050. Photosynthesis

The next day, 8 AM.

"Goddess of Joy, holy and beautiful, your radiant light shines upon the earth."

Without closing the curtains, Lu Ban opened his eyes to the sound of the Ode to Joy.

He had slept very soundly last night.

This was only natural.

For an ordinary person with a regular schedule who didn't leave worries and fatigue for the next day, experiencing several hours of intense and thrilling adventures in a foreign land would take a significant toll on the body.

However, Lu Ban wasn't one to slack off and immediately sat up.

As soon as he got up, he noticed something was off.

Stretching his body, Lu Ban felt as if he had been reborn.

He looked at his left arm, the place where the Rat People had bitten him with their tiny teeth the previous night. The bandage there was now emitting a ticklish sensation, making him want to scratch it.

"Could it be tetanus?"

Lu Ban curiously removed the bandage, but instead of rotten, mutated flesh, he saw something else.

The wound had already healed.

The wounds, which had been pierced by sharp teeth and then grown with vegetation, were now mostly scabbed over. A determined person could simply tear them off, revealing only a layer of new skin.

Lu Ban felt no discomfort whatsoever.

He was certain, however, that there was nothing abnormal about his body. He didn't possess an astonishing recovery rate; even a punch would leave him hurting for a while.

In other words, Lu Ban, as he was now, had a serious problem.

He pondered for a moment, then finally his gaze fell upon the blanket.

The simple and unadorned patterns on the blanket rearranged themselves, forming the system's cold text.

[Skill: Photosynthesis]

This was the skill Lu Ban had obtained after completing the mission. At first glance, he couldn't discern anything. He was too exhausted last night to test it immediately.

Now, Lu Ban knew what this skill was for.

Simply put, it was photosynthesis.

Lu Ban went to the balcony. The 13th-floor balcony was sufficient to catch the summer morning sun. The warm rays fell upon Lu Ban, making him feel incredibly comfortable.

Furthermore, Lu Ban could feel energy being produced within him. Even without breakfast, his hunger was slowly subsiding.

And the wound was even more remarkable. After being exposed to the more intense sunlight, it emitted a tickling sensation. Lu Ban tore off the dead skin and scabs, and the skin underneath had already healed.

He looked at his arm, and it seemed as if something was flowing through his veins, like the wriggling vines he had seen in the grass last night. However, these things brought Lu Ban comfort and peace.

"."

Lu Ban took out his phone and took a selfie in the mirror.

"Glad my hair didn't turn green."

He sighed.

This photosynthesis skill allowed Lu Ban to perform photosynthesis.

As long as he was exposed to the sun, he could convert solar energy into the energy his body needed. If Lu Ban were stranded on a deserted island, he wouldn't need to eat any strange things; he could produce and consume for himself.

Moreover, just as plants rapidly repair themselves after being cut, Lu Ban's minor wounds would heal quickly under sunlight.

To verify this, Lu Ban took a kitchen knife, went to the balcony, and gently sliced his left ring finger.

Blood seeped out, dripping onto the ground.

Lu Ban saw something like insects emerging and retracting from the wound. Accompanied by the sunlight, the cut was healing at a visible rate.

He cut himself again.

After repeating this three times, Lu Ban reached the same conclusion.

"Since it's photosynthesis, if I were to fertilize it, would it grow better?"

Lu Ban had a fleeting thought about buying Golden Fertilizer online.

But then he reconsidered. His own excrement, after digestion, was actually rich in ammonia and nitrogen. Perhaps his body could regulate itself, reabsorbing the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to nourish itself.

"Those cultivators in novels, after reaching a certain level, don't need to eat or excrete. In other words, they might have also mastered photosynthesis."

Lu Ban was mainly curious about the changes in his own body.

"Should I be considered... a plant person now?"

As he muttered to himself, he heard his doorbell ring.

"Who is it?"

Lu Ban walked to the door and peeked through the peephole.

An eye filled with bloodshot veins was peering at him from beyond the peephole.

Lu Ban moved slightly away from the peephole.

"That's weird. I'll take another look."

He glanced again and saw two police officers in uniform standing at the doorway.

Lu Ban quickly opened the door.

When the two officers saw Lu Ban open the door, they were about to speak but then noticed the cleaver in his hand.

"Put the knife down first."

One officer took half a step back and touched the communicator on his waist.

"Oh, sorry."

Lu Ban placed the cleaver on the table.

"We received a report that someone was self-harming on your balcony. May we come in?"

The officer asked.

It seemed that a neighbor had seen Lu Ban sunbathing and performing photosynthesis on his balcony, which led to the call.

"Yes, yes, please come in, please come in."

Lu Ban was deeply moved by this harmonious and friendly neighborly affection.

Another officer entered Lu Ban's apartment after receiving permission, looking around.

"No, I was just cutting my finger to see what would happen."

Lu Ban told the truth.

The two officers froze.

They exchanged glances and looked at Lu Ban warily.

"That could hurt you. Do you have any requests? Let me see your wound."

One officer asked, gesturing for Lu Ban to extend his hand.

Lu Ban extended both hands, palms open.

The officers examined them carefully but found no wounds.

They looked at Lu Ban suspiciously.

At this moment, one of the officers seemed to remember something. He looked at Lu Ban closely, checked the apartment number again, and then used his police terminal to search. He then gave his partner a look.

"Since everything is fine, that's good. We'll be going back now. Remember, if you have any difficulties, find a police officer."

The two left Lu Ban's apartment. Instead of taking the elevator, they went to a corner.

"What's up?"

The officer who had been reminded was confused.

"Do you remember the previous notice about a dangerous individual? The one linked to the hospital's psychiatry department."

His partner took out his police terminal and showed Lu Ban's photo, along with relevant information.

".Severe delusions, paranoia, schizophrenia, extremely dangerous!"

As they read the description, the two became nervous.

"I just checked. His palms have no wounds. He definitely wasn't self-harming with the cleaver."

"Right. And I noticed his room was very clean. Even under the bed was spotless. Who cleans under their bed like that? Severe mysophobia must have a reason, either psychological trauma or to hide something."

"He held the knife very skillfully, and it was a reverse grip. That's not how you chop vegetables; it's more like how you attack someone."

"I think I saw a lot of hair in his bathroom drain. Judging by the length, it doesn't look like his own; it looks like a woman's."

"I have a feeling there's another person in the room. I can't explain why, it's just a gut feeling."

"There's a crowbar in the corner of the bedroom with dark red stains on it. It might be dried blood."

The two spoke in low voices, exchanging their observations.

Just then, one of the officers suddenly saw Lu Ban standing at the stairwell behind his colleague.

He was holding a police cap.

"You forgot your hats."

Lu Ban handed them the police cap, gave them a gentle smile, and then turned to leave.

"..."

The two officers looked at each other, their hearts in turmoil.

*

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