novelraw Chapter 98 : Break Period
Chapter 98 : Break Period
The man suddenly looked up, seeing the young woman wearing a black gold combat uniform. His movements slowly stopped.
That somewhat weathered gaze fell upon Chen Sui. She could feel him observing the Zhu Jing Fu totem on her combat uniform.
"Hello, young student, could you help me with something?" an elderly voice sounded.
Chen Sui stood in place, watching him point to the nearby statue.
Master Jin's statues all faced the entrance of the Border Army Zone—a kind of blessing, meaning that border soldiers departing on missions under her watchful gaze would receive protection and return safely.
"Please go ahead," looking at the face that appeared on the title pages of analyst works, Chen Sui lowered her eyes, not addressing his identity but treating him as an ordinary passerby in the medical ward. "What do you need me to do?"
Chen Sui walked closer to him. Song Xingzhang moved his wheelchair, his tone somewhat helpless, his eyes dimming: "I haven't been out for so long that I barely know how to use this thing anymore. Could you please push me over there?"
He pointed to the front of the statue. "It's been a long time since I've seen Master Jin's sculpture."
As he said this, his tone carried a deep melancholy. Chen Sui couldn't quite understand his feelings, only sensing that his expression as he looked at the sculpture was full of nostalgia.
Song Xingzhang hadn't set foot in the Border Army Zone for many years. Once, when his right leg was injured, he received a mechanical prosthetic. Walking out of the medical ward, he had said to this sculpture:
I will train a true strong-attack analyst, proving my path was never wrong.
In front of this statue, Song Xingzhang had accepted his first student: Vina, who had just been pulled back from the brink of death.
The wheelchair moved slowly across the metal floor. The leather wheels carried some natural sand, embedded in the tire treads, making a slight rustling sound as they rolled across the ground.
In the distance, a cleaning robot detected the dust. Its screen flashed as it moved toward the somewhat dirty floor, its cleaning mechanism working silently.
Chen Sui didn't understand why he still used such an antique manual wheelchair, nor why he didn't ask for help from a medical robot, but she still followed Song Xingzhang's request, slowly pushing him to the front of the giant sculpture.
"If an energy body appeared before you, what would you do?"
When the wheelchair stopped in front of Master Jin's statue, Song Xingzhang's voice sounded.
His words grew increasingly clear, the elderly quality in his tone silently receding. Chen Sui noticed that during the pauses in his speech, this seemingly dejected elder's expression was gradually becoming animated.
Hearing this question, Chen Sui replied without hesitation: "Kill it."
"How would you kill it?" Song Xingzhang probed.
"By extracting its energy crystal? Or by cutting its body to pieces?"
"However it can be killed, that's what I'll do," Chen Sui didn't find this troubling.
As a vanguard in the underground city, she would find the lethal point of the alien species.
Alien species were much harder to deal with than energy bodies. They had no definite weaknesses, not like the directional positioning of energy crystals. They required constant entanglement, fierce battle, finding an opportunity during the alien's gasping moment to completely eliminate it.
This was a vanguard's sacred duty.
Since taking on the vanguard position, Chen Sui had never failed in her duty.
And now, as an analyst facing energy bodies, it was the same. She would seek their fatal points, those areas highlighted by energy crystals. Compared to the lethal points that required lengthy struggles with alien species to identify, these were much simpler.
As long as she could kill the opponent, regardless of the method—whether cutting them to pieces or finding the energy crystal—she would do it.
"Then if the energy body you're dealing with has no energy crystal, how would you kill it?" Song Xingzhang asked again.
This question made Chen Sui think for a moment. She questioned in confusion: "If an energy body has no energy crystal, how is it different from a star beast?"
"Oh, they can regenerate."
She scoffed, displaying disdain for this regeneration ability that made energy bodies unkillable.
"Then we'll see if it regenerates faster than I can kill it. I'll make sure it has no chance to control energy to regenerate before I completely finish it off."
Chen Sui's gaze fixed ahead, her tone cold.
Her voice carried a hint of killing intent; years of bloodshed had given her a somewhat cold and stern presence.
Song Xingzhang's fingers on the wheelchair handle moved slightly, feeling this chilly and solemn aura, inwardly nodding.
"Remember, energy bodies cannot exist without energy crystals, nor can they be without fatal points. My hypothesis was invalid from the beginning."
