Chapter 221: Touring
Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_
When the Aurora City project was first proposed, it had met with voices of concern from the environmentalists. They argued that the land was better left alone to preserve its natural habitat. However, despite the different opinions at the beginning of the project, the city was built without much pushback. Since the natural scenery was the main draw of the city, the developers had poured billions upon billions of dollars on preserving the environment. Looking back, those investments on the environment were well worth it.
Earth was humankind's homeland, and therefore, it had a particular attraction to every earthling. The City of Aurora was built at the most highly sought-after tourist destination on earth. Therefore, after it was built, the Aurora City had become the first choice for event organizers regardless of the type of the events.
But who had initiated this project?
FFC had taken up thirty percent of the share, the Li had ten percent, and the Zhang had fifteen percent. The three families controlled fifty-five percent of the total share, and in other words, they had the total control over the fate of the Aurora City. The rest of the forty-five percent was divided up between numerous investors and banks. The City had been hugely profitable and ever since its opening day, all the shareholders had made a bucket load of fortune.
The Aurora City never lacked sensational news and events. But this time, the importance of the event that was about to be held was unprecedented. Scientists from all over the Galaxy came to witness the announcement of the VZPE battery. To the researchers, the secrets of the VZPE battery were something worth dying for.
The event also had attracted thousands of media personnel, be in the form of traditional journalism or the modern virtual style. Every news agencies rolled up their sleeves, trying to land an exclusive interview with the inventor of the VZPE battery.
Ma Xiaoru and Li Ruoer stood on the hundredth floor of the "Hotel Point Zero", looking down at the beautiful city. It was the first time Ma Xiaoru visited the city, despite her family being the biggest shareholder. She could have visited here long ago, but she felt the excess of luxury was not really her style. She had lived a simple and plain life in her parent's house until she was sent off to the Li Family, who were well known for their ascetic way of living.
The great houses knew that a powerful family meant nothing if it didn't have a solid successor, and therefore, the current great houses focused most of their attention on the growth of their children.
"It's so pretty here. Let's get out and have some fun."
"Nah, we will attract too much attention out there. Everyone is on a hunt for clues about the VZPE battery. We better stay in here." Ma Xiaoru didn't even want to come to the Aurora City, much less sightseeing. She agreed to come here because she felt a tug inside her as if she was here to fulfill a forgotten promise she had made long ago.
"Are all the Enchantresses obedient like you, or is it just me who is too rebellious? Maybe it's the latter, and that explains why my brother scolds me for not listening to him."
"I wish I could be like you! I wish Samantha was here. I'm sure she will like it."
Li Ruoer's eyes flashed," She perhaps wouldn't want to be here."
"Yea, rebuilding Ayrlarng is not an easy task." Xiaoru had clearly missed the point.
"Hold on a second." Li Ruoer darted out of the room and was back in a second with a pack of clothing. "Put them on." She said to Ma Xiaoru.
"What are we doing?"
"Going out there, of course."
"There's bodyguard out there."
"That is exactly why we will need the disguise. We are too powerful for anyone to hurt us. I am more worried that we would accidentally hurt anyone else. It would be easier to sneak away with this if you know what I mean. Come on now, put them on. I don't want to stay in here forever." As Li Ruoer spoke, she had already started to change her clothes.
Ma Xiaoru shook her head and did as she was told.
"It's better if I go with her. At least someone will be looking after her." Ma Xiaoru thought to herself.
In addition to the science fair, the Happy Girl was also holding their concert here, bring a drastically different crowd than scientist and engineers. Within a few days, most of the hotel rooms were booked, and the price of the rest of the hotel rooms had risen to double or even triple the regular price. Wang Tong and his friend could tell that Samantha had spent a lot of money on them this time. Only through her connections was she able to secure rooms for her students.
Samantha even invited the students from Bernabeu. Although Bernabeu was an A class academy, Martyrus did not have the same resources as Samantha to splurge on the students. Samantha did this as a way of returning the favor of Martyrus for helping her bringing Ayrlarng on the right track.
The students were excited when they saw the faces of their former teammates. The girls decided to go shopping together, and the boys went off together for sightseeing.
Walking with their classmates, Wang Tong and Apache felt bored, and they found the sightseeing was not half as exciting as dissecting a Zerg.
The ones that were having the most fun were Shi Liang and Hu Yangxuan. Hu Yangxuan's family was wealthy, so budget wasn't an issue to him. He had been to the Aurora City before when he was a child before he went to the Templar.
After a while, even Hu Yangxuan had lost interest in the bustling streets, so the boys started to talk about their recent findings in their studies.
"My friend in the Anti Smuggling unit told me that the Confederation is considering a new military campaign. There is still some resistance on Norton apparently." Apache announced.
"What? What do you mean resistance? I thought our fleet had wiped them all out."
"That was in the space. The progress had been slow on the ground. They had conducted many bombings, but the Zergs would simply hide under the ground; it was hard to cause any real damage to them. So, the Confederation had been mired in a war that they would never win. "
"What's worse is that they had realized that the war had cost them too much, even more than the benefit they could get after fully taking control of Norton. The Ivantians have already left the campaign, and the Earth military is in negotiation with the Martians." Cao Yi said.
"I knew it would happen. Once the Zerg took hold of a planet, it is almost impossible to eradicate them. This is going to be a longer war than we thought. I have heard that the Martians are leaving soon as well. Some congressmen had proposed to draft Academy students to join the war. Whoever serves the military would be able to boost his or her school grades, and retain the rank he or she had obtained during the campaign when rejoining the military after they graduated." Apache's eyes glinted as he talked.
"It's a good proposal, but I wonder if the new soldiers would slow down the veterans or even worse, get them killed." Best felt that this proposal was not likely to be passed.
"A calm sea does not make good sailors, and there will be casualties. That is why the proposal had set a minimum requirement for the students to be drafted into service. They had to be at least in their third year, and a recommendation letter from the academy was also required."
"There is no way it will be passed."
"When it was first tabled, only the Li family had supported it, saying that a soldier should not become a soldier if he or she were afraid of sacrifices."
"That's pretty convincing."
"Haha, what we are seeing is just a show. The politicians were playing another entirely different game under the table. That being said, I am very interested in visiting Norton, so I hope the proposal will be passed." Apache felt that his growth at school was too slow.
Truth be told, Apache's level had far exceeded the limit of whatever benefit the school's training routing could provide. Only a cruel and real war would be able to bring his ability to the next level.
"What do you think, Cao Yi?" Wang Tong asked.
Cao Yi scratched his head and said," I wish I could go. After all, I can collect a lot of first-hand information even if I don't partake in the fighting."
Everyone's eyes landed on Wang Tong. He did not like the idea of returning to Norton. Even thinking of the nutrient pill made me gag.
"I will... think about it." He said eventually.
"Well, it's still too early to decide anyway. The politicians change their minds faster than they change their mistresses. Nevertheless, the rank we gain would be very beneficial since we don't have an advantageous family background." Apache said.
"That's for sure. The ground experience would be an asset later when we apply for a position on a fleet. They said the confederation is making it a policy in the future that anyone working on the fleet needs to have experience fighting on the ground." Best announced.
Chapter 222: Hidden Talent
Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_
Not everyone had the real-life combat experience like Apache. No matter how excellent a student was, when standing face to face with a Zerg, feeling terrified was inevitable. Lack of enough time to build trust and learn the team tactics would also shorten a student's service life or life altogether.
Graduates of some top-notch schools such as Capth would be automatically promoted after only a year of service. The likelihood of these officers partaking in a real combat fresh out of their ivory tower was very little. Even if they were given the opportunity of going to Norton, they were likely not going to accept it since they were already guaranteed a higher ranked position and no longer need to do the dirty groundwork in order to increase rank. The reason that Apache wanted to join the war was not for medals or ranks, but to improve himself as a fighter.
"We can talk about it later. Today we are on vacation, so let's relax. We deserve it!" Apache cracked a smile.
"Agreed!"
As the boys walked along the street, they saw three of their female classmates ahead of them. They all had a satisfied smile on their face after a splurge in a shopping mall.
"Aren't you girls tired?"
"Tired? Are you kidding me, Wang Tong? We are going to shop until we drop!" Rumi said
"Yea, many things are going on here. Zhou Sisi is going to take us to the rehearsal of the HG. Do you guys want to come along?" A seductive smile appeared on Luo Manman's face. Everyone had already gotten used to that as it was the side effect of her tactics to be unintentionally alluring.
"Not interested," Apache replied with a blank face.
"You are always so uptight. All you know is fighting. Did you know that relaxing and resting is half the battle? Plus, it's not rude to show some support for my sister, you know." Zhou Sisi's words had hit the mark.
Apache was eventually dragged to the rehearsal stage by his friends unwillingly.
Inside the Aurora City, the temperature was kept constant at 25 degrees. The city also had the best scenery and the freshest air on Earth. As the students walked on the clean and neat streets under the towering skyscrapers, they dreamed of having their own place in this city.
The environment also attracted Wang Tong, and he reasoned that if he could purchase a house here for Old Fart, Old Fart would never run away.
The city also had a very developed public transit system, and its services were free, paid by the massive amount of goods and service tax the consumers paid.
They had soon arrived at the DREAM theater. It was named after the DREAM corp since they had eighty percent of the share. Since it was built, it had quickly become the most prestigious theater on Earth. Every performer considered it an honor to perform here, since only the most successful ones could make it to the waiting list.
HG had been the most popular band recently. Although some critics had considered their music tasteless fab, they were highly praised and popular among the teenagers.
