Chapter Six: Intel from Future City—Twenty-One Vials of Basic Enhancement Serum!

"We are all confined to this dilapidated planet like penned livestock, while the dictators sit high above," Zhang Jie exhaled a thick cloud of smoke. "After our once-beautiful home was destroyed and discarded by them, that high-energy particle barrier became the cage that binds us. Only by entering Future City can we change our lives!"

Su Cheng’s tone was calm yet resolute: "I will definitely break that cage."

Zhang Jie shook his head with a smile. "I do feel like you’re a bit different from an hour ago, but you cannot imagine the technology in Future City, nor can you imagine how powerful they truly are! Let me tell you, as far as I know, nearly every one of them has undergone physical enhancement, which means they can all utilize more powerful and advanced cybernetics. Even with the same grade of cybernetics, they are far stronger than us!"

"But in a little while, I’ll have a chance to go to Future City myself!"

Su Cheng’s heart stirred at these words. "Go to Future City? The Remnants shouldn't be able to enter, should they?"

Zhang Jie nodded. "Remnants can't, that's true. Dignitaries and the wealthy can, though most of them prefer to play petty tyrant in the Old World. Hunters, however, can also enter. As long as you become an S-rank Hunter, you have a chance to get into Future City. I know your goal is likely Future City as well; you should check out the waste processing plant. By becoming a Hunter, you can gain more intelligence about the city."

Su Cheng set down his tools. "Alright, your cybernetic state is surprisingly good; it doesn't need maintenance. That will be 200 credits."

Zhang Jie stood up and flexed his arm, looking somewhat surprised. "I didn't expect your skills to be this good!" Before, he had felt his cybernetic responses slowing down and becoming sluggish, but now they felt just like when they were first installed, and the signal transmission speed was even faster.

He made a direct transfer payment. "You really are impressive; perhaps you could even become a high-level Hunter. By the way, Hunters can collect one bottle of primary nutrient solution from the waste processing plant every day."

Su Cheng was taken aback; he hadn't expected the benefits for Hunters to be so generous.

"Of course, there are even higher grades. After all, the waste processing plant has some connection to the Guangke Technology Group," Zhang Jie laughed. "I’m off. If you decide to become a Hunter, remember to use my invitation code 9527. That way, I get a bottle of intermediate nutrient solution, and every time you rank up your profession, I get a reward. I think highly of you; perhaps we can help each other out in the future."

"Wait a moment." Su Cheng pulled out a bottle of intermediate nutrient solution. "I have some. Are you buying?"

Zhang Jie looked astonished. "You actually have something this good?!" He took the bottle. "The purity is this high? It's even better than what they sell at the waste processing plant!" For the first time, his tone was one of genuine shock. "How rare! This is the first time I've seen intermediate nutrient solution of this purity. I’ll take it!"

He immediately transferred 260 Alliance Credits to Su Cheng and downed the solution in one gulp. "Mmm, delicious. This is the highest purity I’ve ever tasted!"

Zhang Jie looked satisfied. "The enhancement serum used by New World humans is rumored to be nutrient solution produced by Guangke Technology—after all, even the primary nutrient solution has aphrodisiac properties. Only we Hunters know this, which is why high-grade nutrient solution is very popular among us, but the waste processing plant limits purchase quantities."

Su Cheng opened his cabinet door. "I have no limits here."

"This!" Zhang Jie pulled off his sunglasses, his four cybernetic eyes leaning in close to the cabinet. "You actually have so much of this high-purity nutrient solution!" He studied Su Cheng with utter disbelief. "I underestimated you. Coming to see you was the right choice! I’ll take it all. An intermediate nutrient solution is 200 credits, but both the black market and merchants usually mark it up by about 20. Your purity is excellent, so I’ll give you 260 a bottle—I’ll take the whole lot!"

"Deal!"

Thirteen bottles of intermediate nutrient solution sold for a total of 3,380 Alliance Credits—far more than he had anticipated!

Zhang Jie happily packed up the bottles. "See? My investment is already paying off. I can sell these for 320 a bottle. Don't blame me for driving a hard bargain; I have to bear the risk of death. Guangke Technology doesn't allow anyone to do this, and on your own, you’d only be able to sell them for 200."

