American comics: Praising the sun, starting from Gotham!

Chapter 348 The Instrument Ran Out of Control

Watching the other person chew on the sacred stone of Wakanda like a snack, and listening to his ramblings about another version of himself and the cookies, Black Panther lowered his guard.

The entity before us can no longer be defined as an enemy or an invader. A military confrontation would only provoke it and plunge the entire nation of Wakanda into unknown danger, yielding no results.

The dark blue energy patterns on the black panther's mask slowly faded, reforming into the beast tooth necklace around his neck. He revealed his face, and his once sharp warrior's eyes transformed into the deep and composed gaze of a king.

He faced Shuen, touched his chest, and performed the most solemn salute in Wakanda.

"I am T'Challa, son of Udeku, King of Wakanda, heir to the Black Panther."

"I express my deepest apologies to you for my previous recklessness and probing, dear guest."

"Oh? You're not playing anymore?"

"Wakanda offers wine and song to friends. Only to enemies do they offer spears and shields."

T'Challa skillfully dodged Shuen's teasing.

"And for a being as noble as you, whom we cannot comprehend, Wakanda offers all our respect and curiosity."

He stretched out his hand, making an inviting gesture, and pointed to the distance of the grassland.

"This is the border of Wakanda, and the conditions are simple; we cannot accommodate such distinguished guests. If you do not mind, I sincerely invite you to visit my royal city. We are willing to listen to your purpose and do our best to meet your needs."

"To your royal city?"

Xiu En repeated it, a brighter smile spreading across his face.

If the smell in the air just now was that of potato chips, then the smell coming from the direction T'Challa pointed out was that of the main dining area!

"Are there many delicious foods in your royal city?" Xiu En asked very directly.

This question left T'Challa speechless, unable to utter a single diplomatic remark he had prepared. He hesitated for a moment before cautiously replying, "Wakanda is rich in resources. If you wish, I can have the royal kitchen prepare the grandest state banquet."

"A state banquet—"

Xiu En smacked his lips, seemingly imagining the scene, then shook his head.

"Never mind, there's not enough time, and I'm not interested in those complicated formalities. However, I'll accept your invitation."

"My pleasure."

T'Challa breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Regardless of the other party's purpose, as long as he is willing to enter the royal city and come to his home ground, there is room for negotiation.

"Little Flower".

Xiu En said to Ivy in his heart.

"He invited me to a buffet! I can smell it! The main course area is in that direction! There's a smell there that smells a lot like you."

"That smells like plants, you idiot. Go look for them and bring back their seeds."

"no problem!"

Xiu En was even happier.

"Then, please follow me."

T'Challa pressed the beaded bracelet on his wrist.

Not far away in the sky, an optical camouflage pattern dissipated, and a jet-black royal aircraft appeared and hovered in front of them.

"This is my Royal Claw; it can take us to the royal city very quickly."

T'Challa explained.

"An airplane—"

Xiu En glanced at the aircraft and shook his head.

"Too slow."

"Slow?" T'Challa was puzzled. This aircraft was equipped with Wakanda's most advanced silent magnetic levitation engine, which could reach a top speed of more than ten Mach.

Shum didn't explain; he simply stepped forward and grabbed T'Challa's shoulder.

"Don't be nervous, I'll show you a shortcut."

Before T'Challa could react, he only felt a flash of golden light before his eyes, and a warm power enveloped him. The entire world around him seemed to be on fast-forward, with grasslands, mountains, and rivers instantly transforming into flowing, colorful lines that rushed past him.

The whole process lasted less than a second.

When his feet touched solid ground again, he found himself standing beneath the black panther statue.

Before me lies a magnificent metropolis that blends primitive totems with futuristic technology, with countless uniquely shaped aircraft traversing the airways above the city in an orderly fashion.

This is Bernin Zana, the capital of Wakanda.

He was just a moment ago on the border grasslands.

