Chapter 674: Doubled-edged sword
Translator: Translation Nation Editor: Translation Nation
As of now, Sheyan planned to synthesize both his commonly employed Black-Iron class titles, the ‘Alcohol Master’ and ‘Pirate Captain’. Before that, he first leveraged on his military authority to scoop up more information. Unexpectedly, after forking out an intelligence fee, he found out that simultaneously synthesizing three Black-Iron class titles, would result in a chance for class advancement for the new title, advancing to Bronze class.
Moved by that, he couldn’t help but immediately cancel his plans for title synthesis. Evidently, if he could acquire another Black-Iron class title, he could gamble for a chance at acquiring a Bronze class title.
After clarifying matters pertaining to title synthesis, Sheyan then prepared to return to the real world. He desperately needed to rest his overworked mind, before slowly contemplating the issue of activating his ‘Pestilence Monarch’ ability.
At this moment, Sheyan randomly reminisced about the time he was first promoted to lieutenant, where he communicated with that hoarse voice. At present, he truly wished that he could obtain his guidance once again.
Besides, Sheyan was indeed harboring several discrete doubts in his heart. After all, his innate ability was still plagued by the realm ‘bug’ of data error. Although that hoarse voice treated him amicably, the guidance was probably within his limits of authority; allowing him to mention merely a few sentences. It was hard to determine the outcome if Sheyan exhibited his ‘Pestilence Monarch’ ability to him.
A phrase goes like this – an ignorant man is innocent, but one’s talent will arouse the envy of others. How bloody and cruel were the conflicts of the nightmare realm, Sheyan had no choice but to be cautiously prudent. Hence, he discarded his notion of seeking guidance.
Upon returning to his personal room, Sheyan first affirmed that he hadn’t omitted anything, but decided to return to the real world. Yet at this instance, a gentle snore abruptly wafted into his ears and startled his heart.
"Right, isn’t there still that old fart? Perhaps he could provide me with some insights!"
Thinking of that, Sheyan immediately raced towards the next room with excitement. Instead, a scene of disorderly burnt marks and filthy sloppiness greeted his sight. Fortunately, he didn’t see any feces or puddles of pee. Right beside a spittoon, was a crudely crafted brick stove with a charred black wok residing atop. Nobody could tell what meals Jinkuang had been cooking up.
The venerable Jinkuang was presently lying on a single tightrope bed while snoring in slumber. Wearing an excessively crumpled swallow-tailed coat, a bowknot manufactured with an unknown starchy substance hung across his neck.
Probably fantasizing about something wonderful, a strand of saliva trickled down his lips; soaking his pillow that was in fact, a pile of tattered clothes. The room was shockingly filled with random heaps of junk; torn papers, boards and what not. Sheyan even noticed a crushed cardboard box with a ‘Changhong Television’ branding...
Of course, Sheyan didn’t resort to being a wet blanket and waking him up. Instead, he utilized a measly amount of utility points to purchase fillet steak, seafood soup, fried onions, apple pie, crabmeat mango, and even top-grade tender beef steak, and directly placed them beside slut Jinkuang; allowing the fragrance to permeate into his filthy nostrils.
This was Sheyan’s method of rousing one with smell. However, excluded the initial twitching of his nose, Jinkuang didn’t offer a single hint of waking up. Instead, he rolled nearer towards the beef steak, and licked his lips.
Sheyan could only shrug his shoulders as he spectated this scene. Finally, he revealed his killer move and tossed out a penny dime, before softly exclaiming.
"Ehhh? Someone dropped a coin?"
When that statement was released, Jinkuang instantly shot up from his bed with a speed surpassing 200 points of agility. Like a professional soccer goalkeeper, he dove with heroic elegance towards that penny dime and gripped it tightly!
During the entire process, slut Jinkuang’s eyes remained shut while still emitting blissful sounds of snoring. Only when he placed the penny dime safely inside his pocket, did he open his eyes, filled with eye wax, while in a daze.
"Ah, for the love of gold! What’s going on, could it be the sky’s raining gold coins?"
Sheyan, beaming with smiles, replied.
"Yes, your fortune has descended. Quick feast on free food, my friend."
Naturally, Mister Jinkuang displayed marvelous appetite towards any form of freebie. Only by spending his utility points, could Sheyan prompt Jinkuang to pat his belly gleefully while scraping at the gaps in his teeth.
"Half satisfied at best…...perhaps I ought to take a rest now. Right, didn’t you mention treating me to a Havana cigar?"
