137: deceive

Lin Tianwei’s digestion speed was very fast, but it still had a limit.

After devouring all the Awakened White Feather Chickens, he finally felt his stomach was a bit full.

Yawning lazily, Lin Tianwei decided to go back and sleep.

Sleep has always been the best way for growth, development, and energy conservation.

As for the remaining awakened beast meat?

Naturally, it became the food for Black and White and Bloodwing.

Especially Black and White, as an auxiliary tool bear for Awakening, it also consumed a lot.

Nearly half of its hard-earned accumulated fat was consumed.

Its round body also became a bit slender.

But it didn't matter.

This was, in fact, a form of training for its ability.

It wasn’t Lin Tianwei.

Without countless exercises, how could it fully master its own ability?

Even after Black and White and Bloodwing had their fill, there was still too much awakened beast meat left from the truck.

But it didn’t matter.

The truck came with a refrigeration system.

Although Lin Tianwei had damaged the door.

But keeping it fresh for another day or two was absolutely no problem.

Of course, before sleeping, there was one more thing to do, and that was to upgrade the Rapid Growth Talent.

The White Feather Chicken was, after all, a bit trashy.

Although it possessed a powerful Talent, its level was very low, only at the ordinary level.

Furthermore, due to its own limitations, no matter how fast it grew, it could not become a threatening opponent.

Talent: Rapid Growth (Ordinary) → Talent: Rapid Growth (Elementary)!

Talent: Rapid Growth (Elementary) → Talent: Rapid Growth (Intermediate)!

Reinforcement to this point, Lin Tianwei’s Talent fragments seemed a bit stretched.

Unless some high-level or extraordinary Talents were used as upgrade materials, it would be almost impossible to raise the level of this Talent in a short time.

After a moment of hesitation, Lin Tianwei still chose not to continue upgrading.

Although it was only an Intermediate Talent, it was already sufficient for his current self.

Growing fast?

But if food and digestive functions couldn't keep up, it would be equally futile.

—

Sitting in the returning car, Nobles was incredibly excited.

His right hand constantly played with a water ball.

After a large amount of food replenishment, his complexion finally improved a bit.

He no longer looked like he had just walked out of the warehouse, his body seemingly drained by some unknown creature.

What excited him most was the Esper ability.

He actually Awakened an Esper ability.

While Awakening only had a 5% success rate, it didn’t mean that simply Awakening would grant an Esper ability.

Even among Awakened, the probability of possessing an Esper ability was only about 1%.

This was why, despite America having so many people,

there were only a pitiful three teams that could be called A-rank Awakened teams.

Having become an Awakened.

Especially an Awakened who controlled an Esper ability, Nobles' value would definitely soar.

Perhaps in the future, he wouldn't have to do such arduous tasks.

Instead, he could leap to become a prominent figure, holding a higher status.

For a moment, he played with water like a child, full of joy.

The small water ball, under his control, was like the most flexible sprite.

It floated back and forth around Nobles, completely at ease.

However, just as this excitement was about to reach its peak.

Nobles suddenly seemed to remember something, and his face turned pale.

He suddenly recalled the two words Lin Tianwei had conveyed into his mind.

Though simple, they were like a divine decree, majestic and undeniable.

Especially after comparing the disparity in strength between them, Nobles came to a terrifying conclusion.

He might have become stronger, but he was still merely an ant before the Tiger King.

If he wanted to kill him, it might only take two words.

A sense of powerlessness arose spontaneously, making Nobles feel somewhat desperate.

The joy of Awakening an Esper ability instantly receded.

He had a premonition.

In this mutated world, this would be an important turning point that would change his destiny.

After much thought, Nobles ultimately abandoned the idea of giving up on becoming a diplomat who dealt with Lin Tianwei.

Perhaps getting along well with the Tiger King was his most valuable asset.

Thinking this, Nobles' heart leaned even more towards Lin Tianwei...

Even the longest journey eventually ends.

Soon, Nobles arrived before his boss... Pavel.

This was a meticulously dressed middle-aged man.

Slightly overweight.

Wearing a custom-made suit, it looked very fitting.

However, upon seeing Nobles and the twelve people behind him, Pavel finally showed emotion.

His voice trembled slightly as he said, "Nobles, how did you handle the task I gave you?"

"Is the Tiger King satisfied with the gift I sent?"

"All of you have returned, does that mean he was not satisfied with our gift?"

"So he didn't help you Awaken?"

Although Lin Tianwei claimed to be able to make people Awaken with 100% certainty.

Pavel felt this was just a gimmick.

As for the gifts, they weren't particularly expensive.

Nor were they cheap.

One could only say that compared to the cost of Awakening, it was far too low.

Facing Pavel's inquiry, Nobles found it somewhat amusing.

This lord's vision was a bit too narrow.

To actually question the ability of the Great Tiger King.

But then he thought again.

This seemed quite normal.

If he hadn't personally experienced that almost miraculous white light.

He might have also dismissed Ouro's words as a promotional gimmick.

A gimmick to deceive those foolish people into working on his farm for a year.