The likeness of Sisi with her sister Yiyi shocked everyone at Bernabeu. Without much makeup on the singer, she looked exactly like her sister.
Yiyi returned to her rehearsal after saying hi to everyone. Hu Yangxuan's eyes darted around to follow the attractive looking girls on the stage While Wang Tong was starting to get bored. Apache had already picked a corner to sit down, with his eyes closed.
As the song died down on the stage, the HG had finished their rehearsal. Yiyi walked to her sister with another man.
"Sister, this is Director Mike."
The young man stood beside Yiyi was slim and small framed. He looked more feminine than a poster girl.
Mike's pinkie finger was held up at all time, and the unnatural way he carried himself made Wang Tong cringe.
Mike was one of the top managers and directors at the time. Not only HG, but many other famous bands had also signed a contract with him. Fame and financial success had made him look down on these uncouth students from Military Academies.
"Are you the performer in that dance video?" Mike's eyes glinted as he saw Wang Tong. The light in Mike's eyes made Wang Tong's hair stand on their ends.
Yiyi stuck her tongue out and apologized," Sorry sister, I had accidentally sent that dancing video of you and Wang Tong to Mike. I thought it was my training video."
"Wait, what? You can dance?" Apache couldn't believe his ears. He had thought Wang Tong was just as tasteless in the art as he was.
"Buzz off! I was just shuffling." As the future captain of the Confederation fleet, Wang Tong could not taint his name by debauching in acts of pleasure.
"Oh my god, It IS you! You are very talented, you know. Just like, quit your school already. You will be like so super popular, and you know what I mean? " Mike told Wang Tong, and a few specks of spittle flew out from Mike's mouth as he waved his hand in the air excitedly. His pinkie finger remained held up.
"Wang Tong I support you. One less competitor for me anyway, ha-ha" Hu Yangxuan jested.
"You feeling itchy?" Wang Tong threw a threatening glance at Hu Yangxuan.
"Common Wang Tong, don't keep us waiting." Luo Manman said.
Many other students agreed with Luo Manman. They all wanted to know if Wang Tong was as good a dancer as he was a fighter.
"No! Never! "Wang Tong refused. Seeing some of his classmates had already turned their recording device on, Wang Tong was afraid that he would forever become a laughing stock should he agree to humiliate himself on the stage.
"Just once Wang Tong, we all want to see!" Zhou Sisi pleaded.
Wang Tong looked around and found that everyone's eyes were filled with sincere anticipation. He knew that he had already walked into a trap and it was too late to pull out.
"Be a man, do the right thing! Don't let these sons of b*tches look down on you, boss!" Karl yelled at him while smiling knowingly at the attractive looking girl beside him.
'Curse you, Karl! I thought we were friends." Wang Tong screamed in his mind.
"Fine, I can dance, but no one is allowed to record!"
Mike was stunned when he first saw the video recording. He was convinced that he saw not only dance moves, but also strength, passion, and art!
Many people looked down on an artist and considered their creations useless. But they didn't realize the amount of care and effort the artist had poured into their work, as they were driven by the will of creating something perfect. Even Mike knew that his work was not yet complete; it lacked a particular power or strength.
Mike was not looking for money nor fame, he had both already. What he was looking for was a muse. He had found his muse in Wang Tong's dance video. Wang Tong's moves were raw but powerful, and filled to the brim with emotion. The brilliant performance made Mike doubt if Wang Tong was actually a choreographic master.
The music rose at one snap of Mike's finger. The theater workers brought Wang Tong a set of more comfortable clothes to change to, but Wang Tong politely refused; he didn't want to put in too much effort anyway.
Wang Tong stood at the center of the stage motionlessly as the rest of the people waiting. Some workers were not happy with a young boy interrupting their work, but they had already gotten used to the eccentricity of Mike as it was not the first time they had to accept his bizarre requests.
Mike folded his arms in front of him and waited restlessly. Five minutes later, Wang Tong still didn't make a single move, and his audience wondered if he had gotten stage fright.
Wang Tong was not suffering stage fright. Instead, he was finding the right feeling. He knew he could do it, but for some reason, he felt his whole body was frozen, and he could not even move a toe.
Mike seemed to have noticed the problem and took control of the DJ pit. The music changed suddenly as the pitch soared higher and higher before it took a sudden plunge. The virtual environment around the stage had also transformed into a jungle scenery. The music was laced with the roars of Zergs and the sound of iron and blood.
"That was it! that's the feeling!"
On the stage, Wang Tong started to move.
Suddenly Wang Tong was no longer a student, but he had become a jungle warrior, fighting countless Zergs by himself.
Wang Tong's dance originated from the moves of military training, and these were highly difficult moves that only a few dancers could achieve.
The music's tempo took a turn, and so did Wang Tong's hallucination. He had become a Zerg and was roaring bloodthirstily at the deep thicket.
Wang Tong smelled the promise of danger, hunger, and blood, and the smell reminded him the days on Norton. The survival instinct kicked in and Wang Tong felt like his heart was about to explode out from his chest.
Soldier - never look back!
Fighting - the last battle!
Mike looked like he was in a trance as his body trembled with the fast-paced beats. He had been the best DJ of the world. Otherwise, he would not be able to match his music with Wang Tong's passion.
On - the last battle
Meet - the unstoppable trample!
The music stopped, and Wang Tong ended his dance with a slightly slanted stance. Time seemed to have stopped as the performance stole everyone's breath away.
Even Apache was impressed and deeply moved by Wang Tong's emotion although Apache knew nothing about dancing.
"That was ... awesome! Boss, you should really consider switching your profession."
Zhou Yiyi's eyes gleamed. She could feel that Wang Tong had understood her pursuit and desire for delivering a perfect performance. Although many people called her a "pretty doll" because of her profession, deep down, she knew that every job was the same and deserved respect.
A soul-crushing shriek suddenly shot through the entire theater and startled even Wang Tong. It was the sound of Mike crying.
Mike's eyes were filled with tears, and he stared at Wang Tong unblinkingly. Somehow Mike's stare made Wang Tong feel a sense of chill.
"Um... thank you for the stage Director, Mike. I will be going home now."
"Ahh! Don't go, Wang Tong. Please! Do stay. What do you want? Tell me… I can give you anything you want!" Mike shrieked as he chased after Wang Tong off the stage.
Mike stopped when he saw Zhou Sisi and said to her, "Aren't you Yiyi's sister? Do you know Wang Tong well? Please do help to make Wang Tong stay with me. He is my muse!"
Zhou Sisi was caught off guard. She widened her eyes in surprise and shook her head "I can't make him do anything."
"I don't mean to crush your dream, but our boss is the future of the Confederation, and we all need him." Karl pouted and said.
Everyone nodded. They found it hard to connect Wang Tong's artistic side with his unsophisticated look and mind.
Chapter 223: For the Greater Good
Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_
Hu Yangxuan looked around him and noticed the obsessed look on every girl's face as they stared at Wang Tong. He had learned a new lesson, 'Never bring Wang Tong with him to anywhere there were girls.'
"Hey Hu Yangxuan, does he have a girlfriend?" An attractive and sultry dancer asked Hu Yangxuan.
"Yea, of course. So many of them. He is the biggest playboy I have ever seen." Hu Yangxuan felt a sense of satisfaction after he had framed his best friend.
"Oh really? That's perfect! That means I will have a chance with him as well!"
Hu Yangxuan felt like he was about to collapse to the floor.
"Are you OK, Hu Yangxuan?"
"Yea, yea, just … old wounds..."
In fact, it was an old wound that would never heal.
Staring at the starry sky above, Wang Tong heaved a sigh of relief. He had shed all the stress and pressure with that dance. He felt happy to have agreed to dance because he needed it after all. He felt his heart was much lighter and his body energetic after all the stress was gone.
One thing he knew for sure was that he was not going to be a dancer, no matter how good he was. He knew that greater things were waiting for him in life.
"Sifu, you rock!" Sisi had already caught up with him.
"Do you think that I can do this for a living? I heard people make a lot of money." Wang Tong simpered.
"If there were no threat of the Zergs, I would recommend you consider switching profession. But I think our world needs a great general more than a great dancer." Zhou Sisi contemplated the question and said.
"I am no general, ha-ha. I think I like dancing; it's a good exercise."
A laugh escaped Zhou Sisi's lips," Haha, I knew you like to be on the stage."
"Ha-ha, it was alright. Being under so many people's attention was nice. No wonder so many people want to be famous. But, I think I will get bored of that kind of life very quickly."
"That's for sure. You are born to be a soldier. Watch out though; Mike will not let you slip away so easily."
"What could he do? We will leave here right after our vacation anyways."
"True that."
"Yiyi, PLEASE! I beg you!" Mike pleaded Zhou Yiyi to help him recruit Wang Tong.
"I wish I could help you Mike, but we are just acquaintance."
"But how about your sister? She seems to know him well. Please, just one performance, just one!" Mike plastered an innocent look on his face while he begged Zhou Yiyi with a whiny voice.
"Mike, you know he is from a Military Academy, and they don't like to be associated with us. I have heard that Wang Tong and his friend are here only because they defeated Capth." Yiyi hinted at the fact that there was better future waiting for Wang Tong than being a dancer.
"I know all their stupid rules. We can cover his face with a mask and let him appear during HG's performance as a mystery guest. That ought to surprise everyone. The shock effect alone would be able to push HG's popularity to a new height. You know, I always felt that your band was too... soft, for the lack of better words. Therefore, you NEED him. It would be critical to your success. Hell, it might as well be the deciding factor of whether you will forever remain as the most popular band or eventually be forgotten. You NEED his energy!"
