Pretending To Be A Boss

Tang Suoye caught a cold.

After all, no one in this world has decreed that those blessed with the power of ten talents cannot catch colds.

She hates the cold.

Because when it gets cold, she gets sick easily, just like when she was immersed in those liquids as a child. It was cold and uncomfortable, yet she could still hear some sounds.

Right now, her forehead is burning up, and it seems like she can hear some voices too.

Coming from her memories.

"Specimen Number Nineteen, Tang Suoye, from Fortress No. 39, currently matches many genes and is an extremely special breed. It's a pity we don't have the serum of a calamity-level creature; I really want to know the limits of this child."

That was how Tang Suoye came to know her name. In the fortress, she had no name and didn't have the opportunity to introduce herself. Everyone referred to each other by code names.

For example, Number Twenty next door was a plump little boy.

Tang Suoye didn't like him because he always bullied Number Twenty-One.

Latter, Akasi told her that bullying her was sometimes a sign of affection, which Tang Suoye didn't understand.

But she came to understand later because Number Twenty-One died.

The little fatty who always teased him, originally very lively, became like a completely different person after Number Twenty-One's death. Quiet, gloomy.

She met Akasi on an overcast day.

That day, as usual, everyone trained, ate, and rested until the evening, when the doctor injected them with serum.

Only later did Tang Suoye come to realize that this serum came from a Rampaging Kangaroo, a creature only found in the tropical areas of the mining districts, ferocious by nature, its serum filled with Neurosmog that affects neurons, stimulating the human region controlling anger. It made people forget pain for a short while and filled them with an unimaginable desire to kill.

Tang Suoye, like the other children, was locked in a cage. She didn't like it but had grown accustomed.

It was just like being immersed in those fluids when she was very small.

Eventually, everyone in the cages began to grow restless and desperately tried to break free, wanting to crawl out and tear apart every person in the room.

After that, Tang Suoye couldn't remember anything.

When she woke up, a man with silver hair was carrying her.

He was covered in blood.

"This world has its favored ones. They may be weak and ordinary, but they can survive anywhere using the methods they like. Everything they do goes smoothly, every problem they face is easily resolved. You're envious, right? But we're also pretty amazing, you know. No matter how strong you become in the future, you cannot sever these painful memories.

But don't be afraid; they won't hurt you. These sorrowful experiences will one day make the world you face become gentle to you."

"Who... who are you?" Tang Suoye was very weak.

"I'm called Akasi, and you?"

"Number Nineteen."

"Not that, your name, your real name."

Tang Suoye's eyes widened, because this question made her want to remember this person.

"My name is Tang Suoye."

"We will definitely meet again."

After Akasi set Tang Suoye down, he left without explaining what had happened.

That was how Tang Suoye remembered their encounter in her memory.

But Akasi's attention to Tang Suoye began even earlier.

After meeting Tang Suoye, he was confined to solitary for three months.

Anyone who violated the rules of the "Evolution Area" was usually executed on the spot, it's just that Akasi was too special.

Aside from Number Nineteen, he was the most outstanding specimen so far, and he completed tasks with high efficiency. So, Akasi survived. Experience tales at empire

In fact, this wasn't the first time Akasi had publicly opposed such experiments.

Locking all the children in a room, fighting to determine a sole victor. This kind of thing had happened many times in the "Evolution Area."

Once again carrying Tang Suoye, Akasi reached a high point with a few leaps and bounds, overlooking Red Lotus Hell, his brow furrowed.

This place really resembles a turtle shell. But to know whether there's a giant turtle underneath, one would have to break through the thick ice and dive into the water to find out.

If a huge bright light suddenly appeared in the ocean, and everything in sight was no longer sea water and schools of fish, but a giant pupil instead, it would probably give anyone who saw it thalassophobia, right?

"Akasi... I'm so hungry..."

"All right, we'll leave here soon. I'll take you for some grilled fish."

"Your cooking... is really awful. It's always burnt, charred and terrible," Tang Suoye said without mincing words.

Akasi smiled wryly and said nothing, knowing the little girl would soon fall asleep.

He carried Tang Suoye on his back, moving faster and faster.

If anyone could see the speed at which Akasi moved, they probably wouldn't think he was human.

Because humans simply couldn't move that quickly. Even the creatures in the mining area rarely could.

He was like an arrow that would never stop before reaching its destination.

Lacking other abilities, Akasi, apart from his excellent fitness that enabled him to deal with perfect level creatures, depended on his speed.

If a Decadent awoke only one ability, that ability, even if not fully developed yet, was enough to display the ultimate in a certain domain.

His speed was so extreme that Akasi was the only one in the organization who could take on tasks in any region.

The mining area was vast for humans, but for Akasi, if he traveled non-stop without eating, drinking, or sleeping, he could appear anywhere in the world within seven days.

Heading south, Akasi and Tang Suoye's mission this time, besides the Soul Crystal and blood samples of the White Rock Giant Bear, also included the Soul Crystal and blood samples of six-tailed foxes.

This was what the people from the Evolution Zone demanded.

Akasi's thoughts were simple: if he couldn't escape the Evolution Zone, then he would accept his fate and wait for an opportunity.

Because one had to survive no matter what. Living the way one preferred was a luxury, but as long as one didn't give up, there was always a chance.

They had traveled non-stop for two days.

Finally, Akasi reached the temperate forests on the edge from the Far North Zone's Red Lotus Hell. According to the guide given by the doctor, this place was the forest sea, where about six solitary six-tailed foxes lived amongst dozens of three-tailed foxes—a small fox clan nesting spot.

Recently, it was said that a nine-tailed fox appeared here, a catastrophic-level boss creature, one of the strongest known creatures in the mining area. However, Akasi didn't feel the oppressive presence typically associated with catastrophic-level creatures.

He strolled around casually and noticed that the animals here were all cute little creatures such as gem tigers and six-tailed foxes.

Although his definition of cute was somewhat unique, without the presence of disaster-level or stronger creatures, Akasi didn't find survival in the forest sea difficult.

It was also at this time that Tang Suoye woke up.

For the two days of non-stop rushing, they had subsisted mainly on some fruits.

Although they had caught a cold, both Akasi and Tang Suoye had monster-like physiques with life recovery abilities that could rival the beasts in the mining area.

"Where are we?"

"The forest sea, the red zone."

"This counts as the red zone?"

"They changed it a few days ago, supposedly because of the nine-tailed fox's presence."

Akasi headed to the lakeside, ready to catch some fish.

Tang Suoye crouched on the shore, curiously examining a strange plant and sniffing it gently.

"This doesn't seem like a plant from the mining area," said Tang Suoye.

Following her remark, Akasi turned to look, his interest piqued as well.

"This looks like catnip, which can grow in such an environment, but this type of plant usually grows in patches. Just a few scattered plants look really out of place."

As he said this, Akasi looked into the distance, furrowing his brow.

With the serum of a night eagle in his blood, he could see extremely far.

"There seems to be a house over there."

(This chapter is only two thousand words long, as I've been very busy. The reason for its late release is that I've only just rushed back. Tomorrow's update might also be very short. I'll try my best to return to four-thousand-word chapters after Friday.)