Wang Man already understood what Xu Le meant, but singing under these circumstances?
Wouldn't that be disrespectful to the dead? Everyone had just been through so much...
"Is this really appropriate?" Wang Man still hesitated.
This time, however, Xu Le's expression turned serious.
"Wang Man, what I'm asking you to do now isn't simply singing.
"In this dark age, each of us has a role to play.
"Some people fight, some handle logistics, and some soothe people's emotions.
"After everything that's happened, everyone is terrified.
"That's where your ability comes in. I believe your singing can soothe their hearts.
"Give it your best. Don't let me down."
Looking into Xu Le's serious eyes, Wang Man nodded firmly.
As though she had taken on a weighty mission, she walked to the center of the classroom.
"Xu Le, I won't let you down."
Once she reached the front, Wang Man bowed to the remaining students and briefly introduced herself.
"Hello, everyone. My name is Wang Man. I know you've all been through a lot, but I hope my singing can help you feel calmer."
Then her light, clear voice began to echo through the classroom.
"Don't give up so easily; tomorrow, make more wishes. Fill yourself with courage, and you'll find more strength. When love and hope reflect the warm moonlight, look back once more-our home has been rebuilt..."
Melodious singing could bring peace to people's hearts, and Wang Man clearly possessed that ability.
Whatever else might be said about her, her singing had completely overturned Xu Le's expectations.
This woman might have the potential to become a superstar of this era!
[Heart energy is trending downward.]
Seeing that notification, Xu Le finally felt the weight on his heart slowly lift.
At that moment, the premonition of being right surfaced once again.
Was that three times already?
The whole process had actually been brief, but even in that short time, they had faced three major crises.
Xu Le had made three correct predictions, so events were now moving in a favorable direction.
"After three times, I need to swallow 169 grams of oddity ashes within ten minutes. That must be a very precise figure. How am I supposed to get exactly 169 grams?"
While everyone in the classroom was still enjoying the singing, Xu Le hurried outside. Zhang Zhe was still fighting the oddities at the doorway.
He was drenched in blood, with countless living corpse bodies scattered across the ground.
The attraction heart energy held for these oddities far exceeded Xu Le's imagination.
"Sir, it looks like you're having trouble holding on!"
Zhang Zhe was indeed struggling. His movements had begun to slow, and the flames on his twin blades had gone out.
Although the number of oddities had fallen considerably, the rate at which Zhang Zhe killed them had also slowed to a crawl.
"This can't go on!"
Xu Le looked at the Golden Toad mark on his palm and decided to wait a little longer, first asking Zhang Zhe how he felt.
"Sir, how are you doing?"
Zhang Zhe didn't answer. After killing a living corpse, he leaned against the wall, reducing the directions from which he could be attacked.
Clearly, this was no longer mere exhaustion!
Seeing that, Xu Le realized Zhang Zhe couldn't keep going.
It was almost four o'clock. If Zhang Zhe couldn't hold out, Xu Le would have to take over the defense.
As Xu Le made his decision, he placed a finger on the Golden Toad mark.
Just as he was about to summon him, more than a dozen fireballs fell from the sky.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Blazing flames and explosions swept across the entire area in an instant.
Within a few breaths, the oddities and corpses were engulfed by that powerful energy. The astonishing display immediately brought one profession to Xu Le's mind.
Calamity Sorcerer-Flame!
Two men dressed in black approached from deeper within the campus, one following the other.
Watching them, Xu Le suddenly clenched his fists.
An inexplicable excitement left his back slick with sweat.
"The Night Watchers!"
Inside the classroom, some sharp-eyed students also spotted the Night Watchers.
Their excitement and newfound sense of safety made their heart energy truly begin to drop rapidly.
But as the two men approached, Xu Le's expression suddenly turned rather strange.
"Is that Wang Shu?"
Gu Beichen and Wang Shu reached the area near the classroom, one behind the other.
Gu Beichen, who walked in front, was handsome-one could even call him beautiful, though his looks were somewhat feminine.
He possessed the power to unleash fireballs and destroy everything with a mere gesture.
Yet his gait and demeanor were peculiar. He swaggered as though he owned the world, his head held so high and chest thrust out so far that his nostrils practically pointed at the sky.
He might as well have had "I'm arrogant-what are you going to do about it?" written across his face.
Xu Le had no liking for that sort of person.
Wang Shu was better, still looking like the same amiable fellow. He wasn't particularly powerful. Upon reaching Zhang Zhe, he immediately helped him aside and began giving him basic bandaging and treatment.
But when he saw the state of Zhang Zhe's body, Wang Shu's expression changed.
"Sir, just how much Stimulant did you take?"
Zhang Zhe remained calm, with something like relief and contentment in that calmness.
"Five or six doses, I think. I can't remember."
Wang Shu's pupils contracted slightly. Five or six doses of Stimulant, taken in succession within such a short time.
It was already a miracle that Zhang Zhe's body had held out until now.
More than just a medical miracle, even.
After continuous fighting with oddities, even a superhuman body couldn't prevent the invasion of guyinduo energy.
