0062 - The Unexpected Bargain.

The beast quickly gripped the Cane of Obedience to dislodge it from its body, dark liquid spilled out from the wound where the cane had pierced its flesh. Panic flashed in its eyes as it realized the loss of the dark liquid and its muscles began to visibly shrink. Despite its frantic attempts, the cane remained firmly embedded, refusing to budge to the beast's struggles.

Suddenly, the cane trembled. The beast turned its head around to see Lu Sheng, standing tall despite his serious head injuries. The gash on his head, previously swollen and bleeding, was miraculously healing, closing completely and leaving no trace. Fear and confusion clouded the beast's eyes.

"Be at peace." Lu Sheng's voice, devoid of any emotion, echoed through the desolate landscape as he raised his hand.

"ROAR!" As if he was cursing at Lu Sheng as it panicked but didn't take a step back. With a low growl, he cleared his voice and gave out a long and loud defiant howl.

With a defiant snarl, the beast's eyes glowed a menacing red. It gathered its remaining strength and lunged at Lu Sheng in a final, ferocious attack.

Before it could reach Lu Sheng, the Cane of obedience reached first. In a flash, it sliced cleanly through the creature, reducing it to a pool of dark goo that splattered across Lu Sheng's body. However, a single, glowing orb shot out from the dissolving beast, striking Lu Sheng squarely in the face. It was the Spirit Bead.

The Spirit Bead lightly struck Lu Sheng's emotionless face with a soft thump. It simply bounced off Lu Sheng's skin and fell with a plop into the dark puddle that was all that remained of the fearsome man-wolf beast.

Lu Sheng's face, devoid of any expression, looked down at the Spirit Bead resting in the viscous liquid, giving off an ominous silver-purple glow. Dark tendrils of energy periodically lashed out from the bead before retracting back.

That was unexpected as the spirit bead was not supposed to react at all but somehow it is showing reaction, is it because it is in the dark puddle. The question needed an answer and the Automated System is now in full control of Lu Sheng's body intent to find it but it is a system, it cannot perform any new task unless it was set up by the Host, by Lu Sheng.

So it waited.

With no other options, the System controlling Lu Sheng's body stayed still, with the gaze fixed on the Spirit Bead while the dark tendrils continued their chaotic dance. There was little else it could do but observe the phenomenon until Lu Sheng regained consciousness.

As the dark goo around the Spirit Bead flares in the reaction of Spirit Bead or rather dark goo, it is forcing a reaction from the Spirit Bead. Flares of sparks keep cracking out of the Spirit Bead as the Dark goo keeps trying to take over this bead of energy.

[Host, wake up! You need to see this.]

The System called out for Lu Sheng but he was deeply lost in his consciousness.

The dark goo started bubbling and suddenly it came alive like a swamp slime monster. It covered the Spirit Bead as it started to take form.

[HOST!]

However, Lu Sheng was not there. 

 As the dark goo enveloped the Spirit Bead, it began to writhe and churn. With a horrifying gurgle, the goo started to take shape, as it looked like it was reforming back into the grotesque man-wolf figure. It pulsed with even more malevolent energy, its dark form visibly strengthened. The dark gooey tendrils that dripped from its body lashed out, gripping the glowing orb tightly and siphoning its power.

With Lu Sheng not there to take action, the System stayed passive as it witnessed the monster return to its previous form, its body, its power and now it is looking even more ferocious and powerful with bulging muscles rippling with visible energy running through it.

The size of the Spirit Bead shrinks as more and more power is sucked out from it. 

Finally, the fur took over but dark and luscious, not dirty like before. As its form finally completed, standing on its two feet like a human it opened its eyes, a sinister light glowed in its eyes as it turned its gaze towards the System-controlled Lu Sheng.

However, instead of seeing fear or terror in Lu Sheng's eyes, they saw nothing, no emotion as if it didn't matter at all. It does not know Lu Sheng is now controlled by the System. It growled under its breath when Lu Sheng raised the Cane of Obedience in a defensive stance.

The monster's eyes changed when saw the cane and a lingering fear returned to its eyes. However, a defiance was still growling within him. As if it could think, it tried to make sense of his situation. 

_AWOOOOOO_

It let out a loud howl and then got silent. 

_AWOOO_ _WO_ WO_WOOO_ AWOOOOH_

Several howls echoed far in every direction as the shadows started to converge toward them.

The System, still in control of Lu Sheng's body, didn't move. The situation is turning bad from worse and the only thing, the only instruction System has is to protect Lu Sheng, so far no physical harm hasn't been initiated yet so it cannot take any action.

As the shadows closed in, the System looked around for a way out or something to defend against the approaching beasts. But there was nowhere to hide in the barren landscape, and the beasts were getting closer, making the situation seem hopeless.

Several wolves came out of the shadows growling, and snarling as they all took their position, surrounding Lu Sheng, ready to pounce when the beast in front growled. All the wolves took a few steps back.

It looked at Lu Sheng, its sinister red eyes dimmed as if a reason had taken over. It raised its claw-like hands and caressed the Spirit Bead glowing in his chest and then pointed at it.

[What?]

The Beast stood there waiting for an answer.

[This beast? Does it want more Spirit Beads?]

"You want more?" Lu Sheng's lips moved and the System asked.

The Beast's eyes narrowed as if trying to understand and then nodded.

[It can understand me?]

However, the System could not choose what to do next, it needed Lu Sheng for this.

The Beast waited for an answer as a suffocating silence took over.