I’m No Longer Human After Being Blacklisted – CH68

Chapter 68: A New Path to Wealth

After leaving the base, Si Xu drove Lin Jiu home.

The entire time, Lin Jiu was busy thinking about how to inquire about magic crystal marrow. Before he could speak, Si Xu broke the silence.

“Did Jiang Ge have lunch at your place today?”

Lin Jiu, distracted by other thoughts, casually replied, “Yeah.”

Si Xu didn’t say anything more.

Lin Jiu glanced at Si Xu. “Can I ask you a few questions? If they involve confidential matters, feel free not to answer.”

Si Xu: “Sure, what do you want to know?”

Lin Jiu turned slightly, studying Si Xu’s profile. “How many magic… unknown energy crystals does the Special Security Department have?”

If there were more than one, could he possibly negotiate to get one? He had plenty of valuable items to trade, and any one of them could cause a sensation if made public.

Si Xu replied, “Only one.”

Lin Jiu: “…”

That’s it. Only one? There’s no way he could get it. If there were two, maybe he could trade for one with enough valuable offerings.

Tentatively, Lin Jiu asked, “These unknown energy crystals are so unstable and prone to explosion, isn’t it too dangerous? Has the higher-ups ever considered discontinuing radiation training?”

Si Xu: “The unknown energy crystals from the Underwater Palace likely exploded due to prolonged exposure to the underwater environment, which made them unstable. So far, no country possessing an unknown energy crystal has reported any explosions.”

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have considered the crystals stable, and there wouldn’t have been such heavy casualties in the Underwater Palace.

Lin Jiu fidgeted in his seat, trying to think of a plan. Stealing magic crystal marrow from countries was practically a death wish. Finding it in the sea was also unlikely; if it were possible, someone would’ve already discovered it.

Lin Jiu asked the system, ‘Hey, system, there should still be magic crystal marrow in the Magic Sea Dimension, right? Maybe we could try there, because it’s too hard here on Earth. I’m afraid I’ll get killed.’

[System: “Before the collapse of the Magic Sea Dimension’s civilization, magic crystal marrow was stored deep in the mountains. Now, the Demon Sea Dimension is mostly water, and islands are rare. Even if you had a plan, the energy collection system has a limited range—it can only detect the presence of magic crystal marrow within a certain distance.]

Lin Jiu tugged at his hair in frustration. ‘Then how about trading potions for it? Would you agree to that?’

[System: As long as the system and the existence of the Magic Sea Dimension remain secret, I don’t see why not. But if you think you’ll still be alive after pulling such a risky move, you’re free to do it.]

Lin Jiu: “…”

Lin Jiu: ‘Forget it, I’ll just go back to catching fish and collecting magic points slowly. I won’t aim for the impossible. Let’s take things one step at a time.’

[System: …]

[System: Actually, you could find a trustworthy benefactor to help with this. If they handle the matter for you and you stay in the background, it wouldn’t be as dangerous.]

Lin Jiu: ‘You mean your ‘founder’ from the Demon Spirit clan, right?’

The system almost seemed to be wriggling in excitement.

[I’ve checked for you. There’s a pharmaceutical company under the Mohong Group, which belongs to the male god’s grandfather. If you give them the formula for the primary gene enhancement serum to research, once they can produce the gene enhancement drug, who would still risk their lives for the dangerous magic crystal essence? In the end, all the crystal essence would be yours.]

Lin Jiu: You’re quite the little genius, aren’t you?

The system beamed with pride.

Lin Jiu: But what if they can’t make it?

[…]

[Well… how about you consider worshipping a god of luck to boost your fortune, then get rich by playing blind box lotteries? You could trade the serums you win for the crystal essence. How about that?]

Lin Jiu: Wow, thanks a lot for that.

No one’s stupid. Trading a sustainable resource like magic crystal essence for just one or a few enhancement slots is like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

“What are you thinking about?” Si Xu’s voice suddenly interrupted.

