Chapter 105: Flash Step
Chapter 105: Flash Step
Upon leaving the private training grounds, Ji Xinghuo did not return to the inn, but instead boarded a train back to Olympia. His destination: a high-end equipment store.
This particular store specialized in superpower equipment, hence the sparse customer traffic.
As soon as Ji Xinghuo entered, a salesperson with sharp eyes immediately noticed the array of superpower equipment he wore, including two rings on his left hand. A smile spread across the salesperson's face.
"Welcome, esteemed customer. How may I assist you today?"
Ji Xinghuo got straight to the point, "Do you sell thumb rings here?"
"Yes, indeed!" The salesperson's smile widened, his experienced eyes recognizing Ji Xinghuo as a ranger, "Are you looking for an arrow-holding thumb ring? We happen to have one in stock, a mid-range quality piece that can hold up to 12 arrows."
Ji Xinghuo was pleasantly surprised.
The arrow-holding thumb ring was one of the most sought-after pieces of equipment for any archer, and it was also the type of spatial equipment that most superpower users had a chance to obtain.
True to its name, the ring could store arrows.
In battle, when the bowstring was drawn and the ring activated, the stored arrows would be retrieved and placed on the bow, significantly increasing the rate of fire.
The principle behind it was similar to his own Dimensional Pouch.
The materials used to craft arrow-holding thumb rings were very unique, resulting in extremely small capacities, and they could only store arrows, nothing else.
The quality of the rings was determined by the number of arrows they could hold.
Even the most ordinary rings, capable of holding only 5 arrows, were superpower level 1 and priced at over 10 million Asia Dollars.
Ji Xinghuo had wanted to purchase one before, but they were rarely available in the market, so he never had the chance.
The reason he had suddenly returned to Olympia this time was also related to the arrow-holding thumb rings. He wanted to be able to use his Dimensional Pouch openly in the future, and he needed a thumb ring as a disguise, something that would make others mistake it for an arrow-holding ring, while in reality, it could have a different effect.
It seemed ironic that now that he no longer desired one, a suitable ring had suddenly appeared.
Ji Xinghuo felt a sense of helplessness.
"Let me see it," he said, "Along with that, bring me a few other types of thumb rings. I'm interested in seeing what else you have."
"Please follow me, sir."
The enthusiastic salesperson led Ji Xinghuo into a VIP room.
Soon, he returned with several exquisite boxes, and Ji Xinghuo sensed that two superpower users had arrived outside the VIP room, apparently to guard these expensive pieces of equipment.
"Please have a look, sir."
The salesperson opened the first box and took out a silver-white thumb ring, explaining, "This mid-range arrow-holding thumb ring can store 12 arrows. It allows for quick retrieval and has a stable spatial structure. Moreover, its tough material is not easily damaged, and its simple design can even provide a small boost to archery skills, regardless of its arrow-holding function."
Ji Xinghuo took the ring and found its design to be quite thoughtful.
It wasn't a standard cylindrical thumb ring; from the side, it appeared to be slanted. To be precise, this type of ring was called a "she," having originated in the Shang Dynasty.
Ji Xinghuo put on the ring and focused his mental energy on it. Instantly, he sensed that it contained 12 arrows, already filled to capacity.
With a thought, an arrow appeared in his hand.
He tried it several times, taking the arrows out and putting them back in. The reaction time was slightly slower than that of his Dimensional Pouch, and if it were any faster, errors would occur.
Even so, the arrow-holding thumb ring provided a significant boost to any archer.
"How much is it?" Ji Xinghuo asked.
The salesperson promptly replied, "17 million Asia Dollars, sir."
Ji Xinghuo nodded but did not indicate whether he would buy it or attempt to haggle. Instead, he said, "Let me take a look at the other thumb rings."
"Of course." The salesperson was very patient and opened the other boxes as well.
Ji Xinghuo examined each ring in turn. These were all superpower level 1 equipment, each with a unique design—cylindrical, sloped, made of metal or jade, some with string grooves, and some without. Their functions varied as well.
The most common type was a precision thumb ring, which provided the "precision" superpower.
Designed for non-ranger superpower users, it increased shooting accuracy and was quite popular. However, most superpower users couldn't afford it, as the starting price was over 6 million Asia Dollars.
Ji Xinghuo, of course, had no use for it.
However, he was considering whether to buy a precision thumb ring and pretend it was an arrow-holding ring or just spend the 17 million to buy a genuine one.
Before he could make a decision, one particular thumb ring caught his attention.
This ring also had the "she" design, with a dark blue-green body that resembled bronze and was inlaid with a pale gold beast face pattern, giving it the appearance of an ancient and rustic artifact.
He picked it up and examined it, surprised as he said, "It's a Flash Step ring."
"Yes, sir!" The salesperson introduced, "This Flash Step thumb ring is also designed for archers. When an archer is approached by an enemy and is in a critical situation, it can help them avoid a fatal attack. If the user is a ranger, combining Flash Step with Balance can enhance their movement technique, making it extremely practical."
Ji Xinghuo nodded, his mind already racing with possibilities.
He had come across the "Flash Step" superpower multiple times, and the success rate of fusion predicted by the Myriad Phenomena Star Pupil had always been very high, indicating a high degree of compatibility.
