Chapter 545: Another Negotiation
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
It almost felt like a dream came true for Aried, as he stood before this brand new laboratory filled with facilities of the wonders he saw every night. And he was coming with a filled pocket, a plump pocket full of gold to assist him in verifying the beliefs, the hypothesis in his mind, even though by terms he would have to let go of most of his research outcomes to his counterpart. It was still a deal, if it was not their sponsor, he would still be living in his dreams which never would manifest into reality.
He was also assigned an apprentice by Qiu Man, named Sang Kan.
It was a curious addition to his laboratory since the Sangs were the brightest family on the entire Yi Ju planet. They were the true rulers of the planet as they filled up most authoritative positions in the hierarchy. They once vanished yet they had recently resurfaced, out of the blue. They remained mysterious in the eyes of the people, with their Collision army rocking the world.
Sang Kan was assigned as an assistant but he was more like a student in the lab. He lacked the foundation of Space Science, however that did not obstruct him as Aried liked this little shy boy who put actual effort in learning. He was a quick and intelligent learner too, technically a perfect student for a 60-year-old researcher like Aried. Aried hoped that Sang Kan would be able to be his successor at one point, so whenever this young boy asked about anything, Aried would be more than willing to provide answers.
The Sangs were almost everywhere on Planet Yi Ju. One could see them serving every industry with their common diligence despite having a weak education background. Most masters adored the Sangs and that led to a bunch of green-eyed monsters in the apprenticeship.
The Sangs were developing rapidly, as countless medication as well as apparatuses were being transported to Sang Family Village which had received a complete overhaul by then. The population was blooming, life standards were elevating, yet their gratitude towards the great teacher, Ye Chong remained. They would probably still be living in the caves if the teacher never came.
Compared to those established aristocrats who had lived comfortably in glory for too long, the Sangs were hard workers. And today, a growing trend of emigration could be discerned among them, especially the youngsters who were required to first complete combat training at Archipelago since the old chief still recognized military training as an essential part of their lives. In the meantime they were also required to complete basic academic training.
So once the training was completed, emigration would occur. Those who passed the examination would head to Planet Yi Ju escorted by the cargo fleet. On the planet, they would be relocated to all sorts of industries under apprenticeships of all known masters.
They lived up to Ye Chong's spirit as they swarmed upon the mechanic industries, while there was hardly anybody striving for the philosophies.
Every Sang worked intensely in the industry, as they had been abandoned by the world for too long. They had to chase after the footprints of the century as their blood boiled with their innate will to fight. It was a similar spirit to Ye Chong. Their lives had improved and no way they would want to turn back. They would charge, they would advance forward, with more glories and gold!
The name of their great teacher had slowly faded away from the mind of the residents on Planet Yi Ju, yet remained in the heart of every Sang who strived in search of their supreme spiritual leader.
The search was never once halted all these years. The Sangs had invested a considerable amount of workforce and assets yet there was no voice coming from their leader in the outer space.
It was heartbreaking.
Well, little the Sangs knew, their supreme leader was also the same, heartbroken somewhere at another corner of galaxy.
...(Back to Ye Chong)...
Early in the morning, people crowded Ye Chong's manor. They were of the nobility who grew extreme interest in his style after witnessing the battle that day. They would like to be his apprentices and with their prestigious social status in Sun City, they believed they could gain their teacher's attention with a petition!
That was what Sun Sieha would love to see. He was over the moon.
In the midst of the fiasco, Shu Mo'er and Shu Man'er stood among the crowd, without a single fatigue visible on their expression, as their chilly charm captured the attention of all young men around.
Everything went as Sun Sieha predicted. The outcome of the duel had reached the entire city in one night, the story grew sensationalized the more lips it reached, that Ye Chong had literally become an entity as if the demon in the latest version of the story. Nevertheless, the noble family had seen opportunities in this devilish young man, especially under His Majesty's constant effort of promoting hand-to-hand combats. So they sent all their best descendants to join the martial arts festival.
Mastering parapsychic sense would almost unavoidably involve one's talent, and not everyone was gifted with such talent, including a majority of the noble descendants in the city. Under the "helpful" culture promoted by forces in Eastern Cloud, they were humiliated by those gifted shooters of the upper class. It was darkness ahead for their future, until a spark showed up and illuminated the entire world for them, someone who was able to defeat 12 Level 6 shooters singlehandedly with brute force, someone named Ye Chong.
Passion had warmed the entire city.
And when Shu Man'er came to the scene with her sister, the atmosphere had only intensified further.
"Is that Shu Man'er? Wait, two of them?"
