Chapter 87: First-Class Merit Exchange

First-Class Merit, truly a decoration regarded as a dream by countless Patrols in the Patrol Realm.

Just a single First-Class Merit has already brought changes to Lin Qing that are astonishing enough.

First, the combined bounty for the wanted criminal Chu Dean across all nations—

Eight million six hundred fifty thousand!

This is the bounty amount carried by an S-Class wanted criminal.

Secondly, the Municipal Bureau and the Branch Bureau also offered rewards, totaling seven hundred thousand.

Almost a huge sum.

For Lin Qing, many benefits cannot be bought with money; they can only be obtained through meritorious deeds or rank privileges.

Adding the previous million-plus in savings, his current savings figure has now reached eight digits.

For most matters that need money to resolve, this savings of over ten million is already sufficient.

He has little interest in luxury goods, luxury cars, and the like, so naturally he will not spend money on such things.

After all, nothing is more fascinating than the changes brought by the rise of personal strength; the status and power brought by a rise in rank are even a joy that money can hardly buy.

"The audit for the Patrol Captain rank change has also been approved directly."

Lin Qing noticed the change in honorifics in the Patrol System message and couldn't help but nod inwardly.

Anyway, since his strength has already been revealed, the Headquarters knows he has learned six combat arts, so he applied for the Patrol Captain assessment a few days ago.

At that time, after confirming that all six combat arts of the Self-Nature state had been mastered and the original Morning Sun Cultivation Method had been perfected, his strength was already sufficient; he only needed a First-Class Merit to be promoted to 'Patrol Captain'.

Now that the First-Class Merit has been approved, his rank has immediately changed to 'Patrol Captain'.

He is also the second Patrol Captain in Lin City!

Although Xu Qiu's strength was sufficient, without enough Second-Class Merits or a single First-Class Merit, he could not be promoted to Patrol Captain.

"The privileges and benefits of the Patrol Captain rank are not few either."

Lin Qing clicked to view the details sent by the Patrol System, looked for a while, and understood the changes of the Patrol Captain.

The most useless thing is the monthly salary of twenty thousand.

Compared with other benefits, twenty thousand is just a bit of living expense.

The most important thing is the internal channel benefits of the Patrol System.

For example, he can now apply to Headquarters for customized state-of-the-art weapons, clothing made of special materials, and exchange for the 'AT Series High-Energy Sustained-Release Fluid' and 'Gene Optimization Agent' useful for the original Morning Sun Cultivation Method.

The effect of the former is the same as the previous sustained-release fluid, while the latter can allow the energy of the Second Level to push gene optimization faster.

Although he has already cultivated to perfection and does not need these two, he still has to repay his debts; if these two agents are sufficient, he can complete the repayment faster.

"It's just too expensive; I can't afford to buy much with money..."

Lin Qing helplessly muttered to himself.

The AT Series High-Energy Sustained-Release Fluid costs one million five hundred fifty thousand per set; even the Patrol Captain internal privilege price is one million one hundred thousand per set.

The Gene Optimization Agent is even more expensive!

Each vial can increase the gene optimization efficiency of the original Morning Sun Cultivation Method by one to two times.

The price per vial is two million six hundred thousand, and this is the internal privilege price.

If lucky, maybe a dozen vials will be enough; if unlucky, it could be dozens or even a hundred vials.

"High-Energy Sustained-Release Fluid at three times efficiency, that means 120 vials; just the High-Energy Sustained-Release Fluid requires twelve sets to be enough, which is over ten million."

Lin Qing silently calculated the upcoming expenses in his heart, "The Gene Optimization Agent is an even bigger chunk; at the very least it will cost tens of millions, and it is uncertain exactly how many are needed."

This is too expensive.

Lin Qing suddenly felt that the sum of over ten million lying in his bank account was not that much after all.

"I can only take it slow." Lin Qing took a deep breath.

If lucky, after one hundred twenty days, he will be able to repay and complete the debt for the 'Original Morning Sun Cultivation Method'.

"Looking at the agents, huh."

Yuan Anping, the Team Captain sitting next to him at this commendation meeting, glanced over and said in a low voice, "These can actually be offset with merit points; one Second-Class Merit can count as a thirty-percent-off shopping voucher, as long as a single transaction does not exceed three million."

"Second-Class Merit?" Lin Qing immediately checked and found that it was indeed so.

Thirty percent off is not so bad; it's not that exaggerated.

"You don't need to rush; anyway, gene awakening is still far away."

Yuan Anping sat upright, ostensibly listening to the leader's speech, but actually chatting secretly on the side: "You can buy the Gene Optimization Agent later; anyway, the Gene Optimization Agent is only useful after physical attributes reach the limit."

