Just as Xiang Dahu was plundering millennium-old spiritual herbs,
on a small, entirely black mountain...
"Ah!"
Accompanied by a scream, a cultivator from the Extinction Sea Alliance collapsed to the ground.
Surprisingly, the one who attacked was not a cultivator from the Azure Sea Sect, but a demonic disciple also dressed in black robes.
"It's your honor to help me achieve Foundation Establishment through blood sacrifice."
This demonic disciple looked at the blood pill condensed in his hand, a gleeful smile appearing on his face: "As long as I consume this pill and meditate for a while, I can temporarily possess pseudo-Foundation Establishment power—"
In fact, both the Azure Sea Sect and the Extinction Sea Alliance had considered having Qi Chain cultivators carry Foundation Establishment pills to achieve Foundation Establishment in the secret realm.
However, they quickly abandoned the plan, after all, the success rate of reaching Foundation Establishment was only 30%!
That wasn't the key issue, though. The key issue was that no one knew the time required for Foundation Establishment; some could achieve it in a few days, while others might take three months, a so-called "Hundred-Day Foundation Establishment"!
But the secret realm was only open for a month; there simply wasn't enough time!
Moreover, while Foundation Establishment cultivators can certainly roam freely among the disciples of the secret realm, what about returning? The spatial passage can only accommodate Qi Chain cultivators!
On the contrary, True Person Heiyuan possesses a secret technique that can rapidly enable Qi Chain cultivators to achieve "pseudo-Foundation Establishment."
However, this technique requires cultivating a powerful Blood Pill within the Qi Chain disciple beforehand, thus it can only be used on one's own people.
Furthermore, such pseudo-Foundation Establishment cultivators are weaker than early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators and will quickly fall in cultivation level, making it quite useless.
True Person Heiyuan had obtained this demonic secret technique by chance.
But its use here is perfect, so he selected several demonic cultivators early on, cultivated their Blood Pills, and planted mana guides so they could quickly find each other in the secret realm and mutually benefit.
At this moment, this demonic disciple is the strongest in combat, has the highest cultivation level, and his temperament suits True Person Heiyuan's tastes perfectly. Not only are the rewards the most generous, but he has also been promised that once they leave, he will become a Core Formation disciple!
"The Master has ordered me to catch up with several core disciples of the Azure Sea Sect. In terms of understanding the secret realm, our alliance is far inferior to the Azure Sea Sect—"
This demonic disciple touched his storage bag, a smile appearing on his face: "But in terms of demonic secret techniques, the Azure Sea Sect is no match for us. The Master actually managed to plant the techniques on those Qi Refining disciples right under the noses of those two Core Formation Ancestors, allowing us to track them—"
On the other side.
Several core disciples of the Azure Sea Sect, dressed in blue robes, held array flags, trapping a second-tier demonic bird within an array.
"Haha—this near-second-tier Five Elements Array truly lives up to its reputation as a treasured gem of the sect. Not only is it energy-efficient, but its power is also incredibly strong—this Flaming Eagle has set its sights on us, which is asking for trouble—"
one disciple laughed.
"Let's finish this quickly—too much noise will attract attention."
The leading blue-robed disciple, with a burly appearance and seemingly very authoritative, took the hand of a female disciple beside him.
Their auras merged, and their magical power immediately crossed a certain threshold, reaching the Foundation Establishment standard.
*Sizzle!
* A white jade flying knife was unleashed, transforming into a white streak of light that severed the Flaming Eagle's head.
"Senior Brother Ruan and Senior Sister Yu are truly a perfect couple, their minds in sync. Cultivating the *Dragon and Phoenix Technique* and unleashing a combined attack, they are more than capable of fighting an early Foundation Establishment cultivator,"
a younger disciple complimented.
"Alright—"
Senior Brother Ruan waved his hand, "Don't forget our mission—Junior Brother Linghu, it's up to you."
The young-looking Junior Brother Linghu, only at the eighth level of Qi Refining, nodded, took out a talisman from his robes, bit his tongue, and spat out his essence blood onto it.
This was a "Bloodline Tracing Talisman!"
Many cultivators in the Azure Sea Sect had forgotten that the Azure Sea Ancestor's original surname was Linghu, belonging to the lineage of Linghu Jin!
And this young man was the Azure Sea Sect's Qi Refining disciple, whose bloodline was closest to the Azure Sea Ancestor.
The talisman instantly erupted with a crimson light, suddenly twisting like an earthworm, pointing in a certain direction.
"The remains of the Azure Sea Ancestor? Really here?" Senior Brother
Ruan's eyes lit up: "Let's go immediately!"
Unlike these core disciples of the sects,
ordinary Qi-linking disciples entering the secret realm first sensed the abundant spiritual energy and the ubiquitous spiritual herbs.
Then came all sorts of dangers.
A howl!
A pack of wolf demons roared, tearing at the severed limbs and remains on the ground.
Judging from their clothing, they should belong to both the Azure Sea Sect and the Extinction Sea Alliance.
On a hillside not far away, Miao Yifan tightly gripped a second-tier low-grade concealment talisman, panting heavily, and gazing at the storage bags scattered on the ground, a greedy glint flashed in his eyes—
"Haha, dare to challenge me?"
Somewhere in the secret realm, beside a third-tier spiritual flower, Li Tianlong, wielding two top-grade magic artifacts, suddenly unleashed a second-tier low-grade Heavenly Thunder Talisman.
A bolt of lightning flashed, instantly turning the opposing demonic disciple into charred remains.
"Thank you so much, Senior Brother Li! I could never repay your kindness—"
A beautiful young female disciple from the Azure Sea Sect, barely twenty years old, gracefully expressed her gratitude.
"Junior Sister, you're too kind—Ah!"
Li Tianlong quickly helped her up, then suddenly screamed in agony. A tiny wound, the size of a pinprick, appeared on his hand, and a ring of black energy immediately spread out.
"Junior Sister—why?"
He collapsed to the ground, realizing he could barely summon his own magic power, and cried out in despair.
"Hehe—Senior Brother Li, please help me one more time! I'll repay you in my next life, even as your slave!"
A female disciple of the Azure Sea Sect swiftly struck, blood splattering everywhere.
She quickly picked up Li Tianlong's storage bag, her eyes lighting up: "Haha—I've struck it rich!"
Inside a cave,
blush-inducing sounds echoed, followed by a male cultivator's scream.
A moment later, Shu Rou, humming a tune, straightened her clothes and emerged.
Inside the cave lay a desiccated corpse, its blue hem peeking out—
"This secret realm is indeed rich in resources; I can find first and second-tier spiritual herbs and ores just by picking them up—"
Inside the Mysterious Azure Cave, Fang Qing was watching Xiang Dahu's livestream.
Xiang Dahu had already used his lip-like ability to transform into a cold-looking, black-clad cultivator from the Extinction Sea Alliance.
After all, his strength had greatly increased, and he didn't want to be seen.
