As Lu Luo held the Mechanical Arm and inquired of the Observer, on the Watchtower between the Second Ring and the Third Ring.
A strikingly heroic and handsome man named Jin Chen was gazing at the buildings beyond the Third Ring. In terms of sheer good looks, he was only a notch below Lu Luo.
At that moment, he wore a profound gaze. He let the cold wind whip his trench coat about, looking incredibly cool.
However, though he appeared profound, once he opened his mouth, he sounded rather like a sycophant.
"Bai Yuetong, now that I’ve come of age, I can make my own decisions regarding matters of the heart. I feel that we are very similar in terms of family background, social standing, and status—we are the most ideal partners. How about this: tell me your requirements. Do I need to kill an Exotic Species? Or perhaps win the martial tournament against the Church?"
Opposite Jin Chen stood a woman dressed in a very punk style. Despite the freezing weather, she wore only a red sweater, with shorts over long stockings, and was visibly trembling in the cold wind.
The woman’s skin was fairer than snow and smooth as cream, her clear eyes like flowing water. Atop her shoulder-length white hair, there was a Dumb Hair.
No matter how the cold wind blew, this Dumb Hair would not collapse, giving her an appearance both beautiful and playfully defiant.
Bai Yuetong wrinkled her nose, her large, clear eyes now brimming with dissatisfaction.
This woman, so charming and cute that her appearance could fulfill most men’s fantasies, turned out to be brutally frank the moment she spoke.
"Jin Chen, are you an idiot? You dragged me out here in this freezing weather, claiming something important, just to tell me this? Grow up! You’re seriously wasting my precious time. Even someone with cerebral palsy couldn’t be as dysfunctional as you. The Wasteland is still under construction. Please, do something productive for once! Stop wasting society’s resources, alright?"
His upbringing prevented Jin Chen from cursing back; he was somewhat unable to even comprehend why a woman like Bai Yuetong would use such language.
Having been pampered from a young age, Jin Chen had never experienced this kind of treatment and felt a surge of defiance.
"But at our stage in life, we should be considering marriage alliances!"
Yet before he could finish, Bai Yuetong interrupted him again.
"Don’t give me that nonsense. Firstly, my surname is Bai, not Luo, so you can treat any talk of marriage alliances as if my dad was just passing gas. Don’t delude yourself; it’s impossible between us. You’re too foolish."
Jin Chen hadn’t expected Bai Yuetong to be so direct. Aren’t girls supposed to be more reserved?
Even though Bai Yuetong’s attitude was appalling, Jin Chen couldn’t bring himself to give up. He swallowed his embarrassment and pressed on, completely oblivious that he had slipped into full sycophant mode.
"I have complete confidence in my abilities. Tell me your problem; perhaps I can answer it."
Bai Yuetong looked at Jin Chen, tilting her head. The Dumb Hair on top also bent down.
Sigh, how could someone whose mind is filled only with cultivation, combat, Exotic Species, and power possibly answer my question?
Still shivering in the wind, Bai Yuetong sized Jin Chen up. When will I ever meet someone I actually find impressive? she contemplated.
"Alright, since you’re so eager to know, I’ll tell you. My first question is simple, just a basic computational riddle. If you can answer it, you pass."
"Go ahead." As one of the Alliance’s top prodigies, Jin Chen was brimming with confidence.
"A bear falls into a 4.916-meter deep hole and hits the bottom in exactly 1 second. So, what color is the bear?"
Bai Yuetong’s expression was serious, reflecting her earnestness towards scholarly pursuits. Upon hearing the question, however, Jin Chen was completely dumbfounded. He felt humiliated.
"??? What does that even mean? How could anyone possibly answer that? How am I supposed to know the color of a bear that falls into a hole? Bai Yuetong, are you doing this on purpose? If you don’t want a boyfriend, just say so. There’s no need to ridicule me ."
Bai Yuetong calmly looked at Jin Chen and shook her head, showing no hint of disappointment. As Jin Chen surmised, she wasn’t really interested in men; this whole interaction was just her way of swatting away annoying flies like him.
However, the question did indeed have an answer, and in her view, it wasn’t particularly difficult.
"Playing with you? I’ve wasted a question on you. You overestimate yourself. Since you want to know the answer, I’ll tell you."
Just as a shivering Bai Yuetong, hugging herself for warmth, was about to reveal the answer, a call from an unfamiliar number came through.
