17: Chapter 17 The Mutant Incident Escalates Again

Two days flashed by. Because of what happened with Zhang Caijun a few days ago, the school's gossip about Lu Zheng had lessened significantly, and Lu Zheng enjoyed a rare moment of peace.

Some people in the class had experienced an Awakening and joined the Evolution Class.

However, to him, the Evolution Class was no different from a regular class. In a regular class, there were fewer distractions, allowing him to focus on controlling his Clone to gain energy points.

The only thing that concerned Lu Zheng was that his homeroom teacher, Teacher Li Shuang, seemed to be taking extra care of him, though he didn't know why.

"By tonight, my Clone should be able to accumulate 5,000 energy points."

Lu Zheng muttered to himself, then headed toward the Evolution Class, but he didn't find Yu Zhengyang waiting; it seemed everyone in the Evolution Class was away.

"Fine, everyone's a busy person, and I'm the only one with nothing to do."

Lu Zheng muttered. A car drove toward him and slowed to a stop beside him, the window rolling down.

"Teacher Li Shuang."

"Get in, let's go!"

Teacher Li Shuang said slowly. Lu Zheng didn't hesitate and sat in the back seat. Teacher Li Shuang, in the driver's seat, glanced at the silent student behind her, said nothing, and drove away.

This was why Lu Zheng said Teacher Li Shuang took extra care of him. For the past few days, Teacher Li Shuang had been driving him home. He had tried to refuse, but it was useless. Even his sister knew about it and didn't say anything.

He didn't know if it was a coincidence, but they happened to live in the same residential complex.

Lu Zheng resigned himself to it. Previously, there had been the chatterbox Yu Zhengyang, but with Old Yu absent today, the car was exceptionally quiet.

"The Evolution Class has a mission today, so everyone is out, including Yu Zhengyang."

"This situation will be common from now on, so it's likely that Yu Zhengyang won't be able to go home with us in the future."

Teacher Li Shuang said while driving.

"Mm, alright, Teacher."

Lu Zheng nodded. Once again, Teacher Li Shuang's attributes appeared before his eyes.

[Human: Teacher Li Shuang] (Evolving)

[Ability]: Water Arrow

[Rank]: First-Rank Mid-Stage (Breakthrough Period)

[Combat Power]: 10

Compared to three days ago, Teacher Li Shuang's combat power had increased by 3 points. Although he was a freak for having a System, the world was not lacking in Geniuses. In this era of Spiritual Energy Revival, combat power changed from day to day.

"One more thing."

Teacher Li Shuang looked at the dazed Lu Zheng in the back seat. Thinking that the news about the Evolution Class had discouraged him, she changed the subject.

"I have something to take care of tomorrow, so you can just head home by yourself; no need to wait for me."

"Mm, alright."

Lu Zheng nodded and looked outside. The car wasn't moving fast. A figure with a panicked expression flashed past the window. Not knowing what was happening ahead, the car suddenly slammed on the brakes.

"Lu Zheng, stay in the car and don't come out. I'm going to check."

Teacher Li Shuang's expression was grave. She pushed the door open and got out. From inside the car, Lu Zheng could only see the crowd in the distance seemingly encountering something terrifying and beginning to flee in all directions.

"Perception!"

Lu Zheng immediately used the skill Perception. Because of the System, he wasn't worried about being discovered.

As he used the skill, everything happening around him appeared clearly in his mind.

"Cannibalism! Cannibalism!"

Outside the car, some people were screaming. Teacher Li Shuang frowned when she heard this: "An Evolved Beast?!"

Thinking that Lu Zheng in the car couldn't see, she accelerated, grabbed a wooden stick from the side, and quickly arrived at the scene of the chaos.

But the scene before her stunned Teacher Li Shuang.

A person was actually on top of an unmoving person, moving frantically, and blood was flowing out.

Teacher Li Shuang reacted instantly and stepped forward with the stick. When she truly saw it, her pupils constricted—the one eating the person wasn't an Evolved Beast, but a human!

Cannibalism!

The figure with a blood-stained face was crawling on top of the person. The person on the ground had their abdomen ripped open, intestines scattered, and the figure was stuffing mouthfuls of intestines and meat into its mouth.

"You're looking for death!"

Teacher Li Shuang roared and struck the cannibal away with her stick, but the cannibal's reaction and physical ability exceeded Teacher Li Shuang's expectations.

The person who had been knocked away didn't sustain any serious injuries and actually lunged at Teacher Li Shuang.

Its blood-red eyes were filled with a crazed, bloodthirsty intent.

"This is..."

Teacher Li Shuang saw a familiar aura on this brutal person; it was the appearance of an evolved creature that had failed its evolution, turning into a mindless, bloodthirsty creature.

"A person whose evolution failed..."

Teacher Li Shuang had realized the truth about the cannibal before her, her heart heavy. She had worried about this before; other creatures suffered severe consequences when evolution failed, and she didn't know if it would happen to humans.

And now, that premonition had come true.

Humans could also mutate into such monsters when evolution failed!

Far away in the car, Lu Zheng also saw everything.

[Human: Cheng Pu] (Mutating)

[Ability]: None

[Rank]: First-Rank Initial-Stage

[Combat Power]: 3

At the same time, he heard Teacher Li Shuang's words and his expression became complex. Changes were beginning to happen within humanity as well.

He didn't know if this change was good or bad...

"Water Arrow!"

Facing the lunging mutant, a Water Arrow appeared in Teacher Li Shuang's right hand. She swung it fiercely, and the mutant's chest was directly pierced, slamming hard against the wall and falling silent.

The commotion here soon attracted officials, who quickly took over the scene. Teacher Li Shuang didn't stay long and returned to the car.

"Someone was attacking people, but it has been resolved."

"Let's go."

Teacher Li Shuang didn't explain anything to Lu Zheng, and Lu Zheng nodded sensibly, his gaze drifting as the car drove away.

This kind of thing wouldn't be the first time, nor would it be the last.

Right now, he could only do his best to improve his own abilities and combat power.

The two in the car, each with their own thoughts, soon returned to the residential complex. Lu Zheng took his schoolbag and returned home. No one was home, so he lay on the bed. With a thought, the scene before his eyes changed again.

[Clone]: Black-Browed Beauty Snake

[Rank]: 7

[Talent]: Coil (First-Rank), Digestion Enhancement (First-Rank), Perception (First-Rank)

[Combat Power]: 15

[Energy Points]: 6700 / 5000

The energy points were full, even exceeding the requirement by nearly two thousand. Without the slightest hesitation, Lu Zheng said directly to the System: "System, Upgrade!"

As soon as Lu Zheng's words fell, the familiar power descended once again.

And under this power, a behemoth lying quietly at the bottom of the lake underwent another change, a change that no other existence knew about.