"Holographic - Green Mecha Literature Network. Grandmaster author Bu Xi's new short story, My Ex-Husband Turned into an Energy Being, now airing in full holographic text format!"
In this era, novels had advanced to the point where they could be directly visualized as immersive experiences. After watching the trailer, Chen Sui had been looking forward to the storyline's continuation—until the scene abruptly shifted, and a familiar mecha component appeared on the screen.
"Tainuo Mecha Retail Store: Exquisite components, personalized designs—let your mecha shine above the rest."
Her brief excitement vanished like water over fire. She looked up at the neon sign above the store.
Tainuo Mecha Retail Store.
Of course—it was all a marketing ploy.
"Boss, are you playing it or not?"
"Exactly! Isn't Bu Xi's new work supposed to premiere tonight? Are you showing it or not?!"
The store owner's marketing tactics had certainly worked. With Bu Xi's popularity at its peak, the holographic teaser had drawn in a considerable number of fans. But when there was no follow-up, complaints quickly followed.
The owner stepped forward with a helpless smile. "Ah, everyone, my apologies. We are still in negotiations with Author Bu Xi about the licensing. Since we've interrupted your viewing pleasure, let me offer a special deal—everything in the store today is 20% off!"
As he turned around, Chen Sui noticed him quietly sighing in relief, his lips moving. Judging from his mouth movements, she guessed he was muttering:
"What damn license? At that price, they might as well rob me. Still, the ad ran well. Lucky I hiked the prices beforehand—today's profit is through the roof."
Chen Sui raised an eyebrow from the crowd.
So it was all just clever marketing.
High-level tactics, indeed.
However, judging by the way the crowd quickly dispersed once they realized there was no new story, and how no one seemed interested in the 20% discount, it appeared these fans were no strangers to such schemes. It looked like the owner's perfect plan had just fallen through.
Just then, she saw a young man with bright red hair glance around and step into the Tainuo Mecha Retail Store.
Chen Sui was mildly surprised.
Oh? Someone actually went in.
Curious, she wondered just how much the owner had inflated the prices to feel like he had "hit the jackpot." So, she followed him in to take a look.
Inside the Commercial District
From the outside, the stores all looked quite similar. Flashy signs and aggressive marketing made the whole area feel somewhat chaotic.
Inside the shop, however, the décor was minimalist, with neatly arranged display cabinets. Each display was accompanied by an interactive screen, where a customer could search for any component and instantly receive detailed specifications—so detailed, in fact, that even the threading patterns around bolts were clearly visible.
Chen Sui selected a common mecha joint she frequently used. Following the guidance of a robot assistant that had approached her upon entry, she examined the panel carefully.
The quality did seem impressive. Looking over the display, she noticed there were no visible price tags. She turned to the robot and asked, "How much for this raw crystal joint?"
The robot gave a sweet, digital smile and responded in a gentle tone, "Dear customer, all components are priced according to market value."
Chen Sui arched an eyebrow. "Is that so?"
She didn't believe it.
She did not touch the component. Instead, her gaze drifted toward the cashier counter where a young woman with cybernetic arms was sitting. The woman was polishing her metallic fingernails with a rhinestone-studded file.
The red-haired youth was holding a couple of raw crystal joints and heading over to check out.
Arms folded, Chen Sui stood where she was and observed the scene unfold.
Sure enough, the woman scanned the specialized barcode on the components and reported the total. "That'll be fifty thousand. Please scan here with your optical brain."
The redhead froze mid-step. He stepped back, wide-eyed, and exclaimed loud enough for the entire store to hear, "What?! Fifty thousand? You're charging fifty thousand for two crystal joints?!"
Chen Sui gave a knowing smirk.
Figures. The market price for raw crystal joints was only about five thousand. On Talos Star, it could be even cheaper thanks to the abundance of mining colonies across the Outer Star Ring—basically wholesale pricing.
She still had a few polished crystal joints tucked away in her spatial button.
Even highly customized, precision-crafted joints would never go for twenty-five thousand each.
Startled by the youth's outburst, the woman stood up and glanced around at the other customers before replying sharply, "These are made from premium materials! Look, they're custom-crafted by master artisans. There's even an engraving here!"
"I don't want them anymore," the redhead scoffed. "Trying to rip me off? You think I don't know the market? Even if a god personally polished them, that price is insane."
"Not buying?" the woman shrilled. "Our QR codes can only be scanned once. You scanned it—you have to pay. What, trying to walk off with free goods?"
"Who's freeloading?" he snapped. "This is blatant consumer fraud."
He activated his optical brain and aimed it at the price scanner. Alarmed, the woman tried to block his hand. "What are you doing?! Stop filming!"
The redhead narrowed his eyes, starting a call. "Hello? Yuguang Star Consumer Protection? Yes, I'd like to report a case of consumer fraud. Address is…"
"You're lying!" the woman screamed, calling out for the store owner.
