On the other side, Lin Xiao's thoughts were interrupted by another series of notifications.
[Congratulations! You have leveled up to Level 4.]
[You have gained 2 stat points and 2 skill points.]
[New Feature Unlocked: System Share]
Curious, Lin Xiao opened his status window to see the changes.
[Status Window]
Name: Lin Xiao
Race: Human
Class: None
Level: 4
Experience Points (EXP) to Level Up: 0/1000
Strength: 11.5
Stamina: 10.5
Intelligence: 14
Mana: 130.5
Charisma: 8
Stat Points: 2
Skill Points: 2
Skills: Strength Sharing (MAX), Photogenic Memory (MAX), Memory Manipulation (Lvl 1), Power Burst (Lvl 1), Map (Lvl 1), Shadow Steps (Lvl 1)
After a moment of consideration, he decided to distribute his stat points and skill points wisely.
He added both points to Charisma, boosting his ability to interact and influence others.
As he increased his charisma, a new skill was unlocked.
[New Skill Unlocked: Pheromone Manipulation]
[Pheromone Manipulation: Allows control and exertion of pheromones to make people like him more.]
Next, he turned his attention to the skill points. He decided to upgrade Memory Manipulation to Level 2, enhancing his capabilities further.
Upgrading Memory Manipulation to Level 2 not only reduced the mana cost by 5 per use but also improved his precision in making memories.
Now, he could create ten years' worth of memories in just half a day.
....
As the car pulled up to the military base, Lin Xiao quickly made an excuse to Li Jing. "I forgot to feed my cats," he said, trying to sound casual. "Can I go back home?"
Li Jing looked at him skeptically. "Call your family to feed them," she suggested.
"They only eat by my hands," Lin Xiao replied, his voice tinged with urgency.
Li Jing sighed, her eyes narrowing in slight annoyance. "Fine, but make it quick."
Soon, Lin Xiao was standing in front of his house.
As soon as the car disappeared from sight, he rushed inside and sprinted upstairs. He stopped short at the sight in his bedroom.
A man, tied up and looking disheveled, lay on the floor while his cats, Xiao Bai and Lil' Blackie, were playing on the bed.
"What the hell happened here?" Lin Xiao demanded, his eyes wide with shock.
Xiao Bai, licking himself nonchalantly, glanced up. "We had a visitor," he said, his tone casual.
Lil' Blackie, on the other hand, was quick to snitch. "Xiao Bai slapped him and broke his teeth," she said, her voice filled with a mix of excitement and anxiety. "Then I had to use my powers to age his legs backward, and Xiao Bai used his space control to stop him from screaming."
Lin Xiao sighed, rubbing his temples. "You two... what am I going to do with you?"
The man on the floor groaned, catching Lin Xiao's attention. He crouched down to inspect the intruder more closely. "Who is this guy?"
"He was snooping around, probably investigating you," Lil' Blackie explained, her tone serious. "We couldn't let him report back to anyone."
"Great," Lin Xiao muttered, considering the implications. "Now I have to deal with this mess too."
He turned to the man, who was now looking at him with a mix of fear and confusion. "What's your name?" Lin Xiao asked.
"Zhao... Zhao Ming," the man stammered.
"Alright, Zhao Ming," Lin Xiao said, trying to think quickly. "Why were you investigating me?"
"I was just following orders," Zhao Ming replied, his voice shaking. "I was sent to make sure you weren't connected to any terrorist organization."
Lin Xiao nodded slowly, considering his options. "Okay, here's what's going to happen. I'm going to erase your memory of this encounter. You won't remember anything about me, my cats, or why you were here."
He focused on his newly enhanced memory manipulation powers, channeling his energy into Zhao Ming. Within moments, Zhao Ming's eyes glazed over as his memories were rewritten.
"Now, you're going to leave here and report back that everything is clear," Lin Xiao instructed. "Understood?"
Zhao Ming nodded blankly, still under the influence of Lin Xiao's powers.
"Good," Lin Xiao said, helping him to his feet. "Now go."
As Zhao Ming stumbled out of the house, Lin Xiao turned back to his cats. "We need to be more careful from now on," he said, his voice firm. "No more surprises, understood?"
Both cats nodded, Xiao Bai still licking himself nonchalantly while Lil' Blackie looked a bit more contrite.
Lin Xiao took a moment to catch his breath, then opened his system interface to check the new feature called System Share. He read through its description carefully:
[System Share: This feature allows host to share some of his system functions with other people. These individuals can help him complete quests and missions. Only those who will never betray Lin Xiao can use this feature. Currently, the only eligible candidates are Xiao Bai and Lil' Blackie]
Lin Xiao's eyes widened with interest. "This could be useful," he muttered to himself. He glanced over at his cats, who were now curiously watching him.
"Hey, you two," he called out, getting their attention. "I have something new to show you."
Xiao Bai paused his grooming, and Lil' Blackie perked up, her tail flicking with curiosity. Lin Xiao focused on the System Share feature and selected his two cats as the recipients.
A moment later, both cats blinked as a new interface appeared before their eyes. Xiao Bai looked around in confusion, while Lil' Blackie tilted her head, trying to make sense of the new information.
"This is the System Share feature," Lin Xiao explained. "It allows you to access some of my system functions and help me with quests."
Lin Xiao explained the System Share feature to Xiao Bai and Lil' Blackie, detailing how they could now access some of his system functions and help with quests. Curious, both cats checked their own status windows.
[Status Window]
Name: Xiao Bai
Race: Cat
Class: None
Skills: Teleportation, Flying, Space Lock
Powers: Space Control (Lv.3 15/500)
Mana: 300
[Status Window]
Name: Lil'Blackie
Race: Cat
Class: None
Skills: Fast Forward (Fast forward time of a certain object by 10 years), Reverse (Reverse time of a certain object by 10 years)
Powers: Time Control (Lv.2 100/300)
Mana: 300
Xiao Bai, whose space control was now level 3, discovered he had a new skill called Space Lock. Lil' Blackie, meanwhile, saw that her time control remained at level 2. Lin Xiao could now also see the experience points required for them to level up their skills.
"Looks like you've both made some progress," Lin Xiao said, nodding in approval.
"But why can't I see their levels?" he asked the system.
[Their stats and levels are shared with you. The stronger you get, the stronger they will be. The only thing they can improve on their own is their superpowers]
Lin Xiao pondered this information, understanding the connection between their strengths and his own.
"Alright," he said, addressing his cats. "It seems that as I get stronger, so will you. Your powers, however, are something you can improve independently."