075. What mutant doesn't go mad? It's just holding on for dear life!

  After leaving Xislong's office, Li Aozi wahe streets, gazing at the factories, schools, and hospitals that had been heavily bombed by Frost-Pted forces. He looked at the ruins and the homeless huddled by the walls and houses, warming themselves by fires. For a moment, he felt quite emotional.

  No matter what, the Granter people would iably have a hard time. The numerous embargo policies left them without suffit goods, and unemployment and poverty would pgue the Granter people for a long time.

  Li Aozi owerless to ge that.

  He went up and handed out some food tnant women and families with children, then headed to the field hospital to visit Alexia.

  To his surprise, Alexia’s room was surrounded by people, most of whom were current Granter officials and Bermudes members. When Li Aozi arrived, they were gathered outside the room, listening ily to Alexia’s words:

  "Granter's problem lies not in energy but in the ck of an industrial system. The people o establish their own industry to prevent Frost-Pted’s embargo from choking them. You’re not g in food, and food be used to make alcohol, fertilizer, sucrose, or even explosive filling materials. But in my view, the most important thing is to unite all the forces you within Granter and abroad, to let the world know about your existence, and your just war..."

  Alexia sat up in her hospital bed, her tall frame propped up by three pillows, with a writing board spread across her knees. One hand held a pen, scribbling notes, while the estured animatedly as she passionately and patiently expined.

  People had already accepted her identity as an old-era Yamiryoko native. After some inquiries, they were surprised to discover that Alexia had been born on this nd.

  In the old era, the eastern region of Granter was an encve of the Yamiryoko Federation. Later, when the Camity disaster struck, the federation was destroyed, and the eastern region was abandoned. People stopped searg for the old nds, tent to hold on to their livelihoods under Frost-Pted's exploitation.

  From this perspective, Alexia could even be sidered an aor of the Granter people...

  Of course, bloodline was only the foundation of acceptance. What truly vinced people of Alexia's value was her eloquend knowledge.

  Granter’s educational level was low, but Alexia had received the highest education of the old era's peak period, along with extensive legal experience. Most importantly, she spoke pinly, in words even a farmer could uand. People could prehend her, enjoyed listening, and thirsted for knowledge.

  Seeing Alexia so well-received and rec nicely, Li Aozi felt relieved.

  "She’s a prosecutor. Her true duty is to judge crimes and uphold justiot to hold a trigger."

  Iy, this was the best oute for Alexia.

  Five hundred years ter, she was ba a new homend, doing what she loved and wao do. That was enough.

  Just as Li Aozi was about to leave with his biochemical pool, the Dao Path system panel suddenly popped up:

  【Notice: The first follower of the Dao Path has emerged.】

  【You may influehem by impnting yeic seed.】

  "Finally... one of those three soldiers has awakened Omega Energy."

  The Dao Path system for 【Domination】 allowed Li Aozi to grant an awakened Omega Energy slot to eaew tier of followers on his path. This awakening slot could increase the probability of awakening Omega Energy by up to 60%.

  Currently, there was only one low-tier follower, so only one Omega Energy could be slotted. To add another, he would have to wait for a neha-tier 【Mutant】 to successfully asd.

  Upon cheg, Li Aozi found that the Dao Path system's greatest advantage was the ability to influehe odds of awakening Omega Energy in pyers or Azure Star citizens who followed the 【Domination】 path.

  With this, the reserve didates for 【Starfall Master】 would be abundant, as any Azure Star pyer or resident would have a 60% ce of following the 【Starfall Master】 path.

  Without hesitation, Li Aozi pced his own 【Eye of Truth】 into the priority awakening slot for Omega Energy.

  【You have set "Eye of Truth" as the priority awakening Omega Energy.】

  【Current awakening probability: 60%】

  Although 【Gravity】 was undoubtedly the most powerful Omega Energy, Li Aozi k wasn’t an easy ability to master. It required a strong imagination, knowledge of physics, and quick reflexes.

  To say nothing of the fact that most people would likely just use 【Gravity】 to throw rocks and trol movement. Those who mao learn to fly or accelerate would already be among the elites.

  Other Omega Energies... 【Natural Ignition】 had high destructive power but little impa the battlefield.

  【Soulfed Sword Saint】 was only good for close bat, limiting its scope.

  【Sever Vitality】 was actually det, but its utility was limited.

  【Blood of Immortality】 wasn’t tempting enough for pyers since pyers weren't afraid of death.

  【Armor of the Mountains】 was mediocre at best; it was only Li Aozi’s high 【Charisma】 that made this attribute seem better.

  sidering that 【Charisma】 was a demanding attribute that couldn't be easily improved through training, Li Aozi po sell products that could generally boost it by 3-5 points, which would be a signifit advantage for early-stage pyers.

  Overall, 【Eye of Truth】 still seemed like the most cost-effective choice—low energy ption, short cooldown, and high returns.

  What was the cept behind it?

  The st on that had all three of these advantages was the automatic rifle.

  Pyers o identify mear, and in the early stages, when equipment was inferior to that of NPCs, the ability to gather intelligen the enemy was crucial.

  After all, leveling up was all about pig the weakest targets to gain an advantage.

  The key point was that with this skill, shapeshifters would suffer greatly. Unlike in the past, pyers' trust wouldn’t be destroyed, and they could enjoy the game properly.

