I Will Teach You How to Hunt Gods

Chapter 596 160: Loop_2

"Let's set aside memory for now and talk about cognition. It's said that the hippocampus can form 'cognitive maps' in the human brain, helping to construct the spatial layout of the surrounding environment, like landmarks, paths, and positional relationships. Some researchers have proven that city drivers who drive black cars for extended periods see their hippocampus expand due to spatial navigation training."

"In other words, if the hippocampus is damaged, the injured person may be unable to remember routes, or even orient themselves in familiar environments. In fact, Alzheimer's disease, which used to be more prevalent among the elderly, initially occurs because of hippocampal damage, causing disorientation, making them frequently get lost even in their own homes."

"Although the hippocampus is deeply hidden, protected by the skull and membranes, it is quite fragile. Sometimes, a gentle TAP can affect its neural function."

"So, based on this phenomenon, a special 'gameplay' emerged in the Apprentice Death God circle."

"You call it—the Eternal Fidele Peters, because this warrior is said to be the first person in the world to run himself to death."

As she spoke, Yun You appeared at the end of the street, walking toward Hikamu, tapping her own temple.

She tapped exactly where Hikamu's wound was.

"The gameplay is simple. First, launch a massive attack, preferably causing severe damage to the enemy, then quickly TAP the opponent's temple, damaging their hippocampus without them noticing, but without leaving a significant wound. At least let them not realize their brain is injured in a short period."

"After that, you can just sit back and watch."

"Due to severe physical injuries and realizing the vast power gap between us, they'll undoubtedly flee frantically."

"But with a damaged hippocampus, they can't run in a straight line and can't escape the hunting ground we've set up for them, only running in circles in a nightmare-like scene."

"See—"

As she spoke, Yun You suddenly pointed behind Hikamu.

There was a trail he'd forced out with his body.

At a glance, the trail seemed relatively straight, almost imperceptible to a mortal's eye.

But with the Apprentice Death God's keen sight, one would immediately see it wasn't a straight line but a large curve like a typical highway...

This curve started at the center of the block, spiraling outward, but as it left the block, it gradually turned inward, forming an endless spiral circle.

Just now, Hikamu was going around in this spiral, wasting his precious physical strength, completely unaware that he had fallen into a trap.

If not for his Apprentice Death God's perception noticing something was wrong, he might have run himself to death.

What a cruel and life-disregarding method...?

Hikamu gritted his teeth, just about to curse, vent his long-held frustration with foul words, but before he could speak, his eyes suddenly widened as if he remembered something.

"Ha? Just remembering now?"

Yun You shook her head with a smile, softly saying, "Your memory sure is disappointing, isn't it?"

"You guessed right, this move, of course, was learned from you."

"I've never attended school nor have any degrees, so how would I know these things about the human brain?"

"I merely replicated what you once did, in its entirety."

In Yun You's words, certain memories resurfaced in the chaotic mind of Hikamu.

...

It was still that bloody and brutal night.

When the hopeful commoners struggled out of the ruins... Hikamu, who greeted them, did not kill everyone directly.

He just used a knife to kill a few seemingly honest peasants and then struck each of the other civilians, not targeting vitals, merely severing their arms or cutting their thighs...

In their panic, the commoners had no time to think, relying only on their survival instincts to flee in all directions, dragging their injured bodies.

But they did not notice that while Hikamu was using the knife to harm them, he also quickly struck their temples, using hidden force to damage their hippocampus.

Thus, an endless death marathon began.

Hikamu didn't chase them but let these commoners run without a care, like headless flies.

After the buildings toppled, the streets became incredibly difficult to traverse, filled with debris like stones, tiles, broken steel bars, and shattered glass, forming what was literally a 'mountain of knives,' coupled with the blazing fire Summoned by Shen Ye's Sequence Ability, it became a real sea of fire.

The commoners' shoes quickly wore out, their feet shredded and bloodied by the sharp objects, compounded by blood loss and prolonged dehydration, their running only became more arduous.

But no one dared to stop.

Even with their throats smoking, tasting iron with every breath, with feet completely ruined, vomiting their guts out, they couldn't stop!

They wanted to live... at any cost, they wanted to live!

But ultimately, the only fate that awaited them was one.

That being run to death in endless terror and despair...

And Hikamu, sitting atop the ruins, watched them struggle like ants, occasionally clapping and cheering for one or two of them.

If one or two couldn't run anymore, he'd personally step in, slaughter their family in front of them, using blood to force them to continue until they collapsed from exhaustion.

To make death unbearable, Hikamu would gleefully approach the dying, patiently explaining everything before they passed.

From the function of the hippocampus to the principle of the move, ensuring they felt total despair before dying.

Indeed, all of Yun You's tactics were learned from Hikamu... no, it was more than learning, it was complete replication.

Cruel...

Perhaps everyone in this world could call Yun You cruel, but not him.

"Too bad I couldn't run you, this scum, to death."

Yun You shook her head with slight regret but wasn't too disappointed.

The Apprentice Death God's physical strength can't be compared to a mortal's; to expect Hikamu to run to death required at least a week's continuous running.

So from the start, she never expected Hikamu to exactly replicate those victims' deaths, just wanted him to taste more of despair.

And Hikamu realized.

This girl, who called herself Wu Ming, was definitely a survivor of that massacre! Maybe she even witnessed his killings; otherwise, she couldn't replicate those scenes so accurately.

Thinking of this, Hikamu sprinted again without hesitation.

He knew better than anyone how vile his past deeds were, and talking and explaining were meaningless. If Yun You was indeed a survivor, she would never let him go.

His only option was to RUN, run far away, and then... wait for an 'opportunity,' his only slim chance!

Though hippocampus damage made it hard to determine direction, changing his pace often and advancing at irregular angles could break this loop game.

In a blink, he had already run hundreds of meters.

"Yes... it's this state..."

Feeling the fierce wind brushing against his body, Hikamu gripped the blade hidden in his arms.

He speculated Yun You would chase him this time, lowering her guard completely and attacking broadly.

"That lass should be in the Mad Dog Sequence, focusing on close combat... If I wait for her to approach and counter with a strike, she's finished!"

Hikamu thought silently, having used this luring strategy many times, and it worked successfully every time.

So he felt this time would be no exception.

However...

Yun You's attack came indeed.

But contrary to what he imagined, the girl used not the gigantic and bizarre blade to take his life, but... a laser.

Scarlet laser, blasted from an equally massive dragon-head gun barrel, without any mistake, crossed several streets, and precisely obliterated his torso.

The Dragon Gun roared once more, as it had in the past, evaporating Yun You's enemy again.