IMC Chapter 80

I just realized that Te Sila actually referred to Nikolas Tesla who designed and built the Wardenclyffe Tower, also known as the Tesla Tower, in the early 1900s. Thus, I’ll be using Tesla instead of Te Sila. And uhh.. I guess an AU Tesla since Shu Bao will mention in this chapter that Tesla is not ‘that’ Tesla…

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The audience’s thoughts were actually quite normal because the live stream system’s technology tree was both the foundation and the limitation of the base’s development.

It was possible for the base to leap across eras in a short period of time through technological explosions, but skipping developmental stages almost never happened. The development of the technology tree had to follow a logical progression. It wasn’t something that could be achieved just because you had extraordinary luck and suddenly obtained technology far beyond your current era.

For example, the research center blueprint that Shu Bao unlocked this time was a typical building from an advanced era. Similarly, technologies like atomic energy, virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence were also cross-era creations. Even if these were accidentally unlocked, they couldn’t be built or promoted with current technology. After all, you can’t craft virtual reality glasses from stone, nor can you assemble a computer from it. This is an insurmountable gap between eras.

Unaware of the live-stream comments, Shu Bao had no doubts and blinked his starry eyes at Tesla, enthusiastically saying, “Alright, you keep working. If you need anything, feel free to ask! Order whatever you want to eat!”

“Anything is fine.” Tesla didn’t even lift his head. Deep in his research, it seemed he had lost interest in everything else around him.

Tesla’s attitude didn’t make Shu Bao uncomfortable; instead, it reassured him further. It only solidified his belief that this Tesla was indeed a genius. It was perfectly normal for a man considered closest to God to have some eccentricities! Or rather, this person himself was a product beyond his time.

After that, for a long period, Tesla remained secluded, rarely leaving his room. He barely used the wooden house arranged for him, staying in the research center’s staff dormitory instead. All his meals were delivered by others.

The Xia Wang tribe couldn’t help but gossip about the strange man who had appeared outside the tribe. They had no idea what this Tesla was doing in the research center every day or why, after several days, there was no noticeable progress.

However, seeing how the deity treated Tesla with respect, the Xia Wang tribe didn’t dare show any negligence. Every day, they carefully prepared the best food, the softest animal pelts, the brightest illumination pearls, and all the materials and resources he occasionally requested.

Yet, after a month of no progress, some of the Xia Wang people couldn’t help but start to doubt. What exactly had this mysterious person come to the base for? What was the purpose of the research center? Was this person and this place really necessary for the tribe?

Shu Bao hadn’t expected Tesla’s “soon” to take this long. With winter almost over, there was still no progress at the research center. The mouse began to visit the center frequently and was astonished to discover that Tesla’s magic training, after only a few days at the magic academy, had already reached a level not inferior to that of the high priest!

It should be noted that the high priest had an extremely high natural talent. Ever since receiving the magic wand from Shu Bao, he had been practicing nonstop. In the entire tribe, apart from Mu Bao, who was inherently more gifted, no one else could rival the high priest.

“Oh, I just did a little bit of magic training while researching,” Tesla responded casually to the mouse’s astonishment.

Shu Bao: “…” Could this man be Fu Qing’s long-lost brother? Why did his words have the same infuriating style?

“Are you here to ask about the electric tower?” Tesla continued. “During my research, I encountered a small problem. The things this research center can develop are quite limited. Making an electric tower is still a bit difficult…”

Hearing this, Shu Bao began to suspect that the research center likely had level restrictions and that the things Tesla wanted to create were too advanced for the current center. He quickly comforted, “It’s okay. If we can’t research this, we can start with something simpler. After all, progress has to be made step by step.”

“Why does progress need to be step by step?” Tesla asked in confusion. “I can clearly fly over.”

Shu Bao: “…” Forget it, rules are only for ordinary people. Maybe geniuses don’t need the comfort of ordinary mice. Just as Shu Bao was pondering how to encourage Tesla without adding pressure, Tesla spoke again.

“I’ve been researching for almost a month and I’ve finally broken through the technological barriers of the research center. I also assembled the quantum computer from the time capsule and the system has been upgrading for over ten days now. It should be about done today. By then, we can build the electric tower.” Tesla spoke in an incredibly calm tone as if what he said wasn’t groundbreaking at all.

Even the mouse, who had always considered himself quite capable, was stunned. “What? You improved the research center?”

“Yes, I promised to build the electric tower. And since all the materials I needed were available, the modifications went smoothly.” Tesla hadn’t expected that such a seemingly backward little tribe would have so many rare materials.

The mouse stood there with paws clasped for a long time and then his eyes sparkled again. “Do you know? You’ve always been my human idol!”

“I didn’t know,” Tesla replied in the same utterly calm voice.

Shu Bao: “…” Oh, right, this Tesla wasn’t ‘that’ Tesla.

