177: Enchanted Forest
Early the next morning, a white falcon with a wingspan of five meters hovered over the Scientific Academy before slowly descending. Yao Qianjiang sat on the falcon's back and appeared before them punctually at 7 o'clock.
Zhuang Yao asked, "Is the Prefecture Lord going alone?"
The white falcon replied, "Aren't I a person too?" Its voice was clear, sounding like that of a boy in his early teens.
Yao Qianjiang patted the falcon's head and said, "It's just the two of us."
Three giant lynx eagles, each with a wingspan exceeding six meters, stood by obediently. They wore canvas pouches in sky-blue color on their chests, looking quite comical, resembling the mail carriers from animated films.
Cong Xia looked at the lynx eagles and asked, "These three..."
Chen Shao explained, "They are true mutated lynx eagles, but they are very intelligent and can understand human speech for the most part."
"Even where to go?"
"Wu Yu has a mutated lynx eagle shapeshifter under his command. These eagles are raised by that person and have been trained accordingly. They will come to Beijing if it's mentioned, go to Taiyuan if it's mentioned, or return home if needed. But they won't obey any other commands."
Cheng Tianbi mounted one of the lynx eagles and then pulled Cong Xia up with him. "Let's go."
Everyone prepared their belongings and climbed onto their respective "flying vehicles." Yao Qianjiang looked at Cong Xia and Cheng Tianbi with a lazy smile, then lazily asked, "Who will join me?"
Zhuang Yao said, "I will. The white falcon is smaller, so it will be more reasonable to reduce the load."
The white falcon protested, "My load capacity is not worse than theirs."
Yao Qianjiang lightly scolded, "Xiaozhou, be polite." With that, he picked up Zhuang Yao's waist and lifted him onto the white falcon's back.
Cong Zhenzhong reminded, "Be careful on the way. If there's an emergency, remember to go find the team I mentioned. They have communication devices that can connect to Beijing."
"I understand. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, we'll be back in four to five days."
Abu sat to the side, calling softly, full of helplessness.
Deng Xiao waved to Abu with force. "Abu, we're leaving. We'll be back soon. Wait for us!"
Several lynx eagles took off and started flying.
Abu chased after them as usual for a while until they flew higher and higher. Then Abu slowly stopped and watched them leave.
Zhuang Yao shouted from the sky, "Did you see that? Abu was imitating Deng Xiao!"
"What?"
With the strong wind, Deng Xiao could only hear his name being called by Zhuang Yao.
The white falcon flew closer to them, and Zhuang Yao shouted, "Abu, was imitating Deng Xiao's waving just now."
"Oh, yes, Abu is really clever."
"Imitation is an important manifestation of animal intelligence evolution, just like how newborns imitate adults."
Cong Xia called out, "What? I can't hear you!"
Yao Qianjiang said, "Don't bother shouting. They can't hear you. The wind will rush into their mouths, and they will have diarrhea later."
Zhuang Yao had to close his mouth, but his face showed obvious delight as he lay on the white falcon, quietly contemplating.
Both the white falcon and the lynx eagles were extremely fast in flight, even showing signs of competing with each other. After their mutation, these birds could easily exceed speeds of 200 kilometers per hour. However, this speed was not sustainable, and they mostly maintained a constant speed of 120 kilometers per hour to avoid exhausting themselves during the journey. Even at this speed, without a windshield, the riders on their backs could hardly bear the wind.
Cheng Tianbi and Cong Xia were well-prepared due to their painful experience crossing Siberia last time. They wore thick windproof suits and hats. Yao Qianjiang and Chen Shao were also dressed appropriately, clearly accustomed to flying. Tang Yanqiu, being a birdman, was unaffected. Only Zhuang Yao, being small, clutched his hat as he lay on the white falcon's back, not suffering too much. However, Deng Xiao and Liu Fengyu refused to listen to advice and came up without wearing anything, but after twenty minutes, they were driven mad by the wind.
Deng Xiao lay on the lynx eagle and didn't want to lift his head. He was mocked by Chen Shao several times, so Liu Fengyu sat behind Tang Yanqiu to avoid the wind, hugging his waist unceremoniously and burying his face in his back.
During the flight, they landed for a rest twice. In the afternoon, they reached Taiyuan.
Everyone's legs were trembling a little, and the four birds were exhausted and lay on the ground to rest.
Cheng Tianbi said, "Let's find a place to eat first. Wu Yu will only arrive tomorrow. Do we have a designated meeting place?"
Chen Shao said, "Yes, there's a small inn here. Let's wait for him there."
"Let's go."
The white falcon turned back into a human, a handsome young man about the same age as San'er. He slowly put on his clothes and held his stomach, saying, "Prefecture Lord, I'm starving."
Yao Qianjiang said, "Hold on for a little while longer. We'll eat once we arrive." He looked around and frowned, "This doesn't seem like a decent place to stay."
