Chapter 36: Mental Power

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Three ink-green vines shot out like arrows. They instantly pierced the rotting skull of the crawling woman, erupting from the back of her head along with a spray of black-red, viscous fluid.

[Vine Technique (Advanced) Proficiency +1, currently 3/500]

The entire sequence unfolded in the blink of an eye. The crawling woman couldn’t even let out a complete scream before her putrid head exploded like a rotten watermelon struck by a heavy hammer. Her body spasmed violently before slowly sinking to the bottom, leaving behind only a rapidly expanding ring of murky ripples.

Within their mental link, the violent, surging emotions of Xuebing receded like a tide, leaving only bewilderment. The creature shook its head, its vertical yellow pupils refocusing as it let out a puzzled, low whine: "Woo?" It was as if it were asking: What just happened?

"Hmm?"

Han Ning did not explain. He waited a few seconds, but the energy he had anticipated did not appear. "Could it be that it isn't completely dead?"

He looked at the lifeless corpse of the monster and gripped his right hand in the air.

Swish, swish, swish!

Vines tore through the water's surface and plunged into the motionless remains. Sharp wooden thorns churned frantically amidst the rotting flesh and bone, shredding the corpse even further.

[Vine Technique (Advanced) Proficiency +1, currently 4/500]

Splash, splash~

Filthy, bloody water mixed with shredded tissue surged upward.

"Still not dead?"

Han Ning continued to churn the meat, but still, no energy emerged. Just as he found this very strange, *pop!* A pale, soft-bodied creature, roughly the thickness of a thumb, suddenly burst from the abdomen of the corpse. It had no eyes, no mouthparts, and its smooth surface was covered in a layer of translucent mucus. Resembling an oversized roundworm, it began to writhe frantically the moment it left its host, using the current to propel itself like an arrow deep into the white fog.

"Trying to run?!" Han Ning scoffed coldly.

The vines tore through the current, faster than the worm could escape!

*Squelch!*

"Squeak!"

A strange, high-pitched cry rang out. The pale body of the worm was obliterated by the terrifying piercing power of the vines. Viscous, milky-white fluid dispersed from where the worm had died, staining the water with a small, murky, fog-like patch.

***

*Whoosh!*

A speck of brilliant white light, no larger than half a grain of rice but exceptionally dense, shot out from the exploded worm pulp. It was faster than the eye could follow, ignoring the murky water as it submerged into the center of Han Ning’s forehead.

[Druid Growth Progress +7]
[Swamp Alligator Lizard Growth Progress +1]
[Mental Power +0.1]
[Mental Power attribute unlocked, current: 0.7]

"This is..." Han Ning’s body trembled.

A cool, exceptionally clear stream of strange energy flowed into his brain. It wasn't the usual warm sensation of energy, but rather an indescribable clarity. The world before him seemed as if a thin veil had been lifted, becoming remarkably sharp. Suddenly, he could even hear the subtle differences in raindrops hitting the water further away and see the finer stains within the murky current.

A translucent professional panel automatically unfolded before his eyes. Beneath [Spirit Power: 12/25], a small line of text shimmering with a faint silver glow appeared:

[Mental Power: 0.7]

"Mental power... it really is related to the mind." Han Ning realized. "So... this thing was the one pulling the strings!"

He let out a long breath, his tense expression relaxing slightly. "Not a ghost, still a monster with a physical form. It seems to be a parasite capable of inhabiting biological bodies, releasing special mental waves to create terrifying hallucinations and lure prey," Han Ning mused.

To be honest, what Han Ning feared most were incorporeal, eerie entities.

...

A hundred meters away, behind a window filled with cracks in the half-submerged hotel building, a stocky man slowly lowered his military binoculars, a faint smile on his face. He turned to the sullen-looking man in the jacket beside him and said with a tone of clear mockery:

"How about that? I was right, wasn't I? Your three live chickens belong to me now." He held up three fingers and waved them in front of the man in the jacket. "Actually, you were half right—he really didn't last ten minutes."

"Hmph." The man in the jacket let out a cold snort, his face full of annoyance. He stared at Han Ning in the distance, his eyes complex and unreadable—filled with both reluctance and a hint of undisguised astonishment.

"Damn it..." the man in the jacket spat. "Lucky brat, you stepped in dog shit!"

...

After a brief moment of irritation, the restless look in his eyes quickly faded. He rubbed his chin, re-evaluating Han Ning with great interest. "However... this kid’s strength is indeed impressive. Quite interesting."

"Not only was he able to break free from the蜃 (Mirage) Worm’s tricky mental hallucinations on his own, but he also pinpointed its real body and killed it in one strike within such a short time... that isn't a capability an average Awakened possesses." He paused, his tone becoming serious. "With skills like that, he’s qualified to join us. Let’s go down and have a chat with him."

Before he finished speaking, the man in the jacket flickered. His figure moved like a ghost, slipping through the gap in the broken window and landing lightly on a piece of billboard wreckage floating below, splashing a small amount of water.

The stocky man shrugged, put away his binoculars, and followed closely behind. The two of them, like shadows merging into the rain, stepped across the floating debris and moved silently and rapidly toward Han Ning.

...

Han Ning recovered from the lingering effects of the mental power increase. This type of strange, worm-like creature was the second kind of monster he had encountered in this world. He scanned the surrounding white fog and, after a moment of thought, decided it was better to return to a safe place and consider his next move. After such a bizarre battle, he wasn't sure if there were even more terrifying creatures inside. If one had stronger mental power, what would happen if even his "Nature’s Blessing" couldn't neutralize it?

"Hmm?!"

But just as Han Ning turned around, something in his brain jumped without warning.

Han Ning’s eyes narrowed, and he snapped his gaze toward his front right.

A second later, two human figures slowly emerged from the distant rain. They moved effortlessly, pushing off the floating trash on the water like two black lines rapidly closing the distance.

In a few blinks, the two shadows had crossed dozens of meters and leaped into the water not far ahead of Han Ning.

*Pat!*

One of them landed precisely on a road sign. He had a sturdy build, his arms hanging loosely at his sides. He wore a faded work jacket, his medium-length hair simply tied back with a few stray locks clinging to his cheeks. His eyes, sharp as a falcon’s, cast a scrutinizing gaze from above.

The other person crouched silently atop a rusted lamp post. He wore a dusty hooded windbreaker, most of his face obscured by the brim of his hood, revealing only a slightly rounded chin.

Seeing that they were two normal humans, Han Ning did not let his guard down in the slightest. He said coldly, "Who are you?"