Chapter 7: The Invading Apostle

[Corrupted Wolfhound Shell: A wolfhound tainted by corrupting power, its body grotesquely enlarged after mutation. The bloody hole in its forehead and its shocked, unwilling eyes reveal it died from a sneak attack. Compatibility: 46% (+15%)]

The compatibility was too low for possession…

Lin Xun fell into thought. In reality, the animal shells he’d seen also had abysmal compatibility.

In contrast, the humanoid shells had relatively high compatibility, easily possessed under the enhancement of his Thousand Faces, Ten Thousand Forms talent.

Considering the varying compatibility percentages of the young knight, elderly priest, and female nun, Lin Xun theorized: The more similar a shell is to my true form, the higher its compatibility.

[You ascend the spiral staircase to the tower’s second floor.]

[You arrive at the second level.]

[The vast hall is brightly lit. Under the warm glow of lanterns, towering bookshelves stand in neat rows, filled with countless tomes. The distinct scent of ink fills your nostrils. Faintly, you hear an aged voice murmuring words.]

[You weave through the shelves toward the sound and find an old man in black robes sitting in a rocking chair, reading silently through a monocle.]

[Will you approach him?]

[You stride forward, intending to speak.]

[The robed elder looks up, his gaze amused. He shakes his head, refusing conversation, and hands you an item instead.]

[You obtained: ‘Invasion Bookmark’]

[Invasion Bookmark (Item): Use to invade another Apostle’s chapter. Defeating them yields unexpected rewards.]

???

Lin Xun was stunned. This wasn’t a single-player text game—it was an MMO!

Did that mean other players existed? That he wasn’t the only one gaining supernatural abilities from this game?

Before he could process this, the game’s text continued:

[The old man stands, his eyes mocking. Chanting silently, his body begins fading into translucency.]

[A red glow flashes before your eyes. The very world seems to tremble.]

[You have been invaded by an unknown Apostle!]

The crimson text pulsed violently, snapping Lin Xun back to attention.

[A figure wreathed in red light materializes before you—the invader. He raises a pistol and advances.]

[What will you do?]

[1. Grovel and beg for mercy from a fellow Apostle.]

[2. Raise your dagger and fight, proving some things are worse than death.]

As a veteran gamer, Lin Xun knew those who initiated PvP usually had tricks up their sleeves.

So he decisively chose option 2.

“Screw that! I’d rather die with dignity.”

[The valiant Apostle bares a vicious grin and charges at the invader…]

[You effortlessly slay the invading Apostle ‘BigDickBro.’ Experience slightly increased.]

???

Lin Xun slowly typed three question marks. The expected DEAD never appeared. Instead, he’d counter-killed the invader—with ease.

[You inherit the invader’s Spirit: 105]

[You obtained: Guardian Bookmark (Item)]

[The robed elder stares at you, dumbstruck, his monocle slipping off. Cursing, he hastily vanishes from sight…]

[You obtained: Librarian’s Monocle (Rare Item)]

The unexpected chain of events left Lin Xun speechless.

—

Xu Zhi hunched over his phone under his desk.

[You have defeated ‘Stranded Murloc.’ Experience slightly increased.]

[You obtained: Beginner’s Bookmark (Item)]

“Holy shit!” Xu Zhi barely suppressed a yell. Covering his mouth, he glanced at the lecturing teacher before returning to his screen.

As a “veteran” player who’d just reached his second chapter, he knew the Beginner’s Bookmark was a welfare item.

During his first chapter, he’d encountered the Librarian in a sealed room, receiving an Invasion Bookmark—then immediately died to an Apostle invasion, losing all his Spirit.

Amid the Librarian’s taunts, he’d gotten a Revenge Bookmark.

The bastard had told him: “Remember the Apostle who invaded you. Grow stronger, then use this to reclaim what you lost.”

If lucky, monsters could drop Beginner’s Bookmarks—one-time tickets to invade newbie Apostles. Essentially free Spirit pinatas.

New Apostles rarely saved Spirit items, spending them as soon as they dropped. They’d always have some to loot.

Invading them was like bullying toddlers—free Spirit. What wasn’t to love?

Xu Zhi eagerly clicked Use…

[Invading…]

[You have invaded an unknown Apostle’s chapter.]

[The weak Apostle, glowing faintly, trembles before you. Mighty Apostle, how will you deal with him?]

[1. Force him to kneel. In good humor, you might spare him.]

[2. Raise your pistol and show him true cruelty!]

Xu Zhi selected option two, lips curling into a vicious grin.

[You raise your pistol and mercilessly fire at the pitiful Apostle…]

[You died!]

???

Xu Zhi’s smile froze.

[Invasion failed. Apostle ‘Swordsmith’ effortlessly defeated you and inherited all your Spirit.]

[You have returned to your chapter.]

What the fuck? I’m level 5! How did I die to a noob? This game must be bugged!

Xu Zhi refused to believe his eyes.

“Whatever… just bad luck with a bug.” He comforted himself and began reshaping his shell. “At least I saved some Spirit items. I’ll buy supplies from NPCs, or I can’t even fight the mini-boss now.”

[You used Fading Trace of Spirit ×5]

[You used Fading Fragment of Spirit ×3]

[You used Fading Chunk of Spirit ×1]

[Spirit gained: 75]

Yet the game’s text continued:

[A red glow flashes before your eyes. The world trembles…]

[You have been invaded by an unknown Apostle…]

The hell? I’m being invaded now?

Xu Zhi stared blankly.

[A crimson-wreathed figure appears—the same ‘newbie’ Apostle from before. He advances, dagger in hand.]

[What will you do?]

[1. Grovel and beg for mercy.]

[2. Fight to the death with your pistol.]

“Dammit! I just used all my Spirit items! This was my last 75 Spirit…”

Silently weeping, Xu Zhi chose option 1. “Please, bro, have mercy! If I knew you were this OP, I’d never have invaded you…”

He prayed the Apostle named Swordsmith would spare him.

[Your pitiful whimpers are ignored. The dagger flashes toward you…]

[You died!]

[You dropped 75 Spirit.]

“FUCK!” Xu Zhi slammed his fist on the desk, drawing the entire class’s attention.

“Xu Zhi! What are you doing? Playing games during class? You’re going into senior year next semester, and this is how you spend your time? Hand over your phone!”

The teacher’s furious scolding echoed through the room.

—

[Invasion successful. You have defeated Apostle ‘BigDickBro.’]

[You gained 75 Spirit. Returning to your chapter…]

Lin Xun grinned. Pity he only had one Invasion Bookmark—PvP rewards clearly trumped PvE.

“Nothing beats the thrill of outplaying humans.”

He opened his inventory to inspect his rare loot—the Librarian’s Monocle.