Get Lost

"You're awake?"

Meng Xuanxuan walked in just then and saw Tang Yu trying, but failing, to sit up.

"You actually dared to enter Ruins City alone. Weren't you afraid of dying in there?" In Meng Xuanxuan's eyes, anyone who wasn't a Force warrior was simply courting death by entering Ruins City.

"Cough, cough... I've been short on money lately, so I wanted to make some extra cash." Tang Yu felt a little embarrassed saying that. Since the start of this year, the father he hadn't seen in three years had stopped sending him living expenses. Otherwise, he never would have agreed to modify Meng Xuanxuan's mech for her.

"Short on money? You're not short on money anymore! Two D-class mechs and materials from all those level-one and level-two mutant creatures add up to more than a million!"

"What exactly happened?" Meng Xuanxuan asked. She had been in class when she received Tang Yu's call for help. When she tried to ask for details, there had been no response from the other end.

Hearing her question, Tang Yu told her what had happened to him, leaving out the part about the black crystal.

"There were even robbers?" After hearing Tang Yu's story, Meng Xuanxuan found it rather incredible. She had thought there were only interstellar pirates out in the vast starry expanse.

Tang Yu ignored her remark. A rich young lady like her would probably never understand.

"What do you need so much money for?" Meng Xuanxuan was puzzled. She had seen Tang Yu's Wolverine mech, which was worth over ten million. Could someone who could afford something like that really be short on money? Still, she didn't ask those questions.

"My gene count has reached 99. What do you think I need it for?" Tang Yu countered.

"Oh, I know. You want to buy a Gene Enhancement Serum, right?"

A gene count of 99 was a threshold. Taking one step further meant becoming a Force warrior, with a clear genetic transformation that generated Force within the body.

"But even that much money won't be enough."

Tang Yu fell silent at her words. A Gene Enhancement Serum cost around 1.8 million, while he was still short by seven or eight hundred thousand.

"I'm curious. How did you kill those two people when you were so badly injured?"

"Secret." Tang Yu's eyes narrowed as he spat out two words.

"How are you feeling?" Knowing that Tang Yu didn't want to talk about it, Meng Xuanxuan wisely didn't press him further.

"I feel much better now." As he spoke, Tang Yu slowly sat up again. He still wasn't fully adjusted, but he was much better than before.

"You should have training equipment here, right? I want to do some recovery training."

"You're so badly hurt. You should rest first!" Meng Xuanxuan gave Tang Yu a strange look, feeling that this guy was a little insane.

"I'm fine. Take me to your training room."

Following Meng Xuanxuan into the training room, Tang Yu sighed inwardly. The equipment here really was far better than what he had at home.

He set up the speed tester, then took a running start. His body shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, accelerating wildly. A few seconds later, he landed, slowed down, and stopped. Tang Yu glanced at the data. One hundred meters in 5.3 seconds. That was a little disappointing.

"You haven't recovered yet. That's already a good result." Seeing the dejected look on Tang Yu's face, Meng Xuanxuan tried to comfort him.

Tang Yu nodded at that. It was true. He should warm up with some punches first.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

He threw punch after punch, each strike registering over 1,500 kilograms.

"Whew..." About ten minutes later, Tang Yu let out a long breath and stopped training.

"My god! How did you manage 1,500 kilograms of force?" Meng Xuanxuan's face was filled with shock. Gene count determined the upper limit of a person's attributes. Generally speaking, someone with a gene count of 99 could only barely reach four digits in punching force, yet Tang Yu had already far surpassed that value. And judging by his expression, he didn't even seem satisfied with the result.

"What's your limit?" Meng Xuanxuan hurriedly asked.

"1,730. 4.21."

"Oh my god! Your strength has already surpassed that of a Force warrior, and your speed is only 0.21 seconds short. What about mental strength?" A Force warrior was judged mainly by three criteria: strength above one thousand, speed breaking four seconds, and a mental strength test lasting over an hour.

"I've never tested my mental strength. I can't afford that thing. You should have one here, right?" Tang Yu turned to Meng Xuanxuan and asked.

"Want to try?" Hearing that, Meng Xuanxuan walked over to a rounded shell about the height of a person, opened its hatch, and spoke to Tang Yu.

"If you can't hold on, stop resisting. The system will shut down automatically. Otherwise, it'll keep getting stronger!" Before closing the hatch, Meng Xuanxuan kindly reminded him. Tang Yu ignored her, which irritated her. She had kindly brought him back and saved him, yet he hadn't even said thank you.

After putting on the testing helmet, Tang Yu's vision went black, followed by a blinding white. Then he could clearly feel that an expressionless figure had appeared in his mind, with him inside that space as well. The moment it appeared, the faceless figure attacked Tang Yu. Its fists were like mountains, its whipping kicks like the wind. Tang Yu could only barely defend himself. But the figure's strength and speed kept increasing, and gradually Tang Yu could no longer withstand it. He could only resist with all his strength... Until, in the end, he no longer even had the strength to resist and could only take the blows passively. At that point, the system stopped, and the faceless figure vanished.

