"Your name is Barbarian God?"
"Yes!"
In the room, the youth answered the questions briskly and concisely. He was called a youth, but his stature, which was barely higher than the ceiling, did not seem so young.
The white-haired old man in a neat military uniform sitting at the desk held the youth's resume in his hand. Compared to ordinary people's resumes, this one was much more astonishing.
"Are you sure you want me to register this name instead of your real name? You should know that even if you're a genius, we have no shortage of geniuses here. Calling yourself 'God' can be seen as provocation."
The old man looked askance at the youth. Even standing, he only reached the youth's chest. Raising his head was too tiring, so he didn't even bother to look at that unruly face.
"Yes!" The usual simple answer. The youth smiled, revealing his large mouth full of sharp teeth, like a giant beast. "I want to provoke!"
The old man chuckled softly and waved his hand. "Go on, anything you break will be deducted from your allowance."
The youth was unconcerned. His eyes burning hot, he walked towards the door. Behind that door were a group of lunatics representing the federal highest combat power.
"Another hothead, huh?" The middle-aged man who had been silent beside the old man laughed and handed a cup of tea to the old man beside him.
The old man took the tea and smiled. "Which one here isn't a hothead? But this kid does have the capital for it. Take a look at these documents." He handed over the youth's resume.
The middle-aged man took the resume and after just two glances, he couldn't help but exclaim, "Of the 150 people in this trial, he alone killed 103? This isn't just being a hothead, it's a time bomb!"
"A time bomb? Haha, indeed he is. But people like this are actually better. Times have changed, as long as he's a bomb, we need him." The old man's expression gradually became solemn. "Time is running out."
The middle-aged man nodded in agreement. As he casually flipped through the resume, he suddenly widened his eyes and cried out, "This guy wasn't the only survivor. There's another kid still alive...
Wait, when Barbarian God was teleported out, he was still injured. Could the other survivor also be a monster?"
"Mm." The old man nodded. "I had someone investigate and confirm there was one other person still alive. They didn't find a corpse in the trial site either, so he didn't just barely survive the trial."
"Since this kid didn't win, we can't find out what he did in the trial site. We also don't know if he ever fought with Barbarian God, can't make assumptions."
"Let me send someone to probe Barbarian God." Nodding in agreement, the middle-aged man suddenly recalled something and hurriedly said, "I remember there hasn't been a sole survivor in the trials these past few years. It seems like there's been a lucky one every time... Could it be the same person?"
The old man stood up with a whoosh, his expression solemn, and nodded forcefully, "It's possible we overlooked this! He may not be lacking in ability, just encountered an even greater genius.
But since he survived every time, this kid must at least be talented. No, have someone investigate immediately and find him... No! Keep an eye on the next trial. If he didn't die then he'll definitely go again."
"What if he dies in the next trial?"
"Dies? Then he dies. A dead genius is no longer a genius."
-------------
"A dead genius is no longer a genius? Is a dead pig still a pig? If you have the ability, don't eat meat!" No matter how the hunchbacked old man scolded and raved, Li Changan could only smile apologetically, not daring to show the slightest displeasure.
"Calm down, sir. I didn't mean it that way. We've known each other for six years, you know me. I really can't take out any more money.
Those geniuses didn't bring money into the trials either. I really need this now. And there's still some risk, so give me a discount, okay?" Li Changan felt that he must look like a eunuch with his current fawning appearance.
The old man looked coldly at Li Changan and said, "Whether this thing is valuable or not depends on who you sell it to. Maybe it's not worth much to others, but I know it can fetch an even higher price selling to you!"
"Big brother! Sir! Please do me a favor! I really need this! To be honest, if I can't use it this time, it'll be useless to me next time." Li Changan's expression was grave.
He had been cooperating with this old man for six years. Though called cooperation, in truth it was just him delivering money every time. A total of seven million, every cent he had earned by any means these past six years had been dumped here, and today——he was still short two thousand...
The old man was completely unmoved. He snorted impatiently, "Don't bother me. Can you really be short two thousand? We agreed on the amount from the start.
I do business by paying money to get goods in return. Don't talk about this stuff, I've been waiting here for you for six years, which is already giving you face. But haggling over the price would violate my principles."
"I really am short two thousand." Li Changan said with a bitter laugh. Left with no choice, he could only tell the truth, "Tonight I'll be leaving here to participate in the Taia Trial.
You know I get more heavily injured each time. In this Wuxuan Trial, I've already encountered a new person with dual abilities. I don't even know if I can make it out alive next time, so this is truly critical to me."
"The eighth time?" The old man frowned and asked. Li Changan smiled bitterly and nodded. The old man pondered for a moment, then took out two small bird-shaped sculptures from his shabby clothes and placed them in his hand.
"This?" Li Changan was somewhat shocked. "Didn't you say this would violate your principles?"
"Remember this, kid. Principles are made to be broken." The old man was extremely serious with each word. Then he laughed heartily again,
"It's not for free. If you can live, try to amount to something. A dead genius is still a genius, but if you die, you won't be one anymore."
