Apocalypse Forecast

Chapter 505 435: Seal Performance (Thanks to the Sovereign Star Still Above in Iron Armor)_1

The aquarium was quite a sight to behold. The whales were magnificent, the clownfish were charming, and all sorts of unrecognizable fish swimming in the giant tanks were fascinating. Even the dolphins were wonderful. The seals… not so much.

After strolling through the aquarium all afternoon, truly feeling like a tourist snapping a bunch of photos, Huai Shi frowned. He crouched by the tank, looking down at the tumbling creature below. He always felt it was mocking him.

I've struck gold with a single draw again! A hallucinatory laughter echoed in his ears, making him want to draw a knife. With an infuriating smile, the seal barked like a dog a couple of times and wriggled on the ground. Then, with a splash, it leaped into the water and hurried over to the keeper for some food. After devouring the innocent little fish and feeling content, it returned to the water, emitting a sound that seemed to say, I'll be back for the next gacha pool!

Then, the killer whale performance began. A lazy killer whale swam in from behind the gate. At the sound of the keeper's glass whistle, it happily began to chase the seals. I'll chase you, and if I catch you…

Delighting in the seals' awkward cries of distress, Huai Shi's mood grew brighter. He sat in the audience, looking down at the terrified seals. They would align into an 'S' shape one moment, and then into a 'surprise motherf@cker' configuration the next. It was an especially pleasing sight. Make the most of the time, snap a few more pictures, he thought.

"That's a Sublimator," Raven suddenly spoke from the backpack.

"Who?"

Huai Shi tensed for a moment. He looked around in confusion, and his gaze finally settled on the keeper. He soon noticed the subtle Source Fluctuation emanating from the man, and the small, exquisite glass whistle in his hand. The keeper was blowing the whistle. With every sound, the killer whale would obey his command like a hunting dog. It wasn't biting down in a frenzy but was instead herding the seals together, arranging them in various formations, much like a sheepdog.

The surrounding audience, having never seen such a thing, burst into exclamations of amazement and clapped loudly, their cameras continuously capturing the rare spectacle. However, Huai Shi could sense a majestic aura slowly emanating from the middle-aged keeper, an aura like that of a king of the sea. It gradually formed an invisible field that enveloped the entire aquarium.

When the glass whistle sounded, it was his decree. All the creatures in the sea began to move swiftly, creating the magnificent spectacle before them. During the lengthy performance, Huai Shi could feel the invisible aura becoming more substantial and profound, silently absorbing the passively released Source Substance from the audience to sustain its existence.

It wasn't until forty minutes later that the keeper—the host of this phenomenon—could no longer sustain it, and the aura slowly dissipated. The audience also felt vaguely tired, as if they had walked for ten minutes, which wasn't a big deal. They probably just thought their exhaustion was due to being overly surprised and focused. During this process, the keeper's Source Substance was subtly transforming; the faint blue glow from him seemingly became a bit more solid.

"Did you see that?" Raven prompted. "He's likely one of the Sharkmen commonly seen in the Southeast Asia region. It's impressive that he thought of such a clever way to have the audience help him."

"What is he doing?" Huai Shi became curious. "Is there another purpose to the performance?"

"The performance is just a process. As a result, his Stigmata are able to grow," Raven explained. "In simple terms, he received a Correction Value. Even if this value is so small that it can barely affect the world, there is still a bit of change. This is how most Sublimators improve their Stigmata, and it's a part of their lives."

Huai Shi fell silent. Only now did he remember his blind spot. He'd always thought his main means of increasing his Ability was through struggle and meditation. In reality, no matter how much he fought, it would only improve his skill. And no matter how much he meditated, it would only restore his Source Substance faster. Just look at how his Cello Performance level skyrocketed in just a few months. Linking Sword Art with the Performance Method, they complemented each other, naturally leading to rapid progress. But the Stigmata of the Yin Soul and the Mountain Ghost did not grow this way; they had their own unique conditions.

As Disaster Miracles originating from Hell, Stigmata inherently had their own rules and attributes. Each possessed distinct forms and needs. To allow one's Stigmata to grow, one had to comply with the specifics of the Miracle itself. This involved intervening in reality, much like sowing seeds, and then, after a period of brewing and waiting, harvesting the results.

The growth condition for a Yin Soul is an abundance of pain and the aura of death. Huai Shi could very well be self-sufficient in this regard. After suffering for so many years, he had enough to nurture more than just one Yin Soul; it was enough to raise a whole nest of Evil Ghosts.

What Mountain Ghosts need for growth is a massive amount of diverse life forces—that is, vitality from various plants. However, it's not about voraciously gobbling everything up. Instead, it involves adjusting the plant's ecosystem to form a healthy cycle and then drawing out the scant strand of essence required. There are no limitations on the types or amounts; as long as one's Source Substance is sufficient, one can even directly advance. But naturally, the more, the better, and the more diverse, the better. Both of these Stigmata are incredibly laid-back, the type that can essentially be left to 'idle' or 'grind' in the background.

Going to a movie theater to watch a tragic film, reaping some free tears, or even writing heart-wrenching stories could all provide a wealth of negative energy. As for Mountain Ghosts, all they needed to do was casually pluck at leaves and touch flowers and plants, whether there was anything specific to do or not.

