Settlement

"It's over...?"

Hearing the dungeon's prompt, Jiang Qian suddenly felt as though a lifetime had passed.

The trial dungeon known as the most difficult in history, "Whispers of the Inner Demon," had finally come to an end after three films fraught with hidden dangers.

The mission is complete. I'm still alive... Jiang Qian's tensed body gradually relaxed.

But then his attention was drawn to the final door, the one without a number.

In the dim, silent corridor.

The dilapidated door beside Screening Room 3 was trembling faintly at a visible frequency.

As though something inside was trying to break free!

The battered door was on the verge of collapse...

If it had been anyone else, after surviving three life-or-death trials only to encounter something this bizarre, they would probably have lost it.

But Jiang Qian was mentally ill, after all, so his composure was rock solid.

His extraordinarily high threshold for Fear even gave rise to an absurd thought: The main mission is already complete, so exploring the dungeon a little more shouldn't be a problem, right?

Driven by curiosity, Jiang Qian stepped toward the final door.

Behind him, countless shadows surged out from rooms and corners, scrambling to flee desperately in the opposite direction...

Jiang Qian arrived before the door, his hand already on the handle.

"Click."

The latch shifted.

At the same time, Jiang Qian heard the dungeon's prompt:

[Prompt: Hidden mission triggered in "Whispers of the Inner Demon"]

[Hidden Mission: Explore Screening Room 0 and complete the exclusive viewing mission (0/1)]

Jiang Qian focused for a moment, then released the handle. The door latched shut again.

Changing tactics, he curled his fingers and knocked on the door. At the same time, he politely said, "Sorry, my viewing quota is full today. I'll come back another time... Don't take it personally either. Your storefront is too small, and the location isn't great, right?"

I only wanted to look around. If you're assigning me a mission, forget it... Staying alive is more important.

With that, Jiang Qian turned to leave.

But his hand seemed to have been glued to the handle...

"?"

As Jiang Qian pulled back with all his strength, he focused his gaze. A shadowy, dim hand claw was gripping the back of his hand, holding him fast and refusing to let him leave!

"Trying to force a sale on me?"

This place is bad news! Looks like I have no choice but to use that move... Jiang Qian's lips moved as he uttered the declaration reserved for victors—

"Settlement!!"

The moment the words left his mouth, Jiang Qian felt a golden light surge through his entire body!

The black claw-shadow clinging to the back of his hand sprang away with a snap, instantly retracting behind the door...

Jiang Qian's body was pulled back by an outside force. The rigid prompt sounded beside his ear, but at that moment, it was exceptionally pleasant to hear:

[Settlement in progress...]

[Identity Card assessment complete. Your Super-Species Identity Card is being issued...]

After the announcement ended, a series of data appeared across Jiang Qian's field of vision:

[Congratulations! You have become a Super-Species player.]

[Name: Jiang Qian]

[Race: Human]

[Age: 20]

[Identity Card: Teng Snake]

[Identity Card: Dragon] (Frozen)

Looking at this information, several thoughts sprang into Jiang Qian's mind at once: Why were two Identity Cards issued?

Is this normal?

Or is it special consideration for people with schizophrenia?

And why is the more imposing one in a "Frozen" state??

Just as his head filled with question marks, another question appeared:

[Please name your Super-Species identity!]

Player... naming...

Jiang Qian pondered.

What he had encountered was becoming increasingly similar to one of the indispensable achievements of modern spiritual civilization—games.

The only difference was that other people spent money playing games, while this game cost him his life.

And not playing would cost him even more.

So Jiang Qian went along with the "game" process and casually wrote down four characters...

[Super-Species Player ID: Hidden Dragon. Naming successful!]

"..."

A name like that wasn't already taken?

The result was somewhat beyond Jiang Qian's expectations.

It rendered the names "Dragon Ghost Snake God" and "Turning Jiang, Overturning Seas" that he had just thought of completely useless.

But on second thought, this life-risking game surely did not have a broad audience, so the odds of duplicate names were greatly reduced.