Upon exiting the secret realm, Fang Qing would naturally withdraw his empowerment, causing Xiang Dahu to fall back to the eighth level of Qi Chain. Besides, the risk of Foundation Establishment cultivators traversing the spatial passage was too great; the three Core Formation cultivators guarding the entrance weren't fools. Seeing a Foundation Establishment cultivator emerge with little to no gain, would they really believe it?
"Compared to the Misty Wave Blessed Land, this secret realm undoubtedly yields far more—indeed, the resources on the Qi Chain path are more abundant than those on the Qi Absorption path."
"My idea of first improving my own Qi Chain path realm was correct."
"However, this Xiang Dahu is truly short-sighted—only concerned with bullying demonic beasts and plundering third-tier spiritual materials, he's forgotten the truly important matter."
"The real treasures of this secret realm haven't even arrived yet."
With this thought, Fang Qing immediately gave a reminder, instructing Xiang Dahu to change direction.
With his divination abilities, he could barely determine which direction was auspicious; the rest depended on luck.
More than half a month quickly passed.
Meanwhile, the disciples who had been exploring the secret realm were astonished to discover that what they had previously perceived as a blessed land was merely the outer perimeter.
To enter the core of the secret realm, they had to pass through layers of restrictive mist.
Ordinary late-stage Qi Refining disciples were essentially deterred.
Only those with perfected Qi Refining cultivation, who had mastered one or two powerful techniques, and who worked together as a group, could even attempt it.
These exploring disciples immediately split up. Some were content with their gains in the outer perimeter and prepared to find a place to hide, waiting for the secret realm to end.
Only those core elites who carried heavy responsibilities and possessed treasures dared to venture into the core area.
Xiang Dahu was naturally one of them.
Holding the Hundred Soul Banner, he suddenly shook it.
A spirit of a broken sea swallow flew out and pecked at something in the thick fog.
The black shadow let out a shrill scream and suddenly retreated into the thick fog, disappearing from sight.
"This mist not only blocks Foundation Establishment cultivators' divine sense, but it also contains such dangers—"
Xiang Dahu frowned, but with his second-tier body refinement, his margin for error was relatively high, and he walked forward a little further.
Whoosh!
The view ahead suddenly opened up, revealing a series of spiritually rich peaks, with faint traces of architectural ruins on them.
Many cave dwellings even had remnants of restrictions.
"Such dense spiritual energy—this main peak should be a fourth-tier spiritual vein, but unfortunately—"
Xiang Dahu glanced at the core peak and realized the restrictions were incredibly powerful; not to mention Foundation Establishment cultivators, even Core Formation cultivators would have to attack for a long time to have any hope of breaking through.
He immediately shook his head and, following the direction indicated by the young master, headed towards another peak.
Along the way, there were broken walls and ruins everywhere, with a few scattered cave dwellings, their restrictions weak enough for Foundation Establishment cultivators to break through.
Xiang Dahu randomly chose one, and after breaking through, he only found the skeleton of an ancient cultivator.
"Hmm?"
He shook the remains, and the body immediately disintegrated, revealing a storage shell.
"This is indeed an ancient cultivation storage method—"
Xiang Dahu opened the shell, immediately feeling somewhat disappointed.
Time is the most magnificent force; after enduring the erosion of countless years, most of the items within this storage shell had lost their spiritual essence, with pills and the like turning into a puddle of mud.
Only a few spiritual artifacts remained, their patterns clear, but their power had been reduced to that of magic weapons.
"Sigh—"
Xiang Dahu dug a hole outside his cave, preparing to bury the remains carelessly.
Suddenly, his spiritual artifact vibrated, and he unearthed a corner of a huge rock.
"This thing—"
Xiang Dahu scanned it with his divine sense, and with a surge of magical power, layers of sand and gravel were peeled away, revealing a stone tablet.
"Zhou Tian—Star Palace?"
"What kind of power is this? Possessing a fourth-order spiritual vein—shouldn't there be a Nascent Soul cultivator guarding it? How did it become a secret realm?"
Fang Qing, watching the live stream, was slightly surprised as he gazed at the blurry ancient cloud-script characters on the stone tablet.
After repeated inspections, the stone tablet turned out to be just an ordinary one. Xiang Dahu moved to another spot to dig a pit and buried the ancient cultivator's corpse.
Just then, he sensed intense battle fluctuations emanating from the summit of a nearby mountain!
"This level of intensity is even somewhat dangerous for me—"
Xiang Dahu quickly activated his Hundred Soul Banner, and his eyes fell upon a black halberd clashing with a blue ring on the distant peak.
"This is—a talisman treasure?"
Xiang Dahu was overjoyed: Young Master is indeed incredibly resourceful—a Qi-linking disciple capable of using a talisman treasure must be the core of this operation!
For the next two days, Cao Dan stayed with Xie Panchen, spending a rare period of leisure with her.
Though it was supposed to be leisure, Cao Dan didn't let the [Dimensional Factory] sit idle.
He devoted all the data and technology on bio-weapons from the Forest Surveillance Bureau that he had obtained from Qiao Weiyin to analysis and practical application.
Those bio-weapons previously stored in the sub-dimensional space, whether complete or fragmented, were undergoing [reverse engineering], cross-referencing each other, and constantly refining his knowledge system.
Even the four scorched earth generators were dismantled to pieces.
In the small garden of the officers' quarters, Cao Dan accompanied Xie Panchen for a walk, listening to her recount the past of the Mei Organization, her childhood training experiences, and even cooking her many delicious dishes.
At night, after Xie Panchen fell asleep, Cao Dan went to the ordnance repair room in her officers' quarters.
Of course, not to repair the ordnance himself, but simply to provide cover.
Within the sub-dimensional space, hundreds of production units were endlessly producing, modifying, and testing.
Information streams continuously appear in your field of vision:
[You have analyzed the basic theories and manufacturing applications of biological weapons, significantly improving your related knowledge and skills.]
[Based on the high-intensity mass production feedback from the Dimensional Factory, your mechanic skills are greatly enhanced...]
[Basic Energy Theory upgraded to lv8]
[Basic Biochemistry upgraded to lv10]
...
[High-Density Material Compression Technology: Current level lv0, mastery 79%]
[Ion Technology: Current level lv1]
[Advanced Energy Theory upgraded to lv2]
...
[Basic Electromagnetic Principles upgraded to lv8]
[Basic Wide-Area Induction
upgraded to lv9] [Basic Virtual Electronics Technology upgraded to lv7]
...
[Elementary Space Technology: Current level lv0, mastery 33%]
[Neural Connection Technology upgraded to lv4]
[Advanced Intelligent Technology upgraded to lv3]
[Advanced Electromagnetism upgraded to lv5]
...
[Basic Bionics upgraded to lv10]
[Second-Level Disassembly and Recombination upgraded to lv2]
[Micro-Mechanical Modification upgraded to lv2]
[Advanced Material Synthesis upgraded to lv4]
[Heavy Armor Mechanical Modification upgraded to lv1]
...
