I’m Really Not The Demon God’s Lackey
chapter-129

With regards to this juvenile delinquent that had broken in, Lin Jie had been kind, tolerant, and magnanimous. However, punishment was still to be had, and disarming him had been the first step.Although this young friend was in the later stages of being a chunnibyou, Lin Jie was more than willing to go along with, then defeat Hood in his own area of expertise and break him.Teacher Lin knew how serious self-centeredness could be for people like this who were stuck in their own inner world. It would be impossible for such a person to come around, just by listening to Lin Jie's preaching. Therefore, since he wanted to extract knowledge, Lin Jie would let him try. Telling Hood that there was no such thing was letting him off lightly, so it would be best for him to experience it himself.

With a grin, Lin Jie raised a finger and tapped on his own temple as if trying to say, 'the knowledge is here, do as you please.' Do I have the choice to say no? thought Hood to himself. The bookstore owner's smile was sinister and condescending, as if he was a cat toying with a caught mouse in its paws. And the finger-to-temple gesture seemed to indicate that Hood would meet his fate by the sword if he didn't obey.This is a pure unadorned threat! Clearly, he didn't have a choice. Not choosing to play this 'game' would result in him being held as ransom to negotiate terms with the Truth Union.If Hood was just any ordinary scholar specializing in mechanics, he would rather die than submit and insist that the bookstore owner's actions were fruitless. Because such a scholar was easily replaceable and not indispensable. As if the Truth Union would disclose such confidential information for the life of an ordinary scholar!

Unfortunately, Lin Jie's conjecture was spot on.

Hood wasn't a big shot, but his parents were. Langdon Hood, 17, a Truth-seeker lunatic, mechanical department scholar. At the same time, he was the nephew of Truth Union chairman Maria, son of her late elder sister. In other words, this fellow was actually a second generation. But because he had chosen to stand with the Truth-seekers and frequently created trouble, Maria appeared to keep a distance. However, she certainly cared for him greatly in private, if not, Hood wouldn't have developed such a character. At present, Maria was trying to break through to Supreme-rank and didn't bother with Truth Union affairs. But should the day come where she came out of seclusion and discovered her nephew had been held ransom, the Truth Union would be held responsible and many people would suffer.

Therefore, if Lin Jie were to really hold him as ransom, it was very likely that the Truth Union would negotiate. And regardless of the outcome, the Truth Union would be disgraced and Hood would be even more upset than those old fogies. Hood understood this much, so he had no choice but to ride the tiger. Hood felt like a butterfly caught in a spider's web, getting more and more entangled each time he struggled.

"I'll play!" Hood agreed through gritted teeth. Deep down, Hood felt he was being toyed with rather than it being a game.

Moments ago, he had clearly heard the bookstore owner make a call to Claude, the disciple of 'Indomitable Sacred Flame' Joseph.

Getting an acquaintance from Secret Rite Tower to deal with the matter showed that this fellow had even arranged for the follow-up and wasn't even going to give Hood any chance to turn the tables.

Lin Jie smiled, then drew his sword back. Eying the ropes around the youth's body, he deliberately asked. "Your so-called 'knowledge extraction' doesn't require the usage of hands, does it?"

"Of course not!" Hood growled through gritted teeth.

Who does this guy think he is! Taking deep breaths, Hood closed his eyes and entered a meditative state.

Most of the time, there was no need to enter a meditative state when extracting knowledge. Using 'Gnostic Touch' was usually enough and it was the method used by the rest of Hood's party.

However, using such an ordinary method now was courting death. Even though Hood still couldn't guess what sort of power level the bookstore owner had, he had sensed a terrifying aura upon setting foot in the bedroom which gave him a premonition of death.

This had also been the reason why he had stood rooted to the spot, unable to even react before his armor was dismantled by Lin Jie.

It would be extremely difficult to succeed even if such a being was unguarded and voluntarily subjected himself to extraction.

My motive isn't to extract a lot of knowledge, but to just succeed in extraction. I'll just need to use all my strength, come into contact with the fringes, and extract just a tiny bit!

In this way, I can win the bet, remain safe, and don't end up like the others.

Hood comforted himself this way. After all, the objective from the start was to extract new knowledge. Now, the bookstore owner was giving him such an opportunity, so Hood had to make use of it properly and prepare adequately beforehand.

Huuu....

After meditating for a while and raising his state to peak condition, Hood tried his first extraction. Soon, he realized that something wasn't right with the other party's soul.

There's really no safeguards at all? Hood wondered in incredulity. He couldn't understand the completely unrestricted soul before him. It was just like that of an ordinary being.

Is this a trap? Could he have placed a 'Soul Spike,’ or perhaps 'Mind Shock'...

Such thoughts came to his mind, but he couldn't stop and thus pressed on. In the midst of all his hesitations, he finally firmed his resolve to gather his own soul's intensity into an enhanced 'Gnostic Touch' and quickly came into contact with the boundary of fringes of that soul.

Hood was pleased, and just as he was about to withdraw, a large number of horrible, grotesque images flooded his mind, causing his own understanding of everything he knew into question. Indescribable things started to occupy every corner of his mind and soul! A squirming abyss, shrieking ocean, stars with eyes wide open? The sky, with its endless darkness and chaos engulfed him in an instant!It's a trap! All this knowledge is a trap!!!

No safeguards, nor is there a need for any. Every bit of knowledge is an irreversible poison to one's thinking!

"Urghh! I-I concede! I concede! I'm done playing!" Hood opened his eyes abruptly, shaking his head in horror.

He jerked back so hard that he fell to the ground. Squirming forward, he managed to wriggle free of the ropes, but what was more terrifying were the haunting shadows trying to devour him. After a few seconds, Hood quietened down.

"Uh, are you alright?" Lin Jie squatted down and poked the youth's shoulder, slightly sympathetic. Sometimes, the hard truth was just this cruel. Hood lay on the ground wheezing and replied in a muffled voice. "I'm fine."

Haa... quite energetic indeed. Lin Jie returned back to his chair and chuckled. "That's good. Help yourself up."

Hood pushed himself up from the ground and turned his head.

Mu'en who was standing nearby saw a wriggling gap appeared in the middle of the youth's glabella before it opened abruptly, revealing a protruding eyeball beneath.

A third eye. Mu'en took a sharp step backwards as goosebumps stood up all over her skin.