Chapter 783: 783: 783: Lumine: Master of the Mountain Road

Three completely pitch-black, highly structured mechanisms rested on the grass before the vanguard. Though the design carried a slightly blocky silhouette true to the parameters of this dimension, the overall lines maintained an undeniably sleek, aerodynamic aesthetic. Four rounded wheels anchored the chassis to the dirt, and the interior architecture clearly indicated a sealed compartment designed for passenger transit.

The delegates from Teyvat stared at the metal frames without a single point of historical reference, but Ryen mapped the objects instantly. These were the standard automotive vehicles hardcoded into the modern warfare expansion pack.

He felt his mental fatigue lift in a flash, leaping down from his horse to approach the lead carriage for a thorough physical inspection.

"Ryen, these objects appear to function as heavy cargo or transit mechanisms," Ganyu said softly, her boots whispering through the grass as she closed the distance to stand beside him.

Ryen nodded, a slight smile playing across his lips. "Precisely. Aether and Lumine should possess the core memories required to identify them."

"They are standard automobiles," Lumine laughed, her palm slapping against the cold metal of the front hood with casual familiarity before she turned her gaze toward Tartaglia. "Did your scouts log any secondary assets adjacent to these frames?"

"Secondary assets?" Tartaglia scratched his chin, his brow furrowing as he muttered, "We recovered three unique iron keys. Do those objects correlate to the ignition sequence for these... automobiles?"

"Furthermore, what represents the operational logic behind an automobile? Does it share a functional blueprint with the festival floats utilized during the Sabzeruz Festival?"

Ryen waved the comparison aside. "The core concept is identical; they are both automated transit platforms."

With his explanation delivered, Ryen executed a slow lap around the three vehicles to verify their technical specifications. Every single unit mapped exactly to the baseline parameters of the Audi S4 included within the mod package.

A trace of genuine regret crossed Ryen's features. Within Vic's Modern Warfare integration, the firearm infrastructure was meticulously detailed and exhaustive, scaling all the way up to low-yield tactical nuclear payloads. However, when it came to the vehicular matrices, the selection was remarkably sparse. The system permitted only four distinct land vehicles, one of which was merely a two-wheeled motorcycle.

Compared to a standard civilian sedan, Ryen's strategic planning would have heavily favored a full-scale armored tank to serve as an unyielding kinetic anchor for their overland expeditions. Leaving aside the actual material destruction, the visual grandeur of an armored column crossing the plains was unparalleled. Still, during this initial open-air, he was not inclined to penalize a stroke of random geographic fortune.

"This specific class of transit platform dominates the daily logistics of industrialized worlds," Ryen explained, his fingers wrapping around the handle as he pulled the driver-side door outward with a clean click. "They serve as the foundational tools across modern civilizations."

He slid his frame into the seat to calibrate the ergonomic proportions. Though the vehicle was generated directly out of the grid logic of the MC world, the interior contours conformed flawlessly to biological physiology, offering an exceptional level of support.

As for the actual mechanical operation, the world's real-world translation layers had simplified the interface. The baseline controls required zero manual clutch engagement or emergency brake management to navigate.

With his palms resting against the leather texture of the steering wheel, Ryen felt a long-buried sense of modern familiarity reclaim his senses.

He let out a quiet exclamation of surprise. "By all structural laws, these assets are strictly restricted to the creative item matrices. Had the system permitted manual assembly via standard crafting tables, my workshops would have mass-produced them cycles ago."

"With these platforms operational, our cavalry mounts can be systematically reassigned to secondary domestic duties. Tell me, what specific environmental variables led to the localization of these units?"

Tartaglia pointed a gauntleted finger toward the spent brass casings littering the grass. "When that pillager patrol initiated their flanking maneuver against our scouts, their vanguard commanders were actively driving these three frames across the coordinate grid."

"Fascinating. A spontaneous world-generation event tied to hostile entities," Ryen murmured, his eyes narrowing as he evaluated the inventory implications. "It is an absolute shame the cluster is so small. Three individual sedans offer negligible utility for a standing legion."

