Chapter 69: Merchant Ronin, Firing the First Shot (Second Update)

Ding ling ling!

Late at night, the landline in the nursing home rang.

In the office, Shen Yuanzhang, wearing glasses, picked up the handset.

He listened quietly for a while, then replied:

"Mm, I understand."

Shen Yuanzhang, his hair white, hung up the phone and sat alone for a while; the caregiver patrolling the corridor with a flashlight was drawn by the light:

"Shen Yuanzhang, not sleeping yet?"

"Hahaha, I'll rest after I finish the accounts. It's the end of the month again in the blink of an eye; I need to calculate the expenses clearly and know the spending."

The caregiver chuckled:

"You worry too much. For this nursing home that doesn't make money, who would even covet it?"

Shen Yuanzhang said in a flat tone:

"Entrusted by others, I fulfill my duty. Brother A Ze gives so much money every month, supporting the old brothers of the Yi Quan Society, as well as some neighbors with no one to rely on. If I don't do it well, it would be ungrateful of his kindness."

The caregiver sighed a couple of times, shone the flashlight toward the corridor, and continued patrolling.

Besides the disabled people retired from the Yi Quan Society, the nursing home also had some orphaned, widowed, elderly, and weak people lacking relatives to care for them.

Relying solely on the Urban Circle's funding, how could so many mouths be fed? It mainly depended on Cheng Ze's private sponsorship.

Once the outside returned to silence, only the wind and rain poured back, striking the eaves and walls, like chaotic music.

"Five bottles of High-grade Mineral Essence, one set of Fu Zhi Ye, ten units of High-Energy Batteries... Brother A Ze really dares to dream."

"This is like asking for three hundred million upfront, cutting a piece of flesh from the Qin Family, and still making people ache."

Shen Yuanzhang took out an anonymous Identity Card; in the Hengzhou territory where an Electronic Blockade was enforced, to connect to the internet through regular channels, one had to apply for qualification, obtain certification, and then receive an Identity Card representing one's identity.

But as the saying goes, snakes have snake paths, rats have rat paths.

The two things the Great Universe lacks most and lacks least are both elite talents; it all depends on where the measuring standard lies.

Even though the rules of the Inspection Department were strict, there were too many clever people who used their brains, and they would always find a way to bypass that "wall."

For example, this "Universal Network Card" made by a full-time Level One expert from the Mechanical Field Branch's electronics division.

Plug and play, traceless browsing, like a fish hidden in the sea, impossible for the Inspection Department to catch.

Shen Yuanzhang came to the nursing home's basement, connected the desktop computer covered in a thick layer of dust to power, then plugged the network card into the interface slot. After several webpage jumps, he finally logged onto a chat software with a pitch-black interface.

【Study Material Sharing Group】

Shen Yuanzhang opened the chat group he had joined, pulled several group members into it, and started a temporary conversation.

【Yin Mountain Peak: Little Ze told you to ask Qin Lihao for five bottles of Mineral Essence, one set of Fu Zhi Ye, and ten units of High-Energy Batteries.】

【Buddhist Shrine: Can you get them? Hengzhou's Energy Confinement level is as high as Level Seven or above; any High-Energy product is strictly controlled. Getting these isn't just a matter of spending money.】

Mineral Essence, the hardest hard currency in the boundless Star Sea, can even be used directly as money.

It is itself a High-Energy substance collected from vast minerals, metals, and plants using unique refining technology.

Its effect is simple.

Currently the only known "panacea" that can increase Qi Life Force without side effects.

The benefits of this thing for Life Forms could not be summarized even by hundreds or thousands of papers.

For example, promoting cell synthesis, growth and development, energy metabolism, regulating the immune system, greatly enhancing brain function... In short, Mineral Essence is like a blood bottle.

Any kind of Life Form drinking a few bottles can get a blood-replenishing effect.

It is a key Strategic Material strictly monitored by Dongxia.

And Fu Zhi Ye and High-Energy Batteries: one ensures large Mecha run well, the other is for starting super-large engines or assembling objects.

Put plainly, if you want to start a Mecha capable of Outer Space activity, these two are indispensable.

