Besides the final warning, the paper also listed the benefits of reporting to headquarters.
From the moment of registration, basic subsistence supplies were provided monthly for free; there was a secure market for trading mysterious items; and Chronos could be used to purchase better living supplies and food.
It even mentioned certain special items that could only be obtained at headquarters.
For instance, the resonance of the –Force Field– ability, or the crystallization of Crimson-Moon-Level frequency gems corresponding to QuadMoxel—these could only be born at what they called headquarters.
It sounded like there were plenty of perks, but could Cent-Arms truly emerge within a Class-A Intersection Zone?
After reading it, Yang Zicang immediately tore the paper into shreds on the spot.
These people were still scheming to get their hands on his gun, their methods just slightly less blatant than outright robbery.
–So the Force Field ability can only be attained through resonance at headquarters, right?–
Yang Zicang said while tearing the paper apart.
–Mm-hmm.–
Liang Xi deliberately put on a little show.
With a whoosh, a force field materialized, hovering thinly in front of him.
–At its peak, it can invest a hundred years’ worth of Chronos for defense,– Liang Xi said.
Yang Zicang turned his head and looked at him in shock: –You said a hundred years? Can it be amplified to five hundred years?–
–I’ve never tried, but it should be possible—because when I invest ten years, I get fifty, which feels great. I only wish my Moxel could be amplified this much.–
It turned out to be so.
Fivefold Enhancement!
–Bro, this is an ability granted to all of us by that statue. Anyone who resonates with it can unleash a force field. It’s incredibly huge, as tall as a mountain, and located inside a massive temple.–
That big? It must be like the Leshan Giant Buddha.
But that big Buddha isn’t inside a temple, so this statue belongs to this world?
–The group that’s been occupying that place for a long time—we call them ‘Headquarters.’ Among them, some were big shots back on Earth: celebrities, chairmen of major corporations, scientists, and scholars. But there are also plenty of ordinary folks with powerful Moxels.–
Yang Zicang let out a breath, feeling a tingling numbness spread through his body.
He didn’t care about whatever Headquarters was. What interested Yang Zicang right now was that, with a force field input of Clockwork at most a hundred years, the amplification could reach five hundred years of Clockwork increase.
Was that statue left behind by a pentagonal ability user? This world really had Moxels with even more edges!
He quietly sensed the information contained within the QuadMoxel.
[Basic Corpse Leap, remaining uses: 1.]
[Mail Emblem.]
Yang Zicang narrowed his eyes slightly, shifting his gaze to Liang Xi, who was gleefully shifting the light shield around.
–Ah Liang, do you know about the Mail Emblem?–
Liang Xi turned her head and looked at him blankly.
Yang Zicang felt the postal emblem, and upon noticing it, the emblem conveyed some vague information: it could locate the desired Near Realm.
It didn’t mention anything about gaining skills. Likewise, it likely held plenty of hidden information.
……
Robin Lo, gazing from afar at a desolate garden, retracted his telescope.
–Why is there no one? This is definitely the place.–
His brow furrowed.
[I, the great Quad, affirm that the key figure is nearby. I’m not wrong, not wrong!]
「…….」
[I’m such a waste.]
–Damn you.–
After he left, a figure emerged on the rooftop of a nearby building, looking down from above.
It was a towering, broad-shouldered figure with a shaved head, like a little giant.
A gust of wind rustled his black long pants against his thick, sturdy legs.
……
On the dilapidated street.
–Hey there, who are you?–
–Finally cornered you here. Ha, when you chance upon a rare extended moment of time, why bother trying to flee?–
Warren Wang watched the group ahead, trudging along like refugees with shabby belongings in hand.
Yang Qian stepped forward from the crowd and said, –What do you want?–
–Me? Ha, as a professional Investor, of course I’m here to deliver fortune to you.–
–Professional Investor?– These people looked at each other in bewilderment.
Warren Wang ignored them, stepping forward to pull Yang Qian aside, his hand resting on the man’s shoulder as he whispered lowly away from the group.
–You want to Invest me?– Yang Qian, however, had heard of such people’s existence.
–I’m giving you an Investment opportunity.–
–You want me to Invest in you?–
–Within the time I set, invest in one person. Ha, I watched your previous combat scenes anonymously. Really, a complete mess. This is the difference between a professional and an amateur.–
Warren Wang tapped his head confidently with a finger.
–What?–
–It’s all within this thought.–
Yang Qian squinted at him with disdain.
–I’ll give you at least five thousand Chronos. Pour it all into investing in that person according to my plan. But I’ll take away ninety-five percent of the Chronos.–
–Taking away that much! That leaves me with only five percent.–
–Too much? How could it be too much. You’ll gain the five percent Chronos profit, plus that person’s promise—the friendship of a Quad. That’s priceless, isn’t it?–
Yang Qian’s whole body trembled.
