Ming Dynasty, New Rome, and Infinite Divine Machine

He tried turning the box upside down, but there was still nothing inside.

"Hey." He reached into his pocket and touched Apollonia. "What's going on? Where are the cards?"

[Of course the cards are in the box—they're not in the box now, are they? Don't let go. Touch me with your left hand and open it with your right hand.]

Following Apollonia's instructions, Shangluo opened the box again. As expected, the heavy box was filled with cards.

"why is that?"

Because the process of my spellcasting was to exhaust the 'possibilities' of that set of cards—thus, the cards, which were merely magic props, now possessed the ability to link to the Akashic Records. The same was true of the music box; it revealed a 'profile' of me, housing an infinite divine machine, allowing me to be repaired as a machine. Now that I've mostly returned to normal, my connection to the Akashic Records has also returned to normal, so I can no longer send random signals like before.

“Then how am I going to use it later?”

[Just hold me with one hand, keep in contact with me, and then use your other hand to control me.]

"I still need to pinch you with one hand? Are you some kind of magical weapon? Isn't this just like Monkey King having to use the Water Repellent Technique with one hand free during a water battle?"

[It's better to have some trouble than to bleed. And only now can I provide you with truly controlled support. And only this way can I interpret the hexagram, and I didn't understand what it was before. For example, did you look at the card in the box?]

Isn’t it different?

The card backs were indeed different. Previously a gaudy starry sky, they were now pure white. A sense of aura also appeared on these cards—though these cards seemed focused, lacking any discernible personality. But when he focused his attention on them, he could sense a subtle, profound aura.

Shangluo drew a card:

There are two hexagrams on the card from top to bottom: the upper one is the water hexagram and the lower one is the thunder hexagram.

Water and thunder, this is a Tun hexagram.

"Wait, wasn't this originally a tarot card? How did it become the I Ching?"

Because the tarot cards are out of service. Now Zhou Yi is taking over—actually, this box is a magic trick, and it contains playing cards. Once I've exhausted its possibilities, any cards you need will appear inside. It's just a little trick, don't worry too much. The hexagram isn't important; the interpretation is. Aren't you going to have a divination now? The divination has already begun. The Tun hexagram is your current hexagram, corresponding to the birth of all things. You may encounter difficulties and obstacles at times, but overall it's a good omen.

"Wait, wait! Did Zhou Yi pull out a card? And it starts right now? What should I do then?"

"You want to save money, right? That's what you need to consult. Draw another card and interpret it. Interpreting the hexagram is much more important than drawing it."

Shangluo drew another card. This time, five of the six hexagrams were disconnected, with only the second one connected.

[Yes, there is water on the ground.]

"Where's the water?"

Let me tell you about the hexagram! The water hexagram on top of the earth hexagram is the 'Bi' hexagram. The Bi hexagram symbolizes the gathering of all, which is extremely auspicious for accumulating wealth. Good luck to you! You might be able to accumulate 270 million in a very short time.

"Very good, I'll take your kind words. But when are you going to give me the formula for the Foundation Establishment Pill?"

"You can do it anytime you want. However, how to convey it to you is a problem. I can't tell you orally, the consequences are too serious."

"Then what should I do? If you won't tell me and you can't hold a pen, how can I get the recipe from you?"

[Just leave it to me, you can set a time.]

"Then tonight." He flipped through the map. "Actually, I'm not completely confident in you yet. What if the formula for the Foundation Establishment Pill is something strange? Wouldn't I poison myself if I tried to make it? Every citizen of the Ming Dynasty knows about the Red Pill Case. I don't want to die suddenly in a month. So this afternoon."

He pointed to the Las Vegas Strip on the map. "Today is your chance to perform a miracle. There are 69 casinos on this strip, and there are six racetracks around it. These are the ones with the latest pinball machines."

[Hey, hey, hey, are you still going in to gamble? ]

"Tsk, do you think I'm the same as those barbarians? So vulgar and stupid. Using a magic machine to play with small steel balls is like using a butcher knife to kill a chicken. Besides, it's easy for the Jinyiwei to target me in the casino, just like the gang that held me hostage before. Otherwise, how could I attract the Jinyiwei so quickly to sweep through the house?"

What are you going to do?