"As for advanced knowledge for mechanics, only [Basic Space Technology] and [High-Density Matter Compression Technology] haven't been fully mastered yet."
As for production skills, the basic ones have almost all reached the level 10 cap.
Skills derived from advanced knowledge, such as [Intermediate Modification], [Intermediate Refining], [Intermediate Military Modification], [Scrap Modification], [Intermediate Programming], and [Rapid Military Repair], have all been upgraded to level 5 or higher.
What surprised Cao Dan even more was that this surge in knowledge unlocked several new skills:
[Intelligent Mechanical Enhancement lv1: Allows for intelligent upgrades to mechanical units, enhancing their autonomous judgment and combat capabilities]
[Mechanical Continuity lv1: Allows for emergency repairs to damaged mechanical units, extending their combat time]
[Blueprint Automation lv1: Automatically converts designs in the mind into standard blueprints, significantly improving design efficiency].
Cao Dan already possessed specialties like [Perfect Mechanical Sense], [Reverse Engineering], and [Blueprint Improvement].
With these new skills, he can now manufacture most of the basic biological weapons below level C for the Forest Surveillance Bureau.
Moreover, he could also improve and optimize these bio-weapons.
The most successful was an intelligent biomimetic machine resembling plankton, which Cao Dan named "Mayfly Gunner."
...
In the early morning, when Xie Panchen woke up, he found Cao Dan sitting by the window, playing with a metal sphere in his hand.
The sphere was only the size of a soccer ball, its surface covered with intricate patterns, gleaming with a faint metallic luster in the morning light.
"What's this?" Xie Panchen asked curiously, walking over to Cao Dan in his bathrobe.
"I'll show you something good." Cao Dan smiled mysteriously and placed the metal sphere on the ground.
He lightly traced a line on the surface of the sphere with his finger, inputting a series of mechanical commands.
The next second, the metal sphere began to deform.
"Click click click..."
The sound of mechanical operation rang out, and the armor plates on the surface of the sphere unfolded like petals.
Six slender segments extended from the inside, each composed of dozens of joints, with sharp cutting blades at the ends.
The upper part of the sphere unfolded, revealing a structure resembling the head of an insect.
Two compound-eye-like sensors, a pair of mouthparts capable of ejecting high-temperature filaments, and a dense array of detection devices.
In less than three seconds, a bizarrely shaped mechanical creature, about 2.4 meters tall, appeared in the room.
It resembled a mayfly magnified countless times, with six segmented limbs supporting its body, a small payload bay on its back, and a missile launch silo hidden in its abdomen.
Its overall design possessed both the fluidity of a living organism and the power of a machine.
"My God…" Xie Panchen covered her mouth, her eyes filled with astonishment, "You made this?"
"Of course, I made it before." Cao Dan couldn't casually reveal such a treasure as the [Dimensional Factory], so he could only say this, "I named it 'Mayfly Gunner,' what do you think, isn't it cool?"
He stood up and circled the mechanical creature, examining it closely as if admiring a work of art.
[Item]: Mayfly Gunner (Narcissus Type)
[Classification]: Lightweight Bionic Intelligent Combat Mechanism
[Quality]: Green
[Form]: Transport/Dormant State (Spherical Form): 0.25 meters in diameter, a smooth, silver-white metallic sphere, easily airdropped or vehicle-mounted. Deployed Combat State (Narcissus Form): 1.3 meters long, 0.35 meters wide, and 0.6 meters tall (including leg joints). The total height reaches 0.8 meters when the back turret is erected. The overall shape mimics an aquatic mayfly nymph, with a streamlined, low-slung design supported by six mechanical legs.
[Weight]: 28 kg (Thanks to the ultralight white aluminum-carbon fiber composite frame, it is extremely lightweight and can be easily carried or deployed by a single soldier.)
[Paint]: Matte gray-white base with low-visibility digital camouflage to adapt to certain environments; it can slightly change color according to commands or ambient light.
[Control]: Direct mechanical connection/intermediate smart chip (executes commands such as patrol, reconnaissance, target acquisition, autonomous attack, and coordinated combat).
[Communication]: Encrypted data link, maximum remote control/relay distance 5 km.
[Energy]: Main Engine - Micro Bioenergy Conversion Furnace: Uses organic matter as fuel, generating electricity through efficient catalytic reaction, with long endurance (72 hours of continuous combat on a full load of fuel), quiet operation, and low heat signature. Backup Energy - High-Density Graphene Supercapacitor Pack: Located under the back armor, used for peak power output (such as salvo missile launches, full acceleration) or to provide a minimum of 72 hours of silent standby/basic mobile power in case of main engine failure. Emergency Power: Replenishment can be achieved via solar panels (deployed from the back), wired fast charging, or by replacing fuel blocks/batteries.
[Structure]: Mayfly Bionic Skeleton: Six multi-jointed mechanical legs, driven by a hydraulic-tendon composite mechanism, possessing exceptional terrain adaptability (capable of climbing 60-degree slopes, crossing 0.5-meter ditches, and maintaining high-speed, stable movement on rugged terrain). The legs feature highly elastic shock-absorbing pads, resulting in extremely low noise during movement. Noise-absorbing designs are present at the joints, allowing for brief jumps (up to 1.5 meters in height) or short-distance wall climbing using the hooks at the ends of the legs.
[Modules]: Weapon Module (modular design, can be quickly replaced according to mission); Standard Configuration: Mouthpiece - Multi-beam high-temperature filament (range 10 meters, can cut 5 cm thick steel plates, or be used to quickly clear obstacles, ignite flammable materials, or be used as a welding/cutting tool) - Miniature air compression cannon (range 30 meters, fires high-pressure air bullets, producing blunt force damage, can stun protective personnel or create controlled directional shock waves, used to breach doors and clear traps). Abdomen - "Honeycomb" quadruple missile launcher (can launch 4 20mm smart miniature missiles, with three modes: laser guidance/inertial navigation/simple image recognition, used to attack light vehicles, fixed firing points or low-altitude slow targets, reloading requires returning to the hive or being done by the supply unit); Footwork - "Stinger" pop-out high-frequency vibrating blade (each footwork end can pop out a 20 cm long high-frequency vibrating alloy blade, used for silent assassination, close combat or cutting metal, vibration is adjustable).