Song Xingzhang nodded, without expressing an opinion on Chen Sui's answer, but continued asking: "When your energy perception is blinded and your eyes can't see anything around you, what can you still trust?"
"Trust myself, trust my spear."
Chen Sui looked down at him. Song Xingzhang raised his eyes, those clear and penetrating eyes as sharp as a hawk's, as if everything before him was exposed.
He examined Chen Sui with a scrutinizing gaze.
The young military school student opposite him stood tall, like an unsheathed blade, her brilliance undisguised.
"You can't see the enemy, can't see its weaknesses, can't see how many attacks might come from around you, yet you would still fight with your spear?"
"What else would I do?" Chen Sui countered. "When the enemy is right in front of me and I don't kill it? Killing one breaks even, killing two is profit. I don't lose."
"Whether I can see or not doesn't matter. My spear can see."
This last statement suddenly made Song Xingzhang smile.
This gray-haired man's smile grew into a hearty laugh, his expression joyful.
"You..."
After his laughter ceased, Song Xingzhang shook his head, looking at Chen Sui. His expression gradually became controlled, revealing a very calm, even stern demeanor.
"Would you like to be my student?"
His dull eyes gradually lit up as he spoke these words slowly but forcefully.
Chen Sui walked a few steps forward, standing in front of him. Just by lowering her gaze slightly, she could see the full figure of this master-level figure who had left such a profound mark in the analyst world.
Now, an excellent olive branch was being extended to her.
But Chen Sui didn't accept it.
Song Xingzhang's examination was over; hers was beginning.
"As your student, what can you teach me?"
Song Xingzhang wasn't surprised by her question.
From the first moment he saw Chen Sui, although this child's appearance looked incredibly docile, even somewhat weak and easy to bully,
Her actions revealed her tenacity and pride; she had her own persistence and pride.
This pride meant she wouldn't accept his olive branch just because of Song Xingzhang's illustrious reputation.
Even though this was Vina's teacher.
Even though Chen Sui had followed Vina's teaching to become an analyst.
Even though she and Song Xingzhang were both strong-attack analysts.
"I will teach you how to make your spear see the fatal points of energy bodies when both your eyes and perception have lost trust."
"From now on, regardless of whether you can see the energy crystal of any energy body, regardless of what environment you're in, even if you lose all energy control, with just yourself, you will be able to slay them."
"You will be the most qualified strong-attack analyst."
Song Xingzhang repeated Chen Sui's words. He spoke very slowly, his voice hoarse—a sign of someone who hadn't conversed with people for years, his vocal cords still unaccustomed to such sustained vibration.
But Chen Sui patiently waited for him to finish. Her gaze gradually dispersed, as if thinking of something. When she looked up at Song Xingzhang, he nodded slightly to her, seemingly affirming her thoughts.
Chen Sui's eyes steadied. She didn't know how Song Xingzhang had learned of her powerful hostility toward energy bodies.
In fact, Chen Sui could hardly tolerate any alien race invading her home. She was unwilling to let peace and tranquility be shattered. From the moment she confirmed her interstellar nomad registration, the ground beneath her feet became her second home, the place she would rely on for survival from then on.
But she knew that Song Xingzhang's teaching could help her achieve her purpose.
—Kill that humanoid energy body.
After Song Xingzhang's voice fell, both remained silent for several seconds.
The middle-aged man's hand on the wheelchair tightened slightly. Song Xingzhang's nervousness was well hidden beneath his calm exterior.
When he saw Chen Sui move slightly, he immediately looked up.
The young military school student stood straight in the sunlight, like the most upright pine in the border, standing proudly.
Chen Sui's expression was solemn as she raised her hand in a standard salute to Song Xingzhang.
Her voice was low but firm: "Teacher."
These two words sounded thunderous in Song Xingzhang's ears.
He pressed his hands hard on the wheelchair handles. His mechanical prosthetic made a slight collision as it touched the metal floor, scraping across with a harsh sound.
The gaunt middle-aged man struggled to stand up, his face showing no sign of pain. Chen Sui watched him slowly straighten his body, his feet coming together.
After many years, Song Xingzhang once again made the Border Army salute gesture.
The two exchanged glances in front of Master Jin's giant statue.
From then on, Song Xingzhang accepted his second student.