The owner emerged from the back, saw the call in progress, and panicked. He shoved the youth. "Not buying anything and causing trouble, huh? Out. Don't block my business."
"Hey, don't touch me!" the redhead retorted, resisting the shove.
"You—what's your problem?!"
In a scuffle, the owner managed to push the red-haired boy out of the store. He turned back to the crowd and forced a smile. "Sorry, everyone, truly sorry. We only use the best materials and polish techniques. All our technicians are renowned, and every piece is engraved. The prices are a bit high, and kids these days just don't understand the value. Apologies for the disturbance."
Chen Sui snorted.
If she hadn't worked at a repair shop herself, she might have believed him.
Having witnessed the drama, she had no interest in getting scammed and left the Tainuo Mecha Retail Store.
She went on to check other stores and even scoped out a temporary residence—somewhere to stay after reporting to the Seventh Academy later that day.
Further along, she passed shops selling energy crystals and blueprints tailored for Awakened individuals, as well as stores for daily goods, clothing, and accessories. But none were as popular as the food vendors.
The line wrapped around the corner of another street—even though most menu boards were nearly empty.
From a nearby seed shop with a wide storefront, the familiar red-haired youth emerged. From a short distance, she heard him muttering as he counted on his fingers:
"Kato Gold—bought. Seeds—bought. Crystal joints—bought. That shop really was a scam. Someone else only charged me seven thousand. Let me see..."
He winced and tucked a metal seed box into his side pouch. Since such biologically active materials could not be stored in a spatial device, he was carrying a large satchel across his chest.
"Still missing: Jiaxiao."
He looked around in confusion, walking slowly forward. As he passed Chen Sui, she overheard him calculating out loud:
"Materials cost fifty thousand. Seeds, thirty thousand. Jiaxiao is a thousand per gram, and I'll need at least fifteen grams to repair the mecha... oof."
"I don't think I have enough."
Chen Sui saw him check his balance on his optical brain. The screen was protected by privacy mode, so she could not see the exact amount, but she did notice the pendant hanging from it—a tassel featuring the emblem of the Zhujing Mansion.
A Seventh Academy student?
She did a quick mental tally of her own inventory. She had a small labeled box under a stack of materials in her spatial button. After calculating for tuition and basic expenses, she came to a decision.
She strode forward and tapped the redhead on the shoulder. "Excuse me."
The youth turned, looked around, then down—spotting a girl with short black hair and mismatched eyes: one green, the other a mechanical implant. He blinked in surprise. "Yes? Can I help you?"
Sizing her up—thin, definitely not threatening—he lowered his guard.
"I overheard you needed Jiaxiao. I have some. I can give it to you at twenty percent off the market price. Interested?"
"Wait, really? Twenty percent off?" His eyes lit up. "You're serious? Market price?"
"Yes." Chen Sui had a stockpile of materials, especially after living in the resource-rich Outer Star Ring. Any defective pieces she had refined and repurposed. Mr. Old Peter had even gifted her some raw ores. She had more than enough for her needs.
Still, she preferred not to sell them to just any shady repair shop. If not for this brief 'classmate connection,' she probably would not offer at all.
"Jiaxiao goes for 1,000 per gram. I'll sell to you for 800. How much do you need?"
The redhead was touched. After being ripped off earlier, this offer felt like a small miracle.
"Twenty grams. Can you do that?" He held up two fingers and flashed a bright, grateful grin.
Chen Sui led him into a quiet alleyway, pulled out a small scale and some containers from her spatial button, and began measuring with practiced ease.
The redhead gawked. "Whoa—you're so professional! Are you in the mechanics division?"
Chen Sui paused, then shook her head slowly. "No. I haven't enrolled yet."
"Huh?" He looked her up and down. "Oh, so you're from a prep school nearby? Great, I'll come to you next time I need materials."
Chen Sui weighed the powder. "Twenty grams. Double-check if you want."
He tested the scale using one of his newly bought parts, confirmed it was accurate, and got ready to pay—when she added casually:
"I'm not from a prep school. If you want to find me later, you might check the Seventh Academy—if I pass the entrance assessment."
The redhead froze.
"You're applying to the Seventh Academy?"
"But... wait, didn't the enrollment period end at the start of the month?" He widened his eyes. "You didn't miss the deadline, did you? All the military academies enroll in early January!"
He looked genuinely concerned when she remained calm.
Chen Sui received the transfer and stored her device. "I didn't miss it. You're a student at the Seventh Academy, right? Can you show me where the registrar's office is? It's not listed on the map."
She briefly explained. "I'm enrolling through the Interstellar Nomad Program. I'm still eligible."
He had just nodded in agreement when his hand slipped. The box of Jiaxiao tumbled from his hand, made a crisp clinking sound, and rolled right toward Chen Sui...