Chapter 478 - 308: Tinder Terminal, Belated Huge Salary

"Of course it has to be detailed."

Chen Beixuan’s smile faded, and he said seriously,

"The reason we’ve delayed this long in issuing it to you isn’t because the Council is inefficient."

"It’s because establishing this evaluation system was incredibly complex."

The old fox stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the bustling base.

"We had to balance the value of combat personnel against research staff, eliminate opportunities for point grinding and cheating, and coordinate with the resource vaults of all the major factions to integrate their best, most prized assets into the system."

"You can’t even imagine the amount of political haggling and the number of unreasonable rules we had to deal with."

Chen Beixuan turned back to face Han Feng.

"The Speaker said that desperate times call for harsh measures, but they also demand great rewards."

"We have to shatter the old rules of seniority. From now on, strength and contributions are all that matter."

"Especially for you researchers."

Chen Beixuan deliberately pointed to the entry for the Ghost Fighter.

"Before, when a technician developed something, they’d get a bonus and that was it. They saw none of the subsequent profits. That’s not fair, and it’s no way to retain true geniuses."

"That’s why the Tinder system specifically includes a ’long-tail effect’ mechanism."

"The Tinder review team will re-evaluate your research projects every quarter."

"If the X-02 Fighter performs spectacularly in future wars, or if your technology gets applied to a wider range of fields, the system will automatically award you the difference."

"Even if you’re just lying at home sleeping, as long as your technology is still out there killing enemies, Contribution Points will keep rolling into your account."

After hearing all this, Han Feng was genuinely moved.

This system was practically tailor-made for a "tech specialist" like him.

In a world where Martial Arts reigned supreme, researchers often held a subordinate position, sometimes reduced to mere appendages of the powerful.

But the "Tinder Project" genuinely placed knowledge and technology on equal footing with, if not higher than, martial prowess.

This wasn’t just about money.

It was about respect.

"The Speaker is truly magnanimous. You and General Li must have worked very hard on this."

Han Feng’s flattery was completely sincere.

To establish such a subversive distribution system right under the noses of the major factions, the pressure these two men must have endured was surely immense.

"Enough with the sweet talk."

Li Tiecheng huffed from the side, but a smile hung on his face all the same.

"With this gadget, from now on, if you want any resources, just look them up on the exchange list yourself."

"As long as you have enough Contribution Points, we could pluck the stars from the sky for you—provided they’re in the vault."

"Also, about that one-on-one tutelage from a Grandmaster—I suggest you save it. The Speaker himself teaches that course. It’s ridiculously expensive, but absolutely worth every point."

Han Feng glanced at the "private lesson," which cost a whopping fifty thousand points per session, and was secretly dumbfounded.

’I’ll think about that later.’

’My sixty-thousand-plus points seem like a lot right now, but it’d be gone after just a few big purchases.’

"Alright, if you’re satisfied, then scram."

Li Tiecheng waved his hand dismissively.

"You just got back from that hellhole, so you must be wound up tight. Go home, get some rest, and get your head straight."

"Dragon Abyss will be opening soon, and that’s when the real hard fighting begins. Your fighter squadron is counting on you to lead them."

"You got it! I won’t disturb you two leaders any longer!"

Han Feng scrambled to his feet, tucked the terminal into his jacket, and gave a clumsy, half-baked military salute.

Then, beaming, he turned and walked away.

With over sixty thousand Contribution Points, plus the Cultivation Technique he’d gotten for free from the Hall of Myriad Spirits and the loot he’d scavenged from the seabed...

...he felt he not only had enough resources to advance to Sword Master, but he could even swap out the Core Array of his Shadow Spirit Armor for something even more brutal.

Not until Han Feng’s back disappeared through the doorway...

...did Li Tiecheng pull his gaze away. He looked at the metal box on the table, his tone complex.

"Old Chen, this kid... isn’t he growing a little too fast?"

"I get the feeling that even a place like Broken Star Reef is just his personal playground."

"The faster, the better."

Chen Beixuan picked up his teacup again, his gaze drifting to the gloomy sky outside the window as he spoke softly.

"Time is not on our side."

"The calamity will descend in ten years... We don’t need geniuses. We need monsters."

"I hope he becomes the kind of monster who can hold up the sky, even when it’s falling."