Chapter 39: System Upgrade

After seeing Commander Deng off, everything returned to calm.

For more than a month straight, no new "orders" were issued.

Qin Hao temporarily lived the legendary retired senior official's life, and his only daily task was, accompanied by Cheng Haitang, to store Energy Points in the safe house.

"Xiao Qin, you look so bored; how about I find you some entertainment? Maybe a game of chess, or practice calligraphy?"

That afternoon, Cheng Haitang, watching Qin Hao slumped on the sofa scrolling short videos in utter boredom, couldn't help but suggest.

In his view, making a young man in his early twenties endure such a secluded life was rather cruel.

"Never mind, Old Cheng."

Qin Hao kept his eyes on the phone screen, not lifting his head, and replied, "I'm busy every day now, no time."

"Busy? Busy liking the beautiful livestream hosts on your phone?" Cheng Haitang glanced at his screen and said irritably.

"You wouldn't understand that."

Qin Hao turned off his phone, sat upright, a faint mysterious smile on his face, "I'm doing this to amass power for our country's next technological leap."

Cheng Haitang was stunned for a moment, then realized he was talking about recharging the system.

He gave a wry smile and shook his head. This kid, always talking about his own field.

Qin Hao was certainly not joking.

Since acquiring the system, the insecurity rooted in his orphanage past was replaced by an entirely new yearning.

He longs to see this nation become truly powerful, so powerful that no one dares to bully it.

And the system is the key to achieving all this.

Therefore, he anticipates the system's upgrade more than anyone else.

In the past month plus, besides recharging during rest, he also spent considerable daytime hours recharging.

His daily Energy Points increase now steadies around one hundred million points.

If an ordinary person saw the electricity bills generated during that period, they'd probably think a super mine had been opened here.

Day after day of accumulation is tedious, but watching the constantly flickering numbers on the system interface, Qin Hao felt at ease again.

Finally, one dusk, as Qin Hao habitually continued recharging, a long‑awaited voice boomed in his mind.

【Beep! System energy total has reached 100 billion Energy Points, copy function meets upgrade condition.】

"What!"

Qin Hao sprang up from the sofa, his heart pounding uncontrollably.

Cheng Haitang was startled by his sudden move, the tea cup in his hand wobbling.

"What's this? So jumpy."

Qin Hao gave no reply, his entire mind immersed in the system interface before him.

A new line of prompt text emitted a faint golden glow.

【Upgrade will take: 24 hours. During the upgrade, system functions will be temporarily disabled. Upgrade now?】

Without any hesitation, Qin Hao whispered in his mind.

"Upgrade immediately!"

【Command confirmed, system upgrade initiated. Countdown: 23 hours 59 minutes 59 seconds.】

The moment the words finished, the familiar blue system interface before Qin Hao suddenly turned pitch black, leaving only a continuously decreasing countdown number floating at the screen's center.

He tried to call the system, but received no response.

Having done all that, Qin Hao let out a long sigh, suppressing his inner elation, and turned to the puzzled Cheng Haitang.

"Old Cheng, good news!"

"What good news? What's got you so excited?" Cheng Haitang set down his tea cup, looking at him curiously.

"My system is about to upgrade."

Qin Hao's voice was soft, yet every word reached Cheng Haitang's ears clearly.

"Upgrade? What upgrade?"

Cheng Haitang was first stunned, then the still, ancient‑well eyes instantly flashed with astonishing light.

He sprang up in an instant, lunged two steps at once to Qin Hao, grabbed his shoulders with both hands, his voice slightly altered:

"Say it again? It really is a system upgrade?!"

"Yes, it's an upgrade!" Qin Hao, seeing his excitement, smiled and repeated.

"The upgrade process requires twenty‑four hours, and it has already begun. During this period, the system cannot be used."

"Good! Good! Fantastic!"

Cheng Haitang paced the living room excitedly, muttering nonstop, his stern, square‑jawed face showing unabashed jubilation.

He knew better than anyone that each manifestation of Qin Hao's system brought earth‑shaking changes to the nation.

From crystal cores to soaring dragon fighters, and even nuclear submarines, Yanhuang Guo's military shortcomings are being filled at an incredible speed.

Now, this system, hailed as a divine artifact, is undergoing a new transformation.

What terrifying abilities will the upgrade bring?

Cheng Haitang dared not imagine, but the mere possibility set his heart racing.

"No, this must be reported to Rote Commissioner immediately!" Cheng Haitang quickly calmed, instantly recognizing the matter's significance.

He immediately pulled out his phone and dialed a dedicated number.

The call connected quickly; Cheng Haitang, using as steady a tone as possible, reported the news in full detail.

After a brief silence on the other end, Lao Luo's steady, powerful voice came through.

"How long will the upgrade take? Is the process stable? Does it affect Xiao Qin's body?"

Unexpectedly, Luo Te was not ecstatic; his first concern remained Qin Hao's safety.

「Report to the commissioner comrade, we need twenty-four hours. According to Comrade Qin Hao, the process is very smooth, just like a computer software update, with no effect on him personally. 」

Cheng Haitang answered respectfully.

「Good. 」

The Luo on the other end of the phone pondered for a moment, "I understand, let Xiao Qin rest well; during these twenty-four hours, you must not go anywhere; we'll talk after the upgrade is completed."

"Furthermore, Comrade Haitang, you shall notify in my name: let the chief responsible comrades of the General Staff, General Armament, National Defense Science and Technology Industry Commission, and the Academy of Sciences go to the designated location for a meeting twenty-four hours later."

「Yes! 」

Cheng Haitang hung up the phone, looked at Qin Hao, her eyes full of joy.

Old Luo's reaction once again proved Qin Hao's weight in the nation's strategic balance.

A piece of news about a system upgrade is enough to have the entire nation's top scientific and military brains on standby.

And the center of all this is the twenty-one-year-old youth before us.

It is he who has led the nation onto an alternative path of development.

「Xiao Qin, the Rote Commissioner has ordered us not to go anywhere today to ensure safety! 」

Cheng Haitang conveyed Old Luo's words in full.

「Hmm! I understand, you can rest easy! 」 Qin Hao nodded to indicate.