A Night Destined to be Unpeaceful

After settling the most important matter, Su Ming and Xu Qianqian were just chatting about things that didn't really lead anywhere.

Of course, these chats weren't completely devoid of important topics.

For instance, the broken scale that Su Ming had given Xu Qianqian last week had already been handed over to a specialist for research.

According to the research results, the scale seemed to be somewhat similar to that of a Rotwater Demon.

"Rotwater Demon?" Su Ming frowned and said, "Are you talking about the Rotwater Demon that inhabits the seas of the Spirit Fiend Abyss, considered the most common aquatic Phantasmal Demon there?"

"That's right." Xu Qianqian nodded and said, "In the Spirit Fiend Abyss, there are many Phantasmal Demons that live in the water, but the most common are the Rotwater Demons. They can survive even in the dirtiest waters. Among the aquatic Phantasmal Demons that have come from the Spirit Fiend Abyss to the present world, the most frequently seen are also Rotwater Demons."

Su Ming naturally knew about this.

Not only did he know, but he had also received several missions to clean up Phantasmal Demons inhabiting important rivers, and had fought Rotwater Demons with Lei Hao and Ye Bai a few times.

These Rotwater Demons were indeed the most common aquatic Phantasmal Demons. Whenever there was a non-natural disaster event related to water, the culprit behind it was most likely a Rotwater Demon.

This showed just how common these aquatic Phantasmal Demons were.

"But I remember that the scales of Rotwater Demons don't look like this."

Su Ming pointed this out.

The Rotwater Demon that Su Ming had seen was a Phantasmal Demon that looked similar to a mermaid. It was larger than an average adult, about two meters tall, with sharp claws and fangs. Its skin was blue, and although it had scales, they usually only grew on the arms, thighs, neck, face, and a few other areas, looking like fish scales, and not the most attractive kind.

In contrast, the scale he had found was as smooth as a mirror, with a surface as bright as a diamond, quite beautiful.

But Xu Qianqian was saying that such a beautiful scale had fallen from a Rotwater Demon.

No wonder Su Ming was frowning so much.

"I was also surprised at first, but after thinking about it carefully, it's not that strange," Xu Qianqian explained to Su Ming. "Once a Phantasmal Demon evolves, from a lower-level Phantasmal Demon to a Greater Phantasmal Demon, it completely transforms and becomes a new individual, right?"

Su Ming understood what Xu Qianqian was trying to say.

"So, you think the owner of that scale actually evolved from a Rotwater Demon?" Su Ming looked at Xu Qianqian and said, "The mysterious existence that the suspicious group is chasing is indeed a Greater Phantasmal Demon?"

Although he didn't know if it was a cub, now that it was confirmed that the owner of the scale had evolved from a Rotwater Demon, the speculation that it was a Greater Phantasmal Demon could be directly proven.

As Su Ming thought this, Xu Qianqian gave an uncertain answer.

"It might not necessarily be a Greater Phantasmal Demon that has successfully evolved, it could also be a mutant, right?"

Xu Qianqian's statement made Su Ming blink.

"A mutant?"

Su Ming became thoughtful.

Xu Qianqian met Su Ming's gaze and said, "Lower-level Phantasmal Demons evolve after absorbing enough blood and accumulating enough power, but evolution is not always successful." Xu Qianqian said, "If they encounter any accidents during the evolution process, or if the accumulated power is not enough to support the entire evolution process, then the Phantasmal Demon will stop evolving and instead mutate in another direction, right?"

In other words, it was a mutation.

A mutation that occurred because of incomplete evolution.

"Phantasmal Demons that appear due to this situation are mutants. Although they have not evolved completely, they have also left the category of lower-level Phantasmal Demons and are between lower-level and Greater Phantasmal Demons."

Xu Qianqian's voice clearly entered Su Ming's ears.

"It's not just lower-level Phantasmal Demons that have evolution failures and turn to mutation, Greater Phantasmal Demons also have this type of existence, right?"

Although the evolution from a lower-level Phantasmal Demon to a Greater Phantasmal Demon can be considered a complete transformation, it cannot be considered the end point of the "Phantasmal Demon" species.

No matter what kind of Phantasmal Demon, they all have three opportunities to evolve in their lifetime.

The first evolution is from a lower-level Phantasmal Demon to a Greater Phantasmal Demon, completely standing out from the crowd and truly possessing the power to change their fate.

But there are also levels among Greater Phantasmal Demons.

The first stage of Greater Phantasmal Demons is called Hazard Breed, which is just the initial Greater Phantasmal Demon, the weakest Greater Phantasmal Demon.

In addition to Hazard Breed, there are also Nightmare Breed and Terror Breed among Greater Phantasmal Demons.

If an individual that has evolved into a Greater Phantasmal Demon Hazard Breed continues to absorb blood and accumulate power, it will undergo a second evolution.

At this time, if it can evolve successfully, it will become a Nightmare Breed.

