“Whoosh!”

　　Ma Jiao raised his wrist and a 3D blueprint of the city was projected from his crystal processor. An area full of high-rises was enlarged.

　　“Gold Phoenix Road is the financial street of Verdant Tarn City. There are high-rises on two sides of the road and interlinked walkways in the middle of the buildings. Underground, there are four crystal rail train lines passing through, extending in all directions. The shape is very complicated.”

　　“This is the last stronghold for the demon beasts on the surface. Countless powerful demon soldiers lie in wait on the two sides of Gold Phoenix Road. This shall be the stage where we display our skills!”

　　“You want to go to Gold Phoenix Road?”

　　Zhao Tianchong’s pupils suddenly contracted.

　　The financial district was certainly the last stronghold of the demon beasts of the surface. A lot of powerful demon beasts were congregated there. Even high-level demon soldiers were likely to exist. The danger was extremely high.

　　Of course, the likelihood of getting school credits and battle achievements was greatest in the financial district.

　　“You guys of the Federation’s First Military College haven’t formed a team with your senior students?” asked Zhao Tianchong.

　　Ma Jiao bluntly replied with a faint smile.

　　“Of course we have senior students, but most of them aren’t willing to form a team with us, freshmen. Even if someone is willing to take us to Gold Phoenix Road and kill demon beasts, they would take the bulk of the kills. We would have to split the few left overs. Why should we do that? It would be better to find a few powerful freshmen to go killing demon beast with and split the gains equally!”

　　Zhao Tianchong and Lu Tieshan glanced at each other and nodded in secret.

　　Ma Jiao’s words were correct. To form a team with powerful senior students would guarantee their safety to a large degree, but most senior students weren’t willing to bring newbies to the battlefield where danger lurks on all side. The seniors would feel disdain for the newbies over the burden.

　　Even if someone was willing to take them, the distribution of combat achievements after killing the demon beast wouldn’t be advantageous towards the students of the low grades.

　　After all, the seniors were strong. They would certainly kill most of the demon beasts. The lower grade students wouldn’t be able to do well. They would only give moral support from the side and cheer the seniors on.

　　What was the point of that?

　　Ma Jiao saw the aura of flames within the eyes of these two. He knew he had moved them and he spoke emotionally and chuckled.

　　“Zhao Tianchong. You and I met each other in the Limit Challenge Competition. It was what I considered to be a life or death fight for several rounds. You should know my strength.”

　　“This fellow student, Bei Jingjing, is a first class sniper. We also have our fellow student Chunyu Peng. He is the best heavy fire power user. By your side is Lu Tieshan from the Devil Fist Sect. I’ve heard rumors about him. He is an outstanding close-combat expert.”

　　“We five are the cream of the crop of freshmen from our various universities. We have long distance firepower and we have close combat killing ability. If we form a team, we will absolutely be able to break through Gold Phoenix Road. What do you say?”

　　Zhao Tianchong swept a gaze at Lu Tieshan. The later whispered into his ear.

　　“How’s this Ma Jiao’s power?”

　　Zhao Tianchong nodded gently.

　　“He’s very powerful. In the Limit Challenge Competition, I was almost knocked out by him several times. In the end, his score was only lower than mine by three points!”

　　Lu Tieshan’s eyes flared.

　　“That’s quite decent. Even though we had Li Yao’s heavy suppressive fire in the past, in the end, he’s not a professional gunman. We have to exert a lot of effort to handle long-range demon beasts. It is because of this that we haven’t been able to enter dangerous areas amassed with demon beasts. Right now, there are three powerful gunmen. It should be easy to charge into Gold Phoenix Road, right?”

　　Zhao Tianchong thought for a long while before raising his head and speaking.

　　“Ma Jiao, there aren’t any problems for us to team up. However, we still have one more member. Everyone must go together, otherwise, we won’t go.”

　　“Oh, your Grand Desolate War Institution still has another amazing freshmen?”

　　Ma Jiao eyebrows cocked up. He was a bit surprised.

　　However, based on the meaning behind Zhao Tianchong’s words, this freshman should be quite the decent expert.

　　If so, Ma Jiao wouldn’t mind.

