Chapter 3: Chapter 3 Book of Fate: Fragment_1 Chapter 3: Chapter 3 Book of Fate: Fragment_1 [Trial Task — “Unknown World”.]
[Description: Completing any one of the following three event requirements is sufficient for a promotion to a formal employee, and depending on the task clearance evaluation, a certain stage of rewards will be obtained.]
[Event One: Not long ago, the company received a cross-dimensional rescue signal from a former company employee, and you will go as a Special Task Investigator to find the signal’s location.]
“Note: After completing this event, you may actively return and receive a certain stage of rewards.”
[Event Two: Complete the containment of a Third Order “Altered Individual Contaminated by the Aura of an Ancient God (i.e., ‘Beast Transformation Syndrome’)”.]
[Caution: According to the limited information, such a rank of individual possesses at least the strength to easily shake objects weighing over one ton. Please be prepared when deciding to undertake this event (this entry is for reference only, please refer to the actual situation).]
“Note: Upon completing this event, you may actively return and will receive a higher stage of rewards.”
[Event Three: Survive in this world for a time span of seven days, with 167 hours, 23 minutes, and 33 seconds remaining.]
“Note: Regardless of whether the above two tasks are completed, upon completion of this event, you will be forcibly returned and receive a certain stage of rewards.”
…
“At first glance, Event Three seems to be the easiest to complete, but on further thought, my ‘Beast Transformation Syndrome’ doesn’t seem to be able to last that long…”
Colin felt the information in his mind and browsed it a few times.
He first focused on “Event Three” for a moment, but after a bit of thought, he gave up on it…
His condition would not last that long.
Then, he glanced at “Event Two” and silently shifted his gaze away…
What does the concept of easily shaking an object weighing over one ton mean?
That’s the weight of a small car!
Colin believed that if he made contact, it was highly probable that he would be smacked into “Colin paste”.
“But there’s a Third Order for this ‘Beast Transformation Syndrome’? Didn’t the Warden say you turn into bloody water at the Second Order? Seems like he doesn’t know much either… And this name…”
“Altered Individual Contaminated by the Aura of an Ancient God” is definitely longer than “Beast Transformation Syndrome”.
But it seems to touch on some kind of essence and origin.
Colin didn’t dwell on the issue, instead shifting his attention back to “Event One”.
When he focused on this event…
He could very, very clearly sense that something in his nine o’clock direction was beckoning him.
If all went as expected.
That should be where the former company employee who sent out the distress signal is…
But the problem was…
“Right now, even I can hardly save myself, let alone escape. That Warden seems amiable but he definitely wouldn’t let me go…”
Colin rubbed his forehead, feeling the situation was a bit troublesome.
But at present, this Event One, compared to the other two, should have the highest possibility of completion.
And its minimum prerequisite for achievement was to escape from the prison…
Thinking this, he reached out, grabbed the iron bars, and shook them vigorously, but they didn’t budge, appearing to be specially crafted for them with recent welding marks visible in some areas.
However, just as Colin was feeling at a loss, suddenly, three pages materialized in his mind, like pages torn from a diary.
[Book of Fate: Fragment: Using it, you can foresee the fate you need to face next, thereby adjusting for the future.]
The associated explanation appeared, obviously aid from the company had arrived.
A newcomer’s gift?
Colin pondered, then, following some guidance, he used one of the pages.
Immediately, lines of text emerged on the blank page.
[Under the premise of not finding a way to escape, you can only passively wait for the opportunity to arrive. At night on the same day, an accident occurs and you witness someone in the next cell lose control and enter the Second Order “Beastification”.]
[It is an irrational monster resembling a werewolf, with fur like a wolf and protruding jaws, its power in madness invoking fear in you.]
[You see the iron bars that you can’t move being bent, the entire dungeon shaking, and you understand how terrifying this stage of “Beast Transformation Syndrome” is.]
[All through the night, you worry it will break through the cell door and tear you to pieces, but fortunately, such an event does not occur, and after a period of madness, it quiets down.]
[The next day, the Warden returned with his subordinates and again took a Second Order “Beastification” away early, and then chatted with you for a while. He told you to keep a good mood or you would end up accelerating the symptoms like her.]
