Yun Xingze’s heart skipped a beat at that moment.
Although he disliked being treated like a minor, Luo Wenchuan’s form of address gave him an illusion of being doted on.
The warm calluses and gentle pressure around his wrist made Yun Xingze’s body temperature rise in response.
Luo Wenchuan only released his grip when the crowd had thinned out.
Stealing a glance at Luo Wenchuan, who appeared completely unruffled, Yun Xingze thought to himself. He was probably just worried I’d get lost.
There couldn’t possibly be any other meaning behind it.
The two continued searching the carnival for a shop selling mecha paint.
Yun Xingze was looking for a coating similar to the stealth paint used on shadow mechas, but with better compatibility and faster reaction time.
Having used this type of paint in his previous life, he knew its complex development process required substantial funding. Hoping to find a ready-made product, he’d scoured the entire carnival to no avail.
“Maybe we should head back and check the StarNet,” Yun Xingze said dejectedly to Luo Wenchuan. “We’ve been here so long without buying anything, what a waste.”
As he spoke, he took a bite of the pink cotton candy in his hand, releasing a burst of strawberry flavor.
The color-changing candy turned yellow after being bitten, now exuding a mango fragrance.
“If it’s not here, it definitely won’t be on StarNet,” Luo Wenchuan replied calmly. “This carnival’s reputation comes from selling all kinds of rare items.” He glanced at the assortment of snacks in his hands, all chosen by Yun Xingze—and added, “Besides, it’s not like we got nothing.”
Just as Yun Xingze sighed and prepared to give up, he suddenly noticed a mecha parts shop sandwiched between two food stalls.
“Was this store here when we passed by earlier?” Yun Xingze asked in confusion. “I don’t remember seeing it at all.”
Luo Wenchuan frowned, apparently equally unfamiliar with the shop.
Yun Xingze decided this would be his last attempt before calling it quits.
Inside, the shop appeared deserted except for the owner.
The sparse interior decoration gave the place an almost unfinished, bare-walled appearance.
Yun Xingze wondered if they’d missed it earlier because the lights had been off.
“How can I help you?” The young male owner behind the counter had an androgynous quality, his gentle voice making it hard to discern whether he was a Beta or Omega, an unusual ambiguity that stood out even after Yun Xingze’s months in this world.
“I need a special type of coating.”
Yun Xingze listed his requirements without much hope.
To his surprise, the owner responded, “We have that. It’s in the warehouse some distance away. If you need it, you can come with me to get it.”
“That’s perfect!” Yun Xingze exclaimed excitedly. “How do we get to the warehouse?”
The owner stood up, his fitted turtleneck and jeans revealing a tall, athletic build that suggested he was likely a Beta.
“Follow me,” he said, leading them toward the back of the shop.
As Yun Xingze and Luo Wenchuan followed, they found themselves facing a door.
At this moment, the shop owner turned to look at the two of them, his gaze settling on Luo Wenchuan as he said slowly, “I can only allow one customer to enter the warehouse with me.”
A flicker of wariness flashed in Luo Wenchuan’s eyes as he frowned and asked, “Why?”
“The warehouse has a daily entry limit.” The owner seemed unfazed by Luo Wenchuan’s sharp stare and instead looked at Yun Xingze. “If you’re not comfortable with this, you’re welcome to try another shop.”
Yun Xingze turned to Luo Wenchuan and whispered, “It should be fine. If anything happens, I’ll contact you immediately.”
He said this mainly because the owner appeared refined and scholarly, not the type who would engage in shady dealings.
“…Alright.” Seeing how Yun Xingze had been searching all evening, Luo Wenchuan couldn’t bear to disappoint him and reluctantly agreed to the owner’s condition.
The door opened to reveal a dimly lit corridor.
Yun Xingze followed the owner inside, and the door closed behind them.
“My name is Eugene,” the owner suddenly said to Yun Xingze.
Yun Xingze was momentarily taken aback before politely responding, “I’m Yun Xingze.”
The corridor seemed endless, and neither spoke further. It was then that Yun Xingze noticed the unusual material lining the walls, clearly designed for theft prevention, appearing impenetrable.
Eugene led Yun Xingze to the end of the corridor, where a second door awaited.
This door had an integrated identity verification system. Eugene stood before it, and half a second later, an electronic voice announced, “Authentication successful.”
However, the door closed immediately after Eugene stepped through.
