"So, does this mean my status has been enhanced?" After Bai Xiaoling explained the purpose of her visit, Chen Shouyi asked.

This didn't surprise him. Since he was already exposed, these things were bound to happen sooner or later, but he didn't expect it to happen so quickly.

"Yes, although you can't register just yet, the City Government has recognized your status as a Martial Artist, and you will receive the benefits afforded to a Martial Artist. The city will also help supplement the national Martial Artist stipend."

Bai Xiaoling handed over some documents. Chen Shouyi flipped through them and discovered that the benefits of a Martial Artist were worlds apart from those of an ordinary martial artist.

The national stipend alone is fifty thousand, with the province and city each supplementing two hundred thousand, for a total of four hundred fifty thousand, all tax-free. Adding the salary from being the Chief Security Advisor with the City Government, it's almost a million. The benefits are quite substantial.

If this were the peaceful times before the crisis, an unregistered and untested Martial Artist would never encounter such an extraordinary set of circumstances. It's only during such crises that this becomes possible.

Hedong City is certainly handling this special situation with special measures.

While Chen Shouyi was skimming through the documents, Bai Xiaoling took the opportunity to gaze at him with her heart pounding.

This is a Martial Artist.

The ultimate human warrior, a killing machine, yet so handsome and striking, with skin so fair it seemed you could squeeze water out of it. He's like the perfect idol.

Chen Shouyi remained cool and oblivious.

After a while, he put down the documents and looked at Bai Xiaoling, asking, "By the way, do you know anyone involved in biological research?"

"Ah!" Bai Xiaoling quickly averted her gaze, nervously fixing her hair. "Advisor Chen, what were you asking me just now?"

Without much thought, Chen Shouyi repeated, "What I asked was if you know anyone involved in biological research."

"Biological research? I have a cousin who's an associate professor in microbiology at Jiangnan University. Why do you ask?" Bai Xiaoling responded, puzzled.

His sudden shift in topic left her bewildered.

Weren't we just talking about the benefits?

"That's great! When will you be free?" Chen Shouyi's heart leaped with joy. He only asked casually and ended up with a pleasant surprise.

Divine Blood isn't an ordinary item; its value cannot be measured in money. It's priceless, and people would be uneasy entrusting it to strangers. If it's with a relative of someone trusted, the confidence in them is naturally higher.

After all, there's also a hostage involved.

"I'm free every day now," Bai Xiaoling said.

"Great, let's go now!" Chen Shouyi stood up and said.

"But Jiangnan University is far from here!" Bai Xiaoling hesitated.

"No worries, I have a car!" Chen Shouyi replied.

Then Chen Shouyi went to his room, took the Divine Blood stored in a bottled water container, wrapped it in several layers of plastic bags, and carefully tucked it into his pocket.

Before leaving, he called out to Chen Xingyue: "Xing Yue, tell mom and dad I won't be coming back for lunch!"

"Got it!"

...

As they reached the parking lot, Bai Xiaoling was still wondering what Chen Shouyi meant by saying he had a car. Then she realized she had overthought it when she saw he had only a bicycle.

"Hop on!" Chen Shouyi said.

"I also came by bike," Bai Xiaoling replied modestly.

"You're too slow, just get on!" Chen Shouyi urged.

Bai Xiaoling sat demurely on the bicycle's back seat, and as soon as she did, the bike jerked, startling her to hug Chen Shouyi's waist tightly.

Such a strong and warm body, it felt like his muscles were moving powerfully and rhythmically beneath her.

But soon she lost interest in daydreaming.

As the bicycle left the housing complex, its speed increased. The scenery on both sides blurred past, making her feel as if she were on a motorcycle speeding at sixty to seventy kilometers per hour, not on a bicycle.

The sky is overcast today with no trace of sunlight. Even though it's nearing noon, the temperature hovers around minus two or three degrees. The biting cold wind felt like knives cutting through, and Bai Xiaoling huddled behind Chen Shouyi, silently complaining.

This is worse than riding my own bike.

Chen Shouyi couldn't feel Bai Xiaoling's discomfort. Feeling the slender body pressed against his back, he couldn't help but let his mind wander. His sharp senses vividly perceived her curvy, delicate, and supple form.

If only it were summer.

The season for spilling hormones.

...

Chen Shouyi's bicycle sped along the road for motor vehicles, his feet pedaling powerfully.

Occasionally, he would see a steam-powered car spitting white exhaust, either passing by or being overtaken by his bike.

Despite the time passed, the steam-powered cars in Hedong City remained scarce, not exceeding ten thousand. In this massive city, they were like pepper scattered on a vast area, barely noticeable.

These steam-powered vehicles were mostly large trucks, loaded heavily with mountains of goods, lumbering forward like old oxen pulling carts.

Grains, meat, vegetables, coal, steel...

To keep a mega-city with a population of over ten million running, the daily consumption of resources was unimaginable.

Logistical transportation was undoubtedly the biggest challenge at present.

Half an hour later, as they passed a railway viaduct, a long whistle sounded from behind.

Curious, Chen Shouyi stopped his bicycle and looked back.

Before long, an old steam locomotive, as if it had come out of a museum, puffed thick white smoke, pulling heaps of coal carriages slowly forward.

Indeed, on the front of the locomotive, Chen Shouyi could see the slogan "Serve the People." As someone born on the cusp of the millennia, he had only ever seen this scene online.

It emitted powerful, clanging sounds, like a roaring Giant Beast!

The national logistics seemed to be on the move again, indicating a positive shift in the situation.

Only after the last carriage had passed did Chen Shouyi snap out of it, feeling invigorated.

"When did the trains start running again?"

"I think it was two days ago. Didn't you read the newspaper?" Bai Xiaoling replied.

...

After riding for another half hour, Chen Shouyi and Bai Xiaoling finally arrived at the Jiangnan University campus.

Soldiers were stationed on the periphery, and every few hundred meters, there was a defense outpost loaded with artillery.

As one of the country's top universities, the importance of Jiangnan University was undoubtedly significant.

Not only were tens of thousands of students from across the country stranded here, but there were also numerous national and provincial key laboratories concentrated here.

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