"Is it really that...?"
"Yes, it IS!"
"Even if he wanted to join our performance, he won't have the time..."
"Of course he will! I can guarantee you that much! Talk to your sister first." Mike uttered anxiously. "Ah... and I will pay for his friend's concert tickets, as well as all of their expense while staying in the city."
"Are you sure Mike? Those girls looked like shopaholics. It's not going to be cheap."
"I can tell that his friends have great influence on him. So yes, as long as Wang Tong agree to join us, I will cover all of his friend's cost." Mike finally revealed the manly side of him as he pounded his flat and bony chest.
"Alright then, I will give it a try."
If one could not confront his enemy directly, then one should try to flank him.
It was the Saturday morning. Wang Tong woke up on time and finished his morning routines as usual. He then opened the door and was startled by what he saw outside.
A row of people stood outside of his door; their expression screamed anticipation.
"Er...you guys..." Wang Tong watched his friends with a quizzical expression.
"Boss, I think you should give it a try, even if it is just once. It would be the most precious memory!" Karl announced earnestly.
Wang Tong stared at these familiar faces and felt like they were strangers, "How dare you..."
"Wang Tong, Karl is right. You should accept the request, for everyone!" Hu Yangxuan held Wang Tong's hand and shook it sincerely.
"You.." Wang Tong felt dark clouds were gathering around him, and it looked like he had no way out of the approaching storm.
"Apache, are you with them too?" Wang Tong turned his face to Apache. His gaze held Apache's like a drowning man grasping onto his last piece of drifting straw.
"Yes, they do speak for me," Apache said without any hesitation.
"What the f..." Wang Tong screamed in his mind.
"Tell me, how much did he give you. I want to know the price."
"What? What? We are bros! Why would we sell you for money? Our friendship is priceless! You think too much!...Er...fine..." Karl gave up after the icy hood of Wang Tong's glance caught him. "Well... I always wanted a stereo system."
"A stereo... and you..." Wang Tong had gotten so mad he could not even finish his sentences.
"Boss, calm down. How would I sell you for merely a set of stereo? It was the OPIO! The limited edition! Please boss, I really wanted it!" Karl's only interest was in collecting stereo sound systems. The OPIO was a handcrafted system for the most advanced collectors, and it was no longer for sale on the market. The set that Karl was promised was from Mike's personal collection.
"What about you?" Wang Tong turned his head to Hu Yangxuan. He saw two laugh lines etched onto Hu Yangxuan's face despite his extreme effort to not laugh.
"Hehe...hehe...He was going to set me up with a supermodel. Her name is Yeda. Hehe...hahaha... You have to see her face...hehe."
"Dear club leader, please, for the greater good, accept his request. I... overspent on my credit card while shopping yesterday... so..." Luo Manman held a sweet and innocent smile. Mike had promised to not only pay for her credit card debt, but also give her a free dress, custom designed by her favorite fashion designer.
Wang Tong felt cold and empty inside; he had finally touched the harshness of the world. He turned his head to Apache and wondered what had changed Apache's mind.
"Don't stare at me like that. You know I hate this place and always want to get out of here." Apache shrugged his shoulders. He said it nonchalantly, utterly devoid of guilt or remorse.
To get out of the perimeter of the Aurora City, the visitor needed to battle against countless red tapes and paper works. But with Mike's connection, it could be easily arranged for Apache within an hour.
"We all wanted to see you dance again. They will let you wear a mask and be very discrete about this as well. At the end of the day, it is your choice." Zhou Sisi felt guilty after seeing the pressure everyone had been giving Wang Tong.
Wang Tong stared at his friends indignantly and said," Remember this day when I sacrificed my dream and principals to your worldly desires! You guys better... better lend me money next time I ask!"
For the greater good, Wang Tong decided to accept the request. He could care less about how well his performance was, but he wondered what Mike's plan was. There was only one day left until the concert. Was he going to start from scratch?
Mike was elated after hearing that Wang Tong was going to join in. His eyes glinted as he thought about his artistic and financial achievements after this brilliant plan was done. Although he was an artist by trade, he was also a natural businessman.
As for what he could get out of Wang Tong's performance, Mike decided to focus on absorbing as much inspiration from him as he could. Mike knew that he couldn't keep Wang Tong, and therefore he couldn't turn it into a long-term business.
Mike and Wang Tong exchanged a few ideas on how to seamlessly merge Wang Tong's performance with that of HG. Ever since hearing Mike's DJ performance, Wang Tong had gained a bit of respect for this feminine looking man. Wang Tong knew that it was not an easy job to match music with his emotions, and only the best of the best artist could do that.
After a few hours of discussion, they had decided to let Wang Tong go freestyle, counting on his spontaneity.
Their plan was as crazy as Mike's personality. Mike had given up on rehearsal and decided to let Wang Tong roam free before the show started in the night. He told Wang Tong that he needed a little bit time with himself to prepare.
After Wang Tong was gone, Mike started his work. Under Mike's fingers, the audio mixer changed its tunes from one to another seamlessly; his creativity poured out at once like water from an opened floodgate.
Many great pieces of art were born in an instance, like a spark. There was no need for revisions since the first version was usually the best.
Chapter 224: The Concert
Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_
Meanwhile, the preparation of the FFC's technology conference was underway. The purpose of the conference was for the scientists around the world to gather together and explore scientific topics.
All the scientists seemed to have the same question this year," Was the technology for the VZPE battery really ready as FFC proclaimed it?" Their doubt was not unfounded, since it was well known that there were many unsolved technical bottlenecks even in the theory stage.
This science conference lasted a long time and was divided into different sessions. The first session was the meet and greet with the media, the second session was the primary panel discussions, and the final session was the caucus panel discussions. The secrets of the VZPE battery would be announced at the last stage, and by then, only a handful few who had earned a seat on the caucus panel would be able to attend.
Despite the high clearance level of the project, news of its progress still found its way to the public's ears. Rumors had it that the FFC had already possessed the essential technologies in making the VZPE battery, but they had been meeting headwinds in a few very particular manufacturing processes. FFC intended to iron out these kinks during the conference with the help of scientists around the world. Otherwise, the FFC would never willingly disclose their secrets.
The announcement that the VZPE battery would be showcased during the conference was an opportunity of a lifetime for the most scientists to witness something truly revolutionary. The scientists came here for the knowledge, but the military came for its application.
The project had been under the military's radar ever since its conception. To the military, the VZPE battery meant only one thing, a new generation of mother-ships.
Eons ago, when the first "mother ship"—the aircraft carrier—was introduced to the world, it had brought the naval warfare to a new era. Nowadays, the desire for a superclass mother ship that could outclass the Space Hive of the Zergs stroke a resemblance to that of the ancient nations caught in an arms race.
The only piece of the puzzle in creating this gigantic super class mother ship was its power supply unit. As the mother ship grew in size, the demand for power grew exponentially. Designing a mother ship had become the art of balancing the firepower and the capacity of its shield, as both were power hoggers.
However, the VZPE battery promised to solve the problem by providing nearly limitless energy. With that in hand, the humans would be able to create mother ships that were practically space death machines for Zergs.
Regardless of how long it would take FFC to invent such a battery, the Military could not pass up on it. Therefore, they had been installing spies inside the project team ever since the project had kickstarted. During this conference, they had also dispatched an entire unit of covert operation team, disguised as civilians.
Due to the importance of the technology, the Aurora city had significantly beefed up its security. Even the Confederation's secret police unit had been requested to station in the city during the conference. Although the invention of the VZPE battery would be great news for all human race at large, it would more or less unnerve the Ivantians and the Martians as they would feel threatened by Earthling's technology advancement. Everyone knew that the alliance of the human race would last as long as the Zergs, and the eventual infighting was inevitable. Nevertheless, Human race's unity had improved by leaps and bounds over the recent hundred years, thanks to a centralized government and colonization programs in other galaxies.
There was another acute problem threatening the peace of human race: the three colonies in the Andromeda Galaxy that were still underdeveloped due to its relatively young age. It took the Martians three hundred years of hard work to finally tame their planet. The three colonies served merely as the outlet for the mounting pressure of population on earth, but they lacked severely in resources and commerce. The only resource-rich planet, Norton, was under the Zerg's occupation, and Norton's extreme gravity decreed that it could only be used as a supply node, and was not suitable for settlement.
The only hope seemed to lie at the planet of Ceres. It was a marvelous planet that was situated between the Mars and the Jupiter. As the moon of the Mars, it was quickly colonized and developed by the Martians to be one of the most developed places in the known Universe.
Ceres was also important strategic-wise, as it was the gate to the human world. It served as a port for commerce between the solar system and the other systems. The Martians even built a space portal on Ceres that would warp spaceships directly to the Andromeda Galaxy.
The Ceres had its own government, which was in an alliance with the Mars. Although the Ceres had an independent military, the planet had always been the focal point of battles between greater powers as they raised numerous political intrigues and proxy wars to establish its dominance.
The appearance of Ma Xiaoru and Li Ruoer in the Aurora City was no doubt a sensational news to all the major players. However, the Great houses had formed unwritten rules to leave each other's proteges alone before they had officially assumed power. Considering the power of the two houses, no one would dare trail them into their intrigues.
However, the two still doubled their guards. Some people would do anything if the price were right, especially during such a critical time.
