America: The Cremator

Chapter 173 Training with the Team, On the Eve of Battle!

Experience points: 50.

Mithril: 2 piece.

Soul Crystal: 0.

Looking at the two Mithril City tokens shimmering with a ghostly silver light in the resource bar, Su Long was in a great mood.

He could earn two mithril coins for attending one exchange dinner, and he was even hoping that the dinner would be held more often.

But of course, that's impossible, and it's impossible to get mithril coins every time.

Realizing he had been a bit greedy, Su Long quickly calmed himself down and looked at his five two-star entries.

【Overlord's Aura☆☆】, 【Sirius's Contract☆☆】, 【Raphael's Contract☆☆】, 【Master of Intelligence☆☆】, 【Night Hunter☆☆】.

Looking at these five two-star attributes, Su Long couldn't help but feel troubled. He currently only had 50 experience points. If he wanted to upgrade the two regular two-star attributes to three stars, he would need 60 experience points, which was only enough to upgrade one.

But Surong quickly remembered that weapon-related contract terms were an exception.

Upgrading Sirius and Raphael only requires Mithril Coins; no additional experience points are needed.

Moreover, he will soon face two B-level anomalies, the Strange Butterfly and the False Crow, two intense battles looming ahead.

In summary, using Mithril Coins to upgrade two weapons to three stars, and then distributing the remaining 50 experience points evenly across the five basic attributes to bring physical attributes to a new level, is definitely the most cost-effective resource allocation method at present.

Having made up his mind, Surong decisively threw the two mithril coins at [Raphael's Contract] and [Sirius's Contract] respectively.

.

The panel flashed with light, and the Mithril Coins in the resource bar were instantly cleared, with two new lines of text appearing.

【Raphael's Contract☆☆☆】

Type: Blessing Description: Your connection with Raphael is strengthened, and the sobering and healing effects of Raphael's transformed wine are greatly enhanced. In addition, the wine gains an extra strange burning effect.

At the same time, the alcohol storage capacity is increased to 1 liter, and the alcohol can automatically appear in the host's mouth or adhere to the weapon.

After drinking alcohol, the host gains the effects of [Fearless], [Berserk], and [Armor Penetration].

Review: An absolutely exquisite wine!

【The Contract of Sirius☆☆☆】

Type: Blessing Description: Your connection with Sirius is stronger! Sirius no longer needs ordinary bullets; he can now freely conjure bullets generated from the flames of destruction.

Sirius gains a new ability, Locked in Mind, which automatically targets and locks onto threatening enemies; Sirius also gains a new ability, Deadly Rhythm, which empties the magazine in a short time, but causes the barrel to overheat, requiring a waiting period before firing again.

When Sirius's bullet hits a target, the host gains the effects of [Fearless], [Berserk], and [Armor Penetration].

Review: Infinite Power!

Looking at the two brand-new entries, Su Long was quite satisfied.

Raphael's upgrade is a godsend for lazy people.

Previously, if healing or enchanting was needed during combat, one had to specifically free up a hand to reach for the wine jug. Now, with a thought, the wine can be directly swallowed or applied to the surface of the weapon, eliminating the tedious action and significantly increasing the margin for error in actual combat.

Although automatic enchanting may increase the consumption of liquor, the storage capacity has also doubled to 1 liter, which is more than enough.

Sirius's improvement was an even greater leap forward.

No longer needing to spend real money to buy those expensive silver bullets, the World-Destroying Flame alone can provide endless power. The money saved can be used to buy high-end liquor to feed Raphael, forming a perfect closed loop.

The "Deadly Rhythm" skill is even more brutal, directly compensating for the revolver's slow rate of fire. Emptying the magazine in a short time, combined with the power of the World-Destroying Flame, the burst of firepower will definitely give any monster a hard time.

After upgrading his weapon, Su Long turned his attention to his personal attribute panel and unhesitatingly added 50 experience points to his constitution, agility, vision, spirit, and charm.

As experience points were deducted, all five attributes jumped simultaneously, all surpassing the 60-point mark.

[Constitution: 60 (Iron Body!)]

