Chapter 534
Moving to the Bureau of Mysteries?
Chapter 534 Moving to the Bureau of Mysteries?
Lu Fang stood at the door, his face a mixture of excitement and exhaustion. His hair was disheveled, his eyes were bloodshot, and his clothes were wrinkled, making it seem as if he hadn't slept all night.
"You're here?" He saw Rowan and quickly pulled him into the house. "Come in quickly, I have something to show you!"
Rowan was pulled into the workshop and found the scene even more chaotic than the night before. Parts and blueprints were scattered everywhere on the floor, and the table was piled high with all sorts of tools and materials. The air was thick with the smell of machine oil and metal, making it hard to breathe.
"You didn't sleep all night?" Rowan asked.
"Sleep? What sleep?" Lu Fang said irritably. "The inspiration you gave me is too important; I don't want to waste a single moment. Look, this is what I made last night."
He picked up a palm-sized metal device from the table and handed it to Rowan.
It was a cylindrical object, its surface covered with densely packed patterns. Upon closer inspection, Luo Wen discovered that the patterns formed a complex array, precisely the internal energy storage array he and Lu Fang had discussed the previous night.
"This is an internal energy storage device?" Rowan exclaimed in surprise. "You made it overnight?"
“It’s just a prototype, still very rough,” Lu Fang said, “but the basic principles have been verified. You see.”
He placed his hand on the device and slowly channeled his internal energy into it.
Luo Wen saw that the array patterns on the surface of the device began to emit a faint blue light, which grew brighter and brighter until it finally stabilized at a soft brightness.
“The internal energy has been stored inside,” Lu Fang said. “Now I’ll connect it to this mechanism.”
He placed the device on the base of a small machine, and with a "click," the device and the machine were connected.
The next moment, the machine started moving.
It was a small fan, only about a foot tall. After being connected to the internal energy storage device, its blades began to rotate slowly, faster and faster, until finally a cool breeze blew on Rowan's face.
"That's amazing!" Rowan exclaimed sincerely.
“This is just the beginning,” Lu Fang said, his eyes gleaming with excitement. “If I can make this device bigger and more stable, it can store even more internal energy. Then, that motor vehicle you mentioned won’t be a dream anymore!”
Luo Wen nodded, a surge of excitement welling up inside him.
He hadn't expected Lu Fang to be so efficient, turning theory into reality overnight. Although the old man had an eccentric temperament, his talent in mechanical arts was truly genius-level.
“Next, we’ll discuss the specific design of the vehicle,” Rowan said. “Do you have paper and pen? I’ll draw up a detailed structural diagram for you.”
“Yes, yes,” Lu Fang quickly found paper and pen. “You draw, and I’ll watch.”
Rowan picked up a pen and began to draw on the paper.
He first drew a rough framework, labeling the location of each component—the body, wheels, steering system, power system, and braking system. Then, he began to explain the function and principle of each component in detail.
“This is the vehicle body, used to carry passengers and cargo,” he said, pointing to a spot on the diagram. “It needs to be made of strong but lightweight materials, able to withstand the weight without being too heavy, otherwise it would increase the burden on the power system.”
"How about the wood?" Lu Fang asked. "Wood is light and cheap."
“Wood is fine, but it won’t be strong enough,” Rowan said. “Iron or steel would be better, but we need to find a way to reduce the weight. We could make the car body a frame structure instead of a solid one.”
“Framework structure…” Lu Fang nodded thoughtfully. “I understand. Continue.”
“These are the wheels,” Rowan pointed to the four circles on the diagram. “There are four in total. The front two are for steering, and the back two are for driving. The edges of the wheels need to be covered with a soft material, such as leather or rubber, to reduce bumps and improve comfort.”
"Rubber? What's that?"
Rowan paused for a moment, realizing that Earth might not have discovered rubber as a material yet.
“It’s a flexible material,” he explained. “If you can’t find it, you can use leather as a substitute for now. I’ll try to find something similar for you later.”
Lu Fang nodded, keeping this in mind.
The two continued to discuss the design of the vehicle, scrutinizing every detail from the powertrain to the transmission, from the braking system to the steering mechanism.
Time passed by unnoticed, and it was already noon.
