Section 524: This woman is not a good woman
Upon hearing this, Christine turned around and saw a woman wearing a white, sheer blouse and a wide-brimmed hat with a falling veil. The cicada-wing-thin garment could hardly conceal her alluring figure.
"I've heard that Miss Christine is the premier weapons artisan in these parts. I would like to purchase a weapon from you," the woman in white said, giving a slight bow.
Christine stared at the woman in white, looking her up and down, a strange, somewhat burning light gleaming in her eyes. "My, I never thought I'd meet a celestial beauty like you here. May I ask your name, miss?"
The moment Christine's gaze landed on the woman, the shopkeeper beside them felt goosebumps all over his body for no apparent reason. Remembering the rumors about Christine, the shopkeeper initially wanted to warn the female customer, but the words reached his lips only to be swallowed back.
The woman in white smiled lightly. "My name is Shu Mo'er."
"Miss Mo'er, you are so delicate and lovely. No wonder I felt a connection the moment I saw you," Christine said enthusiastically, grabbing Shu Mo'er's hands firmly.
Shu Mo'er seemed somewhat uncomfortable with Christine's excessive enthusiasm. Moreover, Christine was subtly stroking her hands with one of her own, causing Shu Mo'er's body to stiffen slightly.
"Hehe, is that so?" Shu Mo'er replied somewhat unnaturally.
"Of course! This must be what the ancients called 'feeling like old friends at the first meeting'," Christine said, gripping her hands even tighter.
"Hehe, Miss Christine, you are truly amusing," Shu Mo'er said, deftly withdrawing her hands without any obvious change in expression.
Christine very naturally put an arm around Shu Mo'er's shoulders. "Haha, Mo'er妹妹, calling me 'Miss Christine' is far too formal. You can just call me Christine, or Sister Christine."
After a moment's hesitation, Shu Mo'er nodded. "Then I shall comply respectfully instead of declining out of courtesy."
"Whatever weapon Mo'er wants, just come to my place and pick one. Sister definitely won't hold anything back," Christine said generously, while the hand on Shu Mo'er's shoulder gave a couple of light squeezes.
Ye Zhong was now certain that Christine and Shang would definitely hit it off. However, he remained silent throughout. Although he didn't understand why the other party felt uncomfortable, in Ye Zhong's view, this might be a good way to probe.
Shu Mo'er gave a slight bow. "Then Mo'er thanks Sister Christine in advance," she said, simultaneously deftly extricating herself from Christine's embrace.
Christine's red lips became even more alluring as she chuckled. "Mo'er妹妹, aren't you still willing to show your true face to your sister?"
Ye Zhong, who hadn't said a word, inwardly praised Christine for this clever move.
Shu Mo'er hesitated briefly, but soon replied, "I had to do this for the sake of travel convenience. I hope Sister won't take offense." Shu Mo'er then removed her veil hat, revealing her true appearance.
She had a sharply defined瓜子脸 (oval face), with skin that seemed so delicate it might break at a touch. Her dark eyes sparkled with shifting lights, a fine nose, cherry lips, and shoulder-length hair, exuding an aura of quiet elegance. The moment Shu Mo'er unveiled herself, the entire shop fell into a hushed silence.
"妹妹, you are so beautiful, even Sister's heart is stirred," Christine said, her eyes gleaming, her tongue unconsciously licking her vibrant red lips. This action elicited a wave of audible swallows from onlookers.
Ye Zhong remained unmoved. This woman's origins were unknown, but her strength alone was enough to put him on guard. Furthermore, after that earlier probing, she still came to strike up a conversation. Ye Zhong naturally didn't believe her intentions were good.
"My apologies to you both," Shu Mo'er said apologetically towards Ye Zhong and Christine. She put her veil hat back on, instantly concealing all that splendor. But that single, fleeting glimpse was likely enough to leave an indelible impression on many hearts.
