Chapter 46
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Chapter 46: One of the Wonders – The Ten Thousand Worlds Machine
The book wasn’t thick, containing just over fifty pages. With Chaoyang selectively skimming through for content that interested him, he finished reading the entire volume within fifteen minutes.
He discovered that Greke Academy was not truly an academic institution but a powerful company.
This company dealt specifically in knowledge.
Their ability to achieve this stemmed entirely from possessing a premier wonder construct: the “Ten Thousand Worlds Machine.”
The receptionist’s explanation wasn’t entirely accurate. In reality, there is only one true Ten Thousand Worlds Machine, located in Starwei City on the Old Continent. It is nearly as large as a multi-story building. Perhaps due to secrecy concerns, the documentary book didn’t include any photographs of it; instead, hand-drawn sketches depicted its grandeur and incredibility.
Its appearance differed significantly from the room’s “mechanical giraffe”; it resembled more of a colossal organ assembly, with tens of thousands of tightly packed metal pipes. For scale comparison, people nearby looked akin to matchsticks. Conservatively estimating, Chaoyang guessed that the towering array of varied-sized pipes stood at least thirty meters high. If there were any similarities between this machine and the one before his eyes, it would be that both ultimately converged into an octahedral shape.
The structure beneath the “pipe organ” was equally complex. At first glance, it resembled massive cabinets, but what intricate mechanisms lay within these steel enclosures could not be conveyed by the sketch.
Chaoyang also noticed a detail: the entire Ten Thousand Worlds Machine was housed in an even larger room, with no visible windows around. Considering the astonishing size of the building, he deduced from his limited architectural knowledge that this facility was likely located underground.
The elderly man’s reference to the “main body” indeed pointed to this awe-inspiring machine.
As for how other locations’ Ten Thousand Worlds Machines connected to the main body and retrieved book search results, the Greke Academy Chronicles provided no detailed explanation. It’s important to note that wireless technology doesn’t yet exist in this world, let alone long-distance directional data transmission. Chaoyang couldn’t determine if the Greke Academy intentionally withheld this information or simply deemed it unnecessary to explain.
After finishing the book, goosebumps spread over his arms.
Although the towering columns of Wish Power had already indicated that this world was far from ordinary, there always seemed to be a sense of unreal distance. Now, he realized he was standing face-to-face with extraordinary forces.
More crucially, this extraordinary power wasn’t subtly hinted at or veiled; its influence on society had spread to every corner.
For instance, the Ten Thousand Worlds Machine not only allowed for searching books but also enabled the input of knowledge. The Greke Academy Chronicles clearly documented that any useful information could be uploaded through terminals across various locations. Once accepted by the Ten Thousand Worlds Machine, the contributor would receive a substantial reward. Additionally, whenever someone accessed this knowledge, further bonuses were awarded to the original uploader.
This essentially amounts to a knowledge tax!
No wonder even Glorious Fortress, situated far away on the new continent, could afford such opulent hotel-style academies. Imagine if all the world’s books were digitized within the Ten Thousand Worlds Machine—the revenue generated from royalties alone must be astronomical!
And with no competitors, as there is only one Ten Thousand Worlds Machine in existence.
In a sense, Greke Academy has become a monopoly over knowledge.
So here’s the question: How did this company acquire the Ten Thousand Worlds Machine?
The answer undoubtedly lies hidden within the peculiar term “First-Class Wonder Construct.”
Feeling highly intrigued, Chaoyang eagerly initiated a new search query on the Ten Thousand Worlds Machine.
***
“Hello, our records show you initiated six consultations and printed three books,” the receptionist at the front desk smiled. “The total charge is five hundred ten seryls. After deducting your deposit, you still need to pay four hundred ten seryls.”
I should have been more careful! Chaoyang mentally cursed as he reached for his money. In his excitement, he momentarily forgot about the academy’s exorbitant fees and only realized upon settling up that he had spent nearly half of his savings!
While he could potentially use his replication ability to avoid payment, it wasn’t an ideal solution. This convenient “super library” was too valuable for just one visit, and he didn’t want to arouse suspicion here yet.
“Thank you for your support!” The receptionist’s smile widened even further after counting the coins, his beard curling upward. “These days, there are increasingly fewer people like you who truly cherish knowledge and are willing to spend on books. Here is my card—” he said, handing over a small card, “May I know how to address you?”
Chaoyang took the card and saw that it read: ‘Greke Academy Glorious Fortress District Manager, Kavri Bode’.
“You’re… the manager?” he asked, taken aback.
“Yes, you thought I was merely a receptionist, right? Actually, there isn’t much difference between the roles.” The elderly man, seemingly understanding everything, responded without any hesitation. “Serving those who love books has always been my honor.”
“Pleased to meet you, My name is… Chao.” Chaoyang hesitated briefly before choosing the same name as the detective. “I have a question: Do all printed books eventually end up stored at the academy?”
“Yes, they do.”
“Wouldn’t those who read them first be at a disadvantage then? Considering that the cost of accessing and printing amounts to one hundred silvers, while later readers can simply pay ten silvers for perusal.”
“That’s true,” he nodded. “However, this only pertains to monetary loss. Those who read first gain knowledge earlier, which gives them a competitive advantage. For instance, someone like you—”
“Me?” Chaoyang was taken aback.
“I can count on one hand the number of individuals who spend five hundred seryls during their first visit to the academy, and each of them has achieved remarkable success in their respective fields. I imagine… you will be no exception.”
Uh… becoming a super demon and excelling in collecting Wish Power? Why does that vision seem somewhat odd?
“As for later readers, although they miss the initial opportunity, they can access new knowledge at a lower cost, which still benefits overall progress,” Bode continued. “One of the academy’s primary objectives is to continuously propel the world forward, and throughout this process, knowledge is indispensable.”
Chaoyang cleared his throat. “If that’s the case, why doesn’t the academy simply lower its price? Or even sell books outright?”
“Mr. Chao, knowledge inherently has barriers to access. If the academy were to carelessly reduce its prices, people might not eagerly patronize it; instead, they would undervalue those who have invested significantly to acquire knowledge.” He smiled. “Of course, we implement various mechanisms to ensure more individuals can read and learn from these books. For instance, when providing content for school textbooks across regions, Greke Academy charges only one-tenth of the usual fee. In summary, it’s a complex issue, and I firmly believe there must be valid reasons behind the rules set by headquarters.”
Chaoyang remained noncommittal, though he was well aware that, regardless of what he said now, it could not alter the massive entity that is the academy.
On his carriage ride back, Chaoyang spotted a steam train traversing the city. Moving slowly yet with immense power, it emitted billowing white smoke that stretched high above, resembling a five-clawed cloud dragon.
However, this time, the steel machine evoked entirely different feelings in him.
Because Chaoyang knew—it too was a type of wonder construct.
