Chapter 82

81 Unexpected Gain

【Due to allegedly demanding money from a romantic partner, you have successfully activated the Iron Badge: “Asshole”】

【Asshole: A male human who lacks loyalty in relationships, maintains intimate connections with multiple partners simultaneously, prioritizes profit and pleasure, and exhibits immoral conduct】

【Wearing Effect: Your charm is slightly increased, but your reputation declines among those seeking to form families; however, your appeal rises sharply among certain individuals with unusual preferences】

Advancement Path: Continuously demand money from your romantic partners more than ten times—this badge will automatically upgrade to the Bronze Badge: “Sponger”;

【Or, by leveraging your exceptional charm to establish intimate relationships with ten partners—this badge will skip the Bronze stage and directly upgrade to the Silver Badge: “Sea King”】

Hidden Trait (No Need to Wear): The mental harm you inflict on others increases

“…”

Mental harm… does psychic damage caused by anomalies count? If so, this badge might actually be useful?

After shutting off the badge panel with a sigh, Li Ang, overwhelmed by the strange stares of the Secret Investigation Bureau staff and having gained this “unexpected gain,” dared not linger. He gritted his teeth and argued briefly with the female officer, securing her promise to return the files within three days, then fled under the watchful eyes of at least a hundred people.

What’s wrong with this damn rebel? Why’s he acting so weird today?

Watching Li Ang’s hunched, awkward back as he left, the female officer—who had just won this small victory—raised an eyebrow in surprise, then returned to the bureau’s main hall, her mind full of questions.

“Isa…”

Seeing her walk back with light steps, seemingly in good spirits, the middle-aged female officer who had been eavesdropping all this time couldn’t help but approach, her face filled with concern:

“Technically, love is your own business as a young person, and I shouldn’t meddle—but… you must keep your eyes wide open and protect yourself!”

“…” ???

What nonsense! That bastard may have had his reasons, but he’s still a rebel! How could I possibly be involved with him in that way?

Without revealing Li Ang’s rebel identity, she mumbled vague responses to brush off her senior’s absurd concern, then walked downstairs with a look of utter disbelief, ready to resume her work.

Yet no sooner had she entered the vacant interrogation room, dimmed the harsh lights slightly, and prepared to begin questioning, than the door behind her creaked open.

“Isa?”

After squinting to confirm she was the right person, the male officer, carrying a stack of files, exhaled in relief, then gestured for her to step outside.

“What is it?”

Following him out of the interrogation room, the female officer glanced at the files in his hands—and froze. They were the very files she had submitted that morning: the cases of bereaved families whose pensions had been prematurely halted despite failing to meet deduction criteria. Her brow furrowed.

“Did the military return the files and list? Are they refusing to reinstate the pensions? Or refusing to discipline those negligent welfare officers?”

“Both… They refuse to reinstate the pensions, and they won’t handle the welfare officers either.”

The male officer said, weary:

“The military says paying pensions until age sixteen already meets the minimum standard. They’re not babysitters—they have no obligation to support these people for life.

With standard wages, anyone who works hard can barely survive in the capital. If they can’t make ends meet, they should look elsewhere for reasons—perhaps they’re just not trying hard enough.”

Not trying hard enough?

If it were someone else, fine—but that damn rebel nearly worked himself to death supporting his family, yet still nearly lost everything. How dare you say he didn’t try hard enough?

And have all six years of pensions actually been paid out? Forget the rest—half of the rebel’s family’s rightful pension was converted into housing in Veteran’s Alley at average market price!

Damn it! Those houses were built at least sixty or seventy years ago, located far from the core district, surrounded by prisons or factories, unsellable even if you gave them away—and you still dare to value them at average market price to offset pensions? The records even boldly claim “recipient consent”?

They were just children—parents dead, the youngest barely weaned, the oldest under ten. Even if they knew they were being cheated, what choice did they have but to agree?

“I understand. Thank you.”

After hearing the report, the female officer was seething. She forced down her rage, thanked the officer who brought the news, then glared and asked:

“Can you tell me—who exactly said those things about ‘not trying hard enough’?”

“A supervisor from the Welfare Bureau. His name is Wil, Wil Lane.”

“…”

From now on, the two words I hate most in this lifetime are Lane!

…

“Zzz…”

【Marksman: Through exceptional natural talent and grueling practice, you have developed outstanding shooting instincts—your skill has reached a level of mastery】

【Wearing Effect: Relying on self-taught techniques and refined muscle memory, your shooting accuracy dramatically improves when consciously adjusting your aim】

【Advancement Path: Complete 30,000 live-fire shots—this badge will automatically upgrade to the Gold Badge: “Master Marksman.” Current progress: 0/30,000】

Hidden Trait (No Need to Wear): As a firearms enthusiast, your shooting stability greatly increases when using your familiar firearm

Finally got Silver…

Opening the badge panel, Li Ang stared at the Silver 【Marksman】 badge flashing in its slot. He fired two test shots on the spot, then stepped back from the firing position, torn between excitement and frustration.

The reason for excitement was obvious: the badge’s effect had surged again after upgrading to Silver.

At Bronze level, no matter how much he trained, ten shots could barely guarantee nine hits on target.

But these two test shots after the upgrade cut the “hit zone” nearly in half—not only did he hit the target every time, he could now roughly control whether the bullet struck the upper or lower half.

This was still a 500-meter target where nails rolled unpredictably. On a 300-meter target, under stable wind and light, he could guarantee pinpoint accuracy—with maximum deviation under two centimeters!

So why was he frustrated despite such progress? Because the next advancement was even harder.

“Thirty thousand rounds…”

Looking at the four zeros in the advancement path, Li Ang sighed deeply.

At his average firing rate, even if he skipped work and sleep, spending every moment at the range, it would take over a month to fire thirty thousand rounds.

Under normal conditions—only one or two hours after work each day—he’d need 170 to 180 days to advance. That meant over half a year. The shooting badge wouldn’t improve anytime soon.

Hmm… but I still have to grind.

Checking the sky, seeing the sun hadn’t fully set, Li Ang picked up his nail gun again and, under the despairing stares of two managers, lay back down on the firing position.

Compared to the 【Friend of Demons】, which required evil souls, or the 【Devout】, which demanded killing heretics, the shooting badge’s advancement condition was ridiculously simple.

And with just half a year of training, he’d reach “Master Marksman” level. He was already lucky enough—what was there to complain about?

…

After shooting until nightfall, Li Ang returned his sniper rifle to the Cleanup Bureau, then headed toward Happy Apartments.

Because of that so-called “sickly” giant old man, he’d originally planned to sleep at the Cleanup Bureau, even telling Anna and the others he wouldn’t return for a couple of days due to work.

But now that he’d obtained the 【Devout】, the counterpart to the 【Friend of Demons】, why not go back and try again? Maybe the two badges’ hidden traits would cancel each other out—and the old man guarding Happy Apartments would finally change his mind?