Chapter 29: Captain Level

In a daze, a mysterious message suddenly surfaced in Lin Qing's mind.

According to the Reverse Entropist's deduction—

In theory, to push the 'Version 77 Chaoyang Practice Method' to its limit, he would need to perfectly execute the method's 49 movements and its配套 breathing technique, ensuring the absorbed mysterious energy fully fused into every part of his body, and practice it 127 times in the most perfect state.

After 127 times, the Version 77 Chaoyang Practice Method would be pushed to its absolute limit, and his all-round physical attributes would double, reaching the Second Human Limit.

The next moment—

"Boom!"

An overwhelming flood of memories poured into Lin Qing's mind—memories of himself practicing the Version 77 Chaoyang Practice Method over and over.

The key to mastering the Version 77 Practice Method lay in sensing the deeper layer of that mysterious energy; only then could he use it more efficiently and trigger another metamorphosis in a body that had already reached the First Limit.

In those memories, he tried again and again. He didn't know how long it took, but finally, in a moment of unusually good condition, he luckily sensed that deeper layer of the mysterious energy.

After succeeding, he began searching for an even more perfect state of practice, trying to make that mysterious energy metamorphose his whole body as quickly as possible and bring the method closer to perfection.

After countless rounds of practice, his method finally stabilized, and his body began metamorphosing toward the Second Human Limit.

"Too much…"

An overwhelming flood of practice memories came crashing in. Lin Qing kept his eyes tightly shut, continuously receiving them.

At the same time, his breathing and blood circulation began changing on instinct, and wave after wave of mysterious energy fused into his body, devoured by every single cell.

This deeper-layer transformation of the mysterious energy made his body begin metamorphosing at a terrifying speed.

"Thump! Thump!"

His heart pounded wildly with unprecedented force, and blood surged through his body like rivers and seas, rushing to every part of him.

Beneath his skin, streams of mysterious energy traveled with his blood, wandering about as if they had come alive.

The searing pain of the rapid metamorphosis struck, making his whole body tremble violently beyond his control.

Still, Lin Qing could endure it.

A moment later.

All the strange symptoms gradually subsided.

"Haa…"

Lin Qing slowly exhaled, then opened his eyes and silently felt the changes in his body.

The most obvious changes were in his most direct senses—sight, hearing. Other aspects still needed testing, but honestly, he didn't even need to test them to know the result.

Having fully mastered the Version 77 Practice Method, his physical attributes had doubled across the board.

"Quite a decent boost."

Lin Qing looked at himself—his body was covered in sticky sweat and streaks of blood. He immediately stood up, walked to the bathroom, and turned on the water to shower.

If he had mastered the Version 77 Practice Method normally, the first metamorphosis wouldn't have been this large, the pressure on his body wouldn't have been this great, and he wouldn't have bled through his skin.

This was entirely because his metamorphosis had been too fast and too violent, putting excessive pressure on his body.

Still, the benefits were obvious.

He didn't need to gradually摸索 a perfect practice state suited to himself like others did, nor did he need to spend painstaking effort slowly metamorphosing.

He had metamorphosed straight to the Second Human Limit, so the boost was naturally significant.

Although it wasn't as large as the boost from mastering a combat art, it had the advantage of being more well-rounded. Moreover, the mysterious energy stored within his body had also increased, allowing him to power his combat arts for longer.

"Splash splash."

Lin Qing let the water wash over his body, then suddenly one hand blurred into a phantom and vanished.

The streams of water spraying from the showerhead suddenly burst apart, turning into a spray of countless tiny droplets. Those streams couldn't fall past the top of his head.

As if an invisible wall had appeared.

—This was caused by his palm striking upward at the water again and again at extreme speed.

"Water-Cutting Stream…"

Lin Qing lowered his hand with satisfaction and continued showering.

"My strike speed is noticeably faster than before, but the resistance is greater too."

"Calculating theoretically, with my base physical attributes doubled, my speed should be about forty percent faster."

Any middle schooler knows that kinetic energy is proportional to the square of velocity.

And that doesn't even factor in air resistance and the like.

"The current me should be very close to captain level, or about there."

Lin Qing thought to himself.

Captain-level figures like his older cousin or Xiao Peidong, besides having mastered the Version 77 combat art, had at least also mastered two other combat arts.

Although he had only learned one combat art, it was at the 'Instinct' level, allowing him to bring it to its absolute peak.

Two combat arts at the 'Mastery' level, while certainly powerful when combined, could each only unleash forty to fifty percent of their power. They shouldn't be much stronger than a single combat art pushed to its absolute peak.

