C13 Shopping

The driver navigated with ease, a clear sign of his familiarity with the destination—the Zhang family's property.

Before long, they reached the Crouching Dragon Commercial Building, a prominent landmark in the heart of Duross City. Upon arriving at the main entrance of Crouching Dragon, Jie Mu was struck with awe. He had never before encountered such an imposing commercial edifice.

In his experience, most buildings were constructed from wood and stone, the better ones from plain concrete. Reinforced concrete structures were a rarity, with only a handful he had ever laid eyes on.

The skyscrapers before him, rising majestically with over thirty floors, were all built from reinforced concrete. They stood not alone but as a cluster, forming a breathtaking spectacle. Their towering glass facades reached skyward, resplendent and imposing.

The streets buzzed with life, illuminated by the bright lights, while throngs of people mingled amidst the constant flow of traffic. The vibrant colors of the city nightlife painted a picture of prosperity.

Jie Mu's astonishment was partly due to his humble origins in a remote village. His visits to the Silent Sea had been infrequent, and Donglin had kept him confined within Fragrance Light Valley for extended periods.

While the Silent Sea boasted numerous high-rises, such structures were scarce elsewhere. The civilization of the Terrin World was peculiarly uneven.

Confronted with this thriving vista, Jie Mu found himself at a loss for words. Yu Wen leaned in and whispered to him, "Hey, did you know? These buildings were reportedly designed by our college's architects. Impressive, isn't it?"

Jie Mu, momentarily taken aback, eventually nodded in agreement.

They stood in a vast commercial plaza, a hub of comprehensive business activity. During the Civilization Calendar era, plazas like this were commonplace, but in the Federation Calendar, they were a rarity.

The primary revenue for the shops here wasn't from retail sales—despite Duross City's substantial foot traffic, it wasn't enough to sustain such a colossal complex. Instead, the focus was on wholesale transactions.

Both Qilin and East Prosperity considered this their premier wholesale venue, not to mention the myriad of other companies, big and small, that did the same.

All of this was thanks to Zhang Loong, the head of the Zhang family. It was truly remarkable how he managed to attract so many suppliers.

Jie Mu turned to whisper in Yu Wen's ear, "Hey, with a commercial plaza this massive, there's no way we can see it all in one day. What should we do?"

Yu Wen chuckled and touched her nose, "I've got it all planned out! Today, we'll hit the most exciting spots and find the best deals!"

Jie Mu realized then that she must have been looking forward to this visit for quite some time, and this occasion simply played right into her hands.

He had always pegged Yu Wen as a Martial Addict, consumed only with her training. But now, he saw her in a new light – after all, she was a young girl, and it was only natural for her to enjoy shopping and having fun.

"Enough chit-chat, let's get going," Yu Wen said, quickly ascending the stairs and beelining for the business district's elevator, with Jie Mu trailing behind.

As they approached the elevator, Yu Wen smiled and suggested, "First, we'll check out the Feishang clothing store on the fourth floor. They have a lot of the latest and most popular styles, as well as high-quality pieces from top designers. It's the perfect place to start!"

Jie Mu nodded in agreement, admittedly out of his depth when it came to fashion, and prepared to follow her lead.

Yet, his attention was now fully captured by the elevator itself. While Jie Mu was familiar with electricity in the context of light bulbs, the sight of the moving metal box intrigued him.

Once inside, he scrutinized the elevator's interior, noting the intricate Machine Arts Patterns above. These details, he surmised, must be the work of the academy.

Chenmu, his teacher, had once given him an in-depth lesson on Machine Arts, sharing a wealth of knowledge. Chenmu hadn't invented Machine Arts, but he was the pioneer in integrating them with internal strength, giving rise to the "DL Type Machine Arts" faction led by Teacher Donglin.

Previously, there had been another faction, the "HD Type Machine Arts," which relied on external forces, much like how gunpowder is used to fire a musket.

Chenmu had intended to pass on two distinct Machine Arts to Jie Mu. However, Jie Mu was still young and had only scratched the surface of the "DL Type Machine Arts."

Once they disembarked from the elevator, they eagerly made their way to Feishang's sales venue. The Feishang specialty store lived up to their expectations, offering an array of clothing in every imaginable style, color, and type. Jie Mu was relatively unfazed, but Yu Wen was utterly captivated by her innate love for fashion, finding herself rooted to the spot in awe of the beautiful garments. Thankfully, as the Yu family's eldest daughter and a bona fide disciple of Chenmu, she was not short on funds. The unfortunate task of carrying bags, however, fell to Jie Mu. Despite his reluctance, Jie Mu had no choice but to shoulder the burden, yielding to the persuasive force of Yu Wen's fists.

...

