Chapter 64: Wishes Fulfilled

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At nine o'clock at night, Zheng Tian was in her room, fervently writing down her reflections. Wen Lei, Bai Feng, and Ou Youning had already left, each heading out separately. Later, they would go straight to the communal sleeping pods. In the courtyard, only Ren Zhong and Chen Hanyu remained seated.

Ren Zhong, feeling thoroughly satisfied and invigorated, stood up and stretched. After studying for over three hours, his mind was not tired, but his legs were numb. Although the material was mostly rote memorization, he still found the trade of the dismantler intriguing. Beginning to learn from a state of having some basic understanding was, as expected, a wholly different experience from entering as a complete novice; the view before him was altogether transformed.

At the beginner’s stage, a dismantler needed to focus on accumulating knowledge. As long as one could memorize the physiological structures of various Ruin Beasts and follow the prescribed procedures, even the most mediocre efforts would yield some results—this was the threshold to entry. But at the advanced level, the importance of technique became evident. Moreover, even among the same species of Ruin Beast, each individual could vary in subtle ways; only through extensive practice and a solid theoretical foundation could one accurately discern these nuances during actual dissections, mastering each step with precision and ultimately producing perfect-grade chips.

The higher the tier of the Ruin Beast, the more complex its variations and the greater the risk involved in dismantling it. While the dismantler’s job might seem simple, truly mastering it demanded a capacity for creative thinking that even surpassed that of a mecha warrior.

Fortunately, Ren Zhong had not wasted his time last round; instead, he had made efficient use of every minute, accumulating foundational knowledge and a wealth of hands-on experience ahead of schedule. Every one of his deaths had meaning. He had become a seasoned player. His experience had been gradually supplemented by extensive reading and memory. Now, what he lacked were only the advanced techniques.

This was where Chen Hanyu, who was not just any "Level One Dismantler," could help him fill in the gaps.

Chen Hanyu removed her gloves and gazed at Ren Zhong’s back with a complicated expression. When he first claimed his talent exceeded her imagination, she had been somewhat dismissive. Yet, in just over three hours, her attitude had shifted from disdain, to surprise, and now to utter astonishment.

Often, a brief explanation from her was all it took for him to draw analogies and make connections across different categories. When she demonstrated techniques, he would only need to watch once, or at most twice, before trying it himself. The first attempt was clumsy, the second fluent, and by the third, flawless—almost as if cheating.

Her professional pride had been thoroughly dismantled by Ren Zhong. Did he call this "some background"? Was this the capacity of someone who had once been a researcher and citizen? Perhaps this was what set a citizen apart from a wastelander. Perhaps this was why citizens were citizens, and wastelanders remained wastelanders.

A sense of despair washed over her.

"Mr. Ren, someone like you—even if you’ve temporarily lost your citizenship, I believe that as long as you’re alive, you’ll eventually regain it. Your talent is enviable, whether as a mecha warrior or a dismantler. You simply chose the wrong profession before."

After a brief hesitation, Chen Hanyu spoke up.

Ren Zhong smiled. "Thank you for your kind words."

In truth, he wanted to say that his real expertise was in research, not in fighting and killing.

"If you truly plan to settle in this town, Mr. Ren, you ought to consider joining a team. Acting alone is always riskier, and you’ll have to pay a thirty percent tax on your earnings, which really isn’t worthwhile."

Ren Zhong’s persona differed from before, and he hadn’t expected that this time the person to extend an invitation would be Chen Hanyu, who was supposed to be aloof. Yet, she remained reserved, only hinting at her meaning.

Ren Zhong nodded. "I’ve considered it, but there’s no rush."

At that, Chen Hanyu clenched her teeth and spoke more directly, "Mr. Ren, is it because you’re waiting for an invitation from a professional team that you’ve been ignoring us?"

Ren Zhong’s fist tightened slightly.

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He shook his head. "No, that’s not it. I have no interest in dealing with professional teams. Rest assured, if I decide to choose partners here in town, I’d only consider your team."

Upon hearing this, the ice that had seemed eternal on Chen Hanyu’s face melted a little, and she smiled with delight. "Thank you for your trust and favor, Mr. Ren."

"No need to thank me. It’s just mutual support. Aside from your team, there’s no other scavenger group in town I trust," Ren Zhong replied with a friendly smile.

Yet inwardly, he thought, Chen Hanyu surely had her own story. She might appear cold and unyielding, but beneath the surface she harbored desires. However, her aims conflicted with her identity as a "Census Officer," so she had always concealed them well. Now, approaching him as a disgraced citizen who’d suffered injustice, her frozen heart had begun to thaw. She had started to hope for more, even taking the bold step of doing what Zheng Tian should have done.

