I Can Control Resources

"Heh, Tangtang is right." Xu Zilan nodded kindly, but her eyes subtly landed on Gao Neng’s face.

Gao Neng, of course, noticed her gaze.

The Blood Pool was right before their eyes.

Drinking the water from the Blood Pool offered the chance to gain a blood rage ability, a highly tempting prospect for anyone.

’Fine, an opportunity to get stronger...’

’I can’t just let Fang Tangtang hog all the good stuff, can I?’

’After all, that girl is already at the Tier Six Late Stage. I bet that after drinking the Blood Pool’s water, she might just break through and ascend to a high tier.’

’If she actually surpasses me, that would be a huge loss of face.’

"Gao Neng, come on, let’s go!" Fang Tangtang tugged on Gao Neng. She didn’t mind going down to drink alone, but she felt it would be better if he were by her side.

"Okay, let’s go." Gao Neng nodded.

The two of them dove into the pool.

Xu Zilan glanced at Gao Xiaomeng, then followed them in as well.

Gao Xiaomeng didn’t move.

Because she was watching Bloodthirst, Blood Spray, and the other members of the Royal Race.

"Gao Neng is this Xiaomeng Queen’s brother," Gao Xiaomeng announced.

"Understood!" Bloodthirst replied through gritted teeth.

"Yes!" Blood Spray and the other Princes nodded in agreement.

"The Blood Marshal’s soul wasn’t extinguished. It was devoured by my brother and me, the Xiaomeng Queen. So, if you are willing to pledge your sincere allegiance, I will naturally resurrect him! Oh, right... that Strongest who’s currently away, what’s his name?" Gao Xiaomeng’s gaze swept across them.

"..." Bloodthirst remained silent.

"Thank you, Her Majesty the Queen!" Blood Spray stood up and quickly added, "The one leading the expedition is my father, Blood Frenzy!"

"Blood Frenzy? Hmm, you Blood Race sure have a way with names..." Gao Xiaomeng’s lips curled into a slight smirk.

"Indeed, we do," Blood Spray agreed.

"Hahahaha..." Gao Xiaomeng’s laughter echoed throughout the Royal Hall.

Around her, Bloodthirst, Blood Spray, and the other members of the Royal Race stood in complete silence.

Their source of evolution was under control.

It wasn’t that they didn’t want to resist. It was that they couldn’t.

Because the price of resistance was...

Death!

...

Back at the pool, inside the Blood Pool.

Gao Neng stared at the Blood Pool, which was encircled by eight tree branches.

"So this is the ’root’?" Gao Neng had always wondered what the ’root’ actually was. Now, seeing these branches, he felt like he was starting to understand.

"To be precise, this is merely the key to the ’root’," Xu Zilan said, nodding and then shaking her head.

"The key to the ’root’?"

"Yes. Every race has its own specific key. For example, the Elf Race has its ancient tree branches, the Blood Race has its Blood Jade Sculpture, the Celestial Race has its Guardian Angel, and the Beast Race has its totem cloud patterns... When these keys are inserted into a ’source of evolution,’ they can unlock the ’root,’ allowing one to completely control that source," Xu Zilan explained.

"I see. So what if you use another race’s key to try and open it?" Gao Neng asked after a moment of thought.

"A source of evolution only has two keys. This is why a major race can only control one minor race at most," Xu Zilan added.

"Two keys?"

"Correct. One of the Blood Race’s keys is currently inserted into the High Mountain Race’s source of evolution. The other, we have in our possession."

"What if they go to the High Mountain Race to take their key back?"

"They have no chance. To retrieve their key from the High Mountain Race, they would need to replace it with a High Mountain Race ’key.’ And we now have the High Mountain Race’s keys." As Xu Zilan spoke, she held out her palm.

On her palm lay sixteen small stones.

They looked ordinary enough.

But Gao Neng could feel a powerful evolutionary energy emanating from them.

"I get it now." ’I’d have to be an idiot not to understand at this point.’

’The Blood Race controlled the High Mountain Race, so naturally, they confiscated both of the High Mountain Race’s ’keys’—all sixteen stones—for themselves.’

