To the east of the "Canal No. 2" in the city of Novayask is the city's "Dawn Industrial Zone", which is also the only heavy industrial area in the eastern part of the city.
Under the planning of successive chief executives, Novayask basically formed four major industrial zones surrounding the city, which were called "Dawn", "Daybreak", "Undawn" and "Long Night" respectively. In short, there are no names such as "Early Morning" and "Noon" that represent the daytime. Instead, they all symbolize the night.
Because these areas are full of factories and clusters of black gold and mechanical-style buildings used for production or research, they are also called "Steel Forest" by city residents and workers.
Following the crowd who were finishing their daily relaxation in the "Indulgence Zone", "Fubing", Wright and Adaloni actually crossed the canal without attracting any attention. A few minutes before curfew, they came to the second-floor dormitory near the "Mechanical Vehicle Assembly Factory", walked downstairs in a swagger, and knocked on the door.
Ding-ding-ding, ding-ding-ding.
After three rapid knocks at long intervals, a noisy metallic collision sound came from inside the sturdy metal door. A few seconds later, the door was opened a corner, and a wrinkled head quietly poked out from inside.
After seeing Fu Bing's iconic white hair, the metal door was completely opened, and a sturdy old man in steampunk-style work clothes led the three people in.
"Hoshino, I think he's here to see you." As soon as he entered the door, the old man shouted in a hoarse voice.
The boy called "Hoshino" is now holding welding goggles and staring intently at the steel block in his hand.
Soon, after a series of crackling sounds and flying sparks, "Hoshino" put down the pile of welding tools in his hand, sorted them out slightly, and made a space of moderate size on the iron tool bench produced by the "Novaask Tool Factory". Then he put on a pair of goggles that were essential for "adventurers" and walked towards Wright and the other two.
"Uncle Zhou, please go out first. These three are my guests. I invited them half a month ago." "Hashino" said in a bright tone that was very youthful.
"Okay, but don't forget to turn off all the lights at 1 ., not a single one. This is a new rule issued by the city committee last month," the old man instructed.
"Remember, remember, go to sleep first, I have set the alarm, I won't forget."
After seeing off "Uncle Zhou", "Xingye" closed the metal door and fastened the upper and lower latches at the same time. He then inserted the key into the rudder-like lock and turned it forcefully several times before pulling out the key and throwing it casually on the sofa covered with engine oil and dirt.
"Please take a seat first, three guests." "Hoshino" made a very simple "please" gesture and sat down near the iron tool table.
Sitting on the sofa, Wright looked around curiously, taking in this small workroom-like dormitory.
The entire dormitory was not very large. Compared to the hotel I stayed in in Chekhovsk, it only had a bedroom with a single bed and a simple bathroom that was not even big enough for a person to stand in.
In addition to the sofa, tool table, and a wooden box for storing various tools and materials, the only things left in the crowded space were a few Central Empire musical instruments that had been wiped to look exceptionally new, and a small shelf next to it for storing mechanical books.
Overall, this place has the steampunk style of a wasteland world. Compared with the rooms of the Hinet people, the Crusad people and the upper class of the Lost Ones, it is truly close to the wasteland world and more down-to-earth.
"My name is Hoshino Shouta. Like the old man Zhou who brought you in, my ancestors came from what the people of the Western Continent call Khitanris. However, my ancestors were not native to the Yanhuo Empire, but from its foreign province, the Dongying Province. My profession is a variant of the Adventurer, the Singer. According to the common professional identification, I also belong to the upper-class profession." Hoshino Shouta introduced himself:
"My strength... is close to Sequence 4: Hope, I can control most of the flame magic source power, and a small part of the light power. Of course, I am just an insignificant person in Novaask, with no rank, no military or administrative position, just a worker in the 'Mechanical Vehicle Assembly Factory'." "Insignificant person? Xingye, you are too self-deprecating." "Fu Bing" smiled and said:
"The humans who can travel through the icy and dead land of Aventre have extraordinary abilities, or at least unique talents that are enviable. You also know that Anna and I are both the 'rulers' of the 'Order Society', and we will not hide the information we get from each other.
"That... Khitanris Ring, it's time to tell me the secret of its 'ring' state. Because I have already gifted it to the real dragon clan, and the Khitanris Ring seems to have temporarily accepted the 'rule' of this dragon and established an unbreakable bond with it."
