Chapter 54: Dragonhawk

Chapter 54: Dragonhawk

The following day.

Ji Xinghuo only went through six training cycles before heading out in the afternoon.

He first went to the bank to withdraw money, all in denominations of 100,000 Asian Yuan. These were the largest denomination bills issued by the Asia-Pacific Community, usually only circulating in Olympia. With 65 bills totaling 6.5 million, he bundled them with a strap and stuffed them into his pocket, giving no indication that he was carrying a small fortune.

Then he rented a unicorn and made his way towards the center of Olympia City.

Not far from the Stargate Plaza, Ji Xinghuo arrived at his destination. He looked up at the tall building before him, a plaque with four characters hanging above the entrance.

"Greenfield Elf Bow."

One of the most famous bow and arrow brands on Earth, producing and selling the finest bows and accessories.

Ji Xinghuo had heard of it before.

Almost every ranger, hunter, and archer among the extraordinary beings had dreamed of owning a bow from Greenfield.

The bows sold by Greenfield were at least one-star premium products, but even those were considered secondary to their main offerings.

Their flagship product was the Superpower Bow!

There were fewer than thirty Greenfield stores across the Asia-Pacific Community, only found in megacities and first-tier cities like Olympia.

And this was the only one in Olympia.

Ji Xinghuo strolled through the entrance. The interior was simply furnished, devoid of any luxury. A middle-aged man in an archer's uniform immediately approached with a smile and said, "Welcome to Greenfield. Sir, are you here to purchase a bow or do you require other services?"

Ji Xinghuo glanced at him; he was a mid-level extraordinary.

Judging from the marks on his fingers, he must have practiced archery extensively, and his skills were likely impressive. He was probably a ranger or a hunter.

"I want to look at the Superpower Bows."

Ji Xinghuo stated his intention directly. If he wanted to hunt independently, a good bow was essential, and it would currently provide the biggest boost to his combat capabilities.

"May I ask your surname?"

"Ji."

"As in the season Ji?" The man's expression froze slightly.

After receiving confirmation, his attitude improved, just like everyone else Ji Xinghuo had encountered before.

"I'm Liu Yu, sales manager of the Greenfield Olympia branch. Mr. Ji can call me Little Liu."

Ji Xinghuo had no intention of doing so. "Please lead the way, Manager Liu."

He followed Liu Yu upstairs to the third floor.

There weren't many customers in the store, and the third floor was even quieter, with only two or three customers browsing at the counter, each accompanied by a salesperson.

On the third floor, there was a high wall displaying over a dozen bows—compound bows, traditional hunting bows, and light bows, each with a unique design belonging to different series.

The only common feature was that they were all Superpower Bows!

Of course, to prevent theft, the display wall was protected by a layer of bulletproof glass, allowing customers to admire the bows but not touch them. If a customer showed interest in a particular model, the salesperson would bring out an identical bow for them to test fire. There was an archery platform outside the third floor where customers could shoot at targets behind the store.

"Do you have any bows in mind, Mr. Ji?" Manager Liu asked.

Ji Xinghuo shook his head.

"Then allow me to give you a brief introduction, and please feel free to ask any questions."

Liu Yu pointed to a black compound bow on the wall and began his description in a steady pace: "Mr. Ji, this is the 'Wolf Fang' series, our flagship product at Greenfield."

"It's a balanced compound bow with a maximum draw weight of 160 kilograms, an effort-saving ratio of 85%, an effective lethal range of 240 meters, and a bow weight of just 10 kilograms. It's made with the latest high-performance lightweight alloy material, ensuring a sturdy, reliable structure that's easy to maintain. It's also compatible with all compound bow accessories on the market."

"The greatest strengths of the Wolf Fang series are stability, precision, and reliability."

"The latest seventh-generation Wolf Fang was released last year and has received rave reviews from users."

"The Wolf Fang comes with a 'Sharp Blade' effect, enhancing the arrowhead's penetration capability. At a distance of 200 meters, it can pierce through 3-millimeter thick steel plates."

"And within 100 meters, it can even penetrate 5-millimeter thick steel!"

"Even the elite Stone Golem's rocky hide won't withstand an arrow from the Wolf Fang. A direct hit will always penetrate and inflict fatal damage."

