"Tao Bro, it's all cleaned up now. You sit, I'll go set up some alarm bells, and when I come back, I'll start the fire for the barbecue."
The pair had been hiking through the woods for over half an hour, distancing themselves from the place where they had previously clashed. Zhang Wei carefully wiped down a piece of bluestone and then began to busily set up several bells around the area.
Tao Yu said nothing and quietly took a seat.
Along the way, he had been gnawing on dried snake meat, flaunting about three kilograms of it.
With the added half-hour of physical recovery, both his injuries and stamina had mostly recovered.
After Zhang Wei roasts a bit more, he should be back to full capacity ready to face the night.
While Zhang Wei finished hanging the bells and started to make the fire, Tao Yu took the opportunity to check out his new skill.
"Stalk - Python" lv1: Lowers the chance of being discovered by others, reduces noise, and decreases presence.
"Burst - Python" lv1: A technique that allows for a sudden explosive force through muscle compression, which can place a great strain on the muscles and easily lead to strains.
These were the two skills that had surfaced after absorbing the teeth of the three snakes, completing the information.
They could be considered basic low-level skills, but very practical nonetheless.
Some martial arts techniques, once mastered, could achieve effects similar to "Burst - Python," and even stronger. However, Tao Yu had not been able to afford specialized training in the past and could only learn the basics. For ordinary people, the skill "Burst - Python" needed to be used with caution and could even be somewhat useless.
But for Tao Yu, this skill was without doubt a perfect fit for him.
He had already withstood the dual boost of Qi-Blood burst and "Bullet Time" without harming his body, so adding "Burst - Python" wouldn't be a problem either.
Although it might affect his endurance, in a true life-and-death situation, it often comes down to a split second—being surrounded by the three snakes earlier was the perfect example.
If he hesitated for a moment and the python struck, it would be instant death!
A miss is as good as a mile!
The skill "Stalk - Python" was also good because, due to "Bullet Time," Tao Yu had a strong ability to perceive his surroundings. Now, with his hiding ability paired with it...
Huh, why does it seem like he's accidentally going down the assassin's path?
Tao Yu felt a bit dazed as he considered his skills. It really seemed so.
Stalking, bursting, one-hit kill?
But it was actually not bad too.
Even if facing someone far stronger than himself, decapitation meant certain death. Tao Yu had heard plenty of gossip from his parents about how the mighty have fallen and encountered unexpected defeats, with numerous accounts of successful first-strike tactics.
Setting other things aside, the python's power was supposed to be overwhelming, but he had managed to kill it three times.
He checked his Yuan Force and, although he spent a few points each day to accelerate his Breathing Technique, because of the random larger gains of eighteen or twenty Yuan Force units from the snake's teeth, he had accumulated around one hundred fifty again.
The "Basic Breathing Technique" was enhanced using about one hundred forty units, which meant he could strengthen another decent skill.
Without hesitation, Tao Yu focused his mind on "Stalk - Python," but the next moment, he was somewhat taken aback—his Yuan Force wasn't enough?
"This skill requires three hundred Yuan Force?"
Tao Yu was surprised; the consumption for some of the initial abilities wasn't that high, and his second talent was definitely a divine skill.
The innate talent, "Dynamic Vision," had only cost eight hundred, and the effective Breathing Technique was just one hundred forty. Yet this seemingly ordinary "Stalk - Python" required three hundred?
However, looking at this consumption, Tao Yu was neither complaining nor cursing. Instead, he felt a rush of excitement.
Both "Bullet Time" and "Basic Breathing Technique - Modified" had shown their superiority, with the effect of "Bullet Time" being unparalleled. The higher the consumption, the better the ability!
He shifted his attention to "Burst - Python" and guessed it would cost around one hundred, which was much less than "Stalk - Python" but a bit more than those three basic skills.
This made Tao Yu hesitate for a moment, but he decided to hold onto it for now.
Even if "Burst - Python" could once again enhance his burst of strength momentarily, his main means of damage was still firearms, and there was no urgent need for this skill.
By holding back, he could keep some Yuan Force for emergencies and he was also curious about the effect of the three hundred Yuan Force consuming skill "Stalk - Python."
"Basic Breathing Technique - Modified," although not as significant as "Bullet Time," was still quite impressive in Tao Yu's eyes. Why would "Stalk - Python" warrant more than double the cost?
It must offer something special.
"Tao Bro, the meat is ready. Do you prefer it soft or a bit charred? The water has boiled too. I found a tree hollow and got some water, which I've filtered with some rocks. There are also a few tree grubs here."
Zhang Wei was diligently bustling about, while Tao Yu took the food from him and chuckled.
"This is a good time to tell you about the 'Basic Breathing Technique.' First, understand it—don't practice blindly. Without proper guidance, you can hurt your lungs, which isn't easy to heal. I'll guide you through it in a bit and let you experience it..."
"Okay, thank you, Tao Bro! I'll do as you say!"
...
"...Inhale, remember if you feel any pain, don't bear it, just stop immediately. That's right, let your chest swell up, continue..."
Tao Yu stretched out a finger to press on both the front and back of Zhang Wei's chest, not being secretive in teaching the "Basic Breathing Technique."
With the deification of the skill, Tao Yu now intuitively sensed the Qi-Blood in his body, and he understood the principles of the previously practiced breathing techniques, making it not hard to teach.
"Cough cough~"
However, the basic breathing technique wasn't easy to learn; soon Zhang Wei started to cough violently, and Tao Yu stopped.
"Okay, you just got winded, so you can't practice anymore. Rest until this time tomorrow before trying again, and don't attempt it on your own."
Tao Yu had originally learned under the guidance of his older brother and had practiced for a long time.