"When did I agree to treat you a Havana cigar..." The appalled Sheyan could only sigh and shake his head, before acquiescing to his request with a wry smile.
In the end, slut Jinkuang devoured food sufficient to feed ‘n’ amount of people. Then, he proceeded to store the leftovers and blatantly claimed the plates and utensils of the realm as his own. After stashing everything beneath his bed, he hopped back and lazily stroked his plump belly while uttering.
"Speak, what do you need. Don’t waste my precious afternoon nap."
Sheyan proceeded to display his secret, variated rank 9 ability and consulted Jinkuang in a nonflaunting demeanor. To his horror, after the old fart Jinkuang took a quick glance, his head fell back onto his pillow and resumed his slumber. Sheyan still believed he was pondering, until that slut emitted out snoring sounds once again, did he realize he had been duped!
Though he felt humiliated and indignant, Sheyan obliged to remain silent about his resentment. After all, was like an esteemed sage, harsh words may result in dire consequences.
In spite of these, just when Sheyan was about to depart after being wronged, he suddenly discovered with matchless shock, that 20 achievement points of his had been deducted for unfathomable reasons!!
Ah, 20 points! 20 points!!!!
Not 2 points, 4 points or 8 points!!
But 20 points!
In his fury and shock, Sheyan was about to implode with furious beratement. He quickly reflected on the past records, but gained nothing in the end. All of a sudden, he heard slut Jinkuang’s incomparably satisfied snore. A sudden notion immediately jolted through his mind.
"Could it be....."
Sheyan immediately raced to check own his personal attributes. When he affirmed that his ‘Pestilence Monarch’ ability still remained the same, he heaved a long sigh. Yet when he continued examining downwards to the three branching options, he discovered to his surprise, a [ level 1 (activated) ] note beside the ‘Airborne Pestilence’ option.
Sheyan’s jaw dropped. A change had unexpected occurred! Shuala! A skill tree sprouted out from that option! However, that skill tree was filled with [ ? ? ? ]. Beside it, was a clear explanation.
[ You have not mastered any airborne dissemination type virus. Please swiftly grasp an airborne dissemination type virus, so as to contract and duplicate follow-up viruses ]
Upon viewing that explanation, Sheyan’s heart cried out bitterly. Must he still venture out and gather relevant virus ability scrolls to learn? Wasn’t this secret, variated rank S ability too demanding?
Fortunately, another explanation soon surfaced.
[ The A-virus possess exceptional efficacy in devouring, duplicating and optimizing viruses. Logically speaking, it can imitate any form of virus that can bypass the strengthened walls of an enhanced contestant’s immunity. By contracting the various viruses in the real world once, and acquiring the nucleus code of the virus, you can then grasp that particular virus ability ]
[ Details: With your enhanced body system, real-world viruses are completely ineffective or minimally potent against you. When contracting viruses in the real world, you must abandon your enhanced bodily state and be infected with the body of an average human. Otherwise, the A-virus cannot fully evaluate and harvest the nucleus code of the virus ]
[ Detail: You gain an ability ‘Introspect’ – upon activation, you can completely remove your bodily digitized enhancements within five seconds. You basic attributes will return to the state of your first entry into the realm. This effect takes ‘Domain Authority Precedence’! ]
[ Detail: The A-virus will eliminate all incubation period of infiltrating viruses, allowing the virus to spiral into full-blown mode. As long as you endure the full-blown virus for a period of time under your human state, the A-virus can then commence duplication and successfully harvest the virus ]
[ Warning, Warning: Once the A-virus enters sampling and duplication mode, you will be incapable of maintaining your ‘Introspect’ ability. Therefore, if you haven’t made adequate preparations before being infected with the virus, there is a possibility of sinking into near-death state! ]
[ Warning, Warning: In view of host’s fledgling A-virus state (insufficient tiers unlocked), you can only duplicate basic grade viruses. Please swiftly upgrade the relevant ability grade, to duplicate more varieties of viruses ]
Having viewed the list of information, Sheyan finally realized that Jinkuang’s choice for him was fairly sensible! If one chose to contract a virus with fatal lethal potency, one had attempt grasping such a type of virus with the state of an ordinary human! Moreover, one wouldn’t be able to restore his enhanced digitized body in time. Such a dangerous process naturally goes without saying! If Seaman, having just started building his reputation in the nightmare realm, was to pathetically die on a sickbed in the real world, where he brought it upon himself, that would be too huge of a joke!
This was akin to a double-edged sword. To master a dreadfully vile and potent virus, one must first experience its deadliness as a mortal. Oh, Ebola, AIDs....how dreadful to grasp those!!