Her hands remained shrouded within the light veil the entire time, making it impossible to see them clearly. Ye Zhong couldn't assess her strength based on that.
"And how should I address this gentleman, sir?" Her soft, gentle voice was like a fine spring rain seeping into one's heart.
"Ye Zhong." That concise, powerful voice cut through the atmosphere like a hint of killing intent sweeping through the spring rain, dispelling all the underlying allure.
A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched the corners of Shu Mo'er's lips.
"妹妹, what kind of weapon are you looking for?" Christine asked with immense enthusiasm.
"Hmm, I haven't really decided yet. Could Sister offer some suggestions?"
Ye Zhong sneered inwardly. This is clearly making conversation for its own sake. What combat personnel isn't intimately familiar with the weapon they want? This woman is not a good woman.
Christine didn't pick up on this. She rested her chin on her hand, thinking hard. "Hmm, 妹妹's weapon certainly shouldn't be too heavy, or it would be strenuous to carry. It needs sufficient power; otherwise, if a beauty like 妹妹 were defeated, it would be very dangerous. 妹妹, your figure is petite, so the weapon shouldn't be too long either."
After thinking for a long time without coming up with a good solution, Christine simply said, "妹妹, why not come to my place and pick one? Take whatever you find suitable."
"Thank you for your trouble, Sister," Shu Mo'er said with a faint smile.
Christine placed one hand on her hip and waved the other grandly. "What trouble? Sister likes someone like you the most."
For no apparent reason, Ye Zhong felt a chill run down his spine.
The three of them walked out of the shop.
"Sister, come to my place to pick out a weapon," Christina offered warmly.
Shu Mo'er's soft voice came from behind her veil: "Mo'er thanks Sister for your kindness."
Christina giggled coquettishly. "Little Sister, you're so polite." She turned her head: "You go back first. I'll return after I help Mo'er pick a weapon."
"Okay," Ye Zhong replied curtly, turning and leaving without another word.
"Is Mr. Ye not coming with us?" Shu Mo'er asked, somewhat surprised.
Christina said carelessly, "That guy has no charm. He'd just be a nuisance tagging along, completely like a stone."
Shu Mo'er gave a light laugh. "Mr. Ye is a rather interesting person."
"Interesting?" Christina sniffed disdainfully. "That guy? You can't squeeze a word out of him half the time."
As Ye Zhong walked down the street, thinking about that Shu Mo'er, he felt he must be cautious. She clearly had ill intentions, probably alerted when he shook off her surveillance earlier. Although he didn't know her exact strength, Ye Zhong had a feeling it was likely very high. It was this feeling, coupled with the perilous battle a few days ago, that made him increasingly wary.
He didn't dwell too much on Shu Mo'er. Their encounter was fleeting, and he had no further information to go on. He quickly put the matter aside and turned his thoughts to another issue. He had just spent 1.36 million, leaving him with just over a million in funds.
Ye Zhong admitted he was completely clueless about financial management. Future research would undoubtedly be hugely expensive. Without finding a way to generate income, he would eventually exhaust his resources. He didn't want to be constantly troubled by funding issues; finding a permanent solution would be best. But he was still at a loss, as this wasn't his forte to begin with.
It was a real headache. It seemed he could only figure it out slowly.
Suddenly, Ye Zhong's expression shifted imperceptibly. Without changing his demeanor, his footsteps abruptly turned towards a corner.
It was a narrow, deep alley, very quiet.
Ye Zhong walked expressionlessly to the very end of the alley, then suddenly turned around and asked calmly, "Who are you?"
Two men, one tall and one short, held laser guns. They were startled that Ye Zhong had discovered them, their expressions showing surprise, but they quickly regained their composure.
The short man chuckled darkly. "Buddy, as the saying goes, 'wealth shouldn't be exposed.' You were just too careless. Tsk, tsk. You look unremarkable, but you've got quite a stash. Hand over the money nicely."
