The violent aura of the Blackstone Gang leader had already surged to its peak, his heavy fist wrapped in messy Mid Core Implantation energy, ready to charge at Lu Zhechuan in the next second. The entire collapsed warehouse shuddered violently with the surging aura, rusted metal scraps and dust falling nonstop from the cracked ceiling, while fine cracks spread rapidly across the uneven ground. The air in the warehouse was so tense it seemed to freeze, every broken metal fragment trembling under the pressure of the impending clash, and the faint smell of blood and energy residue lingered everywhere, making the whole space even more depressing.
The gang leader's body was covered with crudely bandaged wounds, dark red blood seeping through the rags continuously, and the low-grade Dao Core embedded in his arm flickered with unstable light. Driven by extreme rage and the desire for revenge, he had completely lost his mind, his eyes bloodshot, and every muscle on his body tensed to the limit, as if he would tear Lu Zhechuan into pieces in an instant.
Lu Zhechuan's entire body was also in a state of high alert, his back pressed lightly against the cold supply box, his fingers tightly gripping the edge of the box to stabilize his figure. The Primeval Origin Core in his chest hummed softly, and the Passive Auto-Cultivation module ran at full speed without stopping, continuously drawing in the faint free energy from the air and transforming it into a gentle but steady stream of power that circulated through his meridians. He quickly scanned the entire warehouse with sharp eyes, locking his gaze on the severely cracked rear wall in the distance—this was his only chance to escape. He knew very well that with his current strength, even if he had just mastered the three basic techniques, he could not compete with a desperate Mid Core Implantation expert head-on. Escape was the only wise choice.
But neither of them dared to move an inch.
Before the life-or-death battle could begin, a terrifyingly oppressive energy descended suddenly from outside the warehouse, like a huge boulder crushing down heavily on everyone present. The air instantly became as heavy as lead, making people feel a sharp suffocation, and a low buzzing sound echoed in their ears. The scattered metal fragments on the ground were even pressed flat by this invisible pressure, and the entire warehouse fell into a deathly silence in the blink of an eye.
This aura was cold, sharp, and full of unshakable dominance, far stronger than the gang leader's Mid Core Implantation aura. It was the absolute suppression unique to a Late Core Implantation realm expert.
The gang leader's charging motion halted abruptly, his body stiffening in place as if he had been struck by lightning. The rage in his bloodshot eyes instantly vanished, replaced by deep fear and despair. He stiffly turned his head toward the warehouse entrance, his legs trembling uncontrollably, and the steel pipe in his hand clattered to the ground. He had lived in the Chip Graveyard for more than ten years, and he knew very well what this level of power represented—any resistance in front of a Late Core Implantation expert was nothing but a fool's errand, and death was the only ending.
Lu Zhechuan's heart sank to the bottom instantly, and a layer of cold sweat broke out on his back. His survival instinct screamed danger frantically, and he couldn't help but clench the experimental log and the corporate authority badge hidden in his cloak even tighter. He had heard old scavengers in the graveyard talk about the Heavenly Dao Corporation's field inspectors—they were all ruthless Late Core Implantation powerhouses, who never showed mercy to anyone who dared to interfere with the corporation's affairs, and there were no survivors of their attacks.
A steady, unhurried footsteps sounded from outside, each step tapping lightly on the metal debris, but carrying an undeniable pressure that made everyone's breath catch. The footsteps were slow but firm, as if every step was stepping on the hearts of the people in the warehouse.
A man in a neat black uniform stepped into the warehouse, his figure tall and straight. Unlike the tattered and embarrassed peripheral guards, his uniform was made of high-grade anti-energy fabric, spotless, with a silver patterned epaulet on his shoulder and a delicate three-dimensional Heavenly Dao Corporation emblem embroidered on his chest. A high-grade energy dagger and a pair of silver energy handcuffs hung at his waist, and a precision scanning wristband was worn on his left wrist, flashing with a faint blue light. His face was cold and expressionless, his facial features sharp, and his deep eyes swept the messy warehouse like a fierce beast inspecting its territory, completely ignoring the unconscious inner guard on the ground and the battered gang members at the entrance.
He was a Heavenly Dao Corporation field inspector, a high-level executive far above the peripheral guards, specially responsible for supervising important supply operations and cleaning up all troubles and invaders.
"Whoever dares to sabotage the corporation's supply mission, leave their lives behind," the inspector spoke slowly, his voice cold and emotionless, without a trace of fluctuation. His Late Core Implantation aura pressed down on everyone without reservation, forming an invisible cage that trapped the entire warehouse, making it impossible for anyone to escape.
In an instant, the warehouse fell into a deadly three-way standoff.
The inspector stood indifferently at the entrance, his perception spreading throughout the warehouse, quickly locking onto the abnormal energy fluctuation of the Origin Core and the opened supply box, clearly aware that the important items had been stolen.
