Chapter 81: If Not Buried in Mud, Then Blooming Gloriously Beneath the Scorching Sun

"What did Lin Wang and Mr. Ren talk about?"
As they walked along the road, Zheng Tian asked casually.
Lin Wang was someone everyone kept a wary eye on, so Zheng Tian knew her question wasn’t abrupt.
Ren Zhong was frank, saying, "He tried to win me over, even wanted me to start my own team. He also gave me some pointers from a professional’s perspective."
Zheng Tian’s hand tightened on the steering wheel. "Uh... And you, Mr. Ren..."
Ren Zhong shook his head. "I politely declined. Out of all the scavengers in town, I only trust you all. Besides, he’s short on people now, that’s why he’s extending an olive branch. But once his affiliate teams recover to six, he’ll likely be the first to poison that olive branch."
"That’s true," Zheng Tian replied, though a heaviness lingered in her heart.
With Ren Zhong’s capabilities, he could easily set up shop and recruit teammates, openly stating he’d take ninety percent, leaving the rest to split ten—no one would object.
Many in town have some strength but lack opportunity, and would flock to him.
In just a few days, everyone had felt the gap.
Now, everyone was striving to catch up, but the harder they chased, the more they realized the gap was insurmountable.
With the topic open, among those in the car, only Ju Qingmeng felt truly at ease.
Starting a small team?
What a joke.
With his arsenal of countermeasures, he could face a Level Three Void Beast alone.
Like last night, that bloodthirsty giant mosquito, which ordinary teams couldn’t even dream of defeating—or escaping—didn’t last three minutes under his hands.
Before he acted, he set up a powerful infrasound generator on the ground, hid himself away, tuned the frequency to a specific value, then switched it on.
The bloodthirsty giant mosquito, usually patrolling its territory and draining anyone it caught, immediately seemed bewitched, changing direction and charging straight at the generator.
Before it got close, it began to stagger as if drunk—the closer it got, the more violently it shook.
Meanwhile, Ren Zhong remotely increased the generator’s power, explaining, "Among Level Three Void Beasts, the bloodthirsty giant mosquito is nearly flawless. But facing prey with red blood, it becomes helplessly greedy. A specific frequency of infrasound disrupts its nervous system, making it think there’s delicious prey here and rush over uncontrollably. At the same time, the sound causes over eighty percent of its tissues to resonate, eventually detonating it."
Sure enough, when the mosquito was about 1.5 meters from the generator, an explosion sounded from within, its abdomen bursting with blood—whose, no one could tell—killing it instantly.
Almost at the same time, the single-use generator overloaded and broke down.
He then nonchalantly walked out and easily dismantled the beast for its chip.
At the time, Chen Hanyu dismantled while mentally bleeding.
She knew the physiology of the bloodthirsty giant mosquito perfectly and suspected it could be affected by infrasound.
But neither she nor Zheng Tian imagined a tiny device worth only forty points could so easily destroy a Level Three Void Beast worth 140.
He really was that relaxed facing Level Three beasts!
Besides, even with more Level One teammates, they couldn’t handle Level Four.
Why would he need teammates at all? For what purpose?
By then, Chen Hanyu’s secret resentment at Ren Zhong for hiding the Thunder Car from Zheng Tian and the others had vanished.
Such a Mr. Ren still spent his days laboring alongside everyone—what generosity and loyalty!
Every decision he made must have its reason, always for the good of the group.
Compared to him, Zheng Tian seemed too pragmatic and petty, even worrying he might abandon them.
If he wanted to, he’d have left them long ago—why wait until now?
Sigh.
They just don’t understand him.
He keeps a distance in words and demeanor, but shows the most fitting tenderness where no one sees.
Living in darkness, Chen Hanyu never expected such a person could exist.
He was like a quietly floating sun in the sky, warming those around him without ever announcing his goodness.
Chen Hanyu’s heartbeat gradually sped up.
...
On the road, Ou Youning casually brought up the topic of professional certification.
Though they’d already decided to give up tonight, disappointment was obvious on everyone’s faces.
A Level One certified professional could claim 0.5 points daily from their wristwatch; Level Two professionals could claim 2 points—a fourfold gap, amounting to a monthly difference of 45 points.
That sum wasn’t small—anyone would feel the pinch.
Seeing this, Ren Zhong volunteered, "Since everyone’s changing gear tonight and will need to reveal some abilities, let’s go all out this afternoon—I’ll lead you to challenge a Level Three Void Beast! Let’s aim for a total team income of over 150 today!"
Zheng Tian exclaimed, "What! Level Three? No way, there’s no pro team around as backup! It’s different now—yesterday’s Level Threes were already wounded by pro teams. The high-level ones were taken out first. We can’t force it."
Ou Youning shrieked, "Level Three Void Beast? Are you joking, bro?"
