novelraw Chapter 256: I'm Still Eating
Chapter 256: I'm Still Eating
The Life Essence of the Snake-Tailed Beasts had nothing to do with him either.
Because after being in the Mist World for so long, he had confirmed one fact.
That was, given his current constitution at the Medium-risk Tenth Stage, if he wanted to reach High-risk, absorbing the Life Essence of Medium-risk Mist Creatures was completely useless. He absolutely had to absorb High-risk level essence.
And those Snake-Tailed Beasts outside clearly didn't meet this condition.
So killing them wouldn't yield any benefits at all.
Su Zhan needed to use this time to gather as much information as possible.
There was another urgent question burning in his mind.
How long had actually passed since his last entry into the Mist?
He felt like he had spent an eternity in that land of despair, but did time flow at the same rate on Blue Star?
However, directly asking "what year is it now?" would be far too suspicious and easily expose his abnormality.He decided to find an opportunity to confirm it himself later.
Lin Wei didn't answer Su Zhan's question immediately. Instead, she cast her gaze towards the mutilated corpse on the floor.
An innocent, guileless smile appeared on her face, and her voice regained its previous soft, seductive tone:
"Sir~ You see, I'm still eating. It's very impolite to disturb someone while they're eating, you know~"
Su Zhan's brow twitched slightly, a flicker of displeasure stirring within. How dare she speak to him in that tone, with that hint of coquettish refusal?
But...
Right now, he was the one seeking her help. It wasn't wise to push too hard. He also needed to gauge her temperament and limits:
"You... eat first."
Lin Wei secretly rejoiced. This was actually a test on her part.
She wanted to see what kind of person Su Zhan was. Was he hot-tempered and easily angered, or could he bide his time?
More importantly, she wanted to test just how desperate Su Zhan's situation was.
If Su Zhan appeared extremely urgent, even resorting to immediate force and coercion, then it would mean his troubles were great, her value would be high, and she'd have more bargaining chips.
Unfortunately, Su Zhan's reaction was very calm, which left her somewhat unable to gauge his depth.
Lin Wei said no more and truly crouched down to continue her meal.
After finishing, she pulled out a clean tissue from her school uniform pocket and meticulously wiped the blood from the corners of her mouth and her hands.
Only after completing this did she straighten up again and look at Su Zhan.
Su Zhan's gaze had been locked on her the entire time, waiting patiently.
Lin Wei finally spoke, her tone becoming a bit more serious: "Sir, changing one's appearance and obtaining a new identity... these things aren't uncommon among us Aberrants.
Where there's demand, there's naturally a market.
I believe every city has its gray zones that specifically provide these kinds of services for people like us, and Lincheng is no exception.
However, this kind of business operates in the shadows, with extreme caution.
You absolutely need an introduction from a familiar insider. They don't do business with strangers.
And I, well, I happen to have that connection.
I can introduce you. But, all of this has to wait until this Mist incident is over before it can proceed."
Lin Wei clearly demonstrated her unique value.
She was the key to entering that gray zone.
Su Zhan then asked, "What about... the distribution of power in this city?"
"Sir, you overestimate me."
A look of difficulty appeared on Lin Wei's face. "I'm just a small fry. The games played by those truly important figures, or the official arrangements, the deeper currents... how could someone of my level possibly know about those?
At most, I know a bit about the situation of other Aberrants in my own small circle.
But those guys, to you, are probably just trash you could crush with a flick of your finger.
Truly valuable information? I don't have the qualifications to access it."
Su Zhan sneered inwardly.
What a clever move, retreating in order to advance.
First, she showcased the value of her introduction channel, making him hesitant to move against her lightly.
Then, she claimed to know nothing about the higher-level power structures.
This might be the truth, but it was more likely a form of self-protection.
It prevented him from quickly grasping the underlying situation of Lincheng through her, thereby increasing her own irreplaceability.
And thus, ensuring her own safety.
If he was a complete stranger, a "dragon crossing the river" with no knowledge of Lincheng, then her role as the "local snake" would be absolutely crucial.
What shrewd scheming!
Su Zhan thought to himself.
After such a speech, he really couldn't just kill her on the spot.
"Heh..."
Su Zhan let out a low, ambiguous chuckle. "Lin Wei, right? You're a smart one... but don't be too smart. People who are too clever... often don't live long."
Lin Wei's heart tightened. He was warning her.
Yet a radiant smile bloomed on her face:
"Sir, rest assured. I just want to survive. Everything else has nothing to do with me."
This initial confrontation came to a temporary end.
Both had tentatively probed the edges of the other. One needed a guide and a channel;
the other needed to survive and leverage her value.
A fragile balance was temporarily established.
"Continue your hunting. When the Mist ends, I'll naturally come find you."
Having said that, Su Zhan didn't linger. He silently retreated from the classroom.
Leaving Lin Wei alone in the classroom permeated with the scent of blood.
Lin Wei stared at the empty doorway, letting out a long sigh of relief. Her back was already soaked with cold sweat.
She touched her smooth cheek. Her mask was gone. From now on, she'd have to be even more cautious in her movements.
Not daring to delay, she quickly cleaned up the scene.
That Sir was terrifying, but at least he wouldn't threaten her life for now. The urgent task was to hunt and grow stronger.
On the other side.
Su Zhan relied on his vague memory of school layouts.
After all, schools generally had similar structures.
He soon found a boys' dormitory building.
The building was empty. Most students had either fled to shelters or had already met their demise.
Su Zhan carefully sensed the area, confirming there were no life signs in one particular dorm room, then kicked open its tightly shut door.
The lock broke with a snap.
The room was relatively tidy but already bore traces of chaos.
Su Zhan had a clear target. He walked directly into the dorm's attached private bathroom.
This school seemed to have decent conditions;
the dorms were equipped with private shower stalls.
He closed the bathroom door behind him.
Looking at the wild man in the mirror, reeking of foul odor.
Oily, matted hair, a scruffy beard, a face covered in grime.
Even he found it a bit unbearable to look at.
To hide his identity, he first had to deal with this smell and appearance.
Otherwise, he'd be a moving stench bomb wherever he went, making it impossible not to attract attention.
Su Zhan quickly stripped off his tattered, filthy clothes and threw them directly into the trash bin.
He placed the mask to the side.
Stood naked under the showerhead.
Reached out and turned on the faucet.
Icy cold water poured down.
The school's hot water required a card swipe. With electronic devices malfunctioning now, hot water was definitely unavailable, but the cold water supply was direct and unaffected.
It was freezing.
But for Su Zhan, who had struggled to survive for so long in the harsh environment of the Mist World, this was nothing.
He found the cold water somewhat refreshing.