Shadow trail of the beautiful world

Chapter 420 5. Eric's Choice

While Merlin was talking with Queen Ramunda, another conversation was going on in the palace of Wakanda.

Wakanda is a feudal country, but the development of science and technology has brought many scenes that are completely different from traditional feudal countries to this country.At the entrance of the Black Panther Palace, there is a vivid statue of the Black Panther. It portrays the image of a roaring beast. The whole is very mighty. The head of the Black Panther is perfectly shaped, making it almost out of the beast. The ferocity of his body showed a domineering aura similar to that of the king of all beasts.

But the most surprising thing is that this sculpture is made of pure vibrating gold.

luxury...

Very luxurious.

In the past few years, the price of one gram of vibrating gold has soared to more than 1 US dollars in the world's major black markets. According to this price, the price of this black panther statue alone has exceeded hundreds of millions of dollars.

And this is just one of several sculptures in the Wakanda palace.

Around the throne room on the top floor of the palace, there are also four smaller panther sculptures of different shapes, as well as those decorations made of metal, most of which are also made of pure vibrating gold.

This shocked Eric, who followed T'Challa into the palace, but also regretted it.

As an engineer, Eric has studied vibrating gold, and he also has samples. He knows that vibrating gold, a special metal, is very hard and can be said to be one of the hardest objects in the world. It also has the ability to store and conduct energy. features, but it also has disadvantages.

In the absence of Wakanda's unique storage technology, vibrating gold can only be converted into liquid at extremely high temperatures, and this metal is quenched and formed at one time. If it is heated and cast again later, the vibrating gold's internal The structure is damaged, causing it to be greatly reduced in strength.

In other words, these vibrating golds shaped into sculptures can no longer be used for other purposes. They can only be used as a symbol of the royal power of the feudal dynasty, and they have no other purpose except to shock people.

"It's too wasteful."

When he saw the four sculptures in the Throne Hall, Eric finally couldn't help complaining to his cousin:

"Although I know that Wakanda is rich in vibration gold, I think that even for you, vibration gold is a very precious strategic material. Is it really appropriate to use it for this purpose?"

"My father didn't make these sculptures, Eric."

T'Challa seemed to have a lot of complaints about this question. He looked at the statues, and he sighed:

"These sculptures existed hundreds of years ago. You have to understand that the world environment at that time was relatively ignorant. At that time, Wakanda had already entered the electrical age ahead of schedule with the help of the special effects brought by vibrating gold. At that time Our ancestors treated other civilizations like barbarians, and they believed that Wakanda was the number one in the world, so there must be a symbol in line with Wakanda’s status.”

"These sculptures were made at that time. At that time, the rulers of Wakanda believed that vibranium was a gift from the world, which was inexhaustible. Unfortunately, when my father just took the throne At that time, he conducted a large-scale exploration of the vibrating gold mine underground in Wakanda, and the vibrating gold buried under this land is not infinite."

The Prince of Wakanda whispered:

"Since then, the Kingdom's use of Zhenjin has changed from being extravagant to being careful and careful. Such extravagant and stupid waste has never happened again."

"Wakanda's Vibranium resources are about to run out?"

Eric says:

"This is really not good news."

"exhausted?"

T'Challa glanced back at Eric, who smiled and said:

"No, it hasn't reached that level yet. At the current rate of excavation, Wakanda's vibration gold resources will be exhausted in hundreds of years. If the new resource bill is passed, this time will be extended again."

"We are now looking for minerals associated with vibrating gold, so as to alleviate the kingdom's dependence on vibrating gold... I personally think that Wakanda's prosperity began with vibrating gold, but long-term prosperity cannot always rely on vibrating gold Above the vibranium, we must find a force that can continue to support Wakanda's progress after the vibranium is exhausted."

"Well, you're a wise man."

Eric nodded and said:

"In the future, I will definitely become a wise ruler. In fact, in my opinion, there is no predicament in Wakanda. With your technological level, as long as you contact the outside world, you can make Wakanda Da's wealth and social status are increasing rapidly...the whole world is a huge market, who doesn't like those high-tech things?"

"This is very difficult."

