Chapter 221 Fuel for Perpetual Motion Machine
Li Bailong went to the government office to see him.

I saw lights on in the yamen, and a pillar-like auxiliary tower standing there. There was a lightning rod-like component on the top, buzzing and flashing golden light. There were officials guarding the surroundings, and they all looked energetic under the shining light.

“There is a will that is influencing them in the opposite direction.”

Aozi said with certainty: “No…it is better to say that the power of their own wishes is used by this device called ‘beacon’ and acts directly on them…”

He tried to describe it in a way that Li Bailong could understand.

“Maybe the beacon uses their mana to automatically cast the buff spell?”

Li Bailong thought for a moment and smiled proudly.

“This analogy is terrible! And it’s not at all vivid! Mana and willpower are not the same thing!” He scolded, “You still have something to learn! You don’t know enough about the Earth! This shows that you don’t have me in your heart at all! If it were the Master, he would definitely come up with a more appropriate analogy!”

“Bullshit!” Aozi said angrily, “What are you talking about! I was obviously here first! When it comes to secrets, I know more! Then again, you didn’t even dare to tell her about writing a cool article, and you still say you have feelings for her?”

Long Aotian became more and more dissatisfied: “Also, what’s wrong with this metaphor?”

Li Bailong said proudly: “Mana points are all yours and you use them yourself, but willpower is different! Willpower is produced by yourself, and it was snatched away by the terrible adults, and was used in turn to encourage yourself to produce more–“

“You seem to be talking about something very dangerous.”

Ao Zi asked in a gloomy tone: “Who is this scary adult referring to?”

Li Bailong muttered mysteriously: “Silence. It can be a greedy class, a cold-blooded policy, or an indescribable group, but it will never be a network…”

“–grown ups!”

Although it was late at night, the government office lit up the long-burning lights. Zhang Chun strode over, took Director Li’s hand, and said eagerly: “The first auxiliary tower has been erected. Mr. Cheng patted his chest and said that the second tower can be erected before dawn. At this rate of progress, we can fully activate the beacon the day after tomorrow at the latest!”

In the firelight, this shrewd old official had a warm expression.

“There is no time to lose. King Zhao is waiting for your turn. Let’s start tonight!”

Faced with this energetic request, Li Bailong smiled and said, “Let me think about it.”

Zhang Chun’s face actually showed a bit of impatience and irritability.

However, he still showed enough respect to Director Li: “Okay.”

In his mind, Aozi said faintly: “Do you need me to turn off the phone?”

This is the “crystal powder purification mechanism” that Long Aotian spent half the night figuring out.

In short, when the beacon shines, the mysterious and unpredictable power is added out of thin air, which can affect the recipient who is generating willpower, and directly use part of the willpower generated by the other party, turning it into a buff that clarifies the mind and strengthens the will, making the target full of vitality.

In this process, the beacon and the receptor will establish a subtle but lasting magical connection.

This spiritual connection is ethereal and solid, and is difficult to be blocked by the material forces of the world, but a different force of the same kind and origin can cut it off…that is the power of will.

Although Long Aotian’s understanding of willpower is just a sophistication, he is still very proficient in the basic forms of application such as the rough “condensation” and “cutting off”.

“To use the words of your hometown, I can even try to hack into this switch and selectively block this kind of connection… not only these loyal ministers and filial sons, but also our readers.”

Aozi explained proudly, and then shouted: “Damn it, is the switch a good metaphor? Can Jiang Lishu do it? Can she beat me?”

“Oh, yes, yes, you are so smart that no one can compare to you, sister.”

“That’s more like it.” Ao Zixi said, “Why, do you want me to help you turn off Zhang Chun’s power? In a blink of an eye, he will doubt his life, lose his motivation, and become a worthless person.”

“…Please don’t do that.”

Li Bailong hurriedly stopped him: “The affairs of Huazhou have attracted the attention of the court. Zhang Chun is a high-ranking official and there are many people watching. If people find out that ‘Master Zhang has become disloyal after chatting with the governor for a few words’, I will become a traitor!”

He then instructed, “In short, remember carefully. The matter of vows is absolutely the top secret of the court. We are in the game, so we can just make a fortune quietly. If we fall into the rice jar, we will eat and eat. We don’t care about anything else and just pretend we don’t know. After all, I am an ordinary student of a second-tier sect. I accidentally got a good ranking in the provincial examination and was selected by the emperor’s uncle to do something. I am just a rookie. What bad intentions can I have?”

“I understand. Just hide the abnormality from the readers and don’t let the court find out.”

“Correct.”

Aozi agreed, but then felt it was a pity: “What a pity, we have already grasped the essence of this switch… so why don’t we continue researching?”

“No…continue.”

