22: Chapter 22 The Old Fox and the Little Fox

On the phone screen, a bold, red-highlighted combat readiness message completely wiped away the remaining playfulness on Shen Hongyuan's face.

It was the pinned message in the Southern Military Region combat readiness group.

" [Class A Warning] Abnormal activity at the southern Source Abyss entrance. The expansion rate of the Source Abyss rift has increased by 3.7% compared to last month. Border defense troops have entered Level 2 combat readiness status."

Although he had retired, his military serial number remained, and he had never left the group.

Every percentage point the abyss rift expanded meant that the number and strength of the Source Beasts infiltrating through were jumping up. Especially the Source Beasts; they were even more terrifying and bizarre existences than exotic beasts.

He subconsciously glanced in the direction Shen Qingci had left. His daughter's training mission was right at the southern Source Abyss entrance.

The robot was originally intended to be her bodyguard, but it had been wrecked by that bastard surnamed Lu.

Shen Hongyuan's teeth itched; he wanted nothing more than to go down to the fifth underground floor right now and kick Lu Beichen a couple more times.

He put away his phone and his gaze landed on Su Ming. The kid was still standing there with an innocent look on his face.

Shen Hongyuan's mind raced. An extremely bold idea popped up.

Su Ming felt a chill run down his spine under his gaze. This old man's look wasn't right; he surely didn't want to slice him up for research, did he?

"You heard it just now," Shen Hongyuan said, standing with his hands behind his back, his tone suddenly becoming professional.

"The robot, eight million federal credits. A limited edition from the Federal Research Center, with no more than twenty units in the whole country."

"Do you think what you did today is worth eight million?"

Su Ming knew clearly that it wasn't worth eight million, not even eight hundred thousand.

He never intended to actually get this robot. What he wanted was to pin the price anchor firmly at this outrageous height first, and then slowly negotiate downwards.

Even if it only meant getting a job sorting in the Sorting Area, he would be making a killing.

Just as he was pondering how to lower the price gracefully, Shen Hongyuan spoke first.

"Giving it to you is not impossible."

Su Ming was stunned, the speech he had prepared stuck in his throat. "Huh?"

"But there is a condition." Shen Hongyuan stared at him, speaking slowly but with a weight in every word that brooked no negotiation.

"The day after tomorrow, my daughter is going to the southern Source Abyss entrance to carry out a training mission. The robot was meant to be her bodyguard, but now it's wrecked. You go with her and ensure her safety."

The Source Abyss entrance? He had only ever seen that place in textbooks.

Ordinary people only knew it as the Abyss, but the older generation of Awakeners insisted on calling it the Source Abyss. What it was called didn't matter.

What mattered was that every abyss entrance was a gray meat grinder where exotic beasts and Source Beasts danced together.

Him, a Black Iron Rank, going to a place like that... But then he thought about it.

Wasn't the college entrance exam's practical assessment testing practical experience? No matter how much scrap metal he chewed on in the Scrap Yard, it wouldn't make up for his lack of practical experience.

A trip to the abyss might just bridge this gap.

Moreover, he was very curious: if he killed an exotic beast, could the system devour it? Would the efficiency of devouring be higher than chewing on scrap iron?

As for Shen Qingci's pair of long, straight, SS-rank legs... that was definitely not the point.

He, Su Ming, was a dignified seven-foot-tall man; how could he be bewitched by mere beauty?

He mainly wanted to "academically observe" from a close, all-around, and preferably low-angle perspective. The extreme exertion techniques of a high-level Valkyrie in abyss combat—the legs, buttocks, waist, chest... and other parts!

It was purely for the sake of martial arts! Su Ming wiped a stream of saliva that had disgracefully reached the corner of his mouth.

"Boss Shen, it's not that I don't want to go. But as you can see, my body... although hard, to be honest, I don't even know how long I can hold out."

He looked left and right, lowering his voice as if revealing an embarrassing secret. "And I'm not lying to you, I really do have a... sense of affinity for heavy metals."

Shen Hongyuan raised an eyebrow. Su Ming gritted his teeth, as if he had made a big decision.

"Give me one day. Let me stay in the factory for one more day. I am confident... I can promote to Bronze-rank. It will be safer to go to the abyss then."

Shen Hongyuan almost laughed out loud. Promote to Bronze-rank in one day? Going from Black Iron Rank to Bronze-rank in a year would be considered genius.

But he remembered the sensation when he pressed on the kid's shoulder earlier. The density of solid tungsten steel. And what Liu Feng's report mentioned: "Bone density has already reached Pig Iron Rank and is still soaring."

This speed of talent mutation really couldn't be judged by common sense.