The thing with this practice was that haste could lead to irreparable lung damage.
"Okay, thank you, Tao Bro."
Zhang Wei, while covering his mouth coughing, also expressed his thanks.
He knew the value of the Basic Breathing Technique, and if he could learn it this time, it would be a huge gain!
He spared no effort to please; he had to lick them up right.
But just then, a 'ding-dong' sound of a bell rang out, making both of them tense up at once.
There wasn't any wind now, which meant the alarm set up by Zhang Wei was triggered!
Tao Yu, holding his gun, leaned against a tree trunk scanning the area, locking onto the direction of the sound.
It wasn't a big commotion, so it was unlikely to be a Python, but they couldn't let their guard down either.
Zhang Wei followed Tao Yu's gaze, carrying a steel pipe and sneaked over, half-squatting on the ground with the end of the pipe ready on the ground for defense, ready to burst into action at any moment.
But then, a voice came from the direction of the bell
"Yo, you're pretty vigilant, don't shoot randomly, Pioneer."
Upon hearing the voice, the two of them relaxed slightly.
But out here in the wilderness, with no rules to bind them, essential vigilance was still necessary.
They couldn't be too careless just because the newcomers were from a certain place.
Soon after, they saw the bushes in the direction of the bell tremble and three figures emerge.
Seeing these three figures, Tao Yu's pupils contracted slightly.
One of them had a Mechanical Arm, which was connected to a shoulder-mounted cannon at the shoulder!
Blond hair, a Caucasian face, a strong body, and that mechanized part of the body conveyed an unseen pressure, one of the few inner-city youths!
In Starshine City, both the Inner and the Outer City were home to various races, with yellow and white races being more prominent.
Upon seeing Tao Yu and Zhang Wei, the inner-city youth's eyes lit up, and then he laughed,
"Haha, lucky us, two people, just one short now."
When Tao Yu heard this, he realized it wasn't just a coincidence that they had come across each other; the gunshots and grenade explosions earlier could be heard over some distance, likely attracting their attention, and then they'd tracked their way toward the sound and found the snake carcass before making their way over to the firelight.
Slightly moving, Zhang Wei took away his steel pipe with a bit of panic and astonishment in his eyes, glancing at Tao Yu as if pondering something, then hastily got up and earnestly cleaned off another piece of bluestone.
"Please, take a seat, sir."
Tao Yu glanced at Zhang Wei but said nothing.
By now, Tao Yu had learned all the skills from the Python, and given the broadcast information and the risk of the triple-snake attack this time, he wasn't opposed to temporary interactions, so he too lowered his gun smoothly and said,
"Then it seems our luck is even better, having an inner-city noble for support."
Saying nice things wrought no loss; after having been ground down by this world for eighteen years, Tao Yu wasn't about to suddenly become overflowing with pride.
This kind of speech, neither sycophantic nor quite pleasing, made Joseph unveil a toothy grin, plopping down on the spot Zhang Wei had swept clean.
The Mechanical Arm, not fearing the heat, reached into the fire and pulled out a piece of snake meat, blew on it by his mouth, and then crunched down on it.
"You're lucky indeed. Normally, I'd find it a hassle, but since young master Sun wants us all to bring along more Outsiders, sheltering you on the journey is no big deal. Anyway, what are your abilities, and did you kill those four Pythons? Is the Yuan Force Serpent Fang still there?"
Upon hearing this, Tao Yu knew that their meeting should not be considered a coincidence; after all, the gunfire and grenade explosions might have spread over a certain area, attracting the other party to actively go over and see the snake carcass, then fumble their way over here after seeing the firelight.
"I'm truly sorry, the difficulty of Awakening Day has clearly risen this time, and the Serpent Fang has already been absorbed. My talent is B-grade 'Dynamic Vision'; had I known you needed it, sir, I should've saved it."
Tao Yu spoke with a smooth tongue of half-truths; after all, the item was already absorbed, so naturally, he only picked the most pleasant-sounding parts to narrate.
Zhang Wei on the other hand honestly revealed his own 'Endurance' (D+) talent.
"B-grade?"
Joseph paused for a moment, then quickly raised his Mechanical Arm and swung it in front of Tao Yu.
"What was the count just now?"
"First three, then four, and last a fist."
Tao Yu knew the other party was doubtful and testing him out; the Mechanical Arm moved with great speed.
But showing off his own definite value was necessary, hoping that the other party's talent wasn't too poor, thus causing some jealous emotions or such. Inner City folks, they wouldn't be like that, right?
"Huh, not bad, two combat talents, way better than these two weaklings."
Having said that, he also seemed to dismiss Tao Yu's use of the Yuan Force Fang as an inconsequential matter,
"No problem, since it's used, it's used. That thing's information is a bit chaotic anyway; you'd need at least twenty or thirty to possibly straighten it out, and the mental contamination isn't low."
Joseph clearly had only asked casually, not placing much importance on the Serpent Fang.
An inner-city youth, just that Mechanical Arm alone would cost at least tens of thousands of Yuan Force, and connections were necessary too. The number and quality of skills learned from childhood were naturally far beyond those of Outsiders, so he wasn't too concerned.
Rather, it was Tao Yu and Zhang Wei's two combat talents that caught his interest.
"B-grade 'Dynamic Vision," try hard and you might even make it into the Inner City. 'Endurance' is also a Cure-all talent, not too shabby."
Speaking of which, he gestured vaguely towards the sky with his hand, saying,
"Especially since young master Sun is planning to establish a settlement here, and we're short on people, you guys are pretty good. You've found yourselves at a good time; you might even get benefits that surpass your talents."
Joseph seemed to appreciate Tao Yu's talent a lot, toning down some of the arrogance typical of an inner-city youth, recognizing this value...