What are you really hiding in your heart?

Ren Zhong gazed at her, a spark of curiosity flaring. As he looked at Chen Hanyu’s delicate face—her beauty magnified by the rare smile that suddenly graced her features—he found himself awestruck. It was not a matter of romantic attraction, but the pure shock of being confronted by something beautiful.

He quickly turned away, thinking, People really are more attractive when they smile.

At that moment, a door at the side of the courtyard swung open. Zheng Tian hurried over, gun in her left hand, a small notebook raised in her right, calling out loudly, "Mr. Ren, I’ve finished!"

Her face could not hide her joy. Clearly, she had completed her work long ago and had been eavesdropping on Ren Zhong and Chen Hanyu’s conversation. She was good at acting, but now that Ren Zhong had given a definitive answer, she could not contain her delight.

Ren Zhong took the items from her. "Thank you for your hard work."

"It was nothing!"

The three of them mounted the motorcycle and headed for the communal sleeping pods. The anxious young boy was waiting at the entrance of pod building thirteen.

Yesterday, he had already received three points as payment. But what he looked forward to even more was the nearly-new rapid-fire machine gun Ren Zhong had promised to sell him for just ten points. He was only one step away from grasping the chance to change his fate. He wanted it badly, but was also afraid to lose it—a classic mix of hope and anxiety.

He wondered if this important man was serious, or if it was just empty talk to motivate him to work harder. He hoped it was real, but common sense repeatedly told him that there was no such thing as unprovoked kindness in the world.

From afar, the boy saw Ren Zhong’s motorcycle roar up under the streetlights, his heart leaping into his throat. He even prayed for the gods to bless him.

The motorcycle stopped beside him. The boy raised his hand to greet them, but then saw two women alight from the back. He was utterly stunned.

These were two remarkable women: Chen Hanyu, tall, striking, and coldly beautiful; Zheng Tian, petite, adorable, her bright eyes lively and expressive. But their looks were secondary. What mattered more was that from their attire alone, it was clear they were among the elite scavengers in town. Especially the intimidating sniper rifle slung across Zheng Tian’s back, exuding a deadly aura that made the boy—just a lowly wastelander—tremble in awe.

He felt both envy and a renewed curiosity about Mr. Ren. Perhaps Mr. Ren truly meant to help him. He certainly had the ability.

"You two go up first. I want to have a word with this boy. I won’t be coming up later. See you tomorrow."

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"Alright, Mr. Ren. See you tomorrow." Zheng Tian handed the rapid-fire machine gun and the notebook to Ren Zhong, then went upstairs with Chen Hanyu, who simply nodded in farewell.

Ren Zhong thrust the gun into the boy’s hands. "Here, this is your weapon. Just transfer me ten points—it’s tax included, as promised. Take this book too; it’s about gunsmithing techniques. The baby-faced girl who just went upstairs wrote it. She’s a pretty skilled Level One Gunsmith. This might help you."

The boy took the items with both hands, stunned. Happiness had descended upon him so suddenly, he was caught unprepared.

It was true! All of it was true! Mr. Ren not only gave him the gun, he even had someone write a manual for him! He was truly being nurtured! Mr. Ren didn’t even know his name!

The immense rush of joy swept over the boy, making his body tremble. Hot tears burst from his eyes. Now he understood how thrilling it was for a dream to come true.

Gods! Was it you who answered my prayers? Did my mother’s and my suffering finally stir your pity?

He stared blankly at Ren Zhong standing ahead of him. Beneath the warm yellow glow of the streetlights, the man wore a gentle, approachable smile, his features seeming to emit a soft radiance.

Suddenly, the boy shuddered.

I was wrong. The gods in the distant heavens never answered my prayers. The true god was right in front of me. It was Mr. Ren who made my dreams come true! But Mr. Ren is a man, not a god! If there were truly gods in this world, how could we live such lives? If gods existed, they must be full of malice! There are no gods—there should be no gods! How could I have been so foolish as to pray to something so absurd?

"Th-thank you... Thank you, Mr. Ren... I... hic... I..."

Having grasped hope once more, the despair and fear that had long pressed on his heart finally found an outlet. The boy broke down and began to sob uncontrollably, covering his face and crouching on the ground.

Watching the boy’s trembling back, Ren Zhong was suddenly reminded of the gruesome scene of him lying on the ground, blood gushing from his head.

A surge of rage rose in Ren Zhong’s heart: he desperately wanted to find the burly scavenger who had killed the boy, and wring that bastard’s neck.

Damn it! You destroyed such a hope—for what? Just to swindle ten contribution points!