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Chapter 30: Corruption Value
Chapter 30: Corruption Value
【Demon Companion (Silver): Through ten extreme and evil sacrifices, you continuously offered up offerings imbued with human hatred and blood, and the ambition buried deep within your soul was fortunate to receive the deep affection of a high-ranking demon.】
【Equipped Effect: Greatly increases affinity with anomalies bearing the "Fallen" mark, reducing the cost of use while significantly enhancing the effect.】
【Advancement Path: Continue with the agreed-upon evil sacrifices until the demon's incarnation is fully resurrected, at which point this badge will automatically advance to the Golden Badge "I Am the Demon."
Additionally, each time a sinful human soul is offered to it, the demon's resurrection speed will increase accordingly. Current resurrection value: 5%】
【Hidden Trait (No Need to Equip): After a long time of coexistence, your soul has been tainted by the demon's evil aura, making you more susceptible to the attention of certain evil entities.】
【Your Corruption Value has increased.】
【Current Corruption Value: 0.4】
Corruption Value...
As Leon, squatting in an alley near the Police Department, lit a cigarette for the Black Sheep, he couldn't help but narrow his eyes instinctively at the strange numerical value that appeared again.
He had privately asked the Black Sheep about it, but there was no mention of the Corruption Value in the Sanitation Bureau's records, so he had to deduce the significance of this data himself.
If he recalled correctly, this thing called the Corruption Value had appeared a total of four times so far.
The first time was when he touched the Black Sheep and learned through the effect of the Materialist Soul that its Corruption Value was 0.1;
The second time was when he gained the Black Sheep's recognition and obtained its usage rights, and his own Corruption Value was raised to 0.1;
The third time was when he learned about the Red-Haired Director's intelligence, the Corruption Value of the Immortal in Wine was 7;
The fourth time was after touching the doorknob of the Happiness Residence, and in the popped-up message, he learned that the Shelter of Spirits' Corruption Value was also 0.1.
So, it can be basically confirmed that the Corruption Value is a unique trait of anomalies.
Additionally, from the fact that his Corruption Value increased after the Black Sheep's resurrection, it seems likely that once one obtains the usage rights to an anomaly, the user's Corruption Value will also increase by the same amount.
At this thought, Leon couldn't help but reach out and caress the Black Sheep's head.
【Name: Demon Horn (Fallen, Knowledge, Whispers) (Resurrecting)】
【Appearance: ...】
【...】
【Corruption Value: 0.4】
Sure enough, the value was the same as his.
After seeing that the Black Sheep's Corruption Value had risen to 0.4, a flash of understanding passed through Leon's eyes, and he also guessed why the middle-aged nurse's memory hadn't been erased by the Demon Brain.
According to the 'usage cost' of the Shelter of Spirits, the residents who greet the Manager Auntie daily are using this anomalous item, so their Corruption Values should all be 0.1.
The Demon Brain controlled by the Sanitation Bureau distinguishes between ordinary people and Sanitation Bureau employees by checking for the presence of a Corruption Value, so they are considered 'related personnel' and are not subjected to memory erasure.
If his guess is correct, this should be the truth behind why the Demon Brain does not erase the memories of those who have used anomalies.
However, there is another question beyond this. What does the size of the Corruption Value represent, and the most likely inference is that it represents the strength of the anomaly.
Since the strength of the Demon Horn is the same as the Shelter of Spirits, both at 0.1, the Black Sheep was able to withstand the giant shears of the Strong Old Man, only receiving a mark on its head.
The Red-Haired Director's Immortal in Wine, on the other hand, is much stronger, capable of blocking the memories of over seventy thousand people in one go, and its Corruption Value is 7.
Hmm… I've encountered too few Anomalous Creatures, and I don't have enough information... However, it seems I can try to find another way.
As this thought crossed Lian's mind, he couldn't help but glance at the panel floating above the black sheep's head once more. He stared at its Corruption Value, which had now increased to 0.4, and thoughtfully patted the sheep's head again.
If the Corruption Value truly represented an item's strength, then with 0.4 > 0.1, the black sheep's current strength should be greater than that of the Spirit Shelter.
So, in the future, when I become stronger, I can go to the Happiness Residence again and try to use the black sheep to catch the old man's scissors. If I don't get knocked into a pit this time...
...
"Why do you keep touching my head? Are you petting me like a dog?!"
Unaware of Lian's plan to use him as an experiment, the black sheep, irritated, shook off Lian's wandering hands. It took a drag from its cigarette, blew out a hazy smoke ring, and then squinted its eyes contentedly.
"Kid! Considering how generous you've been, I'll let bygones be bygones about you using me as a shield. As long as you keep providing for me, we'll remain good partners from now on!"
"Yeah, yeah."
After a series of events, Lian, now more eager than ever for power, lit seven or eight cigarettes and stuffed them into the black sheep's mouth, all while testing,
"I've observed carefully, and it seems like everyone in our Bureau has extraordinary physical fitness! Senior Emma can leave handprints on alloy cabinets, and the Director can drink hundreds of bottles of liquor without more than a slight redness in her face.
There's also Harry, who just returned and was sent out again. I tried with all my might, but I couldn't drag that box very far. He lifted it as if it were lighter than holding a water glass..."
After sharing his observations, Lian stared intently at the black sheep, not blinking as he asked,
"If it were just one or two people, it might be due to the effect of Anomalous Creatures. But if everyone in the Bureau is like this, there must be a reason!
So, can you tell me what I need to do to have the same physical fitness as them?"
"Tsk... You've observed quite thoroughly, but this can't be rushed!"
The black sheep took a deep drag from its cigarette, and smoke even came out of its ears. It lazily replied,
"Well... Let me tell you this, when you use my ability, do you feel mentally exhausted after using it a lot? Like your whole being, both mentally and physically, feels hollowed out?"
"Do I?"
"..."
Damn... I forgot that this kid has an unusually high affinity with demons...
After giving Lian a speechless look, the black sheep moved the cigarette from its mouth to the side, revealing its thick lips. Then, with a sinister expression, it said,
"My ability isn't about observing souls; it's about stirring up the dark side of people's hearts! You've been using me as a telescope and a half-baked mind reader. You've never used me properly, so of course, you wouldn't feel any exhaustion!"
"Oh..."
"Anyway, each time you use an Anomalous Creature, besides following its rules, you also have to pay a certain price in physical strength and willpower. The more powerful the effect, the greater the physical and willpower cost.
For example, the strongest Anomalous Creature that Harry in your Bureau possesses is an endless roll of adhesive tape. That thing can not only stick physical objects together but even conceptual ones."
"What do you mean by conceptual things?"
"Souls, bonds, shattered beliefs, and the like... Anyway, be careful around him. If you suddenly find yourself developing feelings for him one day, you've probably been stuck by his tape. Give yourself a good slap to snap out of it!"
(End of Chapter)
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