Chapter 85 Fluorescent Grass
Leaving the ?Banta Times? office, Xu Yi went to the research lab to the west of the city.
After knocking on the door, the one who answered was Evita and not Akali who chose to live on the first floor.
Seeing Xu Yi, Evita revealed a somewhat surprised and somewhat happy expression.
“Chairman, why are you here?”
Xu Yi pointed at his stomach with a smile and said, “Vivian is out on an autumn outing with her classmates today, so no one is home to make a meal for me. I don’t want to eat at a restaurant, so I came here to mooch off you. You won’t welcome me?”
Evita revealed a faint smile, “Of course you’re welcome, please come in.”
Xu Yi shook his head with a smile. It it was Akali here, she would definitely tease him a few times. Evita’s personality was completely different from Akali’s, she was much more calm.
After walking around and not seeing Akali around, Xu Yi casually asked, “Where’s Akali?”
“She’s out today.” Evita replied.
“Went out?” Xu Yi was surprised, “What? She had something to do?”
Evita revealed a faint smile, “Sir chairman, did you forget that today is Sunday? You said yourself that you would give us Sunday off each week.”
“Of? Right, I forgot and I even said I wanted to see your research progress.” Xu Yi patted his head, thinking that he really was too busy, even forgetting what day of the week it was. He looked at Evita and notice that there was a thick apron outside of her clothes, “Since it’s Sunday, why are you still wearing this? Could it be you’re still working?”
When mentioning work, Evita’s eyes instantly lit up, “Chairman, I had some new discoveries lately and wanted to research it with you. You came right on time today, do you want to see my new discoveries first?”
“Oh? New discoveries, what is it about? Is it the Magic Air Conditioner?” Xu Yi asked.
It was about to become winter soon, so Xu Yi had given Still’s group of three a new research task, which was to make a new Magic Air Conditioner.
The first generation Magic Air Conditioner was a cold air conditioner for the summer. Now that the weather was getting colder, Xu Yi had them research a Magic Air Conditioner that could release cool and hot air.
Of course, what they needed to solve first was the Magic Array for the heat controlling side.
Who would have thought that Evita would shake her head, “No, it is related to the Magic Lamp.”
Xu Yi was a bit surprised, “This quickly? You’ve solved the consistency problem of the Flashing Thunder Array in just a few days?”
Evita shook her head again, “Although we’ve had some progress, we haven’t really solved the problem yet. I’m talking about another new discovery.”
“What is that?” Xu Yi asked in a confused voice.
“I’m afraid you won’t understand if I explain, so let me show you.” Evita waved her hand at Xu Yi before heading to the second floor.
Xu Yi hesitated a bit before calming down and giving himself a smile of self ridicule before following her up.
He had already come to the research lab many times, but this was his first time on the second floor.
Compared to the mess on the first floor, the second floor was incomparably neat. Looking at it, everything was neatly put away and very clean, even the workbench materials were meticulously put in place, not showing any signs of mess at all.
Other than this, Evita even put a few flower pots in this room that was considered spacious. Even though it was close to winter, these plants lush and vibrant, adding a bit of life to the room.
Xu Yi looked around and saw many decorations on the walls that seemed to be made of rags.
The material was simple, but it was finely designed, with a bit of elegance and a bit of cuteness. It wasn’t inferior at all to the ornaments designed by professional craftsmen in stores at all.
“Evita, you made of this yourself?” Xu Yi pointed at a rag in the shape of a flower on the wall to his right.
A blush filled Evita’s face as she gave a slight nod.
“Your hands are truly skilled.” Xu Yi praised before sighing, “You can even do this kind of thing. If it was Akali or Still, I really wouldn’t be able to imagine it.”
Evita’s face became even redder. She wanted to say a few words for Akali and Still, but she found she had nothing to say.
With their personality, how could they be patient enough to make a complicated ornament from rags.
It was a good thing Xu Yi didn’t keep asking about this matter as he asked Evita, “Alright, where is the new discovery you made? Let me take a look.”
Evita calmed herself down and took a small club from her workbench that she handed over to Xu Yi.
Xu Yi took a look before asking in a daze, “Isn’t this Fluorescent Grass? This is your new discovery? How is this thing related to Magic Lamps?”
Evita gave a slight nod, “Chairman, when you gave us the Magic Crystal Lamp last time, didn’t you say that there was another method? You said that after a metal filament was heated, the filament would release light and that could be used to make a Magic Lamp?”
“Un, I did say that. But I also said that we couldn’t make that metal filament right now, so temporarily, we can’t make that kind of Magic Lamp.” Xu Yi looked at the Fluorescent Grass in Evita’s hand before saying with a frown, “You wouldn’t be saying that this thing could replace the metal filament, right? This thing would immediately turn to ashes if it were to catch on fire.”
