Night had fallen, casting a faint, hazy glow over the city.

Li Chengyi chose not to return home; instead, he found a budget hotel near the company to stay for the night. At this point, staying out provided him with more convenience for gathering his thoughts than returning to his own place.

Sitting in the modest hotel room, he took in his surroundings: pale yellow wallpaper, a white single bed, a simple brown wooden desk and chair, and a small window with automatic gray curtains.

That was the entirety of the room’s furnishings.

The price was only 150 yuan per night.

Li Chengyi shrugged off the oversized suit jacket he had borrowed from Song Ran. It was a bit loose, but it served its purpose for appearances.

He reached for a can of soda from the mini-fridge, intending to pop it open, but then noticed a label on the side of the can.

“Price: 10 yuan”

With a sigh, Li Chengyi put the drink back in the fridge. A drink worth three yuan being sold for ten wasn't beyond his means, but seeing the markup extinguished his thirst.

He plopped down on the bed and began sorting through the leads he had collected today.

*“Jagir was rescued after hiding in a crevice.”*

*“Before being saved, he hummed a song called ‘Kind Bulwu,’ which translates to ‘Kind Big-Faced Monster.’”*

*“Coincidentally, the creatures wandering the Dead End are the Big-Faced Monsters, known for killing people. If the Big-Faced Monster was considered kind, could that imply it only killed those it deemed unkind?”*

*“For Jagir, the Big-Faced Monster was kind. I even saw a vision of him as a boy, peacefully coexisting with the creature. This could mean that, to him, the monster represented kindness.”*

Li Chengyi fiddled with his phone absentmindedly.

*“These philosophical details don’t matter right now. All I need to understand is what he did right before he was rescued. Morality isn’t my concern.”*

He refocused his thoughts.

*“Next time I enter the Dead End, I can try: 1) closing my eyes and humming inside the crevice, 2) carving something on the wall, or 3) falling asleep or pretending to pass out in the crevice.”*

*“Ideally, I should do all of them.”*

For most people, this would be nearly impossible. Under pursuit by the Big-Faced Monster, others would likely last only a few minutes before being devoured.

But for Li Chengyi, it was different. With his *Flower Language* ability, he might just be able to manage all of these.

Feeling a slight easing of the tension in his chest, he thought to himself:

*“Next, I need to focus on improving my physical fitness, enhancing my abilities, upgrading the *Flower Scale Armor*, and accumulating malice to expedite the development of my second flower deity position.”*

The formidable nature of the *Flower Scale Armor* had proven itself during this recent mission.

This realization gave him a sense of relief amidst the pressure.

However, the counterattacks and combat skills of the man in the white veil left Li Chengyi with a newfound determination to train in martial arts.

*“If that man had wielded a stronger weapon, I could have died on the spot.”*

It was this concern that had driven him to conduct a blitz attack during his raid on the enemy's base.

He banked on his advantage, throwing caution to the wind, executing a quick strike-and-retreat maneuver.

Reality had proven this strategy effective.

Li Chengyi felt more at ease as he reflected on his choices.

He lay back on the bed, staring at the pale yellow lotus-shaped ceiling lamp. His mind wandered back to the memory of defeating the man in the white veil.

The *Flower Language* ability *Hand of Enchantment* was indeed powerful. Just one touch could temporarily compel the target, making them obsessed with whatever he touched next.

*“But how long does *Hand of Enchantment* actually last?”*

Curiosity sparked, Li Chengyi's gaze darted around the room.

Soon, he spotted a target.

A tiny black fly, no bigger than a fingernail, rested on the window ledge.

He crept up slowly, careful not to alert it, then suddenly reached out and cupped his hand over it.

*Thwack.*

The fly, caught off-guard, buzzed madly as it was pinched by his fingers, struggling to break free.

Li Chengyi thought for a moment, touched it with his right hand, and activated *Flower Language*.

Then he released it, watching as the fly darted out the window into the night sky.

*“First, test the range of influence.”*

He waited silently, feeling the gradual drain on his physical and mental energy.

*Hand of Enchantment* required two steps.

The first touch marked the target, while the second determined what the target would become obsessed with.

During the gap between these steps, energy would continuously be consumed.

*“The consumption rate feels about the same as before.”*

After approximately five minutes, Li Chengyi started to feel lightheaded, his breathing quickened, and a wave of exhaustion threatened to pull him into sleep.

Recognizing his limit, he placed his right hand on the wall.

*The second step of *Flower Language* activated.*

The drain stopped instantly, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Resting on a chair, Li Chengyi listened to the faint sound of buzzing approaching.

