Chapter 279 Standing on the Giant’s Shoulder 3

The electric current stored inside the long cone ‘Mary’ was used up. The six cones close to collapsing finally stopped. They were red-hot from the burning and sizzled loudly. Many inner springs had broken apart the moment it stopped, burning completely.

The girl’s ethereal and beautiful voice gradually grew choppy. Finally, it became hoarse and disappeared. It was as if the spirit within it had died. Neither the corpse nor skeleton of the primate demon remained.

Newton climbed up from the ground. He picked at the ashes inside his pocket. Finding a cigarette he had not finished, he grinned. Charles, his loyal dog, quickly came over to light it for him.

With half-lidded eyes, Newton inhaled happily. Looking up, he asked, “Do you all have anything else to say now that the demonstration is over?”

The room was silent. No one spoke. What had happened here tonight had destroyed their world views and faintly shaken the education and common sense they had had since young. They all doubted their own eyes now.

“What is that?” someone asked in fear. “It’s not alchemy equipment, not a musician…a pure machine can resonate with aether?”

“Yes, it’s just like the strange phenomena in a black zone,” Newton stated. “In an environment with heavy aether, pure sounds can lead to aetheric changes. The crack of lightning, the crashing of tidal waves, the eerie rumbling from deep within the earth. Humans use music notes to record these sounds because all sounds can resonate with aether.

“Unless there’s absolute silence, any noise will influence the aether. This is the aether effect. Unfortunately, the Church’s enchantment weakens the aether reaction within the white zone to the extreme. You can only observe this with your naked eye in a black zone.”

“You’re saying…you can use machines to play music notes?” someone realized and furrowed his brows. “How can you guide and control it?”

“Oh, I solved this problem two days ago while talking to my assistant.” Newton picked his nose. “That guy was boasting about how his junior can’t sense aether so he memorized all the key data and organization process of each measure. It sounds stupid, right? But then I thought that since people can control aether without relying on ‘sense,’ then why can’t machines do it? You just need to make the aether think someone’s guiding it.” He paused and cackled. “Perhaps the aether doesn’t need guidance at all. We just choose what we need from one of the various results created by the aether.”

“Why do you need electricity to power it?” someone asked. “We’ve only started using this type of energy from magnetic field cutting five years ago.”

“Only this way will maintenance be the easiest and simplest,” Newton explained lightly. “Even an idiot can use it after training. I need the lowest cost and widest application. I must guarantee that it can become a standard. With this standard I can perform the follow-up research.”

“Follow-up research?” Everyone was stunned. Why did he need follow-up research? Or did he mean that he wanted to create music scores other than this simple one? Newton just grinned at this and did not reply. Everyone’s expression in crowd changed from shock to solemnness. In the end, they pondered with grave faces.

“That’s that. I don’t have to bother anymore now that the demonstration is over. Mass production has already started and should be completed after five days. I hope the Royal Musician Division will hurry up, give the money, and take the stuff away.” With a yawn, he turned around to leave.

However, Andrew, who had closed his eyes, raised his head and said coldly, “I’m sorry but we cannot accept these results.”

Newton’s steps halted. He looked back slowly and his eyes darkened. “Mr. Andrew, you can’t back out of the deal. If you don’t give me a reason I can accept, the Royal Musician Division will never get any equipment from me again.”

All Andrew said to Newton’s anger was, “It doesn’t meet our requirements.”

“Mary’s features are above your requirements,” Newton huffed. “Its portability and concealment are flawless. What a joke! Even an aether failure like me can use it. Don’t tell me musicians can’t handle it.”

“We need alchemy equipment, not a music box.”

“Ha!” Newton snorted. “Its production cost is lower than alchemy equipment, especially after mass production. Its stability is flawless too. If they give you the same effect, why don’t you use the cheaper and better one? Even a music box is better than what you want! Tell me, are you stupid?”

“Mr. Newton, I’m sure you’re clear that I don’t want a low-grade product.” He emphasized the last two words, pausing between each word.

Taken aback, emotions flashed past Newton’s face. After a long pause, he sighed. He went up to Andrew with a smile and patted his shoulder. He said with an uncharacteristic voice, “Good boy, don’t throw a tantrum. The royal family made the request and order. Now you say you don’t want it anymore. What do you mean? Mr. Andrew, you’re not a kid anymore. Don’t throw tantrums.”

Crack! A cluster of flames suddenly shot out from Andrew’s shoulder. It slapped onto Newton’s hand, causing the fingers to spasm. Andrew slowly rose and looked down at the old man. He said coldly, “Mr. Newton, I’ve tolerated your arrogance for too long. Perhaps this is a mistake. Since when did…people like you get the right to say what goes for musicians?”

