Chapter 1188: Chapter 1187: Cold Resistance
Lin Zai walked downstairs but didn’t see Zhao Shuai. He wondered if Zhao Shuai had gone off to play on his own. Just as he walked out the door, he saw Zhao Shuai on the phone beside him. Zhao Shuai sighed, "Dad, scientific research needs funding. If you don’t give me funding, how can I carry out the research?" Zhao Shuai was asking for money again.
"Alright, alright, don’t worry, I won’t go off and play at all. I’ll focus entirely on research," Zhao Shuai promised confidently. After hanging up the phone, he smiled naturally. "So, judging by your expression, you got the money, right?" Lin Zai asked. "Oh, are you done with your chat? I’ve waited so long that the flowers have wilted. Yes, I’m a rich man again now, haha. Come, let me take you to a place that’s a dream destination for a scientist like you.
Zhao Shuai said mysteriously to Lin Zai. "What place?" Lin Zai asked. "Come on, you’ll know once you get there, and you’ll definitely love it." With that, Zhao Shuai dragged Lin Zai into a waiting taxi. "To Nine Bends Road," Zhao Shuai instructed the taxi driver. Lin Zai helplessly realized that he hadn’t even agreed, yet this fellow had already pulled him into the taxi.
In the car, Lin Zai learned from Zhao Shuai that the so-called "place where all scientists want to go" was actually a black market trading venue called "Dark Cosmos." However, Lin Zai didn’t mind such places; he had visited them often enough back on Earth, all for the sake of research. After about half an hour, they arrived in front of a bar called "Hallelujah."
Lin Zai and Zhao Shuai got out of the car. "So this is the place you brought me to? A bar?" Lin Zai’s tone wasn’t entirely pleasant. "Come on, don’t be hasty. I told you it was underground trading. Of course, there has to be a facade to deceive people. Come on, follow me and see for yourself," Zhao Shuai said, dragging Lin Zai inside.
Upon pushing the door open, a strong smell of alcohol hit them. The bar wasn’t large, seeming to be only two stories. The ground floor had only one counter, behind which was a massive wine rack with a few bottles, and four or five tables with a few people scattered around. Lin Zai felt that this was just a bar not doing good business.
Zhao Shuai quickly walked to the bar counter and said to the barmaid, "A glass of ’Dark Cosmos,’ please." The barmaid was visibly surprised; these two individuals seemed so young. Yet, the bartender was professional and didn’t ask much, simply stating, "Do you have a letter of recommendation?"
Zhao Shuai then took a Black pen out of his pocket and handed it to the barmaid, who was even more surprised now. She carefully received the pen and placed it on a seemingly scanner-like device. "Alright, sir, please follow me," she said, handing the pen back to Zhao Shuai and leading them to a room on the second floor.
When the barmaid opened the door, Lin Zai saw a rather ordinary resting room with a bed and a computer. The room looked as though it hadn’t been cleaned in some time. She then rotated the computer monitor 360 degrees, and with a "boom," half of the bed lifted, revealing a tunnel. Lin Zai was puzzled, "Sir, I hope you enjoy your visit," the barmaid said with a smile before leaving. Zhao Shuai grabbed Lin Zai, ready to head down.
"Wait a minute, Zhao Shuai, are you sure there’s no danger inside? And what was that pen?" Lin Zai felt that Zhao Shuai might not be as simple as he seemed; he had too many doubts now. "Well, that pen was given to me by a friend, a real ’black technology’ tycoon!" Zhao Shuai openly admitted.
With that, Zhao Shuai led Lin Zai into the tunnel. Right at the entrance, a lamp hung, emitting a light that Lin Zai was very familiar with: "Glazed Light," which had a powerful penetrating force and a memory function, meaning anyone illuminated by it would be remembered by the light and could feedback to the central control room. Lin Zai realized that someone must have seen him and Zhao Shuai go in by now.
"Don’t worry about being watched; the Glazed Light here is just for decoration," Zhao Shuai reassured. "This guy seems to know exactly what I’m thinking," Lin Zai pondered. Many Glazed Cups lined the tunnel walls. Lin Zai couldn’t help but feel drawn to this "Dark Cosmos." Glazed Light is as beautiful as its name suggests. However, this light is created by shining ordinary light onto High-level Artificial Magnets. These magnets are one in ten thousand among artificial magnets, and a single lamp requires intricate craft to create, let alone so many of them on a planet like Kai Ao Star, with its generally ordinary technological level.
Lin Zai, his mind heavy with thoughts, walked along unknowingly reaching the Daoist Sect’s entrance. "Are you ready, Lin? You’re about to see a different world!" Zhao Shuai said mysteriously. "Oh, alright, let’s go," Lin Zai replied, trying to compose himself.
As Zhao Shuai pushed open the door, they saw an enormous "trading ground," filled with many booths and throngs of people in front of each. The place was lit brightly, bustling with activity. "How is it, Lin? Pretty good, right? You can only barter here. The better your items, the better things you’ll see," Zhao Shuai explained.
Suddenly, Zhao Shuai’s eyes brightened, "Hey, Qi! You’re here too," he shouted, running toward one of the booths. Lin Zai, however, felt increasingly cold, as though deep in the Arctic.
Looking ahead, he saw a white lotus-like flower the size of his fist, pristine and beautiful. Yet, he instinctively felt that the chill emanated from the flower.
He approached the booth displaying the flower, where a woman in a red gown held it. The woman had long curly hair, flawless skin, a striking visage, and wore gloves. Seeing the gloves, Lin Zai was surprised. They seemed ordinary, yet they were woven from Vajra Silk, which had cold resistance dozens of times greater than regular yarn. Vajra Silk was famously rare during earlier Earth research, described as being "hard to find even a thread." However, beside the lady in red were several men; some seemed interested in the flower, others in the woman. Lin Zai didn’t find the chilling flower appealing and planned to visit other booths. Just as he was walking past her, the flower seemingly floated towards him, "Sir, please wait, there’s something I want to ask you."
A clean voice spoke—it was the woman in red. Lin Zai paused and turned to her. She addressed the surrounding men, "Everyone, I’ve found my trading partner; please look elsewhere."
The men reluctantly left. "So, finding a trading partner here means you have to notify others to leave," Lin Zai thought. "Sir, do you know what my flower is for?" the woman asked Lin Zai. "That flower? I just felt it’s cold but I don’t know its purpose," Lin Zai answered.
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