Anything for the Benefit of the People

It took a long while before Li Aiguo finally turned his head, stiffly and with effort. He didn't care that his clothes were torn by the force of the blows, nor that his hair was in disarray like a bird's nest. His eyes remained fixed on Chen Dafeng.

Mike was also in shock, but having had some mental preparation, he quickly regained his composure.

"Boss, am I strong?" Chen Dafeng asked, looking at his handiwork with a proud grin, his voice full of excitement.

"Boss! Look at the fog outside—it still hasn't even condensed!"

"Boss, I feel like I could punch through the earth right now!"

"Born and raised on Earth, and yet you can't do something good?" Mike sighed, noticing that Li Aiguo was still in a daze, his eyes full of shock, envy... and something else—possessiveness?

Wait... Mike's eyes widened. This little punk wanted to steal my man!

Of course, these yellow-haired types were always trouble. Always trying to make a move like that!

"Quit laughing and pay attention to your image," Mike scolded, his tone stern. "You've made a mess of the place—help clean it up!"

Chen Dafeng snapped back to reality and noticed Old Xu, crouching down on the floor, picking up his scattered herbs with a troubled expression. He rushed over, calling out, "Hey, doctor! Let me help!"

Chen Dafeng squatted next to him, his face full of guilt. "Old Xu, I'm so sorry... I lost control there. It's all my fault! How can I make it up to you?"

Luckily, Li Aiguo didn't catch on—otherwise, he'd probably be making some kind of move to steal a woman from me.

"No need," Old Xu shook his head, his patience evident as he carefully picked up the broken herbs without scolding Chen Dafeng.

But Chen Dafeng couldn't resist, his curiosity burning. He leaned in and lowered his voice. "Old Xu... do you still have that kind of medicine? Can you get me some more?"

"No matter the price or conditions, I'll take anything!" His eyes gleamed with an intense hunger.

Mike understood exactly what Chen Dafeng was feeling. Anyone in his position would see it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and wouldn't want to let it slip by.

"What's your talent rank?" Old Xu asked, lifting his gaze and eyeing Chen Dafeng. Without hesitation, Chen Dafeng answered, "SS-rank combat talent. The effect is..."

"Forget it," Old Xu interrupted, clearly uninterested. "I've made medicine for many people. From what I've observed, talents above rank S have a much harder time gaining any significant improvement. While it's theoretically possible to reach rank SSS with medicine, the higher your talent, the lower the chance of success."

"On the other hand, those with lower-tier talents can trigger more frequent beneficial effects from these herbs."

He glanced at Li Aiguo, still frozen in shock, and sighed. "Li is a perfect example. I've been feeding him medicine daily, but he hasn't managed to reach rank SSS yet."

"I know he's under a lot of pressure. Dan Tu needs strong fighters, and he's trying everything he can. But unfortunately, his luck hasn't been on his side."

Old Xu's face showed genuine sympathy, and Chen Dafeng, sensing an opportunity, cautiously asked, "How much medicine has this Li guy taken?"

"Since the first month, it's been three or four times a day, sometimes up to ten, depending on the stock I have. But this month, his consumption has dropped a lot. It seems he's given up."

Chen Dafeng's jaw nearly hit the floor. "Damn! You've been giving him that much?!"

That's hundreds of doses over the last couple of months!

A cough broke his shock—Li Aiguo, now awake, cleared his throat, trying to cover his embarrassment. He calmly adjusted his torn clothes and turned to Chen Dafeng, smiling. "We're both designated disaster relief personnel, comrades. If you're willing, I can ask Old Xu to make you some more medicine."

"It's fine, I'm not in a hurry," Chen Dafeng quickly declined, not even waiting for Li Aiguo to finish. "My talent can level up on its own, just slower than others. It's better to leave the extra medicine for those who need it more."

Li Aiguo's disappointment was palpable, and Mike was equally surprised. Was this because the boss was here, so Chen Dafeng didn't want to accept the offer? Or was he genuinely loyal?

Mike didn't know what was going on in Chen Dafeng's mind, but at least he had turned down Li Aiguo's tempting offer.

"Li, that's enough. Any further and I might get the wrong idea," Mike warned, his voice calm but firm. This wasn't the first time Li Aiguo had tried something like this.

Li Aiguo laughed, waving it off. "Ha, don't worry, Boss. Since I've already brought out Old Xu, we're practically family now, right? You're telling me, if I borrow Chen Dafeng for a couple of days, it's not fair?"

"Oh?" Mike raised an eyebrow, catching on. "Is Dan Tu under that much pressure?"

Li Aiguo's words were starting to sound more like an invitation, almost a subtle proposition. He wanted to form a deeper cooperation, even a full alliance with Mike. And clearly, that would involve Chen Dafeng... or more specifically, his strength.

Li Aiguo may not have thought about it before, but after witnessing Chen Dafeng's power, he couldn't help but see the value in it.

And it wasn't just the punch he had thrown—Mike understood the gravity of the situation. The power of Dan Tu's talent pool, their diverse abilities, and even their investigative talents might give Li Aiguo a good understanding of what Chen Dafeng's powers could become.

"No way," Li Aiguo finally admitted, his face troubled. "I've tried everything. I've restructured shelters, changed up the talent types, even destroyed safehouses to trigger new abilities... But after tens of thousands of replacements, not a single combat talent showed up!"

Mike listened silently, a sense of understanding growing. But Li Aiguo wasn't finished. His voice grew heavy with frustration.

"It's not that there aren't any combat-related talents at all. There are a few—low-level ones, and even those can't evolve."

He stared at the ground, shaking his head. "I've tried everything. Even Old Xu's medicine doesn't help low-tier combatants level up their abilities. I think we're cursed. I really think Dan Tu is cursed!"

Li Aiguo's frustration boiled over. "What I need isn't one strong fighter—I need a whole army that can keep growing. I need power that can fight off all these threats, like the ones from Guangling!"

Mike remained calm, his voice steady. "I can help you once, twice... but not endlessly. I have my own responsibilities to fulfill too. I can't be here forever."

Li Aiguo smiled a sly grin. "Don't play coy with me. You know what I'm really asking. I want you to protect Dan Tu. Offer long-term military support."

Mike chuckled, understanding the game at play. "So bringing me here to see Old Xu was just to make me believe in what you have to offer."

"Exactly." Li Aiguo smirked. "You needed to see it firsthand. Only then will we have a fair exchange of interests."

Mike grinned. "And that's why we're in the same boat. Because at the end of the day, it's about the safety of the people, right?"