After one day of walking about and sightseeing, Ma Xiaoru's mood got brightened up. She never expected that she would like the Aurora City so much, and she also found Li Ruoer every friendly. She thought that if she stayed here with Li Ruoer, the two might very likely become best friends. When Ma Xiaoru first started cultivating the Tactics of the Enchantress, the two girls had frequently butted heads against each other, arguing about who was the better enchantress. However, ever since the two entered the academy, they had grown up and realized how meaningless the competition was, so they had dropped the matter entirely. What made the two hit it off after so many years was their affection towards each other's altogether opposite personalities.
Women were strange creatures— when they were together; they had to be either friends or enemies.
"Xiaoru, let's go watch the HG concert! I heard Mike always puts up quite a show. I don't want to listen to a bunch of old men talking about their 'science.'"
The rumors had it that the Li family was very interested in the technology of the VZPE battery, and they were planning to gain access to the technology via some special connections. But Li Ruoer seemed utterly devoid of interest in talking about the battery. Otherwise, she would be able to get into the final session if she wanted to.
"Sure!" After having tasted the benefits of fresh air, Ma Xiaoru agreed to head out again.
"Great! The ticket is on me. Maybe, we will meet someone interesting." Li Ruoer cracked a smile. Her eyebrows curved gently above a pair of gleaming eyes full of anticipation.
The concert finally started amidst the screams of fans. Mike had brought everyone seats in the VIP lounge, which had the best view of the show. Wang Tong was shocked when he learned about the price: 200 grand.
Apache didn't attend the concert, and he was already on his way to explore the Arctic. Mike had fulfilled his promise, and within hours, Apache had gotten a pass and the best exploration equipment.
In another VIP lounge not far away, Li Ruoer and Ma Xiaoru lolled in a giant sofa, waiting for the show to start.
The opening song was called "Soaring." It had a sunny tune and a fast tempo. When the song was over, the tsunami-like cheers made Wang Tong marvel at the magic of the stage. He imagined how exhilarating it would be if it were him standing on the stage. No wonder so many people were eager to become famous, even after taking the money out the equation. The rush of being worshiped by thousands would worth every sacrifice they made along the way.
Wang Tong heaved a sigh. It occurred to him that in some way, being worshiped as the best singer was not that much different than as the best fighter. The latter was exactly what he wanted in his life, although it was also more difficult than the former.
The HG's performance was very successful so far. They were talented and had practiced hard. With Mike's guidance, they had delivered one hit after another.
The fans' enthusiasm had already turned into a fever. Thanks to the energy barrier, the stage was still holding under the crushing force of thousands of fanatic teenagers.
It was the first time Hu Yangxuan and his friends stayed in the VIP lounge. The enjoyment of the performance aside, it had flattered their vanities.
Many fans had to be sent to the emergency room after passing out due to over-excitement. The HG group also invited a few superstars as their special guest. As the concert reached its climax, the HG thought it had been the most successful concert they had ever held.
Chapter 225: Artistry Explosion
Translator: Oneshotwonder Editor: Hitesh_
The concert had so far followed Mike's plan perfectly. As the HG's last song "happy girl" ended, the concert was also about to finish. However, the crowd lingered and didn't want to leave.
The concert had already lasted over two hours; the HG went to the backstage after the "Happy girl." The lighting on the stage dimmed down. However, no one came out to the stage to announce the end of the concert. Everyone was wondering if Mike had planned a surprise.
Suddenly the light at the corner of the dark stage lit up. It was Mike himself stood in a DJ pit, dressed in a tuxedo.
"What is happening?"
Mike had retired long ago, and it had been ages since his last performance.
Another stage light lit up at the center of the stage. It started with a tiny spec and increased its size gradually to reveal a person in the middle.
By then, the audience knew a surprise had been in store for them, and the mysterious guest heightened their curiosity.
As the light turned brighter, the audience noticed a cold glint on the performers face; he was wearing an iron mask.
The music started. It was a dance performance!
Was Mike crazy? This was HG's concert, and it would make sense if a dance artist opened the concert for them. But why would Mike arrange to have the dancing as the final show?
The pitch of the music changed, and the audience watched as the dancer's unique moves started to gain more energy.
Most of the stage was unlit except for the two stage lights following Mike and the dancer. This was an unconventional setup since most of the shows would utilize the virtual environment to heighten the audience's experience.
Mike seemed to have broken every rule of conventional stage design.
Mike had decided to cancel the visual aid at the last moment before the show started. It had occurred to him that Wang Tong's stage needed only himself and any other elements were unnecessary, if not a distraction to his audience.
He wanted to show the audience the power of pure art.
Mike changed the tempo, and the dancer's steps also pick up speed. While everyone enjoyed the dance moves, they found Mike's DJ work had depicted the dancer's emotion precisely.
On the stage, Wang Tong had forgotten everything, including himself. His performance completely absorbed him. The larger the stage, the easier it was for Wang Tong to deliver a better performance.
Wang Tong thought about the lonely time he had spent on Norton. He thought about the helplessness while being chased after by Zergs, and the darkness of the mine cave. However, he remembered that he never gave up his hope, and had believed that he would live to see another sunrise.
Suddenly, the music's tune took a turn and started to sound stressful, eerie and pressing. The sudden change made the audience's heart caught in the throat.
Wang Tong's Zerg-like moves suddenly changed into a robot dance. He was commemorating his only friend on Norton, the little Charcoal. The music then exploded into an almost frenetic craze, and so did the dancer's moves.
Someone had lived a meaningless life and would soon be forgotten, and someone had died with a purpose and would be remembered forever.
In Wang Tong's eyes, Charcoal was no longer a robot, but a real soldier. He would never leave his friends behind and had faced the danger alone to save his command's life.
The music reached its climax as the dancer was twirling and swirling like a wind across the stage.
The dancer's powerful steps trampled the stage floor, making the stage shake, and so did the audience's hearts.
This was an entirely different form of art than HG's teenage pop music.
It was..unstoppable!
Wang Tong had almost entered a trance as he danced as if his dance had transcended into a display of the power of the soul.
Finally, the audience heard a blare and watched as the dancer executed a 360 degree elevated conical flip. The dancer's body shot straight up in the air while spiraling like a bullet out of a grooved gun barrel.
Every sense of the audiences was stimulated to the point they were starting to become dull and blurry. The only feeling left in them was the feeling of their warm emotion; it was the closest to the feeling of their own soul.
The masked dancer landed back to the floor on the last note of the music.
Mike's eyes were flooded with tears. This was the first time in five years he had cried, because it took him five years to finally break his creative bottleneck that he had been criticized for.
This was real music and real art.
This was the meaning of life.
The center stage light shrunk in size until it had returned to a tiny spec. The masked dancer disappeared.
The stage returned to total darkness, contrasting the bright and hopeful emotions in everyone's heart.
Ten seconds later, the lighting in the theater turned on, and an explosion of cheers and applause erupted from the audiences.
Everyone was crying, shrieking and rushing towards the stage. The music had touched their soul so profoundly that it had hollowed their minds. They could think only one thing: to reach the stage and touch the dancer. Soon the theater fell into chaos.
The media were shocked by the development, They rushed back to their studio, trying to be the first to claim this sensational news.
"What kind of dance move was that?"
The dancer's ability to touch people's heart using his dance was unprecedented.
The industry would soon recognize Mike's achievement of discovering such a real gem. It was only a matter of time for the dance industry to be dominated by him.
The post-concert meeting with the media had run late for two hours as everyone demanded the organizer to disclose the identity of the masked dancer.
Compared to an average audience, and the dance impressed the soldiers in the military to an even greater extent. They had seen not only dace moves, but also a series of military combat stances rearranged into a coherent and passionate dance.
Also, the soldiers had noticed that the dancer had portrayed not only a human warrior but also another creature, the Zerg, by imitating the Zerg's march.
After seeing the Zerg's moves, some experts realized that the steps could be easily turned into an effective and damaging combat technique.
While the soldiers were still mesmerized by the dancer's Zerg moves, the dancer had suddenly changed character again into a lone star gunner, fighting his enemy in the vast expanse of the desert.
Wang Tong's dance not only touched the ordinary audiences and the stony-heart soldiers, but also the enchantresses. Li Ruoer and Zhou Sisi had felt the rise and fall of their emotions while watching the show.
Li Ruoer's face was taut after the show had ended. The fact that someone would be able to affect her mood was unheard of, and it stressed her out.
Ma Xiaoru had an entirely different experience than Li Ruoer. She felt the dance had awakened something inside of her that used to be very important to her, but she couldn't remember what it was no matter how hard she tried.
Karl led his friend to the backstage. They lifted Wang Tong and cheered for him in excitement. They were much luckier than the feverish fans still outside.
"Hey Boss, how about you teach me some of those moves. Chicks dig that!"
"Wang Tong, you ROCK!"
Zhou Sisi and Luo Manman's eyes flashed with admiration.
Mike had ordered everyone to leave Wang Tong and his friends alone after the show. Mike watched Wang Tong from afar and heaved a sigh," I think I would never touch a mixer again."
Like knew like. Wang Tong also looked in the direction of Mike and marveled at his ability to stimulate his creativity with music.
Wang Tong walked toward Mike, and for the first time, he shook the hand of this feminine looking man and said," Thank you."
So many emotions and meanings were wrapped in these two plain words, but to Mike, this was more than enough.
Chapter 226: Savor of the Enchantress
Translator: Double_L Editor: Hitesh_
Mike nodded in disappointment and gave up his persuasion, because he was able to see the strong will of Wang Tong. After all, not all men would easily give into the temptation of money and power. "Go now, or else you'll be surrounded by the press… Sigh… Remember not to forget about a friend called Mike when you've successfully joined the military someday." Mike then waved and let them go. In order not to be noticed by the keen press, Mike told them to escape from the rear exit.
