Li Wei was practically bursting with joy.
96 points of essence! Awesome! She could add 3 more points to her Vitality Value!
Ignoring the tsunami-like cheers and curses from the audience, Li Wei ran back to Jiang Han and plopped down beside him.
"What order is that Abyss monster?"
Jiang Han glanced at the sheep-shaped monster still wandering around the arena. "This is a Third Order match. The winner's called 'Ghost Sheep.' He's an old-timer, a star around here."
Li Wei rubbed her chin, pondering. Ninety-six for a Third Order monster—not bad.
Also, she had been too excited just now and forgotten to test the absorption distance. She would have to pay attention in a moment.
She glanced at the Vitality Value on the system panel but did not rush to add the points.
There were too many people here, and too many eyes. During the Muscles and Bones Ringing in Harmony stage, once her Vitality Value rose, all the bones in her body would crack like beans frying in a wok. The commotion would be far too great.
She was a "secret operative" now. She had to keep a low profile.
After "Ghost Sheep" was led back into the passage, several people in heavy protective suits drove cleaning vehicles into the arena and swiftly dragged away the thoroughly dead canine monster's corpse.
The uproar in the arena temporarily subsided, and the lights softened somewhat.
Li Wei saw some people get up and leave, while new spectators entered. People came and went, but the seats seemed to remain nearly full.
Jiang Han tilted his head up at the giant screen overhead. "There's a Second Order match in half an hour. 'Bug King' versus 'Three-tailed Cat.' Want to play a couple of rounds?"
Li Wei sprawled across the sofa in the first-row VIP section and shook her head weakly. "Not interested. Go ahead and play. Leave me alone."
"Hah!" Jiang Han crossed his legs and shoved both hands into his trouser pockets. "Weren't you always the one who hated places like this?"
Li Wei: "..."
Sorry, it's because I'm a fake...
Seeing that she remained silent, Jiang Han kept stealing glances at her from time to time. The more he looked, the more he felt that something was wrong.
He kept pondering it, wondering why "Jiang Xue" had undergone such a huge change.
But the more he thought about it, the angrier he became, as though he had thought of a certain possibility.
His expression darkened. He suddenly reached out, grabbed Li Wei by the shoulder, and forcefully turned her around to face him.
Their eyes met, and Jiang Han's voice carried a chill.
"Jiang Xue, tell me the truth. Are you trying to adapt to the battlefield ahead of time? Did you know long ago what the Gu Family was scheming? Did you volunteer to die in Gu Jinzhi's place?!"
Neither of them knew that someone had recognized Jiang Han the moment he had taken his seat in the VIP section.
A young man in an earring and floral shirt was sitting in the row behind them. He propped up one ear to listen to their conversation while his fingers flew across his phone, typing.
Loves Flower Underwear: Brother Da Zhi! Your future wife and your brother-in-law came to my arena to have some fun!
Loves Flower Underwear: Holy crap! Your wife is gorgeous! Every part of her is exactly my type!
Loves Flower Underwear: I'm serious. For the sake of this wife alone, you have to knock the Zhang Family bastards flat! Think about it—what if something happens to you? Someone else lives in your house, sleeps with your wife, and even beats your kid! Can you put up with that?! Absolutely not, right, Brother!
Loves Flower Underwear: Hey, hey, hey? Where are you? Say something...
Loves Flower Underwear: Want a candid photo of your wife? I'll take one for you?
Gu Jinzhi: Don't meddle.
Loves Flower Underwear: You really don't want one?
Gu Jinzhi: With that free time, you might as well get lost and cultivate.
Loves Flower Underwear: Tsk, you sound just like an old man.
Suddenly, the young man with the earring heard Jiang Han's question.
"Jiang Xue, tell me the truth. Are you trying to adapt to the battlefield ahead of time? Did you know long ago what the Gu Family was scheming? Did you volunteer to die in Gu Jinzhi's place?!"
His spirits rose. He subconsciously covered his phone's microphone with one hand and pressed the voice-call button.
At the same time, he minimized the call interface, his fingers moving so quickly they looked as though they were cramping.
