Opening the Ghost Shadow Squid Atlas

Lin Zichen led Shen Qinghan home, and the moment they stepped through the door, they saw the principal of the Shanhai High School high school division.

She was a middle-aged woman wearing gold-rimmed glasses, her hair pulled up into a high bun, dressed in a professional women's suit that gave off an air of efficiency.

"Xiao Chen, Hanhan, come sit over here and have a good chat with Principal Bai."

Seeing both children arrive, Zhang Wanxin immediately gestured for them to sit on the sofa.

Soon, Lin Zichen sat down directly across from the female principal.

He knew very well that she had come to recruit them, so after a brief, polite conversation, he decided to get straight to the point:

"Principal Bai, I am personally inclined to advance directly to the high school division, but I have a small request. I would like to remain in the same class as my childhood friend here. Is that possible?"

"Of course, no problem!"

The principal answered without a moment's hesitation.

She had already spoken with Principal Chen of the middle school division earlier and knew that Lin Zichen would make this request.

As for everything regarding Shen Qinghan, she had already looked into it in advance.

Her academic grades were excellent; it was only because her Physical Fitness Test Data was slightly lacking that she hadn't qualified for the Martial Arts Elite Class.

For a student whose grades weren't particularly poor, pulling strings for her was of no consequence.

After a simple conversation, the matter was settled.

In the end, both Lin Zichen and Shen Qinghan confirmed they would enroll in the Shanhai High School high school division, remaining in the same class just as they had been in elementary and middle school.

The only difference was that Shen Qinghan wasn't as happy as she had been when transitioning from elementary to middle school.

Back then, knowing she would be in the same school and the same class as Lin Zichen—and even share a desk—had filled her with overwhelming joy, despite the fact that she was also getting in through connections.

But now, transitioning from middle to high school, she felt more shame, inferiority, and frustration.

As she grew older, Shen Qinghan realized that relying on connections was actually quite dishonorable.

Yet, time and again, she found herself needing to rely on those very connections just to stay in the same class and at the same desk as Lin Zichen.

It made her feel useless, like an overgrown infant who only knew how to depend on others.

A few days later.

Inside the gymnasium of the Shanhai High School middle school division.

Guo Xiangyuan, the coach of the Martial Arts Team, was rigorously training twenty-six team members.

In the past, when the school leadership didn't value the Martial Arts Team and there were few members, he had lacked the passion to train them, essentially leaving them to their own devices.

But ever since Lin Zichen joined and brought the team to a whole new level, everything had changed.

The school leadership now valued the Martial Arts Team.

The number of students wanting to join had also increased.

These various changes had instilled in him a greater sense of responsibility, and he was determined to lead the team well.

"Good day, Captain!"

"Good day, Captain!"

"Good day, Senior Sister Shen!"

"..."

The moment Lin Zichen and Shen Qinghan stepped into the gymnasium, the team members training inside all stopped to greet them.

Even Guo Xiangyuan, the coach, shed his stern expression and beamed, saying, "Zichen, Xiao Shen, I've brewed some tea on the table. It's at the perfect temperature now, so come sit and have a cup."

"No need, I'm just here to grab a yoga mat to use, and then we'll be heading out."

After dropping that line, Lin Zichen picked up a yoga mat and headed to a corner in the front to help Shen Qinghan relax her muscles.

Shen Qinghan had just finished training on the outdoor field and was now so exhausted that her muscles were aching; the moment she saw the mat laid out on the floor, she collapsed onto it, completely drained.

She then skillfully spread her legs, making it easier for Lin Zichen to massage the muscles in her thighs.

After several years of training, Shen Qinghan's physical condition had improved significantly, and her proportions looked even more perfect.

Take her legs, for example: they used to be straight, thin "chopstick legs" with little muscle, lacking a bit of aesthetic appeal.

Now, they had gained some muscle and were fuller, making them feel better to the touch while also appearing much healthier and more attractive.

"Xiao Chen, you can use a little more pressure on my thighs."

"Alright."

"No, no, too hard, it hurts!"

