The neon light outside the window, filtering through the gaps in the cheap blinds, cast mottled shadows on William Rodriguez's hungry face.
He felt like he could swallow a whole cow now, with the bones.
The new ability brings not only excitement, but also a physiological desire that is almost greedy.
"It seems that this 'Hero Claims System' is not given for free. It takes a lot of 'fuel' every time a contract is signed." William covered his rumbling stomach and thought to himself with a smile.
He now deeply understood the settings in comics where superheroes' appetites increased after they transformed, and it turned out that they all had basis in real life.
He grabbed the wrinkled coat on the sofa, not caring whether it fit him or not, he just wanted to fill his stomach as soon as possible.
The vending machine downstairs in the apartment building was like an oasis in the desert in his eyes.
It was late at night and there were few pedestrians on the streets. Only a few vehicles passed by, kicking up a few fallen leaves.
William walked quickly to the familiar vending machine on the corner.
This machine is a bit old, the body is covered with graffiti, and the screen has some poor contact. It often takes a few clicks before it works properly.
He skillfully pretended to take out a few coins and put them into the coin slot.
Just as he was about to press the "Energy Bar" button, the vending machine made a stuttering sound, the screen flickered a few times, and then... went black.
"No way? He failed at this critical moment?" William was a little dumbfounded, and his stomach growled even louder.
He raised his hand out of habit, ready to give the machine a "gentle" slap.
But just as his palm was about to touch the cold metal shell of the vending machine, a strange feeling came from his fingertips.
It's not the vague perception of structure and components like [mechanical induction], but a more subtle and precise...sense of flow?
He was slightly startled and tried to focus on the inside of the vending machine.
A simple diagram of energy flow seemed to appear in my mind.
He "saw" that a weak electric current was blocked at an aging node, like a rusty water pipe.
"Is this... [Primary Energy Adjustment]?" William's mind moved.
The system description is "there is a certain probability of gaining insight into the optimal path for energy flow or potential energy leakage points."
It seems that he has discovered the "energy leakage point" or "blocking point" of this old vending machine.
He subconsciously stretched out his fingers and tapped lightly a few times on the part of the casing that corresponded to the blocked area he "sensed". At the same time, he used a little strength in his wrist and shook it slightly.
This action is completely based on feeling, just like an experienced master adjusting an old radio.
"Zizila..." A slight sound of electric current being connected was heard.
The next second, the vending machine's screen lit up again. Although it was still flickering, the product list was clearly visible.
William was stunned.
Is that all?
He blinked and looked at his fingers again. He hadn't used [Mechanical Sensing] to analyze the internal structure, relying solely on the intuition of [Primary Energy Adjustment]. While it only "minorly improved its energy efficiency or stability," for such a minor problem, the effect was immediate.
"Hey, this ability... is quite interesting." William couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth.
In the future, when I'm out and about and encounter some minor electrical problems, can't I just play the role of a repairman?
Maybe we can develop some new businesses, such as "electrical appliance life extension insurance"?
He quickly pressed the button and selected two of the most expensive "Super Double Energy Bars".
With two "clang" sounds, the energy bar fell into the access port.
Without bothering to go back to the apartment, William couldn't wait to tear open the package of an energy bar and stuffed it into his mouth in a few bites.
The energy from the high sugar content and compressed nutrition quickly replenished the body's deficit, and the intense feeling of hunger was finally suppressed a little, but it still lingered deep in his stomach, reminding him that this was only a temporary relief.
"It seems I need to prepare more dry food next time." He walked back while chewing on his second energy bar.
The price of this improvement in physical fitness is an increase in appetite.
Back in the small apartment, William locked the door and threw his coat aside.
He walked over to the cracked dressing mirror and looked at himself carefully.
[Resilient Skin (Basic)]: The effect is: "The skin's toughness is slightly improved when it suffers minor physical damage such as scrapes and tears. Minor bruises and scrapes heal slightly faster."
He reached out and squeezed his forearm.
The skin does seem to feel a little firmer and more elastic than before.
But this "small improvement" is difficult to quantify.
"We have to try the effect." William muttered, his eyes darting around the room.
His eyes finally fell on the corner of the table. He had bought the table from a flea market, and the edges were a bit sharp.
A bold (or slightly stupid) idea came to mind.
He took a deep breath, as if he was about to make an important decision, then stretched out his forearm and rubbed it lightly against the corner of the table.
"hiss..."
The stinging I had expected wasn't as intense, more like a slight scratching sensation.
He quickly raised his arm to check, and saw a shallow red mark on the skin, without even breaking the oily skin.
"Huh?" William was a little surprised.
In the past, if it happened like this, it would at least break the skin and cause a burning pain for a while.
Now it feels like being accidentally scratched by a cat's claws, neither painful nor itchy.
He touched the red mark with his finger and it felt smooth.
Less than a minute later, the red mark began to fade at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"It's really useful!" William's eyes lit up.
Although it is only "beginner level", this effect is a blessing for salesmen like him who often need to "expand business" in various complex environments.
If you encounter some minor friction in the future, at least you don't have to worry about getting your skin torn easily, and you can recover quickly.
"Not bad, not bad." He nodded with satisfaction and was quite optimistic about these two new abilities.
[Primary Energy Adjustment] allows him to demonstrate his "professionalism" in certain situations and even solve some minor troubles; [Resilient Skin] actually improves his survivability.
Although they are still at the "primary level" at present, little by little they will add up to a lot.
He seemed to have seen that he was moving step by step from an ordinary salesman who was powerless to a more powerful existence.
He called up the system interface and took a look at his status.
[Host: William Rodriguez]
[Activated insurance policies: 3 (trial version)]
[Current remaining claim points: 35/50.]
William was not quite clear about this point. So far, he has signed three contracts, and the claim for each contract was 5 points.
But how to increase this?
These claim points determine whether he can continue to sign and activate new policies, so naturally the more the better.
[Ability obtained:]
Mechanical Sensing (Elementary): Passively sensing mechanical structures and faults.
[Primary Energy Adjustment (Passive): Optimizes the efficiency and stability of simple energy devices.]
[Resilient Skin (Basic): Improves skin toughness and the speed of self-healing from minor injuries.]
Although these three abilities all carry the prefix of "primary", William has already felt the tangible benefits.
"My clients are truly my adopted parents," he said with heartfelt emotion. Especially these "high-risk" clients, who are like walking bags of experience.
However, the feeling of hunger still hasn't completely subsided, as if a part of the body has permanently increased its basal metabolism.
"It seems that the price of 'becoming stronger', besides working hard to sell insurance, is also... your appetite."