Chapter 916: Danger Approaches
Zhang Yi had long known that his ability's upper limit was definitely not just Delta-level.
But just like Yuan Kongye back then.
The further one advanced, the more superhuman essence one needed to acquire.
And once one crossed that barrier and officially broke through to the Epsilon-level, their abilities would undergo a qualitative transformation.
This was something he had seen clearly in Yuan Kongye before.
So he unceremoniously rejected Linghu Feixue's trade request.
"Sorry, I still have uses for Nirot's essence. Maybe next time if there's an opportunity!"
Zhang Yi said with a smile.
Linghu Feixue's expression showed some regret.This was a squadron leader-level essence after all!
How difficult it was to kill a squadron leader-level superhuman, she certainly understood.
Just taking this instance as an example—to kill Nirot in the open sea, if Zhang Yi's strength hadn't far surpassed his, it would have been impossible.
Even so, Zhang Yi had expended considerable effort.
"I really need this essence. You can name your price—anything I can afford, we can discuss!"
Linghu Feixue looked at Zhang Yi very seriously.
She wanted to advance too badly.
If it were anything else, Zhang Yi might really have been willing to offer it, just to make a friend.
After all, Linghu Feixue had come from afar and helped him out.
But a squadron leader-level essence was too precious; Zhang Yi couldn't possibly trade it.
Zhang Yi rubbed his nose. "Someone around me needs this thing more than you do. I hope you can understand."
Linghu Feixue sighed helplessly.
"Indeed, a squadron leader-level essence can rapidly nurture a Delta-level superhuman. I understand."
Though somewhat regretful, she didn't press further.
Zhang Yi watched as the Rose Squad members awakened Zhu Yunque and the others, then escorted them onto the ship.
However, after waking up, Zhu Yunque seemed to have become foolish.
Her eyes had gained a certain... wisdom, and she didn't even recognize Zhang Yi when she passed by him.
What Zhang Yi didn't know was that Zhu Yunque had suffered excessively heavy blows at Nirot's hands.
Gunner had ordered her clothes stripped off publicly, completely humiliating her dignity.
Nirot's electroshock therapy had caused serious problems with her brain.
The female soldier escorting Zhu Yunque onto the ship suddenly let out a surprised cry.
Zhang Yi looked back and was astonished to see a wet patch on the snow.
Zhu Yunque had actually lost bladder control.
After electroshock, this was indeed a very normal phenomenon.
Zhang Yi raised an eyebrow.
It seemed that although Zhu Yunque had kept her life, she probably wouldn't be able to take care of herself in the future.
"At least she's still alive. Zhu Zheng can't fault me for that."
Zhang Yi shrugged, not making a big deal of it.
Just as he was about to bid farewell to Linghu Feixue and leave Luoyan Island to return to Tianhai City, Gu Yufei, a member of the Rose Squad, suddenly clutched her head and fell to her knees with a pained expression.
"N-no... not good! They're sending me warnings!"
Zhang Yi and Linghu Feixue looked at Gu Yufei.
Zhang Yi frowned. "What's going on? Who's sending warnings?"
But Linghu Feixue's expression turned serious.
Gu Yufei's ability [Arioso] allowed her to communicate with living creatures.
She could receive frequencies ordinary humans couldn't detect.
Right now, in Gu Yufei's ears, the pod of dolphins that had been helping her earlier was sending urgent warnings from far away.
"S-something... something terrifying is coming this way!"
"Escape quickly!"
Gu Yufei shouted loudly.
But shortly after she spoke, Zhang Yi also sensed changes in the seawater.
Around Luoyan Island, the sea level had suddenly risen significantly, flooding onto the beach.
From the direction of the ocean, a long white line was rapidly becoming clearer.
Linghu Feixue's face abruptly changed.
"Tsunami!"
An ordinary tsunami naturally wouldn't make the Rose Squad so wary.
In Zhang Yi's mind, one person flashed through his thoughts at lightning speed.
The person he feared most on the open sea.
The one Zhu Zheng had warned him about—the strongest of the Colombian Ocean Fleet, that Epsilon-level superhuman with a 18,000-point superhuman ability index!
But why would he appear here?
With just a moment's thought, Zhang Yi had his answer.
"The Tianlong Pirate Crew tipped off the Colombian Navy!"
These pirates who dominated the Starry Sea Region had always operated between major powers.
Having already offended the Huaxu Kingdom, they would inevitably attach themselves to the Colombian Navy now.
Without a second thought, Zhang Yi said, "I'm getting out of here first!"
He left those words behind and immediately activated spatial traversal to flee north.
But moments later, he returned to Luoyan Island, standing beside Linghu Feixue.
Linghu Feixue glanced at him and said mockingly, "Didn't expect you to be so righteous! Not running away alone."
Zhang Yi took a deep breath. "You think I didn't want to? It's impossible to escape."
Around Luoyan Island, in the waters about a dozen nautical miles out, an utterly terrifying scene was unfolding.
Dense beyond measure, countless hundreds of millions of giant sea beasts had completely surrounded the entire sea area.
The massive tsunami was caused by the movement of these deep-sea creatures.
No matter which direction Zhang Yi tried to escape, he would inevitably face an endless tide of sea beasts!
Each of those enormous sea beasts was terrifying in both size and presence.
Among them were even deep-sea mutated beasts comparable to Fin Dragon at the squadron leader level!
Zhang Yi had never witnessed such a frightening spectacle.
To put it bluntly, if such a massive force attacked the Jiangnan Region, without the Death Reaper of Love, Blizzard City wouldn't last two hours.
Without hesitation, Zhang Yi took out Nirot's head and began absorbing his essence on the spot.
At this moment, Zhang Yi also felt extreme pressure.
He hadn't even seen the controller of this sea beast tide yet.
Without a doubt, it was that mysterious Colombian Epsilon-level powerhouse!
The members of the Rose Squad also turned pale, though they displayed excellent combat discipline—not panicking but quickly preparing for battle.
The crew opened all missile launch bays; this Blue Rose warship was their greatest reliance.
Linghu Feixue's right hand rested on her sword.
When she inadvertently noticed Zhang Yi's actions, she couldn't help but pause.
"By absorbing his essence, can you still improve your strength?"
"Maybe."
Zhang Yi only gave this vague response.
And that single sentence made Linghu Feixue's pupils contract slightly.
She certainly understood what those words implied.
For her and most squadron leader-level superhumans, their lifetime limit was Delta-level.
They might never cross that 10,000-point threshold in their entire lives to achieve qualitative transformation.
So the further they progressed, the more difficult it became to increase their superhuman ability index.
But for someone like Zhang Yi—who hadn't received training from major factions yet broke through to 9,600 points at a terrifying pace and was still improving—there was only one explanation.
He was never a Delta-level existence to begin with.
"No wonder Commander Zhu assigned you this mission!"
She said softly.
Author's Note