novelsite Chapter 40: The Terrifying Speed of Making Money - Part 2
Chapter 40: The Terrifying Speed of Making Money - Part 2
The next day, they were exceptionally lucky.
In an abandoned factory, Shenyang's detectors discovered the entrance to a basement. The entrance was mostly obscured by collapsed concrete slabs, revealing only a narrow gap. Leng Bao used his long spear to pry open the concrete slabs, revealing a staircase leading underground.
"There's something here." Lin Zheng squatted at the entrance, his nose twitching slightly. "A strong monster smell, but it doesn't seem like an adult monster."
"A cub?" Shenyang's eyes lit up.
"Not sure." Lin Zheng stood up. "Leng Bao, Luo Fang, you two stay outside. Liu Xu, Shen Yang, Lin Yun, come down with me."
The basement was dark, filled with a damp, fishy smell. Lin Zheng walked at the front, the beam of his flashlight sweeping through the darkness. The basement wasn't large, only about fifty or sixty square meters, with abandoned equipment and miscellaneous items piled up in the corners.
Then, Lin Yun saw them.
Deep within the pile of debris was a nest made of rags and hay. Inside were three eggs, each the size of a soccer ball, covered with dark gray markings, emanating a faint scent of life.
"The eggs of a mutated mastiff!" Shenyang's voice trembled with excitement.
Lin Zheng squatted down, carefully examined the three eggs, and nodded: "They're alive, and the incubation is very advanced. They'll probably hatch in another half month."
Mutant mastiffs are excellent fighting partners, capable of reaching the Beast General level upon adulthood, and with special training, even growing into Lord-level dogs. Their eggs fetch extremely high prices on the black market.
"Each one is worth at least fifty million." Shenyang rubbed his hands together. "Three of them would be one hundred and fifty million."
"Don't get too excited," Lin Zheng said calmly. "Eggs are difficult to transport; they need a constant temperature incubator and special protection. If something goes wrong on the way, they're all gone."
He took out specially made cushioning material and a temperature-regulating bag from his backpack and carefully wrapped the three eggs. Liu Xu helped him, and their hands touched as they wrapped the eggs.
Lin Zheng recoiled as if he had been burned.
Liu Xu's hand froze in mid-air, a hint of hurt flashing in her eyes. But she said nothing, and silently continued wrapping the egg.
Lin Yun watched this scene from the side and sighed inwardly.
Emerging from the basement, Leng Bao and Luo Fang also came over to look at the three eggs. Luo Fang's eyes sparkled: "So beautiful! I've never seen live monster eggs before!"
"Stop looking, let's get going." Lin Zheng put the constant temperature pack into Shenyang's backpack. "We're not far from the mutated mastiffs' den, and the adult mastiffs could come back at any time. We need to leave this area as soon as possible."
The group immediately packed up their equipment and quickly left the factory.
Unbeknownst to them, on the top floor of a tall building across from the factory, a pair of eerie green eyes were coldly watching their departing figures.
The following afternoon, they encountered a tough battle.
It was on a bridge spanning a canal that a high-ranking Ironback Mastiff, a beast general-level dog, blocked their way.
This iron-backed mastiff was a full size larger than a typical mutant mastiff, its entire body covered in a metallic sheen, its mane like steel needles, its limbs thick and powerful, its claws leaving deep scratches on the ground. It had clearly claimed the bridge as its territory, and any intruder would be attacked.
"This beast is not easy to deal with." Lin Zheng narrowed his eyes, sizing up the iron-backed mastiff in front of him. "It probably came from the factory. Those eggs are probably its offspring."
Everyone's hearts sank. The mother of the three eggs was a high-level beast general-level Ironback Mastiff—this was troublesome.
"Liu Xu, you and I will hold it off head-on," Lin Zheng quickly deployed. "Shenyang, find an opportunity to strike its eyes. Leng Bao and Luo Fang, flank it from the side. Lin Yun, you provide support from the side; strike when you have the chance, retreat when you don't."
"clear."
The battle erupted in an instant.
The Ironback Mastiff was incredibly fast, pouncing almost the instant Lin Zheng finished speaking. Its sharp claws tore through the air with a piercing whistling sound, heading straight for Lin Zheng's face.
Lin Zheng did not retreat. He dodged to the side, simultaneously slashing his short sword back, cutting a gash in the Ironback Mastiff's foreleg. However, the Ironback Mastiff's fur was too thick; the cut only scratched the flesh and did not reach the bone at all.
The Ironback Mastiff, in pain, let out an angry roar and turned to pounce on Liu Xu. Liu Xu's agility proved crucial at the critical moment—she moved like a falling leaf, weaving through the Ironback Mastiff's claws, narrowly avoiding each attack. Her sword left several wounds on the Ironback Mastiff, but none were fatal.
"Bang!" Shenyang's sniper rifle fired.
The bullet aimed precisely at the Ironback Mastiff's eye, but the dog reacted extremely quickly, jerking its head to the side. The bullet struck its forehead, bounced off its thick fur, leaving only a shallow bloodstain.
"Damn it, this beast's hide is tough!" Shenyang cursed and quickly reloaded.
Leng Bao and Luo Fang flanked from both sides, their spears and daggers simultaneously aimed at the Iron-Backed Mastiff's flank. The Iron-Backed Mastiff lashed out with its tail, the thick tail whipping like an iron whip, striking Leng Bao's spear hard. Leng Bao was jolted back several steps, his hands and feet numb. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Luo Fang thrust her dagger into the Iron-Backed Mastiff's flank, but the tip only penetrated half an inch before being clamped by the muscle.
