Chapter 360

The reporters who were hiding behind the shelters outside the gate saw the carriage. They were surprised as there was a trace of excitement in their eyes. Some of them took out notebooks to record the possible conversation.

The door opened and Dudian stepped onto the trail as he used umbrella to cover himself from the rain.

The reporters were stunned to see the long missing Dudian to appear in front of them at this point. They ran over in hurry and tried to enter the castle. However they were blocked from entering the castle's perimeter.

"Mr. Dean, you ..."

"Architect Dean, we are from ..."

The people were scrambling to ask questions. One of them used the most appropriate location to face Dudian: "Mr dean you have been missing for the last few days! Were you secretly negotiating with barbarians? What's your purpose with cooperating with them? Is it for money? Or for..." He wasn't finished when another person pulled him.

"What are you doing? Y-you ..."

"I was the first to arrive! Please, Mr Dean ..." That man was pushed and interrupted by another.

Dudian saw that the people were competing with each other. He smiled: "I'll be answering your questions. It's rainy outside so come inside with me."

The reporters stopped pulling and pushing each other as they heard Dudian's statement.

Neuss who was standing by the door of the castle shouted in happiness: "Master, finally you have come back!"

Old Fulin, Kroen, Sander, Jake and other rushed to the door in surprise as they heard his words.

Dudian walked up to the door: "Let's go in." He handed the umbrella to Neuss.

Old Fulin had just stood up and saw Dudian surrounding by crowd. There was a hint of joy in his old wrinkled face: "I would have sent someone to pick you up if the news passed to us."

Dudian smiled: "I had already said that I was working on new invention! I would naturally come back after finishing my work."

Old Fulin understood the meaning behind his words: "It's raining outside let's talk over after you have a cup of hot tea." He looked at the maid.

"Yes." The middle-aged maid immediately went away to prepare tea.

Dudian's eyes lit up as he saw all members of the Ryan family in his own castle: "Old patriarch, let them go upstairs. These friends from the newspapers are here to interview me! Jin give them towels and chairs. Don't let them get sick."

"Yes." Neuss replied.

Old Fulin looked at Sander: "Let the children go upstairs to rest.. Otherwise it will get chaotic in here."

"Yes." Sander turned towards the crowd in the hall. "Hurry, go upstairs to rest."

Jake secretly glanced at Dudian. He waved at his wife and children and took the lead as they went upstairs. In the blink of an eye the hall was open.

Neuss arranged towels and chairs to five reporters from the newspapers.

All five of them were surprised as they thank him. They didn't expect to get such a treatment. Before they had to take shelter in front of the castle's gate now they were accepted as guests.

Dudian sat down in hall and picked up the cup of tea the middle-aged maid brought to him. He took few sips then looked at five reporters: "All of you have worked hard. My time is limited but I can arrange half an hour to all of you. So each one will get six minutes. Who wants to be the first?"

All of them replied: "Mr Dean is kind."

"I will be the first." A middle-aged person opened up his notebook and looked at Dudian: "Mr Dean, why have you disappeared for so long? Is it really for the work on your new invention?"

Dudian smiled: "Of course it was for that. I guarantee it by making in a pledge of faith! I never lie."

"Sorry for taking the liberty but the military newspaper has reported that they have captured barbarians and there is information about your involvement..."

"Is there any proof?" Dudian was angry as he interrupted the man.

The middle-aged man narrowed his face as he continued: "But this evidence... Mr Dean do you have any evidence to prove that you were working on a new invention?"

"Of course, I have already produced it and handed over to the Temple to assess. I believe that results will be out soon."

"Is it already produced?" The man was stunned: "So quick? You just produced the lightning rod recently. How could you create a new invention in short span of ten days or so?"

Dudian replied: "If there was not so much noise and interference from the newspapers then it should have been ready much faster! I had the idea for a long time so it was easy to put it into paper."

"This ... " The man's mouth stuck open as he didn't know what to ask.

After a second the man adjusted his thoughts and asked once more: "Mr Dean even if you created a new invention it doesn't prove that you haven't been cooperating with barbarians. Did you do so to get your revenge on Mellon consortium?"

"I need to correct your question. First of all I didn't to collide with the barbarians. Secondly I don't have a need that would make me collide with the barbarians. I wouldn't be able to spend my wealth in this lifetime."

"Mr. Dean ..."

"Sorry, your time is up."

"Next person."

"Mr. Dean. Hello. I just heard about your new invention. I know that major consortia compete with each other to get the rights to your inventions. Moreover each time the pre-sale prices are extremely alarming. I would like to know how much is the price for an offer for your new invention?"

"Price of a legendary item! This is the lowest price. Thanks."

"Did I hear it wrong?" The person was stunned.

Old Fulin and the other reporters were shocked to hear Dudian's claim. They suspected that it was a slip of the tongue. However the reporters thought that Dudian was using such a tactic to change the unfavorable situation that surrounded him.

Half an hour later.

Dudian commanded Neuss to bring five umbrellas and sent the reporters away.