At that time, he actually already anticipated that Chen Sui would forever be inscribed in Star Alliance history with the title of strong-attack analyst. From then on, the path of strong-attack analysis would see the emergence of many amazingly talented individuals.
But at this moment, for Chen Sui, this was just an insignificant matter. She wouldn't let the fact that her teacher was Song Xingzhang occupy her precious post-competition rest time.
"I have already responded to the Competition Committee's recruitment to become a member of the analyst teaching team. During the preparation period, I will conduct all your training."
Song Xingzhang gave Chen Sui advance warning.
As she was about to walk out, she turned, her expression unchanged. She nodded slightly in confirmation, then looked at Song Xingzhang, politely asking: "Teacher, shall I push you out?"
Chen Sui glanced at his wheelchair. Song Xingzhang sat down, holding onto it. The brief standing had caused cold sweat to appear on his forehead. Hearing her words, he shook his head.
"No need to go out. I'm going to treat my leg."
He patted his mechanical prosthetic.
This was a mechanical prosthetic he had fitted ten or more years ago and hadn't replaced for years. His body's rejection was severe, and even his amputation wound hadn't been treated.
After tolerating his self-destructive behavior for many years, Song Xingzhang was now regaining his spirit, determined to stand up again.
Chen Sui watched him push his wheelchair, moving very skillfully toward the mechanical prosthetics building. Her eyes flashed with understanding.
So he could push the wheelchair after all.
Song Xingzhang's test made Chen Sui smile, but the experience of having a new teacher hadn't caused any change to her life yet.
Even when she finished her check-up and was preparing to return to rest, she only briefly mentioned to her teammates that she had found a teacher at the medical ward.
Zhou Chen was extremely tired and didn't catch the special meaning of the word "teacher." Hearing this, he vaguely asked: "Found a teacher for what? Are you doing another awakening detection?"
He thought Chen Sui was referring to a teacher like any other teaching team member, not realizing she meant formally becoming a student under an analyst.
Chen Sui shook her head, looking at him somewhat perplexed: "I just did one before the competition. Why would I do that now?"
Seeing Zhou Chen drowsy, she pushed him forward toward the single combat unit. The tall and burly single combat unit extended his strong arm in front, and Zhou Chen directly collapsed onto it, his entire body hanging from the arm, weakly crying: "Let me go back... to sleep!"
"Who gets up at eight in the morning for a check-up? I've been up for several late nights!"
"Saint Laurent came out at dawn and did their checks overnight. If you didn't want to get up early, why didn't you do it yesterday at dawn?" Gu Qinxue looked down at him.
Zhou Chen immediately stood up with Puluo's support, forcibly steadying himself, but the huge dark circles under his eyes were particularly noticeable.
Seeing this, Xie Chunshi waved to him: "Go back and rest. Meet at the conference room at two o'clock."
With a definite time, Zhou Chen quickly linked arms with Puluo, rolling back to catch up on sleep.
Gu Qinxue and Xie Chunshi looked at Chen Sui, and the Commander repeated her words: "You found a teacher at the medical ward?"
"The teaching staff for the league competition is arriving recently. Is it a teacher from the Analyst Association, or from our academy?"
The Star League official competition recruitment range was quite large, including members from the Analyst Association, school faculty, and even active Border Army members, forming teaching teams, rescue teams, and so on.
Because this year's competition students' levels far exceeded previous years, the competition's configuration had been significantly upgraded.
"It should be... from the Analyst Association."
Chen Sui thought about it; Song Xingzhang was indeed a registered analyst from the Fourth Star Ring Analyst Association.
Xie Chunshi nodded, confident in Chen Sui's judgment. Seeing her yawn, he didn't ask further, only reminding her: "Go back and rest. The review meeting will be later. Teacher Yan said we'll spend the break period in Zone Eleven and can take a few days off to see the Border Army's daily routine."
Chen Sui wasn't particularly interested in time off. Her break period schedule was already quite full. At the moment, she was overcome with tiredness, so she left with Gu Qinxue, the two linking arms as they went back together.
Xie Chunshi watched them, slowly following behind.
His room was also on that side. Why weren't these two bringing him along?
Halfway through Zhu Jing Fu's review meeting, the Golden Tower school team just out of the medical ward came looking for them.
Qi Songhuai had somehow obtained Zhou Chen's contact information and was bombarding his light brain with messages.
