The weapon refiner is not doing her job properly

Chapter 172 Sharp Questions
She was clearly surprised and intrigued by Yun Fei's hidden skill.

When talking about his true hobbies, Yun Fei's face showed a rare ease. He looked at Su Ninglong and said in a much gentler tone than usual, "Well, I'll take you to visit my company next time. My assistant, Xiao Liang, specially set up a display cabinet to show all my 'works'."

Su Ninglong had never set foot on Yun Fei's private property before. "Okay!"

This straightforward response revealed a certain vibrancy that is typical of someone her age.

The host's smiling gaze then turned to Tong Zi and Shen Zhaoming, encouraging them to share some of their personal lives.

Tong Zi understood, a slight smile playing on her lips, and gracefully raised one hand, waving it gently.

In an instant, the various rings adorning her slender fingers shone brilliantly under the lights of the live broadcast room.

Those rings are uniquely designed, exquisitely crafted, and inlaid with gemstones that are either crystal clear or deep in color. Their unique shapes are artistic and their dazzling brilliance and unique beauty seem to have an invisible magic, instantly and accurately "hitting" the hearts of countless female viewers in front of the screen.

"My hobbies," Tong Zi said cheerfully, "are collecting gemstones, designing and making jewelry, enjoying the peaceful time of fishing, and, well, I've also been lucky enough to win a few photography awards."

Su Ninglong clicked her tongue inwardly in amazement. As expected of the incredibly wealthy Tong Zi, even her hobbies were so niche and expensive.

The host's gaze then fell on Shen Zhaoming. He habitually adjusted his glasses, revealing a calm gaze behind the lenses, and stated in a steady tone, "Personally, I prefer strategy games and logic puzzles, enjoying the process of solving them. For a time, I was fascinated by perfumes, collecting various natural ingredients to try and create unique fragrances, and I also learned some bartending techniques. In the evenings, I choose rock climbing, enjoying the feeling of pushing my limits. As for my daily routine in the lab, it mainly involves researching and developing new synthetic materials with my colleagues."

The live stream chat was flooded with comments as the guests shared their insights, creating a vibrant and engaging atmosphere.

Comments: My god, these hunters are so disciplined! Look at their hobbies: shooting, model making, puzzle solving, rock climbing, jewelry design. Which one doesn't require super focus and a lot of time to study? I thought that with such a high-risk profession, they would indulge in nightlife or spend their free time surrounded by beautiful women to expend their excess energy.

Comments: +1 to the comment above, stereotypes shattered. But thinking about it, it makes sense. The marriage rate among hunters is indeed low. I've heard they're generally more reserved with their emotions? Maybe they don't need the kind of 'expression' that ordinary people have.

Comments: We've gone off-topic! Where's that cool girl in the corner? Ask her! She's only a teenager, but with that aura and those looks, she's definitely a future beauty. I really want to know what she likes?
Comments: Hey, watch your words. She's only eleven years old. Show some respect and don't use that flippant tone.

Comments: Tsk, have you guys noticed? Assistant Sun, who kept emphasizing her 'teacher' status, is as quiet as a chicken right now. Does she not have any notable hobbies? Or does she have some but dare not mention them in this situation?
Comments: Please stop making malicious speculations! Teacher Sun is a sacred artifact restorer, a top-notch technical profession where the job itself is her greatest passion! It's just that you don't like listening to her talk about her profession.

Comments: Quick, quick, what are the girl's hobbies? Director, are you watching?
Due to strong audience demand, the host finally turned her attention to Su Ninglong in the corner of the sofa. She took a deep breath and prayed that the cool girl wouldn't lose control and throw a tantrum.

"Where's Ning Long? Everyone's curious about what our youngest 'hunter' has in her spare time."

"Me?" Su Ninglong tilted her head. Her understanding of "hobbies" was something that could make her happy and relaxed, so she said bluntly, "I love to eat, all kinds of delicious food."

"Pfft!" Almost simultaneously, Yun Fei, Shen Zhaoming, and Tong Zi couldn't help but burst out laughing.

This answer is so "Suninglong".

"What are you laughing at?" Su Ninglong glared at them, then emphasized matter-of-factly, "My hobby is so down-to-earth! So practical!"

