Caught off guard and clawed by their companion, the other two Tier-1 mutants looked somewhat dazed.
“Aroo-aroo-aroo!”
“Aroo? Aroo!”
Yet the mutant that had turned on them paid zero attention to their attempts at communication, continually extending its claws to launch ferocious attacks.
——And this was the effect of Chu Yi engraving the “Sin Mark of Greed” directly onto the soul.
As long as it was carved onto the soul, the result of manipulating the target could be achieved.
What, then, if it were carved onto the physical body?
Watching the “minion” locked in battle with the other two mutants, Chu Yi slightly narrowed his eyes and once again summoned his ability within his heart.
A streak of pitch-black light emerged from the mutant’s leg, gradually expanding into a circular magic array.
At the center of the array was a pair of evil eyes filled with pure blackness.
Hum.
At that moment, Chu Yi felt a steady stream of power surging into his own left leg.
And that very “Sin Mark of Greed” just happened to be imprinted upon the mutant’s left leg.
So that was how it worked…
Observing the limping mutant whose left leg was clearly drained of strength, Chu Yi roughly figured out how the ability operated.
He tested his mental energy.
If his mental energy at LV.10 was roughly 1,000 points, engraving the “Sin Mark of Greed” onto the soul consumed at least 300 points.
By contrast, engraving it onto the physical body cost significantly less.
Especially for these Tier-1 mutants, it took at most thirty or forty points of mental energy.
While he was lost in thought, the unlucky mutant branded with both the soul and leg marks was quickly overwhelmed by the other two mutants, collapsing to the ground with its stomach ripped open.
These Tier-1 mutants lacked real intelligence, possessing roughly the cognitive capacity of ordinary cats and dogs.
Having dispatched their inexplicably traitorous companion, they immediately caught the human scent and charged toward Chu Yi once again.
Chu Yi centered his mind and stamped the marks onto their chests once more.
This time, he selected Skill 2.
If I Can’t Have It, Destroy It!
Bang!
In an instant, the two mutants transformed into the most terrifying bodily bombs, exploding on the spot to blast out two large craters.
Having miscalculated the blast radius and getting spattered with a layer of gore, Chu Yi: …
Goosebumps immediately broke out all over his body.
The pungent, fishy, rotting meat stench lingered right at the tip of his nose, and he sneezed repeatedly.
Though his physical condition had improved, his habit of sneezing the moment he smelled something weird hadn’t changed by a single bit.
“Don’t you have anything to say for yourself, System?” Chu Yi said, sneezing several times more in succession.
[Um… Host,] the system had no idea how to explain either. [You are naturally quite sensitive to environmental changes; this is a peculiarity of your soul. Sneezing will not cause you any pathological harm, please rest assured.]
Chu Yi sniffed.
Looking at the two mutants blown into smithereens, he really didn’t want to squat down and fish around for crystal cores amidst a pile of visceral remains.
Thus, he ordered the system: “Quickly help me collect the crystal cores!”
[Host, the system is only responsible for hotel management-related…]
“I’ll give you 1% of the points.”
The system fell momentarily silent.
“What’s wrong?” Chu Yi asked.
[I thought that since you care so much about points and money, you wouldn’t give even a single fraction to anyone else.] Though 1% wasn’t all that much, to be fair.
“What kind of talk is that?” Chu Yi chuckled softly.
He was naturally good-looking anyway, and when he smiled like this, it radiated the crisp breeze and bright moon.
“Money is something that, if it can’t be used to exchange for what you want, is nothing more than waste paper. I do indeed like making money, but it’s equally true that I hate hunting around in garbage heaps. When the two conflict, I naturally choose the one I care about more.”
“So, are you going to help or not?”
Silence hung from the system. In the end, it still helped pick up the crystal cores and stated: [Forget it, Host, 0.1 points isn’t even enough to charge me.]
[I’ll give the whole thing to you, 30 points. Do you want it allocated to personal experience or the mall?]
“The mall.”
[Received.]
[Remaining points: 705]
Chu Yi gave the panel a brief scan and felt satisfied.
“Since you’re so helpful, from now on, please ‘freely’ help me pick up any crystal cores dropped by mobs I slay as well, kind little System.”
[…??]
Having said his piece, as if he could no longer bear the odor clinging to his body, he turned around and sprinted toward the hotel without looking back.
Chu Yi ran fast; that sensation of surging forward through the wind was wonderful, making him temporarily forget that he was still caked in bits of foul-smelling gore.
After all, during his twenty-odd years on Blue Star, he had never once run so uninhibitedly.
Nor had he ever imagined that the sensation of running could feel so exquisite.
This was what health tasted like.
Upon returning to the shop, he decisively headed into his 10-square-meter bathroom to take a bath, fetched a bottle of champagne from the refrigerator, and settled comfortably into a massage chair to take a sip.
——He had expanded the owner’s quarters, and the refrigerator came as a complimentary perk, stuffed with several days’ worth of food.
The system could help heat it up for free, making it taste just like freshly cooked meals—still vastly superior to boxed meals anyway.
In any case, Chu Yi had never grown accustomed to eating those boxed meals.
Back on Blue Star, his meals were custom-designed and prepared by top-tier chefs, both healthy and delicious. Compared to the food here, it was quite literally the difference between heaven and earth.
His biggest regret was that he hadn’t brought a personal chef along across worlds.