"Shu Man'er has an elder sister?!"
"Wow you are slow on the news, man. Yes, she has a sister and both of them are Level 6, under the same master. Shu Mo'er was once unknown to the people only because she had been training at the outside alone."
"Tsk, such sisterhood. How many men's hearts must they shoot this time?"
"Meh. They would shoot everybody except you. Didn't you know? They want to be Master Ye's apprentice. If you want to at least have a glance upon their fairness you have to be fast, since they could be having a wild goose chase. Mhm? Well, Master Ye did not seem interested in taking them. Why, you ask? Think with your knees, what kind of a figure is Master Ye? He's the top craftsman in this Eastern Cloud! He could fill up his entire bank account even by just crafting a toy! Do you think he needs to carry out tuition classes for extra cash? Don't you remember he leisurely won a hundred and fifty million in the last duel? Even the ruler feels like a hobo, that he would speak with cautious courtesy as he talked to Master Ye in person. He has both fame and money, no one would want to mess with him. So? What conclusion can we get? Taking in apprentices is totally unnecessary and bothersome for our Master Ye. Don't forget Master Ye had said it before, only twenty apprentices at most. Be there or be square. Don't be sorry if you just so happen to be the person after the next when there was only one slot left. Imagine if you get it, you get to be with the two beautiful sisters. Those eye candies are more than convincing, so you see... hmm?? Where did yo- Hey! Don't get on your mark yet! I'm not done yet!"
...(Back to Ye Chong's manor)...
"Hey! Master! Take me!"
"No! Take me! I'll clean the floor!"
"I'll clean the floor and the bathroom!"
"I'll clean the floor and the bathroom and the lawn!"
"I'll clean everything, including maste- wait, stop punching me, ah!"
There was a giant crowd awaiting the great one to speak. And the great one was having a headache figuring out a solution. Formerly, he only intended to take a mere few members of nobility as apprentices, as agreed to the conditions with Sun Sieha. Then that "few" members had become that "few flock" of members. He could see at least 3000 people standing by the gate, while there would be new fans joining ever few so often.
Out of sudden, an unmarked fighter machine zoomed towards Ye Chong's manor, Ye Chong could tell it was Sun Sieha's.
It soon landed at the lawn. It was, in fact, Sun Sieha who exited the crane and he was alone this time, there was no guardsman.
"I think this is more than what you told me," said Ye Chong as he glanced at the crowd outside.
"Hah!" Sun Sieha responded, "Hah! It's just... an accident. I really had no idea these youngsters could be so fanatic about your achievement."
"I might have decided to cooperate with you on an agreement." Ye Chong was expressionless. "But this has clearly gone overboard."
Sun Sieha sighed helplessly, "I did not expect these to happen. I thought the crowd would appear only after you had won the national tournament at least. But the popularity grew so rapidly. I do not think it is plausible to turn down everything at this point. It would be a good chance to massively take in apprentices though, don't you think?"
"This is beyond what we have agreed." Ye Chong shook his head.
"Alright then. What's your proposition?" Sun Sieha obviously could do nothing to Ye Chong. He thought Ye Chong was a typical simple boy but in actuality Ye Chong was such a plotter, a cunning one too! Sun Sieha could not criticize, both instances they had dealt contained no loophole, which left Sun Sieha no choice but to obey whatever proposed. It was a terrible feeling for a lord to bow before another lord.
"If you are doing something beyond the agreement, you're against it. For that, you have to pay." Ye Chong began proposing, "I have no issue in taking in these people, with conditions however."
"What conditions?" Sun Sieha's brows raised.
"First, based on the current situation, I do not see the need in participating the tournament, thus I would like my entry to be revoked."
"Hmm..." Sun Sieha pondered, "Not much of a problem, still you have to at least perform something during the tournament, like a showcase with a Level 8 shooter. Also, you have to come and attend my ceremony. I mean, basic exchange of courtesy? You would do me a favor right?"
"Okay." Ye Chong fully agreed on this. He would no longer need to invest pointless efforts in that national tournament. He would save time as time was the most precious to him.
"Moving on, I have total free will to make the ultimate judgment upon these people."
"Sure!" Sun Sieha was nonchalant. "No problem! Kill as many of them if you wish, all of them would never be succeeding the family business. Nobody would be against you just because you killed a few nobodies."
"Third, once any of them had completed my training, I own the priority in choosing them, while all the procedures in our agreement formerly remained unchanged, my authority remains."
"Okay, sure," replied Sun Sieha promptly. He was joyful that the master did not make a preposterous offer this time fortunately.