The five members of Zhu Jing Fu, who hadn't finished watching the Sultry Red Forest recording, saw these messages during the break. Zhou Chen burst out laughing.
"Hahahaha!"
"Qi Songhuai, that idiot!"
Chen Sui curiously glanced at him: "What is it?"
"Hahaha, is Golden Tower also watching our recording? Qi Songhuai discovered I was going to give him snow bud branches, which he refused, hahaha," Zhou Chen laughed extremely smugly.
The five members of Zhu Jing Fu also went to the central hall, which was filled with people.
Seeing the crowd squeezed together, watching Zhu Jing Fu's livestream replay, Zhou Chen originally planned to tease Qi Songhuai but was startled by the scene.
He scanned the people inside: Na Luo River, Saint Laurent, Xitisi...
"All seven schools gathered!"
Zhou Chen exclaimed, looking at his teammates with a provocative tone: "You're not all watching our Zhu Jing Fu replay, are you?"
His "admit it, you're just afraid" expression was so vivid that Xisier and Xin Yan, who couldn't bear it any longer, stood up.
The two hooked Zhou Chen from left and right.
As they dragged him out of the Zhu Jing Fu team, Xisier was saying: "I was wondering why there was an elimination signal around me at the beginning. So it wasn't you."
"It was me," Xin Yan's gaze was like daggers, sweeping across Zhou Chen's face. "You guard his front, I'll guard his back. This guy was sleeping so soundly on the meteor tree."
"So we were your security guards, huh?"
Zhou Chen was lifted up, suddenly alarmed, realizing they were here to settle scores. He instinctively turned to look at his teammates. "Leader! Save me!"
"Xue! Xue Xue!"
"Sui! My Sui!"
"Puluo!!"
Xin Yan covered his mouth with one hand, while Xisier pressed down his arms. The two carried him, lift-like, toward the combat platform.
Xin Yan signaled to Xie Chunshi: "Borrowing your strong attacker for some practice."
His fingers held a combat platform reservation card.
Xie Chunshi and the other three looked at each other, all with somewhat amused expressions. He laughed helplessly, responding to Xin Yan: "Don't hit too hard. We have evening training later."
"I know, two hours," Xin Yan made a two-finger gesture.
Meaning Zhou Chen would spend at most two hours in the healing pod.
The four members of Zhu Jing Fu didn't move, but Qi Songhuai hurriedly ran over. Chen Sui could still faintly hear his voice: "Hey, don't hit too hard, I'm still waiting for Zhou Chen to take snow bud branches from his spatial button. This guy promised to give me some!"
He didn't care how long Zhou Chen would be bedridden; he only cared whether Zhou Chen could get the snow bud branches.
Zhou Chen, with his mouth covered, still looked at him with disbelieving eyes, his voice coming through Xin Yan's palm: "You said you didn't want them! Are you going back on your word?"
"Yes, I changed my mind," Qi Songhuai disregarded his previous boasting on the livestream—this was about snow bud branches.
However, seeing this scene, the Saint Laurent Team Leader Noya, finding it somewhat familiar, turned back to look at Chen Sui: "Wow, even requesting materials offline? Then I..."
Chen Sui preemptively responded, sitting down on the additional seats in the central hall: "There's nothing left."
"To-Water Fish Bone..."
Chen Sui shook her head: "Don't have any."
"Blue Fin..."
Chen Sui continued shaking her head: "Also none."
Noya's expression froze as he mechanically asked: "So many To-Water Fish Bones and Blue Fins, all gone?!"
"Want some?" Xie Chunshi looked at Chen Sui from the other side, seeing she didn't object, brought up the StarNet store, showing Noya: "You can buy from our analyst's StarNet shop. The things you mentioned have already been made into mecha parts. No raw materials left."
Noya looked at the store, immediately scanning it and logging onto the StarNet to search. The first thing he saw was the store's transaction volume, and he looked at Chen Sui in shock: "Little Sister Chen Sui, you're too amazing. This shop has only been running for a few days and it's already at the auction?"
This exclamation made the surrounding teams look over. Naturally sociable people like Simos and Jipuna had already inserted themselves into the Saint Laurent team, scanning Chen Sui's store.
"Wow, Student Chen Sui, you also sell engine liquid! I really need that. When will you restock? I'd like to grab some!"
Simos was very supportive, looking at Chen Sui with implicit intentions of establishing a connection.
