Mystery Paradise: Wishing Power Demon

Chapter 300: Chapter 299: The Disappearing Friend

Chapter 300 -299: The Disappearing Friend

“Speaking of which… could it be that the cable connected to the vest is used for charging and discharging?” Xue Quan asked, pointing at a section of the cable on the ground as thick as an arm.

“Exactly, because its instantaneous demand for electricity is also very high, not only does it require a large cable, but also a special connection to a high-power direct current generation and storage system, basically the same set used on all-electric naval ships. However, this is just an experiment, and we don’t have enough Baina Steel to install on vehicles or ships, making an armored vest is pretty much the limit.”

“But…” Gao Wei suddenly changed the subject, “It’s not impossible to miniaturize and individualize it. Comrades, do you remember what I mentioned earlier? It can absorb not only electrical energy but also high-energy neutrons. In fact… Dr. Ding has an idea, which is to join forces with Professor Fu’s team and try to develop a small fusion reactor. This type of fusion reactor would use Baina Steel as a shell, and hydrogen fusion as fuel, with an overall size not much different from a suitcase. It might not be feasible for an individual soldier to carry, but it would fit easily in a tank or an airplane.”

How did we suddenly jump to the miniaturization of fusion reactors?

Isn’t that something out of a sci-fi movie… Knowing that there is not a single bona fide commercial fusion reactor in the world yet!

The thoughts of the others were clearly in line with Xue Quan’s.

But surprise aside, the previous successful results had already raised everyone’s expectations.

“Is absorbing neutrons very important?” someone asked.

“Yes, according to Dr. Ding, a major reason why the tokamak experimental reactor has yet to go into official production is the need to frequently replace the shell, which becomes brittle due to neutron bombardment. We have been able to bring back a small amount of helium-3 through the Moon Base Project, which skips this problem, but if we want to popularize this energy source, hydrogen, which can be produced anywhere, is obviously much cheaper than helium-3,” paused Gao Wei, “Of course, Baina Steel as a shell is not without its drawbacks. It slowly grows as it absorbs energy, getting longer over time, and requires regular recycling of the excess parts… This characteristic is not suitable for constructing large fixed reactors.”

“That’s interesting, it seems that Paradise is really a treasure trove,” said the No. 2 leader with a laugh, “Isn’t the research institute precisely short of Baina Steel? A large number of miniaturized fusion cores would not only solve the energy problem but could also indirectly produce Baina Steel. I think this project is worth considering, after all, in these tumultuous global circumstances, the energy problem is a core issue of our country’s security.”

“In that case, let the Defense Control Center go ahead with it. Whatever they need, just ask the relevant departments directly; we will provide all possible support.”

In the end, with the unanimous approval of the three leaders, the meeting came to an end amid applause.

…

In the Royal Capital of the Old Continent,

Shandela had been staying in an inn by the palace gates for three days. In these three days, she found it hard to describe her feelings—anger, regret, and sorrow took turns, but none could dominate her mind. Her mind was more of an empty void, numb to where she should go next.

She did not spend much effort to find among the hanging dead General Fales Ben. It was probably due to the late autumn, or maybe the Longjiu Family used some secret method, that the general’s body had not yet begun to decompose. But his bloodstained body and distinctly recognizable face only intensified the enemy’s malice—General Fales Ben had clearly fought to the end. Such loyalty from a warrior was met without the slightest respect by Duke Longjiu, which was undoubtedly an insult to all soldiers of the Kingdom Army. Even someone like her, who had left the military unit early on, felt an unbearable pain in her heart.

But what Shandela found most unacceptable was not this, but the fact that the army she had longed for had been so easily defeated by the rebels. The place where she had studied, sweated, and established her beliefs had disappeared so suddenly, without a trace.

Was Duke Longjiu’s strength truly that great?

Or had the army decayed and degraded to an unimaginable extent in the years since she had been transferred away from the Royal Capital?

Surely not even the defense forces of Magnificent Castle under Chaoyang’s command would have been defeated so easily?

After all, they had even defeated the Evil God…

No, why did she think of the Paradise Sect? Shandela covered her face, shaking her head to dispel the thought from her mind. An army is an army, and should not be confused with a religious order.

“Boss… I, I want two bottles of Jinsui Wine…” She took out ten copper coins and slapped them on the counter.

“Starting to drink in the daytime?”

“Just bring it… It’s not like I’m not paying!”

“Alright, alright, take them.” The bartender shrugged, somewhat disdainfully pushing the two bottles her way, then murmured under his breath, “She looks quite good, yet she’s a drunkard…”

He thought Shandela couldn’t hear him, but as a master-level warrior, Shandela didn’t miss a single word.

It was just that she simply didn’t care about what others thought.

With the bottles in hand, she slowly walked up to the third floor, staggering into her own room. There hung a standing mirror by the door and, as she passed, Shandela took a glance at herself—her curls, unwashed for three days, were somewhat matted and the tips had lost their usual shine. There was an obvious bruise beneath her eyes and her lips were cracked in three or four places. No one who saw her would associate her with a defense officer of Magnificent Castle, a master-level warrior.

No… this was just fine.

The more wretched and dejected she appeared, the less likely it was for enemies to spot her.

I’m not really numbing myself with alcohol; rather, drinking eases the anxiety and helps me to fall asleep. Sufficient sleep is the foundation for a warrior to perform at their best.

So another two bottles shouldn’t be a problem… she thought to herself while opening one of them.

Glug… glug…

A swig of the strong alcohol made her cough.

The fiery burn prompted Shandela to begin thinking again… She had not stayed put these past three days; on the contrary, she had visited all possible places where she might encounter supporters of the royalty or learn the whereabouts of the general’s family, such as the Inner River Dock responsible for water transport in the south part of the city, and the information-rich Rat Street in the lower city district… But all to no avail. The troops stationed in the Royal City had completely disintegrated, and the military academy had been temporarily closed. Now, she had only one goal left—to find her good friend Elise Ben—but even this goal was not easy to achieve.

Firstly, most ministers and nobles loyal to the Laurel Dynasty had now turned to the Longjiu Family, and even though Princess Laurel still ostensibly held power, everyone was clear about who really stood behind her. Under these circumstances, she dared not recklessly contact those in power, but, unfortunately, they were the ones who knew most about the disbanding process of the Kingdom Army.

Secondly, the general’s mansion had been sealed, and it was now an empty house. Observing from a distance did not yield any information about the general’s family. Perhaps the Fales family had all died, or perhaps Duke Longjiu retained a shred of humanity and locked them all in the dungeons of the Royal City; or maybe they were fortunate enough to have escaped from the Royal Capital before the army’s downfall… But whatever the case, she had to obtain concrete information before she could take the next step.

It was precisely the lack of such intelligence that left her utterly disoriented, her mind a blank. Without the comfort of alcohol, she found it impossible to fall asleep normally.

However, Shandela also knew that she couldn’t keep relying on the strong spirits forever. As the places to inquire dwindled, the sense of aimlessness would only grow. Before that happened, she had to come up with a solution, anything that would allow her to take action with a purpose.

Having finished the first bottle of wine, just as she was about to open the second one, Shandela suddenly shook all over, her dilated pupils focusing sharply into a point!

She noticed that the wardrobe in her room had a thin seam open, seemingly at some unknown time.