Terrifying Speed of Making Money - Part 2

The next day, their luck was exceptionally good.

In an abandoned factory, Shen Yang's detector discovered the entrance to a basement. The entrance was mostly obscured by collapsed concrete slabs, leaving only a narrow gap. Leng Bao used his spear to pry the concrete slabs open, revealing a staircase leading underground.

"There's something here." Lin Zheng crouched at the entrance, his nose twitching slightly. "A very strong scent of a Monster, but it doesn't smell like an adult."

"Cubs?" Shen Yang's eyes lit up.

"Not sure." Lin Zheng stood up. "Leng Bao, Luo Fang, you two keep watch outside. Liu Xu, Shen Yang, Lin Yun, come down with me."

The basement was dark, and the air was filled with a damp, fishy stench. Lin Zheng led the way, his flashlight beam sweeping through the darkness. The basement wasn't large, only about fifty or sixty square meters, with corners piled high with abandoned equipment and debris.

Then, Lin Yun saw them.

Deep within the pile of debris, there was a nest made of rags and dried grass. Inside the nest were three eggs, each the size of a soccer ball, their surfaces covered in dark gray spots and radiating a faint aura of life.

"Mutant Mastiff eggs!" Shen Yang's voice cracked with excitement.

Lin Zheng crouched down, carefully inspected the three eggs, and nodded. "They're alive, and the incubation is quite advanced. They might hatch in another half a month."

Mutant Mastiffs are excellent combat partners; once they reach adulthood, they can attain the Beast General Level, and with special training, they can even grow to the Lord Level. Their eggs fetch an extremely high price on the black market.

"At least fifty million each." Shen Yang rubbed his hands together. "That's one hundred and fifty million for all three."

"Don't get too happy yet." Lin Zheng said calmly. "Eggs are hard to transport; they need an incubator and special protection. If anything goes wrong on the road, they'll be ruined."

He took specialized cushioning material and a thermal bag from his backpack, carefully wrapping the three eggs. Liu Xu helped from the side, and their hands brushed against each other while wrapping the eggs.

Lin Zheng recoiled as if he had been burned, abruptly pulling his hand back.

Liu Xu's hand froze in mid-air, a flash of hurt crossing her eyes. But she said nothing, simply continuing to wrap the eggs in silence.

Lin Yun watched this scene from the side and sighed inwardly.

After emerging from the basement, Leng Bao and Luo Fang gathered around to look at the three eggs. Luo Fang's eyes sparkled. "So beautiful, I've never seen a live Monster egg before."

"Stop looking, let's move." Lin Zheng placed the thermal bag into Shen Yang's backpack. "We aren't far from the Mutant Mastiff's lair, and the adult could return at any time. We need to leave this area as soon as possible."

The group immediately packed their gear and quickly left the factory.

They didn't notice that on the top floor of a high-rise building across from the factory, a pair of ghostly green eyes was coldly watching their retreating backs.

The next afternoon, they encountered a tough battle.

It happened on a bridge spanning a canal, where a High-Level Beast General Iron-Backed Mastiff blocked their path.

This Iron-Backed Mastiff was a full size larger than an ordinary Mutant Mastiff, its body covered in fur with a metallic sheen, the mane on its back like steel needles, its limbs thick and powerful, and its sharp claws leaving deep gouges in the ground. It clearly considered this bridge its territory, and any intruder would be met with its attack.

"This beast won't be easy to deal with." Lin Zheng narrowed his eyes, sizing up the Iron-Backed Mastiff ahead. "It probably followed us from the factory. Those eggs must be its offspring."

Everyone's heart sank. The mother of the three eggs, a High-Level Beast General Iron-Backed Mastiff—this was trouble.

"Liu Xu, you and I will pin it down from the front." Lin Zheng quickly issued orders. "Shen Yang, find an opening and aim for its eyes. Leng Bao, Luo Fang, flank it from the sides. Lin Yun, provide support from the periphery; strike if you see an opening, otherwise stay back."

"Understood."

The battle erupted in an instant.

The Iron-Backed Mastiff's speed was astonishing; it lunged forward almost the moment Lin Zheng finished speaking. Its sharp claws tore through the air with a piercing whistle, aimed straight at Lin Zheng's face.

Lin Zheng did not retreat. He dodged to the side while simultaneously slashing back with his short blade, opening a gash on the Iron-Backed Mastiff's front leg. But the beast's fur was too thick; the blade only cut the flesh and didn't reach the bone.

The Iron-Backed Mastiff roared in pain and anger, turning to lunge at Liu Xu. Liu Xu's footwork proved its worth at the critical moment—she moved like a falling leaf, weaving between the beast's claws, narrowly avoiding every attack. Her sword left several wounds on the Iron-Backed Mastiff, but none were fatal.

"Bang!" Shen Yang's sniper rifle rang out.

The bullet shot accurately toward the Iron-Backed Mastiff's eye, but the beast reacted with lightning speed, jerking its head. The bullet struck its forehead and was deflected by the thick fur, leaving only a shallow bloody mark.

"Damn, this beast's hide is tough!" Shen Yang cursed, quickly reloading.

Leng Bao and Luo Fang flanked from both sides, their spear and short blade thrusting simultaneously toward the Iron-Backed Mastiff's flank. The beast whipped its tail around, the thick appendage striking like an iron lash against Leng Bao's spear. Leng Bao was shaken back several steps, his palms numb. Luo Fang seized the chance to drive her blade into the beast's flank, but the tip only went in half an inch before being clamped by the muscles.

