Chapter 44: Liu Zhijie's Calculations
"It all comes down to compatibility. Both are fire-type ability users, so the weapons should have at least a 60% compatibility rate, allowing them to use each other's weapons. However, they won't be able to unleash their full potential. On the bright side, they're affordable—around ten million each. Just go to the weapon market, pick one out, and have it embedded with a same-source energy stone when you return."
"Of course, these don't have the long-range abilities like the Sky-Splitting technique; they're meant to be used in hand," Liu Zhijie explained.
Yang Bo understood roughly and asked, "The Ancient Martial Arts Association is really powerful; they knocked back the leader of the Red Earl with a single slap. But I'm curious—why did gene-evolved ancient martial arts decline?"
"Yang Bo, such a simple question. I'll give you two options: the first is to get an injection and become a gene-evolved individual, and the second is to train for ten or twenty years to possibly gain superpowers. Which would you choose?"
Yang Bo suddenly understood. Ancient martial arts had lost out to human nature. After all, one could be obtained easily, while the other required relentless training and still might not succeed...
"Sir, my first injection of the gene-enhancing agent failed, and the success rate for a second injection is very low. What should I do?" Yang Bo asked.
Liu Zijie rubbed his forehead: "This is tricky. Since the raw materials for the gene-enhancing agents differ, the products vary. Though you failed, there are remnants of the previous agent in your body. A second injection could cause a conflict, even death."
In truth, Liu Zhijie already had a plan. Ordinary residents could retire after working for the company for fifteen years, or even ten years, as their lifespan was only 120 years.
However, even the lowest-level gene-enhanced individuals could live to 180 years old, meaning they could work for the company for 80 years without issue.
As for not working, heh heh, the company has plenty of good things to keep you indebted to it—luxury mansions, beautiful women, a bunch of children, methods to advance to higher-level gene-enhanced individuals…
However, Liu Zhijie intentionally made it sound more severe, and sure enough, Yang Bo asked anxiously, "Is there no solution?"
"There is, but the cost is too high. Both secret techniques and ancient martial arts require a lot of money. However, if you work hard, I'll report it to headquarters when the time is right. Headquarters will reward outstanding employees, meaning they'll first make you a genetic evolutionist, the company will pay for it, and if you succeed, you repay the money without interest. If you fail, you don't have to repay it." Liu Zhijie's little calculations began to roll.
Yang Bo chuckled to himself. This was clearly a lie, but he understood and immediately exclaimed, " Boss, I'll work hard. This time was too dangerous. If I were an evolver, maybe I could have escaped."
"Hmm," Liu Zhijie agreed, but inwardly muttered, "I couldn't even escape. How could you?"
"I'll give you a week off first. I still need to negotiate with the government for mental compensation, and the Dome Entertainment City also needs to compensate us. Our resident status entitles us to additional compensation. If they don't compensate us more, we'll sue them for discrimination. The company will also compensate you." Liu Zhijie nodded and said.
Watching Yang Bo's back, Liu Zhijie sighed in relief. The company was severely understaffed because few residents were willing to work, and even those who did would need to see a psychologist after harming a small animal.
Yang Bo was someone worth nurturing, but the company would take it step by step; otherwise, employees might feel it was too easy.
"The company doesn't know how many people were lost this time." Liu Zhijie rubbed his forehead. The casualty figures hadn't been released yet, and Liu Zhijie was worried that Yang Bo might be upset about being left behind and quit.
Liu Zijie suspected Yang Bo of being a genetically evolved individual, but the direction of his evolution must be highly mysterious. Otherwise, how could Yang Bo have discovered the mutated creatures that even Wu Bing had failed to notice? Such talent is precisely what the company needs.
Yang Bo left and returned home after dark. He was checked several times along the way, and there were many robots working on construction, apparently clearing the underground utility networks.
Everything was normal at home, and there were still aerial combat aircraft patrolling the community.
Today, Liu Zhijie had clarified many things, and Yang Bo had gained a deeper understanding of this world. He silently recited his skills.
Swimming: Grandmaster (300% speed increase in liquid, permanent underwater breathing ability, 120% increase in underwater attack power)
Flight: Master (1402/10000)
Camouflage: Master (8210/10000)
Sound Control: Grandmaster (14350/100000)
Dynamic Vision: Master (4832/10000)
Collision: Intermediate (11/100)
Thermal Imaging Vision: Advanced (301/1000)
Electrical Energy Control: Advanced (112/1000)
Light Energy Control: Basic (4/10)
Mech Piloting: Intermediate (56/100)
Stealth: Advanced (105/1000)
Slam: Advanced (134/1000)
Warship Repair: Advanced (251/1000)
Warship Piloting: Intermediate (25/100)
This incident has added Warship Repair and Warship Piloting, but these two abilities currently seem unlikely to be useful.
Yang Bo lay in the bathtub, feeling that his decisive action in the Dome Music Hall was the right choice. If he had waited any longer, the Planet Guardian might have intervened, and the speed of the Rift might have caught him off guard.
Yang Bo looked at the mecha space button in his hand. The energy stone on it was the same as the source energy stone, and the mecha was in the alternate dimension.
Yang Bo sensed that the areas of the mecha that had been hit during battle were slowly repairing themselves, and estimated that it would be fully repaired in a few days.
"That's the advantage of energy metal, huh?" Yang Bo felt pleased with himself. If maintenance was needed, not only would it be difficult to find a place to do it, but it would also be unaffordable.
"Should I go check out the energy weapon Liu Zhijie mentioned and embed this source energy stone into it myself, so I can have my own energy weapon?"
Yang Bo decided to sleep on it first. After all, today had already brought too many surprises.
Liu Zhijie returned to the company and learned that three subordinates had been killed this time, with two others missing. It was unclear if they had been killed in action, and further information was needed.
Liu Zhijie also participated in the company's internal high-level meeting. In recent years, various extremist organizations that had been lying low had begun causing trouble, so the branches in various regions needed to be vigilant about safety. Additionally, more personnel needed to be recruited. This sudden turn of events might make many residents feel a sense of crisis.
News media reported continuously, and people from the three empires all knew about it. The Red Earl could be said to have gained fame overnight, but his reputation wasn't very good. Based on the results of his previous actions, the Red Earl had suffered heavy losses this time.
The Edinburgh Alliance immediately announced its collaboration with the other two federations to study the battle armor left behind by the Red Earl's commander. Once the energy attributes of the Red Earl's group are identified, the remaining members can be located swiftly.
Yang Bo woke up the next day, having been granted a week-long leave. He was unsure of what to do, or rather, there were too many tasks to manage.
"Buy a house? But maybe the Red Earl's people have all joined the military. Wouldn't buying one be a waste?"
"But if I don't buy one, I can't train with the mecha. The more dangerous the situation, the more I need to improve my strength." Yang Bo was torn.
"Unfortunately, it's hard for residents to leave the planet."
After eating and drinking his fill and recharging, Yang Bo opened the network and searched for energy weapons, only to discover that there were many sellers of energy weapons, with all sorts of designs.
"Should I go take a look? Disguise myself?" Yang Bo looked at these cold weapons and felt a bit tempted.
(End of this chapter)