T'Challa's throat moved, and he turned his head, looking at the still relaxed Lightman beside him with an expression full of awe and shock.

"Um, welcome to my home."

T'Challa could only manage a dry, uninspired welcome.

Led by T'Challa, Shun arrived at a huge space hidden beneath the royal city.

A holographic star map slowly rotated on the dome, while countless robotic arms glided along tracks.

A young girl wearing white overalls and with dreadlocks glided up at them on a hoverboard.

"Brother! You're finally back!"

The girl smiled happily when she saw T'Challa, but soon her gaze was drawn to Shum behind T'Challa, whose bright eyes were filled with undisguised curiosity and scrutiny.

"Wow, are you the unidentified creature that ate our border robot like a snack?"

"Suri, mind your manners."

T'Challa reminded him with a slight headache, then introduced him to Shum.

"This is my sister, Suri, Wakanda's chief scientist."

"Hello, I'm Xiu En."

Xiu nodded at the seemingly lively girl, then asked curiously, "How did you know I ate your robot? Did you put cameras inside it?"

"Cameras? No, no, no, we haven't used that kind of low-end stuff for a hundred years."

Suri smiled confidently, jumped off her skateboard, jogged to a huge circular instrument in the center of the laboratory, and proudly patted it.

"I'm using this! A bio-form resonance spectrometer! It can scan and record any impact vibration and energy change that vibranium experiences at the atomic level. Even if you just bite it, or even if you just sneeze at it, I can analyze how many types of bacteria are in your sneeze!"

Like a child showing off their new toy, she winked at Hugh: "So, sir, would you be interested in experiencing Wakanda's most advanced full-body scan? I guarantee it can see every single atom in your body, like taking an ultra-high-definition photograph of your soul!"

A full body checkup? Is it free?

"certainly!"

Suli readily agreed.

She couldn't wait to figure out what kind of structure this creature in front of her was, that it could chew vibranium like a cookie.

T'Challa stood to the side, silent.

This was precisely the purpose for which he brought Xiu En here.

"Oh well."

Xiu En walked briskly into the center of the circular instrument. He looked around, even tapping the smooth inner wall of the instrument.

"This thing is made of nice material, and it smells nice too, kind of like a mint-flavored cookie tin."

"That's high-density vibranium polymer ceramic, not some kind of biscuit tin!"

While complaining, Su Li skillfully operated the holographic control panel in front of her.

"Alright, don't move, I'm about to begin! Energy matrix activated! Life spectrum scan ready!"

"Xiaohua, they're going to take my picture. What pose do you think I should strike to look cool?"

Xiu En inquired through the mental link.

"Behave yourself and let him sweep."

"I'm also very curious about what they can see from your sun."

As Suri pressed the start button, blue energy arcs flickered and moved across the inner wall of the instrument, enveloping Xiuen, who was standing in the center.

[Scan Begins — Target Life Form Detection —]

DNA structure analysis — failed — unidentified helical structure.

[Cell viability test — Warning! Energy level severely exceeded!]

[Energy Composition Analysis — Fundamental Components — Light? Heat? Gravity? That's impossible!]

The data on the console was refreshing like a waterfall, and various red warning boxes popped up one after another.

"What's going on?" Su Li's confidence began to disappear. She frowned and her fingers flew across the keyboard, trying to stabilize the instrument's parameters.

"Increase energy supply! Connect the backup power as well! Hold the line!"

However, it was all in vain.

As if in response to her increased supply, Xiu En in the center of the instrument began to emit a brighter golden light.

The light was initially soft, but it became increasingly dazzling as the scanning energy increased.

The energy within him was stimulated by the external probe and began to overflow uncontrollably.

[WARNING! WARNING! Unidentifiable ultra-high energy reaction detected! Energy output exceeds the instrument's tolerance threshold by 100%! 200%!!!]

The ear-piercing sound of electricity and a series of rapid explosions rang out almost simultaneously!

