Lord of the Sky City-Chapter 821 - 803: Fair Exchange

"This is..."

Taking the list Aileen handed to him, Elder Ouli was first stunned, then furrowed his brows tightly: "How did you come to know about these technologies?"

With brows knitted, he glanced at Athena, his gaze unfriendly as he asked.

The list Aileen gave him was filled with various technologies, without exception all exclusive to the Magic Energy Research Institute, and even the most advanced ones. This inevitably made Ouli a bit displeased, as these were technologies not made public by the institute; how did Rocky find out?

Could it be that Rocky has an undercover agent within the Magic Energy Research Institute?

The very thought of this possibility sparked anger in Elder Ouli’s heart, thinking Rocky was incredibly bold to dare to make moves against the Magic Energy Research Institute!

Unfortunately, such thoughts from Ouli were wrong. Even if there were really someone who placed an agent undercover, it was because they once attempted to install someone in Thunderhawk City to steal Rune Technology, only to be caught by Rocky and Orton on the spot. Rocky would never have the interest or the capability to insert an agent into the Magic Energy Research Institute.

But lacking the capability to place an agent doesn’t mean he has no way to figure out what technologies the institute is developing. Don’t forget that now Thunderhawk City has its own R&D team.

Besides Orton and the other three elders, Thunderhawk City’s R&D team has over thirty more people, all top figures in academia, with extensive connections in the academic circle. Moreover, many of these people, led by Orton and Pelaya, have worked or cooperated with the Magic Energy Research Institute, so they might not know what specific technologies the institute has developed, nor the details, but at least with a bit of effort, they can discern the main directions the institute is focusing on and even what projects they are researching.

The list Athena presented at this time was precisely drawn up by Orton and the others themselves.

Faced with the Magic Energy Research Institute, asking for money would be a loss, asking for items would also be a loss, only asking for technology would be the most profitable because, to be fair, even Orton and the others have to admit that the Magic Energy Research Institute is the most advanced and largest institution in the research field at the time; the technologies they developed are unparalleled.

Some here might find it strange, because judging from the outcome of the previous battle in Backhill Village, the technologies of the Magic Energy Research Institute don’t seem that powerful, and the Heavenly Ancestor Church’s fleet, even after modifications, was still no match for the Rune Battleship. How could this indicate the strength of the institute’s technologies?

Of course, it cannot, but likewise, that previous battle cannot demonstrate that the institute’s technologies are weak.

First off, the fleet of the Heavenly Ancestor Church, indeed, underwent modifications using the institute’s technologies, but please note, those warships were modified ones, not newly designed ones centered around various technologies. This sole fact makes them incomparable with the new generation of warships entirely designed around Rune Technology by the Apple Tree Chamber of Commerce.

Secondly, in terms of absolute heights, the technologies studied by the institute indeed cannot be compared with Rune Technology or Elemental Technology, but this isn’t due to a lack of capability but because they’ve reached a bottleneck long ago.

Magic Stone Technology was already widespread during the Land Era, and it has been over hundreds of years since its development, during which all aspects have been fully explored and have reached their upper limits, making further breakthroughs impossible. In contrast, Rune Technology and Elemental Technology belong to emerging technologies with virtually unlimited potential, thus explaining the vast disparity between the two sides, one being an outdated technology with exhausted potential and the other with limitless potential, making which is stronger quite obvious.

In such a context, the Magic Energy Research Institute’s research isn’t vertical but horizontal. With no room for breakthroughs left in Magic Stone Technology, the institute chose to expand its perspective, developing and researching Magic Stone Technology horizontally, thereby also creating many high-tech advancements. These technologies might not be as formidable as Rune Technology or Elemental Technology, but in terms of practicality and functionality, they are second to none.

Faced with these technologies, Orton and the others are also very eager to get their hands on them because they not only are practical but can also greatly inspire the development of Rune Technology and Elemental Technology.

So when Athena approached Orton and the others, the four immediately organized the entire research team to stop all ongoing work to carefully list out a comprehensive inventory, urging Athena to acquire the technologies on the list at all costs since obtaining them would mean Rune Technology and Elemental Technology would progress by at least ten years!

But how easy could this be?

"No way! Absolutely not! You’re threatening the Magic Energy Research Institute!"

Upon glancing at the contents of the list, Ouli tossed it aside at once without taking another look, outright rejecting it.

Much like Farey’s thoughts, Athena’s demands far exceeded the value of Great Elder Simonuo himself, something the Magic Energy Research Institute would never agree to.

"Elder Ouli, please remain calm."

However, Athena had already anticipated this outcome. Thus, when Ouli angrily threw the list onto the ground, she smiled slightly, picked it up, and said, "Elder Ouli, we wouldn’t dare to threaten the Magic Energy Research Institute. If we really wanted to threaten the institute, we would have made Xini’s incident public back then."

"....."

When Athena mentioned the name Xini, Elder Ouli’s face changed dramatically. Many may have already forgotten this name, and even Rocky might have, but Athena hadn’t. She remembered very clearly that when Zuluo had just been caught and City of Fury had started to impose a blockade on Thunderhawk City, this was the person who attempted to steal Mana Runes!

And this thief named Xini was sent by the Magic Energy Research Institute, and precisely because Rocky investigated this person’s background, he learned for the first time who his opponents were.

Now, by bringing up this name again, Athena intended to remind Elder Ouli not to overstate the integrity and moral high ground of the Magic Energy Research Institute since both the institute and the Sky Alliance and Kafka Empire are birds of a feather, none cleaner or nobler than the other. So any righteous talk should be spared.

Simultaneously, Athena continued, "Elder Ouli, you should take a closer look at the content on this list. The technologies listed here are personally overseen by Great Elder Simonuo in the research process. We merely want the institute to exchange the technologies developed by His Excellency the Great Elder for the Great Elder himself. How can this be considered a threat? It’s nothing but a perfectly fair exchange."