Han Feng was silent and didn't answer.
Uncle Sun thought his words hadn't sunk in.
He thought the young man, having just experienced his first real bloodshed, had lost his resolve.
He spoke again, his tone heavier, emphasizing every word.
"My old captain once told me something, and today, I'm passing it on to you."
"If you don't seize every opportunity to grow stronger while you still can..."
"Then when danger comes, you'll be powerless to protect everything you have—including your own life!"
With that, Uncle Sun clapped Han Feng firmly on the shoulder again.
Without another word, he turned and shuffled back to his recliner.
He left Han Feng standing there alone.
After a long moment, Han Feng looked up.
His gaze traveled past the damaged aircraft and toward the distant, towering silhouette of East Sea Fortress City.
It was a place of brilliant lights and perfect order.
But here at his feet lay a wilderness stained with blood.
He finally understood why he had fought so desperately to get into a Martial Arts University.
Why he never dared to slack off for even a moment.
Because he was afraid.
He was afraid of that feeling of powerlessness as he watched life slip away before his very eyes.
He was afraid of his destiny being toyed with by this cruel world.
East Sea Martial Arts University was nothing but a gilded cage, a temporary sanctuary.
In four years, when he graduated, he would still have to face the raging storms outside the walls alone.
'If I want resources, I have to risk my life in the wilderness.'
'If I want stability, I need strength that puts me above the rules.'
'It's a vicious cycle.'
'The shackles that no one from the bottom can ever escape.'
He hated this feeling!
Before, he might have had no choice but to struggle in despair.
He would have had to pin all his hopes on the vague promise of bitter, arduous cultivation.
But now, things were different!
'I have a system!'
'The Sword Immortal Cultivation Assistant!'
'It isn't just a cheat that lets me fly a plane.'
'It's my only hope of shattering my destiny and breaking free from these shackles!'
"Get stronger... I have to get stronger, as fast as possible!"
Han Feng clenched his fists.
His knuckles turned white from the pressure.
A sharp pain pricked his palms, but it was nothing compared to the burning urgency in his heart.
He had to use every resource at his disposal and push the system's functions to their absolute limit!
The gloom in his heart was swept away.
In its place was an ambition as fiery as molten lava.
'Danger could arrive at any moment.'
'So, right now, while I still have the ability, I will get brutally strong, no matter the cost!'
Having figured all this out, the weight in Han Feng's eyes was replaced by a sharp and resolute glint.
He turned and walked over to Uncle Sun.
He pulled the recently credited chip card from his pocket and waved it in front of the old man.
"Uncle Sun, take the cost of the plane repairs out of this."
"Exchange the rest for flight time."
Without even lifting his eyelids, Uncle Sun said lazily,
"No more flying today. The plane needs a major overhaul. Get lost."
Han Feng wasn't annoyed. He just smiled.
"Alright, I'll settle up next time I'm here."
He strode purposefully toward the lights of the maglev station in the distance.
His footsteps were steady, each one landing with unshakable firmness.
After taking the maglev back to the university, Han Feng didn't head back to his dorm, instead going straight to the public lounge in the maintenance department.
He found a secluded corner to sit down, finally having a moment to take stock of his earnings for the day.
A net gain of 35,000 Contribution Points from a single battle.
The money felt like it was burning a hole in his pocket.
Every last point was stained with the blood of the guard named Brother Wang and the desperate will to live of Feng Biao's group.
His Cultivation had increased from Body Tempering Fifth Layer (392/1000) to (407/1000).
His Skill Proficiency in the "Sword Control Technique" had reached [Entry Level: 210/1000].
He had also grasped three practical skills: [Spiral Charge], [Reversal of Heaven and Earth], and [Sword Qi Release].
Just as he was calculating how to use this huge sum to raise his strength another notch, his personal terminal suddenly vibrated.
An encrypted official communication popped up.
Sender: [East Sea Fortress City Defense Center].
His heart skipped a beat, and he immediately opened it.
A virtual light screen unfolded, displaying a stately city crest.
[Auxiliary Defense Roster Certification Notice]
[D Level Student: Han Feng (ID: EHDX-735491)]
[In recognition of your exceptional aerial combat skills and dauntless fighting spirit during today's "Black Stone Mountain Ridge Incident," and for your outstanding contribution to the protection of the lives and property of Fortress City citizens.]
[Following an evaluation by the Operations Command of the City Defense Center, you are hereby officially inducted into the "East Sea Fortress City Auxiliary Defense Roster."]
[Initial Level Assessment: Bronze One-Star]
[Auxiliary Defense permissions have been enabled. You may now log in to the "City Defense Mission System" to accept missions corresponding to your level.]
