Sword of Dawn

Page 216

The magic power was poured into the base, vibrating and resonating between the complex magic patterns and runes, and then injected into the projection crystal. Shaking light and shadow appeared in the air in the streets and alleys, and the light and shadow quickly condensed into clear holographic projections one by one. A smiling Jibri stood in the projection and greeted everyone: "Good morning, citizens of Cecil, it's eight o'clock in Cecil time, and Jibri the 'Witch' greets you.

"Today, our wise and respectable mechanical bachelors, magic technicians, and rune masters will bring us a brand new magic machine. We will also bring you a live broadcast..."

Inside the carriage, Cod, who was seeing this scene, widened his eyes and exclaimed in a low voice: "What is this?!"

The young man Pal was also taken aback. He had already opened the cover completely, stretched his neck and looked outside, and it took him a long time to remember to answer: "Father, I've heard of this—it existed in Kant! Net terminal!"

"I've heard of it too... those merchants from the south described it to me..." Kord muttered to himself, "So it's this kind of thing..."

"Father?"

"It's still early for the audience—let's go to Pioneer Square first."

The central square has already gathered a lot of people.

People who lived around the square noticed the movement here at dawn: soldiers stood guard around the square, technicians in white and blue robes also gathered, and a surrounding street was cleared in advance , said to be transporting large machinery - a mature and experienced citizen of Cecil is no stranger to all this.

This means that the great lords and wise scholars have new creations to show you.

Commoners elsewhere may not care what their lords are doing, but the Cecilians are different. They know that the things the lords display on this square are basically closely related to everyone. They are usually new magic machines , and sometimes things like books, periodicals and newspapers, no matter what they are, they will soon become a part of everyone's daily life, and most of them will bring great benefits to life.

People gathered, watched, and discussed what would be exhibited today, but until the time announced by Miss "Witch" approached, no one saw anything on the platform in the center of the square.

The crowd started whispering, and just as the discussion was getting louder, a sharp and loud strange sound from outside the square suddenly interrupted everyone's conversation.

The sound seemed to come from some kind of brass pipe, and the movement was so loud that almost all the people gathered in the square were taken aback—and when they saw clearly that the man was crossing the edge of the square, along the line cleared by the soldiers, After the big guy driving towards the center of the square, they were startled for a second time.

What is that—

It is a giant made of steel, almost bigger than a horse-drawn carriage. The wheels around it seem to indicate that it is a car, but no livestock pulling the vehicle can be seen in front of the car: this giant is actually Drive by yourself!

Even the well-informed citizens of Cecil couldn't help exclaiming, but almost no one panicked. They just watched the strange car made of steel slowly drive to the center of the square with a little nervousness , Watching it come to a steady stop among the soldiers and technicians, they looked curiously at the outer shell of the car, at its square front, the open rear half of the car, and the magic spar lamps in front of the car , and its tall and big wheels——considering the current actual construction situation in the southern border, in order to make this car adapt to harsh road conditions, its wheel diameter, chassis height, and internal shock absorption and balance structures were finally adjusted. Another adjustment was made when the final shape was delivered from the factory, which made the wheel part look more powerful and impressive.

The car stopped for a while, and then its front-central shell popped open—there was a door—and a spirited girl jumped out of it.

People immediately applauded, some smiled and took off their hats, some bowed slightly to pay tribute, an old woman standing on the inner edge of the square smiled happily: "Look—it really is our Miss Rebecca."

The people next to him also laughed: "This kind of thing must have her share."

"Hello, everyone! This thing is called a magical vehicle—also called a magic-powered vehicle." Rebecca happily greeted the familiar or unfamiliar faces on the square. "As the first generation, its model is' Mana Type 475'..."

Mana 475 type.

This is to commemorate the first distance that the first magic car ever traveled successfully after stepping off the assembly platform - 475 meters.

At that time, a mechanical counting disc installed in the wheel by Rebecca for the test accurately recorded the length of this distance.

People applauded again—although many people still haven't figured out what the concept of this magic vehicle is, it didn't prevent them from applauding. It is very popular, and on the other hand, it is because...

This thing called magic car looks really incredible.

In a corner of the square, a father and son were standing dumbfounded.

"Don't act like a countryman who has never been to the city." The big businessman Ke De suddenly remembered what he had just said to his son.

However... what can he do?

Located on the northern border of the Principality of Cecil, next to the Rock Fortress Carroll City... at this moment it is indeed the countryside.

