Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 321 You've Lost Control?

The blood-red shallows of the second layer of the abyss exuded a strange, sweet, and fishy smell.

It was a special aura produced by the mixture of bodily fluids from some unknown organism and energy from the abyss.

Ron crouched on the edge of a semi-transparent bubble.

Holding a collector, he carefully scraped the pearly microbial film from the bubble wall.

These substances, known as "heterotrophic membranes," tremble slightly with his movements, like living silk, as if sensing every touch from the outside world.

Through the multi-functional display screen on the protective mask, Ron could clearly observe the real-time reaction of the bacterial film.

The color gradually changed from light purple to dark blue, and the texture became more viscous.

"What an ingenious adaptive mechanism..."

He silently noted these details in his mind, while simultaneously activating "Supernatural Recognition" for a deeper analysis.

In his unique perspective, these seemingly simple microorganisms actually possess complex energy networks.

Each cell is like a miniature energy converter, capable of adjusting its own biological characteristics according to external stimuli.

Just then, an almost imperceptible abnormal fluctuation quietly entered his perception range.

The feeling is hard to describe; it's like someone gently stroking the strings of a musical instrument from a great distance.

The faint vibrations it generated traveled through the air, through layers of barriers, and finally reached his keen mental senses.

However, these "strings" are made up of space itself, while the power of "touching" comes from some terrifying being that is trying to forcibly break through the dimensional barrier.

Ron's movements stopped abruptly.

The dual perceptions of "Hermit's Insight" and "Supernatural Insight" act like a sophisticated radar network, capturing every detail of this distorted fluctuation.

Frequency, intensity, propagation direction, energy characteristics... all the data point to the same chilling conclusion.

Chaotic spirits.

This most notorious and terrifying monster in the abyss is stealthily approaching through some kind of spatial manipulation technology.

Ron slowly straightened up, while quickly calculating in his mind the precise time when the threat would arrive.

The acceleration of spatial distortion, the critical point of energy accumulation, the time required to break through dimensional barriers... every variable was incorporated into his calculations.

"Fifteen seconds."

He reached a precise conclusion, and then, without hesitation, turned to the other members of the team:
"Everyone, immediately cease data collection and prepare for defense!"

Ron's voice was transmitted to each team member through the communication equipment.

That unusually firm tone made his colleagues, who were focused on their work, all look up.

"The chaotic monster is approaching, and a spatial rift will appear to our northeast in about fifteen seconds!"

This sudden warning was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly shattering the tranquil atmosphere of the collection work.

Director Wayne, who was in charge of the operation, was the first to react. His petrified half-face looked particularly eerie under the blood-red light.

Years of experience working in the abyss have instilled in him a unique habit.

Whenever he encounters an unexpected situation, he unconsciously taps his temples with his fingers; the sound of bones hitting stone always helps him stay calm.

At that moment, that familiar "tap-tap" sound rang out again.

"Ralph... what are you saying?"

Wayne's tone carried a clear sense of confusion, as well as a barely perceptible hint of admiration.

He quickly checked the multi-functional monitor on his wrist; the palm-sized device was displaying various parameters of the surrounding environment in real time.

"All testing equipment is showing normal operation... Spatial stability 94.7%, energy fluctuation intensity 0.3 standard units, threat level..."

His voice trailed off as the green "safety" indicator on the screen blinked steadily, as if mocking Ron's earlier "delusion."

Miller, the leader of the exploration team, reacted more directly.

The Silver Ring Explorer’s mechanized left arm emitted a slight humming sound, the sound of its built-in weapon system performing a self-check.

But the expression on his face was a cold, almost contemptuous sneer.

"Newcomer..."

Miller spoke slowly, his voice carrying the impatience a veteran has for a rookie:

“I know you may be nervous because it’s your first time experiencing a real abyss environment, and that’s normal.”

I've seen too many scholar-warriors like you, who learn a ton of theories from books, but become paranoid and easily frightened when they actually venture into the abyss.

He patted the two-meter-tall automated alert golem "Watchman-7" beside him, producing a crisp metallic clanging sound:

"But the security system here is much more reliable than you might imagine."

This behemoth is equipped with the observatory's most advanced threat detection array, including a space distortion monitor, an energy fluctuation analyzer, a biometric identifier… a total of seventeen different types of sensors.

Miller's tone became even more sarcastic:
"If there were a threat of the level of chaotic spirits, it would have been frantically calling the alarms long ago, instead of acting like this..."

