The Raptor roared and charged toward Happiness County.
The ghosts were currently not far from the highway, and sunlight still covered the entire area. With them so close...
He knew all their killing rules. With the candle and the Door God, he could absolutely head out and take a few risks.
[Ding! Spend 200 Survival Points to upgrade the Paper Effigy Door Guardian Talisman?]
"Upgrade!"
The Paper Effigy Door Guardian Talisman turned vivid red again, golden patterns of light flowing across it. Su Nian lit the Red Candle.
The Red Candle was still long enough to last a while.
As the Raptor charged out of the camp, survivors cried out in alarm.
"What's he charging out there for? Is he crazy?"
"This awakened guy doesn't seem too bright. What a waste, letting someone like him awaken an ability," a blond-haired man said sourly.
"Can't you see he's going out to save people? How can you people be like this? Don't you have any friends or relatives among those people running for their lives?" Tang Zhou spoke up for Su Nian.
Beside her, Tang Chen was a little speechless as he turned the potatoes in the fire with a watermelon knife.
"Exactly! My husband's still in there. You'd better shut your mouth. If only every Sequence Transcendent were like him."
A plump middle-aged woman stepped forward indignantly, glaring at the blond with eyes as big as bronze bells.
She looked ready to tear into him if anything happened to her husband.
Many of the people around them began condemning and cursing him. The blond's face flushed red, but he dared not say another word. If he did, he would get beaten up.
Liu Yan frowned. Su Nian wasn't exactly the helpful sort... When she had asked him for help, he had acted so cold-blooded.
She couldn't figure him out.
The Raptor charged toward them. Hao Ren was still wondering who could be so brave when he recognized Su Nian and waved enthusiastically.
Although he could escape on foot, he wouldn't mind riding in a vehicle for a while. After all, running all this way had been exhausting.
"This guy's worth knowing. He's just a little too kind. That won't serve him well in the apocalypse," Gong Qing remarked.
Whoosh...
The Raptor shot past the two of them, the gust tousling their hair... leaving it rather disheveled.
"Holy shit, he's way too fucking kind! He's going to save those survivors."
Gong Qing lost his composure. He really hadn't seen that coming.
Su Nian drove a circuit near the ghosts and took a slap from the Basket-Carrying Granny when he entered the shadows. Figuring that should do it, he turned around and headed back toward the camp.
Su Nian tapped his fingers idly against the steering wheel.
The candle was burning abnormally fast, losing nearly a finger joint's worth of length every second. That meant the ghosts' killing rules were constantly targeting him.
Through the Blood Eye, he saw a hazy gray figure on a roadside telecommunications cabinet.
[Substitute Death Specter] [Ghost] [Killing rule: Once you see its reflection in a mirror, a puddle, or another reflective surface, the contract has already taken effect without your knowledge. It will not kill you immediately, but will gradually transfer misfortune onto you.]
"Well, damn. There's another ghost."
[Ding! Spend 200 Survival Points to upgrade the Red Candle?]
"Upgrade!"
The Red Candle grew much longer again. Su Nian floored the accelerator and returned to the highway where the convoy had set up camp.
A large crowd gathered at the intersection.
Her heavily pregnant belly protruding, Su Yue supported Fang Cheng, who had lost an arm. Large tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Honey!"
"Zhang Ping, please save my husband! We have supplies. We can trade supplies for treatment."
The convoy had a medical vehicle with doctors and medicine aboard. Normally, anyone sick or injured could exchange supplies for medical treatment.
Provided they had enough supplies.
Most people didn't even have enough to eat, much less enough to afford treatment.
Zhang Ping sighed and beckoned. Two doctors hurried over with a stretcher.
"Xiao Shen, where's your brother?"
"He was eaten by a ghost, sister-in-law."
"Grandma, where are you? Didn't you say you could make it out?"
A young man broke into heartrending sobs.
"Everyone, get your belongings packed. We leave in an hour," Hao Ren called out.
[Ding! Escaped the Night-Gazing Ghost's pursuit. Gained 500 Survival Points.] [Ding! Escaped the Substitute Death Specter's pursuit. Gained 550 Survival Points.] [Ding! Escaped the Hanged Ghost's pursuit. Gained 750 Survival Points.] [Ding! Escaped the Void Frame Ghost's pursuit. Gained 800 Survival Points.]
Delighted, Su Nian blew out the Red Candle, which had dwindled to about a centimeter. He had only meant to give it a try and attract one or two ghosts. He hadn't expected all four to be so eager to kill him.
The Red Candle really was a great item.
[Survival Points: 5,150] [Ding! Spend 3,500 Survival Points to enhance your talent?]
"Enhance."
As Su Nian spoke, rather than random patches of skin turning cold all over his body like last time, his eyes grew hot and felt as though they were throbbing.
The Blood Eye opened, a ring of stars appearing around the edge of its pupil.
[Ding!] [Talent: True Lord Who Reveals the Sacred Source (Sequence 8)] [Rift-Eye Seizure of Evil (Sequence 8): Your eyes can not only directly observe incorporeal spirits, but also briefly lock onto ghosts, preventing them from turning intangible to escape. You can track the flow of ghostly energy, anticipate ghost attacks, and faintly discern fragments of fate.]
Su Nian rubbed his chin. At last, he had some means of attacking. An immobilization technique, huh? It doesn't last long, but it's still pretty good. After all, my system can directly reveal a ghost's killing rules.
Knowing their weaknesses, even a brief window could produce remarkable results. The Basket-Carrying Granny's basket, for example-he could stab a huge hole in it with just a few thrusts.
Knock, knock, knock...
Dull knocks came from the vehicle door. Hao Ren stood outside.
Su Nian opened the door and got out.
"You little rascal. I hate to lecture you, but that really was reckless. You've only just awakened, and you're still Sequence 9, yet you dared to lure those monsters over. Even if all those survivors died, they wouldn't be worth as much as you."
Hao Ren spoke irritably, then pressed a hand to his forehead in resignation. He knew Su Nian wouldn't listen.
Not a single person lucky enough to awaken a transcendent sequence within a week, like Su Nian, avoided getting a swollen head.
"I actually did it because of my sequence ability, not to save those survivors."
Su Nian didn't say anything like, "I understand. I won't do it again." Given the opportunity, he would still take another risk. Explaining it beforehand would keep it from raising suspicions.
Otherwise, constantly saying "I won't do it again" wouldn't work forever.
"Your sequence ability... All right. Get ready. We're leaving soon."
Hao Ren turned to leave. He still had a mountain of things to do. They could discuss Su Nian's sequence ability tomorrow, when he had time.
Just then, a piercing wail rang out.
"No... no! I have to save him. Please, I'm begging you."
Hao Ren stopped, changed direction, and walked over. Su Nian also got out, intending to take a look.
Su Yue knelt on the ground, her heavily pregnant belly protruding.
"Fang Cheng is under a ghost's killing rule. We can't save him. Ordinary medicine won't help at all."
Zhang Ping looked helpless. All he could offer Su Yue was a look of pity. There was nothing else he could do.
"Killing rule... killing rule..." Su Yue murmured twice, then seemed to think of something. She looked toward Su Nian, who was approaching from nearby.
A spark of hope kindled in her eyes.
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