Chapter 96: Four Thousand Energy Crystals in Hand

Only after Qian Wanjin's bulky figure had completely disappeared outside the City Lord's mansion did the hint of amusement on Lin Yue's face fade.

He picked up the slightly cool tea on the table, took a gentle sip, and through the huge floor-to-ceiling window gazed toward the distant Suchen, which was gradually blurring in the twilight.

"One thousand energy crystals..."

Lin Yue set down the teacup, his fingertips unconsciously tapping lightly on the smooth tabletop, producing a soft 'tsk, tsk' sound.

I have to say, Qian Wanjin this old fox is indeed a ruthless character.

He is harsh not only toward others but even more so toward himself.

To save his life, he not only laid bare all his previous petty tricks, but also unhesitatingly produced a thousand energy crystals as 'compensation'.

This decisiveness and grit actually made Lin Yue look at him with a newfound respect.

"My lord, you really… just let him go like that?"

Han Ya's voice came from behind.

Lin Yue turned his head, only to see a hint of displeasure she could not hide on her face.

"That Qian Wanjin is clearly no good at a glance. You let him off so easily—I'm afraid he…"

"He wouldn't dare."

Lin Yue interrupted her, his tone calm yet carrying an unquestionable confidence.

"In the face of absolute power, any schemes and tricks are merely futile."

He slowly rose, walked to Han Ya, gazed into her clear, cold eyes, and curled the corner of his mouth into a faint smile.

"Besides, a living Qian Wanjin is more useful to us Xuanwu City than a dead one."

Han Ya looked into Lin Yue's deep eyes; although doubts still filled her heart, she chose to trust him unconditionally.

"Yes, my lord."

She asked no more, silently refilling Lin Yue's cup with hot tea.

Lin Yue lifted the teacup, feeling the warmth spreading through his palm, but his thoughts had already drifted elsewhere.

This trip to Suchen yielded a bounty far beyond his imagination.

Of course, Lin Yue also knew that after this battle, the energy crystal reserves of the three major powers were likely drained to about seventy or eighty percent.

However, the medium and small shelters should still have plenty of energy crystals.

Even if their combined total doesn't match the original reserves of the three major powers, it's probably not far off.

This is why Lin Yue said that a living Qian Wanjin is more useful to Xuanwu City than a dead one!

But the most important thing at hand is still to absorb those energy crystals!

Thinking of this, Lin Yue gave the order:

"Han Ya."

"At your command."

"Notify the Finance Department and the Storage Department that the three major powers should be sending over four thousand first‑level energy crystals in the coming days; have them prepare to receive them."

"Yes!"

……

Early the next morning, before the sky had fully lightened, the rumble of heavy truck engines came from outside Xuanwu City.

The three major shelters of Suchen, at the same time, dispatched their own convoys, delivering a total of four thousand first‑level energy crystals.

When the alloy boxes filled with energy crystals were opened, even though Lin Yue had been prepared, he couldn't help but suck in a breath of cold air at the sight of the crystals piled up like a small hill.

"We've struck it rich…… this time it's really……"

Sun Hao beside him had already been stunned into silence by the scene; earlier the three major powers had just sent over three thousand first‑level energy crystals, and yesterday Han Ya had said today's shipment would be four thousand.

Good heavens, my lord is truly amazing!

And when he saw Lin Yue's still calm and composed expression, his admiration grew even more!

Sun Hao had no idea that Lin Yue was merely forcing himself to stay calm at the moment.

Taking a deep breath, Lin Yue ordered the Sun Hao who was busy imagining things beside him:

"Director Sun, the inventory work is yours to handle."

"My lord, you can rest assured!"

Sun Hao, upon hearing this, immediately slapped his chest and promised:

"I guarantee not a single one will be missing!"

Lin Yue nodded, then turned away from this matter and walked toward a newly built massive warehouse in the city, the place dedicated to storing energy crystals.

This warehouse was personally designed and supervised by Wang Gongtou; its walls are made of high‑strength alloy and special concrete, ten meters thick, enough to withstand a direct hit from heavy artillery.

Lin Yue stepped inside, and the heavy alloy door behind him slowly shut, sealing off the outside world.

"Hum——"

The warehouse's sensor lights switched on automatically, bathing the whole space in soft white light.

No one was around.

At this moment, Lin Yue could no longer suppress his inner excitement,

"Haha…… hahahahaha!"

His laughter echoed in the empty warehouse, filled with wild joy and exhilaration.

Back in Hangcheng, after half a year of hard work wiping out dozens of mutant beast nests, he had barely scraped together less than six thousand energy points.

But after arriving in Suchen, in less than half a month, the energy crystals logged in his account had already become an astronomical figure—more than enough for Xuanwu to breakthrough to the fifth‑stage form.

Compared to those three wealthy shelters of Suchen, Hangcheng's Third Prison Shelter is practically a pauper begging for food!

After the brief burst of joy, Lin Yue took a deep breath, then slowly walked to the center of the warehouse, where the three thousand first‑level energy crystals obtained from the three major shelters were stacked.

"System, begin absorption!"

As his thought moved.

Hum—!

An invisible suction force, centered on Lin Yue's body, suddenly erupted!

In the warehouse, the mountain-like pile of Energy Crystals, as if pulled by some force, floated up one after another, turning into streams of brilliant light, frantically pouring into Lin Yue's body!

【Ding! Absorbing a Grade-1 Energy Crystal, Energy Points +10!】

【Ding! Absorbing a Grade-1 Energy Crystal, Energy Points +10!】

【Ding! Absorbing a Grade-1 Energy Crystal, Energy Points +10!】

……

A barrage of system alerts, like a tide, frenetically flooded Lin Yue's mind!

The Energy Crystals in the warehouse were decreasing at a visible speed.

And the numbers on the system panel were skyrocketing at a terrifying speed!

【Current Total Energy Points: /!】

【Current Total Energy Points: /!】

【Current Total Energy Points: /!】

A full half hour passed, and when the last Grade-1 Energy Crystal turned to ash, the absorption process finally ended.

Lin Yue slowly opened his eyes, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.

「……」

He looked at the numbers on the system panel, his heart overflowing with excitement.

The 100,000 points of energy needed for Black Tortoise's next evolution were no longer far away!

"It's time... to fulfill the promise."

Lin Yue tidied his clothes, pushed open the warehouse's heavy alloy door, and returned once more to the sunlight.