Suppose—

Someone mastered the Free-Body series' 'Agility' and 'Speed'—their movement speed would definitely be far greater than his, but their strike speed shouldn't have much advantage, their neural reaction wouldn't match his, and they wouldn't be as flexible and versatile as him.

Or if they mastered 'Agility' and 'Strength', their power would far exceed his. Overall—

His短板 were fairly obvious, but his advantages were equally prominent, offering some compensation.

So Lin Qing felt he should be very close to captain level.

Unless he ran into a captain-level who had mastered several combat arts, the gap wouldn't be much.

"If I could learn one more combat art and push it to the Instinct level in advance, then I could completely suppress captain-level."

Lin Qing glanced at the Reverse Entropist panel. The debt for the combat art 'Agility' had already been largely repaid; another ten days of practice and it would be fully settled.

Unfortunately…

He only had two Third-Class Merit citations, not enough to exchange for another new combat art. He'd have to keep accumulating.

And the 'Version 77 Morning Sun Cultivation Method' had only just been advanced; it still needed to be practiced perfectly 127 more times.

"If practiced once a day, it would take four months to complete..."

Lin Qing was not in a hurry.

After all, there was nothing urgent to learn right now; it wasn't that pressing.

Moreover, looking at it from the other side, mastering the Version 77 method completely in just four months was already considered very fast.

If one took a suitable high-energy sustained-release liquid, this time could be shortened significantly!...

After finishing his shower, Lin Qing searched online for the currently applicable high-energy sustained-release liquids.

After breaking through the first limit of the human body, the effect of the K1 series high-energy sustained-release liquids diminished greatly.

It was best to take the MY series high-energy sustained-release liquids to make the body's cells more hungry, practicing the Version 77 method twice more each day to achieve triple efficiency.

As for the price...

"Damn... so expensive?"

Lin Qing's eye twitched slightly as he looked.

A set of the MY series high-energy sustained-release liquids contained ten vials, and the so-called discounted price was as high as 229,999!

Just to practice twenty more times, it actually cost 230,000?

If one needed to practice hundreds or even thousands of times, wouldn't that cost millions or even tens of millions? A triple experience cheat, but costing millions or tens of millions.

"It's purely a game for the super-rich..."

Lin Qing sighed helplessly and checked the welfare price through the Patrol Bureau's internal channels.

The Patrol Bureau's internal channels had access to the MY series high-energy sustained-release liquids.

A set cost only 179,999 yuan, a full 50,000 yuan cheaper than the market price! But there were conditions for internal purchase.

Only at least a 'Level 3 Patrol Officer' could enjoy this welfare; someone at his Patrol Agent level could only check the price but could not buy it.

"Looks like I need to promote to Patrol Officer sooner..."

Lin Qing narrowed his eyes slightly.

Promoting from Patrol Agent to Patrol Officer actually required just two conditions—

First, merit or seniority: one Second-Class Merit or six Third-Class Merits, or ten years of work seniority, with no illegal crimes.

Second, strength, which meant mastering the Version 77 Morning Sun Cultivation Method and mastering two combat techniques.

"I am still short one combat technique."

Lin Qing frowned slightly. "I'm a bit short on merit; if I only accumulate Third-Class Merits, I'm still short three Third-Class Merits."

Merit transferred from others had no record of honor commendation and could not be used for promotion; it could only be used to exchange for welfare like combat techniques.

"Once the conditions are met, I will directly apply publicly to promote to Patrol Officer."

Lin Qing made the decision in his heart.

After all, he had already laid the groundwork in advance; everyone thought he had long mastered the Version 46 method, so reaching the limit now wasn't strange.

On this basis, it was already possible to master the Version 77 method; it just depended on state and luck.

As for mastering two combat techniques in a short time?

He planned to build a persona as a 'genius in combat techniques'.

From what Lin Qing had found, such people were rare but did exist; after all, cultivating combat techniques mainly depended on comprehension and whether one fit the technique.

There were geniuses in Lin'an City who mastered a combat technique in just ten days or half a month.

"Talent is hard to explain, but I can just say I'm very suited to cultivating combat techniques and have high comprehension; who can prove otherwise?"

A smile appeared on Lin Qing's face.

He had already had this idea before.

So last night, after dealing with the two fugitives at the bathhouse, he hadn't immediately turned them into vegetarians or killed them; he had considered this point.

When the Public Security Bureau interrogated and recorded the two fugitives, they would definitely record how they were arrested; at that time, they would naturally guess that this Patrol Agent had mastered combat techniques.

"As for merit, once my strength is sufficient, I can start with the Red Oak Boxing Gym..."

Lin Qing took a deep breath: "In any case, promote to Patrol Officer as soon as possible."

(End of this chapter)