　　These firearms cultivators were experts in long distance combat, but they had problems once high-level demon beasts broke through their defensive force.

　　Therefore, in the midst of battle, they needed protection from sword cultivators and body practitioners.

　　The Federation’s First Military College also had a combat department, but it was a long way from the Grand Desolate War Institution’s combat department.

　　This was also another reason why Ma Jiao didn’t recruit his classmates, seeking to form a team with Zhao Tianchong instead.

　　If it was a close combat expert on the level of Zhao Tianchong and Lu Tieshan, Ma Jiao would naturally welcome him!

　　But for some reason, Zhao Tianchong’s expression was a bit warped. He coughed for a while and spoke.

　　“He’s not of the combat department. He’s a freshman of the refining department.”

　　“Refining Department?”

　　Ma Jiao and the three others were stupefied on the spot. The looked at each other, “The Grand Desolate War Institution still has a Refining Department? Oh, I remember now. It seems like they do. I saw some news about them online last year. Apparently, an accident happened in your Grand Desolate War Institution’s Refining Department. Several people died.”

　　“But why the heck should we bring on a student of the refining department? To help us maintain magical equipment? We won’t need it. This operation won’t last for a very long time. At most, it’ll take a day and a night. As soon as the situation goes bad, we will retreat. The wear and tear on our magical equipment won’t be too critical. Also, we can do the simpler maintenance ourselves!”

　　“That’s right. Bringing an extra support member is just an extra burden. We will need to split our gains with him when we kill demon beasts. Do we have to bring him on?”

　　The female sniper Bei Jingjing spoke coldly.

　　The buff and sturdy firepower user, Chunyu Peng, was nodding his head over and over.

　　Zhao Tianchong and Lu Tieshan were all young geniuses of the north with quite the reputation. They had heard rumors of them. They were assured by the power of Grand Desolate War Institution’s Combat Department. Therefore, they were willing to team up with them.

　　But a freshman of the Grand Desolate War Institution’s Refining Department?

　　What was the point of bringing such a person?

　　Bluntly speaking, what if they encountered a high-level demon beast and had brought along such a burden. Everyone wouldn’t be able to escape!

　　Lu Tieshan saw the doubtful expression on these three faces. He hurried to explain.

　　“Even though he is a student of the refining department, he acts as the role of a heavy firepower user on our team.”

　　It was better if he didn’t explain, for this explanation caused the three to laugh. Ma Jiao could not recover from his laughter.

　　“It can’t be. Do you still want to bring on your on heavy firepower user when forming a team with us firearms cultivators? I must have heard wrong, or have you misspoken?”

　　The firepower user, Chunyu Peng, cracked a smile. He slapped the heavy gun on his waist and spoke in a low and muffled voice.

　　“The Flaming Python Model 7 Heavy Machine Gun is the most popular standard heavy machine gun in the federation. Its firepower is the most ferocious. Its recoil is the strongest. A typical person wouldn’t be able to control it at all. A firearms cultivator whose strength is on the weaker side won’t chose this model. What do you think? Do you still believe we’re lacking in firepower? That you still need to bring on your on heavy firepower user?”

　　Ma Jiao didn’t want to make the atmosphere too awkward. He explained as well.

　　“You two., it’s not that we look down on your classmate. Since we of the Federation’s First Military College are bringing three people. You’re wanting to bring three people of your own is very normal. If you randomly brought a close-combat classmate from your combat department, we wouldn’t mind, but you’re bringing a freshman from the refining department, and he’s acting as a heavy firepower user. There’s no need for this, right?”

　　Ma Jiao pointed at Chunyu Peng, “This classmate of mine comes from a military family. He starting shooting at the age of five. He is absolutely the best firepower user of the freshmen of the Federation’s First Military College. Just having him is enough!”

　　Zhao Tianchong and Lu Tieshan coughed dryly. They swept a gaze at the Flaming Python Model 7 Heavy Machine Gun in Chunyu Peng’s hands.

　　Chunyu Peng felt their gazes and chuckled. He swiveled the Flaming Python Model 7 in a demonstration and laughed:

　　“What do you think?”

　　“A typical person would use the Flaming Python Model 6 at most. To be able to use the Model 7, outside of a powerful genius such as me… only strong cultivators at the high-level Refinement Stage and above can use it!”