Although the response was still indifferent, the mouse happily bounced away. This Tesla they had found was really amazing! He had said he would build the electric tower and he was determined to overcome any obstacles to do so. The research center’s level was too low to make it? No problem, he’d just improve the research center.

Perhaps this was a bug that even the game system hadn’t anticipated—someone who didn’t follow the normal upgrade procedures, but instead directly modified the building, forcibly making the research center meet the requirements. This was probably the unconventional thinking of a genius.

At this moment, the live stream audience was in an uproar! They began furiously submitting complaints to the livestream system, saying that Shu Bao’s behavior of forcibly modifying the system’s buildings was cheating and should be punished! Although they couldn’t impose real-time penalties from across the universe, they could still lower the stream’s popularity or adjust the future ranking scores.

After conducting extensive research, the livestream system, overwhelmed by complaints, posted an official response on its website. It stated that although Shu Bao’s actions were unusual, they did not violate the competition rules. After all, time travelers who crash-landed were a legitimate method of base development!

In short, the message implied: if you’re unhappy, you can always hope your favorite streamer picks up a powerful genius time-traveler too because the live stream system isn’t responsible for these kinds of unforeseeable advantages!

Even with this official explanation, many viewers were still dissatisfied. They protested in Shu Bao’s stream every day, repeatedly claiming that Tesla was a fraud and that it was impossible to modify system buildings that easily!

However, just a few mornings later, these complaints suddenly stopped. The reason? They had watched in real-time as the upgrade icon lit up above the research center in the Xia Wang base! Ever since Tesla entered the research center, not a single legitimate technology had been unlocked, so it was impossible for the center to meet the upgrade conditions.

The fact that the upgrade icon was now lit meant that the so-called modifications were actually complete!

Tesla himself was forcibly ejected from the research center. Since he had been intermittently requesting materials for the modifications, once his quantum computer successfully integrated with the research center’s system, the upgrade conditions were automatically met and the upgrade began automatically as well.

Tesla looked up at the rapidly transforming research center in front of him, his eyes shining. “Is this… 3D printing technology? Incredible!”

The Xia Wang tribe members, who hadn’t seen Tesla in over a month, finally saw the strange man again and greeted him politely. Tesla, evidently not very skilled at social interactions, responded in the same steady tone to everyone.

“Hello, Mr. Tesla. Have you been happy living in the tribe this past month?”

“Yes, happy.”

“Have you gotten used to the food?”

“Gotten used to it.”

“You finally came out. Want to take a walk around?”

“No.”

…

After a round of enthusiastic conversation, the Xia Wang tribe members gradually left, as they couldn’t find a proper way to keep the conversation going. No matter what they asked, Tesla would always give responses that ended the conversation.

Once everyone left, Tesla visibly relaxed. When he lowered his head, he found a small, fluffy creature next to him. This time, Tesla didn’t feel anxious. After all, he struggled with human relationships, not mouse relationships, and his social anxiety didn’t extend to a little mouse.

“It upgraded just like that?” Shu Bao remarked as he watched the research center rise rapidly in front of him. The upgrade had been forced by someone capable of altering the livestream system, without needing his or the high priest’s consent.

The research center’s upgrade took an entire day, and Tesla observed it from outside the whole time. Once the upgrade was complete, he turned to Shu Bao and said, “I think I understand now. Do you want nuclear power or a 3D printer for the next technology?”

Shu Bao: !!!

Shocked beyond words, Shu Bao remained speechless for a long time. Seeing this, Tesla seemed to grasp the situation. “I get it. You want both. Fine, I’ll try to hurry.”

Shu Bao: “…”

This time, when Tesla said he’d be quick, he really meant it. On the very day the research center upgrade was completed, the blueprint for the first Tesla electric tower appeared in the base’s central area.

After Tesla finished the electric tower research, Shu Bao saw the blueprint for the Tesla tower in the mission hall’s system. After discussing with Tesla, he placed the tower at the center of the base, which would conveniently cover the entire area.

Next, Tesla casually researched electric light technology. After all, once the electric tower was built, it had to serve some purpose, so he started with the simplest and most basic thing: lighting. Then, as promised, he plunged into the research on 3D printing and power sources.

The appearance of the electric tower blueprint sparked much discussion among the Xia Wang tribe members. From its virtual outline, the tower looked like a house, but not quite something anyone could live in. Just like the man who designed it, it looked strange!

Since the base currently didn’t have any buildings capable of producing lightbulbs, Shu Bao had to gather materials and feed them into the small 3D printer he initially built. The printer slowly churned out the bulbs at its usual slow pace.

These bulbs were just the most basic design, and since there were no electrical wires to connect them, their shape was even simpler. Held in one’s hand, they looked like transparent crystal balls, but once the electric tower was completed, these crystal balls would turn into bright little suns.

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Moonlit’s corner:

Tesla: “I understand. Only kids chose, adults want both.”

Shu Bao: “…”