He pointed to the row of normally flashing green indicator lights on the golem's head:
"A peaceful and harmonious scene."

Falco, who was in charge of the portable analytical equipment, cast a more complex gaze.

This young researcher, who appears aged due to his long-term contact with abyssal materials, also has his own habitual movements.

Whenever he felt confused or worried, he would subconsciously stroke his silver-white hair, as if to confirm that he was still alive.

"Ralph...maybe..."

Falco touched his hair, his voice trembling slightly, a mixture of sympathy and fear:
"Perhaps you need to undergo an emergency test? Initial contact with abyssal materials can indeed easily cause various... adverse reactions."

He took a small mental state detector from his medical kit; its silver metallic casing reflected an eerie luster under the crimson light.
"This symptom is not uncommon among newcomers. Early symptoms of mental pollution include auditory and visual hallucinations, as well as hypersensitivity to non-existent threats. If left untreated..."

Falco didn't finish his sentence, but everyone present knew the consequences of that "if."

The observatory's "special containment area" houses too many "former colleagues" who have lost their human form due to mental pollution.

Supervisor Wayne has begun activating the portable corrosion detector he carries with him.

The sophisticated equipment emitted a deep hum as its internal rune array began to heat up rapidly, preparing to conduct a comprehensive abyssal erosion test on Ron.

"Ralph, cooperate with the testing; it's standard procedure."

Although Wayne's tone was gentle, the underlying implication that brooked no refusal was clearly evident:
"If the sensory abnormalities are indeed caused by an erosion reaction, we need to initiate treatment immediately. The earlier it is detected, the greater the chance of a cure."

He paused, the petrified half of his face twitching slightly:

"You should know the consequences of delaying treatment."

Despite his colleagues' doubts and the impending mandatory testing, Ron remained as calm as an iceberg.

His persistent research and meditation over the years have taught him how to maintain rational thinking even in the most chaotic situations.

He knew his senses were right; the threat of the chaotic spirits was approaching at a terrifying speed.

The spatial distortion was so intense that it made him feel slightly nauseous—a direct impact of high-intensity spatial manipulation on his mind. But in this situation, any further explanation would only be seen as further evidence of "mental abnormality."

"There's no time for these procedures!"

Ron's voice became more urgent; he could sense that the spatial distortion was approaching its critical point.

The terrifying force that threatened to tear reality apart sent frantic warning signals through every nerve in his body:
"Trust me, or don't trust me, but activate all defense programs immediately! Ten seconds... nine seconds... eight seconds..."

He kept a precise countdown while quickly checking his equipment configuration.

The tactical pouch at his waist, the emergency runes on his cuffs, the amulet on his chest... he instantly checked the status and order of use for each item.

This almost mechanical preparation made the other team members even more uneasy.

In their view, Ron's behavior at this moment perfectly matched the typical symptoms of "Abyss Mental Pollution":

Hypersensitivity, paranoia, and compulsive behavior patterns.

James, the copper ring explorer standing to the side, had even placed his hand on his weapon, ready to subdue this "out-of-control" newcomer if necessary.

"Five seconds... four seconds... three seconds..."

Just as Director Wayne sighed and prepared to forcibly activate the detection procedure, the environment inside the entire bubble suddenly underwent a terrifying and drastic change.

Space began to distort at a visible speed, like a viscous liquid being frantically stirred by an invisible giant hand.

That distortion is not an ordinary physical phenomenon, but a fundamental change in the structure of reality itself under the influence of some incomprehensible force.

On the surface of the blood-red shallows, the once calm, deep red liquid suddenly rippled with eerie waves.

These ripples do not spread outwards, but rather contract inwards, forming small vortices.

At the center of each vortex, a completely different color is displayed:
Some are pure black, as if leading to nothingness;

Some of them are blinding white lights that are impossible to look at directly;
Others are "colors" that cannot be described by human language, and just seeing them can cause inexplicable panic.

"Warning! Spatial anomaly detected! Threat level: Extremely high!"

The alarm system of "Watcher-7" was finally activated, and the piercing alarm echoed through the blood-red shallows like a wail from hell.

The mechanical construct's head began to spin wildly, and seventeen different types of sensors simultaneously flashed with blinding red light and emitted rapid beeping sounds.

But all of this came too late.

