Chapter 171: Priority
As the Wizard Apprentices listened to Ace’s words, they pondered his questions while recalling the sensation of their mental link to the network.
Unlike the hazy dream of the Subconscious Sea, everyone had a clear memory of this link. Their eyes shone with excitement and curiosity as they tried to associate and think, hoping to answer Ace’s questions.
Under Ace’s words, the Wizard Apprentices followed Ace’s footsteps back to the settlement, bathed in the cold light of the hovering Controllable Light Orb. Even after returning to their respective huts, they tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
Ace returned to the largest barbarian mud hut, where he lived. The rational mirror image was sitting there, researching how to create a Magic Item to suppress the invisible influence of the Abyssal Whispering.
After mentally synchronizing with him, Ace felt the sense of familiarity grow stronger.
The mirror image said calmly to Ace: “Respected Host, can we hypothesize that if the collective known as Ace becomes numerous enough in the future, we could form an Ace Mental Network, or even an Ace Subconscious Sea?”
Ace glanced at the mirror image and replied: “It is entirely possible, but it requires a higher level of power! If I become a Formal Wizard, I can separate more purely rational mirror images. The Ace Network we form could be nested within the Wizards’ Mental Network, serving as its dominant force.”
The mirror image stood up, walked to Ace, and said:
“Becoming a Formal Wizard and reaching a life level equal to a Hero is our most urgent priority.
We have recently acquired many items suitable for research: various Wonders, the Blessing Sphere of Light, the Dream Crystal, the fragments of the former civilization’s components, and a large amount of high-level supernatural knowledge recorded by the Spirit of the Book. However, with our current life level, we cannot effectively observe or research them.”
Ace looked at the mirror image and replied:
“Yes. Just as it was difficult for us to observe Sharp’s burning short sword at the beginning. With the elevation of life level and the transformation of mental power, we will be able to clearly observe the structures within. If we possess higher-level mental power, we can also use mathematical knowledge to calculate and analyze the secrets within with ease.”
They exchanged a glance and said together: “The most urgent task now is to construct a mental network that can help our life level leap!”
Ace waved his black robe, his eyes piercing. The firelight in the room illuminated his face in red. He said:
“The current radiating network is too thin. We should attempt to upgrade the Grimoires, giving each Grimoire functions similar to a base station, allowing them to simultaneously receive, transmit, process, and relay magical signals.”
The rational mirror image added: “The mirror image should also join the network, becoming another ‘Root Consciousness’ of the entire mental network, and attempt to form a nested network within it.”
Ace’s thoughts became clearer. He felt that the path to his promotion was emerging. He said with high spirits:
“Every Wizard Apprentice’s mental imprint can link with each other under my permission, forming an extremely complex and deep network.
Only then is it possible to form the true Surface Consciousness Mental Network we need, achieving a state of highly active mental power, raising the stagnant mental power limit again, and realizing the leap in my life level!”
Just then, the invisible whispering appeared. A blood-red light flashed across Ace’s eyes, and his expression became somewhat ferocious.
The rational mirror image did not hesitate. He had long inscribed the Root Runes and Spell Model in his limited Soul Sanctuary. He activated the Soul Spell Mechanized Mind.
Accompanied by the activation of the Spell Model and the pulse of Mana, the rune structure of the Soul Spell Mechanized Mind appeared on Ace’s body.
The blood-red light in his eyes slowly faded, and his expression softened. He said with lingering fear:
“It seems that I must never let my emotions become too agitated. Before you develop the item to suppress the whispering’s influence, I must maintain the Mechanized Mind state at all times.”
The mirror image did not speak. He nodded calmly and bent down to continue researching how to create the Magic Item to suppress the whispering. As a mirror image, he was essentially a magical creature composed of Mana. He did not need to eat or sleep and could research day and night without interruption.
Ace could not do that. He was still human. When hungry, he needed to eat; when tired, he needed to sleep. So he went to rest first.
The night passed without incident. Early the next morning.
Ace yawned. The cowlick on his head still hung limply. He rubbed his sleepy eyes and said to the mirror image: “Yesterday, I thought for a long time about why I could maintain lucidity in the dream-like Subconscious Sea.”
The mirror image remained expressionless, continuing to fiddle with the experimental object in his hand, and asked casually: “Why is that?”
“I deduce there are two reasons. First, of course, is the influence of the Spirit of the Book. As a quasi-rule creature, it has many mysterious functions. Second is that my mental strength is stronger than the other Wizard Apprentices, allowing me to gain absolute dominance in the Subconscious Sea.
And if this dominance can be sustained, we will be able to permanently influence all future Wizards!”
Ace became more lucid as he spoke, and his emotions became somewhat agitated again. The mirror image expressionlessly cast Mechanized Mind on him, calming him down.
Seeing Ace calm down, the mirror image continued expressionlessly:
“Your deduction is possibly valid. Specific verification will have to wait until the Spirit of the Book wakes up. The most important thing now is to collect all the Wizard Apprentices’ Grimoires. We need to upgrade and modify the Grimoires!”
Calmed down, Ace rubbed the limp cowlick on his head vigorously and said:
“Besides that, there is one more thing.
The family and friends of the Wizard Apprentices are currently idle. This is not a good phenomenon.
It happens that we do not have the time or energy to manage the construction of this valley territory. Why not select experienced individuals from among them to carry out a city-state transformation here?
All barbarians will become Freemen of our territory. The family and friends brought by the apprentices will become Reserve Citizens, and the apprentices will be Formal Citizens.
In the future, we will conquer the other barbarians in the Larr Mountains and turn them into territory slaves. Private ownership of slaves will not be allowed; slaves will belong to the territory.
Slaves who serve the territory for 20 years can gain freedom and transform into Freemen.
At this stage, our territory definitely needs a large number of slaves to be exploited as the lowest level of labor. I think 20 years is a relatively appropriate time.
When the territory construction is complete, we can gradually de-slave and use better methods to mobilize the enthusiasm of the Freemen.”
The mirror image listened expressionlessly to Ace. The experimental object in his hand emitted black smoke, clearly a failure. He tossed the scrapped object aside and said:
“I have a few questions. First, what is the name of our territory? Second, what form of government do we plan to use here? Third, what is the structure and promotion channel of the magical society we want to build?”
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