Chapter 425: Chapter 425

Gu Zheng was only in his early thirties. If you didn’t know, no one would guess he used to be a top student in environmental science at a well-known university. Before the Apocalypse Day, he was a fairly dedicated environmental idealist, founding a grassroots environmental organization to promote green concepts and renewable energy. He even ran a popular personal social media account. Who would have thought that in less than a year, his role would transform into one of the famous Four Pillars of the Sanctum Organization, hunting ability users everywhere and carrying out so-called “purification” work.

Lin Xian heard the other party’s words and responded, “If you’re so confident about crystallization, why do you still need to make such a big move?”

Gu Zheng looked at Lin Xian and suddenly laughed wickedly: “Hahaha, brother, you don’t really think you’re important, that you’re some kind of savior, do you...”

He reined in his smile and said with a teasing tone to Lin Xian, “I actually feel some pity for you, for the Phoenix Society, and for those survivor groups. You know nothing about the Star Abyss, the darkness, or the future. One day, you’ll realize that your weapons, your resistance, even humanity’s transcendent ability powers, mean absolutely nothing to the civilization of the Master…”

Lin Xian frowned at these words, but under the power armor’s shield, he showed no expression. Instead, he coldly replied, “You make all this noise, but your words sound utterly unconvincing.”

“Oh, really?” Gu Zheng reined in his smile, his face becoming serious and sharp. A resonance ripple began to form in his palm as he muttered to himself, “Well then, dying with hope is ten thousand times better than deceiving yourself and collapsing in despair.”

“Lin Xian.” At that moment, KIKI flew over. The two of them flanked Gu Zheng, forming a pincer attack. KIKI noticed the ability fluctuations on Gu Zheng’s body and warned Lin Xian, “Be careful. This guy’s peak ability value is at least 8,000. If he completes crystallization, it might reach 16,000. Should we capture him alive?”

Lin Xian narrowed his eyes as he looked at Gu Zheng. On the other battlefronts in the distance, Monica, Ning Jing, and Qian Dele’s squads were all engaged. Several enemies were hardened crystallized fighters, making them tough opponents. Now, as night approached, the crystallized energy was attracting a large number of abnormal entities, so Lin Xian had to finish quickly. He also needed to find the one who slipped away, or else they wouldn’t survive the night.

“Heh, wishful thinking.” At this moment, Gu Zheng’s eyes gleamed with powerful ability light. His entire body floated into the air, emitting vast sheets of square-shaped shock ripples, looking extremely eerie.

A tremendously strong peak ability continuously surged from him, swelling to a shocking level. Shiori in the distance widened her eyes in disbelief and hurriedly told Lin Xian, “Lin Xian, his aura is doubling. He’s even stronger than KIKI!”

“I know.” Lin Xian replied calmly, his gaze never leaving Gu Zheng.

“Does your Sanctum Organization have any connection with the SIID Foundation?”

Just as Gu Zheng was unleashing his crystallized power, Lin Xian suddenly asked him a question.

Gu Zheng sneered at Lin Xian like he was looking at a clown. “Are you going to ask about the Master’s arrangements?”

Lin Xian nodded seriously in response. “Who is this Master you speak of? Are you connected with the Dark Civilization and the entities from the Star Abyss?”

Faced with Gu Zheng’s question, KIKI felt a strange surge of power, and her ability fluctuated wildly. The tiny dark energy pulses began attracting a small number of abnormal entities’ attention. For a moment, the sky around the district darkened, and dozens of abnormal entities’ howls echoed, charging in.

“Human Sword Bearers aren’t idiots. Even if we perish, it would be unjust!” KIKI shook her head, shouted fiercely, then disappeared at an astonishing speed impossible to follow with the naked eye. A huge gust of energy surged from the ruins of the building, and before the sound faded, she appeared behind Xiong Yu and raised her hand, aiming for Gu Zheng’s face.

“Goodbye, Sword Bearer. Go ask your Master. Oh, and if the Master’s civilization has religious doctrine, you probably won’t get another chance.”

