The tone of the doorbell seemed to carry an element of "urgency," conveying the pressing mood of the person ringing it.

In the messy study, Howard did not manage to kiss his wife. Instead, an exaggerated, twisted, sick smile spread across his lips. Behind him, a writhing black glow surged forth, starting to reflect the scene at the front door:

There stood a strikingly handsome young man with black hair and black eyes, whose strong charisma was immediately likable at first sight.

Particularly, an aura of calm and wisdom in the young man's eyes suggested he wouldn't panic no matter what he faced, capturing the attention of the two people in the study instantly.

"Tang!"

Rose almost couldn't resist calling out. She hadn't expected that the "person" she had just reached out to for help would arrive at her doorstep so quickly.

But at this moment, she felt a pang of regret.

Before asking for help, she had no idea what sort of "monster" had parasitized Howard Roland nor what had actually happened to Howard.

Now, she knew.

That's why she understood that the current Howard Roland was nothing but a mad, despicable freak.

What was even more terrifying was that inside him dwelled an "Exotic Realm Life Form" that had once destroyed worlds.

Although Howard had intentionally isolated himself, preventing Rose from sensing the pollution from that life form, as a "polymath," even the vague images were enough for her to gauge the terror of that Exotic Realm Life Form.

According to her estimate, if the life form was released, the Federation would lose tens of millions of people in a short period.

Now she also knew of Tang Qi's latest achievements, but she was also acutely aware of what went to procure them.

"Tang knows many astonishing secrets and knowledge and possesses extraordinary wisdom. He can exploit various information and the weaknesses of divine beings to defeat seemingly powerful divine beings, but that definitely requires extensive preparation and impeccable timing."

"Right now, he hasn't had time to prepare. My plea for help was originally meant to establish communication with the outside world while seeking guidance from such a 'wise man'... Right, he also holds the status of a Melter Wizard, but to combat that monster, he would need to reach at least the level of 'Molten Furnace Witch King.'"

"With Tang's wisdom, he surely wouldn't choose the path of mad sacrifice, which means he can't reach the level of the Witch King... And Tang's 'good friend,' the reincarnated Lord of Thorns, by this time, His True Form might have long returned to the Divine Realm... Even if Tang could summon Him, just reincarnated and still dealing with such a haunting burden, that divine being couldn't handle the monster."

"No, I can't let Tang get involved, I must make him leave."

A firm thought emerged in Rose's heart.

But before she could act, Howard approached again, giving her a twisted, mad look and extravagantly said: "Tsk tsk, how touching, wishing to remind this handsome young man, your dearly beloved Tang you couldn't wait to contact, to quickly leave this dangerous place, huh."

"That won't do, the show must go on, let's quickly move to the next scene."

"The young man, called 'dear Tang' by Rose Madeline, hearing that Rose was in danger, rushed over without hesitation. As her husband, Howard Roland, is about to meet this uninvited guest, and as his wife, Rose, will dress up to greet this special visitor."

Accompanied by Howard's bizarre "narrative," Rose suddenly found herself unable to scream or speak, as her body uncontrollably moved towards the "cloakroom," even the clothing she was supposed to change into appearing in her mind.

At the same time, she watched her husband, holding an axe, appearing to dance some strange dance, moving along the corridor and down the staircase, approaching the still-ringing doorway.

In her mind, she also heard a provocation from her husband:

"I haven't severed your thoughts; you still possess the power to die with me. But that would release a monster that would Destroy the Divine Eagle Federation. As his avatar, his human skin, I understand that monster's power too well."

"Is it to sacrifice yourself and dear Tang to buy some time, for a chance that may or may not exist?"

"Or to sacrifice yourself and your husband, to save your beloved Tang, while letting most of the Federation join us in death?"

"Make your choice, my angel."

...

"Click"

Just as Tang Qi had removed his hand from the doorbell, suppressing the discomfort that arose from entering the "force field," the dark red door in front of him opened instantly, and he found himself face-to-face with a handsome but bizarre-looking middle-aged gentleman.

Although he and Mrs. Roland, Rose Madeline, had become good friends, with his personality, he naturally wouldn't pry into his friend's personal life.

Therefore, he had never seen Howard Roland, not even a picture, before this moment.

This was their first encounter.

He saw a very charming middle-aged man, but also noticed many abnormalities, like the gentleman's still unadjusted sickly smile, his bloodshot eyes, his unkempt, dirty pajamas, and… the axe in his hand.

Who would greet a guest holding an axe?

This scene alone was enough to stir various speculations.

But at this moment, Tang Qi had no time to care about these details.

Upon seeing Howard, Tang Qi's special ability automatically activated, due to Rose's prior call for help and the information he had received from the Holy Eagle Nest Society, preparing to use "forced parsing".

