CHAPTER 68: CHAPTER 68 LOOKING FOR HER_1

Whether it’s running or punching, air resistance is a factor that cannot be ignored.

Lu Yuan noticed this clearly now.

Because his strength hadn’t changed... if anything, it might have even increased.

However, the sound of his punches breaking the air had considerably diminished.

If the speed of my punches has increased, my Fist Strength should have also increased!

My neural response speed has also become much faster!

If others throw one punch while I can throw two, with equivalent strength, no one will be my opponent!

Lu Yuan was somewhat excited, eager to verify his new abilities.

It had been quite some time since he last went to the Martial Arts gym; after his Fist Strength broke the 13-point threshold, he no longer dared to use their Fist Strength Machine.

He could only enter the Consciousness Space to test his abilities against a rat man.

Before doing so, however, Lu Yuan picked up his phone and glanced at it.

There were three missed calls: two from Lin Zhiquin, and one from a familiar number that had no saved contact information.

Lu Yuan stared at this number for a while, a glint in his eyes, but he chose to ignore it.

It was the caller who would phone but not speak.

This person had been calling almost every day for the past few days. Sometimes Lu Yuan would answer; other times, he wouldn’t.

He was almost used to it.

Lu Yuan called Lin Zhiquin back and, with his other hand, used the mouse to activate the computer screen on his desk.

The screen displayed six surveillance feeds, with several blue exclamation marks in the lower-left corner.

Lu Yuan’s expression remained unchanged.

He had set the surveillance system to a security mode where a blue exclamation mark would appear whenever a stray cat or dog entered the monitored range.

If a medium to large beast entered, a piercing alarm would sound immediately.

Even if he were in Lv3 Absolute Focus, he would be instantly jolted awake.

A surveillance system with such capabilities only cost a little over two hundred yuan, and the seller still made a profit. Can you believe it?

"Modern technology really has its advantages," Lu Yuan couldn’t help but muse aloud.

"What did you say? What advantages of technology?"

A confused voice sounded in his ear just then.

Only then did Lu Yuan realize that his call to Lin Zhiquin had already connected.

"It’s nothing, Coach. I was just muttering to myself," Lu Yuan quickly explained.

"Oh."

Lin Zhiquin, on the other end of the line, didn’t press further. His deep voice followed.

"Have you dealt with the situation at home?"

Lu Yuan had expected Lin Zhiquin to ask this. He shook his head and replied, "No, I still have to stay home for a while longer."

The more time passed, the less Lu Yuan dared to leave the house, even for a moment.

The rat man lurking in the city’s sewers was like a ticking time bomb; no one knew when it might suddenly go off.

All Lu Yuan could do for now was lie in wait.

And also... wait for good news from Ge Wenjun.

"What’s the matter... Can you tell me?"

"Coach..."

"If it’s not convenient, never mind."

Lin Zhiquin’s voice suddenly softened.

"You’ve advanced with Mosa, and you’ll get a 10,000 yuan bonus for each match you win in the next stage.

Also, I have something I want to tell you...

Well..."

Lin Zhiquin paused, as if for emphasis, "Good news."

Lu Yuan could sense the sincerity in Lin Zhiquin’s words.

He guessed that his sudden absence from the competition might have caused Lin Zhiquin some concern,

fearing he would suddenly choose to withdraw and terminate their "agreement."

This call might have been a test, or a way to "tempt" him into continuing their cooperation.

Unfortunately, Lu Yuan had his reasons that he couldn’t voice.

He had considered asking Lin Zhiquin for help with the rat man issue.

But how could he explain the strength he’d used to drive off the rat man?

He couldn’t always credit it to being a "martial arts genius," could he?

The more Lu Yuan trained against Lin Zhiquin as an Imaginary Enemy in the Consciousness Space, the more he sensed the unfathomable depth of Lin Zhiquin’s Martial Arts prowess.

To be suspected by such a person...

That would be far more troublesome than dealing with the rat man’s retaliation.

"I understand, Coach.

Once I’ve dealt with the situation at home, I’ll contact you immediately.

It shouldn’t... take much longer."

"Okay, I’ll wait for you."

Lin Zhiquin hung up.

Putting down his phone, Lu Yuan stared at the surveillance images on his computer screen for a while.

He shook his head, then quickly closed his eyes and entered the Consciousness Space.

「Half an hour later.」

Lu Yuan, having showered and changed into clean clothes, came down from the second floor.

He was carrying a large, thick stack of books.

"Huh? Grandpa, where’s Mom?"

Lu Yuan walked into his family’s shop and was surprised to see his grandfather, Lu Yueping, sitting alone, wearing reading glasses and staring at his phone screen.

Hearing Lu Yuan’s voice, Lu Yueping looked up.

"Your mom went to deliver some goods; she’ll be back soon."

"Didn’t we agree I would handle these things? Why did she go by herself again?"

Lu Yuan, feeling exasperated, took out his phone from his pocket and quickly started tapping the screen.

Since installing the surveillance system, he had been trying his best to get his family to go out less and stay within the surveillance range as much as possible.

But he couldn’t exactly tether them to the house. His dad, Lu Xinghua, for example, always left early and returned late, never telling anyone where he was going.

The more this happened, the more helpless Lu Yuan felt in this situation.

"The place she went to wasn’t too far, and there wasn’t much to deliver," Lu Yueping replied, then called Lu Yuan over. "Yuan, come here, I have something to ask you."

"What is it?"

Lu Yuan put the books aside for the moment and walked over.

Lu Yueping showed him his phone.

"This person... do you know him?"

Lu Yuan saw a round-faced, bald, short, and chubby middle-aged man displayed on Lu Yueping’s phone screen.

"Hmm... I think I recognize him."

After a moment of careful recollection, Lu Yuan confirmed that this person had visited their shop several times and was a good friend of his dad, Lu Xinghua.

He now possessed a superior memory, so recalling such details wasn’t particularly troublesome.

"Oh."

Lu Yueping nodded. He looked at the man on the screen and then said something astonishing the next second.

"He’s the one who owes our family money, isn’t he? I see your father staring at this man’s photo, chain-smoking moodily, and making dozens of voice calls to him every day."

"This photo..."

"It’s his chat avatar."

"Grandpa, you went through Dad’s phone?!" Lu Yuan was startled.

Lu Yueping, however, casually waved his hand. "Your dad is my son. What’s wrong with me looking at his phone?"

"No... nothing. As long as you’re happy, Grandpa."

"Yuan, do Grandpa a favor."

Lu Yueping finally stated his real reason for calling Lu Yuan over.

"You can find people online nowadays, right?

We can upload his picture, ask others to help us find him, and then give them some money as a thank you.

I see your dad so stressed about this every day. We need to figure out a way to help him..."

Listening to Lu Yueping, Lu Yuan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

"Grandpa, Dad already tried that method.

Otherwise, where do you think he gets the information to go looking for that man every day?

But there are so many people online these days, and just as many scammers.

You have to be careful not to get scammed. It would be best if you downloaded an anti-fraud app on your phone..."

Just as Lu Yuan was saying this to Lu Yueping, the phone in his pocket suddenly rang.

He pulled it out and saw it was the person he had arranged to meet.