Chapter 551: Xuan Ning’s Visit

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Ye Chong had built 62 labor machines. Each labor machine was fitted with a low level bio-photon processor. Ye Chong did not mind the relatively primitive photon processors, since they were easy to make.

Using unidirectional culture methods, Ye Chong could grow large numbers of low level bio-photon processors in a short time. It was the actual labour machines that took time to build. Local wooden materials were as hard as metal alloys, but not as easy to process as metals. There were many minor tweaks that Ye Chong had to manually interfere with. Without this manual part, he would have built 620 machines, and not just 62.

The machines were designed to do laborious physical work, so Ye Chong named them appropriately so. There was now a large heap of earth at the rear courtyard of his manor. Ye Chong had dug 60 meters further down from his laboratory. Kui's chip had information on how to build underground bases, and all the experience they gathered from building the base on Spectre.

This was immensely helpful for Ye Chong. He could have only managed a small underground basement by himself, and not a large underground base.

The base was not complete yet. There were piles of earth everywhere, but the ground was already paved with rock tiles. Ye Chong had used natural materials like rocks to save cost.

Laboratory 1 was done. The flooring was large and there were smooth slabs of rock, with naturally occurring indigo streaks. These rocks were cut with high intensity laser beams. The air circulation system was up. Energy and water supply were settled. Laboratory 1 was 1,600 square meters wide, with a square layout. The space was large enough for Ye Chong to move all the equipment he kept in the buildings topside down here.

After he moved them in, Ye Chong divided Lab 1 into many smaller sections. The lab was small but complete. Ye Chong planned to do all kinds of research work here. He built a few labs that he needed most first. However, it would take five laboratories to store all the equipment he kept in Celest's dimension keystone.

The control station for the entire manor's defense system was also moved underground. The manor was not perfectly secure for now, but it was safe enough. It would be difficult to get him from 60 meters above. The buildings on the ground were only for distraction.

It would be impossible for anyone to break into his underground base, since the surroundings were monitored by a holographic scanning system.

After a few days of intense work, Ye Chong could finally take a breather. Lab 1 was now a fully functioning laboratory. Ye Chong had spent a lot of effort in building his underground base. He did not have specialized equipment for the task, and had to do many things by hand. Ye Chong had no trouble with general construction engineering, but an underground base was usually constructed with many specialized machinery. Ye Chong had never seen or even heard of most of them. He could only build those machines roughly based on their functions. Without Ye Chong's solid foundation of knowledge and rich experience, he would not have been able to build those 62 labor machines.

Finally, he had a relatively safer base of operations. It was the result of hard work. Ye Chong looked at his base that was still under construction, and felt overwhelmed by emotions. It seemed that he had never had a base that he could call his own before this.

However, how long would he be staying here this time?

After spending an entire week in his manor, Ye Chong had to leave. There was still something else that demanded his attention - the Weapons Design Contest. He was to serve on the judge panel.

Before that, however, there was a guest that required his attention.

Xuan Ning's visit took Ye Chong by surprise. Xuan Ning was also the third person, aside from Sun Sieha and Master Karu, to have set foot inside Ye Chong's manor.

If it was anyone else, Ye Chong would have refused to entertain them. Xuan Ning, however, merited his attention.

Xuan Ning looked like a completely different person. Before the battle, he was like a blade that shone threateningly; now, he looked like the image of peace.

Ye Chong took a long glance at Xuan Ning, and asked, "You've reached Level 9?"

Xuan Ning smiled. "Yes. To think that I would reach Level 9 because of you! I thank you for this."

"No need to thank me. It's all because of your own effort." Ye Chong shook his head. He could see that the man's ascension had in part was due to him, but the circumstances were not pleasant. If he was forced to make a breakthrough because someone tried to kill him, saying thank you would hardly be his response.

The first thing Ye Chong would do after achieving his breakthrough would be to kill that b*stard.

The way he saw it, Xuan Ning had no need to thank him.

Xuan Ning did not argue. He laughed and said, "That's up to me to decide."

