Later.

  In the basement's reception room.

  Xia Li sat on the sofa, savoring the half-cup of sake Yagyu Chihaya had poured for him.

  Yagyu Chihaya now sat across from him.

  Their relationship had eased somewhat. After all, nothing had happened between them serious enough to become sworn enemies—just a gap in values.

  "Now, let's talk business."

  "Xia Li, after that match, you made it to number eighty on the Sudden Riches List. Overnight... more precisely, within two hours, you earned close to 300,000 spirit stones."

  "You've become a legend."

  Speaking of this, admiration for Xia Li appeared in Yagyu Chihaya's eyes. Xia Li connected to the public network to check the Sudden Riches List.

  And first place...

  Was somewhat terrifying.

  "Yolen... half a day, earned one billion."

  "Is this a person?"

  Xia Li was somewhat dumbfounded seeing his profile. Earning one billion in half a day—how was that even possible!

  Moreover, the gap between Yolen and second place was staggering.

  Second place had only earned fifty million in one day.

  "Yolen is the number one expert in contemporary neural network science. He held a presentation in New Tokyo a hundred years ago. Just counting public tips, it exceeded one billion—not including investments from corporations and other powers."

  "One billion is just the number we can see. He's not a legend—he's a myth."

  An existence more extraordinary than legends.

  "At that presentation... what did he do?"

  "Announced the fifth-generation Heaven Chip prototype, the sixth-generation Heaven Chip concept, and directed nearly a century of Heaven Chip development."

  "Where is he currently?"

  After Xia Li asked, Yagyu Chihaya pointed upward with her finger.

  "New Tokyo Upper City?"

  "No."

  "Space station?"

  "No."

  "Mars? Moon? Europa? Callisto?"

  "He's at Proxima Centauri b."

  Yagyu Chihaya gave an answer that shocked Xia Li.

  He wasn't even in the Solar System anymore.

  "What's he doing outside the Solar System?"

  "Research and exploration related to interstellar colonization. He no longer cares about Earth's affairs."

  "Which side does he belong to?"

  "Corporate Union. Currently an honorary director of all Heaven Chip corporations."

  "That's really... absurd."

  He was Corporate Union's top tier, one of the main decision-makers, and he'd already gone to develop outside the Solar System.

  No wonder Corporate Union was so powerful. If time advanced another millennium or ten thousand years, human civilization's form would be corporation-led.

  Human civilization would give birth to a terrifying collective of interests.

  A Universal Megacorp.

  "Let's not talk about him. Whatever lies ahead, at least humanity endures. He's a pioneer."

  "Perhaps..."

  From the universe's scale, whether human civilization became a Universal Megacorp or an Interstellar Empire wasn't something Xia Li needed to worry about now.

  Being in this era, do what this era allowed. Don't overthink the distant future.

  "We've identified who pushed you forward at Silver Star Group. It's Park Ji-seung, a Marketing Department executive—likely Kim Soo-tae's direct superior."

  "I'll investigate when I get the chance. Speaking of which, Kim Soo-tae isn't simple either—he's number seventy-nine on the Sudden Riches List."

  Xia Li had seen it while checking the list. He was number eighty; Kim Soo-tae was right above him, also within two hours, earning close to 400,000 spirit stones.

  "His results aren't comparable to yours. He has Silver Star Group behind him. What he earns might not even be his own."

  "Then... Yagyu Industries hopes to invite you to become an advertising spokesperson. Signing bonus of 100,000, monthly base salary of 2,000 spirit stones, one percent commission on transactions. Ten-year contract."

  Yagyu Chihaya asked if Xia Li was interested in a formal job. This compensation wasn't low at all.

  "Not interested."

  Xia Li shook his head directly. He'd rather go back to Democratic Government and volunteer than work for corporations. At least that felt better.

  "Your choice. Also, your value has increased now, you have fame—you don't need to hunt demons and monsters anymore. You could approach Kim Soo-tae through other channels. Want to switch tracks?"

  Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  "No switching."

  Xia Li knew very well that other tracks meant devouring people, trampling others, toying with others' lives.

  Hunting demons and monsters suited him better.

  "Then let's discuss your physical condition. I fitted you with Yagyu Industries' Thousand Eyes for your right eye—it mimics insect compound eye function, possessing powerful dynamic vision."

  "Besides thermal imaging, X-ray, and night vision, it also has spectral mode."

  "I replaced your cardiac reinforcement mesh with a flexible metal cardiac outer layer."

  "Two-thirds of your cheekbone was replaced with Royal Steel skeleton. Your right-side eight teeth are also Royal Steel."

  "A shock-absorbing membrane was installed in your cranium. A prosthetic Bloodhound was installed in your nasal area—extremely sensitive to blood scent."

  "A prosthetic Sound Tracker was installed in your right cochlea—can detect ultrasonic and infrasonic waves. Within a hundred meters, sound-based positioning has 98% accuracy—you can hear ants moving within range."

  Yagyu Chihaya explained Xia Li's current physical condition. Three nights ago, Xia Li had lost more than just his right eye.

  His nose and right ear had completely lost biological function. His cheekbone was beyond repair.

  After all, it was a point-blank, unprotected explosion. Not having his head blown off entirely was already thanks to Xia Li's high cultivation.

  "I... understand."

  Xia Li said nothing more. His body was becoming increasingly broken.

  "But who gave you permission to install prosthetics without asking? My injuries could have waited for flesh regeneration!"

  "Difficult."

  Yagyu Chihaya shook her head.

  "Why?!"

  "Because that night's rain was acid rain with excessive radiation levels. Your spiritual energy was overconsumed, your Spirit Core depleted. Without spiritual energy protection, by the time I brought you back it was too late—I had to emergency-remove the contaminated parts. Unless you wanted tumors growing all over your face?"

  "Follow-up anti-radiation treatment is possible."

  "It is. To preserve flesh would take most of a year, constantly cutting away mutated parts until radiation effects were completely cleared. So is your time that abundant?"

  "If so, I'll remove the modifications right now. Restoration is still possible if done now. You just need to lie down for half a year."

  Yagyu Chihaya didn't understand why Xia Li cared so much about his original biological parts. A hardcore naturalist?

  "Forget it... what's installed is installed."

  For now, intelligent prosthetics' utility far exceeded flesh bodies. He should also appropriately abandon some old notions.

  "Mm-hm, that's more like it. Now please pay—your medical fees plus prosthetics total 8,000 spirit stones."

  "What? Wait, how is it 8,000? I only got a few prosthetics!"

  "I used the best for you. Check online yourself. Besides, you're on the Sudden Riches List—you're short on spirit stones?"

  "Chihaya, aren't you going too far..."

  "No no no, not at all. This is New Tokyo. Spirit stones come fast and go fast. If you don't convert spirit stones into combat power, you're just someone else's wallet!"

  "So you do have a conscience? Why didn't you install 80,000 worth!"

  "I wanted to, but your realm's too low. This is already top-tier for Foundation Establishment."

  "You... your name really suits you. Thousand Grass would fit better—you're very thousand grass."

  Xia Li had become suddenly rich overnight, but still felt the pinch of spirit stones. After all, reaching Golden Core meant changing modifications again.

  He was already strong enough at Foundation Establishment—just installing something functional would do. Swapping a full set at Golden Core made more sense.

  "Trying to tease me with homophones? Then come grass!"

  With that, Yagyu Chihaya pointed at the large bed in the adjacent resting room. No longer hiding her aura, Golden Core spiritual power surged forth.

  "The moment I sit on you, I'll refine your vital essence in an instant. Then I can install two more kidneys for you—tearfully blood-earning another few thousand spirit stones."