Transforming Succubus: Almost Doomsday

Seagulls soared, sunlight pouring onto the deck. The salty sea breeze felt exceptionally comfortable.

Several corrupted creatures nearby watched a certain spot on the deck with strange gazes, as if several people had suddenly appeared there but then vanished just as abruptly.

Everything resembled the beginning, yet everything was distinctly different.

The more oppressive atmosphere kept everyone silent.

Weighed down by the heavy air, the group quickly made their way to the entrance of the casino.

Guang Tongchen's physical strength had clearly diminished too much, and seeing the chairman leaning on the stair railing with his chest heaving, everyone felt there was no hope of surviving.

And as the corruption values continued to rise, everyone could clearly feel the violent desires within them spreading.

Sanday Fisherman suppressed his emotions and strove to maintain composure as he asked:

"Tell me, what was your evaluation ranking last time? Logically, as long as one person achieves SSS rank, we should be able to leave, right?"

Clearly, if it were the first round and everyone wasn't affected by the corruption values… perhaps no one would blame Jiang Xianwu for his misjudgment.

But now, deep in their hearts, everyone harbored some negative thoughts about Jiang Xianwu due to the increase in their corruption values.

This was a vicious cycle.

Once the initial fondness diminished, Zhou Baiyu's special temperament only made everyone dislike him more.

Compared to the man named Three Meals who had died, Sanday Fisherman actually knew how to get along with people.

But Zhou Baiyu could feel that Sanday Fisherman was already trying his best to suppress the anger inside him.

This was undoubtedly a very poor start.

Guang Tongchen suddenly spoke up:

"Jiang Xianwu did great. His approach was correct; last round, our evaluation ranking was SS," he said.

"Jumping from a C rank to an SS rank proves that what he said was correct. What we should consider is the impact on the future."

"You did a good job, and it might be because of me, or some other oversight, that we didn't reach SSS rank in the end."

"But I don't think that your attempts and suggestions were leading us on a wild goose chase."

Zhou Baiyu was taken aback. In such a situation, the chairman actually spoke up for him?

Does this mean that the chairman had a pretty high initial opinion of him?

"But my misjudgment… may have left us with only this last chance," Zhou Baiyu thought to himself, though he didn't voice these thoughts.

Real death was imminent. To say he wasn't panicked or afraid would be a lie.

However, Guang Tongchen was different:

"The leap from a C rank to an SS rank is a tremendous jump. Although there's a wide gap between SS and SSS ranks, I believe in you," he said.

"I'm not just covering for your supposed misjudgment; you didn't misjudge anything. Each of us is the same; we're paying for our own choices."

"I'm betting that you can lead us to find a way out of here, and I will never regret the bets I've made."

Locking in bets and accepting the result without regret is the basic quality of a gambler.

These words inspired everyone.

Under the influence of corruption values, everyone had to a certain extent some negative thoughts.

But Guang Tongchen's words also sobered everyone up.

They quickly realized that the corruption values had affected their minds.

Indeed, Jiang Xianwu's actions hadn't reached SSS rank, but he did achieve SS rank, indicating that his general direction was right.

Without Jiang Xianwu, it would have been very difficult for the group to even change the C evaluation.

Everyone became rational once again, but it was clear to each of them… this was the last chance.

"Jiang Xianwu, my physical strength is still sufficient for another battle."

Guang Tongchen's eyes remained resolute.

Zhou Baiyu admired this man even more; indeed, the leader could still fight. Perhaps at this moment, the leader might still have an ace up his sleeve, but the cost would likely be great.

Everyone's gaze fell on the Mutator, which was quite strange.

Without a doubt, the backbone of this team was Guang Tongchen. In this recruitment, Guang Tongchen's performance, whether in prosperity or adversity, was impeccable.

Zhou Baiyu greatly admired such a person.

But now, faced with a desperate situation, everyone's gaze, as if by tacit agreement, turned towards Zhou Baiyu.

Zhou Baiyu slowed his breathing, his thoughts returning to the Gu Tower...

"The Gu Tower was my only SSS-grade experience."

"If in the Gu Tower, I had formed a team with the leader, could the leader have killed Bai Ling?"

"Bai Ling's ability is more like a curse, and if faced with the leader, I fear that in close combat, she would not be a match for the leader."

"So, from conventional experience, if it had been the leader there, then not only could he have survived, but he would also have been able to slay the demon and would presumably have received a high rating, right? But not an SSS-grade."

"Yet in the SSS-grade evaluation, Bai Ling is alive. That is to say, the significance of Bai Ling being alive is greater than her being dead."

"But think about it... if I survive for one day and one night, and then leave alive, Bai Ling is actually still alive."

"That's also Bai Ling surviving, so why can my action earn an SSS-grade?"

Zhou Baiyu felt as if he had returned to the Gu Tower.

In the mental image he constructed, he asked Bai Ling this question.

Like a segment of a self-directed simulation plot, in this storyline, Bai Ling said with a smile:

"Daddy, the answer to this question is simple. Although I survived, if Daddy had not appeared... I would actually still die. I would have been killed by the Sewn."

Zhou Baiyu, as if suffering from a split personality, immediately returned to his own perspective:

"Yes... that's the truth!"

"The real reason I achieved an SSS-grade was because I changed history! You became my partner!"

"The future you, not only did you not get devoured by the Sewn, weakening it, but you also became my partner!"

"So it's not just about surviving! But by changing your trajectory, surviving became more meaningful!"

Upon realizing this, all his questions suddenly became clear.

"So, the current situation could end up like this—"

"C-grade, hostages are rescued, but since the hostages are actually An Ya's bugs, rescuing them is equivalent to not rescuing them. And An Ya, according to the clearance evaluation ending, would cause a great catastrophe in Songjiang City..."

"SS-grade, kill An Ya, the catastrophe is averted, hostages are saved."

"But the hostages are all bugs experimented on by An Ya, already in a 'near-corrupted' state, so what is the significance of this rescue?"

"After An Ya's death, they are nothing but brainless walking corpses."

"So the ultimate rating, SSS-grade... An Ya survives, but her behavior after survival must be changed!"

"Furthermore... it seems An Ya knows about the organization of Pioneers. On 2.21, Midel knowing about the Pioneers is normal, after all, that's post-apocalyptic era."

"But in 1.45 An Ya already knew about the Pioneers... and she said some strange things, which is very unreasonable."

Zhou Baiyu snapped out of his thought simulation, looking towards Guang Tongchen:

"Leader, I've thought of the conditions for achieving SSS-grade... but, it might require you to play along with me in an act."

Guang Tongchen did not say much; he just took a step forward, moving towards the casino.

As always, he was a gambler who never regretted his choices.