Soon, the post-concert meeting began. Originally, this meeting should only be attended by a couple hundreds of media press, but the appearance of the masked dancer had attracted the attention of more than two thousand media companies. Some other media companies were even trying to approach this matter with different methods.
The conference room instantly turned into a room full of chaos. Everyone's mind was blown away by the superb dance moves of the mysterious dancer.
Meanwhile, at the concert hall, a small number of audiences left because the venue was too crowded, yet more than a hundred thousand spectators were unwilling to leave. Apparently, they were still waiting for the masked dancer to reveal his real identity.
Mike was flooded by a flood of questions, and all of those questions were about the masked dancer.
"Mr. Mike, how old's the masked dancer and where's he from?"
"Mr. Mike, do you know the name of his dance moves? Do you know its origins?"
"Mr. Mike, in your opinion, is the concert a huge success? Is the mysterious dancer from one of your next projects?"
…
Questions from the press kept piling up, but unlike his talkative personality, Mike chose to remain silent this time. He used to think that music was just his stepping stone towards fame. However, this mindset had changed after meeting Wang Tong. Originally, he was just an artist focused on making his own music, yet, he was later blinded by the allure of fame and lost himself. Nevertheless, Mike had finally realized his true self after meeting Wang Tong.
The host signaled everyone else to calm down as Mike slowly stood up and said, "I'm aware of your concerns, so allow me to explain briefly. As a matter of fact, the masked dancer was a friend of mine who's not in the entertainment business, and I asked for his help this time due to an unexpected happening. It was only a one-time favor, so it's unlikely he'd make another public appearance in the future."
There was a short pause in the room, and the press began to bombard Mike with more questions.
"Mr. Mike, so you were saying that he's a male? How old is this person?"
"Mr. Mike, the mask and all the fuss, are these your gimmicks of trying to increase publicity?" One of the reporters asked.
Publicity gimmicks were common in the world of entertainment business. In fact, Mike had been known for doing things like this. Back in the days, the quick-witted Mike would've argued with the reporter to heat things up, yet this time, Mike faked a smile and replied, "If what you said is true, I'd be very happy right now. Do you think all of this was just for show? In fact, this dance is a revolutionary set of movements. It's art, it's powerful! Do you think I really have to go through all of this just to increase some publicity?"
Mike was replying the questions from the press by questioning back the reporters, yet he was being cautious and tried not to overdo it. Or else, it would look fake, and the press would suspect that he was hiding something else.
"Mr. Mike, why didn't you reveal that person's true identity to everyone? In fact, many are still waiting for you to tell them who he is in the concert hall as we speak!"
Actually, the press was not interested in how the public reacted. All they cared was the real identity of that mysterious figure. If they were able to find out who he was, they would be able to dig up more stories about this person.
"I promised him that I would keep his identity a secret because he doesn't want his life to be affected. Are you guys good in keeping secrets?"
"Of course, I promise I won't write anything about it!"
"Haha, well, so can I." Mike said with a smile on his face.
The press immediately realized that they were tricked.
"Ladies and gentlemen, personally, I do hope he'll perform once again. So let's put this to an end and treat it as if it was an extra performance. Starting from now I'll only be answering questions regarding HG."
Clearly, the press cared more about the masked dancer than HG. Everyone was dazzled by the emergence of this mysterious man that had combined his creativity with performing art.
In the end, the press conference turned into a battle of wits as the press kept pushing and tried to squeeze in questions about the masked dancer while asking about HG. Nevertheless, Mike was smart enough and didn't get deceived by the press throughout the interview.
Amongst HG, only Zhou Yiyi knew about Wang Tong, yet she had already promised not to reveal his identity, and fortunately, the rest of the members knew nothing about him. Being one of the big shots in the entertainment business, Mike was really good at keeping secrets.
Aside from him, perhaps no one would've foreseen that there would be such a huge impact.
In the end, the whole press meeting lasted for more than one hour, and the pretty girls of HG were completely neglected. Yet, Zhou Yiyi didn't complain. After all, she was absolutely amazed by Wang Tong's revolutionary performance.
As a matter of fact, Zhou Yiyi didn't believe that there was such thing as an extraordinary genius, but everything changed after she met Wang Tong. Her sister had always been talking about how strong Wang Tong was, but she had never been able to understand the level of strength he possessed. To her, Wang Tong was only a soldier who possessed extreme physical fitness and outstanding cleverness. However, she burst into tears at the backstage after witnessing his marvelous dance moves.
It was way more perfect than the previous ones, the moves were absolutely mind-blowing. Even Mike would never be able to mimic Wang Tong's dance moves.
Perhaps, this was also the reason Mike realized what he really wanted.
As for Zhou Yiyi, she had finally learned the true meaning of art. It had been a wonderful and emotional night. In fact, Zhou Yiyi even felt like writing a song about this unforgettable experience.
Everyone else was startled by her idea.
Mike would've already achieved what he wanted if his original intention was to earn some publicity, yet all of this would be meaningless if the masked dancer, and of the fuss was just for show. In the beginning, the press decided to dig up the real identity of the masked dancer by themselves upon realizing that Mike had no intentions to reveal who he was at all. However, Wang Tong had already left when that happened. In the end, the press looked into the wrong direction and began their search by going through the personal information of Mike's stage crew.
In order to outrace each other, the press began to "fight" among themselves in order to obtain as much exclusive content as possible.
Sadly, the masked dancer had vanished without a trace. In fact, the press had been trying every method they could, but the security measures were extremely high recently because FFC was having their own conference as well. In the end, nothing was found, and the press was deeply saddened.
Wang Tong and the team left happily after the concert ended, and the girls immediately began their shopping spree. After all, there weren't many girls that could resist the temptation of shopping. As for the boys, Mike kept his promise and got them what they had always wanted. Carl had been hugging his hi-fi set for the rest of the day like it was his long-lost lover.
Yet, Wang Tong didn't ask for anything. To him, the experience was the best gift. It had uplifted his emotion, and he felt energetic once again.
Honestly, his thoughts were similar to Apache's. To him, all that mattered was the opportunity to take a break. Although Aurora City was warm and beautiful, yet a relaxing trip was not his cup of tea. Instead, he would really like to see how surviving in this harsh environment felt like.
Wang Tong's body was tougher than Apache's. Hence to him, a parka was more than enough for this climate. In fact, Apache had left Wang Tong an access pass. After all, Apache had known Wang Tong long enough that he could tell what he wanted.
Wang Tong went back to sleep while the others were crazily having fun in Aurora City. He had decided to go for a little "adventure" around the South Pole region on Sunday morning.
Meanwhile in the other room, Ma Xiaoru was taking her bath while Li Ruo-Er was sitting on the sofa thinking in silence. She might have looked calm on the outside, but she was extremely nervous inside.
In fact, she was utterly surprised by Wang Tong's capability. Li Ruo-Er knew he was an interesting person. After all, he was fancied by both Samantha and Ma Xiaoru at the same time. To her, Wang Tong was more like a toy, perhaps his presence could even strengthen her Soul Energy as well as practice of Tactics of the Enchantress. Nevertheless, it was obvious that she would get rid of him when she had grown bored of this boy. Li Ruo-Er believed that he was definitely fir for being her "toy". After all, he was the one who had conquered the heart of Ma Xiaoru.
Obviously, Li Ruo-Er knew about the presence of the team as well. To be honest, this wasn't her first time coming to Aurora City. She was totally not interested in HG's concert, and of course, this trip was never about accompanying Ma Xiaoru and relaxing. The only reason that Li Ruo-Er came to Aurora City was none other than the VZPE Battery, and clearly, Ma Xiaoru knew nothing about it after observing her movements for a few days. Hence, Li Ruo-Er decided to set this aside. After all, this had nothing to do with her. To Li Ruo-Er, conquering men would be her way to conquer the world.
Instead, she had decided to focus her attention to Wang Tong and his team. As a student of Capth and the young miss of House of Li, Ayrlarng's victory was definitely an unforgettable humiliation. After witnessing Wang Tong's performance, Li Ruo-Er had come up with an idea to mess with this young man.
Chapter 227: Elemental GN Force
Translator: Double_L Editor: Hitesh_
Nevertheless, Li Ruo-Er still couldn't decide if she should mess with him right now or to let things develop for a little longer. She was worried that things would not be able to proceed as planned if Ma Xiaoru bumped into Wang Tong too early, not to mention her memories were only sealed off recently. It might even ruin her brother's plans if this triggered her to regain her memories. After a short period of consideration, Li Ruo-Er still decided to bring Ma Xiaoru along. To her, nothing was more important than the pleasure and excitement of this "drama", not even her brother.
"Xiaoru, are you done? I'm coming in."
"Hey, wait for a while, I'm still drying myself!"
Li Ruo-Er had already undressed while Ma Xiaoru was talking. Instantly, the steamy bathroom was cramped by the presence of two sexy and voluptuous naked figures. Ma Xiaoru then wrapped herself in a towel, "Geez, you're always so impatient."
"Hey Xiaoru, why don't we take a bath together?"
"Huh, no... no way!" Ma Xiaoru dashed out while Li Ruo-Er laughed out loud when she saw Ma Xiaoru's expression.
Li Ruo-Er was just like a little mischievous imp while Ma Xiaoru was gentle, mature and unlikely to get angry, which was why both of them were able to hang around each other happily.
"Xiaoru, would you like to know the real identity of the masked dancer?" Li Ruo-Er said while gently caressing her body. She had always been proud of her perfect body; it was truly a gift from God. As a girl who practiced Tactics of the Enchantress since young, she could easily get whichever guy she fancied. But sadly, she had never done this to anyone because none of the guys in this world could draw her attention, not to mention normal guys were not worthy to be paired with her dazzling beauty.
