Chapter 271: The Exhibit
Chapter 271: The Exhibit
As Pan Xiaode suggested this idea, Qi Huixin, who had been silent, suddenly lifted her head, clearly intrigued by the proposal.
Tan Zhi spoke up, "Forget it, we've already had enough sparring and training. It's time to rest. There's a high-level combat match tomorrow that we should be saving our energy for."
Pan Xiaode pondered for a moment, scratching the back of his head, "Tan Zhi's right, it's not until tomorrow. What should we do to pass the time until then?"
Tan Zhi offered a suggestion, "There's a dance hall here, and I heard that many renowned dancers will be attending. Why don't we go for a dance later..."
Pan Xiaode and Qi Huixin exchanged glances, shaking their heads, clearly not interested in the idea.
As for Chen Chuan, he could appreciate watching others dance, but when it came to dancing himself, he had no such enthusiasm. He'd rather go back and practice his Righteous Freehand a few more times.
Seeing that none of them shared his idea, Tan Zhi shrugged, "Fine, we won't go then. I heard that the Rhinoceros Horn Cruise Ship invited the Sun Band for the official launch, but we won't get to see it anyway."
"The Sun Band?"
Pan Xiaode's eyes lit up, "I like their songs too." He added with a hint of regret, "It's a shame we have to wait for the official launch. If only we could stay a few more days."
However, after just a couple of sentences, the topic naturally shifted back to combat. Chen Chuan and Pan Xiaode chatted for a while, and Chen Chuan realized that the other's theory was solid, and he had a deep understanding of various weapon applications. This was no ordinary fighter; most fighters specialized in one particular weapon, while those who were proficient in multiple weapons were rare. So, they continued their conversation.
Qi Huixin joined in this time, and the three of them delved deeper into the discussion. Occasionally, Pan Xiaode would stand up and gesture to emphasize his points, unconcerned about the attention from those around them.
Tan Zhi, on the other hand, looked helpless and made a gesture of exasperation.
After dinner, Pan Xiaode suggested they go to the combat arena first, even though the main event hadn't started yet. They could still watch the preliminary matches.
So, the four of them left the restaurant, each boarding a single-person sightseeing electric car. Following the guidance of their Boundary Tokens, they drove up the ramp and headed towards the combat arena on the ninth floor.
The unique feature of the Rhinoceros Horn Cruise Ship was its dedicated 'Combat Deck,' a specialized layer. Whenever the ship docked at a location, it would stay for two to three days, hosting an offshore combat tournament.
Moreover, the internal arena was not open to non-combatants; only those who had reached the first limit in combat were allowed to enter.
When they arrived at this level, the security personnel only glanced at them before letting them pass. Anyone with combat training could tell from their gait and movement that they were skilled fighters.
Even without the Wu Yi Academy uniforms that three of them wore, their rhythmic strides clearly indicated that they were all experts.
Upon entering the arena, Chen Chuan's Boundary Token dimmed for a moment and then lit up. He found himself in a colosseum-like arena surrounded by a dense crowd of spectators.
These spectators were all passengers on the cruise ship. While they couldn't physically be at the arena, they could use the Public Interlink Point to project their realistic images into the arena.
As long as these passengers were in their cabins, they could see the arena's scene around them, effectively merging the in-arena and outside audiences while maintaining a real sense of distance.
When the four of them arrived, a combat match was about to begin, so they casually chose seats and sat down.
Since it was just an ordinary combat match, the announcer briefly introduced the backgrounds of the two combatants. Under the lights, the first fighter entered the arena, a martial arts gym-trained combatant carrying a saber and wearing protective armor. His exposed arms bore numerous scars, and his eyes were calm and composed, indicating extensive combat experience.
His opponent was different. On his bare upper body, visible implant wires indicated a transformed body. One of his hands had been modified into a fierce claw.
As he entered, he removed the skirt covering his lower body, eliciting exclamations from the audience via the Boundary Token.
His lower body was entirely like that of a shrimp-scorpion, with a tightly coiled tail and three pairs of curved toes supporting his weight. From his waist down to his tail, he was encased in a shrimp-like shell, and with his claw, he resembled a human-sized shrimp.
Chen Chuan observed him for a few moments but didn't rate his combat prowess highly.
This fighter had only one transformed claw, and while he could stabilize his center of gravity with shrimp-like legs, he would undoubtedly lose balance when moving or turning quickly.
According to Tan Zhi, these combat tournaments were organized by companies to promote their products, and retaining one human hand likely helped distinguish the two fighters.
At that moment, the announcer's voice echoed through the Boundary Token, introducing the second fighter's modified body as a new combat implant from Ferris Company, well-suited for maritime combat, with multiple abdominal claws ideal for maritime navigation platforms.
(End of Chapter 271)
On the light screen in front of him, a list of the person's modifications appeared: artificial gills, artificial lungs, enhanced heart, pressure-adapted diaphragm, waterproof secretory glands...
Furthermore, this individual had also undergone underwater sensory modifications by Beren Company, enabling them to breathe underwater and move freely in the aquatic environment.
The commentator joked that if needed, they could even add underwater reproductive modifications, which elicited a burst of laughter, and some people started asking about the price.
Chen Chuan now understood. This match probably wouldn't live up to his expectations of exciting combat; it was likely just a way for certain companies to showcase their "goods" to potential buyers.
He shook his head, stood up, and said, "Sorry, everyone, I'm not interested in this kind of competition." With that, he started to walk out.
Tan Zhi also stood up, muttering, "There's nothing interesting here." Qi Huixin didn't say a word, but silently followed Chen Chuan out.
"Hey, you guys."
Seeing that all three had left, Tan Zhi shrugged and decided to leave as well.
Just as the four of them were leaving, less than twenty meters away in a private box, Gong Zhanyi sat inside. An administrator approached him, bowed, and said, "Young Master, we've looked, but we haven't found anyone yet."
Gong Zhanyi spoke coldly, "Wei Wusheng is a martial arts fanatic. He wouldn't miss a combat event like tomorrow's. The Rhinoceros Horn Cruise Ship sets sail the day after tomorrow, so we must find him and retrieve the item before then."
"Yes, sir."
After giving instructions, Gong Zhanyi changed his posture and looked down at the two fighters who had already entered the combat state. "I heard there's a student from Wu Yi Academy among the fighters here?"
The administrator replied, "Yes, since the vice-principal of Wu Yi took over, he's been pushing for this. But those students aren't official; they're external students who were recruited."
Gong Zhanyi said, "So, what's the point of external students? If they were official students, there might be something worth watching."
...
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Chapter end
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