Those familiar with the Black Rat Gang knew them as a bunch of knife-wielding lunatics, eager to slash anyone they came across. Their intelligence prices were outrageously high, so much so that for relatively unimportant intel, no one bothered seeking them out. The Black Rat Gang was the epitome of "three years closed, three years open."
After a brief moment of contemplation over his current financial situation, Li Nianlong turned around and headed back to his villa.
He knew better than to rush into things. Unless absolutely necessary, he didn't want to rely on others, especially considering it had been two years since he last contacted his college roommate. Plus, he was broke.
The Black Rat Gang had a rule: the starting price for their services was ten million. Anything valued less was considered worthless by their standards and might even be given away for free as a favor to other gangs. Li Nianlong wasn't sure if the information about the American Dynasty's operatives had any value, but even if it didn't exceed ten million, he doubted the Black Rat Gang would do him any favors for free.
The upper echelons of society were intricately connected, and at this moment, he had nothing. Without a foundation for connections in high places, and unwilling to get too involved with them, he risked getting entangled in something he wanted no part of.
If he were a lone wolf, it wouldn't matter. But with Nalan Ruyue in his life now, Li Nianlong became exceptionally cautious in his words and actions. He didn't want to involve her in anything. Besides seeking justice for Uncle Guan, what other aspirations did he have in this life?
Nalan Ruyue was his only wish.
So, for now, Li Nianlong shelved the feasibility of purchasing intelligence from the Black Rat Gang.
With time still on his hands as he returned to the villa, Li Nianlong pondered how to accomplish the system's tasks while honing his skills as a martial artist.
"After unremitting efforts, the host's martial artist level has advanced. Now an intermediate martial artist. As a reward for progress in life occupation, strength +5, speed +5, true qi +5, intelligence +5, experience +5000, money +10000."
Just past five o'clock, the sound of a dragonfly echoed in his mind, snapping Li Nianlong back to reality. He immediately felt a strange change in his body, one indescribable in words.
Perplexed but not dwelling on it, he attributed it to the advancement in his martial arts skills. Li Nianlong brought up his status screen to check the effects of becoming an intermediate martial artist.
Martial Artist (Intermediate 0%): Bones meld with flesh, allowing for manipulation of height and appearance without fear of fractures.
What?
Li Nianlong was dumbfounded. What was this all about?
No wonder he felt a change in his body earlier. His bones had actually melded with his flesh, allowing him to alter his height and appearance at will, and without bones, there was no risk of fractures. This was simply miraculous.
For the first time, Li Nianlong truly realized the power of martial artists. No wonder they could balance all four attributes. This life occupation was indeed... a life occupation?
Leaving his bedroom, he switched on the lights in the hall and stood before a mirror. Li Nianlong manipulated his facial muscles, changing his appearance bit by bit. His eyebrows remained sharp, but his eye corners drooped, turning into sly slants. His straight nose bridge became a flat button, his firm lips turned into a frog-like pout, his chiseled jawline morphed into a double chin. He looked utterly grotesque.
A hint of excitement flashed in Li Nianlong's eyes. The fact that he could change his appearance was indeed cause for celebration. But what about his height?
His body trembled, muscles defying natural laws to change. His towering 6'2" frame gradually dwindled until he was a mere 5'2", and his clothes fell to the ground.
Seeing his naked, diminutive self in the mirror, Li Nianlong almost retched. He looked hideous, with a physique akin to a lump. Disgusting as it was, the change was nonetheless thrilling. However, his height's limit seemed to be around five feet. He needed to remember that.
He then experimented with his body's maximum height. Looking at the mirror, he transformed into a towering nearly ten-foot giant. Li Nianlong chuckled, "Wu Dalang is at least human; this is just extraterrestrial."
Restoring his normal height and appearance, he glanced at his martial artist skill. He couldn't help but marvel at the increase in proficiency.
Li Nianlong basked in the benefits of being a martial artist. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, the destruction caused by Bio-Humans 002 and 003 left the bigwigs furious.