T'Challa nodded, and he said to Eric with a serious face:

"You have just returned to Wakanda, my brother, you don't understand the domestic situation in Wakanda at all... People of insight have always existed, but unfortunately, their opinions have never become mainstream."

"The mainstream thinking believes that it is independence from the world that allows Wakanda to exist for a long time. This is an order that has existed for thousands of years. Eric, changing it cannot be done overnight. .”

The prince glanced at the stands in the throne room, and said:

"Let's not talk about this, let's go, Eric, father is waiting for us."

Two young men walked up to the second floor of the throne room, and at the front of the stand in front of them, a white-haired man in a Wakanda robe was standing there.

Compared with 10 years ago, the current Majesty the Black Panther is much older.

His once muscular body like a real panther has become bloated, and he can no longer continue to fight like before.

But this is not due to the weakness caused by the passage of time, but more psychological pressure. Just like what Queen Lamonda said, there is always a ghost tormenting him in His Majesty the Black Panther's heart.

"Father, I'm back."

Standing behind his father, T'Challa said softly:

"I brought back Uncle Njob's son."

"Ah."

Black Panther T'Chaka nodded. He looked at his country from above his throne, like a late ruler. He turned around and held a scepter representing royal power in his hand. At the top of the scepter , is the head of a leopard carved from black vibrating gold.

He didn't look at his son, but at Eric, and there was a kind of light in his eyes, which was a kind of nostalgia, with a light of relief and relief.

"You look like your father, Eric."

His Majesty T'Chaka said softly:

"Seeing you, I can't help but think of the time when Njob and I were young. We are brothers, and we once wandered on the land of Wakanda just like you and T'Challa, discussing the country's future. future."

"You should call me uncle."

Facing T'Chaka's welcome, Eric leaned slightly, and he said:

"Hello, Your Majesty... Uncle."

"Ah, very good."

A smile flashed across T'Chaka's wrinkled face. He waved his hand and gestured for Eric to sit on the chair beside him. He turned to his son and said:

"T'Challa, my son, Eric and I have something to talk about, can you leave first?"

"No, father."

His Royal Highness Prince Wakanda said stubbornly:

"I want to get an answer, why did you leave Eric alone outside Wakanda, he also has Wakanda blood, he should be brought back to our country, he should be treated as he should , instead of being displaced far from home...you made a terrible mistake, you abandoned our loved ones, and I have to know the answer."

"That was a mistake, T'Challa, and I've been haunted by it all these years."

Black Panther was not angry because of his son's stubbornness. He sighed, shook his head, sat on the sofa, leaning on a scepter in both hands, and said to Eric in front of him and T'Challa beside him:

"Our country has been in turmoil since its birth. The turmoil I am talking about does not refer to society and order, but to the thinking in people's hearts."

"Some people yearn to get out of this land and into a wider world."

"And others, think that this land has sheltered us and will always shelter us. We should not leave the cradle of Wakanda. We should stick here and live our own lives."

The panther glanced at Eric, then at his son, and said:

"Can you tell me which thought is correct?"

No one answered.

Eric considers himself an outsider, he was well educated by Merlin, he doesn't want to express his opinion on such matters related to the country.And T'Challa is still very young, he has his own thinking about this question, but he also knows that his father is not looking for an answer.

Therefore he also remained silent.

"Enjob and I are the representatives of these two kinds of thinking."

His Majesty T'Chaka closed his eyes and whispered:

"I think the order established by the ancestors is correct, while Njob longs to see a more inclusive and freer Wakanda. But this opposition in thinking does not destroy the brotherhood between us, even in the face of The lure of power... I used to think that this throne belonged to Njob, who was always wiser than me and able to lead people."

"But when I entered the Presbyterian Church and wanted to give up my inheritance rights, I found that Enjob was one step ahead of me as always."

"He gave up the right of inheritance, he made a clean break with those who wanted to support him to sit on the throne, and then chose the cruelest self-exile, all because he didn't want to see the throne stained with blood, and he didn't want to see brotherhood Disabled."

"Though he's gone, we're still brothers, and we're still in touch, until he joins forces with that damned Claw and steals a batch of vibranium from the state's warehouse..."