Agility: 60 (Starting at zero frames!)

[Spiritual Vision: 60 (Eagle Eyes!)]

[Mental State: 60 (As steady as a rock!)]

[Charm: 60 (Charming and dashing!)]

System notifications rang in my mind one after another.

[Physical development enters a new stage! Height slightly increases to 185cm, physical fitness greatly improves, muscle endurance and bone strength are significantly enhanced, and a new skill, "Burning Flesh and Blood," is acquired, which can drastically enhance various bodily functions in a short period of time. Bone strength, muscle endurance, and physical fitness surpass human limits, achieving a doubling of the enhancement.]

[Agile enters a new stage! Overall reaction speed increased to 50 milliseconds, thinking and learning speed significantly increased, and immersion mode can be entered, instantly boosting thinking speed several times over and slightly accelerating reaction ability within immersion mode!]

[Spiritual Vision enters a new stage! Gain the fusion skill Eagle Eye, which allows for simultaneous slow motion, scanning, and detection of weaknesses. It can also see through the flow of strange energy and freely zoom in or out when viewing distant objects. Zooming in or out increases the distance and allows entry into night vision mode.]

[The spirit has entered a new stage! The strength and duration of the mental barrier have been greatly enhanced! The recovery speed of mental stability has been further increased!]

[Charm enters a new stage! Strangers and acquaintances alike show a significant increase in their favorability towards the host. The host's appearance, temperament, and approachability double. When the host proactively expresses goodwill and sincerity, strangers' hostility and wariness decrease dramatically.]

The moment the points were added, an unprecedented surge of heat burst forth from my heart, rushing through my blood vessels to every part of my body.

Su Long's body involuntarily tensed up in the leather seat. He could clearly feel his bones making subtle popping sounds, his muscle fibers being roughly torn apart and then reassembled in an even more powerful manner.

He grew several centimeters taller, reaching a perfect 185cm, and his already strong muscles became even more even and firm.

Everything around him seemed to slow down. Su Long could even hear the wind whistling past the car window, his mind was crystal clear, and he could now sort out his previously complicated thoughts in an instant.

He looked at the slowly changing traffic lights ahead, and his perspective involuntarily magnified and focused until he could clearly see every tiny light bulb flashing inside.

Not only does it involve a physical transformation, but the brain's processing speed also skyrockets at this moment.

The invisible barrier in his mind became incredibly thick, and Su Long felt that even if he were to face the bizarre mental pollution of Grade A, he could withstand it for quite some time without changing his expression.

Finally, there's the breakthrough in the charm attribute.

This change came from the inside out. Su Long's originally reserved and calm temperament now possessed an irresistible attraction, his features became more deep and three-dimensional, and every gesture exuded a deadly aura of hormones.

After digesting all the changes, Su Long closed the system panel with satisfaction and slowly opened his eyes.

He exhaled a breath of stale air from his chest, and moved his neck, his joints making a crisp sound.

Elena, who was waiting at the traffic light, heard the noise and instinctively turned to look at him.

With just that one glance, Elena stopped in her tracks.

The light inside the carriage wasn't bright, but she felt that Su Long, who was sitting in the passenger seat, seemed to have undergone some kind of extremely strange change in just over ten minutes.

His facial features were more defined and sharper than before, and his deep eyes, when they looked over, carried a sense of oppressive power and attraction that made one's heart skip a beat.

Elena's fingers tightened unconsciously around the steering wheel, her breath hitched for half a second, and her gaze lingered on his face for a moment before she hurriedly looked away and focused on the road ahead.

"You've rested enough?" Elena cleared her throat, trying to make her voice sound as crisp as usual.

Su Long noticed her subtle reaction and chuckled inwardly. The effect of those 60 points of charm was indeed immediate. He then shifted to a more comfortable position and casually replied, "That's about it. I feel better than ever before."

Elena wanted to say something, but the red light had already turned green, and the cars behind her were honking and urging her to hurry up. She could only suppress her surprise and doubt and concentrate on driving.

Half an hour later, the Cadillac stopped in the villa's garage.

