168: Teleport?

Steven casually turned off the live stream on his phone, directly pushing the matter to the back of his mind.

This was just a spur-of-the-moment idea he had for some entertainment.

It was perfectly normal for it to end up fizzling out.

However, he didn't know how much of a shock his live stream would bring to the entire America.

On the day of the live stream alone, there were tens of millions of people in the live broadcast room.

Don't let the number fool you.

This was a mutated world, after all.

Live streams that could achieve such viewership were extremely rare.

Countless people began to yearn for such a peaceful and happy life.

Of course, more people chose not to believe it.

They thought it was just a scam.

It was fine to watch.

But if they took it seriously, they would only be making fools of themselves.

Paradise?

Such a thing was simply beyond their reach.

However, while they didn't know the truth about the live stream, how could the important figures not know?

They saw everything that happened at the farm crystal clear.

Compared to what was shown on screen, it was even better.

It was not only safe and happy.

As long as one was willing to work hard, there was no need to worry about food and drink.

It was not wrong to call it a paradise.

What was even more commendable was that under Lin Tianwei's suppression,

there were basically no troublemakers here.

Because Lin Tianwei wouldn't indulge them.

Dare to disturb his peaceful sleep?

Then you will pay with your lives.

It was precisely because everything that happened at the farm was real,

that these people were eager to cover the eyes of more people.

That day, Steven's live stream account was banned.

And the news was blocked across the entire network.

For a time, news that should have been widely known was thus suppressed.

However, before it was completely blocked, the news still reached the ears of those who needed it.

Pavel looked at the video playing before him with some excitement.

His hands even began to tremble.

He didn't expect it.

After such a long time, he actually heard news about the farm again.

Not only that, but it was such shocking news.

The farm was not only safe and sound in this mutated world, but it had also grown into something everyone yearned for but couldn't reach.

Pavel's voice trembled slightly, and he looked a little lost as he muttered to himself, "Was I really wrong?"

Recalling his resolute decision before,

when he chose to return to the city instead of seeking Lin Tianwei's protection at the farm, Pavel felt a pang of regret.

The Awakened Beast attack on humans came too suddenly.

So suddenly that he was completely unprepared.

If he hadn't been a powerful Esper himself, and had Nobles's assistance,

he might have already closed his eyes forever on the way to Old Gold City.

Hearing the news about the farm,

in fact, Nobles was more excited than anyone.

However, he suppressed his inner excitement and said, "Mr. Pavel, your choice was not wrong."

"In that situation, as a human, you would naturally be more inclined to choose the human camp."

"However, we did not harm Lord Tiger King's interests."

"This matter is not entirely without room for reconciliation."

"Perhaps if we offer enough good things, Lord Tiger King will forgive us."

Good things?

Pavel subconsciously looked at the safe beside him.

Inside it was an Awakened Plant he had painstakingly collected.

A very powerful Awakened Plant.

If he offered it, perhaps he could also have a place in the farm.

Of course.

If he offered this plant to Old Gold City, it could also bring Pavel huge benefits.

However, it seemed that there was still some kind of expectation in his heart.

Or perhaps it was because Pavel temporarily didn't need the benefits that this Awakened Plant could exchange for.

He ultimately chose to conceal this Awakened Plant.

He became an ordinary Awakened in Old Gold City.

Although his life wasn't too good, it was barely passable.

At least there was no danger of starving to death.

Nor was there the danger of being devoured by an Awakened Beast at any moment.

Clearing his throat, Pavel said, "The gifts needed to pledge allegiance to Lord Tiger King, I have naturally already prepared."

"However, there is a very serious problem now."

"How exactly do we pass through the perilous Awakened Beast region to reach the farm where Lord Tiger King is?"

"With just the two of us, even if we hired a team of powerful mercenaries, it would be impossible to achieve."

Silence.

Facing Pavel's question, Nobles could only choose to remain silent.

He couldn't find a single solution.

Sometimes, silence was the best answer.

After a moment of hesitation, Pavel finally, like a deflated ball, said to Nobles:

"I was being a bit too hard on you."

"This matter will be put on hold for now."

"We'll make a long-term plan when the time is right."

Nobles felt a little embarrassed hearing Pavel's words and said, "I will keep an eye on the movements of Espers at all times."

"If I find anyone who awakens an ability that can help us leave, I will contact them immediately."

This could only be considered a makeshift solution.

Espers who could awaken such powerful abilities would simply not bother with them.

Thinking of this, Nobles felt a wave of discouragement.

He was different from Pavel.

If he had to choose, his only choice could have been Lin Tianwei.

However, at that time, he was trying to acquire a treasure.

By the time he finally got his hands on the treasure, he had already completely missed the opportunity to go to the farm.

In the end, he could only reluctantly follow Pavel to live in Old Gold City.

Thinking of this, Nobles tightened his clothes.

That treasure was hidden close to his body.

Even Pavel was unaware of its existence.