Although only two years ago, because of its proximity to the Holy Spirit Plain, it was regarded as the place with the most opportunities in the southern border and the closest to the "Kingdom Trend Center"...

"Father," the young Pal finally woke up from his stunned state. He swallowed, "Is that car powered by a magic mechanism? Is that a puppet?"

"It is indeed driven by a magic mechanism, but it is definitely not a puppet. Look at the scene inside the car door - have you seen the levers for manipulation? It is a magic machine, just like the ones we have seen before. Like those mining machines."

"Mining machine..." Pal said thoughtfully, "You mean, it is also made for ordinary people?"

"Yes, there is no doubt—according to my analysis, our lord has always been committed to making this kind of magical creation that can be used by ordinary people," Codd said, pricking up his ears, listening carefully to the people on the square. Rebecca introduced the concept of "Magic Vehicle" to people, and he murmured to himself, "Sure enough...it is also driven by a magic engine...then its strength must be greater than that of a cow and horse, and it doesn't need to eat forage……"

"Father?" Pal looked at his father curiously, "What did you say?"

"Pal, my son, take a good look at this city and see how many opportunities you can find—" The eyes of the big businessman Kodd are full of fire-like enthusiasm. In his eyes, the big businessman who is about to retire at an age of great success is full of fighting spirit. In a trance, he seems to have returned to the years when he was doing business alone for the first time, back to the days when he left his hometown for the first time and went to other places to seek business , He remembered a sentence he heard by chance when he saw the streets of the city for the first time, after seeing so many people and so many goods for the first time.

"My son, here...there is gold everywhere..."

Chapter 0512

Wide and clean streets, towering and neatly planned buildings, magic spar lamps standing by the roadside like guards, magic projections floating in mid-air, incredible magic machines on display in the square...

The big businessman Ke De sat in the carriage. As a mature and stable businessman, he had successfully adjusted his mentality and began to observe the scene outside with a calm and indifferent expression, but the storm in his heart still did not subside.

Carroll used to be a Viscounty, but because it was close to the Holy Spirit Plain and had a prosperous trade, it was once one of the wealthiest areas in the southern border. The prosperity of Carroll City has always been a place that Kord is very satisfied and proud of, but Compared with the city in front of me...

No, there is no need to compare the two cities at all.

The air here does not have the smell of excrement and rancidity common in big cities, nor do you see poor people and serfs in ragged clothes walking on the street. An indescribable "order" seems to permeate the air. This sense of order is what Kord Never seen anywhere.

He knew about the new government office in Carroll City, and a series of new laws promulgated by the government office—some of those new laws were supported by the locals, such as lowering taxes and allocating land, while others were difficult to implement. For example, the health law and some work systems. Frankly speaking, even Codd can’t fully understand the meaning of those new policies—however, after seeing the scene of Cecil City today, he realized at least one thing:

Living in such a city is at least more comfortable than living in Carroll City.

After we go back, we should mobilize people from the business association, at least let everyone willingly implement the sanitation bill...

The carriage left the bustling city street, turned two corners, and the surroundings gradually became quieter.

The Pioneer Square is next to the Government Office and the Lord's Mansion. There are only two streets between them. There is no city wall or moat in the middle. There are only some outposts guarding the road leading to the administrative area. The merchant's carriage is in one of them. The outpost stopped for inspection.

Kodd and Parr had prepared the coins needed for the soldiers early on. After the carriage stopped, they immediately obeyed the order and got out of the carriage, and then saw a soldier in magic armor walking over: "Stop and check—" — Please show me your ID."

Cord quickly took out the identity certificate issued by Cecil's Department of Commerce and the letter of introduction signed by Minister Patrick from his pocket, and handed it to the soldiers while estimating how much such guards would cost to put in place—although he He told Pal that he had been to Cecil, but it was only once last year with the family's fleet to sell medicinal materials.

The so-called "been to Cecil" is more or less boastful.

And in the short moment he was thinking, the soldier had already checked the document and confirmed the black and white portrait on the document, and two other soldiers checked the condition of the carriage, and a crisp voice reached the ears of Kord and Parr : "The inspection is passed—you can go in."

Kord nodded subconsciously, then he was stunned: "Ah...ah?"

"You can go in," the soldier repeated, and after noticing the confused expression on the businessman's face, he looked down at the document in his hand and reconfirmed what was on it, "There is indeed no problem—go in, Take your passes."