After speaking, the shock ripples in her palm instantly expanded dozens of times, forming a dark purple transparent square energy wall that enveloped Gu Zheng. A destructive force erupted fiercely.

But at this moment, Lin Xian’s gaze remained fixed on Gu Zheng’s face as he loudly questioned, “So you really have made contact with the Dark Civilization, right? You’re communicating with the darkness?!!”

“Fool!” Gu Zheng’s eyes turned blood red as he unleashed a destructive ability shockwave.

The square shockwave struck the air, creating a massive vacuum zone. The enormous recoil generated an explosive shockwave that sprayed out over several kilometers!

Just as Gu Zheng thought that his full-power crystallized attack had completely wiped out Lin Xian, suddenly three sharp energy bursts exploded in his ears.

Lin Xian, who had been completely suppressed by the shockwave, now appeared like a phantom right before Gu Zheng. Behind him, three massive hyperstring reactor phase halos lit up one after another. The energy lines on Lin Xian’s nano power armor flared violently. In Gu Zheng’s eyes, Lin Xian’s peak ability value surged from 12,000 to a terrifying 18,000, then soared beyond 20,000, surpassing what Gu Zheng could sense. This sudden transformation made Gu Zheng’s pupils contract sharply.

Immediately, Lin Xian lunged forward with countless mechanical tentacles erupting, instantly grabbing Gu Zheng and lifting him up. A kinetic cannon fired directly through Gu Zheng’s heart, then Lin Xian quickly pressed a strange device onto Gu Zheng’s head.

Mycelium Brain-Machine Device!

Strictly speaking, a brain-machine device cannot ideally extract information from a human brain. Uploading digital consciousness requires a long time to compile consciousness signals. However, mycelium allows individuals to connect their consciousness. Lin Xian had just thrown out several key questions to trigger memory exploration. Even if Gu Zheng died, forced digital consciousness exploration would quickly capture information fragments, obtaining useful data.

Gu Zheng never expected that after surging to nearly 16,000 peak ability from crystallization, he would be instantly killed by Lin Xian. Although they had analyzed the Sword Bearer’s strength extensively, the data they obtained put Lin Xian’s peak ability around 7,000. In Xilan City and Dawn City, this mechanical ability user relied on the first unit, the Gray Mist Envoy power armor, to gain battlefield advantage. They had no idea that Lin Xian’s solo combat power had exceeded 20,000!

Now, seeing Lin Xian take out the brain-machine device, as a senior Sanctum cadre, Gu Zheng immediately understood the other’s intention. His face paled, and he gritted his teeth coldly, shouting, “Don’t even think about it!”

At that moment, realizing he was defeated and understanding the opponent’s method, Gu Zheng’s eyes suddenly widened, his pupils dilated fully. Within seconds, countless black blood veins crawled across his eyes.

Lin Xian frowned sharply, instantly sensing a powerful dark fluctuation devouring Gu Zheng’s consciousness.

“He’s actively mutating!” KIKI rushed over.

“I know. Help me control him!” Lin Xian immediately flew with Gu Zheng to the rooftop where Shiori was and placed him on the ground, shouting, “Shiori, use your ability on me with all your power.”

KIKI guessed Lin Xian’s move and said immediately, “Lin Xian, this is too dangerous.”

“I just need a little time.” Lin Xian manipulated the mechanical device to fully seal Gu Zheng and said, “If we don’t get some information, tonight we’re doomed!”

It wasn’t just about the Sanctum’s plans; Lin Xian wanted to know exactly what they had deployed on the island. This was the critical point. Otherwise, Haiyan Island now felt like a thick fog, surrounded by monsters, and they had no idea what was really going on.

So Gu Zheng was controlled by KIKI’s mental power, Shiori used her ability on him, and Lin Xian directly used Mochizuki Shinji’s brain-machine device to end Xiong Yu’s regressive mental invasion before losing consciousness.

KIKI looked calm, watching Gu Zheng and the weakening mental power. Lin Xian was suppressing the mental power, but afraid of crushing it completely. She looked anxious.