　　“You guys have probably never seen this fellow let out its rage. It’s simply a metal behemoth when the bullets explode out. It’s like a raging, burning, and flaming python. It can absolutely swallow everything in its path. It’s super ferocious, super savage!”

　　“I’m not looking down on your heavy firepower user. What gun does he use? Flaming Python Model 4? At most, a Model 5? That’s nothing!”

　　Lu Tieshan spoke.

　　“Our heavy firepower user doesn’t use a Flaming Python.”

　　The three people’s disdain grew as they heard his words.

　　The Flaming Python Heavy Machine Gun was the most common and standardized heavy machine gun for individual soldiers of the federation; its firepower was the most ferocious.

　　A powerful firearms cultivator of the Building Foundation Stage would obviously have more ferocious options.

　　Yet, for the intermediate level Refinement Stage cultivators, if they wanted to pursue fire power, they would have to choose the Flaming Python Heavy Machine Gun.

　　For someone who didn’t even dare to use the Flaming Python Heavy Machine Gun, how ‘heavy’ could this heavy firepower user be?

　　Zhao Tianchong sighed and commented.

　　“Forget it. The more I explain, the messier it gets. Li Yao, just take out all of your equipment and chat then. There is this huge chance to sweep in credits. Are you interested?”

　　Of course, Li Yao was interested.

　　Ever since he heard the words “Team Up”, Li Yao began to meticulously calibrate his equipment. He just finished doing so just now.

　　On his hip was the Windcutter Saber. On his shoulder was the Six Barrel Rotary Cannon. On his back was the heavy ammunitions crate. His waist was wrapped full of crystal bombs. Li Yao lifted the curtain and walked out, neither slowly nor urgently.

　　“…”

　　The three firearms cultivators of the Federation’s First Military College stared, stunned at the Six Barrel Rotary Cannon on Li Yao’s shoulder. They were all stupefied.

　　Especially Chunyu Peng, who used the Flaming Python Model 7 Heavy Machine Gun. His face flushed red.

　　Fortunately, he had a lot of hair and his beard stubble was dense. No one could really tell.

　　After being stunned for a long time, Chunyu Peng stuttered.

　　“It’s a lie. It’s a lie, right? A single soldier using a Six Barrel Rotary Cannon? Is this a freshman or a powerful Building Foundation Stage cultivator!?”

　　Zhao Tianchong turned on his mini crystal processor and selected a combat recording of Li Yao.

　　The roaring sounds of explosions suddenly came from the camp, as well as the miserable shrieks of demon beasts.

　　The three firearms cultivators gathered their heads together. They looked in absolute silence. Cold sweat seeped from their forehead.

　　Of course, from the perspectives of these three firearms cultivators with elite gun fighting techniques, Li Yao’s gun techniques were completely amateur.

　　However, the Six Barrel Rotary Cannon was never a weapon that focused on accuracy. Just based on Li Yao alone, with his astonishing monstrous strength, he was able to pour out torrents of a volcanic eruption-like firepower to suppress the demon beast so it couldn’t even raise its head. This was enough to dominate the entire field.

　　Needless to say, after completing the task of suppressing, Li Yao even brandished his Heavy Vibrosaber to pounce on his prey. He unleashed quite the savage close-combat ability.

　　He could fight both afar and close. He could both strike and carry. Also, he was of the Refining Department. He had above average magical equipment maintenance abilities.

　　This was simply a hybrid-type genius of every combat squad’s dreams. No wonder Zhao Tianchong wanted to bring this guy along!

　　The three people glanced at each other; their six eyes flared with light.

　　Though there was excitement in Ma Jiao’s eyes, there was also increasing suspicion.

　　He cocked his head and thought for a long time before suddenly having his eye bulge round. Everyone all jumped up and pointed to Li Yao with a shriek.

　　“You’re name is Li Yao? Are you from Floating Spear City?”

　　Li Yao was stunned, but he nodded.

　　Ma Jiao’s expression grew even more amazed. His voice was even trembling.

　　“How to say it? In the Limit Challenge Competition, there was a monstrous genius who bombarded Gao Ye’s command center to kingdom come… That was you?”