Cataclysm Hunter: I Have an Experience Points System - Chapter 9 - Mother, the Sword and Shield of Humanity

After having dinner with Zhao Siya in the cafeteria, Lin Xiao returned to his dormitory.

His roommate, Luo Tao, wasn’t there; he probably went straight to the elective weapon class.

Lin Xiao also had a weapon elective class in the evening, but he needed to make a video call first.

Ring, ring, ring~

With a cheerful ringing, the video call quickly connected.

“Mom…”

On the screen appeared a woman in her forties.

Her hair was simply tied back, and her once beautiful face now bore a few wrinkles from the passage of time, with eyes that held wisdom and a hint of weariness.

Lin Xiao’s mother, Lin Qingrong, was an ordinary elementary school language teacher.

“Why are you calling again? I’ve told you, no dropping out of school!”

Before Lin Xiao could speak, his mother’s face on the screen had already turned stern, scolding him harshly.

“Military University is great! It’s a national key program with full tuition waivers, and they cover room and board!”

“What good is dropping out now? How much money can you even make? It’s better to stay and learn more! We don’t have debts that need you to earn money!”

“Stop, stop, stop! I’m not calling about dropping out…”

Lin Xiao’s face broke into a wry smile as he hurriedly interrupted his mother’s barrage of anger.

Some time ago, Lin Xiao had considered dropping out and discussed it with his mother several times, only to be scolded fiercely each time.

Back then, he was mainly feeling discouraged about himself.

Lin Xiao’s family was a single-parent household, and although his mother’s teaching salary was stable, they had to pay rent and cover his younger sister’s tuition and living expenses, making life quite tight.

So, he had thought about dropping out to earn money.

Given his physical condition at the time, a formal job seemed unlikely, but tutoring part-time was feasible.

Military University was highly regarded, not only receiving special national subsidies but also offering graduates with qualifying grades a path into the military.

After the great cataclysm on the Blue Planet, many former human habitats fell to the ravages of mutant beasts.

The Five Nations Alliance also restructured the global military security system into a “sword and shield” strategy.

The military, tasked with defending existing human territories, served as the “shield,” primarily responsible for-

Preventing mutant beasts from invading human-inhabited cities.

Meanwhile, the Hunter Association acted as humanity’s “sword,” tasked with-

Hunting mutant beasts, launching proactive attacks!

Their mission was to hunt, kill, and drive away the mutant beasts occupying human towns, reclaiming lost lands.

Because hunting required entering the beasts’ territories, it was extremely dangerous.

As a result, the requirements for becoming a mutant beast hunter were exceptionally stringent.

Among Military University’s graduates, less than one-fifth met the criteria.

In comparison, the military’s requirements were relatively simpler.

Graduating successfully from Military University or passing the military’s recruitment exams guaranteed a position.

This meant a stable government job with excellent benefits.

Even family members received additional protection from the state.

Moreover, it was relatively safe, and after retirement, one could teach at military schools.

It’s worth mentioning that the military and the Hunter Association weren’t entirely separate entities.

Some powerful warriors occasionally took on roles as mutant beast hunters.

Certain military ranks even required warriors to hold a hunter’s certification.

Mutant beast hunters, after retiring, can also seamlessly transition into military officers. This is why Military Universities around the world have become highly sought after by parents. Even if one’s abilities fall short and graduation is unattainable, preventing entry into the military, students can still work as bodyguards for wealthy employers. In the eyes of ordinary people, students from Military University are seen as formidable individuals, commanding substantial salaries. The only challenge lies in the stringent admission criteria, which demand exceptional physical fitness from students.

In Luzhou City, with a population of several million, Military University only admits four to five hundred new students each year. Consequently, many parents plan ahead by hiring Military University students as tutors for their children. The pay is substantial, with each session earning at least 800. Previously, Lin Xiao struggled to keep up with the school curriculum. On days off, if he wasn’t fainting, he would seize the opportunity to train, leaving no time for part-time work. This led to a sense of despair, making Lin Xiao believe he wouldn’t graduate, thus considering dropping out.