Meanwhile, Chenmu was reclining in a rocking chair on the porch of a wooden house in Fragrance Light Valley, Silent Sea, exuding an air of leisure and comfort. Suddenly, his wrist vibrated. With a slight frown and a flick of his wrist, a virtual screen materialized before him. It was a letter, and upon reading it, a smile finally graced Chenmu's face.

He rose from the rocking chair and called into the inner room, "My dear, there's been a change of plans tonight. I need to make a trip to Lishu's personally, so no need to prepare dinner for me!" With that, he vanished, the urgency of the situation evident by his swift departure, leaving no time for a response from the person inside.

Inside the house, a woman was tenderly knitting baby clothes. She had just begun to speak when Chenmu rushed off. With a wistful smile, she caressed her rounded belly and whispered softly, "My little one, you mustn't be like your father, rushing off at the slightest urgency. You'll grow up to be a lady."

In a matter of moments, Chenmu found himself in a vast laboratory. Upon his arrival, a woman formed from a virtual projection approached him. "Lishu, what's the status?" Chenmu inquired as he walked.

The woman gestured with her hand, and a small screen materialized before her eyes, moving in sync with her movements.

"Everything is proceeding as per your original plan. All personnel are in position, just awaiting the event's initiation."

Chenmu cast a glance at the woman's screen and nodded in approval. Unbeknownst to him, he had donned a set of lab attire and was now standing before the central experimental table.

As he walked, numerous individuals greeted him, addressing him as 'Director', save for the man at the experimental table who referred to him as 'Teacher.'

The young man at the table, noticing Chenmu's approach, seamlessly switched the display to the main interface for his mentor to manipulate.

Chenmu acknowledged him with a nod and began to navigate the interface, bringing up a stream of code that filled his vision.

While working, he addressed the man beside him, "Third Brother, I've heard you managed the last issue quite adeptly. You're really starting to embody a leader."

The man responded with a humble smile, choosing to remain silent. He was aware that Chenmu wasn't seeking a reply, preferring not to disrupt his focus.

Chenmu surveyed his surroundings, then turned to address the woman behind him.

"Lishu, dedicate all efforts to cracking Crouching Dragon's firewall code. Just infiltrate; no need for destruction. Coordinate with Team Three and act swiftly."

Lishu nodded, and her small screen vanished as she closed her eyes. Simultaneously, the code on the main screen began to whirl autonomously.

Shortly after, Lishu's voice echoed through the lab, "Approximately thirty seconds remaining to breach Crouching Dragon's mainframe!"

As she spoke, a team of lab technicians, part of the third group, were fervently typing away at their keyboards, aiding Lishu in the decryption process.

Moments later, the code on the main screen was replaced by a different set of specialized sequences.

Chenmu examined the new code.

"Lishu, pull up all surveillance feeds from Crouching Dragon Market. Team One, your task is to locate Yu Wen and Jie Mu."

"Lishu, track down any warriors within Crouching Dragon Mall who possess Acquired Dark Strength and are listed in our intelligence database!"

As he finished speaking, the screen divided into several sections.

One section displayed Jie Mu and Yu Wen, while the rest featured warriors who had mastered the Acquired Dark Strength.

These warriors hailed from various factions and were positioned throughout the Crouching Dragon Merchant House.

The academy moved stealthily, its actions undetected. The Crouching Dragon's technical staff were caught off guard, their surveillance access compromised before they could respond.

This wasn't a reflection of the Crouching Dragon's inadequacy, but rather a testament to the academy's overwhelming power, particularly in the realm of technology.

During the South-north War, the academy had faced off against the Qilin Society, pitting their Machine Arts against the advanced technology of the Civilization Calendar, and had dominated the conflict.

Unbeknownst to Yu Wen and Jie Mu, they were now fully exposed under the academy's watchful eye.

Chenmu narrowed his eyes at the screen, and with a sweep of his left hand, a chair materialized behind him. He settled into it with ease.

A man at his side had quietly brought over a cup of green tea. After a delicate sip, Chenmu replaced the cup and complimented, "Third Brother, this tea is quite good. Anzhe Longjing Tea, indeed a fine choice."

The young man smiled and respectfully took his place behind Chenmu.

...

Jie Mu tagged along with Yu Wen, visiting numerous shops. While he had learned much, it was the weariness in his body that struck him the most.

They had been walking at a brisk pace for so long that Jie Mu was nearly spent, yet Yu Wen seemed unfazed.

Even though he was aware that her martial arts prowess far exceeded his own, the difference in their endurance was astonishing.

Only one stop remained: the top-tier Machine Arts product outlet on the highest floor.

Jie Mu was laden with bags, large and small, while Yu Wen, hands free, skipped ahead, urging him to keep up.

Onlookers smiled at the sight, amused by the two youngsters who, despite their age, evoked the camaraderie of a long-married couple.