The iron-backed mastiff, in pain, suddenly turned around and opened its mouth to bite Luo Fang.
"Watch out!" Liu Xu's voice rang out.
Just as the Ironback Mastiff was about to bite Luo Fang, Lin Zheng appeared to its side. A dazzling blue light suddenly burst forth from his short sword—the ultimate manifestation of the Ninefold Thunder Blade technique.
"Thunder Blade, Fourth Level!"
He slashed down with a single stroke.
The iron-backed mastiff's foreleg snapped with a crack. It let out a mournful howl, its three legs barely supporting its body as it turned to flee. But Lin Yun had already moved.
He attacked from the side, his Blood Shadow Blade tracing an arc, precisely striking the Ironback Mastiff's last remaining foreleg. This strike employed the power technique of the first level of the Nine-Fold Thunder Blade, combining two forces to create a power far exceeding his usual strength.
The Ironback Mastiff's last front leg was also severed, and its massive body crashed to the ground.
Lin Zheng's second strike followed immediately, severing its head.
Blood gushed out, staining the ground of the bridge red.
Lin Zheng sheathed his sword, his expression unchanged, but his breathing was noticeably more rapid than before. Using the fourth level of force in succession had taken a toll on his body.
Liu Xu rushed to his side and took his arm, asking, "Are you alright?"
Her movements were natural, as if she had done it countless times. But Lin Zheng slightly turned his body to avoid her hand: "It's nothing."
Liu Xu's hand froze in mid-air, a hint of hurt flashing in her eyes. But she quickly withdrew her hand and turned to walk towards the Ironback Mastiff's corpse: "Let's clean up the battlefield."
Lin Yun stood aside and watched this scene unfold.
"Well done," Lin Zheng suddenly said, addressing him directly. "The timing of that strike was excellent. If it had been a second later, it might have escaped."
Lin Yun paused for a moment, then nodded: "Thank you, Captain."
He noticed that when Lin Zheng said those words, his gaze quickly swept over Liu Xu's retreating figure before swiftly returning to his own. There was guilt, heartache, and a hint of lingering affection in that look, a feeling he himself might not even be aware of.
Lin Yun sighed inwardly.
Some paths they have to walk themselves.
Shenyang walked over, looked at the Ironback Mastiff lying on the ground, and clicked his tongue in amazement: "A high-level Beast General-level Ironback Mastiff, these things are rare. The fur, fangs, claws, bones, the whole set of materials together are worth at least two hundred million."
"Adding to the three eggs from before," he counted on his fingers, "this trip, our income is heading towards four hundred million."
"Don't be too happy yet," Lin Zheng's voice came from the side. "The egg hasn't hatched yet, and the materials haven't been sold. It's not time to talk about money."
Even so, a slight smile appeared on the corners of his mouth.
That evening, they settled in a building by the canal.
Lin Yun sat by the window, wiping his Blood Shadow Battle Blade. There were a few fine scratches on the blade, left from today's battle.
"Aren't you going to sleep yet?" Shenyang's voice came from behind.
"I can't sleep," Lin Yun said.
Shenyang walked to his side, leaned against the window frame, and handed him a pot of water: "How was your first solo hunt of a beast general?"
"Not bad." Lin Yun took the water bottle, took a sip, and said, "It's simpler than I expected."
"Easy?" Shenyang laughed. "That's because you're talented. Most people's legs go weak when they face a Beast General-level monster for the first time. You can calmly judge the timing and choose the angle of attack, which is already very impressive."
He paused, then said, "But don't be arrogant. The one you killed today was only a low-level beast general; its speed and strength weren't particularly strong. You'll know how powerful it is when you encounter intermediate or high-level ones."
Lin Yun nodded, humbly accepting the answer.
"Brother Shen, the captain and Sister Liu..."
"You figured it out?" Shenyang gave a wry smile. "The captain's leg was broken while saving Sister Liu. Three years ago, during that mission, we encountered a Lord-level Ironclad Lizard King, and Sister Liu almost died there. The captain risked his life to pull her out of the monster's mouth, and the price was that leg."
He paused, then continued, "After that, the captain changed. He used to joke and laugh with Sister Liu, but now... he doesn't even dare to look at her. He feels he's not good enough for her anymore."
"Where's Sister Liu?"
"Sister Liu has never changed." Shenyang's gaze fell into the distance. "She still likes the captain, even more than before. But the captain keeps avoiding her, and there's nothing she can do."
The two remained silent for a long time.
"Lin Yun." Shenyang suddenly turned to look at him. "Do you know why I'm telling you all this?"
Lin Yun shook his head.
"Because you remind me of myself when I first joined the team," Shenyang said earnestly. "You're talented, energetic, and willing to do anything. But I hope you won't make the mistakes I did. In the wilderness, survival is more important than anything else."
He paused, then added, "Also, when it comes to matters of the heart, outsiders see things more clearly than those directly involved. We've all seen what's going on between the captain and Sister Liu, but there's nothing anyone can do. Some paths they have to walk themselves."
Lin Yun was silent for a moment, then nodded: "I understand. Thank you, Brother Shen."
Shenyang patted him on the shoulder, then turned and walked back into his room.
Lin Yun stood by the window, looking at the sleeping ruins of the city under the moonlight, and a sense of determination he had never felt before welled up in his heart.
He wants to go further on the path of a martial artist. Not for money, not for fame—but to protect those who deserve protection, and to become a trustworthy partner like Lin Zheng.