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Chapter 271: Mysterious Radiance
Victory. Chen Feng exhaled in relief as he looked at the departing figure of that middle-aged man.
"Are they gone?"Wu Hui's feet weakened, and he almost slumped down onto the ground. Chen Feng rushed forth to hold him up. He had only unleashed several attacks earlier, but the cost he'd paid to battle those of higher classes than him was quite huge.
All the energy Wu Hui had on him was already overdrafted. If he'd truly had to battle that A-class warrior, he could only put his life on the line.
"Let's go," Chen Feng said.
"Mhm," Wu Hui answered meekly.
Without their enemies around, he seemed to have reverted to his previous attitude.
"Remember, your ability is something you can't tell anyone about. The fewer people that are aware of how your ability works, the stronger you will be. If everyone knows about your ability, you will most probably become true trash. Do you understand?" Chen Feng had a solemn expression as he said this.
Wu Hui nodded resolutely. "Mhm."
He was too clear on how precious what Chen Feng had given him was.
They left speedily.
This was not a place they should stay long. Since those genetic warriors had already left, they should leave as soon as possible as well. However, just as they stood up… distantly, a bizarre radiance bloomed suddenly from the direction facing the entrance of the Qinghe Grassland.
Hum— Instantly, the whole world started turning gray.
Wu Hui was alarmed. "What's that?"
Distantly, the areas enveloped by the radiance were all turning a gray color. Furthermore, it was spreading at an extremely high speed, rushing toward this direction.
Shua!
The green grassland was turning gray speedily. Not only the grassland, the air, other vegetations, and everything one could see were turning a gray color.
Chen Feng's heart thumped. "Something is happening."
In front of them, several silhouettes appeared. They were the genetic squad that had just left not long ago. Evidently, they were all shocked by what happened and were escaping toward this direction as well.
"Go!" Chen Feng did not hesitate. He dragged Wu Hui and started escaping. What joke was that? Even that A-class genetic warrior was running from the gray radiance; what could they achieve by staying here?
Shua!
The radiance kept spreading.
Everyone was escaping frantically. However, could they outrun it? Hum—
Accompanied by a flash of light, countless people vanished instantly.
"Damn it!" Chen Feng's heart chilled. The speed was too fast! If this continued, they stood no chance of escaping! Luck value?
Chen Feng tried activating his Luck Aura. However, it didn't work. Regardless of how Chen Feng urged it to work, Luck Aura did not give him any feedback.
As of now, the radiance was nearing him. That A-class warrior was running hastily with his nephew. However, could they escape it?
Chen Feng clenched his teeth. "This can't continue!"
In the midst of running, he saw a pit not far away. Perhaps…
Whoosh!
He leaped into the pit with Wu Hui.
Seal!
A succession of Wind Blade was unleashed, sealing the entrance to the pit.
Purple submarine!
To be safe, Chen Feng even summoned the purple submarine he'd used at the frozen sea, as this submarine possessed an extremely powerful energy-blocking ability.
Clang!
Done. Chen Feng and Wu Hui even stopped breathing just to be safe.
Facing this crisis, he had done all he could. As for the rest, he could only submit to the will of the heavens. That bizarre radiance reached them noiselessly.
A bizarre radiance emerged.
Here it comes!
Chen Feng's heart thumped.
He could clearly see how that radiance seemed to ignore the terrain there, ignored the purple submarine, ignored everything and gushed toward him and Wu Hui directly.
It's over!
Chen Feng's heart chilled.
Hands… arms… everything was turning gray at an inconceivable speed.
However, right at this instant, on that figurine he'd obtained from the frozen sea, on the body of that mysterious young lady, a gust of radiance abruptly bloomed. Noiselessly, it started spreading. Next, the invading bizarre radiance paused before stopping completely.
After a short while, the radiance took a detour around Chen Feng and Wu Hui before continuing to spread elsewhere.
Saved?
Chen Feng's heart jolted wildly.
Chen Feng took out the figurine. For unknown reason, this figurine of a young lady with a miniskirt appeared even more lifelike at this moment. It was giving Chen Feng an extremely lifelike feeling!
Is this really an ordinary figurine? Ten years ago… Gou Li's squad that was hunted… those people that were killed because of this figurine…
Chen Feng was inwardly amazed. "What are you, exactly?"
Unfortunately, no one could answer his questions.
The radiance continued spreading while he and Wu Hui continued hiding underground.
After an unknown period of time, when the figurine finally reverted to its usual appearance and the radiance around them disappeared, Chen Feng and Wu Hui exhaled in relief.
They had survived this by fluke!
"Let's go."
Carefully, Chen Feng left the pit.
If that radiance truly possessed the power to destroy everything, everything outside should have been destroyed by now. However, when Chen Feng left the pit, he was stunned.
Out there, everything was now gray in color. The whole Qinghe Grassland had turned gray. Apart from gray, there was also white, black, and weird mixtures of gray, black, and white.
It was like a scene out of some old black-and-white film.
At this instant, Chen Feng felt like he had gone back in time and entered one of those black-and-white film.
Chen Feng was stunned. "What exactly is going on?"
What had happened here?
Is this the effect of that radiance? Radiation? Or some unknown powerful ability?
Chen Feng sunk into a solemn mood. This was truly a world where everything was possible. Even if one were to hide in one's home, a meteor might fall on your house from the sky. Hence…
"Go!"
He left speedily with Wu Hui.
Regardless of what had happened here, since this had happened to the whole Qinghe Grassland, they had to leave as soon as possible. Soon, they reached the entrance of the Qinghe Grassland. It could be seen that outside the grassland was still a multicolored world like before.
Chen Feng exhaled in relief. "Seems like this only happened to the grassland."
Go!
Shua!
Taking Wu Hui with him, he walked out.
A bizarre undulation appeared.
Bang!
Chen Feng and Wu Hui were bounced back into the grassland.
What's going on?
Chen Feng was shocked. They couldn't leave!
Currently, someone from the outside world was stepping into the Qinghe Grassland. Chen Feng stared blankly as the newcomer was right in front of him yet ignored him and stepped over the entrance into the grassland directly.
There were also several groups that had entered the entrance before disappearing. Chen Feng had initially believed that those who'd entered were all dead. However, some of the newcomers had decided to return to the camp to buy something after entering. Hence, those people stepped out of the grassland and once again appeared in front of Chen Feng once they passed through the entrance and arrived outside.
They were all talking and laughing to each other casually, seemingly not affected by what had happened here at all.
In other words, these people had not realized what had happened here.
How is that possible?
Chen Feng inhaled deeply. Apart from that, it was evident that the newcomers could not see him or anything here either. This almost felt like they were both located in two different dimensions.
Chen Feng abruptly realized something.
Could it be that the radiance earlier transformed space and time itself? What place is this? | 第二百七十一章
赢了。 陈锋看着中年人离去的身影微微松了口气。
“走了吗？” 吴辉脚下一软，差点摔倒在地，陈锋赶紧扶住了他。
吴辉所有力量都已经透支！ 如果真要跟那个A级战士打，恐怕只能用命拼了！
“我们也走吧。” 陈锋低声道。
“嗯。” 吴辉弱弱应道。
没有了敌人，他又恢复到平时的模样。
“知道的人越少，你越是强大，如果天下皆知，你恐怕就真成了废物！ 你明白吗？” 陈锋神色肃然。
“嗯。” 吴辉狠狠点点头。
他太清楚，陈锋给他带来的这一切何等珍贵！
刷！
两人快速离去。 此地不宜久留，那些基因战士已经走了，他们也必须尽快离开这里。 遥远处。
天地！
刹那陷入灰色。 “那是什么？”
远处。 光波覆盖的地方，正在变成灰色，而且正在以一种不可思议的速度，正在往这里涌现而来，速度飞快！
绿色的草原在迅速变灰。 不！
不仅仅是草原。 空气、植物……所有能看到的东西，似乎都变成了灰色！
“出事了。” 陈锋心中咯噔一下。
而此时。 他们眼前出现一些黑点身影，赫然是刚才逃走的基因战士队伍，他们也被吓到了，正在往这里逃！
开什么玩笑！ 连A级基因战士都要逃走，他们留这里有什么用？
刷！
光波扩散。
所有人都在疯狂逃窜，但是怎么可能逃得掉？
光影闪耀。 无数人刹那消失！
好快的速度！ 这样下去，他们根本逃不掉！ 幸运值？
陈锋试图开启幸运光环，然而，无效！ 陈锋无论如何传递意念，幸运光环都没有任何反馈信息。
而此时。 那名A级战士带着自己的侄子也在逃！ 真的能逃得过吗？
“不能这样！” 陈锋一咬牙。
快速逃走中，他看了一下不远处，那里有一个坑洞。
嗖！
陈锋带着吴辉踏入坑洞。
封！
一连串风刃将洞口封死！
紫色潜水艇！
陈锋甚至将当初在冰海中使用的紫色潜水艇召唤出来，因为它拥有超强的能量屏蔽和能量阻断效果！
封闭完毕！
陈锋和吴辉屏蔽呼吸。
在这惊人的危机面前，他已经做了自己能做的！ 剩下的，只能听天由命了，而这个时候，那诡异的光波悄然而至。
一抹奇异光辉涌现。
来了！
陈锋心中咯噔一下。
他清晰的看到，那股光波无视了地形，无视了紫色潜水艇，无视了所有一切，直接扑向他和吴辉！
完了！
陈锋心中一凉。
正在以一种不可思议的速度变成灰色！ 然而。
陈锋身上，那当初从冰海深处带出来的二次元手办，那十年前苟力他们获得的任务道具，那个神秘的美少女身上，忽然绽放一抹光辉，悄无声息的荡开，那神奇的光波，顿了顿，居然愣在了原地。
片刻。 它越过陈锋和吴越，继续扩散下去。
得救了？
陈锋心神狂跳。
他拿起那个手办。 不知道为何，那上面的短裙少女，此时看上去更加的逼真，甚至给陈锋一种活灵活现的感觉！
它真的只是一个普通手办吗？ 被追杀的苟力小队！
“你到底是什么？” 陈锋心中惊奇。
可惜，没人能回答他。
他和吴辉就这样躲在地下。
不知道过了多久，当手办恢复正常，当周围的奇异光波消失的时候，陈锋和吴辉才真正松了口气。
侥幸逃生！
“走。”
陈锋小心翼翼离开坑洞。
如果那光波真的拥有毁灭一切的能力，外面应该是被杀光了才对，只是，等他出来的时候彻底呆住了！
不。 不只是灰色，还有白色、黑色，以及各种奇怪速度的灰和黑白。
就像是古老的黑白影像！ 这一刹那。
陈锋甚至有种穿越回到黑白电视中的感觉。
“到底怎么回事？” 陈锋惊奇。
这里到底发生了什么？
辐射？ 又或者某种不为人知的强大力量？ 陈锋心神凛然。
这个世界，任何事情都有可能发生！ 你就算躲在家里，天上掉下一刻外星陨石都有可能！
“走！”
他带着吴辉快速离去。
无论这里发生了什么，整个清河草原出事，他们必须尽快离开，他们很快冲到了清河草原入口。 外面，一如既往的五彩斑斓。
“看来只有这里出事了。”
走！
刷！
他带着吴辉走出。
一股奇异的光波荡过。
轰！
陈锋和吴辉被倒轰了回去。
怎么回事？
陈锋震撼，他们居然出不去！
而这个时候。 外面有人踏入清河草原，陈锋眼睁睁看着，对方明明就在自己眼前，却根本无视了自己，直接踏入！
在那一瞬间消失！ 甚至，有几个人成群结队的进入，陈锋一度以为他们死掉了，但是有人走一半，忽然回到驻地买个东西，又再次踏入。
几人有说有笑。 并没有受到任何影响！
他们根本没发现这里出事！
怎么可能？
陈锋深吸一口气，而且，对方也看不到自己，也看不到这一切，那种感觉，就像是在两个时空！ 等等。
陈锋猛然意识到什么。
！ 到底是哪里？ |
The Immigration Game
Green Papers, as they are called in Europe, or White Papers, as they are known in America and Britain, are often mere rhetorical essays – government-backed studies that state broad principles unlikely ever to be applied in practice.
The recent Green Paper released by the European Commission on international migration is no exception.
Indeed, the Paper is a hodgepodge of illogic and half-baked ideas that aims at “launching a public debate” on the issue, “choosing a bottom-up, rather than a top-down approach.”
But while the objective is to “harmonize policies towards economic migrants across the EU,” the Paper states at the outset that decisions on this matter should remain solely under the jurisdiction of national governments.
Some of the rules that it proposes are unenforceable – and thus merely a source of red tape for migrants and their employers that would require huge public bureaucracies to administer.
Co-ordination of national migration policies will remain a dream if decisions continue to be kept under the exclusive responsibility of national governments.
There is no sign in the EU that national regulations on economic migration are converging.
Policies on migrants are becoming increasingly tough, especially in those countries that already had the most restrictive provisions.
Since 1995, there were 26 reforms of migration policies in the EU-15: two-thirds tightened regulations by increasing procedural obstacles faced by visa applicants, reducing the duration of work permits, or making family reunification more difficult.
Countries are getting tougher because migration flows can be diverted across jurisdictions.
This raises concerns among public opinion that migrants rejected by some countries could flood those that do not impose tighter restrictions.
Cross-national policy spillovers are frequent.
Finland tightened its immigration regulations in 2004, following closely the restrictive stance taken by Denmark in 2002.
Portugal adopted more restrictive provisions in 2001, after Spain implemented a similar reform in 2000.
Ireland did the same in 1999, after the UK enacted two reforms in 1996 and 1998 designed to curb immigration.
This race to restrict pervaded decision-making on transitional arrangements following accession of 10 new members – eight of them postcommunist countries – to the EU last May.
Twelve of the 15 countries reneged on promises not to restrict worker flows from the new members as they realized that Austria and Germany were closing their borders to immigration from their eastern neighbors.
But tight national restrictions do not seem to prevent migration; they only alter the geographical orientation of flows and fuel increases in illegal immigration, thereby inflating the size of the informal economy.
Indeed, illegal immigration is larger when restrictions to legal migration are tight.
Illegal flows as a proportion of the population are about 25% larger in Europe than in the US; at the same time, legal flows are roughly 25% larger in the US than in Europe.
The US also has more realistic migration restrictions than most European countries.
Realistic restrictions in Europe can be adopted only by taking into account migration spillovers across jurisdictions, which requires implementing policies that are agreed at the EU level.
But national governments remain reluctant to delegate authority: in November 2004, the European Council accepted qualified majority voting on measures concerning illegal migration, but left restrictions on legal migration subject to unanimity rules, as if legal and illegal migration were not merely two sides of the same coin.
The Green Paper will not make EU leaders change their minds.
It states that national governments can better “respond to the specific needs of their labor markets.” It does not stress the obvious advantages of having the EU as a unique player in enforcing border controls, signing cooperation agreements with migrants’ countries of origin, and encouraging the type of flows that are best suited for Europe.
The Green Paper also suggests that, when admitting migrants, member countries “require proof that no one already part of the domestic labor market can fill the vacancy concerned.”
It is unlikely that this would be possible even under central planning.
Migrants change jobs twice a year on average, as they “grease the wheels” of European labor markets with their mobility from less to more productive jobs.
Should we prevent them from doing so?
Similarly, the Paper proposes that the self-employed should be admitted after an evaluation of their business plans.
In Milan this year, more foreigners than Italians registered as self-employed.
Who will examine their business plans?
Even if the Paper’s suggestion were plausible, which it is not, it begs a larger question: should we prevent migrants from taking entrepreneurial risks?
If taken seriously, these rules will accomplish nothing, except to force migrants and their prospective employers to find other ways to each other.
The European Commission’s Green Paper on immigration looks like an invitation to join the underground economy. | 移民游戏
欧洲所谓的绿皮书、或美英两国所谓的白皮书往往不过是辞藻华丽的文章而已¾政府研究显示全国性的政策很少能够真正实施。
欧洲委员会最新发布的国际移民绿皮书也不例外。
事实上，这本绿皮书混合了缺乏逻辑和尚未成熟的思想，目的是“发起关于移民问题的公众讨论 ” ， “从中选择一种自下而上、而不是自上而下的解决方法 。 ”
可尽管提出了“在欧洲范围内协调经济移民政策”的目标，绿皮书从一开始就申明上述事务由国家政府全权管辖。
书中提出的有些规定根本无法付诸实施¾因此对移民及其雇主来讲不过又是些需要庞大的官僚机构加以执行的官样文章。
如果决策权继续由国家政府掌握，那么协调国家移民政策不过是个梦想。
没有任何迹象表明，欧盟有关经济移民的国家规定正在相互融合。
移民政策日益严格，在那些已经有诸多限制的国家尤其如此。
欧盟15国自1995年来共有26次移民政策改革：其中三分之二都增加了签证申请人面对的程序障碍，缩短了工作许可的有效时间，抑或增大了家庭团聚的难度。
各国的移民政策日益严格是因为移民潮能够在不同国家间转移。
这也使公众担忧被某些国家拒签的移民可能会涌向那些移民政策比较松弛的国家。
不同国家的移民政策经常相互影响。
受2002年丹麦出台限制政策的影响，2004年芬兰也收紧了本国的移民政策。
2000年西班牙实行移民改革后，葡萄牙于2001年也采取了诸多限制措施。
英国分别于1996和1998年采纳了限制移民的改革措施，而爱尔兰1999年也进行了调整。
包括8个后共产主义国家在内的10个新成员去年5月加入欧盟后，避免跨国事务决策的相互影响更成了当务之急。
当看到奥地利和德国对来自东侧邻国的移民关闭边境后，15个国家中的12个都不再遵守不限制新成员国人员流动的诺言。
但加强国家控制似乎并不能抑止移民，而只能改变移民潮的地理流向和导致非法移民数量迅速飙升，进而导致非正式经济规模的迅速膨胀。
实际上，每当合法移民受到严格限制之际，非法移民的数量就大大增加。
欧洲非法流动占人口流动总数的比例比美国高大约25 % ， 而与此同时，美国合法的人口流动比欧洲大约也高出25 % 。
美国的移民限制措施也比欧洲国家更为现实。
只有充分考虑到不同国家间的移民流动，才能确保在欧洲范围内采取现实的管制措施，而实现这样的目标需要整个欧盟采取共同认可的政策。
但国家政府却一直不愿让出权力：2004年11月，欧盟委员会在应对非法移民时采纳了多数票表决的策略，但在限制合法移民方面却仍然坚持要求全体一致通过，就好像合法和非法移民不是一个问题的两个方面一样。
nan
绿皮书不会让欧盟领导人改变主意，书中认为国家政府可以更好地“对本国劳务市场的特殊需求做出反应 ” ， 但并没有强调以欧盟为单位执行边境控制、与移民起源国签订合作协议和鼓励最适合欧洲的移民流动形式时有哪些显而易见的好处。
绿皮书还建议在接收移民的时候，各成员国“要证明国内劳务市场的任何部分都不能填补相应的空缺 。 ”
这样的目标即便在集中控制的体制下也很难达到。
移民平均每年换两次工作，并且在从相对低效转向相对高效岗位的过程中润滑着欧洲劳动力市场的“齿轮 ” 。
难道我们要阻止他们这么做吗？
与此相似，绿皮书提出只有在对商务计划进行评估后自营人员才能被目标国接收。
今年，在米兰注册自营的外国人比意大利人还要多。
谁来检查他们的商业计划？
退一万步讲，即便绿皮书的建议可行，我们又面临着一个更大的问题：难道我们要阻止移民创办企业吗？
认真审视起来，除了迫使移民及其可能的雇主令谋它法来逃避执行规定，这些规则不会有任何实际的用处。
欧盟委员会有关移民问题的绿皮书看起来更像是一封参与地下经济的邀请函。 |
Chapter 1371 - Kingdom Changes
Purple Thorns Kingdom, Rock Sand City:
Before Shi Feng could react, the system had teleported him here.
Hm? Why did it teleport me to this city?
Shi Feng was little confused as he looked at his current location the system displayed.