Loves Flower Underwear: Brother Da Zhi! Quick! I've got explosive news! Listen!!!
The call connected. A wicked grin spread across the young man's face—the sort of grin belonging to someone who loved watching trouble unfold. He quietly extended his phone a little farther through the gap in the back of the sofa, then held his breath.
Li Wei was being held by the shoulder by Jiang Han. She tried twisting herself free twice, but surprisingly could not break loose.
She suddenly remembered that this kid was already a First Order Skin Membrane Realm martial artist. With her current strength, she had no power to resist him at all.
She was a little helpless. "Don't just hear one thing and jump to conclusions! Gu Jinzhi isn't that kind of person."
Jiang Han clearly did not believe her and pressed her. "But what if he is? What if he really wants you to die in his place?"
Li Wei was getting annoyed by the kid's nagging. She was still waiting to farm experience and add her Stat Points—where did she have time to argue with him about this? Her face turned cold, and her tone grew sharp.
"Then I'll die in his place. I'm willing! If I could go squat in a pillbox on the Western Frontier front line in his place, I'd laugh myself awake in the middle of the night. Do you believe me?"
"You!" Furious, Jiang Han shoved Li Wei back into the sofa. His finger trembled as he pointed at her beautiful face, and he shouted, "You're simply impossible to reason with!"
With that, he folded his arms, turned his head away, and shut himself off.
Tsk, stupid Otōto!
Li Wei rubbed her aching shoulder, baring her teeth in pain with absolutely no trace of ladylike grace.
You actually dared to use force to suppress me? Just you wait! Once I level up, I'll grind you into the floor!
In the row behind them, the young man with the earring slowly withdrew his phone, ended the call, and continued typing.
Most Beloved Flower Pants: Brother Da Zhi, your wife is incredible! Seriously! Hey, let me run something by you. What if—just hypothetically—one day you really died on the battlefield? Sister-in-law... how about I take care of her for you?
Gu Jinzhi: Get lost!
Most Beloved Flower Pants: I was wrong, I was wrong...
After two or three minutes, the young man with the earring figured Gu Jinzhi would not respond to him again. He was muttering under his breath, "No wonder he's single," when his phone suddenly buzzed.
He picked it up and looked. To his surprise, it was a new message from Gu Jinzhi.
Gu Jinzhi: That place is too chaotic. Keep an eye on her for me. I'll buy you a drink later.
The young man with the earring wore an auntie-like grin and quickly replied.
Most Beloved Flower Pants: Don't worry! Mission guaranteed!
Fifty minutes later, the battle between the cat and the bug was nearing its end.
The insect-shaped Abyss monster had lost half its body, while the cat-shaped Abyss monster's three tails had vanished without a trace.
At that moment, the bug monster's mouth was clamped firmly around the cat monster's waist, while the cat monster's front paws continued futilely scraping at the bug monster's rock-hard shell.
Li Wei held herself back from approaching.
Finally, after struggling several times, the cat monster let out a mournful cry and collapsed limply.
Li Wei's eyes lit up. Under Jiang Han's baffled gaze, she stood up.
She followed the aisle and circled around toward it.
When she was about ten meters from the cat monster's corpse,
a faint black light emerged from the cat monster's body. With a whoosh, it flew over and burrowed into the center of Li Wei's brow!
Abyss Essence: 103→131
Li Wei quietly inhaled. This time, it was 28 points!
That was far less than the Third Order monster had given her—probably only one-third to one-quarter as much.
Still, she had finally confirmed two things.
1. The absorption distance of Abyss Essence was around ten meters.
2. She could absorb Abyss Essence only after an Abyss monster died.
After figuring out these two points, the worry that had hung over Li Wei ever since she obtained this golden finger finally settled.
Ten meters was rather short. If she really went to the Western Frontier Death Line, she would not be able to harvest the experience from the entire battlefield.
But she was quite content. As long as she could level up, that was enough!
For now, she had to seize every second. Before going to the Western Frontier, every bit stronger was a bit stronger!
Perhaps once her strength rose in the future, the absorption range would expand as well!
Before you continue