Sure enough, after listening to Nobles's words, Pavel showed a helpless expression and said:

"Alright, then I'll trouble you."

It was obvious that even he himself didn't believe such a possibility existed.

—

Today's dream was unusually long.

When Barioss woke up, he found that he had overslept.

Although it wasn't completely bright yet, as a working man, he should have already gotten up for work.

What was going on?

He had set several alarms.

Why did he still oversleep?

Not only that, Barioss felt exceptionally good mentally today.

As if every brain cell was active.

It was a kind of mental comfort.

It made Barioss unable to stop.

Then he realized that now was not the time to be in a daze.

If he didn't start working soon, missing a day's pay was a small matter, but if he was fired because of it and lost his job, that would truly be heartbreaking.

Don't let it seem like Barioss's job required him to work sixteen hours a day, year-round, without rest.

And his salary was only a pitiful amount.

But he didn't need to go outside the city and fight Awakened Beasts.

Plus, ordinary Awakened could also do it.

This was simply a golden opportunity that couldn't be found even with a lantern.

Barioss had even pulled some strings and given gifts to barely secure this position.

Countless people were waiting for him to make a mistake, so they could free up a spot and sell it to others for more benefits.

He checked the time.

It was three minutes until work started.

Barioss instantly felt a sense of despair.

Unless he could use Instantaneous Movement, it would be impossible to reach the factory in just three short minutes.

Being late was already a certainty.

Barioss could only pray that he wouldn't be caught by his boss and then fired on the spot.

If only he could instantly reach his workstation.

A thought suddenly surged in Barioss's mind as he barely managed to get dressed.

Then he felt a little ridiculous.

He was acting as if he were possessed, to have such a laughable idea.

But then he widened his eyes, looking ahead with disbelief.

Because he was horrified to find that as the scene suddenly changed, he had actually arrived at a place he was incredibly familiar with.

His workstation!

How was this possible?

Could it be that he had Awakened some kind of ability?

He had never heard of an Esper Awakening again.

He pinched his face hard, and the familiar pain told Barioss that he wasn't dreaming.

He even heard his colleague next door say, "Barioss?"

"When did you get here?"

"I definitely didn't see you just now, that's strange."

This was actually real?

Barioss was so shocked that he forgot a very important thing.

That was to punch in at the entrance.

Although he had arrived at his workstation, he hadn't punched in.

Roughly speaking, it meant he hadn't come to work.

After finishing the morning's work in a daze, Barioss received terrible news:

Barioss.

“Because you were absent without leave this morning, you have been fired!”

These two simple lines were cold and ruthless, striking directly at Barioss’s heart.

He immediately intended to confront his supervisor.

He had worked a full day at his post; how could he be considered absent without leave?

The surveillance footage and his colleagues could all prove that he was at work.

At most, he had forgotten to clock in, which was not a serious mistake.

Barioss immediately prepared to confront his supervisor.

However, he never imagined that he was about to suffer a darkness more terrifying than an Awakened Beast.

The surveillance was broken?

His colleagues claimed they hadn't seen him at work.

Barioss was speechless for a moment.

Looking at his supervisor's ugly face, Barioss suddenly understood.

Everything was just an excuse to kick him out.

He hadn't offended anyone.

The only fault was committing a seemingly unforgivable mistake.

Barioss finally gave up struggling and returned to his apartment.

He opened a bottle of cheap liquor and began to drink.

A hint of mellow fragrance was contained within the bitter taste.

This was the only outlet Barioss could find.

“Oh, to taste pure wine.”

“How wonderful would craft beer taste?”

Suddenly.

Barioss remembered the live stream he had watched last night.

Ecstasy!

Barioss suddenly became ecstatic.

“Don’t I have the Esper ability of Instantaneous Movement?”

“Then why don’t I just instantly move to Tiger King Farm?”

“That place might be a man-eating world.”

“But there’s a greater possibility that it’s actually a paradise.”

Thinking of this, Barioss immediately spat out the cheap liquor in his mouth.

“Pah.”

“I’ll never drink this trash again.”

Then he held his breath and began to visualize Tiger King Farm in his mind.

Under the control of his will, he imagined himself instantly arriving at Tiger King Farm.

Pain!

Intense pain!

Barioss clearly overestimated his abilities.

He succeeded.

He also failed.

He successfully located Tiger King Farm, but he didn't have the ability to instantly move there.

A sharp pain shot through his head.

That was a side effect of rapid Mental Power depletion.

Barioss had a premonition.

If he continued, he would definitely die!

A large amount of sweat soaked his clothes.

Barioss panted heavily.

Although he barely survived, his heart was even more desperate.

There is nothing more despairing than hope that was almost within reach, only to lack the final step to obtain it.

A bitter smile appeared on his face.

Barioss murmured, “I really am a good-for-nothing.”

“Since I can’t go to Tiger King Farm, I need to find a job as soon as possible.”

“Otherwise, I might have to say goodbye to the house I’m currently living in soon.”

“The rent here is quite expensive!”

