With three months left until graduation, the students had already begun charting their own paths.

Zhang Ping, however, remained on campus. Yet, he no longer frequented the lecture halls, confining his activities to a triangular routine between the dormitory, the sports field, and the cafeteria. Each day, he trained his body under the pretense of "laying the groundwork for his future farming life."

He wasn’t the only one doing this—several of his classmates followed a similar pattern. After all, with no promising prospects beyond school, most of them were destined for menial jobs. Staying at school a little longer, soaking in the last vestiges of their youth, seemed like a better option than facing a bleak reality.

What Zhang Ping observed, however, was that these students appeared remarkably safe. Almost none of them had been replaced by Skyborn Fox. This led him to conclude that Skyborn Fox targeted either highly talented individuals or those who joined crucial departments like the Patrol Squad. The rest, deemed low-risk, were left alone.

Take himself as an example: a Summoner incapable of acquiring a Summoned Beast. His destiny as a farmer rendered him harmless in the eyes of Skyborn Fox, so they hadn’t made any immediate moves against him.

In stark contrast was Luo Shiyu. She had awakened her exceptionally powerful abilities two years prior, likely catching Skyborn Fox’s attention the moment her potential was recognized.

Every day, Zhang Ping could feel himself improving. His physical strength grew noticeably with each passing day.

If it weren’t for the limitations of stamina and mental strength, he would have consumed Contract Gems like candy. Unfortunately, after several days of this, no new abilities had emerged. The only discernible change was his steadily increasing potential.

The most obvious sign of progress? In just a few short weeks, he had built the capacity to perform a thousand consecutive push-ups. Even better, his recovery time had significantly shortened. No longer did he collapse on the ground afterward, utterly drained and immobile like before.

Night fell.

Sitting cross-legged on his bed, Zhang Ping cast a glance out the window at the night sky before conjuring another Contract Gem.

He tossed the gem into his mouth, chewed it slightly, and swallowed it down.

This time, an eerie silence engulfed him. It was as if the entire world had gone mute. For a moment, he felt detached, suspended in a void of stillness. Gradually, the sounds of crickets and frogs outside the window crept back into his awareness, pulling him out of the strange silence.

Without hesitation, he cast an appraisal spell on himself.

【Identification Complete】

【Summoned Beast: Zhang Ping】

【Master: Zhang Ping】

【Race: Human】

【Potential: ⭐⭐⭐⭐】

【Lifespan: 89】

【Talent】

【Contract Gem: Consuming physical and mental energy to condense a Contract Gem. Once the target voluntarily accepts, their life, soul, and consciousness will be controlled by the Summoner, but they will also gain the Summoner's potential and luck. After the first use, subsequent uses will slightly enhance the user’s potential and have a 1% chance of awakening a new talent. PS. The talent abilities gained by Summoner Zhang Ping, derived from overdrawn intelligence, potential, and luck, are extremely powerful, but they also carry a great flaw—ambition may not always be a good thing.】

【Absolute Command: You have absolute control over Summoned Beasts. Your orders are unconditionally obeyed.】

【Absolute Obedience: You must obey the Summoner's orders without question.】

【Unstable Identification Skill: You can identify targets with a very small chance of obtaining their information. The closer the power gap between you and the target, the higher the success rate. PS. This is a talent ability born from the curiosity of both Summoned Beast Zhang Ping and Summoner Zhang Ping.】

【Night Walker: Gain Night Vision, significantly reduced presence at night, dramatically increased speed, reduced weight, and complete invisibility in shadows.】

As expected, a new ability had been unlocked!

Zhang Ping didn’t even need to use appraisal to confirm it; his body was already responding.

Since it was nighttime, the enhanced vision and weight reduction were immediately noticeable. He climbed out of bed and tested his movements, discovering that his body had become significantly lighter. With a slight jump, he could touch the ceiling, and landing made almost no sound.

With Night Vision, the pitch-black cityscape outside the window turned bright and clear. He even spotted a colossal bird with a twelve-meter wingspan streaking through the sky, trailing thick black smoke. If that bird descended to attack the city, the consequences would be catastrophic.

This world was far too dangerous.

Zhang Ping let out a slow breath before turning to the bathroom.

He had also noticed a significant improvement in his potential, which had increased by one star. Originally rated at three stars, it was now four. While the new ability was the most apparent change, there were undoubtedly other subtle improvements he would need to uncover himself.

In the bathroom, he managed to complete 2,500 push-ups in one go. With forced commands, he estimated he could push that number to 3,000. Of course, the reduced weight played a major role, and he suspected the results would be less pronounced during the day.

Additionally, his five senses had become sharper. Sounds that were once inaudible could now be faintly heard if he concentrated.

