Chapter 131

"What's that silver thing called? 'Liquid alloy' sounds too pedestrian. Most outsiders would call it Y-Alloy, but if it were up to me, maybe 'mercury alloy'? After all, mercury is the primary component." Hearing Miller's inquiry, Cole could not help but answer. "As for its effects, they are quite versatile, but I won't go into detail." As he spoke, the silver liquid flowed back into Cole's clothing, and despite its massive appearance moments ago, it vanished as if it had never been there. "Wait, isn't mercury toxic? Why are you..." "The toxicity has been neutralized, though how I achieved that is my own research secret," Cole said, clearly not intending to make it public. "However, I doubt anyone else could manage it. Even the spatial storage watches currently in use come from my hands. These things require a specific spatial core, and I am the only one who knows how to acquire them. So, frankly, I'm not worried about that."

"A spatial core?" "Many people believe this is just an ordinary world. No magic, no special artifacts—yet they are all wrong. No world can be truly ordinary; either its wonders have yet to be discovered, or they have long since sunk into oblivion." No one would understand this, nor would anyone believe it to be true. After all, the possibility of such an otherworldly existence is essentially zero. This world is mundane, possessing only standard technology, iron, copper, and other conventional metals. Or at least, that is what modern scholars believe.

"I trust you cannot comprehend this, so you need only live in this normal world. You must understand that what I study are myths, legends, and epics. I study gods, magic, even ghosts and monsters. The mecha I use for research, for instance, are actually ancient suits of armor. Forget it, you wouldn't understand even if I said more." Cole shook his head helplessly; he did not expect them to grasp these matters.

"My apologies, we still have experiments to conduct. I won't be hosting you any longer. Perhaps next time I can give you a science lesson." He picked up a teapot from the table, drained it in one gulp, and the pot vanished into thin air. A moment later, the stool Cole had been sitting on also disappeared, and Cole himself returned to his pile of experimental materials.

"Sorry about that, everyone. Cole is just like this. Everyone only gets a brief moment with him, and once his time is up, he returns straight to his experiments, completely indifferent to what others might be doing." Seeing Cole's attitude, Teresa, his assistant, quickly offered an explanation. Having heard her and glanced at Tracy nearby, Miller finally understood the situation. "Ah! Every time I listen to Cole preach, I get so sleepy I want to doze off. By the way, how do you actually use this thing? Could you at least provide a manual?" "No manual. Research it yourself," Cole replied, a rare response, perhaps a gesture of advice from a brother.

"Wait, something's wrong! Mingchuan, why haven't you left yet?" "Isn't that obvious? The ignition device is gone, how am I supposed to move?" Looking at his wheelchair, whose controls had malfunctioned, Mingchuan could only sit there helplessly, waiting for them. "Mind and body as one. Lean forward, and you should be able to move normally. Or should I rig up a powered exoskeleton to help you walk? I'm starting to suspect you can't even stand steady." Cole belittled him without the slightest hesitation. "Forget it, I'll just push you." As he spoke, Tracy's hands were already resting on the wheelchair. "Hmph, at least one of you is a true brother. Tell me, what exactly did you do when you went to the Eastern Alliance? I didn't see tonight's reports." "Nothing, don't worry about it. By the way, given your current situation, I expect you'll be assigned as a civil official in the Eastern Alliance soon. The kind that doesn't go to the front lines."

"A civil post? Hey! You're putting me in a position of dishonor. Even if my studies are top-notch, I don't want to be a bureaucrat. Given my personality, I should be on the battlefield, shouldn't I?" "Compared to participating in combat, you are actually better suited for commanding it. I suspect the reason you insist on fighting is to protect her. After all, with your high rank, you should theoretically stay in an office, yet you choose to be on the battlefield. Isn't that because you need to protect someone?" Hearing Mingchuan's retort, Miller laughed instead and began to question him.

"High rank?" Mingchuan laughed at this. "With the Eastern Alliance's command structure, even if you're a Marshal, you're expected to command from the front. And I'm not even a Marshal. You must realize, I am one of the Lei family of the Eastern Alliance!" The founding of the Eastern Alliance was linked to various families. Even though it is a socialist state, it was established by several small nations and the leaders of those nations along with the families behind them. Therefore, even as a burgeoning nation, it has not fully escaped the control of these clans. However, the influence of the Eastern Alliance's families has begun to wane. The current struggle lies between family factions and the parliament. Unlike the ancient kingdoms where the nobility were essentially useless and corrupt, the families of the Eastern Alliance are different; they possess the genuine capability to rule. Their descendants receive the finest education, possess the best intellectual resources, and hold significant political acumen.

The Lei family, originally, were arms dealers for the Alliance. They possessed the capacity to manufacture munitions and were even one of the warlords of the Eastern Alliance. After joining the Alliance, they became part of the centrist faction that mediated between the "Red Soviet" and "Blue Democratic" wings. Beyond the primary Red, Blue, and White parties, there are three major branches of the centrist or neutral faction: Pink, Purple, and Cyan. Even as centrists, they command considerable military strength and political influence, and the Lei family is a prime representative.

"That family? I see. If that's the case, it makes sense." Her Highness seemed to have heard of this family. In fact, while they were not particularly legendary in political maneuvers, they were unparalleled in the arms industry. They were essentially the symbol of all munitions manufacturing in the Eastern Alliance. Firearms, missiles, tanks—all originated from their hands. Their conglomerate also frequently exported other weapons, though these were usually models they had already phased out.

"But I am still very curious about what the Lei family was like a hundred years ago. Could you tell me about it?" Miller suddenly became interested, broaching the topic of that obscure yet indispensable family from the East.