Arknights' Lock of Heaven

Then their ambitions will grow uncontrollably.

“This is truly… extravagant,” Ms. Kaine exclaimed, looking at the lush orchard and the various researchers moving about within it. “In Ursus, even the nobles on the other side wouldn’t dare to build a greenhouse like this. Building it would be one thing, but the exorbitant maintenance costs would be enough to bankrupt many nobles.”

“Only the top nobles have such financial and material resources. I was once fortunate enough to be invited by the Grand Duke of Vanya,” the mayor added. “The Grand Duke’s greenhouse is several times the size of this one, but in terms of the variety of species… it is not as good as this one.”

"A greenhouse? Is that what you think?" Hearing this, Xia Yu raised an eyebrow. "No, no, no, the Eden Project is much more than that."

"Uh? Forgive my poor eyesight, is there something I haven't noticed?" the mayor asked, puzzled.

"What brought you aboard the Orville?"

After asking the question, Xia Yu didn't give them time to answer before saying, "We all know this. As I just said, you will see what the Sixth Army Group has encountered."

“Look,” he said, pointing to the lush orchard in front of him, “that’s why they died.”

“Sir, I don’t quite understand what you mean,” Ms. Kaine asked cautiously upon hearing this, “What do you mean by ‘this’?”

“It certainly can’t be the fruit in front of you,” Xia Yu shook her head. “I’m talking about the technology that created this cabin.”

"The technology behind this greenhouse? Forgive my bluntness, but while this technology is very expensive, Ursus does have it."

"You compare your simple temperature control technology to my simulated Gaia?" Xia Yu scoffed upon hearing this, snapped her fingers at a coconut tree in front of her, and a faint white smoke enveloped the coconut tree at a visible speed.

No, that wasn't smoke, but some strange phenomenon that occurred when there was a huge temperature difference between two places... Ms. Kaine quickly realized this, because the coconut tree began to frost over and harden at a visible speed, and was finally gently pushed by Ms. Froststar with an ice staff.

The coconut tree instantly shattered into pieces.

But everything around was normal, and even those who were only three meters away from the coconut tree that had frozen to death did not feel a chill... The temperature around them was still like that of the tropics.

This was actually the protective spell of the simulated Gaia taking effect. That faint smoke screen was what prevented the temperature difference between the inside and outside from affecting the magic circle and the inhabitants inside, but they didn't know that.

At this moment, although the surrounding temperature was like the height of summer, Ms. Kayne and the mayor felt utterly cold.

In just a few seconds, what kind of extreme cold did that tree experience...?

This reminded them of the Sixth Army, which was completely wiped out... and so it was...

Thinking of this, the two of them shivered involuntarily.

"captain!!!"

Before they could even recover from the shock, a researcher rushed over carrying a research terminal, yelling, "You just ruined my paper that I've been working on for two months!!!"

"How are you going to compensate me?" He looked at the ice shards at his feet and said with heartache, "Two months! I worked day and night, staying up all night, and you ruined it all!"

"You just want to show off in front of others, right? Why do you have to use my experimental results as a scapegoat!"

The researcher shouted angrily, "Isn't that huge patch of pineapples over there enough for you to wreak havoc on?"

"Hey, how can you talk like that?" Before Xia Yu could respond, another researcher nearby became displeased. "Your coconut trees are achievements, but my pineapples aren't? What do you mean by 'not enough fun'? These pineapples are my precious treasures; I'd be heartbroken if even one of them died!"

"I'm just a metaphor! Do you understand what a metaphor is?" The researcher realized he had offended someone, but he still wouldn't let it go. "Have you ever taken a literature class?"

"You can't use that kind of analogy!" The researcher who came later was furious. "You're simply..."

Before Xia Yu could even answer their questions, the two researchers quit.

“Oh, please wait a moment,” Xia Yu said with a wry smile to Ms. Kaine and the mayor, “I have to go and try to persuade them first.”

He then went directly to the two researchers who had greeted each other at their alma maters and began mediation.

“Well… your staff really have some unique personalities,” Ms. Kaine said with a wry smile.

“There’s nothing we can do, they’re really capable,” Froststar replied casually. “Of course we have to respect them. Even my… father has to be polite to them, since we’re counting on their research to feed the infected on the snowfield.”

"Um," upon hearing this, Ms. Kaine and the mayor exchanged a glance, "I wonder who Miss Frostnova's father is?"

"Huh? You guys really didn't know?" Frostnova turned her head in confusion. "I thought Ursus had already gotten hold of my information."

“My father is the patriot you’re talking about.”

Upon hearing this, the mayor shuddered and blurted out instinctively, "The Yeti's princess..."

Because Prostov is close to areas where partisans are active, the name is often mentioned by locals.

The legendary Yeti and their princess, who bring with them low temperatures and frost...

“Indeed, that’s what you call me,” Frostnova glanced at him, making the latter shudder. “You know that, don’t you?”

"Miss Frostnova said all this... Can scholars really feed the infected in the Snowfield?" Ms. Kaine, however, was more concerned about this information. "But aren't they all young people? Do they really have that kind of research capability..."

Her doubts were almost overflowing.

"Haven't you already seen the results?" Frostnova asked, pointing to the lush orchard in front of her. "Didn't you say before that if there were enough cheap tropical fruits, the whole of Ursus would go crazy for them?"

"I think this industry should be able to support over 100,000 people without much problem, right?"

