C21 For the Dragon Soul Chip

As the footsteps approached, an elderly man with a head of silver hair and a scruffy beard walked in through the door. His white robe was smeared with stains, giving him a rather disheveled look.

"You must be Zhuge Yao. Out with it, what do you want from me? I need to return to my research," the old man urged, his face etched with impatience. If not for Huang Wenwen's sake, he wouldn't have bothered to come.

Zhuge Yao wasted no time. "Elder Ren, I've come to request a Dragon Soul Chip from you. It's crucial to me, and I would greatly appreciate your generosity in this matter."

"What did you say? You think I'd just give away a Dragon Soul Chip? You're dreaming!" Elder Ren burst out in fury. That chip was his treasured possession, and he had no intention of parting with it.

Zhuge Yao, unfazed by the outburst, retorted, "Aren't chips meant to be used? Or are you saving it for some other purpose?"

Hearing this, Elder Ren stopped to think, while Li Lingtong and a middle-aged woman behind him went pale. After a moment, Elder Ren's anger seemed to fade as he mused, "That remark sounds so familiar. It's as if I've heard that old rascal say the same thing."

Everyone was taken aback by Elder Ren's reaction, Zhuge Yao included, who was at a loss. His well-thought-out arguments were now useless, and he could only wait quietly.

After some time, Elder Ren, with a mix of irritation and amusement, said, "Now I understand. How are you related to Zhuge Qingyun? You wouldn't happen to be his great-grandson, would you?"

"Uh, yes..." Zhuge Yao admitted with an awkward smile, nodding. He hadn't expected Elder Ren to know his great-grandfather, and it seemed they had quite the history.

"In that case," Elder Ren relented, "Ren Zhen, take him to the assessment. If he can pass, I don't see why he shouldn't have a Dragon Soul Chip." Shaking his head and sighing, Elder Ren sat down, sinking into his memories.

Zhuge Yao was overjoyed. The prospect of handing over the Dragon Soul Chip made any exam seem trivial. His gaze moved from Elder Ren, who had no further comments, to a middle-aged woman standing behind him. Ren Zhen offered a wry smile and a resigned head shake before escorting Zhuge Yao to another room, leaving Li Lingtong and Elder Ren in silent contemplation.

After Zhuge Yao had left, Elder Ren came back to reality, his eyes filled with nostalgia. He sighed softly, stood up, and walked toward the door. Glancing at the table, he caught sight of a modified chip design that captured his attention. Compelled, Elder Ren picked up the design and examined it intently, his expression fluctuating between smiles and deep thought, which alarmed Li Lingtong enough to make a hasty retreat.

Zhuge Yao followed Ren Zhen out of the reception area, down a corridor, and into a room alive with the sound of people busily crafting military hardware. Each worker was closely monitored by another person holding a stopwatch, clearly indicating an ongoing examination with judges overseeing the process.

Ren Zhen led Zhuge Yao to an empty workbench and produced a stopwatch from her pocket. "The test is simple," she said. "Use the materials on the table to create a level 1 item or component within ten minutes."

Without waiting for Zhuge Yao to get ready, Ren Zhen started the stopwatch. Zhuge Yao, almost driven to irritation, quickly surveyed the materials on the table. Relieved to find an assortment of metals, he knew that with enough supplies, he could certainly forge a high-quality component.

The room was crowded with many test-takers, mostly former military officers, with Zhuge Yao as the unique lieutenant among them. Three white-haired seniors sat observing the participants with great interest.

"Old Ma," one elder said to another with a smile, "this year's candidates seem to be much more impressive than those of previous years."

"Lee, your son is also in the examination. It's not good to sing one's own praises," Old Ma responded with a smile of his own.

As they conversed, Zhuge Yao had already completed a chip. It was quite rare to find a miniaturized light engraving machine here. Ren Zhen glanced at the clock and was astounded to see that less than a minute had elapsed. Zhuge Yao's pace was truly remarkable.

Without pausing, Zhuge Yao continued his work. He had his classmates in mind, aiming to produce ten chips so that each could have one. The standard chips in Assault No.67 were quite rudimentary. Upgrading them to Level Two Chips would undoubtedly enhance the Mecha's combat effectiveness.

Xie was quick to notice Zhuge Yao's rapid handiwork, which seemed to surpass the efficiency of any machine. This was just a Level One test for the Refiner Military Branch, and the emergence of such an exceptional talent was almost beyond belief.

Zhuge Yao himself was taken aback by his own proficiency. While the first chip was crafted at his normal level, the subsequent ones were made with extraordinary finesse. Ren Zhen stopped her stopwatch and looked over at Zhuge Yao's workstation, which was now lined with dozens of Level Two Chips.

At the same moment, Lee Congfeng had also finished making a Level Two Chip. A sturdy man with a captain's insignia on his shoulder, he watched as a beautiful woman gingerly picked up his chip and walked over to the elders.

Ren Zhen picked up one of the chips as well and approached the elders for evaluation. Xie, clearly excited, grabbed the chip from Ren Zhen and scrutinized it intently.

At the same time, Elder Ma received the chip from the woman, gave it a quick look, and declared, "A completed Level One Chip, the exam is passed."

"Congfeng, well done. You're definitely the cream of the crop in this group of examinees," Lee proudly complimented his son.

"Hold off on the self-congratulation. Have a look at this first. Your son is good, but he's not the top performer," Xie interjected sharply, tossing the chip into Lee's hand dismissively.

Without waiting for agreement from the other elders, Xie announced loudly, "Congratulations to Zhuge Yao for successfully passing the test and obtaining certification as a Level Two Weapon Refiner."

"What? Level Two? I don't agree," Lee exclaimed, immediately protesting the outcome.

Zhuge Yao offered a nonchalant smile, then looked at Xie with hopeful eyes and asked, "May I take these extra chips with me?"

Xie mirrored the smile and gestured magnanimously, indicating that Zhuge Yao was welcome to them. It was only after Zhuge Yao had gleefully gathered several dozen Level Two Chips that Lee grasped the full extent of what had transpired. To accumulate such a quantity in a mere ten minutes? The echo of his own astonishment was almost palpable. Had Zhuge Yao somehow bent the rules?