"Wow~ So this is where Svarog lives? Having such a big house in the Underworld, how grand..."
March 7th and Xing huddled before the main gate of Svarog's residence, surveying the surroundings. Behind them followed Fu Zhu, Dan Heng, Oleg, Seele, and Bronya.
As for the miners, Oleg had arranged for them to head back first and await news. After all, when negotiating with Svarog, if that metal blockhead was unyielding, having more people wouldn't help.
"The gate's closed, hey? How do we open it?"
Xing rapped the gate a few times with her baseball bat, Clang! Clang!, but no one came to open it. She could only turn back to the others for help.
"I got this!"
March 7th volunteered eagerly, standing before the iron gate with hands on her hips, grinning as she opened her throat and shouted loudly.
"Open Sesame!!!"
Click. Recording stopped.
March 7th sharply caught the phone notification sound from behind her. Turning her head, she saw the Fu Zhu and Xing sibling pair holding up their phones in unison, having recorded her entire performance just now.
"What are you doing!"
March 7th blushed crimson, reaching out to snatch their phones.
Fu Zhu, laughing, held his phone high, using his height advantage to tease March 7th while replying, "Your command clearly won't open the iron gate, and it's rare to see you being silly. Gotta record it for posterity."
March 7th tried snatching the phone for a while but couldn't reach it, feeling quite frustrated. Whether compared to Fu Zhu or Xing, her height was no advantage.
She really didn't know how these two siblings grew so tall! And so strikingly good-looking!
Like a pair of supermodel siblings!
Helpless, March 7th resorted to an underhanded trick, reaching out to tickle the sensitive spots on their waists. Xing was the first to succumb, her phone snatched away by March 7th.
However, when it came to Fu Zhu, March 7th tickled until her hand grew sore, yet Fu Zhu remained completely unfazed.
Sorry, there's no ticklish spot mechanic in MC!
In the end, though, Fu Zhu handed the phone to March 7th. The young lady was easily embarrassed; teasing her a bit in front of others was enough, no need to go overboard.
He'd tease her again later when they got back, when it was just their own group.
March 7th happily snatched the phone and deleted the video. Finally, she changed Xing's default wallpaper to the group photo of the Express crew she had sent, then moved on to Fu Zhu's phone. She glanced at the photo saved in his album – a picture of just the two of them – thought for a moment, and replaced his wallpaper with it.
While March 7th was busy with this, Dan Heng looked directly at Fu Zhu.
"Fu Zhu, since you've interacted with Svarog before, you should have a way to open this gate, right?"
Fu Zhu nodded. "I have three plans: lower, middle, and upper. Lower plan: I dig a tunnel under the gate and crawl through. Middle plan: I dismantle the gate and walk straight through. Upper plan: I stack up a staircase and walk right over the gate. Which do you choose?"
Hearing her brother's three brilliant plans, Xing couldn't help but give a thumbs-up.
"Whoa, what plans! Literally upper, middle, and lower plans in the physical sense! As expected of my big bro!"
"Naturally."
Fu Zhu and Xing exchanged a knowing high-five.
Dan Heng shook his head with an exasperated smile. Just as he was about to ask if there were any less literal strategies, the gate clicked and opened automatically. Behind it stood Svarog and Clara.
"There's no need for you to open the door, Fu Zhu. No matter how cutting-edge the technology, before you, it's like a wooden latch, easily destroyed."
After Fu Zhu had left earlier, Svarog had studied the Redstone circuit Fu Zhu left on the ground. The research didn't take long, but it led to one conclusion.
The technology Fu Zhu possessed, called Redstone technology, was like the source code for the very concept of [Technology], like the 0s and 1s in code.
It was part of the fundamental logic of technology itself. No matter how high-end the technology, it couldn't defend against its intrusion; it would only recognize it as part of itself.
Yet, Redstone technology could modify or switch any technology on or off according to Fu Zhu's will. As an AI creation, it stood absolutely no chance against Fu Zhu.
"Seeing you, Fu Zhu, arrive here with members of Wildfire, I have already analyzed your purpose. Come in and state your demands."
Fu Zhu couldn't help raising an eyebrow, retorting, "Being this agreeable now? That's not what you said when I fell from the sky, was it?"
Svarog simply shook its head.
"Resistance with no chance of success merely impacts the final result."
As expected of a robot, it learned its lesson after getting beaten once. In some ways, Svarog was actually very easy to talk to.
Svarog led everyone into the main hall, seating them sequentially at a long table.
As soon as Fu Zhu sat down, Clara came over, dragging a large crate of milk.
"Big Brother, here's the milk you wanted."
"Thanks."
Fu Zhu unceremoniously stuffed it directly into his inventory. Before conversion, this crate of milk would only register as a single unit, convenient for storage.
Seeing Fu Zhu accept the milk, Clara couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Big Brother really kept his word. She hadn't even delivered the milk yet, and he had already let Mr. Svarog go.
Once Fu Zhu and Clara's business was concluded, Svarog got straight to the point.
"Oleg of the Wildfire organization, Fu Zhu. Analysis indicates you have sought me out regarding the Geomarrow vein issue."
"Correct."
Oleg immediately spoke up, questioning, "Svarog, we clearly discovered that vein first. According to the rules of the Underworld, it should belong to us."
Svarog, however, shook its head. "Denied. My mission is to preserve humanity. Before this primary directive, the rules of the Underworld cannot restrict my actions. The Furnace Core has lost its energy supply. This Geomarrow vein could power the Furnace Core for 231 days. Without the heat from the Furnace Core, even if this Geomarrow could be traded for more supplies, the people of the Underworld would freeze to death within 150 days, plus or minus 3 days."
Seele couldn't help but slam the table angrily, demanding, "Then why did you compensate Fu Zhu with this Geomarrow? Doesn't that contradict your mission?"
Oleg frowned in thought for a moment, then looked up and asked again.
"Svarog, could it be that, in your assessment, not compensating Fu Zhu would lead to an even worse outcome?"
Svarog nodded its head slightly.
"Correct. Based on my projections, there is a 33% probability that Fu Zhu would vent his anger on the entire Underworld. Conversely, establishing a positive relationship with Fu Zhu yields a 78% probability of resolving the Furnace Core's energy supply problem."
Fu Zhu rolled his eyes, feeling wronged. How did he end up with a 33% chance of becoming the bad guy?
This was slander! In his past life, he was a genuine Village Hero! He often helped villagers tidy up farmland and make ample space for houses!
While Fu Zhu was focused on the first half of Svarog's statement, the others latched onto the second half.
"Fu Zhu can solve the Furnace Core's energy supply?!"