[Mounts]: Back mounts • Reconnaissance kit (enhanced panoramic electro-optical/thermal fusion observation and aiming equipment, sonar/vibration detector, micro UAV delivery bay) • Support kit (small medical supplies/ammunition supply box) • Special kit (small radiation/toxin dispersant, smoke/chaff launcher, signal relay/jamming antenna)
[Auxiliary]: Sensors • Panoramic electro-optical/thermal imager (360-degree blind spot, integrated laser rangefinder) • Geiger counter/chemical substance detector • Acoustic array (can listen to specific frequencies and locate sound sources) • Magnetometer (detects metal objects and vehicles); Protection • Shape memory metal-ceramic composite armor (can withstand small-caliber bullets and fragments) • High self-healing nano-coating (minor scratches can slowly self-repair, and have certain anti-rust, anti-corrosion, and anti-electromagnetic pulse capabilities) • Electromagnetic shielding layer (reduces the probability of being detected by radar and electronic equipment)
[Evaluation]: The Mayfly Gunner (Nanny) is a well-designed and versatile light combat platform. It perfectly balances firepower, mobility, endurance, and intelligence, making it a multi-functional piece of equipment coveted by small to medium-sized wasteland forces or elite squads. Its modular design and biomimetic structure endow it with extremely high mission adaptability and survivability. Although its armor is relatively thin and unsuitable for head-on confrontations with heavy units, its value far exceeds its weight in missions such as reconnaissance, harassment, and coordinated operations. As a green-quality piece of equipment, its reliability, maintainability, and cost-effectiveness are all excellent.
"This is just the larval form," Cao Dan continued. "I also designed nymphal and adult forms, corresponding to underwater and aerial environments, respectively. Once the materials are complete, I can build them all."
He reached out and gently tapped the mayfly gunner's head, and the mechanical creature immediately emitted a low buzzing sound, its six segments trembling slightly, appearing quite excited.
"It has intelligence?" Xie Panchen cautiously reached out, wanting to touch the mechanical creature.
"Of course." Cao Dan nodded. "I installed a mid-level AI chip in it, so it can autonomously assess the battlefield situation and choose the optimal attack plan. However, it's still in the learning phase and needs a lot of real-world data to refine its combat mode."
The mayfly gunner seemed to sense Xie Panchen's goodwill and proactively leaned its head closer, its metal shell rubbing against her palm.
"So cute..." Xie Panchen smiled and gently stroked its head.
...
At the end of the first month, farewell.
Xie Panchen was returning to the inner city; she heard that the people sent by Lady Qianmei were already on their way.
Before leaving, Cao Dan handed her an exquisite metal box.
"What's this?" Xie Panchen took the box, feeling its weight.
"Open it and see." Cao Dan smiled.
Xie Panchen opened the box; inside was a set of silver-white, close-fitting inner armor.
The design of the inner armor was extremely ingenious; when unfolded, it was composed of countless tiny metal scales, each only the size of a fingernail, yet containing complex energy circuits.
The entire suit is made of shape-memory metal, ensuring both protection and freedom of movement.
"This is the inner armor of the shape-memory metal combat suit that I rushed to make these past two days," Cao Dan explained. "
The main material is shape-memory metal, but I mixed it with capillary-like ultra-light white aluminum alloy and micro-particle high-self-healing nanomaterials. It can withstand most physical and energy attacks, and it weighs less than a kilogram, so you can hardly feel it when you wear it."
Xie Panchen picked up the inner armor and examined it carefully.
In the morning light, the tiny scales shimmered with a faint light, as beautiful as fish scales.
"And there's more," Cao Dan took out a small metal ball from his pocket, "This is a simplified version of the Mayfly Gunner's larval form. I made three of them for you to use for self-defense. It's on standby most of the time, and it will automatically activate to protect you when you encounter danger."
Xie Panchen looked at the metal ball in her hand, her eyes glistening.
"I'll be careful." Xie Panchen tiptoed and gently kissed Cao Dan on the cheek. "You take care too. The front lines are dangerous, don't be reckless."
"Don't worry." Cao Dan put his arm around her waist and held her tightly in his arms.
...
After leaving Xie Panchen, Cao Dan returned to the independent platoon camp. He still had many things to do.
The technology for those four scorched earth generators hasn't been fully mastered yet, the nymph and adult forms of the mayfly gunners haven't been manufactured, and the mastery of [basic space technology] still needs further improvement...
Cao Dan first went to the Second Battalion and drove away the modified armored vehicle.
Leaving the Second Battalion, the vehicle sped across the frozen ground.
Through the window, Cao Dan could see the outline of the icy forest faintly visible on the horizon.
The cleared forest area was already inhabited, mostly by hunters, with some civilians carrying old rifles.
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Of course, casualties could be seen from time to time.
As the vehicle passed through, Cao Dan noticed some envious glances.
Cao Dan ignored them and lit a cigarette inside the vehicle.
Half an hour later, the vehicle entered the Independent Platoon's camp.
The camp was bustling with activity; soldiers were conducting combat training on the training ground, shouts of battle rising and falling.
Cao Dan noticed that the veteran soldiers' morale was much better than before.
Hearing the engine, Jian Xinghe came out of the command room.
"Platoon Leader, you're finally back." Jian Xinghe walked over quickly. "We all thought you were going to stay with Miss Xie for a few more days."
"Stop being cheeky." Cao Dan jumped off the tank and patted Jian Xinghe on the shoulder. "Is the reward and punishment exchange system up and running?"
"Yes, it's up and running." Jian Xinghe said excitedly. "Following your previous instructions, we've established a complete points system. Soldiers earn points for completing training missions, participating in combat, and receiving awards for merit. Points can be used to exchange for equipment, medicine, leave time, and even promotion opportunities."
He paused and continued, "The soldiers' training enthusiasm is very high now. Every day, people come to ask me when they can save up enough points to exchange for good equipment."
Cao Dan nodded in satisfaction: "Very good, but the exchange inventory isn't quite full yet, is it?"
"Indeed." Jian Xinghe scratched his head somewhat awkwardly. "Right now, we only have some basic firearms and protective equipment. We can't get the really good stuff."
"Don't worry." Cao Dan patted his shoulder. "I promise you, we'll manufacture a batch of high-quality equipment soon. Then, our independent platoon's firepower will definitely make other units envious."
Jian Xinghe's eyes lit up: "Platoon leader, are you serious?"
"When have I ever lied to you?" Cao Dan smiled. "By the way, where's everyone else?"
"They're all at their posts," Jian Xinghe said. "Qi Quan is leading a patrol, Ruan Shengyuan is processing documents, everyone's quite busy."
"Okay, I'll go home first." Cao Dan finished speaking and turned to walk towards the officers' rest area.
...
Cao Dan pushed open the door and saw Zhu Hanhong sitting in the courtyard, processing some medicinal herbs.
Zhu Hanhong looked up, saw Cao Dan, and immediately stood up, walking over to him. "You're back."
"Yes, I'm back." Cao Dan reached out and put his arm around her waist, pulling her into his embrace. "Did you miss me?"
"Yes." Zhu Hanhong snuggled against him. "How did the mission go? You left in such a hurry; I heard quite a few officers in the Second Battalion were injured."
"It's alright, the mission is over." Cao Dan briefly recounted the mission, of course, omitting a word about his possession of the scorched earth generator.
Zhu Hanhong frowned slightly after hearing this: "Shi Nian isn't dead. Be careful if you encounter him in the future."
"Don't worry, I value my life." Cao Dan smiled, lowering his head to kiss her forehead. "By the way, Xie Panchen has returned to the inner city."
