Chapter 136: 130, Square Inch (Requesting Monthly Subscription)
An 1800 square meter villa. A 280 square meter duplex. Lu Lin, which do you fancy?
Looking at Chen Shanshan’s earnest face, Lu Lin really wanted to say, I’ll take them both.
From childhood to adulthood, his family’s residence on Saturn had never changed; it had always been in Lishui Bay. It was an affordable house, with a construction area of 92 square meters and a usable area of 76 square meters—a compact two-bedroom space. During his six years on Blue Star, Lu Lin lived in a small single apartment in Tongyuan City, specially prepared for immigrant students. The area was about 40 square meters; the living room was right inside the front door, and there was a smaller room Lu Lin used as a Cultivation Room.
After eighteen years since I crossed over, I’ve never even seen a 100 square meter house, and you’re asking me to choose between a 280 square meter duplex and an 1800 square meter villa? Isn’t it obvious? Lu Lin would definitely choose the 280 square meter duplex. He worried that in such a large villa, he might get lost and end up late for school. Besides, living in a large villa alone was too extravagant.
After Lu Lin made his selection, Chen Shanshan sent him the electronic KEY and saw him off.
Standing before the flowerbeds of the Hua Qing Water Yard residential area, Lu Lin still found it hard to believe he had so easily acquired such a large house. He took a taxi to No. 11 Keming Street, passed through the grand main entrance of the residential complex, and arrived at his new home: Building 11, Unit 1, 1101.
What do these numbers even mean? Lu Lin wondered. When he opened the door and saw the interior, he was stunned.
It was huge.
Very huge.
Extremely huge.
The first thing he saw was an in-ground fish tank covered with ultra-fiber tempered glass, where a dozen palm-sized red koi swam. There was a 100-inch quantum projection TV with surround sound, and a classical European-style, pure white, eight-seat sofa. Behind the sofa hung an oil painting of an ancient European woman that Lu Lin couldn’t comprehend; its dark golden frame lent an air of elegance and luxury to the living room. A Fierce Tiger head wall hanging, crafted by a Master, also adorned the living room. Lu Lin touched it—it felt real.
Just the living room alone must be over 40 square meters, he suspected.
He then explored the luxurious kitchen, divided into Chinese and Western sections; an ultra-luxurious bathroom with both double and single bathtubs; an ultra-luxurious bedroom with fully automated, voice-controlled lighting that mimicked daylight; a spacious walk-in closet within the bedroom; a dedicated fitness room; a study with shelves full of books; and even a children’s room featuring a slide over two meters high and climbing fixtures on the wall. The balcony resembled a small garden, complete with two turtles, each with a shell diameter of about half a meter, basking on a rock in their tank.
This... this isn’t a home at all!
After a full tour of just the first floor, Lu Lin’s heart still pounded with excitement. Even without seeing the rest, he now had a much clearer understanding of the Star Investigation Office’s financial situation.
They’re tycoons. Money is no object!
On the way here, he had checked local housing prices. At No. 11 Keming Street, the price per square meter reached an astonishing 400,000.
So, 280 square meters would be... Lu Lin couldn’t do the math.
Opening his suitcase, Lu Lin felt a bit shabby. He had only brought two sets of summer T-shirts and pants, plus some underwear and socks—not even enough to fill a small drawer in the walk-in closet.
I’m still so poor, he thought.
After putting away his clothes, Lu Lin placed the Star Power Recovery Potion and the broken knife on a storage cabinet near the entrance. These are things I’ll carry with me at all times.
Just like that, his suitcase was empty.
Lu Lin took the F-Level Alloy Warsword and Ultra-fiber protective soft armor out of the paper bag given by the War God Alliance. After brandishing the warsword a couple of times, he found himself dissatisfied. It wasn’t just the insufficient weight; the grip of the hilt also didn’t suit his preference.
I’ll give this to Zhou Ziqiang when he arrives, he decided, tossing it aside.
Next, Lu Lin tried on the soft armor provided by the War God Alliance. It fit perfectly, felt comfortable, and offered excellent ventilation. However, it was useless to him; his Star Skill, Stone Skin, provided far superior protection. He definitely wouldn’t be giving this soft armor to Zhou Ziqiang. With a market price of at least 1.2 million, Lu Lin wasn’t feeling that generous. I’ll find a courier to send this back to Dad, he thought. He’ll definitely like it.
