024. The Curse of Gamma Tier

  "So that's my story."

  Li Aozi took a sip of his drink, speaking with frustration:

  "I admire these people's ce and passion, but their strength and thinking are still g. Their blood was shed in vain, wasted on meaningless battles."

  "Then why did you e looking for me?"

  Barnam attempted to take back his bottle, but Li Aozi flicked his wrist, easily swatting his hand away. He then spoke seriously:

  "Barnam, I’m pnning to take a different approach to save this try. Tell me, do you want to return to your fortable life?"

  "Yes!"

  Without a sed thought, Barnam blurted out:

  "I was living well, earning good money, w an easy job, surrounded by the kind and eople of Grant. To be ho, I’ve already sidered this pce my home."

  Excellent. Li Aozi nodded; Barnam’s rea was exactly what he had anticipated.

  Once a man from Frost-Pted leaves, uhey’re a die-hard patriot like Du Zexin or Daivilin, they rarely return, especially someone like Barnam, who has no ties bae.

  The Grand Duchy of Grant would produce several remarkable figures iure, and Barnam was one of them.

  Barnam Ziegler’s rise to prominence came te, not until version 2.5 when he ventured into spad entered the [Craft] css’s [Architect] legacy, starting his legendary life.

  Iure, he would earle of “Empire Hero.”

  To achieve the highest honor of the 13th Narrative-Level Civilization, [Heroic Empire], starting from the native civilization of Azure Star, was a rarity even among narrative-level civilizations.

  Li Aozi wasn’t here just to plete tasks; he also o recruit the best talents.

  As a self-made entrepreneur, Li Aozi had only secured sponsorship from Tianhuan and Triaown, but he still cked capable subordinates.

  Li Aozi wasn’t skilled in ma or teology, but everyone knows that CEOs don’t o uand teology.

  A eeds to be able to bluff, sell dreams, draw up grand pns, attravestments, have vision, be decisive, and unite people. Everything else? Leave it to the professionals, just hand over the money ahem do their jobs.

  Li Aozi's high [Charisma] attribute quickly swayed Barnam, who enthusiastically agreed to join his team, even impulsively itting to a alongside him.

  However, as they were about to head out, Barnam suddenly regained his senses:

  "But, the whole city is under lockdown. What are we going out to do?"

  "Kidnapping."

  ——————————

  "Report oack."

  "Six infantry fighting vehicles from the garrison’s meized infantry battalion were destroyed. Seventeen soldiers were killed, eight seriously injured, and twelve civilians were hit by stray bullets and shelling... Such a big i only be suppressed with the help of Frost-Pted’s Law IV."

  Bam!

  Gamos Luwenqi Grant, the Grand Duke, suddenly smmed his hand on the desk. His pale purple eyes immediately lost their cloudiness and fusion. His secretary, caught off guard, colpsed to the floor, suddenly realizing that the old man before him, who had ruled the duchy for two turies, was still a Gamma-tier powerhouse.

  Gamos’ shoulders trembled violently. He grabbed the nearby oxygen mask, c his fad taking deep breaths for a minute before calming down. The physiological monit system on his wrist beeped, indig low blood oxygen levels.

  "Phew..."

  Calm down. Stay calm.

  Aional fluctuation could trigger physiological abnormalities, and what he couldn’t afford was a hormonal imbance.

  Gamos removed the oxygen mask, staring at his withered hands. After a long silence, he muttered to himself:

  "So this is the price..."

  From a mortal’s perspective, a Gamma-tier powerhouse seemed like a god desded from a myths. When they ehe battlefield, they could easily sway the course of battle, advang areating at will. Their asded life forms enjoyed long lifespans.

  It was hard not to wonder if the legendary heroes of a dynasties were actually Gamma-tier powerhouses.

  They had clearly distahemselves from ordinary people, so it seemed natural for them to lead a group of short-lived mortals.

  However, Gamos knew better: this p refuses to sustain a powerhouse like him.

  Azure Star's resources were insuffit to keep him alive.

  He could feel it—his heart had bee a high-energy-ing engine, his brain burning through an enormous amount of energy every sed.

  The thin oxygen tent couldn’t keep him in a healthy state. Azure Star was no different from a high-altitude pteau to him. Doctors diagnosed him with ic altitude siess. No matter how much fat or carbohydrates he ed, energy couldn’t accumute in his body. Just maintaining his basic metabolism was impossible without imp specialized high-energy syic liquids from Frost-Pted, costing him 45,000 Derby daily.

  His ans bore an immense burden. Most of the time, his overly powerful lungs remained sealed, but eve of keeping his heavy lungs expanded caused his ribs to ache itently. He didn’t dare sneeze, fearing that a sneeze could break his own ribs.

  His digestive system was another source of agony. His body’s energy ption was terrifying, but his diet was restricted to sirient paste and liquids, gradually causing his stomach to lose its fun.

  As a [Shaman], his resilient body and strong spirit, which should have been his pride, had bee a prison.

  How ughable!

  He had spent nearly 120 years asding to the Gamma-tier godhood, only to bee a figure of dominance, even daring to stand up to Frost-Pted.

  Yet Frost-Pted never saw him as anything signifit.

  Of course, they were familiar with this. Frost-Pted’s history had seen its share of Gamma-tier powerhouses. They knew better than anyone what this cursed power really meant.

  Gamos had seen Frost-Pted’s Gamma-tier powerhouses. Supported by Frost-Pted’s advaeology, they maintaiheir health, charging into battlefields as terrifying war maes.

  And he had bee nothing more than a rotting mass of protein.

  Even the spirits and natural forces that resided in his soul, which had grown stronger with his assion, had turned into poison, stantly coveting his body with greedy eyes.

  "The world rejects me. This p loathes me. They don’t owerhouses to live, and they reject the emergence of extraordinary powerhouses!"

  He spoke with sorrow.

  The day’s attack paled in parison to his body’s gradual decay. The only thing Gamos hated was himself.

  At this point, the Grand Duke no longer cared about power. He just wao be free from this suffering.

  And the key to his life ah was in the hands of Frost-Pted.

  The secretary, trembling, sat silently on the floor, uo trol his body due to the biological pressure exerted by Gamos.

  After a long silehe Grand Duke shook his head and said:

  "Call Marish in."

  FAL