Clang.

The instant she saw the Public Security Bureau badge, the shop owner’s eyes narrowed slightly and her entire presence changed abruptly. The gentle, maternal aura she had been radiating vanished without a trace, replaced by a chilling killing intent.

“You’re from the Public Security Bureau?” She subtly turned her body, muscles tensing and reached out to touch the gleaming badge on the counter, “...Oh, it’s a Key Personnel Protection Badge.”

The shop owner set the badge down and smiled brightly, the killing intent that had filled the air just moments ago dissipating in an instant, “Ah, you should’ve said so earlier. So you’re a young master from an upper-hive family. No wonder you look so refined.”

This series of dizzying changes looked complicated, yet in reality it all happened in a flash, in less than a second.

For ordinary people—no, even for mid to high-tier martial artists—it would have been extremely difficult to catch.

But Li Chen perceived the entire process with perfect clarity.

It seemed the forum’s speculation was correct after all. This so-called “Mama Shop Owner” whom countless players praised in the newbie village truly had an extraordinary background.

As expected of an eighth-tier martial artist...

Mm, although she was currently heavily injured and could only exert around sixth-tier strength at most, that was still far beyond what ordinary people could reach.

With such a master, it was no wonder Luna would have such a promising future.

Judging from her reaction just now, her old enemy was likely one of the top-hive conglomerates.

The only question was which one—Solares, Montmorency, the Xuanshui Zhao Clan, or Schufestan?

One thunderous conglomerate name after another flashed through Li Chen’s mind. Every one of them was a behemoth that dominated a region of the Hive City and held patents on singularity technology, nothing like the Black Tiger Gang backing that troublesome male escort earlier.

‘What Black Tiger Company? I doubt they even meet the minimum revenue threshold. They probably don’t even have formal corporate legal status—at best, they’re just outsourced contractors under some enterprise.’

With his deep understanding of the game’s world setting, Li Chen quickly arrived at this analysis.

Those disposable gloves—mere muscle and cannon fodder in the eyes of upper-hive citizens—were perfect stepping stones for raising his martial skill proficiency.

Compared to that bunch of worthless trash, the woman in front of him was the real threat.

Still...

The goodwill he’d gained earlier by saving Luna was definitely enough. Besides, although as the husband of a Public Security Bureau Special Operations Unit leader was indeed “high-status,” he clearly had nothing to do with any conglomerate families.

Upper Hive and Top Hive looked like they were separated by only a thin line, yet in reality the gap between them was an unbridgeable chasm.

Thinking this, Li Chen pretended not to have noticed the earlier change in the mama shop owner’s demeanor at all. He put on the act of a naïve young master and smugly waved the Public Security Bureau badge.

“Hehe, calling me a noble young master is a bit much, but my fiancée really is a senior official at the Public Security Bureau.”

Li Chen revealed a genuinely happy smile, “Recently, the case she’s investigating seems to involve illegal genetic modification agents. I heard some intel earlier—apparently that Black Tiger Gang is involved in dumping smuggled drugs onto the black market? I usually rely on my fiancée’s support, but sometimes I want her to be able to rely on me too.”

Whenever he mentioned his fiancée, warmth surged in Li Chen’s heart. He knew that in this Hive City world filled with betrayal and calculation, there was still someone who would always stay by his side.

“A fiancée? I see...” Holding the rough draft of the design blueprint Li Chen had taken out, Luna—who was pondering how to craft the perfect equipment for her benefactor—looked at his happy smile. Something stirred in her heart and a complex sourness she couldn’t describe welled up inside her.

‘This girl... she really looks like she’s fallen for him?’

Noticing her disciple’s expression, the shop owner showed a knowing look. A top-tier martial artist’s perception was naturally extraordinary and she immediately understood what that expression meant.

No wonder.

More than anyone else, the shop owner knew exactly what hardships her disciple had endured. She was keenly aware of what Li Chen’s seemingly ordinary actions just now truly meant.

Not looking down on someone from the lower city, stepping forward to protect her and even—even—handing over a prosthetic equipment blueprint to a newcomer who didn’t even have a single formal work to her name.

‘If I were in her place, my reaction probably wouldn’t be much better. It’s just…’

The shop owner cast a complicated glance at Li Chen’s blissful expression.

‘Sigh, a good man like this has already been snatched up by all kinds of bad women.’

She had no optimism at all about her disciple’s feelings.

Still, as her master, she would help where she could.

So she picked up the design draft and examined it carefully from top to bottom with the discerning eye of a top-tier martial artist for quite some time.

“V-very interesting design.”

