Chapter 55: Please Continue to Show Your Genius for Me
【Mind Link, a Mental Power skill, can connect one's consciousness with that of a companion, transmitting what one sees in their mind to theirs. It can connect up to three people. It can limitedly control people with weaker Mental Power, but if the opponent's Mental Power is too strong, it may result in a backlash. Requires 1 B-rank side quest and 5000 reward points.】
The next horror movie, though not a team battle, would very likely be Jurassic Park, and the Central Continent Team would definitely face very savage monsters.
Compared to humans, animals' 【will】 and 【reason】 are often their weaknesses.
In the original work, Zhan Lan once used Mind Link to control two mutated Aliens, so it should be no problem to manipulate or interfere with dragon-shaped monsters.
This was the main reason Fang Ge recommended Mind Link.
“Me? Is it me? This isn’t right, is it?”
Ms. Zhan felt a bit apprehensive and guilty.
She wasn't questioning the suitability of this exchange; this method of transmitting information had a huge advantage, greatly increasing the team's tacit understanding and coordination.
But, did she deserve Fang Ge’s resource investment?
During this journey, Ms. Zhan still hadn't found a reason why she was indispensable.
Her enhanced Mental Power Scan could only bully small monsters. When encountering slightly stronger enemies, she couldn't provide accurate intelligence to her teammates because the opponent possessed shielding methods like Telekinesis.
If it weren’t for her false information, the helicopter wouldn’t have crashed.
She did indeed figure out the truth about G5's Telekinesis on the spot, but Fang Ge didn't need her intelligence to handle it alone.
Instead, she had always relied on her teammates' protection… and she hadn't even performed her healing duties well.
Zheng Zha was a top-tier melee warrior, Jin Xi was a balanced all-rounder, and Chu Xuan was a logistics expert and the brains of the operation.
Fang Ge was an even more heaven-defying all-rounder, with no weaknesses visible in him.
What was she? A pendant? A radar?
Did she even deserve Fang Ge’s reward points? Could she bear the corresponding team responsibilities?
Ms. Zhan felt she already owed Fang Ge enough, and it had only been a few days!
If she were truly Fang Ge’s close friend, or even his companion… then it would be fine, but the two were far from that intimate.
Ms. Zhan’s sense of morality prevented her from having a “position” that would allow her to accept Fang Ge’s gifts with a clear conscience.
Ms. Zhan nervously rubbed her smooth knees with her hands, and politely declined with a smile:
“I have a B-rank side quest myself, and enough reward points…”
Her words abruptly stopped.
“I have other arrangements for your side quests and reward points.”
The moment Fang Ge’s undeniable eyes met hers, Ms. Zhan no longer had the courage to continue speaking.
“Splitting side quests is a very foolish act, and I happen to have many things that require C-rank side quests to exchange for.”
With things said to this extent, Ms. Zhan couldn’t find any reason to refuse.
If you can’t resist, then you can only accept, right?
As soon as this thought arose, Ms. Zhan felt as if the world had broadened a bit.
She made a small bear-shrugging gesture and said, “You’re the captain, so you call the shots… What do you need this humble girl to do for you?”
— Haki-ran, you’re not normal if you’re not in love, are you?
Fang Ge glared at Ms. Zhan in annoyance and decided to give her a very suggestive exchange list:
“Check out the magic and legend categories for ‘Child of the Stars - Basic Enhancement’, ‘Reversing Heaven Seven Demonic Blades’, and ‘The Great Joy of Heaven and Earth Yin and Yang’. Two items from the food section: ‘Young True Dragon Kidney’, and one ‘Young True Dragon Lung’… The ingredients must be fresh.”
As soon as he said this, Zheng Zha and Zhang Jie, the two male comrades, showed a strange expression of “You’re really something, kid.”
Is this something you can say in public?
The Great Joy of Heaven and Earth Yin and Yang? Wasn't that the erotic novel written by Bai Juyi’s younger brother, Bai Xingjian?
And what was the deal with dragon kidneys? Eating it to supplement that part?
The female writer, with her ample cultural knowledge, better understood the underlying meaning, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks as she subtly glanced at Fang Ge and Jin Xi out of the corner of her eye.
Fang Ge didn't care what the NPCs thought; instead, Jin Xi was somewhat annoyed by it, her already slightly flushed cheeks from the effects of the fatal fruit turning even redder.
