Chapter 1033: The Final Challenge (1)

Silence.

Qin Changxin nodded in acknowledgment of Qin Ye's artful analogy, and Li Lanzhi also gave an appreciative smile in response.

Everyone was happy aside from Qin Ye.

Why are my subordinates always so slow when it comes to things like this? Shouldn't they be falling to their knees in reverence and exclaiming something like: "Such an apt and wonderful analogy has been heard before! Your wisdom is truly unmatched, Your Excellency!"

He couldn't help but miss Su Daji and Qin Hui a little.

All of the subordinates around him were too candid and forthright, perhaps it was time to teach them the art of boot-licking...

Setting that train of thought aside, Qin Ye pursed his lips slightly in displeasure at the lack of praise directed his way, then said, "What we have to do next is build a foundation, as well as choose locations for our universities and select subjects to be taught."

A school couldn't be built just like that. Subjects like art, architecture, and humanities were relatively easy to create curriculums for, but subjects like geography, biology, botany, physics, and Yin runology were completely different from the mortal realm. Materials had to be gathered from all over the nation, and courses had to be carefully planned out. Even with the mortal realm acting as reference, the content being taught under these subjects had to be evaluated over and over again before they could actually be presented in the classroom.

"Hold a meeting at the ministry of education as soon as possible and present your ideas to me. I want to see a complete plan within the next quarter!"

"Yes!" Li Lanzhi stood up and extended an excited bow.

This moment had finally come! The education industry was the foundation for a nation's prosperity. From this day forth, they would actually have something to do in the ministry of education rather than just sit around and drink tea!

She was even beginning to imagine the glorious future that awaited this department once countless primary schools, junior high schools, senior high schools, and even universities appeared all over the nation!

Qin Ye asked a few more questions before dismissing the two underworld emissaries, then turned toward the thick pile of documents sitting on his desk before falling into deep thought.

If it weren't for the fact that the conclusion was imminent in the development of the new energy resource, there was no way he would've begun establishing the education industry.

He had been thinking about what to do with all of these scientists following the conclusion of the new energy resource's development.

Of course, they were definitely going to be rewarded, but what about after that? Were they just going to be sent home? That would be a massive waste!

Furthermore, what was he supposed to do with this massive Yin Mountains Research Center?

His initial plan was to give them half a year of rest, then immediately begin conducting research into second-generation forbidden arts. However, that didn't seem appropriate, either.

The entire nation had been scoured on this occasion, and even then, the number of scientists that had been gathered was still sorely lacking. If they were to begin conducting research into second-generation forbidden arts, they would continue to be plagued by the same problem of a lack of skilled personnel. As such, it would be better to delay that project by a few decades. After all, the Array of the Nine Gods was still in place anyway.

Once the seeds of education sowed by these scientists grew into a massive forest, that would be the time to begin implementing all of the major nationwide research and development plans.

Each and every one of these major research and development projects would be an opportunity for rapid growth for all of the scientists involved, and these scientists would be released all over the nation again to pass their knowledge onto others, thereby creating a positive self-reinforcing cycle. After two or three cycles of this, the Cathayan Underworld should be able to return to the same level it had been at back in Fengdu!

"The education industry isn't the only thing that needs to be focused on." Qin Ye's eyes narrowed slightly as he flicked through the documents on his desk, stopping at a document that bore the following line of text:

"Predictions about the new energy resource and its related industrial developments, as well as how the Cathayan Underworld can seize the initiative during the new energy resource boom."

This document alone was around an inch thick.

Predictions were made on the basis of an electricity-like energy resource, extending to all of the new industries that were about to appear in the Cathayan Underworld, of which there were hundreds!

"Telecommunication, media, movies, radio, electricity... The emergence of these industries will drastically raise the employment rate among netherworldly citizens and make this world far more diverse! Once the new energy resource is completed and sufficient planning has been conducted, these industries will be implemented across the entire nation!"

A hint of excitement was beginning to appear in his eyes, and the image of an antiquated city powered by electricity began to take shape in his mind.

The dark underworld was finally about to welcome the radiance of technology! Just this alone would be enough for his name to be engraved onto the stone plaque bearing the names of the most brilliant underworld rulers in history!

"When that time comes, the entire world is going to welcome a technology boom on a massive scale, and the impoverished scientists will all become wealthy beyond their wildest dreams! I won't be able to compete with them in the area of patents. However..."

A sly smile appeared on his face as he slowly opened the document, revealing a series of lines of text, such as "application for the establishment of the Golden Tripod Film Studio", "application for the establishment of the Harken Internet Media Corporation", and "application for the establishment of the Six Paths Computer Corporation".

The general public was still unaware of the fact that the Cathayan Underworld was about to usher in a new era, and many of them didn't even know that a new energy resource was being developed.

