Chapter 16: Yuhao Wins MVP, Sun Moon Empire Win Without Anything
Xuan Ziwen, Kong Deming's disciple and a Level 8 genius soul engineer, sneered at Jing Hongchen's words.
"Don't pretend, Master Hongchen. Shi Xuan told me everything about that kid inside."
"He's never been exposed to soul guidance device education, yet he passed the exam with perfect scores in just one month, becoming a level 1 soul guide. His completed work has been a real sensation in the research department lately. Now, in just two months, he'll have to take the level 2 soul engineer assessment. How long do you plan to keep such a genius a secret, Master Hongchen?"
"If Huo Yuhao passed the level 2 soul engineer assessment today, it could be said he'd truly broken the Sun Moon Empire's record for the fastest level 2 soul engineer.
You know, many first-year students can become soul engineers, but those students have all been exposed to soul guidance device education before enrolling. Whether such students achieve level 1 or level 2 soul engineer status in just a few months under the academy's assessment is of little significance.
But Huo Yuhao is a true achiever.
With the recent advent of lathes, information about Huo Yuhao has become readily available on most desks. Jing Hongchen still underestimated those who were interested in Huo Yuhao.
Otherwise, Xuan Ziwen wouldn't have come here today.
Of course, Xuan Ziwen wasn't concerned with that. Breaking the Soul Engineer record only proved his talent. What he truly valued—what his teacher had asked him to focus on today—was Huo Yuhao's creativity.
In his eyes, and the eyes of the teacher behind him, this innovative mind was unmatched by any other talent.
Fuck!
Jing Hongchen felt like cursing himself and couldn't help but blame himself. Why were you so pretentious? Why didn't you accept Yuhao as your last disciple earlier?
Now, he'd made a fool of himself and attracted the attention of that old man in the Worship Hall.
No way!
Jing Hongchen was reluctant to give up Huo Yuhao. He had been monitoring Yuhao's progress, and he figured it wouldn't be difficult for him to break through to the level 2 Soul Engineer today. It seemed he would have to resort to some special means.
Xuan Ziwen had come prepared today; it would soon be a matter of who offered the best price to impress the boy.
Unbeknownst to Jing Hongchen, Xuan Ziwen had quietly sent a message through his Soul Guidance Device.
"Teacher, a super genius has been discovered. Come quickly!"
In the experimental area, because a one-way glass partition separated the room from the observation area, Huo Yuhao was unaware that two people outside were engaged in a tense confrontation over him.
After passing the Level 2 Soul Engineer theoretical knowledge test with full marks, his spiritual detection sharing was focused on the metal in front of him, amplifying his mental power three times from his Ice Silkworm True Body. To ensure a successful test today, he had used Ice Silkworm Transformation before arriving to maintain peak physical condition.
Remember, a small opening doesn't count.
"Do I need to make that for my second soul guidance device?" Huo Yuhao hesitated, unable to make up his mind. Finally, he gritted his teeth and decided to give it a try.
This time, he didn't use a large amount of metal to engrave several core arrays simultaneously, as he did with the lathe soul guidance device last time. This time, he only needed three core arrays and only two types of metal.
He first engraved the simplest core array—the timed-detonation one—and then began engraving the flight control system core array and the soul power supply core array.
Yes, he was going to make a small high-explosive drone. If it were only about damage, it wouldn't seem necessary at this point. After all, fixed-mount soul guidance shells could do that, and even other soul guidance devices could have timed detonations.
Therefore, the selling point of this level 2 soul guidance device isn't its damage but its flight control system and soul power supply system. If it weren't for the limitations of his basic knowledge, Huo Yuhao would even like to engrave an additional core navigation array. Of course, such a thing is just a thought; it's simply unrealistic right now.
As for why he wanted to create this device, it was inspired by the ubiquitous soul guidance airships he saw in the skies above the academy every day.
What era is this? Level 9 soul guidance devices and bionic wings have already appeared. Why bother with airships and airplanes? Play with airplanes, big shots! Do you want me to hand-craft a starship for you? I can't even make a Soul Guidance Device engine, so just play in the mud.
Just like the soul guidance device—lathe he created before, Huo Yuhao was still only making a semi-finished product. As for the subsequent work, he could leave it to the workhorses of Illustrious Virtue Hall.
This time, he didn't collapse. Soon, Huo Yuhao crafted a soul-guidance device— drone with a strikingly novel shape and layout. It stood out from the bloated soul-guided airships in the sky and looked incredibly handsome. Its aerodynamic design alone was enough to dazzle anyone familiar with dynamics.
"Yuhao, why can't I tell what kind of soul-guidance device this is?"
Lin Jiayi asked sincerely.
After all, most flying soul-guidance devices today are biologically inspired and shaped like wings. They use soul power to activate core arrays within metal or bionic wings, enabling hovering and high-speed movement. Lin Jiayi couldn't figure out how Huo Yuhao's device could fly.
Honestly, Huo Yuhao wanted to complain loudly. You said you even made bionic wings. Even though they use soul-guidance propulsion core arrays, it's not so obvious that you can't tell it's an airplane, right?
A Small thruster, if this thing were in his World, Huo Yuhao didn't know what kind of tricks people would play with it. Is it because he didn't install the thruster core array?
This whole thing, Huo Yuhao could only say that the entire world's technology tree was completely off. He got the MVP award, while Sun Moon Empire just won without a fight.
So he had no choice but to explain, "Director Lin, I call this a small soul-guidance device: drone—or rather, an unmanned aircraft. Because I haven't figured out the thruster, this thing can only be considered a work-in-progress, to some extent."
Just as Huo Yuhao was about to explain, the door to the testing area suddenly opened, and Jing Hongchen and Xuan Ziwen pushed each other to the front of Huo Yuhao.
Xuan Ziwen spoke first, his face filled with curiosity.
"Yuhao, can you let me experience this work?"
"Uh," Huo Yuhao asked, knowing the answer. "Excuse me, who are you?"
Xuan Ziwen hurriedly introduced himself. "My name is Xuan Ziwen, and I'm an eighth-level soul engineer. Let me see your work, Yuhao. I have a feeling it will leave a mark on this era."
His gaze was so intense that Huo Yuhao chose to oblige.
"Well, then, Teacher Xuan Ziwen, I'm sure you won't be disappointed."
Jing Hongchen, standing nearby, felt heartbroken, as if his beloved daughter had been seduced away by a yellow-haired man. Yet, given Xuan Ziwen's status, he couldn't say anything.
(End of this chapter)