Chapter 44: Compulsory Buying and Selling (Revised)

"Ugh... Huh..."

Lin Hao was pressed hard onto the cold floor, Qi Junyi locked his nape, the crushing pressure made his eyeballs bloodshot and bulging, and the edges of his vision began to darken.

His arms were bound by a special restrainer, and wave after wave of energy pulses like high‑voltage currents surged into his body.

It not only suppressed his raging Mutation energy, but also made every muscle contraction accompany excruciating pain that pierced to the bone.

Under such torment, the wildly rampaging Mutation was actually held in check.

The chaotic blood‑red roar in his mind gradually faded, replaced by Lin Hao's own reason and despair.

He no longer roared unconsciously, yet the sound forced from his throat remained broken.

Lin Hao strained to turn his neck, his scarlet eyes gradually turning golden, the beast‑like pupils fixed rigidly on Captain Qi's austere face.

"My... companion... give her... back to me..."

Qi Junyi was about to apply more force to render him completely unconscious, but the words halted his motion.

His eyes narrowed slightly as he examined Lin Hao's grotesque, terrifying Mutation body in detail; Lin Hao still struggled in madness and pain, but was far more lucid now.

But he wasn't much better; he could only repeat those few words over and over.

The problem lay in those words.

A flash of surprise crossed Qi Junyi's face; one should know that human Mutation is generally divided into three stages.

A Mutation Value between 0 and 20 falls within the safe zone, and most ordinary people living in this world belong to this stage, which has little effect on daily life.

When the Mutation Value exceeds 20, symptoms such as headache, nausea, or brief fainting appear; in more severe cases, some irreversible Mutation Features may emerge.

Once the Mutation Value surpasses 40, irreversible Mutations, extreme emotional swings, and other symptoms occur in rapid succession; human consciousness gradually fades, and the Mutation begins to affect the soul.

Lin Hao already exhibits multiple irreversible Mutations; his Mutation Value must have exceeded 70. Though he hasn't fully become a monster, he is essentially no longer among humans.

At this point, few people can still retain their sanity.

Qi Junyi raised an eyebrow; the mockery in his tone lessened, replaced by a hint of curiosity.

"Still able to keep a clear self‑awareness? That's rather capable."

But... companion?

Is the companion he mentions the girl's original body, or the Undead that now occupies this flesh?

"Cough cough cough..."

At that moment, a suppressed cough interrupted Qi Junyi's train of thought.

The Butterfly Speaker, who had been knocked away by Lin Hao earlier, staggered toward him.

The Butterfly Speaker's complexion was pallid, a faint streak of blood still clung to his mouth corner, and his ornate dark‑purple robe was dust‑stained, clearly indicating serious internal injuries.

The mechanical phoenix‑butterfly on his shoulder had escaped the blast, remained untouched, and at some point fluttered back to perch on his shoulder, its wing glow now somewhat dim.

"Cough... Thank you, Captain Qi, for intervening in time to subdue that lunatic, preventing greater chaos."

The Butterfly Speaker forced his discomfort aside, a professional smile returning to his face, though it looked strained.

He glanced at the restrained Lin Hao, his eyes narrowing.

"This thug dared to disrupt the auction and endanger the distinguished guests attending it; our Undercurrent must deal with him severely, so please, Captain Qi, make it convenient for us."

He didn't state it outright, but the meaning was clear:

This is Undercurrent's territory; the troublemaker should naturally be handed over to Undercurrent.

Qi Junyi heard this and merely scoffed, not even lifting his head, still firmly suppressing the struggling Lin Hao.

He cast a sideways glance at the Butterfly Speaker, his contempt unmistakable.

"Leave it to you to handle?" His voice carried his usual infuriating laziness and arrogance.

"Mr. Butterfly Speaker, look closely; this is no ordinary troublemaker. He has undergone a highly abnormal Mutation. The Heresy Tribunal deems it necessary to conduct a more thorough interrogation and investigation on him."

"Professional matters should be handled by professionals, wouldn't you agree? So we won't trouble Undercurrent with it."

He emphasized the word "professional" with a bite, its implication obvious, since the Heresy Tribunal's duties indeed cover that aspect.

The Butterfly Speaker furrowed his brow, about to argue, when a faint electric hum suddenly emanated from the tiny communicator in his ear.

He focused, listened for a moment, a trace of helplessness flashing across his face before he gave a slight nod.

"... Understood."

The Butterfly Speaker inhaled deeply, suppressing his displeasure, and reconstructed an impeccable, appropriate smile on his face.

"Since Captain Qi believes this individual is crucial to the Tribunal's investigation, Undercurrent is naturally willing to accommodate; you may take him away."

He shifted his tone, his gaze sweeping over the wrecked auction platform—shattered decorations, toppled tables and chairs, and especially the life‑support pod torn apart by violence.

"Then, allow us to clear the scene promptly, soothe the frightened guests; the auction can resume after a short break..."

"Auction?"

Qi Junyi cut him off, lifting the still‑howling Lin Hao from the ground as if picking up a chick, casually brushing nonexistent dust from his suit.

"What are we still auctioning? With this chaos, who has the leisure to play your sign‑holding game?"

His gaze shifted to the damaged life‑support pod; the relentless external noise and energy fluctuations were wearing off the anesthesia, the girl's eyelashes fluttered more noticeably, as if she would awaken any second.

"Alright, I'm not an unreasonable person either."

His voice suddenly rose, echoing clearly through every corner of the venue, his gaze sweeping like a blade across the silent private rooms on the second floor, bearing an unmistakable warning.

"Since the last valid bid before the turmoil was placed by our Heresy Tribunal, basic auction logic grants us priority."

Qi Junyi extended two fingers, "Representing the Heresy Tribunal, I add twenty‑million credit points to the last valid bid! That little girl, the Tribunal claims her!"

He wasn't negotiating with anyone; he was unilaterally announcing the outcome.

"Now!"

He shouted loudly, his voice brimming with an undeniable dominance that no one could contest; even dressed neatly in a suit, his rogue nature remained uncovered.

"Anyone bid higher than me? Anyone?!"