Chapter 347: Betrayal of the Empire

Chapter 347: Betrayal of the Empire

The three prizes were packaged separately and placed in three boxes of varying sizes. The organizing committee chairman said, "Mr. Ji, please check and receive your prizes."

Ji Xinghuo nodded.

Under the watchful eyes of the on-site race officials and the Roman Praetorian Guard, he first opened the largest box.

Inside was the "Electroblade."

It was the most valuable and eye-catching of all the prizes, and even though the true target of his participation was the "Stellar Flame Pulse," Ji Xinghuo didn't want his intentions to be discerned, so he followed the logical train of thought and examined this weapon first.

As he opened the box, a sharp aura permeated the air.

This was a heavy battle sword, with an overall length of about one meter and sixty centimeters. Its design was simple and streamlined, featuring a hilt that was around thirty-five centimeters in length, wrapped with layers of electric coil windings. The blade exceeded one meter and twenty centimeters in length, wider than a palm, and had an extremely thick spine. The ashen-blue blade glinted with a dull electric glow, and its tip curved upward, giving it a sense of heft and sharpness.

Ji Xinghuo had already perused the information about this weapon on the official website of the Global Marathon Competition, and the organizing committee had touted it as their biggest attraction.

He reached out and grasped the hilt, lifting the sword.

The people around him were slightly astonished. This "Electroblade" weighed 648 kilograms, yet Ji Xinghuo lifted it with apparent ease.

"What a fine sword!"

Ji Xinghuo couldn't help but exclaim in admiration as he gripped the heavy battle sword.

Despite both being super-ability three-star weapons, the Electroblade's weight was more than five times that of the Skyfury Bloodgun. This was because it was made from a rare material unique to the Stellar World, commonly known as "Thunder-Forged Heavy Alloy."

Thunder-Forged Heavy Alloy could not be artificially synthesized and was extremely rare even in the Stellar World.

The main components of this alloy were "osmium" and "iridium," the two metallic elements with the highest densities, while the remaining constituents remained unknown. It possessed super-high electrical conductivity, and after being smelted through a special process, it became a super alloy.

With its extremely high weight, super-low electrical resistance, and exceptional hardness and toughness, it was also an excellent conductor of stellar energy!

In the precious metals market, Thunder-Forged Heavy Alloy was traded by the gram.

One gram sold for approximately 1,850 Asian Yuan.

The "Precision Workshop" of the New Roman Empire's Ministry of Technology had exhausted the Empire's stockpile of over a decade just to forge this Electroblade.

The material alone was valued at over 1.2 billion Asian Yuan!

However, the most precious aspect was the craftsmanship that went into creating the weapon. The weapon designers at the Precision Workshop had used seven superior and extraordinary species, combined with the principles of electromagnetism, to impart upon it the effect of "Electro-Potential Boosting."

Electro-potential represents the ratio of electric field energy, and electro-potential difference is voltage.

In layman's terms, this weapon is a unique step-up transformer capable of boosting voltage to over a million volts.

When wielding the Electroblade and employing lightning-based super abilities, the power is amplified by 50% to 120%, and the release speed is also increased by approximately 35%!

It can be understood that this weapon is akin to a wizard's wand!

But it's not merely a simple amplifier.

The Electroblade also possesses the super-limit ability, "Giant's Strength," which, when activated, doubles the bearer's strength!

Additionally, there is a technique called "Lightning Cut" that must be used in conjunction with the Flash Step. It allows one to slash through targets, both human and machine, in an instant, combining the weight and sharpness of the Electroblade. Even the armor of a heavy tank would be cleaved in two.

What pleased Ji Xinghuo the most was its weight.

His current bench press capacity was 150 tons, and when he activated the spinning magnetic field with Dragon Fury, his strength surged exponentially.

Weapons weighing merely a few dozen kilograms felt too light.

Although the Electroblade weighed only 648 kilograms, which was still a bit on the lighter side, it was already considerably heavier than ordinary super-ability weapons.

Taking into account physical endurance and stellar energy consumption, the most suitable weight for his weapon would be around two tons. However, weapons of such weight were generally very bulky, making it challenging to balance the center of gravity and also impacting his speed.

The Electroblade was still a bit light, but its density was exceptionally high, striking a rather good balance between weight and volume.

Unless it was an Apocalypse-grade weapon, there was none finer.

Ji Xinghuo gripped the Electroblade, exerting a slight force.

A stream of electromagnetic stellar energy flowed into the hilt.

In an instant, the entire sword lit up, the current coursing along the blade, emitting a crackling hiss, and the air surrounding the blade was pierced.

Crackle...

The hairs and perspiration on the skin of the nearest few organizing committee officials stood on end, and they quickly backed away a few steps, feeling a tingling sensation.

Ji Xinghuo was overjoyed.

