For Guan Tong, aside from the Wordless Book, the Civilization Observer title was his second most important item.
This reward, obtained from the complete Kimos Star murals, had always been a tremendous help to him.
Its initial passive ability, the Eye of True Sight, alone made it impossible for enemies with weaker Mind Power than him to pull any sneaky tricks—no matter what abilities or items they used, he could see right through them at a glance.
Most importantly, this was an upgradeable title. After it devoured the Wailing Furnace that created Scarlet Fear, it gained the new Scarlet Furnace ability upon upgrading, giving Guan Tong the power to drag targets into a world of fear as well.
But compared to the new abilities gained from upgrading, the title’s inherent trait of being able to “devour intelligent beings” was terrifying enough. This meant that when facing powerful, hostile alien intelligences, Guan Tong had the possibility of “killing above his level.”
“I wonder how much experience a single drop of primal blood provides? Is it enough to level up?”
Guan Tong thought as he opened the title to check.
His current title rank was “Intermediate,” and the next was “Advanced.” One drop of primal blood didn’t seem enough, so he took a golden die out of his Storage Box.
Yet, there was no sign of any increase in title experience whatsoever.
“Wait, I think I messed up…”
When Guan Tong saw that two drops of primal blood provided exactly the same experience as one drop, he suddenly remembered that this kind of experience couldn’t stack.
Since all these drops of “primal blood” came from the Life-Hunting Demon, to the title, they counted as “the same intelligent lifeform.” No matter how many times it absorbed them, it would only count as once.
This title’s upgrade requirement was based on the number of “different intelligent lifeforms.” This might mean that, for the title, the experience provided by several low-level intelligent lifeforms combined could even exceed that of a single high-level one.
Just then, Guan Tong had a thought. He remembered he had another different alien intelligent lifeform on hand. What if he added that one too?
He took the decomposition glove made from nano bugs out of his Storage Ring.
Ever since he discovered that wearing this glove tended to “accidentally damage” things he touched, he had tossed it into the Storage Ring. He didn’t wear it normally, only taking it out when he needed to decompose something.
When he held the “primal blood” in one hand and the nano bug glove in the other, a prompt appeared.
[The “Intermediate Civilization Observer” title can be upgraded with this experience increase.]
Sure enough, the two intelligent lifeforms together were enough!
Guan Tong felt a surge of excitement. Even if he got nothing else, just this title upgrade alone was a massive gain from this exploration.
Without any hesitation, he immediately chose to use it.
In an instant, the die and glove in his hands were entangled and devoured by several extremely fine golden thread-like webs.
[Title has been upgraded to “Advanced Civilization Observer.”]
Guan Tong couldn’t wait to check the upgraded effects.
[Advanced Civilization Observer]: When wearing this title, you gain the passive abilities “Eye of True Sight” and “Probability Deviation”; the active abilities “Scarlet Furnace” and “Nano Decomposition.”
[Eye of True Sight]: When your Mind Power is higher than the observed target, you can see through the abilities or item effects they are using.
[Probability Deviation]: As a favored one of the Gambling Space, any effect involving probability judgment that acts upon you will have its actual result biased by 5% in a direction unfavorable to you.
[Scarlet Furnace]: Consumes Mind Power to hijack the target’s consciousness and place it within the Scarlet Furnace, where it is eroded by the fear generated by the furnace. The effect’s strength depends on the amount of Mind Power consumed.
[Nano Decomposition]: Adds a “decomposition” effect to your Mind Power. While active, Mind Power consumption is doubled.
[Note]: The history of the universe, the lost civilizations, gain meaning through your gaze. Note: This title can be upgraded by absorbing ordinary lifeforms. Ordinary lifeforms currently absorbed: 3.
[Special Lifeforms Absorbed]: Mourning-Beak Furnace, Nano Bug Race, Life-Hunting Demon.
“Just as I thought…”
After reading the upgraded title effects, it was exactly as Guan Tong had expected. After the title devoured parts of two intelligent lifeforms, it had once again gained partial abilities from those lifeforms.
Of these two new abilities, one was passive and one active. Each effect was incredibly good—no, not just good, but way too powerful!
“Probability Deviation… any probability judgment that involves me will have its result biased by 5% in my favor… This passive ability, if it were in a peaceful era, wouldn’t it be downright godly?”
Imagine in a 50/50 probability bet. With this passive ability, Guan Tong’s win rate would become 55%.
As long as there were enough bets, he could make money steadily. In fact, in a situation where neither side cheats, he could drive any opponent to bankruptcy. It would be like having a guaranteed profit-making printing press.
Extending this to other aspects of life would be the same. As long as he did things often enough and over a long enough period, everything would develop in his favor. It would be like having a permanent “lucky halo” over his head.
However, Guan Tong also noticed that the ability mentioned this effect came from “the favor of the Gambling Space toward its favored one.”
This meant his earlier guess was correct. The Life-Hunting Demon was not the master of the Gambling Space. When he called it a slave of the space before, it was somewhat out of spite. Now it seemed its true identity was “the favored one of the Gambling Space.”
A “favored one” was probably better off than a slave, but certainly not by much.
“It should be that the title devoured the Life-Hunting Demon’s ‘source essence’ and absorbed its buff as a Gambling Space favored one for me… but I myself have no connection to the Gambling Space.”
Guan Tong thought. The details of the “Life-Hunting Demon’s Primal Blood” had explained that cumulative use of a certain amount would allow him to establish a contract with the Gambling Space.
