Chapter 399: The Style is Wrong

The next morning.

One batch of trainees graduated, and a new batch was sent in. The graduates were quickly forgotten as everyone focused their attention on studying and earning points, using them to purchase movies and games.

To avoid arousing suspicion, Duan Fei didn’t skip his lessons. He trained while pondering his questions.

There were two things he wanted to figure out. First, what exactly was that black tentacle?

Second, what were their criteria for graduation?

During free time, he walked to the plaza. Pretending to stretch his neck, he looked up but saw nothing.

The ceiling was clean and tidy, the fluorescent lights shone brightly. The sticky traces were completely gone; you would never imagine a huge, non-human entity had been there the previous night.

“What are you looking for, kung fu boy?”

Turning his head, Duan Fei saw Major Triss watching him from behind.

His body was wrapped in bandages, and one of his eyes was covered as well. It was clear he had been severely injured.

The smile on his face remained, but his eyes held a deeply scrutinizing gaze.

‘Looks like the black tentacle really did a number on him last night.’

With a faint smile, Duan Fei said, “Just stretching my neck. Major Triss, what happened to you?”

“I took a tumble down the stairs. But don’t worry, I’m fine. By the way, I hear your performance has remained outstanding. Every instructor says you’re the kind of person who gives five hundred percent to any task they’re given. To be that exceptional, you must have a secret, don’t you?”

“I’m just a genius.”

Major Triss was momentarily speechless. It took him a while before he said, “Confidence is a good thing, but I find a little humility is even better. By the way, did you hear anything last night?”

“No. Why?”

Triss continued to stare at Duan Fei, his blue eyes as sharp as an eagle’s.

Duan Fei stared back without hesitation, his gaze unflinching.

Duan Fei was sure that his cough last night had attracted their attention, and that the guard had acted abnormally after passing his cell. These were things Triss could have easily investigated.

He didn’t know the extent of Triss’s suspicion, or what he might do to him next, but he was prepared. If Triss made a move, Duan Fei would give him a “treatment.”

However, he knew his chances of winning against the thing Triss worshipped were slim, but sitting back and waiting for death was definitely not his style.

The two of them stood there, staring at each other in a strange silence.

Finally, Major Triss broke the silence with a nod. “Alright, I was mistaken. Please, continue with your free time.”

“Very well.” Duan Fei turned and walked toward another area.

Even without turning around, he could feel Triss’s gaze glued to his back, watching his every move.

Though he didn’t know what was making Triss hesitate, Duan Fei knew it was only a matter of time before he made his move.

That night, while lining up for his injection, Duan Fei concealed his Glasses, glanced at the doctor before him, and instantly drove the man insane.

He then quickly returned to his cell and, just before the injection knocked him unconscious, he activated Descent of the Void, projecting himself onto the doctor.

The doctor, who had just gone berserk, suddenly calmed down. He coolly told everyone he was fine, then skillfully administered the injections to the remaining prisoners before following the other doctors back to the office.

Duan Fei was now inhabiting the doctor’s body. Void Skills were one of the few abilities he had that weren’t affected by his own Talent, which was why he could use Descent of the Void successfully without fear of failure.

The doctors’ office was located opposite the living quarters.

After the last doctor entered the office under the protection of the guards, the heavy iron door swung shut. The doctors gathered together and began to discuss the day’s events.

Duan Fei didn’t join them. Instead, he glanced at the name tag on his white coat, found the corresponding nameplate among the rows of desks, and sat down to use the computer.

The doctor’s computer wasn’t encrypted, allowing him to easily open various files and view the man’s medical records.

After looking for a while, Duan Fei realized this doctor didn’t know much about what was really going on in the facility.

He only knew that he was helping to formulate a new drug, that the people here had been gathered for a special mission, and that this new drug could maximize their potential, making them far more powerful.

He had no idea what happened each night, nor was he aware of the Monster that appeared.

The doctor even believed he was doing something incredibly important. He felt a strong sense of purpose with every injection he administered, truly believing he was contributing to the future of humanity.

“Triss, you’re a real piece of work. I’d feel bad tricking a guy this naive, so how could you bring yourself to do it?”

“What are you talking about?” a doctor asked curiously.

“Nothing. Just thinking out loud. I’m going to look up some information.”

“Oh. Well, I hope you find something useful.”

The doctor had only said it casually, but Duan Fei felt his Talent kicking in.

A mountain of documents stacked beside him tipped over, and a research report landed right in front of him, almost as if someone had handed it to him personally.

This was research material that hadn’t been entered into the computer. Searching through it manually would have taken forever.

But thanks to another person’s offhand comment, Duan Fei had instantly obtained the exact information he needed. ‘This cheat of mine is way too overpowered,’ he thought.

Opening the report, Duan Fei was surprised to find it was a research synopsis for a novel.

‘Are the doctors here so bored that they’ve started studying novels?’

But Duan Fei quickly realized there was more to it than that.

The novel described a fictional, special type of organism.

Individually, these organisms possessed almost no intelligence, but they developed a powerful collective consciousness when they swarmed together, evolving into various forms.

Furthermore, they could infest the brains of others by injecting their larvae. Once the larvae hatched, they would replace the host’s brain.

Afterward, the hosts would appear exactly as they did before, retaining all their memories. Only their brains would have been replaced.

If the mother entity ever required it, these hosts, now parasitized by the worms, would immediately move to protect it.

These worms were not native to this world. They were brought here by the servant of a mysterious Deity, with the goal of infesting this world and turning the entire planet into their personal breeding ground.

After reading the passage, Duan Fei clutched his head. He felt that these worms were disturbingly similar to a certain type he had encountered before.

‘No way…’

‘Could it really be the Heart-devouring Worm?’

‘If that’s true… then the genre of this story is completely off!’