The Legendary Mechanic c1-1385
Page 477
“Sister Shanna was the oldest child in the orphanage. She always took care of everyone, and we all saw her as our older sister. She had freckles on her face. I think that she looked very pretty and gentle when she smiled with the dimples on her cheeks. I always dreamed of her when I was little.
“I thought that they were bullying older sister Shanna, so I picked up a stone and threw it at the forehead of one of them. Then, they beat me up. After growing up, only then did I know what they were doing to Shanna back then.
“After that, older sister Shanna left the town without saying goodbye. I don’t know where she went.
“Then, the guy whose forehead I hit went to the orphanage to complain. The head of the orphanage scolded me. I asked him why my parents didn’t have my back. He said that my parents died long ago. They went into the mountains to harvest things and met demonic spirits.
“Only then did I know that I had no one to rely on in this world.
“When I was ten, I left the orphanage and became an apprentice at the carpenters’ workshop in town.
“When I was fifteen, my teacher got a job that needed him to go to Stone Heart City, which was nearby. He brought us there, and after working there for half a month, we finally finished the job. On that night, Pilly cheekily said that he was going to take me to a good place. Pilly was the senior apprentice of the carpenter workshop, a few years older than me. Then, we went to a pub in Stone Heart City called ‘Honey’. That was the first time I ever drank. In that place, I saw Sister Shanna, whom I had not seen for many years.
“She was working in the pub. She had thick makeup on her face, and she smiled more than before. But her smile looked fake to me. It reminded me of the smiley-faced dolls I carved hundreds of times.
“Her job was to take food to the guests. When she passed by, there were always people who placed their hands on her body. Every time that happened, she smiled more clearly and even faker. I remember that she was still very young, but I noticed that she already had wrinkles at the edges of her eyes.
“Pilly said that I was an adult now. He had already paid, so Sister Shanna would take me to the second floor and help me to become an adult. Only then did I realize that she had become a prostitute, and her business was quite good.
Many people paid for her.
“I remember how my mind became blank. I fought with Pilly but lost. He was taller and tougher than me. I was pressed on the floor and beaten up badly. Sister Shanna did not come to help. I don’t know if she recognized me.
“After that, I was thrown out of the pub. My eyes swollen, and my body hurt, but I did not want to return to the hotel and wandered around the streets.
__On that night, I met a wizard.
“Sometimes, I can’t help but admit how unpredictable life can be. When I was a kid, I never thought that I would become a wizard in the future.
“Over the next five years, I learned all kinds of spells and ways to make magic potions in Stone Heart City. Mister Lanley always praised me, saying that I’m talented. I don’t know if he meant it… Anyhow, I stepped into another hidden world. My old life became distant and unreachable.
“The others set a goal for me—to beat a person called Vosumede. Although I didn’t know him, everyone said that he’s my enemy.
“When I was twenty, I met four people who called themselves deities. I never thought that this would be the turning point of my life.
“Their appearance changed everything. They easily completed the goal that us wizards in the gathering point had spent fifty years fighting for. I saw my enemy, Vosumede, for the first time, and then he was casually killed by the deities.
“The deities chose me and brought me to the Kingdom of Deities. I thought I would then become a faithful believer, but everything that happened after overthrew my knowledge of everything.
“We boarded a huge metal box, and this box could actually fly. When we entered the sky, I realized that my world was actually a ball!
“Why is it a ball? I don’t understand!
“The God of Luck told me that the world I was in is called Nalun. It’s something called a planet. Outside the planet is a place called the universe. In the universe, there are countless planets like Planet Nalun.
“I was really shocked, more shocked than when I realized the existence of deities. I never could have thought of something like this even in my wildest imaginations.
“However, the God of Luck then told me that them being so called deities was just a joke. They were just visitors from the universe, and I’m the only one from Planet Nalun to enter the galaxy. I could not believe that this had happened to me!
“He said that his name was Feidin, and he told me what the real world was like. This completely shattered my past world view.
“Feidin said that they were all members of the Black Star Army. That guy who tricked me is the leader of the army. I have never seen someone this shameless before…
“Nonetheless, I felt gratitude toward him. If he had not chosen me, I would have forever been an ignorant native like Feidin said, never getting to know the truth of the universe. His Excellency Black Star changed my entire life.
The Black Star Army seems to be a very strong organization in the universe, and I became a member of the Black Star Army… Alright, I’m used to things like this. Just like back in the gathering point, I once again joined an organization out of nowhere.
“For many days, I was confused and lost. While Feidin taught me the general knowledge of the world, he told me that if I don’t know what to do, I should take helping my mother planet as my life goal—this is the destiny of a pioneer of a civilization.
“Honestly, I like this destiny.
“Mister Feidin helped me a lot. I think he’s a good man. He looks nice when he smiles, like Sister Shanna in the past.
“After a few days, I was sent up to another spaceship. They were sending me to the Black Star Army headquarters to learn magic. They said that I’m talented. Sigh, why does everyone think I’m a magic genius? Isn’t magic very simple?
