Allen temporarily set aside his thoughts and, together with Ethan, carefully worked to wake Langdon up.

Langdon slowly opened his eyes from his slumber, looking around in confusion.

When his gaze landed on Allen and Ethan, he asked in a dazed voice, "Uh… who are you?"

Ethan rolled his eyes dramatically and knocked lightly on Langdon's head—not too hard. "Wake up already."

Langdon rubbed the spot where he was tapped, complaining, "Ow… that hurt."

However, that knock did indeed help his consciousness gradually return.

Taking a deep breath, Langdon's fragmented memories began to piece themselves together.

He muttered, "The disaster… it broke out… zombies… everywhere…"

His eyes darted between Allen and Ethan before finally landing on Eli.

"We fled for our lives together, entered the sewers, and were hunted by those... ratmen..."

His voice trailed off, his face growing pale.

Suddenly, he remembered becoming a burden to the group, followed by the darkness and the plunge into a nightmare.

Langdon's head shot up, his voice tinged with nervousness: "The ratmen… where are they?"

Allen didn’t respond immediately but first looked at Eli.

Only after Eli gave a slight nod did Allen calmly say, “It’s been taken care of.”

Langdon froze for a moment, disbelief written all over his face.“Who took care of it?”

Allen’s expression grew complicated as he slowly replied, “You.”

When Langdon heard this sentence, his mind was instantly hit by a violent shock, and fragments of his dreams began to come into focus.

It was a dream filled with violence and madness—he saw himself losing all reason, transforming into a terrifying monster, tearing apart rat-men one after another.

Next came a battle filled with special effects, rivaling a blockbuster movie, and his opponent was—Eli.

At this thought, Langdon snapped his head toward Eli. His eyes met Eli’s calm, steady gaze, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably.

In the dream, Langdon’s rage and violence were like a ferocious storm, yet Eli was an unyielding lighthouse, immovable amidst the chaos, radiating an unshakable light.

The fight left Langdon with an unprecedented sense of oppression, as if Eli had crushed him completely, leaving him utterly powerless.

Langdon’s body shook more violently, his eyes fixed on Eli as though he was staring at an unbeatable predator.

He tried to look away, but his eyes refused to obey.

Eli’s gaze felt like an invisible mirror, reflecting all of Langdon’s inner fears and insecurities.

Ethan and Allen noticed Langdon’s abnormal reaction—his face was etched with pure terror.

The atmosphere grew increasingly tense, like a taut string on the verge of snapping.

To ease the tension, Ethan broke the silence: "Langdon, let the past stay in the past."

Eli gave a faint smile, his expression carrying a hint of warmth, and his gaze exuded a sincere sense of reassurance.

He spoke gently, "Relax. It was just an accident; it’s over now."

Allen followed up, his tone firmer, "Langdon, no matter what you’ve been through, we’ll face it together."

With everyone’s comforting words, Langdon’s expression finally softened a bit.

He lifted his head to look at Eli, hesitated for a moment, and then asked in a low voice, "What… what happened to me?"

Allen and Ethan exchanged a glance before briefly explaining the cause of Langdon’s rampage, while Eli added a few details.

After listening, Langdon remained silent for a while, his mind churning with complex emotions.

This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

He did feel a sense of relief—he was no longer just a burden to the team; he could even step up to protect them in critical moments.

However, this relief was overshadowed by a deep-seated fear.

He vividly remembered the moments of his loss of control—madness, violence, bloodlust; it was nothing short of a completely irrational beast.

Langdon looked at Allen and Ethan. Both of their gazes carried a trace of encouragement and trust, which warmed his heart.

Finally, his eyes landed on Eli.

Eli’s gaze was as calm as still water, devoid of blame.

Langdon wanted to ask him many questions, but the words were stuck in his throat, refusing to come out.

Eli saw through the conflict in his heart and said, "If you have a question, just ask. Stop wasting time with hesitation."

Langdon was silent for a few seconds before speaking: "You could’ve easily dealt with those ratmen, even gotten us out of danger quickly. Why didn’t you?"

Upon hearing this question, Allen and Ethan's expressions subtly shifted.

Eli’s tone remained calm: "Indeed, I could have easily dealt with those ratmen, but there are two reasons why I didn’t."

He paused for a moment, then said, "The first reason is that I can’t easily reveal my abilities. The most dangerous thing in this world is the human heart—exposing too much will only bring trouble upon myself."

Ethan nodded and interjected, "He’s right. During my undercover work, I saw too many people lose their lives because they revealed too much. Hiding yourself is a basic survival skill."

