66: Chapter 66 Lian Yuan's Misjudgment: These Must Be Triplets!
Tianqiong War God Academy, the small grove by the artificial lake.
Usually a dating Holy Land for couples, today it was filled with the chilling atmosphere of a spy war.
Chain Abyss's Advanced Observer, Zhang Chen, was lying prone in the bushes with a ghillie suit made of branches on his head, holding high-magnification tactical binoculars, with a rapidly operating recorder beside him.
His eyes were bloodshot and his expression was dazed, as if he had just experienced the collapse of his worldview.
In his notebook, the once neat handwriting had become crooked, filled with exclamation marks and question marks.
[Target Intelligence Update — Top Secret]
[Confirmed via observation: the target 'Gu Fan' is not a single individual! Not a Clone technique! It is highly likely... triplets! Or even a legion of multi-birth Clones!]
Zhang Chen swallowed hard and tremblingly wrote down his analysis report:
[Individual A (Code Name: Sleep God):]
[Traits: Extreme sleepiness; can fall asleep instantly in any environment.]
[Ability Analysis: Suspected to possess an 'Absolute Defense Field.' According to reliable intel, Grandmaster-Rank sonic attacks are ineffective against him; instead, they are converted into a Mass Hypnosis Wave by some 'Rebound Rule.' This individual's Mental Energy is unfathomable; likely a 'Tank-type' unit specialized in defense and mental control.]
[Individual B (Code Name: Taotie):]
[Traits: Extreme hunger, eyes glowing green, eating speed defies the laws of physics.]
[Ability Analysis: Possesses S-Rank or higher 'Matter Decomposition and Transformation' ability. Personally witnessed him devouring stainless steel cutlery and plastic products without indigestion. Speculated that his stomach connects to an alternate dimension, or he is some biochemically modified 'Devourer-type' unit that might eat enemies directly in combat.]
[Individual C (Code Name: Pretension King):]
[Traits: Extreme narcissism, comes with his own BGM and lighting effects, carries a mirror at all times.]
[Ability Analysis: Possesses a mass-destructive 'Mental Charm' superpower. Can brainwash thousands in an instant, plunging them into a state of fanatical worship. Can even manipulate the weather and power Systems (referring to stage lighting). Classified as a strategic-grade 'Control-type' unit.]
After writing this, Zhang Chen felt his hands shaking.
Terrifying.
How is this a student? This is clearly a special operations squad with clear division of labor and complementary functions!
"I must get a sample! Even a single strand of hair will do!"
Zhang Chen gnashed his teeth. That useless Lin Xue had already failed; now it was all up to him.
He adjusted his binoculars, looking for an opportunity to strike.
That "Pretension King" was surrounded by people in the plaza; there was no way in.
That "Taotie" was still scouring the cafeteria's back kitchen. Hearing that he even drank the dishwater was too disgusting; Zhang Chen didn't want to get close.
There was only one chance—the "Sleep God."
At this moment, A-Shui, having completed his nap mission for one class, was wobbling along the lakeside path. Probably tired from walking, he collapsed onto a roadside bench, and two seconds later, the snoring resumed.
"Great chance!"
A sharp glint flashed in Zhang Chen's eyes.
Taking a deep breath, he circulated the Chain Abyss's secret technique, "Breathless Steps," gliding across the ground like a phantom.
Ten meters... five meters... three meters... A-Shui continued to snore away, showing no reaction.
Zhang Chen held his breath, holding a small sample collection tweezer, slowly reaching toward A-Shui's messy hair.
"Just one hair... and I can crack this monster's genetic code..."
Zhang Chen's heart was racing to the limit.
At the very moment the tip of the tweezers was about to touch a strand of hair.
[Ding! System Notification: The duration of the Divine Ability 'Myriad Manifestation Dharma Body (Elementary Chapter)' has ended.]
[Clones are about to be recalled.]
Without any warning.
Nor any energy fluctuations.
Right before Zhang Chen's eyes, the solid physical body on the bench suddenly made a soft "poof" sound.
Like a popped bubble.
A-Shui's figure disintegrated instantly, turning into a cloud of faint white smoke that drifted away with the wind.
The bench was empty; not even a wrinkle remained.
???
Zhang Chen remained frozen in a bent-over position with his hand outstretched, his tweezers having caught nothing but air.
His pupils constricted, and his mind went blank.
Where is he?
Such a large living person was just snoring a moment ago; how did he suddenly vanish?
Not invisibility, not teleportation, but directly... vaporized?
"Is this... the legendary 'Elementalization'? Or a High-dimensional Projection?"
Zhang Chen instantly broke into a cold sweat.
He whipped his head around, looking toward the cafeteria and the plaza.
If his speculation was correct... Meanwhile.
In the cafeteria, Nickname, who was holding his fiftieth rice cooker inner pot and licking it wildly, suddenly froze.
"Meat... want more..."
Before he could finish, he also vanished into a puff of green smoke with a "poof." Only the inner pot, licked clean enough to see a reflection, fell to the ground with a "clang," scaring Auntie Wang in the corner into another scream.
"Ghost!!!"
At the plaza.
The Vain, who was enjoying the cheers of ten thousand people and preparing to belt out "How Lonely It Is to Be Invincible," suddenly felt his body lighten.
"Sigh, happy times are always short-lived."
He gave one last wave to the frenzied fans below. "Don't be obsessed with me; I'm just a legend."
With that, under the watchful eyes of everyone and accompanied by the final dynamic drumbeat, he vanished into an afterimage, leaving behind a phantom.
The entire venue fell silent.
Then, even more frenzied screams erupted.
"He ascended! Gu Fan ascended!"
"This is Ascension! This is a miracle!"
"So cool! Even his exit is so artistic!"
In the grove.
Zhang Chen heard the reports from everywhere through his earpiece and slumped to the ground.
"Disappearing simultaneously... without a trace..."
"This isn't cloning technology; this is... magic! It's a divine art!"
He heavily crossed out his previous analysis in his notebook and wrote a line of large characters with a trembling hand:
[Warning! Warning! Target danger level raised to unassessable! Recommend immediate evacuation of all surveillance personnel! Repeat! Evacuate immediately! Blue Star is very dangerous; I want to go back to Mars!]
[Ding! Detected extreme fear from 'Observer Zhang Chen' caused by the collapse of his worldview.]
malice points +800!
Inside Dormitory 404.
Gu Fan slowly opened his eyes and stretched.
With the return of the three Clones, a massive stream of memories flooded into his mind.
The comfort of sleeping, the satisfaction of being full, the thrill of being worshipped... three distinct experiences exploded simultaneously, making him shudder involuntarily.
"Hiss... this feeling is quite addictive."