123. Long Coat, Work Pants, Remember the Name Li Aozi
The coat Yavanna gifted him was a bit too flashy. Anyone who saw it would know it was Li Aozi.
To stay undercover, Li Aozi switched outfits in the restroom of the Trevilla train station, physically transforming his appearance.
Three and a half hours later, Magitech Train K-180 made a stop at Moonwater Castle, dropping off a group of returning travelers and tourists before departing again. Among the hundreds of passengers, a tall man in a bright silver coat with a hood stood out. His outfit looked as if it was patched together from tin foil and newspapers, exuding a sort of skyscraper-like punk vibe.
He flicked a coin, spinning it between his knuckles like a butterfly fluttering around his fingers. The sunlight hit his shoulders, and beneath the hood, the space shimmered with a fiery intensity.
"From now on, the real Li Aozi returns!"
Ever since entering the academy, Li Aozi had been using the colonized 'Leo' head, albeit slightly beautified. Now, as the 'Headless Horseman,' he was finally in his true form.
Moonwater Castle was a tourist city, with insufficient influence from the Ministry of Education, making it ideal for his activities.
It was much easier without the burden of the colonized head. The [Future Primitive] costume, worth 200 tokens, came with a custom hood that, when pulled down, concealed his face, making it impossible for others to see the wearer's real face.
How it worked was unclear, but it was highly practical.
Free from the constraints of the Higgs field, Li Aozi could now fully display his power. Upon disembarking, he immediately went into stealth mode, skimming through the streets and alleys in low-altitude flight, beginning his search for his target.
The Omega energy [Remaining Moon] had a clever acquisition method. If done by the book, he would need to spar with a Zeta-tier [Psion].
Though it wasn't impossible to fight... why fight if you could steal directly?
Li Aozi had always been practical.
Soon, he locked onto his target: a gaunt, bandaged-headed middle-aged man, meditating on the street. As he entered a deep trance, his body began to levitate slowly.
The sight amazed many passersby. Without any magical interference, achieving this solely through mental strength was rare and commendable, demonstrating his immense willpower and pure, unwavering spirit, enhancing his image as an ascetic monk.
Many passersby, impressed, offered him money or food, but the monk remained still, holding his breath, continuing his meditation.
After some time, the original onlookers grew tired and left, replaced by new tourists. As time passed, the monk amassed a considerable number of donations.
Li Aozi watched, noting that the monk maintained his meditation until around two in the afternoon, slowly descending. As the monk landed and opened his eyes, he bowed to the onlookers, expressing gratitude. He used a peculiar gesture: clasping his hands, hooking his pinkies together, and touching the tips of his index fingers and thumbs. It seemed like some sort of religious salutation.
As the monk packed up to leave, the tourists gradually dispersed. Li Aozi, floating in the air, followed him from above, tracking his every move.
Perhaps sensing he was being followed, the monk took several detours through alleys, displaying a strong sense of counter-surveillance, showing some professional instincts.
But this was ineffective against Li Aozi. Even if he lost track, he could ask the wind, using his strong elemental affinity to trace the monk's whereabouts.
No special tricks needed—the world's favor often worked in straightforward, crude ways.
After a while, convinced that he was no longer being followed, the monk returned to a main road. However, unbeknownst to him, Li Aozi had been floating 300 meters above, relying on elemental affinity to gather information. The moment the monk let down his guard, Li Aozi closed in.
The monk first bought some bread and sweets, then headed to a certain neighborhood, distributing the food to children from poor families. From high above, Li Aozi observed that every time the monk gave out food, he would ask the recipient to return the gesture.
This gesture was somewhat demanding for the citizens of Crystal Tower. The Tanasian race was a typically materialistic society, with the lower classes worshiping the founding father, the Father of Crystal, or revering mages, workshop owners, and scholars, while having no interest in religion—sometimes even holding disdain for it. Their lives might have been hard, but their beliefs were straightforward.
Ultimately, the only one who complied was an orphan with no parents. The little boy, about seven or eight years old, had a dirty face, and his clothes were shabby even by Azure Star standards. When asked to perform the hooked gesture, Li Aozi clearly saw the boy hesitate, glancing towards a nearby house.
Following his gaze, Li Aozi spotted a similarly frail little girl, her eyes filled with longing as she looked at the cakes and sweets.
Without hesitation, the boy stepped forward, clasping his hands, hooking his pinkies together, and touching the tips of his index fingers and thumbs.
"Good, Avado, you are a grateful child. Here, this is what good children deserve."
The monk patted the boy's head, praising him.
After performing the gesture, the boy eagerly held out his hand, and the monk handed him a cake and some sweets. The boy rushed back, and soon the joyful cheers of children could be heard from the house.
The monk nodded contentedly, then turned to leave.
If one only saw up to this point, they might think of the monk as a poor but kind-hearted gentleman, making money through his practices only to give it all away in charity, embodying the spirit of a humble scholar.
Li Aozi shook his head, then lightly tapped his toes, drifting silently like a feather as he followed the monk. His control over his power was meticulous, and combined with his invisibility, he made no noise at all.
The monk did not go far but entered an abandoned factory near the outskirts. Upon reaching the entrance, he scanned his surroundings to ensure he wasn't being followed. Then, with a shake, his frail body instantly expanded, muscles swelling, blood filling his veins, and Omega energy coursing visibly through his being.
His eyes, red and black, clearly marked him as a [Mutant] of the [Dominator] path, with a bio-signature at the peak of Gamma tier—one of the best among mortals.
Li Aozi quietly followed, observing from the shadows.
The now-burly man stepped forward, entered the factory, and performed the hooked-hand gesture, speaking in an alien language:
"Lord Mozilan, Romulus has succeeded in selecting seven soldier seeds."
Ripples spread through the void, and for a moment, time and space s