Being relatively close to Beijing, most of the capable people have surely moved there. The remaining people are either incapable of long-distance migration or local mutated organizations in Taiyuan. The population is sparse, and the city seems deserted, without any bustling.
Cheng Tianbi coldly said, "Having a bed to sleep in is good enough." Then, he took the lead to walk into the city.
Yao Qianjiang made a cold hum towards his back.
After walking for about twenty minutes, they arrived at the city center. The inn was easy to find; it was the only building with someone weeding outside.
The group entered, and a person was dozing off behind the counter. Upon hearing the commotion, he immediately raised his head and yelled, "Guests have arrived!"
After a while, two people rushed out from inside, accompanied by an energy fluctuation.
A man smiled and asked, "How many rooms and for how many days?"
"Let's book four days first."
"How many rooms do you need? Do you want hot water and meals?"
Chen Shao asked, "We'll take everything. I want a single room. Who else wants a single room?"
"I and Xiaozhou both want single rooms," said Yao Qianjiang, frowning as he looked around, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. Since the apocalypse, he had been living in Beijing and mutated early, enjoying the best treatment. Unlike Cheng Tianbi and the others, who struggled in difficulties all the way to Beijing and experienced the hardships of sleeping under the sky, Yao Qianjiang had never truly experienced the difficulties of the apocalypse. He didn't think having a bed, hot water, and three meals a day was any special treatment.
The others were accustomed to sharing rooms, unlike Yao Qianjiang and Chen Shao, who were more delicate.
"Then six rooms in total. You also need to take care of my three birds," Chen Shao instructed.
The man realized that they were high-paying customers and quickly smiled, "No problem, no problem."
Chen Shao glanced at Cong Xia and said, "Pay up."
"Huh?"
"Beijing's new currency can be used here."
Cong Xia was speechless, as it turned out they were supposed to be generous with their money. He said, "Boss, how much is it?"
"Oh, don't call me boss. I'm the manager here. You can call me Dacheng. Since you have a large group, I'll give you a discount. It will be 2400 for four days. Does that work?"
Cong Xia readily took out the money. They might be lacking many things, but not money. This was completely opposite to his lifestyle before the apocalypse.
Chen Shao asked, "Do you have anything good, like alcohol or fruits?"
"We do, but those are charged separately. We only provide simple meals."
"No problem, whatever you have, bring it all." Chen Shao was not polite at all.
After the group rested for a while, they gathered in the restaurant for dinner. Seeing their wealth, the manager arranged for a chef to prepare a table full of delicious dishes. This table of food might be more expensive than their accommodation fee.
During dinner, Yao Qianjiang asked, "You brought me to Taiyuan to meet this Wu Yu. What special things can happen between two people with the same attribute?"
Zhuang Yao honestly said, "I don't know."
Yao Qianjiang narrowed his eyes, "You don't know?"
"It's precisely because we don't know that we brought you here. We want to test it out."
Yao Qianjiang seemed somewhat dissatisfied with the answer, but he didn't say anything because he was equally curious about Wu Yu and looked forward to any possible changes in their energy attributes.
Deng Xiao took a few sips of wine and felt a bit tipsy. He sat down next to Yao Qianjiang and asked, "Prefecture Lord, what's your ability like? Anything interesting?"
"Hmm? Interesting?" Yao Qianjiang supported his chin and smiled faintly at him.
"Yeah, for example, my elder brother Cheng, he can make me fly. And Officer Li, he can create large earth balls. Then there's Major Shen, who can roast chicken legs really quickly. They get cooked in no time, but sometimes he burns them by not controlling the heat properly. Does your ability have anything fun to offer, apart from giving people baths?"
"What kind of fun would you like to see?" Yao Qianjiang picked up a tomato, and when he handed it to Deng Xiao, it had already turned into a dried tomato. "Is this fun enough?"
Deng Xiao blinked his eyes, "Not really. Fresh ones taste better."
Yao Qianjiang stood up and smiled, "Alright then, let me show you something fun. Stand up."
Deng Xiao stood up, looking eager.
Yao Qianjiang extended both hands like a magician and lightly snapped his fingers. Suddenly, Deng Xiao's whole body was wrapped in a translucent blue water ball! The water ball looked like an enlarged water droplet, and Deng Xiao was like a little bug enclosed inside it. Unlike a water droplet, however, when the water ball fell to the ground, it didn't shatter but instead vibrated like a real ball, rolling to the side.
Deng Xiao widened his eyes, stretched his arms, and his hands came out of the water ball. However, the water ball didn't break. He then pulled his limbs and head out from inside the water ball, standing on the ground like he had a transparent shell on him. He laughed heartily, "Look, look! It's so refreshing!"
Everyone was secretly startled. It was evident that Yao Qianjiang was controlling the size of the water ball. If he made the water ball large enough, wouldn't it drown a person on land? In terms of instantly taking a life, Yao Qianjiang could definitely be ranked high.
