Chapter 265: Surviving

Su Zhan stood in place, silent for a moment."Let's go."

He said lightly, then turned and continued walking forward.

Lin Wei quickly gathered her thoughts, suppressing the pain in her abdomen, and hurried to keep up.

Over the past many days.

What Lin Wei found somewhat strange was that this lord seemed to have a certain obsession with ordinary food.

He didn't rely on specific "meat" to efficiently replenish energy like most low-to-mid tier Aberrants did. Instead, he had her go buy normal rice, flour, and vegetables every day, then start a fire and cook.

Watching the green vegetables and rice churning in the pot.

After serving the food on the table, Lin Wei cautiously asked, "Lord, these things... for us, they can't fill our stomachs at all, and they have no energy. Why do we still eat them?"

For Aberrants, the core of maintaining bodily functions and power was x-meat;ordinary food had no effect whatsoever.

Su Zhan picked up his chopsticks, picking up a piece of green vegetable. "For a change of taste."

Lin Wei was stunned for a moment, then suddenly understood, nodding quickly. "Oh, oh, I see."

Right, many Aberrants were very strange, some had special quirks or something.

Perhaps the strong were just different, or maybe this was just his way of reminiscing about the past?

Anyway, if the lord did this, there must be his reason.

Lin Wei didn't ask any more questions, quietly sitting to the side.

Watching Su Zhan slowly and methodically eat food that, to her, was like chewing wax.

Su Zhan ate quietly, but his mind was on something else entirely.

He didn't need to rely on that method to replenish energy, still retaining a need for normal food. This was something he had always felt fortunate about.

...

Time quickly arrived at the night of the agreed-upon test.

2:50 AM, when all was silent and still.

Su Zhan and Lin Wei's figures appeared outside the gate of an abandoned textile factory.

Lin Wei wore a metal mask, but her clenched fists trembled slightly.

The outcome of this test was unpredictable.

"This is the place."

Lin Wei said in a low voice, pointing at the half-collapsed main gate.

Su Zhan stopped walking. His golden vertical pupils emitted a faint glow in the night, scanning the surrounding environment.

His perception spread out, clearly sensing that deep within that abandoned factory building, several not-weak Aberrant auras were gathered. One of them was particularly powerful, likely the person presiding over the test.

He also sensed an invisible barrier enveloping that area. It was a type of barrier that combined Mist Energy and a special ritual, repelling unauthorized existences.

"Go."

Su Zhan's voice was calm and steady. "Come out alive."

He didn't say any words of encouragement, nor did he promise to rescue her.

In a place like this, the only one you could rely on was yourself.

Excessive assurances would only make someone develop dependency and die faster.

Lin Wei took a deep breath, nodding heavily. "Yes, Lord. I will do my best."

With that, she stepped over the threshold, her footsteps gradually fading away.

Su Zhan stood quietly in place, waiting here.

Waiting for the result.

He could only wait.

This was a passive position, one he was somewhat unaccustomed to.

The night grew deeper.

...



In the center of the grounds, five or six figures were already standing. All wore various masks, their auras cold and gloomy. They were members of the Transcendence Society.

Their gazes fell in unison on the newly arrived Lin Wei, carrying a sense of scrutiny.

Lin Wei suppressed the palpitations in her heart. Following the rules she had learned beforehand, she bowed slightly, speaking respectfully to the few who were clearly the leaders present. "Honored lords, I have arrived."

The Aberrant with the black half-face mask she had met in the alley yesterday was also among them. He seemed to be the one presiding over this test.

He took a step forward, responding indifferently. "Hmm, quite punctual. We can begin."

Without any extra words, he directly pointed to a complex magic circle drawn with dark red pigment in the center of the grounds.

The pattern of the circle was twisted and bizarre. The center seemed like a constantly swirling vortex of mist, dizzying to look at for too long.

"Stand in the array eye."

The masked man commanded.

Lin Wei's heart clenched violently. She complied, walking to the center of the magic circle. A cold sensation came from beneath her feet.

"The test is simple, with only one purpose—to confirm whether your faith in the Transcendence Society is pure, and your loyalty to the organization absolute."

The masked man's voice carried a bewitching power. "Open your mind, accept the baptism of the Mist. Only true believers can receive the blessing."

As soon as his words fell.

The other Aberrants around simultaneously began chanting obscure syllables.

The dark red magic circle on the ground suddenly lit up, emitting grayish-white mist.

Completely enveloping Lin Wei.

"Mmph..."

Lin Wei let out a pained groan.

This mist was highly invasive, frantically drilling into her seven orifices, flooding into her mind.

She felt as if her brain was about to explode.

Countless fanatical thoughts forcibly poured in, scouring her will:

"The Mist descends, only then can we transcend!"

"Humankind is the cancer of the world, the shackles hindering our evolution."

"Only by purging all humans, letting the Mist envelop the earth, can our Aberrant race attain true freedom and ascension!"

"Loyalty! Devotion! For the great cause of Transcendence, sacrifice everything!"

"Offer your heart to the Transcendence Society!"

These doctrines repeated over and over, the voices growing louder, sharper, as if countless fanatics were roaring in her ears.

At the same time, bloody images flashed uncontrollably in her mind:

Awakened troopers surrounding and annihilating a lone Aberrant, blades flashing, flesh and blood flying...

Her own kind locked in laboratories, suffering inhuman torture, letting out miserable screams...

Human cities bustling and noisy, while Aberrants could only hide in the shadows like rats, barely clinging to life...

Scenes of the two races slaughtering each other, filled with hatred and mortal enmity...

These images intertwined with those doctrines, constantly assaulting the bottom line of her cognition, trying to twist her thoughts, making her believe from the bottom of her heart that humans were mortal enemies, and the Transcendence Society was the only salvation!

"No... it's not like this..."

Lin Wei struggled inwardly.

Her remaining reason told her this was brainwashing, forced mental control.

She remembered Su Zhan, remembered that she had initially only sought power and survival... She didn't want to become a self-losing fanatic!

But that torrent of mental energy was too powerful, continuously battering her will.

Her thoughts began to grow chaotic, her resistance becoming weaker and weaker. Those implanted notions began to take root and sprout...

She felt herself being assimilated, being transformed.

...

Time passed slowly.

Su Zhan hid in the shadows, his aura completely withdrawn.

Inside, there was still no sound of any huge commotion, no violent fluctuations of energy collision.