CHAPTER 277: CHAPTER 237: I HAVE A BOLD IDEA!

The figure stepped towards Li Zheng, and as it approached, a pressure as vast as mountains and seas fell upon Li Zheng’s shoulders.

It was as if he was facing not a creature, but a towering mountain, an endless ocean.

And this mountain, this ocean, was drawing closer from the skies, ready to crush everything about him.

Including his spirit!

The closer the figure came, the greater the pressure increased.

When there was only one step left between them, the sweat on Li Zheng’s face could almost be described as a torrential downpour.

His clothes were completely soaked, making him look like he’d just been fished out of a pool. The clothes stuck to his skin, making the already humid environment feel even more uncomfortable.

Watching as the towering figure took the final step, the world before Li Zheng’s eyes withdrew in an instant, leaving his mind blank, void of thoughts or ideas.

No thoughts, no notions, no feelings.

Li Zheng had thought that at the very least, he would dare to swing a sword.

But at this moment, he didn’t even have the idea to move his weapon, let alone the courage.

He didn’t know how much time had passed, but the sensations of his body returned, his brain became active, his heart started beating, his blood surged again through his veins, and his consciousness gradually recovered.

His once distracted pupils refocused, and Li Zheng instinctively blinked, shuddering as he looked back.

"Gone...gone?"

Behind him was emptiness; the terrifying figure was gone, leaving only the play-dead sakura and pink Poli on the ground.

When facing Luo Aiman, sakura would still dare to tug on his pants secretly, hinting for him to play dead.

This time, facing that terrifying figure, sakura didn’t even dare to give such a hint, collapsing stiffly on the ground without him knowing when, completely rigid.

At a glance, it looked like a corpse that had been dead for a long time, showing no signs of breathing.

Li Zheng moved his body, his muscles stiff to the extreme. Moving even a little caused great pain.

It was as if he had just run a full marathon, every cell in his body screaming "fatigue."

Putting away the sheathed sword, Li Zheng raised his hand to take a look. He discovered that his hand had gripped the sword too tightly, to the extent that a few joints were dislocated.

It didn’t hurt, but they wouldn’t move.

He couldn’t even unclench his fingers; he could only maintain the grip position.

"Sakura, get up." Seeing the little guy still lying there, Li Zheng called out.

But it lay there as if it hadn’t heard, not moving an inch.

"Playing dead as if it were real." Li Zheng went over to nudge it, "That guy is gone, stop pretending."

Still no response.

Li Zheng now sensed something was wrong. He opened the pet panel to check, and the status column read: Unconscious/Asphyxiated.

"No guts, it actually fainted!" Li Zheng wanted to laugh, but couldn’t.

Because his own performance was not much better than passing out.

Looking at the asphyxiation status on the panel, Li Zheng released the air purifier and was surprised to find that his hand could move.

The stench-laden air filled his nostrils, unexpectedly giving rise to an absurd feeling within him—that now, he truly felt alive again.

Reaching out, he pulled the pink Poli away from sakura’s mouth and nose, causing the asphyxiation status to disappear from the panel.

Its chest and belly visibly began to rise and fall again.

It turned out that the little guy showed no signs of breathing because the unconscious pink Poli couldn’t maintain its air filtration function, leaving it perpetually unable to breathe.

Old Pu might not have "logged on," either, Li Zheng speculated, guessing that Old Pu was likely also in a "coma."

He figured there was no rush to see a doctor and instead set up residence, taking a quick rinse in the shower after entering and changing into fresh clothes.

His right hand remained in the sword-drawing position, unable to unclench. Li Zheng didn’t care.

After all, he was at the doctor’s doorstep, and this minor issue could be easily resolved with the doctor’s assistance.

After the shower, pink Poli had awakened, but sakura was still unconscious.

Li Zheng came to the door, seeing pink Poli tangled around sakura, chirping in an attempt to revive it.

Old Pu finally logged on, providing a prompt:

[The little pet is overly stimulated and is waking up, no need to worry.]

Li Zheng sat at the door, questioning Old Pu, "Who exactly was that creature just now? Who is it?"

Text prompt updated with just three words:

[Don’t know!]

Li Zheng was speechless, "All that time, and you couldn’t detect anything?"

Old Pu responded with text:

[You should be grateful you upgraded me to the highest level, transforming into this current state.

If I were still equipment, I’d have short-circuited immediately!]

Li Zheng puzzled, "You don’t have a physical form, do you? How could you be so intimidated?"

Old Pu explained:

[Though my existence is somewhat special, I’m fundamentally one of your abilities, an extension of your own self.

For example, would you have dared to use Ice and Fire Attachment just now?

Or, do you believe even if you used Ice and Fire Attachment to attack the other side, it would have any effect on them?]

"Indeed, it wouldn’t have any effect." Li Zheng recalled the figure from just now, realizing the opponent’s strength had exceeded his imagination. Even if they stood still, and he used all means, he couldn’t harm even a piece of their clothing.

So it wasn’t that Old Pu didn’t dare to probe the opponent, but that it couldn’t detect any information about them at all.

In fact, Old Pu hadn’t told Li Zheng everything.

The truth was, it was indeed too afraid to probe that figure’s information.

Because the opponent would sense its presence.

And probing the other’s information was akin to invading their privacy.

Imagine, if someone opened your pants right in front of you to look inside, even measuring the size and telling others, wouldn’t you want to slap them?

Similarly, if Old Pu had dared to probe the opponent, Li Zheng, as its host, would probably be done for by now.

"So, am I just too weak?" At this moment, Li Zheng was contemplating. Old Pu, as one of his special abilities, could only achieve so much depending on his own power.

Would becoming strong enough enable him to directly probe the detailed information of that figure one day?

[This isn’t what you should be worrying about right now.]

Old Pu’s text flickered.

[Haven’t you noticed that the figure actually came from the residence of the one you are about to visit?]

Upon this reminder, Li Zheng did indeed recall that the direction from which the figure appeared was the place indicated by the business card.

"Could such a terrifying existence also be injured and need a doctor’s treatment?" Following this thought, Li Zheng realized a lot of information.

The most crucial point is that the doctor must be far more formidable than he had imagined.

Even beings of such magnitude sought his help; just how advanced were his medical skills?

At this moment, Li Zheng entertained a daring notion: "Perhaps I could arrange for Old Xiao to become his apprentice?"

Just like the Blacksmith he had encountered before, who had nine disciples, each of whom were now formidable figures he could only look up to.

If Xiao Siyuan could apprentice under him, wouldn’t that potentially establish connections with more terrifyingly powerful entities?

Like that terrifying figure earlier!

At such a level, things they regarded as trash might be treasures for Li Zheng.

Obtaining just a tiny amount could make him soar instantly.

"But this depends on opportunity, the doctor might not want to take on a student," Li Zheng suppressed his earlier thought, planning to act according to circumstances once he met the person.

"Aow~?"

Just then, sakura finally woke up from its faint.

Pink Poli immediately rejoiced, nestling against sakura’s face, seeking affection.

Li Zheng checked it to ensure there was nothing wrong with the little guy, then put away the capsule residence, donned the air purifier again, and headed to the doctor’s place a hundred meters away.