Night is falling, but before the darkness completely covers the land, artificial lights have been lit in the city, dispelling the darkness that has just arrived.
The street lamps stretching along the city roads and the bright lights of every household are shining in this forest made of steel and concrete, like stars falling into the world, shining brightly.
There may be no night in this city.
On a terrace somewhere in the Autumn Palace, Earl Dürer looked at the distance of this strange city, and couldn't help but sigh with emotion: "Even the most remote urban areas have the same number of street lights... This is a lot of money. .”
Matilda's voice came from not far away: "But it improves law and order and makes the city safer. In the long run, the crime rate will decrease, and the cost of maintaining the law will also decrease."
"... The noble council in Aldernan is not good at thinking about problems from a 'long-term' perspective. This really needs to be changed." Earl Durer turned around and bowed to Matilda. "Are you also here to see the scenery?"
"Walk around," Matilda said lightly, "Count Durer, what do you think of what you have seen and heard today?"
"... This is indeed a different place from Typhon. To be honest, some aspects are frighteningly disordered, but some aspects show... an astonishing order," Earl Durer shook his head, " I still prefer Aldernan, for its grandeur and solemnity."
"Obviously, our understanding of 'order' is different from that of Emperor Gawain," Matilda said casually, and then asked again, "Earl Durer, what do you think of the "Foundation of Everything"?" Do you have an opinion? You also read the original manuscript and some of its content.”
"To be honest, my first feeling was a little disappointing," Earl Dürer thought for a while, and said bluntly, "When I knew how much the Cecils spent to compile it, and that Gawain Cecil When the Emperor placed high hopes on it, I thought I would see some great books that recorded difficult magical mysteries, condensed profound wisdom of philosophers, and shone with brilliant grammar, but I didn't expect the content in it to be so superficial... The diction is vulgar, too. But its sheer size and content are truly astounding."
Matilda looked at Earl Durer for a while, and said unhurriedly: "But it also records the parts you don't understand, such as typhoid and miscellaneous diseases, such as mechanical technology, and the unfinished agricultural volume... just Like its name, it is "The Foundation of Everything", and it records the basic common sense to maintain the operation of a society, not the difficult knowledge that only a few people can delve into.
"And more importantly, Emperor Cecil intends to spread this kind of thing to the entire empire and regard it as the 'knowledge benchmark' of the people. Earl Durer, can you imagine what this means?"
Earl Durer's words were accompanied by thoughts: "Yes, I can imagine... So after the first disappointment, I understand your feelings after seeing those manuscripts, and also understand your request to His Majesty Gawain …”
Matilda looked into Earl Durer's eyes: "Then Earl Durer, what do you think? Do you think Typhon needs the "Foundation of Everything"?"
Earl Dürer blinked and fell into a short thought. After a moment of silence, he spoke with a somewhat complicated tone: "To be honest, in my opinion, if it is to be extended to the entire society, then what is said in "The Foundation of Everything" Stuff...but it's a little too much."
…
In a room in the Cecil Palace, Amber stared at Gao Wen in surprise: "Then you decided to give Typhon the complete version of "Foundation of Everything"?"
"That's right," Gao Wen said frankly, "and I plan to send a hardcover copy to me to sign myself."
"Aren't you afraid to play it off?!" Amber's eyes widened, "That's... how to put it, in your terms, it's the 'basis for the operation of modern society', which is used to enhance the competitiveness of an entire generation If you hand things over to the Typhon people casually, will there be no accidents?"
"First of all, when the "Foundation of Everything" is completed, mass-printed on printing presses, distributed nationwide, and everyone can buy it, who can make it so that none of them will flow into Typhon? The new printed publication is not Classical magic books, unless we ban them vigorously, their flow will be unstoppable," Gao Wen glanced at Amber, and said with a half-smile, "Second point... Do you think that "The Foundation of Everything" will come after Typhon? Will it be the same as it was at Cecil?"
Amber frowned slightly, showing a thoughtful expression.
Gawain shook his head lightly.
"No, because Typhon's nobles have become new factory owners, because their council is essentially a mixture of capital and nobles, a group that is more greedy and selfish than pure traditional nobles, even if they They have built a factory system similar to ours. Even though their industrial machines have already started, they are different from us in their bones.
"Compiling a set of "Foundation of Everything" only needs hundreds of scholars, experts, assistants and an office with overall coordination ability, we can do it, and so can Typhon.
"However, to spread this set of "Foundations of Everything" to the entire society requires a powerful supreme government office, tens of thousands of grassroots clerks, an army capable of smashing the old aristocrats, and countless buildings like liberal arts colleges and Institutions like Imperial College, countless night schools, teachers, and literacy teams.
"These Typhons don't have any, and in their eyes, our "Foundation of Everything"... talks too much."
Amber couldn't help frowning: "Then what's the point of you giving Matilda a set?"
"Spreading knowledge is just for the sake of spreading knowledge," Gao Wen laughed, "I don't have any other intentions, and I don't have any conspiracy. I just hope that knowledge can be spread as widely as possible. "The Foundation of Everything" may Being placed in the study of Rosetta Augustus, perhaps entering the noble council, perhaps entering their Imperial Craft Association and Mages Association, no matter what, it is a good thing. And if it really happened, it would be very One of the possibilities is that Rosetta Augustus and his council decided to disseminate the sub-volumes including general social studies and continental history... It is also a good thing."
