I'm not just human!

The others also understood, and while their faces were filled with fear, they were also somewhat relieved.

Beneath the damp soil at the exit of the Mist God Hunting Grounds, a demigod-level black bone worm had been lurking underground all along.

And yet, not a single person noticed?

If the Blackbone Worms were to launch a surprise attack while everyone was having a bonfire party... the scene would be unimaginably horrific.

And now, the black bone worm that had been lurking underground, which clearly possessed the status of a demigod, has been so casually erased by the story's questioner?

Compared to the Blackbone Worm, everyone felt the irresistible power of the storyteller more.

The storyteller remained calm, his expression unchanged throughout. He casually put down his pickaxe and looked at Xia Fa and the others:

"If you answer correctly, each of you will receive a [Smart Chip], regardless of who answers correctly. As for Xia Fa, as promised last time, I will give you an extra gift if you answer correctly."

Upon hearing this, the fear on the faces of the noble students and church elites was replaced by a sudden burst of delight.

Smart Chip!

This is a legendary, extraordinary metal!

It can increase the holder's understanding of the secrets by one to ten percent!

Of course, the effect is best for each person the first time they use it, and the effect will be greatly reduced thereafter.

As for the extent of progress, it depends on the level of talent, rank or status of the extraordinary individuals, and even the quality of the secret contract they signed.

At the same time, many more people couldn't help but steal glances at Xia Fa, their curiosity piqued.

Many nobles and elites who considered themselves to be of high birth originally thought that Xia Fa was just an ordinary person who, due to luck and his own good abilities, made contributions to the Kingdom of Augu and thus obtained the position of viscount.

But no matter what, he's just an insect-level being. Unless he recklessly risks his soul damage like last time to unleash a technique far exceeding his rank, he's still just an insect-level being.

As for Xia Fa's background, many people have found out very clearly that his ancestors for three generations were dockworkers—a low-status profession that was not much higher than dockworkers.

But now, among the crowd, especially those proud noble students, they suddenly realized that Xia Fa... seemed to be more complex than they had investigated.

It seems they're quite familiar with the people answering the story...

Xia Fa was also slightly taken aback, but felt a surge of joy in his heart.

He had certainly heard of the name "smart chip," and it was no exaggeration to say that it was very famous.

Now, in his urgent need to advance his understanding of the Overlord-level Secret Contract, he desperately needs this extraordinary metal!

Unfortunately, smart chips cannot be sold, or rather, they are quickly absorbed once they come into contact with human skin, making them impossible to sell.

Otherwise, it would probably be an astronomical price!

Even the ruler might need it!

Moreover, there was the small gift promised by the storyteller... Xia Fa was also quite looking forward to it.

Just then, the storyteller finally turned to the noble students and church elites present.

Looking like an old miner, a wistful expression appeared on his face as he recalled the past. He spoke in a weathered and distant voice, as if his voice contained countless memories of the past.

"That was over a hundred years ago, when wireless telegraph machines and cameras had just been invented."

More than a hundred years ago?

Wireless telegraph machine... camera...

Based on his previous experience, Xia Fa was unwilling to overlook any detail. After memorizing the time and the two clues, he continued listening.

The storyteller, who appeared to be an old miner, continued:

"At that time, I was still making a living at Budai Dynasty. I was just an ordinary employee in a foreign trade shipping group, responsible for counting cargo."

"Back then, my life was very dull. Every day was just a routine of going to work and coming home. My weekly salary was only a pitiful one silver coin and six copper coins."

"Fortunately, my family is well-off. My parents bought me a detached villa, which allows me to have a nice environment to relax in after get off work every day."

"It was during that time that someone invented a home camera, and everyone rushed to buy it. I also spent a lot of money to buy one, and I played with it every day."

"Then, home wireless telegraph machines were launched soon. This time, I almost emptied my savings and asked my parents for some money to buy a home wireless telegraph machine."

"With the wireless telegraph machine, happy days soon arrived."

"During my daily routine of setting up the wireless telegraph machine, I suddenly met a pen pal who claimed to be from afar."

"We communicated through letters transmitted via wireless telegraph, chatting about everything under the sun every day, and we had a great time."

“I talked to him about life, ideals, the war between the Boyue Empire and the Budai Dynasty, Freud’s psychoanalysis, Hegel’s logic, the starry sky, all living beings on earth, and even the superhuman.”

"Back then, we were all ordinary people, and we longed for the superhumans."

"We got along very well as we talked, and one day he asked to meet."

"Of course I would be very happy to meet him. He lives in the Kingdom of Augu, but so what? I am an employee of the foreign trade shipping group, and I can buy a ticket to the Kingdom of Augu through internal channels."

"Do you know that feeling? It's the feeling of meeting a kindred spirit. It has nothing to do with anything else. You just want to meet him, have a few bottles of rum and some snacks, and talk all night long."

