Chapter 173

Chapter 173 "Too dangerous. Can your Mental Energy handle it?" Si Zhaohua asked, frowning with concern. The fish were numerous, their individual attacks weak but collectively devastating. If [Gorgeous Domain] failed, Ai Baozhu would be devoured. "I’ll try first," Lan Subing stepped forward. [Word Spirit], a top-tier Ability, was versatile, though she wasn’t sure of success. Regardless, it was safer than Ai Baozhu experimenting. With no objections, Lan Subing focused her Mental Energy: "「Separate」." The fish parted as intended, but before they fully dispersed, Lan Subing faltered. As the fish in one area separated under [Word Spirit], others frantically filled the gap. She quickly realized her Mental Energy couldn’t command all the fish to stay away, so she gave up, shaking her head regretfully: "It won’t work." No one was surprised. So many Nightmare Beasts weren’t easily dealt with, even if weak. Lan Subing’s Mental Energy wasn’t inferior to Ai Baozhu’s. If she failed, Ai Baozhu’s odds were slim. "Now what?" Si Zhaohua asked, turning to Elvis' trio. "Any ideas?" If they had no solutions, cooperation might be the only option, though Si Zhaohua couldn’t see how it’d help. So many Nightmare Beasts wouldn’t be cleared by adding a few people. As expected, Elvis' trio had no good ideas. Targeting a small group of fish was futile—others would fill in after they were killed. The river’s fish were too numerous to clear. Targeting the whole river was beyond anyone’s current strength. Su Bei could likely succeed, but at what cost? After seeing the fish’s numbers, he was certain the backlash would be severe. If it weren’t so, he’d have agreed to help. Otherwise, with the protagonist team and Elvis' group together, the next events were predictable. Unfortunately, he was powerless, only able to watch events unfold. If Mo Xiaotian or Ling You were here, it’d be different. Mo Xiaotian’s air wall could block the fish from both sides. Only an air wall would work—earth or wood walls would be gnawed through easily. Ling You would be even better. One move, and the entire river’s Nightmare Beasts would be poisoned, making the resources easy to grab. Sadly, none of the eight present had a solution for this. Finally, Jiang Tianming had an idea: "Got it! Baozhu, work with Subing. Subing uses [Word Spirit] to part some fish, then you use [Gorgeous Domain] to push in, creating a brief opening." He looked at Elvis: "Then, we’ll need you to rewind time when they can’t hold on, repeating the moment the fish are parted." It was a solid plan, the only feasible way to safely see the riverbed. Elvis agreed without discussing resource splits—those could wait until they saw results. Jiang Tianming’s strategy worked. With the trio’s coordination, the fish parted, revealing the riverbed. At the sight, many gasped: "It’s Star River Sand!" The riverbed was covered in sparkling sand, glinting like blue-purple gem fragments under the sunlight. They didn’t seem to sink but flowed, giving the illusion of a galaxy. Though only a small section was visible, it was mesmerizing. Star River Sand was a key material for Ability items, with two traits: a dazzling, starry appearance and buoyancy. In air, it floated. If scooped from the water and dried, the grains would rise. Crafters used this to make flying tools, like Teacher John’s [Flying Magic Carpet]-inspired Star River Blanket. Its stunning look and flight capability made Star River Sand expensive. If they could take all in the river, even split among them, it’d be a hefty sum, even for Si Zhaohua’s group. More importantly, except for Si Zhaohua, who could already fly, Star River Sand items were valuable for everyone else. Processed by the academy, they could achieve short-term flight. With the resource identified, they discussed distribution. Naturally, Lan Subing, Ai Baozhu, and Elvis, who executed the plan, would take more. Jiang Tianming, who proposed it, also deserved extra. Ian, who’d dive to collect the sand, would get more too. The remaining three would split the rest equally. Su Bei had no complaints. He’d done nothing yet would gain a fortune. Only the kind-hearted protagonist team would allow this—elsewhere, he’d get nothing. Though they had a method and knew the prize, collecting all the Star River Sand wasn’t simple. The three using Abilities consumed significant Mental Energy to clear a small area. Even for Elvis, it was taxing. Lan Subing and Ai Baozhu could only clear briefly, so he had to rewind time repeatedly for Ian to collect, draining his Mental Energy heavily. Unlike Su Bei, their Mental Energy recovery was slow. After clearing one area, they needed three hours to rest before the