Realm of Encirclement

Vortex Planting Method

This was the technical description and general overview submitted to Wen Wen by Hope Hospital after it began cooperating with the Security Bureau.

The theory used by the Myriad-Change Worm, Lawrence.

The Chosen Ones who followed the Supreme Goodness Vortex, which governed the birth, growth, aging, and death of all life, had developed this bizarre technique through years upon years of research.

--It was just like farming: planting all kinds of dangerous raw materials into a living body, using the creature's life and Spiritual Substance to filter out the Sin Corruption within, completing the fusion or extraction, and finally waiting until the time was ripe before reaping the required fruits and essence.

The side that served as the container, into which the materials were planted, was called the 'fetus.'

The result obtained was called the 'fruit.'

"And just as you guessed, among all the creatures that could become a 'fetus,' the simplest and most convenient choice was, without a doubt, humans."

Muller explained in detail over the phone, "After this technique was developed, our hospital only conducted a few trials before permanently banning the use of humans as 'fetuses.'

Even at Hope Hospital, this is forbidden."

"Ha, how interesting!"

Wen Wen, speeding along on her motorcycle, couldn't help but sneer coldly. "You lunatics actually sealed away a technique that goes against human nature?"

"No, no, please don't misunderstand."

Muller solemnly explained, "It's only because rigorous analysis proved that using humans as 'fetuses' was too inefficient and lacked cost-effectiveness, resulting in an extremely serious waste of materials!

"Other than being somewhat convenient in certain situations, it was utterly useless.

"Anything an ordinary 'fetus' could create could be produced by other techniques as well. But if a superior 'implement' were used for Vortex Planting, that would be the true squandering of a precious resource!"

Muller said indignantly, "As you know, with the T5 Protocol in place, even our hospital doesn't have so many materials that we can waste them freely.

"So, forty years ago, the development of the Vortex Planting Method had already shifted toward other animals and plants.

"This was also the main reason Lawrence was expelled. He lacked the courage and talent to establish an entirely new field on his own, and he was unwilling to abandon his meager expertise and start over. He merely immersed himself in outdated techniques and theories.

"After repeated warnings and corrections, the Management Department determined that he lacked the abilities required of a worker at our hospital and dismissed him. As for his decision to debase himself by mixing with those beasts from the Dragon Offering Society who worshipped Natural Disasters, that has nothing to do with our hospital."

After habitually passing the blame, Muller was ultimately unable to suppress the agitation in his heart and sighed, "Ah, I still remember how furious he was when he was expelled. He said that sooner or later, he would return with brand-new results and trample us old fogies beneath his feet.

"To be honest, I was really looking forward to seeing what breakthrough he might make. What a pity. It's probably impossible now... But after all these years, he must have grown into an excellent material, right?"

A muffled sound like someone swallowing saliva came from the other end of the phone. Lawrence's collaborator, whose form had long since become unknown, could barely conceal his hunger. "If you could show mercy, please be sure to leave us a little sample. Alive would be even better, of course. We can negotiate the price!"

"That depends on his luck!"

Wen Wen's voice was cold.

The roaring motorcycle tore through the stream of traffic, effortlessly leaving every pursuer and obstruction behind, with only thunderous rumbling lingering in its wake.

By now, everything had finally emerged from the fog.

The Dragon Offering Society's followers, who pursued Sin Corruption and the power of Natural Disasters; Lawrence, who was obsessed with the Vortex Planting Method and Blood Thirst Syndrome; and the long-term plan to secretly cultivate and spread the infection...

Everything they had done was for the sake of selecting the most suitable 'fetus' from among countless people!

Now, like fate itself, the 'fetus' he had dreamed of—the 'implement' that seemed bestowed by heaven—had appeared before his eyes when he least expected it.

The cursed person left behind by the Tidal Flame Disaster on Sea Burning Day ten years ago.

The sole survivor of the Natural Disaster that had plunged tens of thousands into despair, agony, and resentment.

--Ji Jue!

.

.

On the hospital plaza, so empty it was nearly deathly silent, the dim light of dusk shone down. The ordinary people had all fallen unconscious the instant the Vortex Implantation Technique was activated, utterly incapable of resisting.

High in the heavens, threads of scarlet wound sinuously through the air and drifted downward at the controller's summons.

The wails and roars in the distance could no longer be heard.

When the farmer decided to harvest, those withered branches no one cared about quietly withered away in the darkness, while only the rotting fruit fell into the soil, brewing the sinful sweetness.

At the same hospital, beneath the same dusk, Lawrence gazed at the scene before him and actually lost himself for a moment.

The more wretched he had been when that rigid, rule-bound hellhole threw him out, the more delighted he felt now. After painstakingly cultivating for so long, he was finally about to reap the fruits of his labor. He could hardly resist bursting into song.

Unfortunately, there was always a noisy voice prattling beside his ear.

"Fuck, big bro, take it easy, take it easy! My hand! Can this thing infect me?"

"Seriously, man, there's no need. Really, there's no need!"

"How many dishes did you eat to go this wild?"

"You can still run if you hurry. The Security Bureau people look insanely strong to me. Their leader is strong, beautiful, and stacked too. Listen to me, you can't beat her!"

"You're not actually after my dick, are you? Don't, bro! When I'm scared, I piss my pants, I really do. Oh, oh, I can't hold it in..."

"Why are you playing with tentacles too, brother? Your tastes are intense!"

