Chapter 33: Plans

Tang Mu took more time than usual under the shower. The warm water flowing down his body refreshed his spirits and washed away the fatigue he had accumulated during his night adventures. He let his mind soak in the moment as scenes of the past flashed within his mind.

After his parents died, his only option had been to struggle to make ends meet within the highly competitive intergalactic era, where he had no advantage. He had toiled day in and day out, trying to improve himself in any way possible. He had done his best in his studies and even gotten a high school scholarship.

He then maintained the same strict discipline throughout high school and eventually passed all his exams with flying colors. Aside from that, he had also taken every chance available to him to learn other crucial survival combat skills like archery, swordsmanship, and Krav Maga.

Of course, he hadn't gone through all that just for fun. Instead, he had been trying to improve his résumé to attain the qualifications to join a good university. He was pushing himself to join those institutions of higher learning to secure that rare chance of awakening as a psionic.

It was his goal. It was what he had always been working for.

But now, even before joining a university, he had already broken through to the level of a rank one psionic. He had even awakened the very potent Mentifery superpower that could allow him to become a dragon among men within the intergalactic era.

Tang Mu felt like life was really full of ups and downs. Fortunately, the past no longer mattered since he was already a rank-one esoteric psionic. The next order of business was to train his psionic powers while planning for the future.

He exited the bathroom and dried himself.

Out of habit, he checked his reflection in his dressing mirror and noted that his body had changed again.

His black hair had grown more lustrous, and his skin was smoother after his breakthrough. His brown eyes also looked sharper, and his height appeared to have increased by a few inches. He was now about six feet tall.

Aside from that, Tang Mu noticed that his body was more compact and chiseled. His chest, biceps, and abs were more pronounced and brimming with raw power. Their well-defined contours gave his tall and lean physique an intimidating feel.

It's impossible to hide these changes from people with keen eyes.

But no matter. I'll attribute the changes to my powers breaking through to the pseudo-rank-one level.

Tang Mu made a silent resolution as he donned his old jeans and T-shirt. He planned to hide his exact level to leave a leeway for himself against those with ill intent against him. He could now register himself as a pseudo-rank-one while leaving his rank-one abilities as his card in hand.

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Twenty minutes later, Tang Mu finished his breakfast of milk and noodles. The morning sunrays streaming in through the open window outlined his solemn expression as he sat on his kitchen table, making considerations for his future.

Many candidates were still undergoing the Psionic Society's assessment, and official result slips and certificates wouldn't be out until the following week. As such, there was no way for Tang Mu to start his university application process.

Moreover, there were still a good two months before he could commence his university education. Even if he finalized his application and received an acceptance letter from one of the universities, he would still have to wait for the official opening date of the new semester in late August before joining the higher institution of learning.

So, how could he utilize all the time he had on his hands?

First and foremost, he would continue his adventures in the painting world. This would allow him to refine his combat powers while earning him a stable supply of red-tier origin essence crystals for his training.

Secondly, he needed to gain the membership of one of the descent gyms around the neighborhood. This would grant him access to high-end exercise equipment, gravitational chambers, and personalized training rooms. He would then use them to hone his fitness and powers in the real world without causing much commotion.

But here comes the problem. The membership fees of most of those top gyms that could meet the needs of true-blue psionics were absurd. From what Tang Mu had learned, they could even charge thousands of Earth Dollars a month.

So, what was he to do?

Tang Mu made a few clicks on his smart watch and glanced at the remaining balance in his bank account.

E$ 189.7!

The amount was just enough for his food, daily necessities, and transportation costs over the following two months. However, it was just pocket change if compared to fees charged by reputable gyms, like the Adonis Fitness Center or the Alpha Muscle Center. In fact, it wouldn't be able to cover the cost of a single session at such gyms.

Tang Mu needed money to meet his goals. He also understood that the best way for a psionic to earn was by doing missions for organizations such as the Psionic Society, the Federal Mercenary Guild, and other established private entities like large corporations.

Tang Mu quickly struck out all the other options and decided to go with the Federal Mercenary Guild. He chose this entity because of two reasons.

One, it had loose requirements for members to join. Prospective members only needed to prove they were at least at the level of a rank-one psionic to become quasi-one-star mercenaries.

Two, one of the core values of the Federal Mercenary Guild was utmost secrecy. The organization was like a top-secret society of psionics that would never try to pry into the identities of its members. It wasn't like the highly regulated Psionic Society. It would never ask for identity papers and personal information from those joining its ranks.

Additionally, the members would always wear 'special' masks and only use code names to refer to themselves when meeting clients or other members. All this was in place to accommodate the psionics who wanted to contribute to the development of the human race but still detested the government's strict control of its powerhouses. It was also for those who wished to remain anonymous.

Tang Mu liked all these perks as he wouldn't have to worry about exposing his identity and abilities to those with ill intentions. He also wouldn't have to fear the backlash from the missions he undertook as a member of the organization.

The Federal Mercenary Guild offices are only open at night from 8:00 PM to 6:00 AM. I should make some preparations first before thinking of heading there.

Tang Mu wanted to grasp the ability to use his Mentifery to manifest at least one of the runic arrays he had obtained after swallowing the source rune before considering anything else. His goal was to be able to bring the runic arrangement into existence within seconds before heading to the Federal Mercenary Guild to register as a member.