CSMCDB - Chapter 123

Chapter 123

Host: Wen Yuncheng
Race: Human
Age: 20
Class: Mechanical Overlord
Level: 47
Experience: 16545/41000
Points: 7,127

Twenty-four bounties… After accounting for the expense of the Star Cannon, Xiao Shi'er also needed one or two salt-baked chickens every week to satisfy her cravings. Wen Yuncheng had tried substituting them with whole roast chicken, honey-glazed chicken, beggar's chicken, and Huadiao wine chicken, but none of them cost less than 30 points. If she tried to use wings or drumsticks instead, the little fox wouldn't fall for it; she was anything but stupid when it came to food.

At this rate, reaching Level 50 wouldn't be too difficult.

Wen Yuncheng met Lin Jinyu at the foot of the Flowing Cloud Sect's mountain and presented Xiao Shi'er, in her fox form, to be petted as if offering a treasure. "Happy birthday~"

"Thank you. But are you sure it's okay to promote the Mechanical Wings so widely?" Lin Jinyu was well aware of Wen Yuncheng's advantage. A pilot program now meant that a full-scale rollout wasn't far off. It might start small, but in a year or two, it could very well cover the entire continent.

"It's no problem. Besides, even with the improved version of the Mechanical Wings, the Star Power consumption is much greater for you all." Wen Yuncheng watched as Lin Jinyu stroked the little fox's head, her hand moving from its neck all the way to its tail. Xiao Shi'er was blissfully nestled in Lin Jinyu's arms, seemingly overcome with comfort. Although Wen Yuncheng had been the one to hand the fox over, seeing this scene made her feel a little disgruntled—Lin Jinyu had never petted her like that.

"I see… I love this gift."

"Mhm! When they're rolled out in the future, they'll be sold to the Flowing Cloud Sect at cost. The First Princess has already agreed. The Imperial family, the Star Auction House, Star Academy, and the Flowing Cloud Sect will all get them at cost," Wen Yuncheng explained. "Of course, the finished products cannot be resold, and purchases will require registration, which might be a bit of a hassle." Once this was implemented, however, the Star Auction House would likely be the only one not to benefit much. If they couldn't resell the wings, their demand for them would be quite low.

"It's no trouble at all. Being able to buy them at cost and sell them to the sect's disciples at the same price… no one would complain about having to register." Lin Jinyu offered a comforting word. Registration would serve as a purchase limit; after all, the Imperial family wasn't promoting the Mechanical Wings purely for charity. They still needed to earn Star Stones. Lin Jinyu squeezed the three tails of the little fox in her arms. "Are you going to raise her from now on?"

"Probably. The Celestial Fox King likely sent this little fox to the human race as a hostage. It's an olive branch from the Demonic Beast Great Forest, a sign of sincerity. I never expected the Protectors to give her to me." Wen Yuncheng paused, then said with a wry smile, "Alright, it was probably because this little fox insisted on finding me. She has a huge appetite. She can eat ten chickens in one go without even catching her breath."

"You're lying! When have I ever eaten ten chickens! I'm a Star King! I've helped you stop plenty of people. No one can escape my nose if they try to run! What's wrong with me eating a little more?" The little fox was not pleased at the mention of her appetite and bared her teeth in protest.

But as soon as she lifted her head, Lin Jinyu pressed it back down, gently pinching the scruff of her neck and scratching under her chin, coaxing a purr out of the little fox.

Wen Yuncheng's gaze toward Xiao Shi'er gradually turned unfriendly.

"It's just a matter of spending more Star Stones. Having a Star King as a personal guard will make you much safer," Lin Jinyu said, then teased, "Teacher Yan gave you two Star Kings, and the Empire gave you this little one. Should I perhaps ask a guardian to protect you as well?"

"…What are you talking about? I don't need that many people following me around. It's too much trouble," Wen Yuncheng said helplessly. "Those two seniors already have it hard enough running around with me. Now that I have three Star Kings with me, even if I run into that old Star Venerate again, he probably wouldn't dare to make a move on me." As she spoke, she leaned over, picked up the little fox by the scruff of her neck, and lifted her. "Why don't you pet me too?"

Lin Jinyu's face instantly turned red, and she lost all thought of asking Wen Yuncheng what she was doing. However, she quickly understood what Wen Yuncheng was thinking and raised a hand to pinch her cheek. "You're the one who put her in my arms."

"You've never petted me like that," Wen Yuncheng whined, casually dropping the little fox on the ground and snuggling into Lin Jinyu's embrace.

Tossed to the ground, Xiao Shi'er's fur stood on end in an instant. But when she looked up and saw the affectionate couple, her fur settled back down. She curled herself into a ball, her three tails covering her head. I can't see anything. I can't see anything at all. I'm just a little fox…

After a moment of intimacy, Wen Yuncheng watched Lin Jinyu return to the Flowing Cloud Sect. Her resolve to grow stronger quickly became even firmer. She scooped up Xiao Shi'er from the ground and headed for the flight station.

With that interlude over, it was once again time to take on bounties. However, thanks to Wen Yuncheng's high efficiency, there were very few mid-sized bandit lairs left in the bounty hall that fit her criteria. Reluctantly, Wen Yuncheng accepted a few missions to teach certain "children of nobility" in various towns a lesson. While she was busy stuffing them into sacks and beating them up, she didn't spare their servants or guards either, giving them all a good thrashing. With the sacked nobles as hostages, the servants and guards didn't dare to fight back. Wen Yuncheng gave each of them a beating with her fists, earning the EXP from the Heart of a Victor mission without revealing her identity.