"What logic informs that dismissal?!" Lumine said, her posture shifting into a look of intense, proud excitement as she slid into the passenger seat beside him. "My memory logs confirm I successfully obtained a operator's license during my travels through the technological sectors. My handling metrics earned me the absolute title of Master of the Mountain Road!"

"The timing is flawless for me to demonstrate my superior navigation skills to the high command."

She leaned closer, her voice dropping into a low, deliberate murmur that brushed against his ear. "Furthermore... have your analysts forgotten the cultural phenomena associated with enclosed vehicular spaces in those worlds? The concept of vehicular intimacy is incredibly popular across the networks, Ryen. Does your department care to run an operational simulation tonight?"

Ryen raised an eyebrow, his palm coming up to firmly push her face away with an amused huff. "Ensure your thoughts filter out that specific class of digital residue before you address my office. Tell me, what coordinate node in the cosmos fed your memory cores with that data?"

Lumine lifted her chin, her expression completely unbothered by his rejection. "Heh! Do you operate under the assumption that my interstellar expeditions were limited to simple culinary mapping?"

"I was thoroughly immersed in the data streams of their public networks, absorbing the absolute totality of their cultural knowledge!"

She paused, her fingers coming up to cradle her chin as her expression turned thoughtful. "The structural variable is intriguing. Do you hypothesize the network parameters of the Akasha System could be configured to transmit similar, "

"Terminate that exact line of strategic calculation before it breaches your security perimeter," Ryen cut her off, his hand dropping onto the back of her head with a firm tap. "The Akasha network remains fully accessible to Lesser Lord Kusanali and the civilian cadres; my administration will not authorize the systematic corruption of their educational channels."

Lumine rolled her eyes, her lips thinning as she muttered, "You execute daily structural exercises with our units within the main villa. Do you truly believe Nahida's sensors fail to map those acoustic signatures?"

Ryen maintained an absolute, unblinking silence, choosing to completely disregard her commentary.

However, from a purely analytical standpoint, Lumine's proposal held a certain functional merit. The presence of a completely sealed, reinforced automotive cabin opened up numerous variables for personal recreation that the open architecture of their stone villas could not accommodate.

His gaze drifted slowly across the forms of Ganyu, Lisa, and the other women standing near the perimeter, a slow, calculated smile gracing his features.

Sensing the sudden shift in his visual focus, Ganyu and her companions felt their breath catch slightly, their postures tightening as they instinctively pulled their cloaks closer around their shoulders.

"Therefore, the object functions purely as a standard transport mechanism? It possesses zero offensive or strategic enhancements?" Lisa asked, her tone dripping with an elegant detachment as she idly twirled a lock of her chestnut hair around her finger. "My designers had anticipated a relic carrying unique Witchery traits. After all, the ruling houses of Fontaine navigate their waters via automated steam vessels, and Nahida commands a dedicated ceremonial float."

"Those platforms rely on biological draft beasts or active elemental compression to maintain propulsion. What represents the underlying energy matrix for this automobile? A pressurized gas compound?"

Ryen shook his head, pushing the door open to step back onto the grass. "Under standard physical laws, it requires highly refined petroleum extracts, but given the anomalous code of this world... its internal fuel capacity is likely tied to a fixed durability modifier."

"Regardless, we shall secure the assets immediately." He closed the door with a firm, solid thud. "An automotive platform represents an incredible leap in overland transit efficiency."

"Leaving aside the luxury parameters, the structural complexity of the frame is remarkably low. If our engineering departments map the underlying mechanics and initiate mass production, the logistical throughput for our domestic merchant guilds and military supply lines will scale by an order of magnitude."

"Furthermore, the sedan represents merely one branch of the automotive tree," Ryen continued, his palm resting on the roof. "The technology accommodates heavy cargo haulers, high-velocity sports units, and reinforced utility vehicles designed for rugged terrain."

"This is an exceptional baseline harvest. If the Akademiya and the Liyue construction bureaus master the metallurgy and mechanical logic required to replicate these engines, the infrastructural development of our alliance will rapidly close the gap with true technological civilizations."

