Chapter 551: Xuan Ning’s Visit (2/2)

”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.