By the same principle, when a Nightmare Breed also absorbs enough blood, accumulates enough power, and triggers the third and final evolution, once successful, they will become Terror Breed.

That is the end point of Phantasmal Demons.

That is the final stage that this life form can reach.

Only by becoming a Terror Breed can they become the strongest Phantasmal Demon, ruling the entire Spirit Fiend Abyss.

At that time, they will have the power to dominate the entire Spirit Fiend Abyss and become a veritable Phantasmal Demon King.

However, this path of evolution is not easy to complete.

Not to mention how astonishing the amount of blood needed to evolve to the final stage is, just the evolution itself may fail.

And once the evolution fails, although they can become a mutant that is more powerful than Phantasmal Demons of the same level, it also means that this Phantasmal Demon will forever lose the opportunity to evolve again and can only stop at the current stage.

This is the so-called mutant.

In view of this, Xu Qianqian proposed this idea.

That is, the mysterious Phantasmal Demon being hunted by the suspicious group may be a failed mutant.

"However, a mutant of a Lesser Phantasmal Demon shouldn't warrant the Base City's higher-ups mobilizing their private forces to hunt it down."

That's what Xu Qianqian believes.

"So, the most likely true identity of this Phantasmal Demon is a Greater Phantasmal Demon's cub."

This is the result of the investigation based on that scale.

"This is quite the troublesome matter." Su Ming scratched his head and said, "Have you reported this matter to the Base City higher-ups who commissioned the task?"

"Yes, I have reported it." Xu Qianqian admitted, "They have already taken this matter seriously. However, we are currently at a time when the entrance to the Spirit Fiend Abyss is about to appear within the Base City's urban area, so they may not be able to handle this matter in time."

"That has nothing to do with me." Su Ming spread his hands, looking as if it was none of his business, and said, "I am only responsible for completing the investigation task you commissioned. I am not responsible for anything else."

"I know." Xu Qianqian was already aware of Su Ming's character and wasn't surprised at all. She said, "The countermeasures against that suspicious group and the suspected Greater Phantasmal Demon cub are matters that the higher-ups need to decide. We are just students, so we are only responsible for investigating."

"OK." Su Ming snapped his fingers and smiled, "Then this will be much easier."

Only being responsible for the investigation and not caring about anything else is what Su Ming has already decided to do.

"Then I'll go back first." Su Ming stood up and said to Xu Qianqian, "Please urge them to complete the transaction as soon as possible."

"I will." Xu Qianqian said faintly, "If you have any news or need to discuss anything, you can contact me as soon as possible."

"Okay." Su Ming agreed.

Xu Qianqian then summoned the butler and asked him to see Su Ming out of the villa.

Under the butler's seemingly respectful but actually vigilant gaze, Su Ming left the villa and returned to the academy.

For the next day, everything was peaceful.

The Demon Hunter Academy was still bustling with activity, with people busy everywhere, looking like they were working hard.

Su Ming, Lei Hao, Ye Bai, An Zijin, Yao Beibei, and Jiang Wanyu and the group of six didn't waste any time and began preparing for the expedition the next day.

Some needed to prepare weapons, some needed to prepare props, and everyone pooled their money to buy supplies. In addition, with one or two gatherings, everyone began to become familiar with each other.

Well, mainly Ye Bai wanted to become familiar with An Zijin, while Lei Hao idly flirted with the two busty senior sisters. However, the two busty senior sisters didn't pay much attention to Lei Hao, but instead intentionally or unintentionally kept separating An Zijin, who also didn't want to pay attention to Ye Bai, and the innocent and pitiful Su Ming, preventing An Zijin from clinging to Su Ming.

This... can it be considered getting familiar with each other?

At least, Su Ming had completely seen through the various love-hate entanglements in this team, seen through everyone's ugly faces, and could be considered familiar with these people to some extent, right?

Under such circumstances, the day of departure gradually arrived.

The night was deep.

Tonight, the Demon Hunter Academy's night was destined to be restless.

Because, at dawn tomorrow, the students here would have to set off together to Huaming District to participate in the battle against the Phantasmal Demons.

Thanks to this, many people seemed unable to sleep peacefully, and the lights in the dormitories were still bright.

At this time, Su Ming quietly left the dormitory and even left the academy.

He received a message.

A message from Xu Qianqian.

"Come over to my place."

What this short message conveyed didn't need to be said.

When Su Ming arrived at Mirror Lake District with excitement and entered Xu Qianqian's villa, a large truck was already parked in the courtyard.

Xu Qianqian wasn't present.

Only a few staff members and the butler were present.

"Miss is preparing for tomorrow's expedition, but she has instructed me to hand over this batch of goods to Young Master Su."

While saying this, the butler opened the rear door of the truck.

In the next second, countless neatly arranged extraordinary items came into Su Ming's view.

Su Ming immediately smiled.

Tonight would indeed be a sleepless night.

Seeking collection! Seeking recommendation! Seeking support!