Ryen delivered a satisfied pat to the C-pillar of the Audi. He had mobilized this entire expedition with the explicit intent of charting the unknown depths of the Witchery mod, yet before they had even cleared the plain biome, the hardcoded parameters of their completed firearms mod had yielded an industrial transport asset.

"Should I authorize immediate transit to the central forge coordinates for Albedo's division to begin a teardown analysis?" Ningguang asked quietly, her ledger already open.

Her administrative reflexes had immediately isolated the massive economic and infrastructural implications of the vehicle. For domestic commerce and global logistics, a self-propelled land vehicle represented a total restructuring of their transaction velocities.

Ryen pondered the variable for a brief second. Though he held zero expectations that their current blacksmiths could hand-forge a modern internal combustion block from scratch, the intricate, interlocking geometry of the engine components might serve as a powerful catalyst for their alchemists' design concepts. If they could engineer a simplified, elemental hybrid equivalent within Teyvat, the design could be seamlessly imported back into the MC world for large-scale assembly.

He struck his fingers together, and the pale blue light of a spatial portal manifested across the grass with a low hum.

Turning his gaze toward Aether, Ryen said, "Your dataset includes the operational vectors for this platform?"

Aether nodded, his posture perfectly calm as he stepped toward the driver's side. "My certification predates her logs by a significant timeline margin. When our self-proclaimed Master of the Mountain Road attempted her initial written evaluations, her processing core suffered four consecutive institutional failures before securing a passing mark."

"Insolent fool! Your commentary relies on entirely uncalibrated historical data!" Lumine glared at her brother, her hand diving into her tactical vest to produce a live high-explosive grenade, her golden eyes locking onto his frame with absolute hostility.

"I am merely providing a verified factual baseline," Aether replied, completely ignoring the munitions threat as he slid behind the wheel and adjusted the mirrors. "Do we authorize the immediate transfer of all three units to the main forge?"

Ryen nodded. "Execute the transfer. Our current scouting formation is too large for three sedans to provide meaningful transit."

"Once the vehicles are secured at the forge coordinates, route through the Main Continent's central pavilion and secure several full banquet tables from Xinyue Kiosk. Our geographic objectives for the day are officially concluded."

"The expedition will consume a structured evening meal, authorize a standard relaxation window, and pitch a permanent camp in this sector. At sunrise, we advance directly into the timber coordinates to localize the initial Witchery structures."

Aether gave a brief nod, engaging the ignition. The engine turned over with a smooth, refined purr before the sedan rolled through the spatial interface, disappearing into the Teyvat grid.

With the transport logistics settled, the pioneers systematically unpacked their structural blocks, breaking ground for a reinforced overnight encampment. It had been months since the elite team had been forced to establish a temporary forward operating base in the wilderness, their schedules having been dominated by the domestic luxury of the main estate since the clearing of the Twilight Forest. The change in environment filled the ranks with intense focus.

The Khaenri'ahn pioneers moved with near-frenetic energy, taking absolute responsibility for the layout and construction of every defensive wall and residential cabin assigned to the Archons and execution officers.

In the words of Endis, these structures represented the absolute first human habitations erected upon the sovereign soil of the New Continent. The historic and symbolic weight of the masonry was immense, dictates that it must be executed exclusively by the hands of true Khaenri'ahns. It allowed them to physically measure the sensation of dwelling within their re-established domain.

The divine beings and high officials were content to let the engineers manage the layout, dispersing across the immediate grasslands to execute their own leisure tasks. Some rode their mounts along the perimeter to break in fresh horses, while others advanced into the deep grass to cull wandering livestock, expanding their reserves of raw beef and mutton before the light failed.

Today had been entirely dedicated to logistical transit and morale-building; every member of the party understood that once the sun cleared the horizon tomorrow, they would step into the dark, unmapped calculations of a heavy exploration cycle. They utilized the remaining sunlight to harvest the final moments of peace.

Ryen authorized Klee and Qiqi to explore the safe margins of the grass before retrieving a plush sofa block from his inventory, dropping his physical frame into the cushions with a long sigh.

