The battle-ending notification sound was like background music for a game victory, but before Lu Zhaoming could even feel happy, the blood-red "Unknown Side Effects" notification on the system interface poured cold water on him, like a hidden negative status in a game.

"This thing... could it be all show and no substance?" Lu Zhaoming muttered to himself, feeling the restless energy within his body, as if he had drunk fake alcohol and was getting dizzy.

He suppressed his discomfort and shouted to Qinglian, "Retreat! Get out of here!"

Just as he was about to slip away, a sinister dark force surged into his mind like a floodgate being opened, and his vision went completely black, as if the power had gone out.

Before losing consciousness, he only remembered Qinglian's terrified scream and that familiar system notification sound—

"Welcome to the end of the trial..."

The sound was like the opening scene of a midnight horror story. Lu Zhaoming's last consciousness was being completely swallowed by darkness, as if he had fallen into a bottomless pit.

When he regained consciousness, he found himself not lying on the familiar wasteland, nor on the hard bed in the safe house, but in pure nothingness.

There is no up, down, left, or right; there is no concept of time; only endless emptiness and loneliness.

"Did I... die? Do I have to start over?" Lu Zhaoming wondered.

"Heh, the game has only just begun..." A cold voice hissed in the void like a venomous snake, carrying a chilling echo.

Lu Zhaoming jolted awake and tried to move, but found himself completely immobilized, like a mosquito encased in amber.

It felt like my soul had left my body, and I was nailed to the pillar of shame in the universe, unable to die even if I wanted to.

"Hey! What the hell is that? Give me a straight answer!" he roared at the void, but his voice seemed to sink into the sea without any echo, only the cold voice occasionally reverberating in his ears.

"Welcome to the end of the trial... Welcome to the end of the trial..."

Just as he was about to lose his temper, the judgment system seemed to finally remember that it had a host, and a semi-transparent prompt popped up:

"Host has entered the core area of ​​superpowers. Please complete the test of consciousness, or you will be permanently trapped here."

Looking at those words, Lu Zhaoming felt as if he had found a lifeline, or as if he had been given a suspended sentence.

Superpowers out of control?

A test of consciousness?

What is all this about?

Are we supposed to play a game of cards with this void using our own thoughts?

"System, give me an explanation! What is the core domain of superpowers? What is the consciousness test? Is there a beginner's tutorial?" Lu Zhaoming frantically called out to the system in his mind, wishing he could dig out its code and study it carefully.

However, the system seemed to have crashed, offering no response other than that cold, impersonal message.

Lu Zhaoming took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

Complaining is useless now; you can only rely on yourself.

He frowned and began to observe the void.

Although it appeared to be empty, he could sense a powerful energy within it, an energy that was both familiar and unfamiliar.

"This is... the power of supernatural abilities?" Lu Zhaoming tried to mobilize the power of judgment within his body, but found that it was as if it were sealed and completely unusable.

"It seems I can only rely on myself." He gritted his teeth and began to try to use his mind to perceive everything around him.

Suddenly, blurry images began to flash before his eyes, like old film reels, fragmented and chaotic.

It includes his life before he transmigrated, his experiences after arriving in the wasteland, and every person and event he encountered.

These images spun rapidly in his mind like a revolving lantern, making him dizzy and almost causing him to lose consciousness.

"These are my memories?" Lu Zhaoming tried hard to grasp these images, but found that they were like soap bubbles, bursting at the slightest touch.

Just when he was about to give up, a familiar figure suddenly appeared in front of him, making his heart jump.

That's a Red Owl!

He was standing on a high platform, surrounded by countless researchers in white coats who were bowing down to him as if they were worshipping a god.

In his hand, Crimson Owl held a black crystal that emitted an evil light that sent chills down one's spine.

“If I take just one more step, I can control everything…” Red Owl said in a low voice, his voice filled with madness and ambition.

Lu Zhaoming was shocked; he finally understood Chi Xiao's true purpose.

He wanted more than just experimental viruses; he wanted to control the entire wasteland, and even the whole world!

The black crystal in his hand is likely the key to realizing his ambitions.

"We absolutely cannot let him succeed!" Lu Zhaoming roared inwardly. He wanted to rush forward to stop Chi Xiao, but found that he could not move at all.

He could only watch helplessly as Crimson Owl raised the black crystal, and then...

A blinding light suddenly struck, like a sharp sword, forcing him back from the scene.

"Ah!" Lu Zhaoming screamed in agony, feeling as if his soul was being torn apart.

"You must face your own heart, or you cannot leave this place." An aged voice echoed in the void, full of wisdom and majesty.

Lu Zhaoming looked up and saw a blurry figure appear in front of him.

He was an old man, wearing a tattered leather coat, his face covered with wrinkles, but his eyes were unusually sharp, like two sharp knives.

"An eagle?!" Lu Zhaoming exclaimed in surprise.

“It’s me.” The eagle nodded, his voice sounding somewhat tired. “This is your subconscious. Everything you see is the truest reflection of your inner self.”

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!