As a provincial capital city, City P had developed rather impressively over recent years.

Following a week of intensive training, Lu Yan’s feet finally set foot upon this soil once more.

Whether it was precisely due to the contamination sickness, the flora here was exceptionally lush and flourishing. Clusters of massive, vibrant flowers could be spotted everywhere along the streets.

The individual from the Prevention and Control Center responsible for receiving them this time turned out to be an acquaintance of Lu Yan’s—it was that exact female cadre from the time he had made his emergency landing in City P.

She appeared significantly more gaunt and haggard than before, the dark circles beneath her eyes frighteningly pronounced. “We are immensely grateful to the Special Operations Department for selecting City P as the final evaluation site for this practical exercise. Our two A-rank Awakened in City P have likewise agreed to assist in supervising the exam. Should any anomalies arise, they will enter the testing grounds at a moment’s notice to rescue personnel.”

“To tell you the absolute truth, the anomalies within City P over the past half-month have been far too frequent; the entirety of the botanical garden sector has already been completely sealed off. Yet, the number of aberrated humans within the city continues to rise steadily. Though a greater number of newly awakened individuals have simultaneously emerged, generally speaking, the casualties among ordinary citizens remain severe.”

The staff members distributed the documentation files one by one.

During the brief interval of handing out the files, the person-in-charge actually fell fast asleep while leaning against the wall.

“My apologies, the current intensity of work has been far too overwhelming,” the person-in-charge explained upon jolting awake. “The botanical garden sector is divided into an outer perimeter and an inner core. The outer perimeter is predominantly plagued by the expanding spore virus. Becoming infected by the spores can result in parasitic growth. Following repeated evaluations, because the spores are relatively dispersed and the concentration is excessively low, this category of parasitism remains ineffective against Awakened whose spiritual energy thresholds exceed 100.”

“Aside from this, regarding the infected aberrated organisms, apart from the Mushroom Humans and Tree Humans dispatched to the headquarters previously… the vast majority are actually small avian species and insects.” The person-in-charge continued with a grave countenance, “The expanse of the mushroom colonies spans roughly 120 hectares. Moving further inward brings you to the orange-coded contaminated zone, the Luochuan Botanical Garden. Staff members have utilized orange fluorescent markers along the periphery of the botanical garden to chart the boundaries.”

“This time regarding Luochuan, we shall have to rely entirely upon all of you.” Having spoken her piece, the person-in-charge lowered her head deeply, delivering a profound bow.

Pinned upon her lapel was a single, small white flower.

It was said that her father, her husband, and her daughter had all awakened as members of the Awakened. However, while resolving the contamination sickness of City P, they had already sacrificed their lives one after another.

Every single trainee had donned a specialized protective suit provided by the research center, furthermore bearing a heavy pesticide canister weighing a full 20 kilograms upon their backs.

This made the entire crowd resemble a gathering of landscape gardeners.

The 60 trainees were divided into 20 squads, fundamentally consisting of 2 members from the combat stream paired with one member from an alternative stream. Lu Yan’s squad consisted entirely of old acquaintances.

His teammates were Iron Fist and Chen Anzhi. Iron Fist’s actual name was Zhou Zheng; prior to awakening, he had been an underground black-market prize fighter.

Chen Anzhi offered a gentle smile. “Lu Yan, I never expected that we would actually end up as teammates this time around.”

Iron Fist was brimming with drive and motivation. “In the end, the total area of pesticide I spray will absolutely be more expansive than yours!!”

Lu Yan wasn’t particularly in the mood to speak.

The weather in June had already grown somewhat sweltering, to say nothing of how suffocating the protective isolation suits upon their frames felt—it was akin to sitting inside a sauna.

Although the assistant instructors had emphasized on multiple occasions that the final evaluation did not judge them based on numerical outcomes, to foster the trainees’ initiative, they were nonetheless equipped with an accumulator counter. Every time they liquidated a single Corrupted, they would receive a corresponding score.

Perhaps owing to the presence of the Luochuan Botanical Garden, the vegetation within this contaminated zone was exceptionally lush. Tree branches burst forth from abandoned high-rise complexes, from roads that had cracked wide open, and from the crevices of subterranean drainage systems—boundless, interlocking, and deep-rooted.

Because the absolute strength of Lu Yan’s small squad was relatively formidable, the spraying sector allocated to them was consequently positioned deeper within. It had already turned into a dense, untamed forest.

The three-man squad of Lu Yan had barely descended from the helicopter when their feet stepped directly onto a colony of mushrooms carpeting the ground.

[Today, we shall conduct an identification of trending online Corrupted right here within the botanical garden.]<

[This specific white mushroom stepped upon beneath your feet is named the Destroying Angel. It tends to sprout up everywhere following rainfall, possessing a contamination value of 5. It remains completely inedible even prior to being contaminated, and at present, it is effectively a clone split-body of a certain Corrupted.]<

[Of course, because there are countless individuals trampling back and forth across its body every single day, it won’t awaken for the time being.]<

[To be completely frank, I took a casual glance around. I highly recommend that you withdraw from the Special Operations Department right now; it is still not too late.]<

“Why?”

