Chapter 100: He Is Not Fighting Alone

The conversation between Ren Zhong and Yu Jin that followed was much the same as last time. To convince Yu Jin that his praise was sincere and not driven by ulterior motives, Ren Zhong even had to put on a bit of an act.

Feigning surprise, he said, “Wow! Not bad at all. In just over ten days, you’re nearly at the level of a first-class gunsmith.”

Yu Jin, flushed from the heavy praise, scratched his head sheepishly.

...

“It’s alright; killing isn’t your fault. In life, there are always unavoidable hardships. That dissembler who died by your hand was likely part of the mech warrior faction. It was all part of their conspiracy. Or perhaps the dissembler just wanted to hoard the chip for himself — not exactly a good person either.”

Ren Zhong patted Yu Jin on the head.

Sure enough, the little guy’s eyes welled with tears again.

His tearful expression strangely overlapped with the image Ren Zhong had of that fiery demon god, creating a peculiar feeling within him.

After comforting him once more, Ren Zhong brought up the morning hunt.

Very well, everything repeated itself; the little guy was shaken to the core, frazzled and doubting everything.

Once Yu Jin calmed down, he couldn’t help but ask again, “Mr. Ren, this is for... why?”

Ren Zhong thought seriously for a moment. “Because I look forward to the day we fight side by side.”

“Huh? Fight against whom?”

Ren Zhong wanted to tell him, “Against all the injustice in this world that killed your mother.”

But in the end, he only smiled and asked in return, “Does it matter who we fight? Does fighting need a reason?”

This rather metaphysical question left the little one’s mind spinning.

He pondered for a long time. “Hmm, then it doesn’t matter. Mr. Ren’s enemies are my enemies.”

“For now, you can think of it that way. But fights do need reasons, though that’s still too far away for you. Alright, go back now, and remember, don’t miss the five o’clock sharp hunt tomorrow morning.”

“Yes, sir.”

Yu Jin turned to leave.

Ren Zhong seemed to remember something, adopting the air of a local big shot as he spoke over Yu Jin’s shoulder, “I heard many of the town’s elders have a habit—when census time approaches, they go outside town and take a ride with the Mengdu Group. Your mother is not young anymore. You should guide her well. Tell her that from now on, I’ve got your back. No matter the census results, you have nothing to fear. If the town won’t keep you, there’s always somewhere else. Under the sky, you’ll always have a place to eat.”

Yu Jin paused, then nodded firmly. “Thank you for the advice, sir.”

“Go on, go on.”

After seeing Yu Jin off, Ren Zhong checked the time—it was nearly 6:50.

He sank into his chair and connected to the network.

The final round of last resurrection’s rapid trading was done.

2,205.63 points credited to his account.

He reviewed his assets and compared them with his memory.

Ren Zhong carefully recalled that at this same time last round, he was about to seek Ju Qingmeng to splurge on a second-level exoskeleton and make some minor upgrades, spending a total of 2,800 points.

After fees, he had only 43 points left with some change.

By deduction, his net worth then was about 2,843 points.

But now, his account showed 4,067.21 points. Adding the 92 points spent on delicious takeout, his total assets came to 4,159.21.

That was 1,316 points more than last time’s 2,843.

This was no surprise; it was expected—earned gradually through intermittent efforts during multiple resurrections.

The previous effort to buy the fourth-level watch was worth it; out of the 1,316 points, as many as 1,300 were generated by the fourth-level watch alone.

Thinking carefully, wearing a first-level watch for so long and earning only a small amount was truly pitiful.

Ren Zhong lowered his eyes to the first-level watch on his wrist, feeling anything but pleasant.

He pondered a moment and made a new decision.

He adjusted his plan again: for now, no upgrading the second-level exoskeleton; first, buy the watch.

Thus, he immediately went out, registered at the supply and marketing cooperative to purchase a fourth-level watch, and paid ten points for a low-spec tablet.

Then he headed straight to the town hall to seek Mayor Madafu’s authorization for the watch purchase.

And, incidentally, to ask old Madafu for a favor.

Or rather, funding.

...

When Ren Zhong arrived at the town hall, a few elderly people, some plainly dressed, some in tatters, hesitated on the steps outside, looking conflicted and troubled.

He had seen such scenes more than once before.

Back then, he didn’t pay much attention, assuming these elders had some unspoken troubles and were seeking the mayor’s help.

Now, Ren Zhong understood—they were hesitating over registering for suicide, transferring their priority slots for temporary “wastelanders” to their families.

Ren Zhong frowned slightly and quickly entered the town hall’s main office.

Behind the counter was no clerk but Madafu himself.

He wasn’t busy, resting his chubby chin on his elbow, frowning deeply as if weighed down by worries.

He had clearly noticed the group of elders lingering outside and was struggling with his own inner turmoil.

Until Ren Zhong approached his counter, he hadn’t noticed him.

Knock, knock, knock.

