The Rule-Breaker of the Doomsday Game

’It still took seven days, even with the process accelerated.’

Qi Suian gazed at the Black Jade Pillar, which writhed like a mass of flesh.

However, this Black Jade Pillar was nowhere near as enormous as the Pillar of Flesh and Blood. It was only the size of a thumb, crowned with a clear, vacant eyeball.

’It seems I won’t have to stick this into a module slot after all. That saves me an open slot.’

[Source of Profound Darkness: Viral Frenzy]

[Quality: SSS-Grade]

[Trait 1: Spirit Attribute Growth +10]

[Trait 2: Physique Attribute Growth +10]

[Trait 3: Profound Virus Growth +10]

[Trait 4: Removes Profound Celestial Mandate Restriction]

[Trait 5: Enhances Profound-series Talents]

Without hesitation, Qi Suian tore open the flesh of his chest and shoved the Black Stone Jade Pillar—the thing called Source of Profound Darkness: Viral Frenzy—directly into the wound.

He immediately extracted the second consciousness from within it. This consciousness was already shattered beyond recognition, unable to even cry out the "protect" it used to.

Before, it was a dimwit at best. Now, it had degenerated into a vegetative state.

It remained in Qi Suian’s mind, completely unresponsive, utterly still.

Having lost its second consciousness, the Black Stone Jade Pillar instantly became an empty shell. Fortunately, this didn’t affect its quality or traits.

Once the Black Stone Jade Pillar entered his body, the Profound cells within him instantly flared to life, their intensity beginning to rise.

Qi Suian paid it no mind; this was a normal reaction. He then began to examine his talents.

Trait 5 enhanced all talents, and his three talents all belonged to the Profound series.

’Celestial Fate: Profound is unchanged. It seems SSS-grade quality still can’t compare to X-grade.’

’If I hadn’t purged the consciousness from the Source of Profound Virus and the Profound God’s vitality, but had instead absorbed it all, reaching X-grade would have been no problem.’

Qi Suian had no regrets. He valued potential, but he valued his life more.

What’s the point of potential if you’re dead?

Next, his focus shifted to Death Recast, which was also SSS-grade.

’The resurrection ad has been reduced from thirty seconds to fifteen. If I achieve full infection, it’ll drop further to just five seconds.’

’I’ll put that aside for now.’

Qi Suian wasn’t too concerned about ten or twenty seconds. At his current stage, it made no difference.

’And then there’s Virus Control: Profound.’

’This one got the biggest boost, since it’s an SSS-grade amplifying an A-grade.’

As he thought this, he promptly vomited a large mouthful of black blood.

The black blood was teeming with Profound Virus, all of it under his control.

’It’s a variation of a zombie lord’s ability to control other zombies.’

’Any zombie infected by the Profound Virus from my body will fall under my control.’

’But they’re mindless and can only follow simple commands.’

Even a Tier 5 zombie that had developed self-awareness and intelligence would have its original Profound Virus completely overwritten upon being infected by the one from Qi Suian’s body.

This would destroy its intelligence, but it would retain its abilities and strength.

Qi Suian couldn’t control them perfectly; once the Profound Virus left his body, he could only issue remote commands.

’Of limited use,’ Qi Suian concluded. ’They’re not smart enough for complex commands.’

’Still, it’s not entirely without its uses.’

’If I can infect enough of them, I can control a horde of zombies. I can have this army of puppets hunt survivors for me, which would be far more efficient.’

Qi Suian’s plan was simple: he just wanted to kill survivors.

’Then there’s the fact that my own Profound Virus’s self-replication has been massively boosted, and it’s more responsive to my control.’

’Wait, there’s a drawback, too.’

’With my current Spirit, I don’t think I can control that many puppet zombies.’

’There’s a cap. Looks like I’ll have to find another use for this control ability.’

Qi Suian quickly finished testing the changes to his talent.

’The Profound-series talents I already have are such high quality that the boost is negligible.’

For now, only Virus Control: Profound received a significant boost, but that talent is bound to evolve again.

That means it will eventually be obsolete.

’Good thing I’m treating you as a consumable item, or that last trait would’ve been a complete waste.’

Aside from the essential Trait 4, the first three traits were the most helpful to Qi Suian.

A +10 to growth meant a tenfold increase.

With enough hard work, Qi Suian could raise his Spirit and Physique attributes all the way to 10 points through training alone.

However, the time required would be astronomical, and it would demand a massive intake of nutrients.

The same principle applied to the growth of the Profound Virus.

Fortunately, this tenfold bonus wouldn’t become obsolete; it was a life-long benefit.

’Once I’ve fully absorbed this, I’ll be a true genius—an artificial one, but a genius nonetheless.’

How could a growth rate ten times the norm not be considered genius? It was just that, for now, this gift of genius was bestowed upon him by the Black Jade Pillar.

It was an external enhancement. Only when it was completely devoured, digested, and absorbed by the Profound Virus in his body would it truly become Qi Suian’s own.

’Next, it’s time to find those conscious entities.’

’I hope you all prove to be truly nourishing.’

-----------------

’How did Vitality only last for such a short time?’ Tang Jingren’s heart sank, and he instantly understood: his predecessor, the Source of Profound Virus, had fallen.

If his predecessor had fallen, then Vitality was surely gone as well.

’I’m still a little short... Apocalypse Game, I need your help.’

Tang Jingren’s Physique and Spirit had already reached 3 points. He wasn’t human, after all—his predecessor was the very source of the Profound Virus.

A survivor’s talent is their innate potential. But Tang Jingren was different. He *was* the talent.

If his growth was the same as a survivor’s, wouldn’t that be a total waste of his lineage as the predecessor and a former part of the Profound God?

However, the Apocalypse Game gave no response.

He had already confirmed one thing: Celestial Fate and the Violator were one and the same person. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

With his 3 points in both attributes, dealing with ordinary survivors would be a cinch. But could an ordinary survivor kill so many people?

[Mandatory Mission: Consciousness Annihilation]

Suddenly, a mission panel popped up before his eyes.

Clearly, the Apocalypse Game was desperate to eliminate a violator like Qi Suian.

So, It provided Tang Jingren with the locations of the consciousness fragments of the Profound God’s vitality, ordering him to devour them all within forty-eight hours.

If Tang Jingren could complete this mandatory mission, he would not only grow stronger but also receive a form of "help" from the Apocalypse Game—what they called a reward was, in reality, a subsidy.

’As I thought, you’re on my side.’ Tang Jingren broke into a smile. He was practically an insider, while the other guy was the enemy. Of course the Apocalypse Game would help him.