Snowflake shook its head, flinging off mud and water as the ferocity in its eyes faded, replaced by familiar affection.
With a whimper, it padded through the murky floodwaters on all fours, nimbly approaching Han Ning before rubbing its cool, massive head against its master's leg.
After Snowflake's metamorphosis, an energy surge far more immense than when they'd slain Tuna came rushing through their Soul Contract bond, flooding Han Ning's body.
[Druid Growth Progress +525] (Current Lv5, 751/2000)
[Mental Power +1.2] (Mental Power: 3.4)
Han Ning shuddered, nearly rolling his eyes back from the overwhelming pleasure. Every cell in his body greedily devoured this power, and his vision sharpened further.
Simultaneously, Snowflake's updated status panel appeared before him:
[Animal Companion: Tricolor (Gem) Alligator Lizard]
[Level: Lv4 (1/550)]
[Growth Progress: 1/550]
[Mental Power: 1]
[Skills:
Mental Shriek (Beginner): Releases a roar infused with psychic impact to intimidate, disrupt, or briefly stun targets.
Crystal Stream Breath (Beginner): Condenses internal energy to unleash a corrosive, slowing energy stream with minor mental interference effects.]
"Two levels at once? Even its species changed." Han Ning was stunned—the crystal's effects had far exceeded his expectations. He grew curious about Snowflake's current combat capabilities.
"Snowflake, go. Show me what you've got—help them clean up the remaining monsters."
"Roar!"
With an answering cry, Snowflake kicked off explosively.
Boom!
Water erupted as it charged into the monster swarm still besieging the Awakened squad. Its target: a Vortex Shell Crab brandishing drill-like pincers.
The tri-color crystal scale between Snowflake's eyes suddenly glowed.
"Raaargh!"
An invisible psychic wave pierced the crab's rudimentary consciousness.
[Mental Shriek]
The crab froze mid-motion, its whirling drill pincer halting as it staggered in the water. Seizing the opportunity, Snowflake opened its maw wide.
Hum.
A fist-sized particle stream swirling with tri-color halos coalesced in its mouth.
Thwip!
A condensed, arm-thick tricolor beam shot forth, striking the crab's eyestalks and upper body with pinpoint accuracy.
Sizzle~
White smoke rose from the irradiated carapace as it rapidly grayed and decayed. Within seconds, the crab's entire upper half vitrified into molten glass, its tissues utterly obliterated. The lower half collapsed lifelessly into the floodwaters.
"Graaah!"
Without pause, Snowflake whipped its muscular tail with devastating force, sending a wind-pressure shockwave that smashed into an ambushing Human-faced Jellyfish. The translucent creature splattered apart, its body caving inward.
[Tricolor Gem Alligator Lizard, Growth Progress +20, Current 20/550]
[Tricolor Gem Alligator Lizard, Growth Progress +15, Current 35/550]
...
.
"So... so strong!" The burly man in the camouflage vest gasped as he watched Snowflake effortlessly mow down the remaining monsters.
The other Awakened were equally stunned, their tension easing significantly.
Yet Han Ning felt something was off.
The Energy Stream feedback he received from Snowflake's kills—Vortex Shell Crabs and Human-faced Jellyfish—had diminished considerably.
[Druid Growth Progress +30] (Current Lv5, 781/2000)
[Druid Growth Progress +25] (Current Lv5, 806/2000)
"The drop is this severe?"
"At Lv4, killing one Vortex Shell Crab gave me nearly 100 points of progress. Now it's only around thirty..."
Snowflake's gains were about twenty, though.
Perhaps it wasn't that Snowflake was "stealing" his share, but rather that the total Energy had genuinely decreased.
Maybe as his level increased, the Energy gained from killing lower-level monsters dropped sharply?
With higher Energy quality, the Energy from weaker monsters became diluted.
Watching Snowflake's current slaughtering efficiency, Han Ning quickly made peace with it.
"Quality may be lacking, but quantity makes up for it. The two of us are much stronger now—our efficiency is on a whole different level."
[Rainbow Gem Crocodile Lizard, Growth Progress +12, Current 47/550]
[Druid Growth Progress +22] (Current Lv5, 828/2000)
...
Just as Snowflake was dominating the battlefield, clearing out monsters—
"Chairman Wu! Vice Chairman Lin! Vice Chairman Zhao?!"
A startled cry came from one side of the combat zone.
Hearing the shout, everyone instinctively turned their heads.
At the edge of the churning mist, several battered figures were struggling through the murky floodwaters, supporting each other as they inched toward the group.
Leading them was Chairman Wu, his face haggard, one arm hanging limp, and an unconscious Awakened slung over his back.
Lin Qianqian followed closely, her once-neat ponytail now a tangled mess clinging to her cheeks. Her jacket was torn in multiple places, revealing blood-soaked bandages beneath.
...
"Chairman!" "Qianqian!" "Old Zhao!"
"Quick, get them help!"
After a brief moment of shock, the crowd erupted into urgent shouts.
The Awakened immediately swarmed forward, helping the injured onto drier floating debris. Those with healing abilities began checking wounds, treating injuries, and handing out water and food.
Lin Qianqian was guided to sit down, her gaze immediately locking onto Han Ning, who stood a short distance away.
"Qianqian, I'm so glad you're okay," Yu Na crouched beside her, looking like she wanted to hug Lin Qianqian but didn't dare.
She leaned in and whispered, "If it weren't for Han Ning, we'd all be dead today."
Hearing this, Lin Qianqian managed a weak smile, her voice sincere. "Han Ning... Na Na, thank you. Thank all of you for saving us."
Han Ning met her slightly glowing eyes and shook his head calmly. "Just happened to be passing by."
He couldn't exactly say, Mostly because you guys make good meat shields, and Boss Lin, your healing skills are too useful to lose, right?
Lin Qianqian didn't press further, simply offering him a grateful smile before closing her eyes in exhaustion, letting the others tend to her wounds.
Under the emergency treatment and Energy replenishment from everyone, Chairman Wu, Lin Qianqian, Vice Chairman Zhao, and the other survivors stabilized at a visibly rapid rate.
Around the same time, Snowflake had cleared out most of the remaining monsters in the vicinity.
It returned with the scent of blood, quietly settling at Han Ning's feet.
Chairman Wu struggled to sit upright, scanning the gradually calming battlefield before shifting his gaze to the faint outlines of massive port machinery in the distant fog. Finally, he looked at Han Ning and spoke in a tone that carried both "consultation" and "request":
"The peripheral monsters have been mostly cleared by Mr. Han Ning..."
"Mr. Han Ning, would you consider taking advantage of this lull—while the monsters are still scattered and haven't regrouped—to check the berthing area and see if the ship is still there?"
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