Chapter 565

The heavy wooden door of the Taiji Chamber of Commerce Patent Bureau slowly creaked open, and a wave of intense heat surged outward like a rushing torrent. The heat carried a peculiar blend of strong aromas—the pungent scent of garlic, the biting smell of printer's ink, and a faint trace of scorched colored glass. Standing in the doorway, Huwa staggered slightly from the blast of heat, but he quickly regained his balance. Perched on his head was a tall hat rolled up from a patent certificate, easily half a person high, giving him a rather comical appearance. In his hand, he held a large garlic-shaped horn that could actually spit fire, and he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Line up! Line up! Get in line, everyone! If you want to apply for a patent, you have to pass the Three Abacus Trials first!" Before Huwa's voice had even faded, the previously quiet crowd exploded like a powder keg. People began shouting and shoving, swarming toward the counter en masse as if it were the treasure of their dreams. Under the crushing weight of the crowd, the counter groaned with creaking sounds, as though it might collapse at any moment.