《Life in North America, you call this an autopsy officer?!》 Chapter 1 - 1 1 Vehicle Appraiser - Brian ?1: Chapter 1 Vehicle Appraiser ¨C Brian 1: Chapter 1 Vehicle Appraiser ¨C Brian September 12, 2005. United States, Los Angeles. In a mid-to-high-end apartment. Brian pushed away the softness enveloping him, rose from the bed, and groggily opened the window, supporting his somewhat sore back, as he watched the clean streets washed by the overnight downpour. His consciousness, initially still in slumber, gradually awoke. His movement awakened the woman in the bed. Her golden, thick hair spread out, revealing the fair face beneath. She was a young-looking Caucasian female. Her face still held a lingering flush from the previous night¡¯s frenzy. Cold air poured into the room. The woman tightened the blanket around her, and her sleepy, big eyes flashed a seductive look, ¡°Why not continue to sleep a bit?¡± Brian didn¡¯t respond. He tightened the cashmere pajamas around his body, approached the desk, and took out a piece of sheepskin paper with intricate patterns. He began to write hurriedly in the language of the United States: Vehicle Appraisal: ¡°...¡± At the end of the paper. Brian signed his name and took out a stamp, pressing it on top of the signature. With that, a fresh vehicle appraisal was produced. He presented his assessment to the woman still curled up in bed, ¡°Thank you for your business. You can take your things and leave now. If you want to take a shower, that would be an extra twenty dollars.¡± ¡°No fun!¡± The woman muttered, accepting the appraisal document. But when she saw the ¡®A¡¯ grade on it, she couldn¡¯t help but reveal a joyful smile. Last night¡¯s effort had not been in vain! The man with black hair and brown eyes in front of her was a vehicle appraiser with a modest reputation in Los Angeles in recent years. With this professional appraisal report, her value would increase significantly. ¡°Thank you very much for the appraisal, Brian. If you need anything, contact me anytime!¡±, the woman winked at Brian, ¡°For free!¡± Brian didn¡¯t react much to the woman¡¯s insinuation, merely nodding faintly. He insisted on doing vehicle appraisals partly because he was currently short on money. On the other hand, this method helped alleviate the worsening of his mental illness. ... After sending off the disappointed woman, Brian, massaging his sore back, turned on the television. Recently, high-intensity part-time work had left him physically and mentally exhausted. In his twenties, with the body of a man in his thirties and the physiology of someone in their fifties, this was the most accurate description of his current state. Fortunately, he had finally managed to gather this month¡¯s medical bills for his foster parents. Today, on this rest day, Brian planned to give his nearly exhausted body a well-deserved break. On TV, the news was currently broadcasting a hot topic, ¡°...observed by the astronomical observatory... tonight ... a rare Blood Moon phenomenon that occurs every thirty years..¡± ¡°Not this news again.¡± Brian frowned and switched to a channel playing soap operas. Blood Moon... The Blood Moon mentioned in the news wasn¡¯t the simple reddening of the moon of his past life. Instead, the entire earth, regardless of the hemisphere or whether it was day or night, at that specific time, would be enveloped in blood red! This astronomical phenomenon, absent in his previous life, always reminded Brian of the teachers who had accompanied him through many lonely nights in his past life. Unfortunately, they were no longer around. ... Brian was a transmigrator. This world is somewhat like a parallel world to his previous life. However, some names of countries had changed. Some technologies were also much more advanced than in 2005. As for Brian, he was a transmigrator in the womb. His mother was a pure-blooded Italian, and his father was a mix of Italian and Chinese, both with good looks. Inheriting the excellent genes of both parents, Brian, in this lifetime, had black hair, brown eyes, well-defined features, and delicate pale skin, making him look exquisite like a porcelain doll from a young age. Until Brian was eight years old. His parents disappeared during a car trip. Just like in his previous life, Brian once again became an orphan. Because his relatives in New York had Mafia backgrounds, were entirely evil, and had a record of misconduct, they couldn¡¯t pass the guardian qualification review by the child welfare agency, and there were no suitable adopters at the time, so Brian was sent to the Children¡¯s House, waiting for adoption. This place was not as warm as one might imagine. Sometimes, an outstanding appearance is not a good thing for a child without parental protection. Fortunately, Brian wasn¡¯t really an eight-year-old child. He had the help of some distant relatives. After experiencing some unpleasant incidents. Ultimately, with the help of his uncle, Brian was adopted by a kind-hearted couple and grew up safely. ... As for the part-time job as a Vehicle Appraiser, it was also somewhat related to Brian¡¯s relatives. Several years ago. While still in college, Brian was troubled by expensive student loans and started thinking about ways to make money. However, despite having lived two lives. In his previous life, Brian was just a socially inexperienced nerd with average IQ and low EQ, living on the inheritance left by his parents, spending his days either gaming or keying away on the keyboard, pontificating online, or researching some ¡°study materials¡± to polish his ancestral treasure. Making money? Sorry, as an unmotivated loser, he couldn¡¯t make a penny! The greatest achievement of Brian¡¯s previous life was probably the study materials in his computer hard drive, vast enough to start several community websites. This was also his biggest regret in his past and present life. He died too suddenly. Didn¡¯t even have time to format his study materials. Isn¡¯t this what let an abiding, law-abiding, untouched successor die ambiguously? ¡°Hard work¡± will not be disappointed. Leveraging the accumulation and foundation of countless days and nights from his previous life. Brian quickly found a suitable path for himself. Through the channels of his Mafia relatives in Los Angeles, relying on good looks and smooth talking, he successfully got the part-time job as a Vehicle Appraiser, and quickly built some reputation in the field after his internship. Some ambitious independent women in Los Angeles would spend money to get ¡°training¡± from Brian through various channels, finally obtaining the appraisal reports issued by Brian. Like the young girl just now. She was recommended by her mother, who had also benefited and was ambitious. There were many similar cases. Over the years. Brian, supported by these independent entrepreneurial women, not only paid off his student loans but also rented his current residence in the city¡¯s mid-to-high-end community. The reason for not buying. In addition to the fact that this residence was priced at over 1.3 million US Dollars, it was also because Brian¡¯s respected adoptive parents had both been diagnosed with a severe genetic disease earlier this year. This not only drained his previous savings but also plunged him into considerable debt. .. However, the job as a Vehicle Appraiser was only Brian¡¯s part-time job. His main job was an assistant at the Forensic Bureau in Los Angeles County. A forensic doctor, also known as an Autopsy Officer, though slightly different between the two, both were specifically responsible for examining the bodies discovered by district police stations, determining the causes of death, and issuing authoritative reports. As someone who got the job through connections, had been working for two and a half years, and was still an unskilled assistant. Brian really couldn¡¯t muster any passion for this profession. The reason he didn¡¯t quit was simple. If he quit, he would die! Chapter 2 - 2 2 The Three-Year Agreement ?2: Chapter 2 The Three-Year Agreement 2: Chapter 2 The Three-Year Agreement The threat to Brian¡¯s life came not from a stranger, but from the ¡®family¡¯ member who had once helped him. To be precise, it was Brian¡¯s uncle, Billy Kamor. Before the live burial incident, Brian had always revered this uncle. When he was eight and entered the Children¡¯s House, his outstanding appearance nearly led to a few warm-hearted male caretakers and the ¡®Clan Leader¡¯ subjecting him to puffy hotdog COSPLAY. To avoid being attacked from both front and back, he had no choice. Having never killed a chicken in his past life, Brian took a preemptive strike, utilizing fire to purify these sins. No one would suspect an eight-year-old child of being a criminal. Brian thought he was safe. But he wasn¡¯t. A good thing, incapable of self-protection, too easily attracts the watchful eyes of evildoers. After transferring to another Children¡¯s House, he experienced similar incidents. That time three caretakers died in an accident. Then, came four adoptive families. Outsiders can hardly imagine the filth hidden within. Just as Brian earned the moniker ¡®Disaster¡¯s Child¡¯ and felt he was about to be exposed for continuing down this path, he found a way to contact his relatives in New York. His uncle personally rushed to Los Angeles. After learning about the ¡®accidental incidents¡¯ Brian spoke of and his current reputation, the uncle found a kind and normal couple to adopt him. Thus, Brian stopped walking the path that plunged deeper into distortion and, after a period of recurring nightmares, began living a normal life again. Brian was truly grateful to this uncle from the bottom of his heart. Especially when Brian turned ten, his uncle Billy Kamor moved the remaining dozen or so members of the Kamor family to an Italian-American community in Los Angeles and regularly invited Brian to family gatherings. Clan Leader Uncle Billy took great care of and valued his nephew by marriage. Although the other family members were involved in drinking, prostituting, gambling, smoking, committing murders, and all sorts of evil, they were still reasonably friendly to this relative of the same blood. Over time, Brian began to feel a sense of belonging to this Mafia-originated family. His part-time job as a Vehicle Appraiser was arranged by the family. Otherwise, ordinary people couldn¡¯t even enter the industry. At best, they would be controlled and used as a tool by those gangs. At worst, they would be killed by rivals who had their business stolen. However, those vehicles were practically affiliated with the ¡®brokerage company¡¯ established by the Kamor family; with every transaction, the company took a commission. In return, the company offered protection for them. Otherwise, they would not bother to spend money on an appraisal certification. Even though the family made more, Brian was still grateful for the opportunity to earn money given to him. Therefore, when his uncle approached him to give up his life plans and join the Forensic Bureau in Los Angeles County, he thought of the care and recognition the family had previously given him and ultimately compromised. Brian never thought he would become a forensic assistant. He loved studying the art of the human body. But definitely not in the way a forensic assistant studied it. The pleasures of both were not the same. Brian had an impressive resume. He completed his university credits in just two years, and all the more importantly, several prestigious male professors gave him excellent reviews. Thus, he passed the interview smoothly and joined the Forensic Bureau. After joining the Forensic Bureau, Brian was very uncomfortable. His position was that of a forensic assistant. It sounded prestigious, but in fact, he was just a general technical worker, mainly responsible for photographing corpses, sending various body tissues for tests, collecting fragmented bodies... and all other miscellaneous tasks arranged by the forensic doctor. When he first joined, seeing those severed limbs and fetid internal organs of his kind... Brian vomited for more than two whole weeks, lost over twenty pounds before slowly adjusting. This was entirely different from causing accidents and sending others off this world. This intense discomfort even led to Brian developing a severe psychological disorder. He could only vent his stress and alleviate his psychological problems through certain physical activities, as suggested by an illegal doctor, to maintain his outward normalcy. ... In the two and a half years since he started working at the Forensic Bureau, the Kamor family had never arranged for Brian to do anything. But to ease his increasingly severe mental issues, his daily life was fractured: By day, he examined the bodies of the deceased brought in; by night, he examined the bodies of those dreamers with ambition, occasionally taking care to support the working and studying federal college students in their pursuit of independence and self-sufficiency. At first, this kind of life brought a sense of novelty and thrill. Over time, Brian and his brothers became numb. He thought about restraining himself a bit, but the result was that his brothers were not numb anymore, but his heart began to feel numb, like a walking corpse, growing more and more depressed. During this time, Brian felt that he couldn¡¯t go on like this, thought about leaving Los Angeles, and then settling down with an honest woman to lead a more normal life. He submitted his resignation letter in the morning. By the afternoon, he was almost buried alive. It was not until the cold, foul earth of the graveyard covered him that Brian truly realized. The so-called family affection was all bullshit! The real purpose his granduncle had for placing him in the Forensic Bureau was far from the simplicity he had imagined! It was ridiculous that he, wanting to repay the Kamor family, had given up a glamorous career as a dentist and became a low-prospect, low-status technician in the Forensic Bureau¡ªeven risking mental breakdown¡ªall while suspecting that the family wanted him to engage in illegal activities, but he didn¡¯t hesitate. The problem is! Just say what you want directly, dammit! To threaten with one¡¯s life without saying a word, what does that count for? Brian felt like a tool, appointed randomly for a certain purpose, not needing to know why, to be replaced when no longer fitting, devoid of any familial affection. ... It made Brian, who was an orphan twice over and craving family affection, feel extremely angry and disheartened! Over the following month, he obtained some raw materials through the channel of that unlicensed psychiatrist and crafted over ten pounds of explosives, planning to send his granduncle and the involved clan members away at the first opportunity. But then... an accident occurred. His foster parents, who treated him as their own son, fell seriously ill. Brian¡¯s foster parents suddenly were diagnosed with a rare genetic disease. Conventional medical treatments would make them live in pain, the kind of agony that even painkillers couldn¡¯t alleviate; while better treatments required self-funding. Brian also suspected this was a conspiracy. He spent money to get experts to treat his foster parents, but the diagnosis was indeed true, just coincidental. Everyone will die. Brian didn¡¯t harbor illusions that his foster parents could get through this calamity. But he hoped to lessen their pain a little, to let them depart with dignity. Maintaining dignity required money. A lot of money. People are not beasts. Once you have a weakness, Brian, for the sake of his foster parents¡¯ peaceful passing, could only resign himself to fate. ... There¡¯s no way out. Reality isn¡¯t like the movies. Those people in the Kamor family were not little lambs. The funds of the Kamor family were laundered through specialized methods and were all deposited in overseas banks. The account and password were only known to Uncle Billy. Brian was clear about his own capabilities. His gun skills were terrible, his IQ average at best¡ªhe could only play dirty tricks, either send those people away in one go or get retaliated against and perish. It was next to impossible to torture the bank account information out of his granduncle. Furthermore, Uncle Billy, to pacify Brian, let slip a little detail. The reason he had Brian join the Forensic Bureau more than two years ago was for an important arrangement in three years¡¯ time. As long as Brian cooperated afterward and achieved his objective, the Kamor family would cover all of Brian¡¯s foster parents¡¯ subsequent medical expenses. At that time, there was less than a year left until the three-year agreement. Left without choice, Brian could only work overtime and take on side jobs while placing his hope in the promise offered by his granduncle to appease him. ... Now, the time had nearly come to fulfill the three-year term. This matter was about to reach a conclusion! Chapter 3 - 3 3 Uncle Billy ?3: Chapter 3 Uncle Billy 3: Chapter 3 Uncle Billy Dong~ Dong~ Dong~ Evening time. From the distant Catholic church bell tower came the deep and melodious sound of bells. Brian yawned, his eyes hazily opened, and he prepared to get up from the couch to see if he could find some new part-time work. It wasn¡¯t just for the money. It was also for medical treatment. For some reason, lately, his mental health had been worsening, and he was even often having hallucinations. The hallucinations were alarmingly similar: the animals that he had once personally sent to their deaths by arranging accidents would replay their dying agonies before him, or the over a thousand dissected corpses from the past two years seemed to smile at him, asking why he had dissected them into parts... After each hallucination, Brian would feel an itch in his hands, a desire to destroy something. He had survived until now by taking on job after job. ... Just at that moment, Pat Pat~ The sound of someone knocking on the door suddenly rang out. Before Brian could ask who it was, Click~ Accompanied by the ear-piercing sound of twisting metal, the thick lock on the apartment door had been deformed and was forcibly pushed open. A nearly two-meter-tall, burly man with black hair and a brute-like build, entered like a human barricade, glanced around the room, then strode over and sat on the couch opposite Brian. Behind the man, two suit-wearing, bodyguard-looking men smartly closed the door and stationed themselves outside. Creak~ The sofa, which had endured countless bloody fights with Brian and still held strong, made a noise as if it couldn¡¯t bear the weight any longer. ¡°Brian, my nephew, you¡¯ve missed several family gatherings now!¡± the brute-like middle-aged man sharply looked at Brian, who had sat back down. Suppressing the murderous intent in his heart, Brian shrugged, ¡°Uncle, you know I have to pay a lot of medical bills for my adoptive parents every month. Besides work, all I can do is take on part-time jobs.¡± The middle-aged man was none other than Brian¡¯s uncle, the clan leader of the Kamor family, and also the boss of the largest Italian gang in Los Angeles¡ªthe Bloodbath Gang¡ªBilly Kamor. This was a truly cruel and cunning guy. Brian had once witnessed Uncle Billy, at a family hunting gathering, engage in a bare-knuckle fight with a North American gray wolf. He then tore off the wolf¡¯s jaw with his bare hands, chewed it, and sucked the wolf¡¯s blood, appearing more wild than a real beast. Furthermore, his grasp on the human psyche was terrifying. After specifically practicing micro-expressions for a long time, Brian was barely able to hide his antagonism from this uncle and feigned weakness purposefully. For some reason, this uncle had been very low-key in New York, until arriving in Los Angeles where he started to gradually make his mark. In just a few years, Uncle Billy led family members to replace the small local Italian gangs in several communities and even went beyond, consecutively absorbing several medium and small gangs, creating today¡¯s Bloodbath Gang. ... Billy, hearing the complaints in Brian¡¯s tone, showed a light smile, ¡°Brian, I¡¯ve said that as long as you cooperate, your adoptive parents¡¯ medical expenses will all be covered by the family.¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Uncle, did you come over because there¡¯s a pressing matter?¡± After speaking, he looked at the damaged door lock with a genuine hint of distress. Replacing the lock would cost a significant amount. The lock wasn¡¯t expensive, but the labor was. And that was hard-earned money! Truly hard-earned money! Dammit! If he had to break in, why knock in the first place! But Billy seemed to have heard Brian¡¯s thoughts and was very sure, ¡°You¡¯re cursing me in your mind!¡± Without waiting for Brian¡¯s response, he casually tossed a bank card onto the coffee table: ¡°Knocking on the door is a matter of courtesy, breaking in is because I don¡¯t have the patience to wait! Brian, whatever you want to say is written all over your face. This won¡¯t do. It¡¯s not beneficial for what I have arranged for you next.¡± Arranged? Brian¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and feigning calmness, his hand trembled slightly as he picked up the bank card, ¡°Uncle, what¡¯s this?¡± ¡°There¡¯s over two million US dollars in there. Even if it¡¯s for providing your adoptive parents with the best and most expensive medical treatment, it should last for more than two years.¡± Billy lighted a cigarette, fatigue surfaced on his face, ¡°Stop pretending to be calm; your act is too poor, your hands are shaking. Brian, you¡¯re actually quite astonished; that means you understand what I¡¯m getting at.¡± ¡°Alright, Uncle, sometimes I really suspect you have mind-reading abilities,¡± Brian raised his hands in surrender and resignedly said, ¡°Has there been a change in the three-year agreement¡¯s plan?¡± Billy exhaled a large ring of smoke and nodded: ¡°More than two years ago. I learned an astonishing secret from an old forensic doctor. That secret might just be the Kamor family¡¯s opportunity to take off. At that time, the old forensic doctor informed me that in March 2006, the city of Los Angeles will initiate an expansion of the criminal experimental task force plan. Those task force members will be given priority to forensic bureau professionals, veterans, and some other demographics. There, you can get in touch with things unknown to ordinary people.¡± ¡°Those things, are they the astonishing secret?¡± Brian¡¯s curiosity was piqued by Billy¡¯s words. ¡°Yes.¡± Billy nodded: ¡°I arranged for you to enter the Forensic Bureau and made a three-year pact just to verify the truth of this secret. I don¡¯t trust outsiders. The rest of the Kamor family members are not well-educated, their statuses are unclean, and they aren¡¯t too bright. They could never join those criminal experiment groups. But you, Brian, my most valued nephew. You¡¯re different. Your record is clean, your education is the highest among the family members, your relationship is associated with your adoptive parents, and you are my blood relative. You are my best choice.¡± ¡°So, Uncle, is your visit this time because that plan has been brought forward?¡± Brian swung the bank card in his hand, ¡°Alright then, what do I need to do next?¡± Based on Brian¡¯s understanding of his uncle. This card probably can¡¯t be used yet. Billy habitually pinched out the cigarette he had been smoking after two or three puffs, and seeing Brian¡¯s action, he couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°Your great-grandfather was right, getting the short end of the stick is the fastest way to grow up, at least you are not as naive as before now.¡± ¡°People always grow up. Life is like a Q-tip; since you can¡¯t resist it, you might as well choose to enjoy it,¡± Brian resignedly spread his hands, ¡°We¡¯re family, I trust that you, Uncle, won¡¯t let me down.¡± People are forced out. Without the life threats from his uncle, he indeed wouldn¡¯t have been able to have the acting skills on par with a professional actor he had now. Billy nodded in satisfaction after hearing Brian¡¯s words. He skillfully stuffed the cigarette butt into his pocket and stood up, saying: ¡°My men have been following the news from Z Mansion. For some reason. The criminal lab¡¯s expansion plan was brought forward by half a year. When you receive the message. Remember to sign up on time.¡± Seeing the other party preparing to leave, Brian quickly followed up with a question, ¡°What exactly is the secret that I need to verify after I get in?¡± This was related to the password for the bank card in his hand. With enough money. His foster parents could leave this world with dignity. He could also act without any reservations, venting the anger he had accumulated over the past few months! ¡°You¡¯ll know when the time comes,¡± Billy said, patting Brian on the shoulder, ¡°A secret for a password, don¡¯t disappoint me.¡± After speaking, he went straight to the door, suddenly stopped, turned his head and implied something: ¡°By the way, Brian. Today is the once in thirty years Blood Moon phenomenon. I saw it once as a child. For countless days and nights thereafter, that scene often appeared in my dreams. It¡¯s simply God¡¯s most beautiful treasure bestowed upon mankind. Trust me. Tonight, when the Blood Moon returns, you absolutely wouldn¡¯t want to miss that beautiful spectacle...¡± ¡°The Blood Moon phenomenon?¡± Brian nodded, dismissively replied, ¡°Sure, Uncle, if there¡¯s no new verification order tonight, I will...¡± ¡°No ¡®ifs¡¯!¡± Billy heard Brian¡¯s words, and the area around his deep brown eyes, to the naked eye, started spreading out with chilling, ferocious blood vessels, staring straight into Brian¡¯s eyes, ¡°I mean, you must bask in the Blood Moon Radiance tonight and properly appreciate the gift God has bestowed upon mankind!¡± What kind of eyes were those! Brian swore that even when his uncle once brutally tore apart a strong adult North American gray wolf, the extremely violent look in his eyes was not as terrifying and chilling as today¡¯s. He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed. Brian shivered and came back to his senses. He looked around somewhat dazedly. Apart from the apartment door with only the twisted lock remaining. The figure of his uncle had long since vanished. Brian rubbed the goosebumps on his arms and slumped back onto the sofa, weakly covering his violently thumping heart, still in shock. Such a gaze... It was more suffocating than being stared at by a ferocious, bloodthirsty beast. But something was off!!! ... A thought flickered through Brian¡¯s mind. His childhood experiences, over two years of training at the Forensic Bureau as a grown-up! Especially these past few years. Under severe spiritual torment. His personality had already undergone a dramatic change! Brian now could dismember the corpses he was autopsying with a smile, and afterward, eat a plate of spaghetti with tomato meat sauce. These were all minor things. When illness struck. He would even have some very abnormal thoughts and impulses. If it wasn¡¯t for the ¡®Pressure Transfer Method¡¯ recommended by the doctor. Brian had no doubt that he would have become a professional serial killer driven by his inner desires. Such a self. How could he possibly be so dumbstruck by a person¡¯s gaze as if he had been hit by the Hard Control Skill in a game? That¡¯s simply unscientific! Is it possible that Uncle had launched a Spiritual Shock at him? At that thought. Brian himself laughed. Yet a thought irrepressibly rose in his heart: Could Uncle Billy really be human? Chapter 4 - 4 4 Blood Moon ?4: Chapter 4 Blood Moon 4: Chapter 4 Blood Moon ¡°Stop fantasizing already! This is just an ordinary technological parallel world... ordinary my ass! Damn it, which decent person transmigrates without a Golden Finger!¡± Brian gave himself two slaps, and only with the pain was he able to suppress the various wild thoughts in his heart again. He made himself a simple sandwich. Filled his stomach. Brian carried the brewed traditional medicine out to the balcony. It was probably around six in the evening. In Los Angeles during September, the sky had not yet completely darkened at this time. The street lights in the complex were already on. From the public facilities area, one could see some families playing with their children in the community. On the streets, there were office workers with faces full of fatigue just getting off work, yet they maintained smiles, warmly greeting some of the passing residents. Everyone here seemed polite, dressed neatly, their smiles standardized, as if they were all wearing masks of the same style, yet with an unnaturalness to them, like ordinary people without any profound background, trying clumsily to imitate the lifestyle of the upper class. The reason was simple. The residents here, even if they weren¡¯t tenants like Brian, were not very wealthy. The truly wealthy people wouldn¡¯t live here. ... Brian shifted his gaze back to the sky. At this moment, the sky was at the dim and hazy intersection of dusk and night, the afterglow of the sunset not completely gone, the bright moon yet to rise, which made it appear slightly gloomy. It was a very strange feeling. This gloominess wasn¡¯t that of the sky darkening, but rather as if the sky was shrouded with a layer of unknown fine dust, causing the light to be sparse and unable to penetrate well down to the ground, creating a hazy gloom. Looking at it for too long would even make one feel uncomfortable. Brian looked at the sky for a few seconds, and then redirected his gaze. He frowned, downed the traditional medicine in his hand, until the hot soup seethed in his stomach and the heat dissipated through his pores, expelled with some hot sweat. Only then did he let out a satisfied breath of warm air, turned around, and returned to the living room. He sat down in front of the computer. Brian opened the control software for the hidden surveillance in the living room, rewound the progress bar, and dragged it to the moment Uncle Billy burst into the apartment, starting to analyze frame by frame. The scene before him reemerged. Uncle Billy, before entering the room, walked straight towards him, showing no surprise at him being home. This meant that the other party had been keeping track of his movements. This was also something that Brian had been puzzled about. Because from the time he resigned and was nearly buried alive, it was clear that there were extra eyes for the Kamor family within the Forensic Bureau. Even if he hadn¡¯t joined the so-called ¡®crime experiment group,¡¯ Uncle Billy had the capacity to plant someone else to join. They didn¡¯t lack him at all! The previous excuse given to him to verify the password didn¡¯t make any logical sense! The key lay in the time before Brian attempted to resign. Uncle Billy had always been very friendly towards Brian, valuing and caring for him a lot. But after that incident, Uncle Billy¡¯s attitude subtly started to change. For example, after Brian¡¯s foster parents became seriously ill and he sought help from the family, he was directly rejected by Uncle Billy, and only received help from a cousin, who wasn¡¯t on bad terms with him, lending him some money to tide over the crisis. Probably at that time. Uncle Billy had thought of using money to add a layer of shackles to Brian, to prevent him from running away on his own. The response to the live burial was also too strange. His attitude towards the family was always crystal clear, and he could have spoken directly about any issues. Instead, to threaten him with burial was not normal at all, as though it was done on purpose. So, what exactly was Uncle Billy¡¯s goal? ... As the surveillance footage continued, it quickly reached the moment Uncle Billy was preparing to leave. Brian set the playback speed to the lowest and perked up. He saw in the footage. Uncle Billy stood up, about to leave, but seemed to think of something, looked back unintentionally, and suggested that Brian watch the Blood Moon anomaly that evening, an event that occurred once every thirty years. Brian watched it once and didn¡¯t find anything amiss. The footage continued to advance. When Brian casually brought up the part-time job and gave a perfunctory reply. In the video, there was an obvious change in Uncle Billy. Brian held his breath and stared intently at the transformation happening to Uncle Billy¡¯s body: It seemed that Uncle Billy was triggered by his words, his already bear-like muscular physique suddenly inflated a bit more, and then, the moment the other turned his head, it reverted back to normal! ¡°What the hell?