This is really not mechanical ascension
Chapter 318 - 173: A Show of Skill【The Ring of Genetic Warrior】

Li Ming didn’t care and instead said, "Let’s go buy some daily necessities. We’re going to be staying here for a while, we don’t even have a bed."

"Alright," Ya Ro sighed.

Li Ming also left the store, looked around, and saw that the small artificial sun in the sky had dimmed, leaving only the hazy light of the Mimicry moonlight.

Inside the store, only Kay was left alone, which made his mind become more agile for a moment, but after glancing at the burly mechanical body that followed him like a shadow, he could only sigh helplessly.

...

In a machinery store that occupied several storefronts, all sorts of firearms and weapons were available, a dazzling array to behold.

On the second floor, the few people who had first gone to Li Ming’s shop during the day were in a room, discussing something.

The man with a scarred face spoke fiercely, "That guy’s attitude was quite mild, and he readily agreed to our demands."

"A few more groups went later, and they don’t seem to have caused any trouble either."

"Shouldn’t be a problem, given his meek and bullyable demeanor, why would the Star Hunter bother sending us specially?"

The one called "Old Daddy," brawny with well-built muscles and towering stature, with greased mechanical arms, said sternly, "Who doesn’t have some skills coming to the Land of Stars?"

"If one look from you could tell what kind of person he is, you wouldn’t have ended up here with that kind of ability."

The scarred man chuckled awkwardly while Old Daddy paced around, "Have you figured out what he’s up to?"

The scarred man quickly replied, "We only know he’s accompanied by two mechanical bodies, but we don’t know their specific life classification."

"Old Daddy, didn’t the people from Star Hunter say anything?"

"Mechanical bodies..." Old Daddy furrowed his brows, "The people from Star Hunter are being very secretive; they’re definitely no simpletons."

"Let’s just keep an eye on him for now. Whether it’s just a gimmick or he’s really capable, just make sure he doesn’t get his business off the ground."

Competitors are natural enemies, especially within the same area, every deal the other party makes feels like money out of their own pocket.

Of course, the instructions from Star Hunter were also a very important factor.

"Don’t worry, we’ll use all our skills, and those other two old guys are sure to set traps too," the scarred man assured immediately.

"All your skills? What kind of skills?"

Suddenly, a strange voice rang out in the room.

"Who’s there!" Old Daddy’s eyes widened in fury, and he suddenly looked up to find that the door had opened at some point, with a figure standing there, eyes sparking with electric arcs, sending shivers down one’s spine.

At the same time, a strong scent of blood wafted in, and Old Daddy’s expression changed dramatically, "Who are you!?"

Li Ming smiled, "A fellow tradesman."

"You!" his pupils dilated, he said sharply, "You actually dared to kill people in the store, Collector won’t let you off!"

The scarred man quivered, and the others behind him were also filled with horror, not expecting the few people who had been so mild just hours ago, would now be killing right in front of them.

Not a hint of weakness, but clearly a terrifying killing god.

"Wrong, missing and killing are not the same," Li Ming shook his head.

"I’m from Star Hunter, you wouldn’t dare kill me..." the mechanical-armed old man threatened again.

"Hehe..." Li Ming sneered, smiling grotesquely as a terrifying aura suddenly burst from his body, his shadow seeming to extend infinitely until it covered the whole room.

...

"How can a second-hand sleep pod be so expensive?" Ya Ro muttered, standing in front of a mechanical body, "One hundred thousand, not a dime more."

"If that’s okay, then pack up these three for me."

The store owner, too, spat out curses, but upon seeing Ya Ro turn to leave, forced a smile back on his face and ingratiatingly pulled him back.

After paying, he spat a mouthful of phlegm at Ya Ro.

"Such poor manners," Ya Ro grumbled, pulling his goods. On the way back, he mused over what exactly Li Ming was up to.

According to what his teacher had told him, he and Li Ming should be hiding on some remote Floating Island in the Land of Stars by now.

But now, Li Ming had actually opened a shop in the "Collector’s Cabinet"; he doubted his teacher would believe him if he told him about it.

More troubling was that Li Ming was unwilling to release Kay; he was constantly conflicted over this matter, unsure of how to deal with it.

To avoid exposing his identity, he had lied to the anti-looting department, saying he wasn’t in the Land of Stars, but he knew that wasn’t a long-term solution.

As he pondered, he saw interstellar thugs on the street hurriedly heading in a certain direction as if called by some force.

Several bumped into him as they passed, arousing his curiosity, so he suddenly grabbed one, who became instantly enraged.

But upon realizing that he couldn’t break free, the thug changed his expression, smiled, and said, "Big brother, what’s wrong? Can I be of any help?"

"What happened? Where are you guys going?" Ya Ro inquired.

"You don’t know yet?" The man exclaimed, "Old Daddy’s big machinery shop was completely taken down, as well as the ’Giant Hand Gun Shop’ and ’Flame Rose’."

"They say the shops are full of blood, and though there are no bodies, it’s probably more bad news than good," the man said in astonishment, "Wonder who was daring enough to do it."

"All machinery shops?" Ya Ro suddenly had a foreboding feeling.

"Yeah," the thug seemed taken aback, then realized, "Right, why are they all machinery shops?"

Ya Ro checked the local network and sure enough, the incident had become a hot topic of discussion. Although no bodies had been found yet, everyone knew these people must have been killed.