"Son, are you awake?!"
A rough, booming voice echoed through the house. Smith blinked his eyes open, still groggy, and before he could respond—
Bang!
The door to his room was kicked open with a thunderous crash, nearly flying off its hinges.
"Dad!" Smith groaned, pushing himself up on the bed, wincing at the soreness in his body. "I'm an adult now. Can you at least knock before barging into my room?"
Jiang Lei grinned sheepishly as he strolled into the room. "I was worried! What if you didn't wake up when I called out? I thought something was wrong."
He scratched his head and chuckled. "Don't worry, I'll knock next time. Maybe."
Smith rolled his eyes but couldn't stay mad. His father's concern was genuine, if a bit aggressive.
Jiang Lei walked over to the bed and examined his son. "You look pretty healthy to me. Strong and alert. How are you feeling? Everything alright?"
As he spoke, he gave Smith a friendly but firm slap on the shoulder—then followed it up with a pat on the arm.
Smith instantly winced. "Ouch! That hurts!"
"That's a good sign." Jiang Lei nodded seriously. "Means your nerves are still working. You've burned up too much spiritual energy. That leaves your cells in an energy-deficient state. You did learn that in your school's theory classes, right?"
Smith rubbed his shoulder and tried to recall. "Yeah… now that you mention it, I think I remember that."
In psychics, most spiritual energy is stored within the body, but a portion is also distributed throughout the cells. This grants psychics enhanced physical attributes and supports all their supernatural functions. However, when spiritual energy is overused, those energy reserves in the cells are depleted. The body enters a weakened state, and even minor movements can feel like torture.
That explained why Smith felt like he'd been trampled by a herd of raging elephants.
His limbs were sore. His back was aching. His body felt like it had lost a boxing match against gravity.
Still, he managed a weak smile.
"I see... no wonder I feel like I got beat up by a dozen thugs."
"But despite all that," Jiang Lei said, giving Smith another light slap on the back—gentler this time—"you did really well. To survive that long in the beast tide, holding your ground and protecting your teammates... I'm proud of you, son."
Smith blinked in surprise. Praise from his father didn't come often. His eyes softened.
"I also heard from the academy staff that you managed to unlock a new wood-based ability. You've broken away from the original power framework. That's not something just anyone can do."
When Jiang Lei first learned that his son possessed Wood and Spirit Eye abilities, he hadn't said much, but Smith could always sense the faint disappointment in his father's eyes. Double S-level potential, yet neither of the abilities seemed to shine.
But now?
Smith had proven himself.
He wasn't some deadbeat psychic with wasted talent. He had the courage, instinct, and intelligence to fight back against fate.
"I told you, Dad," Smith said confidently. "I'd prove myself sooner or later."
"Hahaha! You certainly did!" Jiang Lei laughed, his face glowing with pride. "You've earned a reward. Name whatever you want for dinner tonight—Dad's cooking!"
Smith grinned. "Actually... before food, I have a question. How are my teammates? Yan Yue, Zhao Mei, Wei Lin... Are they okay?"
"Those three? They're fine," Jiang Lei replied. "Just a little worn out, like you. You were in the worst shape. You've been unconscious for two days now."
"Two days?!" Smith sat up, shocked. "No wonder my back hurts... I thought I'd just napped for an afternoon."
"Yeah, you've been out cold," Jiang Lei said with a chuckle. But then his tone grew serious. "The rest of the class... didn't fare so well."
Smith's expression darkened.
"Of the original forty in Special Class Three, less than twenty made it out alive. The four Executive Department members and the supervising teacher—they all died."
The weight of that truth settled over the room.
Smith lowered his gaze. Just days ago, those classmates had been laughing and joking. Those teachers had been strict, sure, but they were dedicated. Now... gone.
Reality was cruel.
So this was what it meant to be a psychic.
To walk a thin line between life and death, knowing that one wrong step could end it all.
Smith finally understood why the human cities had to build high walls, why monster tides were so feared. Those monsters weren't mindless beasts—they were a storm of destruction that even veteran third-tier psychics struggled to face.
"Dad... those people who showed up at the end—the ones riding those two-headed flamingos—who were they? Why did they try to kill us?"
Jiang Lei's expression tightened.
"We're still not sure. But one thing is clear—they weren't random attackers. Based on their attire and behavior, they might be expelled students from one of the academies."
"Expelled students?" Smith asked, puzzled.
"Yeah. Not necessarily from Huaihai Academy. They could be from any psychic institution. People like that are often kicked out for breaking the law or committing unforgivable crimes. Once expelled, they're banned from all human settlements and forced to survive outside city walls."
Jiang Lei paused, then added darkly, "Some of them, over time, even end up collaborating with monsters—hoping to get revenge on us."
Smith's face stiffened. "So... they might've been behind the beast tide?"
"It's possible," Jiang Lei admitted. "But we don't have solid proof yet. Could've been coincidence. Could've been planned."
He ruffled Smith's hair with a grin. "Don't worry about that for now. Let the higher-ups and your academy's teachers handle the investigation. You focus on healing."
"Alright…"
Smith knew there were many layers to what had happened—and he wasn't strong enough yet to dig too deep.
Still, he filed it away in his mind.
"Hey, Dad," Smith said suddenly. "Do we still have demon cores at home?"
Jiang Lei stopped mid-step and turned around. "Demon cores? Yeah, we've got a few. Why?"
"I need them. It's important. Can you spare some?"
Jiang Lei narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Wait a minute... you're not planning to absorb them to boost your spiritual energy, are you?"
Even a fifth-tier psychic like him didn't dare absorb demon core energy directly. It was volatile, dangerous, and most of all—unpredictable.
"No, no!" Smith waved his hands quickly. "Relax, Dad. I wouldn't do something that reckless."
Jiang Lei stared at him for a moment before nodding. "Good. I didn't raise a fool."
"So," Smith continued, rubbing his hands together, "can I get some high-level demon cores? The more, the better!"
Jiang Lei squinted. "What do you think this is? A shopping spree? Our family doesn't run a treasure vault!"
"Well, I am your son," Smith said with a cheeky grin. "And we are one of the elite families in Huaihai City. Surely, you've got a little stockpile?"
Jiang Lei shook his head dramatically. "What do you think these things are? Candy? You can't just ask for 'as many as possible' like it's a buffet!"
Smith made a 'bargain' offer. "Okay, fine. Then... one hundred second-tier demon cores, one hundred third-tier, one hundred fourth-tier, and one hundred fifth-tier demon cores. I'll settle for that."
Jiang Lei stared at him in silence.
Then he spoke very slowly: "Son... I'm your father, not some immortal wishing turtle in a fairy tale. If you want that many demon cores... maybe you should be the dad!"
Smith burst out laughing.
"Alright, alright, how many can you give me?"
Jiang Lei rolled his eyes. "Ten second-level demon cores. Three third-level ones. That's it."
Smith beamed. "Deal! I'll take them!"
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