Chapter 35: Chapter 30 Family Status
“Junior partners, huh…”
After bidding farewell to Uncle Hu, Tao Yu began his journey home, his gaze drifting as he looked at the certificate in his hand.
Before heading to the Abyss again, he could visit the task halls of various fortresses in the Outer City to look up partnership tasks.
There were no compulsory requirements for partners; they were motivated by profit, and there were no mandatory tasks assigned to them.
But if a partner completed at least one task per month, that junior partner would receive a base salary of 200 units of Yuan Force, and if they completed tasks every month for a full year, they would also receive a 1000-unit Yuan Force bonus for perfect attendance at the year-end.
By completing tasks, they would also passively increase their cannon fodder points, so there was no need to worry about being forcefully conscripted.
“I’ve already finished the talent certification, and I can go collect the promised 1000 units of Yuan Force, then deal with the Serpent Fang Skill and the five Blood Orchids; that should make for a nice income.
“I wonder if I could learn the Skill at the dojo before entering the Abyss next time. With the help of Yuan Force, there should be a chance.”
As he walked on the muddy ground filled with potholes and sewage in the Outer City, Tao Yu felt it might be time to move his family to a better environment.
His nostrils were full of the ‘smell of life,’ and occasionally a street vendor would appear, and the stinking sewage consisted of who knows what.
However, glancing down at himself, Tao Yu felt he didn’t really have the right to disdain the environment.
At Uncle Hu’s, Tao Yu had only washed his face and tidied up a bit without having time for a bath, and as he thought about it now, the filthiness he had grown accustomed to once again gave him the itchy feeling of being covered in grime.
In his past life, he wasn’t someone who was particularly clean, and it wasn’t like he hadn’t gone without a bath for a few days.
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But upon comparison, he suddenly realized the hygiene standards of his former self were practically that of someone with a cleanliness obsession.
“Truly, the adaptability of humans is strong.”
Indifferent, he sidestepped a pile of refuse, Tao Yu saw his family’s farm – not that the farm was his; they simply took care of it – but the living conditions were satisfactory compared to others.
It was not as good as the homes in the security team’s family areas, nor could it compare to the fortresses, but it was still decent for the Outer City and not subject to gang protection fees.
Some families didn’t even have autonomous machine guns to ward off the Grey Mist creatures.
Smelling the familiar scent of cow dung, Tao Yu pushed open the door and entered the house.
“I’m back.”
“Brother! Are you really Grade A talented?”
A boy a head shorter than Tao Yu, skinny just like he used to be, rushed over first, his face brimming with excitement.
Looking at his youngest brother, Tao Shi, Tao Yu smiled and ruffled his hair, only to stiffen as his hand came away greasy.
Petting had really ‘assassinated’ him; he had to admit it…
“First get familiar with the Breathing Technique, and be better prepared.”
Tao Yu withdrew his hand and wiped it emotionlessly on his not-so-clean clothes.
“I will choose a new gathering place in the future too, I want to be with seventh brother.”
Tao Shi jabbered incessantly.
But Tao Yu paused and sighed,
“You still have two years, let’s see. If it were up to me now, I wouldn’t let you go there; it’s too dangerous.”
“Eighth, what are you thinking? Looking for a beating? Only fifty of the seventh’s group made it back! There were over two hundred when they left!”
Tao Long had been repairing a three-legged stool, but now he stood up, posturing as though he were about to strike.
“Tsk, I can awaken a good talent too; I want to help seventh brother.”
Though Tao Shi was small and skinny, he was quite agile, circling around Tao Yu, sticking out his tongue at his father, and then ran off as if he were set free.
“I’m going out to play, won’t be back for dinner.”
Tao Yu shook his head helplessly as he watched his brother leave, then turned to his sister-in-law, who seemed somewhat restrained, and said,
“Sister-in-law, is eighth still hanging out with those guys from the Chaoyang Society?”
“Ah, yes, that child, really.”
Li Li didn’t have a great talent and no steady job, so she tended to the home more, making periodic trips to the Abyss every five days to meet requirements. She understood Tao Shi better than anyone else.
