63: Chapter 63: Anomalies within the Space Node 63: Chapter 63: Anomalies within the Space Node Zhang Xiaoman saw the newcomer and was also somewhat surprised.
He had thought that there would be a hidden monster there but didnât expect it to be this guy.
âBrother!
Big bro!
Itâs me!
Xiao Li, who gave you a ride here, donât make a move, okay!â
Li Xiang spoke as he walked closer, constantly sizing up the âHeavenly Soldierâ who had already come up to him.
He saw that most of the otherâs body was wrapped in a yellow suit of armor, with only a blue glow visible where the eyes were.
âThis really isnât human at allâŠâ
Li Xiang suddenly felt a tremendous pressure coming over him as if he was being watched by the Grim Reaper.
Watching the other party slowly approach with his hands held high, Zhang Xiaoman subtly had his accompanying Sand Soldier move forward two steps, placing it in front of him.
Then, he signaled to Li Xiang to stop not far away and gave the Sand Soldier an instruction to search him.
Upon seeing that only a bunch of keys and a cell phone were taken out, he was slightly relieved.
Li Xiang picked up the items the Sand Soldier had casually tossed onto the ground, then moved closer at Zhang Xiaomanâs gesture.
âI apologize, but within the Alien Species, there are those who are adept at hiding, and I have to be wary,â Zhang Xiaoman looked at him, then suddenly changed the topic, âTell me, why are you following me.â
Li Xiang, who had begun imagining a series of things upon hearing the first half of Zhang Xiaomanâs words, hurriedly came back to his senses when he heard the second half and anxiously explained,
âDonât get me wrong!
Donât misunderstand!
I was just curious what the three-day, three-night party here was like and wanted to join in the funâŠâ
Zhang Xiaoman watched him with a calm gaze and then extended his left hand, slowly uttering two words, âCell phone.â
Upon hearing this, Li Xiang was first taken aback, then quickly realized the situation, hurriedly took out his cell phone, unlocked it, and handed it over.
âBig bro, rest assured, I didnât record any video or take any pictures.
I absolutely wonât speak of todayâs events!â
Zhang Xiaoman took his somewhat worn phone, casually flipped through the album and videos, and upon finding that there was indeed no information recorded, as he claimed, handed it back to him.
Looking at the other party, Zhang Xiaomanâs mind suddenly stirred, and he gave a series of instructions to the Yellow Sand Soldier beside him.
The soldier abruptly raised his Long Spear and gently touched Li Xiangâs exposed arm with the tip, causing a bright red Blood Pearl to stick there.
Zhang Xiaoman then took out a piece of tissue paper from his pocket, lightly brushed it over the tip of the spear, transferring the Blood Pearl onto the paper.
Li Xiang felt a slight sting in his arm and saw the otherâs recent action.
Suddenly realizing something, his complexion involuntarily changed, and he quickly asked,
âBig, big bro, what is this for?
We can talk it over, right!â
âDonât worry.
As long as you donât go spreading rumors, you wonât have any problems.â
Zhang Xiaoman folded the paper neatly and put it back in his pocket, his tone indifferent.
Upon hearing that, Li Xiang breathed a sigh of relief, though his face couldnât help but turn bitter.
Zhang Xiaoman turned around, his eyes focusing on the Space Node ahead as he spoke casually, âYou should leave, itâs dangerous here, not a place you should be in.â
As he spoke, he assigned a Sand Soldier toward the purple light ahead, his face revealing a contemplative expression.
âSo, should I really absorb this Node or not?â
Zhang Xiaoman was weighing his options.
Indeed, if he absorbed the Node, he could instantly gain around 50 points from it, but that didnât seem like a long-term strategy.
Based on his own speculation, the Space Node should be a major monster-spawning ground, and this little grove was quite secluded with almost no one passing by.
Coupled with his own ability to command Sand Soldiers, it might be better to treat this place as a long-term point farming base.
As he pondered, he suddenly felt something was off behind him.
Why was the chatty driver silent?
Hadnât he just told him to leave?
Turning his head, Zhang Xiaoman saw Li Xiang, half-bowing his head with a flushed face, lips moving as if he wanted to speak but seemed to be stuck in his throat, his expression conflicted.
Sensing Zhang Xiaomanâs gaze, Li Xiang also raised his head and looked over, with a flash of excitement in his eyes.
âBro!
No, Master!
Do you still take disciples?
I want to become your disciple!
Let me follow you!â
Zhang Xiaoman was instantly baffled.
Whatâs going on?
Why is this guy suddenly asking to become a disciple?
Could it be another case like Xiao Shun?
âMaster, look, it must be tiring running around alone all the time, carrying so much stuff.
Itâs also inconvenient to keep hailing cabs.
Why not take me as your disciple?
I can take care of all these odds and ends for you!
How about it, Master?â
A flattering smile crossed his face.
This time, Zhang Xiaoman also understood the otherâs intentionsâit was just another person drawn to the allure of extraordinary power.
Actually, his reaction was to be expected.
Had he been in the otherâs shoes, he might have done the same.
After all, when true extraordinary power is before oneâs eyes, how many could remain indifferent?
That said, understanding was one thing, but accepting was another.
Zhang Xiaoman had no intention of indiscriminately taking every interested person as a disciple.
If others wanted to use his Systemâs tools, they too needed to purchase them with pointsâitâs essentially an investment.
Venture capital firms carry out thorough assessments before investing.
He couldnât possibly just accept anyone into his fold based on a few words.
Zhang Xiaoman immediately shook his head and said, âI checked earlier, and you donât have the talent for cultivating Dark Energy.â
Upon hearing this, a look of indescribable disappointment surfaced on Li Xiangâs face.
His expression froze, and then he stammered:
âThen, wellâŠ
Master, are you hiring?
I can run errands for you, do chores, and even be your personal driver!â
Zhang Xiaoman took a look at him and declined, âIâm sorry, but I donât need any of that.
Besides, Iâm telling you not to join for your own good.
For someone without strength, dealing with Alien Species is no different from seeking deathâŠâ
As Zhang Xiaoman spoke, he noticed the gradually dimming expression on the otherâs face and felt relieved in his heart.
Just as he was about to persuade the other person to leave quickly, he suddenly felt a disturbance behind himâa terrifying presence emitting from the direction of the Space Node.
Whirling around sharply, Zhang Xiaomanâs gaze fixed on the purple light spot.
He promptly dispatched Two Sand Soldiers in front of himself.
To the side, Li Xiang was even more panic-stricken, feeling as if he were being crushed by a gigantic mountain.
His scalp tingled, his body went stiff, and he couldnât even move a finger.
The next moment, the previously serene floating purple light spot suddenly shook violently, streams of energy darted around it like lightning, looking as if it were a piece of paper about to rip apart, struggling desperately on the verge of collapse.