I Contracted Myself

Mingzhu Academy of Powers has specialized courses to teach students how to assess the danger level of Mutated Beasts.

Once an animal becomes a Mutated Beast, its eyes become more lively, and as its superpower strengthens, its eyes emit a distinctive glow.

This glow is invisible during the day but can be seen at night with careful observation.

Primary Mutated Beasts have a faint white glow in their pupils at night. The brightness of this glow can help determine their rank. As they advance to Intermediate, the glow gradually dims and transitions from white to green, then to blue for high-level, and red for top-level.

Zhang Ping, not being an experienced Awakener, couldn't judge the exact level of a Mutated Beast by the brightness of its glow. However, by observing the glow in the eyes of the Tianchang Foxes, he could roughly estimate their rank.

Based on his observations, the strength of the Tianchang Foxes generally ranged from Intermediate to High-level, around Level 19 to 25.

Unfortunately, the Tianchang Foxes did not inherit the talent of the Nine-tailed Fox, otherwise, he could have judged their levels more easily and accurately.

In the wild, many Mutated Beasts can be identified by characteristics other than their eye glow.

For example, a Nine-tailed Fox, once it becomes a Mutated Beast, will have two tails. As an Intermediate Mutated Beast, it will have three to four tails, and as a High-level Mutated Beast, it will have five to six tails. Further advancement to a top-level Mutated Beast will result in seven to eight tails.

It is said that the king among Nine-tailed Foxes will have nine tails.

Thus, the level of a Nine-tailed Fox Mutated Beast is easy to determine by counting its tails.

There are also similar methods for judging levels among Awakeners.

As far as Zhang Ping knew, Fire-type Awakeners in the early stages could easily determine their level.

At Level 1, a Fire-type Awakener could fully concentrate their power to form a basketball-sized fireball. At Level 2, they could form two fireballs, and so on up to nine fireballs at Level 9. The levels were easy to judge.

However, after breaking through Level 10 to become an Intermediate Awakener, due to the qualitative change in superpowers and individual differences in usage tendencies, it became difficult to determine levels.

Taking advantage of the night, Zhang Ping recorded the information of the Tianchang Foxes in the nearby streets and then returned to school.

***

In the following days, he centered his activities around the school, continuously collecting data on the Tianchang Foxes in the city. Meanwhile, he grew puzzled: there were quite a few Tianchang Foxes in the city that were only at the Primary Mutated Beast level, yet they managed to evade detection by many high-level Awakeners.

"Another Primary Fox!"

Zhang Ping crouched in a corner not far from the school, watching a Tianchang Fox with bright white eyes in the distance, muttering to himself.

No matter how powerful a Primary Mutated Beast's abilities are, they would be quite powerless against a higher-level opponent. For example, a Primary Awakener with the 'Mental Manipulation' ability could hardly cause significant harm to an Intermediate Awakener.

Even if they managed to control them, the control would be broken within seconds, possibly even causing a backlash.

Zhang Ping remembered that Teacher Chen, who taught combat classes, was an Intermediate Awakener. At that time, the entire class couldn't inflict much damage on him, despite their best efforts.

Part of it was due to the difference in experience, and the other part was due to the level suppression.

So the question arose.

Why were these Primary Mutated Beasts able to roam the city and eat people without being detected by Intermediate or even High-level Awakeners?

Theoretically, no matter how strong the Tianchang Foxes' superpowers were, they shouldn't be able to suppress beings of higher rank.

But based on Zhang Ping's observations over this period, these Primary Mutated Beasts were indeed rampant in the city, eating people, while those around remained unaware.

There must be some crucial information he didn't know, and this information was particularly important.

Zhang Ping glanced at the Primary Mutated Beast strutting down the street and then returned to school under the cover of night.

He had a rough idea now. At least within sixteen streets centered around the school, there were over fifty Tianchang Foxes.

Outside the school, the strongest Tianchang Fox he had found was around Level 25 to 27, while the weakest was only Level 5.

That was a Tianchang Fox cub, often seen around the snack street.

As for inside the school, the Tianchang Fox disguised as a teacher should be above Level 29, with terrifying strength.

However... the one that killed Luo Shiyu was even more terrifying.

Zhang Ping didn't even dare to use his Appraisal Skill on it.

Every time he tried to appraise it, he felt that he would immediately be detected.

This feeling was definitely not an illusion.

So Zhang Ping speculated that the Tianchang Fox that killed Luo Shiyu was extremely high-level, possibly even a top-level Mutated Beast!

"Now that I've gathered enough information.

It's clear that I can't handle all the Tianchang Foxes alone.

The problem is that the Tianchang Foxes' abilities are too strange. Even low-level Tianchang Foxes can easily evade high-level Awakeners. Without evidence, no one will believe me.

The only way is to kill a Tianchang Fox as evidence.

Only with evidence can I attract the attention of some powerful individuals."

In his dorm room, Zhang Ping did push-ups while analyzing and thinking.

Hunting the Tianchang Foxes would inevitably alert them.

Moreover, Zhang Ping wasn't confident that he could escape unscathed after killing a Tianchang Fox.

After thinking it over, Zhang Ping sighed inwardly. He was still too weak. If he were strong enough, he wouldn't have so many concerns.

In the end, strength was the key obstacle to his actions.

"Sit-ups, another five hundred!"

Zhang Ping gritted his teeth and ordered himself.

These days, he had been consuming two Contract Gems daily, but no new talents had emerged.

