I Can Control Resources

"That expensive?!" Even though Gao Neng was somewhat prepared, the absurd price still stunned him.

Six hundred thousand for the breakthrough fee!

And that was the minimum!

’How much do I have right now? A grand total of fifty thousand Alliance Coins?’

"There’s no way around it. Energy materials are just too expensive." Seeing the look on Gao Neng’s face, Li Qingping knew the boy was broke. But this was reality. "If you’re set on breaking through now, I can help with the arrangements. As for the money... I can’t help much. Although I’m a principal, I’m... well, I’m an honest man, you know? So I haven’t saved much over the years. The most I can lend you for now is fifty thousand."

Money isn’t everything.

But you can’t do anything without it.

Wang Ju’s personal strength was mediocre, but he was able to recruit Energy Warriors to die for him. When it came down to it, it was all because he had money.

It was the same for Tang De and He Lin. To increase their strength, they had to desperately earn money, which naturally meant their hands couldn’t stay clean.

"Heh." Gao Neng gave a slight laugh but said nothing.

"Gao Neng, honestly, if I were you, I’d choose to wait a little while before breaking through," Li Qingping said, seeing Gao Neng’s predicament.

"Wait?" Gao Neng didn’t quite understand.

"Yes. Once you get to the City of Hope and enroll in a Military University, you’ll have the chance to access many more things. You can actually gather energy materials yourself. It took me two years to collect my own," Li Qingping explained. "And if I remember correctly, the better Military Universities usually offer their students access to the isolation chambers at half price."

"Two years to gather the energy materials?"

"And that’s considered fast. Becoming an Energy Warrior isn’t so easy. The Forgotten Land has a population of over ten million, but how many Energy Warriors are there? Fewer than a hundred. And I’m one of them!"

"Thank you, Principal!" Gao Neng didn’t ask any more questions. He had learned what he needed to know: if you had money, you could break through. ’But I don’t have any money, do I?’

Just as he was about to leave, Gao Neng caught sight of a red car parked not far away. A familiar figure moved inside, and he stopped in his tracks.

"Is there something else?" Li Qingping asked, confused.

"Principal, there’s a reason you’re single," Gao Neng said seriously.

"What reason?" Li Qingping froze for a moment.

"Because you’re not direct enough. You just fumble around the edges and never get to the important part!" With that, Gao Neng turned and walked away.

"’Fumble around the edges... never get to the important part?’" Li Qingping was dazed for a moment, but he quickly understood. "You little brat, you’re getting cocky, aren’t you? Tell me, how am I just ’fumbling’?"

"You’re all talk. If Principal Xue were standing in front of you, would you dare say that? I bet you don’t even have the guts to ask her to a movie," Gao Neng retorted without turning his head.

"You get that old broad over here and see if I dare! Let me tell you, kid, you’re still green compared to me. You don’t understand the adult world. Who watches movies? I go straight to getting a room!" Li Qingping yelled at the top of his lungs, no longer caring about his image. Gao Neng had graduated anyway.

CLICK!

A woman got out of the red car.

She wore black-framed glasses and a long white dress. Her long, jet-black hair fell to her shoulders, and a playful smile graced the corner of her lips.

Li Qingping was speechless.

’That brat Gao Neng... he set me up?!’

"Gao Neng, come visit the girls’ high school when you have time! My students really like you, and so do I!" Xue Jingjing clearly emphasized the last three words.

"Haha, I’ll be sure to visit, for sure!" Gao Neng laughed awkwardly and bolted.

But after running for two hundred meters, he once again fell deep into thought.

’I have to wait two months to get into the Military University, and I still have to gather the energy materials myself... Am I going to be like Li Qingping and take several years to break through?’

’Money!’

Gao Neng once again felt the importance of money. ’This world is so harsh. Can’t it just give a poor guy a break?’

’Besides, if I can’t break through... it’ll be hard to complete the fourth mission anytime soon.’

’Wait a minute.’

’Don’t I have a piece of Mid-Grade Magnetic Crystal Ore?’

’The Melon Rind System appraised it at around 380,000 Alliance Coins, didn’t it? If so, then I actually have 430,000, right?’

’But that’s still not enough, is it?’

"Melon Rind System, are there any missions that pay money?" Gao Neng asked aloud.

There was no response.

’The Melon Rind System isn’t giving out missions at a critical time like this?’

’Where should I go? Home... seems pointless. School’s out. Should I find a place to practice with broadcast calisthenics? But I’ve already broken through the Fourth Human Limit. Can I really reach a fifth breakthrough just by doing those exercises?’ Gao Neng shook his head, abandoning the idea of going home to do broadcast calisthenics.

’So boring.’

’Empty, lonely, cold...’

Gao Neng stuffed his hands in his pockets and wandered the streets with his head down. But soon, he remembered something. ’Didn’t Chen Bai give me a phone number?’

’He said to call if I needed anything. A service for fifty thousand a pop!’

’Should I call and get the service once?’

"Fifty thousand per session... so expensive!" Gao Neng frowned. Still, he had a nagging feeling that there was something strange about this whole thing.

’If you told me Chen Bai was running some kind of... service... I wouldn’t actually believe it.’

’I’ll just give it a try!’

’Anyway, a phone call doesn’t cost much. I’ll see what kind of service it is first. If it’s not worth it, I’ll just hang up.’

After a moment’s hesitation, Gao Neng took out his phone and dialed the number on the slip of paper.

The call connected quickly.

"You’re up early... What do you want?" A languid female voice came from the other end.

Gao Neng jumped.

’Damn, it really is a woman?’

’What kind of person does that Lieutenant, Chen Bai, think I am?’ 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"What kind of services do you offer?" Gao Neng took a deep breath. Having knocked around the Forgotten Land, even if he hadn’t experienced *this* personally, he wasn’t so nervous that he couldn’t speak.

"Services?" The voice on the other end paused for a beat, but then seemed to understand. "Well, that depends on what kind of service you want. We’re full-service here, we have everything!"

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

Gao Neng hung up immediately.

’What the hell!’

’It’s actually a service line?’

’That old pervert, Chen Bai!’

’I’m definitely going to find a chance to report him. I’ll report him to Shen Ning’Er...’

’Wait!’

’That voice... sounds a little familiar, doesn’t it?’

’It sounds like...’

’Shen Ning’Er!’

...

On the other end of the line.

Shen Ning’Er stared at the disconnected call on her phone and doubled over with laughter, her fair face flushed a lovely pink, as vibrant as a spring breeze.

Then, the phone rang again.

Shen Ning’Er immediately composed herself and answered the call.

"Have you decided what service you want?"

"Yes, I want the full package!" Gao Neng’s voice quickly came through the phone.

"The full package? That’s a bit pricey... It’s at least fifty thousand per session!" Shen Ning’Er said, struggling to stifle her laughter.

"Deal!" Gao Neng replied readily.

"Alright. A car will be at your house to pick you up in thirty minutes. But you’d better give your family a heads-up. You might not be able to come back for a while. That’s all." After saying her piece, Shen Ning’Er hung up without giving Gao Neng a chance to reply.

’Fifty thousand? Is it possible Shen Ning’Er is just messing with me?’ Gao Neng hesitated. He had a feeling this wouldn’t be so straightforward, but he couldn’t put his finger on what was wrong.

’Forget it!’

’In for a penny, in for a pound!’

’Anyway, this fifty thousand came from Shen Ning’Er in the first place. If I lose it, I lose it. I’ll take the gamble. Maybe I’ll even break through?’