This was the most suitable weapon he had ever obtained. Lei Chi was only a super-ability two-star and lacked sufficient power. The Skyfury Bloodgun and Demon Sound were super-ability three-star weapons, but they didn't resonate with him as well as this heavy battle sword.

There was also a black heat-shaped insulating scabbard in the box, and Ji Xinghuo sheathed the sword and tied it to his back.

Ji Xinghuo picked it up to examine it, confirmed its authenticity, and then placed it back into the box.

Lastly, there was the exotic species.

Upon opening the box, he saw a thumb-sized, crimson-colored creature with an irregular shape resembling a ruby.

Everyone present stared at the exotic species.

Ji Xinghuo quietly observed the others, noting no unusual expressions on their faces, before reaching out and picking it up.

Immediately, information about the creature appeared before his eyes.

[Exotic Species: Blazing Starfire]



[Grade: Super-Limit]



[Fusion Success Rate: 83%]



[Upgradable: Yes]



Ji Xinghuo only glanced at the information before his expression changed, and he said in a deep voice, "This isn't the Stellar Flame Pulse!"

"What?" The organizing committee chairman was taken aback.

The other race officials looked bewildered, and Luo Yimeng quickly moved closer, "Xinghuo, are you sure?"

Ji Xinghuo nodded firmly.

Blazing Starfire was also a rare pyrokinesis ability. Previously, when the Emperor mentioned the Stellar Flame Pulse, he had said that it was difficult to distinguish and could be easily confused with other abilities, so Ji Xinghuo had specifically looked it up in the Star Sector's exotic species database.

Among the entries was "Blazing Starfire," and its appearance was identical to the exotic species before him.

Ji Xinghuo had suspected as much the moment he laid eyes on it.

However, since no one present, including himself, had ever seen the Stellar Flame Pulse before and only knew its name, he couldn't be completely certain that it was a mistake.

But the Myriad Manifestation Star Pupils had immediately identified it, and they never made mistakes!

"Sister Luo, see for yourself," Ji Xinghuo said.

"This is Blazing Starfire; it's not the Stellar Flame Pulse at all," Luo Yimeng confirmed.

Ji Xinghuo handed the exotic species to Luo Yimeng.

She examined it carefully, initially with some doubt, but upon hearing Ji Xinghuo's confirmation, she immediately recalled the information as well. She sternly questioned the organizing committee chairman, "What is the meaning of this? Are you mixing up exotic species now?"

The organizing committee chairman was only a high-ranking alien, and although his status was high, he was essentially a bureaucrat.

Facing the questioning of a Heavenly King, his face paled as he explained, "Master Chaofeng, these exotic species were provided by the Empire's Star Sector, and the prizes were escorted and guarded by the Roman Praetorian Guard. Our organizing committee has no authority to interfere; we only handle publicity. This is also the first time I've seen the prizes myself."

Ji Xinghuo could tell he wasn't lying, so he turned to the vault guards.

"Who was in charge of the escort?"

A tall Praetorian Guard commander stepped forward, removing his helmet to reveal the face of a middle-aged man. "We kept a close eye on the prizes. They were delivered here this morning directly from the Star Sector, and no one has been allowed near them."

Luo Yimeng asked, "Can you guarantee that?"

"Please do not question the discipline and capabilities of the Roman Praetorian Guard," the middle-aged commander replied with a hint of displeasure.

Ji Xinghuo's thoughts raced.

If the Roman Praetorian Guard was not at fault, then there were two possibilities.

One was that the Stellar Flame Pulse had been secretly swapped by someone, and the Roman Praetorian Guard had failed to notice. The other was that the exotic species provided by the Empire's Star Sector was incorrect from the start.

If it was the former, it was highly likely that the Sun King had instructed the American Alien to do it.

But if it was the latter...

Could the Star Sector of the New Roman Empire have made a mistake with an exotic species?

Ji Xinghuo and Luo Yimeng exchanged a glance, both feeling the gravity of the situation. Regardless of which scenario it was, there was no chance of obtaining the Stellar Flame Pulse now.

They hoped it was a mistake on the part of the Empire's Star Sector.

If the Stellar Flame Pulse had never been part of the prizes to begin with, then even with all his scheming, the Sun King would not have been able to obtain it. However, the likelihood of such an occurrence was extremely low.

The organizing committee chairman, unaware of the full picture, suggested, "Mr. Ji, it seems the Star Sector has misidentified the exotic species. You may choose another prize as a replacement."

"I only want the Stellar Flame Pulse," Ji Xinghuo immediately refused. "Please contact the Star Sector at once."

"Of course, of course," the chairman agreed.

He took out his phone and made the call on the spot.

"Minister Kirillo..." He quickly briefed the person on the other end, who was presumably the minister of the Star Sector, on the situation.

Ji Xinghuo heard the voice on the phone, which belonged to the minister, and it sounded very serious as he indicated that he would come over immediately.