–You couldn’t be…,– he said, glancing left and right and lowering his voice urgently, –asking me to invest in that, that Yang guy, could you?–
–That’s right. You’re the best choice—otherwise, if he catches on, he won’t accept such a huge amount of Chronos.–
Warren Wang patted him on the shoulder:
–You’re the only one he invited. I really don’t know what kind of luck you’ve stumbled upon that gave me the chance to remind you again to seize the Invest—this must be your ancestors blessing you!–
–But…–
–There’s no point in ‘buts.’–
–I already rejected him.–
–You don’t have some mental block, do you?–
–How embarrassing that would be!–
–You’re right, saving face is the most important thing.–
Warren Wang took a deep breath, gently patted the hand on his shoulder, and forced a smile:
–Just think of it as doing me a favor and humoring yourself for a bit.–
–Then, then can you give me a bigger share? How about… six percent?–
As Yang Qian was talking, it seemed he suddenly caught on to something, and he lowered his voice even further:
–Why do you think so highly of him that you’d come all the way here to corner me? Don’t tell me you were swayed by that final speech of his.–
–As a professional investor, how could I be so sentimental? I only rely on the data, you know.–
–Hmph,– Warren Wang laughed. –Want to know why? The latest intel worth a thousand years of Chronos— I’ll sell it to you for just five hundred. How about that?–
–Ah, uh, never mind.–
…..
After fumbling through a series of moves with his spear, Yang Zicang received a telepathic link from Robin Lo.
–Perfect, I wanted to ask you about the Emblem Post.–
{Postmark? Ha, I knew you’d get it yesterday. That jumping skill really suits you—that’s the power of the Postmark. Although it’s a random dreamscape, the abilities it grants are always tailored to you.}
Yang Zicang walked downstairs, chuckling as he asked, –Can you tell me more about it?–
Robin Lo on the other end also smiled warmly at Yang Zicang.
{Information isn’t free, you know.}
–Come on, man, I just… I just…–
{Easy there, I’m just letting you know their value. That’s right, this kind of info is worth at least a decade. What, you think I earned my Chronos any other way?}
So this guy’s an information broker.
Yang Zicang sized up the other party in his perceptive scene with ill intent, wondering how much his own intel would be worth in Chronos to this fellow.
But Robin Lo probably wouldn’t sell it, at least not anytime soon.
As if sensing his thoughts, Robin Lo’s figure in the perceptive view grew larger, the main frame all on him.
{One day, if you earn more than a hundred years’ worth of Chronos per hour, you’ll get a fragmented Postmark on that day. And if you get fragmented Postmarks three days in a row, you’ll earn a complete one…}
Robin Lo recited it like a textbook, and Yang Zicang quickly cut him off.
–What’s the difference between fragmented and complete?–
–Hey, another ten years gone—basically, I’ve given you two decades worth of consulting fees for free. And I’m being cheap here, since most folks in this place are short-lived and can’t afford expensive info.–
–Cut the crap—I don’t have time to waste.–
On the way back, Liang Xi watched as Yang Zicang seemed to murmur to himself like a solitary speaker.
–Pressed for time? What would knowing do you any good anyway? A complete Postmark is no easy thing to get.–
Still lingering on the edge of the museum, Robin Lo launched into an explanation of the complete Postmark’s functions.
Only then did Yang Zicang grasp that, besides actively locking onto Dreamscapes, there was also a chance to acquire mysterious new abilities within those dreams.
And the most crucial point—that you could use Chronos to prolong your stay inside them.
Though Yang Zicang had already guessed this bit of info, confirming it here was the best possible outcome.
He breathed a silent sigh of relief, glad he hadn’t rushed in rashly—after all, he had no extra Chronos to spare.
Chatting through their mental link, the two returned to the room and met up.
In the faint haze, Robin Lo cracked open a beer as soon as he arrived and shot Yang Zicang a glance: –Want one?–
–I’m good.–
Gulp.
–Clever kid, eying that complete Postmark? Hah, this world is full of mysteries, you know. I remember two guys who suddenly got incredibly strong—my bet is they’d nabbed a complete Postmark or two.–
Gulp, gulp, gulp… burp.
–Hey, if you could get perfect intel on this, you could sell it to me. I heard intact mail insignias can be traded—not sure if it’s true, just a rumor.–
Click, another can of beer was popped open.
–Drinking like this, aren’t you afraid of ruining your health?–
Yang Zicang rubbed his hands together as he looked at him, showing a bit of concern.
–Over at HQ, there are loads of people on the streets with healing abilities but no combat power. They’re itching for me, their ‘lord,’ to trade for their ability orbs. I’m just prepping to boost their sales volume.–
–…– Liang Xi silently took a sip of his mineral water.
A flickering gleam of light darted by.
Robin Lo, slightly buzzed, watched the two across from him—a fine thread visibly linking them.
Liang Xi mentally passed a message to Yang Zicang: This is fake news.
Healers were hotly sought after by all sorts of organizations and treated well. Items with potent healing abilities were also expensive.
Yang Zicang didn’t call Robin Lo out on it; instead, he rubbed his hands together and said:
–Um… Brother Bin.–
Yang Zicang cringed at himself the moment those words left his mouth.
Liang Xi turned his head in surprise to look at his big brother Yang.
Robin Lo raised an eyebrow, his gaze sharp and wary on the unnaturally fidgety young man across from him.
–Um, could I borrow some Life… Chronos? I can give you an IOU.–
–Get lost.–
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