[Skullcrusher’s Hand] was gone

Clark had witnessed the power of the Psychic Impact from the Crimson Variant. Unlike conventional attack methods, it was nearly impossible to dodge, and one could only resist it with sheer willpower. The stunning effect it carried was incredibly potent.

In a battle, if the opponent were to be momentarily stunned by every Psychic Impact, how could they compete with Clark?

The battles between Variants and Awakeners amplified any mistakes infinitely. A slight opening could lead to a fatal blow. As for the [Soul Gauntlet]'s "Soul Scream" skill, it was nothing short of god-tier on the battlefield. It could indiscriminately damage enemies within its range, and it didn't require expending one's own psychic power.

This meant an extra skill every day, effectively allowing Clark to fight alongside another psychic Awakener!

As for the description of the second special effect, "Soul Devour," Clark was somewhat puzzled. Consuming souls to replenish psychic power was an effect he had never heard of, and without experimentation, he couldn't be sure how it would work.

However, he thought it should be another means of restoring psychic power. He ran his hands over the glove, feeling its cold texture and light weight. The pressure he had been carrying from defeating [The Stitcher] was now lifted.

He felt relieved. With this epic-level equipment, he no longer had to worry about the disparity in strength as he had before. Just the total attribute increase of +6 would allow him to easily outclass [The Stitcher] in pure physical terms. After all, no matter how strong [The Stitcher] was, it was still only a Tier 2 entity, with attributes not exceeding 30 points at most.

And the effect of inflicting Psychic Impact with every attack, which controlled damage and stun effects as one, was truly formidable. Six slashes in a second would subject the enemy to six stun effects.

With just this, Clark was confident that he could quickly defeat [The Stitcher]! The attached "Soul Scream" skill also compensated for his current lack of area-of-effect damage.

He had been worried about the large number of zombies inside the WD Square, but with this skill, the problem would be easily solved.

Even the psychic impact that he couldn't withstand, let alone the ordinary zombies with typically 0-1 points of willpower. Clark didn't know why the team from his previous life that obtained the gloves didn't complete them. If they had known how exaggerated the attributes would become after completing the gloves, survivors from the entire Southeastern War Zone of China would have done everything they could to find the missing parts.

Clark made an effort to calm his emotions, feeling deeply moved. "[The Stitcher], I'm coming! Dirk and Viola, you don't have to wait for seven days anymore, and you don't need to worry. I now have the confidence to slay [The Stitcher] and save you."

A tear welled up in Clark's eye. The siblings were the only people he cared about, and now he finally had the assurance to complete the mission. How could he not be excited?

Beside Clark, Black Serpent's eyes were filled with curiosity. It couldn't quite understand why Clark's emotions were fluctuating so dramatically.

Clark noticed the curiosity in Black Serpent's eyes and smiled slightly. Human emotions, complex and precious.

"Let's give it a try!" Clark eagerly put on the glove, ready to test it out. However, in the moment he put on the glove, a cold, mechanical notification from the system instantly sounded:

"Ding, you have lost [Soul Gauntlet] epic equipment (orange)."

As resilient as Clark's mental fortitude was, he couldn't help but burst out with profanity upon hearing the notification of losing the equipment.

In front of him, the long, slender Black Serpent, reacting at a speed far exceeding Clark's, swiftly swallowed the [Soul Gauntlet] in one gulp. Its speed was so fast that Clark almost thought it had vanished into thin air.

If it weren't for the bulging and the saliva residue on Black Serpent's abdomen and the glove remaining in his hand, he might have thought it was all an illusion. The glove was inside the serpent's belly. Black Serpent let out a satisfied burp, appearing somewhat lazy.

"Delicious!" came the childlike voice from Black Serpent, exuding contentment. But to Clark's ears, it was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky. One moment, he had been in heaven, and the next, he felt like he was in hell.

Clark stared at Black Serpent intensely, suppressing the urge to strangle the snake. He couldn't win in a fight, and if he attacked, he would certainly be the one to die.

The epic-level equipment he had just obtained was gone, along with his chances of saving Viola and Dirk. Clark felt disoriented. If it weren't for his strong mental fortitude, an ordinary person would have a hard time accepting such a dramatic turn of events.

With the glove swallowed, it also meant that his own [Skullcrusher's Hand] was gone.

In just a few seconds, the glove that had been swallowed by Black Serpent seemed to have been completely digested, and the previously listless serpent regained its vitality.

In an instant, Clark understood. No wonder Black Serpent had saved him and shown a pleasing expression. It seemed that Black Serpent didn't intend to give him the epic equipment but rather wanted to use him because he had the system to merge the two pieces of equipment.

Clark couldn't help but bitterly smile. He had been overly sentimental. In the real world, there were no such good deeds. He wasn't a protagonist in a novel, where everything would come his way.

It was over, everything was over.

Without the +5 Strength provided by [Skullcrusher's Hand], he didn't know how he would confront [The Stitcher]. A 5-point difference in strength required leveling up by two tiers to compensate for it. 

A two-tier difference meant that the number of mutants needed to level up increased exponentially, regardless of player level or Awakener level. Going from Tier 1 to Tier 2 required defeating 4 mutants, while going from Tier 2 to Tier 3 required defeating 8 mutants. That added up to 12 mutants, and it was uncertain whether he could even handle them.

Searching for targets in the city was extremely difficult, and being surrounded by zombies and mutants could lead to certain death. Clark felt helpless and defeated.

After a long while, zombies started to appear around the pit that had been cleared by the Crimson Variant. They roared, only interested in flesh and blood, paying no attention to Clark's current state. He refused to let negative emotions disturb him any longer.

Clark forced himself to climb out of the pit. Although he had recovered somewhat, his strength was only at about 10% of its peak. He gathered his resolve, knowing that as long as he was alive, there was hope. If he were to be surrounded by zombies, he might not be able to fight his way out.

As for Black Serpent, Clark didn't harbor much resentment. Whether it had saved him intentionally or unintentionally, just the fact that it had spared his life was enough. As for the equipment, it was lost, and there was no use dwelling on it. As long as he was alive, anything was possible.

"Arnold, have you found anything on your end? If not, let's head back now!"

Given his current injuries, it would take at least two days to recover to the best of his abilities. Time was of the essence, and he couldn't afford to linger in the hospital.

Unfortunately, he hadn't had a chance to check the room where Lynn's mother was. There would be another opportunity to fulfill his promise.

Clark stood up, paying no attention to the Black Serpent still engrossed in digesting its "delicious meal." He had no intention of getting entangled with the snake. The disparity in strength was too great, and if this mysterious Black Serpent made any sudden moves, he wouldn't even have a chance to resist.

Rather than relying on the snake's disposition, he preferred to keep his distance to be on the safe side. He wasn't living for himself alone now; he still held hope for the survival of Dirk and Viola.