Deng Xiao happily carried the heavy water ball and walked around, then he shrank his head and limbs inside it, rolling back and forth in the restaurant. As an amphibian, he could breathe in water for a period of time, so he had great fun playing.
Yao Qianjiang found it not so difficult to entertain a child. At least now, the surroundings were quiet, so he continued to sit down and eat.
After dinner, everyone returned to their rooms to practice or rest.
At noon on the second day, there was a commotion outside the inn.
Cheng Tianbi opened the curtains to look outside, and several large-sized Lynx eagles landed straight in front of the inn. He said, "Wu Yu has arrived."
Cong Xia walked to the bed and saw a tall and steady man jumping off the Lynx eagles. His face was calm, with sharp, firm features and a masculine charm that was very appealing. His whole body exuded the air of a great general. In a year's time, Wu Yu's aura had grown stronger.
The two men came downstairs, and the others had also noticed his arrival, so they all gathered in the living room.
Chen Shao sat on the sofa, smoking and reading a geography magazine from over two years ago. When he saw Wu Yu, he didn't move, just said indifferently, "You're here."
Wu Yu also didn't mind, he looked up, and his sharp eyes scanned from Cheng Tianbi and Cong Xia, revealing a keen gaze. He smiled slightly, "Long time no see."
Cheng Tianbi stood in front of him, "Long time no see."
Wu Yu's gaze shifted from Cheng Tianbi to Cong Xia and said, "Cong Xia, if I knew you had such abilities, back then, I definitely wouldn't have let you leave."
Cong Xia smiled, "You couldn't have stopped us."
"Maybe not now, but things might have been different back then."
Cong Xia replied, "There's no use talking about that now."
Wu Yu smiled, "I'm someone who values old feelings." He glanced at the person next to him, and one of his men immediately took out a cigarette from his bag and handed it to Chen Shao, "Chen Shao, here's your cigarette."
Chen Shao took the cigarette, "Hmm, I forgot to bring it in a hurry."
Wu Yu looked around and asked, "Where's Lord Yao?"
"Upstairs." As soon as the words fell, Yao Qianjiang and Xiao Zhou slowly descended from the upper floor. In the moment their eyes met, they suddenly felt an inexplicable palpitation in their bodies, as if the energy within them was calling out to each other. At the same time, Cong Xia also sensed the strong water energy fluctuations within both of them. He carefully observed them, afraid of missing any details.
Yao Qianjiang walked up to Wu Yu, looking directly at him, and slowly said, “President Wu, it's been a long time."
Wu Yu replied with a smile that seemed to carry a hint of mockery, "Lord Yao, the pleasure is mine."
"They told me that something would happen when we meet. Should something happen?" Yao Qianjiang squinted his eyes and looked at Zhuang Yao. "Shouldn't something happen?"
Wu Yu also looked at Zhuang Yao. Zhuang Yao was drinking milk and said, "I already said I don't know. We need to experiment. Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Whatever the experiment is, I'll wait until I reach the Second Order before deciding. I have to at least match Lord Yao's strength," Wu Yu said.
Cheng Tianbi looked at him and asked, "Will you go to Qinghai with us?"
Wu Yu chuckled, "Of course."
Zhuang Yao didn't mince words and exposed him, "You're lying."
"Oh? You can tell? Indeed, you are a brain domain evolution person. But since you all are here, you don't care if I'm lying or not," Wu Yu said with a smile, but there was a hint of warning in his tone.
Chen Shao snorted, "Can't you just keep your word for once?"
To Chen Shao, Wu Yu said, "I know you hope that I'll go in and never come back, but you have to believe that Chongqing still needs me."
"Chongqing was just fine before you came," Chen Shao retorted.
"Well, let's not discuss this in front of outsiders," Wu Yu said with a smile, but there was a hint of warning in his tone.
Chen Shao pursed his lips but didn't speak again. Cheng Tianbi and the others had already guessed that Wu Yu wouldn't keep his word, so they were not disappointed. Cheng Tianbi said, "If you don't have anything else, let's start now."
"Couldn't be happier." Wu Yu said, "What should I do? Deplete my energy first?"
"Yes."
Wu Yu walked outside, pointed at a four-story building across the street, and asked Da Cheng, "Is anyone living in that building?"
Da Cheng shook his head, "No one has been living there in this era."
Wu Yu extended his hand towards the building, and everyone felt the temperature around them suddenly drop. A wisp of white smoke emerged from Wu Yu's palm, then the building across the street shook as if it had been struck by something powerful. The white ice climbed rapidly up the walls, quickly encasing the entire building, making a creaking sound that sent chills down the spine.
Wu Yu lowered his arm and watched quietly.
The building held on for less than ten seconds before its walls cracked rapidly and finally burst open in front of everyone, like a shattered cookie, completely destroyed.
