Forty-nine. The Puppet

Within the Divine Mechanism Battalion, passageways crisscrossed and chambers interconnected, vast and grandiose. The floors were constructed to towering heights, all to accommodate those colossal automata.

As the group passed the ironworks, the sound of hammering echoed from within, a feverish clamor—surely the noises heard outside the gates originated here. Yet the Divine Mechanism Battalion lay on the outskirts of the capital; nearby were estates and pill workshops belonging to noble families, an industrial zone devoid of residences, sparse in population and unlikely to disturb the locals.

Pei Xiunian glanced through the doorway and glimpsed tongues of fire leaping inside. Disciples of the Battalion operated automata, lifting massive pillars, while others refined or made minor adjustments atop them. The remaining disciples were responsible for inscribing arrays at the joints where the parts connected.

After a casual glance, Pei Xiunian lost any inclination to propose enhancements to their manufacturing capacity. The industrial assembly line of the Divine Mechanism Battalion was even more advanced than he had imagined; the root of their limited production must be far from as straightforward as he had thought.

He shook his head inwardly, having hoped to subtly ingratiate himself with the Battalion—not so much to win them over, but at least to curry favor and perhaps gain some benefit. Even being able to borrow two automata would be worthwhile... Now, however, he could not approach it from the angle of production.

Meanwhile, Luo Xiaoning seemed quite familiar with the place. The young girl, clad in crimson training attire, supported her chin with both hands and hummed a tune as she dashed ahead. She ran up the brown-painted stairs to the second floor, kicking open the grand door with effortless ease.

Clearly, there must be some regular interaction between the Celestial Observatory and the Divine Mechanism Battalion...

The second-floor doors swung open. Upon seeing the incoming party, the disciples inside who were tinkering with automata paused their work, turned, and greeted them:

"Greetings, Your Highness, Master, Senior Sister Luo."

Pei Xiunian looked at the dazzling array of automata. If not for the fact that some were male, some female, some large and some small, he might have suspected he had walked into a factory of Springwater Hall or That Which Is Good...

After the half-hearted formalities, the disciples returned to their stations. Pei Xiunian glanced at Du Zimo, the sect master, who seemed awkward and hastily explained:

"They’re all doing this of their own accord. The Divine Mechanism Battalion places no strict requirements on research..."

Just then, a disciple with disheveled hair and a haggard look hugged an automaton and burst into wild laughter:

"Ah! Yes! I’ve done it!"

Pei Xiunian suppressed the urge to respond, and looked toward the source of the commotion. The disciple's lips were pale and cracked, his face gaunt—almost as if he might drop dead at any moment. Yet his expression was full of excitement.

Luo Xiaoning sidled up to Pei Xiunian, pointed discreetly with one finger, and used the other hand to cup her mouth, whispering:

"Be careful, that's Yan Xinghe. The Grand Fate Master says he's an incurable lunatic."

The other disciples, having set aside their work, all looked toward him, chattering noisily.

"Senior Brother Yan, did it really work?"

Yan Xinghe finally lowered his head, looked around with confidence, and replied, "It worked."

Du Zimo’s face soured as he barked:

"You brat, what did you succeed at?"

Yan Xinghe now noticed those at the door. He saluted, then carried his automaton over, nearly stumbling, and announced loudly:

"Master, during the days in Yangzhou, I thoroughly improved the remaining automata you left behind. Now, manipulation no longer relies on the spinal column, so there’s no longer anything odd about their bodies. Look—"

He set the automaton down, and it bowed to the group before spontaneously tidying up the scattered items. Yan Xinghe continued:

"The mechanical workings within are now a perfect closed loop. If we could procure jade suitable for awakening, perhaps we could give it a try..."

To the layman, it was a spectacle; to the expert, a marvel. Pei Xiunian clicked his tongue in amazement.

Du Zimo, however, lost what little interest he’d had and snapped, "How many automata did you break this time?"

Yan Xinghe grinned sheepishly, "Broke them all—only this one is left. But Master, if we could get our hands on a Heart Crystal, even a small shard could be used for testing..."