The tall man, with fierce, slanted eyes, glared at Ye Zhong, his laser gun pointed directly at him, face full of vigilance.
Ye Zhong felt a mix of amusement and exasperation. He never thought he'd be robbed one day. If Shang found out, that guy would surely laugh for ages.
He had no interest in banter. Although high-level Shooters were terrifyingly powerful, he didn't take these low-level thugs seriously. His body moved, his feet as if equipped with powerful springs, propelling him forward abruptly.
In a direct one-on-one confrontation between a Shooter and a Martial Artist, the Shooter didn't have much advantage, strictly speaking. While a Shooter's spiritual perception could detect the opponent's actions first, their reaction nerves were far too slow compared to a Martial Artist's. Especially for a super Martial Artist like Ye Zhong, who had stepped into the Realm Master realm—they were all swift as the wind, striking fast as lightning. In the brief moment it took a Shooter to fire a laser gun, a Martial Artist could complete many kills unimaginable to ordinary people. Martial Artists were the true kings of unarmed close combat. And a Martial Artist with powerful mental cultivation? That was the most terrifying close-quarters combatant of all.
In the two men's eyes, the man opposite them seemed to vanish into thin air, disappearing from their sight.
Ye Zhong, like a great roc spreading its wings, suddenly appeared between them, his outstretched hands already touching their throats.
A slight twist, and these two would be dead, without a shred of life left.
Suddenly, Ye Zhong's expression changed slightly! A powerful spiritual fluctuation brushed against his senses.
With a cold snort, his hands abruptly exerted force. Crack! The necks of the two robbers snapped simultaneously. Without a moment's hesitation, Ye Zhong lowered his posture, swiftly gliding backward close to the ground. Then, pushing off with the balls of his feet, he sprang up suddenly, agile as a civet cat, flipping onto the wall. Glancing toward the alley entrance, he turned and fled into the distance.
Only then did the two bodies slump softly to the ground.
A man with thick eyebrows appeared at the alley entrance, just in time to see the two bodies collapsing and the figure flipping over the wall.
The thick-browed man's face changed. He hurried to the two men on the ground, and the unnatural twist in their necks made his expression shift again.
Ye Zhong returned home still feeling apprehensive. This world was too dangerous. Encountering two such experts in a single day—how could Ye Zhong not be shocked? Were experts in this world already this numerous? The sense of crisis in Ye Zhong's heart grew stronger and stronger.
He had felt the power contained within the spiritual fluctuation he encountered earlier. He didn't know if it was a coincidence, or if someone had already taken notice of him.
He had originally thought that someone as powerful as the pilot of that blue aircraft would be the limit—one or two per area at most. He never expected to encounter two in a single day. How could this not shock him? Today's experiences clearly demonstrated that the level of Art Masters here was far higher than in the Free Star Region.
"What a terrifying place!"
Ye Zhong had been to many places. Whether it was the Five Major Star Domains, the He Yue Star Domain, or the Free Star Zone, his strength had always been enough to guarantee his safety. He had never been in such a dire situation as he was now.
The feeling of having to keep a low profile at all times wasn't pleasant.
Soon, when the samples he bought from the store were delivered, Ye Zhong stopped thinking about this problem. Here, the only person who could help him was himself. He believed he would definitely find a way to solve the problem. He had enough confidence in this; he had experienced situations more critical than this. His will had long been tempered to be extremely resolute and unwavering against external influences.
There were many types of samples, piled high filling the entire courtyard.
The merchant was very meticulous; each sample was labeled with a name.
Ye Zhong didn't waste any time and immediately started working. What he needed to do was analyze the properties of these materials. This was a relatively massive project. It was called relatively massive because of the sheer variety involved. However, because the instruments Ye Zhong had on hand were very advanced, he actually didn't need to spend too much time.
Right now, the task was to build a database of the various parameters for these materials.
Ye Zhong was extremely focused when he worked. In this state, his brain operated at high speed. He soon made a discovery: the energy density of the materials here was very high. These natural materials seemed to have grown in an environment saturated with energy.