Though their march had been entirely devoid of heavy combat, the mental overhead required to guide an inter-continental expedition was immense. Every foray into an unmapped biome demanded that he continuously process the system's underlying code, evaluate the generation matrices for hostile structures, and calculate the risk vectors for his personnel.

Tracing the deep exhaustion lines tightening his features, Ganyu stepped to the back of the sofa, her movements silent and fluid. She gently guided his head back onto her lap, her warm fingers applying a rhythmic, therapeutic pressure to his temples.

Ryen let out a long, contented breath, shifting his posture to stretch his legs across the lap of Yae Miko, who sat on the adjacent cushion.

Observing his casual intrusion, the pink-haired kitsune blinked her violet eyes, a slow, predatory purr creeping into her voice. "To deposit your primary limbs so carelessly upon my person implies your department is fully prepared to handle the immediate physical consequences, darling."

Sensing the subtle, dangerous shift in the kitsune's fingers as they tracked up his calves, Ryen opened one eye to fix her with a warnings look. "The surrounding area is heavily populated by administrative staff. Maintain absolute operational discipline until the evening hours."

Yae Miko let out a soft chuckle, withholding any further overt provocations as she retrieved a newly bound Witchery grimoire from her inventory, flipping through the pages with an air of complete composure.

"Ryen, the primary construction divisions have successfully anchored their watercraft at the coastal coordinates and broken ground for the port infrastructure," Ningguang reported, walking over alongside Keqing to deliver the status update.

Ryen kept his eyes closed, sinking deeper into Ganyu's lap as he asked, "Based on current engineering metrics, what is the estimated timeline required for the construction teams to establish a basin capable of berthing ten thousand transport vessels?"

Ningguang calculated the material deployment and labor velocity before replying. "Assuming the current supply lines remain unhindered, the two thousand trained pioneers can complete the primary retaining walls and deep-water slips within seven business days."

"Instruct their planners to anchor the foundational framework immediately, with an absolute emphasis on reserving space for a massive, multi-tiered rail transit hub connecting directly to the interior plains."

Ryen paused, his mind mapping the macro-logistics of the continent. "This port facility will be permanently designated to function as the sole cross-continental logistics core linking the Main Continent to this landmass. Our infrastructure must utilize automated redstone rail grids to weld the harbor docks directly to the gates of Aether's future capital."

Ningguang laughed softly, her hand coming down to gently smooth the tension lines between his brows. "Leave the structural layouts and civil blueprints to Keqing and my office, Ryen. Your department has carried the burden of navigating the fleet all morning; utilize this window to rest without entangling your thoughts in engineering summaries."

Ryen gave a slow nod, allowing his consciousness to drift as the ambient sounds of the camp settled around him. After a long silence, he added in a quiet murmur, "Instruct Endis to deploy the Arcane Workbench in the center of the camp before dusk. Our main inventory contains a massive surplus of spell books accumulated during the Twilight Forest campaigns."

"Before the evening meal is served, authorize the vanguard fighters to cycle through the bench, systematically replacing their outdated spell packages with optimized elemental payloads."

"Furthermore, transmit an official administrative directive to the Liyue and Snezhnaya smithing workshops regarding the fabrication curve of the high-tier slash blades. I demand an accelerated timeline. The moment our vanguard maps the absolute boundaries of this Witchery mod, the first mass-produced shipment of legendary blades must be ready for distribution."

"When that threshold is reached, the deployment of our advanced magical infrastructure can be seamlessly combined with the high-tier blade disciplines, allowing for an immediate, dual-path ascension across our entire standing army."

Ningguang watched him from the edge of the sofa, her expression thoughtful. "A unified progression model for our forces... The weapon smiths have already entered the final evaluation phases for the blade metrics. The strategic targets you outlined should be fully realized within two weeks."

She shifted her weight, sitting lightly beside him to wrap her arms around his neck, her lips brushing against his ear as she whispered, "Cease your calculations for the unmapped future, Ryen. Before the logistics teams deliver the banquet rations, permit your processing core to remain completely dark for a short while."