Detecting his friendliness, Chen Sui looked at Xie Chunshi and Gu Qinxue. Seeing them nod, seemingly confirming Simos was okay, she said: "During these few days of the break period, there should be a new batch."
"Your Zhu Jing Fu must have found a lot of good things in the Sultry Red Forest this time, probably more than last time's update. Wow, this energy-focusing component is so popular, sold out instantly!"
Jipuna played along like his foil, quickly adding: "Look at the store's reviews, all so good. There are also analysis instruments and weapon diagrams. Wow, weapon diagrams, you even offer this service!"
"Are you still taking orders? I also want a new weapon, just a bit cooler than Zhou Chen's Four-sided Mace!"
Zhang Yingjie and Xie You looked at each other, both annoyed by their team's conspicuous members. Their plan to gather information from Zhu Jing Fu was temporarily put on hold. With a meeting of eyes, they immediately understood each other. Each extended a hand to grab their team members back.
"The official competition is about to begin. Calculating it, Zhu Jing Fu's points should be quite high. Does Commander Xie have any plans?" Zhang Yingjie pulled Jipuna back and sat him next to Xin Ming. The strong attacker smiled at Xie Chunshi.
Jipuna obediently fell silent. As the surroundings quieted, Zhang Yingjie looked at Xie Chunshi, asking directly.
Through his reflective sensor glasses, he observed Xie Chunshi's micro-expressions.
But the other controlled himself well, not revealing any emotion. He only looked at his teammates, then smiled: "We Zhu Jing Fu don't have plans. We'll see what choices are left for everyone, and we'll pick from those."
The elimination competition's ten-to-one field ranking of mecha and energy body points could determine the defender order for the five schools.
In the Sultry Red Forest, Zhu Jing Fu had killed two SSS-level energy bodies and various other energy bodies.
During the afternoon review meeting, Xie Chunshi had said that Zhu Jing Fu would definitely be in first place for points.
But they wouldn't be the first to defend.
The defender who gets the monitoring instrument would become the target of collective attack from the other four teams. Without understanding the energy field and other academies' summoning bodies and combined strength, being the first defender meant being a live target to test other academies' levels.
Zhu Jing Fu's defender interval was in the third or fourth round, determined by the energy field situation.
This was Zhang Yingjie's first probe, and he heard Xie Chunshi's tactically retreating response. Having watched the White Sand Sky Pillar Sea Domain and Sultry Red Forest recordings, he didn't believe a word.
Zhu Jing Fu's Commander was a veritable actor, with flawless acting that had deceived Noya and Xin Yan.
"Is that so? We at Ink Hills think the same."
Zhang Yingjie displayed a gentle smile, looking extremely harmless.
Xie You looked left at his cousin, right at Zhang Yingjie, then suddenly smiled, the Black Mamba's gloomy voice carrying some disdain: "Does it matter that much? Whoever defends, we fight them. It's that simple."
"So which round will Na Luo River defend?" Xitisi Commander Song Yuan also joined the Commanders' verbal sparring.
Xie You was caught off guard by her question, coldly responding: "The field hasn't even been announced yet!"
For the official competition selection, the energy field was usually disclosed first, followed by point ranking from high to low to determine the defender.
If a high-ranked team chose to defend, it didn't necessarily affect the lower-ranked choices. If all high-ranked teams declined defending, then the lower-ranked automatically became defenders.
Chen Sui listened to the Commanders' intricate verbal battles, feeling she would get dizzy from these evasive discussions.
Just then, Xie Yi and Xue Yaoyao moved over, while on the other side, He Lanqi greeted Gu Qinxue.
The woman with wavy long hair elegantly flipped her hair, revealing beautiful features with a smile. Looking at Gu Qinxue's frosty face, she teasingly said: "Oh my, someone was so gentle and considerate on the field, even massaging hands. Student Gu, my hands are sore too. Could you massage them for me?"
Gu Qinxue raised her eyelids to glance at her, curling into a smile: "Our analyst's hammering energy shields makes my hands sore. Can you handle that?"
He Lanqi couldn't stand such provocation and immediately snorted with laughter. Gu Qinxue thought she was going to say something, but instead, she leaned closer to look at their analyst.
"Student Chen Sui, could you also teach me that energy shield hammering technique?"
"It's just an energy shield. Just wait, I'll hammer one for you to see."