Cord dazedly took the documents and the pass issued to him, and returned to the carriage with Paal. He didn't understand what happened until the carriage left the post.

Pal was also full of confusion: "Father... Did those soldiers just forget to collect our money?"

"How could this kind of thing be forgotten?" Kord glanced at his son, and then muttered incredulously, "Carroll's side is the same, and this side is also... How did the Duke do it?"

With a lot of confusion on their foreheads, the carriage in which the businessman and his son were riding continued to move forward.

After a while, they arrived in front of the Lord's Mansion.

Leaving the carriage and looking up at the tall mansion in front of him, Cord took a deep breath. He carefully hid all the surprises, curiosity, confusion and excitement along the way under his calm and indifferent face, and then sorted out After taking a look at his impeccable clothes, accompanied by a guard from the lord's mansion, he led Paal forward.

There was not only one car parked in front of the lord's mansion, apparently there were other visitors here. In front of the gate depicting the Cecil family emblem, Cord saw a young woman coming out, she was well dressed women's winter clothes, walked down the steps, and seemed to be about to leave.

The guard at the door obviously knew the young woman well, and they chatted briefly.

"Miss Jibril—the report is over so soon?"

The young woman said with a smile: "It's just a routine report."

The guard had a tinge of expectation: "Will there be another show tomorrow?"

"Of course, every day—and there might be something new to watch in the last few days."

Cord came to the door, and the accompanying guard stepped forward to hand over, while the young woman called "Miss Jibril" turned her head and looked curiously at the big businessman from Carroll City.

"Hello." The young woman nodded slightly and said politely.

"Ah——I saw you on that... magic projection!" Kord looked at the young woman in front of him in surprise, only to realize that she was the person he had seen on the holographic projection in the city before— ——This big businessman was quite surprised by the wonderful feeling of seeing real people when he was watching on the holographic projection before, and then he saluted with a perfect manly demeanor, "Miss 'Witch', are you better than me?" What you see on the projection is still beautiful."

"Thank you for your compliment." Jibri smiled and nodded, but in the next second, a strange sense of familiarity emerged in her heart. The face of the middle-aged businessman in front of her overlapped with a face in her mind together.

Cord also took another look at Jibril—after putting aside the "magic projection" barrier, he looked at the "witch" lady, and his heart suddenly moved, and a vague sense of familiarity came to mind.

The two said in unison: "Have we met?"

In the same instant, they both found the source of this familiarity.

In a certain autumn more than ten years ago, a young businessman who had just taken over the family business traveled to the south and came to a strange city with great ambitions.

In that autumn, a fleeing mage apprentice was in a foreign land, hungry.

The young businessman was looking for business opportunities, and with a certain high spirits, he went to the fortune-telling booth, hoping to hear some kind words.

The mage's apprentice, who was only a little girl, was looking for food. She took out a few tricks she had just learned, and wanted to exchange two pieces of bread.

A wordless and short-lived embarrassment froze in front of the steps of the lord's mansion. Carroll's big businessman and the well-known witch lady on the magic net stood face to face. After a few seconds, the embarrassment was broken by the two people's unanimous laughter.

"You said that the city is full of gold," Kord took a step forward and stretched out his hand, "Cord, from Carroll."

"Jibri, it's nice to meet you again." Jibri gently shook the other person's hand, "I'm sorry, I lied to you at that time, I was very hungry."

"I know," Cord let go of his hand and took a step back politely, "I can see that you don't know how to do divination at all."

Jibri smiled: "But from that day on."

They passed by, the big businessman walked towards the gate of the lord's mansion, and the lady witch walked towards the carriage parked by the roadside, but before getting into the carriage, Jibri stopped suddenly, turned her head and said loudly: "Ke Mr De—the city is full of gold."

Kord looked back in surprise, and he saw the lady witch waved to him: "This time it's true."

The big businessman laughed: "I know."

The carriage on the side of the road drove away, and Ke De and Paal stepped into the gate of the Lord's Mansion.

"Father," the young Pal finally couldn't help but speak after walking through the door, "do you know that Miss Witch?"

"I met once when I was young—she was just a little girl then," said the big businessman casually. "She taught me my first lesson."

"first lesson?"

"Yeah, it's 'Don't Trust Wayside Divinations'."

……

In front of Gao Wen, there were two documents.

