Chapter 148: 142, Cold-hearted woman, pick up a car for free (ask for subscription monthly ticket)
After hanging up the call, Lu Lin felt bored again.
He began to recall the recent battle, hoping to glean some experience from it.
Taking down Bai Lang quickly at the beginning was a good move. However, I made a mistake. It was a mistake not to finish Bai Lang off. As the saying goes, spare the snake, and you’ll suffer the consequences. Later, when Jin Dun attacked me, if it weren’t for my Perceive Star Skill, I would most likely have been hit by Bai Lang’s Flame Snake attack. Mm, I need to remember that. In future battles, I must carefully observe my surroundings.
When I attacked Jin Dun, I clearly underestimated the power of his Hardening Star Skill. After all, I’ve mostly been dealing with newly awakened Martial Artists. These Martial Artists have only just begun Comprehending Star Skills, and their proficiency isn’t high enough. That’s why I didn’t have an accurate understanding of the Hardening Star Skill. Mm, noted. In future battles, I must improve my judgment of the enemy as much as possible and avoid making assumptions based on past experiences.
Then there was the battle with Mi Yan. Mi Yan’s Spear Skills were quite strong; I almost couldn’t dodge his first spear thrust. Although I’ll mainly face Star Core Warriors in the future, there’s no guarantee that an opponent won’t have hidden tricks or secret bottom cards. I shouldn’t underestimate any opponent. A lion uses its full strength even when hunting a rabbit. Besides, I’m far from being a lion myself yet. Mm, got it. In future battles, I must go all out and defeat the enemy as quickly as possible.
Later, when facing the invisible Kongming White Ape, my lack of understanding of its characteristics and weaknesses put me off balance, leaving me constantly at a disadvantage. Actually, on reflection, I could have used War Cry to pull the Kongming White Ape closer and engage it in close combat. After all, it couldn’t break my defense. Mm, I’ll remember that. In future battles, I need to make full use of my skill advantages.
This also means I need to spend more time familiarizing myself with my Star Skills and practicing them. That way, I’ll have a clear plan when facing battles.
Moreover, the function of Star Skills isn’t limited to simple attacks or defense. For example, the way I later used Wearing Armor to cover the Kongming White Ape’s hands was a commendable tactic. Mm, noted. The use of Star Skills isn’t set in stone. With a flexible mind, even a few Star Skills can be combined to produce incredible effects.
After reflecting on today’s battle, Lu Lin felt he had gained a lot.
Of course, my biggest gain is probably still the broken knife. This battle knife, casually bought on Green City Fortune Street, was somewhat damaged, but its weight and quality were quite good. Lu Lin had been using it for a long time and had grown accustomed to it. Unexpectedly, when the broken knife struck the Kongming White Ape, it actually absorbed the creature’s Star Power and Life Energy.
Just now, Lu Lin had deliberately—feigning an accident—nicked the unconscious Mi Yan with the broken knife, but it hadn’t reacted at all. It didn’t absorb his Star Power. Nor did it absorb his Life Energy.
I secretly suspect that this broken knife specifically targets exotic beasts, or perhaps even the Alien Race. When dealing with Humans, however, it seems to be much more tolerant. I can test it again in the future if I get the chance. I wonder when I’ll be able to enter the Exotic Battlefield.
As he was thinking this, he saw car lights approaching in the distance. The person sent to pick him up had arrived.
A bright red maglev sports car, adorned with HelloKitty decals, stopped in front of Lu Lin.
This couldn’t be a girl, could it?
The car door opened, and a long leg clad in fishnet stockings emerged. The high heels, at least twelve centimeters tall, made Lu Lin worry that she might twist her ankle stepping out. Denim Hot Pants. A semi-transparent, loose-fitting T-shirt with Batwing Sleeves. A white suspender top worn underneath. A collar, two fingers wide, encircled her neck. Her lips were blood-red. Two large, exaggeratedly round earrings dangled from her ears. Her hair was splayed across her shoulders, and a dark purple eyeshadow covered her eyelids.
