After a long while, Jing Yuan finally let out a relaxed sigh. He mocked himself inwardly: 'The Curio has already fallen into the hands of our own people, so why panic?'
"Probe, shut down!" Feixiao mimicked Sylvester's broadcasting tone and shouted. The small round platform's beam of light vanished instantly, flying back into her palm.
Staring at the little [Interstellar Probe], her emotions surged violently, her chest heaving as if mountains were coming alive, rising and falling with breath.
Hmm… deep green peaks, verdant and lush, a scene brimming with life.
Sylvester leisurely admired the beauty, while Feixiao, Jing Yuan, and Yanqing praised the Curio. Everyone's hearts brimmed with hope for the future.
"So, how do we recharge this thing?"
Suddenly, Feixiao's voice reached Sylvester. He froze for a moment, then waved his hand dismissively. "No need to recharge. Its energy source is inexhaustible, allowing it to run indefinitely."
"It can run indefinitely?" Jing Yuan was stunned again. Stroking his chin, he fell into contemplation.
If that were the case, then the energy source itself couldn't be underestimated. What if it were separated and used to power other devices, while the probe was supplied with a common energy source?
The idea was bold. No one had ever considered that Sylvester's Curio could be divided and repurposed. But if successful, this endless energy might produce unimaginable benefits in the future.
He immediately asked, "Shopkeeper Sylvester, in what form does this energy exist? And what level of output does it have?"
"Jing Yuan, you mean…" Feixiao paused for two seconds before realizing what he was getting at.
She too turned to Sylvester.
As Jing Yuan thought, if it could be separated, perhaps its value could be multiplied.
Who knew… perhaps, just like the Heliobi Progenitor being imprisoned in Zhuming, it could one day add another colossal furnace to the Xianzhou Alliance!
Reading the signs, Sylvester naturally understood Jing Yuan's ultimate goal.
But after accessing more detailed data, he had no choice but to pour cold water on Jing Yuan's hopes.
Behind the counter, Sylvester tilted his head, choosing his words carefully, before deciding to answer him in the plainest, most unambiguous way. "Its energy form is extremely unique, and it cannot be efficiently converted into common usable energy."
He spread his hands helplessly. "Of course, all power can be traced back to boiling water. If you used its core to generate heat and drive machinery with steam, it might just be able to power the most primitive steam locomotive."
"This Curio… its efficiency is that high?"
Jing Yuan stared at the round platform in Feixiao's hand, at a loss for words.
He had assumed that a probe capable of scanning a range of five light-years must consume energy on a celestial scale. Yet it turned out to be no more than an old museum relic? It didn't even compare to a large civilian starskiff!
Jing Yuan silently drew in a breath, then silently released it.
The probe was already invaluable. Why demand even more?
"That's fine, that's fine. Better this than dismantling it, failing to reassemble it, and ending up with nothing." Feixiao's thoughts mirrored Jing Yuan's.
For her, the most important thing was that the probe functioned as intended. Everything else was just an extra.
Her jade-like hand caressed the cold metallic surface of the probe, but her heart was burning.
Who could resist leading a million troops, charging through enemy lines like the wind, untouchable by their foes?
Feixiao was no warmonger, but recalling the bitter hatred between Borisins and the Foxians, a trace of bloodlust tinged her heart.
To her, the best possible thing would undoubtedly be a pill that could cure Moon Rage permanently. But in her current blood-stirred state, the most satisfying scenario would be for a thick-skinned Borisin to drop from the sky, so she could fully display the martial might of the Vanquishing General.
She was always fair to her enemies—be it spear, axe, or fist, she let them choose their own weapon. She guaranteed they died with dignity. Never once had she received a poor review.
Watching Feixiao, itching to mobilize troops immediately, Sylvester could fully understand her mood.
He had no battlefield experience, but who hadn't, in their youth, dreamed of standing amidst thousands, wielding command over the tides of war?
All the more for Feixiao, the world-renowned Great General, a true undefeated commander.
With this [Interstellar Probe], surely, she couldn't wait to claim a 'great victory' …while on the other side, the Denizens of Abundance would feel a 'great calamity.' There's simply no suspense about it.
Feixiao stowed the probe away. Future battles with it would be far easier.
Glancing at the four remaining trash cans, her anticipation only grew. What other surprises awaited her inside?
"The first strike was already so loud. If the next nine keep getting better, I might laugh myself awake in my sleep."
She reached out and opened another trash can.
Unfortunately, fortune's goddess wouldn't forever favor one person.
This time, it was only a green trash can.
A box, slightly larger than a Jade Abacus, appeared in Feixiao's hand. She opened it and found a pair of glasses.
"A green Curio, and it's just a pair of ordinary glasses?" She unfolded the frames and tested them before her eyes, disappointment deepening.
They were merely plano lenses—wearing them or not made no difference.
If they had at least been stylish, they could serve as accessories. But the design… far too plain, even a bit childish.
"[Tracking Glasses]."
Seeing Feixiao's dissatisfaction, Sylvester explained slowly, "Inside the case is a button-sized transmitter. On the glasses' right side is a retractable antenna. Once activated, they can display the transmitter's position. Useful for tracking suspicious individuals without following too closely and risking detection."
"Oh? That's at least somewhat interesting."
Feixiao opened the case, and indeed found the tiny transmitter. But unfortunately, such surveillance work was not something she herself could do.
Hmm, maybe ask Moze if he had any use for it.
Without further questions, she opened the next trash can.
Once again, green light shone.
A skateboard lay quietly on the ground.
She chuckled at the sight. Back when she had just come of age, she loved these things. Yukong had raced alongside her, while she performed tricks for him. Together, they were the most reckless youths on the streets of Yaoqing.
Looking back now, it felt somewhat like a black mark in her history.
She turned to Sylvester, waiting for his explanation before opening the next can.
Not a word of this would ever escape her lips!
"[Turbo Engine Skateboard]. Equipped with a miniature solar battery. Even at night, it can run for thirty minutes. On city streets, its speed rivals that of a small starskiff."
Having said that, Sylvester's brows furrowed.
Tracking glasses, an electric skateboard… why did this all feel strangely familiar?
Feixiao nodded lightly and reached for the next trash can.
This time, even Sylvester focused intently on her movements.
If his guess was right, then those things were about to appear. A red bowtie? Or a wristwatch? Or perhaps a pair of red-and-white sneakers?