"System upgrade finished, Instance Dungeon Quest opening…"
As Su Zhan slept, he vaguely heard a voice echoing in his mind. At first, he thought it was Skye whispering to him, but when he responded, he realized it was the system communicating from within his consciousness.
"System upgrade? When did that happen? What exactly is this Instance Dungeon Quest?" Su Zhan wondered, glancing at Skye, who was sleeping peacefully beside him. He silently asked the system in his mind, curiosity piqued.
He truly had no idea when the system had upgraded.
"When you devour and absorb abilities, those powers not only become part of you, but also generate energy that upgrades the system," the system explained.
"So, after I absorbed Extremis and then pyrokinesis, you upgraded. The energy needed for the upgrade comes from the abilities I absorb. Does this weaken the powers I gain?" Su Zhan asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
"No, the energy is generated in addition to your abilities. Your powers remain at full strength," the system replied.
"That's good!" Su Zhan breathed a sigh of relief. "So, what exactly is an Instance Dungeon Quest?"
"Instance Dungeon Quest is a channel that allows you to rapidly enhance your strength. You can designate an Instance Dungeon Plane, which is a completely independent world. There, you can do whatever you want to grow stronger. When you enter an instance dungeon, you'll receive a quest. Completing the quest will earn you rewards and provide energy for further system upgrades, unlocking more functions."
Su Zhan's eyes widened with excitement. "That's basically a cheat code! I was worried I wouldn't be able to use my devouring ability freely, but now there's Instance Dungeon Quest. How long can I stay in an instance dungeon? Can I bring things or people out? And next time, can I re-enter the same instance dungeon, or open a new one?"
"At the current system level, you can only stay in the instance dungeon for twelve hours, and you cannot bring anything out. The Instance Dungeon Quest resets every thirty days. You can choose to re-enter a previously visited plane or open a new one, but you can only have one active instance dungeon plane at a time. As the system level increases, the rules and rewards will change."
"So, as long as the system's rank gets higher, all those things I mentioned might become possible. And if I devour abilities in the instance dungeon, that energy can be used for system upgrades?"
"Correct."
"Perfect."
Su Zhan relaxed, already planning his first Instance Dungeon Plane. He needed a world with enough superpowers to absorb, so he could upgrade the system quickly and gain even more advantages. With only twelve hours per visit and a thirty-day cooldown, he had to make every moment count.
He thought carefully about the movies, TV shows, and stories he knew, searching for the best choice for his first plane. Finally, he decided on the world of "Push"-the superpower thriller also known as "Special Ability Hero." The story followed Nick, whose father was genetically engineered into the perfect assassin by a secret organization, only to die tragically. Nick vowed revenge, infiltrating Hong Kong's criminal underworld and teaming up with Cassie Holmes, a young girl who could predict the future. Together, they tracked a stolen suitcase containing an experimental drug that granted superpowers, and the story unfolded into a showdown with the mysterious organization.
Su Zhan remembered this movie vividly, not only because the protagonist was played by "Captain America" Chris Evans, but also because the story was set in Hong Kong and featured a villainous prophet (Pop girl) played by Li Xiaolu. The film's world was filled with fascinating abilities: telekinesis, telepathy, high-frequency sonic attacks, precognition, memory erasure, mind control, and the ability to track objects by touch. The superpower serum couldn't be brought out, but the variety of abilities available was impressive.
With only twelve hours to stay, he didn't know what quests would be issued, but his plan was simple: devour as many abilities as possible, even if some weren't to his liking, to provide energy for further upgrades. Once he'd gained enough, he could abandon this plane and choose a new one.
"For the sake of growth, for system upgrades, I have to devour as many powers as I can!"
He had a few more questions for the system. "If I abandon this plane, can I return to it after upgrading, and will it continue from where I left off? And when I enter the instance dungeon, does my physical body go in too?"
"You can return to a previously visited plane, and your progress will continue. Yes, your body and spirit are both transmitted into the instance dungeon. If you die inside, it's real death."
"Understood." The choice of plane was critical. Su Zhan glanced at Skye, then said silently to the system, "Designate the 'Push/Special Ability' plane. Send me in now!"
"Plane designated: 'Push/Special Ability.' Entering now!"
The system's voice echoed, and suddenly Su Zhan found himself standing on a bustling street, sunlight streaming down, the noise of traffic and crowds all around. He realized he was in Hong Kong-this was the instance dungeon plane.
"Welcome to the 'Push/Special Ability' plane. Quest issued: Main Quest-Obtain more than three types of abilities. Choose your camp: Justice or Evil."
"What does 'camp' mean?" Su Zhan asked curiously.
"Justice or Evil. You can choose to act as a mediator or as an unprincipled person. Friendly reminder: to become King, you cannot avoid darkness. If you choose Evil, you will receive extra rewards."
"So that's how it is?" Su Zhan was surprised. This instance dungeon seemed designed to let him embrace his darker impulses. Since there were extra rewards, he chose Evil without hesitation.
"Camp selected: Evil. Heart of Evil activated for the duration of the instance dungeon."
As the words echoed in his mind, Su Zhan felt something shift inside him. He couldn't help but smile-the gentle curve of his lips now tinged with a subtle, unmistakable wickedness.