It was easy enough to understand. He had lived for twenty years, and if not for the little girl tossing him an invitation letter, he would never have come into contact with the secrets of Super-Species World.

And those who received invitation letters would undergo further selection. After the sands were washed away, only a tiny few would successfully obtain an Identity Card.

Jiang Qian let his thoughts wander, methodically filing these ideas away in his mind to verify them one by one in the future.

Now that the naming was complete, a new display of data immediately followed:

[Identity Card: Teng Snake]

[Status: Activated]

[Category: Divine Beast]

[Level: First State—Cognitive Body (Experience: 0%)]

[Skills: Spirit Vision, Poison Resistance, Snake Shadow Stealth]

[Spirit Vision: Spatial perception of spiritual matter. This function is more sensitive to tangible life forms.]

[Poison Resistance: A poison-resistant physique that negates the harm of most non-potent toxins and grants the ability to identify toxin types.]

[Snake Shadow Stealth: The ultimate assassination support method. Ignores all conventional terrain restrictions, allowing you to move at extreme speed and in complete silence to any location you wish without being noticed.]

[Identity Card: Dragon] (Frozen)

Then, two poker-card-like cards appeared in the empty space before Jiang Qian.

The card on the left had dark green patterns, depicting an ancient Teng Snake with vertical pupils and fangs spreading its wings amid the clouds.

The card on the right had black-and-gold patterns, depicting a colossal dragon with scales and claws swirling through the heavens. Yet the word "Frozen" made it seem dust-covered, robbing it of the luster a card should possess...

As this series of unfamiliar concepts flooded into his mind, Jiang Qian had no time for any further reaction before he tangibly experienced the transformations surging through his body one after another!

At first, his body felt as though it had been immersed in warm water. Invisible energy seeped through the pores of his skin, penetrating from shallow to deep into his limbs and bones, nourishing them.

Then came blazing heat throughout his body. His blood seemed to boil, and the gentle nourishment gradually turned into the itch and pain of fine needles crawling through him.

He seemed to hear the cracking of bones, the tearing and reshaping of muscle...

And even deeper, indescribable yet irresistible changes swept over him!

At its peak, even his soul was cast out of his body! From a godlike perspective, he "looked down" upon his own transformation: a vast, awe-inspiring energy gathered around his flesh, rapidly and methodically converging into him through a form of evolution science could not explain!

Into his skin, bones, and muscles. Into his blood and tissues. Into his cells, his genes...

When his physical state stabilized again, Jiang Qian experienced a lightness and comfort unlike anything he had ever known.

The abilities that had just appeared in written form seemed to have fused into his thoughts and marrow. With the slightest thought, he could wield them with ease!

At that moment, Jiang Qian's eyes shone with the brilliance of new life.

Another prompt followed immediately:

[Dungeon rewards being issued...]

[Experience Reward: 35%]

[Item Rewards: Secret-Seeking Notebook, Little Devil Set]

[Object Reward: "Whispers of the Inner Demon" Save-File Reset Ticket ×1]

[Chip Reward: Super-Species Crystal ×10]

So that earlier process only defined my "Identity Card" and upgraded my raw strength; the dungeon rewards are only starting now? One thing at a time, huh... Jiang Qian could not help but feel delighted.

He recalled what the little girl had said: "The higher the risk, the greater the reward." It appeared to be true.

The 35% experience gain corresponded to evolutionary level, while items and objects probably represented special resources.

It was Jiang Qian's first time encountering such things, so he could only speculate based on experience.

Unable to wait, he inspected the rewards one by one.

With a turn of his thoughts, a device resembling a storage inventory appeared before his eyes.

At present, it had six storage slots, with four sets of items placed in the first four slots.

Jiang Qian first took out the somewhat familiar notebook from the first slot...

The richly textured brown leather notebook landed heavily in his hand.

