Forge a path to success.

Chapter 263 Procurement Record

“Reproduction complete.” Shakes put down Jinye’s notebook. “Give it a try.”

Jie An and Gu Libo cheered and each picked up a controller. The black box beeped, and the adapter projected the image onto a special water screen, where the Nintendo logo appeared against a red background.

"The clarity is amazing!" Jie An exclaimed. "It's much clearer than Chu Hengkong's phone."

Gulibo jumped for joy as he looked at the ultra-clear water screen, then grabbed the controller and pressed buttons for a while before realizing something was wrong: "Why aren't there any games?"

“I don’t play video games,” Shakes said. “I only reproduce basic designs by guessing; software is not part of my business.”

"How could this be..." Gulibo was greatly disappointed. "What's the use of a game console if there are no games to play..."

After thinking for a while, Jie An suggested, "Detective Chu must have played it before. Why don't we ask him to gather some information and then ask someone else to make one?"

"Are there still people in the city who can make games?" Gulibo's expectations were rekindled.

“That girl is very knowledgeable; she’ll have no problem with this little thing,” Jie An said confidently. “Could you please make another mental interface?”

“The last time,” Shakespeare sighed.

He created a touchpad-like adapter next to the game console and made it open source, allowing other Ascendants on the Path of Floating Light to directly connect to mental programming. After completing the modification, he tossed Jin Ye's notebook into his storage relic; according to the deal, the book now belonged to him.

During his few days of rest and recuperation in Huilong City, he assisted in improving the standard weaponry and some special operations equipment of the resurrected troops, in exchange for Jin Ye's notes and a large amount of hard-to-find materials. Jie An had repeatedly told him that the value of the technological improvements far exceeded the material rewards, and that the reward he was asking for now was too little. But Shakes knew the math; Huilong City was not related to him, and helping with medical assistance was simply a favor.

If you owe someone something, you have to pay it back; otherwise, you can't live a simple life.

"Thank you so much, assassins are really loyal." Jie An smiled broadly. "Is there anything else you need? Just let me know if you're interested."

“That’s enough,” Shakes shook his head. “I’m going to make some purchases.”

"Give me a kiss." Gulibo stretched out his paw. "I want to bring everyone souvenirs."

"I need to buy some groceries, let's all go together." Jie An reached for his car keys, ready to drive off.

Did these guys even know that his "purchase" referred to acquiring weaponry? He wasn't going to buy souvenirs; he was going to buy grenades, portable traps, replacement modules and modification materials for the Boundary Wheel. But talking to them was pointless; one of them carried his father's Cup of Honor, and the other carried a seed of a bio-weapon, running out nonchalantly. They wouldn't react much to seeing guns and ammunition, only saying things like, "Shax, your souvenirs are really unique, but they're a bit pricey."

Shax sighed again, and he began to understand why the snake sighed so often. He sent out a mental signal, and the Wheel of Judgment took off from the helipad and hovered outside the window.

“I’ll drive,” he said.

·
“I regret it,” Shakes said expressionlessly. The cook and the little animal sat on either side of the training wheels, laughing wildly.

The Boundary Wheel is fast enough to be readily available as a personal weapon, and as a vehicle, it is flawless. However, the recently rebuilt Dragon City has not yet fully equipped its transportation system, and lacks experience in handling vehicles for air travelers, especially those of medium mass. Their vehicle configuration is only suitable for small aircraft, while the Wheel of Judgment has a wingspan of over forty meters.

So the three of them had to hover above the bustling market, basking in the gaze of thousands of tourists from all over the world. A barrage of flashbulbs illuminated Shax's face, turning it deathly pale, while children and women waved enthusiastically at him.

"May I take a picture, sir?" an adult Fufu asked. "Your flying machine is incredibly cool!"

"Fufu!" its fluffy little cub chimed in loudly.

"I have to say, your style is really popular with kids, Mr. Gunman," Jie An said gloatingly.

"The procurement plan is cancelled." Shakespeare said with a grim face.

At that moment, a cherry blossom-colored light flashed by, manifesting as a helipad made entirely of energy at the edge of the market. A path parted in the crowd, and Qi Su walked over, carrying a large flowerpot, and gently waved his cane at the surrounding citizens.

"Please show respect, everyone. This is a powerful being at the level of 4," she said in a singing voice. "I'm not sure if his Boundary-Breaking Wheel will go awry, so I suggest you all make way."

The crowd dispersed at the sound of the call, afraid of being too slow. Qi Su guided the Boundary-Breaking Wheel to land, peering out and saying, "Such a bold design... To be honest, I've never seen such an unstable structure. Is your requirement for your Boundary-Breaking Wheel just that it can fly?"

"As long as it can fly, that's enough," Shakes said, unconcerned.