In the past, he had always been transported to Star-Moon Kingdom’s Dark Lake Town after leaving the Orc Palace’s treasury, yet he had been sent to the Purple Thorns Kingdom this time.
The Teleportation Hall bustled with activity. Shi Feng could even hear many independent teams recruiting members in the hall.
“Recruiting a team to grind Orc Bosses in Lakefront Town for Honor Points! Level 40-plus experts only! We already have a healer!”
“Recruiting for an escort quest, delivering resources to the frontline! Need two more players! Level 38 and above! Must have in Level 35 Secret-Silver Equipment or above! We already have MTs and healers!” …
Practically every independent team wanted elite players or better. Shi Feng found such a scene hard to imagine in a border city like Rock Sand City.
However, how fast these independent teams filled their slots was even more shocking.
What is up with this city?
After glancing at the players in the Teleportation Hall, he discovered that practically every player was at the elite standard or above. There were even quite a few Level 40-plus independent experts. The activity in this city’s Teleportation Hall could even rival White River City’s.
Although Rock Sand City was a major NPC city in the Purple Thorns Kingdom, it was close to the kingdom’s border. The region didn’t have particularly abundant resources, either. Hence, finding so many players developing in Rock Sand City was unusual. Expert players should be an even rarer sight.
Yet, not only was Rock Sand City’s player population surprisingly high, but the quality of its players was also stunning.
Before Shi Feng could get a grasp of the situation, one of the larger-sized Teleportation Magic Arrays lit up. A team of Level 40-plus players then emerged. Every one of these players wore a Guild Emblem belonging to none other than the first-rate Guild, Star Alliance. Upon arriving, the Star Alliance members quickly left the Teleportation Hall. They summoned their Mounts and made their way towards Rock Sand City’s main entrance.
By the looks of it, they seemed to be in a rush.
Shortly after the Star Alliance’s team arrived, teams from other large Guilds began to teleport in. Like the Star Alliance’s teams, these teams also hurried towards the city’s entrance.
After watching this, Shi Feng connected to the official forums to get a better idea of what was happening. The fact that so many large Guilds had dispatched their expert and elite teams suggested that something big was going down. So, this is the case.
Realization quickly dawned on Shi Feng after he read through the Purple Thorns Kingdom’s official forums.
Due to the “Empire’s Rise” expansion pack, Orcs had begun to occupy areas near the Mourning Battlefield. Although they had yet to occupy a large area, they were expanding. Meanwhile, the Mourning Battlefield was now beyond recognition. The Orcs had already claimed several neutral maps nearby. Thus far, four kingdoms had been affected by the Mourning Battlefield’s expansion.
Orcs all over God’s Domain were becoming more active. Some had even captured NPC towns.
To deal with these Orcs, the continent’s various countries had issued high-ranking quests. Although these quests were quite difficult, the remuneration was considerably abundant. Because of this, the areas these Orcs had claimed became excellent locations to grind money and items.
This was also a good opportunity for the game’s various Guilds to increase their Popularity. These Guilds had begun to receive team quests in their respective Residences, each quest requiring them to hunt Orcs.
However, this was only the tip of the iceberg. The best part about this expansion pack was that players who reclaimed captured towns would obtain a Town Building Order and Town Reputation Order.
These two rewards were precisely the reason that the large Guilds were going crazy.
The Town Building Order allowed a Guild to construct a town wherever they desired. Of course, the town could only be built in the country they had obtained the Building Order from. However, this wasn’t a problem for the various large Guilds, particularly for the first-rate Guilds and above. Large Guilds generally developed in multiple kingdoms and empires simultaneously, and they generally had a considerable amount of power in each location. So, supporting the development of one Guild town wouldn’t be a problem.
The Town Reputation Order had an even greater purpose. It could increase a town’s Popularity, which would hasten a town’s promotion speed. The further a Guild town developed, the more Popularity it required to reach its next promotion. This was the main limit to Guild town promotions. Meanwhile, the Town Reputation Order could help solve this problem. Why wouldn’t the various Guilds go mad over this?
Hence, many Guilds had organized crusades against the Orcs. Some had even organized armies of hundreds of thousands to raid captured towns.
Unfortunately, the Orcs defending these captured towns were extraordinarily powerful. These Orcs were generally Level 60 and above, making the towns very difficult to reclaim. Moreover, the more players that were dispatched to reclaim a town, the more monsters a town would contain.
After watching others’ failed attempts, the various large Guilds had grown docile.
Now, they only dispatched 100-man expert teams to complete the issued Guild team quests instead of trying to reclaim towns.
After reading through the discussions of players on the forums, Shi Feng was greatly shocked.
He had to admit that this expansion had a massive impact on God’s Domain’s various major powers. If dealt with properly, it would not even be surprising to see a Guild instantly rise to become a country’s overlord. It was no wonder why the system update had taken so long to complete.
As Shi Feng considered investigating these Orc town incidents, he received a call from Melancholic Smile.
“Guild Leader, how is your quest coming along?” Melancholic Smile asked, slightly anxious.
“I’ve just finished it. I just have to turn it in,” Shi Feng said, chuckling. “Why? Has something happened?”
“Nothing has changed. Only, the Evil Demons around Stone Forest Town and White River City are becoming increasingly active. Moreover, Great Lord ranked Evil Demons have begun to appear. The Evil Demons are growing so bold that they have even begun to ambush the teams we’ve dispatched to patrol the trade routes. We’ve already incurred significant losses. Meanwhile, the player traffic visiting Stone Forest Town has decreased by more than half. At this rate, Red Iron Town’s player population will surpass Stone Forest Town’s very quickly,” Melancholic Smile reported helplessly.
“Beast Emperor really is bold.” Hearing that Great Lord ranked Evil Demons had begun to show up, Shi Feng could not help but chuckle as he said, “Isn’t he afraid that his Great Lords won’t make it back home?”
Even Abandoned Wave had only employed a few Great Lord ranked Evil Demons due to the difficulty of nurturing them.
Yet, Beast Emperor had dispatched a large number of Great Lords to attack players.
“Although we thought about killing those Great Lords as well, sending the Guild’s main force to lead a 1,000-man team to hunt them down, they’ve evaded us constantly as if the Evil Demon knew about our team’s locations. As a result, our members have just wasted a lot of their time,” Melancholic Smile said, shaking her head.
“In that case, have everyone return to Stone Forest Town. Split up the Guild’s Assassins to monitor the trade routes. Notify me the moment they spot a Great Lord ranked Evil Demon,” Shi Feng said, smiling.
“Order a retreat?” Melancholic Smile was stunned. “Guild Leader, if we do that, those Evil Demons will become even more daring!”
If they allowed those Evil Demons to slaughter the players visiting Stone Forest Town, even fewer players would make the trip.
“It’ll be fine,” Shi Feng said, chuckling. “However, tell our Assassins to be careful. They mustn’t be discovered.”
“Understood.” Melancholic Smile could only nod helplessly. She didn’t understand the benefit of such a thing. She then started to recall the teams patrolling the various trade routes.
As for Shi Feng, he retrieved a Return Scroll from his bag and teleported to White River City. First, he needed to turn in his commission quest. | 第1371章
紫荆王国，岩砂城。
石峰还没有反应过来，就被系统直接传送到了这里。
“嗯，怎么被传送到这里来了？”
石峰诧异地看着系统显示出来的位置。
以前他从皇室宝库中被传送出来，都是直接传送到星月王国的暗泽小镇，如今却被传送到紫荆王国，偏差不是一般的大。
此时传送大厅中人来人往，甚至在大厅之内就能听到很多野团在招募玩家。
“组团去湖畔镇刷兽人BOSS刷荣誉值，来40级的高手若干，治疗已经就位！”
“前线资源护送任务，再来两人就走了，要求等级38级以上，装备至少35级以上的秘银，MT和治疗就位来DPS，非常勿扰！”
差不多每个野团招募玩家的要求都是达到精英水平以上，很难想象这样的事情会出现在一个玩家数量并不多的边陲城市。
不过很令人吃惊的是这些野团很快就召集齐了玩家，几乎没有花费什么时间。
“这是岩砂城是怎么了？”
石峰扫了一眼大厅中的玩家，在场的玩家中几乎清一色都是精英水平以上，甚至40级以上的自由高手都不少见，这种景象简直都可以跟白河城的传送大厅相媲美了。
岩砂城在紫荆王国中虽然是一个NPC大城了，不过坐落在边陲之地，领域范围的资源不是很丰富，所以在岩砂城发展的玩家并不多，至于玩家高手都不愿意来这种地方。
如今的岩砂城不仅玩家众多，就连质量也高得惊人。
石峰还没有明白怎么回事时，只见大厅内的传送魔法阵亮起，冒出了一批等级在40级以上的玩家团队，每个人都佩戴着公会徽记，正是一流公会星河联盟的徽记，这些星河联盟的成员是二话不说就离开传送大厅，召唤出坐骑后就朝着岩砂城的大门而去。
看样子是相当赶时间。
而在星河联盟的团队离开不久，很快就出现了其他大公会的团队，一个接一个都赶往了岩砂城的大门。
看到这里，石峰不由打开官方论坛仔细查看起来，毕竟能惹得这么多大公会接二连三的派出高手团队和精英团队来这里，要是没有发什么大事，鬼都不信。
石峰在查看了一遍紫荆王国的论坛后，顿时恍然。
因为新资料片帝国崛起的缘故，现在临近哀嚎战场的地方都给兽人占了，虽然占领的面积不大，但却在不断扩张，而哀嚎战场都已经面目全非，连同是周边的几个中立地图都变成了兽人的领域，波及范围之广，已经影响到了四个王国。
除此之外，神域里的但凡有兽人存在的地方，兽人的活动是相当激烈，甚至还出现了攻占NPC小镇的情况。
正是因为如此，成了玩家们刷钱刷武器装备的好地方，各大王国为了对付这些兽人，都相继发布了许多高级任务，虽然危险但是给予的报酬是相当丰厚。
而对于公会来说，却是提升公会知名度的好时机，各大公会里都相继颁布了公会团队任务，都是讨伐兽人的。
不过这算不什么，真正好的地方在于，如果能抢回被兽人夺走的城镇，就有可能得到城镇建造令和城镇声望令这两样物品。
也正是因为这两样物品，各大公会都快要发狂了。
城镇建造令，能随便在一处地方建造小镇，当然只限于夺回小镇的所在王国，但是这个缺点对于大公会，尤其是一流公会来说根本就不是问题，因为随便一个一流公会都在多个王国和帝国发展，很多地方都有一些势力，支撑一个小镇发展还是没有任何问题的。
至于城镇声望令的用途更大，可以提升一个城镇的知名度，可以加快公会城镇的晋升速度，毕竟公会城镇越是到后面，所需要的知名度就越高，也是限制城镇晋升的主要原因，而现在的城镇声望令就弥补了这一点，各大公会又怎么可能不疯狂？
所以现在各大公会都在组织人手讨伐兽人，甚至本地的大公会都组成万人大军去讨伐被兽人侵占的城镇。
可惜这些兽人都异常强大，等级都普遍在60级以上，想要攻占下来并非一件轻松的事情，而且前去城镇的玩家越多，城镇里面的怪物数量就越多越强。
到现在各大公会也都学乖了。
一个个都派出百人高手团去慢慢开荒。
看完了官方论坛上的玩家谈论，石峰心中也挺震撼。
不得不说这次新资料片对各大势力的冲击很大，如果弄好了，一跃成为一方霸主也没有什么好奇怪，也难怪系统更新需要这么长时间。
就在石峰想着了解更多有关于兽人小镇的事情时，忧郁微笑也突然联系了过来。
“会长，你那边的任务做怎么样了？” 视频中的忧郁微笑神色有些急切的问道。
“刚刚已经做完了，现在只差去还任务。” 石峰笑了笑道，“怎么，你那边出了什么事吗？”
“还是跟之前一样，只是石林小镇和白河城区域的邪魔活动越来越频繁，而且就连大领主级别的邪魔都有出现，甚至到现在，就连我们零翼公会派出去保护商道的团队也开始偷袭攻击，我们这边损失不少，而愿意来石林小镇的玩家也锐减了一大半，在这样下去，赤铁小镇的玩家数量很快就能超过石林小镇。” 忧郁微笑无奈的说道。
“这个兽皇还真是舍得。” 石峰听到有大领主级别的邪魔出现，不禁笑道，“连大领主级别的邪魔都往外派遣，就不怕回不去吗？”
大领主级别的邪魔就算是弃一涛也拿不出来多少，一个个都当成宝贝，悄悄提升发展，毕竟诞生一只很不容易，需要邪魔本身具备这个潜力才行。
兽皇倒好，派遣出大量大领主级别的邪魔分散攻击，简直明目张胆。
“我们倒是想过，甚至让公会主力团成员带着千人军团去围剿，但是这些邪魔就好像早就知道了一般，总能是逃过围剿，反而让我们这边浪费不少时间。” 忧郁微笑摇了摇头道。
“这样吧，你先让所有人撤回石林小镇，之后让公会里的刺客玩家分批去监视商道，那个地方要是看见了大领主级别的邪魔，第一时间向我汇报。”
忧郁微笑顿时一愣，“会长，要是真这么做，那些邪魔恐怕就更肆无忌惮了！”
要是邪魔随便肆虐，到时候想要来石林小镇的玩家就更少了。
石峰笑了笑道，“不过要让监视的刺客小心一些，不要被发现了。” “我知道了。”
忧郁微笑只能无奈地点了点头，实在不明白这么做对石林小镇有什么好处，随即开始组织人手把工作安排下去。
而石峰则是从背包里拿出了回城卷轴，直接返回白河城，准备先把委托任务还掉。 |
Chapter 31 - Let Me Play a Joke Too
Chapter 31 Let Me Play a Joke Too
Qu Wancai’s and Liu Haibin’s eyeballs almost popped out of their eyes. They couldn’t believe what they saw in front of them.
“WTF, what happened? Are you a Tibetan Mastiff? Aren’t you the king of dogs? Aren’t you fierce? Didn’t you just have a baby and have a bad temper? How come you start licking people’s shoes in a blink of an eye?
And your eyes are full of respect and worship, and your mouth drooping so much as if you’d like to lick the sole of another shoe. Can you have a little dignity?”
Bai Ziping and the two dog trainers were also stunned. They had seen the ferocity of the two snow mastiffs, which was enough to rival the tigers and leopards. They had never dreamed that this would happen.
They rubbed their eyes hard to make sure they were not mistaken.
And inside the kennel, Qin Haodong kicked the male mastiff away impatiently and roared, “Get down, you’ve dirty my shoes!”
The male mastiff immediately bent down and lay in front of Qin Haodong with great obedience.
Qin Haodong had the powerful spirit of Emperor Green Wood. The two snow mastiffs had instinctively felt his strength, thus having no intention of resisting.
And Qin Haodong expressed his intention to treat them as soon as he had come in. So all the two snow mastiffs wanted to do was pleasing him, and the thought of attacking him was totally left behind.
He took out the silver needles from the needle bag, and in the blink of an eye, he put more than a dozen silver needles into the body of the snow mastiff, and then dredged the blocked blood vessels in the body of the snow mastiff with Green Wood Genuine Qi.
Five minutes later, Qin Haodong retrieved the silver needles from the male mastiff. At this time, the mastiff has been completely different from the just sagged appearance. As if got pumped up, the mastiff howled to the air like a male lion, making the kennel shivering.
People outside the kennel opened their closed mouths again in amazement. It was totally unexpected that male mastiff was cured so quickly.
Qu Wancai licked his dry lips for he had never seen such amazing medical skills as a veterinarian for so many years. Was this man still human?
“Be good, don’t shout!”
Qin Haodong kicked the male mastiff away with one foot and then stepped towards the female mastiff.
Generally speaking, the female mastiff’s mood was more unstable after childbirth, but her response to Qin Haodong was similar to that of male mastiff. With flattering and respectful expression, she kept wagging her tails despite her weak body.
As before, Qin Haodong used silver needles to treat the female mastiff again. Maybe because of her weak body, it took a little more time. The silver needles were not retrieved until seven or eight minutes later.
As the silver needles had been retrieved, the female mastiff immediately stood up from the ground, first holding Qin Haodong’s feet to please him, and then pulling his trouser legs toward the two little mastiffs.
Obviously, she wanted Qin Haodong to treat the two dying little snow mastiffs.
The two newborn little snow mastiffs were extremely weak because they had not eaten a single mouthful of milk, which made it a lot more trouble to treat them. Qin Haodong took out a Marrow-Cleansing Pill and broke it into two halves and fed it to the two little mastiffs.
The Marrow-Cleansing Pill was precious, but the two little snow mastiffs were going to be Tang Tang’s playmates and bodyguards. So it was worth investing a little.
After the Marrow-Cleansing Pill was fed, Qin Haodong used Green Wood Genuine Qi to help two young snow mastiffs dredge their meridians and accelerate the absorption of medicines.
Soon, the two puppies, who were dying, stood up from the ground and opened their eyes.
Bai Ziping was staring outside in bewilderment. He couldn’t understand why. Generally speaking, puppies need seven days to open their eyes. These two little snow mastiffs were born for only two days.
“Well, I’ve saved your children, but I’m going to take them away!”
Qin Haodong patted the head of the female mastiff and the male mastiff, then picked up two little snow mastiffs and walked outside the kennel.
Although the two snow mastiffs showed reluctance in their eyes, they only rubbed their heads on Qin Haodong’s legs, as if they knew that the best choice was to let him take away the little snow mastiffs.
“Papa, dog, I want to play with dog!” The little fellow exclaimed excitedly outside.
Since his daughter was happy, Qin Haodong did not close the iron door of the kennel, and brought out the two adult snow mastiffs directly.
Seeing these two big guys go out of the cage, the others all retreated in panic, including the two dog trainers. It was generally known that even 10 people couldn’t prevent an adult mastiff going mad.
Qin Haodong first put two little snow mastiffs on the ground and then took the little fellow from Lin Zhiyuan’s arms.
Looking back at the two lion-like snow mastiffs, he said, “You two don’t have a name, and it’s inconvenient. From today on, you will be called Big White and Small White respectively.”
He stretched out his hand and patted the male mastiff. “You are Big White.” And then patted the female mastiff. “You are called Small White!”
The two mastiffs seemed to understand him, wagging their tails to express agreement.
“This is my daughter. You two have to play with her. Did you hear me?”
Big White and Small White immediately went up and licked the little fellow’s feet with their tongues. The little fellow immediately grinned with the fear disappeared.
Qin Haodong then put the little fellow on Big White’s back. The little fellow grasped the long hair on Big White neck and giggled incessantly.
“Dog, run, run!”
The little fellow patted Big White’s back excitedly, and the others were horrified. The Tibetan Mastiff, which was feared by people, now was ridden as a horse.
Big White didn’t show any dissatisfaction. He walked around with the little fellow. Small White followed closely, as if afraid that the little fellow would fall down.
“Doctor Qin, Isn’t it a little dangerous?
Lin Zhiyuan was not at ease when seeing the little fellow playing with the two snow mastiffs because Big White and Small White could swallow the little fellow with their mouth easily.
“That’s all right. These two mastiffs are very clever.”
Qin Haodong was not worried. These two snow mastiffs were very spiritual and couldn’t hurt the little fellow.
Then he looked up and saw Qu Wancai and Liu Haibin moving slowly towards the door of the kennel. He said happily, “Where are you going, Sir?”
Seeing Qin Haodong had rescued the four snow mastiffs, Qu Wancai knew that there must be consequences for him if he stayed any longer. He wanted to steal away, but unexpectedly he was discovered by Qin Haodong.
“It has been all right now, and hence we’d better go back!”
Qu Wancai answered shamefacedly.
“How could it be all right?” Qin Haodong looked at him playfully and said, “You just said that as long as I’m not bitten to death by the Tibetan Mastiff, you will call me Daddy. I suppose you couldn’t forget it so soon?”
“Er…” The blood rushed into Qu Wancai’s old face. He did say it, but he could not open his mouth to call a 20-year-old man his father.
He said embarrassingly, “Dr. Qin, these are all jokes. We don’t have to take them seriously, do we?”
“So Doctor Qu likes to play jokes very much?” Qin Haodong spoke with a radian on his mouth.
