Purchasing and Digesting

Arriving at the 42nd floor, Lin Fan looked around.

Unlike the noisy, bazaar-like atmosphere of the procurement zone on the floors below, this level lacked any sense of chaos or savagery.

Beneath his feet lay sound-absorbing carpet that sank in by half a shoe sole, and overhead, soft spotlights illuminated the space.

Lin Fan glanced at a display case nearest the entrance.

A battle blade shimmered with a ghostly blue luster, and a small tag sat beside it.

[Series 7 Kro Alloy battle blade "Shadow Blade", price: 28 million Huaxia coins.]

"...What a rip-off."

Lin Fan muttered to himself, his expression blank.

The HR Alliance carried almost everything available on the market, but the prices were truly terrifying.

Just then, a sales assistant wearing a high-slit cheongsam with a blue-and-white porcelain pattern approached with a cat-like gait.

Although Lin Fan was wearing cheap, off-the-rack school clothes, anyone who could reach the 42nd floor was either a rich second-generation heir or a martial artist, so there was no such thing as judging a book by its cover here.

She walked up to Lin Fan and bowed respectfully.

"Good day, sir."

"My employee number is 089. You may call me 089. Are you looking for finished battle blades or throwing knives?"

The sales assistant's voice was cloyingly sweet, enough to make one's ears go soft.

Lin Fan withdrew his gaze from the Shadow Blade and said calmly,

"I'm not buying finished products. I want A-grade alloy scrap."

"Hmm?"

The sales assistant's perfect, professional smile froze on her face; she nearly lost her composure.

Coming to the 42nd floor to buy scrap?

It was as explosive as walking into a three-star Michelin restaurant, slamming a hand on the table, and shouting, "Bring me a bowl of slop."

"S-sir, are you referring to recycled disposal materials?"

The sales assistant swallowed hard, trying to salvage the awkward conversation. "Those are industrial rejects or fragments of battle-damaged weapons. Although the material is A-grade, the shapes are irregular and cannot be used directly..."

"I know." Lin Fan interrupted her. "Do you have any in stock? If not, I'll go elsewhere."

Struck by the coldness in Lin Fan's eyes, the sales assistant shuddered, her professional instincts instantly snapping back into place.

"Yes! Of course we do!"

The sales assistant's attitude shifted immediately.

"Please, this way! The Alliance just recovered a batch of wreckage last night that hasn't been sent for smelting yet."

The sales assistant led Lin Fan to a counter on the floor and explained the situation.

The middle-aged man behind the counter, sporting a Mediterranean-style hairline, tapped his keyboard rapidly.

"A-grade mixed alloy scrap. Since you are a friend of Master Tianhai, I'll give you a unit price of 9,500 per kilogram."

"You want one ton, so the total is 9.5 million."

Lin Fan didn't even blink as he made the payment.

Beep.

Payment successful.

After paying, Lin Fan instructed,

"Fill in the address. Send it to No. 199, Bright Moon Residential Quarter, Yi'an District."

"Very well, Mr. Lin! I will arrange a dedicated transport vehicle immediately!"

Having secured his "staple food," Lin Fan headed to the comprehensive supply zone nearby.

"Give me five sets of intermediate genetic nutrient solution."

Lin Fan pointed to the test tubes in the display case that radiated a pale golden halo.

"And 20 boxes of premium high-energy nutrient bars. Get the ones that taste better."

Lin Fan added.

"Certainly, sir!"

The clerk scanned the items and packed them with practiced efficiency.

"That will be 2.54 million in total."

Beep.

Payment successful.

Lin Fan checked his account balance; it had plummeted from over ten million to just over nine million.

"Looks like I can't afford any high-end combat suits."

Finally, Lin Fan stopped at the protective gear section.

His gaze skipped over the armor that cost hundreds of millions and eventually locked onto a dark gray combat suit.

"D5 series, B-grade combat suit, size 185."

Lin Fan pointed to the one on the mannequin.

B-grade meant it could withstand the biting of an intermediate beast general without breaking; for his current strength, it was sufficient. Besides, he could recycle it later, so he wouldn't lose much.

"6.8 million. I'll throw in a tactical backpack for you."

Beep.

Payment successful.

When he walked out of the HR Alliance building, Lin Fan checked the balance on his phone.

[Current balance: 2,261,400.00 yuan]

In just half an hour.

A massive fortune of nearly twenty million had been spent down to a fraction.

"This feeling of money flowing like water..."

"It feels damn good."

Half an hour later, at the entrance of Bright Moon Residential Quarter.

A taxi slowed to a stop at the gate.

"Young man, you can't just stop anywhere here. This is Bright Moon Residential Quarter..."

The driver kindly reminded him, his eyes filled with a hint of awe.

"I know."

Lin Fan paid the fare, grabbed the pile of priceless supplies, and calmly pushed the door open to step out.

"Hello, please show your identification."

The sentry at the gate looked at the unfamiliar youth and spoke politely.

Lin Fan didn't speak; he simply pulled his ID card from his pocket and gave it a casual wave over the access sensor.

"Beep! Quasi-Martial Artist Lin Fan, welcome home."

Swish!

Several armed sentries instantly stood at attention and performed a synchronized military salute.

The taxi hadn't gone far, and when the driver saw this through his rearview mirror, his eyes nearly popped out of his head; he almost slammed the brake instead of the gas.

"Good heavens... such a young Quasi-Martial Artist?!"

Lin Fan returned the salute, picked up his belongings, and strode into the residential area under everyone's gaze.

Arriving in front of Villa 199.

Lin Fan looked at the grand villa and couldn't help but sigh.

"Tsk tsk, this is the difference status makes."

Following the fingerprint unlock, Lin Fan pushed the door open and entered.

What met his eyes was a luxuriously decorated room, far better than the doghouse his predecessor had lived in.

"Now this is more like it."

Lin Fan tossed the pile of nutrient solutions worth millions onto the leather sofa and walked to the center of the living room.

There sat a massive metal crate that had just been delivered by the HR Alliance's dedicated transport.

With a thought, Calamity instantly appeared in his hand.

He kicked the lid of the metal crate open, revealing the pile of silver-gray alloy scrap inside.

Then, he gripped Calamity with one hand and plunged it directly into the pile of metal.

Sizzle—

It was like a hot knife cutting through butter. The incredibly hard A-grade alloy, the moment it touched the scythe, softened like melting ice and snow, turning into wisps of silver-gray liquid light that surged frantically into the blade.

As a large amount of metal was devoured, a layer of dark purple patterns began to emerge on the originally pitch-black blade, and the edge became even thinner and sharper.

Lin Fan could clearly feel the weapon in his hand growing heavier.

Ten minutes later.

A full ton of alloy was gone, not even a scrap remained.

A line of data that only he could see popped up before Lin Fan:

[Devouring complete]

[Material: Series 3 alloy (99% purity)]

[Growth progress: +10% (Total progress 23.5%)]

[Current weight: 4,900 kilograms]

4,900 kilograms!

Nearly five tons of weight!

If he smashed this into a monster, even without the blade, he could crush an Iron-Bristled Wild Boar into a pulp!

Lin Fan swung the scythe with one hand.

Whoosh—

The air was torn apart instantly, emitting a low, explosive boom.

"A weapon weighing nearly five tons..."

Lin Fan looked at the murderous weapon in his hand, which now radiated a dark purple luster, and the corners of his mouth curled upward.

"Now, if I go back to the Wilderness Zone, even if I run into an intermediate beast general, it'll be their turn to run."