Xiao Feng and the others watched in anticipation as Pandora finished preparing a vial of medicine. The liquid shimmered with a warm pink hue. When she handed it to Xiao Feng, he stared at it curiously.
"Is this... drinkable?"
"Relax. If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn't waste this much effort. In your current state, I could end your life with a single finger—believe it or not."
Xiao Feng nodded.
"Fair enough…"
And with that, he tilted his head back and drank it in one gulp.
The medicine took effect swiftly. A cooling sensation spread outward from his abdomen, not merely soothing, but as though new tissue were blooming beneath his skin wherever the chill touched.
Minutes later, Xiao Feng flexed his fingers, threw a few test punches, and looked at his hands in awe.
"Well damn… I didn't expect this. You've got some real skill."
"I've got more than that. Now move—too much time has already been wasted. If you still want to get out of here alive, don't stand around."
With that, the sultry figure of Pandora turned and strode toward the exit.
Xiao Feng watched the sway of her hips and slender waist as she walked away, shaking his head.
"Not bad at all…"
Earth Dog clapped him on the shoulder.
"Don't even think about it. Remember, she's a machine."
"So what? If she can think for herself, we can still communicate, can't we?"
"Heh. She's violent, though. She butchered Hades. You think you could handle someone like that?"
Xiao Feng frowned.
"Seriously? She hacked Hades to pieces? Damn... she's wild."
He made his way toward K and Rush, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"I have an unreasonable request... I hope you'll consider it."
Both K and Rush took an instinctive step back.
"What are you planning?"
"Let me bite your wrist."
"No way—!" K turned to flee, but Xiao Feng was faster. He leapt onto K's back and sank his teeth into his neck without hesitation.
"Aaaagh! Xiao Feng, you bastard! That hurts like hell!" K screamed.
As soon as Xiao Feng tasted K's blood, he released him and stood silently, eyes unfocused, sensing the change within.
Rush knew exactly what Xiao Feng was doing—this was how he acquired new abilities: by absorbing them through blood.
But Rush had doubts. Was Xiao Feng still capable of absorbing others' powers after being purified by anti-ability forces? His mimicry had once been erased. Did it still exist?
Seeing Xiao Feng lapse into silence, Rush grew tense.
Then, after ten seconds of stillness, a faint smile tugged at Xiao Feng's lips.
"The Emissary was right… My ability to absorb others' powers isn't an ability like yours—it's a biological instinct. Purification can't erase it."
He raised his right hand, palm open. Before their eyes, a gleaming metallic orb materialized in his hand.
Outside the temple, Pandora had already walked ahead. Noticing Xiao Feng hadn't followed, she turned back—only to freeze when she saw the orb hovering above his palm. Just minutes ago, her scan had shown zero traces of supernatural ability in him. Now, he wielded metal manipulation.
"How…? This strange little brat…" Pandora muttered to herself.
Xiao Feng smiled at the others.
"Maybe purification was a blessing. It wiped away all the useless low-grade powers I'd collected. Now, if I'm going to absorb something—it's going to be grade-eight or higher. Rush… be a good boy and lend me your arm."
Rush paled, his voice trembling like a helpless maiden's.
"Just… be gentle, okay?"
Xiao Feng, of course, had no intention of doing so. He bit down on Rush's arm without warning, eliciting a wail of agony.
Earth Dog and K had already grown numb to Xiao Feng's methods. But Pandora, watching from afar, was dumbstruck. She couldn't believe what she was witnessing—that was how he acquired powers? It was absurd.
After absorbing Rush's evolved psychic ability, Xiao Feng didn't stop. He rushed to the fallen Ares, grabbed his wrist—and bit down again.
Earth Dog, watching Xiao Feng continue absorbing high-level abilities, couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. Just how powerful could he become?
"Don't forget," Earth Dog said, "Poseidon's still outside."
Xiao Feng's eyes gleamed at the mention. Blood trickled down the corner of his mouth, making his grin look downright feral.
"Perfect. Looks like luck's on my side today…"
Without warning, Xiao Feng sprinted out of the temple. With Ares' strength and speed coursing through him, he moved like a storm. Coupled with K's metal manipulation and Rush's enhanced psychic abilities, he now stood above any temple guardian.
It was the simple math of evolution: 1 + 1 > 2.
He darted past Pandora in a blur. Her eyes widened—her internal system now displayed a new profile for Xiao Feng. The original file had labeled him harmless. Now, it was replaced by a bright red warning: Extremely Dangerous Threat.
And he wasn't done.
She turned just in time to see Xiao Feng crouched over Poseidon—sinking his teeth into the Sea God's throat.
A fifth and sixth ability surged into his body.
Ares' strength and speed.
K's control of metal.
Rush's evolved psychic force.
Poseidon's mastery over water and temperature.
They all belonged to Xiao Feng now.
He clenched his fists, nearly trembling with exhilaration. He had never felt power like this. Beneath the night sky, he could sense the transformation within—a new being, forged from six grade-eight abilities. The old Xiao Feng was long gone.
K, clutching his neck; Rush, nursing his wrist; and Earth Dog all emerged from the temple, gazing at Xiao Feng's silhouette beneath the stars. The pressure he exuded was nothing short of overwhelming.
Pandora was still reeling.
"We need to go. The Alliance army will seal off this place soon."
Xiao Feng chuckled.
"Let's move. Uncle White must be worried sick about me. Oh—and there's one last thing I need to do."
Everyone turned to him, puzzled.
Then—thwup-thwup-thwup—the thunder of helicopter blades filled the air.
On the distant road, headlights glared through the darkness.
Everyone's expression turned grim.