“Yes! Yeah! I like to play jokes.”
Qu Wancai promptly agreed, thinking that Qin Haodong was not going to take action against him.
“That’s good. In that case, I’ll play a joke with Dr. Qu!” Qin Haodong waved to Small White next to him and pointed to Qu Wancai and said, “It’s too hot, tear down his pants!”
After hearing the order, Small White immediately growled and rushed towards Qu Wancai.
Although Qu Wancai had been a veterinarian for many years, it didn’t mean that he was not afraid of Tibetan mastiffs. He turned his head and ran, but Small White ran too fast. She knocked Qu Wancai down with one claw, crushed him to the ground, and then opened his big mouth and began to tear up his trousers.
Qu Wancai roared in piercing voice. He had been scared by Small White to urinate directly!
Liu Haibin stood by and he dared not move even a step, for fear that Small White would throw him to the ground.
Tibetan Mastiff’s teeth were sharp as a knife so Quwancai’s jeans were torn into pieces by Small White.
Fortunately, Small White executed the order very accurately. He just pulled off Qu Wancai’s jeans. His red underwear was not torn though had been wet by urine, which could cover the key parts.
The little fellow sat on the back of Big White, watching the scene before him. She cried excitedly. “Naked ass, shame! shame!”
Qin Haodong went over, squatted down and looked at the ghastly paled Qu Wancai with a laugh. “Doctor Qu, is this joke funny?”
At this time, Qu Wancai could not laugh. Although Small White had left, his body still kept trembling.
“It seems that Doctor Qu didn’t have enough fun!” He ordered Small White again. “Pull down his underwear!”
“No, please don’t! Father, my dear father, please let me off…” Qu Wancai surrendered thoroughly. He looked at Small White’s big mouth, thinking if his “little buddy” was bitten, he might have to go to the imperial palace as a eunuch. After all, no one could trust animals.
“Why, Doctor Qu doesn’t want to joke now?” Qin Haodong asked happily.
“No, no, I won’t joke anymore!” Qu Wancai was conquered completely.
“Get out of here, then. I don’t want you to get the place polluted!”
Qu Wancai was relieved as if getting amnesty. He got up from the ground and was ready to run, but his legs felt like jelly after being scared by Small White. He struggled several times but failed to stand up. Liu Haibin rushed to hold him up, and the two guys fled in a fluster.
After they left, Bai Ziping went to Qin Haodong and said, “Doctor Qin, your medical skills are amazing. You got me!”
Then he took a bank card from his pocket and said, “There are 200,000 yuan in the card. Please accept it!”
Qin Haodong said, “Boss Bai, we have already agreed that the two little Tibetan mastiffs are given to me as medical fees. I can’t accept the money!”
“It doesn’t matter. You take the two puppies as well as the money. Let’s become friends from now on!”
Bai Ziping was a very shrewd businessman. He had seen the potential value of Qin Haodong who had such superb medical skills and amazing dog training skills. It was definitely economical to establish contact with him in 120 percent of sincerity.
“Well, I’ll take it!”
Qin Haodong took over the bank card. He really needed money now. He would take the little fellow out to have fun later. He couldn’t carry only one coin in his pocket.
“And Dr. Qin, this is the top VIP card of our Dog Fighting Ring. You can come to us anytime with it!”
Bai Ziping said and sent a golden card to Qin Haodong. Qin Haodong didn’t waste time talking and put it in his pocket directly. | 正文
第三十一章
曲万才和刘海滨两个人的眼睛差点从眼眶里凸出来，他们实在不敢相信眼前看到的这一切。
不是刚产完幼崽，脾气暴躁吗？ 怎么眨眼之间就开始舔人家鞋底了？
而且你这是什么眼神，一脸的恭敬和崇拜，口水流出那么长，恨不得将人家另外一只鞋底儿也舔了，能不能有点儿节操？”
白子平和那两个驯犬师也惊得目瞪口呆，这两只雪獒的凶猛他们可是见识过的，足以匹敌虎豹，做梦也没想到会有这种情况发生。
他们用力揉了揉自己的眼睛，确定不是看错了。
而且犬舍里面，秦浩东不耐烦的一脚将公獒踢开，喝道:“趴下，把老子的鞋都弄脏了！”
公獒听到之后立即乖乖的伏下身子，趴在秦浩东的身前，顺从无比。
秦浩东拥有着青木帝君的强大元神，从本能上讲，两只雪獒已经感受到对方的强大，根本生不出反抗的意念。
同时秦浩东一进来就表达了自己的意念，是来给它们看病的，两只雪獒自然是讨好都来不及，哪里还会攻击。
他从针袋取出银针，眨眼之间将十几根银针刺入雪獒的身体，然后用青木真气帮助雪獒梳理体内堵塞的血脉。
五分钟之后，秦浩东取回公獒身上的银针。 此时的公獒已经跟刚刚的萎靡不振完全不同，打了鸡血一般精神百倍，如同雄狮仰天发出一声长啸，震得犬舍都瑟瑟发抖。
犬舍外面的人刚刚闭拢的嘴巴再次张开，这么快就将公獒治愈，实在是匪夷所思，出人预料，让人意想不到。
曲万才舔了舔干巴巴的嘴唇，他当了这么多年兽医，也没见过如此神奇的医术，这还是人吗？
“老实点，叫什么叫！”
秦浩东一脚将公獒踹开，然后迈步向母獒走去。
一般来讲，母獒产子之后的情绪更加不稳定，可这只母獒见了秦浩东和公獒差不太多，满脸的讨好和恭敬，虽然虚弱的身体不能站起来，但是大尾巴还是摇个不停。
跟刚刚一样，秦浩东再次用银针帮助母獒治疗，可能因为母獒的身体虚弱，用的时间多了一点，大约七八分钟之后他才收回银针。
随着银针离体，母獒腾的一下从地上站了起来，先是抱着秦浩东的脚面一阵讨好，然后咬住他的裤腿，向两只小家伙身边拽去。
意思很明显，它是想让秦浩东救治两只奄奄一息的小雪獒。
两只小雪獒刚刚出生不久，一口奶都没有吃到，身体虚弱的不得了，治起来要麻烦许多。 最后秦浩东取出一颗洗髓丹，掰成两半后给两个小家伙喂了下去。
虽然洗髓丹珍贵，但这两只小雪獒以后可是唐糖的玩伴加保镖，投入一点还是应该的。
洗髓丹喂下去之后，秦浩东又用青木真气帮助两只小雪獒梳理经脉，加速吸收药力。
很快，刚刚还奄奄一息的两只小狗，竟然都从地上站了起来，而且睁开了眼睛。
白子平在外面看的目瞪口呆，实在搞不明白这是什么情况，一般来讲小狗都要七天才能睁开眼睛，而这两只小雪獒才生下来两天。
“好了，你们的孩子我救过来了，不过我要带它们走！”
秦浩东拍了拍母獒和公狼的脑袋，然后抱起两只小雪獒向着犬舍外面走去。
两只雪獒虽然眼神中流露着不舍，但只是用脑袋在秦浩东的腿上蹭着，仿佛知道小雪獒被他带走是最好的出路。
“粑粑，狗狗，唐糖要跟狗狗玩！” 小家伙在外面兴奋的叫着。
见女儿高兴，秦浩东干脆没有关闭犬舍的铁门，直接将两只成年雪獒也带了出来。
眼见着这么两个大家伙竟然出了笼子，其他人都纷纷后退，包括那两个训犬员都是一脸的紧张，要知道成年藏獒发起狂来十个人也拦不住。
秦浩东先是把两只小雪獒放在地上，然后从林志远怀里接过小家伙。
回头看了一眼两只雄狮一般的大雪獒，说道:“你们两个没个名字也不方便，从今天开始就叫大白小白吧！”
他伸手拍了拍公獒，“你叫大白”，又拍了拍母獒，“你叫小白！”
两只雪獒仿佛听懂了他的话，不停的摇着尾巴，似是在表示同意。
“这是我的女儿，你们两个要好好陪她玩，听到了没有？”
大白和小白听完之后，立即上前伸出大舌头去 舔小家伙儿的小脚丫儿，小家伙立即格格的笑了起来，原本还有的一点恐惧已经消失不见。
秦浩东干脆直接将小家伙放在大白的后背上，小家伙抓着大白脖子上的长毛，咯咯的笑个不停。
“狗狗快跑，狗狗快跑！”
小家伙兴奋的拍打着大白的后背，看得其他人一阵毛骨悚然。 这可是人见人怕的藏獒啊，竟然被当马骑。
大白并没有表现出任何的不满，带着小家伙四处溜达，小白紧跟在后面，仿佛生怕小家伙掉下来摔到。
是不是有点危险？”
林志远看着小家伙跟两只雪獒玩，心里还是有些不太放心，要知道大白小白，随便哪个一张嘴都能把小家伙吞下去。
“没事，这两个家伙聪明得紧。”
秦浩东倒是不担心，这两只雪獒极具灵性，不可能去伤害小家伙。
这时他抬头看到正慢慢向着犬舍门口挪动的曲万才和刘海滨两个人，乐呵呵的说道:“二位，这是要去哪儿啊？”
曲万才眼见着秦浩东救活了大笑四只雪獒，知道再呆下去肯定没有好果子吃，想偷偷溜走，没想到被秦浩东发现了。
“这里已经没事，我们该回去了！”
曲万才讪讪的说道。
“怎么会没事呢？” 秦浩东玩味的看着他说道，曲医生刚刚说，只要我不被藏獒咬死，你就管我叫爹，不会这么快就忘了吧？”
“这……”曲万才一张老脸胀得通红，这话他确实说了，可是管一个20左右岁的年轻人叫爹，他怎么也张不开嘴。
他讪讪的说道，“秦医生，这都是开玩笑的，咱们没必要当真，是吧？”
“这么说曲医生非常爱开玩笑了？” 秦浩东说着嘴角泛起一抹弧度。
“是啊！ 是啊！
曲万才忙不迭的答应着，他以为秦浩东不准备追究这件事了。
“那好啊，既然这样，我也跟曲医生开个玩笑！” 秦浩东说完对着旁边的小白一挥手，指着曲万才说道，“天太热了，去把他的裤子扯下来！”
听到命令之后，小白立即发出一声低吼，呼的一下向着曲万才扑了过去。
曲万才虽然做兽医多年，但并不等于他不怕藏獒，这家伙扭头就跑，可是小白的速度太快了，已经一爪将曲万才拍倒，狠狠的压在地上，然后张开大嘴开始撕扯他的裤子。
曲万才撕心裂肺的吼叫着，直接被小白吓尿了！
刘海滨站在旁边看着，却不敢动弹半分，生怕小白也把他扑倒在地。
藏獒的牙齿犹如尖刀一般锋利，很快曲万才那条牛仔裤就被小白扯了下来，不过都成了碎片。
好在小白执行命令非常精准，只是扯下了曲万才的外裤，一条红色的内裤虽然已经被尿液淋湿，却没有被扯坏，还能盖住关键部位。
小家伙骑在大白的后背上，看着眼前的这一幕，兴奋的叫道:“光屁屁，好羞哦！ 好羞哦！”
秦浩东走过去，蹲下身子，玩味的看着已经面无血色的曲万才，笑道，“曲医生，这个玩笑好不好笑？”
此时曲万才哪还笑得出来，虽然小白已经离开，但他的身体还是不住的发抖。
“看来曲医生还是玩的不够过瘾啊！” 秦浩东说的又对小白一摆手，“把他的内裤也扯下来！”
曲万才这下算是彻底服了，看看小白那血盆大口，再想想自己的二当家，如果让两者亲密接触，小白一时性起把他送到宫里当太监就麻烦了，毕竟畜生这种东西谁也说不准。
“怎么，曲医生不开玩笑了？” 秦浩东乐呵呵的问道。
“不开了，不开了，我再也不开玩笑了！”
“那就赶快滚吧，别在这里污染环境了！”
曲万才如获大赦，从地上爬起来就要跑，可是他刚刚被小白吓得双腿都软了，挣扎几下竟然没站起来，刘海滨赶忙过来把他扶住，两个人屁滚尿流的跑出了犬舍。
他们走后，白子平上前对秦浩东说道:“秦医生，你的医术真是神乎其神，老白我服了！”
说着，他从口袋里摸出一张银行卡，说道:“这卡里面有20万块，还请秦医生收下！”
秦浩东说道:“白老板，咱们已经说好，那两只小藏獒算是诊费，这钱我不能收了！”
“没关系，那两只小狗你带走，这钱你也拿着，以后咱们交个朋友！”
白子平是非常精明的商人，已经看出了秦浩东的潜在价值，如此逆天的医术，如此神奇的驯狗之术，绝对值得他拿出120分的诚意结交。
“好吧，我就收下了！”
秦浩东说着将银行卡接了过来，他现在确实需要钱，以后带着小家伙出去玩，总不能口袋里只带一个硬币。
“还有秦医生，这是我们斗狗场的顶级贵宾卡，拿着它随时可以到我们这里来玩！”
白子平说着又将一张金色的卡片送到秦浩东的面前，秦浩东也没废话，直接揣进了口袋。 |
Chapter 110: Alien Race Slave
Chapter 110: Alien Race Slave People engaging in business on the dark net were usually very cautious. Although Han came to see Horton the trafficker under Night Walker’s referral, this nicknamed Professor Horton was still very cautious and told his men to take Han to fly a full hour before landing at his base.
After the blindfold was taken off, Han blinked a few times to readjust to the light
He found himself in a room under the sea, facing a short old man with white hair and glasses and black eyebrows and mustache. He had sharp eyes and a giant nose with a hook at the end, like a bald eagle.
Presumably, this was Horton.
Behind Horton was a transparent window that extended to the ground, and outside of that window was the deep sea. A group of pink jellyfish was just crossing the ocean from the window, like a bunch of parachutes.
Han Lang smiled and said, “It’s nice to finally meet you, professor. I have long admired you.”
Horton squinted his eyes and said, “Wind Speaker, I’ve heard your name before.”
“Oh really? How can the name of a little character like me be recognized by Professor?”
“Haha, I do business dealing with people, and people need to take medicine. This is why I’m very close to Night Walker. As for you, I did glance through the drug index you did a few times, and even Night Walker says that you are a hard worker, and he never lies.”
Han hastily waved and replied, “I’m just an unsuccessful businessman on the dark net, I already transferred the index business to others a long time ago. There were no other options, time is limited.”
Horton said, “The index writing trend was brought up by you anyways, and now on the dark net, there’s not only a drug index, but a fire arm index, spaceship index, precious metals index, and there’s even a slave index, so of course I remember you.”
“Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t meet unfamiliar people because it makes trading on the dark net a lot safer, but I know your name and you were also guaranteed by the Night Walker. This is why I made an exception to meet you. Well, what kind of goods are you looking for this time?”
Overall, in order to avoid exposure, the trading system on the dark net was familiarity based. It was good if you want to trade but you needed to first give a name and then find a guarantor.
Han already gained a decent level of reputation on the dark net, and also with the Night Walker, the pharmaceutical grandmaster, as his guarantor, he met Horton easily. According to Night Walker, Horton was one of the largest slave traders in the Milky Way, the many human specimens needed by Night Walker were bought from him and that was why the two were very familiar.
Han said in a serious face, “I’m here to buy soldiers.”
“Oh, soldiers are my primary product.” Horton nodded his head and said, “But you must know, the price of soldiers is very expensive. It’s determined by level, power type, and race. What level of soldiers are you looking for?”
“How high?”
“The higher the better.”
“How many?”
“The more the better.” Hahaha~
The professor was amused by Han’s words, he shook his head and said, “Little brother you got a big demand, I can’t make promises about others, but slave warriors are my signature goods. I got the goods, I’m just afraid that you can’t take them all.”
Shua~ Han’s finger gently touched his dimensional ring, picked out a blueprint and gently placed it on Horton’s table without saying a word.
Business, what people looked for was capability. The moment that blueprint was brought out, Horton’s eyes slightly lit up, and he lightly knocked a few times on the table.
“Straightforward!” Horton turned around, and ordered in a deep voice to his men, “Take out all the ones that are four stars and higher, let our little brother here inspect the goods!”
Han hesitated, puzzled and said, “Taking out all the high level soldiers out at the same time, professor, are you not afraid that they rebel you?”
Horton burst into laughter again, “This you won’t understand. The reason my nickname is called professor is that I invented a DNA binding system capable of controlling soldiers. If they ever dare to rebel, one look from me is enough to take their lives!”
Han nodded, no wonder Horton’s main product line was soldiers. Since he dared to sell soldiers as slaves, he probably had some cards up his sleeve.
Han followed Horton out of his office, and he saw that Horton’s base was just like a giant prism. There was a square in the middle and it was surrounded completely by cells. Many of Horton’s guys were in charge of looking after these slaves.
At the central square, more than a hundred slaves were brought up. Most of them were large, and were in electronic shackles.
In addition, around the neck of each slave was a plate that included a detailed description, race, class, age, and power type.
These soldiers were all alien races: Kui, Witch, He Yuan, Red Dragon, and so on.
It was no wonder, if humans were captured as slaves, the risk was extremely high, especially high-grade fighters. Four-star rating to human soldiers were basically the main fighting force in a country, and if you capture the main fighters of a country and send them into slavery, it was quite insulting.
Also, human soldiers couldn’t be sold easily because once found out, even the buyer might be dragged into a lot of mess.
So, Horton always got to those distant alien residential areas, by force, capture these minority groups with the whole village together, and then sell them in batches.
How did humans rule the Milky Way?
This had a close relationship with slave traders like Horton, and in the past decade, capturing alien races as slaves was not only legal but also encouraged.
After the Milky Way Alliance was formed, the humans on the executive level wanted to protect their reputation, ultimately illegalizing slave trading and also giving some power to minority races. That was why people like Horton had no choice but to move to the underground and continue their shady business on the dark net.
“In total we have 183 high level slaves, in which 175 are four stars, 8 are 5 stars. Whichever one you like, let me know.” Horton didn’t even see these alien races as outsiders as he said on the side, as if it was not a big deal.
How weak Earth really was, one could tell from just looking at these slaves. No matter what, Earth was still a sovereign country of Milky Way, but there are only slightly more than a dozen people that reached four stars, and there wasn’t even a 5-star.
Even a slave trade like Horton could easily pull out almost 200 four-star fighters, so Earth’s strength was really too vulnerable.
Han scanned across these alien warriors, his eyebrows raised proudly. It’s okay that Earth is still a little weak right now, but the key is the future! One day, the little Earth will also be able to proud of itself!
“Jiro! Jiro!” The upper level cell had a woman shouting her son’s name. A soldier among the group who had a face tattoo quickly looked up, saw his old mother’s face, and this young warrior named Jiro shamefully lowered his head and clenched his fist.
Similar cries were everywhere, and the soldiers at the square were clearly getting more unstable, Horton’s men hurriedly beat the slaves with electromagnetic forks to stop them from shouting.
Han slightly frowned and asked Horton, “Professor, are the slaves in other cells these soldiers’ family?”
Horton nodded and said, “We always take the whole pot (TL: it’s an idiom that means they take the whole village instead of individuals, just like taking the whole pot instead of taking bowls of stuff out of the pot). This batch of goods mainly came from a Red Dragon tribe, total to about 70 to 80 thousand people. This alien race is especially annoying, all of their men are soldiers and it really took us a lot of effort to capture them.”
Han nodded, he already had an idea but he didn’t reveal it on the surface.
“I wonder if you have any other sub-bases or not?” Han asked.
Horton was shocked for a moment and asked in surprised, “Brother, 183 soldiers of the fourth and fifth star level is not enough for you to pick from? High-level fighters are not like cabbages, they aren’t everywhere. Even a slightly below average country in Milky Way might not be able to drag out this many number of high level soldiers.”
“But if you really want to see, I guess I can scrape together some more for you, but there won’t be a lot, 70 or 80 tops.”
Han did some calculation in his heard, with another 70 or 70 high level soldiers, that would be at least 250 espers that are above 4 stars, and that should be enough to defend and activate that B-class relic.
Thinking about that, Han said in a deep voice, “That should be good, and keep them coming. But, please also send other people in the tribe of those soldiers over too. Also, do you have any 6-star slave?”
