Chapter 42: Another Sign-in, Tenth-Level Soul Engineer (1 / 1)
That perennially frozen Silver Dragon King persona had once again collapsed under Lin Yu's relentless "date" offensive, leaving behind only a girl who was flustered, embarrassed, and completely at a loss.
Lin Yu admired her moving predicament, feeling the slight coolness and fine trembling from her palm, his heart filled with immense satisfaction. He did not press further, simply holding her hand and looking at her with a burning gaze, enjoying this rare "investigation" time that belonged only to the two of them.
The brilliant lights of Radiant City flowed silently beneath them like a river of light. Atop the high tower, the night wind whistled, yet it could not disperse the thickening atmosphere of ambiguity permeating between them.
After a long while, once Gu Yuena's breathing had steadied somewhat—though her cheeks remained seductively red and her eyes forced back a cold facade—beneath that coldness lay an irrepressible embarrassment and a trace of... a strange throb caused by this unprecedented experience, which she herself had not yet realized.
Only then did Lin Yu release her hand, seemingly with lingering reluctance, the cool sensation lingering at his fingertips. He regained his persona of being in total control, though the smile in his eyes deepened.
"Alright, the investigation is mostly complete."
Lin Yu turned, his gaze returning to the direction of the Illustrious Virtue Hall, sharp light flickering in his golden pupils. "The scenery has been seen, and the intelligence has been collected... Now, it's time to find our real target. I hope Hall Master Jing Hongchen is free to receive us tonight."
He placed a deliberate emphasis on the word "investigation," earning him a cold glare from Gu Yuena and a blush on her ears as vivid as red plum blossoms in the snow.
Lin Yu let out a light chuckle, and silver light enveloped the two once more as their figures vanished from the tower top. Only the eerie blue crystal sphere at the summit remained, rotating on its own, reflecting the cold yet desire-filled city built of steel and soul-tool light below.
[Ding! System detected the host is located in Radiant City, Sun Moon Empire. Do you wish to sign in?]
"Sign in!" Lin Yu replied without hesitation.
[Ding! Sign-in successful!]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining: Complete Tenth-Level Soul Engineer technology and knowledge reserves.]
[Description: A soul-tool technology tree containing the theoretical pinnacle of the Douluo world and partial advanced concepts, covering all fields including design, manufacturing, core formation inscription, materials science, energy conversion, and application. The host can instantly understand and master all knowledge, possessing the ability to independently design and manufacture Tenth-Level Soul Tools.]
A massive torrent of information flooded into Lin Yu's mind, its complexity and sophistication far exceeding any technological system he had encountered in his previous life. Countless intricate and profound core formation structures, properties and processing techniques for rare materials, the subtle construction of energy circuits, and even soul power application theories touching upon the level of laws appeared as clearly as if branded into his mind.
His brain felt as if it had been lit by a sun of knowledge; his original perception of soul tools as merely "powerful weapons" was completely overturned. Deep within his golden eyes, countless tiny runic shadows flashed and vanished, returning to a deep calm.
"Tenth-level soul engineer technology... interesting."
The corner of Lin Yu's mouth curled into a playful arc. His previous plan was instantly discarded. Possessing such a technical foundation, simply going to Jing Hongchen to seek cooperation or resources was too small-scale. It would be like taking the He Shi Bi jade to a pawnshop to exchange for copper coins.
"What's wrong?"
Gu Yuena keenly perceived the subtle change in Lin Yu's aura. The embarrassment lingering from the tower date had not fully faded, but the Silver Dragon King's instincts made her perception of power exceptionally sharp. Lin Yu's mental power at this moment seemed to have deepened infinitely, carrying a calm majesty that perceived the rules of all things, far more terrifying than before.
"The plan has changed."
Lin Yu withdrew his gaze from the Illustrious Virtue Hall and turned to Gu Yuena, his golden eyes shimmering. "With this, it should be the Illustrious Virtue Hall—even the entire Sun Moon Empire—begging to find us instead."
"Oh?" Gu Yuena's purple eyes flickered as she temporarily suppressed her thoughts. "What do you mean?"
"Soul tool technology, especially top-tier soul tool technology, is to the Sun Moon Empire what soul rings are to soul masters: it is their lifeblood and their faith," Lin Yu explained unhurriedly.
"I originally wanted to use Spirit Soul technology as a stepping stone, but now, what I hold in my hand is a heavy hammer that can directly smash open the gates to their treasury. However..."
He shifted the topic, his gaze sweeping over the prosperous and cold Radiant City below. "The foundation of the Spirit Pagoda should indeed be rooted here. The popularity of soul tools is high, the people accept new things quickly, and the atmosphere for soul tool research is strong. But right now, we lack people, land, and even more so, startup capital. Directly bringing out something subversive like Spirit Soul technology would attract covetous eyes; if handled poorly, we would be controlled by others."
"So?" Gu Yuena seemed to understand Lin Yu's intent.
"So, we need a precursor." Lin Yu's smile carried a hint of cunning. "A little gadget that can quickly gather massive funds and resources, wordlessly demonstrate our overwhelming technological advantage, and pave the way for the subsequent Spirit Soul technology and the Spirit Pagoda. Selling weapons is too sensitive and easily draws fire. We need something that can quickly become a craze, change lifestyles, make everyone crave it, and continuously bring in massive profits."
Gu Yuena knit her brows slightly; her understanding of human commercial logic was clearly not as profound as her understanding of elemental laws. "What kind of thing can do all that simultaneously?"
"Communication."
Lin Yu uttered the word decisively, his eyes flashing with a light that understood the era. "Information transmission in this era is too primitive. Carrier pigeons, courier horses, short-range soul communicators... low efficiency, high cost, and limited coverage. I want to construct a 'Soul Network' that covers the entire continent."
"Soul Network?" Gu Yuena grew interested in the term.
"Yes! An instant communication network built on soul-tool technology. Utilizing the ubiquitous soul power fluctuations as a medium to establish nodes and relay stations for information transmission."
Lin Yu's speaking speed increased, carrying the excitement of a creator. "And every individual accessing this network needs a terminal—we can call it the 'Soulcom,' or more simply, a 'Soul-Phone.'"
"It doesn't require complex soul-tool abilities; even ordinary people can use it. The core function is the instant transmission of text, voice, and even... in the future, images! Letting people separated by ten thousand miles talk as if they were face-to-face, letting information reach every corner of the continent instantly! Think about it—what kind of subversive change would this be for military, commerce, intelligence, and even the daily lives of ordinary people?"
A trace of shock flashed in Gu Yuena's purple eyes. As the co-lord of soul beasts, she understood the importance of information transmission.