Two security guards, having undergone rigorous training and possessing extensive combat experience, moved to apprehend Qin Yexuan from both sides. Their movements and angles of attack had been carefully observed and chosen after much deliberation. They were well-prepared and fully expected to succeed.
However, Qin Yexuan's figure flickered, and he met the two head-on. With a sweep of his left hand and a clench of his right, he instantly twisted the arm of the guard on the left. The other guard grabbed Qin Yexuan's shoulder, attempting to throw him to the ground. Qin Yexuan planted his feet, bent his body forward abruptly, and instantly disrupted the opponent's center of gravity. Then, the palm of his right hand struck the second guard's chest forcefully, sending him flying back.
The guard on the left drew a dagger and roared, lunging at Qin Yexuan's neck. Qin Yexuan dodged sideways and delivered a counter-kick to the opponent's jaw. The dagger-wielder's body lurched backward, crashing heavily to the ground. Before he could rise, Qin Yexuan's form ghosted forward, his fists smashing down on the opponent's ribs.
Once, twice, and on the third strike, his strength reached its zenith. The dagger-wielder's ribs snapped, piercing his internal organs, and blood gushed from his mouth.
Qin Yexuan then unleashed a flying kick. The hulking man who had attempted a surprise attack, still gripping his telescopic baton, had no chance to react. He let out a muffled groan as he was flung away like a kite with a broken string, crashing against the wall in a heap.
As if he had anticipated it, Qin Yexuan appeared instantly and kicked the man squarely in the stomach. His toes dug in, then violently struck the man's lungs. The baton-wielder felt something inside him burst like a balloon, and he gasped for air with a hissing sound.
Qin Yexuan stood his ground, looking down at the two men sprawled on the ground. "You weren't the targets, but you came with the intent to kill, so I showed no mercy."
The entire confrontation was swift and direct. The onlookers could only catch glimpses of fists and feet; they saw no details of the actual fight.
The two men on the ground were spitting blood and convulsing.
Zhang Min, stunned, fumbled for her phone to call an ambulance.
Qin Yexuan raised a hand to stop her. "One has internal bleeding, the other a ruptured lung. Even if you call an ambulance, it'll be too late to reach this remote area."
The other experts cried out in alarm, "They're going to die? Are we just going to watch them die?"
Qin Yexuan sneered, "If they don't die and I don't act, then you'll be the ones who die in the end."
The computer expert, who had remained silent throughout, walked over to examine the two men on the ground, then shook his head regretfully. "There's no saving them."
A deathly silence fell over the scene.
The remaining people instinctively backed away towards the door.
Qin Yexuan said calmly, "You can leave. I won't stop you from calling the police, but I hope you're smart enough to do it after you get home."
It was late at night, and the road conditions in the wilderness meant it would take at least an hour to get back to the city.
The crowd fled through the door, their legs already weak with fear.
Only Zhang Min and the computer expert remained.
Zhang Min still didn't understand what had happened. "Qin, Qin, you, you're going to kill them? Were those syllables you taught us just now the test for our cultivation techniques?"
Qin Yexuan nodded. "You're quite sharp. Of course, I wouldn't really teach you any 'Mind Control Technique.' Those were just basic introductory incantations. In that little universe, they're used to initiate children from cultivation families, but they were sufficient for the test."
Zhang Min instinctively glanced at the computer expert.
Because she had an allergic reaction to spiritual energy, she had already been cleared. That left only one person in the end, which must be him...
The computer expert was surprisingly calm. He stroked his chin. "Using those syllables to confuse us, to make us lower our guard, you are indeed very clever. But the final test result points to me?"
He chuckled and shook his head, full of confidence. "An alien life form hidden inside me? That's impossible. As I said, after leaving the laboratory, I underwent the most stringent and meticulous full-body examination, twelve rounds of tests from my body to my mind..."
"It's useless!"
Qin Yexuan interrupted him. "The technological civilization of this world cannot detect Haotian's consciousness. You're trying to use old methods to govern a new era."
"Give me proof!" The computer expert remained calm, but his fingers trembled slightly.
"When you left the laboratory, there was a brief period of blankness in your memory. Perhaps only a few seconds, perhaps a few minutes."
The computer expert's fingers trembled more violently. "Yes, it was about ten minutes. From the moment I left the laboratory door to starting the car, that memory was completely blank. I even asked the experts, and they said it was normal temporary amnesia, a reaction to immense stress."
"There can be such normal temporary amnesia, but most people recover quickly and gradually recall what happened. And you?"
The computer expert squatted down, holding his head. "I, I still can't remember anything."
"This evidence might not be direct enough. Let me tell you another thing: after leaving the laboratory, your appetite was huge, twice as much as usual."
The computer expert's forehead broke out in sweat. "That night I ate two full meal boxes, each with four dishes and a soup, plus rice. Usually, I can only eat two small bowls, but that time I ate three large bowls."
Qin Yexuan continued, "There were also some small details. After leaving the laboratory, you were unusually energetic for a while, and your mind was exceptionally clear and sharp. Skills and knowledge you couldn't grasp before suddenly became clear, you understood them instantly."
"It was a feeling akin to enlightenment."
The computer expert's face was filled with horror. "Yes, yes. I could never learn to play the guitar before. I was interested in it once, but then I gave up. That night, I suddenly played a complete song, and a very complex one at that."
Qin Yexuan fell silent.
The computer expert looked up. "So, so do I have a monster inside me now?"
Qin Yexuan shook his head. "Didn't you notice? I've been talking about *that day*! It was only for about a day. From the time you left the laboratory until the next day, those miraculous sensations lasted less than 24 hours."
The computer expert's eyes widened. "What exactly do you mean?"
"I mean, you have residual traces of Haotian's consciousness left within you, but it's only residual. Haotian has long since left you. He... is looking for a better host."
The computer expert relaxed, his clothes drenched in sweat.
But for some reason, he also felt a sense of extreme disappointment.
The self he was that day after leaving the laboratory was omnipotent. His mind was clearer than ever. He had dabbled in guitar for a year and a half but mastered it in minutes. Other abilities came just as easily.
That feeling was truly wonderful.
Qin Yexuan seemed to guess his thoughts. "When Haotian first possesses someone, they feel this way. But soon after, you would be controlled by him, become his puppet. At that point, you wouldn't even be able to become an ordinary person again."
The computer expert seemed relieved. "You're right. So how do we find Haotian now?"
Qin Yexuan sighed. "I've already roughly figured out the whole process, and I understand Haotian's intentions."
The computer expert and Zhang Min's hearts leaped. "What intentions?"
"It's what I asked you the first time. Was there anything unusual? You said you were bitten by your cat..."