When Tang Yu removed the helmet, he was drenched in sweat, his body covered in bruises as though he had truly been beaten. In fact, it was a reaction created by his own brain. His thoughts had deceived his nerves, causing this effect.

"How long?" Tang Yu ignored his physical condition and asked Meng Xuanxuan.

"Twenty-two minutes. Without undergoing genetic modification through a gene serum, that's already an excellent result!" Meng Xuanxuan was telling the truth. The most powerful function of a gene serum wasn't increasing a person's speed and strength, but changing the fundamental nature of their genes. Only an improvement in one's essence could bring a qualitative leap. That was something training simply could not achieve.

"Gene serum..." Tang Yu sighed. It seemed he could only earn money by fighting illegal matches at the underground arena.

"Thanks for helping me this time. I'll treat you to a meal when I get the chance!" The meaning was obvious: Tang Yu was preparing to leave.

"You have the chance now. Let's go to the Shangri-La Hotel!" Meng Xuanxuan said with a grin.

"Pick somewhere else. I can't afford that place!" Tang Yu replied irritably. She clearly knew he was broke, yet she wanted to go somewhere so upscale. Wasn't she obviously trying to fleece him?

"Don't worry. I'll help you sell those things, and we can just deduct the money from that!" Meng Xuanxuan said smugly. Only then did Tang Yu remember that his mech and spoils were still with Meng Xuanxuan.

"Don't sell my mech off cheaply too. I spent nearly ten million getting that thing! You have to return it to me afterward!" Tang Yu hurriedly said.

"Come on, come on! You're so long-winded!" Meng Xuanxuan said as she pushed Tang Yu out of the training room.

The Shangri-La Hotel was the best hotel in Suhang City, bar none. Whether it was the setting, atmosphere, or service, it was all first-class. It was Tang Yu's first time in a place like this. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows on the top floor, the beautiful scenery of Suhang City stretched out before his eyes. Tang Yu couldn't help sighing. Rich people really knew how to enjoy themselves.

"Xuanxuan?"

The two were chatting when someone called Meng Xuanxuan's name. Tang Yu looked up and saw Yuan Chengkong, a man nearly two meters tall. Tang Yu knew him too. He was also a senior at First High School, though not in the same class.

"Mind if I join you for a meal?" Without waiting for either of them to answer, Yuan Chengkong had already taken a seat as though he were the host.

"Yes, I mind." Meng Xuanxuan looked up at the burly man and replied coldly.

Tang Yu sat to the side without saying anything, looking entirely unconcerned.

"Hey, you. Move aside. I have something to discuss with Xuanxuan." Yuan Chengkong ignored Meng Xuanxuan and turned to Tang Yu impatiently.

Tang Yu hadn't wanted to make trouble, but this guy was trying to chase him away. That made him unhappy.

"Get lost!" When Tang Yu got angry, the consequences were serious.

Yuan Chengkong's face turned the color of liver at those words, while Meng Xuanxuan was delighted. She hadn't expected Tang Yu to be so domineering, directly telling Yuan Chengkong to get lost.

"Kid, don't push your luck!" If they hadn't been in the Shangri-La Hotel, where fighting was forbidden, Yuan Chengkong was certain he would have already torn the guy in front of him to pieces.

"I told you to get lost. Are you deaf?" Tang Yu rolled his eyes at Yuan Chengkong. He hated it when people spoke to him in such a condescending tone. If Meng Xuanxuan hadn't been watching, Tang Yu was certain he would have thrown Yuan Chengkong straight out of here.

"Gentlemen, this is a place to eat. Please don't make a disturbance!" Just as the two glared furiously at each other, the manager, who had rushed over after hearing the commotion, quickly tried to mediate. Whether they were powerful officials, wealthy nobles, or major family conglomerates, no one dared cause trouble here.

Sure enough, the moment the manager spoke, Yuan Chengkong no longer dared act up. After all, he was in the wrong.

"I'll remember you!" Yuan Chengkong stood and left, throwing out that threat before he went.

"Tang Yu, you should be careful. I heard Yuan Chengkong just achieved ten consecutive wins at the underground arena a few days ago!" After seeing Yuan Chengkong leave, Meng Xuanxuan solemnly warned Tang Yu.

"You helped me so much. It would seem wrong not to repay you." Tang Yu smiled slightly. Yuan Chengkong hadn't affected his appetite at all. Hearing Meng Xuanxuan mention his ten-win streak at the underground arena, Tang Yu suddenly thought of a good place to go.

"You finally remembered to repay your lifesaver!" Meng Xuanxuan rarely got this excited. She hadn't expected this guy to have such a conscience.

"How are you going to repay me?" Meng Xuanxuan looked at Tang Yu curiously.

"I'll take you somewhere fun!"

That piqued Meng Xuanxuan's curiosity. Somewhere fun?