"Is it the dragon you brought?" Hoshino Shouta raised his head suddenly, his eyes fell on Wright and Adaloni, and analyzed carefully:
"I think it must be the sturdy man next to you who looks like a member of the Flame Empire. Humans with flame-type magic power will resonate with each other, just like a tiny spark can be transmitted as a flame. Even if the dragons hide their horns and wings, they will inadvertently reveal the domineering temper of the 'Landlord'."
"Yes, I am a member of the dragon clan. My Khitanris name is Long Yuan. In Crusde, you should call me Adaloni." Adaloni openly admitted his identity as a dragon and introduced himself.
"Since you can be honest with me and admit your identity, then everything will be easy to talk about later." Hoshino Shouta sat back on the iron tool bench, took out a corked glass bottle from the drawer, and threw it to Adaroni, "If you want to truly unleash the power of the Khitanris Ring and understand the mystery of the 'Ring', you must first become a real dragon.
"I know that the dragons released after 'Long Qing' will lose most of their strength. Due to external factors such as the depletion of magic power and the pursuit of human armies, they forcibly suppress the 'dragon nature' in their bodies and inhibit the flow of dragon blood in their bodies, causing 'human nature' to gradually replace 'dragon nature', and gradually lose the ability to transform into dragons."
"That's right. Then... how can I solve this problem and let me... become a normal... dragon again?" asked Adaloni, his red eyes revealing a desire for power.
"When I was wandering in the Nebsk Plain, I once became a disciple of a pharmacist. He taught me many methods of making potions, such as the 'strong oil paint' that conceals smells, the 'golden trauma potion' that promotes wound healing, the 'paralysis eye' that treats cognitive confusion, and the 'dragon scale powder' that promotes the circulation of 'dragon nature' blood." Hoshino Shota pointed to the glass bottle in Adaroni's hand and said:
"The bottle in your hand is 'Dragon Scale Powder'. You only need to apply it to the 'print point' every day, and you will be able to see your dragon ancestors in your dreams, and gradually awaken your dragon bloodline."
"Is it really that magical?" Adaloni removed the cork, poured a little powder into his palm, dipped a tiny bit of it with two fingertips, rubbed it and said:
"What material is it made of? It shouldn't be gold, right? Gold has a magical power like electricity, but it doesn't, yet it can maintain its golden appearance. Also, where is the 'print point'?"
"It's definitely not gold, and of course, it's unlikely to be a real 'dragon scale' either." Hoshino Shouta straightened his white hair and explained:
"Since the end of the 'Dragon War', especially after the dragons' resistance near the 'Pillar of Zhuogen' was completely defeated, the five great warriors of mankind suppressed them in a blood-colored dragon realm where only the red color remained. Indeed, during that period, out of sympathy for the dragons and consideration for the bloodline of the empire, our Yanhuo Empire's great ancestor, Emperor Yanjun, retained some 'dragon scales' in the hope of integrating them into various magical instruments.
"When humans gradually forget about wars and disasters and their prejudice against dragons gradually disappears, we will release you completely. However, Lord Yan may not know that the concentration of magic power in the first era and the second era is different."
"The concentration of magic power?" Wright asked puzzledly.
Just at this moment, a slightly fat Cruz blue cat jumped into Hoshino Shota's bedroom from the window. After looking at the three people sitting on the sofa curiously, it jumped onto the workbench in three or two steps, landed on Hoshino Shota's right shoulder, and stared at the three people with a puzzled look.
His hair is very smooth, without any trace of wild cat. Instead, his cheeks are plump, revealing the temperament of a "boss".
"That's right. People at that time didn't have this concept." Hoshino Shouta stroked the fur of the Cruz blue cat and explained in a gentler voice:
"In the First Age, humans could cast many imaginative and bizarre spells, some of which even Crusad's technology could not do. But when the dragon race was destroyed, the magic power in nature decreased by 70%. After the advent of the Steam Age, it decreased by another 90%. It was not until the advent of the Wasteland Age that it recovered a little due to the reduction of human activities.
