A Starving Camel is Still Bigger Than a Horse!

"What's that supposed to mean, huh?" 

"Trying to start a fight? Or do you have a death wish?" 

"I've never killed anyone before, but I can make an exception for you!"

Spencer spat out his words angrily, trying to appear tough. But Jexon knew it was just bluster. He glanced at Spencer, unfazed, and calmly said, "I meant exactly what I said."

Then, with a knowing look, Jexon tapped the containers holding the *phantom butterfly* corpses and the *Bloodthirsty Gu*.

Spencer was still annoyed by Jexon's cool attitude, but he wasn't stupid. He paused, as if realizing something, and asked again, "Wait… what do you mean?"

Jexon raised his chin slightly. "Let's talk in your room."

Spencer hurriedly led Jexon back to his room, and once the door was closed, he lowered his voice and asked conspiratorially, "You're not really collecting those butterflies and worms to eat, are you?"

Jexon didn't answer directly. Instead, he carefully took out the *phantom butterfly* corpses and casually asked, "You've been bragging to those other Life Cachers for a while. I'm sure you've heard of Bethany?"

Spencer's eyes lit up with curiosity. He was about to make a snarky comment about the mention of her name, but then he noticed something odd— 

Jexon's movements as he handled the *phantom butterflies* were anything but normal.

The *phantom butterflies* looked like slightly larger versions of regular butterflies, with wider wings. When alive, they emitted a scent with a hallucinogenic effect, and their wing powder had a mild paralyzing effect. While the paralysis was weak, getting too much powder on your skin could cause your whole hand to go numb.

But despite handling so many butterfly corpses, Jexon's hands seemed completely unaffected!

Spencer observed Jexon's technique closely. He realized Jexon was meticulously gripping the butterflies by their tiny, nearly invisible antennae. His actions seemed effortless, yet he never let any of the powder touch his hands.

At that moment, Spencer understood— 

This half-dead guy with only a month left to live wasn't as simple as he seemed!

His earlier urge to mock Jexon vanished. Instead, Spencer nodded cautiously, "Of course I've heard of Bethany! She's the only person in all of Cedar City who can refine *Longevity Elixirs*."

Jexon smirked inwardly at that but didn't bother correcting him. Instead, he kept working as he casually asked, "Do you know which school Bethany attended before the apocalypse?"

Spencer answered immediately, "Burlington Duke University."

Jexon nodded. "Then you've heard about the beast tide that hit Burlington Duke University on the seventh day after the apocalypse began?"

Spencer nodded again. "Yeah, I heard that a student drew a beast tide from a blue Slot Machine during that time."

"Back then, on day seven, most people were about as strong as we are now—weak, like Life Cachers. The blue-tier beast tide was a disaster that nearly wiped everyone out!"

"They say the university's teachers and students almost went extinct, but a group managed to fight their way out, saving hundreds of students. There was even a rumor about a top-tier fighter who led them through the beast tide."

"But the name of that fighter wasn't widely circulated. No one's heard anything about him since."

"There are even rumors that the guy probably died."

Jexon chuckled lightly at this and continued scraping the butterflies' wing powder into a small container. His tone was casual as he said, "That fighter wasn't strong because of some amazing ability he pulled from a Slot Machine."

Spencer nodded eagerly. "Of course! If he could lead people through a beast tide, he must've drawn some incredible power from the Slot Machine that let him defy fate!"

Jexon shook his head slightly. "No. He didn't defy fate."

"The ability he drew wasn't permanent. It had a time limit."

"That's why, seven days later, he disappeared. No one heard from him again."

Spencer's eyes widened in understanding. "Oh! So it was a temporary ability! I remember seeing time-limited abilities in the options of green Slot Machines too!"

"Man, that's a shame!"

"To get such a powerful ability only for it to have a time limit… No wonder he faded into obscurity afterward!"

"If only he had drawn something else during that time or found a way to keep strengthening himself, maybe he really could've defied fate!"

"What a waste…"

Spencer loved hearing stories about people changing their destiny. This one, about someone who almost succeeded but ultimately failed, filled him with regret.

However, something clicked in his mind, and he frowned as he looked at Jexon. "You seem to know a lot about this guy…"

His eyes suddenly went wide with realization. "Wait a minute! You went to school with Bethany, right? So you were a student at Burlington Duke University too!"

"That means… you were one of the survivors saved by that fighter during the beast tide!"

Jexon raised an eyebrow and replied calmly, "Yes. But also, no."

Spencer frowned, confused. "What do you mean? What part of that isn't true?"

Jexon stopped what he was doing and met Spencer's gaze. "I *was* that unnamed fighter."

???

Spencer's mouth fell open, forming a perfect "O" shape. It took him several moments to process what Jexon had just said.

"No way… Are you serious? You're not just blowing smoke, are you?"

Jexon didn't bother explaining further. Instead, he simply said, "What I'm trying to tell you is—"

"A starving camel is still bigger than a horse."

"Even though the ability I drew back then had a time limit, I was still powerful once."

"So let me ask you again—"

"Do you still want to defy fate?"

Spencer instantly straightened up. "I do! I want it more than anything!!"

Jexon placed the container filled with the butterfly powder carefully on the table, then pulled out the bottle containing the *Bloodthirsty Gu*. The *Bloodthirsty Gu* were still alive, squirming inside the bottle like a mass of congealed blood.

Jexon deliberately showed these to Spencer before raising an eyebrow and saying, "If you want to change your fate, then first go get me a bag of *glow bugs*."

"Huh? Glow bugs?" Spencer was baffled. "Where am I supposed to find those? I've got nothing!"