A few minutes later, a tall and slender man arrived.

In any country with an established Star Sector, the minister holding that position was invariably a powerful figure. This minister from the New Roman Empire was no exception and was a legendary powerhouse. He approached with a solemn expression.

"Master Chaofeng, Mr. Ji." He introduced himself, "I am Kirill Nikonov, Minister of the Star Sector."

"Minister," the expert studied it seriously for a few minutes before reporting, "This is not the Stellar Flame Pulse, but the Blazing Starfire."

Kirill's brow furrowed.

But soon, his expression eased, and he apologized to Ji Xinghuo, "Mr. Ji, this is our mistake. I didn't handle this exotic species personally and entrusted it to an expert for identification, but the Blazing Starfire looks too similar to the Stellar Flame Pulse, hence the mix-up."

"Is that so?"

Ji Xinghuo glanced at the expert.

"I apologize," said the expert, an elderly man in his sixties or seventies. He wasn't an alien, and he wore glasses, "I misidentified it. I'm getting old, and my energy is waning. I've been making mistakes at work these past two years, so perhaps it's time for me to retire."

Ji Xinghuo's expression turned sour, but there was little he could do.

Previously, on the official website of the Global Marathon, the prizes had been displayed with information but no actual pictures.

So he couldn't be sure if they had genuinely made a mistake or secretly swapped the exotic species.

Since they insisted, he had no way to pursue the matter further.

"Mr. Ji," Kirill said, "I have the same suggestion as the organizing committee chairman. I recommend you choose another prize as a replacement. Blazing Starfire is also a super-limit exotic species, quite similar to the Stellar Flame Pulse, and there are even more valuable exotic species among the prizes."

How could they be the same?

Ji Xinghuo looked at the Star Sector Minister, unsure if he was genuinely ignorant or feigning ignorance of the Stellar Flame Pulse's true value.

He couldn't help but think that it would be great if Zhao Manying were here.

Or if there were a Mind Hacker present to discern who among them was lying.

"Give me a few minutes to consider, and I'll make a decision."

"Take your time, Mr. Ji."

Ji Xinghuo and Luo Yimeng left the vault and soared into the sky together, rocketing up to the stratosphere.

"Sister Luo, what should we do?" Ji Xinghuo asked.

"I'll contact the Head of State," Luo Yimeng replied.

She dialed the encrypted line to the Head of State's office and quickly briefed Ji Daosheng on the situation.

"Little Luo, what's your take on this?" Ji Daosheng asked.

"The exotic species identification expert is lying," Luo Yimeng replied confidently. "He's not speaking his own thoughts; someone has imprinted a mental seal on him, making him speak according to another's will."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line.

Ji Xinghuo was startled.

Luo Yimeng's forehead revealed a small, bird-like shadow, its body alternating between black and white. It whispered, "I have a 'Mystic Spirit Bird' with various psychic abilities, especially adept at reading the minds of those with weaker abilities."

At that moment, Ji Daosheng replied, "I understand."

His voice was calm, devoid of any discernible emotion, but Ji Xinghuo sensed the gravity of the situation.

This was the worst-case scenario.

The Star Sector of the New Roman Empire hadn't misidentified the exotic species but had swapped the "Stellar Flame Pulse." They clearly didn't want the exotic species to fall into their hands and instead intended to give it to the Sun King.

This implied that the New Roman Empire had secretly made a deal with the Sun King and possibly the American Federation.

Once again, this ally had betrayed them!

Ji Xinghuo was perplexed.

For the New Roman Empire to do this, they must have known the importance of the "Stellar Flame Pulse" as a part of the "Fusion" combination for the Sun King's advancement to a "Child of the Stars." All of this would have required the Iron Emperor's approval. Did he not fear the Sun King becoming a "Child of the Stars" and turning against him?

After two encounters, Ji Xinghuo didn't think John Anthony was a man of his word.

Unless...

The Iron Emperor had also gained an irresistible benefit from this transaction.

"Xinghuo, just follow their suggestion and choose another prize, pretending you don't know," Ji Daosheng instructed. "You can also accept the Blazing Starfire."

"Yes, Head of State," Ji Xinghuo acknowledged.

The two landed and re-entered the vault, where Minister Kirill and the organizing committee officials were waiting.

Ji Xinghuo indicated that he wouldn't swap the prize and would take the Blazing Starfire.

Kirill and the committee chairman breathed a sigh of relief and once again expressed their apologies and gratitude to Ji Xinghuo.

The Global Marathon wasn't over yet, and most of the contestants were still running, but Ji Xinghuo didn't stay to watch. He immediately returned to his hotel and boarded a plane back to the Asia-Pacific Commonwealth with Zhao Manying.

Luo Yimeng and Xing Lie accompanied them.

A few hours later, the plane landed safely at Chang'an Airport.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end