Chapter 102: Problem with Housing
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Dragon City was constantly getting ready for war. Hence, the students’ winter holiday was very short. Even if they could finally get the rare chance to catch their breath after their national college examination, their holiday only lasted for around a month.
During that one month, Meng Chao was really busy.
First, he was interviewed by all sorts of media. The school and education department rewarded him, and he had to join quite a lot of social events. He, thus, became a familiar face in various events.
Then, he went to the underground 3D graveyard that was shaped like a bees nest to pay his respects to Princ.i.p.al Sun. He offered a bouquet and virtual flowers to the heroic citizen’s electronic tombstone.
His cooperation with Luo Hai, Ning Shewo, and Yan Organization progressed smoothly. He managed to get a lot of money from them, but that was secondary. The key was that through them, he managed to enter the higher social circle, and it was highly beneficial for his next plan.
The most important thing he did, however, was seizing every second he had to train madly.
Under Ning Shewo’s recommendation, he joined the youth summer cla.s.s from Thunderbolt and practiced his harvesting as well as hunting skills.
Hunting was an art that did not just encompa.s.s martial arts. It included skills such as identifying the monsters’ habits and breathing, setting up all sorts of traps, identifying etherealized plants, using all sorts of outdoor survival skills, and working together with superhuman squads as well as the army.
They had to learn everything, including astronomy and geography, and the contents of the lessons were even richer than encyclopedias.
Meng Chao absorbed the information like a sponge that had been exposed to the sun. He learned like a man dying of thirst.
He used his contribution points to stimulate his brain, so his brain cells were even more active than a normal person’s, and his learning efficiency was even higher.
He also had rich fighting experience from the memory fragments from his previous life, which allowed him to use his theoretical knowledge in real fights.
After consecutively defeating more than ten great fighters in the youth camp and the reserve members of Thunderbolt, Meng Chao managed to stand out.
Ning Shewo also worked with him in several highly difficult harvests, and all the higher-ups in Thunderbolt learned of his existence.
Hence, even before he went through the university school gates, Thunderbolt brought out a major contract in hopes that he would sign it early on.
Even if he could not take up any missions during his university days, he could get cultivation resources monthly as his education fees. After his graduation, he would then become an official member.
Thunderbolt was a huge fighting squad with property worth more than one hundred million. The conditions they offered were really great as well.
But Meng Chao did not want to be bound by any force of power, so he tactfully refused the agreement.
Of course, when there were missions that could be completed after going into the fog just once, he would not refuse working together with Thunderbolt.
During the day, he trained hard, and at night, he turned into a keyboard warrior on the deep web’s life science forum to discuss with the netizens whether branch meridians could be used to fight.
Over the month, Meng Chao focused on reading all the articles written by Blade Dancer Gu Jianbo regarding cultivation with the branch meridians.
Then, based on what he generally remembered about the train of thought of the Ultimate Style, he carried out a brand new inference.
Through Ning Shewo, he got himself a lot of data regarding monster mutation and evolution.
Then, he added this data into his inference and came up with the conclusion that as the monsters’ body structure kept mutating and evolving, the importance of chain attacks would become more important as time pa.s.sed. The weaknesses of killing moves would become a fatal danger to superhumans and they would be forced to change their fighting style.
The Overkill Style was currently very influential. Naturally, many of its believers refused to accept the possibility of its dangers, and they engaged in a fight online.
Meng Chao’s hands flew over the keyboard so quickly that sparks would start appearing if he went any faster. He argued vigorously but cheerfully with the learned people.
When it came to a fight of ideals in martial arts, it was very difficult for him to convince others of his view with empty words.
Meng Chao just hoped that Gu Jianbo would see these arguments and gain some enlightenment.
At the very least, when he went to Agricultural University’s martial arts course and looked for Gu Jianbo, he would bring out these threads to show that his sincerity did not come as a whim. Instead, he really wanted to be the Ultimate Technique’s creator’s... eldest disciple.
