Perfect Initiation

Late at night, all was quiet.

Inside the security booth, Li Jinshui had entered his Stake Standing state once more.

He no longer cared about Yao Xiaona's little interruption. Those empty words had naturally gone in one ear and out the other; if he truly took them seriously and argued, he would only end up angering himself into a lunatic.

By now, more than an hour had passed.

Li Jinshui focused intently, striving to adjust his breathing.

At last, the panel in his mind slowly began to change through the haze.

When the number jumped to 100, the entire line of text blurred for a moment before becoming clear again:

[Basic Stance Technique (Initiation)]

Boom!

At the instant the panel changed, Li Jinshui felt his heart suddenly convulse, as though a muffled boom had sounded inside his chest.

His heart then began pounding wildly, transforming into a colossal pump. Wave after wave of qi and blood surged out of nowhere, sweeping through his entire body along his limbs and bones like floodwaters released from a dam.

A pain that nearly tore his flesh apart instantly twisted Li Jinshui's face.

It hurt—hurt like hell!

This was absolutely not what Basic Stance Technique Initiation was supposed to look like.

Li Jinshui gritted his teeth and held on, his heart filled with shock.

According to the knowledge in his memories, Stake Technique Initiation should have come naturally, with qi and blood gathering like little streams, nourishing things silently like spring rain as it slowly strengthened the body.

Yet the qi and blood within him had suddenly doubled compared to when his proficiency had been at 99. Worse, it was scouring his body with such brutality.

Was this right?

Fortunately, the change did not last long. After only around a minute, that terrifying commotion subsided.

Li Jinshui's body, which had felt as if it were about to be drained dry, now produced a newborn strength from every corner, endlessly filling his body until it nearly overflowed.

That was the power of qi and blood.

His qi and blood were abundant!

This was exactly the sign of Stake Technique Initiation described in the books!

"Phew!"

Li Jinshui slowly exhaled, suppressing his surging qi and blood and completing the closing form.

Only now, feeling the brand-new changes in his body, did he belatedly remember Captain Liu's mockery from a few days ago—that he had not even reached seventy percent of the level required for Stake Technique Initiation.

So that Liu fellow's judgment of me back then wasn't wrong.

My Stake Standing proficiency has risen quickly these past few days, but my body's actual progress was still nowhere near initiation. It probably only improved a little compared to the 62 proficiency I had before falling unconscious.

But when I maxed out my Stake Standing proficiency and reached the initiation threshold, Heaven Rewards Diligence forcibly made that realm real on my body.

A gratified smile appeared on Li Jinshui's face.

He really liked this utterly unreasonable kind of force.

It felt like being back in the psychiatric hospital on Earth in his previous life, forcibly tied down and fed medicine before receiving electric shock therapy.

The process was painful, but the result truly was better.

More importantly, he could tell that this improvement had strengthened him in every aspect. There was none of the hollow, unsteady feeling of having power forcibly poured into him.

It was as if his mind had gained memories and experience of diligently tempering the Basic Stance Technique for more than a decade.

His foundation was solid, and his qi and blood surged like a tide!

"This is simply... the perfect initiation realm of the [Basic Stance Technique]!"

Li Jinshui's eyes shone brightly, his spirits soaring. "I dare say that among the first-years, excluding those rich kids who entered Stake Standing proficiency early, those who have already mastered martial skills, and those wearing equipment, I, Li Jinshui, am invincible among those at the Stake Technique Initiation realm!"

However...

Li Jinshui looked at the panel in his mind.

After the Basic Stance Technique reached initiation, it no longer displayed any further proficiency.

That was probably because he lacked the subsequent methods for practicing Stake Standing.

Back when he had just entered his first year of high school, he had only received a Basic Stance Technique initiation manual. The rest had been ordinary academic textbooks.

If he wanted to continue practicing now, he would have to spend money to buy them.

However, he was merely on leave from school and had not been expelled. If he could return to school to buy them, they would cost more than half less than at an outside bookstore.

But after seeing Yao Xiaona's mental state tonight, Li Jinshui silently ruled out any future plans of returning to school to repeat the year.

"A student ID under leave status should still let me buy Stake Standing manuals at the student discount..."

Thinking of that, Li Jinshui shook his head again.

No matter how he could buy them more cheaply, money was the most important thing right now!

He did not even have a single cent. He could not possibly practice nothing during this period and wait until payday before buying Stake Standing manuals, could he?

Bzzzt—

At that moment, the walkie-talkie in the security booth crackled with static.

Then Captain Liu's voice came through it:

"Li Jinshui, Li Jinshui, come to the property management office immediately."

"Wang Mazi, go relieve him at the south gate of the residential complex."

Li Jinshui frowned and checked the time. It had just passed midnight.

Why was he suddenly being called to the property management office at this hour, and why was someone else being summoned to relieve him?

This is bad. They're coming after me!

Li Jinshui felt something was wrong. That Liu fellow probably could not hold himself back any longer.

Most likely, they would first use polite means to dismiss him, then use force to strike once he left the residential complex!

Should I run away first?

The thought had barely surfaced before he immediately dismissed it.

