Instantaneous Movement actually succeeded.
Tang Zhong stared at his palm, unable to believe what he was seeing.
How could he possess such an ability? He remembered clearly he didn’t have this before. Did something change?
Tang Zhong could only recall discovering his Instantaneous Movement ability a few days ago!
If he counted back in time, it must have been right before his battle with Hu Gego in Ruida State. He distinctly remembered that during the fight with Hu Gego, he didn’t have this ability. It seemed like after Hu Gego knocked him down, something miraculous happened when he regained consciousness. Could it be strongly related to the moment he fell?
Tang Zhong could only connect the dots to that incident.
He also recalled waking up in the hospital and, as soon as he stepped off the bed, left two deep footprints on the floor.
That strange power was something he discovered later, but where could it have come from?
Tang Zhong pondered deeply as he reached out his hand to lean on a nearby tree.
But as soon as he extended his hand, the large tree tilted, unable to withstand his force. The ground trembled, and the tree, as thick as several bowls stacked together, was uprooted completely, its roots yanked out of the soil.
Shocked, Tang Zhong hurriedly grabbed the tree to steady it. To his surprise, the nearly-collapsing tree was stabilized in his hands, firmly held in his grasp.
Gazing at the tree, he estimated its weight to be several hundred pounds.
But looking at Tang Zhong’s arm, it appeared thin and unassuming.
Even more startling was how Tang Zhong held the massive tree as if it weighed nothing at all, like he was handling a ball of cotton—completely devoid of weight.
"Has my strength increased?" Tang Zhong murmured to himself.
He tried releasing the tree. The moment he let go, the massive tree crashed onto the ground with a thunderous boom.
Without a doubt, the phenomenon was attributed to Tang Zhong’s amplified strength. That had to be the explanation.
Not only could he perform Instantaneous Movement, but he also gained superhuman strength. Where were these abilities even coming from?
Just then, a flashlight’s beam flickered, accompanied by a voice: "Who’s there? Who’s there in the park?"
The considerable commotion had certainly alarmed park security. The person speaking must be a security guard.
Clearly, this wasn’t a place to linger.
Tang Zhong immediately turned and left, his mind activating Instantaneous Movement again, moving away in a flash.
Judging by its potency, the movement could likely traverse significant distances, although Tang Zhong still hadn’t mastered its usage.
He quickly left the area.
Not long after Tang Zhong departed, an elderly security guard approached from afar holding a flashlight. Dressed in a security uniform, he muttered, "Weird. I clearly heard something over here a moment ago—why is it gone now? Strange!"
Looking down, he noticed the tree felled on the ground.
"Oh my goodness! What happened here?"
By now, Tang Zhong was far away, retreating through Instantaneous Movement.
Though he didn’t travel far before sensing unbearable heat on his back, as if it were being burned by fire—a searing, scorching pain.
Turning to look, Tang Zhong was stunned by the sight. His spine glowed, radiating light—the intense heat seemed to originate from within.
"This... this can’t be real!" Tang Zhong could only see fragments of the glow; full visibility remained elusive. He didn’t know what was causing the illumination.
Within the park, he reached a lakeside. Using the water’s reflection, he caught a glimpse of his own back. His brows furrowed deeply upon seeing his spine shimmering with hues of blue, earth-yellow, and red.
While the spine naturally had raised segments, the ones glowing now looked strikingly familiar.
They resembled those mysterious stones. Specifically, the blue area was unmistakably similar to the stone he acquired in Brick City—the one he’d possessed the longest, allowing him to recognize it immediately.
As for the earth-yellow and red glowing segments, they clearly corresponded to the Stone of Turbid Hanging River and the one he had obtained from Adam.
Did these stones... fuse into his body?
Tang Zhong’s expression shifted slightly as realization dawned—it seemed plausible.
No wonder he couldn’t locate those stones anymore. It wasn’t that they were lost; they had merged into his body.
In other words, his Instantaneous Movement and superhuman strength abilities were bestowed by these stones?
Particularly the blue stone—it had fueled his suspicions ever since he moved from Xuanjing City to Si Bo Island. It appeared his hunch was correct.
The Stone of Turbid Hanging River undoubtedly gifted him unparalleled strength.
As for the stone obtained from Adam...
Tang Zhong recalled Adam’s transformation with that stone—turning dangerously close to a blood-red demon. Perhaps its power enabled changes in form?
What were these stones, exactly?
Stones capable of merging with the human body—they were beyond bizarre.
Indeed, these stones were extraordinary.
Earlier, Tang Zhong heard the Flame Dragon Soldiers mention recovering these stones as part of his trial. Intrigue surrounded their motives, no doubt.
He had to locate the remaining stones quickly.
What puzzled Tang Zhong even more was how his spine could integrate these stones without killing him—truly miraculous.
Strange as it was, Tang Zhong’s curiosity to uncover the truth grew stronger!
Finding the remaining stones was undoubtedly the right course of action.
At that moment, a phone call from Li Linglong interrupted his thoughts.
Tang Zhong answered the call before rushing off, disregarding the late hour, heading straight to the Dragon Group.
Li Linglong had news about the stones.
Previously, Tang Zhong had asked Li Linglong to help him search for these peculiar stones. He hadn’t anticipated such swift results.
Leaving the park behind, Tang Zhong headed directly for the Dragon Group.
He traveled entirely through Instantaneous Movement.
It seemed his lack of full integration with the stones caused lingering pain in his back—the scorching sensation was likely a side effect. Enduring it would suffice until it became normal for him.
Once inside the Dragon Group headquarters...
Tang Zhong walked straight to Li Linglong’s office, skipping formalities, and kicked the door open.
Li Linglong, immersed in work within the office, was startled by the interruption.
Tang Zhong’s urgency was palpable as he closed the distance between them, grabbing Li Linglong by his collar: "Tell me! What did you find out?"
Li Linglong froze in fear, stammering, "Bro-brother, let go of me first!"
He struggled, nearly choking under Tang Zhong’s grip.
Realizing his overreaction, Tang Zhong quickly released him.
Li Linglong coughed violently, glaring at Tang Zhong: "Brother, you almost strangled me..."
"Cut the chatter! You said you had news about the stones, didn’t you? Tell me now!" Tang Zhong demanded.
"Alright, I’ll show you!" Li Linglong replied, pulling out a photograph. "I think this person might know what you’re looking for!"
Rushing to examine it, Tang Zhong saw a man clad in a gray suit with a suspicious demeanor. Looking closer, the man was holding a map—a map illustrating a peculiar stone!