Chapter 24: Project New Dawn

“So, that’s basically the situation.” Palka showed sincere earnestness as he confided in Shang Luo, hoping Shang Luo would once again wield his celestial arts to guide Chichen Itza, and perhaps the entire Maya region, onto the right path.

“Hmm... let me think.”

“What do you make of it?” Apollonia asked.

“Guan Zhong’s destruction of Lu is an old trick. Guan Zhong bought up large quantities of Lu’s specialty fabric, a high-quality silk-cotton blend called ‘ti.’ He lured Lu into shifting its economy from farming grain to growing ti fields, then had the King of Qi enact a law banning the use of ti fabric. With a surplus of ti and no way to consume it or buy food, Lu starved within three years and was forced to submit to Qi.”

“So he must have known the trick, right?”

“I’ll ask him.”

Shang Luo looked at Palka. “Your Majesty, I think you know the Zuo Tradition better than I do. So you must also be familiar with the ‘Guan Zhong’s destruction of Lu’ tactic. What’s your take?”

“That’s exactly why I’ve never been able to swallow this bitterness. It has tormented me for decades, stealing my sleep. Look, my hair has all fallen out.” He pointed to his bare scalp. “This wasn’t shaved off for tradition’s sake. When I studied at the Imperial Academy in Nanjing, I had thick hair and no tattoos on my face. I never imagined that decades later, I’d fall so low—I’m even ashamed to face my old classmates.”

“So, do you have evidence that United Fruits was behind it?”

“No. The banana wilt disease that time was suspicious, but it’s hard to say if it was deliberately caused. Yet they must be involved—there has to be something. When a murder happens, the greatest beneficiary is naturally the prime suspect. United Fruits was undoubtedly the biggest winner; they took over almost the entire Maya region without resistance, turning it into yet another corporate-controlled territory on Earth.”

He glanced at the ceiling. “The Lan Fang Company, the East India Company, and now United Fruits. I wonder who’s next.”

“Wait a moment.” Shang Luo raised his hand. “Isn’t there a question here—from the very start, why did United Fruits need so many bananas? The demand that could bankrupt you must be absurdly large. But didn’t you ever suspect anything? Why would United Fruits want so many bananas?”

“On one hand, bananas are indeed a cheap, high-energy food, rich in vitamins and minerals. United Fruits promoted a vast range of banana products worldwide. Even today, banana milkshakes remain popular in Yujing. On the other hand, United Fruits proposed a project—the ‘New Dawn’ plan I mentioned. Their core reason for developing and acquiring bananas was for this plan.”

“What plan?”

Palka’s expression suddenly darkened. He glanced at the door; seeing no one outside, he lowered his voice. “In theory, I shouldn’t be telling anyone. This is a secret known only to the rulers of the Maya city-states. But now that you are my Grand National Advisor, I won’t hide it from you. Have you heard of the ‘Infinite Divine Machine’ theory?”

“Huh???” Shang Luo was startled by the term. This was the first time he heard it from a human other than Apollonia. Even the Britons who worship Apollonia never mentioned the ‘Infinite Divine Machine.’

“You’ve heard of it?”

“I’m not sure. Tell me what you know about the ‘Infinite Divine Machine’ first.” He hoped to glean some new information from Palka. Until now, all his knowledge of the Divine Machine came from Apollonia herself, and one-sided evidence was never enough.

“It’s a kind of perpetual motion machine, or rather a semi-perpetual motion machine,” Palka answered. “It can provide nearly unlimited energy, leading humanity to infinite possibilities.”

“But what does that have to do with bananas?”

“Because bananas contain a radioactive isotope called potassium-40, and radiation itself is an inexhaustible energy source. United Fruits hopes to extract potassium-40 from bananas to create a sustainable energy source. Potassium-40 has a half-life of 1.25 billion years. If you make a battery relying on potassium-40 radiation, it could operate continuously for 1.25 billion years—until the end of time. This would be a groundbreaking discovery that would utterly transform human civilization.”

“Does it have to be bananas?”

“Yes,” Palka replied solemnly. “Scientific calculations show that bananas contain twenty times more potassium-40 than citrus fruits, a hundred times more than watermelon, and are comparable to durians. But bananas have a much shorter cultivation cycle and higher yield than durians, and it’s easier to separate the pulp. After scientific comparison, United Fruits chose bananas as the foundation for the Infinite Divine Machine.”

“Are you sure they’re not deceiving you? Isn’t this a bit far-fetched?”

“There was a moment when I doubted them, thinking it was a scam. But I found that even after taking over the Maya region, United Fruits kept endlessly expanding banana production. If it were a scam, wouldn’t it have ended by now? Instead, it’s intensifying. The entire Maya area has become a vast banana plantation. Every year, countless bananas are shipped out, with only a small portion sent worldwide as food. The vast majority goes to United Fruits’ headquarters in the Bermuda Islands. I heard they’re conducting experiments there for the ‘New Dawn’ plan. I also heard...”

His voice dropped lower. “I heard no outsiders have ever entered the banana factories in Bermuda. The surrounding waters and airspace often have mysterious disappearances, all becoming unsolved cases. I suspect those people, like the bananas, have fallen into United Fruits’ bottomless pit. It’s terrifying. Truly terrifying.”

“Wait, let me think.”

He called out to Apollonia. “Miss Apollonia, what do you make of this?”

“I don’t know. I really don’t. How would I know what other Divine Machines are doing? Otherwise, I wouldn’t have taken a bullet.”

“So, there really might be a Divine Machine in Bermuda?”

“Definitely possible. And that shady style is very much like Helios’s handiwork. But he himself is on Rhodes, not Bermuda—though it would be normal for him to have a base there.”

“Does Helios often run around causing trouble?”

“Of course. I think he was the one who shot me in the back. No Divine Machine is sneakier than him. If it really was him... hey, how about we set a trap for him here?”

“Wait, that’s your personal business. For now, I just want to focus on matters on the ground.”

“There’s an undercurrent flowing through Las Vegas, the largest city in the neutral zone. I don’t think the ruler of Chichen Itza merely came here to open a hotel. He must have a purpose to bring his confidants to reside here. Since he trusts you so much, why not help him? Besides, with his help, the debt you owe the court would be a mere trifle, my Grand National Advisor. They might even build a pyramid in your name. And most importantly, they could assist with the Foundation Pill—you know, some of the herbs are quite troublesome to procure. With someone lending a hand, why not?”