I Don't Agree to the Terms
Chapter 58: Walking Anxiously on the Wall

Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Walking Anxiously on the Wall

"Ugh, that rat was as big as a washbasin, really quite a spectacle."

"You must be talking about the one that attacked someone last night, I remember it happened right around here. I heard the victim’s face got gnawed off, terribly frightening."

"Yeah, it was just on the next street over, the incident made the headlines. The city will probably need to clean out the sewers in the next few days."

"Still, that rat was outrageous; it even popped a manhole cover off the street. After it bit someone, it could still run away."

"Could it be the work of those gamers, with all their odd skills? Some should have the power to control rats, right?"

"Who knows, but it’s better to speak less of it. Gamers are not exactly the friendly sort."

On the bus, Gu Shanhai listened to the exchange between the passengers, his expression somewhat strange.

Rats?

He had thought they were talking about psychics. Well, maybe it was a psychic who had awakened the ability to control rats, likely with accompanying berserk or mutant powers.

Otherwise, this situation would be impossible. As for the idea that a rat itself had acquired supernatural abilities... He felt there was a chance, given the butterfly effect, but it wasn’t very likely. There had been no such news in his previous life.

Therefore, he leaned more towards the idea of a psychic controlling rats to attack people.

Hearing this information, he actually felt relieved; the attacks were indiscriminate, not targeted at him.

Today he had changed his route to the library and was taking the bus, so there was no need to worry about a rat jumping out to chew on his face.

Of course, even if it tried to bite, the rat wouldn’t have succeeded. With his reflexes and the strength of his Magic Domain, how could he be breached by a mere rat?

Besides, Gu Shanhai had deliberately avoided the troublemaker. If he were to encounter it again, it could only mean one thing: the entity was unwilling to let him go, and he would need to deal with it once and for all.

He soon arrived at his stop and got off to head towards the library. As he entered, he once again saw He Lingyun. It was the weekend, and since there was no school, it was natural for him to come to the library for leisure.

Before becoming a god among men, He Lingyun was quite the nice guy.

Recognizing Gu Shanhai, He Lingyun nodded and smiled as a greeting; their fates seemed intertwined.

Gu Shanhai had considered using He Lingyun’s ability, once awakened, to help him perfect a multi-ability awakening potion. But in the end, he had abandoned the idea.

It would have exposed his own uniqueness. After all, the only ability he truly needed was life enhancement; everything else was just an embellishment. They wouldn’t affect him in the long term and were essentially superfluous.

Moreover, Gu Shanhai wasn’t even sure if He Lingyun had awakened his powers in this life. In his previous life, He Lingyun’s awakening resulted from a potion distributed by the Holy Federation a year later, not on his own.

Although there were changes in this life, he hadn’t altered He Lingyun’s path significantly. It was unlikely for the awakening to occur prematurely.

He couldn’t possibly wait for a year in this world; the time loss alone would make up for any setbacks during this period. With that amount of time, he could definitely acquire more similar abilities to compensate.

After returning Gu Shanhai’s greeting, the two went their separate ways. He Lingyun was more interested in literature, while Gu Shanhai had no such inclination. He was more involved with books on medicine, biology, botany, horticulture, and the like, which could aid in quickly perfecting the triple ability awakening potion and cultivating Spirit Plants.

While engrossed in his reading, a sudden rustling noise came from the library ceiling, causing most people to instinctively look up.

It sounded like rats.

Gu Shanhai frowned. He hoped he wasn’t so unlucky that the psychic who could control rats was bringing havoc to the library.

And the number seemed too great compared to the control over just one rat the night before.

’If it were indeed that person, the ability could not only control and enhance rats, but perhaps also communicate with them?’

A psychic power is not monolithic. Take Gu Shanhai’s life enhancement as an example, which boosts vitality and overall physical fitness. At around a B-grade strength, you could control your own life force, though not that of others.

This led to abilities like accelerated self-healing and limb regrowth.

This particular psychic’s powers were probably akin to the Rat King, versed in murine communications.

Even if a basic ability increases just a single aspect, it can lead to various derivatives if developed properly.

Take the power of immortality, derived from life enhancement in Gu Shanhai’s past life. Another example, enhanced physique and powerful regeneration, could also yield immortality.

The noise of rats scurrying overhead was soon over, passing by without the ensuing chaos Gu Shanhai had envisioned.

Once calm returned, he lowered his head to continue reading. As long as the rats didn’t involve him, he was indifferent to what they were up to.

Most people felt the same way, except for the library staff, who were a bit frustrated and then had to report to the director to quickly address the situation.

Rats do gnaw on books. If they really infiltrated one day, the library’s collection could be doomed.

The staff promptly went to investigate the situation.

It seemed the city had dispatched teams into the sewers to deal with the rats, with efficient progress, especially after last night’s horrific event.

Using a direct gassing method to exterminate them caused many rats to flee.

Their passage through the library was incidental, and why they took to the ceiling was a mystery. The staff speculated it might be due to a disused pipe breached by the rodents, requiring inspection for confirmation.

With his heightened senses, Gu Shanhai heard everything clearly and pondered. This had to be an escape.

’If they’re escaping, all the better. Saves them wandering around my neighborhood.’

He bore no goodwill towards this psychic; the situation drew too much attention.

Having it happen elsewhere was fine for Gu Shanhai, but around him, what if it implicated him? Especially since the infestation was close to his rental and the library, coinciding with his own movements; this was not good news.

If someone with a motive investigated, he’d have to deal with the aftermath – a completely unwarranted calamity.

How could Gu Shanhai feel any fondness for them?