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Chapter 3: The Working Man and Home Ownership
Chapter 3: The Working Man and Home Ownership
As the sun set, Liu Wei and Fang Xing found themselves at the school gate. Liu Wei held two bottles of salted soda, offering one to Fang Xing, who seemed lost in thought.
"Oh, thanks," Fang Xing replied, taking the soda and taking a casual sip. The specially crafted soda refracted the sunlight into a rainbow of colors, containing a variety of delightful flavors. The crisp, distinct bubbles burst on his tongue, leaving a refreshing coolness and a lingering hint of salt that kept him sipping for more. "Ah, that hits the spot..."
Soda in hand, the two friends began their walk home, their rented house just a short distance from the school. A meandering river flowed nearby, its clear waters reflecting the white embankments.
Suddenly, Liu Wei flung his soda bottle into the air, creating a spray of water as it landed, and declared, "I'm determined to get into university!"
"Oh?" Fang Xing, who had been lost in thoughts about his financial situation and the pleasures of this new era, with a side thought about the newly emerged 'Gate of All Worlds,' turned to look at Liu Wei, curious about his sudden declaration.
"I'm going to get into university and transfer to another department, preferably the Mecha department. Pursuing martial arts is a dead end," Liu Wei said earnestly.
In the Blue Star Federation, the term 'Warrior' was merely a prefix to one's profession. According to custom, one only truly became a professional 'Martial Artist' upon reaching the fourth realm—the Realm of Courage and Composure. Of course, further advancement was possible, leading to titles like 'Martial Mecha Artist'.
Even in ancient times, the battle prowess of an armored warrior far surpassed that of an unarmored one, to say nothing of the power of mechas.
Based on his past life's experiences, even the lowest-grade military exoskeleton could instantly enhance an ordinary person's strength to rival that of a 'Courage and Composure' realm martial artist!
If only resources weren't so scarce; then, everyone could enjoy the thrill of piloting mechas, he sighed inwardly.
The reason the Blue Star Federation promoted the development of the martial arts system and created an army of biomechs was to address their shortage of cannon fodder, mecha pilots, and resources on the front lines. There were constant proposals from high-ranking officials to open up gene-modding technology and reduce the external cultivation period for biomechs from ten months to three or even less, but many opposed this idea, believing that doing so would truly rob them of their potential and infinite possibilities as humans.
With current technology, gene modulation could significantly increase a biomech's chances of advancing to the four realms of martial arts, but it would also drastically decrease their chances of reaching the higher realms of Martial Saint and Martial God.
But who knows? If the Blue Star Federation suffers a major defeat and resources become even tighter, they might just change their minds.
After all, cannon fodder is just that—you can't expect too much from them. And Martial Saints and Martial Gods aren't that powerful anyway. The top tiers of other professions, like Mecha Pilots, Mages, Swordmasters, and others, have far superior destructive capabilities...
Of course, the different professions aren't isolated from each other... For example, warriors need to wear special exoskeletons or custom mechas to maximize their combat power!
"Yeah, you can do it!" Fang Xing finally responded, his mind racing with these thoughts.
After parting ways with Liu Wei, Fang Xing returned to his home, which resembled an apartment more than a house. Upon entering, one could see directly into the living room, with the kitchen and bedroom located just off to the side. The space was quite spacious.
"I think the housing prices in the Happy Home Community are around 10,000 star yuan per square meter..." Fang Xing mused as he looked around.
"Even the rent isn't cheap. If it weren't for the federal student loan assistance, it would be tough to afford this place..." He pulled out his phone and skillfully opened an app, checking his balance.
Remaining balance: 14,231.9 star yuan
"That's barely enough to buy a little over one square meter... and that's with me working part-time during my free time," he thought to himself.
Fang Xing remembered the original owner's dream, which wasn't about getting into university but about buying a house.
Not just anywhere, but in the capital star, the origin of the Blue Star Federation—Blue Star itself!
"With the property prices on Blue Star, plus the cost of immigration and a spaceship ticket... my savings aren't even a drop in the bucket..."
"I guess only those big-shot professionals can afford something like that."
After crunching the numbers, Fang Xing couldn't help but feel a bit dumbfounded. This dream was far more ambitious than Liu Wei's.
First, I need to focus on survival before I can even think about buying a house, he reminded himself.
Having experienced the burden of modern mortgage payments in his past life, Fang Xing scoffed at the original owner's wish. "With this amount of money, I might as well enjoy myself first... There are so many entertainment options in this interstellar age..."
"Even on this ordinary educational planet, there are plenty of fun things to do..."
As he recalled the basic information about this place, Fang Xing couldn't help but be impressed by the scale of the Blue Star Federation's operations.
Hunying Star, located in the Hei Shan galaxy, had an atmosphere primarily composed of nitrogen and oxygen. It consisted of 44.6% land and islands and 55.4% oceans and water bodies, with a standard gravity 1.2 times that of Blue Star.
As an educational planet, its main industry was, unsurprisingly, various schools and nurturing centers.
One could say that the entire planet was a cluster of interconnected industries built around this central theme.
And it was because of this that Liu Wei felt so desperate—unless he gained the ability to travel through space, he would be trapped on this planet forever.
For biomechs who thought too much, Hunying Star felt like a massive cage, where even the sky and the cosmos above seemed oppressive.