In the spiritual world, Li Bailong said in a deep voice: “I have no research or understanding of willpower, nor do I have the conditions to explore and delve into it. Everything depends on you… Study this thing thoroughly, understand it, master it, and hide yourself. If there is a backdoor, leave a backdoor, and if there is a virus, plant a virus.”

Aozi snorted, “So defensive.”

Li Bailong said solemnly: “Maybe I’m overthinking… This is the disadvantage of being a time traveler. I have a lot of experience and a strong ability to associate. I always feel that this thing is very weird.”

Long Aotian said directly: “Since you are suspicious and wary, why not just destroy it? It’s not difficult to destroy it.” “The dispute over the same writing in Huazhou must have a result. The emperor’s uncle is barely holding on in the court and needs a victory to save the situation. I was ordered to come to Huazhou to do something, how could I do such a thing… Even if I think this thing is harmful, I should collect evidence, persuade King Zhao, and come up with a plan. If things don’t go well, then we can use underhanded tactics.”

Li Bailong replied: “Besides, destroying one is useless.”

“How to say?”

“Look at the beacon and the auxiliary tower. Look at the craftsmanship and design. There are already standardized parts, so there must be more than one beacon system. Moreover, once this thing is made, it will definitely come in handy. Even if I destroy it or even give up, the beacon will still continue to be used…”

“So, when you judge that a strange object has potential risks and threats and is difficult to destroy, the best way is not to ignore it, but to ensure that it is under your control.”

Li Bailong said in a deep voice: “This is the truth that ‘treasures belong to those with virtue’. It’s not that I am greedy, but I am thinking about the lives and well-being of all living beings, so who else but me should step forward.”

Aozi listened very seriously at first, but then he said “Puh” with a sound.

“What are you talking about? Learn from my broad-mindedness.”

Li Bailong mocked, “If you had understood this principle when you were robbing treasures before, you could have hired more trolls to brag for you, do public relations, and whitewash you, and build up a good persona, so that everyone wouldn’t want to kill you.”

“That’s right, this is indeed my weakness.” Ao Zi said with a smile: “When we succeed and rebuild our golden body, you can help me manage it when we travel through the heavens.”

The two of them were joking in the spiritual world, and Li Bailong said to Zhang Chun: “Let’s take a rest for a night.”

Zhang Chun was obviously reluctant when he heard this.

But the purification of the beacon did not turn him into an irrational fan. He still had some sense, was grateful and in awe of Director Li, and knew his own identity and position, so he agreed.

Under the orders of several superiors, although Cheng Gong and others were still reluctant to leave, they returned to their rooms to rest.

“We will start construction early tomorrow morning.”

Zhang Chun gathered his colleagues and subordinates and was assigning tasks: “The sites of the secondary towers must be cleared and resettled in advance, idle people must be cleared out, defenses must be built, and supplies must be prepared in advance.”

These government affairs based on the actual situation of the state are not Li Bailong’s forte.

So he went out on his own and looked at the beacon flashing golden light in the night.

He had never heard of such a magical device. In this world, there was no legend of wish power incense. But this strange object that directly pointed to the wish power had appeared in front of him. The secrets hidden in this world seemed to have been revealed… In the dark, there seemed to be a higher will overlooking and controlling.

Willing power.

Sentient beings.

“This thing is wonderful.”

Long Aotian had been studying it and couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration at this moment.

“Using a portion of the target’s willpower to buff others will allow them to produce more willpower. This should be the working mechanism of the so-called beacon.”

He was eager to make a move and asked, “Should we make one for the readers as well?”

Li Bailong did not answer, but asked: “What is the price?”

“what?”

“The beacon’s working mechanism… it can double the output of willpower without any input. What does it consume?”

“Ah… I don’t know.” Long Aotian replied, “This thing hasn’t been built yet, and it hasn’t been fully started, so there’s no way to observe it. You should have asked them to work overnight. As for consumption… I can’t think of what it would consume. Maybe there really is no consumption? After all, the power of will is something created out of nothing.”

“No, I think there will be consumption.”

“Huh? What?”

“Hard work creates value, and part of that value is given to the workers as a reward and incentive. Add some other tricks to keep them working and creating value, and the cycle will continue endlessly for generations to come.”

Li Bailong said calmly: “Tell me, what fuel is used for such a perpetual motion machine?”

Long Aotian was speechless for a moment: “This should be your guess… We have obtained the wishes from readers for several months, and we haven’t found any problems with anyone.”

“It’s hard to say now.” Li Bailong glanced at the beacon and turned back to the house.

The night sky is vast, the stars move and the constellations shift, until the horizon is brightened by the dawn, a new day has arrived, the beacon is spinning, the light is bright, the officials are illuminated by the light, and their loyalty to the emperor is greatly aroused.

Huazhou’s administrative efficiency is increasing at a visible rate.

After a quick wash and preparation and breakfast, the construction crew set out to start work.

From morning to night, one secondary tower after another was erected.

(End of this chapter)