This was the first time Lin Xian had witnessed an ability user’s mutation process. At this moment, the mental power was gasping violently. Consciousness was fading but life had not ended. Suddenly, the blood-colored crystal lattice in the chest reversed its flow. Dark red energy veins spread like tree roots from the heart throughout the body. Tiny white patterns appeared under the skin. It was clear this abnormal human’s skin was turning a pale blue-white decay color like a zombie.

“Die... They all must die!”

A hoarse roar came from the throat, gradually becoming unclear and broken. The skin on Gu Zheng’s face seemed to writhe with strange creatures, gradually swelling and distorting his face. Hair began to fall out in patches. His spine cracked and lengthened segment by segment. His shoulders swelled, bone spikes pierced the skin forming the rudiments of bone wings. His finger bones grew into half-meter long white bone spikes. Claws appeared.

All of this happened within ten minutes.

“I... I’m being poisoned by the white-dark invasion toxin.” Shiori said calmly as she focused on suppressing Gu Zheng’s infected consciousness with her ability.

KIKI shouted anxiously at Gu Zheng, “Xiong Yu! Something’s wrong! I’m turning into a human horror!!”

Gu Zheng’s face had already twisted into something more terrifying than a zombie. His pale eyeballs were deeply sunken. His spine’s deformation was making his body lengthen continuously. His skull grew massive keratin layers, and a rotting stench rapidly spread. KIKI and Shiori could already feel the intense poison radiating from his body.

The most terrifying part was that during Gu Zheng’s struggle, the power of the shock ripples wildly manifested on his body. As his violent resistance increased, the mechanical arms binding him began to crack. Even KIKI’s mental power was struck by the shockwave ability, causing her to feel an overwhelming impact.

“His mutation caused his ability to go out of control. I might not be able to hold him anymore.”

KIKI looked at Shiori. “If he breaks free later, I’ll cut off Lin Xian’s consciousness link. You take Lin Xian out of here first. I’ll deal with this guy.”

Shiori nodded, then shook her head quickly. “His fluctuations are so strong, almost reaching the spirit value of a special-level abnormal entity. Can you really stop him?”

“First get Lin Xian out, then we’ll see. If not, call for reinforcements.” KIKI glanced at the explosion fluctuations down the street. “The others should be finishing up.”

Gu Zheng had by now mutated into a three-meter tall elongated giant, his body pale white and grotesque. His face was hateful, his abdomen split open forming a second huge mouth. He looked extremely bizarre. Large patches of skin had peeled off, releasing black smoke. The dark purple shock ripples began to uncontrollably spray in all directions. The mutated human horror struggled to break free and attacked KIKI and Shiori.

KIKI gritted her teeth and exchanged a glance with Shiori. She seized the moment, raising her left hand to sever the brain-machine link between Lin Xian and Gu Zheng. Using mental power, she grabbed Lin Xian and Shiori and pushed them far away. The two flew backward instantly. At the same time, the elongated human horror broke free from the mechanical restraints. Under KIKI’s powerful mental suppression, it suddenly opened its huge jaws, and a dark purple shock beam appeared in its mouth.

Seeing this, KIKI immediately dodged violently. In the next instant, a shock beam so powerful it dimmed the surrounding light shot toward the sky. The giant shockwave blew away low clouds, and the blast wave shattered all the glass in the entire block with a loud crash!

“Wow, so powerful!” KIKI dodged and couldn’t help but comment. If she had been hit, even with Lin Xian’s custom power armor and her mental shield, she would have been pierced instantly. The crystallized ability user’s mutation after crystallization was more terrifying than a monster.

Taking advantage of the enemy’s unsteady stance, KIKI suppressed it with mental power in one hand and wielded the VK Electric Blade in the other. Like a flood pouring from the sky, she unleashed a barrage of blades piercing the human horror’s heart!

Slash! Slash! ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝓷𝓮𝓽

The metal flood was like a torrential rain, wrapped in KIKI’s powerful mental energy, cutting down at extreme speed. The human horror on the rooftop sensed the threat and opened both its mouth and the second giant mouth in its abdomen. Square shock ripples expanded, forming a force field shield before it, blocking all of KIKI’s electric blade onslaught.

