Chapter 69: Exchange Competition (Part One)

Chapter 69: Exchange Competition (Part One)

Cang Cheng, without a second thought, brought all his items, spending only 2800 units in total, leaving him with more than 2200 units to spare.

"If I bring A-grade weapons, I won’t have room for A-grade Spirit Runes. What am I supposed to do?"

"Weapon energy liquid, 10ml for 300 units—that’s highway robbery."

"Level A ammo clips cost 600 units each; it’s nowhere near enough."

……

Other participants from the Canglan Star Region were troubled by how to allocate their 5000 units of equipment space. If they brought one thing, they couldn’t bring another; it simply wasn’t enough.

The value of items varied from year to year, especially for firearms. This year, bringing Level A weapons meant they couldn’t afford Spirit Runes or supplementary gear, causing significant frustration among the people of the Canglan Star Region.

Cang Cheng took the opportunity to interject, "I still have over 2000 units of space left. You can put some of your items here for the competition."

As soon as he finished speaking, many pairs of eyes locked onto him hungrily, treating him like a prize catch.

Thanks to Mo Yu’s calculations, the team maximized their unit utilization, storing most of the supplies and daily necessities with Cang Cheng.

This allowed the other members to bring more ammo clips or energy supplies.

After getting fully equipped, Cang Cheng, burdened by the heavy suitcase, slowly walked at the back of the group.

His stamina wasn’t great, and carrying so many things was a strain on him.

Just as Hilmeth was about to help Cang Cheng with his luggage, the enthusiastic Yi Moshang had already taken it.

Yi Moshang said, "Let me help you, Your Highness."

Cang Cheng smiled warmly. "Thanks, Yi Moshang."

His smile was so beautiful that Yi Moshang felt a little embarrassed and averted his gaze.

Hilmeth’s eyes lingered on the two for a few more seconds, his hand tightly gripping the side.

The third prince spoke sarcastically, "The fifth prince is quite the people-pleaser, isn’t he? What do you think, General?"

Hilmeth’s face remained cold as he replied, "It’s basic combat protocol for team members to help each other. It seems Prince Third has forgotten his military lessons."

The third prince replied, "In that regard, I’m no match for the General. Unfortunately, we’ll both be locked in the enemy camp from the start. I wonder how my delicate younger brother will fare without your help, General."

Hilmeth remained expressionless. "Watch your words."

Seeing that he couldn’t get any advantage from Hilmeth, the third prince stopped talking but continued to curse inwardly.

Cang Cheng was indeed remarkable; even someone like Hilmeth felt compelled to speak up for him.

However, after the competition ends, there would be no more fifth prince in the Canglan Star Region.

Losing a prince who’s more show than substance wouldn’t be much of a loss for the Canglan Star Region.

Hopefully, Hilmeth wouldn’t be too heartbroken when that time came.

After clearing multiple layers of security, the final gate turned green, and the participants boarded their respective shuttles to Base 0.

First, the hostage team leaders and deputy leaders were sent to each other’s Base 0.

The two were confined in separate rooms, not allowed to carry any communication devices or weapons. They were provided with basic nutrient solution.

The rest of the team geared up with the special comms gear for the Exchange Competition and headed to their respective Base 0.

“3, 2, 1...”

The countdown hit zero, and the Exchange Competition officially began!

The Exchange Competition lasted a total of three days. Typically, the first two days were spent expanding our territory and earning points, while the third day saw more intense battles.

Upon entering the base, the participants from the Canglan Star Region reorganized the materials they had brought in.

Some were placed in the storage cabinets of Base 0, while others were carried on their person.

Edward, in charge of commands, gave the orders: “Today, we’ll pair up and head in four different directions to expand our territory. Each team should return to Base 0 after securing 20 territories.”

After saying that, Edward glanced at Cang Cheng, seemingly a bit worried if Cang Cheng could handle such intensity.

After all, Cang Cheng was the only civilian among this group of Awakened individuals, and rumors had it that Cang Cheng’s physical condition wasn’t great.

Wu Ling sneered: “I think our noble prince should just stay hidden in the base! Save yourself the trouble of dragging the team down due to exhaustion.”

