Reboot: Mechanic

Chapter 296 An Old Acquaintance

Shi Tian's attitude toward Theobold's army had soured considerably. 

He had seen firsthand just how ruthless and insidious they could be, and he no longer felt any obligation to protect their interests. 

Survival had become his top priority, and he was willing to do whatever it took to stay alive.

"If Theobold pushes too far, then I'm going to expose his impotency to everyone, shattering his hard-earned reputation throughout these years." Shi Tian muttered softly. 

Although Theobold was insidious toward him, it was indeed a fact that he had saved numerous lives on behalf of Gearits City.

However, that kind of event was something that occurred when he was still stacked in the pile of corpses in the graveyard place. It had nothing to do with him, so he did not feel any gratitude toward him, much less owe him a favor. 

Currently, he was holding a critical piece of evidence that could ruin Theobold, but unless it was absolutely necessary, Shi Tian did not wish to utilize it. 

After all, it could become a good piece of blackmail material in the future. 

And with his boosters' suit still active, Shi Tian continued to navigate the wilderness, his senses on high alert. 

He knew that the danger was far from over. Just the early blunder had made his vigilance heightened and he dared not to relax for a single moment. 

A night might have passed by, but it was quite clear that the elite soldiers of Theobold were more persistent than he thought. 

Having his mask on, Shi Tian didn't put it away even if it was pointless for him. The mask provided good coverage of his face, ensuring that the enemies would never be able to recognize him. 

Of course, Shi Tian didn't dare to be complacent either and thought a mask was enough to hide his identity. If the enemies were perspective enough and analyzed his physiques, height, and everything else, then they might truly make a connection. 

As Shi Tian propelled forward with the booster's suit thrust power, Shi Tian halted himself when he met an old acquaintance up ahead.

Chuckling softly, Shi Tian pulled out his gun and smiled.

"I must say. We are really destined to meet. Back then when I was alone and barely had anything, you were there to greet me with bites that nearly took my life. And now that I'm alone again, we met yet again." He raised his gun and aimed at the familiar creatures in front of him. 

Yep, they were creatures that always moved in groups and also had a hideous appearance, the Armored Rats. 

Shi Tian's encounter with the Armored Rats brought a wry smile to his face, tinged with a hint of irony. 

These creatures, once a menace to him when he was just starting his journey in this harsh world, had now become a manageable obstacle, thanks to his growth and the newfound powers of his Mecha Operator subclass.

With practiced ease, he took aim at the approaching Armored Rats. His boosted mobility allowed him to maintain a safe distance while firing precise shots. 

One by one, the creatures fell, their hideous forms crumpling to the ground.

"Times have changed, my furry friends. You used to be a real threat," He mused aloud as he continued to eliminate the approaching rats. "But now, it's my turn to turn the tables."

As the last of the creatures fell, Shi Tian holstered his weapon. 

He couldn't help but reflect on how far he had come since his early days in this world. The struggles, battles, and near-death experiences had all contributed to his growth and survival.

However, his encounter with the Armored Rats served as a reminder that danger could lurk anywhere, even in the seemingly mundane environment. 

He needed to remain vigilant, especially with Theobold's army hot on his trail.

Shaking his head, Shi Tian quickly checked up on the corpse for any possible Source Crystal in their body. He wasn't going to simply leave the corpses here and let anyone know that there was a battle here. 

Additionally, he might as well take the time to gain some profit. He didn't waste these normal bullets for no reason. Each bullet fired was equivalent to him losing money.

How could he possibly allow himself to go bankrupt? 

As he scavenged for any possible Source Crystal, the ones he scavenged were stored in his Dimension Ring. Even their corpses are worth some money. 

After searching for quite a while, Shi Tian was somewhat disheartened to realize how unlucky he was. 

Of all the Armored Rats corpses here, not a single one contains a Source Crystal.

"You've got to be kidding me…" Shi Tian twitched his lips in disbelief. 

"What kind of crap stats is this? Luck is 15, but where's the luck at all?" He added, seemingly frustrated by the findings.

Was it a wrong choice to not increase his luck?

But was it necessary to increase his luck? Luck seemed so superficial and did not provide much guarantee compared to the other stats. 

Unable to ponder over this to get a concrete result, Shi Tian simply shook his head and cleared the evidence of his traces here.

It was a good thing that his aim was getting more and more precise– to the point that there was barely any blood scattered after piercing these Armored Rats with the bullets. 

However, Shi Tian also knew no matter how hard he might try to clean up the scenes. If the elite soldiers were still tracking him, then with their expertise, they would still be able to discern a battle had taken place here not long ago.

The word elite wasn't just for show, and these soldiers were great in their adaptation to any changes in the circumstances.

Now that they had somewhat grasped his skills and abilities, it would be impossible for Shi Tian to be successful in another ambush. 

"I hate it when the enemies are so capable. Why can't they be some typical braindead young master?" Shi Tian clicked his tongue, annoyed that his enemies were too competent.