"Mm, I know." Lin Qing nodded slightly.

But inwardly he muttered to himself.

His physical attributes were naturally at the absolute limit when he took the advance.

This point, even detection instruments cannot distinguish whether the limit has been reached, because everyone's physical attribute limit is not quite the same.

Detection instruments can only determine whether the original Morning Sun Cultivation Method has been perfected based on the energy level of the mysterious energy within the cells.

Including telekinetic probing and the Life Detection Instrument brought by Headquarters, they actually all operate on this principle.

They just determine strength based on different energy levels.

Once the original Morning Sun Cultivation Method is perfected, even if cultivated to perfection and physical attributes improve slightly, the Life Field will not increase anymore; this is the limit of the human body.

"By the way, what is your gene awakening probability?" Yuan Anping asked curiously in a low voice.

Lin Qing looked at him and said without blushing or his heart skipping a beat, "11%, I guess."

"So high?"

Yuan Anping couldn't help but look at him in surprise and sighed, "Being born with such a high gene awakening probability; Headquarters will also prioritize you for any gene optimization benefits. You are considered to have struck it rich."

"Is that so?" Lin Qing feigned surprise.

Of course.

He had known about this matter long ago.

If it weren't so, he wouldn't have deliberately gone to test his gene awakening probability shortly after breaking through with the original Chaoyang Cultivation Method.

This was done to make the higher-ups believe—

that he originally had a chance exceeding 10% to complete the gene awakening.

Some time ago, while studying relevant cases of gene awakening, he discovered a pattern.

That was—

the higher the gene awakening probability, the greater the support and attention the higher-ups would give; especially for those with high innate talent, the higher-ups would wish to pull the awakening probability to the maximum, minimizing the possibility of failure as much as possible.

As for those whose gene awakening probability was originally very low, the higher-ups would only consider it not worth wasting too many resources.

For instance, for someone with a 1% probability of awakening, the higher-ups might feel that raising it to 30% versus 40% made little difference; after all, it still involved taking risks.

The possibility of awakening failure was very high.

But for someone with a 10% probability of awakening, with full support, it might reach 60% or even 70%.

The likelihood of success would be high.

Comparing the two, ensuring success for those with higher awakening probabilities actually consumed fewer resources.

Therefore, Lin Qing had gone for gene testing long ago.

Having cultivated the original Chaoyang Cultivation Method for only a short while, once the higher-ups learned his awakening probability was 11%, they would naturally assume it was innate. As long as they provided maximum support, even if they added a 40% chance of successful awakening, that would still result in a fifty percent success rate.

Of course, Lin Qing intended to raise this probability as high as possible.

At the very least, he aimed to reach a 60% probability.

Because...

with a 60% awakening probability, the situation of gene collapse leading to death would absolutely not occur, eliminating the risk of death.

Failure would only cause the gene shackles to become more firmly locked.

Simply put—

each failed gene awakening would reduce the awakening probability by 5% to 20%.

With good luck, the success rate would drop by only 5%; with bad luck, it would drop by 20%, or even result in gene collapse and death.

After the commendation ceremony ended, Lin Qing was too lazy to linger at the scene and headed directly to the combat technique secret room of the branch bureau.

The municipal bureau had said he could serve as the deputy team leader at the municipal patrol bureau, offering him a change of office location.

But Lin Qing had no interest in it.

In any case, in a few months, he would have to go to the Patrol Headquarters.

During this period, cultivation was the priority; what difference did it make where he was? Moreover, Zhao Jiayi and his cousin were both at the Xiaoshan District Branch Bureau; he suspected the Original Research Institute might not have given up yet, and being closer would make it easier to look after them.

Inside the dim secret room.

"Lin Qing, every time I see you, you bring me surprises."

That hoarse voice sighed somewhat, "It's been a while since we met, and you've already mastered the original Chaoyang Cultivation Method and become a Patrol Chief?"

Mastering the combat techniques of the Zizai Body series did not seem strange to him.

After all, Lin Qing was a combat technique genius, and having cultivated one technique to the instinctive level, mastering the entire series of techniques so quickly was quite normal.

But the original Chaoyang Cultivation Method was different; the reason the higher-ups set a four-year deadline was because mastering the original Chaoyang Cultivation Method truly relied on luck, and no one could say when it would be completed.

"Just good luck."

Lin Qing smiled and asked, "The First-Class Merit has been granted; now I can study freely, right? Those three awakening methods, and the original 'Zizai Body' requiring Special-Class Merit authorization?"

"Yes." That hoarse voice said, "Which one do you want to see first?"

