Pretending To Be A Boss

Although no definitive scholarly proof had been secured, Ke Ye had already submitted his final answer.

Ke Ye's ultimate answer was something that looked pretty cool, like snapping one's fingers to unleash a powerful skill.

Tang Xian looked at the finished product image attached to the text message, deep in thought.
Enjoy new adventures at empire

"Ke really gets to the core of things quickly. His design concept of using Soul Crystals as energy sources for weapons hasn't even become mainstream yet, and he's already elevated it to the pinnacle," he said.

Tang Xian was very satisfied.

Six Soul Crystals, corresponding to six different creatures, therefore, corresponding to six different abilities. Or perhaps the same creature, amplified six times?

If these gloves ever become widespread, combined with human talent, they will probably make the already diverse human combat professions even more varied.

It might even allow ordinary people without special talents to gear up, significantly enhancing humanity's overall adaptability to the mining zones.

Of course, they're very expensive.

Initially, Tang Xian just wanted to make a pair of gloves suitable for climbing in some harsh environments of the mining zones, but unexpectedly, Ke designed a piece of warfare equipment, and the style suddenly became Marvel-esque.

However, this glove concept is too ahead of its time, and there are still many places that need to be tested, such as whether the alloy made from his own formula can withstand the power of six Soul Crystals resonating together.

At the end of the text message, Ke Ye had excitedly named the gloves – "Extreme Gloves."

Tang Xian did not delay any further and prepared to go to the second floor to retrieve the gloves.

As for Li Xiaoyu and Song Que, he didn't bother to think about them for the time being. If something came up, Li Xiaoyu would naturally contact him.

Before he left, Tang Xian left a note for Shang Lu, instructing him to report the growth status of the plant species daily.

In the end, he threw the "Please female colleagues, do not disturb my study" sign that Shang Lu had hung on the door into the trash bin and replaced it with a new one.

"Female colleagues are welcome to study my new plants with me."

...

...

By the time Tang Xian retrieved the gloves...

When he finished everything and returned to his residence on the ground floor, it was already noon

After turning the key and unlocking the door, Tang Xian discovered that the place was empty.

He didn't think too much about it and took a shower first. Feeling refreshed, he called Qiao Shanshan.

After hearing a response that the number did not exist, Tang Xian knew what had happened – she had returned to the Mining Continent.

But there was a minor mishap; he didn't appear in the treehouse.

The portable teleport fracture had taken him to the outskirts of the Red Clay Forest.

In just a few short days, the Red Clay Forest had completely turned into a wasteland.

Tang Xian looked around, and the place seemed to be a desolate canyon. Or perhaps the canyon was no longer an adequate description; it was more like a scar on the Mining Continent.

The smell of decay in the air had faded significantly since before.

It must have been dealt with by the human regular army over the past days.

Crossing such a huge canyon was almost impossible for Tang Xian.

It was a momentary oversight; he forgot to switch the portable teleport fracture with the coordinates set in the item bag, resulting in his return to the place he had escaped from the battlefield last time.

Tang Xian was not in a rush. He put on the Extreme Gloves and began attempting to cross the canyon.

Although the gloves still lacked Soul Crystals, their basic function could be used.

With the tiny grappling hooks launched by the Extreme Gloves, he could swing through the canyon like a monkey swinging on vines, much faster than his own speed.

While testing the gloves, Tang Xian also began testing his new abilities.

Tang Xian surmised that this was the ability he gained from killing s004.

After s004 and the black snake were crushed into an unspeakable mess by the Zudun Giant, Tang, a prompt rang out in Tang Xian's mind.

[You have acquired a special combat skill: Graceful Throw]

[This ability is a unique drop from a special target, and cannot be improved by killing similar creatures. Upgrade method: Frequent use.]

[Upgrading the level of Graceful Throw will increase the size and range of the objects thrown.]

Regarding this new skill, in short, it allows one to precisely control small objects to reach exactly where one wants them to go.

For example, the launch point of a grappling hook. Or tossing a small pebble at random, like blowing a paper airplane, could make it land precisely where needed.

It's a very practical ability, hitting the mark every time.

