Chapter 22: Unexpected Fortune

David skillfully activated the K2 Military Electronic Countermeasures Device. The display screen flooded with countless rapidly updating data streams—an impenetrable maze for anyone without the necessary expertise, impossible to even comprehend, let alone operate. Yet David handled it with remarkable ease; the electronic warfare knowledge stored in his mind made him acutely aware of the most likely points of exposure.

He took out the T3 Sniper Auxiliary Device and placed it beside the K2 Military Electronic Countermeasures Device. In just ten seconds, the K2 device successfully captured the faint signal within the T3’s control system.

He discovered the code responsible for revealing his location—a hidden protocol that sent out a covert positioning signal every hour. With a subtle movement of his finger, he disabled this program. It was, in essence, a belated safeguard.

“Strange. Given the style of these mercenaries, how could they leave the K2 Military Electronic Countermeasures Device on the ground, yet place such importance on the T3 Sniper Auxiliary Device?” David had shut down the signal, but the question gnawed at him.

From a value perspective, the K2 device was the prized possession of any electronic warfare specialist—luxurious and costly, worth tens of thousands of credit points at least, though David didn’t know the exact figure. The T3 Sniper Auxiliary Device, in contrast, was simply rare, but nowhere near as valuable as the K2 device. Deploying so many armored mercenaries for it was disproportionate and illogical.

“Could the T3 Sniper Auxiliary Device be hiding some secret?” He pondered, examining the T3 device in his hands.

The device appeared simple but was constructed from numerous intricate components, impossible to disassemble and thus its secret remained elusive.

His gaze shifted to Shadow Attendant, and his eyes lit up. Shadow Attendant possessed the ability to phase through objects—meaning it could peer inside.

Though the T3 device was not large, Shadow Attendant managed to insert one eye into its interior.

Through Shadow Attendant’s vision, David observed the innards of the T3 device. On the side wall, a chip the size of a fingernail was affixed.

Extracting this chip from the T3 device would be troublesome; after all, the T3 had survived the impact and explosion of the flight shuttle intact. Even if he wished to break it open, its casing was unyielding, making retrieval impossible.

“Let’s see what the chip does first.” Although he couldn’t remove the chip, David could certainly activate it and examine its contents.

Previously, David would have lacked the ability, but he had just attained a 98% mastery in electronic warfare. Activating a chip at such close range was trivial.

The K2 Military Electronic Countermeasures Device emitted a weak pulse of energy, precisely linked to the chip’s energy interface thanks to Shadow Attendant’s guidance. The chip powered up.

A line of data appeared on the K2’s screen. At first glance, it was gibberish, yet to David’s eyes, it was perfectly clear. Understanding flashed in his gaze.

With rapid movements, he transferred this data from the K2 device to his identity wristband.

A projection appeared on his wristband, displaying the insignia of Akka Bank.

Akka Bank was one among many in the Federation, renowned for its confidentiality—the self-proclaimed safest bank. Credit points deposited there might not yield high returns, but they were guaranteed privacy, making it the favored repository for black and gray income.

Seeing Akka Bank’s emblem, David immediately understood what the chip was.

He had never seen the legendary anonymous account, but he had long heard of such widely circulated special accounts.

The Akka Bank logo flickered, followed by a series of verifications. Data from the chip exchanged with the Akka Bank branch on Rockstone Star via the Sky Network, the process lasting a full ten seconds.

Even with his 98% mastery of electronic warfare, David could not analyze these data streams—this was Akka Bank’s core secret, refined over countless years.

The verification completed, and David finally learned the mercenaries’ true motive for their arrival: an available balance of four hundred and twenty thousand credit points in the anonymous account.

Four hundred and twenty thousand credit points—on Rockstone Star, where credits were highly valued, this was wealth indeed.

Of these, two hundred and sixty thousand were the proceeds from the Wolf Mercenary Group’s recent sales of premium spoils; the remainder belonged to the late Abbott’s private savings.

Staring at the account balance sent David’s heart racing. If he failed to enter a good university and worked in Peran City for his entire life, he would never amass such wealth.

In both his previous life and this one, this was the first time he had laid eyes on such a fortune.

He took several deep breaths, steadying his emotions. He refrained from transferring the credits to his identity wristband, knowing that such a large sum of unexplained income would invite unnecessary trouble.

Besides, with the chip in his possession, no one else could access the anonymous account; it was, for all intents and purposes, his personal account.

Whenever he wished to use the credits, he could access them at any time.

He pocketed the T3 Sniper Auxiliary Device—its value now far surpassed four hundred and twenty thousand credit points.

Stimulated by this windfall and by the events of the previous night, his mind could not settle.

Reflecting on the two deaths from last night, he began to analyze the capabilities of Shadow Attendant.

First, Amos, as an armored warrior, was unlikely to possess only one ability. Yet Shadow Attendant had received only the Warhammer Mastery (82% proficiency) knowledge sphere from his soul. David was certain that Amos’s martial prowess far exceeded mere beginner level.

Then there was the female electronic warfare mercenary. Shadow Attendant, likewise, acquired only a single electronic warfare knowledge sphere from her soul. Could it be that Shadow Attendant could extract only one knowledge sphere from each soul?

A hazy theory emerged: Shadow Attendant would obtain only one ability per soul, and that ability was most likely the strongest one the soul possessed in life.

This held true for the female mercenary—her soul provided an electronic warfare knowledge sphere, her greatest skill.

David had not absorbed further knowledge spheres. Judging from his experience merging with the Electronic Warfare (98% mastery) sphere, if his body could not withstand the fusion, failure was highly probable.

The Electronic Warfare (98% mastery) sphere was purely knowledge-based and still nearly overwhelmed him; the remaining spheres were all combat-based, making fusion failure even likelier.

He began relentless practice of the Eighteen Martial Forms. He sensed that if he could perform the 99% beginner-level Eighteen Martial Forms from start to finish, he would break through the beginner barrier.

This feeling was strong—though this incomplete practice would not raise his attributes, he tirelessly and obsessively trained.

His three-month supply of enhancement meat was consumed at a rapid pace, but he no longer cared. His newfound wealth could easily sustain such expenditures.

His plan was to raise his martial skills to a proficient level, then use the Eighteen Martial Forms to more perfectly absorb the secondary enhancement serum.

The secondary enhancement serum was effective, but its absorption depended on personal ability—the stronger the martial arts, the better the absorption.

Only after absorbing the serum and increasing his physical attributes would he have the confidence not to squander the remaining three knowledge spheres.