The Realistic Lin Ming: Maybe You Should Leave?

The Realistic Lin Ming: Maybe You Should Leave? Deep in the Wilderness lay a stretch of severely weathered, jagged hills.

Lin Ming moved like a cheetah through the rocks and shrubs, incredibly fast yet utterly silent. Every step precisely avoided loose stones and dry branches that might make a sound. The Silver Frost Spear was strapped to his back in a specially made leather sheath so it would not hinder his movements.

About a dozen meters behind him, Xia He gritted her teeth and chased after him with all her strength.

She was already gasping for breath, her face flushed red. Sweat had soaked the loose strands of hair on her forehead, and a layer of fog covered her glasses. Her white research coat was smeared with dust and bits of grass, leaving her in a thoroughly bedraggled state.

Her stamina was clearly nowhere near Lin Ming's. She was holding on entirely through sheer stubbornness.

"Pant... pant... Lin Ming... could you... slow down...?"

Xia He finally could not take it anymore. Bracing both hands against a weathered boulder, she bent over and gulped in air, her chest heaving violently.

Lin Ming stopped atop a relatively flat boulder ahead and turned to look down at her. Sunlight filtered through a break in the clouds and fell over his expressionless face, outlining its cold, hard lines.

He neither urged her on nor went back to help her. He merely watched quietly, as though assessing the value of an object.

Only after Xia He had caught her breath a little did Lin Ming speak, his voice calm and flat. "What exactly is that 'Water of Life' you're carrying?"

Xia He froze and looked up, meeting Lin Ming's dark, tranquil eyes.

She hesitated, but then thought that he might already be her only support. Besides, he had heard the conversation back at the camp, so hiding it seemed pointless.

She straightened up, wiped the sweat from her forehead and glasses, and took a deep breath. Her expression turned serious and complicated.

"The Water of Life... is the Life Technology Research Institute's latest breakthrough, created after gathering countless resources over seven years. Its core ingredient is heart essence from Mutated Beasts above the seventh rank with powerful regenerative properties, combined with various rare catalysts and refined through hundreds of complex procedures."

"Seventh-rank Mutated Beasts?!" Lin Ming's eyes shifted slightly. Those were terrifying beings comparable to human Grandmasters of the seventh realm. Their heart essence was beyond value.

"Yes. That's why the production is so low. So far, only ten drops have been successfully made."

Xia He nodded, a trace of fervor flashing through her eyes—the distinctive light of a researcher speaking about the work of her lifetime.

"But these ten drops are tinder! They prove this path is viable! With these ten drops of the original solution as samples and catalysts, we may eventually be able to use materials from lower-rank Mutated Beasts, or artificially synthesized substitutes, to mass-produce Basic Water of Life. Its effects may be somewhat weaker, but it would still far surpass any existing healing or genetic medicine!"

The more she spoke, the more excited she became.

"Think about it. If every soldier on the front lines could be equipped with a dose of Basic Water of Life, how much would the mortality rate drop if severe injuries could be healed instantly? If it were used in genetic medicine, it might break through talent limitations and give more ordinary people the chance to become martial artists! This could truly change humanity's position in the fight against Mutated Beasts. It is hope that can benefit all mankind!"

Lin Ming listened quietly, his expression unchanged. Only after Xia He finished, and the feverish fire in her eyes gradually faded beneath the pressure and exhaustion of reality, did he slowly speak.

"So you carried this hope that could 'benefit all mankind,' got hunted down, and are about to die in the Wilderness. Yet the research institute you serve—or certain people behind it—want you and that hope to disappear together."

Xia He's body trembled. The light in her eyes rapidly dimmed, and her face grew even paler. She lowered her head, her voice carrying bitterness and suppressed anger.

"Yes... I was too naive. The Water of Life is too valuable. It touches too many people's interests. The existing genetic medicine giants, the financial conglomerates that make fortunes monopolizing high-level resources, even... certain higher-ups within the institute who want to keep the results under their control and sell them at the highest price—they all don't want it made public or widely available. They would rather turn it into a luxury for the few, or a bargaining chip for even greater power."

"So you became an 'unstable factor' that had to be eliminated." Lin Ming summed it up in a tone as calm as if discussing the weather.

