"Money! I have to make some serious money!"
Early the next morning, Luo Li clenched his fists in front of the bathroom mirror, brimming with energy.
After gaining power, a sense of responsibility and plans for the future had naturally settled onto his shoulders.
He not only had to grow stronger, but also build a solid material foundation for the little home he shared with Castorice.
And the fastest way to accumulate contribution points and resources was undoubtedly still the Ability Users' Guild.
"Castorice, I'm going to the guild again today to see if there are any suitable missions."
Luo Li spoke as he ate the breakfast Castorice had prepared.
"Mm. Stay safe."
Castorice nodded gently and pushed a glass of warm water toward him.
She asked no further questions, her violet eyes filled with complete trust.
"What about you? Any plans for today?"
Luo Li asked casually.
Castorice picked up the tablet beside her, a faint smile tinged with a little pride appearing on her face. "I... need to update my novel.
"My editor said today's recommendation slot is doing really well and asked me to post more chapters."
"Oh? Really?" Luo Li grew interested and leaned over to look.
The tablet displayed the author dashboard of the literary website Castorice had signed with.
Her fanfiction, titled "Phainon and Mydei: Secrets of the Cloud Stone Heavenly Palace," was prominently featured in a recommendation slot called "Rising Gems."
The review section was much livelier than it had been a few days earlier.
[Ahhhh! Your writing is amazing! This elegant, delicate prose!]
[That setup where they meet in the Hero's Bath is so good! The tension is off the charts!]
[Is the author a native of Amphoreus? Your understanding of the setting and characters is so profound!]
[Updates! More, more!]
[There seem to be a few typos, but they don't affect the story! Keep it up!]
Seeing these comments, most of which offered encouragement and anticipation, Luo Li was genuinely happy for her too.
"Look at you, Castorice! You're on your way to becoming a famous author!"
He smiled and ruffled her hair.
"Looks like you'll be earning writing royalties of your own soon."
Castorice's cheeks flushed slightly, and she gently dodged his hand, but her eyes sparkled. "I-I'm still a long way from that... but I'll work hard."
She had never been a materialistic girl. Back in Amphoreus, her only companions had been the silence of the River of Souls and the whispers of the dead.
Now, being able to write stories of her homeland through the "typing" she had clumsily learned, and receive recognition from readers in this world, gave her a sense of spiritual fulfillment and worth that mattered far more to her than money.
Of course, if she could earn some "Longxia Currency" through it and contribute to the little home she shared with Luo Li, that would be even better.
Watching Castorice sit back down at the computer and focus on her two-finger typing, Luo Li smiled, his mood lifting further.
His girl was working hard in her own way too.
He packed his things and headed to the Ability Users' Guild once again.
This time, his goal was clearer-efficient missions with high returns.
He went straight to the staff member who had handled his registration before.
"You again, Mr. Luo Li?"
The staff member looked surprised to see him. "You did an excellent job on mission B-113. The contribution points have already been credited. What would you like to take this time?"
Luo Li handed over his ID card, his gaze sweeping over the mission screen. "Do you have anything like... clearing vampire nests in specific areas, or gathering particular materials? Preferably something with clear rules on loot ownership and decent contribution points."
Now that he had [Portable Space], gathering and transporting supplies was extremely convenient.
Combined with the perception and combat capabilities of the [Spacetime] Path, he could complete missions like these with great efficiency.
The staff member searched the system and pointed to a mission. "How about this one? [Clear out the 'Iron-Eroding Ghost Mantises' at the abandoned vehicle processing plant in the western suburbs (D+/C-rank communal vampires that feed on metal and secrete acid capable of corroding armor), and collect their 'acid sacs' and 'metal cores.'
"Each intact acid sac is worth 10 contribution points, and each metal core is worth 5 contribution points, with no upper limit.]"
Iron-Eroding Ghost Mantises? These vampires were not especially aggressive, but their shells were hard, their acid was troublesome, and they usually appeared in groups. They were a headache for ordinary C-rank ability user squads, requiring considerable time and effort.
But for Luo Li...
"I'll take it!" Luo Li's eyes lit up.
They live in groups? Perfect, I'll wipe them all out at once! Gathering materials? With Portable Space, that's no trouble at all!
After accepting the mission, Luo Li wasted no time. He used [Space Folding] to make several short-range jumps and soon arrived at the abandoned vehicle processing plant in the western suburbs.
