Apprenticeship Ceremony

An ordinary Mech Ring's internal space was invisible to the naked eye, and it could only store a single mech—nothing else could fit inside.

But Zhou Yi's ring was clearly different. The instant she put it on, she sensed an enormous space.

Unlike a Star Brain projection, it was an image that did not exist in the real world at all, existing only within her consciousness.

A massive warehouse suddenly appeared in Zhou Yi's mind.

It was several hundred square meters in size, as large as three of the library's top-floor storerooms.

Along one side were ten open compartments. Zhou Yi understood at a glance that they were mech storage slots.

In one corner stood five protruding little rooms with doors, probably meant for storing high-value or precious treasures.

The remaining several hundred square meters were all empty space.

"A treasure!"

Zhou Yi withdrew her consciousness from the space and rubbed the ring with the fingers of her left hand.

Star Weavers were not born as Star Weavers. Since most only awakened the talent later in life and began learning afterward, they still had to choose between becoming a single-soldier combatant or a Mech Master after entering mech school at sixteen.

And without exception, the greatest Star Weavers were all Mech Masters as well.

Since her bargain-bin master could make a ring like this, his attainments as a Mech Master were obviously extremely high too.

But Zhou Yi only had one thought in her mind right now: if she could make Star Treasures, how much would they sell for?!

How had she forgotten that studying Mech Mastery well could make money too?!

Zhou Yi's eyes practically glowed as she looked at the ring.

It couldn't be helped. She was simply too poor right now. Ever since deciding to strengthen her physique and increase her food intake, she was nearly unable to afford Nutrient Solution anymore.

Speaking of Nutrient Solution...

Zhou Yi suddenly felt hungry.

She did not know whether it was an illusion, but although she had deliberately increased her appetite, she had clearly been getting hungry faster since arriving at Huadun.

She stored the two books on her person, "Star Weaver Manual Vol. 1" and "How to Become an Outstanding Star Weaver," in the little warehouse of her own space, casually tidied the bookshelf, and prepared to get off work and eat at the rich kid's place.

It was not that Zhou Yi had any talent for reading people. It was simply that Hu Manduo practically had the words "foolish son of a rich landlord" written across his face.

What Zhou Yi did not know was that, at the instant her consciousness entered the ring, a man sunbathing in a chair on a distant star fragment suddenly opened his eyes.

"After all these years, I finally have an apprentice!"

Following the room number Hu Manduo had sent her, Zhou Yi successfully returned to the dormitory building and found his room.

101

With the first and second floors long since filled by upperclassmen, Hu Manduo's room was truly conspicuous.

Zhou Yi looked at the room number with satisfaction. She already had a good idea that they would definitely be eating more than just Nutrient Solution tonight.

She raised her hand and knocked. Lu Xiaoxiao answered the door.

"Zhouzhou, you actually came so early! We thought you wouldn't come until much later."

Lu Xiaoxiao spoke in surprise. After all, they knew how hard Zhou Yi worked.

Zhou Yi was just about to say that she had come early because she was hungry, but before she could open her mouth, she looked up and saw Hu Manduo staring at her with tears welling in his eyes.

"I was afraid you'd have to wait too long, so I came early."

Zhou Yi forcibly swallowed the words she had originally planned to say.

She did not want to be thrown out before she had even eaten her fill.

"Come, sit!"

Although Lu Xiaoxiao had only arrived not long ago herself and this was her first time here too, she was already greeting Zhou Yi like the hostess.

Hu Manduo's room was huge, fully twice the size of Zhou Yi's dorm room, but there were simply too many things inside. Even for one person, it did not feel empty.

"Smells so good."

Before Zhou Yi had even sat down, her nose had already caught the fragrance.

"It's dried bugs! Bet you didn't expect it—Hu Manduo actually brought something this good to school."

Lu Xiaoxiao helped Hu Manduo bring the roasted dried bugs to the table.

The dorm equipment was fairly basic, so they could not make anything too elaborate. But roasted dried bugs, fragrant and crisp through and through, sprinkled with all kinds of seasonings, were absolutely a top-tier delicacy.

"There's plenty more. Help yourselves."

Hu Manduo sat shyly to the side, his chubby little face flushed red with excitement.

This was also his first time hosting friends.

"And these."

As if performing a magic trick, Hu Manduo took out two white, plump, fist-sized things from behind his back and handed one each to Zhou Yi and Lu Xiaoxiao.

Zhou Yi accepted hers and looked at Hu Manduo with eyes full of envy.

He had gone through the trouble of taking a master and hunting for treasure just to obtain this spatial star treasure, while Hu Manduo casually had a Space Ring on his hand.

People really couldn't be compared.

"What's this?"

Lu Xiaoxiao had never seen this white, plump thing before. Holding it in her hand, she had no idea what to do with it.

"This is a steamed bun, a food made from grain produced on high-level special star blocks."

It had been a long time since Zhou Yi had seen these little white, plump cuties. He immediately felt a deep sense of familiarity.

He opened his mouth and took a big bite.

Mmm~ So delicious...

The food in his mouth was soft yet chewy, and as he chewed, it gave off a faint, distinctive fragrance.

After chewing up the bite and slowly swallowing it, his stomach filled with a satisfying sense of fullness, completely unlike the feeling of directly pouring energy into his body by drinking Nutrient Solution.

This was what it meant to eat!

Seeing that Zhou Yi had already taken a bite, Lu Xiaoxiao started eating too.

The steamed bun was not very big. Even though the two of them savored it as much as they could, with the dried bugs as accompaniment, they finished it in just a few bites.

Throughout the process, everyone tacitly remained silent. The only sound in the room was chewing.

"It's so delicious! What kind of heavenly delicacy is this!"

Lu Xiaoxiao was so moved that she was almost in tears.

"Good, right? Unfortunately, there are only two left. There'll be more in a few days! I'll call you guys over then."

Although steamed buns were delicious, they really weren't anything especially precious to Hu Manduo.

Seeing his new friends eat so happily made him even happier than eating them himself.

"You shared something this delicious with us—you're such a good friend! I hereby declare that from now on, you're one of my best friends, Hu Manduo!"

The power of food was immense. Lu Xiaoxiao had been completely conquered by a single steamed bun.

Anyone willing to give away such a delicacy was practically her own brother or sister!

Selfless! Great!

"Then... just call me Manman. That's what my family calls me."

Hu Manduo said somewhat bashfully.

"Alright, Manman."

Having eaten someone else's food, Zhou Yi looked at Manman and smiled brightly.

After all, he was still holding several skewers of dried bugs. Anyone would be happy.

The three peers quickly formed a friendship over a single meal.