Just like that, half a month went by.
On the day he received the enrollment notice from his university, another good news arrived.
Due to his outstanding contribution, their family’s points were enough for them to get a larger public renting house that was located at a better location.
“This is what they call houses for talented people! Swan Garden is just so stylish!”
On a clear morning, Meng Chao brought his family to look at their new house.
Bai Jiacao brought with her Big Tooth, the biochemical pet their neighbor, Granny w.a.n.g had given to her.
The girl and dog were both very excited. They looked around and occasionally gasped in amazement.
Meng Chao and Bai Suxin both looked happy.
The houses in Swan Garden were all less than ten years old, and the environment was much better than in Blessed Heavenly Garden.
When they sucked in deep breaths, they did not smell the scent of roasted food, which they could not get rid of no matter what before.
Besides, the house they obtained was a three-bedroom apartment which was more than ninety square meters.
Based on Meng Yishan’s contributions in killing monsters over the years and the contribution Meng Chao made when he killed the b.l.o.o.d.y Moon Wolf King, the Meng family could get a large apartment with 105 square meters of s.p.a.ce. The family members could each have their own room, aside from the parents.
“How is it?” Meng Chao puffed out his chest and said to his mother and sister, “If you’re pleased with it, Dad and I will go to the housing management office in the afternoon to deal with the procedures. Then, our home will change from Blessed Heavenly Garden to Swan Garden.”
Meng Yishan and Bai Suxin looked at each other. Then, at the same time, they looked at their daughter. “Little Cao, do you like this place?”
“Yeah. The environment here is good, the apartment is big, and the windows are clean. Who wouldn’t like this place?”
Bai Jiacao tugged at Big Tooth, and they ran around the tiny garden so much that they broke out in a thin sheen of sweat.
She shut her eyes and sucked in a breath of sweet air. Then, she smiled, showing off the two dimples on her cheeks.
“So, it’s settled?” Meng Chao asked.
“Mm...” Bai Jiacao suddenly seemed conflicted.
“What is it?” Meng Chao alertly saw his sister’s hesitation.
“I do like it. If you told me two months ago that we’d be moving here, I’d definitely not say anything else and pack up. I’d be ecstatic to be able to live in such a good apartment!”
Bai Jiacao’s smile faded. She crouched down and touched Big Tooth’s fur. “I miss Granny w.a.n.g,” she said softly.
Meng Chao’s heart tensed up. “Are you still blaming yourself? I told you that Granny w.a.n.g’s sacrifice had nothing to do with you!”
“I’m not blaming myself. I just think that Granny w.a.n.g and many of our neighbors fought together and paid a huge price to defend Blessed Heavenly Garden.
“Now, if we move away, we won’t be able to fight together with our neighbors anymore. It’ll feel like we’re running away!” The girl looked up, and her eyes shone with a stubborn spark. “I don’t want to run away.”
Meng Chao laughed in spite of himself. “Well... Even if we move to Swan Garden, we can still fight monsters, you know?”
“No. Big Brother, think about it.” Bai Jiacao used her fingers to count her points and a.n.a.lyzed the situation seriously for her family. “Swan Garden is a place offering houses for talented people. Even if the citizens living here are not war heroes, they are still talented people in other areas. Besides, I just checked it out. The high-pressure elevator and automatic guns over here are much better than in our area. They’re definitely much stronger too.
“I’m not even going to mention Dragon City No.1. Heaven Realm elites like Soul Breaking Saber Luo Wu living there. Which stupid monster would dare to crawl into Dragon City No.1? They’d pee their metaphorical pants in fear before entering here. They wouldn’t dare to come and show their claws.
“But Blessed Heavenly Garden is full of normal citizens, and its defense system has not been maintained for years. Weren’t we nearly taken down by monsters last time?
“The Survival Committee has its policies and say that those who have contributed can go to the much better equipped houses for talented people. When people get into university and get rich, they also buy much safer commercial houses that have a better environment, but if that’s the case, as time pa.s.ses, the people left in Blessed Heavenly Garden will be the old and the sick.