Having rested adequately, just as Chu Yi stepped out of the owner’s quarters, he spotted four people covered in blood rushing inside, trailed closely by several Tier-5 mutants.
Bang!
These mutants were vastly different from the Tier-1 ones; not only did every single one of them stand over two meters tall, but their muscle mass was exceptionally dense, making them look even more terrifying than professional prizefighters.
Some of them were covered in sharp spikes; others sported a pair of sky-blocking wings; still others dragged two-meter-long tails bristling with barbs.
Ramming against the protective barrier, these mutants flew into a rage, howling unceasingly.
As for the four individuals who had bolted into the hotel, seeing the monsters circle the perimeter without managing to break through instantly let out a collective breath of relief.
“That’s fantastic!” Yu Qing exclaimed happily. “We’re saved!”
They had originally only intended to use the building as cover while stalling and fighting the mutants, never expecting this place to be so miraculous, actually possessing a barrier capable of blocking Tier-5 mutants!
“Everyone, let’s take a breath, and in a moment—” She stood up, turned her head, and locked eyes with Chu Yi leaning against the wall, instantly freezing into silence.
The other three also noticed Chu Yi.
He was dressed in clean, neat attire, his long hair draped loosely down his back, the ends slightly damp and faintly exuding a pleasant fragrance, giving the impression he had just washed his hair.
One had to know that being able to wash one’s hair in a place like the wasteland where water resources were scarce was definitive proof of a heavyweight bigwig.
Everyone immediately realized this must be the domain of some unidentified esper.
The squad leader, Wang Yan, stepped forward immediately, lowered his head, and respectfully said, “Apologies, sir. We intruded upon your territory by mistake and brought you trouble…”
Chu Yi gazed at them.
His eyes lingered for a moment on their dust-smudged faces, then dropped down to their shoes.
Filthy. Once they stepped inside, a bunch of muddy footprints marred the floor, just like Xue Xiaobai, Zhu Bei, and the others had done previously.
He utterly detested filth.
In the past, he was allergic to dust—any dirty thing would make him cough so miserably it compromised his breathing; now, Chu Yi maintained ultra-high standards for his environment.
Even though the hotel automatically cleaned itself every day, dirt was still dirt; just laying eyes on it made him feel like his lifespan was being shortened.
Truly…
Chu Yi let out a sigh.
Amidst the silence, he spoke up abruptly: “Checking in?”
The group was momentarily stunned.
He pointed at the pricing standards posted on the adjacent wall and continued: “I’m the manager here. If you aren’t staying as guests, then please leave the premises promptly. After all… the air in my place is subject to a fee.”
The moment those words dropped, a boy around fifteen or sixteen years old standing right behind Wang Yan stepped forward.
His face was painted with unconcealed defiance: “What kind of place is this? How can air even cost money? Running a shady scam shop, are you?!”
Lu Tianxin was fifteen years old this year, the son of the Panlong Base’s vice-commander, and had awakened the most formidable lightning-attribute ability.
Yet due to being pampered and spoiled since childhood, he had never once left the base to fight.
Naturally, worried sick about his son, the vice-commander had hired the Ju Shan Squad—widely reputed as the best combat esper team in the base—hoping they would escort his son out for a spin to let him witness the cruel wilderness firsthand.
Originally, the Ju Shan Squad had five members.
Seated in an off-road vehicle provided by the vice-commander, they journeyed northward, looking for a spot with higher concentrations of hideouts to let Lu Tianxin practice his skills.
Who would have guessed that the moment this brat stepped out of the vehicle, he somehow managed to track down a baby Hurricane Bird pup, claiming he wanted to take it back so a beast-taming esper in the base could help him forge a contract.
One had to understand that mutant beasts like Hurricane Birds were fiercely protective of their offspring.
With him abducting the chick, it wasn’t long before both parent birds tracked them down, hunting them relentlessly.
That was a pair of Tier-5 mutant beasts!
They possessed abnormal intelligence and had even drawn a massive horde of mutants along in their wake.
Feng Yuan and He Yuan from the team had sustained injuries, sacrificing themselves to draw away the majority of the enemies so the rest could manage an escape.
The Panlong Base was merely a small settlement; high-tier espers like themselves possessing Tier-5 strength were considered top-tier powerhouses.
Who could have anticipated running into Tier-5 mutant beasts right out the gate—especially considering most Hurricane Birds topped out at Tier 3 or 4! On top of that, the beast had lured in several Tier-5 mutants along with a number of Tier-1 and Tier-2 mobs.
How were they supposed to withstand that kind of onslaught?!
That was how, fleeing in panic without picking their path, they had stumbled into Chu Yi’s hotel.
Yet now, having barely settled down, this brat was acting up and starting trouble again!
“Young master,” Squad Leader Wang Yan took a step back, tugging at the boy’s sleeve. “This place is truly extraordinary; the air inside is infinitely better than outside, and we don’t even need to exert ourselves to breathe. This must be the handiwork of this senior…”
To prevent Lu Tianxin from courting disaster, he immediately turned back and addressed Chu Yi: “Sir, I see you have specialized fees for breathing and protective barrier usage. Can we forgo checking in as regular guests and instead pay solely for those fees to stay in the shop for a day?”
This fellow at least knew how to read the room.
Chu Yi’s expression softened considerably.
“You can pay at that automated billing machine over there. Because you’ve soiled the flooring, I need to collect an additional four Tier-1 crystal cores.”
“As a ‘floor cleaning fee’.”