Chapter 54

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Chapter 54: First Advancement

“It appears that a division in consciousness has occurred, leading to a tendency for the body to split as well.”

Ji Yongxing adjusted his glasses, which had been cracked by debris during the battle:

“However, both entities desire to consume each other, so while there is a tendency to split, they haven’t fully separated.”

He carefully analyzed the current situation, causing Zhuang Mian to slightly furrow her brow:

“Isn’t the ability Wang Xiao’s? How is it that he can’t gain control of the body?”

Ji Yongxing pondered for a moment before explaining:

“The other consciousness has grown stronger through its previous consumption of the innocent… It’s truly difficult to predict the outcome.”

—

Zhao Kai awoke from In Dream, realizing he no longer had complete control over the flesh blob’s body, which infuriated him. He quickly engaged in a mental battle with Wang Xiao.

Meanwhile, in the real world, the flesh blob began to split as well, with two masses of flesh monsters punching and kicking, creating a chaotic scene.

Objectively speaking, the flesh blob’s seemingly bug-like abilities originated from Wang Xiao, but its true creator could be considered Zhao Kai.

Zhao Kai was the primary operator of this flesh and blood machine.

While he was driving in a state of exhaustion and drifting into sleep, an unprincipled individual climbed up from beneath to seize the steering wheel, an act he could not tolerate.

At the same time, as more and more cluster consciousnesses were devoured in the dream, Zhao Kai felt himself slipping into a strange numbness.

It was like a critically ill giant, able to sense his limbs but unable to control them with precision.

This gradually drove Zhao Kai into madness.

On the other side, within the flesh blob, Wang Xiao felt as though he were piloting a mech.

But this mech was composed of bones, blood, and flesh, rather than metal parts.

With dozens of eyes under his command, he saw the concerned expressions of the three people around him, which helped him regain some clarity and reduced his initial ravenous appetite.

Wang Xiao once again recalled his wish, remembering the despair of hitting rock bottom and the confusion of being reborn.

He gazed at the other half of the flesh blob, connected by blood, and sent a message to the other’s consciousness through their neural link:

“If I must abandon my humanity to defeat you, then so be it; I will no longer be human.”

In response, Wang Xiao received an almost completely irrational roar of anger.

He disregarded the meaningless threats and instead focused on implementing Ji Yongxing’s initial advice:

“Devour!

“Even if I can no longer be human, even if I descend into endless madness, I must stop this lunatic here!”

Wang Xiao felt his consciousness being pulled and torn apart, as if every piece of flesh desired its own will.

“Right now, you all listen to me!”

The usually silent Wang Xiao roared in his mind, and the previously restless flesh became obedient,

“Feed me!”

With this firm command, the left half of the flesh blob unleashed an almost terrifying level of combat power!

Wang Xiao, in control of the flesh blob, continued to tear and bite at the opponent, with even his own consciousness attempting to shred the other mass of awareness.

Feeling his control diminishing, Zhao Kai let out a painful wail:

“You’re the crazy one! Ahhhhh!”

—

【【Bestow a Blessing】 has leveled up

Believer Wang Xiao has advanced

Current Level: Two

Current Path (Unique): 【Flesh】

Manifested Abilities: 【Proliferation】, 【Transformation】, 【Absorption (temporarily held)】

【Triggered feedback effect of 【Bestow a Blessing】: You have gained a new ability:

Path: 【Flesh】

Manifested Abilities: 【Proliferation】, 【Transformation】, 【Absorption】

【Flesh and blood—Absorbed: You can selectively absorb flesh within a twenty-meter radius that shows signs of life (or vitality). Flesh can be used as material to accelerate the execution speed of 【Proliferation】; the vitality of the flesh can accelerate the execution speed of 【Transformation】.】

Hanging upside down in the elevator shaft, Lin Qingliu watched the scrolling information appear before him, feeling a new power gradually spreading throughout his body from the depths of his flesh.

That sensation was indeed quite mystical; if he had to describe it, it was like the painful yet refreshing experience of "washing muscles and marrow" from past cultivation novels.

This might be the characteristic of the 【Flesh】 path, Lin Qingliu thought.

After all, Wang Xiao was the first believer to level up, and Lin Qingliu lacked experience in this area, relying only on half a god’s perspective to reason.

Wang Xiao not only succeeded in advancing his level, but he also quickly grasped the manifested abilities corresponding to the Third Level.

Lin Qingliu stared at the mass of flesh blob, lost in thought.

The core of the 【Flesh】 ability was the flesh itself, and Wang Xiao’s current state gave him control over flesh far beyond the ordinary, enough power for him to briefly touch the threshold of the Third Level.

With this advancement, Zhao Kai no longer had a chance to turn the tables.

However, if he wanted to continue living as a human, he would eventually have to give up this monstrous form and restore his human body.

After all, while Lin Qingliu did not have strict requirements for his believers, they still needed to initially resemble humans; a hideous flesh blob was simply unacceptable.

Since his abilities had undergone a fundamental enhancement, it now depended on Wang Xiao’s own thoughts regarding the future.

In the hall above, firefighters had discovered the mass slumber event and began trying to wake people up, and the special alarm indicating an emergency had sounded as the military headquarters dispatched action teams.

—

In the underground laboratory.

Two flesh blobs, caught in the process of splitting and tearing, began to slowly fuse together, mixed with various strange occurrences:

The limbs of the monsters began to twitch, mouths opened wide to scream and howl, and eyes rolled around until they burst from the tremendous pressure of the muscles.

In less than a minute, only one flesh blob remained amidst the chaos of the underground laboratory.

But…

“Who won?”

El asked the two highly educated colleagues around him, and the three exchanged puzzled glances.

After all, the two blobs looked almost identical, making it hard to say for sure…

The trio shared knowing looks and quickly returned to a state of combat mode, always wary of a potential counterattack from the flesh blob.

“Hmm, not bad.”

Just as the three eyed the flesh blob with tension, a casually delivered remark came from behind them.

They quickly turned around, aiming two dark gun barrels and a dagger at the newcomer.

Then their pupils dilated in unison.

It was a figure they would never forget after just one glance, standing nearly two meters tall with a thin body, limbs appearing somewhat sickly long.

A strong aura of despair radiated from him, reminiscent of lifeless objects, a feeling that, regardless of language barriers, could intimidate and assimilate the surrounding life forms.

Seeing him poised to attack, Zhuang Mian recalled the kind of occasionally cute yet sometimes terrifying being she had encountered during divine enlightenment—

A scarecrow.

“Dear friends, put down those toys.

“It’s nice to meet you; I am— the Paster.”