Armor Upgrade

The two people were enveloped in yellow light and fell to the ground. The entire apartment dissolved like foam, leaving behind a huge crater.

Li Ming stood with his hands on his hips, panting. Even with the enhancement of Candlelight Armor: First Light, the 'Li Ming' clone only had blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. He looked at Li Ming and laughed maniacally, "You're just a wanderer who can't go back. Everyone hates you. Those who care about you will eventually leave. I'll be waiting for you to come find me again!"

As his laughter spread, the 'Li Ming' clone vanished. The Candlelight Armor: First Light on Li Ming also dissipated.

He looked at his surroundings. "Where is this place?"

It was a hollow, deep space. The sky, which had been moonlit moments ago, had now turned into a cave of cold stone.

Stalactites of strange shapes hung everywhere. Li Ming vaguely saw a light in the distance and walked towards it, only to find it getting hotter and hotter, as if he were being roasted in a furnace.

As he approached the light, the surrounding stone walls changed color, becoming a sunset-like blood red!

Upon entering the light, Li Ming finally saw what it was: an arched opening covered by something like a light membrane.

After hesitating for a long time, Li Ming finally stepped through the light membrane. No matter what was inside, it was his only way out now.

"Whatever, I'm going in!"

Gritting his teeth, Li Ming rushed in. As soon as he entered, flames seared his skin, directly cooking his arm. A pair of lantern-like eyes appeared, and then Li Ming saw a gaping maw rushing towards him.

The sight of its teeth sent shivers down his spine. Before Li Ming could react, he was swallowed.

He couldn't breathe.

Am I going to die again?

Why did I say 'again'?

What is that... thing?

Li Ming's consciousness gradually blurred. Suffocation, falling, palpitations... As each sensation bore down on him, a sudden sharp pain jolted Li Ming awake.

He sat up abruptly. The sky was already showing faint glimmers of light; it must have been early morning. Li Ming quickly felt his body and arms. "Phew, phew, phew, I'm okay, I'm okay? I'm fine!"

Li Ming took several deep breaths. There were no signs of burns or fractures. Just as he relaxed, he noticed that the Honkai Energy corrosion pattern on his right hand had changed.

Originally, the faint red pattern was just a single line on Li Ming's right wrist, a short, pale red mark.

Now, the corrosion pattern resembled intertwined vines, with branches and offshoots. The originally vertical pattern had turned horizontally, wrapping around his wrist. The offshoots had strange markings, like tongues of flame.

This sudden change sent a chill down Li Ming's spine. Although he didn't feel any discomfort from the pattern's presence, he desperately wanted to scratch it off.

However, Li Ming's fingernails had already scratched his right wrist until it bled, yet the pattern remained unchanged.

"What in the world is this thing!"

Seeing that it was useless, Li Ming suppressed the palpitations in his heart. He took deep breaths, trying to calm himself.

"No, it's fine, it's fine, nothing will happen. That wasn't me, and it wasn't talking about me..." This was the first time since Li Ming had transmigrated that he felt such a lack of control. His usual carefree attitude was replaced by a genuine sense of approaching death.

It felt as if he had truly died once.

The sensation of memories washing over him, a feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time, flooded his mind. Li Ming felt a sudden enlightenment, but it was accompanied by a strange emptiness and loneliness. It was very peculiar.

Forcing himself to stand, Li Ming went to the living room for a drink of water. He saw the core fragment on the coffee table slowly dissipating, turning into ashes.

Just then, the system notification popped up: "Detected Candlelight Armor: First Light fragments *20. Do you wish to collect?"

Although his mind was still a bit hazy, Li Ming instinctively chose to collect.

Collected 20 Candlelight Armor: First Light fragments.

Then, Li Ming, with trembling hands, brought the glass of water to his lips. After drinking, he felt he had finally recovered. Calming his breathing, he opened the system interface and saw a familiar red bubble next to his armor.

Clicking on it, he saw that he had indeed gathered enough promotion fragments for Candlelight Armor: First Light. But Li Ming was confused. Why? Was it because the reconstruction mold for the clone that dropped: Ability Specialization was used when his armor was crafted?

But why did he get a reconstruction mold again this time? What was the criterion for judging these fragments?

His mind felt like it had been stirred into a mess, and he couldn't sort it out. "Forget it, I'll think about it later. Let's promote it first."