Horton’s eyes turned wide open, and he almost spit out blood… So Han wants everything?!
What the f**k is he planning to do? Taking all these soldiers back will be enough to start a country!
“Brother, 6-star is quasi warlord! An elite that’s just one step away from becoming a warlord!”
“I know.” Han replied as if it’s not a big deal.
“And elites that are at the level of quasi-warlord, putting them into any country they would be considered as the national guardian!”
“I know that too.”
Uh.
Horton swallowed a spittle, considered for a long time, and finally spoke, “There is one actually, but that guy, well, he has a little problem.” | 第一百一十章
在暗网上做生意的人通常都比较谨慎，韩浪虽然是在夜黑人的引荐下来见霍顿这个奴隶贩子，但外号教授的霍顿依然小心翼翼，让手下人带着韩浪飞了足足一个多小时才降落在自己的基地里。
眼罩被解下，韩浪眨了眨眼睛，重新适应光明。
只见自己正位于一个海下的房间，面对着一名头发花白戴眼镜的矮个子老头，他的头发虽然是银白色，但眉毛和胡子却是黑色，目光锐利，巨大带有弯钩的鼻子，就像一只白头鹰。
这位想必就是霍顿了。
霍顿身后是透明落地窗，窗户外面是深海，一群粉红色水母正在从窗外的海洋中游过，就像一群降落伞。
韩浪笑着说道：“总算见到您了，教授阁下，久仰。”
混沌两只眼睛眯了起来说道：“风语者，你的名号我也听说过。”
我这等小人物，还能如教授您的法眼？”
“呵呵，我是做人的生意，而人总是要吃药的，所以我才和夜黑人比较熟，至于你嘛，当初那个药物指数我也瞄过几眼，连夜黑人都说你做的很用心，老黑这人从不说假话。”
韩浪急忙摆了摆手，“我只是暗网上一个失败的小生意人而已，指数早就被我转给别人了，没办法，时间有限呢。”
霍顿道：“编写指数这风潮毕竟是你带起来的，现在暗网上不仅有药物指数，还有军火指数，星舰指数，贵金属指数，连奴隶价格指数都有，所以我当然会记得你。”
“一般情况下，不熟的人我是不会见的，在暗网交易更安全，但我知道你的名号，又有夜黑人作保，这才破例见你一次，说吧，你这次来想要点什么货？”
总的来说，暗网为了避免暴露，采取的交易方式是熟人制度，想交易可以，先报个名号，再找个担保人吧。
韩浪之前在暗网上混了点小名声，又有夜黑人这样的药物大佬作保，所以很顺利就见到了霍顿，据夜黑人说，霍顿是银河系最大的奴隶贸易商之一，夜黑人需要的很多人体标本就是从他这里买的，彼此打过不少交道。
韩浪正色道：“我这次来是要买战士。”
霍顿点了点头道：“不过你要知道，战士的价格很贵，根据等级，超能力种类和所属种族来定价，你大概要什么档次的战士？” 韩浪沉声道：“高等级的。”
“多高？”
“越高越好。”
“要多少？”
“越多越好。”
教授被韩浪的话逗乐了，摇了摇头道：“小兄弟好大的口气，别的不敢说，战士类奴隶是我的招牌货，货我有，就怕你吃不下。”
韩浪手指在空间戒指上轻轻一抹，取出一张蓝图，轻轻放在霍顿桌子上，一句多余的话也没说。
生意嘛，看的就是实力，这张蓝图一拿出来，当即霍顿的眼睛一亮，手指在桌子上微微敲打了几下。
“痛快！” 霍顿转过头，沉声吩咐手下道：“等级四颗星以上的全部带出来，让咱们这位小兄弟现场验货！”
韩浪一怔，不解道：“同时将所有高等级战士放出来，教授不怕他们造反吗？”
霍顿又是一阵大笑，“这你就不懂了吧，我的外号之所以叫教授，就是因为我发明了可以控制战士的DNA绑定系统，他们要是敢造反，我一个眼神过去就要他们的命！”
韩浪点了点头，怪不得霍顿主营战士呢，人家既然敢把战士当奴隶卖，自然有自己的底牌。
韩浪跟随霍顿离开他的办公室，只见他的基地就像一个巨大的监狱，中间是广场，四周全部是牢房，许多为霍顿卖命的家伙负责看管那些奴隶。
中央广场上，一百多个奴隶被带了上来，他们大多体型壮硕，手上戴着电子镣铐，脚上也是。
除此以外每个奴隶脖子上还挂着详细说明，种族，等级，年龄，超能力种类。
这些战士无一例外都是异族，魁族，巫族，河源族，赤龙族等等。
这也难怪，如果把人类抓来做奴隶，风险是极高的，特别是高等级战士，等级到四颗星的人类战士，基本上都是各个国家的主力，你把人家国家的主力战士抓去做奴隶，这也太侮辱人了。
而且人类战士也不好卖，万一被发现的话，买主也要遭殃。
所以霍顿专门去那些偏远的异族居住区，凭借武力，把那些少数种族一锅端抓回来，分批次卖掉。
人类为何能统治全银河？
和霍顿这种奴隶贩子就有很大的关系，而且在过去的年代，抓捕外族做奴隶不仅不违法，还被鼓励呢。
银河联盟成立之后，人类高层要面子，这才把奴隶贸易定为非法，还给了少数种族一点权力，霍顿这种人不得已只好从地上转到地下，在暗网继续着自己见不得光的生意。
“合计一百八十三个高等级奴隶，其中四星级的一百七十五个，五星级的八个，你看上哪个就和我说。” 霍顿根本就没把这些外族当人，在一旁不以为然道。
地球有多弱小，看看这些奴隶就知道了，怎么说也是银河系主权国家，地球等级到四颗星的一共才十几个人，五星级的更是一个都没有。
连霍顿这样的奴隶贩子都能一下拉出接近两百四星级以上战士，所以说地球的实力真的太不堪一击。
韩浪目光扫过这些异族战士，双眉一扬，地球现在的弱小没有关系，关键是以后！ 总有一天，小小地球也要扬眉吐气！
上层牢房里有个老妇人在喊儿子的名字，战士群里有个脸上刺青的战士，急忙抬头去看，见到母亲苍老的脸，被叫做二郎这年轻战士惭愧的低下了头，双手攥紧拳头。
诸如此类的喊声比比皆是，广场上的战士明显开始激动起来，霍顿的手下急忙用一种电磁叉子殴打奴隶们，不让他们继续喊。
韩浪微微皱眉，问霍顿道：“教授，其他牢房里的奴隶是这些战士的家人？”
霍顿点了点头道：“我们从来都是一锅端，这批货主要来自赤龙族的一个部落，加起来有七八万人吧，这些异族最是讨厌，只要是男人，全部都是战士，害我们费了好大力气才拿下。”
韩浪点了点头，心里已经有了成算，但表面上并没有显露出来。
“不知您还有别的分基地没有？” 韩浪问道。
霍顿一愣，“兄弟，一百八十三个四星级以上的战士还不够你挑的？ 高等级战士又不是大白菜，联盟里一个中等偏下的国家，也未必就能拉出这么多高等级战士。”
“你要是真的还想看，我倒能从别的地方再给你凑一些上等级的战士，但也不会太多，七八十个顶天了。”
韩浪在心里一算，再凑七八十个四星级以上的战士，也就是两百五六十个高级战斗力，用于防御和开发遗迹倒也足够。
想到这韩浪沉声道：“不用看了，尽管送过来吧，但还请把战士以及战士的族人也全部送过来，另外，您这里有六星级奴隶吗？”
霍顿眼睛一瞪，差点没喷出来，感情他是全要啊！
这玩的也太大了吧？ 这么多战士全部带回去，都足够建立一个国家了！
“兄弟，六星级可是准战神！ 只差一步就到战神的超级强者啊！”
霍顿惊讶道。 “我知道。” 韩浪不以为然道。
“达到准战神级别的强者，放到任何一个国家都是镇国重器！”
“这个我也知道。”
呃。
霍顿咽了一口吐沫，思量半天，终于开口道：“有倒是真有一个，不过那个家伙嘛，他有点问题。” |
China’s Fair-Weather American Friends
MUNICH – Because China has pegged its undervalued currency, the renminbi, to the dollar, every weakening of the dollar in the wake of America’s financial crisis has also meant a weakening of the renminbi vis-à-vis other world currencies.
But is China really to blame for the eruption of a global currency war?
The central banks of South Korea, Brazil, Taiwan, Japan, Switzerland, and many other countries are now buying dollars in order to protect their own currencies against revaluation and thus to defend their exports.
Europe also became nervous after the euro exchange rate rose to more than $1.40, far beyond the purchasing power parity (PPP) rate of $1.17.
The United States is now taking drastic steps against China, and is making provisions for a trade war.
Congress has authorized the President to impose import duties on Chinese products if China remains unwilling to increase the value of its currency substantially against the dollar.
But the undervaluation of the renminbi, which is currently 45%, has persisted for many years.
So why is the US suddenly acting so aggressively?
Why didn’t America take action much earlier?
The reason lies in capital movements.
The US accepted the lower valuation of the renminbi as long as China returned the dollars that it earned from bilateral merchandise trade by financing America’s budget deficit.
Now that the Chinese prefer to invest that money in raw materials in Africa and elsewhere, they have aroused the full ire of American policymakers.
China’s shift has been dramatic.
In 2008 and 2009, the Chinese purchased US government bonds at a rate of $17 billion a month.
But China reversed course in November 2009.
During the first seven months of 2010, China not only refrained from buying any more US government paper, but even began to sell its holdings.
Each month, China sold a net sum of about $7 billion in US government bonds.
That nerves are now on end in America is perfectly understandable.
The City of London has jumped into the breach, increasing its purchases, which in 2008 and 2009 amounted to only about $1 billion monthly, to an average of $28 billion in the first seven months of this year.
Since the United Kingdom itself is a large capital importer, we can assume that the City is not holding the paper itself but merely restructuring it and then selling it to the world under a new name and with the London stamp on it.
Despite its withdrawal from financing the US government, China remains the world’s largest net capital exporter, a position that it has held since 2006.In2007 and 2008, China exported on average about $400 billion of capital annually.
The US, which at the time needed annual capital imports of $800 billion in order to offset the near total cessation of private savings, received the lion’s share of this capital.
The unwillingness of the Chinese to consume enabled Americans to build new houses for many years on borrowed money and to maintain a level of consumption that the US economy was unable to finance on its own.
To be sure, the Chinese always restrained themselves from private real-estate financing in the US.
They bought only government paper and securitized real-estate instruments that were issued by the semi-public bodies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Direct real-estate finance via private channels came mainly from other countries – Germany, for example.
Nevertheless, China helped the US to achieve a higher standard of living by making money available to government authorities that would otherwise have had to come from American taxpayers.
Given this history, it is a bit shabby to reproach China now for its exchange-rate policy – a policy that enabled the US to live beyond its means for so long.
Rather than coming at the expense of the US, as is constantly claimed, it was the renminbi’s low valuation that allowed Americans to dream their American dream of universal homeownership.
Imports of inexpensive Chinese products freed up capital and labor in the US for a dramatic expansion of the housing stock – which led to a sharp rise in the American standard of living.
It is understandable that the Chinese are now reluctant to invest more money in the US.
They tried to enter the US energy market with the purchase of Unocal, but were blocked by politicians.
Other direct investments were also stopped by Congress on the pretext of national security.
One need only recall the bidding for Emcore or Firstgold.
The US wanted the Chinese money, but it was not prepared to offer anything more than structured securities of questionable creditworthiness, as well as government paper that is now clearly exposed to the risk of inflation and devaluation.
It would be a service to world peace if the US stopped making cheap moral accusations against China.
The truth is much more subtle than naked political interest. | 中国的美国朋友 — — 不可共患难
慕尼黑 — — 由于中国已经将其估值过低的货币人民币与美国挂钩，因此美国金融危机后美元每次贬值都意味着人民币对其他世界货币贬值。
但是中国真的是全球货币战争爆发的罪魁祸首吗？
韩国、巴西、台湾、日本、瑞士以及其他许多国家的央行正在购买美元来防止它们本国货币的升值，以此来保护他们的出口。
对于欧元汇率超过1.4美元，欧洲也是紧张不已，这远远超出了1.17美元的购买力平价率。
如今，美国正在采取严厉措施对付中国，也准备着一场贸易战。
（美国）国会已授权总统，如果中国仍旧不愿大幅提高人民币对美元的价值，那么就对中国商品强加进口税。
但是人民币的估值过低 — — 目前低了45 % — —已经存在许多年了。
为什么美国突然 采取富有侵略性的措施呢？
为什么美国早前不采取措施呢？
原因在于资本的流动。
以前中国用中美商贸中赚得的美元来填补美国的财政赤字，因此美国接受人民币的低估值。
而今，中国人喜欢把资本投入到非洲和其他地方的原材料上，这让美国决策者愤怒不已。
中国的投资转变非常剧烈。
在2008～2009年间，中国以每月170亿美元的速度购买美国政府债券。
但是在2009年9月，中国改变了投资方向。
在2010年的头7个月，中国不仅不再买入美国政府债券，而且甚至开始出售手中的债券。
中国每个月净出售70亿美元的美国政府债券。
美国现在神经紧绷也是完全可以理解的。
伦敦市插入了中国留下的投资缝隙，提高了对美政府债券的购买量。 在2008～2009年期间，伦敦的购买量是每月10亿美元左右，在今年头7个月增至平均每月280亿美元。
由于英国本身是一个资本输入国，因此我们可以猜测，伦敦并不是自己持有这些债券，而是通过简单地重新包装这些债券，然后为这些债券取个印有伦敦盖章的新名字，然后转售到世界其他地方。
尽管不再为美国政府提供资金，但是中国仍旧是世界上最大的资本净输出国，自2006年以来， 中国一直保持这个地位。 在2007～2008年，中国平均每年输出4 000亿美元的资本。
当时，美国每年需要8 000亿美元的资本输入来抵消几乎完全中断的私人储蓄，中国的大部分资本输出流到了美国。
中国人的��愿消费使得美国人能在许多年间依靠借来的资金来建造新房，维持一个美国经济无力维系的消费水平。
当然，中国人一般不为美国的私有房地产提供资金。
他们一般只购买政府债券以及由半国有机构房利美和房地美发行的证券化的房地产工具。
直接的房地产私人资本融资主要来自其他国家，比如德国。
尽管如此，中国人通过为美国政府提供了原本要从美国纳税人中收取的资金，帮助美国达到更高的生活水准。
就这段历史来看，如今指责中国的汇率政策是有点卑鄙的。 中国的汇率政策使美国人能在这么长的时期内享受超出自己收入的生活水平。
美国经常称人民币的低估值损害了美国利益，其实正是人民币的低估值让美国人能做全民有房的美国梦。
廉价中国产品的进口使美国能腾出资本和人力，来大规模增加房产数量，由此急剧提高了美国人的生活水准。
如今，中国人不愿意继续在美国投资，这是可以理解的。
他们曾尝试购买优尼科，进入美国能源市场，但是美国的政治人士阻止了这一并购举措。
国会同样还以国家安全为借口，阻止了中国其他的直接投资。
人们只要回想光纤公司“Emcore”和金矿公司“Firstgold”的竞标案就明白了。
美国想要中国人的资金，但是却只愿意提供信誉无保障的结构化证券，以及如今有通胀和贬值危险的政府债券。
如果美国停止频频对中国做卑鄙的道德指责，那么世界和平将会受益。
事实比赤裸裸的政治利益更加微妙。 |
Chapter 436: A Fourth Person Appeared Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
He circled the Neanderthal girl many times. When his search proximity reached 100 feet, he still couldn't find any trace of the Yabba.
The Yabba had appeared out of thin air and then vanished.
She must have used some portal spell. Link checked the surrounding air but didn't find anything.
This wasn't surprising. The event had happened at least one day ago, but the Void's aura was very heavy here, and the space was extremely unstable. Anything left behind would have been erased by the chaotic circumstances.
Link returned to the Neanderthal girl and checked her injuries.
Broken bones, chewed clothing and accessories. This must be some powerful force field spell. While looking, Link's gaze fell on a fist-sized rock below the corpse.
The rock was soft mudstone. An average person could break it with their hands. One side was normal, but the other side had a finger-sized scrape. The mark was very smooth and could clearly reflect one's image like a mirror. One needed very mature and condensed spatial energy to create this effect on mudstone.
This Yabba is a Spatial Magician. From the looks of things, she's at least Level-9, Link realized.
Spatial Magicians were rare in Firuman, but they still existed. In addition, most Spatial Magicians looked at the world differently than regular people. To them, there were no restrictions. Even different realms weren't restricted.
As a Spatial Magician continued growing, they would generally turn into a Hermit Magician. They chose to live in isolation, cut off from the world to avoid all the complications.
This Yabba Magician was probably like this too. Otherwise, the Yabba wouldn't have appeared when Lirico City was in danger.
He searched for a bit more but didn't find anything else.
Link started retreating carefully and went to meet up with Magician Gaimin. Halfway there, he saw the dwarf. He seemed to be in a hurry to find Link. After seeing him, Gaimin immediately called, "Master Link, come with me. I found something."
Link's heart jumped, and he caught up. "What did you see?"
"A Yabba woman's corpse. It looks bad." Gaimin shook his head as he spoke. "I've never seen such a horrible death."
The two bypassed the dark shadow and walked around 1500 feet to the location of the corpse.
Link looked at the body and his temples pulsed. It was a Yabba woman, around three feet tall. She was tall for a Yabba. Her clothes were all gone, and she was completely nude. Her skin had cracked apart, as well as her muscles and flesh. Her skin looked loose and flaccid.
This injury made the Yabba look as if someone had pumped air into the body. She swelled like a balloon. After her skin exploded, the air inside escaped, and she turned into this limp and shattered state.
"I don't know what happened, but from her contours, she's different from the Yabba I've seen before. She's stronger and has strange characteristics. Look here, here, and here. There are dense, dark-red scales."
Gaimin squatted and prodded the corpse with a stick. There were red scales on the Yabba woman's private spots.
Link studied them and concluded, "They're dragon scales."
The scales had advanced resilience to magic, and the patterns on the surface were natural runes. Only dragon scales were like this in Firuman.
He opened the Yabba's tightly shut eyes and saw her pupils were vertical slits and crystal-red in color. "She should be a half-dragon, the product of crossing Yabba and dragon blood."
Gaimin shrugged in confusion. "But Yabbas are so small. Even if dragons transform into a humanoid shape, there's still a limit. They're usually over six feet tall. How can such a big thing get into such a small hole?"
Link shrugged too. "Maybe it's a small thing inside a big hole?"
"Uh… That…" Gaimin tugged at his beard. "That's probably really interesting."
Link moved on from that weird topic. He squatted and continued studying the Yabba's body. After a few minutes, he found another inexplicable detail. "She probably was a Magician. Look at her hand. There's a small mark from being burned by focused Mana from a wand… but the problem is, I found another trace of the Yabbas over there. That Yabba used spatial magic to kill a Neanderthal. Comparing these two signs, it seems to be the same person."
Gaimin was shocked. "What did you discover?"
Link recounted the evidence he found. After that, Gaimin was pulled into the mystery and couldn't get out of it either.
"That doesn't make sense." The dwarf started tugging at his beard. "The Void Tentacle attacked a Neanderthal Assassin, and the Assassin escaped. Halfway through, this Yabba used a portal rune and appeared. She killed the Assassin and then escaped but then died so horribly thousands of feet away. What exactly happened?"
He clenched a fist and hit his head. A few seconds later, he suddenly stopped and asked, "Link, do you think something happened to her during the teleportation?"
On the other side, Link was walking around the body, trying to find new clues. Hearing the question, he shook his head. "No, if it was a problem during teleportation, she wouldn't have a body."
Usually, her body would be ground into powder by the spatial currents and disappear in the Sea of Void as if she'd never existed before. As for circumstances causing one's body to swell and explode, Link had a vague guess, but he needed more clues to prove it.
