“That little bastard! I don’t think he’s coming back early today.” Boss Huang sighed in front of the entrance of Dvesha Moha while looking at women come and go on the street.
He then muttered softly, “He’s still so young, yet he’s already caught up in all these troubles. Let’s hope the kid understands that no matter how young he is, a man must have the persistence to be a real man. Don’t let the efforts of that naive girl go to waste.
“Sigh, what is love? It’s made me stop for two days already…” he growled before strolling back into the building leisurely.
…
Along Coastal Road, Tang Ling was squatting by the roadside and smoking quietly.
Han Xing was beside him, also smoking a cigarette that he had shamelessly begged for from Tang Ling.
The loud and continuous cheers and screams from the first level of the cabin area reached even Coastal Road. The cheers were proof of how exciting the match was in the Desperado Ring.
The Pearl District was originally not far away from Coastal Road.
Tang Ling did not know why he would go there. He just wanted to try following his heart just like Higan, so he went.
“Bro, I won’t dissuade you or whatever, but I’ve been thinking for a while, and I think I have to tell you about something.” Han Xing hesitated for a long while and finally decided to tell Tang Ling his thoughts.
Meanwhile, Tang Ling kept quiet.
Han Xing awkwardly scratched his head and said, “Even though we might not have known each other for long, I have a feeling that we are going to spend a lot of time together in the future. You and I get along just fine, so I think it’s safe for me to consider you a friend.”
Tang Ling did not deny it.
“Since we are friends, I have to tell you that Higan and Tang Long…”
“Tang Long?” Tang Ling raised a brow. He had heard the audience calling that name from the television earlier, but when the name came from Han Xing, he was certain that the real name of Young Master Long was actually Tang Long.
What a coincidence that they shared the family name Tang as well! However, this point alone was not enough for Tang Ling to relate further. In fact, only a handful of people, or even fewer, knew that Tang Long was also Tang Feng’s son, so Han Xing would never have known.
“Yeah, Tang Long,” Han Xing replied and questions suddenly popped up in his mind. Why were they sharing the same family name? How could the two of them possess Precise Instinct at the same time? Was it not a little too coincidental?
However, the whole world already knew that Tang Feng had only one son who was Tang Ling.
Tang Long had gained his reputation a long time ago. He was the one that the Stardust Council had heavily invested in and meticulously raised. Even the big boss of the council was his godfather.
His true background was a mystery, but he should have nothing to do with Tang Feng, right? After all, the Dragon Army and the Stardust Council had always been enemies!
However, the more he thought about it, the stranger he felt.
Of course, he would not simply voice his speculations out. He was just trying to make himself clear to Tang Ling.
“Okay, here it goes. Higan and Tang Long don’t just know each other. Many people who know the two of them have acknowledged them as a couple. They believe they will be together, and everyone views Higan as Tang Long’s woman. As for the Stardust Council, I don’t know whether…” Han Xing’s voice got softer and softer because he saw the change of expression on Tang Ling’s face.
Tang Ling was once again stabbed in the heart, but…but…
“Has Higan ever acknowledged this? Did she make a stand on this matter?” Tang Ling asked while enduring the pain.
“Well, not exactly, or should I say no, never,” Han Xing answered honestly.
“Hmm, I got it then.” Tang Ling pinched and killed the cigarette in his hand. The drizzle wet their hair and clothes.
“Great, it’s good that you understand.” Han Xing did not press the matter. What else could he possibly say?
“Let’s go back.”
At the end of the Coastal Road, which was the entrance to the cabin area, the cheers and clamor from the crowd reached its climax.
Did that Young Master Long win all three matches? Whatever…
Tang Ling headed to the station while walking in the drizzle, and Han Xing followed behind him.
“Polymerized Conch Mud! Selling Polymerized Conch Mud! Anyone?”
The Coastal Road was still as lively as ever with all kinds of stalls beside the road, selling all kinds of strange and unique things.
Polymerized Conch Mud? Tang Ling’s heart throbbed and stopped.
This Polymerized Conch Mud was a unique product by the sea in the Purple Moon era. It was not exactly a precious item but it was definitely not common.
Its name was strange too as it had ‘mud’ and ‘conch’. As a matter of fact, it was actually a type of decomposed trash that was spat out by a mutated coral polyp from the old civilization after it consumed the shells of dead sticky bubble conch. It was also known as the feces of the mutated coral polyp.
Its function actually preceded its name. Those who were involved in iron crafting such as Boss Huang, who was an iron crafter who maintained the old ways, or super-advanced iron crafting factories, looked highly upon this material.
The Polymerized Conch Mud was actually a super bonding agent. With a little tuning and adjustment, it could be transformed into an amazing fusion agent.
Due to its complicated and tedious process, it was uncommon and its price was not exactly cheap.
Polymerized Conch Mud on sale on Coastal Road?
