High Martial: I Use Everything as Swords

Just as he was eating, Captain Zhang Hao walked over, cup in hand.

He sat down beside Han Feng.

"You did great today."

Zhang Hao’s voice was steady, and he meant it.

"Especially the way you covered for the others."

"The timing, the angle, the trajectory—all of it was perfect."

"If it weren’t for you, that kid Gu Yun would’ve been hit by the Rock Lizard’s tail at least twice today."

Han Feng put down his chopsticks and answered honestly.

"It was nothing, really."

"Besides, that Rock Lizard looked valuable."

Zhang Hao looked at his junior, who couldn’t seem to go three sentences without mentioning money. Far from finding him materialistic, he found himself admiring him even more.

In the wastelands, people with clear goals who were pragmatic and willing to work hard were more reliable than so-called geniuses.

He glanced around and lowered his voice.

"Director Lei spoke with me in private earlier."

"The farm’s deep geological detectors have been picking up abnormal energy fluctuations lately."

"They suspect there’s a problem with the Spirit Vein beneath this farm, and it might be attracting something big this way."

Zhang Hao stared into Han Feng’s eyes, his tone growing more serious.

"Zhao Yu said your Perception of energy is extraordinary."

"While you’re on patrol tomorrow, pay extra attention to what’s underground. If you notice anything out of the ordinary, report it immediately."

Han Feng’s eyes lit up, and his breathing quickened.

"Is there a reward for an early warning?"

Zhang Hao was taken aback by the direct question for a moment, but then he smiled.

"There is."

He nodded.

"Starting tomorrow, for any high-value target you discover and successfully report on your own, you’ll get twenty percent of the spoils as an ’intel fee,’ regardless of who makes the final kill."

"You can count on me, Captain!"

Han Feng thumped his chest in assurance, then picked up his chopsticks and scooped another large helping of meat from the pot.

"As long as the pay is good, forget just keeping an eye on what’s underground—I’d peel back the earth’s crust for you!"

The commotion in the cafeteria gradually died down.

Most of the people had eaten and drunk their fill and were heading back to their dorms in twos and threes to rest.

Zhou Ping was behind the counter, the beads of his small abacus CLACKING away.

The sound was crisp and pleasant, his face alight with the joy of a bountiful harvest.

Han Feng walked up to the counter, his empty tray in hand.

When Zhou Ping looked up and saw it was Han Feng, his plump face broke into a wide grin, scrunching all his features together.

"Ah, if it isn’t the Great Hero Han!"

"What’s the matter, not full yet? We’ve got freshly steamed buns in the back!"

Han Feng placed his tray in the return slot and got straight to the point.

"Director Zhou, I’d like to ask you about something."

"Go ahead."

"Does the farm’s supply depot have any Qi Blood Potions for sale?"

Before Zhou Ping could even open his mouth to answer, Wang Meng, who was in line behind Han Feng to buy some water, practically exploded.

"You want to buy Potions?"

Wang Meng strode over, his eyes wide as dinner plates as he stared at Han Feng like he was an idiot.

"Brother, has all that flying gone to your head?"

"The supplies at these frontline outposts are all shipped from the city! Once you factor in shipping, insurance, and spoilage, the prices are more than twenty percent higher than back in the city!"

Old Liu, who was nearby, also ambled over with his tea mug to chime in.

"That’s right, Xiaohan. We’re rotating back to the city in a few days anyway."

"It’d be a better deal to buy from the Black Market than to buy here."

"Buying medicine here is just handing your money straight to Zhou Bapi."

The man they called "Zhou Bapi" didn’t get angry in the slightest.

He simply chuckled, adjusting his gold-rimmed glasses as he listened to them go back and forth.

It was, after all, common knowledge.

Unless you were completely out of ammo and food, nobody would be foolish enough to buy supplies at an outpost outside the Safe Zone.

A few other guards still eating in the cafeteria also shot him looks of surprise.