Thinking this, Nobles simply bowed to Pavel and said:

"Lord Pavel, the Great Tiger King was very satisfied with our gifts."

"So this time, he bestowed his grace, allowing all of us to complete our Awakening."

"All of us!"

As if to increase his persuasiveness, Nobles even repeated the word 'all of us' at the end.

This time, it was Pavel's turn to be shocked.

He looked at Nobles in disbelief.

Then he looked again at the people Nobles had brought.

His voice full of disbelief, he asked, "All of you have successfully Awakened?"

"How is this possible!"

Pavel had envisioned many outcomes, but he had never imagined it would be this kind of result.

As if to increase his persuasiveness, at Nobles' signal, everyone took out their testing instruments.

Based on the fact that Awakened are stronger than ordinary people, America had developed a simple testing instrument.

Anyone whose data met the standard was basically an Awakened.

And the test results of these thirteen people undoubtedly showed successful Awakening.

Carefully examining the data on each instrument, Pavel's eyes grew increasingly excited.

This was simply... amazing.

He suddenly felt some regret.

Why hadn't he personally gone to the farm this time?

If he had, wouldn't he have already become an Awakened?

As if he felt Pavel's shock wasn't enough, Nobles directly used his ability, condensing a water ball out of thin air, and said:

"Not only that, I also Awakened an Esper ability."

"Praise the Tiger King, this is truly the grace of the Great Tiger King!"

"If it were before, I would never have dared to imagine such a thing happening."

This time, the jealousy in Pavel's eyes grew even stronger.

He was filled with immense regret.

If he had gone this time, not only would he have been 100% Awakened.

He would even have had the chance to awaken an Esper ability.

Just as Pavel thought it was that simple and already over.

He discovered that among the loyal retainers and house servants behind Nobles, five slowly stepped forward.

They spoke in unison: "Mr. Pavel, we have also Awakened Esper abilities."

Five?

No, including Nobles, that’s six people!

A whole six people Awakened Esper abilities?

Six divided by thirteen, that's a probability close to fifty percent.

Compared to normal Awakening, where the probability of Awakening an Esper ability is only about one percent.

This was a world of difference.

This time, not only was Pavel shocked, but even Nobles was shocked.

He thought he was the only lucky one, who happened to awaken an Esper ability.

But he hadn't expected there to be so many lucky ones.

Suddenly, he thought of a possibility in horror, and subconsciously blurted out: "Could it be?"

"Could it be?"

"Awakened born from the grace of the Great Tiger King have a higher probability of Awakening Esper abilities?"

It wasn't that Nobles was overthinking.

It was simply that the success rate of Esper Awakening was too high.

Even if it was survivor bias, wasn't this bias a bit too large?

Pavel wasn't a fool either, and he simultaneously thought of this possibility.

His heart.

Immediately began to beat rapidly.

If this possibility were true, wouldn't it mean that he could not only become an Awakened?

And there's a very high chance of becoming an Esper?

Such immense temptation made Pavel unable to resist.

He immediately said, "Nobles, go find more awakened beast meat for me."

"Quickly, now!"

"Once you've found enough, I'll go for my Awakening tonight!"

Watching the impatient Pavel, Nobles pondered for a moment and patiently advised, "Mr. Pavel, please don't rush."

"Whether King Tiger is willing to bestow his grace depends entirely on his mood."

"If you visit so presumptuously, it might backfire."

"How about I contact Mr. Ouro first."

"After confirming with him, we can find a suitable time to visit the farm."

"By then, Mr. Pavel will surely be able to become a powerful Esper."

Nobles' words reminded Pavel.

Lin Tianwei's condition was never about how much you gave, and he would Awaken that many people.

Instead, it depended on his mood.

This vague answer made Pavel a bit uneasy.

He immediately decided, "Nobles, you're absolutely right."

"If you hadn't reminded me, I would have almost ruined everything."

"Carelessly disturbing King Tiger's rest might not bring us grace, but unimaginable terror."

"You go search for more awakened beast meat."

"Bring enough gifts, and perhaps King Tiger will be in a good mood."

"Allowing me to become an Awakened, or even a more powerful Esper."

At this point, Pavel even began to fantasize.

He fantasized about the moment he would become an Esper, Awakening a powerful, cool, and awesome ability.

Who knew, Nobles still shook his head and said,

"Mr. Pavel, I still think this is very risky."

"I once told you that King Tiger likes Awakened Plants."

"If we go to Delop, get his Awakened Plant, and present it to King Tiger."

"I believe King Tiger will be very happy."

"And will not hesitate to bestow his divine grace."

At this moment, Nobles had no idea that his thoughts had completely synchronized with Ouro's.

He had become the charlatan he once despised the most.

As for whether this was the charm of Ouro's linguistic Talent, or the result of Lin Tianwei's terrifying strength, it was unknown for now.

Pavel, however, had no objection to Nobles' disrespectful words.

In his opinion, to be able to make himself Awaken with 100% certainty.

And even have nearly a 50% chance of Awakening an ability.

This kind of ability, calling it a miracle was completely fine.

But as soon as he thought of Delop, he became a bit hesitant and said, "This might be a bit difficult."

