Chapter 335: Breaking Out of the Shell
Chapter 335: Breaking Out of the Shell
The sky was filled with dark clouds, and a sudden thunderstorm rolled in, but it only lasted for over ten minutes. The rainwater seemed to have been poured out, and the streets and surrounding residential buildings regained their brightness, leaving only a wet ground and a slightly humid air.
A boy hid under the stairs, peeking out at the rooftop, where he had heard the sound of intense fighting during the rain, accompanied by thunder. However, due to the heavy rain and the distance, he couldn't see anything clearly.
At that moment, a shadow loomed over him.
The boy initially felt tense, then relaxed, saying, "Mister." But when he got a clear look, he involuntarily took two steps back.
Wei Wusheng's chest had a large hole, with flesh and bones torn away, revealing his beating heart. He held a hammer in his hand, and at his waist, two gruesome heads with eyes open were hung, tied together by their hair.
The boy swallowed hard.
Wei Wusheng suddenly threw something over, which the boy caught, discovering it was a Boundary Vessel, but its design was far superior to the second-hand one he used.
"Put it on and come take a photo," Wei Wusheng said, before walking away.
The boy responded, putting on the Boundary Vessel as he followed Wei Wusheng. He noticed that Wei Wusheng's back had over a dozen wounds from sharp blades, with flesh rolled back, looking terrifying. However, Wei Wusheng seemed unaffected by his injuries, walking steadily as usual.
The boy felt that Wei Wusheng's body seemed to have grown taller, but he couldn't be sure. After adjusting the Boundary Vessel, he chased after Wei Wusheng.
At the Xuan Gong Mansion dormitories, Chen Chuan had finished his training and was about to rest when he received a message from Tan Zhi. He didn't think much of it, assuming it was another update from the arena tournament that Tan Zhi often sent. However, this time, it was just a very clear photo.
A tall, robust man stood with his back to the camera, occupying most of the frame, holding a conspicuous hammer with bloodstains. At his feet lay two headless corpses.
Above the photo, two heads hung together, their eyes rolled back, with severed wounds and dangling blood vessels, tendons, and strands of altered tissue.
The image was shocking.
Chen Chuan gazed at the man's back, wondering if it was indeed Wei Wusheng. He recognized the two heads as the Pei brothers, who had been seen on the bounty platform. They were known for their rich experience, exceptional cooperation, and high evaluation in discussion forums, with many believing they could take down Wei Wusheng.
However, the result was the opposite.
Chen Chuan examined the photo, noticing that the brothers' necks seemed to have been broken while they were still alive, and their heads were torn off. Comparing them to the surrounding objects, he felt that Wei Wusheng's figure seemed taller than before, but he couldn't be certain due to the photo.
Could this be the result of Wei Wusheng's "heart's desire"?
As he pondered, he heard a faint noise from the room and turned to see the egg in the incubation chamber shaking. The eggshell cracked, and a gap appeared, revealing something inside. The egg continued to break, and a small creature emerged, shaking off fragments and looking at Chen Chuan with big eyes, letting out a soft "cheep."
Chen Chuan approached the creature, which seemed to be a combination of a lizard and a bird, with feathers, claws, and membrane wings. The creature climbed onto his hand, and Chen Chuan felt its heartbeat and temperature.
He thought for a moment, then took out the nutrient liquid sent by the Venomous Snake Sect, which was said to be suitable for their creatures. He poured some into a disposable paper dish, and the creature eagerly ate it. After finishing, it returned to the incubation chamber, lay down, and closed its eyes.
Chen Chuan recorded the creature using his Boundary Vessel and sent the information to Zou Handan, asking about the creature's species.
After a while, Zou Handan replied, "Mr. Chen, we named this creature 'Bird Lizard'. It was originally intended for combat purposes, but the project was unsuccessful."
"Due to some unknown mutations and the regression of a large number of specimens, the project has been terminated, and most of the eggs were disposed of."
"This particular one may have slipped through because of these circumstances. Currently, this creature only has ornamental value and won't pose any threat. If you don't like it, you can return it to us, and we'll take care of it. We'll provide you with another gift."
Chen Chuan understood what was meant by 'taking care' of it, so he said, "No need for that. How should I take care of this creature?"
Zou Handan replied with a hint of apology in her voice, "Since this was our mistake, we'll send you some tools and detailed instructions shortly."
"Okay, thank you," Chen Chuan replied.
After ending the call, he took another glance at the little creature, which seemed to be sleeping soundly, perhaps due to the comfortable temperature of the incubation chamber. He decided to leave it be for the moment.
Chen Chuan checked the online platform again and noticed that in just a short while, Wei Wusheng's photo had spread widely. The comment section was buzzing with activity as more people joined the discussion, quickly pushing it to the top.
The Pei brothers were well-known, but their gruesome death at the hands of Wei Wusheng was unexpected. Some users analyzed the wounds on Wei Wusheng's body, trying to piece together the cause of death and the sequence of the fight.
Chen Chuan skimmed through the comments and found some insightful observations, as well as details he hadn't noticed before. However, most of the discussion revolved around the impact of the incident and the chances of other bounty hunters against Wei Wusheng.
Initially, the general consensus favored the bounty hunters, but now there was uncertainty. Some even suggested that these hunters were overrated, having only faced weaker opponents in the past, and now their true abilities were exposed.
This comment sparked disagreement, and with fans of the bounty hunters joining the conversation, a heated debate ensued.
The online discussion seemed to catch the attention of one of the bounty hunters involved, a man named Han Laomao, who boldly declared that he would personally kill Wei Wusheng and post the photos as proof.
His statement further fueled the discussion, and some users tried to invite other bounty hunters to speak up, but unlike Han Laomao, they didn't seem inclined to make public statements.
Chen Chuan left the platform and maintained his training routine, unaffected by the online buzz.
Time passed, and over ten days went by. During this period, Chen Chuan visited Shatterwave Valley again and underwent another snake shedding, which would likely be his last before reaching the third limit. He used the excuse of going home to avoid continuing the service.
This reason was plausible, and no one would suspect anything unusual. In fact, consecutive purchases of the service were more likely to raise questions, as the psychological impact was harder to overcome than the physical recovery.
It was now late July.
After training with Hong Fu that day, Chen Chuan left the private training room. Feeling a bit exhausted, he quickened his pace to get a drink of water.
As he had this thought, his steps naturally sped up, and his body seemed to barely sway as he moved from the training room to the other end of the living room. He paused slightly as he reached for the cup.
Everything felt natural, and there was nothing abnormal about it. But suddenly, Chen Chuan realized that he had unconsciously displayed speed akin to a Tier Three Fighter.
He had just finished training with Hong Fu, and his body was still in a low-state expression. Even now, he maintained this state, yet he was able to exhibit such incredible speed.
He took a sip of water, confirming that he was indeed approaching the threshold and was about to cross it.
However, he didn't seem to feel it, possibly because Hong Fu's abilities always kept pace with his progress. To push himself, he had removed Hong Fu's fixed state, which made him unaware of his own advancements.
Setting down the cup, Chen Chuan took a moment to relax and assess his condition. With the breathing technique, he gained a clear understanding of his body's state.
He could sense that he was on the brink, and taking one more step would mean crossing the threshold.
Yet, he felt something was still amiss.
Without rushing, Chen Chuan contemplated and decided to contact Ding Shu. "Ding Shu, is Cao Senior available? I have some questions for him."
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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