Chapter 196

Even a Supernova has to lower their head honestly when asking for help.

Zhou Yuanchen's tone was very sincere; he had always been this way — nothing compared to the pressure of debt, and every expense of his own had to be carefully calculated, absolutely never overspending.

It was precisely by relying on this extraordinary perseverance that he had avoided being crushed to death by a debt pile of over ten billion.

"This is all trivial, Lao Zhou. If you ask me, your thinking still isn't broad enough."

Qin Shi tossed down the towel and had Xuan Ming bring two bottles of chilled Level 4 Energy Liquid, gulping them down in big swallows until they were empty.

The high-grade resource that once made his Qi Life Force surge by several points now served only as a potent functional beverage, unable to bring any significant increase.

"Brother Qin, elaborate."

Zhou Yuanchen took the sealed Level 4 Energy Liquid, his eyes bright as he looked at Qin Shi, revealing a fiery expression.

What he most wanted to learn was exactly this!

"In fact, with your status as a Central City Supernova, the resources you can leverage are absolutely not limited to around ten billion or so."

Qin Shi naturally put on the airs of a predecessor, imparting experience:

"Let me ask you, Lao Zhou — what do you think your relationship with the Central City Education Bureau is? Mutually beneficial partners, or employees dependent on the platform?"

Zhou Yuanchen frowned slightly, and after serious thought said:

"Every year the Education Bureau selects talents from various major universities, inputs them into the system as 'new blood,' and arranges them to shine in various posts.

My becoming a Supernova is, on one hand, because I am young enough with unlimited potential, with hope of impacting Professional First Segment and above; on the other hand, my educational background meets the standard.

Brother Qin, you may not know — in Central City, especially the Upper City, they place considerable importance on your 'educational background.'"

Qin Shi heard this phrasing for the first time and couldn't help asking curiously:

"What's 'educational background'?"

Zhou Yuanchen explained:

"Central City covers a vast area; it is Hengzhou's largest megacity, with a total population that long ago exceeded hundreds of millions. It adopts a multi-centered network structure, divided into Upper City and Lower City. The Lower City mostly resides in underground spaces with a development depth of three to five kilometers.

To maintain normal operation of such an enormous settlement and guarantee good order is no easy task. Nearly eighty percent relies on the active consciousness entity 'Tai Jun' provided by the Dongxia Original Canon."

Qin Shi nodded; this part he was not unfamiliar with.

Ever since his Citizen Permit underwent consecutive leaps, the information he could browse each time he went online had also become abundant.

The Great Expedition that New Dongxia has sustained for nine thousand years and still not seen end, mainly relies on the nine Marshals excavating 'Original Canon Technology' from the Ten Great Relics of the Star Sea.

It is said this technology, which can be called great, comes from the Artificial Star God, the Gear Emperor, who thoroughly dragged the Ancient Dongxia Empire into the Abyss.

New Dongxia was established, and they named it 'Original Canon.'

It can be regarded as a kind of high-tech computer, storing countless construction templates of the Ancient Dongxia Empire, including but not limited to blueprints of various weapons, architectural plans, and even the ability to help transform planetary environments and analyze massive parameters.

No matter which planet the Great Expedition's war corps arrives at, as long as they secure a foothold, using this Original Canon technology, within an extremely short time, human settlements will rise from the ground one after another.

Things like water circulation systems, artificial synthesis farms, ring reactors, cosmic energy base stations, ecological domes... and so on.

You only need to gather the materials, and the Original Canon will naturally exert its great power.

So practitioners of the Mechanical Path privately prefer to call it another, rather mystical name.

Omnipotent Divine Machine!

Correct; not a few who believe in rationality on the Mechanical Path consider Dongxia's Original Canon technology to be essentially an Omnipotent Divine Machine that grants every request.

Like a certain pixel game from the Ancient Era — put the materials in, and the thing just pops out by itself.

"Tai Jun is an active consciousness entity incubated locally in Hengzhou; it manages Central City. The vast population, education, ecology, resource allocation — all are major problems."

Zhou Yuanchen spoke leisurely:

"On education, Central City implements a district-assignment system. Hence the concept of 'educational background' arises — the Upper City has the 'Three Small Three Middle,' meaning only those three elementary schools and three middle schools possess the qualification to be selected by the Education Bureau.

Generally speaking, if you haven't attended the Three Small Three Middle, it's very hard to test into Qiguang Heng University or Jia Kai University of Technology, let alone enter the system.

In my case, elementary was 'Blue Sky Affiliated,' middle was 'First Experimental' — both are in the Three Small Three Middle ranks."

Qin Shi clicked his tongue — meaning the Education Bureau only chooses "politically reliable" potential stocks?

"The Central City Education Bureau's scale is enormous, with over twenty million personnel, of whom the Lower City district accounts for less than one-tenth.

