Chapter 8: Merit Transfer

"From now on, ask me first about any missions you get; I'll help you vet them."

Chen Yanan sat on the hospital bed and instructed, "I'll compile some key points and precautions regarding patrol work and send them to you shortly. Read them carefully and keep them in mind."

Lin Qing nodded, feeling a warmth he hadn't experienced in a long time.

For a survivor of the apocalypse, care, love, and family affection were luxuries; he hadn't felt them in a long time and didn't reject them.

Even if all betrayals have a price, human nature cannot be tested.

The fickleness of human relationships is the norm; as long as one stays clear-headed, that is enough.

"You're following Group Two's Team Leader Han, right?" Chen Yanan asked.

"Yes." Lin Qing asked, "What is Team Leader Han like?"

"Han Linsong is a good person."

Chen Yanan said, "He just has severe obsessive-compulsive tendencies and is a bit rigid, sticking to the rules. However, he is fair and upright. Although following him means you won't get any kickbacks, at least you don't have to worry about him pulling any dirty tricks, and he won't steal your merit. I'm very reassured about that."

Lin Qing raised an eyebrow slightly.

He had heard that patrol work sometimes offered kickbacks; for instance, searching places like casinos or nightlife venues inevitably touched on sensitive illegal zones, and it was normal for those in charge to offer some 'gratitude' to avoid trouble.

Of course, even if there were kickbacks, they had nothing to do with temporary patrol officers, so he had only heard about it.

"No wonder..."

Lin Qing suddenly frowned and said, "No wonder Xiao specifically assigned me to Group Two; it seems he doesn't want me to get any kickbacks?"

He looked at Chen Yanan and said, "Is Xiao worried I'll make money to treat your leg?"

Chen Yanan nodded slightly and said, "In the past, I had lofty goals and looked down on such petty gains; I didn't want to hinder my own future, so I rarely accepted any 'gratitude,' and thus my savings weren't much."

She sighed, "Now is when I need money most. That Xiao is probably worried you'll take advantage of this time to get kickbacks and gather funds to buy me a better mechanical prosthetic limb."

"If my strength hasn't declined much, then his chances of getting regularized are slim." She smiled mockingly, "But he specifically assigned you to Group Two. With a rigid and upright superior like Team Leader Han, you won't get any kickbacks in the short term."

Lin Qing shook his head slightly.

Someone like Xiao Pei, who has no shame, indeed has deep schemes.

"It doesn't matter."

Chen Yanan said indifferently, "Xiao is overthinking it. Including recovery and preparation, it will be at most two or three months before I undergo the prosthetic surgery. You're a newly regularized patrol officer; even if you were allowed to take kickbacks, how much money could you gather in two or three months?"

She reached out and patted the back of Lin Qing's hand. "Being able to stay in Han Linsong's group is already the best outcome."

"However..."

Lin Qing frowned slightly and said, "If I could gather a bit more money, maybe I could really get you a better mechanical prosthetic limb?"

"Don't overthink it." Chen Yanan shook her head. "My family's savings, plus my work injury insurance and disability subsidy, add up to about two million. Your brother asked his classmates in the urban circle; this amount is enough to purchase the Dawn Group's G21L model mechanical prosthetic limb and spare energy sources."

"For the next tier up, the G53 series mechanical prosthetic limbs, it requires at least five to six million to start."

She shook her head and said, "Even if you are very capable and can gather another million or so in two or three months, spending that much extra only improves aspects like battery life; the performance doesn't undergo a qualitative change. So, it's completely unnecessary. Do you understand?"

Lin Qing nodded slightly.

That was just his thought; if he could gather enough, he would naturally try to help as much as possible.

"It's good that you understand."

Chen Yanan looked at him with satisfaction. "You've grown up."

She couldn't help but think inwardly that in the past she had protected this child too well, not letting him experience much hardship; this time, as soon as something happened to her, he immediately matured considerably.

It was a different person... Lin Qing muttered to himself, then asked, "Sister, do you know how to learn combat techniques faster?"

"Other than earning merit, what else is there?" Chen Yanan glanced at him.

"The escaped convict who injured you—if we deal with him, what class of merit would that be?" Lin Qing suddenly asked.

Chen Yanan couldn't help but look at him and said, "Don't go looking for death, kid." "I was just asking casually." Lin Qing shook his head. "How could I be so presumptuous?"

"That's true..."

Chen Yanan then said, "If you could deal with that person, it would definitely be a First-Class Merit. He is far stronger than me and has almost no weaknesses; even bullets can't inflict effective damage on him. Even under concentrated fire, he can escape. I estimate only Yuan Anping, the Chief Captain of the Municipal Bureau, could handle him."

Bullets can't even deal with him? Hearing this, Lin Qing felt a surge of desire in his heart.

Isn't this the strength he pursues? Unfortunately, even his cousin, with her level of strength, was inferior to that person; naturally, his own strength was far worse.

"Merit..."

Chen Yanan pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "How about this? I have two unused Third-Class Merits under my name. I will apply to transfer them to you. If you gather one more Third-Class Merit, you can also attempt to learn a combat technique."

"Merit can be transferred?" Lin Qing was surprised.

Chen Yanan nodded and said, "Third-Class Merits can be transferred. However, honors and archival records cannot be transferred, so they can't be used for rank promotion. But substantive rewards involving merit exchange can still be transferred."

She said regretfully, "However, the eight Third-Class Merits and two Second-Class Merits I established over these years were all used to attempt learning combat techniques."

"Then didn't you learn six combat techniques, Sister?" Lin Qing couldn't help but ask.

Three Third-Class Merits for one technique, one Second-Class Merit for two combat techniques.

Adding up Chen Yanan's merits, after learning six combat techniques, exactly two Third-Class Merits remained.

"Six?"

Chen Yanan couldn't help but look at him. "These are just six attempts to learn. How could one master them just by trying? After six attempts, I only mastered three combat techniques, and truly deeply mastered only two."

"So hard to learn?" Lin Qing asked with interest.

"Of course it's hard. The Patrol Bureau's inventory has four series of combat techniques, totaling twenty-three. There will always be one you can master; it depends on your luck."

Chen Yanan said, "My luck is considered very good. After attempting six combat techniques, I successfully mastered three. If someone had bad luck, they might attempt ten and not master a single one."

Lin Qing understood.

He wasn't worried; after completing the Fourth-Sixth Edition Morning Exercise Method, he could learn combat techniques then.

"I'll give you both of my Third-Class Merits."

Chen Yanan looked at Lin Qing and said, "You still need one more Third-Class Merit; figure out how to gather it yourself."

"I'll handle it myself." Lin Qing nodded.

It had already been a great help, reducing more than half the difficulty for him.

"Isn't your spear technique formidable?"

Chen Yanan instructed, "Promote to Third-Rank Patrol Bureau as soon as possible; only then will you be qualified to carry a spear."

Lin Qing hummed in agreement.

It would be soon; if all went smoothly, perhaps it would happen this very month.

After leaving the hospital, Lin Qing was too lazy to attend classes at school; since he was going the Patrol Bureau route, the college entrance exam mattered less and less.

He made his way straight back home.

After eating a cheap lunch that didn't taste very good, Lin Qing began practicing the "Paying Debts" version of the Fourth-Sixth Edition Morning Sun Method.

Only sixty-five perfect repetitions were needed to complete the make-up; it didn't feel like much.

However, after practicing just once, Lin Qing noticed something was wrong.

(End of this chapter)