A Win-Win Deal

Wu Haibo told Meng Chao that if he had the time and energy, he could consider staying permanently at the Ancient Ruins and conducting tests for more Black Technology research projects.

At present, the Relic Research Institute had over a hundred projects, all desperately short of testers, delaying the progress of quite a few research efforts.

Even if the researchers were willing to roll up their sleeves and take the field themselves, most were weak scholars incapable of trussing a chicken, with all their Spiritual Energy poured into their brains. How could they compare to someone as strong and vigorous as Meng Chao, "Dragon City's youngest Heaven Realm expert"?

In fact, things had not always been this way.

Twenty or thirty years ago, exploring and testing deep within the Ancient Ruins had still been a highly sought-after profession.

Back then, Dragon City had yet to establish a complete theoretical system for Spiritual Energy cultivation, and its understanding of Superhuman Power remained very shallow. Often, only by risking one's life in the Ancient Ruins could one awaken deeper levels of Superhuman Power.

There was certainly danger, but Dragon City had been dangerous even aboveground in those days—fighting vicious monsters amid shattered walls and broken ruins was still a nine-deaths-one-life gamble, wasn't it?

Since everyone was already carrying their heads tucked into their belts, naturally they had to gamble big.

Many of Dragon City's veteran experts over forty or fifty today were lucky survivors who had emerged from the Ancient Ruins back then.

In those days, projects never lacked researchers, explorers, or testers. People even sharpened their heads to squeeze through for a single opening, fighting tooth and nail until their faces were bruised and swollen.

But times had changed. As the Spiritual Energy cultivation system steadily improved and the strategic situation