The heavy lid of the simulation pod hissed open, letting a cold puff of steam rise into the fluorescent light. Lin Chen gasped, chest heaving, body trembling from the extreme training simulation. Muscles ached. Joints burned.
But deep inside, something had shifted.
[System Notification: Combat Training Module Sync Complete. Scanning neural pathways for anomaly...][Scan Result: Latent psychic node detected. Initiate activation?][Activation successful. Skill Unlocked: Mental Interference Lv.1][Skill Description: Enables detection of surface-level thoughts and emotional fluctuations within a 5-meter radius. Triggers hostile intent warnings in combat.]
He blinked.
Then the world changed.
Whispers—faint, fragmented voices—surged into his awareness. Not spoken aloud. Not even sound.
Thoughts.
He staggered backward, bracing against the metallic wall. Nurses passed outside. Conversations echoed inside his skull—not their voices, but their minds.
"Damn, I forgot to clock out again. HR's gonna kill me..."
"Please don't assign me to the Erebus wing... those experiments freak me out."
His breath hitched. This was no longer theory or data—it was raw consciousness leaking through his perception.
[Skill Initialized: Passive field activated — Mental Radius Scan][Alert: Initial overload possible. Recommended usage limit: 20 minutes per session]
A tremor ran through his fingers. He clenched them slowly into fists.
He could read minds.
That evening, he was invited to a high-level board meeting at PolarisTech—one of the multinationals he'd recently absorbed through a hostile takeover. Zhao Yue, his ever-efficient assistant, leaned close as they walked.
"You're heading into a viper nest tonight," she whispered. "There's word Erebus planted someone. One of the directors. Data's been leaking."
He narrowed his eyes.
[New Side Mission Triggered: "Identify the Mole"][Objective: Use any method necessary to locate the Erebus informant][Reward: +100 System XP, +20,000 Gold]
Inside the boardroom, polished mahogany reflected the cold glow of digital stock charts. Nine directors. Nine masks. All pleasantries and handshakes.
Lin Chen sat down.
And listened.
"He doesn't suspect me. The files were routed through a shadow proxy. Erebus' shell server never leaves traces."
The voice echoed faintly in Lin Chen's mind—more thought than words. His eyes snapped to Director Wang, two seats away. Calm face. Polite smile. Guilt bleeding from his every neuron.
[Thought Detected: Classified data breach. Source confirmed — Wang Jitao.][Hostility Index: 34%. Lying probability: 93.6%]
Lin Chen's voice was cold.
"Director Wang, would you care to explain the Q3 outsourcing anomalies in the R&D budget?"
Wang blinked. "I believe Director Xu handled that particular segment."
[Lie Detected]
"How odd. Because your assistant logged into the encrypted server node at 2:13 a.m. last Tuesday. And pulled a file tagged 'Project Apex'."
Wang paled.
"I—I don't know what you're referring to—"
[Hostility Index Spike: 71%][Alert: Target preparing deflection or deception protocol]
Lin Chen tapped the screen embedded in the table. Surveillance footage floated mid-air—Wang's assistant, face caught in sharp clarity, accessing a classified terminal.
The room went dead silent.
"Tell me," Lin Chen said. "Would you rather confess now, or explain this to Erebus once I send them the footage?"
Wang broke. He slumped in his chair. Two other directors started sweating bullets.
By the end of the hour, security escorted two people away in handcuffs. Lin Chen didn't move once from his seat.
That night, in his penthouse suite overlooking the glittering skyline, Lin Chen stood in front of a full-length mirror. His eyes weren't just sharper now—they saw more.
More than faces. More than deals. More than power.
[Skill Progress: Mental Interference Lv.1 → 43% XP][Note: Defeating enemies with strong mental defenses will provide significant XP gains. Potential unlock: Mental Intrusion Lv.2]
He smirked faintly.
"This is just the beginning."
The screen blinked again.
[New Directive Unlocked: Investigate Multi-Host Network][Hint: You are not the only system bearer. Trust no one.]