24: Chapter 24 Collecting Protection Money on the Training Ground?

Zhang Mang's expression changed several times.

From surprise to disbelief, finally settling on a very subtle expression.

Six Level 3 Snow Wolves, 480,000.

He had led five members of the Fierce Tiger Squad, patrolling Area A for an entire day, risking being counter-killed by the wolf pack to take them down.

480,000 was already considered top-tier income in the Po Feng Battalion.

Then he saw that number.

2.2 million.

One person, one night.

Dug out of the sewer.

Little Liu from the Quartermasters Office pushed up his glasses and whispered a reminder: "Team Leader Zhang, your settlement is scheduled for later."

Zhang Mang slammed the bag of Snow Wolf horns onto the counter and turned to leave.

The few team members followed behind, none of them saying a word.

Li Zhengyang put away his phone behind them and walked out the door of the Quartermasters Office.

He was currently covered in rat blood and the smell of the sewer; he needed to take a shower first.

The fortress's public bathhouse was in the East District, not far away.

After showering for twenty minutes, he changed into clean clothes and came out.

Just as he walked to the open space next to the training ground, his path was blocked.

Zhang Mang, with the seven members of the Fierce Tiger Squad, stood neatly in the middle of the road.

There were still many people from other squads training on the training ground, and seeing this formation, their movements slowed down.

"Li Zhengyang." Zhang Mang stood with his hands on his hips, his tone quite aggressive.

"The Po Feng Battalion has a rule, I don't know if anyone has told you about it."

Li Zhengyang stopped and looked at him.

"The first sum of money a recruit earns in the fortress, 30% goes to the Fierce Tiger Squad." Zhang Mang held up three fingers. "Protection money, understand? If you want to get by safely in this place, you need someone to cover you."

A team member beside him chimed in: "30% of 2.2 million is 660,000. Team Leader Zhang has already given you a discount; according to the old rules, it's 50%."

Quite a few people gathered around the training ground.

There were onlookers, those gloating, and also a few recruits who had joined in the same batch, huddled in the corner, not daring to breathe loudly.

Li Zhengyang turned his head to look around, his gaze landing on a quartermaster sitting on the edge of the training ground.

"Asking a question."

The quartermaster was busy gnawing on a steamed bun and almost choked when he was suddenly called out.

"Huh?"

"If you fight inside the fortress and cripple someone, do you need to pay compensation?"

The quartermaster was stunned for two seconds before shaking his head: "No need. Internal conflicts in the fortress fall under the category of private fights and do not involve compensation. But if it's serious, you'll be confined."

"How long?"

"Depends on the severity of the injuries, usually three to seven days."

Li Zhengyang nodded.

"That's quite worth it."

Zhang Mang's face darkened.

He took two steps forward, and the aura on his body suddenly erupted.

Peak Great Martial Master.

The pressure of his released Qi spread out; several nearby recruits immediately retreated several steps, and one with weak legs almost sat on the ground.

"I've been in this fortress for six years, and hundreds of people have come and gone in the Po Feng Battalion, not one dared not to pay protection money." Zhang Mang's voice lowered. "You dug in a sewer for one night, made a little money, and now you're getting cocky?"

He reached out, his five fingers spread, and pressed toward Li Zhengyang.

"660,000, transfer it now. Otherwise..."

He didn't finish his sentence.

Li Zhengyang moved.

He didn't draw his spear.

He stepped forward half a step with his left foot, the opening move of the Startling Cloud Step.

Zhang Mang's pupils contracted violently.

He saw the opponent's footwork trajectory, but his body couldn't keep up with his reaction speed.

The gap between a Great Martial Master and a Martial Spirit was stretched to the extreme in this single step.

A straight punch landed on Zhang Mang's chest.

Just how great was the physical strength of a Level 1 Martial Spirit?

A crack sound.

The entire venue heard this sound.

It was the sound of Zhang Mang's protective Qi on his chest shattering, followed by a chain reaction of ribs breaking—three, four, five, just like firecrackers going off.