“I was handed over to a person that looked miserable and depressed. He said that he would be my teacher from now on.
“Honestly, I don’t think he’s a suitable teacher. He told me, ‘Magic is actually not that useful. Just learn something so that I can say I’ve done my part.'”
Three months later, on Planet Macipher…
This was a well known, neutral planet in the Shattered Star Ring, located at the edge of the Star Field and not ruled by any civilization.
At this moment, Han Xiao’s spaceship was hovering above Planet Macipher.
Three months had passed since his trip to Planet Nalun.
In those three months, the biggest battle up till now had erupted in the secret war. As the Crimson Dynasty leaked rumors about the negotiation starting to come to an end, Section Zero and the Bloodshed Land began an all-out war to delay the time. The two sides gave up all conservative strategies and fought head-on.
The warfare was tragic. In just the short three months, the Calamity Grades that died on both sides added up to close to a hundred.
Han Xiao did not participate, and Purple Crystal allowed that, but the Black Star Army had to fight given how many resources they had consumed.
The army was led by Lagi and Herlous. The players were given suicidal missions, so the number of casualties of lower- middle combatants was kept to an acceptable range. As for the high-level combatants, without their leader, Black Star, many Calamity Grades were injured. However, Han Xiao told Aurora to make some super strong recovery potions that saved lives in crucial times. Thanks to that, none of the high-level combatants of the army died.
During all that, Han Xiao took Hila, Aurora, and Feidin to travel all around the Star Field to do side missions. Tomar was the only protagonist character that he had been able to woo. This leek was given to Lagi to slowly cultivate. Han Xiao had obtained five new talents in the past three months.
Three of them were commo
n talents, and two were rare talents. All of them were useful in some way. His actual combat capability increased to a certain extent. However, the most important thing that he received was not those talents but the Experience that he had been hoarding throughout the three months.
The senior players and new players of the army provided him with plenty of Experience. According to his calculation, that Experience was more than enough for him to level up to above level 235. He was getting closer to level 240.
The speed of getting Experience is faster than I expected. It seems to be because these new players are starting to learn Advanced Knowledges as well. At this rate, in about half a month, my Experience would be enough for me to reach level 240…
Inside the spaceship, Han Xiao was rather excited.
He had yet to use the Experience on leveling up—this was mainly because he wanted to use the Experience as a trump card for dealing with the possible revenge of EsGod’s subordinates.
However, after waiting for three months, EsGod’s subordinates had yet to appear.
Since the enemies did not appear, he was in no hurry to level up. After all, the Experience was not going anywhere. Thus, Han Xiao continued to farm talents. Planet Macipher was his next stop.
This neutral planet was known for two things—their enormous black market that consisted of countless products and their developed galactic shipyard industry.
There were a ton of mechanical and magic based shipyards there. A large number of spaceship models could be ordered there. Many galactic travelers went to Planet Macipher to build ships.
As it was a neutral planet, Planet Macipher was filled with all kinds of people. The shipyards did not care about the guests’ identity; anyone could make an order as long as they paid for it. Quite a number of galactic pirates or wanted criminals would put on a disguise and go there to purchase and resupply their spaceships.
Neutral planets always had a powerful ruler, and Planet Macipher was no exception. The owner of this planet was called Sardeem, nicknamed ‘Giant Soldier Architect’, a powerful Grade A+ Mechanic.
However, Han Xiao’s goal for this trip was not him.
Through the spaceship porthole, Han Xiao looked down on the metal planet surface of Planet Macipher. He then turned around to the others and said, “Let’s put on a disguise. We’re not using our real faces here.”
As he spoke, Han Xiao placed a transparent membrane on his face. Electrical circuits flashed on the membrane surface and turned into the face of another person.
This was a mask that he had learned to make a long time ago. The technology used in it had been updated dozens of times, and it was much more undetectable.
Hila and the others did not ask why and wore the membranes to disguise themselves—they had become used to Han Xiao’s strange actions in the past three months.
There was an obtainable Mechanic class talent on Planet Macipher. Its effect was to enhance the ability to build machines.
This was a mission exclusive to Mechanics. He had to apply for employment in a certain shipyard and become a shipbuilder. Of course, with Black Star’s identity, there was no doubt that he would not become a shipbuilder of a shipyard. Thus, Han Xiao had to disguise himself, cover up his handsome face, and be an ordinary man temporarily. Only then would he be able to trigger the mission.
After I’m done with this mission, I should have around enough Experience to reach level 240…
Han Xiao took a deep breath, clenched his fists, and gave the order to Phillip.
“Descend.”
Chapter 746 - 746 Planet Macipher and the Cornerstone Summit Corporation
746 Planet Macipher and the Cornerstone Summit Corporation
As Planet Macipher was not a colonial planet but an industrial neutral planet that would naturally attract people, there were only five cities on the planet’s surface—one main city and four sub cities. Han Xiao landed in the main city, which was the biggest.