"I'm hungry," Lu Fang put down his pen and rubbed his aching wrist. "Let's eat something first, and continue this afternoon."
“Okay,” Rowan nodded, “I’ll go outside and buy some food.”
“You don’t need to go,” Lu Fang said. “There’s a noodle stall at the street corner; I often eat there. You wait here, I’ll go and ask them to bring it over.”
He got up and walked towards the door, but as soon as he opened it, he froze.
Seven or eight people stood outside the door, led by a burly middle-aged man dressed in a magnificent brocade robe, with a gold-inlaid leather belt around his waist and several glittering rings on his hands. Behind him followed several burly men, each with broad shoulders and thick waists, clearly not to be trifled with.
"Old Lu, long time no see," the middle-aged man said with a forced smile. "How have you been?"
Lu Fang's face immediately turned gloomy.
"Ma Defu, what are you doing here?"
"Hey, why are you being so fierce?" The middle-aged man—Ma Defu—spread his hands innocently. "I just came to see an old friend and have a chat. What kind of attitude is this?"
“I’m not your friend,” Lu Fang said coldly. “Speak your mind, and then get lost.”
Ma Defu's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his smile.
“Alright, alright, since you’re so straightforward, I’ll get straight to the point,” he said, walking into the workshop and looking around. “I heard you recently created something amazing, a machine that can be driven by internal energy?”
Lu Fang frowned.
How did you know?
“I’m very well-informed,” Ma Defu chuckled. “There’s nothing that happens in Tianqi City that I don’t know. I’ve heard about those little gadgets you make. I wasn’t interested before, but recently I heard you’ve made a breakthrough and can store internal energy? That’s a big business opportunity.”
He walked to the table, picked up the internal energy storage device, and examined it over and over.
"Is this it?" he asked. "It looks pretty ordinary."
"Put it down!" Lu Fang roared. "That's mine!"
“Don’t rush, don’t rush,” Ma Defu put the device back on the table, “I’m not here to steal your things. I’m here to talk about cooperation.”
"Cooperation?" Lu Fang sneered. "What's there for us to cooperate on?"
“Of course,” a glint of greed flashed in Ma Defu’s eyes. “You have the technology, I have the money. Sell me this technology, and I’ll give you a large sum of money, enough to ensure you’ll be set for life. How about that? Pretty good deal, right?”
“Not for sale.” Lu Fang refused without hesitation. “Don’t be so quick to refuse,” Ma Defu’s smile turned somewhat sinister, “Think about it carefully. What use is this junk to you, a lonely old man with no children? You might as well exchange it for silver and enjoy yourself.”
"I said I'm not selling!" Lu Fang raised his voice. "Can't you understand human language?"
Ma Defu's face finally darkened.
“You won’t listen to reason, so you’ll have to suffer the consequences,” he said coldly. “Old Lu, don’t be ungrateful. Tianqi City is my territory, Ma Defu’s territory. If you want to survive here, you’ll have to give me some face. If you don’t agree, I have plenty of ways to make you agree.”
He winked at the burly men behind him.
The burly men understood and began to approach Lu Fang, their faces bearing fierce smiles.
Although Lu Fang was stubborn, he was, after all, just an ordinary old craftsman. Faced with these ruthless thugs, his face turned pale.
Just then, a calm voice rang out.
"Who is this? Is he Master Lu's friend?"
Ma Defu turned his head and then noticed that there was another person in the workshop.
He was a young man, dressed in a simple black outfit, with handsome features and a composed demeanor. He was sitting in the corner, holding a blueprint in his hand, seemingly studying something.
"Who are you?" Madford asked, frowning.
"My name is Luo Wen," Luo Wen put down the blueprints and stood up, "I'm a friend of Master Lu."
"Rowan?" Madford thought for a moment, as if remembering something. "You're that Rowan from the Mysteries Bureau?"
"It is I."
Ma Defu's expression changed slightly.
Of course he had heard of Rowan's name. In recent months, the name had become a household name in Tianqi City—single-handedly eliminating a high-ranking evil spirit, completing hundreds of missions in a month, and accumulating merits at a rate that set a record in the history of the Mysterious Bureau... All these stories made Rowan a prominent figure in Tianqi City.
But Madford quickly regained his composure.
