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Mind Corner

According to current research, once a Mind Corner formed, the hypothalamic region underwent the greatest changes, and the "pituitary gland" within it became the center of Mind Corner formation—the source of all inducement.

It could receive the "whispers" transmitted from the Corner,

It could amplify an individual's obsessive pursuit of desire,

It could provide an individual with relatively comprehensive suggestions for disguise,

It could gradually induce humans to transform into the very "thing" they feared most,

When a Pseudo-Human was defeated and killed, and its Brain Structure was stripped away, the "pituitary gland" no longer had an intact brain to rely on and could no longer function.

Humans could then make use of this "Crystallized Pituitary Gland" to obtain things technology could not provide. This was also one of the main reasons why the world had focused its attention here and transferred large numbers of immigrants over. (Public information—The historical timeline was elbowed aside by some mysterious force. If you want to see it, go to the end of one of my other books and scroll straight to the bottom of the table of contents; part of the timeline is still there. I'll complete it at an appropriate time to improve everyone's reading experience.)

"Item Crystallization" was the most common application, as well as the relatively safest one with the least impact on individuals.

Simply put, it involved combining an extracted pituitary gland with a real-world item,

For example, sealing the pituitary gland inside crystal or metal and fitting it into a setting to form a "ring,"

Or crushing the pituitary gland and blending it into a special type of fabric to make clothing, gloves, hats, and so on,

Once the combination was complete, the corresponding "Corner Trait" could be activated. The effects brought by such traits could not be achieved by current technology. They were highly effective against Pseudo-Humans and Anomaly Events, and were essential items for future Corner exploration.

Of course, one had to remain vigilant when using such items.

If one heard whispers coming from the item or felt a foreign object invading the body, one needed to immediately go to a local hospital for a thorough examination.

Side effects were more likely to appear in minors and young people still in their developmental stages. They could even cause an ordinary teenager to fall completely and develop an entirely new Corner within their mind.

That was precisely why the class monitor had been worried.

At present,

This "pituitary gland" belonged to a zombie-type Pseudo-Human. Though it was very young and only entry-level,

Its special Carcinogenic Lesion tag meant that it was highly suitable for combining with external items. It did not even require preprocessing, preserving the pituitary gland's nature to the greatest extent possible.

The item to be combined with it was the Machete used to kill the zombie. Black zombie blood and dried brain fluid still remained on it.

Crack!

Director Wang opened the glass container holding the zombie's head and inserted brain forceps through its nasal cavity.

Skilled and swift,

Squelch~ A mass of oval black tissue was peeled out, stained with ruined, decayed brain matter.

The Pituitary Gland should have been dull, yet it gave off an eerie black sheen.

The moment they saw the pituitary gland, all four young people felt a strange sense of being watched, as though the Corner lay within it.

Director Wang carefully placed the pituitary gland on the Machete,

No further operation was needed.

The instant it touched the blade, the pituitary gland seemed to find the object it wanted to cling to. Relying on its own "cancerous" properties, it began proliferating rapidly.

Black neural tubes spread swiftly across the blade's surface, their intricate network eventually covering the entire weapon.

Not only that, a skin-like structure grew between the neural strands. Dark Yin-colored skin, identical to that of the zombie, began to cover it.

The Machete, once a cold weapon, now seemed to have come alive. Some nerves could even be seen writhing across its surface,

The pituitary gland itself wriggled along the network, moving to the junction between hilt and blade before transforming into a fastening nail embedded within.

At that point,

The transformation gradually came to a halt, leaving before them a Machete covered in Zombie Skin and neural patterns.

This was a Corner-transforming item,

While everyone else watched the Machete with considerable caution,

Luo Di had already pushed himself upright and eagerly reached for it with one hand.

Even Director Wang, seated across from him, was surprised by his utterly unhesitating action.

He first glanced at Luo Di's eyes, which were full of interest, resolve, and possessiveness.

Director Wang withdrew the "isolation gloves" he had originally intended to give Luo Di for the initial contact, deciding to let Luo Di touch it directly.

Smack!

Luo Di's palm gripped the hilt,

His five fingers curled rapidly, clamping down tight.

At that moment, Director Wang secretly started a timer. As long as no abnormal corrosion appeared within one minute, it would mean Luo Di could use the item.

Waves of Yin Energy immediately poured out, staining the hand holding the weapon. Nerves could even be seen springing up from the hilt and crawling onto his palm.

This corrosive phenomenon made everyone present tense,

Director Wang began counting silently. If there was still no sign of it receding after ten seconds, he would forcibly retrieve the item.

10,

9,

3,

2,

The final second was about to be counted down,

Click~

A tongue click slipped naturally and casually from Luo Di's mouth.

As the sound echoed through the room, the nerves clinging to his hand gradually withdrew, and Luo Di's palm returned to its normal healthy color.

Clang!

A chair crashed heavily to the floor. Anna fell with it, still clutching the class monitor's pant leg as though she had been triggered by some kind of PTSD.

Luo Di's attention was not distracted. He stared intently at the Machete in his hand, testing slashes and cuts.

It felt strange when he swung it, giving him a sense of attachment he had never felt before.