“Looking at it this way, after establishing a contract with the Gambling Space, one would become a favored one of the space. While gaining some favored one buffs like ‘Probability Deviation,’ they would very likely also lose their freedom, being trapped forever in the Gambling Space to serve it.”
Guan Tong couldn’t help but shiver.
What was the point of being the strongest in the entire world if he was trapped in a place like that forever?
Maybe only someone like the Life-Hunting Demon, whose original body was a pile of dice, was best suited to be the favored one of the Gambling Space.
Apart from the passive ability [Probability Deviation], the other newly acquired active ability, [Nano Decomposition], was equally powerful.
In Guan Tong’s view, this active ability was even more practical for him.
“After activating the ability, my Mind Power gains a decomposition effect… That means my Shadow can also be imbued with decomposition. That’s too terrifying…”
The Shadow itself already had formidable traits like shape-shifting, high toughness and strength, and the ability to switch between substantial and insubstantial. Now, adding a “decomposition” trait on top of that… it was like stepping on one foot to fly to the sky with the other.
For some reason, the image of “a plague of locusts” inexplicably flashed through Guan Tong’s mind.
A massive swarm of locusts gathered together like a dark storm. After sweeping across a wheat field, the field became barren land.
If his Shadow activated the decomposition ability, as long as he had enough Mind Power, if it swept across a city, wouldn’t it also turn that city into empty space? Or if the target wasn’t buildings but a large crowd, then…
“…Why am I having such evil thoughts? I need to stop right there.”
Guan Tong shook his head, not delving deeper into those images. But he still realized that this new decomposition ability could bring him a massive boost. It could be applied to his Shadow, or even his expanded Shadow Domain.
Even his old weapon, the Silver Hunt, fired bullets made of Mind Power, which could now also be imbued with the decomposition effect, turning them into “decomposition bullets.”
As for the doubled consumption after activating the ability, that was hardly a problem for Guan Tong. His ability to store reserve Mind Power was precisely meant to be used to its fullest when forming “combination techniques” with other skills.
Guan Tong reluctantly read through the title details several more times before closing the panel.
He couldn’t help it. The effects of the upgraded title had given him so many surprises that he inevitably lingered a moment in the joy brought by the massive improvement.
And this was just using one drop of “primal blood.” He still had four drops left, which could bring other improvements.
“I have four drops left. Let me try using another one directly.”
Guan Tong figured that the passive ability gained from the title’s devouring was granted by the Gambling Space, which didn’t conflict with the Life-Hunting Demon’s authority. So using it again should yield different rewards.
He chose to use it. The golden die in his palm instantly cracked open, and a drop of golden liquid surged out—exactly the same as when he saw the Life-Hunting Demon’s main consciousness descend in the Gambling Space.
This drop of “primal blood” hovered briefly in the air before actually merging into Guan Tong’s palm. A prompt immediately followed.
[You have obtained the Life-Hunting Demon’s authority: Impermanent Tax.]
[Terminal Panel authority function has been unlocked.]
Impermanent Tax? And a new function opened on the panel…
Guan Tong hadn’t expected the Terminal Panel to open a new function. It seemed “authority” and “ability” were not the same thing.
However, he didn’t feel any change in his body at the moment and had no idea what this “Impermanent Tax” authority was used for.
He opened the Terminal Panel to check the new function, but first noticed that his personal information panel had changed.
[Name: Guan Tong]
[Nickname: Shadow]
[Title: Advanced Civilization Observer]
[Mind Power: 1430 (1430) (958600)]
[Ascension Coins: 41700]
[Overall Biometric Rating: Awakened]
…
The title changing from “Intermediate” to “Advanced” was to be expected, but the Overall Biometric Rating field had actually changed from “Perfect” to “Awakened”!
“I remember before entering the gambling, the rating on the panel was still ‘Perfect’… Now it’s become ‘Awakened.’ Is this because of the upgraded title, or because I got the Life-Hunting Demon’s authority?”
Guan Tong leaned toward the latter, because having the Terminal Panel open a new function was definitely no small matter.
He stared at the word “Awakened” for a moment, and suddenly recalled the “Dialoguer” that descended during the “Debate of the Oracle” rule. That guy had said that for humanity to survive, they needed to become Awakened Ones… Could it be the same meaning?
After thinking for a moment, he closed the information panel and found the new function, “Authority.” The moment he selected it, the entire Terminal Panel seemed to undergo some change. The background was no longer pure black but instead had some flowing nebula patterns.
Then, as he entered the details page of this function, a colossal tree adorned with countless stars suddenly appeared before his eyes. Those stars hung on the branches like fruits, filling Guan Tong with immense awe.
“What is this…”
He felt like his eyes couldn’t take it all in. This giant tree had no end in sight, and all the “fruits” on it were gray… No!
Guan Tong spotted a faint glow on a branch in the corner. When his attention shifted there, the information on that “fruit” unfolded before him.
[Authority: Impermanent Tax]
[Effect: For any value transaction that occurs within the range of your Mind Power influence, extract 1/20 of it and convert it into Impermanent Tax points to supply yourself.]
[Cost: Each extraction consumes 0.0000001% of your source essence. Once source essence is depleted, it needs to be replenished, otherwise the authority will become invalid.]
[Life is like an impermanent gamble, and all beings are trapped within it. The winner thinks they have won, the loser thinks they have lost, yet none realize that in the instant the stakes change hands, something has already leaked away.]
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