After the most important thing was done, Su Ming and Xu Qianqian were just chatting with little results.

Of course, these chats are not without important things.

For example, the broken scale that Su Ming handed over to Xu Qianqian last week, Xu Qianqian had already handed it over to an expert for study.

According to the results of the research, this scale seems to be a bit like the scales of the Rotten Water Demon.

"The Rotten Water Demon?" Su Ming frowned and said, "Are you talking about the Rotten Water Demon who lives in the waters of the Spirit Demon Prison and is considered to be the most common aquatic phantom in the Spirit Demon Prison?"

"That's right." Xu Qianqian nodded and said, "In the spirit and demon prison, there are many phantom demons living in the water, but the most common one is the rotten water demon, which can survive even in the dirtiest waters. Go down, and among the water-dwelling phantom demons who came to the world from the Spirit Demon Prison, the most numerous ones I’ve seen so far are the rotten water demons.”

Su Ming naturally knew this.

Not only did he know that, he had also received several tasks to clean up the phantom demons living in important rivers, and together with Lei Hao and Ye Bai, he had fought against the rotten water demons several times.

This rotten water devil is indeed the most common water-dwelling phantom demon. Once it is an unnatural disaster related to water, the murderer behind the incident is probably the rotten water devil.

This shows how common this aquatic phantom is.

"But, I remember that the scales of the Rotten Water Demon are not like this."

Su Ming pointed this out.

The rotten water demon Su Ming had seen was a kind of phantom demon that looked similar to a merman. It was slightly larger than an average adult, about two meters tall, with sharp claws and fangs, and had skin on its body. It is blue, and although it has scales, the scales generally only grow on the arms, thighs, neck, face and other parts. They look like fish scales, and they are the most unsightly kind.

On the other hand, the scale he found was as smooth as a mirror and as bright as a diamond. It was quite beautiful.

But Xu Qianqian said that such beautiful scales fell from the rotten water devil?

No wonder Su Ming frowned so much.

"I was surprised at first, but if you think about it, it's not a strange thing." Xu Qianqian explained to Su Ming: "Once the phantom evolves, from a lower-level phantom to a higher-level phantom, it will be completely reborn and changed. A whole new kind of individual, isn't it?"

Su Ming somewhat understood what Xu Qianqian wanted to express.

"In other words, do you think the owner of that scale actually evolved from the Rotten Water Demon?" Su Ming stared at Xu Qianqian and said, "The mysterious existence that the suspicious group is chasing and killing is indeed a kind of Superior Phantom?"

Although don't know if it is a cub or not, since it is confirmed that the owner of the scales evolved from the Rotten Water Demon, then the speculation that it is a superior phantom demon can be directly proved.

While Su Ming was thinking this way, Xu Qianqian gave another unsure answer.

"It doesn't have to be a superior illusion that has successfully evolved, but it may also be a mutant?"

Xu Qianqian's statement made Su Ming blink.

"mutant?"

Su Ming looked at Xu Qianqian in surprise.

Xu Qianqian met Su Ming's gaze and spoke like this.

"The lower-level phantoms will evolve after they have sucked enough blood and accumulated enough power, but the evolution may not be successful." Xu Qianqian said: "If there is an accident in the process of evolution, or it may be accumulated If the strength is not enough to support the entire process of evolution, then this phantom will stop evolving and mutate in another direction."

In other words, it is a variation.

A variation that occurs because of incomplete evolution.

"The phantoms that appear because of this situation are mutants. Although they have not evolved completely, they have also broken away from the category of lower-level phantoms, and exist between lower-level phantoms and higher-level phantoms."

Xu Qianqian's voice clearly entered Su Ming's ears.

"It's not just that there are mutants that fail to evolve and turn towards mutation in the lower-level illusions, but also exist in the higher-level illusions."

The evolution of a lower-level phantom into a higher-level phantom is considered to be reborn, but this is not the end of the "phantom" species.

No matter what kind of phantom, in its lifetime, there will be three chances to evolve.

The first evolution is to evolve from a lower-level illusion to a higher-level illusion, and completely stand out from the miscellaneous fish, thus truly possessing the power to change fate.

But there are also grades in the superior phantoms.

The first stage in the superior phantom is called the dangerous species, but it is the first superior phantom, the weakest superior phantom.

In addition to the dangerous species, there are also nightmare species and horror species in the superior phantoms.

If an individual who has evolved into a higher-level phantom dangerous species continues to suck blood and accumulate power, a second evolution will occur.

At this time, if it can evolve successfully, it will become a nightmare.

In the same way, when the Nightmare species also sucked enough blood and accumulated enough power to trigger the third and final evolution, once they succeed, they will become the Terror species.

That is the end of the phantom.