Everyone watched in silence, contemplating whether they would be able to withstand Wu Yu's attack if they were that building. Da Cheng and the other employees in the inn were so scared that their legs were trembling.
Wu Yu walked back inside with slightly floating steps and smiled, "Alright, let's begin."
They chose the largest suite. Cheng Tianbi served as a guide and stayed with Wu Yu in the bedroom, while Cong Xia and the others waited outside.
In the beginning, they didn't need to keep watch, and they practiced and chatted in the spacious living room.
Deng Xiao sighed, "Wu Yu is really powerful. His attack is too formidable."
Zhuang Yao sneered, "He's showing off his strength, underestimating us."
Chen Shao sneered, "And this is his way of showing off his power? Freezing people into ice blocks and crushing them in front of so many people?"
Zhuang Yao said, "Is this how he controls Chongqing?"
"The situation is more complicated than that, but after he showed this move, most people were convinced. I've always said I can judge people correctly, and Wu Yu is very ambitious. When he first arrived in Chongqing, he kept a low profile and didn't get involved in any disputes. He was waiting for the right moment, which came when he obtained the Puppet Jade. If I could have killed him back then, I would have done it a long time ago, but unfortunately..."
"In fact, at that time, you should have teamed up with the amphibious atavistic person from the Hongwei Gang to kill him. At that time, the natural force evolved people were still relatively weak. Of course, you didn't have that foresight," Zhuang Yao said.
Chen Shao rolled his eyes at Zhuang Yao, "Don't you forget, the amphibious atavistic person you mentioned was killed by Cheng Tianbi?"
Zhuang Yao shrugged, "I know, didn't you feel happy about it back then?"
Chen Shao sighed, "His death is a trouble. If he didn't die, it would still be a trouble. Everything is destined."
"If you want to survive, you better serve Wu Yu well. His strength will only get stronger, and you better make sure he always needs you," Zhuang Yao said sarcastically.
Chen Shao smiled cynically, "Staying by his side, I never expected to live long anyway."
Cong Xia looked at Chen Shao, not exactly feeling pity, but feeling a little emotional when he thought about how the former hegemon had fallen to this point. Beasts like Chen Shao had very strong combat capabilities and could rule over an area wherever they went, especially with a military background. Chongqing was originally his territory, but when the opponent was a natural force evolved person with overwhelming strength, there was simply no chance of winning. The gap between natural force evolved people and other mutants was just too huge, and as time passed, this gap would become even more terrifying until it became an insurmountable chasm between god-like power and human strength.
Unfortunately or fortunately, there were only a few natural force evolved people.
Yao Qianjiang said, "I see potential in you. Why not come to Beijing and follow me? One of my sect leaders died in battle not long ago, and if you bring your people with you, I can let you take over. The conditions in all aspects will be better than in Chongqing."
Chen Shao lightly tugged at the corners of his mouth, "Thank you for the kind offer, Lord Yao, but I won't leave Chongqing. It's my home. Besides, if I run away just because I can't beat Wu Yu, what would that make me? I can't afford to lose face..." He glanced at the room, "And besides, he won't let me go."
Yao Qianjiang said regretfully, "If you change your mind, you can contact me anytime. I can help you."
After chatting for a while, everyone went to practice individually.
The day quickly passed, and during dinner, Cong Xia felt the powerful water energy emanating from the master bedroom. He knew that the crucial moment for Wu Yu had arrived. He exchanged a glance with Zhuang Yao, and now he was going to verify something: whether there was an illusory Puppet Jade hidden deep within the minds of all natural force evolved people.
Zhuang Yao nodded at him. "Go ahead, take care of yourself."
Cong Xia opened the door, and a blast of icy air rushed out, making him shiver. He quickly retreated and put on a padded coat. He remembered how hot it was in the laboratory when he helped Shen Changze break through to the second stage. It was like being in a sauna. It was truly a stark contrast.
Once he walked in, he saw Cheng Tianbi standing on the side, wearing thick clothes. Wu Yu looked like a giant block of ice, completely frozen in an ice sculpture, but his trembling eyelashes and heaving chest proved he was still alive, albeit in great pain.
Cong Xia spoke softly, "Wu Yu, I'm going to help you break through to the second stage now. Remember what we talked about. No matter what happens, you must persevere."
Wu Yu nodded gently.
Cong Xia said to Cheng Tianbi, "Tianbi, if I get too immersed later, please remind me in time." He was afraid of getting too focused like the last time when he was tracking the Puppet Jade, almost endangering Yao Qianjiang's life.
Cheng Tianbi nodded, "Don't worry."
Taking a deep breath, Cong Xia infused water energy into Wu Yu's body. He intentionally started a little earlier to give himself enough time to explore the Puppet Jade. He separated a portion of the energy and delved into the depths of Wu Yu's brain. In an instant, countless pieces of information rushed out like a flood, filling Cong Xia's mind.
It was everything that belonged to Wu Yu!
