Chapter 10: Regional Boss: Am I the Boss? No! You Are!

Common white materials like the fangs and fur of Bone-Faced Wolves, the sharp claws, poison sacs, and hair of the Venomous Cat Demons, and the residual liquid from the Poisonous Tumor Slimes - although these were all ordinary items, Zheng Mu wouldn't leave them behind.

Though the items were of common quality, their market price was still several hundred credits per piece, which were needed by many lifestyle profession players. Roughly estimating, Zheng Mu could earn at least 300,000 credits just from these common white materials, not to mention the dozen or so green-quality weapons and equipment he had obtained.

The weapons were of various types and couldn't be synthesized, so Zheng Mu decided to keep them and sell them later.

"Hehehe, this storage backpack came just in time. The interior space is like a huge shipping container!" Zheng Mu said as he manipulated Optimus Prime, making it move and stop intermittently to clean up the area.

Time passed quickly, and in two or three days, though the number of monsters was still substantial, the overwhelming feeling of being surrounded by zombies had subsided. During this time, Zheng Mu finally upgraded several of his skills.

[Midas touch lv3: Can transform materials, monster materials, and ores of no higher than purple rare grade into mechanically equivalent components. Cooldown: 3h. Computing power required: 50]

[Combat Analysis lv3: Calculates enemy attack paths one second before their attack. No cooldown. Computing power required: 10]

[Firepower Reset lv3: Resets the ammunition consumption of all mechanical creations under the player's control. Cooldown: 3h. Computing power required: 30]

[Computing Power Enhancement lv2: Reduces the computing power consumption for learning skills to some extent. Current reduction: 25%. Computing power required: 50]

"So, upgrading skills is the biggest drain on experience points after all..." Zheng Mu said, exhausted from days of continuous fighting. During this time, he occasionally let Optimus Prime withdraw temporarily from the Venomous Wasteland so he could sleep for a few hours in the car before resuming the frantic monster hunt.

But looking at his now-transformed panel, he felt that everything was worth it.

[Name: Zheng Mu]

[Profession: A-Class Mechanic]

[Level: lv10 (0/50,000)]

[HP: 1000/1000]

[MP: 1000/1000]

[Computing Power: 190/240]

[Strength: 24]

[Agility: 23]

[Mental Power: 26]

[Physique: 25]

[Skills: Combat Analysis lv3, Weapon Mastery max, Midas touch lv3, Firepower Reset lv3, Military Equipment Modification lv3, Computing Power Enhancement lv2]

[Mechanical Creations: Transformers · Optimus Prime]

Though his attributes weren't particularly outstanding among other professionals, as a mechanic, the effects of Zheng Mu's personal attributes were limited.

Just as Zheng Mu was happily waiting for his experience points to accumulate and upgrade the last non-maxed skill to max level, a warning came from Optimus Prime.

"Master, please be careful! The monster boss has appeared!"

As soon as the words fell, Zheng Mu saw a greenish liquid coming at him from within the dense fog.

Optimus Prime reacted quickly, firing its cannon.

Boom! The attack was instantly shattered.

However, three figures emerged from the fog - Venomous Cat Demons, Bone-Faced Wolves, and Poisonous Tumor Slimes, all several times larger than the monsters they had encountered before.

These monsters were not only at level 19, but they were also noticeably smarter than the ones Zheng Mu and his team had been battling.

Upon seeing the terrifying Optimus Prime, Zheng Mu could clearly see a brief moment of shock and confusion on the faces of the three monstrous bosses. These creatures had likely fought many adventurers before and had even killed a fair share of them. However, having someone like Zheng Mu, who brought along such a powerful ally like Optimus Prime, was a unique and unprecedented situation.

Zheng Mu grinned wickedly as he saw the three bosses appear. "Heh, it's great that you all showed up. I was just getting worried about the one-week mission deadline coming up. Now I can finally relax!"

As he spoke, Zheng Mu activated his "Firepower Reset" skill, immediately refilling Optimus Prime's depleted cannon with 20 rounds.

"Optimus Prime, let's show our guests our warm welcome!"

In the next instant, Optimus Prime's cannon unleashed its full firepower. One shot after another accurately hit the three boss monsters that had just emerged from the Venomous Wasteland.

Amidst the rumbling explosions, the Bone-Faced Wolf Leader, the Cat Demon Leader, and the Poisonous Tumor Slime screamed in agony. As thick, black smoke billowed around them, the massive and resilient Bone-Faced Wolf Leader emerged, its body charred and bloodied.

It roared and charged toward Zheng Mu. In the next moment, with a swift and deadly strike, Zheng Mu's heated thermal blade sliced through the wolf leader's head.

[You have killed the Bone-Faced Wolf Leader (lv19), gaining 555 experience points and the blue-quality material "Body of the Bone-Faced Wolf Leader"]

Before Zheng Mu could celebrate, the sound of the cannon roared again, and the Venomous Cat Demon Leader let out a mournful cry, transforming into more experience points for Zheng Mu. The Poisonous Tumor Slime Leader followed soon after.

[You have killed the Venomous Cat Demon Leader (lv19), gaining 489 experience points and the blue-quality material "Brain of the Venomous Cat Demon"]

[You have killed the Poisonous Tumor Slime Leader (lv19), gaining 561 experience points and the blue-quality material "Slime Poison Core"]

Although the three bosses didn't drop any powerful equipment, Zheng Mu wasn't after equipment anyway. As Optimus Prime eliminated the remaining monsters in the area, the long-awaited system notification finally rang out.

[Area-clearing mission "Venomous Wasteland" completed]

[Congratulations, Host, on obtaining a blue-quality elite blueprint...]