Chapter 372: If you want to take something, you must give it first
On the morning of the third day after the news spread like wildfire, Luo Yan came to Professor Hector's office at his "invitation".
This is the second time he has sat here.
Different from the relaxed and friendly atmosphere last time, this time the atmosphere in the office was obviously much more solemn.
Professor Hector Lane stood in front of the glass window, silently staring at the wind and snow scene outside the window, and did not speak immediately. His thin and straight back was filled with suppressed anger at this moment, making the air in the whole room seem to freeze.
As for why he didn’t get angry in front of His Highness Colin——
It was of course because the opponent was not weaker than him.
Whether it is status or strength.
Luo Yan was not in a hurry, and sat down calmly on the sofa where guests were being entertained, quietly waiting for the professor, who held a high position in the academic world, to speak.
The assistant teacher next to him saw it and quickly stepped forward to pour him a cup of black tea.
Public opinion is one thing, personal feelings are another. No matter what their private evaluations were, most of the assistants still had a very good impression of this generous and benevolent prince...especially when standing in front of him.
In the end, Hector did not dare to let His Highness stay dry for too long. Hector silently vented the anger in his chest, and then slowly turned around.
He looked at Luo Yan with a complex expression of pain and grief on his face, as if he was trying his best to suppress his emotions.
"Your Highness Colin!" He finally spoke, his voice hoarse and heavy, "I think you...can give me a reasonable explanation for what happened in the virtual world yesterday on No. 440?"
Faced with this question that seemed like an accusation, Luo Yan just picked up the tea cup and blew the dense mist gently, as if he didn't understand why the other party was so angry.
"Explanation? Professor Hector, I don't quite understand what you mean."
Looking at Colin who was still "pretending to be stupid", Hector's eyebrows couldn't help but twitch, and he suppressed the resentment in his chest and said.
"Now the entire Tower of the Great Sage knows that you have used up all the power behind the virtual realm in one experiment! With all due respect, you are not studying the virtual realm, you are clearly playing——"
"You are clearly making progress. It's just my first experiment," Luo Yan calmly put the tea cup back on the tray, "The experiment will consume some money, what's the problem with that?"
Professor Hector was speechless for a while, and couldn't say a word with his mouth open for a long time.
Looking at Professor Hector who could not refute, Luo Yan paused and continued in a gentle tone.
"Furthermore, the virtual realm has not disappeared, but its energy has been exhausted, causing the connection to be temporarily disconnected. What if it connects again one day?"
Hearing Luo Yan’s confident speech, Professor Hector’s eyes widened and he almost fainted.
He finally understood that His Highness the Prince was not interested in the treasure behind the virtual realm at all. Maybe this guy was messing with the virtual realm just out of curiosity about the virtual realm itself, or he just wanted to prove something.
He let out a long sigh, suppressed the anger in his heart, decided to change his approach, and began to persuade earnestly.
"Your Highness, this is really not how the research on the virtual realm is done!"
He quickly walked to the sofa opposite Colin and sat down, leaned forward, and said sincerely in an elder's tone of "I am doing it for your own good."
“Our exploration of the virtual realm must be on thin ice at every step, requiring a large number of observations and data analysis before we can make the smallest intervention. Your radical experimental strategy is tantamount to dancing on the edge of the cliff. This is really too reckless! What if... what if? Why can't we connect forever? There are many examples like this in the history of Xuebang! "Facing Hector's worry, Luo Yan seemed extremely calm, as if he didn't care about the worst-case scenario at all.
"This kind of thing will not happen. The Solipsi people's prayers have not stopped, and I dare to say that they will be more active than before... Just wait and see, it won't take long before there will be results."
He has absolute confidence in this.
However, this unfounded confidence made Hector's blood pressure soar again.
“That’s just what you think!” He almost shouted, “Where is your promise to me? You said you would treat it well!”
"Professor Hector, let me emphasize it again. First of all, the passage in the virtual realm has not collapsed, there is not even a sign of collapse, it just has no energy, which is not a violation of my promise."
Luo Yan picked up the black tea that was just warm, blew away the heat gently, took a sip, and his eyes suddenly became sharper when he looked at Professor Hector.
"Secondly, are you teaching me how to do things?"
If it weren't for the fact that Professor Hector helped him get this virtual realm, he would not come here to drink tea at all.
I, Roxelle Colin, have something to do and need to explain it to a professor like you?