177: Enchanted Forest
Early the next morning, a white falcon with a wingspan of five meters hovered over the Scientific Academy before slowly descending. Yao Qianjiang sat on the falcon's back and appeared before them punctually at 7 o'clock.
Zhuang Yao asked, "Is the Prefecture Lord going alone?"
The white falcon replied, "Aren't I a person too?" Its voice was clear, sounding like that of a boy in his early teens.
Yao Qianjiang patted the falcon's head and said, "It's just the two of us."
Three giant lynx eagles, each with a wingspan exceeding six meters, stood by obediently. They wore canvas pouches in sky-blue color on their chests, looking quite comical, resembling the mail carriers from animated films.
Cong Xia looked at the lynx eagles and asked, "These three..."
Chen Shao explained, "They are true mutated lynx eagles, but they are very intelligent and can understand human speech for the most part."
"Even where to go?"
"Wu Yu has a mutated lynx eagle shapeshifter under his command. These eagles are raised by that person and have been trained accordingly. They will come to Beijing if it's mentioned, go to Taiyuan if it's mentioned, or return home if needed. But they won't obey any other commands."
Cheng Tianbi mounted one of the lynx eagles and then pulled Cong Xia up with him. "Let's go."
Everyone prepared their belongings and climbed onto their respective "flying vehicles." Yao Qianjiang looked at Cong Xia and Cheng Tianbi with a lazy smile, then lazily asked, "Who will join me?"
Zhuang Yao said, "I will. The white falcon is smaller, so it will be more reasonable to reduce the load."
The white falcon protested, "My load capacity is not worse than theirs."
Yao Qianjiang lightly scolded, "Xiaozhou, be polite." With that, he picked up Zhuang Yao's waist and lifted him onto the white falcon's back.
Cong Zhenzhong reminded, "Be careful on the way. If there's an emergency, remember to go find the team I mentioned. They have communication devices that can connect to Beijing."
"I understand. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, we'll be back in four to five days."
Abu sat to the side, calling softly, full of helplessness.
Deng Xiao waved to Abu with force. "Abu, we're leaving. We'll be back soon. Wait for us!"
Several lynx eagles took off and started flying.
Abu chased after them as usual for a while until they flew higher and higher. Then Abu slowly stopped and watched them leave.
Zhuang Yao shouted from the sky, "Did you see that? Abu was imitating Deng Xiao!"
"What?"
With the strong wind, Deng Xiao could only hear his name being called by Zhuang Yao.
The white falcon flew closer to them, and Zhuang Yao shouted, "Abu, was imitating Deng Xiao's waving just now."
"Oh, yes, Abu is really clever."
"Imitation is an important manifestation of animal intelligence evolution, just like how newborns imitate adults."
Cong Xia called out, "What? I can't hear you!"
Yao Qianjiang said, "Don't bother shouting. They can't hear you. The wind will rush into their mouths, and they will have diarrhea later."
Zhuang Yao had to close his mouth, but his face showed obvious delight as he lay on the white falcon, quietly contemplating.
Both the white falcon and the lynx eagles were extremely fast in flight, even showing signs of competing with each other. After their mutation, these birds could easily exceed speeds of 200 kilometers per hour. However, this speed was not sustainable, and they mostly maintained a constant speed of 120 kilometers per hour to avoid exhausting themselves during the journey. Even at this speed, without a windshield, the riders on their backs could hardly bear the wind.
Cheng Tianbi and Cong Xia were well-prepared due to their painful experience crossing Siberia last time. They wore thick windproof suits and hats. Yao Qianjiang and Chen Shao were also dressed appropriately, clearly accustomed to flying. Tang Yanqiu, being a birdman, was unaffected. Only Zhuang Yao, being small, clutched his hat as he lay on the white falcon's back, not suffering too much. However, Deng Xiao and Liu Fengyu refused to listen to advice and came up without wearing anything, but after twenty minutes, they were driven mad by the wind.
Deng Xiao lay on the lynx eagle and didn't want to lift his head. He was mocked by Chen Shao several times, so Liu Fengyu sat behind Tang Yanqiu to avoid the wind, hugging his waist unceremoniously and burying his face in his back.
During the flight, they landed for a rest twice. In the afternoon, they reached Taiyuan.
Everyone's legs were trembling a little, and the four birds were exhausted and lay on the ground to rest.
Cheng Tianbi said, "Let's find a place to eat first. Wu Yu will only arrive tomorrow. Do we have a designated meeting place?"
Chen Shao said, "Yes, there's a small inn here. Let's wait for him there."
"Let's go."
The white falcon turned back into a human, a handsome young man about the same age as San'er. He slowly put on his clothes and held his stomach, saying, "Prefecture Lord, I'm starving."
Yao Qianjiang said, "Hold on for a little while longer. We'll eat once we arrive." He looked around and frowned, "This doesn't seem like a decent place to stay."