"But we immediately encountered a problem, which was that I didn't know what he looked like, and he didn't know what I looked like either."

“Describing it solely in our correspondence doesn’t seem accurate enough.”

"Finally, I came up with a solution: we would each take a picture of ourselves and send it to each other by letter."

"That way, we can recognize each other immediately when we meet."

"I was so excited about my brilliant idea that I took a day off, left work early, got a haircut, trimmed my beard, and changed into a suit that I usually don't wear."

“I stood at the door of my own bedroom, where I sent the telegraph and where I communicated with him across the Barron’s Ocean. I set up my home camera, which I had only bought a few months ago, and took a picture of it in the best spot in the window.”

"I looked at that photo repeatedly and felt that it captured my best appearance, so I happily sent it to him."

"Just a few days later, I received the photos he sent me."

"But as soon as I opened the photo and took a look, I had no choice but to kill him."

At this point, the storyteller, who looked like an old miner, sighed deeply and looked at everyone, especially at Xia Fa:

"Why is that?"

Silence. The exit of the Mist God Hunting Ground was deathly silent.

All that remained was the crackling of the campfire and the sizzling sound of the prey's fat dripping into the fire.

Everyone was stunned, including Xia Fa.

Yes, why is that?

Xia Fa originally thought that the question hidden in this story by the storyteller should be about the same level of difficulty as the previous one.

But he realized he was wrong, terribly wrong.

Because this problem... is just too mysterious!

what is this?

In particular, in this story, the questioner claims to be an ordinary person without supernatural powers, so how did he kill his pen pal who lived across the ocean?

The others exchanged bewildered glances, including the noble students from the Royal Sinnaran Mechanical Academy who claimed to be the smartest of the three academies, and a group of church elites.

Everyone was stunned, their eyes even seemed glazed over, completely unable to come up with an answer.

Everyone sincerely felt that even the smartest person in the world would probably not be able to answer the question!

Yes, why is that?

Chapter 147 Were we intellectually crushed by Xia Fa?

You have three minutes.

The storyteller's voice was weathered and indifferent, as if he had suddenly lost all emotion. His facial expression was also fixed, like a machine, as he casually waved his hand.

Behind him, in the vast white mist, more than a dozen towering trees were uprooted, and the soil from their roots fell in the air.

These giant trees, almost all over 100 meters tall, form a countdown clock in the air.

One of the giant trees was rotating clockwise, like the hands of a clock, but the hands and clock were so huge that they seemed to foreshadow the punishment that the gods were about to unleash.

Click, click, click...

The countdown sounded, so clear and distinct, like a death knell, gripping everyone's hearts.

Everyone looked at each other, then turned to look at Shafa and Daponz.

Although Daponz looks simple and honest, he actually appears silly and non-threatening because he is too fat.

In fact, he was recognized as one of the most intelligent geniuses in the three academies.

Of course, this kind of genius does not refer to the understanding of the progress of the secret code or the development of secret code abilities, but simply to intelligence.

As for Xia Fa, everyone was drawn to him because he seemed to know the storyteller, and the storyteller, after asking that crucial question, also had some expectation that Xia Fa could answer it.

Therefore, many noble students and church elites placed their hopes on him.

Glenn, however, remained completely calm. His bright green eyes, slightly obscured by his golden hair, were filled with anticipation as he looked at Xia Fa's profile.

In his mind, Xia Fafei was not only strong, but also had a first-rate IQ.

My ability to answer the storyteller's question last time is proof of that!

Chestnut smiled and looked at Xia Fa, waiting for him to give an easy answer and conquer everyone present with his intelligence.

During this time, she often heard some church elites gossiping about Xia Fa in private, saying that he was just lucky, and that if they were in Rum City, they could have achieved the same feat.

Chestnut often refuted this, but she was too beautiful, a noblewoman among the rats, and had a demigod grandfather who was a cardinal in the church. Every time she refuted it, those people dared not say anything, but they would still gossip in private.

Banli knew in his heart that Xia Fa's rank could not be improved quickly, and it would be difficult to shut those people up with strength. But at least for now, Banli felt that Xia Fa could surpass them in terms of intelligence!

At this moment, Daponz, on whom everyone had placed their hopes, was sweating profusely, and colorful runes were even faintly appearing on his forehead, as if they were about to break through his skin.

Everyone was secretly alarmed. Those who knew Daponz knew that it was the effect of the "Super Speed ​​Thinking" high-level secret agreement he had signed.

High-speed thinking and magical mechanics are an excellent, high-level combination.

Even though Daponz had thought it through to this extent and was pushing it to its limits, he still looked completely stumped.

Many people's hearts began to sink.

As for Xia Fa, he kept his brows furrowed and his gaze deep.

He couldn't come up with an answer right away, and in fact, he still hasn't figured it out now.