Chapter 8 Unbearable

"I always feel that our tests are rather whimsically far-fetched."

Dr. Xiao Wang hadn't lost his rather troublesome job due to his previous timidity.

After all, at the Abnormal Human Research Center, even researchers and doctors ran the risk of becoming abnormal themselves.

As the philosophical saying goes, 'When you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.'

In the words of the research center, 'You think you are peeing into the abyss, but actually, the abyss is peeing on you.'

He looked at Bai Xiuchu standing with Ji Tianqi, his tone tinged with inexplicable envy and jealousy.

"His ability is completely fantastical, there isn't even a secret manual, can he really absorb other people's superpower energies? That's unscientific, and very twisted."

The person next to him frowned and spoke up, "I understand calling it unscientific, but how is it twisted?"

"Twisted in its strength," replied Dr. Xiao Wang matter-of-factly: "If he imagines that he can absorb others' energies at will, wouldn't he be able to advance from the tactical level to the strategic level, or even to the historical level, legendary level, mythical level in minutes?"

The world's superpower levels have eight distinct rankings: Single soldier level, tactical level, battle level, war level, strategic level, historical level, legendary level, mythical level.

"That sounds quite good though, a new mythical level powerhouse, especially in the Order Camp, would be a welcome boon for our world."

Dr. Xiao Wang's eyes and tone both grew strange as he reminded, "Have you forgotten again that he's got a mental illness?"

"... "

The discussion inside the safe house didn't reach the ears of those in the training area.

The four fully-armed security personnel did not immediately deactivate Luo Xiancheng's genetic lock, their brows furrowed beneath their face shields.

Because Bai Xiuchu didn't leave when she should have.

"I've thought it over, as Ji Tianqi's Guardian, I should choose to believe Ji Tianqi has the capability and willingness to protect me."

This unexpected development startled everyone behind the safety glass.

Soon someone urged urgently for the person in charge to order Bai Xiuchu to leave immediately. Others disagreed, supporting Bai Xiuchu's rationale, especially given Ji Tianqi's increasing strength.

The person in charge quickly decided.

"Bai Xiuchu can stay."

It really wasn't dangerous, since the weapons held by the four security personnel could easily knock down Luo Xiancheng instantly.

Although he was a tactical level superpower user, his physical constitution wasn't much different from an ordinary person, and the effects of tranquilizer and taser guns were very effective.

In the spacious training area, after Ji Tianqi nodded, the security personnel finally removed the genetic lock from Luo Xiancheng's neck.

Throughout the process, Luo Xiancheng remained silent.

His expression and gaze unchanged, he looked like a man already dead.

Only when Ji Tianqi stood in front of him and placed a hand on his shoulder did he finally look towards Ji Tianqi.

His gaze focused, brightening slightly, as if he saw some kind of hope.

He spoke in a hoarse, raspy voice.

"Take it away... Must take... it away!"

Ji Tianqi sighed internally, as he actually had no certainty.

He practiced Beiming Skill, which could only absorb Inner Strength from others, not any superpower that devoured and absorbed other people's superpower energy.

The research center shouldn't have told Luo Xiancheng so soon.

But that was unavoidable, since the majority of the center's patients were not real criminals, thus requiring the patients' authorization to proceed with corresponding research projects.

That included Luo Xiancheng.

His crime was just an accident. The person who suffering the most was, and could only be, him.

"Okay!"

As Ji Tianqi responded, he suddenly wished he really was mentally ill, that the martial arts he possessed were just his fantasies, just a new superpower he had awakened.

If that were the case, he could somewhat alleviate Luo Xiancheng's guilt and pain.

The training area quieted down, and Ji Tianqi released his hold.

He sat cross-legged, indicating for Luo Xiancheng to do the same, and Luo Xiancheng complied, sitting cross-legged on the ground.

Then, Ji Tianqi reached out again, placing his hand over Luo Xiancheng's Dantian.

This action made everyone behind the safety glass frown.

Basing on their decade-long research into superpowers, they were certain that the energy of an Energy-type superpower user wasn't located in the Dantian.

According to their research, the energy possessed by superpower users was distributed throughout the body, present in every cell.

Like the genetic information in human genetic genes.

Thus, Ji Tianqi's even more earnest and devoted effort seemed to them quite redundant.

But noticing Luo Xiancheng's expression and his again vacant gaze, they held their tongues, instead feeling a flicker of hope.

When dealing with patients like Ji Tianqi and Luo Xiancheng, their attitudes were much more favorable than when dealing with criminals.

"This has to be successful!"

Xiao Wu shouted out, though his voice didn't carry inside.

Others clenched their fists, their anxiety spiking.

Of course, there were always some people who remained indifferent to matters that did not concern their own interests, like Little Wang.

And that wasn't wrong.

The vast majority of troubles in the world stem from people not learning and living by two phrases— 'none of my business' and 'none of your business.'

But if everyone in the world chose to live by these phrases, the world would not be far from destruction.

Inside the training field.

Ji Tianqi finally activated the Beiming Skill he had just learned, which was actually of a higher realm than the Nine Yang Skill.

In his eighty years of Inner Strength, seventy years were derived from the Beiming Skill.

This made the transformation between them considerably easy.

After the Beiming Skill truly activated, he could feel the inner strength within his Dantian suddenly become a vortex.

