Chapter 156: Chaos

Su Jin's "good news" was like a depth charge thrown into the churning depths, instantly reshaping Qin Feng's strategic layout. The "Purification Force Field," this discovery targeting the core weakness of Chuangsheng Technology, was not merely a technological weapon, but a key capable of breaking the current stalemate.

The atmosphere inside the Base remained tense. Although the Deep Sea creatures' assault had receded, the unstable, blood-red glow of the Chuangsheng Technology system—like a wounded beast gasping for breath—reminded everyone constantly of the lurking danger. The Base staff's attitude toward Liu Shiyin's team had clearly grown distant and wary, even necessary communication now carried a cold, bureaucratic indifference.

Liu Shiyin clearly felt this isolation; her face was dark enough to drip water, her eyes overflowing with obsession and madness. She gathered her team members near the test unit, guarding the ominous core device without leaving it for a single step.

Time passed under oppression as the Final Round entered its final 24 hours.

Jingyuan Technology's system remained as stable as a mountain, its soft yet resolute pale-blue light even having its output rating secretly raised by the judging panel due to its prior overdrive performance. Meanwhile, despite Liu Shiyin's team's desperate efforts, Chuangsheng Technology's output fluctuations grew larger, the low, heart-failure-like rumbling growing ever more frequent.

Everyone could see: Chuangsheng Technology was at its last gasp.

At this moment, another anomaly erupted!

Not from outside—but from within Chuangsheng Technology!

"Warning! Biomass energy core overloaded! Stability threshold breached! Inhibitor fluid circulation system malfunction! Guiding Enzyme activity plummeting!"

Inside the Chuangsheng Technology test unit, shrill alarms mingled with the screams of their own personnel. The dark red glow surged violently, then flickered wildly, as if about to explode! A thick, pungent, dark green liquid began seeping from the exterior of the heavily protected core device!

"Hold it! Hold it steady!" Liu Shiyin shrieked like a madwoman, lunging to the control panel, her hands flying as she tried to inject more stabilizer.

But it was all futile. The core's vibrations intensified; the external pipelines began to rupture, spraying dark green liquid everywhere!

"It's over, Director! The core's collapsing! Emergency shutdown and inertant injection now!" a technician cried in terror.

"Shut up! Don't shut it down! We haven't lost!" Liu Shiyin whirled around, eyes bloodshot, her gaze not at her own team members—but at enemies.

Just as internal chaos erupted and every eye fixated on the collapsing core—

The two "Security Personnel" who had silently guarded Liu Shiyin's back suddenly moved!

Their movements were ghostly swift; they ignored the core on the verge of explosion, their target clear: Qin Feng, standing calmly before the observation window, watching it all.

The aura that erupted from them instantly surpassed the sniper they'd faced on the Greenland Ice Sheet—this was the icy killing intent of elite assassins, forged through countless battles, hands caked in blood.

"Boss, watch out!" Lei Zhan had remained on high alert; the instant they moved, he sensed it, roaring like a charging lion, lunging sideways to block Qin Feng, punching the lead assassin full force!

"Boom!"

Fist met flesh with a dull, heavy impact. Lei Zhan grunted, shoved back half a step, his arm numb! The opponent's strength was terrifying!

The second assassin slipped past the clash like an eel, a streak of dark light flashing in his hand—a specially made, non-reflective ceramic shortblade—stabbing straight for Qin Feng's throat! A treacherous angle, blinding speed!

All this happened in the blink of an eye; the chaos of Chuangsheng Technology's core failure was their perfect cover!

The true killing blow revealed itself only at this final moment!

Everyone else in the Base froze, stunned by this sudden close-quarters combat!

Facing this lethal strike, Qin Feng's gaze was as cold as eternal ice. He didn't retreat. At the instant the blade touched his skin, his body twisted impossibly, his left hand shooting out like lightning to grip the assassin's wrist!

The terrifying physical prowess and exquisite bodily control granted by Life Enhancement were laid bare in this instant!

The assassin felt his wrist clamped in iron pincers, a crushing force locking him in place. Shock flashed in his eyes; his other hand shot forward, fingers like a knife, stabbing for Qin Feng's eyes!

But Qin Feng was faster. His left hand, still gripping the wrist, twisted with sudden force!

"Crack!"

The sickening sound of bone breaking rang clearly!

The assassin let out a stifled cry of pain, the shortblade falling from his hand. But he was ruthless—he ignored the broken wrist, twisted his body, and drove a vicious knee straight into Qin Feng's abdomen!

Qin Feng's other hand had already been waiting; he pressed down, blocking the knee strike, then shoved forward with the hand still gripping the broken wrist!

"Boom!"

The assassin was slammed backward by the combined force of his own momentum and Qin Feng's push—like being hit by a speeding truck—crashing into the cold metal bulkhead, sliding down, motionless.

On the other side, Lei Zhan's fight with the second assassin had reached a fever pitch. Both were masters of strength and technique, fists and kicks crisscrossing, each collision sending chills through onlookers. Several other "Shield" team members reacted, rushing in to surround the assassin.

The core area of the Haiyuan Base instantly plunged into chaos!

Alarms from the failing power system, cries from Chuangsheng Technology personnel, the thuds of combat, the muffled groans of the wounded—all intertwined into a chaotic, dangerous symphony.

Liu Shiyin seemed deaf to the fighting around her; she stared fixedly at the collapsing core, frantically manipulating the controls, muttering under her breath as if performing some evil ritual.

Qin Feng had dealt with the assassin before him. His gaze swept the chaotic scene, finally settling on Liu Shiyin and the violently trembling core.

He understood clearly: this assassination was not only the Foundation's final madness, but also meant to create chaos, masking Liu Shiyin's possible last move—perhaps forcing the core into overload to trigger a mutual annihilation explosion?

He could not let her succeed!

Qin Feng moved like a phantom, slicing through the chaos, heading straight for Liu Shiyin!

Yet just as he neared her control console—

"Woooom—!!!!!!"

A new, piercing, unbearable hum erupted from the collapsing Chuangsheng Technology core!

The dark red light instantly swallowed everything; a violent, chaotic, destructive energy wave exploded outward from the core!

The chaos, pushed by this final, uncontrollable explosion, surged into an unpredictable climax!