The atmosphere in the office has dropped by more than ten degrees, and even the crackling flames in the fireplace have become much more docile and docile.
The teaching assistant standing in the corner of the room did not dare to take a breath. He wanted to sneak out of the room, but he did not dare to make a sound.
This was the first time he saw the always elegant and easy-going His Highness showing such a majestic expression.
Hector's Adam's apple moved, staring at Prince Colin, and clenched the armrests of the sofa with both hands.
However, the tense atmosphere did not last long and suddenly stopped when the old professor gave in.
He took a deep breath, calmed down his emotions, put a smile on his face again, and spoke in a tone that seemed very considerate.
"You misunderstood, Your Highness, how dare I teach you how to do things? I just... stand as a friend and put myself in your shoes to provide you with advice! If you feel that it is too difficult to undertake this project alone, we can actually find another way of cooperation."
He leaned forward again and proposed a compromise plan in a persuasive tone.
"You provide the resources and authority granted by the council, and I will provide my experience and technical support. You take 60% of all the output of the project, all the output obtained from the virtual world, and I only take 40%. As for the research results and honors generated, all belong to you!"
"You don't need to do anything, you can have all of this... What do you think?"
Luo Yan was not surprised at all by Professor Hector's compromise. On the contrary, he was surprised that it took him so long to lay the groundwork before revealing his true purpose.
That handsome face showed a smile, but his eyes became cold.
Luo Yan gently put the black tea cup in his hand back on the tray with a crisp sound, then looked directly into Professor Hector's eyes and spoke righteously.
"Professor Hector, the reason why I came to this bitter cold land is not to hunt for treasures, but to explore unknown truths."
His voice was calm, but it carried an irresistible majesty.
"In your eyes, do I study the virtual world just to mess with those boring rags, and those vain glory and titles? You are insulting the prince of the empire!"
Professor Hector was shocked.
He originally thought that the other party would either accept it smoothly or bargain for the price, but he never thought that the other party would directly turn to the glory of the nobles.
This hat is a bit too big!
"No... no, Your Highness, I definitely didn't mean that!" Hector waved his hands quickly, with a look of embarrassment on his face, trying to explain, "I'm just... just worried that you are too young and will encounter unexpected bottlenecks in your research..."
Luo Yan raised his hand, interrupting his pale defense.
Looking at Professor Hector, whose face was turning green and white, Luo Yan suddenly leaned back on the sofa, and then gently put down the old professor who was roasting on the fire.
Craftrick ″ ccokov gate ˈ ∣ wealth�lves in forth ― ― ― ――Of course, I understand that you have good intentions, and the suggestion just now should be your unintentional remark. ‖
“Yes...” Hector swallowed the words in his stomach and climbed down the steps passed by His Highness Colin.
Luo Yan looked at him and nodded.
"Well, I hope this is the last time, and I won't say similar words in the future."
"Yes..."
Looking at Professor Hector who lowered his head, the teaching assistant standing in the corner of the room was completely dumbfounded.
He could never have imagined that this old professor, who was notoriously bad-tempered and as stubborn as a donkey, would be as docile as an old dog in front of His Highness Colin.
But his expression soon changed.
Especially when he thought that he had seen another side of Professor Hector that no one knew about. When the old man came back to his senses and realized that he had seen something he shouldn't have seen, he would definitely punish him until he left the mage tower...
Fortunately, at this time, a soft "bang" saved him, and the door of Professor Hector's office was violently pushed open!
Assistant Miller rushed in regardless of etiquette. His mage robe was messy from running, with a complex expression on his face that was a mixture of shock, ecstasy and disbelief.
"Miller! You..." Hector was about to have a fit, but was ignored by Miller.
"Mentor! It's not good... No! It's great! No. 440 Void Realm... The Void Realm Passage has opened by itself again! Moreover, this time the energy behind the passage is more abundant than before! It's incredible!" Ignoring Professor Hector's murderous gaze, Miller shouted excitedly.
This sentence was like a bolt from the blue, instantly hitting Hector Renn’s head.
All the angry remarks, sermons, and even threats and inducements he had prepared were all stuck in his throat, and he could not utter a single word.
Looked at Luo Yan dumbfounded, and then at the teaching assistant who was holding the door frame. His mind went blank.
How is it possible?
How could the virtual realm that had exhausted its source power be reopened on its own in such a short period of time? !
How did this guy do it? !
Void Realm No. 440 is no longer important.
