Chapter 864 — On the Road Ahead

Gaoyang rubbed his chin with his fingers and began actively helping Rebecca refine the idea. "Then have you considered that, as the shell approaches the missile limit, the wind runes on the shell will also be affected, causing the magic quagmire to 'trap' the shell?"

"That's why the acceleration track has to be long and the runes powerful, so that even if the wind runes on the shell disintegrate, the track will continue to push the shell forward," Rebecca said at once. "If that still doesn't work, we can build a vacuum tube to house the entire apparatus. Then we can simply do away with the wind runes and reduce the shell to a lump of iron. With the vacuum environment as well, perhaps we will get an even better acceleration effect..."

As expected, this stubborn girl had thrown out an approach that was very much "brute force makes miracles."

But Gaoyang had to admit that Rebecca's "brute force" idea did make a great deal of sense, and was the best idea available at this stage. Even if he offered suggestions and refinements at the side, he could only patch and tinker within this line of thought.

After a moment's thought, however, he still casually remarked, "There is just one problem—the cost of doing this will not be low, I'm afraid. Have you told Hedy?"

"Not yet," Rebecca said, immediately touching her head, her voice dropping by a fifth. "Such a large acceleration track, plus the supporting power supply, observation, and safety facilities, and possibly a vacuum shell on top of that—once the cost is calculated, there is a nine-in-ten chance my aunt will chase me down and beat me... That's why I came to you first, thinking I could..."

Her voice grew softer and softer, until at last it simply became a solitary mumble.

Looking at Rebecca, nervous and uneasy now that her scheme was exposed, Gaoyang suddenly could not help but laugh. Under the other's astonished gaze, he nodded. "I have already approved this project—special authorization."

"R-really?" Rebecca stared wide-eyed, as if still unable to believe it. "You approved it just like that?"

"This project is important, and the results it produces later may well exceed everyone's expectations. I think it is necessary to increase investment," Gaoyang said with a smile. "However, I have some suggestions as well. We can set the vacuum shell aside for now. By optimizing the shape of the 'shell' itself, we can..."

A formless wind suddenly blew into the study, and a familiar presence appeared beside the desk. Gaoyang stopped at once and looked to the seemingly empty space beside him. "What is it? Coming here in such a fluster."

From Gaoyang's reaction, Rebecca and Maggie had already guessed who had come. Amber's figure emerged from the air the very next moment. After a brief nod to the two of them, she bent down beside Gaoyang's ear and reported a few words in a low voice.

Rebecca saw that her ancestor, always so dignified and reliable, visibly stiffened in expression over the next few seconds.

The next second, Gaoyang rose abruptly to his feet, his countenance so solemn it was frightening.

"Rebecca, I have approved the project. You may begin preparing your accelerator," Gaoyang said quickly, then turned to Maggie. "Maggie, I need a favor from you."

Maggie lowered her head at once. "Of course. Whatever you command."

"We must leave for the Holy Spirit Plains immediately—Sorinburg."

Rebecca caught something in Gaosong's manner and spoke up at once. "Ancestor, what has happened?!"

Gaoyang looked quietly at Rebecca for a moment, then slowly drew a breath and let it out again.

"Norris is dying," he said slowly.

"Norris?" Rebecca's eyes flew wide. At first she seemed not to have grasped the meaning of her ancestor's words; two seconds later it struck her, and she stepped forward without thinking. "I want to come too—"

Gaoyang looked at Rebecca, at the stubbornness that had suddenly risen in her gaze—the child had her flaws of temperament, true enough, but she rarely turned that willful, obstinate look on him or on Hedy.

He recalled that Norris came of old Cecil stock, one of the eight hundred souls Rebecca had fought to the death to save.

That a man of peasant birth should end his days as Minister of Agriculture of the Empire was owed in no small part to the recommendations of Hedy and Rebecca.

After a brief silence, Gaoyang nodded. "You may."

Relief washed plainly over Rebecca's face, and she thanked her ancestor with a smile—but the smile soon faded, and grief and worry spread across her features.

Gaoyang's brows drew together by degrees. He was turning over the news that had come from Sorinburg in recent days, pondering certain things Bayila had mentioned the last time they spoke, and sank gradually into thought.

After a moment he gave a slight nod to Amber beside him. "Make a trip to the North Shore..."

They say that to rise from the dead is a miracle.

Gaoyang felt he had already accomplished that miracle.

Then... perhaps it was time he went and wrought another.