Xia He nodded silently, clutching the corner of her coat so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

Seeing her like this, Lin Ming suddenly felt that she was a hassle.

This woman was carrying a hot potato capable of causing an earthquake, yet she still had the naive air of an idealist. If she stayed with him, the trouble would only grow exponentially.

"The people hunting you are after the Water of Life. The people hunting me are after the bounty."

After thinking for a moment, Lin Ming said to Xia He very seriously, "But I'd guess the people who want you dead have deeper backgrounds, greater strength, and more covert methods. After all, a hundred-million bounty is a lot, but the force capable of using seventh-rank Mutated Beast hearts for research probably has far more influence than the Chen Household of South River."

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He looked into Xia He's eyes and spoke the harshest reality in the calmest tone.

"So I think you following me may be more dangerous than me following you. Why don't... you go on by yourself? Don't drag me down."

"You!"

Xia He abruptly raised her head and stared at Lin Ming with wide eyes. Her chest rose and fell in anger, and her face reddened.

She had never expected this man to be this realistic! One moment he was asking about the Water of Life, and the next he was calling her a burden and trying to drive her away?

"Lin Ming! You bastard!" Xia He could not help cursing, her voice filled with grievance and anger.

"I told you my biggest secret! Is this how you treat me?!"

"You chose to tell me." Lin Ming's face remained expressionless. "And now that I know your secret, I think you're even more troublesome."

"You!" Xia He was left speechless, and her eyes instantly reddened. But she also knew that Lin Ming was telling the truth. Right now, she was a massive source of trouble.

Seeing Lin Ming's impervious expression, as if he might truly abandon her and leave at any moment, panic rose in Xia He's heart. She could not die here!

The Water of Life samples and crucial data were still on her! They were the life's work of countless colleagues, and the hope she believed could change humanity's fate!

They could not be destroyed by those parasites!

She gritted her teeth, a trace of determination flashing through her eyes, as though she had made some major decision.

"Lin Ming!" Xia He suddenly raised her head and looked straight into his eyes. Her voice trembled slightly with emotion. "If... if I'm willing to use the Water of Life as payment?"

Lin Ming raised an eyebrow slightly and looked at her without speaking.

Xia He took a deep breath and spoke faster. "Ten drops of the original Water of Life... I... I can give you nine! I'll only keep one for further research!

As long as you protect me and get me safely to a... safe place! It can be any official force or neutral organization willing to take me in and capable of protecting the Water of Life! Peak Martial Arts Hall, or a research institute under China's Supreme Council, would both work!"

She stared at Lin Ming intently, afraid of missing even the slightest change in his expression.

"Nine drops of Water of Life! Do you know what that means? It means nine chances to instantly recover from severe injuries! It means your cultivation bottlenecks might be broken! It might even improve your martial arts talent! Its value far exceeds the Chen Household's hundred-million bounty!"

"With it, you can become stronger! Strong enough to fear no pursuit! Strong enough to go back and do anything you want!"

Xia He had thrown out the heaviest bargaining chip she could offer. She believed that no martial artist could refuse the temptation of the Water of Life, especially someone like Lin Ming, who was in danger and desperately needed to grow stronger.

Lin Ming was indeed tempted.

Not by "becoming stronger"—he had the system—but by "nine instant recoveries from severe injuries" and "the possibility of improving his talent."

The Indestructible Asura Body was powerful, but Boiling War Blood required him to be injured, and the risk was considerable.

If he had the Water of Life as a lifesaving trump card, it would undoubtedly greatly increase his chances of survival and his margin for error in battle. As for improving his talent... even with an SSS-rank Indestructible Asura Body, who would ever complain about having more talent?

Besides, nine drops of Water of Life were indeed priceless. Protecting her to a "safe place" sounded more worthwhile than carrying this burden around forever.

He fell silent for several seconds, seemingly weighing the matter.

Xia He watched him nervously, sweat forming in her palms.

Finally, Lin Ming slowly said, "What place counts as 'safe'?"

Delight surged through Xia He's heart, and she hurriedly replied, "The next large human base city—East Forest Base City! There's a secret safe house belonging to our institute there, and only I know about it! Once we arrive, I can contact people I trust and hand over the Water of Life! Then you can take your payment and leave whenever you want!"