Zhang Mang's body left the ground, flying backward.

A burly man, 1.85 meters tall and weighing over 200 jin, was turned into a cannonball by a single punch, flying straight toward the edge of the training ground.

A row of special alloy targets stood at the edge of the training ground, two meters high and half a meter thick, specifically for people at the Martial Master level to practice punching.

Bang!

Zhang Mang's back slammed into the alloy target surface.

The target didn't fall.

And the person didn't fall down either.

Because the force of the impact was so great, Zhang Mang's body was embedded directly into the alloy target surface, his upper body sunken in mostly, his two legs dangling outside.

All sound on the training ground vanished.

Those hitting sandbags stopped, those running stopped, those sparring stopped.

Hundreds of eyes stared at that human-shaped outline embedded in the alloy target.

Zhang Mang's legs twitched twice, then stopped moving.

He wasn't dead; his chest was still rising and falling, but he was unconscious.

The remaining six members of the Fierce Tiger Squad were all petrified on the spot.

The leading lieutenant's lips trembled several times, and he could barely hold the knife in his hand.

Three seconds later, he spoke up in warning.

"Newcomer... you've got yourself into trouble!" The lieutenant's voice was so shrill it cracked. "Team Leader Zhang's uncle is the fortress Vice Commander Zhang Jianbiao! A Level 5 Martial Spirit! You're done for, do you know that!"

Li Zhengyang didn't look at him.

He walked up to the target and felt around Zhang Mang's waist.

He found a storage bag, untied it, and weighed it in his hand.

He opened it and took a look.

Inside were a few beast cores, some cash, and two bank cards.

"Protection money, right."

Li Zhengyang stuffed the storage bag into his own pocket.

"This counts as you having paid."

After saying this, he picked up his spear, walked through the crowd, and left.

In the training ground behind him, it was dead silent.

The lieutenant pulled out his communicator with trembling hands and dialed a number.

"Vice Commander Zhang! Your nephew has been beaten! On the training ground! He's embedded in the target! We can't get him out!"

There was silence on the other end of the communicator for two seconds.

"Who."

"A recruit from the Po Feng Battalion, named Li Zhengyang! He just reported yesterday!"

A loud crash of a desk being overturned came from the communicator.

On the way back to the barracks, Li Zhengyang took out his phone and glanced at the bank cards he had fished out of the storage bag.

Both cards were actually empty.

"Poor bastard, no wonder he robs others."

Li Zhengyang couldn't help but mutter.

2.2 million in mission rewards plus the previous money.

A total of around 2.8 million.

He didn't intend to top it all up, he would keep some money; this spear was a bit uncomfortable to use now, he needed to change weapons.

After closing the barracks door, Li Zhengyang sat on his bunk.

He pulled up the system interface.

Recharge Amount: 2,000,000.

His finger hovered over the confirm button.

The door was pushed open.

A few roommates from the 3rd Platoon, 7th Squad crowded at the doorway, poking their heads in to peek, like they were looking at a rare animal.

"Did you really embed Zhang Mang into the wall?"

"Yeah."

"You know his uncle is the Vice Commander, right?"

"I know."

"Aren't you afraid?"

Li Zhengyang pressed the confirm button.

[Recharge Successful!]

[Recharge Amount: 2,000,000]

[Obtained Vitality Value: +20,000]

[Current Vitality Value: 52,628]

[Vitality Value threshold breakthrough detected]

[Realm breakthrough: Level 1 Martial Spirit → Level 5 Martial Spirit!]

Vitality surged within his body, his meridians expanded, and every inch of his muscles was being reshaped.

Li Zhengyang closed his eyes, his body trembling slightly.

Those people at the door felt the aura fluctuation surging from the room and all retreated three steps in unison.

The aura of a Level 1 Martial Spirit was already scary enough.

Now this pressure... was several times greater than just a moment ago.

"Damn, he broke through again?"

Li Zhengyang opened his eyes.

Level 5 Martial Spirit.

Afraid?

Afraid? My ass.