It was as if the blade could adjust itself. The feeling of swinging it improved drastically—it was heavier and more aggressive.

Luo Di also asked the question that concerned him most. "Director Wang, can this thing cut those Pseudo-Humans without physical bodies?"

"It can."

"Good!"

Director Wang gave him an approving look as well. "It seems you have fully adapted to this item. For the next six months, you are required to come here every weekend for compatibility examinations.

"Also, this is the complimentary 'container.'

"When you don't need to use the item, make sure to store it inside the container to prevent it from affecting others."

Yet Luo Di did not see Director Wang or any staff member taking out a "container" capable of holding the Machete. He quickly realized what it was and looked at the white cloth strips that had just been wrapped around the Machete.

On closer inspection, he could smell the preservative scent wafting from the bandages.

"This?"

"A treated 'shroud.' It can effectively suppress corpse-type Pseudo-Humans. Once it is wrapped around the item, it can effectively curb the pituitary gland's influence.

"If the shroud is damaged or lost, you may come here at any time to apply for a replacement, though you may need to pay a handling fee."

"I'll take good care of it."

Luo Di wrapped the blade in the shroud and placed it in his backpack.

With that,

The Jupiter City Research Bureau had finished distributing compensation for this unexpected incident. The four young people then left one after another, preparing to go to the restaurant recommended by the class monitor for a celebratory meal. (Anna chose to postpone her compensation and select it after graduation.)

Inside the pure white room,

Director Wang remained in his seat, seemingly deep in thought.

A staff member beside him was using detergent to wipe away the "stains" left on the table. After finishing the cleanup, the young man, who had only recently joined the job, could not help asking:

"Director, this is the first time I've seen a minor wield a Corner-transforming item through 'direct contact.'"

"Yes. Don't report his information to higher-ups for now. Otherwise, they might come directly to our city to snatch him away, which would affect Luo Di as he is now.

"Of course, I'll also be criticized for such a dangerous decision.

"Once his condition is completely stable, we'll add that information next year when he advances to higher education."

"Yes."

Auntie Hotpot

Inside a private room at a large hotpot chain,

Cheers!

Glasses filled with coconut milk clinked together,

"Congratulations on getting through the practical session without any danger and receiving S-rank evaluations across the board! And congratulations to our class's young Luo Di for obtaining his very own 'item' while still a minor!"

The class monitor looked completely different from the refined young lady she was at school. She was exceptionally excited now, and the flush spreading across her face from the chili peppers made her look drunk. She quickly livened up the atmosphere.

Even Gao Yuxuan, the vice class monitor who often worked with her, was seeing this side of her for the first time.

"Wenwen, you just got out of the hospital. Eat less chili."

Despite Anna's reminder, Wu Wen was still stuffing freshly blanched tripe into her mouth,

Chewing as she tugged at her highly elastic short-sleeved school uniform, exposing her entire shoulder.

Gao Yuxuan hurriedly turned his gaze away at the sight.

Unlike him, Luo Di, who had been staring at the hotpot, turned to look. His pupils focused.

He could clearly see a white scar running to just above her chest. She had probably undergone some brand-new medical treatment; the injury had fully healed without side effects.

"Don't worry. I only checked out of the hospital after all the inflammation was gone. It's rare to get a chance like this, so I can't worry about all that. Tonight, I just want to eat happily."

Anna hurriedly pulled Wu Wen's clothes back up, then shot a fierce glare at Luo Di, who had been staring from across the table.

"By the way, Anna, didn't you want to compare strength with Luo Di? Now that everyone knows each other, I want to see which of you is stronger too."

Luo Di, who was picking up a quail egg, had just been about to refuse, but seemed to think of something and nodded in agreement.

"Huh? You really want to?"

This time, Anna was the surprised one. She had some understanding of Luo Di's personality and had thought he would refuse with all kinds of excuses.

Luo Di had already set down his bowl and chopsticks, placing his right arm on the table.

That motion instantly awakened Anna's family bloodline. She immediately entered the zone, her focused gaze identical to the one she had worn while dealing with the zombie.

"You're really going to arm wrestle! I have to record this battle of the century properly."

The class monitor hurriedly brought up the camera mode on her watch and switched it to selfie mode.

The two arm wrestlers were centered in the frame,

While the class monitor tucked herself into the edge of the shot, poking her head in and making a peace sign. As for Gao Yuxuan, he huddled in the innermost seat, holding a dipping bowl full of soy products and watching the contest with great seriousness.

Click~

She pressed the button, and current passed through photosensitive material, reproducing reality's colors in precise pixels.

The first photograph was taken,

Then the two people at the hotpot table exerted force at the same time,

Since both their palms were more or less slick with oil, and both sides had put in their full strength, the force they applied directly surpassed the friction between their hands.

Their hands slipped apart,

The tremendous momentum carried their arms crashing into the table and the edge of the hotpot.

The class monitor was so startled that she accidentally hit the photo button again, capturing the moment,

Looking at their school uniforms stained red with hotpot oil and checking the skin that had not been scalded,

Laughter suddenly erupted inside the private room,

The laughter seemed to spread outward as if by magic, bringing forth even more laughter. Even Luo Di smiled along with them and laughed aloud.