By dropping out, he could work part-time during his lucid moments, easing the family’s financial burden. However, this idea was met with strong opposition from his mother, who even ignored him for several days.

“Mom, I’m not planning to talk about dropping out.”

Upon hearing that Lin Xiao wasn’t bringing up the topic, Lin Qingrong’s expression softened slightly.

“Then why are you calling?”

“Can’t a son just miss his mom!?”

Lin Xiao chuckled, teasing through the camera.

“What’s there to miss? You train so hard; rest when you can!”

Lin Qingrong waved dismissively, feigning annoyance, though a small smile tugged at her lips.

“Is Shanshan staying at school now?”

“Her school is over twenty kilometers away; commuting is too troublesome, so I let her stay in the dormitory.”

Shanshan, Lin Xiao’s sister, just started high school this year and is doing well academically.

“Are you bored at home alone? Do you need me to come back and visit?”

“You all make such a racket at home; now I finally have some peace.”

Lin Qingrong exaggeratedly rubbed her ears, scoffing with a smile.

“Besides, she comes home every weekend. Don’t worry about it, and don’t fall behind in your courses!”

Lin Xiao’s mother knows how demanding Military University is, so she never insists on him coming home just to see her, even though they live less than a hundred kilometers apart. She is also very concerned about Lin Xiao fainting on the way…

Military University has professional medical facilities, so if Lin Xiao’s headaches act up, he can receive immediate assistance there. Although his mother hasn’t explicitly mentioned these concerns, Lin Xiao understands them well.

“Mom… my headaches are gone.”

Lin Qingrong paused, then hurriedly brought the phone closer to her ear.

“…What did you just say!?”

Lin Xiao genuinely smiled, loudly repeating his earlier words.

“I said-my headaches are gone! I won’t faint anymore!”

“Did you get checked again? Do you need money? I’ll send it to you…”

Lin Qingrong’s tone was a mix of urgency, joy, and a fearful apprehension of disappointment.

“Did you forget? The hospital couldn’t find anything.”

Seeing his mother’s anxious expression, Lin Xiao patiently explained the prepared story.

“I used to have a constant headache, my head felt heavy every day, but now all those issues are gone.”

Lin Xiao raised his arm, flexing his bicep.

“The doctors at school said it might have been because my vitalis was refining too quickly before, and my cells couldn’t digest it, which put pressure on my brain.”

Lin Xiao had previously explained to his mother what vitalis was.

“Now, after training, my physical condition has improved, and the symptoms have been resolved!”

All of this was just nonsense.

But sometimes, telling a little lie is a good way to ease a mother’s worries.

She always trusts the doctors.

Besides, his headaches truly have subsided, and he shouldn’t experience fainting spells anymore.

Sure enough, after hearing Lin Xiao’s explanation, Lin Qingrong let out a heavy sigh of relief.

She looked visibly more relaxed.

“That’s good, that’s good…”

“So, should I come back to see you~?”

As soon as Lin Xiao finished his playful remark, he saw his mom’s face turn stern again.

“You focus on your training! Catch up on what you’ve missed these past two years, so you can graduate, understand?”

Lin Xiao nodded obediently.

“Study well now, and hopefully, you’ll be able to join the military…”

“Don’t worry, your son might even become a hunter!”

“You’re still thinking about being a hunter?”

Lin Qingrong looked at him helplessly, pointing her finger at the camera as if poking Lin Xiao’s forehead.

“You’ve been talking about becoming a hunter since you were a kid…

Now you’re struggling with training, and you still think you can become a hunter?”

“…Besides, being a hunter is extremely dangerous, and I don’t want you to take on such a risky job.”

“Mom, don’t worry…”

Lin Xiao gave a gentle and confident smile in response to his mother’s concerns.

“As long as I become strong enough, ten times, a hundred times stronger than mutant beasts,

then being a hunter won’t be dangerous anymore.”

“Your son will become a hunter, and not just any hunter, but the strongest hunter in the world…”