Chapter 104: Black Mist – Zhu Yin Level

The speculations in the document about an unknown aspect of the world made Feng Qi think of Path of Ascension.

Recalling the many powerful individuals who had mysteriously vanished throughout history, it seemed to further validate the existence of another world.

Perhaps the source of domain creatures truly originated from this alternate realm.

Setting the document aside, Feng Qi continued searching through the box, hoping to find more useful information.

After rummaging for a while, he realized that most of the files pertained to biological sciences. Finding nothing of immediate value, he left the room and moved on to the next.

One after another, he broke into five different rooms.

Inside, he found only experimental instruments and data, but none of the secrets of the Crimson Research Institute he was looking for.

Undeterred, he pressed on and entered another room filled with an abundance of documents.

Here, he stumbled upon a dossier evaluating unique domain creatures.

Flipping through its contents, one image caught his attention.

The creature depicted was unmistakably Little Black, shrouded in black mist.

Beneath the image was a detailed analysis of Little Black:

[Black Mist (Special Domain Creature)]

Origin: First appeared in Future City, suspected to be the cause of its destruction.

Abilities:

Capable of freely reconstructing its body with a near-immortal physique.

Even the most severe injuries heal almost instantly.

When in mist form, it has a powerful devouring ability, capable of absorbing any energy-infused substance to replenish itself.

Strength Rating: Zhu Yin Level (Tier 4).

Weaknesses: None discovered.

Characteristics: Attacks all life forms within its sight, including other domain creatures.

Speculated Origin:

The life form of Black Mist does not align with any existing domain creature records in the database.

It is strongly suspected to be an artificially created special life form, akin to... White Eyes.

Feng Qi's pupils constricted upon reading the final line.

This section revealed a wealth of information.

Firstly, it confirmed his earlier theory: Suction Cup had been created, and it was highly likely she had been born within the Crimson Research Institute.

Thinking back to Mo Fei's captured image of Suction Cup interacting with Wei Wei, it was highly plausible that Suction Cup had been personally created and nurtured by her.

This explained why Suction Cup's abilities were so similar to those of Mu Qing.

After all, Suction Cup was essentially a clone of Mu Qing.

At the same time, the document hinted at another critical revelation: Little Black might also have been artificially created.

[Whether Little Black was created or not, one question remains unanswered: why is it hunting you?]

Hearing the narrator's comment, Feng Qi nodded.

Little Black had been created long after the future version of himself had died countless years ago.

Its precise ability to track his location and its relentless pursuit of him clearly pointed to a deep, hidden secret.

Another question surfaced in his mind.

Aside from the Crimson Research Institute, were there other organizations capable of creating life?

These questions would have to wait for answers. He decided that the next time he pursued the Crimson undercover route, he would investigate further. Perhaps Wei Wei, who had lived for over 500 years, held the key to many of these mysteries.

Setting the document aside, Feng Qi prepared to leave the room and continue his exploration.

At that moment, the narrator's voice echoed in his mind:

[Warning: An extremely dangerous entity is rapidly approaching. Do you wish to abandon the attached armor to preserve your life?]

Startled by the narrator's warning, Feng Qi turned to see Little Black's form floating toward him at high speed.

Glancing down at Suction Cup in his arms, Feng Qi sighed helplessly.

"Suction Cup, I'm sorry. I'll avenge you next time, but for now, you'll have to hold the line!"

[If I were Suction Cup, I'd turn on you right now—smack you on the head and leave. A master like you is worse than nothing. 'Next time,' you say? I've fought Little Black so many times we're practically friends now.]

Feng Qi: ...

As Little Black closed in, Feng Qi hurled Suction Cup straight at the entity without hesitation.

The moment Suction Cup came into contact with the black mist, her eyes snapped open.

Starlight shimmered within them, rapidly transforming into a swirling galaxy.

Without hesitation, she turned and delivered a ferocious punch into the mist, her terrifying strength tearing through it instantly.

However, the black mist regenerated almost immediately, surging toward Suction Cup's body.

The battle between Suction Cup and Little Black began anew.

At first, Suction Cup clearly held the advantage. She moved with agility akin to a rabbit, leaping and weaving through the mist, throwing punch after punch.

Taking one last look at Suction Cup, Feng Qi turned and headed toward the elevator at the plaza's edge.

He decided to explore the second basement level of the Crimson Research Institute's underground facility. Perhaps it held the information he sought.

Reaching the elevator, he pressed the downward-pointing triangle button.

A green light emanated from the elevator's entrance, scanning his body. Then a synthesized mechanical voice announced:

[Identity verification failed. Access denied.]

Annoyed, Feng Qi raised his spiked mace and smashed it against the elevator.

To his dismay, the blow didn't even leave a scratch on the surface. Instead, the vibration left his hand numb.

Realizing that the elevator's exterior was made of the same material as the secret door, a look of resignation crossed his face.

At least this confirmed that whatever lay below was highly important.

Glancing back at Suction Cup battling Little Black, he decided it was best to leave.

Staying here any longer risked being caught in the crossfire between the two, which could easily result in his untimely death.

Taking a detour back to the metal passageway's entrance, he glanced back one last time before stepping into the tunnel.

