War is on the horizon, and the Avengers Alliance craves power far more than ever before.

This yearning for power is unprecedented.

Only now did everyone realize that Lin Feng’s plans and all his risky actions had been truly prescient.

If not for Lin Feng’s help, they’d have no control over their fate in this war.

When war truly comes, geniuses who haven’t grown are no different from ordinary people.

Talent that hasn’t been converted into power is meaningless.

As for entering the Land of Fallen Gods, the members naturally had no objections; only the method of entry needed discussing, as well as how to maximize their interests during the process.

The meeting lasted an hour, and they’d already set a rough direction.

Just as everyone was dispersing, ready to leave, Yue Mingming’s expression shifted slightly, saying to Lin Feng: "The Tummy Bag Beast contacted me. Its mental waves are intense, like something’s up?"

"Ran out of snacks?"

That was Lin Feng’s first reaction.

Normally, the Tummy Bag Beast only contacts its cheap owner when it’s out of food.

As for the rest of the time, there’s nothing but radio silence.

"Probably, it’s been half a month, so it must be done eating."

Yue Mingming wasn’t sure either.

As a Summoner, he can sense his Summoned Beast’s mental fluctuations, but can’t tell what it’s thinking.

He also can’t understand what the Summoned Beast says.

But based on past experience, it’s almost always because there’s nothing left to eat.

"Bring it out then. Maybe Hong Yi has something going on too,"

Lin Feng said.

Those who’d originally prepared to leave the room also stopped in their tracks.

No one needed to see the gluttonous Tummy Bag Beast, but as for Hong Yi, that cute and pitiful girl—they all liked her quite a bit.

Half a month apart, it was natural to miss her.

"Mm."

Yue Mingming nodded, then entered the Demon Transformation state.

In demon possession, Yue Mingming’s appearance didn’t change much, only his body seemed somewhat illusory—as if he was right in front of you, just two or three meters away, yet somehow distant, unattainable.

Not only did Yue Mingming become phantom-like, even the space before him rippled, warping and twisting, finally forming an irregular, shattered Space Gate, as a mysterious, chaotic, and icy aura surged out from within the broken portal.

"Hoo Hoo."

That familiar sound, and then a round, bulging belly, followed by the totally-spherical Tummy Bag Beast.

As the Space Gate just finished closing, Ya Dan couldn’t wait to poke her head out from the pouch, showing off: "Lin Feng! Lin Feng! I awakened a talent skill!"

Hong Yi poked her head out too, with Little Elf Ya Dan standing on top of it.

"Really?"

Lin Feng was a bit surprised, but didn’t care much.

Little Elves’ talent skills are usually pretty weak—especially those awakened after birth.

The really shocking thing was these three gluttons were even fatter.

It’s only been half a month, how did they get even rounder?

Correction—not just a feeling, but visibly fatter to the naked eye.

Originally, Hong Yi and the Tummy Bag Beast were both fat—one Xiaopang, one Dapang—but Little Elf Ya Dan, malnourished before, was thin and pale, yet now her cheeks were rosy, and her face had plumped up into baby fat.

Seeming to notice Lin Feng’s indifference, Ya Dan kicked lightly on Hong Yi’s head, leaped into the air, flapped her wings in midair, shouting: "Don’t look down on me! Even Hong Yi said my ability is awesome! Hong Yi, isn’t that right?"

Ya Dan looked at Hong Yi, seeking approval.

When Ya Dan looked so anxious, like a child waiting for a parent to praise her, Hong Yi smiled and said, "Yes, it’s really amazing. Truly an awesome ability."

"Hoo hoo."

The Tummy Bag Beast chimed in, roaring twice as if to back it up.

Ya Dan lifted her tiny face, proudly: "See? Told you!"

"What power did Duck Egg awaken?" Lin Feng asked curiously.

Judging by Hong Yi’s real expression, this wasn’t just politeness. As the Spirit Medium who sealed a Celestial Chart Demon Beast, if she felt this ability was impressive, it really was something.

At least not some ordinary Elemental Control.

"Duck Egg can communicate with Demon Beasts."

Hong Yi replied simply.

Lin Feng’s expression changed, and so did everyone else’s.

This ability, way beyond their imagination.

"Wow!"

Dong Yunan blurted out; that really was badass.

Seriously badass!

Although it’s a Support ability with no attack power, its uses are vast.

If you could talk with Demon Beasts inside a Space Gate or out in the wild, just with that you could get a ton of information and avoid a lot of trouble and attacks.

Hearing everyone’s exclamations, Ya Dan’s vanity was completely satisfied. She tried to act calm, but the grin on her lips couldn’t be hidden.

Compared to others, Yue Mingming was even more shaken.

As a Summoner, taming Demon Beasts, planting Spiritual Imprints, and forming Soul Contracts are the most vital—and hardest—steps; way harder than Summoning itself.

Demon Beasts have wisdom and needs, too.

If you could understand their language, there’d be countless perks.

For Summoners and Beast Control Masters, this ability is basically a Divine Skill.

Worldwide, fewer than three people have this skill.

Yue Mingming personally can’t understand, but Ya Dan does—and with her help, taming Demon Beasts in the future would be so much easier.

Maybe even raise the level of Summoned Beasts by a whole grade.

"Duck Egg, you really are something!"

Dong Yunan praised her.

Raising a Little Elf isn’t cheap—these special breeds need Spirit Fruit and Essence of Life to stay spiritual; the monthly food budget alone is upwards of ten million, annual costs in the hundreds of millions. Other than Lin Feng, who got rich overnight and throws money around, none of them could afford it.