The two entered the living room one after the other.

Elena took off her high heels, put on slippers, and casually draped the shawl of her expensive emerald green haute couture evening gown over the back of the sofa.

"Go take a shower, there are clean towels in the bathroom." Elena untied the hair clip from her bun as she walked towards the stairs. Halfway there, she stopped and turned to look at Su Long.

"Come straight to my room after you shower, and sleep with me tonight."

Su Long paused in his unbuttoning of his suit jacket, looked Elena up and down, and raised an eyebrow: "Captain, although I helped you out tonight, you don't have to be in such a hurry to repay me with your body, do you? I'm a respectable person."

Elena was taken aback by his teasing remark. She quickly turned her head away, brushed her stray blond hair behind her ear, cleared her throat, and said, "Don't flatter yourself. The clay marks on the back of your hand haven't been cleaned yet—tonight, while we have plenty of time, I'll clean them again with a lantern."

Su Long raised his left hand and glanced at the faint black mark on the back of his hand, which was even fainter than before.

Elena walked up to him, examined the mark, and said, "I can feel that the power of the lantern has penetrated to the core of the mark. Three more times, and I will be able to completely peel it off from you."

Su Long leaned back on the sofa, looking up at her. "Three times it is fine. But when the day comes that you're completely erased from my memory, shouldn't you do something to show your appreciation?"

"What does that mean?"

"Treat me to a meal to celebrate. I've helped you for so long and even acted as your shield, it's not too much for you to treat me to a meal, is it?" Su Long spread his hands as if it were a matter of course.

Elena looked at his self-righteous attitude and snorted coldly: "We'll see how I feel then."

After saying that, she turned and walked upstairs, but stopped after a couple of steps. With her back to Su Long, she added, "Get some rest early today. Tomorrow morning at eight, come with me to headquarters."

"Why go to headquarters?"

Elena turned around and explained, "It's for team training."

"The other members of the joint investigation team have been working together for a few days now. As the newly joined unofficial consultant, you need to familiarize yourself with their tactical coordination. We'll officially set off for our mission early tomorrow night."

"Understood." Su Long waved his hand, got up and walked towards the bathroom on the first floor.

Half an hour later, Su Long, drying his half-dry hair, pushed open the door to the second-floor bedroom.

Only a warm yellow bedside lamp was on in the room. Elena had changed into a light silk nightgown and was sitting cross-legged in the center of the bed, with an antique-style brass lantern in front of her.

She looked up when she heard the door open.

Su Long was shirtless, wearing only a pair of loose pajama pants.

The perfect muscle lines brought about by his 60-point physique appeared extremely powerful under the warm light, and water droplets slid down his firm chest and disappeared into the edge of his pajama pants.

Coupled with her soaring charm, she exudes a tension that blends wildness and restraint.

Elena's breath hitched slightly, and she quickly looked away: "Close the door and come sit down."

Su Long closed the door behind him, walked to the bedside, sat down, and stretched out his left hand.

Elena took a deep breath and placed her hand on the back of Sulong's hand.

The brass lantern emitted a soft glow, enveloping the two people's hands. Gentle yet extremely resilient spiritual power flowed along Elena's fingers, gradually seeping into the clay imprint on the back of Suron's hand.

Sulong closed his eyes.

He could feel that the power was carefully peeling away the connection between the mark and his soul. This process was not painful; instead, it brought a strange, tingling sensation.

His sixty points of mental attribute made his perception of this spiritual pull exceptionally clear. He could even sense the subtle fluctuations in mental energy that Elena generated when she manipulated the lantern.

The cleaning process lasted nearly forty minutes.

As the lantern's light gradually dimmed, Elena released her grip and let out a long breath. A fine layer of sweat appeared on her forehead; clearly, this delicate spiritual manipulation had taken a heavy toll on her.

"Alright, that's all for tonight." Elena put away the lantern and leaned wearily against the headboard.

Su Long glanced at the back of his hand. The color of the clay imprint had indeed faded a bit, the outline of the edges had completely disappeared, and the imprint in the center had begun to blur.

