Late at night. The Hilltop Villa backyard.
Chen Hao dragged the Light-type Ability user out of the basement and tossed him into the courtyard.
The man's face was twisted in agony, a stream of curses still spilling from his mouth.
Fang Sijie and Lin Yifei watched the scene with open confusion.
Although Yang Bin had told Lin Yifei she was a Reserve Member, the truth was simpler - the moment he brought her back, he'd already accepted her. Otherwise, why bring her at all?
Since she was part of the team, there was no point hiding things. That would only breed distrust. So Yang Bin called her over too.
Use people fully or don't use them at all. That was Yang Bin's principle.
"Lie down," Yang Bin said to Fang Sijie.
"Oh - okay."
Puzzled, Fang Sijie quickly lay flat on the ground.
The moment he was down, Chen Hao moved. One clean strike ended the Light-type Ability user's life. A mercy, all things considered.
Then Yang Bin, practiced and efficient, guided the ability light point from the dead man's body into Fang Sijie.
"Done. Feel it out."
Fang Sijie stood up, looking at Yang Bin with uncertainty.
"Focus your mind. Will a Light Shield into existence in front of you - something to block incoming damage."
Beside them, Lin Yifei's eyes went wide.
Because what Yang Bin just described was the exact ability of the man lying dead on the ground.
Fang Sijie was skeptical, but he tried it Yang Bin's way.
A Light Shield materialized in front of him.
"!!!"
Fang Sijie's eyes went round. Lin Yifei clapped a hand over her mouth, disbelief written across her face.
"You can actually transfer abilities?!"
"So that's how it works... No wonder everyone in the Star Fall Squad is an ability user!" Both of them stood there dazed. It was simply too incredible.
"Shocking, right? Basic operation around here. You'll get used to it." Old Hei patted Fang Sijie's shoulder, smug as hell.
"......"
Fang Sijie adapted fast. He pulled himself together within seconds, then turned to Yang Bin with a serious expression.
"Brother Bin. Thank you."
"What's there to thank? You're Star Fall Squad. How can you not have an ability? It's our trademark."
"Mm." Fang Sijie nodded firmly.
Yang Bin made it sound effortless, but Fang Sijie wasn't naive. Extracting this Light-type Ability user from the official base must have cost significant effort.
He said nothing more. Just filed it away silently.
Yang Bin tossed the corpse into the iron cage with the zombies.
Evolver flesh was a potent supplement for zombies - it accelerated their evolution. The higher the evolver's stage, the greater the effect. That was also why zombies threw themselves at humans with such reckless abandon the moment they spotted one.
Yang Bin suspected the Yaoguang Realm zombie that emerged last time was likely a result of feeding them that Fire-type Ability user's corpse.
That body had gone to these same zombies.
So he gave them this one too. Maybe tonight would produce another Yaoguang Realm zombie. These Tier-5 Zombies had been at that stage for a while now - many were probably at Tier-5 Peak already.
If someone asked Yang Bin to capture live people to feed zombies, he couldn't do it. But tossing them a useless corpse? No issue.
Fang Sijie and Lin Yifei both frowned slightly but said nothing.
Neither was stupid. They understood exactly what Yang Bin was doing.
"Alright, rooftop. Time to cultivate."
Yang Bin smiled and led everyone upstairs to watch the stars.
The Star Fall Squad now numbered nine. All nine were ability users. Seven had already reached Yaoguang Realm.
A lineup like that could steamroll anything at this stage.
But Yang Bin understood - numbers still played a decisive role in many situations.
As more and more people reached Yaoguang Realm, relying on eight or nine people to stand against an entire base would become unrealistic.
A faction was still necessary.
But Yang Bin refused to become a workhorse, grinding crystals daily just to fuel faction growth. That would absolutely drag down his own advancement.
So yes, build a faction - but keep numbers small in the early phase. Every member had to be a high-stage evolver capable of sustaining themselves.
With the crystals he'd accumulated, including those from the official base, he had close to fifty thousand crystals across all stages. Enough to seed early development. After that, they'd need to sustain themselves. He trusted Fang Sijie could make it work.
On the rooftop, everyone sprawled across the balcony, gazing up at the stars.
Lin Yifei saw this and asked no questions. She simply followed suit.
The deeper she got, the more unfathomable this squad seemed.
No wonder the Star Fall Squad's strength surpassed the official forces. It wasn't a fluke. It was inevitable.
After a full night of cultivation, Yang Bin gained 30 kilograms of strength through star body tempering. Nothing else.
He was already at Tier-6 Peak. No breakthrough wasn't surprising.
Still, Spiritual Energy continued flowing into his body even without a visible boost.
Yang Bin figured it was accumulating - building pressure for the push to Tier 7.
Lin Yifei felt the power growing inside her with quiet shock. How had they even discovered this cultivation method?
But she didn't ask. She knew the rule right now: watch more, ask less.
Yang Bin activated True Vision Eye and glanced toward the iron cage.
The corner of his mouth curled upward.
Sure enough - another zombie in the cage had advanced to Yaoguang Realm.
But this sneaky bastard had clearly learned from its predecessor's mistake. It gave nothing away, lying in the cage just like the other Tier-5 Zombies.
Probably planning to break out after they left.
Yang Bin smiled and led everyone downstairs to the cage.
The Yaoguang Realm zombie was still playing dead inside, limp and lifeless.
"Ah Kun, drag that one out." Yang Bin pointed at it.
"Got it."
Zhao Kun nodded. His hands shifted into Metal Arms. He popped open the cage, grabbed the zombie, and hauled it out.
The instant it cleared the bars, the Yaoguang Realm zombie dropped the act. It lunged, jaws gaping wide, snapping straight for Zhao Kun's head.
"Hmph. Been waiting for that."
Zhao Kun sneered and drove a fist into the zombie's torso, slamming it into the ground.
An earth spike erupted from below, punching clean through its body. A Wind Blade followed instantly, severing its head.
Zhao Kun, Zhong Yuansen, Skinny Monkey - three-man coordination. The Yaoguang Realm zombie didn't even get to thrash before it was done.
"Haha, crystals don't get easier than this," Old Hei laughed.
"Mm. Haozi, take the crystal out. Give it to Sijie."
"On it."
Chen Hao walked over. A layer of black Sharp Edge coated his dagger. He sliced the zombie's skull open with zero resistance and plucked out the crystal.
He handed it to Fang Sijie.
Fang Sijie took the crystal. His expression was... complicated.
All that time following Qin Wei, and he'd ended up with nothing.
One day with the Star Fall Squad. An ability and a Yaoguang Realm crystal.
The feelings hit all at once - gratitude, disbelief, a bitter laugh at his own past.
This time, he didn't say thank you. Saying it again would just put distance between them.