Chapter 268: Careless

“There’s enough milk in the fridge. The energy consumption during the early stages of superpower use is quite high. Grab two large bottles and take them to your room. Listen to some music while you drink.” The Fat Boss said after watching Yang Bo finish his meal and milk.

Yang Bo nodded. The Fat Boss still remembered his love for music, though that was the Original Host’s preference.

Yang Bo washed his plate and then took two large bottles of milk upstairs.

Once in his room, Yang Bo rubbed his chin. “This Fat Boss is definitely after more than just the energy suit. But it doesn’t matter. I stashed away a Longevity Energy Stone on the mining planet last time.”

“No gaming for now. I’ve gained a lot of physical strength today, so I should stretch first.” Yang Bo began stretching inside his room.

His body cracked loudly as he stretched, muscles tightening all over. Yang Bo felt his physical strength had at least doubled today.

The higher your level as a Superhuman, the harder it is to increase your strength.

That’s because the higher your level, the bigger your base stats.

“After killing those sheep in the game, I’ll wait a while before finding similar ones.”

“Let my body settle first.” Yang Bo wasn’t in a rush to boost his physique any further. Raising it too high would risk losing control of his strength, which the other two might notice.

Yang Bo knew those two—one came from a prominent family, and the other was the Guild President of the Bounty Hunter Guild, a woman no less. Both were sharp.

Yang Bo also realized his mindset was a bit strange. Even with his current strength, he still lacked a sense of security.

Was it fear of this high-tech society, or just the unfamiliarity with it?

“Sometimes knowing too much can be a bad thing.” Yang Bo admitted his mindset might be off, always thinking of running away, with no trust in the Alliance. Maybe it was because of his past life’s experiences.

“Still, this mindset has its benefits. Always assume the worst, so you won’t be disappointed later.” Yang Bo reasoned that expecting the worst would prevent a mental collapse.

If you prepare from the start, even a bad outcome won’t break your mindset as much.

A mental breakdown feels awful, especially when faced with an unavoidable result.

Yang Bo had no plans to explore Ancient Martial Arts or Secret Techniques. Though the Fat Boss practiced Ancient Martial Arts, Yang Bo neither envied him nor cared to know.

No matter how powerful the Fat Boss’s ancient techniques were, they couldn’t compare to Yang Bo’s current abilities. He figured he could crush the Fat Boss with one slap.

So no matter what the Fat Boss tried, Yang Bo felt relaxed.

As for what the Fat Boss said, Yang Bo remained cautiously skeptical. The Fat Boss wasn’t exactly known for his character, often abandoning Yang Bo in a pinch.

“I kind of like dealing with selfish people like him. It’ll feel satisfying when the time comes to betray him.” That was Yang Bo’s mindset.

After finishing his milk, Yang Bo soaked in the bathtub for a bath.

Then he went to sleep. After all, the game had daily online time limits, and he’d automatically log off after exceeding them.

“Yang Bo, I want to talk to you.” The next morning, a refreshed Yang Bo got up, washed up, and prepared to head down, but as soon as he opened the door, he ran into Zhou Rui.

“Assistant Zhou, want to test my abilities?” Yang Bo asked bluntly.

Yang Bo always maintained his persona as someone new to society with little emotional intelligence, so he asked directly.

“Do you mind?” Zhou Rui smiled with a hint of charm, eyeing Yang Bo.

Today, Zhou Rui wore a short-sleeved shirt. It was a bit tight, showcasing her full chest and smooth, cinched waist.

She had paired it with casual pants and white slippers, revealing several dainty toes.

“I don’t mind.” Yang Bo glanced briefly, then shook his head.

Zhou Rui also examined Yang Bo—short hair, a T-shirt, loose shorts, and sneakers.

“Looks like you’re lacking security.” Zhou Rui muttered to herself, noting Yang Bo’s sneakers. Was he ready to run?

“Come to the training room with me,” Zhou Rui said calmly.

“Where’s our boss?” Yang Bo asked out of place at that moment.

“Here!” The Fat Boss called from downstairs and smirked at Zhou Rui after coming up.

Yang Bo had already detected the Fat Boss. He was sitting downstairs in the living room, staring at the ceiling, clearly waiting for Yang Bo’s response.

Yang Bo never disappointed. Since the Fat Boss was waiting, he made sure to call for him. If anything came up later, he’d push the blame onto him.

Like if Zhou Rui asked him to do something he didn’t want to, he could just say the Fat Boss wouldn’t allow it.

Watching this scene, Zhou Rui was speechless. The two had just been betting downstairs.

The Fat Boss cursed internally, noticing Zhou Rui’s tight outfit. “This woman’s clearly trying to seduce Yang Bo. Fortunately, Yang Bo doesn’t understand women. I’ll introduce my aunt to him when I get home. She should be more proactive.”

Yang Bo wasn’t disinterested in women, but Zhou Rui’s first impression of him was that of a bald, burly man.

Though Zhou Rui looked beautiful now, all Yang Bo could envision with his eyes closed was a bald guy smirking at him, like in some movie from Earth. It made him tense up, killing any thoughts.

When Yang Bo entered the training room, at first glance, it seemed ordinary. Just a room with a floor.

But when Yang Bo moved, he detected dense circuitry hidden around the room.

The Fat Boss looked awed. “It’s a third-level training room. Bounty Hunter Guild sure is rich.”

“Your family has one too, but you’re not qualified to use it.” Zhou Rui replied without looking back.