Wen Lei said, "Uh, I think it’s too much—maybe we should hunt a couple more Level Twos instead?"
Bai Feng said nothing, but his hands trembled.
"When have I ever joked?"
Ren Zhong replied with a smiling squint.
Silence fell.
Unconsciously, the cargo van sped up, Zheng Tian pressing harder on the gas.
Since Ren Zhong started hunting with the group again, he’d always held back, never aiming to confront a Level Three beast head-on—so everyone was both excited and nervous.
Only Chen Hanyu turned awkwardly to look out the window.
Everyone’s just too honest.
...
At two thirty in the afternoon, after a morning of idling, the well-rested Ren Zhong finally showed his power.
"Up ahead are three—one Level Three Beam Snail, two Level Two Steel Shell Snails. You all understand their traits, right?"
Everyone: "Understood."
"Zheng Tian, you’ll shoot to lure one Steel Shell Snail. Remember to run toward rough terrain, up the nearby slope. Its rolling speed isn’t fast—just keep running and don’t look back, it won’t catch you."
Zheng Tian: "Okay!"
"Bai Feng, you take the other Steel Shell Snail toward the explosive trap. Ou Youning, set your three jet armor-piercing mines—focus fire for maximum effect. After the explosion, Wen Lei, go in with your shield and take it head-on. Bai Feng, circle around and attack only the hole made by the jet mine. As for the Beam Snail, leave it to me. Ou Youning, give me all your smoke bombs—ten, right?"
Ou Youning: "Yes, bro."
"Alright, that’s the plan. Ready, move out!"
Before leaving, Zheng Tian asked, "Mr. Ren, the Beam Snail’s energy index is near 400, its antenna beam strength between 350 and 400. Are smoke bombs really enough? Is it safe?"
Ren Zhong smiled. "As long as I control the distance, smoke bombs can reduce its beam energy below 200. My exoskeleton’s reactive armor can handle it—just as long as it doesn’t hit the same spot twice in a row."
"Okay. Be careful."
"You too."
Five minutes later, as Zheng Tian returned with the boulder-like Steel Shell Snail, Ju Qingmeng was already dismantling the Beam Snail’s chip.
Ren Zhong, armor scorched with three or five burn marks, leapt up lightly and caught the Steel Shell Snail behind her.
Watching Ren Zhong wield his heavy arc saber, blue light flashing like a hurricane, Zheng Tian instantly understood why he’d made it out of Bone Valley alive yesterday, even picking up two extra chip storage boxes along the way.
Mr. Ren’s real combat power had already reached and surpassed that of an ordinary Level Two mech warrior!
In Bone Valley, unless unlucky enough to meet a Level Four beast or be targeted by the Fallen Devil Infant itself, if he wanted to escape, he really wouldn’t die!
Yet Wen Lei said that when he first arrived, he needed an amplifier just to move a Level One exoskeleton.
But now... such talent...
Forget it. He used to be a citizen, once a colleague of Dr. Sun.
He worked for one of the Nine Great Enterprises, the Mengdu Group—of course he’d be extraordinary.
...
"There’s a cluster of Level One beasts up ahead. Zheng Tian, find a high spot, snipe the Level Two from 800 meters, try to lure out only three Level Ones. Level Ones are easy, but too many can be trouble."
"Got it!"
...
"Wow! All thin-skinned Level Ones—Zheng Tian, your armor-piercing rounds should one-shot them, right?"
"Yes!"
"Wen Lei and I will herd the beasts together. Zheng Tian, cover the perimeter with suppressed shots. The rest of you just watch, no need to get involved."
...
By day’s end, the team had hunted one Level Three Void Beast, four Level Twos, and twenty-nine Level Ones.
Estimated total income: 247 points.
Ren Zhong would take 150, the rest split 97.
He earned more, and no one complained.
On the way home, everyone cheered.
Ren Zhong didn’t join in the silly joy.
He was pondering a question.
In past hunts, he’d slightly increased team gains, but always held back.
He and the others were in a state where he had the strength, but the fight was over before he could really use it—never fully satisfied.
Day or night, he could handle nearly everything himself, so the importance of team composition had faded.
Now, he realized something.
Having a skilled sharpshooter for ranged attacks felt great.
Drawing monsters, kiting, delivering fatal blows with the right ammo at the right time...
These tool-like functions saved effort and even made some risky beasts possible.
Hmm, my night team really needs a worker with ranged attack skills.
This tool could also make use of the motorcycle.
Putting the bike in the already cramped Thunder Car cargo box wastes space and fuel—not worth it.
So, who to pick?
Do I have any trustworthy sharpshooters left in town?
As for Zheng Tian, Ren Zhong didn’t want her to know too much, not now.
She was too pragmatic; handling such a subordinate required balance—used well, she’d be a great asset, used poorly, she’d cause problems.
A young face surfaced in his mind.
