At Qingshan City No. 1 People's Hospital, the smell of disinfectant filled the air.
In a first-class hospital room.
So many bouquets of flowers had been piled up that they spilled into the hallway. Most of the city's prominent organizations had sent representatives to visit Ning Chuan.
Camera flashes went off nonstop as reporters covered the entire event.
Ning Chuan cooperated fully, wearing a picture-perfect smile and offering thanks that sounded utterly sincere.
It wasn't that he cared about his image.
It was simply that these organizations had given him far too much.
Qingshan No. 1 High School: two vials of Hundred Beasts Nutrient Solution!
The mayor's office: one hundred thousand yuan in cash!
The Education Department: one vial of Hundred Beasts Nutrient Solution!
The Youth Fund for Courageous Action: one hundred and fifty thousand yuan!
The representatives all knew how to read the room. Seeing that Ning Chuan was injured, they didn't linger. After a few words of praise and a group photo, they took their leave.
A little over an hour later, they had all gone.
Only Zhou Wei remained to help look after him.
"Whew!"
Ning Chuan let out a long breath and rubbed his cheeks, which had nearly stiffened from smiling.
Making money wasn't easy!
Still, if he got another opportunity like this in the future, that would be wonderful.
He'd made money lying down!
"Hiss..."
Ning Chuan accidentally moved too much and tugged at his wounds, making him suck in a sharp breath.
Once the danger of death had passed, he relaxed, and the pain of his injuries began to emerge. He could feel it clearly, and it was hard to ignore.
He had cultivated Vajra Body to a considerable level, but against Force's killing power, it still fell somewhat short. His injuries were serious.
Beside the hospital bed, Zhou Wei saw Ning Chuan move, and a trace of apology appeared in his eyes. "I'm sorry. This was my fault. I couldn't get there sooner."
Not long after he left, someone had called the police.
However, each district of Qingshan City had its own police department, and they operated independently of one another. He hadn't received word immediately, and by the time he rushed back, it was already too late.
"It's all right." Ning Chuan waved a hand and smiled. "I gained a great deal because of it, too."
In that battle,
his Gale Step and Flash Thunder Slash had both advanced to the Perfect Realm.
If he had cultivated them normally, who knew how long it would have taken?
In addition, his state of mind had been tempered in that life-and-death struggle, becoming more resilient.
Zhou Wei thought Ning Chuan was talking about the police department's reward. "The one million isn't a problem, but the spot at the Mountain and Sea Genius Training Camp..."
A troubled look appeared on Zhou Wei's face.
Ning Chuan raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Whatever it is, just say it. I'm mentally tough; I can handle it!"
He had beheaded Zhao Weiping before the eyes of millions of Qingshan City's residents. The police department would never dare go back on its word.
Zhou Wei lowered his voice. "Some officers watched the butcher shop's surveillance footage and concluded that you were only able to kill Zhao Weiping because Lu Mengyue had already seriously injured him.
"Lu Mengyue played a crucial role.
"So they think you should get the one-million-yuan reward.
"As for the spot at the Mountain and Sea Genius Training Camp, it should go to Lu Mengyue."
"Of course, anyone with eyes can see that you personally killed Zhao Weiping, so your contribution was definitely greater!"
Zhou Wei spoke indignantly, then sighed.
"It's just that you might not know this, but Lu Mengyue's Lu Family is very influential in Qingshan City. They can sway the police department."
Ning Chuan frowned slightly. "Has the Lu Family stepped in?"
If they really had, it would be rather like repaying kindness with ingratitude.
"Not at all."
Zhou Wei shook his head and said frankly, "As far as I know, those officers are just trying to curry favor with the Lu Family."
"In that case, let Lu Mengyue have the spot at the Mountain and Sea Training Camp. I don't mind."
Ning Chuan shrugged.
He really wasn't lying.
He didn't value the Mountain and Sea Genius Training Camp as much as other people did.
The two most difficult things about martial cultivation were advancing one's cultivation realm and cultivating martial techniques.
Neither posed any problem for him.