That is the final stage that a life like a phantom can reach.

Only by becoming a terror species can one become the strongest phantom demon and rule over the entire spirit and demon prison.

At that time, it will have the power to dominate the entire spirit and demon prison and become a veritable king of magic demons.

However, this evolutionary road is not easy to complete.

Not to mention how amazing the blood food needed to evolve to the final stage, but to say that evolution itself is likely to fail.

And once the evolution fails, although it can become a more powerful mutant than the phantom demon of the same level, it also means that the phantom monster will forever lose the opportunity to evolve again and can only stop at the current stage.

This is the so-called mutant.

In view of this, Xu Qianqian proposed this idea.

That is, the mysterious phantom that the suspicious group is chasing and killing may be a mutant that has failed in evolution.

"Of course, a mutant of a low-level phantom demon should not attract the high-level officials of the base city to use their own private soldiers to chase and kill them."

Xu Qianqian thought so.

"So, the true face of this phantom demon is most likely the cub of a superior phantom demon."

This is the result of the investigation based on that scale.

"It's really a troublesome thing." Su Ming scratched his head and said, "Have you reported this matter to the senior management of the base city who entrusted you with the task?"

"Well, I have already reported it." Xu Qianqian admitted: "There has already been attention to this matter, but at the moment when the entrance to the spirit and demon prison will appear in the urban area of ​​the base city, there may not be any information on it. There is a way to deal with this in a timely manner.”

"Then it has nothing to do with me." Su Ming spread his hands, as if it had nothing to do with him, and said, "I am only responsible for completing the investigation task you entrusted, and I will not take care of the rest."

"I know." Xu Qianqian also knew Su Ming's character, and said without any surprise: "The countermeasures against that suspicious group and the suspected superior phantom demon cub are something that the superior needs to decide, we are just students. , just take charge of the investigation."

"OK." Su Ming snapped his fingers and said with a smile, "Then this is much easier to handle."

Only need to be responsible for the investigation and ignore the rest. Su Ming has already decided to do so.

"Then I'll go back first." Su Ming stood up and said to Xu Qianqian, "Please urge me to complete the transaction as soon as possible."

"I will." Xu Qianqian said lightly: "If there is any news from your side, or if there is anything that needs to be discussed, you can also contact me as soon as possible."

"Okay." Su Ming responded.

Only then did Xu Qianqian invite the housekeeper to send Su Ming out of the villa.

Su Ming left the villa and returned to the academy under the gaze of the old butler, who seemed to be respectful but was actually coveting.

......

For the next day, everything was fine.

The Demon Hunting Academy was still very lively, and people were busy everywhere, looking like they were in full swing.

Su Ming, Lei Hao, Ye Bai, An Zijin, Yao Beibei, Jiang Wanyu and the others who formed the team did not waste any time, and began to prepare for the expedition the next day.

Some people need to organize weapons, some people need to prepare props, and everyone raises funds to buy supplies, plus one or two dinner parties, everyone starts to get to know each other.

Well, it's mainly because Ye Bai wants to get acquainted with An Zijin, while Lei Hao does nothing to flirt with the two fierce and long schoolgirls, but the two fierce and long schoolgirls don't pay much attention to Lei Hao. On the contrary, intentionally or unintentionally, he has been separated between An Zijin, who also doesn't want to talk to Ye Bai, and the innocent and pitiful Su Ming, so that An Zijin is not allowed to stick to Su Ming's body.

This... can be considered familiar for the time being, right?

At least, Su Ming has thoroughly seen the various love-hate disputes in this team, and has seen the ugly faces of everyone. To a certain extent, he is familiar with these people, right?

Under such circumstances, the day of departure gradually came.

......

The night is deep.

Today's night at the Witcher Academy is destined to be restless.

Because, at dawn tomorrow, the students here have to set off together to Huaming District to participate in the battle against the phantom demons.

small book booth

Thanks to this, many people seem to be unable to sleep peacefully, so that the lights in the dormitory are still bright.

At this time, Su Ming quietly left the dormitory and even the academy.

He got a message.

A message from Xu Qianqian.

"Come over to me."

There is no need to say more about what was conveyed in this brief message.

When Su Ming came to Jinghu District full of excitement and entered Xu Qianqian's villa, a large truck was already parked in the courtyard.

Xu Qianqian was not present.

There were only a few staff present, and the old housekeeper.

"The eldest miss is preparing for the expedition tomorrow, but she has already instructed me to hand over this batch of goods to Master Su."

As the old butler said so, he opened the rear cabinet door of the van.

The next second, countless neatly arranged extraordinary items were printed into Su Ming's eyes.

Su Ming suddenly laughed.

Tonight will indeed be a sleepless night.