"In Las Vegas, whose money is easiest to profit from? Gamblers! 69 casinos and 6 racetracks, all of them are making money from gamblers. Why would I want to rip the casinos' teeth out when I can make money from gamblers? And do you know what kind of gamblers' money is easiest to profit from? Of course, it's the gamblers at the top. These people, before they are about to drown, dare to believe anything."

[That makes sense. Then how do you get a gambler to become addicted?]

"Do you need me to do this? Las Vegas has everything except high-rolling gamblers. I just need to spend some time looking and I'll naturally find the right target."

[Where did you get this devil from? It's already pitiful that someone lost money, and you still want to add insult to injury. So where do you even start?]

"This is it." He pointed to the Mayan Revivalist building on the map cover. "The Grand Hotel of Chichen Itza. They just got some 'Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea'-themed steel balls in here. This is it."

After saying that, he raised his hand: "Pay the bill!"

Actually, I should have paid when I ordered, but the printer had a problem and the receipt didn't come out. The waiter has already brought the receipt. Black tea, preserved egg and lean pork congee, and a hamburger, totaled 52 wen.

"Ding~" The closed cash register made a pleasant sound.

“Welcome next time!”

Shangluo walked out of the store, clutching a pile of change bills. He put the change into his wallet and counted it.

I still have 50 taels left. I'm still 270 taels away from my target of 269 taels. Not a big deal.

The Chichen Itza Grand Hotel is not far away. That is our goal for today.

A massive Mayan Revival building emerges from the building—a powerful gray marble structure, its exterior adorned with a massive relief depicting the creation of the Fifth Age, painted in vibrant colors of malachite and cinnabar. A clock tower sits atop the hotel's central tower, but it doesn't count 24 hours, but rather the Mayan Tzolkin calendar.

There are 20 scales on it, representing water, dog, monkey, and rabbit. Each symbol represents a day in the Tzolk'in calendar. Only one scale moves a day, and a full circle is completed in 20 days, which is a month in the Tzolk'in calendar.

Casinos often use such exaggerated decorations, as if these formations engraved with the order of heaven and earth can bring good luck to gamblers.

The United Fruit sign still hangs above the hotel's porch. The ostentatious United Fruit billboards somewhat disrupt the building's mysterious design, but the hotel is now funded by United Fruit, and the Mayan sign sits side by side.

Chapter 20 Chichen Itza Grand Hotel

"You said gambling is a zero-sum game," Shangluo said, looking up at the clock tower. "If the environment can improve luck and make everyone's luck better, then who will be the unlucky one?"

[I don't know, maybe a casino.]

"So this is it. Look in the guidebook—the Grand Hotel of Chichen Itza, the official property of the city-state of Chichen Itza. But during the banana offensive of 22, Chichen Itza, along with 17 other Mayan city-states, fell into a wave of chain bankruptcies. In times of crisis, United Fruit lent a hand to all these Mayan city-states. Fourteen of the 17 city-states were acquired by United Fruit, and only three accepted bankruptcy protection plans and survive to this day. Chichen Itza also unfortunately went bankrupt, but..."

He flipped a page in the guidebook. "Due to the city-state's bankruptcy, the Grand Hotel Chichen Itza was mortgaged in its entirety to United Fruit, using the hotel's revenue as collateral to repay the debt. But as the city-state of Chichen Itza itself fell into inevitable decline, the hotel's performance also gradually declined. Finally, three years ago, they accepted a takeover by United Fruit and adjusted some of their high-cost projects. They fired all the dealers, remodeled the entire casino, and replaced all the previous facilities with pinball and slot machines. It is said that this was the decision of the King of Chichen Itza."

So they must be profitable now?

"No, they're mired in a power shortage. United Fruit seems to be having trouble with the local gangs, and the power outages here are frequent. Every time they happen, Tiger and Marble lose power, and a power outage affects a large area. The King of Chichen Itza's gamble has completely failed.

After saying that, Shangluo began to straighten his collar: "So now, it's my turn. Oh no, it's our turn to take the stage."

His hat, collar and cuffs all had to be adjusted one by one, and he had to maintain the dignity of a "Kinei person".

Shangluo walked up the steps decorated with reliefs and arrived at the hotel entrance.

Two half-naked burly men holding maqwavits stood at the door. Their exposed limbs and chests were covered with tattoos, and there was hardly a single piece of natural skin visible.

