I Can Control Resources-Chapter 45: Medium? Breakthrough?
"I’ll hold them off. You can go." Shen Ning’Er’s expression finally changed, her brow furrowing slightly. "After you leave, go tell Lieutenant Chen what happened here!"
As soon as Shen Ning’Er finished speaking, she made her move.
"ROAR!" The Furious Golden Ape let out a furious bellow. Its two fists swung relentlessly, but not at the twenty shadowy figures. Instead, it was clearing a path behind it for Gao Neng.
"I’m sorry, but I’m not the kind of person who abandons a comrade-in-arms!" Gao Neng’s face was a mask of righteousness. He remained completely unmoved, showing no sign of leaving.
"You’re not leaving?" The look in Shen Ning’Er’s eyes as she glanced at Gao Neng changed once again.
"That’s right, I’m not leaving! In fact, I’m going to fight alongside you!" Gao Neng said with certainty, though inwardly, he was miserable.
’Could I leave?’
He really did want to leave, but the problem was, he had accepted a "lifesaving" mission. The penalty for failing this mission was... death!
’Leave, and I’ll die for sure.’
’Stay and fight, and maybe, just maybe, there’s a sliver of hope.’
「Time: 7:00 a.m.」
There were still two hours until the mission’s deadline.
"You want to fight alongside me? A pity... you’re not an Energy Warrior..." Shen Ning’Er said no more. Since Gao Neng wasn’t leaving, she paid him no further attention.
She crushed another high-dimensional capsule in her hand.
This time, what appeared wasn’t an energy-materialized "monster," but a silver-white spear. It was as tall as two men, its shaft adorned with a spiral pattern. The tip featured two cold blood grooves; a single glance was enough to know it had drawn blood countless times.
’An Alloy Gun? I wonder what kind of alloy it is.’ This was the first time Gao Neng had seen Shen Ning’Er use a weapon. It seemed the twenty shadowy figures before them were indeed putting some pressure on her.
"The Golden Ape will guard you until I die. But if I fall, you’ll be on your own!" Having said her piece, Shen Ning’Er moved.
SWISH!
She took a step, thrusting her spear toward one of the shadowy figures in front of her.
The shadowy figure raised a hand.
And caught the tip of the Alloy Gun in its grasp.
BUZZ!
The Alloy Gun let out a long hum.
The spear tip quivered.
It broke free.
And stabbed again!
The series of movements was fluid and seamless.
SQUELCH!
A bloody hole appeared in the shadowy figure’s chest as crimson blood sprayed out.
"She’s even stronger than I imagined," the mysterious person murmured, his gaze turning cold. "Don’t meet her head-on. Switch to a war of attrition. Wear her down!"
"Yes, sir!" the shadowy figures immediately nodded. They began to keep their distance from Shen Ning’Er. No one tried to block her moves directly anymore; instead, they used their agility to launch sneak attacks from staggered positions.
Shen Ning’Er launched several more thrusts with her spear.
However, she only managed to wound one of the shadowy figures on the shoulder, failing to land another fatal blow.
「Time: 7:30 a.m.」
Shen Ning’Er had been fighting against the encirclement of shadowy figures for half an hour.
Her results were significant.
Four shadowy figures had been run through by the Alloy Gun and had fallen, leaving only sixteen in the field. As for Wang Ju’s two hundred men, they had all scattered to the perimeter.
As for Gao Neng...
He had done only one thing for the past half an hour.
Stand completely still.
With the Golden Ape guarding him, and since the ape wasn’t actively attacking, no one really bothered with him. All attention was focused on Shen Ning’Er.
That’s right...
He was being ignored.
But this feeling of being ignored dealt a massive blow to his pride. He had become genuine dead weight. Not only was he not helping Shen Ning’Er, but he was also tying down the Furious Golden Ape she had materialized.
No matter how thick-skinned Gao Neng was, he couldn’t stand this. This was no longer a matter of face; it was a matter of his manhood!
’I can’t let this go on. I have to do something.’
Gao Neng’s fists clenched tightly. But, just as Shen Ning’Er had said, he wasn’t an Energy Warrior. In a battle of this level, what could he possibly do?
No!
’I can become an Energy Warrior!’
’Theoretically, as long as I break through the first human limit, I can become an Energy Warrior. Of course, if I can successfully break through the third human limit before choosing to become an Energy Warrior, my potential will be far greater.’
Gao Neng gritted his teeth.
