The First Teammate

"System, block all surveillance and simulate Liu Chuang and me chatting."

"The host needs to pay 500 Energy Coins."

Su Jiu shot the system a look.

The system... was scared (_)

"Ding-dong. All surveillance has been blocked. The scene has been simulated."

"Chuang Zi, what I'm about to say may sound unbelievable to you, but it's all true." Su Jiu looked seriously at Liu Chuang.

Seeing that Su Jiu was not joking, Liu Chuang said seriously, "Go ahead."

"Chuang Zi, in less than a year at most, aliens will come to attack Earth. Earth definitely can't defeat them as things stand." Su Jiu paused and looked at Liu Chuang.

Liu Chuang stared at Su Jiu, dumbfounded.

After a while, Su Jiu continued, "Chuang Zi, whether you believe it or not, I need you now."

"Chuang Zi, I know you may not believe me, but everything I said is true. I want to help this country in my own way. I like this place. I like this country."

"I want to protect this place in my own way, Chuang Zi." After saying that, Su Jiu held out his hand and looked at Liu Chuang.

Liu Chuang was shocked and astonished by those words at first, but then he calmed down.

Looking at Su Jiu's outstretched hand, Liu Chuang smiled in relief. "Xiao Jiu, I don't know how you got this information, but you saved me that night. Later, after you made money, you never looked down on me either. I, Liu Chuang, have been a thug all my life. No brother has ever truly cared about me, but you do. You've always treated me like your big brother, and you've always been the one helping me. Now that you need my help, how could I refuse?" After speaking, Liu Chuang grasped Su Jiu's hand.

Then the two exchanged smiles. Su Jiu took out a milk candy and had Liu Chuang eat it.

"Ding-dong. One team member recruited. Reward: 3,000 Energy Coins. Guild Channel unlocked."

Liu Chuang looked at the virtual panel that appeared before him and said in shock, "Holy shit, high-tech!"

In the system marketplace, Su Jiu found Liu Chuang a complete set of cultivation methods. They were not expensive, but they used up all his Energy Coins.

Liu Chuang was still looking at his virtual panel. "Xiao Jiu, other people can't see this too, right?"

Su Jiu had already looked into this. Without the owner's permission, no one else could see it.

"No. If you want someone to see this channel, just think 'permission' plus their name. If you don't want to see it yourself, just think 'close.' The Guild Channel comes with a personal inventory, with fifty inventory slots, as well as a personal channel." After saying that, Su Jiu gave Liu Chuang the full set of cultivation manuals.

He continued, "The cultivation manual I gave you is a training method developed specifically for you. I'll transfer you some money later too. Keep up your nutrition while training, and don't try to save money for me. We brothers are going to fight aliens someday."

Looking at the cultivation manual he had received, Liu Chuang said solemnly, "I believe you now. Don't worry."

Su Jiu and Liu Chuang discussed things for a while, then had a meal together before going their separate ways.

Actually, Liu Chuang had not believed in aliens at first, but after seeing the Guild Channel Su Jiu gave him, he believed. Why did Liu Chuang trust Su Jiu so much? Liu Chuang chuckled. He simply trusted the brother he had acknowledged. If an alien invasion really happened, Liu Chuang thought he might have enlisted in the army without Su Jiu. But now that he had Su Jiu, things were different.

If aliens invaded and he left, what would happen to Su Jiu? Over the past three years, Liu Chuang had known that Su Jiu did not have a single friend and had always treated him as his big brother. When Liu Chuang had no money, Su Jiu gave him money for food. Liu Chuang had asked Su Jiu about it back then. Su Jiu had only said one thing: "You're my big brother. You took care of me for a month while I was in the hospital, and you gave me a meal when I had nothing to eat."

After that, once Su Jiu was discharged from the hospital, he worked hard to make money, bought the house Liu Chuang lived in now, and gave it to him. Then he bought another one for himself.

After returning home, Liu Chuang trained every day according to the cultivation manual, never missing a day. Gradually, he discovered that he was becoming stronger and stronger. He could punch straight through a wall, which made him believe Su Jiu's words about an alien invasion even more. (Though this meant Liu Chuang would not have the scene where he fought Ge Xiaolun later.)

After separating from Liu Chuang, Su Jiu went home to train by himself. After all, he was not strong enough yet. A month passed just like that.

Su Jiu sat on the sofa in his home, looking at the three lottery chances that had refreshed on his virtual panel this month.

"System, draw the lottery!" Su Jiu said in his mind.

Congratulations: Modified Moon Wheel

Congratulations: Modified Black Dragon Armor

Congratulations: Dimensional Energy Crystal ×50

Looking at the items that had appeared, Su Jiu took out the Moon Wheel. A stream of information about how to use it and its abilities appeared in his mind.

He then took out the armor and examined it. A method of using it also appeared in his mind. This should suit Liu Chuang. After all, it's similar to the Black Armor—no, it should be even better than the Black Armor.

Then he took out a transparent crystal and looked at it. "System, what is this used for?"

"This Energy Crystal can support the Hyperion at full firepower for one day. Under normal consumption, one such crystal can keep the Hyperion running for six months, including food production."

Su Jiu thought for a moment and checked its price in the marketplace.

Dimensional Energy Crystal ×1

Price: 1,000 Energy Coins

In other words, the Hyperion was also a major consumer of Energy Coins.

Su Jiu thought for a moment. "System, from now on, help me buy one Dimensional Energy Crystal every day and deliver it to the Hyperion."

"That expression... scary (_)

"Ding-dong. Proxy purchasing service activated. Proxy-purchased item: Dimensional Energy Crystal, one per day."

Guild Channel...

Su Jiu: "Chuang Zi, I'm giving you a set of armor. Accept it. When you want to equip it, just take it out of your inventory and equip it. Bind it to yourself first, and it'll equip automatically."

Liu Chuang: "Xiao Jiu, received."

Liu Chuang: "Xiao Jiu, I can punch through a wall now."

Seeing the message, Su Jiu thought for a moment. He could cultivate the Navy Six Styles on his side, but Chuang Zi did not have any martial skills. He opened the marketplace, looked around, and bought a copy of Baji Quan.

Su Jiu: "Chuang Zi, I uploaded Baji Quan and the Navy Six Styles to the guild's shared files. You can try cultivating them."

Liu Chuang: "Xiao Jiu, alright."

Su Jiu: "Chuang Zi, I'm transferring you some money too. Come out tonight and let's have dinner together."

Liu Chuang: "Alright, same old place."

Su Jiu closed the Guild Channel, transferred one million to Liu Chuang, and began getting ready. It was already four in the afternoon. It would take half an hour to get there if traffic was clear; if there was traffic, that depended on the situation.

On Liu Chuang's side, he closed the Guild Channel, took a shower, checked the time, and felt that it was about right before heading downstairs.

The current Liu Chuang had lost some of his hooligan-like air and gained more of a manly vigor. But in his neighbors' eyes, it simply meant that Liu Chuang had changed—he no longer loafed around outside every day.