Harsh. She basically said the Fat Boss’s talent wasn’t enough to use his family’s training room.

“The training room has a special energy field that, when combined with specific techniques, speeds up training.” The Fat Boss explained to Yang Bo.

“Just building this third-level training room alone costs over five hundred million. The materials are pricey, and the field needs a specific technique. Only families with that knowledge can use it; others can’t.” The Fat Boss continued.

Yang Bo understood now. Each family’s techniques were secret, so only they knew how to design compatible energy fields.

“Today, on behalf of my family, I’m formally testing your superpower. We’re testing your Light Power. Please, demonstrate.” Zhou Rui opened a tablet and spoke.

The Fat Boss immediately jumped up. “Secure the benefits first!”

“I’ll follow the boss’s lead,” Yang Bo gave the Fat Boss a thumbs-up and waited for Zhou Rui’s response.

Zhou Rui had already decided to separate the Fat Boss from Yang Bo. “One energy suit. You can pick it from the largest warehouse in our Bounty Hunter Guild, along with a suitable energy weapon.” Zhou Rui said in a lofty tone, showcasing her long neck.

“Set a time limit!” The Fat Boss chimed in.

“Once the test confirms your power, Yang Bo can choose the time.” Zhou Rui didn’t even address the Fat Boss, her eyes fixed on Yang Bo.

Yang Bo sensibly turned to the Fat Boss, “Boss, why don’t you come with me when it’s time?”

“No problem!” The Fat Boss beamed, determined to bind Yang Bo to his team. He even thought to himself, “If only I were a woman.”

Zhou Rui wasn’t surprised at Yang Bo’s reliance on the Fat Boss. After all, he had been raised as a Resident, and the Fat Boss was the first person he’d bonded with.

“We’ll take our time.” Zhou Rui thought, doubting the Fat Boss could keep Yang Bo’s loyalty, but worried he might influence Yang Bo to dislike women.

“This target measures energy-based attacks. Just hit it with your superpower.” Zhou Rui pulled out an oval, flat, nearly transparent crystal, about 30 centimeters long and 5 centimeters thick.

Yang Bo glanced at the Fat Boss. The Fat Boss nodded, “It’s a straightforward energy test. The brighter the color when you hit it, the stronger the attack.”

Yang Bo formed a quail egg-sized ball of light and launched it.

The Fat Boss jumped back in panic, eyes wide with caution.

Zhou Rui’s eyelid twitched, clearly startled too.

“Tch.” Zhou Rui rolled her eyes at the Fat Boss, letting out an audible scoff.

Yang Bo’s light ball hit the target and passed right through it. Then the ball dispersed quickly, as if absorbed by the target.

A moment later, the whole target lit up. Yang Bo realized the target absorbed energy to light up.

For a second, the brightness was almost blinding.

Yang Bo had no idea what the result meant. He turned expectantly to the Fat Boss.

“99!” Zhou Rui’s eyes widened as if she wanted to devour Yang Bo.

“Careless!” From her reaction, Yang Bo knew he was too careless. He had held back his power, but clearly misunderstood the test.

The Fat Boss rushed over, inspecting Yang Bo from top to bottom. “Yang Bo, have you been secretly training your superpower?”

“I’ve been practicing light spheres whenever I’m free!” Yang Bo answered sincerely, as if saying, “You guessed it right, boss.”

“No wonder you’ve been using so much energy lately. Impressive. Your release speed is insane.” The Fat Boss started overanalyzing Yang Bo’s increased appetite.

Yang Bo was a bit confused, “Boss, didn’t you say to imagine myself like a laser cannon? I figured the cannon fires fast, so I should too!”

Zhou Rui felt a pang of jealousy. Who wouldn’t want to launch attacks that fast? But few could.

The Fat Boss felt sour inside. He’d used that as a metaphor, but this kid had taken it literally—and successfully.

He figured if Yang Bo trains for another two years, he’d be able to punch a few holes in him instantly.

“Good, well done!” The Fat Boss praised Yang Bo, masking his envy with an encouraging pat.

“Boss, what did Assistant Zhou mean by 99?” Yang Bo finally asked.

Zhou Rui, determined to separate these two, answered, “It’s a test of energy purity. Only a few geniuses can reach your level.”

Then she took a deep breath and threw a strike at the target.

A sharp sound followed as the target lit up, but it wasn’t as bright as Yang Bo’s attack. However, it stayed lit for three full seconds.

Yang Bo was stunned. Zhou Rui’s attack had no visible signs.

Yang Bo felt a hint of jealousy toward Zhou Rui.

Why was his superpower so flashy?

Other people’s powers had subtlety. Without the sound, Zhou Rui’s attack would’ve gone unnoticed.

“According to the wisdom of previous generations, the purer the energy, the greater the potential for growth.”

“Think of it this way: purity is like density. What hurts more, a pillow or a rock?”

“Even a 10-kilogram pillow, if fluffed up, won’t hurt as much as a 1-kilogram rock.”

“That’s why we measure superpower energy purity. Quantity doesn’t matter if your energy’s impure, especially with today’s advanced tech.”

“With all the protective gear available now, superpower quantity means nothing. If your purity isn’t high enough, you won’t break through defenses.” Zhou Rui explained to Yang Bo why purity testing was so crucial.

“Careless!” Yang Bo thought again. He initially assumed they were testing for quantity, not purity, and unintentionally revealed some of his strength.