What he is more eager to know now is what this prince has done to actually make the re-opened virtual realm channel contain more energy than before!
The rich "source power" means that they can extract more materials from behind the virtual realm, and the risk of tunnel collapse will also be reduced!
In other words——
The passage to the virtual realm No. 440 is actually more stable!
Looking at the dumbfounded expression, an enigmatic smile appeared on Luo Yan's face, as if he had everything under control.
To be honest, he did not expect that the virtual realm channel would be opened again so soon, but this did not prevent him from taking the credit as his own.
"It seems... the people in the other world need me, I have to take the first step."
He stood up, straightened his unwrinkled collar unhurriedly, and said to Hector, who was still in a petrified state, in a slightly apologetic tone.
As soon as he stepped into the hall of the mage tower, Luo Yan saw a group of teaching assistants whispering excitedly and in awe around the huge magic circle.
"Incredible..."
"The timeline behind the virtual realm has actually moved forward!"
"What's even more incredible is that the connection between us and them has not weakened due to the passage of time! Has this happened before?"
"I see... this is how the source power is used!"
Even if these scholars of the source law school still do not realize that the power behind the virtual realm is not the so-called "source power", this does not prevent them from updating the theory of the source law school on this basis, and they are incredible to His Highness Colin who has revolutionized the theory of source power.
At this moment, the virtual lens located in the center of the magic circle not only regained its stable and clear light, but also became more transparent!
The magicians standing around the lens quickly noticed His Highness Colin, and they all bowed and saluted, their faces full of respect and piety.
Luo Yan nodded in response, then quickly walked through the crowd and walked to the lens.
With just one glance, he could clearly see the earth-shaking changes on the other side of the virtual realm.
The once peaceful and peaceful pastoral scenery has disappeared, replaced by a world of gray chimneys and dense stacked buildings!
Thick black smoke rose from the chimneys, turning the originally blue sky into a grayish hue. The criss-crossing brass pipes shuttle through the dark alleys, transporting nutrients to the flesh and blood made of concrete like dense capillaries.
The whole world is like a wound brass clock, running rapidly surrounded by steam and haze...
Time has obviously jumped forward a lot!
"Good guy... how many years has this accelerated?!" Tafu, who was lying on Luo Yan's shoulder, whispered in astonishment, with surprise written all over her face.
Luo Yan did not answer her question, but quietly looked at the world behind the virtual realm, searching for clues in the chaotic scenery.
Amid the earth-shaking changes, the only thing that remained unchanged seemed to be their “viewpoint”—the huge rock.
It is still the center of the whole world.
It's just that at this moment, it is no longer just a spiritual totem in the wilderness, but has become an altar standing in the square!
Even in order to prevent it from being corroded by acid rain, the pious Solipsi built a huge dome for it and built a not-so-high wall around it!
The bells of dusk rang, and the daily pilgrimage began, and the devout Solipsi people gradually gathered towards the square.
Some of them were wearing dark gowns made of fine materials, while others were in ragged clothes that barely covered their bodies. Some people wore tall hats and black veils, holding gorgeous canes inlaid with gems in their hands, while others were walking hobbled forward.
The priest in a robe looked at them, with eyes like ashes under the dense tentacles.
They no longer offer barren crops, but piously throw down gold or copper coins one after another in the pool built as a "holy pool" around the boulder.
In the crisp sound of jingling, what they pray for is no longer a good harvest, but endless wealth.
After completing their prayers, they left with satisfaction, as if their prayers had been answered, as if they had truly received blessings from the gods.
Luo Yan didn't need to guess. There will always be a few "lucky ones" among them who will succeed in business in the near future and return here with more gold coins to fulfill their vows, becoming a living example to inspire other believers.
And those unlucky ones whose prayers failed to come true and who were still penniless naturally disappeared quietly into the crowd.
Just when Luo Yan was curious about how high the gold coins in the pool would be piled, the Solipsi people's pilgrimage finally came to an end.
As another bell rang, the richly dressed people and the ragged people left together. Several clergymen in robes and high hats closed the gate of the wall, and then quietly salvaged all the gold coins in the holy pool.
Relying on the limited clues, Luo Yan immediately made a preliminary guess——
This is a steampunk world dominated by the church.
His original miracle of "granting a good harvest" caused an explosive growth in the population of this civilization over a long enough time scale.
Continuous abundance solves the problem of survival and also gives birth to new desires.