"As a result, the dragon scales that require high concentrations of magic power to nourish them decayed, deteriorated, and dried up in less than a hundred years, turning into a pile of powder that crumbles at the slightest touch. Most of the current 'dragon scale powder' is made from the scales of 'expanded bristle lizards' infected with the 'heartless virus'. It is said that in ancient times, they were close relatives of the dragon clan and once possessed a rare 'wisdom'." (End of this chapter)
Under the planning of successive chief executives, Novayask basically formed four major industrial zones surrounding the city, which were called "Dawn", "Daybreak", "Undawn" and "Long Night" respectively. In short, there are no names such as "Early Morning" and "Noon" that represent the daytime. Instead, they all symbolize the night.
Because these areas are full of factories and clusters of black gold and mechanical-style buildings used for production or research, they are also called "Steel Forest" by city residents and workers.
Following the crowd who were finishing their daily relaxation in the "Indulgence Zone", "Fubing", Wright and Adaloni actually crossed the canal without attracting any attention. A few minutes before curfew, they came to the second-floor dormitory near the "Mechanical Vehicle Assembly Factory", walked downstairs in a swagger, and knocked on the door.
Ding-ding-ding, ding-ding-ding.
After three rapid knocks at long intervals, a noisy metallic collision sound came from inside the sturdy metal door. A few seconds later, the door was opened a corner, and a wrinkled head quietly poked out from inside.
After seeing Fu Bing's iconic white hair, the metal door was completely opened, and a sturdy old man in steampunk-style work clothes led the three people in.
"Hoshino, I think he's here to see you." As soon as he entered the door, the old man shouted in a hoarse voice.
The boy called "Hoshino" is now holding welding goggles and staring intently at the steel block in his hand.
Soon, after a series of crackling sounds and flying sparks, "Hoshino" put down the pile of welding tools in his hand, sorted them out slightly, and made a space of moderate size on the iron tool bench produced by the "Novaask Tool Factory". Then he put on a pair of goggles that were essential for "adventurers" and walked towards Wright and the other two.
"Uncle Zhou, please go out first. These three are my guests. I invited them half a month ago." "Hashino" said in a bright tone that was very youthful.
"Okay, but don't forget to turn off all the lights at 1 ., not a single one. This is a new rule issued by the city committee last month," the old man instructed.
"Remember, remember, go to sleep first, I have set the alarm, I won't forget."
After seeing off "Uncle Zhou", "Xingye" closed the metal door and fastened the upper and lower latches at the same time. He then inserted the key into the rudder-like lock and turned it forcefully several times before pulling out the key and throwing it casually on the sofa covered with engine oil and dirt.
"Please take a seat first, three guests." "Hoshino" made a very simple "please" gesture and sat down near the iron tool table.
Sitting on the sofa, Wright looked around curiously, taking in this small workroom-like dormitory.
The entire dormitory was not very large. Compared to the hotel I stayed in in Chekhovsk, it only had a bedroom with a single bed and a simple bathroom that was not even big enough for a person to stand in.
In addition to the sofa, tool table, and a wooden box for storing various tools and materials, the only things left in the crowded space were a few Central Empire musical instruments that had been wiped to look exceptionally new, and a small shelf next to it for storing mechanical books.
Overall, this place has the steampunk style of a wasteland world. Compared with the rooms of the Hinet people, the Crusad people and the upper class of the Lost Ones, it is truly close to the wasteland world and more down-to-earth.
"My name is Hoshino Shouta. Like the old man Zhou who brought you in, my ancestors came from what the people of the Western Continent call Khitanris. However, my ancestors were not native to the Yanhuo Empire, but from its foreign province, the Dongying Province. My profession is a variant of the Adventurer, the Singer. According to the common professional identification, I also belong to the upper-class profession." Hoshino Shouta introduced himself:
"My strength... is close to Sequence 4: Hope, I can control most of the flame magic source power, and a small part of the light power. Of course, I am just an insignificant person in Novaask, with no rank, no military or administrative position, just a worker in the 'Mechanical Vehicle Assembly Factory'." "Insignificant person? Xingye, you are too self-deprecating." "Fu Bing" smiled and said:
"The humans who can travel through the icy and dead land of Aventre have extraordinary abilities, or at least unique talents that are enviable. You also know that Anna and I are both the 'rulers' of the 'Order Society', and we will not hide the information we get from each other.
"That... Khitanris Ring, it's time to tell me the secret of its 'ring' state. Because I have already gifted it to the real dragon clan, and the Khitanris Ring seems to have temporarily accepted the 'rule' of this dragon and established an unbreakable bond with it."