The public security here could not compare to China on Earth, especially in the outer district where he lived. It was even more dangerous.

He had lived so steadily during this time only because he had stayed inside the residential complex.

Most importantly, it was already the middle of the night.

After midnight, the Drifter Gang basically called the shots outside.

If he walked out alone, Drifters would certainly surround and block him. Then whether he lived or died would become even harder to predict.

With his current strength, having only just reached Stake Technique Initiation, perhaps one or two punches would not kill him—but he probably could not withstand three.

And besides...

Li Jinshui slowly raised his head and looked toward the corner above the gate. A surveillance camera was pointed directly at this spot.

That Liu fellow was definitely watching from the property management office. If he ran out in advance, he might be playing straight into the other man's hands.

Even taking ten thousand steps back, even if he successfully escaped and was not targeted by the Drifters, how would he solve the problem of eating?

So running was impossible.

Want to fire me?

Pay me first, then we'll talk!

Li Jinshui took a deep breath, picked up the walkie-talkie and answered, then turned and walked out of the booth.

A moment later.

He arrived at the brightly lit property management lobby.

The young woman at the front desk glanced at him. Too lazy to say even half a word, she simply pointed toward the manager's office, signaling for him to go over.

"Make way, make way!"

At that moment, the automatic glass doors behind him slid open, and a fluorescent-yellow figure hurried in, carrying a delivery box straight toward the manager's office.

The door had not been shut tightly. After knocking once, the delivery rider pushed it open and entered, deftly taking several bags of late-night snacks from his delivery box and setting them on the coffee table.

Li Jinshui immediately saw the people inside as well.

Besides Captain Liu, who sat upright on the sofa, there was a middle-aged man in a suit and leather shoes. He wore gold-rimmed glasses and looked refined and scholarly. He was Manager Zhang of the residential complex's property management.

Seeing Li Jinshui standing in the doorway, Captain Liu crossed his arms, a meaningful sneer appearing on his face.

Manager Zhang, meanwhile, remained expressionless. He casually beckoned Li Jinshui over. "Little Li, come here. There's something I need to discuss with you."

"Coming!"

Li Jinshui's eyes rolled, and he immediately jogged over.

As he passed the coffee table, he smoothly scooped up a pack of cigarettes from in front of Captain Liu. He pulled one out and handed it to Manager Zhang with a beaming smile. "I'll brave boiling water and tread on fire for you, Brother Zhang."

Captain Liu's sneer instantly froze, and the corner of his eye twitched violently. Those were the cigarettes he had just bought!

Manager Zhang was also stunned by this sudden show of enthusiasm and subconsciously accepted the cigarette.

Then the two men watched as Li Jinshui slipped the entire pack into his own pocket.

The movement flowed like clouds and running water, incomparably smooth, and he did it with utter righteousness as though no one else were present.

Manager Zhang's hand holding the cigarette froze in midair. Li Jinshui's style had clearly caught him somewhat off guard.

"Ahem, there's no need to brave boiling water and tread on fire..."

Manager Zhang quickly recovered, set down the cigarette, and leaned back against the sofa. "It's just that property management has received some complaints recently. Some residents doubt your ability and have expressed strong dissatisfaction."

"What?" Li Jinshui immediately roared, widening his eyes as he put on a clumsy act of being a reckless brute. "Damn it, Brother Zhang, tell me who it is. I'll go chop her up."

That sudden shout made Manager Zhang instantly sit bolt upright on the sofa. He opened his mouth to curse, only for the words to stick in his throat.

Li Jinshui's abrupt swings from one extreme to another had left him bewildered, forcing him to turn his gaze toward Captain Liu beside him.

Was this kid mentally ill?

Before Manager Zhang even needed to ask, Captain Liu had already stood up with a dark face, pointing at Li Jinshui as he cursed. "Li Jinshui, stop playing crazy here. Your act of pretending to be mentally ill won't work on Manager Zhang. We called you here today to inform you that you're fired. Hurry up, pack your things, and get lost."

"Fired? That doesn't follow the rules, does it?" There was not the slightest surprise on Li Jinshui's face, and he simply stopped pretending.

He now understood that Captain Liu probably had not caused this matter. The resident complaint Manager Zhang mentioned was most likely real.

As for the resident who had complained, it was definitely that bitch Yao Xiaona.

"Little Li, don't hold any resentment. Since you brought up the rules, I'll handle this according to the rules as well."

Manager Zhang spoke again, his tone still calm. "Originally, you would have had to leave only after failing the assessment at the end of the month. But since the residents are dissatisfied now, it makes no difference if you leave a few days early. I'll have accounting give you a few hundred as a subsidy for your food expenses these days."

"Fine. Manager Zhang follows the rules; you're a respectable man. But..." Li Jinshui smiled faintly.

A powerful, abundant force of qi and blood suddenly spread from his body.

At the same time, his legs sank sharply. With a muffled bang, the floor beneath his feet seemed to tremble.

Everyone in the office changed expression.

"You reached Stake Technique Initiation?" Captain Liu's eyes widened as he cried out in disbelief.

How was that possible?