“Big Brother, you mentioned a few days ago that we’ll face more monsters in the future, and the number of attacks they launch at us will increase. If only the old and sick remain in Blessed Heavenly Garden, how can they possibly win?
“I’m naturally happy to move into a good area like Swan Garden, but while I sit comfortably in a huge living room with clean windows and high-quality spirit energy blowing at me, many students and their parents will have to fight monsters in Blessed Heavenly Garden. When I think about this, I feel conflicted.”
Meng Chao and his parents looked at each other.
They did not think that the carefree youngest member of their family would say such words.
“I’m sorry.” Bai Jiacao’s face turned red. “Am I being too wilful? You’ve finally gotten us such a big apartment, and yet I destroyed everyone’s mood.”
“It’s fine. It’s not as if I risked my life for this, anyway,” Meng Chao said sincerely. “Sis, you’ve grown a lot over this period of time. I agree with what you said. Dad, Mom, what do you think?”
“We’ll definitely listen to you. As long as you’re happy, how can we not be happy?” Bai Suxin looked around her with a smile. “Besides, we’ve lived for years in Blessed Heavenly Garden. I have my mahjong friends there, so if you ask me to move here, I’ll miss them. By the way, the fat lady also asked me to go practice square martial arts with them when my legs are fully treated!”
“Dad, what about you?”
“I’m fine either way. As long as you’re all happy, we can live wherever you want!” Meng Yishan grinned. “In any case, you’ve already got the enrollment notice from Agricultural University. Thunderbolt also wants to sign an agreement with you. We’ll have plenty of chances to live in commercial houses that are better and bigger than this, so why should we be bothered about such a small apartment for talented people?”
“You’re right.” Meng Chao clenched his fists. His eyes sparkled. “We’re not going to change, because when we do, we’ll move to a proper apartment in one go. When Dragon City wins the Monster War beautifully, we’ll move straight to Dragon City No.1 and stay there. As for now, we’ll listen to Jiacao and continue living in Blessed Heavenly Garden so that we can fight together with our friends!”
“That’s right. Blessed Heavenly Garden is our home. I’ll take over Granny w.a.n.g’s mission and beat up all the b.i.t.c.hes who dare show up at our place!” Bai Jiacao swung her tiny fists vigorously.
Big Tooth barked.
“Ah, I’m not talking about you. Alright, monsters, then. I’ll beat up all the monsters, kay? You’re a big dog, why is your heart so weak?” The girl quickly hugged the biochemical pet.
The matter of them changing apartments was solved in an unexpected manner.
On the second day the Meng family decided to stay in Blessed Heavenly Garden, Granny w.a.n.g’s granddaughter came over from next door to bid them goodbye.
Since Granny w.a.n.g joined the Eternal Journey, her granddaughter received special treatment. She could move to a public renting house that was closer to her school and had better conditions.
Hence, the apartment next to the Meng family became empty.
It gave Meng Chao a thought. He searched online for the housing policy and found that citizens like him, who were eighteen years old, could move out of their family home and live alone. Of course, that was if he had the right to apply for a single public renting house from the housing management office.
There were limited apartments in Dragon City, and they had to queue up when they applied for public renting houses.
There were all sorts of conditions that gave them marks, such as whether they had served in the military before, whether they were injured, whether they had contributed to the society, whether they were married, whether they had children, how high their realms were, how many monsters they had killed, and other conditions. Those who scored high were prioritized.
Meng Chao might be single, but he had contributed greatly and declined a huge apartment in Swan Garden. Soon, based on his will and the public procedures, he managed to get Granny w.a.n.g’s public renting house.
In this manner, the family managed to increase its living s.p.a.ce, and everyone gained some privacy without having to leave their familiar environment and neighbors. Next time, when monsters showed, they could still fight together. It was great.
After they were done with moving, they set off a few firecrackers with great excitement, and the day for new students to register in the university arrived.