Chapter 51: Tao Tao's Bloodline Mark

After Shen Lie heard what little Taotao said, he smacked his forehead in frustration. Even a child's innate talent ranked higher than his—this was too crushing!

From their exchanges with Professor Liu, Du Lili, and other awakened individuals, they all concluded that the earlier a bloodline mark appeared, the higher the rank of the awakened one's bloodline. Du Lili's case, where a mark formed the instant she awakened, marked her as a super bloodline inheritor. Who could have guessed this little girl possessed the same trait? Though she noted the mark sometimes appeared and sometimes vanished, it was still somewhat inferior to Du Lili's and yet remarkably powerful.

“What does that mark look like?” Shen Lie's tone grew urgent, eager to know the shape. As for whether this involved peeking at the girl's intimate details, he cared little. After all, the little girl had already taken him as her sole family, and he viewed her as a sister. Of course, the little girl insisted on calling him uncle.

“Shape? It doesn't have any shape?” The girl looked utterly bewildered, as if she had no idea what he meant.

“Um, you know, what form does the mark take? Like a bird, or a fish?” Shen Lie spoke while making gestures, finally managing to convey the idea.

“Form? It doesn't seem like the kind you described, Uncle. It doesn't look like an animal either. It seems... seems... ah! It resembles a short sword! Yes, exactly like a short sword, and it's blue!” The girl finally answered his question, appearing delighted as she bounced up and down.

“A sword, really?” Shen Lie froze, instinctively suspicious. In truth, he knew Taotao would never lie to him, but the discrepancy between her words and his imagination left him no choice but to verify.

Sure enough, the girl assumed Shen Lie doubted her. Her expression turned aggrieved, tears welling up. She said softly, “It's true, Uncle. Taotao isn't lying.”

“Haha, Taotao, be good. Of course Uncle knows my Taotao would never deceive me. It's only that my Taotao's mark is extraordinary, so Uncle is thrilled. But Taotao, remember this—never speak of this to anyone else, understand?”

Shen Lie ruffled the little girl's hair while pondering and comforting her.

Since Xiao Taotao's mark was a sword, Professor Liu's claim that his own was a bead did not seem entirely false. Yet then arose the question of how bloodline inheritance actually functioned.

If it involved an animal, it might make sense. One could imagine powerful legendary creatures from ancient times transforming into human form, bonding with strong humans and producing descendants who carried that bloodline, passing it down through generations. Though diluted nearly to nothing, the bloodline reawakened with the earth's upheavals.

This was Shen Lie's long-held belief, shared in discussions with others. Most awakened ones held the same view, for it seemed reasonable.

But how did a sword-shaped mark fit? Could a sword truly turn into a humanoid? Even a divine sword becoming a spirit would not produce offspring. Moreover, a sword was merely a weapon; how could it possess bloodline inheritance? Even a plant would be more plausible than a sword.

Xiao Taotao's mark shattered Shen Lie's preconceptions, steering his speculations into unknown territory. Still, this was beyond his alone to unravel. He had no need to investigate further; time would reveal answers, as they would from someone like Professor Liu.

Strength had increased again, and Shen Lie's mood remained bright. Though he could not temporarily raise the rank of his thunder talent, the boost to his bloodline power allowed him to wield the Doomsday Hammer multiple times. It was not without reward.

They had been apart from the main group for more than two hours. Shen Lie had driven out, while the main force walked on foot and moved slowly. They caught up to the rear within twenty minutes. The team was setting up camp for rest, preparing once more to gather supplies and food.

“How did it go?” The moment they returned to the bulletproof vehicle, Du Lili asked with concern. They all knew Shen Lie's destination, especially Du Lili, who had already ignited her second node, knowing each successive ignition grew harder.

“!”

Shen Lie gestured, then nodded with a smile. Everyone aboard the vehicle relaxed. The people on this car—along with the thirty or so survivors who had left Dongfeng Town together—had formed a tight-knit small group. In truth, they had grown closer.

Though the Dongfeng Town survivors no longer rode inside the vehicle, they had trailed behind on foot from the start. Later, Shen Lie acquired two cars and fuel, which he provided for their transport. They regarded themselves as part of Shen Lie and Du Lili's retinue.

Privately, other groups referred to them as the Red Mist Group—those who emerged from that eerie red fog. Thanks to Shen Lie, Du Lili, and Professor Liu, both military personnel and ancient faction members held them back, while scattered groups held them in awe. The survivors under their protection thus fared reasonably well.

“Have your talent skills changed?” Professor Liu looked at Shen Lie and inquired.

“Hmm.” Bringing up the matter dampened Shen Lie's enthusiasm. He understood Professor Liu's intent. Others assumed the Doomsday Hammer was his bloodline ability and that he, like Du Lili, already possessed a bloodline mark. The question concerned the enhancement of the hammer's power.

“To what degree?”

Professor Liu missed Shen Lie's subtle shift in expression, instead growing pleased. Their small group now counted two second-rank awakened, raising survival odds. Although he enjoyed military backing, he felt safer having Shen Lie and Du Lili nearby. These two would soon stand as pivotal figures in humanity's fight against alien horrors.

“Not much, but it added a new skill.” Shen Lie paused briefly before replying.

In their perilous situation, concealing strength was impractical. Full commitment might not even guarantee survival, so hiding it would be foolish. They needed to deploy this skill soon, lay a foundation, or else face later explanations.

“Adding yet another skill?” Shen Lie's words left the vehicle silent. Professor Liu's eyes gleamed like he had found treasure.

“Quickly, tell me everything!” Professor Liu eagerly sat beside him, all ears.

Shen Lie described the Wild Charge skill, but not completely. He altered key details at the right moments, presenting it as a naturally formed second-day talent ability.

After listening, Professor Liu began recording, jotting the information into his notebook for future reference. Shen Lie could only sigh inwardly, sorry. He did not know if a second talent skill existed; if not, he had led Professor Liu astray.

The vehicle's discussion continued for a long time before being interrupted by a visitor. This was the leader of a small group and an awakened person named Duan Yu, whose appearance, age, and demeanor differed greatly from the Duan Yu of Jin Yong's tales.

During several material-gathering expeditions, Shen Lie had crossed paths with Duan Yu. This person was among the few he got along with in the entire team. Seeing the arrival, he welcomed him warmly.

“How's it going, Old Duan? Wanting to head out for supplies again? According to the map, no towns appear nearby.” Shen Lie smiled at the man in his thirties and joked, “Our current supplies should last about ten more days. Besides, I just ignited my second node and haven't grown accustomed to it yet, so I have no plans to leave.”

“Haha, what's wrong? Can't I come find the Heavenly King Shen when nothing's happening?” Survivors from Dongfeng Town still called him and Du Lili the Heavenly Kings. The title had spread, drawing mockery from some awakened ones. It became a playful phrase among their close associates.

“How could I not welcome it? Please, visit and instruct us!” Shen Lie struck a gesture of thanks and replied casually.

“Haha, you welcome me, but I have no time for idle chatter here. Here's the thing: my men and I discovered a peculiar gourd-like plant beside a pond not far away. This gourd actually possesses spatial properties. After great effort, I barely managed to pick one small specimen outside. Guess what?”