Chapter Thirteen: An Overt Scheme, a Friend? He Simply Doesn’t Understand!
“Welcome to Lovely Island Bar, we have all the girls you want right here!”
“Have a great time, sir.”
Su Cheng folded his raincoat and metal mask, placed them into his electric bike, and then stepped into the bar.
At the center was a massive dance floor, where five scantily clad women swayed seductively to the music.
The music wasn’t overly loud; patrons sipped their drinks while admiring the dancers.
Some sat in booths, playing games with friends while cozying up to the girls.
Following the signs, Su Cheng made his way to the private room area.
VIP Room 888.
He opened the door.
“Hey, you’re here! Sit down, make yourself at home.”
Zhang Jie smiled and waved at Su Cheng, then turned to the woman beside him: “Go get your prettiest sisters. My good friend’s here. And make sure they’re fun to be with—just like you.”
The woman smiled alluringly, kissed him on the cheek, then swayed her hips as she left.
Zhang Jie’s silver arm gave her backside a firm slap, and he laughed heartily.
“No need.”
Once seated, Su Cheng glanced at the other three people in the room. “Just a few questions, then I’m off.”
“Innocent boy, ha…” Zhang Jie waved to the women. “Come back, baby.”
The woman returned and naturally took his hand, placing it on her body.
“Brother Jie, is this your new friend? A rookie too?”
Zhang Jie grinned. “Exactly, my new friend. He’s destined to become a Hunter.”
“Destined? He looks like a natural-born. Today I actually saw two rookies. Nowadays, natural-borns don’t stand a chance against cyborgs!”
Everyone knew that natural-born fighters couldn’t match the strength of augmented ones.
Zhang Jie grinned widely. “Chen, don’t underestimate my new friend, though he’s not combat-oriented.”
Chen Ze shrugged. “Alright, but who’s the big shot supplying you with such pure goods? The purity is even higher than what comes from the junkyard!”
“That’s confidential.”
Zhang Jie looked at Su Cheng. “No offense, but Hunters respect strength above all.”
Su Cheng shook his head, chuckling at him. “It’s alright, we can talk privately.”
Zhang Jie immediately understood, signaling Chen Ze and the others: “Could you three step outside for a bit? We’ll continue once you’re back.”
The three stood. “No problem. Don’t forget our mid-grade nutrient fluids. We’re old friends, so the price better be fair.”
“Don’t worry, my friends.”
Once they left, Zhang Jie sent the woman to wait in a small side room.
“What’s the matter? Speak.”
Su Cheng took out a bottle of high-grade nutrient fluid and placed it on the table.
“To your health!”
Zhang Jie grabbed the bottle eagerly. “Perfect! Absolutely pure high-grade nutrient fluid—real high-grade!”
“You actually have this rare stuff! At the junkyard, it takes tons of points to exchange for a single bottle, and only one per month! Knowing you is fantastic!”
Zhang Jie was overjoyed. “In half a month, the S-rank Hunter assessment takes place. Only the top three strongest advanced Hunters can advance. I desperately need anything to boost my strength!”
“This bottle came at the perfect time. I want it!”
He was ecstatic.
Becoming S-rank meant a chance to go to Future City—that was his dream!
As Zhang Jie eagerly moved to open the bottle, Su Cheng suddenly grabbed it.
“Wait a moment.”
Zhang Jie’s four cybernetic eyes flickered, his aura sharpening as he held tight to the bottle. “What’s wrong, friend?”
Su Cheng met his gaze calmly and smiled. “I want to sell it to you, but another friend asked me to work with him. I’m in a bit of a bind.”
A cold glint flashed in Zhang Jie’s eyes. “Oh? Which friend?”
Su Cheng relaxed into the sofa. “Kang Ba.”
“Hmm…” Zhang Jie took a deep drag from his cigar, exhaling thick smoke with narrowed eyes. “The chubby guy selling meds on the walking street?”
Su Cheng nodded.
Zhang Jie leaned back slowly, understanding Su Cheng’s meaning. Since Su Cheng came here, he intended to sell the nutrient fluid to him—using him as muscle. This was an open strategy.
He chuckled lightly. “My friend, our cooperation is unbreakable. No one else can interfere.”
