[Looking at this swarm of human ants trying to imprison you, you feel nothing but contempt.]
[You are the great King of Black Magic; even in death, you must choose the most spectacular demise.]
[You howl at the sky, activating your Taunt skill.]
[Enemies within a one-kilometer radius are affected by your roar. Some transform into humanoid beasts and charge at you.]
[Those unable to transform unleash their strongest attacks.]
[Facing a monster like you, standing over ten meters tall, they look like comical, miniature dolls.]
[Thirteen seconds later, you died!]
[This simulation has ended!]
[You can choose rewards by consuming Simulation Points.]
[Reward Contents: Seed of Parasitism (Talent), Gene Enhancer-White (Item), Federation Coins (Item), Mysterious Black Stone (Item), Bundled Research Data (Item), Various Adult Toys (Item)...]
[Parasitism]: Dark-type Purple Talent, requires 1,000 Simulation Points.
[Gene Enhancer]: Green Item, requires 2 Simulation Points per vial. (A genetic modification potion that can repair genetic defects and enhance physical fitness to a certain degree.)
(Note: Becomes ineffective after reaching a certain level of physical fitness.)
[A Mountain of Federation Coins]: White Item, requires 1 Simulation Point. (A heap of worthless trash.)
[Mysterious Black Stone]: Green Item, requires 2 Simulation Points per piece. (An energy body that can promote Black Demon evolution. Side effects are unknown.)
[Bundled Research Data]: White Item, requires 1 Simulation Point. (A heap of messy trash.)
[Various Adult Toys]: White Item, requires 1 Simulation Point. (Uninteresting objects that satisfy base human desires.)
...
[Inherit Physical State]: Consume 100 Simulation Points to inherit the strongest human physique from the simulation's result.
He can actually use skills? I could just die! But he was getting beaten senseless. Was that also because of the title's effect? If I remember correctly, the Taunt skill lasts for thirty seconds, so the post-mortem beating must have...
Chen Pingchuan quickly cut off that line of thought and muttered, "Unequip Title."
He decided that unless it was an absolute emergency, he would never again wear this accursed title.
Having dealt with that, Chen Pingchuan refocused on the simulation rewards.
The options were numerous and varied. A dense wall of information filled his vision, taking a full half-minute to load completely. He began to record, organize, and filter the data, ultimately discovering to his chagrin that aside from a few powerful items, the vast majority was useless garbage.
He glanced at his personal panel.
[Remaining Simulation Points: 196]
[Remaining Simulation Attempts: 6]
Although the side effects of the purple talent, Parasitism, are terrifying, it's undeniably powerful! If my simulated self hadn't acted with such arrogance, and had instead relied on the horrifying power of Parasitism, it wouldn't have been impossible for me to become the most powerful individual in the Great Ming nation decades later. My current Simulation Points are nowhere near enough to redeem the Parasitism talent. But if I miss this reward, I might never get another chance. Not in this lifetime.
Chen Pingchuan fell silent for a moment.
Side effects? As if I'd care about a few side effects when immortality is on the table. It looks like everything else has to be put on hold. I'm going to Wang Mazi's second-hand repair shop to get my energy crystal back right now.
Even though it was still daytime, Chen Pingchuan felt he couldn't wait a single moment longer. If he didn't get his hands on this purple-grade skill, even his boxed lunch would taste bland.
Tsk! What a loser. You're a billionaire now, why the hell are you still thinking about boxed lunches? I'll just buy out that Spring City Celestial Heaven in the city's south district, the one that boasts a hundred-year history. From now on, their chefs will cook exclusively for me. Don't ask why. The answer is: I'm just that loaded. Money is no object.
Although the future looked bright, he couldn't be careless about the present.
Chen Pingchuan closed his notebook, placed it in a drawer, and got up to leave.
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
A series of hurried knocks suddenly echoed from the door.
Chen Pingchuan's expression tensed. He took a swift step to the side of the door and asked softly, "Who is it?"
"Brother Chuanzi, it's me, Guo Yihang."
Hearing the voice from outside, Chen Pingchuan let out a sigh of relief. But then, his eyes inadvertently swept over the sleeping Black Demon One, and his expression froze.
"Ah... Fatty, it's you. Hang on a second, I'm just getting dressed."
Chen Pingchuan feigned a yawn as an excuse for not opening the door right away. At the same time, he rushed over to Black Demon One and, under its groggy stare, unceremoniously shoved it under the bed.
After all, Black Demon One had mutated from a human and hadn't undergone many evolutions yet, so it was still a small creature, roughly human-sized. It barely fit into the space under the bed. Just barely.
After pulling the bedsheet down to hang over the side, Chen Pingchuan finally opened the door, pretending he had just finished dressing.
Sure enough, Guo Yihang's first reaction upon entering wasn't to get straight to the point. Instead, he casually scanned the rental unit, a flicker of disappointment in his eyes when he found nothing out of the ordinary. But then his gaze fell upon the fragments in the trash can, and a teasing grin spread across his face.
"Bro, you're getting pretty wild these days, huh?"
Guo Yihang genuinely hadn't expected his brother, who was always so calm and composed in his memory, to have such a crazy side.
Chen Pingchuan's mild smile froze on his face. Wild my ass, he cursed silently. That has absolutely nothing to do with me.
But he couldn't say that out loud. Feeling incredibly stifled, Chen Pingchuan had no choice but to change the subject. "What brings you here?"
Seeing Chen Pingchuan's serious demeanor, Guo Yihang reined in his teasing. "Uh, Brother Dafu sent me."
Chen Pingchuan replied noncommittally, "Go on. There's no one else here."
Guo Yihang glanced around the small room. Did I not sleep well last night? he wondered. Why do I keep feeling like something is watching me? It's not a ghost, is it?!
As his imagination ran wild, a chill crept up his toes, which were sticking out of his sandals. Guo Yihang's scalp prickled. The hair-raising sensation was so strong that not even Chen Pingchuan's presence could alleviate it.
He hurriedly relayed the message he was sent to deliver. "Brother Dafu wanted me to tell you that young people should be serious about their relationships. Don't start something lightly, and don't end it easily. Plenty of young people get into trouble over matters of the heart."
"He also said it's not good for anyone that way."
"Finally, Brother Dafu said he knows you'll understand what he means, so he won't say more. He just hopes you won't make the wrong choice out of impulse or for a bit of fun."
"After all, some people aren't in the same league as us."
"Hmph."
Chen Pingchuan just grunted in acknowledgement. He understood Li Dafu was warning him. Xia Qingxue certainly made a strong first impression: noble, elegant, with a commanding presence. Since Li Dafu was unsure about their relationship, he'd sent Guo Yihang with a message: her background was not to be trifled with, and he shouldn't play with fire.
Chen Pingchuan was grateful for Li Dafu's concern. He was a true friend.
Just as he was about to speak, he noticed Guo Yihang was already tiptoeing toward the door, ready to flee.
Chen Pingchuan quickly called out to him. "Fatty, wait!"
Guo Yihang's body stiffened. He turned around, a bitter smile on his face. "Bro, I'm scared!"