Song Shi had never thought of herself as lucky, so she never placed much hope in her ability to awaken.
But she also hadn't expected to be so unlucky. The person whose legs now dangled out of the beast's mouth had awakened before her.
She watched in disbelief as a faint golden light shot out from between the beast's jagged teeth. The beast's previously enraged eyes gradually cleared, and finally, it spat the person out.
Song Shi: "..."
"Contract-type high-probability differentiation candidate, second stimulation experiment, successful. Grade: A-level," announced the broadcast within the chamber.
The boy lay on the ground, laughing.
His legs, badly mauled by the beast, were twisted unnaturally, his white pants stained red and the blood pooling outward.
The glass door opened, and a group of armed guards entered, carrying a stretcher. The boy was placed on it, screaming in agony the entire time.
The beast, now under his control, was restless, scraping the ground with its claws.
Song Shi stood to the side, gripping her dagger tightly. Her eyes were fixed on the boy being carried away, but she didn't let her guard down against the beast.
Before being carried out, the boy turned his head to glance at Song Shi. His pale face contorted into a smile, though the intense pain made his facial muscles twitch, turning the smile into a grotesque grimace. "I hope you're just as lucky in the next round."
Song Shi pressed her lips together and said nothing.
For the test subjects here, it was either awaken or die.
She hadn't died, nor had she awakened, which meant she had to continue with the third group's experiment.
After the boy left, the beast let out a loud snort through its nose, its pupils contracting into thin slits and then returning to normal. It seemed to be struggling against some internal force.
Song Shi didn't know how Contract-types controlled the beast or how long it could last, but she had a feeling the beast was about to break free.
Quietly, she retreated, increasing the distance between herself and the creature.
The glass door opened again. Hearing the noise, Song Shi assumed the third group was entering. She didn't look back, remaining vigilant against the beast. Behind her, a voice called out, "A researcher wants to see you."
At that moment, the beast's eyes cleared completely.
Song Shi's heart skipped a beat. Without hesitation, she bolted for the glass door.
A black-clad guard stood by the door. As soon as Song Shi ran out, he shut it behind her. The beast crashed into the door with a thunderous bang.
Now temporarily safe, Song Shi caught her breath and turned back. The beast was throwing a violent tantrum, slamming its massive body against the glass door and roaring so loudly that the entire base seemed to tremble.
The commotion drew the attention of test subjects near the other chambers. They turned their heads to look, only to quickly avert their gazes after seeing the ferocious beast. Compared to Song Shi's predicament, their trials seemed more manageable—at least they'd have intact corpses.
The mood among the third group of Berserk and Contract candidates, however, was far from calm. They were heading straight into the lion's den. With the beast in such a rage, their danger level would skyrocket.
Two candidates were so tense that they awakened before even entering: one became a C-level Berserk-type, the other a C-level Contract-type.
Song Shi paid no attention to any of this. She was already following the black-clad guard off the mountaintop, descending via an elevator.
Standing in the elevator, Song Shi caught her reflection in the metal panel opposite.
Her loose, yellowed clothes were covered in blood and unidentifiable yellow substances, picked up during her earlier roll on the ground while evading the beast.
Her bangs were matted with sweat and debris, sticking together in clumps and plastered to her face.
Her face looked identical to the one she had in her previous world, yet subtly different—too thin, with a slightly sallow complexion from malnutrition. The whole person appeared listless.
The heavy bangs nearly obscured her eyes.
This body was the "her" of another world.
Song Shi clenched her fists, feeling her absolute control over this body.
As the elevator descended rapidly, she had already adjusted to the sensation of weightlessness.
She calmed herself, trying to figure out why she was being summoned. Why did the researcher want to see her?
By the time the elevator's weightlessness ended, she still hadn't figured it out.
She had too little information. She didn't even know the original owner of this body's name.
All she could do was take things one step at a time.
**Ding.**
The elevator doors slid open.
A metallic corridor stretched endlessly before her.
Song Shi refocused and stepped out first. The armed guard followed half a step behind, his gun never leaving her.
Was she considered that dangerous? Song Shi couldn't make sense of it.
They walked down the corridor, lined with doorless, windowless rooms. She couldn't tell what was inside.
Their footsteps echoed clearly on the metal floor.
At the end of the corridor, a door opened, and someone stepped out with their arms crossed, facing them directly but making no other movements.
Song Shi paused and glanced at the guard for confirmation. He nodded, signaling that the researcher was in the room ahead.
She approached cautiously, observing the person standing there. They had bright pink hair tied in a high ponytail, sunglasses obscuring their eyes, and a lollipop in their mouth that pushed out their right cheek.
As they drew closer, only two closed doors separated them.
Song Shi felt the other person's scrutinizing gaze sweep over her from head to toe. It was filled with unconcealed hostility.
This person clearly didn't welcome her.
It was obvious that this wasn't the researcher who had called for her.
Song Shi didn't stop, walking around them toward the room.
Her hand had just gripped the door handle when a gust of wind blew past her ear, carrying the scent of strawberry candy.
Since sensing the other's hostility, Song Shi had been on guard, her body tense. When the person suddenly attacked, her reaction was quick, sidestepping the strike.
The attacker missed but didn't stop. Their other hand moved to block Song Shi's path.
Song Shi retreated urgently, her back slamming into the metal door. Her heels nearly touched the doorframe, putting a short distance between them, but the attacker continued their pursuit. Song Shi slid down, hoping to dodge the next strike, but the person seemed to predict this and swung their other hand downward.
