Once Lan Jin and Brother Zhang left, the three remaining people stayed put. Lao Gao was speaking in a low, serious tone to Huang Jinghe.
"Why do you have to blurt out everything? We never said you couldn't make a call, but the way you talk puts us in a completely passive position."
Huang Jinghe really was the child of soldiers, but he hadn't grown up with his parents. His grandparents had doted on him so much that he'd grown up too straightforward for his own good. You could say he didn't have a scheming bone in his body.
It wasn't that he was stupid—he wasn't. But when it came to his parents, he got anxious and impatient. Even without Lao Gao's reminder, he realized his mistake.
"Sorry, I just spoke too fast. Should I… maybe not make the call?"
Ling Jiang sighed. "Make it. You already brought it up. If you stop now, it'll be too obvious."
"Then… do we take that special mission?"
"We'll discuss it first. From the look of him, this mission will be dangerous. If we don't have proper weapons, we are absolutely not agreeing. We didn't survive this long just to throw our lives away. But if we get the right weapons, it might be worth considering. With so many of us together, we can build up combat experience."
Most importantly, they wouldn't be going out as just the four of them. They'd be with Brother Zhang's group. More people meant a better chance of staying safe.
It had to be said—when Lao Gao planned something, he really did think things through.
Meanwhile, Lan Jin had already learned almost everything about the "Violet Ring" from Brother Zhang.
"Can I try it out?" she asked.
"High-tech gear. No trial runs," Brother Zhang explained. "What if you run off with it? Where would I find you? This is a first-tier ring, and you've got lightning abilities. If you put it on, who could stop you?"
Alright… that was actually a pretty solid reason. Still, Lan Jin found it hard to believe. She frowned at the ring.
"Brother Zhang, be honest. Is this thing from some cultivation world or from another planet? No matter how I look at it, I can't believe our Blue Star could produce something like this."
"Girl, anything's possible."
"Girl? Really? I'm in my thirties. You're only in your forties, right? Doesn't seem too fitting."
Brother Zhang gave a helpless smile. "Do I really look that old? I'm about the same age as the guy with the beard, right?"
Lan Jin burst out laughing. "Brother Zhang, how old do you think he is? He's only twenty-four. No way you're about the same."
"Twenty-four?!"
Brother Zhang was stunned. "Impossible."
The moment the words left his mouth, he realized he'd said them too loudly. His surprise had made him forget to lower his voice. The three nearby heard every word. Lao Gao turned and walked over.
"From all the way over there I could hear you talking about me. You done looking? Our turn, right?"
Lan Jin nodded. "Yeah, I'm done. I'll take the Violetbane Ring."
It might look ordinary, and Brother Zhang's pitch might have been exaggerated, but from the moment she saw it, Lan Jin felt a pull toward it.
"Good choice," Brother Zhang said. "You won't regret it."
Even so, there was no rush to pay right away. He led them over to another counter.
A notification pinged. The photo from earlier had arrived.
Brother Zhang opened it and held his phone up for them to see. "This one's called 'Sun Chaser'."
Its sleek, high-tech appearance was on par with the Condensed Violet Ring, though this one looked more like something that could actually be made on Blue Star.
Lao Gao eyed it. "It only comes with twenty arrow-bolts in the case. What if we run out?"
"Our base sells them," Brother Zhang said. He led them to another display case. It was empty, but the price tag was shockingly high.
"Here's the price. The matching arrow-bolts are sold here. They're not unavailable—just expensive and hard to produce. That's why they're often given as rewards, to keep mission-takers motivated. Still, you can buy them if you want."
Compared to bullets, the price was something else entirely. But since Brother Zhang had said that the crystals from snake heads were valuable, stocking up shouldn't be a problem.
The main selling point was that it didn't require an ability to use. In a fight, if someone's abilities were exhausted, this high-powered weapon could save their life.
Just then, Ling Jiang's gaze caught on a bracelet.
"This one… is it a weapon too?"
The bracelet's material looked much like the ring Lan Jin had chosen, though its design was simple, without gems or decoration.
Brother Zhang glanced at it. "That's called Frostbite Cuff. It's for ice-type ability users. No crystal embedded, so it's a tier-three weapon. You wear it, channel your ability, and it creates claws like Wolverine's—but made of ice. The size depends on your power output. They're extremely tough and deadly."
Ling Jiang could already form ice claws with her power, but only in midair as an attack. She couldn't hold them in her hands like actual weapons. She could use a blade, sure, but something directly gripped in her palm was always more practical.
The moment she heard the explanation, she wanted it. The price sealed the deal—it was far cheaper than Lan Jin's ring.
"Brother Zhang, why's this one so cheap? Only ten thousand contribution points?"
Brother Zhang chuckled. "Ten thousand isn't cheap. You're just comparing it to that ring. The Violetbane Ring's cost comes from the violet crystal—it boosts the user's abilities. Your bracelet doesn't have that, so it's cheaper. But if you're lucky enough to find the right crystal, you could embed it. That's all up to fate, though."
Huang Jinghe stepped up. "Brother Zhang, I'm used to a baseball bat. Got anything similar? Something with real stopping power?"
Brother Zhang thought for a moment, then led him to another counter. Inside was a short, flat platinum rod, no longer than a palm.
"This one's called Platinum Reaper. Same price—ten thousand contribution points. Similar to platinum, very tough. Like the ring and bracelet, it's hard to damage. It extends, and with water abilities, it can form a short water blade. Extend it further, and it becomes a water sword. If you're not into swords, you can shape it into a water staff. It's up to you. And it's easy to carry."
===
In here I make some change on the weapon name:
"这凝紫戒" (Zhè níng zǐ jiè) = Condensed Violet Ring = Violetbane Ring
"追日" (Zhuī Rì)= Chasing Sun = Sun Chaser. In Chinese myths, "追日" references the legend of 夸父 (Kuāfù), a giant who chased the sun to its setting point (and died of exhaustion).
"寒铁" (Hán Tiě) = Cold Iron = Frostbite Cuff
"七杀" (Qī Shā) = "Seven Kills" or "Seven Slaughter" = Platinum Reaper