Li Ming directly clicked on promote. Candlelight Armor: First Light's rank immediately changed to A-rank. Li Ming glanced at his status panel:

Character: Li Ming

Ability: Candlelight Armor: First Light

Star Rank: A, Level: 20, [Physical]

Weapon: Moon God's Protection

Stigmata: None

Skills: Level 60

His character panel was roughly like this. In the confidential information section, everything else was fine: Organization: None, Gender: Male, Birthplace: Schicksal, Birthday: February 8th, Height: 181cm, Weight: 65kg.

Armor Story

The Candlelight left by the Heroes 50,000 years ago finally blooms its First Light in the new era!

Armor Story (Requires Affinity ??)

The shadows loom over childhood stories, and the warrior relentlessly seeks the brilliance a child yearns for.

Armor Story (Requires Affinity ????)

Li Ming's affection level is currently [??]. He wants to know more about you.

Armor Damage: 70% (Repair requires Fluid Alloy *30 or Fluid Alloy Block *10)

There weren't many significant changes in the data, but familiar red dots appeared in the Level and Skill sections. It was then that Li Ming noticed his level had reached 40. He had used all his Primary Learning Chips to raise the level of his Candlelight Armor: First Light to forty.

He glanced at his Gold Coins, which numbered in the tens of thousands. He opened each skill to take a look. This was the first time Li Ming had ever opened the skill panel. Before, he knew all the skills he possessed, so he felt there was no need to check. But this time, a situation requiring him to unlock skills suddenly appeared.

Upon entering, he discovered that these were the two moves beneath Black Tortoise Returns to Heart and Vermillion Bird Treading Clouds, which he hadn't mastered before.

One was Inch Punch: Vermillion Bird Treading Clouds: Red Sparrow Chasing Sun. After dodging, use Inch Punch to deal heavy damage to the enemy, with armor-breaking effects.

The other was a passive skill, Black Tortoise Returns to Heart: Cunxin. Increases damage to enemies within three meters by 10%. For distant enemies, hitting them with Inch Punch increases critical hit by 10.

These two moves were both ones Li Ming hadn't mastered. One was a mental technique, and the other was a movement technique, and both had very powerful effects.

After Li Ming unlocked and maxed out the two skills, he felt his body become much lighter. And whether it was an illusion or not, he felt like his strength had also increased significantly.

It must be an illusion, Li Ming thought to himself. But why did I master Black Tortoise Returns to Heart: Cunxin and Vermillion Bird Treading Clouds: Red Sparrow Chasing Sun without doing anything?

More and more questions flooded Li Ming's mind. He felt like he was a walking encyclopedia of "Why?" right now, his head full of question marks.

Shaking off the questions he couldn't figure out for now, Li Ming stood up, swaying slightly. Since he was already up, he might as well start his morning exercises.

As he began his morning routine, his mind felt less muddled. Li Ming could clearly sense the airflow generated by each of his movements, the points of force in every move. Although not perfectly accurate, he felt a sense of control over his actions.

"Is this what they call a blessing in disguise?"

After his morning exercises left him sweating, Li Ming headed into the bathroom. He had woken up in a cold sweat, and after his workout, he decided a shower was in order.

Water dripped through his hair onto the floor. Not wanting to dwell on it, Li Ming calmed down and began to sort through the events that had happened since he arrived here.

First, he met a bootleg Boss Yang right after getting off the plane. Although they didn't look alike at all, Li Ming attributed it to immature technology. Then he met Raiden Ryoma, Uncle Su, Susanna, Yae... He sorted through these people one by one.

However, Li Ming couldn't find anything strange. It was as if he were a swift horse that had suddenly met its patron.

But if I'm this capable, why didn't I just find something to do back in my hometown?

Thinking about this, Li Ming felt something was off. Why did I leave my hometown to find Uncle Su in the first place?

"Because Grandpa always found fault with me at home, so he kicked me out? Or because it's hard for college students to find jobs? No, something feels wrong."

Li Ming tried his best to recall, but he had no memory of this part. It was as if he couldn't find any memories related to his parents in the original host's memories.

Feeling his head start to ache again, Li Ming decided to stop thinking about it. Fine, I'll just call Grandpa later. It's only five in the morning?

