If you make too little money as a lackey, it’s not enough, and you’ll be expelled.
If you make too much, it’s even worse, and it will cost your life.
It’s really too difficult.
This truly hits rock bottom on the disgust scale.
When the two arrived at the small courtyard, they could distinctly feel the low pressure in the air. Even Hanyu was no longer reading, just resting her chin thoughtfully.
Zheng Tian looked up drowsily and noticed that Wen Lei had changed his bandage. She proactively offered to transfer money again, only to be refused by Ren Zhong.
Ren Zhong thought for a moment and tentatively asked, "Since the professional team is so harsh, why not break away and work independently?"
Zheng Tian shook her head, "Previously, when we hunted outside, we rarely had conflicts with others because we were affiliated with Lin Wang. Otherwise, while operating in the wild, we not only have to guard against Ruined Beasts but also other people, making every step dangerous and nerve-racking."
"Additionally, every so often, we can follow them to Bone Valley to beg. This income is very important. Finally, from what I know, almost no team ends well after leaving the professional team. Perhaps they die at the hands of other Scavengers, or maybe it’s the professional team doing the deed."
"After all, our income is transparent to them, and they know exactly how much we earn. In short, there would be a lot of trouble if we quit the team. Once you’re on that pirate ship, it’s not easy to get off."
Ren Zhong nodded, "I see."
Even though I’ve died once, nothing has changed.
We must rise up and overthrow Lin Wang’s professional team, or we’ll never see the light of day.
This matter is even more urgent than the Pu Cha.
After all, there are still 84 days until the Pu Cha, but at my current growth rate, even if I run solo the whole time and frequently visit the Military Weapon Store, it’s inevitable that my equipment will change, and I’ll draw attention. By then, it’s very likely that people from all three professional teams, including Lin Wang’s, will come for me.
Either submit and be shackled, endure and bide your time for a massacre, or die.
"How about this, tomorrow I’ll join you during the day, and I’ll plan the hunting strategy. How about it? With me added, we should be able to handle a Second Level Ruined Beast."
Ren Zhong suddenly suggested.
Upon hearing this, Zheng Tian’s face turned from worry to a small smile.
The others had similar reactions.
Zheng Tian felt complex emotions, often wanting to speak but stopping herself.
She had always wanted to invite Mr. Ren.
But Ren Zhong always hedged, neither refusing nor agreeing, just teasing with possibilities.
The team was now at the end of the road, on the brink of disbanding and going separate ways.
Zheng Tian thought, if it were her usual self in such a situation, she would at most offer some comforting words, state her helplessness, and then decisively cut ties.
This aligns with Starfire Town’s survival philosophy.
She couldn’t have imagined that after searching high and low with no result, there was a twist in fate; Ren Zhong actually volunteered to join at this moment.
This isn’t just helping in a snowstorm, it’s a life-and-death commitment!
After all, although Mr. Ren has unparalleled connections, in the end, he’s just a newly upgraded First Level Mechanical Warrior, whose strength may not even match Wen Lei’s yet.
The Ruined Beast’s giant hand doesn’t care about connections.
Zheng Tian’s lips trembled with difficulty, intending to say it wasn’t necessary, but the words got stuck in her throat.
Instead, Hanyu spoke up, "Mr. Ren, it’s useless. Today we only received a four-point commission, tomorrow we must earn sixteen points, and the Ruined Beast we hunt must be worth at least eighty points. It’s impossible to accomplish, even with you. You really... in short, it’s actually meaningless."
Wen Lei nodded in agreement, "Yes, I’m still not recovered, at most, I’ll have half my combat strength tomorrow. Mr. Ren, although your talent is high, you’ve just newly advanced, and haven’t even had real combat experience. Joining us would at most just make up for the shortfall from my injury. Sigh. Mr. Ren, you’d better... better not bother with us."
Ren Zhong fully anticipated their concerns, yet he looked around and chuckled.
He indeed felt like laughing.
Who would’ve thought that one day he’d be internally mocking the locals for lacking experience?
Is it really so hard for a six-person team to earn eighty points in one day?
Honestly, from the very first night I came to this world, I managed to earn ninety-one points all by myself!
He tapped his forehead.
"You think I’m just a First Level warrior? That’s right, but also wrong. I can only tell you that sometimes fists aren’t the most important asset. I’m not sure what kind of education you received growing up that made you overly reverent toward the power of Professionals, ignoring some otherwise obvious principles."
"Of course, you all don’t have formal wrist watches, can’t use the internet, so lacking some necessary information support is understandable. In any case, your opposition is invalid. Tomorrow I’m joining, and I’ll handle the situation."
At that moment, everyone experienced a strange illusion.
They perceived that this man, clearly just a First Level Mechanical Warrior, seemed to shine brilliantly.
Reason told them Mr. Ren was taking them on an absolutely impossible mission.
But emotionally, everyone clearly sensed that Ren Zhong wasn’t bluffing.
"So then, Mr. Ren, what do you plan to do tomorrow?"
Zheng Tian put away her disdain and asked seriously.
Ren Zhong looked at Zheng Tian, feeling a sense of regret inside.
She was undoubtedly very smart, otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to learn independently and build herself up to her current position in the town.
But she also had unavoidable shortcomings.
No one had imparted knowledge or experience throughout her growth.
She had figured out some tricks on her own, but they weren’t comprehensive, seeming incomplete and possibly inaccurate.
She dared not entrust her life to such unreliable experiences.
Over time, she forgot those blurry inspirations she once caught.
She’s like a worker on a sweatshop assembly line, using her limited intelligence to mechanically follow rigid methods, relying strictly on the capabilities of Professionals.
This certainly wasn’t due to Zheng Tian’s dullness, but rather limited thinking and perspective.
The situation of other semi-professional teams in the town is largely similar.
Perhaps there are smarter or luckier individuals who figured out ways to break free from limitations.
But these individuals would naturally keep their methods secret; who would train competitors?
Even if someone slightly hinted to Zheng Tian, saying that good tools are prerequisite to the successful execution of a job, one formal wrist watch in the team to access the internet and look up Ruined Beast data wouldn’t hurt.
Alright, perhaps she would’ve been eliminated by Lin Wang earlier.
The matter was reluctantly settled, and everyone went to the communal sleeping pods together.
The others, although somewhat relieved, still felt it was impossible when calmness returned, unsure what else to say.
Ren Zhong was too lazy to explain.
He had already crafted a full plan.
There were ways to earn money cleverly, and also honest, knife-edge strategies.
He spent five whole nights as the Dark Night Demon King, making quite some money, but hadn’t truly experienced a proper fight with a Second Level Ruined Beast yet.
There was no choice; the opponents were too "weak."
Constantly taking shortcuts would dull the blade’s edge of advancement.
The blade dulls if not sharpened, and it’s time, with protective bodyguards, to engage in some exhilarating life-and-death battles, honing his combat strength in the blood and flames.
Come tomorrow, I’ll charge ahead once more, showing you what a First Level Mechanical Warrior even more Sid Meier than Sid Meier looks like!
No real combat experience?
I’ve even killed Bei Lihui!