Chapter 82: Chapter 77: Promotion, Progress, Rosy Orbs and Red Lips

With that, he turned and left the hotel.

Watching Lin Feng’s decisive departure, Han Yuxin slipped her warm foot back into her high heel. She leaned against the back of the chair, a wide smile on her face.

The stronger this man’s self-control became, the more it ignited her desire to challenge him.

......

After leaving the hotel, Lin Feng returned to the RV. He said a quick hello to Chen Yanyan before getting down to business.

He summoned Li Ran from the construction site and had him drive him to find Qin Hu.

His goal was twofold: first, to urge Qin Hu to deliver his promised rewards as soon as possible. Second, to have him quickly organize his forces to intercept the Zerg Race’s expanding front, twenty kilometers outside the Wu City Suburban Area.

During his earlier conversation with Han Yuxin, Lin Feng had a sudden realization: he could suggest that the Thirteenth Division act preemptively. They could send their new recruits—the fresh meat—to the front lines to get some live combat training against the Red-Armored Beetles.

Not only would this train the new soldiers ahead of schedule, but it would also halt the Zerg Race’s advance. Killing two birds with one stone.

Lin Feng’s true objective, however, was to use the Thirteenth Division to disrupt whatever plans the Mother Empress had for him, allowing him to smoothly execute his own plan to capture a live zerg.

He needed someone to create a diversion on multiple fronts to lower the risk of the capture operation.

When Lin Feng explained all this to Qin Hu in an operations building in Wu City, he found they were on the same page. Qin Hu nodded and said:

"I was actually planning the same thing. It’ll burn some gas, but it will allow the new recruits to mature quickly. With veterans leading the rookies, we can rapidly develop a new batch of Enhanced People. This will be a massive help in the upcoming major battle."

"The only problem is that the initial casualty rate will be very high, especially with the risk of attacks from Black Spine Zergs."

"However, the main defensive line is now complete, and various heavy weapons are being installed. I estimate that by the day after tomorrow at the latest, we’ll be able to dispatch the first thousand-strong interception team to fight outside the city."

"As for the materials you mentioned, the Awakened Camp’s reserves still have thirty pairs of Black Spine Zerg Giant Mandibles. We can send them all back with you at the same time."

"I’ll figure out a way to get you the rest."

’If I hadn’t come to push him,’ Lin Feng thought, ’this shipment probably would’ve been delayed until tomorrow. I can afford to wait, but the armored RV can’t.’

Having concluded their business, Lin Feng was about to leave, but Qin Hu unexpectedly extended a warm invitation to stay.

"It’s not often you visit, Brother Lin. Stay for dinner. There’s no rush. Besides, it’ll take a while to load those materials onto the truck."

Lin Feng considered it. A free meal was a free meal. So he stayed.

After a few bites of the lavish meal, Qin Hu revealed his true motive:

"These Black Spine Zergs are getting harder and harder to kill. They travel in packs, and you need to send at least three squads—twenty or more people—to deal with them quickly."

"You’re so formidable outside the city, able to capture live zergs. Next time you’re on a mission, could you help a brother out?"

"While Cheng Zhan and his people are still away, I want to use this time to advance to Tier One Late Stage before the main battle for Wu City breaks out. That’s the only way I’ll be able to gain complete control of the Awakened Camp."

"And once I do, the support I can offer you will naturally be much greater."

Lin Feng chewed his food, saying nothing.

’He knew exactly what Qin Hu was getting at. Everyone here is an Awakener, so why should they listen to some Level 14 guy?’

’If you want to command respect, you need the strength to back it up.’

However, advancing from Level 14 to Level 19 required personally killing at least forty Black Spine Zergs.

For Lin Feng, that was a trivial task.

But now that he had drawn the Mother Empress’s attention, going to the front lines would be extremely risky, even if he wasn’t trying to capture one alive.

After a moment of contemplation, Lin Feng agreed.

His relationship with Qin Hu was his link to the military. Helping Qin Hu get ahead was, in a way, helping himself.

"When the time comes, bring your trusted men and follow behind us. I’ll create opportunities for you to ’harvest’ the Black Spine Zergs."

"But on one condition: you have to assign some of the elite new recruits from this training batch to the outpost at the service area."

"Once the main battle starts, I will have independent command of that outpost."

Hearing Lin Feng’s demand, Qin Hu’s brow furrowed slightly.

What Lin Feng was doing went far beyond just asking for heavy weapons...

He wanted to poach soldiers from the Thirteenth Division.

A brazen attempt to steal his men.

This crossed Qin Hu’s bottom line. If this ever got out, it wouldn’t just be a matter of suspension and investigation; he could be arrested and brought to justice.

But right now, Lin Feng was the only one who could grant his request.

If he missed this golden opportunity, then by the time the next major battle erupted, more powerful Tier One Perfect Awakeneds like Cheng Zhan would emerge in the Awakened Camp.

By then, even if he also advanced to the Late Stage...

...he would be facing numerous small factions formed around various Tier One Perfect Awakeneds...

...and the difficulty of gaining full control over the Awakened Camp would be several times greater than it was now.

As the saying goes, lose a step now, and you’ll always be a step behind.

His only chance to catch up was now.

Qin Hu could sense the aura emanating from Lin Feng—it was the very power he coveted.

He wrestled with the decision for several minutes. Finally, just as Lin Feng, having eaten and drunk his fill, was preparing to leave...

Qin Hu took a deep breath and nodded.

A faint smile touched Lin Feng’s lips.

"It’s only about two hundred recruits. Don’t worry. If we win this campaign, I’ll let them choose for themselves whether to stay or leave."

"Good. In that case, my advance congratulations to Major Qin on soon becoming a powerful Tier One Late Stage Awakener."

"As soon as the new recruits are sent out of the city to fight, your ’advancement plan’ will be set in motion."

......

At eight o’clock that evening, Lin Feng, by Qin Hu’s arrangement, rode back to the repair shop at the service area in a jeep, a cargo truck following close behind.

The thirty pairs of Black Spine Zerg Giant Mandibles were unloaded from the truck, filling the repair shop to the brim.

After saying goodbye to Li Ran, Lin Feng let out a satisfied burp. He noticed Jiang Yun’er’s luxury RV parked not far away.

The vehicle was dark and still inside.

Lin Feng didn’t think much of it. He pulled down the rain tarp, preparing to perform a minor but transformative upgrade on his Level 13 armored RV.

Based on past experience, this upgrade should grant it some Extra Attributes.

’He initiated the upgrade, silently praying for a spatial attribute to appear—something like an expanded trunk.’

Once the upgrade began, the thirty pairs of Black Spine Zerg Giant Mandibles were enveloped in a red glow and slowly merged into the armored RV. A long process of upgrading and modification was now underway.

With all that done, feeling full and having been tired all day without a proper rest, Lin Feng yawned and boarded the RV.

’He’d just messaged Chen Yanyan, but she hadn’t replied yet. She must have gone to bed early.’

Lin Feng tiptoed into the bedroom without turning on the lights. In the dimness, he could make out the figure of a woman lying on the bed.

He immediately stripped off his clothes and pounced.

A moment later, Lin Feng froze.

’He looked down at his hand. Something about the proportions felt... off.’

’When did Yanyan get so... big?’

’Did she have a growth spurt recently?!’

Before Lin Feng could process this, the woman in his arms initiated a kiss.

Her lips were soft and full, her breath hot and intoxicating.

Lin Feng immediately stopped overthinking and devoted his full attention to responding to her.

A powerful wave of Spiritual Power emanated from the RV’s bedroom.