Chapter 79: Morning Visitor

Chapter 79: Morning Visitor

In the Coastal Ningyun District, at the Peach Garden Community.

Since the roads around Gardenia Beach had been blocked off, Lu Heng hadn't been home for quite some time.

This time, when he returned home, his mother pulled him aside to examine him, looking him up and down, fearing he might have been injured.

"You haven't lost any limbs, have you?"

In the past, Lu Heng would have found his mother's overbearing concern a bit annoying, but now he only felt warmth and a hint of amusement.

"I'm fine. It's too chaotic outside, why don't you come back home? Schools are encouraging online classes now; it's too dangerous out there," Li Xiuyun suggested, considering keeping Lu Heng safe at home.

Lu Heng laughed it off and managed to deflect the suggestion with a casual reply. He then enjoyed a hearty lunch at home.

In the afternoon, Lu Heng's father, Lu Mingli, drove him out, saying he had something important to attend to.

At first, Lu Heng wondered where his father was taking him.

Only upon arrival did he realize they were at a shooting range.

In his youth, Lu Mingli had been a lone wolf in the border army. Later, he retired, got married, and started a family, gradually becoming a gentle and kind-hearted father.

Ever since the Abyssal invasion, when demons appeared in the human world, Lu Mingli had picked up the skills he had once learned.

"You've never handled a real gun before, have you?" Lu Mingli laughed, patting his son's shoulder.

In fact, there was a model gun at home, along with real bullet casings and bullets, but without any gunpowder inside.

When Lu Heng was younger, his father would occasionally take him to gatherings with his old army buddies.

Among those old comrades, some still served in the military, and they would sometimes carry real firearms.

Each time, these old friends would encourage little Lu Heng to hold a real gun, but Lu Mingli always stopped them.

Recalling these childhood memories, Lu Heng felt a strange sense of nostalgia.

In the past, Lu Mingli had hoped his son would study hard, get into a good university, and not have to endure the hardships he had experienced.

But now, things were different. The Abyssal invasion had drastically changed the world in which humans lived.

Without some self-defense capabilities, Lu Mingli couldn't feel at ease whenever Lu Heng went out.

So, Lu Mingli had found a way and brought Lu Heng to the shooting range, intending to teach him some skills.

On the long table in front of them, several firearms were already laid out, mainly pistols and rifles, all of which were highly practical models.

"Today, I'll teach you how to shoot, and next time I'll find someone to teach you some self-defense moves," Lu Mingli said, having already decided that his son needed to learn some means of self-protection.

He picked up a Black Star pistol, checking it as he spoke, "Put on the ear protection first. If you've never fired a real gun before, the sound might startle you the first time."

Lu Heng didn't know how to react to his father's concern. He reached out, took a pistol, loaded it, released the safety, aimed at the target twenty meters away, and fired ten shots in rapid succession.

All ten shots hit either the 10-ring or the 9-ring.

Lu Mingli stared at the bullet holes in the target, his face filled with astonishment.

"Dad, I know how to shoot; you don't need to teach me. Has something happened at home recently? You seem so tense," Lu Heng sensed that his father must have encountered something, his alertness heightened, a stark contrast to his usual gentle demeanor.

Lu Mingli furrowed his brows as he looked at his son before him, suddenly feeling like he didn't recognize him. It was as if his little boy had grown up overnight.

In an instant, he understood many things and didn't ask when Lu Heng had learned to shoot. Instead, he asked, "Have you gotten into trouble with someone outside?"

Lu Heng didn't answer the question but countered with one of his own, "Has someone been looking for you?"

This game of charades wasn't getting them anywhere.

Lu Mingli spoke directly, "I've noticed someone has been watching our house recently. My instincts kicked in, so I found a way to get a gun."

Upon hearing this, Lu Heng guessed it was probably someone hired by the Gong Teng Corporation.

"I'll take care of it in a couple of days," Lu Heng assured.

"So, you've already..." Lu Mingli furrowed his brows, reassessing his son before him, feeling that many aspects of him were different from before.

It wasn't a change in appearance, but rather in his demeanor.

With the Abyssal invasion now public knowledge, there was no longer a need to hide it.

Lu Heng directly admitted, "I'm a Mutant, and I'm probably among the strongest batch."

Even though Lu Mingli had his suspicions, hearing Lu Heng's admission still shocked him.

He had maintained contact with many of his old army buddies, allowing him to access information unknown to the outside world.

After Lu Heng admitted to being a Mutant, they could discuss many things openly.

The father and son talked for a long time, sharing their thoughts and plans for the future.

"Have you ever been to the Abyssal Battlefield?"

Lu Mingli had learned about the Abyssal Battlefield through other channels, but his knowledge was limited. He only knew that it was extremely dangerous, with a high mortality rate.

"I've been there twice," Lu Heng nodded in confirmation.

