Die, Replay, Repeat

Chapter 241: Switching Sides

The room was on the brink of dozing off when Fang Xiu made his entrance, snapping everyone back to attention.

Even Yan Changshou, standing on stage, felt a sudden surge of energy.

This time, Yan Changshou had come prepared. Knowing how long the Director's lecture could drag on, he'd taken a special potion to suppress the Specter power within him, just to maintain his human appearance. But after nearly two hours, the strain was starting to show. If they didn't wrap things up soon, he might lose control.

Seeing Fang Xiu take the stage, a flicker of relief crossed his face. He appreciated the timely interruption from his subordinate.

The Director, noticing Fang Xiu approaching, quickly switched gears. "Now, let's welcome the hero who made the greatest impact on resolving the Grade-S Specter event—Fang Xiu, the Foreseer. Please come up to receive your award."

Fang Xiu was already there before the Director finished speaking.

"Nice speech. No need next time," Fang Xiu said, cutting straight to the point.

The Director, unfazed, kept his smile as he pulled out a small, dark golden box crafted from Mind Steel. "Fang Xiu, this is your reward from headquarters. We hope you keep up the good work. Feel free to open it."

Without hesitation, Fang Xiu opened the box right there in front of everyone. He knew the Director's game—this was a show to motivate the crowd by highlighting how heroes were rewarded.

Inside the box, nestled on a dark cushion, was a simple bronze ring with a unique design. It resembled a coiled dragon, but with a twist—it had two heads instead of a tail, each one biting into a red gem, forming the intricate bronze ring.

Under the Director's expectant gaze, Fang Xiu slowly slipped the ring onto his finger.

All eyes were on him, curiosity buzzing about what power this ring might hold.

Meanwhile, Yan Changshou was secretly frowning._ 'Why did he actually put it on? Hurry up and make your move!'_

He was poised for action, waiting for Fang Xiu's signal to launch a surprise attack on Fang Moli. His own men and the hidden Pokers in the crowd were ready to strike the moment Fang Xiu made his move.

Sitting just a meter away from Fang Moli's left, Yan Changshou was confident he could seriously wound him before he even drew his Xuanyuan Sword. But he wanted to wait until Fang Xiu dealt with the Director first.

The plan was to strike when all eyes were on Fang Xiu and the Director, ensuring they could pull off the attack without a hitch.

As Fang Xiu slid the ring onto his finger, he immediately noticed something unusual.

Unlike Specter Gadgets that came with an overwhelming, corrupting energy, this Spiritual Gadget exuded a gentle, calming force.

This made Fang Xiu feel a bit bored. He decided that once he dealt with Yan Changshou and the Pokers, he would request some Specter Gadgets from headquarters instead.

The ring was nice, but he preferred something with a bit more edge.

"Fang Xiu, this ring's official name is the 'Ring of Golden Engraved Double Dragon Playing with Pearl,' but most people just call it the Double Dragon Ring. Its primary function is storage," the Director said with a smile.

Fang Xiu remained expressionless, but the trainees around him were clearly unimpressed.

Some of them even quietly grumbled about how stingy the headquarters seemed. Solving a Grade-S Specter event, and all they got was a storage ring? Sure, being able to store items was handy, but it wasn't exactly the kind of tool you'd use to fight a Specter.

However, as the Director continued, the crowd began to grasp the true worth of the ring.

"It can store not just physical items, but also Spiritual Energy and even abilities. You can infuse it with your Spiritual Energy daily or store your abilities inside. When you're battling a Specter and find yourself running low on Spiritual Energy, you can draw directly from the stored Spiritual Energy and abilities within the ring."

The room erupted in shock. "It can store Spiritual Energy and abilities?"

This ring wasn't just special—it was game-changing. For psychics, Spiritual Energy is the backbone of their power, the fuel for all their abilities. The more powerful the ability, the more Spiritual Energy it drains.

Imagine two equally matched psychics facing off, both exhausted and nearly out of Spiritual Energy. But if one of them had the Double Dragon Ring, filled with enough stored Spiritual Energy to keep fighting, they'd suddenly have a massive advantage, possibly turning the tide of the battle in their favor.

Even against a stronger opponent, this ring could be the deciding factor. As long as the gap in power wasn't too wide, the stored energy could allow a psychic to outlast and eventually overcome their enemy.

All eyes in the room were now glued to the ring on Fang Xiu's hand, many of them filled with envy. Some people even started having the idea of stealing it.

But Xiao Chuxia's thoughts were a bit more cunning. While others were dreaming of snatching the ring, she imagined Fang Xiu simply giving it to her as a gift.

To her, the ring was perfect. Her ability to weave lies drained her Spiritual Energy rapidly—the bigger the lie, the more energy it took. With this ring, she wouldn't have to worry about running out of energy mid-lie ever again.

She began scheming, wondering if Fang Xiu proposed to her with this ring should she say yes right away or play hard to get for a moment?

As Fang Xiu listened to the Director, something clicked in his mind. It seemed like the Director was dropping hints.

Carefully, Fang Xiu channeled his Spiritual Energy into the Double Dragon Ring. Instantly, he sensed something unexpected—a hidden scene within the ring.

The ring already contained stored abilities. Not just one, but five different abilities!

As he probed further, he recognized them as the domain powers of four captains and Xiao Zhenhua. The powers stored were Luo Qingxin's "Frozen Zone," Li Xiaoru's "Infinite Conflict," Xiao Zhenhua's "All Equal," Fang Moli's "Sword Infinity," and Xiong Tianguang's "Summoner's Rift."

The only one missing was Yan Changshou's "Specter Gate." Every other domain of the headquarters' fourth-tier psychics was tucked away in this ring.

These stored powers weren't reusable; each of the five domains could only be unleashed once. But five domains' worth of power was nothing to scoff at.

With this ring, Fang Xiu could stand toe-to-toe with a fourth-tier expert. In fact, he felt confident that he could even defeat and kill a slightly weaker fourth-tier expert if it came to that.

The headquarters had truly outdone themselves this time, giving him a gift that was more valuable than anyone could have guessed.

Fang Xiu maintained a calm gaze as he looked at the Director, who kept his usual smile, eyes betraying nothing.

There was no silent exchange of looks, no subtle gestures like you'd see in the movies. They stood close but acted as if this was just another typical meeting, like two people who had never crossed paths before.

Fang Xiu grasped the subtle message behind the headquarters' actions. They clearly wanted to equip him with enough power to safeguard himself in the battles ahead.

"Fang Xiu, are you satisfied with the headquarters' reward?" the Director asked, his smile never faltering.

Fang Xiu gave a slight nod, his demeanor steady.

Meanwhile, Yan Changshou, standing on stage, was growing increasingly uneasy. Outwardly, he kept his composure, but inside, his thoughts were in chaos.

'Why hasn't he made his move yet?'

Breaking the tension, Fang Xiu suddenly spoke. "Since the headquarters has been so generous with their gift, I think it's only right I offer something in return."