Chapter 540 — Technology Extends Forward

"Then it's time we gave this linking apparatus a name," Gao Yang said with a nod, pointing to the silver-white seat—or rather, pod—on the platform. "Any suggestions?"

Pi Yun and Jennie exchanged glances with the others—except Kamael, whose gaze was rather hard to read—and then, as if by prior agreement, all looked to Gao Yang.

"We believe you should be the one to name it," Jennie said with a smile, respectful and earnest. "Though it is the fruit of our creation, all the related technologies were collected by you through various means, and the greater part of the project's inspiration came from you as well. There is no one more fitting to name it."

Gao Yang very much wanted to say that the glory of technology should above all belong to its inventors, but on reflection it seemed that most of the technology in this linking apparatus was the product of the Eternal Slumber cultists, so he did not decline overmuch. Instead he gazed at the silver-white seat and fell into brief thought.

A touch of mischief crept into his heart unbidden.

The whole thing had an absurd style to it anyway.

"Immersion Neural Pod," Gao Dai proposed, the name he judged most in keeping with the thing's style. "Let's call it the Immersion Neural Pod—Immersion Pod for short. How's that?"

"Immersion Neural Pod..." Kamael repeated the hastily assembled phrase. Odd as it felt to say, those few short words captured every characteristic of the linking apparatus precisely, and he found himself nodding. "It's a good name."

Gao Yang and Amber left the Institute of Magical Technology, and with them went Pi Yun, who was ready to go back and rest.

The streets of Xuanyao City remained bustling and full of life.

"That is a magnificent city," Pi Yun suddenly remarked for no apparent reason as they walked down the street. "Truly, it's beautiful."

"Huan Shu City?" Gao Yang stopped and glanced at the little old man. "Be careful. Those encountering it for the first time tend to be absorbed into it."

"I won't be," Pi Yun blinked and smiled. "That city is indeed beautiful, one might even call it perfect, but it is precisely because it is too perfect that I will not be drawn to it—its perfection frightens me a little."

Gao Yang shook his head and strode on. "A world too perfect makes one think of the fabled heavenly kingdom that people reach only after death—entering such a city while still alive does indeed breed unease."

Pi Yun grew curious. "You have experience—is there really a perfect heavenly kingdom after death?"

"...I was only speaking figuratively."

They passed the Amethyst Avenue at the edge of the mage quarter, where a crowd had gathered before a newly opened shop.

Gao Yang looked up and saw the sign hanging at the shop entrance reading "Project Under the Supervision of the Bureau of Civil Affairs," while in the window beside it were displayed large arm rings or gauntlet-like devices, neatly arranged, reflecting the sunlight with a metallic luster.

Gao Yang murmured to himself, "So the first retail shop of arcane terminals open to commoners has already begun its trial operation..."

As one of Cecil's earliest products of arcane technology, the arcane terminal was nothing exceptionally advanced; and as a compatible platform capable of swapping core modules, such a device had possessed great civilian potential from the very start—it could be fitted with lethal spells to serve as a weapon, or with auxiliary rune boards to become a convenient tool. For Gao Yang, who had always been intent on bringing extraordinary power to the masses, its civilian adoption was inevitable.

As early as last year, Rebecca and the others had succeeded in building engineering terminals with welding, cutting, and traction functions based on the soldiers' arcane terminals, and had distributed them to arcane technicians and engineers. After a period of data collection and improvement, a more user-friendly, safer, and cheaper civilian version of the arcane terminal had finally appeared before the general public.

These arcane terminals had lower output, but could still be used to cast the most basic few cantrips as well as several protective spells of reduced power. Ordinary people could use them as tools, and in the wilderness they could also serve for self-defense—a truly convenient thing.

But after observing before the shop for a while, Gao Yang found that although quite a crowd had gathered, very few citizens actually spent money to buy an arcane terminal.

"Quite normal. Magic is still something 'transcendent' to most people. Even though arcane power is already everywhere around them, most probably never imagined they would one day 'cast spells' themselves," Pi Yun said from the side. "And frankly, though a few dozen silver coins is not much, to many it is still a large sum. Ordinary people accustomed to frugality will not rashly spend so much on something unfamiliar merely because it is novel and interesting."

This was an inevitable phenomenon in the process of spreading arcane technology.

Gao Yang looked at the shop with its gathered crowd in the distance, thought for a moment, and turned to Amber. "Have your agents do a bit of guiding."

Amber agreed offhandedly. "Sure."

Hearing Amber agree so readily, Gao Yang was instead surprised. "Why so quick to agree this time?"

"Being a shill is the old trade of quite a few among those rascals," Amber waved a hand. "Calling it 'guiding'—isn't that just being a shill..."

Gao Yang: "...You're not wrong to understand it that way."

The three took a last look at the shop selling civilian arcane terminals, and before turning to leave, Pi Yun suddenly said, "Actually, neural cord technology is not only useful for establishing brain-machine connections and letting people enter the mental network—it has another possible application."

Gao Yang's tone rose. "Oh?"

"You are committed to letting ordinary people master the power of magic—the arcane terminal can solve half the problem, and the neural cord... may be able to solve the other half for you."