[Name: Secret-Seeking Notebook]

[Type: Cultural Item]

[Function: Secret-Peeking]

[Description: The soul of a conspirator renowned for collecting and trading "secrets" entered a notebook he often used in life after his death. This notebook inherited the conspirator's preferences and talents, possessing an innate sensitivity and inclination toward certain types of information.]

[Usage 1: Within a radius of 100 meters, look directly at the target's true appearance and write down their ID name to peer into their Identity Card. Each use requires payment with one secret.]

[Usage 2: Pages torn from the notebook can be used to send messages and will burn after being read. Write the contents to be sent in the notebook and mark the recipient's ID. The letter in the recipient's hand will become scorching hot. Once the message is viewed, it will burn to ashes along with the paper.]

[Note: It will not keep secrets for you, but you must trade yours for its.]

"This is a god-tier tool for cutting off someone's escape route."

Look at the target and write down their ID, and he could peer into their Identity Card.

Both its applications and benefits were incredibly satisfying.

Even though Jiang Qian had "just entered the field" and was encountering Identity Cards for the first time, the item's description let him recognize its strategic significance and value.

For example, his own Identity Card was "Teng Snake," and the abilities he had obtained—Spirit Vision, Poison Resistance, and Snake Shadow Stealth—also seemed to have evolved around that Identity Card.

For people with schizophrenia like us... no, for Super-Species players, an "Identity Card" probably represents some kind of fundamental identity. If it is unique, then this Secret-Seeking Notebook will be tremendously significant for gathering intelligence...

Jiang Qian silently analyzed:

If Super-Species Identity Cards are not unique, then after successfully peeking at an opponent's Identity Card, one could summarize patterns to predict their behavior and attack methods, thereby maximizing one's own combat strength and using one's strengths against the enemy's weaknesses.

In an extreme environment, knowing the other party's Identity Card might very well mean grasping their fatal weakness.

As for the messaging function in "Usage 2," Jiang Qian found it somewhat lackluster.

After all, in this modern information age, what could not be solved with a phone call or a WeChat message?

Unless it was used in a dungeon with underdeveloped technology.

Then he would possess a tool capable of a crushing advantage in information transmission.

And it would be extremely secure.

I'm getting ahead of myself... Once I'm out, I should settle accounts with the little girl first.

Jiang Qian continued examining the other item, the "Little Devil Set." A familiar box covered in strange runes appeared in his vision.

[Name: Little Devil Set]

[Type: Weapon]

[Function: Substitute, House Ward]

[Description: Demons tainted by seven emotions have long been hailed as the most terrifying nightmares in trial dungeons. They kill trial-takers and await the arrival of the chosen one, then prostrate themselves on the ground and serve like loyal hounds and horses.]

[Usage 1: Deploy a duplicate and shed your shell like a cicada! The seven Black Porcelain Figurines house the duplicates of seven demons, which can be repeatedly used as substitutes until they perish. The substitute's abilities are positively correlated with those of the original body and will grow as the original body grows stronger.]

[Usage 2: Use as a ward against evil to protect the home. The demon duplicates will remain close to protect the home's owner or owners from misfortune.]

[Note: This is the story of seven little devils and one License Holder! Be aware that whenever a little devil perishes, the original body will suffer a corresponding backlash.]

"Isn't this... those seven dungeon bosses?"

Clear the dungeon, and it gives you the dungeon bosses?

Jiang Qian was astonished by the richness of the dungeon rewards.

For a newcomer clearing a dungeon for the first time, such lavish generosity moved Jiang Qian deeply.

In truth, not every dungeon was so generous.

Jiang Qian had obtained these rewards because he had claimed the first clear of "Whispers of the Inner Demon" without suffering even a scratch, which was why his rewards were the most abundant.

Back to this item.

Its functions were extremely impressive: a substitute was the perfect life-saving charm.

Its ability to grow stronger along with the original body also implied that this item had immense growth potential and could stay with him for a long time.

In other words, the stronger he became, the stronger his substitutes would become!

With this, Jiang Qian had effectively gained seven helpers with power equal to his own.

