Chapter 33: Chapter 28 Partners
Tao Yu had no idea about the ranking parameters, he only possessed the passive “Bullet Time” Dynamic Vision.
Even without actively using it, it was much stronger than the Grade B- Dynamic Vision he had when he first entered, a MAX ability certified by the will of the world.
Without actively using it, it might reach or even exceed the MAX Dynamic Vision.
In such a disparity, Tao Hu being a little faster or slower made no difference to Tao Yu.
It was like humans watching a snake attack a cat, where everything seems as quick as lightning, but in the cat’s eyes, the snake’s speed is forever unable to catch up.
“Is Grade B that accurate?”
Tao Hu gave Tao Yu a deep look, although he wasn’t responsible for testing, the second-hand mechanical arm had just gone full power, could Grade B really be that clear?
This was about attack speed, not movement speed!
“Cough, actually, I added a bit of a spin, mainly because I had experienced others’ envy in the Abyss before,” Tao Yu coughed.
That brought a sneer from Tao Hu.
“What spin? Envy what? Not arousing envy is mediocrity!”
After speaking, Tao Hu looked earnestly at Tao Yu.
“Kid, when you are strong enough, you’ll find only good people and goodwill around you, there’s no need to mind the rest!”
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Tao Hu has been through ups and downs, from working in the security forces to being invalidly retired, then obtaining a mechanical arm to make a comeback, so he had a thorough understanding of these matters.
“Grade A Dynamic Vision in the Inner City should just be a standard ability, no need to pay it any mind.”
Speaking to this point, Tao Hu paused, then emphasized,
“Besides, now is just the beginning phase of the new settlement project, your Grade A Dynamic Vision can easily catch the attention of the two big shots from the Floating City, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!”
Tao Hu’s face then turned somewhat solemn.
“Even if some may feel you’re vying for favor and causing trouble, at times like this, you must compete!
“You’re an Outsider, apart from fighting and striving with all you have, there is no other path for you! You cannot compromise to make others agreeable, but you can when you are strong enough!”
Upon hearing what Tao Hu said, Tao Yu also hesitated for a moment.
Then let’s start with Grade A and adjust according to the situation.
Actually, this was what he had been thinking from the beginning, even feeling that it wouldn’t matter even if he showed off MAX Dynamic Vision.
But after experiencing a round of talent envy among the Inner City youngsters, he felt it wasn’t so secure anymore.
Furthermore, the new settlement really might encounter situations of ‘vying for favor’ and entanglement of interests from others who think you’re ‘in the way’.
So at the beginning of his return, he only claimed the innocuous Grade B.
“Uncle Hu is right.”
Tao Yu displayed a look of having learned a lesson.
But at this moment, Tao Hu’s heart was still filled with some lingering shock and delight.
The gap between Grade A and B seemed not too large, but in reality, the status difference was clear.
A regular combat talent of Grade B had the chance to enter the Inner City, but even if they luckily made it, they would definitely be at the very bottom, several of his colleagues possessed such ordinary Grade B combat talent.
They could work hard and make it in, but they were still accustomed to the stable life of the Outer City.
A Grade A combat talent, given enough time and resources to grow, could potentially climb to the middle layers of the Inner City. That was a completely different story, even having the chance to bring the entire family in to form a small clan!
However, all of these premises depended on having the time and resources to grow!
Occasionally in contact with some bigwigs due to his status, Tao Hu clearly understood the huge difference in the foundation between the people from the Inner and Outer Cities…
Tao Yu’s parents, standing beside him, were also looking somewhat confused, clearly still struggling to adapt.
“Grade A is good! Now we can think of a new plan, your main priority at the moment is to latch onto the thighs of the two big shots from the Floating City.
“Now is different from before, you’ve all arrived at the Development Zone, which isn’t the same as the old gathering grounds.
“In times of need, whatever they carelessly let slip is enough for you to struggle for a long time, and if you can become trusted, it might save you decades of detours!”
Tao Hu’s expression was somewhat excited. With such great talent, and coincidentally during the tough time of opening up the new settlement, the two bigwigs from the Floating City were short on people; this was a godsend opportunity!
In fact, this suggestion from Tao Hu was something Tao Yu had actually considered and even been tempted by once.
Watching the Miss from the Suns go by, he had even briefly fantasized about it.
Having been baptized by the internet of the twenty-first century, Tao Yu acknowledged that women could affect the speed of drawing a sword.
But not a wealthy woman…
Thinking about how Joseph could casually lend out so much, one Awakenening Day alone could bring a dozen luxury equipment sets, and the starting unit for Yuan Force was a hundred thousand.
What might the offspring of the Floating City have in their hands, with a disparity even greater than that between the Inner and Outer Cities?
“`
Indeed, those who can cultivate good relationships truly can surpass Tao Yu’s current speed at wilding!
Uh, but unfortunately, if you really go and cling to someone influential, you might just be setting yourself up with a tight restraint, and due to my talent, I might actually have a chance to get in.
But during the pioneering period, I’d likely have to be at their beck and call, and over time, my plethora of unusual skills would easily be discovered.
The people of the Floating City, who knows what special abilities they have?
