Chapter 002: Ten Days

“Even though the exchange rate is ten to one, it’s still an incredible deal!” Tang Mubai was overjoyed.

Now he understood. The previous notifications—[Vitality +64], [Vitality +36]—hadn’t failed to bring about a change; it was just that the collected vitality added up to exactly one hundred, which was then converted into ten years of life! Tang Mubai’s original lifespan should have been eighty-six years, and with these ten added, it became ninety-six!

“It’s worth it!”

“To spend twenty years of life and gain one point of blood and energy—it’s more than worth it!” Tang Mubai grinned to himself.

As long as he could recover the dissipated vitality of others after their deaths, he could extend his own lifespan. What was there to fear?

Of course, this ability from the system would inevitably make him stronger, but it could also easily lead one astray. If he wasn’t careful, he might become a killer.

“It’s both tempting and terrifying!” he thought.

Taking a deep breath, Tang Mubai calmed himself and considered things from another angle.

No matter the world, death was always present—suicides, homicides, accidents, illness, disasters… There were too many ways to die! He had no need to kill anyone himself; he simply had to collect the lost vitality of others after their deaths. That way, he wouldn’t have any psychological burden.

Having worked this out, Tang Mubai let out a long breath and looked at the scene of the car accident, where people were helping out, his mind heavy with complex thoughts.

After a while, he tore his gaze away and rode his bike to the school.

Because of the delay, by the time Tang Mubai finally arrived at the elementary school where his little cousin studied, half an hour had already passed since school had ended.

Most of the students had been picked up by their parents, and only three remained, waiting at the school gate with a teacher and a security guard. Among them was his little cousin Lin Zhenzhen, with big eyes, a round face, delicate features, and her hair in twin ponytails.

“Sorry, sorry, I was delayed on the way. I’m late,” Tang Mubai apologized to the teacher as soon as he parked his bike at the gate. Then he turned to his pouting little cousin and smiled, “Zhenzhen, say goodbye to the teacher.”

“Hmph!” The little girl turned her head away, ignoring Tang Mubai.

Seeing this, Tang Mubai chuckled, pretending to recall something as he sighed, “Ah, on my way here, I think I saw someone selling candied hawthorns…”

“Let’s go, let’s go!” Before he could finish, the little girl was already scrambling eagerly onto the bike’s back seat.

“Alright, alright, let’s go.” Tang Mubai stifled his laughter, nodded to the teacher, mounted the bike, and called out, “Say goodbye to the teacher.”

“Goodbye, teacher!” The little girl waved, urging, “Let’s go, hurry up!”

“Got it, off we go.” With a push, Tang Mubai rode away from the school gates.

All the way, the little girl kept urging him on until she finally had the candied hawthorns in her hands. Only then did she relax, sitting happily on the back seat, munching on the treat, her voice sweet as she asked, “Mmm~ Brother, have Mom and Dad come back yet?”

“…Not yet, but they should be back soon. Oh, by the way, Zhenzhen, there’s horned rabbit meat at the restaurant tonight. Want to try some?” Tang Mubai deftly changed the subject.

His little cousin was a foodie; mention food, and she’d forget any topic.

Sure enough—

“Of course I want to go!” she exclaimed excitedly. “Horned rabbit meat—hehe, I want to eat a ton!”

“Eat that much, aren’t you afraid of getting fat?”

“I’m not afraid! Mom says no matter how much I eat, I won’t get fat!”

“Really? I think your cheeks look a bit rounder lately.”

“Mmm~ Not at all, you’re mistaken. It’s not round, it’s… baby fat!”

“Haha…”

Amid their banter, Tang Mubai rode up to a restaurant at a bustling street corner.

Miracle Restaurant.

This had been his father’s business, and was also one of the Miracle Mercenary Group’s bases.

It was dinnertime, and the restaurant’s entrance was lively with people coming and going.

Tang Mubai entered with a familiar face, leading his little cousin straight to their private room upstairs.

He let the little girl do her homework in the room while he went to the restroom. On his way back, he ran into the restaurant’s manager—also the only one from the Miracle Mercenary Group who hadn’t left—a lame old man named Xu Dalü. Xu, with a stern face, was walking down the corridor alongside a middle-aged man with a protruding belly, heading for the stairs.

Tang Mubai spotted them at the same time they saw him. Before Xu Dalü, whose temples were streaked with gray, could say anything, the pot-bellied man’s eyes lit up. He extended his hand from a distance and called out heartily, “Isn’t this little Captain Tang? Haha, you’ve come at just the right time! I’ve been negotiating with Old Xu for three days, but he’s been unwilling to budge. Time is running out, and things are still unresolved—I can’t tell you how anxious I am!”

“Captain Tang, I can guarantee that my offer is the best out there! You won’t suffer any loss, I promise! Captain Tang, please…”

The middle-aged man rattled on, gesturing animatedly as he spoke. Tang Mubai was bewildered at first, but as the conversation went on, his smile grew strained. Forcing a polite expression, he replied dryly, “I understand the situation now. Give me three days to consider it. No matter what, Mr. Yang, I’ll give you a reply.”

“Great, great, three more days. Captain Tang, be sure to think it through—my offer really is the best.” Beaming, the man waved as he left, guided by a waiter Tang Mubai had summoned.

Once he was gone, Xu Dalü, who had been silent and stern-faced, finally sighed in guilt. “Captain, it’s my fault. It’s been over half a month, and I still haven’t found a martial artist willing to let us register under their name. The old captain is gone, and I can’t even keep the restaurant running. I…”

“Don’t say that, Grandpa Xu. It’s not your fault. If anyone’s useless, it’s me!” Tang Mubai ground his teeth.

Due to the rampage of non-human lifeforms, the government of the new world gave all sorts of privileges to professional martial artists. One of these was that only certified martial artists could open shops or companies. Ordinary people could only open businesses by registering them under a martial artist’s name.

As for the terms of registration—whether cash or shares—that depended on the situation.

Miracle Restaurant had been registered under Tang Mubai’s father’s name. But now, with the entire Miracle Mercenary Group wiped out, the only way for the restaurant to continue operating was to find another martial artist to register with. There was even a time limit on this—within a month!

It had already been over half a month since news of his father’s death had reached them.

Before this, Tang Mubai had been consumed by grief, unable to deal with the restaurant at all. Xu Dalü had managed everything and searched everywhere for help, hoping to keep the business alive.

Unfortunately, with the group destroyed, no one was willing to help. Those who were, demanded outrageous terms—wanting a majority of the restaurant’s shares.

Paying cash was one thing, but giving away shares was out of the question.

Left with no choice, Xu Dalü was preparing to temporarily close the restaurant.

The pot-bellied man had come after hearing the news, hoping to rent the place.

With its prime location, Miracle Restaurant was guaranteed to be a profitable business no matter what was done with it.

But to rent it out?

That would be a slap in the face to both Tang Mubai and his late father! With his father gone, if the son couldn’t even keep the family business and had to live off rent, how could Tang Mubai ever face the world?

He had to become a certified martial artist—and soon!