“I was thinking…” Lin Jiu quickly stopped himself, “I was thinking about what today’s lucky number might be.”

Si Xu glanced at him, chuckling softly. “So, did you come up with one?”

Lin Jiu’s eyes darted mischievously. “Why don’t you give me three lucky numbers?”

Since he wasn’t counting on the goddess of luck, Lin Jiu planned to borrow Si Xu’s fortune instead.

Si Xu casually offered three numbers: “2, 7, 9.”

Lin Jiu made a mental note, planning to use those numbers for his next blind box draws when he got home.

After dropping Lin Jiu off downstairs, Si Xu didn’t follow him up. Instead, he reminded him to get some rest.

Lin Jiu rushed home as soon as he got out of the car, eager to start his blind box draws.

*

Si Xu sat in his car, watching until Lin Jiu’s apartment lights came on before driving off. He then called Jiang Ge.

It was loud on Jiang Ge’s end, with people howling karaoke in the background.

Si Xu waited in silence until the noise died down before speaking. “Did you go to Moyu today?”

“Yeah, I had lunch there,” Jiang Ge replied, his words slightly slurred from the alcohol. “How about you? Was your date smooth?”

Si Xu’s voice dropped a little, becoming more serious. “Jiang Ge, do you realize what you just said?”

Jiang Ge hadn’t yet sensed the danger. “I’m not drunk. I know exactly what I said. I’m just saying, you and Lin Jiu should keep your distance. He seems to have misunderstood you, so I cleared things up for you.”

Si Xu found a spot to park, afraid he might lose control of himself. “What exactly did you explain?”

Jiang Ge slurred on, “Obviously that you couldn’t possibly like guys! To convince him you’re not into him, I told him about that time in the hotel when you freaked out because of the naked guy. That should clear up the misunderstanding, right?”

Si Xu closed his eyes for a moment, his voice cold enough to send shivers down Jiang Ge’s spine. “Jiang Ge, you’re dead.”

No wonder Lin Xiao Jiu had been acting so strange tonight—suddenly wanting to go to the base, knowing about the mixed-race beauty, and asking why he liked him. He’d never mentioned liking guys before… The root of the issue was clear now.

“How… how am I dead?” Jiang Ge’s tongue was still a bit tied.

Si Xu’s voice deepened. “Jiang Ge, Lin Jiu and I are dating. I’m the one who pursued him. Do you think what you said was appropriate?”

Jiang Ge: “…???!!!!!!”

Jiang Ge: “…!!!!!!”

Jiang Ge: “…………”

Jiang Ge sobered up immediately. “Holy crap! You’re serious?”

Si Xu: “Very serious.”

Jiang Ge muttered “holy crap” repeatedly, before asking again, “You’re really serious?”

Si Xu confirmed, “Absolutely serious. He’s the one for me, for life.”

Jiang Ge was silent for a long time, then looked up to the sky. “Damn it! You’re such a jerk! Why didn’t you tell me you guys were together?”

Si Xu felt like he needed a cigarette. “I was going to tell everyone once things were more stable, but you went and stirred things up. After I worked so hard to win him over, you almost ruined it. If I didn’t like guys, but I pursued him anyway, how do you think he would feel?”

If Lin Jiu were just an ordinary person, it might not have been a big deal. But given that Lin Jiu had access to powerful ingredients and his Demon Fish shop was the hottest place around, if Lin Jiu misunderstood Si Xu’s intentions and thought he was being used, it would all be over.

Jiang Ge rubbed his face, “I get it. It’s my fault. I’ll clear things up with him.”

“No need. Just don’t mention it again.” Si Xu had finally managed to comfort Lin Jiu, and couldn’t risk any more complications.

After a pause, Si Xu added, “Stop talking nonsense around him. His upbringing is different from ours, and he already lacks a sense of security. Don’t make him more anxious.”

Jiang Ge ruffled his hair. “Got it.”

