"I don't like that thing," Sun Hang said bluntly.
"The Beastification Inhibitor is a special drug developed for her by the lab, and you don't even get the chance to use it," Yang Qi said. "Besides, your infection process is very stable, and there's no sign of mutation in your body. You can completely live like a normal person."
"But that also means I'm very weak right now, right?" Sun Hang looked at his hand. "Other than knowing I'm an infected carrier of the Deceit Virus, and often drooling over mysterious creatures, it seems there's nothing particularly special about me anymore..."
"Every Hunter has to discover their own abilities, and your source of infection is extremely special," Yang Qi said. "So far, you're the only human infected by the Taotie."
"Is Taotie that special?" Sun Hang asked.
"Very special, because it typically only devours other mysterious creatures and has never infected anything else... Your appearance is enough to turn dozens of research papers on Taotie into a pile of waste paper," Yang Qi said, her expression somewhat complex. "Moreover, the potential of Taotie's abilities is very strong, for example..."
Yang Qi paused here, glancing sidelong at Wang Xiyi, who was leaning on the balcony railing gazing into the distance. "Hypothetically, if you ate her, there's a high probability you'll acquire the Beastification ability of 'Night Slayer.' This ability could be a defective version, or it could be a stronger evolutionary version."
"So, all I have to do is keep devouring mysterious creatures to become stronger?"
"In theory, yes, but doing so is very risky," Yang Qi raised three fingers. "First, some mysterious creatures have conflicting characteristics and abilities; if you devour these two kinds of creatures simultaneously, it's likely to cause 'food poisoning'; second, there are some mysterious creatures far stronger than you, even stronger than Taotie; you can't digest their abilities when you devour them, and you'll be overpowered or reverse-assimilated by them; third, every time you devour a mysterious creature, it's like being re-infected with the Deceit Virus... Taotie itself is a mysterious creature, so it naturally fears nothing. But you're different. Every devouring brings you a step closer to becoming a mysterious creature, and a step further from being human."
"Sounds like this ability has significant side effects," Sun Hang smacked his lips, also glancing at the delicious dish garnished with cilantro on the balcony.
If he were to eat Wang Xiyi, would he be the one eating cilantro every day?
Just the thought of it was enough to send shivers down Sun Hang's spine.
"Very significant, and we have very little information about Taotie... I still haven't figured out why the teacher assigned me as your direct supervisor. Logically, someone like you, an 'important specimen,' should be handled by the teacher personally," Yang Qi sighed.
"Maybe your teacher already sees you as their successor," Sun Hang said casually, pushing open the villa's gate and walking in.
The villa's door used a biometric lock. Just as Sun Hang walked in, without even touching the doorknob, he heard a "click," and the latch automatically retracted.
"I entered your identification information into the door lock while at the lab," Yang Qi said. "From now on, this is your new home."
Sun Hang entered the villa, looking around — the interior layout was very spacious, with hardly any trace of the previous owner's residence; all furniture and daily necessities were replaced with new ones. A flat, round robot vacuum was making its rounds on the smooth floor of the hallway.
"Satisfied?" Yang Qi asked.
"Pretty good," Sun Hang opened the refrigerator to find it stocked full, with fresh fish, vegetables, and fruits, as well as ready-to-eat meals that only needed a microwave.
"If you need a housekeeper or maid, we can arrange one," Yang Qi said. "However, most Hunters prefer to live alone, except for that one fellow who sacrificed himself last time..."
"What happened to that guy?"
"He didn't ask for a housekeeper or maid, but applied to the lab for three young, beautiful girls to live with him," Yang Qi said somewhat helplessly.
"And you agreed?"
"We agreed, but we only sent one person over."
"Who?"
"Wang Xiyi... she directly broke three of that guy's ribs, crushed two of his fingers... After that, he never dared to make such a request again," Yang Qi said.
"Wang Xiyi is that strong?"
"Among all the Mysterious Creature Hunters in the Xiazhou Federation, her strength is one of the top-ranking... It's just a pity that her time is likely running short," Yang Qi said, sighing.
"Why? Is she going to die soon?"
"When she first came to Tianfu City, the injection frequency of the Inhibitor was once every half month, and now, it's increased so much that she needs four injections a day just to barely maintain her human form," Yang Qi said. "Although the Inhibitor has iterated to the fifth generation, the effects are getting worse. Once the Inhibitor becomes completely ineffective for her, she might never return to being human again."
"Can she maintain human self-awareness in beastification form?"
"It's difficult. Human self-awareness fades in beastification form. Short-term beastification might not have much of an impact... But if one remains in beastification form for a long time, it's just a matter of time before completely losing humanity and becoming a mysterious creature," Yang Qi's tone carried a slight hint of concern.
"..." Sun Hang was silent for a few seconds, then took an apple from the fridge and took a bite.
"Alright, stay here for today; I'm heading back to the lab. If you need anything or have any questions, just call me," Yang Qi said. "The phone issued by the Investigation Bureau to you has all its restrictions lifted, and of course, you can get a new phone if you want."
"Take care, no farewell; drive safely," Sun Hang said, biting into the apple as he sat on the sofa.
After Yang Qi left, the spacious villa immediately turned cold and silent, with only the faint "shush" sound of the robot vacuum passing by.
"New home..." Sun Hang looked around the interior decor once more, muttering, "This will be my home from now on..."
He fished the metal nametag from his pocket, gently rubbing the words "Sun Hang" on it with his thumb... For a moment, a strange thought popped into Sun Hang's head.
"If only this nametag were gold."
But just as his thumb brushed over the nametag again, the originally silver-white stainless steel was somehow coated with a golden hue!
Before Sun Hang could register his shock, the sharp pain that hadn't appeared in ages surged intensely from deep within his brain!