The anesthetic should have been enough to keep this fellow asleep until tomorrow, but less than ten minutes later, he had awakened again.

At this moment, countless strands of Aberrant Spirit Essence descending from the sky twisted together and became a Giant Tree, ensnaring him within, like a monster opening its enormous, blood-filled maw.

Then, uncountable amounts of blood-red Spiritual Substance poured entirely into Ji Jue's body!

The massive amount of aberrant source essence, enough to cause an ordinary person to undergo Sin Corruption instantly, merely woke him from his dream. This unparalleled resistance to aberration alone was enough to place him on par with a Chosen One of Transcendent Rank!

"No wonder you were able to survive the Tidal Flame Disaster, you cursed one!"

Lawrence pushed up his glasses, their lenses dyed red with blood, and rasped in admiration. "Ji Jue, you truly are a one-in-ten-thousand Calamity Implement! You're flawless!"

"Yeah, yeah, exactly." Ji Jue was speechless, nodding miserably. "Selling dick is fine too, bro. I'm good in bed and don't cling. Please spare my dog life, I'm begging you."

Lawrence's smile froze.

He took back the compliment.

That mouth of his was fucking annoying!

Crack!

In that instant, with a wave of Lawrence's hand, the bizarre Giant Tree woven from countless wisps abruptly swelled. Under the transformation and infusion of an immense amount of Spiritual Substance, Ji Jue was swallowed whole and could no longer make a sound.

As if falling.

In a daze, he was engulfed by endless scarlet.

The last thing he heard was a rumble coming from afar.

A deafening roar like a motorcycle engine.

Boom!!!

As the walls shattered, countless clouds of dust rose into the air.

The barrier of reality Lawrence had painstakingly woven was actually blasted open head-on by the charging motorcycle, leaving a massive hole!

The nearly molten tires rolled over the shattered flower beds and bricks, leaving behind black scorch marks.

Then, amid a shrill screech, they came to an abrupt stop.

That slender, tall figure finally rose from the motorcycle.

"No need. I'll handle things here. You don't need to interfere."

She issued instructions to her subordinate on the other end of the phone. "Xiao Tong can't fight independently. Go support Lao Zhang first. As for An Ran, she can act freely.

"Find every anchor point and pull out every parasite left behind by the Vortex Implantation Technique!"

With that, she hung up the phone.

Forward.

"I knew it. There's no such thing as a free lunch."

She cast a cold glance at the man who had once kindly provided her with clues and said expressionlessly, "So you really did something this big right under my nose..."

"What are you talking about? I've been at Jici Hospital for more than six years. I arrived over five years before you did." Lawrence pushed up his glasses, a smile surfacing on his shattered face. "You came quickly... Unfortunately, you're already too late."

The instant his voice fell, the bizarre tree-like giant trembled again.

Its enormous crown, which nearly covered the heavens, actually expanded once more. Amid the countless writhing strands of blood-red Spiritual Substance, innumerable lights flashed like blooming flowers!

According to the materials provided by Hope Hospital, Lawrence had spent many years delving into the Secret Rite known as Vortex Implantation Technique, a field with little remaining potential to exploit. He had refined and innovated upon it until he had nearly achieved an entirely new breakthrough.

As early as the Empire Flower Moon Massacre, he had demonstrated large-scale area interference, enveloping the entire town within the range of the Vortex Implantation Technique and completing mass Sin Corruption and mutation.

Now, the Aberrant Spirit Essence seized and extracted by the Blood Thirst Syndrome strain erupted from the Giant Tree, faintly enveloping nearly half of the North Mountain District!

Despair, pain, wailing, sobbing, numbness...

Countless cries of grief rang out once more.

This was the material he had secretly gathered over all these years while hiding in Yacheng, the result of the Blood Thirst Syndrome's parasitic strains plundering the bodies of the dead!

And even more came from within Jici Hospital itself...

How laughable, and how fascinating.

Lawrence could hardly stop himself from applauding. No matter how many times he watched a spectacle like this, he would never grow tired of it.

There were no doctors, no medicine, no equipment, no money, and not even enough blood plasma... Everything needed to stay alive was missing.

In this hospital, which could barely keep operating through donations, the only things visible each day in the consulting rooms, the corridors, and among the patients were tragedies.

Painful chemotherapy session after painful chemotherapy session, hopeful wait after hopeful wait, sorrow after sorrow when the coveted spots went to someone else.

No connections, no savior, no money.

The so-called lifeline was merely an illusion shimmering at the end of the horizon. To those who had nothing, the so-called 'possibility of recovery' was an endless hell of torment!

When everything reached its end, the only thing reduced to ashes in the crematorium was a husk long since drained dry by parasites. What Lawrence had ultimately seized from the dead was the crystallization known as despair!

Now, pain took root in the soil and began to sprout.

Bloom!

The Giant Tree expanded, swelled, and stretched outward, like the palm of a dying man reaching out from hell, futilely attempting to drag everything within reach into the depths of hell.

Then, everything abruptly came to a halt--

Slowed, stopped, reversed!

Right before that figure.

Wen Wen.

She finally raised her hand and removed the goggles from her face. In her eyes, blue and violet phantom light flowed soundlessly as she looked down upon all creation.

Then, it was as if another world had descended.

Under the gaze of those eyes, endless crystals burst from the soil and bricks!

Like a jungle made of crystal, they crisscrossed and coiled around the entire hospital, crushing the remnants of the original barrier and swallowing everything within!