If he had been more rash, he would have attacked Howard Roland immediately upon arrival to save his friend.

However, even in the most perilous moments, Tang Qi managed to remain calm.

And next, the clusters of Information Fragments erupting incessantly in his mind proved, just like numerous past incidents, that a calm approach once again averted a situation that could have escalated into an irrevocable disaster.

"…Encountering unknown interference."

"Target is consistently 'Knowledge Alienation'."

"Target is consistently 'Cognitive Distortion'."

The first to appear in his mind were these two Information Fragments.

He recalled the intelligence reported that Howard Roland, upon his return, had successfully replaced Rose's position, which clearly was one of the reasons.

Without waiting for him to further speculate, Tang Qi felt his Special Ability beginning to engage in complex analysis, not by force but as if another mechanism had been triggered, circumventing those mutations and distortions to decrypt the information.

At the same time, Tang Qi also felt the "Book of Nothingness" within him start to produce Chaos Mushrooms again.

Although it wasn't a forced decryption, it unexpectedly required the use of Tang Qi's Divine Power.

However, correspondingly, in the blink of an eye, he received the information of "successful decryption."

In his mind, a large cluster of Information Fragments burst open, nearly causing Tang Qi to lose his composure and putting him in a tense state.

[Extraordinary Creatures: The container for a Devouring Beast.]

[State: Stable.]

[Information Fragment One: A 'test subject' created by an unknown Species, the target being a human with distorted desires and a soul, forcibly merging with a 'Devouring Beast' using himself as a container, thereby constantly suffering from the pollution of the Devouring Beast.]

[Information Fragment Two: An unknown species used some means to allow the target's body and soul to withstand the pollution and to derive vast knowledge and various Extraordinary Powers from the pollution, with the cost being that the target becomes increasingly distorted and insane.]

[Information Fragment Three: Once the container, the target, dies, the Devouring Beast will be released.]

[Information Fragment Four: The Devouring Beast is one of the types of monsters in the 'Mysterious', possessing only one instinct: to devour all life forms and, upon doing so, to acquire everything of the consumed life form, including flesh, knowledge, memories… even Extraordinary Powers.]

…

Tang Qi struggled to maintain his composure on the outside, and there were no abnormalities in his body, but his mind churned with thoughts and reflections.

Devouring Beast!

A name that sounds utterly cliché, but actually represents "Horror," "Extinction of Life," "Devouring Everything."

As the fragments spoke, similar to the "Nightmare Octopus", they are a monstrous Species that exist in the Mysterious. Life forms devoured by them, whether humans or demons, will have everything stripped away and devoured.

Tang Qi feels familiar because he had encountered an advanced or 'ultimate form' of a Devouring Beast.

In Winston Town, it nearly consumed Immortal Count Samuel Winston even in its sleep, a 'Dark Dominator' even more terrifying than a Divine.

The danger the Devouring Beast represents caused Tang Qi's head to tremble.

But at this moment, the Great Horror isn't just the Devouring Beast.

"Unknown species' test subject?"

As Tang Qi mulled over this phrase, each word filled him with a sense of absurdity, horror, and unacceptability.

He stared at Howard Roland, looking at this handsome yet twisted middle-aged man.

"Is Rose's husband now like a container sealing a terrifying monster, this container mad and fragile, and its creator an unknown Species?"

"What does that species intend by sending him back to the Divine Eagle Federation?"

"How many test subjects has that species sent to the Federation, or rather, to the entire Origin Star?"

As his thoughts spread, Tang Qi once again sensed the intense premonition of crisis he had faced during those major events.

Meanwhile, he was somewhat speechless.

Why is it always me?

Although Tang Qi also knows that with the current surge in mysterious incidents on Origin Star, he couldn't be the only one encountering such events.

But from reality, his frequency of encounters was indeed higher than other Transcendents.

And the fact that Origin Star could still maintain its current situation also proves how much effort the Transcendents on the Mysterious Side have exerted.

But it's clear that humanity's luck can't continue forever.

Just as Tang Qi's contemplation unavoidably shifted the atmosphere towards awkwardness, he suddenly saw Rose's husband, Howard Roland, flash a passionate, bright smile with his handsome face, extending a hand towards Tang Qi.

With a strangely nauseous tone, he said, "You must be the 'dear Tang' Rose talked about, you surely don't know how pleased your arrival makes me feel, how joyful, come in quickly, I can hardly wait."

Listening to words and a tone that neither a normal "host" nor "a husband" could possibly utter,

Even Tang Qi, who had insight into the "Horror and Secrets" without losing his composure, immediately felt goosebumps rising on his arms, enveloped by an indescribable nausea and absurdity.

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