"Delop treasures that strange plant of his the most."

"If we were to buy it, the price might be outrageously high."

"It's really strange, it's just a rose, why does he treasure it so much."

"It's not even certain if it's an Awakened Plant."

Delop wasn't a fool; how could he give away a mutated rose, which was possibly a mutated plant, for no reason?

Thinking of the potential cost, Pavel hesitated.

He actually disagreed?

How could that be?

Wouldn't that make me seem incompetent, unable to handle things for King Tiger?

Nobles, whose elbow had already turned outwards, had a flash of inspiration and said, "It is precisely because it's difficult that it can show our sincerity."

"Whether it's an Awakened Plant or not, as long as we explain the situation clearly."

"Especially the hardships of acquiring it."

"I believe King Tiger, seeing our piety, will surely be willing to bestow his divine grace."

"Respected Mr. Pavel, you wouldn't want to be unable to Awaken an ability because King Tiger is displeased, would you?"

"According to my speculation, King Tiger might possess the ability to make people 100% Awaken an ability."

"The reason we only have such a pitiful ability Awakening rate."

"Perhaps it's just because he wasn't happy enough today!"

"And now is the best time to acquire that mutated rose."

"We are the first to come into contact with King Tiger, and the first to know about King Tiger's abilities."

"This is a head start!"

"Once more people become aware, King Tiger's appetite will become pickier."

"Mr. Pavel, you might then be unable to gain King Tiger's favor and successfully Awaken an ability."

To get Pavel to agree, Nobles spared no effort.

Especially that classic line, which directly broke through Pavel's defenses.

You wouldn't want to be unable to Awaken an ability, Mr. Pavel!

Plus the grand promises Nobles made, the ability to make people 100% Awaken an ability.

The temptation for Pavel was just too great!

Pavel, who had been completely swayed, gritted his teeth and said, "Alright, I'll contact Delop right away. I won't give up until I achieve my goal."

"At the same time, Nobles, you also help me look out for news of other Awakened Plants."

"Don't worry about the cost."

"As long as it can please King Tiger, all of this is worth it!"

---

Hunger.

A terrifying sense of hunger swept through Lin Tianwei's body, forcing him to wake up from his sleep.

Rapid Growth?

It came with terrifying energy consumption.

In just half a day, Lin Tianwei found that his body had actually grown by a fraction.

The Rapid Growth Talent was indeed effective.

It had been a long time since he had experienced the feeling of being famished. Lin Tianwei followed the scent of food and walked out of the warehouse.

The truck was still parked in its original spot.

It was filled with awakened beast meat.

Ever since his whereabouts became known, this place had become a forbidden zone for living creatures.

Even flies and mosquitoes dared not approach Lin Tianwei.

As his strength grew, Lin Tianwei's Tigers Might also became increasingly formidable.

Gradually unsealed, unleashing its inherent power.

It deterred all creatures in this area.

Therefore, it was basically impossible for anyone to dare to steal Lin Tianwei's food.

Without hesitation, Lin Tianwei climbed onto the truck again.

Opening his large mouth, he began to savor the food before him.

The awakened beast meat was indeed good.

Not only did it taste chewier, but it also provided Lin Tianwei with more energy.

The only pity was that they were already dead and could not provide Lin Tianwei with Talents or Talent fragments.

However, nothing in this world is perfect.

Just plan for the future.

Lin Tianwei believed that the bait he had cast would soon catch a big fish.

By then, providing enough food for himself to grow would be a piece of cake.

Hunting extensively himself?

Running around everywhere?

It was better to have the food delivered to his doorstep.

Anyway, it was just a byproduct of Black and White's training.

Roughly speaking, it was almost like getting it for free.

It seemed that every cell in his body had been drained of energy.

This time, Lin Tianwei's appetite had grown considerably.

It wasn't until he finished an entire truckload of awakened beast meat that he licked his lips, still wanting more.

Delicious.

But it seemed a bit insufficient.

After a moment of hesitation, he looked at the sheep tied nearby.

This was food provided by Ouro.

Even if Lin Tianwei didn't ask, he knew to send food.

In this situation, it was very suitable as Lin Tianwei's after-dinner dessert.

Taking steady steps, Lin Tianwei quickly arrived in front of the sheep.

Even Awakened Beasts dared not face Lin Tianwei, let alone this ordinary sheep?

Although it was still alive, it was merely alive.

It had long been scared witless by Lin Tianwei's Tigers Might and remained in a coma, unable to wake up at all.

Easily biting through the sheep's windpipe, Lin Tianwei began to eat.

From the internal organs to the flesh, and finally, not even the fur was spared.

With the aid of Lin Tianwei's sharp claws and teeth, in a short while, he had completely enjoyed the entire sheep.

He patted his round belly.

Lin Tianwei was finally full.

Drowsiness set in.

Lin Tianwei did not choose to resist.

Returning to the warehouse, he found a comfortable spot to lie down and prepared to go back to sleep.

In his rapid growth phase, he not only needed enough food.

He also needed enough sleep to ensure his growth.

Lin Tianwei believed that after he woke up, he would become even stronger!