Shangluo had just seen in the atlas that these were "professionals" invited from the Mayan Kingdom. Each of them was a descendant of the nobles of the 17 Mayapan city-states that survived after the royal army felled the mountains and destroyed the temples. The royal army abolished human sacrifice throughout Yangzhou by felling the mountains and destroying the temples during the Great Righteous War, but their original ruling system was preserved.

Although only three of the 17 city-states still maintain a monarchy, and the others have all been swallowed up by the United Fruit banana plantations, Mayan culture has been fully respected and preserved - it's just that because of the economic problems in recent years, many people have been forced to go out to work.

According to tradition, the more tattoos one has, the more powerful one is. These two, with the exception of their faces, have tattoos of the genealogy of gods all over their bodies, which makes them look very powerful.

Perhaps it was the hotel's theme, or perhaps these two professionals were reluctant to serve as waiters. When Shangluo entered, the two men stood by the door, motionless like statues. After entering, he waited in the lobby for a moment before a doorman came to greet him.

"I'm not staying at the hotel," he said to the doorman. "Could you please show me the casino?"

"No problem, sir. Our hotel is open to the public. Please come this way."

Not all hotels accept outsiders to come in to play - as one of the cultural symbols of the Maya, Chichen Itza Hotel did not accept it before. But as far as the current situation is concerned, they have to accept it even if they don't want to.

The doorman led the way, and from time to time, store employees passed by. Without exception, they were all Mayans.

In terms of appearance, the Maya differed significantly from both the Aztecs and the Incas. While their eyes and hair were black, their facial features were softer and their skin paler. From a distance, many Maya resembled Han Chinese. There was even a theory of the "Shang Dynasty migrating eastward," though this theory ultimately fell through.

This isn't the first time Shangluo has seen Maya; San Francisco has seen quite a few. That city, according to a larger regional division, was one of the "Three Feudatories," with the Maya being one of them, the others being the Aztecs and the Incas. Within San Francisco lies the "Great Pyramid of the Dragon God," a shared tribute between the three factions. For a long time, it was the tallest structure in the city, aside from the glass tower on the Acropolis. However, with the passage of time, the Great Pyramid of the Dragon God has long been buried beneath a forest of steel and concrete, and the city's significance as a "tribute" has faded considerably.

The Mayans here are just as quiet as those in San Francisco and are far less enthusiastic than before.

The Great Righteous War not only involved the clearing of mountains and the destruction of temples throughout Yangzhou, but also the "resurrection and continuation" of all the indigenous people of Yangzhou. By then, the Aztecs had effectively vanished, and only a few Mayan city-states like Chichen Itza remained struggling. It was the imperial court that allowed them to rebuild their homes from the ruins.

Apart from the eternally loyal 'Ming Joseon Kingdom', Maya, far away across the vast ocean, always seemed to be increasingly alienated from the royal capital.

After the bankruptcy acquisition, Maya's attention was more focused on the imminent pressure of life.

These Mayans don't look very professional. They look like they're too lazy to do business. So, what happened back then? The Romans thought the Ming would interfere with the United Fruit merger. And yet, you didn't do anything about it.

"I'm not entirely sure about the details; it happened before I was 'born.' But it seems to be connected to the Lan Fang Company, the mastermind behind 'United Fruit,' which was the property of the Prince of Yanping. It's said they did this to acquire the 'imperial edicts' issued to the tributary states back then. They were the only legal proof of their tribute. Whoever obtained the imperial edicts could engage in tribute trade with the imperial court."

With the imperial decree taken away, Chichen Itza lost its usefulness. No wonder it has fallen into its current state.

Walking through the hall and into the open space—the light suddenly dimmed, the air thickened. Under the dim light, secondhand smoke from all corners of the world blended together, creating a profound disharmony of life.

Rows of small steel balls were lined up here, along with slot machines and coin pushers. The noise suddenly doubled, and the dusty and pilled carpets and tapestries, once intended for the croupiers in formal attire, did nothing to absorb the mechanical clamor.

Tourists and guests stood in front of the gleaming machine, staring at the rotating drums and bouncing steel balls as if they were possessed.

"Cough" The sudden stimulation made Shangluo cough, "I said, why don't you turn on the lights in broad daylight?

"It saves electricity," the doorman replied weakly. "You can use the machines here at will. You look like you're from the inner region, and these machines are all made there. If you have Taihe Tongbao, Shaoping Tongbao, or the like, you can deposit them directly without exchanging for tokens. Then, I wish you all the best."

