AZI Volume 2 Chapter 10

"…"

Lightly biting the lollipop in her mouth, Jing Yin stares intently at the monitor in front of her, as she sits behind a complicated computer station.

(These readings… When was the last time that I tuned her personally?)

Displayed on the monitor screen is a humanoid outline, and to the side of this outline is a list of biometric data.

"It's been 15 minutes. Any changes so far?"

"Feels way better than what those guys at Rime Tech are capable of already."

Lying flat on the surface of a white bed that is made entirely out of cold steel is Qing Yue, who had numerous wires stuck onto her body with tape.

All these wires are collectively bundled together into a box the size of an overfilled wallet.

On the opposite side of the wire box is a single cord that runs to the specialized computer station that Jing Yin is sitting in front of.

The two are currently in a lab that belongs to Rime Tech, one of the Guilds that are in a cooperative relationship with the Long Yue family.

Mounted onto the ceiling of this spacious white room are 18 lightbulbs.

Square-shaped panels divide the walls of this room, while the floor is layered over by panels of polished white marble.

"Sounds like it's not perfect then."

The specialized instrument used for the tune-up process resembles a piano in form, with what seems to be a volume control knob positioned to the right side.

Turning the knob by 135 degrees, Jing Yin hovers both hands over the keyboard, and begins to adjust Qing Yue's body conditions once more.

With each press of the piano keys, a current of electricity would traverse through the wires, and onto Qing Yue's body causing gradual changes to occur to her biometric readings.

The entirety of this tune-up session takes less than five minutes to complete, but an additional 15 minutes is spent on waiting for the adjustments to take effect.

"Well?"

Disconnecting herself from the wires, Qing Yue leaps off the metal bed.

"Much better."

Performing a few basic stretches, Qing Yue smiles with satisfaction.

"Jing Yin, you think you could maybe just stay here?"

As Jing Yin walks over, Qing Yue looks up at her with a pleading gaze.

"I doubt that's possible. Being a project leader means carrying a lot of baggage."

"Those idiots at Rime Tech just aren't good enough. Back in the Long Yue family estate, tune-ups are a weekly thing. Here, I feel like I need a tune-up every three days."

Hearing this, Jing Yin frowns, as she thinks back to Qing Yue's biometric readings just now.

(We had a deal with the military—where we would eventually modify a few of their common soldiers into Moon Guards. The modification process is easy enough, but the maintenance portion of the work… Looks like our associates could still use some improvements.)

The reason why the Long Yue family decided to work with Rime Tech is because they would eventually need more manpower to maintain the Moon Guards that are scheduled to be integrated into the military. But if Rime Tech isn't able to perform the tune-up work that is required, then—

"Hmm, that is a bit concerning. I'll ask Madame Nian and see if she's willing to send a few people over to train them a bit more."

"Oh? That would work as well. In fact, she should have done that in the beginning."

"In any case, go get yourself dressed for the upcoming operation."

"Got it. By the way, how many others are accompanying me in this operation?"

"Ten other Moon Guards along with 50 military dolls of the latest generation. There're also some heavy machineries being brought in, but unless those are deemed necessary, they won't be used. Around 30 additional Moon Guards are on standby."

"Mother is really going all out."

"Naturally. Alright, off you go. I still need to make a call to Dainsfield."

"Dainsfield?"

"Rime Tech alone isn't enough to maintain all the Moon Guards that are to be born in the future."

...…

By the time Nian Yao Yao had finished her shopping trip, the sun had already set—making it the perfect time to have dinner.

Glancing around the vicinity a bit, Long Hua remarks—

"I'm surprised you didn't book the entire building."

Shrugging her shoulders, Nian Yao Yao answers—

"Our group isn't even that big, so I didn't see the need to do so."

Despite the large surplus of extra tables and chairs, the 99th floor of this hotel—that Nian Yao Yao will be staying at for the duration of her time here in GC012, is completely devoid of other guests.

Boiling in the center of the group's round table is a hotpot, and surrounding it are plates of uncooked seafood, meat, vegetables, and noodles.

To the side of the table is a cart that holds a large rice cooker with a small tower of bowls.

On the cart's second layer are vintage bottles of wine, along with a phone—for the sole purpose of making additional orders to the hotel's service center.

Aside from the back walls of this floor being wood, everything to the front and sides of the vicinity are made up of reinforced glass—giving guests a great view of the illuminated cityscape.

To provide adequate support for the 100th floor that is above this one, 12 pillars are scattered throughout the vicinity's areas.

"Why am I the only one dressed up for this occasion?"

Wearing a one-piece black dress that stretches to her ankles, and leaves her shoulders bare, Jing Yao can't help but feel odd at this gathering.

Towards this remark, Nian Yao Yao replies—

"What? Doesn't my attire count for something?"

"It just doesn't feel right."

Saying this, Jing Yao looks to Long Hua, Tian Cheng, and Zhui Yun in turn.

"I'm personally not a fan of fancy suits."

"What purpose is there to dress up a machine?"

"Aren't I still technically a guard on duty? A dress would make it difficult to move around."

Hearing their individual reasonings for their attire, Jing Yao couldn't do anything but sigh.

"Before I forget, here's that gift that I promised you."

Casually, Nian Yao Yao tosses an object over to Long Hua.

"Hm?"

Catching it with his right hand, it turns out to be a black leather belt that is bound together by a rubber band.

Getting out of his seat, Long Hua takes the rubber band off—immediately, the belt straightens itself out.

Other than its buckle, there was another object protruding from within the belt itself.

"…"

Gripping the white handle that is wrapped in gold accents, Long Hua draws the weapon—that is a single-handed sword that measures at three feet in length, with the width of its blade being one and a half fingers.

This weapon is what is commonly referred to as a soft sword. However, judging by the faint aura that emanates from it, it's clearly not crafted from ordinary steel, nor is it something that can be forged through the smithing techniques of this world.

Etched onto the sword's blade are two characters—

(Bái Zhé, this is clearly a magic treasure, but compared to Kun—this sword has yet to reach the Foundation Establishment realm.)

Sheathing the sword, Long Hua wraps the belt around his waist before taking a seat, and asks Nian Yao Yao—

"Where did you get this?"

"A month ago, one of the squads that I sent out for a task ran into an Immortal. That sword belongs to that Immortal."

"Did they manage to kill that Immortal?"

"How else do you think they managed to get that sword? After they brought the body back, the medical staff discovered something interesting. All the corpses of the Immortals that we've dealt with in the past have been left out to rot for at least eight hours. This one was received an hour after death."

A guess as to what that interesting discovery had been immediately appears in Long Hua's mind, as he tosses three strips of meat into the hotpot using his chopsticks.