[Completing missions will grant rewards of Contribution Points, Merit Points, and Permission Points.]
[Merit Points can be used to redeem special supplies and technologies.]
[Permission Points can be used to raise your Auxiliary Defense level and unlock greater clearance.]
[May you continue to lend your strength to the defense of East Sea Fortress City!]
[—East Sea Fortress City Defense Center]
Han Feng's eyes grew brighter and brighter as he read the notification.
An Auxiliary Defense Roster member!
This was equivalent to being an officially certified "reserve combatant"!
Even though it was only the lowest Bronze Level, it meant that he had gone from being an ordinary student to having one foot inside the East Sea Fortress City's defense system!
He followed the prompt and tapped the new "City Defense Mission System" icon.
A brand-new interface opened up.
[Patrol Mission: Assist the City Defense Army in patrolling Airspace X-3 and detecting traces of Demon Beasts. Mission Level: Bronze One-Star. Reward: 500 Contribution Points per hour, 10 Merit Points.]
[Escort Mission: Escort a research team to 'Golden Ears Farm' to collect samples. Mission Level: Bronze Two-Stars. Reward: 3,000 Contribution Points, 50 Merit Points.]
[Extermination Mission: Clear out the 'Rotting Skin Ghosts' in the abandoned factory district outside the city. Mission Level: Bronze Three-Stars. Requirement: Team of at least three. Reward: 8,000 Contribution Points, 150 Merit Points.]
Han Feng's heart began to pound as he looked at these missions.
'This isn't just a mission system, it's a superhighway to becoming powerful!'
He was no longer the poor kid who could only do odd jobs at the mechanic shop, scraping together Contribution Points to "burn" on training.
From this day forward, he could legitimately earn money while practicing Sword Control Cultivation!
But when he tried to tap the "Apply" button for a patrol mission, a red warning popped up.
[Application Denied: You do not have a registered flight vehicle that meets the standards for Auxiliary Defense missions.]
Han Feng paused for a moment, then smiled.
'Of course,' he thought. 'There's no such thing as a free lunch.'
'If you want to take official jobs, you need officially approved equipment.'
Uncle Sun's Initial Training-3 was unregistered; he could never fly it on an official mission.
The trip to Black Stone Mountain Ridge had been a complete exception.
"Looks like I need to sort out a vehicle first."
Han Feng wasn't the least bit discouraged. On the contrary, his goal became even clearer.
He immediately switched over to the university's internal exchange and began searching the used vehicle section.
This time, he wasn't just browsing. He was a hungry predator, inspecting what would be his first true weapon.
["Feiyan-7" Single-Pilot Reconnaissance Craft (Lightly Used): Price: 350,000 Contribution Points.]
Han Feng tapped the virtual screen, doing a quick mental calculation.
'Ten missions on the level of Black Stone Mountain Ridge.'
"A possible option."
He continued scrolling.
["War Axe" First-Gen Propeller Attack Plane (Fair Condition, Overhauled Engine): Price: 580,000 Contribution Points.]
'Good firepower, but it's too old. The maintenance costs would be a bottomless pit.'
'Pass.'
His gaze finally fell upon a model he had never even dared to dream of before.
["Falcon First Generation" Decommissioned Model (Airframe Intact, Aging Spiritual Energy Core): Price: 900,000 Contribution Points.]
'The Falcon!'
'A true jet-powered Spiritual Energy Fighter!'
'Even a decommissioned model would completely blow any propeller plane out of the water!'
Nine hundred thousand Contribution Points!
A month ago, that was an astronomical sum he couldn't have saved up in a hundred years of doing odd jobs in the maintenance department.
But now...
Han Feng looked at the thirty-five thousand-point balance in his account and suddenly broke into a wide grin.
Thirty-five thousand was just a drop in the bucket compared to nine hundred thousand.
But it was his first step!
Going from zero to one is always the hardest part.
'Going from one to a hundred is just a matter of repetition!'
"Nine hundred thousand..."
Han Feng rubbed his chin, his eyes gleaming.
"Twenty-six missions like the one at Black Stone Mountain Ridge, and I can take it home."
"And if I can raise my Auxiliary Defense level and take on higher-paying missions, it'll be even faster!"
At that moment, the goal in Han Feng's mind was clearer than it had ever been.
'Eat your meal one bite at a time, walk the road one step at a time.'
The most urgent task was to convert the thirty-five thousand Contribution Points he had on hand into tangible strength.
The stronger he became, the faster he could earn money.
And the faster he earned money, the faster his strength would grow!