He Lanqi's other sentence was directed at Gu Qinxue.
Lu Ting poked her head from the side, rarely seeing the usually elegant and composed He Lanqi with such a competitive demeanor, and instinctively called out: "Sister Qi, are you serious?"
He Lanqi's movements paused, her demeanor restrained as she resumed her elegant composure. "I'm joking."
Lu Ting nodded somewhat doubtfully, then looked across at Chen Sui.
Xie Yi had brought a new collector's album featuring currently existing interstellar plants, many of which had been widely cultivated and become city landscapes.
"This is the wisteria tree, there are many on Wisteria Star."
Xie Yi pointed to one of the stickers. This collector's album had a very natural aesthetic appeal, attracting Lu Ting's gaze: "Wow, this is beautiful. I'll do my nails in this style next time! Xie Yi, let me take a picture!"
She extended her light brain to scan it. Chen Sui noticed her fingers were adorned with very long mechanical-textured nail tips, even with three-dimensional relief decorations.
Noticing her observation, Lu Ting finished scanning and looked at Chen Sui, turning her hand in front of her. "Is it pretty?"
Chen Sui nodded, the two small hair buns on her shoulders swaying with the movement.
Lu Ting, having received her compliment, reciprocated: "Your hair color is nice too, dark green, quite natural."
This statement made Chen Sui instinctively look at her hair ends, with Gu Qinxue also glancing over.
Behind the central hall was a clear floor-to-ceiling window. The afternoon sunlight passed through, casting brilliant light behind the crowd, creating circles of halos on their hair. Under such natural strong light, it was difficult to notice anything unusual about Chen Sui's hair color, let alone under artificial meeting room lighting.
But Lu Ting, a fervent beauty enthusiast, immediately detected the subtle difference in Chen Sui's hair color.
Gu Qinxue's gaze met Chen Sui, who was examining her hair color. The latter's eyes flashed, then she smiled at her, so Gu Qinxue suppressed her curiosity.
Chen Sui contained her astonishment and politely responded to Lu Ting: "Thank you."
"Ouch—you guys hit so hard, do you have a death wish?!"
The conversation in the central hall continued. Zhou Chen's voice came from afar as the four who had run out approached. Seeing the central hall divided into several groups, Zhou Chen puzzled: "Don't you all need to review?"
"I understand Golden Tower and Jacques Delot being eliminated, but you four qualified. Why are you all so free?"
Why was it always Zhu Jing Fu working so hard?
With one sentence, Zhou Chen offended two academies. Chen Sui looked over with amusement.
Bai Ruohua was hesitant by nature but tall and broad, about as tall as Xie Chunshi, with broad shoulders and a thin waist. Standing up, he had quite an imposing presence. With a long stride, he twisted his wrist and walked toward Zhou Chen.
"Since you brought this up, we should settle accounts offline."
"Brother..." Zhou Chen made a pleading gesture. His face still bore bruises from the recent fight, looking quite ridiculous.
Bai Ruohua was just joking with him. Seeing this, he directly picked him up and brought him back. When he turned around, his gaze fell on Chen Sui, and he gave her a gentle smile.
Chen Sui was momentarily stunned but nodded slightly, returning the friendly interaction.
"The teaching team arrives today. Why is Zhu Jing Fu always a beat behind? Didn't the Competition Committee send a message?" Ink Hills' single combat unit Zhao Jingzhi looked up, speaking loudly to Zhou Chen.
He pointed at several analysts around them. "Look, their teachers are coming. We thought about it and decided to wait here to see who's coming. They say this time's teaching team configuration is incredibly high."
Zhou Chen: "Wow, really? Then the energy fields won't have increased difficulty too, will they?"
Saying this, Song Yuan remembered Zhu Jing Fu's livestream recording and looked in their direction: "How's the Magma Beast situation in the Sultry Red Forest?"
Qi Songhuai had more authority to speak than Zhu Jing Fu. He quickly put on a pained expression, thinking of something and using Noya's way of addressing Chen Sui: "Oh, don't mention it! Little Sister Chen Sui, did you know those snow melting stones were useless? I dug them all out clean. When Director Mo couldn't find samples and asked me for them, she was surprised!"