¡± If not for the clear capture by the surveillance, Brian almost thought he was hallucinating again. He instinctively thought of his uncle¡¯s inhuman eyes. This wasn¡¯t an illusion! This was no illusion! Based on his understanding of the human body, Brian was absolutely certain, that was not a change a normal human could undergo! He felt like his worldview was becoming chaotic. Werewolf? Or some other kind of monster? The over ten pounds of explosives he had prepared. Could they really handle an uncle like this? Moreover, it seemed that the purpose of Uncle Billy¡¯s visit wasn¡¯t the so-called three-year agreement and secret, but... to have him moon-gaze?? Could it be that he was about to awaken some werewolf bloodline? ... ¡°My head is so bloated!¡± Brian scratched his head, feeling a little itchy. Lacking critical information, he couldn¡¯t think of anything. After washing his face and regaining his composure, Brian began his analysis: According to Uncle Billy. He had him enter the Forensic Bureau to join the ¡®Crime Experiment Group¡¯ to validate the secret that might once again elevate the Kamor family. But analyzing the surveillance frame by frame. This abnormal uncle, who didn¡¯t seem like a regular human, appeared to care more about today¡¯s Blood Moon phenomenon. To be precise. He was more concerned with whether he could gaze at the moon on time. For this, he had specifically come over, using the three-year promise as a pretext to remind and threaten him. ... Brian felt his speculation was far-fetched. But after ruling out all the impossibilities. There was only one truth! That was, in Uncle Billy¡¯s subconscious, him gazing at the moon = that so-called secret = the correct path to make the Kamor family great again. If this was the truth. A new question emerged in Brian¡¯s mind: What secret did this once-in-thirty-years Blood Moon phenomenon hold? Could it really be related to werewolves or something? Brian decided not to go to his part-time job today. He was going to moon-gaze! ... At eleven o¡¯clock at night. Brian yawned and sat on the balcony, his eyes drowsily looking at the dim sky above where only a few little stars twinkled amid the light pollution, a silver moon floated in the air, without a hint of blood-red color. It was almost midnight. He was starting to doubt whether the so-called Blood Moon phenomenon would appear tonight. Earlier, he had searched online for this Blood Moon phenomenon, which was completely different from that of his previous life, but hadn¡¯t found anything unusual. Instead, there were many cults that used the Blood Moon as a way to preach doomsday theories and had caused many notorious bloodbaths. As he was lost in thought. The noise and exclamations of neighbors came from afar: ¡°The moon¡¯s turning red! Oh God, it¡¯s amazing!¡± A faint blood-red hue rapidly enveloped the original silvery-grey, filling the surroundings with an ominous and oppressive atmosphere, as if Satan had arrived, or as if it were a spectacle from Hell, spreading across the heavens, casting down teeming tendrils like iron chains... Almost simultaneously. Brian stiffened as his body was covered by the bloody moonlight. He seemed to lose consciousness, his expression vacant as he raised his head and stared motionlessly at the sky above, as if to imprint that eerie blood-red moon deep into his eyes... The Blood Moon had truly arrived! Chapter 5 - 5 5 Mr ?5: Chapter 5: Mr. Body, plz show some respect 5: Chapter 5: Mr. Body, plz show some respect Brian felt he had experienced a dream. Scene by scene, memories he wanted to forget replayed in his mind like a movie: flames at Children¡¯s House, the wide, unblinking eyes of several foster parents in various accidents, and those fractured, torn bodies on the dissection tables... These deliberately forgotten images once again emerged in his heart, assaulting Brian¡¯s psyche just like the hallucinations that had frequented him in the past. He had no idea how much time had passed. Brian opened his eyes in bewilderment. A Blood Moon slowly dissipated from the depths of his pupils. Brian touched his stiff, craned neck with some discomfort, and wondered, ¡°I just had a dream, the same hallucinations that often plague me... and my neck is so sore...¡± After he moved his neck around for a while, he took out his phone to check the time and was shocked to discover that it was already past midnight. But Brian distinctly remembered it was only a little after eleven when he last checked! No wonder his neck felt so terribly sore. But how could an hour have slipped by so suddenly? Could his consciousness have just lapsed? He went to his room and picked up the camcorder he had prepared in advance and started watching. There was nothing remarkable in it. The sky was very red, and he, like a wooden dummy, remained motionless, head raised... Thinking of those frequent hallucinations, Brian furrowed his brow. There was definitely something wrong with this Blood Moon his uncle had been so concerned about. ... Brian immediately began examining his body with professional precision. Sore waist and legs, feeble kidneys, muscle weakness... Nothing had changed. He then began to take in his surroundings. The silvery moon hung high overhead, and silence pervaded all around. From distant streets, the faint sound of police sirens in pursuit pierced the air, intermittently coupled with women¡¯s screams and beast-like howls from men. ¡°Body, surroundings, no change... and no theatrics of a Werewolf transformation.¡± Brian shook his head and returned to his room. A few streets away from his apartment were several vagrant camps. The unearthly noises outside. He was accustomed to them. ... ¡°I must have had another episode...¡± Brian¡¯s heart was always somewhat uneasy, but unable to fathom the reason, he forcibly comforted himself with a reason to avoid self-consumption. He prepared to take a shower, to relax. To stabilize his mental state. Things he could not comprehend, he never dwelt on. Half an hour later. After physically disposing of the video stored on the camcorder, Brian, dressed in pyjamas, sipped his hot milk, stretching contentedly, ready to go to bed early. Ding-ding! Just then. The urgent ringing of his phone broke his motion. Frowning, he put down his cup, took out his phone, and somewhat reluctantly answered after seeing the caller ID, ¡°Tom, I...¡± ¡°Thank God someone finally picked up!¡± A wilted, nasal voice interrupted Brian, ¡°Brian, buddy, listen, I need your help right now. Get to the Forensic Bureau as fast as you can¡ªI¡¯m not joking, the fastest speed!¡± Beep beep beep~ Looking at the disconnected call, Brian rolled his eyes. Tom was his colleague. However, the other party was a forensic scene investigator, the kind that followed the hearse to collect bodies, sometimes helping with photos at crime scenes, gathering evidence and dealing with the Detective Bureau¡¯s major crimes division. Today must have been his shift. Probably another sudden discovery of multiple bodies and a shortage of hands was why he had made the call for help. The public safety in Los Angeles wasn¡¯t great at the moment. Such emergencies were common. ... Brian changed his clothes and after some thought, he pulled out a palm-sized special handgun from a hidden compartment under his bed, loaded it, concealed it on himself, and then grabbed two self-made pull-string detonators and slipped them into a custom slot in the lining of his blazer before leaving his apartment. The community he was now renting in had a somewhat dated, mid-to-upscale feel to it. It was close to the center of Los Angeles. The community environment seemed average, and the public facilities were a bit old, but overall it was still clean and orderly. There was a police station nearby. The patrolling officers were diligent, ensuring good security for the surrounding streets. Compared to the vagrant camps a few streets away, it was entirely a different world. The residents here, just like Brian, were mostly ordinary in origin but lived comfortably due to their own efforts. The actual homeowners were very few and far between. The reason was simple. As more and more undocumented immigrants and homeless people converged on this metropolis, the Z administration set up several homeless gathering spots a few streets away from Brian¡¯s community to control these unstable factors. Tents, trash, and sometimes zombie-like addicts standing in corners could be seen everywhere along the neighboring streets... This seriously dampened the mood of the wealthy. So they began moving to the suburbs and nearby towns. Over time. A peculiar city center scene emerged, with high-end companies, community areas, and commercial streets on one side, and ragged homeless people occupying street corners with their tents on the other. During the day, it was manageable. But at night, it was chaos. Thus, the real rich either fled further afield or lived in detached villas, estates, or even more upscale communities with dedicated security patrolling day and night. Chapter 6 - 6 5 Mr ?6: Chapter 5 Mr. Body, plz show some respect_2 6: Chapter 5 Mr. Body, plz show some respect_2 ... Brian cautiously drove through the most chaotic blocks before slowing down and heading towards the Forensic Bureau. Half an hour later. A building resembling an old factory appeared before Brian¡¯s eyes. This was the headquarters of the Forensic Bureau in Los Angeles. The Forensic Bureau, officially known as the Los Angeles County Forensic Bureau, is the sole official forensic identification agency of the Los Angeles County government, responsible for death cases and forensic examination work in the entire Los Angeles County area (which includes 88 cities) and is the largest Forensic Bureau in the United States. The Los Angeles County Forensic Bureau is a functional department under the county government, independent from police departments, investigative departments, courts, and other judicial agencies and is on equal footing with the police department. However, there are not many employees here. With five large departments combined, there are only a few hundred people. Among them, there are a mere 23 front-line forensic doctors, all of whom have a heavy workload each day. As for Brian. He was just an inconspicuous little Carami in one of the five big departments of the Forensic Bureau. After parking the car. Brian greeted the night guard who was watching the midnight pay-per-view channel and headed straight to the autopsy room. ... As the largest autopsy center in Los Angeles County. There are two large autopsy rooms and one small autopsy room. The large autopsy rooms can perform up to 11 autopsies simultaneously, mainly used for routine autopsies. The small autopsy room can perform up to 3 autopsies simultaneously, mainly used for external body examinations and the autopsy of decayed bodies and bodies with infectious diseases. Not all deceased require an autopsy. There were 19,039 death cases in Los Angeles last year. Excluding those death cases not suspected of criminal involvement. The Forensic Bureau handled about 9,500 cases that required an autopsy last year. Excluding rest days and holidays. There were 20-40 autopsies performed here every day. Which means. Each forensic doctor had a workload of about one or two bodies per day. Actually, if you set aside how disgusting the work content is. The treatment here is quite good. In fact, if nothing happens at night, the on-duty scene investigators can drive in the scene investigation vehicle and go home to sleep soundly around two o¡¯clock in the morning. If there is a scene case, they can simply drive over from home. Obviously, Brian¡¯s colleague Tom was not having a good day today. ... As soon as Brian reached the autopsy room, He saw a tall and thin man with sunken cheeks wearing a work cap, tiredly leaning against the white corridor wall, smoking a cigarette. ¡°Buddy, you don¡¯t seem to be in a good mood.¡± Brian approached and greeted him. The tall, slender man heard the noise, turned his head, and forced a smile on his unpleasant face, ¡°Hey, Brian, you¡¯ve arrived.¡± The man was Tom. This guy was once a detective in the Detective Bureau; during one operation he was shot multiple times, and one bullet nearly pierced his throat. Tom ultimately survived, but his body deteriorated, making him look like a junkie, and his voice became high-pitched and low. Because of his changed physical appearance, Tom would often be stopped by patrol officers when he went out, which made him increasingly reclusive and disinclined to socialize. Only because he and Brian had some artistic interests in common did they become somewhat closer. Tom took a cigarette out of his pocket, tossed it to Brian, and then rubbed his hollow eye sockets: ¡°Today¡¯s a bit of trouble. There are two cases. The victims were two women. They were neighbors, with only a fence separating their homes, and they died around the same time, both killed by the same murderer in their own houses.¡± ¡°Homicide?¡± Brian understood the subtext in Tom¡¯s words. Homicide cases are troublesome. According to procedure, meticulous examination of the body is required based on the wounds. In addition, they have to deal with demands and cooperation from the Detective Bureau, where any mistake entails responsibility and is often a thankless job. This also leads to situations where, Faced with such cases, The Forensic Bureau employees delay producing results as much as possible, hoping that the police will solve the case, and then issue autopsy reports based on their outcomes to avoid responsibility. For this reason, The Detective Bureau is very discontented with the Forensic Bureau, And has repeatedly proposed, imitating New York, to establish more ¡®crime scene investigation teams¡¯ to share the power of the Forensic Bureau. Of course, such proposals that involve spending money without obvious benefits have always been ignored by those above. Knowing it was two homicide cases, Brian put on a pained expression. This kind of autopsy assigns one body to one case number. Every step of the process has to be handled by the same person, without casual changes. Although Brian was not a real forensic doctor, He was now in charge of temporarily taking care of these two bodies, and subsequent work would also be dealt with by him and the assigned forensic doctor. Of course, the forensic doctor is only responsible for describing, recording, and drawing rough sketches of injuries and normal organs, as well as extracting relevant specimens of organs and blood. As for tasks like autopsy, photographing, and other difficult labor, These would be performed by Brian under the guidance of a forensic doctor. The subsequent running around to different departments of the Forensic Bureau for transfers was also the responsibility of poor Brian. The whole process was quite tedious. ... Tom was also aware that he had put Brian in a difficult situation and showed a look of apology: ¡°I heard there¡¯s going to be a new department formed soon, and they¡¯re really in need of experienced autopsy technicians; you might as well get familiar with the process for future opportunities.¡± Upon hearing this, a thought crossed Brian¡¯s mind. A new department? Could it be the ¡®crime scene investigation team¡¯ that Uncle Billy mentioned? He lit a cigarette, pretending to be indifferent, and asked, ¡°What new department?¡± Chapter 7 - 7 5 Mr ?7: Chapter 5 Mr. Body, plz show some respect_3 7: Chapter 5 Mr. Body, plz show some respect_3 Tom shook his head, ¡°The news was told to me by a colleague from the robbery and murder division earlier, I¡¯m not sure about the details, but the compensation is definitely better than what we peripheral folks at the Forensic Bureau get. I think I¡¯ll sign up when it¡¯s time.¡± Seeing this, Brian could only give up on trying to get more information. ... A cigarette came to an end. The two started to get busy. Tom¡¯s work mainly involved producing scene investigation reports and reports on information about the deceased. This was actually a rather odd situation. Normally, these tasks are the responsibility of the detectives handling homicide cases, and the Detective Bureau even has dedicated scene investigators. The oddity lay right here. According to Los Angeles regulations, At a homicide scene, a forensic scene investigator must conduct the investigation of the crime scene together with the police. Meanwhile, the scene investigators from the police can only be in charge of investigating the scene excluding the body, without the authority to examine the body. The body examination can only be conducted by forensic scene investigators from the Forensic Bureau. So when does the Detective Bureau get to take over the case investigation? This can¡¯t happen until daylight, once the working forensic doctor reviews the forensic scene investigator¡¯s reports on the scene and the deceased, confirms it is a homicide, and issues a written appraisal report to the Detective Bureau. Only then can they formally take over the investigation of the case. In summary, it¡¯s quite cumbersome. ... Brian¡¯s task for the night was to temporarily collect corpses and describe their characteristics. Before Brian arrived, Tom had already prepared the report materials, so he led Brian to the two hearses and then tucked himself in the neighboring small room to bury his head in report writing. Looking at the two corpses wrapped in body bags, Brian took a deep breath of air thick with the smell of disinfectants and formalin, changed into his clothes, turned on his photography equipment, inserted an unnumbered card, and prepared to begin his work. Whoosh¡ª The sound followed as the chain was pulled. Two female corpses, unrecognizable and with grotesque expressions of death, appeared before Brian. Although Brian was a slacker, in his more than two years handling over a thousand bodies, he had gained a basic level of visual assessment. These were clearly blunt force trauma deaths. It was very likely the perpetrator was a very strong male, who must have been in an extremely agitated state when he caved in the cheeks of the two victims. ¡°It kind of looks like a crime of passion...¡± Brian numbly took a few glances and moved towards the body on the right, ready to make a quick note. Just then, The incandescent light in the morgue flickered slightly. Brian instinctively looked up, everything seemed normal and just as he was about to continue his work, a cold feeling suddenly enveloped his hand near the hearse... Someone grabbed my right hand!!! Brian was shocked, almost instinctively breaking free from the cold embrace, he pulled out his gun, and his body abruptly retreated, hitting another hearse behind him. The next moment, That same icy, bone-chilling sensation appeared on another part of Brian¡¯s body. Brian looked down fiercely only to see a pale, rigid arm unabashedly grasping the spot where his work trousers formed a triangle, almost numbing his senses... What the fuck! I¡¯m a living person, can I be bullied by a corpse? A surge of anger welled up inside him! The succession of unexpected incidents, Far from frightening Brian, actually ignited emotions he had long suppressed. A mad smile crossed his face as he drew the detonator from his body, gripped the fuse, and with a wide grin, he laughed, ¡°This body, show some respect, or I¡¯ll stuff them into your cute little mouth...¡± Chapter 8 - 8 6 Golden Finger Dad You Finally Arrived! ?8: Chapter 6 Golden Finger Dad, You Finally Arrived! (Thanks to the alliance leader of the glorious night reader, thank you!) 8: Chapter 6 Golden Finger Dad, You Finally Arrived! (Thanks to the alliance leader of the glorious night reader, thank you!) Emotions surged violently. In Brian¡¯s crazed eyes, the afterimage of a Blood Moon flitted by, gone in an instant. The next moment. Everything before his eyes vanished. Brian¡¯s hands were empty, and he looked somewhat bewilderedly around him. The cold hand was gone. The icy touch on his body also disappeared. The detonator in his hand... gone as well. Two female bodies, faces beyond recognition, lay obediently inside body bags, their hands placed inside, without a single sign of having been moved. Everything just now seemed like a hallucination. Brian felt his body weakened due to the severe emotional turmoil, and for a moment, he couldn¡¯t distinguish reality from illusion. He tore open his clothes and looked at the detonator still in the pocket. He couldn¡¯t help but touch his face which still wore a crazed smile, and muttered uncertainly, ¡°Did I just have another episode?¡± But there were only two tragically dead female corpses here. No one could tell him the answer. ... After a short rest. Brian first glanced at the small room where his colleague Tom was located, seeing no response from him and thus letting out a sigh of relief. He stood up, returned to the camera, and pulled up the footage from just now. In the footage: Brian could be seen opening the body bags, after a glance, he suddenly froze as if having a seizure. No corpse grabbed his hand. He hadn¡¯t moved at all! Brian¡¯s face looked rather ugly. It seemed he really had an episode just now. He couldn¡¯t help but sigh. The threats from his uncle, the heavy responsibility from his foster parents, his body reaching its limits, his increasingly severe mental state... So many BUFFs stacking up. Brian didn¡¯t know how much longer he could hold on. But before sending his foster parents off and dealing with the clan members who buried him alive, threatening him. He absolutely couldn¡¯t fall! Brian clenched his fists, forcibly suppressing the oppressed emotions in his heart, deftly took out the memory card from the camera, physically destroyed it, hid it on himself, and then calmly replaced it with a new memory card in the camera. Fortunately, this thing hadn¡¯t been cataloged yet. Otherwise, explaining his mental abnormality would be difficult. After taking care of all this. Brian turned on the camera and once again focused his attention on the two bodies lying on the morgue carts. With this look. Brian¡¯s pupils dilated slightly. ... ¡°There are red orbs floating above both bodies?¡± Brian pinched his own thigh. It hurt. He then looked towards the camera but saw that the image within showed no sign of the red orbs! This time it wasn¡¯t a hallucination! Could it be... Memories that had been silent for decades began to awaken from the depths of his mind. Brian thought of that possibility, and his body trembled uncontrollably with excitement! Calm down! Calm down! After taking several deep breaths and suppressing the excitement in his heart, he pretended not to see the orbs. He just followed the normal workflow, took out the camera, photographed the bodies¡¯ surfaces, and then took out a form to organize and register the items Tom had brought back. After finishing all of this. Brian stepped forward, ready to pull the body bag¡¯s zipper back up, awaiting the forensic doctor¡¯s arrangements the next day. Upon getting closer. Brian seriously examined the two red orbs. Both orbs were roughly the same size. The orb floating above the body on the left had a much deeper color than the orb floating above the one on the right. Additionally, a red mist continuously wafted from the two orbs, visible only when one got close, the emanation very slow. Brian¡¯s gaze shifted back; under the camera¡¯s watch, he zipped up the body bag properly, then extracted the special memory card from the camera. Using a computer nearby, he recorded the card¡¯s number, along with all the items that were brought back, and archived everything. After completing all these tasks. Brian immediately returned to the two corpses. For safety¡¯s sake. He took a deep breath and extended his hand, sheathed in plastic gloves, toward the lighter-colored red orb on the right. As soon as Brian¡¯s fingers touched the orb. The motionless red orb silently shattered into countless fine specks of light, all flooding into his eyes. A sense of enlightenment surged into Brian¡¯s mind: Fulfill the corpse¡¯s wish and receive the gift from the dead. Besides this sense of enlightenment. Brian also felt a strange obsession in his heart: to kill Andres, the son of a bitch!!! ... Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Even with Brian¡¯s current state of mind, he was still so excited he could hardly stop himself from howling aloud! Golden Finger! It¡¯s really the Golden Finger! Golden Finger Dad, you¡¯ve finally come to see me! Do you know how I¡¯ve spent these past twenty-three years? At this moment. The always strong Brian felt tears welling up. In his previous life, he was just a social-phobic waste, living off the inheritance left by his parents. Since being reborn. The first eight years weren¡¯t too bad. Although the parents of this life weren¡¯t very wealthy, they were very kind to him. After that, he entered the Children¡¯s House. There were many experiences. Brian didn¡¯t want to remember any of them. Possibly at that time. His spirit had already become sick. As he grew up. To thank his family for their support. He gave up on becoming a dentist, forcefully endured the discomfort, and stayed at the Forensic Bureau. But he then suffered continuous blows. His only two pillars of kinship. One betrayed him, the other fell... But all of that. Was over now! Because Golden Finger Dad had arrived!!! ... Thinking of the plot lines from the novels he read in his previous life. Brian was really happy. His weak and overdrawn body. His twisted mental state. There was hope for all of it! Brian felt his life was filled with hope once again! After the excitement subsided a bit. Brian pushed aside the distracting thoughts and refocused on the Dead Man¡¯s Obsession he had just acquired. ... ¡°Kill Andres, that son of a bitch raised by a whore!¡± ¡°Who is Andres?¡± Brian glanced over the body in front of him, and then he realized. Since killing Andres was this dead person¡¯s obsession. Then the victim must have known this Andres! His colleague Tom, when he came back, would definitely have collected the victim¡¯s information as required by their work. He could just ask him for it later. ... Withdrawing his thoughts. Brian turned his attention to the small sphere on his left. This small ball was just too bright. ¡°Could it be that the brightness of the ball¡¯s color represents the intensity of the dead person¡¯s obsession?¡± With this guess. Brian repeated the previous action. The rubber gloves didn¡¯t affect Brian¡¯s absorption of the ball. Just like before. The moment his fingers touched it. The bright red sphere turned into countless points of light, flooding into Brian¡¯s mind. This time, there was no enlightenment as before. Only a powerful obsession surfaced in Brian¡¯s mind: protect Alli, ensure Alli¡¯s safety at all costs! ¡°Alli?¡± Brian shrugged his shoulders. Another unfamiliar name. ¡°Hopefully, Tom can give me an answer.¡± After Brian pushed the two mortuary carts into the cooler, changed his gloves, and walked toward his colleague Tom, who was still busy in the small cubicle. Chapter 9 - 9 7 Obsession Is This It ?9: Chapter 7 Obsession, Is This It? 9: Chapter 7 Obsession, Is This It? ¡°Crackle~¡± Pushing open the door of the small room. The rapid tapping sound of a keyboard flooded into his ears. Occasionally, he could also hear his colleague Tom¡¯s shrill and excited cursing. This guy was wearing headphones, engrossed in a game on the office computer that was similar to the game ¡°Warcraft¡±, which Brian knew from his previous life. Brian glanced at the focused Tom, then at the game interface¡¯s time and data, understanding the situation. No wonder Tom seemed deaf when Brian made noise just now. The game demanded high hand speed and concentration. Tom probably wasn¡¯t pretending. Thinking this, Brian sighed in relief. Although the likelihood of exposing his ¡°Golden Finger¡± was low, if anyone suspected him of mental issues due to his previous strange behavior, that¡¯d be troublesome. Because he really was ill. ... The immersed Tom suddenly felt a chill on his back. Turning around instinctively, he caught Brian¡¯s benevolent gaze. Tom thought Brian was about to question him for not helping out after finishing up and instead hiding here playing games, hastily he explained, ¡°Dude, I¡¯m not avoiding helping you, just afraid I¡¯d mess things up and cause you trouble.¡± Brian generously waved his hand, ¡°No worries, it¡¯s just facial scars on two bodies, not only gruesome but also highly coincident, this is probably not a simple homicide.¡± Talking about the case, Tom, the former detective, perked up. He quit the game, throwing down his headset, eagerly started to analyze, ¡°The traces left by this case are quite obvious. Both victims were clearly beaten to death with a blunt object, and the scattering of blood at the scene signifies the attacker was extremely agitated. Moreover, the death times of the two victims, as determined by the on-site tests, differ no more than half an hour. This indicates that the killer, after killing one victim, didn¡¯t hesitate at all before attacking the other. Do you know what that means?¡± ¡°What does it mean?¡± Brian felt like an idea was about to spring forth in his mind after hearing Tom¡¯s analysis, but it just got stuck. That¡¯s probably the difference between ordinary people and geniuses in terms of intelligence. Seeing no reaction from Brian, Tom couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes, ¡°It means that the killer¡¯s motive was very clear. Both female victims were neighbors. It¡¯s highly likely that the killer had conflicts with them or shared some common interest disputes.¡± Having said that. Tom confidently said, ¡°These clues are too obvious! I bet my colleagues at the Detective Bureau can arrest the killer in just a few days.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s the case.¡± Brian nodded thoughtfully, then felt somewhat disheartened. Colleague Tom had no remarkable performance in his detective career. But often, in terms of logical capabilities, he still overshadowed Brian. During college, the subjects weren¡¯t extremely complex, and with hard work, Brian didn¡¯t feel too pressured by his classmates. But that changed at the Forensic Bureau. Colleagues around him were all high achievers with high IQs. Even the field agents like Tom, who joined before the Forensic Bureau, were veterans in their related fields. Brian often felt inadequate intellectually and couldn¡¯t integrate into the group, ultimately relying on his rich resources in used cars to bribe his senior forensic colleagues to barely make it to where he was now. The gap between people. Sometimes, it¡¯s even bigger than the gap between humans and dogs. Who knows if his ¡°Golden Finger¡± could help with that? ... Brian shook his head, remembering his purpose, quickly suppressed the random thoughts, and shifted the topic, ¡°The two victims were neighbors and had a fixed residence, so their information should be easy to gather, right?¡± Tom nodded, ¡°Yeah, their basic information is in the database.