"One day?" "One day." Su Ming held up a finger. "And I have a small request." "Speak."

"I want to go to the heavy object area on the periphery of the Sorting Area tomorrow... to stay... and work..."

Here it comes. Shen Hongyuan sneered inwardly. After going such a long way around, this is what the kid really wanted.

The heavy object area was piled full of scrapped armor plates, mecha wreckage, and military-grade alloy components. Any single piece was dozens or hundreds of kilograms of high-purity metal.

If this kid's "secondary mutation" really needed to absorb high-density metal to maintain his vitality, then the heavy object area was a pharmacy for him to extend his life.

The two stared at each other for three seconds. An old fox and a young fox, both knowing what the other was calculating.

Shen Hongyuan blinked first. Shen Qingci's talent focused on offense. He did indeed need a "shield" that was hard enough and freakish enough to protect his daughter. Let's gamble!

"Fine." Shen Hongyuan nodded. "I agree. Tomorrow, for one day, you have free access to the Scrap Yard's outer field, including the heavy object area."

He watched Su Ming's eyes light up instantly. "This robot is yours too."

"Additionally," Shen Hongyuan added, "If you complete this mission well, upon your return, I will allow you to go into the 'Dark Warehouse' and choose any one item."

"Dark Warehouse? What is that?" Su Ming asked subconsciously. "Wait until you come back alive, and you'll know." Shen Hongyuan smiled mysteriously and didn't explain further.

Departing the day after tomorrow, a three-day mission cycle, returning just in time for the college entrance exam. Su Ming decisively extended his right hand. "Deal."

Shen Hongyuan shook it, feeling that same sensation again. The touch of normal skin, but underneath was a terrifyingly high density that made one's scalp tingle.

He let go and made a gesture in the air towards the robot wreckage lying on the ground. The 2.4-ton steel giant slowly floated up, suspended in mid-air. "How are you going to take it?"

Su Ming walked over and wrapped his arms around the robot's waist. With his waist and stance combined, he exerted force suddenly!

In Shen Hongyuan's suddenly constricted pupils, that robot weighing two and a half tons was lifted straight up from mid-air by Su Ming!

Although his steps were a bit unsteady, he had truly, definitely lifted it! "...It, it's not that heavy." Su Ming's face turned bright red, but he still didn't forget to be stubborn.

Shen Hongyuan: "..." What a freak! Giving away eight million today, another million didn't matter.

He grumpily fished out a dark silver bracelet from the void and tossed it to Su Ming. "A ten-cubic-meter space bracelet, military-grade, can be bound to an owner. Just drip blood on it."

As a top-tier space-type Awakener, creating an independent storage space was just a flick of the hand for him.

Su Ming was grinning from ear to ear, hurriedly pricking his fingertip to drip blood and bind it. Putting the robot into the bracelet, he instantly felt like he had reached the peak of his life.

Shen Hongyuan watched him stuff the robot into the space bracelet and suddenly felt his heart bleeding. Nine million. Within one day, nine million gone.

Su Ming put on the bracelet and gave Shen Hongyuan a sincere smile. "Thanks, Boss! I'll come to work early tomorrow morning!" He turned and ran, afraid the old man would change his mind!

... Su Ming left the Scrap Yard, humming an off-key tune. He walked briskly towards the suburban market. He had to treat himself today.

There was the usual long line in front of the Speedy Fried Rice stall. The bare-chested big brother was tossing the iron wok, beads of sweat flying off with the heat of the wok.

After waiting a few minutes, it was his turn. "Little brother, here again?" The Speedy brother recognized him at a glance. "The usual?"

"Add an egg, add ham, and add an extra portion of meat! I'm in a good mood today."

The big brother didn't stop working, chatting while tossing the wok. "Almost time for the college entrance exam, right?" "Yeah."

"Sigh, once you guys finish the college entrance exam, I'll probably have to close this stall." "Big brother, are you going to college too?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt it wasn't quite right. With that sturdy build and those wok-tossing skills, he didn't look like it at all.

The big brother grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth. "Not me, I held back a grade for three years, I stopped studying a long time ago."

He scooped the fried rice into a lunchbox and drizzled a spoonful of homemade chili sauce over it. "It's my sister, she's taking the college entrance exam this year too. After she finishes, I'm taking her to the Imperial Capital."

"I've been saving up tuition fees by running this stall here for two years." Su Ming took the lunchbox and silently shoveled in a couple of bites. Today's fried rice was exceptionally fragrant.

"Big brother, what is your sister's talent rank?" The Speedy brother wiped his sweat, smiled mysteriously, his face full of pride. "S-rank, Support-type!"