He paused, then said, "Since you have already mastered the combat techniques of the Zizai Body series, you should be able to memorize the original 'Zizai Body' now. You can take a look earlier; although you cannot cultivate it yet, contemplating the spiritual intent of the original version and immersing yourself in it early will be beneficial to you."

"Cannot cultivate it? Why?" Lin Qing asked in confusion.

"The original 'Zizai Body' is generally meant for gene awakens to cultivate."

That somewhat hoarse voice said, "Gene awakens can control their own genes, making the genes more adaptable to the original 'Zizai Body', which is why mastery is possible. As for those who have not awakened..."

He said, "At the very least, the simplified version must reach the instinctive level, with a high enough compatibility with the combat technique, to have some hope of cultivating and mastering it."

Lin Qing asked thoughtfully, "Cultivating the simplified version to the instinctive level will change the genes?"

"Yes." That hoarse voice said, "Otherwise, how would your compatibility with the combat technique increase?"

Lin Qing understood.

That mysterious energy would affect the genes; although very slight and entirely subtle, combat techniques cultivated to the instinctive level normally required years of accumulation to succeed.

This long span of time was probably to wait for the genes to be changed bit by bit, becoming more compatible with the combat technique.

"So..."

Lin Qing suddenly asked, "If the original 'Zizai Body' reaches the instinctive level, the change to the genes would be even greater, right?"

"It is quite significant." That hoarse voice said, "But almost only gene awakens can cultivate the original 'Zizai Body' to the instinctive level; before gene awakening, it is basically impossible."

"Almost?" Lin Qing immediately caught the keyword.

"There is also a sliver of other possibilities."

That hoarse voice said, "If gene enhancement receives optimization, specifically multiple optimizations in a direction more adaptable to the original 'Zizai Body', there is indeed hope to reach the instinctive level before gene awakening, but the possibility is extremely slim."

"Alright." Lin Qing shook his head slightly.

It still required multiple gene optimizations suitable for the 'Zizai Body' direction to have even that faint chance.

With that kind of time, it would be better to try hard to achieve gene awakening.

"Then I will learn the original 'Zizai Body' combat technique first." Lin Qing said.

"Good."

The next moment, the projection before his eyes began to shift, and at the same time, that hoarse voice sighed, "Your luck is truly remarkable. To learn a single session of the original version of this combat technique at headquarters, one would need to exchange it for a Special Merit."

Lin Qing nodded slightly.

It was merely because he was a combat technique genius that he was given this opportunity in advance.

The next moment, a strange image appeared before Lin Qing.

It was a star map.

Within the map, amidst the boundless universe and starry sky, countless celestial bodies rotated endlessly; the overwhelming grandeur and boundlessness, though seemingly without pressure, immediately made him feel as insignificant as dust.

Upon careful observation, Lin Qing discovered that between the rotations of these celestial bodies, there were faint traces of the simplified Six Gates Combat Technique's intent.

Compared to this original version's spiritual contemplation diagram, the simplified version appeared far too crude and ordinary.

The vast and grand rotation of celestial bodies, simplified into six spiritual images, retained only a faint essence; while the nature of their manifestation was similar, the very quality of the mysterious energy was completely different.

It was not simulated electric currents, wind, and so on, but the true, most primal and fundamental power drawn directly from the starry sky! Seemingly singular and pure, yet in reality, the spiritual contemplation images of the six simplified combat techniques gathered together fell far short in terms of depth.

After a moment, the demonstration of the original version of the "Free Body" combat technique concluded.

Lin Qing slowly exhaled and said, "Indeed quite difficult; the difficulty of even entering the path must be quite high."

"It doesn't matter, no need to rush."

That hoarse voice said, "Unlike other combat techniques, you may come and experience the spiritual contemplation diagram of the 'Free Body' at any time. Breakthroughs in genetics are not merely a material phenomenon; they are also greatly related to your mental and spiritual state."

Lin Qing nodded slightly. "That is good; I thought I could only contemplate it once."

"Then the difficulty would be far too high, and I would not have let you view it now," that hoarse voice chuckled.

"There are still three Awakening Methods, correct?" Lin Qing asked.

"Correct."

That hoarse voice said, "However, these three Awakening Methods are actually of little use; they are merely held with a mindset of trying one's luck, which is why First Merit recipients are allowed to study them."

"Of little use?" Lin Qing was not surprised.

"See for yourself."

As that hoarse voice sounded, projections on the three surrounding walls also revealed three dense texts.

They were 【Gene Awakening Method】, 【Psychic Awakening Method】, and 【Authority Awakening Method】.

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(End of this chapter)