https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-241-Shadow-Stones-and-Shadows-Who-Is-the-Parasite-/12850392/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-243-Failure-to-Obtain-a-Rare-Class-Occupation/12850394/
Chapter 242: Binding Together as a Community of Shared Interests
Chapter 242: Binding Together as a Community of Shared Interests
After the Azure Dragon found another treasure vault through 'Li Yan,' Qin Muye's status in the city's Shadow Administration Bureau soared.
It was a bit disappointing that most of the resources in the vault had been damaged, but it was undeniable that the vault had once been rich in resources.
The cause of the damage was identified as improper storage. If stored properly, even after a thousand years, the resources would have remained intact.
Fortunately, there was still a small portion of undamaged resources and a considerable number of shadow stones. However, these were not the main focus. The key point was that if one treasure vault existed, there might be another, and perhaps one day, this 'Professor Li' would point out another vault.
This time, apart from Qin Muye, the biggest beneficiary was the Azure Dragon, as he was the one who discovered it.
As a result, many people began trying to build relationships with Qin Muye, inviting him for tea, meals, and even health treatments.
However, Qin Muye politely declined all of these invitations, citing his busy work schedule.
If it had been anyone else, they would have been mocked for being a mere archivist with nothing to do.
But with Qin Muye, everyone praised him for being busy and showed him concern.
They knew that Qin Muye was genuinely busy; if he weren't, where would the treasure vaults come from?
After these two excavations, their branch bureau gained recognition from the headquarters, leading to improved treatment. Even the deputy director of the headquarters inquired about Qin Muye.
The second treasure vault of the Zhen Army was not very valuable, but the first vault of the Yin Mountain Army was truly valuable, so much so that it even caught the attention of the headquarters, which sent a dedicated team to investigate.
Initially, there was a thought to include Qin Muye to earn some merit, but he declined. Seeing this, the deputy director had no choice but to give up and sent a few others to gain experience.
The headquarters' investigators did not come to cause trouble for Qin Muye or deliberately belittle him. Instead, they sincerely sought his advice and left with significant gains.
Surprisingly, Qin Muye also received merit. The investigators were honest; even though Qin Muye did not go, he was still nominated.
The others who went for experience did not feel jealous or resentful. Instead, they thanked Qin Muye, as it was his willingness to step aside that gave them the opportunity.
Ultimately, Qin Muye's name was on the list purely due to his capabilities. No one who had received merit through chance dared to offend someone who did the real work. If they did, they wouldn't last long in the branch bureau. Who would want to work with someone with such a short-sighted attitude?
In modern society, it's more about interpersonal relationships and broad-mindedness rather than narrow-mindedness.
People like Qin Muye, who share the rewards, are liked by everyone. They even hope that Qin Muye will grow stronger, so they can have a bigger share of the pie. Only those with short-sighted views would think of reaping the benefits.
If they did, it wouldn't be a sweet fruit but a bitter one.
Now, the entire branch bureau has formed a community of shared interests, and Qin Muye doesn't have to worry about being betrayed.
Anyone who betrays him will find others willing to protect him. Emotional appeals are ineffective; only binding people through shared interests works.
For example, this time, Qin Muye further deepened the ties.
"Gentlemen, the ruins we are about to explore are from the Yuan Dynasty period, left by the Venerable Wanwu. The probability is as high as 90%," Qin Muye said, addressing the managers of the regional Shadow Administration Bureau, from the deputy director to the team captains, all seated there.
"Let me introduce the Venerable Wanwu. You might not be familiar with him, but historically, he was incredibly powerful, capable of matching an entire army single-handedly. The decisive battle that established the Yuan Dynasty relied on him. You should understand the significance of this."
"More importantly, records indicate that the Venerable Wanwu died, and the founding emperor of the Yuan Dynasty used all the resources of the empire for his burial, selecting three thousand children to be sacrificed."
"Leaving aside the issue of the children, from various clues, this place is not just where the Venerable Wanwu died but also where his legacy is stored. It contains a vast amount of resources, shadow techniques, and cultivation insights. If someone can obtain his legacy, then—"
Qin Muye spoke at length, accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation and a subtle use of his charisma.
