Terrifying Speed of Making Money - Part 1

The morning mist had not yet fully dissipated as the six figures of the Thunder Blade Squad moved through the streets of the ruined city like ghosts.

Lin Yun followed in the middle of the squad, his footsteps light and precise. After three days of adaptation, he had fully mastered the techniques of moving silently through urban ruins—testing the ground with the balls of his feet first to ensure there was no loose gravel or broken glass before shifting his weight; keeping his body slightly hunched with his center of gravity low, ready to respond to any sudden situation. These details were all things Liu Xu had taught him bit by bit along the way.

"Stop." Lin Zheng suddenly raised his right hand and made a fist.

The entire team stopped immediately, each finding cover and vigilantly scanning their surroundings. Shen Yang quickly set up his sniper rifle, his scope sweeping through the buildings ahead. Leng Bao's long spear was already unsheathed, the tip glinting coldly in the morning light. Luo Fang's short blades were also in her hands, her entire body taut like a drawn bow.

Lin Zheng crouched behind a collapsed wall and pointed forward with his short blade. Lin Yun followed his gaze—about 150 meters away in the street, three massive mutated creatures were rummaging through something.

They were three Steel-Bristled Wild Boars, the most common type of mutated boar-like Monster. Their shoulder height reached a full 1.5 meters, and their bodies were covered in coarse bristles that had evolved over time into rigid, needle-like structures that were difficult for ordinary blades to pierce. Two massive tusks protruded from the corners of their mouths, gleaming with a ghastly white luster in the morning light; these were their most lethal weapons. The largest one even had a row of bony spikes along its spine, the hallmark of an Intermediate Beast General—an Iron-Backed Porcupine, the evolved form of the Steel-Bristled Wild Boar.

"Two Primary Beast Generals, one Intermediate Beast General." Lin Zheng's voice was very low as he quickly issued orders. "Leng Bao, Luo Fang, you two take the Primary one on the left. Lin Yun, the Primary one on the right is yours. The Intermediate one in the middle, Liu Xu and I will handle. Shen Yang, provide fire support and be ready to finish them off at any time."

Lin Yun was slightly taken aback. This was the first time Lin Zheng had assigned him an independent task in actual combat.

"Any problems?" Lin Zheng glanced at him.

"None." Lin Yun gripped his Blood Shadow Battle Blade, a surge of eager excitement rising in his heart. Through three days of observation and learning, he had clearly grasped the combat rhythm and coordination style of the Thunder Blade Squad. It was time to show his true strength—or rather, his suppressed strength.

"Move."

As soon as Lin Zheng finished speaking, Shen Yang's heavy sniper rifle let out a low roar.

"Bang!"

The gunshot echoed through the empty street, but the target of the shot was not any of the Steel-Bristled Wild Boars; it was an abandoned car beside them. The bullet struck the fuel tank, triggering a violent explosion. This was a common tactic for the Thunder Blade Squad—using an explosion to create chaos, causing the Monsters to lose their judgment, and then picking them off one by one.

The three Steel-Bristled Wild Boars were startled by the explosion and instinctively scattered in different directions. The one on the left ran toward a pile of ruins, the one on the right charged into a small alley, and the largest one in the middle spun around violently, trying to locate the source of the attack.

In the chaos, the hunt of the Thunder Blade Squad began.

Leng Bao and Luo Fang moved like shadows, pouncing silently toward the Steel-Bristled Wild Boar on the left. Leng Bao's long spear thrust out from the side, precisely piercing the boar's throat, while Luo Fang's short blades simultaneously severed the tendons in its hind legs. The Steel-Bristled Wild Boar didn't even have time to let out a scream before it was taken down by the pair.

At the same time, Lin Yun moved.

He did not choose to ambush like Leng Bao and Luo Fang; instead, he met the Steel-Bristled Wild Boar charging into the alley head-on. This was his first time hunting a Beast General Level Monster independently, and he needed to do it cleanly and efficiently—neither exposing his full strength nor disappointing his teammates.

Seeing someone blocking its path, the Steel-Bristled Wild Boar let out an angry hiss, lowered its head, and charged at Lin Yun with its two tusks like sharp blades. It was fast, and the ground trembled slightly with every step it took.

Lin Yun did not retreat.

He dodged to the side, and the moment the Steel-Bristled Wild Boar rushed past him, his Blood Shadow Battle Blade traced an arc, precisely slashing at the boar's hind leg. This was a technique Liu Xu had taught him—the weaknesses of boar-type Monsters were their legs and abdomen; although their bristles were tough, the skin on the inner sides of their limbs was relatively thin.