’Looks like this kid isn’t a shrewd calculator, but a genuine idiot.’

Of course, Han Feng knew things were more expensive out here.

But he was also keenly aware of his body’s current condition.

’The Sword Control Technique is a bottomless money pit.’

’The moment I start flying, I’m not just burning fuel—I’m burning through my own life force.’

’Without the support of Potions, my meager Qi Blood can’t take much more high-intensity strain.’

’Money sitting in an account is just a string of cold numbers.’

’Only when it becomes a Potion in my stomach and gets converted into strength in my muscles does it become a true asset.’

"Director Zhou, do you have them or not?"

Han Feng ignored everyone’s attempts to dissuade him, his gaze fixed calmly on Zhou Ping.

Zhou Ping pushed the glasses up the bridge of his nose, and his smile grew even more shrewd.

"Now, now, Captain Wang, Brother Liu, you can’t put it like that."

Zhou Ping waved his hand, an earnest look on his face.

"When dealing with outsiders, of course we have to go by the book."

"But you gentlemen are the farm’s saviors! No matter how unscrupulous I, Zhou Ping, may be, I could never profit off my own benefactors!"

He paused, and his tone shifted, now laced with a merchant’s cunning.

"A ’Rhino’ brand Middle Tier Recovery Potion has a standard market price of three hundred Contribution Points per vial."

"But today, to thank all of you for fighting tooth and nail for us, I’m making an executive decision. I’ll give you all a special, internal price: two hundred and fifty points per vial!"

"Two-fifty?!"

Wang Meng’s eyes went wide.

That was fifty points cheaper than in the city!

It was even lower than the price they got by pulling strings through their own internal channels!

"Did Fatty Zhou take the wrong medicine today?"

Wang Meng shot a look at Old Liu, his face a mask of disbelief.

Zhou Ping didn’t take offense, just chuckled and continued.

"However, the farm is a large operation, and we can’t afford to lose money on a deal."

"So, this special offer comes with one small condition."

He extended a chubby finger and swiped a few times on his datapad, pulling up a combat statistics report.

"Today’s rule is this: for every five hundred Contribution Points’ worth of Demon Beasts you kill, you earn one credit."

"Each credit allows you to purchase one Potion at that special price."

Zhou Ping explained with a beaming smile.

"Any Potions purchased beyond that limit will have to be at a ten percent markup on the original price—that is, three hundred thirty points each."

The moment this rule was announced, the cafeteria erupted in a flurry of activity.

"Let me see what my kill count is..."

"I took down seven Iron-toothed Rats and two Mad Rabbits today. That’s eleven thousand points total, so I can get twenty-two vials!"

"Haha, fifteen is enough for me. I can save a ton of points that way."

The squad members all swiped open their personal terminals, calculating their combat earnings and purchase credits, their faces beaming with delight.

This was basically a bonus; no one was going to refuse.

Wang Meng was also grinning from ear to ear. His earnings for the day were substantial; getting thirty vials would be no problem at all.

Zhou Ping tapped his datapad a few times. When he looked up, his smile was tinged with a hint of admiration.

"Technician Han, your personally confirmed Demon Beast kills today total twenty-three thousand, eight hundred Contribution Points."

"According to the rules, your purchase credit is..."

Zhou Ping deliberately dragged out the suspense before announcing the number with emphasis.

"Forty-seven."

A sharp intake of breath could be heard around the room.

The few squad members still calculating their own totals froze in unison.

The wide grin on Wang Meng’s face froze in place, his jaw hanging agape.

Forty-seven vials!

One man’s total was equal to that of two or three of them combined!

He knew Han Feng’s Spear Technique was accurate and that he always went for the big targets, but he never imagined the gap between them would be this outrageous.

Han Feng paid no mind to everyone’s reactions.

He swiped open his personal terminal, bringing up the payment screen.

His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried clearly to every person in the room.

"Forty-seven vials. I’ll take them all."