Thinking of this, Huai Shi finally understood Raven's instruction to plant trees. Since I'm idle and feeling unbearably restless, I might as well take the opportunity to train a bit...

Back home, all large-scale plantations were tightly controlled by the Qing Emperor Group. Those greening fanatics would try to plant poplar forests even in the Gobi Desert. As a Military Officer of the Astronomical Society, it would be shameless for Huai Shi to poach in others' territory. Even if they didn't mind some extra hands helping out, Huai Shi would be too embarrassed to freeload off their Correction Value. So, he could only stroll around Qingshiu Mountain behind his home each day, resolving disputes among the trees and occasionally playing the part of a ranger.

But things were different in Indonesia. Much of the land was effectively ownerless, and whether anyone was managing it was debatable. Huai Shi could freely experiment and attempt things on a large scale. After all, he couldn't really cause permanent damage, and even if he did mess up, he could just up and leave without a care. With his abilities, it wasn't like he was going to create deserts for miles. At most, he would cause some extra wild grass to grow in someone's yard. Could the Indonesian Sublimators actually file a complaint against him with the Astronomical Society? Not that he'd be afraid even if they did.

"Realizing the perks of the Heavenly Inquiry Route, aren't you?"

Raven laughed, HEH-HEH. "From Yin Soul all the way up, this line of Stigmata are all supportive types. They're the kind that can just be left to accumulate experience passively. If it were the Road of Eternity and you wanted to advance from Fourth Stage to Osiris, you'd practically have to mechanize the entirety of Hell to do so.

"Mountain Ghosts, on the other hand, gain from their labor. Plant a single tree, get a tree's worth of results. Adjust a patch of woods, get a patch of woods' harvest. As long as the forest stands, the feedback of Correction Value is endless.

"No matter how minuscule each bit is, as long as the quantity is there, the gains from accumulation over time can be substantial. You'd never have to worry about Correction Value.

"Some clueless newbies go for flashiness, power, and lethality without listening to reason. They have their fun, and then they're doomed, ah…"

Almost all Stigmata growth requirements are entirely different. Undoubtedly, the supportive types are the easiest to grow. Just look at Huai Shi, who advanced from Second Stage to the brink of Third Stage in just four months; that shows how fast it can be.

Functional types come next after supportive. They require creating, altering, or processing something by constantly using their Stigmata to affect the outside world. This is a 'reap what you sow' type, where hard work definitely leads to advancements.

Offensive or aggressive Stigmata users, however, have it rough. Without exception, most must advance through slaughter and destruction. One must be cautious not to attract the Astronomical Society's Black Envelopes or suppression from the kind-hearted fellows at the Social Security Bureau, as it's easy for the entire village to suffer. But before that, chances are their entire actual village was already wiped out by Sublimators who had been driven to madness.

Yuan Zhao advanced from Second Stage to Third Stage at the age of fourteen. This rapid progress was undoubtedly linked to his secondment to the Social Security Bureau. With Older Cousin's support and the Stigmata of the Sky Horse Line, his rate of progress was indeed frightening. He could rush to battlefields, complete missions, and, in a pinch, charge in and out of enemy lines seven times, reaping huge rewards each time.

In contrast, another acquaintance—Little Amber of the Li Jian family—was quite pitiful. The essence of her Prajna Stigma is an Evil Ghost of envy and loneliness. To grow, she has to constantly undergo related experiences and feelings. If some scumbag were willing to cooperate by dating her, then secretly cheating and getting caught, she could potentially complete her progress in one fell swoop by killing both the cheater and the third party…

Clearly, the performance Huai Shi was witnessing was another Sublimator's live leveling session.

Sharkmen are a very common type of Stigma in the aquatic line. Despite differences in Genealogy, their abilities ultimately relate to the Sea. This particular Sublimator seemed to specialize in controlling aquatic life, a cultivation-type. If he managed to break through to the Fourth or Fifth Stage someday, he'd probably get involved in the annual regional fish migrations and maintaining the balance of marine ecology. By then, he might even become a sea god of the Southeast Asia region.

Coming to the aquarium on a whim and actually getting to witness another Sublimator's leveling process—Huai Shi couldn't deny he was lucky. However, he didn't join in. Agreeing with Raven not to actively use his Sublimator abilities was one thing. The main reason, though, was that his Source Substance was extremely toxic negative energy. If he got involved, it wouldn't be long before everyone in the aquarium, fish and humans alike, started foaming at the mouth. In less than two hours, the Indonesian government would likely declare a bioterrorist attack. By then, Huai Shi would probably be preparing for a border tribunal.

As Huai Shi walked out of the aquarium, satisfied with the performance, he saw the keeper, now changed, standing at the entrance and gesturing for him to come over. Dressed in a suit and looking like a business elite, he was almost unrecognizable as the zookeeper from before.

"Hello, you're an external Sublimator, right?" The dark-skinned, middle-aged man extended his hand in a friendly gesture. He glanced at the outdoor seats of the coffee shop next door and asked in fluent Latin, "Do you have time for a coffee, sir?"

"Huh?" Huai Shi was baffled for a long moment, not understanding what was going on. However, someone was offering to buy him coffee, and he couldn't very well refuse out of courtesy.

Considering the time, it's also about time for dinner… he mused.