Chapter 87

Cheng Ze's outstretched palm had already turned entirely bright silver, and as the command blurted from his mouth, electronic signals within a hundred-meter radius suddenly surged, like a STAR Market stock announcing major positive news, spiking in a straight line!

Roar!

The four-wheel-drive, high-horsepower SUV erupted with crackling electric sparks, its surface instantly wreathing in a ring of black flames, like a maddened furious beast growling low.

From the oil pump to the cigarette lighter, every module and structure was infected.

The high-intensity virus named "Electronic Demon" completed its spread in an instant.

Immediately after, the thick sturdy bumper split from the middle, the entire vehicle body forcibly twisted.

Machinery became like fluid, pinched by an invisible giant hand into the shape of a giant insect-like metal monster.

The unlucky bastards who stayed in the car and didn't get out were refined in a moment.

Like crushed ripe tomatoes, squeezing out fresh, plump pulp and juice.

"You..."

Even Qin Lihao, knowledgeable and experienced, who had seen every kind of scene, couldn't help but suck in a breath of cold air.

He turned his head to look; his own ride transformed into a Transformer, sinister reverse barbs, pitch-black skeleton, intense pressure... this President Qin involuntarily held his breath.

Haunted?

Where's my huge SUV?

How'd it turn into a Transformer?

"Hao Ge. Like it?"

As the scorching heat in his chest kept intensifying, Cheng Ze pulled open his leather jacket, revealing the terrifying red and charred black skin underneath.

At the center of his chest, a circuit board roughly the size of a palm was embedded, green solder mask covering copper traces, dense complex components intersecting.

This thing beat like a heart, absorbing free-floating electronic signals from all directions, pouring them into his body bit by bit, aberrantly transforming flesh and blood.

"Sure enough it's you, you dog bastard! Stealing my stuff!"

Qin Lihao gritted his teeth, furious enough that his eyes filled with bloodshot veins, more exaggerated than being infected by the Electronic Demon.

That circuit board he knew all too well; it was the container sealing the "Teaching Material".

You see, the inheritances of powerful Martial Artists all condense and concentrate their own Heart Intent Imagery.

If not isolated, left to release freely, it's like two-kilowatt construction site searchlights shining in the night sky — anyone can discover it.

So Elder Brother Qin Renying went to great effort to obtain the "Relic" from the Military Factory Explosion from someone else, a circuit board tainted with Electronic Demon Qi to seal this object.

The plan was originally simple: wait for the Teaching Material to reach the port, deliver it into his hands.

Qin Lihao would have someone do two rounds of Mechanical Purification, and could successfully "whitewash" it.

Present the Teaching Material as a grand gift, place it before Chen Ruofu, the number one of the Inspection Department, forge a good karmic connection.

But no one expected a nobody as insignificant as Cheng Ze to kill out halfway.

"You activated the Electronic Demon? You're courting death!"

Qin Lihao's face darkened terrifyingly, he quietly retreated behind his subordinates.

"It'll take your life! While it hasn't fully controlled you yet, gouge it out of your body, you still have a chance to be saved... Brother A Ze, we've had some unpleasantness in the past, but no need to make it like this."

Cheng Ze turned a deaf ear, waved his big hand, that metal monster he controlled clanged and hammered twice, smashing the bodyguards blocking Qin Lihao into meat paste.

Life Force unable to break through eighty points, generating an Aberrant Organ, a mortal body of flesh and blood facing such a lump of steel construct is like humans facing guns and cannons, not a shred of resistance left.

Dongxia never lacks arguments over which of the three major main systems is stronger; Martial Artists have always considered themselves the uncrowned kings of Life Force development, as long as they receive complete and systematic New Martial Arts Education, on a ten-year cycle, breaking through the fifty-point barrier is like reaching into a pocket.

Compared to the Spiritual System and Mechanical System with their high thresholds, many requirements, and long cultivation times, who knows how much stronger.

And the Spiritual System feels Martial Artists are all brutes who only know to swing fists, completely not understanding the universe's essence, concepts and rules; they alone are the sole philosophers in the hall of knowledge.

Moreover, relying on a single person's power to topple the flourishing Dongxia Empire, destroy the vast regime ruling the Galaxy.

This troublemaking ability, looking across history, is also rare!

The Mechanical System disagrees; the Alchemy Branch however you look at it should belong to the Mechanical Field.

Spiritual System lunatics stop rubbing up against us, scram to the side.

Although the three major main systems usually flame each other online, fight offline, it's never stopped.