Looking down from above, Planet Macipher had a very strong industrial theme. It was mainly made up of large spaceship yards. Some were even assembling large spaceships in the open, and the skeletons of these spaceships could be seen from above. There were no actual residences on the planet, only the hostels for the Mechanic workers and entertainment facilities, as well as all sorts of hotels for the galactic travelers.
At the heart of the city was a conch-shaped mechanical hovering city—this was the base of ‘Giant Soldier Architect’ Sardeem. It was wide at the bottom and narrow at the top. Sixteen two-hundred-and-forty-meter-tall sentry-type mechanical Giant Soldiers were mounted at the base of the hovering city, which were all in standby mode and would automatically be activated when attacked. They were very powerful.
The three branches of the Mechanic class all had their specialties. Sardeem was clearly an Armed Branch Grade A+ Mechanic that mastered building powerful mechanical Giant Soldiers.
Planet Macipher had eight planet surface ports. Han Xiao’s spaceship followed the instructions from the surface and landed in Surface Port 3 before entering the hangar. After Han Xiao went through the simple procedures, he led the disguised Hila and the others out of the port, mixing into the crowd and entering the city.
There were beings from all kinds of races on the streets—human-like beings and even some pedipalp beings—all galactic residents from different Star Clusters. The universal translator allowed them to communicate with each other at ease.
“It’s so boisterous here. Both are neutral planets. Why is Floating Dragon so quiet?” Aurora looked around curiously.
“Well, that’s because Floating Dragon doesn’t have a specialty, and it’s not friendly to foreign financial groups.”
Han Xiao shook his head and smiled. Places with Beyond Grade As in them were always popular. The reason that Floating Dragon did not prosper was completely due to their strategy—Ames did not want to develop Floating Dragon at all.
Furthermore, from the aspect of the territory type, Planet Macipher was a pure industrial planet while Floating Dragon was Ames’ home. The management mode and openness of the two were different.
Sardeem had enough strength to be the boss of an organization. He was also a Mechanic who was good at attracting investments and businesses. Thus, it was easy for him to make a place popular.
This time, the sound of energy spraying flashed past the sky. They looked up, and a team of mechanical soldiers happened to pass by. They were the armed forces that Sardeem used to maintain the law. They were also his own mechanical troops.
Opening a neutral planet is quite profitable. Hmm, although my Black Star Army is at a higher level, making a neutral industrial planet seems to be quite a good idea. It can gather more leeks…Hmm, but that’s a matter to think about after the secret war ends…
Han Xiao caressed his chin and pondered about the business expansion of the army.
Black Star’s name was quite well known in the Shattered Star Ring. Fortunately, they had put on a disguise, so no one recognized him. The group boarded ground vehicles and went to a shipyard at the center area of the main city.
This shipyard was extremely large and grand. Han Xiao and the rest stopped outside the gate and looked up at the colorful floating virtual signboard. On it were the words ‘Cornerstone Summit Corporation’ written in Universal Language.
This was one of the most credible and reputable shipyards on Planet Macipher.
This is the right place.” Han Xiao nodded. He opened the communicator. On it was the hiring notice of the Cornerstone Summit Corporation.
This kind of large shipyards recruited Mechanics constantly. The minimum requirement was Grade Cs or owners of a Mechanic Technician Work Permit distributed by a Star System civilization—just like companies in the real world that required minimum education qualifications.
Han Xiao did not have a Machinery Technician Work Permit. This was something that only those Supers focusing on researching and life skills needed. Its main purpose was to make things more conven
ient for research personnel and technicians that did not like fighting. Han Xiao had never had a need for this. Plus, with his Grade, he would get it easily without any tests if he wanted to.
Supers had extraordinary powers. Some used this power for violence—such as the galactic pirates, mercenaries, and bounty hunters. Some used this power to produce and manufacture things. Supers were also important labor and production forces in the galactic society.
Among which, the business of Mechanics and Mages was the most popular. Some Espers with special Esper abilities also had quite good business, and Psychics were suitable for therapy, reconnaissance, and the like. Pugilists were the only ones that had very worrying futures in the business world. After all, Pugilists were the best in manual labor jobs, which was something even robots could do but for a much cheaper price. After all, who would hire Pugilists just to carry things around the site?
Han Xiao and the rest walked into the shipyard. There were many guests in the reception hall who were all there to order spaceships. They were using the self-service screens to browse through the spaceship models available and make orders.
Han Xiao went to an unoccupied self-service screen and pressed on manual service instantly. The next moment, the image on the screen changed into a pretty lady receptionist of the Galaxy Human Race.
“Hello, welcome to the Cornerstone Summit Corporation. How may I help you?”
“I’m a Mechanic here to look for employment.” Han Xiao expressed his intentions. The disguise was effective, and he would not be recognized.
“Okay, please follow the reception robot. You will be led to an interviewer.
A palm-sized, spherical robot wearing a mini receptionist uniform flew over. It was really adorable. It bowed and led the way.
They left the reception hall, passed by the exterior factories, and entered a huge workshop. Han Xiao immediately saw quite a few low-level Mechanics working on the various workbenches, assembling parts.