Yun Xingze stood dumbfounded in front of the door until the same voice declared once more, “Authentication successful.”
Now, Yun Xingze was even more baffled. How could the door recognize his identity?
Was technology so advanced now that doors could automatically identify customers?
Puzzled, Yun Xingze stepped into the warehouse.
The lights inside flickered on, revealing a cylindrical room for cleaner than he had imagined.
At the center stood several massive silver tables equipped with high-tech instruments. Surrounding them were tall, transparent load-bearing pillars, their interiors concealing intricate projections of mecha models.
Along the outermost ring, pressed against the walls, stood towering silver shelves.
Every imaginable material was neatly arranged on these shelves.
Yun Xingze suddenly felt this place resembled a research lab more than an ordinary warehouse.
Eugene stood before one of the shelves and turned to Yun Xingze, saying calmly, “The coating you need is over here.”
The shelf was positioned at the front of the room. As Yun Xingze approached, he spotted several transparent jars containing a clear coating.
Eugene transmitted the specifications of these coatings to Yun Xingze.
After careful comparison, Yun Xingze settled on one called “Wave-Sensing Nano Coating.”
Though not perfect, it closely matched his expectations.
“I’ll take this one. How much is it?”
Yun Xingze turned to Eugene with a smile, only to freeze in shock the next instant.
Standing beside Eugene was an Alpha male with dark green hair, and behind them were several people dressed in white lab coats.
“You’re… Ming Xiao?” Yun Xingze stared blankly at the person beside Eugene, then his expression turned wary. “Why are you here? What is this place exactly?”
He set down the can of paint in his hand, ready at any moment to send a message to Luo Wenchuan.
However, Ming Xiao curled his lips into a smile and slowly uttered words that froze Yun Xingze’s movements: “Welcome to the Imperial Mecha Research Institute. I’m intern researcher number 13, Ming Xiao.”
Yun Xingze’s face showed astonishment. He opened his mouth slightly, unable to believe what he was hearing:
“The Imperial Mecha… Research Institute?!”
Eugene nodded at Yun Xingze: “I’m a full researcher, as I mentioned earlier.”
Snapping out of his shock, Yun Xingze remained on guard, his hand hovering near his waist where he could quickly draw a weapon if needed.
“There’s no way this is the Imperial Mecha Research Institute,” Yun Xingze said calmly, watching Ming Xiao. “The Research Institute is called the Empire’s Fortress, no one even knows where it’s located.”
“To be precise, this is a materials lab in one of our branch facilities,” Ming Xiao replied with a smile. “As for the Empire’s Fortress nickname… that’s because on Noah Star, the Research Institute is everywhere, hidden deep within countless unremarkable buildings. But those who haven’t passed identity verification can never enter.”
“Then how did I pass verification?” Yun Xingze frowned. “Does the Research Institute have my personal data?”
Eugene explained in a calm tone: “The robot at the carnival entrance collected your information, which has been uploaded to the Institute’s system.”
Yun Xingze felt like he’d been tricked. His fingers tightened as he coldly demanded, “What’s your reason for bringing me here?”
“The reason is,” Eugene’s steady gaze flickered momentarily as he pressed his lips together before saying earnestly, “we need you.”
Yun Xingze couldn’t imagine what the Research Institute could possibly want from him. Part of him suspected this was all an elaborate scam.
To gain Yun Xingze’s trust, Ming Xiao glanced at the shelves filled with bottles and containers, saying slowly, “The paint you need, only our Research Institute can provide it.”
Hearing this, some of Yun Xingze’s suspicion faded. He had to admit, the mecha technology level here far exceeded what he knew of the Empire’s standard capabilities.
Still, he remained displeased with how they’d abruptly “invited” him here.
“The main institute previously investigated you and determined your mental regulation abilities are extraordinary. You could help us complete an experiment,” Ming Xiao continued. “I’m Assistant to Professor Jin Xuan at the main institute, who specializes in neural interface technology. I was assigned to collect your data. Watching your matches was just another method of data collection. I hope you’ll understand.”
“I don’t understand,” Yun Xingze said coldly. “Does your Research Institute always operate so covertly?”
Eugene pressed his lips together before explaining, “According to recent intelligence, Federation spies have infiltrated Noah Star. Our actions cannot be known by anyone except you not even through communications.” His tone carried clear concern.
