Chapter 538: Breakthrough (2/2)
Redsound was mainly made of a kind of red coloured wood, called woodrift. It was the lightest wooden material, but with equally excellent physical properties. It was also very costly. Redsound was a very expensive aircraft. Since it was very fast, and the aircraft's body very light, it was a difficult aircraft to fly. Only the truly skilled Level 8 shooters would buy this model for their own use.
Ye Chong shook his head. The aircrafts were designed for atmospheric flight only. This made them impractical. Celest may be about the same speed as Redsound in the atmosphere, but it would definitely be faster than the aircraft in outer space. Besides, Celest was much more flexible in application than Redsound. The only reason Redsound could pose a threat to Celest was a device in it that Ye Chong did not understand – the trackball.
She Ya demonstrated using the trackball. Ye Chong fond the blinking lights intriguing. To him, the trackball was like a photon processor controlled by parapsychic waves.
Aiming and firing via one's parapsychic sense made it a much faster process than targeting the enemy through holographic scanning and keying in commands in the photon processor. This was why Celest was at a disadvantage against aircrafts.
This mysterious crystal-like trackball was the most powerful part of the fighter.
It was unfortunate that he did not have the least bit of parapsychic abilities to use it.
Just then, Sun Sieha arrived for a visit.
Ye Chong wondered to himself if every ruler in this world had so much time in their hands.
When Sun Sieha's gaze landed on Ye Chong, his expression changed. The bodyguards around him reacted as well.
Sun Sieha inhaled deeply and regained his composure. He smiled and said, ”What a surprise, what a really pleasant surprise! You really are full of surprises.”
Ye Chong ignored Sun Sieha's emotional outburst and asked him flatly, ”Why are you here?” He frowned and added, ”The national combat tournament is still some time away.”
Sun Sieha laughed dryly and said, ”Can't I just visit with no particular reason? I heard that you've been busy with training, so I'd thought of dropping by to visit you. Since you're done, might as well take you out to have some fun.”
Sun Sieha's guards were already used to the way their King interacted with the young man. His Majesty never could do anything against the young man.
Ye Chong continued watching Sun Sieha quietly, waiting.
Sun Sieha was not used to Ye Chong's resistance against both forceful and friendly treatments. His eyes flashed with a cold glare, but he quickly composed himself and explained, ”This is all part of the plan.”
”I see.” Ye Chong looked at Sun Sieha. He did not fully understand the King's way of doing things, but he knew that Sun Sieha was not the kind of person to spend time carelessly.
…
Prince Desnio's mansion was located at the most prosperous area in Su City. Music was frequently heard from inside, and people would looked towards the mansion enviously. Evening balls at the Prince's mansion were well known in Su City. The place was always served by the best liquors and beautiful ladies. Of course, the mansion was also a hotspot for talents. Famous musicians would perform at the parties, where people were served by the best chefs in Eastern Cloud. It was an entertainment centre made for nobles. Being invited to the Prince's evening balls was considered as a mark of status. Only by attending the evening ball could anyone be viewed as accepted by the noble society. Many people would derive all kinds of schemes to get an invitation. In the black market, a blank invitation card to the evening ball could be sold at a sky high price.
Desnio was Sun Sieha's uncle. His title as Prince was one of great importance. Sun Sieha had once stayed at his uncle's place for a long time when he was young, and shared a close relationship with him. The Prince was of high status, but he never stepped out of line, and never involved himself in politics. Instead, he focused on organizing his evening balls.
Nonetheless, no one would forget the political influence that Prince Desnio had. Besides, the new King on the throne further improved his position. However, the Prince continued to maintain a low key presence, and never make any statements on the state of politics and governance.
Prince Desnio's evening ball was the favourite of all nobles. The place was uniquely decorated, and had an easy ambience. It was the first choice of the nobles for a place to relax and socialize.
Prince Desnio was a stout man. His face was always slightly flushed, and his voice was loud and energetic.
”Hah, Duke Warren, I haven't seen you here in a long while. Did you find somewhere new to have fun? You have to tell me,” Prince Desnio laughed happily when he saw Duke Warren, and went to embrace him.
Duke Warren could not step back in time, and was quickly crushed by Prince Desnio's bear hug. He was hurting and annoyed as he said, ”Not so tight, not so tight, do you want to crush this old bag of bones?” Duke Warren was one of the most influential councillors in court during the previous King's reign. His hair was all white, but his skin was smooth and well care for despite the tired look on his face.
Prince Desnio looked Duke Warren up and down and exclaimed in surprise, ”What's the matter? Could it be that last night, you …” He smiled suggestively.
”I don't have the energy for that at this age,” Duke Warren smiled bitterly.
”Then what is it?” Prince Desnio asked, puzzled.
Duke Warren looked even more bitter as he explained, ”It's His Majesty's celebrations. His Majsety announced a national combat tournament out of the blue. I've got all hands on board just for this, and still it's not enough. I am going crazy from the workload these few days, and I happen to have the time to visit today to de-stress.”
