...
...
Sun Hang has been locked in this special room for seven days now—assuming they send meals three times a day.
It is a spacious room made entirely of mirrors on the floor, four walls, and ceiling. The only furniture is a set of metal table and chairs welded to the floor, a single bed also welded down, and a flush toilet in the corner.
After Sun Hang watched helplessly as that humanoid monster descended from the sky and tore Bloody Mary to pieces, he was brought here.
Every so often, a corner of the ceiling opens up, and a robotic arm extends out to place a tray of food on the table, retrieving the dishes after Sun Hang finishes eating.
Each day's "prison meal" is quite lavish, with a standard four dishes and one soup, including fish and meat, fresh vegetables, with desserts and fruit after the meal. Occasionally, luxurious foods like steak and shark fin soup appear.
Sun Hang once loudly questioned why he was being confined here, but received no response... yet, when he mentioned being thirsty, the robotic arm instantly delivered a bottle of pure water to him.
In a certain sense, this 'prison life' where everything is provided is not so bad, except for that damn light.
The light in this room never goes off, even when he sleeps.
The light hidden behind the mirrors shines through the glass, reflecting multiple times inside the room until it's fully illuminated. Sun Hang can only barely fall asleep by burying his head in the pillow, but if he so much as turns his head, the light immediately seeps through the gaps in his eyelids and projects onto his retina.
And worst of all, due to the lack of day and night change in the room, Sun Hang's concept of time has become very blurry. Many times his eyes are bloodshot, but he still cannot summon any drowsiness.
Prolonged disruptions in sleep easily lead to a state of nervous exhaustion, fatigue, tension, irritability... all kinds of negative emotions deepening over time...
On the first day, Sun Hang managed to stay calm, attempting to ask questions periodically even without receiving any answers in return.
On the second day, he stopped asking questions and began pacing back and forth in the room repeatedly.
On the third day, he smashed a tray, but the robotic arm quickly delivered new food and cleaned up the mess.
On the fourth day, he tried pulling the chair up from the floor, but failed.
On the fifth day, Sun Hang made no extra movements, sitting at the table staring blankly at it, remaining so unless sleeping or using the toilet.
On the sixth day, he remained quietly seated without making a sound.
On the seventh day, after Sun Hang finished the twentieth meal delivered by the robotic arm, the wall directly in front of him finally changed.
The mirror became transparent glass, and behind it, two men and a woman were watching him expressionlessly.
"Congratulations, Mr. Sun Hang," the woman among the three clapped lightly, her voice transmitted through the glass into the room, "You have successfully preserved your human soul."
Sun Hang found the woman's face somewhat familiar. She looked similar to the civil servant who came to the hospital to have him sign the 'slave contract', but he was sure they were not the same person.
"What do you mean?" Sun Hang asked.
"You were infected by the Deceit Virus but didn't lose your conscious self-awareness and haven't shown any physical mutations either," spoke an old man in an electric wheelchair, "Despite your infection level being only 0.17%, it remains a very rare case."
"I've been infected by the Deceit Virus? Then why didn't you administer the medicine?" Sun Hang squinted his eyes.
The special medicine to suppress 'deformation' was developed a century ago, and it's by relying on this drug that humans barely survive under the attack of mysterious creatures.
"Too late," sighed the man in the wheelchair, "According to the test results, you were already infected by the Deceit Virus during your last encounter with a mysterious creature—when you lost your memory. You've missed the window for administering the medication."
"So?" Sun Hang continued questioning.
"So now, you've become a special individual possessing mysterious creature abilities but still retaining human will," the old man stated, "I now officially invite you to join us as a 'Mysterious Creature Hunter'."
"Mysterious Creature Hunter?" Sun Hang recalled the woman who descended from the sky, "You mean those specializing in hunting mysterious creatures?"
"Yes, the Investigation Bureau in each city actually serves the Mysterious Creature Hunters. The investigators are responsible for collecting the whereabouts and clues about mysterious creatures, then pass this information on to the Hunters, who with the appropriate abilities, eliminate those invading human territories," the man in the wheelchair explained, "Only the power from mysterious creatures can counter them. It's ironic, but that's the reality."
"What if I don't want to risk my life for you?" Sun Hang asked.
"We do not force any infected person to become a Hunter," continued the man in the wheelchair, "However, if everyone who gains power only thinks of saving themselves, humanity would have vanished from this land two hundred years ago. Besides, do you know what type of Deceit Virus you've been infected with?"
"What type?"
"The perpetrator of that attack incident is a mysterious creature with the serial number C9, 'Taotie'. To be precise, a clone of Taotie. The Deceit Virus you've been infected with also originates from Taotie, and as for what impact it may have on you, you should have already experienced it firsthand."
"So, my ability is related to 'eating'?" Sun Hang recalled the intense hunger he felt, but it seemed to only occur when facing a mysterious creature.
"Taotie's most significant characteristic is the ability to undergo power changes by devouring other mysterious creatures," the man in the wheelchair elaborated, "You need to hunt mysterious creatures regularly to satisfy your desire... Staying away from them can temporarily suppress this desire, but once the accumulated craving finally erupts, things will become completely uncontrollable."
"As long as you join us," the woman who spoke initially continued, "even if you're unable to hunt mysterious creatures successfully, we will find ways to solve the 'appetite' problem for you."
"Let other hunters catch mysterious creatures for me to eat?" Sun Hang tilted his head, "That makes me sound like a useless freeloader."
"That's one possible solution," said the woman, "Additionally, we have ways to make you stronger, enabling you to acquire the ability to hunt mysterious creatures independently."
"But the premise is that you must pass the examination," said another middle-aged man clad in a brown-gray tactical suit with an aura of decisiveness between his brows, taking over the conversation, "Only by passing the assessment can you become a 'legitimate' Hunter."