"I know." Zhu Hanhong nodded. "She sent me a message before she left. She told me to take good care of you and not let you do anything reckless outside."
"What could I possibly do recklessly?" Cao Dan feigned innocence.
"You know it yourself," Zhu Hanhong rolled her eyes at him, but her eyes held amusement.
After a brief period of intimacy, Cao Dan released her. "I have to go to the workshop; I have some things to take care of."
"Go ahead, come out early, I'll make you something delicious."
"Okay."
...
Cao Dan arrived at the workshop, his consciousness landing in a sub-dimensional space, where a large quantity of firearms, ammunition, and protective gear were piled up.
These were all mass-produced by Cao Dan in the early stages; while not top-of-the-line, they were definitely considered excellent equipment for the grassroots troops.
"These things are more than enough for the independent platoon as exchange inventory," Cao Dan muttered to himself.
He waved his hand, placing some of the equipment into the workshop's storage lockers.
This equipment included improved assault rifles, high-explosive grenades, lightweight body armor, tactical helmets, and more.
Each piece was produced by the [Dimensional Factory], its performance far exceeding that of standard market goods.
After dealing with these, Cao Dan began two important tasks: analyzing and reverse engineering the [Scorched Earth Generator] and manufacturing the [Crab-shaped Mobile Fortress].
Now, his knowledge, materials, and technology all met the requirements.
He'd held onto the blueprints for the Crab-Shaped Mobile Fortress for almost a year, and finally, it was time to begin manufacturing.
Within the sub-dimensional space, hundreds of silver-white, circular miniature production units began operating, constructing the Crab-Shaped Mobile Fortress.
This was a massive undertaking, Cao Dan's largest and most complex mechanical manufacturing project since the mecha.
Cao Dan himself was completely absorbed in analyzing the technology of the Scorched Earth Generator.
It must be said that the Scorched Earth Generator contained an extremely high level of knowledge and technology.
Besides the core Ion Technology, it also involved advanced knowledge such as Heavy Machinery Modification, Advanced Detection Technology, and Advanced Energy Theory.
Time slipped by unnoticed.
...
For half a week straight, Cao Dan stayed in the studio, barely leaving.
"Still the same, busy every day, like something's chasing him," Zhu Hanhong said, shaking his head helplessly after delivering the meal. Only
when production at the [Dimensional Factory] finally ended did Cao Dan snap out of his research on the [Scorched Earth Generator].
His consciousness sank into a sub-dimensional space.
A perfectly round, massive crimson sphere floated silently in the space.
Its diameter was nearly the length of three heavy trucks lined up side by side, giving off a strong sense of oppression.
The crimson wasn't a single color, but a gradient from a dark rust red to a blazing, lava-like orange-red.
Its outer shell consisted of thick, layered modular alloy plates with jagged, sharp edges, like the biological armor of some kind of crustacean behemoth forged over millions of years.
At the seams of the plates, faintly flowing light, like molten gold, appeared.
That was the light produced when the energy circuits were in operation, like the veins of this behemoth.
"Damn, that's beautiful," Cao Dan couldn't help but exclaim.
He channeled his mechanical power, and the massive metal sphere immediately began to deform.
"Click-clack-clack..."
The sound of mechanical operation echoed in the space.
Beneath the sphere, six thick, composite-armored mechanical limbs slowly extended, steadily supporting the sphere.
At the end of each limb was a complex three-toed structure.
These feet could seamlessly switch between suction-cup-equipped silent pads, sharp, digging claws, and tracked feet for high-speed gliding, depending on the terrain.
The joints of the limbs were wrapped with a multi-stage hydraulic and tendon composite system, ensuring that its core compartment remained stable whether traversing ruins or wading through swampy mud. The
built-in gravity level worked silently, ensuring that not even a ripple would appear in the water cups inside the compartment. A
heavy hydraulic unlocking sound came from the lower front of the sphere, and a pair of huge, menacing hydraulic pincers slowly extended.
This was the giant pincer module; its jaws gleamed coldly, and its built-in pulse oscillator allowed it to easily tear through light armor and cut through reinforced concrete.
Its senses permeate its entire body; the seemingly decorative patterns on the sphere are actually panoramic optical sensors, thermal imaging arrays, multi-band radar, and sonar arrays.
A main gun turret base, currently empty, can be built into the top.
Eight secondary weapon interfaces are evenly distributed around the ventral sides, transforming it into an automatic sentry fire network.
The retractable stabilizers on both sides allow it to briefly escape the ground, performing tactical jumps or gliding.
For example, leaping off a cliff, the bottom vector nozzles roar as it adjusts its attitude, allowing for brief hovering and gliding.
Cao Dan's consciousness entered the interior, examining the cabin structure.
Passing through the heavily sealed hatch, the three-tiered concentric structure provides clear functional zones.
The command center is located at the front of the middle level; the neural-linked seat allows the pilot's consciousness to merge with the vehicle's artificial intelligence, sharing 360-degree battlefield awareness.
The living area is compact yet comfortable, featuring foldable beds, a kitchen capable of preparing basic hot meals, separate sanitary facilities, and even an entertainment terminal.
The innermost layer contains the Crab Heart power core and the life cycle system that sustains it all.
Cao Dan retrieved detailed data:
[Item]: Crab-shaped Mobile Fortress
[Classification]: Heavy Bionic Amphibious Tactical Vehicle/Mobile Base
[Quality]: Blue
[Form]: Static (Spherical Form), 36 meters in diameter, a giant crimson sphere covered with layers of modular composite armor plates resembling lava shells. The edges of the plates have dark gold energy patterns, which, when activated, resemble flowing magma.
Combat Deployment (Crab Form): Six main limbs, robust and equipped with multi-segmented hydraulic joints, ending in deformable feet (wide tracked claws on flat terrain, three-toed sharp claws extending in complex terrain, and streamlined paddle feet underwater). It features a powerful built-in shock absorption and attitude adjustment system, adaptable to extreme terrain.
[Control]: Direct mechanical connection/intermediate intelligent chip (executes commands such as patrol, reconnaissance, target acquisition, autonomous attack, and coordinated combat) .
[Energy]: Main core, "Crab Heart" bionic bio-chemical dual-mode reactor. Driven by high-energy organic polymer blocks (efficient but expensive) or concentrated liquid fuel (common, slightly inferior performance), it boasts powerful output and relatively quiet operation.
Auxiliary power: The sphere's surface is covered with a flexible photovoltaic film, allowing for slow charging under sunlight. It features a kinetic energy recovery system (converting impact into a small amount of electricity).
[Structure]: Mayfly-inspired skeleton: Six multi-jointed mechanical legs, using a hydraulic-tendon composite drive, possessing extremely strong terrain adaptability (capable of climbing 60-degree slopes, crossing 0.5-meter ditches, and maintaining high-speed, stable movement on rugged terrain). The feet have highly elastic shock-absorbing pads, resulting in extremely low noise during movement. The joints have noise-dampening designs, allowing for brief jumps (up to 1.5 meters high) or short-distance wall climbing using the hooks at the ends of the legs.
