"Boss, a fresh kidney, just harvested. How much will you pay?"
In the Yuncheng East District, at the Underground Black Market.
A handsome, sunny-looking young man spoke slowly, holding a steaming, slightly bloody kidney in his hand.
Even the seasoned black market stall owner, who dealt in organs year after year, felt a shiver run through him at this sight.
"Ten, ten thousand bucks will do. But young man, I think I just mentioned to you yesterday that kidneys can fetch money, and today you've already gone and cut one out? This..."
"No choice, my sister's injured, seriously hurt, needs money to help her recover."
Hearing this, the black market owner, despite his years in the organ trade, couldn't help but be moved by this young man before him. He felt compelled to help this poor boy through his tough times.
Then he said, "What kind of injury did your sister suffer? I know a shady... oh no, I mean private hospital, just ten thousand bucks, and they'll guarantee your sister's recovery."
Lin Ye spoke slowly, "Oh, nothing much, just that she didn't agree with me selling a kidney for money, fought back with all she had..."
"That's understandable, after all, she cares about you..."
"...Then she couldn't beat me, and I took the kidney. She's still lying at home now!"
"...Huh?"
"The kidney in your hand is hers."
"Damn!"
The boss shuddered in fear. In the black market, he had seen many ruthless people, but someone who would cut out his own sister's kidney for money was a first!
The boss quickly handed over ten thousand bucks to him, trembling as he did so. Lin Ye then turned and went to another stall, "Two Talent Awakening Stones."
The Awakening Stone vendor glanced at Lin Ye and casually tossed him two stones. To be honest, he looked down on Lin Ye.
Selling his sister's kidney to awaken a talent, even though talent awakening was the only way for the lower class in the East District to rise, he was the first to go to such lengths without any bottom line.
Lin Ye took the Defective Awakening Stones and pressed his hand directly onto one. In the next moment, the stone began to glow red, enveloping Lin Ye instantly.
Almost instantly, the Awakening Stone exploded, leaving Lin Ye covered in blood. The black market owner shook his head helplessly at the sight.
The Awakening Stones sold in the black market were all defective, with the biggest issue being their instability. Although they could awaken talents, the prerequisite was surviving the process. Eight out of ten would explode due to energy disruption during awakening.
No one had ever survived these explosions, sigh, another body to clean up... Wait, this kid isn't dead?
Lin Ye was blasted to the ground but was still breathing, with a silly smile on his face. The black market stall owner wanted to ask about his talent, only to see Lin Ye's wounds miraculously healing.
"Regeneration? You're one lucky kid, awakening a B-Rank talent like Regeneration! What damn luck you have!"
Talents were ranked from high to low: S, A, B, C, D, E, F, seven levels. A B-Rank talent was rare even among prominent families.
The owner glanced at Lin Ye, his eyes filled with envy. He was supposed to be 100% dead, yet he awakened the Regeneration talent and survived.
But envy was envy; he wouldn't dare gamble on such a life-threatening bet. Yet every day, many fearless people risked their lives, and over the years, including this kid, only eight people had successfully awakened and survived from his stall.
Lin Ye slowly got up, a sunny smile on his lips, "Yeah, I am pretty lucky."
Then, he took the other Awakening Stone and left the black market, but in his mind, the talent he had just truly awakened echoed.
"Pain Sharing:
Can share the pain you experience with people within a ten-meter radius. As your strength increases, the range will expand."
According to the official talent standards, his Pain Sharing was about C-Rank, a special type, not high or low, middle level.
But Lin Ye smirked; this C-Rank Pain Sharing was just right for him.
The reason was simple: it came from his body's innate top-tier cheat since birth, which he called Extreme Healing.
He had tested the limits of this Extreme Healing; even if his heart was pierced by a knife, it could heal rapidly within a few breaths, almost indistinguishable from immortality.
So, with his cheat combined with Pain Sharing, it was like stepping on his own foot to spiral into the sky.
With this thought, he quickly left the East District black market, the Awakening Stone in his pocket, and walked back to his home in the Slum District.
The moment he returned home, a cold light flashed, and his neck suddenly felt cold as blood spurted out. A woman said with a smile.
"Oh, my dear Oni-chan, why have you fallen? To forcibly cut out your own sister's kidney, you truly are a scumbag!"
A sweet-looking girl stood before him, her smile icy, her eyes filled with coldness.
Lin Ye knelt on the ground, not showing much surprise, even with a hint of mockery in his eyes.
His voice was raspy, his throat cut, sounding like rusty gears, "My lovely sister, I've awakened a talent now. Do you think you can beat me?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Xi suddenly felt a sharp pain in her neck, burning like fire.
Lin Xi immediately retreated, and Lin Ye, without a word, pulled out a knife and stabbed it into Lin Xi's palm, pinning her to the wall.
"I'm a talent awakener now. If I can't beat you, wouldn't my awakening be in vain?"
"You awakened a power, huh? If I awakened, I'd definitely kick you around like a ball!"
Lin Xi retorted stubbornly, not noticing her blood-soaked clothes.
"Here, take this!"
Lin Ye pressed the Awakening Stone into Lin Xi's hand and quickly retreated. The next moment, the stone turned red and exploded violently, leaving Lin Xi's body in tatters.
Lin Ye, having dodged to the side in advance, poked at the charred remains with a stick.
"Stop sleeping, what did you awaken? Show me!"
The next moment, Lin Xi's body began to emit a terrifying cold.
Her injuries quickly healed, and she charged at Lin Ye, who, without hesitation, grabbed a toothpick and stabbed it into his own eye.
The next moment, Lin Xi felt a searing pain in her chest, her breathing became rapid, and she quickly dispersed the ice on her body.
Lin Ye asked her, "Is your power ice? Is it B-Rank or A-Rank?"
Lin Xi paused but eventually spoke.
"My talent is Bloodfrost Extreme Cold. According to the official definition, it should be A-Rank, an elemental talent that increases in power by burning blood. The power is proportional to the blood burned. It's strong but not for the faint-hearted, as burning blood can easily lead to self-destruction, so it's rated A-Rank, which is quite reasonable. In terms of sheer power, it can rival S-Rank."
Lin Xi smirked, clearly satisfied with this skill, "But for me, this talent is just right, isn't it? Brother, after all, our bodies are indestructible."