[There is more than one Perfect Evolutionary Form residing here,]< the System stated in an altogether ambiguous manner. >[Furthermore… I can perceive a thoroughly loathsome aura. Logically speaking, it ought to be confined within that island nation, completely incapable of escaping.]<

Lu Yan had always been exceptionally adept at seizing upon subtle clues.

He recalled the documentation regarding the S-rank contamination case codenamed “Kingdom of God” that he had viewed when he initially joined the Special Operations Department.

Regarding S-rank Corrupted, the data provided was consistently sparse. However, because the scope of impact from the “Kingdom of God” was far too vast, and a scattering of survivors remained across various regions of the globe, its entry was actually more detailed than certain A-rank cases.

The Kingdom of God—a product of the S-rank Corrupted known as the “Sacred Deity.”

Because the contamination sickness initially surged from the oceans, the severity of the illness within certain island nations appeared exceptionally pronounced.

While it was undoubtedly an absolute nightmare for ordinary citizens, against this bleak background, a faction of individuals abandoned their atheism and commenced worshipping the “Cult of Ultimate Bliss.”

The cultists steadfastly believed that the “Sacred Deity” was the divine ruler governing ultimate bliss and eternal life, and that the entire world was nothing more than a manifestation of the Sacred Deity’s dreamscape.

The greater the number of individuals who reposed their faith within it, the more formidable it grew. The “Sacred Deity” continuously evolved from a low-level Corrupted; by the time that island nation issued a plea for external assistance, the Sacred Deity had already become the sole religious faith of that island.

Countless individuals perished amidst their dreams, turning into nourishment for the “Sacred Deity.” This category of Corrupted claimed lives invisibly, furthermore capable of descending upon its cultists at any given moment. Regardless of whether the cultist was originally an Awakened or an ordinary citizen, they could instantly acquire a fraction of the power belonging to the true form of the “Sacred Deity.”

To this very day, not a single soul had ever witnessed what the true physical form of the “Sacred Deity” actually was.

Certain individuals alleged it was a mass of pure chaos hidden deep within the recesses of the dreamscape.

Ultimately, the joint coalition departments could only abandon that island nation.

Across a population of millions upon the island, fewer than ten thousand individuals managed to emerge alive.

Lu Yan felt a sensation of dampness upon his face. He reached out to touch it, only to discover his hand covered entirely in blood.

Bleeding from the seven facial orifices. Although the injuries weren’t particularly severe, a faint, metallic scent of blood nonetheless diffused outward within the botanical garden.

Countless long-dormant fauna and flora slowly snapped open their eyes.

Amidst the absolute silence of the deep forest, the sound of insects vibrating their wings drifted through the air.

[Ah… who can peer into the divine without paying a price? Contestant number 66 cannot, and number 6 cannot either.]< The System’s voice carried a distinct edge of humiliated fury. >[Blast it all. If your spiritual energy threshold were only higher by a mere seven or eight thousand points, I wouldn’t be harmed by a piece of filth like this.]<

His unusual state caught the attention of Chen Anzhi.

Chen Anzhi, who was currently spraying pesticide, turned his head back, his expression etched with concern. “Lu Yan, why are you bleeding?”

“Talent: Early Warning,” Lu Yan stated in a deep, resonant voice. “It is notifying me that we are about to confront danger.”

Iron Fist, who had been spraying pesticide for ages without spotting a single Corrupted, instantly scoffed with absolute disdain, “Stop playing the mystic and creating ghosts. What kind of danger could possibly exist here?”

Lu Yan was disinclined to pay him any heed; he had already grown accustomed to the setting where setting foot out of the door invariably triggered a [Hell Difficulty Buff].

He felt that it must be due to the fact that within that previous instance, he had become a younger sister possessing an [E-rank Luck Rank], which resulted in his current fortune being similarly abysmal.

He set down the pesticide sprayer within his hands and raised his bow.

Although it wasn’t that specific weapon valued at thirty thousand contribution points named Jingmeng, it was nonetheless one of the higher-attributed D-rank spiritual energy weapons available within the training grounds.

It was loaned to Lu Yan by the headquarters, requiring return upon his completion of the exercise.

The fletching of the arrow erupted into a lick of flame, burying itself deeply within the thickets. A praying mantis the size of half a human frame was slain instantly by a single arrow, tumbling down from the branches.

This mantis was almost entirely integrated with its surrounding environment, the edges of its scythes pitch-black and incomparably razor-sharp.

At that exact instant, the counter upon Lu Yan’s credit watch flickered, rewarding him with 0.2 points. This was an E-rank Corrupted.

A cold expression settled across Lu Yan’s brow. “Did you truly believe that merely spraying a bit of pesticide would allow you to endure until the conclusion of this exercise? Has evolution turned your brain into a lump of metallic junk as well?”