But there's one point that is everyone's common consensus.

At the same Life Force level, combat range within a hundred meters, don't argue with the Martial System, easy to get beaten.

But Life Force exceeds fifty points, combat range within ten kilometers, see a Spiritual System practitioner you'd better call them daddy, otherwise show your head and get insta-killed.

For the first two career paths, if you encounter a Supermodel player who can manipulate machinery, the suggestion is to surrender directly.

"Hao Ge, now it's your turn to run."

Cheng Ze's palm loosely clenched, and a few more "tomatoes" were crushed, spilling bright red juice.

Those bodyguards with not-low Life Force Development Levels were undoubtedly "Transformers" toys for casual ravaging.

"Using such means unscrupulously on Old Factory Street in the middle of the night, delusionally trying to break the Electronic Blockade... you can only be purged by the Inspection Department!"

Qin Lihao watched one subordinate after another kneaded into mud by the metal monster, a trace of fear appearing in his eyes.

Maybe he shouldn't have come here, come looking for Cheng Ze!

"If you don't run now, I'm gonna tear off one of your legs."

Cheng Ze grinned, his human thinking and Electronic Mind constantly colliding, sparking.

Roar!

The exhaust pipe spewed thick smoke, the metal monster crouched behind Cheng Ze, like a loyal guard.

"Can't you keep it down late at night..."

Residents in the alley were startled by the noise, pushed open windows to look, a strange human with bright silver skin, a sinister vicious Transformer towering two meters five.

"Sorry for the disturbance!"

With a bang, doors and windows slammed shut.

"Grab him, then eat him slowly."

Cheng Ze paid no mind to the innocent bystander who barged in; he gave orders to the automaton and then headed off in another direction.

Everywhere they passed, televisions, radios, refrigerators... all electronic devices seemed to be given life, hopping out of doors, breaking free of control, and forming an iron army whose momentum was not very imposing.

"Received an alarm call, what do you mean 'his fridge grew legs and ran away on its own'? Old lady is saving Dongqiao Suburb, and this kind of broken business comes to bother me?"

Chen Yun cursed while turning the steering wheel:

"The Inspection Department isn't a police station, and isn't responsible for... continuous electronic signals exceeding peak values appearing on Old Factory Street? Northwest direction? Consistent with the target I'm tracking."

"Damn, the Electronic Demon is spreading the virus!"

Chen Yun's face turned iron-green; this crisis came out of nowhere and caught the Inspection Department off guard.

"What does the Urban Circle side say?"

She asked in a low voice.

On the other end of the phone was a team member reporting:

"Preliminary assessment is a 'Black Swan Event'; they may adopt the 'Red Alert Plan'."

A Black Swan Event is a low-probability event that is difficult to predict, triggers chain reactions, and produces huge negative impacts.

Chen Yun couldn't help but feel irony; the Inspection Department had shattered conspiracy plans by Cultist Faction members to please the Spirit, and had also stopped evil games arranged by antisocial personality criminals.

But none of it made her as flustered and exhausted as tonight.

It was strangely absurd—like going on a trip, eating hot pot and singing, only for someone to spit on the ground, causing the Star God to revive and the Xing Qiu to collapse.

"How long until the Red Alert Plan is activated?"

Chen Yun exhaled and asked.

"Three hours and forty-seven minutes. That Living Body carrying the Electronic Demon Virus—his 'signal' is rising rapidly; it will likely break through the Electronic Blockade within four hours."

"Chen Minister just found an experienced Gun Cannon Master; he will lock onto the target within two hours and execute him on the spot."

Chen Yun nodded and glanced at Qin Shi in the Passenger Seat:

"I and a... Hot-Blooded Citizen are heading to Old Factory Street, trying our best to minimize the Electronic Demon's impact."

Qin Shi really wanted to scratch his head and ask one more question: if he helped deal with that Electronic Demon, could he get a Special Recruitment Quota from one of the Four Great National Universities?

Failing that, ten or so hundred thousand in Prize Money would do; he still hadn't collected the reward from last time reporting the Counterfeit Drug Dealer.

"Little Qin brother, how many Qi Life Force points do you have?"

Chen Yun asked.

"Twenty-one points."

Qin Shi answered.

"I remember the Old Martial Arts faction is purely natural, doesn't accept Cybernetic Implants or Organ Modification, and even takes a more ancient, traditional route with Heart Intent Imagery."

Chen Yun continued.

"That's right. Taking the Old Martial Arts route is indeed conservative; in choosing Heart Intent Imagery, they avoid guns, cannons, machinery, and such things."

