This is really not mechanical ascension-Chapter 36 - Harvest and Impact

He didn’t know the password, but that wasn’t a problem.

With his current absorption rate, it took him only half an hour to completely corrode the right edge of the safe.

Upon opening the lid, a deep purple glow met his eyes.

“Amethyst?” Li Ming raised an eyebrow, picking up a slender piece of the purple crystal, which was ice-cold.

This was a type of interstellar precious metal with a public price.

Per gram—1500 Star Coins.

This small piece had a ’10’ marked on it, likely indicating 10 grams.

The first layer of the safe contained ten pieces in total.

Totaling 150,000 Star Coins.

Li Ming’s breathing quickened a bit.

The value of interstellar precious metals was stable.

Money that could not be exposed was better off converted into interstellar precious metals rather than being deposited into the Black Hole Network and getting shorn like sheep.

Zhang Hu had only risen to power a few years ago, and had already amassed such wealth; no wonder he was so notorious.

Perhaps there was still some balance in his Black Hole Network account, but the price for that one-time use instantaneous Energy Barrier was also hefty, and it couldn’t be bought through regular channels, hence the high premium.

After experimenting, Li Ming confirmed that he could also absorb the amethysts, converting them into metal energy.

“In that case, I might not need to sell them.”

He definitely couldn’t sell them through regular channels; he could only go through the Black Hole Network.

However, the Black Hole Network’s purchase price was 40% lower than the market price.

Even if the market price was higher than the purchase price, the Black Hole Network was just too greedy.

Their logic was simple: if you’re selling through us, you obviously can’t expose it, so you’re bound to be heavily exploited.

As Li Ming absorbed, he organized his findings.

The second layer of the safe contained a blue magnetic card and five vials of Grade F developmental drugs.

He had been planning to borrow some more money from Li Ning to buy a few vials, but now he didn’t need to.

“What’s this thing…”

Picking it up, Li Ming inspected the magnetic card closely.

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It had no markings on it and was probably used for identification in certain places.

It must be useful since Zhang Hu had kept it so carefully.

He decided to set it aside for now.

Tucking away the safe and the amethysts inside, he stepped into the sewer.

With his current strength, carrying these items was no burden at all as he traveled.

Along the way, he could absorb the safe.

By the time he got home, the safe had vanished, the amethysts were gone, and even the metal prosthetic had disappeared.

“One amethyst is roughly 160 points, so ten would be 1600 points.

Plus what I got from absorbing the safe…”

As he tended to his clothes, Li Ming pondered.

His metal energy, which had been depleted, was now replenished and even reached a new peak.

1725 points.

Looking at this number, Li Ming felt satisfied; the genetic testing device could be upgraded, allowing another step up in development speed.

He considered briefly that many things on him could be upgraded, like his smart terminal and the explosion-proof shield.

However, there was no urgent need for any of them, so he wasn’t in a rush.

Glancing at the Control Bar, he wanted to upgrade the four-armed machine tool again, which required 5300 points, and the heavy sniper rifle even reached a staggering 8000 points.

…

It was still dark, and the rain had begun to stop; Li Ming wanted to use this time to rest, but before he could close his eyes for a moment, he was woken up by Xiao Huang.

It was Li Ning who came to visit, waiting at the door, looking hurried.

Seeing Li Ming emerge, she dragged him outside.

“What’s wrong?

You’re in such a hurry; I haven’t even washed up yet.”

Li Ning, flustered and exasperated, said, “Don’t bother washing up, there’s big trouble.

I couldn’t reach you around four or five in the morning, and Captain Yang is already very angry.”

“I had my phone on silent; I usually do when I’m sleeping,” Li Ming explained, to which Li Ning replied helplessly, “Brother, we are city guards, how can you keep your phone on silent?”

The shuttle-shaped aircraft was already outside.

Li Ning pushed and shoved Li Ming aboard and swiftly started it up.

“Seriously, what’s the matter that’s so urgent?” Li Ming asked, puzzled.

“Oh lord, all hell has broken loose outside, and you’re the only one who doesn’t know,” Li Ning said helplessly, his voice grave.

“Last night, Scar-faced Tiger’s stronghold was raided; nearly twenty people died, including Scar-faced Tiger himself.

It was brutal.”

“What?” Li Ming feigned astonishment.

“Who did it?

That’s ruthless.”

“That’s what I want to know, what everyone wants to know.

Whoever did it must be a ruthless character,” said Li Ning.

Li Ning was obviously very anxious, pushing the speed to the maximum.

As they landed, Li Ming saw that the old house had been sealed off inside and out; it was bustling with figures, all busy at work.

He recognized many familiar faces: Yang Peng, Zhao Xiong, Wang Zhiheng, Zuo Ling…

All four team leaders were present, with no fewer than a hundred personnel working at the site.

Their arrival was quite conspicuous.

Captain Yang Peng approached, frowning and said loudly, “From now on, you must always be reachable!”

He scolded first, which left no opening for the others to blame.

“Understood,” Li Ming nodded, and Yang Peng gestured for them to go and handle the scene.

“The hard drive was soaked all night; it’s almost completely damaged, and the chances of repair are slim.” A few technicians were holding a hard drive split in half, shaking their heads in resignation.

“Repairing it is useless; turn off before unplugging.

Is anyone really this cautious…”

“The surveillance camera under the eaves has damaged wiring, probably a test to gauge these people’s reactions.

If they got too agitated, he wouldn’t act rashly.

Experience is evident,” Wang Zhiheng said, stroking his chin, speculating with a few others, while someone snickered beside them:

“A mob of clueless fools probably thought the surveillance camera damage was due to the rainy weather.”

Corpses draped with white cloths were being carried out, and colleagues from the Scene Investigation Department were busy taking pictures while lamenting, “Killed with a single blow, swift and ruthless…

no resistance whatsoever, a complete crushing.”

Yang Peng stood at the foot of the stairs, looking up: “The first floor is completely devoid of any signs of a fight, and so is the second floor; he cleanly took out these nobodies before even making a move on Zhang Hu, very patient.”

“But something came crashing down here.” Zuo Ling squatted in front of a large hole on the first floor and then looked up to the sizable hole in the ceiling.

“Chest impaled, mechanical arm dismantled, similar to how Pang Wenlong was killed.” Zhao Xiong came downstairs with a gloomy expression.

“Also, there are signs of genetic mutation on Zhang Hu’s body.”

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhiheng checking the bodies, Yang Peng at the staircase, and Zuo Ling on the ground all looked at him simultaneously.

“Even genetic mutations couldn’t stand against it?

An E-grade?” Wang Zhiheng was the first to speak, his expression more solemn than ever.