Chapter 429 Promotion
At the breakfast banquet, both parties successfully reached a willingness to cooperate. After more than half a day of negotiation, the charter was initially drawn up, and everyone was happy.
The Bremen envoys have finally concluded their visit and are about to return home. According to the charter, Bremen will send a professional technical team to provide guidance and help, and cooperate with the Iron Blood Royal Court to build a "water transfer terminal" and lay water pipelines.
But these are all things for later.
The time for the group to leave is set for the morning of the next day. At that time, Foreign Minister Doroteo will see him off in person. The delegation will be sent to the border in a carriage arranged by the royal court, and then board the carriage. The train crosses the desert and returns to the Bremen Empire.
That night.
Gilan was invited again and went to the territory of Duke Hawkes to have a dinner at the other party's manor villa.
Duke Hawks was the first high-ranking member of the royal court that Gilan met when he first arrived. During this visit, the other party was very supportive and helpful.
Given the goodwill of the other party, Gilan is naturally willing to continue to have a close relationship with him.
At the dinner, the two parties had a tacit understanding that they did not talk about work matters, but talked about their respective lives and hobbies like ordinary friends.
Duke Hawkes, who is over fifty, was quite surprised when he learned that Gilan's life was like that of an ascetic, with only work and practice.
As a great aristocrat of Stuttgart and an elder of the royal court who holds real power, he is quite familiar with the matter of enjoyment.
This young and outstanding Foreign Minister of Bremen has no interest in enjoyment!
"Your pursuit and realm are far higher than that of an old guy like me, haha... It's no wonder that you are able to take on the important responsibilities of the Bremen Empire at such a young age and possess awesome power."
Duke Hawks picked up the golden cup and admired it from the bottom of his heart.
"Here's a toast to you, Mr. Gillan."
"Your Excellency, the Duke is ridiculous."
Gillen also raised his glass in response and smiled:
"It's just every day. Everyone has their own pursuits, it doesn’t matter whether they are high or low... Speaking of hobbies, I actually quite like watching movies."
"Oh?" Duke Hawkes was a little surprised.
He is also quite familiar with the situation in Bremen and knows that "movies" are contraband in that land at this stage. But the Duke is also a man with extremely high emotional intelligence. He did not mention this, but smiled and said:
“It’s a coincidence, I also like movies very much.”
“Twenty Years ago, when I was young, it happened to be the time when movies were popular in Bremen. This novelty was introduced to Stuttgart and gradually became popular."
He said with a somewhat emotional expression. recall.
"Unfortunately, with some policy changes in Bremen, many movies have disappeared..."
"Mr. Gillan, I have set up a small collection exhibition hall on the third floor. There are some out-of-print film reels in it. Are you interested in going up and visiting?"
Hearing this, Jilan frowned. Yang.
"Of course, Lord Duke."
"Come with me."
Hawkes put down his glass and stood up with a smile.
Gilan followed closely behind and went upstairs together.
‘I don’t know if Duke Hawkes has real film here...’
He thought secretly.
Follow the Duke all the way to the third floor. At the innermost side of the corridor, there is a double-open carved wooden door with a circular relief decoration inlaid on it.
There are hollow glass windows on both sides, and you can see the warm orange light inside, as well as some display cabinets containing various precious jewelry and pottery.
Hawks and Gillan stopped at the door, took out a pair of keys from his waist, and inserted one of the silver-plated keys into the central hole of the circular relief.
Click.
The double wooden doors made a soft sound and opened immediately.
“Take a casual visit, Mr. Gillan.”
Duke Hawks turned sideways upright, raised his hand in vain, and said with a smile on his face.
"If there is anything you like, feel free to take it back. It will be regarded as my parting gift to you on behalf of the Barbaroche family."
"The Duke is so polite."
Ji Lan smiled and walked in slowly.
He looked around at the collections in the exhibition room and let out a sound of admiration, which greatly benefited Duke Hawkes.
Warm light is projected from the wall, illuminating the collection in the glass cabinet dazzlingly. Gold-plated black cat statue, sterling silver knight statue, five-color jewelry music box, diamond crown, pearl necklace, snake-eye ruby ring, etc.
Each item is valuable and has a historical story behind it, which is recorded on the parchment attached to the side of the display case.
“This scepter was used by Queen Martinez in an investiture ceremony a hundred years ago...”
Duke Hawks came over , introducing the collection in the display cabinet to Gillan.
Jilan nodded and praised repeatedly.
