The Temptation of the Energy Stone

Lin Xiao slumped against the cold, metallic wall of the shipping container, his back pressing into the oily, gravel-strewn dirt floor, gasping for air.

Every breath felt like pulling air through a broken bellows, a burning sensation spreading from his throat to his lungs.

His left arm, from the full-power punch just moments ago, was now swollen and heavy as if filled with lead, muscle fibers silently screaming in protest.

The dull ache from the fractured bone in his right arm felt distant, dulled by the exhaustion-induced dizziness.

Worst of all was the soul-deep exhaustion, a feeling of being hollowed out, accompanied by the glaring "-1.6" in his mind. It clung to him like a parasite, gnawing away at his last reserves of strength.

His vision swam, the world seeming to spin.

The lightning-fast combat just now had drained every last drop of potential from his battered body.

"Brother Xiao! Brother Xiao, are you okay?"

Fatty Wang scrambled over to Lin Xiao, his face pale, his voice trembling with tears.

He fumbled, trying to help Lin Xiao up, but hesitated, afraid to touch him. His terrified gaze swept over the long, thin wound seeping blood beneath Lin Xiao's torn school uniform, and then to the ground where a dark blue dart, embedded in the concrete, its tail still quivering slightly.

"Poison... it's a poisoned dart! Brother Xiao, you've been cut! We need to go to the hospital! Right now!"

"Shut up... Fatty..."

Lin Xiao's voice was hoarse, barely a whisper. He forced his heavy eyelids open, his gaze like that of a wounded wolf, fixed on the direction of the container's shadow where the masked man had disappeared. He needed to confirm the man had no intention of doubling back. Only when he was sure it was safe did he laboriously raise his still-functional left hand and point to the wound on his back. "No... no poison... just broke the skin..."

He could feel the wound throbbing with pain, but there was no numbness or coldness characteristic of poison. The attacker had clearly only intended to wound him, to create chaos. The dark blue sheen on the dart was likely just a scare tactic or some kind of marker.

"Still... still need to get it treated!"

Fatty Wang breathed a sigh of relief, but seeing Lin Xiao's ashen face and the cold sweat beading on his forehead, he remained anxious.

"First... let's see... what that guy... dropped..."

Lin Xiao panted, his gaze reluctantly pulling away from the shadows and settling on the spot where the masked man had been blown away and fallen.

In the dim light, besides a few drops of fresh blood, the concrete floor seemed to hold a faint, dark sheen, different from the surrounding grime.

Fatty Wang followed Lin Xiao's gaze and immediately understood.

He suppressed his fear, like a startled rabbit, and cautiously moved to the area, carefully searching in the dim light.

"Brother Xiao! There's something!"

Fatty Wang lowered his voice, a trace of excitement like finding buried treasure, as he picked up a rough, palm-sized pouch sewn from some kind of tough animal hide next to a piece of rubble.

The pouch was light, stained with a bit of dirt and blood.

He quickly brought it back and handed it to Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao took the pouch with his left hand. It felt rough and cold.

Ignoring the dizziness, he used his teeth and left hand in tandem, clumsily untying the leather cord that secured the opening.

There wasn't much inside the pouch:

A few crumpled hundred-yuan bills, stained with sweat.

A small glass vial containing a few pills with a pungent odor and bizarre color (likely stimulants or poison).

Finally, two stones, slightly larger than a thumbnail, irregularly shaped, and entirely a dull reddish-brown, like solidified blood clots!

Energy Stones! And they were of better quality than the fragments he'd extorted from Zhao Hu's lackeys last time!

Lin Xiao's heart leaped!

A surge of immense, indescribable joy instantly washed away some of his fatigue and dizziness!

Source Energy Points! Finally, some decent goods!

He eagerly grabbed one of the dark red stones.

It felt cool and rough in his hand, but his palm could clearly feel faint, yet extremely complex, energy fluctuations emanating from within the stone, carrying a sense of heat.

Though weak, these fluctuations were far more pronounced than those dull gray fragments from before!

"Fatty... keep watch..."

Lin Xiao's voice grew even hoarser with excitement. He struggled to sit up, leaning back against the cold container, clutching the dark red Energy Stone tightly in his palm, like a drowning man grasping the last piece of driftwood.

Focus!

Hum!

Deep within his mind, the dark blue light screen slowly materialized, dimmer than before, like a candle in the wind, flickering erratically.

The glaring "Source Energy Points: -1.6" in the center seemed to mock his greed.

[Detected low-purity energy source (Fire/Earth mixed attributes)... Energy complexity: High...]
[Absorb? Estimated conversion rate: Low...]

"Absorb! Absorb it for me!"

Lin Xiao roared silently in his heart!

