https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-100-The-Thunderous-Roar-of-Power/12550785/
Chapter 99: The Audio-Visual Bracelet
Chapter 99: The Audio-Visual Bracelet
Ji Xinghuo chose the "Audio-Visual Bracelet" as his equipment. Its function was to allow the wearer to select a target and synchronize their vision and hearing.
This was prepared for Qinghong.
Although their psychic link allowed them to communicate, they couldn't share what Qinghong saw and heard.
Sometimes, when the distance was too great, he couldn't give timely commands and missed out on battle opportunities.
If they could synchronize their audio-visual senses, they would be even more in sync.
The Audio-Visual Bracelet was a one-star superpower equipment, and because it was a piece of jewelry, it was more expensive. It was priced at 5 million Asian yuan on the list.
Ji Xinghuo had a 20% discount, so he only needed 4 million Asian yuan.
"Please wait a moment."
Director Li nodded and turned to Jing Ji and Alex. The two men glanced at the list with little interest. They had already purchased equipment multiple times, and while there were items on the list that they wanted, the ones they truly desired were not there.
"Mr. Ji, please acknowledge receipt."
Soon, Director Li brought the synchronization bracelet, 1 million Asian yuan in cash, and a third-level hero medal.
After confirming that everything was in order, Ji Xinghuo signed and accepted the reward.
"Jing Ji, I have something to say to you," Alex suddenly said.
Everyone in the reception room was surprised. Jing Ji turned to Ji Xinghuo and said, "Brother Ji, please give me a moment."
"Sure," Ji Xinghuo replied.
He left the reception room and entered the restroom of the bounty hall. He put the cash and medal he had just received into Qinghong's dimensional stomach.
Then he took out the silver bracelet from its box. It was beautifully and simply designed, and it was very light.
Ji Xinghuo wrapped it around his right wrist and activated it. Instantly, an invisible connection formed in his mind, and he chose Qinghong, establishing a sensory link with it.
Qinghong had already consented beforehand and did not resist.
The next second, Ji Xinghuo's eyes gained another perspective, viewing himself from his palm.
This was Qinghong's point of view, and in its eyes, he appeared like a giant. He leaned closer to Qinghong, and in the synchronized perspective, he saw his own face looming larger. It felt strange, like his face was colliding with a mirror.
In addition to vision, his hearing was also synchronized.
He softly uttered, "Hmm."
The sound reached his ears, and the two "hmm" sounds almost overlapped, like an echo in the room.
"There's a delay in the synchronization."
Ji Xinghuo had previously thought it would be instantaneous, but after using it, he found that there was a delay of about 0.1 seconds. However, it shouldn't affect them too much.
The biggest problem was that one brain had to process dual visual and auditory inputs, which was challenging to manage. It would require frequent practice to get used to this synchronized sensory experience.
Otherwise, it might affect his own vision and hearing.
"How do you feel?" Ji Xinghuo asked Qinghong in his mind.
It was then that he realized Qinghong had a blank look on its face. While it had also synchronized its senses with his, its brain seemed to be struggling to keep up, as if it had crashed.
It took several minutes for Qinghong to gradually adjust to this new sensation.
Ji Xinghuo sensed its excitement. Because his vision was much better than Qinghong's, when their senses synchronized, it was like Qinghong had entered a new world. Everything it saw was drastically different from before—not only could it see farther, but it could also make out numerous details!
Qinghong had gained some of the functions of the Myriad Phenomenon Star Pupil through the audio-visual synchronization.
Ji Xinghuo laughed.
"You'll get used to it. It's not a big deal." He patted Qinghong's small head and deactivated the effect of the Audio-Visual Bracelet.
Using superpower equipment consumed stellar power, and while the synchronization didn't use up much, it couldn't be maintained continuously.
In the future, when his stellar power became more abundant, he could keep the synchronization going all the time.
Ji Xinghuo left the bounty hall and waited outside for a few minutes. Soon, Jing Ji joined him, his face unreadable.
"Let's go. I'll buy you a drink," Jing Ji said with a smile.
Under the curious gazes of the bounty hunters, the two men left and soon settled into a bar in the second-level district.
As it was still morning, the bar was mostly empty.
