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[Mind Corner]

According to current research, once a Mind Corner forms, the most significant change in the brain occurs in the hypothalamus region. The pituitary gland, located within it, becomes the central hub for the formation of the Mind Corner, serving as the origin of all induction.

It can receive "whispers" from the corner, It can amplify an individual's obsessive pursuit of desire, It can provide an individual with relatively complete disguise opinions, It can, step by step, induce humans to transform into the "things" they fear most.

When an Imposter is defeated, killed, and its brain structure is taken, the pituitary gland is left without a complete brain to rely on and cannot function.

Humans can then utilize this "Crystallized Pituitary Gland" to obtain things that technology cannot provide. This is also one of the main reasons why the world's attention is focused here, and why a large number of immigrants have been relocated. (The [Publicly Available Intelligence - Historical Timeline] has been blocked by mysterious forces. If you wish to view it, please go to the end of my other books, pull the table of contents all the way to the end, where parts of the timeline are still preserved. The timeline will be replenished at a suitable time to improve your reading experience.)

"Item Crystallization" is the most common form of usage, and also the relatively safest, with the least impact on the individual.

Simply put, it involves combining a stripped pituitary gland with a real-world item.

For example, sealing the pituitary gland within crystal or metal, combined with a ring setting to form a "ring."

Or, for instance, crushing the pituitary gland and combining it with a special fabric to create clothing, gloves, hats, and so on.

Once the combination is complete, the corresponding "Corner Trait" can be activated. The effects brought about by this trait are impossible to achieve with current technology and are very effective when fighting against Imposters and Anomaly Events. They are also essential items for subsequent corner exploration.

Of course, one must remain vigilant when using such items.

If you hear whispers from the item or feel a foreign object invading your body, you must immediately go to a local hospital for a comprehensive examination.

Side effects are more likely to occur in minors and adolescents who are still in their developmental stages, and can even cause a normal teenager to completely degenerate, forming a new corner within their mind.

This is precisely why the class monitor is worried.

Currently, This pituitary gland, belonging to a jiangshi-type Imposter, is of very low seniority, considered entry-level.

However, due to the special tag of [Carcinogenic Lesion], it signifies that this pituitary gland is highly suitable for combination with external items, even without pre-treatment, preserving the pituitary gland's essence to the maximum extent.

The item it was combined with is a machete used for slaying jiangshi, which even still has traces of dark jiangshi blood and dried brain fluid on it.

Crack!

Director Wang opened the glass container storing the jiangshi's head, inserting forceps into the nasal cavity.

Skillfully and swiftly, Squish~ A roughly oval, dark tissue was peeled out, stained with destroyed brain fluid.

The pituitary gland, which should have been dim, itself emitted a strange black luster.

Upon seeing the pituitary gland, the four young people could all feel a strange sense of being watched, as if the [Corner] was contained within it.

Director Wang carefully placed this pituitary gland onto the machete.

Without any additional operations, The moment it touched the blade, the pituitary gland seemed to find the object it desired to attach to. Utilizing its inherent 'carcinogenic' property, it began to proliferate rapidly.

Dark nerve tubes quickly spread across the surface of the blade, and complex vascular networks eventually extended throughout the entire blade.

What's more, a skin-like structure emerged between the nerve networks, and a dark skin, similar to that of a jiangshi, began to cover it.

The machete, originally a cold weapon, now seemed to have been revitalized. One could even see parts of the nerves wriggling on the blade's surface.

The pituitary gland itself wriggled on the surface of the network, moving to the junction between the hilt and the blade, transforming into a fixing nail and embedding itself within.

At this point, The entire transformation gradually ceased. A machete covered in jiangshi skin and nerve networks appeared before everyone.

This was a [Crystallized Item].

While everyone else was cautiously observing the machete, Luo Di had already propped himself up and reached out a hand impatiently.

Such unhesitating action surprised Director Wang, who was sitting opposite him.

He first glanced at Luo Di's eyes, which were filled with interest, determination, and possessiveness.

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

Smack!

Luo Di's palm grasped the hilt, His five fingers quickly curled and gripped it firmly.

At this moment, Director Wang secretly pressed the timer. As long as no abnormal erosion occurred within one minute, it would indicate that Luo Di could use this item.

Streams of Yin energy were immediately released, permeating the hand holding the blade. One could even see nerves leaping from the hilt and climbing onto the palm.

This phenomenon of erosion made everyone present tense.

Director Wang began counting down internally. If the signs of erosion did not subside after ten seconds, he would forcibly reclaim the item.

10, 9, ...

3, 2, As the countdown reached its final second, click

Luo Di naturally and casually made a clicking tongue sound.

As the sound echoed in the room, the nerves clinging to his palm retracted, and his hand returned to its normal, healthy color.

Crash!

A chair fell heavily to the floor. Anna landed with it, still gripping the class monitor's pant leg, as if suffering from some form of PTSD.

Luo Di's attention remained undivided. He stared intently at the machete in his hand, attempting to chop and slice with it.