Just a few days ago, this kid had clearly been deficient in qi and blood, his Stake Standing still somewhat unfamiliar. How had he suddenly reached initiation?

Had he secretly taken a Supplement Potion?

"Manager Zhang, look. According to the rules, I'll definitely pass the month-end assessment, right? That means I can at least remain employed until the second assessment in the third month. If you insist on firing me now, I have no objection. It's just that, regarding my wages..."

Li Jinshui ignored Captain Liu and merely looked at Manager Zhang with a smiling expression.

Heaven Rewards Diligence had not yet given him a danger warning, proving that Manager Zhang and Captain Liu currently had no intention of attacking him—or rather, at least they should not act within this residential complex.

But the next moment, a line of phantom text began to flicker faintly in his mind.

Li Jinshui immediately dropped his smile, his gaze sharpening.

Manager Zhang also seemed to have stopped pretending. His expression darkened completely, and a vicious killing intent even flashed through his eyes.

The internship contract Li Jinshui had signed with them did not restrain them at all. Besides, the entire property management company was Manager Zhang's people. With his methods and abilities, killing a small security guard with no background would be as easy as turning over his hand.

Giving him some wages would not be difficult, but it would leave Manager Zhang in a bad mood.

If he refused to pay, though, he feared Li Jinshui might go to the hospital and cause trouble.

So the simplest method was to deal with the person creating the trouble.

But in only an instant, Manager Zhang suppressed his killing intent again.

He thought of Yao Xiaona, that female student who knew Li Jinshui.

If she asked about him someday, or mentioned him in the residents' group chat, it might draw the attention of certain interested people.

His current position had not come easily, and too many people were eyeing his spot.

If he left himself even a tiny bit of trouble over this trifling amount of wages—even if it only brought someone from the Inspection Bureau over to ask a question—the tea money needed to send the Inspection Bureau away would probably exceed this small sum.

More importantly...

Manager Zhang raised his head and glanced at the side again. That damn food delivery guy had been standing there watching the show from beginning to end!

But that was just as well.

A person who had just reached Stake Technique Initiation, receiving a sum of wages in the dead of night—once he left the residential complex, was that not like a child carrying gold through a busy market? Manager Zhang would not need to act personally at all.

"Fine."

Manager Zhang snorted coldly and leaned back against the sofa again, staring at Li Jinshui. "You signed an internship contract, so your salary is eighty percent—six thousand four hundred per month. Three months comes to nineteen thousand two hundred. Go collect it from accounting yourself, but leave the residential complex immediately after you receive it."

Nineteen thousand two hundred!

Captain Liu's eyes lit up like those of a starving wolf upon hearing that number, the corners of his mouth curling slightly.

The delivery rider's pupils also contracted slightly. He quietly swept a glance over Li Jinshui, then put away his delivery box and turned to leave.

"Oh, right, Manager Zhang."

Li Jinshui spoke again. In the end, the danger-warning text from Heaven Rewards Diligence still had not appeared.

Human hearts were truly complicated.

A bashful smile appeared on his face. "Manager Zhang, there's one more small matter. I have two sets of security uniforms. One was issued when I joined, while the other was one I bought for changing and washing. Since I'm not working here anymore, I should get refunded for the one I bought myself, right? It cost eight hundred at the original price."

"???"

Captain Liu nearly leapt up on the spot and cursed him as a beast!

But he still held it in.

He believed every cent on Li Jinshui's body now belonged to Liu in advance. There was no need to bring up such trivial nonsense in front of the manager and waste time.

"Fine. I'll refund you the original eight hundred. Hurry up and leave!" Manager Zhang had completely run out of patience. With a face full of irritation, he waved his hand.

"Thank you, Manager Zhang. May you rise step by step, and never die."

Li Jinshui beamed with delight, cupped his hands repeatedly, and left the office. Then he headed straight for the finance office.

At this hour, the finance staff had clearly been called in by Manager Zhang to work overtime, their faces full of resentment.

After a simple confirmation of the payment and completion of the resignation procedures, he handed in his security guard uniform and smoothly recovered his hard-earned money.

Nineteen thousand two hundred, plus eight hundred—exactly twenty thousand yuan!

To Li Jinshui, this was a huge sum, and it had arrived at just the right time. Many problems were no longer problems.

Even though he had truly lost his security guard job, he still found it a bit of a pity.

After all, the job might not have seemed like much on Earth, but in this world, it was a sweet pastry of a livelihood.

Starting salary of eight thousand a month, with food and lodging included. More importantly, the work was easy and safe—exactly the kind of job countless college graduates dreamed of.

"Whatever. Getting the money was what mattered most. Besides, an environment this stable doesn't suit me. I, Li Jinshui, am destined to become a powerhouse through danger that doesn't kill me. But Yao Xiaona, just you wait."

As Li Jinshui walked toward the residential complex's main gate, he pulled his old-fashioned phone from his pocket.

"And that idiot surnamed Liu... he was grinning in the office just now like he'd collected the money himself..."

Li Jinshui shook his head with a derisive snort and opened the Dart Dart Ride app he had downloaded in advance.

He chose a car and placed the order in one smooth motion.