He imitated Mo Qiu'an's tone: "She said, 'Little Qi, you dug out so many non-functional snow melting stones. Are you planning to make ice sculptures? I didn't realize you had such an artistic temperament, very nice.' I was really embarrassed. How was I supposed to know these things were useless? I saw Zhou Chen digging, so I thought they were valuable!"
"You dig just because I dig? What were you thinking? I wanted to keep a souvenir."
Zhou Chen laughed.
Qi Songhuai was somewhat helpless, shrugging: "You said you came for them!"
"I said snow bud branches! Fine, and snow melting stones too, but that was before the cores shattered."
Na Luo River's Team Leader, hearing this, thought of Zhu Jing Fu's replay and poked his head out to ask Chen Sui: "How's the effect of fire crystal core snow melting stones?"
Chen Sui was surprised to see him being friendly, her eyebrow twitching in astonishment. This made Xie You's eyes awkwardly shift, his hand on his knee sweating with nervousness.
The Zhu Jing Fu analyst did hold small grudges, but she wouldn't refuse a smiling face. Chen Sui still responded: "Haven't had time to test yet. The fire crystal core in the snow melting stone is due to the Magma Beast's energy assimilation. Its origin is too strange; we still don't know where the snow melting stone in the Sultry Red Forest came from."
The effect of the snow melting stone became clear after the review meeting was over. Chen Sui was cleaning her spatial button and started testing the snow melting stone's performance.
The fire crystal core snow melting stone didn't have the excellent damage resistance of the ice crystal, but Chen Sui discovered that the colder the environment, the more surging the energy in the fire crystal became. This performance was very similar to Fierce Fire Star Stone but subtly different.
If fire energy could trigger Fierce Fire Star Stone to explode and enhance, then cold environments could make the fire crystal core snow melting stone emit very strong fire attribute energy. This energy could cover a mecha's surface and, when colliding with surrounding ice crystals, form a very solid fire shackle.
It was somewhat like a control cannon, one that grew stronger with decreasing temperature.
At the end of the break period, with the Star League official competition approaching, the StarNet gradually opened the competition area, and the Zhu Jing Fu forum flooded in.
Although Jacques Delot and Golden Tower didn't qualify, they received academy-level Border Army recruitment missions. After the break period ended, they would join second-year students in entering the new academic year's practical task courses.
On the day before jumping out, Qi Songhuai waited for Teacher Guan You, who had jumped over from the near Star Ring.
As he was dragged by the ear into the analyst training room, Chen Sui had just completed her summoning body diagram design. When she came out, she saw a middle-aged man wearing the Analyst Association robe, dragging Qi Songhuai.
The scolding voice drifted into Chen Sui's ears.
"Today I'll teach you which materials are useful and which aren't! Save you from being so inept that you embarrass yourself in the Star League competition. Someone offers you snow bud branches and you refuse, then go dig snow melting stones that have already lost energy support. What were you thinking, Qi Songhuai? Were you playing games during the material foundation theory course?"
Chen Sui, hearing this continuous education, kept backing away.
Just then, her light brain lit up, and the contact person's note appeared—it was her teacher.
—A message from Song Xingzhang.
Chen Sui quickly became nervous for a second. Before opening the message, she thought about all the tasks Song Xingzhang had assigned these past few days. She had completed them well, read the required books, and checked in for the required training. Realizing this, she exhaled and opened the message.
Her expression immediately relaxed.
Because tomorrow was the farewell party and the official competition opening ceremony, and Song Xingzhang had to attend as a teaching team member, today's teaching would be postponed for a day.
Chen Sui had originally planned to go to the medical ward to find him, but seeing this message, she retreated back to the training room.
That's perfect, to finish the school team's summoning body design.
She had two SSS-level energy crystals, from the Purple-Winged Golden Butterfly King and the Magma Beast, one wind and one fire, plus a wood attribute energy crystal from the Pure Blood Tree. The academy was also bidding at the Star Ring Banquet auction, also securing many suitable energy crystals. Currently, they were designing summoning body forms, ensuring energy crystal values.
Additionally, for the two outputs to be configured with SSS-level summoning bodies, they would need high-level suppression locks. Chen Sui planned to complete this part during the preparation period.
As she busily prepared these things, time silently moved to the next day.
The Star League official competition opening ceremony was very similar to the elimination competition's opening ceremony in procedure, except that the location had changed to Zone Eleven, with the venue becoming the temporarily borrowed central arena.