Evolution Begins with Elemental Domination

The deal was done.

Afterward, Yuan Haotian, acting as an excellent broker, led Su Chen to find the owners of Fire Element Essence. Some had left the public area due to the potential spread of spores, while others had already made deals with other people.

But in a short amount of time, Su Chen shuttled between the two conference halls and actually managed to trade away most of his useless Rune Essence.

What he got in return were mainly Fire Element Essence and Flame Burst Runes.

Promotion Requirements: Flame Burst Rune 10/32, Spiritual Dust Sand 0/8, Spirit Marrow Crystal 0/3

’What a huge leap forward.’

One Lv3 Flame Burst was equivalent to four Lv1s. Combined with a successful trade for one Lv3 Earth Armor and other miscellaneous exchanges, one could imagine just how fast his progress was.

Additionally, he also traded all his Dark Element Essence for an equal amount of Light Element Essence.

He kept the Lv3 Healing Skill for himself.

As for that Lv3 Spiritual Detection...

”I only have one request. Help me keep an eye on the market for a Lv3 Holy Radiance.”

Su Chen patted Yuan Haotian’s shoulder and gave him his last remaining Dark Element Essence as a tip for his hard work.

This bald, muscular guy happily accepted it, patting his chest and promising, ”Leave it to me.”

Up ahead, he saw someone shouting for an expert’s help regarding a problem with the broadcasting room. Su Chen noticed that the people around him were reluctant to step up, seemingly waiting for someone else to take the lead. Since he was free, he decided not to stand by idly and was happy to help.

’If something happened to the public address system, everyone’s interests would be harmed.’

Two others went along with him. A woman said she had the Purification Skill and could absolutely guarantee that all pathogens would be eliminated.

But when the group arrived at the third-floor broadcasting room, the parasitized person they had been told about was nowhere to be seen.

”Huh?”

The staff member was dumbfounded.

Under the bright beam of a flashlight, however, many dust-like particles could be seen floating in the air.

Deciding to give it a shot anyway, the mature-looking woman cast her Purification Skill directly into the room. A brilliant, holy light shone, and the spores floating in the air rapidly vanished, turning into wisps of green smoke that dissipated into nothing.

’It’s working.’

Practice proved to be the ultimate test.

Su Chen grasped a key piece of information. At the very least, the fungal spores harmful to the human body fell within the scope of what Purification could affect.

’In that case, can it completely remove the parasite?’

”The Parasite Body is in another room. Follow me.”

Hearing Su Chen’s calm voice, the others were momentarily stunned, but they didn’t voice any doubts and followed his lead.

After rounding a corner in the hallway, they were met with a small door that wasn’t fully closed.

”This is the break room. Crap, don’t tell me someone is sleeping in there.” The staff member’s expression changed as he imagined the worst.

A swordsman, clearly intending to show off for the pretty lady, cast a light shield barrier on himself and quickened his pace.

To be fair, his appearance did give him the air of a Bright Knight.

However, Su Chen wasn’t about to let him act rashly. He still had some questions that needed answers.

He raised his right hand.

WHOOSH!

The heavy iron door in front of them suddenly swung wide open on its own. The beams of their tactical flashlights revealed a horrifying scene. A large man was pinning another man down. The attacker’s jaw was unhinged, wide open, and dozens of slick, writhing mycelial tentacles were extending from it.

These tentacles were forcing their way into the victim’s mouth, nose, and ear canals, even squeezing into his cranial cavity through the corners of his eyes.

The man being pinned down was still struggling, his hands frantically clawing at his attacker’s arms. His fingernails didn’t seem particularly sharp, yet they caused the attacker’s skin to crack and peel away, revealing muscle tissue webbed with mycelia underneath.

”Holy shit!!”

The gruesome scene stunned many of them.

Even the Bright Knight was gobsmacked, stopping dead in his tracks.

Of course, the commotion alerted the parasitized broadcasting staff member to their presence. The mycelial cord extending from its head immediately shot toward the doorway.

’Too slow...’

’It was nothing compared to the elite cave monster’s tongue-stab attack.’

Su Chen’s expression remained unchanged. His transformed Dynamic Vision could capture it perfectly.

The next instant.

The attacking mycelial cord froze in place.

An increasingly powerful, invisible force swept through the break room. It enveloped the Parasite Body completely, ripping it away from the innocent victim.

The severed mycelia stretched into thin threads in the air before being crushed into dust by the fluctuations of his Strong Will.

”Use the Purification Skill on the injured man first!” Su Chen said calmly.

For some reason, perhaps sensing his immense strength, the mature woman complied with his calm command.

The light of purification instantly bathed the injured man. With his Perception, Su Chen could clearly sense the parasitic mycelia inside the man’s skull rapidly disappearing.

But the damage caused by the parasite remained. The brain tissue inside was riddled with honeycomb-like holes, like wood devoured by termites—a shocking sight.

”I have the Light Healing Skill.”

the woman said in a low voice, seeming to realize something was wrong from the victim’s vacant expression.

Before she even finished speaking, a soft glow lit up her fingertips again. As she cast the skill from a distance, the victim’s head began to change—the holes filled in, the fissures closed, and new brain tissue was generated.

Su Chen didn’t know what level her Light Healing Skill was, or if it could solve the problem of brain damage once and for all. At the start of the cataclysm, Yan Ruoruo had suffered damage to her prefrontal lobe. Because it wasn’t treated immediately, she had been completely stripped of her emotions.