"Is it the dragon you brought?" Hoshino Shouta raised his head suddenly, his eyes fell on Wright and Adaloni, and analyzed carefully:
"I think it must be the sturdy man next to you who looks like a member of the Flame Empire. Humans with flame-type magic power will resonate with each other, just like a tiny spark can be transmitted as a flame. Even if the dragons hide their horns and wings, they will inadvertently reveal the domineering temper of the 'Landlord'."
"Yes, I am a member of the dragon clan. My Khitanris name is Long Yuan. In Crusde, you should call me Adaloni." Adaloni openly admitted his identity as a dragon and introduced himself.
"Since you can be honest with me and admit your identity, then everything will be easy to talk about later." Hoshino Shouta sat back on the iron tool bench, took out a corked glass bottle from the drawer, and threw it to Adaroni, "If you want to truly unleash the power of the Khitanris Ring and understand the mystery of the 'Ring', you must first become a real dragon.
"I know that the dragons released after 'Long Qing' will lose most of their strength. Due to external factors such as the depletion of magic power and the pursuit of human armies, they forcibly suppress the 'dragon nature' in their bodies and inhibit the flow of dragon blood in their bodies, causing 'human nature' to gradually replace 'dragon nature', and gradually lose the ability to transform into dragons."
"That's right. Then... how can I solve this problem and let me... become a normal... dragon again?" asked Adaloni, his red eyes revealing a desire for power.
"When I was wandering in the Nebsk Plain, I once became a disciple of a pharmacist. He taught me many methods of making potions, such as the 'strong oil paint' that conceals smells, the 'golden trauma potion' that promotes wound healing, the 'paralysis eye' that treats cognitive confusion, and the 'dragon scale powder' that promotes the circulation of 'dragon nature' blood." Hoshino Shota pointed to the glass bottle in Adaroni's hand and said:
"The bottle in your hand is 'Dragon Scale Powder'. You only need to apply it to the 'print point' every day, and you will be able to see your dragon ancestors in your dreams, and gradually awaken your dragon bloodline."
"Is it really that magical?" Adaloni removed the cork, poured a little powder into his palm, dipped a tiny bit of it with two fingertips, rubbed it and said:
"What material is it made of? It shouldn't be gold, right? Gold has a magical power like electricity, but it doesn't, yet it can maintain its golden appearance. Also, where is the 'print point'?"
"It's definitely not gold, and of course, it's unlikely to be a real 'dragon scale' either." Hoshino Shouta straightened his white hair and explained:
"Since the end of the 'Dragon War', especially after the dragons' resistance near the 'Pillar of Zhuogen' was completely defeated, the five great warriors of mankind suppressed them in a blood-colored dragon realm where only the red color remained. Indeed, during that period, out of sympathy for the dragons and consideration for the bloodline of the empire, our Yanhuo Empire's great ancestor, Emperor Yanjun, retained some 'dragon scales' in the hope of integrating them into various magical instruments.
"When humans gradually forget about wars and disasters and their prejudice against dragons gradually disappears, we will release you completely. However, Lord Yan may not know that the concentration of magic power in the first era and the second era is different."
"The concentration of magic power?" Wright asked puzzledly.
Just at this moment, a slightly fat Cruz blue cat jumped into Hoshino Shota's bedroom from the window. After looking at the three people sitting on the sofa curiously, it jumped onto the workbench in three or two steps, landed on Hoshino Shota's right shoulder, and stared at the three people with a puzzled look.
His hair is very smooth, without any trace of wild cat. Instead, his cheeks are plump, revealing the temperament of a "boss".
"That's right. People at that time didn't have this concept." Hoshino Shouta stroked the fur of the Cruz blue cat and explained in a gentler voice:
"In the First Age, humans could cast many imaginative and bizarre spells, some of which even Crusad's technology could not do. But when the dragon race was destroyed, the magic power in nature decreased by 70%. After the advent of the Steam Age, it decreased by another 90%. It was not until the advent of the Wasteland Age that it recovered a little due to the reduction of human activities.
"As a result, the dragon scales that require high concentrations of magic power to nourish them decayed, deteriorated, and dried up in less than a hundred years, turning into a pile of powder that crumbles at the slightest touch. Most of the current 'dragon scale powder' is made from the scales of 'expanded bristle lizards' infected with the 'heartless virus'. It is said that in ancient times, they were close relatives of the dragon clan and once possessed a rare 'wisdom'." (End of this chapter)
