I Can Control Resources

’This kid is seriously shameless!’ Li Tiannan thought. But his face remained impassive as he replied, "My nickname is Ghost Eyes. Is there a problem?"

"Uh, no problem." Gao Neng smiled and brushed off the remaining ice shards from his body, showing no intention of getting dressed just yet.

After all, he’d been watched while bathing so often lately that he had gradually gotten used to it.

"???" Li Tiannan stared at the motionless Gao Neng, his gaze subconsciously drifting downward. Then, his expression turned ugly. ’You damn brat, I don’t swing that way! Don’t you dare strike a pose like that in front of me. I’m telling you, it’s useless!’

Of course, he could only say these things to himself.

He knew it was best to leave things like this unsaid. Everyone had their pride, after all, and it wasn’t a major character flaw or anything.

"Master, you’re here. Is the military academy business settled?" Gao Neng had been expecting Li Tiannan, so he asked right away.

"Military academy? Oh, that was approved a long time ago. But I was taking a look around the North District Fortress for a while, so I didn’t get a chance to tell you." Li Tiannan glanced at Gao Neng again. ’He’s still not getting dressed?’

"What about the instructors?"

"They’ve been selected. All of them have at least five years of teaching experience with the Military Department."

"You’re incredible, Master. In that case, I have a little favor to ask, but I don’t know if I should..." Gao Neng’s eyes shone with anticipation.

"Shut up! I’m not into that!" Li Tiannan’s heart skipped a beat, and he immediately snapped.

"Huh? Why not? I don’t think it’s a difficult thing to do."

"It’s very difficult!"

"Tch, if I’d known you were so stingy, I would’ve just agreed when Sword Elder wanted to take me as his disciple," Gao Neng grumbled, pouting. "He offered me a lot of great perks!"

"That old fossil, Old Sword, wanted to take you as his disciple?"

"Yeah! And he said I could name any condition I wanted. Even that hole... he said I could go in and out as I pleased!" Gao Neng figured that if he was going to bluff, he might as well make it as believable as possible, so he brought up the massive cavern that Sword Elder guarded.

This way, Li Tiannan would definitely have to believe him.

And in fact, when Li Tiannan heard this, he was truly horrified. He never in a million years would have thought that Sword Elder could stomach something like that.

’How shameless!’

’For just one disciple? Was it really necessary to resort to such tactics?’

Li Tiannan felt like he was going crazy.

In fact, he had arrived in the Underground City a while ago and had naturally met with Sword Elder. And Sword Elder had, in fact, brought up Gao Neng in his presence.

’That old fossil is trying to poach my disciple!’

’Absolutely not!’

Li Tiannan’s intelligence was extremely detailed. He was crystal clear on what Gao Neng had done in the genetic weapons lab, not to mention the 20 full-aptitude talents.

A disciple like this... you couldn’t find another one in the entire Human Alliance.

If he really let Sword Elder poach him, how could he ever show his face in public again?

’You old fossil, you play rough, don’t you? Well, I, Li Tiannan, refuse to be a coward!’ At this thought, Li Tiannan gritted his teeth. "Which hole do you want to enter? Just say it! I’m throwing caution to the wind today! If that old fossil Old Sword is willing to let you enter his hole, then I, Li Tiannan, am willing too!"

"Master, are you serious?" Gao Neng was genuinely shocked. He had just been bluffing.

The hole in Forbidden Zone 2!

There was definitely something inside it.

Gao Neng wasn’t an idiot. A place guarded by one of the Strongest had to be special; he would never believe otherwise.

Most importantly, he remembered something Xu Zilan had once mentioned.

The Underground City was established before the City of Hope.

’So, is it possible that...’

’The hole in Forbidden Zone 2 is actually the very cave where the Human Alliance’s first batch of Energy Warriors evolved?’

Although this was just a guess, it wasn’t an unlikely one.

The Alliance numbered forbidden zones in the order of their discovery, so Forbidden Zone 2 was the second one found. This alone suggested it was highly important.