"Well, thanks to your good words, I will definitely make a fortune here."

Chapter 21 Hexagram

"Say, should I do some divination? See which gambler I can squeeze the most money out of?"

[I have no objection. Do you want to use playing cards? ]

"No, it's too troublesome. I have a simple way." After saying that, he took out the music box that Apollonia was in and turned the handle of the music box with his hand.

Mechanical gears, cycloid wheels, oscillators, the brass movement runs in the brass case, and the simple and harmonious movement of mechanical parts plays Beethoven's "Ode to Joy".

Ode to Joy is in a solemn 2/4 time signature, and his steps follow suit.

The music box in his pocket played by itself. It was quite noisy, but the whole casino was filled with the roar of machinery, noisier than a factory, so no one paid any attention to the movement of the small music box in his pocket.

The music box released its spring in circles, and Shangluo wandered aimlessly between the machines - finally, the music of "Ode to Joy" stopped, and he stopped with it.

What is the principle behind this?

"This was used by the late Emperor Jiajing. I hear it's very effective. He would do this in his abode, striking the chimes first and then circling the eight trigrams. When the chimes stopped, whatever place you were walking to was the beginning of the circle. You think it's more effective than the chimes, right?"

【maybe.】

"Huh? Isn't that the correct way to use it?"

Of course not. That card box is a magician's tool, and its very function is prophecy. When I inhabited that card box, I exhausted the cards' potential to predict the future. But a music box isn't meant for prophecy; putting me inside just makes it play nice music. Perhaps you should just go with the flow? After all, your fortune has already been divined, so perhaps this is part of the prophecy.

"That's it. Being too utilitarian might not be effective. Let's try it out by finding a scapegoat first."

Shangluo found a seat near where he was parked. There were not many people around. Next to him was a middle-aged bald man who was staring intently at the pinball machine.

The bald man, wearing flip-flops, sat there with his legs crossed, holding a large box of steel balls. He put the balls into the machine one by one, and the balls were launched one by one along the spring.

With luck, a steel ball hitting the target can turn into a pile of steel balls. From the side, you can only see the bald man's tattoos, and it is impossible to tell from his expression whether he is making a profit or a loss.

Shangluo felt that it was "fate" that led him to the bald man, so he sat next to him.

"Young man, I don't recognize you. Are you here in Las Vegas?" The bald man spoke. His voice sounded about 40 years old, and his accent was surprisingly standard, speaking Jinling Mandarin.

"Yes, I'll come and play." Shangluo replied.

The bald man flicked the ash from his cigarette and said, "Oh~ You seem to be acting weird as soon as you come in. You don't look like you are here to play." He didn't care that the ash fell on the difficult-to-clean carpet, as if it was not public property but his own carpet.

"Uh...can you tell what I want to do?" Shangluo felt a little guilty.

"If I'm not mistaken, you were just doing divination? You're from Kinai, right?"

"Huh?" Shangluo was stunned. Could this guy be a spy from the Jinyiwei?

"You can actually see that?"

"Haha, you're imitating the divination method of Emperor Shizong Jiajing. I heard that when he was refining the elixir, he would use the chimes to tell the hexagrams, and the place where the chimes stopped was the result. Although this is not a secret, few people outside the capital know about it."

"How did you know?" Shangluo tightened his wallet, ready to run away if things went wrong.

"Well, I studied in Nanjing before and knew about this. But that's all in the past. By the way, I advise you not to play on this machine. It has a flaw. I played on this machine for two weeks straight, and I never won the jackpot. Every time I played, I barely broke even."

It's definitely a gambler, and it seems like he doesn't make much money.

The bald man's words were devoid of emotion, as if he had become numb. However, his body continued to honestly drop small steel balls into the machine, indicating that he had not given up on his luck.

This kind of gambler who has lost hope but is not yet desperate is the perfect target for Shangluo.

"Uncle, since you know I can tell fortunes, why don't you let me see what your face looks like?" Shangluo had already prepared words like "black forehead".

"Sure." The bald uncle turned his head. Under the dim light, a large green face suddenly appeared before him. The entire face was covered with strange and mysterious green patterns, with only two white eyes showing.

"What do you think of my face?" he said self-deprecatingly, "Or can you tell whether my forehead is dark or not just by looking at my tattoos? Yeah, but my luck has definitely never been very good."