A few minutes later, he found a light yellow, amber-like shard in the grass 100 feet away. He used the Magician's Hand to pick it up and studied it.
After a while, Link confirmed that it was a piece of a wand. There were many runes on it, and the enchantment was similar to what was used in modern Firuman. The material used was also Level-9. Judging from the small marks, Legendary power had flowed in reverse through it.
"This might be why the Yabba died. A Legendary fighter attacked her, and strong power poured into the wand, finally entering her body and causing it to explode. But where is this Legendary fighter?"
Another mystery had appeared.
"Gaimin, there's a fourth person here. He's the strongest. He killed this Yabba half-dragon but didn't leave any trace behind. However, he's a Legendary Magician. He can cast spells from 1000 feet away. Let's split up and see if we can find any clues in this area."
Gaimin nodded. "Understood."
The proximity was smaller this time. They separated again; Gaimin was responsible for the area away from the Void creature while Link was responsible for the closer area.
"Clear Sign." Link cast the powerful detector spell again and continued forward.
Not even five seconds after using the spell, Link was 600 feet away from the dark object. He was very close.
Here, he discovered an entirely new clue. There was an extra aura in the air—something minute that only another Legendary figure could sense. The energy was very small and intricate. If Link hadn't used the Clear Sign spell, he wouldn't have noticed it at all.
Unique ripples appeared in the space. It seems to be sending some message… Let me see.
Link got an idea, and he tapped the air with his Burning Wrath of Heavens wand. He cast the detector spell, Space-Time Mark.
Whoosh. A narrow, crystal-red light beam spread out from the wand's tip. A second later, it covered a 300-meter wide area. In this area, the red light would become heavier where the spatial frequency was higher and vice versa. Every little disruption would be shown clearly.
Link instantly saw an immense amount of mysterious runes.
This… is some type of law rune. It's strange. Separate, they're not strong but when so many are together… They seem to have built a spatial web.
An idea grew inside Link's mind. He started circling the Void creature. The Space-Time Mark spell followed him, showing the surrounding spatial structure. After finishing looking around, he discovered that he had guessed correctly. There was a super-law web around the shadow.
The web's nature was very strange. It was one-way and wouldn't reject outside power from going in. However, the power coming out of it would be restricted heavily.
Link tried it with his Demon Slayer Whip. He discovered that when going out from the inside, the whip would collapse after only 100 feet. Since he was restricted so much, the Void creature at the center of the web of runes must be under extreme restrictions.
Even so, it could still defeat a Level-10 Crystal Golem. How terrifying must its true power be? Link couldn't even imagine it.
This web was most likely cast by that Legendary figure but where is he now? Could he be…
Link glanced at the Void creature. At that time, pleas for help sounded in the shadows once again. "Please save me. I can't take it anymore…"
The voice was so pitiful, urgent, and imploring. She seemed to be able to sense Link's presence. | 第四百七十九章
在这个尼德特人女孩身边绕了好几圈，当他的搜索范围扩大到30米后，依旧没有发现那个约伯人的痕迹。
对方凭空出现，又瞬间消失了。
“对方应该是使用了某种传送魔法。”
这并不出乎林克的意料，这事至少发生在一天前，而这里虚空气息非常浓郁，空间极其不稳定，曾经出现过的任何痕迹都已经被混乱的空间状况抹去了。
林克又回到那个尼德特女孩身边，细致检查她身上的伤势。
“断裂的骨头，被绞碎的衣服、饰品，这是某种强大的空间力场魔法。” 正翻看着，林克的目光注视在尸体下方一块拳头大的石块上。
这石块是绵软的泥岩，普通人用手都能捏碎的那种，其中一面正常，但在侧面位置却有一条指头粗细的擦痕，擦痕非常的光滑，竟能映照出清晰的人影，就像镜子一般。
“这个约伯人还是一个空间魔法师，从这情况看，她至少是一个9级魔法师。 。
林克得到了这个结论。 费罗曼上，空间魔法师非常少，但并不是没有，而且，很多空间魔法师看世界的角度和普通人并不一样，在他们眼里，一切都不是桎梏，甚至连位面都不是。
空间魔法师继续成长后，通常就会成为旅法师那样的存在，而在这之前，这些魔法师通常会选择离群索居，和凡俗大众断开联系，以免将来纠缠不清。
这个约伯人魔法师应该是也是这样的性格，否则，在约伯人的拉瑞科城陷入危境时，她不可能不出现。
又在周围找了一会儿，就再没有新的线索了。
林克开始小心后退，然后绕路和矮人魔法师甘铭汇合，走到半途的时候，他就看见了甘铭，对方似乎也急着找他，见到他之后，这矮人立即道：“林克大师，跟我来，我发现了一点东西。”
林克心中一振，跟在甘铭身后：“你看到了什么？”
“一具尸体，约伯女人的，模样非常惨烈。” 甘铭一边说一边摇头：“我从未见过那么惨烈的死法。”
两人小心绕过那团暗影，在林中走了500多米，就到了矮人说的尸体地点。
林克看了一眼地上的尸体，眉心也是一跳，这是个约伯女人，身高大概一米，这在约伯人中算高的人，她身上衣服已经全没了，全身****着，她的皮肤寸寸裂开，皮肤下的肌肉也是如此，皮肤看起来还有一些松弛。
这伤势给人的感觉就是这个约伯人的身体被冲入了大量的气体，这些气体将她的身体胀的和气球一样，而当皮肤破裂后，她身体内的气体全部跑光，就显出这么一副松松垮垮却又寸寸龟裂的可怕模样。
“我不知道她身前到底遭遇了什么，但从轮廓看，她和我见过的约伯人有点不同，她更强壮，而且还有许多奇特的痕迹。 你看这里、这里，还有这里，都有细密的暗红色鳞片。”
甘铭蹲下身，手里拿着一根木棍不断拨动着这约伯人尸体，在这约伯女人全身的私密处，都出现了奇特的细密鳞片。
林克仔细看了几眼，断言道：“是龙鳞。”
鳞片具有非常优秀抗魔特性，上面的花纹是天然的符文，在费罗曼大陆，只有龙鳞是这样的。
他伸手去拨开这个约伯人紧闭的眼睛，可以看到她的瞳孔是晶红色的，并且是竖瞳：“这应该是个龙人，是约伯人和龙族血脉融合后的产物。”
甘铭摊了摊手，很是不解：“可约伯人那么小，龙族就算能转换身体，也是有极限的，通常都超过一米九了，一根大棒槌怎么可能捣入小窟窿眼？”
林克耸了耸肩道：“也许是小棒槌进大窟窿呢？”
甘铭扯着胡子：“这应该是一段的非常有趣的往事。”
。 但问题是，我在另一边也发现了一个约伯人的痕迹，这个约伯人用空间魔法杀了一个尼德特人，从双方痕迹对比看，似乎是同一个人。”
甘铭听的一脸惊讶：“你那边发现了什么？”
林克便将他得到的线索一一说来，等他说完了，甘铭也被他拉入了一个迷雾大坑，爬不出来了。
“这没道理啊。” 这矮人开始扯他的胡子了：“虚空触手偷袭了一个尼德特人剑客，然后那个女刺客逃跑，中途这个约伯人使用空间传送出现，把那个女刺客杀了，然后她又用空间传送逃跑，结果就死在了一千米外，死状还这么惨烈，这到底发生了什么事？”
他另一手握拳，使劲砸着自己脑袋，几秒后，他忽然停住，问道：“林克，你说这家伙会不会是在传送中出现了什么意外？”
另一边，林克正在这具尸体旁边走来走去的寻找新线索，闻言直接摇头：“不，如果是空间传送时出意外，她是不会留下尸体的。”
通常情况是，她的身体会在空间乱流中被切削成最细微的粉末，然后消失在空间之海中，就像从来没出现过一般。 至于这种身体爆涨后几乎炸裂的情况，林克心中有模糊的猜测，但他需要更多的线索来证明他的猜想。
几分钟后，他在30米外的草丛中找到了一个淡黄色琥珀一般的残片，用魔法之手将这残片捡起来，仔细观察着。
看了一会儿，林克就确定这是魔杖碎片，碎片上有大量符文，其附魔手法和当今大陆的通用手法类似，而这材料的级别同样非常高，有9级，从材料上的细微痕迹可以看出来，曾今有传奇级别的力量流过它，并且还是逆流。
“这或许就是那个约伯人的死因，有个传奇强者对它出手了，强大的力量倒灌进魔杖，最终涌入了这个魔法师的身体，直接将之身体撑爆了。
又一个谜团出来了。
不过，这是一个传奇魔法师，它完全可以在300多米以外施法，我们分头找找，看看能不能在这个范围内找到线索。”
甘铭点了点头：“明白了。”
这次搜索范围比较小，两人依旧分头前进，甘铭负责远离虚空生物的方向，林克则负责靠近的一面。
“清晰预兆。” 林克再次释放了一个这个强大的侦测魔法，然后他继续往前走。
就在这个魔法使用后不到5秒，林克走到距离暗影光团200米外，这已经非常近了。
在这里，他心中一动，发现了一个全新的线索，在这空气中多了一股气息，一股只有同为传奇强者才能体会到的微妙力量。 这力量非常细微，非常精妙，如果不是林克给自己加持了清晰预兆魔法，他根本发现不了。
“空间里出现了特殊的涟漪，这似乎是在传达某种信息。 。
林克意念一动，焚天之怒在空中轻轻一点，用出了一个侦测魔法：时空之痕。
‘呼~’有一道细细的晶红色光晕从魔杖尖端迅速散发开，在一秒时间里将笼罩了周围100米的范围。 在这范围内，空间曲率高的地方，晶红色氛围就变得越发浓郁，曲率低的，晶红色氛围就变得淡一些，每一丝细微扰动都被清晰地显现出来。
就这一瞬间，林克看到了海量的神秘符文。
。 某种法则符文，很奇特，每一个符文的力量都不强，但数目非常多。 。
嘶~它们似乎组成了一个空间之网。” 林克心中生出一个想法，他开始绕着那个虚空生物转起圈来，时空之痕魔法也跟着他流动，将周围空间结构一一显现出来。
这网的特性非常奇特，它是单向的，并不会拒绝由外向内的力量，但从里面向外勃发的力量却会受到巨大的限制。
林克用屠魔之鞭试了下，他发现，从内向外抽出去，屠魔之鞭只能延伸出去不过30米就会崩溃。 既然他的力量受到如此大的制约，那么被这张空间符文网围绕在最中间的虚空生物，肯定极大的束缚。
被如此束缚着，这家伙依旧能击败10级水晶巨人，那它真正的力量该有多恐怖？ 林克几乎不敢想了。
“这张网很有可能就是那个传奇强者布下的，可他现在在哪呢？
。” 林克看向了虚空生物。
声音凄惨，迫切，充满了祈求之意，她似乎感觉到了林克的存在一般。 |
Chapter 302 Training Partner
Faced with Fang Xingjian’s request, Head of Department James shook his head and said, “Hoppes will definitely not agree. He doesn’t even have enough time for his sword arts research, so how could he have time to help you with your training?”
“Then what about you? There shouldn’t be any problems, right?”
“Oh?” James grinned and said, “You should know what I want.”
Fang Xingjian naturally knew what James wanted. Wasn’t the reason why the other party was willing to guard the Pantheon Monument for several decades was to be able to know the mysteries behind it?
Fang Xingjian considered it for a moment before saying, “I can split up the seven levels of mysteries of the Pantheon Monument into seven parts and provide it to you.”
Since there were seven levels of mysteries, there were naturally seven versions to it, with six evolutions in total. Fang Xingjian could provide it to the other party in several parts in exchange for the other party providing him with various help.
James would naturally not agree to splitting it into so many parts, and he tried to negotiate, “Seven times is too much. Why don’t you give me the first three levels of the mysteries first? The first two levels are definitely too easy for me.”
Right now, James was looking at Fang Xingjian with sparkling eyes. To him, Fang Xingjian was now like the freshest and most delicious cake in the world.
Fang Xingjian said directly, “Between heaven and earth, power rules.
“It’ll be split into seven parts and one part will be given to you each time. If you don’t want it, then forget it.”
James was staring at Fang Xingjian hungrily, and when the latter stopped after telling him the starting part, James felt so anxious that he scratched his head. With the one thing that he had been pursuing for half his life placed before him, even he could not hold it in anymore. He immediately said, “Alright, alright. We’ll leave it as seven parts. Quickly, tell me quickly.”
Therefore, on the way back, Fang Xingjian slowly explained the first level of mystery of the Pantheon Monument to James.
When the two of them arrived at the academy, James let out a long exhale, and it felt as if his entire disposition was going through a gradual change.
He exclaimed, “Waves? It’s actually Waves? To think that the ultimate profoundness of the Pantheon Monument is Waves. It’s a pity…” However, he quickly shook his head, “If I had gotten this twenty years… no, even if it had been just ten years ago, I would probably have changed my Waves directly. However, it’s too late now.”
Fang Xingjian questioned, “You said that… it’s too late?”
James smiled and replied, “My lifespan should only have a few years left.” Although they were discussing a very serious topic, his expression was very relaxed, “But before I die, I could finally understand the mysteries of the Pantheon Monument and see the appearance of a genius like you. I’m able to die without any regrets.”
Fang Xingjian asked, “Even someone at your level doesn’t have any way of extending your lifespan?”
“Extending lifespan? Haha, when you’re at level 25 and your ether synchronization rate has exceeded 60%, you’ll be able to sense the minute structure of your physical body and see the little worms which form it. By then, you’ll be able to adjust the structure of your body. Every level 25 Conferred Knight is able to live to an age of 120 years old. Their bodies won’t deteriorate and they will be free of all illnesses.
“And when you’re at level 29 with an ether synchronization rate of 100%, you’ll be able to sense time and space and truly freeze and delay the ageing of your body. However, even with that, you’ll only be able to extend your lifespan to 150 years old.
“Of course, regardless of whether it’s 120 or 150 years old, up until the moment they die, a Conferred Knight will neither fall sick nor age much. Their abilities won’t suffer from any deterioration, and they will only completely wither away at the moment of death.”
A weird glow shone in Fang Xingjian’s eyes. He seemed to be considering if he could extend his lifespan when he reached level 25 and 29 respectively, or if his lifespan still remain at five years even after he has reach level 29. No, by now, it should be only 3.5 years left.
He continued to ask, “Then what about Divine level?”
“Divine level? I don’t know. It’s said that they are able to live longer.” James shook his head and said, “They can destroy cities, wipe out entire countries, and kill thousands or tens of thousands of people with just a single thought. But at the end, no one will be able to breakthrough the restrictions of their lifespans.”
Fang Xingjian did not continued speaking, and James did not seem to be willing to continue on the serious topic either. He said directly, “Come, let’s go to your training room and start your training now.”
Both of them were Conferred Knight who had transcended human limits, and sleep was something which they could long do without. They could cultivate any time they wished to and would not be in danger regardless of whether it was day or night.
Therefore, the two of them went to Fang Xingjian’s training room. Taking a deep breath and sensing the endless flow of information entering his brain, Fang Xingjian felt as if he had gotten a yet little stronger.
Across from him, James randomly drew out a wooden practice sword and asked, “What sword arts are you cultivating now?”
“Ninety Thousand Godly Demon Flash.” Fang Xingjian also drew out a wooden sword and asked, “You know of it, right?”
James laughed out, “There’s really not many sword techniques in the Regional Academy which I don’t know of.”
With a slight sway of his body, over a hundred silhouettes leaped from his body, causing strong gales to blow, and dashed out toward Fang Xingjian as a sword formation.
On the other end, Fang Xingjian shook his body slightly and over a hundred Godly Demon Clones flew out as well. They charged forth like a military formation, clashing against James’ clones.
Dong dong dong dong… A series of disorderly sounds endlessly came out from the training room.
“This won’t do. The exchange of your ether particles is too slow.
“You must learn to think from another perspective.
“Each clone must use a different sword technique.
“Don’t always make it mutual annihilation.
“Take note of the lights and shadows.”
When the two of them were sparring, James naturally had upper hand. Regardless of whether it was his ether synchronization rate, his five attributes, or the support from his various specialties, they had all caused his Ninety Thousand Godly Demon Flash to harbor great prowess.
And as they continued to spar, James continued to guide Fang Xingjian as well.
Someone’s guidance naturally better than a person learning alone.
It was just like in universities where students would have to choose between self-study and listening to lectures. Between the two, it was more efficient to listen to a teacher’s lecture.
For learning, this has always been the easiest, fastest, and most efficient way to improve.
It was the same for when Fang Xingjian picked up sword techniques. It would obviously be faster for someone to share their knacks and theories which others have found out with him rather than him trying to comprehend them himself.
It was just that the sword techniques he had picked up in the past were too easy and the teachers’ levels were not as high as James’. Therefore, it had been easier for Fang Xingjian to learn by himself.
However, right now, under James’ guidance, Fang Xingjian felt like a fish in water and his sword arts level improved in leaps and bounds.
However, he did not know that James was more surprised than he was. It was because James realized that all of the problems he had mentioned, he had almost never needed to bring them up a second time..
This meant that no matter what flaw he brought up, Fang Xingjian would be able to fix it immediately and not make the same mistake again.
This effect was too exhilarating for both of them. Regardless of whether it was the person teaching or the person learning, they were both able to experience the feeling of spotting a mistake or flaw and immediately changing it, thus improving. The feeling of such a great sense of achievement was unrivalled.
Therefore, the more James taught, the more excited he felt. The two of them went through guidance, training, and having meals. In the blink of an eye, an entire night passed.
Right now, in the training room, there were over eight hundred silhouettes attacking James from all directions. Each of the clones were like a physical body, driving lights and shadows, bringing up air currents, and even performing various sword techniques.
James’ Godly Demon Clones were almost completely suppressed and had no way of fighting back.
Finally, with a loud roar, another two hundred silhouettes came out from Fang Xingjian’s body. The several hundreds of clones cramped and filled up the entire training room. However, at the next moment, they disappeared one by one. Finally, only Fang Xingjian’s original body was left standing. His eyes were closed as he slowly tried to remember the feeling from earlier.
