Because He Was a Subspecies

"I... I found out through feedback from the Battle Banner's fluctuations."

Fu Junlin rolled his eyes and made up another term.

"What feedback?"

Shi Hongyu frowned.

"It's one of my little secrets, kind of like X-rays. Anyway, Teacher, did you accidentally ingest Secondary Energy before?

"The Secondary Energy burned your stomach and left lesions behind. I don't know how you suppressed it, but it's spreading.

"If it spreads, it'll be extremely troublesome!"

Fu Junlin grew more agitated as he spoke.

Big Black had told him all of this. He was only repeating it, but he could not help worrying about his teacher.

"You..."

Shi Hongyu was instantly stunned. It was as though Fu Junlin had seen her diagnosis report.

Still, she slowly released Fu Junlin's collar.

"You are not to tell anyone!"

Shi Hongyu threatened.

Fu Junlin clenched his teeth. Battle banner masters could only treat traumatic illnesses. Even if muscles and bones were shattered, or even if organs and tissues were damaged, as long as a sufficiently badass battle banner master was present, they could bring the dead back to life and regrow flesh from bone.

But battle banner masters could not cure lesion-type illnesses, such as the most widespread secondary energy infection lesions in modern society. Lesions inside the organs were especially troublesome; even surgery was extremely difficult.

In modern society, energy was the most important thing.

It could roughly be divided into:

Palm Energy, Passive Energy, and Secondary Energy.

Only the original energy within the human body was called Palm Energy. Through constant training and enhancement, humans increased their capacity for "Palm Energy."

Meanwhile, all energy that could be utilized was collectively called "Passive Energy."

As the name implied, Palm Energy could drive Passive Energy, forming enchantments and unleashing attacks. The five major professions had evolved into countless schools through this type of energy.

Secondary Energy, meanwhile, was an immensely powerful, violent, unstable energy source.

The two blue tissues Fu Junlin had cut from the Minotaur contained Secondary Energy.

After being processed and extracted, with impurities removed, Secondary Energy could be refined into dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of times more Passive Energy, then stored in Energy Crystal Blocks.

Energy Crystal Blocks were like batteries in this era and had become indispensable to human production and daily life.

Even in battle, one could carry energy crystals and draw Passive Energy from them for personal use, increasing one's combat strength.

"There'll be a way to cure it."

The atmosphere was somewhat heavy, and Fu Junlin quietly comforted Shi Hongyu.

"Hmph. Have you ever heard of anyone being cured of Secondary Energy lesions?"

Shi Hongyu smiled bitterly.

"Centuries ago, cancer used to be terminal too. Now, isn't it just a matter of a few aminochlorin pills? Maybe one day, I'll be able to cure it!"

Fu Junlin spoke with a resolute gaze.

Shi Hongyu looked at Fu Junlin and flashed a brilliant smile. Then she lowered her head and took a deep breath, seemingly lost in thought.

The room immediately fell silent.

"Let's go. I'll take you home."

Shi Hongyu patted the clothes she had wrinkled when she grabbed him, then turned to pick up her coat.

"I can walk home myself..."

Fu Junlin immediately gave an awkward smile.

Shi Hongyu turned back and glared at him. Fu Junlin instantly shrank his neck, looking utterly cowed, as if to say, You're the boss. Whatever you say.

Shi Hongyu's car was a brand-new Paracra 3000.

Its streamlined body and shimmering gradient paint, fading from pale pink to green, were practically blinding.

Yet when Fu Junlin saw the car, his heart clenched.

It looked like Shi Hongyu had no intention of saving money anymore. The old Shi Hongyu had not exactly been frugal, but she had never spent recklessly either. Now...

"Get in!"

Shi Hongyu flamboyantly pulled open the door and climbed into the driver's seat with a confident smile.

Fu Junlin had no choice but to get in as well.

Leather seats, a beautiful woman, a fine car, a magical central control panel, and panoramic all-angle radar.

Watching Shi Hongyu crack her neck and pop her knuckles,

Fu Junlin silently fastened his seat belt and privately complained about why they had not invented a second one.

Flying Cloud City was huge.

As they traveled south from the northern part of the city, there were more and more police patrols at intersections and on the streets.

That was because the southern district was called the "Red Carpet District."

It meant blood covered the ground.

That was because nearly all the residents in that district were Subspecies people, and violent incidents happened frequently.

At a red-light intersection, Shi Hongyu stopped the car.

At that moment, a knocking sounded against the windows.

Two police officers, one on each side, knocked on the windows.

Fu Junlin frowned and sank deeper into the leather seat. Shi Hongyu helplessly rolled down the window as well.

A slightly plump police officer beside the driver's seat looked into the car. When he saw that Shi Hongyu was such a stunning beauty with a voluptuous figure, a smile immediately appeared on his face.

Moreover, this beauty was a Superior Species. He immediately spoke politely.

"May your energy be limitless. Please show me your driver's license."

As he spoke, he looked toward the passenger seat.

When he saw Fu Junlin, the plump officer immediately frowned and placed a hand on the gun at his waist.

"Ma'am, why are you going to the Red Carpet District? Are you being coerced?"

The plump officer looked at the driver's license in his hand while watching Fu Junlin warily.

At the same time, he asked Shi Hongyu without the slightest reservation.

"He is my student! I'm only taking him home. Can I go now?"

Shi Hongyu took back her license, looked coldly at the plump officer, and spoke.

But the plump officer paid no mind to Shi Hongyu's attitude and spoke again.

"Your student? He doesn't look like a student to me. Ma'am, if you're being threatened, don't be afraid. You can say so right now!"

The plump officer kept his eyes fixed on Fu Junlin as he spoke.

But in truth, he simply did not want to let Shi Hongyu pass. No matter what the two of them were doing, he could not stand seeing a gorgeous woman like Shi Hongyu associating with a little Subspecies mutt.

Call it jealousy or deliberate provocation—either way, he was deeply displeased!

"I'll say it again. He is my student! Not a terrorist!"

Shi Hongyu's voice had turned cold.

At that moment, Fu Junlin raised his head and looked at the plump officer with some speechlessness.

It was merely a glance, without the slightest aggression.

Yet it instantly sent the plump officer into a rage.

The plump officer immediately drew his sidearm and pointed it at Fu Junlin inside the car.

"Get out!"

Seeing him draw his gun, his partner, who had been standing on the other side of the car and looking around, immediately drew his own weapon as well.

"I said get out of the car right now!!!"

Before Shi Hongyu could lose her temper, the plump officer roared loudly, his voice arrogant and utterly unrestrained.

Fu Junlin raised one hand and slowly opened the car door with the other before getting out. He lifted both hands high above his head, took a deep breath, and tried not to let the slightest hostility show in his eyes.

Big Black inside him was immediately puzzled.

"What are you doing?"

"Shut up!" Fu Junlin snapped at Dahei irritably. He had neither the time nor the mood to explain.

It was all because he was a Subspecies, that's all.