What started as a casual glance meant to help her disciple gradually turned into fascination. By the end, she was studying it in a learning posture, analyzing the designer’s intent in depth.

This draft blueprint was absolutely not simple.

Having once dominated the Hive City’s underground world and even having come into contact with legendary pre-civilization relic technology, the shop owner quickly identified what made this prosthetic core draft special.

‘A fusion energy source combined with biotechnology, creating a quasi-living combat core?’

After doing a quick calculation, the shop owner blinked in shock.

‘Then the projected horsepower output would be more than ten times that of conventional energy systems?! T-this... if this really works, just this single piece would let you freely choose among the top research institutes under any major conglomerate!’

She laid bare the value of the draft in a single sentence, “Mr. Li Chen, although I don’t know where you obtained this blueprint, I must say—you may not fully understand its true value...”

Even though her hands itched to start forging immediately, her professional ethics compelled the shop owner to hesitate.

“It’s fine. I trust Luna.”

Li Chen looked sincerely at the girl who was listening to her master with growing unease.

Come on—that was a future super genius who would overturn the entire prosthetic production system.

Who could be more suitable than her?

Of course, she was still immature now—but with the shop owner overseeing things, what could possibly go wrong?

That was a newbie-village welfare character capable of forging extraordinary-tier equipment.

As for large conglomerate prosthetic manufacturers?

Leaving aside their astronomical costs, given their ethics—heh—he’d be lucky if they didn’t secretly cause him trouble and try to seize the blueprint’s rights.

“B-but why?” Luna looked at Li Chen in confusion, “We only met today and I don’t really have any credentials...”

“Because I believe in anyone who has climbed from the lower city to this place.”

A trace of reminiscence appeared on Li Chen’s face, “What it takes to escape that kind of hell—I know it too.”

“Could it be?!” Luna’s mouth fell open in disbelief.

“That’s exactly the ‘could it be’ you’re thinking of.” Li Chen reached out and patted the girl’s shoulder, “I’m also from the lower city. Of course, unlike a genius like you who relies purely on talent, I mainly got lucky with a good wife.”

Yawning, Li Chen pushed open the door.

“Anyway, I’ll leave the order with you. As for the deposit... hehe, would cleaning up that annoying Black Tiger Gang count?”

He turned back, grinning mischievously as he raised his eyebrows.

“Wait, Li Chen—”

Without giving Luna a chance to stop him, Li Chen pulled up his cloak, walked out of the alley entrance and blended into the crowd.

“He’s gone.” The shop owner looked at her utterly captivated disciple and helplessly tapped her cheek, “Alright, little Luna, wake up.”

“So... Mr. Li Chen is also from the lower city, just like me?”

Luna murmured in a daze.

“That’s enough.” The shop owner irritably pressed the draft blueprint against Luna’s forehead, “Don’t just stand there spacing out. If you really want to thank Li Chen, then work properly with me to finish this order.”

“Yes, Master! I understand!”

A blazing fighting spirit ignited in Luna’s eyes.

She had found her goal.

‘One day, I’ll also walk into the upper hive and speak with him openly under the bright sunlight. I will.’

* * *

As Luna’s eyes burned with resolve, Li Chen out on the street received a call from his fiancée.

“Xiao Chen, why are you in the lower city? Public security there isn’t very good.”

On the projection screen, Bai Wei’s face was filled with worry.

“It’s fine. I just placed an order at a prosthetics shop.”

Li Chen replied casually.

“Prosthetics?” Bai Wei asked in confusion, “If you want to install martial artist prosthetics, you could’ve just told me. I know a lot of manufacturers—even military-grade combat prosthetics are no problem.”

“No way, Xiao Wei. That would be too expensive.”

Li Chen shook his head slightly. “I’m just a low-tier martial artist. Using different prosthetics is enough—I don’t need to spend that much. Besides, we’re getting married. We should save money.”

Faced with her husband’s careful budgeting, Bai Wei practically melted.

“Idiot... anyway, once you’re done buying your prosthetics, come home early. Don’t stay in the lower city and make me worry!”

Beep beep.

As if afraid she’d cry from being moved and embarrass herself, Bai Wei ended the call like she was fleeing.

‘Home? Yeah, it’s about time.’

Glancing at the time displayed on the screen, Li Chen stretched lazily.

‘Once I finish this job and clean up that drug-smuggling Black Tiger Gang, I’ll head home.’

Clang!

Putting away his gentle smile, Li Chen playfully drew the saber at his waist.

[Current Red Lotus Saber Art skill proficiency: 91%. 9% remaining until entry-level mastery.]

Hunting time.