The shriveled corpse on the ground appeared utterly drained, its skin wrinkled and stretched tightly over fragile bones. Its face was so distorted by wrinkles it was barely recognizable.

  Captain Harris's expression changed drastically upon closer inspection. He instantly recognized the corpse—it was Deputy Captain Lucas Reed.

  Lucas hadn't been the strongest among the deputy captains, but he was undoubtedly powerful. Yet now, he lay dead at their feet.

  "Captain! That's Lucas Reed's uniform!" Gavin Blake shouted in horror.

  Harris nodded gravely, swiftly drawing his blade instead of approaching the body directly. With a sharp swing, crimson blade energy surged forth, enveloping Lucas's corpse in a protective web.

  Just as Ryan wondered if Harris was being overly cautious, a dark mist suddenly erupted from the corpse. The mist collided violently with Harris’s blade energy, slowing the crimson glow significantly, as though it had sunk into mud.

  In that instant, a black shadow burst upward from Lucas's lifeless body—a bat-like creature with wings spanning over a foot. It vanished into the night sky in mere moments.

  Chills ran up Ryan's spine. Although the creature had disappeared, the deadly threat remained, lurking unseen and ready to strike again at any moment.

  This world was far more perilous than he'd imagined. Even with Iron Body Technique, Five Tigers Blade Technique, and Thousand-Mile Leap, Ryan now realized just how inadequate his abilities truly were.

  Lucas Reed, a genuine bloodline warrior, had fallen. How long could Ryan—a mere pretender—hope to survive?

  He tightened his grip on his blade, prepared to defend himself. At that moment, words appeared clearly in his mind:

  Target detected. Activate Skill-Stealing Card?

  Ryan had seen this prompt countless times before, but now he knew he couldn't hesitate. He desperately needed true strength.

  He initially planned to target Harris, hoping to acquire a genuine bloodline awakening. But surprisingly, the mysterious black bat also appeared as a selectable target.

  Should he choose Harris or this dangerous bat?

  Without hesitation, Ryan chose the bat. If the creature could kill Lucas Reed, it surely possessed extraordinary abilities.

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  The orange Level-2 Skill-Stealing Card transformed instantly into five glowing options. Knowing he had no time to waste, Ryan quickly selected one.

  "Toxic Mist Bloodline (Basic)" acquired!

  Ryan stared blankly, unsure what this bloodline meant. As the card merged into his body, he felt a chilling sensation circulate through his veins.

  Abilities instantly flooded his mind—he could now imbue his attacks with toxic mist, conceal himself within shadows, and corrode materials and flesh alike.

  Clang! Clang! Clang!

  The urgent clash of metal snapped Ryan from his thoughts. He turned to see Harris fiercely battling the bat, his blade creating a storm of crimson energy. The ringing sounds were the creature's claws striking Harris’s weapon.

  Realizing it was disadvantaged, the bat swiftly released a billowing black mist, quickly retreating into darkness.

  "Don't approach the mist—it's poisonous!" Harris shouted, throwing his corrupted blade onto the ground. Its previously bright metal had turned dull, shrouded in gray.

  "It's a Gray Mist Blood Bat," Harris explained grimly. "It produces toxic mist and moves incredibly fast. We're fortunate we didn't examine Lucas's body carelessly, or we'd be dead now."

  "Is it powerful?" Ryan asked warily.

  "Extremely dangerous," Harris replied. "It withdrew only because it's already drained Lucas's blood. Once hungry again, it'll return—and we won't be so lucky."

  Ryan sensed Harris held something back, something even more disturbing.

  "Ryan, reorganize the patrols immediately," Harris instructed. "Avoid this area completely. I'll return and report to Overseer Marcus."

  As Harris carried Lucas's corpse away, Gavin Blake shot Ryan a fearful glance. Without a word, Gavin hurried after Harris.

  Now alone, Ryan eagerly tested his new bloodline. Standing near the edge of the cassava slopes, he threw a punch into empty air. A gray mist erupted from his fist, instantly corroding nearby vegetation.

  Impressive, Ryan thought, though clearly weaker than Harris’s blade energy. After several punches, the mist grew weaker. Clearly, he needed proper cultivation to maximize this power—specifically, the Mystic Unity Blood Essence Technique.

  Back in the settlement, Lucas Reed's death caused profound panic. Losing a bloodline warrior—a deputy captain—was devastating.

  Overseer Marcus gathered his core team, their expressions grim.

  "A Gray Mist Blood Bat with awakened bloodline," Marcus sighed. "We're in serious trouble."

  "We must kill it quickly," Harris urged. "Otherwise, the entire cassava slope area will be off-limits permanently."

  "How strong is it?" Marcus asked.

  "Mid-level bloodline warrior strength at least," Harris admitted. "If it hadn't chosen to retreat, I'd be dead too."

  Marcus grew silent, clearly shaken.

  "Perhaps we should request reinforcements from the Guardian Fortress," Victor suggested reluctantly. "We can't defeat this bat ourselves."

  Marcus hesitated briefly but finally nodded. "We have no choice. Though such help is costly, survival matters most."

  Marcus and Harris quickly entered a small steel room, activating a rusty radio transmitter under a dim 3-watt bulb—their sole electrical light source.

  "Every time I see this bulb," Harris sighed, "I dream of a day when hundreds illuminate our homes again."

  Marcus shook his head grimly. "We don't have much battery power. Send the distress call quickly. And request extra dry batteries."

  As Harris carefully broadcast the message, Marcus exhaled heavily. "Now, we wait."