Bai Yuetong looked at the number displayed on her mobile phone, her expression turning puzzled. A number starting with 0044... a landline from the Fourth Ring, she thought. How would someone from the Fourth Ring know my number?
Her eyes suddenly lit up. "Someone has solved the formula I left behind!"
At this thought, she immediately pressed the answer button on her phone and held it to her ear.
A somewhat lazy young man’s voice came from the other end of the line—it was Lu Luo.
"Hello! Uh, sorry to bother you... Is this the place where I can get my questions answered, with this order being free?"
Bai Yuetong’s pupils contracted slightly. Has he really solved it?
How could that be possible? Besides me, there’s actually someone else who can understand that mechanical formula, and so young, too! Although it’s only basic stuff, that’s an extension of fundamental mechanical mathematics! If he weren’t highly skilled as a mechanic, he would never have been able to solve it. How could there be such a skilled mechanic in the Fourth Ring? And he even knew the answer to the final little problem... this is...
"Hello? Hello? Are you there? Is this really a free order or not?" Lu Luo urged a couple of times.
Bai Yuetong immediately snapped back to reality, a flicker of discontent in her heart. Doesn’t this person understand the significance of that formula? Why is he so focused on the 5,000 yuan discount? Is 5,000 yuan even a significant amount of money?
After clearing her throat and composing her expression of surprise, Bai Yuetong said calmly, "Ahem, yes, I’m here. If you can correctly answer the question I left in the formula, the item can indeed be free. However, I require the complete formula calculation and the final, correct answer—not just a wild guess."
Lu Luo’s voice, filled with delight, came immediately from the other end.
"Really free? That’s great! The problem is quite simple, listen up! A bear falls into a 4.916-meter hole and hits the ground in 1 second. According to H = 1/2GT², the acceleration due to gravity is 9.832 m/s². An area with a gravitational acceleration of 9.832 m/s² can only be found in two places within the Fourth Ring: either the Fourth Southern Ring or the Fourth Northern Ring. However, there are no bears in the Southern Ring. Therefore, this bear must be from the North Ring, which means the bear is white!"
Startled, Bai Yuetong quickly pressed, "Then, if a metallic polyhedron is to achieve energy propulsion, what is the correct solution for its power formula?"
On the other end, Lu Luo paused for a moment. Bai Yuetong assumed he was thinking, but in reality, he was copying the Observer’s answer.
"If a metallic polyhedron is to achieve energy propulsion, it should utilize an internal injector, employing a brief Dark Energy vortex pulse to replace fixed energy exhaust. The formula is roughly as follows..."
After Lu Luo had detailed the Dark Energy vortex pulse formula, he added, "This design should still be in the theoretical stage. I feel a particular name suits it well—it would be better to call it a ’Three-Dimensional Jet Mobility Device.’"
Three-Dimensional Jet Mobility Device... Bai Yuetong listened calmly, her fingers tightening unnaturally. She did not speak for a long time.
On the other end of the phone, Lu Luo, having waited quite a while without a reply, became a bit anxious.
"Hello? Hello! I’ve answered your question, so is it free or not? Hey, you’re not talking, are you? Are you messing with me? Seriously, what’s wrong with you, acting like a total..."
Bai Yuetong suddenly spoke up.
"Stop with the ’hello, hello.’ I have a name: Bai Yuetong. The money has already been transferred to the account associated with your phone’s location. Ask the shop owner to confirm receipt."
Lu Luo had been cut off midway through his "total..." The rest of his intended retort, likely along the lines of "bastard, you think I’m a pushover?" died on his lips. His tone changed instantly.
"To...tal-ly generous, Boss! Thanks, Boss! May a good person like you have a peaceful life."
Granting a free order just like that—isn’t that the mark of a generous boss? Isn’t that worth praising? As for face... compared to money, something of actual practical significance, it’s just like the Observer said—face counts for squat!
Seeing Bai Yuetong’s expressions shift rapidly, her eyes growing brighter and her face filled with surprise, Jin Chen felt a strange, inexplicable bitterness, like the tartness of a sour lemon.
"Whose call are you taking?"
"None of your damn business. I’m leaving."
"Bai Yuetong, you...?"
Clutching her phone, Bai Yuetong walked off the Watchtower, leaving Jin Chen alone, forlorn in the wind atop the high wall.