The night in this foreign land was as peaceful as ever.
Lu PingAn's cabin was simple. In one corner lay a messy assortment of stones, wooden tools, and plant specimens.
These were the spoils he had gathered while hunting in the wilderness under the pretense of going out to collect materials. While that was indeed a means of concealing his identity, as a "biological research and development team," they had also collected a considerable amount of research material.
The Botanical Garden and Zoo had both acquired new species. However, it would still take time to produce results with practical combat value. Lu PingAn had taken a liking to a local species of Demon Ape. They were fairly intelligent and strong enough, and best of all, one ape could serve three purposes.
When hungry, eat its meat. When cultivating techniques, drink its blood. Raise the young ones for labor—cough, cough. Whether the new species could adapt to the environment was another matter, but Lu PingAn's team, as well as Lu PingAn himself, had indeed grown increasingly mature and powerful over the course of their journey.
Now, even while he himself snored away in pursuit of a "normal sleep schedule," those cultivating in the Courtyard were desperately pushing themselves, while those conducting research worked overtime day and night.
After all, although these days had seemed relaxed and pleasant, everyone knew that every day spent in a foreign land was an excessively precious resource.
"Buzz!"
In the darkness, the wooden clown sculpture on the table suddenly emitted a faint red glow.
The next moment, Lu PingAn was seated before the table. Communications through this thing rang directly inside his head.
".Great Playful Kid. Damn it."
Lu PingAn, already annoyed at having his sleep disturbed and forced to recite that irritating prayer, was in