Paving the Way with Money

Chapter 12: Paving the Way with Money

"Hiss!"

Su Ze sucked in a sharp breath of pain, suspecting Zhang Fantie had mastered the Shaolin Iron Crotch Skill.

He had put all his strength into that kick at Zhang Fantie's ass, but it felt like kicking a huge block of iron, the impact nearly shattering his leg.

"Drive, hurry!" Su Ze shouted at the driver.

Seeing that the driver was still hesitating, Su Ze naturally could not let the escape opportunity he had worked so hard to create slip away. He reached into his bag, pulled out a stack of hundred-yuan bills, stuffed it into the driver's arms, and ordered, "Go!"

That stack of cash instantly cleared the driver's muddled thoughts and showed him the way. He floored the accelerator, and amid the engine's roar, the car shot off in a cloud of smoke.

The moment the car moved, Zhang Fantie panicked. His strength erupted instantly, his body swelling by a full size as his shell-hard skin took on a metallic sheen. Like a wrathful vajra, he roared and broke free from the Old Man's restraint.

Though the three men in black had the numerical advantage, Zhang Fantie was in his prime, his body at its peak. Unlike the Old Man, whose physical body was already declining, the three could only avoid Zhang Fantie's edge when he suddenly erupted.

Zhang Fantie had no interest in tangling with the three men in black. He leaped three meters into the air and chased after the taxi that had already driven far away.

Through the rearview mirror, the driver saw Zhang Fantie closing in. His face turned pale as he asked, "Little brother, what level of Evolver is that guy chasing you?"

The existence of Evolvers was no secret. This was the era of universal evolution, but the vast majority of ordinary people could only absorb low-quality extracts, and what skills they gained depended entirely on luck. After all, high-quality extracts with powerful skills were extremely expensive, beyond what ordinary families could afford.

Because the quality of the extracts they absorbed was too low, most people failed during their first evolution. Those lucky enough to succeed became Pupal stage lifeforms, which was enough to secure a good job in society and a bright future.

Thus, in the eyes of ordinary people, Pupal stage Evolvers were already above the masses. Cocoon Breaking Stage Evolvers were absolute big shots, while Butterfly Transformation Stage Evolvers were legendary figures, far beyond reach—people one could only see on television or online.

If the driver knew that the person chasing them was a Butterfly Transformation Stage powerhouse, he would probably be too terrified to hold the steering wheel steady.

Su Ze did not answer the driver's question. Instead, he took out his phone, scanned the driver's payment code, and transferred a thousand yuan to bolster his courage.

The tactic worked as expected. The driver did not ask any more questions, but his grip on the wheel became firmer.

Just as Zhang Fantie was about to catch up, Su Ze could only worry helplessly. Fortunately, the three men in black led by the Old Man caught up again at that moment.

The three displayed their abilities, unleashing all manner of strange skills with the sole aim of holding Zhang Fantie back and preventing him from catching the taxi.

In the eyes of the foul-smelling trio, they would rather let Su Ze escape than allow him to fall into Zhang Fantie's hands.

Su Ze escaping was actually a good thing for them. Later, they could track the Tier 4 extract on him to determine his location. Once Su Ze no longer had Zhang Fantie protecting him, he would be fish on the chopping block, theirs to do with as they pleased.

The Old Man sprang into the air like a bat, darting in front of Zhang Fantie. Of the other two men in black, one launched a psychic attack at Zhang Fantie from afar, while the other spat milky-white threads from his mouth, weaving them into a web that descended over Zhang Fantie.

With the three obstructing him, Zhang Fantie's speed plummeted. He could only let out an angry roar as he watched the taxi pull away once more.

Su Ze was just beginning to celebrate when he suddenly realized that the taxi had stopped. He hurriedly urged, "Driver, go! Why did you stop?"

"Red light." The driver raised a hand and pointed at the traffic light across the road.

Su Ze did not waste words. He scanned the code and paid again. Moments later, a pleasant notification sounded from the driver's phone.

"Huaqianbao has received 100,000 yuan!"

"Hold on tight!" the driver roared, his voice brimming with energy as his eyes sharpened. He slammed down on the accelerator, practically wishing he could shove his entire leg into the engine.

A taxi worth one hundred thousand yuan somehow gave him the push-back sensation of a V8.

"Damn it, even if I have to carry this car and run, I'll get you out safely today! Otherwise, I won't feel right taking this money!" the driver declared grandly.

Under the driver's godlike control, the taxi weaved through the dense morning rush-hour traffic like a loach. Before long, when Su Ze looked back again, Zhang Fantie and the foul-smelling trio had vanished from sight.

Su Ze let out a long breath and collapsed into his seat, but he still did not dare relax completely. He told the driver, "Don't just drive straight. Take more turns so they can't catch up."

"Got it!"

The driver answered and made a sharp turn, nearly jolting Su Ze's breakfast out of him. After taking seven or eight turns in a row, Su Ze's face had gone deathly pale, and he hurriedly asked the driver to resume normal driving.

The taxi circled the city for more than twenty minutes. Only after Su Ze saw that no one had caught up did he become certain they had shaken their pursuers.

However, he still could not let his guard down. He knew the mysterious organization could track the Tier 4 extract on him, and the most urgent matter now was to dispose of it.

A Tier 4 extract was worth a fortune, so throwing it away would be far too wasteful. He could not absorb it either, so the best choice was to sell it.

Having made up his mind, Su Ze asked the driver, "Driver, do you know if there's an Evolution Technology or Life Pharmaceutical branch nearby?"

Ever since the Evolutionary Era began, the most profitable industries were neither real estate nor the internet, but Evolution Technology Group, which specialized in extracts, and Life Pharmaceutical Company, which exclusively sold evolution medicine.

The headquarters of these two giants of the evolution industry were located in Linhua Kingdom, the Dominant Nation, but their branches had spread across more than a thousand cities throughout Linhua Continent. They were undisputed corporate giants, rich enough to rival nations, and were said to have official backing from Linhua Kingdom.

In the remote little city of Black Rock City, it was not easy to find a buyer capable of purchasing a Tier 4 extract. Whether in terms of financial resources or credibility, these two evolution industry giants were the best options.

Su Ze was weak at the moment but possessed a precious treasure, so he also had to consider his own safety. These two giants were enormous and reputable, so they would not ruin their good name over a single Tier 4 extract.

"Black Rock City's only Evolution Technology extract specialty store is on the pedestrian street downtown. It's not far from here," the driver said.

"Let's go there."

Ten minutes later, the driver parked by the roadside at the point closest in a straight line to the Evolution Technology store. Without caring whether he might get ticketed there, he was about to get out and escort Su Ze over.

"Driver, just tell me the way. I can go by myself," Su Ze said quickly, pulling him back.

"Alright, then I'll wait for you here."

"No need. Driver, go ahead and get back to work." Su Ze declined the driver's kindness. Zhang Fantie had the driver's contact information and knew the taxi's license plate number. If he continued riding in this taxi, he might be tracked down.

Looking somewhat regretful, the driver took out his business card and handed it to Su Ze. "Call me anytime you need a ride. I'll come right away!"