Chapter 196
Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW
You can buy coins here to unlock advanced chapters: https://gravitytales.com/coins-purchase-page/
Chapter 196: The Imitation of Imitations
Fulan was not in good spirits tonight.
The day’s events had left a profound mark on her, a cat who relished hunting in the wild.
She became acutely aware of her own uniqueness and insignificance; in the presence of certain special individuals, her origins as an extraordinary beast and her state of being out of Control were no longer secrets.
If this continued, how could she ever complete the tasks her master had entrusted to her?
If those extraordinary beasts outside the city could so easily detect her anomalies, what hope did she have of remaining hidden or taking action?
She would surely be torn apart and devoured by those ferocious and terrifying high-level extraordinary beasts.
At that point, not only would her mission fail, but her very life as a cat would be in grave danger.
Fulan lay quietly in an uncovered trash can, gazing absently at the stars in the night sky.
Her small mind was filled with countless questions, eventually circling back to the moment of impact when she had seen that Dummy earlier in the day.
Imitation, the essence of transformation, relied on mental energy to morph the body into other substances.
But was such transformation truly real?
From initially becoming clothing or a beaker to later transforming into the trash inside the trash can, Fulan had never experienced any harm during her transformations.
If the beaker she turned into were to shatter, would it reveal a cross-section filled with cat hair?
Or would she simply revert to her original form?
Or could she become a fragmented dead cat?
Fulan didn’t know, for her mimicry of objects was limited to their surface appearance, not their true essence.
So, what method could achieve complete imitation?
Observation and analysis? Devouring and digesting? Or perhaps, if she could deceive everyone, would the fake then become real?
As she gazed into the deep, dark night sky, studded with countless stars, Fulan slipped into a peculiar state…
—
On Fourth Commercial Street, in the examination room of building 102,
Suddenly, illusory text appeared before Lin Qingliu:
【Bestow a Blessing】 has leveled up!
Follower Fulan has advanced.
Current Level: Two
Current Path (Only): 【Myriad Forms】
Manifested Abilities: 【Transformation】, 【Illusion】
【Triggered feedback effect of 【Bestow a Blessing】, you have gained a new ability:
Path: 【Myriad Forms】
New Manifested Ability: 【Replication】】
【Replication: For objects with completely mastered structures, mental strength and materials can be consumed to reproduce them. The degree of similarity depends on the level of mastery. The replicated items are not the real objects; they only share a superficial resemblance and have the same essence as the materials.】
“Fulan has become enlightened in the trash can?”
Lin Qingliu’s eyebrows arched in surprise at the sudden turn of events.
As astonishment washed over him, a flood of new ideas surged into his mind.
Originally intending to awaken the Dummy’s consciousness and hypnotize it, Lin Qingliu instead delivered another blow to its curled-up consciousness, plunging it into an even deeper slumber.
He then began to ponder whether his newfound ability could be integrated into his upcoming plans.
“Hmm, this replication isn’t a perfect copy; it varies depending on the materials used and the depth of understanding of the original.
“In other words, if I understand ice cream well enough, I can create something that looks identical but, in reality…
“Wait, when did I become so sinister? That’s not right; I’m not some malevolent deity.
“What I mean is, I can use different materials to replicate a target. Though fundamentally different, they’ll be indistinguishable in appearance—uh, I mean, taste.”
After grasping the basics of this ability, Lin Qingliu tried replicating a pair of tweezers using scraps he found in the examination room.
He ended up with several tweezers that looked identical but were made of different materials.
As long as they weren’t actually used, no one would notice the difference.
So…
He turned his gaze to the nearby Dummy, his eyes darting around uncontrollably.
If Lin Qingliu remembered correctly, bark was one of the raw materials for making paper, and bark and dry grass…
Didn’t seem all that different.
So, by extension, dry grass and paper shouldn’t be too different either.
Lin Qingliu clapped his hands together and moved the completely unresponsive Dummy to the hypnosis recliner in the examination room, then opened the door.
The two Dummies waiting outside and several superpowered individuals peered into the examination room and saw “Nian” sleeping as peacefully as a baby.
They had been murmuring, feeling that the other had been inside for too long.
But now, seeing the calm and serene expression, they felt a weight lift from their chests.
“Do me a favor. There are a lot of psychology books in the storage room on the right side of the second floor. Bring them all in.”
Lin Qingliu spoke with an air of authority, issuing orders to the superpowered individuals beside him.
The three superpowered individuals exchanged puzzled glances, unsure why this psychologist wanted to read books during a consultation.
Dude, are you even reliable?
Is it the new trend to head into battle with weapon manuals in hand?
This was completely unreasonable.
Just as the three hesitated, a slightly commanding yet reassuring voice chimed in:
“Do as he says.”
Seeing that the Captain, the Shadow Master, had given the order, the three didn’t dare delay, quickly making their way toward the second floor.
With a smile, the Shadow Master strode forward, extending his hand toward Lin Qingliu at the door to the examination room:
“Dr. Lin, let’s be friends.”
Lin Qingliu knew his plan was nearing completion. While they had been searching, they would have undoubtedly uncovered his information, so he smiled and shook the Shadow Master’s hand.
The Shadow Master, slightly taller than Lin Qingliu, looked at the smiling young man before him, feeling a twinge of frustration. He was certain the sound of the stainless steel plate hitting the floor had been heard, and he wondered if Lin Qingliu would accept his goodwill.
The two exchanged a few light-hearted remarks, and soon the three team members came hurrying down from the second floor, carrying three large stacks of books.
Clearly, they didn’t dare neglect the Captain’s orders; after setting down the books, they prepared to make another trip.
Lin Qingliu stepped aside, gesturing for the three to place the books inside the examination room, while the Dummies “Lizard” and “Quicksand” rose from their waiting chairs outside.
The prolonged slumber of “Nian” had sparked suspicion in the two of them; after all, they weren’t real humans and couldn’t be easily hypnotized.
Human hypnosis essentially blurs the main consciousness, and once theirs was blurred, their physical forms outside the city would actively exert influence, much like a computer’s refresh function…
The two moved forward, intending to enter the examination room to investigate, but two hands simultaneously blocked their path.
One hand belonged to Lin Qingliu, and the other to the Shadow Master.
“I suggest you trust the doctor.”
Compared to when they had arrived, the leader of the superhero team seemed like a different person.
His steady, middle-aged face wore a reassuring expression, while the shadow beneath him shifted menacingly, despite the unchanged lighting.
