Chapter 363 - 255: Poison Ability
The so-called tutoring, of course, required understanding the student’s current level to provide guidance based on that foundation.
Even if the Power User Federation was involved in shady dealings behind the scenes, everything on the surface appeared normal. So, when the man pointed to the small Mutant Beast in the cage and said, "You don’t mind if I see what you’re capable of, do you?"
Paige Summers couldn’t refuse.
Of course, she hadn’t planned on refusing anyway. ’All my prior preparations weren’t for nothing,’ she thought. ’Isn’t this all to win his trust?’
She didn’t speak. She glanced at the Mutant Beast and, without even approaching, waved her hand from where she stood.
The man stared at her without blinking, so he naturally saw it. In that instant, a thread of black mist shot out from her fingertip, striking straight at the Mutant Beast in the cage!
The Mutant Beast, its head shrouded in the mist, showed no external injuries. But in the blink of an eye, it let out a mournful cry and began to convulse, its body turning purple. A few seconds later, it stopped moving completely.
The hall fell silent again.
The man knew it was dead without having to check.
Shockwaves crashed through his mind!
’This poison is too strong!’
It wasn’t that he had never seen a Poison Ability before, but he had never in his life seen one that could reach this level!
’She’s practically a human poison bomb!’
He was silent for a moment, then put his smile back on. "Can you release it over a large area?"
"No." Paige Summers was a woman of few words.
’I see.’
The answer made the man breathe a sigh of relief, though he couldn’t tell if it was from reassurance or regret. ’Then again, if she could really release her poison over a large area, that would be unbelievably overpowered! In a real battle, would there even be a need to fight? Just send her out. She’d be an absolute ultimate weapon!’
The man pondered for a moment before saying, "My name is Lennon. I also have a Poison Ability, but mine is touch-based. Although our methods of release are different, our superpowers have a lot in common. Today, how about we start by discussing the issue of toxicity control?"
Paige Summers watched him with a deep, unreadable gaze.
"Fine."
Lennon politely called it a discussion, but in reality, he did most of the talking while Paige Summers listened, occasionally offering a one-word reply.
Although Paige Summers rarely spoke, she was clearly listening intently and appeared to be very interested.
Lennon secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
’To be honest, I wasn’t confident I could tutor a Superpower User of this Level.’
Usually, very few Superpower Users who first came to the Federation were already at the Sixth Rank. Most only managed to Promote quickly under their guidance—or rather, with their "help."
The Federation sold special drugs at a low price to promising Superpower Users, and needless to say, the effects were excellent. Of course, the Superpower Users would only be excited that their Promotion had become easier, never discovering the drug’s other effect. Even if they took it to a hospital for testing, they would only be told that its ingredients were beneficial for enhancing superpower energy.
Lennon had tutored many Superpower Users, two of whom had Promoted to the Seventh Rank not long after.
The advantage of tutoring them from a low-level was that those Superpower Users had little understanding of their own superpowers. Even if they did, it was mostly just scattered bits of knowledge they’d figured out on their own, which was nothing compared to someone like him, who had a complete system for the Cultivation and use of his Poison Ability.
After his tutoring sessions, they would feel they had benefited greatly and would be eager to come back for more.
But the woman in front of him was different.
She had already reached the Sixth Rank through her Cultivation, which meant she had her own methods.
’If what I say doesn’t appeal to her, she probably won’t come back.’
’Then how will the plan proceed?’
’So, I have to make her think she can learn a lot from this place!’
What he didn’t know was that, for Paige Summers, even if he were talking utter crap, she would still feign interest... otherwise, how was she supposed to reel in her fish?
Each had their own agenda, which happened to align perfectly.
And so, one spoke while the other listened. It couldn’t have been more harmonious!
The first tutoring session ended quickly. Paige Summers took the initiative to ask, "When’s the next one?"
Lennon was secretly pleased but put on a sincere expression. "I might be out of town for a while starting the day after tomorrow. I’m only free tomorrow, but I’m afraid you won’t be able to fully digest today’s knowledge..."
"It’s fine. Tomorrow!"
Lennon seized the opportunity and nodded. "Alright then. Six p.m. tomorrow, right here in this hall."
Paige Summers left, and Lennon couldn’t wait to report the good news to his superior!
Promising Superpower Users weren’t that common. Even with the drugs, many people took them but failed to Promote to the Seventh Rank.
But this one was different.
’She’s already a Sixth Rank. Maybe just one dose of the drug is all it’ll take for her to Promote to the Seventh Rank!’
’Which means she’ll be ready to be used very soon!’
In a room on the third floor of the Federation headquarters, Lennon gave a detailed report on Paige Summers’s situation to the man sitting behind the desk.
After listening, the man, who was in his fifties, gave him a smile of approval.
"Lennon, good work! String her along for two more sessions, then find the right moment to have her take the drug. After that, you know what to do, right?"
Lennon nodded hastily. "Of course, of course! I’ll be sure to deliver her over there in perfect condition!"
The man said with satisfaction, "Don’t worry. Once this is done, you’ll get your share of the reward!"
Lennon was overjoyed.
’The last time they sent over those Superpower Users, their tutors received a lot of High-level Crystal Cores! Some of them even started trying to break through to the next rank. I was so jealous!’
’This time, I’ve finally gotten my chance!’
’One more tutoring session tomorrow. If she’s not suspicious after that, I’ll wait two days, then make up an excuse about returning from out of town early for another session... and then I’ll make my move...’
The more he thought about it, the more pleased he became, and he left the room.
The man inside, however, leaned back in his chair, his brows deeply furrowed.
’They’re demanding more and more people, and more frequently... This can’t go on!’
’If we attract attention, we’ll be in big trouble.’
’I need to find a way to probe their intentions, to see when this situation will end!’
While these two were lost in their own schemes, Paige Summers was carefully circling the streets. After confirming no one was following her, she found a secluded alley. She tied up her hair, wiped off her makeup, took off her black clothes, and shed her grim expression. She emerged like a completely different person and returned to her residence, attracting no attention at all.
Once inside, Paige Summers finally relaxed.
She had a feeling that Lennon would make his move soon.
’Ben is here. I can’t expose this place. I need to find a temporary residence to be safe.’
Thinking of this, she called Irving Thorne. Using coded language, she told him everything was going smoothly and then mentioned the matter of a house. He agreed without a moment’s hesitation, saying he would bring her the key that evening.
Satisfied, she hung up the phone and walked toward Ben’s room.
But just as her hand touched the doorknob, a flurry of urgent footsteps sounded from outside.
She listened intently, quickly moving to the door.
After identifying the visitor by the sound of their footsteps, she relaxed slightly. Without waiting for a knock, she pulled the door open and welcomed the person inside.
"What are you doing here?"