However, all of the high-ranking government officials were already salivating at the future prospects. In the instant that the new energy resource was completed, the first batch of film studios, television stations, and internet media corporations would flood into the global market under the name of the Cathayan Underworld!

The more he saw, the more excited he became, and only after a long while did he finally close the document.

"A new energy resource is about to be born... I can't wait to see all the entire Cathayan Underworld powered by this new energy resource!"

In the Haeundae Hotel of the Daehan Underworld, the largest and best hotel in the entire Daehan Underworld, there were over 100 people waiting in the lobby, and they were led by Franklin.

He was holding a cigar in one hand as he sat on his chair in an absentminded manner, casting glances outside once every few seconds.

"Don't be so anxious, Benjamin." Volta was seated on another chair, and he said, "There's no way the Cathayan Underworld would lie about something like this, and we've only been here for three hours."

Despite what he was saying, he was also constantly casting his gaze toward the entrance, and the netherfire in his eyes was slightly dim, a clear sign that he had been on-edge for quite some time.

Benjamin offered no response.

All of the scientists present had one of three different emblems emblazoned on their chests. Any scientist worth their salt would immediately be able to identify these scientists as the core personnel of the three most renowned research centers in the entire world.

Furthermore, virtually all scientists related to electricity were also present.

They had signed agreements with the Cathayan Underworld. Between three to five years, Euler's Stone, Sirian, and Thaurissan were going to establish an agreement with the Cathayan Underworld's advanced research center, and three years had already passed by.

During this process, there had been some unsavory incidents, such as the Cathayan Underworld's refusal to release data related to the new energy resource, the farce of a press conference held at the Great Revelation Debate, and the sanctions that had almost been imposed upon the Cathayan Underworld during the energy resource conference, but in the years following the energy resource conference, not a single scientist had tried to rush the Cathayan Underworld again.

They were all under the impression that there was still going to be at least a year until the Cathayan Underworld activated the research and development agreement, but they had suddenly received invitations from the Cathayan Underworld three days ago!

The invitations had arrived so abruptly that all of the scientists had been completely caught off guard. However, they then immediately realized something, which was that the Cathayan Underworlds had to have already made a groundbreaking development in its research into Yin runes!

Otherwise, there was no way they would've allowed all of the scientists to get involved and examine the most foundational and most important data.

On the other side of the world, the scientists of the Prometheus plan were still hard at work, but everyone knew that this research and development war that had already raged for several years, this technological revolution that was going to usher in a new era, was most likely going to draw to a conclusion soon.

Of course, they weren't the only ones in the lobby.

Aside from the three major research centers, the top scientists of the five Northern Europa nations' royal academy had also been invited, and their group consisted of Vice-dean Emoven and the 12 other scientists from the academy, including the likes of James Clerk Maxwell, the father of electric power, Paul Dirac, the father of the electron, Joseph John Thomson, and Peter Goddard, who excelled in string theory.

All of them were vastly renowned figures in the field of physics!

They had already chosen to join forces with the Cathayan Underworld, and they were prepared to give everything they had to complete the final steps required to usher in the new era.

Emoven had even brought a letter written by the death gods of all five of the Northern Europa nations, thanking the Cathayan Underworld for bestowing this opportunity upon them.

However, Emoven's attention wasn't on this letter. Like all of the other scientists in the lobby, he was also staring at the entrance of the hotel in silence, waiting with anxious anticipation.

What stage had the Cathayan Underworld's research and development reached? Were they going to be allowed to completely participate in the research and development process?

Finally, the door was opened right before everyone's eager eyes, and Qian Duolai made his way into the lobby before extending a slight bow. "Greetings, esteemed scientists, I am the director of the Cathayan Underworld's department of homeland security. I'm going to deprive you of all of your senses using Yin energy and take you to the site where the new energy resource is being developed. If you're opposed to that, you can still back out now."

All of the scientists' eyes immediately lit up at the mention of the new energy resource.

How could any of them possibly back out with the opportunity to have their names go down in the history books dangling right in front of their very eyes?!

"In that case, please pardon me."

Qian Duolai crushed the piece of Yin jade in his hand, and a burst of powerful Yin energy stored within the piece of Yin jade instantly engulfed the entire lobby. All of the scientists immediately lost their sense of hearing and sight, so they were unable to see the giant Yin energy vortex that had appeared in front of them before sucking them in one after another.

The trip took 40 minutes to complete, and as the Yin energy was lifted, all of the scientists immediately drew a collective sharp breath.

They were situated at the foot of a mountain, and facing them was a massive waterfall that was crashing down violently.

At the foot of the waterfall were a series of mighty structures forming standing in an unbroken line.

Franklin faltered slightly upon seeing this, then exclaimed in an incredulous voice, "Is this... a hydroelectric power station?!"