’After all, that was the only way to ensure the High Mountain Race couldn’t possibly resist.’

’And after Xu Zilan and Gao Xiaomeng took control of the Blood Race, the first thing they did was secure those sixteen stones from the High Mountain Race.’

’A chain of control!’ The thought flashed through Gao Neng’s mind.

’Then, he thought of his quest.’

’The hidden quest!’

’The one for the ’Seed of Spring,’ which would grant him an epic-tier ability.’

’Controlling the Blood Race means I’ve indirectly taken control of the High Mountain Race. Doesn’t that count as planting one seed and harvesting many more? My hidden quest... It should be complete, right?’ As he thought this, he casually opened his Attribute Panel.

A line of text quickly appeared before him.

Hidden Quest: Incomplete.

’Incomplete? What’s going on?’ Gao Neng’s brow furrowed slightly. ’This game logic is completely unreasonable, isn’t it?’

’I’ve already taken control of the Blood Race!’

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

’So why isn’t the quest finished?’

’Garbage System, why isn’t my quest complete?!’ Gao Neng roared in his mind.

"Do you wish to know the answer?" the mechanical voice quickly replied.

"Duh."

"The Host can consider issuing another quest to obtain a hint for the hidden quest," the mechanical voice stated without emotion.

"..." Gao Neng was speechless.

’Issue another quest?’

’Just to get a hint for this hidden quest?’

’What a great idea!’

’But you’ve gotta be fucking kidding me. You really think I’m an idiot, don’t you?’

’I started with one hidden quest. If I issue another one, won’t that just mean I have two quests now?’

"The Host can also choose to figure it out on his own," the mechanical voice said, seemingly reading his mind.

’Figure it out on my own? How am I supposed to do that? You drop a hidden quest on me with zero fucking hints, just some bullshit about a ’Seed of Spring’... The fact that I even connected it to the Blood Pool is already brilliant, okay?!’ Gao Neng ranted internally.

’This hidden quest is such a scam!’

’Still, it *is* an epic-difficulty hidden quest. Completing it means getting an epic-tier ability directly.’

’That’s equivalent to...’

’...four normal quests.’

’But if I just ignore it... it’ll fucking penalize me one epic-tier ability?!’

"Rest assured, Host. The quest for the hint is generally not difficult and is easy to complete. Trading one small quest for a hint on an epic-tier quest is an extremely good deal," the mechanical voice coaxed.

"..." Gao Neng hesitated.

’But, just as the Garbage System said, trading a small quest for a hint on an epic one really was his only option.’

’Otherwise, if he really lost an epic-tier ability as a penalty, it would be game over.’

"Alright, issue a quest: ’Obtain a hint for the hidden quest, Seed of Spring’."

"Quest Reward: One ability upgrade opportunity."

’Of course, Gao Neng wasn’t going to settle for just a hint.’

’Since it was a quest, the Garbage System had to give him an ability upgrade opportunity, right?’

’As long as he got one more chance, he could at least upgrade ’Life Atom Fission’ to an epic-tier ability. That way, even if he was penalized one epic ability, it wouldn’t be a total loss!’

"Ding! Quest issued successfully!"

"Host has issued a quest: Obtain a hint for the hidden quest ’Seed of Spring’."

"Quest Objective: Once is possible, twice is possible, and so is a third time (Variant)"

"Hint: Upon successful completion of ’Once is possible, twice is possible, and so is a third time (Variant),’ the Host will receive the hint information for the hidden quest ’Seed of Spring’."

"Quest Reward: One ability upgrade opportunity."

"..." Gao Neng was speechless again.

’Gan Liniang!’

’So where’s the hint for *this* quest, the ’Once is possible, twice is possible, and so is a third time (Variant)’ one?!’

’Who the hell am I supposed to find to do this "once, twice, three times" thing with?!’

(Flying to the Philippines for a trip today, will be back in the country on the night of September 3rd. Wrote this Chapter during a two-hour layover at the Guangzhou airport. Also, I shouldn’t miss any updates for the next few days! Please call me the diligent Xin. Pleading for monthly tickets, thank you!)