Chapter 904: I Want DingTalk (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

Everyone watched as Shen Tang went mad.

Although they didn't know what DingTalk was, their lord's enthusiasm for it suggested it must be something good. Qin Li asked in his usual gentle voice, "My lord, what is DingTalk?"

Shen Tang's eyes sparkled with longing.

"DingTalk is an enterprise-grade intelligent mobile office platform! With it, the emperor and his ministers can communicate anytime, anywhere. Gong Su, think about it, what if you can't get up for the morning court in the dead of winter? You can use DingTalk to clock in, and we, the emperor and his ministers, can meet in the same way we did at the annual meeting of the gods. It saves us the pain of going to the morning court hungry and cold, what do you say?"

Qin Li couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong.

He could only agree with his lord and say, "That's right."

Officials serving in the capital were required to attend court assemblies regularly, which usually started very early. Officials living further away often had to get up in the dark. The duration of these assemblies was uncertain, and to maintain appearances, officials generally dared not eat or drink anything, for fear of getting an upset stomach, needing to urinate, or having an urgent need to relieve themselves. Only after the court assembly ended would officials go to their respective offices to begin their workday.

Given the Lord's current diligence, one can easily imagine how early the court sessions will start in the future. If we had this magical tool to sign in advance, it would indeed relieve officials of their pain points, save them time on the road and while waiting to attend court, and most importantly, prevent them from going hungry.

Shen Tang: "Gong Su also thinks it's good, right?"

Qin Li: "That's good, but how do we achieve that?"

Such methods must be an exclusive secret within the inner circle of the Gods' Society. Even if Qi Yuanliang becomes the head of an outer branch, it would be difficult for him to access such core secrets, right? As he spoke, he looked at Qi Shan: "Your lord is considerate of his subjects, and I, too, should do my utmost."

The joy on Qi Shan's face from his successful promotion to head of the shrine vanished instantly. Even without Qin Li's prompting, he would have helped his lord fulfill his wish. But saying it this way carried a completely different meaning; what kind of logic was this? Qin Li was clearly just trying to annoy him.

Gu Chi: "..."

Do these people know how terrifying DingTalk is?

They're all so eager to jump into the fire; it's too cruel.

He feigned a cough: "Ahem, actually, we can all skillfully use our literary aura to our advantage, so we have no worries about the court assembly..."

If we really can't make it in time, we'll send the embodiment of literary talent to check in.

This deity has ample time to travel, eat, and perform duties.

There's no need to fall for our lord's tricks for such a paltry gain. What do you call that? That's called losing sight of the bigger picture and being overly cautious! Our lord's true intentions are not what they seem right now. If these people don't keep their eyes peeled, they might regret it later!

However, before he could finish speaking, he was warned by Shen Tang's eyes.

Those beautiful almond-shaped eyes were filled with awe.

Gu Chi was forced to swallow the rest of his words.

No one else paid attention to this detail.

Gu Chi is a master at reading his lord's mind. He either echoes his lord's sentiments or acts as his mouthpiece. If he weren't somewhat upright and had a decent relationship with them (excluding Luan Xin), he would be considered a treacherous minister that everyone would hate.

In short—

Just listen to your lord.

Gu Chi: "..."

Among these people, those who were unaware of his scholarly ways were one thing, but how many of those who were unaware dared to think such things in their hearts? What difference was there between that and shouting in his ear? It was blatant provocation! Gu Chi immediately felt like he was swallowing a bitter pill.

Qi Shan shared what she knew: "...I don't know about the others, but before each annual meeting of the Gods' Guild, they send an inner messenger to escort something to various places. After the meeting, they return the item. This item might be the key..."

"What is that?"

Everyone's curiosity was piqued.

"A ball, something that looked just like a Luban ball, I remember it was only about the size of a fist, but it had to be stored in a heavy, square lead box that was as tall as a person. I once saw it from afar..." Qi Shan tried hard to recall the situation that day, "Danfu Wenxin was very uncomfortable."