All the holographic screens in the laboratory went black in an instant, and the life form resonance spectrometer turned into a pile of scrap metal in a violent flash and thick black smoke.

Suri stood there, stunned, staring at the pile of what was once her proudest invention, now expensive junk, her mind blank.

"Did my spectrometer burn out?"

There was a cry in her voice.

T'Challa silently stepped forward, patted his sister on the shoulder, but didn't know what to say to comfort her.

The instigator of all this, Xiu En, emerged unscathed from the scrap metal. He glanced at the still-smoking wreckage of the equipment, clicked his tongue, and gave his final assessment as a participant.

"The taste is so-so, and it's a bit pungent."

Upon hearing this, Suli could no longer contain herself. Her eyes rolled back, and she fell straight backward, only to be caught by her brother in time.

On this day, Wakanda's most brilliant scientist, like her knowledgeable king brother, also began to question the meaning of life.

T'Challa handed Suri over to the royal physician who had rushed over upon hearing the news, and whispered a few words of advice to him.

He straightened his royal robes, turned to face Shuen, gestured for him to enter, and led him through a corridor filled with murals depicting the history of Wakanda, eventually arriving at a large hall.

At the far end of the hall was a throne.

T'Challa stood beside the throne, facing Shuon directly. This was the center of power in Wakanda, and he had chosen this place to conduct a negotiation that would determine the fate of the nation.

"Mr. Xiu En."

"First, I must make one point clear to you. Vibranium, for Wakanda, is the cornerstone of our civilization, the source of our technology, and the barrier that protects our culture from the outside world."

His gaze swept over the murals on the walls depicting the ancient Wakanda people using vibranium to build their civilization.

"It is also part of our faith, a sacred gift bestowed upon us by the goddess Bastet. Every piece of vibranium ore is intimately connected to the souls of our ancestors."

"So if you want to take it away as ordinary cargo, then I, and all of Wakanda, cannot agree to it. Even if the price is war, is destruction."

"oh----"

Xiuen listened to his long, epic discourse, which was full of national historical significance.

"Are you done? So you mean this is important, and you're not giving it to me, right?"

"I'm sorry, but that's the truth. However, I can give you some in my personal capacity."

T'Challa nodded.

"Fine, but I want more than just some."

Xiu En shrugged and then directly stated his purpose.

"Then I'll get to the point. I need your metal, a lot of it. In your units of measurement, about 100,000 tons."

"One hundred thousand tons?!"

While this number is indeed just the tip of the iceberg compared to Wakanda's vast and immeasurable reserves, taking out so much at once is enough to shake the very foundations of the nation.

Xiu En noticed his shock.

"Don't be so nervous. Given how abundant vibranium mines are in your world, 100,000 tons is probably just a drop in the ocean for you. After all, even the rocks by the roadside here contain vibranium. I just tasted it, and the quality is pretty good."

"In exchange, I can give you something you don't have, or even something you can't imagine."

He paused, then gave a mysterious smile.

"Like the protection of the sun?"

"The sun's protection?"

T'Challa frowned; he still didn't understand the meaning of the word. Was it some kind of high-energy shield technology? Or some kind of climate modification project?

Just as he was trying to analyze the statement from a scientific perspective, another voice rang out.

"Not only that, there's also the protection of nature. If you can offer a sufficiently sincere tribute."

T'Challa turned his head, his eyes searching the hall, but there was no one there with Shum!

"Who? Who's speaking?!"

"Look this way!" the voice rang out again.

T'Challa instinctively looked in the direction of the sound, which was Shuen's shoulder.

The golden sunflower he had always thought was some kind of peculiar decoration was now raising its flower head. In the center of the flower head, two small leaves stood like arms on hips, and a disdainful expression had appeared on the flower head.

"How slow-witted."

"Your instruments couldn't even analyze that he was a sun, and now you're only just discovering me? It seems your technology isn't all that great."

T'Challa stared blankly at the talking, expressive, and extremely arrogant sunflower, then looked at the one next to him, Shum, who had an expression that said, "My little flower is just that naughty, there's nothing I can do about it."

