Human Genius? Sorry, I’m a Deviant Chapter 128

Su Zhan stood before the Corroder's corpse, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings like a blade.

The abandoned industrial area was deathly silent.

There was some risk of exposure when absorbing the Corroder under these circumstances.

But...

The survivors—he had already explained the seriousness of the situation to them, so he believed they would stay in the basement.

His teammates should still be in the secret passage. After all, there were survivors who needed their care, and if they had discovered him, they would have greeted him.

The current situation should be fine.

Damn it, in for a penny, in for a pound. Such high-quality life essence shouldn't be wasted.

After confirming no one was watching.

He had brought several of these things.

Thinking they might come in handy for unexpected situations.

Now was the perfect time to use one.

"Fsssh—"

Thick gray-white smoke instantly burst forth, tightly enveloping a ten-meter radius.

Within the smoke.

Su Zhan's right hand slowly pressed against the Corroder's remains that still retained some warmth.

The next second.

Wisps of milky white life essence seeped from the Corroder's remains, intertwining into twisted threads in mid-air before entering Su Zhan's body through his nostrils and pores.

Su Zhan's muscles trembled slightly.

Not from pain.

But from... pleasure!

To be more specific.

Muscle fibers twitched faintly beneath his skin—not painful spasms.

But the ultimate pleasure that made every nerve ending tremble!

"Ha..."

A suppressed gasp escaped through his clenched teeth.

Su Zhan instinctively tightened his fists.

The low-risk sixth-stage life energy of the Corroder was transforming his body.

This sensation was more addictive than any drug.

He suddenly thought of those aberrations.

When they hunted humans to become stronger, did they feel the same way he did?

This taste of growing stronger could truly drive people mad.

The Corroder's corpse withered away at a visible pace, its skin cracking, flesh withering, until it finally turned into a pile of gray-white dust.

As the last wisp of white energy entered his body.

Su Zhan suddenly clenched his fists.

His knuckles cracked, and the wounds on his body began to heal rapidly.

The smoke dispersed.

Only a human-shaped spread of ashes and several puddles of not-yet-dried black blood remained on the ground.

The night breeze swept through, scattering even the last traces.

And Su Zhan had long since left the scene.

Su Zhan moved through one abandoned factory building after another.

Throughout the entire abandoned factory area, roars continued to be heard.

This indicated that Corroders were arriving in this area one after another.

Now he had two choices.

First, find his teammates. After all, his teammates should be together, and even if not, they would be in pairs. His disappearance at this time would appear highly suspicious.

Second, continue hunting Corroders. These high-level mist creatures brought him enormous benefits, and this was an excellent opportunity to enhance his strength.

Su Zhan felt the aberration power within him.

Just from absorbing one Corroder's life essence, his realm had advanced from early low-risk fifth-stage to peak low-risk fifth-stage.

Of course, this was mainly because the Corroder was at low-risk sixth-stage, higher than him. Absorbing energy from a higher level provided much more energy.

Absorbing from the same level wouldn't produce the same effect.

But Su Zhan estimated that just one more low-risk sixth-stage absorption would allow his aberration form to reach low-risk sixth-stage as well.

Wasn't this much faster than awakened cultivation?

Even taking enhancement drugs was nothing compared to this cultivation method.

Su Zhan arrived at a hidden corner and threw a punch into the air.

"Boom!"

The air pressure generated by pure physical force directly dented an abandoned oil barrel five meters away.

Without using any spiritual energy or mist energy.

Just the force of his punch.

The corner of Su Zhan's mouth lifted uncontrollably.

This was power.

The most primitive, most savage, and most intoxicating power.

Although Su Zhan loved this feeling.

He still calmed himself down.

He needed to return to his teammates immediately now.

Otherwise, it would be too easy to expose himself.

Sigh...

What a pity to miss such a good advancement opportunity.

But his teammates truly needed him at this moment. Judging from that low-risk sixth-stage Corroder earlier, the mist creatures in this mist event were high-level, and they might not be able to handle them.

Su Zhan descended the stairs of the central factory building, his footsteps echoing through the spacious abandoned workshop.

Arriving at the basement.

That foul stench, mixed with the thick smell of blood, assaulted his senses.

Su Zhan slightly frowned.

The survivors remained huddled in corners, their eyes showing a glimmer of hope when they saw his figure.

Further away.

"Su Zhan?!"

Xie Xi's exclamation came through.

She, Feng Jue, Liu Ziming, and Xu Hao were all here.

Liu Ziming's eyes widened: "Holy shit, how did you pop out from there? What about the secret passage?"

"After killing the Bone Lizard Aberration, when I found the communication was cut off, I suspected the mist had descended."

Su Zhan approached with a calm expression, casually brushing dust off his clothes: "I went out to confirm, checked the situation while making a round, then returned here through the central factory building's passageway."

"Solo clearing!"

Liu Ziming gave a thumbs up: "Damn impressive, Brother Su! We're all fighting two against one, and you're solo clearing alone. Sigh... you're putting more and more pressure on me like this."

Su Zhan smiled: "Just do your best, don't overthink it."

Feng Jue nodded and asked: "Mist range?"

"Covers the entire industrial area."

Su Zhan replied.

Xu Hao let out a long sigh: "Sigh... That low-level aberration we didn't identify as a threat hid in a secret corner of the passage while escaping and summoned the mist there."

"Their escape passages are complex and maze-like. Not discovering it is normal."

Su Zhan offered comfort.

"I'm definitely going to ask my dad for an explanation when we get back."

Liu Ziming felt embarrassed.

When asking for the blueprints, he had confidently claimed he could easily get internal drawings, yet such a large secret room and such an extensive area of construction didn't appear on the blueprints.

"Alright, no one's blaming you."

Su Zhan patted his shoulder: "No need to say that twice."

Hmm... Liu Ziming had already said this once before.

When the survivors heard them say the mist event had arrived, they immediately became agitated.

"M-mist?"

"The kind they talk about on TV... the fog that eats people?"

"It's over... we're all going to die here!"

...

"Don't be afraid."

Xu Hao crouched down, gently pressing the hand of a trembling little girl: "The mist is only temporarily trapping us. It'll be fine once it disperses."

"How long is temporarily?"

Someone looked up, eyes red: "The last mist in Lincheng lasted three days! Do you know how many people died?"

"Listen."

Xie Xi clapped her hands: "Our current location is very well hidden—you should know that best. The mist creatures most likely won't find this place. If you keep getting so emotional and making such loud noises, you might just attract the mist creatures here."

As soon as these words were spoken.

The survivors immediately fell silent.

Even those crying did so in suppressed sobs.

Su Zhan slightly raised an eyebrow.

Xie Xi had completely learned Wang Mingyuan's methods.

When facing this kind of situation, there were three choices.

First, comfort the survivors, but this method was too soft and least effective.

Second, intimidate the survivors, but this method was too harsh and could backfire in some situations.

Third, exactly like this—explain the stakes clearly, transfer the conflict to the survivors themselves, and they would naturally comply.

Not bad learning.

Much better than the previous Miss Xie who looked down on these ordinary people from her high horse and only knew how to use violent intimidation.