Getting close to it will give you goosebumps all over your skin, and an indescribable coolness will seep into your body and then turn into a burning sensation.

It is much easier to resist the urge of literature by stimulating one's literary mind.

Lin Feng whispered, "I feel the same way."

When Luan Xin mentioned the "polluted" atmosphere, her feelings were similar to Qi Shan's description. So, does this mean the surge in "polluted" levels in the air was caused by that "Luban Ball"? And is this "polluted" atmosphere the key to it?

At this moment, Luan Xin looked in a certain direction.

"The remaining filth all went in this direction."

It was as if something there was slowly absorbing them.

If we compare the initial "pollution" in the air to ink, then at this moment it is like a drop of ink being diluted again and again, only a little more than usual, which is hard to notice without careful observation.

Qi Shan asked, "Are you sure this is the direction?"

“Yes.” Luan Xin confirmed that this “filth” made him uncomfortable. Although it was not fatal, it was like an ant bite. The pain was small, but it could be annoying. He speculated, “After we came out, much of the ‘filth’ mixed with the energy of heaven and earth disappeared. I suspect that the Gods’ Society may have obtained such divine skills by relying on this ‘filth’ energy that exists in heaven and earth?”

Qi Shan: "It's not that it's impossible."

There was indeed a lead box in that direction, and someone was guarding it.

Even attendees cannot easily approach.

Shen Tang lowered his head and pondered the possibility of this conjecture.

She wasn't surprised that the Pantheon could hold online remote meetings, given its intricate connections to the previous human civilization, or rather, to what she perceived as modern civilization. The inner council must possess some inherited records, and with the help of these records and the current world's rule of "words becoming law," achieving this wasn't impossible. If Shen Tang's guess was correct, and the Pantheon's "holographic remote online technology" borrowed data from modern civilization, then there must be some common ground between the two.

These commonalities are the key to unlocking the mystery.

Suddenly, a very vague idea flashed through her mind, and she seized upon it. She asked a seemingly unrelated question: "I'm very curious about something, why is it that when the Word of Power manifests a bluebird to deliver a message, the bluebird can accurately find the recipient?"

"The journey to Pengshan is not far."

A colorless cloud of energy rapidly condensed in her palm, instantly stretching and extending into a thin, blank sheet of paper.

"The bluebird diligently went to investigate."

She didn't write anything; the blank letter transformed into a light and agile bird, which flapped its wings and whooshed into Gu Chi's nose.

After a small act of revenge, Shen Tang calmed down: "I'll call this kind of spirit word that can transmit information, like the Bluebird, a communication spirit word. Once cast, the spirit word can accurately transmit information. The more information there is and the farther away the target is in a straight line, the more cumbersome the Bluebird becomes, and the more literary energy is required to transmit a message. It can only be transmitted to people with specific information."

As for the specific information, it simply means that we met in person and I know the exact contents of the other party's literary signature/martial courage tiger tally.

Shen Tang hadn't thought much about it before.

After all, this world where words become law has shattered the coffin of science. The more imaginative and perceptive one is, the more bizarre this world becomes; past knowledge is practically useless. Now, she's not so sure anymore. Perhaps behind the seemingly whimsical and omnipotent power of words, some kind of rule is actually silently at work? Is there a logic to how the Bluebird searches for people?

Emmm——

It's just like the days before widespread internet access, when sending a text message/MMS cost money, and a 10MB data package cost three yuan; without a data package, you'd be bankrupt in no time. Communication with words also consumes a lot of literary energy—how can that not be considered charging?

"The bluebird delivers words..." Shen Tang asked a soul-searching question, "Why can't words convey images?"

The technology of the Pantheon should be more than just human figures; it is more advanced than simple human figures. This can be seen from the fact that Gu Chi's scholar's way is still effective against those phantoms.

