Doom

The woman's voice was hoarse, like a cuckoo crying out in agony, every word seemed to drain what little strength she had left.

Chen Feng raised his head.

He looked at the wretched girl before him, not with desire but with a detached curiosity.

Something was clearly wrong with her. Her eyes were bloodshot, yet her expression remained unnervingly calm. To endure such brutal torment and still remain composed—few could do that unless...

She had gone mad.

After suffering such trauma, most people's minds would break. Abused by a group of thugs, her consciousness must have shattered.

"Can you lend me your knife?"

Chen Feng thought for a moment, then tossed the boning knife over.

The woman bent down to pick it up, completely indifferent to the exposure of her chest. Her expression was still disturbingly calm as she grasped the knife.

Was she going to kill herself?

Chen Feng remained indifferent; this was likely the choice most would make.

In the apocalypse, it wasn't the ruthless monsters that were hardest to endure—it was the endless despair.

When monsters swept across the land, even those with great power like Professionals could be corroded by the despair of a hopeless existence.

Suicide.

It was the quickest way to escape suffering.

The woman was clearly broken.

If she wanted to end it all, there was only one way... death.

Would she slit her throat, or perhaps awkwardly sever her tendons?

Chen Feng wasn't going to intervene. The world was filled with too many tragedies for him to care. All he wanted to do now was watch as a bystander.

The woman slowly raised the knife, the blade gleaming as she pressed it against her face.

Shrrk...

A sound of tearing flesh. The woman slashed her face, and the boning knife, sharp as it was, left a crimson streak across her pale skin.

One cut...

Two cuts...

The woman, like a puppet immune to pain, continued to carve into her face. With each slash, her once-beautiful face turned into a gruesome mess of flesh and blood. But as she continued, an eerie energy began to emanate from her.

Power.

The woman's body was changing.

Chen Feng's curious smile faded, his brow furrowing as he studied her closely. "Is this an extraordinary awakening?"

Most people, when the apocalypse hit, awakened to their powers as Professionals, gaining abilities that others could only envy.

But for some, after a period of time, or after their power had accumulated to a certain point—or when they experienced a significant trauma—their bodies would undergo further changes. This phenomenon was known as an "Extraordinary Awakening."

Extraordinary Awakening was a very rare phenomenon.

Those who experienced it broke free from their limitations, gaining the qualifications to protect their dignity and their lives.

As the power within the woman spread, Chen Feng felt a tightness in his chest. At the same time, bloodshot lines appeared in his eyes, his breathing became labored, and his mind clouded over.

An ominous presence.

These strange changes made Chen Feng cautious. Despair began to creep into his thoughts, and within moments, he felt a sudden restlessness.

There was something familiar about the woman's aura.

It reminded him of a church.

The Church of Doom.

Unlike national powers, some Professionals formed factions or churches, recruiting the strong and attracting followers to quickly build vast organizations.

The Church of Doom trained its followers to believe they were the incarnations of doom itself, bringing disaster and suffering to the world.

Mavericks.

Not just dangerous to monsters, the followers of the Church of Doom were a threat to humanity as well.

Their doctrines centered around disaster, death, and desecration.

It was a church that was both good and evil, targeting not just monsters but also criminals, murderers, and those with the most heinous of sins among humans.

The Church of Doom believed that emotions, weakness, and love were utterly useless.

Emotionless monsters.

They were dangerous and lethal.

Chen Feng had encountered followers of the Church of Doom more than once. These people lurked in the darkest corners of society. Unlike the Judges who fought heresy in the name of justice, the followers of Doom were more like undead wandering the night. Their methods were ruthless, their hearts darker than any Judge's. To achieve their goals, they would use any means necessary.

A brief, eerie silence filled the room.

The woman was now completely engulfed in despair. She continued to slice into her face with the boning knife. Within seconds, her once-beautiful face had been transformed into a ghastly visage, her nails lengthening, her skin paling as if she had aged by decades. But despite these changes, her power only continued to grow.

Will is a force.

A powerful will can even affect the minds of others.

Though this woman had only just awakened, her presence was already overwhelming. Her vacant eyes and mutilated face added a visual pressure that was hard to ignore.

Festering cheeks.

Chen Feng's mind flashed with memories.

The Church of Doom had an unwritten rule: when a follower killed an enemy of equal strength, they would carve a scar into their own face.

A badge of honor.

It was easy to gauge the strength of a Doom follower. Those with faces full of scars and no unblemished skin left were the ones to avoid. Over time, they not only killed their enemies but etched their faces with the marks of their deeds. Few words were exchanged; every Doom follower carried a hint of madness.

A church difficult to define as good or evil.

Doom?

A fleeting thought crossed Chen Feng's mind, but his expression remained unchanged.

It seemed he was witnessing the birth of a formidable power.

Ms. Doom.

The leader of the Church of Doom, a figure who appeared like a ghost. She was known to use her sharp claws to pierce the skulls of her enemies. Skilled in punishment and torture, she rarely showed herself, but when she did, death followed.

Could this woman become Ms. Doom?

After a series of judgments, Chen Feng was 90% certain that this woman, who had just undergone an Extraordinary Awakening, would one day become the feared Ms. Doom—a figure who would bring calamity to countless people and monsters alike.

An unforgettable experience.

Ms. Doom had the potential to become an Epic-level figure. It wasn't just her strength; her ability to build a church was enviable. In the Apocalypse Era, the Church of Doom once rose to prominence, even overshadowing the Judges for a time...

Despair was brewing.

Her disfigured face and the ritualistic cutting seemed like a cruel sacrifice. The woman offered her beauty and sanity to the devil, in exchange for terrifying power and a new life.