Somehow, Li Ruo-Er was kind of narcissistic.
But with that lustrous dark long hair, fair and radiant skin and also her perfect breasts and curvy waist, she had what it took to be narcissistic.
"Oh, do you know who he is?" Ma Xiaoru asked. For some reason, she really wanted to know who he was.
"Well of course."
"But that's impossible! You were with me all day long for the past few days!" To be honest, Ma Xiaoru wasn't a big fan of concerts like this, but she was totally attracted to the masked dancer. Perhaps it was because of the mysteriousness, but Ma Xiaoru would really want to find out who that guy was.
She watched his dance again when they came back to the room, and Ma Xiaoru couldn't help feeling a familiar yet strange sensation, which explained why she was extremely curious about his identity.
"It's a secret. Anyway, follow me tomorrow if you really wanna find out who on earth the person is that has been hiding behind the mask!" Li Ruo-Er said in a mischievous tone.
Every student of military academies had been taught that one's combat performance was respectively related to the point performance, maneuverability, overall Avionic performance as well as weaponry performance. In general, the VZPE Battery was able to significantly enhance the mentioned factors. Hence, it had currently become the most valuable technology throughout the universe.
It was clear to all that there would be some huge changes in the military development once this technology was used.
The SPM Conference began with a brief introduction by FFC regarding the theories behind this technology. They introduced the power extracting "core", which happened to be the key component of VZPE Battery. However, FFC didn't explain how it was made. Even though this crucial technology had solved the extraction procedure of VZPE energy, yet that didn't mean that the super armada would be constructed in no time.
Construction of the super armada required the precise calculation of total energy output, redesign of the overall blueprint, and most importantly, the utilization of this whole technology. As of now, the VZPE Battery was only being known as an alternative source of power extraction, because the real extraction would also involve new elements aside from just a couple of technical problems, not to mention the extraction of those elements was not as simple as it seemed.
Whenever a problem was solved, another or even more problems would pop up as always. Yet, learning how to solve problems was actually an important process of having improvements.
After the basic introduction, people seemed to have understood that this technology was not a dream anymore. However, it still needed to be improved in order to be used in the development of military and daily household usage!
Aside from the extraction of the new elements, FFC also had to think of ways to modify it. For instance, they were still working on the way to shrink this ginormous battery. Although it was useable, this battery was still too big, and for now, it could only be used as one of Earth's power hubs. But to be honest, VZPE Battery would become worthless if it only served as a power hub. After all, almost every planet still preferred solar energy, nuclear energy, and antimatter energy, that were more mature and trustable.
Nevertheless, if the future remained as predicted, VZPE Battery would be replacing all of those in the future, as well as widening the universe of mankind for sure!
FFC's session with the press ended after the discussion on a few topics. As for the upcoming sessions, only physicists, mathematicians and other experts of related fields were allowed to attend. Apparently, they would be discussing their ideas of solving the current difficulties in VZPE technology. After all, true knowledge and techniques would only be possessed by those with real talents. Yet before they began, everyone had to sign the confidentiality agreement that was prepared by FFC in order to protect their own technology.
As the session began, the hall was filled with loud discussions among scientists.
Meanwhile, Wang Tong was seen walking alone in the wild right outside Aurora City, but he was still remaining in the safety perimeter. Apparently, the developer of Aurora City had set up a safety perimeter around Aurora City, because they knew that the rich ones loved excitement. In other words, this area of "wilds" was totally safe.
Wang Tong hated such a ridiculous restraint and decided to walk further, but his buzzer began to wail as soon as he left the perimeter. "You have left the safety perimeter. Please stop going further and turn back to avoid dangers!"
The snowy land became quiet once again as Wang Tong ripped off his buzzer and turned it off. The weather was colder than he expected, but it didn't bother Wang Tong since he had been keeping himself warm with a bit of GN Force. Obviously, Wang Tong was much stronger than the ordinary people. After all, he did survive the harsh conditions in an environment with five times greater gravity.
A few minutes later, Wang Tong noticed that his body had gotten used to the coldness and didn't need to keep himself warm with his GN Force anymore.
Wang Tong took a deep breath of the cold and pure air of the snowy land, feeling his body get refreshed and energized instantly.
"Is he crazy?" Ma Xiaoru said while looking at him from a distance.
"Most probably." Li Ruo-Er suddenly remembered Wang Tong's performance during the tournament against Capth. Nevertheless, it was nothing compared to her strength.
"I still think this is a bad idea." Ma Xiaoru said after realizing that they had left the safety perimeter. It could be dangerous if they chose to travel further.
"C'mon, this is fun. Do you really wanna go back and have your butt followed by those bodyguards? I'm sick of them to be honest."
"Ruo-Er, that's their job. So let's not make it difficult for them."
"But we've come this far already, and you're asking me to turn back now? Sometimes, I do wonder if you've actually practiced Tactics of the Enchantress or Tactics of the Good Mistress." Li Ruo-Er was surprised that Ma Xiaoru had become such a coward. During their younger days at House of Li, Ma Xiaoru was always competing with her. Yet, she had completely changed after leaving House of Li. In fact, Li Ruo-Er would even have thought that Ma Xiaoru had become weak if it weren't for of her recent advancement.
This was completely abnormal in terms of Tactics of the Enchantress.
In the end, Ma Xiaoru had no choice but to follow Li Ruo-Er since she insisted on following the guy.
Wang Tong gazed upon the massive glacier on the snowy land, then he closed his eyes and began to think about attributes…
Attributes…
Elements…
"He's not moving. Is he okay?" Ma Xiaoru seemed a little worried.
"Don't bother."
The two ladies had been following Wang Tong for quite a while, and they expected that he would stop. But instead, he was still traveling further. They seemed a little worried because the navigation system might not work if they were too far away from Aurora City.
Actually, Wang Tong was well aware that the was being followed, but he didn't bother too much because he was neither rich nor particularly handsome. Hence, he didn't have to worry about being robbed or kidnapped.
The cold air was giving Wang Tong the inspiration that he had been searching for. Einherjar Wannabe's previous "lectures" about attributes had given him some new inspiration.
As a matter of fact, attributes and elements did exist within the bodies of mankind. However, that didn't mean that everyone had what it took to unleash the hidden elements. Moreover, it had to be incorporated with the corresponding tactics.
For instance, Tactics of the Blaze could only be learned by those with fire attributes. The stronger the attribute, the better the performance would be. Of course, in the end, one's talent would still be playing an important part in the learning process.
There were no existing methods of detecting attributes. Most of the time, it required the observation of a mentor who practiced the same tactics, which was the reason why the practices of attributes were not so popular. Family members of House of Lie practiced the same method in the discovery of attributes, but luckily for them, most Martians were born with fire attributes, and some of them were even born with profound talents. Hence, people from House of Lie were mostly born to practice Tactics of the Blaze.
Although Wang Tong understood the theory, yet his Tactics of the Blade was unlike Tactics of the Blaze that could easily draw out the power from one's attribute. However, he did believe that he would be able to discover his own attribute through looking into his own genome source carefully.
Wang Tong had no idea what his attribute would be, but he was certain that the cold weather would inspire him a little. That was also the intention of this little "field trip".
Wang Tong began to initialize his Tactics of the Blade in the middle of the snowy land, and then began to observe the changes of his genome source under this chilly weather.
Wang Tong came up with this idea because he remembered that Einherjar Wannabe had also taught him about the resonance of one's attribute with the environment.
Obviously, Wang Tong would choose to freeze himself rather than jumping straight into a burning furnace.
The initialization of his Tactics of the Blade was doing well in this pristine environment. Wang Tong was focusing on his observations, and within minutes, he was overjoyed upon noticing that a genome source on his left chest was responding to the environmental condition. After one round of initialization, he had found five genome sources that responded to the coldness of this environment!
Chapter 228: Polar Blizzard
Translator: Double_L Editor: Hitesh_
Wang Tong halted his practice as soon as he made the unexpected discovery. After all, it would be fairly dangerous to train in an environment with extreme weather. Since his "mission" had been accomplished, Wang Tong decided to head back after remembering the five responding genome sources.
"Mr. Wang Tong, are you practicing some kind of sorcery in the middle of this beautiful environment?" Li Ruo-Er said as she approached Wang Tong, followed by the shy Ma Xiaoru.
"You are..." Wang Tong glanced at the unexpected "guest". He wasn't sure who was the person in the thick jacket that was standing behind, but Wang Tong was sure that both of them were from Capth.
"You little- !" At first, Li Ruo-Er was surprised by the fact that he didn't remember her. But she immediately realized that he did that on purpose, "I didn't know you're so forgetful, Wang Tong."
"Ahh, isn't this the famous Ms. Li Ruo-Er? I'm guessing you must have something important to tell me since you've been stalking me for the whole day, eh?" Wang Tong reacted coldly. This was not what Li Ruo-Er expected.
"Who said I'm stalking? This place isn't yours, and clearly, we're just going for a stroll."
"Really? Well farewell then. Sorry for interrupting your stroll." Wang Tong was not interested in mingling with the bossy young lady of House of Li.
"Ah, before you go, I just wanna say me and my friend here LOVED your dance. I didn't know you're such a good dancer." Li Ruo-Er said as soon as she noticed that Wang Tong was trying to leave. Since she had been following him for the whole day in this cold weather, of course, she would never give up the chance to mess with him.