Sure enough, the fly he had released earlier returned, flying in a straight, almost reckless line toward the wall.

*Thump.*

The fly slammed into the wall and stuck to it.

Li Chengyi pulled out his phone and started timing.

He sat next to the wall, scrolling through his phone while noting the duration of the effect.

One minute.

Two minutes.

Five minutes.

Thirteen minutes.

Finally, the fly’s wings twitched, and it flew away from the window.

Of course, Li Chengyi reached out and touched it again before it left.

After resting for a while, his energy had somewhat recovered.

*“Thirteen minutes. It seems this ability’s duration depends on the target’s resilience. But which factors exactly influence the time?”*

Waiting a moment longer, Li Chengyi watched the fly leave, then pressed his hand against the wall again to trigger *Flower Language*.

A weakened buzzing soon approached.

The fly returned, rocketing into the wall with suicidal force once more.

*Thump.*

It stuck to the wall, motionless, like a piece of art.

Li Chengyi resumed timing.

This time, the duration was significantly shorter, lasting only five minutes.

*“There’s decay?”* he thought, frowning. *“Both instances should have been identical in execution...”*

*“Wait!”* A realization struck him. *“Could the interval between the two steps affect the duration?”*

Before the fly could escape, Li Chengyi touched it again.

With the effect lifted, the fly bolted through the window into the night sky.

But soon, Li Chengyi pressed his hand to the wall once more... and the fly, like a doomed soldier, charged back and splattered against the wall, leaving a tiny bloodstain.

Time passed slowly.

Through continuous trials, by the thirteenth attempt, Li Chengyi had pieced together the rules governing the *Hand of Enchantment*.

*“The ability’s power is consistent, but the duration depends on the strength of the target. The consumption between steps is constant.”*

*“Using it repeatedly on the same target induces resistance. The duration halves with each use, decreasing rapidly until, by the thirteenth attempt, the effect becomes null.”*

Li Chengyi conducted extensive tests, repeating the process to ensure accuracy.

Aside from the experiments, he devoted his time to physical training and combat practice in the company’s gym.

The encounter with the skilled fighter in the white veil had left a lasting impression, spurring him to strengthen his combat prowess.

He continued to seek out malice wherever possible.

However, picking fights with thugs to bait and defeat them only yielded one or two points at a time, making the process slow and painstaking.

To focus on his preparations, Li Chengyi told his family he was still on a business trip and hadn’t returned home. Thus, he dedicated himself entirely to getting ready for his next journey into the Dead End.

Time trickled by, days melting into weeks, and soon over a month had passed.

Li Chengyi’s reputation for brawling spread, deterring the local troublemakers from coming near him.

The progress of accumulating malice had stalled at 89%, refusing to budge.

“To improve combat readiness, the fastest route is modification.”

In the training room of the Hongjin Company’s lower floor, Song Ran stood with his arms crossed, speaking to Li Chengyi.

“Fighting styles aren’t as important as finding the right modifications to complement your strengths.”

“I understand, but I’m still resistant to body modifications,” Li Chengyi shook his head, turning down the suggestion.

“That’s fair. Maintenance is required regularly, and it isn’t cheap,” Song Ran agreed, nodding.

“What about Flyyi?” Li Chengyi asked quietly.

“Flyyi... is talent- and intellect-intensive. It’s more of an assassin-type system,” Song Ran frowned. “I wouldn’t recommend it; they’re too extreme.”

“All I know is that Flyyi involves remote-controlled combat drones. Can you tell me more?” Li Chengyi’s interest piqued, prompting him to inquire further.

Unlike cybernetic enhancements, Flyyi had a significant advantage—it didn’t involve altering one’s body.

“The most basic Flyyi models still require substantial logistical support. Not as much as cyborgs, but

 there are high demands for neural computing power. If you’re serious, try civilian models first,” Song Ran said, his brows furrowing.

“Flyyi boasts long-range control and high firepower but provides minimal personal protection.”

“That’s fine by me. As long as I neutralize the enemy first, personal vulnerability won’t be an issue,” Li Chengyi replied.

“Alright, but whether it’s Flyyi or cybernetic modules, you’ll need to pay for them out of your own pocket. The company won’t fund personal, high-cost investments like these,” Song Ran reminded. “I paid for my prosthetics myself.”

“Expensive, huh... Where would I even start looking for Flyyi?” Li Chengyi wondered, worried about whether his recent earnings would cover even the cheapest option.

“Start at the neural assessment center. You’ll need a certificate proving your cognitive capacity and clean background.”

“And choosing the right Flyyi model is a challenge in itself. You should start by practicing with amateur equipment,” Song Ran advised.