Dr. Lin

Just as the bullets were about to rain down on Wang Yanfei, a sharp monkey's screech pierced through the chaotic battlefield. A moment later, hundreds of monkeys swarmed in from all directions, swiftly taking control of the battlefield's high ground and cover. These monkeys wielded all sorts of heavy firepower, and the instant their machine guns opened fire—"rat-tat-tat-tat!"—bullets poured down like a torrential downpour.

The boss had no time to react before they were shredded into a bloody mess. One man, who had just raised his blade in defiance, found his arm obliterated before he could even complete the motion.

The leader frowned, his mechanical arms instinctively shielding himself. But against such concentrated fire, he had no room to counterattack. The relentless barrage forced him back step by step, and finally, when a rain of precise bullets tore through the joints of his cybernetic body, he collapsed lifelessly on the spot.

"Dong, Dong..." Heavy footsteps came from behind the monkeys. A big monkey, which was obviously stronger than ordinary monkeys, walked out slowly. It was wearing a white coat that looked quite worn. The big monkey roared and led the other monkeys to start moving. They skillfully turned the fallen cyborg over and disassembled the prosthesis from the body one by one.

Watching them scavenge the spoils of battle, Wang Yanfei attempted to step back unnoticed. But the moment he moved, the big monkey turned its head sharply, raising a machine gun and aiming it directly at him. Instantly, the rest of the monkeys encircled him, brandishing an assortment of weapons, locking him in the center.

Scanning the ring of gun-wielding monkeys before him, he could only force a bitter smile. If one gun is too much to handle, what about dozens?

Their movements were swift and well-practiced, mirroring the discipline of professional cyborg soldiers. Even in a world where modified animals were not unheard of, a troop of monkeys using firearms with such precision and coordination was beyond reason.

This shouldn't be possible…

This thought just came up, and before he could figure out the strangeness, a clever monkey had already approached quickly from behind. When he noticed it, his neck tightened and a cold stinging pain came - a syringe pierced his neck.

"You…" Wang Yanfei subconsciously wanted to resist, but his arms were powerless to lift. He felt a severe dizziness, the scene in front of him began to distort, and his consciousness became blurred, as if he was pulled into a chaos.

-------------------------

Wang Yanfei slowly regained consciousness, feeling cold droplets splash against his face. As his mind cleared, he opened his eyes and found himself in a dark, damp cave. Moss clung to the rough rock walls, and occasional water dripped from the crevices above, hitting the ground with crisp, rhythmic sounds.

He looked down at himself—his liquid metal arm was coated in a thin layer of frost, clearly inactive. When he attempted to summon his tendrils, he felt nothing; his back was empty, unresponsive. A heavy metal collar pressed against his head, sending intermittent pulses of pain.

Thick, coarse ropes bound his body tightly, restricting nearly all movement. His clothing had been stripped down to just a pair of shorts and a tattered vest, leaving him in an undeniably sorry state. (Well, he's the protagonist, so at least some dignity remains—normally, he'd be completely stripped.)

"You're awake?"

A deep, hoarse voice rang out.

Wang Yanfei lifted his head and saw a large monkey in a worn-out white lab coat approaching. Its movements were slow yet steady, its physique slightly shorter than an average human, but its fur was sleek and well-groomed.

The monkey stopped before him, hands tucked into the coat's pockets, looking down at him with an air of superiority. Its mouth moved, and human speech emerged effortlessly.

"Kid, did the Spiritual Church send you? Was it that old bastard Falne?"

"Falne?" Wang Yanfei murmured, lips moving slightly, his face filled with confusion.

The monkey let out a scoff. "Tsk, completely clueless. Looks like you're just a rookie." It flexed its wrist. "Then I suppose you're here for the 'bananas'?"

Wang Yanfei didn't answer. He had no idea what "bananas" referred to, but one thing was certain—the monkey before him was his target, Dr. Lin.

Dr. Lin, however, didn't seem to care about his silence, continuing on as if talking to himself. "Falne wouldn't send someone on a suicide mission. Looks like there's division within the Spiritual Church now."

His thoughts gradually sharpened, attempting to piece together the scattered clues from Dr. Lin's words.

Seeing Wang Yanfei's silence, Dr. Lin let out a cold snort and leaned in, his tone deep and commanding.

"Kid, don't play dumb. Tell me, who sent you?"

Wang Yanfei glanced at the restraints on his body. He knew his life hung on the monkey's whim, and this was no time to gamble. He had no real sense of belonging to the Spiritual Church anyway. After a brief calculation, he decisively answered, "Asel. He sent me."

Dr. Lin's expression shifted slightly at the mention of that name. He straightened up, scratching his chin as if considering something.

"Asel… Legion Commander of the Spiritual Tribunal, huh. Just another dog that bites the hand that feeds it."

A mocking smirk tugged at his lips as he shook his head. "Figures. The Spiritual Church is absolutely terrible at training dogs. I have no idea how that old bastard Falne let these people climb over him."

Dr. Lin turned leisurely, taking his time before facing Wang Yanfei again. His gaze lingered on him for a moment before he let out a cold chuckle.

"You're not so simple either. That arm… hmm, interesting. I can't tell which lab made it. But those tentacles on your back? That's definitely Void Cult craftsmanship. Tsk, tsk..." He tilted his head slightly, studying Wang Yanfei like a product on display.

"I can't tell if you're just young… or just naive."

"Alright, kid. I know everything I need to. Time to send you on your way."

Dr. Lin reached behind his waist and pulled out a black pistol, aiming it directly at Wang Yanfei's forehead without hesitation.

At that moment, instinct took over. That familiar sense of imminent danger surged through him, pushing his mind into action. Without a second thought, he activated his status panel.

[Name]: Wang Yanfei

[Race]: Human

[Attributes]:

Body: 0.9

Spirit: 2.2

[Ability]: Gift of Fate (1)

Refresh Time: 19:32:34

[Skills]: Tentacles, Spirituality

[Symbiosis]: Liquid Metal (Right Arm)

"Gift of Fate…"

He murmured to himself, focusing his intent on the number "1."

A second later, twelve cards unfolded before him in a fanned formation, floating in midair.