Hunger

He then started a simulation, calculating the total crystals he would need. 

The result almost made him cry. 

Never in his life did Alex feel he lacked money like this. 

In total, he had already spent $100 million on one thousand high-grade mana crystals, and he still needed 9,000 more to complete his foundation stage entirely. 

That meant he needed to spend the entire capital his mother had just given him. 

"No, I need to find my own money. 

If I ask for more, Mom will ask for more details." 

Alex sighed, then mumbled, "What a scam…" 

[King, you should check your status first before saying it's a scam.] 

______________________________ 

Name: Alex Campbell 

Power Level: 5.3 

Progenitor Transformation: 10/100% 

Lifeforce: 45/1,200 

Cultivation Level: Foundation Stage - Early Level 

______________________________ 

Alex raised his eyebrow in surprise. 

"One mana crystal raises my lifeforce capacity by one?" 

[That is correct, but I think this is because you used it on your spine.] 

[On other parts, the result won't be this significant. 

But it will instead increase your power level drastically.] 

"I see, that makes sense, but doesn't that mean I can enhance my abilities?" 

But then Alex realized his brain had already been mutated by mana; he doubted he could enhance it even further. 

The only option was using qi, but it was too risky. 

As he pondered his situation, suddenly, his head grew lightheaded, and an intense sensation of hunger began to surge from the depths of his soul. 

[King, your life force is under 10%; you should quickly find someone to drain.] 

"I knew it, it's a scam!" 

Alex exclaimed as he gnashed his teeth, trying to rein in the hunger. 

So far, Vesa hadn't told him anything about the use of the life force. 

In Mingyue's case, Vesa used it to help her cultivation, but for Alex, it was of no use. 

If he had known this beforehand, he would have chosen to enhance another part of his body first. 

He had spent a ton of money only to raise his life force limit and was now thrust into a hungry state. 

Compared to Mingyue, Alex hadn't absorbed a single life force since he got the system. 

He thought he still had some time to look for a good option since the life force reduction was very slow. 

Alex didn't know what to do; in the building now, there was only Feng Xue and the family members of the old Suzaku guild filled with elders and kids. 

He knew he couldn't screw up; if he really went berserk now and attacked all of them, it would cause a huge scene. 

Not only that, but Alex also knew he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. 

Using all his strength, he quickly took a secret pathway going outside the facility. 

At this point, anyone was fine as long as it wasn't someone he knew. 

The facility was located some distance away from the city, surrounded by a forest. 

Alex hoped he could find some wild animals and absorb their life force, at least to get enough to fill the ten percent. 

Unfortunately for Alex, it didn't go as he had hoped. 

Emily had some spare time that day, so she decided to go to the facility to check out the space for the guild and meet up with some old acquaintances. 

On the way to the facility, she saw someone walking in the middle of the forest. 

"That looks like Alex. 

What is he doing out here alone at night?" she mumbled. 

Emily parked the car on the side and then looked in the direction Alex was going. 

She then realized he was moving deeper into the forest. 

This made Emily worry since the area there was not just filled with wild animals; some had already mutated into monsters. 

She got out of the car and started moving. 

Emily's eyebrow raised as she realized Alex's speed was not normal. 

"Is this the result of the cultivation he did?" 

Emily then started increasing her pace, catching up to Alex. 

When she could see his back, Emily called out to him in a loud voice, "Brother, where are you going!?" 

Alex's mind, already half-consumed with hunger, jolted awake at the familiar voice. 

A conflict began brewing within him, torn between his instinct to protect those he loved and his newfound hunger for the progenitor's blood. 

With the last shred of his sanity, Alex exploded with strength, dashing forward deeper into the forest, creating cracks like a spiderweb in the ground. 

Emily was baffled by his weird reaction; she expected her brother to turn around with his usual smile, ask her what she was doing there, and then act all mysterious when she did the same to him. 

She knitted her eyebrows together, her heart filling with worry. 

Alex could feel Emily moving faster toward him; her high life force was like a burning ember in the middle of the night. 

The feeling of his body salivating over it made him feel disgusted. 

"Emily! 

Don't follow me!" Alex screamed at the top of his lungs. 

If his mind had been working properly, he would have realized that doing this was stupid; it would have had the opposite effect. 

Emily was already traumatized by their father's disappearance. 

There was no way she could let Alex go by himself now, even if it cost her life. 

Emily's body started to glow, turning into light and appearing instantly in front of Alex. 

It was one of her trump cards, which she only used when her life was in danger. 

But seeing Alex's condition, she didn't hesitate. 

Her face turned pale, and her body was covered in sweat as her mana reserves almost drained from that one move. 

Looking at Emily in front of him, Alex's body froze. 

Emily took one step closer; Alex took one step back. 

"Stay away, Emily!" 

"No! 

What happened to you!?" Emily asked with worry. 

She could see Alex's eyes turning almost red now, with his veins visibly outlined beneath his skin. 

"No… NO… No!!! 

Vesa, do something!!" 

Alex kept trying to step back, but Emily sprinted forward, appearing in front of him, her hand moving closer to hold Alex in place. 

But for Alex, in front of him now was not his sister but a very delicious life energy. 

His hunger took over the next moment; his mind went blank. 

"Bro… Brother!!!!" 

Emily's scream then reverberated through the forest.