Time passed minute by minute, and Chu Wei's condition grew increasingly severe.
His eyes turned bloodshot, the sockets darkening as four sharp fangs protruded from his mouth, his nails elongating into black claws.
This was the state of a vampire consumed by bloodlust, mixed with traits unique to zombies.
Based on Wen Wen's experience, a vampire in this state had no rationality left—in their world, only blood held color.
Sitting nearby, Wen Wen watched Chu Wei intently. *"Let me see your choice. I don’t want to lock you up in the asylum myself."*
Chu Wei didn’t even glance at the fried chicken or cola. Instead, he staggered toward the girl and the man, drooling as he ran a black-nailed finger down the girl’s cheek.
A river of blood faintly materialized—the Bloodriver Sword was already unsheathed. With a single thought from Wen Wen, Chu Wei would be sliced into pieces.
Others might struggle to deal with an infinitely reviving Chu Wei, but Wen Wen had no such difficulties.
Chu Wei licked his lips—then suddenly did something Wen Wen hadn’t anticipated.
He bit into his own wrist.
His body withered rapidly, but the symptoms of starvation vanished completely. By the time Chu Wei’s vitals faded, a fully restored version of him reappeared in the same spot.
Chu Wei blinked at Wen Wen in confusion. *"What’s going on? Why am I here?"*
Wen Wen’s eyes narrowed. *"Eating himself… Interesting."*
Before Chu Wei could ask further, Wen Wen rushed over and punched him in the gut, then smacked his head—initiating a second round of testing.
Five experiments later, as dawn broke and the sun climbed high, Wen Wen finally stopped. He now had a basic understanding of Chu Wei’s condition.
Chu Wei was effectively a hybrid of vampire and zombie, much like Wen Wen when simultaneously activating both physiques—except his immortality remained intact.
He feared no sunlight, but his body instinctively craved fresh flesh.
The twist? That craving prioritized *himself* as the primary target.
Chu Wei’s immortality stemmed from Blood Emperor Vlad. Every life taken by Vlad or Chu Wei stored vitality within his body.
When his flesh hunger arose, it first consumed these internal reserves.
This "feeding" cost far less than resurrection, as the energy merely cycled within him, with minimal loss.
Once sated, Chu Wei’s cravings shifted to normal food like fried chicken.
The mutations from Houqing’s attack had only made him stronger.
With the results clear, Wen Wen saw no need to torment Chu Wei further. After letting him devour the prepared fried chicken, Wen Wen began testing his combat capabilities.
The trials had three phases:
1. Measuring physical limits.
2. Sparring with Wen Wen.
3. A life-or-death fight against a mindless monster.
The first test confirmed Chu Wei’s base strength had surged, with his vampire-zombie form doubling it further.
The second, predictably, ended with Chu Wei thoroughly outclassed by Wen Wen. Even a boosted weakling remained a weakling.
But the third result brought genuine surprise.
Wen Wen released a coal-black, flame-wreathed monster from the asylum—a Disaster (Upper) entity captured by Changsun Jing and Xiao Man.
With a brain the size of a walnut (which had fallen out during capture), it retained only endless battle lust, the polar opposite of a docile Ghoul Specimen.
After confiscating Chu Wei’s gear, Wen Wen forced him into a bare-knuckle brawl.
Despite his enhancements, Chu Wei was still hopelessly outmatched.
Cornered, he activated his hybrid form and managed to snap one of the monster’s fingernails—before being gruesomely slaughtered.
Yet upon revival, Wen Wen noticed with delight that Chu Wei’s power had slightly increased!
The boost was subtle—Chu Wei barely felt it—but Wen Wen’s earlier tests made the change obvious.
*"Now this is a pleasant surprise…"*
Licking his lips, Wen Wen resumed Chu Wei’s "training."
Without delving into details, the final discovery was this:
Dying in true desperation *did* enhance Chu Wei’s strength upon revival.
But strict conditions applied:
- Deliberate setups didn’t count.
- Wen Wen killing him yielded nothing.
- The boost only triggered against unfamiliar foes.
For Chu Wei to grow stronger, he needed constant life-or-death battles. If Wen Wen’s theory held, Chu Wei might achieve limitless growth—until nothing could easily kill him.
With testing complete, Chu Wei reclaimed his gear, eyeing Wen Wen like he was some kind of deranged torturer.
*Was* Wen Wen deranged?
Yes. But that wasn’t the point.
The point was freedom—Chu Wei never wanted to relive this ordeal.
Wen Wen clasped his shoulder solemnly. *"Strive to grow stronger. The world is on the brink of upheaval. Only the powerful will protect what matters."*
Chu Wei waved him off. *"Enough. Right now, I just want to rest. You’ve drained a year’s worth of fighting out of me today."*
Wen Wen shook his head. *"I’m serious. You must grow as fast as possible—or you’ll regret it."*
*"...What’s coming?"*
*"In two weeks, all hidden factions will unite to overthrow the Hunter Association’s order… and that’s just the beginning."*
Selectively, Wen Wen shared his intel.
*"This is the truth. I wouldn’t have tested you so intensely otherwise. What you do next is your choice."*
After Wen Wen left, Chu Wei slumped to the ground, exhaling heavily.
He didn’t doubt Wen Wen’s words. Whether through the asylum or the Association, Wen Wen’s intel networks dwarfed his own.
Chu Wei had once been content as an ordinary demon hunter. But now?
Could he afford to stay idle?
Thirty minutes later, he stood and headed for the airport.
In the Sakura Sector lay a notorious death zone—the Netherwilds.
Legends spoke of Night Parade of One Hundred Demons there. The monsters never strayed beyond the wastes, maintaining an uneasy truce with the Hunter Association.
But this time, Chu Wei was going there—to seek death.