Chapter 504 - To Buy a Car or a Mecha? (1/2)

Chapter 504 - To Buy a Car or Mecha?

There were many important differences between battle armor and mechas. While battle armor used a soul master’s soul power, mechas had their own power sources. Battle armors were far more powerful than mechas, but mechas were extremely energy efficient! They were also much cheaper than battle armor.

Tang Wulin already knew the basics of manufacturing a mecha, but that didn’t mean he could. In order to make one, he would have to forge loads of metals and acquire other components and circuit cores, all of which would cost a hefty sum. Only after doing that could he begin making a mecha.

Feng Wuyu’s words had opened a door in Tang Wulin’s mind.

“We have an association just for mechas here at Shrek. You can just give them the raw materials and have them make a mecha for you. It won’t be cheap, but I think you might as well just skip buying a car and go straight for a mecha,” Feng Wuyu said, delivering temptation with every word. “Once you get a flight permit, you’ll be able to zoom around the continent in your mecha. It’ll be more taxing on you than just driving, but you won’t even notice.”

Tang Wulin grew feverish with excitement. That makes sense. Piloting a mecha is way cooler than driving. Screw it! I want a mecha! I’m gonna get my own!

“I actually got a list of quotes from the Mecha Association,” Feng Wuyu said, handing a tablet over to Tang Wulin. “Take a look.”

Tang Wulin took one look at the screen and his eyes glazed over. He had just made over 1.6 million contribution points so he started considering himself quite rich, but the prices for commissioning mechas brought him back to reality.

Yellow-grade mechas cost a million points? And purple-grade cost nine million? Wait, black-grade are thirty million, and I’d have to bring my own materials and blueprints? Holy shit! No wonder Liu An’s so broke! This is practically robbery! Tang Wulin gulped and looked back to Feng Wuyu. “You know what, I think I’ll go with a car after all. It’s, uh, more practical.”

Feng Wuyu chuckled. “Mechas are much cheaper if you bring your own materials. You just have to go to the association in person to find out just how much cheaper. In any case, I’m only telling you this is a possibility. Whether or not you go through with it is up to you. Just keep forging and you’ll make plenty of contribution points. Once you become a sixth rank blacksmith, a purple-grade mecha will be easily obtainable. A purple mecha would serve your purposes fine. In fact, even a yellow mecha would be far faster than a car. You could buy one of those right now if you wanted.”

Tang Wulin froze. Right! I just need a mecha to get around. I don’t need the most powerful one. I won’t be using it for battle just yet, but I can still practice piloting.

Tang Wulin grinded his teeth, staring at the 1.6 million points on his card. It was an agonizing decision to make, but he knew he had already decided.

☀

At the Mecha Association, a man called Zhang Yang manned the reception desk. Visitors rarely came by, so he was just sitting there idly. He had only taken this part-time job to make some pocket money. He was a fifth-grade student, twenty-six years of age, and his soul power was at rank 51. However, he had yet to complete a full set of one-word battle armor. He was still missing a few circuit cores. Unlike his first year at Shrek Academy, Zhang Yang didn’t feel any pressure to work hard. It was already impossible for him to enter the inner court, but he was on track to graduate from the outer court, merely a step away.

At Shrek Academy, grades one through three were the most stressful times of a student’s life. Everyone would be at least twenty years old at the end of those nine years. They had to become one-word battle armor masters before then if they wanted to make it into the inner court. After turning twenty, however, any hope of entering the inner court was gone, so they could take it easy. They just had to become a battle armor master in the next nine years to fulfill graduation requirements, a fairly easy task by that point. Graduating from the outer court was also an achievement to be proud of.

Zhang Yang was the embodiment of this mindset. Senioritis had already begun to take root in him. Graduating from Shrek Academy would be enough to land him a job as chief of security for a mega corporation. He just had to finish his battle armor then wait to graduation. Even so, after spending so many years at Shrek Academy, he was reluctant to leave. Once an outer court student left the Academy, they would never be able to return to cultivate, so he decided to enjoy the remainder of his time here. He only needed two more pieces to complete his battle armor. He had the foundation for them ready and could have them made at any moment, but he chose to prolong his time here.

I’ll breakthrough in the next three months. Zhang Yang sighed. He knew he wasn’t that young anymore. He was twenty-six years old. It was about time for him to get married and start a career. Yet the thought of leaving filled him with doubt once more. He wasn’t ready to move on with his life yet.

The doorbell chimed and someone walked in, a boy in his teens. He had large, clear eyes that bewitched even a fellow male like Zhang Yang.