C11 The Trick

"Who is this young man?"

Lee Tianshan roughly grabbed Lin Xiaowu's hair and demanded an answer.

Wincing from the pain, Lin Xiaowu gasped for air. "I don't know, and even if I did, I wouldn't tell you."

"Smack!"

Another vicious slap swelled up half of Lin Xiaowu's face. Her head lolled to the side, and she lost consciousness.

Lee Tianshan released her, snuffed out his cigarette on the ground, and pulled a syringe filled with a sinister purple liquid from his pocket.

He plunged the needle into Lin Xiaowu's neck, injecting the entire contents into her.

"A01, no, Xiaowu, you're going to do me one last favor."

A smug grin spread across Lee Tianshan's face as he tossed the syringe aside and strolled out of the basement.

In a room brimming with electronic devices, Hei Dao was lost in thought with his phone in hand. This was the control room, equipped with state-of-the-art technology by Lee Tianshan to keep tabs on the derelict area.

"Brother Hei, we've got a situation."

A gaunt teenager monitoring several screens called out to Hei Dao.

Hei Dao set his phone down and approached the monitors. "What's up, Yuan?"

Yuan keyed something into the computer, and a surveillance feed appeared on the screen. It showed a young man dressed in black heading toward the factory.

"This guy looks like the experimental subject the boss mentioned who escaped," Yuan exclaimed.

Hei Dao scrutinized Zhou Ming's features and quickly left the control room.

"Boss, the runaway experimental subject is on his way here."

Hei Dao burst into Lee Tianshan's room, excitement in his voice.

"Those two fools just made up excuses; there's no such thing as an escaped experimental subject," Lee Tianshan grumbled, annoyed by the interruption over such a trivial matter.

But then it hit him—it was him! Lee Tianshan leapt from his chair. "Let's check it out!"

Upon seeing Zhou Ming on the monitor, Lee Tianshan was at a loss for words. The man's blatant exposure to the cameras left him questioning whether Zhou Ming was courageous or foolish.

One thing Lee Tianshan knew for certain was that Zhou Ming possessed something he desperately wanted. That unique ability was exactly what he was after. If he could just obtain Zhou Ming's genes, there would be no further need for any experimental subjects.

He was a biologist who struck a deal with a mysterious individual, who in turn healed his limbs. The catch was that he had to assist the mysterious person in conducting human experiments.

Lee Tianshan received numerous Phantasmal Potions from this enigmatic figure, who claimed that these potions could endow humans with astonishing powers and abilities. The major downside was the potions' severe side effects.

Lee Tianshan's sole task was to find test subjects for these potions. In essence, he was using humans as guinea pigs.

He lured many people under the guise of offering free tours of the Brohebis hot springs, using flyers and other promotional tactics to deceive them.

The more advanced the Phantasmal Potion, the more intense the side effects, particularly with the Level A potions. Desperate to find someone compatible with the Level A Phantasmal Potion, Lee Tianshan did not hesitate to inject his own daughter.

Those injected with the potion could either lose their minds or die from violent reactions. In Lee Tianshan's experiments, only Lin Xiaowu had been able to withstand the overwhelming side effects.

He slowly discovered that even though subjects lost their consciousness after injection, they still retained their newfound strength and abilities. At that point, he could control their minds and actions using bioelectricity.

The manipulated test subjects were his leverage against the Watchtower.

Lee Tianshan was inwardly thrilled, yet he maintained a facade of calm, saying coolly, "Hei Dao, take a few of the B series subjects and bring him back alive if possible. If you fail, you'll end up just like those two fools from last time."

"Yes," Hei Dao responded, a shiver running down his spine as he quickly exited.

Lee Tianshan watched Zhou Ming on the screen, his fists tightening.

...

Unaware that he was being watched, Zhou Ming was mentally conversing with Red. "Red, I can't shake the feeling that the system is being unfair. With the mission being so perilous, couldn't it offer more assistance?"

To Zhou Ming's surprise, Red rolled her eyes and remarked, "Master, the system has already provided ample assistance. The Dream Fulfilled feature allows you to disregard the disparity in strength, and it even optimized your gene system for free."

Feeling a bit sheepish yet undeterred, Zhou Ming brazenly inquired, "Ahem, Red, is there a quick way for me to level up?"

Red sighed, resigned to respond, "Master, as the saying goes, 'You must eat your food one bite at a time and walk the road step by step.' Becoming too much of a bug will get you erased by the world."

Zhou Ming frowned and protested, "But consider this: even Essence Weavers have to flee with their tails tucked. I can't just depend on the Dream Fulfilled feature, can I? What if I'm outmatched? As the saying goes, 'To forge iron, one must be strong themselves!'"

Red counted on her fingers, seemingly doing some mental math, and then offered a smile. "In that case, I'll give you a small hint. Master, you can complete your current mission by using the Dream Fulfilled feature wisely, provided you maintain 100 dream values. So, don't squander them."

Finally, Red bent the rules to share a secret with her Master. "Energy is universal; it can be concentrated or dispersed through every part of the body. If you master the technique of its flow, you can gather or release energy, even project it externally."

"Alright, if I say any more, the system will mute Red. Master, take care."

With a wave of her hand, Red vanished.

Zhou Ming cursed under his breath, relieved he had asked. The system was far from reliable. Had he impulsively spent those 100 dream values on a skill, he would have been in deep trouble. Thankfully, he had the foresight to save them.

A trick to manipulate energy? Zhou Ming came to a halt and closed his eyes.

What was he up to? In the control room, Lee Tianshan watched Zhou Ming pause and felt puzzled.

The next moment, Zhou Ming's eyes snapped open, and he leaped into the air. A fist filled the entire surveillance screen before it went dark.

"Truly fascinating," Lee Tianshan mused, lighting a cigarette and inhaling deeply. "Yuan, redirect the other surveillance drones to this area."

"Alright."

Yuan acknowledged and began to work the controls.

Zhou Ming landed firmly on the ground, feeling a pleasant warmth coursing through his body as the hot air meandered within him. He had just traced the path outlined on the energy circulation map with his mind, and almost instantly, he sensed something being drawn towards him. The air permeated his skin, transforming into streams of heat that continuously flowed inside him. It was at this moment that Zhou Ming realized these were the Primal Essence.

Following the tip Red had shared, Zhou Ming channeled the Primal Essence to his legs and arms. With one punch, he obliterated the drone hovering above his head. He marveled at his newfound ability to leap heights he never imagined possible—over four meters into the air—a feat previously unthinkable to him.

Before Zhou Ming could savor his triumph, a persistent buzzing noise filled the air above him.