Kael stepped closer, his eyes scanning both women... until a golden status panel exploded beside the young girl who was crying.
[Potential Employee]
Name: Xue Ying
Origin: Native (Southern Island, Skyland)
Potential: S
Talents: (Agricultural Quality Boost: 50% chance of agricultural quality improvement), (High-Speed Farming - Growth Speed +1000%)
Kael's breath caught.
Agricultural boost. Speed farming. On a rice production facility, that combination was devastating. She could harvest in hours what took others days. And if the quality boost applied to yield...
He'd found a goldmine.
"Incredible," Kael murmured, his resolve hardening. "I have to recruit this woman."
He immediately moved closer, intending to intervene.
The man in the silk robe noticed Kael's approach. He turned and said, "Who's this delicate boy?"
His eyes assessed Kael from top to bottom. Though his clothes were somewhat strange, they were more luxurious than most people's.
Must be some pampered mama's boy who doesn't know danger and likes to interfere.
"Oi, stop... if you don't want to end up like him," he said, then spat toward Xue Ying's father beneath his foot.
Kael didn't flinch. He continued approaching.
"Damn, this kid's looking for death!" he shouted. With a hand gesture, he ordered his men to teach Kael a lesson.
Two muscular men behind him immediately acted, running toward Kael to give him a life lesson.
Kael felt the distance was close enough. He stood his ground, ignoring the two burly men walking toward him.
"Stop. I'll help them pay the debt," he said, neither humble nor arrogant.
For Kael, there was no use getting emotional about their conflict. His goal was singular: recruit the young woman and bring them to the factory to work.
Hearing Kael's words, the man in the silk robe showed hesitation. It was clear in his uncertain eyes. He had no intention of stopping his two subordinates.
Kael caught all of that.
"Wants to show off his strength? Why is everyone in isekai like this?" Kael muttered inwardly.
"If that's the way you want it, fine..." he thought.
He immediately channeled energy into both palms.
"I want to see the effect of this natural force," he murmured.
Then he shot forward rapidly. Both legs were also enveloped in natural energy.
His movement was extremely fast, shocking the two muscular men into stopping. Their eyes widened when they saw the blue aura around Kael's feet and hands.
Even the man in the silk robe and also the Xue Ying family stared with wide-open eyes at Kael.
A cultivator was someone immortal. As long as they continued cultivating natural energy, their lifespan was limitless. Moreover, natural energy gave them extraordinary strength, even capable of destroying mountains.
That was how cultivators existed in everyone's minds, which was why they were shocked seeing Kael.
Kael understood that, but he wanted to play by the silk-robed man's rules.
Only when realizing that Kael was a cultivator did the silk-robed man try to stop him. "Stop!..."
But it was too late.
Kael had already launched a devastating punch to the face and a direct kick to the stomach.
Pahh!
Bam!
Kael's hand punched hard toward the nose, followed by a right-leg kick to the stomach.
That was just one. Kael quickly shifted his weight from left foot to right, then delivered a direct kick to the other man's chest.
Bam!
Kael could feel the power flowing through his legs. When his hands and feet penetrated the bodies of both men, it was like stepping on clay. Their bodies were soft, penetrating to their internal organs.
The whole thing happened in a split second. Both muscular men were thrown several meters into the villagers' land.
Kael, on the other hand, had already corrected his stance and was staring at both his hands.
"Crazy... one more combo, and my kick would've penetrated his internal organs," Kael muttered, directly experiencing a cultivator's power.
"Argh!!!"
"My chest!"
"Please... take me to a healer!"
The screams of pain from those two men reached everyone's ears, especially the silk-robed man.
Anger formed in his eyes. He released his foot from Xue Ying's father's face and walked toward Kael.
As he walked, the same blue aura enveloped his feet and hands, though it appeared dimmer.
"Tch... just an early Qi stage beginner, you dare act arrogant before me!?" he said, his plan to show off his strength shattered.
"You want to use force? Fine! I'll give it to you!" he shouted, running toward Kael.
Kael stared at the man with furrowed brows.
"Is he crazy or what? You're the one who chose the violent approach first," Kael cursed inwardly.
He had no time to waste. He also had to prepare. He immediately circulated natural energy throughout his entire body... yes, even his abdomen, vital areas, and head.
"Dodge, then attack," Kael muttered in his mind.
He wasn't a martial arts expert, but dodging and attacking was basic mammalian survival knowledge.
The silk-robed man was about to arrive. He shouted, "Iron Fist!"
True to its name, the man's right hand transformed into iron, and the blue aura added power to the punch.
Pah!
He launched his fist toward Kael's chest. A proud smile appeared on his face, imagining Kael's body flying several meters back.
But his fantasy shattered when he saw Kael dodge slightly to the side, extremely fast. Then Kael's right hand immediately struck the back of the man's right hand.
Because he'd lost balance and was about to fall forward, Kael launched a kick toward the man's face just as his face was about to touch the ground.
The man managed to block with both hands, but when he felt Kael's kick meet his right hand's defense, he felt powerless.
Kael felt the difference clearly.
This robed man had Qi that was impure, unstable, broken and fragmented, as if learned through crude and inconsistent practice.
In contrast, his Qi flowed smoothly like water, perfect because it was given by the system itself. The system that could build structures from empty air. The system that could create life.
The Qi from that system... must be purer.
This man didn't stand a chance.
The natural energy power in Kael's kick was like a tsunami destroying a shack.
Bam!
The kick struck his face directly. The silk-robed man's body defied momentum, flew high into the air, bent 90 degrees, then fell hard to the ground.
Bam!
Blood spurted from his nose and mouth. He lay unconscious and helpless before Kael.
Kael stepped back.
"Is he dead!?" he muttered, slightly worried.
If he killed this man, the problem would snowball, and he was very clear about that from novels.
Fortunately, the man consumed a pill, and his wounds healed in the blink of an eye, though not completely.
He then stood up, slightly hunched, with blood seeping from his nose. He stared at Kael with horror, anger, and fear.
You'll regret this! was clear on his face, though he didn't say it.
When his posture had recovered, he stared at Kael with a sour expression.
"What did you say earlier? You want to pay off this family's debt?" he asked bitterly.
A wide smile appeared on Kael's face, directly mocking the man's ego. But he wouldn't let emotions take over.
"Yes, correct. How much is their debt?" Kael asked directly.
He had to make use of every second. Every second was productive factory time.
"500 Mana Stones, including interest," the man replied, not wanting to deal with Kael any longer.
"Alright... I'll pay it within 3 days!" Kael declared.
He saw the man seemed unwilling. But Kael quickly added, "If not..." his eyes narrowed, signaling a continuation of the fight.
The silk-robed man shuddered. His heart pounded, then he said in a heavy tone, "Fine! 3 days..."
After saying that, he turned and took his two subordinates with him.
Huft...
Kael exhaled in relief. He was actually worried and cautious inside.
His natural energy power seemed purer. "Probably because it was given by the system," he thought.
But Kael was worried about the people behind that man.
"Damn, I'm finally experiencing the worries of weak people in novels," Kael muttered resignedly.
Kael turned to the Xue Ying family. Their fear was real. So was their gratitude.
A good transaction, he thought without guilt.