Soon, the two of them walked to an exhibition cabinet in the corner. This collection is an old projector. According to the description on the parchment, it is the first generation projector publicly sold by the Bremen Empire.
Duke Hawkes has maintained it very well, and according to him, if he can get the corresponding original battery, the projector will still work normally.
"...These are the film reels in my collection, but they are all black and white films, still silent."
The Duke pointed to another exhibition cabinet next to him and chuckled. said.
In this glass exhibition cabinet, separated by partitions, there are large film reels with a diameter of 5 to 60 centimeters.
Gilan glanced at it calmly, but was quite disappointed because these were not real films.
"...By the way, there's this."
Duke Hawkes seemed to suddenly remember something. He opened the drawer under the display cabinet with the key and took out a box.
He opened the metal lock of the box with a click, opened the wooden lid, and showed the contents to Gilan.
“This is a film reel that I accidentally collected. As far as I know, it has never been circulated on the market. It seems to be an undisclosed master tape... Unfortunately, it was damaged. , only such a small part is left."
Duke Hawkes explained to Gillan in a low voice.
Ji Lan looked at the scattered tapes in the wooden box and his pupils shrank.
The colored light flashed in his eyes, and the "Guidance Prompt" immediately described the incomplete film:
""Curtain Call" (Incomplete #4)."
"A part of an important biographical film, created by the 'director' Si Chen who symbolizes February, to record a character, a life and a promise."
"... (The rest is unknown )"
Ji Lan looked at the crooked colorful words and was shocked.
He said silently:
'I have never seen such a description as an "important film". This real film may have something very special... Unfortunately, it is incomplete. ’
“Mr. Gillan, do you know the origin of this film?”
At this time, Duke Hawkes standing aside asked.
Gilan retracted his thoughts and shook his head.
“Not sure.” He pointed at the wooden box and asked, “Can I get my hands on it and take a look?”
“Of course, please do.” Duke Hawkes smiled. , indicating indifferently.
Jilan thanked him, took the scattered film in his hand, and looked at it carefully.
He found that the film was completely black. Even if he looked at it against a wall lamp, he could not see the unique reverse color outline of the film.
At first glance, it looks like an ordinary roll of black tape, the kind that has too little to tie up any sundries.
"If Mr. Gillan is interested, you might as well take it back."
Duke Hawks smiled when he saw this.
Jilan thought for a while and took off his hat to him. "I am indeed quite curious about this film... In that case, I will accept it."
"Where are the other collections?" Hawkes waved his hand, not caring much. He pointed to the exhibition cabinet in the room and asked with a smile: "Whatever you choose, sir."
"Thank you Duke for your kindness, this broken film is enough..."
For the Duke's Enthusiastic, Gilan just smiled and declined.
"Okay." Hawks shook his head, seeming rather regretful. "But as long as Mr. Gillan likes it."
…
…
Clang, bang.
The next day, the train drove through the boundless desert.
The wind blew in through the open car window, raising the gradient hair on Jilan's forehead.
He was sitting by the window of the VIP carriage with an attentive look on his face, playing with the film in his hand. The originally scattered tapes had been rearranged by him and rolled into a palm-sized disk, which he was holding in the palm of his hand and looking at carefully.
‘Whose story is told by this real film that the “director” can pay so much attention to...'
He looked thoughtful.
‘The name of this film is "Curtain Call". Does it have any special meaning? ’
Jilan shook his head and had to put away the incomplete film temporarily.
At this time, there was a crisp click of high-heeled shoes in the aisle behind me.
Lenis, a female secretary in uniform and glasses, stepped forward, saluted Gilan, lowered her head and said:
"Sir, Mr. Moody and I just called the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to inform us about the trip. The process of the diplomatic visit was conveyed in the form of a briefing."
"Well, thank you for your hard work."
Gilan turned to the secretary and smiled.
"There are still a few days left for the return journey, so you should have a good rest."
"Yes, sir." Lenis adjusted her glasses and said. "You should also take more rest."
After saying that, she turned and left.
Jilan adjusted his sitting posture, leaned on the soft leather seat, and slowly closed his eyes.
Taking advantage of the boring time on the return trip, he planned to go to sleep and devour the two Kingdom Brands he had obtained during the trip.
As the consciousness sinks, the blackness perceived becomes deeper and deeper, until the sound of the whistling wind, the sound of the wheels, and the whispers of the members of the envoys have also faded away.
