Chapter 73: Playing the Fool to Hunt the Tiger

Lin Qiu’s expression was cold. The suggestion from the system just now struck him as rather appealing—it was indeed time to try something new. Originally, he had felt a bit ashamed and uneasy about acting against his conscience, but now all such concerns had vanished completely.

He looked at Heize with undisguised disdain. “You are not qualified to know my identity. Do you still want to spar with me now?”

At these words, Heize’s body trembled, and he shook his head hastily. “No, no, it was my fault for disturbing you!”

Heize quickly turned to Liu Changfeng and said, “Please, take me to complete the formalities!”

Liu Changfeng nodded slightly. As he left, his gaze lingered on Lin Qiu, growing even deeper and more inscrutable. Lin Qiu was becoming increasingly mysterious, arousing Liu Changfeng’s curiosity. And now, there was Heize as well.

Heize was a beast of eighth-grade bloodline. If Liu Changfeng could extract his genetic material for research, he was confident he could find a way to enhance his own abilities—and those of Dabai as well. The look Liu Changfeng gave Lin Qiu at the end made Lin Qiu frown ever so slightly.

“That coward is scheming again,” Lin Qiu murmured to himself.

He looked down at the broken needle and the electric saw, and still felt his scalp tingle. Truly, all scientists were a bunch of madmen.

As for why Liu Changfeng’s bloodline radar could not detect his bloodline level, and why Heize could not decipher what Lin Qiu truly was—this was all due to the system and his own identity. With the system at his side, his bloodline was perfectly concealed. He possessed the blood of a true dragon, the highest level—how could lesser beasts possibly see through him?

But therein lay the greatest flaw. When something is perfect, it is in itself imperfect. If Heize could not see through him, did that not mean Lin Qiu’s bloodline was nobler than his? That was an indisputable fact.

Moreover, Lin Qiu possessed the City of the Other Shore and the ancient monument of the Other Shore. That monument, equivalent to half the territory of the East, was home to the most advanced technology. With it in his possession, all his presence was hidden as well.

Yet Lin Qiu noticed a problem and asked the system, “How can I alter my bloodline aura? If nobody can discern it, but my level isn’t high, wouldn’t I just become a tempting target for others?”

“Can you adjust my bloodline aura to first rank? That way, I can play the fool and take down my enemies when they least expect it.”

A sly smile crept onto Lin Qiu’s lips. Having a high bloodline rank but weak vitality made one a delicacy to powerful beasts. But if his bloodline was of the first rank, the real experts would ignore him, while the mediocre beasts would constantly come looking for trouble.

But did he fear trouble, with the devouring system in his possession? On the contrary, he wished for as much trouble as possible. Only by becoming bait for these unsavory beasts could he play the fool and swallow them all.

The system did not let him down. With swift efficiency, it adjusted his bloodline aura to the second rank.

Lin Qiu sensed the change and nodded with satisfaction. Second rank was better than first. At first rank, he would be too insignificant—even picky beasts wouldn’t bother with him. Second rank was just right. Fifth-rank beasts would find him delicious, fourth-rank beasts could enjoy a meal, and for third-rank beasts, he was a supreme delicacy. As for those of the same rank, killing and devouring them would bring a soul-deep satisfaction.

That pleasure was beyond words.

Lin Qiu was pleased, especially since the system had provided this service free of charge, without demanding any reward. In that instant, he found the system even more endearing.

Inside the bureau’s office, Liu Changfeng began registering Heize and the young woman.

After registering Heize, he asked the girl, “Name, place of origin, gender, age, special skills.”

Liu Changfeng was strictly businesslike, his face devoid of its usual levity, replaced by stern seriousness. Throughout the process, he was busy writing and typing, never once glancing at the girl. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to, but rather that he was afraid.

The girl’s beauty could twist a man’s very values. Even Liu Changfeng found his own thoughts straying: Did gender truly matter? In the dark, weren’t we all the same? The notion startled him so much that cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

“Damn it, how could I think such things? Clearly, I shouldn’t come here anymore. My lab is safer,” he told himself. “Isn’t research more fulfilling?”

“Wang Xiaomeng, male, Wudu, resident of Dingyuan Community. Special skills?” The gentle voice came from her lips, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as she softly replied, “My special skill is... special.”

“Uh...” Liu Changfeng and Heize were both stunned. He asked for her special skill, and she answered in a way that said nothing at all.

But when the two of them inadvertently saw Wang Xiaomeng glance down at her waist, their faces went pale.

Heize had already experienced it; he’d vomited for quite a while because of it. It was that shock that had led to his capture by Lin Qiu. So when Wang Xiaomeng mentioned her special skill, it only reminded him of his own misfortune.

Liu Changfeng’s face, too, turned ashen, cold sweat breaking out on his brow, the muscles at his temples twitching uncontrollably.

With an awkward smile, he said, “That’s all right, registration’s complete. I’ll make your IDs now.”

He skipped over the special skills section, then started typing furiously on the keyboard.

The room fell silent, save for the rhythmic clacking of the mechanical keyboard.

Wang Xiaomeng stole glances at Liu Changfeng from time to time, her eyes growing ever softer. Liu Changfeng’s expression remained unchanged, focused on his work, but sweat had soaked the back of his shirt.

He was no longer an ordinary man—his senses had begun to evolve, growing keen. Every furtive move Wang Xiaomeng made, every covert glance, he could sense it all. He felt as if the sky was about to fall.

This girl with a “special” skill seemed to have designs on him.

Liu Changfeng shivered inwardly, his mouth twitching.

“All information is entered, data uploaded. Now stand by the wall, I’ll take your photos.”

He pulled out a camera and had them stand by the wall. Flicking on the fill light and adjusting the focus, he snapped several pictures.

When the photos were printed, Liu Changfeng made no effort to enhance them. Heize’s face was broad and brutish, like a hulking bear; no amount of retouching could change that. As for Wang Xiaomeng, her beauty was so otherworldly that to touch up her photo would only be an insult.

In truth, the real reason was that looking at Heize made Liu Changfeng sick, while looking at Wang Xiaomeng made his heart tremble. So he simply skipped this step.

He began making the ID cards, and in less than two minutes, Heize’s was finished. It was the size of a bank card, bearing a two-inch photo of Heize, along with his details, gender, and species.