Shen Tang wasn't after all that. She just wanted to see local officials all the time, to achieve flat management, so that the orders from the capital's royal court could be delivered to various places more accurately and effectively. She also wanted to take action against those officials who dreamed of being far from the emperor's reach, to let them know that His Majesty's sword was always hanging over their necks, and to prevent them from acting arrogantly...

By the way, let's catch some lazy bums who just coast along.

What evil intentions could a lord so focused on her cause possibly harbor? She only wants to build a better Kang Kingdom. Such a pure and simple wish—why shouldn't it be granted? It's not like she wants the stars in the sky; all she needs is a Kang Kingdom court-exclusive version of the Word of Power Ding Ding, that's all!

No one said that Shen Tang's idea was unrealistic.

The fact that the gods accomplished it proves that this is feasible.

only--

Xun Zhen asked a crucial question.

"A few words written on a letter require a lot of literary energy, let alone a portrait?" It is obvious that the literary energy required for a portrait would be dozens or even hundreds of times that of the Bluebird script. Distance, time and other factors would also affect the consumption of literary energy.

A quick calculation reveals that even if the literary palace were to reach its peak, it wouldn't last long; this method of communication is simply too inefficient.

It's not as convenient and worry-free as using a bird-shaped communication device.

Lin Feng was anxious: "But the Pantheon holds its annual meeting, and the attendees cover the entire continent. How vast is that?"

According to this logic, the amount of "filth" consumed in a single annual meeting of the Gods would be an unimaginable figure.

Or is it—

Is that kind of "filth" more powerful than literary elegance?

"The annual meeting of the Pantheon isn't held every year. Most of the time, it's organized by the local branches themselves..." Shen Tang tapped her fingers on the table and asked, "Yuan Liang, is there any precedent for holding it twice in one year or for two consecutive years?"

Qi Shan gave an affirmative answer: "None."

Shen Tang asked, "Is it that you don't want to, or that you can't?"

The answer came to everyone quickly after a moment's thought.

They are more inclined to say "no".

Therefore, the significance of holding the annual meeting can be interpreted in another way—it is a means for the internal association to maintain its mystique and intimidate the elites of the external association! The members of the Pantheon are all people at the top of the pyramid, and the biggest characteristic of such people is "arrogance"!

Will these people submit if they are not deterred?

I'm afraid they've already been secretly plotting how to turn the tables.

Whoever completely controls the Gods' Guild will be able to gather all the outstanding talents in the world, and the intelligence of forces in various regions will be completely transparent.

A perfect start, with dragons charging in!

Unifying the world is just around the corner!

Kang Shi couldn't help but break the silence with a jarring remark.

“If the inner circle of the Gods Society also needs to accumulate for several years before they can perform a shamanic dance, then we—” Before he could finish speaking, Shen Tang silenced him, and he stared in astonishment.

Shen Tang, enduring the throbbing veins on her forehead, said, "Don't speak."

Kang Shi, with his jinxed mouth, could curse even the most certain things: "Based on the analysis, it's tentatively decided that the 'Luban Balls' distributed to various locations by the Internal Affairs Committee are the source of power for activating the annual meeting's incantation. It can absorb any unused 'filth'... Could it be enough to store it for three to five years for one annual meeting?"

As for how to locate the person?

Just like the Bluebird Messenger, it needs to obtain target information?

Shen Tang glanced at the several people present who were wearing fake identities and silently crossed out "real information" in her mind.

"The problems we need to solve now are twofold: first, to find the power of words; second, to provide sufficient 'qi' for the maintenance and activation of the power of words. The internal system uses 'turbidity,' and we can use literary qi, martial qi, and ink qi. The key is how to store it? Speaking of storage, I am reminded of when I fought Gongxi Chou before. I used to infuse my weapons with martial or literary qi for attack. Wouldn't that be considered a kind of carrier? But weapons created by martial artists cannot be maintained for a long time, which is also a problem."

As Shen Tang spoke, she became lost in her own thoughts.