After they left Dudian turned towards old Fulin: "I have read the newspapers and I'm aware that New World consortium is currently almost bankrupt because of the debt. However it is now wartime and the bankruptcy process will be delayed for some time. I'll use the money from the lightning rod's sales to fill in the hole. We lost out one but they will lose thousands of times more!"

Dudian had read the recent newspapers when he was in the hotel. The situation was almost the same as he expected. But he didn't imagine the New World Consortium to go bankrupt and Ryan family to owe such a huge debt. It was not surprising that it was a move by Mellon consortium.

Old Fulin's heart was in peace after he heard Dudian's words: "You have come back too late. The Mellon consortium is directing the general trend and your prestige that was built has fallen to the bottom. Especially after the military newspaper published the blatant accusation you have been target of public anger. I think if there was no rain then there would be lots of people protesting at the gates of the castle."

Dudian smiled: "So, we should thank the rain!"

"Ah." Old Fulin sighed: "You have been smiling all this time."

Dudian replied: "Why should I not laugh as the enemy has gone crazy? You don't have to worry about the public anger. Since ancient time the civilians are fools. They see what we let them see. They feel good when we boast to them and they feel sad when we criticize. It doesn't mean that we can't change the hate into the love!"

"But overall situation is controlled by the hands of the Mellon consortium. Although your identity and the value of inventions was enough to push Scott consortium and Huasheng consortium to wash your white using their newspapers but today's military newspaper completely dyed you black. Whatever we claim at this point is useless and sophistry. No one will believe us."

"That's why I will not say anything." Dudian continue: "It's black or white... The world will comment! I'll continue to do my thing."

Old Fulin was startled: "Do you mean the invention?"

Dudian smiled but didn't elaborate.

Dudian looked at Neuss as he saw rain getting shallow: "Go on and bring back Sergei and Gwyneth."

"Yes." Neuss replied.

Gwyneth and Sergei returned back to the castle along with Gabriel and Artemis after an hour.

Dudian commanded Kroen to arrange room for the siblings. He looked at Sergei and Gwyneth: "Go to the golden wall and investigate the current situation of war. Return back afterwards."

Sergey, Gwyneth, Fulin, Sander and other were surprised.

"War? Has the barbarians attack the golden wall?" Sander was perplexed: "There is such a rain! Why would they attack today?"

Old Fulin looked at Dudian: "Are you sure?"

"Un." Dudian nodded.

"We will have no explanations to make if the barbarians attack. The civilians are concerned about the war and no matter what we say there will be no one to listen to us. It will arouse the public anger! Moreover regardless if the barbarians win or lose we will be finished. After everything ends and dust is settled we will be wasted no matter what!" Old Fulin's face turned ugly as he couldn't help but cough for a few times.

Dudian patted his shoulder to appease him: "Old Patriarch don't worry. Everything is within the plans."

Old Fulin's cheeks had turned crimson red: "Dean, you must grasp the opportunity. Our time is running out!"

Sergei looked at Old Fulin: "Old man why are you panicking? Who knows when the barbarians will attack? I've been with the young master and we haven't been to front line of the battlefield. Maybe the young master's presumptions are wrong."

Old Fulin looked at Dudian.

Dudian said: "The military won't be able to pass the message today. I hope they can hold through today or everything will turn bad."

"How do you know the barbarians will attack?" Old Fulin asked.

"It's because of rain. The barbarians have been living in the radiation zone and have no fear of rain. Their bodies have strong resistance against it. But our soldiers are different. Even if their bodies are strong once they get hit by the rain it's a matter of time for them to get illnesses. No to mention fighting under the rain. Barbarians broke through King's Fort and went to Red Maple Mountains not just for the show. They have thought about the timing of their attack for a long time. If I was the head of their military then I would propose to fight at this moment!"

Dudian didn't want to explain other things. He continued: "However if they are intelligent enough they won't launch full frontal attack but try to consume our strength. The barbarians will have losses with each wave of attacks but at the end our soldiers will be affected by the battle. They will have diseases and it will affect their strength. Them being sick is no different thank being dead! So barbarians will have much more better chance at success in the future attacks."

Old Fulin was confused.

Sergei and Gwyneth also listened to him but didn't think that it was the sole reason why Dudian was so sure about their attacks.

Dudian in fact didn't give the most important reason why he knew the barbarians would attack in the rain. It was the gunpowder!

A long time ago he had found out that the gunpowder was banned by dark church and kept in their vaults. It made him think about it. Why would such an evil organization who would do experiments on human body will give up on use of gunpowder?

They would be able to finish the Holy Church with the help of the gunpowder!

So why would such a weapon would be classified as forbidden? There should be a deep reason behind it. Although he didn't know the details but he was sure that if there was one power which could force the dark church not to use gunpowder then without a doubt it would be military!

So, Dudian believed that the military was aware about the existence of gunpowder!

Therefore military was going to rely on gunpowder to attack. But a rainy day would beb extremely unfavorable for military. The role of gunpowder would be greatly suppressed in such a condition!