Chapter 132 Threat

Chapter 132: Chapter 131: Threat

Fast, indescribably fast!

It was even faster than his Molten Gold Battle Tiger form sprinting on land or propelling itself through water with vines.

"It’s time to leave." He had been very careful throughout the entire process, ensuring he didn’t draw anyone’s attention. The moment the thought arose, his body responded.

He transformed into a zigzagging blue lightning bolt, darting and vaulting at high speed among the collapsed walls and floating debris.

Every push-off was incredibly light, leaving no trace and lacking any sluggishness. It was as if gravity had lost all meaning before him.

Blue electrical arcs danced and flickered across his streamlined limbs and long tail. Wherever he passed, pebbles blocking his path were blasted away by the current.

[Beast Form (Middle Level) Skill Level +10, Current: 327/2000]

After just a few breaths of sprinting, Han Ning was far away from the military camp. He came to a halt, landing on a chunk of concrete half-submerged in the water.

Sparks danced in his eyes, filled with joy.

"This speed... it’s too fast!"

If the Molten Gold Battle Tiger was S Level in strength and A Level in speed, then this Thunder Marsh Mink was the absolute pinnacle of speed—a true S Level existence. However, despite its numerous advantages, the current Middle Level Beast Form still had its flaws.

While in the Thunder Marsh Mink form, he couldn’t quickly transform into the Molten Gold Battle Tiger. The transformation required a one- to two-second delay, during which his body would be in a non-offensive state. Perhaps he would only be able to switch forms freely and without delay once he reached High Level or Perfection.

He looked up, his electric eyes piercing through the heavy rain to gaze toward the southeast of the city. That was where the Profound Armor Turtle Beast Spirit, guided by the will of nature, might exist.

"I’ll fuse the remaining Beast Spirit in one go." A flash of lightning crossed Han Ning’s eyes as he shot off rapidly toward the southeast!

***

In the northwest area of the Bailu City ruins.

Shortly after Han Ning quietly left the military camp, inside a small room in the area, the air carried a faint, musty scent. The furnishings were simple: a single table and two chairs.

Two men in ordinary clothes but with exceptionally upright postures stood at the door. Su Mingke sat in one of the chairs, her hands resting on her lap, her face expressionless. Opposite her, Zou Yu was pacing back and forth, his face flushed.

"Mingke," Zou Yu suddenly stopped. He leaned forward, planting his hands on the edge of the table, and tried hard to keep his voice calm. "I don’t understand. I really don’t understand. Why do you absolutely refuse to tell me where Professor Ye is right now?"

Su Mingke’s gaze fell calmly upon his face. She showed no emotion, nor any sign of answering.

Zou Yu seemed stung by her silence, his tone growing more urgent. "I admit I was wrong at first for letting Professor Ye be taken away by that guy of unknown origin.

"But now everything can still be salvaged.

"Director Zhou explicitly stated that as long as we can bring Professor Ye back, he’ll immediately arrange a better environment for us. He can even help us become first-stage Awakened.

"Do you know what this means, Mingke? This is our chance to survive, and to live better!"

He took a breath, trying to make his words sound more persuasive. "I’m not trying to harm him. I want him to return to a safer, more secure place.

"The survivors from our school need him too. Why don’t you understand? What good does keeping this secret do for you?"

Looking at his face, distorted with agitation, an indescribable flash of disappointment crossed the depths of Su Mingke’s eyes.

"Professor Ye is living very well right now; he doesn’t need to return here," Su Mingke said coldly. "I promised him I wouldn’t disturb him for anything related to this place."

"You..." Zou Yu choked on his words for a moment. "A promise? Just for a promise? You’re throwing away a massive benefit? You’re throwing away a chance for all of us to change our destinies? Mingke, since when did you become so selfish and stubborn!"

Su Mingke slowly stood up, a hint of disgust seeping into her cold tone. "I’m selfish?

"What about you, Zou Yu? For the sake of your little clique’s interests, how many ordinary people who originally escaped from the school with us did you abandon?

"Those ordinary teachers and students who haven’t Awakened... they are still out there struggling to survive. Did you know that? Have you even gone to look at them once? In your eyes, other than your own future, other people’s lives and promises are nothing but burdens you can discard at will."

Her words lashed Zou Yu’s face like a whip. His complexion turned from red to pale, and his eyes darted around, temporarily unable to find the words to refute her.

"I’m leaving." Su Mingke didn’t look at him anymore. She turned straight around and walked toward the tightly shut wooden door, reaching out to grasp the handle.

"Wait!" Zou Yu growled almost as a conditioned reflex, lunging forward. His not-so-tall frame carried a sense of oppression as he stepped between Su Mingke and the door, completely blocking her path.

The anxiety on his face morphed into a gloomy scowl. "If you don’t tell me, you can’t leave."

***

Deep within a wetland swamp completely submerged by floodwaters to the southeast.

The water was thick with settled silt and gave off a pungent, foul stench. Large swaths of architectural wreckage were half-submerged. The water depth here generally exceeded three meters, with massive amounts of garbage and rotting corpses floating on the surface.

Han Ning retracted his Thunder Marsh Mink form and reverted to his human shape. He fully activated his Molten Gold Eyes, his Mental Power sweeping out like invisible radar waves, carefully scanning every inch of this dead, silent water.

Finally, in a deep water zone near some construction waste, he sensed that this was the location guided by the will of nature.

He sank into the water and buried himself in the silt. His Spirit and will sank into the Earth, initiating Communication with Nature.

HUM...

Countless Beast Spirits emerged.

Among them, the most eye-catching was a massive turtle-like creature with a dark-brown carapace.

Han Ning’s Mental Power touched this cluster of Beast Spirit.

The expected pain did not strike him. Instead, the scene shifted, transforming into a realm resembling eternal darkness. Here, the passage of time could not be felt.

It seemed to be the turtle’s daily life... It would sleep, and years, even over a decade, would pass. Most of the time, it remained aloof from the world. As for the creatures nearby that would bite and strike at its carapace, the turtle treated them as if they didn’t exist. They couldn’t even break its defense.

Occasionally, it would feel quite hungry. The turtle would open its mouth and snap, catching a few passing prey. It would chew a few times and swallow them into its belly. No longer hungry, the turtle would blink and fall back into a deep slumber.

...

An unknown amount of time passed before Han Ning suddenly felt a heavy pressure descend upon him.

It was as if he were carrying a massive mountain on his back. Every bone and muscle in his body creaked and groaned.

Formless ripples continuously swept through his body, as if inspecting his physique to check if he truly met the qualifications.

Eventually...

"WOOO..."

Han Ning faintly heard a desolate, low roar and saw a tide of black water sweeping over with the threat of death. This time, the turtle was finally anxious.

"Ugh..."

In reality, Han Ning snapped his eyes open. His body slumped forward, and he nearly sank completely into the deep silt.

Between his eyebrows, a turtle shell mark outlined by a thick, earthy-yellow light emerged.

The edges of the mark formed patterns resembling the back of a turtle shell. It slowly diffused across Han Ning’s entire body before ultimately vanishing beneath his skin.

[Beast Spirit Mark: Profound Shell Turtle has been branded!]

[Beast Form (Middle Level) Currently Brandable Beast Spirits: (3/3)]

In silence, the Profound Shell Turtle’s Turtle Spirit had completed its inspection of Han Ning.

***

*Author’s Note: There are still 3 Chapters left. I will post them later to count for yesterday’s updates. Weekends are just too busy.*