The Iron-Backed Mastiff, feeling the pain, spun around and opened its massive jaws to bite at Luo Fang.

"Watch out!" Liu Xu's voice rang out.

Just as the Iron-Backed Mastiff was about to bite Luo Fang, Lin Zheng's figure appeared at its side. A dazzling blue light suddenly erupted from his short blade—the result of pushing the Nine-Layered Thunder Blade technique to its limit.

"Thunder Blade, Fourth Layer!"

He slashed down.

The Iron-Backed Mastiff's front leg snapped off. It let out a shrill howl, its body wobbling on three legs as it turned to flee. But Lin Yun had already moved.

He cut in from the side, his Blood Shadow Battle Blade tracing an arc as it precisely struck the Iron-Backed Mastiff's remaining front leg. He utilized the first layer of the Nine-Layered Thunder Blade technique, stacking two layers of force for power far beyond his usual capability.

The Iron-Backed Mastiff's last front leg was severed, and its massive body crashed to the ground.

Lin Zheng's second strike followed immediately, severing its head.

Fresh blood sprayed out, staining the surface of the bridge.

Lin Zheng sheathed his blade, his expression calm, but his breathing was noticeably heavier than before. Using the fourth layer of force consecutively was a significant burden on his body.

Liu Xu immediately walked to his side, reaching out to support his arm. "Are you okay?"

Her movement was natural, as if she had done it countless times. But Lin Zheng turned slightly, avoiding her hand. "I'm fine."

Liu Xu's hand froze in mid-air, a flash of hurt crossing her eyes. But she quickly withdrew her hand and turned to walk toward the carcass of the Iron-Backed Mastiff: "Let's clear the battlefield."

Lin Yun stood to the side, taking in the scene.

"Good work." Lin Zheng spoke up suddenly, addressing him. "Your timing with that blade was excellent. If you had been a second later, it might have escaped."

Lin Yun was stunned for a moment, then nodded: "Thank you, Captain."

He noticed that as Lin Zheng said this, his gaze swept quickly over Liu Xu's back before snapping away. In those eyes, there was guilt, heartache, and a trace of lingering affection that perhaps even he himself hadn't realized.

Lin Yun sighed inwardly.

Some paths, they have to walk themselves.

Shen Yang walked over, looking at the fallen Iron-Backed Mastiff, and clicked his tongue in wonder: "A High-Level Beast General Iron-Backed Mastiff—you don't see these often. The fur, fangs, claws, and bones; the full set of materials is worth at least two hundred million."

"Add in the three eggs from earlier." He counted on his fingers, "This trip, our earnings are heading toward four hundred million."

"Don't get too excited yet." Lin Zheng's voice came from nearby. "The eggs haven't hatched, and the materials haven't been sold; it doesn't count as money yet."

Even so, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

That evening, they settled into a building by the canal.

Lin Yun sat by the window, wiping down his Blood Shadow Battle Blade. There were a few faint scratches on the blade, left behind from today's battle.

"Still not sleeping?" Shen Yang's voice came from behind him.

"Can't sleep," Lin Yun said.

Shen Yang walked over to his side, leaned against the window frame, and handed him a canteen of water: "How does it feel, killing a Beast General on your own for the first time?"

"Not bad." Lin Yun took the canteen and took a sip. "Simpler than I imagined."

"Simple?" Shen Yang laughed. "That's because you're talented. Most people's legs turn to jelly the first time they face a Beast General Level monster. Being able to calmly judge the timing and choose the angle of attack—that's already very impressive."

He paused, then added: "But don't get arrogant. The one you killed today was only a low-level Beast General; its speed and strength weren't that great. Once you encounter mid-level or high-level ones, you'll see how tough it gets."

Lin Yun nodded, accepting the advice humbly.

"Brother Shen, the Captain and Sister Liu..."

"You noticed?" Shen Yang gave a bitter smile. "The Captain's leg was lost saving Sister Liu. Three years ago, during that mission, we ran into a Lord Level Iron-Armored Lizard King, and Sister Liu almost died there. The Captain risked his life to snatch her from the monster's jaws, and the price was that leg."

He paused, then continued: "Ever since then, the Captain has changed. He used to joke around with Sister Liu, but now... he doesn't even dare to look at her for too long. He feels he isn't good enough for her anymore."

"And Sister Liu?"

"Sister Liu has never changed." Shen Yang's gaze drifted into the distance. "She still likes the Captain, even more than before. But the Captain keeps dodging her, and there's nothing she can do."

The two remained silent for a long time.

"Lin Yun." Shen Yang suddenly turned his head to look at him. "Do you know why I'm telling you all this?"

Lin Yun shook his head.

"Because you remind me of myself when I first joined the team." Shen Yang said earnestly. "Talented, driven, daring to do anything. But I hope you don't make the mistakes I made. In the Wilderness Area, staying alive is more important than anything else."

He paused, then added: "Also, when it comes to matters of the heart, the bystander sees clearly while the person involved is lost. We all see what's happening with the Captain and Sister Liu, but none of us can do anything. Some paths, they have to walk themselves."

Lin Yun was silent for a moment, then nodded: "I understand. Thank you, Brother Shen."

Shen Yang patted him on the shoulder and turned to walk back to his room.

Lin Yun stood by the window, looking out at the sleeping city of ruins under the moonlight, a sense of unprecedented determination rising in his heart.

He would go further on the path of the Warrior. Not for money, not for fame—but to protect those worth protecting, and to become a reliable partner just like Lin Zheng.