Lu Mingli's heart immediately leaped to his throat. Despite his son standing right before him, hearing that he had been to the Abyssal Battlefield still made him worry.

The two then discussed their future plans.

Lu Heng steered the conversation towards them, "Dad, I'm thinking of awakening you both."

Lu Mingli quickly waved his hands, "No, no, your mother can't handle this. If she finds out, she'll worry herself sick every day. I can't be conscripted to the Abyssal Battlefield; I need to stay and take care of your mother."

Lu Heng knew what he was worried about.

According to the official information, the Abyssal Battlefield would conscript mutants to fight in it, and the fatality rate was very high.

Lu Mingli wasn't afraid of the battlefield, but for his family, he couldn't take the risk.

Lu Heng smiled and explained, "Just because you become a mutant doesn't mean you'll be conscripted to the Abyssal Battlefield. As long as you develop in the direction of Life Empowered, with combat power below average, you'll be fine."

In the evening.

After dinner, the family held a family meeting to discuss the matter of awakening.

Li Xiuyun, who had initially refused and been worried, was gradually persuaded and finally agreed to awaken.

Especially when she learned that her son was already a mutant and had to face vicious monsters, she even wanted to awaken as a Combat Empowered mutant.

However, she was eventually persuaded by her husband and son.

Since his parents had agreed to awaken, Lu Heng took out two Ordinary Crystal Cores and handed them over.

After absorbing the crystal core energy, the couple's worldview began to be struck by lightning. They stared at the data floating before their eyes, stunned for several minutes before gradually accepting the changes.

Before going to bed, Lu Heng used his laptop to search for Life Empowered skill crystal cores on the Dark Web.

At this stage, the price of Combat Empowered skill crystal cores was constantly rising, but the price of Life Empowered skill crystal cores was relatively low.

Lu Heng selected several Life Empowered skills to buy. Since the prices were not high, he bought a few more, allowing for a second selection later.

...

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, while Lu Heng was still in dreamland, the door was knocked on.

"Lu Heng, your friend has come to the house, hurry up and get up." Li Xiuyun's voice came from outside the door, penetrating with great force.

Hearing that a friend had come, Lu Heng thought it was Su Muyu and thought to himself: This girl is too eager, coming over so early in the morning, isn't that disturbing the peace?

But when he went out, he saw Lin Zeyu sitting in the living room.

In addition to Lin Zeyu, there were two elders in their fifties, presumably from the Lin family.

The living room floor and table were filled with various gift boxes.

The bodyguards responsible for carrying the gifts stood outside the door and did not enter the house.

Lu Heng's eyes widened as he looked at Lin Zeyu, speechless, "What are you up to?"

Lin Zeyu stood up and matter-of-factly said, "Of course, I'm here to thank you. Otherwise, I would have died in there."

After returning, his injuries were repaired by Divine Energy, and he was now fully recovered.

In the Abyssal Battlefield, he had been beaten by Lei Jin Hao so badly that his internal organs were displaced. An ordinary person would have died, but thanks to the healing power of Divine Energy, he could stand there perfectly fine.

"You come in here," Lu Heng waved, dragging Lin Zeyu into the room.

Inside the room, Lin Zeyu curiously looked around.

The room was extremely clean, almost spotless, with every book and figurine neatly arranged.

This was because... Lu Heng didn't usually live here.

Lin Zeyu took the initiative to start the conversation, saying, "You must be wondering how I found you. Knowing your name and appearance, finding you is pretty simple for my family."

He spoke without any courtesy, lying down on the bed.

"Get up!"

Lu Heng pulled him up and said, "Can't you come and find me privately? Making such a fuss, if my parents find out how dangerous the Abyssal Battlefield is, they'll worry again."

"Understood. I didn't mention anything about the Abyssal Battlefield to your parents," Lin Zeyu was very considerate on this point.

"Alright, take all those gifts back. They're all over the place, and it's a hassle to unpack them," Lu Heng complained.

"These are my thank-you gifts; I have to give them," Lin Zeyu emphasized.

"Can't you put all these gifts in a small card?"

"Sure, here it is," Lin Zeyu took out a card and slapped it into Lu Heng's hand.

"Alright, you can go now. Don't make such a big fuss in the future," Lu Heng waved, ready to send him off.

"No, I need you to help me temper my weapons. I found out my combat power is so low..." Lin Zeyu, after being beaten by Lei Jin Hao, was now full of enthusiasm to improve his combat power.

"Hold on, you want me to temper your weapons?" Lu Heng keenly caught the key point in his words.

Lin Zeyu put away his playful expression and said seriously, "I'm not stupid. At first, I didn't recognize you, but when I saw you tempering weapons for the Banser Clan, if I still couldn't recognize you, there would be something wrong with my brain."

Actually, Lu Heng wasn't necessarily trying to hide his identity as a temperer; he just didn't want to attract too much trouble.

Lu Heng frowned and asked, "Have you told anyone else about my identity in Tempering Fortress?"

