Every corner of my body was wracked with intense pain. The Divine Shepherd power within me felt as if it were being violently kneaded by an invisible hand.
The pain was unbearable.
Fortunately, the storm had subsided, and I was back on the ship, enduring this agony with all my might.
The lightning, fire, and water powers within my body enveloped me.
These four forces collided within me, intensifying the feeling of pain.
"Could it be that I'm about to activate another attribute?" A thought flashed through my mind.
The pain was just like this when I activated attribute powers before. In the past, I could endure it forcefully, or pass out when it became too much.
But now, I couldn't even pass out.
Previous near-death experiences had greatly strengthened my resilience. In this state, it was impossible to lose consciousness.
Yet, the pain had become even more severe. Supporting myself in this condition was proving extremely difficult.
The sea gradually returned to normal. I lay on the deck, my mind exceptionally clear.
Everything that had happened replayed in my mind. I could feel that my mental state seemed to have been elevated.
This feeling was hard to describe, but under this extreme pain, I seemed to have glimpsed a new direction.
At one point, the pain vanished as suddenly as it had come.
It arrived swiftly and departed just as quickly.
I sat up on the deck and assessed the power within my body.
As I suspected, under these circumstances, four powers now coexisted within me.
Wind, water, fire, lightning...
And now, the time it took me to activate my attributes was becoming shorter, though I didn't know why.
But judging by the current situation, the other powers within my body seemed to be helping me activate other attributes.
I wasn't sure if this was a good thing for me.
At least, I had always believed that specializing in one aspect was most important.
For example, Lin Chun now only possessed lightning attribute power. If he could utilize this power to its fullest, it would mean he could become incredibly strong.
But that wasn't the case for me.
I now possessed four attribute powers, meaning all four would develop simultaneously.
Lacking a distinct advantage implied not being strong enough.
For a moment, I felt troubled.
Should I abandon the other attribute powers and master just one, or should I cultivate all necessary powers together?
As I pondered this, a wave of fatigue washed over me, and I drifted into a deep sleep.
When I awoke again, I found myself lying in a bed.
Luo Yaqin sat beside me, her expression tense.
"What's wrong?" I sat up, glancing around. I realized I was in a cabin.
"Nothing..." Luo Yaqin shook her head, then lowered her voice. "Can you promise me not to overexert yourself like this?"
Hearing this, I paused. "What's wrong?"
"I examined your body... You're like this because you're too exhausted..." Luo Yaqin explained.
"No, I just wanted to sleep..." I chuckled awkwardly.
"Don't forget I'm a doctor!" Luo Yaqin said earnestly.
I knew I couldn't hide it from her. Honestly, I did feel exhausted.
But I had no other choice.
The pressure on me was too great. If I couldn't maintain my current state, it would mean that all of us would face danger.
That was something I couldn't bear to see.
"Don't worry... There will come a day when everything is resolved. Once all these matters are settled... I promise I'll rest properly!" I said through gritted teeth.
Luo Yaqin managed a weak smile and said nothing more.
I didn't sleep for long. Soon, I returned to the city.
This time, I summoned all the individuals with strong combat capabilities.
Because I had to inform them about the matter with Vixi.
While many knew parts of it, many others didn't understand the full picture.
So, I explained everything, omitting only the secrets about the Tree of Life and the Water of Life.
Of course, I also asked Number One and the others to come forward and explain in detail what they had done and experienced.
After all, they had been Vixi's test subjects.
After listening to my account of the entire ordeal, Chen Zhi's expression became grave. "Lu Ge... you mean we're facing a great danger, and this danger originates from your enemy..."
"That's right!" I nodded. "I've considered it. I plan to relocate the battleground. I don't want our city to be affected..."
"That can be arranged. We can make some preparations in advance," Bei Chi said.
I nodded. Although I was reluctant to resort to certain unorthodox methods, these were extraordinary times.
And I knew all too well that Vixi wouldn't make things easy for me under these circumstances.
If that were the case, he might bring out all his research methods and findings.
Dealing with him wouldn't be a simple matter.
Most importantly, he possessed modern technology.
I hadn't been in contact with the outside world for a long time, so I had no idea how far it had progressed.
And whether that technology might have some unforeseen impact on me, I also didn't know.
So, the only thing I could do was prepare as best as possible and minimize the danger.
Though it sounded somewhat unrealistic, it was the only thing I could do.
After I made arrangements, I was mentally prepared for some people to refuse to join me.
That would have been understandable. Everyone has their own thoughts and missions, and they have the right to choose what they do.
But what I didn't expect was that everyone was willing to act with me.
Even though I had repeatedly explained to them how dangerous the opponent we were facing was, not a single person was willing to back out.
Honestly, at that moment, I was deeply touched. Because I felt I had sacrificed something, and their willingness to face danger with me was the greatest comfort.
With their participation, many things became easier to handle.
Now, I just needed more manpower.