Cornered, with threats above and below, Song Shi had no choice but to fight back.
She aimed for the hand coming down, meeting it head-on. The impact sent a numbing sensation up her wrist, quickly spreading through her arm. Then came the delayed but intense pain radiating from her wrist to her brain.
Already crouched, Song Shi collapsed completely to the ground, her right arm limp and useless.
But her opponent wasn't done. They raised a leg, aiming a sweeping kick at her temple.
### Chapter 3: A Chance for Survival
A sharp gust of wind grazed Song Shi's face, carrying with it the opponent's unrestrained killing intent.
Out of the corner of her eye, Song Shi saw the rapidly approaching kick. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She had thought leaving the glass chamber was her chance at survival, only to find herself facing an even greater crisis.
In the face of death, the latent potential in her body surged once more.
Song Shi bent her legs and kicked at the leg supporting her attacker. Despite its seemingly slender build, her opponent's leg didn't even bend under the impact. The woman merely regarded it as a desperate struggle and sneered in disdain.
But Song Shi used the force to slide more than a meter across the smooth floor, narrowly dodging the fatal blow.
She slid toward the armed guard standing nearby. Before the guard could react, Song Shi grabbed his gun from below, wrenched it away, and swiftly turned the barrel toward the advancing woman.
The woman, however, acted as if the gun aimed at her didn't exist and continued her approach.
A flicker of fear crossed Song Shi's eyes. Her palm, gripping the gun, was damp with sweat. **Why wasn't she afraid of the gun?!**
"Ah Qiao, stop."
The room door, unnoticed until now, had opened. A polished leather shoe rested on the doorframe.
The woman's advancing leg halted and retracted. She stood obediently and respectfully by the side of the shoe's owner.
"Miss Song, could you return the gun to its owner?"
The voice above her was polite and calm. Song Shi climbed to her feet, glancing at the armed guard, who was anxiously waiting for her to return the gun. But she didn't move. Instead, her gaze shifted to the source of the voice—the person who had silently stayed in the room, allowing their subordinate to attack her.
Their androgynous face, framed by a black shirt, was cold and indifferent, though it wore a gentle smile.
Song Shi felt a chill run down her spine.
"Don't be afraid, Miss Song. I've restrained my subordinate. She won't harm you anymore," the person said with an innocuous smile.
Song Shi glanced at the woman standing beside her. She was now chewing her lollipop on the other side of her mouth. Though her eyes were hidden behind sunglasses, the killing intent radiating from her was unmistakable.
"Very well." The person in black spread their hands helplessly. "If holding the gun makes you feel safe, then by all means, keep it. Now, may we come inside to talk?"
Song Shi realized this was a concession. At the moment, her survival hinged entirely on their attitude. The gun in her hands offered little real protection.
She followed them into the room. The pink-haired woman blocked the empty-handed guard at the door and slammed it shut with a loud **bang**.
Standing in the center of the room, Song Shi silently observed her surroundings. One entire wall was covered by a massive electronic screen displaying live footage of the various glass chambers atop the experimental base.
"My name is Qin Yi. Miss Song can call me by my name or simply Qin," the person said as they moved behind a chair and retrieved a business card from the pocket of their black suit jacket. They handed it to the pink-haired woman.
The woman took it and passed it to Song Shi.
Song Shi glanced down at the card. It featured a photo, a name, and the name of the company: **Hunter Group**. The title read: **Chairman of Hunter Group.**
"You've likely heard of Hunter Group before, haven't you?" Qin Yi leaned against the desk, their long legs stretched out casually, hands resting on the desk.
Song Shi hadn't, but she nodded.
"I watched your performance at the experimental base earlier," Qin Yi said, tilting their head toward the screen on the wall. "You did well. I'm impressed. I'd like to invite you to work under my group."
The electronic screen suddenly displayed a pop-up window, momentarily covering the scenes of carnage:
**[Healing-Type High-Probability Differentiation Candidate, Ninth Stimulation Experiment: Three Successes. Evaluations: B-Level, D-Level, D-Level.]**
Song Shi withdrew her gaze. "I'm not an awakened."
"Awakened individuals are indeed rare. Even in a group like mine with thousands of employees, awakened ones are a minority."
Hearing this, Song Shi instinctively glanced at the pink-haired woman's right leg.
The woman wore shorts, revealing sleek, well-defined muscles that weren't overly thick. On the back of her knee were two faint footprints.
During their brief exchange earlier, Song Shi had kicked her full force with both legs, only to be thrown back a meter. Yet her opponent's leg had remained firmly rooted, as if anchored to the ground.
Song Shi had only learned some basic self-defense techniques. She wasn't sure if a normal human leg could withstand that kind of force.
Perhaps this woman was an awakened individual in some field?
When Song Shi didn't immediately respond, Qin Yi's smile remained unchanged, though their fingers drummed lightly on the desk. "Take your time to consider. This is, after all, a life-changing decision. If you decline, I'll have no choice but to send you back to continue the experiments."
Song Shi keenly sensed their impatience. "...I'll accept."
Though she didn't understand why the chairman of a corporation would go to such lengths to recruit someone like her—who only knew basic fighting skills—her life was in their hands. She needed to survive this encounter first.
"Once you're home, you can take this card to any Hunter Group branch to begin employment. Ah Qiao, escort Miss Song out."
The pink-haired woman bit down hard on her lollipop with a loud **crunch**, then strode to the door and kicked it open. She showed no intention of actually escorting Song Shi.
Clutching the business card, Song Shi quickly left. She hadn't wanted an escort anyway.
(End of Chapter)