[Module]: Highly modular (temporarily unavailable) .
[Evaluation]:
Cao Dan, looking at these data, smiled with satisfaction.
"Not bad, very good."
However, he quickly frowned.
The main gun, secondary guns, and special equipment were all temporarily unavailable.
These modular pieces of equipment could be loaded and unloaded at any time, but the problem was that he didn't have suitable weapons.
Especially the main gun.
Such a large mobile fortress needed to be equipped with large-caliber heavy artillery.
Small-caliber weapons were simply not up to its size and purpose.
Cao Dan pondered for a moment, opened his officer's terminal, and logged into the online platform.
He skipped over other information and went straight to the list of firearms.
From top to bottom, all kinds of firearms were available: assault rifles, sniper rifles, machine guns, grenade launchers, small-caliber artillery...
but there was no large-caliber heavy artillery, let alone missiles.
"As expected," Cao Dan sighed.
He thought about it and realized that even if the military wanted to support land reclamation, they wouldn't sell such weapons as commodities.
Those things were strictly controlled and only specific units could be equipped with them.
Cao Dan leaned back in his chair, lit a cigarette, and fell into deep thought.
He remembered that when the major forces besieged Maral Town last year, the Forest Surveillance Bureau had heavy artillery equipment.
The power of those heavy artillery pieces was terrifying; a single shot could level an entire block.
"Forestry Surveillance Bureau..." Cao Dan narrowed his eyes, "Looks like we'll have to find a way to get some good stuff from them."
That night, everyone was taken to the hospital, including Chen Beiwang.
After all, he was also seriously injured, all because of Xu Zhu's beating.
The strange events in the mountains tonight finally came to an end... Yang Shen suffered some superficial injuries and was lying in bed in the hospital room around 3 a.m., but he couldn't fall asleep.
Neither the doctors nor the police were instinctively willing to say much to a minor, but Yang Shen insisted and still managed to find out about the others.
Teacher Zhou Yao ultimately couldn't hold on...
Although Azure Star was unique in martial arts-biotechnology, and Zhou Yao herself had the foundation of the early stage of innate talent, that injury was still too deep and too thorough.
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Arriving at the hospital wasn't timely enough.
That bottle of copper man liniment only made his death less painful.
This news was very heavy, making Yang Shen feel a little suffocated.
Of the other dozen or so students, five were caught in the chaos of the final battle and admitted to the intensive care unit; whether they would be disabled was currently unknown. The others also sustained injuries of varying degrees.
Looking at it this way, Yang Shen, Xu Zhu, and Huang Gang, the three seniors, were the least injured.
The ward was unusually quiet late at night. Perhaps worried that Yang Shen might still have a tendency to go crazy, they arranged an expensive private room for him, complete with a toilet and a small living room, costing 3000 yuan a night.
If the police hadn't assured him he wouldn't have to pay, Yang Shen would have almost recovered on the spot.
Police officers were on guard outside, only telling him to rest early, but Yang Shen tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
Finally, he tiptoed to his bedside and picked up his backpack.
As the last person who could stand and enter the hospital on his own, he even had time to go back to his room to pack his belongings. Of course, the belongings weren't the main thing; he'd almost finished the valuable Vajra Sect supplements inside.
Instead…
Yang Shen pulled two bright yellow beetles from his backpack.
They were the size of walnuts, quite heavy, if not iron, at least solid wood.
The beetle seemed to have entered a dormant state; its six legs and even mouthparts were retracted, and its carapace was round and glossy, like a hemispherical glass bead.
This was the crimson beetle the woman had spat out, but after her death, it gradually turned bright yellow, and its temperament became much calmer...
The "Bee Control Technique," in principle, is not only effective against bee swarms, but also has "organizational" properties, useful for insects that appear in groups.
Yang Shen rarely encountered such an opportunity, and since the crisis had already ended, seeing a ground full of yellow beetles running aimlessly, he secretly used his magic again, sending a few to his room and into his backpack.
He didn't dare to collect them all; there were probably dozens on the spot, and it would be too absurd for them all to disappear, so he only controlled six, which were now all curled up in balls in his backpack.
In the "Spiritual Plant Inheritance" that Yang Shen obtained, insects were not the core, but they were definitely highly relevant; injecting spiritual power would give a general sense of them.
To say that he could know what the insect was called or how to quickly advance to a higher-level spiritual insect was nonsense.
Basic information like what to eat, how to keep them alive, and whether they were poisonous wasn't a problem. Moreover, it was confirmed that the insect posed no threat, and its former owner wasn't particularly powerful, at most a bit repulsive.
After the woman died, these insects immediately became Zen-like, remaining motionless upon receiving Yang Shen's command...
"I don't know what to name them... maybe I should give them one myself?"
He examined them under the light for a moment, finding the bright yellow color quite attractive, not as ugly as most insects.
"Let's call them Sun Bugs, they sound like it."
Yang Shen made a hand seal, controlling the Sun Bug to extend its six limbs, making it fly around the ward...
With a thought, the beetle bit the bed railing, making an unpleasant sound and leaving shallow teeth marks on the iron railing.
Quite strong... but the size of its mouthparts wouldn't be fatal to a martial arts practitioner unless the numbers were exceptionally large... thousands upon thousands.
He'd try to see if they could reproduce.
After playing with the round insect for a while, fatigue began to creep in. This day had been incredibly long for him, with too many things happening.
But in the end, Yang Shen resisted his laziness, adopted a cultivation posture, and slowly circulated the "Nourishing Qi Guiding Technique." He
had consumed too much energy last night and needed to replenish it...
Just controlling the insects for a short while had cost him another 0.2 points of health.
He was now extremely eager for the "Opening of the Qi Sea" at the third level of Qi Refining.
————
The next morning, after a moment's thought, Yang Shen abandoned his plan to train his body under the sun.
Cultivating immortality was alright, but practicing martial arts was indeed a bit painful; he had to endure the hardship.
After eating the breakfast delivered to him in the ward, Yang Shen immediately got out of bed, only to encounter Chen Beiwang walking towards him.
Chen Beiwang's face was slightly bruised, but otherwise he seemed alright. "Where are you going? To see Xu Zhu?"
Yang Shen nodded. "Do you have any news about her? How is she?"
Chen Beiwang pressed Yang Shen back onto the hospital bed. "She's been transferred to another hospital. Her mother took her away before dawn to a big hospital in Jianghuai City."
"Don't worry, she's not as badly injured as I am! I was beaten for over ten minutes. At most, Xu Zhu just has some aftereffects of martial arts psychosis; she's a bit lethargic."
Yang Shen breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good... It's good to have news."
Chen Beiwang sat down by the bed. "I do have some other news about last night. Want to hear it?"
"Yes!"