next. This was already fast—others with items might only clear one area daily. But Alpha Ability Academy’s event lasted three days. Excluding the first day and travel time, less than a day and a half remained. They couldn’t stay here forever. Other resource points awaited, and the return trip would bring challenges. They needed to reserve time, leaving only one day for digging Star River Sand. This was by design—Alpha Ability Academy wouldn’t let students take all the Star River Sand. If they did, how would it regenerate? Still, Su Bei’s group wanted as much as possible. Sighing, he considered another approach. Yesterday’s bat Nightmare Beast elimination inspired him. They died together because they feared light. Destiny couldn’t kill masses without reason—there had to be a logical method. These black fish Nightmare Beasts, adjustable together, must share a weakness. Finding it would wipe them out. If he found it himself, it wouldn’t be bound by destiny, as it’d be his creation, not his Ability’s. But what was their weakness? They couldn’t leave water, but draining the river was impossible. Thinking, Su Bei killed a fish with a Gear, then used Mental Energy to lift it out with the Gear for closer study. As soon as it left the water, the fish shriveled as if dehydrated, becoming a dry husk in moments. Su Bei’s brows rose, realizing something. The fish didn’t die from lack of air but from dehydration upon air exposure. Contact with air caused it. But what did this mean? They still couldn’t drain the river. "What are you doing?" Ian asked, noticing Su Bei’s odd actions. Seeing the fish, he added, surprised: "Didn’t expect it to shrivel like that out of water. If you put it back, would it return to normal?" This sparked an idea. Some creatures dehydrate out of water but recover when returned. Su Bei tossed the fish back. It remained shriveled, clearly dead. His eyes lit up with a plan, and he hinted cryptically: "If these fish can’t swim, they’d be harmless." If they couldn’t move, they wouldn’t replace cleared fish, ending the endless cycle. Collecting Star River Sand would be easier, without wasting Mental Energy killing them—just push them aside. Jiang Tianming caught on, exclaiming: "I get it! You’re right!" As the smart protagonist, he devised a new plan from Su Bei’s hint: "Let’s churn the water, injecting air. When air touches their skin, they shrivel. Once shriveled, they can’t move." Fish with stiffened bodies struggle to swim. Immobile, they’d be easy to clear. With his plan, they acted. Stirring water to add air was simple. Though most objects were devoured by the fish, enough effort would create ripples. Su Bei and Si Zhaohua used Gears and feathers to churn, while Lan Subing used [Word Spirit] to inject air bubbles. As predicted, tiny bubbles stuck to the fish, shriveling patches of their skin. Unable to swim, they sank. Seeing them immobile, Si Zhaohua cleared some, pushing the corpses aside. No new fish surged in, letting them collect Star River Sand smoothly. They cleared half the river’s Star River Sand. As the sun set, the sky shifted from orange-red to blue-purple. They knew it was time to leave. Different Space nights were dangerous, especially here with many Nightmare Beasts. Tomorrow, the last day, held exit challenges. Many would ambush at the exit, targeting “rich” groups like them. Resting well and finding a safe spot was crucial. "Shall we find a place to rest together?" Ian suggested. "Tomorrow, we can leave together. You don’t want to lose half your resources because you can’t exit, right?" He trusted Su Bei’s group, mainly due to knowing Su Bei’s character. Tiffany, silent until now, frowned: "Wait." She stepped aside, clearly wanting to discuss Ian’s cooperation proposal with her team. Whatever Ian and Elvis said, Tiffany’s frown eased. She returned, standing at the back silently. Jiang Tianming’s group trusted Elvis' character. After brief discussion, they agreed to cooperate. No need to exchange benefits—just leave together. With so many strong members, others wouldn’t dare attack despite coveting their gains. On the way back, Su Bei sensed another message from the notebook in his storage ring. Another one? Probably Black Flash again. He was surprised but couldn’t check now. Only when they found a safe spot and dispersed to rest did Su Bei find a secluded corner to open the notebook. As expected, it was Black Flash. But this time, it wasn’t about clock tower surveillance—it was a laughable task: "I need you to ensure the exchange student team and Elvis' team arrive at the clock tower together tomorrow." Su Bei was dumbfounded. What was this? Handing him a reward for free? Their teams were