Jing Ji was obviously a regular here, as he skillfully ordered two drinks, which the waiter promptly brought over.
"Brother Jing—" Ji Xinghuo was about to ask a question.
"Just call me Jing Ji. I'm not much older than you, and you can call me by my name from now on," Jing Ji said, waving his hand.
Ji Xinghuo nodded.
"Originally, I invited you here for a drink because I wanted to make a new friend," Jing Ji continued, "But after talking to Alex just now, I do have something important to discuss with you."
"Is it related to the bet between you two?" Ji Xinghuo guessed.
"Yes," Jing Ji sighed and took a large gulp from his cup. "Alex has a cold exterior but a warm heart, and his personality is a bit quirky. I didn't understand him well before, and a small misunderstanding occurred over a trivial matter, leading to that bet."
"It was originally just a competition between the two of us, but as word spread, more and more people became interested, and the situation became harder to control."
"Can't you call it off?" Ji Xinghuo asked.
"If it were a few months ago, a single word from either of us could have canceled the bet. But now, it's too late," Jing Ji shook his head. "This matter has escalated beyond a personal grudge. It has become a contest between our two countries, with me and Alex representing our nations in this competition."
Ji Xinghuo understood the situation upon hearing this.
Their sole objective is to emerge victorious over the other, proving the superiority of their respective systems. Even trivial matters can escalate and attract widespread attention, inadvertently raising the stakes and burdening individuals with unintended consequences and responsibilities.
Victory brings fame and fortune, while defeat often invites scorn and ridicule, making it difficult to recover from public condemnation. Such stories are all too common.
Ji Xinghuo recalled an incident from over a decade ago, where a domestic esports team in the Superleague had fought their way to the top, claiming the national championship before advancing to the international invitational tournament. They had performed admirably, winning match after match, only to ultimately lose to a team from the American Alliance in the finals.
Overnight, the team members went from national heroes to the butt of jokes.
Second place is considered a disgrace.
Second place means you are the biggest loser.
While most people offer sympathy and acknowledge the difficulty of their journey, even a small percentage of criticism can amount to a formidable pressure from public opinion, which few can withstand.
That team never recovered from their loss, and a few years later, their club disbanded.
"The bet has made headlines back on Earth, becoming a trending news topic," Jing Ji said. "Every day, journalists have been requesting interviews, but I've turned them all down."
"Alex just told me that people from the American Alliance are hyping this up," he continued.
"The hype is growing, and domestic media will likely follow suit," he added.
Ji Xinghuo sighed.
Both Jing Ji and Alex found themselves in a difficult position, and it was easy to predict the immense pressure the losing side would face.
"So, what are you going to do?" Ji Xinghuo asked.
"There's no other way but to go through with it," Jing Ji replied confidently. "Neither Alex nor I will back down. I have the upper hand and am likely to win this bet. As long as I emerge victorious, everything will be fine."
"However, Alex proposed a suggestion," Jing Ji continued, looking at Ji Xinghuo.
"Since this has become a true competition involving national honor, he suggested involving more people. Each side can form a team of up to three people. The spoils must be divided equally among the team members, but the final result will still be based on the individual scores between me and him."
"Did you agree?" Ji Xinghuo asked.
Jing Ji nodded. "It's a good suggestion. It can divert public attention away from individuals, and if we win, it won't affect the hype. If we lose, we can share the responsibility."
He was essentially suggesting they share the blame!
Ji Xinghuo was speechless. Who would agree to join in such a situation?
"Don't refuse just yet," Jing Ji persuaded. "Of course, I won't let you work for nothing. We'll divide the spoils equally for the points, but I won't take any of the bounty. You two can split it between yourselves."
"You two?" Ji Xinghuo asked, curious. "Who's the other person?"
"He's also my friend, a very powerful bounty hunter and a super half-beastman," Jing Ji replied, introducing his companion. "His name is Yuan Chongzhen, and he's been hunting in the Sword Valley Fortress this year. If you had come last year, you would have definitely heard of him."
Then, turning to his friend, Jing Ji said, "Chongzhen, this is Ji Xinghuo, the top bounty hunter in the Central Fortress at the moment."
(End of Chapter)
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