The fat, big-eared middle-aged man was hauled out by the Golden Moon Seafood Restaurant's security guards.
His two unconscious Black Clad Bodyguards were carried out with him.
"Su Ye, thank you for what you did back there."
Liao Tingting approached Su Ye, her voice full of gratitude.
"No need to thank me. I didn't do it for you."
Su Ye waved it off and returned to the Private Dining Room with his friends.
Once they had settled back into their seats, Xiao Qiyue handed Su Ye a warm towel and asked, trying to sound casual,
"Su Ye, did you step in just now to protect Liao Tingting?"
Mu Wanrou's interest was piqued too.
"Right, I heard Liao Tingting is the prettiest girl in Class Sixteen and even confessed to you. Don't tell me you fell for her and that's why you hit him so hard?"
Su Ye shook his head.
"I'm not thinking about that sort of thing right now."
As for why he had hit the man so hard...
Who would want to go look at goldfish with a fat, big-eared middle-aged man?
The thought of the man's revolting face made Su Ye's fists tighten again.
"If anything, I should be thanking you. If you hadn't stepped in, Ji Kenren probably wouldn't have let it go."
Zhang Xuan laughed.
"That's because he didn't know you're a patrol officer. If you'd shown him who you were, that bastard wouldn't have dared mess with you in a million years."
"Besides, we're all pursuing Martial Arts. The power and influence ordinary people care about mean nothing to us. Once we become High-tier Martial Artists, forget my family's little Xuanyuan Construction—even controlling the economy of a city, or an entire province, wouldn't be out of the question."
That was why Zhang Xuan wanted to build a good relationship with Su Ye.
After all, Su Ye was a Supernatural Ability Awakener, and a talent who had drawn special attention from a young master of the Yujing Su Family.
Someone like him was bound to go far.
Zhang Xuan smiled and raised his drink.
"Come on, enough about unpleasant things. Cheers!"
The next day, Su Ye received several packages.
The Swift Dragon Twin-Horned Ant's Essence Blood arrived earlier than he had expected.
The First-order Star Core he had bought from Blue Sky Mall arrived as well.
As for the remaining materials, Su Ye exchanged for all of them directly from the school's Resource Vault.
That meant Su Ye could finally evolve his Supernatural Ability.
He took the night off from the Golden Moon Seafood Restaurant.
After dinner with his family, Su Ye let them know where he was going and disappeared into his training room.
Liu Ruxin couldn't help worrying.
"Xiao Ye's been leaving early and coming home late lately, and he's training so hard. I wonder if he can keep it up."
Su Xiangdong was clearing the dishes. He laughed when he heard her.
"Our son is a Martial Artist now, and one with an awakened Supernatural Ability at that. Even the Patrol Bureau recruited him early. That proves he's a genius, so you don't need to worry about his training."
They had moved to the New Urban District, into a spacious, bright house. Their son was doing so well that the Patrol Bureau had recruited him before he'd even graduated.
At forty, Su Xiangdong had finally discovered how good life could be. The strain of years of heavy physical labor had eased from his face, and he smiled all the time these days.
He owed it all to having such a wonderful son.
"But if you're worried about Xiao Ye's health, you could make him more good food to build him up."
"Mm, you're right about that."
Liu Ruxin nodded and began planning how to give both children more nutritious meals.
Her eldest, Su Ye, needed even more nourishment. He was still growing and training hard.
After washing the dishes, Su Xiangdong dried his hands and went over to his wife.
"Dear, there's something I want to discuss with you. We've been busy settling into the new house, but things are mostly sorted now. I was thinking... maybe I should go back to work?"
"What? Didn't Xiao Ye tell you not to go back to the construction site? That work is exhausting."
"I've done it for years. I'm used to it. Besides, I'm only forty. I can't live off our son forever. It won't be much, but I can earn enough to buy you and Baobao some clothes and get Xiao Ye some resources."
"Well... why don't we talk it over with Xiao Ye?"
"Forget it. He definitely won't agree. I'll talk to the foreman and do fewer hours. I'll earn less, but it'll be easier on me too."
"All... all right, then."
Su Ye had no idea what his parents were discussing outside.
In the training room, he didn't begin evolving his Supernatural Ability immediately. First, he circulated the Abyssal Demon Dragon Technique to prepare himself.
He wanted to be in the best possible condition for the evolution.
When the moon climbed high into the sky, Su Ye finally opened his eyes.
Lately, he had noticed that he always felt particularly good at night, especially when the moon was full.
It was probably because his awakened Supernatural Ability was the Vampire physique.
Bathed in moonlight, Su Ye took a deep breath.
Then...
He swallowed the items laid out before him, one by one.
The Half-Moon Ganoderma, Yellow Bamboo Root and Leaves, and Azure Demon Gum were easy enough.
But the Swift Dragon Twin-Horned Ant's Essence Blood and the First-order Star Core...
Su Ye closed his eyes for a moment, then swallowed those too.
I hope the system isn't lying to me. Can I even digest a Star Core?
Su Ye kept muttering to himself.
But...
As soon as he swallowed the Star Core, his body shuddered.
It felt as though a ball of fire had appeared in his stomach, growing hotter by the second.
It was as if it would burn straight through him.
Pain.
So much pain!
Su Ye curled up on the floor in agony.
Yet the searing pain didn't make him pass out. Instead, his senses grew sharper.
He felt every bit of it with terrible clarity.
The fire spread from his stomach, burning through every inch of his flesh, bones, and skin.
Finally...
He had no idea how much time had passed.
Su Ye, curled on the floor, stirred.
His eyes slowly opened.
A deep crimson glint flashed through them and vanished.
Su Ye slowly sat up.
"Did I... succeed?"
The agony was gone.
And he...
Su Ye checked his status panel at once.
[Host]: Su Ye [Supernatural Ability]: Vampire (0/100) [Cultivation Level]: Abyssal Demon Dragon Technique · Eighth Level of Kaiyuan [Martial Techniques]: Basic Combat Technique · Perfection, Police Combat Technique · Entry Level, Basic Blade Technique · Perfection [Talent]: Limit Break [Slaughter Value]: 1211.2
His Supernatural Ability had changed from [Vampire] to [Vampire].
New information had also appeared at the bottom of the panel.
[Vampire]: Normal physical attributes are three times those of a human at the same level. Under the cover of night, as a child of darkness, physical attributes increase by another threefold. [Limit Break]: Activates the vampire burst state, tripling all attributes for 10 seconds. The burst state consumes energy stored in the body. Nutrition must be replenished promptly afterward.
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