The comments said I was deeply affectionate, I just added points by using an alternate account.

Back in his dorm, he locked the door and threw himself onto the soft bed.

He wasn't physically exhausted, but his mental state was severely damaged. Piloting the old Gundam was also very difficult for him.

He was so tired he didn't want to move. Checking his earnings was the thing he wanted to do most right now.

He closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into the system panel.

Current popularity: 674,300

This number made Chen Guan's heart pound heavily.

His chest heaved as he tried to calm the euphoria born of the numbers, but Li Yan's last image stubbornly occupied his thoughts.

He couldn't spend all of this windfall at once; he had to leave some for Li Yan.

[World Tree Dew: A single drop can revitalize the life force on the verge of depletion. Price: 280000 Popularity Points.]

This was the protection Chen Guan had prepared for Li Yan, meaning that he didn't have much popularity value that he could actually use on himself.

Chen Guan's gaze returned to the astronomical number of popularity points, and he began to plan this upgrade.

First, there's the matter of attributes. His fifth-tier strength is no longer enough to keep up with what he's facing now; it's still too dangerous for the protagonist group to be around.

Next are skills.

Scythe Mastery (Blue) is currently his core melee skill, but the blue level is still too weak and needs to be upgraded.

[Scythe Mastery (Gold): Your understanding of scythe-type weapons is unparalleled. Passive Effect 1: Blade Dance, when using a scythe, attack speed and agility are increased by 100%. Passive Effect 2: Rupture, your scythe attacks will inflict a rupture effect that cannot be quickly healed by conventional healing methods. Active Skill: Moon Wheel, consumes Spirit Power to unleash a high-speed spinning moon-shaped blade of light.]

Golden Legend!

Aside from his scythe specialization, Chen Guan also upgraded his other skills.

Name: Chen Guan

[Identity: First-year student at Huaqing College]

[Special Abilities: Life-based - Resilience, Mental-based - Illusionist, Mythological-based - Echo]

Special Skills: Martial Arts (Purple), Scythe Mastery (Gold), Breath Concealment (Purple), Universal Visualization (Gold)

【property:】

【Strength: 30】

[Stamina: 30]

[Agility: 20]

【Intelligence: 20】

【Spirit: 60】

Popularity: 304880

The surge in his strength gave him an unparalleled sense of security. He got up to get a glass of water to calm himself down.

The cool water was splashing loudly.

Chen Guan took a cup of water, tilted his head back, and gulped it down.

The cold liquid slid down his esophagus into his stomach, and the slight restlessness brought about by the surge in strength subsided.

He had just put down his cup when the communicator vibrated in the quiet dormitory.

The name An Changqing appeared on the screen.

Chen Guan swiped to answer the call but did not speak.

There was a long silence on the other end of the phone.

All that could be heard were suppressed, heavy breathing sounds, mixed with the low hum of instruments and the sound of people's footsteps in the background.

"The coffin..."

Every word An Changqing spoke seemed to be squeezed out of his throat with great difficulty.

"Principal... Principal Ren is back."

Chen Guan listened quietly.

"The principal personally intervened and stayed in the emergency room for three hours."

An Changqing's voice was hollow.

"He's out."

There was a commotion on the other end of the phone, and someone was quietly trying to comfort him.

A moment later, An Changqing's voice rang out again, this time with an undisguised tremor.

"The principal said... there's nothing wrong with Teacher Li's health; he's kept Teacher Li's physical functions at their peak, but..."

"However, the life essence that the teacher burned away is irreversible; it's like fuel, and once it's all gone, it's truly gone."

"Even the principal... can't add anything."

He said this was no longer within the realm of healing, but rather the realm of creation.

"At most...at most three days. After three days, the principal's energy to maintain the teachers' physical functions will run out, and the teacher..."

An Changqing couldn't continue speaking; all that could be heard on the phone was his attempt to suppress his sobs, which still managed to escape his lips.

"I see."

Chen Guan's tone was flat.

He tightened his grip, pressing down a faint white mark.

"You...you just said this?"

An Changqing's voice betrayed a hint of disappointment.

"Um."

The call was abruptly ended.

Chen Guan put down the communicator, and the dormitory returned to silence.

He walked to the window and looked out at the pitch-black night.

The scene in the hospital corridor flashed through his mind.

An Changqing and Long Ao will stand guard outside the door, desperately waiting for an impossible miracle to happen.

The fall of a hero is the most poignant.

But Li Yan cannot die.

At least, he won't let him die.

The dark blue system panel unfolded in the darkness.

Dewdrops on the World Tree

[Price: 280,000 popularity points]

The price was so high that it nearly wiped out all of his remaining profits.

His finger hovered over the redemption button for a second.

Li Yan's back as he stood in front of him.

The popularity score is displayed on the panel.

The two images overlapped in his mind.

One second was enough for him to make his final decision.

Then, I clicked it.

[Confirm spending 280,000 popularity points to exchange for World Tree Dew?]

He silently confirmed it in his mind.

The popularity score on the panel vanished instantly, plummeting from 324,300 to 44,300.

A soft light appeared in his outstretched palm.

The light faded, and a drop of dew floated on his palm.

It has a translucent emerald green color, as if it contains the vitality of the whole spring.

Just looking at it, you can feel a powerful sense of life emanating from it.

The mental exhaustion he had experienced from sacrificing himself was greatly relieved as a result.

Chen Guan clasped his five fingers together and held the dewdrop in his hand.

……

The next day, the course schedule was changed, and the original full schedule was reduced to zero.

With this incident, neither teachers nor students are able to concentrate on their studies. The Great Wall authorities have begun preparing to use force to resolve the issue, and it is estimated that things will be unstable for some time.

Chen Guan stayed in his dormitory, watching the news from the outside world, until the early hours of the morning before finally getting up from his chair.

Early morning, Huaqing Medical Department, top floor.

The entire floor was emptied, and the atmosphere was so solemn it was almost oppressive.

Several college leaders and mentors stood in the corridor, their expressions somber, and no one spoke.

Two men stood ramrod straight at the entrance of the special care ward.

They were mentors at the school who were on good terms with Li Yan, and they volunteered to keep watch at night to prevent any spies from the demon race from retaliating.

An Changqing and Long Ao sat on a bench not far away.

The two men hung their heads, their shoulders and backs slumped, and remained motionless.

Night was falling.

At the end of the corridor, a figure silently emerged from it.

He walked down the brightly lit corridor, his toes touching the ground as lightly as feathers, his breath blending seamlessly with the flow of air.

A seventh-level instructor walked past him with a worried expression.

The two were less than half a meter apart, and the anxiety in each other's eyes was clearly visible, yet they were completely unaware of the non-existent person beside them.

The combination of concealment and illusion magic erased his presence from this space, turning him into a walking ghost.

Chen Guan walked to the door of the special care ward.

The two seventh-level instructors stood ramrod straight, their eyes fixed ahead, showing no reaction to the extra person beside them.

In their perception, there was nothing there, and even the airflow had not changed.

Chen Guan's hand touched the cold doorknob of the special care ward.