Chapter 89: The First Salary
"Only three and a half stars," Mason said with a look of disappointment.
He even wondered if he would have been rewarded with a portable Delta-6 Accelerator Suit if he'd achieved a perfect five-star rating.
The image of Duke and Ripcord charging recklessly through the streets of Paris in their Delta-6 Accelerator Suits was still vivid in his mind.
In Mason's opinion, the equipment was completely wasted on them. Limited by ordinary human reaction speeds, the Delta Accelerator Suit couldn't perform at its full potential with them.
If he could get one to wear—Mason even felt confident he could go toe-to-toe with early Iron Man armor. He could dominate in ordinary combat situations.
When he'd left G.I. Joe, if it weren't for the encryption system on the suit, he would have secretly taken one.
He examined the metal gauntlets the System had rewarded him with—no, they were actually a pair of metal wrist guards.
Although called gauntlets, what Mason saw before him were a pair of silver wrist guards about three fingers wide.
He took out the wrist guards and fastened them to his wrists. He felt no discomfort as his skin and the metal meshed together seamlessly. Following the instructions, he forcefully shook his hands downward, and with a series of crisp metallic clicks, layers of metal spread down from his wrists, quickly enveloping his palms.
The metal gauntlets fit perfectly over his hands, and wearing them didn't even hinder Mason's normal hand movements. Compared to the bulky gauntlets made for him by G.I. Joe, these from the Time-Space Courier Company were far superior.
These were mechanized gauntlets. Apart from the acceleration sensor for activation, all other functions required triggering specific mechanisms on the gauntlets.
His previous gauntlets had required him to clasp his hands together, lock the grooves in his palms, and then flip a switch to deploy the blades.
But his new gauntlets were much simpler—he only needed to spread his fingers and curl them to activate the sensor, instantly extending the blades.
Mason experimented repeatedly, quickly mastering the technique and thoroughly enjoying himself.
While this equipment couldn't compare to the Delta Accelerator Suit, in Mason's eyes, it was already cutting-edge technology.
Most importantly, it could be brought into mission worlds and stored in his personal interface—that was the real value.
He stowed the gauntlets, then opened the mission rewards to begin the battery upgrade. The progress bar slowly increased, and Mason felt a slight vibration in the center of his chest.
He opened his interface again and found some new information in his profile.
Physical Attributes: 2.84
Mental Endurance: 2.91
Energy Level: 0
Funds: 920 System Points
"Is this my paycheck?"
The happiness came so suddenly he didn't react immediately.
He only noticed after checking his personal information that at his current level, he needed to complete one mission per month, and his monthly salary would be deposited after mission completion.
A notification appeared on his interface. Mason opened it and found that he'd received his first salary and the System Shop had been unlocked. Mason accessed the shop interface, and several rows of items appeared.
Super Repair Fluid and Nanomite Injection were listed, priced at 1000 and 1200 respectively. He even saw the Super Soldier Serum he'd obtained before, priced at a staggering 4000!
However, whether because he'd already used it or because he lacked sufficient funds, the Super Soldier Serum was grayed out and unavailable for purchase.
Besides these, the Delta-6 Accelerator Suit that Mason had previously encountered, and the Nanomite Enhancement Compound that Rex had used, were also in the product catalog. However, looking at the prices, he could only lament his insufficient funds...
There must be other ways to earn System Points, otherwise, with his current income, he'd never be able to afford these items—especially since he needed to save funds to manifest his true body in missions.
Out of sight, out of mind. Mason closed his interface and lay down on the bed, drifting off to sleep.
Lower City District, a residence on the banks of the River.
In this era, detached houses like the ones Mason had owned before his transmigration were virtually nonexistent. With population density at unprecedented levels, every square meter was incredibly valuable.
This cluster of residential towers on the riverbanks was one of the most luxurious in the entire Lower City District.
Inside these buildings, courtyards, terraces, and even artificial gardens and water features could be created if desired. One could even install holographic projectors throughout the entire space to completely simulate natural environments.
Meanwhile, in one of these residences, a grim-faced young man, shirtless, was relentlessly sparring with the training android in front of him.
Along the young man's muscle lines, at key joints, were coin-sized circular devices, all interconnected and flashing rhythmically with his exertion.
"Faster, faster! You need to fully activate the compound!" a harsh voice commanded from outside the training area.
Hearing this, the young man roared, activating the devices on his body. A powerful electrical surge flashed, and stimulated by it, his attacks became even more ferocious. Finally, with a roar, he delivered a punch that sent the training android flying.
The young man, drenched in sweat as if pulled from water, collapsed to his knees, panting heavily.
"W-what's the reading?" he gasped.
"Peak limit 2.98!"
"Donolin, you need to push harder."
"Damn it!" The android offered Donolin a towel, which he angrily swatted away.
"Why is it only 0.02 points short! Father is returning next month. If he discovers I haven't reached the threshold for the first energy level, he'll definitely give up on me!" Donolin roared furiously.
"It's all those incompetent Huang family's fault! If I hadn't wasted time with them, I would have reached the threshold by now!"
"Frauds! They wasted my time!"
After a long while, Donolin finally calmed down. "Uncle Cade, please help me think of something. You're a renowned pharmacologist—you must have some special formulas stored away, right?"
Donolin said hopefully to the figure standing below.
The man Donolin called Uncle Cade was a middle-aged man around 40 years old. In major corporations, besides elemental warriors, there are certain professions that command high respect, and pharmacologists are among them.
This profession's name is said to originate from ancient Earth. They are proficient in various elements and materials, and even have comprehensive knowledge of many alien species on other planets. Each of them is a top-tier biochemical expert.
The elemental energy compounds needed for advancement and the subsequent gene-augmentation reagents all depend on them, making them a highly respected, elite profession.
Cade, with pale skin but exceptionally bright eyes, crossed his arms and said meaningfully, "There is a method, but... you'll have to pay a price."
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