Ren Zhong in the back nodded, "Yes, a balance between work and rest is important."
"So, Brother Ren, what are you planning to do tonight? Are you going to the outer city to visit the brothels? I can show you the way! I know that place like the back of my hand!"
If Ou Youning had said this, it would have made sense.
But unfortunately, it wasn’t him; it was the driver, Ms. Zheng Tian.
But this was in line with her style.
Long ago, Zheng Tian had bragged to Ren Zhong about the developed service industry in Starfire Town, trying to draw him in.
Ren Zhong shook his head nonchalantly, deciding to continue reinforcing his high-status persona.
"No need, I’m not interested in those common women. My entertainment might be a bit different from ordinary people. Hanyu, if you’re free tonight, I’d like to have a chat with you."
The atmosphere in the cabin suddenly became ambiguous and awkward.
Chen Hanyu, who was initially looking down at her tablet, suddenly froze, and she looked toward Zheng Tian with a mix of surprise and tension, seemingly wanting to ask her what was going on and what to do.
At this moment, Zheng Tian also stopped looking at the road and turned her face, secretly meeting Chen Hanyu’s gaze.
In that instant, their eyes met, as if they exchanged countless words.
As for Ou Youning, Bai Feng, and Wen Lei, the three of them remained silent the entire time, not daring to intervene.
Everyone knew that Zheng Tian and Chen Hanyu were the true core of the team.
This involved high-level decision-making, and the subordinates dared not interrupt.
Zheng Tian’s gaze was encouraging, with a bit of a gamble.
But in the end, Chen Hanyu still shook her head firmly, then turned around, with a slightly flushed face. She said in a slightly cool but as polite tone as possible, "Mr. Ren, I’m not..."
To be honest, at this moment, the faint blush on Chen Hanyu’s face due to embarrassment was quite different from her usual aloofness, creating a strong contrast and lending her an enchanting charm that outshone others.
Ren Zhong wasn’t a fool; he had noticed that the atmosphere in the car had turned peculiar after he spoke.
With just a glance at Chen Hanyu, he immediately realized that his words, when combined with the previous context, seemed seriously ambiguous.
He quickly waved his hand, "It’s my mistake; I didn’t express myself clearly. Actually, since I’m not going to the training ground tonight, I don’t want to waste my time either. So I wanted to ask if you could teach me some Demolition Master techniques."
As soon as he said this,
the atmosphere in the cabin suddenly relaxed a lot.
Zheng Tian slapped the steering wheel, "Oh, so that’s it! Brother Ren, your idea of fun is really different! Who would consider learning something as a way to relax! You got my hopes up for nothing! Ahem... hahahaha..."
Wen Lei and the other two responded simultaneously.
Somehow, there was a hint of regret in their tone.
Chen Hanyu’s tense body relaxed a lot, "Of course, that’s no problem. But I’m curious why you’re suddenly interested in becoming a Demolition Master, Mr. Ren. I think you should be focusing more on becoming a powerful Mechanical Warrior. You have the talent for it. Though, given your status, having combat skills isn’t really necessary."
Ren Zhong chuckled, "It’s never a burden to learn more skills. Besides, I’m free anyway, so might as well learn for fun. Honestly, reading is my true favorite pastime."
"No wonder Brother Ren, you’re so knowledgeable and smart."
Zheng Tian said enviously.
Ren Zhong: "You’re pretty good yourself, Zheng Tian."
"Thank you for the compliment, Brother Ren."
In fact, Ren Zhong wasn’t as nonchalant about Demolition Master techniques as he sounded.
He wasn’t just learning for fun.
He was preparing in advance for a possible future resurrection.
Living another day is naturally a good thing.
But if he should accidentally die and rewind again, his range of actions would increase exponentially.
With his current Brain Reaction Index, he only needed to go to the beginner’s zone of the training ground to retrain as a First Level warrior.
This would allow him to save the huge expenses of the intermediate zone and become a First Level warrior by the third or fourth day, directly purchasing a First Level exoskeleton.