already together, and since the Different Space exit was near the clock tower, they were going there tomorrow anyway. Accepting this task meant getting a reward for doing nothing, with no risk. Their teams’ meeting and cooperation weren’t his doing—no one could suspect him. After brief haggling, Su Bei accepted. Free gains shouldn’t be refused. If this appeared in the manga, it’d boost his foreign influence. The task revealed information. His initial guess was right—Black Flash was targeting Elvis' trio, but now it seemed they wanted to take down Jiang Tianming’s group too. They’d already tampered with the clock tower’s surveillance, as expected. Doing so quickly was surprising—did they have a mole in Alpha Ability Academy? Su Bei focused deeper. They could handle the surveillance swiftly yet paid him heavily to do it. The primary reason was likely to avoid exposing their mole, but secondly, they were testing his identity and Ability. If he’d removed the surveillance sticker, their hidden mole would’ve spotted him. Even if he used other methods, they could trace him or his Ability. Cunning foxes. Good thing he’d refused that cooperation. While Su Bei grumbled internally, the other side pondered. The Black Flash operative handling Alpha Ability Academy tasks thought Destiny wouldn’t take their jobs after refusing the first. Yet, they accepted the next task at the same location, one that risked exposure. Compared to the first, this task was riskier. He’d assumed they avoided the first to stay hidden, but now they took this. Surprised, the operative contacted the leader. Mo Xiaotian’s grandfather, Black Flash’s head, pondered the news and ordered: "Afterward, investigate how Endless Ability Academy’s team ended up with those three at the clock tower." The next morning, Su Bei’s group resumed collecting Star River Sand at the black river. Before reaching it, Teacher John’s helpless voice rang out: "Kids, can we discuss something?" Clearly, their aggressive harvesting of Star River Sand yesterday alarmed Alpha Ability Academy’s higher-ups. They didn’t mind students taking some resources—it was a school perk. But taking too much, like emptying a river, was unacceptable. Normally, no one could take enough to hurt them. Precious resources like skill books were guarded by Knowledge Nightmare Beasts, and Star River Sand by black fish Nightmare Beasts. Even if students got resources, the beasts limited their haul. No one expected students to take so much it pained the leadership. In half a day, they’d cleared half the river. Another day, and would any remain? Forbidding further digging wasn’t an option. The school had no prior rule, stating students could freely take resources in the three days—a key reason for high enrollment. Reneging now would backfire. But letting them continue was untenable. Star River Sand was lucrative, useful, and renewable—one of the Different Space’s top resources. Hence, the school bred black fish Nightmare Beasts in the river. If they took it all, it’d be a massive loss. Seeing their clear intent to empty the river, the school sent Teacher John to negotiate. Guessing his purpose, Jiang Tianming said: "Trade it for other resources." John appreciated his directness, replying: "How about a map to an untouched Body-Forging Grass resource point? Only one other team has it besides you." Body-Forging Grass, as the name suggested, enhanced physical strength. Whether cooked, brewed, or eaten raw, it bolstered the body. Since it worked physically, all Ability users could use it, making it highly valued. Its price, requiring less processing, exceeded Star River Sand’s. John chose this point deliberately. First, one Body-Forging Grass stalk equaled a pound of Star River Sand in value—a fair trade. Second, if not uprooted, Body-Forging Grass would regrow next year. The school wouldn’t mind giving it away. Third, it’d spark competition with the other team, also from Class A. Even if they couldn’t win, it’d challenge and train them. The point’s inherent dangers would further hone the students—exactly what John wanted. Hearing this, Jiang Tianming considered, then looked to the others for their opinions. He saw no issue. Pushing the school too far wasn’t wise, and Body-Forging Grass was excellent—useful for all, as vital as boosting Mental Energy. Su Bei nodded, having no objections, while marveling internally at Alpha Ability Academy’s wealth. This Different Space, likely stocked with their resources, was worth a fortune, outshining even the protagonist team’s academy. With everyone in agreement, Jiang Tianming accepted on their behalf. A map appeared, floating before them—the Body-Forging Grass resource point’s location.