Chaoyang Society is one of the many bizarre clubs and gangs in the Outer City, made up of a group of young people.
Compared to those who collect protection money and run illicit businesses like the Wild Wolf Gang and the Skull Gang, it is much better.
Overall, it’s not bad. They often help some suffering families. Being able to do this kind of thing in the hellish environment of the Outer City is already quite impressive.
“Forget about that little brat, it seems he has learned some crafts at Chaoyang Society.”
Tao Long’s wrinkled face didn’t show much concern for old eight’s shenanigans outside. The Outer City’s children are left to fend for themselves, and he had already been more involved than most.
“Old seven, your mother and I have saved up some money, and we’ll borrow some more when the time comes. You must learn all the skills you can, too many people have died, it’s too dangerous.”
Even though Tao Yu was highly talented, Tao Long’s face was filled with sorrow when he mentioned the dead.
In the Inner City, with such talent, one could initially invest a lot of resources and quickly secure a foothold, but that simply wasn’t an option for them.
“Stop fretting over this, how long would it take with your earnings? Let’s sell the things I’ve brought back first. I’ve had Uncle Hu estimate their worth, and it’s at least a few thousand units of Yuan Force.”
Tao Yu patted his backpack. The initial one thousand Yuan Force of startup capital had already been scraped together by his parents, and considering their earning speed, it was too much to ask them to manage his expenses as well.
“A few thousand?”
Tao Long was shocked, then walked to the door, looked around, and closed the door that Tao Shi had earlier left open.
“That much?”
“Yes, that much. Danger and opportunity always coexist.”
“Why are you talking so fancily?”
Being asked that, Tao Yu was at a loss for words. How was that talking fancily?
But considering his background as a semi-illiterate, it did seem a bit…
“Anyway, don’t worry about it. There are plenty of opportunities at the new gathering place, and your income isn’t going to be enough to support the upgrades I need.”
Tao Yu spoke harshly to prevent his parents from worrying. If they didn’t understand, they would probably just save money for him again. It would be better for them to have a better life.
As his strength increased, the gap in Yuan Force consumption only grew. Even now, Tao Yu had to admit that the goods he carried in his backpack would take his parents a long time to save up for.
Tao’s father opened his mouth, but in the end, his dry lips just quivered slightly, and he said nothing.
“Don’t worry, I will definitely take any matter related to my life seriously, and I will try my best to use the time to improve myself.”
Tao Yu looked at the wrinkles on his father’s face and sincerely smiled.
“Alright, I indeed don’t have the ability to guide you, sigh, you should ask your Uncle Hu more when you have the chance, and remember not to go empty-handed when you visit him.”
Tao Long looked at his son, who had clearly become stronger, and sighed a bit, feeling proud that the Tao family had raised a good child.
“Don’t put pressure on yourself, all we want is to be safe.”
“I am very afraid of dying.”
Tao Yu grinned, then went to the room to see his third brother, who also had combat talents and was once full of vitality.
However, because of his talents, losing a leg was a great blow to him, leading him to confine himself to his room every day.
“Brother, don’t worry, I will definitely find a way to get you mechanical limbs in the future.”
In the room, Tao Tong sat in a handmade wooden wheelchair. His legs were gone, but he was very clean, much cleaner than Tao Yu was now, with hardly any stubble on his face.
Upon hearing Tao Yu’s words, Tao Tong’s weathered face also revealed a smile
“You fool, do you have any idea how much prosthetic limbs cost? It’s the thought that counts. Right now, your first goal should be to improve your strength.”
Tao Tong certainly wanted mechanical limbs, and he also knew that his brother with Grade A talent really had a chance to help him!
But, all of this was predicated on his brother growing up. The resources of a family in the Outer City were too scant, and now the family’s primary task was to not hold him back and send him through the adaptation period as soon as possible.
Anything that could potentially hinder his brother’s strength development, or affect his energy, must not be done!
He could never show any desire for prosthetic limbs in front of his brother.
Everything depended on his brother surviving and growing up. That was the consensus of the family!
From today on, Tao Yu had become the core of the household…