novelraw Chapter 48 : League Preparation
Chapter 48 : League Preparation
StarNet Forum - Competition Section - Star League Competition Special.
Opening at midnight in early May.
Currently accumulated posts: 45,859
Hot posts on the homepage: [Seven Major Military Direct Schools List Announced, League Competition Top Three Predictions]
In the morning, the Life Steward opened the window, and a gentle breeze brought in the characteristic elm blossom fragrance of Yuguang Star.
Chen Sui tilted her head, undid her hair ties, and hastily tied them back again, making an ugly knot.
The braids on both sides were uneven, one high and one low. As soon as she went out, Gu Qinxue helplessly waved to her.
She kicked over a small stool: "Sit down."
"How did you manage to tie your hair like this?"
Chen Sui opened her Light Brain, entered the StarNet interface, and clicked into the competition forum: "No mirror, hard to do properly."
Gu Qinxue deftly braided her hair while watching her browse the forum, observing Chen Sui's expression.
Noticing her gaze, Chen Sui looked up, touched her chin, and asked in confusion: "Why are you looking at me?"
"To see your reaction," she glanced at the forum, "I looked this morning. They're either criticizing our Zhu Jing Fu or our analyst."
Chen Sui scrolled down from the homepage and found several posts containing her name.
[Who is Chen Sui? Never heard of her. An A-level participating in the league competition? Zhu Jing Fu has finally gone mad after all these years?]
[Explosive revelation about Chen Sui, her identity is actually...]
There were several clickbait titles, designed to attract attention with extremely provocative wording.
"Do people really believe such rumors?" Chen Sui found it unbelievable even as the subject herself.
Gu Qinxue nodded, "Of course, otherwise how would over 300,000 posts appear since the server opened? Refresh now."
Chen Sui refreshed the page.
Currently accumulated posts: 507,935
"So lively."
Looking at the explosive increase in posts, Chen Sui remarked.
"Stop looking," Gu Qinxue handed her a nutrient solution, watching her drink it before leading her out, "Going to the maintenance room later?"
Chen Sui shook her head, swallowing the nutrient solution down her throat: "Going downstairs. I have a batch of newly made analysis instruments."
Gu Qinxue raised an eyebrow.
Analysis instruments were a series of tools designed by analysts for awakened individuals, including suppression locks to prevent backlash when using energy bodies beyond one's core crystal level to edit summoned bodies, monitoring equipment to check energy field fluctuation levels, and energy simulation devices that enriched surrounding energy factors to create micro energy fields.
Making analysis instruments was more difficult than summoned body editing.
If an analyst's work with energy crystals involved constraining energy factors within crystals, then making analysis instruments required analysts to connect with extremely low-concentration energy factors in the surrounding environment.
The requirement for energy perception and control was almost at ceiling level.
Gu Qinxue patted the hand she had placed on Chen Sui's shoulder with admiration: "Your progress is incredibly fast—catching up from behind, Chief Chen."
Chen Sui's ears reddened at the title, the heat spreading from her cheeks to her neck. She tried to respond calmly: "Everyone is making progress. I can't fall behind."
"You're not falling behind. We're trying not to hold back our analyst."
Gu Qinxue continued to tease her, watching as Chen Sui's blush intensified before they parted at the staircase of the school team building.
Just as she went upstairs, a young man dressed in black was standing by the window, his posture suggesting he was waiting for someone. The wild wind blew his blue hair wildly.
"What are you doing here, trying to drink the northwest wind?"
Gu Qinxue scanned him up and down.
Zhou Chen turned his head at the sound, pretending to be startled as he saw her come up: "Oh my, you scared me! Don't you make any noise when you walk?"
"Such an act."
Gu Qinxue looked at him coldly.
Zhou Chen had already seen her and Chen Sui enter together from the window and had deliberately waited here.
"Have you seen StarNet? That old fart published all our data, using it to put down our little princess."
"Just thinking about it makes me angry."
