Whoosh!
The atmosphere in the office changed abruptly.
Zhang Li and Chen Yu both looked startled. Huang Lichen's hand, which held a cigarette, jerked to a stop, and ash sprinkled down onto his trouser leg.
Even Ye Mei, who had been daydreaming off to the side, turned her head. A glimmer of surprise and interest flashed in her beautiful eyes as she fixed a meaningful gaze on Li Jinshui.
"Hahaha, now that's interesting."
Chen Yu, his hair silver, burst out laughing. He snuffed out his cigarette and stood up briskly. "Sure. This kid's got guts. I have no objections. Let's do as you said."
With that, he pulled open the office door and walked out.
"Li Jinshui. Your name sounds a little old-fashioned, but you seem like a decent fellow. Do your best." The old woman rose slowly, straightened her trendy jacket, and headed for the door as well.
After the two of them left, the office fell quiet again.
Huang Lichen rubbed his temples with a bitter expression and looked at Li Jinshui. "Are you really not afraid of dying, kid? At worst, you could quit and move to another city. No matter how unsafe the roads are, that's still better than going off to be a station chief and getting yourself killed even faster."
"Commander Huang, don't you know me by now? I don't have many virtues, but I'm loyal. Since I've taken the camp's resources, I have to do the job. I'll see it through even if it kills me."
Li Jinshui's face radiated righteousness and loyalty!
He couldn't help wondering, though, whether Old Huang had sent that message, judging by his attitude.
Never mind. It wasn't important.
Once he got all the resources, he'd ask someone in the underworld to contact Snake Ming and see if he could arrange a sea route to Southeast Asia for him to flee the country.
"Li Jinshui, do you think you can run a delivery station all by yourself?" Ye Mei finally spoke. With her arms crossed, she watched him with an amused smile.
"Of course not. I'm not an idiot!"
Li Jinshui sat back down on the sofa and spoke at length. "First, we'll need to recruit people. You'll also have to assign me a few of this year's Class B trainees. And the camp should send me some top fighters to act as bodyguards, right? Otherwise, what if I become station chief one moment and get assassinated the next?"
"You don't need to worry about that. We'll discuss it later."
Huang Lichen waved a hand, his expression turning serious. "Since you've made up your mind, starting tomorrow, I'll give you private lessons. Within two months, you'd better reach Second-rate Martial Artist strength, even if you have to crawl your way there. Got it?"
"Reach Second-rate Martial Artist strength within two months? How is that even possible?"
Li Jinshui widened his eyes in exaggerated astonishment.
He could really do it, but he couldn't let that show.
Besides, something was clearly off about today. Those four big shots obviously needed him. What a great chance to squeeze them for more.
"The four of us have pooled our own money and put together a million in funding. For now, your resources at the camp will be doubled. How much more you get depends on how you perform."
Ye Mei laid out the offer, then explained their purpose. "Windfalls don't just fall from the sky. You're a smart man, so I won't hide anything from you. We're all in the same boat now. If you die, we lose our positions. If you make it through, we'll keep backing you."
Just as he'd thought. He'd successfully squeezed them for more!
A million!
Li Jinshui only had eyes for the money. "No problem. Absolutely no problem. Consider it done! Oh, right, I have one small request. Don't give me D-grade Potions from now on. I want C-grade ones instead."
"C-grade?" Ye Mei and Huang Lichen both stared at him in surprise.
"Ahem!"
Li Jinshui raised a hand to his mouth and cleared his throat. He swept his bangs aside and gave Ye Mei a look that said, You know what I mean. "Actually, I'm rather strong in that area. I mean my drug resistance."
Huh?
Huang Lichen's eyelids shot up as if he'd caught the scent of some juicy gossip. His gaze shifted suggestively between Li Jinshui and Ye Mei.
"Let's hope you're talking about drug resistance!"
Ye Mei's face turned ashen. Her fingers clenched the edge of the sofa, and she gritted her teeth as she said coldly, "You're dismissed. Get out."
"Sure thing, babe!"
Li Jinshui tossed out his cheeky line, then pushed his Basic Lightness Skill to the limit and sprinted out of the office without looking back. Heaven Rewards Diligence had warned him that danger was coming.
The next day.
Li Jinshui was summoned to the testing room alone.
Huang Lichen gave him his new assignments.
"We're short on time and have a lot to do. You can forget about those maps for now. You've got perfect recall, so just take a look at them whenever you get the chance."
"First, just reaching the entry level in Lightning Pulse Step won't be enough. You need to get it to the proficient level within two months."
"Second, you can stop practicing Basic Stance Technique. Switch straight to Graded Stake Technique."