Qin Shi didn't hide anything.

"Very good! Little Qin brother! If you can approach the target, try striking once."

Chen Yun analyzed the situation seriously:

"The target's Qi Life Force isn't high; possessed by the Electronic Demon, he brings 'Rusting' and 'Mechanical Control'. The problem is that all electronic devices and High-Tech Weapons are hard to be effective; even a Gun Cannon Master's Long-Range Snipe can hardly guarantee bullets won't be infected."

"If it fails, the Urban Circle might activate the Red Alert—that's a euphemism for Area Destruction Strike. So we still need to think of a way."

Qin Shi's expression turned grave as he pondered whether he had the ability to resolve this matter.

His gaze fell on the new Achievement he had just Unlocked not long ago.

【Electronic Mind: Cognition determines the method of observing the world, determines the level at which things are seen; as the saying goes, the benevolent see benevolence, the wise see wisdom. As a Juvenile Life, you need to grow.】

【Trait: You will be regarded as Same Kind by Non-Organic Entities and possess Normal Communication ability.】

【Advancement Route: Maintain Contact with Machine Souls, establish a Friendship with favorability exceeding Sixty Points, persist for Thirty Days, and you can Upgrade Unlock Skill.】

"If Sister Yun can help me draw attention, I think I should be able to approach Brother Ze."

Qin Shi likewise cast an expectant gaze; as an Assassin, he needed a Tank to draw Aggro.

"Fine!"

Chen Yun gritted her teeth and agreed.

That Black Knight sped like wind and lightning, tearing through the vast night, heading toward the Factory Area.

Inside the Temporary Command Room of the Inspection Headquarters in the Urban Circle.

Chen Ruofu, with a full head of white hair combed impeccably, stood straight and calmly issued decisions.

Sudden incidents were troublesome, but not so serious that the sky was falling.

By aggregating information from all sides, he roughly understood the situation.

"Qin Lihao placed contraband in containers at Jiusong Port, then he and Cheng Ze had a conflict; Cheng Ze kidnapped Qin Zhijie and Luo Ji as hostages, extorting Mineral Essence, Fu Zhi Ye, High-Energy Batteries, and other military supplies."

Cheng Ze may have pried information from the kidnapping victims, come to Jiusong Port, taken such contraband, and set a fire on the side.

Throughout the process, he may have been injured or seduced, possessed by the Electronic Demon, becoming a Living Body source carrying the virus."

Chen Ruofu looked at Old Shen, who had been "invited" for tea from Old Factory Street, and another accomplice, speaking calmly:

"Shen Zhao, Mechanical System branch, Gun Cannon Master occupation, from Jingzhou, not a Dongxia Citizen. Seventeen years ago he landed in Hengzhou, and due to external blockade was stranded on Old Factory Street; Cheng Ze helped him evade two population checks, letting him serve at a Nursing Home."

"Xu Yang, Shen Neng Xi branch, Navigator occupation, from Yazhou, also not a Dongxia Citizen; you two are Merchant Ronin with some skill. If you can contribute to tonight's disturbance, the Inspection Department will consider granting Special Pardon rights."

Wearing glasses, with a scholarly look, Old Shen smiled and said:

"Minister Chen, I've heard your great name even when I used to run boats—Hengzhou Yama, iron-faced and impartial. Can someone like me and Lao Xu, these lonely ghosts, find a place in your eyes?"

Chen Ruofu's expression was flat, showing no anxiety at all:

"Criminals can earn redemption through merit, and besides, merchant ronin merely drift in the gray zone; the circumstances aren't particularly severe."

He waved his hand, ordering the inspection personnel to carry out the black box holding a cello:

"Your 'Storm Razor,' a three-star source energy firearm. It hasn't been maintained for too long; the Equipment Department folks helped debug it, already calibrated the ballistics, and added some small accessories, such as a fifteen-times scope and a vertical grip. I don't know if it suits your usage habits."

Old Shen sighed helplessly:

"Minister Chen, I have a friendship with Brother A Ze; how could I possibly fire a gun?"

"The Inspection Department is powerful indeed, able to drag out rats like me and Lao Xu from the sewers; we are thoroughly convinced."

"But betraying a friend—even among merchant ronin, a profession with little professional ethics—is deeply despised."

Chen Ruofu showed no impatience or contempt; instead, he agreed:

"You can hold your bottom line and not be swayed by profit; worthy of admiration. Escort them to the Water Prison. Black households illegally staying in the Dongxia Administrative Region, colluding with others to spread the Electronic Demon Virus—not executing you on the spot is based on Dongxia's humanitarian considerations, both of you."

