Chapter 40: Status Up

After seeing the earthen wall that suddenly rose beside her successfully block the crimson, nameless liquid, Danika's pupils rapidly lost their scarlet hue.

"Thanks!"

She swiftly spat out two words, then used her left leg as a pivot, spinning around to deliver a brutal kick to the giant insect's head.

Crack—

A faint sound echoed as the hard carapace on the giant insect's head split open in a network of cracks.

"Squeak!"

The giant insect let out a piercing shriek from its grotesque mouthparts.

Before it could retaliate, Danika's left hand had already seized its head and slammed it against the nearby wall.

Thud—!

Looking at the insect whose head was now embedded in the wall, Danika exhaled and muttered with dissatisfaction: "This construction quality is terrible. What kind of work did the Bureau of Architecture even do?"

While Danika dealt with the giant insect, Li Ang was not idle.

He took a deep breath, then stepped lightly to the Kun position.

"Kun character·Flowing Stone."

As he spoke, the already ruined earthen wall shattered into several chunks of stone that shot rapidly into the dark dormitory.

Hearing the muffled impacts and insect screeches from inside the dormitory, Li Ang knew his attack had landed.

Without hesitation, he stomped the ground and charged into the dormitory, where a smaller, deep-red figure immediately appeared on the imaging device.

In an instant, Li Ang repositioned the center of Fenghouqi Sect to this newly emerged insect.

The next moment, a pale, metallic-glossed palm had already arrived before the unknown insect's head.

【Using Reverse Birth: Three Layers in combat, skill experience +34】.

【Using Fenghouqi Sect in combat, skill experience +21】.

Staring at the insect corpse before him, Li Ang froze in place.

'So fragile?'

He had already prepared to wait for Danika's support, never expecting this insect inside to be so much weaker than the one outside.

Just then, Danika's voice came from behind him: "Thanks for what you did just now."

As she spoke, the tall figure walked over to Li Ang's side.

She stared at the headless insect corpse, frowning slightly, murmuring softly: "Another special breed?"

If there was any difference between this insect inside and the one in the corridor, it was undoubtedly the enormous cannon-like tube on its back.

Clearly, the crimson viscous liquid earlier had been fired from there.

Recalling the scalding liquid, Danika cast a barely noticeable glance at Li Ang beside her.

Perhaps she should retract her earlier assessment—his profession wasn't merely basic physical enhancement.

'So is it an innate ability? Or a spell?'

Danika couldn't determine the true nature of Fenghouqi Sect.

'Besides earth, can he control other objects?'

Excellent physical enhancement, decent ranged capability—if he had only one, it would be an ordinary profession.

If he had both, it was already a fairly strong profession; Danika's own profession was no better.

But since profession details were highly confidential, she naturally couldn't directly ask Li Ang—she simply quietly elevated his importance in her mind.

If her earlier promise to help Li Ang transition from prisoner to extraneous citizen had been empty rhetoric, she was now genuinely considering it.

'Didn't expect a prisoner to have someone like him.'

At this moment, Li Ang was unaware of the tall woman's thoughts—he was pondering Fenghouqi Sect.

After several real combat trials, he had identified the shortcomings of the standard Fenghouqi Sect.

That was, it became extremely difficult to activate the corresponding position's Rank's spell when fighting fast-moving enemies.

Additionally, judging the positions of multiple enemies simultaneously was also very difficult.

But a solution wasn't impossible—the original author's Feng Hou Qi Men had no such problems, because it anchored the user as the central position, allowing free spellcasting.

Of course, this was just a simplified explanation; the underlying principles were far more complex.

Just as Li Ang was thinking of a decisive solution to Fenghouqi Sect's flaws, Danika beside him suddenly let out a soft "Hm?" and stepped closer to the giant insect, extending her white palm to gently stroke its carapace.

This action immediately drew Li Ang's attention—he followed her gaze and quickly spotted something unusual.

Normal beetle carapaces were mostly smooth, but the carapace of this giant beetle was unusually rough, as if covered in fine scales.

No, not "as if."

Li Ang reached out and touched it too, then said in surprise: "Can insects grow scales?"

Hearing this, Danika glanced at him in mild astonishment, then shrugged: "Who knows?"

"It's not our Public Security Bureau's job. I'll file a report and let the Research Bureau deal with it."

Since the superior had said so, Li Ang, as a prisoner, naturally didn't press further.

Meanwhile, the three team members behind Li Ang no longer looked at him with indifference—they now regarded him with respect.

The world was real: now that Li Ang had demonstrated his value, they swiftly adjusted their attitudes.

For Danika's team members, even if his strength was slightly below their captain's, he was more than enough to serve as a core combatant in any Public Security Bureau squad.

As for his prisoner status—

It was the most trivial matter, especially since his crime—smuggling—was minor and easily overlooked.

After confirming both special-breed insects were dead, Danika yawned and said: "Alright, let's move to the next—"

Before she could finish, a deafening roar shattered the air.

Instantly, the previously dark corridor was flooded with blinding light.

Li Ang raised his head dully, seeing that the entire dormitory building's roof had vanished, and the Director of the Public Security Bureau stood hovering in midair.

"I'm here, Danika!"

Ma Kusi laughed heartily as he spoke, but his laughter abruptly stopped when he saw the situation beneath his feet.

At that moment, Danika's weary voice sounded beside Li Ang.

"Director, do you really have to make such a commotion? If you keep this up, next year the Caizheng Bureau will slash the department's budget by another big chunk."

Hearing her words, Ma Kusi's expression froze, then he pretended nothing was wrong: "Minor accidents are inevitable. Don't dwell on such small details."

After saying this, he changed the subject: "But if you can handle the fight all by yourself, why did you call me?"

"It wasn't just me who handled it—this kid helped a great deal."