It's strange, really, how superhumans and monsters are classified.
There are only five tiers, with the fifth tier being elusive, and little to no difference between the first and second tiers.
This classification is less about power and more about the five stages of a superhuman's evolution.
The fifth tier, the Cataclysmic tier or the Transcendent realm, exists beyond both superhumans and monsters, even beyond the gods and demons of most myths.
Their capabilities are beyond anything a superhuman can imagine, their existence defying human comprehension. To date, there hasn't been a single documented case of anyone witnessing an existence of that level and surviving.
The first and second tiers, on the other hand, are merely transitional phases before becoming a truly qualified superhuman. Many in these tiers haven't even fully grasped their own abilities.
If a finer division were to be made within these two tiers, there might be six to ten sub-tiers, but that would be meaningless, as defeating opponents of a higher tier within these ranks is trivial.
The qualitative leap for ordinary superhumans or monsters occurs at the third tier.
The Assimilation, or Catastrophe tier.
At this level, superhumans possess abilities akin to mythical creatures, a qualitative difference from ordinary humans.
Furthermore, there's a significant disparity in strength among superhumans at this tier.
The weaker ones, like the giant centipede Lin Zheyuan killed earlier, possess hard carapaces that can easily withstand gunfire or even grenades, and their massive bodies can crush small cars.
The stronger ones can fly and burrow, demolish buildings with a wave of their hand, and single-handedly cause natural disasters.
For instance, Gu Panxi's Holy Crystal Angel isn't considered particularly strong within the third tier.
Due to the vast difference in power, the Assimilation realm also has subdivisions, but Wen Wen hasn't reached that level yet.
As for the fourth realm, the Cataclysmic tier, it's equivalent to the gods and demons of mythology. Their mere presence affects vast areas around them, like the eyes that peered from the void during the Paradise incident.
Therefore, Wen Wen's current strength far exceeded Gong Baoding's expectations.
His attitude immediately shifted to one of reverence, for he understood there was an insurmountable gap in power between himself and the person before him.
Wen Wen was pleased with Gong Baoding's current demeanor. At the very least, this persona needed to ensure absolute authority within the containment facility.
After some thought, Wen Wen said to Gong Baoding, "You've just become a containment officer, so I'll give you a task."
"What task? I'll do my best to complete it."
Gong Baoding's spirits lifted. Having just arrived at The Disaster Containment Facility, he wanted to make a good impression with his first task.
If he performed well, his future development within the facility should go smoothly.
It reminded him of his first mission after becoming a demon hunter decades ago.
However, even with his resolve to complete the task well, Gong Baoding didn't overcommit. That's the nature of being middle-aged.
"The monsters in the facility need to eat, and the current stock is insufficient. Go procure some."
Strictly speaking, the facility didn't really have tasks. He gave Gong Baoding this task simply because he was too lazy to do the shopping himself. Su Dan Fiction Network.
Every time he went to buy pig intestines, the stall owner looked at him strangely...
"What?" Gong Baoding asked, shocked.
"Are you dissatisfied with the task?" Wen Wen raised an eyebrow.
"Satisfied, satisfied." Having just experienced Wen Wen's terrifying power, Gong Baoding dared not object.
"Blood plasma, a large quantity of regular food, plant fertilizer, and spoiled food. Collect whatever you deem suitable. From now on, you'll be responsible for keeping an eye on it; whenever you see the food supply running low, prepare some."
Gong Baoding jotted it down, feeling a sense of inexplicable disappointment.
It was like playing an online game and wanting to go fight monsters for your first quest, only to be assigned a delivery task...
"Oh, right. You don't need to pay out of pocket; this is your operational expense."
Wen Wen tossed a gold ingot into Gong Baoding's hand. Feeling its solid weight, he was somewhat stunned.
The gold ingot itself was an antique. At current gold prices, it was over three hundred yuan per gram...
Buying those items might only cost a fraction of this gold.
"The Disaster Containment Facility is truly wealthy..."
Little did he know, if Wen Wen hadn't ransacked his room, this would have rightfully been his.
With this single gold ingot, Gong Baoding gained two impressions of the facility: wealth and antiquity.
...
After leaving the facility, Wen Wen didn't relax; he continued to closely observe Gong Baoding's actions within the facility.
To his relief, Gong Baoding didn't do anything out of line.
In reality, ordinary containment officers had very limited authority. Even if Wen Wen wasn't watching, they couldn't change anything about the facility.
But Wen Wen remained somewhat uneasy. It wasn't until Gong Baoding left the facility that Wen Wen resumed his studies of philosophical texts.
He was determined to acquire that containment object. Being driven out disgracefully three times was the biggest stain on Wen Wen's life.
However, Wen Wen wasn't naturally inclined to study philosophy. After a whole day of studying, he still found himself helpless against those questions.
After all, those problems were too extreme, with rarely any correct answers.
In the end, Wen Wen decided to proceed through trial and error. The question bank was finite, and as long as he tried enough times, he was bound to succeed in conquering those philosophers.
Wen Wen believed that the harder something was to obtain, the greater its value would be.
...
On the third morning, Wen Wen had correctly answered the seventh question for the white-haired philosopher.
While Wen Wen didn't know how many questions each philosopher had in total, he was confident that if he continued like this, he would eventually obtain that item.
With a throbbing head, he left the museum and drove a considerable distance to a red-light district far from the museum to find his car.
He hadn't been home at night these past few days, so he needed to create some cover, and this was the best place.
Seeing Wen Wen approach, several prostitutes gathered around him. They hadn't had any clients all night and had been waiting by the roadside until dawn.
Now that they saw Wen Wen, they weren't about to let him go.
Wen Wen leaned against the car door with a hint of disdain, watching the women pitch themselves.
As he watched, he found it rather interesting.
In the past, Wen Wen had always avoided such matters. Now, he could view them from a different perspective, one devoid of emotion, focused purely on observation.
Perhaps it was the existence of The Disaster Containment Facility that had removed him from the ranks of ordinary people, and the experience of peak power in the Catastrophe Warden mode that occasionally triggered such sentiments.
But Wen Wen's observation was quickly halted, his expression turning as dark as the bottom of a pot, his eyes narrowing into slits.
Because he saw a man in a hooded cloak waving at him from the alleyway of the red-light district.
It was the High-Fidelity Wen Wen!