Zhou Chen's temper flared recalling the posts he had seen that morning.
Gu Qinxue pushed open the door: "What's the big deal? It's better that he published it. The more people who believe it, the more advantageous it is for us."
Both her and Zhou Chen's data had suffered serious damage after awakening, greatly diminishing their test results.
In simple terms, they were all false data.
Whoever believed them would get hammered by Zhu Jing Fu in the elimination matches.
The school team's analyst workshop and maintenance room were on the floor below the training ground. Recently, Chen Sui had been practicing editing energy crystals. Since she had many S-level energy crystals—which weren't as heartbreaking to use as the expensive SS-level and SSS-level ones—she had wasted several.
Later, she found a method in a book to repurpose waste crystals into analysis instruments.
Some analysts, when editing energy crystals for advancement, would choose supplementary crystals when the energy crystal's inherent values were insufficient and their mental threshold energy wasn't enough to compensate.
Supplementary crystals needed to excel in certain values while maintaining internal balance, testing an analyst's precise control of energy.
Chen Sui, without any dedicated teacher's guidance, had no idea what level of achievement she had reached by being thrifty.
She only knew that supplementary crystals were quite expensive at auctions, so she thought of listing them in an online store.
[The shop you follow ['Grass Has Grown'] has new items. Go check it out~]
Yuguang Star, Maintenance Engineer Association Building.
A man with exotic features—blonde hair and green eyes—exchanged glances with his assistant when this notification popped up.
"It's online! It's online! Quick, invite her!"
The man excitedly pulled at his assistant.
The assistant, dizzy from being shaken, kept nodding, "I know, I know!"
The man continued rapid-fire: "Just say I'm Kain, an honorary member of the Fourth Star Ring Maintenance Engineer Association. Drop my name! I don't believe that as a maintenance engineer from the Fourth Star Ring, she won't be tempted!"
Kain confidently stroked his pure gold scepter, his young face full of vigor.
The assistant's mouth twitched: "You forget, not all maintenance engineers know your name. Last time, that female maintenance engineer who just completed her certification ruthlessly rejected your membership application."
This black history descended like an arrow from the sky, piercing Kain through. His expression collapsed, and he looked sadly at his assistant: "Don't mention that again. Wuwu, that girl must have had no taste. To date, she's the only woman who's rejected me. I'll remember her forever."
After saying this, to avoid repeating the previous lesson, Kain pulled his assistant over, "No, this time I'll extend the olive branch personally."
"Are you sure," he turned to his assistant, "this maintenance engineer is from our Fourth Star Ring?"
The assistant nodded confidently, "I specifically checked her certification information. She has a Yuguang Star maintenance engineer certificate! And she seems young, probably a military school student."
"Military school student?!"
Kain's eyes lit up!
"Then I know how to tempt her!"
Saying this, he began typing a message in the online store's customer service application.
Customer NK9538555: Hello shop owner, interested in joining our Maintenance Engineer Association? [Flirty eyes] [Flirty eyes]
Customer NK9538555: Just 300 star coins entry fee, and you'll get a recommendation letter from our association's honorary member, Master Kain! Essential for internships!
"No maintenance system student can resist Kain's internship recommendation letter!"
Kain said confidently.
Military schools divided each grade into theoretical and practical courses. For practical courses, besides internships organized by the academy, students could also participate in internships at other institutions to earn extra credits.
With a recommendation letter from a maintenance engineer of Kain's level, one could basically intern at any maintenance company on Yuguang Star.
However, Chen Sui, who had just listed analysis instruments, was bewildered when she saw the chat bar suddenly explode with 99+ red dots and opened it.
Invitations from maintenance engineer associations across various star rings and planets flooded in like a tidal wave.
Chen Sui opened the topmost one.
She snorted softly: "300 star coins for a recommendation letter? Send me 300 and give me a recommendation, is that it? I'd rather believe I know Chen Youjin than believe you."
