Out of the City

"You've been hired."

"Tomorrow morning at 7:00, Jinling City's east gate!"

"There's no need to prepare anything. Your combat suit will be issued when you arrive."

Jiangnan Martial University was very efficient. They replied within minutes.

What surprised Lu Xuan was that they even provided dedicated combat suits.

That saved him an expense.

Combat suits.

They were essential wilderness equipment, usually consisting of a Mechanical Exoskeleton.

Renting one cost at least 2,000 Federal Coins.

The official teams really were the best.

Logistics work for martial artist adventurer teams was an extremely dangerous profession.

The slightest mistake could turn one into food for wilderness monsters—especially an ordinary person like Chu Hang, though he could no longer be considered ordinary now.

He still had to be careful where caution was needed.

He had never fought a monster with Psychic Power, so it was difficult to estimate his own strength.

A cautious sailor could sail for ten thousand years.

Besides, the combat suit had everything: defense, offense, and close-quarters combat.

Even martial artists needed equipment.

"I'll be able to buy my little sister two more pieces of meat."

Lu Xuan stretched lazily, then rose to train while his excitement was still fresh.

Saving some money was already enough for him.

There was no helping it. Reality wasn't a novel.

No matter what world one lived in, food, clothing, housing, and transportation were enough to give ordinary people a headache. If you wanted to be the protagonist, you had to first be a good ordinary person.

Of course,

ordinary people still needed a sufficiently strong body.

To put it jokingly, there was a famous saying on the internet: "Other things can be bad, but your body has to be good, because when the beast tide comes, all you need to do is run faster than everyone else." Thus, even though Lu Xuan wasn't a martial artist, he still exercised every day after returning home, maintaining a vigorous body with abundant blood and qi.

He hadn't even finished a few sets of exercises.

Creak~ The front door opened, and a tall girl in sportswear, her hair tied in a ponytail, walked in.

"Big brother!"

This person was Lu Xuan's younger sister, Lu Ying.

Her face was youthful, but it carried a steadiness rare among people her age—or perhaps it was better described as aloofness.

However, that cold air scattered the moment she saw Lu Xuan, transforming into a clever, sweet smile. She skipped through the doorway, flung her schoolbag aside, and flopped onto the sofa.

"You're back?"

Lu Xuan finished exercising, then got some low-level monster meat from the refrigerator and placed it in front of Lu Ying.

"Your teacher told me."

A trace of pride appeared on Lu Xuan's face. "Your blood-and-qi value is over 900. You have a chance of breaking through to become a martial artist before the martial arts exam. Starting today, you get one meal of monster meat every day!"

"Wow, really?!"

Lu Ying leaned over and sniffed the monster meat, whose blood-and-qi scent rushed into her nose. Her eyes lit up. "Wow, it really is monster meat!"

The girl excitedly rose to her feet and spun around while hugging Lu Xuan.

"My big brother is the best!"

"I love you, big brother!"

"Eat up." Lu Xuan reached out and ruffled his sister's beautiful hair, smiling as he said, "You have to finish it all. Don't waste any."

"When my little sister gets into one of the Four Top Martial Schools, I'll be able to brag about you everywhere!"

Monster meat lost its blood and qi rather quickly.

It was best to finish it within twenty-four hours after buying it.

"Don't worry, big brother!" Lu Ying cheerfully found two sets of knives and forks. "Big brother, eat with me too. I heard from my classmates that monster meat is the most nourishing thing for blood and qi. It's best to cut it into pieces with a knife and fork, then chew slowly and savor the blood and qi inside..."

Monster meat from even a low-level monster cost 1,000 Federal Coins per half-kilogram.

Even when he had worked cleaning out monster warehouses, Lu Xuan had never bought any.

His sister had never eaten it either.

There was no helping it. It was too expensive.

But now that his sister was trying to break through to become a martial artist, he had to buy it no matter how extravagant it was.

"Big brother already ate a piece."

Lu Xuan stepped back, afraid his sweat would affect his sister, and smiled. "Otherwise, why do you think I was exercising for no reason?"

"Is that so?"

Lu Ying gave him a suspicious look, but didn't notice anything unusual.

Only martial artists could observe another person's blood and qi at a glance.

She couldn't do that yet.