The synthesized voice of "Watchman-7" began broadcasting detailed data:
Spatial stability: 12%, continuing to decline!

Energy fluctuation intensity: Beyond measurement range!
Time flow rate anomaly: Multiple time flows coexisting have been detected!
Threat Level: Unknown Entity!
Evacuation is recommended immediately! Evacuation is recommended immediately!

At the precise moment Ron's countdown ended, an irregular rift several meters long was torn open in the space to the northeast.

The edges of the rift shimmered with "colors" that shouldn't exist; those lights weren't reflected, but projected directly into reality from another dimension.

From this wound of reality, a terrifying figure slowly emerges, enough to shatter reason—the Chaotic Spectrum.

If the creatures in the shallow abyss still retain some understandable biological characteristics, then the chaotic monsters are a complete negation of the concept of "life".

It has no fixed form; its body seems to be composed of pure chaotic concepts.

Under the observer's watchful eye, it undergoes dazzling changes every second:
Sometimes it appears as a huge tentacle-like aggregate, with each tentacle covered with countless eyes of different sizes, which blink simultaneously, creating a nauseating rhythm.

Sometimes it transforms into a composite of countless human faces, but each face screams silently, its expression contorted beyond the limits of human facial muscles.

"This...how is this possible..."

Miller's voice was hoarse with extreme shock, and his battle-hardened composure was completely gone.

His mechanized left arm began to tremble uncontrollably under the immense shock of fear.

The built-in weapon system emitted chaotic electronic sounds, indicating a malfunctioning state.

"How could the testing equipment completely fail? That's theoretically impossible!"

Supervisor Wayne stared incredulously at the monitor in his hand.

The screen stubbornly displayed a "safe" status, as if the terrifying reality before them was merely a collective hallucination.

His petrified fingers frantically pounded his temples, producing a rapid, machine-gun-like "rat-a-tat" sound—a conditioned reflex he had in a state of extreme panic.

Ron frowned, feeling that Miller and Wayne's reactions were a bit too intense... and perhaps a little deliberate?
Before he could think further, another researcher, Alice, had already begun to vomit violently.

Its translucent body allows one to clearly see the entire process of gastric juices rising up in the esophagus.

Falco completely stopped his habit of stroking his hair, clutched his head tightly with both hands, and let out suppressed sobs.

"Space camouflage technology".

Ron's voice sounded unusually calm amidst the chaos:

"When the Chaos Spirit approaches its target, it creates a large-scale spatial illusion, causing all physics-based detection devices to misjudge the target. This is one of its deadliest hunting techniques."

As soon as the words were spoken, the chaotic monster's "body"... if that ever-changing mass of chaotic matter could be called a body, began to undergo new and even more terrifying changes.

At its center, a strange light gradually gathered, surpassing the limits of human visual perception.

This light changes according to the observer's fear.

The timid see a despairing darkness, the angry see a soul-scorching red light, while the complex see a constantly changing, ever-uncertain chaotic color.

"Random teleportation beam!"

Miller warned loudly, his voice conveying an unprecedented sense of urgency:

"Everyone scatter immediately! Do not gather together!"

The teleportation beams of the Chaotic Specters are not simple spatial transfers, but a forced "reconstruction of reality".

Targets struck by the beam will be randomly transported to any corner of the abyss, including death zones that even many apostles avoid.

Moreover, such transmissions are often incomplete.

Some unfortunate victims were dismembered and transported, with different parts of their bodies appearing in different locations, causing them pain beyond the imagination of any form of torture.

Just as everyone was gripped by panic, Ron had already taken out several meticulously crafted silver spherical objects from his tactical bag.

Each of these specially crafted scattering projectiles embodies his complete dedication to alchemy, runic writing, and weaponry.

The surface of the bullet is engraved with an extremely complex array of three-dimensional runes.

Stimulated by the abyss environment, the runes are flashing a steady blue light, a sign that the spatial interference array is functioning normally.

In addition, through the perfect combination of "Supernatural Recognition" and "Hermit's Insight," Ron possesses spatial perception abilities that surpass those of everyone present.

In his unique perspective, the seemingly random and ever-changing forms of the chaotic spirits actually follow some deep-seated rules.

Although its appearance changes constantly, its energy core, the "true essence" that controls the entire entity, has a relatively fixed location.

This insight allows him to predict every attack the Chaos Spirit is about to launch, including the exact direction and range of the teleportation beams.

(End of this chapter)