Chen Youjin, respectfully called Master Jin by the Star Alliance, had only three students in her lifetime: the Star Alliance's first chairman Song Yunlai, the chief soldier of the Border Army Gu Canglin, and the president of the Foreign Aid Alliance, Aliya.
She was the most revered person in the entire interstellar space.
She disappeared during a star sea voyage a thousand years ago.
Chen Sui's words fully expressed her distrust of the message.
But she still responded politely.
[Grass Has Grown: Try to scam someone else. I won't be your target.]
Receiving the reply, an excited Kain: ......
"What does she mean?"
He looked incredulously at his assistant: "She actually thinks I'm a scammer?!"
The assistant looked speechlessly at his antics.
Kain, leaning on his golden scepter, paced anxiously around the room, his words full of disbelief.
The assistant sighed and shook his head, quickly sending a message to the shop owner using his official account.
[Fourth Star Ring Maintenance Engineer Association (Gold Seal Certified): Hello]
[Fourth Star Ring Maintenance Engineer Association: Would you be interested in joining the Fourth Star Ring Maintenance Engineer Association? We are an officially certified account with Star Ring Banquet real-name certification and honor declarations. Below is an introduction to the association. Joining the association can earn extra activity points at the Fourth Star Ring Military School!]
Chen Sui heard the message alert and was about to skip it, but her eyes caught the words "extra points." Her mind stirred, and she clicked on it.
[Grass Has Grown: Extra points?]
She looked and saw it was indeed officially certified.
[Fourth Star Ring Maintenance Engineer Association: Yes, this is a cooperation agreement between our Maintenance Engineer Association and the military school. You can earn two activity points]
[Fourth Star Ring Maintenance Engineer Association: Join the association, pay the 300 fee, and receive a complete set of Star Alliance material collection album, maintenance engineer exclusive uniform, and a set of maintenance engineer toolbox]
Chen Sui leaned back strategically, thinking about her credits. She hadn't done any activities yet, but her maintenance engineer certificate counted as one. Participating in the Star League Competition would fill her activity requirement, but who would complain about extra credits?
Looking at the series of gifts sent by the other party, Chen Sui estimated they already exceeded the value of 300 star coins.
Although it still seemed somewhat like a scam, even using the same amount.
Suddenly, her thought process halted.
The same amount......
Was it possible they were both real?
Chen Sui's thinking finally connected successfully. Looking at the association certification sent by the other party, she smiled wryly: "How embarrassing."
[Grass Has Grown: Hello, that would be fine]
Chen Sui promptly paid the fee, and the other party sent a maintenance engineer honorary seat agreement. Chen Sui read it carefully. Except for the requirement to respond to Border Army recruitment, it offered high freedom. She had no objections and signed her name before sending it back. The assistant quickly submitted the materials.
[Fourth Star Ring Maintenance Engineer Association: Gifts have been sent via same-city express delivery. Please confirm your information and check for receipt]
Looking at the inventory the other party had sent, Chen Sui raised an eyebrow.
That was it.
So simple, activity points in hand?
Little did she know, on the other side, the assistant also deeply sighed in relief as the agreement was successfully submitted.
They had finally signed this remarkable maintenance engineer ahead of the other star rings.
When this shop first appeared on StarNet, no one paid attention until someone noticed the materials listed later—highly polished, exquisitely finished, adaptable to various mechas, and even with strong compatibility with personalized mechas.
This indicated the maintenance engineer's extremely strong mental polishing precision and refined technology.
Interested maintenance engineers examined all the products and discovered the stack of weapon blueprints, instantly creating a sensation.
The exquisite weapon designs, the close integration of various materials, the transformations like divine inspiration—even though only part was displayed, it was enough to show the maintenance engineer's talent.
Mental polishing demonstrated her solid hardware skills, weapon design showed her software was in place—truly a rare young talent. Moreover, her registration information showed she was only 19 years old, with unlimited room for future growth.
