Chapter 36: The Plan

Watching Li Ding pounding his chest and stomping his feet, Shen He walked over and patted him on the shoulder.
He said, “You really are afraid of your brother struggling, and afraid of your brother driving a Range Rover too!”
“Don’t overthink it. I’ll treat you to a meal, and you can take the opportunity to contact your childhood friend, see if he’s willing to earn this hundred thousand.”
At the mention of “treat to a meal,” Li Ding immediately calmed down.
He responded at once, “Alright, where are we eating?”
Shen He raised a finger, “I know a pretty good buffet place nearby.”
Li Ding wrinkled his nose in distaste, “Just buffet?”
In these past few days, their relationship had grown more and more like old friends.
So when they spoke, there was little reservation.
Shen He said, “Two hundred eighty-eight per person.”
Li Ding’s eyes widened, “That expensive? Then we have to eat.”
Shen He shot him a glance, then headed out with him.
Meanwhile, Li Jiaojiao was still teaching her female clients, meaning she’d have to wait until after class to eat in the staff canteen.
As they walked, Li Ding started messaging his childhood friend on a chat app.
Shen He, meanwhile, found a group-buy voucher for two online, and after applying the discount, the price dropped from two eighty-eight to two twenty-eight per person.
Saved another hundred and twenty.
Truly, cycling to a bar—save where you can, splurge where you must.
Soon, the two entered the buffet restaurant.
Shen He skillfully picked up a freshly baked pizza, then went to the grill chefs to order.
Hearing Shen He’s elaborate orders, Li Ding said, “No need for so much, we can’t finish it.”
Shen He glanced at him, “That’s for me. Order what you want yourself, not everyone eats as little as you.”
“Skinny dog.”
Li Ding glared, then called out to the grill chefs, “Who do you think you’re underestimating? Two thick-cut steaks and a pasta, please.”
Shen He grinned, the sarcasm thick in the air.
Not far off, a waitress glanced over and said to the middle-aged man beside her, “Manager, that guest is here again.”
The manager replied, “I see him.”
The waitress clicked her tongue, “Every time he comes, he eats so much, our costs go way over.”
The manager pointed at Li Ding, “It’s fine, this time he brought someone who can’t eat much, we won’t lose money today.”
Just then, the front desk brought over a glass of watermelon juice, glanced their way, and said, “Oh, those two used a group-buy voucher, saved a hundred and twenty.”
Hearing this, the manager clutched his chest. “Damn!”
...

Forty minutes later.

Shen He sat leisurely sipping juice, watching as Li Ding finally swallowed the last piece of meat.
He smiled, “If you can’t manage, just eat less. With your small appetite, why did you order so much?”
Li Ding struggled to lift his head, then slumped back in his chair.
Slowly, he said, “You really are a monster—so strong, and you eat like three or four people.”
“By the way, I got in touch. My buddy is willing to take the job.”
“A hundred thousand for ten days.”
“Don’t worry, he’ll teach you everything. But he’s currently with a film crew nearby, so he might not be able to come teach you right away. Do you want to wait for him, or should I find someone else for you?”
Shen He paused. “A nearby film crew? I thought they all went to Hengdian?”
Li Ding rubbed his stomach. “They’re shooting on location, just got back from Hengdian, and will be here for about half a month.”
Shen He asked, “Is it far?”
Li Ding checked the map on his phone, shook his head, “Not far, about a hundred kilometers, over in Changyuan.”
Shen He’s eyes lit up, “That’s my hometown! I’ll go find him in the next couple of days. Ask if it’s convenient for him.”
Li Ding looked surprised, “That urgent?”
Shen He smiled, “Not really, just planning to pay respects at the ancestral grave.”
He’d been away for quite a while and hadn’t been home. Now everything lined up nicely—he could visit the family tomb, see if any auspicious signs had appeared.
Li Ding tapped away on his phone for a moment.
A short while later, he looked up, “No problem, he says it’s fine. But since he has to stay with the crew, his time each day is limited, so he’ll charge you less.”
Shen He waved it off, “No need for a discount, as long as he teaches me.”
Li Ding looked down, fiddled with his phone.
Then he said, “Alright, for every day he’s there, he’ll teach you that day, no extra charge.”
Shen He smiled, “Thanks.”
The two of them sat a while longer before finally getting up to leave.
After they left, the manager came over with a busboy.
Seeing the pile of plates on the table, his heart ached even more.
...

Two-thirty in the afternoon.

Shen He appeared at the South City precinct, carrying a long, rectangular package.
By chance, he ran into Chen Zhao at the entrance.
He waved, “Captain Chen, over here...”
Chen Zhao looked up, saw Shen He, and came over with a smile. “The department’s reward has arrived in your account, hasn’t it?”
Shen He nodded, “Yes, fifty thousand in total.”
Chen Zhao said, “A hundred thousand each for the earth dragon and the mutant dog, fifteen thousand for the mutant mantis, and you don’t need to pay taxes.”

“By the way, are you here for something?”
Shen He took the package off his back and opened it, “Just here to register something.”
Chen Zhao took a look and his eyes lit up, “Wow, that’s good stuff. But you’re lucky—if you’d come yesterday, I wouldn’t have been able to handle this.”
Shen He paused, “What happened?”
Chen Zhao lowered his voice mysteriously, “There’s a new regulation from above, specifically for these mutant beast incidents. I can’t say more, but it’s a good thing.”
He led Shen He inside, “Come on, let’s get your sword registered. You’ll be able to carry it from now on.”
The whole process took less than ten minutes.
Shen He now had a new permit in his hand, complete with the South City precinct’s official seal.
Chen Zhao walked him out of the station.
Outside, Shen He glanced at the permit in his hand, scratching his head.
Was it really that simple?
He put his things away, hailed a taxi, and went home to store the alloy longsword.
Then he took another car to the nearest dealership.
No need to work a regular job anymore—he’d probably be running all over the place. Buying a car would be much more convenient.
He spent nearly two hours choosing.
In the end, he settled on a Tank 700, around half a million, but most importantly, it was tough and reliable!
And it was in stock—he could drive it away with a swipe of his card.
After dinner, when Shen He drove back to the urban village, many people turned to look at the new car.
Most residents here were workers.
Among them, very few could afford a five hundred thousand car.
Just as he parked downstairs, Lele came down the stairs, apparently heading out for dinner.
Seeing the Tank 700 behind Shen He, Lele’s eyes lit up immediately.
She ran over, touching here and there, then said, “Little brother, you’ve struck it rich? You bought such an expensive car just like that? Did you hook up with some rich lady? I thought I was the one who’d keep you once I made it big!”
Shen He replied helplessly, “I used my severance to buy it. I’m planning to go home for a while tomorrow.”
Lele looked up at him, “Are you coming back after this trip?”
Shen He nodded, “Of course I’ll come back.”
After all, the city was crowded—much higher chance of running into mutant beasts here than back home.
If he didn’t come back, how would he save the world?