Though the kid had just started days ago and was still half-baked, for a night team member, trust comes first, skill second, talent third.
Yes, Yu Jin.
...
"What! You usually go out at seven thirty in the evening? Then return at nine thirty? What are you thinking? Aren’t you afraid of dying alone out there?"
At twenty past seven, under his own prefab building, Ren Zhong stared wide-eyed at the kid before him.
It had been thirteen days since Yu Jin received his rapid-fire machine gun.
Ren Zhong wasn’t sure what he’d done or experienced in those days.
But Ren Zhong felt the boy had changed more than he expected.
Yu Jin’s once slender arms had grown sturdier—partly from training, partly from better meals now he could hunt.
He was stronger, but his skin paler, likely from sleeping by day and hunting at night.
His eyes were slightly larger than before, no longer dull but shining with determination.
A mere mass-market rapid-fire gun had indeed changed his fate.
Yu Jin answered, "Sir, I rank too low among the temporary scavengers. I must improve quickly, so when the census comes, I’ll have a chance to stay."
"With your current five-round-per-second burst, what’s your hit rate against high-frequency flickering targets at fifty meters? What’s your margin of error? How much can your new training-grade biochemical suit boost its power?"
"Hit rate is 85.7%, average error less than 1.5 millimeters. Power now at 1.7 kilowatts."
Ren Zhong: Huh!
This kid’s got something!
According to Zheng Tian, once those stats reach over 90%, under 1mm, over 2kw, you basically pass the Level One Sharpshooter exam.
Yu Jin had gone from a blank slate to nearly Level One in thirteen days.
Though still nowhere near Ren Zhong’s speed, his talent was undeniable.
Ren Zhong could see the stubborn weed breaking through the rock, growing wild.
He had already broken free from fate’s shackles, no longer a dim pearl but shining, wild and untamed.
"Tell me how you spent these days."
Ren Zhong asked again.
Yu Jin answered respectfully, "Since you gave me the gun, I followed your advice, started hunting, kept my distance from others. On the first day, I joined a temporary scavenger team. But..."
"But what?"
"We had great luck, almost too good. We killed three Level One beasts, and the rookie dismantler on the team did well—all perfect chips. Split six ways, that was nearly one point income each."
"And then?"
"Things were fine, but near dusk, we found two Gold Slug corpses—their chips had been taken."
"And?"
Yu Jin’s expression turned complex. "The mech warrior with two exoskeletons suddenly attacked. The two closest were killed instantly. I tried to get back to the SUV, but the dismantler inside started the car early."
"I asked him to wait, he refused. So... I shot through the window and killed him, then caught up to the slowing car, drove it outside town, abandoned it, and walked back through the gate. I don’t know what happened to the others—I never saw the mech warrior return."
"Since then, I haven’t dared trust anyone, not even basic cooperation. I switched to going out alone at seven thirty, when most people return, and staying out till nine thirty."
"Sorry, sir, I killed someone. I... I... didn’t mean to, but I had no choice. No matter how I begged, he wouldn’t stop. He only needed to slow down a little; the mech warrior was still chasing someone else, there was time."
Ren Zhong was silent for a long time.
A betrayal for profit?
Gold Slug corpses?
Those were left by me.
Another direct butterfly effect.
Luckily, this kid was tough.
He ruffled the boy’s hair.
"It’s fine, I won’t blame you. That’s how you survive. You’ve done well."
Tears twinkled in the boy’s eyes.
This had weighed on him for nearly half a month.
He didn’t even dare tell his mother.
Only in front of Mr. Ren could he vent his helplessness, grievance, and regret.
He bit his lip hard, holding back tears.
"Sir, thank you for helping me. From now on... I’ll get stronger. I’ll become someone like you! If no one dares treat me like that, I won’t have to kill again."
Ren Zhong kept ruffling his hair. "Good. But I have to tell you, some people don’t deserve to live. If you really want to survive in this era, you must understand who should be killed, who shouldn’t, and who can be helped."
"Yes. Okay, sir, it’s getting late—I need to head out."
Ren Zhong stopped him, "No, you should go back and rest. Be asleep in the sleep pod by nine. Tomorrow morning at five... I’ll wait for you."
Yu Jin’s eyes widened.
He thought he’d misheard.
He couldn’t understand why, with Mr. Ren’s ability, he’d take along a burden like him.
He even promised a two percent commission.
Mr. Ren said he could kill Level Three beasts.
That meant if he killed one, Yu Jin would get at least two points!
More than a whole day’s hard-earned income.
In truth, Yu Jin usually came back empty-handed, losing money on ammo, often injured, sometimes nearly killed.
Thirteen days later, counting the 0.1 from sleep and his mother’s savings, he’d finally scraped together enough for a secondhand biochemical suit—eleven points.
Yu Jin: "Why... why?"
"Because, kid, I told you—if you worked hard, I’d take you. I keep my word."