Chapter Nineteen: The Order of the Dragon’s Fang
Li Zhicheng asked, “So what exactly is it, and what does it want?”
Yuan Liming replied bitterly, “How could I possibly know? But it’s killed so many people. This kind of monster must die!”
Suddenly, a tremor ran through his heart. The creature was terrifying, but the dreadful potential it displayed might attract the covetousness of powerful forces like the state. Were these three Pulsebearers truly here to destroy it? Or was there another purpose...
“Protecting the lives upon the land of Shenzhou is always the primary duty of Pulsebearers—there is no possibility of compromise,” Che Juchen declared, his eyes shining brightly as he met Yuan Liming’s gaze. It was as if their thoughts were connected.
“Uh, yes...” Yuan Liming scratched the back of his head, slightly embarrassed at having his suspicions guessed.
Guo Yixian nodded, “That’s why we were sent. You struck the creature, didn’t you? Thanks to you, we collected three drops of its blood. Not only did it match the blood type of a previous victim, but we also extracted an unprecedented substance from it, which we’ve tentatively named ‘Growth Factor.’ After feeding it to lab mice, their metabolism increased over a hundredfold, but within three minutes, they died of total organ failure. We suspect this is the result of some dangerous human experiment gone awry.”
Yuan Liming leaned back, exhausted. “A hundredfold... no wonder it had such power. Truly, an extraordinary monster was created. Does this mean all the rumors about the Amestr Biological Crisis Center are true?”
Li Zhicheng smiled mysteriously. “Psychics, aliens, Transformers, and zombies, right? All I can say is, not all those rumors are false.”
Guo Yixian’s voice carried a hint of worry, “Amestr... they have never ceased testing us.”
Yuan Liming said, “I still think this monster has nothing to do with Amestr. If it were one of their creations, those terrorists would have had better ways to capture it. Surely they wouldn’t blow up an entire street just to cover up a single test subject?”
Guo Yixian grew solemn. “Then what is it? And most importantly, is there only one?”
Yuan Liming answered, “I don’t think there can be many such terrifying monsters. Even its creator couldn’t control so many.”
“Because... intelligence?”
“Yes, intelligence. Its intellect matched with its powerful body is the deadliest weapon,” Yuan Liming said, “In a few days, it went from a mere beast to a cunning monster. If it’s given another month, how much further will it evolve?”
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Guo Yixian frowned, “So how do we find it? Or lure it out?”
Yuan Liming groaned, “It might eat anything now, not just humans. Even if it still does, there are five million people in the city. Hundreds naturally disappear every day—there’s no way to pinpoint it.”
---
“How did you surround it before?”
“Back then, its mind was still beast-like. It had territorial instincts and wouldn’t easily leave a certain area. But after that siege, it won’t be so foolish now.”
Che Juchen, who had been silent for a long time, spoke up, “Search. Gather all our strength, investigate bit by bit. It still can’t fully blend into human society, so there must be some flaw. We still have a chance to catch it.”
His eyes shone fiercely. “Give me one opportunity—just one close encounter—and I can use the secret technique ‘Soul Hunt Across a Thousand Miles’ to lock onto its alien aura. Within the city, I absolutely won’t lose its trail.”
Yuan Liming was baffled, “Soul Hunt Across a Thousand Miles?”
Che Juchen explained, “You can think of it as brainwave tracking.”
“This style... is it fantasy or science fiction?” Yuan Liming muttered.
As they fervently discussed, the doors suddenly swung open, and a group of men in black surged in. An elder, surrounded like the moon among stars, strode in.
The elder—Lu Sheng’en—smiled broadly, “Welcome, esteemed Central Inspection Team. But why have you not come to greet me?”
Guo Yixian stepped forward, “No need to trouble Mayor Lu. We’ll leave as soon as our task is completed.”
Lu Sheng’en laughed, “Pulsebearer lords truly keep others at arm’s length. ‘Complete the task and leave’... but why interfere with my city’s internal affairs?”
His expression shifted, and he began to interrogate them.
Guo Yixian’s eyes sharpened, “Internal affairs? There’s no such thing as internal affairs. I’ve already been directly approved by the central authorities. All procedures are legal and proper. You need not concern yourself.”
“Hmph,” Lu Sheng’en sneered, “You need not concern yourself? Yuan Liming ruined my plans—anyone who protects him stands against me. Let’s see how far you get in this city.”
No matter how powerful Guo Yixian and his companions were, in Nan Hai City, Lu Sheng’en’s word meant no restaurant would serve them, no taxi would dare pick them up, and certainly no soldier would be lent for their search.
As Guo Yixian frowned deeply, Li Zhicheng drifted forward, circling the elder with a ghostly movement before returning to his spot. A whirlwind swept through, accompanied by a sharp snap in the air.
---
Lu Sheng’en’s face changed dramatically, his body stiffened. On his face, five faint red marks flashed and vanished—Li Zhicheng, before all the bodyguards, had lightly slapped him with a speed far beyond ordinary.
A fist in hand, an army at one’s command.
With a cup of warm wine, enemies fall; even a million foes are as nothing.
If one wished to strike or to kill, even vast armies would be meaningless. Seizing the enemy commander amid thousands would be but a charge.
This was the confidence with which Pulsebearers imposed their will upon the world.
That humiliating slap sent a chill through Lu Sheng’en’s heart. The thick wall of bodyguards brought him no sense of safety now, only greater fear of another slap from an unknown direction.
Li Zhicheng said calmly, “I hope Mayor Lu will handle affairs impartially and assist us in bringing the culprit to justice. Thank you for your cooperation.”
Still shaken, Lu Sheng’en’s face twisted as he said, “The ogre has killed countless people—he must be brought to justice. I await your good news.”
Yuan Liming muttered quietly, “That old man’s son was killed by the ogre. He’s lost control of his emotions. We can’t let him interfere again.”
Guo Yixian gently shook his head, not blaming Li Zhicheng for his action, as if lamenting the corruption of hearts and the hardships of the world.
Yuan Liming mused, “The influence of Pulsebearers on the mundane world is immense, but that was only in the past...”
With his thorough knowledge of counter-terrorism operations, Yuan Liming saw things from a unique angle. Pulsebearers were strong, but ordinary people’s weaponry could still pose deadly threats. Perhaps the reason Pulsebearers retreated into the shadows was their awareness of this historical trend, avoiding becoming the target of all humanity.