"That's brutal, you're even more extreme than a real machine." Qi Su curled his lip. "Young man, if you set off without making modifications, you're going to suffer on your Moon Gazing Journey."

“You’re worrying about the wrong thing. That’s exactly what he’s after,” Jie An said. “Our sniper finds pleasure in dangerous situations; the more dangerous it is, the happier he is!”

Shakes didn't react, leaving Gulibo completely confused: "What are you talking about?"

"Qi Su is referring to a traditional ritual."

A gentle voice came from the flowerpot, and the leaves of the bud swayed slowly: "After ascending to point mass 4, the ascendants will take an independent journey across the Dust Island. They need to rely on their own strength to fly out of their homeland, soaring under the dark moonlight, and resisting the gravity of the First Abyss, hence the name 'Moon Gazing Journey'."

"But point 4 has already crossed the first abyss?" Gulibo asked, puzzled.

“There will always be a difference between theory and practice, so we need a way to test our abilities,” Finya replied. “Moon Journey is not ‘mandatory’ and it does not hinder the progress of Ascended Ones. In fact, many young people have abandoned this tradition because the current environment is too dangerous.”

“Those are people who can’t fly,” Shakes said. “They’ll never fly.”

“Child, I think you will surely fly very high,” Fenya said. “But as Qisu said, you must be well prepared before you set off. Come with me—please let me pay the bill this time; everyone has helped me so much along the way.”

Qi Su quickly picked up the flowerpot and followed Fenya's directions. Shakespeare believed that Fenya had a thorough understanding of the entire market, because when Qi Su first stopped, he saw the new handgun he wanted in the shop window.

"The so-called Divine Tree Network?" Shakes asked.

"It's a kind of application of mental energy vines, allowing me to quickly understand the needs of those around me." Fenya swung the sprouting vines. "It's a very interesting feeling, and I'm still learning."

Gulibo was more concerned about another issue. It hopped around the flowerpot as if facing a formidable enemy: "Why are you hugging the Divine Tree?"

Qi Su smiled broadly: "Because I also admire the Divine Tree very much~"

Gulibo exclaimed in shock: "Impossible! The Divine Tree can't do anything but talk!"

"You are not allowed to insult the gods!" Qi Su roared, slapping the word "foolish" across Gu Libo's forehead. The little white mouse's eyes widened instantly, and it hopped around on the spot, "Bo, bo, bo, bo..."

“Please don’t be so harsh on Gulibo, it’s my good friend,” Fenya said. “Letting it jump for half a minute is enough.”

Jie An patted Guli Bo's head, rushed into the store, grabbed an old book, and exclaimed, "I'll take this cookbook!"

·
Under Fenya's guidance, the purchasing activity proceeded with great efficiency. Shax bought the new gun he had been longing for this season, Jie'an acquired several cookbooks and a large quantity of herb seeds, and even Qisu found several ancient books that interested him.

However, the three of them combined didn't have as much as Gulibo, who was dragging a huge cloth bag, stuffing it with all sorts of strange and wonderful snacks like Santa Claus in a Christmas frenzy. "This is the shopkeeper's favorite, Bo~" Gulibo picked up a box of mushroom chocolates and tossed it into the already nearly bursting bag without hesitation. Then it turned and ran to the rug next door, grabbing a handful of fried potato chips: "This is also the shopkeeper's favorite, Bo!"

“You’ve already bought nearly ten kilograms of the store manager’s favorite food. I strongly suspect you’re trying to murder the store manager,” Jie An commented.

"That's not how it is! The manager likes to eat everything!" Gulibo grabbed another bag of dried meat. "The manager likes to eat all kinds of delicious food, and he doesn't mind trying anything that's not tasty... Can I get some food packed from the cafeteria later? I think the manager would like it."

Shakes stared at the huge bag piled high with food, feeling his appetite waning just looking at it. Qisu stared blankly: "Is your seafood bookstore actually a restaurant...?"

"No, it's just that the store manager has a big appetite. The manager eats very little; he's happy as long as you bring him some little girl toys~"

"This manager is even more problematic than the shop owner! He's so indecent!" Qi Su's face turned red.

Gulibo placed the solid wood, posable Sailor Moon sculpture, which the stall owner had enthusiastically recommended, into a separate small bag and said with satisfaction, "This will make the shop owner and manager happy~"

Then its ears drooped, and the tip of its nose turned a grayish hue from worry: "But I still haven't found a gift the editor likes... I've been absent for so long, if the editor takes it seriously, my performance in the first quarter will be ruined..."

"You've already won over the shop owner and manager, so why are you afraid of a mere editor?" Shakes couldn't help but interject.

Gulibo turned his head, on the verge of tears: "The shop owner and manager don't do any work... The Poison Otter editor is the animal in charge of the main business..."

"Turns out they're just two mascots! You're basically buying treats for your pets!" Qi Su couldn't help but exclaim.