The group looked at each other in bewilderment: "..."

Just hearing their lord say this made them feel incredibly complicated, let alone putting it into practice—Lord, is this strange thing called "Dingding" really necessary?

They exchanged glances, trying to shift the blame.

We hope someone will step forward and persuade our lord to abandon this idea.

It's not worth making things so difficult for yourself just for a court assembly. If all else fails, just do what Gu Wangchao suggested: allow the literary incarnation to attend court. Which of these scholars and writers here doesn't know how to be indecisive and multitask?

As for the other court officials in the future?

Hehe, these magical words can be included as an item for investigation.

Just as everyone was about to introduce the unlucky guy, Shen Tang had a sudden inspiration: "I've got it, it's 'non-aggression'!"

Everyone: "???"

How did this get involved with the sword and ruler's "non-aggression" principle again?

Shen Tang hurriedly explained his wild idea: "You guys probably haven't come into contact with 'Non-Aggression' before. I played with this thing when I was bored. No matter how much you poured into it, it was like a bottomless pit that could never be filled. However, its material would change. I tried to extract some literary energy and pour it in out of curiosity, and the result was that the 'Non-Aggression' was unbreakable. Its hardness was frighteningly high."

It has high hardness and strong toughness.

Unfortunately, it is not very lethal.

Gu Chi could barely keep up with his lord's bottomless imagination, but to others it seemed like the two of them were putting on an act again: "My lord, are you saying that we should use 'non-aggression' to solve the storage problem?"

This method is indeed very opportunistic.

"Universal love" is the symbol of the Mohists, and "non-aggression" is equivalent to the Mohists' alchemical palace, which can store knowledge and skills.

"Non-aggression" can indeed serve as a container.

As for automatically attracting the energy of heaven and earth?

Whether a scholar or a martial artist, once they open their dantian, their literary mind/martial spirit will automatically operate, slowly absorbing the surrounding天地气 (heaven and earth energy) for tempering and absorption, even without active cultivation. If active cultivation is 100% efficient, automatic operation is only 1%. It's slow, but it is definitely absorbing.

Shen Tang smiled and said, "Why not?"

As he spoke, he pulled out a stiff "Non-Aggression" sword.

Yes, after she was elected "Grand Master" by the Mohists, she also possessed this ability, which allowed her to freely transform her literary and martial auras into completely non-aggressive Mohist energy. Compared to Bei Qiu, Shen Tang's "Non-Aggression" was more ancient and restrained.

She flicked the surface of the "Non-Aggression" ruler with her finger.

"The literary spirit that was infused last time has not disappeared."

Everyone: "..."

Storage is the most troublesome part. Once that's solved, the rest is simple—they don't know what kind of incantation the gods used, but they know the final effect of that incantation. They just need to develop, research, and experiment in that direction.

But a lingering doubt remained in my heart.

Why does the lord go to such lengths and exert so much effort to save his court officials some sleep, food, and travel time?

They found it strange, but also somewhat touching.

Gu Chi, who saw through everything: "..."

It seems the lord didn't tell them that those she mentioned going to court for roll call weren't just the officials in the capital, but also local officials.

What a terrible thing to do.

When the lord infiltrated the Pantheon, the first to suffer retribution were not the members of the Pantheon, but his subordinates.

With things looking promising, Shen Tang was in high spirits.

They feasted at the banquet, finishing over a dozen buckets of rice. The food couldn't keep up with her speed of showing off her dishes; the chef's spatula was probably flying everywhere. The annual meeting of the Gods' Guild had gone on for so long that Shen Tang thought they were going to go home hungry.

I didn't expect they would provide meals.

The other members didn't look too happy.

Who comes here just to get a meal?

Tan Shao ate so fast and voraciously that they couldn't ignore him even if they wanted to. The dozen or so members who were supposed to be discussing deals were also distracted, their attention constantly interrupted, all focused on Shen Tang's table. Finally, someone couldn't bear to watch any longer.

