Chapter 1720: Chapter 1720
1720: Chapter 1716: Conclusion 1720: Chapter 1716: Conclusion The battlefield has paused for now, but this does not mean the war is over.
For Lu Ping’an and Zhu Xinran, it was already cleanup time—picking up the scraps left behind.
Yet for the entire human counteroffensive, this was merely a skirmish, a small raid at the edges of a frontier.
Still, victory brought joy, especially when it led to significant spoils and delightful surprises…
“…Three billion in bounty?
Plus two Rule-Level items, three spots at Wanjing University, and three training opportunities at the Wanjing Bureau of Anomaly Management.
Wow, this definitely has value.”
Even Lu Ping’an was a little stunned when he saw the rewards.
The astronomical bounty was actually the least valuable; the other rewards surprised even Lu Ping’an.
The two Rule-Level items needed no explanation.
While in Lu Ping’an’s eyes their value had somewhat depreciated, the fact remained that the entire Ancient City had hidden away only three of them back in the day.
Weak Prefecture-Level Cities didn’t even have one.
Such rewards came with a degree of selection privilege, ensuring they were useful.
However, the subsequent prizes were beyond what the market could offer—they were truly priceless, unavailable even for purchase…
Not because there was no demand, but because these “Merit Treatments” were virtually untradeable.
The three spots at Wanjing University meant directly placing your relatives or descendants into an extremely high starting position.
As for the Wanjing Bureau of Anomaly Management, that was the Eastern Country’s headquarters for managing the Extraordinary.
In essence, you could directly place three individuals into the Eastern Country’s top university and secure Official training opportunities.
As long as they avoided misconduct, they were guaranteed stable employment…
If you weren’t aiming for extreme wealth and status, living life as a comfortable civil servant would be great, and Wanjing’s Extraordinary Management Department was clearly the safest place in the world.
In some ways, this was akin to martyr treatment, except at an exceptional level…
Normally, hunting that snake would have required who-knows-how-many martyr packages.
Lu Ping’an shook his head.
To him, all of this wasn’t very meaningful.
After all, he was already “childless,” and the few juniors close to him didn’t need these benefits… As for himself, entering some steady job was out of the question—even if he somehow lost his mind and wanted it, the higher-ups wouldn’t accept it.
“You participated in the battle too.
How about taking one of these slots?
Life at Wanjing should be pretty comfortable.”
Lu Ping’an smiled as he offered this suggestion to his newly accepted apprentice, briefly explaining its implications.
Zhu Xinran froze—Wanjing University?
Direct civil servant status?
Those were things she had never dared to dream about, yet…
The female disciple didn’t indulge in clichéd phrases like “I can’t accept without having earned it.” Though their time together had been short, she already had a feeling that her seemingly casual master likely abhorred formalities and red tape.
A not-yet-thirty suspected Quasi-God—it was unbelievable.
“… If you have power, even the frontline is safe.
Without power, even Wanjing’s heavily guarded bases could lead to inexplicable deaths.”
Lu Ping’an chuckled, no longer tempting the woman.
This was indeed a test.
If the other really had made the decision, Lu Ping’an would have given her this gift without hesitation.
Now, needing eighth-tier Extraordinaries for support, he had to cultivate talent, investing considerable resources.
Lack of ability or talent might be manageable, but a deficient mindset was irredeemable.
“… My little sister.”
Zhu Xinran’s primary concern was still her sibling.
Perhaps this was fate’s grace, and this deep emphasis on familial bonds was indeed a point of approval in Lu Ping’an’s book.
He uncharacteristically exerted a bit more effort…
“… Let me search, Meow.”
You want me to work again…”
Searching wasn’t that difficult.
With Zhu Xinran’s basic intelligence coupled with the fact that there were so few humans here, all it took was checking the “Slave Rooms” and the “Kitchen/Granary” to get results quickly.
The good news: she was found alive, bringing immediate tears of joy to her older sister.
The bad news: she was alive, but it reduced her sister to a figure of despair.
What Zhu Xinran held in her trembling hands was barely adequate…
“Only the upper body was somewhat intact—her right leg was gone.
Who knows if it was ‘eaten’ or rotted away and discarded.
All four limbs had evident signs of decay, likely irreparable.
The wounds on her body…”
The emaciated torso vaguely resembled a human form.
Her survival was thanks to the kindness of someone in the same cell—someone who had apparently died before her.
If found any later, recovery would have been impossible.
The girl could still breathe, mostly due to the rudimentary care provided to her injuries, including torn underwear used as bandages.
Though depraved humanity was rampant, humanity’s glimmers still persisted.
These were old wounds.
His Postponed Payment ability was ineffective, but thankfully the girl, Zhu Yuyue, was an Extraordinary.
I carry a hospital and Biological Research Institute with me.
If I can’t save her here, Wanjing won’t be able to either.
Look at her current condition—when it comes to limb reconstruction, I’m likely the industry’s pinnacle.”
Lu Ping’an spoke straightforwardly, seeing Zhu Xinran’s hesitation and unease.
Knowing she had the Profession of Healer, he directly opened the gate, allowing her to investigate.
Inside, perhaps a Quasi-God-level Healer was already waiting in the hospital.
Lu Ping’an expected her to stay there for a long time, potentially missing the rest of the war.
Unexpectedly, mere minutes later, while the battlefield was still being cleaned, she stepped out on her own.
“… Yuyue’s condition is great.
With protection from Senior Chris, there’s not much I can do.
I can’t afford to miss this chance…”
Lu Ping’an couldn’t help but feel some admiration for her… He recalled another of his clever disciples.
This time, Lu Ping’an casually tossed out an assortment of items, including various armors and shields that appeared outdated.
Zhu Xinran touched them lightly, only to be stunned… Were these Rule-Level treasures truly so cheap?
Or had they become directly mass-producible?
“Protect your own life.
Don’t expect to achieve dazzling results—just gaining exposure will suffice.
In crises, retreat into my Courtyard.
Even if I die, I won’t face True Death.”
Lu Ping’an spoke freely, straightforward in his advice.
In battle, stray bullets were abundant, accidents frequent.
While top-tier defenses might not guarantee safety, for rookies without an Undying Body, such equipment was invaluable.
In some ways, this also explained Zhi Xi’s recent dissatisfaction.
Nowadays, Lu Ping’an hardly needed armor or relied on physical enhancements.
At this moment, Big Cat unexpectedly contacted him proactively.
With the battlefield preparation almost complete, the Burning Black Flame army was ready to identify its next target.
Big Cat wouldn’t reach out unless it was significant.
“That Zhu Family’s little sister—her talent might surpass her older sister’s.
This time, you’ve struck gold…”
Lu Ping’an was genuinely surprised.
What kind of ability could prompt such recognition from the seasoned Big Cat?