Fu Congfei retorted sharply: “If you don’t know how to speak, you can keep quiet. No one thinks you’re mute.”

Yi Moshang, disliking the team’s discord, stepped forward: “How about I team up with Cang Cheng? If he gets tired, I can carry him back.

It's just the first day, so the other team will be focused on setting up their base and won’t attack. No major risks today.”

Xing Qing, wearing a gas mask, nodded in agreement.

“Thank you all for your concern.”

Cang Cheng smiled, seemingly unaffected by Wu Ling’s comment.

He took out a rectangular metal bar, pressed a button on it, and the bar unfolded like a Rubik’s cube, turning into a metal hoverboard.

The hoverboard was equipped with jet propulsion at the bottom, powered by a combination of solar and wind energy, with an average speed of 50 kilometers per hour.

A metal bracket extended from the rear of the hoverboard, which could be used to hang luggage. The bracket could also unfold into a seat for the user to rest.

Cang Cheng explained: “I brought an energy suspension hoverboard, so there’s no need to worry about stamina.”

Everyone was taken aback.

They had thought bringing Cang Cheng along would slow down the progress of expanding the base.

But who would have thought he was so well-prepared? He even brought a hoverboard.

Turns out Prince Cang Cheng isn’t bad.

Real-time comments:

“The fifth prince has some self-awareness.”

“Did you see how shocked the team was when he pulled out the hoverboard?”

“It’s kinda satisfying.”

“The fifth prince is just trying to show off. In the next matches, he’ll probably just be following along.”

"He better not be a liability."

"What an Awakened can do effortlessly, the fifth prince needs help with. And he's actually proud of it?"

"Honestly, I have no respect for the fifth prince. Taking someone else’s place, how disgraceful."

...

The eight-person team split into four pairs, with the final grouping determined as: Yi Moshang and Wu Ling, Edward and Xing Qing, Fu Congfei and Sang Ning, Cang Cheng and Mo Yu.

The four pairs set out from Base 0, and by placing territorial flags in four different directions, they could expand the territory.

Flags within 200 meters of each other would automatically link up. Only flags connected to Base 0 would expand the territory around them.

Within their own territorial range, the team would gain a boost to all their stats.

After Cang Cheng and Mo Yu were grouped together and set out, Cang Cheng rode the hoverboard, casually trailing behind Mo Yu.

The terrain of their base was in a jungle. Dense, towering trees blocked out the sky, severely obstructing vision.

In such an unknown jungle, who knows what kind of star beasts lurk here?

When Mo Yu reached higher ground, he said to Cang Cheng, "Wait here for a moment."

Saying that, Mo Yu took out a small metal ball, no bigger than a palm.

Aiming in a certain direction, he threw the ball.

Then, 'boom!' The ball exploded, trees fell, and rocks shattered.

The forest in front of them was destroyed.

At the same time, the low-level star beasts that had been living in the trees were knocked out by the explosion. Mo Yu, without changing his expression, collected them.

+5 points

+10 points

+3 points...

"The old-style bomb costs 5 points each. It's not very effective against star beasts and Awakened, but it's great for blowing up trees."

Mo Yu explained to Cang Cheng.

"Pretty impressive."

Cang Cheng didn’t expect that Mo Yu, who seemed very much like a science geek, would have the style of a demolition team.

Comments:

"Can it be done like that?"

"Genius!"

"Teaming up with Mo Yu is amazing!"

...

Nodding, Mo Yu began to collect resources along the way.

Cang Cheng followed behind Mo Yu, casually picking up flowers, grasses, and pretty stones along the roadside.

Mutant sunflower, picked.

D-grade energy stone, picked.

C-grade vine branch, also picked.

……

Cang Cheng selected plants and stones that looked nice, which made it seem like he was just collecting souvenirs.

However, the constant influx of points notifications indicated that these beautiful items weren’t just random picks.

Points +1

+20

+2

+50……

Watching Cang Cheng quietly, Mo Yu also realized that Cang Cheng wasn’t picking things at random.

It seemed the rumors about the fifth prince being useless were unfounded.

With Mo Yu clearing the way like a bulldozer, their progress in expanding the territory was swift. In no time, they finished placing the 20 territorial flags planned for the day.