However, as his potential increased, the effects of his training became more apparent, giving him a sense of daily progress that kept him from despair.

In his heart, he was sure that the city had already fallen.

The Tianchang Foxes, not humans, controlled this city.

***

The next day.

Zhang Ping opened his eyes and found that he had woken up even earlier.

It was just past four in the morning, still dark, and he was the only one running on the track.

The surroundings were incredibly quiet.

As the cool wind blew, he even felt like he was back in his previous life on campus.

If only there were no Tianchang Foxes.

Zhang Ping thought of the children and students who had been killed, and he couldn't help but clench his fists.

Suddenly, he felt like he had stepped on something. Looking back, he saw a ring on the ground.

"Abort the morning run, free action!"

Zhang Ping ordered himself, then turned back to pick up the ring.

It was a dark ring, dropped by someone. Although the material didn't look particularly precious, its craftsmanship was exquisite, with intricate patterns that didn't seem like ordinary decorations.

"Appraise!"

[Appraisal failed!]

"Appraise!"

[Appraisal failed!]

Zhang Ping was slightly surprised.

Ordinary objects rarely failed appraisal, yet this ring failed twice in a row.

He kept trying, and after more than ten failed attempts, he finally appraised the ring's attributes.

【Appraisal Successful】

【Assassination Ring: When worn, all life forms will subconsciously ignore the wearer. Immune to high-level Awakeners and above.】

As the appraisal succeeded, a scene naturally appeared before Zhang Ping's eyes: an old man with white hair and beard pressed the ring with his left hand and a sinister, bound man with his right.

As golden light emitted from the old man's hands, the bound man's face twisted, blood flowed from his seven orifices, and he screamed in agony. Finally, the man's body emitted blood-red light, which was absorbed into the ring through the old man's hand.

The scene changed, and Zhang Ping saw a man in white with a black mask fighting 'Luo Shiyu' on the track. The man was clearly no match for 'Luo Shiyu,' losing three fingers and a kidney...

Unfortunately, the scene cut off after the kidney was taken, and Zhang Ping didn't see if the man in white escaped.

"Damn!"

The scene ended.

Zhang Ping suddenly realized.

Could this ring be bait left by the Tianchang Foxes?

He quickly looked towards the girls' dormitory but didn't see any Tianchang Foxes. Forcing himself to stay calm, he nonchalantly put on the ring.

Whether it was bait or not, he had already picked it up. Discarding it now would be even more suspicious.

Taking advantage of the darkness and the Night Walker effect, he had to return to the dorm quickly.

Making his decision, Zhang Ping swiftly disappeared into the night.

***

In the corner outside the track, a Tianchang Fox yawned absentmindedly.

Suddenly, it sensed something was wrong, focused on the track, and rubbed its eyes, realizing the ring was gone.

"Not good!"

It immediately jumped onto the track, sniffing around carefully.

The track was filled with various scents, but it could distinguish the time each scent was left. However, after a thorough search, it subconsciously 'ignored' one scent, finding nothing.

"No one came? Impossible!"

The Tianchang Fox was dumbfounded.

It had been watching the track all night under 'Luo Shiyu's' orders.

Even if it was distracted, it was still aware of the track's situation. How could the ring just disappear?

"No, someone must have come. To evade me, it must be an Intermediate Awakener or higher!"

The Tianchang Fox calmed down, its narrow fox eyes squinting. Seeing no suspicious footprints, it turned and headed towards the girls' dormitory.

***

Boys' dormitory.

Zhang Ping watched from the balcony as the Tianchang Fox left the track, feeling slightly relieved.

Fortunately, it was still dark, so his presence was very low. Wearing the Assassination Ring further reduced his presence.

The Tianchang Fox's behavior showed it hadn't discovered him, so he was still safe.

However, he couldn't wear the Assassination Ring during the day. If 'Luo Shiyu' found out, it would be dangerous.

"So I'm not the only one who noticed the Mutated Beasts in the city."

Zhang Ping returned to his room, looking at the Assassination Ring, deep in thought.

Clearly, the man in white had also noticed the Mutated Beasts infiltrating the city. But why did he attack 'Luo Shiyu'? Did 'Luo Shiyu' have special significance among the Tianchang Foxes?

And did the man in white belong to an organization?

"Still too little information."

Zhang Ping lightly rubbed the ring, pondering the unanswered questions, then lay down, deciding not to overthink.

However, the Assassination Ring made him realize that power wasn't limited to personal strength. Mingzhu City had many magical items.

These items were usually crafted by Forgers and had special abilities.

He had overlooked this because his original self was an orphan and had never encountered such items, so he had no memory of them.

What the original owner didn't know, he naturally couldn't know either.

"Tonight, I'll investigate the prices of these items."

Setting his goal, Zhang Ping glanced at the clock. It was just past five, so he could sleep for another hour.

He closed his eyes, ordered himself to sleep, and quickly fell into a deep slumber.

"Zhang Ping, there's danger, wake up!"

In a daze, Zhang Ping saw Su Jingyao.

Her figure was hazy, but her eyes were clear as water, anxiously looking at him.

A dream?

No, wake up!

On the bed, Zhang Ping suddenly opened his eyes.

The next second, he instinctively took off the Assassination Ring, put it in his mouth, and swallowed it, then continued to sleep.

***

A few minutes later.

'Luo Shiyu' pushed open the door and leisurely walked into the dormitory.

It circled the room, then walked up to Zhang Ping, looking down at him.