—

While Barioss was constantly on the move, searching for a new job, he didn't realize that Nobles had already set his sights on him.

Even Nobles himself hadn't expected to actually find an Esper suspected of having a teleportation Esper ability.

He carefully compared the videos from the surveillance cameras.

Although it didn't directly capture Barioss's instantaneous appearance.

However, based on the footage provided by other surveillance cameras, it could basically be confirmed that he appeared there instantly.

Combined with the incredibly stunned expression on Barioss's face.

Nobles was ninety percent sure.

This was a hidden, undeveloped teleportation-type Esper.

Thinking of this, Nobles couldn't sit still.

He immediately contacted Barioss.

He desperately needed his power.

Before long, the two met at Barioss's home.

It wasn't that Nobles couldn't afford to treat Barioss to coffee.

It was just that this place was less conspicuous and more suitable for conversation.

One must know that as targets who had previously come into contact with Lin Tianwei.

He and Pavel were both key surveillance targets in Old Gold City.

Time was limited, so Nobles got straight to the point: “Teleportation? Or Instantaneous Movement?”

“If you possess the Esper ability of teleportation, perhaps we can directly cooperate.”

Barioss looked at Nobles with some surprise.

He never expected his hidden secret to be seen through so easily.

After a moment of hesitation, Barioss said, “It should be Instantaneous Movement.”

“Because I seem unable to transport things alone.”

It was Instantaneous Movement?

Nobles' eyes were filled with disappointment.

It wasn't that Instantaneous Movement was bad.

It just wasn't the target ability he was looking for.

Nobles stood up and said, “It seems there’s no opportunity for cooperation between us.”

“But it doesn’t matter, we might still have a chance to cooperate in the future.”

“I’ve already helped you destroy the surveillance footage in the factory; you should take care of yourself.”

These videos might have been a good leverage to control Barioss.

But Nobles disdained using such dirty tactics.

He preferred to be more straightforward, just like Lord Tiger King.

Using powerful strength to offer irresistible bargaining chips.

Any schemes or tricks were merely insignificant in the face of immense power.

Barioss was somewhat surprised; he hadn't expected Nobles to leave so decisively.

He even did him a favor.

It really didn't seem like the kind of tactic those despicable people in power would use.

Perhaps he could cooperate with him?

As soon as he thought of the reason his Instantaneous Movement failed, Barioss felt that he had to keep Nobles.

He immediately said, “Although it’s Instantaneous Movement, I can carry objects.”

“As for whether I can carry people, that still needs to be tested.”

Instantaneous Movement? But he could carry people?

Nobles’ eyes lit up.

He directly grasped Barioss’s hand and said, “I want to test your power.”

“If you can truly carry people, everything is negotiable.”

“Any request you make, as long as it’s within a reasonable scope, I can fulfill.”

Nobles agreed readily, but it put Barioss in a difficult position, who said:

“I think it’s better to try with other creatures first.”

“I’ve only carried simple objects like water cups.”

“If I directly carry a person, I’m afraid it might not be safe.”

Who could truly understand Esper abilities?

What if an accident occurred during the Instantaneous Movement, causing him to miss the opportunity to go to Tiger King Farm?

That would truly be something he would regret endlessly.

Nobles would certainly be aware of the points Barioss could consider.

However, in order to go to the farm where Lin Tianwei was located.

No matter how dangerous, he could only grit his teeth and agree, saying, “It’s alright, let’s try it directly.”

“I must know your ability and experience it myself before I can decide whether to cooperate with you.”

Seeing Nobles’ insistence, Barioss didn’t refuse.

He took a deep breath, pulled Nobles, and began to prepare his Instantaneous Movement Esper ability.

In fact, carrying someone with Instantaneous Movement was also a challenge for Barioss.

He had indeed tried his Esper ability.

But he found that the larger the object carried, the greater the consumption of his Mental Power.

A small water cup could increase his Mental Power consumption by ten percent.

Not to mention such a large person.

However, as soon as he thought of potentially missing the opportunity to go to Tiger King Farm.

Barioss felt a surge of fear in his heart.

He gritted his teeth and prepared to try.

A scene formed in his mind.

In just an instant, Barioss was drenched in sweat.

But his efforts had paid off.

Because at this moment, the two had already arrived in an unfamiliar environment.

It wasn't the hall from before.

Instead, it was a place similar to a restroom.

It was Barioss’s own restroom.

Instantaneous Movement within a small range was easiest for Barioss.

At the same time, instantly moving within his own home was also more conducive to keeping his secret.

Most importantly, if it was just a demonstration, this was already enough.

As expected.

Upon seeing himself instantly transported to a different place, Nobles became ecstatic.

It worked.

It really worked.

He could actually be carried and instantly moved to another place.

Although there was a slight feeling of dizziness.

But Nobles could feel that his body was almost unharmed.

Most importantly, the treasure he had hidden on him, prepared to offer to Lin Tianwei, was also perfectly intact.