The trade interface in the personal terminal provides a platform for selling and buying but lacks the function to teleport items through space.
To truly complete a transaction, one still needs to meet in reality.
Jiang Chen had just conquered the difficulty level of Endless Demons Realm and was in urgent need of contribution points, so he hurriedly came to Xuntian City and sold all his materials and modules.
He then found some shops that were still open and began to purchase the items he needed.
He outright bought a 0th Rank mecha repair toolbox valued at one thousand contribution points.
Next, he spent eight hundred and fifty contribution points to buy a 0th Rank external melee weapon.
[Small Thermal Lightsaber]
[Rank: 0]
[Quality: Excellent]
[Type: External Melee Weapon]
[Effect One: Activates at an energy consumption of 5% per minute from the mecha.]
[Effect Two: For every point of energy consumed, increase the lightsaber's power by one point.]
[Effect Three: For every point of strength the wielder has, increase the lightsaber's power by one point.]
[Effect Four: External weapon, energy consumption increases by an additional 100% (does not enhance power).]
[Description: Surely no one wouldn't want to hold a lightsaber and slash through abyss monsters, right? Come to No.367 on Xuntian City Weapon Street to Old Wang's Weapon Shop to satisfy all your violent fantasies—rookie mecha pilots enjoy a 15% discount!]
[Price: 1000 contribution points]
In the low-rank period, most mecha pilots pay more attention to strength and agility, which directly improve combat abilities.
Few mecha pilots allocate most modules and enhancements towards increasing Energy Value.
As a result, the power of ranged weapons is greatly limited.
Moreover, the energy recovery speed of low-ranked mecha is low, and in battles against a large number of monsters, melee weapons, which can be utilized for an extended duration, are more practical than ranged weapons.
Therefore, the prices of low-rank melee weapons are much higher than those of ranged weapons.
When Jiang Chen first visited the weapon shop, he wanted to buy a melee weapon, not only for its powerful force but also to avoid the situation of being unarmed.
Unfortunately, due to financial constraints, he could only choose other items.
Now, he finally had the funds to make a full purchase.
Additionally, Jiang Chen wasn't the only mecha pilot with a physical enhancement talent.
When forging weapons, the smiths also took this into account, creating weapons that could substitute the consumption of stamina for energy.
Without wearing a mecha, Jiang Chen could activate the thermal lightsaber and even a thermal energy pistol.
With the remaining one hundred and fifty contribution points, he bought a pair of special shorts made from higher-grade materials, ensuring that they wouldn't be damaged at the 0th Rank.
After a round of spending, the contribution points he had just received were all used up, but the experience was quite satisfying.
However, as Jiang Chen stepped off the magical array formation, he couldn't help but speak out.
"I've run to Xuntian City three times today, for registration, enhancement, and purchasing supplies..."
"The teleportation array formations are convenient, but traveling to the Alliance District still takes time! Isn't this too much of a hassle?"
"Bai Ying, can I directly live in Xuntian City?"
"..."
Bai Ying was silent for a moment.
Other rookie mecha pilots, even the top talents who could easily clear abyss carbon copies, also need to consider energy depletion.
Who else but you, Sir, explores the abyss, learns forging, observes enhancements... and still remains energetic and spirited after a whole day, even late into the night?
You've already destroyed your mecha twice!
At that moment, Bai Ying felt sympathy for some unknown, naive mecha soul.
Our mecha life is too hard.
"Sir, Xuntian City only allows the rental of houses, establishments of shops, and does not permit the construction of a private base."
"If you want to teleport to Xuntian City quickly, you can spend contribution points to build a private teleportation array formation at your personal base to link with the teleportation array in Xuntian City..."
"Or, you could use contribution points to directly rent a residence in the Alliance District, which is also not far from the teleportation array."
A personal teleportation array formation?
It sounded expensive, something he couldn't afford right now.
Jiang Chen shook his head.
It's better to take the trouble and walk a few extra steps.
When he had enough money, he would consider moving then.
"By the way, Senior Ruan mentioned that a high rank mecha pilot built a custom mecha enhancement field within a star system..."
"Do all these high rank mecha pilots establish their own personal bases outside of Planet Blue Star and then commute freely back and forth through teleportation array formations?"
"Moon? Mars?"
"Being able to freely explore exoplanets and establish personal bases, that sounds wonderful..."
However, the matter of personal bases was still too far away.
On the contrary, a store in Xuntian City was closer to Jiang Chen's reach.
Once he broke through to 1st Rank, he could rent a store in Xuntian City to sell his high-difficulty abyss spoils and take orders from other mecha pilots.
By then, he could have Bai Ying as the store's poster girl, making the most out of every bit of employment fees.
Jiang Chen imagined his store thriving more and more, making a fortune every day.
It was at this moment that his personal terminal vibrated slightly, and a voice rang out.
"Abyss atmosphere detected converging nearby, an abyss monster is about to emerge."
"Estimated strength: 0th Rank."
"According to the 'Mecha Pilot Peacekeeping Act', please proceed to suppress it as soon as possible."
An abyss monster was being born?
Jiang Chen quickly took out his personal terminal, and saw the screen had turned into a radar pattern with a red dot representing the abyss monster flashing about two kilometers away from him.
After confirming the location, he didn't hesitate to shout.
"Bai Ying!"
"Understood."
Bai Ying nodded slightly, turned into a streak of light, and vanished from sight in an instant.
Jiang Chen stayed in place, waiting for her return.
The greatest use of Xuntian City was not to serve as the headquarters for alliance mecha pilots, but to monitor Planet Blue Star around the clock.
It would mark and judge the abyss atmosphere that spills over before the abyss monsters enter the real world.
Then, through the personal terminal, it summons the mecha pilots near the abyss monster that have the power to defeat the monster, reminding them to go and kill the monster to rescue the survivors.
As for issuing a rescue mission within Xuntian City and gathering mecha pilots to set off for rescue...
That only happens when the abyss monster is too strong and there is no one nearby to handle it.
Just like when Jiang Chen was attacked on the bus, time is of the essence.
If they arrive too late and all the survivors are dead, even after defeating the monster, there would be huge losses.
But now,
Jiang Chen had a 7th Rank bodyguard by his side, effectively forming an oversized safe zone.
Any abyss monster appearing nearby didn't require him to make a move; summoning Bai Ying was enough to handle it easily.
Just like now, about three minutes after Bai Ying disappeared, she flew back.
Obviously, she had already solved the problem...
Wait a minute?
Jiang Chen's gaze sharpened.
He saw Bai Ying carrying over her left shoulder a two-meter-tall Orc monster, and in her right hand a middle-aged man, landing in front of him.
"My lord, Bai Ying has brought back all the abyss monsters and survivors so you can begin the suppression," she said.
"?"