“It’s not wrong to say it can be used to replace it, but it isn’t using the heating method you mentioned.” Evita revealed a smile and returned to her workbench, pointing to a Magic Array already prepared as he said, “Chairman, take a look, this is the Flashing Thunder Array we’ve changed a part of. Although it can’t release stable light like you wanted, but it can discharge electrical light for up to a minute continuously.”
Xu Yi nodded as he praised, “Very good. If you can make this Magic Array continue to release light under the support of a Magic Crystal, the Magic Lamp could be easily completed.”
Evita looked at Xu Yi and hesitated a bit before making her decision to say, “Chairman, acutally…...Actually, don’t you think that even if we change this Magic Array to continuously release electric light, it wouldn’t be very suitable for a Magic Lamp?”
“Oh? Why?” Xu Yi asked in a surprised voice.
“This is because the light it releases is too strong. Akali and I have tested it at night and while the light released by the Magic Array could light up the entire room, the light was just too strong and we couldn’t even open our eyes. I think that if this was turned into a Magic Array, it wouldn’t be useful, right?”
“It’s like this?” Xu Yi thought about it before slowly nodding, “Your words are quite reasonable, but I feel this problem isn’t that hard to solve. As long as the might of the Magic Array is weakened, it’ll be fine if the light released is softer.”
“I’m afraid not.” Evita shook her head, “We have consulted this with his excellency Great Magician Camilla and his excellency Great Magician said that Thunder Attributed Magic is a high level Wind Attributed Magic, it requires a certain intensity to work. This Flashing Thunder Array can released electric light without the might of a bolt of lightning, so it is a failed Thunder Attributed Magic Array, but it is still a Thunder Attributed Magic Array, so it also has a high requirement for magic intensity. This Flashing Thunder Array has already reached its lowest threshold requirement. If the power of the array is weakened again, this Magic Array will completely fail and it won’t release the flash of electric light.”
“His excellency Great Magician said this?” Xu Yi knit his brows.
He could only at most grasp Fourth Grade Magic, so he didn’t understand anything of high level Thunder Magic. So naturally he could only listen to his excellency Great Magician’s specialized knowledge.
“Then according to what Great Magician Camilla said, this Magic Array was studied in vain and it was all for nothing?”
“We can’t say it was for nothing. Chairman, please look.” Evita lifted the Fluorescent Grass and put it in the middle of the Magic Array.
Evita place a finger on the Magic Array and sent in her magic power, causing a faint blue glow to fill the array, as it instantly activated.
Xu Yi watched the changes of the array and felt magic elemental energy gathering in the center. In the blink of an eye, large amounts of magic elemental energy was gathered in the center of the Magic Array.
According to Evita’s demonstration from before, there should have been a flash of lightning from the center of the array before it released a bright light.
Xu Yi narrowed his eyes and prepared for the bright light, but he found that there was only a faint flash of light from the center of the Magic Array. It seemed like it was being sucked into the Fluorescent Grass, entering the Fluorescent Grass.
“This…..” Xu Yi wanted to open his mouth in a daze when he saw the Fluorescent Grass suddenly light up. The light it released was gentle and bright.
When Evita took back her hand from the Magic Array, the glow of the Magic Array faded, but the Fluorescent Grass kept releasing light.
Before Xu Yi could react, Evita had already closed all the blinds to the room.
Even blocking off all the light from outside, because of the light from the Fluorescent Grass, they could still clearly see every part of the room.
Xu Yi looked at this Fluorescent Grass in a daze for a while. He found that although the light it released was bright, it wasn’t dazzling at all and it was quite gentle.
“This is your new discovery?” Xu Yi looked at Evita as he asked this.
Evita gave a slight nod, “I remember reading a recording in a book once. It said that on the Pamir Prairies in the Candra Empire, there was a patch of Fluorescent Grass and each time there was lightning, that patch would release a gentle light that was very beautiful. When I was studying this Flashing Thunder Array during these days, I suddenly remembered this recording and guessed that the Fluorescent Grass would be useful, so I ran a few tests. Chairman, what do you think of these results?”
Xu Yi laughed and was about to praise Evita when there was a scornful voice that came from the door.
“Hey, dear Evita, on such a bright day, what are you doing with our respected sir chairman in a room with the blinds closed?”
Chapter 86 Does he like men?
Xu Yi was stunned. When he looked back, he saw that Akali had appeared outside the door at an unknown time and was currently leaning on the door. She looked at him and Evita with a smile that almost didn’t seem to be there on her face.
“Akali, what nonsense are you saying!” Evita reprimanded Akali before quickly moving to the window, pulling up all the blinds.