After showering, he dried his hair, washed his face, and brushed his teeth. When he was drying his hair, Li Ming noticed it had a slightly dark red hue. Gritting his teeth, he pulled out a strand of hair and found that a portion of his hair had indeed turned dark red. However, it was only a small amount; if he hadn't looked closely, he wouldn't have noticed.

Actually, if it weren't for that dream making Li Ming paranoid, he probably wouldn't have noticed this detail.

He changed into a fresh white short-sleeved shirt and wide-leg shorts, shuffling along in a pair of slippers. After a while, Li Ming felt hungry.

He unconsciously touched his stomach, feeling it empty, as if he hadn't eaten in a long time.

He went downstairs to buy an egg and ham sandwich and came back up. He didn't call for Raiden or Himeko, knowing it was only six in the morning and calling a college student at this hour would drive them crazy.

Besides, Raiden had mentioned yesterday that he still had his thesis to deal with, so it was even less likely. The thing about theses, everyone understood.

Back in his room, Li Ming took out a pen and began to sort through the events of the past two months.

Just after transmigrating, I met Ai Yi, was kicked off the ship, didn't transmigrate directly, but entered the Elysian Realm space. (Suspicious point)

In the Elysian Realm, I mastered the Cunxin Fist Technique with the speed of a martial arts prodigy. Upon landing, I arrived in Qinghe City, carrying a snakeskin bag at the time, but that cost-effective snakeskin bag was eventually thrown away by Uncle Su.

Then I met Raiden Yae and Raiden Ryoma, and then the bootleg Boss Yang 1.0. After a series of actions, I defeated that Boss Yang.

Raiden Ryoma invited me to be his bodyguard, saying there would be danger and that Yae needed protection.

I refused and then went to Uncle Su's place. As I was leaving, I discovered signs of Honkai Energy erosion. Then Uncle Su gave me a very warm reception, seeming to have a close relationship with Grandpa. (Suspicious point)

The next day, he completely re-equipped me, as if he didn't mind my presence at all. After learning that I had been eroded by Honkai Energy, his first priority was to go to the branch to resolve my issue.

Later, I met Raiden Ryoma again and agreed to his request. Nothing special happened during that month, and then while on Mount Taixu, the system entered an update.

Apart from the main functions, I couldn't access the Elysian Realm.

Then I parted ways with Ryoma and Yae in Changming City and encountered an attack from the HK Organization, but it was quickly resolved. I stayed at the Changming branch for nearly half a month and obtained my first set of armor, an armor different from the current era: Candlelight Armor: First Light.

Returning to Qinghe City, Uncle Su sent me to America. After arriving in America, I coincidentally met Himeko the next day. After drinking with Himeko, we parted ways.

The next day, I met Himeko and her father, Ryusuke. I went to report to school. Professor Lieserl was absent, and I met the real Boss Yang.

Himeko suddenly dragged me to watch a movie. At the time, I felt a sense of being watched but couldn't find the stalker. (Suspicious point)

Later, I suddenly encountered an upgraded version of the bootleg Boss Yang, named Code??? I Clone. Code, as in serial number? (Suspicious point)

I discovered that Code??? I Clone's use of Honkai Energy was more mature, and at the end, Code??? I Clone attempted to use its core to absorb the energy of Candlelight Armor: First Light. (Suspicious point)

Code??? I Clone inexplicably died in the end, crushed into dust. I suspect Boss Yang himself did it, but what was Boss Yang doing before that? What role did Anti-Entropy play in this incident? (Suspicious point)

Upon returning, the 'Li Ming' I dreamed of that night was not me. He couldn't use Azure Dragon Emerging from Water but mastered Vermillion Bird Treading Clouds: Red Sparrow Chasing Sun, and seemed to have mastered the Cunxin, Kongxin, and Cunxin aspects of Black Tortoise Returns to Heart.

The space in that dream looked like a cave, but I've never been there. What was that monster? (Major suspicious point)

After sorting through the events of the past two months, Li Ming clearly felt that many things were not right.

Regarding the system, it's currently being updated, and I can't access the Elysian Realm. There's no way to resolve this for now; I'll have to wait until January 10th. Regarding Raiden Ryoma, there's nothing I can do for now, nor for Uncle Su. Since they didn't tell me at the time, asking won't help. As for Boss Yang, it's even more out of the question; we're not that close yet. That dream came out of nowhere, so it's best to just ignore it.

After much deliberation, "Calling Grandpa still seems like the easiest and quickest solution."