After going through tough training overnight, with James’ help, his progress had increased by another three or four times at least. His Ninety Thousand Godly Demon Flash reached the maximum level of level 40, and he could create a total of 501 Godly Demon Clones. | 第三百零二章
面对方星剑的要求，詹姆士系长摇了摇头说道：“霍普斯肯定不会同意，他自己钻研剑术的时间都不够用了，怎么可能陪你练习。”
“那你呢？ 应该没问题吧。”
“噢？” 詹姆士嘿嘿笑道：“你应该知道我要什么东西吧。”
方星剑当然知道詹姆士想要什么东西，对方能够守着众神碑数十年的光阴，不就是为了众神碑的奥秘。
而方星剑权衡了一下，说道：“我可以将众神碑得七重奥秘，分成七个部分提供给你。”
七重奥秘，自然有七个版本，一共六次进化。 方星剑完全可以一次一次提供给对方，作为对方给自己各种帮助的交换。
但詹姆士当然不同意七次这么多，打着商量道：“七次也太多了吧，你今天先给我三重奥秘怎么样？ 第一第二重对我来说肯定太浅显了。”
此时的詹姆士，双眼放光看着方星剑，此时的方星剑在他眼中简直是天下最鲜美的蛋糕。
方星剑直接说道：“天地之间，以力称雄。”
“众力之间，星辰为尊。”
“就分七次，一次次给，你不要就算了。” 詹姆士如饥似渴地盯着方星剑，对方念了个头就不念了，实在急得他抓耳挠腮，追求了大半辈子的东西在自己面前，他都感觉有点忍耐不住，立刻说道：“好了好了，七次就七次，你快说，快说啊。”
于是接下来的一路上，方星剑将众神碑的第一重奥秘缓缓讲述给了詹姆士。
当两人回到学院以后，詹姆士吐出一口气，整个人浑身上下的气质似乎都在换换的变化。
他叹道：“波纹，竟然是波纹？ 众神碑的终极奥秘，竟然是一门波纹，可惜啊……”不过他转眼便摇了摇头：“如果二十年……不，哪怕十年前我得到这门波纹，恐怕都会直接转修，但现在却是来不及了。”
方星剑疑惑道：“你说……来不及？”
詹姆士笑道：“我的寿命应该就只有几年了。” 明明说着很严肃的话题，他的表情却无比洒脱：“不过死之前，终于能解开众神碑的奥妙，能够看到你这样的天才横空出世，我也算死而无憾。”
方星剑问道：“像你这样的强者，也没有办法延寿了么？”
“延寿？ 呵呵，当你25级，以太同步率达到百分之60以上的时候，就能感知到**的细微结构，看到那些组成**的小虫，那个时候就能调整肉身结构，每一个25级的封号骑士都能活到120岁，并且体力没有丝毫衰减，百病不侵。
而当你29级，以太同步率达到100%的时候，就能感知到时间和空间，真正凝滞和缓解身体的衰老，但就算这样也最多延寿到150岁。
当然不论是120岁还是150岁，直到死前的那一刻，封号骑士都不会生病，不会怎么衰老，实力上不会有任何衰减，只有到死的那一刻才会真正消亡。”
方星剑的双眼之中闪烁着奇异的光芒，似乎在考虑自己是不是到了25级和29级后能不能延寿，还是说他到了29级仍旧只有五年的寿命，不，现在的话应该只有三年半了。
他接着问道：“那神级呢？”
我不知道，据说能活180还是200吧。” 詹姆士摇了摇头说道：“他们可以摧毁城市，毁灭国家，一念之间杀死成千上万人，但终究无法逃出寿命的制约。”
方星剑没有回答这个问题，詹姆士似乎也不愿意再讨论这个沉重的话题，直接说道：“走吧，去你的练功房，现在就开始修炼吧。”
两人都是超越人类极限的封号骑士，睡觉这种事情更是早已经可有可无，完全是什么时候都能修炼，黑天白夜都没有危险。
于是两个人来到了方星剑的练功房，呼吸了一口气，感受着源源不断的信息流入自己的大脑，方星剑感觉到自己的力量似乎又增强了一点点。
他的对面，詹姆士随意地抽出一把练习用的木剑，问道：“你现在在修炼什么剑术？”
“九万神魔闪。” 方星剑同样抽出一把木剑，问道：“你会吧？”
詹姆士哈哈一笑：“州立学院的剑术，我不会的还真不多。”
说话间，他身体微微一晃，已经有超过上百道身影从他的体内跳了出来，带起阵阵罡风激流，化为剑阵朝着方星剑冲了过去。
另一边，方星剑微微抖了抖身体，同样是上百个神魔分身飞了出去，好像是军阵一样齐齐朝着前方刺出，和詹姆士的分身撞击在了一起。
咚咚咚咚的乱响不断从练功房中传来。
“不行，以太迷子的交换慢了。”
“你要学会换位思考。”
“每一个分身都要用不同的剑术。”
“别老是互相残杀。”
“注意光线和阴影。”
两人的交手当然是詹姆士大站上风，不论以太同步率，还是五大属性，又或者各种专长的加持，都让他的九万神魔闪威力无穷。
而随着交手不断进行，詹姆士也在不断指导方星剑。
有人指导，当然是好过一个人闭门造车。
就好像大学里要么自学要么上课听老师讲，其中的效率当然是听老师讲解来的更高。
学习——这一向是进步起来最简单，最快速，也最有效的路子。
方星剑学剑术也是如此，早有前人研究出来的诀窍和道理，当然是有人直接告诉他来的比他自己领悟要快。
只不过过去的剑术太过简单，老师的水准也没有詹姆士这么高，方星剑直接自学就行了。
现在在詹姆士的指导下，方星剑只觉得是如鱼得水，剑术水平几乎是一路都在飞速进步。
他却不知道詹姆士比他还要惊讶，因为詹姆士发现自己提出来的任何一个问题，几乎都没有提出第二次。
也就是说他不论提出什么缺点，方星剑都能立刻改正，然后再也不犯。
这样的效果对于两方来说都太爽了，不论是教的人还是学的人，都能感受到那种找到一个错误和缺点就立刻改掉然后获得进步，这种成就感是无与伦比的。
于是詹姆士也越教越有兴致，两个人教教，练练，吃吃喝喝，转眼间一个晚上过去。
此时的练功房内，八百多道身影疯狂围攻着詹姆士，每一道分身都宛如实质，带动光影，掀起气流，甚至都是施展着各种不同的剑招。
詹姆士的神魔分身几乎是被完全压制，丝毫无法反攻过去。
终于方星剑一声长啸，再次有两百道身影从他的体内分了出来，一共数百道分身几乎要将整个练功房挤爆，但在下一刻就一个接着一个的消失，最后只剩下方星剑的本体站立，双目紧闭，缓缓回忆着刚刚的感觉。
一夜苦修，在詹姆士的帮助下，他的修炼速度几乎又提升了三四倍不止，直接将九万神魔闪练到了40级的满级，能够划分出足足501道神魔分身。 |
167 Aim High!
There were few who could recognize that strange phenomenon in the sky, but that did not mean that none existed. There were already some who recognized this in Han Mountain City. Their words shocked the entire city, causing discussing voices to fill the air.
Nan Tian sat on a stone chair situated in the courtyard of an elegant house in the second layer of Han Mountain City. Beside him was a middle-aged man. That man had a pleasant demeanor, as if expressions of happiness and anger seldom appeared on his face. He was holding a cup of wine and was currently drinking with Nan Tian.
That was the moment when the phenomenon in the sky appeared. Faint sounds of commotion wafted into their ears. Nan Tian lifted his head, and when he saw the sight, a shudder ran through his body.
The middle-aged man with the pleasant demeanor also looked over. His eyes remained calm and his expression did not change, but the hand holding the wine cup trembled, and some of the wine spilled out.
"The Awakening of a Berserker who reached the great completion of the Blood Solidification Realm!"
"It doesn’t seem like it’s a Berserker who reached great completion. I once encountered a prodigy who Awakened with 982 blood veins. The atmosphere at that time was even grander compared to this time…" The middle-aged man was the former chief guest of Lake of Colors Tribe – Ke Jiu Si.
"But it’s still a Berserker who has reached completion of the Blood Solidification Realm. Once a person like this Awakens, even if he has just arrived to the Awakening Realm, he can easily outmatch most of those in the initial stage of the Awakening Realm and become one of the top!
"Since when did someone like this appear in Han Mountain City!" Nan Tian took a deep breath. He might be acting as he usually was, but due to the strange phenomenon, mixed feelings coupled with shock grew in his heart.
"This presence is coming out from the hidden grounds under Han Mountain… Should we take a look?"
"No need. If this person is Awakening in such a grand manner, then he must have made ample preparations to defend himself. It’s not worth it if we go and he is mistaken about our intentions. It’s better if we go and greet him once he succeeds.
"It’s impossible for him to fail Awakening like this…" Nan Tian stated languidly.
"Say, could this person be the mysterious Mo Su that has become famous lately?" Ke Jiu Si suddenly asked.
"Hm?" Nan Tian narrowed his eyes and looked at the strange phenomemon in the sky for a while. After a moment of hesitation, he shook his head. "I’ve observed that Mo Su before. He didn’t seem like he’d never Awakened. In fact, he seemed like he had originally Awakened, but due to an accident, his level of cultivation had fallen… It... shouldn’t be him."
Ke Jiu Si fell silent. Amidst his uncertainty, Nan Tian looked at the strange sight in the sky, and found that he could not make up his mind.
As these two people fell silent, Xuan Lun was standing in a corner at the third layer of Han Mountain City with a dark expression on his face. As he stared at the strange phenomenon in the sky, his expressions was constantly changing.
‘Who is this person? If he’s choosing to Awaken now, then it must be because he’s preparing to enter Freezing Sky Clan… completion in the Blood Solidification Realm… completion in the Blood Solidification Realm… Hmph, as long as you don’t provoke me, I won’t bother you, but if you block my path, then I’ll test whether the Awakened Berserkers who had reached the completion in the Blood Solidification Realm are truly as strong as they are said to be!’
When the strange phenomenon in the sky appeared, those within Han Mountain City were not the only ones shocked and moved into flurried discussion. The change in the sky also attracted the attention of the three tribes.
Yan Luan’s expression was grave as she stood at the top of the mountain of Lake of Colors Tribe and looked at the sky. Her black hair swayed in the wind. She wore a red robe and looked stunningly beautiful.
‘Awakening in Han Mountain City? I wouldn’t have minded if it was just a normal Berserker Awakening… but you’re one of those rare Berserkers who reached completion in the Blood Solidification Realm. Didn’t you know that people like you are not allowed to Awaken at will at other people’s turfs?
Yan Luan hesitated for a moment before she lowered her head and looked at the canyons underneath Han Mountain City. She could feel that the person who was Awakening was there.
However, she did not go forward recklessly. She had come to the same conclusion as Nan Tian. Those who had attained completion in the Blood Solidification Realm were definitely extraordinary people. It was impossible for a powerful Berserker like that to not have made any preparations for his Awakening. Unless they had some sort of scorching hate between them, very few people would go and seek these people when they were Awakening, much less Yan Luan, who was the tribe leader of Lake of Colors Tribe. There were a lot more things she had to take into deep consideration.
Similarly, besides the other people from Lake of Colors Tribe watching the bizarre sight in the sky from the mountain of Lake of Colors Tribe, Han Fei Zi was also looking at the sky calmly. There was uncertainty in her eyes, but no envy or shock.
‘If I Awakened, this will also happen to me. But who is this..? Could it be him..?’ Han Fei Zi frowned as she fell into contemplative silence.
There was a small crowd standing quietly at the mountain of Puqiang Tribe. They were also looking at the sky, but no one was talking. No one knew what they were thinking amidst this silence.
The Elder of Tranquil East Tribe sat at the top of the mountain. Behind him was the tribe leader, Fang Shen, the Head of the Guards, the Chief of War, and others. All of them were looking at the sky, the expressions on their faces constantly changing between shock, envy, and uncertainty.
The Elder of Tranquil East smiled faintly.
"Besides Han Fei Zi from Lake of Colors Tribe, this is the second person who has attained completion in the Blood Solidification Realm… but he’s not one of our Tranquil East."
Su Ming did not know that the Awakened presence triggered by the increase of his blood veins had caused a change in the sky, which forced all the people who were in the hidden grounds to sit down cross-legged and meditate to resist their rampaging Qi and the intimidating pressure that fell upon them.
Neither did he know that the change in this place had attracted the attention of the world outside. As of now, Su Ming was simply sitting cross-legged in the cave as his blood veins continued increasing. It had now gone from 952 blood veins to 963!
They were still increasing!
963 blood veins. That amount had already surpassed Han Fei Zi’s. The blood veins shone with a shocking blood-red light on Su Ming’s body, as if it did not want to just stop at dyeing the cave red, it wanted to turn the cave into a sea of blood.
As his blood veins increased, a faint feeling of Awakening appeared at the bottom of Su Ming’s heart. This feeling gradually became clearer. An urge that seemed irresistible slowly formed, making him want to lift his arms and draw out his very own Berserker Mark!
At the same moment as the blood veins in Su Ming’s body continued increasing, the people who were near the mountain cave in the hidden grounds and could not leave turned pale. Their expressions were overcome with terror; they were nearing their limits.
Once they could not resist it any longer, what awaited them was their bodies exploding and the blood veins being sucked out!
"This… is… a Berserker who attained completion of the Blood Solidification Realm Awakening!"
Some of the people had already guessed the answer. Yet once they did, they lost their courage to continue resisting. Deep despair rose within their hearts.
A normal Berserker Awakening would not cause such a change in the weather and would usually quietly choose a safe place to Awaken. Only those who had attained completion in the Awakening Realm would evoke such a change in their surroundings. At the same time, anyone who got too close and did not have a similar amount of blood veins as that person would crumble and break down, like how a sword shatters when it strikes a piece of jade, the moment he successfully Awakened.
Every single person had their eyes trained on the place, but that would not save the nearly 100 people who were dragged into this.
Su Ming’s breathing grew rapid. His right hand rose up slowly. The feeling of Awakening became even stronger and more distinct. He was even certain that if he wanted to, he could Awaken at that very moment! However…
‘I haven’t found the materials suitable for me to synthesize my Origin Awakened Berserker Vessel. If I Awaken now, I can only use the item left behind by He Feng… Also, I have a feeling that if I suppress the urge to Awaken, my blood veins… will still increase!’
Su Ming’s right hand was trembling. He needed an incredible amount of willpower to suppress the urge to Awaken. A brilliant shine appeared in his eyes. Within that shine was resolve and ambition!
‘963 blood veins only allows me to attain completion for the Blood Solidification Realm… I don’t want to Awaken at completion. If I’m going to Awaken, then I’ll try and manifest more than 980 blood veins to attain great completion for the Blood Solidification Realm!
‘If I don’t want to Awaken, then I’ll leave it at that, but if I Awaken, then I will make sure I have no regrets!
‘I only lack Sky Flute Branch for Spirit Plunder now. Tranquil East Tribe is searching for it for me. The isolation grounds for Han Mountain’s ancestor’s might be in disarray now, but if they want to get it, it shouldn’t be a problem for them.
‘If I Awaken, I wonder if this Spirit Plunder can serve as my Origin Berserker Vessel! I can’t rush into this… I can’t rush…’
Su Ming’s eyes flashed and veins popped out on his face as he suppressed his urge to Awaken. He forced his right hand down.
The instant he forced his right hand down, his body suddenly started trembling violently. Booming sounds reverberated through the air. Suppressing that urge was akin to forcefully quelling lava that was originally going to erupt. Yet by doing so, it naturally made the explosive power that was stored in his body become stronger.
Rumbling sounds echoed in the air, and Su Ming immediately felt as if his body was going to be torn apart. Going against the urge to Awaken and reversing the process of Awakening to gain more blood veins was an act that was clearly not allowed.
As the rumbling sounds started in his body, Su Ming’s eyes, ears, nose, and mouth started bleeding, but his eyes just became brighter.
"I will decide when I want to Awaken, not nature, and not any deity!" Su Ming muttered, and the moment he did so, his blood veins increased instantly by 10. They went from 963 straight to 973!
It only continued from there, 974, 975, 976… As his blood veins increased, that feeling as if he was being torn apart became stronger, but Su Ming could sense that with each additional blood vein, his strength once he Awakened would increase.
Once the blood veins in his body increased to 979 and he only needed one more vein before he attained great completion of the Blood Solidification Realm, that urge calling him to Awaken came crashing into his will like a wave, making him instinctively lift his right hand once again.
At that moment in the world outside, the strange phenomenon in the sky grew in size. The clouds tumbled out in all directions and let out rumbling sounds. The golden light was so bright it was piercing, and it looked as if it was going to turn into the statue of a deity!
In the mountain cave, Su Ming stared at his raised right hand with a cold look and said slowly, "So, this is Awakening? It’s like some sort of summoning… but today, I will not Awaken! This is my will!"
Su Ming lifted his head and stared above as if he saw through the mountain cave the faint statue of a deity slowly materializing in the sky.
"Fine control!"
Su Ming closed his eyes. His blood veins stopped increasing abruptly at 979, and with fine control, they started quelling down from their irritable state, going into hiding one after another.
"I will decide my own fate!
"I rarely hanker after things, but that’s not because I’m don’t have any desires. If I’m going to go for something, then I’ll definitely aim high!"
Su Ming wiped away the blood at the corners of his mouth, then a cold smirk appeared on his lips. | 贪一次大的！
能认出此刻天空异象的人不多，但绝不是没有，邯山城内，就有数人识得，他们的话语，引动了整个邯山城的震惊，识得这议论嗡鸣滔天而起。
邯山城第二层，一间典雅的屋舍外院子里，南天坐在石椅上，其旁还有一个中年男子，这男子神色温和，似喜怒之意在其脸上很少出现，正拿着一杯酒，与南天对饮。
也正是在这个时候，天空的异象出现，哗然之声隐隐传来，南天随之抬头，可他只看了一眼，就身躯一震。
其旁那温和的中年男子，也随之看去，他目光平静，神色没有变化，但拿着酒杯的手却是抖了一下，有一些酒水溢出。
“凝血境大圆满开尘！”
“不像是大圆满者，我曾偶然间看到过一个天骄之辈以九百八十二条血线开尘，声势与眼前比较，还要更大一些……”这中年男子，正是曾为颜池部的首席客家，柯九思。
“那也是凝血圆满者，这样的人一旦开尘，就算是刚刚踏入开尘境，也足以凌驾于大半开尘初期，成为顶尖！ 邯山城，何时出现了这样的人物！”
南天深吸口气，他看似还算如常，但内心却是因这天空的异象，产生了复杂与惊疑。
“此人是在邯山下的隐秘之地传出气息……要不要去看看？”
柯九思目光一闪。 “不必，此人如此声势开尘，必有足够的准备，我等若去，一旦让对方误会，得不偿失，不如等其成功后再去拜见一番。
这等开尘，是没有可能失败的……”南天缓缓开口。
“你说，此人会不会就是这段日子声名大振的那位神秘的墨苏？” 柯九思忽然说道。
“恩？” 南天眯起双眼，望着天空的异象看了半晌，犹豫了一下，摇头开口：“我观那墨苏，不像是没有开尘，反倒更像本是开尘，因故受伤修为跌落……应该，不是他吧。”
柯九思沉默，南天迟疑中，望着天空的异象，也有些判断不出了。
在二人这默然中，此刻在这邯山城第三层，一处角落里，玄轮神色阴沉的站在那里，盯着天空的异象，面色变化不定。
“此人是谁，他选择此刻开尘，定是为了进入天寒宗做准备……凝血圆满……凝血圆满……哼，你若不惹我也就罢了，若你阻挡了我的路，老夫倒真想试一试，凝血圆满开尘者，是否真的如传闻中那般强悍！”
在这天空异象出现之时，除了邯山城的震动与议论外，其四周的三部，同样被这天空的变化引起了关注与高度的重视。
颜池部，其所在山峰的顶端，颜鸾神色凝重的站在那里，望着天空，一头青丝随风飘摇，她穿着一身红衣，看起来美艳绝伦。
“在我邯山城开尘，若是寻常开尘也就罢了……可你竟是少见的凝血圆满者，你可知晓，如你这样的人，是不能随意在别人家门口开尘的……你……是谁呢！”
颜鸾迟疑了一下，低头看了一眼邯山城下，她能感受到，这个正在开尘之人，是在那里。
但她没有贸然前去，与南天的判断一样，凝血圆满者绝非常人，这样的强者开尘，岂能没有准备，除非是深仇大恨，否则的话，很少有人会去做这样的事情，更不用说颜鸾身为颜池部族长了，她要考虑的事情，要更深一些。
同样在这颜池部的山峰里，除了颜池部的族人一个个在注视天空的异样外，寒菲子也平静的望着天空，她的目中有疑惑，但没有羡慕与震惊。
“若我想要开尘，也可以做到这一点，不过，此人是谁……是他么……”寒菲子皱着秀眉，沉默。
普羌部山峰，有数人默默地站在那里，同样抬头望着天空，但却无人议论，而是在这寂静里，不知他们的心思。
安东部，蛮公盘膝坐在山顶，他身后站着族长方申，还有魁首战首等人，一个个看着天空，神色变化不定，有震惊，有羡慕，也有疑惑。
“有意思……”安东蛮公微微一笑。
“凝血圆满者，除了颜池部的寒菲子外，这可是第二个，可惜……不是我安东族人。”
此刻的苏铭，他并不知道因其血线的增加引动的开尘气机，使得天空出现了异变，使得这片隐秘之地内的所有人都不得不盘膝打坐去抵抗气血与威压的降临。
甚至此地的变化，更是引起了外界的关注，如今的苏铭，盘膝坐在那里，他体内的血线在持续的增加中，已经从九百五十二条，达到了九百六十三！
还在增加！
九百六十三条血线，已经超过了寒菲子，在苏铭的身上形成了惊人的血光，似把这山洞在染红的同时，要将这里化作一片血海。
随着其血线的增加，一种冥冥中开尘的感觉，在苏铭的心底浮现，这种感觉慢慢从模糊到了清晰，渐渐让他有种似无法压制的冲动，要去抬起手，去画出属于自己的蛮纹！
与此同时，在苏铭体内血线增加中，其山洞外这片隐秘之地里无法离去的那近百人，一个个身子颤抖，面色苍白，他们神色惊恐，已经快要承受不住了。
一旦承受不住，等待他们的将是身体爆开，血线被吸撤而出！
“这……是……凝血圆满者在开尘！”
这近百人里，已经有人猜到了答案，可猜测出答案后，却是丧失了抵抗的勇气，心中浮现了深深的绝望。
寻常开尘者，不会引动天地异象，默默选择一个安全之地开尘就好，唯有凝血圆满者，在开尘之时会引动天地变化，同时若是距离他近了，一切血线不如他之人，都会在其开尘成功的刹那，如玉碎剑愧一般，就此崩溃瓦解。
此刻所有人都在关注这里，对于这近百被卷入之人，他们不会来救。
苏铭呼吸急促，他的右手缓缓地抬起，心中开尘的感觉越加的强烈与清晰，甚至他此刻几乎有种肯定，若自己想，眼下就可开尘！
但……“我还没有找到适合我开尘本命之器的材料，若此刻开尘，只能用和风遗留之物……而且我有种感觉，若此刻去压制开尘的冲动，血线……还会增加！”
苏铭右手颤抖，他需要用莫大的毅力，才可以压住这股开尘的冲动，他的双目露出明亮之芒，那光芒里有执着，有野心！
“九百六十三条血线，只是凝血境圆满……我不要以圆满去开尘，若真要开尘，我当去闯一闯，九百八十条以上的凝血境大圆满！
我苏铭不开尘则已，一旦开尘，就要再无遗憾！”
“夺灵散如今只差一味天籁枝，此物有安东部在寻找，虽说恰逢邯山老祖闭关之地大乱，但想来他们若想得到，也不会太难。
我若开尘，选择的本命之器，不知这夺灵散药石，是否可以！
此事不能心急……不能心急……”苏铭双目一闪，脸上青筋鼓起，压制自己开尘的冲动，生生的将抬起的右手放下。
在他的右手放下的一刹那，其身体突然剧烈的震动，有轰鸣之声滔滔而起，这一压之下，如本要爆发的岩浆被生生盖住，可尽管如此，但其内积蓄的爆发力，却是自然而然的更强起来。
轰鸣回荡，苏铭的身体立刻有种撕裂之感，违反开尘的冲动，在开尘之时强行逆转，为的是获取更多的血线，但这种方式，显然是不被允许的。
在那身体的轰鸣中，苏铭的七窍流出鲜血，但他的双眼却是明亮。
“何时开尘，是我的意志为主，不是这苍茫的天地，更不是冥冥中的存在！” 苏铭喃喃，在其话语传出的刹那，他体内的血线轰然增加，从九百六十三，直接暴增十条，达到了九百七十三条！
还在继续，九百七十四、九百七十五、九百七十六……随着血线的增加，那撕裂的感觉更加强烈，但苏铭能感受到，血线每多增加一条，自己开尘后的强大就会多出一分。
当其体内血线达到九百七十九条，只差一条就可以成为凝血境大圆满之时，那种欲开尘的冲动，如洪水一般袭来，冲击苏铭的意识，让他的右手，再次不由得抬了起来。
此刻的外界，天空异常更为庞大，卷动八方，云层轰轰，金光刺目，隐隐仿若要形成一尊神像！ 深渊下的隐秘之地，那近百盘膝死死抵抗之人，已经有大半嘴角溢出鲜血，神色露出绝望。
山洞内，苏铭望着自己抬起的右手，他的神色冷漠，缓缓开口：“这就是开尘么，仿若一种召唤……但今天，我不会开尘，这是我的意志！”
苏铭抬头，目光似可穿透这山洞，看到那天空上正缓缓凝聚的模糊神像。
“入微！”
苏铭闭上眼，体内的血线蓦然在九百七十九条停顿，以入微的方式，竟一一从暴躁中隐藏下来。
“我的命运，我来决定！”
“我很少贪图，不是我不贪，而是我若贪，就一定要贪一次大的！”
苏铭擦去嘴角的血，冷笑起来。 |
Economic Weapons of Mass Destruction
CHICAGO – War is horrific, no matter how it is waged.
