Chapter 168

Beneath the Deep Sea, the hunt began.

Qin Feng pushed the potential of Advanced Underwater Combat Mastery to its limit, his body merging with the seawater, every movement precise and efficient, minimizing drag to an extreme degree and accelerating the underwater thrusters to an astonishing speed.

Darkness became his best cover; the icy seawater could not quench the boiling killing intent and urgency within him.

Twenty-three hours! He had only twenty-three hours!

Ahead, the small high-speed submarine of Deepsea Technology had clearly sensed the danger rapidly approaching from behind and began frantic tactical maneuvers, trying to shake off pursuit—it dove deep, turned sharply, and even released false sonar decoys.

But before Qin Feng's 35-point Spiritual Attribute and the extreme sensitivity to water flow changes and acoustic anomalies granted by Advanced Underwater Combat Mastery, these tricks appeared utterly clumsy.

He clung to the submarine's wake like a persistent parasite, closing the distance steadily!

Five kilometers… three kilometers… one kilometer…

The submarine seemed to realize escape was impossible and resorted to desperation! Its stern torpedo tubes snapped open, launching two heavy torpedoes that left white bubble trails behind them, screaming with death as they hurtled straight toward Qin Feng!

Facing these underwater weapons capable of tearing apart small warships, Qin Feng's gaze remained cold, showing not the slightest intention to evade!

In the instant before the torpedoes struck, his body executed an extreme lateral slide, grazing past the first torpedo! Simultaneously, the High-frequency Blade extending from his armor's arm slashed out a pale-blue arc, striking precisely at the second torpedo's fuse!

No explosion—only a muffled sound of metal tearing. The torpedo, as if its bones had been removed, instantly went dead and twisted erratically as it sank deeper into the seabed.

Using the water disturbance from the torpedo's impact, Qin Feng accelerated again, gliding like a ghost up to the submarine's hull!

He clung to the smooth outer shell with one hand, while the other clenched into a fist—his immense power (Intermediate Combat Mastery + high physical attribute) erupted violently as he smashed it into the submarine's propulsion chamber!

Thud—!

A muffled roar, like a giant hammer striking a drum, spread through the Deep Sea! The submarine's special alloy hull, designed to withstand deep-sea pressure and conventional explosions, caved inward under his punch—the internal propeller shaft twisted with a grating, teeth-chilling sound!

The submarine's speed plummeted; its hull shuddered violently!

Qin Feng did not pause—he moved like a master dismantler, driving the High-frequency Blade along the crack he'd made, sparks spraying in the water as he tore open a massive gap in the thick pressure hull with his bare hands!

Icy seawater surged instantly into the breached compartment!

Alarms blared shrilly inside the submarine, accompanied by panicked screams and chaotic footsteps.

Qin Feng, like a death god rising from the Deep Sea, stormed through the breach!

Inside the compartment, lights flickered, red alarm lamps spun, illuminating several faces frozen in terror. Several technicians in Deepsea Technology uniforms were frantically trying to plug leaks and salvage equipment.

Seeing Qin Feng descend like a demon, radiating terrifying aura, they were utterly terrified, screaming and scrambling backward.

Qin Feng didn't even glance at them—his target was clear: the command cabin, and the "Doctor" carrying the Original Mother Plant!

He walked down the corridor as if strolling through a garden; any armed personnel who tried to block him were struck down before they could raise their weapons, killed or maimed in an instant—too fast for the eye to follow!

At this moment, Qin Feng felt no mercy. Time was critical—any obstacle standing between him and the Original Mother Plant must be ruthlessly cleared!

He crushed everything in his path, unstoppable, soon reaching the submarine's core—the command cabin.

The heavy alloy door was sealed shut, clearly locked from the inside.

Qin Feng's eyes hardened; he stepped back half a pace, drew a deep breath, and concentrated all his strength into his right fist—muscles bulged, and the faint crackling of his bones could be heard!

Intermediate Combat Mastery, combined with his far-beyond-human physical attribute, erupted without restraint!

"Break!"

With a low roar, his fist shot forward like a cannonball, charging with unstoppable force, slamming into the alloy door!

Boom—!!!

The deafening explosion echoed throughout the entire submarine! The alloy door, capable of withstanding deep-sea pressure and conventional blasts, twisted, deformed, and caved deeply at its center—the lock mechanism shattered instantly!

Qin Feng kicked forward—the warped door crashed inward!

