Chapter 296: Chapter 233: Preparing for a Rainy Day
Pale blue Spiritual Power rushed like a stream in his eyes, clearly outlining the flow of each circuit.
Soon, he found a glaring "blockage" at a bend in the third circuit.
The energy flow there was noticeably sluggish, as if choked by an invisible hand, causing a massive amount of heat to build up uncontrollably at that point.
"The Spirit Gathering Pattern at node seventeen was carved in reverse."
Han Feng spoke calmly. His voice wasn’t loud, but it silenced the entire laboratory in an instant.
"What?" Zhao Yu shot to his feet, a look of utter disbelief on his face.
"The energy at that node is supposed to flow counter-clockwise,"
Han Feng said, pointing to an inconspicuous spot on the engine’s outer casing.
"You carved it with a clockwise stroke. The energy can still barely get through, but it creates immense vortex resistance. That’s what’s generating all the heat."
Zhao Yu was stunned.
He stared intently at the spot Han Feng had indicated, frantically replaying the blueprints and his own actions in his mind. The color drained from his face, turning from red to white, then to a sickly pale green.
’How is that possible... How could I have made such a rookie mistake?’
"Since it’s difficult to alter the main rune,"
Han Feng didn’t give him much time to think. He walked straight to the workbench and picked up a Spiritual Energy Carving Pen.
"We’ll just add a bypass to divert the congested energy."
He walked over to the engine, not even touching the faulty node.
Instead, on the metal casing above the node, his wrist flickered, smoothly and swiftly etching three auxiliary runes, each smaller than a grain of rice.
A brief flash of light, and it was done.
The entire process took less than three seconds.
"Try it."
Han Feng pulled his hand back as if he had just done something utterly trivial.
Zhao Yu was skeptical, but he still roared at a nearby apprentice, "Ignition! Pressurize! Take it straight to 3.5!"
The apprentice scrambled to follow the orders.
HUMMM—!
The engine’s roar suddenly grew deep and powerful, and the eerie blue exhaust flame at the nozzle instantly surged in length!
The pressure reading on the console began to skyrocket!
3.2!
3.3!
3.4!
...3.5!
The reading held steady, and the adjacent temperature curve barely flickered upward before stabilizing completely!
"It... It worked?!"
Elated, Zhao Yu pulled off his grease-stained gloves. "Alright, spill it. You didn’t come all this way just out of the kindness of your heart. What do you really want?"
Han Feng gave a sly grin, pulling him into a corner and lowering his voice.
"Brother Zhao, once you wrap up this project, would you be interested in... a change of scenery?"
"A change of scenery?"
Zhao Yu eyed him warily. "What do you mean? Are you trying to poach me?"
"’Poaching’ is such an ugly word."
Han Feng said persuasively, "I just think a technical genius like you, Brother Zhao, is wasted dealing with this pile of scrap metal every day."
Zhao Yu’s pupils contracted. "You’re talking about... the Shadow Project?"
"As well-informed as ever, Brother Zhao."
Han Feng nodded. "I was just appointed its chief technical consultant, and I’m short a team of capable, trustworthy people. My own people.
The expert panel they have over there... heh, they’re all just a bunch of old dogs."
"I want you to lead a team of your most elite Mechanics, ready to deploy at a moment’s notice.
The moment those old geezers dare to walk off the job, you and your team will step in to replace them!"
Zhao Yu’s breathing instantly grew heavy, his eyes gleaming with a fervent light.
"Are you saying... I... I’ll have the chance to get my hands on the prototype?"
That was the ultimate dream of every Mechanic in East Sea City—no, in the entire Alliance!
"Get your hands on it?"
Han Feng grinned, his smile laced with a hint of temptation.
"More than just that."
"You can dismantle it, modify it, even rebuild it into whatever you want. As long as you’ve got the skills."
"I’ll give you the highest clearance and all the resources you need. So, Brother Zhao, are you in?"
"I’m in!"
Zhao Yu slapped his thigh hard, as if taking a military oath.
"I’d be a fool to hesitate on an offer like this. And don’t you worry. My crew gets the job done a hell of a lot faster than those professors who only know how to write papers!"
"Excellent." A satisfied smile spread across Han Feng’s face.
’Lin Xue’s coordination team, Wei Chen for the core Rune development, and now Zhao Yu’s crew of hands-on Mechanics.’
’His personal team was all set.’
’As for Wu Zhen and his so-called experts?’
’They had better fall in line.’
’Otherwise, he wouldn’t mind showing them the true meaning of "technological redundancy."’
Just then, Han Feng’s communicator vibrated.
It was a message from Long Xiao.
[Uncle Long: Younger Brother Han, another big job for you. A client at the Third Layer of the Enlightenment Realm wants a custom Tier Three Spiritual Soldier. The offer is fifteen hundred Spirit Coins. You in?]
Han Feng glanced at it, his fingers flying across the screen.
[Swamped right now with a major project. Tell him to get in line. We can talk the month after next.]
’He had to be kidding.’
’The Shadow Project was his top priority right now—the key to his survival for the next decade.’
’Waste his precious Spiritual Power for a measly fifteen hundred Spirit Coins?’
’Not worth it.’
After bidding farewell to the amped-up Zhao Yu, Han Feng left the maintenance department in high spirits and headed straight for Hangar Seven.
’With his team assembled, all that was left was to enjoy the thrill of flight.’
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