Nevertheless, Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine, with its scenes of Ukrainian civilians being murdered or driven from their homes, undoubtedly had to be opposed.
In addition to supplying Ukraine with military weapons, governments around the world have deployed economic weapons against Russia.
While Russia, an economic midget relative to its military power, may still lash out by expanding the range of military weapons it uses and the territories it targets, it is a risk the world had to take.
Compared to Russia’s indiscriminate bombing, economic weapons will not kill people as quickly, create as much visible destruction, or inspire as much fear.
Nonetheless, the unprecedented economic weapons that have been deployed against Russia will be unquestionably painful.
The strictures on Russia’s central bank have already contributed to the ruble’s collapse, and new limitations on cross-border payments and financing have had an immediate impact, weakening confidence in Russian banks.
Though trade sanctions (restricting exports of key inputs such as airplane parts to Russia, as well as purchases from Russia) and the exodus of multinational corporations from Russia will have a less immediate effect, they will reduce economic growth and increase unemployment significantly over time.
If these measures are not reversed, they will eventually translate into lower living standards, poorer health, and more deaths in Russia.
That we have come to this point reflects a widespread political breakdown.
Too many powerful countries are now being led by authoritarian rulers whose reliance on nationalism makes them less willing to compromise internationally and who face few domestic constraints on their behavior.
If Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression were to go unpunished, more international provocations like his war in Ukraine would become inevitable.
Equally problematic is the breakdown of the international order.
The United Nations Security Council cannot legitimately act against any of its permanent veto-wielding members (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States). The organization’s impotence translates into impunity for strongmen who flout international norms.
Moreover, even if the UN could approve a military response, the will to confront a determined nuclear power militarily would probably be lacking.
Economic weapons, made possible by global integration, offer a way to bypass a paralyzed global governance system. They allow other powers an effective (that is, painful) but civilized way to respond to aggression and barbarity.
But the risks that these weapons can create must not be underplayed.
When fully unleashed, sanctions, too, are weapons of mass destruction.
They may not topple buildings or collapse bridges, but they destroy firms, financial institutions, livelihoods, and even lives.
Like military WMDs, they inflict pain indiscriminately, striking both the culpable and the innocent.
And if they are used too widely, they could reverse the process of globalization that has allowed the modern world to prosper.
There are several related concerns here. For starters, the seemingly bloodless nature of economic weapons, and the lack of norms governing them, could result in their overuse.
This is not merely speculative. The US still maintains harsh sanctions against Cuba even though there are far worse regimes in the world; and China recently sanctioned Australian exports, apparently in retaliation for Australia’s demand for a full inquiry into the origins of COVID-19.
Equally worrisome is the growing public pressure on corporations to stop doing business in certain countries.
These demands can lead to sanctions being broadened beyond what policymakers intended.
It is not impossible to imagine a country being subjected to economic warfare because of its government’s position on, say, abortion or climate change.
A widespread fear of indiscriminate sanctions would lead to more defensive behavior.
Following the action taken against Russia’s central bank, China, India, and many other countries will worry that their own foreign-exchange holdings (of advanced-economy debt) may prove unusable if a few countries decide to freeze their assets.
With few other assets possessing the liquidity of dollar or euro reserves, countries will start limiting activities that necessitate reserve holdings, such as cross-border corporate borrowing.
More countries also might start exploring collective alternatives to the SWIFT financial messaging network, potentially leading to fragmentation of the global payments system.
And private firms might become even warier of mediating investment or trade between countries that do not share political and social values.
There could also be more zero-sum strategic behavior, with countries developing new countermeasures to economic weapons.
For example, a country might invite foreign banks into its market with the ulterior motive of someday holding their assets and capital hostage.
Conversely, countries may limit where their banks can operate, in order to reduce their vulnerability to such threats.
Inevitably, economic interactions between countries will shrink.
While economic weapons have helped the world bypass a paralyzed global governance system in response to Russia’s war of aggression, they also highlight the need for new safeguards in the future.
Otherwise, we risk creating an economically balkanized and poorer world.
In particular, because economic weapons are too powerful to leave in the hands of any one country, their use should be subject to a minimal consensus requirement.
Insofar as sanctions are more effective when more countries participate, this mechanism may already be inbuilt.
Yet the threat of secondary sanctions can force otherwise unwilling countries to cooperate. The requirement therefore should be based on voluntary consensus – and the more destructive the economic weapon, the broader the required consensus should be.
Likewise, there should be a gradation of weapon use.
Moves against the assets of aggressor-country elites should have the highest priority and lowest consensus requirements.
Advanced economies should facilitate this by no longer turning a blind eye to the proceeds of tax evasion, corruption, and theft from elsewhere that are parked in their jurisdictions.
Conversely, because moves to debase an aggressor’s currency or undermine its financial system can turn middle-class liberals and reformers into angry nationalists, they should be taken with more deliberation and maximal consensus.
Advanced economies will be understandably reluctant to place constraints on their own newly discovered powers. But they should recognize that a balkanized global economy would hurt everyone.
Moreover, holding talks on “economic arms control” could be a first step toward fixing the broken global order.
Peaceful coexistence is always better than war, no matter how it is waged. | 大规模杀伤性经济武器
发自芝加哥—战争是可怕的，无论它是以什么方式进行。
然而俄罗斯对乌克兰的无端进攻 — — 以及因此导致乌克兰平民被杀害或流离失所的惨状 — — 无疑是我们必须抵制的。
除了向乌克兰提供武器外，世界各国政府还动用经济武器对俄罗斯施以打击。
虽然相对其军事力量而言俄罗斯是一个经济上的矮子，但它仍可能通过扩大武器的种类和打击区域来回击 — — 这可是一个全世界都必须承担的风险。
与俄军的狂轰滥炸相比，经济武器不会当即夺人性命，不会造成大范围明显破坏，也不会引发如此巨大的恐惧。
但即便如此，那些史无前例的对俄经济武器无疑也会带来苦难。
对俄罗斯中央银行的钳制助推了卢布的崩溃，对跨境支付和融资的各项新限制也产生了直接影响，削弱了外界对俄罗斯银行的信心。
尽管贸易制裁（限制向俄罗斯出口或采购航空等关键零部件）和跨国企业撤离俄罗斯的当即影响较小，但这些举措将随着时间的推移拉低经济增长并大幅增加失业率。
如果一直维持这些措施，它们最终将导致俄罗斯国内生活水平下降、民众健康状况恶化和死亡率上升。
而我们之所以会走到这一步其实是大范围政治败坏的结果。
当前有太多强大的国家被独裁者统治着，这些人一方面依赖民族主义执政，因此不太愿意在国际上做出让步，另一方面又在国内恣意妄为。
如果不对俄罗斯总统普京的侵略行为加以惩罚，那么像乌克兰战争这类国际挑衅行为必将层出不穷。
同样有问题的是国际秩序的崩溃。
联合国安理会不能合法地对拥有否决权的成员国（中国、法国、俄罗斯、英国和美国）采取行动，而这种无能又会转化为那些藐视国际规范的强人们的免死金牌。
此外即使联合国能够批准作出军事应对，也可能缺乏在军事上对抗一个杀红了眼的有核国家的意愿。
但因全球一体化而生的经济武器提供了一种绕过瘫痪全球治理体系的手段，让其他大国可以以一种有效（也就是痛苦）但文明的方式来应对侵略和野蛮行为。
不过这些武器可能带来的风险也不能被低估。
那种充分发挥效力的制裁也算是大规模杀伤性武器。
它们或许无法炸毁建筑物或桥梁，但它们会摧毁企业、金融机构以及人们的生计甚至生命。
正如军事大规模杀伤性武器一样，它们所制造的苦难是没有选择性的，既打击罪人，也伤害无辜者。
如果被过于广泛地使用，它们甚至可能逆转为当今世界带来繁荣的全球化进程。
此处存在几个相关问题：首先，经济武器看似不流血且缺乏管理规范的特质可能导致它们被过度使用。
这可不仅仅是猜测：美国仍然在对古巴实施严厉制裁 — — 即便世界上不乏比后者更恶劣的政权；中国最近制裁了澳大利亚的出口产品，显然是为了报复澳大利亚要求彻查新冠病毒来源的提议。
同样令人担忧的是要求企业停止某些国家业务的公众压力正日益增大。
这些要求可能会导致制裁的范围超出政策制定者本意。
如此类推，说不定某个国家会因其政府在堕胎或气候变化等问题上的立场而遭受经济打击。
对这种无差别制裁的普遍恐惧会导致更多的防御行为。
在见识了西方对俄罗斯中央银行采取的行动之后，中国、印度和许多其他国家会忧虑一旦某几个国家决定冻结其资产，它们所持有的外汇储备（也是先进经济体的负债）可能会无法使用。
由于很少有资产具备美元或欧元储备的流动性，各国会着手限制那些需要持有储备的活动，比如跨境企业借款。
更多的国家也可能开始探索各类足以替代SWIFT金融电信网络的集体方案，而这可能会引发全球支付系统的碎片化。
私营企业可能会对在政治和社会价值观不一致的国家之间进行投资或贸易变得更加谨慎。
此外还可能出现更多的零和战略行为，各国都在开发新的经济武器反制措施。
比如一个国家可能会邀请外国银行进入其市场，但其真实用心是为了挟持其资产和资本。
反之各国也可能会限制本国银行经营区域以减少面对这种威胁时的脆弱性。
这样一来国家之间的经济互动将不可避免地萎缩。
虽然经济武器帮助世界绕过了瘫痪的全球治理体系去应对俄罗斯的侵略战争，但也凸显了未来所需的新保障措施。
否则我们就可能催生出一个经济上巴尔干化且更为贫穷的世界。
尤其要注意的一点在于经济武器的威力过于巨大，因此不能让其掌握在任何单一国家手中，而应当在已经达成最低限度共识的前提下方能动用。
由于制裁的效力会随着参与国数量的增多而加强，这种机制或许已经存在了。
但鉴于二次制裁的威胁会迫使一些本来不愿合作的国家进行合作，因此这一前提应基于自愿的共识 — — 经济武器的破坏力越大，所需的共识就越广泛。
同时武器的使用也应该设立一个梯度。
针对侵略国当权者资产的行动应该享有最高优先权和最低共识条件。
为此先进经济体不能再对自身管辖范围内的逃税、腐败以及从其他地方盗窃得来的收益睁一只眼闭一只眼。
相反，由于侵略者本国货币贬值或破坏其金融体系的举动可能会使中产阶级自由主义者和改革者转变为愤怒的民族主义者，因此在采取这些举动时应多加考虑并达成最大程度的共识。
先进经济体不愿对自己新发现的权力加以限制，这是可以理解的，但它们应当认识到一个巴尔干化的全球经济会伤害到所有人。
此外召开围绕“经济军备控制”的会谈可以成为修复破碎全球秩序的第一步。
无论战争是何种方式进行，和平共处总是比它更好的。 |
From Economic Crisis to World War III
BEIJING – The next economic crisis is closer than you think.
But what you should really worry about is what comes after: in the current social, political, and technological landscape, a prolonged economic crisis, combined with rising income inequality, could well escalate into a major global military conflict.
The 2008-09 global financial crisis almost bankrupted governments and caused systemic collapse.
Policymakers managed to pull the global economy back from the brink, using massive monetary stimulus, including quantitative easing and near-zero (or even negative) interest rates.
But monetary stimulus is like an adrenaline shot to jump-start an arrested heart; it can revive the patient, but it does nothing to cure the disease.
Treating a sick economy requires structural reforms, which can cover everything from financial and labor markets to tax systems, fertility patterns, and education policies.
Policymakers have utterly failed to pursue such reforms, despite promising to do so. Instead, they have remained preoccupied with politics.
From Italy to Germany, forming and sustaining governments now seems to take more time than actual governing.
And Greece, for example, has relied on money from international creditors to keep its head (barely) above water, rather than genuinely reforming its pension system or improving its business environment.
The lack of structural reform has meant that the unprecedented excess liquidity that central banks injected into their economies was not allocated to its most efficient uses.
Instead, it raised global asset prices to levels even higher than those prevailing before 2008.
In the United States, housing prices are now 8% higher than they were at the peak of the property bubble in 2006, according to the property website Zillow.
The price-to-earnings (CAPE) ratio, which measures whether stock-market prices are within a reasonable range, is now higher than it was both in 2008 and at the start of the Great Depression in 1929.
As monetary tightening reveals the vulnerabilities in the real economy, the collapse of asset-price bubbles will trigger another economic crisis – one that could be even more severe than the last, because we have built up a tolerance to our strongest macroeconomic medications.
A decade of regular adrenaline shots, in the form of ultra-low interest rates and unconventional monetary policies, has severely depleted their power to stabilize and stimulate the economy.
If history is any guide, the consequences of this mistake could extend far beyond the economy.
According to Harvard’s Benjamin Friedman, prolonged periods of economic distress have been characterized also by public antipathy toward minority groups or foreign countries – attitudes that can help to fuel unrest, terrorism, or even war.
For example, during the Great Depression, US President Herbert Hoover signed the 1930 Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, intended to protect American workers and farmers from foreign competition.
In the subsequent five years, global trade shrank by two-thirds.
Within a decade, World War II had begun.
To be sure, WWII, like World War I, was caused by a multitude of factors; there is no standard path to war.
But there is reason to believe that high levels of inequality can play a significant role in stoking conflict.
According to research by the economist Thomas Piketty, a spike in income inequality is often followed by a great crisis.
Income inequality then declines for a while, before rising again, until a new peak – and a new disaster.
Though causality has yet to be proven, given the limited number of data points, this correlation should not be taken lightly, especially with wealth and income inequality at historically high levels.
This is all the more worrying in view of the numerous other factors stoking social unrest and diplomatic tension, including technological disruption, a record-breaking migration crisis, anxiety over globalization, political polarization, and rising nationalism.
All are symptoms of failed policies that could turn out to be trigger points for a future crisis.
Voters have good reason to be frustrated, but the emotionally appealing populists to whom they are increasingly giving their support are offering ill-advised solutions that will only make matters worse.
For example, despite the world’s unprecedented interconnectedness, multilateralism is increasingly being eschewed, as countries – most notably, Donald Trump’s US – pursue unilateral, isolationist policies.
Meanwhile, proxy wars are raging in Syria and Yemen.
Against this background, we must take seriously the possibility that the next economic crisis could lead to a large-scale military confrontation.
By the logic of the political scientist Samuel Huntington , considering such a scenario could help us avoid it, because it would force us to take action.
In this case, the key will be for policymakers to pursue the structural reforms that they have long promised, while replacing finger-pointing and antagonism with a sensible and respectful global dialogue.