As he spoke, Huang Lichen took a brand-new manual from his pocket. "This is a top-grade Ninth Grade Stake Standing technique worth two hundred thousand—the Wild Ox Stake. We've deducted the cost from that million. Starting today, you'll switch to this technique."
"Switch Stake Standing techniques now?"
Li Jinshui frowned. This didn't match his own plans.
Every martial artist had to switch to a higher-level Stake Standing technique at some point. The only difference was when they made the switch.
Once someone had reached minor mastery in Basic Stance Technique, they'd laid a solid foundation and officially become a Third-Rate Martial Artist.
At that point, most people would abandon their basic technique and switch directly to a Ninth Grade Stake Standing technique. They'd pour all their resources and energy into rapidly pushing it to the proficient level, thereby becoming a Second-rate Martial Artist. This was also known as a "Ninth Grade Second-Rate Martial Artist."
If they didn't switch and instead continued to improve their Basic Stance Technique until they reached proficiency, they were known as a "Basic Second-Rate Martial Artist."
Both were Second-rate Martial Artists, but there was a considerable gap between them. A Ninth Grade Second-Rate Martial Artist had far higher Qi-Blood than a Basic Second-Rate Martial Artist.
Of course, wealthy heirs who had unlimited access to nourishing food and medicinal supplements would certainly choose the path of becoming a Basic Second-Rate Martial Artist first.
They would break through to proficiency in Basic Stance Technique, then reach the perfected level before starting over with a Ninth Grade Stake Standing technique.
Although this process took more time, effort, and money, once they also perfected their Ninth Grade Stake Standing technique, they would be known as Flawless Martial Artists. Their strength and potential would be monstrous, making them truly invincible among their peers.
This was the martial path Li Jinshui planned to take, too.
"What? Do you have a problem with that?" Seeing Li Jinshui hesitate, Huang Lichen frowned and asked.
"Yeah."
Li Jinshui nodded and didn't beat around the bush. "I'll explain it in the most straightforward, direct, no-nonsense, objective, correct, systematic, honest, concise, easy-to-understand way possible: I'm considering another possibility."
"Damn it, don't tell me you're thinking of taking the path of a Flawless Martial Artist?"
Huang Lichen immediately guessed what he was thinking and laughed in exasperation. "Young people really don't know the limits of heaven and earth. I'll be just as direct: don't even think about it."
"Oh? And why is that?" Li Jinshui narrowed his eyes. He'd expected Old Huang to react this way.
"Do you know how hard it is to become a Flawless Martial Artist? I couldn't even manage it myself."
Huang Lichen rolled his eyes, spittle flying everywhere. "To become a Flawless Martial Artist, you first have to reach Basic Second-Rate, then Basic First-Rate, and after that, start training in a Ninth Grade Stake Standing technique all over again until you perfect it. The resources alone would cost at least ten million. Do you have ten million? Do you? Huh? Do you? You've got nothing.
"The main point is, you're out of time! If you spend all your time and resources improving Basic Stance Technique, even if you eventually reach Second-rate, you'll be the weakest kind of Basic Second-Rate Martial Artist. What difference would it make from going out there to die?"
"Okay, okay, stop preaching. I'll listen to you. I'll switch to a Ninth Grade Stake Standing technique right away—immediately, this instant."
Li Jinshui picked at his ear, cutting Huang Lichen off. He tucked the Wild Ox Stake manual into his coat.
Old Huang was so long-winded. He had no idea what the protagonist was capable of.
Other people had to spend ten million because they weren't as hardworking as me.
All I have to do is work hard, eat more Exotic Beast Meat, and drink more Supplement Potion. I'm going to become a Flawless Martial Artist, no matter what.
"By the way, Old Huang, you know me. My constitution's special. I was born with a Martial Dao Sacred Body, and food supplements work wonders for me. If I want to reach Second-rate as fast as possible, even double the resources aren't enough. I'm requesting one food supplement every day."
"What's so special about you? And don't give me that Martial Dao Sacred Body nonsense! You—" Huang Lichen began to curse.
But before he could finish—
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
A series of heavy thuds suddenly came from the Blood Energy Tester beside them.
Li Jinshui finished his test, turned, and headed for the door.
"Old Huang, I'm going to the cafeteria for breakfast. Don't forget: at least one food supplement every day."
His voice faded into the distance, and he had already vanished down the hallway outside.
Huang Lichen stood rooted to the spot, dumbfounded, his eyes wide as he stared at the instrument's display.
Qi-Blood value: 503!
"Holy crap! Wasn't it only 392 yesterday? Are you really a Martial Dao Sacred Body, kid? Hey, come back..."