Chapter 582: Depravity

Fortress Number Seven, the Ascetic Practitioners are assigned their stations.

Zhang Yan squeezed through the crowded, fervent crowd, entering the courtyard with a nervous heart.

Since Lin An returned, his deeds have been constantly circulating throughout Fortress Number Seven.

Through intentional spreading, the vast majority of ordinary people view Lin An as the next Guardian of Fortress Number Seven.

Even after Xiong Hanzi deliberately let out that Lin An was actually a novice Ascetic Practitioner who had obtained power via a 'shortcut,' masses of novice Ascetic Practitioners, before their first transformation, crowded the courtyard day and night, pleading for Lin An to point them the way.

Especially after the great battle, many novice Ascetic Practitioners were already severely overexerting their strength.

Time is short.

In their frenzied mindset, even if Lin An had them eat feces for power, they would immediately rush to occupy every latrine in the fortress.

Any fragment of news about Lin An that leaks out is taken as 'truth'.

"Lord Lin An, please tell us, how can we make our faith more steadfast!!"

They begged bitterly.

Kneeling on the ground, the novice Ascetic Practitioners who paid no heed to dignity and so‑called belief had bodies that were somewhat translucent.

They longed for Lin An to tell them how to become stronger.

As those who obtained power through self‑harm and self‑torture, many remain stuck at the Initial Stage, unable to move forward.

No matter what methods they use, no matter how cruel they are to themselves, they cannot make any further progress.

Even the pleasure brought by that 'steadfast' belief is diminishing further.

Just like developing drug tolerance, pain only brings more pain.

Hearing the miserable pleas from outside the courtyard, Zhang Yan felt a sudden chill run down his spine.

Novice Ascetic Practitioners are truly insane.

He noticed many Ascetic Practitioners who, in order to have Lin An speak up for them, did not hesitate to dissect themselves on the spot, just to prove their resolve.

"Have the things been gathered?"

Inside the courtyard, Xiong Hanzi put on a mysterious expression and quietly asked Zhang Yan, while unconsciously glancing at Lin An, who was again studying the items.

"They've been gathered... Lord Zhang Tie..."

Zhang Yan replied respectfully in a low voice, though there was some unease in his eyes.

As early as a week ago, the Zhang Tie before him had him collect the corpses of fallen soldiers, or...

the remains of deceased Ascetic Practitioners' brain tissue.

Such strange, eerie behavior made his mind wander.

"Lord Lin An... what exactly does he intend to do?"

Seeing what was on his mind, Xiong Hanzi, standing where he was, cracked a grin and gave a careless hehe laugh.

The ugly smile, landing in Zhang Yan's eyes, looked just like a villain's wicked grin.

"Hey, kid."

"Don't waste your time thinking so much, just get your job done!"

"These things are for researching how Ascetic Practitioners cultivate; they're only beneficial to you, with no harm!"

He blinked.

Xiong Hanzi tried to make himself look like a good person, giving off an air of 'you have nothing to worry about.'

But the more he heard Zhang Tie speak like that, the more Zhang Yan felt he was involved in a world‑shaking conspiracy.

He carefully lifted his head and forced a smile.

Thanks to Lin An serving as his 'backing,' his standing in the military rose rapidly.

If one were to say that among the populace of Fortress Number Seven, Lin An is the next Guardian.

With Lin An's backing, he would be the next Supreme Commander of the fortress!

To have no ambition, to be unmoved— that's fake.

Therefore, for the tasks Lin An assigned, he naturally devoted himself wholeheartedly.

In just a few short days, he spent almost all his time running around collecting corpses, secretly transporting them into this small courtyard.

"Anyone coming?"

Inside the courtyard, a clear, somewhat weary voice sounded.

Lin An pushed open the long‑sealed door and casually glanced at Zhang Yan, who was talking with Xiong Hanzi.

Thinking of something, he rubbed his brow, narrowed his eyes, and looked up at the light curtain above.

After a brief pause, he beckoned with a hand amid Zhang Yan's flustered contempt.

"Come over, perfect. I have something I want you to try."

He gave a mysterious smile.

Saying that, he threw over a powder in a test tube that Zhang Yan had never seen before.

