Chapter 36: Strict Enforcement, Enhanced Efficiency

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Because Wen Lei was not injured, history took a different turn.

Zheng Tian decided to allocate twenty contribution points from the public fund to purchase a brand-new shield for Wen Lei.

In truth, the squad suffered a loss in this matter. Wen Lei’s shield had been damaged in the battle against the Blade Mantid, while Ren Zhong walked away with the lion’s share. Yet since no one brought it up, he had no intention of compensating anyone else.

After all, the doctrine “every man for himself” seemed to be the true law of the world.

Moreover, this proved that Zheng Tian had not yet learned about the Thunderbolt Vehicle; otherwise, Wen Lei would have had to pay out of his own pocket.

The issue with the Thunderbolt Vehicle was supposed to arise around noon today, but Ren Zhong speculated that his change of mind had disrupted the squad’s return to town, triggering a butterfly effect.

Once the accounts were settled, Ren Zhong parted from the others and headed alone straight for the Mecha Warrior Training Grounds.

Though unequipped, he was now a seasoned trainee, able to train solo.

He scanned his face to request two nutrition meals from Ju Qingmeng, donned the enhanced training armor, checked his parameters, and began his regimen.

After the session, his stats were as follows:

Carrying capacity had risen from one kilowatt to two and a half kilowatts over the course of the day.

Brain response index had increased to 41.3.

Overall physical fitness index had grown from an initial value of 5.3 to 6.9.

The speed of improvement had accelerated, likely thanks to the cellular activity enhancer.

The benefits of being a “free-to-play premium warrior” were indeed extraordinary.

After four hours of strenuous practice, Wen Lei arrived punctually as agreed, ready to serve as a porter and carrier.

Upon meeting, Wen Lei was shocked to see Ren Zhong so exhausted he was bordering on collapse.

On the way, Wen Lei, curious, asked Ren Zhong about his training insights and the progress of his stats.

Receiving the answer, Wen Lei’s mind buzzed all the way.

When they reached the communal sleeping pods, the others were still awake, gathered in the room in lively discussion.

The topic was the Thunderbolt Vehicle.

The timeline had converged.

Although the squad had struck it rich yesterday, Ren Zhong was the greatest beneficiary, and the public fund had not increased much. After buying Wen Lei a new shield, it had even dropped below six hundred, just short by a dozen points.

No one asked Ren Zhong to contribute to the pool. He was still a temporary member; buying a vehicle was not his concern, nor would he agree to it, and Zheng Tian had no intention of asking.

“It’s a pity we’re not citizens and can’t get a loan. Borrowing money is a huge hassle. But I’ve already made arrangements—the seller will hold the vehicle for us, and we’re not in a rush. Tomorrow we’ll go out and fight for another day; all the earnings will go into the public fund, and that should be enough.”

In the end, Zheng Tian made this decision.

The others voiced no objections.

This revealed that buying the vehicle was not so urgent after all; the Thunderbolt Vehicle, though pricy, was not as scarce as Zheng Tian had claimed.

Her previous statements had merely been an excuse to persuade Wen Lei to pay for his own repairs and treatment.

Ren Zhong pondered and decided to join tomorrow’s action.

He had a full plan prepared.

Thanks to the cellular activity enhancer, from tomorrow onward—once his cancer was completely cured—his stats would enter a period of rapid improvement.

It was time to gain the combat power of a Level One Warrior and participate in real battles.

Simply accumulating wealth by piggybacking on Zheng Tian’s squad would take ages to reach the thousand points needed to enter the stock market.

Combat strength was the true capital for further prosperity.

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Once he possessed the ability to hunt solo, the outskirts of Spark Town at night—when everyone else was dead asleep—would become his domain.

Now, he understood that the true danger at night was not just the wild beasts, but the excessive quality of sleep.

The truly strong accumulate wealth while others sleep.

During his last resurrection, he had memorized every location from his two nocturnal hunting excursions; these would become his high-risk, fast-profit mining grounds.

He knew the routes, knew what beasts would appear along the way, and what abilities they possessed.

He would use his “foresight” to turn perilous territory—where others tread cautiously—into his own backyard for harvesting profits.

Time flew by, and soon it was nine thirty at night on the fifth day.

By now, Ren Zhong’s stats had surpassed the standards of a Level One Mecha Warrior.

After three consecutive days of hunting—even though he squandered money in the intermediate zone daily—his wealth never dipped below one hundred; he still held 117.12 points.

The main reason was that, on the fourth night, the squad finally bought the Thunderbolt Vehicle. Then, on the fifth day, at Ren Zhong’s unreasonable insistence, the squad delayed departure by half an hour.

Once the others left, Zheng Tian practiced driving in the parking lot for half an hour, then set out on a new route. After a day’s adventure, the squad earned handsomely, with each member receiving a record 11.2 points.