For example, the sound of someone grinding their teeth in the neighboring room.

"I wonder what level I am now," Zhang Ping pondered as he lay on his bed after exiting the bathroom.

Awakeners had a straightforward level system.

Anyone who had just awakened their abilities was categorized as a Level 1 Awakener.

Beginner Level Awakeners ranged from Level 1 to Level 9. Upon surpassing Level 10, one would become an Intermediate Level Awakener.

Intermediate Level Awakeners progressed to Advanced Level upon reaching Level 20. Beyond that was the Top Level Awakener.

Rumors spoke of an even higher tier—King Level Awakeners—but no one in Mingzhu City had ever reached it. Even the City Lord was only a Top Level Awakener. King Level Awakeners remained a myth passed down among Awakeners.

---

The Next Day

Zhang Ping woke up half an hour earlier than usual, finding himself on the track field, his body already in a state of automatic running.

He didn’t override the command, instead focusing on his mental state.

Perfect. He felt completely refreshed, without any of the usual grogginess from waking up too early.

He guessed his improved potential had reduced his need for sleep.

After finishing his run, his body automatically led him to the cafeteria. Everything proceeded as usual—until Luo Shiyu appeared.

"Luo Shiyu, good morning!"

"Luo Shiyu, let me line up for you. What would you like to eat?"

"I was still a little sleepy earlier, but seeing Luo Shiyu woke me right up."

The enormous fox with human skin on its forehead moved slowly among the crowd. Even though Zhang Ping’s abilities had improved, he still felt a chill run down his spine.

Suddenly, the Skyborn Fox approached a female student, gripping her neck with its claw and lifting her as if selecting an item from a buffet. Dragging her along, it continued forward.

Zhang Ping lowered his head, gripping his chopsticks tightly. Only when the Skyborn Fox passed him did he unclench his jaw and force himself to finish his meal quickly—before the scent of blood could reach him.

As he left the cafeteria, many students were still enviously discussing how fortunate the girl was to be "chosen by Luo Shiyu" to have breakfast together.

In their eyes, the Skyborn Fox was simply eating with her. But Zhang Ping saw the brutal reality: the girl being torn apart and devoured by the ferocious fox.

"I have to uncover the truth about Mingzhu City!"

"I must determine the strength of both allies and enemies!"

Zhang Ping clenched his fists and returned to his dormitory, locking the door before diving into another round of training.

"One thousand push-ups!"

His body immediately obeyed the mental command, moving with mechanical precision.

"Five hundred sit-ups!"

Drenched in sweat after the push-ups, Zhang Ping gritted his teeth and issued another command.

"Three hundred frog jumps!"

"Again!"

His eyes burned with determination as he shouted internally.

The entire morning was consumed by relentless exercise. Mingzhu Ability Academy taught students how to recognize the limits of their bodies to avoid overexertion. Zhang Ping had no intention of stopping until he reached his limits.

---

Afternoon

After a hearty lunch and two hours of rest, Zhang Ping resumed training, focusing on martial arts.

Mingzhu Ability Academy included classes on combat techniques, emphasizing physical conditioning, martial arts, and weapon skills for students who had not yet awakened their abilities.

One of the core martial arts taught was the "Mingzhu Three Fists."

Developed by pioneering Awakeners, this combat style was designed to counter Mutated Beasts. Initially called "Mingzhu Nine Fists," it was later refined to three moves:

1. Mouse Chase – A devastating lower-body attack meant for smaller beasts. This move focused on leveraging size to crush the enemy.

2. Wolf Charge – Targeting beasts of similar size, this move aimed for precision, striking vital areas like eyes, ears, or the spine.

3. Ox Trap – A defensive move requiring intricate footwork to evade and deflect attacks from much larger beasts.

Despite its simplicity, the versatility of Mingzhu Three Fists made it a lifelong pursuit for many physically-enhanced Awakeners.

It was said that the City Lord himself had mastered this style to the point of being able to take down Level 30 Mutated Beasts with his bare hands.

Though Zhang Ping wasn’t a physical enhancement type, the potential boosts from his Contract Gems meant his future physical strength could rival theirs. Hence, he was committed to mastering martial arts and weaponry.

---

Evening

At nine o’clock, after a shower and a change into black clothing, Zhang Ping left his dormitory.

The track field still buzzed with underclassmen practicing martial arts under the night sky. Skirting the edges, Zhang Ping cast a glance at the girls’ dormitory, clenching his fist in his pocket.

He was still too weak.

Leaving the campus, Zhang Ping roamed the city’s dark streets. Thanks to his Night Walker ability, no one noticed his presence. Like a ghost, he wandered the alleys near the academy, silently gathering intelligence on the Skyborn Fox.