Online Game: My 10,000x Intelligence Buff Awakens

Silence.

After Lila spoke, the wind and snow around them suddenly eased, and the howling started to soften.

The Faceless Department's special action team glanced at their still-unconscious Captain Lion, then looked up in disbelief at their Deputy Captain, Lila.

Even if Lion woke up, in front of [Plague Ghost] Jade, their team would be like a helpless child.

If [Plague Ghost] Jade chose to act, they'd be dead for sure.

Lila took a deep breath, her eyes firm and resolute. She knew saying this might offend Jade. Worse, if she was unlucky and he left some illness in her, she'd be done for.

But for the [Calamity Aura], she had to do it.

She slowly lifted her head, met Jade's eyes, took another step forward, and said:

"Mr. Jade, you didn't come here just for the [Ice Calamity], did you? Same with the [Prism] group—you're looking for something else."

Hearing that, Jade finally showed interest. He gave her a serious look and replied calmly:

"You're a smart one. What's your offer?"

Lila's eyes lit up. She answered without hesitation: "I can apply to my superiors to give you the files you want—intel!"

"There are no eternal enemies, and no eternal friends. Am I right, Mr. Jade?"

A faint smile touched Jade's lips.

To him, this bold and clever woman was a bit too naive.

But she wasn't wrong. To find the [Ghost King]'s son, besides the [Prism] group's Prophet, Dolren City's Faceless Department was also a decent partner.

This time, Jade had gathered twelve wisps of [Calamity Aura]. Usually, ten wisps are enough to raise someone's talent from Purple-quality to Orange-quality.

Even if the [Ghost King]'s son had poor talent, he should at least be Purple-quality.

Jade thought for a moment and agreed to Lila's request.

He lightly waved his right hand. A gray orb of light, carrying the feel of death and ruin, drifted toward Lila and landed in her palm

Before she could be happy, her arm suddenly went numb, and the gray light sank into her arm in an instant.

Lila quickly looked up at [Plague Ghost] Jade.

Jade slowly opened his black umbrella and said calmly: "If you're too weak, even if you get a chance, you won't be able to use it.

"The [Calamity Aura] is yours now. Either absorb it yourself, or find a suitable weapon and use the [Calamity Aura] to strengthen it.

"Here's a warning: without a Tier Five awakener by your side to protect you, if you force the [Calamity Aura] into yourself, there's a high chance your talent won't improve—and you'll explode and die."

After that, wearing a spotless white suit and holding a black umbrella that had shrunk to normal size, Jade walked away into the wind and snow.

[Head-Cutter] curled her lip in displeasure. Her eyes lingered on Ethan before she pulled them away and said:

"I'm at the Tianyuan Hotel. You can come find me anytime. Trust me, if we have a good talk about beheading techniques, it'll open a whole new world for you!"

"I still don't know your name."

[Head-Cutter] grinned and casually swung the huge scythe on her shoulder.

A stiff smile showed on Ethan's face. "Ethan."

[Head-Cutter] nodded. "You can call me Bao'er. I'm heading out. I'll wait for you."

With that, [Head-Cutter] turned and left.

Now only [Grinning Ghost] stood in front of Ethan. He stared straight at him and said, with a hint of meaning:

"It's basically over. You should keep your promise."

Ethan knew exactly what promise [Grinning Ghost] meant. He still had to hand over the [Blue Ice Potion formula] to him.

Ethan's earlier guess was right. [Grinning Ghost] had recognized him—or rather, sensed him by instinct.

But since the man hadn't said it outright, Ethan planned to keep pretending he knew nothing.

He could probably keep his identity hidden a bit longer.

Right then, Lila suddenly moved.

She rushed to the unconscious Lion and, without hesitation, put her hand on his staff.

At once, the staff shook violently and gave off a blinding purple light.

Ethan's pupils narrowed. In Dawnfall Online, he had several Purple-quality weapons and gear, so this purple glow was very familiar to him.

It seemed Lion's weapon had been only Blue-quality by Dawnfall Online's weapon tiers.

Could a single wisp of [Calamity Aura] really turn a Blue-quality weapon into a Purple-quality one?

Ethan couldn't help taking a deep breath.

After all this, he hadn't improved much. The only change was that his body, without triggering [Pain Resistance], had reached the limit of a normal human.

The [Iron Controller] who could control steel, the [Space Wolf] who could freeze space, the little girl with the huge scythe, and the man of unfathomable power whom Lila called Mr. Jade...

Next to them, Ethan was like a newbie who had just entered the starter village.

He knew well how big the gap was between him and them. He had to find a way to awaken the [Ten-Thousandfold Intelligence Reward] talent in the real world as soon as possible!

As long as he could have [Ten-Thousandfold Intelligence Reward] in reality too, he was confident he could quickly raise his strength in the real world, just like in Dawnfall Online.

Thinking of this, Ethan subconsciously glanced at Lila's arm.

He heard what Jade said: besides using [Calamity Aura] on weapons and gear, people can absorb it to raise their talent quality.

He just didn't know if [Calamity Aura] could help someone awaken a talent from Dawnfall Online.

Thinking of that, he let out a soft sigh. Even if [Calamity Aura] could help him awaken [Ten-Thousandfold Intelligence Reward], he had no way to get it.

After all, it's tied to a [Calamity]. Unless he happened to meet a [Calamity] he could actually beat.

He remembered Jake's cold, contemptuous gaze at the end, and how a casual strike badly injured the [Iron Controller].

Ethan felt that getting [Calamity Aura] was something that could only happen in a dream.

He was planning to leave and go back to his hospital room, log into Dawnfall Online, and use the Orange-quality [Ice Calamity Intel] and [Genius Healer-Smith Aurora Intel].

But as soon as he turned around, a man in a black suit stopped him.

Ethan looked back and saw Lila staring at him.

Lila said to Ethan, Lucas, Emma, and Dr. Axel: "Everyone, it's not completely over. You need to come back to the department with me. Don't worry, it shouldn't take long."

Emma frowned slightly and glanced at Ethan.

She knew Ethan had secretly collected some blood from the monster guards. If these mysterious men in black checked him and found it, she wouldn't be able to study it.

Right now, Emma just wanted to understand what happened today and how to get the power to protect herself.

Ethan was worried too. After those guards injected the black drug, their strength rose a lot.

If he could use Emma's lab and get Dr. Axel's help, maybe they could recreate that drug.

Just then, Ethan saw a small figure in the snow.

He smiled, walked over to Emma, and whispered: "Find a way to draw their attention."

Emma looked at Ethan in surprise. Did he have another plan?

Right now there were lots of mysterious men in black around them, and the short-haired woman was still staring them down.

Emma took a deep breath and walked quickly up to Lila. She said, serious and firm:

"We're victims, not criminals. You have no right to restrict our freedom!

"I'm going home. If you have anything to say, talk to my lawyer!"

With that, Emma headed for the exit. At once, the other men in black surrounded her and blocked her way.

Ethan used the chance to quietly toss the blood he had collected into the snow behind him.

Right then, a faint sound of footsteps came, like a small animal scurrying past.

Lila glanced at Ethan, puzzled. She walked up to him and asked: "What are you doing?"

Ethan spread his hands, face blank. "What else would I be doing? I'm obviously waiting for you to take us away."

Lila frowned and looked behind him a few times. She saw only a trail of tiny footprints in the snow, probably left by a stray cat.

She didn't think much of it. She waved her hand and had a few men in black take Ethan and the others away. The rest stayed to clean up the scene.

No one noticed that, in a corner, a plain-looking calico cat was slipping away at high speed.