"I, Li Tiannan, am a man of my word!" Li Tiannan gritted his teeth. ’I dare you to try anything, you little brat. I’ll clamp down so hard I’ll snap you in half.’

"Then let’s go now! To the hole in Forbidden Zone 2!" Gao Neng said excitedly.

He wouldn’t dare step foot into Forbidden Zone 2 alone, but with Li Tiannan around, it would be fine. With one of the Strongest watching his back, it was sure to be safe.

"Now? Wait, what hole... The hole in Forbidden Zone 2? The hole you were just talking about... you mean the Demon Abyss?!" Li Tiannan froze, his face a mask of disbelief.

"So that hole is called the Demon Abyss?" Gao Neng genuinely didn’t know its name, as he had never come across any mention of the Demon Abyss in the ancient texts he’d read.

"Huh? That old fossil Old Sword didn’t tell you... Wait a minute. How do you know about the Demon Abyss in Forbidden Zone 2? Don’t tell me you’ve been there?" Li Tiannan suddenly realized what was going on.

The matter of the Demon Abyss was one of the Human Alliance’s top secrets.

He remembered that he had never mentioned the Demon Abyss to Gao Neng. He had only told him not to get too curious after arriving in the Underground City.

"Me, go to Forbidden Zone 2? How could I possibly do that?" Gao Neng’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly changed his tune. "I actually just heard some rumors that the Underground City existed before the City of Hope. Then, I heard people saying there was a huge hole in Forbidden Zone 2, and I just guessed... could it be related to the Human Alliance’s first batch of Energy Warriors?"

Gao Neng’s words were a mix of truth and lies.

’My story is flawless,’ he thought.

However, when Li Tiannan heard this, he frowned.

Normally, given that Gao Neng was a key talent being cultivated by the Alliance and was mixing in the circles of the Dragon List Geniuses, it wouldn’t be too surprising for him to pick up on some inside information.

Because that circle of three hundred Dragon List Geniuses was quite complex.

It contained people from the Military Department, various sects, and prominent families—a real melting pot.

Most importantly, these people were essentially all chosen ones—core members of their sects and geniuses from powerful families.

But the fact was, Li Tiannan knew Gao Neng was lying.

These circles were complex, yes.

And they knew a great many things.

But there was absolutely no way anyone would mention the matter of Forbidden Zone 2.

As this thought crossed his mind, Li Tiannan suddenly recalled the purpose of his trip. He also remembered hearing about how Gao Neng had been "finding" attribute raw materials these past couple of days.

In an instant, one thought after another flashed through Li Tiannan’s mind.

Finally, he smiled.

"Gao Neng, if you want me to take you to the Demon Abyss, it’s not out of the question. How about this... we make a bet?" Li Tiannan said with a smile playing on his lips.

"A bet?" Gao Neng’s mind raced. ’Is Li Tiannan a gambler?’ He didn’t know, but this hardly seemed like the right time to be making a wager.

’Could it be... he saw through my explanation?’

’No way!’

"That’s right, a bet. If you win, I’ll take you to the Demon Abyss. If you lose... I don’t want much. How does one billion sound?" Li Tiannan found a chair and sat down.

"One billion?" Gao Neng carefully weighed the proposition. A billion was a huge sum, but to bet it on a chance to visit the Demon Abyss... it seemed worth it.

Besides, Li Tiannan was one of the Strongest.

To have one of the Strongest accompany you on an adventure.

Even if he asked for a fee of one billion, it wouldn’t be excessive.

’And most importantly, there’s no guarantee I’ll lose.’

"So? Do you agree or not?" Li Tiannan pressed.

"Tell me the terms of the bet first, Master. Then I’ll decide." Although Gao Neng had already made up his mind, he decided it was better to be cautious.

"It’s simple. I hear you’ve ’found’ quite a few attribute materials these past two days. Seems your luck is pretty good. So, I’ll bet that if you can find another 50 or more attribute materials tomorrow, you win. Of course," Li Tiannan added with a smile, "just like the last couple of days, the haul has to include some evolved types!"