Hidden Dead Ends

Chapter 44

"Got it..." Li Chengyi fully understood now that being an Intellective Engineer was an incredibly costly profession, one that would require a mountain of wealth to sustain.

Given the intimate connection between an Intellective Engineer and their weapon, it made sense that they should know every component personally, ensuring complete control.

"Thank you!" he said, expressing his gratitude sincerely.

“No need to thank me. Back when I was struggling, it was the boss who helped me through. You’ve got him backing you now, so develop yourself well. Hopefully, we’ll see each other at the Association someday.” Ding Ning patted Li Chengyi’s shoulder warmly. Whatever Xindra had told him, it had left Ding Ning with a positive impression of Li.

After witnessing the terrifying speed of the Feiyi, Li Chengyi’s mind began leaning towards a choice for his second flower deity.

“By the way, you mentioned that Intellective Engineers have a basic protective field, right?” Li Chengyi suddenly asked.

“Of course, but it’s very basic—more like wearing full-body Kevlar armor. It can stop regular bullets but won’t hold up against a Feiyi; it’s like a thin shell in comparison,” Ding Ning replied with a nod.

“Can I see it in action?”

“Sure.”

Ding Ning raised his hand.

“Fire Sickle, Mode Two,” he said quietly.

Seeing Li Chengyi’s confused look, Ding Ning smiled and explained.

“Since Feiyi can operate at such high speeds and cause massive damage, we set up safety protocols and activation commands to prevent reflexive misfires. What I just said was my activation command.”

“Makes sense,” Li Chengyi nodded, his eyes filled with curiosity.

“So, is the basic protective field active now?”

“Yes, you can reach out and try touching my hand,” Ding Ning replied with a nod.

Taking him at his word, Li Chengyi extended his hand toward Ding Ning’s hand.

Strangely, as his fingers came within a few centimeters, he felt an invisible force preventing him from getting any closer.

“This is the protective field. I only have the basic one, but the more advanced ones offer far better protection. Some can even match a fully modified human’s strength, blocking armor-piercing rounds and sniper shots. Of course, with that kind of strength, the cost and maintenance fees are...” Ding Ning raised an eyebrow, smiling.

“Intellective Engineers aren’t common, are they?” Li Chengyi asked.

“Generally, each financial group only supports one Intellective Engineer because the resources required are enormous. The largest companies may sponsor several, but even then, resources are limited. This makes the competition to become an Intellective Engineer quite fierce,” Ding Ning confirmed. “That’s why I strongly suggest you go the amateur route, try it out, and see if you’re truly committed.”

“Thanks for the advice!” Li Chengyi replied earnestly.

After witnessing the Feiyi and the basic protective field firsthand, he realized something important.

His evolved Wisteria Flower Scale Armor could barely withstand handgun bullets. Against Feiyi, its effectiveness was questionable at best.

And from what Ding Ning said, fully modified humans could surpass even that level of protection.

This meant that, in terms of sheer physical defense, his Flower Scale Armor was still far behind these technological marvels.

‘So... the true power of the Flower of Malice lies in its flower language abilities. Both in normal and armor-wearing states, flower language should be its core strength.’

‘There are plenty of stronger physical defense methods out there, but none that can rival the unique capabilities of flower language.’

His thoughts on utilizing the Flower of Malice began to crystallize.

“It’s been a while. Want to grab a drink?”

“Sure.” Li Chengyi had no objections. It was already late, and he’d have to wait until tomorrow to decide on his second flower deity. This gave him time to think it through.

---

They found a nearby café and sat down, ordering drinks.

“It’s been a while. You look like you’re doing pretty well?” Chen Pi commented, taking a sip of barley tea.

“Not bad, just focusing on staying in shape,” Li Chengyi replied. Constant training, combat drills, shooting practice—pushing himself so hard had made a noticeable difference in his energy and demeanor.

“Running into you here reminds me, why didn’t you take that job my dad set up for you? The manager even called him asking about it.” She looked puzzled.

With so many graduates struggling to find jobs, Li Chengyi’s decision seemed odd. The position her father found offered good pay and prospects.

But he hadn’t even tried it.

“That was my oversight; I forgot to let your dad know I’d found a job. I know he meant well, and I understand. But I’m no standout talent. I figured if I joined the company, it’d mostly be out of respect for your dad.”

“So I thought, rather than cause trouble, I’d try making my way on my own,” he said softly.

Working a typical office job was no longer an option for him. But he needed to maintain appearances, especially since Chen Shan had helped him out of goodwill.

“So what’re you doing now?” she asked.

“Working in biotech. It’s decent... nothing special.” Li Chengyi replied casually.

His current life was centered around training for the dead-end realms. His only “normal” job was technically a sham front, though it did have real products, so it wasn’t quite a “sham.”

“What do you mean ‘nothing special’? I bet you’re just being modest.” Chen Pi gave him a knowing look.

“No need to be modest. We all start somewhere,” he replied, laughing. He couldn’t very well tell her he spent every day training in combat, firearms, and endurance. His “salary” was absurd for a biotech job, making any attempts to pass as normal a challenge.

The conversation shifted to Chen Pi’s own work. She’d recently returned from abroad and was struggling to adapt to life and work. Her boss often took credit for successes while blaming failures on her, and the job had her juggling long hours with low pay.

It was clear she saw Li Chengyi as a sounding board, venting her work frustrations.

Li Chengyi nodded along, listening as she downed beer after beer, barely touching her food.

After experiencing life in the dead-end realms, everyday work issues seemed trivial to him.

Listening to her talk, he didn’t feel annoyed but rather found a surprising sense of normalcy in the conversation.

When they finally left the café, he hailed a cab for her.

“See you later,” she waved from inside, unaware that her dress had hiked up, revealing her legs

.

He discreetly reached in to adjust it for her, then stepped back with a wave.

“See you.”

“Don’t be too proud,” she called from the car. “It’s all about helping each other out. My dad helped you, but once you’re in the company, you might pick up inside info that could help him out too. This world’s all about give and take!”

“Yes, yes,” he nodded along, smiling.

Though he understood, he knew his path might lead him far from the lives of ordinary people... into realms that even those close to him might never truly understand.@@@@