After beating up Ge Xiaolun, Zhang Zheng felt refreshed, as if the air was much cleaner.
"Zhang Zheng, are you sure it's okay to just beat up the Power of the Galaxy like that?" Zhixin asked, showing some concern for Ge Xiaolun, who was lying on the ground.
"It's fine. Xiaolun is about to become a god. The energy on Earth is limited, so when I was beating him, I actually gave him some extra energy. Once he wakes up, he'll have ascended," Zhang Zheng explained. He wasn't just beating Ge Xiaolun for the sake of it; he had noticed that Ge Xiaolun had already reached the threshold for becoming a god, but he was just lacking the necessary energy. So, Zhang Zheng took the opportunity to fill up that gap while he was beating him up.
In fact, Liu Chuang was the same. When Zhang Zheng was training with him, he discovered the same potential and gave him the needed energy during their sparring sessions. However, Ge Xiaolun had fallen behind in his physical evolution because he had been focused on studying. But with recent battles, his body had unknowingly reached the critical point, and he only needed enough energy to make the leap.
"Hehe, you really are generous. But don't they have the Light of the Sun? Why couldn't that energy help them ascend?" Yan found it quite interesting that both Zhixin and Liu Chuang had ascended with Zhang Zheng's help, and now the same was happening with Ge Xiaolun.
"There's no need to be surprised, Yan. I can absorb energy of any attribute, and similarly, I can convert my energy into any attribute. That's why I can help them," Zhang Zheng explained. "As for Reina, while she can also use solar energy and nuclear energy, she needs a conversion process. If it's just about replenishing energy, it's fine. But if she were to help them ascend, it would take a lot longer."
Zhang Zheng had only discovered this ability after absorbing the energy of the Infinity Stones. However, he still couldn't convert the energy in his body on his own and needed some time. The energy he provided for Ge Xiaolun and the others to ascend to godhood was attribute-less, meaning it would convert into whatever attribute they needed upon absorption.
"Hehe, so you're like a more advanced version of Reina's charging doll!" Yan teased, laughing at Zhang Zheng's explanation.
Zhang Zheng wasn't bothered by Yan's teasing; instead, he was captivated by her smile. "Yan, leave the door open for me tonight!"
Zhang Zheng hugged Yan from behind and whispered in her ear, nibbling on her earlobe.
"Do you dare to come?" Despite being surprised by Zhang Zheng's sudden move, Yan, a seasoned veteran, wasn't one to back down.
"Absolutely."
Zhang Zheng wasn't thinking about anything else. With Angel Leng and Lingxi gone with Kaisha, it was time to finally enjoy the mature fruit that was Yan.
"Then come, I don't mind!"
"Mm, tonight, you're mine."
"Open the door, let's go back."
Yan pushed Zhang Zheng away, feeling a bit shy as she glanced around. Though this area of the Juxia was out of sight, she knew it was definitely being monitored. She didn't want anyone watching them while she was being intimate with Zhang Zheng.
"Alright, let's go back." Zhang Zheng opened a portal and, holding Yan and Zhixin's hands, walked through it.
As for Ge Xiaolun, who was still lying on the ground, Zhang Zheng figured that enduring some hardship was part of ascending to godhood.
Shortly after Zhang Zheng left, Du Kao and the others arrived at Ge Xiaolun's location.
"Xiaolun's gotten lucky amidst disaster," Du Kao said with a smile as he looked at Ge Xiaolun lying on the deck, speaking to Lian Feng beside him.
Du Kao couldn't be happier right now. Zhang Zheng had essentially just gifted him another god.
"General, Xiaolun's Immortal Body is a bit special. If he's going to fully ascend, it will take at least a few more hours. Should we take him back to the dormitory?" Lian Feng, being kind-hearted, felt a little sorry for Ge Xiaolun, who was sporting a black eye.
To Lian Feng, the future gods of the Xiongbing Company were just children, and it broke her heart to see Ge Xiaolun lying on the ground like that.
"Leave him be. What if we interrupt his ascension?" Du Kao, while pleased with Ge Xiaolun's ascension, hadn't forgotten that Ge Xiaolun had tried to push him to take the blame earlier. Plus, with Ge Xiaolun having feelings for Rose, Du Kao, as the father-in-law from Texas, had long found him unpleasant. This was a perfect opportunity.
"Uh... okay, whatever you say, General." This was the first time Lian Feng had seen this side of Du Kao. Interrupting Ge Xiaolun's ascension? Yeah, right. Lian Feng, as a tech officer, had seen ascensions before. There was no such thing as an interruption. It was absurd to suggest that ascension to a higher godhood would be interrupted. But Du Kao was the general, and Lian Feng was just a sergeant; rank has its privileges.
Time passed quickly, especially for Ge Xiaolun, who was in the middle of ascending.
"Ugh..." Ge Xiaolun opened his eyes, squinting against the midday sun.
Question: When you wake up outdoors and see a sky full of stars, what does that mean? The answer is definitely not that the weather is nice today. Answer: Your tent is gone. Ge Xiaolun was now facing a similar problem. Why could he see the sun while lying down? The answer was that he was lying outside.
Scratching his head, Ge Xiaolun got up from the deck. Feeling full of energy, he was a bit confused. Had he recharged on solar power?
"Awake?"
Du Qiangwei jumped down from the ship's railing, seeing Ge Xiaolun stand up.
"Qiangwei," Ge Xiaolun mumbled, unable to speak properly when he saw her. He instinctively took two steps forward but then stopped.
"When Zhang Zheng was beating you, he transferred some energy to you. You're a god now. Do you feel any changes in your body?" Qiangwei asked, slightly envious as she looked at Ge Xiaolun.
Her genes were quite unique, making it even harder for her to ascend to godhood.
"Uh..." Ge Xiaolun tried to feel the changes in his body. He felt stronger and full of energy, as if his body had become more powerful.
"My strength has increased, and I guess my defense is stronger too," Ge Xiaolun said uncertainly.
"You three from the great projects really are blessed. As long as your bodies reach a certain level and you have enough energy, ascending to godhood is this easy."
"And, unlike us, even after ascending to godhood, our physical strength is capped. But you and Liu Chuang can keep getting stronger until your divine bodies reach the peak of the third generation."
Qiangwei's tone was full of envy. She wasn't envious of her teammates becoming stronger; she was just frustrated with her own weakness, unable to better protect her country.
"Don't worry, Qiangwei. I'll protect you. I'm a tank, and as long as I'm standing, I'll protect you all," Ge Xiaolun said naturally, fully meaning it.
"Mm, will you really protect me?" Qiangwei looked at Ge Xiaolun in disbelief. What was up with him today? He seemed so charming!
Qiangwei lowered her head, feeling a bit nervous as she asked.
"Yeah, not just you, Qiangwei, but Xin Ye, Yaowen, Mengmeng, Qilin, and Xiaoli too." Every name Ge Xiaolun mentioned made Qiangwei's fists clench tighter, and her expression grew colder.
By the time Ge Xiaolun finished listing everyone, Qiangwei had returned to her usual icy demeanor.
"You should protect them instead. I don't need it. I'm the Time-Space Rose. As long as I want to leave, no one can hurt me." Qiangwei said, then stepped back and disappeared in a ripple of space.
Ge Xiaolun watched Qiangwei disappear, scratching his head in confusion.
"Did I do something wrong?" Ge Xiaolun asked, bewildered.