Chapter 1592 Sinful Monster Laboratory <TOC> Chapter 1594 Jiebo’s Misfortune
Translator: SumTLMan
The planning for the new city had previously been mentioned by Sanders. Now, having acquired the “Power Level Restriction” power, he must inevitably construct a new city to accommodate those who will venture into the Wilderness of Dreams.
Therefore, Angel has recently taken a keen interest in the planning for the new city.
Upon hearing Freud’s inquiry, Angel immediately nodded in agreement.
Five minutes later, inside an upper-level office within the Sin Fog Laboratory, Freud handed a stack of manuscripts to Angel.
“These drafts are primarily designed by people who specialize in city planning. I’ve reviewed them, and the designs are all rather good,” Freud paused for a moment before continuing, “However, the most exemplary design among these doesn’t belong to any of these professionals.”
Freud deliberately left it a mystery, not specifying who the designer was.
Intrigued, Angel started flipping through the design drafts one by one. From the very first page, he was deeply impressed. It must be said, those who specialize in city planning certainly produce far superior work compared to his haphazard assemblies.
Even if the architecture in the designs wasn’t as professionally drawn as that of dedicated artists, the level of detail and planning in the data provided allowed one to envision the grandiosity of the finished product.
Within each draft, Angel could mentally construct towering cities that filled the sky. Some were imbued with the solemn complexity of religious styles; others captured the majestic aura of primitive tribes, and still others epitomized classical artistry with their tender and exquisite beauty.
While each design had its own merits and was very well-suited for construction, Angel felt that something was lacking.
The new city he planned to build was intended for the extraordinary.
Though all the cities in the drafts were undeniably classic, they lacked the kind of immediate impact that struck one at first sight.
Take Sky Mechanical City for example: even from a distance, one would be awe-struck by this steel fortress drifting among the clouds. Up close, that awe would not diminish in the least. The city radiated a rich mechanical style from every angle, and owing to its alchemical connections, elements of alchemy were omnipresent throughout the city, adding a layer of finesse to its overall stark and grand ambiance.
It can be said that Angel holds Sky Mechanical City’s design in high regard, a sentiment echoed by wizards far and wide.
Angel also fondly remembers his first foothold in the Abyss——the city atop boulders, Emberstone Titan. Though this city ultimately met a destructive end, the memory still resonates. Within the dark fog of the Abyss, encircled by looming demons, brilliant and powerful wizards erected a radiant city atop towering boulders, hundreds of meters high. This luminous haven, accompanied by a celestial symphony, served as a beacon for those who had lost their way. Even the mere act of reminiscing about it fills one with profound emotion.
Angel doesn’t demand the new city reach these lofty heights, but he does insist that it avoid being tackily mundane.
After flipping through several design drafts — each aesthetically pleasing but lacking that innovative spark Angel sought — he stumbled upon an orange-hued sketch that instantly caught his eye.
Until this moment, the drafts had primarily been in black and white. The sudden splash of color made Angel pause. As he continued scanning the image, a smile unconsciously began to form on his lips.
“This is the one you were talking about, isn’t it?” he asked.
Freud nodded in affirmation. “Yes.”
After scrutinizing the sketch, Angel confidently stated, “This is Jon’s work.”
Angel immediately recognized it as Jon’s creation because it included elements that simply wouldn’t appear in the Wizarding World.
For instance, at the bottom left of the draft, a building resembling a circular earthen house sported an upturned eave and a vermilion roof, which bore subtle hints of Jon’s Eastern origins. Yet, the rest of the structure adopted a wholly fantastical style. It even featured a steel tower rising through its center, adorned with chimneys and external ladders, and extending toward the sky.
This was but a single aspect of the image; other portions similarly contained Eastern influences, but these were so minimal as to be almost negligible. They merely served as fleeting accents within the elaborate tapestry of the architectural layout.
Overall, the design emanated a faint aura reminiscent of Sky Mechanical City, complete with metal-clad structures and reinforced concrete.
But unlike the pure steampunk aesthetic of Sky Mechanical City, it leans more toward a punk style within the realm of steam fantasy.
Every component, even down to the bearings, is intricately designed with a counter-cultural edge.
Angel examines this blueprint and pretty much understands Jon’s intent.
