High Martial: I Use Everything as Swords

Chapter 269: Chapter 222: Acquiring the Artifact Refining Skill (2)

It was as if someone had hit a mute button.

All sound vanished in seconds.

Countless eyes converged on him, their gazes turning to utter shock and awe.

"Is that... Han Feng?"

"Am I seeing things? What is he wearing?"

"A silver combat uniform... an A Level Student!"

Whispers spread like wildfire.

In the crowd, a young man who was lubricating a landing gear abruptly looked up.

Chen Gang.

He had been a D Level Student in the same cohort as Han Feng, widely acknowledged as the most talented of the group.

The oil can in his hand fell to the ground with a CLATTER. Black machine oil splattered all over his pant leg, but he didn’t even notice.

He stared blankly at the figure walking through the center of the hall.

A few months ago, they were "work buddies" hauling materials in the hangar together.

He had even secretly competed with him, believing that with enough hard work, he could sooner or later surpass this kid who had gotten by on "luck."

But now...

That figure stood as straight as a pine tree, radiating a calm confidence that made it hard for anyone to meet his gaze.

The golden "A" insignia was like a great mountain, crushing Chen Gang until he could barely breathe.

The gap was too wide.

So wide that he couldn’t even muster a shred of jealousy, only a profound sense of powerlessness.

Han Feng paid no mind to the stares around him.

His eyes fixed forward, he crossed the hall and swiped his card to enter the internal laboratory area.

"DING—Identity verified. Access Level: A. Welcome, Major Han Feng."

The cold, electronic voice echoed through the hall.

Everyone heard the title.

Major.

Chen Gang bitterly picked up the oil can and lowered his head, continuing to wipe down the landing gear.

’Some people are just born to be looked up to.’

...

Laboratory Three.

Zhao Yu was hunched over an engine, scratching his head as he stared at a holographic blueprint.

"Are the designers in the military brain-dead or something?"

"What were they thinking with this intake manifold angle?"

"They reduced the structural integrity by thirty percent just for a tiny bit more intake?"

He muttered curses as he drew an X on the blueprint.

"Senior Brother, don’t get so worked up. You’ll lose your hair."

A familiar voice sounded from behind him.

Without turning his head, Zhao Yu replied, "Losing my hair is nothing. As long as I can fix this engine, I’d sacrifice my entire scalp... Huh? Wait a second."

He whipped around.

And saw Han Feng, clad in shimmering silver.

Zhao Yu swallowed the curse on the tip of his tongue. His eyes went wide as saucers as he looked Han Feng up and down three times over.

"You... When did you get promoted?"

Zhao Yu pointed at the insignia on Han Feng’s chest, his finger trembling slightly.

"A couple of days ago."

Han Feng shrugged. "It’s just an A Level Martial Arts student. No big deal."

"No big deal?"

Zhao Yu nearly choked on that blatant humblebrag.

He had worked his ass off for so many years, nearly going bald from the stress, and he was only a B Level.

’This kid has only been here for a few months?’

’And he’s already A Level?’

’And look at those epaulets... Honorary Major?’

Zhao Yu felt like his entire worldview had been shattered.

He subconsciously straightened up, his previously casual attitude becoming somewhat reserved.

"Uh... Senior Brother Han, are you here to supervise my work?"

Although he had been Han Feng’s senior brother before, at East Sea Martial Arts University, the strong were revered. Level was rank.

The status of an A Level Student was simply higher than that of a B Level.

"Senior Brother, there’s no need for that."

Han Feng shook his head helplessly, walked over, casually picked up a bottle of nutrient solution from the table, and tossed it to Zhao Yu.

"Let’s not get formal with each other. I came today because I wanted to borrow your lab for a bit."

Zhao Yu caught the nutrient solution. Seeing that Han Feng’s attitude hadn’t changed, his own reservations dissipated.

"You scared the hell out of me. I thought you were here to seize power."

Zhao Yu twisted off the cap, took a gulp, and relaxed.

"So, what’s up?"

"You’re an A Level elite now. Don’t tell me you’re still coming here to work as a Mechanic!"

Han Feng pointed to the behemoth in the corner, encased in blast-proof glass.

"I want to borrow that furnace."

"The Superconducting Arc Furnace?"

Zhao Yu paused. "What are you planning to smelt?"

"If it’s just ordinary materials, the Medium-Frequency Furnace outside is good enough."

"Firing this thing up just once costs several thousand Contribution Points in electricity alone."

"Just a little personal project."

Han Feng took a dark, lumpy piece of metal from his pocket.

It was a fragment from the wreckage of a "Judge II" missile he had picked up in the Secret Realm—a high-strength, heat-resistant titanium alloy.

"I want to run an experiment to test a new idea of mine."

Zhao Yu glanced at the piece of metal but didn’t ask any more questions.

After all, Han Feng was A Level now and had project funding. Never mind burning a few thousand in electricity costs; even if he blew up the furnace...

’Hm, on second thought, it’s probably best he doesn’t blow it up.’

"Alright, I’ve enabled your access."

Zhao Yu tapped a few times on the control console. "Go ahead and mess around with it. I have to go solve this intake manifold problem, or I won’t be able to sleep tonight."

With that, he took the blueprints and went to the computing center next door.

Only Han Feng remained in the laboratory.

He walked up to the massive Superconducting Arc Furnace.

The thing was like the stomach of a steel behemoth. A thick layer of lead insulated it from radiation and extreme heat. Through a special observation window, he could see the pitch-black furnace chamber inside.

Han Feng took a deep breath and tossed a fragment of Tier Two Spiritual Energy Metal into the feed port.

For his first attempt, he planned to practice with some Low Tier materials.

"Activate."

He pressed the button on the control panel.

VMMMM!

A low hum of electrical current began to sound.

Several thick graphite electrodes slowly lowered.

BZZZT!

A blinding, blue-white electric arc instantly erupted inside the furnace chamber.

It was a temperature of several thousand degrees.