Having said that, the old man somehow took out a slender dagger and slowly stabbed it into his own chest, straight through the heart, right in front of Li Changan's eyes.
"In this world, only the dead can keep secrets!"
From beginning to end, Li Changan did not say a word. He reached out and twisted the old man's neck before he took his last breath.
This was the old man's rule that Li Changan already knew about. The old man would commit suicide after the deal was done.
It was too fake. Li Changan didn't believe for a second someone would kill themselves after taking money. It must be some kind of special ability.
So Li Changan tried to make a move, wanting to help the old man leave this world more quickly. But seeing the old man's body turn to ashes and disappear, it seemed he hadn't been much help to the old man after all.
In others' eyes, he was nearly devoid of humanity. But a bit of humanity was enough, too much would be cumbersome.
Returning to the wine shop, the little girl was scraping the last grains of rice from her bowl. To her left were three more large bowls, with openings as big as her face.
Li Changan couldn't help but smile. This little one didn't have much will to live, but she sure had an appetite.
"Jiangjiang, catch." Li Changan tossed the items in his hands.
Without even looking, Jiang Shuibu raised her hand and caught them. Looking closely, it was a small copper sparrow, plain and ordinary. Apart from being quite exquisite, there was nothing remarkable about it.
But after a slight pause, Jiang Shuibu immediately regained her composure. Seeing the identical copper sparrow in Li Changan's hand, she asked, "This is the thing you spent nearly six years earning money to buy?"
"What do you mean 'thing'! This is called 'sending Acacia'. It's a very powerful object, I think it was called a magic treasure before the apocalypse." Li Changan was reluctant to part with the little copper sparrow.
No kidding, it cost 699,800!
Seeing Jiang Shuibu's couldn't-care-less attitude as she fiddled with it, Li Changan felt pained.
He hurriedly snatched it back from Jiang Shuibu's hand and complained, "Can you be more careful! No matter what, this cost all I had."
Jiang Shuibu disdained to laugh. She skillfully threw the bowls and dishes around Wu Liuyan into the pool, swiftly washing them with one hand. Staring straight at Li Changan, she said, "You bet everything you had on this little thing. What if you lose?"
"Lost the gamble? Losing is losing, what's the point of having more money when you lose anyway? You're not my son, so it's not like I'd leave it to you as inheritance." Before his voice faded, Li Changan tilted his head and caught the flying plate with his hand next to his ear.
Snatching the plate from Li Changan's hand, Jiang Shuibu washed this plate over and over again without saying a word.
"Little Five." Pulling over the little girl who had been watching the show from start to finish, Li Changan put her on the chair next to him and smiled at the little girl who had wiped her face clean but left rice grains at the corners of her mouth.
Removing the rice grains for her, Li Changan said, "I am a person with little great achievement, perhaps a bit of talent, but realized it too late, so now I'm trying hard to catch up.
You must be more talented than me, but I won't have too much time to give you. I'm about to leave soon, so just stay with this uncle..."
"Hey, I didn't agree to take her in!" Jiang Shuibu was very dissatisfied, but Li Changan, who had known him for a long time, ignored him.
Li Changan went on, "I'll give you one year here to learn skills. If I don't come back after a year, you go take the trial.
For the first eight times you are not allowed to win, just try your best to survive. For the last time, it's up to you whether to win or just survive.
What a pity I don't have much time left, otherwise there is still a lot I want to teach you. Now, how about you repay me?"
After saying that, Li Changan stood up. He knew the little girl wouldn't digest this so quickly, but he didn't have much time left.
If he could survive this time, he might gain more time. But if not, this girl named Wu Liuyan would have to bear the things she should face at her age.
Although you were just a spur of the moment decision of mine, I still look forward to the surprise you will bring me in the future. If I die, I hope you can live gloriously in my place.
Throwing the copper swallow to Jiang Shuibu, Li Changan left with a smile, leaving Wu Liuyan with just a back view.
Not until Li Changan's figure completely disappeared did Wu Liuyan finally turn her head to look at Jiang Shuibu. She had always been afraid of this person who looked so beautiful you couldn't tell the gender.
"He left you to me, but I don't plan to take you. I don't need a useless person." For the first time today, Jiang Shuibu stopped wiping.
Wu Liuyan didn't say anything, just nodded.
"Working for me is very tiring, not something your body can take at all."
"I'll eat more."
"Working for me can lead to death. Are you afraid of death?"
Glancing back at the direction Li Changan had disappeared to, Wu Liuyan looked to Jiang Shuibu and nodded heavily.
"Afraid!"
"Then stay. Go upstairs to wash up, and wear my clothes first." Jiang Shuibu started wiping the cups and tables again, but moved more gently this time.
"Being afraid of death is what stops you from rushing to your death. Turn your fear into motivation, that's the only way you have a chance..."
Jiang Shuibu gave a self-deprecating laugh.
"How could there be anyone in this world who can follow in Changan's footsteps? I'm overthinking things."