What he needed most were resources and martial techniques.
He had spent some time with Lu Mengyue, and given her character, if she got the spot at the Mountain and Sea Genius Training Camp, she would certainly give him compensation of equal value.
"So that's what you think of me? Someone who loves taking advantage of others!"
A faintly displeased voice came from the doorway.
Lu Mengyue sat in a wheelchair, glaring crossly at Ning Chuan as Lu Zhan pushed her into the room.
Ning Chuan smiled. "I mean it. The Mountain and Sea Genius Training Camp wouldn't be much use to me.
"Of course, I know you'd feel bad about it.
"So please, drown me in money!"
"You can keep it for yourself!"
Lu Mengyue rolled her eyes. "My priority right now is advancing to martial artist. I only helped the police to find an opportunity to break through. I never intended to go there in the first place."
"What a shame. I was hoping to take the chance to shake you down!"
Ning Chuan shook his head regretfully.
Seeing that their conversation had paused, Zhou Wei raised a hand in salute and said solemnly, "Greetings, Knight Lu!"
"Mm."
Lu Zhan had never been a man of many words, and he merely nodded.
Then Lu Zhan looked at Ning Chuan. "Mengyue told me you saved her life. I owe you a favor."
Ning Chuan smiled. "I'm Lu Mengyue's classmate. Saving her was only natural."
Lu Zhan didn't waste time on pleasantries. After their brief conversation, he asked Ning Chuan for his phone, took it, and left a number.
"If you need anything, you can come to me."
Lu Zhan didn't specify what kind of need.
Yet Zhou Wei's expression changed, and he looked at Ning Chuan with boundless envy.
In Qingshan City, as long as Lu Zhan wanted to do something, there was almost nothing he couldn't accomplish.
That brief promise was practically a wish-granting machine!
Ning Chuan froze for a moment, realizing that Lu Zhan's earlier promise hadn't been mere politeness.
His state of mind had been elevated, but that only meant it had grown stronger.
It didn't mean he had risen above worldly concerns.
When a powerful backer presented himself, he still had to latch on.
"Uncle Lu, then I won't stand on ceremony!"
Ning Chuan took back his phone and smiled faintly.
It wasn't that he liked currying favor.
He could see it clearly.
Lu Zhan had left his contact information himself, and the name he'd entered was Uncle Lu. Clearly, he regarded Ning Chuan much like a junior.
Lu Mengyue rolled her eyes at Ning Chuan. "Uncle Lu? Someone sure knows how to climb up a snake by following the stick! Why don't you call him godfather while you're at it?"
Ever since Ning Chuan had saved her, she had grown much more familiar with him without even realizing it herself.
"Uncle Lu, may I?"
The group laughed and chatted casually for a while, and before long, the Lu father and daughter left.
Lying in his hospital bed, Ning Chuan began tallying up the day's gains.
Hundred Beasts Nutrient Solution: nine vials!
Cash and checks: one million seventy-five thousand yuan!
The police department still owed him another million.
His bank account balance was six hundred thousand yuan.
Ning Chuan did the math in his head and was startled by the result.
Nearly five million!
If he spent it carefully, it would be enough even for a full-fledged martial artist!
For the time being, he wouldn't have to worry about money anymore.
In that case, it's time to switch to another breathing technique!
Ning Chuan thought to himself.
Breathing techniques of different grades had a certain difference in their tempering effects.
Take today, for example. If he had cultivated an S-rank breathing technique that excelled in endurance, he wouldn't have had to risk forcing a kill on Zhao Weiping. He could simply have used Gale Step to dodge.
But there aren't any S-rank breathing techniques on the market!
Ning Chuan felt some regret.
The S-rank breathing techniques held by private factions were never shared with outsiders.
No amount of money could buy them.
They were the foundation that gave those factions' descendants a head start at the starting line.
The Federal Government also possessed several and didn't keep them to itself, but they required merit points to obtain.
He had earned quite a few merit points for killing Zhao Weiping.
Even so, compared to the number required for an S-rank martial technique, it was a cup of water on a burning cart of firewood.