¡± Speaking of which, he handed two printing reports still smelling of ink to Brian. Neither report was thick. In the top-right corners, a colored portrait photo of a woman was clipped with a paperclip. Brian first looked at the first report. The dead was named Carolina Ellis, 34 years old, unemployed homeless. Because he dealt and organized dealing of drugs, he had been incarcerated twice. Carolina Ellis had been married three times. However, due to health reasons, she had no children. Her last husband was named Andres Cook... Hmm?! Brian was jolted by the sight of that name! Wasn¡¯t this the obsession of the woman on the right? Were the couple actually husband and wife? Then, why was the deceased¡¯s obsession to kill Andres, and why, it seemed, was she so angry with her own husband? Could it be... Brian suddenly realized. Was the murderer Andres? ... Brian quickly turned to another report. This must be the basic information of the woman on the left. Brian first glanced at the photo. It was of a blonde woman with a gentle smile. Instantly seeing her could make you think of the mild sunshine of spring, gentle but not scorching, involuntarily lifting one¡¯s mood. Recalling her horribly disfigured face he¡¯d seen in the morgue... Even the numb-hearted Brian couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Why do beautiful things always meet with grim fates? With a sense of regret, Brian¡¯s eyes moved down. The gentle woman, named Emmaline Keller, was 27 years old, an employee at a domestic service company, with no criminal record. Emmaline Keller, had been married once. But on the form, under husband¡¯s section, it was listed as deceased. This meant that Emmaline Keller had not divorced but was a widow. However, she still had a daughter. The daughter, three years old, was named Alli Dicker. ¡°Alli!¡± Brian immediately zeroed in on the crucial information. The left body¡¯s obsession was ensuring Alli survived! Could she have been worrying about her daughter before she died? Indeed! The deceased, Emmaline Keller was a widow, and her daughter was only three years old. At the time of the murder, Emmaline Keller¡¯s daughter Alli was most likely also in the house! But, Tom said that there were only two victims at the scene. Could the murderer have spared Alli? Or, did the murderer take three-year-old Alli with him? ... Brian feigned pity and said, ¡°The deceased named Emmaline Keller had such a gentle smile, and she has a daughter just three years old, sigh.¡± Tom followed with a sigh: ¡°Emmaline Keller died in the bathroom. Fortunately, her daughter was asleep upstairs at the time. The person who reported the incident was another victim¡¯s husband, Andres. He and his wife had a huge fight over financial issues. Andres went to a bar to drink. When he returned, he found his wife dead in the living room and reported the incident. The police sealed off the scene and knocked on the neighbor Emmaline Keller¡¯s door for some information, waking the little girl upstairs. The police then discovered there was another victim. But don¡¯t worry, judging by the time, that poor little girl should have been settled by the colleagues at the police station by now.¡± Hearing that the little girl was safe, Brian breathed a sigh of relief. But within a few seconds, the numerous blood-red light dots representing the obsession of the body on the left transformed into a blonde woman with a gentle smile, who said ¡°Thank you¡± to Brian, then dissolved into countless lights, completely merging into Brian¡¯s body. Brian was a bit baffled. The obsession, was that it? Then... where¡¯s my reward? Chapter 10 - 10 8 The Gift from the Dead Another Obsession ?10: Chapter 8: The Gift from the Dead, Another Obsession 10: Chapter 8: The Gift from the Dead, Another Obsession Brian hadn¡¯t expected, upon hearing that little girl Alli was safe, to somewhat clumsily complete the deceased¡¯s obsession. Surprisingly relaxed. But, what about the reward? The moment that thought crossed his mind. The numerous red specks that had just merged into Brian¡¯s body immediately transformed into fine streams of warmth, flowing throughout his body, and eventually concentrated on his kidneys, spongy complex, and other seriously depleted areas. It felt like countless warm little hands massaging him, so comfortable that Brian subconsciously squinted his eyes. Tom, nearby, stared at Brian peculiarly as he suddenly squinted. Not sure if it was an illusion. He thought his pretty-boy colleague¡¯s expression was somewhat... provocative. ¡°Provocative?¡± Seeing the tall and sturdy Brian, Tom couldn¡¯t help but shudder and said uncomfortably, ¡°Buddy, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°Huh~¡± Brian reopened his eyes, exhaling a cloudy breath of relish. That look was just like a man expelling his first puff of post-coital smoke after the deed. 99% similarity in the posture! Tom¡¯s gaze toward Brian got even weirder. Realizing that Tom was staring at him with a strange expression, Brian quickly made an excuse, ¡°Nothing. I was just thinking. Why would the killer brutally murder a mother, yet spare the child upstairs?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, it needs investigation, but that¡¯s none of our business,¡± Tom urged, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s getting late, you should head home and rest.¡± ¡°Okay, see you tomorrow.¡± Brian didn¡¯t stand on ceremony and left the small room. However, he didn¡¯t rush home. First, Brian returned to the morgue, pulling out several bodies from the freezer, trying to gain new obsessions from them. Unfortunately. More than twenty bodies, some fresh and others stored for half a month. No orbs of obsession were found hovering above them. Recalling the red orbs slowly releasing smoke earlier. Brian speculated. There might be a time limit for obsessions to remain on corpses. The specific duration. Would require further study. ... Leaving the Forensic Bureau. Brian didn¡¯t rush back. He parked his car on the roadside, pulled open his shirt, nostalgically stroking his less-than-solid abs, his expression shifting from joy to twisted... They were back! For the first time in three to four years, his abs, which had disappeared, had come back! The Gift from the dead was freaking awesome! After merging those blood-red specks, Brian found himself not only full of vigor, but his chronically aching lower back and sore spongy complexes also felt much more relaxed. He guessed this Gift must be an Enhancement of his body. How much Enhancement? That was still unsure. All Brian knew was that the debilitating weakness that always seemed to threaten sudden death had vanished from his body. His health, although not fully recovered, had improved a lot! This experience of completing an obsession also gave Brian some insights about his ¡°Golden Finger.¡± The obsessions of the corpses. Most likely derived from what the deceased cared about most while alive. For instance, the corpse on the left, Emmaline Keller, was certainly very worried about her daughter Alli¡¯s safety before her death; hence, the obsession was about that. The exact principle of completing an obsession. Brian was still unsure. It could be rulessly idealistic. Or it might be determined by his own vision, seeing whether the obsession was truly fulfilled. After all, it¡¯s difficult to lie to oneself. But Brian didn¡¯t want to delve into it. Ever since his Spirit sustained issues, he never inwardly drained himself. As for the Gift after fulfilling an obsession. That process lasted a very brief time. Just a few seconds. Without prior mental preparation, it was easy to become mentally absent while receiving the Gift. Normally, it was okay. But in dangerous situations, a few seconds of distraction could be fatal. That must be guarded against. ... ¡°Right, I still have another obsession to complete.¡± Brian remembered another corpse¡¯s obsession: ¡°Kill Andres, that bastard raised by a bitch!¡± Andres was the husband of another deceased, Carolina. If his earlier guess was correct: the obsession on a deceased¡¯s remains is the thing they most wanted to do before death. So, Andres, who had reported the case himself, was a major suspect as the murderer. If that was truly the case. Wouldn¡¯t that mean, in future cases, he could gather important clues through his obsession, and even directly pinpoint the murderer? Thinking of this. Brian lit a cigarette, his eyes squinting. Earlier, when he was looking through the files, he had deliberately noted down Andres¡¯ address. If Andres was the murderer. To obtain the Gift of the corpse. Then he must act before the Detective Bureau. Although Los Angeles has the death penalty, it leans towards formalism. Once Andres was arrested by the detectives of the Detective Bureau. It would be hard for him to fulfill this obsession. After finishing a cigarette. Brian, imitating his uncle¡¯s habit, pinched out the cigarette with his fingers and placed the butt in his pocket, then restarted his car and vanished into the night. ... Is there such a thing as a perfect crime? Brian didn¡¯t know. But with over two years of experience at the Forensic Bureau and having conducted autopsies on more than a thousand bodies. Brian could stab someone eighteen times and still have it classified as a minor injury, and he knew how to leave no trace that could help detectives identify him. Autopsy work. His forensic ability might be average. But if he wanted to commit a crime. Sorry. Brian, who had been exposed and knowledgeable for over two years. Had deep professional knowledge from the beginning. Half an hour later. Brian parked his car, reversed his clothing, put on shoe covers, a head cover, and a mask, checked his surroundings, walked down the middle of the street, avoiding conspicuous road surveillance, crossed three streets in succession, and finally stopped in front of a two-story house surrounded by police tape. It was a typical standalone house in an American community with a small yard separated from the neighboring houses by hedges. The lawn in front of the door was neatly maintained. This indicated that the community was managed by a property company, not independent housing. Certain public areas within the community were likely equipped with surveillance devices. A dim streetlight nearby cast the only significant light source in the surroundings. Brian glanced next door and noticed the same police tape. The address was correct. This was where his target, Andres, lived. Brian didn¡¯t come to seek Andres. Because Andres definitely wasn¡¯t here now. For such in-house homicides. The police usually seal off the crime scene and arrange for officers, either openly or secretly, to guard the site. Besides preventing anyone from entering and tampering with the scene. To some extent, it was like laying in wait. ... Although from what he could see. Brian saw no guarding officers. But familiar with the police workflow, he was certain an officer was hidden somewhere. This was the confidence professionalism brought him. If there were other residents in the house, they would be temporarily accommodated in inns or designated places by the police until the blockade was lifted. To ensure timely reception of things like mails. A note was usually left by the homeowner on the mailbox outside the house before they left. That was Brian¡¯s real aim. Brian didn¡¯t glance around. Using the dim surroundings to guide him, he pretended to be a late-returning passerby, walked from inside the community, then quickly glanced at the mailbox next to Andres¡¯ door as he passed. There was indeed a post-it note left. Brian swiftly read the content, ¡°If there are any mails, please forward them to room 304 at the Little Sparrow Inn. I will pay twenty US dollars as compensation.¡± He memorized the inn¡¯s name. Brian didn¡¯t linger and disappeared at the end of the street. ... Back in his car. Brian breathed a sigh of relief. He was thankful that no officer had suddenly appeared to stop him and ask for his identity. Otherwise, he would likely have given up on completing this obsession. The reception places arranged by the police are usually cooperative apartments, not inns. Thus, the Little Sparrow Inn must be Andres¡¯ own choice. It stirred something in Brian. It was nearly three in the morning now. Most small inns¡¯ front desks were also asleep by then. As for surveillance. Easy to handle. Brian had previously assisted at scenes and seen how criminals dealt with such matters. ¡°Better to get it done early for peace of mind!¡± Brian contemplated briefly and decided to fulfill his obsession tonight! Chapter 11 - 11 9 Not Talking ?11: Chapter 9: Not Talking? Do as You Damn Please! 11: Chapter 9: Not Talking? Do as You Damn Please! Brian was not very familiar with the local area. He didn¡¯t know where the Little Sparrow Inn was. Considering that the target, Andres, was more familiar with the surrounding environment, the location of the inn should not be too far from the other¡¯s residential community. After wandering around for a while, Brian finally saw the neon-lit figure of a little sparrow on a rundown street. ¡°Thank God for privacy laws!¡± At this time of night in downtown Los Angeles, many public places still had not installed surveillance equipment; instead, private residences, due to the not-so-great security environment, usually had surveillance cameras in their courtyards. Brian chose a spot without surveillance to park the car, avoiding those monitored private residences, and after turning left and right for seven or eight minutes, he arrived at the back alley of the Little Sparrow Inn. All around was pitch darkness. In most cities in the United States, it was not safe in the early hours of the morning. At this time, very few people would be out and about. Brian, carrying a flashlight and the screwdriver from the car repair kit, groped around for a moment and finally came to an electrical box, after a bit of fiddling, he cut the power supply to the small inn. After all this, Brian pricked up his ears, listening for any movements inside the Little Sparrow Inn. The silent night. Apart from the occasional barking of dogs and meowing of cats from afar, there was no sound coming from the inn. This was normal, though. It wasn¡¯t like it was a bar or nightclub. At over three in the morning, even those playing table tennis would have long since gone to bed. He guessed that no one inside the inn had realized the power was out yet. After waiting for another moment, Brian then returned to the front door of the Little Sparrow Inn. He glanced at the now-darkened inn sign, squatted down, and stuffed the sponge he had pulled from the backseat of the car into his shoe covers, then slipped the covers back onto his feet. This not only effectively reduced the sound of his footsteps but also blurred the distinctive traces that the shoe covers might leave. Even if he accidentally left traces in the inn, even the most skilled trace expert could only conclude that the owner of the traces deliberately disguised them, but it would be difficult to obtain precise information. ... The Little Sparrow Inn was a typical community family-style inn. Compared to the complicated procedures required for renting a house, many families with unstable work income would live in such small inns for the long term. Some engaged in affairs or solicited prostitutes would also choose this kind of place as their meeting venue. Therefore, the inn¡¯s front desk was very simple, more like a long table placed haphazardly, with a small gap near the wall for entry and exit, and a sofa in the not-so-large space behind it. A fat man with a full beard was sound asleep on the sofa, snoring loudly. There was also a small desk lamp plugged in on the table. This lamp must have had a charging reserve feature, so it was unaffected by the power outage. This made Brian¡¯s task easier. He moved gently, making his way through the small gap to the fat man¡¯s front desk, found the right spot, and with gloved hands, he firmly grasped the other¡¯s mouth and the carotid arteries on both sides of the neck. The fat man, deep in snoring sleep, began to struggle noticeably. But before his consciousness could fully return, the blockage of blood flow from his carotid arteries meant that in just a few seconds, the fat man returned to a baby-like, peaceful sleeping pose. Brian quickly withdrew his hands. Fainting caused by insufficient blood supply would last a few minutes, depending on each person¡¯s constitution. In severe cases, it could be fatal. A few minutes were enough for Brian to move freely. He first picked up the notebook on the desk, found the registration for room 304, and confirmed that the target Andres was indeed staying there, then he took the key for room 304 from the wall where the keys were hanging. In a moment, Brian stepped on the poor-quality carpet and inserted the key into the lock. With the room door opened a crack, Brian silently extended his hand in the dark, feeling for the mounted door latch chain, removed it, and then quietly pushed open the door before gently closing it again. The dim moonlight filtering through the window, Brian saw on the high, thick mattress against the wall of the inn¡¯s room, a figure not so tall lying there. The room had a heavy scent of alcohol. Clearly, the person on the bed must have drunk quite a lot before going to sleep. Brian did not relax his vigilance because of this. Like a phantom, he approached the bed and extended his hand more adeptly. Once bitten, twice shy. The figure on the bed, presumably under the influence of alcohol, was sleeping deeply, barely struggling even as his breathing was obstructed, and a few seconds later, the struggle ceased as well. Only then did Brian exhale a sigh of relief, withdrawing his hands. He first tied up the figure¡¯s hands and feet, stuffed something in his mouth, and then switched on his flashlight, searching the room until he found the other person¡¯s driver¡¯s license. Comparing the portrait on the license Brian confirmed that the person sleeping soundly on the bed was indeed his target¡ªAndres. By the light of the flashlight, Brian noticed that Andres, that guy, hadn¡¯t even taken off his clothes or shoes. It seemed the police thought he was too drunk, so, without even questioning him, they let him find a place to sober up on his own. The arrangement seemed a bit sloppy. But in this country, being a police officer is just a job. No one wants to look for trouble. ... Identity confirmed, Brian didn¡¯t hesitate and moved forward to fulfill the obsession of Andres¡¯ wife. Just then, Cough, cough~ A torrent of vomit erupted from Andres¡¯ mouth. The vomit not only woke Andres up but also expelled the gag from his mouth. Andres didn¡¯t seem to realize what had happened. Trying to get up, he found his hands and feet were bound. His first instinct was to cry out in alarm. A sharp Phillips screwdriver, following his wide-open mouth, pressed against Andres¡¯ throat. Brian¡¯s exposed gaze was ferocious. His entire body pressing down on Andres, he huskily whispered, ¡°If you want to die, make a sound!¡± Andres still had a lot of alcohol in his system and couldn¡¯t muster much strength. Realizing he was bound and at knife-point, he dared not resist and quickly began making whimpering noises to indicate he wouldn¡¯t fight back. Brian had intended to get it over with quickly. But Andres had just happened to wake up. This was a good opportunity to test the mechanism of obsession. With that thought, Brian slowly withdrew the screwdriver from his hand, waved the flashlight directly into Andres¡¯ eyes, making the latter squeeze them shut, before he softly asked, ¡°Why did you kill your wife and the single mother next door?¡± ¡°What?¡± With his eyes tightly closed, Andres, blinded by the sharp light, suddenly opened his panicked eyes and stammered in an attempt to defend himself, ¡°I... I didn¡¯t... huh?¡± He seemed to realize something; his panic slowly subsided into calm, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, but I must tell you, whatever your identity, you are now violating my personal safety, and that¡¯s against the law!¡± Watching his reaction, Brian¡¯s brow furrowed. Was this guy not afraid of dying? Seeing Brian remain silent, Andres became more confident in his theory and tried to draw Brian out, ¡°Although I don¡¯t like my wife, I wouldn¡¯t kill her, nor would I harm that poor single mother. If you, the detective, suspect me, please present your evidence, or else please release me.¡± Brian understood suddenly. So, Andres took him for a detective who didn¡¯t play by the rules, trying to intimidate him into talking. That made sense. The case had just been reported, and someone showed up at the Little Sparrow Inn to catch him, then questioned him about the case. Anyone slightly clever would guess it was some police officer taking matters into his own hands. Brian¡¯s eyes glinted with scorn. What a pity, he wasn¡¯t. Won¡¯t talk, huh? The hell with you wanting to talk or not! The next moment, a sharp screwdriver pierce Andres¡¯ throat through his carotid artery with a ruthless precision. Andres¡¯ eyes bulged, trying to scream his last, but the surging blood from the damaged artery drowned out his voice, leaving only a desperate gurgling sound. Brian didn¡¯t linger. Using a bedsheet to press against the wound, he removed the screwdriver, cleaning off the blood, closed the room door behind him, and walked away. Behind him, a great deal of blood, propelled by internal pressure, sprayed from the wound, slowly staining the white comforter covering it with blood... Chapter 12 - 12 10 Physical Enhancement Again Death Memories Happy Lantern Festival ?12: Chapter 10 Physical Enhancement Again, Death Memories (Happy Lantern Festival) 12: Chapter 10 Physical Enhancement Again, Death Memories (Happy Lantern Festival) After descending the stairs, Brian returned the key to room 304 to its original place. He didn¡¯t hurry to leave but instead, holding a screwdriver, lifted the reception desk¡¯s blinds to watch the movements of the eyes, confirming that the other person wasn¡¯t feigning sleep, before quietly departing. Back in the car, Brian took off the items on him and packed them neatly. While recalling all his actions just a moment ago, making sure nothing was missed, he waited for the feedback from Golden Finger. This was also an experiment for him. The wound inflicted seemed simple, but even if Andres was on the surgery table in a hospital right now, his chances of survival were next to none. He was as good as dead! Yet, when Brian had left, the other man was still alive. Brian couldn¡¯t accurately determine the time of the man¡¯s death. If Golden Finger could still provide real-time feedback, then it would mean that the mechanism to determine when an obsession is fulfilled belongs to a set of rules and doesn¡¯t rely on Brian¡¯s perception. It also meant that Brian couldn¡¯t exploit the system by tricking it with self-suggestion as a loophole. ... Regarding killing, Brian felt no discomfort in his heart. On the contrary, when he drove the screwdriver into the target¡¯s carotid artery, Brian felt an oddly satisfying sense of euphoria surge from his head to his feet, almost making him shudder with pleasure. It was a delightful feeling. But this wasn¡¯t the euphoric sensation brought about by the Gift from the deceased. It was more like... the relief a cranky person who quit smoking feels when they finally give in to their nicotine cravings after a long period of resistance. It was eerie. In fact, this wasn¡¯t Brian¡¯s first kill. He had killed someone for the first time when he was eight years old. And not just one person. But back then, he reacted with nausea, fear, and had nightmares for a long time. This time, however, it was a completely new sensation. Killing, but feeling very satisfied... ... ¡°Could it be that I¡¯m a natural-born psychopath?¡± Brian chuckled, dismissing the thought, took out his cellphone, and calmly estimated the probable time of the target¡¯s death. As for the reactions after Andres¡¯s corpse was found in the hotel tomorrow... Brian didn¡¯t care. In the absence of the Heavenly Eye system and concrete evidence, the police generally start their investigations by examining the motive, the victim¡¯s relationships, and so on. Between Brian and the target, they were strangers, without any direct or indirect connections, favors, or grudges. Even if the detectives racked their brains, they wouldn¡¯t suspect him. This was also why the most difficult cases to crack are those that are random acts without any apparent reason, involvement, or eyewitnesses. ¡°Almost time.¡± Brian murmured softly. A few seconds passed, and a familiar feeling spread through his body. This was the Gift after the completion of an obsession! Andres was dead! While Brian was pleased, he also felt a tinge of disappointment. This meant that the criterion for determining the completion of an obsession was probably rule-like. He couldn¡¯t exploit any loopholes. ... The Gift this time was still a physical Enhancement. However, its intensity was much weaker compared to the last Gift. Brian guessed that this might be related to the intensity of Andres¡¯s obsession before his death. For the sake of her children, a single mother¡¯s obsession with protecting them before passing would naturally exceed another¡¯s vendetta obsession. With mental preparation this time, Brian, although thrilled, didn¡¯t lose his focus. That came as a relief to him. Otherwise, if one day he was in danger and the Gift arrived, spacing out for a few seconds could prove fatal. Now, Brian didn¡¯t have to worry about that anymore. ... A few seconds later, the Gift ended. Brian sat in the driver¡¯s seat and moved his body lightly. After two consecutive physical Enhancements, Brian felt as if his once riddled body had shed an enormous burden; he not only felt relaxed but also full of energy as if he had returned to the robustness of his eighteen-year-old self before he started juggling part-time jobs. Beyond that, The body, originally fatigued from being on edge, had also returned to its best condition after the Enhancement. This meant that the Gift of body enhancement came with the added function of recovery. Brian¡¯s imagination ran wild. Did this mean that if one day he were severely injured or even lost a limb, he could rely on this miraculous ability to heal? If so, that would be incredibly awesome! ... After calming down, Brian first drove to the suburbs, dug a hole, and threw in everything he had used that day, including the outer clothes and trousers, set them on fire, and waited until everything was buried as ashes before returning home. Back at his place, Brian took another shower, changed into pajamas, and started testing his current physical condition. The result was somewhat disappointing. There had been a qualitative change compared to before. But he hadn¡¯t truly returned to his state at eighteen. All he could say was, he had gone from being in a seriously depleted state, with a body full of holes, on the verge of sudden death, to a sub-healthy state of a typical 23-year-old young man. ¡°It seems that the feeling I had before was just an illusion of strength produced after my body had recovered,¡± Brian thought, feeling a bit let down. But the feeling wasn¡¯t strong. At the Forensic Bureau, what was most abundant? Dead bodies, of course! Great fear lay between life and death. Brian wasn¡¯t worried at all that he would lack obsession in the future. As long as he gave himself time to develop, Brian dared not think about how strong he would be later on. By then, threaten me? ... He had to work tomorrow. Today, he had gone through too much. Even though Brian¡¯s body was much healthier now, his spirit was utterly exhausted. He set his alarm clock, brimming with expectations for a brand-new life, and quickly fell asleep... ... ¡°Where am I?¡± Brian looked around at the white space in confusion. Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be sleeping? Just as Brian was puzzled, two points of light appeared out of nowhere before him. Along with the appearance of the light points, there was a moment of enlightenment: he was now in his Spirit Space in the form of a spiritual body, and the two light points were fragmented memory segments from moments before the death of two people who died after their obsessions were fulfilled. Brian casually crushed one of the light points. The next moment, several fragmented scenes appeared before him as if a movie was playing: A not bad-looking woman, disheveled and overweight, was yelling at a man with one hand holding a cigarette and the other pulling at the man¡¯s hair. The man was forced to look up, eyes closed, fists clenched, silent. A thought crossed Brian¡¯s mind. The man was Andres, whom he had just killed. The woman was Andres¡¯s wife, also one of the victims tonight. Sadly, the memory had images but no sound. Thumbs down! As the first scene shattered, a new one appeared: A soap opera was on the TV, Andres¡¯s wife, draped in a blanket, holding unfinished leftovers, head tipped back, asleep on the couch. Andres, wearing white gloves with a bloody hammer in hand, his face red and drunken, came in from outside. He walked straight behind the couch, eyes slightly bloodshot, peeked over, looking down from above, his eyes locked onto his wife with whom he once shared many happy memories. Andres¡¯s wife, as if sensing something, opened her eyes in confusion. The next moment, Andres¡¯s arm holding the hammer lifted high and came crashing down... The scene cut off there. Brian clicked his tongue. The killer really was that guy Andres! From the two clips, it seemed that in the marriage, Andres was the one being oppressed. Tonight, the couple had argued over something, And Andres, in a fit of rage, went out to drink and, under the influence of alcohol, committed a crime of passion. But why did he kill his neighbor, who was a single mother? From the sight of Andres walking into the room with a blood-stained hammer, it seemed he had first killed the neighbor and then returned to his own home to kill his wife. With curiosity, Brian crushed the remaining light point. Chapter 13 - 13 11 This World So Ugly ?13: Chapter 11 This World, So Ugly 13: Chapter 11 This World, So Ugly With the second pinpoint shattered, a new image appeared before Brian. It was the first time he had seen the real face of the single mother, Emmaline Keller. Although the 27-year-old mother was not strikingly beautiful, her soft features, and the permanent, gentle smile on her lips made her easily likeable, portraying her as a kind-hearted woman. And indeed, she was. In the scene, Emmaline Keller, dressed in pajamas, looked worriedly at her staggering drunk neighbor, Andres, who had appeared before her. She hesitated, glancing towards the second floor, but eventually decided to help Andres into the room. She considerately poured him a glass of water and fed it to him, before taking a coat to seemingly go and fetch Andres¡¯ wife from next door to take the drunken neighbor off her hands. She did not notice that Andres, seemingly reeking of alcohol, transformed the moment she turned away. His previously blurry drunk eyes became greedy... The first image shattered. Brian clenched his fists. He had guessed what would happen next. Damn it! Should good people always face calamities? Seeing her plight caused Brian to think of his own situation, feeling strong empathy! Look at himself, a good-hearted man, pushed to the edge by life! With rising anger, Brian looked at the newly formed second image: It appeared to be inside a bathroom. Everything had changed. The gentle and kind-hearted Emmaline Keller, who always wore a smile, now had a face showing signs of bruising. Her once neatly worn coat and pajamas had vanished. She lay on the cold floor, with tears in her eyes, naked, continuously knocking her head towards the shadow blocking the bathroom door, her lips quivering as if begging for something. The shadow was the bare-chested Andres. He tilted his head, leaning against the bathroom door with a mocking expression, fierce eyes seemingly satisfied with this dominating, life-controlling sensation. It was not until a vehicle passed outside that Andres reluctantly nodded. Upon seeing this, Emmaline Keller wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, reluctantly looking towards the direction of the second floor, biting the towel in her mouth tightly, her body trembling with fear as she lay down and closed her eyes... The second image came to an end. Brian watched as the image faded into the void before him and was silent for a long time. After a while, he let out a long sigh. He had some guesses about the details of this case. But Brian was somewhat afraid to think too deeply. The details were too cruel! If his guess was correct, then ending the life of that beast, Andres, was too merciful! ¡°Ah!!!