Chapter 398: Devout Believer

After Fatty’s repeated attempts at persuasion, Duan Fei finally gave up on the idea, disappointed he couldn’t test whether his Talent could bring back the dead.

After dinner was free time. All trainees had two hours to themselves.

They could play ping-pong, play cards or roll dice in some of the rooms, trade points, or even scheme against others.

‘To Duan Fei, these guys seemed more like prison gangs. They were definitely not as noble as the major claimed, with all that talk about “fighting Superpower Users and saving the world.”‘

‘It was hard to say if Superpower Users even existed. After all, this place was like something out of Yingjiang—the higher-ups would do anything to trick people into becoming test subjects.’

Declining his roommate’s request for company, Duan Fei wandered around the base by himself.

The interior of the base was divided into a living area and a training area. During free time, the training area was closed, and trainees could only move within the living area.

This base had no windows, and the sound of air conditioners circulating air was constant. Condensation dripped from the ceiling from time to time, likely part of the cooling process.

This indicated the entire base was probably underground, but it was unclear where exactly.

The two hours passed in a flash. Duan Fei returned to his cell just in time and was then informed that the next fifteen minutes were for showering.

“…It’s getting more and more like a prison.”

The bathhouse was also like something out of a prison. Everyone was strictly searched for weapons. There were no bars of soap; you could only stick your hand under the body wash dispenser for two pumps. A third pump had to be reported.

Showering with a bunch of grown men wasn’t pleasant, but it passed without incident.

After the showers, the guards brought a special serum. They skillfully administered it into everyone’s body, making sure every single person got an injection.

After the injection, drowsiness washed over them. Almost everyone began to sway and couldn’t stop yawning.

Duan Fei was no exception. He was so drowsy he could barely keep his eyes open. He ended up stumbling back to his room, hugging the wall, and collapsing into sleep.

He slept straight through until five the next morning.

Woken by the alarm, Duan Fei felt clear-headed and refreshed, his body having recovered significantly.

Just as he was about to call his roommates for breakfast, he noticed that Skinny’s bunk was unusually clean. All his personal belongings were gone, leaving only a repaired game console.

“Where’s Skinny?” Duan Fei asked, confused.

“Don’t know.” Fatty sat up, yawning. “But it’s fine, he should be back in a bit.”

At first, he was nonchalant, but after seeing how unusually clean Skinny’s bunk was, a trace of melancholy appeared on his face.

“Did Skinny leave?” The black man sat up too. Seeing the scene before him, he spoke with the same forlorn tone, “I see. So he’s graduated.”

“What do you mean, ‘graduated’?” Duan Fei asked, confused.

“It means a trainee has successfully completed all the training with excellent results and can graduate. They will shoulder the responsibility of fighting Superpower Users and be active in the outside world. Let’s wish him well.”

“It’s no big deal,” Fatty said. “We’ll be able to see him again once we get out.”

After making a semblance of a gesture and saying a prayer, the black man and Fatty returned to their usual selves. They went with Duan Fei to breakfast and then began the day’s training.

Today’s training was once again shooting, close-quarters combat, and endurance.

The instructors here were meticulous and their lessons comprehensive. More than once, Duan Fei heard the system prompt that he had gained relevant skill experience.

‘And this was a long-term instance. He believed it wouldn’t take much longer to awaken related combat and shooting skills—at least Basic Shooting and Basic Combat.’

But Duan Fei always had a feeling that there was more to this base than met the eye.

The major’s words felt like a lie. The whole base was like a prison, and the strange “graduations” cast a bizarre pall over the place, obscuring the fate of the trainees.

At the end of the day, before the injection, Duan Fei said to Fatty, “I need you to do something for me. Can you make it so I sleep lightly tonight, so that any major disturbance will wake me up?”

“What kind of request is that?” Fatty asked, surprised. “What are you planning?”

“Just do it.”

Fatty’s eyes lit up. “Is this another one of those mysterious Eastern things?”

“You could say that.”

“Alright. In that case, I’m entrusting you to wake up tonight.”

Having been entrusted with this task by Fatty, Duan Fei silently finished his shower, received his injection without a word, and then groggily returned to his bed, falling asleep instantly.

At one in the morning, the prison’s alarm suddenly blared. After it sounded for a minute, the major’s voice came over the broadcast: “Those who are awake, please leave your cells and gather in the plaza.”

Duan Fei, who had been entrusted with the task of waking, was jolted awake by the alarm and immediately opened his eyes.

He didn’t get up. Instead, he hid his Void Glasses, then coughed when someone passed by his cell.

The guard passing the door immediately turned to face Duan Fei.

In the darkness, Duan Fei opened his eyes. The darkness within them was deep and terrifying, like an endless Nightmare, dragging the guard into the boundless Void.

The world began to twist, and reality started to reshape itself. Overwhelming fear nearly made the guard scream, but Duan Fei immediately used [Descent of the Void] to possess him, attaching himself to the guard’s body.

Quickly steadying himself, Duan Fei took control of the guard’s body, tightened his grip on the weapon in his hand, and began moving toward the plaza.

In the plaza, the awakened trainees had already gathered.

The entire base had about a thousand trainees, but only about eleven had been woken by the alarm.

These trainees were nervous yet excited. Every one of them had heard the rumors about graduation and was thrilled because of it.

The major, standing above, also sensed everyone’s joy. With a smile on his face, he said, “You are all excellent. Quickshot, your shooting speed is the fastest; Bear, your Power training is the best; Cheetah, your explosive strength is the strongest…”

After appraising each person, the major wiped the corner of his eye and said to everyone, “You have all proven yourselves over the past years. Your bodies have become strong enough to resist the potent drugs. Congratulations, you’ve graduated.”

“Hoor—”

The cheer died in their throats as the expressions on the eleven trainees’ faces froze.

Wriggling tentacles descended from the ceiling. The tips of the tentacles, split into four lobes, opened up and then pressed against each trainee’s head.

Sharp probes shot out from them, easily piercing the trainees’ skulls and inserting into their brains, sucking them dry.

Then, their still-living bodies were wrapped in tentacles and pulled upward.

Duan Fei couldn’t help but look up. He saw that the ceiling was now swarmed with root-like tentacles; black tendrils were everywhere.

And on each tentacle, a human face could be seen.

These people had vacant gazes, their bodies already fused with the tentacles. Among them was the face of Skinny, who had disappeared last night.

‘This is graduation? Fusing with a Monster?’

Without hesitation, Duan Fei took aim with the weapon, flicked off the safety, and opened fire on the Monster overhead. Two days of training had drastically improved his accuracy, and his shots caused a series of bloody blossoms to erupt on the Monster.

“What are you doing? Stop!”

The major shouted anxiously, but Duan Fei only fired more enthusiastically.

Finally, a guard next to him raised his weapon and shot the guard Duan Fei was possessing, putting an end to his rampage.

As his consciousness was forced out, he saw the major kneeling and facing the Monster overhead, praying piously.

It was the piety of a believer facing their god.