"Even high-level Iron Guards would have to retreat in the face of the Wolf Fang's arrows."

A proud smile spread across Liu Yu's face as he continued, "Although the Wolf Fang series is only rated as a one-star Superpower Bow, it has consistently been our top-selling product, with annual sales exceeding 12,000 units."

Ji Xinghuo nodded.

He had heard of the Wolf Fang series before, and it was indeed popular.

The Wolf Fang compound bow had made frequent appearances in many archers' videos, often compared to firearms due to its impressive penetration capabilities.

"How much is the seventh-generation Wolf Fang at the moment?" Ji Xinghuo asked.

The prices of Superpower Bows fluctuated frequently, sometimes due to market shifts and sometimes because of promotional campaigns by the merchants, resulting in significant price differences.

Liu Yu replied, "Greenfield is currently running a winter promotion with significant discounts. Mr. Ji, you can get the seventh-generation Wolf Fang for just 2.68 million."

It was a little cheaper than he had expected.

However, Ji Xinghuo was not entirely satisfied. While the classic Superpower Bow had proven its worth in the market, it didn't meet his specific needs.

Liu Yu was quick to notice his customer's reaction and immediately guessed Ji Xinghuo's thoughts.

Thus, he proceeded to introduce several other Superpower Bows.

"The 'Spirit Wind' series is designed for agile archers. It's a light bow with slightly lower lethality and range but allows for a higher rate of fire and enhances the archer's running speed."

"The 'Nightingale' series excels in portability and produces minimal vibration and sound, enhancing the archer's vision in low-light environments and providing a camouflage effect."

"The 'Pursuer' is a traditional hunting bow, and each arrow fired will emit a flash of light."

Additionally, there's the 'Heavy Blade,' a compound bow designed for powerful archers, with a draw weight of 210 kilograms and an extremely long range, although its precision is slightly lacking. The edges of the 'Heavy Blade' are sharp, turning the bow itself into a formidable close-quarters weapon, transforming the archer into a bow-wielding warrior."

Liu Yu was very patient and knew that Ji Xinghuo was not here to waste his time, so he asked directly, "Mr. Ji, can you reveal your budget?"

"Around 6 million," Ji Xinghuo replied. "Anything more expensive and I won't be able to afford it."

Liu Yu felt a twinge of regret upon hearing this.

If this customer's budget was slightly higher, perhaps around 10 million, then they could consider a two-star Superpower Bow.

Some entry-level two-star Superpower weapons were priced around that range.

Liu Yu thought for a moment and asked, "Mr. Ji, we have a Superpower Bow in our store that you might like. Have you heard of the Hawk Bow?"

"The Hawk Bow that combines the design of a compound bow and a recurve bow?" Ji Xinghuo had heard Lu Yunhai mention it once.

"Yes," Liu Yu replied.

He led Ji Xinghuo into the second showroom on the third floor, which was much smaller than the previous one. There were only a few bows hanging on the wall, but each one was unique.

"These are all Hawk Bows, Mr. Ji. Please have a look."

Ji Xinghuo's eyes lit up.

The bows on the wall all had the same sleek design, and they looked incredibly cool.

The bow's shape resembled a soaring hawk with its wings outstretched. The main body resembled that of a compound bow, but the bow piece was divided into two parts. The outer end of the bow piece curved outward like a recurve bow, while the inner piece was fixed to the bow handle. A pulley assembly was installed at the junction of the two bow pieces, with cables transmitting the force.

One could imagine that when the archer drew the string, the two bow pieces would contract inward, resembling a hawk flapping its wings.

"What a cool-looking bow!"

Ji Xinghuo couldn't help but exclaim in admiration. He wondered about its power, though. He had heard from Lu Yunhai that the Hawk Bow combined the designs of two different bows, and it had its pros and cons.

The advantage was that the shooting frequency was increased, allowing for quicker arrow loading like a recurve bow while also possessing the precision of a compound bow. However, the drawback was that the effort-saving ratio was decreased, typically not exceeding 50%, and the accuracy was not as good as a pure compound bow. It also required a higher level of archery skill and was heavier than other types of bows.

This complex structural design seemed a bit overkill and mediocre.

But it sure looked awesome...

