Shattered

Just before the world was about to change, Zhang Xuezhou met a genius, which left him deeply impressed.

The world has never lacked geniuses, but resources have limited the development of too many geniuses, ultimately causing them to become ordinary people over time.

"I should be considered a genius... but not a genius either. Without the Mental Strengthening that unlocked my memory, without the experiences and learning resources gained from traversing worlds with my soul, I would still be trapped in Western Capital City, unable to advance, and ultimately just an ordinary person!"

Through years of hard work and perseverance, Zhang Xuezhou will choose the path that is most beneficial to him.

Zhang Xuezhou has a very narrow social circle, and even lacks sufficient time for communication and interaction, but most of his resources are concentrated at the top level.

For example, if one gets to know the Venerable One, most of the great demons of the Xieluosi River Holy Land will give him face; if one gets to know Zhou Yueyan and others, those below Zhou Yueyan will inevitably have to make way for him.

By leveraging the differences between the two worlds, Zhang Xuezhou continuously utilizes these differences to drive progress.

My strength lies in resource integration!

If Zhang Xuezhou compared himself to Yi Shuo, Ning Que, and others, he felt that he was far from being called a genius.

However, he has his own unique advantages. His increasingly formed way of thinking allows him to find what is beneficial to himself. As long as he can hide his true intentions by acting crazy and absurd, he will be able to stay hidden and wait for the right opportunity.

He awoke from his dream and went to another world.

Zhou Yueyan then drove to the venue of the Sequence Battle.

The venue is not exactly secluded; previous sequencing conferences were also held here. It belongs to the abandoned old building area of Song Household.

The already dilapidated building became even more run-down after experiencing various struggles.

However, if one were to search, the Song Household's territory could still yield some items beneficial for combat.

"It seems... sigh, I was focused on drugging him and didn't pay attention to the fight. What was that person's name?!"

Zhou Yueyan quickly checked her call logs before getting out of the sports car.

What makes Dongfang successful?

Zuo Teng left as if avoiding a plague god, while Luo Gaogao left with the help of the medical team. There was also Zuo Jin dejected.

Zhou Yueyan was familiar with the contenders for the First Sequence, Second Sequence, and Third Sequence, but she didn't really have much of an impression of the participants in the sequencing battle.

This prompted her to shout from the sidelines.

"I am Zhou Yueyan. Someone sent me to pick you up!"

Few people know about the Sequence Contest, and very few people participate, limited to the top echelons of the committee.

However, after the battle for sequence ended, information was also rapidly disseminated.

Zhou Yueyan had already made a round trip from the research institute in Beirehe, and a large crowd had already gathered outside the Song Household's premises.

She glanced around and spotted some people on the periphery.

These peripheral personnel are not highly skilled, but they are undoubtedly far superior to the sequencers. These individuals also have intricate connections with certain Lineage, and they are the ones who handle things that are usually inconvenient to do.

Others were dressed formally and held invitations with unclear contents.

"A bunch of scoundrels trying to make a quick buck. Do you think you can get those rewards without the committee's approval?"

Zhou Yueyan shouted, and some people immediately looked uneasy.

"This is a specially customized reward. The committee isn't as stupid as you think to fulfill all sorts of requests. Get lost, lest I remember your faces and ask your master to call for backup," Zhou Yueyan shouted.

Some people's eyes had just begun to show a hint of danger, but when they heard someone whisper about where Zhou Yueyan had come from, they immediately deflated like eggplants.

Where is Dongfang Sheng?

I'm here!

As the crowd dispersed in twos and threes, Zhou Yueyan walked several dozen steps toward the venue and saw a figure with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes emerge from behind a blue iron gate not far away.

"Why does a young woman need to be so pretty? She doesn't need to act," Zhou Yueyan complained.

"I'm just an actor!"

Ning Que responded softly, then examined Zhou Yueyan's entire body for several seconds before finally confirming that the image matched Zhang Xuezhou's simple hand-drawn sketch.

"This guy really needs to work on his drawing skills. Even my dad might not recognize me in a drawing like this!"

Zhou Yueyan raised her head and also saw the portrait in Ning Que's visual device.

It was just a circle with three small dots, which made her criticize Zhang Xuezhou's sloppy sketching.

"It's still very easy to spot. You have three small freckles here. Just look at this area on your face," Ning Que whispered.

"The worst artists are those who specialize in depicting human flaws!"

Zhou Yueyan muttered to herself for a moment, and when someone blocked her way to test her, she kicked them away, resolving the problem as quickly as possible.

A whooshing sound and a dull thud followed as the person who had been blocked was kicked several meters away into the weeds.

The way he was being hit made Ning Que afraid to even make a sound; he could only cower behind Zhou Yueyan like a quail.

"Keep your redemption card safe. If you lack any of the necessary documents, identification, or personal needs when redeeming, the committee will not grant you the reward," Zhou Yueyan said. "The committee will track the awarded items for a certain period of time, and anyone who obtains them through illegal means will have to return them completely."

Her words immediately disheartened many people.

If blood serums, Gene Fighting Technique, and gene-based weapons are all bound to the body, Ning Que's value will obviously decrease significantly.

Items involving ferocious beasts will most likely be tracked, and recklessly seizing them will inevitably lead to disastrous consequences.

Money is a great reward, but few Lineage with such ambitions would risk everything purely for financial gain.

The group of more than thirty people who had gathered at the entrance either left, dispersed, or made phone calls to communicate, and the crowd dwindled significantly.

"Did the organizing committee really say that?"

Once inside the sports car, Ning Que raised his voice slightly to ensure Zhou Yueyan could hear him.

"We didn't have one before, but we do now," Zhou Yueyan replied casually. "My sports car doesn't have a back seat, could you help me carry this gift box from the passenger seat?"

"OK!"

Ning Que nodded repeatedly.

He took the gift box from Zhou Yueyan and then held it in his arms.

In the dim light, Ning Que could only detect a very faint stench of decay.

His gaze swept over the unsealed gift box, where he saw a transparent jar inside.

Inside the jar, a head with its eyes rolled back stared intently at him, the pale white in its eyes indicating its considerable resentment before death.

This almost made Ning Que throw the gift box off the carriage.

He hadn't expected that Zhou Yueyan was not only fierce, but also carried a human head with her in the car.

"Miss, are you studying medicine?" Ning Que asked, mustering his courage.

"What's wrong? You're such a grown man, and you're still afraid of a medical specimen? And you even won the sequencing battle!"

Zhou Yueyan held the steering wheel with one hand and casually tapped the container inside the gift box, indicating that this kind of thing was nothing special.

The sound of the tank breaking came, and a stench so disgusting that Zhou Yueyan almost abandoned the car hit her nostrils.

It felt as if a hundred rotten eggs had been poured into the car; Zhou Yueyan felt completely awful.

Ning Que, holding the gift box, looked terrified.

The container shattered, the solution spilled out, and he almost perfectly cupped the head in his hands.

A sticky sensation came over him, and Ning Que felt as if his hand had been pierced by a sharp object from the broken container as it slipped.

A piercing pain shot through him, and Ning murmured a prayer.

Just as he was about to unleash the 'Nine Swords of Dugu,' which could heal injuries, upon landing on the wound he sensed, Ning Que felt a blur before his eyes, and a gray-white, five-clawed giant dragon roared madly towards him.

As the 'Nine Swords of Dugu' finished its normal casting sequence, he felt the illusion before his eyes quickly fade away.

When Ning Que raised his right hand where he had been stabbed, he saw a patch of gray, as if it had been corroded, remaining on his palm.