The feeling of turning into a werewolf

Never be a sycophant

Regarding the mystery of the missing pets, Yan Feng felt no immediate interest; his primary concern was how to endure the potential chaos that might unfold during the night. He intended to take advantage of the early hour, when the streets were still relatively quiet, to patrol his "territory." However, just as he was about to set out, a news notification caught his eye.

**[Elephant Pig - A mutant wild boar sighted in a southwestern province!]**

The headline suggested a connection to mutated creatures, instantly piquing his interest, and he clicked to read further. The article detailed an incident involving a woman from Province Y who, while foraging for mushrooms in the mountains, encountered a peculiar creature dubbed the "elephant pig." In her initial excitement, she grabbed her phone to snap a picture but inadvertently enraged the creature by activating the flash. It charged at her, launching her into the air, breaking several ribs, and nearly costing her life. Nevertheless, capturing the photo proved worthwhile.

The report included images taken by the victim, which indeed depicted an extraordinarily bizarre creature. Based on its size, it appeared to weigh no more than 150 to 160 pounds. Its body, including its patterns and limbs, resembled that of a wild boar, yet it possessed an elongated trunk and two thick, curved tusks.

After the news broke, local animal protection officials and relevant experts entered the mountains in search of this strange beast. However, after scouring nearby hills, they found nothing beyond ordinary wild boars. While the story seemed far-fetched, the photographs appeared authentic. Given Yan Feng's own experience with mutation, he deemed it worthy of some credence.

Curious about public reaction, he opened the comments section, only to find a torrent of skepticism, with several comments garnering significant likes.

**[Too absurd! As far as I know, the area is developing a new tourist zone. Isn’t this just a publicity stunt? If it’s real, why can’t they find it? Report on it once you locate it!]**

**[Can the author exhibit some creativity? Forcing a grotesque “elephant pig” narrative onto an existing phenomenon is just ridiculous! Do you think we’re fools?]**

**[Editor, are you writing science fiction under the guise of news? You have a whole theory worked out; why not go write novels instead?]**

After reading through the comments, Yan Feng began to harbor doubts himself. Yet, a thought struck him: even if the report was fabricated, his own mutation suggested that other mutant creatures might still exist.

With that in mind, he returned to the article. The author had included scientific reasoning to bolster the report's credibility. According to evolutionary theory, all current life forms on Earth evolved from a common ancestor, whether animal or plant, establishing various degrees of kinship.

For instance, human genes share a 96% similarity with chimpanzees, 90% with Abyssinian cats, 85% with mice, 61% with fruit flies, and even 60% with bananas. By studying the sequence of biological fossils within geological layers, one can glean that life forms have evolved from primitive beginnings through extensive geological time, progressing from simplicity to complexity, from lower to higher forms, and from aquatic to terrestrial existence.

Humans possess tens of thousands of genes, yet less than 2% are responsible for coding proteins. If we liken humanity to a house, then genes are the workers, and proteins are the bricks. Among the numerous genes, only 2% of the "workers" are engaged in assembling proteins into cells, which then differentiate into tissues, forming various organs and systems, ultimately culminating in the edifice that is humanity.

The remaining genes, which do not code for proteins, are referred to as "non-coding genes," representing the most enigmatic aspect of genetics. Throughout the evolutionary process, certain functional organs have gradually atrophied—such as tails, tusks, and most body hair—yet the genes responsible for these features do not vanish; they remain in the body as "non-coding genes."

The report concluded with the hypothesis that this mutant wild boar likely activated dormant genes related to nose growth, akin to those in elephants, which resulted in its altered features.

Reading this, Yan Feng couldn't help but ponder: if that’s the case, did I accidentally activate the wolf-related genes within my own non-coding genes, leading to my transformation into a werewolf? The practicality of this theory aside, it did seem to possess a certain logic.

However, he had another question: why did he only transform into a werewolf during moments of loss of control, while appearing completely human otherwise? This question intrigued him and was one of the reasons he felt compelled to patrol his territory.

