Apocalypse Gachapon Chapter 1941: Lost ability (2)

Confronting the woman who would one day lead the Star-Eye Clan—a role he had previously declined—Ye Zhongming experienced neither shame nor discomfort. On the contrary, his gaze remained fixed sharply on her features.

The pair of Star-Eye Clan Leaders had explicitly declared that this visage was artificial. He needed to discern exactly where the deception lay; why had it escaped his notice earlier?

In response to Ye Zhongming's intense scrutiny, Aslan displayed no timidity or reluctance and stated plainly, "I want to join the Assault Camp."

Ye Zhongming shook his head without hesitation.

What a joke!

This individual was the prospective Clan Leader. Placing her beneath his authority? Would he supervise her closely or give her leeway? Strict oversight might provoke her resentment, potentially straining their future relations.

Ye Zhongming wasn't fearful of that outcome, yet numerous aspects of his plans demanded unwavering backing from the Star-Eye Clan. He preferred to avoid any future entanglements arising from this.

Moreover, he currently preferred to keep the inheritance from the 101st generation Bronze Order Leader hidden from the clan. The moment wasn't suitable yet; revealing it prematurely might invite unforeseen issues and destabilize his standing within the Star-Eye Clan.

"Why!?"

Despite Ye Zhongming's actions that had irked her deeply—such as spurning her advances, delaying his takeover of the Bronze Camp for days, and slaying individuals right upon arrival— she had also witnessed the transformations this man had wrought in the Bronze Camp.

In particular, the creation of the Assault Camp earned her hearty endorsement.

She was convinced that a unit like this was essential to shake up the 'stagnant waters' of the Star-Eye Clan somewhat. Only through such disruption could it spur the other squads to greater efforts.

It wasn't that she deemed the former three primary teams inadequate, but... they missed that distinctive presence that Ye Zhongming exuded.

"No reason!" Ye Zhongming replied with irritation, then advanced onward. Noticing Aslan trailing him steadfastly, he halted and turned, declaring, "Miss, are you unaware of your own standing and importance? Assigning you to that rudimentary training camp is proper development. Slotting you into the Assault Camp equates to courting peril. Even without knowing the exact operations of the Assault Camp ahead, surely the two Clan Leaders have hinted at something to you? Those tasks carry extraordinarily high casualty risks. Do you wish for the Star-Eye Clan to lack a leader henceforth? Do you intend to squander all the clan's long-term investment in your growth?"

"How can I claim that seat without enduring proper trials?" Aslan refused to back down, challenging Ye Zhongming directly.

"You must survive to claim it!" Ye Zhongming's resolve remained unyielding. "Hear this as my final word: moving forward, Cheng Liujin, White Robe, I, and fellow members of the Star-Eye Clan will all support you. Your focus should be on rapidly bolstering your strength, attaining the same profound mystique and commanding influence over other species as the present two Clan Leaders hold—not teetering on the precipice of doom, where a single error spells death, and dooming the Star-Eye Clan to leaderlessness!"

With that, Ye Zhongming ignored Aslan completely and departed alone.

……………………………………

Jikesu observed Ye Zhongming's arrival and grinned, gesturing for him to take a seat.

'I figured you might have overlooked me entirely.'

As the Star-Eye Clan's Chief Technical Officer, Jikesu often lamented Ye Zhongming's choice to pursue the warrior route.

Given his evident aptitude for craftsmanship, opting for the technical route would undoubtedly elevate him to a preeminent artisan of his era.

"How could that be? I'm here precisely to consult you, right?" Ye Zhongming produced an object and set it aside. Jikesu cast a quick look and burst out, "Heelloom Furnace? That's a fine piece."

The elder beamed with delight, orbiting this specialized device for crafting studies.

This Heelloom Furnace wasn't acquired by Ye Zhongming through point exchanges; he had bought it outright with Moonspan Gold. It ranked among the pricier, sophisticated tools applicable to production, experimentation, and beyond.

The Star-Eye Clan once possessed one, but upon its failure, they refrained from replacement since, for an item that enhanced quality without being vital, they opted for frugality.

Jikesu wasn't unfamiliar with such devices; his joy stemmed more from appreciating Ye Zhongming's consideration. Selecting and obtaining this would require deliberate effort.

"I've arrived to study crafting." Ye Zhongming roamed the space and helped himself to some Fragrant Sap.

"I don't have much remaining; leave some for me." Seeing his prized stock being drained by Ye Zhongming like ordinary liquid, Jikesu hastily reclaimed the container.

"Pursuing crafting knowledge is certainly possible, but you must grasp the foundational principles first."

The machinery fabrication among cosmic races relies on advanced scientific foundations, starkly contrasting Earth's near-total dependence on mechanical ingenuity.

For Ye Zhongming to emerge as a skilled, perhaps elite, fabricator here, he would need to tread this scientific avenue, necessitating a substantial knowledge base upfront.

"As you know, my schedule leaves scant time for absorbing this material. Could you devise a route that covers minimal content yet maximizes benefits for fabrication?"

Jikesu stroked his chin, pondering deeply.

Were anyone else voicing this, he would unceremoniously eject them, as he believed skipping core foundations rendered fabrication pursuits futile.

Yet Ye Zhongming stood apart. For starters, he voiced a reality; additionally, he was already a proficient artisan leveraging mechanical skills. Even sans the universe's Ten Thousand Races tech, he crafted superior gear, as demonstrated in the Novice battlefield.

"Very well, I'll attempt to distill and outline the essentials. During your training intervals, when you visit me, I'll impart them."

After some reflection, Jikesu offered this to Ye Zhongming.

Ye Zhongming inclined his head, expressing gratitude to the elder, before inquiring further: "Are you aware of how many techniques our Star-Eye Clan has forfeited?"

Jikesu paused in surprise. "Forfeited techniques?"

"Indeed, those whose inheritances are irretrievable."

Jikesu eyed Ye Zhongming before responding, "Across the Star-Eye Clan's annals, numerous techniques have vanished. I can't tally them all precisely, but no fewer than ten crucial ones are gone."

"Truly gone?"

To Ye Zhongming's probing, Jikesu felt perplexed. Doubts swirled within him, yet he answered steadily: "Essentially, yes. That said, I'm uncertain if duplicates of one or two elder techniques linger in the Library Palace."

Library Palace? A flicker crossed Ye Zhongming's face.

"Why doesn't the clan seek to reclaim them?"

Jikesu shook his head, explaining, "Though ancestors deposited certain volumes there, extracting them for perusal demands contribution points for access rights. This holds true across all races."

"This contribution point setup is the cosmic races' rigorous assessment framework. Our Star-Eye Clan... alas, with our daily waning, our capacity to accrue points has dwindled progressively. Long ago, we ceased trading for reading access. Furthermore, the Library Palace's prestige has plummeted lately. No deposits have occurred in ages. Basic access yields little of value, while advanced tiers cost a fortune. Plus, time has obscured so much of our records that we're unsure if lost techniques reside inside. Even supposing they do, would they prove worthwhile? Thus..."