Blue flags representing the Canglan Star Region were planted, each 2 meters high with detectors on top that sensed other flags within 200 meters.

The detector flashed, confirming the successful placement of the flags, and the Canglan Star Region’s territory expanded by another 200 meters.

Points +500.

By now, Cang Cheng and Mo Yu had expanded 4 kilometers north. Thanks to Mo Yu’s precise calculations, the flags were planted perfectly, not even a single centimeter off.

Together, they earned 14,211 points.

They scored 50% more points than other teams in the Canglan Star Region and 25% more than the total points of all teams in the Giant Rock Star Region.

Comments flooded in:

"Mo Yu has already finished the mission? Fu Congfei's team only placed 9 flags. Such efficiency!"

"Master Mo is amazing! Carrying the team and still getting so many points."

"The fifth prince is just along for the ride."

"I could do that too."

"Some people are just born lucky, even casually participating in an Exchange Competition can result in a win. We regular folks can't even come close."

……

Jealous comments came one after another.

The fifth prince, once considered a waste of space by the entire star region, had now latched onto a powerful ally and might even bring honor to the Canglan Star Region and earn some merits.

What did Cang Cheng have that gave him this advantage?

Is it because of that face?

Danmaku:

"Wait, look, Mo Yu's screen is shaking."

"There's a big one coming. A massive star beast by the looks of it."

"Hehe, let's see if someone who's been slacking starts crying later."

"Let them have their fun!"

...

Mo Yu's bombing strategy had propelled their team to the top of the group, but it also had the side effect of potentially disturbing large star beasts.

Mo Yu was aware of this.

Without hesitation, after detecting the movement, he took out a heavy cannon and set it up in front of him.

"Your Highness, find a place to hide. I might not be able to look after you in a moment."

"Okay."

Cang Cheng obediently walked away and hid behind a fallen giant tree trunk.

Boom, boom.

The footsteps drew nearer, and the ground trembled more noticeably.

Along with a huge shadow, a massive 5-meter-tall Black King Bear came into view.

It stood on its hind legs, its massive paws bared, and its snarling maw dripped with saliva, revealing razor-sharp fangs.

A tuft of bright yellow fur on its forehead marked it as an A-grade Black King Bear.

Although the Black King Bear appeared to be a slow-moving giant, it was actually quite agile and swift.

"Roar!"

The bear roared, its eyes locked on Mo Yu like he was a juicy meal.

Mo Yu was already in its sights.

"This is the big one—trouble."

Mo Yu found it somewhat troublesome.

Although he was an A-grade Awakened, his specialty was in weapon manufacturing, and he wasn't as skilled in combat as those trained for it. Handling a Black King Bear alone was quite a challenge for him.

With a serious expression, without hesitation, he activated the gravity Spirit Runes on the heavy cannon.

To handle this agile brute, he needed to limit its movement.

"Switch to non-focusing mode."

Mo Yu quickly input the command.

The large-diameter cannon split into four smaller barrels.

Without waiting for the heavy cannons to fully charge, Mo Yu launched his attack.

He intended to use the gravity rune to slow down the Black King Bear!

The heavy cannons unleashed a blinding barrage of beams. Four cannons fired at the bear in quick succession.

The gravity rune on the cannon's body lit up, increasing the gravity within an 8-meter radius around the target to three times its normal force.

But the black bear was clearly no pushover.

Sensing the danger, it charged at Mo Yu.

The bear moved like a fat but agile dancer, leaping, crouching, and twisting with surprising grace. Its movements were as fluid as any human’s.

Its only goal: to tear into its little snack.

The 3x gravity from the B-grade gravity rune barely fazed the Black King Bear. It slowed the bear’s movements for a moment, but the effect was minimal—just enough to singe some of its fur.

Was this just a tickle to it?

Mo Yu frowned. "The effect of the gravity rune really isn't enough, so I'll have to go all out."

The B-grade gravity rune was too weak against an A-grade star beast, so Mo Yu had to change his strategy.

He took out several cheap old-model bombs, predicted the black bear's movement, and threw them at its feet.