"Sshh—"

The sound of the blade cutting into flesh was clearly audible. The Steel-Bristled Wild Boar's hind leg was severed, and it lost its balance, crashing to the ground. It struggled to stand up, but Lin Yun's second strike had already descended, piercing through its relatively weak flank and straight into its heart.

The Steel-Bristled Wild Boar twitched a few times and then stopped moving.

The entire process took less than ten seconds.

Lin Yun sheathed his blade and turned to look at his teammates. Leng Bao and Luo Fang had already finished off their target and were looking his way. Leng Bao nodded slightly, a sign of approval. Luo Fang gave him a thumbs-up.

"Not bad." Liu Xu's voice came through the communication channel, carrying a hint of praise. "Clean and efficient, no wasted movements."

Lin Zheng didn't speak, but Lin Yun noticed the corners of his mouth lift slightly.

The Iron-Backed Porcupine in the middle had already been dealt with by Lin Zheng and Liu Xu. Lin Zheng's short blade had severed its head, while Liu Xu's sword had pierced its heart. Their coordination was as seamless as if they had practiced it a thousand times, but Lin Yun noticed that after Lin Zheng sheathed his blade, Liu Xu's gaze lingered on him for a moment, while Lin Zheng deliberately avoided her eyes.

"Clear the battlefield." Lin Zheng's voice was as flat as ever.

Shen Yang walked over carrying his sniper rifle, smiling as he began to process the Monster carcasses. He skillfully used his knife to cut off the tusks and the bony spikes from the spines of the Steel-Bristled Wild Boars; these were raw materials for crafting weapons and armor.

"A Primary Beast General Steel-Bristled Wild Boar's tusks and spikes can sell for about five or six million," Shen Yang explained to Lin Yun while he worked. "The Intermediate Beast General Iron-Backed Porcupine is more expensive; this set of materials is worth at least twenty million. Including the hide and bones, the materials for all three combined are worth about forty million."

Lin Yun nodded, committing this information to memory.

"Your blade technique is solid," Liu Xu said as she walked over to Lin Yun, her tone carrying a hint of scrutiny. "But there is room for improvement. That strike just now—if you had aimed for the knee joint, you could have saved half the effort. When dealing with boar-type Monsters, attacking the joints is more effective than attacking the muscle."

Lin Yun listened intently, taking every word Liu Xu said to heart.

"Also," Liu Xu pointed to the hand he used to hold his blade. "Your wrist is too tight. While this provides more power, it sacrifices flexibility. In the Wilderness Area, flexibility is often more important than power. Try to relax a bit and let the blade become an extension of your arm, rather than just a tool in your hand."

Lin Yun tried relaxing his wrist, and sure enough, he felt the control of the blade become much more fluid.

"Thank you, Sister Liu."

Liu Xu waved her hand and turned to walk back to the squad.

"Let's move out." Lin Zheng, leaning on his cane, was already walking ahead.

Over the next two days, the Thunder Blade Squad launched a highly efficient hunt in the core area of City No. 013. And in this hunt, Lin Yun gradually transformed from an observer into a true participant.

On the afternoon of the first day, they discovered a herd of Split-Horn Savage Bulls near an abandoned gas station.

This was the most common type of mutated bull-type Monster, about the size of a small elephant, with massive, twisted horns on their heads. Their attack method was simple and brutal—lowering their heads and charging at enemies with their giant horns. Although they possessed immense power, they were not fast, and their turning was not agile.

"Six of them, all Primary Beast Generals," Lin Zheng observed for a moment before making his assessment. "Lin Yun, you take one. Everyone else takes one each. As for the remaining one, whoever finishes their target first goes to assist."

"Understood."

The battle erupted in an instant.

Lin Yun chose a medium-sized Split-Horn Savage Bull and met it head-on. Seeing him, the Split-Horn Savage Bull let out a low bellow, lowered its head, aimed its giant horns at him, and charged like an out-of-control truck.

Lin Yun did not take the hit head-on. He dodged to the side, and at the same time, his battle blade flashed out, precisely slashing at the Split-Horn Savage Bull's front leg. The blade cut into the flesh, the bull's front leg gave way, and its body lurched forward violently. Lin Yun took the opportunity to circle to its side, thrusting his blade into the gap between its ribs and piercing its heart.

