Paving the Way with Money

Chapter 12: Paving the Way with Money

"Hiss!"

Su Ze gasped in pain, suspecting Zhang Fantie had practiced the Shaolin Iron Crotch Skill.

He kicked Zhang Fantie's backside with all his might, but it felt like kicking a Tekkai, his leg nearly breaking from the impact.

"Drive faster!" Su Ze yelled at the driver.

Seeing the driver hesitate, Su Ze knew he couldn't let his hard-won escape opportunity slip away. He reached into his bag, pulled out a wad of hundred-yuan bills, and stuffed it into the driver's hand. "Go!" he commanded.

The wad of cash instantly cleared the driver's muddled thoughts, showing him the way. The driver floored the accelerator, and the car shot forward, smoke billowing from the engine.

As the car moved, Zhang Fantie panicked. His strength surged, his body swelling by a size. His skin, as hard as armor plating, took on a metallic sheen. Like an enraged Vajra, he roared and broke free from the smelly old man's grasp.

Although the three men in black had a numerical advantage, Zhang Fantie was in his prime, his body at its peak. Unlike the smelly old man, whose physical body was already declining, he faced the suddenly explosive Zhang Fantie. The three could only retreat temporarily.

Zhang Fantie had no intention of getting entangled with the three men in black. He leaped ten feet into the air, chasing after the departing taxi.

Through the rearview mirror, the driver saw Zhang Fantie closing in, his face pale. "Kid, what level of Evolver is chasing you?" he asked.

The existence of Evolvers wasn't exactly a secret; it was an era of universal Evolution. However, most ordinary people could only absorb low-quality extracts, and the skills they gained were purely a matter of luck. High-quality extracts with powerful skills were prohibitively expensive for ordinary families.

Because the quality of the extracts they absorbed was too low, most people failed their first Evolution. Those who succeeded, becoming Pupal stage lifeforms, could secure decent jobs and have bright futures.

Therefore, in the eyes of ordinary people, Pupal stage Evolvers were already superior beings. Cocoon Breaking stage Evolvers were absolute powerhouses, and Butterfly Transformation stage Evolvers were legendary figures, as distant as the stars. They were only seen on television and the internet.

If the driver knew he was being chased by a Butterfly Transformation stage powerhouse, he would likely be too terrified to even hold the steering wheel steady.

Su Ze didn't answer the driver's question. Instead, he took out his phone, scanned the driver's payment code, and transferred him a thousand yuan to boost his courage.

This tactic proved effective. The driver didn't ask any more questions, and his grip on the steering wheel became firmer.

Seeing Zhang Fantie about to catch up, Su Ze could only fret. Fortunately, at this moment, the three men in black, led by the smelly old man, caught up again.

The three unleashed their unique abilities, employing various chaotic skills, all aimed at slowing Zhang Fantie down and preventing him from catching the taxi.

In the eyes of the smelly trio, it was better for Su Ze to escape than to fall into Zhang Fantie's hands.

If Su Ze escaped, it would actually be beneficial to them. They could later track Su Ze's Tier 4 extract to pinpoint his location. Without Zhang Fantie protecting him, Su Ze would be like fish on a cutting board, at their mercy.

The smelly old man leaped into the air like a bat, blocking Zhang Fantie's path. Another of the black-clad men launched a psychic attack from a distance, while the third spat milky white threads from his mouth, weaving them into a spiderweb that enveloped Zhang Fantie.

Under the obstruction of the three, Zhang Fantie's speed plummeted. He could only let out an enraged roar, watching helplessly as the taxi pulled further away.

Su Ze was about to celebrate when he suddenly noticed the taxi had stopped. "Master, keep driving! Why did you stop?" he urged.

"Red light," the driver said, pointing to the traffic light across the road.

Su Ze didn't waste any time. He scanned the payment code again. Moments later, a pleasant notification sound chimed from the driver's phone.

"Huaqianbao received one hundred thousand yuan!"

"Hold on tight!" the driver roared, his voice full of energy and his eyes sharp. He stomped on the accelerator, as if trying to push his entire leg into the engine.

For one hundred thousand yuan, he drove the taxi with the thrust of a V8 engine.

"Damn it, today I'll carry this car myself if I have to, but I'll get you there safely! Otherwise, I can't accept this money with peace of mind!" the driver vowed.

Under the driver's masterful control, the taxi weaved through the dense morning traffic like an eel. In a short while, when Su Ze looked back, Zhang Fantie and the smelly trio were nowhere to be seen.

Su Ze let out a long sigh and slumped onto the seat, but he didn't dare to fully relax. He told the driver, "Master, don't just drive straight. Take a few turns, don't let them catch up."

"Okay!"

The driver agreed and made a sharp turn, nearly making Su Ze's breakfast come back up. After making seven or eight consecutive turns, Su Ze's face turned pale, and he quickly asked the driver to resume normal driving.

Thus, the taxi drove around the city for over twenty minutes. Seeing that no one was pursuing them, Su Ze finally felt confident that he had shaken off their pursuers.

However, he couldn't let his guard down yet. He knew that the Tier 4 extract he carried could be tracked by the mysterious organization. His immediate priority was to get rid of it.

The Tier 4 extract was priceless, and simply throwing it away would be a waste. He couldn't absorb it himself, so the best option was to sell it.

Having made up his mind, Su Ze asked the driver, "Master, do you know if there are any branches of Evolution Technology or Life Pharmaceutical nearby?"

Since the Evolution era began, the most profitable businesses weren't real estate or the internet, but "Evolution Technology Group," which dealt in extracts, and "Life Pharmaceutical Company," which sold Evolution drugs.

These two giants of the Evolution industry were headquartered in the dominant nation of Linhua Kingdom, but their branches spanned thousands of cities across the Linhua Continent, making them undisputed behemoths. They were rich enough to rival a nation and were rumored to have official backing from the Linhua Kingdom.

In Black Rock City, a small border town, finding a buyer capable of purchasing a Tier 4 extract wouldn't be easy. Considering both financial capacity and trustworthiness, these two giants were the best choices.

Su Ze, despite his current low strength, possessed a treasure. He also had to consider his own safety. These two giants, with their vast resources and guaranteed reputation, wouldn't tarnish their names for a single tube of Tier 4 extract.

"The only Evolution Technology extract specialty store in Black Rock City is on the pedestrian street in the city center, not far from here," the driver said.

"Let's go there."

Ten minutes later, the driver parked the car as close as possible to the Evolution Technology specialty store, disregarding whether the car would be ticketed, and prepared to escort Su Ze.

"Master, just tell me the way, I can go by myself," Su Ze quickly stopped him.

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

"No need, Master. You should go about your business," Su Ze declined the driver's kind offer. Zhang Fantie had the driver's contact information and knew the taxi's license plate number. Continuing to ride in this car could lead to them being tracked.

The driver looked slightly disappointed and handed Su Ze his business card. "Call me anytime if you need a ride, I'm available 24/7!"