*

Lin Jiu had already cleaned himself up, his long hair dry and draped down his back. Wearing fuzzy pajamas, he sat cross-legged on his bed, looking very serious. He was ready to start drawing blind boxes.

First draw: 2.

Lin Jiu clicked the second treasure chest on the nine-square grid.

[Congratulations, host! You’ve received 5x primary gene enhancement serums.]

Lin Jiu: “…”

He let out a triumphant cheer, bouncing off the bed and howling in excitement to release his joy.

“Stay calm! Stay calm! There are still two more chances!”

Lin Jiu reminded himself, settling back down on the bed and taking a deep breath.

Second draw: 7.

Lin Jiu clicked on the seventh treasure chest.

[Congratulations, host! You’ve received a space ring with 5 cubic meters of storage, where time remains constant.]

“Woohoo~~~”

Not bad, not bad!

It was larger than his fish tank space and more convenient than the cold storage in his smart kitchen. He could definitely use this discreetly from now on.

There was one last draw remaining.

Lin Jiu took a few quick breaths, then held his breath and focused…

Third draw, 9.

Lin Jiu clicked on the ninth treasure chest in the nine-square grid.

[Congratulations, host! You’ve obtained the formula for the Primary Gene Enhancement Serum.]

Lin Jiu: “!!!!”

Lin Jiu: “!!!!!”

Lin Jiu: “!!!!!!!”

Lin Jiu: “Ahhhhhhhhh—!!!!!!”

[Ahhhhhhhhh—!!!!!!]

Lin Jiu and the system screamed in excitement together. Lin Jiu rolled around on the bed, overwhelmed with joy. Though it wasn’t the formula for the Intermediate Gene Enhancement Serum, having the formula meant he could trade it for magic crystal essence. With magic crystal essence, he could buy the Intermediate Gene Enhancement Serum!

Eagerly, Lin Jiu opened his inventory to check the formula, and then…

“Thud!”

He fell off the bed.

The system also went silent.

Lin Jiu: “What is this writing? I don’t recognize it at all!”

[But I do!]

Lin Jiu climbed back onto the bed, still excited, but soon realized things weren’t so simple.

Even with the formula, he might not be able to produce the serum. The technology and equipment on Earth couldn’t compare to the highly advanced Demonic Sea civilization, and many of the materials used in the Demon Sea plane didn’t even exist on Earth. So, what use was the formula?

Lying on the bed, Lin Jiu stared blankly at the ceiling. “System, even with the formula, it’s useless. Our technology is too primitive to make it.”

[Host, you don’t need to aim for perfection. The Primary Gene Enhancement Serum has a maximum enhancement limit of 10%, which reflects the Demonic Sea civilization’s level. Even if Earth’s technology can’t reach that level, producing something with even 1% enhancement would be great. Do you think people would prefer dangerous, painful, and slow radiation training over a serum that enhances them instantly?]

Lin Jiu: “Of course they’d want it.”

[How enhanced do you think the people from the ‘Special Security Division’ are?]

Lin Jiu: “How much?”

[I’m not sure about everyone, but I’ve checked a man named Shi ShuQing. His gene enhancement level is only 0.8%. As for those so-called naturally enhanced humans, their gene enhancement levels are even lower, not exceeding 0.3%.]

Lin Jiu: “…”

Lin Jiu: “That low?!”

[Did you think it would be higher? Don’t underestimate the 10% enhancement of the Primary Gene Enhancement Serum. That’s already the formula’s upper limit. If Earth can’t achieve that, lowering the target will still yield results.]

The system’s explanation made Lin Jiu start to waver. “But how will I get the ingredients for the serum?”

He certainly couldn’t go to the Demon Sea plane to gather materials. That would be exhausting.

[If the host is willing to provide me with enough energy, I can help you convert the formula’s ingredients into Earth-equivalent materials. I have many subsystem ‘children,’ as you know, and one of them specializes in pharmaceuticals.]

Lin Jiu immediately sat up. “Why didn’t you tell me you could do that earlier?”