Don't provoke me. If you do, it's 1 versus 8! Sigh, I haven't even met an opponent yet, and I'm already starting to pity them... Jiang Qian's ego gradually swelled.

In high spirits, he examined the next item:

[Name: "Whispers of the Inner Demon" Save-File Reset Ticket]

[Type: Ticket]

[Function: Save-File Reading and Teleportation]

[Description: A derivative item from the trial dungeon "Whispers of the Inner Demon".]

[Usage: This item can be used to restore a saved state and return to a dungeon.]

[Note: This is a one-way ticket. It only leads forward, never asking where it ends up...]

Nothing special.

Its only function was to return him to the state he had been in when "Whispers of the Inner Demon" reached "End Save."

But why would he want to restore a save?

For a hidden quest he had yet to fully clear?

That would not be dancing on the edge of death. It would be plain suicide...

Wait, perhaps this hidden quest had something to do with his frozen Identity Card?

Jiang Qian silently put the item away.

Everything before him was still too new, too unfamiliar to Jiang Qian.

He had passively entered a new world—the Super-Species World—gained another identity, and unlocked an evolutionary path of his own.

There were too many loose ends to tell whether this was a blessing or a curse.

He needed to plan before he acted.

Jiang Qian then checked the last set of items: ten Super-Species Crystals awarded as chips.

[Name: Super-Species Crystal ×10]

[Type: Chips]

[Function: Wagering, energy supply]

[Note: Super-Species Crystals are scarce. Please keep them safe!]

They shimmered together with a dreamlike glow. Staring at them for too long filled him with a peaceful sense of satisfaction... somewhat like hearing that payment notification from Alipay.

"They should be hard currency in this brand-new worldview."

He had some idea of what Super-Species Crystals could do.

He would have to find a way to confirm it all after getting out.

As the last inspected item returned to his inventory slot, the system automatically triggered its teleportation function.

Fluorescent light danced around him.

Jiang Qian looked around the corridor of the Abyss Video Hall, recalling all the perilous moments he had just experienced... Finally, he looked toward the nameless screening room with its tightly shut door, remaining there until his figure vanished.

The Abyss Video Hall returned to its "former" tranquility.

As the fluorescence died out, the faintly gleaming scale-like patterns on the battered door faded away without a trace.

Meanwhile, at the Capital Public Security Bureau Special Affairs Center.

Server Room 9 of the Surveillance Team was a flurry of activity:

"He's out! He really got out!"

"Just who the hell is he..."

"Wait, this is!" Bai Ji stared at the latest data that had appeared on the active mainframe. He sprang up from his chair, eyes wide with shock. "The dungeon has entered a locked state?"

"What?" A crowd quickly gathered around!

Bai Ji's expression gradually twisted. "It looks like this brother not only cleared the dungeon, but also triggered some irreversible change that caused it to crash and lock down. No matter what, this person is critically important. Report this immediately!"

"Report, Team Leader! We've already locked onto the trial-taker's area. He's in Jinping City!"

"So close? Draw up a regional map right away and send it to me, now!"

"Understood!"

At that moment, a man rushed out of one of the server rooms, his forehead drenched in cold sweat and his expression frantic. It was Bai Ji, leader of Information Center Group One!

He was about to report that someone had cleared "Whispers of the Inner Demon" and caused the dungeon to lock down.

More importantly, the area where this newly promoted License Holder was located was Jinping, so close to the official center of power.

Here, I'd like to offer special thanks to the readers who have supported this book under their real names since its release~

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And thanks to all the readers for your comments, suggestions, and messages!

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Demon Blade Has No Ji Yanqing

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A Frenzied Wave of Thought

The Most Gutsy Man Is Here

When Optimus Prime Falls, He Becomes Mount Buzhou

Emperor Wang's Spring Heart, Zhuang Zhou's Dawn Dream

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White-Robed King

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And thanks to all the readers for your recommendation votes!

PS: I'm also very grateful to those who supported anonymously. I just have no way to list your names, haha. That's all—see you next chapter~