He threw back the covers, lay down on the other side of the bed, and put his hands behind his head: "Goodnight, Captain."

Elena turned off the bedside lamp, plunging the room into darkness.

The two lay side by side on the bed, less than half a meter apart. Su Long's terrifying perception, granted by his sixty points of agility, allowed him to clearly hear Elena's steady yet slightly rapid breathing.

Su Long didn't make any unnecessary movements; he simply closed his eyes quietly, allowing his brain to enter a state of deep rest.

Elena, on the other hand, turned over twice in the dark and it took her a long time to calm down completely.

The next morning.

Su Long was woken up by Elena. He opened his eyes groggily and saw Elena standing in front of him, wearing only a lampshade, with two huge headlights flashing their hazard lights in front of him.

"Wow, those headlights are huge."

Hearing this, Elena rolled her eyes at him, quickly threw on a shirt and suit jacket, then took a deep breath: "Stop talking nonsense, get up!"

Su Long got up, stretched, took the pile of clothes Elena threw at him, quickly put them on, and went into the bathroom to wash up.

After a quick wash, he went downstairs and made two simple sandwiches and two cups of black coffee. He and Elena each ate one of these and then went out together.

Seattle was still shrouded in a thin mist in the morning. As Cadillac drove through the streets, Elena, sitting in the passenger seat, began introducing her teammates whom she was about to meet.

"This joint investigation team consists of five people besides you and me."

"Assault operative Marcus, sniper Jack, and his partner Martin. Then there's FBI special investigator Lucia, and a hacker named Nancy."

As Su Long listened while driving, he casually asked, "Sounds like they have all the necessary resources. Do they have any objections to my arrival?"

Elena put away her tablet and said matter-of-factly, "The joint investigation team values ​​ability. As long as you demonstrate your value as a B-level consultant during the special training, they will naturally shut up."

The Cadillac quickly stopped in the underground parking lot of the Federal Building annex.

The two took the elevator down to the third basement level and arrived at the closed training ground of the Weird Support Bureau, which was used for high-intensity combat drills.

After swiping their cards to verify their identities, the heavy, airtight doors slid open to both sides, revealing a vast training ground with a height exceeding that of a typical floor. The walls and floors were all made of high-strength alloy, giving them a very sturdy appearance.

Five people were gathered in the center of the area.

Three men and two women, all dressed in matching gray tactical vests, were adjusting the weapons or equipment in their hands.

Hearing the door open, all five people stopped what they were doing and turned to look.

Elena walked ahead and introduced the five people: "This is Su Long, a B-level exorcist and a specially hired external consultant for the bureau. He will be joining us as a key member in this operation against the Butterfly Anomaly."

17

The area was quiet for a few seconds. Then, one of the men, with a buzz cut and an extremely burly build, suddenly put down the M249 light machine gun he was holding, stood up abruptly, looked down at Su Long, lingered on Su Long's casual black jacket for a moment, and then let out a sneer.

Marcus took a step forward, his two-meter height exuding an overwhelming aura of power: "Captain Elena, are you sure you're not joking? We're dealing with a B-rank mutant this time, and you've chosen a delicate young master to be our main force?"

He turned his head and sneered at the two people next to him: "These days, anyone can get a B-level license? We've been working ourselves to the bone these past few days practicing tactics, and then at the last minute we have to shove in some amateur who doesn't even wear a tactical vest?"

Sniper Jack didn't speak, but he looked at the overly young Su Long with a hint of suspicion on his face.

Observer Martin, carrying the FNSCARH with a long barrel attached, walked up to Marcus and said with a smile, "Mr. Suron, although Marcus has a rather straightforward temper, he has a point. Fighting a B-level anomaly is no child's play. We need to know your specific capabilities in order to arrange new tactical positions."

Su Long looked at his five teammates and chuckled. He slowly took off his black jacket, tossed it onto the equipment box beside him, and cracked his knuckles. "Indeed, I also think it's too much trouble to explain."

Surong looked at Marcus and beckoned to him with his finger: "Didn't you think I wasn't good enough? Come on, shall we have a spar?"