“Xu Mo...”
The voice was like a murmur in a dream, weak and pitiable.
Xu Mo fell silent for a moment. He could truly empathize with the level of pain she had just endured.
So, his tone softened slightly as he said, “Yeah, I'm here.”
...
However, there was no response. As the one who had directly resisted the sea of blood, Bai Feifei had passed out cold.
Xu Mo: (╬▔皿▔)╯
What a waste of emotion...
Just then, an update message popped up on the game panel.
【Current Character: Bai Feifei】
【Character Level: 53】
【Sanity: 1/300】
【Equipped Achievement Medals: Killing Machine, Heart of the World, Source of Bloodline (New)】
After securing the blood vessel, besides receiving a boost to his physical body and vitality, he had also obtained a brand-new achievement medal.
【Source of Bloodline Medal Effect: For a short duration, control aberrations (limited to targets weaker than the wielder) using your own blood, and share the controlled aberration's field of vision.】
【Extra Effect: Due to the simultaneous possession of combinable top-tier materials (the heart and blood vessels), Source of Bloodline can be used on others. If the target has "sufficient qualification," they can receive the empowering strength of the heart, aiding the host in developing personal factions and faith.】
Xu Mo carefully read the medal's description, deep in thought.
“Source of Bloodline... controlling aberrations?”
“And what does it mean by using it on others depending on whether they're qualified? What counts as qualified...”
He muttered to himself in a low voice, his tone laced with astonishment.
Controlling aberrations was a borderline cheating effect in Old Ones' Awakening.
And that extra effect—empowering others and granting them strength to build a faction... what did the game take him for?
This really felt like it was grooming Bai Feifei to become an Evil God!
For some reason, Xu Mo found this function highly compatible with himself, and rather amusing.
“Quite interesting...” Xu Mo remarked. He looked down at the dark red lines running beneath his arms.
The blood vessels beneath his skin looked as though they were covered by a faint golden net, which was currently fading away.
“Three months.”
Three months it is, then. He would just have to push his limits.
Now that he had this thing, he couldn't let it go!
With his status as an Old-Timer, how could he possibly fail to find a way? Was he really going to let a blood vessel that had been dead for countless years stump him?
Besides, he could use this urgent deadline to put some pressure on Bai Feifei so she would work harder.
Hehehe...
Pinching his own wrist, Xu Mo's expression gradually grew fierce. Looking at the blood vessels on “his” wrist, he said menacingly, “Mother of All Souls, huh? We've got beef now. (That hurt too damn much.)”
“I swear, I will never let you successfully revive!”
“From now on, your followers, those beastkin—if I see one, I'll kill one!”
No emotions came from the blood vessel; no one paid him any mind.
Taking a deep breath, Xu Mo put these thoughts aside for now after venting.
Oh well, it was fine that Bai Feifei had passed out. It was time for him to take control. After all, there was still a massive mess outside to clean up.
Pitch-black energy surged from his heart. Empowered by the blood vessels this time, Xu Mo transformed almost instantly.
Moreover, he could feel that Bai Feifei's current body could definitely sustain the transformed state for a much longer duration.
The black armor encased his entire body, the spikes on his joints gleaming with a cold light.
Sinking Black was logged in!
It was better to be in the Sinking Black state to handle the aftermath outside. After all, Bai Feifei still had some favors she had asked of him.
It was about time. He would go see what was happening outside.
He raised his foot and crushed a patch of the withered vessel wall, which turned to powder under his boot and drifted down in showers.
...
Inside the crimson, labyrinthine blood nest.
He Jinfan, wearing his hat, was carefully exploring, searching for survivors or trying to find Bai Feifei.
Earlier, when Bai Feifei charged into the center and was engulfed by the blood vessels, he had been utterly dumbfounded.
The entire space was in a riot, emitting a powerful anomalous aura. Just as he was about to run, he realized that nothing seemed to be happening despite the chaotic energy.
It was merely a surge of energy with no externalized attacks for some reason. Thus, screwing up his courage, he decided to search the area first.
However, he found nothing. The ground was littered with desiccated corpses, as if everyone had died.
“Fuck...” He Jinfan's voice trembled slightly. “Am I really the only one left alive? Please tell me I'm not...”
The massive red blood vessels around him suddenly dimmed and went limp, as if all their energy had been drained by something.
The sound of the wind abruptly died down, and everything became so quiet that it made him extremely uncomfortable.
Then, he heard a sound. It sounded like flowing water in the silent space.
He instinctively looked toward the source of the sound and witnessed a scene he would never forget for the rest of his life.
The shriveled corpses were inflating like balloons!
Their skin regained its luster, their withered muscles gradually filled out, and those with slightly stronger constitutions even began to breathe!
He Jinfan's eyes widened. Dead people could come back to life?!
Right then, a cracking sound echoed through the space, as if someone were stepping on dry twigs.
Then, he heard footsteps.
The sound came from the very center of the nest-like structure—the exact spot where Bai Feifei had been swallowed up!
He whipped his head around.
From among the withered vessel walls, a black figure slowly emerged.
Standing nearly two meters tall, the figure was fully clad in pitch-black armor, taking slow, measured steps forward.
—Sinking Black!
A firework seemed to explode in He Jinfan's mind. He could never forget this person's appearance for the rest of his life.
Instinctively, he took several steps back. He opened his mouth and said in a trembling voice, “You... you're not dead?!”
The faceplate of Sinking Black turned slightly. Xu Mo's crimson eyes glanced at He Jinfan, a hint of surprise registering in them.
“You seem disappointed?” he said flatly.
He Jinfan swallowed hard and shook his head frantically like a rattle drum.
He was extremely apprehensive. Looking at it this way, the person in front of him had likely indeed dealt with the Evil God's blood vessel.
The riot from earlier might have been his final containment ritual.
This was too monstrous!
Now, what was he going to say about his impersonation of the Masked Hermit Society...
“No, no, no, of course not! I... I was just worried about you.”
“Also, that girl from earlier...”
Xu Mo didn't let him finish. He simply raised his hand, cutting him off.
“It's quite a surprise that you didn't run. Not bad.”
“Stand right there and don't move. We'll talk about our business later.”
As he spoke, Xu Mo pointed at the floor in front of He Jinfan, then began observing the state of the surrounding people.
Upon hearing this, He Jinfan instantly stood at attention.
Rate on N.U.