Seeing this, Zhang Yan startled and instinctively caught the test tube.

Looking at the transparent 'glazed' product, he couldn't help but feel doubtful.

In apprehension, he cautiously raised his head to ask:

"Sir... what is this...?"

Lin An laughed lightly, noticed Xiong Hanzi standing to the side, and a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.

He paid it no mind.

"Just swallow it, and this will help you become an Ascetic Practitioner."

"Perhaps it's the powerful kind..."

He was blunt.

A light, offhand remark caused Zhang Yan to widen his eyes in shock, nearly dropping the vial in his hand.

What!?

Sir, how could you suddenly say these things?

This thing can help me become an Ascetic Practitioner!?

A bolt from the blue.

Zhang Yan stared at the vial, half-disbelieving, and the shock in his heart surged like a wild wolf.

He never imagined that Lin An summoning him would actually be to help him become an Ascetic Practitioner.

Half-believing, half-doubting.

It's not that he doesn't trust Lin An.

But this matter is simply too fantastical.

It's precisely because Lin An displayed too much power, so much that he doesn't seem like an Ascetic Practitioner.

That's why he's willing to believe only halfway.

His voice was dry and hoarse.

Zhang Yan's thoughts were agitated; he stammered as he looked at Lin An:

"Big... person."

"I've tried before... to become an Ascetic Practitioner."

"But I can't feel the mysterious sense that Ascetic Practitioners describe, as if merged with belief..."

"I... I can't..."

He stumbled over his words.

Although he said that, his hand gripping the test tube didn't loosen in the slightest.

He knew the outside rumors, which claimed that Lin An had mastered some powerful technique, even a secret passed down from the most ancient Ascetic Practitioners.

Such an unexpected windfall truly knocked him senseless.

"Taking this, I could not only become an Ascetic Practitioner, but perhaps even a powerful one?"

Seeing Zhang Yan being long-winded, Lin An furrowed his brow slightly and directly gestured for him to take it.

"Just eat it directly."

"If you don't want to become an Ascetic Practitioner, then let those people outside the courtyard have it."

"You don't trust me?"

His tone left no room for doubt.

After hearing Lin An speak like that, and also hearing the fervent shouts from outside the courtyard, Zhang Yan hurriedly denied that he dared to question.

Without daring to hesitate, he tipped his head back and swallowed the powder in one gulp.

It was slightly bitter upon entry...

and carried a faint fishy odor...

What is this?

Just as his thoughts began to turn curious, a strong surge of pleasure instantly exploded his consciousness.

His whole body trembled, his pupils constricted slightly, then suddenly turned needle-sharp.

As the hormone receptors instantly detonated, Zhang Yan twitched like a convulsion, his face breaking into an ecstatic smile.

"Ha-ha.."

"I..."

"I saw..."

"God!!"

His five senses heightened, his heart rate accelerated.

At the instant he swallowed the powder, a strange aura ripple spread from his whole body.

"Captain Lin...!?"

Watching Zhang Yan slip into a dazed state, truly beginning to advance toward Ascetic Practitioner, Xiong Hanzi's mouth went dry as he instinctively asked Lin An.

The shock in his heart knew no bounds...

"Is that... fucking..."

He felt some panic, some absurdity.

That is a taboo of human civilization.

Lin An saw what Zhang Tie wanted to say, and smiled indifferently.

"Nothing."

"Artificial receptor, endorphin."

"After dissecting many ordinary people and Ascetic Practitioners, I found the only difference between them is that the brain tissue producing endorphin varies."

"Ascetic Practitioners produce more, ordinary people produce less—that's all..."

"If that's the case."

"We might as well lend them a hand...."

Having said that, Lin An patted the stunned Xiong Hanzi on the shoulder and raced straight for the Royal City.

"Once it spreads, after they've used these..."

"they'll be obedient..."

"After thinking, I reckon a hundred Second Levels might not be enough."

"Better to prepare with both hands."

"So, then let's simply have these ascetic practitioners fight for us..."

Looking at the thing Lin An handed over, Xiong Hanzi couldn't help but shiver.

He never expected that Lin An would actually replicate this kind of thing in this world.

For the humans of the Secret Realm world, this is a spark of hope, and also a poison that drags them into hell.