Chapter 5 Research centers

The structure of the Val City base was like a split egg, with tens of thousands of soldiers on the periphery constituting the most closely guarded area, both protecting and isolating. At the same time, the core was the Val City Research Center, which Empire'sd the Empire's top technology. The two regions existed independently of each other, and low-level soldiers had no way of knowing the existence of the research center. From this point of view, it was hard to tell whether the base was set up for the city of Val or the research center.

Ash, dressed in white robes, was so ecstatic to see Windsor that she jumped in for a hug.

The nerdish friend became so enthusiastic that he did seem to have been bored for too long, and Windsor accepted the other's incoherent expression with a smile. Half a dozen times, Ash finally remembered the key.

"Gosh, I thought I'd never see my old friend again; how did you get in here."

The research center was a top secret area of the base, heavily defended, and lower ranked sergeants had no right to enter, and the old friend in front of him, whose shoulder patch was only that of a private, had no reason to be able to show up in the meeting area of the research center. "Also, how can you be a soldier? I remember ......"

Questions ensued, and Windsor smiled slightly. "My rank is Major."

"Major? But your shoulder patch ......"

"My father ordered me to be trained at the bottom and not allowed to carry a rank, but the transferred resume retained the rank." She tugged out the chain inside her shirt, an oval metal plate with crystals of different colors embedded in it depending on rank. "Luckily, it's the ID tag that approves entry qualifications." The door guard's eyes nearly fell out just then.

"Make you a soldier?" Ash found it mind-boggling. "What the hell was your father thinking."

"Don't talk about me; how did you end up in Val City when you could have picked your place for your graduation score back in the day?"

"Blame it on the damn mentor." Ash was diverted from his thoughts and sighed with incomparable bitterness. "You told me about the first-class environment and good pay, so you filled out the application in a moment of foolishness, and you're stuck here in this hellhole, unable to move. You know the bastard rules here, not to mention going home; even the door of the research center can not go out! My family sends me things but also three times to check, by that group of God damned gendarmes swallowed most of it! It's worse than being in jail. ......"

The more Ash spoke, the more agitated she became, and Windsor, sympathetically listening to the half-assed whining, found an opening to interject.

"I returned to the Empire two days ago, just in time for your sister's wedding."

"What! So soon?" Ash sighed with sadness. "Was Jasmine beautiful? Was the wedding grand? My parents ......"

The endless questioning stopped when a miniature portrait was handed to Ash.

The artist is meticulous, slightly larger than the palm in the miniature portrait of exemplary depiction; the beautiful bride is surrounded by a family with a sweet smile, wearing embroidered lace long gloves, hand holding a shiny silver dinner knife, and the handsome groom cutting the layers of cake, flowers and silver candles dress up a dreamy scene.

"Molly asked me to bring word that the groom ate your share of the cake for you and that it was delicious." Windsor faithfully relayed. "It also says that a gift from your brother is a must when you return."

Mumbling something vaguely, Ash's eyes reddened, and Windsor pretended not to see, admiring the wall hangings.

Looking at the small statue for a long time, Ash sniffled. "I didn't realize Jasmine married so early, I wonder if that guy treats her well, he doesn't look good and isn't very tall, he's such an eyesore with Jasmine."

In full brotherly favoritism, Windsor couldn't help but laugh. "Ash, they're perfect for each other."

Looking at it fondly, Ash finally remembered someone else before her. "Thanks; it would have dragged on for months if it had been mailed. Windsor, you're always so thoughtful."

After a few more pleasantries, Windsor was ready to leave.

"Windsor." Ash seldom meets old friends, some pretty hard to let go, "Just today rest, I take you into the center to see, will come back and forth to the empire can also let my family understand a little, the part that should be kept secret you are also clear, it should be okay."

Were you visiting the base's most mysterious research center? Windsor froze slightly, vaguely curious.

Ash handed over a small gold triangular badge, "Pin it on your lapel, the guards will shoot anyone without an identifying mark, triggering the alert will be a problem."

She took it and buttoned it up accordingly, "So strict, what exactly are you guys working on."

After traveling through two barriers and scanning her ID badge again, Ash flashed her pass again and finally stepped into the research area.

The open hall is magnificent, with statues of saints standing at the top of giant stone pillars, luxurious crystal lamps twinkling like stars, and the soaring dome painted with mythological scenes of the world's creation, with clouds churning and seawater stirring. The continent rises from the waves, with the gods witnessing the beautiful splendor of the new century in the clouds.