Liu Yu could tell what Ji Xinghuo was thinking and smiled as he introduced the bow, "The Hawk Bow does have its shortcomings, as you mentioned, Mr. Ji. However, it also has many advantages, such as a great shooting feel, extremely fast arrow speed, and overall performance that is not much worse than a compound bow."

"Our Greenfield Elf Bow's 'Dragonhawk' series has been improved and designed by master bowyers, utilizing the best materials and the most suitable abilities to bring out the strengths of the Hawk Bow."

He pointed to a camo-colored Hawk Bow on the wall.

"This Dragonhawk Mark III weighs 16 kilograms, has a draw weight of 180 kilograms, and an effort-saving ratio of 60%. These basic stats are very impressive, and overall, it outperforms most one-star Superpower Bows."

"But its biggest highlight is its arrow speed."

"The Dragonhawk Mark III can achieve an arrow speed of up to 275 meters per second, entering the supersonic range on Earth."

Ji Xinghuo was quite surprised. "That fast?"

The fastest arrow speed of the Superpower Bows he had seen earlier was only around 180 meters per second, a significant difference.

"Yes, the Hawk Bow is known for its speed!"

Liu Yu nodded. "The dragonhawk is one of the fastest flying creatures in the Starry Realm, hence its name. The Dragonhawk's bow handle is imbued with the 'Wind-cutting' ability, which, when cast on the arrow, significantly reduces air resistance, increasing the arrow's speed and extending its range. Its effective lethal range reaches 300 meters!"

"Of course, only the top archers can make full use of this extended range."

"Additionally, like the Wolf Fang series, the Dragonhawk also has the 'Sharp Blade' effect, enhancing its penetration capability. Due to its faster arrow speed, the Dragonhawk has even stronger armor-piercing abilities."

"With these two ability effects, the Dragonhawk's power is close to that of a two-star Superpower Bow."

Liu Yu went on enthusiastically, praising the Hawk Bow to the skies.

Ji Xinghuo was indeed very tempted.

With its high arrow speed and long range, this Superpower Bow, combined with the "silencing" effect of the Stealth Ring, could turn him into an ultra-long-range assassin!

"How much is it?" Ji Xinghuo asked directly.

"The Dragonhawk is not included in our current promotional discount, so we can only sell it at the original price," Liu Yu said with a smile. "If you buy the latest Dragonhawk Mark III, it will cost you 5.99 million Asian Yuan!"

Ji Xinghuo was speechless.

He had mentioned a budget of 6 million, and the Hawk Bow was priced at 5.99 million. It was a perfect match.

"Let me try it out first," Ji Xinghuo said, not making the purchase immediately. He wanted to hold the Hawk Bow in his hands and test its shooting feel before making a decision.

"Of course," Liu Yu replied.

He quickly fetched a brand-new Dragonhawk and handed it to Ji Xinghuo. He then led him to the archery range behind the store.

After a while, Ji Xinghuo walked out of Greenfield Elf Bow with a large bag on his back.

He had entered the store with 6.5 million in cash, and now he had only a small fraction of it left.

In addition to the Superpower Bow, Ji Xinghuo also purchased several capacitive arrows and twenty "Blastflame Arrows," which would explode into flames upon hitting their target. Each Blastflame Arrow cost 8,000 Asian Yuan, a discounted price for buying the Hawk Bow.

He spent nearly 200,000 Asian Yuan on these two types of special arrows alone.

High-draw-weight bows required better arrows—ones with lower deflection (stiffer) and heavier arrow shafts—to fully utilize their power.

Ji Xinghuo chose titanium-aluminum alloy arrows, each weighing 70 grams and costing over 200 Asian Yuan.

He bought 500 of them, spending another 100,000 Asian Yuan. The weight of the arrow shafts alone totaled 35 kilograms, filling his large bag.

Ji Xinghuo returned to the villa and spent the entire afternoon in the archery range, familiarizing himself with the newly acquired Hawk Bow.

That evening, he packed his bags.

He gathered his weapons, armor, tent, sleeping bag, deodorizers, insect repellents, various medicines, and consumables.

After triple-checking to ensure he hadn't forgotten anything, Ji Xinghuo left a letter in Jiang Nan Caiyi's room, shouldered his 50-kilogram military backpack, and set off into the night, leaving the villa behind.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end