"How about now?"

"That's just right."

Shen Qinghan lay relaxed on the yoga mat, closing her eyes to soothe her fatigue while enjoying the perfectly pressured massage from Lin Zichen.

About half an hour later.

The massage ended.

Shen Qinghan stood up from the yoga mat and stretched comfortably with a satisfied look on her face.

She then looked down at Lin Zichen, who was sitting to the side, and said with a smile, "Xiao Chen, it's your turn to enjoy my massage technique. Hurry and lie down."

"Remember to use some strength."

"No problem, I'll satisfy all your needs!"

"Alright then, come on. Start by massaging my calves."

Lin Zichen lay down as he spoke, letting Shen Qinghan's fair, tender hands serve his body well.

One month later.

The date arrived at August 1st.

Having joined the Martial Arts Team for three years, Lin Zichen welcomed his third Eight-School League.

In this competition, just like the previous two, he single-handedly swept through the opposing schools.

After three consecutive rounds of total victory, he claimed the championship.

Upon receiving his share of the prize money.

Lin Zichen immediately went to the mall to find the landlord uncle to act as his purchasing agent.

The Ghost Shadow Squid Atlas was only 20% away from being unlocked, and with the 20,000 yuan bonus in hand, he could finally unlock the atlas today.

Soon enough.

The purchased Ghost Shadow Squid meat was in his hands.

Lin Zichen walked out of the mall and into a secluded grove without surveillance, unable to wait to begin devouring it.

[You have devoured a large amount of the "Ghost Shadow Squid's" Life Origin]

[Ghost Shadow Squid Atlas: 100%]

After the text appeared, a blue squid gradually emerged in the void, swimming slowly and contentedly through an ocean of nothingness.

This was a Ghost Shadow Squid.

It possessed 18 tentacles.

Each tentacle had an eye growing on it.

It looked particularly bizarre.

Suddenly, the Ghost Shadow Squid seemed to sense Lin Zichen's gaze, sinking into the depths of the void ocean and vanishing without a trace in an instant.

At the same time, a new line of text appeared in the void.

[You have successfully unlocked the Ghost Shadow Squid Atlas and gained the Biological Attribute--Water Fusion Fortune]

[Water Fusion Fortune: Significantly increases your affinity with water, allowing you to move freely within it, coming and going without a trace]

Is that it?

After reading the attribute description, the first thought that crossed Lin Zichen's mind was that the effect of Water Fusion Fortune was a bit lackluster.

For the sake of thoroughness, he immediately found the nearest swimming pool to experience the effects of the attribute.

He soaked in the pool for three full hours.

In the end, he discovered that the Water Fusion Fortune attribute had the following effects.

First: His skin would not wrinkle like before after prolonged soaking in water.

Second: Soaking in water felt very comfortable.

Third: When swimming, he could clearly feel the resistance of the water decrease significantly.

Other than that, there were no other effects.

Lin Zichen was a bit disappointed; compared to the three attributes of Use-Disuse Evolution, Heavenly Human Wisdom Root, and Survival of the Fittest, the effect of Water Fusion Fortune was far inferior.

However, on second thought, it was normal for the effect to be much weaker.

After all, the Ghost Shadow Squid was a very low-level Exotic Beast, possessing only culinary value and zero value for Gene Fusion.

Correspondingly, the biological attribute gained from unlocking its atlas was bound to be low-level as well.

To obtain more advanced biological attributes, he would likely need to consume those high-level Exotic Beasts used for Gene Fusion.

Thinking of this, Lin Zichen let it go.

After all, he had only spent 100,000 yuan to acquire the Water Fusion Fortune biological attribute, which was already very good value for money; there was nothing to be disappointed about.

If he wanted better biological attributes, he could just save up money to buy them later; he would have them sooner or later.

Or perhaps, once his strength grew, he could hunt wild Exotic Beasts to devour.

For instance, those Giant Mutant Rats closest to him... Lin Zichen suddenly thought boldly.

PS: Setting out the bowl, requesting monthly tickets and recommendation tickets!