In fact, the "Eye of Truth" did not disappoint.
The last mechanical puppet to appear was made of metal and looked the least human, but its selling point was its "intelligence".
"This work is called 'Peter in the Dawn.' He can not only answer your questions, but also learn and think—of course, he can answer quite a few questions, even about profound magical knowledge," Fursley introduced to the group.
Is a machine puppet that can continuously learn and grow still just a simple puppet?
Putting aside the potential ethical issues, let's just talk about ordinary alchemical tools. The ability to grow means infinite possibilities, and such a work can already be called a "sacred artifact".
The lifespan of a robot is much longer than that of a human, and as long as Peter has enough spare parts, he is practically immortal.
In the ever-burning continent of Zhuyuan, a Peter heirloom is far more valuable than that of the repeating Aiwass.
Everyone present was shocked.
Although most workshop owners had gleaned information from the clues and were preparing to bet their last chance on the "Eye of Truth," they believed it was nothing more than a copy of Aiwass.
Peter's appearance greatly overturned their understanding.
Of course, some workshop owners expressed their doubts, but after being allowed to go down into the arena and exchange a few words with Peter, they immediately became Peter's most enthusiastic fans.
The most distressed people now are the seven workshop owners who previously cast their votes for Squinstone.
It was obvious that if they failed to catch Peter's coattails, their workshop would be brutally swallowed up by other workshops over the next five years.
They were filled with remorse, while Haines, who had just deceived them, was filled with rage. Some of the more hot-tempered ones were already hurling insults at the soon-to-be-defeated governor, expressing their vehement discontent.
Yun Wei glanced at the cunning-looking middle-aged man, only to find him in a daze.
He couldn't help but look at Sid, lowering his voice to say, "Sid, Haines's behavior is strange right now."
Sitting idly by and waiting for death is clearly not the opponent's style, and Yun Wei does not believe that the opponent has not left a backup plan.
Sid was deep in thought with a frown, and was a little annoyed by the interruption, but still quickly glanced at Haines.
When Sid saw Haines's distraught appearance, he was clearly stunned for a moment.
His brows furrowed even more, but his eyes were distant, as if he were lost in memories from long ago.
Finally, the alchemist said softly, "His eldest son... was also named Peter. Peter Ryuk was my cousin. I remember him somewhat; he was a nice man, but he passed away very young."
He was very young then, dressed in a black suit, attending his cousin's funeral with his parents.
He had a very deep impression of that day. It was raining heavily, and the rain poured in through his shoes, soaking his cotton socks. The damp and cold feeling made him dislike rainy days ever since.
He also remembered a petrel perched on the tombstone, tilting its head and staring at him.
Not long after that, my uncle became increasingly arrogant and domineering.
After that, it was his own blood relatives' turn to hold a funeral.
Although Yun Wei was reluctant to interrupt Sid again, he couldn't help but remind him, "Do you remember the book by Gerhard that you lent me before? It mentioned that the soul cannot be created out of thin air."
All signs indicate that Peter's core already possesses a human soul.
However, according to the revelation Gerhard Babylon received from the goddess Kirkhova, the soul must be conserved; it cannot disappear at will, nor can it be created out of thin air.
This is a "law" from a higher-level plane, just like the "contract," which the entire continent must unconditionally follow.
In other words, Yun Wei strongly suspects that someone's soul is imprisoned inside "Peter's" body.
The mechanical puppet at the center of the magic circle is engraved with many magical runes that shield mental power. On the surface, it can defend against external attacks, but in reality, it is like a fortified city that never sees the sun, the most secure prison.
But the fluctuations of a tormented soul are unique.
In that brief moment, Yun Wei happened to catch such a slight fluctuation.
Including the area outside Moonflower City and the Azure Glass Arena, this was the third time he had felt such fluctuations. That sorrowful desire to destroy himself could easily resonate with the black hole in his heart.
"I see! I thought my skills were too outdated." Upon hearing this, Sid's eyes lit up. He looked at Yun Wei, eager to try, and said, "Why don't you try to break the restrictions above? I can cover you."
Yun Wei immediately shook his head, "Not now. The magic runes on it are too complex. I can't do it with my abilities alone."
Moreover, the Radiant Holy Church, which is most familiar with the use of mental power, is watching us closely from the sidelines.
Sid was somewhat disappointed that his suspicions weren't immediately confirmed. He picked up the whiteboard beside him and quickly passed this round of defense.
The process proceeded smoothly, and when the hourglass turned again, the dust finally settled.
Fusri, the chief of the "Eye of Truth" faction, ultimately won with 126 votes over Haines and was elected as the new governor of Alchemy City.
This is also the first time in history that the Liujin family has lost control of the Alchemy City.
But Haines rose calmly, shook hands with Forsley with proper manners, and left the podium behind him to him.
Everything was going too smoothly, so smoothly that Yun Wei felt uneasy.
"I'm very happy to be standing here today to share the joy of victory with you all." Fusri grinned and chuckled softly. "Therefore, I have prepared brand new contracts for you all, and welcome you to join my business empire."
He clapped his hands, and waiters quickly distributed the prepared contracts.
It not only covered 133 alchemy workshops, but also the other three alchemy laboratories.
Even the Cardinal of Yorkshire was presented with a specially made document—the back of which was entirely black, a stark contrast to the pure white of his robes.
Sid picked up the parchment scroll on the table at a leisurely pace, quickly scanned it, and the smile on his face was gradually replaced by seriousness.
A considerable commotion broke out in the stands at this moment.
Sid then explained to the crowd in a low voice, "This is not an ordinary contract, it's a magical contract. 'The Eye of Truth' wants to use this contract to firmly control everyone in the city."
Therefore, Yun Wei naturally asked the question that everyone was most concerned about, "What will be the price if the contract is broken?"
Sid did not answer immediately.
He glanced at Peter, who was still standing alone in the center of the magic circle, and uttered two words with a half-smile, "Give up your soul."
This is domineering and unfair, and it severely tramples on the long-standing traditions of Alchemy City.
But Haines remained silent, so Sid followed suit. With Yun Wei's intelligence, he had more information than his uncle, and he had to remain calm.
As for Huxley...
All of this was already part of their plan, so naturally it wouldn't object.
"Since no one has any objections, let's sign." Forsley surveyed the room with an air of authority, finally breaking into a smile.
The eerie "heh heh" laughter sounded like the howling of ghosts from the depths of the underworld, and it was no different from Huxley's laughter earlier.
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