They were no longer short of food, but began to crave gold crazily.
It is a pity that I don’t know if it is because their world is too small and there is not enough land to allow them to escape the old order and give birth to new trends of thought.
Hence, instead of entering the Age of Enlightenment normally, they went further and further down the old path, giving birth to a "Leviathan" lurking in the shadows and dominating everything!
This fate is undoubtedly sad for the Solipsi people, but it is just right for the academic magicians who stand on the other side of the virtual realm and observe them.
"We succeeded, Your Highness! And as you can see, not only has the Void Realm channel been opened again, but the "source power" behind it is even more abundant than ever before! This, this is amazing! How did you do it?!"
Miller looked at Luo Yan excitedly, and the enthusiasm in his eyes was exactly the same as that of the Solipsi people behind the Void Realm.
The same goes for the other researchers standing around. Their expressions were as if they had witnessed a miracle sent by the gods themselves.
This incredible, almost "creation"-like great undertaking has completely exceeded the understanding of ordinary magicians like them.
At this point, no one doubts the correctness and sanctity of His Highness Colin!
Although Luo Yan could not clearly see the eyes hidden under the tentacles behind the virtual realm, he could imagine that when he stood in front of the Solipsi people, they would have the same expression on their faces as if they were seeing Saint Sith.
"This is nothing to be surprised about, Miller. I just discerned their deepest desires and gave them a miracle called harvest. You have to remember one sentence, if you want to take something, you must give it first."
Luo Yan calmly answered Miller's confusion, while looking at the scenery behind the virtual realm, he continued with interest.
…But to be honest, I was also surprised. I didn’t expect to see them again. They have actually evolved into the industrial age.”
More than that——
As he observed carefully, he suddenly discovered the murals carved on the walls around the boulder. The gods surrounding the boulder corresponded to the assistants in the mage tower one by one!
Obviously, while they were observing the Solipsi people, they in the virtual realm were also observing themselves!
He even saw himself in the mural - the god-like self who held the wand high and bestowed abundant miracles on the world behind the virtual realm!
They saw him!
It’s just that they don’t seem to fully understand the mystery of the virtual realm. They just paint the miracles they accidentally saw or dreamed about on the walls, hoping to please the “gods”, just like a child who worships his father and raises the toys in his hands in front of his father.
"Yuyou, can you attract the power of faith from the opposite side?" Luo Yan asked silently in his mind after thinking for a moment.
As expected, a voice of regret came from his ears.
"No, Lord Demon King, Yoyo just tried it, but it didn't work at all."
It seemed to be worried that Lord Demon King would think it was useless, so it added in a low voice.
"Yuyou thinks... maybe it's because the opposite universe is completely different from ours? This is different from the planet Kaa. That planet is just farther away from us, but it is still within reach physically. As for the world of the Solipsi, I'm afraid we can only observe their existence through the virtual realm."
"I see."
Luo Yan nodded clearly. In fact, he had already guessed this possibility before, but he just had a little luck in absorbing the power of faith from the opposite side.
But no matter what, even if he cannot obtain the power of faith from the opposite side, he can still obtain or comprehend other useful things from the virtual realm.
He was full of confidence in this.
The only problem right now is that they can get too little information from this level of external observation.
Luo Yan's eyes fell on the "priests" in gorgeous robes who were salvaging gold coins in the "holy pool" in the virtual lens.
He needs a chess piece.
And here, there happens to be one.
Turning his eyes to Miller who was waiting beside him, he said calmly: "Facts have proved that our interference in the world behind the virtual realm is effective. Now, we must continue to increase the intensity of our intervention."
This time, Miller did not have any objections.
After witnessing the miracles in the virtual realm with his own eyes, he has no doubt that no one in the entire Tower of the Great Sage understands what Source Power is better than His Highness!
It’s more than that——
He has no doubt that from today on, the magicians of the entire Source Law School will go crazy because of their discovery!
He bowed deeply and replied respectfully in a tone that was almost an oath: "Please give the order! Master! We will follow you to the death!"
Looking at the respectful Miller and the surrounding assistants, Luo Yan had an intriguing smile on his lips.
He is an expert at pretending to be a ghost.
Looking at the prosperous but deformed new world and the sneaky priest in the lens, he gave new instructions in a tone that could not be ignored.
"Tell them my last name."
His voice was not loud, but it was like an oracle, echoing clearly in the silent hall.