition separated half the warehouse. On the other side of that partition, he supposed, lay the old man’s true research.

“And now? ” the youth asked.

“Now… ” Jean Kerry exchanged a look with his grandson. Then the old man said, “I can tell you, but you must never tell anyone outside. “

Yang Zicang fixed his eyes on him.

“Can’t say it? “

“This research has already been bought by someone the Section Chief connected with. Ah, in these times, who cares about inventions? Who knows what the buyer will do with it. Anyway, I just want to make enough money from it so we… can buy ship tickets and leave. ” Jean Kerry spoke with a hint of awkwardness.

“Get on a ship? ” Yang Zicang’s expression turned stern. “How do you know about getting on a ship? “

“When I was young at the old factory, I heard some inside gossip. Someone was selling an apocalyptic prophecy to the seasoned veterans there. Said when all Fogfolk move westward, it means doomsday is coming. The solution is to go there together and buy ship tickets from that person’s clan. “

“Who would… “

“I, I wasn’t even qualified to hear it… A Section Chief, because he didn’t have enough money, approached us team members and asked us to chip in for this info, to help our descendants buy ship tickets. “

A surge of fury suddenly welled up inside Yang Zicang!

“You all want to sail away from here, right? The rumors all say doomsday is inevitable and coming soon, ” the teenage boy said.

“Once we make enough money, Grandpa and I will buy tickets to leave this continent, going to the world across the sea. You guys will help us live well over there, right? “

The young man looked at him with some anticipation, tilting his head toward his round ears.

Yang Zicang gave a strained smile. He wanted to say, “That’s not something you can buy, ” but the words wouldn’t come out.

He let out a heavy sigh. “Alright, I promise I won’t tell anyone. If you succeed, you’ll get a good price for it. “

Yang Zicang had already decided to take a considerable portion of the one hundred silver coins he had just acquired, plus the annual salary he would receive in a few days, to ensure that this old man, who was trying to buy a ship ticket for his grandson, could live a good life on his way to the western part of the continent.

He hoped that the one cashing in on this intel wasn’t a fellow countryman…

Hearing the assurance, the old man walked forward with obvious excitement.

“Ever since I started as an apprentice, my dream has been to develop a technique that is uniquely mine! Ha, if I succeed, this new technology of mine will greatly improve the production processes of certain military industries! I believe the Grand Duke and the Marshal will take notice! We won’t fail to get ship tickets. “

Yang Zicang subconsciously thought that the buyer must be some noble from the Grand Duchy, then immediately realized he was once again instinctively grasping at the possibility of Glory Light’s birth.

“Grandpa, the Fogfolk’s time is precious, you said so yourself, ” the grandson said, somewhat displeased at his grandfather’s constant bringing up of their family’s financial situation.

“Hey, what does a kid know? “

Jean Kerry began to take off his only formal black jacket. “Mr. Yang asked what I’m researching—I’ll tell you: it’s the improved technique of changing ‘hot forging’ into ‘cold forging’! “

“Improved… technique? ” Yang Zicang’s eyes snapped wide open!

He looked toward the partition next to him.

The memory of Major General Ross’s account of the Golden Shell Federation’s dissolution surfaced in his mind!

Could it be…

-｛Distributor February. Di’an begins to observe my current life experience.｝

The boy ran swiftly to the side, pulling aside a bamboo mat partition that separated this area, revealing a rugged, hard-outlined object covered by an old bedsheet.

“Do you… have any idea what the consequences of this might be? “

Yang Zicang asked solemnly, then quickly caught on.

“Right… you invited me to protect you because you already know what might be coming, don’t you! “

“Of course! ” Jean Kerri’s voice boomed loudly. “But science will never become humanity’s nightmare! “

Yang Zicang’s heart twisted with a sudden jolt.