There should be no worries about finding a market for it.
While the thoughts lingered in his mind, he walked to the man selling the Polymerized Conch Mud.
The man’s clothes were still wet. He seemed like a beachcomber who had just gotten a harvest. As one of the oldest occupations of the old civilization, it had never changed even until now because the sea was still around.
The man was actually shivering. Having returned from the sea in the drizzle, he must have felt cold. When he saw Tang Ling walking over, he said loudly, “No separating, no negotiations. 90 Black Sea coins for this one piece.”
Tang Ling squatted down and saw a piece of Polymerized Conch Mud in the box. He understood why the man would want to sell it there.
Both the blacksmiths and iron crafting factories collected the mud at wholesale prices. No matter the amount, the price would always be fixed and they would never have to worry about a source for the material. Therefore, no one would buy the mud in small quantities at the wholesale price because it was really a losing business.
The man was just trying to sell it to someone who had the need for it and hoped for a good price.
Tang Ling picked up the piece of hardened mud. He checked it carefully to determine its authenticity and paid the beachcomber 90 Black Sea coins without even saying anything. He thought that the price was within a reasonable range.
“Holy sh*t, Bro! It’s so expensive. What are you trying to do with it?” Han Xing did not understand Tang Ling’s action. Was it because his heart was hurt so he wanted to vent his emotions through shopping?! Even if he did, should he not buy something better than some…some…mud? It cost 90 Black Sea coins!
“I have use for it.” Tang Ling did not elaborate. Actually, he was concerned about the present for Higan. Originally, he wanted Ro Xin to help him choose one, but since he ran into a beachcomber selling Polymerized Conch Mud, he changed his plan.
He was working at a blacksmith, and Boss Huang had granted him access to some basic smithing books so that he could read some of them during his break.
The books were definitely not deep or precious. They were just some basic identifications and descriptions for some raw materials, alloy, and some other materials. There were also various types of smithing pictures.
Tang Ling would never reject a book or the chance to read, even for books with limited knowledge. He read quickly anyway. He remembered something interesting from the smithing picture collections, which left an impression on him: a seven-colored magnetic flower sculpted from iron.
The flower petals could dance along in the air like they were real but were only within a certain range from the stamen in the center. The stamen controlled the petals’ movements using a type of superalloy magnet.
Back then, Tang Ling had felt that the magnetic flower was a luxurious decoration because the flower required a long list of materials, which included superalloy and Polymerized Conch Mud to harmonize the colorful alloy. The cost was too high just for making something decorative.
But…will Higan like it?
Tang Ling did not plan on giving Higan the magnetic flower from the books. Instead, he was thinking about another type of plant that he could never forget—the quad-colored dandelion.
He wanted to use the theory behind the seven-colored magnetic flower to make a quad-colored dandelion for Higan. As a matter of fact, this particular dandelion was part of his precious memories with his sister. He would never simply share the memories with others.
He just wanted to make a quad-colored dandelion for Higan. There were no reasons and no reasons were needed.
The quad-colored dandelion was actually just a fictional story that he had made up as it did not exist. If there really was one, it would be the one that he made for Higan, the one and only in the world.
Would Higan love it?
While Tang Ling was in deep thought, beside him, Han Xing suddenly grabbed the piece of mud from his hand and ran to the other end of Coastal Road. Tang Ling was stunned for a moment before he chased him.
What happened? Tang Ling was confused when he caught up to Han Xing.
Before he could say anything, a loud racket came from his back. It was the endless debates from the crowd that was slowly coming closer to them.
Frowning, Tang Ling instinctively turned around.
He saw Tang Long wearing a white suit, walking in the center of the crowd like a prince. Countless people were around him, admiring him and flattering him while talking interestedly about him.
Around Tang Long were his bodyguards, keeping the crowd at an optimal distance from him. He was able to walk in elegance while being surrounded by the crowd because of his bodyguards.
My, my, he’s just finished three matches but there isn’t a speck of dust on his white suit? How powerful is he?
Han Xing was impressed before he slowly frowned.
Tang Ling and Tang Long both had Precise Instinct, but it seemed like Tang Ling was weaker than Tang Long.
Tang Ling, on the other hand, did not think about the difference in strength. His eyes were looking at the person beside Tang Long.
The person strolled beside Tang Long, holding an umbrella to shield him from the drizzle and fixed her gaze tightly on him. Who else could it be?
Higan was beautiful as always. While walking side by side with Tang Long in the crowd, they were like a prince and princess, similar to the idols from the peak period of showbiz in the old civilization.
On the contrary, holding the piece of mud that he had gotten back from Han Xing, Tang Ling stood in the drizzle like a log, his hair and clothes wet.
He might be inconspicuous, but Higan noticed him.
Likewise, after a quick turn, Tang Long saw Tang Ling and the smile on his face gradually froze.
