In Zuo Bai’s mind, the chalkboard notes from the "orientation training" surfaced:

——[Features of the Seed Parasite]

1. Contraction and reformation of thorns (completes neural connections in 0.4 seconds)

2. Host’s memory is fully retained (consciousness contamination)

3. Ability amplification of 200%-300% (specific values depend on the host’s baseline)

4. Behavioral patterns shift to [Destiny] mode (madmen of the same kind)

The scene before him matched the notes precisely.

He saw that the parasitized warrior, his entire body writhing, thorns contracted back into his body like living creatures, forming dense black veins beneath his skin.

His damaged head was filled in by the thorns, yet the left side still retained the contours of his facial features from life, while the right side was entirely thorn-inflicted—a half-mask of grotesque black thorn fibers emerged from his eye sockets, nasal cavity, and auditory canal.

His eyeballs rolled wildly, scanning from Zuo Bai to every comrade around him.

He opened his mouth, thorns writhing between his teeth, and spoke in a familiar voice:

"Zuo Bai, A-7...B-3...C-9..."

Apart from Zuo Bai, the other warriors had no names, only corresponding numbers.

He was accurately naming each person’s number.

As he called out each number, the corresponding team member couldn’t help but shudder.

These battle-hardened Calamity Corps Soldiers, at this moment, each felt a chilling fear.

As he chanted, he inserted his hand into the back of his neck.

With a violent pull, he detached his entire spine along with the nerve bundle.

Previously, he wouldn’t have been able to extract his own spine, but now, he was capable of drawing out the spine to use as a weapon.

Not only had his abilities been enhanced, but the nanobots within him had also been strengthened.

The dark nanobots became more viscous, coiling around the spine, transforming into a menacing array of reverse barbs, each one secreting a dark neurotoxin.

"Come to me..."

He swung the dark spine, like wielding a whip towards his former comrades, inviting with a sinister grin:

"Coexist and blossom beautifully with me!"

Zuo Bai felt a chill in his heart: "The contents on the board all align."

The scientist’s usual calmness was no longer maintained, as he looked stiffly towards the slowly approaching figures, his voice dry:

"You are the... Apostles of Destiny!"

Initially, the word at the tip of his tongue was "madmen," but he remembered to be polite, hence he used the honorific.

As for whether they were disguising as representatives of [Destiny], this thought didn’t even form an electrical signal in Zuo Bai’s synapses.

As a management member stationed in Zone 6 by the Calamity Corpse Sect, he had more access to and could peruse the sect’s confidential files than typical combat personnel.

In the past 20 years, the number of evil organizations completely obliterated by "Destiny" was 37.3 times the recorded purges by the Upper City Council.

This was the most conservative estimate collated from intelligence gathered by the Calamity Corpse Sect.

The actual number would only be more terrifying, and the reasons for their obliteration varied vastly, beyond Zuo Bai’s imagination.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that, as a "motivated advance" aiming for the top ten evil organizations, the Calamity Corpse Sect was not afraid of the Upper City Council’s warrants.

But if a [Destiny] madman sneezed near their door, they’d have to prepare to relocate en masse.

Don’t think of this as alarmist talk; these are blood-soaked lessons left by peers.

After all, the Upper City Council could still be communicated with, compromised with, engaged in underhanded transactions, reasoned with, but [Destiny]... best not to mention.

The Captain of the Constables walked forward slowly, picking his teeth with a fingernail:

"You speak rather pleasantly, but I still prefer being called a madman."

Beyond a doubt, this was the aura.

Almost simultaneously as he spoke, two combat team members abruptly suppressed their auras and turned to flee.

Their tactical boots screeched against the asphalt, covering more than ten meters in an instant.

Zuo Bai’s eyelids twitched slightly as he suppressed the chill swirling within him:

"I don’t recall ever offending [Destiny]?"

Red Dragonfly, biting a straw, cast a flirtatious glance at Zuo Bai and said softly:

"So far, you haven’t, so we’re just here to say hello and pick something up in passing."

Zuo Bai’s expression eased slightly, answering without hesitation:

"May I know what you wish to retrieve? As long as I have it, I’ll present it with both hands, without a second thought."

Red Dragonfly laughed lightly, seemingly finding Zuo Bai’s demeanor amusing.

She twirled the straw into her mouth, giggling:

"That’s nice, then please leave your head for us."

Ssst—

The parasitized warrior, as if receiving a command, swung his arm, the spine coiling towards Zuo Bai’s neck, evoking a sense of déjà vu.

None of the surrounding combat team members stepped forward to rescue him; instead, they seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, as if thankful it wasn’t them being chosen.

Without exchanging glances, they unexpectedly turned in unison and scattered in escape.

Someone activated the overdrive mode of his prosthetic body, sparks erupted from his leg’s hydraulic device;

Someone frantically threw smoke bombs, releasing them to obscure his form;

Someone grabbed a vial of exhilarant, injecting it into his neck, his body abruptly swelling like a balloon, each stride equal to two of his previous ones.

Zuo Bai felt as if his lungs were about to burst.

He retreated several steps, forcing a polite smile, though his voice sounded like a model student dutifully asking in class:

"Why? Could you tell me... why must you take my head?"

Before he finished speaking, a dark spine flashed past his cheek like lightning.

The open wound was immediately infused with neurotoxin, the searing pain shooting through his facial nerves to the forehead.

"Speed is a whole three times faster than before..."

Zuo Bai’s pupils contracted abruptly, his brain completed data comparison in a thousandth of a second.

He suddenly grabbed the opponent’s wrist, a heavy punch directly blasted through the wildly quivering head.

Yet the opponent’s split mouth twisted into a bizarre smile, blood-stained teeth eager to bite his fist.

"Completely insane, is this insanity the contamination of [Destiny]?"

Zuo Bai could clearly hear his own "thump thump thump" heartbeat.

Such close-range contact made Zuo Bai’s heart jump "thump thump thump" chaotically, deepening his understanding and perception of the data in the documentation.

No wonder all peers were scared to death of [Destiny].

This truly couldn’t be blamed on the peers, [Destiny] was incredibly unhinged.

Moreover, it’s no surprise that the Upper City Council skirmished them casually, but when besieging [Destiny], they operated like they were on drugs, sparing no cost.

This couldn’t truly be blamed on the Upper City Council; it’s just [Destiny] itself!

At this moment,

As an evil scientist of the Calamity Corpse Sect, Zuo Bai felt deep empathy and understanding from the bottom of his heart for all antagonists, as well as the Upright Path of the Upper City...