  Li Aozi remembered a phrase that opur among 【Mutant】 pyers ba the day:

  "What mutant doesn't go mad? It's just holding on for dear life!"

  If regur pyers pyed the way Li Aozi did, they would find Omega Energy’s early output efficy frustratingly low, as if they were stu a prison.

  Their endurance couldn’t pare to that of 【Biomancers】, their toughness wasn’t on par with 【Judicators】, and while their burst damage was higher than that of 【Warriors】, could 【Mutants】 hit the lightly armored bae units like 【Rangers】 and 【Assassins】 could?

  But with 【Eye of Truth】, the situation ged.

  After all, 【Medium】 was the only early-stage css with powerful information-gathering abilities.

  Now, 【Mutants】 had it too.

  Mere teical skill wasn’t enough—Li Aozi inteo use 【Eye of Truth】 to ge people's perceptions of 【Mutants】.

  "Now that someone has awakened Omega Energy, it’s best to go che them and offer some encement."

  Li Aozi followed the bea given by the Dao Path system and flew directly to the outskirts of Speya, nding at an abandoned factory. As soon as he he military pyers became tense, raised their guns toward him, and shouted:

  "This is a military facility, do not approach."

  "Rex, I'm here to see the three young men pursuing Omega Energy."

  Li Aozi was uhe effects of his 【Aura of Goodwill】 applied to pyers as well. The most immediate ge the military pyers noticed was that Li Aozi's urned friendly green.

  At the same time, each of their systems dispyed a new notification:

  【This entity is a friendly ally and ot be attacked.】

  The military pyers exged gnces and, realizing what was happening, quickly activated 【Disguise Mode】, adopting NPC personalities and naturally iing with Li Aozi. Soon, Li Aozi met the three poor souls who had e to work for him for free.

  Among them, the young man named Walianko had shining runes in his eyes, and Li Aozi instantly knew he was the first 【Mutant】 pyer. Smiling, he extended his hand in gratutions:

  "Well done. I se—you’ve also mastered the power of Omega Energy."

  As he spoke, he poio his own rune-inscribed eyes:

  "It’s the same Omega Energy as mihis power is called 【Eye of Truth】, and it's aremely useful Omega Energy."

  Walianko quickly activated 【Disguise Mode】 aedly said, "Thanks to your help, I ow protect my homend."

  Li Aozi ughed heartily, then noticed that the military pyers had hung up a business lise on the wall. Raising an eyebrow in feigned curiosity, he asked:

  "Have you all started a merary pany?"

  "Yes." The response came from the squad leader, Liu Wenzhong, who stepped forward, saluted Li Aozi, and then said, "Mr. Li Aozi, thank you for yreat tributions to resisting the Frost-Pted invaders."

  "It’s nothing," Li Aozi said indifferently.

  "No, to be ho: I doubted your abilities before. But now, seeing Walianko's performance, I realize that Omega Energy is such a miraculous power. Without drones, radar, or atmospheric satellites, we still gain incredibly valuable information."

  Liu Wenzhong’s attitude had not only ged but had bee one of genuine respect for this newfound ability.

  Walianko's 【Eye of Truth】 was equivalent to the best surveilnce system and radar. In urban and indoor bat, it was far more useful thabeat sensors and echolocation.

  It was widely known that the best way to fight in urban or indoor enviros was not to fight at all—just use overwhelming firepower. But most of the time, c with firepower only put a heavy burden on logistics. The brutal information disparity in such terrai that urban bat usually involved throwing bodies into the fray.

  Until now, when Walianko had just awakened Omega Energy, they immediately ducted a short training simution, and the results had left them dumbfounded.

  In a simuted kill house within the abandoned factory, Walianko single-handedly took down 12 soldiers attag him.

  He was even running and gunning, relying on his incredible mobility and 【Eye of Truth】's x-ray vision. While others were slowly ing through rooms, avoiding fatal funnel areas and visual blind spots, using fshbangs and offensive greo clear rooms, Walianko just crashed through doors and windows, didn’t eveo look, and with one burst, wiped out all his oppos.

  Although the military pyers had used simir equipment in real life, within the game, pyer-trolled characters had their fears araiirely lifted, charging forward without hesitation. They had never seen such absurdity.

  One versus twelve, een seds, total annihition.

  With equal gear and simir shooting skills, it all came down to an information gap.

  The soldiers were dumbfounded, and so was Liu Wenzhong. He quickly corrected his previous biases and immediately started discussing potential ercial cooperation with Li Aozi.

  "We pn to purchase a rge quantity of these potions, Mr. Li Aozi," Liu Wenzhong said early. "If we awaken this kind of Omega Energy in all of us, we’ll surely defeat the Frost-Pted invaders."

  "The activation speed of the DM-101 Omega Energy potions is rather slow, and we ’t guarantee a specifiega Energy will awaken. These issues… haven’t been resolved yet."

  Li Aretfully shook his head, pointing out some fws. But just as Liu Wenzhong began to feel disappointed, Li Aozi suddenly shifted gears.

  "However—"

  He raised his hand, and the flesh of his palm twisted, f a spiraling bud with silver runes faintly glowing, illuminating Li Aozi’s gentle and kind face:

  "I temporarily lend you my own Omega Energy."

  AnnouA big thank you to [Dave_S] for joining my Patreon! Your support means a lot to me.

  FAL