¡± This suppressed emotion caused Brian to scream wildly in the white space. Damn it! It was hard to calm down! Until he was completely exhausted. Brian, gasping for breath, floated in mid-air and cursed at the white space, ¡°Damn it, didn¡¯t you know I have mental issues? Why stress me out with these images? Let me out quickly!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the white space collapsed rapidly. As Brian¡¯s form dissipated, two barely visible light points merged into his spiritual body... ... Ding-dong~ The noisy alarm went off. Brian sprung from the bed, looking around, until he saw the familiar surroundings and relaxed. He seemed to have had a dream last night. No, that wasn¡¯t right! Feeling the clear memories in his mind, Brian realized that last night¡¯s white space and the memories of the deceased were not a dream! If he remembered correctly, before leaving, there were two cold light points that had merged into his spiritual body. Feeling that his mind was clearer than usual, Brian was invigorated. He understood. It must have been a gift from the deceased, albeit with subtle effects on the mental level. Still, Brian was not even certain if his spiritual power had actually been enhanced. He didn¡¯t dwell too much on it. Too lazy to think about it, assuming more experiences in the future would reveal the truth. But Brian distinctly felt, perhaps because the heavy burdens of the past had dissipated with the arrival of Golden Finger, his emotions were much livelier than before, and he was not as depressive and moody anymore. He became livelier. His numb heart also started to feel more animated. It was as if he had been reborn. Perhaps this was how he was meant to be. ... At nine in the morning, after freshening up, Brian, neatly dressed, kicked open the still-unrepaired apartment door, and spiritedly walked downstairs. In Los Angeles, every day from 7:00 to 9:00 in the morning and from 16:00 to 18:00 in the afternoon, it was rush hour. To save time and efficiently use resources, the Forensic Bureau had designed a work schedule suitable for Los Angeles. They adopted an early work and early leave system, such as the 8-hour workday. Staff could start at 6:00 and leave at 14:00 or start at 10:00 and leave at 18:00. This schedule was fixed for five days a week, and only required staff to report their next month¡¯s timings in advance at the end of the month, allowing great freedom. Due to his weak body, Brian always chose to work from ten in the morning to six in the evening and picked two days from Monday to Friday as his days off to avoid the peak visiting hours at medical institutions, making it easier to visit his foster parents. Half an hour later. Chapter 14 - 14 11 This World Truly Ugly_2 ?14: Chapter 11 This World, Truly Ugly_2 14: Chapter 11 This World, Truly Ugly_2 Forensic Bureau. After clocking in, Brian greeted his colleagues warmly and then headed to his workstation, leisurely sipping his prepared coffee while flipping through today¡¯s newspaper. 10:10 am. The senior manager gathered everyone from the Forensic Department for a meeting and work assignments. Brian took a seat at the back, skillfully avoiding attention. ... I must mention the structure of the Los Angeles County Forensic Bureau. The Los Angeles County Forensic Bureau consists of five departments: Forensic Department, Chemical Department, Operations Department, Administrative Services Department, and Public Services Department. The core is the Forensic Department. The other four departments exist to serve the Forensic Department. The Forensic Department receives the best treatment. Brian is a technical worker in the Forensic Department. He seldom does fieldwork. As for his colleague Tom from last night, he belongs to the Operations Department and specializes in fieldwork. .. The main body of the Forensic Department is the forensic doctors. There are 17 general forensic doctors, four senior forensic doctors, one supervisory forensic doctor, and one chief forensic doctor. There are a total of 23 forensic doctors. In Los Angeles, there used to be a highly experienced autopsy officer, who held a position equivalent to the chief forensic doctor. However, he was aging and could not keep up with the rapidly advancing modern equipment. So, he retired last year. Back to the main topic. Among the 23 forensic doctors. The chief forensic doctor, whose rank is comparable to the chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, holds a very high position and generally does not get involved in frontline work. The usual main business of the Forensic Bureau is typically handled by the supervisory forensic doctor and a few senior forensic doctors, who are responsible for assigning cases to all the forensic doctors in the bureau. These individuals also rarely engage in ordinary frontline work. That is to say, the vast business volume across Los Angeles County is essentially managed by the 17 general forensic doctors at the bottom level. Los Angeles County, with a population of over ten million, has so few forensic doctors because the requirements to become one are very stringent. They need to first complete four years of university in engineering, then study four to five years in medical school, followed by another four to five years as residents specializing in anatomic and clinical pathology in a hospital. Generally, at this stage, these doctors in their thirties, apart from being a bit lower in status and academic authority, already earn substantially more than the ordinary forensic doctors. That is to say, many talented individuals at this point do not choose to switch careers. Only a minority, due to various reasons, choose to resign from the hospital and then take a national professional examination. After passing the exam, they must then spend a year at the Forensic Bureau as forensic pathology interns, completing over 250 autopsies without issues before they can become professional forensic doctors. What does this mean? It means from a high school graduate, if every step goes smoothly, it requires a minimum of 13-14 years to become an ordinary forensic doctor with a monthly salary of over ten thousand dollars at the age of over thirty. It¡¯s a no-brainer for anyone sane. Out of ten capable individuals who reach this stage, nine would choose to become doctors. Only the remaining one would opt to change careers for a lower income and higher academic authority and status as a forensic doctor. Therefore, those unremarkable-looking, mostly balding white-coated individuals sitting in front of Brian, any one of them thrown out, belong to the top talent in Los Angeles County. ... The meeting lasted about half an hour. Actually, it was mostly a formality. The core was the work sheet handed down by the secretary at the end. With the work sheet in hand, Brian changed into a butcher-like full set of surgical clothes ahead of time and went to the morgue, pushing the two victims¡¯ bodies delivered last night into the assigned autopsy room to wait. After about ten minutes, a middle-aged bald Caucasian yawning walked into the autopsy room where Brian was. The moment he saw Brian, the initially listless bald forensic doctor perked up: ¡°Brian, are you assisting me with the work today? That¡¯s fantastic! The used car you recommended last time was good, just a bit bland. Buddy, got any new leads?¡± Brian¡¯s mouth twitched beneath his mask, ¡°Dr. Henry, let¡¯s deal with today¡¯s work first.¡± Bald Henry nodded somewhat disappointedly. Compared to the cold bodies in the mortuary van, he preferred those warm, enthusiastic used cars. ¡°Alright, Brian, I trust you won¡¯t disappoint me, as for today¡¯s work...¡± Henry, the forensic doctor, yawned, ¡°We received a notice from above that a new department is being established in Los Angeles with very good compensation, Brian. You need more training. Today, you will complete all the work by yourself while I observe from the side.¡± This was clearly a violation of regulations. Henry did this obviously to gain access to the high-quality resources that Brian had, opting to actively please him. Brian did not refuse. ... Two hours later. Brian glanced at the female corpse marked with the standard Y-incision and said expressionlessly, ¡°The deceased, Emmaline Keller, 27 years old, Caucasian female... There are lacerations on the lower body, with no seminal residue. The victim must have been violated before death... There are multiple signs of teeth shattering, with the force directed inward, without obvious abrasion, likely from biting into some soft object. There is a significant accumulation of contusions around. Before death, the victim must have endured great pain but did not scream loudly; instead, she bit into an object, enduring the pain, which caused her to bite her teeth to pieces. In the gaps between the teeth, fibrous residues are present. The specific composition still needs testing... But, based on earlier analysis, I guess it¡¯s a towel. The cause of the victim¡¯s death was multiple blunt force trauma to the face, resulting in skull fracture, airway...¡± Henry, the forensic doctor, looked at Brian in astonishment. ¡°Man, your growth is impressive. At least I found no issues with your autopsy analysis; you might really have a chance to join that newly formed department.¡± He actually had more to say: like trace analysis. Just now, Brian¡¯s injury analysis. Even for him, a veteran forensic doctor of over ten years, it was somewhat astonishing. It was too professional. As if he had witnessed the crime scene himself! ¡°Henry, I actually heard about this from Tom at operations yesterday. Can you share some information about the new department?¡± Brian quickly processed the scene and took off his gloves, speaking casually. He did not show excitement about Henry¡¯s praise. Making these analyses. It was just that he knew the result and then reverse-engineered the process, basically cheating. Henry nodded. ¡°I only know that the department is governed by city government Z; it has dual authority over autopsies and solving cases. The name, inspired by New York¡¯s CSI, you can refer to it as the Crime Lab Group.¡± ¡°When?¡± Brian wrote down several numbers on a piece of paper and handed it to bald Henry. Henry accepted the paper with a smile, without beating around the bush. ¡°End of September. Someone will come to the Forensic Bureau to headhunt then. I¡¯ve heard because of this matter, the chief forensic doctor has been in a bad mood lately.¡± Brian nodded thoughtfully. It looked like he still had more than two weeks buffer time. ... In the afternoon. After lunch. Brian went to the deserted rooftop, lit a cigarette, and gazed profoundly at the distant skyscrapers. After the morning¡¯s autopsy. And combining it with the death scene images he had seen the previous night. He was almost sure what had happened last night: Andres, after a conflict with his wife, went out to drink. Perhaps stimulated by alcohol. Andres, not quite drunk, out of accumulated dissatisfaction, arrived at his neighbor Emmaline Keller¡¯s doorstep, pretending to be drunk and at the wrong door, used Emmaline Keller¡¯s sympathy to enter, and then assaulted her. At the time, Emmaline Keller¡¯s three-year-old daughter was sleeping upstairs. Perhaps this was why. Andres succeeded easily. After the crime. Andres did not choose to spare the poor single mother, Emmaline Keller. He decided to kill and silence her. Emmaline Keller, worried that Andres would also kill her daughter after killing her, knelt on the ground, desperately pleading with the man who had just violated her, and to avoid her own screams from waking the sleeping daughter and provoke Andres to kill, Emmaline Keller voluntarily bit into a towel, lay on the ground, and let Andres, the psychopath, hammer her to death with a hammer. Even though the pain caused her to bite her teeth to pieces. This woman, until death, did not utter a single scream... ... The long ash dissipates into the air. Brian let the burning cigarette butt scorch his fingertip¡¯s skin, breathing heavily, with the afterimage of a blood moon flickering in his eyes. Even after death. Emmaline Keller¡¯s obsession was not revenge. She just wanted to protect her child... Brian flicked off the cigarette butt, looking up at the blue sky and murmured, ¡°This world is truly ugly...¡± He somewhat missed the exhilarating feeling of the screwdriver piercing flesh that night. Chapter 15 - 15 12 A New Obsession ?15: Chapter 12: A New Obsession 15: Chapter 12: A New Obsession Near the end of the workday. Brian handed over the assay receipt form from the ¡®Forensic Processing¡¯ department, the death certificate, and so on to Henry, the bald forensic doctor. This was a clear case of homicide. Feedback emails. They had already been sent to the Detective Bureau that morning. This meant that all the Forensic Bureau had to do going forward was provide some technical support for this case; everything else was no longer their task. Of course, if the perpetrator were caught, then at the time of sentencing, Henry, as the forensic technical support expert for the case, would need to present the autopsy report in court and testify to ensure the fairness of the case. As for Brian... He was just an inconspicuous technician without the authority to testify in court. .. After clocking out from work, Brian didn¡¯t hurry to leave. He went to the morgue and offered a cigarette to the armed guard, ¡°Buddy, any sensational bodies come in today?¡± ¡°Hey, Brian.¡± The armed guard took the cigarette, greeting Brian warmly. The handsome young man in front of him was a known figure in the bureau, with anyone fairly informed aware that he had many high-quality, safe used cars. In the absence of conflicting interests, nobody would snub such a treasure of a colleague. When faced with Brian¡¯s inquiry, the guard didn¡¯t overthink it, pondering for a moment before nodding: ¡°There was a body that had been dismembered into many pieces and stuffed into trash bags to be discarded separately. We¡¯ve only found parts of the body so far. But through the number on a dental implant, the police confirmed the identity of the deceased, rumored to be a once-prominent lawyer who met some misfortune and ended up as a dismembered homeless man.¡± Brian found his interest piqued upon hearing that the victim had been a lawyer, ¡°This kind of case should be a revenge killing.¡± The intellectual ¡°Gift¡± of a highly intelligent victim. I wonder if it will enhance intelligence. The guard nodded: ¡°Maybe. There have been quite a few lawyers in Los Angeles killed or retaliated against with firearms. The discoverer was a Chinese illegal immigrant and homeless person. The poor fellow initially thought he¡¯d stumbled upon someone¡¯s discarded meat, but upon seeing a glans... He realized something was wrong and asked a passerby to call the cops.¡± As he mentioned the glans, the guard flashed Brian a mischievous smile. Brian:... I hope that unlucky Chinese compatriot doesn¡¯t spend the latter half of his life haunted by this psychological shadow. However, it¡¯s quite likely his latter half won¡¯t be very long anyway. Thinking of the plight of the homeless, Brian couldn¡¯t help but express his sentiment to the guard, ¡°It seems this case will be hard to crack.¡± The guard nodded, ¡°That place is a veritable bedbug camp; every day bedbugs go missing, and the police won¡¯t waste their effort on them.¡± You could tell. The guard had little regard for the homeless. Which was normal. Both the guard and Brian lived on taxpayer money. And those homeless people didn¡¯t have any money on them. Brian made some casual conversation before accompanying the guard to the morgue. The excuse. Was that there might be an assessment at the end of the month. He wanted more exposure. For Brian¡¯s slightly irregular request, the guard, having received contact information for several high-quality used cars, was very understanding. They were all their own people. If they didn¡¯t help out with this small favor, were they even human? Of course, help was a must! ... Shortly after, Brian had toured all of the bodies brought back that day, and afterward stood in the corridor smoking with a somewhat uncertain look. The collection of his obsession was not going smoothly. Today the morgue had received thirty-eight fresh bodies along with four rotten, incomplete corpses. Forty-two corpses. The only carcass nurturing an obsession was the one the guard just mentioned ¨C the dismembered remains of the lawyer. The lawyer¡¯s obsession was quite far-fetched: solving the survival problem of the homeless in Los Angeles. Wow. What a great person. He ended up as homeless himself and even got dismembered. Before dying, he actually didn¡¯t think about revenge but about the survival issues of the homeless... Thinking about this, Brian felt somewhat helpless. This obsession was most likely never to be fulfilled. As mentioned before. Brian didn¡¯t believe that the undocumented compatriot who called the police would have much longer to live. This was not a curse he was casting. It was just that the life expectancy of a homeless person in Los Angeles tended to be around three to five years. And by life expectancy, it wasn¡¯t to say that after three to five years, the homeless could turn their lives around. It meant the real countdown to the end of their lives. Yes. That short! Among men, those who could resist drug addiction, avoid medical experiments, and steer clear of women in the gathering areas might live a bit longer. Some with more experience could survive for twenty or thirty years, living past the age of fifty. Women... Women among the homeless were like public restrooms and incubators of infectious diseases. This was why it was rare to see female vagrants in the tents of the homeless. Unless there was a fixed safe rest area. Otherwise, even with a husband¡¯s protection, it was hard for a female vagrant to safely get through the first month or two. For instance, they might encounter gang assaults with no protective measures and no limit on the number of participants, during which their husbands might have to kneel aside, watching everything happening in despair. Or they might face theft, drug temptation, infectious diseases... All these were threats to their lives. The best outcome for these women was to find a gang and sell themselves. Only the younger female vagrants had this option. Such a group. Brian, even risking his life, couldn¡¯t fulfill the dead lawyer¡¯s obsession. Even the Los Angeles City Government could only limit this homeless population, which numbered in the tens of thousands, to a few fixed areas by segregating gathering spots, assigning temporary rest zones, providing daily food limits, and then... Letting them solve themselves. ... After smoking a cigarette, Brian prepared to leave the morgue with some disappointment. It seemed there was no gain today. Just as he was about to leave the morgue, A morgue van, pushed by a forensic examiner from the Forensic Bureau, rolled down the corridor towards the morgue. Following closely behind the examiner was a frowning white man in casual attire. Brian was really well-liked at the Forensic Bureau. The pushing examiner, upon seeing Brian, smiled tiredly and was the first to greet him, ¡°Hey, Brian, you look in good spirits today.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been exercising lately,¡± Brian responded while briefly glancing at the gurney in the man¡¯s hands. His eyes lit up as he steered the conversation, ¡°A body is being brought in at this time?¡± The examiner nodded begrudgingly: ¡°Yes, a poor guy who died in a hotel room, I was hoping to leave early...¡± ¡°Cough, cough!¡± The white man in the suit behind intentionally coughed to interrupt the examiner. The examiner looked at Brian awkwardly and shut his mouth. Seeing this, Brian didn¡¯t mind and moved forward to make the sign of the cross over the body bag. He uttered an ¡®Amen,¡¯ greeted them, and proceeded to leave the morgue. ¡°Is that pretty boy from the Forensic Bureau too?¡± Watching Brian¡¯s departing figure, the white man in the suit inquired of the examiner. The examiner nodded: ¡°Yes, his name is Brian, a forensic assistant in Forensic Affairs, a really good person liked by everyone here.¡± Hearing this, the white man nodded. He didn¡¯t ask further and continued to follow the examiner towards the morgue. ... Back in the car. A smile appeared on Brian¡¯s face. A new obsession acquired! Seeing no one around, Brian, unable to contain his excitement, rubbed his hands together like a fly, closed his eyes, and began to examine this new obsession. Chapter 16 - 16 13 Holy Shit! ?16: Chapter 13 Holy Shit! Can a Dog Have an Obsession? 16: Chapter 13 Holy Shit! Can a Dog Have an Obsession? For a moment. Brian opened his eyes with a strange expression on his face. The owner of this ¡°obsession¡± turned out to be Andres, whom he had killed. Calculating the time. It must have been during the afternoon cleaning at the motel that they discovered the body and called the police. Brian stroked his slightly stubbled chin. This guy had a high drop rate. While he was alive. He got taken down by me as material for a task. After dying, he even switched roles to become a task NPC, issuing a new quest. This beast¡¯s obsession was also quite bizarre: to dance on Carolina Ellis¡¯s grave and urinate. Carolina Ellis, that was Andres¡¯s wife. The color and intensity of Andres¡¯s obsession were only slightly less than that of the single mother¡¯s obsession from before. It was clear. Andres held a strong discontent for his wife, who wasn¡¯t exactly a saint either. This discontent even surpassed the grudge of Brian killing him. ¡°Dancing on a deceased person¡¯s grave and urinating is inhumane! However... On the other hand. Dancing compacts the soil on the grave. Urination fertilizes the grass above. This is an act of kindness and righteousness!¡± After such self-justification, Brian still decided to complete this obsession after some time had passed. ... In the following workdays. Brian was very diligent. Every time he finished his work, he would head to the morgue. Some people asked out of curiosity. Brian used the new department at the end of the month as an excuse, claiming he was ambitious. The establishment of the new department wasn¡¯t a secret anymore. Not just Brian. Many people in the Forensic Bureau wanted to use this opportunity to receive better treatment. So no one suspected Brian¡¯s unusual behavior. ... After a few days. Brian felt very frustrated. He had come in contact with over a hundred and seventy bodies. And only collected three new obsessions. The first new obsession belonged to an old lady. Her obsession was to find her long-lost first love and tell him about her years of longing and affection. She was someone who, due to a youthful promise, had kept herself chaste all her life because of love. Brian swore. He really wanted to help this respectable old lady fulfill her obsession. But after investigating. Brian found out that the old lady¡¯s first love had kicked the bucket over a decade ago. And the death was quite messy: he didn¡¯t pay for a prostitute, was subjected to gang violence as punishment, and was left beside the road as a deterrent, eventually bleeding out. The real kicker was, after more than a decade with no one to look after, the old lady¡¯s first love¡¯s ashes were who knows where. Brian couldn¡¯t fulfill this obsession either. ... The next two obsessions he gained. Were more or less the same. Either Brian found them too difficult to complete. Or the obsessions were too bizarre. Brian couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. The only thing he gained these past few days was the certainty that obsessions are not easily formed. Thinking about it makes sense. Everyone. In their lifetime, will have many regrets. But most people¡¯s regrets are not overly intense. It seemed the corpses most likely to harbor obsessions were those who had intense emotions and regrets while they were alive, or those who had undergone extremely painful experiences just before death, suitable for cultivating strong obsessions. Unfortunately. Brian discovered that recently, very few homicide victims were being brought to the Forensic Bureau. After inquiring with colleagues from the field service. Brian found out. After the phenomenon of the Blood Moon. The corpses clearly implicated in homicides were being sent directly to the mortuary at the Detective Bureau (Homicide Unit). The Los Angeles County Forensic Bureau had been stripped of its powers. Brian guessed. This was in preparation for the establishment of the ¡°Crime Experiment Group¡± that would follow. Regarding this, he had no choice but to quietly wait for the recruitment of the new department to begin. ... Day off. Brian left the suburban private medical facility with a smile on his face. He had come today specifically to visit his foster parents. To keep his foster parents from seeing the pressure he was under, every time he visited, Brian smiled like an idiot. Back in his car, Brian rubbed the cramps out of his smiling face, pulled a bunch of small notes from his pocket, threw away the contacts given to him by female nurses and doctors, and kept the payment bill, sighing deeply. To gather new obsessions and to smoothly join the new department at the end of the month, Brian had recently focused all his energy on work. As a result, his part-time income had significantly decreased. Next month¡¯s medical expenses were still up in the air. ¡°Two people, that¡¯s tens of thousands of US dollars a month, medical care really is a mountain weighing down on ordinary people¡¯s heads...¡± Brian crumpled up the payment bill in his hand, tossed it under the passenger seat, started the car, and prepared to head to his next destination. He was quite busy today. ... Almost an hour later, Brian looked at the old, dilapidated Children¡¯s House in front of him and knocked on the door. After a moment, a white-haired elderly woman who looked to be in her fifties, holding a child¡¯s sweater she hadn¡¯t finished knitting, opened the door somewhat bewilderedly. Brian looked at the old woman with a gentle smile on his face, ¡°Mrs. Brown, I¡¯m Brian, long time no see.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± The old woman looked at the tall, handsome Brian in front of her, puzzled, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t seem to remember you.¡± Brian wasn¡¯t surprised at this. The last time he was here, he was only eight years old. At that time, Mrs. Brown was not yet the matron of the Children¡¯s House. Brian recognized her because in recent years, when he was wealthy, he had donated to the Children¡¯s House¡¯s official website a few times and had seen photos of Mrs. Brown. Just as Brian was about to explain something, Mrs. Brown seemed to remember something, her pupils shrank, she kept retreating, looking at Brian as if she had seen a demon, her hands holding the yarn trembling uncontrollably. ¡°Brian!¡± ¡°I remember now!¡± ¡°Child of Disaster!¡± ¡°You are the Child of Disaster from more than a decade ago!¡± Amid Mrs. Brown¡¯s frightened cries, a white-haired, one-eyed black man rushed out of the kitchen holding a kitchen knife, his expression fierce, ¡°Mrs. Brown, what¡¯s going on!¡± Brian: ... ... A few minutes later, Brian silently left the Children¡¯s House, still watched by the wary one-eyed black man. He hadn¡¯t expected that after so many years, someone would still remember the nickname ¡°Child of Disaster¡± from his past... Brian had come this time to visit the three-year-old little girl from his first obsession, Alli. Unfortunately, he only obtained an address. He was able to get the new address of little Alli only after showing Mrs. Brown his several donation records to the Children¡¯s House. Due to Z state¡¯s Fooly policy, families that adopt children receive a substantial subsidy every month. Therefore, adopting children is quite prevalent in Los Angeles, sometimes even requiring a queue, affecting some families that truly wish to adopt children. This has led in recent years to many families not wanting to wait and opt to adopt children from certain countries abroad with more lenient vetting processes. Three-year-old Alli was adopted by a couple that met the adoption criteria on her third day at the house. ¡°I hope this little girl meets someone who loves her as her mother did.¡± Brian felt a touch of melancholy. ... Just as Brian was about to get in his car and leave, ¡°Whimper~¡± At that moment, a thin dog, all bones and jet-black fur, suddenly darted out from a nearby alley, biting onto Brian¡¯s pant leg as if trying to pull him into the small alley on the street. Looking at the dirty little dog, Brian frowned slightly, preparing to kick it away, but as he lifted his foot, he thought of the little girl Alli. He sighed, closed the car door again, and followed the dog¡¯s tugging into the alley. It was a narrow alley, not very long, ending at a large trash bin connected to the garbage chute of the adjacent apartment building. Next to the trash bin was a large dog, just as dirty and skinny. The moment he saw the big dog, Brian¡¯s pupils contracted. Damn! Do dogs also develop obsessions??? Chapter 17 - 17 14 Expensive Medical Costs Two in One ?17: Chapter 14 Expensive Medical Costs (Two in One) 17: Chapter 14 Expensive Medical Costs (Two in One) Watching the red ball hovering above the big dog, Brian was dumbfounded. He had thought that obsession was exclusive to human remains. Unexpectedly, a simple act of kindness today had led to a surprising discovery. The little dirty dog, which had been biting Brian¡¯s trouser leg, let go of the cloth and weakly wagged its tail at him, making pitiful whining sounds. Its dull little eyes occasionally glanced at the big dog on the ground, showing a great deal of spirituality. The big dog must be the little dog¡¯s mother. The little dog was trying to get Brian to save the big dog. Brian was unsure of the breed of the dog, but it certainly was spiritual. This made Brian realize something. The necessary condition for obsession must be unrelated to species but instead related to spirituality. Animals with spirituality could all potentially give rise to obsession! ¡°Don¡¯t cry anymore!¡± Brian gently pushed the scruffy little dog away with his toe, ¡°Let me see if your mom has any last wishes.