That night, at midnight.
Lu Chao finished his busy day and sat on the cleaning vehicle for the ride back.
His yellow-striped work uniform was dirty and disheveled. Old Cheng had already gotten off at the previous intersection to head home.
The streetlights outside flashed past, like a blurry ribbon of light. The clamor of the city had settled, leaving only the low hum of the vehicle.
[Life Energy Development Theory: Besides the various Superpower Paths, Life Energy can also be enhanced with external aid.]
[Such as potions, implants, food high in Life Energy... Experts in this field have also mastered auxiliary methods for increasing Life Energy, such as mechanical repairmen, Biological Modifiers...]
Sitting alone by the window, Lu Chao didn't gaze at the night scenery as he usually did. Instead, his head was slightly lowered, a finger swiping across the screen of the smart-watch on his left wrist.
Lines of information scrolled past his eyes. He had a vague impression of something he'd read earlier while looking up the [Life Energy Development Theory].
And soon.
"Found it."
His eyes lit up, and his swiping finger stopped.
Looking at his watch, Lu Chao had finally found the profession description.
[Alchemist: An expert who has mastered the methods of potion concoction and creation.]
[Prerequisites: Requires knowledge in three areas: activity, materials, and synthesis, such as [Basic Biological Theory], [Basic Herbology], [Basic Synthesis Knowledge], etc....]
[Notice: Your authorization is insufficient. Remaining data cannot be viewed!]
'Just as I thought. I had a feeling I'd seen it before.'
'The reason the Biotechnology Company became a corporate giant of the Alliance is because it controls the patents and knowledge for many Life Potion formulas, and employs many elite Alchemists.'
His mind raced. Lu Chao knew what he lacked most right now.
He didn't have enough money to buy expensive resources, so the growth of his Potential Progress was slowing down, and he was unable to awaken his talent specialization again.
And it was obvious that Life Potions, which fused and refined various nutrients, were far more effective than ordinary food.
If he could become an Alchemist, he could naturally refine various Life Potions to accelerate the growth of his Potential Progress.
This was a natural fit for [Glutton].
'I can look more into this later.'
'It might be hard to divide my attention before reaching Fighting Level, but I'll have a chance to try in the future.'
Lu Chao now had a rough idea.
Right now, he couldn't even afford Exotic Beast Meat, let alone buy materials, study theory, and make potions.
But in the long run, it was indeed a good plan.
"Lu Chao, we're at Factory Street."
The driver, Luo Lin's, voice came from the front of the vehicle, pulling Lu Chao back to his senses.
"Thanks, Brother Luo."
He said his thanks and got off the vehicle.
In the early hours of the morning, Factory Street was sparsely lit. The wiring for most of the streetlights was old, and their weak glow could barely illuminate a one-meter radius.
Gusts of night wind blew down the street. A newspaper fluttered out from a trash can at the intersection and landed before his eyes.
As the cleaning vehicle slowly drove away, Lu Chao started walking toward Old Building Number Three.
THUMP!
THUMP!!
His heavy footsteps echoed on the concrete road. A series of oval, dim yellow pools of light were lined up on both sides of the road.
The surrounding concrete buildings were like slumbering behemoths. Most people had already turned off their lights to rest, with only a few scattered lights shining from the occasional window.
The alleyways between the buildings followed one after another, most of them dark, deep, and silent.
For some reason, Lu Chao's heart tightened. He subconsciously thought of the scene where he had collected the bodies today.
From the gossip he'd heard later, he learned that the four dead men had run a loan shark company and had some connections and power.
Moreover, they had some ties to the Iron Blood Gang, a major gang on par with the Hongyi Society.
But even so, they were still attacked in their own place and decapitated.
'The security in the Iron Ring District has really been getting worse and worse lately...'
Shaking his head to himself, Lu Chao tightened his collar and quickened his pace.
He was just two meters away from the right-hand corner that led to Building Number Three and home.
But then.
THUMP!
His footsteps faltered, and Lu Chao suddenly stopped in his tracks.
The alley corner to his right was up against the wall of a concrete building, with a rust-yellow streetlight pole standing there.
Motes of dust swirled in the light as he looked at the concrete ground around the corner.
A long, man-shaped shadow had silently appeared there.
...
'How fucking dare he mess with me. I'll fucking cripple him today.'
His face grim, a man in a black mask and a baseball cap crouched at the street corner.
His gaunt body trembled, as if from tension, or perhaps from a bit of excitement and exhilaration.
The reason for it all?
He held a Colt pistol, his right hand shaking uncontrollably as he carefully flicked off the safety.
'After lying in wait for so many days, I finally got him.'
'Good thing this shithole doesn't have many cameras...'
He glanced up at a nearby telephone pole, a tangled mess of black cables crisscrossing it. He had deliberately avoided the two surveillance cameras at the end of the street.
As for the nearby residents, it was already past midnight. Most had closed their doors and windows and turned off their lights.
THUMP!
THUMP!!
The clear sound of footsteps echoed from down the street, drawing closer and closer. A crazed look entered the gunman's eyes, and his right hand trembled slightly again.
'As long as I don't kill him, it's not a big deal.'
'Fire the shot and run. I don't believe anyone will be able to track me down.'
The gunman sneered inwardly, pressing himself against the concrete wall. In his mind, he pictured Lu Chao lying in a pool of blood, his face a mask of terror.
'No, I can't let him off that easily.'
High on adrenaline, the gunman licked his lips as a new idea formed: 'I'll have to make him kneel and kowtow in apology to me.'
'Then...'
THUMP!
Suddenly, the footsteps stopped, then vanished.
All his thoughts came to a screeching halt. The gunman's expression changed as he sensed something was wrong.
'Was I discovered?'
His heart leaped. He gripped the gun with both hands, his breathing growing heavier.
Dead silence.
In the ensuing wait, the entire Factory Street seemed to have lost all sound. The footsteps and any other movements were gone.
Confusion, surprise, anxiety...
'Dammit!'
Cursing internally, the gunman rushed out from the corner, raising his pistol to see what was going on.
That was the moment!
BAM!!
A fist hard as stone shot out, striking him square on the jaw.
With a CRACK, the bone seemed to fracture.
The gunman's eyes rolled back in his head as his head snapped back.
His gaunt body was lifted off the ground, sent flying backward uncontrollably!
THUD!!
A heavy thud echoed as he slammed into the ground.
The sound instantly triggered the lights in several nearby low-rise buildings.
The sound-activated lights came on one after another, as if a chain of beacons had been lit.
Some of the sleeping neighbors were startled awake.
And there on the concrete street, lined with streetlights, the gunman in the baseball cap lay on his back, knocked unconscious.
CLACK!
The Colt pistol that had fallen to the ground was glaringly conspicuous as it skidded a meter or two across the concrete.
Crouched on one side of the corner, Lu Chao's face was grim, his brows tightly furrowed. A multitude of emotions flickered in his eyes.
Surprise, confusion, relief...
He had never expected to be attacked like this tonight.
And now.
Slowly, he retracted his fist, his bent knees straightening as he rose to his full height.
Lu Chao's eyes narrowed as he scanned the entire street around the corner.
'Just one person?'