Chapter 552: A Faint Clue

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

It was a pink coloured colloid object, thick as a brick. Numerous thin blue hair-like protrusions grew from its surface. These blue hair were swaying gently like seaweed underwater.

Ye Chong recalled seeing something like that in the base on Spectre. He did not have time to investigate what it was then, but now was his chance to learn more about it.

The thin hairs on the pink colloid object was some kind of fungus that Ye Chong had never seen before. Having inherited Lunatic Guan's knowledge in alchemy, there were not many fungi species that Ye Chong had never seen before. This blue colored fungus must be extremely rare. Ye Chong knew that Lunatic Guan's chips recorded many species that he had once thought to be rare. The fact this blue fungus was not in the chip told him how scarcely seen it must be.

The universe was vast. It was only inevitable that Lunatic Guan had not seen all the fungi species that ever existed. Ye Chong did not think it odd. The specimen he saw the first time was hidden in a corner, along with many other junk and things, covered in dust. The researchers at the Research Consortium must have not thought much about it. If it was not for the weird shape of the fungus, Ye Chong would have forgotten that he had it in Celest's keystone.

At the moment, he had found another identical specimen in Su City - a pink colored colloid object, on which the fungus grew. If it just the colloid of the fungus alone he was seeing, he would not have been so surprised to see it. This specimen, however, was nearly identical in both parts of the whole. Besides, given how scarce the fungus is, it was most likely that it could only survive under very specific environmental conditions.

How was this new specimen related to the one he found earlier?

Ye Chong studied the bearded man. His hands were covered with thick calluses, the mark of a long history in using guns. Besides, his gaze was steady and confident. Ye Chong put him down as a shooter of at least Level 6.

Ye Chong squeezed his way to the bearded man's stall and picked up the pink colloid. He inspected it closely to make sure that it looked the same as the one he had. It most likely originated from the same place as the specimen he had.

"What is this?" Ye Chong asked.

The bearded man looked up at Ye Chong, and could not glean anything from his form, now covered entirely in a gray cloak. The man shook his head. "I don't know either."

"You don't know?" Ye Chong looked at him, surprised. "Where did you get it from?"

"My father brought it back from Darkniss during one of his trips. He was heavily injured then, and passed away not long after," the bearded man replied quietly.

"Darkniss?" Ye Chong was shocked. He did not expect that. If this fungus came from Darkniss, then where did the specimen he found in the Research Consortium's base come from? Both specimen were obviously the same thing, and came from the same place. Ye Chong was not sure if the fungus was artificially grown or naturally occurring, but if it was really from Darkniss, the odds were that it was a natural form of life in there.

Ye Chong remembered something else. He had arrived in this strange world from the Consortium's base. Could the base be related to this world in some inexplicable way?

The bearded studied the man under the gray cloak, who was now holding the pink colured colloid in his hand and deep in thought. The bearded man felt invigorated. The thing was something he got from his father when he was young. His father died soon after the trip to Darkniss, and never told him more about the mysterious colloid. Later on, he tried to investigate more about it, but no one had seen it before. After so many years, that strange thing still looked exactly the same as it was the first time he set eyes on it. He no longer felt so intrigued by it anymore.

He was now a Level 7 shooter. He had hoped to get a nifty weapon from this weapons trading market. Ever since he reached Level 7, he had visited Darkniss a few times, but mostly in the outer regions. The Desert and the Mist were not suitable for air travel, so a handy weapon was very important.

In all his years travelling to and from Darkniss, he had amassed some things of value. He brought them all to this weapons trading market in the hopes of exchanging them for a decent laser gun. This man, now, was interested in something he had. However, from the looks of it, he did not know what the pink object was either.

The bearded man's disappointment showed.

"Are you selling this?" Ye Chong asked.

"Only for bartering. I want a laser gun, at least 4 million Lux."