The Blackstone Gang leader was trapped in the middle, his face ashen, too scared to attack or retreat, his eyes flickering with despair and the fluke of wanting to atone for his crimes and escape.
Lu Zhechuan hid behind the supply boxes, his mind racing rapidly. He was the one who had taken the experimental log and the authority badge, and once the inspector confirmed the loss, he would definitely become the primary target of killing.
Just then, the Origin Core in his chest warmed slightly, and a series of clear system prompts sounded quietly in his mind.
…Detecting Heavenly Dao Corporation mid-level inspector aura.
…Scanning target authority level: eligible to access Project-001 basic confidential information.
…Warning: Host strength is insufficient. Direct combat is not recommended, and the success rate of survival is less than 10%.
…Gene fragment matching in progress…
Lu Zhechuan's heart skipped a beat. Project-001 was indeed a top-secret experiment of the corporation, and his parents were undoubtedly closely involved. He quietly lowered his head, glancing at the edge of the folded experimental log peeking out of his cloak, and a few lines of tiny blurred text caught his eye.
Test subject: Primeval Origin Core
Donor: Genetic couple No. 0739
Authority level: B-7
The system's prompt sounded again immediately.
…Gene matching completed. No. 0739 is confirmed as the host's parents' experimental registration number.
This was the only clue about his parents' mysterious death, the only truth he had been searching for five years. Even if he faced a deadly Late Core Implantation expert, he would never hand over this document.
The inspector's cold gaze suddenly shifted, locking onto Lu Zhechuan's hiding spot accurately. He had clearly sensed the unique energy fluctuation of the Origin Core and confirmed that the thief was hiding there.
"Come out. I can give you a quick death."
The Blackstone Gang leader's eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope for survival. He immediately pointed at Lu Zhechuan and shouted in a trembling voice, "Lord Inspector! It's him! He's the one who attacked the guards and stole your confidential supplies! I have nothing to do with this, I was just passing by!"
Lu Zhechuan knew he couldn't hide any longer. He slowly stepped out from behind the supply boxes, his eyes sharp and calm, without the slightest fear. Every muscle in his body was ready to move, and the Passive Auto-Cultivation ran at full speed, gathering all the energy in his body to its peak.
The inspector's gaze fell sharply on the cloak pocket where the log was hidden, a hint of surprise flashing across his cold face. "You have the corporation's encrypted experimental log? Hand it over immediately, and I'll make your death painless."
He didn't care how a lowly scrap picker had obtained the top-secret document, he only cared about retrieving the corporation's confidential materials.
Lu Zhechuan gripped the log tightly in his hand, his mind already made up. He would never hand over the only clue to his parents' death.
Before the inspector could make a move, Lu Zhechuan moved first. He activated the Basic Movement Footwork to its limit, his body turning into a faint shadow, darting toward the broken back wall of the warehouse without hesitation—this was his only escape route.
"Bold!" the inspector roared, his face turning completely cold. He never thought that a trivial scrap picker would dare to resist in front of him. He raised his right hand sharply, condensing a sharp blue energy blade in his palm, and slashed it toward Lu Zhechuan's back with lightning speed.
At the critical moment of life and death, the Origin Core in Lu Zhechuan's chest trembled violently, and a new urgent system prompt popped up instantly.
…Detecting fatal energy attack. Activating emergency energy shield.
…Hidden function temporary unlock triggered. Unlocking progress: 1% → 25%.
A faint golden light shield instantly wrapped around Lu Zhechuan's body at the last moment.
The energy blade slammed into the golden shield heavily, sending out a deafening blast. The fragile emergency shield shattered instantly, and the violent shock wave sent Lu Zhechuan flying forward uncontrollably. He crashed through the cracked rear wall with a crash, tumbling heavily into the messy scrap heap outside, his chest aching sharply and his blood churning violently.
Without daring to stay for a moment, he struggled to stand up with all his strength, clutching the experimental log tightly to his chest, and ran wildly toward the deeper and more complex northern scrap heaps.
Behind him, the inspector let out a furious roar, his killing intent surging to the extreme. He watched the top-secret experimental log being taken away, and with a casual wave of his hand, an energy bullet shot out, instantly piercing the Blackstone Gang leader's chest who was trying to flee. The man fell to the ground without a sound, ending his greedy and cruel life.
The inspector quickly tapped the scanning wristband on his wrist, activating the high-strength energy tracking device, locking onto Lu Zhechuan's fleeing aura firmly.
Lu Zhechuan ran for his life with all his strength, the Passive Auto-Cultivation quietly repairing his minor injuries in his body, and the system's hidden function remained unlocked at 25%. But he had no time to rejoice, nor did he have time to explore the new functions of the Origin Core.
The terrifying aura of the Heavenly Dao Corporation inspector was getting closer and closer behind him, like a fierce beast hunting its prey, biting tightly and refusing to let go.
The real life-or-death chase had only just begun.