Chapter 347: Yang Yixie: I Want to Slack Off

Considering a possible tough battle ahead, Yang Yixie glanced at his backpack, which was mostly the materials he had just obtained from Fang Zhiyan, with few finished pieces of equipment.

The wholesale production that previously could be completed in a few seconds now requires more time, but the only good news is that he doesn't actually need to turn a screwdriver; he can still craft it using Aberrant Arts.

The Modification skill caused a workbench‑like interface to appear before him; he can choose whether the skill's visual effects are hidden. Previously they defaulted to visible, but that color really hurts the eyes after a while.

Just now, in Luo Jinyou's Consciousness Space, Ying Duo was not idle, and thus he discovered a very fatal problem—

That is, he can't use a gun.

Actually, it's not that he can't; firearms in this world aren't hard to operate—just inject energy to power the Rune circuit and pull the trigger.

The problem is, Yang Yixie's aim is precise only in games.

Given some time to acclimate, he could pick it up easily, but now they have no time for him to study how to use a gun.

Can't this combat interface be turned into a game‑like mode like Modification?

Yang Yixie knows his idea is unrealistic, so he can only work overtime to craft some self‑defense gear.

Combining his own stat points, he actually discovered some usable equipment blueprints, which he is processing on the spot.

The Modification skill isn't hard to master; you just have to keep up with Fang Zhiyan and the others while traveling, like playing a game while walking, though it always feels a bit clunky.

Consequently, Yang Yixie set his sights on Fang Zhiyan's tentacles.

The tentacles swayed gently with Fang Zhiyan's movements, tracing smooth arcs in the air; they appeared supple, strong, and…

They held Luo Jinyou with great stability.

——————————————

Jiangdu was being dragged by Hong Ling, stumbling forward.

Hong Ling's nails had returned to normal length, but the strange markings on her face still flickered, sometimes deep, sometimes faint, like wandering black snakes.

"Hong Ling," he panted, "what on earth—"

"Shut up and run!"

Hong Ling didn't look back; her hoarse voice remained fierce.

Jiangdu closed his mouth and kept running.

"People ahead, stop! Don't move!"

The voice from the loudspeaker was cold and authoritative.

Jiangdu subconsciously halted his steps and looked up.

Several small vehicles blocked their path, each bearing the Supervision Bureau's emblem; the occupants brandished energy weapons, pointing their muzzles at them.

Footsteps echoed from both ends of the street.

More Supervision Bureau agents were converging from all directions, nearly sealing off every escape route.

Hong Ling's body grew somewhat rigid.

She slowly turned, her gaze sharp as she stared at the Supervision Bureau agents still closing in.

The leading Supervision Bureau commander's pupils contracted sharply after seeing her face.

"That male student is a hostage!" the commander barked. "Avoid the hostage and prioritize subduing the Aberrant Species!"

As the words fell, the surrounding Supervision Bureau agents instantly reformed their formation, leaving a gap toward Jiangdu's direction.

"The student over there!" someone shouted at him, "Run this way! We'll cover you!"

Jiangdu subconsciously glanced at Hong Ling, who said nothing.

She simply faced away, tilting her head slightly, casting a sidelong glance at him with her peripheral vision.

In that glance, Jiangdu could read no emotion.

Then she turned back, facing the dark muzzles, her body arched.

"Don't move!" the Supervision Bureau commander warned again. "Put down the hostage, raise your hands, and lie on the ground! Otherwise we have the right to—"

He didn't finish his sentence.

Because Hong Ling moved.

Her figure flashed like lightning, lunging straight at the line of Supervision Bureau agents on the left.

"Fire!"

The commander barked, and gunfire erupted instantly.

Energy beams interwove in the air, forming a dense fire net that surged toward the shrouded black silhouette.

Hong Ling forced her body to twist mid‑air, narrowly dodging several beams, yet a few struck her shoulder blade and side; she shivered slightly but didn't fall, and her claws raked fiercely toward the nearest Supervision Bureau agent.

"Bang!"

The man was clawed away, slamming into the wall and passing out.

Yet Hong Ling staggered a step, more energy beams pouring toward her.

Jiangdu's hand twitched slightly.

A black sphere materialized in front of Hong Ling.

The sphere was only fist‑sized, entirely jet‑black, so dark it seemed to swallow even light; it appeared abruptly between Hong Ling and the Supervision Bureau's fire net, hovering silently.

Then the energy beams that were about to hit Hong Ling were drawn into the black sphere as if by an invisible vortex, all being absorbed.

One, two, three… dozens of beams vanished without a trace.

The black sphere quivered slightly, then—

"Puff."

It disappeared.

As abruptly as its appearance.

The Supervision Bureau commander stared, incredulous, at the spot where the black sphere had been; was this the Aberrant Species' ability? It seemed like a power‑type skill, yet she possessed such a bizarre capability?

Hong Ling, however, seemed familiar with that ability, turned to pull Jiangdu, ready to slip through a gap, while the squad leader immediately shouted, urging everyone to continue the assault.

Boom—!!!

A strand of purple Lightning Chains descended from the sky.

The Lightning Chains, wrapped in destructive power, struck precisely within the Supervision Bureau's encirclement; the shockwave radiated outward from the impact point, flinging all Supervision Bureau agents who hadn't yet reacted into the air.

Only the positions of Hong Ling and Jiangdu were deliberately avoided by that purple Lightning Chains.

Smoke and dust filled the air.

Jiangdu was shaken to the ground, his ears buzzing, unable to hear anything.

He struggled to lift his head and, through the sky‑filled smoke and lingering electric light, saw a figure.

The figure slowly descended from high above, surrounded by undissipated purple electric arcs.

Lei Zhao ignored the Supervision Bureau's personnel.

Lei Zhao simply walked step by step toward Hong Ling and Jiangdu; Hong Ling looked up at Lei Zhao, and Lei Zhao stopped in front of her.

His gaze fell on the wounds on her shoulder blade and side waist, and his brows knit.

"Where's the necklace?" he asked, his voice low.

Hong Ling bit her lip.

"...... It was taken away."

Lei Zhao was silent for a second.

Then he extended his hand, soothingly pressing it to Hong Ling's crown; oddly, Hong Ling seemed accustomed to this mode of interaction, even deliberately rubbing her head, not caring that it would mess up her hair.

Jiangdu watched the scene, his eyes widening to the point of being round.

What is this person here for again?

Lei Zhao withdrew his hand, his gaze turning toward Jiangdu.