”Why don't you have enough manpower?” Prince Desnio was baffled. As the Home Secretary, he controlled almost all the manpower available in Su City. How could he not have enough people?
Duke Warren looked positively frustrated. ”The King's birthday is almost upon us. We need people to usher ambassadors from other countries, and representatives from local authourities.”
”That's true,” Prince Desnio nodded.
”You must have heard that the King wants to organize that d*mned combat tournament for his birthday,” Duke Warren said, obviously unhappy with the decision.
”Hah, of course I have. That got me excited for a good while. It's been so long since we did anything interesting. We're going to have a battle between the strongest in the world, isn't that exciting?”
”Oh, certainly. If I don't have to organize the event, of course I would agree to having the tournament. What an excellent source of entertainment!” Duke Warren raved sarcastically, ”But of course, I am the one who's in charge of organizing this thing. By God, I swear, I've never worked so hard in my life. Look, my wrinkles are beginning to show.”
Prince Desnio did not, in fact, spot any wrinkles on Duke Warren's face, but he could see how tired the man was. Prince Desnio asked, ”Why'd you work yourself into a twist?”
Duke Warren nearly burst into tears as he complained, ”There're too many people, way too many of them! The entire Su City's flooded with visitors from all across the country. The King's birthday celebration, the national combat tournament,” Duke Warren counted weakly with his fingers, ”and the weapons design competition, all happening within a week of the King's birthday. Don't you know that any one of them is enough to give me a headache? Now that I have to deal with all three together, it's just driving me crazy!”
Prince Desnio gave sympathetic look at Duke Warren and said, ”My good Duke, you must take care of yourself.”
Abruptly, the Duke's expression smoothened, all traces of his emotional outburst gone. He said solemnly, ”Nevertheless, it is our duty as councillors to serve the King.” Duke Warren looked around them as Prince Desnio gave him a look of disdain. The Duke then lowered his voice into a whisper, ”Rumour has it that the King announced his decision to organize the national combat tournament after a visit from that manor. Honestly, do you think it's got something to do with the manor's owner?”
Prince Desnio smiled warily and spoke just as softly, ”Hehe, I don't know. There are so many rumours going around about that manor's owner. I'm too lazy to go through them.”
”What are you talking about, gentlemen?” A loud voice suddenly interrupted them.
Both men looked up to see the 1st Legion's Legate, Ming Xiao. Even in this function, he wore a neat military uniform that stood out from the crowd. Ming Xiao approached them with a glass of red wine in hand.
”To think that Sir Ming Xiao would grace this evening ball with his presence, it's like the sun rising from the west!” That was Prince Desnio's thorny greeting to Ming Xiao.
The legendary hot-tempered man, Ming Xiao, did not take offense. He smiled easily and said, ”I was bored to death recently, and heard that you serve excellent snow clams here. Since I had some time tonight, I decided to give them a try.”
Warren exclaimed with bordering rudeness, ”Sir Ming Xiao is famous for his discipline, but now he's slipped up for a plate of snow clams. Tsk tsk, it's not easy, not easy at all. I say, my Prince, you have to reward that chef of yours.”
”That I will,” Prince Desnio continued the mockery.
Ming Xiao laughed loudly, and looked at the two of them with a smile that was not exactly friendly, ”Ah, one of you is the mighty Home Secretary, and the other a Prince. What could you possibly be discussing about so enthusiastically, so secretively? Could it be something of national importance? As a military man, I cannot help but feel curious.”
Everyone around them was listening closely to their exchange. Sie Ming Xiao, Duke Warren and Prince Desnio were best friends when they were younger, but the gap between them grew larger and larger as they reached adulthood. The military had an unpleasant relationship with the rest of the government, especially between Ming Xiao and Duke Warren. The Prince acted as a mediator between the two.
”I heard that Sir Ming Xiao's beloved student, Du Feng, had lost many of his soldiers some time ago. The Prince and I were thinking about paying a visit. Brigadier General Du Feng has served his country well. His soldiers must also be strong and capable. Their loss is also the country's loss. We think it prudent to express our condolences,” Duke Warren said coldly.
Ming Xiao was momentarily taken aback, but he quickly regained his composure and said, ”Oh, I wonder where you heard of that, Duke Warren. Sigh, the rumour mill is quite a force to reckon with! No wonder His Majesty repeatedly emphasized that spreading fake information is a serious crime. This is the reason, this is exactly the reason!”
Now it was Duke Warren's turn to be taken aback. Ming Xiao made it clear that His Majesty did not wish for this information to become widespread.
Prince Desnio looked at the two hostile men helplessly, and offered, ”I say, look at you two, why so serious? Come come, let's have all have a drink!”
Just as the Prince was about to raise his glass, a servant rushed to him in a panic and whispered something by his ear.
Ming Xiao and Duke Warren were standing closest to the Prince, and they heard everything. Both men exchanged a look, then quickly broke eye contact, wearing an odd expression.
His Majesty had arrived!