Even if they could, they wouldn’t.

Demon Spirit Masters are all poor bastards—no matter how much they make it’s never enough, who’d have spare cash to raise this kind of luxury pet?

If Ya Dan weren’t so cute, she’d have been sold off long ago. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Everyone thought Ya Dan was just a freeloader, but turns out she’s actually a genius.

"Of course—I am Ya Dan!"

Ya Dan perked her chin arrogantly, taking all the praise without an ounce of humility.

"How did you awaken it?"

Lin Feng asked.

Hong Yi laughed: "Just flipped day and night watching cartoons, eating and drinking until it happened."

Everyone was speechless.

But nobody dwelled on how she awakened it.

"Hoo hoo."

Seeing everyone crowding around Ya Dan, the Tummy Bag Beast patted its belly and growled in protest.

"Duck Egg, what is that thing saying?"

Lin Feng pointed at the Tummy Bag Beast, asking.

"Du wants to know when dinner starts?"

Ya Dan translated.

"Eat, my ass! You’re already round as a ball and still want to eat."

Yue Mingming couldn’t hold back, cursing at his own Summoned Beast, utterly speechless.

He really wanted to toss the thing.

"Hoo hoo."

The Tummy Bag Beast roared in dissatisfaction.

It didn’t care at all about the Summoner’s scolding.

Ya Dan quickly translated: "Du says to celebrate the Little One’s awakening, snacks should be extra this time."

"Did Du say that, or did you?"

Lin Feng glanced at her suspiciously.

"Du said it," Ya Dan replied, hands spread and looking innocent.

Ya Dan had awakened a talent skill—a rare ability at that.

For the Avengers Alliance, this was great news. Spending millions every month, Lin Feng was never stingy on snacks, only asking the three gluttons to lose weight—not keep getting fatter.

The beast, the elf, and the girl all promised, but Lin Feng didn’t really buy it.

To celebrate Ya Dan’s skill awakening, dinner was a feast. Since Hong Yi couldn’t go public, they just had it meal-delivered to the room.

The three gluttons were very satisfied—gave Lin Feng lots of praise.

"Three gluttons."

Watching the three feast, Lin Feng couldn’t help but laugh.

Looking at the ever-rounder Hong Yi, his gaze held a touch of fondness.

This was a pitiful girl.

He hoped her future would turn out well!

As if sensing someone’s gaze, Hong Yi raised her head and met Lin Feng’s eyes. Embarrassed, she shyly wiped oil from the corners of her mouth.

After dinner, the already-prepared snacks and drinks stuffed the Tummy Bag Beast’s belly full; it took three trips to finish moving it all.

Before heading to the Land of Fallen Gods, Lin Feng didn’t cultivate, but spent all his time with his family.

Since starting college, he’d barely had time with them.

Altogether, less than half a month.

After the family came to Shangjing, Lin Feng rented a place for them downtown, within a kilometer of the Guardian Divine Artifact; the monthly rent was seventy thousand.

The price may be high, but safety was guaranteed.

These days, Lin Feng barely left home: the whole family stayed in the apartment, savoring these rare moments of togetherness.

"Things have gotten crazier lately."

Watching TV, Old Ma frowned.

It’d been three days since the World Alliance press conference; in that short time, ninety-three Space Gates had been closed, averaging thirty every day.

Which meant each day, millions—sometimes tens of millions—of people lost their jobs and homes, left to wander.

Though the government would resettle the displaced in nearby Satellite Cities and Base Cities, that was still leaving their original homes behind.

And the lives and treatment there were worlds apart.

Every major news broadcast was filled with images of refugees.

As for scenes of the migration and casualties—media didn’t dare report the real numbers during the Space Gate closings.

Even without reports, one could imagine how terrifying those numbers really were.

Online, brutal images constantly bombarded people’s already frayed nerves.

War is looming, nerves are shattered, society in chaos, prices rising, and every industry is struggling.

Just three days and unemployment jumped tenfold; those quitting to lie flat outnumber the newly unemployed.

Which is one major reason behind the social upheaval.

"Yep. No one goes to work, no one goes to school—everything’s falling apart."

Lin Fang sighed.

They’re fine in Shangjing—order and security are still intact—but everywhere else, chaos reigns—even Jiang City. Some Satellite Cities are even worse.

With war coming, some people started losing all restraint, and the filth that used to hide in the darkness—those lurking in the ’sewers’—have all started crawling out.

The professional competitors who used to obsess over business and money have all gone low-key; the media hardly covers them anymore, either.

"I’ll go pick up my sister."

Lin Feng glanced at the clock on the wall, getting up.

His sister was almost done with school. He’d promised to pick her up, but never did—today, he’d finally make good.

"Mm, go early, come back early—don’t fool around out there," Lin Fang said.

"Mm."

Lin Feng acknowledged, heading out the door.

Five minutes later, Lin Feng—baseball cap on—walked out of the complex.

The area Lin Feng lived in was the heart of the city, closest to the Guardian Divine Artifact. Rents and shop leases here were sky-high, but still, plenty of shops had closed their doors.

Most of the shuttered shops were luxury stores. By contrast, supermarkets, restaurants, and entertainment venues were thriving; crowds at the doors, lines out the supermarkets.

Compared to three days ago, the streets were visibly less busy, foot traffic hurried and somber, the whole city steeped in repression and sorrow.