197: What the hell are you up to by messing with the Zhatian Gang?

Time flew by like a white colt, and in a blink of an eye, more than ten days had passed.

Shen Bei had been staying at the Labor Market all these days.

His focus for odd jobs was primarily on mental attributes.

This was undoubtedly a daunting task.

Any odd job that could activate the panel and grant mental attributes was absolutely something other laborers were unwilling to do.

All sorts of bizarre odd jobs made Shen Bei's scalp tingle and his face turn pale.

Either the employer was a nitpicker, or the work environment was unbearable for ordinary people.

Fortunately, Shen Bei persevered.

According to his estimates, his mental attribute should have almost reached one hundred.

At this point, Shen Bei returned to Lingnan City Martial Arts University and headed straight for the Detection Hall.

He used his student ID to get a number for testing.

There were many students in the Detection Hall today.

Mainly, freshmen had completed their military training and were beginning to have their attributes tested, Martial Skills assigned, and so on.

Shen Bei sat to the side, waiting.

Not long after.

He saw the Zha Tian Gang Four-person Group walk in.

They held flyers in their hands.

They handed them out to each freshman.

Their mouths chattered incessantly, introducing and explaining:

“Zha Tian Gang is recruiting!”

“Brother, get to know the Zha Tian Gang, hey.”

“Join the Zha Tian Gang, live fiercely and be arrogant!”

“Nonsense, if you don't pay gang fees, you're not sincere, this isn't cutting leeks…”

…

Shen Bei sniffed, watching the Four-person Group cause trouble, his teeth aching a little.

Good heavens.

After not seeing them for several days, these guys were up to new tricks again.

When was the Zha Tian Gang recruiting? Why didn't I know?

Besides, why gather so many people? Isn't it annoying?

Shen Bei waved his hand: “Old Qi, what are you up to?”

Qi Chuanyu turned around and finally saw Shen Bei on the side.

He scurried over: “Oh, isn't this the Gang Leader who's been missing for several days?!”

Shen Bei: …

Facing Qi Chuanyu's teasing, Shen Bei coughed and said with a feigned serious expression: “I called you over because I wanted to inform you that I'm leaving the Zha Tian Gang.”

Qi Chuanyu: ???

Qi Chuanyu smacked his lips and smiled somewhat sinisterly: “I'm really sorry, but according to the gang rules, anyone who wants to leave the Zha Tian Gang must get more than half of the votes in a Round Table Meeting before they can leave.”

Shen Bei was stunned.

What was that?

What was a Round Table Meeting?

What kind of strange things have you guys been doing behind my back!

Then Qi Chuanyu specifically explained.

According to Shen Bei's understanding, it was this.

These past few days, besides Cultivating, the Four-person Group had started discussing the development of the Zha Tian Gang among themselves.

They felt that the current Gang Leader was a hands-off manager, asking no questions and taking care of nothing.

Of course, Shen Bei believed that what they meant by 'asking no questions and taking care of nothing' was that he hadn't provided welfare or guided them in their Cultivation.

Anyway, they just hadn't received any benefits and were putting a label on him.

After several days of deliberation, the Four-person Group felt that the Zha Tian Gang must have its own rules, so that even if Shen Bei died, the Zha Tian Gang could continue to operate normally.

That's right, Qi Chuanyu was talking about what would happen after Shen Bei died.

First, establish the “Round Table Meeting.”

These were the so-called Five Grand Elders.

They were: Shen Bei, Qi Chuanyu, Niu Yanben, Du Ziteng, and Jian Tong.

Don't be surprised.

Jian Tong was an honorary Elder, like an honorary director in a stock company.

But in Shen Bei's opinion, this was purely Du Ziteng's mischief, wanting to link the Zha Tian Gang with Jian Tong's Popcorn.

So he could find a partner later…

The main function of this Round Table Meeting was to make decisions and arbitrate all affairs of the Zha Tian Gang.

This included that anyone in the Zha Tian Gang who wanted to leave must obtain more than half of the votes from the Round Table Meeting.

At least 3 votes were required to leave.

There were many other scattered rules.

Shen Bei listened, and it sounded like they were rushing towards rebellion.

Of course, there were also unreliable rules, such as: Zha Tian Gang members are not allowed to eat leek-filled buns.

Zha Tian Gang members are not allowed to let the conversation die, they must respond.

Zha Tian Gang members are forbidden from bragging.

The Zha Tian Gang is not allowed to accept girls, and so on.

Shen Bei's head ached from listening.

This clearly showed that the members of the Round Table Meeting were using their positions for personal gain.

“How about it, is it legitimate?” Qi Chuanyu boasted.

Shen Bei looked at him with a strange gaze, a mix of mockery and amusement: “Hello, Warden Qi.”

“That's too much.” Qi Chuanyu's face darkened: “This isn't a prison.”

Shen Bei waved his hand: “Then I'll add one more rule: besides what I say, everything else anyone says is nonsense. That's it.”

Qi Chuanyu: …

Qi Chuanyu recorded the new rule in his small notebook: Everything Shen Bei says is nonsense.