[I told you, but you might not have agreed. The conversion process requires identifying materials with similar properties from countless substances on Earth, which is a massive undertaking and consumes a lot of energy.]

Lin Jiu asked cautiously, “How much energy do you need?”

[Let’s start with 100 points of magic energy. If it’s not enough, I’ll ask for more.]

Lin Jiu: “…”

Lin Jiu took a deep breath. “Even a lion wouldn’t dare ask for this much!”

[High investment, high return. You’ve got to trust that.]

Lin Jiu: “And what if there’s no return? How will you compensate me?”

[The system doesn’t take risks for the host. The rewards are yours to keep, but you also bear the risks.]

Lin Jiu: …

You’re really good with words!

Lin Jiu tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. He was debating whether to take the gamble. If he won, he could get a lot of magic points. If he lost, the 100 magic points would be wasted.

Staring at his remaining magic points, just over 400, Lin Jiu realized that whether he used the 100 points or not, it wasn’t enough to buy a gene enhancement serum. If he won the gamble, he’d have enough to purchase both the Intermediate Gene Enhancement Serum and the Bloodline Purifier.

Lin Jiu gritted his teeth and made his decision.

Lin Jiu: “Fine, I’ll give you 100 points of magic energy. How long will the conversion take?”

[Go to sleep. By morning, it should be done.]

Lin Jiu: “Alright, it’s in your hands. Use the magic points sparingly.”

[…]

Lin Jiu couldn’t fall asleep at first and rolled around for who knows how long before finally drifting off.

When he woke up, the sun was already shining. His first thought was to ask the system if the formula had been converted.

[The formula has been converted. It consumed 92 magic points.]

Lin Jiu jumped up in excitement and quickly opened his inventory. Sure enough, there was a new formula inside.

He took it out and examined it. In addition to recognizable characters, there were many chemical equations. The system had clearly listed the derivation process, material reactions, and calculations. Anyone with professional knowledge would immediately recognize the formula’s value.

[Earth materials don’t contain magic essence, so the medicinal properties are weaker. Even if the serum is perfectly made according to the formula, the enhancement effect will only reach about 1%.]

Lin Jiu was already satisfied with 1%. After all, Shi ShuQing only had 0.8%. As the vice-captain of Team One, Shi ShuQing was certainly strong. A single serum that could surpass his current strength? Lin Jiu had no reason to complain.

He put the formula back into the inventory and got up early to head to the shop. Thanks to the app’s queuing system, there were no customers waiting outside today, making it feel a bit quieter than usual.

Demon Fish Shop had already opened, and Jiang Xiwen was alone in the shop.

Lin Jiu arrived at the shop shortly before the part-time waiter for the day arrived. Neither Weng Cheng nor Lin Han expected the boss to come this early.

Lin Han gossiped as he approached, “Boss, do you want to know the follow-up from last night?”

Lin Jiu, busy in the kitchen and in a good mood, asked, “What follow-up?”

Lin Han replied, “It’s about Zheng Yumo. After she returned to the base yesterday, she started telling people that Captain Si selected Chang Beimu because Chang Beimu looks a lot like you. She claimed that Si only picked Chang Beimu because of his good relationship with you.”

Lin Jiu continued working without pause. No wonder Si Xu said last night that Zheng Yumo was spreading false rumors. So that’s what it was.

Lin Han gleefully added, “She thinks highly of herself as an enhanced human, believing she’s superior to the reservists and pre-enhanced people. After losing to Chang Beimu in the competition last night due to running out of energy, she refused to accept it. After drinking an energy drink and recovering a bit, she went back to the dorm to pick a fight with Chang Beimu, but in the end, Chang Beimu pinned her down and shaved her head bald. Hahaha! I heard from the other female team members that Zheng Yumo cried her eyes out and has been hiding in the dorm, too embarrassed to come out. Hahaha!”

The corners of Lin Jiu’s mouth lifted into a smile.