But for Fang Xing...
"Hmm... How vast must one's horizons be to feel confined by the freedom offered on an entire planet?"
As he thought about it, Fang Xing opened a food delivery app on his phone.
Before long, the sound of propellers could be heard on the balcony.
A drone landed on the balcony, carrying a package that emitted a tempting aroma.
"Confirming delivery, dear customer! Please leave a good review!"
A cute, loli-like voice chimed, and the drone promptly took off.
"Quite a primitive way of delivering food..."
Fang Xing commented, opening the package. A peculiar fragrance wafted out.
Upon closer inspection, he noticed the box was filled with rice grains the size of a little finger, each one plump and translucent like red jade.
"Hmm, this is 'Blood Tooth Rice,' rumored to greatly replenish one's qi and blood."
"And here, a Salamence steak... Mmm, that juice..."
He picked up a piece of steak with his chopsticks, admiring the crystal-like meat before popping it into his mouth. A strong, savory flavor exploded in his mouth; the Salamence meat, expertly prepared, melted on the tongue and was not the least bit chewy. Each chew released a burst of juicy flavor, perfectly complemented by the vegetables and fragrant rice. It was a culinary masterpiece.
"Delicious!"
Before he knew it, Fang Xing was staring at his empty plate, a hint of reluctance on his face. "Although it costs over a hundred star yuan, it's worth every penny. Now, a cup of milk tea to finish... This is the life, lying down and enjoying the little pleasures. Who cares about buying a house?"
As for enlisting after graduating from high school in three years, Fang Xing had conveniently chosen to forget about it.
After finishing his meal, he tossed the takeout box into the trash and pulled out a pair of futuristic-looking glasses from his drawer.
As soon as he put them on, a virtual world appeared before him.
"Hmm? This world's virtual reality games don't have an adult rating? I'm giving it rave reviews..."
In the next moment, Fang Xing felt like he had discovered a new continent and unknowingly became engrossed.
...
The next day.
In the bedroom.
Fang Xing's face was flushed, and he was breathing heavily, his sweat dripping like paste.
He stood like a bow, his spine like a dragon, as he practiced the Great Dragon Stance! Although he had enjoyed playing games the night before, he was still an adult who knew his limits. He had gone to bed promptly at midnight and woke up the next morning to wash up before starting his martial arts practice.
Half an hour later, Fang Xing was breathing heavily, his consciousness focused on his attribute panel:
[Name: Fang Xing]
[Age: 16]
[Occupation: Martial Artist]
[First Realm: Flesh (Refine Flesh: 21/100)]
[Army Body Fist Twelve Forms: 56/100 (Entry Level)]
[Great Dragon Stance: 67/100 (Entry Level)]
[Myriad Worlds Gate: 2/100 (Locating)]
"No changes in the Great Dragon Stance or the Army Body Fist Twelve Forms. I guess it's difficult to bring about qualitative change in a single day?"
"But the Myriad Worlds Gate..."
Fang Xing shifted his consciousness to the symbol that resembled a mirror door, and suddenly, a stream of unfamiliar information appeared in his mind: "It increased by 1% in a day?"
"At this rate, it will take 98 more days to open the Myriad Worlds Gate and travel to another world?"
He was a little excited.
Another world!
This could be a new opportunity to traverse, or perhaps... he might even be able to return to his original Earth!
Although, even if he went back, he would still be a corporate slave, unable to afford a toilet in the imperial capital... Hmm...
"In comparison, having a powerful cheat in a new world seems like a nice change of pace..."
A slight smirk appeared on Fang Xing's face. "More importantly, I now have an alternative!"
Even if he failed the college entrance exam in three years and was forced to enlist, he could choose to travel to another world instead of risking his life on the battlefield.
"However, preparing for another world traversal is essential."
His expression turned solemn as he opened the shopping app on his phone, searching for the equipment he needed.
From simple air detectors and food-grade toxin test papers to unmanned reconnaissance drones, protective gear, and weapons...
After all, the other world might be extremely dangerous, and he had to be fully prepared.
Fortunately, he still had enough time.
"In terms of protective gear, the Federation has some excellent options, like the entry-level nanite protective suit. It generates a full-face mask and provides all-around, dead-angle protection. Even an ordinary person with no combat skills could wear it and be invulnerable to attacks from a third-realm martial artist..."
"When it comes to weapons, though, the Federation has restrictions... Hmm?"
Fang Xing's eyes lit up when he saw the most expensive weapon in the online store.
At the top of the product page was a display image of a gun, its silver-white body exuding a futuristic design. The sleek lines suggested it would feel perfect in the hand.
['Swift Dragon' Class Laser Rifle (Civilian Version), Price: 200,000 star yuan]
"Swift Dragon is a leading military contractor in the Federation. The laser beams fired from this rifle are deadly even to fourth-realm martial artists with strong mental fortitude. It's a pity that this is the civilian version..."
Fang Xing felt a bit disappointed. The 'civilian version' meant that the gun had an internal program lock, preventing it from being used against humanoid targets.
"If I were to traverse to a monster-filled world, this would be incredibly useful. Too bad... I can't afford it..."
"Looks like I'll have to start grinding again for the next three months."
"Is this... the working man's fate?"
(End of Chapter)
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