The weapon refiner is not doing her job properly

Chapter 247 is related.
The young logistics staff member's cuffs and shoe edges were worn and frayed, clearly indicating that he was not well-off financially.

In this system where even logistics are divided into different levels, his salary is probably not high.

He awkwardly pushed it away twice, but Su Ninglong had already stuffed the earrings back into his hand: "Go ahead and get busy. Leave the things here with me. Come and get them when you're done. I promise they'll be untouched."

Someone called his name from afar. He no longer hesitated. Since the outcome was already decided, and these "evidence" were just going to be sealed away anyway, he might as well make the most of them.

He carefully put the earrings into his inner pocket, and his steps seemed lighter as he turned to leave. He thought to himself: This Senior Su is strong and kind; she's not as cold as the rumors say.

He looked back again.

The girl leaned back in her chair, her profile illuminated by the remaining sunlight, her skin glowing with an almost porcelain-like whiteness that made her expression appear exceptionally serene.

People online often say that Su Ninglong has a cold personality, but it seems that's just an illusion created by her appearance. Someone as gentle and considerate as her deserves to be popular.

His gaze swept over the dejected Star Alliance hunters to the side, and when he looked at Su Ninglong, he felt even more relaxed. Among that group of people, there wasn't a single one as strong and pleasing to the eye as her.

Su Ninglong didn't notice that gaze. She gently pulled out a letter and carefully unfolded it.

In the interstellar age, few people transmit information by hand; even the Greenscale people's planet had long abandoned this ancient medium. However, the letter did not contain the communication record she had expected, but rather a will.

The handwriting was slightly messy, and the content was very simple: if he died, all his remaining property would be given to three people free of charge: Wu Xingyi, Yuan Xi, and Bai Xuan.

Su Ninglong tapped the letter lightly with her fingertips, a knowing sneer playing on her lips: "Heh, after going around in circles, the clues have finally come together here."

The slaughterhouse was managed by that factory manager in such an impenetrable manner that it was clear how cautious and suspicious he was.

He clearly trusted the disabled workers on site more, and even when he knew his own safety was in danger, he still tried to protect them.

How could someone who plans every step of the way suddenly leave a will bequeathing their property to a few seemingly unrelated people?

Wu Xingyi gave him power through the brand, so what did Yuan Xi and Bai Xuan provide for him? There must be some unspoken deal or connection behind this.

She refolded the letter, put it back into the fire-damaged envelope, and then sent the discovery, along with clear pictures, to Xue Wancheng.

After doing all this, she carefully removed any fingerprints that might have been left on the envelope and quietly put it back in its place.

For the next three hours, Su Ninglong simply waited calmly.

It wasn't until Admiral Ji hurriedly arrived at the scene and officially announced: "The Star Alliance has won this competition. The Star Alliance will be responsible for proposing the venue and rules for the next round."

According to the agreement, the Star Alliance is required to provide three alternative competition venues for the other party to choose from. The rules also must undergo joint review to ensure that no single party gains an absolute advantage.

The Star Alliance isn't too worried about the Star Alliance cheating on the rules; what they're more afraid of is the other side "going all out" in choosing the venue.

For example, directly designate a five-star pollution zone.

In such a place, it's less a contest and more a death sentence. Facing the Dominator might offer a sliver of hope, but venturing deep into the core of the five-star contaminated zone would drive even the strongest hunters to madness due to the mental pollution.

Moreover, the rules for the upcoming competition stipulate that participants must be selected from the surviving hunters, and new members can only be added if there are insufficient numbers.

This means that if they experience another large-scale reduction in personnel, their losses will not be limited to the number of people on the surface, but rather a lack of sustained strength, leading to a loss in the future.

As soon as General Ji finished speaking, a deep voice rang out.

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw Qi Shen walking towards Su Ninglong, his tone calm but carrying an undeniable weight: "Su Ninglong, do you have time? I'd like to talk to you alone."

Upon hearing this, the members of the Star Alliance immediately became alert.

At this sensitive moment, why did Qi Shen so openly request a private meeting with the other party's key contributor? Was it simply because he valued her abilities, or was it an indication of favoritism, or even a pre-arrangement for the next round of competition? A tense atmosphere instantly filled the dilapidated factory area.

Yuan Dusen stared intently at Qi Shen, his tone clearly wary: "I wonder what Mr. Qi wants to discuss with Su Ninglong alone? There are still two matches to go. As a Guardian, it's probably not appropriate for you to have private contact with participating hunters at this crucial juncture, is it?"