Instead, she felt that her big brother seemed a little different today.

He had more energy.

Whatever. Eating meat was more important.

Only after seeing his sister eat the meat did Lu Xuan say, "Little sister, I may be going to a Satellite City with the martial artists who clean monster warehouses for a few days. It could be as short as one or two days, or as long as a week. I ordered seven days' worth of monster meat. Remember to eat it when the time comes. If you have time, go check on Mom and Dad."

A base city had multiple Satellite Cities.

Jinling Base City had twenty-four Satellite Cities. Martial artists traveled back and forth every day, transporting monster corpses and other resources.

Lu Ying paused with her mouth full and asked worriedly, "Won't it be dangerous?"

"Don't worry. The transport team uses a special passage. The danger level is zero."

"You still have to be careful!"

Lu Ying urged him.

The next day.

6:00 a.m.

Lu Ying got up for school, carrying the monster meat Lu Xuan had ordered. She puffed out her cheeks and said, "Big brother, you're the best!"

"Today I'm going to let all my classmates know that my breakfast is monster meat too."

The girl skipped out of the house.

Through the window, Lu Xuan watched. Once his little sister encountered other people, she turned back into a deadpan face.

"Whew~"

Looking at the clock on the wall, Lu Xuan exhaled heavily. "Little sister, I definitely won't let the wrong thing happen to us!"

After organizing his thoughts, he shouldered his backpack and left.

Jinling City's east gate.

By the time Lu Xuan arrived, quite a few students from Jiangnan Martial University had already gathered. They were about his age, but their bodies radiated waves of blood and qi that gave off immense pressure.

This was the pressure naturally possessed by martial artists.

They were like tigers: even standing there motionless, they made people afraid to approach casually.

Terrifyingly strong!

Of course,

that was only true of the Lu Xuan from before.

The current Lu Xuan felt no pressure from them. Instead, he found their bodies riddled with openings. He shook his head and walked forward.

"Hello, I'm here for the job."

The staff member was an old man with a head of white hair. Lying in a rocking chair, he glanced at Lu Xuan's identity card and slightly widened his eyes.

"You dropped out at such a young age?"

"My aptitude was too poor."

Lu Xuan shrugged.

If his blood-and-qi value had been over 900 during high school, why would he have dropped out to work? Even if he had no money, the country would have supported him through martial university.

Unfortunately,

Lu Xuan wasn't Long Aotian. He was merely cannon fodder by the roadside.

"Have you ever been to the Wilderness?" the old man asked.

Lu Xuan answered honestly. "This is my first time."

Hearing that,

the old man pointed at the high-tech-looking boxes arranged nearby and said, "I recommend that you choose a ranged combat suit and just pick up some corpses from the rear. Don't think about collecting corpses in close combat alongside martial artists. Your tender bones will break easily."

"..."

Lu Xuan thanked him, bent down, and picked up the Melee Combat Suit.

The Melee Combat Suit had slightly stronger defenses and greater agility, making it just right for his search for the opportunity mentioned in Future Mail.

As long as he obtained the opportunity, he would become a martial artist.

All difficulties would then be swept away.

Besides, he had not received any new mail so far,

which was enough to prove that his choice had not been wrong for the time being.

He just had to go for it.

"Kid, you've got guts!"

Just as Lu Xuan lifted the box and prepared to put on the combat suit, several mocking voices came from beside him.

He turned his head.

A few students wearing Jiangnan Martial University uniforms walked over. After looking Lu Xuan up and down, they gave a cold snort.

"Anyone who didn't know better would think you were a martial artist!"

"You just turned eighteen this year, right? Your blood and qi haven't even reached 700, yet you dare choose close-combat logistics? Aren't you afraid of becoming monster feed?"

The few of them wore carefree expressions filled with disdain.

"..." Lu Xuan looked up without the slightest fear of their gazes and asked, "Is there a rule saying that eighteen-year-olds can't work close-combat logistics?"

He was used to this sort of mockery.

Ever since martial artists had appeared, they had been treated as superior. Ridiculing ordinary people had long since become an everyday occurrence.

"Of course not!"

