Next, Ganyu and Shenhe, together with their master, led Nolan outside to see the mechanical birds busy at work in Yuehai Pavilion.
Aside from their wooden frames, they looked no different from ordinary birds.
They had heads, wings, and wooden claws that clutched small baskets filled with documents. With baskets in tow, they flitted back and forth, swooping up and down.
At first glance, it seemed chaotic, yet in reality everything moved with perfect order—there wasn't a single collision.
"Do they really fly just by flapping their wings, like ordinary birds?" Nolan asked with curiosity.
"Of course. If they needed adeptus power as fuel to fly, then they'd be nothing more than toys—hardly worthy of being called ingenious," Xianyun replied proudly.
So, they were essentially drones. Instantly, Nolan could imagine countless possible applications for these mechanical birds.
For example, just like now, they could deliver documents in bulk. That way, people could save time and focus on more important tasks.
Or, they could even deliver food orders.
If that were possible, the people of Liyue Harbor could enjoy the luxury of having goods delivered straight to their doorsteps without ever leaving their homes.
In short, the mechanical birds could serve as a logistics and delivery network.
Such a market would be enormous. It would also elevate Liyue's technological standing—an undeniably excellent prospect.
The only concern was cost. If production was too expensive, they could never be deployed as large-scale delivery tools.
When he asked, the answer confirmed his suspicion: the cost wasn't low.
The wooden bodies themselves were cheap enough. But the power cores were made from elemental materials.
Mass production for something as mundane as food delivery would be far too costly. Once the elemental cores were depleted, there was no way to earn back the resources spent.
"What if," Nolan suggested, glancing at Xianyun, "we gave them a power system like lamps—something that can store and recharge energy?"
"Lamps? What's that?" Xianyun tilted her head, unfamiliar. She hadn't visited Liyue Harbor recently, and knew little of the city's new advancements.
Nolan briefly explained some of the new inventions appearing in Liyue Harbor—lamps, the Akasha Terminal, automobiles, and more.
"You jest with me, surely! It hasn't even been long since I last visited Liyue Harbor. How could it have changed so drastically already?"
Xianyun's face showed genuine astonishment.
And upon hearing of steam- and electricity-powered vehicles and lamps, she felt a strong urge to see them firsthand.
Especially the Akasha Terminal—according to Nolan, it could connect people instantly across distances!
"Never underestimate humanity. Once they find their direction, their speed of progress can be astonishing!"
Nolan smiled, then pulled something from his Wonderland space.
"Here, this is a Akasha Terminal. I'll give it to you. You can try it out first. If you're interested in automobiles or other mechanical creations, I can take you to see them later."
"Oh? Then I shall accept it, thank you." Xianyun didn't stand on ceremony, taking the Akasha Terminal into her hands.
[Xianyun Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 360 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.6 (380/600).]
As the affection notification flashed on his panel, Nolan smiled and added,
"You wear it on your ear. You'll want to take your glasses off first."
At his reminder, Xianyun nodded, slipping the half-framed red glasses from her fair nose for the moment.
She brushed aside her black-and-teal hair and put the Akasha Terminal on her ear.
"Speaking of which, can Adepti even get nearsighted? Why do you wear glasses?" Nolan asked curiously.
"Hmph, matters of Adepti are none of your concern." Xianyun gave him a sidelong glance. "Glasses are not merely for correcting vision. Even as an ornament, they are an excellent accessory."
She pointed at the Akasha Terminal, then continued:
"This thing is worn on the ear. For those who need glasses, it would be rather inconvenient, wouldn't it? Did you never consider making it in the form of glasses?"
"Uh… it should be possible."
Nolan thought it wouldn't be hard to make the Akasha Terminal in the form of glasses. After all, its current earphone-like design felt even more technically demanding.
Seeing her master and Nolan getting caught up in conversation, Ganyu spoke up:
"Master, you two keep talking. Shenhe and I should return to our work."
"Tch. Even during the Lantern Rite, you're still this busy? Do you not get holidays? If this adeptus sees the Qixing, I'll be sure to scold them!"
Arms crossed, Xianyun's fair face showed clear dissatisfaction.
"N-no, it's not like that. In this position, work naturally comes first." Ganyu waved her hands, trying to explain.
But though Xianyun understood the reasoning, she still blamed the Qixing for failing in their duties, leaving her disciples overworked.
Nolan looked at Xianyun, and suddenly an idea struck him. He spoke up with a proposal:
"Everyone knows True Lord's mastery of mechanisms is unparalleled. Since you don't want your two disciples to be so busy, why not consider building a sort of 'logistics system' with your arts?
"For example, these mechanical birds to deliver light documents, and perhaps mechanical men to transport heavy goods. Let them take over repetitive tasks.
"That way, human effort can be redirected to more complex work. With more manpower freed up, Ganyu and Shenhe won't be so overworked."
"Hmph. Not bad. It seems you understand this adeptus quite well." Xianyun lifted her chin slightly, a touch of pride in her tone.
"What you describe would be trivial for me. I could make it right now."
[Xianyun Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 320 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.7 (100/700).]
Excellent. Now the logistics system had a clear path forward—crucial for future projects like building spacecraft.
After all, a vessel capable of sailing the stars would require abundant supplies and intricate circulation systems. Even if Nolan could bring resources back whenever he wished, the scale would still be immense.
For such grand constructions, an automated logistics system could save enormous amounts of time.
Relying on manpower alone, the work might take years just to finish basic construction.
"Ah, there's no need for all that trouble. Yuehai Pavilion is already training more staff, some have already taken their posts. If it weren't for the Lantern Rite, we normally wouldn't be so busy."
Hearing the exchange, Ganyu shook her head, saying it wasn't necessary to go so far.
"No need to argue. For this adeptus, such things are no more than lifting a hand." Xianyun replied dismissively, adjusting the Akasha Terminal she was putting on.
(End of Chapter)
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