Inside the Hilltop Villa, Yang Bin handed two Yaoguang Realm crystals to Hu Wenliang and Zhao Kun.
Neither of them played coy. They accepted the crystals with barely contained excitement.
Both sat down on the floor and, under everyone's expectant gazes, swallowed the crystals whole.
Five minutes later, they opened their eyes almost simultaneously.
"How is it? How is it? What abilities?" Everyone crowded around.
Zhao Kun stood up, looking somewhat resigned. "I finally get how good the boss has it, being able to pick his own ability."
"It's all just floating light spots in there. No way to tell what any of them do. Pure luck."
"And my luck? Not great."
"So what is it? Just spit it out already."
"Wind-type. Boosts my speed a bit when I activate it."
"Uh... that's it?"
"Yep."
"How much of a boost exactly?" Yang Bin asked.
"Not sure. Let me go test it."
Zhao Kun walked outside, ran a full lap around the mountaintop, and came back to the living room.
"Felt it out. When I activate it, I'm roughly 20% faster than normal." He shrugged, still looking underwhelmed.
"That's not bad at all. Fast legs mean you can chase people down or get the hell out. What's wrong with that?"
"Yeah, I think it's solid."
"Solid my ass. It's nothing compared to the boss or Haozi."
"You can't compare yourself to the boss - he got to choose. You rolled random. How's that fair? And Haozi just got lucky."
"Fine."
"I actually think this ability suits you perfectly. Your original ability never lacked damage. Pairing it with a speed boost is ideal." Yang Bin spoke up.
"What I'm more curious about is how your original skill changed."
"Hehe, now that's the part I'm happy about." Zhao Kun's earlier disappointment vanished, replaced by a grin.
Both his arms shifted into black Metal Arms. Then, spikes erupted along their surface.
Zhao Kun clenched his fists, threw a few casual swings, satisfaction written all over his face.
"I'm pretty sure I can cave in a Yaoguang zombie's skull with one punch now."
Everyone stared at the cold-gleaming spikes bristling from his arms and swallowed hard.
Take one of those to the face and you'd be crying for a week.
"Nice. Your damage output is already through the roof. The Wind-type Ability covers your agility gap. Two abilities, perfect synergy. There's no such thing as a bad ability - only bad fits. This one fits you."
"When you put it that way, boss, it really does suit me. Alright, I'll stop moping."
"Mm. Liangzi, what about yours?"
"My Healing Ability changed a lot. I don't need to touch you guys to heal anymore."
Hu Wenliang waved his hand casually. A white glow landed on Old Hei's shoulder, and the claw mark there faded away before everyone's eyes.
Both healing speed and effectiveness had improved noticeably.
Everyone's eyes lit up.
Thank god. No more full-body goosebumps from his hands all over them.
"That's huge. So you can heal people mid-combat now?"
"Yeah, but I still need to figure out the limits. I'm not sure how much energy different injuries cost yet."
"No rush. You'll get a feel for it. Worst case, we drag Old Hei out as the test dummy." Yang Bin grinned.
"Why me?"
"Because you're currently the weakest."
"......"
"What's the new ability?" Yang Bin asked.
"Not the strongest thing in the world, but decent. At least I finally have an offensive option." Hu Wenliang smiled.
He flicked his wrist. A streak of black light shot toward a stone slab outside. The slab punched clean through, leaving a neat hole.
"Dark-type?" Yang Bin asked.
"Yeah. Dark Bolt."
"Not bad. Serious penetrating power."
"I think so too. Should be able to punch through a Yaoguang zombie's skull. Only downside is the energy cost is steep."
"That's fine. Save it as a trump card."
"Mm."
"Haha! Star Fall Squad has officially arrived. Four Yaoguang Realm members - who the hell dares step to us now!"
"Don't get cocky. Forgot how we ended up running to this mountain in the first place?"
"......"
"Every time someone brings that up I get pissed. Bin-ge, when are we wiping out the Wang family and that bastard Mayor Ma?" Skinny Monkey's face twisted with anger.
"Once you three hit Yaoguang Realm, it'll be time. Some debts are overdue for collection."
"The Wang family's one thing, but Mayor Ma represents the government. If we kill him, won't that...?" Zhong Yuansen looked uneasy.
Yang Bin glanced at him, then spoke evenly. "Ah Sen. You've been with Star Fall Squad for a while now. Remember this - if you're one of us, don't second-guess yourself. Members of Star Fall Squad don't fear anyone."
"Understood." Zhong Yuansen nodded.
"Alright. Big haul today. We're staying in this afternoon - rest up. I'll cook something good. Haozi, grab a few bottles from the cellar. We're celebrating."
"On it."
---
On the other side...
The official Survival Base.
Ma Zhongguo was in his office, enjoying his secretary's mouth on him.
A knock on the door made them both jump.
The secretary shot to her feet, snatched up a stack of documents, and stood off to the side. Ma Zhongguo straightened his clothes in one smooth motion.
"Come in."
A soldier entered.
"Report, Mayor. The investigation you ordered is complete."
"Go ahead."
"Regiment Commander Zhao Hu has taken the 1st and 3rd Regiments to the large Armed Forces Department compound in Minghu District. They've established a base there."
"Tang Weiwei has left Star City with her team. Current whereabouts unknown."
"As for the group you flagged - aside from the older member, they're all students from Zhongxiang Academy."
"Their leader, Yang Bin, appears to have reached Tier-6 Evolver. The rest are Tier-5. Yang Bin is likely a teleportation-type ability user. The squad also includes an Invisibility-type special ability user and an earth-type elemental ability user."
"Seven people. Three ability users. No wonder they've climbed this fast in under a month."
"They also got lucky - happened to pick up a Tier-6 zombie that Liu Yong had already crippled." Ma Zhongguo tapped his fingers against the desk.
"Have you located them?"
"Yes. They're currently residing in a villa at the summit of Xingyue Mountain."
"Heh. Know how to live, don't they."
"Notify Wang Zhenhong. We supply the weapons, they supply the manpower. This time - no one escapes."
"Yes sir!"
"One more thing. The Tier-6 zombie situation?"
"This morning, Regiment Commander Xiao located a Tier-6 zombie in Yuelian Residential District. Minister Jiang has already deployed with heavy weapons and a group of Tier-5 Evolvers to assist."
"Good. That Tier-6 crystal must be secured as soon as possible."
"Yes sir."
"Dismissed."
"Yes sir."