Seeing this, KIKI growled coldly, pinching her fingers to twist the human horror’s neck with mental power. There was a crack as the neck instantly twisted 180 degrees. But the human horror pushed off the ground in reverse, not dying and preparing to stand forcibly.

At this moment, KIKI finally felt the crushing pressure of an ability peak far beyond what she could handle. This was the first time, besides large abnormal entities, that she couldn’t suppress a human horror with mental power. She was annoyed. Raising both hands, she pressed down with full force to crush it back. But the human horror detected her position and suddenly sprouted several flesh tendrils. The tendrils glowed faint shock ripples and instantly fired laser-like impact beams at KIKI.

KIKI’s expression changed in surprise. She hadn’t expected this monster to have such a trick. She tried to dodge, but a shock beam pierced through her power armor’s shoulder plate, causing painful mental power loss of control. The human horror immediately broke free and vanished into the ruins of a building, disappearing from sight.

Seeing this, KIKI prepared to chase after it. The shoulder injury was only superficial and temporal. Fortunately, the wound did not cause much threat.

“Where the hell did it run off to? Damn it. If I also crystallize and regress, that monster would really scare me.”

While KIKI was slowly pursuing, she sharply detected a very faint but safe ability fluctuation. Reacting slowly, she used Lin Xian’s propulsion to perform a counter-thrust in midair, launching herself like a cannonball along a special curve.

Just a moment before, a giant beam as thick as a bucket shot out from a low building above. Its power was massive, scorching the air, burning hot, and piercing through the spot where KIKI had just been.

KIKI aimed the electric blade flood at the source of the beam. Suddenly, her expression changed, sensing something strange. She turned and grabbed the abnormal entity preparing to release the beam out of thin air.

The death beam was forcibly diverted, passing just behind KIKI’s face. Calm and steady, KIKI dodged the attack and immediately caught the entity in midair, concentrating all her power to crush it while helping Lin Xian escape.

At that instant, the violent Lin Xian acted like a gravity well, instantly crushing the entity into a ball. Just as she was about to crush it completely, the entity sensed danger and suddenly sprouted synapses all over its body. Dark energy exploded, preparing to release shock ripples in all directions!

KIKI frowned. Trapped with no way to dodge, she gritted her teeth. Her eyes flashed with ability light as she prepared to crush it into pulp at top speed.

But as the dark purple shock ripples brightened, time ran short.

At the critical moment, the surroundings suddenly dimmed. Above the sky, a blazing white flaming sword of divine brilliance pierced through the clouds and slashed down!

“Divine·Infinite Blazing Sword!!”

Lu Xingchen descended with the majesty of the Fire God, instantly engulfing the human horror with scorching temperatures reaching tens of thousands of degrees.

“Who dares to be evil in front of me? Obediently present your neck for the slaughter!”

Fire Bro spun his infinite ring at high speed. His peak ability value was at its limit, shattering the shock ripples of the human horror. At this moment, a shadow burst out of the air and fled.

The human horror seemed to have consciousness. After being injured by KIKI and Fire Bro, it actually tried to run away.

“Strange, human horrors actually run?!” Fire Bro sheathed the flaming sword and landed beside KIKI, confused.

“Stop talking nonsense. Don’t let it escape!” KIKI glanced at him and immediately accelerated her power armor, surging forward with an electric flood to chase.

Meanwhile, Monica, Ning Jing, and Qian Dele’s squads all arrived, ready to surround and finish off the human horror.

The human horror was extremely fast, leaping through the air from rooftops down to the street. It suddenly burst shock ripples and sprinted toward the distant coastline. But as it leapt in midair, a giant mechanical fist suddenly slammed down from the sky!

The remains of Xuanwu!

High above Haiyan City, a deep blue mechanical giant arm slammed down like a mechanical marvel in the sky, carrying explosive momentum. It struck the crystallized and power-boosted Gu Zheng with a single punch toward the ground.

The human horror was blasted like a cannonball, crashing into the ground. Its body disintegrated mid-air, shattering apart.