Although these things were strange, it didn't prevent Ms. Zhan from obeying Fang Ge’s instructions. She closed her eyes and began to search for the items.
【Child of the Stars - Basic Enhancement, from the League of Legends universe. Soraka is a wanderer from the celestial dimension beyond Mount Targon. She abandoned her immortal godhood to protect mortal races from their own violent instincts. The exchanger can possess a small portion of Soraka's abilities. Physical fitness is slightly improved, vitality is greatly increased, and energy can be obtained from the stars. Possesses the Star Infusion skill. Requires 1 B-rank side quest and 5000 reward points.】
【Star Infusion, can consume vitality and energy to restore injuries and replenish vitality for others.】
【Reversing Heaven Seven Demonic Blades, from Shen Mu (Divine Tomb). Legend has it that a peerless demon once, on the verge of death, unleashed seven consecutive blades, breaking through the void to ascend. He condensed all his vitality into seven black blade lights. Each blade strike would stack one layer of power, and finally, when the seven layers of power combined, they would unleash terrifying power capable of destroying heaven and earth, but it would also exhaust his vitality. Requires 1 A-rank side quest and 10000 reward points. Exchanging for the manual only requires 1 C-rank side quest and 1000 reward points.】
【The Great Joy of Heaven and Earth Yin and Yang, from Pan-Wuxia. A method created by casting the two bodies of male and female, and the two instruments of yin and yang, referencing the operation of the yin and yang cycle of all things in heaven and earth. Both heaven and man cultivate together, and practitioners can thus comprehend the great joy of nature. Requires 1 A-rank side quest and 8000 reward points. Exchanging for the manual only requires 1 C-rank side quest and 800 reward points.】 Note 1.
When Ms. Zhan opened her eyes again, there was a hint of worry in them:
“Do you really want to practice such an extreme martial art? Although its power is great, can a person still live after all their vitality is drawn out?”
“That’s why you need to enhance Child of the Stars…”
Waving his hand to signal Ms. Zhan to shut up, Fang Ge softly said, “From my observation, you discovered the secret of that monster’s Telekinesis acceleration in the final stage of the battle, didn’t you?”
“Perhaps you haven’t fully mastered this skill. But this is enough to show that Mental Power Scan has been developed in your hands to break through Mental Power shielding!”
“The Main God has a similar exchange called 【Clarity】. It can consume a large amount of Mental Power to break through the opponent’s Mental Power shielding for a few seconds. Do you know how many reward points it takes to exchange for this ability alone from the Main God?”
“A full two C-rank side quests and 6000 reward points. So Mind Link shouldn’t be a burden, but rather a reward belonging to you.”
Reward?
Hearing this, Ms. Zhan felt a little confused.
I developed a skill? Am I that amazing?
At this moment, she noticed that others were looking at her differently.
Whether it was surprise or admiration, it all recognized her “value.”
That was a sense of recognition; she was starting to find her place.
“You are a genius in this field. Please continue to show your genius for me, and for the team.”
Facing the trust Fang Ge placed in her, Ms. Zhan’s heart beat faster and faster, and her eyelids turned slightly red.
Her lips gently moved a few times, as if she wanted to speak but held back:
“But…”
— I’ve got you hooked, haven’t I? You little rascal!
“Then there’s no ‘but.’ You don’t have to feel ordinary either.”
Fang Ge’s lips curved slightly upward as he retorted:
“What? I’m going to spend a fortune to enhance your Mind Link, and you’re still unwilling to give me your vitality?”
“Of course, I’m willing!”
Her voice was clear and firm, Ms. Zhan replied, never before so forcefully.
Note 1: The Great Joy of Heaven and Earth Yin and Yang, an essay by Bai Xingjian, the younger brother of the Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi. It is suspected to be the prototype of 【Heaven and Earth Conquering Yin and Yang Great Compassion Art】. So here I have re-created it as a dual Cultivation technique… Anyway, according to the setting, 【Journey to the West】 and 【Tao Te Ching】 can both be interpreted as Cultivation techniques through hidden meanings, so there’s no reason why The Great Joy of Heaven and Earth Yin and Yang shouldn’t work.
As for why I didn't use settings like 【Huangdi Neijing】 and 【Joyful Union Sect Manuals】, the former should be more advanced, and the latter lacks a clear designation. Given this, it's better to choose objectively existing classics.
This is just the author’s personal preference. Just regard it as an ordinary fictional dual Cultivation technique.