This role as muscle was unavoidable.
That’s high-grade nutrient fluid!
Even the black market rarely had it.
Su Cheng smiled approvingly. “That’s what I told him too,” pushing the bottle toward Zhang Jie.
Though Su Cheng’s use of Zhang Jie’s name had shaken Kang Ba, Kang Ba remained a potential threat.
Merely intimidating him was far from enough.
Zhang Jie opened the bottle and downed it in one gulp, even licking the bottle afterward.
“Fantastic! I feel my whole body charged with power. My back pain’s even eased! No wonder it’s high-grade nutrient fluid—the enhancement effect is incredible!”
He excitedly stretched, his silver arm slicing the air with sharp noises.
Su Cheng watched silently, knowing this wasn’t enhancement.
The nutrient fluid simply replenished all of Zhang Jie’s depleted nutrients, making him feel invigorated.
It also had some medical effects, repairing his bodily damage.
This was just an illusion of ‘enhancement’!
“High-grade nutrient fluid goes for 1,000 Alliance Credits a bottle. Yours is so pure, I’ll give you 1,500!”
Zhang Jie transferred the money immediately—a full set of E-grade mechanical prosthetics cost about the same.
Buying a single consumable at that price.
But he felt it was a steal because high-grade nutrient fluid was scarce.
“Friend, I don’t think I know your name yet.”
Su Cheng glanced at his balance. “Su Cheng.”
Normally, such pure nutrient fluid would command a much higher price, but he didn’t mind.
To him, it wasn’t rare.
This bottle was more a payment for muscle services.
Zhang Jie nodded and smiled. “Good name. Can I ask where you get such high-quality goods? You can’t buy this purity at the junkyard or the ruined city.”
Su Cheng shook his head. “That’s not something I can share.”
Zhang Jie slowly nodded. “Fair enough. By the way, you said you wanted to ask me something?”
“I want to sell some natural-borns—of course, not mine.”
“That’s easy. The junkyard can recycle them, but the price is lower than the black market.”
“Thanks. I’ll get going then, won’t disturb your relaxation.”
Su Cheng smiled faintly and stood to leave.
“I’ll see you out.”
Zhang Jie rose to follow. “When are you registering as a Hunter?”
“Not planning to, for now.”
“Alright, just remember to use my referral code, friend.”
Opening the door, Zhang Jie greeted Chen Ze outside, then continued: “You’re still natural-born, so it’s not suitable to be a Hunter yet. If you have any of that good stuff left, make sure to share.”
Su Cheng shook his head. “Gone. I gave you all of it. It’s not easy to get.”
“Ah… alright.”
Zhang Jie sighed.
At that moment, a blonde beauty passed by.
Su Cheng glanced again.
It was the one he’d seen at the junkyard—a remarkable coincidence.
“Rebecca.”
Zhang Jie’s eyes roamed over the woman. “The goddess of all Hunters, like me an advanced Hunter with incredible strength. She’s so aloof she’s untouchable. Believe me, no one wins her favor, and no one gets into her bed.”
He wasn’t exaggerating. Rebecca’s natural face and figure were top-tier.
Just then, a man approached her to flirt.
In the next instant, the man was kicked flying.
Zhang Jie drew back his gaze, teasing: “See? She’s not interested in men. Sometimes I even think she prefers women.”
Rebecca sat alone in a booth, radiating an aura that kept everyone at a distance.
“I’m heading out.”
Outside, Su Cheng mounted his bike and left.
Zhang Jie smiled and returned to the room, where Chen Ze and the others were seated.
Chen Ze teased: “Your new friend is something else—still natural-born and unmodified, wanting to be a Hunter? That’s suicide! And he didn’t even greet us seniors, so cold.”
Zhang Jie grinned. “Young and reckless. He’s certainly interesting and brave.”
“Brave? That’s ignorance. A nobody dreaming of becoming a powerful warrior. Meh, I’m not interested.”
Chen Ze waved dismissively, then asked about the big shot. “So, who’s this important person selling you such precious goods?”
Zhang Jie took a puff from his cigar. “Maybe he’s too young to understand how important body enhancement really is.”
…