Chapter 957, Luminescent Paper

Translator: Silavin

 

The following morning at dawn, Co Co immediately threw herself into the laboratory as soon as she woke up.

 

She was already extremely impatient and did not want to continue wasting time. If it were not for Su Bai forcibly requiring her to rest properly last night…

 

Co Co would probably have been in the laboratory last night instead of waiting until the next morning.

 

“This familiar laboratory… Ah, how I’ve missed you so much. I’m finally back again…” As Co Co pushed open the door, she felt a sense of intimacy. Her golden eyes continuously scanned everything within the laboratory.

 

She felt pleasantly surprised. She had not expected the Shaman to maintain this place so well. For a moment, her nose felt a bit tingly.

 

Co Co’s respect for Su Bai instantly increased by another degree. Originally, this had just been a temporary laboratory. She had originally thought that after leaving, this place would become just another room, or else be used as a storage room or something similar. After all, the Flame Dragon Tribe had many goods. For security and privacy reasons, they would certainly be better kept close at hand.

 

The Yong’an Building was the best location, not to mention that the second floor was where Su Bai frequently worked.

 

Converting the laboratory into a storage room would have been perfectly natural. Yet not only had this not happened, it had instead been preserved, unchanged.

 

For Co Co, who was extremely passionate about experiments and research, this was undoubtedly the best gift possible.

 

“I definitely won’t disappoint the Shaman’s expectations. No matter what, I must successfully develop currency notes.” Co Co instantly became determined.

 

Co Co pulled out a chair with one motion and got straight to work.

 

She began categorising the materials the serving women had brought in this morning. After categorising them properly, she started pondering what Su Bai had told her yesterday.

 

Namely the texture, toughness level, anti-counterfeiting features and so forth of the currency notes. All of these had to be manifested on the currency notes.

 

“It seems somewhat difficult to achieve, but this won’t deter me.” Co Co started giving herself encouragement again.

 

Co Co first laid out the paper made from four types of plants. Her golden eyes drew very close, almost pressing directly against them.

 

“The first type of paper is made from Red Knot Trees. The overall colour is light pink, and the feeling when touching it is rather soft.”

 

Co Co held the paper up to the window, letting the light from outside shine through. “This type of paper isn’t very suitable. It would rot too easily. Forget about colouring it. It basically would not last for thirty days.”

 

Co Co earnestly recorded the characteristics of the first type of paper, because she would need to report to Su Bai later.

 

As her words fell, she picked up the second type of paper and began examining it. The raw material for the second type of paper was Stone Thorn Trees.

 

Paper made from Stone Thorn Trees had a greyish colour. It looked extremely tough and damage-resistant.

 

“This type of paper has excellent texture. The degree of softness and hardness when held in hand is just right, matching well with the toughness the Shaman mentioned.” Co Co pondered thoughtfully, continuing to murmur to herself. “It’s just that I don’t know how well it takes in colour. I’ll need to test this to find out.”

 

Co Co immediately picked up a small cup beside her. Inside the cup was just some plain boiled water.

 

Co Co didn’t hesitate in the slightest. She directly poured water onto the paper made from Stone Thorn Trees, though only onto a small area.

 

As drop after drop of water fell, those droplets floated directly on the paper’s surface, looking just like water beads on lotus leaves.

 

“Does this count as failure then?” Co Co raised her eyebrows slightly.

 

She had not expected this situation to occur. She then poured quite a bit more water on, discovering that the same scene as before still appeared.

 

“The colour absorption isn’t good. Even water can’t penetrate it. How could colour possibly stick to the paper?” Co Co shook her head with distaste, then placed the entire sheet of paper into the water cup. The result was still no reaction.

 

It was not until quite a while later that the paper was finally soaked through by the water. Co Co roughly calculated the time. From when the paper entered the water cup to complete saturation took approximately five minutes.

 

Co Co had a small alarm clock beside her. This was something Su Bai had specifically given her to allow her to calculate time more precisely.

 

Ever since the laboratory was established, Su Bai had given this to her. Timing in experiments must certainly be rigorous, one could not just do things randomly.

 

“I thought I’d encountered decent material, but the time it takes to be moistened by water is too long. The Shaman said this is not good enough.” Co Co unhesitatingly placed the paper aside and prepared to experiment with the third type of paper.

 

There was no other reason. When Su Bai had taught her previously, he had mentioned that colouring experiments could use water for testing.

 

After all, the eventual colouring would also require infusing dye into the paper, so using water for preliminary testing was the simplest and most direct approach.

 

The raw material for the third type of paper was rather special, a material called Fluorescent Grass.

 

Fluorescent Grass was not easy to find. Generally, it could only be found inside caves.

 

Also, although Fluorescent Grass was difficult to find, once found, the quantity would be substantial, because Fluorescent Grass appeared in large patches.

 

The function of Fluorescent Grass was just as its name suggested. The name itself indicated it would emit a faint fluorescent colour, though the colour was extremely weak.

 

The overall glow was just like fireflies. If one did not look carefully, they wouldn’t even know this Fluorescent Grass was glowing.

 

When Yan Jiao had people search for materials to make paper, they happened to find Fluorescent Grass and brought it back together to see whether it could be made into paper.

 

Paper made from Fluorescent Grass was similar to paper made from Wolf Tail Grass; both had a slight pale yellow colour and could not be made pure white and flawless.

 

“This paper is also too thin. It looks like it would break with just a gust of wind.” Co Co pursed her lips. Co Co placed the paper on the table surface. Just as she stood up to pour herself some water, she discovered something different.

 

“Eh? There’s a little bit of faint light. This is…” Co Co exclaimed in surprise.

 

She immediately adjusted her sitting posture and picked up the paper to look at. But just as she picked it up, the faint light immediately disappeared.

 

“Huh? Was it my imagination? How did it disappear?” Co Co immediately rotated the paper left and right.

 

She saw that the originally fleeting faint light had immediately disappeared again. The paper once again looked no different from usual.

 

Co Co recalled her actions just now. It seemed she had stood up preparing to pour water.

 

She then immediately looked towards the window, seeing the bright weather outside and the glaring sunlight.

 

Co Co’s brain spun rapidly as she exclaimed in surprise. “Could it be that with bright light, this tiny bit of faint light can’t be seen at all?”

 

Co Co thought of this and immediately stood up again to close the window. She herself leaned back against the window, trying to block the sunlight.

 

Afterwards, she pulled over a piece of Animal Hide to cover her head. With an excited heart, she extended the paper inside the Animal Hide.

 

She wanted to use this to verify whether the paper in a dark state would emit faint light.