Ren Zhong tapped the counter with his fingers. Madafu finally snapped back to attention and perked up slightly.

“Mr. Ren, what brings you here?”

Ren Zhong held up two fingers. “Two things. One official.”

Madafu: “Let’s start with the official matter.”

“I want to buy a fourth-level watch. I need an authorization letter from Mayor Madafu.”

“No problem.”

Within thirty seconds, Madafu sent an electronic authorization to Ren Zhong’s first-level watch.

“The second matter is personal. Is this a good place to talk?”

Ren Zhong lowered his voice, sounding mysterious.

Madafu glanced toward the door, bit his lip, and said, “Alright, I’ll leave early today. Come upstairs.”

...

In the private meeting room, Ren Zhong sipped fragrant tea and then, under Madafu’s puzzled gaze, shook things up with a bombshell.

He cleared his throat. “Mayor Madafu, I have reliable intelligence that Yang Bingzhong, the owner of Xinghuo Resources, is planning an early relocation.”

Madafu’s hand trembled slightly as he held his cup. “Xinghuo Resources is the town’s pillar industry, highly productive. Around the town, besides the White Bone Valley, there’s Rat Cliff Mountain, abandoned mines, and many excellent hunting grounds from low to high levels. Scavengers provide massive output daily to Xinghuo Resources. Even if Xinghuo Town is to be shut down, I can’t see why Yang Bingzhong would move early. First, he’d lose huge output. Second, if he leaves, all the scavengers in town would starve immediately. The town would descend into chaos. This isn’t a trivial matter. Don’t joke around.”

Ren Zhong felt Madafu’s words were familiar yet, from this perspective, conveyed a completely different meaning.

In the previous resurrection, this matter was discovered on the evening of day thirty, with old Madafu first uncovering it and then relaying it to him.

Back then, Madafu’s tone was tinged with disappointment, despondency, and some angry disbelief.

Now, it was day fifteen in the evening, and the news came from Ren Zhong himself, passed back to Madafu.

He found it hard to believe.

Ren Zhong sighed, “I wish I were joking, but it’s the truth.”

Madafu’s brows furrowed deeper. “You also told me first about the census officials. Where do you get your information?”

Ren Zhong waved his hand, “Can’t say. But I can tell you we’ve conducted thorough investigations, and the intelligence is very accurate. If you don’t believe me, you can verify it yourself. Yang Bingzhong’s asset transfers should be starting soon.”

Madafu immediately picked up on a key word. “We?”

Ren Zhong looked him straight in the eye and nodded firmly. “Yes. We.”

Madafu’s expression quickly shifted, a mix of excitement and anger flashing across his face.

The clever, portly Madafu understood: Ren Zhong was confiding in him.

Ren Zhong was not fighting alone.

He and Sun Miao indeed had a capable team behind them.

This was good.

But confirming that that wolf-hearted Yang Bingzhong really planned to move early made Madafu furious.

After a long pause, Madafu downed the hot tea and cursed, “Damn it! Yang Bingzhong’s actions mean I can’t even give the wastelanders their last bit of peace! Damn! No, time is running out.”

Ren Zhong nodded. “Yes. Time is tight.”

“How many wastelanders do you plan to take?”

Ren Zhong: “As many as possible. Do what we can, then leave the rest to fate.”

Madafu pondered. “That makes sense. Then you must act quickly and find ways to raise your reputation among the wastelanders...”

At this point, everything was under Ren Zhong’s control.

He had successfully used the information Madafu shared with him in the previous timeline to build a solid “team spokesperson” image in Madafu’s mind.

At the same time, sharing this common enemy’s intelligence further gained Madafu’s trust.

Their network of contacts thickened dramatically in just a few words, even surpassing that of day forty in the previous timeline, when Madafu revealed the existence of the “net.”

Yes, close to the point where he could borrow money.

Seizing the moment, Ren Zhong cut off Madafu.

“Reputation aside, no matter how big, it’s no substitute for money. Now, I need to make money. The elder wastelanders would sell their lives for twenty points. If I can pull out a large sum, claim to be going out for work, and lead a large group of wastelanders away, what do you think?”

Madafu did some quick calculations. “Wastelanders without combat ability face risks leaving town. Even with professional scavenger guards, large groups are vulnerable to beast attacks. This is a life-risking matter. If you pay too little, no one will come. Even elders need at least ten points each; able-bodied adults cost more. One hundred thousand points barely moves a few thousand people. How much money do you have?”

Ren Zhong shook his head. “None. After buying the watch, I’m broke.”

Madafu gritted his teeth. “I have twenty thousand in savings. When you need to move, come find me.”

Ren Zhong’s eyes brightened.

That’s what I was waiting for!

Old Madafu, brilliant as he is, was no match for Ren Zhong’s carefully laid plans and personality manipulation.

He was caught in a trap, completely unable to resist!