Perhaps Lu Yan himself had failed to realize that he had already slipped into an abnormal psychological state resulting from the over-utilization of his talent.

Lu Yan lowered his bow, his fingers trembling slightly.

Zhou Qiming’s manifestation was weakness. Tang Xun’an’s was violent fury. Lin Sinan’s was excessive self-reproach.

The System advised, >[I recommend that the Host regulate his emotions. I am well aware that when confronting negative emotions such as terror or agony, you always instinctively seek ‘him’ out—just like a child who sub-consciously looks toward their mother after suffering a fall. Yet you are no longer the you of those bygone years, are you? ]<

Lu Yan inhaled a deep breath, inquiring of the System, “I haven’t spotted the head instructor since we disembarked from the aircraft. Where is he?”

[The Tyrant, you mean…? ]< the System remarked. >[He is currently sharpening his blades in a grand display, preparing to penetrate into the core of the botanical garden to settle scores with that massive banyan tree.]<

Tang Xun’an was quietly wiping down the Huangchen blade, completely silent. As he lowered his head, a few strands of his bangs drifted downward; because his countenance appeared somewhat gentle, it made him seem significantly younger.

The trainees had already entered the contaminated zone. Hanging in midair, over a hundred contamination detection drones were operating and recording footage. These detectors were coated in a specialized paint, causing the Corrupted to perceive them as their own kind.

Tang Xun’an was currently awaiting the teammate arranged by the headquarters.

Ever since that specific accident occurred thirteen years ago, Tang Xun’an had grown accustomed to deploying for missions entirely solitary. However, the headquarters stated that the volume of the Corrupted this time was far too gargantuan, specifically dispatching Experimental Subject 07 out from the First Research Institute.

Subject 07—Spiritual Energy Threshold: 7900. Talent 42: [Karmic Fire]. Pathological Mutation Degree: $73\%$.

This category of fire-attribute talent was consistently exceptionally effective when confronting flora-form Corrupted.

At exactly 12:00 PM sharp, an armored vehicle drove over to the location.

It closely resembled a transport cage vehicle.

Several staff members accompanied an exceptionally pale youth as they stepped down from the vehicle.

He was clad in a snow-white prison uniform, half of his face thoroughly distorted and terrifying—resembling charred flesh—while the periphery of the scar tissues was lined with a layer of red, glowing magma.

The youth’s wrists were bound by specialized handcuffs, the central chain quite lengthy, ensuring it didn’t impede his physical movements. Aside from this, a glaringly obvious black tattooed serial number was etched upon his arm: 07.

“Captain Tang, greetings. I am Ren Xuan, a researcher from the First Research Institute. My professional title is Senior Engineer.” A middle-aged male clad in a white lab coat approached while leading 07 along. “07 is an exceptionally precious experimental asset of our research institute; I am the individual responsible for him. I must ask that you return him to me entirely whole and unscathed.”

While he spoke, 07’s face remained completely devoid of expression, his gaze hollow and empty. He resembled a piece of merchandise up for transaction.

Tang Xun’an knitted his brows, feeling a distinct sensation of discomfort.

He felt that he understood exactly where this uncomfortable sensation originated.

This researcher’s gaze when looking at him was identical to his gaze when looking at 07.

He wasn’t looking at a fellow human being. He was looking at a flawless, manufactured tool of his own creation.

“Are his handcuffs not to be unlocked?” Tang Xun’an inquired.

The researcher replied in a rigid, matter-of-fact tone, “Just as your bark-stopper muzzle never leaves your face, 07’s handcuffs serve an entirely similar function. His mutation degree is already exceptionally high; unlocking them could trigger a severe peril at any moment.”

“Oh, right. The Director stated that if you manage to liquidate that banyan tree, he hopes you will harvest and bring back the specialized anomalous item shed from its body. This is a critical raw material for the next phase of our experimentation.”

Tang Xun’an listened to half of the speech, letting out a casual “understood” as the words entered his left ear and exited his right, completely failing to take it to heart.

If liquidating a Corrupted possessed a difficulty rating of 9, then harvesting a specialized anomalous item from a Corrupted’s body possessed a difficulty rating of 10. It had to be systematically harvested while the source of contamination remained alive, which was significantly more arduous than simply slaughtering it outright.

It wasn’t as if one could enjoy excellent fortune every single time, stumbling upon a Perfect Evolutionary Form like the Dragon Daughter.

The researcher babbled a stream of instructions before finally departing from the scene with immense reluctance. He would head to City P’s Contamination Sickness Prevention and Control Center to await their return.

Tang Xun’an’s gaze settled upon 07’s face. “What is your name?”

“07.”

“I am not asking for your serial number.”

07 tilted his head, contemplating for a long duration before speaking slowly, “My apologies… I have forgotten.”

He pointed toward his own head, “The fathers… sliced a portion of it away.”