Being relatively close to Beijing, most of the capable people have surely moved there. The remaining people are either incapable of long-distance migration or local mutated organizations in Taiyuan. The population is sparse, and the city seems deserted, without any bustling.
Cheng Tianbi coldly said, "Having a bed to sleep in is good enough." Then, he took the lead to walk into the city.
Yao Qianjiang made a cold hum towards his back.
After walking for about twenty minutes, they arrived at the city center. The inn was easy to find; it was the only building with someone weeding outside.
The group entered, and a person was dozing off behind the counter. Upon hearing the commotion, he immediately raised his head and yelled, "Guests have arrived!"
After a while, two people rushed out from inside, accompanied by an energy fluctuation.
A man smiled and asked, "How many rooms and for how many days?"
"Let's book four days first."
"How many rooms do you need? Do you want hot water and meals?"
Chen Shao asked, "We'll take everything. I want a single room. Who else wants a single room?"
"I and Xiaozhou both want single rooms," said Yao Qianjiang, frowning as he looked around, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. Since the apocalypse, he had been living in Beijing and mutated early, enjoying the best treatment. Unlike Cheng Tianbi and the others, who struggled in difficulties all the way to Beijing and experienced the hardships of sleeping under the sky, Yao Qianjiang had never truly experienced the difficulties of the apocalypse. He didn't think having a bed, hot water, and three meals a day was any special treatment.
The others were accustomed to sharing rooms, unlike Yao Qianjiang and Chen Shao, who were more delicate.
"Then six rooms in total. You also need to take care of my three birds," Chen Shao instructed.
The man realized that they were high-paying customers and quickly smiled, "No problem, no problem."
Chen Shao glanced at Cong Xia and said, "Pay up."
"Huh?"
"Beijing's new currency can be used here."
Cong Xia was speechless, as it turned out they were supposed to be generous with their money. He said, "Boss, how much is it?"
"Oh, don't call me boss. I'm the manager here. You can call me Dacheng. Since you have a large group, I'll give you a discount. It will be 2400 for four days. Does that work?"
Cong Xia readily took out the money. They might be lacking many things, but not money. This was completely opposite to his lifestyle before the apocalypse.
Chen Shao asked, "Do you have anything good, like alcohol or fruits?"
"We do, but those are charged separately. We only provide simple meals."
"No problem, whatever you have, bring it all." Chen Shao was not polite at all.
After the group rested for a while, they gathered in the restaurant for dinner. Seeing their wealth, the manager arranged for a chef to prepare a table full of delicious dishes. This table of food might be more expensive than their accommodation fee.
During dinner, Yao Qianjiang asked, "You brought me to Taiyuan to meet this Wu Yu. What special things can happen between two people with the same attribute?"
Zhuang Yao honestly said, "I don't know."
Yao Qianjiang narrowed his eyes, "You don't know?"
"It's precisely because we don't know that we brought you here. We want to test it out."
Yao Qianjiang seemed somewhat dissatisfied with the answer, but he didn't say anything because he was equally curious about Wu Yu and looked forward to any possible changes in their energy attributes.
Deng Xiao took a few sips of wine and felt a bit tipsy. He sat down next to Yao Qianjiang and asked, "Prefecture Lord, what's your ability like? Anything interesting?"
"Hmm? Interesting?" Yao Qianjiang supported his chin and smiled faintly at him.
"Yeah, for example, my elder brother Cheng, he can make me fly. And Officer Li, he can create large earth balls. Then there's Major Shen, who can roast chicken legs really quickly. They get cooked in no time, but sometimes he burns them by not controlling the heat properly. Does your ability have anything fun to offer, apart from giving people baths?"
"What kind of fun would you like to see?" Yao Qianjiang picked up a tomato, and when he handed it to Deng Xiao, it had already turned into a dried tomato. "Is this fun enough?"
Deng Xiao blinked his eyes, "Not really. Fresh ones taste better."
Yao Qianjiang stood up and smiled, "Alright then, let me show you something fun. Stand up."
Deng Xiao stood up, looking eager.
Yao Qianjiang extended both hands like a magician and lightly snapped his fingers. Suddenly, Deng Xiao's whole body was wrapped in a translucent blue water ball! The water ball looked like an enlarged water droplet, and Deng Xiao was like a little bug enclosed inside it. Unlike a water droplet, however, when the water ball fell to the ground, it didn't shatter but instead vibrated like a real ball, rolling to the side.
Deng Xiao widened his eyes, stretched his arms, and his hands came out of the water ball. However, the water ball didn't break. He then pulled his limbs and head out from inside the water ball, standing on the ground like he had a transparent shell on him. He laughed heartily, "Look, look! It's so refreshing!"
Everyone was secretly startled. It was evident that Yao Qianjiang was controlling the size of the water ball. If he made the water ball large enough, wouldn't it drown a person on land? In terms of instantly taking a life, Yao Qianjiang could definitely be ranked high.