"So it's Young Master Luo," he said with a smile. "It's an honor to meet you. May I ask what brings you here, Young Master Luo?"
"I have some business to discuss with Master Lu," Luo Wen said casually. "I wonder who this gentleman is...?"
"My name is Ma Defu, a small merchant from the west of the city," Ma Defu introduced himself. "I've come today to visit Master Lu—to discuss some business matters with him."
"Oh? What kind of business?"
"Well..." Madford said somewhat awkwardly, "it's some private matter, and it's not convenient to talk about it."
"Is that so?" Rowan smiled slightly. "But I just overheard you seeming to be threatening Master Lu?"
Ma Defu's expression changed.
“Young Master Luo, you’ve misunderstood,” he forced a smile. “We’re just discussing business; there’s nothing threatening about it.”
“That’s good,” Rowan nodded. “However, I must remind you—Master Lu is my friend. If anyone dares to lay a finger on him, I will certainly not stand idly by.”
His tone was calm, but every word carried an invisible pressure.
Ma Defu felt a chill rise up his spine.
He had spent decades in Tianqi City, seeing all sorts of people, and considered himself to have a decent eye for talent. But now, facing Luo Wen's gaze, he felt an indescribable fear, as if the person standing in front of him was not a young man, but a ferocious beast that might devour him at any moment.
“Young Master Luo…you’re joking,” Ma Defu chuckled dryly. “Master Lu and I are just doing ordinary business; why would I harm him?”
“That’s good,” Rowan said. “Since the business deal hasn’t fallen through, shouldn’t you be leaving?”
Ma Defu gritted his teeth, wanting to say something, but seeing Luo Wen's calm and composed eyes, he ultimately swallowed his words.
“Alright, alright, I’ll be going,” he said, taking a few steps back. “That’s enough for today. I’ll come back another day.”
He turned and walked out of the workshop, and the burly men followed him away.
After they had gone far away, Lu Fang finally breathed a long sigh of relief.
“Thank you,” he said to Rowan, “If it weren’t for you, I really wouldn’t know how I would have ended up like this today.”
“Master Lu, you’re too kind,” Rowan said. “Who is this Ma Defu?”
“He’s a local tyrant from the west of the city,” Lu Fang said, his face grim. “He’s a bully who runs rampant in this area, oppressing the people because he has a lot of money. The shops on Blacksmith Street have to pay him protection money every month; if they don’t, he’ll send people to smash their shops.”
"You also pay him protection money?"
“I paid before, but I stopped,” Lu Fang sneered. “What do I, a poor old man, have that he would even bother with? He only sent people to harass me; he didn’t dare to actually do anything to me. But now…”
He glanced at the internal energy storage device on the table, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes.
"Now that he knows I made this, he probably won't let it go so easily."
Rowan frowned.
"How did he know? You just made this last night."
“I was probably too excited last night and didn’t keep it a secret,” Lu Fang sighed. “After I made that fan, I couldn’t resist testing it in the yard. It was already late at night, and I thought no one would see it, but someone probably still found out.”
“This Madford is indeed well-informed,” Rowan said, “but don’t worry, with me here, he wouldn’t dare do anything to you.”
“You can’t stay here forever,” Lu Fang shook his head. “You’re from the Secret Service; you have your own things to do. I know Ma Defu; he holds grudges. He lost face in front of you today, and he’ll definitely find a chance to get revenge. As soon as you leave, he’ll come back for more.”
Rowan remained silent for a moment.
Lu Fang was right; he couldn't stay on Blacksmith Street to protect him forever. And since Ma Defu dared to threaten Lu Fang in broad daylight, he clearly had considerable influence in the west of the city and wasn't so easy to deal with.
“Master Lu, I have a suggestion,” Rowan said. “Would you be willing to move to the Bureau of Mysteries?”
"The Mysterious Bureau?" Lu Fang was taken aback. "Why move to the Mysterious Bureau?"
“The headquarters of the Mysterious Bureau is quite large; we can arrange a dedicated workshop for you,” Rowan explained. “There are many people and many eyes there, so even if Ma Defu had the greatest courage, he wouldn’t dare to cause trouble at the Mysterious Bureau. You can conduct your research there in peace without worrying about being harassed.”
(End of this chapter)