Yang Shen had participated in most of the fight, but still felt like he was in the thick of it all without fully understanding the situation.
Chen Beiwang crossed his legs: "First and foremost, we've confirmed it's a problem with the 'alien opposition.' Although we haven't caught the people who escaped last night, we found a lot of evidence at your dead PE teacher's house."
"Then... how did you know?"
Chen Beiwang pointed to himself: "You forgot? My company was commissioned by the government to develop something that can suppress 'martial arts psychosis.' Doctors and police officers were all asking me questions last night."
"You're practically an expert on our side, and you even held two discussion meetings. You were busy all night, and you've heard almost the whole story."
Yang Shen thought to himself, "I underestimated you...
I'll change your nickname in a bit to: Awesome Tractor."
Chen Beiwang: "I'm telling you this mainly to put your mind at ease. The problems behind this are enormous and far from over, but you high school students are purely innocent victims. Any repercussions won't affect you." "
Your teacher is probably a minor regional leader within the 'opposition,' secretly using his position to provide students with supplements laced with his own drugs. These supplements are related to exotic sorcery, essentially planting a seed..."
Yang Shen muttered to himself, "A seed...?"
"These seeds are actually mutated 'Sources.' Those opponents come from a foreign land with a 'witchcraft heritage,' and their application of 'Sources' is very different from that of Azure Star. In short, it's incredibly dirty."
Chen Beiwang clicked his tongue twice. "Actually, this technology isn't a secret. It could have been detected in the past, but it couldn't be detected this time because it's the first time we've encountered 'Gu' without a physical form. Maybe they've made some breakthrough over there, or perhaps a genius has emerged."
Yang Shenqi asked, "Sources have this kind of ability? I've used them for so long and I didn't know..."
Chen Beiwang scoffed, "You've used a cell phone for so long, do you even know the principle of a chip? Azure Star has been pondering the mysteries of Sources for thousands of years and still hasn't figured it out."
That's true... If "Sources," or rather "spiritual energy," can control insects and create clouds and rain, it's not surprising that it can plant a seed in someone's heart.
He suddenly realized, "That's right! Liu Yuankui gave me a box of 'Dragon Mother Bone Strengthening Granules'!"
If he hadn't been busy with a lot of Vajra Sect supplements, he probably would have already drunk them!
Chen Beiwang snapped his fingers: "If this were 12 hours ago, this would be considered a major lead, but now... we've already found quite a bit. Just remember to hand it over to the police." "
Those who have been implanted with the seed will go insane once activated. You already know the effects. Since this 'source of mutation' dissipates after one bout of madness, it's difficult to find anything wrong with the previous sufferers... and each student took a variety of supplements from different sources."
Yang Shen thought for a moment, then frowned and said, "You mean... it's not just Liu Yuankui..."
"Of course! Liu Yuankui is just a small-area leader, only affecting two or three schools. If it weren't for the Vajra Sect's new product accidentally causing the 'seed' to sprout uncontrollably, he wouldn't have been in such a hurry to kill them to cover it up; he would have continued to lie low."
"Think about it, you ten are the only group of sufferers with a 'regular' pattern. As long as we keep an eye on you, sooner or later we'll discover the suspicious point that everyone obtained supplements from Liu Yuankui."
"He must have been under pressure from his superiors, forcing him to take the risk. First, he staged several 'martial arts psychosis' cases outside the training camp to divert attention, but when that didn't work, he went all in."
Liu Yuankui wasn't afraid of being discovered himself, but rather of the "pattern" being discovered, which meant there was a larger scheme behind it.
As long as everyone in the training camp died, even if it caused a sensation, it could conceal the pattern of some kind of "witchcraft."
Yang Shen suddenly caught a blind spot: "Wait, you mean Liu Yuankui originally intended to stay hidden... the onset of his illness was just an accident? Then what about all those cases in Jianghuai City before..."
Chen Beiwang looked Yang Shen up and down, admiring him more and more.
This high school student possessed a maturity and insight beyond his years.
Therefore, he had always been very optimistic about Yang Shen's future.
Finally, he snapped his fingers:
"You've found the blind spot. Yes, this 'Buddha's Sound Body Tempering Technique' was an accident, as were the dozen or so previous cases throughout Jianghuai City. This also means... the number of people affected far exceeds everyone's imagination. What appeared before was just a sporadic outbreak of uncertainty caused by the opponent's technical flaws."
Yang Shen felt a chill run down his spine: "So when did they originally plan to... activate these seeds in large quantities?"
Chen Beiwang smiled: "What do you think is the most important thing in the next month or two, and what is related to students? And what could cause a huge social impact?"
Yang Shen was stunned...
the college entrance exam!
These lunatics!
Yang Shen couldn't imagine how terrible the impact would be if hundreds of "martial arts psychopaths" had a collective episode during the college entrance exams.
Even more than a few hundred!
It would be a major event recorded in the annals of Chinese history! A huge rift would be created between martial arts practitioners and ordinary people.
And what about the cutoff scores...? Wait...
no, no, no, Yang Shen shook his head.
The system is too wicked! It always distracts me!
Chen Beiwang patted Yang Shen's shoulder: "Anyway, you didn't take that medicine, so the rest is none of your business. Your classmate already had one episode, and the 'alien source' in his body has dissipated. This thing is a one-time use."
This usually carefree, even somewhat unreliable adult's tone became serious.
He told Yang Shen all this hoping the young man wouldn't worry, wouldn't overthink, and wouldn't do anything unnecessary.
"What happened next was huge and serious, but it's over for you now. For the next two months, the entire Jianghuai region... and even surrounding provinces and cities will begin a massive investigation. Whether they can clean it up depends on the police's capabilities. This involves hundreds of thousands of test-takers... and hundreds of schools."
Yang Shen took a deep breath: "I understand. By the way, I'm sorry for causing you trouble this time. When I invited you, I didn't know it would develop like this. I really invited you to a barbecue."
Of course, it was also fortunate that Chen Beiwang was invited, otherwise Xu Zhu's safety would have been uncertain.
Chen Beiwang gagged, feeling nauseous. "No... I won't want to eat barbecue for a year..."
Recalling the detective named Luo Sheng, Chen Beiwang also disliked him. He'd been at the seminar last night, but Chen Beiwang felt the man was a bit...
crazy...
Chen Beiwang stood up and patted his butt. "Alright, I'm leaving. My sweetheart stood me up last night; she should just be waking up. I'll go...make up for it."
Yang Shen nodded. "Thanks for your trouble."
Chen Beiwang chuckled. "It's nothing. I've actually benefited from this misfortune. I accidentally verified the effectiveness of the company's research. You know, the official commission wasn't limited to just us, but this time we verified the results first."
Honestly, at least half the reason he was willing to be invited out by a high school student last night was because of the device attached to Xu Zhu's temple.
He'd had this idea since he first learned Yang Shen and the others were going to have training, because compared to other competing companies, whoever verified its effectiveness first was more likely to get the order.