The previous encounter with a stray dog attempting to urinate on his marking point nearly provoked him into revealing his fangs and claws while conscious. He yearned to experience that sensation again, thinking that by going through it a few more times, he might unravel the mystery behind his loss of control and transformation.

With this in mind, Yan Feng no longer cared about the validity of the report. He shut the door and left his rental apartment. According to his online research, wild animals frequently mark their territories, but since losing control, he had only marked once and felt no urge to do so again.

He arrived at the nearest marking point to his rental. After two days, the scent of urine had faded significantly; even a normal human would struggle to detect it. However, he didn’t need to rely on his sense of smell; with focused concentration, he could accurately sense the presence of the marking point.

What astonished him further was that when he tried to sense the nearest marking point, he unexpectedly discovered he could sense all marking points. Although those farther away were somewhat indistinct, he could still perceive them with clarity.

This sensation was peculiar, akin to feeling a needle approach without being pricked; even with closed eyes, one could sense its proximity. His awareness of the marking points was similar to this feeling.

Based on his previous speculation, the distance at which he could sense the marking points correlated with a certain limit of his hearing. However, now it seemed the two had no relation.

He attempted to venture beyond his "territory," walking to the opposite end of the rental, only to find that sensation gradually waned.

“It seems I can only clearly sense marking points within the marked territory. If I were to infinitely expand this territory, would my sensing range also extend?”

At present, Yan Feng had no means to verify this hypothesis. Without any urge to mark, he would likely need to wait until after losing control for such a compulsion to emerge.

Having patrolled his territory without encountering any unfortunate dogs trespassing, he realized time was running short. He needed to get to work, so he headed to the market for breakfast before making his way to the office.

Due to his heightened sensitivity, he often inadvertently engaged his sense of smell. Along the way, he was assailed by the odors of sewage, the breath of passersby, and various peculiar scents, including flatulence and body odor.

He also detected the distinct scent of females in their ovulatory phase, but thankfully, his desire to mate was subdued due to his current appetite, far less intense than on the first day after losing control.

Upon arriving at the office, he was greeted by a medley of perfumes mingling with the aroma of breakfast. Many female colleagues were currently in their ovulatory phase, and to avoid any embarrassing situations at work, Yan Feng refrained from activating his hearing, fearing he might overhear something intriguing that could unintentionally trigger his sense of smell.

Today, Tong Feifei arrived rather late, almost just in time for clocking in. Throughout her entrance into the office and her subsequent seating at her desk, she avoided even a glance at Yan Feng.

Suddenly faced with this unfamiliar version of Tong Feifei, Yan Feng felt a bit out of sorts.

Yet, he knew he had to adapt; after all, he was no stranger to the world and possessed a certain level of self-control. Conversely, Tong Feifei, following her best friend Ma Yun’s advice, was determined to play it cool today, the first day after their quarrel. She resolved to avoid even glancing at Yan Feng, completely sidelining him.

However, the more she tried to suppress the urge to look, the more she found herself wanting to sneak a peek; her efforts were undeniably taxing.

During this time, she noticed Yan Feng stealing glances at her a few times, prompting him to subsequently lower his gaze to examine the drawings.

Although Tong Feifei lacked extensive experience and possessed an innocent disposition, this did not imply she was foolish. In some respects, she was quite clever, such as her conscious attempts to act adorably around Yan Feng, showcasing her charming side as a strategy.

This was not to suggest she was manipulative; it was simply a natural inclination when in the presence of someone she liked. Originally, she had planned, per Ma Yun's instructions, to deliberately ignore Yan Feng for two days to pique his interest.

Yet, within two hours, she found herself unable to endure it any longer.

“Is Master upset because of me? If so, am I being too cruel by deliberately ignoring him? What if he truly becomes angry and decides to cut ties with me?”

This thought made Tong Feifei restless.

In a sudden bout of impulsiveness, she cast aside Ma Yun's instructions and quickly composed a message.

“Master, I’m sorry!”

Still too young and too impatient!

If Ma Yun were to find out, she would undoubtedly be furious, realizing that her numerous cautions had fallen on deaf ears.

The layout plans Yan Feng had designed the previous day were completed by the