’Should I give up my future potential and choose to break through now?’
’Or just stand by and watch Shen Ning’Er continue to wear herself out?’
"System, can I choose to break through and become an Energy Warrior right now?"
"Unable," came the mechanical voice.
"Why not? I remember last time, you could have helped me break through the first human limit. Why can’t you help me become an Energy Warrior now?"
"Insufficient conditions."
"What conditions are insufficient?" Gao Neng’s high school textbooks didn’t contain much knowledge about breaking through to become an Energy Warrior. That kind of knowledge was part of the curriculum taught at the Military University.
The exception, of course, was for those who had an Energy Warrior in the family. However, Gao Neng’s mother was an ordinary person, so she naturally couldn’t have taught him these things.
Gao Neng had once asked Principal Li Qingping about it.
Li Qingping’s answer had been simple: if he was lucky enough to get into a Military University, he would naturally learn about it. If he couldn’t get in, there was no point in knowing. Besides, becoming an Energy Warrior required a lot of money.
At the time, Gao Neng had only remembered one thing: money.
’Since it costs money...’
’Then I’ll just have to work my ass off to make money!’
"System, what if I give you the Magnetic Crystal Ore? With money, can I break through then?" Gao Neng asked, unwilling to give up.
"Unable," came the mechanical voice.
"Why is it still not possible?"
"Insufficient conditions."
"You useless system! I’m not asking for a mission hint, just a breakthrough hint! Is that not allowed either?" Gao Neng was furious.
"Not permitted."
"..." Gao Neng didn’t ask again.
Knowledge is endless. Any man who becomes a king isn’t simply spoon-fed his way to the top. He must think for himself, tapping into his own potential and wisdom.
’Insufficient conditions?’
’Li Qingping said money was a condition, but the key issue is that I don’t have any... Besides, the system just said that even with money, I can’t break through.’
’Then what could the conditions for a breakthrough be?’
’And there’s another question!’
’The system can clearly tell me the conditions are insufficient, so why is it unwilling to hint at what those conditions are? In a way, that question shouldn’t be outside its parameters.’
’Unless...’
’The answer to this question is related to the mission?!’
’Mission?’
’Breakthrough?’
’Medium?’
Gao Neng frantically tried to connect these words in his mind.
「Time: 8:00 a.m.」
Shen Ning’Er had now been fighting for over an hour.
In the last half hour, another four shadowy figures had fallen, matching her record from the first thirty minutes. The problem, however, was crucial: in the first half hour, she had faced twenty opponents. In the second, she had only faced sixteen.
Conclusion: Shen Ning’Er’s combat effectiveness was declining.
...
「Time: 8:30 a.m.」
Only half an hour remained until the mission’s deadline.
Shen Ning’Er had now been fighting continuously for an hour and a half.
This time, only three shadowy figures had fallen. The hand Shen Ning’Er used to grip her spear was trembling, her face was deathly pale, and her stamina was clearly at its limit.
"That’s about enough. All of you, attack together!" the mysterious person ordered at that moment.
"Yes, sir!" The nine remaining shadowy figures attacked as one.
Shen Ning’Er bit her lip and dug the tip of her foot into the ground, creating a small pivot point. Then, she executed two rapid spins.
BOOM!
The Alloy Gun whirled through the air in two full circles.
At least three of the nine shadowy figures were severely wounded, while the other six also flew back with injuries.
But just then, the mysterious person vanished from his spot.
Shen Ning’Er had just barely regained her footing.
When the mysterious person in the black cloak appeared behind her.
A single palm strike!
Shen Ning’Er was sent flying.
BANG! She crashed right into Gao Neng.
What a coincidence, right?
Gao Neng, who had been deep in thought, was sent flying by the impact. Like a cannonball, he flew through the air, taking Shen Ning’Er with him. They both soared before finally crashing into a pile of ore.
PFFT! Shen Ning’Er spat out a mouthful of blood.
Gao Neng’s face flushed crimson with shame and fury.
"The rest are yours. Kill the man, but leave the woman breathing." The mysterious person gave Gao Neng and Shen Ning’Er a single, indifferent glance, then turned to leave without a second look.
"You got it!" Wang Ju was immediately overjoyed.
Just then, Gao Neng looked at Shen Ning’Er in his arms, then at the black-robed men surging toward them. His Spiritual Power was once again suppressed by a mysterious force.
But a strange expression appeared on his face.
"I think I know... what the medium is!"