Gilan came to the spiritual kingdom again.
He went straight to the Cross Sword bonfire in the open-air stone palace, raised his hand and took out two colorful Kingdom Brands.
They all originate from the top of the "White Dove Tower". They are the "Farmer", one of the former "Three Fables", and the "Winter Snake", one of the current "Three Fables".
A level 6 "traitor" and a level 5 "illusion".
“This is the first time I have swallowed the Kingdom Brand of the original 6th level, and I don’t know how big an improvement it will be...”
Gillan murmured.
Immediately, with great anticipation, he threw the two kingdom imprints at hand into the bonfire.
Bear! !
Suddenly, the fire became fierce!
The pillar of fire soared into the sky, forming a canopy-like spiral fire mass in mid-air. The intense light and heat instantly illuminated the entire island.
Jilan looked up and saw countless twisted phantoms, howling and struggling in the flames.
They rotated with the flow of flames, gradually being burned out and disappearing without a trace.
And one invisible force after another surged from Jilan's heart, giving him a strong feeling of heat.
'Feedback is coming...'
Jilan thought to himself.
Click, click, click! !
The open-air stone hall expanded again, and new carved stone slabs emerged from the soil at the edge, splicing themselves together.
At the top of the "Thumb" stone pillar, the Mad King sitting on the throne has also undergone new changes.
I saw that his body began to shrink, from the original height of three meters, to gradually becoming the same height and shape as Jilan.
However, after this "condensation", the Mad King's momentum increased instead of decreasing, and there was a strong sense of oppression around him.
There are also some twisted ghost figures on the translucent scarlet cloak behind him, exuding deep black aura at all times.
This kind of arrogance seems to have the effect of hallucinating and blinding perception... Apparently, it is a new ability generated after swallowing two Kingdom Brands.
As for the feral sheep standing next to the throne, it has also shrunk to the size of a normal horse. At the same time, its body gradually became translucent, and it was covered in black aura.
'The strength of the spiritual kingdom has increased again, and the strength of the Mad King has been greatly enhanced...Although the feral sheep has lost its entity, if it comes to the world again, it will not be restricted by physical damage. At the same time, it can ignore gravity in the air Run. ’
Jilan felt the change and looked happy.
However, the two Kingdom Brands were of high rank, and the remaining power was not completely absorbed by him. The overflowing part was divided into four parts, and was transmitted to the other four "Hand of Dawn" through some method that Jilan did not understand. on members.
At this moment.
The four black snipe, blue stork, white gull and red bird who were in various parts of the empire all felt a powerful force bursting from the bottom of their hearts.
“This feeling is coming again…”
The four of them stopped what they were doing in unison, feeling surprised.
But this time, the infusion of power is far greater than before!
In an instant, the four people who had already visited the land of gods, Toyalan, and formed the "brand of the land of gods", almost without any hindrance, came into contact with the fourth-level essence they were trying to pursue...< br>
Boom!
They immediately closed their eyes with strong expectations and entered the spiritual kingdom uncontrollably.
Jilan looked up.
Four beams of light fell, landing on the stone pillar seats on the index finger, middle finger, ring finger and little finger respectively.
The spiral fire ball in the night sky has not disappeared, still emitting light and heat.
At this moment, the open-air stone palace seemed to be holding a mysterious ceremony. The four people sitting at the table closed their eyes tightly, slowly raised their heads, and smiled with joy.
Soon.
The four "Hands of Dawn" exude a powerful aura——
They were promoted almost at the same time!
Crossed the stage of spiritual mystic and officially entered the stage of long-lasting being. The natural life span is extended to 150 years, and the body, gnosis, spirituality, etc. undergo qualitative changes!
Black Sandpiper has changed from a "beggar" to a "patient", and his plump and rosy cheeks have become thinner and pale at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The stork climbed from "Private" to "Flag Bearer", its windbreaker rustled, and there was a sense of majesty between its brows.
The white gull became "whispering" and the red bird became "match". The appearance of the two ladies has not changed much, but their temperament is more restrained and elegant.
The four of them opened their eyes and stood up in unison.
We saluted the purple-eyed young man beside the bonfire below.
“I have met Mr. Gillan.”
“Everyone has now become a Kusei. This is really good news... and the overall strength of the 'Hand of Dawn' has also increased accordingly. "
Gilan put his hands behind his back and smiled slightly.
"From now on, we will definitely realize our original ideals and live well in this troubled world!"
(End of this chapter)