"Not yet, I haven't told anyone else."

"Or anyone in your family?"

"I'll tell you later at the family meeting."

"Then don't say anything, keep this secret locked away in your mind."

"Are you planning to kill me to keep it a secret?"

"It's not like I'm going to kill you, but..."

Lu Heng abruptly changed the subject and made a move to pull the door handle, "Uncle Lin, Lin Zeyu asked me to pass on a message. He said he's forgiven..."

Lin Zeyu's eyes widened, and he immediately pounced on Lu Heng, covering his mouth, "Deal! We'll keep each other's secrets."

"Alright, let's go. Take all the things back. If my parents see so many items, they'll start wondering." Lu Heng was ready to send him off.

"Wait, wait, about the weapon tempering..." Lin Zeyu continued to bring up the matter.

"We'll discuss it online. I'll let you know when I'm free," Lu Heng said.

"What about the tempering work for other parahuman organizations? Are you taking it on?"

"How much commission do you take?"

"Only 10%, not a penny more."

"That's fine, let's arrange for the tempering together. We'll take on at least ten orders. The Tempering Fortress won't accept anyone else except you."

Weapon tempering not only improved the professional experience of temperers but also earned them crystal core resources, so it was a great opportunity that couldn't be refused.

"Understood, I'll make sure it's handled perfectly." Lin Zeyu was delighted to have negotiated a significant business deal that would impact the parahuman landscape.

...

The next evening.

Su Muyu came over from her home, meeting outside the neighborhood.

She wore a light beige plaid skirt with thin black stockings and small leather shoes, standing under the streetlight, looking serene.

Judging by her appearance, who would've thought that this girl was already a level 18 parahuman?

When she saw Lu Heng, her eyes lit up with a hint of excitement, and she ran over, holding a food box with both hands:

"Here, I brought you some taro rolls. Try them and see if you like them."

"Are they really made with mud?" Lu Heng joked.

Su Muyu rolled her eyes and replied, "Yes, they're made with spring mud."

"I'll take them home for a midnight snack," Lu Heng laughed, accepting the food box.

The two strolled through the deep autumn night on the street.

Su Muyu hesitantly asked, "Can I save a crystal core for my mom? I promise I'll work hard on my Origin Energy and level up quickly."

Ever since she learned that Life Empowered parahumans wouldn't be drafted, she had the idea of awakening her mother, so she saved a crystal core for her mother's use.

"Of course, I'll give you another one," Lu Heng said, taking out an energy crystal core and placing it in her hand.

Main Combat Empowered parahumans would have more combat missions, providing them with more opportunities to absorb demon energy and level up.

In comparison, the leveling speed of Support Empowered parahumans would be much slower.

In a mature parahuman team, there would be a bias towards Support Empowered parahumans regarding crystal cores, allowing them to keep up with the main team members' levels.

"Then I'll absorb it."

Su Muyu, who had initially worried about being scolded, was delighted to see that Lu Heng not only didn't get angry but also gave her another crystal core, holding it happily in her palm.

"Absorb it. You should be close to level 19, right?" Lu Heng estimated her level, guessing that she wasn't far from reaching level 19.

"Yes, after absorbing this crystal core, I should reach level 19," Su Muyu nodded and then began to absorb the energy from the crystal core.

The two continued their walk down the long street, and Su Muyu gradually consumed the absorbed crystal core energy.

By the time they reached the end of the street, she had leveled up to 19.

"I'm level 19 now, with 41 points in Perception." Su Muyu smiled, pursing her lips.

"Hmm? It increased by one point." Lu Heng remembered that her previous Perception was 38 points, and after leveling up, it should have been 40 points.

"Yes, when I was training the Scout Eagle, my Perception increased by a little," Su Muyu raised a finger, her expression saying, "Come and praise me."

"Have you taken care of the matter I asked you to handle?" Lu Heng turned the conversation to the main topic.

"It's done. These past two days, I've been using the Scout Eagle to observe the movements of the Gong Teng Group. Gong Zhenting already knows that Lei Jinhao is dead, so he's been meeting with the leader of another parahuman team recently. He's probably looking to cultivate new subordinates," Su Muyu briefly explained the situation she had scouted.

"Have you found that Super Crystal Core?" Lu Heng wanted to learn the skill Bullet Time, so he needed to obtain the Skill Slot Expansion Core.

"Hmm..."

Su Muyu pursed her lips, worried that Lu Heng would be disappointed. She glanced at his expression and replied, "Not yet. These past two days, Gong Zhenting hasn't mentioned that crystal core at all."

"However, I've seen Gong Zhenting enter the Gong Teng Group's vault several times. The security there is extremely tight, and it's difficult for the Scout Eagle to get in."

"Next time, I'll think of a way to get the Scout Eagle into the vault to take a look. I think the crystal core is very likely to be inside."

Lu Heng considered for a moment and said, "I'll go in and take a look myself."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end