It was as if a massive hole had appeared in the ocean, and the seawater began pouring into it crazily.

Not just in the Dantian, but also in many acupuncture points, vortices formed by inner strength likewise emerged.

A tremendous suction force was generated from this, from outside to inside, as if an ancient colossal beast that had been sleeping for years finally awoke and opened its abyss-like maw to feed.

[Our sect's martial arts prioritize accumulating inner strength as the primary essence. With substantial inner strength, "all martial arts under the heaven are mine to command," just like Beiming, where big and small boats are carried, and big and small fish are housed.]

In Ji Tianqi's mind, the tenet of the Beiming Skill emerged.

[All martial arts under the heaven are mine to command!]

[What does one seek in practicing martial arts? Nothing but extraordinary and transcendent power.]

[Since that's the case, why isn't extraordinary and transcendent superpower considered a form of martial art?]

One idea after another flashed through his mind, each one resolute. Just as firmly as he believed he was not mentally ill, the superpower he possessed was like having crossed into a High Martial World.

The suction force formed by the large and small vortices within his body was forcibly suppressed by him, and there were no changes around him or in the external environment, as if he had never exerted any effort.

But it was just to stimulate the 'greed' within the heart and the Beiming Skill, a hunger so unbearable that it was like seeing delicious food before one's eyes but not being able to eat it, only increasing the hunger like quenching thirst by looking at plums.

[When you can no longer endure, you don't have to endure anymore.]

[Start absorbing!]

Ji Tianqi suddenly released the restrictions on himself, and an uncontrollable suction force took effect.

A unique energy flowed from Luo Xiancheng's body into Ji Tianqi's palms, and by the time it surged into the Dantian through the meridians, it had already transformed into Beiming Inner Power.

The lifeless, hollow-eyed Luo Xiancheng suddenly focused, with a bright light emerging from his eyes.

He felt it.

His expression was astonished, then delighted, and finally, manic.

His body started to tremble, and the energy he couldn't fully control was vanishing within his body.

His lips quivered, seemingly wanting to say something, but ultimately nothing was said, as he manically activated the energy within his body.

The target was Ji Tianqi.

However, his control over the energy was far too weak. A cold aura instantly formed, sweeping across the surroundings.

The fully-armed four security personnel uncontrollably shuddered, as if suddenly placed inside a freezer, and that too in a thoroughly wet condition.

They felt as if their bodies were being encased in ice, which instinctively made them want to use their weapons to control Luo Xiancheng.

"Don't attack!"

Equally freezing Bai Xiuchu, with her hands awkwardly crossed in front, chattered her teeth and shouted.

She, who was adept at observing expressions and gazes and had been continuously monitoring the changes in Luo Xiancheng and Ji Tianqi's expressions.

Was very certain at this moment that Ji Tianqi's Beiming Skill was effective.

"It's okay, it's okay."

Bai Xiuchu repeated.

"The situation is still under control, the experiment succeeded, this is just uncontrolled energy dispersion."

"He isn't trying to harm anyone!"

The security personnel did not trust Bai Xiuchu, even though they all knew that she came from the Security Administration Bureau.

After all, if everything were really fine, how could she possibly have been transferred from a higher-ranked Security Administration Bureau to this research institute to be a guardian for a mentally ill patient?

"Listen to her!"

The person in charge inside the security room shouted into the communicator.

Though they themselves did not feel the cold inside the training area, they could confirm the temperature around Luo Xiancheng through various surveillance devices, which had plummeted from 21 degrees Celsius to minus 35 degrees Celsius.

"It's okay," the person in charge said somewhat nervously, "If Luo Xiancheng were making a move, everything around him would already be directly encased in ice!"

Everyone recalled the tragic incident at the beginning of Luo Xiancheng's awakening noted in his file, slightly alleviating their tension.

Yes, if he were really attacking, the scene would not look like this.

Thus, everyone began exclaiming in astonishment.

"Is it really effective?"

"Damn, the Beiming Skill actually can absorb superpower energy."

"This is illogical. этоz это не illogical. это illogical. Martial arts are martial arts, and superpowers are superpowers."

"I think it makes sense because Ji Tianqi doesn't know martial arts. Did you forget again? He's mentally ill? His martial arts are all his superpowers!"

"So this… a superpower to devour others' superpowers?"

"Invincible!"

"No, no, no, we can't be sure yet."

"Yes, we need to confirm whether he only absorbed the energy or also absorbed the superpowers altogether. And whether his absorption is permanent deprivation or consumptive weakening."

"The Beiming Skill, after absorption, seems to cause one to completely lose their power, right? I think it's permanent deprivation."

"Did you all forget again? He's mentally ill! He doesn't know martial arts! No martial arts at all! It's all superpowers!"

"…"

"Oh no!"

The discussion suddenly paused, as someone exclaimed, "Ji Tianqi is being encased in ice!"

In the training area, a layer of frost appeared on Ji Tianqi's body and continued to thicken.

The person in charge immediately wanted to order the experiment to stop, as the 'invincible' Ji Tianqi must not encounter any mishaps, at least not under their watch.

But Bai Xiuchu called out again.

"It's okay, it's okay. He knows the Nine Yang Skill, the Nine Yang Skill!"

"…"