127: Chapter 96, I Have a Daring Idea!

127: Chapter 96, I Have a Daring Idea!

Tang Fei beckoned, saying, “Everyone, come closer, take a good look, and don’t be shy with me…”

“Starting today, we’re all classmates.

I brought this thing over because I want to learn and discuss it together with you all.

How does that saying go?

‘Shared joy is double joy, shared progress is better than going it alone.’ Don’t you agree?”

Motivated by Tang Fei’s enthusiasm, the students crowded around and pointed at the Mechanical Snake’s head.

“The eyes are its scanner, and there in the back is its control motherboard…

Wow, this control board must be quite advanced, a single motherboard could probably sell for quite a bit of money.”

“We need to crack open the skull to find the chip inside…

Is the chip damaged?”

“Let’s open it up and see, open it up and see.

This is the work of an Advanced Mechanic…

When do we ever get such a treat?”

——-

“I don’t just want you to have a feast for the eyes, but also for the hands,” Tang Fei said.

“Come on, let’s all get to work and disassemble this Mechanical Snake head…

to see what kind of structure it has inside.”

“Tang Fei, can you really bear to part with it?”

“Indeed.

What if it gets broken?

You do realize, the craftsmanship of an Advanced Mechanic is extremely exquisite and precise, one wrong move could ruin it…”

“If you have someone outside disassemble it, maybe it could be easily fixed with some money…

but if you let us do it, this snakehead might be gone for good…”

“Tang Fei, you won’t make us pay for it if it gets broken, right?”

——-

“No worries.

This snakehead was a gift to me,” Tang Fei said with an air of generosity.

“A friend of mine originally gave me an entire snake, but it was too big for me to carry over in one piece…”

Tang Fei cleared a space next to the Mechanical Snake for the students to gather closely and discuss.

But he deliberately stayed at the back of the group, inciting everyone to start dismantling the snake while he eyed everyone’s feet…

The size isn’t right!

The size isn’t right!

Hey, what brand are these shoes?

They look kinda cool…

Tang Fei wasn’t really being generous by offering such a precious Mechanical Snake for educational purposes.

Actually, he had wanted to disassemble it last night but was afraid that once dismantled, he wouldn’t be able to put it back together, just like with Phoenix’s life pod…

So, today he specifically brought it to school to invite everyone to join in the disassembly.

After all, whoever breaks it, pays for it, though it’s not about getting their money…

but if someone insists on paying, that’s also fine.

If they can’t afford it, then they can go find a teacher or expert from the Mechanical Department to help with repairs and reassembly.

In doing so, he could learn a trick or two from that teacher or expert.

Learning is about creating opportunities for oneself by all means necessary.

Besides, he wanted to ‘startle the snake by hitting the grass.’

He had been chased by the Mechanical Snake at the school, and his first suspect was someone from the Mechanical Department.

But, he had just registered as a new student and hadn’t even attended a single official class…

who could harbor such hostility toward him?

He intended to observe the expressions and reactions of the Mechanical Department’s teachers and students during the disassembly.

Artisans all cherish their work greatly, for example, writers dislike others editing their manuscripts, painters don’t appreciate others ‘gilding the lily’ on their paintings, and Mechanics naturally don’t like others dissecting their creations…

Unfortunately, he hadn’t found any leads so far.

However, the news that Tang Fei brought a Mechanical Snake head to school for disassembly would soon spread throughout the campus, eventually reaching the ears of the concerned parties.

So, how would they respond?

Tang Fei disliked those hit-and-run scoundrels, and he intended to lure the person out for a proper beating…

“After we thoroughly study this snakehead, I’ll bring over the rest of the snake…

Not to brag, but this snake is absolutely a master’s piece; once you see its internal structure, you’ll understand what ‘seamless’ and ‘heavenly workmanship’ truly mean…”

Tang Fei approached Lu Siyu, earnestly extending an invitation with a smile, “Class leader, won’t you come take a look?”

Lu Siyu didn’t even lift her head, busily manipulating two mechanical arms to quickly assemble a Mechanical Tiger, her voice cold, “Why should I come take a look?”

Her hands moved swiftly, actions smooth and graceful.

The two mechanical arms operated even more swiftly and flexibly, so fast that they were dazzling to watch.

In the blink of an eye, a majestic and lifelike white Mechanical Tiger stood before them.

Its presence was imposing and vivid.

Tang Fei felt a dangerous aura emanating from the massive white tiger, as if it could pounce at any moment to seize a victim.

For a moment, Tang Fei was so captivated that he forgot to answer Lu Siyu’s question.

Is this the skill of a Mechanic?

Is this the creativity of a Mechanic?

Is this the work of a top-tier Mechanic?

It must be said, girls who study mechanics are the most charming.

Even though her long hair flowed freely and a large metal safety mask covered most of her face, Tang Fei found the girl irresistibly cool.

Where is she a Mechanic?