Seeing that the boss was in a good mood today, Lin Han boldly asked, “Boss, what’s your RT value anyway?”

He had spent nearly an hour in the training room last night and there hadn’t been any reaction at all.

Lin Jiu shook his head, “I don’t know.”

That radiation training room was likely ineffective for him.

—

Before lunchtime, Liao Tingyue brought Liao Yuan over again.

Unable to wait any longer for a call, Liao Tingyue had to come personally. “The test results should be out by now, right?”

Lin Jiu continued working, “They’re out.”

Liao Tingyue asked, “So, how was it? We weren’t lying, were we? You are indeed Liao Tingwang’s child.”

Lin Jiu leaned on his knife and looked at them. “So what if we’re related? My mom has already divorced him, and he’s remarried with kids. I have no connection to the Liao family. You don’t need to come here again.”

Both Liao Tingyue and Liao Yuan were taken aback. Liao Tingyue had deliberately omitted details about Lin Jiu’s mother, thinking that if Lin Jiu was willing to return to the Liao family, they could offer him the status of an illegitimate child. But it seemed Lin Jiu already knew everything quite clearly.

Admiring their expressions, Lin Jiu said, “Did you deliberately avoid mentioning my mom, hoping I’d take on the role of your scapegoat?”

Liao Yuan was shocked. “What… are you saying I’m an illegitimate child?!”

Lin Jiu glanced at him. “If the shoe fits.”

Liao Yuan’s face twisted in anger. “My mother is the rightful wife my father married! What about your mother? She didn’t even have a proper wedding, just tricked my dad into registering their marriage. Does she even deserve to enter the Liao family?!”

“Liao Yuan! Shut up!” Liao Tingyue tried to stop him.

“Go ask around in City B, everyone knows my mom is Liao Tingwang’s lawful wife! Who even knows about you and your mom? You’re just a mistress and an illegitimate child!” Liao Yuan’s voice was loud enough that Jiang Xiwen, Weng Cheng, and Lin Han could all hear it.

“The only people who constantly emphasize that they’re not the mistress or illegitimate child are the ones who actually are. Look at how ridiculous you sound. On the one hand, you’re shamelessly trying to get me to return to the Liao family, and on the other, you’re desperately trying to prove you’re not an illegitimate child. If you care so much about status, then why come looking for me? I’m not going back to the Liao family. Doesn’t that make it easier for you to be the Liao family heir you’re so proud of?”

Lin Jiu added, “Liao Tingwang didn’t give my mother a wedding, tricked her into registering their marriage, and kept his own marriage a secret. That’s his problem. I have no obligation to see him! Since the Liao family looks down on my mom so much, why are you here trying to acknowledge me now?”

Liao Yuan sneered at Lin Jiu, “Since you’re my dad’s kid, do you think you can just walk away from all this? He’s been bedridden for 20 years, staying in luxury hospital rooms with the best care. That’s a lot of money. Didn’t you claim your mom divorced my dad? Well, great! You still have a legal obligation to support him. Half the cost should come from you, don’t you think?”

Lin Jiu coldly laughed, “So you want to calculate support payments, huh? Well, why don’t we also calculate the past debts while we’re at it? Digging deeper might even implicate your mom and the entire Zhou family. You sure you want to do this?”

Liao Yuan fumed, “What do you mean by that?!”

Lin Jiu replied, “You can ask your mom about it when you get home.”

Realizing the conversation had broken down, Liao Tingyue didn’t stay long and left with Liao Yuan.

Lin Jiu’s words had planted doubts in Liao Tingyue’s mind. The circumstances back then were indeed too coincidental—just one month after Lin Jiu returned to the Liao family, something happened to him. No one would believe there wasn’t some hidden agenda.

Both Liao Tingyue and the old man in the Liao family had decided to ignore it and act like this child had never existed.

But now, Liao Tingyue began to suspect Lin Jiu knew something.

He dared not act rashly and decided to return and discuss it with the old man before making any moves.