Su Ninglong listened from the side speechlessly: "..." She herself was still in tattered clothes and her spiritual power had not recovered. What could she use to bribe Qi Shen? Such far-fetched speculation could probably only come up with by someone like Yuan Dusen who was used to judging others by himself.

"I'm just inviting her to visit the Command Center." Qi Shen didn't even remove his blindfold, yet he could accurately "see" in Yuan Dusen's direction. His tone was calm but carried a sharp edge. "I can only invite her alone."

The atmosphere froze instantly upon hearing this.

Qi Shen doesn't have the airs of a hermit master; instead, he seems to have a "purely punchable" physique. Yet, he possesses overwhelming strength, making people angry but afraid to attack.

"That won't work either. How do we know if there's some kind of agreement behind your back!" Yuan Dusen mainly didn't want Su Ninglong to get too close to the Guardians. If she really joined the Guardians, the Star Alliance would definitely have to beg her one day.

"If you insist on making wild guesses, there's nothing I can do. If you have someone to blame, blame the fact that with so many people in your Starry Alliance, you couldn't find a single person qualified to be the Guardian." Qi Shen stopped wasting words and grabbed Su Ninglong's arm, ready to take her away without further ado.

He was clearly annoyed by Yuan Dusen's repeated obstruction. His aura suddenly turned cold, and tiny ice crystals condensed out of thin air within a three-meter radius, emitting a bone-chilling cold.

His appearance was both stubborn and somewhat childish, which seemed out of place for someone of his status.

Yuan Dusen should feel fortunate that Qi Shen is not the type to resort to bloodshed when he gets angry.

Su Ninglong gently patted Qi Shen's arm and reassured him in a calm tone, "Thank you for the invitation. I will go, but only after all the competitions are over."

Her gentle tone made Qi Shen feel somewhat uncomfortable. He, a dignified Guardian, actually needed a teenager to soothe his emotions.

Suppressing his displeasure, Qi Shen resumed his usual indifference, merely nodding slightly: "Remember to come on time. I don't like people who break their promises."

Su Ninglong nodded: "Mmm-hmm!"

Before leaving, his gaze lingered on Su Ninglong for a moment, scrutinizing her slightly: "You seem... to have become stronger again."

Su Ninglong immediately put a finger to her lips, making a "keep it a secret" gesture, and said in a low voice, "Shh, don't tell anyone. I still want to play dumb to fool others."

Her cat-like alertness mixed with a touch of smugness made Qi Shen chuckle. Like master, like pet; even her big cat named Qirui was adorable, and Su Ninglong herself was even more so.

After a near-extreme battle, Su Ninglong's golden core absorbed a massive amount of spiritual energy, breaking through from the mid-stage of Core Formation to the late stage in one fell swoop, at an astonishing speed.

The price of forcibly increasing her strength during the battle is that her meridians still ache. Her spiritual realm has long surpassed her current cultivation level, approaching the Nascent Soul stage. If her physical strength cannot keep up, she will eventually be unable to withstand this imbalance.

When they returned to the Star Alliance temporary camp, Charlie and Lian Xinyi had finished their treatment and were surrounded by several academy students, eating, drinking, chatting and laughing, looking quite comfortable.

As soon as Su Ninglong returned, Lian Xinyi immediately jumped up and waved: "Little Su Su! Come quick, there's an amazing fried chicken place on the commercial street, one bite and your soul will be elevated."

Charlie nodded vigorously, his mouth still glistening with oil and crumbs.

Su Ninglong admired their mentality; they had just been struggling on the brink of death not long ago, yet they could act as if nothing had happened.

"Where's the fried chicken?" She glanced at the pile of empty packaging boxes on the table.

The two froze, looking down at the chicken leg they were holding, now reduced to a skeleton. Lian Xinyi hesitated, then handed over the remaining half of the chicken leg. "This... I saved some for you?"

Su Ninglong looked away in disgust. "No thanks, you're drooling."

She turned around, straightened her clothes, and casually said, "I'm going to stroll around the shopping street later. My wealth points have been increasing rapidly lately, and I don't feel at ease if I don't spend some of them."

Charlie and Lian Xinyi's eyes lit up instantly, and they swarmed over like two puppies who had spotted a bone.

"Take me there! I'll help you carry your things!"

"Sister Su, take me with you, and I'll treat you to fried chicken!"

One wanted to freeload off a woman, while the other offered to treat them; it was obvious who was more reliable. But Su Ninglong was just teasing them in the first place.

"roll."

She chuckled and cursed, her gaze sweeping over Lei Qingya, Song Hu, and the others who were resting not far away. After settling things in, she took out her communicator and sent a text message to Xingyuan to let him know she was safe.