Ye Chong exchanged one of his own handmade laser guns for the colloid object. The bearded man seemed satisfied by the trade. He knew exactly how much the gun was worth. The power of a laser gun at 4 million Lux varied greatly, depending on whether it came from average manufacturers or a Master level weaponsmith. This was why capable shooters would ask for customized weapons from weaponsmiths.

After the trade, Ye Chong saw nothing else of interest. The day's catch was worthwhile, however.

Ye Chong returned to his manor and compared the specimen he found in the Research Consortium's base and the one he just bought. Except for the size and shape, they were exactly the same thing. Ye Chong made queries from his chip, hoping to find something from the Research Consortium that could tell him where the specimen came from, but to no avail.

First was the red-tailed beasts; then the black circle; now there were two colloid fungi of the same species - one hidden in a corner of the base back in his world, and another from the inner parts of Darkniss. He had also found himself mysteriously transported to this strange and unfamiliar world. All the facts were here. Ye Chong knew that all of them were related in some way, but how? All the signs pointed toward Darkniss.

Perhaps the only way to answer all his questions was to visit Darkniss himself. Ye Chong looked at the holographic scanning, where many young people were training hard on the training ground. He dismissed the idea right away. It was folly to think he could survive a solo trip to Darkniss. These young people he was training were still too far away from being real combatants. Some things cannot be rushed. Nonetheless, what if he only aimed to do a simple exploratory visit?

Ye Chong thought that might just be manageable. Everything he knew about Darkniss came from secondary sources. He cannot make the right decision without having a more objective understanding of the place. Bringing so many people into Darkniss without more information was very risky.

Ye Chong considered the plan. If he were to enter Darkniss himself, that would not do at all. He did not even know how to get there. Sha Ya can act as his guide. She was experienced. However, just the two of them did not seem enough. Perhaps Xuan Ning would be willing to join him? If he offered a good laser gun for the man in exchange for his services, what were the odds of him agreeing to it?

…

For the past few days, Sha Ya spent her time indoors in deep thought. Ever since Ye Chong shared with her the details of his battle with Xuan Ning, she fell into a mood. Ye Chong understood what was happening. He had been through it before. This was not the time to interrupt her.

Having decided on his plan of action, Ye Chong went to the training ground. He inspected the young people there and found himself happy with their progress. Liao San was training the new recruits with passionate. The young recruits all looked sunburnt, with some of them even developing freckles. Nevertheless, they were in high spirits. Even the nobilities looked like they have had a complete personality makeover.

Ye Chong even more surprised by Gui Gui's personally led women's division. The ladies no longer cared for their appearance. They looked exactly like the men. Only the Shu sisters still retained their fair skin. Shu Mo'er threw a cold look at Ye Chong, while Shu Man'er looked haunted and very, very scared. Ye Chong's gaze did not linger on them both. Only their results mattered. He did not mind their hostility towards him.

After briefing the instructors on the latest training routine, Ye Chong returned to Su City. He flew a commonly seen aircraft, the Butterly-3. It was a popular model which required parapsychic control on its tracking ball to fly it. Ye Chong did not have parapsychic abilities, but flying the aircraft presented no difficulties.

In fact, Ye Chong had thrown out almost all the mechanical parts in the Butterfly-3, leaving only its hull. Ye Chong exchanged the tracker ball for a control lever, similar to the one in the Collision mech. The engine was also modified to fly much faster than the average Butterly-3. The aircraft was used only for transport. Ye Chong's manor was quite a distance away from Su City.

"You're looking for Xuan Ning?" Sun Sieha was baffled. He stared at Ye Chong, trying to figure him out.

Ye Chong nodded. "Yes." He did now know where Xuan Ning lived, and had to resort to this other option.

Sun Sieha turned to his side and gave the order, "Have Xuan Ning come to my study." A guard immediately rushed out to execute his duties.

Sun Sieha turned back to Ye Chong and studied him for a long moment. He offered slowly, "You really messed things up for me this time, you know? It was just a demonstration contest. Did you know you nearly killed Xuan Ning?"