One is an analysis report from Rebecca on the "universal traction chassis". In this report, there is a detailed interpretation of the complete system of the first-generation magic drive vehicle, and on this basis, the magic guide Taking the technical experience of the vehicle as the starting point, it is a plan to manufacture a universal traction chassis.

The manufacture of the magic vehicle was successful. The R&D personnel of this world used magic technology and the unique resources of this world. A means of transportation that can be manipulated by ordinary people is on the road. Although it is still a long way from perfection and has various problems, this first step is undoubtedly a success.

A means of transportation that is stronger than a horse, faster, tireless, and does not need to consume fodder. With it, the transportation problems encountered by Cecil in the process of large-scale construction will undoubtedly be greatly alleviated, and In order to maximize the value of this technology, it is necessary to manufacture a variety of special engineering vehicles with different functions based on the principle of magic vehicles.

Under the influence of Gao Wen for such a long time, Rebecca already has the concept of modular design and general technology, and has tasted great benefits from it, so after the magic guided vehicle is built this time, it will not wait for Gao Wen's request. , the girl figured out a "universal chassis" plan by herself.

In this plan, Rebecca believes that it is necessary to make the chassis of the first-generation "Type 475" magical vehicle into a modular chassis that can be easily connected with other shells and tractors, and then build on this basis A large number of derivative vehicles, including trucks, buses, agricultural machinery, and construction machinery, were built on the Internet. She even drew a rough schematic diagram of the chariot at the end of the report—the basic structure is welded on the chassis of the 475 magic vehicle. A light magic cannon, and a circle of steel plates around the outside of the car shell...

The front end even had a nondescript ram angle.

Simple, rough, simple and rough in thinking, but very surprising.

To be honest, after seeing this report, Gao Wen was surprised for a long time, because he hadn't even had time to come up with the concept of this...

Next to this report, the second document is a plan that Gao Wen himself is drafting——

"The Potential Value of Exploiting New Media"

Newspapers have gradually become popular in the southern border, covering basically every town-level unit, while the brand-new magic network radio is centered on the cross axis and is covering more and more cities. People in the southern border are getting familiar with these new Things, on the other hand--the people who make newspapers and radio are getting used to these new jobs.

The role of new media in information dissemination has been gradually manifested, especially in the Luan City incident, the power of public opinion propaganda has impressed everyone in the Government Affairs Office. Hetty also lamented that those newspapers and programs No less powerful than a heavily armed army.

But Gao Wen knows that the value of these new media is far from being developed—they are still a tool with a narrow range of applications, limited to the government affairs department to announce affairs.

The content is single, the categories are scarce, and there is no commercial benefit. It is not so much a new media as a larger bulletin board.

This is too far from Gao Wen's original goal.

He picked up the pen and listed the next step in the plan—to find a way to teach the lords to actively participate in these new things, so that people can understand more deeply that the things created by the lords are not only things that the lords can use. It is also usable by ordinary people. Find ways to create more civilian markets, make these new things "live", and maximize their value...

The benefits of doing this are obvious. Just from the opening of the commercial section of the newspaper, on the one hand, it can open up the wisdom of the people more quickly, stimulate ordinary people to think and act, and accelerate Cecil's cultural construction. On the other hand, it can generate Economic benefits to alleviate the increasing financial pressure on Cecil’s government affairs office – too many construction projects are squeezing the economy of the Principality of Cecil, and many new things created by Cecil are completely " "Official projects", they are completely dependent on the Principality's finances, but they can hardly recover their costs (or they can only recover their initial costs, but cannot generate subsequent benefits), they are [-]% "government affairs industry", and they are almost completely out of touch with various civil groups.

While it's okay at this stage, sooner or later this will become a huge problem.

Of course, how to effectively control and prevent these new things from losing the control of the government affairs department in this process also needs to be seriously considered...

Gao Wen frowned and thought, and stopped writing. He had to consider not only the future development direction of new media and the corresponding management system, but also how to guide the people and the way of thinking of people in this era. Making a plan is not easy.

At this moment, Betty's voice suddenly came from outside the door, interrupting Gawain's thinking.

"My lord! Here comes Mr. Corder and Mr. Parr of Carroll!"

Gao Wen was stunned for a moment, then he remembered who these two strange names were.

It was the businessman father and son recommended by the Minister of Commerce Patrick.

"Let them in."

The door opened, and Cord and Parr entered the lord's study with a touch of nervousness.