This is what I mean by educational background. Your educational background has long since determined your future. Those Three Small Three Middle students will subconsciously form cliques and squeeze 'outsiders' out."

Zhou Yuanchen sighed with emotion; if not for the Entropy Sea Bank's lending benefits, becoming a soaring Top Scholar genius, his kind of ordinary family would have found it hard to gain a foothold in that environment.

"Tsk, looking at it this way, it's a good thing my birth point was Old Factory Street; swap it for Central City, and with bad luck becoming a Lower City resident, it really is hard to get ahead."

Qin Shi thought a moment; given Central City's enormous scale, a Lower City person might not step into the Upper City in a lifetime — after all, that is a megacity of nearly five hundred thousand square kilometers.

Central City has already reached such an unimaginable scale; who knows how grand the Four Great National Universities that occupy planets and build 'Academy Cities' must be.

"Lao Zhou, you really haven't had it easy."

Qin Shi sighed, patting Zhou Yuanchen's shoulder, and said:

"Since that's the case, as a Supernova who broke out of the encirclement of countless students, your gold content speaks for itself. A mere ten-odd billion — how could that be enough? Think: the Education Bureau, the Martial Association, and those big companies — any major project they put on the schedule, which one isn't a hundred billion or more, even a trillion?

If we merely passively accept resource investment, we're destined for no future."

Zhou Yuanchen looked thoughtful; Qin Shi's words had opened his thinking.

How had he never considered this before?

Worthy of being the Entropy Sea Bank's Gold Level Customer!

"Relying solely on your own struggle, how can you keep up with the speed of debt rolling interest! Lao Zhou, you should also know I'm on bad terms with the Education Bureau. I think when you return to Central City, you can apply for a special fund from the Education Bureau, to personally defeat the Tai'an Metropolitan Area's Supernova and ensure Central City's unshakable position!"

Qin Shi guided him step by step, like a demon's bewitchment, every word sinking deep into Zhou Yuanchen's heart.

"Why was the Education Bureau's investment in you not large in the past? Because behind you there are too many substitutes; if they're dissatisfied, they can swap you out at any time and support other geniuses.

But from now on it's different — you will be my 'archenemy'! Only Zhou Yuanchen can contend with Qin Shi! You become the irreplaceable sole choice, and the Education Bureau must bet heavily!"

Zhou Yuanchen listened with eyes growing wider and wider; he felt like a raw recruit, his admiration for Qin Shi deepening further.

"Brother Qin, what you say makes sense. Only, my mere seventeen billion combat power — how can I fight you?"

Once the excitement in his heart passed, Zhou Yuanchen felt as if a basin of cold water had been poured over him, and he hung his head.

Before visiting the Nanhuang Dojo, he had still wondered why he lost to Qin Shi last time.

It was because his account was suddenly frozen, preventing him from exerting his full strength.

But now, having personally witnessed the dazzling badge of an Entropy Sea Bank Gold Level Customer, Zhou Yuanchen completely lost his will to fight; he knew all too well what terrifying resources Qin Shi could leverage if he was willing.

"Don't be discouraged, Lao Zhou. You've entered the Professional Domain after all, a bona fide Martial Path powerhouse."

Qin Shi offered a couple words of comfort, then said:

"We're all brothers, rest assured. In future interviews, when media reporters ask me to sharply comment on Hengzhou's young experts, I'll sing your praises, saying your talent and aptitude are no less than mine, that you're my absolute rival!"

Zhou Yuanchen was slightly moved, inwardly sighing with emotion: Brother Qin is truly loyal!

"You and I joining forces, fleecing Hengzhou's budget, absolutely no problem."

Qin Shi waved his hand grandly, sketching a future blueprint for Zhou Yuanchen.

"When the time comes, Old Zhou, you and I will fight from the Top Hundred Tournament to the Star Cup, then battle all the way to the Gu Lao Tian Lu; the Education Bureau and the Ying Clan will have to go bankrupt paying for you!"

Zhou Yuanchen's eyes flashed with brilliance, his heart surging; he felt Qin Shi was absolutely right.

Before, even as a Supernova, he had to bow his head and obey meekly when facing Education Bureau leaders.

But if he became the sole choice to oppose the Tai'an Region's Supernova, the meaning would be completely different.

"Brother Qin, how do you want to split it?"

Zhou Yuanchen was also very savvy.

"Split what, Lao Zhou? You and I are this familiar, it's a trivial matter; talking money hurts feelings."

Qin Shi waved his hand lightly; he was increasingly understanding the true meaning of what Lin Yunqing said — that grasping resources is very important.

Under the Star Sea, Dongxia constantly stepping its footsteps toward the farther reaches of the Galaxy, there are actually only three kinds of people: those who grasp resources, those who distribute resources, and those who produce resources.