Wang Tong gave her a cold grin and said, "May I know what are you trying to say?"
Wang Tong had never liked Li Ruo-Er's guts, perhaps it was due to her aggressive and bossy attitude like a spoiled princess.
"Ruo-Er, let's go back." Ma Xiaoru was afraid that this might turn into a fight, so she went forward and stopped Li Ruo-Er.
As Wang Tong was about to leave, he was startled and turned around upon hearing that familiar voice… He had always been wishing to see Ma Xiaoru again. In fact, Wang Tong got a bit emotional as he recalled all the happiness and regret all these times, but Ma Xiaoru didn't notice that.
On the other hand, Li Ruo-Er was fairly happy. Things were about to get even more interesting.
Unlike the other animals, humans were born with complicated emotions, and the basics of Tactics of the Enchantress was none other than the manipulation of emotions.
"Oh, now you're not leaving?" Li Ruo-Er said suddenly.
Wang Tong couldn't move a muscle, no wonder those glittering eyes looked so familiar…
Ma Xiaoru was feeling weird as the stranger in front of him stared at her, "Sorry if we disturbed you, Mr. Wang Tong. We were just a bit worried when we saw you wandering around. We mean no harm."
Wang Tong remained silent. Ma Xiaoru's voice didn't change at all. He couldn't help remembering all those days and nights they spent discussing and doing revisions together, as well as all those ups and downs they had been through together. Sadly, the Ma Xiaoru he knew didn't exist anymore…
The current Ma Xiaoru standing in front of him was just a stranger with no memories of all those times they spent together.
Wang Tong suddenly remembered that Samantha once told him that Ma Xiaoru needed to be treated with care, especially not to bring up anything in the past since her memories for the last six months had been sealed away.
Wang Tong began to suspect Li Ruo-Er was trying to mess with him. After all, she knew about Ma Xiaoru's condition, yet she chose to bring her along.
"Why don't we head back together." Wang Tong decided not to mingle with her for good.
"Oh? But we wanna stay here for a little longer."
"Ms. Li Ruo-Er, the climate in the Polar Region is extremely unpredictable. We shouldn't be staying here for too long."
Ma Xiaoru felt strange as she checked on the guy in front of her. Apparently, this boy named Wang Tong seemed to care a lot about her, totally different from what she expected the masked dancer would be.
"Are you the masked dancer?" Ma Xiaoru asked all of a sudden.
Wang Tong turned towards Ma Xiaoru. To be honest, he was dying to see that familiar face again, but he chose to hold back his emotions. After all, his heart was still quite complicated.
"Yes, but please don't tell anyone else. That's only a one-time thing." Wang Tong admitted confidently.
Ma Xiaoru nodded her head. Actually, she was quite touched, because the whole world was busy finding the real identity of the masked dancer yet Wang Tong didn't deny. She didn't expect that he would trust the two of them.
"Hey, don't you think that you've trusted us too much? Aren't you scared that we would tell the whole world about your secret identity?" Li Ruo-Er was enjoying herself teasing Wang Tong. Perhaps it was the right decision to save him from her brother.
"Haha, why should I be worried? First of all, you've already known about it since the beginning. Secondly, I'm pretty confident that you wouldn't tell anyone. Moreover, nothing would happen even if you tell everyone." Wang Tong had no reasons to be polite in front of Li Ruo-Er. He was not some random dude that could be threatened so easily!
After all, to dance or not was up for him to decide, and even if his identity were revealed, the media would never be able to prove anything as long as he kept denying.
Ma Xiaoru was having a bad feeling, "Ruo-Er, let's go back. It's getting windier. Looks like the weather is changing."
"No, I'm not going back! You can go back yourself if you want to!" Li Ruo-Er seemed pissed after she failed to provoke Wang Tong. Most importantly, she couldn't imagine herself listening to Wang Tong's advice to head back.
"I suggest you listen to me, Ms. Li Ruo-Er. It's getting colder here. I suspect a blizzard is coming this way." Wang Tong said after observing the sky.
"A blizzard? In a day with such fine weather? No Way!" Actually, Li Ruo-Er was trying to say: "Listening to you? Are you out of your mind? Who do you think you are?"
Li Ruo-Er marched forward after saying that. Ma Xiaoru had no choice but to follow her, then she turned towards Wang Tong, nodded and said, "Excuse me."
Practicing Tactics of the Enchantress had definitely improved Li Ruo-Er's wits, but in the end, she was still a fifteen year old girl, and there were always times that she would act capricious and childish.
In the end, Wang Tong chose to follow the two of them. To be honest, he could leave Li Ruo-Er by herself because he remembered that Ma Xiaoru once told him that she was not particularly fond of the people from House of Li. However, he couldn't bear himself to leave Ma Xiaoru in this dangerous environment.
Wang Tong could tell that the weather was about to change. Apparently, the five genome sources in his body had been sending some sort of signal to his brain since a while ago.
In fact, animals were known to possess an ability to sense changes in weathers and climates, for instance, the detection of earthquakes and tsunamis. As for human beings, this ability was forgotten during the process of evolution. As men began to unlock their own power and potential, they were also rediscovering the forgotten abilities that connected them to mother nature and even the vast universe.
Additionally, there was a huge possibility that actually one of the reasons behind General Li Feng creating all of these was to alter the development direction of mankind. The Mayans had proven that the development of technology would only lead to more destructions, and it was already too late for them to change their fate when they realized the importance of training their bodies. Many years later, General Li Feng invented METAL Suits. It might look like an invention to ward off Zergs, yet this was also a creation to alter the fate and development of humanity.
Nevertheless, these could only be conjectured by the further generations. Although no one would be able to tell the real intentions of General Li Feng, there was one thing for sure, general Li Feng had created a new chapter in the history of humanity.
The weather seemed to be changing a lot quicker than Wang Tong had expected. After all, polar climates were always unpredictable. Within minutes, the land was taken over by strong currents of wind and heavy snow.
It would be a rather beautiful scenery if they were inside Aurora City, sitting in a warm room and having a cup of hot Earl Grey while spending the rest of the afternoon watching the blizzard outside the barrier.
However, this spelled disaster to all three of them. Apparently, they were being put in an extremely dangerous position in the wilds, not to mention they weren't fully prepared for this unexpected happening. Somehow, they had forgotten that mother nature was not something that could be messed with.
Wang Tong seemed to have braced himself for such things, but clearly Li Ruo-Er and Ma Xiaoru weren't prepared for this.
"Ruo-Er, let's head back."
In the end, Li Ruo-Er gave up as the strong current of wind raged ferociously. After all, no one would like the idea of ending up dead as a snowman in the heart of South Pole Region.
Both ladies were wearing good jackets that were able to automatically adjust their body temperatures. However, the environment was getting harsher. In order not to be blown away by the strong winds, they had no choice but to channel enough GN Force to stabilize themselves.
The sky was getting dark, like the beginning of the apocalypse. The whole sky seemed like it was about to fall and crash onto them.
Apparently, it was too late to get back, Wang Tong didn't expect that the weather would change in a blink of an eye. Luckily, his ability to improvise was better than both ladies. Even if they were to speed up, still they would never be able to make it back to Aurora City, not to mention the high risk of getting lost in the middle of the snowstorm.
Wang Tong immediately grabbed both ladies by their hands, "Hold tight, Xiaoru, and cover your mouth. I'll find us a shelter!"
Li Ruo-Er was startled and pissed when she noticed that he was bold enough to grab her by the hands. Li Ruo-Er then tried to break free by flinging her arm, but not only that she had failed to break free, her mouth was immediately covered with snow while she was trying to speak.
As for Wang Tong, he had no time for games. If Li Ruo-Er flung her arms again, he would choose to let go and only focus on Ma Xiaoru.
Wang Tong remembered that there was an ice-capped mountain on the right side of the region, which would be a good place for shelter.
All of them had unleashed their GN Force in order to speed up their travel, but the blizzard was getting worse as they walked. Polar Region might be wonderful when it was at peace, but it would instantly become a living hell once it raged.
The bodyguards of both ladies were stunned by the sudden change of weather. They had been trying to keep a distance with the ladies in order not to make them angry. However, both ladies had wandered off too far from them. In the end, they had no choice but to save themselves first. After all, aside from the Einherjar himself, no one would dare to mess with this extreme weather.
Meanwhile, Wang Tong was still grabbing the ladies by the hands while traveling as fast as he could with every bit of his GN Force unleashed. He had to proceed according to his memory and senses because his vision was completely blinded by the raging blizzard. Although Ma Xiaoru and Li Ruo-Er were almost equally matched against Wang Tong in a battle, they had no experience at all in surviving this harsh environment. Hence, they had no choice but to stick to Wang Tong. In a situation like this, Wang Tong would have to be fully focused in order to make quick decisions, or else all of them would be doomed in no time.
Chapter 229: Three is a Crowd
Translator: Double_L Editor: Hitesh_
The three of them rushed towards the ice-capped mountain at full speed. Fortunately, both Ma Xiaoru and Li Ruo-Er possessed decent stamina, or else, Wang Tong's energy would be completely drained. Throughout the whole journey, all Wang Tong did was navigating in front, and thankfully, both of them were strong enough to keep up.
Wang Tong immediately noticed that there was no entrance to the cavern> However, it would be impossible for them to search for another hiding place now. So in the end, Wang Tong had no choice but to use his chopping attacks to hack up an entrance. Wang Tong would rather lose an arm than freeze to death under this raging blizzard.
Wang Tong gathered all of his strength and unleashed more than ten strikes to the thinner parts of ice in no time. Wang Tong remembered that he did hack up a cavern once during his time on Norton. However, he didn't expect that this layer of ice was way thicker than the rocks on Norton.