¡± He ignored the little dog that was bustling in the big dog¡¯s embrace, calling out frantically, and squatted down, his palm grazing over the red ball hovering above the big dog. The ball shattered and surged into Brian¡¯s eyes. An obsession surfaced in his heart: to feed the children. Compared to humans, The obsessions of dogs are indeed simple and primitive. Brian remembered his mothers from two lifetimes and sighed. He took off his coat, spread it on the dirty ground, then moved the little dog away and placed the body of the big dog onto the coat, wrapped it up, and then put it along with the little dog into his car. He roamed around and finally found a vet clinic next to a large department store, paid a deposit, and asked the staff to wash the little dog and check its health. If possible, it would be good to feed the little dog something. Afterward, Brian bought a shovel at the mall, took the big dog¡¯s body, and drove to a deserted area in the outskirts where he began digging energetically. By the time he returned to the pet store, The sky was already dark. The returning Brian had a rather gloomy expression. The reason was simple. He hadn¡¯t received any feedback of the obsession being fulfilled. Either the veterinarian hadn¡¯t helped feed the little dog, Or something unexpected had occurred. Brian could only hope it was the former reason. ¡°You¡¯re finally here. I¡¯m already past my working hours.¡± A bespectacled, plump, thirty-something female doctor, upon seeing Brian entering, spoke with a tone of complaint. Brian shook the dirt off his grimy shirt, apologizing, ¡°Sorry, Dr. Laura, I went to the outskirts to bury the little dog¡¯s mother. I found them by the roadside. They looked rather pitiful, so...¡± On hearing this, the doctor¡¯s stern face softened, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s inside, but the condition isn¡¯t good. Actually, unless you¡¯re very wealthy, I wouldn¡¯t recommend continuing its treatment.¡± What? Brian¡¯s face tensed. That¡¯s what he was afraid of! The small dog was linked to his newly acquired obsession! Following the plump bespectacled doctor, Brian proceeded to the back of the veterinary hospital. The area was filled with large individual iron cages, holding various cats and dogs, indicating a substantial amount of business. But the little dog was not here. Passing through the cages, Brian entered a small, isolated room. The skinny little dog was confined in a cage against the wall, lying on a pet diaper, half-closing its eyes, completely lacking its previous lively demeanor. Above the cage was a tied-up IV bottle. The IV line dangled down, eventually connecting to the tiny right forelimb of the little dog. The little dog was on an IV. But Brian hadn¡¯t received any feedback that the obsession had been fulfilled. Apparently, an IV didn¡¯t satisfy the dog¡¯s simple obsession. It seemed that really feeding the dog and letting it eat by itself would be necessary. Brian observed the now cleaned little dog. The cleaned little dog revealed its originally light yellow fur, with long drooping ears that somewhat resembled a Golden Retriever but also somewhat different. It was too skinny. From the side, its ribs were clearly visible. Most critically, Brian noticed that the small dog¡¯s breathing was very weak; it had wholly lost the liveliness it had when they first met! He grew anxious, ¡°Dr. Laura, what¡¯s going on? It was very lively earlier.¡± Dr. Laura shook her head, explaining, ¡°That was just an illusion. This Labrador Retriever not only has severe malnutrition. I also detected the parvovirus in it. This is why I isolated it in this disinfection room.¡± ¡°What is the parvovirus?¡± Brian tugged at his tie in irritation, ¡°Can it be treated?¡± Damn! The little dog, it can barely open its eyes now. Let alone eat! How to feed it? The obsession might not be fulfilled again! Dr. Laura adjusted her pink glasses and said regretfully, ¡°The parvovirus is a virus with a very high mortality rate in dogs, even with treatment, the survival rate for pups is not high. The cost is not low, yet the survival rate is less than 5%. Give it up. Since you are kind-hearted, I will not charge you for earlier. You can leave now.¡± ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s no way to treat it?¡± Brian was reluctant to give up, ¡°Can we feed it something? I just can¡¯t believe that a few hours ago, it was eagerly wagging its tail at me! And now you¡¯re telling me it¡¯s going to die!¡± Facing the doubt, Dr. Laura¡¯s emotion remained stable, ¡°Actually, I also don¡¯t understand. Why it still had the strength to wag its tail when it just arrived at the store.¡± Chapter 18 - 18 14 Expensive Medical Costs Two in One_2 ?18: Chapter 14 Expensive Medical Costs (Two in One)_2 18: Chapter 14 Expensive Medical Costs (Two in One)_2 But that was just an illusion. Moreover, it was now struggling even to breathe. Feeding it would only block its throat and windpipe, hastening its departure. Well, there went his hope. Brian fell silent. He guessed that when they first met, the ragged little dog was also experiencing its last surge of energy, forcing its body to run out of the alley, looking for someone to save the big dog. If he had known, he would have fed it right then. Who could have expected it was a sick dog. ... Brian had just finished paying his adoptive parents¡¯ medical bills. Now, he had less than five hundred dollars to his name. Since the puppy was basically beyond saving, he didn¡¯t want to continue wasting his hard-earned money. With that thought, Brian prepared to turn and leave. At that moment, the dying puppy, sniffing with its little nose, seemed to smell something, and with effort, it opened its eyes and looked at Brian with a faint but affectionate whimper. Brian:... Oh. He softened. The heart that had hardened. In the instant he met the little dog¡¯s clear eyes, completely softened. Resigned to his fate, Brian looked at Dr. Laura, who was eyeing him with interest: ¡°It¡¯s a life after all, go ahead with the treatment, how much do I need to pay as a deposit?¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± asked Dr. Laura, who could see Brian¡¯s embarrassment: ¡°Currently, the medications for treating parvovirus are not cheap; a full course of treatment will cost at least one thousand dollars.¡± ¡°A thousand dollars?¡± Brian¡¯s newly softened heart hardened again: ¡°Well, it seems God has refused my good intentions, goodbye.¡± After saying that, he turned without hesitation and walked away. This caught Dr. Laura off guard. ¡°Wait!¡± She hastily grabbed the corner of Brian¡¯s shirt: ¡°I can see that you really want to save it, what I mean is, you can use other methods to make the payment...¡± ... A good two hours later, Brian, looking pale, walked out of the pet hospital with the ruddy-faced Dr. Laura¡¯s support. ¡°By the way, Brian, you haven¡¯t named the little dog yet.¡± Dr. Laura, after helping Brian into the car, suddenly asked. Brian touched his slightly aching back and gritted his teeth: ¡°Dog thief, name it Dog thief!¡± He said that in Chinese! Damn it! This seemingly decent woman. Actually prescribed him beastly medication! The medical bills were too expensive! If this stinking dog didn¡¯t make it and died, he would have to take it back and cook it in a hot pot to replenish his body! ¡°What?¡± Dr. Laura, completely befuddled. She didn¡¯t understand Chinese. Brian, looking at Dr. Laura¡¯s rosy cheeks, became even more irritated: ¡°I mean, call it Shi San!¡± Dr. Laura understood this time. She lightly traced her still ¡®young¡¯ lips with her finger: ¡°Shi San, a name with commemorative significance. I will figure out a way to get some special medicine to treat it. Your medical bills will be absolutely worth it.¡± ¡°You better be right!¡± Brian, feeling nothing in a certain area, trembled as he started the car and fled away, vanishing at the end of the street.. ... Watching the disappearing taillights, Dr. Laura lazily returned to the pet hospital and pulled down the shutter. She once again approached Shi San, the puppy, and said with a smile: ¡°Little guy, you are lucky to have found a kind-hearted owner, this is the precious medication I¡¯ve been reluctant to use despite several near deaths.¡± ¡°Wu~¡± Shi San, the puppy, hearing the noise, struggled to open its eyelids a few times but failed, only managing to let out an almost inaudible whine. Laura didn¡¯t dare delay. With some reluctance, she pressed a certain part at her waist, and a thin metal tube, only a third the thickness of a pinkie finger, appeared in her hand. Dr. Laura, holding the tube and hesitating numerous times, eventually steeled her heart and pressed one end against Shi San¡¯s neck, gently pushed. The next moment, As soon as the metal tube touched Shi San¡¯s fur, it immediately released several thin and imperceptible injection channels. By the time Dr. Laura withdrew the metal tube, an injection imprint looking like a circle was left on Shi San¡¯s neck, and it lingered for a long time. Whatever was inside the metal tube was unknown. But just ten or so seconds later, Shi San, who was previously at death¡¯s door, not only resumed normal breathing but his limp body even began trying to stand up again. Seeing this, Dr. Laura smiled faintly. She placed a can of dog food opened for him next to Shi San, locked the cage door, turned around to the reception desk, crouched down, and pressed somewhere under the table. The previously solid floor tile flipped over, revealing a narrow passage leading downward. ¡°What a waste of a precious life-saving potion. Just thirteen times. But it couldn¡¯t repay the cost. Laura licked her lips, She was good in many ways, but a bit lascivious. Especially fond of kind-hearted handsome men. Perhaps that was longing for what one lacked. But Laura didn¡¯t care. People like her could only feel alive when they gave in to their desires. Following the underground passage, Laura arrived at a small underground space, only five or six square meters and less than two meters high. As the soft light came on, Laura sat down at the only computer desk in the underground room, and after a complex identity verification, she accessed a website marked with a solemn pattern. She licked her full lips and entered Brian¡¯s name and approximate age. A moment later, As a loading bar completed, The faces of a dozen ¡®Brians¡¯ fitting the search criteria appeared on the small computer screen across Los Angeles. Among them, was the Brian she was looking for. But when Laura saw the dignified mark of the organization on Brian¡¯s information, her expression changed, and she quickly opened his profile. After a moment, She breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that a casual fling would involve a Lurker¡¯s family member...¡± However... Thinking of the kindness Brian exhibited before, A smile returned to Laura¡¯s face. Such a kind and cute little guy couldn¡¯t possibly be the organization¡¯s target. She could now, Enjoy herself for a while. ... Meanwhile, Brian returned to his apartment, exhausted. Opening the door, He collapsed straight onto the sofa. That woman was a beast! No idea how long it had been! To drug a kind person like him! What a loss! As Brian drifted in and out of sleep, A familiar warm current spread through his body. Brian jolted awake, eyes snapping open. What was this? Which obsession was fulfilled? Seconds later. The previously drained Brian energetically bounced up from the sofa. He knew. It was Big Dog¡¯s obsession that had been fulfilled. Still somewhat in disbelief, Brian took out his phone and checked the time. Less than an hour had passed since he returned from the pet hospital. Such a short time, And the dying little dog had eaten something? Something wasn¡¯t right! ¡°I wasn¡¯t fooled, right?¡± Brian suspected he was seduced by the female doctor. But he quickly dismissed the speculation. He had witnessed the little dog¡¯s state with his own eyes! He was a forensic assistant who had been practicing for over two years and had personally dissected more than a thousand bodies; even if his professional knowledge was lacking, his basic discernment was still better than the average person. He could confirm. At that time, the little dog was on its last breath. So... How exactly did Dr. Laura make the little dog recover rapidly enough to eat? A hint of dread flickered in Brian¡¯s eyes. He suddenly remembered his somewhat abnormal uncle, and his own ¡®Golden Finger¡¯ that appeared after a Blood Moon. Was the world really as simple as it seemed? ... After much random thought, Brian ultimately didn¡¯t have the courage to delve into Dr. Laura¡¯s secrets. Better to mind his own business. His current main goal was to join that ¡®crime experimentation group¡¯ at the end of the month and to strengthen himself in the shortest time possible to avoid any shenanigans from his uncle¡¯s side. After calming his emotions, Brian began to explore the Gift he had received. On closer inspection, He was stunned. This Gift was different! Apart from the just-received physical Enhancement, There were two unbroken orbs of light in his mind! Chapter 19 - 19 15 Olfactory Enhancement and Uncles Summoning Request for Follow-up Read ?19: Chapter 15 Olfactory Enhancement and Uncle¡¯s Summoning (Request for Follow-up Read) 19: Chapter 15 Olfactory Enhancement and Uncle¡¯s Summoning (Request for Follow-up Read) ¡°Is this it big time?¡± Brian scratched his head, trying to connect with the light point in his mind. The light point flickered in his consciousness and vanished in an instant. The next moment, Brian went completely black and collapsed stiffly onto the sofa, unconscious... Just as Brian passed out, In a basement warehouse in an Italian neighborhood, Brian¡¯s uncle, Billy, knelt on the ground, the foul-smelling blood slowly sliding down his grotesque muscles, gathering into a spotted circle beneath him. Around the circle were scattered fragments of flesh and bones. ¡°Huff~¡± Billy spat out the remnants of flesh and blood in his mouth, exhaling a long breath of stench. He twisted his neck, causing a cracking sound, before comfortably waving at the surveillance camera above. After a moment¡¯s wait, A series of sounds from metal scraping against metal could be heard. An unkempt old man with white hair, pushing a small cart, came up to Billy¡¯s side and threw him a clean towel, ¡°Billy, congratulations on staying conscious through this ordeal.¡± Hearing this, a trace of fear flashed through Billy¡¯s eyes. Without the old man¡¯s help, he would likely have lost his sanity and truly become a beast of desire. Just, He made it through this time. But what about next time? Sometimes, he couldn¡¯t understand whether the changes occurring to him were a gift or a curse. Billy silently wiped off the clinging chunks of flesh and blood from his body and spoke in a low voice, ¡°When is the next Mutation likely to happen to me?¡± The old man shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s different for everyone, it could be six months, a few years, even more than a decade. Your condition will stay stable, so you must take this rare opportunity to capture enough subjects.¡± Billy nodded, ¡°Understood.¡± Leaving the modified underground warehouse, Billy, now dressed in a clean suit, called out to his son, ¡°How is Brian doing?¡± Billy had two sons and one daughter. His eldest son had died early in New York. His daughter, currently developing a career in Hollywood, was a minor eighteen-line star. The one before him was Billy¡¯s second son¡ªFooly Kamor. Fooly was twenty-two this year, 1.8 meters tall, bald, with fierce eyes and a skull earring in his left ear; his exposed skin was covered in tattoos, nearly having the words ¡°bad guy¡± engraved on his face. Standing in front of his father, who was a head taller than him, Fooly lowered his head and whispered, ¡°Father, Brian hasn¡¯t shown any abnormalities since that night. His daily routine is very regular. He even stopped his part-time job. He looks much healthier than before.¡± ¡°Any changes at all?¡± Billy furrowed his brows deeply upon hearing this. That can¡¯t be! Could all those unfortunate people who took in Brian more than a decade ago and died horribly just have experienced accidents? After some thought, Billy then said to his son, ¡°Understood. Have Brian come home tonight, I need to speak to him. Also, tell the cook to prepare more meat for me every day.¡± ¡°Alright, Father.¡± Fooly nodded and left as if fleeing. He couldn¡¯t tell if it was an illusion, but he felt that his father, who had been absent for many days, seemed much more oppressive upon his return. ... The next day, Brian climbed groggily off the couch. After drinking a few cups of hot water, he finally felt much better. Brian washed his face with cold water. Seeing that it was still early, he sat back down on the sofa to ponder everything that had happened last night. Yesterday, He understood the meaning represented by the Light Ball as soon as his consciousness touched those two light points. One was called Olfactory Enhancement. The other was called Concentration. Both were talent-based Gifts. However, Brian could only choose one. Besides, There were no death memories like before. It was Brian¡¯s first time encountering a talent-based Gift. Thus, he felt conflicted. The first talent was easy to understand; it was likely that choosing it would grant him the sense of smell of a dog. As for the second talent, Brian was somewhat baffled. Concentration? He had never heard of a dog being able to concentrate light. For safety¡¯s sake, Brian ultimately chose Olfactory Enhancement. The subsequent unconsciousness was due to the talent merging with his body and modifying it. ¡°Holy shit!¡± ¡°Enhancement!¡± Brian suddenly remembered this and hurriedly rushed into the bathroom. He frantically examined his nose in the mirror until he was sure there were no abnormalities and then he breathed a sigh of relief. That¡¯s a relief! His appearance hadn¡¯t changed! Otherwise, just imagine, having a dog¡¯s nose on his face... Even thinking about it was frightening. Wouldn¡¯t he become a poor version of a kobold? Just... Just as Brian started to relax, he slightly furrowed his brows. What about the Gift of talent? He couldn¡¯t tell any difference in his sense of smell from before. Just as this thought arose in Brian, he felt a slight itch in his nose, and then, various smells hidden in the bathroom were captured by his olfactory organs and rushed into his mind. ¡°Holy shit!¡± Brian covered his mouth and started retching. He had never imagined that his seemingly clean bathroom hid so many odors: the smell of urine, the smell of excrement, seven or eight different types of women¡¯s perfume, over a dozen different body odors... It took several minutes, Before Brian began to gradually adapt to this incredible sense of smell. Chapter 20 - 20 15 Olfactory Enhancement and Uncles Summoning Request for Follow-up Read_2 ?20: Chapter 15 Olfactory Enhancement and Uncle¡¯s Summoning (Request for Follow-up Read)_2 20: Chapter 15 Olfactory Enhancement and Uncle¡¯s Summoning (Request for Follow-up Read)_2 After getting used to it, he began sniffing around in his own apartment. Inside the apartment, the most prevalent scent was the one emitted by his own body, besides that, there were various objects, with smells that were normally undetectable. Moreover, Brian discovered, perhaps due to the lack of ventilation, he could smell the distinct body odors and perfume scents left behind by women who had stayed the night on his bed, although the scents were much fainter than those in the bathroom. You should know, it had been seven or eight days since he last took on a part-time job. Such a long time. Even if the scents hadn¡¯t completely dissipated due to lack of ventilation, they should have been very faint by now. Yet they couldn¡¯t escape Brian¡¯s keen sense of smell. That meant he was now equivalent to a dog with human intelligence and discernment abilities. Hey. Pretty useful. Brian remembered that a dog¡¯s sense of smell could detect scents several hundred meters away to track their prey or avoid wild animals. Doesn¡¯t that mean he could rely on this ability to transform into a radar? As soon as the thought struck him, he acted! Taking advantage of the early hour, Brian changed clothes and hurried out of the neighborhood, arriving on the streets. It was probably just past six in the morning. There were already people out jogging on the street. Finding a corner seat, Brian sat down, stirred in thought, and activated his olfactory switch. Instantly, countless odors came surging in. This time Brian was prepared, and even though he looked unwell, he managed not to behave as embarrassingly as before. Compared to the neighborhood, the scents on the street were even more chaotic and complex. However, once Brian¡¯s brain processor started keeping up with his nose, he finally began to adapt. Closing his eyes, Brian attempted to perceive the world around him through his sense of smell. The next moment, he marveled silently, ¡°How magical...¡± The unique scents emitted by each object imprinted themselves in his mind, gradually forming a world viewed through the perspective of smell in his brain. Brian swore, even real dogs couldn¡¯t achieve what he could now! This must be because he had a human brain. Unfortunately, after several experiments, Brian found that his olfactory range did not extend to the hundreds of meters he had hoped for, but was more like twenty meters, and within ten meters, he could precisely identify any scent. The further the distance, the weaker this sense became. Beyond twenty meters, he could hardly discern the direction of scents. Moreover, after being switched on for a while, his brain began to feel tired. This thing was better used only when necessary, otherwise, it would interfere with normal life, not to mention overtax his mind. Even so, Brian was quite satisfied. After all, what dogs excel at is tracking. With just this dog¡¯s nose, Brian was confident he could smoothly pass the ¡°Criminal Experiment Group¡± recruitment test at the end of the month. That was a huge relief. Whether he could pass the test or not not only affected the continuation of medical expenses for his foster parents but also concerned his own safety. Brian did not believe that he currently had the strength to stand up against his uncle. He still needed to lay low and grow. ... At 5:58 p.m., Brian refused several female colleagues¡¯ invitations to watch movies or hit the bars, and, whistling, he made his way to the timeclock, ready to punch out and leave the moment it hit six. No joke. Even if he remained single for life, he would never get involved with a woman from the Forensic Bureau. That was basic safety awareness for a man! Just when he was pondering whether to go to a mall to practice tracking with his nose, a short message interrupted his plans. The message was brief: ¡°Come home.¡± Brian¡¯s relaxed expression slowly faded. It was a summons from the Kamor family. ... Ever since he almost got buried alive last time, Brian had not attended a Kamor family gathering again. It had been, roughly seven or eight months. At that time, his foster parents had just been diagnosed with a genetic disease. Brian used that as an excuse to decline subsequent family gatherings to avoid the awkwardness of meeting those cousins who had tried to bury him alive. However. It doesn¡¯t make sense! The Kamor family usually only gathers at the end of the month. It¡¯s only the 20-something of the month now. There¡¯s still more than a week before that ¡°crime experiment group¡± starts recruiting. Why does my great-uncle want me to come back? What¡¯s he up to? ... ¡°Brian, buddy, why are you standing here like a lost goose, is it because you haven¡¯t got a date with a girl today and you¡¯re feeling down?¡± A colleague from the Forensic Bureau interrupted Brian¡¯s thoughts. Brian snapped back to reality and smiled at his colleague, ¡°Just thinking about how to turn down a girl without breaking her heart.¡± ¡°FK!¡± The colleague who¡¯d been fooled by Brian gave him the middle finger as a mark of ¡®respect,¡¯ then cut in line to punch out and left in a hurry like a defeated dog, as if he had been stung. Seeing this, Brian chuckled to himself and followed suit to clock out and finish his workday. Overthinking is pointless. He hadn¡¯t even joined that so-called crime experiment group yet. His great-uncle shouldn¡¯t want to harm him. What he needed to do now was to just lay low, quietly develop his skills, and then give his cruel and domineering great-uncle a huge surprise! ... Thirty minutes later. In an Italian-American community, Brian parked his car in front of a building that looked like a perfectly square, factory-like structure. This place used to be a factory. Later transformed into a warehouse. The residence of the Kamor family was repurposed from the flattened employee dormitories of the former warehouse. ¡°Hey, Brian, my brother, long time no see.¡± At the entrance, a bald, earring-wearing, tattoo-covered hunk warmly embraced Brian as he got out of the car. ¡°Hey, Fooly.¡± Seeing the bald man, Brian also showed a smile and hugged him back with enthusiasm. This was his cousin Fooly, his great-uncle¡¯s son, a year younger than him, born with a fierce look, and usually acting tough in front of strangers. But Brian knew. This was just a facade Fooly put on to earn his father¡¯s approval. The two got along well. When Brian¡¯s foster parents were in the hospital, only this cousin from the Kamor family had reached out to help him by lending him money, and didn¡¯t participate in the threat of burying him alive. Brian had a good impression of him. Fooly, too, was close to his cousin who was the only high achiever in the family and knew some of his little secrets. ... The two exchanged pleasantries for a moment. Chatting as they walked, Brian probed, ¡°Fooly, did great-uncle send for me?¡± Fooly nodded, glanced around, and then quietly said, ¡°Father has been missing for several days, he just got back today and told me to call you over...¡± As if remembering something, A flicker of hesitation passed through Fooly¡¯s naturally fierce eyes. He moved his lips several times before adding in an even quieter voice, ¡°These days, the rest of the family has been busy with things I don¡¯t know about, and before father left, he had me arrange for someone to surveil you.¡± Upon hearing this, Brian¡¯s heart stirred slightly. He laughed without showing any hint of concern, ¡°Spying on me? Yet you¡¯re telling me about it?¡± You see, When they threatened him with live burial last time, The great-uncle hadn¡¯t involved Fooly. But this time, he had Fooly assign someone to watch him. Does this mean the great-uncle no longer has reliable people by his side? What had all the members of the Kamor family been assigned to do by the great-uncle? Fooly didn¡¯t notice the reflection in Brian¡¯s eyes and sighed, ¡°I can¡¯t figure out why father would do that either. Honestly, I feel like his mental state has been getting more and more unstable these past few years, he even secretly installed surveillance on my phone. The sister doesn¡¯t even want to come home anymore, huh.¡± As they talked, Fooly led Brian inside the warehouse. The place had long been remodeled. While it looked ordinary on the outside, the interior had been lavish. Fooly pointed to a corridor, fear flashing in his eyes, ¡°Father is waiting for you in the conference room at the very end, I won¡¯t accompany you there.¡± Seeing this. Brian patted Fooly¡¯s shoulder, took a deep breath, activated his enhanced sense of smell, and walked towards the corridor. ... When he was about seven or eight meters away from the conference room, Suddenly, Brian¡¯s steps halted. Shock flared in his eyes. Inside the conference room, the stench of blood was heavy! Even through a door, He felt as if he were back in front of an autopsy table at the Forensic Bureau. Brian couldn¡¯t imagine what sort of scene he would encounter upon opening the door! Chapter 21 - 21 16 Physical Examination ?21: Chapter 16 Physical Examination 21: Chapter 16 Physical Examination He paused for about two seconds. Brian lowered his head, glanced at his pair of specially made shoes, and then continued towards the meeting room. He pushed open the door. To his surprise, The not-so-large meeting room was occupied by just one man in a tank top, showing off his bulging muscles, his feet propped on the conference table, idly playing with what looked like a canine skull. Besides that, There was nothing but tables and chairs in full view. No trace of blood to be found. Brian¡¯s nose twitched slightly, and he was shocked internally, promptly turning off his enhanced sense of smell. Before Uncle Billy could shift his gaze towards him, Brian lowered his head first and asked in a low voice, ¡°Uncle, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Lift your head.¡± Billy put down the wolf skull he had in hand and tapped on the conference table, ¡°Have you received any news about the new department lately?¡± Brian lifted his head in motion, nodding, ¡°It¡¯s said that a recruitment notice will be released at the end of the month, but nobody knows the details.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s the information.¡± Billy tossed a stack of documents across the table and gestured for Brian to sit down. Brian wasn¡¯t shy. After sitting down, He picked up the documents and began to read through them. ... It was unclear how Uncle Billy had gotten hold of these internal documents. They were very detailed. The new department was named the ¡®Crime Experiment Group.¡¯ But that was just a general term. The entire department was structured like the Detective Bureau¡¯s Robbery Homicide Division, divided into several numbered teams, each with a team leader, a deputy leader, and several team members. What followed was the delineation of rights and responsibilities. Regarding authority, Each Crime Experiment Group squad had absolute control and law enforcement rights over suspected murder cases within their jurisdiction, from crime scene investigation to arrests and even the ability to mobilize local police stations for coordination and action. Essentially, it was an enhanced version of the Forensic Bureau and the Police Department. Regarding responsibilities, The team¡¯s territory was divided based on Los Angeles¡¯s police districts. Specific details were not mentioned in the documents. However, considering that just the Los Angeles city area alone has four major divisions, 21 police districts, and nearly a hundred small police stations, it was likely that there wouldn¡¯t be a shortage of Crime Experiment Groups. After reading through the document, Brian expressed his confusion, ¡°Uncle, with such extensive powers granted to the Crime Experiment Group, would the Forensic Bureau and the Detective Bureau agree to it?¡± ¡°Politics is the product of compromise for interest. You¡¯ll understand when the time comes,¡± Billy said with a disdainful tone, then switching the subject carelessly, ¡°By the way, Brian, isn¡¯t the Blood Moon phenomenon quite amazing?¡± During the conversation, His gaze locked onto Brian¡¯s face, attempting to detect any sign of irregularity. Brian shrugged casually, his gaze lowered, and spoke with a hint of agreement while keeping his head down, ¡°It¡¯s indeed stunning. It¡¯s a pity it only occurs once every thirty years. By the next time it appears, I¡¯ll be over fifty years old.¡± Seeing this, Billy frowned slightly, then after a brief silence, nodded and picked up the phone on the table, pressed a few buttons, and spoke into the receiver, ¡°Bring the equipment in.