Seeing Evita whose face was completely red under the sunlight, Xu Yi revealed a faint smile. Evita’s face really was thin.
He looked back at Akali and when his eyes passed over her neck, Xu Yi was surprised to find a necklace around her neck.
Although this necklace looked quite finely made, it clearly couldn’t compare to the one president Rank had given Akali at the banquet.
Xu Yi pointed at Akali’s neck and asked in a confused voice, “Since you like wearing necklaces, why don’t you wear the one president Rank gave you? It’s more suited to you compared to this one?”
“The one from president Rank……” A somewhat unnatural expression appeared on Akali’s face and a bitter smile that wasn’t easy to see appeared before she turned to head downstairs.
Xu Yi was even more confused. He was just asking about a necklace, why was Akali’s reaction so strange?
“Did something happen to her in the past few days?” Xu Yi asked Evita in a daze.
Evita shook her head in an astonished manner, “Nothing. Chairman, so that necklace wasn’t something you gave her?”
“Me?” Xu Yi also shook his head, “That necklace was given to her by the Sarank Chamber of Commerce’s chairman Rank, it isn’t related to me.”
“So it’s the Sarank Chamber of Commerce, no wonder it’s so beautiful.” Evita gave a slight now before looking at Xu Yi and revealing a smile, “Chairman, president Rank definitely gave Akali that necklace because of you, so it isn’t wrong to say that you gave it to her.”
“No, no, no, you can’t say it like that.” Xu Yi quickly waved his hand, “President Rank giving it to her and me giving it to her has completely different meanings, you can’t randomly say stuff.”
“That’s right, sir chairman is not my boyfriend and didn’t agree to my proposal, so that necklace can’t be considered something you gave me.” Akali’s voice faintly came from outside the door again.
When Xu Yi turned back, he found that Akali had come back with a box in her hand. It was the box president Rank had given Akali to hold the necklace that day.
Seeing Xu Yi look over, Akali took two steps forward and put the box in Xu Yi’s hands.
“Chairman, help me return this necklace back to president Rank, I’m not qualified to wear it.”
Xu Yi knit his brows and didn’t accept the box, rather he seriously looked at Akali. Although her expression was very calm, the corner of her brow and her nose kept twitching, showing that her heart was not calm.
Xu Yi looked at Evita with a look of inquiry, but Evita shook her head.
Thinking about it, Xu Yi tentatively asked, “Akali, this was the gift president Rank gave you. If you return it to him, it will be very rude to him and he might misunderstand your meaning. I think…..”
“I don’t care! Anyway I’m not qualified to wear it!” Akali cut Xu Yi off in a loud voice.
Xu Yi never thought that Akali’s reaction would be this strong and couldn’t help falling into a daze. He looked at Akali’s expression for a while before giving a sigh in his heart and reached out to take the box.
“Alright, since you insist on not wanting it, I’ll take it. But this can’t be returned to president Rank, you can’t let him misunderstand.”
“It’s fine if you return it to president Rank or not, I just don’t want it!” Akali firmly said.
Looking at the aggrieved Akali, Xu Yi couldn’t help giving a bitter laugh. He thought that whether it was on earth or on this continent, the thoughts of a girl who wasn’t twenty years old yet was still the hardest to guess.
He thought that he could discuss the combination of Fluorescent Grass and the Flashing Thunder Array with Evita before mooching off some food, but with the current atmosphere, it wasn’t good for him to stay here.
After thinking about it, Xu Yi gave Evita his thoughts. He had Evita keep studying the Fluorescent Grass and it would be best to guarantee that the Fluorescent Grass could release continuous and stable light. As well, he wanted it to change in light intensity and even adjust it at will.
Evita agreed to his requests one by one.
While Xu Yi was talking, Akali stood on the side without any expression the entire time and not saying anything, making the atmosphere very awkward.
After giving his thoughts with great difficulty, Xu Y directly said goodbye to the two of them.
He looked at Akali before leaving and after a pause, Xu Yi couldn’t help saying, “Akali, if you have any ideas, you can just talk to me. We’ve known each other for a few months and you should know that I’m a person who isn’t good at talking. Of course, if you think it is something that isn’t good for you to talk to me about, you have Evita and Still, your two good friends who you can talk to. In short…...You and Evita left home to come to Banta City to work for our Frestech Chamber of Commerce, so I don’t want you to live bad lives here, do you understand?”
Akali bit her lip and didn’t say anything.
Xu Yi gave a sigh and looked at Evita a few times while pointing at Akali.
Evita gave a slight nod, signaling to Xu Yi to be assured.
Xu Yi finally waved his hand and rejected Evita sending him off as he directly left.
