Chapter 86
Skipping Town
“So Lucas, do you really have the materials needed to build a jetpack?” Chu Shen asked Lucas, casting a questioning glance at Lucas.
Lucas rolled his eyes, though it was hard to catch the gesture since his body was a little grainy from the hologram. “Well I was planning on building you one to begin with. I mean, you did say that only high level experts can fly. So a jetpack would be a great way to escape. So I went and bought the materials myself. Took some planning to get the plastic and some specific metals but otherwise easy.”
“The jetpack is using ionic engines to fly so all it needs is electricity to create a stream of ions for propulsion. Otherwise finding some jet fuel would be tricky. Just go to the back and find the chest labeled LZ-9.” Lucas gestured to the back towards the storage room.
In order to organize everything, they would place everything into wooden chests. The raw materials would be placed inside and labeled. The prosthetics would be labeled as LA-1 for the left arm, RE-1 for the right eye and so forth. This way they only had to bring out the appropriate chest, put the measurements in, and then wait for the fabber to finish.
Chu Shen looked inside the chest, glimpsing some metal ores and a couple vials with liquid contained. Dragging out the chest, he placed the materials into the fabber. It whirred as Lucas brought up a design and it started working.
In less than ten minutes there was a chime. Opening it up, Chu Shen faced a squat cylinder about two feet high and a foot in diameter. It had a blunt tapered end on the top and a circular bottom.
Chu Shen looked at it for a second before looking up at Lucas. “So how am I supposed to wear it?”
Lucas shrugged. “Well, I forgot the harness. Just bring some metal and some cushions.”
Chu Shen quickly collected everything and then put the jetpack along with the materials inside the fabber. With a simple scan and some programming to put the jetpack as the base, a basic frame was created. It looked like a curved X with the ends connecting to the jetpack. The cushions were put on the inside of the X for comfort and there was a small square on the inside and a circular insert.
Chu Shen pointed to it. “So Lucas, what is that for exactly?”
Lucas smiled. “It’s for the beast core. I used inscription ink and labeled it as ‘decal’ in the machine to create an inscription. The square is for you to carry me. I didn’t really have time to collect the materials for controls so I decided to use myself as an interface. With this I can control the jetpack directly and you can just hang on for the ride. ”
Chu Shen eyed Lucas distrustfully but eventually agreed to the plan. He just didn’t have an alternative. “Okay. Now that it’s done, let’s get going. We need to skip town before the Black Rose Guild sends someone after us.”
Chu Shen hefted the jetpack. Sticking his hands through the holes in the X, he wore it like some weird bookbag. Lucas was frantically waving his arms though. “Hey! Don’t forget me!”
Chu Shen sighed. “Well alright then.” He took off the jetpack. Storing the fabber into his spatial ring, he pulled out a lightning attribute beast core. The circular insert to the jetpack opened up, revealing an inscription. Placing the beast core inside, he saw the light turn red on the top.
Picking up the square box with Lucas’ positronic brain, Chu Shen placed it inside the jetpack and then stored it inside the spatial ring. If he wore it in public, it would bring about too many questions.
Walking outside, Chu Shen swiftly left for the edge of town. Unknown to him though, was the person that followed him through the streets to the edge of town. Soon, he reached the gates of the town. Chu Shen walked towards the forest, intending to take off from there.
He had scarcely gone thirty feet into the forest when Chu Shen sensed a surge of Qi come whistling towards his back. Quickly activating the technique, he swiftly dodged the blade of Qi.Turning around he saw a man dressed in black holding a saber facing him. The man in black pointed his blade towards him. “I am with the Black Rose Guild. Until we can complete the investigation of the death of our four agents, you are to remain in town. Return before I am forced to make you.”
Chu Shen frowned. Unexpectedly, there was a Martial Student that was following him. Granted, he was only Level 7 so it wasn’t a big deal but still. This was going to slow him down.
“I"m just leaving to hunt some beast cores down. That is no business of the Black Rose Guild. Let me leave in peace, I don’t have a quarrel with you.” Chu Shen gave the man a way out.
Unfortunately, he did not recognize Mount Tai. “If you won’t go back willingly, then I will make you!” With that, the man dashed forward. Chu Shen reacted instantly and took out his hammer. Both of their bodies became coated with Qi as the fight began. The man’s saber flashed, sending several Qi blades at Chu Shen.
Clearly this person was skilled. The Qi blades were sent in an ever tightening square, closing off any way of retreat for Chu Shen. Unfortunately for the man, Chu Shen had been training with the ‘grandmaster’ for a week in predicting the movements of his opponents.
No matter how fast the man slashed his saber, there would be gaps in the swings. was incredibly well suited to dodging between these small gaps since it was an agility based technique.The Qi blades soared at him, appearing inescapable. But Chu Shen’s body flickered and the energy seemed to pa.s.s through him. Suddenly he disappeared and reappeared right next to the man in black.
Chu Shen had become increasingly proficient in switching between and . Using to close the distance between him and the opponent was the best way to use the technique which was designed for fast linear movements.His hammer coated in gray colored Qi, Chu Shen swung it at the man’s chest. The man’s face sank. They were too close and the hammer was too fast. He couldn’t dodge it, only take it head on. The man took consolation in the fact that he would undoubtedly come out on top since his cultivation was greater.
The man heard in the background a kind of high pitched whining, but before he could think too deeply, their weapons clashed. The hammer met the saber, but unexpectedly the Qi coating the saber disappeared upon contact with the Qi on the hammer.
The hammer struck the saber head on, both meeting in a physical clash. The strength of Chu Shen, which was equal to a Level 9 Martial Student, struck the man’s saber. The saber flew out of the man’s hand, splitting the webbing between his thumb and forefinger.
At the same time the man spat out a mouthful of blood, his face becoming pale. ‘What the heck is this! This force struck my internal organs without warning! How is it possible that with one blow this person managed to severely injure me! I need to get out of here otherwise, I’ll die.’
With that thought resounding in the man’s head, he turned around and ran towards the city. The man was in such a hurry, he didn’t even wipe the trickle of blood that came from his mouth.
Unfortunately, Chu Shen knew he couldn’t let this man be. This man tried to attack him and was with the same guild that "killed" Lucas. Shooting forward, he swung his hammer, increasing the weight of it twenty fold when it was about to hit the man.
With a loud THUD, the man was struck in his back. Folding over almost completely in half, it was obvious that the man took severe damage. The man did not make a sound though and only flew forwards, propelled by the heavy strike into a tree.
Chu Shen swung his hammer, crushing the man’s head before running deeper into the jungle. He brought out his jetpack once he was far enough away. “Lucas we need to go now. The Black Rose Guild was keeping eyes on us, though I took care of it.”
Lucas, who no longer had projectors for a hologram, spoke up using the speakers on his positronic brain case. “Okay, let’s go then.” Immediately there was a whining sound from the jetpack. Within ten seconds the jetpack suddenly shot upwards.
“LUUUCAAAa.s.sSS. A WARNING WOULD BE GOOD, OW OW OWWWW!” Chu Shen screamed as the hot ions burned his legs. His Qi covered his body, absorbing the burning hot fuel.
Lucas just cackled over the speakers. “Hehehehe. That never gets old. I guess not going with anti-gravity was a good thing.”