Around two-thirty, Jiang Hou finally left the house.
However, he didn't go directly to school. Halfway there, he took a turn onto another street, which was the meeting point he arranged with Zong Zheng Nan Mo.
As soon as he approached, Jiang Hou saw Zong Zheng Nan Mo squatting by the roadside, looking across the street.
There, a crowd was gathered, and five white cars slowly drove out from among them, scattering handfuls of paper money as they passed. Over ten elderly people and children wailed loudly.
Instantly, a strong wave of sorrow permeated the air, and every passerby was moved.
"What's going on?" Jiang Hou asked as he arrived behind Zong Zheng Nan Mo.
Zong Zheng Nan Mo sighed, "They died last night. Five people had dinner and drinks together but never made it home. This morning, their bodies were found in an alley."
"The bodies were mutilated, gnawed by something like wild dogs, and they died miserably."
"Wild dogs?" Jiang Hou raised an eyebrow, wondering what kind of wild dogs could kill people.
Zong Zheng Nan Mo shook his head. "That's what the forensic analysis says."
Jiang Hou nodded, understanding what he meant, and then said lightly, "Let's go, there's no use in looking at this other than upsetting ourselves."
"True, let's not look." Zong Zheng Nan Mo nodded and stood up.
Of course, that's what they said, but both felt somewhat touched.
In the past few days, they had only 'heard' about deaths happening here and there; witnessing it personally was different.
The death of these people also made Jiang Hou a bit cautious, as the location wasn't far from his home...!!
In silence, the two walked into the school, heading all the way to the fifth floor activity room. When they opened the door, they saw a handsome girl with shoulder-length black hair sitting by the window.
Jiang Ruochan, as usual, was wearing her black trench coat today, with a white T-shirt and black trousers underneath. Her almost perfect side profile shone beautifully in the sunlight.
On the desk was a half-meter-long black box wrapped with strips of paper resembling talismans, exuding a mysterious aura.
Jiang Hou glanced at his watch and noticed it was only two fifty-two, surprised, "President, didn't we agree to meet at three o'clock? You're here so early."
In Jiang Hou's 'understanding,' the leader usually showed up last, but Jiang Ruochan, as the president, was different; she always arrived at club activities ahead of them, and today was no exception.
"I had nothing to do, so I thought I'd come and read for a while."
With that, Jiang Ruochan closed the book in her hands and looked at Jiang Hou, slightly silent, "Your energy and vitality have grown much stronger since yesterday."
"Yes, I've become a bit stronger today."
Jiang Hou could only nod and continue to play dumb, sure not to admit he had been sleepless the night before, out eating six fierce beasts in the ruins.
Zong Zheng Nan Mo sighed, "Alright, since the president has asked, I won't hold back. Jiang Hou, how much has your strength improved this time?"
Earlier, Zong Zheng Nan Mo was curious, wanting to ask if Jiang Hou's strength had changed today but held back in the end, reluctant to provoke him.
Little did he know he couldn't avoid it this time.
Jiang Hou replied humbly, "Not much. Today my physique only went up from 12.1 to 18.4, mid-tier two, with a power ranking of 1480."
The smartwatch measures overall physical strength, so its data differs from the attribute page, lower than strength but higher than agility.
Nonetheless, it still made Zong Zheng Nan Mo's eyes widen.
He was still at late-tier one, stuck in place without any increase in energy value over two or three days, while Jiang Hou only needed to eat and sleep daily to reach mid-tier two!
Is there any justice in this?
Then Jiang Hou added, "But I feel like the growth rate of my physique might soon 'slow down.'"
After reaching tier four, the Black Armored Giant Ape would require more energy, and the 'gap' between it and the human form would widen even further, so that's what Jiang Hou meant.
However, this slow is only relatively slow, unlike the previous small realm advancements every day.
Of course, the exaggeration of the past few days was also because tiers one and two were too weak, with minor gaps resulting in significant physique breakthroughs.
When one reached tiers three and four, the spans would widen, making it less dramatic.
But Jiang Hou's words sounded different in Zong Zheng Nan Mo and Jiang Ruochan's ears, as the black-haired girl speculated, "Is the energy of the pollution source nearly depleted?"
"...That's it?"
Zong Zheng Nan Mo's expression became somewhat complex, feeling a bit sorry for Jiang Hou, yet slightly relieved, glad not to be provoked.
Jiang Ruochan said calmly, "The energy of the pollution source will eventually be exhausted, no need to feel sorry. We Transcendents can only rely on the power we control."
"The president is right." Jiang Hou nodded, without a trace of regret on his face, earning Jiang Ruochan's approval.
Being able to pick it up and put it down is something many adults find difficult to achieve.
"The Divine Weapon is stored inside," Jiang Ruochan said, touching the two talisman-like papers with her hand, instantly causing bolts of lightning to crackle.
Ignoring the potent lightning, Jiang Ruochan opened the box, and a broken blade appeared in front of them.
The hilt was about thirty centimeters long, dark grey, with a blade guard like the head of a black evil spirit, ferocious and grim, and the black blade extending from the evil spirit's mouth was only twenty centimeters long.
On the surface, the broken sword seemed ordinary, something both Jiang Hou and Zong Zheng Nan Mo wouldn't spare a glance at if it were lying by the roadside.
"Integrating with the Divine Weapon is simple: grip it tightly and call to it in your mind, and it will respond to you. Go ahead."
"Alright." Jiang Hou nodded and stepped forward without hesitation.
Jiang Ruochan stepped back a few paces, making room, and seeing this, Zong Zheng Nan Mo also retreated.
Under their watchful eyes, Jiang Hou grasped the hilt and slowly lifted the broken blade.
Without waiting for Jiang Hou to mentally summon the Divine Weapon according to the integration steps, the broken blade began to vibrate and buzz, the evil spirit's eyes on the hilt radiating black-and-white light.
Like ribbons, the black-and-white light rapidly spread along Jiang Hou's hand, in the blink of an eye enveloping his entire body.
Boom! A mighty force of rejection exploded instantly, compressing the air and sending a shockwave spreading outward, a black-and-white figure emerging amidst the howling wind.
The lower half of the figure was clad in black, tattered armor, while the upper half appeared as a mummy wrapped in white cloth strips, with only the eyes exposed.
Meanwhile, his black hair surged, cascading down to his waist like a waterfall, intertwining with the numerous white ribbons on his arms and shoulders, moving without wind.
In his hand, the originally broken blade transformed, the blade guard sprouting a pair of black demon wings, flowing with blood-red patterns exuding an ominous aura.
The former twenty centimeters of blade also extended into a 1.3-meter-long black blade.
The blade was slender, resembling a Miao Blade, with a snow-white, bright blade edge, luxurious and radiant, contrasting with the sinister black blade guard, creating an intense sense of dissonance.
And coupled with Jiang Hou's current black-and-white appearance, he resembled a dark God of Slaughter approaching from Hell, domineering and fierce.
The image was cool, but Jiang Hou's state wasn't as relaxed as it appeared.