As expected, the Suiyang in this simulation was not the "Suihuang" at all, not even a direct descendant. He was just one of the thousands of ordinary Suiyang on the Xianzhou, recently born and utterly unremarkable. A standard-issue grunt.
"Tch…"
Jiang Mo clicked his tongue, quickly adjusting his mindset. So what if it wasn't the Suihuang? Couldn't a grunt still rack up points? In fact, this offered even more freedom! At the very least, it had to be better than that useless Fuyan.
[Age 2: The Xianzhou civilization has not yet received the Arbor's gift. Mortals have limited lifespans. At this time, the Xianzhou still holds an open, even curious, attitude towards various off-world visitors, including the mysterious Suiyang. Many Xianzhou natives are addicted to the illusions woven by the Suiyang, viewing them as fortuitous encounters or divine revelations. The relationship between the two sides is in a delicate 'honeymoon phase.']
[The body you inhabit is named 'A-Yun,' an orphan who does chores at a restaurant on the Xianzhou Zhuming. His greatest wish is to receive the blessing of the Pharmacist and attain long life.]
[Age 3: You lurk within A-Yun's body, becoming a symbiont. Through his eyes, you observe the culture and customs of the Xianzhou Zhuming. The prosperity of the massive star-faring city is a true eye-opener. You also witness various scenes of Xianzhou natives and Suiyang coexisting: some worship Suiyang, praying for blessings; some use the Suiyang's power to handle their affairs; and some Suiyang create illusions to satisfy their hosts' desires in exchange for 'sustenance.']
[Age 4: Your host, A-Yun, is a kind and somewhat naive young man. He doesn't reject your presence; in fact, after learning that a "Suiyang spirit" resides within him, he feels somewhat honored. He yearns for long life and believes this might be a fated opportunity.]
[Gradually, you discover that A-Yun's mental strength is far inferior to your own. You can easily influence his emotions and, on occasion when he is extremely fatigued, you can briefly take control of his body to help him complete the strenuous work at the restaurant. A-Yun, far from being vigilant, revels in this. He believes that you, the "Suiyang spirit," are helping him, that you are his good partner.]
["Thank you, spirit. I couldn't have moved those sacks of rice today without you," A-Yun says one night, lying in his humble dwelling with a smile on his face.]
[Foolish Xianzhou native, you think to yourself. But this is good. It will make my plans easier.]
[Age 5: You discover that you are different from other Suiyang. Besides possessing a host, you have another skill. By consuming mental energy, you can make threads appear around you, visible only to you, which you can use to sense everything in your surroundings. Taking advantage of your symbiosis with A-Yun, you begin to experiment with these threads.]
[A wave of mental energy is released from your body, transforming into countless, invisible, slender threads. They spread out silently from A-Yun's body, like living vines, clinging to walls, beams, the ground, and even floating dust particles. Soon, an invisible network covers the entire street where the restaurant is located. A stream of countless minute details flows into your consciousness: Old Wang's snores next door, the complaints of the clothier's wife across the street, the laughter of children on the corner, the password for the changing of the guard, and the mental fluctuations of other Suiyang communicating in the dark alleys… This sense of omniscient control is incredibly satisfying.]
[Age 6: The days pass peacefully. You continue to grow stronger by feeding on A-Yun's emotions and life force, while steadily expanding the range of your [Golden Threads] from a single street to a block, and then to an even larger area.]
[One day, as your "threads" are monitoring the area as usual, a conversation from deep within a heavily guarded mansion catches your attention.]
["...General, the reports concerning Suiyang are becoming more frequent," a worried voice says. "Possessions, disturbances... if this continues, I fear they will become a grave threat to the Xianzhou!"]
[A commanding voice replies, "Yes, I am aware. These rootless Suiyang have only just arrived on the Xianzhou and are already eager to cause trouble... Pass down the order to increase surveillance of Suiyang activities. If any overstep their bounds, arrest them immediately!"]
["Yes, sir! But... what about the Xianzhou natives who are in symbiosis with Suiyang?"]
["...Observe them for a while longer. If the Suiyang truly become a menace, we must act decisively!"]
[The conversation ends there. Hearing this, your heart sinks. The Xianzhou leadership is already on alert?]
[Age 7: On the Xianzhou Zhuming, a plague caused by the Suiyang is quietly spreading. The gossip on the streets is no longer about trivial matters, but about those who have "changed."]
["Old Li's daughter was fine yesterday, but today her eyes are completely vacant, like a wooden post!"]
["I know! Zhang the butcher from the south side, strong enough to flip an ox, suddenly went mad two days ago, biting everyone he saw and muttering incomprehensible nonsense!"]
[Panic spreads rapidly through the Zhuming, and more and more families lock their doors. Inhabiting A-Yun's body, you "see" all of this clearly through your web of threads. Countless invisible golden threads silently cling to the city, serving as your eyes and ears.]
["Is the possession wave coming...?" you sense. The natural evolution of a Suiyang involves three stages: absorption, possession, and consumption. When this instinct is unleashed without restraint, it is a devastating catastrophe for the host.]
[Age 8: The information captured by your Golden Threads is far more than just street-level rumors. You can now clearly hear the conversations of the Zhuming's high command.]
["...Those possessed by Suiyang are losing control, posing a severe threat to the Xianzhou's order."]
["We must take decisive action! If this continues, the Zhuming is in peril!"]
["The Artisanship Commission is urgently developing weapons specifically to counter the Suiyang. They must be deployed as soon as possible."]
["A cleansing operation is imperative!"]
[Hearing this, you understand that the Xianzhou leadership now views the Suiyang as a cancer that must be eradicated. A purge is inevitable.]
[Age 9: Your network of Golden Threads continues to expand, monitoring not only the Xianzhou natives but also locking onto other Suiyang. You discover that the Suiyang who have completely taken over their hosts' bodies are indeed terrifyingly powerful. They are no longer faint sparks but raging infernos, consuming everything of their host and turning them into puppets. You can clearly feel their immense power even through your Golden Threads.]
["Consumption..." A strong desire suddenly surges within you. It is the most primal instinct of a Suiyang: a hunger for its own kind. Consuming other Suiyang is the fastest way to grow stronger. Especially the powerful ones—a successful consumption would result in an explosive increase in power.]
[But reason tells you that now is not the time. Those fully possessed Suiyang are like blazing furnaces. If a small flame like you were to approach rashly, you would be instantly devoured. You need to wait for an opportunity.]