CHAPTER 71: 69, HOW TO RELIEVE WORRIES, ONLY BY GETTING RICH QUICKLY.

In a white room with white sheets.

It felt like I’ve slept for a long time, yet also like I only dozed off for a moment.

He opened his eyes and saw his Dad sleeping by the bed. He shifted gently.

This slight movement immediately woke his Dad.

His father looked at Lu Lin, a smile crinkling the corners of his eyes.

It’s been at least six years, maybe even longer, since I last truly looked at Dad’s face.

When he smiled, numerous wrinkles fanned out from the corners of his eyes.

"Son, you’re awake. How do you feel?"

"Dad, I’m fine. Where’s Mom?"

"Your mom is at home preparing breakfast for you. Mr. Zhao said you’d wake up today, and he was spot on."

"Breakfast?"

Lu Lin sat up, rubbing his forehead. "Dad, how long was I asleep?"

"Not long, just a day."

"Oh, right, Mr. Zhao said to contact him as soon as you woke up."

"Okay."

Lu Lin activated his Personal Terminal and called Zhao Lei. Zhao Lei said he’d be right over.

Soon, Zhao Lei’s figure appeared in the hospital room, with Xiao Yan and Xiao Li following him.

"Mr. Lu, could you please step out for a moment?" Xiao Yan politely requested of Lu Lin’s father. Once he had left, she turned to Lu Lin with a grin.

"Little brother, you’re not very impressive, are you? Stirring up such a commotion over someone who isn’t even a Level 1 Star Nucleus Warrior."

"Xiao Yan, be quiet."

Zhao Lei sat down beside Lu Lin’s bed and looked him up and down. After confirming Lu Lin was alright, he asked, "Lu Lin, based on the leads you provided, we’ve arrested Wang Lihe from the Jin Hao Group. It turns out he is indeed the Black Shark Society’s person in charge on Saturn’s North Hill Continent."

"Unbelievable. We searched all over Saturn for so long but never found any trace of him."

"You’ve made a great contribution this time. I’ll report your merits, and the Star Investigation Office will grant you a corresponding reward."

"Thank you, Boss! Thank you, Star Investigation Office! Your subordinate will do their utmost to punish evil," Lu Lin hurriedly pledged his loyalty.

Zhao Lei smiled. "No need for thanks or pledges of loyalty. You earned this through your own hard-fought efforts. Better to focus on your cultivation than thank others."

"I’ve reviewed the surveillance footage from the residential complex. Lu Lin, I hadn’t realized your capabilities were so profound."

"Painter Chang Feng may not be an official Star Core Warrior, but in the past, even Third and Fourth Level Martial Artists who pursued him suffered setbacks at his hands; some were even crippled."

"Oh, right, Xiao Li."

Zhao Lei suddenly remembered something and turned to ask, "The Painter has quite a few bounties on him, doesn’t he? Calculate the total sum and transfer it all to young Lu."

"The total bounty amounts to 95 million Federal Coins. If I use the Star Investigation Office’s authority, the funds can be in your account within fifteen days at the earliest."

"Excellent. Then transfer it all to young Lu."

"Young Lu, since you’re still just a Probationary Investigator with the Star Investigation Office, this time you can only be credited with one merit. The material rewards will be correspondingly less, so don’t take it to heart."

"With these tens of millions, you should be able to manage for a while. It might even be enough for you to advance to Third-level Star Martial."

Lu Lin stared foolishly at Zhao Lei. A 95 million bounty? Barely managing? This must be a joke, definitely a joke! With this much money, I could live my whole life without running out! If I deposit 95 million in the bank, calculating at a daily interest rate of 0.5%, that would yield four to five hundred thousand in interest every day! In two days, I could pay off the family loan! Have I really acquired so much wealth in an instant? I’m rich overnight!

Lu Lin was incredibly excited, but Zhao Lei merely chuckled at his reaction and said nothing more.

Right now, Lu Lin felt that 95 million was an enormous sum. However, once he entered university and became a true Star Core Warrior, he would realize that while this amount wasn’t insignificant, if he truly wished to spend it, purchasing a single piece of high-grade armor could deplete it entirely.