The entire process took less than five seconds.

He looked up and discovered that the other team members had also basically finished off their targets. Liu Xu's sword was the fastest; her Split-Horn Savage Bull had fallen before it even had a chance to charge. Leng Bao and Luo Fang coordinated seamlessly, taking down their respective targets almost simultaneously. Shen Yang's sniper rifle accounted for one, while Lin Zheng easily dispatched his own.

"Not bad, your speed has improved again." Shen Yang walked over and patted Lin Yun on the shoulder.

Lin Yun smiled without saying anything. He could actually have been faster, but he needed to control his pace and couldn't afford to reveal too much.

The materials from the six Split-Horn Savage Bulls were quickly processed. Shen Yang calculated as he worked: "The horns of the Split-Horn Savage Bull are the most valuable; a pair can sell for about three million. Adding the hide and bones, the six of them together are worth around twenty million."

"Cheaper than wild boars," Lin Yun said.

"That goes without saying," Shen Yang laughed. "The tusks and bone spurs of boar-type Monsters are excellent materials for crafting weapons, so their price has always been high. While the horns of bovine-type Monsters are valuable, they don't have as many uses. Still, every little bit adds up; twenty million is still money."

That evening, they settled into an abandoned residential building.

Lin Yun volunteered for the first watch. He sat on the edge of the roof, overlooking the sleeping city of ruins. The setting sun stained the horizon a blood-red, and the distant buildings looked like massive tombstones in the twilight.

"What are you thinking about?" Liu Xu's voice came from behind him.

Lin Yun turned around to see Liu Xu walking over with a cup of hot water. She sat down beside him and handed him the water.

"Thinking about the captain." Lin Yun took the water, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke his mind.

Liu Xu was slightly taken aback. "Thinking about what regarding him?"

"Thinking about his leg," Lin Yun said. "Brother Shen told me; it was to save you."

Liu Xu remained silent for a long time. The afterglow of the sunset spilled onto her face, making her expression difficult to read, but Lin Yun could feel the atmosphere around her turn heavy and melancholic.

"He wasn't like this before," Liu Xu's voice was soft, as if she were talking to herself. "He used to laugh, tell jokes, and treat everyone to drinks after a battle. He used to... look at me."

Lin Yun didn't speak, just listened quietly.

"Three years ago, during that mission, we encountered a Lord Level Iron-Armored Lizard King. That beast was far stronger than I had anticipated. I thrust my sword at it, but it didn't even dodge; it just swatted me away with one paw." Liu Xu's gaze rested on the distant skyline. "I thought I was going to die. Then he appeared, stood in front of me, and fought that beast with his life, blade by blade."

Her voice trembled slightly. "The beast's claws pierced his leg. He pulled his leg out and kept hacking. The blood kept flowing, and he kept hacking. In the end, the beast died, and his leg was gone."

"Ever since then, he changed," Liu Xu lowered her head. "He stopped looking at me, stopped talking to me, and stopped spending time alone with me. I know what he's thinking—he feels he isn't good enough for me anymore, that he's a cripple, and that he can't be a burden to me."

"But he doesn't know..." her voice grew lower, "even with a broken leg, I still love him. No matter what he becomes, I love him."

Lin Yun was silent for a long time before saying softly, "Sister Liu, have you ever thought that maybe the captain doesn't dislike you, but rather, he likes you too much?"

Liu Xu looked up at him.

"The more he likes you, the more he feels he isn't worthy of you," Lin Yun said, choosing his words carefully. "He thinks you deserve someone better, not a cripple with a broken leg. His avoidance isn't because he doesn't care, but because he cares too much."

Liu Xu's eyes turned slightly red.

"But..." she opened her mouth, but in the end, she couldn't say anything.

"Sister Liu, give him some time," Lin Yun said. "He will come to realize it."

Liu Xu didn't answer; she simply stood up and brushed the dust off her clothes. As she reached the stairwell, she suddenly stopped and looked back at Lin Yun.

"Thank you, Lin Yun."

Then she disappeared into the shadows of the stairs.

Lin Yun sat on the roof, watching the last sliver of sunset sink below the horizon, a complex emotion welling up in his heart.

In matters of the heart, an outsider can never truly understand the thoughts of those involved. But one thing he was certain of—the thread between Lin Zheng and Liu Xu had never been broken. It was just that both of them were too stubborn; one felt unworthy, and the other didn't know how to bridge the gap.

He sighed and cast his gaze toward the distant night sky.