Deng Xiao happily carried the heavy water ball and walked around, then he shrank his head and limbs inside it, rolling back and forth in the restaurant. As an amphibian, he could breathe in water for a period of time, so he had great fun playing.
Yao Qianjiang found it not so difficult to entertain a child. At least now, the surroundings were quiet, so he continued to sit down and eat.
After dinner, everyone returned to their rooms to practice or rest.
At noon on the second day, there was a commotion outside the inn.
Cheng Tianbi opened the curtains to look outside, and several large-sized Lynx eagles landed straight in front of the inn. He said, "Wu Yu has arrived."
Cong Xia walked to the bed and saw a tall and steady man jumping off the Lynx eagles. His face was calm, with sharp, firm features and a masculine charm that was very appealing. His whole body exuded the air of a great general. In a year's time, Wu Yu's aura had grown stronger.
The two men came downstairs, and the others had also noticed his arrival, so they all gathered in the living room.
Chen Shao sat on the sofa, smoking and reading a geography magazine from over two years ago. When he saw Wu Yu, he didn't move, just said indifferently, "You're here."
Wu Yu also didn't mind, he looked up, and his sharp eyes scanned from Cheng Tianbi and Cong Xia, revealing a keen gaze. He smiled slightly, "Long time no see."
Cheng Tianbi stood in front of him, "Long time no see."
Wu Yu's gaze shifted from Cheng Tianbi to Cong Xia and said, "Cong Xia, if I knew you had such abilities, back then, I definitely wouldn't have let you leave."
Cong Xia smiled, "You couldn't have stopped us."
"Maybe not now, but things might have been different back then."
Cong Xia replied, "There's no use talking about that now."
Wu Yu smiled, "I'm someone who values old feelings." He glanced at the person next to him, and one of his men immediately took out a cigarette from his bag and handed it to Chen Shao, "Chen Shao, here's your cigarette."
Chen Shao took the cigarette, "Hmm, I forgot to bring it in a hurry."
Wu Yu looked around and asked, "Where's Lord Yao?"
"Upstairs." As soon as the words fell, Yao Qianjiang and Xiao Zhou slowly descended from the upper floor. In the moment their eyes met, they suddenly felt an inexplicable palpitation in their bodies, as if the energy within them was calling out to each other. At the same time, Cong Xia also sensed the strong water energy fluctuations within both of them. He carefully observed them, afraid of missing any details.
Yao Qianjiang walked up to Wu Yu, looking directly at him, and slowly said, “President Wu, it's been a long time."
Wu Yu replied with a smile that seemed to carry a hint of mockery, "Lord Yao, the pleasure is mine."
"They told me that something would happen when we meet. Should something happen?" Yao Qianjiang squinted his eyes and looked at Zhuang Yao. "Shouldn't something happen?"
Wu Yu also looked at Zhuang Yao. Zhuang Yao was drinking milk and said, "I already said I don't know. We need to experiment. Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Whatever the experiment is, I'll wait until I reach the Second Order before deciding. I have to at least match Lord Yao's strength," Wu Yu said.
Cheng Tianbi looked at him and asked, "Will you go to Qinghai with us?"
Wu Yu chuckled, "Of course."
Zhuang Yao didn't mince words and exposed him, "You're lying."
"Oh? You can tell? Indeed, you are a brain domain evolution person. But since you all are here, you don't care if I'm lying or not," Wu Yu said with a smile, but there was a hint of warning in his tone.
Chen Shao snorted, "Can't you just keep your word for once?"
To Chen Shao, Wu Yu said, "I know you hope that I'll go in and never come back, but you have to believe that Chongqing still needs me."
"Chongqing was just fine before you came," Chen Shao retorted.
"Well, let's not discuss this in front of outsiders," Wu Yu said with a smile, but there was a hint of warning in his tone.
Chen Shao pursed his lips but didn't speak again. Cheng Tianbi and the others had already guessed that Wu Yu wouldn't keep his word, so they were not disappointed. Cheng Tianbi said, "If you don't have anything else, let's start now."
"Couldn't be happier." Wu Yu said, "What should I do? Deplete my energy first?"
"Yes."
Wu Yu walked outside, pointed at a four-story building across the street, and asked Da Cheng, "Is anyone living in that building?"
Da Cheng shook his head, "No one has been living there in this era."
Wu Yu extended his hand towards the building, and everyone felt the temperature around them suddenly drop. A wisp of white smoke emerged from Wu Yu's palm, then the building across the street shook as if it had been struck by something powerful. The white ice climbed rapidly up the walls, quickly encasing the entire building, making a creaking sound that sent chills down the spine.
Wu Yu lowered his arm and watched quietly.
The building held on for less than ten seconds before its walls cracked rapidly and finally burst open in front of everyone, like a shattered cookie, completely destroyed.