Langdon listened but made no comment, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and instead raised his head to ask, "What’s the second reason?"

Eli's expression grew serious, and he spoke slowly: "The first reason isn’t actually that important. During that battle, the situation did reach the point where I needed to step in, and I was ready to take down those ratmen. But if I had acted, would you have still become a Transcendent Being?"

Langdon froze for a moment, realizing why Eli hadn’t acted immediately.

Eli glanced around at the group, then shifted his tone as he spoke slowly: "Tell me, what do you think? Out of New York’s nearly 9 million people, how many do you think can become Transcendent Beings?"

The group remained silent, seemingly stumped by the question.

Eli didn’t wait for an answer; instead, he provided his own: "I think it’s less than 0.2%."

He paused briefly, then continued, "Nine million people perished, and fewer than 1,800 Transcendent Beings emerged. That’s only one in every 5,000. And you, Langdon, are among this extremely rare group. This isn’t just luck—it’s a miracle granted by the heavens."

The group remained silent, and the atmosphere grew even heavier.

Eli turned his gaze to Langdon and said, "I don’t fully understand the exact mechanism of Transcendent Awakening, but I feel that what happened to you is far from an ordinary awakening. What I want to tell you is that you may possess far greater potential than others, and this potential might be more important than life itself."

Eli’s voice lowered, carrying a hint of helplessness: "If I had acted back then, I could have protected you, as well as Allen and Ethan. But you would have lost something far more important than life itself because of it. Perhaps, someday in the future, when you come to understand all of this, you might resent me, believing that I took your future away."

Langdon lowered his head and said with a face full of guilt, "I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have doubted you."

Eli smiled and said, "There’s no need to apologize. If you have more questions, ask them now. Don’t waste time."

Langdon hesitated for a moment, then raised his head, his face filled with struggle and unease:

"I’m afraid… afraid that I’ll lose control again. I don’t want to become that insane, bloodthirsty monster ever again."

Eli looked directly into his eyes, his tone firm: "Then strive to become a true warrior."

Langdon’s eyes were filled with confusion; he didn’t understand the meaning of a "true warrior."

Eli paused briefly, then explained:

"Strength or the magnitude of your abilities is certainly important, but the greatness of strength and abilities alone cannot make you a true warrior.

A true warrior is someone with the heart of a warrior. And the key to having such a heart lies in:

Strong willpower, resilience under pressure, and an unyielding inner strength.

Only then can you control your power, rather than letting your power control you."

Ethan and Allen nodded in agreement, clearly resonating with Eli’s words.

Eli continued, adding:

"However, don’t misunderstand—having the heart of a warrior doesn’t mean you need to become a flawless saint.

Kindness, compassion, and even morality are separate matters."

Langdon didn’t quite understand why Eli felt the need to add this.

Eli’s gaze remained calm, his tone carrying a hint of patience:

"Becoming a warrior simply requires having the heart of one; it doesn’t dictate the kind of person you must be.

Your life, your future, your aspirations—they should all be decided by you alone. No one else has the right to interfere.

But remember, every choice comes with consequences. Especially when you choose an extreme path, it often brings more danger and responsibility."

He paused, his tone growing slightly heavier:

"Still, I hope you’ll use this power to help more people—to live up to their trust and support—rather than using it merely to satisfy your own desires.

This isn’t just about your power; it’s about whether the path you choose is truly worthwhile."

Eli’s words brought a moment of silence. Allen looked at him with a new depth in his gaze—one of profound recognition.

Ethan was more direct, saying, "Well said, I completely agree."

Langdon took a deep breath, pressing his lips together, and asked, "Then, what should I do to become a true warrior?"

Eli smiled slightly and replied:

"That depends on what you think. If you really don’t know where to start, the simplest way is this:

Find a goal and dedicate yourself to it relentlessly.

If you like justice, then strive for justice.

If you seek strength, then work toward gaining more strength.

If it’s wealth or power you desire, the same principle applies."

Eli stopped here and asked: "So, Langdon, what do you want? What is your goal?"

His gaze swept over the group, as though this question wasn’t just directed at Langdon but also at Allen and Ethan.

Allen’s brow furrowed slightly, his eyes revealing a flicker of determination—an acknowledgment of his own goal.

Ethan’s gaze lowered, his lips curling into a faint smile, clearly indicating that he, too, had his answer.

Langdon pressed his lips together. He wanted to become stronger, to gain more power, and to use that power to protect those around him.

However, this thought embarrassed him, making it hard to say aloud.