Complex? Inefficient? He was a traveler on the verge of death; he didn't care if the water was muddy or clear!

[Command received... Energy extraction in progress... 1%... (Slow speed)... 30%... 60%... 100%...]

[Conversion complete. Source Energy Points gained: +0.15.]

[Current Source Energy Points: -1.6 + 0.15 = -1.45]

A warm current, significantly more "robust" than when absorbing fragments last time, surged into his body from his palm, carrying a strange mix of heat and earthy scent!

Although this energy was mixed, it was real!

Like scorching lava pouring into a dry, cracked riverbed, it brought immense "vitality" instantly, despite the burning pain!

The suffocating sense of depletion deep within his soul was thoroughly scoured by this torrent of hot energy!

While it couldn't completely fill the massive void, the dizziness and near-death feeling, which had threatened to drag him into an endless abyss, receded like a tide!

A long-lost sense of strength, supporting his body, returned to his limbs!

Even the dull ache of his fractured right arm seemed to lessen by a fraction!

"Hoo..." Lin Xiao exhaled a long, incredibly satisfying breath, feeling as if he'd been yanked back from the brink of drowning!

Though still weak, he was no longer in a state where he could collapse at any moment!

Effective! So effective!

This was a true Energy Stone!

Even if it was a low-quality one!

The wolf-like greed in his eyes ignited like a wildfire, burning fiercely!

Without hesitation, he immediately grabbed another similarly dark red Energy Stone from the bag and clenched it tightly again!

[Detected low-purity energy source (fire-earth mixed attribute)... Energy impurity: High... Absorbing... Conversion complete. Source Energy Points gained: +0.15.]

[Current Source Energy Points: -1.45 + 0.15 = -1.3]

Another surge of hot, mixed warm current flowed in!

The feeling of soul depletion further eased!

His physical weakness reduced by at least thirty percent!

Though still far from his peak condition, he now had the strength to struggle and act!

[Current Source Energy Points: -1.3]!

This number, though still negative, gave Lin Xiao unprecedented hope!

Two low-quality Energy Stones, 0.3 Source Energy Points!

This was far more efficient than the fragments he'd extorted before!

"Haha... Hahaha..." Lin Xiao couldn't help but chuckle softly, his voice hoarse but filled with the elation of survival and an almost fanatical excitement.

A smear of his signature roguish grin reappeared on his dust-and-sweat-covered face, this time with undisguised greed, like a famished wolf eyeing a plump sheep!

Energy Stones! This was the source of power!

This was the only way to fill the void in his soul, to keep him alive, to make him stronger!

"Brother Xiao? Are... are you alright?"

Fatty Wang watched Lin Xiao close his eyes and grit his teeth, then laugh foolishly while holding the stone, worried that he might have been hit in the head or poisoned.

"Alright? I'm better than ever!"

Lin Xiao's eyes snapped open, sparkling with sharp light. Though still exhausted, the aura of decadent near-death had vanished, replaced by an excitement ignited by immense temptation!

He casually tossed the residue of the absorbed Energy Stone, now dull gray and covered in cracks, onto the ground with a crisp shattering sound.

Then, he struggled, leaning against the cold container wall, and with Fatty Wang's support, staggered to his feet.

He moved his still sore left arm, feeling the warm current within his body – mixed but undeniably real – and stared intently at Fatty Wang: "Fatty! Is the news from Skinny Monkey about 'Old Ghost' confirmed? The back door of the flea market?"

"Con... confirmed!"

Fatty Wang was startled by the fervent light in Lin Xiao's eyes and quickly nodded, "Skinny Monkey said that Old Ghost usually hangs around there at dusk, missing a pinky on his left hand, and always carries a strange smell of sulfur mixed with rust! He really has good stuff, but... but Brother Xiao, that place is a mix of all sorts, and we just had a fight..."

"Precisely because we just had a fight, we need to go even more!"

Lin Xiao interrupted him, his voice carrying an undeniable excitement and ferocity, "Scarface Qiang's men took a hit, they'll definitely think I'm half-dead and hiding! I'll go right now! Catch them off guard!"

He licked his slightly chapped lips, which had even started to bleed from his earlier exertion, his action filled with wild greed and impatience.

"Energy Stones..." Lin Xiao's gaze seemed to pierce through the dilapidated industrial zone, fixing on the deeper chaos of the flea market, murmuring as if declaring to Fatty Wang, "I'm taking them!"

He straightened his back. Though his body was still weak, the fierce aura ignited by the Energy Stones and the will to survive returned to him like a drawn blade.

He patted Fatty Wang's tense shoulder, grinning, revealing teeth stained with blood:

"Let's go! Lead the way! Time to meet that 'Old Ghost'!"