"Doesn't the Qizhu Society usually give him anything good to eat?" The tone was sarcastic, clearly indicating that he was a lackey of the former Qizhu Society.

"It's not like I ate any of your food, why are you so upset?"

Having been promoted to head of the organization, Qi Shan no longer bothered to be cautious. As long as the head of the organization didn't betray the Pantheon, he could generally be re-elected until the next annual meeting. Qi Shan had never pledged loyalty to the Pantheon.

Since there was no loyalty, there was no way to betray.

Gu Chi was just feeling annoyed and said, "All the expenses for the annual meeting are paid by the company, and everything is within the budget. Do you need to save money for the company? What a servile attitude."

Office workers are forced to participate in team building activities, which actually saves the company money. How pathetic!

The former lackey of the main organization was so choked by those two sentences that he almost fell backward.

"You...you've gone too far!"

"Hehe, is this the first day you've met me?"

The other members' expressions also changed. Some who were on good terms with him wanted to speak up, but Qi Shan deterred them with a single look. However, not everyone was afraid of him, the head of the club. Wu Yuan wanted to act as a peacemaker and win over the members who disliked Qi Shan, making it easier to conduct business and cooperate later. But as soon as he finished speaking, Qi Shan completely shut him down with a single sentence.

"And you too! If you're still thinking about the grain seeds and don't want the Northern Desert to be blocked from receiving any goods next year, then you should refrain from interfering and speaking here. In this territory of Kangguo, if I, Qi, dare to say two, no one can say one! Unless it's a dead person! What nonsense a dead person says in front of the King of Hell is none of my business."

Wu Yuan: "...There's no need for that."

Qi Shan, however, struck his vital spot.

He sat down with an embarrassed expression.

The others had different thoughts.

This scheming individual successfully secured the position of head of the society, finally revealing his true colors: arrogant, domineering, and a petty person who had achieved his goal. He simply hadn't expected that the female ruler of Kangguo would actually be his puppet. Several of the members present were from prominent families within the country.

They and their families had all been tormented by Shen Tang.

I was so angry I wanted to bite my teeth, but there was nothing I could do.

To my utter surprise, she turned out to be a puppet.

So they all hated the wrong person?

A chill ran through them; they were terrified by Qi Shan's methods. They thought they had overestimated his evil intentions, but they had underestimated them. Once they returned to their clan after the annual meeting, they would have to warn their members to be careful and not give him any leverage.

After this incident, no one called Shen Tang a bunch of good-for-nothings anymore.

Seeing that they couldn't eat, Shen Tang drank two more buckets.

Hehe, this is so appetizing!

The meal was very enjoyable.

Members who had a grudge against Qishan or had taken sides with the former head of the society hurriedly ate a few bites, then sat there awkwardly for a while before making an excuse to leave in a hurry, leaving behind only the words, "May you all have a peaceful and healthy new year. I have family matters to attend to and cannot keep you company for now."

They can escape, but the former head office cannot.

Qi Shan insisted on dragging him to drink and socialize.

He was extremely uncomfortable, repeatedly declining due to his intoxication, and finally managed to escape temporarily by feigning needing to urinate. Qi Shan watched his hurried retreating figure, her eyes slightly narrowed. The turbulent darkness in his eyes was enough to send chills down one's spine with just a glance. But upon closer inspection, however, there was only calm and composure, without a trace of gloom.

"He was about to eat when he felt bloated, went to the toilet, fell in, and died..." He raised his cup and drank it all in one gulp. "It was freezing cold, and the road was covered in frost. I hope something bad happened to him when he rushed to the toilet like that."

Upon hearing this, someone's hand trembled, and the wine spilled.

Kang Shi ate his meal slowly and deliberately: "Yes."

|ω`)

It's the last three days of January again, and there are double monthly tickets this month, so please vote! Does this chapter feel a bit long?

(End of this chapter)