Su Cheng felt a bit helpless; this guy only explained that after the trade was done. But he didn't see it as a problem—he knew that privately trafficking intermediate nutrient solution was dangerous. By selling to Zhang Jie, he avoided the risk of selling it himself. The price difference was what Zhang Jie deserved. As long as he lacked the strength to oppose Future City and powerful factions, safe and steady growth was the most important thing.

"Pleasure doing business. If you have more next time, remember to contact me. To sell something this precious to me—I think we’re good friends now." With that, Zhang Jie put on his glasses and turned to leave. He didn't ask how Su Cheng had gotten so much, nor did he consider robbing him; he could afford the money. Rather than killing the goose that laid the golden eggs, he preferred to be 'friends' with someone who could provide large amounts of intermediate nutrient solution. Perhaps it would even help him get to Future City.

After watching Zhang Jie ride away on his vintage Harley CVO custom glide motorcycle, Su Cheng looked at the balance on his device: exactly 3,400!

Precious? He only needed to use the cheapest, inferior nutrient solution to synthesize it. He could have as much as he wanted! And his cost was only 300—he had just made a ten-fold profit! It was a margin that would make even the most unscrupulous profiteers of the Old Century weep. He had even drunk a bottle of basic enhancement serum himself! Thanks to the Eye of Dimensions, his life had been completely transformed by this single cybernetic eye.

"Stay at home; I'm going to buy some things," he instructed "Simpleton" before heading out on his electric scooter toward the Waste City.

He hadn't told Zhang Jie that intermediate nutrient solution couldn't actually enhance the human body—not even the high-grade ones could. Revealing that would have been a giveaway, and even if he said it, the other party wouldn't necessarily believe him. But Zhang Jie’s words had served as a warning. There was information to be gained at the waste processing plant about Future City, and the humans of the New World were powerful! Their technology might even exceed his understanding. Previously, he had only been a junior cybernetic mechanic; he knew far too little about this world.

Registering as a Hunter certainly had its benefits, but the information provided by the waste processing plant wasn't entirely true. Or rather, they likely concealed critical information. For instance, while nutrient solution did provide nutrition, neither intermediate nor high-grade versions provided physical enhancement! The waste processing plant—or rather, Guangke Technology—deliberately concealed this key fact, even adding aphrodisiac properties to the primary solution to bolster the lie. If Su Cheng didn't have the Eye of Dimensions, he might have been like Zhang Jie, blindly pursuing nutrient solution in the hope of enhancing his body, only to waste all his money and gain nothing.

"Whoa, how tragic. That woman was beaten to pieces."
"I heard she was cruelly tortured before she died. Serves her right; who told her to provoke someone she shouldn't have?"
"It's a pity, though. Her original face was quite pretty. I was actually planning to go look for her after I finished my primary nutrient solution."
"Just a dead person. The HPC dogs are actually here; looks like it involves some big shot."

Just as he passed the Luo Li Island Bar, Su Cheng saw several HPC guards at the entrance. He glanced over casually, didn't pay it any mind, and turned into the pedestrian street.

By evening, Su Cheng had circled the outer city! In batches at various locations, he bought 400 bottles of inferior nutrient solution and spent another 1,000 Alliance Credits on a basic protective suit. It could defend against some gunfire and melee strikes—a modernized version of an Old Century bulletproof vest.

"Damn it, so much nutrient solution and not a single energy block!" Simpleton pointed at Su Cheng. "You're hogging it all!"

Su Cheng pulled an intermediate energy block from his pocket and tossed it over. "There's plenty for you."

"Whoa, cousin, you're the best! You've got a conscience after all." Simpleton happily picked up the energy block and shoved it into his energy slot. Whether it was the inferior energy blocks or the inferior nutrient solution, both generated a massive amount of waste residue, and both had a certain negative impact on the human body and robotic circuitry. It was barely enough to survive, barely enough to keep things running.

Su Cheng activated the Eye of Dimensions, synthesizing and upgrading all the inferior nutrient solution. The night grew darker.

"Done." Su Cheng looked at the 21 bottles of basic enhancement serum and 8 bottles of intermediate nutrient solution.

"Commence enhancement!!"