[During the chat, you entertained some fantasy and hinted at the idea of leaving, and although he predictably did not agree, your words made him realize something—if you could remain as lucid as you were now in the Second Order, you would inevitably attempt to escape.]
[Therefore, to prevent you, a unique individual, from escaping, he had someone reinforce the cage and even weld the door shut.]
[In the afternoon, under the Warden’s urgent request, you were taken to the Holy Healing Church ahead of schedule, with a tight security throughout the process. You understood clearly that even if the cage had not been reinforced, there was no chance for you to escape.]
[After entering the church, a Priest from the Holy Healing Church personally conducted “Purification” on you, intending to experiment with you. During the treatment process, the balance inside you was disturbed by the sacred Light, and you instantly entered the Second Order, losing your sanity, half-mad and half-demented.]
[Seeing this, the Priest of the Holy Healing Church was shocked and urgently took out their most potent “Blood Therapy.” However, not only did it fail to restore you, but it also made you rapidly progress to the Third Order…]
[Just then, in the midst of this process, your cells collapsed, turning into a pool of blood…]
[You died.]
[Three days later, you became part of him during a ritual.]
The effects of the “Book of Fate” end here.
The content of this page appeared to be seared into Colin’s mind before disappearing.
Although it was merely text, Colin had a vague illusion of having experienced it firsthand.
“Is this a foresight of the future based on the assumption that I ‘calmly’ wait for an opportunity? This… the path to react opportunistically while waiting for an opportunity is not feasible…”
Colin was shocked internally.
But still…
He didn’t read too much into it, after all, there was only one crucial piece of information—
Waiting calmly for an opportunity was not a viable option.
“Perhaps, I could try escaping this prison by any means necessary?”
Colin thought it over and then used another “Book of Fate: Fragment.”]
[At night, the neighboring Beast Transformation Syndrome sufferer lost control, but this time, with mental preparation, you did not panic too much.]
[The next day, the Warden came, and you talked with him, feigning kindness. Then, taking advantage of his distraction, you launched a surprise attack, reaching for his neck to take him hostage, and forced his subordinates to let you escape.]
[Unfortunately, you underestimated the plump, beer-bellied, middle-aged Warden.]
[You didn’t know what he did, but you saw him react incredibly quickly, snapping your arm and opening his shirt. His massive belly retracted, his frame elongated, and his muscles swelled as he transformed into a two-meter-tall, muscular brute with little clothing on his upper body.]
[Even though “Beastification” had mutated your body, enhancing your strength and allowing you to easily wield objects weighing tens of pounds, compared to the strong human before you, it was like a child facing an adult.]
[You failed…]
[After the Warden vented his anger on you with a beating, he locked you back up again. Surprisingly, he did not kill you, only deeming you half-mad, so he reinforced the cell, then put you back in the cage and sent you to the Holy Healing Church.]
[Once again arriving at this place, you saw the approaching Church Priest and warned him not to use “Purification” on you…]
[However, the Priest disdainfully replied: “A patient teaching me, a healing Priest, how to do my job? The authority’s judgment is beyond dispute! I’ve saved more people than you’ve eaten meals!”]
[He insisted on saving you today, claiming that not even God Descent could take you away from him—he said!]
[Consequently, you went mad, and during the subsequent Blood Therapy, you collapsed into a puddle of blood…]
[Your death was inevitable.]
[Three days later, you became part of him during a ritual.]
“Uh…”
When this foresight ended, Colin first felt phantom pain all over his body, as if he had pre-experienced a severe beating, and then couldn’t help rubbing his forehead, worn out as if he had just finished a dozen college entrance exam maths problems in a row…
It was mentally exhausting.
“Using this item is a bit draining mentally…”
Colin took a deep breath, finally having the chance to look at the detailed information—the foresight process was similar to what he had thought. He also planned to make a move on the Warden, but he did not expect the other party to have some special ability, turning into a huge muscle man…
“No wonder he seems to be not so afraid of the ‘Beastification’ in the dungeon…”
Perhaps, the Warden was no ordinary man.
However, more concerning to Colin than the Warden himself was the last sentence of this foresight…
“Three days later, he became part of ‘him’ during a ritual.”]