Jon has high confidence in Earth culture, yet he’s not one to dogmatically stick to one style. He has a broad-minded view of culture, so this blueprint clearly reflects the dominant trends of this world.
It has the respect and compromise of “when in Rome, do as the Romans do,” but it also maintains the integrity of his own cultural background.
The design is impactful but does not deviate entirely from the mainstream aesthetics of the Wizarding World. It even attempts to change the people’s acceptance of emerging styles in the Wizarding World through occasional Earthly touches.
A glimpse of Jon’s tactfulness is evident.
Angel believes that if the cities of Earth were directly transplanted for the people of the Wizarding World to see, the cultural disjunction and differing tastes might make it unappreciated by many. However, Jon skillfully sidesteps this issue by using touches of Earthly style and a punk core to construct a city that aligns with the mainstream aesthetic of the Wizarding World.
“It’s so beautiful,” Freud exclaims upon seeing the blueprint again, unable to contain his admiration. “It’s filled with a strong personal style, and between the layout of the buildings, one can feel the designer’s intense desire to express himself!”
“I always thought Mr. Jon’s greatest achievement was in music. I didn’t realize his knowledge extended to such a breadth,” Freud adds.
Angel raises an eyebrow, “Of course, after all, he is my mentor.”
If it weren’t for Jon’s enlightening guidance, Angel might just be a small noble, lost among the ordinary.
Angel hands the blueprint to Freud: “Since we both appreciate this one, let’s use it as the basis for the design of the new city.”
Freud naturally nodded in agreement, saying, “Just a sketch alone already has such a striking visual impact. If it’s actually built, the awe it generates will likely be even more intense.”
Freud: “I’ll find time to discuss the details with Mr. Jon. As for its implementation later on…”
Angel: “It’s too early to talk about implementation. When the time comes, we’ll just create a prototype. The refinement will be done by the exceptional individuals themselves.”
After confirming the design, Angel spent another night in the Wilderness of Dreams, mainly delving into the Power Tree and conducting research on Sinful Monsters.
By the time Angel left the Wilderness of Dreams, it was already the next morning.
Angel had fallen asleep sitting at his desk the previous night, his hand propping up his chin. He rubbed his slightly numb hand and fastened his loose cuffs.
He had intended to organize the data on the Shape-Shifting Spell, but before he could get started, a clamor from outside the window caught his attention.
Angel walked over to the window, pulled back the curtains, and pushed the window open.
Golden sunlight filtered through the tree outside, casting a mottled reflection on the desk.
Standing by the window, Angel looked in the direction of the noise, caressed by the gentle breeze.
He saw Gloria and Shirley deeply engaged in conversation in the courtyard. Shirley had completely let go of her earlier inhibitions, her expression relaxed, and a mischievous smile playing at the corners of her mouth from time to time.
With her roving eyes full of mischief, she didn’t dare to play pranks on Gloria, but her gaze fell on Butler Number 1.
Shirley occasionally teased Butler Number 1, utterly unconcerned that he was merely a Magic Eye. After her teasing, she would say in a voice dripping with malice, “Just kidding~”
Butler Number 1 had no idea what Shirley was up to, but her occasional disruptions of his work annoyed him quite a bit.
Gloria seemed indifferent and even encouraged the situation from the sidelines.
Just as Shirley was about to act recklessly, Angel furrowed her brows, flew out, and landed in front of Shirley.
“The owner of Butler Number 1 is my mentor. Are you planning to make my mentor intervene to stop your madness?” Angel said icily.
Upon seeing Angel, the mischievous ideas that were sprouting in Shirley’s mind immediately ceased.
Ignoring her, Angel walked around Shirley to stand beside Gloria, “It seems you and Shirley get along well?”
Gloria’s eyes twinkled with amusement and spoke in a volume only they could hear, “Her personality is quite entertaining, don’t you think? So unyielding that it makes one wonder whether Sanders would grant the Water Ripple Witch any courtesy when he faces her.”
Gloria’s expression, as if she relished in stirring the pot, gave Angel quite the headache.
However, Gloria quickly changed her demeanor, “I was joking earlier, but one thing is true: Shirley is indeed very interesting.”
“By the way, I was discussing the Novastar Competition with Shirley; are you interested in hearing about it?”
Chapter 1592 Sinful Monster Laboratory <TOC> Chapter 1594 Jiebo’s Misfortune