Not a big problem? No, it's a huge problem.

"Forgive my frankness, but if this is the only type of cabin... I'm afraid Miss Frostnova will be disappointed," Ms. Kaine shook her head upon hearing this. "Such greenhouses do exist in Ursus, but the maintenance costs outweigh the profits from the crops produced. Even with your advanced technology, if it cannot be widely adopted..."

"No, even if it can be widely adopted, it's not very realistic to expect to support hundreds of thousands of people in a snowy region."

Not only is it not displayed, but how are you planning to sell your products if the snowfield defense line is just standing there?

If they can't get through this, they can only wait to die. Even if the supplies on this ship arrive, it will only allow the infected to survive for one more winter.

As a businesswoman, Ms. Kayne's first reaction to this was that it was simply an unrealistic idea.

"Popularization? You must have some misunderstanding about our technology," Froststar said without changing her expression. "You all know what happened to the Sixth Army. Since we can use it to make an area within a radius of several kilometers as cold as if a natural disaster had struck, why can't we make the same place as spring-like all year round as the golden plains of Kazimir?"

Accompanying her words was her slowly raised right hand.

Another familiar white mist appeared, and a pineapple on the right turned yellow and then charred black before finally bursting into flames.

"My pineapples!" Seeing this, the later researcher cried out and ran towards the pineapple planting area, but Xia Yu quickly stopped him.

"Uh, is this really okay?" The mayor smirked as he looked at the researcher who seemed to be contemplating suicide.

"Of course, no problem. Or rather, it's not like we're missing out on just one pineapple. There's still a whole grove of coconut trees over there," Froststar said casually. "To be honest, I'm starting to think these scholars are a bit obsessed. They just stay here all day and don't go anywhere else. Working overtime all night is like a daily routine for them. They wish they could stay here until they're buried..."

“Of course!” Just then, a researcher who had come to watch the excitement said smugly, “Look at this, what an exceptional research environment! Even the lab that Columbia promised when they hired my teacher’s teacher wasn’t as good as this.”

"So many different kinds of plants growing together so harmoniously, and the temperature can be adjusted at any time, even by region... My God, even Colombia's national laboratories can't compare to this. I could write ten papers a month here!"

"Who would want to leave such a nice place! As for that guy who studies pineapples, hey, Miss Froststar, you did a great job! I've disliked him for a long time. His tiny plants are taking up such a large area. You should have burned a third of them, leaving the rest free. Hehe..."

“Look,” Frostnova said helplessly, shrugging at Ms. Kaine.

"Wait, if I understand correctly, you mean...?" Kaine looked incredulous; she couldn't believe her own assumption.

“Yes, as you can see, this is not just one person’s Originium Arts, but a technology that can be widely adopted. Anyone with the necessary permissions can do what we just did,” Frostnova said calmly. “Our goal is to completely transform the barren snowfields through this technology.”

"As for the Sixth Army, I can only say it was an unfortunate skirmish. Due to their unfriendly behavior, we were forced to retaliate."

"That's the whole story."

“I must explain something to you both: the creation of Gaia is a technology intended to benefit all mankind. It can transform Ursus. It is not some evil spell used to kill people.”

"Therefore, we hope that this technology will never be used in war in the future."

421 A selfless gift from the unknown Mr. Karna

"Why only two?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Researcher A glanced at Ms. Kaine and the mayor, who were stunned by Froststar's words, and whispered to Xia Yu, "I'm going to ask you something."

"How should I know?" Xia Yu also answered softly, "I originally thought they would bring at least a few attendants, but heaven knows why they were so brave to come up here with just two people."

"What if the plan..." Researcher B asked in a worried whisper.

"Don't worry, it's okay," Xia Yu comforted her. "You guys just keep acting, leave the rest to me."

"Also, what is this Eden Project? How come we've never heard of it?"

"Oh, this is a name I came up with on the spot. After all, if you're going to put on a show, you have to go all out. Having a high-class name can increase the credibility of the other party when you're trying to fool them."

"..." The two researchers exchanged a glance and remained silent.

"What's wrong?" Xia Yu asked, puzzled. "Is it something that makes you uncomfortable? I know this is fraud, but it's not for..."

"No, no," the two said in unison, "It just feels similar to what our teachers do. Everyone likes to do this. A good name increases the chances of getting funding."

“…Alright then,” Xia Yu suppressed a laugh upon hearing this, “Let’s continue acting.”

Hearing this, the two researchers exchanged a glance. "Is your pineapple really that precious?"

"Can the value created by your coconut trees compare to that of my pineapples?"

The two started arguing again.

"Hey, you two, listen to me," Xia Yu said, feigning a conciliatory tone. "Alright, alright! I'll approve the land for you, okay?"

"Why didn't you say that earlier?" X2

"Hey, hey, hey, how can it end like this? Keep going! Let's fight!" The researchers watching the commotion protested. "And I applied for that fast land, why..."

"Go away, what are you doing here?" Xia Yu waved her hand impatiently when she saw him. "Don't you have enough mangoes already?"

Xia Yu, having finally settled these matters, returned to their side.

“I’m sorry to have made you two laugh,” he sighed. “You’re all talented people, why do you have to fight over a few acres of land like old farmers in the fields?”

"It's like your nobles, who have already made so much money, still want to completely drain the marrow from the infected. How undignified is that?"

Upon hearing this, the two exchanged a glance.