This top boss of the Inspection Department waved his hand, and the armed inspection personnel were about to take them away.

"Hey! Shouldn't we be sent back to our original household registration place and then detained?"

Old Shen was stunned—this Chen Yama of Hengzhou, why wasn't he following common sense!

"Hengzhou hasn't lifted the blockade, so naturally it's special handling for special matters. Furthermore, your nature is quite bad; no need for procedures, directly sentenced to life imprisonment."

Chen Ruofu was neither obsequious nor arrogant, showing no official airs or murderous aura, yet he held these two unscrupulous merchant ronin in the palm of his hand.

"Sigh, I advised Brother A Ze not to touch that thing, but he wouldn't listen."

Old Shen's tone was heavy as he reached for that old partner wiped clean.

Swish!

Inside the Temporary Command Room, gun barrels all aimed at Old Shen, dense red dots striking his body.

Letting a prisoner whose profession is Gun Cannon Master touch any firearm would be taking an enormous risk.

"It's fine. I believe Mr. Shen knows what's important. If I can catch you once, I can catch you a second time."

"But it's best not to give me a second time; otherwise, my attitude won't be as good as now."

Chen Ruofu stopped the inspection personnel from raising their gun barrels, his every move showing powerful confidence.

"Communicate well with your gun. Three Purification Bullets, five thousand meters distance; let's see what you can do."

Before being taken away, Xu Yang, who had remained silent all along, spoke up:

"How did you catch us? In the past ten years, the Inspection Department has tried to clean up black households like us, but never succeeded."

Chen Ruofu suddenly smiled:

"The Inspection Department has big data models. Even if you have an identity disguise, a 'three-no' person—unmarried, no house, no Taian Metropolitan Area residency rights—who has been the local delivery rider king for four consecutive months is bound to attract attention. There aren't many riders who work as hard as you."

"As for Old Shen, he's too close to Cheng Ze. Once Cheng Ze is locked onto, investigating his social connections will lead straight to him."

Lao Xu was speechless; he worked hard to pay rent and eat pig trotter rice, yet could still be targeted.

What a broken data model!

The two unlucky footloose ronin had just left when the secretary received a call from the Qin Family and handed it to Chen Ruofu.

"Village Chief Qin need not explain; the Inspection Department has determined this incident is a Black Swan, a small-probability accident caused by various factors coming together. I will do my best to guarantee your younger brother's personal safety..."

After hanging up Qin Renying's call, Chen Ruofu said expressionlessly to the secretary:

"Within the Red Alert Plan, do not concern yourselves with Qin Lihao and Qin Zhijie; ensuring the safety of local residents in Dangyang East Suburbs is the top priority."

He stood before a huge unfolded three-dimensional map, a signal gradually turning from orange-yellow to red, constantly covering Old Factory Street.

"I wonder how Xiao Yun is doing on her end."

"Why did he have to come to the 402 Military Factory?"

Chen Yun parked the car outside the factory area, lest she unnecessarily damage a valuable Black Knight Defender.

"According to Teacher Lin, the electronic blockade level in Dangyang East Suburbs is extra high precisely because a great explosion occurred at the 402 Military Factory, giving birth to an electronic demon even more powerful than Brother Ze. Perhaps... they can merge?"

Qin Shi made completely irresponsible random guesses; he saw a large number of home appliances hopping about, like a steel torrent, filling every corner of the factory area.

Wait, that old television looks so familiar! In the upper right corner is even the star sticker that the youngest Qin Lan liked most when she was a child!

"My TV! Damn it, Brother Ze, don't blame your brother for being ruthless later! My family only has this one television, and you were the first to be ungrateful!"

Qin Shi widened his eyes, clenching his fists.

His shed house could be said to be bare walls.

Now losing a television for no reason undoubtedly made this already not-rich family instantly worse off!

"Don't worry about the TV for now; how should I help you attract attention? You Ze Ge likes beauty, right? I'll play a hot song and dance a hot dance in public—will that be effective?"

Chen Yun had ideas popping up in her head, making Qin Shi's mouth corner twitch.

"Sister Yun, shine your high beam fiercely on him and firmly attract the aggro. As for the rest, it's up to me!"

He reckoned that relying on the achievement effect of 【Electronic Mind】 was equivalent to an assassin using stealth infiltration; infiltrating the factory area should be no big problem.

(Chapter End)