Outside the library, the street had transformed into a living hell. The sounds of screams, sporadic gunfire, and the roars of the three-eyed monsters merged into a symphony of chaos. Panicked civilians scattered in all directions, while the local police and militia forces struggled to hold their ground.
Lam Minh hid behind an overturned car, his gaze as sharp as a knife sweeping across the battlefield. He quickly counted about seven Madakaros rampaging through the area. All were in the Qi Refining Realm, ranging from Early to Late stage, with no Foundation Establishment enemies in sight.
"Perfect!" Lam Minh licked his lips, his eyes shining like car headlights. "A lavish experience point buffet!"
He didn't rush out. "Dying" was an art, and he was an artist. He had to choose the best target and die in the most impressive way.
His target was a Late-stage Qi Refining enemy. It was the largest of the pack, using a lamppost as a weapon, smashing everything in its path.
"Killing this guy should net me at least 700 points!" Lam Minh calculated. "One shot straight to Mid-stage Qi Refining, maybe even close to Late-stage!"
While he was planning his "martyrdom," a scene made him frown. Not far away, a little girl of about five or six had fallen and was crying her eyes out. Her mother was trying to pull her up when the Late-stage Qi Refining creature noticed them. It let out a savage roar, raised the lamppost, and prepared to bring it down.
"Dammit!"
In that instant, all calculations of experience points vanished from Lam Minh's mind. He wasn't a cold-blooded person who could stand by and watch a child be killed.
Without a second's hesitation, he shot out from his hiding spot like a flash of lightning. The power of his Early Qi Refining Realm erupted, his speed several times faster than an ordinary person.
"Hurry!" he yelled at the mother.
He rushed over and shoved the mother and child out of the lamppost's path.
BOOM!
The lamppost crashed into the ground, creating a deep crater and sending dust flying everywhere.
The mother clutched her daughter, her face drained of all color, and stammered, "Th-thank you..."
"Run!" Lam Minh roared, not turning back.
He was now completely exposed before the Late-stage Qi Refining enemy.
The monster roared in anger at being interrupted. It tossed the lamppost aside and stared at Lam Minh with blood-red eyes. It could sense the weak qi emanating from him. In its eyes, Lam Minh was just a puny ant daring to block its way.
"Heh, this is fine too," Lam Minh smirked, getting into a fighting stance. "Instead of being flattened, a direct confrontation might give me more points."
He took the initiative and charged forward, the fruit knife still hidden up his sleeve.
The Late-stage Qi Refining enemy roared, throwing a punch that whistled through the air. Lam Minh dodged to the side, his Early-stage speed just barely allowing him to do so. He slipped past its flank, the knife in his hand stabbing straight towards the Qimen acupoint he and To Quyen had just been studying.
Swish!
The ordinary fruit knife could only graze its tough skin, creating a shallow scratch. The power of an Early Qi Refining cultivator was not enough to break through the defense of a Late-stage one.
But it was enough to cause the monster pain and humiliation. It roared madly and spun around, delivering a powerful back kick.
Lam Minh had no time to dodge.
BAM!
His entire body flew like a ball, crashing hard into the wall of a shop and shattering the large glass window. He felt several of his ribs break, and his internal organs felt like they had been scrambled.
He coughed up a mouthful of blood, but the corner of his mouth curved into a satisfied smile.
"This feeling... this is it..."
The Madakaros gave him no time to rest. It charged forward, raising its massive foot to finish off the troublesome prey.
Lam Minh closed his eyes, preparing for a bountiful harvest.
Suddenly, a barrage of automatic rifle fire erupted. Military reinforcements had arrived. Hundreds of bullets slammed into the back of the Late-stage Qi Refining enemy, forcing it to roar and retreat.
"SON OF A BITCH! AGAIN?" Lam Minh was so angry he felt like he was going to cough up blood a second time. "CAN'T YOU PEOPLE ARRIVE 10 SECONDS LATER?"
His plan for "martyrdom" had failed yet again.
A squad of soldiers quickly approached, forming a protective circle around Lam Minh. The squad leader looked at him with a mixture of shock and admiration.
"Kid, you're very brave! To face a Late-stage Qi Refining enemy alone to save people. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine..." Lam Minh gritted his teeth, trying to sit up. "Just a few broken ribs."
Fine my ass! I lost out on thousands of points, and I'm actually injured. What terrible luck!
The well-equipped reinforcements quickly coordinated and swiftly eliminated all seven Madakaros. The neighborhood gradually fell silent, leaving only the stench of blood and gunpowder.
Lam Minh was carried onto an ambulance. Lying on the stretcher, he looked at the sky and sighed. Today was truly an unlucky day. He'd gone out to farm points twice, and both times, his "farm" had been stolen right from under his nose.
Just as the ambulance started moving, his phone buzzed again. It was To Quyen.
"Hello... Lam Minh... are you okay? I heard gunshots... I was so worried!"
Hearing her worried voice, the frustration in Lam Minh's heart softened somewhat. At least he had done one good thing today.
"I'm fine. Just a minor injury. On my way to the field hospital now," he said, his voice a little tired.
"Which hospital? I'm coming right now!"
Lam Minh gave her the address. Just as he hung up, another new message arrived. It was from an unknown number, but he knew immediately who it was.
"Heard our little hero caused trouble again? Just a few broken ribs? So weak! And don't you pretend to forget about that five-million-dollar bill! - Pink Phantom."
Attached was a sticker of a rabbit with a smug grin.
After reading the message, blood rushed to Lam Minh's head again.
"QUYNH NHU!!! YOU JUST WAIT!!!"
He screamed inside the ambulance, startling the nurses.
While Lam Minh was "struggling" with his arduous point-farming career, in the principal's office of Tran Hung Dao High School, Teacher Hoang 'Iron Hand' was placing a form on the desk.
"Principal, I'm nominating these five students for the upcoming inter-school combat competition."
The principal looked at the list. The first four names were all students with the best physical performance in the school. But the last name made him frown.
"Lam Minh? Class 10A1? The student who's famous for sleeping in class and has a B-rank physical record? Teacher Hoang, are you sure you're not mistaken?"
Teacher Hoang smiled mysteriously.
"I'm not mistaken, Principal. Just trust me. This kid... will be our secret weapon."