The moment Lu Lin saw the Monster Core, his eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.
By his estimate, a First-Order Monster Core could provide 1 Simplification Point, a Second Order one could provide 10, and a Third Order one could provide 100. That meant a Fourth Layer Monster Core could provide at least 1,000 Simplification Points.
For Lu Lin, who had only 5.7 Simplification Points right now, this was like getting rich overnight.
He'd hit the jackpot.
But he quickly reined in his excitement, putting on a disappointed expression instead. "Miss, is this the only Fourth Order one? Do you have any Fifth Order ones? What about Sixth Order?"
"If you only have Fourth Order ones, could you give me a hundred? These Monster Cores are really useful to me."
Liu Weiran shook her head. "Not at the moment."
Just as the disappointment on Lu Lin's face deepened, she continued, "Although I don't have any now, if you really need them, I can help you find some. There's a box in my dad's study where he keeps these things. I don't know what they're for, either."
In a dark corner in the distance, a middle-aged man nearly spat up a mouthful of blood. His daughter really was too inexperienced. Nobody had even asked, and she'd already spilled the beans about their family.
"Oh, then could you bring me some Monster Cores tomorrow, Miss? Ideally, bring them all to me. You know, even though Monster Cores are the most important things inside Monster Beasts, they don't actually have much use. Better to give them to someone who needs them than let them gather dust at your house, right?"
"No, no." Liu Weiran shook her head repeatedly. "I can only bring you ten Fourth Order Monster Cores, and sneak... I mean, bring you one Fifth Order one. You should be satisfied with that."
Liu Weiran seemed to realize what she was saying and refused to promise Lu Lin any more. But she didn't know that even the one Monster Core she had in her hands was already making Lu Lin's eyes burn with longing. If she really had more, Lu Lin might ask for something she couldn't manage.
"All right, then. Thank you, Miss."
Lu Lin accepted the Wood Element Fourth Order Monster Core, ignoring the system's prompt asking whether to absorb it. In this situation, he didn't want to expose his secret in front of anyone.
After they'd reached an agreement, Lu Lin was full, and Liu Weiran was no longer in the mood to eat. Lu Lin offered to walk her home.
It wasn't because he'd developed feelings for Liu Weiran. On a night like this, he couldn't bring himself to let a girl go home alone.
Liu Weiran lived in a neighborhood of detached villas, the finest villa district in all of Dongshan City. At least Martial Master-level experts lived there, and even Dongshan City's Town Guardian had a private residence in the area.
After saying goodbye to Liu Weiran, Lu Lin walked a long way before taking out the Wood Element Monster Core. After all this time, even Lu Lin himself couldn't hold back any longer, let alone the system.
[Absorbable energy detected. Absorb?]
Of course, he chose yes.
Lu Lin opened his information panel again.
[Master: Lu Lin]
[Level: Advanced Martial Disciple]
[Techniques: Golden Bell Shield (simplified), Fourth Layer (57/10000); Mad Ox Strength Fist (simplified), Fourth Layer (16/10000)]
[Points: 1005.7]
His Simplification Points had soared to 1,000. That showed just how high-quality the Monster Core Liu Weiran had given him was; its inner energy had remained at full capacity.
Lu Lin's strength had already exceeded 1,200 kilograms. He planned to ask Li Jiangtao for a Vitality Cultivation Method when he went to work at the Martial Arts School tomorrow. He'd been worrying about where he would get the points to simplify the technique, and now, after going out for a meal and saying a few words, his problem was solved.
Liu Weiran really was a lifesaver.
Lu Lin tamped down his excitement and checked the time. It was already almost midnight. Not a single pedestrian was on the streets, and the occasional car that approached from afar hurried off again.
It was late. He had to get home quickly, or his parents would worry.
Lu Lin quickened his pace.
He even regretted not asking Liu Weiran for cab fare on the way back, because he'd been too embarrassed. Now he had to run all the way home.
As he passed a small convenience store that was open 24 hours, Lu Lin suddenly remembered a shortcut nearby that could save him five minutes. But there were no lights on that road. Could it be dangerous?
At the thought, Lu Lin chuckled. He'd often taken that road to and from school, and nothing had ever happened. Why was he getting scared now that his strength had increased by two thousand kilograms? How ridiculous.
After going deeper into the road, he found there was no danger at all, and felt much more at ease. See? Dongshan City had good public security. There couldn't be that many dangers around.
"Whoosh."
"Whoosh."
Just then, four figures suddenly appeared before Lu Lin.
Under the moonlight, Lu Lin recognized the four men. They were the ones who'd tried to teach him a lesson at the Martial Arts School that afternoon, only to run out of stamina first.
They were Ma Tianhu's underlings. He hadn't expected them to be waiting for him here.
"Heh heh, Lu Lin. The road to heaven was open, but you refused to take it, and came straight to us instead."
"You were pretty impressive at the Martial Arts School today, huh?"
"Your Golden Bell Shield's well-trained, but let's see whether you can withstand the sharpness of this F-grade Alloy Battle Knife."
The man at the front was an old acquaintance: the Tiger-Headed Tattooed Man.
"Heh. You again. What, does Young Master Ma really intend to kill me?" Lu Lin asked with a joking tone. He'd just said at the barbecue stall that Ma Tianhu might be so furious he'd want him dead. He hadn't expected the four of them to show up so soon.
These days, Martial Artists had powerful abilities, but Huaguo also had an agency specifically tasked with managing them: the Wu'an Bureau.
Any Martial Artist who dared to break the law—especially by assaulting, killing, or robbing ordinary people—would be looking at a prison sentence of at least thirty years. How about that?
Over the years, there had been the occasional case of a Martial Artist breaking the law, but Lu Lin had only ever seen them on the news. He didn't really believe these guys would dare take his life. At most, they'd beat him up.
But Lu Lin wasn't the same Lu Lin he'd been during the day. His Punch Force had increased, so he might even be able to surprise these four.
"Looks like you understand the situation. Brothers, let's get him together. Kill him!"
The Tiger Head Youth shouted viciously and charged at Lu Lin with the Alloy Warblade in his hand.
The three young men behind him charged too, their faces fierce.
"Holy crap, you're serious?"
Lu Lin jumped in fright and turned to run.
Although he'd trained his Golden Bell Shield to the Fourth Layer, he hadn't tested whether it could defend against an Alloy Warblade.
If it held up, that was fine. But if it didn't, wouldn't Lu Lin be throwing his life away?
The key was that these guys were really charging at him with knives in their hands.
But just as Lu Lin turned and ran a dozen steps, he saw a tall, burly Martial Artist standing in the road, blocking his way.
Lu Lin looked back at the four young men charging toward him, then at the especially imposing figure in the moonlight.
They were clearly trying to trap him from both sides, leaving him no way out.
Lu Lin cursed Ma Tianhu in his heart.
When narrow paths meet, the brave prevail.
Lu Lin steeled himself and roared, "Kill!"
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