Gulibo sat down against the large bag, holding its head in its paws: "What should I do... I haven't found anything the editor would like! It doesn't like snacks or dolls, and I can't afford the alcohol it usually likes!"

"This 'elite capitalist of the animal kingdom' sounds pretty shady, doesn't it?" Jie An said. "Doesn't this guy have any hobbies?"

Gulibo looked up pitifully: "It likes to deduct my performance bonus when I skip work to tend the garden..."

"It's obvious you were in the wrong first. You even openly admitted to skipping work, so who else should you dock your pay if not yours?" Jie An rolled his eyes.

"And they even like to deduct my leave when I skip work to go to a plant exhibition..."

"Isn't this still slacking off! Even if you change the wording and don't go to work, the fact remains the same!" Qi Su joined in the doubles.

Gulibo started to fake cry: "And, and when I secretly asked for leave without reporting it..."

"You're skipping work again! Just how much do you want to slack off?! The editor is being incredibly kind by not firing you!"

Gulibo lay down on the ground: "I'm doomed! The editor has a really bad impression of me. If I don't please him this time, my salary evaluation will be really bad!"

"Didn't you even consider the possibility of being fired?! You're the real pet, aren't you?!"

Qi Su began to beat the white rat thief with a stick, while Guli Bo rolled around on the ground. Fen Ya extended her spiritual vines to comfort him, "Child, don't panic. When you encounter a problem, you must learn to think from multiple perspectives. This editor has few material needs and seems to come from a well-off family, so why does he work in a bookstore?"

“Because the editor, Poison Otter, likes to read literary works…” Gulibo’s eyes lit up. “That’s right! I can buy the animations the editor likes. The supply from Huilong City should be faster than that from the city-states!”

"It turns out the editors aren't exactly respectable people either. Your bookstore must be full of shut-ins," Qi Su said.

Gulibo looked around, then darted into a video store run by people from Shura Island, quietly asking something. The samurai who owned the store understood and handed it a whole box of deluxe gold-plated video crystals, taller than Gulibo itself. Shakes saw that the box depicted a group of masked girls.

"It's all good, it's all good!" Gulibo exclaimed excitedly. "This is the latest installment in the 'Dream Girl' series that the editor loves, 'Divine Sound Puppet,' and it's even a rare deluxe edition. The editor will be so happy to see this!"

Shakes glanced at the screenshots on the back of the box. He saw women with a bunch of heads, women crawling all over the ground, and women pretending to be idols, pulled into the air by various threads. The eerie atmosphere and chilling fluctuations of thought in those screenshots almost made him faint. He took a step back without making a sound, and then looked at the plot summary. Just reading a few words intensified the chill several times over.

“Are you sure?” Shakes warned.

Fenya also sensed something was wrong: "Gulibo, the introduction says this work... is very experimental... has a style very different from its predecessors... and contains some controversial content..."

"No problem!" Gulibo said confidently. "The editor's tastes are always niche, and this work will perfectly suit his preferences. I brought back his favorite female musician; the editor will definitely be very happy!"

"Uh, okay then." Jie An shrugged. "Have a smooth journey (for your salary)."

"You just said you wanted to help with the game, right?" Qi Su said softly. "Let's go back and get started. My conscience is bothering me if I keep watching."

From a personal perspective, everyone was very satisfied with the purchase. Qi Su's versatility exceeded everyone's expectations; she created a multiplayer racing game in less than half an hour, where racers could throw wondrous relics like jade, squid, and eels to slow down the other racers.

"This is an extreme racing game that combines a sense of competition with a sense of crisis!" Qi Su proudly raised the controller. "It can support up to eight players in the same game~ The person who comes in last place has to wear an eel headgear and run three laps around the building~!"

"Wow, Ma X Ao racing cars." Chu Hengkong glanced at them as he entered, confidently stating, "This is my area of ​​strength."

"I won't lose when it comes to speed!" Qingxia rubbed her hands together, eager to try.

"Games are all about skill."

"Sister Huaisu, what's going on with you...?"

"I'll take your controller."

"You call this a trick?!"

The arrival of these idiots turned the public area into a chaotic mess again, and Shax began to regret not having bought some earplugs while he was at it. He was eager to head out and practice his shooting; he had absolutely no interest in these boring forms of entertainment…

"Hey Shaq, why did you run away? Are you that afraid of losing?"

……

Don't get angry with an idiot. He has no interest in it. He has absolutely no need to participate...

Shakes turned around, grabbed a handle, and sat down in the middle of the sofa.

“None of you will win,” he said.

"Alright, let the game begin!"

The racing game consists of three laps per round, with the winner determined by the three races. There will also be overtime and a loser's revival round...

It looks like it will take at least another afternoon to determine the loser who wears the eel headgear.

(End of this chapter)