The young man in the lead bared his teeth, exchanged a glance with the two people beside him, and smiled. "We like bold logistics workers like you. Let's formally introduce ourselves. I'm Xu Long, Class 2's monitor at Jiangnan Martial University. I'll give you a chance to act with our class. We'll give you half of the profits from any monsters you help kill. Interested?"

His sudden change in attitude made Lu Xuan raise an eyebrow.

His instincts told him that this group was definitely plotting something.

Just as he was about to refuse—

"Xu Long, what are you doing?!"

A clear voice broke the tense atmosphere. Everyone followed the sound and saw a girl in a JK skirt, her fair legs bouncing as she ran over. She shouted at the young man in front of Lu Xuan, "You'd better put away your little schemes. Otherwise, don't blame me for reporting all the shady things you've done to the teacher!"

The young man named Xu Long's expression darkened.

"Xu Xin, don't you dare slander me with wild accusations!"

"Hmph. Whether I'm making wild accusations or not, you know that perfectly well."

"You... Fine, fine, fine!"

Xu Long glared at her, then looked at Lu Xuan with a sinister smile before turning around and leaving with his people.

What was that all about? Lu Xuan was helpless. Somehow, he had inexplicably become the target of a martial artist.

He shook his head and didn't think much of it.

Just as he was about to put on the combat suit, a jade-like hand reached toward him.

"Hello, I'm Xu Xin, monitor of Class 6 at Jiangnan Martial University."

"You don't look very old. You must have difficulties at home, or you wouldn't risk coming here to work as logistics for a martial artist team. Our class happens to be short a few people. Why don't you join Class 6 in handling the monster corpses?"

"This..."

Lu Xuan hesitated.

His original plan had been to get out of the city with the group, leave the team, and search for the opportunity on his own.

After becoming a martial artist, he would return to Jiangnan Martial University to make money.

Seeing him hesitate, Xu Xin smiled and said, "Don't worry. Although our Class 6 isn't as strong as Class 2, we definitely won't treat logistics personnel the way they do."

"All right, I'll join your class!"

Lu Xuan readily agreed and followed Xu Xin toward Class 6's group.

Only then did he learn that Jiangnan Martial University held Freshman Advancement Training once a year, with the purpose of testing the students' strength.

The advancement condition was that each class compete as a unit. The more resources they obtained during the training, the better the treatment they would receive after advancing.

Because of this, people like Xu Long would specifically seek out young logistics workers.

These people had usually suffered some misfortune at home and urgently needed money. As long as they were willing to help lure monsters out for them, they would receive enormous compensation—but whether they survived was another matter.

No wonder... Lu Xuan nodded and asked,

"Doesn't the school do anything about this?"

"Those people had taken Xu Long's money and had their lifelines in his hands. They'd signed the voluntary consent forms, so the school couldn't do anything about it."

Xu Xin sighed helplessly. "I was just worried he'd threaten you. Since I happened to run into you, I thought I'd lend you a hand."

"Thank you!"

Lu Xuan replied with a smile, but sighed inwardly.

The world was harsh, and the human heart was hard to fathom.

Next came the logistics assignments.

Class 6 had twenty students in total, while the logistics team had a hundred people. Forty were responsible for driving heavy loaders, while the other sixty would follow the Martial Artist students into close combat to collect corpses and mark their locations.

Before long.

The first-year freshmen of Jiangnan Martial University had finished assembling.

The teachers offered a few words of encouragement, explained the rules of the training exercise, and led everyone out of the city.

"Prepare to set out!"

Xu Xin directed the students of Class 6. Just as everyone was about to leave, a teasing voice called out to them.

"Yo~"

"Great School Beauty Xu!"

Xu Xin stopped and turned toward the source of the voice. Lu Xuan also cast his gaze over.

Xu Long, who had just argued with them, sauntered over with a mocking grin and said,

"Great School Beauty Xu, you're the only Intermediate Martial Artist in your class. Don't go too deep into Ruins City. There are plenty of monsters in there. Don't end up getting your whole class wiped out!"

"Mind your own business!"

Xu Xin snorted.

Xu Long spread his hands and chuckled. He walked over to Lu Xuan's side and said in a low voice,

"Kid, I know you really need money. Following a bunch of low-level Martial Artists won't get you much. I've got a great fortune waiting here. If you want in, come find me anytime!"