Ye Chong looked calm. "I've told you before, I only know how to fight."

"Fine." Sun Sieha gestured with a wave. "'I'll not pursue the matter further. Xuan Ning has benefited from the accident. A Level 9 shooter, hehe. Eastern Cloud finally has a Level 9 shooter."

Xuan Ning entered Sun Sieha's study then. He saw Ye Chong and could not hide his surprise.

"Your Majesty." Xuan Ning made a proper greeting to Sun Sieha.

Sun Sieha smiled. "How many times have I told you, no need for the formalities. Well, this time it's Master Ye who has come to see you."

"Oh." Xuan Ning looked even more surprised. "What would Master Ye like to discuss with me?"

"I'd like to invite you on a trip to Darkniss."

"Darkniss?" Xuan Ning and Sun Sieha exchanged a look of puzzlement. He Xuan Ning asked, "Why would Master Ye want to visit that place? Are you lacking any raw materials? As far as I know, the Royal Family has all kinds of rare materials in stock. You don't have to risk the trip to Darkniss."

"That's right," Sun Sieha said with a laugh, "We can talk about how much you'd want to buy."

Ye Chong shook his head and made his thoughts clear. "No. Are you willing to go? If yes, what are your conditions?"

Xuan Ning took a long look at Ye Chong. He considered the invitation for a while and then replied slowly, "Accompanying Master Ye on a trip to Darkniss is fine with me. There is no need for compensation, consider it a token of appreciation for assisting me in achieving Level 9. Having said that, I have my formal duties. The trip would require His Majesty's approval." Ye Chong turned his gaze to Sun Sieha.

"Well then!" Sun Sieha affected an expression of unwillingness.

"What do you want?" Ye Chong did not beat around the bush.

Sun Sieha blushed briefly, but quickly returned to business. He considered the question for a moment, and then said, "I'm fine with having Xuan Ning accompanying you. However, in exchange, I want all the information required for us to build your cannon arrays." Ye Chong's cannon array was a powerful weapon, but each one cost the nation 20 million ao, an expenditure that Sun Sieha could not afford. He had long wanted to get his hands on the weapon's schematics, since the weaponsmiths he hired could not replicate the weapon. Now that the opportunity presented itself, he jumped for it without hesitation.

"Alright." Ye Chong's reply was swift. The technology behind the cannon array was not exactly advanced. He had a lot more technical knowledge to offer than that. Offering the cannon array technology in exchange for the assistance of a Level 9 shooter was a good trade.

"Hah!" Sun Sieha was overjoyed. He was prepared to bargain with Ye Chong, but he man had agreed without arguing. Sun Sieha was happy with the outcome, but he could not help but wonder why Ye Chong wanted to visit Darkniss so suddenly.

"I'll come to you when I'm ready," Ye Chong said to Xuan Ning. He then turned to Sun Sieha. "Send your men to my place for the schematics." With that, he left Sun Sieha's study.

"What do you of his foray into Darkniss?" Sun Sieha asked Xuan Ning.

Xuan Ning could not understand it as well. "I don't know. Master Ye is an mysterious and unpredictable man."

Sun Sieha nodded without a word. In any case, now that he had the schematics for the cannon array, the military would be able to arm themselves with this weapon on a massive scale. Western Frost and Northern Lands would both tremble under the might of the powerful cannon arrays.

"I look forward to that day!" Sun Sieha thought to himself. His eyes lit up fervently.

...

When Ye Chong reached his manor, Master Karu arrived right after him.

Master Karu was breathing heavily. "I say, did you forget that you're in the judging panel? Quick, come with me, to the contest, we're all waiting for you. Also, hand me the schematics for the cannon array. I've been trying to figure out ho1 to build the weapon but I can't make head nor tails of it."

Ye Chong remembered that he was supposed to serve as a judge.

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