Oh, right, speaking of Dad, Lu Lin suddenly remembered he hadn’t called his parents since arriving on this alien planet. It was the perfect opportunity to show them his new house.
After chatting for just a few minutes, Lu Lin ended the call. His mom and dad were still at work, and a long call wouldn’t be appropriate.
Lu Lin almost burst out laughing. Before leaving Saturn, he had merged Li Yinuo’s company into the Jin Hao Group. His mom and dad still had no idea.
After hanging up, Lu Lin began to organize his upcoming tasks. The War God Alliance required him to undergo a Second Certification. The Star Coordinator Division Branch needed him to test his Combat Power and Star Guide abilities. He also hadn’t visited the Chongnuo City Star Guide Division yet; he’d need to make that trip after grabbing a bite to eat. These three things had to be sorted out before the semester began.
After that, he would wait for classes to start and then challenge the new students at Iron Blood College. Lu Lin had no intention of spending his entire university career at Luse Alliance College.
Besides these, he also needed to ensure he dedicated an hour each day to cultivating Ten Steps Kill, and the optimization of Inch Step had to be completed as soon as possible. Lu Lin planned to finish optimizing Inch Step before the semester formally began.
Then, it would be time to embark on his wonderful university life.
Alien planet, here I come!
「Later that day」
Lu Lin disliked cooking, so he ordered an extremely luxurious takeout meal delivered to his home. It cost him nearly two hundred dollars—an amount he wouldn’t have dared to imagine spending in the past.
After eating, Lu Lin went downstairs, hailed a taxi, and headed to the Star Guide Association.
Everything went smoothly at the Star Guide Association. After registering, Lu Lin would be able to accept employment from Star Core Warriors in Chongnuo City to guide their Star Skills.
But what kind of person am I? The most helpful student in the federation, of course! With only one thought in mind: ’All for one, and one for all!’ Or rather, to quickly increase my Star Power Level... no, wait, to better serve the federation and the Star Core Warriors!
Lu Lin planned to station himself at the Star Guide Association during his free time after the semester began, offering free Star Skill guidance to any Martial Artists who came by. He believed that by showcasing his past guidance records and offering his services for free, drawing a crowd wouldn’t be a mere fantasy. As for what other Star Guides thought—whether they lowered their prices or viewed him with hostility—that was none of his concern.
Let the competition begin!
「That evening」
When he returned home, Lu Lin received a message. The War God Alliance had approved his preliminary review and requested his presence at the Chongnuo City branch at 9:00 AM the next day for his Second Certification. Lu Lin sent a reply confirming receipt.
Looks like tomorrow I’ll have to show my friends at the War God Alliance some real skills again, he mused. Now, it’s time to optimize the circulation channels for Inch Step.
The human leg has six major meridians: the Foot’s Bright Yang, Lesser Yang, Greater Yang, Absolute Yin, Lesser Yin, and Greater Yin meridians. All six are involved in the cultivation of Inch Step. When circulating Star Power, these meridians are either engaged or stretched, demanding a high level of control and proficiency from the Martial Artist. An accidental misstep in circulating Star Power could lead to mild consequences, such as being bedridden for ten days to half a month, or severe ones, like losing the use of the entire leg.
The cultivation diagram for Inch Step was very clear, explicitly detailing which meridian the Star Power should traverse and when. Lu Lin’s optimization wasn’t focused on the path itself, but on the channels. His primary task was to widen and strengthen the leg meridians, allowing Star Power to pass through them more rapidly.
He had already completed 30% of this work on the starship. Now, in the deep, quiet night, free from disturbances, Lu Lin continued to immerse himself in the optimization process.
In the process of optimization, Lu Lin became more intimately familiar with his own body, the pathways of his meridians, and their dimensions. He felt that once he completed the optimization of Inch Step, his mastery of this Star Martial Skill would reach the level of minor accomplishment.
And Inch Step at the minor accomplishment stage also had another name: Square Inch.