Invincible Copy System
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Chapter Summary
Without us, this kid might not even be alive.” Liu Ning had just started to dream when someone doused him with cold water. If it weren't for Liu Ning just Now, all of us would be finished—who knows how many more that Black-Horned Ant would've killed.” On this point Fang Qiang stood up at once, naturally counting Liu Ning as one of his own. He'd seen Liu Ning fight the Black-Horned Ant and knew how strong he was; with Fang Qiang beside him, Zhao Bin had no advantage.
480,000?
Hearing Fang Qiang's words, Liu Ning was over the moon—had he just gotten rich in the blink of an eye?
“What nonsense! He's only a rookie—why should he get eighty percent? Without us, this kid might not even be alive.”
Liu Ning had just started to dream when someone doused him with cold water.
Two men had appeared beside him at some point. One he recognized—Second Wu, the very man he'd beaten black-and-blue. The other was a stranger, though from the gear he was clearly another Warrior Apprentice.
Liu Ning still wasn't sure what was going on, but he could tell the pair meant trouble.
“Zhao Bin, stop talking rubbish. If it weren't for Liu Ning just Now, all of us would be finished—who knows how many more that Black-Horned Ant would've killed.”
On this point Fang Qiang stood up at once, naturally counting Liu Ning as one of his own.
“None of your damn business, rookie. You'd better learn the rules of the Wilderness—so how much do you think you deserve?”
This Fellow shot Fang Qiang a glare. Knowing their strength was about equal, he didn't bother arguing; instead he tried to crush Liu Ning with Aura. After all, it was a tidy sum—if Liu Ning took less, they'd pocket more.
Zhao Bin and Second Wu were a pair of thugs who bullied newcomers without end, but if they tried it on Liu Ning, they'd regret it.
“Well, well, if it isn't Brother Wu. Do you, venerable sir, also think I'm taking too much?”
Liu Ning ignored Zhao Bin and instead teased Second Wu. Against a defeated opponent he had no need for restraint.
“Bullshit! Who do you think you are, calling yourself Brother to Lord Wu—”
Zhao Bin was the first to bristle at the form of address; within the Patrol Team, Warrior Apprentices were the privileged class.
Second Wu looked mortified. Bullying rookies was his specialty, but the rookie in question was Liu Ning. He rubbed his arm—it had cost a fortune to mend. If a real fight broke out, the two of them together wouldn't be a match for this kid.
“Uh… well…”
Second Wu stammered, not knowing what to say.
“What the hell are you doing?”
Seeing him like this, Zhao Bin kicked him. Zhao Bin was the stronger of the two and the one Second Wu usually followed. They'd bullied plenty of people together; even Fang Qiang had suffered at their hands. Yet today, faced with an ordinary Warrior Apprentice, Second Wu was chickening out.
“Can't you see? Quit picking on the rookie.”
Second Wu's words left Everyone dumbstruck. He and Zhao Bin were thick as thieves, and he never dared defy Zhao Bin. What was this—did he take the wrong pills this morning, or forget them altogether?
Zhao Bin was even more bewildered. They'd spotted a fat payday today. Was Second Wu sulking because of that kick? Zhao Bin shot him a look: We'll sort our issues later—right Now We can't let the money slip.
“Distribution by merit is the rule, a rule set by the Controller—no one may break it.”
With that, Second Wu cautiously glanced at Liu Ning, then turned and left.
The others were stunned; they'd never imagined such words from Second Wu.
He was suddenly a paragon of morality—yet what had he done before? Bullying newcomers had been his daily bread. Now, faced with such juicy meat, he could actually walk away?
Watching Second Wu's retreating back, Everyone felt as if they were dreaming.
Only Zhao Bin remained. He'd seen Liu Ning fight the Black-Horned Ant and knew how strong he was; with Fang Qiang beside him, Zhao Bin had no advantage. He cursed under his breath and left, presumably to chase Second Wu and demand an explanation.
“What on earth got into Second Wu today?”
Fang Qiang was equally baffled. Only Liu Ning understood: truth is always forged with fists. Without that beating he'd given Second Wu, today's scene would never have happened.
Fang Qiang soon stopped wondering; he was elated. Liu Ning's arrival had turned them into a small faction—at least against Zhao Bin's crowd they were no longer at a disadvantage.
With Everyone's help, they quickly hauled the Black-Horned Ant's carcass back.
Below the City Wall Liu Ning met the burly Controller Wei Xiong, a veritable mountain of muscle whose mere presence exuded terrifying pressure—the might of a Martial Artist.
“Well done. I hear you've the skill of a Warrior Apprentice—go get certified soon. Our Gathering Point hasn't had a new Warrior Apprentice in ages.”
Wei Xiong was genuinely pleased; after weeks of nothing but bad news, this was the first good one.
For any Gathering Point, every extra Warrior Apprentice meant a sizable boost in strength. They had perhaps a dozen, but most had already left—Warrior Apprentices could fend for themselves Outside.
Yet when Wei Xiong turned away, his smile vanished.
Four lives had been lost on this patrol—far fewer than usual, but for a small Gathering Point it was still a heavy toll. They'd have to recruit students from the schools again.
Some families greeted their returning kin in joy; others, receiving no one, sobbed until they could barely breathe. Such was life here—tragedy every day, humanity's survival built on the lives of Patrol Team Members.
Wei Xiong spoke a few more words with Liu Ning, then ordered the Materials handled. A Merchant on the spot appraised them; they'd soon be converted to money. Wei Xiong promised Liu Ning no less than 500,000.
Liu Ning was delighted; after all, his System ran on money. He'd copied abilities only a few times and was already cleaned out.
The System was practically a vampire—it would drain him dry sooner or later—yet its benefits were obvious. Without it, he'd be lying Outside with the rest of the corpses.
As for Mother and Zhang Jing, they couldn't be here beside him Now; like the others, they'd be wailing in grief—a pain most people never understand.