The alternative may well be global conflagration. | 从经济危机到第三次世界大战
发自北京 — — 下一次经济危机比你想象的还要近。
但我们更应该担心的是：在当前的社会、政治和科技大环境下，一场旷日持久的经济危机，再加上收入不平等的新高点，很可能升级为全球性的大型军事冲突。
2008~09年的全球金融危机令多国政府几近破产，并引发了系统性崩溃。
政策制定者们动用了包括量化宽松政策和近零（甚至负）利率在内的大规模货币刺激措施，才成功将全球经济从悬崖边拉了回来。
但是货币刺激就像心脏停跳后注射的肾上腺素一样；它可以使心脏重新起跳，患者重新复苏，却不能治疗病态的心脏本身。
而治疗病态经济需要进行一系列涵盖从金融和劳动力市场到税收制度、生育模式以及教育政策等各方面的结构性改革。
政治家们要推行改革的豪言完全没能转化成改革本身，相反他们却专注忙碌于政治本身。
从意大利到德国，如今花费在组建和维持政府上的时间似乎比实际治理的时间还要久。
再比如希腊一而再再而三跟国际债权人借钱来（勉强）维持，却没有真正动手改革养老金体系或改善商业环境。
结构性改革的缺位意味着各大央行向本国经济体注入的破纪录规模的过剩流动性并没有分配到经济体中最能发挥效用的领域。
相反，超量货币却将全球资产价格推升到甚至高于2008年危机之前的水平。
在美国，房价现在据房地产网站Zillow的数据已经比2006年房地产泡沫高峰期还要高出8 ％ 。
而衡量股票市场价格是否处于合理范围的周期调整市盈率数据CAPE现在也高于2008年危机前，甚至1929年大萧条初期的水平。
伴随着货币紧缩政策暴露出实体经济的脆弱性，资产价格泡沫的崩溃将引发另一场经济危机 — — 而这次危机可能比上一次更严重，因为我们已经对手中最强有力的宏观经济特效药产生了耐药性。
过去十年来以超低利率和非常规货币政策形式呈现的常期使用的肾上腺素注射，让我们的特效药严重丧失了其原有的强有力稳定和刺激经济的能力。
以史为鉴，这种错误引发的后果可能会远远超出经济范畴。
哈佛大学教授本杰明·弗里德曼（Benjamin Friedman）的研究表明， 长期性经济增长不如人意的时期，似乎也都是公众对少数群体和其他国家感到愤怒和无法容忍的时期 — — 紧随其后的很可能就是各种动荡、恐怖主义、甚至战争。
例如在大萧条时期，美国总统赫伯特·胡佛签署了1930年《斯穆特-霍利关税法案 》 ， 意图保护美国工人和农民免受外国竞争。
法案实施后五年中全球贸易额减少了2/3。
不到十年内，第二次世界大战爆发。
当然，二战与第一次世界大战一样都是由多种因素促成的；没有什么标准路径一定会导向战争。
但我们有理由相信高度的收入不平等在引发冲突方面有重要作用。
根据经济学家托马斯·皮凯蒂（Thomas Piketty）的研究，收入不平等的高点通常会伴随一场严重的危机。
收入不平等水平随后会降低，然后会再次上升，直至到达一个新峰值 — — 以及一场新灾难。
虽然由于样本点数量有限，收入不平等和世界大战或经济危机间的因果关系还需要进一步证实，但我们对这种相关性绝不可掉以轻心，特别是当现在全球财富和收入不平等都处于历史最高位时。
这些问题再加上科技颠覆、史无前例的移民危机、对全球化的焦虑、政治两极分化以及不断高涨的民族主义等诸多引发社会动荡和外交紧张局势的其他因素，就更加令人担忧。
这些问题既是以往政策失败的症状，同时也有可能成为未来危机的触发点或可以燎原的星星。
选民们有足够的理由感到沮丧和失望，但他们持续支持的那些迎合情感情绪的民粹主义者们提供的解决方案并不明智，只会让事情变得越来越糟。
例如，尽管各国间有着前所未有的依存关系，多边主义却越来越被边缘化，许多国家 — — 尤其是特朗普总统治理下的美国 — — 正在追求单边的孤立主义道路上渐行渐远。
与此同时，叙利亚和也门在遭受着代理人战争的残忍蹂躏。
在此背景下，我们必须认真考量下一次经济危机可能导致大规模军事对抗的可能性。
按照政治学家塞缪尔·亨廷顿（Samuel Huntington）的理论，任何预测都不是自我实现的，预测能否实现依赖于人们如何作出反应。
在现有情况下，全球政策制定者们需要即刻推动长久以来承诺的结构性改革，同时用理智且相互尊重的全球对话来取代指责与敌对。
否则可能会是一场全球性大乱。 |
Chapter 30 - Black Horn Auction
But the young Alchemist clearly had no idea that he had narrowly avoided a calamity. After hearing Lin Yun’s refusal, his face turned unsightly. “Are you afraid of me tricking you? Truly laughable, I have compounded more potions than you would ever see in your lifetime, how could your two potions be worthy of me scheming against you?”
“I truly am in no hurry…” Lin Yun took a deep breath and just repeated what he had said.
“Good then…” Seeing Lin Yun persist, the young Alchemist could only nod angrily. “But I don’t have much time. I still have an important experiment waiting for me, so I can only give you three minutes.”
Lin Yun smiled and put the two potions on the table.
The two potions were green, and they carried a dense, irritating smell. After just one whiff, the young Alchemist couldn’t help frowning.
“Two inferior Healing Potions, valued at 300 gold.” It took only thirty seconds for the young Alchemist to issue his appraisal. When he put the two potions back on the table, he muttered under his breath, “Trash…”
This time, Lin Yun didn’t say anything and picked up the two potions as he turned to leave. ‘Such a joke, you appraised my Ghost Potion and my Volcano Potion as Healing Potions, and with an estimated value of only 300 gold. Do you think I’m a fool?’
But just as Lin Yun was heading for the exit, the door to the reception room was pushed open from the other side.
The person coming in was an old man. He was easily over sixty, with wrinkles, white hair and a white beard. He was wearing a wrinkled, gray gown and was panting as he came in, as if he had run the whole way over.
“You are…?” Lin Yun stopped as he looked at the old man, feeling puzzled. Whether it was in his own memories or Mafa Merlin’s memories, there was no memory of that person at all. Why did this person seem to recognize him?
“You are Mage Merlin?” The old man looked at Lin Yun and immediately smiled cordially. “Welcome, Mage Merlin. Let me introduce myself, I am Cadgar, Black Horn Auction House’s Chief Appraiser.”
“Greetings…” Lin Yun politely greeted him while pondering what he knew about this person. He had actually heard the name of Black Horn Auction House’s Chief Appraiser, Cadgar, quite a few times.
He could even be considered a person worthy of being on the same level as Sage Tower’s Thorpe, as he was also a High Mage and a Great Alchemist. But like the rest of the Black Horn Auction House, he had always been low-key, to the point that many people knew of Thorpe, but not of Cadgar.
“Oh right, I heard someone outside saying that Mage Merlin came today to have two potions taken care of.”
“Eh?” Cadgar looked at Lin Yun in surprise, and then he glanced at the young Alchemist sitting on the other side of the table, considering their expressions and the circumstances. ‘Could it be that Mage Merlin was offended by this fellow?’
This wasn’t some minor matter… Last time, a bottle of Spectrum Potion was delivered to the Black Horn Auction House and even Master Wilhelm couldn’t stop praising it, saying that this was the most imaginative potion he had ever seen and that some of the techniques used on it were simply unheard of.
Before Master Wilhelm left Thousand Sails City, he kept reminding Cadgar that he absolutely had to find the Alchemist who had compounded this potion.
Although the Black Horn Auction House hadn’t been in contact with Lin Yun for the past few months, it had secretly been making countless investigations. After all, the Black Horn Auction House was supported by a first-rate force, the Black Horn chamber of commerce. Its formidable information-gathering abilities surpassed the other forces of Thousand Sails City by far. It could be said that as long as the Black Horn Auction House wanted, anything happening in Thousand Sails City couldn’t be hidden from them.
This, of course, included information on the true Alchemist behind the Spectrum Potion.
Naturally, the process of the investigation wasn’t that simple, and this was with the Black Horn Auction House putting large portions of their forces into the search, toward Locke Merlin, toward the Gilded Rose, toward the Flashing Gold chamber of commerce, and toward all of the related clues. Everything had undergone a detailed investigation.
That Spectrum Potion that received high praise from Master Wilhelm was most likely compounded by a young Alchemist in his twenties.
That young Alchemist’s name was Mafa Merlin.
Cadgar was relatively proud of this conclusion. Compared to the Sage Tower, which was known to be the number one power of Thousand Sails City, even though they both got the Spectrum Potion at the same time, Solomon and his people still believed that a mysterious Great Alchemist stood behind this young Mage, while the Black Horn Auction House chose to believe in the conclusions drawn by their investigators.
After all, Mage Merlin even stayed in the Sage Tower’s library for a very long time. During that time, the Sage Tower had many chances to get in touch with him. But unfortunately, these countless opportunities had been missed by the Sage Tower.
Cadgar thought that Solomon was probably still having a headache, trying to figure out how to get in touch with the mysterious Alchemist behind that young Mage.
What had happened while he was on his way?
“Don’t worry, Mage Merlin, our Black Horn Auction House sincerely wishes to cooperate with you. How about you listen to our offer first before making your decision?”
“That’s fine, let’s talk about it.” For someone of Cadgar’s status to speak like this, he definitely meant his words, so Lin Yun wouldn’t refuse him. Moreover, if it hadn’t been for the young Alchemist’s trash talk, Lin Yun would indeed have sold the two potions in the Black Horn Auction House.
Thus, due Cadgar’s request, Lin Yun took the opportunity offered.
As he listened to the discussion between the two of them, the lifeless young Alchemist gulped with some difficulty. Ever since Cadgar appeared in the reception room, the young Alchemist had suspected that he was dreaming. Otherwise, how could this situation be explained? This was too frightening…
The Chief Appraiser of the Black Horn Auction House, Cadgar, was actually being so welcoming to a twenty-year-old Mage!
That’s right, very welcoming!
The young Alchemist had worked for ten years in the Black Horn Auction House and had never seen Cadgar being so polite. Regardless of whether he was facing Solomon of the Sage Tower or Monchi of the Twin Moons chamber of commerce, Cadgar had never been as polite as he was today.
Thinking about it, the young Alchemist couldn’t help swallowing nervously again. At this time, his throat felt terribly dry, as if there was something stuck inside.
After all, he hadn’t really had a good attitude earlier, and he had muttered audibly that the two potions were trash. He couldn’t have thought that something like this would ensue. On one hand, he truly was very busy and didn’t have much time to spend here, and on the other hand, he disliked the attitude of this young mage, who had visibly shown that he felt uneasy with the interaction.
Thus, when evaluating those two potions, he skimped on the work.
This was a person that even Chief Appraiser Cadgar was treating very politely, and he had recklessly offended him. He even felt like dying now, considering how much importance Cadgar was paying the two potions, even assuring that the Black Horn Auction House sincerely wanted to cooperate. ‘What is this…’
From the young Alchemist’s understanding of Cadgar, how could he not understand what these words meant? Cadgar had already decided that he would spare nothing to get the two potions into the Black Horn Auction House’s possession.
But fortunately for him, neither Lin Yun nor Cadgar paid any attention to the deathly pale Alchemist on the side.
When Lin Yun changed his mind, Cadgar immediately felt happy. He hurried to explain his offer. “Mage Merlin, I wonder if you’ve heard that the Black Horn Auction House holds an auction every three months?”
“I have, of course,” Lin Yun replied as he nodded. The Black Horn Auction was a grand occasion in the whole eastern part of the kingdom, and that was the reason that Lin Yun had come today.
“Then, Mage Merlin, if you are willing, I hope that you are willing to bring your two potions to the Black Horn Auction that will happen in a few hours, what do you think?”
Cadgar didn’t brag much about the Black Horn Auction and also didn’t explain what kind of benefits such an auction would bring because he believed that the young mage certainly wouldn’t refuse such an offer.
Even a Great Mage couldn’t easily climb on to the stage of the Black Horn Auction. After all, it was a grand event of the whole eastern part of the kingdom. To be able to climb on that stage was like receiving the recognition of the entire east. Even a Great Alchemist wouldn’t be able to resist such a temptation.
Thus, Cadgar hadn’t elaborated on his offer, only squinting his eyes to see the young mage’s reaction.
“This…” He hadn’t expected that the originally relaxed Lin Yun would suddenly have an awkward expression after hearing the offer.
Cadgar froze and didn’t manage to react for a long time. He even wondered if his words hadn’t been clear enough.
In fact, let alone Cadgar, even the young Alchemist, who had previously inwardly collapsed due to his previous interaction with Lin Yun, couldn’t help cursing to himself. ‘You are kidding, this is an event that is attended by the greatest powers of the whole eastern part of the kingdom, any Alchemist getting on that stage would have their social status increase a hundredfold. Even if you aren’t moved by the offer, how could it feel awkward to you?’
“I’m very sorry. High Mage Cadgar, I think I won’t be able to leave these two potions to the Black Horn Auction House.” “…”
After Lin Yun said this, the reception room went dead silent. | 第三十章
不过年轻炼金师显然不知道自己刚刚逃过一劫，听到林云的拒绝之后，脸色顿时变得难看起来：“你害怕我动什么手脚？
“我真的不赶时间……”林云深深的吸了口气，又把刚才的话重复了一遍。
“那好吧……”看到林云这么坚持，年轻炼金师也只能带着一脸悻悻的神色点头说道：“不过我的时间很紧张，等一下还有一个重要的实验，我只能给你三分钟的时间。”
林云笑了笑，把两瓶炼金药剂摆在桌上。
两瓶炼金药剂都是绿色的，放在桌上的时候，还带着一股强烈的刺激姓七位，年轻炼金师只是闻了一下，就忍不住皱起了眉头。
“劣质治愈药剂两瓶，估价三百金币。”
这一下，林云干脆什么也不说了，拿起两瓶炼金药剂就要走人，开什么玩笑，一瓶鬼魂药剂，一瓶火山药剂，被人当成两瓶治愈药剂，而且估价只有三百金币，真以为老子人傻钱多不成？
然而，就在林云打算转身走人的时候，会客室的大门却被人给推开了。
进来的是一个六十多岁的老人，看起来须发皆白满脸皱纹，身上穿着一件皱巴巴的灰色长袍，进门的时候气喘嘘嘘，似乎是来的很急的样子。 “是不是梅林法师来了？”
“您是……”林云顿时愣了一下，望向老人的目光有些疑惑，不管是自己的记忆还是玛法梅林的记忆，对眼前的老人都应该没有任何印象才对，为什么对方会一副跟自己很熟的样子？ “您就是梅林法师？”
老人一看林云，顿时露出了满脸热情的笑容：“欢迎，欢迎，梅林法师，先自我介绍一下，我叫卡德加，黑角拍卖行的首席鉴定师。”
“您好……”林云很客气的打着招呼，心头却在一边琢磨，黑角拍卖行首席鉴定师卡德加的名字，林云倒是听过很多次。
都说这是一位能跟贤者高塔索普比肩的人物，同样是魔导士同样是大炼金师，只不过一直以来都太过低调，以至于很多人只知道索普却不知道卡德加。
“对了，刚才我在外面听人说，梅林法师今天来，是有两瓶炼金药剂要出手的？”
“啊？” 卡德加一脸愕然的看了看林云，然后又看了看桌子对面的年轻炼金师，心想什么情况啊，难道有人得罪这位梅林法师了？
这不是开玩笑的，上次一瓶万色药剂送来黑角拍卖行，连威廉大师都赞不绝口，说这是这几年来，自己见过的最为奇思妙想的一瓶炼金药剂，其中采用的一些技术简直闻所未闻。
威廉大师离开千帆城之前，还再三交代卡德加，一定要找到配制这瓶万色药剂的炼金师。
虽然之后这几个月，黑角拍卖行一直没有跟林云接触，但是暗地里其实已经做了无数的调查，要知道，黑角拍卖行背靠诺森德顶级势力黑角商会，其强大的情报能力远远超过千帆城其他势力，可以说，只要黑角拍卖行愿意，千帆城发生的任何事情都瞒不住他们。
任何事情，自然也包括万色药剂的真正配制者。
当然，调查的过程肯定没有这么简单，这当中黑角拍卖行几乎动用了所有的情报力量，对罗格梅林，对镀金玫瑰，对闪金商会，对一切与之相关的线索，都进行了最细致的调查。 最终，才得出了一个惊人的结论。
那瓶受到威廉大师盛赞的万色药剂，很可能是由一位只有二十来岁的年轻炼金师配制出来的。
这位年轻炼金师的名字，就叫做玛法梅林。
对于这个结论，卡德加是比较骄傲的，相比之下，号称千帆城第一势力的贤者高塔，虽然也在同一时间得到了一瓶万色药剂，但是包括萨鲁曼在内的所有人，至今都还认为，那位年轻的梅林法师身后，站着一位神秘的大炼金师。 一想到这个，卡德加就很想笑。
要知道，梅林法师曾经在贤者高塔的图书馆里呆了很长一段时间，在这段时间里贤者高塔有无数的机会去跟他接触，可惜这无数的机会又被贤者高塔自己给错过了。
估计一直到现在，萨鲁曼都还在头疼，怎么通过这位年轻法师，接触他背后的那位神秘炼金师吧？
自己没来这段时间，到底发生了什么事情？
“别急啊，梅林法师，我们黑角拍卖行，真的很有诚意跟您合作，要不您先听听我们的条件，然后再做决定如何？”
以卡德加的身份说出这样的话来，确实是很有诚意了，林云也不好一口拒绝过去，而且老实说，如果不是被那个年轻炼金师倒了胃口的话，林云这两瓶炼金药剂也是肯定要放在黑角拍卖行的。
于是，在卡德加开口请求之后，林云也就顺势松了口。
听着两人之间的对话，一直满脸呆滞的年轻炼金师，又异常艰难的吞了口口水，自从卡德加推开会客室的大门，年轻炼金师就一直怀疑自己是在做梦，不然的话，眼前这一切改怎么解释？
黑角拍卖行的首席鉴定师卡德加，竟然对一个二十来岁的年轻法师客客气气！
没错，就是客客气气！
年轻炼金师在黑角拍卖行工作了十年，还从来没看见卡德加对谁这么客气过，不管是面对贤者高塔的萨鲁曼，还是面对双月商会的蒙奇，卡德加从来没有像今天这么客气过。
想着想着，年轻炼金师就忍不住又吞了一口口水，一时之间，只觉得喉咙干涩的厉害，就好像有什么东西卡在里面了一样。
要知道，自己刚才对这位年轻法师的态度可不怎么好，而且还将他拿出来的两瓶炼金药剂称为垃圾，当时还不觉得有什么，一来是因为自己确实有事要忙，没那么多时间在这里耽搁，二来也是有点不爽对方的态度，竟然表现出对自己不太放心的样子。
于是，在给那两瓶炼金药剂估价的时候，也就多多少少有些敷衍的意思。
那可是连卡德加都客客气气的人物，自己居然不知死活的跑去得罪了，而且好死不死，现在卡德加好像还对那两瓶炼金药剂非常看重的样子，甚至说出了“我们黑角拍卖行很有诚意”这种话。
以年轻炼金师对卡德加的了解，又怎么会不知道，这也就意味着，卡德加已经决定了，要不惜一切代价将这两瓶炼金药剂留在黑角拍卖行。
不过还好，这个时候不管是林云还是卡德加，都没空去注意这位脸都吓白了的年轻炼金师。
在听到林云有了松口的意思之后，卡德加心头顿时一喜，赶紧摆出自己的条件：“梅林法师，不知道您有没有听说过，黑角拍卖行每三个月都会举行一次拍卖会？”
“当然听过。” 林云点了点头，黑角拍卖会可是整个王国东部的盛事，更不用说林云今天就是为了这个来的。
“那么梅林法师，如果您愿意的话，我希望能够将您带来的两瓶炼金药剂，放在几个小时之后即将举行的黑角拍卖会上，不知道您意下如何？”
卡德加并没有过多的吹嘘黑角拍卖会，也没有去解释这样做会带来什么样的好处，因为卡德加相信对方不会拒绝自己的条件。
就算是大炼金师，能够登上黑角拍卖会的舞台，也不是一件很容易的事情，要知道，那可是整个王国东部的盛事，能够登上这个舞台，就等于是受到了整个王国东部的承认，哪怕是大炼金师，也很难经受住这样的诱惑。
所以卡德加在开出条件之后，就再也没有多说什么，只是微微眯着眼睛观察这位年轻法师的反应。
“这个……”谁也没有想到，本来已经松了口的林云，在听到卡德加的条件之后，反倒露出了为难的神色。
卡德加顿时愣了一下，一时之间有些没反应过来，甚至还在想，是不是自己说的不够清楚啊？
事实上，这个时候别说卡德加了，就连先前倒了林云胃口的那位年轻炼金师，都忍不住想要跳脚大骂了，**开什么玩笑，那可是整个王国东部的盛事，任何炼金师登上了那个舞台，都意味着立刻身价百倍，你不激动得热泪盈眶也就算了，在那里一脸为难是个什么意思？
“真是不好意思，卡德加魔导士，我想我可能没有办法，把这两瓶炼金药剂留到黑角拍卖会上。”
林云这话一出口，会客室里顿时安静下来。 |
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