"Ash, is this a research center? The Council has been verCouncilous to you." Windsor exclaimed in surprise. "I now understand why you're here."

Ash was rather smug about it. "The conditions at the Val City Research Center are among the best in the country; not even the Imperial City comes close."

"Reason?" Val City had a long history of unrest, and it was never wise to coEmpire'se the Empire's premier elite in a city where chaos reigned.

"Val City is special." Ash smiled mysteriously and revealed the key to it. "It produces a substance essential for research, a rare high-frequency energy crystal that is so unique that a small piece can release a huge amount of energy, but the composition is extremely unstable, making it difficult to transport over long distances, and we're trying to find a way to utilize it safely."

"Just crystal utilization? Then why be so mysterious."

"Dear Windsor, this crystalline energy can be used in more ways than you can imagine." Ash walked through the spacious passageway, nodding his head in greeting to the fellows he met, "The council kept it secret for another reason."

Windsor scanned habitually, mentally surprised that the tight guards seemed to protect not the research area but His Majesty's chambers.

Ash stopped in front of a door and coughed pretentiously.

"Windsor, although I know your character, I would caution you to calm down and not scream."

The silver-gray door gradually opened, and she was too late to answer, already in complete shock.

Pushing open the door is a tremendous space.

The top light casts a soft glow, and the center of the vast machine is placed several floors high as if the steel plate and screws cast into the beast, the iron; the body is densely covered with all kinds of unknown instrumentation pointers, ghostly light, thick cables hanging down from the body, such as python link winding, the center of the machinery is a grid of silver bracket, encrusted with the whole piece of crystal cover, placed fist-sized crystals, pure blue is highly similar to the frozen sea, flashing unstable light, reflecting the crystal cover presents a hazy light blue, two long thin probes fixed at both ends of the output energy, control the unique machine, the crystal cover presents a hazy light blue. The pure blue color is very similar to the frozen sea, flashing with unstable light, flickering, reflecting the crystal cover presents a kind of hazy light blue, two slender probes are fixed at both ends of the crystal, controlling the output energy, the machine's unique humming sound shows that it is operating.

Looking down from where they stood, more than a dozen researchers dressed in white robes like Ash worked intently, tuning various unheard-of machines, recording experimental data one by one, with dozens of screens flickering, reflecting a misty cold color.

Ash led her down the spinning staircase, pointing out things along the way; she couldn't listen to anything, the daunting giant machine taking up all her attention for a long time before she returned to her senses.

"What a device."

Ash looked at her with pity. "Looks like you didn't remember a thing I said; that's understandable; it's the same for everyone stepping in for the first time."

She tried to remember. "High-frequency energy conversion? You've been studying that? I seem to remember your major in school ......"

"No, while that's enough to surprise you, I've studied more-" Ash trailed off without regret. "It's not here that I'm involved; it's higher ranked and more tightly regulated, and if possible, I'd like to show you that it's the ultimate in what a human can challenge."

"This has been amazing." She understood Ash's concerns and had no desire to keep prying.

Ash smiled, hands in the pockets of his white robe as he introduced her to the various machines, skimming over all the problematic terminology and making it concise and clear.

"...... These instruments measure and control the most stable frequency of the crystal, trying to find out the way to avoid the disorganization and collapse of the energy flow under the premise of protecting the physical structure; the adjustment of the stability is the most troublesome thing, this kind of crystal can't even be exposed to the air once it starts to output the energy, it's value is extremely astonishing. Still, the control of the Difficulty is also considerable......"

Windsor was amazed at the exhaustive instructions.

"Ash, since this isn't the department you're in charge of, how do you know so much about it."

"We study the same crystals; it involves different ways of utilizing them, often exchanging data to facilitate the next step in our research. After a few years, I'm good enough to be a competent interpreter." Ash's gaze shifted to the blue, glowing crystal in the center of the mechanical body, mesmerized and sighing.

"Windsor, although the principle of energy harvesting is complex, the research has been very successful, almost mature, and its effectiveness is enough to cause a drastic Empire in the Empire, but unfortunately, due to the orders of the Council and certain Council, it can not be put into use. Unfortunately, it cannot be used by order of the Council or in the Council of Certain Interests. I can tell you only a small part of the story for confidentiality reasons. Here lies the future of the country of Sia - no, it should be the entire human race."