【Yin Mountain Peak: The Qin Family is a Pioneer Family. Even though their past glory is gone, they indeed have some privileges. If the Qin Family doesn't want their youngest son to get into trouble, they are probably willing to pay this price.】

【Buddhist Shrine: Alright. Tell Brother A Ze to be careful; Qin Lihao might be targeting him.】

【Yin Mountain Peak: Brother A Ze is a talent. I think the Organization should recruit him.】

【Buddhist Shrine: His Qi Life Force upper limit is too low.】

【Yin Mountain Peak: Our Organization doesn't need geniuses of the Martial Artist Path anyway.】

【Buddhist Shrine: Let's discuss it after leaving this godforsaken Hengzhou.】

【Yin Mountain Peak: Okay】

Shen Yuanzhang took off his glasses, about to end this temporary conversation.

Suddenly the interface jumped, and the other party sent a message again.

【Buddhist Shrine: Are you there?】

【Buddhist Shrine: Can you lend me some money?】

Shen Yuanzhang frowned slightly.

【Yin Mountain Peak: Is life that difficult?】

【Buddhist Shrine: I took a job on "Killed It" recently, and the Inspection Department is hounding me.】

【Buddhist Shrine: Yesterday I got a bad review from a customer while delivering takeout and was fined two hundred yuan. I can barely afford the rent.】

Shen Yuanzhang sighed. If he had known Hengzhou was like this, he wouldn't have come even if beaten to death.

A Merchant Ronin who was a Number One Figure in the vast Star Sea actually had to rely on delivering takeout to make a living.

If this got out, it would be a black history for sure!

"Entering this controlled area in the Spiritual Ability Domain is truly rotten luck for eight lifetimes!"

Shen Yuanzhang cursed in his heart, then silently typed a message.

【Yin Mountain Peak: I don't have much money either; I'm entirely supported by Brother A Ze. I'll place an order for you later to run errands, asking you to buy a Full Family Bucket fried chicken set meal and a case of beer for me, with an extra eight hundred tip for you. That won't attract attention.】

【Buddhist Shrine: Fine. I like that sweet chili sauce one—give me a smear.】

【Yin Mountain Peak: No, staying too long will arouse suspicion. Go back and eat some Pig Trotter Rice yourself.】

Shen Yuanzhang closed the temporary chat window.

In the cold, dark vast Universe, there is an occupation called Merchant Ronin.

They stand between legal and illegal, in the gray zone, out-and-out speculators.

They were born with Dongxia's long-lasting Great Reclamation Movement, eagerly chasing wealth.

New technologies, new knowledge, new minerals, even new species—all are "goods" that Merchant Ronins resell or purchase.

This is a dangerous occupation where high risk and high return coexist.

After all, even Dongxia, standing at the pinnacle of the Galaxy, having weathered several Turbulent Eras and always remaining strong, dare not claim that Star Sea navigation is one hundred percent safe.

Let alone small-scale, solitary Merchant Ronins.

Besides unpredictable "Xu Kong Tides," cosmic phenomena such as "Stellar Wind Disasters" that occur from time to time.

The problem they fear encountering most is none other than "Reef Stranding."

Landing on Hengzhou, this Administrative Star with a high-grade Blockade Line erected, is nothing short of a shipwreck disaster!

……

……

【Intermediate Achievement - Deep Sleep (29/30)】

"Falling asleep to the sound of rain is mostly a wonderful thing."

Qin Shi stretched his waist, refreshed and clear-headed; outside the house the rain had long since cleared, and the sky was bright.

Last night he had battled for a long time with the Four-corner Underwear Naked Man of fifty Qi Life Force, growing from being one-sidedly thrashed to a stalemate of six-four.

Due to the sheer number of exchanges, he even produced a "Reading Command" effect.

When that Qiguang Heng University Martial Arts Department Four-corner Underwear Naked Man made a move, Qin Shi could guess the subsequent move connections and fighting strategy.

"Looks like the first New Martial Arts victim has been born! It's you!"

Qin Shi washed up quickly and cleanly, preparing to rush toward Lin Yunqing's grand villa.

Fire the first shot of the Old Martial Arts versus New Martial Arts battle in Dangyang East Suburbs!

(Chapter End)