Adults are complex. Did they really think a successful playboy would be interested in being invited out for barbecue by a high school student?
She's not a high school girl...
But after today, Chen Beiwang's view of Yang Shen changed.
In his eyes, this was a young man with unlimited potential...
mature and steady, quick-witted, possessing mastery of martial arts, and decisive in combat.
An excellent investment target.
Investing in relationships is also an investment.
Chen Beiwang made a finger-rubbing gesture: "The authorities are taking this very seriously. In the future, dozens of cities and counties throughout the Jianghuai region, along with the surrounding two provinces, will likely purchase our company's equipment for every examination venue to prevent residual 'seeds'. No matter how successful the police investigation is, the authorities won't gamble on 100% safety."
Chen Beiwang held up two fingers: "They need it urgently, and it's difficult to get things done if the price isn't high. I've calculated it, this order is at least 200 million, and if other provinces and cities also need some precautions, it will be even more."
Yang Shen opened her mouth.
Her mind recalled the feeling she had when she first met Chen Beiwang.
I can negotiate too! I can do research too! The news of
the
accident during training camp couldn't be kept from the parents. They'd actually started notifying them one by one last night, but Tao Ying always kept her phone locked in a cabinet during her night shift, and since Yang Shen wasn't seriously injured, they only managed to contact him this morning. His
aunt, her eyes bloodshot, had just finished her night shift and rushed to the hospital. Seeing Yang Shen's composed demeanor, she finally dared to exhale after holding her breath all the way.
Yang Shen thought his aunt would cry, but she simply sat down beside his bed, took his hand, and said in a trembling voice,
"It's good you're alright...it's good you're alright..."
Yang Shen quickly jumped off the bed, showing that he was unharmed: "I'm fine, I'm the least injured. If the hospital room hadn't been free, I could have walked last night."
Yang Shen told his aunt about what he'd gained from the training camp these past few days, and the unexpected events of the last night, but he omitted the particularly dangerous parts, only saying that he was quick-witted and clever enough to escape unscathed.
This suddenly reminded him of something Uncle Lei Yiming used to say: "
A man must keep things from his mother, his wife, and his children; he must learn to shoulder everything himself."
With his aunt here, someone could move around the hospital. Yang Shen asked his aunt to inquire when he could be discharged and what procedures were needed.
About half an hour after Tao Ying left, the ward door opened again, but this time it was someone else.
The detective who had mysteriously appeared last night and killed Liu Yuankui…
"Hello… what's the matter?"
This detective reeked of cigarette smoke and the peculiar smell of not having showered for days, trapped inside his leather jacket. His eyes were bloodshot, but his expression was relaxed.
"Let me introduce myself. My name is Luo Sheng. You should remember me… I heard you wanted to be discharged, so I wanted to have one last chat." "
In principle, minors should be accompanied by a guardian when giving statements, but I guess you don't want your family to worry… so I won't take any notes. I just want to ask you a few questions."
Yang Shen nodded: "Go ahead and ask."
Anyway, I might not tell the truth.
"Ten days ago, when we asked you about the situation at the school, you mentioned that you felt Liu Yuankui had a problem. How did you find out?"
Yang Shen shook his head: "I just said he was a bit strange, strangely gloomy, nothing specific."
"Then tell me about the gloom."
"Nothing much, just seemed stricter, his expression more somber, and I occasionally saw him out of sorts during PE class."
"That's all?"
"That's all."
Luo Sheng subconsciously took out a cigarette, put it to his lips, and said, "Mind? I haven't slept all night."
Yang Shen: "I don't mind, but I suspect the nurses will rush in and report you to the police station."
Luo Sheng hesitated, then put the cigarette case back.
Yang Shen glanced at it; it was one of those special metal cigarette cases.
"Where's the 'Dragon Mother Bone Strengthening Granules' Liu Yuankui gave you?"
"At my house, I'll give them to the school later." "
Why didn't you take them?"
"I didn't need any supplements at that time, so I didn't have time."
The exchange was short and frequent, each sentence carrying a purpose.
But fortunately, Yang Shen followed along, preventing any problems from being exposed.
Luo Sheng: "'Dragon Mother Bone Strengthening Granules' are extremely effective for those newly entering the Bone Refining Realm. They're practically a must-have supplement. Even if you're not lacking... you should prioritize taking this."
Yang Shen: "Oh, because it has the longest 'shelf life.' I'm a rather frugal person."
Luo Sheng: ...
After asking a few more random questions, Luo Sheng got up to leave.
But before leaving, he turned and said, "You're at the early or mid-stage of Bone Refining, yet you managed to kill that woman who was at the mid-stage of Marrow Refining. How did you do it?"
Yang Shen smiled: "Bold and meticulous, and I'm very strong in actual combat."
Luo Sheng nodded. He naturally understood Yang Shen's grasp of fist intent: "However... my colleagues said that what ultimately secured the victory was the sudden betrayal of those red beetles, as if they were manipulated by someone else... What do you think about this?"
Yang Shen stared into Luo Sheng's bloodshot pupils, making sure he wasn't looking at the backpack beside his bed.
Actually, it's not a big deal if he noticed...
I'm a high school student, isn't it normal for me to do inhuman things?
"It just feels weird and strange. I secretly kept a few, and at most I got a few scoldings.
Go tell my headmaster.
" "I don't know. That ability looks weird and disgusting. Maybe it's the woman's own problem, like she wasn't trained properly. By the way, who are these people?"
Yang Shen even asked the reverse question.
Of course, he didn't expect to get an answer from Luo Sheng.
However... unexpectedly, Luo Sheng actually answered him.
"Rebels, that's the name of their organization. But you probably won't encounter them again. Anyone who mentions those two words to you is definitely not a good person."
Luo Sheng didn't hesitate any longer and got up to leave.
"Alright, thank you for your cooperation, and thank you for helping to stop a... heinous incident planned by alien reactionaries."
"Also, I'm sorry for killing your PE teacher."
Yang Shen frowned slightly as he watched Luo Sheng's back, deciding to check his destiny.
"Luo Sheng: Qi
Refining Level 6" "Destiny: Lu Ren Chan Yin" "
Lu Ren Chan Yin: A heart as heavy as a mountain, plagued by calamities at night."
Such a complex destiny, so complex that even the system's explanation couldn't fully comprehend it for Yang Shen...
But he suddenly had a feeling...
If Chen Beiwang, as an adult, was somewhat "off track,"
then this one... was closer to "rotten."
However, after Luo Sheng left, and Yang Shen pieced together the complete information from the two adults,
he... actually completed a side quest he had almost forgotten about!
"Side Quest → My Territory, My Rules: A crisis has occurred in the area where your family resides. As a future immortal clan, you should have a presence in it."
"Option 1: Investigate the mastermind, cooperate with them, and profit from the crisis."
"Option 2: Investigate the mastermind, thwart their plan, restore peace, and gain prestige."
"Quest Selection: Option 2."
"Quest Reward: One random spell (to be claimed)."