In other words, Zhang Zhe had already been polluted long ago.
And with his body now in this condition...
Wang Shu's expression dimmed.
"You've done so much for Lighthouse, sir. None of it will be forgotten."
But Zhang Zhe shook his head, his gaze turning toward Xu Le.
"Tonight, I made many mistakes, many wrong decisions. These students nearly lost their lives because of me.
"But fortunately, whenever disaster strikes, someone always steps forward.
"Just like the heroes of the past. Just like that young fellow now.
"The changes of every era are built on the efforts of countless people. These students will become the backbone of Lighthouse, too.
"In the end, I'm just an old relic from a bygone age.
"You've all started using guns, while I'm still clinging to my two blades..."
"Sir, please stop talking."
Wang Shu tried to stop Zhang Zhe, but Zhang Zhe merely waved a hand.
"If I don't say it now, I may never get another chance! Call that young fellow over for me."
Wang Shu looked toward Xu Le. Clearly, he too had recognized him as the Night Dweller they had brought back yesterday.
"It's you? Come over. He has something to tell you."
"All right."
Xu Le walked over to Zhang Zhe, who beckoned him closer.
"Xu Le, I'm not going to make it."
Even without Zhang Zhe saying so, Xu Le already understood his condition.
[Human male, afflicted with guyinduo pollution. Will undergo mutation at an unknown time.]
Xu Le had no power to change anything himself. He could only look toward Wang Shu with a trace of hope.
But Wang Shu simply shook his head slightly without speaking.
At that point, Xu Le understood that Zhang Zhe's fate could no longer be changed.
"Stop looking, Xu Le. There's no saving me. I don't have any family.
"As for friends, they're all dead. They went before me. Lucky them.
"You did outstandingly today. That deserves respect.
"I've saved some money in my personal account at Lighthouse Bank. The password is 110626.
"Withdraw it for me. Keep a little for yourself as my thanks, and donate the rest to the school.
"Our era ended long ago. The future belongs to you..."
Xu Le said nothing more. Silently, he raised his hand and closed Zhang Zhe's eyes.
Wang Shu carried Zhang Zhe's body over to Gu Beichen and saluted.
At that moment, even the haughty Gu Beichen restrained his expression slightly and likewise saluted, his gaze solemn.
"Rest in peace, sir!"
The flames at Gu Beichen's feet swallowed everything, including Zhang Zhe's body.
He and Wang Shu took complete charge of the battle that followed.
Of course, Gu Beichen was the main fighting force. At that moment, the destructive power of a Calamity Sorcerer was displayed to its fullest.
Xu Le didn't know what level of Warlock he was, but judging by Gu Beichen's performance...
With a casual wave of his hand, a single fireball could utterly destroy one living corpse, or even two or three.
In terms of destructive power alone, he exceeded Zhang Zhe by several orders of magnitude.
Xu Le glanced at the Red Moon and estimated the time. Half of his ten minutes had probably already passed.
"Looks like this is almost over. I'd better hurry."
With the two Night Watchers here, the area was essentially safe.
He had to complete every requirement for advancement to Medium before the Red Moon Calamity ended.
Then Xu Le crept outside the fence and carefully picked up the ashes on the ground.
His actions caught Wang Shu's attention, but Wang Shu didn't question him then. More remarkably, he moved closer of his own accord, shielding Xu Le from any oddities that might approach.
"He thought highly of you. Thank you for what you did tonight, Xu Le."
"Don't say that. I was trying to save myself, too."
Xu Le didn't want to claim credit for something like this. After gathering a few handfuls of ashes, he held them in his palm and examined them with his ability.
[Oddity ashes, 203 grams.]
"Shit, too much!"
He sprinkled away some of the ashes in his hand and looked again.
[Oddity ashes, 175 grams.]
"Almost there, almost there."
After several repeated tests, Xu Le finally obtained a handful of ashes weighing 169 grams.
Without much hesitation, he put the entire handful into his mouth, leaving none behind.
He had to chew them dry, without drinking water.
The sand-like ashes were truly difficult to swallow.
Xu Le struggled, but he persisted, swallowing the 169 grams of ashes bit by bit.
After swallowing the ashes came the fourth and fifth steps.
Those two steps could actually be considered one: use his own blood to summon a Guyinduo or Red Moon Spirit Beast.
Then have the beast say to him, "Hello, esteemed Medium."
Xu Le used his Curved Sword to cut his hand.
Blood immediately spilled onto the ground. He opened the manual and studied the Summoning Array Formula appended to the fourth step.
He began drawing the same pattern on the ground with his own blood.
Because he lacked experience, Xu Le used a great deal of blood before completing the Summoning Array Formula.
Having lost rather too much blood, Xu Le felt a little dizzy.
But it was all worth it. At least he was nearly finished with the fourth step.
Meow!
The black cat that had been hiding in the corner suddenly meowed. There seemed to be some other emotion in its gleaming green eyes.
Xu Le found that rather strange.
Was it approval? Or anticipation?
What was a cat looking forward to? Was it expecting me to buy it dried fish when I got back?
Before you continue