So geniuses aren't valuable; because they are merely tools that consume resources, and can be created endlessly.

This is also why Zhou Yuanchen, despite being a Central City Supernova, still doesn't have as high a status as imagined.

Qin Shi refused that Door leading to the Higher Level world, refused the olive branches extended by the Four Great National Universities — he had figured it out.

With his background, no matter how far he went, how high he stood, he still couldn't escape the shackles of resources; ultimately he remained subject to the system.

"Brother Qin, that's too embarrassing; you're going all out to help me, I should repay you..."

Zhou Yuanchen looked at Qin Shi; from the other's facial color he could tell it wasn't a joke, but very serious.

"Lao Zhou, if you really want to repay me, just provide me with some information about Central City in the future."

Qin Shi's tone was flat, yet seemed to contain an unusual power:

"We can't forever just be called 'geniuses'. Repaying debts isn't just this one path of becoming a Grandmaster Level; if one day you grasp the power of distribution, you'll discover that the interest that once pressed you until you couldn't breathe, only needs a few seconds of quiet breathing to disappear."

Zhou Yuanchen's throat subconsciously rolled, his palm gripping the sealed Energy Liquid Can tight.

"Can I?"

He asked in a hoarse voice.

"With us, it's definitely possible."

Qin Shi smiled.

An hour later, Zhou Yuanchen stepped out the main gate of the Nanhuang Dojo.

Zhou Shu, waiting anxiously outside, hurried forward; confirming the Education Bureau Supernova had no injuries, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Immediately he asked curiously:

"What did you and Qin Shi talk about? No disputes, right?"

Zhou Yuanchen kept a cold face, his gaze emitting chill:

"Confirmed one thing. I've already entered the Professional Domain; one step faster on the Martial Path means one step ahead on the frontline. This failure's humiliation, I'll personally wash clean!"

It ignited!

Feeling Zhou Yuanchen's surging fighting spirit, Zhou Shu was overjoyed.

What he worried about most was the former never recovering, losing confidence.

"Good good good! Little Zhou, once back in Central City, I'll apply for a higher subsidy for you..."

"No need. I've already spoken with the Bureau Chief; after thorough consideration, he agreed to establish a Special Fund to help me solidify my Professional Ninth Stage strength! The Great Expansion is imminent; I'll defeat Qin Shi and restore Central City's reputation!"

Zhou Yuanchen's words were sonorous and forceful; he looked back once at the Nanhuang Dojo's signboard, thinking to himself:

"Brother Qin was right; becoming the person who distributes resources is the only way to make it ashore."

"Xiao Qin, what are you trying to do helping Zhou Yuanchen like this?"

In the broad backyard paved with green bricks, Lao Zhang pushed his wheelchair out; he had seen and heard all that conversation just now.

"I'm about to go to Central City; having an 'informant' providing news is quite good too. Lao Zhou's character is decent; back at the Copper Mountain Summit during the Top Hundred Tournament, he had just stepped into the Professional Domain — if he wanted to kill, the chance wasn't small."

Qin Shi naturally walked behind the wheelchair, hands gripping the handles, saying with a smile:

"Anyway it's the Education Bureau's budget being fleeced; letting Lao Zhou go all out building also counts as consuming enemy resources."

Lao Zhang smiled benevolently, as if seeing through Qin Shi's innermost thoughts:

"You plan to build a 'circle' centered on yourself; this idea isn't bad. Under the Star Sea, even Divine Spirits may not walk alone, let alone Mortal Beings. The Nine Marshals are all heroes; only united can they overthrow the Empire."

Qin Shi chuckled, showing a bashful expression; he had this notion, but it was only embryonic — taking it one step at a time.

"Going to Central City, you don't need to worry either; I'll have Little Yu protect you."

Lao Zhang's eyelids drooped; the scorching summer had long passed, autumn chill growing heavier by the day; this Nanhuang Dojo Master seemed somewhat afraid of the cold.

Qin Shi stopped his steps, walked to the side, bent down, and pulled up the warm blanket.

"Xiao Qin."

Lao Zhang's withered hand slowly closed around Qin Shi.

"From now on, you are the Inheritor of Nanhuang Dojo."

Qin Shi's palm was stuffed with a hard object, seemingly made of iron, bitterly cold.

"By the old generation's Rules, I should host a banquet and send out announcements to all directions. I'm old now, too lazy to bother with the arrangements, so let's keep it simple."

Lao Zhang lowered his head, those deep, pool-like turbid eyes fixed on Qin Shi, who wore a look of shock, and then, with a serious expression, he spoke word by word:

"From this day forward, you are Nanhuang's Young Hall Master, same as me, possessing the authority to don armor and bear arms, to execute first and report later!

The laws of Hengzhou, and even all of Dongxia, must yield to you!"

(Chapter End)