The feel of it in his hand was strange, an unfamiliar sense of attachment.

It was as if the blade could self-regulate, making the swinging motion feel much smoother, heavier, and more aggressive.

Luo Di also posed the question that concerned him most, "Director Wang, can this thing chop those intangible Imposters?"

"Yes, it can."

"Great!"

Director Wang cast a look of approval. "It seems you've fully adapted to this item. For the next six months, you'll need to come in every weekend for an adaptation check.

Also, this is a complimentary 'container.'

When you're not using the item, you must keep it in the container to avoid affecting others."

However, Luo Di didn't see Director Wang or any staff member produce a "container" that could store the machete. He quickly realized what it was, his gaze fixed on the white cloth tape that had been used to wrap the machete earlier.

He sniffed carefully, detecting the scent of preservative from the bandages.

"Is it this?"

"It's a treated 'Shroud.' It can effectively suppress corpse-type Imposters. Once wrapped, it can effectively curb the Pituitary Gland's influence.

If the Shroud is damaged or lost, you can always come back to us to get a replacement, though there might be a small handling fee."

"I'll take good care of it."

Luo Di wrapped the blade with the Shroud and put it into his backpack.

With that, the Jupiter City Research Bureau concluded the compensation for this unexpected incident. The four young people left one after another, preparing to go to the celebratory dinner recommended by the class monitor (Anna chose to defer her compensation until after graduation).

In the pure white room, Director Wang remained seated, seemingly lost in thought.

A staff member beside him was wiping away "stains" left on the table with a cleaning agent. After finishing, the newly hired young man couldn't help but ask:

"Director, this is the first time I've seen a minor control a Crystallized item through 'direct contact'."

"Yes, for now, don't report his information to higher authorities. Otherwise, they might come to our city and try to poach him, which would affect Luo Di's current situation.

Of course, my risky approach will also be criticized.

Once his condition is completely stable, we'll add this information when he enrolls next year."

"Understood."

[Auntie Hotpot]

Inside a private room at a comprehensive chain hotpot restaurant, Clink!

The glasses filled with coconut milk clinked together.

"Congratulations to all of us for safely passing the practical training and receiving S-rank evaluations. And congratulations to our classmate Luo Di for obtaining his own 'item' as a minor!"

The class monitor, completely unlike her ladylike demeanor at school, was exceptionally excited. The flush on her face, spreading from the chilies she was eating, made her look as if she'd had too much to drink. She quickly set the mood.

Even Gao Yuxuan, her usual partner, was seeing the class monitor like this for the first time.

"Wenwen, you were just discharged from the hospital. Eat less chili."

In response to Anna's reminder, Wu Wen was still stuffing the hot pot-cooked tripe into her mouth.

As she chewed, she pulled at her stretchy short-sleeved school uniform, exposing her entire shoulder.

Seeing this, Gao Yuxuan quickly averted his gaze.

In contrast, Luo Di, who had been staring at the hot pot, turned his gaze over, his pupils focusing.

He could clearly see a white scar extending from his chest up to just below his collarbone. It seemed to have been repaired using a new medical technology, with the injury fully healed and no side effects.

"Don't worry, I only got discharged after all the inflammation cleared up. It's rare to get this chance, so I can't hold back. Tonight, just focus on enjoying the meal."

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

"Oh right, Anna, didn't you want to test your strength against Luo Di? Now that everyone's gotten to know each other, I'm curious to see who's stronger."

Luo Di, who was in the middle of picking up a quail egg, was about to refuse, but then seemed to reconsider and nodded in agreement.

"Huh? You really want to do this?"

Now it was Anna's turn to look surprised. She probably knew Luo Di's personality well enough to think he'd come up with all sorts of excuses to refuse.

Luo Di put down his chopsticks and rested his right arm on the table.

This action instantly activated the family bloodline within Anna, and she immediately got into character, her focused gaze identical to when she was dealing with the jiangshi.

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

The class monitor quickly brought up the photo mode on his watch and switched to selfie mode.

The center of the screen was focused on the two of them arm wrestling.

The class monitor himself shrunk to the edge of the frame, sticking out just his head and making a peace sign. As for Gao Yuxuan, he was tucked away at the very back of the seat, holding a dipping plate full of soy products, watching the contest with utmost seriousness.

Click

The button was pressed, and electricity coursed through the photosensitive material, replicating the colors of reality with precise pixel points.

The first photo was taken.

Immediately after, the two at the hotpot table exerted their strength simultaneously.

Because their palms were more or less covered in oil, and both of them were giving it their all, their strength was maxed out, directly exceeding the friction between their palms.

Their hands slipped.

The immense inertia carried their arms, slamming them into the edge of the table and the hotpot basin.

The class monitor, startled, accidentally pressed the photo button again, capturing the scene.

Looking at the school uniform stained red with hotpot oil and checking that her skin wasn't scalded, A burst of laughter suddenly erupted in the private room.

The laughter seemed to spread outwards with a magical quality, drawing in more laughter. Even Luo Di couldn't help but smile, letting out a laugh.