Beautiful. But it was a kind of beauty Lu Lin couldn’t quite appreciate. It seemed like the kind of attire only girls who frequented nightclubs would wear.
"Give them to me."
Her voice wasn’t particularly clear either. It wasn’t exactly a smoker’s rasp, but it lacked the typical soft, delicate tone of most women. It was just her attitude that was a bit off.
Lu Lin didn’t mind. He directly tossed Mi Yan and his two companions into her car. The woman glanced at Lu Lin’s actions with disdain but said nothing, merely furrowing her brows.
"Wait a minute."
Seeing Lu Lin about to toss the Kongming White Ape into the car as well, the woman had to speak up. "Don’t put this thing in the car; it’s filthy. Find a rope and hang it from the back. Also, where’s the elixir they stole?"
Only when the woman mentioned this did Lu Lin remember. He had been so focused on waiting here that he hadn’t searched the trio’s car at all. Only when the woman mentioned the elixir did he recall why he had captured and intercepted them in the first place.
"I haven’t checked yet. It should be in their car." Lu Lin pointed towards the car Mi Yan and his companions had driven, now parked in the distance.
"Hmph. Newbies are so troublesome. They don’t know a thing."
The woman pursed her lips. In a flash—before Lu Lin could even blink—she had opened the door of Mi Yan’s car. Without needing to search much, the woman spotted the box on the copilot’s floor. She had no interest in anything else in the car. She didn’t even bother to close the car door and quickly returned to her own vehicle.
"What are you standing around for? Get to it."
"Er... I don’t have a rope." Lu Lin waved his hand helplessly.
"Hmph, honestly. There’s rope in my car trunk. Go get it. Newbies are such a pain; they can’t even handle simple things."
Lu Lin ignored her complaints, retrieved a rope from the trunk, tied up the Kongming White Ape, and hung it from the tow hook.
"Done."
The woman didn’t respond. She walked to the back of the car to check, seeming satisfied enough with Lu Lin’s handiwork. She then took several black bracelets from the trunk and fastened them onto the wrists of Mi Yan, Bai Lang, and Jin Dun.
Lu Lin recognized them. They were made from Chaotic Star Stones, specifically designed to suppress Star Power. As long as they were worn, a Martial Artist’s internal Star Power would remain in a chaotic state. This was harmless for minor healing, but if one tried to break free, the Chaotic Star Stones would activate, Sealing the Star Power within the Martial Artist. In severe cases, it could even cause the Martial Artist’s internal Star Power to run rampant, potentially leading to a state akin to demonic possession, causing internal swelling and explosion.
Once the woman had taken care of everything, she glanced back at Lu Lin, then got into her car and sped off. From beginning to end, she neither introduced herself nor exchanged a single word with Lu Lin unrelated to their work.
Proud. Cold. Unapproachable. These were the labels Lu Lin mentally assigned to her.
Watching the car drive away, Lu Lin shook his head indifferently. He then stared blankly at the two vehicles left in front of him. Mi Yan and the others had been taken away, but their car remained.
There seemed to be a rule in the Star Investigation Office: when on a mission, any seized items of significant value were to be handed over to the Office first. This typically referred to valuable intelligence, rare resources, irreplaceable Star Power Plants, or uncommon exotic beast cubs... In short, the Star Investigation Office wasn’t interested in everyday items.
Of course, even if such items were handed over, the Star Investigation Office wouldn’t shortchange its own people. Corresponding compensation and rewards would undoubtedly be delivered to the investigators at the earliest opportunity. For example, this time Director Long had personally helped Lu Lin apply for a subsidy for the Kongming White Ape, which would certainly speed up the process considerably.
As for less important items—such as gold, silver, jewelry, vehicles, property, and Star Power Potions—the Star Investigation Office generally allowed the investigator who carried out the mission to keep them.
This meant... Lu Lin had just acquired an Electromagnetic Levitation Car for free!