The live stream chat was instantly flooded with "hahaha" and "so true," with viewers laughing heartily and expressing their strong agreement.

Who doesn't love to eat? Suninglong's simple and unpretentious answer instantly bridged the gap with countless "foodies" in front of their screens.

Tong Zi couldn't help but chuckle, her eyes full of laughter: "Silly girl, when other people are interviewed, the hobbies they talk about are all skills that sound 'high-class'."

As she spoke, she habitually reached out and affectionately ruffled Su Ninglong's hair; this gesture had long become her natural reaction when facing this girl.

Su Ninglong: "If I were to really talk about my 'highbrow' hobbies, you guys definitely wouldn't want to hear it."

"How could that be? Tell me about it." Tong Zi immediately followed up with another question, taking the opportunity to openly and legitimately gain a deeper understanding.

These words accurately piqued the curiosity of the audience both at the venue and in front of their screens.

What sophisticated hobby could a girl who claims to "love to eat" possibly have? Everyone felt a ticklish sensation, like being tickled by a feather.

Su Ninglong counted on her fingers, her tone light and cheerful: "I like math, and I've already learned the mathematical theories related to subspace travel. Bio-artificial intelligence is also one of my strengths. Research on new materials is also quite interesting. I've been practicing swordsmanship. I've read quite a few history books. Detective novels are my favorite. As for fishing, I know a little bit, oh right. I can also make some small musical instruments. Are these 'high-class' enough?"

After he finished speaking, the room fell silent for a moment.

Everyone: "..." The scope and depth of this list are really beyond our expectations.

"How old are you?" Assistant Sun finally couldn't help but speak up, openly questioning and mocking, "How could you possibly learn so many things at the same time? Didn't your mentor teach you to be down-to-earth and not to try to show off?"

Su Ninglong spread her hands, with a "I knew it" expression, and looked at Tong Zi: "See, as expected, some people didn't want to hear it after I said it."

“Some people don’t want to hear this, but others do. I can confirm that you’re not lying. I know your expertise in bio-artificial intelligence.”

“Some people are not happy about it, but others are very happy to hear it, and I can confirm that your ability in biological artificial intelligence is by no means an exaggeration.” Shen Zhaoming said calmly, looking frankly at the camera. “It’s just that she is not interested in this, otherwise Professor Ling would have already brought her into the core team of the laboratory.”

He knew Su Ninglong had talent in this area, but she had chosen a more "free" path. Yun Fei also nodded with a smile, "I have personally learned swordsmanship from Master Su. You are her disciple, so your skill level won't be bad."

In order to improve his knife skills, he once mustered up the courage to challenge the robot codenamed "Fish Lips" (i.e., Master Su).
As a result, being unilaterally crushed made him deeply understand what a "Dominator" level monster was like. The swordsmanship was so exquisite and swift that if he hadn't relied on his unique ability, he would have had no chance of winning.

Tong Zi immediately joined in corroborating this, teasingly adding with a touch of wry smiles, "I'm the most qualified to speak on fishing. Remember that time? I sat by the lake all day, and my fishing rod didn't even budge, while she effortlessly filled a whole bucket. At first, I didn't know her and thought she was just a newbie with incredible luck, but after we got to know each other, I realized..."

She sighed dramatically, "It's all tears when I talk about it. Chun Chun was completely humiliated."

Yun Fei, Shen Zhaoming, and Tong Zi all stood up for Su Ninglong. In the eyes of the director and host, who were well-versed in human relationships, this action showed that Su Ninglong was an irreplaceable core figure in the Star Alliance.

As for Assistant Sun, who called himself a "teacher," he seemed to have been temporarily pushed out to interview an "ordinary" worker.

The live stream camera keenly captured this signal, subtly shifting the main view slightly to focus more on the girl in the corner of the sofa.

As the interview progressed, Mao Xi, an internet celebrity with a huge fan base, finally found an opportunity to speak. He looked at Su Ninglong with a perfectly appropriate familiar smile: "Speaking of which, Su, I wonder if you still remember me? It's quite a coincidence, as this isn't the first time we've worked together on screen."

Su Ninglong looked Mao Xi over carefully with a puzzled expression, but couldn't recall it for a moment.

Seeing this, Mao Xi quickly added, "You were very young then, so it's normal that you don't remember."