Hearing Xu Yi walk downstairs and finally Xu Yi closing the main door, Akali’s expression finally collapsed and two rows of tears dripped down. She threw herself onto Evita’s bed and began crying as she pounded the bed.
Evita shook her head with a sigh and sat down on the bed. She patted Evita’s back as she said in a low voice, “Alright, you already knew it was impossible, so why did you have to charge forward?”
After a while, Akali slowly stopped sobbing and suddenly rubbed her head against the blanket. She turned her head and looked up at Evita, looking quite aggrieved.
“How would I know if I didn’t try?”
Evita said with a bitter smile, “But now that you’ve tried it, do you think it is impossible?”
Akali’s face turned bitter again, “It seems to be impossible…...Hey, Evita, do you think I’m that much worse compared to Still?”
Evita looked at Akali for a while before giving a serious nod, “Indeed you are much worse. At least Still wouldn’t cry like this. Other than that…..You have to admit, Still is much more beautiful compared to you.”
“Humph! Beauty isn’t the only thing.” Akali mumbled, “According to my observations, sir chairman doesn’t seem to treat her that specially.”
Evita couldn’t help flicking Akali’s forehead, “Are you dumb? Still is more beautiful compared to you, has a better personality, and she has been with sir chairman longer than you. If sir chairman doesn’t even have thoughts for her like this, why do you think sir chairman would have thoughts for you?”
“Perhaps sir chairman likes my type?” Akali said in a voice unwilling to give up. She thought for a bit before asking in a mysterious voice, “Evita, sir chairman is already twenty seven this year and hasn’t gotten married yet and we haven’t seen him have a close relationship with any girls. He doesn’t even have a special feelings for a beauty like Still. Could it be…..he likes men?”
###
“Achoo——”
Xu Yi gave a strong sneeze and couldn’t help pinching his nose as he looked into the sky.
His goal going to the research lab was to mooch some dinner and it was quite late when he went there. Now that he had left for a while, the sky was already turning dark.
It was early November and the Sines Continent’s weather was approaching winter.
Because they were in the southwest, the Lampuri Kingdom was not as cold in winter as the north, but when Banta City entered night, the streets would still be quite cold.
Xu Yi fixed his clothes and tightly wrapped himself up.
“That’s right, I almost forgot. Vivian shouldn’t have any winter clothes, so it seems like I need to find some time to buy her some. But I’m not familiar with female clothes, so I should ask Still and the others to help her find some.” Thinking of this, Xu Yi naturally thought of Akali.
Rubbing the box in his chest, Xu Yi couldn’t help revealing a bitter smile.
Because he had sunk himself in research all day back on earth, he didn’t have the time or mind to interact with girls. After coming to this world, he had been busy familiarizing himself with this world and working hard to survive, so it was even more impossible for him to interact with girls in this world, so he completely didn’t understand Akali’s strange reaction at all.
But he did understand that for a young girl like Akali, who were the hardest to understand, it wasn’t strange for him to be unable to guess anything at all.
He wasn’t prepared to guess either because compared to the thoughts of a little girl, there were just too many things that he had to consider.
Whether it was developing new magic machines or trying to start taking the first steps of establishing an industrial system, it all required a large amount of time and effort from him.
Other than this, the Frestech Chamber of Commerce faced many dangers while quickly developing. Even Xu Yi as a person who didn’t care about a person’s strength had to quickly increase his power. These two things took up a lot of time and effort from Xu Yi.
Many times, Xu Yi even wished he could break himself into several portions and each one would focus on a certain thing. That way, those aspects would develop even better.
But that was something impossible to achieve and in those aspects, there were many things that people couldn’t substitute Xu Yi for. So he could only invest his own effort and time into it, not daring to waste even a single bit of it.
It was a good thing that Xu Yi was considered a workaholic back on earth. As long as it was interesting mechanical research, he would become more and more enthusiastic.
“Actually talking about it, it’s still the same problem. Talented people are hard to get. Xu Yi knocked his head as he thought that this problem really had no solution.
The knowledge of magic on the Sines Continent only remained on destruction and slaughter, so even with practical application of magic like the Magic Crystal Lamp, they were small in number and weren’t common at all.
If Xu Yi wanted to create an industrial system according to his thoughts on the Sines Continent, he could only use practical magic machines to change the thoughts and understanding of the people of the Sines Continent bit by bit.
The good news was that at least in Banta City, people’s understanding of magic machines was quite good.
“It’s best if there were more magicians who knew about magic application. It’s best if all the magicians on the continent studied magic application, it wouldn’t be that hard for me anymore. It’s a pity…..Yi?”
Xu Yi’s eyes fell onto the side of the road.
Two familiar figures entered his eyes who were currently entering a small restaurant by the side of the road.