Newton looked up at him and chuckled. “You wanted to say ‘failure’ right?”

Everyone knew that Newton from the Royal Research Institute was not a musician at all. He did not even pass the Student level test. He was a failure who could not even sense aether. He had reached his current position by relying on his genius and attainment of mechanical engineering that no one could pass. This was why the Sacred City had given him the name of a saint from the dark ages.

“I want to tell you something, Mr. Andrew.” Newton gazed at the man and slowly raised his finger. “Just one thing.” He raised the black Mary before Andrew’s eyes. The sharpness reflected a dazzling and blazing light.

“One day, this ‘low-grade product’ you look down upon will rule over the trends of the era. It will bring power into everyone’s hands, regardless of talent, teacher, attainment, or status!” Andrew furrowed his brows. Newton put the cone into his hand, forcing him to hold it tightly. Newton murmured in his ear, “Feel the power, you ignorant fool!”

The veins on Andrew’s hand bulged. He gripped the cone, practically breaking it in half. He silently gazed at Newton for a long time before turning to leave.

–

After Andrew’s sudden exit, the others who came for the demonstration also bid farewell. When Charles came back with a new pack of cigarettes, he found Newton alone in the underground research lab. The poor old man sat on the cracked ground, caressing the burnt cone dazedly.

“Andrew left.” Charles tossed the cigarettes over. “You really pissed him off today.”

Flinching, Newton sneered. “I gave it to him nicely but he just wanted to show his attitude. Is he crazy?”

“People are like that. You solved something within a few days that people have to spend decades learning. Why should he like you?” Charles yanked a cone from the ground and studied the melted gears within. He suddenly asked, “But if you keep researching this…won’t it replace musicians one day?”

“Huh?” Newton was stunned. “Will it?”

Charles was stunned too. “Haven’t you thought about that?”

“Why should I? Researchers only focus on their research. What do musicians matter to me?” Newton shrugged. “Why don’t I go be the Pope if I want to think about everything? Plus…what kind of idiot thinks that I can actually come up with a follow-up?”

“Uh…huh?” Charles was practically fossilized.

“It’s already the limit of current industrialization to create something like this! I can suggest more theories but unprovable theories are all just guesses. Unless the Sacred City undoes the sixth seal, allowing each nation to receive new technology—including studies on material science and forging science—unless that happens, it’ll be forever, kid.” Newton looked down and said after thinking, “It’ll be at least six-hundred years later. My technology is six-hundred years early. If you think like that, I guess I’m pretty powerful!”

“But people are already scared.” Charles scratched his head. “Some people think far into the future. What if they try to kill you?”

“I’m not scared.” Newton whistled. “The royal family protects me. It’s not like there hasn’t been anyone who wanted to kill me. Why should I be scared? You should be the one getting scared. You’re my personal assistant.”

“…” Charles froze. He could not help but curse. “Why am I so unlucky to end up with a psycho like you?”

“As my assistant, you have to sacrifice something for research. It’s the best to sacrifice your youth and descendants. Now, it’s the time to sacrifice your life. Charles, don’t be a coward.”

Newton looked at him sympathetically and said comfortingly, “Everyone has to go through this. When I was young, I…haha, no, I was much better than you when I was young! All those old farts at the Institute treated me like a gem! They were scared I would just quit if I was in a bad mood. They’d give me everything I wanted. Even if I wanted to set the Institute on fire for fun, they’d pour the gasoline and lay down the lead for me, then hand me the torch. In the end, they’d clap for me!”

“…”

“They were all good people but they had bad luck and all died early.” Here, he froze. Looking down at the cigarette ash from his hands, his eyes grew sad. “To be honest, they’re probably the only ones on this world that would treat me so preciously, right? This research institute was their inheritance. This project is their unfinished research. Even that erotica novel was the coming-of-age gift they gave me. Now that I think about it, those guys left behind a lot of things. But the things that I can leave behind are getting fewer and fewer.” He sighed and fell silent.

After a pause, Charles said softly, “You kicked out all the alchemists, forcefully dragged everything on to now, ensuring that they’re unable to back out and must accept your design…it’s all because of this, right? People who have foresight will understand what it represents, old man. At that time, they’ll do everything to send you to the gallows. You’ve played all these years. Do you really want to die?”

Newton could not help but laugh. Pinching his cigarette, he shook his head. “Charles, I’ve said long ago that I’m so successful because I’m standing on a giant’s shoulder.” Newton yanked up the cone. Studying the dull gold shine, he murmured, “After all these years, the group of giants that allowed me to stand on their shoulders has died. Someone needs to complete their journey for them.”

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