¡± Brian, who was straining to maintain his facade, was startled. He had long realized that his uncle had a profound knowledge of micro-expression observation, so before coming here, he kept reminding himself that he was still the same old Brian, and tried as much as possible to avoid making eye contact with his uncle. He didn¡¯t expect his uncle to have another move planned. This extraordinary uncle, so persistent about the Blood Moon phenomenon¡ªBrian himself had suddenly gained the ¡®Golden Finger¡¯ after that night, could it be... At that thought, Brian kept his composure, while his shoes under the table were already positioned, ready to be activated at any moment. He had been unprepared before, But now with his guard up, even if Uncle really had ulterior motives towards him, Brian was determined to drag them both down together! ... Billy seemed to sense something. He put the phone receiver down, turned his head to look at Brian, perfectly still, except for the veins in his eyes that started to bulge, as if the scene from that day was replaying. Brian felt Uncle¡¯s stare on him as if he were hunted prey to a savage brown bear starving for three days and nights. It seemed that any slight movement would result in him being torn to shreds! ¡°Such keen senses?¡± The fist under Brian¡¯s table clenched tightly, ready to strike first. The next moment. Creak. The meeting room doors were pushed open once again. A few men and women wearing masks and white lab coats, pushing carts, entered the meeting room. They stood respectfully at the door in a line, waiting for Billy¡¯s instructions. Seeing this, the blood vessels in Billy¡¯s eyes receded, and he pointed toward Brian, ¡°Give him a thorough checkup, I need to make sure that next week, he doesn¡¯t lose a good opportunity because of his health.¡± Upon hearing this. The masked men and women didn¡¯t care about Brian¡¯s opinion and started busily using the equipment on their carts... ... Half an hour later. Brian drove away from his uncle¡¯s place with a gloomy expression on his face. He was certain. Uncle Billy was definitely not human! Or at least, not any kind of normal human! When the Olfactory Enhancement was activated. Brian found that Uncle Billy appeared clean, but in reality, his entire body, every single hair and pore, was emitting a pungent blood scent. Those blood scents, layered upon one another depending on their freshness. It was as if the previous blood scent hadn¡¯t been thoroughly washed off before a new blood bath was taken, resulting in all the surface blood being washed away. However, the subtle remnant scents were concealed underneath, like a large onion wrapped in layers of blood and stench. Brian suspected. Even if a puma stood in front of Uncle Billy, it would be scared off by the blood scent, without the slightest desire to fight. But as for humans. They couldn¡¯t detect those extremely subtle scent molecules. Standing in front of Billy. At most, they would feel uncomfortable, oppressed. ... ¡°And that beast-like intuition, exaggerated strength, the insight to read people¡¯s hearts...¡± After leaving the neighborhood, Brian parked the car on the side of the road and lit up a cigarette. His heart felt heavy. Brian felt like his uncle was similar to the legendary werewolves or the beastmen from some novels, but no matter what, he could not be categorized as a normal person. Such an uncle. Why was he so attentive to Brian before and after the Blood Moon anomaly? Brian felt as though he had caught a glimpse of some truth, but due to a lack of information, it seemed to be separated by a thin film. Until the cigarette burnt out. He gained nothing. ¡°Fuck!¡± The puzzled Brian smacked the steering wheel: ¡°We¡¯re all carbon-based life forms, who¡¯s afraid of whom! Even if you are a werewolf, if you provoke me enough, I¡¯ll still take you down with a rocket launcher and explosives!¡± After realizing this. Brian¡¯s suppressed feelings became relaxed again. He pinched out the cigarette butt in his hand, pocketed it, restarted the car, and drove home. ... Elsewhere. Early morning. Billy handed over a rush job health report to an unkempt old man in a blood-stained white lab coat, ¡°Marquis, is it possible that my nephew could also be a Divine Favored?¡± The old man, known as Marquis, glanced at the data on the medical report and shook his head: ¡°These are very normal figures. Divine Favored, although their abilities stem from the heart¡¯s desire, leading to all sorts of strangeness, would exhibit distinct hormonal changes at the early stages. Certainly, he is not one of your kind.¡± Hearing this, Billy was utterly disappointed. ¡°I thought this nephew of mine, called the ¡®Child of Disaster¡¯, was the same kind as me...¡± Billy felt a slight loss in his heart and gave up the idea of stopping Brian from joining the ¡®criminal experiment group¡¯. A nephew with little emotional ties. And because of previous events. They had soured their relationship. Brian could only be used as a test pawn. Chapter 22 - 22 17 Got Freeloaded On ?22: Chapter 17 Got Freeloaded On 22: Chapter 17 Got Freeloaded On Marquis obviously knew Billy¡¯s plan. He looked at the silent Billy and sneered, ¡°Billy, are you willing to send your nephew to test that pack of hyenas?¡± Billy¡¯s eyes were cold, ¡°Since Brian doesn¡¯t have that kind of aptitude, he should be ready to sacrifice for the family. You leave Los Angeles with the equipment first, and if he manages to join that new department, then you can come back.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Marquis nodded, as if he remembered something, he reminded, ¡°You¡¯ve been endowed with the Gift twice, although becoming stronger, the risk of losing control is greater too. You¡¯d better not go hunting recently.¡± ¡°I know!¡± Billy said coldly and turned to leave. ... A few days later. As the end of the month approached. On September 27, Brian finally received the recruitment notice from the ¡®Crime Experiment Group.¡¯ This recruitment was directly sent by the Z government to all the professional talents registered with Z government¡¯s email database, with the registration website link attached. At the end of the email. It was made clear. No matter which government department you worked for before. As long as you pass the assessment, you can be transferred to the newly established ¡®Crime Experiment Group¡¯ NW. NW, is the acronym. Facing this situation. The upper levels of the Forensic Bureau, even if they wanted to stop it, couldn¡¯t. At most, they could privately approach their longstanding employees, draw big pies, talk about conditions, in an attempt to reduce the loss of veteran staff. But during this time. All homicide case autopsy rights had been intercepted by the police department. Everyone was not a fool, they saw the new department¡¯s strength. People aspire to climb higher, and water flows to lower grounds. Anyway, everyone is working for the Z government, except for those who are not ambitious, no one wants to miss this opportunity. Including some official forensic doctors. They want to advance too! ... Brian, of course, signed up immediately. These past few days. He hadn¡¯t received any new obsessions. The chances of normal accidental deaths causing obsessions were too small. Now, even without his uncle¡¯s threats. To gain more obsessions and become stronger. Brian was prepared to go all out to join that new department NW. ... Brian was a proper, red-blooded Z government incumbent. Registration review. Was immediately approved. According to the email notification. Brian must arrive at Ace Training Camp, located in the suburbs, by 10 a.m. on September 28, which is tomorrow, for the interview. He had heard of that training camp before. Ace Training Camp, established in ¡¯03, was somewhat remote from Los Angeles and had never been used publicly. Now it seems that it was established for this Crime Experiment Group department. Just don¡¯t know why it¡¯s located in the suburbs. But that¡¯s not important. After joining, he¡¯ll slowly find out the reasons. ... Taking advantage of the time left today. Brian decided to go to the pet hospital to see how the puppy Shi San, for whom he had paid an ¡®exorbitant¡¯ amount of money, was doing. For the mother dog. Brian was very grateful. Her Gift not only returned him to the normal range of a young person¡¯s health but also gave him a powerful Olfactory Enhancement. As long as puppy Shi San could survive. Brian didn¡¯t mind keeping it until its death. He was also a bit curious about the female doctor Laura, who helped him fulfill the mother dog¡¯s obsession. After all, at that time, the puppy was almost out of breath. How did Laura manage to get the puppy to eat again within an hour or two? Now that he had Olfactory Enhancement. It was a good opportunity to probe the situation. ... Arriving at the pet hospital. Brian was dumbfounded to find that the pet hospital was not open. Not only was it not open! The damn roller door was sprayed with various paints and graffiti, with words like whore, scammer, and other vulgar greetings! A foreboding feeling surged in Brian¡¯s heart. He hastily called Dr. Laura, only to find that the phone wouldn¡¯t connect at all. ¡°Could they have run off?¡± Brian quickly got out of the car to ask the people nearby. To his dismay, he received thunderbolt news: the private pet hospital had taken off after scamming a bunch of people for prepaid services! The time they took off. Was precisely the day after he had paid for Shi San the dog¡¯s medical bills¡ªthe second day after the thirteenth payment! ¡°Damn it!¡± Brian punched the colorful shutter door in a fit of rage! The people were gone! And so was his dog! Had he not just been played for a fool? The neighboring shop owner shook his head at Brian¡¯s furious look and said to a female server next to him, ¡°Another unlucky soul scammed, let¡¯s hope he didn¡¯t pay too much money.¡± The female server glanced over Brian¡¯s appearance, her eyes lighting up. She immediately left her boss and ran up to Brian with earnest solicitude in her tone, ¡°Have you also been tricked by that female con artist into paying a lot of money?¡± Brian gave the server¡¯s plain face a look and shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not about the money.¡± Others might have prepaid. But he paid with his spirit! Could it be the same? As a professional vehicle appraiser, Dr. Laura¡¯s exploitation was the ultimate insult to his professional spirit! ¡°This isn¡¯t over!¡± With one last look at the pet hospital¡¯s sign, Brian turned and left. ... The next day. Brian got up early and dressed carefully before driving to the Ace Base, according to the address provided in the email. Over an hour later, Brian drove through the mountains, cursing under his breath already. Damn it. He hadn¡¯t yet seen any signpost mentioned in the email. If he drove any farther, He¡¯d be out of Los Angeles County! Why the hell would those jerks build a base so far out? Don¡¯t they consider the costs of transportation and construction? Ahead and behind Brian, dozens of cars were also traveling on this mountain road that typically saw little traffic. Another four or five minutes driving forward. Finally, a large, ragged NW signboard came into Brian¡¯s view. The sign appeared to be made of worn-out wood planks. With the NW logo looking somewhat damp, as if the paint hadn¡¯t completely dried... Beneath the sign was an open field, showing signs that it had been recently cleared. A dozen various cars had already snagged good parking spots. Next to the cars was a group of confused men and women, standing bewildered, wondering why nobody had come to meet them. ... Brian had arrived pretty early. There was still somewhere for him to park his car. Those who came after him Had to park on the roadside. By nearly ten o¡¯clock, the small open area was packed with people and a long ¡®stream¡¯ of cars lined the roadside. Brian casually surveyed the crowd. There had to be four to five hundred people. Among them were quite a few of his colleagues from the Forensic Bureau. But they were all technicians like him. He didn¡¯t see a single forensic doctor. He wondered if they had received special invitations or had truly decided not to switch jobs. In such a strange environment, People subconsciously chose to cluster together. Soon, these four to five hundred people formed several dozen small groups of various sizes. This made Brian realize. The direction of NW¡¯s recruitment was quite diverse. ... At ten o¡¯clock sharp. Just when everyone¡¯s patience was almost worn thin. Vroom vroom vroom~ Finally, there was a stir from the distant sky. Everyone looked up. They saw a dozen or so camouflage transport helicopters bursting out from the mountains far away, heading straight towards them... Chapter 23 - 23 18 Interview ?23: Chapter 18 Interview 23: Chapter 18 Interview ¡°Name?¡± ¡°Brian Lee.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a forensic assistant at the Forensic Bureau, why choose to switch jobs?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always had a dream...¡± ... The dim room. Under the orange light, Brian sat on a high stool, his expression serious as he answered questions from the interviewer opposite him. This situation. If they put handcuffs on his hands, Brian would suspect that he¡¯d committed a crime. This newly established NW Department had a really peculiar way of doing things. Transported by military helicopter, they¡¯d even blindfolded him during the trip. After disembarking from the helicopter, Brian and a group were guided through another security check. After passing, they took an elevator. They arrived at a very large hall, where they finally removed their blindfolds. Now, they didn¡¯t even know where they were. Except for Brian. Brian¡¯s enhanced sense of smell let him detect a faint earthy scent. Now, they were deep underground. If it were not for the fact that Brian had lived in this world for over twenty years and had never heard of the Umbrella Company, he might have believed this base to be an underground facility of the Umbrella Company. ... He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed, until Brian was parched and tongued-tied. Only then did the interviewer opposite him stop the questioning. Under the dim, orange light, the interviewer, who was initially turned away from the light and hidden in shadow, leaned slightly forward, finally revealing his pale face. Brian narrowed his eyes, trying to see the other person¡¯s face clearly. But under the effect of the light, he could not see the interviewer¡¯s features, only make out two deep crow¡¯s feet at the sides of his cheeks, which suggested he was not young. The interviewer seemed also to be contemplating something. The most suitable position for Brian would be Autopsy Officer, a position that required both talent and enough experience. But Brian was too young. He pondered, then asked again, ¡°Mr. Brian, I just looked at your electronic file, and the forensic doctors you¡¯ve worked with all rate you very highly, may I ask how you¡¯ve achieved this?¡± Brian shrugged his shoulders and honestly said, ¡°I have access to many quality resources.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°It just so happens that most of those forensic doctors are men.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± The interviewer immediately understood what ¡®quality resources¡¯ meant. His look towards Brian instantly changed. The man, who had just been uncertain, immediately got up and reached out both hands enthusiastically towards Brian, ¡°Sounds impressive, what I mean is, our NW Department really needs someone with your talent, you¡¯ve passed my interview, Mr. Brian!¡± ... Just like that, Brian passed the first round of the interview in a daze. ... After passing the interview, Brian was led by a tall, cool-looking blonde woman to a very large rest room. The moment he saw this beauty, Brian knew. He was in the right place! He was born to join the NW Department! Even the worldly and knowledgeable Brian had to admit that her appearance, figure, and temperament might not all be the best, but together, they were definitely the most attractive person of the opposite sex he¡¯d ever encountered in his past and present lives. Perhaps this was what they call love at first sight. Brian really wanted to enjoy the sunrise with this lady. Unfortunately, his main goal now was to successfully pass the assessment, so he dared not make any rash moves. Otherwise, Brian would definitely ask her for contact details. As he watched the blonde beauty¡¯s back disappearing, Brian reluctantly withdrew his gaze and began to look around the rest room. ... The rest room was large. There were only two or three people sitting apart. They must have also passed the first round of interviews. Brian exchanged glances with them before finding a place to sit down by himself. Time passed. The place seemed as if it had been forgotten. Until everyone¡¯s stomachs started growling, when there were about fifty or more people in the rest room, no one came to lead them to meals, nor did anyone pay them any attention, leaving them there. But they were all adults. Plus, after coming here, the unusual treatment they¡¯d received made all these candidates realize that this NW Department wasn¡¯t as simple as they had initially thought. No one dared to showcase their individuality in such a place. ... At this moment, in a very large office, four men and two women, each with a tablet not commonly seen on the market, were looking over the information on the tablets while watching the people on the giant surveillance screen in front of them, sizing them up as if they were livestock. This included the tall, blonde woman who had led Brian to the rest room. Her tablet already had the profiles of four individuals pulled up. Brian¡¯s portrait was prominently among them. Thump thump thump~ The office door was pushed open. The Caucasian interviewer who had previously interviewed Brian walked in. Six individuals ¨C four men and two women ¨C quickly stood up from their chairs upon seeing him and respectfully said in unison, ¡°Mr. Pavel.¡± This guy was evidently not just any ordinary interviewer. Pavel nodded and said, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, the first round of the interview selection has now been completed. Please submit the lists of your chosen candidates.¡± The six of them had already made their choices. These pre-selected second-generation leaders put on blindfolds and began to leave one by one, escorted by the security personnel of the base. Only the blonde beauty remained behind. ... Once everyone had left. The tall blonde beauty¡¯s stern expression softened as she smiled at the middle-aged man before her, ¡°Uncle Pavel, long time no see.¡± Pavel looked at the daughter of his old friend. A bitter smile emerged on his weary face, ¡°Susan, I really don¡¯t understand why your father would agree to let you come to such a dangerous department.¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple, I made a bet with him.¡± Susan clearly did not want to delve further into the subject. She handed over the tablet, changing the topic, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about those unpleasant things. Uncle Pavel, what do you think about the few people I¡¯ve chosen?¡± Pavel curiously took the tablet and started to examine it, only to become slightly dumbfounded. On the tablet, there were four people. All four had been interviewed by him personally. Susan was sneakily observing Pavel¡¯s expression and saw him freeze, feeling a surge of joy. She knew it! Anyone who passed an interview with Uncle Pavel had to be an extraordinary talent! Pavel looked at his secretly delighted niece, and after his lips twitched a couple of times, he found himself at a loss for words. But the idea of setting up his own niece in such a manner didn¡¯t feel quite right either. After a moment of silence. Pavel tried to persuade her somewhat awkwardly, ¡°Susan, why don¡¯t you pick another four people?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Susan looked at Pavel with a hint of suspicion. Her uncle couldn¡¯t have been tipped off by her father in advance to try and scupper her, could he? ¡°Because they¡¯re all unsuitable!¡± ¡°Why are they unsuitable?¡± Susan pointed to Brian¡¯s portrait on the tablet, challenging him, ¡°Uncle Pavel, tell me what¡¯s wrong with him.¡± Pavel, looking at Brian¡¯s portrait, felt his scalp tingle. He couldn¡¯t possibly admit to his niece that the man was a good-for-nothing. The only reason he had let him through was because of some rather unspeakable reasons. That was using power for personal gain, wasn¡¯t it? It would greatly tarnish his image. Pavel could only vaguely comment, ¡°He¡¯s too young. Being an Autopsy Officer is a job that requires a great deal of experience.¡± Susan, noticing Pavel¡¯s discomfort, sneered but did not respond. Instead, she pointed directly to another portrait¡ªthis time of an elderly man who looked to be in his seventies, ¡°He¡¯s old enough, isn¡¯t he? Uncle Pavel, please tell me what¡¯s wrong with him?¡± She was certain now. Uncle Pavel must have noticed her keen eye, picking out all the people he favored, and fearing she might fulfill the bet with her father, he wanted to prevent her from taking these talents away! Looking at the portrait of the old man. Pavel was again struck silent. He certainly couldn¡¯t tell his niece that the old man was an old gaming buddy of his who had generously provided him with many cheats, and he had been picked to play doubles to lighten up his mood. Nepotism, such things. It¡¯s not something that should be said openly! Seeing Pavel lost for words. Susan pointed at the remaining two portraits, sporting righteous expressions and looking like elite men, ¡°What about these two? Neither too old nor too young, with years of experience in detective work, please tell me, what¡¯s wrong with them?¡± Pavel, staring at these two upstanding fellows, was speechless. He couldn¡¯t reveal to his niece that these two individuals, because of some bizarre working styles, had driven their leaders to despair. They had used this opportunity, after a few favors he owed them, to bring them in with plans to dismiss them later. How inappropriate. It was simply impossible to explain. To do so would be to abuse power. But staying silent would mean setting up his own niece. In the end, Pavel could only silently lift his head and stare at the ceiling in a daze. He was at a loss for words. He had interviewed twelve people. Only four had been allowed by him to pass the interview because of various reasons. And these four had all been picked by Susan. Misery! Seeing Pavel remaining silent, Susan, as if she had won a battle, snorted coldly, ¡°Uncle Pavel, I¡¯m going to prepare for the second round of assessment!¡± Damn! Still trying to trick me! With a joyful whistle, she strode victoriously, put on her blindfold, and rested her hand on the shoulder of a female security guard waiting outside the door, ready to leave. Pavel didn¡¯t dare to imagine. How badly those four troublemakers gathered together might set up his niece Susan. It was just too much for him to bear, so he called out to Susan, who was about to leave, hoping to save this foolish girl at the last moment, ¡°Susan, there are still more than twenty alternate candidates you can choose from. Please reconsider, otherwise, you will definitely regret it.¡± ¡°I never regret my choices!¡± Susan dropped the arrogant remark without looking back and vanished from Pavel¡¯s sight. Pavel shook his head, took out his phone, and called Susan¡¯s father. Although he was unaware of the specifics of the bet between Susan and her father, it now seemed likely that Susan¡¯s team would fail the second round of assessments. It was the perfect opportunity to claim some credit in advance and extort a few bottles of an exquisitely vintage wine from his friend. It was just a pity for Brian. Such a fine young man. Clearly someone who knew how to care for his leaders and was very ambitious. Such a waste. Chapter 24 - 24 19 The Sixth Reserve Group ?24: Chapter 19 The Sixth Reserve Group 24: Chapter 19 The Sixth Reserve Group Brian and the other successful interviewees were finally collected and driven back to where they had previously parked after being sieved out by Susan and her second-generation peers. Some asked about the subsequent arrangements. The security escort simply replied with an icy tone, ¡°Wait for the notification.¡± ¡°What a crappy day...¡± Brian rubbed his hungry stomach and turned his car around, driving toward the city in somewhat speechless frustration. ... Back at the apartment. Even until the evening, Brian had not received any new email notifications. This made him feel vaguely uneasy. As far as he knew, such departments would likely conduct strict background checks. Brian, on the surface, was indeed an orphan adopted at age eight, with a clean personal history; otherwise, he would not have passed the Forensic Bureau¡¯s Z-screening in the first place. But his ties to the Kamor family could not withstand in-depth investigation. If he couldn¡¯t get into the NW organization, it meant he couldn¡¯t fulfill the agreement with his uncle. And without completing the agreement, he wouldn¡¯t get the money! Without money, he couldn¡¯t even afford his foster parents¡¯ medical bills for the next month. ... ¡°If it really comes down to it, I¡¯ll just have to strike first!¡± Thinking this, a hint of ruthlessness flashed through Brian¡¯s eyes. He retrieved an unused cell phone from a hidden compartment in his apartment and silently dialed the number of the psychiatrist who had once helped him. The psychiatrist had connections deep into the shady world, able to secure many prohibited items. The critical part was the fee. The psychiatrist didn¡¯t just take money. Gritting his teeth, seeing it as a bitter necessity, Brian felt he could still afford the price. .. Just as Brian was preparing to do something desperate, the information of these candidates had already been transmitted by Ace Training Camp to the FBI¡¯s Los Angeles Branch intelligence team. One by one, the candidates¡¯ files were approved and sent back. At that moment, a sleek buzz-cut Caucasian young man said to the supervisor who was leisurely reading the newspaper, ¡°Supervisor, there¡¯s a candidate here whose information has been flagged.¡± ¡°Send it over.¡± The supervisor folded his newspaper unhurriedly and then opened the computer, clicking on the file sent by his subordinate. After a moment, he frowned slightly. ¡°Brian Lee... orphan... foster parents...¡± According to the system input, he did not find anything unusual about this person. No criminal record. His growth trajectory was also clear and straightforward. The fact that he had previously passed the Forensic Bureau¡¯s screening implied that his data was most likely in order. So, who had flagged this man¡¯s information? The FBI¡¯s intelligence database actually shares many areas with various major police databases, but inside the FBI, there are many specialized teams responsible for different domains, so occasionally, a criminal apprehended by one department could actually be an informant for another. To avoid misunderstandings, information on some special individuals would be flagged. The question was, this mark. Even the supervisor of the Los Angeles Branch¡¯s intelligence team had never seen it before. The supervisor did not dare to delay and immediately used his managerial privileges to send Brian¡¯s situation to his superiors. His superiors, who recognized the mark, forwarded it once more. Thus, half an hour later, a scammer middle-aged woman leisurely walking her dog in a park received an urgent transmission from her superior: ¡°Veterinarian, why have you flagged a Lurker¡¯s relative?¡± Laura hugged her dog, her mobile phone in hand, and responded with slight confusion: ¡°You mean Brian?¡± ¡°Yes, this man is currently trying to join the NW Hunting Team being established in Los Angeles.¡± Laura replied matter-of-factly, ¡°Brian is my latest amusement. He¡¯s a kind-hearted handsome guy. Boss, you know I can¡¯t resist this type. But I extracted his body fluids for testing and can confirm he¡¯s not a new Awakener, so there¡¯s no need to be so tense. It¡¯s probably Lurker number 132 using him as expendable bait to test the waters. Someone close to number 132 must have leaked our existence.¡± After a moment of silence, the voice on the other end said coldly, ¡°I know what to do. Leave that Brian alone for now. If you play him to death, it might alert number 132. Number 132 is a very promising target that needs to continue to grow freely; it¡¯s not time for us to harvest him yet.¡± ¡°Alright, Boss.¡± ¡°How¡¯s your current mission progressing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too soon; I¡¯m still fishing.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t drag your feet. The frequency of number 112¡¯s crimes has increased a lot, and it looks like she might spiral out of control. We need to harvest her as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ending the call, Laura put away her mobile phone and cheerfully patted the little dog curled up in her arms, ¡°Shi San, it seems like you won¡¯t be returning to Los any time soon. Stick with me for now. Let¡¯s hope your owner¡¯s blooming period doesn¡¯t wither too quickly, as that would really make me angry!¡± ¡°Whimper~¡± Shi San¡¯s voice trembled, weak and helpless. ... Late into the night, just past ten. Just when Brian was bored watching soap operas and nearly dozing off, Ding dong~ The computer speaker finally delivered the sound of a new email notification. Brian sprang up and rushed to the computer, opening the new email: [Dear Mr. Brian, Congratulations on passing the first round of interviews for the NW reserves. You have become a member of the Los Angeles NW, Group Six Reserves. Please arrive at the Western Branch on September 30th, at ten in the morning, to join your Group Six Reserves for the second round of assessments.] Chapter 25 - 25 19 The Sixth Reserve Group_2 ?25: Chapter 19 The Sixth Reserve Group_2 25: Chapter 19 The Sixth Reserve Group_2 You have been granted NW temporary law enforcement authority. Your law enforcement power will become effective at the beginning of the second round of evaluation and terminate at the end of the assessment. During this period, you will have the following powers... ¡°Great!¡± Brian jumped up happily after reading the email. Even though the email implied that he wasn¡¯t officially part of NW yet, at least it meant he didn¡¯t have to face his uncle¡¯s threats right now. He really was in desperate need of development time! Who knows what tomorrow might bring. He needed to rest early. Brian sent an email to the forensic department¡¯s supervisor explaining his current situation and then turned off the lights and went to bed. ... The next day. Brian drove early to the Western Branch near Hollywood. The LAPD is structured in three levels: the main station, the branch, and the precincts. One main station, four branches, twenty-one precincts. Some communities and streets also set up additional security posts. The Western Branch that Brian came to had five precincts under its jurisdiction: the Hollywood District, the Pacific District, the West Hollywood District, the Wilshire District, and the Olympic District. The overall economic environment here wasn¡¯t too bad. The Western Branch itself also looked rather grand. Brian found the security post and handed a cigarette to the middle-aged uncle who looked like he was ten months pregnant, explained his situation, and then the uncle directed him to the large meeting room on the third floor of building B. When Brian found the place, He saw only a tall, slender blonde woman who was playing with a Smith & Wesson M29 revolver with flashy and deft movements, indicating she was a real expert. But those who still played with such revolvers now Were either from the older generation Or were the new generation influenced by cowboy movies. These people liked to play with the American draw technique. Upon hearing Brian, The woman looked up, saw that Brian was staring at her hands, and a smile appeared on her collagen-filled face: ¡°Do you like playing with guns?¡± Seeing the woman¡¯s features clearly, Brian¡¯s eyes lit up and without hesitation said, ¡°Absolutely! I¡¯m a firm enthusiast of the American draw technique!