Chapter 547 — Earthquake?
Blade of Dawn · Page 1 of 4
Social change is a complicated thing, but viewed from another angle, its transformations within a given span of time and under given conditions follow discernible laws—just as Emperor Typhon's reforms were bound to tread on the interests of the landed aristocracy, just as the rise of industry was bound to give birth to a new class whose capital lay in machine-factories rather than land, just as the lesser nobles who threw themselves into capital were bound to break with the great nobles, just as the old sources of raw materials were bound to be exploited by industrial blocs... All of it formed a single unbroken chain; even if no one pushed it, it would come about of its own accord.
Find the key points of these chains, give them the slightest nudge... and everything would suddenly accelerate.
What Daniel had to do was give a push at those key nodes, or a small guiding touch, so as to achieve the greatest result with the least force.
But even so, relying on one old mage alone to influence the entire course of Typhon's development was still a very difficult undertaking; Gao Yang needed to confirm whether Daniel could smoothly carry out these bold plans.
Faced with the "Outlander's" questioning, Daniel did not conceal his connections and influence within Typhon: "Though I have been far from the imperial capital for many years, I still have quite a few useful contacts in the Royal Mages' Association... certain nobles of the capital are old acquaintances of mine... many lesser nobles are eager to cultivate ties with the unaffiliated mages of the Royal Mages' Association, and since my return to the capital I have established connections with no small number of them..."
"Well done," Gao Yi nodded slightly. "As I once warned you, you must build up a power of your own. What I require of you is far beyond what one man alone can accomplish."
"I have always followed your will," Daniel immediately bowed his head, then, after a moment's slight hesitation, he ventured, "My lord, regarding the matter of adding personnel, there is something I must report to you."
Gao Yan nodded. "Speak."
"My apprentice Mary—I believe she has passed the assessment," Daniel said cautiously. "She has a high gift in the field of mathematics and natural philosophy, she has already mastered most of the knowledge you bestowed, and her loyalty can be guaranteed. I believe she meets your requirements."
Gao Yang mused for a moment. "Mary, is it... you have indeed mentioned her."
He knew of Daniel's several apprentices, and had a particular impression of the one called "Mary." Long ago he had told the old mage to select talent from among his apprentices and pass on mathematical knowledge to them, in the hope of increasing the available manpower, and that female mage named Mary seemed to be the one Daniel was most pleased with.
"In that case, bring her to see me at our next meeting," Gao Yang decided. "And the timing is apt—we have now mastered non-implanted neural cord technology, which allows a person to connect to the network without undergoing neural modification or using the secret art of eternal sleep."
As he spoke, he waved his hand lightly, and above the round table a holographic projection of the immersive neural pod immediately appeared, with the accompanying blueprints and detailed technical documents shimmering into being around it.
Rebecca said rather smugly, "That's what we used to connect in."
"So this is..." Daniel stared fixedly at the holographic image floating in midair, and in that instant, who could say how many complex emotions suddenly surged up in his heart.
This was the non-implanted connection technology—a technology that allowed those without the gift of the eternal sleepers to enter the mind network as well.