Gathered in front of screens, the heads of the fifteen American Dynasties watched footage of Bio-Humans 002 and 003 being annihilated by a mysterious figure wearing a tiger mask. Amidst their anger was profound shock.
"From the footage, it's highly likely that the person in the tiger mask is the Kung Fu Panda we've heard about," a silver-haired man remarked with astonishment. "But that's not the point. What matters is that during the confrontation with 003, a massive shield appeared in front of him out of thin air. This leads me to suspect that the Kung Fu Panda is a superhuman, possibly even a mysterious spatial superhuman."
"Perhaps there's more to it," another man's eyes gleamed with a hint of darkness. "We all know that Bio-Humans possess the strength of adult grizzly bears. Yet, 002 and 003 couldn't gain the upper hand against the Kung Fu Panda, indicating that his strength is also formidable. Our understanding of superhumans is still lacking, but we know they're highly united. If the Kung Fu Panda is indeed one of them, we might face a threat from the entire superhuman community."
"You're overthinking it," another man interjected. "While my knowledge of superhumans is limited, I know that most are supportive types. Combat-oriented superhumans are rare and pose little threat to us. We saw from the footage that although the Kung Fu Panda destroyed 002 and 003, they also caused him considerable trouble. Our research on Bio-Humans is still in its infancy. Both 002 and 003 are prototypes. With accelerated research, we'll undoubtedly produce even better Bio-Warriors within the next decade. When that happens, whether it's the Kung Fu Panda or other superhumans, they won't pose a significant threat."
"That's a matter for ten years from now. We can't afford to be complacent now," the previous man remained concerned.
"You're right," another man agreed, but then changed the subject. "But we don't need to fear these superhumans. No matter how powerful they are, they can't withstand bullets. The Kung Fu Panda had to raise his shield to defend against 003's attacks, showing that he's vulnerable to bullets too. As for those superhumans hiding, if they dare
to show themselves, a single bullet will be enough."
These words bolstered the courage of those who were still worried. The silver-haired man continued, "Indeed, even in an era of cold weapons, superhumans may be considered gods. But now is the age of firearms. Even God can't withstand an atomic bomb. So, we have nothing to fear. We'll firmly control this world, and the Kung Fu Panda is destined to be eliminated."
The atmosphere grew heated with this statement, but the critical issue remained unresolved.
"The biggest problem is that nobody knows what the Kung Fu Panda looks like. This is extremely detrimental to our goal of retrieving the Snake-Cutting Sword. What are your thoughts?"
This question sparked another round of discussions among the gathered individuals. Soon after, an elder spoke up, "We need to quickly uncover the true identity of the Kung Fu Panda. Once we know who he is, finding the Snake-Cutting Sword will be simple."
"George, you must be getting senile," another elder scoffed. "We all know that the first step is to identify the Kung Fu Panda, but how do we do that? The Kung Fu Panda has never revealed his true face. The only clue we have is that he's from Tianfu, operating within its boundaries. But Tianfu has a population of over two hundred million. How do we find him? It's still part of China, not America. Our influence there is limited."
These words brought concern back to the others.
"Right," one of the elders agreed but then redirected the conversation. "However, we needn't fear these superhumans. No matter how formidable they are, they can't withstand bullets. Even the Kung Fu Panda had to raise a shield against 003's attacks, indicating his vulnerability to bullets. As for those superhumans in hiding, if they dare to emerge, a single bullet will suffice."
This assurance infused courage into those who had been worried. The silver-haired man concluded, "Indeed, even in the age of cold weapons, superhumans may have seemed godlike. But now, we have firearms. Even God can't withstand an atomic bomb. So, we have nothing to fear. We will firmly control this world, and the Kung Fu Panda is destined to be eliminated."
With the mood heated, the crucial issue still lingered.
"The Kung Fu Panda is undeniably powerful, but the key issue is that nobody knows what he looks like. This poses a significant obstacle to our goal of recovering the Snake-Cutting Sword. What are your thoughts?"