And when he tested that semi-transparent crystal used by the locals as an energy source, even the usually calm Ye Zhong couldn't help but show a surprised expression. The purity of this crystal was exceptionally high, and the energy contained per unit volume was remarkably high. It was extremely rare. It was the finest energy source Ye Zhong had ever seen, second only to Tear Stones.
Furthermore, judging from the billing list, the price of this crystal was very low, which meant that this crystal was a fairly common material. How fortunate the people here are! No matter where you go, energy is something society needs in large quantities; it's an extremely important resource. But here, it's practically everywhere.
Using this crystal as an energy source could greatly increase engine efficiency. Ye Zhong suddenly understood why the speeds of those primitively designed aircraft here could reach such outrageous levels. With such an excellent energy source, plus those extremely light yet high-strength wooden materials, it was no wonder. Those woods were even lighter than the bone materials Ye Zhong had used before!
The environment here is really, unbelievably good!
Ye Zhong felt a surge of excitement. His eyes gleamed as he looked at the mountain of materials piled in the courtyard. Who knows what other, greater surprises might be hidden among them?
Just at that moment, his work had to stop because Christina had returned.
Christina came back alone. As for that Shu Mo'er, Ye Zhong didn't ask. But Christina seemed visibly distracted, which made Ye Zhong glance at her curiously a couple more times.
※※※※
Shu Mo'er was very happy today; she had met a very interesting person. She originally thought that this small place, Yeta City, would be quite boring, but she didn't expect to find someone capable.
To shake off her spiritual sense so easily, this person's strength was truly unfathomable. Moreover, the method the other party used made Shu Mo'er's eyes light up. And that person had such a cold, icy face, which in Shu Mo'er's view, held a kind of indescribable charm.
As for that overly familiar Sister Christina, just thinking about her made Shu Mo'er feel somewhat uncomfortable all over.
However, what surprised her was that the young man who looked even younger than Christina was actually her teacher. This was beyond Shu Mo'er's expectations. When she managed to get Ye Zhong's identity out of Christina, she almost couldn't believe it at first. But she soon became convinced because she sensed a genuine, deep-seated respect in Christina's deliberately casual tone.
And after learning that Ye Zhong had personally used Snow-Speckled Blue Fir to create an energy gun on the spot for the Level Eight Shooter, Sha Ya, one capable of piercing a five-centimeter-thick Cloudstone target, Shu Mo'er's curiosity swelled enormously.
Shu Mo'er knew the name Sha Ya; she was acquainted with Shu Mo'er's own teacher.
A top-tier weapon smith, capable of crafting weapons for a Level Eight Shooter, was actually so young and possessed such mysterious power. No matter how you looked at it, he was the biggest find of the day.
Beneath her veil, a faint smile curled at the corners of Shu Mo'er's lips. She had already made an appointment with Christina to visit next time.
Shu Mo'er returned to her residence, pushed open the door, and saw a bearded man lounging lazily on the sofa in the living room, holding a bottle of liquor, looking quite drunk.
"Edward, you're too lazy. The weather is so nice today, and the air is excellent," Shu Mo'er said, wrinkling her small nose and pursing her lips at the smell of alcohol filling the room.
Edward glanced sideways at Shu Mo'er, grinned, and said, "So our little Mo'er is back. So, did you run into anything fun while you were out today?"
"I met a very interesting person," Shu Mo'er said with a light laugh, removing her veil to reveal a mesmerizingly beautiful face.
Edward took a swig of liquor, let out a belch, and muttered, "Interesting? You'd even find an ant interesting."
"Edward!" Shu Mo'er glared at Edward with feigned anger.
Edward quickly laughed it off. "Little Mo'er, Doka and the others are all in the study. You should go find them."
"Hmph!" Shu Mo'er pouted, glared angrily at Edward, and then stomped off into the study, still fuming.