Then, he would take advantage of his ability to stay awake without mandatory sleep, acting independently at night, wandering in the wilderness, and taking advantage of the routes and Ruined Beast distribution information collected while hunting with Zheng Tian’s squad to go on a scavenger hunt.
Without mastering Demolition Master techniques, he would be just like any other individual Scavenger, watching the Crystal Chips expire and degrade in value.
Moreover, since he had already started to verify his personal combat strength today, he no longer planned to completely bind himself to Zheng Tian’s squad in the days to come.
As long as he mastered the basic skills of a First Level Demolition Master, he could venture out at night ahead of time, retracing his memory of the original routes to the Iron Worm Forest and Rat Cliff Mountain, and start harvesting those weak, First Level Ruined Beasts he had encountered before.
His assets would skyrocket, starting from transforming into the Dark Night Demon King.
He applied the systematic thinking he honed during his research days to his new life, with every action having a clear purpose and complete plan.
Upon reaching the town, the other people went to the Starfire Resource Recycling Company to sell goods, while Ren Zhong bid farewell to everyone beforehand and headed straight to the Military Weapon Store.
"Yo! Mr. Ren, you’re here to support my business again! If I weren’t the manager without performance targets, a regular clerk would want to throw themselves into your arms to express gratitude."
The tall Ju Qingmeng was lounging in a chair in her office, watching a show out of boredom. Hearing that Ren Zhong had arrived, she immediately stepped out, leaned over the counter, and cheerfully said while blinking her large eyes at him.
Today, she wore a ponytail and a tight black leather jacket that highlighted her scorching figure.
As she leaned on the counter, her explosive bust compressed into shapely curves.
As one of the victims of the "Pu Cha officer" lie, she was always striving hard to leave this godforsaken place in Starfire Town.
She knew the man before her was at least a "Fifth Level Citizen’s Pu Cha officer."
He could change her fate.
Ren Zhong’s eyes flickered for a moment, and even as a high-cold academic who had barely tasted the pleasures of life, he found it hard to resist, with his Adam’s apple involuntarily bobbing.
Ren Zhong became alert in his heart, vigilant at once.
Although Ju Qingmeng looked tempting at the moment, given his self-control, he shouldn’t show any obvious physical reactions, even in the face of an upheaval.
After a brief analysis of two seconds, he drew a conclusion.
Excessive physical labor and living on the edge with battles without tomorrows can indeed stimulate primal desires.
Just like how modern mercenaries particularly enjoy frequenting special service providers.
This is a psychological stress response, which even Ren Zhong couldn’t fully exempt himself from.
Also, although the misunderstanding among the people in the car on the way back had been cleared up, a slight mark was left in his heart.
Therefore, he showed slightly reduced resistance to Ju Qingmeng’s bold allure, despite her stunning appearance and curvaceous body.
"Manager Ju, you’re quite the joker, but I am indeed here to buy something today. Is there any chance for a little discount?"
"What are you buying? What kind of discount are you looking for?"
Ju Qingmeng stepped out from behind the counter, standing in front of Ren Zhong, deliberately puffing out her chest, giving a slight quiver of "discount."
Ren Zhong pointed to the side of the store, "A First Level personal wheeled motorcycle."
Five minutes later, Ren Zhong stylishly left on the motorcycle.
First Level personal wheeled motorcycle: Electric drive, 3000 km range, top speed of 220 km/h.
He spent a total of 40 Contribution Points.
If it were a regular wastelander, it would cost 44 because they would need to buy a separate battery worth 4 Contribution Points.
But Ju Qingmeng used her managerial authority again to gift him a battery for free.
At this point, Ren Zhong wasn’t interested in the manager’s beauty but was quite eager for the benefits she held.
Ren Zhong dared not truly accept her advances.
After all, everything stemmed from a misunderstanding.
He couldn’t truly fulfill Ju Qingmeng’s expectations.
By just taking small perks from her without any physical entanglement, their relationship wouldn’t deepen, and she would have no opportunity to speak. This way, the fragile "Pu Cha officer" façade could continue to be used.