Like Losing a Billion

Wang Teng left Tongming Road, where the Pet Shop was located, and headed to the place Lu Zhiqing had recommended to buy an incubator.

It had better be an extra-large one.

That egg had practically stuffed his hiking backpack full...

An egg!

A bird egg?

Wang Teng jolted awake.

He slapped his forehead. How could he be so stupid? Why had it taken him until now to think of this?

Wasn't Crow Mama looking for her own baby?

"Damn, what grudge or grievance did we have that she had to kill me? Turns out I became a child trafficker!"

Wang Teng thought speechlessly.

"But with the strength of those two Martial Warriors, how did they steal the child of that terrifying Giant Crow right under its nose?"

"Probably not through any special method. They must have stolen it while the Giant Crow was out hunting for food."

"Forget it. Thinking about it is useless."

Wang Teng shook his head, suddenly feeling rather fortunate.

"Good thing that Mysterious Martial Artist stepped in. Otherwise, this would have been an unending battle. Even if I didn't steal the egg, it's in my hands now. If the Giant Crow doesn't come after me, who else would it go after?"

"...Wait, did that Martial Warrior leave behind an Attribute Bubble after slashing out that blade?"

"Damn, that was an Attribute Bubble from an expert!"

The Giant Crow's Attribute Bubble had already let him taste the sweetness. If that mysterious expert had dropped one too, wouldn't it have been even more awesome?

Wang Teng hurriedly turned the vehicle around and sped toward the building where the blade light had originated, following his memories.

"Please let me catch up!"

The vehicle weaved swiftly through the streets as he prayed nonstop in his heart.

At last, the vehicle stopped in front of a Commercial Building.

"It should be here!"

Wang Teng rushed out of the vehicle, slammed the door shut with a bang, and dashed away.

"Sir, who are you looking for? Do you have an appointment?"

The beautiful receptionist had barely managed to ask when Wang Teng ran past her and reached the elevator doors.

"Sir, this is a private company. Outsiders aren't allowed to barge in."

"Quick, quick, quick! Stop him!"

Hearing the receptionist's shouts, several security guards hurriedly surrounded Wang Teng.

Ding! The elevator arrived.

"Stop!" the guards shouted.

"Only an idiot would stop!"

Wang Teng charged straight into the elevator and frantically pressed the close-door button.

The elevator doors slowly shut. The guards were still one step too late and could only watch helplessly as he vanished before their eyes.

They could only take another elevator to chase after him.

But that small gap in time was already enough.

Wang Teng climbed straight up to the rooftop. His gaze swept over the empty roof, and he spotted a bubble that was about to disappear.

"Good, good!"

Wang Teng hurried over.

Yet just as he was about to pick it up, the bubble vanished...

??

Wang Teng stood frozen in place, the smile on his face stiffening as well.

It disappeared!

It still disappeared!

His heart suddenly hurt so badly!!

Wang Teng clutched his chest. This kind of pain was at least worth a loss of one billion!

Too cruel!

Heavens, why were you so cruel to me?

"Sigh!"

Wang Teng sighed, walked to the edge of the rooftop, lit a cigarette, and stood in the wind, disheveled, gloomy, and melancholy.

At that moment, the security guards came panting after him.

The moment they reached the rooftop, they saw Wang Teng standing at the edge with a look of utter hopelessness.

The accusations they had been about to voice reached their lips, only to be forcibly swallowed back down.

"Little brother, if there's anything, we can talk it out properly. Could you come down first?" a Middle-aged Security Guard said, making his voice as gentle as possible.

"You don't understand. I just lost one billion!" Wang Teng sighed, the expression on his face growing even more melancholy.

One billion?

Was this kid bragging?

Don't say anything. What if you provoke him and he really jumps? Are you going to take responsibility?

The guards exchanged glances and completed a silent conversation.

The Middle-aged Security Guard continued, "Isn't it just one billion? You're still so young. You can earn it back in the future. Maybe by then it'll be two billion, three billion. What does this mere one billion amount to now?"

This middle-aged guard casually spoke of billions upon billions. Anyone who didn't know better would have thought he was Jack Ma or Wang One Billion.

Wang Teng looked at him in surprise as well.

"You make it sound so easy that I almost thought you meant spirit money!"

The Middle-aged Security Guard could not help but chuckle awkwardly.

"So be it. Gaining it is my fortune; losing it is my fate!"

Wang Teng sighed again.

Seeing that he had let it go, the guards immediately breathed sighs of relief. Who would have thought that in the next moment, Wang Teng would leap forward?

"Farewell, everyone!"

The guards stretched out their hands and shouted, just like that moment when Erkang tried to grab Ziwei...

"Don't~"

Some of them even shut their eyes, unable to bear watching.

But the tragedy did not occur. The Middle-aged Security Guard had chased after Wang Teng the instant he jumped.

He was an Advanced Martial Apprentice, but having reached middle age without any chance of advancing further, he could only barely make a living as the Security Chief of this company.

He was faster than the other guards.

He reached the edge of the rooftop and looked down.

His eyes suddenly widened.

Wang Teng had landed lightly on the air-conditioning unit outside the wall, then leaped downward floor by floor.

When he saw the Middle-aged Security Guard sticking his head out, he even remembered to wave at him.

This time, it was the Middle-aged Security Guard's turn to stand at the rooftop's edge, disheveled in the wind...

"This little brother is no simple man!"

Wang Teng left that Commercial Building regretfully, bought an incubator, and then returned to school.

It was already noon.

Everyone had gone to the cafeteria for lunch. Before returning, he had sent Xu Jie and the others a WeChat message, so they had saved a portion for him.

After lunch, there were still roughly two hours left for the midday break.

However, during the senior year review period, many students rested for only an hour or so before resuming their exercises and memorizing their texts.

While Lin Chuhan was reviewing, Wang Teng felt no sleepiness at all and studied the Attribute Panel beside her.

Comprehension: 83

Spirit: 12.1

Talent: Elementary Fire Talent (10/300), Elementary Ice Talent (12/300), Spiritual Sight (Early Stage 1/10)

Primal Force: 41/100 Fire (One-Star War Soldier Level)

4/100 Ice (One-Star War Soldier Level)

Cultivation Arts: Crimson Flame Art (Entry Level 1/100), Profound Ice Art (Entry Level 1/100)

Combat Skills: Basic Combat Skills (Fist, Sword, Blade, Movement Subtlety), Gun Technique (Small Success), Fire Scale Sword Art (Entry Level 10/100), Illusory Ice Fist (Entry Level 8/100)

Knowledge: Basic Subjects (Perfect Score)

Comprehensive Combat Strength: 182

Blank Attributes: 60

His Fire Source Power had suddenly surged to 41 points. Wang Teng could feel that the Fire Source Power within his Origin Core had already begun to take shape.

The Origin Core was the node at the base of the spine. It stored Primal Force, hence the name!

At the same time, because his speed and Fire Source Power had increased, Wang Teng's Comprehensive Combat Strength had risen to 182 points.

This represented an increase in strength!

Wang Teng had looked it up. Humanity also had its own system for evaluating combat strength.

A One-Star War Soldier Level combat strength was roughly between 100 and 300.

War Soldier Level ranks, from one star to nine stars, were each further divided into four stages: Early Stage, Middle Stage, Advanced Stage, and Peak Stage.

Combat strength from 100 to 180 was Early Stage, 180 to 230 was Middle Stage, 230 to 280 was Advanced Stage, and 280 to 300 was Peak Stage.

If the system's combat strength evaluation was equivalent to humanity's, then 182 combat strength already meant the power of a One-Star Middle Stage War Soldier Level.