Nevertheless, he was lucky enough to smash off chunks of ice, and then the trio immediately crawled into the cavern.
It was still daytime, yet the whole area was completely covered in darkness, Aurora City had completely vanished from their line of sight. The three of them were absolutely on their own. If it weren't because of Wang Tong's precise judgment, Li Ruo-Er and Ma Xiaoru would've already been lost in the middle of the blizzard.
Anyhow, all of them were safe for the time being despite the horrible situation out there. This ice cavern was the perfect shelter for such extreme weather.
Wang Tong sighed in relief. He was really lucky enough to smash off that huge chunk of tough ice, or else they would be in deep trouble.
Wang Tong took out his bone knife and infused it with GN Force, then began to widen up the space. After all, it was quite tight to fit the three of them.
"Thank you." Ma Xiaoru said as she stared at the land of darkness. What happened earlier was indeed a close shave. Wang Tong smiled back. It seemed like Ma Xiaoru was still as polite as she used to be.
Ma Xiaoru then turned towards Li Ruo-Er. Honestly, Li Ruo-Er was also traumatized by the raging blizzard, yet she said in an unyielding manner, "Hmph, this is just a piece of cake. Nothing can stop me!"
"Ruo-Er!" Ma Xiaoru pulled Li Ruo-Er by her sleeves. She knew that Li Ruo-Er was talking about the super METAL Suit inside their Space Crystal. Actually, the Soul Energy of both ladies had already reached Level Five, yet they were taught by their families to keep it a secret from others for their own good. Their level of Soul Energy was good enough for them to equip the METAL Suits for not more than half an hour, and with those powerful METAL Suits, they would be able to make it through this blizzard without much problem.
However, it would still be too dangerous for the both of them, as the only way to make it through this blinding snowstorm was to equip the super METAL Suits and race towards Aurora City. Yet, this method was extremely risky because they could be in grave danger once their energy was completely drained.
Nevertheless, Wang Tong didn't pay much attention to Li Ruo-Er. After all he was not that kind of person who would like to entertain a bossy and arrogant girl like her, and he wouldn't be bothered by her words. Still, Wang Tong wasn't spiteful. After all, she was just a spoiled kid who was lucky to be born into a wealthy family.
Wang Tong's hacking process had sped up a lot by infusing GN Force into his bone knife. Even though it wasn't razor sharp, it was hard enough to shave off boulders of ice in no time. Within minutes, Wang Tong had widened up the space inside the cavern. Since the interior of the cavern was bigger than the entrance, Wang Tong could even make it windproof by stuffing the entrance with a block of ice.
Li Ruo-Er was surprised to notice that her Skynet had no signal in this area. She didn't expect that the blizzard had even affected the magnetic frequency. It seemed like they had no choice but to wait for this blizzard to die down. However, most of the time, blizzards were very unpredictable. It could last for a short while, or it could last for months. If it lasted that long, they would be doomed for sure.
Moreover, only bigger air vessels in Aurora City would be able to take off in such extreme weather condition.
Aurora City itself was not affected by the blizzard due to its tough energy barrier. However the people from House of Li and House of Ma were busy looking for ways to rescue the young ladies, yet all search and rescue activities could only be carried out when the blizzard died down a little.
"Well, looks like we will be staying here for quite some time. Any of you brought any food?" Wang Tong asked and then continued saying, "If you ladies don't mind, I have some here for us to share."
Wang Tong would always prepare some water and nutrient pills in case of emergency. After the incident at Paradise Island, he had learned the lesson regarding the importance of food.
Li Ruo-Er rolled her eyes when she saw that all Wang Tong prepared were just some cheap mineral water and pills that she had never seen before. After all, she had been living the life of a princess and had never been in such miserable situation before.
"I brought something." Ma Xiaoru then took out some water, a good amount of delicious food, and even some daily necessities from her Space Crystal.
"Xiaoru… are you planning to move out?" Li Ruo-Er was surprised to see what Ma Xiaoru packed, because she would only store a few necessities and some weapons in her Space Crystal.
"Honestly, I dunno. All I remember was someone had once told me to be prepared for emergencies, and it seems like the person was right." Ma Xiaoru smiled and replied.
Wang Tong felt bad as he stared at Ma Xiaoru's gentle smile. He was the one who taught her about that. Wang Tong was surprised to find out that she remembered this even though her memories were sealed off. Apparently, she was still left with faint memories of those things that she had once held dearly, for instance, some important words or advice.
"Wow, I wonder who's that person." Li Ruo-Er laughed, and immediately knew who said that after noticing Ma Xiaoru's puzzled face and Wang Tong's weird expression.
"I believe that it would be my brother. He'd say things like that from time to time." Li Ruo-Er gave Wang Tong a funny glance while lying to Ma Xiaoru that it was Li Shimin's idea. She knew Wang Tong was not bold enough to tell her the truth.
"Perhaps. It seems like the blizzard is still raging. Looks like we have no choice but to be prepared for a longer stay. Since we've got enough food and water to last for a couple of weeks, I think we should widen more space and make each of us a room." Ma Xiaoru said.
The three of them were able to remain calm in such critical situation because they were strong enough to survive. Moreover, they knew that the people in Aurora City would be looking for them in no time.
"Yea let's do it, but I think two rooms are more than enough. Let's begin then!" Li Ruo-Er said as she arrogantly glanced at Wang Tong.
Wang Tong chose not to bother Li Ruo-Er, because he knew that she was just trying to mess with him. Now that Ma Xiaoru had already lost her memories, Wang Tong was afraid something bad would happen to her again if he tried to tell her what happened in the previous months.
She was lucky to recover from her berserk state by sealing off a part of her memories, and Wang Tong couldn't imagine what could save her if she were to go berserk again.
In the end, all Wang Tong could do was to pretend to be okay. To him, faking his emotions was way harder than fighting against a horde of Zergs.
Meanwhile, Ma Xiaoru and Li Ruo-Er were busy hacking the wall of ice with their high-quality swords that they had been storing in their Space Crystals.
"Hey Wang Tong, why don't you come over and help us? Didn't anyone teach you about ladies first?" Li Ruo-Er seemed to be enjoying her "ice-sculpting" project. However, she needed someone else to do the cleaning up.
In the end, Wang Tong began to help both of them to clean up as the ladies carried on with their hacking. Honestly, Wang Tong would never give a damn about Li Ruo-Er's taunts. He remembered that Old Fart had once told him that a real man should never be spiteful against women.
But to be honest, Old Fart was quite spiteful himself.
Nevertheless, Wang Tong didn't complain much since it was a place for Ma Xiaoru to stay.
Since they were not trying to stay here for too long, both ladies had managed to hack up a space that was about ten square feet wide. As soon as Wang Tong finished cleaning up, Ma Xiaoru then took out her warming mat from the Space Crystal and placed it on the floor. Then, she said, "I only have one warming mat. Why don't you stay here and share with us?"
"No, I disagree!" Li Ruo-Er exclaimed.
Wang Tong replied with a smile, "I'll be fine. This temperature is okay for me."
"Please let me know if you're cold, Ruo-Er might be rude, but she's actually a kind-hearted girl." Ma Xiaoru said softly.
"Hmph, this is who I am!" Li Ruo-Er said while resting in her room. Ma Xiaoru shook her head and smiled helplessly.
"Xi… Ms. Ma Xiaoru, why don't you go get some rest. I'll be fine by myself. Meanwhile, you can try sending a message back to Aurora City. After all, we shouldn't be staying here for too long."
"Alright, let us know if you need anything then." Ma Xiaoru nodded.
Wang Tong then began to hack up his own room as quickly as possible. He didn't mind how big or small was it. All he wanted was a place to rest.
To be honest, he was quite thankful for this unexpected blizzard, or else, he would've never been able to spend time with Ma Xiaoru again.
As soon as Wang Tong finished hacking and cleaning his own room, Li Ruo-Er and Ma Xiaoru had already finished turning their room into a cozy little hut. Both Wang Tong and Ma Xiaoru had brought along quite a decent amount of useful items, yet Li Ruo-Er's Space Crystal was only filled with stuff that wouldn't do any good in this situation.
The temperature was rather cold, yet the three of them were still able to handle since they were all fighters. The three of them stared blankly at the raging blizzard as they ate some food. They had no other methods to make contact with Aurora City, hence their only option was to wait for the rescuing team. However, they knew that the search and rescue party would not be able to work in this situation, not to mention it would be extremely risky to perform a search in this weather.
Li Ruo-Er had no intentions to share anything with Wang Tong. Even though they were stuck in this mess together, she had been busy chatting with Ma Xiaoru while signaling Wang Tong to keep his distance in order not to trigger any unnecessary happenings.
"I'm going to sleep. Wake me up if there's anything. Remember to initialize your tactics from time to time in order to maintain your body's condition." Wang Tong knew what Li Ruo-Er was trying to tell him. After all, he was afraid that something would happen if he got too close with the girls. After all, it was best for him to keep his distance from Ma Xiaoru for her own good.
"Ruo-Er, I think we should be more kind to him. After all, he did save us from the blizzard."
"Yea, yea I know, actually I'll know what to do in this situation even if he's not around." Li Ruo-Er would never thank Wang Tong, "Anyway, I believe that this blizzard will die down soon."
"Fingers crossed."
Both girls were extremely exhausted after spending the past four to five hours saving themselves, and they began to feel sleepy due to the warmth from the mat. In the end, they decided to take a quick nap since it was boring in the cavern.