Everyone watched in silence, contemplating whether they would be able to withstand Wu Yu's attack if they were that building. Da Cheng and the other employees in the inn were so scared that their legs were trembling.
Wu Yu walked back inside with slightly floating steps and smiled, "Alright, let's begin."
They chose the largest suite. Cheng Tianbi served as a guide and stayed with Wu Yu in the bedroom, while Cong Xia and the others waited outside.
In the beginning, they didn't need to keep watch, and they practiced and chatted in the spacious living room.
Deng Xiao sighed, "Wu Yu is really powerful. His attack is too formidable."
Zhuang Yao sneered, "He's showing off his strength, underestimating us."
Chen Shao sneered, "And this is his way of showing off his power? Freezing people into ice blocks and crushing them in front of so many people?"
Zhuang Yao said, "Is this how he controls Chongqing?"
"The situation is more complicated than that, but after he showed this move, most people were convinced. I've always said I can judge people correctly, and Wu Yu is very ambitious. When he first arrived in Chongqing, he kept a low profile and didn't get involved in any disputes. He was waiting for the right moment, which came when he obtained the Puppet Jade. If I could have killed him back then, I would have done it a long time ago, but unfortunately..."
"In fact, at that time, you should have teamed up with the amphibious atavistic person from the Hongwei Gang to kill him. At that time, the natural force evolved people were still relatively weak. Of course, you didn't have that foresight," Zhuang Yao said.
Chen Shao rolled his eyes at Zhuang Yao, "Don't you forget, the amphibious atavistic person you mentioned was killed by Cheng Tianbi?"
Zhuang Yao shrugged, "I know, didn't you feel happy about it back then?"
Chen Shao sighed, "His death is a trouble. If he didn't die, it would still be a trouble. Everything is destined."
"If you want to survive, you better serve Wu Yu well. His strength will only get stronger, and you better make sure he always needs you," Zhuang Yao said sarcastically.
Chen Shao smiled cynically, "Staying by his side, I never expected to live long anyway."
Cong Xia looked at Chen Shao, not exactly feeling pity, but feeling a little emotional when he thought about how the former hegemon had fallen to this point. Beasts like Chen Shao had very strong combat capabilities and could rule over an area wherever they went, especially with a military background. Chongqing was originally his territory, but when the opponent was a natural force evolved person with overwhelming strength, there was simply no chance of winning. The gap between natural force evolved people and other mutants was just too huge, and as time passed, this gap would become even more terrifying until it became an insurmountable chasm between god-like power and human strength.
Unfortunately or fortunately, there were only a few natural force evolved people.
Yao Qianjiang said, "I see potential in you. Why not come to Beijing and follow me? One of my sect leaders died in battle not long ago, and if you bring your people with you, I can let you take over. The conditions in all aspects will be better than in Chongqing."
Chen Shao lightly tugged at the corners of his mouth, "Thank you for the kind offer, Lord Yao, but I won't leave Chongqing. It's my home. Besides, if I run away just because I can't beat Wu Yu, what would that make me? I can't afford to lose face..." He glanced at the room, "And besides, he won't let me go."
Yao Qianjiang said regretfully, "If you change your mind, you can contact me anytime. I can help you."
After chatting for a while, everyone went to practice individually.
The day quickly passed, and during dinner, Cong Xia felt the powerful water energy emanating from the master bedroom. He knew that the crucial moment for Wu Yu had arrived. He exchanged a glance with Zhuang Yao, and now he was going to verify something: whether there was an illusory Puppet Jade hidden deep within the minds of all natural force evolved people.
Zhuang Yao nodded at him. "Go ahead, take care of yourself."
Cong Xia opened the door, and a blast of icy air rushed out, making him shiver. He quickly retreated and put on a padded coat. He remembered how hot it was in the laboratory when he helped Shen Changze break through to the second stage. It was like being in a sauna. It was truly a stark contrast.
Once he walked in, he saw Cheng Tianbi standing on the side, wearing thick clothes. Wu Yu looked like a giant block of ice, completely frozen in an ice sculpture, but his trembling eyelashes and heaving chest proved he was still alive, albeit in great pain.
Cong Xia spoke softly, "Wu Yu, I'm going to help you break through to the second stage now. Remember what we talked about. No matter what happens, you must persevere."
Wu Yu nodded gently.
Cong Xia said to Cheng Tianbi, "Tianbi, if I get too immersed later, please remind me in time." He was afraid of getting too focused like the last time when he was tracking the Puppet Jade, almost endangering Yao Qianjiang's life.
Cheng Tianbi nodded, "Don't worry."
Taking a deep breath, Cong Xia infused water energy into Wu Yu's body. He intentionally started a little earlier to give himself enough time to explore the Puppet Jade. He separated a portion of the energy and delved into the depths of Wu Yu's brain. In an instant, countless pieces of information rushed out like a flood, filling Cong Xia's mind.
It was everything that belonged to Wu Yu!