…

The Four-person Group made a fuss in the Detection Hall for a while but didn't recruit a single new member.

They left dejectedly.

Shen Bei wasn't surprised; there were too many rules, and they even demanded a certain amount of surface attributes to be selected.

Then there were preliminary selections, interviews, competitions, and final tests…

Everyone was here to study, not to play with them.

Soon.

The line of freshmen waiting for Detection gradually dispersed.

Shen Bei came to the Detection equipment.

Currently, the Detection equipment at Lingnan City Martial Arts University is divided into private rooms.

Privacy and confidentiality were well maintained.

Half an hour later.

Shen Bei completed the Detection and received his Detection slip.

【Name: Shen Bei】

【Lingnan City Martial Arts University, Second Year.】

【Strength: 160.】

【Physique: 95.】

【Spirit: 100.】

【Agility: 71.】

【Evaluation: Four-Rank Martial Artist ★】

Four-Rank!

Shen Bei took a deep breath.

It was truly simple and unadorned.

In novels, a protagonist's upgrade could be earth-shattering and awe-inspiring.

But in this world… advancement was just advancement.

There was no feeling whatsoever.

Utterly unremarkable.

Shen Bei carefully looked at his attributes.

Besides his mental attribute already meeting the standard.

His other attributes had also increased.

But this increase was not from the attributes rewarded by Shen Bei's odd jobs.

Instead, it was the random distribution of attribute points rewarded after advancing to Four-Rank.

These days, Shen Bei's focus for odd jobs had been on the demand for mental attributes.

Shen Bei wouldn't even glance at jobs like moving bricks or carrying cement.

He specifically chose unusual jobs.

The more other laborers found a job troublesome, the more Shen Bei rushed to do it.

These jobs would almost never activate strength, Physique, or agility attributes.

Therefore, the changes in these three values were all rewards for advancement.

…

With a plan in mind.

Shen Bei intended to begin challenging and exploring the Absorbing Skill.

A truly “new Martial Skill” in every sense.

There were no precedents, no advice or guidance from Seniors.

Even Professor Gu Xinrou could only complete the translation work and offer some conjectures.

As for the Cultivation part, Shen Bei could only rely on himself.

No one could guide him.

Shen Bei quickly left the Detection Hall, intending to return to his villa dormitory to seize the time to Cultivate.

Time waits for no one.

Every second counted!

Just then.

Jian Tong waved from a distance, greeting him.

Today, Jian Tong's attire was extremely ordinary: a Damour dress, with a long coat over it, and a pair of plain white flat shoes, but she wrapped the long coat tightly around her body to show off her slender figure.

Two fair, tender calves peeked out from under the long coat, and above the coat, her dark hair cascaded over a beautiful, charming, and mischievous elfin face.

Shen Bei walked over in two steps, his face displaying a businesslike expression.

“Look at your face, are you impatient?” Jian Tong squinted, her arms crossed over her chest, looking a little sulky.

Shen Bei's face showed a gentle smile, but his tone was hurried and urgent: “I'm in a hurry to Cultivate, the kind of groundbreaking Cultivation.”

“Oh~~”

Jian Tong's face softened a bit: “Then I won't waste your time, I'll make it short. Do you still remember the matter of the Changtu County reserve team?”

If she hadn't mentioned it, Shen Bei would have almost forgotten.

It seemed he was still an instructor?

“My dad called—”

Shen Bei raised his hand to interrupt, saying seriously: “It's our dad.”

Jian Tong: …

“Whatever you say.” Jian Tong paused, then spoke again: “He wants you to go back when you have time and hurry up with the training.”

“The county has settled everything?”

“Yes, and my dad said that the higher-ups are also pressing hard. Other cities and counties have already started training, and our Changtu County can't fall behind, otherwise, being singled out for criticism doesn't feel good.”

Shen Bei smacked his lips: “It's County Magistrate Shi Yong who won't feel good, right?”

“You can't say that.” Jian Tong tilted her head: “This is also a national task, a nationwide effort, and besides, didn't you agree?”

“That was being forced into it.”

Jian Tong pushed Shen Bei: “Alright, you hurry up and Cultivate, go back when you have time, so I can inform my dad to assemble the reserve team.”

Shen Bei nodded, said goodbye to Jian Tong, and returned to his villa dormitory.

For Shen Bei, this so-called “instructor” role was very likely to activate the settlement panel.

He could try it; what if there was a surprise?

If the settlement panel showed no movement, Shen Bei would directly and decisively give up.

Anyway, he was thick-skinned.

As long as he had no Dao, he wouldn't be morally coerced.

This was one of Shen Bei's creeds.

He locked the basement door.

Shen Bei solemnly opened the “Absorbing Skill” Martial Skill.

“If I can Cultivate it to Major Achievement…”

Shen Bei licked his lips: “This will be a milestone in my journey after becoming a Martial Artist!”

“An absolutely disgusting Martial Skill.”

“Just do it!”

Start practicing!