A vague fragment of memory flashed through her mind, and Su Ninglong asked uncertainly, "A museum, is that right?"

Of her limited public childhood experiences, the museum visit was the most likely.

"Yes, yes, yes! It was that time!" Mao Xi's face lit up with surprise. He hadn't expected Su Ninglong to actually remember. This child's memory was truly amazing.

He then steered the conversation in another direction: "What happened to that sensational artifact, the 'Mirror of True Self'? Did the Star Alliance handle it afterward? Did it participate in any actual combat missions?"

"Back then, we don't know what the Star Alliance did with that sacred artifact afterward, or whether it was involved in the battle," Mao Xi pressed.

"What sacred artifact?" Yun Fei, who was standing to the side, keenly interrupted Mao Xi's question. He needed to confirm which sacred artifact it was first, lest Su Ninglong inadvertently reveal confidential information that should not be made public.

Yun Fei nodded in realization, "That sacred artifact, it's alright, it wasn't used in actual combat."

"Why?" Mao Xi asked, drawing on the audience's curiosity. "Is there difficulty in the repair? Or is it already damaged and unusable?"

"Wait a minute." The experienced host immediately seized this story-filled entry point. "Professor Maoxi, could you please elaborate on the museum encounter you just mentioned? Our audience must be very curious about this connection."

Mao Xi then succinctly recounted the live broadcast he experienced with a young Su Ninglong at the museum many years ago.

"What a wonderful coincidence," the host remarked at the opportune moment.

Before Mao Xi could recount the events further, the impetuous young host suddenly posed an extremely sharp, even clearly malicious, question to Su Ninglong:
"Su, excuse me for interrupting. We received a tip from an anonymous source claiming that your success in the fiercely competitive Star Alliance was due to 'special favor' from certain key mentors, not solely to your personal abilities. The tip alleges an 'unusual' personal relationship with a high-ranking mentor, even suggesting a 'quid pro quo' exchange. How do you explain these rumors circulating online? Are you worried that these so-called 'truths' will eventually be revealed?"

The entire live broadcast room fell into a deathly silence.

In the close-up shot, the relaxed expression on Su Ninglong's face suddenly vanished, and her bright eyes, as if frozen in ice, stared coldly and unblinkingly at the young host who was asking the question.

The air seemed to freeze, leaving only a silent standoff. The Qirui at her feet seemed to sense the change in its master's emotions, letting out a very low but threatening gurgle.

Yun Fei and Tong Zi's eyes narrowed almost simultaneously, and their bodies leaned forward slightly involuntarily. This question clearly exceeded the scope of the interview that had been discussed beforehand, and its intention was obvious: to smear Su Ninglong in public.

They exchanged a glance, signaling to the director to stop the live stream.

Despite being at the center of the storm, Su Ninglong remained unusually calm. Unperturbed, her clear gaze met the question from the young reporter, who countered, "Is your anonymous source reliable?"

The young reporter clearly hadn't expected Su Ninglong to be so calm, and she certainly didn't intend to stop there.

"Since I dared to ask this in front of so many people, I must have reliable evidence!"

"Oh?" Su Ninglong responded softly, a naive smile suddenly blooming on her face. "That's great. Since you're asking this, you must have solid evidence and are ready to report me to the relevant authorities anytime, right?"

Su Ninglong said with a contemptuous tone, "To be honest, I've received quite a few anonymous tip-offs, but unfortunately, in the end, they were all malicious slanders and rumors that couldn't stand up to scrutiny."

This flippant attitude angered the young reporter. Her face darkened, and she adopted an educational stance: "Su! As a student, you need to have the right attitude when facing public scrutiny. You should answer the questions directed at you directly, instead of dodging the issue and trying to evade them."

Su Ninglong seemed to have heard something interesting, and the corners of her lips deepened. She directly challenged, "So you can represent the public, huh? Well, I've also received anonymous information saying that your private life is chaotic. As an influential public figure, shouldn't you immediately and directly respond to the questions raised about you and prove your innocence? Come on, say it in front of everyone."

"You're confusing the issue! You're being unreasonable!" The young reporter was so choked by Su Ninglong's retort that his face turned red. He suddenly stood up from his seat, his finger almost pointing at Su Ninglong's face.