Inside the command cabin, chaos reigned. Several operators cowered in the corner, heads in hands, trembling. At the center, the middle-aged man in a white lab coat, codenamed "Doctor," faced away from the door, frantically operating a silver briefcase-like container, trying to activate its self-destruct protocol!

Hearing the door crash open, the "Doctor" spun around in horror—seeing Qin Feng stride in like a killing god, his face drained of all color as he screamed in terror:

"No! Don't come closer! The Mother Strain can't be yours!"

Qin Feng didn't waste a word—he flashed forward, appearing instantly before the "Doctor," and seized his wrist holding the controller!

Crack!

A sickening sound of bone breaking echoed!

"Aaah—!" The "Doctor" let out a pig-like shriek; the controller slipped from his hand.

Qin Feng's other hand caught the silver briefcase firmly. It was heavy, cold to the touch, emitting faint energy fluctuations—the Original Mother Plant of Zerg Spores, sealed within, capable of triggering an apocalypse!

He gazed coldly at the "Doctor," curled on the floor in agony, tears and snot streaming down his face.

"P-please… don't kill me…" The "Doctor," sensing Qin Feng's unhidden killing intent, completely broke down, struggling to kneel, ignoring the pain in his wrist, pounding his head against the floor, "I'll give you the Mother Strain… all the research data too… spare me… I'm useful… I can work for you…"

Looking at this executioner who once treated human lives as grass, now whimpering like a beggar dog at his feet, Qin Feng felt only boundless revulsion and coldness.

"Did those people you experimented on beg for mercy?" Qin Feng's voice carried no emotion.

The "Doctor's" body froze rigid, his eyes filled with despair.

Qin Feng no longer looked at him—he raised his foot, preparing to deliver the final blow.

Yet, just as his foot was about to descend, an unexpected change occurred!

The researcher, previously knocked unconscious and infected with the microbial colony, who Qin Feng had tossed aside, had somehow awakened! His skin's pale-blue glow blazed intensely, his eyes entirely consumed by blue light, his throat emitting inhuman roars as he lunged at Qin Feng's back like a beast—blazingly fast!

Infected mutation!

Qin Feng sensed the deadly wind behind him, his brow furrowed—he turned to respond.

But the kneeling "Doctor's" eyes flashed with sudden madness and cruelty! Seizing the moment Qin Feng's attention was diverted, he used his intact hand to yank out a hidden syringe from his pocket—filled with pale-blue liquid: highly concentrated Zerg Spores raw fluid!

With a twisted grin, he drove the syringe deep into Qin Feng's calf!

"Die together!!"

This sudden, two-pronged attack was cunning and lethal!

A normal person—or even a trained special forces soldier—would likely fail to fully evade it.

But Qin Feng was no longer the man he once was!

His 35-point Spiritual Attribute granted him extreme perceptiveness; Intermediate Combat Mastery granted him not just strength, but battle instincts honed through countless trials and an almost precognitive sense of danger!

In the instant the "Doctor" pulled out the syringe, Qin Feng sensed it!

He didn't even turn to look at the infection body lunging from behind; with a flick of his left wrist holding the silver briefcase, the case snapped sideways like a shield, perfectly blocking the attack!

Plos!

The infection body's sharp nails scraped against the sturdy case, emitting a grating screech.

And almost at the same moment, Qin Feng's right foot, moving too fast for the eye to track, struck backward with pinpoint precision, hitting the "Doctor's" wrist holding the syringe!

Crack!

Another sharp crack! The "Doctor's" other wrist shattered as well! The syringe flew from his grip, slammed into the bulkhead, and burst open—pale blue liquid splattered outward, hissing as it corroded.

"Ahhhh—!" The "Doctor" screamed again, a shrill wail, collapsing like rotten mud onto the floor, his eyes filled only with utter despair and terror.

Qin Feng didn't even glance at the splattered toxin; he spun and punched, a fierce gust of fist-wind blasting the fully transformed infection body clean away, slamming it hard against the bulkhead—bones shattered, its blue glow rapidly dimming, motionless now.

The entire command cabin plunged into silence.

Only the "Doctor's" pained moans and the muffled sobs of the technicians in the corner remained.

Qin Feng coldly scanned the room, then picked up the silver briefcase tied to the survival of human civilization.

He pulled out a specialized signal transmitter and pressed the button.

Next came the task of safely and thoroughly destroying this damned Original Mother Plant—and all related spore samples—within these twenty-three hours.

Time slipped away, second by second.

And ten thousand meters below, the alien vessel named Traveler-7 continued its silent countdown in the icy deep sea.