Two days later, the metal materials purchased with research funds arrived, a total of ten transport vehicles. The large blocks of Flame Blue Alloy were moved into the warehouse.
Staff temporarily transferred from the main laboratory meticulously recorded everything, making sure the quantity was correct before they departed.
After Li Ming saw everyone off, he entered the warehouse with eagerness.
He didn’t leave until late into the night when the sky was filled with stars, finally letting out a long breath of relief.
He chose to return to the main laboratory to rest. His metal energy balance had reached 1.8 million, climbing towards new peaks.
But when he thought of those treasures in the underground laboratory, the satisfaction that had just risen was shattered.
However, to take those things, he still needed the right opportunity.
The laboratory had been completed for several days, and to his surprise, the first visitor was that Mechanical Master—Castelon.
"...This is too crude. Once the voltage exceeds 1000V..."
"...Still using modular alloy chambers, such disregard, tsk..."
"Blue Star really is a dump. You have a decent talent, and they give you this kind of treatment?"
The red-bearded old man was nitpicking from the moment he arrived, openly displaying disdain and looking down on all the equipment, deeming it worthless.
"You mean, you want to sponsor me?" Li Ming could no longer stand the buzzing in his ears and interrupted.
"Why would I sponsor you if you’re not my disciple?" the old man retorted.
"Then why talk so much, what’s the use?" Li Ming retorted, displeased.
"Considering your talent is not bad, how about this—I help you with a favor, and I can recommend you to Yellow Bell Mechanical College," the old man said, hands clasped behind his back and head held high.
Yellow Bell Mechanical College, the most famous mechanical college in the Yitelan Civilization, the holy land for all mechanics in the Silver Star Cluster.
Even his predecessor, his half-competent Mechanical Repair father Li Changhai, had mentioned this name.
Although the college accepted students from all civilizations in the Silver Star Cluster, the review was extremely rigorous, and it did not conduct regular admissions but selected students purposefully.
They enrolled only about one to two hundred students each year.
"Recommend me to Yellow Bell Mechanical College?" said Li Ming, sounding quite surprised.
This great mechanic spoke with clout—just a recommendation and it’s done; even Professor Xia hadn’t talked to him about this.
Castelon held his head even higher, proudly saying, "That’s right, Yellow Bell Mechanical College. There are few people I deem worth my attention. If you truly have the talent they talk about, then show me."
"If you pass my test, my word is my bond."
"Your test?" Li Ming looked bemused and shook his head, "Forget it, I’m not interested."
"My test is actually also..." Castelon rambled on, halting mid-sentence as he suddenly realized the response, leaping onto the table and glaring, "What did you say!?"
"I said I’m not interested," Li Ming said with a shrug. While he had set himself up to appear keen on mechanical studies, that was just to explain his control over various items.
He wasn’t truly interested in going to a mechanical college; developing gene seeds was the real path to power.
"How can you say you’re not interested! That’s Yellow Bell Mechanical College!" Castelon said excitedly, "The best mechanical masters, the best resources, all are in Yellow Bell Mechanical College."
"Even in the interstellar alliance, it’s a name that can be called upon, ranking among the top!"
"Young man, I will give you one more chance to organize your words," Castelon said sternly, his short chunky finger pointing at Li Ming, speaking threateningly.
The scene had an inexplicable sense of comedy; Li Ming held back a laugh, "I really am not interested."
"You..." Castelon seemed almost frantic, hair standing on end, teeth clenched, "Weren’t you quite interested in mechanics?"
"Yes," Li Ming said as if it were obvious, "I am interested in mechanics, but I am more interested in genetic evolution."
"Genetic evolution?" Castelon snorted derisively, "With your potential development, even if Yitelan Civilization decided to nurture you, at best you’d be an A-Class life form."
"And you’d still have to look at their faces, but if you had the technical skills, they would all have to look at your face instead."
The old man was going off outdated information; Li Ming shook his head secretly.
"Fine, I’ll make an exception just this once. Do you want to go to Yellow Bell Mechanical College or not?" Castelon questioned again, emphasizing, "This is your last chance!"
"Er," Li Ming hesitated, "You mean, I just nod my head and then I can get in?"
Castelon went silent for a moment, his momentum deflated, and even his voice turned down a notch, "What I mean is, if you can pass my test."
"Well, that settles it, still have to pass some test," Li Ming shook his head, "If it wasn’t for any effort, I might be a little interested."
"That’s Yellow Bell Mechanical College, you think you just nod your head and get in, where would such a good thing come from!" Castelon almost laughed in frustration.
Li Ming explained calmly, "I didn’t think that way, nor did I say I wanted to go. You’ve misunderstood."
Castelon was breathing heavily, eyes bloodshot, staring intently at Li Ming, rolling up his sleeves.
"If you insist on forcing me to take the test, it’s not impossible," Li Ming really didn’t want this old man to swing a punch at him, so he quickly eased the conversation.
"I am a great mechanic!" Castelon roared, jumping down from the table, "Go or don’t go, it’s your choice!"
"The great Yellow Bell College doesn’t lack someone like you," he shouted as he headed for the door, continuing his tirade, "It was just me taking pity on talent, not wanting to see you waste away in such a primitive civilization, being led astray by that idiot Xia Yuanlun."
"If you’re content with your lot, that’s none of my business!"