The place resembled a graveyard of steel. Mountains of scrapped cars were covered in rust, and the air smelled of motor oil and rust, occasionally mixed with a trace of sour decay.
Luo Li did not conceal his presence and strode right in.
Soon, a teeth-grating crunching sound came from all directions.
Iron-Eroding Ghost Mantises crawled out from the gaps between the abandoned vehicles. Each was the size of a large dog, resembling a cross between a mantis and a beetle, with a metallic sheen to its shell. Their forelimbs resembled sharp cutting pincers, and acid dripped from their mouthparts, giving off white fumes.
There were quite a few of them-twenty or thirty at a glance, including several larger C-rank specimens with darker shells.
"Tsk, what a textbook 'grinding spot.'" Luo Li curled his lips, and with a thought, the dark-red Enma appeared in his hand.
He did not use the hugely draining [Time Retardation]. Instead, he pushed [Super-Speed Reaction] to its limit, combining it with the unpredictable movements afforded by [Space Folding] as he darted like a phantom between the abandoned vehicles.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Every flash of Enma's blade passed precisely through a weak point where an Iron-Eroding Ghost Mantis's shell joined, or pierced straight into its compound eyes.
With Enma's unparalleled sharpness paired with Luo Li's current speed and spatial abilities, these vampires renowned for their defense were like paper before him.
When a Ghost Mantis occasionally sprayed acid, he easily dodged it or deflected it with a small subspace barrier created through [Space Folding].
The battle was almost entirely a one-sided slaughter.
In less than twenty minutes, silence returned to the entire abandoned processing plant, leaving only Iron-Eroding Ghost Mantis remains strewn across the ground.
Luo Li began expertly dissecting them for materials.
With the assistance of [Remembrance Perception], he could easily locate the acid sacs and metal cores, while Enma's sharpness made the harvesting process exceptionally smooth.
He placed the collected materials into Portable Space one by one. The final count came to 35 intact acid sacs and 42 metal cores.
35 × 10 + 42 × 5 = 350 + 210 = 560 contribution points! Luo Li calculated quickly, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.
This was even more efficient than yesterday's B-rank mission-and far less risky.
Sure enough, choosing suitable missions and matching them with suitable abilities made milking the guild twice as effective for half the effort!
When he returned to the guild's handover counter with a space full of materials, the staff member responsible for counting them stared, wide-eyed, at the materials Luo Li kept pulling from his seemingly small backpack.
"Th-this many?! You did this alone... so quickly?"
"I got lucky. They were all gathered together, so I didn't have to search everywhere."
Luo Li lied without batting an eye.
Half-convinced, the staff member finished counting and transferred the contribution points.
Looking at the soaring contribution point balance on his ID card, Luo Li felt thoroughly satisfied.
This was only the beginning.
He had already made his plans. From now on, he would specifically seek out "gathering" or "specific nest-clearing" missions like these, using his advantages to accumulate capital quickly.
That evening, Luo Li returned home with some fresh ingredients he had exchanged contribution points for and a dainty little strawberry cake.
"I'm home!"
Castorice looked up from the computer, an excited flush still lingering on her face.
"Luo Li! Look!"
She handed him the tablet. "There were so many more reader comments today! And... and tips too!"
The tablet displayed the earnings breakdown on her author dashboard. Although the amount was still small, it was undoubtedly tremendous encouragement for someone who had only just started.
"That's wonderful! I told you our Castorice was the best!"
Genuinely delighted, Luo Li set the cake on the table.
"Let's celebrate! Congratulations on our great author's first victory!"
The two shared the sweet cake and talked about their "gains" for the day.
"I took a gathering mission today and earned 560 contribution points," Luo Li reported with a hint of pride.
"That much?" Castorice's violet eyes widened in surprise.
"Mm. I found the most efficient method."
Luo Li smiled, his heart filled with a sense of accomplishment as he looked at Castorice's eyes, sparkling over her writing achievements.
Working toward their shared future in their own ways, then sharing the fruits of their efforts-this felt wonderful.
"Once we've saved enough money, we'll move into a bigger place."
Luo Li laid out his plans.
"It'll have a bright study where you can write in peace."
Castorice nodded vigorously, her eyes full of anticipation for the future. "Mm!"
(PS: I'm still writing the remaining chapter. Give me a little time-it should be posted before ten.)