Ren Zhong shook his head again. “Twenty thousand isn’t enough.”

“I’ll borrow from my daughter then! She has some.”

Ren Zhong shook his head again. “No, no. I need it now.”

Madafu’s foolish idea didn’t interest him in the slightest.

Madafu was stunned. “Huh? What do you want to do now?”

Ren Zhong smiled and pulled out the tablet, speaking with devilishly seductive charm: “Mayor Madafu, have you ever heard of the stock market?”

At this, Madafu shook his head vigorously like a rattle drum. “You’re crazy! I advise against the stock market. It devours people whole, worse than the beasts!”

Ren Zhong still smiled, snapping open the tablet and pushing it toward Madafu with a beckoning gesture. “Is that so? Mayor, take a closer look.”

Madafu took the tablet, squinting suspiciously to study it carefully.

“Oh my God! You... you, you, you...”

Old Madafu was dumbfounded.

Could it really be like this?

Ren Zhong showed him his stock account.

Of course, to avoid overwhelming shock, Ren Zhong had concealed much, so Madafu could only see his five ultra-short-term trades.

The terrifying red numbers, each soaring over 40%, stunned Madafu speechless, stars spinning before his eyes.

Even though Ren Zhong only traded a single lot each time and the actual sums weren’t huge, the winning rate was deadly—completely overturning Madafu’s expectations.

Madafu exclaimed admiringly, “Mr. Ren, you’re amazing! You’ve truly mastered the stock market!”

Ren Zhong humbly waved it off, “Mastered? Hardly. My capital is small, just dabbling so as not to attract the big players. It’s just a little pastime for me, nothing serious.”

Madafu considered this, then nodded. “Fair enough. But Mr. Ren, you do have skill in this small game. May I ask how you judge these seemingly insignificant stocks that soar like this?”

Ren Zhong smiled enigmatically.

He knew the decisive moment had arrived.

Before coming to see Madafu, he had already researched, prepared a speech, and was ready.

“Let’s start with Ansheng Biotech. Here’s how I analyzed it…”

“Look at its price movement before the rise—flat, unremarkable… no surprises. But that’s a disguise; technically, you can’t detect the upward trend.”

“The news was silent too.”

“But look here: before I entered, I found a report mentioning a well-known ‘bull scatter’ account becoming active after years of silence. I investigated this investor’s habits; he loves biopharma stocks, especially ultra-small caps under three points.”

“Then look at Ansheng Biotech’s trade records at that time. The pattern of many ultra-small buys mixed with medium-sized sell-offs matches that investor’s style.”

“So I was certain. Ansheng Biotech was about to see a big move! I followed and timed my sell-off at the peak perfectly, matching his pace exactly.”

Madafu questioned, “Mr. Ren, that report had fewer than a hundred clicks, barely any attention. How did you notice it?”

Ren Zhong smiled mysteriously. “That’s why I’m different from others. Now, look at Yadi Energy…”

Ren Zhong wasn’t using flashy tricks or hype.

Anyone could do that.

Analyzing results then finding reasons for stock rises is common; everyone claims to be a stock god.

But Ren Zhong’s words carried weight because his impressive practical results were right before Madafu.

Finally, Ren Zhong concluded: “The stock market is simple. Once you grasp the real rules, you can see the small details and the big picture. Then trades of hundreds or even tens of thousands of points, as long as you don’t alert the big players, can almost always win. Of course, there are small and large plays. I’m tired of the big ones; now I prefer small ones.”

Madafu wrestled with his thoughts.

He even wondered if Sun Miao’s colleague had been stripped of citizenship because of aggressive stock trading that offended someone powerful, forcing him underground.

He thought, Ren Zhong was willing to take risks and return to the field to save the wastelanders in the town.

Old Madafu bit his lip hard. “To be honest, I actually have thirty thousand in liquid funds. But I have urgent needs next month…”

Ren Zhong nearly laughed aloud.

The old fellow had been hiding his strength, not really planning to borrow from his daughter, just showing he had some reserves.

Ren Zhong clasped Madafu’s chubby hand firmly, speaking as a comrade: “I’m very grateful! It’s settled then! Old Madafu, you lend me the money for stock trading. In one month, I’ll pay you back in full, including taxes. When the capital grows, I can’t guarantee such gains, but I’ll make a few tens of thousands at least.”

Madafu: “Alright. Thank you for your effort.”

With 34,057.21 points in hand, Ren Zhong leisurely returned to the supply and marketing cooperative.

He bought the fourth-level watch for 5,000 points, leaving 29,057.21.

He had embezzled a little public money, but it was manageable.

Then Ren Zhong headed straight to the arms market.

Tonight, he wouldn’t upgrade equipment; mainly, he wanted to catch up with the charming Manager Ju Qingmeng and talk about life and ideals.

Yes, and maybe borrow some money.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t let Ju Qingmeng test his parameters yet, or she’d be shocked by his outstanding brain response index.

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