A talking sunflower?

She called that radiant person, the sun?

Moreover, she herself seems to be a being who holds the power of nature.

The gods of nature?

He finally realized it.

He was conversing with two gods who were walking among humans.

How do you negotiate with the sun and demand payment for sunlight? And how do you argue with the earth and discuss ownership of every inch of soil?

Seeing his expression, Xiu En shrugged and spoke again.

"A treaty of the sun god's light, plus a contract for the natural cycle of life, in exchange for some useless scrap metal in your warehouse. This deal should be a sure win for you, Your Majesty, right?"

After a brief moment of distraction, Black Panther straightened his back again. He knew that he now represented not just himself, but the past and future of all of Wakanda.

He solemnly bowed to Xiu En and Sunflower with his hand on his chest.

"The noble sun and the god of nature."

"Excuse my intrusion, but before Wakanda makes its final decision, may I understand the specifics of the protection of the sun and the protection of nature?"

He must be clear about what kind of future he will be trading the foundation of the nation for.

"Tsk, troublesome."

Shuen extended a finger, and a small orb of light appeared at its tip. The orb radiated a reassuring warmth, bathing the entire throne room in a soft golden hue.

"The protection of the sun is very simple."

"I will hang a mini sun in your sky. This sun will purify your air, water, and soil, removing harmful radiation and pollution. Any creature or energy source that harbors ill will towards you will be automatically weakened by the sunlight as soon as it enters your territory."

T'Challa began to think.

A sun that never sets? A tool to purify the entire nation's pollution? A targeted national defense perimeter?

This is a miracle! A divine blessing powerful enough to completely change the fate of Wakanda!

At this moment, the being on Xiu En's shoulder, whose voice sounded like that of a goddess, also spoke.

"Nature's protection, it's pretty much the same."

The sunflower shook its flower head.

"First, I will optimize the gene chains of all plants in your country, halving their growth cycle, tripling their yield, and making them resistant to all known pests and diseases. Including your heart-shaped grass."

Heart-shaped grass? She actually knows about heart-shaped grass?

"Secondly, I will grant you a land of life. On this land, any non-malicious wound will heal faster, and common diseases will be naturally cured. Simply put, it's a healing aura."

"Third, if you encounter an enemy that you cannot defeat yourself, you can pray to nature for help."

As she said this, a cute, mischievous smile appeared on the flowerpot.

"Exploding corn and peas that spit bullets will appear to help you clear the weeds."

"That concludes our new player welcome package."

Sunflower concluded, "If you're willing to invest a little more, like sending me the original mother plant of your heart-shaped grass for research, I might consider upgrading your shelter agreement for free and adding a 'Favorable Weather' expansion pack. How about that? A good deal, right?"

Xiu En continued communicating with Ivy through the mental link, seemingly planning to apply this buff to all the places under their protection.

T'Challa was speechless.

If Shuon's protection of the sun gave Wakanda the strongest shield, then Ivy's protection of nature gave Wakanda the sharpest spear and a granary that would never go hungry.

The combined value of these two shelters far exceeds a mere 100,000 tons of vibranium.

No, this is priceless! This is a gift from the gods that would drive any civilization mad!

His only worry now was whether the other party was joking. But looking at the impatient sincerity in the man's eyes and the self-satisfied pride on the sunflower's face, he felt they were serious.

For the gods, these great deeds that could change the fate of a nation might really be just a matter of lifting a finger.

He took a deep breath and bowed even more humbly to the two gods once more.

"I understand. Thank you for your generosity and kindness, Your Majesties."

"This matter concerns the millennia-old heritage and future destiny of Wakanda, and is beyond the scope of my decision alone."

"I implore the two divine beings to grant Wakanda some time. I need to immediately convene the council of tribal elders to inform my people of your will and divine grace. They have the right and the responsibility to witness and make this historic decision together."