Xiaoli stared intently at Han Feng.
His expression was like he'd seen a ghost in broad daylight.
"You lunatic, fess up."
"Did some old monster possess you?"
Pang Hu asked simple-mindedly, forgetting to even put down the wrench in his hand.
Zhou Wen, meanwhile, silently lowered the data terminal in his hands.
He pushed up his glasses and muttered in a dream-like tone.
"I suppose you really can't generalize when it comes to people's natural constitutions."
As for Liao Ming, who was standing to the side, it was as if two flames had ignited in his eyes.
They were frighteningly bright.
'I've struck gold!'
He never would have dreamed that his own apprentice group was hiding a monster with such terrifying Perception Talent!
'This isn't an apprentice!'
'This is clearly a diamond in the rough!'
With just a little polishing, forget becoming a C-class Technician—he had a great shot at aiming for B-class, or even the legendary A-class Engineer in the future!
As the one who discovered Han Feng, this achievement would be the most glorious entry on his resume!
In this year's performance review for the dozens of C-class Technicians in the maintenance department, he would definitely rank among the very top.
It would be the most solid stepping stone for his future promotion to B-class!
An overwhelming sense of elation washed over every one of his nerves.
He felt like he was floating, like his feet weren't even on the ground.
Liao Ming didn't disturb Han Feng any further.
He quietly exited the hangar, his movements as gentle as if he were afraid of startling some priceless treasure.
He fumbled in his pocket for a sweat-soaked, crumpled pack of cigarettes.
His fingertips trembled, and it took him several tries to pull a single cigarette out.
CLICK.
The lighter flared to life, its orange flame illuminating a face flushed beet-red from excessive excitement.
The acrid smoke filled his lungs, finally managing to calm the heart that felt ready to leap out of his chest.
He leaned against the cold metal wall of the hangar, gazed at the distant, hazy gray sky, and let out a long, satisfied ring of smoke.
"Son of a bitch..."
"My career's about to take off!"
"Old Liao, what's gotten into you so early in the morning?"
"Your face is as red as a monkey's ass."
A lazy voice drifted over from the side.
A hand deftly swiped a cigarette from his pack.
The newcomer was named Wang Kai, the person in charge of Hangar 4 next door. He was also a C-class Technician.
The two had similar seniority, and their skills were both considered middle-of-the-pack in the department.
They were on good terms, your standard "slacking-off smoke buddies."
Wang Kai stuck the cigarette in his mouth, leaned in to get a light from Liao Ming's hand, and took a deep, satisfying drag.
He glanced sideways at Liao Ming's still-trembling hand, then followed his gaze into Hangar 3.
With just one look, Wang Kai spotted the figure who had left such a strong impression on him.
An apprentice in a gray training uniform was holding a Spiritual Energy Screwdriver, huffing and puffing as he dismantled the outer shell of a "Hunting Falcon" fighter jet.
His movements were so brutish it looked less like maintenance and more like violent demolition.
Wang Kai understood instantly.
"Heh, I knew it. Angry about that kid again?"
He nudged Liao Ming with his elbow, a "bro, I get you" expression on his face.
"I'm telling you, Old Liao, you're just too soft. If it were me, I would've kicked him out long ago."
Wang Kai had heard about this Han Feng fellow before.
A poor kid from the Outer City who didn't take his work seriously.
He was always throwing his hard-earned money away at places like the "Airplane Graveyard" just to tinker with those heaps of scrap metal.
'What is that if not crazy?'
Seeing Han Feng "wreaking havoc" in the hangar, then looking at Liao Ming's miserable state of "trembling with anger," Wang Kai felt another surge of pity and contempt.
"Don't get too worked up. It's not worth ruining your health over."
Wang Kai clapped Liao Ming on the shoulder and began to impart his valuable experience in mentoring apprentices.
"I've heard about this kid. He's not dumb, and his hands-on skills are decent."
"He just doesn't have his head in the right place, always dreaming of reaching the sky in a single bound."
"You need to find some time and knock some sense into him."
"Tell him what reality is like, stop him from daydreaming all the time."
"Get him to refocus and learn the trade from you with a clear mind."
"There's still a year left. If he works hard, there's still hope for him to become a C-class Technician."
"That way, your mentoring record for the year won't end up being a big fat zero, right?"
You could say Wang Kai's words came straight from the heart.
At East Sea Martial Arts University, an instructor's promotion heavily depended on their apprentices' performance.
For technicians like him and Liao Ming, whose skills were stuck in the middle tier, their apprentices were their only hope.
He was genuinely thinking of his old friend's best interests.
However, as Liao Ming listened, the expression on his face grew stranger and stranger.
He squinted, looking at his good friend as if he were an idiot.
'Angry?'
'I'm ecstatic! Thrilled!'
'Knock some sense into Han Feng?'
'I'm this close to worshipping him like an ancestor!'
Liao Ming suppressed a laugh and took a hard drag on his cigarette, smoking it down to the butt.
The ember glowed and faded between his fingertips.
He cleared his throat and spoke in an extremely flat, almost detached tone.
"Old Wang, that's a great suggestion."
"But don't make it again."
Wang Kai froze.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"I'm afraid Han Feng might get the wrong idea if he heard you."
Liao Ming added, his face devoid of expression.
"..."
Wang Kai was completely baffled.
'The wrong idea?'
'The wrong idea about what?'
'I'm here giving you heartfelt advice, and you're worried about hurting that kid's pride?'
It dawned on him. He figured Liao Ming was just being overprotective and too proud to admit his apprentice was a problem.
Unconvinced, Wang Kai glanced back into the hangar.
Han Feng had finished dismantling the nose of the jet and had now moved over to the wing.
He still had that same brutish posture, removing a large cover panel in just a few quick movements.
"Old Liao, you can't let this go on!"
"You're spoiling him too much!"
"Look at the way he's taking it apart! Is there any method to his madness at all?"
"If this were an evaluation, he'd be failed in the first round!"
Wang Kai was getting anxious.
But Liao Ming ignored him. Instead, he patted Wang Kai's shoulder and smiled enigmatically.
"Old Wang, it's not my place to say this, but..."
"You need to change your way of thinking."
Liao Ming said softly, mimicking Wang Kai's earlier tone.
"For talented apprentices, we instructors should give them more room to develop freely."
"We shouldn't interfere too much."
"Otherwise, a great talent might be stifled by all the rules and regulations."
As soon as he said this, Wang Kai's face turned green.
'Sarcasm!'
'This is definitely sarcasm!'
'Talent?'
'That kid?'
'If he has talent, then pigs can fly!'
Wang Kai was convinced that Liao Ming must have been so angry he'd gone delirious and was talking nonsense.
All of his good intentions had been thrown to the dogs.
"Fine, fine, you're the man!"
Wang Kai was too angry to say another word and turned to leave.
"Hey, don't be in such a hurry to leave."
Liao Ming grabbed him.
The smile on his face was as bright as a 300-pound child's.