Why does the Federation concentrate Star Core Warriors on exoplanets?

Beyond the concern of "the strong using might to transgress laws," it’s more so because the lives of Star Core Warriors are on a completely different stratum from those of ordinary people.

This applies to their daily routines, work, topics of conversation, diet, and even their shopping and consumption habits.

The world of Star Core Warriors is an entirely different realm.

An ordinary person earning thirty to fifty thousand Federal Coins a month can support their family and even live quite comfortably.

However, even if a Star Core Warrior earns three to five million a month, they would still be considered relatively impoverished—barely making ends meet.

But Zhao Lei wouldn’t enlighten Lu Lin on these matters just yet; he’d let him bask in his happiness for a few more days.

"Boss..."

"Lu Lin..."

They both spoke at almost the same time, but ultimately, Zhao Lei spoke first.

"Lu Lin, I watched the video from yesterday. It looked like you pulled the Painter into your Star Power Domain, correct?"

Lu Lin nodded.

"How did you manage to pull a fully conscious individual into your Star Power Domain?"

When Zhao Lei had watched the video the previous day, he had already become aware of Lu Lin’s methods.

However, he had consulted materials on Federal Star Skill Instructors and even personally contacted the president, vice-president, and others from the Star Skill Instructor Association. The feedback he received was unequivocal: it was impossible.

It was deemed absolutely impossible for a Guide to forcibly draw a fully conscious person into their own Star Power Domain.

A Guide’s Star Power Domain required both parties’ minds to be synchronized. The target could only be drawn in smoothly if, at the moment the Star Power Domain enveloped them, they were either unguarded or offered no resistance.

Furthermore, once inside the Star Power Domain, anyone—be they newly awakened students or ordinary individuals possessing only Star Cores—could freely exit whenever they wished, provided they willed it.

Zhao Lei hadn’t sent the video of Lu Lin’s battle with the Painter. He believed Lu Lin was an anomaly within the Guide profession, someone who couldn’t be judged by conventional standards.

"Well... I don’t know either."

"I was desperate at the time; all my methods proved useless against the Painter. Even my arms..."

"Huh? My arms are healed?"

Only then did Lu Lin remember his arms.

He lifted his patient gown, revealing his shoulder and arm. They weren’t red or swollen; even the two wounds inflicted by the Painter had completely healed.

Is hospital medicine really this miraculous nowadays?

"Hurry and put your clothes back on. We’re not interested in seeing your scrawny physique."

"When you were brought to the hospital last night," Xiao Yan said, "the Boss saw that your mind was on the verge of collapse and your body had suffered extreme trauma. He rushed to the East Forest Continent overnight to procure a bottle of advanced healing elixir for you." Her boss was just like that—clearly caring a great deal for his subordinates but never admitting to the lengths he went for them.

"Thank you, Boss. I’ve caused you too much trouble."

Lu Lin was deeply moved. A distinguished ninth-level expert had personally rushed to the East Forest Continent to find medicine for me, a mere probationary Safety Consultant. Never mind the price of the elixir itself; this kindness alone was a debt I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

"Boss, regarding the Star Power Domain, I’m not entirely sure myself. How about I let you experience it later?"

"I also have something very important to tell you."

"Could you please secure the area?"

"Alright."

With a wave of Zhao Lei’s hand, Lu Lin suddenly felt as if the entire world now consisted of only himself, Zhao Lei, Xiao Yan, and Xiao Li. What incredible power! he marveled inwardly, then said:

"Boss, when I eliminated the Painter’s spiritual body within my Star Power Domain, I learned many secrets of the Black Shark Society."

"On every major continent of Saturn, the Black Shark Society has a branch stronghold. On the Beiqiu Continent, it’s Wang Lihe of the Jin Hao Group. On the East Forest Continent, it’s Yao Donglin, CEO of Saturn Renhao Real Estate Company. On the West Sand Continent, it’s Jiang Xifeng, CEO of the Diligent Wilderness Plantation Group. And on the South Sea Continent, it’s Liu Nannan, founder of the South Sea Foreign Language Training School. Furthermore, I also know the personnel lists for Black Shark Society cells on Mars, Venus, Mercury, Blue Star, and other planets..."