She is clearly an artist, isn’t she?

Tang Fei now understood why his wooden bird always flew for only a short distance before plummeting down; it was too ashamed…

And chose to self-destruct rather than face dishonor.

Lu Siyu was engrossed, head lowered in appreciation of her own work.

She had entered a bizarre state, as if soaring through the skies, rolling in piles of cotton, or floating naked in the sea…

Relaxed, joyful, satisfied.

Every time a piece of work presented itself before her eyes, the happiness she received was incomparable.

Nothing could replace it.

All the failures, all the pain and tribulations from the earlier stages disappeared without a trace in that instant.

“This is my work.”

She wore a look of pride.

“I am a god.”

She told herself in her heart.

“Yes, I am a god.”

She affirmed to herself once more.

This time, she voiced it out loud.

“Yes, you are a god,” Tang Fei looked at Lu Siyu, expressing sincere admiration, “I never imagined a student could create such a masterpiece, it’s truly incredible…”

Tang Fei’s eyes blazed as he looked at Lu Siyu and asked, “Does your ability to do this mean that we also have a chance?”

“Not at all,” Lu Siyu glanced at Tang Fei irritably.

She didn’t like being disturbed while admiring her work; she even wished that no one in the world could see her existence.

“I started to play with wood when I was one, began piecing together mechanics at three, and at five I could make my very own mechanical car that would run.

By eight, I could assemble large vehicles…”

Tang Fei nodded and looked at Lu Siyu, saying, “Are you trying to say…

you’re a genius?”

“Yes,” Lu Siyu nodded and replied, “I am.”

“What a coincidence, I am too,” Tang Fei said.

…

Lu Siyu didn’t want to talk to Tang Fei anymore.

A newcomer like Xiao Bai, making such statements, she thought he must be a lunatic or a fool…

With that lousy little bird he made?

“Really,” Tang Fei explained earnestly, “Someone really did say I’m a mechanical genius.

It’s just a pity that I was in the Old Land before, with no conditions for systematic study of mechanics, nor did I have so many materials and tools…

He said that given a chance, I could become the most dazzling presence in this field.”

Lu Siyu finally turned to face Tang Fei, looked into his eyes, and asked, “So, who told you such a hollow lie?”

“Heh heh heh, an old man…

looked unreliable, but he knew quite a lot.”

“Where is he now?”

“I don’t know,” Tang Fei shook his head and sighed softly, “He might still be in the Old Land, maybe in our family’s own courtyard, or perhaps at some old flame’s house…

A man like that, he must be living well, right?”

When met with disgust on sight, yet he was mentioned over and over again when apart.

Little Fatty said, “Bro, I miss Godfather.”

Tang Fei rapped Little Fatty on the head but was too embarrassed to say “I miss him too”…

Lu Siyu’s expression turned strange as she looked at Tang Fei and asked, “Why did you guys come back?”

“What?” Tang Fei looked at Lu Siyu, puzzled, and asked, “Come back?

To where?

This is our first time here…”

Lu Siyu no longer wanted to talk to Tang Fei; she took off the protective mask from her face and tossed it onto the workbench, turning to walk out of the classroom.

Tang Fei pondered as he watched her retreating figure…

Long legs, very slim, and small feet.

It wasn’t her.

If it wasn’t her, then who was it?

“Wait a minute…”

An idea suddenly sparked in Tang Fei’s mind, and the matter suddenly seemed to grow complex and intriguing.

“Lu Siyu has the surname Lu…

The old man also has the surname Lu, and he has a flamboyant name, Lu Yu…”

“Could the two of them know each other?

If not, why did Lu Siyu have a strange expression when mentioning the old man?”

“She said ‘Why did you guys come back’…

Clearly, she wasn’t referring to herself or Little Fatty, since neither he nor Little Fatty had ever been to New Star before.”

“So, who is she referring to with ‘you guys’?

What kind of relationship does she have with the old man?”

“No wonder the old man went to the Old Land from New Star.

With such good conditions in New Star, why would he leave and go to a place like the Old Land where not even birds would want to poop?”

“Could he be a fugitive?

Yes, very likely…”

Last time the Undying Army went to Hate Mountain to bring Phoenix home, others might not have noticed, their gazes focused on the Star Disc that descended from the sky.

But Tang Fei caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye, at the very moment the Star Disc appeared, the old man on stage, who was performing, ran away like a startled rabbit.

Fearful of the police, afraid of encountering old acquaintances from New Star, wasn’t this just the guilty behavior of someone who had committed a crime?

What had the old man done back then?

It must have been something very serious, right?

Otherwise, why would he need to flee to the Wasteland?

That place would be much more uncomfortable than serving time in New Star.

Remembering Lu Siyu’s strange expression from just before, a daring idea suddenly surfaced in Tang Fei’s mind…

When in doubt, just ask.

Tang Fei quickly chased after her.