"Well, you're right." Ye Chong nodded. He was never interested in changing another person's mind. He asked Xuan Ning, "Why are you here?"

"Nothing much. I just felt like coming to see you," Xuan Ning shook his head and said. "I see. You can leave now then." Ye Chong did not mince words with Xuan Ning.

Xuan Ning smiled. "I was just about to leave."

Sha Ya could not understand the exchange between those two men, but news of Xuan Ning's ascension to Level 9 was definitely shocking. If word of this went out, it would definitely cause another wave of excitement. She watched enviously at Xuan Ning's retreating figure with mixed feelings. The first Level 9 shooter in five decades was born. Sha Ya turned her gaze back on herself - a Level 8 shooter, still far from reaching Level 9. When would she ever attain that level of ability?

Ye Chong was also watching Xuan Ning when he suddenly had an idea. He looked to Sha Ya and said, "Come with me. I'll walk you through my battle with Xuan Ning, perhaps you'll get some inspiration from it."

Ye Chong understood Xuan Ning's ability better than most people. He even understood Xuan Ning's final parapsychic attack. The details were worthless to normal people, but they were priceless to Sha Ya.

When Ye Chong was done, he left Sha Ya to her thoughts and headed for the training ground.

Dust was flying everywhere on the training ground. Liao San was yelling; the students were panting heavily; footsteps stomped heavily on the ground. The place was full of activity.

Now that these people had began to grasp the rhythm of running, they were no longer suffering as much. Some of them picked up certain running strategies and improved their stamina faster. However, this kind of stamina training was limited in purpose. There were other ways to further improve the students.

Soon, Ye Chong would be able to select students with desired qualities from them. A qualified mech pilot must first train their stamina, and then their shooting. Long range mech pilots placed more emphasis on shooting, but Ye Chong was not worried about that part. Eastern Cloud had laws that allow only license holders to use guns, but really, who had never used one before?

"Take it slow," Ye Chong consoled himself.

Eastern Cloud's Weapons Design Contest was held every four years. The event was not only about weapons design, but also large scale weapons trading. Weaponsmiths with any degree of reputation could sell or auction their more outstanding products in the concurrent Weapons Trading Market. Well-to-do weaponsmiths would prefer to exchange their goods for raw materials that were hard to find.

Shooters would come to barter goods that they had collected over the years, in exchange for some high grade weapons that they had longed for.

As the head of the judging panel, Ye Chong only needed to be present for the finals of the contest. He had plenty of free time on his hands.

...

The public square was large. Weaponsmiths put their weapons on display, while shooters laid out all kinds of rare materials. The stalls were packed closely to one another, but everyone looked about ready to burst with excitement.

Ye Chong had his eyes opened by all the weird and interesting things and raw materials on display in the stalls.

The only thing that made him uncomfortable was the fact that everyone recognized him wherever he went. They would rush in to greet him, to curry his favor, or to ask him to accept a new student. Ye Chong could barely stand the enthusiasm and excitement despite his calmness.

Ye Chong found his way out of the crowd, a mean feat by all accounts, and quickly bought a cloak. The gray colored cloak had a mask attached, so that he could hide his face. There were many people dressed in these cloaks, people who did not want to stand out, like Ye Chong. The outfit did not stand out in the crowd.

Ye Chong had a few laser guns that he made himself on him. Perhaps he could trade them for something good.

He was not interested in weapons. He mostly wandered around stalls that had raw materials on display. Many of them were metals, or gravstones, as the locals called it. Few shooters could survive Darkniss by themselves, but shooters at Level 6 or 7 would form groups to brave the dangers of Darkniss. Their target was almost always the gravstones, unique to Darkniss.

A good weapon was usually not available for cash. Famous weaponsmiths were usually not in need of money. They preferred to barter, and gravstones were popular amongst weaponsmiths.

Ye Chong, on the other hand, was more familiar with metals than any other raw material. Metal ores and minerals did not interest him. In fact, Celest's dimension keystone stored more than a few high grade metal alloy products.

Ye Chong searched around. Suddenly, something in a stall manned by a bearded man caught his eye.