¡± Although this ¡°gun¡± wasn¡¯t quite the same as that ¡°gun.¡± But that wasn¡¯t important! Brian didn¡¯t expect to see this beautiful woman again. It was like a gift from God! The woman saw the undisguised joy in Brian¡¯s eyes and thought he was truly a fan of the American draw technique. Plus, with Brian¡¯s height of six-foot-one and his top-notch looks, now pretending to be all sophisticated, she instantly took a liking to him. She waved the Smith & Wesson M29 revolver in her hand: ¡°I¡¯m Susan, the leader of NW¡¯s sixth reserve group. We should have a speed shooting contest when we have time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it!¡± Brian nodded with a nonchalant air, but inwardly, he was thinking that he had to spend some time practicing his gun skills. His human-outline shooting was fast but inaccurate. No helping it, that stuff depended a bit on talent. And Brian just didn¡¯t have that talent. That¡¯s why he preferred explosives. .. It was just after eight o¡¯clock. Still early. To prevent Susan from discussing the subject of the American draw technique with him, Brian took the initiative to change the subject and distracted Susan¡¯s attention with all sorts of bizarre cases. These were stories he had heard through the grapevine. But Brian had a talent for embellishing stories. The fresh-out-of-college Susan would gasp in amazement from time to time or eagerly ask about the progress of the cases and the fate of the criminals. This response made Brian realize that this beautiful team leader might well be a privileged second-generation gold plater. Fuck. She¡¯s so pretty, and she¡¯s got status and background. Brian couldn¡¯t help but think back to his physical examination when the doctor had advised him, ¡°Mr. Brian, your gastrointestinal condition isn¡¯t very good; you should eat more soft foods to regulate your stomach.¡± He felt he should take the advice. .. Under Brian¡¯s deliberate bragging, Team Leader Susan¡¯s good impression of Brian increased exponentially. What a rich experience in cases and autopsies! Uncle Pavel even said Brian was young and inexperienced. He clearly couldn¡¯t stand to see Brian succeed! In Susan¡¯s heart, she became even more convinced that she had picked the talent of the talents! After bragging for over an hour, Brian licked his dry lips. It was almost ten o¡¯clock. Why weren¡¯t the other team members arriving yet? He was almost unable to keep the bragging going. In order not to expose the fact that he was clueless, Brian had to stop his storytelling, took out his phone to check the time, and then said with feigned innocence, ¡°Team Leader Susan, is our agreed time always ten o¡¯clock?¡± Susan nodded in confirmation, ¡°Including you, a total of four people; everyone is to meet here at ten in the morning.¡± ¡°Soon it will be ten, it looks like the other three are old hands...¡± Brian prepared to continue stirring the pot. Without suppressing new colleagues and isolating the boss, how could he become a trusted confidant? How could he make Susan reliant on him? For a second-generation individual like Susan, she couldn¡¯t just be won over by a simple romance. Because there would also be resistance from her family. Only by making Susan habitually dependent on him, when her family objected, would she firmly stand by his side and tell her father, ¡°Father, he¡¯s not the person you think he is! You don¡¯t understand him!¡± Did you learn anything? ... Susan¡¯s interest was piqued by Brian¡¯s words, ¡°Brian, why do you say those three are old hands, do you know them?¡± Just as Brian was about to continue, he caught sight of someone at the door from the corner of his eye. Brian turned to look and saw three men smiling slyly at the door, as if to say, ¡°Go on, pal, keep talking; we¡¯re all ears.¡± Brian:... At that moment, he felt like a clown. Luckily, he had thick skin and quick reflexes, and he earnestly said to Susan, ¡°Because only real old hands with true strength would ignore some useless rules. Strength is their confidence, while those who stick to the rules have little to no strength, that¡¯s why they don¡¯t dare to break them.¡± Susan nodded thoughtfully. I see. It looks like her choice was not wrong after all! Everyone is a talent! Outside the door, three men of various ages, all with previously stern expressions, now showed strong approval. They thought they had encountered a troublemaking colleague, but it turned out to be a kindred spirit! ... ¡°Pal, I like what you said, we¡¯re going to get along just fine!¡± The strongest and most robust of the three men charged into the meeting room and gave Brian an enthusiastic hug. Brian wasn¡¯t sure if the guy was being sincere, but his enthusiasm seemed genuine enough. Brian felt like he was about to run out of breath. Susan watched this harmonious first meeting of her subordinates, with her pretty eyes curving into crescents. She clapped her hands and said with a beaming smile, ¡°Alright, guys, now that everyone is here, let¡¯s start our first meeting of NW¡¯s sixth reserve team. This meeting is also about whether we can become official or not.¡± Chapter 26 - 26 20 The New Colleague Explosion! ?26: Chapter 20: The New Colleague, Explosion! (Two in One) 26: Chapter 20: The New Colleague, Explosion! (Two in One) ¡°Guys,¡± Brian began, ¡°this is the first meeting of our sixth reserve unit.¡± As soon as Team Leader Susan started the meeting, she immediately displayed a sharpness different from before: ¡°My name is Susan. You can call me team leader, ¡®big sister,¡¯ or just by my name¡ªthat¡¯s all fine. Now, I need you all to introduce yourselves.¡± After finishing, she glanced at Brian. Brian was no rookie to the workplace and caught on immediately, standing up to address everyone: ¡°Hello, everyone. My name is Brian. I was formerly a forensic assistant at the Forensic Bureau, skilled in body examination and crime scene investigation. I should be able to offer some help in the upcoming assessments.¡± Clap clap clap~ Susan led the applause. The other three clapped along. The most enthusiastic among them was the strong man who had given Brian a bear hug before. This guy, while clapping, turned towards Brian with a smile, looking very warm and approachable. The second to introduce himself was the older black man among them. He looked to be in his sixties, slightly shorter in stature, with a tattoo from the side of his ear to his neck¡ªa portrait of a woman, likely someone important to the old man. What drew the most attention was the old man¡¯s attire. He was wearing a pilot¡¯s leather jacket, deep blue jeans, and what seemed like a pair of signature brand high-top basketball shoes on his feet. Besides that, A metal dog tag hung from the black man¡¯s chest. Brian recognized that dog tag. Because it was the ¡®King of Glory¡¯ game¡¯s top player honor medal. King of Glory, that was the game his former colleague Tom at the Forensic Bureau played. Somewhat similar to Warcraft from his previous life, it was the most popular computer game of the moment, without question. Brian didn¡¯t think much of it. That medal was probably just a replica made by game enthusiasts. After all, he couldn¡¯t imagine a game that demanded extremely fast hand speed would have a yearly top player who was a man in his sixties or seventies. The old man stood up, coughed twice, and then slowly said, ¡°You can call me Old Hardenn. I¡¯m a long-time cop, although I spent most of my time in logistics. I know a little about everything and am quite familiar with some of the unspoken rules within the government and police departments.¡± On hearing this, Susan happily clapped her hands: ¡°Very impressive. I believe your experience will help us avoid many detours in the future.¡± Everyone else clapped along in response. Next, The robust man who had warmly hugged Brian stood up. ¡°Fellas, hello, my name is Ivan, I¡¯m 29 years old. Before coming here, I was a detective at the Detective Bureau. Moreover, I¡¯m proficient in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, and I¡¯m quite competent in handling the usual fugitive cases!¡± Ivan was a tall white man, nearly one meter ninety in height, with bulging muscles all over, long blond hair, and a slightly unkempt beard, exuding a thoroughly masculine and charismatic aura. Such an evidently tough guy could really give his teammates a sense of security. Thinking he may need to rely on Ivan to take bullets for him in the future, Brian immediately cast a friendly gaze his way. It was Old Hardenn sitting next to Brian who widened his eyes in surprise. Licking his dry, thick lips, his voice trembling slightly, he said, ¡°You¡¯re Ivan, the Ivan from the Teddy detective duo?¡± ¡°The Teddy duo?¡± Team Leader Susan at the other end of the meeting table voiced her confusion. Noticing Ivan looking at him with a ¡®friendly¡¯ gaze from across the table, the savvy older man immediately responded vaguely: ¡°Somewhat famous. They¡¯re very good at solving cases.¡± Hearing this, pleasure rose in Susan¡¯s heart. She truly had a good eye! She smiled warmly at the last person: ¡°I¡¯ve looked over the files and know that you were Ivan¡¯s colleague, so are you also a member of the Teddy duo, Lo?¡± The remaining young white man stood up and nodded: ¡°Yes, Team Leader Susan, my name is Glenn, Glenn Michael. I used to work with Ivan. I¡¯m not great at close combat, but my gun skills are decent.¡± He emphasized his words when he mentioned gun skills, revealing a sense of self-assurance. Brian silently assessed Glenn. Glenn was about the same height as Old Hardenn, around one meter seventy-five, white, slim, with a respectable face and a righteous demeanor¡ªsomeone who looked reliable. As for this, Brian nodded silently. It was apparent. The colleagues this time were all very skilled. Maybe. He was the only husky muddling his way into this group. He had to work hard! ... With the introductions complete, Susan began the true content of the meeting: ¡°You¡¯ve all seen the email and should know that we only temporarily hold NW¡¯s law enforcement authority; in fact, in this batch of assessments for NW, there are six reserve units like ours, and all of us are auxiliary groups.¡± ¡°Are there official groups, too?¡± Brian asked curiously. He thought of his Forensic Bureau colleagues who hadn¡¯t appeared at Ace Base. Susan nodded: ¡°Yes, those people are professionals from various industries who have replaced the previous Detective Bureau¡¯s Robbery and Homicide Division (major cases team). As for us, if we complete the coming assessments, we¡¯ll also move from reserve to regular status, divide our territorial responsibilities, and will be provided with an official office location.¡± When she mentioned replacing the ¡®Robbery and Homicide Division,¡¯ She looked at Ivan and Glenn curiously. Their files were truly outstanding. She didn¡¯t understand why such excellent people hadn¡¯t received notice of direct transfers, but instead ended up at Ace Base. Chapter 27 - 27 20 The New Colleague Explosion! ?27: Chapter 20: The New Colleague, Explosion! (Two in One)_2 27: Chapter 20: The New Colleague, Explosion! (Two in One)_2 ¡°It must be because the two of them are too outstanding, leading to being sidelined by their superiors,¡± Susan thought to herself as she automatically found a suitable reason for them. She was a magnanimous person, believing that under her command, these two would better utilize their talents. Suppressing the random thoughts, Susan continued, ¡°The second round of assessment involves our permanent placement. The content of the assessment will consist of homicide cases assigned to us by higher-ups, so I¡¯m not sure what specific cases they will be. Now, if there are any questions you¡¯d like to ask, feel free.¡± Brian was the first to raise his hand, ¡°Team Leader Susan, I wanted to know if our group six will just consist of a few of us from now on? Moreover, our office location can¡¯t possibly be at Ace Base, right? That place is too far.¡± Susan shook her head, ¡°We are merely a framework for now. After becoming permanent, we will recruit other members and the office locations will be arranged according to the assigned jurisdictions. There, we will have an independent autopsy room, some relatively simple laboratories, and absolute independent case handling authority. Just the five of us wouldn¡¯t be able to manage that.¡± Old Hardenn, who was sitting nearby, also raised his hand and asked, ¡°The information I got was that the new department is called the Crime Experiment Group, why is it now known by the code NW?¡± Susan hesitated for a moment before responding, ¡°The Crime Experiment Group is just an external designation,¡± her eyes flashed with hesitation before she spoke again, ¡°The full name of NW is Night Watchman.¡± ¡°Night Watcher?¡± Upon hearing this, Brian and the others showed a variety of expressions. This name didn¡¯t sound like any proper crime-solving department! However, Susan was unwilling to provide further explanation, ¡°You¡¯ll naturally understand the specific meaning after we complete the second round of assessments and you go to Ace Base for training and sign the confidentiality documents.¡± Glenn from the Teddy duo, sharp as ever, shrugged, ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the main topic though. Since our second-round assessment deals with homicide, can we be equipped with handguns? Ivan and I have already returned ours.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Susan nodded, ¡°Firearms, Bullet-Proof Vests, police badges, temporary IDs... you¡¯ll get all these after the meeting.¡± After asking a few other questions, the meeting finally ended. Since the second round of assessment involves real murder cases, these can come up at any moment, or it might take days without any incidents occurring. There was nothing urgent today. Following Susan¡¯s suggestion, after everyone gathered their things, they drove together, following Old Hardenn to a place he recommended for a meal together. The dinner location was a food truck on a commercial street. Yes, it was that simple. However, it was evident that this fast-food truck was quite popular with customers; even after one o¡¯clock in the afternoon, there were still many people queuing and all the seats provided were filled. The food truck offered seat cushions and a takeout service. Compared to that, the business of other food trucks and stalls around was much more dismal. Old Hardenn introduced to everyone as he pointed, ¡°See that handsome young man busy on the food truck? His mentor is a five-star hotel chef, specializing in cuisine from Hua Country. This stuff is too expensive in restaurants, so people don¡¯t mind waiting a long time for it.¡± Hearing it was cuisine from Hua Country, everyone became interested. Brian, curious, moved closer after grabbing his seat cushion and glanced at what the handsome young man was cooking. Then, he was bewildered. ¡°Yangzhou fried rice?¡± Brian was speechless. A bunch of foreigners, queuing up for a taste of Yangzhou fried rice? Since it was group six¡¯s first dining out together, he didn¡¯t feel it was right to criticize and simply decided to go back with his seat cushion. Just as he turned around, a man wearing a hood and keeping his head down burst from the side, startling Brian as he rushed past him. ¡°In a hurry to reincarnate, eh?¡± Brian muttered under his breath, then suddenly his nose twitched and his expression changed. This smell! He was too familiar with it! TATP, also known as triacetone triperoxide! It was a chemical substance easily sourced and homemade into powerful explosives, and one of the bad guys¡¯ favorite and most commonly used means of acquiring explosives! But surely no one would dare commit a terrorist attack in a busy downtown area? Although he felt a bit sensitive. Out of caution, Brian chased in the direction the man had gone, simultaneously activating Olfactory Enhancement to lock onto the man¡¯s scent. He had just chased about five or six meters. The next moment. There was a loud ¡°boom.¡± A huge ball of fire erupted violently from the direction of the food cart, carrying a shockwave, scattering and blowing away the queued crowd as if they were mere rags, slamming them in all directions... ... ¡°What¡¯s this!¡± Buzzing~ Amid the intense ringing in his ears, the sore Brian listened to his burly coworker Ivan¡¯s voice, which seemed to come from afar, struggling to say, ¡°Ivan, can you stop shaking your fingers? I can¡¯t tell what this is.¡± Hearing this, Ivan carefully put down Brian¡¯s head and said to Susan with a worried face, ¡°It should be a mild concussion caused by the blast impact. Brian was already away from the food cart and did not receive a direct hit from the explosion, so there should be no internal bleeding. A few days of rest should do.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Susan looked at Old Hardenn, ¡°First, take Brian to the hospital for a thorough examination. Ivan, Glenn, control the scene. We must protect the scene before the people from the precinct arrive.¡± Having said that. Susan, who had already tied her hair, rushed toward the wailing crowd to provide basic medical treatment to the unlucky diners. ... The next day. Brian groggily opened his eyes. Above him was a white ceiling. A gentle breeze, carrying a faint scent of flowers, came from the left. Brian turned his head to see a bunch of fresh flowers well placed, behind which was some electronic equipment and a blue curtain that covered the front of the neighboring bed but could not conceal the snoring from that side. ¡°Is this the hospital?¡± Brian withdrew his gaze, rubbed his still somewhat stinging head, and checked his body, now only in underpants, before he breathed a sigh of relief. He seemed unharmed. He felt like he was hungover, struggling to recall last night¡¯s events. ¡°Let¡¯s get up first.¡± Brian took a deep breath, unplugged the electrodes from his body, threw off the covers, swung his legs over the bed rail, and tried to stand on the cold floor. A wave of dizziness surged over him. Brian felt like a confused goose that had lost control, tumbling uncontrollably and falling hard back onto the hospital bed. The noise woke up the burly man in the neighboring bed. Ivan rolled violently to the other side, drew his handgun, and cautiously scanned his surroundings. Upon seeing Brian upside down, his belly pushed up by the rail, causing his rear to stick up high, he burst out laughing, ¡°Buddy, nice pose! Are you trying to attract the attention of the nurses here?¡± Brian:... Damn, that¡¯s embarrassing! ... After a moment, Brian finally got dressed and looked darkly at Ivan, who kept rubbing his fingers as if savoring the feel, ¡°So, we went out to eat yesterday, and there was an explosion, resulting in me having a mild concussion from the blast?¡± Ivan noticed Brian¡¯s gaze, embarrassingly hid his hands under the bedrail, and nodded, ¡°Yes, your temporary amnesia and loss of coordination are common post-concussion symptoms, but generally, they resolve on their own in a day or two.¡± ¡°Everyone else is okay?¡± ¡°They¡¯re fine. Old Hardenn brought you here, but unfortunately, many people in line were not so lucky; many were injured or killed, it¡¯s all over the news.¡± Saying that, Ivan got up, ¡°Brian, you get some rest; I have to go help out. Those bastards handed this explosion case over to our team as a test. They¡¯re obviously setting us up to take the fall! It¡¯s going to be busy from now on.¡± Watching Ivan leave through the hospital room door, Brian lay back down. He was so unsteady on his feet now that he could only pray that these new teammates were reliable and strong. Otherwise, if they failed the assessment, It would mean real trouble. Chapter 28 - 28 21 Im going to start showing off! ?28: Chapter 21 I¡¯m going to start showing off! (Thanks to the alliance leader, Xi Chenyue¡¯s book friend) 28: Chapter 21 I¡¯m going to start showing off! (Thanks to the alliance leader, Xi Chenyue¡¯s book friend) Perhaps it was because his physique had improved. In the afternoon, Brian had regained his ability to move and had also remembered the events of yesterday. This explosion had become an assessment topic for Group Six. It involved joining NW. Brian didn¡¯t dare delay. He ignored the doctor¡¯s advice and proceeded to discharge himself. Seeing his determination, the hospital could only call his emergency contact to come pick him up. To Brian¡¯s surprise, the person who came was Team Leader Susan. ¡°Do you mind if I smoke?¡± Susan pulled out a slender cigarette and put it in her mouth, ¡°Sorry, I haven¡¯t slept all day. I need a cigarette to stay awake. Actually, I haven¡¯t touched these for a long time, but this sudden case has really stressed me out.¡± Brian didn¡¯t care about Susan smoking at all. He directly asked about the case, ¡°What¡¯s the situation now?¡± Susan lit her slim lady¡¯s cigarette, took a deep inhale, then said somewhat despondently: ¡°This explosion resulted in two fatalities and thirteen injuries. One of the deceased was a customer waiting to pick up her meal. She was unlucky. Cutlery propelled by the blast wave pierced her eye, killing her instantly. The other deceased was the owner of the food truck. He was burned all over his body. Despite the doctors¡¯ best efforts to save him, he passed away this noon.¡± Brian frowned, ¡°What was the cause of the explosion?¡± He had recovered his memory and remembered the man who had bumped into him, carrying the scent of triacetone triperoxide. This was definitely a premeditated bombing! Unfortunately, the explosion was too sudden. He hadn¡¯t been able to identify the scent on the man in time. Otherwise, this case would be much simpler. Susan shook her head: ¡°It¡¯s still under investigation. The entire food truck was burned down to its frame. Later, the firefighters and ambulances arrived, and they almost completely destroyed any evidence at the scene. However, Ivan found some physical evidence at the site yesterday. He believes this was a premeditated act of explosive murder. As for the details, we are still waiting for the lab results from the Forensics Bureau. As for whether they have found anything today, I am not sure either. I was by the food truck owner¡¯s side all day. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t make it.¡± Brian nodded. Ivan truly was an experienced detective; he certainly had a knack for these sorts of things. Since there wasn¡¯t an official office yet, currently, Group Six was temporarily using this newly cleaned-up floor for their office. Regarding the bodies from the explosion, they were sent to the police station¡¯s temporary morgue. Originally, Susan had planned to request outside help. Now that Brian had been discharged, the task of conducting autopsies naturally fell to him. The police station¡¯s temporary morgue was located underground, an area also used for storing evidence and other materials. When Brian and Susan arrived, Ivan, Glenn, and old Hardenn were circling around the remains of a twisted, C-shaped skeleton of the food truck. From the mere skeleton of the food truck, one could tell the fire was very intense. ¡°Guys, found anything?¡± Although Brian had never dealt with cases before, he had spent over two years in the Forensic Bureau and was knowledgeable enough not to be intimidated. There was no way around it, whether it was the Forensic Bureau or the Detective Bureau. You could be inexperienced, but you couldn¡¯t be cowardly. You had to make your voice heard, or even if you weren¡¯t inexperienced, you would be looked down upon. The strong man, Ivan, nodded his head and pointed to the bent side of the vehicle frame: ¡°From the damage to the vehicle, the initial explosion originated from this position at the back of the car, where the portable gas tanks were located.¡± Upon hearing this, Susan¡¯s attractive eyebrows furrowed: ¡°Ivan, are you saying that this was an accident?¡± Ivan hadn¡¯t expected Team Leader Susan to be so inexperienced. He had no choice but to point to the vehicle frame, which was completely tilted to the left, and explain: ¡°Team leader, if it was a gas tank explosion, then the food truck¡¯s frame should have expanded outward. The frame should bend from inside to outside, not collapse completely towards the service window. This means that at the moment of the explosion, the blast wave was directed towards the service window.¡± Susan seemed thoughtful, then turned to Brian beside her, ¡°Did you understand that?¡± Brian looked at Susan, who was trying desperately to appear calm, and nodded: ¡°What Ivan means is that someone used explosives at the back of the food truck, causing the gas tanks inside to explode, and that led to the extensive damage.¡± Ivan nodded: ¡°Yes, we have found something else.¡± He looked towards his old partner, Glenn. Glenn, wearing gloves, picked up a slightly charred plastic shard and explained: ¡°This is a piece of a bottle that Ivan and I collected from the scene. Normally, this plastic would have ignited. But there was a lot remaining on site. This indicates that its original form first bore the brunt of the explosion. Most of the shards were blown out of the reach of the flames and were preserved.¡± Susan: ... She really didn¡¯t understand. Couldn¡¯t they simplify the explanation? This time, Susan didn¡¯t bother speaking and instead turned directly to Brian, the capable interpreter beside her. Brian shrugged his shoulders and said to Glenn, ¡°Buddy, are you saying that someone filled a plastic bottle with explosives, and then detonated it?¡± Glenn nodded: ¡°Yes. Although the substances found on these plastic shards haven¡¯t been analyzed yet. The forensic department hasn¡¯t returned the results. But Ivan and I are certain this was a man-made explosion. The process was likely that the perpetrator detonated the homemade explosives first, which then ignited the gas tanks inside the vehicle, leading to the massive explosion.¡± A professional reveals their skills immediately. Ivan and Glenn indeed had their expertise. Old Hardenn, unwilling to be outdone, spoke up: ¡°After Ivan and the others confirmed this was a homicide, I had all the collected plastic shards numbered and photographed in 3D, and sent them to the technical department. Thanks to the 3D imaging technology. I estimate that by tomorrow at the latest, we will have the appearance of the bottle that held the explosives.¡± The oldest man also inadvertently demonstrated his worth. ... ¡°Alright, if there are no other findings, I¡¯ll go check on the body now.¡± Brian knew it was his time to step in. It was everyone¡¯s first time working together. Without some substance, speaking up later won¡¯t carry weight. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s another thing that I¡¯ve found quite strange, and I brought it back yesterday,¡± Ivan said, rummaging through a pile of miscellaneous items behind him and finding a palm-sized to-go box lid with burn marks. The inside of the lid bore an indistinct row of letters. Below the letters, there were three numbers: 229. Susan, who had not engaged in the conversation so far, yawned and looked at the to-go box lid, puzzled: ¡°Isn¡¯t this just a regular takeout box lid?¡± ¡°It¡¯s different,¡± Brian said, perking up as soon as he saw the numbers. ¡°Team Leader Susan, you probably rarely order takeout. With this kind of fast food delivery, to prevent delivery mix-ups, they write the address on the surface of the lid, but no one writes the address on the back.¡± Solving cases, he was clueless. But when it came to this stuff, Sorry, this was his area of expertise! As soon as Brian saw the numbers on that lid, he knew what it was! Dammit, everyone step aside. It¡¯s time for me to show off! Chapter 29 - 29 22 Whoever Wants to Be a Freeloader Go Ahead! ?29: Chapter 22 Whoever Wants to Be a Freeloader, Go Ahead! 29: Chapter 22 Whoever Wants to Be a Freeloader, Go Ahead! Susan quickly came to her senses. Right. If details like an address are written on the inside of the lid, then the delivery person would have to open the box to look, giving an impression of uncleanliness. ¡°So what does this represent?¡± Susan chose to throw the question out to everyone. Ivan and Glenn shook their heads. This was the first time they had encountered such a thing. Old Hardenn, however, had some thoughts, albeit uncertainly, ¡°This could be a transaction location. In the past, people liked to conceal illegal drugs, chemical toxins, inside special foods, then trade them through fast-food delivery. Moreover, I heard that in Los Angeles lately there¡¯s been a new method of trading sex for money, which is through these delivery services.¡± ¡°Delivery services?¡± Susan and the others were intrigued. Brian, on the other hand, turned grim. Dammit! He had been hoping to clear up everyone¡¯s confusion when they all seemed puzzled! Trust old Hardenn! He has preempted everything! What am I left to explain? Old Hardenn didn¡¯t notice Brian¡¯s dark expression. Somewhat embarrassed, he said, ¡°I only heard about it from a friend. The general process is to order a meal for delivery, then the john himself acts as the delivery person, finds the ¡®orderer¡¯ according to the address, and then they begin to ¡®enjoy the meal.¡¯ There¡¯s also role play involved, a variety of scenarios...¡± Brian: ... Dammit. Old Hardenn is well-informed indeed. You see, This idea originally came from him, based on a group¡¯s ¡®delivery service¡¯ vehicle identification in his previous life, which he mentioned offhand. And it took off from there. Except, in his previous life, the delivery staff were those ladies in black stockings. In this life, it was the johns themselves. In fact, not only were they delivery staff, but the johns also played many other roles. Like a plumber coming to fix pipes, a teacher coming for a home tutoring session... Susan was pensive. She had rarely come across such information before. Ivan looked confused, ¡°What¡¯s the point of that? Not only are there location-based transactions in Los Angeles, but there are also curb-side deals, phone calls... This kind of trade. There are so many methods. It doesn¡¯t seem that novel.¡± Old Hardenn shook his head, ¡°That shows what you don¡¯t know. Location-based transactions are easily busted. Curb-side ones are easy to fish out. The escorts and johns don¡¯t feel secure. Phone transactions, Home services are too expensive. This new type of transaction is different. It¡¯s cheap, and the john and the escort don¡¯t exchange money or information directly. The john delivers personally. It¡¯s very inconspicuous. Even if they get targeted, they can say that a spark of love flared up between them while delivering the meal. Without evidence, You simply can¡¯t convict.¡± Just as everyone marveled at the ingenuity of these pimps, Brian said leisurely, ¡°Old Hardenn, you¡¯re so familiar with this¡ªyou wouldn¡¯t be speaking from personal experience, would you?¡± Old Hardenn: ... He blushed, ¡°Brian, you¡¯re desecrating my thirty-plus years of police service spirit...¡± ¡°How does it feel to play the roles of a plumber or a teacher?¡± ¡°It¡¯s novel, but...¡± Hardenn, caught off guard, realized too late and could only cover his face and flee, ¡°I¡¯ll go hurry the technical department for the 3D imaging of the incendiary bottle...¡± ... Having driven away Old Hardenn who had stolen his thunder, The petty Brian cleared his throat, ¡°Based on the information we have so far, the fast-food truck¡¯s owner is most likely the real target of the murderer. So next, I need to perform a detailed autopsy on his body. Does anyone want to assist?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Susan volunteered, then looked at Ivan and Glenn, ¡°As for solving this case, that¡¯s your specialty. What¡¯s the plan going forward?