In a certain world undergoing spiritual recovery.
"It seems the effect of the Heavy Rain Recovery Potion is quite exceptional."
Shen Qingluo sighed with emotion after reading the chat logs.
Staring at the potion bottle shimmering with brilliant, exotic light, she reached out and flipped it upside down, watching the specks of light inside trickle down to the bottom like an hourglass.
In the Dimensional Chat Group, the rights of the group leader and members were identical, so it had similarly cost 100 group points.
Yet, aside from this potion bottle filled with gilded liquid, there was also a Level 1 item on Shen Qingluo's desk: a Ghost-Repelling Peach Wood Sword, inscribed with the four prominent characters "Immune to All Evils."
After a long moment, she withdrew her gaze and leaned back comfortably in her computer chair.
With this thing around, going to sleep felt remarkably secure.
It was just that she wondered which group member's world could feature a sudden attack by the dead, making this item clearly a bit of a chicken rib.
……
Meanwhile, Lin Mai was browsing the Level 1 mall as well.
"Let's buy 5 Heavy Rain Recovery Potions first."
When group points crossed the threshold into a new permission level, the previous mall would not be overwritten.
Unlike the output enhancements of the Level 2 mall, the Level 1 mall might seem a bit underwhelming at first glance, but everything in it was actually practical and affordable, and the entire inventory was imbued with an atmosphere that worshipped mechanical ascension.
"Detected group point balance: 3,988 points. Would you like to purchase 5 [Heavy Rain Recovery Potions]? A total of 500 group points is required."
"Yes."
Lin Mai commanded.
In an instant, the 5 Heavy Rain Recovery Potions transformed into a surge of pure energy that swirled in the air before slowly merging into the car's chassis.
Gleaming with a gilded luster, they could now be summoned alongside the floating machine cannons with just a slight mental call, effectively becoming a part of this Maybach's arsenal.
"..."
"I see. If a car doesn't have hands, this is how it gets repaired and restored."
He came to a sudden realization.
This chat group was surprisingly considerate.
If these 5 bottles of potion had simply been left rolling around in the trunk, the 500 points would likely have gone straight down the drain, soon to be thrown away by the owner Chu Tianjiao or have their true purpose discovered.
"Then what about this Ghost-Repelling Peach Wood Sword..."
Lin Mai's gaze drifted back to the mall.
"As defunct relics, logically speaking, Dead Servants and corpse-guards should also count as this sort of thing, right?"
He pondered for a moment, then went ahead and bought one online as well.
It might just come in handy at a critical moment.
"Do you wish to finish shopping? Current group point balance detected: 3,398 points."
"Finish."
With a thought, Lin Mai closed the group mall.
Little did he know that he had become the only group member capable of properly using the Ghost-Repelling Peach Wood Sword.
[Viaduct in the Storm]: "Spent a while shopping in the mall, finally ran through my points."
[The Infamous V]: "Ran through them..."
[The Infamous V]: "May I ask the senior big shot, are the items in the Level 2 mall exceptionally expensive?"
[Viaduct in the Storm]: "Yes."
[Viaduct in the Storm]: "Every item costs over 1,000 points, and once you buy them, they sell out with a limit of one per person. Still, the boost to one's strength is quite substantial."
[I Am the Cosmic Rich Woman]: "Really?"
[I Am the Cosmic Rich Woman]: "Come to think of it, it does make sense. After all, unlocking it required 1,000 group points in the first place, so it's only logical that the goods inside carry such a high price tag."
[I Am the Cosmic Rich Woman]: "Sigh, daily check-ins give so few points; who knows when I'll ever scrape together 1,000. I guess I'll just have to wait for missions."
[I Am the Cosmic Rich Woman]: "Work is so exhausting, I'm going to take a break."
[Group Leader / Dimensional Cute Newbie]: "Yikes."
[Group Leader / Dimensional Cute Newbie]: "How come you all act like you're worked to death? Living that corporate slave life."
"..."
Exiting the chat group interface, Lin Mai's vision returned to reality.
Aside from Asta and V having actual work to do, he naturally had his own job as well: driving this father and son around.
"Click."
As the car keys clicked at his waist, the door cracked open a fraction, and Chu Zihang and the newly returned Chu Tianjiao climbed into the spacious cabin one after another.
The engine started, the roar of the internal combustion engine sounded, and gasoline was consumed under the momentum of speed.
Before long, the car pulled away from the residential villa area where Chu Zihang lived and headed out onto the highway.
"Where did you go last night?"
Chu Zihang looked at Chu Tianjiao in the front passenger seat, speaking with a trace of hesitation.
"Just had a bit to drink, business socialization."
Chu Tianjiao said casually.
Although Half-bloods possessed boundless stamina, they would still occasionally betray a hint of exhaustion.
Especially for Chu Tianjiao, who had been keeping watch on Lu Mingfei for days, dark circles under his eyes could no longer be kept from appearing naturally.
"Oh."
Chu Zihang didn't press further.
"..."
Lin Mai silently observed all this with his own eyes. Of course he knew what Chu Tianjiao's job was—this middle-aged man definitely hadn't just been out having a few drinks.
It was a pity the man trusted no one; the car's driving records were strictly limited to Shilan Middle School and Chu Zihang's home, a simple line between two points, and any destinations beyond that were reached by driving himself there manually.
As long as he managed to break free later on, seizing this thread tied to Chu Tianjiao would inevitably alter the destinies of certain key figures.
Ling, Jiu De Mai, Su Enxi... In the current timeline, Lu Mingfei was still only in his first year of junior high; who knew what kind of butterfly effect this might trigger.
Of course, for now, keeping a low profile was the wisest course of action.
Thirty minutes later.
Shilan Middle School, highway parking bay.
The Maybach's engine roared, halting near the school gates in a spot that looked exceptionally eye-catching.
Chu Tianjiao and Chu Zihang stepped out of the car one after the other.
"Remember, pay attention in class."
Chu Tianjiao instructed.
"Mm."
Chu Zihang nodded, then walked through the school gates, gradually receding into the distance.
Watching his biological son off to school, Chu Tianjiao let out a sigh, tightened his jacket, and walked through the old neighborhood in the opposite direction.
Next to arrive on the scene was Lu Mingfei.
He clearly hadn't slept well last night; his complexion was pale and feeble, and the backpack on his shoulders felt as heavy as a mountain, as if it could crush his frail frame at any moment.
"Whoa!"
Suddenly, upon catching sight of their car, Lu Mingfei looked as though he had seen a ghost and broke into a run, rushing headlong into the school grounds.
At this sight, Lin Mai couldn't help but chuckle softly.
His car had quite a reputation now; having once manifested its majesty right in front of people in an underground parking garage, it was bound to terrify someone with Lu Mingfei's hypocritical fondness for dragons.
"Sure enough, if people grow up in the same environment, their future personalities are just scaled-up versions of who they are now."
"In other words, the current Liu Miaomiao, Zhao Menghua, Chen Wenwen, and Su Xiaoqiang are probably not all that different from how they'll turn out in the future..."
Just as Lin Mai was intently observing the passersby, a system prompt suddenly rang out.
"Congratulations to the new group member for joining the Dimensional Chat Group! The group chat nickname [Broad-Minded Iron Man] has been automatically generated!"
Meanwhile, the group chat, which had previously fallen into dead silence, instantly erupted into a frenzy!