Everything went smoothly, but Ren Zhong still had regrets.

After tonight, the stock market guide he had memorized would expire. Not only had he not entered the stock market, he couldn’t even afford a set of Level One armor.

His pace of making money was still too slow!

But he was not discouraged.

By his calculations, his revived starting wealth had risen to ten points.

Perhaps, one day, he’d begin life as a ten-thousandaire—a thought both exhilarating and slightly bittersweet.

And those monster-hunting routes stored in his mind were also starting points for explosive asset growth.

His snowball was rolling, growing bigger and bigger.

He was like a spring; each death only brought him closer to truly soaring.

...

“Brother Ren, this Thunderbolt Vehicle is really something. I’ve been thinking all day—even though we earned well, it still doesn’t feel enough. I’ve planned a good spot for tomorrow...”

In the communal sleeping pod room, with other hunting squads present, Zheng Tian sat by Ren Zhong’s bed before sleeping, leaning close to whisper in his ear.

Ren Zhong frowned.

The crucial sixth day had arrived once more.

“You mean Mouse Cliff Mountain, right?” he whispered back.

“Yes. Looks like we’re on the same page.”

Ren Zhong shook his head, “Not wise. Bei Lihui and his gang didn’t bother us today because we left at an odd time—they don’t know we have the Thunderbolt Vehicle yet. But I doubt they’ll stay ignorant tomorrow. You know what’s going to happen, don’t you?”

Zheng Tian nodded, “Of course. But it doesn’t matter. Once we’re in Mouse Cliff Mountain, even if we split half with them, we still make a good profit. Besides, that’s the town’s rule—there’s no avoiding it.”

Seeing her calm expression, Ren Zhong realized she had already prepared herself for being squeezed before changing vehicles.

She lived both cunningly and numbly.

Ren Zhong sighed inwardly and hesitated.

Zheng Tian, ever perceptive, caught his displeasure. “But if we can avoid them for a day, all the better. Tomorrow, let’s pick somewhere farther and more secluded. We’ll go to Mouse Cliff Mountain another time when the opportunity is right.”

“That works.”

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...

Ren Zhong had not expected that, even after changing the time and place, they still couldn’t escape being fleeced.

Bei Lihui was like a bone-devouring parasite, relentlessly fixated on Zheng Tian’s squad.

On the sixth day, at noon, Bei Lihui appeared once more, riding his jet bike.

By some stroke of luck, the squad’s morning haul was mediocre, yielding only six Level One wild beasts. Three chips were taken away, paid as the day’s “tax for chance encounters.”

This time, Ren Zhong kept his emotions tightly in check, not betraying a single flaw.

The one who got scolded was Zheng Tian. “Our boss noticed you seemed to be deliberately avoiding us when you left this morning. Watch yourself; don’t let it happen again. If you want to survive in Spark Town, you’d best not imagine you can escape from our boss’s grip. Understand?”

Zheng Tian lowered her head obediently, “Brother Hui, you misunderstand, I really didn’t mean that.”

“Fine, as long as you know.”

Bei Lihui strode off.

Once he was gone, Zheng Tian returned to the vehicle, shrugged at the group, and glanced at Ren Zhong, whose expression remained impassive.

She sincerely hoped Ren Zhong would mark Bei Lihui in his census officer’s notebook.

Though they suffered at noon, fate compensated by opening another door that afternoon.

The squad’s luck exploded, with successive victories.

When their ammunition and explosives dwindled to the safety threshold and they had to return, they had dispatched three Level Two wild beasts and twenty-four Level One beasts.

The total income reached 156 points; after deducting 16 points in costs, they had 140 points in pure profit.

Ren Zhong received 24 points, raising his wealth to 144.12—just a step away from acquiring a full set of Level One armor.

At the resource recovery company, Zheng Tian could barely contain her joy.

...

After bidding farewell to the others, Ren Zhong returned to the training grounds, but this time chose the affordable beginner’s zone.

Now his stats were as follows:

Carrying capacity: 13.2 kilowatts.

Brain response index: 51.2.

Overall physical fitness index: 15.9.

At this point, his brain response index had far surpassed the standard, reaching the Level Two Mecha Warrior mark.

The barrel effect had appeared.

His other stats lagged far behind, holding back further increase in brain response.

During training the day before, once his brain response index exceeded fifty, improvement slowed dramatically.

Yesterday he tried again, and finally gave up hope.

Thus, he no longer needed to train in the intermediate zone to raise both indices; he now focused solely on physical fitness in the beginner’s zone.

Additionally, when sparring against AI robots in the enhanced training armor, he had already turned off the amplifier, fighting evenly—fully meeting the Level One Warrior standard.

Though he had yet to fight for real, his skill proficiency had already surpassed the benchmark.