After waiting for a while, there was still no response from Xingyuan.

Su Ninglong pursed her lips, thinking that this "celebrity dad" was probably enjoying himself with Zou Shuyi right now and had forgotten all about home.

However, the actual situation was quite the opposite. After the news of the Star Alliance's victory arrived, Principal Yan urgently summoned a group of key personnel involved in the competition, including Xing Yuan, Feng Ying, and Xuan Min.

Their task was to determine the location for the second match and to draft the rules.

Principal Yan's request sounded simple: combine the competition with the actual task of cleaning up the polluted area as much as possible, and let the Star Alliance "deeply participate".

Xingyuan was puzzled by this practice of relentlessly exploiting the Star Alliance.

Principal Yan has always been wise and not a person who is greedy for personal gain. This move seems to be wasting the Star Alliance's remaining reputation and goodwill.

Why implement such a seemingly radical strategy when the alliance is experiencing shareholder losses, hunter departures, and an increasingly tense atmosphere?

He vaguely felt that there must be a deeper meaning behind this, but he had not yet grasped the core of it.

Principal Yan naturally wouldn't explain now, but Xingyuan had a premonition that the answer would soon surface, so there was no need to ask any more questions for the time being.

Back at the camp, Su Ninglong, who originally planned to go shopping alone in peace, ultimately couldn't resist the loudmouths Lian Xinyi and Charlie.

The news spread, and even Lei Qingya and Shen Zhaoming silently followed. In their words, they were all professionals at "profiting from the rich."

In the past, missions were always rushed, with little opportunity to stay.

This time, thanks to the competition, I was able to enjoy a leisurely "publicly funded trip".

The city has a strong commercial atmosphere, and low-altitude freight trucks shuttle silently along the planned routes.

The streets are lined with shops offering a wide variety of goods, from raw materials to finished products. Most shops specialize in one or two items, mainly dealing with online orders or wholesale, but finding truly good items still requires patience and comparison.

Suninglong strolled around with great interest, planning to buy some gifts for her family and friends.

She remembered that Xingyuan and Zou Shuyi both liked small animals, and the regulars at the bar always liked to tease Qirui and Aoli.

Passing by a pet shop, she was drawn to the sight in the window. She went inside for a moment, and when she came out, she was carrying an exquisite cage containing two parrots with fiery red feathers and colorful tail feathers, which were beautiful and eye-catching.

They stood quietly on the crossbar, their eyes revealing a keenness unlike that of ordinary pets as they moved.

The shop owner rubbed his hands together, confidently stating that these two parrots loved excitement and were perfect for the bar.

His eager-to-sell look made Su Ninglong's heart pound; there was definitely something wrong with this bird.

Without much hesitation, she paid the money promptly before asking, "So, what's wrong with them?"

The shop owner gave an embarrassed smile and finally told the truth.

It turns out that these two parrots flew in from somewhere a few years ago and refused to leave the shop.

Because of their large size, hard beaks, and arrogant temperament, they were returned by several customers multiple times. Most importantly, they eat so much that most families simply can't afford to keep them.

"To be honest, I've developed a deep affection for them and can't bear to see them starve to death, so I've had to bring them back one after another." The shop owner may seem mercenary, but he's actually soft-hearted.

His tone was tinged with helplessness, and he added hesitantly, "If you find it too strenuous, you can send it back anytime."

If it weren't for the fact that Su Ninglong and her friends seemed to have plenty of money, he wouldn't have dared to recommend these two "prodigies".

"Don't worry, I can afford to raise dozens more." Su Ninglong repeatedly assured that she would never return the birds and that she would send photos in a few months to prove that they were doing well before carrying the birdcage out of the store.

The two parrots were quite intelligent; they seemed to know their new owner was not to be trifled with, so they obediently held onto their perches, occasionally nuzzling Su Ninglong's hand, trying to get food. She bought them for 100,000 yuan, and the shopkeeper gave her a large amount of bird food as a bonus, but she didn't even look at it. Instead, she took out Qirui's snacks from her backpack. They were jerky made from duck meat that she had fed with spiritual plants, and they were full of spiritual energy.

The two parrots immediately became so excited that they trembled all over, their feathers fluttering, as if they were dancing disco.

"Haha, these two are really interesting!" Charlie reached out and gently stroked their back feathers. The feathers were glossy and smooth, the feel of which was completely different from the fluffy Qirui. The parrot suddenly turned its head, and seeing that it was Su Ninglong's companion, it barely managed to suppress its anger and let him touch it.