Amber once again showed a thoughtful look, while Gao Wen looked at her and couldn't help asking curiously.
"Speaking of it... you've been paying more and more attention to these complicated things recently, and you can even discuss them with me for a long time, weren't you the most impatient to think about them before?"
Amber was stunned for a moment, and quickly waved her hands: "I'm impatient, but the salary you give is really too much..."
Gao Wen was dumbfounded, and after a while he couldn't help but shook his head with a smile: "Then let's take it that way."
After Amber left the room, Gawain stood up from the high-back chair and came to the large French windows facing the dark mountains.
The bright magic spar lights shone behind, dispelling the darkness that had spread over the mountains, and above the magnificent and ancient dark mountains, bright stars were rising.
The familiar mental fluctuations suddenly surged in the depths of consciousness, which was Daniel's request for communication.
Gao Wen recognized the imprint in the mental fluctuations, and did not enter the deep dream, but directly connected to the spiritual communication with Daniel in the shallow consciousness.
"My lord," the old mage's respectful voice sounded in Gao Wen's heart, "I have received information that Pope Megaul III will agree to your conditions."
Gao Wen was a little curious: "While I was leaving, the archbishops held another meeting?"
"It was not a formal meeting, but a tacit agreement was reached between King Megal III and some archbishops in advance," Daniel Hui reported. "If there is no accident, this will be the final result of the meeting..."
"...It seems that there are also intricate relationships within the Order of the Eternal Sleepers, but the control of that King Megaul III is obviously superior to all factions," said Gao, who is quite familiar with similar faction relations, internal struggles and shuffling behaviors. Wen didn't show any surprises, but rather agreed with it, "He is very decisive and wise. Now is not the time for a leisurely meeting and discussion. He must ensure that there is only one voice left in the entire sect within a short period of time... also Make sure that after the event is over, when I, an 'outsider', takes over his order, the remaining people in the order are all selected by him... "
"My lord, do you need my cooperation to do something?"
"No need, just let things take their course. Megal III has accumulated seven hundred years of wisdom, and he will handle everything," Gao Wen said, "I only care about the technology and knowledge of the Eternal Sleeper. How does this sect develop... After being transformed by me, it will naturally follow a healthy development path."
Then he paused, and asked casually: "What about you? After being invaded by me, an 'extraterritorial rogue', have you, a 'security director', encountered any trouble?"
"... I have been commended," Daniel's voice paused and hesitated, "Although I failed to 'stop' your 'invasion', the Pope and more than half of the archbishops think that I have at least caused you trouble The power of mortals...they think I've done what they couldn't, and I've done it."
Gao Wen: "..."
Facing Gawain's brief silence, Daniel's voice became more cautious: "My lord, do you think... there is a problem?"
Gao Wen: "... No, no problem, everything is fine."
How should I put it, just now he felt a little bit of guilt just now, and felt that he had been a little cruel to the gang of eternal sleepers, but after thinking about it carefully, anyway, cultists have no human rights, so he accepted the status quo frankly.
What's more, as a wanderer outside the territory, he can't just be trapped in embarrassment in front of Daniel, which will damage his image.
While talking with Daniel, Gao Wen suddenly felt something.
He laughed in his heart: "It seems that the news you said is coming, sooner than I thought."
Then the old mage's voice sounded: "Then, my lord, I will retreat first."
Daniel's mental imprint quietly left, and after erasing all traces, Gawain redirected his shallow consciousness to the spiritual network, responding to a voice that kept calling him.
Accompanied by the intuitive feeling, he looked to the side, and saw a dim and soft light suddenly appearing in the air, and then the light condensed into a classical lantern with a crystal shell.
Selina Geer, who was dressed in a long white dress and had a calm and gentle temperament, held the lantern and stood beside Gao Wen.
"Hello," Gao Wen nodded slightly to the familiar yet unfamiliar "Saint with the Lamp", "I didn't expect you to come here in person."
"Relying on dreams, I have more means of self-protection than other believers," Selina said softly, "It is very risky for us to come into contact with 'outside wanderers'."
"I can understand your concerns, although I don't think it's necessary," Gao Wen smiled, "I was still thinking, I didn't leave a 'contact information' for you, how should you contact me."
Selena looked calm: "We really can't lock your location, but we believe that as long as you call your name in the entire psychic network, you will definitely hear that you are definitely listening to the psychic network."
"It doesn't sound like something to be happy about...but it's true," Gawain said, raising his eyebrows. "Then, are you here to tell me the answer from the Eternal Sleeper?"
"We can agree to your request," Selina said straight to the point, and said the answer that Gawain already knew. "Although further discussions are needed by the Supreme Bishops' Conference, we can already give you an answer."
Gao Wen was not surprised at all, he maintained a calm look: "It sounds like you are indeed in an urgent situation, it's good, this choice is good for everyone."
"We still have conditions," Selena said suddenly, "or... to express our attitude in advance."
"tell me the story."
"We can pledge our allegiance to the 'Outsider Wanderers' and accept the 'incorporation' and 'transformation' you mentioned, but all of this is based on the laws and rules of the world. We will not believe in a new god. If one day, You are on the path of the gods..."
Gao Wen interrupted Selena before she finished speaking: "There won't be a day, if there is, then all our agreements will be void."