Chapter 708: Enhancement Experiment

Deng Yuanbo shook his head.

“Don’t worry, I’m not asking you to go after anyone for me. All I want is for you to complete this mission—and do it well.”

He stared at Zhang Yi, enunciating each word: “All you need to do… is perform better than the Reincarnation Squad.”

After hearing that, Zhang Yi suddenly realized that Deng Yuanbo’s real purpose was to block Gao Changkong’s path to promotion.

“You suspect Gao Changkong?”

“Not just Gao Changkong!”

Deng Yuanbo said grimly.

“This mission must be completed by you. And you’re going to be the key figure we put forward as our banner.”

“Someone killed my nephew to use his death as a catalyst for reshuffling power in Blizzard City!”

“That’s something I, this old man, absolutely won’t allow!”

“Only if an outsider like you handles this matter will the balance of power in Blizzard City remain stable.”

Zhang Yi didn’t completely believe the old man’s words.

This guy was a thousand-year-old fox—when it came to scheming and political maneuvering, he was far more experienced than Zhang Yi.

If he believed him too easily, he might end up being sold out without even knowing it.

Still—

“So you’re saying the reason you're helping me and my teammates grow stronger… is just to make sure I’m the one who takes down Moon of Corrosion? So the credit doesn’t go to anyone else?”

“Yes, exactly.”

Deng Yuanbo nodded.

“Whoever takes down Moon of Corrosion will gain the highest prestige in Blizzard City! Since they come from Neon Nation, they’re very special—you understand that.”

This explanation was just convincing enough for Zhang Yi to accept.

The Deng Family had suffered a major blow, and what they feared most was another power reshuffle in Blizzard City.

Only by preventing others from earning that massive merit could the Deng Family maintain their footing.

Putting that aside, Zhang Yi was very interested in what Deng Yuanbo had said about helping his team members get stronger.

“How exactly are you going to help us? With that Compound X?”

But Deng Yuanbo gave a cunning smile—that kind of grin that didn’t look like a good guy’s. More like Uncle Li sneaking off with something stolen.

“That stuff’s not really useful for you—it’s actually meant for your teammates!”

Zhang Yi: “Huh?”

So it doesn’t work on me?

Deng Yuanbo said, “You’ve been through countless battles and absorbed a massive amount of Superhuman essence. Frankly, I’m amazed—it's nearly impossible to cultivate someone of your caliber in the Outer City. But you did it. That’s nothing short of a miracle!”

A figure flashed through Zhang Yi’s mind—Yuan Kongye.

Back then, she had absorbed the essence of over thirty Superhumans and unlocked her Epsilon-level power.

In the end, Zhang Yi absorbed the remnant of her essence.

That was an incredible stroke of fortune!

Without it, there was no way he’d be at his current level.

“Just a lucky break.”

Zhang Yi said flatly.

Deng Yuanbo continued, “I don’t know what kind of stroke of luck you had, but clearly, you’ve hit a bottleneck. At this stage, it’s extremely difficult to grow further just by absorbing more essence.”

“And yes, Compound X won’t help either.”

As he spoke, he reached over and picked up a celadon teacup from the table.

“It’s like this teacup. It can only hold so much water, right? No matter how hard you keep pouring, it’ll just overflow.”

Zhang Yi quickly understood what he meant.

“You’re talking about increasing the container’s capacity?”

Deng Yuanbo nodded with satisfaction.

“Exactly!”

Zhang Yi suddenly thought of Deng Shentong.

He shook his head and gave a wry smile. “So you still haven’t found a way to do that yet, have you? Otherwise, Deng Shentong wouldn’t have been stuck at Delta-level power.”

At the mention of Deng Shentong, Deng Yuanbo sighed deeply.

“Shentong did hit his limit. Delta-level—that was his cap. We tried all kinds of ways to break through that biological ceiling and trigger a more powerful mutation.”

“But genetics is the domain of the gods. Mortals like us… can’t touch that so easily.”

He pointed at Zhang Yi with the hand holding the teacup.

“You’re the same. Even though you’re still a bit below the Investigation Captain level, it’s nearly impossible to close that gap in a short time.”

“So, boosting your teammates is the most cost-effective option.”

He poured himself another cup of tea, sipping it as he looked through the glass window toward the lounge next door—where Liang Yue sat with her long blade in her arms, eyes closed in meditation.

“Forcefully enhancing someone’s power requires a tough vessel and a vast enough capacity. Otherwise, the body can’t withstand the sudden influx of energy.”

“This kind of experiment isn’t for everyone. You have to pick someone with top-tier potential and unwavering willpower.”

“That martial artist beside you—she’s a flawless piece of raw jade. If we can fully awaken her potential, I believe she won’t be any weaker than you. She’ll be a powerful asset!”

With Deng Yuanbo’s resources, it was a simple matter to look into Liang Yue’s background.

And it was jaw-dropping.

Three generations of martial artists. Her grandfather and father were both national martial arts masters.

Liang Yue herself had mastered over three hundred martial arts styles, including many practical fighting systems from abroad.

By seventeen, she had already earned the Wu Ying-level title and served as a bodyguard for high-ranking officials.

Someone capable of all that couldn’t be called one-in-ten-thousand—it was more like one-in-a-million.

Deng Yuanbo glanced subtly at Zhang Yi and kept one thought to himself.

In his eyes, Liang Yue—with her superior all-around qualities—had even more potential for growth than Zhang Yi.

After all, someone who had become a bodyguard for that place must have passed trials that were practically hellish. Deng Yuanbo understood that all too well.

And Zhang Yi?

He was just a humble warehouse manager in Tianhai City.

Even with talent, he couldn’t compare to someone like Liang Yue, who’d undergone strict, elite-level training from childhood.

“So, Zhang Yi—will you accept my help? It can only benefit you.”

“You’re going to need reliable people by your side for the battles to come.”

Zhang Yi stared at Deng Yuanbo’s shoes, his brow furrowed, caught in deep internal conflict.

Could he trust Deng Yuanbo?

That was hard to say.

But clearly, this was a rare opportunity.

If Deng Shentong hadn’t died, the Deng Group wouldn’t be offering him help at all.

It’d be a shame to let this chance slip by.

Deng Yuanbo didn’t press him, even offering kindly, “This is something worth thinking over carefully. After all, you and the Deng Family don’t have much of a relationship—it’s normal for you to be wary of us.”

“But this is truly a rare opportunity for you. I hope you can seize your future.”

Zhang Yi took a deep breath. “I need some time to think. Not long—just a bit.”

Deng Yuanbo smiled. “Of course.”

Zhang Yi couldn’t decide on his own.

He decided to talk it over with Yang Xinxin.

Author's Note