Since Bai Zemin met Lilith, only about a day had passed. Although it was not a long time, his mind had already formed a small idea of the kind of person she was most of the time.
Playful, charming, even a little mischievous. As for kind, Bai Zemin restrained himself from thinking about that possibility since he didn't believe Lilith was helping him out of pure kindness.
Still, it was undeniable that she had helped him on many occasions by providing him with information that, while he might have discovered on his own after some research, it was also true that time was precious in eras of chaos.
However, this was the first time Bai Zemin had seen such a serious expression on her face and, although he was not so sure, there even seemed to be a touch of anxiety in her voice.
"I won't die... At least I have no intention of dying yet." Bai Zemin replied as he shook his head.
Lilith was a little surprised to realize how calm he sounded when he said those words. She looked at him as he took off his backpack and left the plastic bags containing medicines hidden in a corner and her eyes couldn't help but glint with a hint of praise and even a small glint of unfamiliar satisfaction.
"You know, you really are a weirdo." Lilith pointed out as she walked beside him in the direction of the exit.
"You think so? Well, I've been told that many times." Bai Zemin shrugged and held on tightly to his sword as his eyes flashed with a hint of resolve.
"You really aren't afraid of dying? This time you really might die!" She raised an eyebrow and reminded him.
"I am afraid to die. Of course I'm scared." Bai Zemin nodded impatiently and continued, "But what I'm afraid of is not death itself, what I'm afraid of is not being able to see Meng Qi and my parents again... What I'm scared of is not being able to help them when they need me... But I am not afraid of death. For me, death is no different than eternal sleep and you know what? I love to sleep!"
"You..." Hearing that he even dared to joke in such a situation, Lilith didn't know whether to laugh or cry and a look of helplessness shone in her beautiful eyes.
"My God..."
As the heavy rain poured down on his body and lightning lit up the sky quite frequently, Bai Zemin looked at the scene in front of him and his heart squeezed slightly.
The dense fog in the surroundings had disappeared and a ring of at least a hundred meters around was now visible. However, what surprised Bai Zemin was that in the middle of the building, there was a monster as big as an elephant.
This monster had various parts of its body surrounded with yellow flames that danced at high temperatures, which erased the surrounding fog. Its body was about three and a half meters long and was surrounded by a thick kind of armor that glowed as if it were metal. Its six legs were as thick as a door and it had a powerful horn nearly two meters long protruding from its mouth.
"Since when did elephant beetles get so big and have flames around them...?" Bai Zemin felt his hair stand on end as he saw the giant insect slowly advancing towards him while looking at him with its two eyes filled with murderous intent.
"Stop joking!" Lilith struck him gently and warned, "That's a monster that has already gone through its first evolution, that is a First Order monster. Besides, as you also realized, that insect already noticed you so it will chase you no matter how much you run away."
Bai Zemin nodded silently as he rushed towards another building nearby. With a heavy stomp, the ground beneath his feet shuddered softly, and using his 70 Strength points he jumped over three meters with relative ease. Such a feat would be impossible before the advent of the Soul Record and without the aid of Soul Power, but with the power of evolution available to all, the rules of the past were no longer written in stone.
Upon reaching the top, Bai Zemin observed the large insect covered in flames approaching in his direction. The pressure he felt just from being watched by that pair of red eyes was so immense that he had to resist the urge to turn around and leave.
Lilith tried to help him in every possible way so that he could survive and pass this test so she quickly explained, "Upon reaching level 25, all living beings acquire the ability to choose a job or class. As you advance in Order, the power of each living being becomes tremendously higher and the difference is not as simple as adding 1+1... The difference between level 24 and level 25 is as big as the difference between level 1 and level 24, if not bigger!"
An even bigger difference? Bai Zemin could not help but gasp when he heard this. He was very clear about how big the difference was between the current him and a level 1 person; it was like comparing a small ant to a shark. There was no comparison to begin with.
"Then what about yesterday's mantis?" Bai Zemin quickly asked.
In his battle against the Great Fast Mantis, Bai Zemin had been in danger several times and a single mistake would have cost him his life. However, he never at any time felt such immense pressure as he was feeling right now as he came face to face against the giant elephant beetle.
According to what Lilith had just said, the level 25 Great Fast Mantis should already be a creature of the First Order as well. But he wanted to know why the difference was so great.
"To obtain said class and then evolve to become a First Order existence, every living being needs to overcome a test and fulfill a challenge. Until said challenge is not overcome, all Soul Power received will be stored, and leveling up will not be possible. That mantis you killed yesterday was still just an evolved creature but it had not yet taken the first true step on the path of evolution." Lilith cleared his doubt quickly. "However, that giant beetle is definitely a First Order creature. Those flames around it must be its special skill acquired after successfully obtaining its job!"
Bai Zemin finally understood everything. He nodded and thanked her before half-closing his eyes towards the incoming creature.
The giant elephant beetle was currently less than twenty meters away and strange roars came out of its mouth as it stared at him intently. The murderous intent exuding from its body was so great that even its own flames seemed to grow stronger.
Obviously, this creature could sense the Soul Power inside Bai Zemin's body and was eager to devour him.
Although Bai Zemin was barely level 15, because he had been fighting and defeating enemies of a higher level than him since the beginning, stealing some of their Soul Power in the process, his own Soul Power was extremely rich at this moment.
If the giant elephant beetle could absorb it, it could definitely evolve even further.
However, the giant elephant beetle was not the only one who thought like this.
Bai Zemin licked his lips and a flash of wildness flashed in his eyes for a split second before disappearing and hiding under that cold gaze.
From the first moment he defeated that Big Bee, Bai Zemin felt drunk at the pleasant sensation of feeling his body and soul growing stronger.
The feeling of his muscles hardening, his ligaments strengthening, his flesh becoming tougher and his brain capacity becoming higher... Bai Zemin could feel it all!
Humans were creatures that sought power by instinct. The history written in books was proof of this.
Bai Zemin wanted power too... To survive, to live a better life, to protect his loved ones, to not have to bow his head to anyone, and to take revenge on those who dared to hurt his loved ones.
Lilith thought he was silent because he was nervous or thinking about his next action. Therefore, she stood there, trying to give all her moral support at least.
"I wonder..."
Hearing his voice, she turned her face towards him and was so surprised that she, a higher existence, couldn't help her eyes from widening slightly.
A big smile graced his face which, although for someone like Lilith was not particularly attractive, at that moment was very striking.
"I wonder how much I'll grow after killing this beetle!"
He exclaimed.
The surrounding mana moved at his will and the magical power within his body burst forth completely without holding back as he focused on his enemy only ten meters away.