One day, after completing a bounty, Wen Yuncheng was resting in an inn when she suddenly received a communication. She initially thought it was Lin Jinyu needing her for something, but when she took out the stone, she was surprised to see it was from Cheng Jiangliu.

…What? It's been two years since he graduated. Don't tell me he's still thinking about having equipment crafted? Wen Yuncheng's heart pounded with unease as she accepted the communication.

-"Student Wen, how have you been lately? I'm a bit short-handed here for a matter and was wondering if you might be interested. The reward is negotiable."

"Short-handed? Senior, why don't you tell me what it's about?"

-"Oh, right. It's like this. Qiuyu and I are on a graduation trip together, and with her temper… she got involved in some local business in a remote little town. We were targeted by an assassin afterward, and we found a 'Fu' token in their storage ring. So, we suspect this place might have some connection to 'Fu'." Cheng Jiangliu briefly explained the situation, then added, "Normally, reporting this to the Empire would be best, but this force seems a bit too weak. The Empire has only just stabilized, so we figured we'd just handle it ourselves. If we do find a big fish… we've prepared a signal flare and contacted a specialist. We can notify the Empire immediately if needed."

-"This matter might be a little dangerous, but the merit we could earn wouldn't be small. It would be a great way to prove our worth in the future. I thought about it, and your strength is undeniable, Student Wen. You have many methods at your disposal, and we've also heard about your development of the Mechanical Wings, so…"

"Big Bro Cheng, say no more. Give me the location, and I'll be right there! It is my honor to contribute to the Empire. Don't even mention a reward. You were willing to share this information with me, how could I possibly ask you for payment?" Wen Yuncheng said with a righteous expression. "As for the Mechanical Wings, I'll bring some over for you. However, they're just trial versions that still need constant improvement. The effect definitely won't be as good as the ones promoted later, so they'll only be for temporary use."

Cheng Jiangliu seemed stunned for a moment on the other end, then sighed. "Alright, okay. Thank you, Student Wen. But I still have to give you the reward. I can't have you coming all this way into danger for nothing, right? How about this: when you arrive, I'll transfer three million Star Stones to you. Okay, I won't say any more. Just come to Yuelan Town."

Wen Yuncheng stared at the communication stone, which had turned blue, her heart filled with a mix of emotions. What a coincidence! She had just been lamenting the lack of bandits to hunt, forcing her to resort to beating up rich kids in sacks, and in the blink of an eye, Cheng Jiangliu had delivered news of "Fu." A small force? A small force was perfect! Wen Yuncheng couldn't handle a large one anyway.

If it were a large force, Cheng Jiangliu and the others would have likely reported it to the Empire long ago instead of trying to claim the merit for themselves.

With three Star Kings by her side, what did she have to fear? Nothing at all! She needed to make a trip to the Imperial Palace and have the First Princess approve a batch of trial Mechanical Wings. Wen Yuncheng wasn't sure how many people Cheng Jiangliu had gathered, but she figured she'd grab ten sets for now.

"Xiao Shi'er, stop sleeping! A big job has come up! Listen, if we pull this off, you'll get ten special salt-baked chickens." Without another word, Wen Yuncheng started vigorously rubbing the white furball curled up on the bed, ruffling Xiao Shi'er's fur until she bared her teeth and let out a threatening growl. However, upon hearing the words "ten special salt-baked chickens," Xiao Shi'er instantly became obedient.

"Okay, let's go! Mission completion guaranteed!"

Beaming, Wen Yuncheng checked out of the inn and headed to the flight station to return to the Imperial Capital. She had to get the Mechanical Wings first, and then she would go to that Yuelan Town. Although she had never even heard of the small town, she looked it up on the continent map and found it was a small town in the east, said to have beautiful night scenery and flowers everywhere.

…Wait a minute. Did she mishear something? Qiuyu? Graduation trip?

Sitting on the Gugu Bird on her way to the Imperial Capital, Wen Yuncheng's expression stiffened. This-this Cheng Jiangliu was with Zhao Qiuyu? And they were on a graduation trip? She couldn't believe their nerve. Who goes on a graduation trip that lasts for two years?! Don't tell her they left right after the Youth Tournament ended!

With the Mechanical Wings secured, Wen Yuncheng boarded a Gugu Bird bound for Yuelan Town. She then sent a message to Lin Jinyu, briefly explaining the situation. Lin Jinyu had no objections; Zhao Qiuyu had contacted her as well. However, Lin Jinyu's advancement to the Star Spirit rank was still unstable, making it unsuitable for her to travel around, so she had declined. Lin Jinyu reminded Wen Yuncheng repeatedly to be careful and not to hesitate to use defensive scrolls if she encountered a crisis, as even a second of hesitation could be life-threatening.

"I know, I know. My life is the most precious thing, right?" Wen Yuncheng felt utterly helpless about Lin Jinyu's specific nagging about the defensive scrolls.

After transferring between several Gugu Birds, Wen Yuncheng finally arrived in Yuelan Town. She scooped up the little fox, who was drooling while staring at the Gugu Bird, into her arms and walked out of the flight station.

EXP, points, here I come.

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