And I’d also have to fight bloodily amongst a crowd of fawning lackeys, including the scions of the Inner City.
It’s too much hassle, even for someone as tough as me.
So this path was temporarily shelved by Tao Yu before coming here, it could only be considered a fall-back plan, like if I encountered major trouble and had to prioritize surviving.
I’m not opposed to making contact, but I don’t want to become someone’s on-call lackey.
“Uh, Uncle Hu, I’m not too fond of restrictions, so I’m not planning to sign a contract with the development company,” Tao Yu said.
Tao Yu’s words caused Tao Hu, who had been excited, to stiffen, and then he spoke in a tone full of disappointment,
“Foolish! Restraints? Who in this world isn’t subject to them? Could even the big shots of the Floating City be free of restraint?”
“I just don’t want ones that are too big. I’ve heard about ‘partnerships’; I wonder if Uncle Hu could tell me about that,” Tao Yu continued unabashedly, inquiring further despite Uncle Hu’s attitude.
Tao Hu glared at him in irritation, while Tao Yu’s parents at his side also seemed like they wanted to say something, but ultimately, they remained silent.
Grade A talent, ah, the child has grown up…
“The decision is yours to make; we can only offer our advice.
“However, with your talent being evident, you can always join later if you have regrets, but by then, with more people involved, such an opportunity won’t be as readily available. Every day for the past half-month, people from the Inner City have been choosing new Development Zones.”
Tao Hu first muttered a remark, but then patiently explained the partnership system to Tao Yu.
He ‘knew’ his nephew was too cautious to vie for favor with the Inner City offspring and had opted for a more detached approach, but this was indeed also a path he could take.
“‘Partners’ is a special mode within the company, it’s meant to accommodate guys with your kind of personality, providing you an alternative. It has a higher threshold compared to the mercenary or bounty hunter roles anyone could play, but the benefits are also considerably greater.”
Speaking up to this point, Tao Hu paused slightly before continuing,
“Even the lowest ‘Junior Partner’ requires a Level 5 foundational skill or equivalent strength. However, with your Grade A talent, this threshold can surely be relaxed.”
Tao Hu’s words gave Tao Yu a clearer understanding of the situation. Level 5 foundational abilities can be seen as the limit for ordinary people, a broad yet overall standard.
Without using any special bonuses, Tao Yu should already meet these criteria, the Blood Orchid he consumed wasn’t for naught.
“Becoming a ‘Partner’ also means considering the cannon fodder sequence, but with your talent so greatly enhanced, you usually don’t need to worry about that. With personnel needed for the new gathering place, they likely won’t introduce the cannon fodder system right now…”
As Tao Hu slowly shared, Tao Yu also gained a clearer understanding of the partnership system, something he’d only heard about in passing from his parents’ stories.
In the company, ‘Partners’ are categorized as Junior, Mid-Level, Senior, Silver, and Gold, with each tier offering certain privileges. The freedom is significant, but promotions are also strictly based on merit.
There are a set of standards for the number of missions, mission points, mission difficulty, and even personal strength.
“Several of the company’s Gold Partners have capabilities and privileges no less than those of the company’s decision-makers. There’s actually a future in it, but it’s all on you, and this path is a hard one.”
As Tao Yu still seemed determined, Tao Hu couldn’t help but sigh,
“Alright, I won’t try to persuade you further. Go and get a feel for it yourself; with your talent, you can always turn back and do as you wish.”
“Heh heh, thank you, Uncle Hu.”
Tao Yu knew what was good for him; his parents and even Uncle Hu had helped him greatly up to this point. Perhaps Uncle Hu saw it as an investment, but regardless of motives, Tao Yu acknowledged this favor.
“Oh, and if you register as a Partner, you could also register as a mercenary and a bounty hunter on the side. More types of missions mean more sources for information.
“But carefully discern between mercenary and bounty missions; not all are directly from the company and sometimes there are pitfalls.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Tao Hu added another piece of advice,
“While Partner missions come directly from the company, sometimes you need to watch out for traps too; generally, they’re better than the ones for mercenaries and bounty hunters.”
Becoming a mercenary or a bounty hunter requires no threshold; anyone can do it and can even work part-time. Not only did Tao Hu himself register, but so did Tao Yu’s parents, his disabled older brother, and sister-in-law.
Both roles involve completing missions, but there are certain differences; bounty hunters often work alone or in small groups and handle a variety of tasks.
Mercenaries usually team up for combat, exploration, escort, convoy, rescue, or cleanup tasks.
Some mercenaries form stable mercenary companies or even establish their own companies, but many operate informally.
A squad leader gets a suitable mission and calls out; a familiar and available group of mercenaries quickly assembles, somewhat akin to a construction foreman and extras manager in film production.
The biggest difference between ‘Partners’ and these threshold-free jobs is that ‘Partners’ take on official company missions, while the other two can accept missions from anyone.
All company missions that end up with mercenaries and bounty hunters have already been sifted through by ‘Partners’.
There are even some pure Partner companies or mercenary groups that cherry-pick quality company group missions.
This jumbled mix made Tao Yu feel somewhat confused, yet when he thought about this terrible world, it all strangely seemed to fit.
This world seems to be normal in just this way…