Chapter Twenty-One: The Only Way

To be honest, Lin Lei still hadn’t figured out how to face Yang Xueli.

To say he felt nothing for her was nonsense; just based on her unconditional trust in him, Lin Lei couldn’t possibly remain indifferent. But to claim that a few hours together could blossom into reckless love—such things did happen, though rarely, and mostly to women whose hearts outweighed their reason.

Lin Lei was rational. He understood that, bound by the system, he was destined not to stay in this world for long. Unless Yang Xueli agreed to leave with him.

Watching Lin Lei’s puzzled and hesitant expression, Yang Chunxi grew angry. “Lin, what’s your game? Are you going to take advantage and then refuse to take responsibility?”

“I…” Lin Lei couldn’t explain.

He had indeed risked being strangled to steal a kiss from Yang Xueli, but it was a momentary impulse. For two people to be together long-term, the real circumstances had to be considered.

“What do you mean, ‘I’? Do you really think the people of Bullhead Mountain are easy to bully?” Yang Chunxi threatened.

“Brother… can you stop causing trouble? Go mind your own business!” Seeing her elder brother squabbling with Lin Lei, Yang Xueli hurried over and ushered Yang Chunxi away.

She knew little of Lin Lei’s character, not even whether he had a family. Her brother’s rash confrontation made things awkward if it didn’t work out.

“I’m sorry, I… I can’t promise you anything.” Once Yang Chunxi had left, Lin Lei confessed to Yang Xueli.

“Do you have a girlfriend or a wife?” Yang Xueli asked.

“No, I’ve always been single.”

“Then is there some unspeakable reason?” Yang Xueli wondered.

In the apocalypse, a man—especially one as capable and powerful as Lin Lei—would never lack for female companions. Yet Lin Lei claimed to have been single all along. Unless…

“I do have a secret, but it’s not what you think. Anyway, I’m not sick.” Seeing Yang Xueli’s thoughtful look, Lin Lei quickly clarified, “Don’t guess at random. How about this—give me two days to think it over, and after two days I’ll give you a satisfactory answer.”

Not knowing how to explain, he opted for delay.

With Yang Xueli gone, Lin Lei finally had time to tally his spoils.

Since arriving in this dimension, he had accumulated 46,823 zombie corpses: 43,709 of the first level, 3,110 of the second, and four of the third. In total, he could recover 624.33 contribution points; actually recovered was 600, and after deducting handling fees, he received 570 points.

“System, I’ve got enough contribution points now. Let’s pay off your war loan first.” Including what he hadn’t spent before, Lin Lei had 607 points in his account.

“Host, are you sure you want to repay the war loan now? Once repaid, this system will not provide any further loans until the current time-space traversal ends,” the system inquired.

“Do it now. Don’t think I don’t know your tricks,” Lin Lei replied.

He had read the loan agreement carefully: interest was calculated from when the contribution points arrived, until the battle ended or the host repaid the loan, deducting eight percent of all earnings as interest.

Previously, as the battle hadn’t ended, even if Lin Lei earned enough points, he couldn’t repay. Now the battle was over—if he didn’t repay immediately, the points earned in the next two days would still incur interest.

Seeing Lin Lei’s determination, the system agreed, deducting the principal of 200 points and eight percent of the profits earned (612.49 points), rounding up to 49 points.

After repaying the war loan, Lin Lei had 358 points remaining. Once he counted admission fees and travel expenses for the next mission, he was left with less than 158 points plus 24.33 in recoverable resources—not even enough for the strongest cultivation package.

“I still have to work hard! There are two days left. Let’s see if I can persuade the survivors of Bullhead Mountain to help clean up Haifeng City.” Lin Lei began planning his next move.

“By the way, System, didn’t you say before that living people can sign some kind of contract? How does it work? How many contribution points does it cost?” Lin Lei suddenly asked.

He knew that if he really wanted to take Yang Xueli with him, signing a contract was the only way.

“That’s the master-servant contract, bound by the power of law. Each contract requires ten thousand contribution points. Once signed, the servant can never disobey the master’s will, unless the master spends ten times the points to dissolve the contract,” the system explained.

This meant that once the contract was signed, even if the servant wanted to die, it required the master’s permission; otherwise, even if they were annihilated, the master could spend a certain amount of points to resurrect them. Of course, if the master died, the servant could not survive.

“What? Ten thousand contribution points! You’re insane, that’s robbery!” Lin Lei was incredulous.

Spending two billion to buy a wife was one thing, but this was a master-servant contract—two billion for a servant? Where could one find such an expensive servant?

“Host, this is a fair price. Once the contract is signed, the system must expend a vast amount of its origin to build a unique atomic positioning and reconstruction engine for the signer, ensuring that no matter how many times they die or how many pieces their body is split into, they can be recovered and reconstructed through the engine. This feature alone is worth the price.”

Immortality—no matter the cost, there would always be people eager for it. Especially when the only price was a bit of freedom. Two billion was really not expensive.

“But what does that have to do with me? I’m not the one who gets immortality, yet I’m the one paying the contribution points.” Lin Lei still felt cheated.

“Anyone who signs the contract, their life belongs to you. Any wealth they earn is yours. With luck, take them on two missions and they’ll earn the ten thousand points back for you,” the system advised.

As a servant, it was only natural they worked for their master.

“In that case, the master-servant contract is actually practical. But I’m looking for a wife, not a servant,” Lin Lei said.

He felt the contract was too harsh. Forcing Yang Xueli to sign would be an insult to her.

“Host can first sign the master-servant contract with Miss Yang, and after returning to the real world, spend ten times the points to dissolve the contract,” the system suggested.

“That’s true, but that would mean I’d spend 110,000 contribution points. I only have 358 now, more than three hundred times short—I can’t afford it!” Lin Lei sighed.

“…” The system fell silent.

With no contribution points, what are you fantasizing about, you poor fool.

“If I leave this time and want to return later, what conditions must I meet?” Lin Lei continued to ask.

He had thought of a compromise: leave when time was up, then take a few more missions to earn enough points, and return to take Yang Xueli away.

“This world is a special time-space, and has long established a fixed channel with your world. Once the space-time engine cools down, you can travel between the two realms at any time, but you must pay the full cost of the jump yourself, and it won’t count as a mission.”