American comics: Praising the sun, starting from Gotham!

After Jerami left, only the sound of raindrops hitting scrap metal remained under the bridge.

Xiu En leaned back on the sofa.

That familiar, choking sensation deep in my throat surged up again.

But this time it was different. It didn't feel like being blocked by phlegm; every breath felt like a tearing sensation.

He clicked on the icon in the attribute bar that was always lit up with a light gold color—[Decisiveness and Ruthlessness].

Passive Skill: Decisive Decision

[Source: Originating from the chilling aura and military symbolism governed by Venus. Whenever the host harbors murderous thoughts or is in a state of combat, their body will naturally emanate a chilling aura drawn by this energy, causing those with weak wills to frighten before the battle even begins, resulting in a brief state of "panic" or "stiffness."]

Below that is an even smaller, blood-red annotation that appears to have been added later:

[Bloodline Awakening: Shao Hao's Blood (Early Stage, Unrefined)]

[Description: Jin Shen Shao Hao, Emperor of the West. Although the bloodline within you is as thin as foot-washing water, it is still tainted with a trace of the divine nature of "Si Qiu". The lungs belong to metal, and metal governs killing. Your ailment is actually a rejection reaction caused by your mortal body's inability to bear this prematurely awakened metal energy.]

[Effect: When you cough violently, drawing upon your lung energy, you can expel undigested vital energy and pathogenic factors from your lungs.]

[Side effect: Sore throat may occur; it is recommended to keep throat lozenges on hand.]

Before Xiu En could even protest the description of "foot bath water," a fishy, ​​sweet taste, even with a hint of rust, rushed to his tongue.

"cough--!"

This cough produced a clear, crisp sound, like the clanging of metal.

A pale golden light, no longer than a finger and as thin as a cicada's wing, burst forth from his mouth with that cough.

The substance did not fall to the ground like ordinary saliva.

It crashed into the concrete pier three meters from Xiu En's feet with a sharp whooshing sound.

There was no loud banging, only a faint sound like tearing rags.

The concrete pier, which could even be used to stop bullets, now had a deep, bottomless crack, the cut was smooth and clean, and it was even emitting a faint wisp of smoke.

Joestar, who had been watching the cave entrance warily, was so startled by the commotion that he almost jumped up.

His gaze swept back and forth between the cracked stone block and Xiu En's face, which was slightly contorted with pain.

He saw Xiu En wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth, and the blood seemed to shimmer with a golden luster in the dim light.

"grown ups……"

Joestar knelt down on one knee again with a thud, his gaze, if left unchecked, could probably ignite the humid air.

His voice was so excited that it was almost trembling, completely unaware that it was actually just a mutated and enhanced version of Xiu En's old phlegm.

"You don't even need to lift a finger; a mere sigh is enough to deliver such a sharp verdict!"

"This is called...exhaling."

Xiu En suppressed the burning pain in his throat, trying his best to make his voice sound profound and unfathomable.

"The metal element is too strong; I have to speak out."

"Yes! I understand! This is probably to prevent us mortals from going blind by directly gazing upon divine power. What a compassionate act of restraint!"

Xiu En waved his hand helplessly, not wanting to explain anything further.

He feels very strange right now.

Although each cough felt like my throat was being rubbed raw, the heavy feeling that had been building up in my chest for years dissipated considerably as I exhaled that glowing "air blade".

The system is right. His lungs were damaged because his body was too weak to withstand the murderous aura in Shao Hao's bloodline.

Now that this energy has found an outlet, it's less of an illness and more of a way for him to nurture an invisible sword within his lungs.

Regardless of whether his throat hurts or not, he's now a human-shaped self-propelled shotgun.

"Josta, give me a bottle of water."

"Before Jeremy returns, cover up the rock I cut open over there, so no one can see it. This is... top secret."

"Yes, ma'am!!"

About ten minutes later, just as Joestar was about to use his body heat to incubate the cracked stone, Jerami finally returned.

The kid was dripping that suspiciously black liquid all over his body, but his eyes were shining like he had just stolen a light bulb.

"I've already traversed the entire path ahead."

Jeremy wiped the rain off his face, his voice tinged with a hint of boastful excitement.

"Those gang idiots are still wandering around the streets, they have no idea we dare to venture into areas with high concentrations of sewage. Follow me, Brother Xiu En, we're going down the sewers."

Xiu En didn't speak, but simply nodded and stood up, holding the only tattered umbrella he had.

His movements were somewhat stiff due to the long period of sitting still and the slight pain in his body, but in Joestar's eyes, this was undoubtedly another manifestation of "God accumulating power".

"Walk."

The journey was not easy.

Gotham's sewers are crammed with all sorts of indigestible, sinful remnants.

But under Jeremy's leadership, the nauseating stench around them began to fade, replaced by something else?

It smells like throwing a mint into a moldy wooden cabinet.

Moreover, the graffiti and moss on the walls started to look strange.

The scribbled spray paint that originally only read "Fxxk Batman" or "Joker was here" was gradually covered by some real, living ivy.

These plants grew rampant in this dark and damp place, and some of the thick vines even crushed the concrete pipes.

"arrive."

Jerami stopped in front of an iron fence overgrown with thorns.

"That's the limit."

He pulled a small, even somewhat withered, dried flower from his pocket and awkwardly waved it at the clump of thorns.

"It's me, Jeremy! I brought... uh, I brought a friend!"

The thorn bushes seemed to understand human speech, or perhaps they had some special feeling for this dried flower, because they actually slowly wriggled and retreated to both sides, revealing the deep passage behind them.

"My God?" Joestar stared in disbelief, instinctively wanting to raise his hands to make the sign of the cross to express his shock.

Once past this defensive line, the view suddenly opened up.

This is a dilapidated but lush abandoned botanical garden greenhouse.

Although two-thirds of the glass dome, which should have shattered long ago, is missing, the remaining frame is covered with dense branches and leaves, which have managed to create a dry area in this torrential rain.

In the center of that area, where even a few small, glowing flowers were blooming, a red-haired figure was fiddling with several beakers.

"Sister Ivy!"

Jerami jogged a few steps.

"This is the older brother who gave me the steamed bun! I was thinking... could we let him stay here for a while too?"

The figure stopped what it was doing.

She turned around.

Although her clothes were tattered, barely covering her vital parts with a few ridiculously large leaves and vines, and her skin was slightly green, the wild beauty and those wary green eyes were still very impactful.

This is Pamela Ivy before she fully became the Queen of the Underworld.

You mean him?

Ivy glanced at Xiu En. Her gaze was as if she were assessing the nutritional value of a bag of fertilizer.

"He looks more like a consumptive patient who's going to die here if he doesn't get into the ICU soon."

"I don't take in trash, Jeremy. This isn't a charity."

Xiu En did not immediately refute.

The burning sensation in his throat reminded him once again that he couldn't speak carelessly.