At once, various maintenance engineer associations were eager to recruit her.
The assistant who successfully extended the olive branch calmed his nervous heart.
Kain, who had momentarily lost his temper, returned after circling around and sat down discontentedly: "I don't believe she's not tempted at all. I'll try to seduce her again."
The assistant stood to the side, proudly saying as he watched him valiantly open the chat box: "She's already agreed to me!"
He pulled up the approved information: "Look, the certification will be up soon."
Kain paused, quickly refreshing the store page.
Sure enough.
[Grass Has Grown]
(Fourth Star Ring Maintenance Engineer Association Certified Maintenance Engineer, Honorary Member)
Kain turned his head, looking at the assistant in surprise: "How—how did you do it?"
The assistant explained about the activity points and gifts.
Kain clutched his chest painfully, "So—so it was just for two extra points and mere gifts?"
"Is my recommendation letter not worth two points and gifts?"
He looked tearfully at the chat box, "You have no idea who you've rejected!"
Just as he was performing his tragic drama, the shop displayed [New Items Successfully Listed]
Kain's expression instantly changed, his gaze fixed intently on the purchase countdown.
"Quick, grab the link!"
The assistant also stood ready.
Chen Sui looked at the message list, then went back to check the transaction amount, and was surprised to discover------
"Huh?"
"All sold out?"
So quickly?
She looked in amazement at the transaction records and found many after-sales comments.
"Wuwu, the Purple Water Joint works so well. I'm begging the shop owner, please mass-produce it!"
"Rock Fiend Engine Liquid saved my dog's life. Shop owner, no, Grass God, from today you are a deity. I'm on my knees begging for another Rock Fiend Engine Liquid restock. I'm completely out!!"
"Which pack of dogs had such fast hands that all 100 Primal Crystal Joints are gone? Are you hoarding them for the New Year? Please leave some for the children. My child has never used such smooth joints in his entire life."
"If the shop owner doesn't restock soon, I'll be crawling in the darkness!!"
Chen Sui looked at the series of comments with shock and clicked into the product interface.
A string of sold-out items and the rapidly growing balance made her blink involuntarily.
"Is this the purchasing power of the interstellar people?"
This is what the Star Ring Banquet was all about.
Chen Sui marveled. She glanced at the analysis instruments about to be sold, deliberately waiting a few seconds to see the sales situation.
"Ah, why is it analysis instruments!"
The assistant, seeing clearly what was newly listed, was suddenly struck as if by lightning.
"She's not just a maintenance engineer, but also an analyst?"
Master Kain was also dumbfounded: "She's only 19 years old and can already make analysis instruments?"
The assistant wore an identical expression of shock.
And in the brief few seconds while the two were stunned.
The newly listed analysis instruments were tagged "Sold Out."
Chen Sui made an "oh-ho" sound.
Then she received an exhibition invitation from the Star Ring Banquet.
Because her turnover met the auction requirements, she could apply to submit auction items.
Chen Sui searched in her spatial button and found a summoned body blueprint, which she tentatively submitted for review.
The summoned body blueprint was drawn for an S-level wind attribute energy crystal from the Ocean Boulevard energy field. Because it was 0 damage level, the summoned body blueprint was drawn perfectly. Chen Sui had specifically noted "suitable energy crystal reserved."
If the blueprint auction was successful, anyone wanting the matching energy crystal would need to pay an additional 20% of the transaction price as compensation for reserving the energy crystal, on top of the energy crystal's price.
If the buyer didn't want the energy crystal, they could contact Chen Sui for modifications, which would also require a 20% fee for minor blueprint adjustments.
Overall, the higher the blueprint sold for, the more extra she would earn.
The auction review approval message was sent to Chen Sui at two o'clock in the afternoon.
Her blueprint was placed in that evening's seven o'clock auction. Star Ring Banquet sent a holographic invitation card, allowing her to watch the auction process in person through a holographic channel.