Moments later, his figure reappeared outside the abandoned hospital.

The walls around him had collapsed, and he walked straight through the ruins to the open air.

From here, he decided to retrace his steps to the Star City shelter, where he could study and gather knowledge to prepare for the future.

If the opportunity arose, he could also try hunting domain creatures along the way to enhance his strength.

Without Suction Cup to protect him, Feng Qi felt exposed as he traversed the abandoned city.

Every sound made his nerves tighten, as if a domain creature could leap out and ambush him at any moment.

Following the desolate streets, Feng Qi returned to the spot where he had previously killed the gorilla-like domain creature.

Looking up, he was startled to find a crimson eye perched atop the corpse of the domain creature.

The eye split open in the center, revealing a maw lined with razor-sharp teeth that was ravenously devouring the remains of the fallen domain creature.

As it feasted, crimson tendrils writhed and twisted around its body. Combined with the dim light of the blood moon in the distance and the eerie setting, the scene was deeply unsettling.

[Didn't you say you preferred long-range combat, avoiding direct confrontation whenever possible? Well, here's your chance to gain "psychic power." The opportunity just delivered itself to your doorstep. Go for it.]

Hearing the narrator's mocking tone, Feng Qi raised his middle finger in his mind.

With what? His spiked mace?

He had firsthand experience with the blood-red eye's strength. It could manipulate objects around it with telekinesis and crush targets using psychic force alone.

Charging in recklessly would be tantamount to suicide.

Even if he activated his Blood Source ability, he wasn't confident he could take it down.

His best option now was to run.

Resolving himself, he turned to leave.

But before he could take more than a few steps, a thunderous crash echoed ahead.

The debris scattered around the dead domain creature suddenly exploded outward.

A humanoid figure wreathed in flames emerged from the rubble and lunged toward the crimson eye.

As the fiery form neared, the crimson eye emitted ripples of scarlet energy.

Nearby rubble trembled and rose into the air. The flaming figure was halted mid-air, suspended about two meters away from the crimson eye.

The air buzzed with tension as the flaming figure was flung backward by an invisible force, slamming heavily into the ground.

The crimson eye floated upward, abandoning the corpse it had been feeding on. It now hovered cautiously at a safe distance from the flaming figure.

Restrained by telekinesis, the flaming entity thrashed about in a futile struggle. Its fiery visage contorted into a grotesque expression of rage.

But the crimson eye gave it no chance to recover.

Psychic force erupted once more, tearing the flaming figure apart, its body breaking into fragments of fire and ash.

Watching the crimson eye wield its psychic abilities, Feng Qi couldn't help but feel envious.

Its telekinesis allowed it to float effortlessly, and with a mere thought, it could restrain or attack its prey. It was a nearly omnipotent ability.

If he could gain psychic powers, it would greatly enhance his combat range and mobility.

[What's wrong with being a muscle-bound juggernaut? Hand-to-hand combat, tearing enemies apart with your bare hands—that's the true path of a real man. Trust me, the raw thrill of muscle power beats these psychic gimmicks any day. We don't need telekinesis or fancy spells. Even if someone gave them to you for free, you should refuse.]

Feng Qi: ...

"I call it balanced development!"

[A foolish notion. Mastery of raw strength can crush all tricks and deceit. There's nothing that can't be solved with one punch. If one punch doesn't work, two will do the job!]

"What about enemies that are fast or intangible, like Little Black? Physical attacks don't work on them."

[That only means your muscles aren't strong enough. When your fists are hard enough, one strike can break molecules into atoms. At the pinnacle of physical strength, even physical attacks can carry magical damage.]

Listening to the narrator's enthusiastic sales pitch for the "pure muscle path," Feng Qi couldn't help but roll his eyes. He turned back to observe the crimson eye.

By this time, the fiery figure had been reduced to scattered fireballs, which fell to the ground and continued to burn.

Feng Qi had initially assumed that the flaming entity must have been quite strong—strong enough to challenge the crimson eye. But to his surprise, it had been dispatched so easily, barely lasting moments in combat.

Just as Feng Qi was about to turn and leave, thinking the fight was over, the scattered flames suddenly surged upward, lunging at the crimson eye.

The crimson eye was caught off guard. While it managed to halt the advancing fireballs with telekinesis, the intense heat from their proximity scorched it, eliciting a sharp, ear-piercing screech.

The spots where the flames had licked its surface blistered and burst, oozing fresh blood.

The extreme heat rapidly dehydrated the crimson eye, causing its surface to wrinkle and shrivel.

The ambush left the crimson eye visibly enraged. It unleashed a powerful psychic blast, shredding the fireballs into countless embers, which drifted to the ground and extinguished.

However, the crimson eye itself didn't emerge unscathed. It descended slowly to the ground, its tendrils no longer writhing. It seemed to have entered a dormant, recuperative state.

Seeing this, Feng Qi, who had been preparing to leave, glanced down at the spiked mace in his hands.

"Hey, Narrator, do you think I can take it now?"

[From a purely "muscle-path purist" perspective, no. If you kill it, you'll taint yourself with magical abilities, forever straying from the path of pure strength. Think carefully before you act.]