Chapter 1171 — Preparations Before the Rain

"This... thank you for your concern," Malin said, his expression instantly a little awkward. He touched the tip of his nose. "It's actually fine, after all... a man reaches middle age, you must understand..."

"Ah, then I suggest you ask Pi Yun for help. He seems to be researching some kind of hair-growing alchemical salve again lately—though I don't know who it is that keeps ordering that salve from him every few days, you could go try it. His salves sometimes have no effect, but I've never heard of any serious side effects..."

"Thank you, I'll consider it." The awkwardness on Malin's face was on the verge of overflowing. He began desperately casting about for something to say that would divert Her Highness's attention and let this topic pass as quickly as possible, but fortunately Rebecca had already dropped it before he could speak—as usual, her attention flitted rapidly from one thing to another. While Malin kept touching his nose and shifting restlessly on his feet, she had already risen from behind the broad desk and walked over to a floor-to-ceiling window nearby.

Rebecca looked out through the window.

That was the deepest part of the entire facility, a region of the highest confidentiality. Within the whole administrative district, only the windows of her office offered a direct view of that site—inside the vast enclosed space, high-power magic-crystal lamps lit a broad assembly platform and the crisscrossing steel support structures. Under array after array of floodlights, cold light and shadow were traced out; among those enormous platforms and supports one could see unfinished anti-gravity rings, giant power spines undergoing welding, mobile arcane obelisks, engineering vehicles shuttling busily about, and countless workers and technicians hurrying to and fro among the giant components.

"The components that burned before have all been replaced... Before we mount that batch of parts sent from Pompeii, we should do a bit more preparation work in Test Site No. 2," Rebecca said softly. "Malin, prepare another simulation frame—we'll validate the power-spine modification plan one more time. Also, contact the computation center and borrow their wetware servo. The new power spine and the neural-network control system—we can test both plans together."

"And as for the budget..." Malin could not help saying, though this was not a matter he needed to worry about; the conversation he had overheard outside the door a moment ago inevitably left him somewhat anxious now.

"I'll just go apply for it. It's only an unscheduled test," Rebecca waved a hand. "And even if it really does burn, burning a simulation frame and a wetware servo is better than burning the main power spine on the slipway. Auntie will understand."

Malin looked at the princess before him, and after a moment lowered his head: "...Yes, Minister. I'll see to it at once."

...

In Xuan Yao City, in the Grand Consul's office within the government hall, the slightly weary-faced Hetty set down the report in her hand. She rubbed her somewhat sore brow and could not help giving a soft sigh.

Just then the office door was pushed open, and Gao Song's voice came from the doorway: "I walk in and the first thing I see is you sighing, Hetty. Run into some thorny problem again? The village renovation and free-mercenary retraining over in Baiyu stalled again? Or has the Construction Planning Department handed you another headache?"

"If it were that sort of problem, it would actually be fine—nothing more than reassigning some personnel and adjusting the work schedules of the relevant departments," Hetty rubbed her brow again and sighed with a pained expression. "It's our dear Miss Rebecca. She..."

Gao Heng waved a hand before Hetty could finish, and said casually: "I understand. Budget."

Hetty looked up at the Shuangmai Sect with a helpless expression: "A month ago, Project 115 suffered a meltdown accident. There were no casualties, but key materials and the test site were severely damaged. Half a month ago the same place had a second meltdown—this time not only were all the test devices destroyed, the test site itself nearly blew up. Thanks to strict and effective safety measures, the disaster did not spread further. Now Rebecca has submitted a budget application for the third phase... and the amount is several percentage points higher than last time."

Hetty shook her head helplessly. Her originally lovely face was now clouded with conflict: "I can understand the importance of Project 115, but it's far too hard to keep a calm heart when it comes time to sign."

Whenever she saw a budget list from the Magitech Department, her signing hand could not help trembling slightly. Sometimes Hetty genuinely wanted to hand these things straight to her first-rank finance officials, but unfortunately most of the budgets Rebecca submitted were tied to classified projects, and final review had to pass through her, the Grand Consul—Hetty could not help feeling a little pessimistic about the future, certain that her trembling hand would likely go on trembling for many years to come...

Seeing Hetty—who always appeared mature and composed before outsiders—reveal such helplessness so unreservedly in front of him, Gao Yang could not help wanting to laugh, but he managed to control his expression and, shaking his head slightly, said: "It seems this really is a very money-burning project..."

"You started this project," Hetty glanced at the Xuanmai Sect. "Have you forgotten?"

"Of course I haven't forgotten, and we're all clear on the necessity of Project 115," Gao Yun coughed twice, his expression turning serious. "As for the Wasteland... I'm afraid the time left to us is running short."

Seeing Gao Song's expression change, Hetty could not help straightening her back, her manner turning earnest: "Have the scouts at the South Gate Fortress found something?"

"Nothing sighted yet for the moment, but word has come from the Silver Empire—their Watchtower detected several irregular energy bursts deep in the Wasteland... and they don't look like natural phenomena."

"Energy bursts..." Hetty repeated the term softly. "In other words, those fellows hidden deep in the Wasteland aren't bothering to conceal their traces much anymore..."

"They know we outsiders can do nothing about them, and the only force deep in the Wasteland that poses any threat to them cannot leave the core region," Gao Yan nodded. "Their earlier low profile was merely to keep the countries outside from growing wary and accelerating their own development. And now they're no longer keeping such a low profile... which means their confidence is swelling."

"If that's the case... can Project 115 really be ready in time?" There was worry in Hetty's tone. "Pinning our hopes on something that may not succeed for who knows how long—or may not even be buildable at all—to guard against a threat in the Wasteland that could erupt at any moment. That's not a reassuring thing."

"Which is why Project 115 is only one of our options," Gao Che said in a firm voice. "Right now we just pile up strength. Before that wall collapses, we pile up as much as we can—and it would be best to gather enough strength to march into the Wasteland before that wall collapses, to pacify everything before that pack of cultists can stir up trouble. This morning I already approved the joint proposal from Generals Ma Qi and Philip: before this autumn, begin construction of several 'advance railways' aimed at the Great Wall, to deploy our ground mobile fortresses. I hear Tifeng has a similar plan—they're hurrying to rebuild several major transcendent legions and have increased their forces along the Great Wall. The Highland Kingdom and the Augulei Tribal States, and even those alliance member states that don't directly border the Great Wall, have each taken their own action.