This made the audience's breathing a bit heavier.
"Cough, Professor Li, you can skip the detailed introduction. Whatever you say, we will do."
Zong Si's expression was slightly excited as he said, "Alright, Professor Li, just go ahead and speak frankly. Whatever you say, we'll do it."
"Actually, the ruins aren't that difficult. I've deduced the structure of the ruins from the records, but there is a small issue," Qin Muye explained.
"An issue is no problem, Professor Li, just tell us," Zong Si quickly responded.
"The ruins aren't in our city, but in the neighboring city," Qin Muye said, looking a bit troubled.
The others were taken aback by this. They hadn't expected Qin Muye's business to extend so far, all the way to the neighboring city.
In the end, Zong Si gritted his teeth and said, "No problem, I'll find a way."
With such a significant benefit at stake, he was willing to agree without hesitation.
From Qin Muye's description, Zong Si knew that the legacy of Venerable Wanwu was no simple matter.
Qin Muye had already sent the Evangelical Sprite to investigate after making his deductions. There was quite a bit of valuable material. After selecting what he needed, Qin Muye had the sprite leave before revealing the information.
Regarding the research on shadow stones, Qin Muye was also making progress, though he was still far from his goal. Thus, he hadn't yet awakened his shadow; he needed to lay the groundwork first.
"That's good. If the treasure vault is real, I have a few minor requests that I hope you can accommodate," Qin Muye said politely.
"Of course, Professor Li. You are our division's treasure," Zong Si joked.
The others chimed in, agreeing.
If it was true, they would indeed have to treat Qin Muye with great respect. With the resources from the treasure vault, they wouldn't have to be so frugal in cultivating their shadows.
Qin Muye soon left, and the others began discussing how to legitimately obtain the resources. This was about resources, not archaeology. If it were archaeology, they could leave it to the neighboring city, but resources were something they had to use themselves. Giving them to others would be a waste.
Qin Muye definitely wouldn't go with them. As a legacy left by a shadow practitioner, the ruins still posed some danger. As an ordinary person who hadn't yet awakened his shadow, Qin Muye would only be a burden.
So, they didn't plan to take Qin Muye along. Even if they wanted to, he wouldn't go. For him, it would be a waste of time.
Back in his archive room, which now only had him, Zong Si had tried to assign him a few secretaries or assistants, but Qin Muye had refused. He needed to research shadow stones and shadows, and having others around would be inconvenient.
"This technology reminds me of the mages' golems."
Golems were a creation somewhere between puppets and anthropomorphic beasts, made from elemental spirits. Though they were inanimate, they could form living entities.
Similarly, the connection between shadow stones and shadows transformed inanimate objects into living ones, and the process was even simpler. Placing a shadow stone on a person's shadow could potentially awaken it.
The 50% awakening chance for low-grade shadow stones was also straightforward. The energy in low-grade shadow stones was insufficient to awaken a shadow, hence the need for a second stone. Qin Muye had deduced this through data comparison.
Qin Muye planned to improve the process by combining shadow technology with golem techniques.
He had previously intended to create a personal server using golem technology, and now the shadow practitioner's techniques complemented this perfectly. Once improved, it could be widely adopted, enhancing both his and the sprite's capabilities.
Therefore, he needed to solve the shadow stone problem first.
"The elemental spirit technology and the structure of shadow stones need to be modified. The materials are crucial."
If the materials were not available in this world, even if he succeeded, it would be a problem.
While improving the process, he needed to find a way for his domain to produce the necessary materials.
Such specialties could likely only be produced in the Shadow Realm, but Qin Muye viewed this with suspicion.
"The difficulty shouldn't be too great. With my multiple talents, researching a way to produce the resources shouldn't be a significant issue."
Qin Muye thought for a moment, sifting through a vast amount of knowledge in his mind. Gradually, he formed a plan for the experiment. All he needed to do now was conduct the research and obtain his results.
(End of Chapter)
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