T'Chaka took a deep breath, opened his eyes, looked at Eric, and said:

"You know, your father, a really good man, why would he do that?"

Facing His Majesty T'Chaka's gaze, Eric nodded.

He said calmly:

"I couldn't understand it, but after I got to Wakanda, I knew why."

Eric turned his head and looked out the window, looking at the bustling city, he said:

"My father was born in a great country where there was no oppression, no discrimination, no hardship, no chaos. He left and went into the outside world. He wandered all the way to Auckland, where he met my mother."

"I never met my mother, but in my father's diary, I know, it was a very gentle, very kind girl who grew up in the black neighborhood of Oakland, which was a slum... My parents' feelings Very good, my father once made up his mind to hide his past and spend his life with his mother as an ordinary person."

Eric closed his eyes in some pain, and he said:

"Until, my mother died in an accidental shootout, and black gangs in the Oakland neighborhood got involved in a turf grab, just to buy some food for her husband and newborn son..."

"It was very painful for the father, who thought he had failed to protect his wife, but he also saw the factors behind the chaos."

"It was a world that was incompatible with Wakanda, a world full of malice, discrimination and inequality. It was those darkness that bred crime and led to my mother's death."

"The reason why my father teamed up with Crowe to steal the vibration gold was not for pure revenge. He hoped to show a new kind of power to those oppressed."

Eric opened his eyes, looked at the old king in front of him, and said:

"He wants to let those who see no hope know that in this world, there is a black country that is more advanced than the white country...He wants to let them know that all the contempt from the upper class, all the discrimination from the people, It's all just a bad joke."

"Those people... in this world, the status is never determined by skin color and race!"

Eric shook his head and said:

"My father, as you said, is a somewhat innocent idealist. He is really silly and cute."

"This is Njob."

T'Chaka said to Eric:

"This is your father, this is my brother, he is such a person..."

"People like Njob are not uncommon in the history of Wakanda. As early as when the black slaves were sold, they wanted to intervene to stop those evil deeds. Driven by them, activities around East Africa The black slave traders were wiped out overnight, but within a few years the wicked trade resumed, and that was their first defeat."

"Our citizens think that they are very strong, but the reality is that relying on Wakanda will not change the general trend of the world. It has been the same in the past, and it will be the same in the future."

"And Njob, he knows this truth, but he still chooses the latter between his own country and the suffering compatriots. He violated the laws of Wakanda. He should be judged, but he does not will die...I won't let him die."

"It's a pity... Fate will make people, I can't save him from the mob, that is the regret of my life. And you, Eric, the passing of Njob will definitely cause a storm in Wakanda , I cannot bring you back to this country, I am afraid that those who are eager to open the country will use you as a new symbol...I am afraid that a sweeping storm will tear my country apart."

The old black panther said with a heavy tone:

"I'm sorry, Eric, that's all I can do for my country. But as T'Challa said, it was wrong at the time...that pained me. I long for redemption, Eric, if you Willing...I can give you the birthright of Njob's blood, and you can compete with my son T'Challa for the throne of the next Black Panther."

T'Chaka looked at Eric in front of him, and he said firmly:

"You're the Prince of Wakanda...Born to be! Nobody can deny that!"

This sentence made Eric and T'Challa stunned at the same time. Neither of them thought that things would develop to this point.

After the film, Eric raised his head, he looked at the old king, and he asked softly:

"Actually, it was my father who begged you to keep me, right? Uncle."

The old black panther was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"I knew it."

Eric smiled softly, there was no regret in his eyes anymore, he stood up, and said to the black panther and the prince in front of him:

"When I was young, my father would often recite some verses."

"He said I was a beautiful bird, free in every feather, and I couldn't be caged."

He turned his head and looked at the capital of Wakanda outside the window, and he said with relief:

"This is an exquisite birdcage. My father wants me to come back here to know my hometown, but he doesn't want me to stay here."

"There are still people waiting for me outside, a kind and gentle girl like my mother, an elder brother who took care of me like a father, and some younger sisters who I am not familiar with but have already lived in my house. You can’t just leave them like this.”

"I'm leaving, Uncle, and T'Challa."

"I don't belong here..."

(End of this chapter)