Chapter 14

After completing the project, I immediately informed the prince and retired to bed. Two days later, the giant stork returned, this time carrying a necklace adorned with various gems. Among them were the space gems, possessing the unique ability to store objects within their vast interior space. The size of the space depended on the gem's level, with higher levels offering greater capacity.

After a brief moment of interaction with the stork, I headed to the workshop to retrieve the finished products. As I approached the stork, all of the items seamlessly vanished into the space gems, and the stork gracefully took flight once again.

A week later, in the midst of my training, a notification chimed on my crystal card. It was a message from the prince himself:

"Honorable Mr. Zen,

I wish to express my sincere gratitude for your exceptional work. The quality of the products surpassed my expectations, and you completed the project in an impressively timely manner. As a token of my appreciation, I have decided to raise your payment by 40%. It is the least I can do to show my gratitude.

Sincerely,

Bamboo Jade Prince"

Just as I absorbed the prince's message, another notification appeared, confirming the order and the buyer's additional payment. The total balance now amounted to a staggering 780 million EC. A triumphant grin stretched across my face. With this wealth, I would soon become a billionaire. In this world, strength truly reigned supreme.

Having concluded the transaction, I made my way to the tranquil garden gazebo to indulge in cultivation. For the past four months, I had been unable to devote time to this essential practice. With renewed determination, I immersed myself in the cultivation process, channelling the energy and refining my skills.

After twelve hours of intense focus, I allowed myself a well-deserved rest. The next morning, I ventured into the energy trapping formation, fully aware of the anticipated results. As expected, my experiment yielded success. The flowers within the formation blossomed abundantly, revealing vibrant colors, while the surrounding crystals emanated a pure, silver-white radiance—a testament to the concentrated energy they contained.

However, when I plucked a single petal from the flower and carried it outside the inner dome, I sensed an alarming instability. It flickered with an essence of life that unsettled me deeply. Recognizing the grave danger it posed, I swiftly threw the petal with all my might. Within moments, the petal traveled ten kilometers before detonating in a powerful explosion.

The shockwave rippled through the air, serving as a stark reminder of the potential hazards hidden within my creations. I stood amidst the aftermath, a mix of exhilaration and caution coursing through my veins. There was so much more to uncover, so many mysteries left to unravel. With newfound prudence, I resolved to continue my research, ever mindful of the consequences that awaited those who delved too deeply.

The explosion was unlike any other I had witnessed before. It manifested as a ball of intense white light, accompanied by a gentle warmth that did not scorch the skin. There were no violent vibrations, only a serene display of energy. However, the aftermath revealed a massive crater, measuring 500 meters in width and 100 meters in depth. Within its depths, nothing remained. Not a single particle of matter or even air survived the blast.

As I observed the surroundings, I noticed the withering of the nearby trees. The decay progressed slowly but visibly, as if time itself was being accelerated. Intrigued, I approached the nearest withered tree and examined it using my own energy. To my astonishment, I discovered that the energy channels within the tree had been completely severed. Even the tiniest channels were destroyed, leaving nothing behind. Moreover, the energy within the tree had vanished entirely, leaving it devoid of any life force.

Pondering this phenomenon, I returned to the energy formation, filled with newfound excitement. "Now I have a clear field for future experimentation," I thought to myself. This time, I selected a smaller pure energy crystal and carried it outside the inner dome, preparing to throw it with all my might. But to my surprise, nothing happened even after two minutes had passed. Upon closer inspection, I found that the crystal remained stable, its energy encapsulated within a protective shield-like layer on its surface. This shield selectively allowed only pure energy to pass through, while preventing any external energies from entering.

Delighted by this discovery, I realized the potential applications of such crystals in countless ways. Returning to the present, I arrived at the energy formation and surveyed the area. The crystals within the outer dome had also undergone changes, now refilled with energy. Turning my attention to the inner dome, I found it teeming with countless transparent flowers. Each energy crystal within the dome gleamed silver-white, reflecting the sunlight in a mesmerizing display.

After much contemplation for about 20 minutes, I made a decision. I would transform this formation into a pure energy generator. I collected all the silver crystals, leaving only the flowers behind, as the crystals were the key component I needed. Before leaving the formation, I implemented an illusion and a bewildering formation, designed to confound any trespasser's senses, even reaching into their very souls.

Leaving the formation, I embarked on a search for a location that could directly connect to the garden. Once found, I marked four circles, each with a diameter of 1 kilometer. These circles would serve as crucial points for the next phase of my plans.

Those circles I marked would serve as the foundation for another energy system, acting as absorbers rather than generators. The silver crystal formations within them would attract and filter the energy. The absorbed energy would then pass through pipe-like structures buried underground, serving as conduits to transport the energy. All the pipes would lead directly below the gazebo in the garden.

To ensure the energy remained contained within the gazebo and prevent any leakage, I had already planted energy isolation formations around it. Even from the outside, the gazebo would appear perfectly ordinary, thanks to concealment, confusion, and illusion formations I had implemented. Reshaping the entire garden seemed unnecessary after careful consideration.

Creating those four formations and connecting them to the garden gazebo had taken a month of intense work, with me dedicating up to 20 hours per day. These formations served more than just energy absorption; I had to plant various other formations to maintain the desired effects. Likewise, the gazebo itself required special formations.

After spending a few days relaxing and enjoying the fruits of my labour, I returned to my cultivation and training routine. This time, the results were significantly different. As I trained in martial arts, particularly boxing, I infused the training field with pure energy. The gazebo was not the sole recipient; I had also connected the training field, pond, farm, and tower below the gazebo to absorb energy whenever needed.

The farm and pond were merely additional experiments I conducted. The tower, apart from the gazebo, housed the highest concentration of energy, but I had installed a remote control device to sever its connection if necessary. With all these arrangements in place, I no longer needed to actively cultivate energy, as it would automatically be absorbed by my body.

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After maintaining my normal routine for a month, boredom began to creep in. "Goddamn, I need another project," I muttered to myself. In my previous world, I would have never bothered with additional projects, but in this world, entertainment options were limited, and the ones that did exist were lacking.

I headed to the office and delved into more books. My interest was piqued when I came across a manual about puppets. "Damn, I completely forgot about the puppets. This could be an interesting endeavour," I said with a mischievous grin on my face.

Making formidable puppets has always been a part of my plans, but with all the other projects, it had been pushed to the corner of my mind. However, now was the perfect time to delve into the world of puppets.

I accessed Moria's memories and began searching for any recollections related to puppet-making. Eventually, I came across a memory involving Moria's friend, who happened to be one of the finest puppet makers in the star sector. He had created puppets that were capable of causing destruction on a planetary scale if detonated. When I examined the structure of those puppets, I was truly impressed.

The puppet's internal structure resembled that of military automatons in my previous world. It mimicked the form and function of a human body, with bones, muscles, and other components. However, the organs were omitted, and only the heart and brain remained, serving the same functions as their human counterparts.