However, Flash Step was just a basic superpower, and using one of his precious fusion opportunities for it seemed somewhat wasteful.
Now, this Flash Step thumb ring presented an opportunity to experience its effects firsthand.
"I'll give it a try," Ji Xinghuo said.
He put on the Flash Step thumb ring, stood up, focused his mental energy on his right thumb, infused it with starlight, and took a step forward.
The starlight it consumed was minimal, only 3 points, but the burden on his body was significant. His muscles and bones felt nothing, but his organs and brain endured a sense of discomfort.
"The acceleration is too much," Ji Xinghuo immediately realized.
During the activation of the flash step, the body transitions from a near-static state to high-speed movement and then immediately stops, first accelerating and then decelerating. The inertial force generated by this process places a load on the body, and for an ordinary person, a single flash step could result in serious injury or even instant death.
Although a superhuman's physical fitness is robust, it is still challenging to perform consecutive flash steps without suffering adverse effects.
Flash steps also consume stamina, and each step is an extreme anaerobic burst. Doing it multiple times can leave one feeling hollowed out.
However, Ji Xinghuo didn't feel much.
He practiced flashing several times in the room and quickly adapted to this rapid movement. The tough physical fitness brought about by his level-3 rotating magnetic field allowed him to easily withstand the acceleration.
It wasn't until he had flashed consecutively five times that he needed to pause and catch his breath to recover his stamina.
"Flash Step is incredibly fast!" Ji Xinghuo marveled. "Unless you predict the landing point in advance, it's almost impossible to be hit during the flash step, making you virtually invincible."
"It's just a bit short, less than two meters."
"If I fuse with Flash Step and upgrade it, I should be able to increase the distance and speed."
Ji Xinghuo recalled the flying step he had slain from the Dagun man. The other's flash step distance exceeded four meters, evidently a result of long-term training and a high level.
After his stamina recovered, he tried it a few more times and found that the distance of the flash step wasn't always the same. He could control it to shorten the distance and conserve starlight and stamina, but it demanded extremely high neural response capabilities, requiring him to stop the flash step in an extremely short moment.
With this in mind, Ji Xinghuo activated his high-frequency thinking.
He flashed again, his figure teleporting a distance of less than half a meter!
"As expected, it's possible."
"Flash Step and high-frequency thinking are a perfect match!"
Ji Xinghuo grasped the trick but still needed some practice. Without hesitation, he turned to the salesperson and asked, "What's the price of this Flash Step thumb ring?"
A few minutes later, the salesperson sent Ji Xinghuo off with a smile on his face.
Ji Xinghuo now wore the Flash Step ring on his right thumb, having paid 7 million Asia Dollars for it. However, he felt it was worth it, as the equipment suited him well.
The night Ji Xinghuo returned to the Midway Fortress.
He met up with Jing Ji and Yuan Chongzhen at a bar, and Jing Ji immediately noticed the ring on Ji Xinghuo's hand and asked, "New equipment?"
Ji Xinghuo nodded.
Yuan Chongzhen took a couple of glances and asked, "Isn't it a thumb ring for storing arrows?"
Before Ji Xinghuo could answer, Jing Ji laughed and said, "With Xinghuo's strength, what else could it be but a thumb ring for storing arrows?"
Ji Xinghuo smiled but remained silent.
The three of them had earned a substantial amount of bounty, so they weren't short on money and often purchased superpower equipment. Thus, this was just a small episode, and Jing Ji and Yuan Chongzhen only mentioned it in passing without paying too much attention.
After dinner, the squad set off immediately.
"Let's go. We need to make the most of our time," Jing Ji said.
The sense of urgency grew within him as their points were surpassed, but he didn't lose his composure. He continued hunting enemies as usual.
When they returned at noon the next day, the trio had earned over 10 million more in bounty, and each of their points had increased by more than 120.
Two days later, the trio's points surpassed Alyx's team again, reclaiming the top three spots.
They gradually pulled away.
However, not long after, Alyx's points surged once more, surpassing Jing Ji's.
This time, Alyx's team had eliminated a gathering place of the Beilu Shimen tribe, consisting of more than 600 people, many of whom were Tier 3. They earned a total of over 1,000 points, and even after dividing them among the three team members, Alyx's points still pulled ahead of Jing Ji's.
Jing Ji had no choice but to increase his hunting time and expand his range, taking a few days to catch up again.
In the latter half of the month, the two teams took turns leading in points, competing closely but unable to shake each other off. With only three days left, Alyx's points suddenly stopped increasing.
Jing Ji was ahead by several dozen points, but he felt no joy.
He had learned that Alyx hadn't returned to Midway Fortress for two days, indicating that they were planning a large-scale hunt. Their next return would likely involve submitting a large number of trophies, ending the wager.
Many people in Midway Fortress were paying attention, and the topic of their wager could be heard everywhere he went.
The day before the final day.
When Ji Xinghuo and his teammates were eating, they felt the gazes of those around them. As they left the fortress, many people stopped and turned to look at them, making them the center of attention.
After leaving the fortress, Jing Ji took a deep breath and said to his teammates, "For the last 100 hours, let's not rest and keep hunting until the end. Whether we win or not will depend on our luck."
(End of Chapter)
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