The split heavy cannons sealed off the bear's escape routes, forcing it to flee in the direction Mo Yu had anticipated.

By the time the black bear reached the designated point, four old-model bombs exploded one after another at its feet.

The explosions filled the air with smoke, and the shaking ground made the bear stagger, unable to regain its balance.

It would need some time to recover.

This was it!

Mo Yu knew the bear would be immobilized for a few crucial seconds after the bombs hit its feet. He had been waiting for this moment!

He input commands to his weapon again, and the split plate of the heavy cannon disappeared as the energy charge bar lit up.

2, 1...

Charge complete!

Mo Yu braced the heavy cannon.

With a deafening roar, a searing white beam slammed into the bear just as it tried to steady itself. The energy-induced vortex whipped up a storm, making it feel like a typhoon had passed through.

Mo Yu was pushed back two steps by the heavy cannon's recoil. His expression was grave as he watched the bear.

Did it work?

As the smoke cleared, a tall, clawing bear figure gradually came into view, seemingly preparing to pounce on Mo Yu and tear him apart with its claws.

But before it could move, the 5-meter-tall black bear fell to the ground with a thud, shaking the earth.

The bear's body was charred by the heavy cannon's blast. Because the bear was black, unless you noticed the smoke rising from its burnt flesh and the smell of cooked meat, it was hard to tell just how badly it had been damaged.

"Ding, 300 points added."

"Whew... Looks like it's settled."

Hearing the sound of points crediting, Mo Yu breathed a sigh of relief.

However, just at that moment, a buzzing insect sound echoed.

Suddenly, 20 palm-sized star beast bees had their poisonous stingers aimed at Mo Yu's exposed back neck.

These were B-grade star beasts—Black Bear Bees, which had a symbiotic relationship with black bears.

The bees provided honey, and the bear offered shelter.

Before the black bear died, the bees hidden in its fur swarmed out.

They were determined to sting the intruder who had destroyed their nest!

Mo Yu realized he was in trouble.

He had forgotten about the symbiotic star beasts!

It was too late to readjust the direction of the heavy cannon now.

Although the heavy cannon's attack was powerful, its flexibility was lacking, making it impossible to adjust the attack direction in time.

Mo Yu also didn't carry any other portable weapons.

At the last second, a flash of cold light shot through the air like lightning, followed by six silver-white bullets.

One bullet split into three, turning the six bullets into 18.

With a series of sharp whistles, the silver bullets tore through the bodies of the bees, which dropped to the ground with a thud.

Two of the bullets were especially lucky, each penetrating the bodies of two Black Bear Bees.

A deadly attack was defused in an instant.

The bodies of 20 B-grade star beasts lay still on the ground, their transparent wings fluttering briefly before falling silent.

"1000 points added."

The sound of points being credited snapped Mo Yu back to reality.

Cold sweat soaked through his shirt.

Just moments earlier, when facing the swarm of Black Bear Bees, Mo Yu's mind had gone blank, unsure of what to do.

If it weren't for the timely support, Mo Yu would have been turned into a pincushion by the bees.

Once he regained his composure, Mo Yu turned to see where the bullets had come from.

He saw Cang Cheng standing up from behind a tree stump, nodding friendly at Mo Yu with a calm expression and a hint of a smile.

In his hand was a compact, modified burst gun, its pure white barrel still humming with energy.

Mo Yu's eyes widened in surprise.

Was it Cang Cheng who provided the support?

Is Cang Cheng's aim really that good?

Not only was Mo Yu stunned, but the viewers watching the live stream were equally shocked.

Danmaku:

"I must be seeing things, did the fifth prince really wipe out the entire swarm of black bear bees?"

"I slapped myself twice—ouch, that hurt!—but I’m definitely not dreaming!"

"So, did the fifth prince really take out the entire swarm of black bear bees by himself?"

"Yeah… probably!"

……

The chat went silent.

Weren’t we all calling him the useless prince? He doesn’t seem useless at all now.

We’re talking about an entire swarm of B-grade star beasts here!

And these were small, hard-to-hit bees, and yet, they were all wiped out in seconds?

Even a B-grade Awakened couldn’t take out that many B-grade star beasts in one go, right?

This world just got way too weird.