This ability allowed Tang Xian to feel even more at home while swinging.

Because the grappling claws always seemed to be thrown at the most supportive points among the rocks.

During this attempt, as well as several previous hunts, Tang Xian had already noticed that his kill judgment was very peculiar.

For instance, the hellhound that died due to his strategies, but the kill was still credited to him.

Many creatures I encountered afterward didn't drop any skills, but no matter how they died, as long as it was my own plan, even if I didn't lay a hand on them, the resistance rewards after their death were fixed.

So although s004 died from Tang's overwhelming force, Tang Xian was still the beneficiary.

He just didn't understand why.

Tang Xian felt some regret that he didn't question the Zudun Sacred Tree about the remnants of the first civilization before it completely degenerated back into seeds.

A plant goes through stages of grass, flower, tree, and this kind of leap in evolution might take far longer than people imagine.

It's rare for a plant to produce a Soul Crystal. Even if it does, the plant has lived for a very long time, possibly thousands or even tens of thousands of years, belonging to extremely long-lived creatures that may have indeed witnessed the origin of the world and the most ancient wise beings.

I might not be a remnant of the first civilization, but perhaps I really am connected to the Mining Continent itself.

With the gloves, Tang Xian climbed at an extremely fast speed, which indirectly was akin to flying without touching the ground.

From the south side of the red soil forest to the north side and then from the north to the edge of the forest of trees, this journey took Tang Xian a total of seven hours.

By the time he got back to the wooden house, the sky had already darkened.

In the courtyard under the wooden house, smoke from cooking fires rose, and Tang Xian smelled the fragrance of fish soup.

This time Akasi didn't add any perfumed oil, so the taste wasn't so peculiar.

Tang Xian hadn't even entered the wooden house when Tang Xiaojiu, Tang Suoye, and Akasi sensed his presence.

So along with Dong Ran, who was holding Tang Bingxiang, and Qiao Shanshan, who was attempting to teach Tang Gazi tongue twisters, they all ran out to greet him.

"Tang Xian, you're finally back!"

Tang Xiaojiu happily trotted with little steps into Tang Xian's arms.

Tang Xian naturally picked up Tang Xiaojiu and, seeing everyone's slightly surprised faces, said,

"Did something happen?"

Qiao Shanshan asked, "Why was your phone turned off?"

"Turning it off is an effective way to save on the phone bill."

"..."

Dong Ran said,

"The second miss was really worried about you."

"I've met with her."

Qiao Shanshan then asked,

"How did you get here?"

The red soil forest was originally adjacent to the forest of trees, but now it has been overturned and hollowed out.

It's as if the humans' path to the border of the forest of trees has been severed.

Tang Xian thought it was not bad, no longer having to worry about people running to the forest of trees house in the future.

"Climbed up here."

Dong Ran was shocked.

In her memory, Tang was weak, a person without any talent.

An ordinary person would have no way of crossing such a large ravine.

Tang Xian looked at everyone's expressions and realized something.

His strength appeared different in the eyes of each team member.

For instance, Dong Ran, who followed him from the earliest time, but back then, he indeed had no ability at all.

Qiao Shanshan, due to the matter of being the captain of the White Rose Team, imagined him to be a master.

Akasi and Tang Suoye on the other hand, because of the identity of the Masked Chopper Hero, even considered him to be some monster with a hundred percent synchronization rate.

But Tang Suoye also had her own doubts. The serum had changed Tang Suoye's perception, and she always felt that Tang Xian didn't possess the physique that a strong creature should have.

After many days apart, seeing each other again made Tang Xian quite happy.

The Shengtang team was about to assist the Li family as Guest Elders in the battle of the Yuepela Plains.

That was a real fight against the creatures of the Mining Continent, only knowing both the enemy and oneself ensured there would be no peril in a hundred battles.

About the Mining Continent, even Tang Xian didn't dare to claim he knew the enemy, let alone his teammates.

But at the very least, there should be a correct understanding among each other. It was time to share some secrets.

Tang Xian said,

"There are some things I need to tell you all."

"What things?" Qiao Shanshan asked.

"About my abilities. And some of my secrets."