Du Zimo nearly choked, "Do you realize those automata were already reserved by noble families? And Heart Crystal—do you know it can awaken weapon spirits? It’s priceless!"

Yan Xinghe shrugged, "Master, those illustrious families already ostracize us. Sending them these automata would only mean using them for heavy labor as before. Better to use them for experimentation..."

"Silence!" Du Zimo’s face shifted from red to green. He calmed himself, then rubbed his forehead and said,

"Since the war in Qingqiu, our sect has been short of funds. We’re already running a deficit. Do you understand how much you’ve cost us?"

While Du Zimo scolded his disciple, Pei Xiunian was examining the approaching automaton. Its gaze seemed to meet his, its mechanical skeleton bearing a face indistinguishable from a human’s—rather uncanny.

Pei Xiunian wanted to pinch its arm to see what material it was made of, but the automaton instinctively dodged away, which only made him more intrigued. He spoke plainly:

"I can invest in your Battalion."

Indeed, Pei Xiunian was now quite wealthy. The newly launched Imperial Gazette brought in substantial income just in the capital, not to mention each province of the Great Zhou had at least one branch of the Celestial Observatory.

As an official publication, there was no risk of imitation by the populace. The future dividends could be enormous—Pei Xiunian hardly dared to imagine how much.

Truth be told, he had the young Celestial Overseer to thank for this, though now it was Lu Qingyue. Since her identity had become public, their relationship was not so much estranged, but Pei Xiunian felt a certain unease in his heart...

"Your Highness...is this true?"

The hall grew silent. All eyes turned to Pei Xiunian, except for Luo Xiaoning, who sat cross-legged atop a table, lost in thought.

Pei Xiunian noticed how Du Zimo suddenly looked revitalized; perhaps it was an act—but these people likely cared little for the upheaval in the capital. He continued,

"The dividend from the Imperial Gazette in the capital—I can allocate a portion for investment in the Battalion’s research. But I must be able to access a few of your automata whenever needed."

Before Du Zimo could reply, Yan Xinghe eagerly interjected, rubbing his hands like a fly,

"Thank you for Your Highness’s generous support—this is something I can decide. Not just automata, even puppets, no problem at all. However, the number of Grade A combat automata is very limited; they’re all deployed in the Forbidden City, and the Battalion can’t produce them quickly. But Your Highness can access Grade B combat automata at any time."

Grade B...that would suffice. Sixth-level automata weren’t exactly common. Pei Xiunian did not refuse.

Du Zimo promptly knocked Yan Xinghe on the head and shouted,

"Go fetch the access token!"

Yan Xinghe clutched his head and scampered downstairs, grinning foolishly.

Pei Xiunian was about to speak when Luo Xiaoning, still sitting cross-legged on the table, slapped her forehead and turned to him, giggling,

"I just remembered why Master sent me to find you today."

She sat up straight. "Master said, if you want to fund the Battalion’s research, let the Celestial Observatory cover the cost. Also, Master asked me to tell you—the Second Prince will arrive in the capital on the tenth day of the tenth month. What day is it now?"

"It’s the tenth day of the tenth month!" Pei Xiunian frowned. "Why didn’t you say so earlier?"

Just then, a deafening explosion sounded from within the Battalion, followed by the grinding of gears, then a succession of muffled blasts one after another.

It seemed to originate from one of the chambers, but the Battalion had already enacted safety measures.

The disciples were unfazed. Someone remarked calmly,

"Must be the batch of automata Senior Brother Yan broke—self-destructing."

Then, another series of explosions resounded, this time not from within the Battalion.

With a thunderous roar, Pei Xiunian and the others followed the disciples’ gaze to the window. In the distance, a pill workshop collapsed, sending clouds of dust billowing skyward.

Through the haze, Pei Xiunian saw figures wielding blades—several automata, damaged by the blasts, now reconstructing themselves from the wreckage.

Yan Xinghe’s voice drifted up from below, "Master, the token is gone."