¡± Ivan stroked his stubble, pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°In general homicide investigations, the key is to find the criminal¡¯s motive.¡± Glenn and I need to first investigate the victim¡¯s network of connections before death. Moreover, the matter that old Hardenn mentioned, we will also seek the help of informants for the investigation. This might take some time.¡± ... After the tasks were assigned, Brian and Team Leader Susan arrived at the precinct¡¯s temporary morgue. Once registered, the two began to change clothes. Susan was not familiar with all this. Brian, not minding the trouble, personally taught Team Leader Susan how to change into her gear. Watching the careful and kind, as well as handsome Brian, Susan couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Brian, you¡¯re really a gentleman, unlike old Hardenn, who, despite his age, still goes off to visit prostitutes.¡± Brian stood behind Susan, tying her straps while admiring the beautiful curve of her back, he smiled faintly, ¡°Thank you for the compliment. Frankly, my only flaw is judging people by their appearances.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha, you¡¯re really funny.¡± Susan laughed lightly, then sighed, ¡°I used to think I was quite capable. I was full of confidence before becoming a team leader, but once I actually encountered a case, I realized I didn¡¯t know anything, unlike all of you, who are so skilled.¡± Brian, according to the case number, laid out all the needed items and casually said, ¡°No one is born knowing how. As a leader, you just need to understand the abilities of your subordinates and give the right tasks to the right people. By the way, Team Leader Susan. What did you do before?¡± Susan felt quite comforted by Brian¡¯s words. She seriously said, ¡°Actually, I was a member of the VIP Protection Team, specifically in charge of protecting the female family members of some very important national visitors and foreign dignitaries. I was quite happy with my job. Until one accident when I shot and blew up the heads of seven or eight thugs, causing the wife of the dignitary to become mentally unstable, and that¡¯s why I was dismissed.¡± Brian: ... His face stiffened, ¡°Blew up the heads of seven or eight thugs?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Susan¡¯s face showed distress, ¡°Those people were armed with knives and incendiary bottles. I reacted a little too vigorously. Before they could even get close, I emptied the cylinders of two revolvers in an instant, killing all the thugs on the scene. Subsequent investigation revealed that it was only a standoff caused by an unequal share of loot after a zero-dollar shopping event. The head of the protection unit thought I was too straightforward. Not suitable for the Protection Team¡¯s work... Afterward, I was bored. I thought about becoming a cowboy or a bounty hunter. To make a name for myself, I even went to Texas to participate in a competition and won a marksmanship medal. But then something happened at home, so I came back.¡± Ah, this. Instant headshots on seven or eight people... Marksmanship medal... I¡¯m boasting to you. You¡¯re dealing with the real thing? Brian felt a bit of a chill in his teeth. In life, you have to rely on yourself. That kind of soft rice, whoever wants to eat it, let them. Brian definitely didn¡¯t want to anymore. He was afraid that one day he¡¯d find a bullet in his meal! Brian quickly changed the subject, ¡°Alright, Team Leader Susan, please turn on the camera. I¡¯m going to start the autopsy now.¡± ¡°Mhm, okay.¡± Susan dutifully complied. ... The fridge drawer opened. The sight that greeted them was a body, charred all over, still wrapped in a black charred leather apron. There was also a number tag hanging from the corpse¡¯s foot. What surprised Brian was, a deep red orb, properly floating above the body. A solid start! The remains of a murder victim were indeed more likely to spawn an obsession! Brian touched the orb with anticipation. If the victim¡¯s obsession contained information about the murderer, that would be fantastic! Chapter 30 - 30 23 Autopsy Suspect ?30: Chapter 23 Autopsy, Suspect 30: Chapter 23 Autopsy, Suspect Brian pretended to wave away the charred smell emanating from the body and shattered the small red ball of obsession. As the red ball turned into countless light spots and entered his eyes, a new message of obsession emerged in Brian¡¯s mind: to let Shaina no longer sink into decadence and to live a happy life. Shaina? Was she the girl the deceased adored? Brian was disappointed after reading the deceased¡¯s obsession. Just by reading it, he knew it had nothing to do with the murderer. The most absurd part was, the obsession still wished someone a happy lifetime. He also wanted to live a happy life. But was it possible? This ridiculous obsession could never be fulfilled! ... After countless disappointments, Brian had grown accustomed to it. He began to work according to the autopsy procedure. Unaware that Brian was collecting obsessions, Susan watched Brian¡¯s work with keen interest, acting merely as a token assistant. To ensure impartiality, current autopsy procedures do not allow a single person to carry them out. That was why he needed an assistant. Not for help, but to have a token person to ensure the legal compliance of the autopsy procedure. The first step of the autopsy was to confirm the identity of the remains. Brian glanced at the register, and after verifying the identity tag on the corpse¡¯s foot, he announced to the camera, ¡°The deceased, Kenneth, male, 22 years old, time of death: September 30, at 1:56 PM, identity of the deceased confirmed. Autopsy Officer Brian, beginning the body examination.¡± Autopsy, somewhat similar to diagnosing a patient. After confirming the identity of the deceased, the second step wasn¡¯t to make incisions but to examine the body. Brian started by visually inspecting the body, followed by checking the deceased¡¯s charred limbs, mouth, nasal cavities, ears, and other private areas. Finally, he carefully removed the leather apron that was stuck to the flesh. ¡°Ah!¡± Susan, curiously inspecting, exclaimed after seeing the chest, ¡°There are deep purplish-red marks here!¡± Brian glared at Susan to silence her, then spoke to the camera, ¡°The deceased¡¯s body was severely burned, with a large amount of soot inhaled into the nasal cavities, collapsed chest, multiple rib fractures, blood accumulation in the mouth, and suspected internal organ damage. Additionally, there are large circular purplish-red marks on the chest with several hole-shaped indentations in the middle, suggesting the deceased might have been struck with some kind of blunt, circular object before he died...¡± After saying this, Brian turned to Susan, who covered her mouth, ¡°Wasn¡¯t the victim supposed to have died in the hospital? Why is his leather apron still on him?¡± Before the autopsy, he had thought he was going to dissect a badly done surgical body. Susan explained, ¡°When the victim was brought to the hospital, he had already passed away. The reason I stayed and allowed the hospital to hide this fact was at the suggestion of Ivan and Glenn. Typically, after committing the crime, the murderer might appear at the crime scene or the hospital to check on the victim¡¯s status. I agreed because the cause of death was quite clear.¡± Brian: ... That was actually a serious violation. Ivan and Glenn¡¯s way of handling things was somewhat reckless. This group leader was also a bit foolish. Brian could only educate this rookie leader, ¡°Often, the method of death one sees might just be a deceptive ploy by the murderer to obscure the truth and delay the autopsy. It¡¯s not a smart move.¡± Susan seemed receptive to advice and nodded, ¡°I won¡¯t do it again, but how should I write the report for this case?¡± Brian spread his hands, ¡°If you solve the case, no one cares; if you don¡¯t solve the case and fail the assessment, there is no need to care either.¡± ... Due to some of Susan¡¯s inappropriate comments, Brian had to change the camera¡¯s card and restart the procedure. After completing the recording once again, he began to examine the clothing remnants on the victim. The victim had suffered severe impacts and burns just before death, and almost all his clothes were destroyed. Even with olfactory enhancement activated by Brian, aside from the smell of burning, there were no other findings. One might say, combining murder with arson made sense. Without findings, Brian could only proceed to the next step of dissection. Still using the most common ¡°Y-incision¡± method. Brian expertly used the extremely sharp tools to open up the entire chest and abdomen of the deceased, gruesomely exposing the internal organs. ¡°The left side of the deceased¡¯s chest, ribs seven, eight, and nine show traumatic fractures; damage to the heart and spleen...¡± Heart damage... The cause of death was found. After examining those aspects, Brian turned his attention to the flesh on the victim¡¯s chest. ¡°The victim must have been a disciplined individual, as there are clear signs of exercise on his body. Additionally, the circular scars on his chest seem to have been there before his death.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Susan asked, curious about Brian¡¯s reasoning. ¡°Couldn¡¯t it have been caused by something hitting him during the explosion?¡± Brian shook his head: ¡°If it had been caused by an impact, there would be corresponding marks on the ribs in that area. Moreover, the deep purple scars on the victim¡¯s chest are not congestion from halted blood flow, but rather the manifestation of coagulated blood. This means that the victim was injured here before he died. However, the injury wasn¡¯t serious. At least it didn¡¯t prevent him from continuing to work.¡± ¡°It¡¯s giving me a headache,¡± Susan said, tapping her head, as she directly asked, ¡°So, did this autopsy yield any findings?¡± Brian continued to shake his head: ¡°The victim indeed died from the impact and burns caused by the explosion. We can only confirm that the victim fought with someone before his death. Given such a public place, the amount of homemade explosives the perpetrator could carry wouldn¡¯t have been substantial. Shielded by the food truck. It¡¯s hard to kill someone. Therefore, the perpetrator must have chosen a clever placement for the explosives, knowing enough about demolition and having investigated the food truck¡¯s structure. In fact, after I graduated from high school, to earn money, I studied the business model of food trucks for a while. Depending on the habits. The interior layout of food trucks varies greatly. Generally, nobody notices these. So I believe this was a premeditated murder!¡± Susan picked up on the key point: ¡°Are you saying that the perpetrator intended to kill the victim right from the start?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Brian nodded emphatically: ¡°Ordinary grudges wouldn¡¯t involve explosives! But I can¡¯t understand why the killer would choose to use explosives? After all, it attracts too much attention. If it were me wanting to kill a food truck owner, I would pretend it was a robbery shooting. The food truck owner had a booming business, probably high daily earnings, and all in cash. A robber targeting him, would be completely plausible. This way, you can kill someone without drawing much police attention. After all, many robbery shootings occur in Los Angeles every year. There are far too many suspects.¡± In terms of the autopsy, Brian was indeed unremarkable. But once he put himself in the killer¡¯s shoes, he immediately spotted something wrong with the case. Perhaps this is talent. ¡°Why do I feel like you know a lot about crimes?¡± After pondering for a moment, Susan almost scared Brian to death with her words. Brian rolled his eyes, ¡°If you hear about various crimes every day, you¡¯d become like me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Susan rubbed her tired neck: ¡°Premeditation implies that there was definitely some connection between the victim and the killer. It seems our investigation should focus on the victim¡¯s social relationships.¡± Brian nodded in agreement. They hoped that Ivan and Glenn, two former detectives, could bring some surprises with their investigation. The scene was cleaned up. They locked away the autopsy records and other items. Together, they left the chilly morgue. ... As evening approached. Old Hardenn brought back a printed photo. A very common plastic bottle appeared on the photo. ¡°This should be the bottle the killer used for the explosives. Moreover, the testing department identified the substance on the plastic debris as triacetone triperoxide, a chemical commonly found in household items and easily obtainable from places like furniture factories.¡± The news Old Hardenn brought back formally characterized the explosion as a premeditated murder. Not long afterward. Ivan and Glenn returned to the police station with their findings. ¡°These are some basic details about the victim, Kenneth, and his visible social connections that we could find. There are two people we should pay close attention to, as I suspect they have motives!¡± Ivan said solemnly, handing over the printed documents to everyone. Everyone picked up the documents and began reading them intently. Soon, Brian¡¯s eyes locked onto a name: Audlin. This guy, the suspicions are strong! Chapter 31 - 31 24 Arrangements ?31: Chapter 24 Arrangements 31: Chapter 24 Arrangements Kenneth was a very diligent young man. His social connections were simple: Before the age of 22, he had always worked as a kitchen helper in a five-star hotel in Los Angeles. He was not, as Old Hardenn had mentioned before, an apprentice to any head chef. Kenneth was just a handyman. After turning 22... Kenneth¡¯s story ended. He died. In fact, Kenneth had left that hotel just over a month ago. More than a month prior, Kenneth had a conflict with the head chef of the kitchen over certain matters. The two fought, and afterward, Kenneth was fired from the hotel. Later, the poor young man Kenneth somehow acquired some money, opened a food truck, and with Hua Country elements and tasteful food, became the star food truck of that business street within a month. The flow of people on the business street was that many. People were going to Kenneth¡¯s food truck to eat. Naturally, the business of other vendors was affected, resulting in hostile attitudes towards Kenneth. Among them, a black food vendor named Audlin was the most obvious. According to the information collected by Ivan and others, Half a month after Kenneth¡¯s food truck started, Audlin complained about Kenneth eight or nine times for not having a health permit, until it ended three days ago. The reason was that Kenneth couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. He went directly to Audlin, and the two had a big fight. Audlin, old and frail, didn¡¯t show up in his stall for several days after being beaten by Kenneth. The key point is, According to the data provided by Ivan and his team, Audlin had previously been imprisoned for stealing explosive materials from a mine, and while in prison, he became enlightened and learned sophisticated demolition skills. After being released, he continued his criminal activities, served several more years in prison, and was released five years ago. There were criminal timelines and means. This was also why Brian suspected him heavily. The only problem was that the hooded man Brian had initially encountered was agile and probably not very old. If Audlin was truly the mastermind, Then it meant he had other accomplices. ... Besides Audlin being a major suspect, Another person was highlighted by Ivan and his team. This individual was named Li Sen, a second-generation descendant of Hua Country, 47 years old this year. Li Sen was a head chef at a five-star hotel in Los Angeles, mainly responsible for certain Hua Country specialty dishes, and he was somewhat famous within the industry. Kenneth was fired from the hotel because of a fight with him. His name was also marked with emphasis by Ivan and his team. Besides Audlin and Li Sen, the other people, either neighbors of Kenneth or loosely connected friends with no criminal motives, were far less suspicious than the first two. Thinking of the deceased Kenneth¡¯s obsession, Brian put down the information in his hands and asked Ivan, ¡°Buddy, did you guys find out if Kenneth had a girlfriend or any romantic entanglements?¡± Ivan shook his head, ¡°Glenn and I spoke with Kenneth¡¯s neighbors and former colleagues; they all said that Kenneth was diligent and honest, didn¡¯t smoke, didn¡¯t drink, didn¡¯t even go to bars, left home on time and returned home on time every day, which is why he hardly had any friends.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Brian was somewhat disappointed. Although fulfilling Kenneth¡¯s obsession was difficult, considering his current urgent need to increase his strength, he still wanted to try. After all, The methods to fulfill an obsession were not that rigid. Right? ... Once everyone had read through the information, Under the coordination of Team Leader Susan, They began to gather the intelligence collected. Brian also repeated the autopsy results and his conjectures during the meeting. Glenn whistled, ¡°It seems we¡¯ve found a suspect for this case, skilled in demolition and with a motive¡ªeverything points to Audlin, the black vendor with a criminal record. I¡¯d bet a hundred US dollars that he¡¯s the murderer!¡± Ivan nodded in agreement, indicating his concurrence. Audlin, having had his business taken from him, not only repeatedly reported Kenneth but also had physical altercations with him, ending up unable to open his stall. There was enough grievance between him and the victim. The crucial point was, Audlin had a criminal record, not only having had experience as a mine demolitionist, but after his release from prison, also sold homemade explosives. Anyone looking at this information... They will treat Audlin as the main suspect. Old Hardenn took a sip of coffee and yawned, ¡°Young people, don¡¯t think of everything so absolutely. I¡¯ve seen many cases reverse. For what reason did the victim and that chef named Li Sen fight?¡± Although in his heart, he also thought Audlin was highly suspect. But as a black man, he didn¡¯t like the inherent impressions Glenn and others had about black people. Glenn, somewhat annoyed by Old Hardenn¡¯s authoritative demeanor, responded perfunctorily, ¡°I¡¯m the one who went to investigate. Based on the information provided by the hotel kitchen staff, that Li Sen was different from the average Chinese, very irritable, and rude to them. But before the fight, Li Sen hadn¡¯t specifically targeted the victim. It seems the conflict erupted because the victim wanted to steal some of Li Sen¡¯s secret recipe ingredients.¡± Hearing the reason, Old Hardenn¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, ¡°Man, you might not know. The Chinese take these secret recipes very seriously. The victim was just an ordinary helper, but after leaving the hotel, he could make delicious Hua Country cuisine. I suspect he had his hands on it. The grudge between Li Sen and the victim might not be as simple as you think.¡± Hearing this, Brian couldn¡¯t help but nod. That did make sense. Especially since Li Sen was a second-generation immigrant from Hua Country. Considering the timing, his parents were indeed from the older generation. These people, many of their views still follow the old traditions of Hua Country. Stealing the foundation of one¡¯s livelihood, is no small matter. If Old Hardenn¡¯s speculation was true, then the animosity between the victim and Li Sen was indeed significant. ¡°Although I don¡¯t understand, I still insist on focusing the investigation on that Audlin,¡± Glenn maintained his viewpoint. Old Hardenn just shrugged his shoulders and said nothing. He was past the age of being competitive. Ivan, who seemed brash, was actually much more thoughtful. He clapped his hands, ¡°This can be solved easily. For Audlin¡¯s part, there might be explosives hidden. Glenn and I will investigate tomorrow. As for Li Sen¡¯s side, we can let Team Leader Susan and Brian handle it, and as for Old Hardenn...¡± Ivan grinned, ¡°This afternoon, we received reliable information from an informant friend. The numbers on the lunchbox lid are likely an apartment room near the commercial street. Recently, many single ladies have rented there. We need someone experienced to check it out.¡± Old Hardenn¡¯s face stiffened, and he became agitated, ¡°What do you mean experienced! I¡¯m quite old, is it really appropriate for me to go to such a place?¡± Susan, who had been watching the drama unfold, her red lips curled up, ¡°I¡¯m a woman, and with Brian being so handsome, him going there would also raise suspicions. Old Hardenn, besides you, there really isn¡¯t anyone else better suited for this.¡± Old Hardenn:... He glared at Brian. If it wasn¡¯t for this kid¡¯s trickery earlier, how could he have been tagged as an old philanderer on his first day in the team! It was already very late. Tasks had been assigned. The group then left the office with their badges and firearms. ... Brian didn¡¯t head home immediately. He first went to a flower shop, bought two bouquets, and then drove towards the suburban cemetery. He had always harbored an obsession that hadn¡¯t been fulfilled: dancing and urinating on Carolina Ellis¡¯s grave. This case, which still made Brian uncomfortable when he thought about it, had been closed a few days ago. The murderer was still Andres. This beast, after hammering his female neighbor and his own wife to death, had been executed by Brian. When the police discovered Andres¡¯s body, during the body examination, secretions from the female neighbor were found on his trousers. Following this clue, they found the hammer that Andres had not yet disposed of. Brian thought this case would drag on for a long time since Andres had died by his hand. Unexpectedly, perhaps due to the many backlogged cases during this period, and the establishment of NW, there were significant changes at the Detective Bureau. In any event, this case was concluded as murder followed by Andres¡¯s suicide. The bodies of the two female victims had also been cremated yesterday and were sent to the cemetery for burial. ¡°Thanks to Tom for providing the information in time.¡± Brian sped up. He wondered what kind of gift he would receive after fulfilling his obsession with the beast Andres... Chapter 32 - 32 25 Talent Fury Kill! ?32: Chapter 25 Talent: Fury, Kill! 32: Chapter 25 Talent: Fury, Kill! After arriving at the cemetery. Brian didn¡¯t rush to fulfill his obsession. First, he went to the tombstone of his unmarried mother, Emmaline Keller, placed a bouquet of flowers, and then sat down. Against the bleak evening wind, he recounted Alli being adopted, Andres dying a violent death, suffering retribution... Actually, he knew. In this world, there was no such thing as retribution. If he hadn¡¯t intervened, The worst outcome for Andres would have been only to go to prison, to work on a sewing machine, to pick up soap, and he might even have found joy in that existence¡ªgetting medical care when sick, free psychological counseling if feeling aggrieved, and often enjoying those ¡°humanitarian care gifts¡± and letters sent by the fools outside... This was truly ironic. After pouring out his heart. Brian exhaled a long sigh of relief, feeling much more comfortable inside. Having spent a lot of time at the Forensic Bureau, he had seen too much of the diversity of human nature. There were those who, for the sake of insurance fraud, engineered accidents to kill their own sons and daughters. There were hypocrites who locked up their mothers, wives, and daughters for others to indulge in, earning drug money. ... Regarding such matters, Brian¡¯s heart had long been numb. Even so, he was still moved by the fate of Emmaline Keller. Good people, Should not have to endure such fates! And those bad people, Did not deserve to receive humanitarian care! Brian clenched his fists, his mind uncontrollably recalling the pleasure of inserting a screwdriver into Andres¡¯s neck that day. He seemed to have found the real cure for his psychological ailment! ... The silver moon hung high above. After sitting idly for a long time, Brian saw that the cemetery was now completely empty, then moved to the adjacent grave and silently unzipped his trousers... Shortly after, A distinctive warm current flowed into both of Brian¡¯s kidneys. At the same time, A moment of enlightenment hit him. This time, after fulfilling the obsession, the gift he received was a kind of passive talent: Fury! ¡°Fury?¡± Brian was somewhat puzzled. He understood passive talents, But what was Fury? Extreme anger, a burst of rage? Looking at the night raven on the dry branches of the cemetery trees watching him, surrounded by the many somber tombstones, Brian thought it over but ultimately didn¡¯t dare to experiment in this unsafe place. He would wait until he got back. .. After leaving the cemetery, Brian got into his car, inserted the key, turned on the headlights, illuminating the dim surroundings. He was just about to start the car to return, When a handgun, Silent, stretched out from the back seat, pressing against his head! ¡°My wallet¡¯s at my chest, I¡¯ll close my eyes, won¡¯t see your face clearly...¡± Brian raised his hands obediently from his heart, motionless, indicating that he had no intention of resisting or posing a threat. Click~ A cold sensation passed from his raised hands. By the time Brian realized what was happening, his hands had already been cuffed with silver handcuffs. ¡°Get out of the car.¡± The gun at his head was withdrawn. A deep voice came from behind him. Brian glanced at his waist but eventually chose not to fight back and obediently positioned himself beneath the car. With his enhanced sense of smell activated, it would severely impact his daily life, and the mental toll was significant; he usually kept it off and hadn¡¯t expected to be targeted today. In the light escaping from the car, Brian could also make out the attacker¡¯s appearance. The person was a tall, white middle-aged man dressed in a suit, with a badge representing the LAPD on his right collar. This kind of attire was typically exclusive to plainclothes detectives. This guy was from the Detective Bureau! Moreover, Brian felt the man looked familiar but couldn¡¯t remember where he had seen him before. ¡°Pal, is this some kind of misunderstanding? I am...¡± He attempted to throw out his NW member status for self-protection. But before Brian could finish speaking, The next moment, The white detective threw a hook punch that landed heavily on Brian¡¯s stomach, causing his mouth to gape open as he tried to scream but was in too much pain to even breathe. He doubled over, half-kneeling on the ground, powerless to resist. The white detective took advantage of the situation to lay Brian on the ground, skillfully searching him, dumping items like the gun and ID he had just received all over the place, making sure Brian had no way to counterattack, before lifting him from the ground and throwing him onto the vacant space in front of the car. He secured his handgun, took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, took a deep drag, and then, exhaling smoke, said in a deep voice, ¡°Mr. Brian, it¡¯s a pleasure to see you again. Now you can tell me how you killed Andres.¡± ¡°Cough, cough~¡± Brian struggled to stand. He spat out a mouthful of saliva, looking at the man in confusion, ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about; furthermore, have we met before?¡± The white detective shook his head, threw another hook punch, and knocked Brian to the ground again, ¡°Andres¡¯s body was the one I brought to the Forensic Bureau. I was following behind your colleague at the time.¡± ¡°Cough, cough~¡± This time Brian spat out a streak of blood. He struggled to rise from the ground, looking at the white detective as if he were insane, ¡°Just because I came to visit the poor victim, you think I¡¯m the killer who murdered Andres?¡± ¡°Keep pretending,¡± the white detective said, looking at Brian as if he were a clown, ¡°After eight o¡¯clock here, no one shows up except for the drunken Tomb Guardian. We have plenty of time to talk tonight.¡± Looking at the man under the car lights, surrounded by smoke and with an unclear face, Brian showed an expression of helplessness and anger, ¡°I just received a message from a colleague, feeling sorry for that tragic mother¡¯s fate, that¡¯s why I came here. Also, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about; Tom didn¡¯t tell me that Andres was the killer and that he committed suicide out of guilt.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you people are so stubborn.¡± The white detective flicked away his cigarette butt, picked up Brian¡¯s temporary NW member card from the ground, patted it, and said smilingly, ¡°Do you know what your mistake was?¡± Listening to the man¡¯s assertive tone, Brian stopped speaking and silently bowed his head. But the white detective seemed to enjoy the process. He continued, ¡°Andres died too cleanly. The killer¡¯s method was professional, the fatal blow quick, accurate, and ruthless. This shows that the killer is very familiar with human anatomy, that¡¯s your first mistake! The second mistake is that you acted too quickly. Andres had just killed his wife and neighbor, and then was found dead in a hotel. He was a loner with no friends, drunk and unkempt that night, and late at night, apart from you, your colleague Tom, and the patrol officer on duty, no one else knew the situation Andres was in.¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk,¡± the white detective dropped Brian¡¯s credentials back at his feet, ¡°A forensic assistant with a sense of justice, a keen case-solving nose, hating evil as your enemy, and beating the police to kill the murderer... What a bloodthirsty forensic story. Too bad, you ran into...¡± ¡°Are you done?¡± A deep, hoarse voice came from beneath Brian¡¯s lowered head. The white detective paused. What? He instinctively looked towards Brian¡¯s position, only to meet a pair of bloodshot eyes. A chill ran through him. The next moment, Dust flew off the ground. A shadowy figure appeared in front of the white detective in an instant, hands raised high like axes, and came smashing down with a howling sound. With a crisp snap, The white detective, weighing over one hundred eighty pounds, twisted his head and fell to the ground, eyes wide open, his body collapsing weakly. Brian, breathing heavily, looked at the detective¡¯s eyes that would no longer close and revealed a ferocious smile, ¡°Now that you¡¯re done, you can die!¡± The man was right. There was no one around. He had plenty of time to dispose of the body. Chapter 34 - 34 27 The Prime Suspect is Actually Already Dead ?34: Chapter 27 The Prime Suspect is Actually Already Dead? 34: Chapter 27 The Prime Suspect is Actually Already Dead? In the break room, he waited for about fifteen minutes. A middle-aged man dressed in a white chef¡¯s uniform knocked on the door and walked in. ¡°I am Li Sen,¡± he said, ¡°may I ask what brings you two here to see me?¡± Li Sen was not tall, not even reaching one meter sixty-five, with a square face, slightly overweight, his crow¡¯s feet and forehead furrows were pronounced, giving the first impression that he was the kind of stern character who often kept a straight face. Susan shot Brian a glance. Brian smoothly moved behind Li Sen, blocking his way out. Li Sen sensed something was wrong: ¡°What do you guys want to do?¡± Susan¡¯s face turned stern as she pulled out her badge: ¡°I¡¯m Team Leader Susan from the crime lab, and there are some things I¡¯d like to understand from you.¡± ¡°Fuck your mother,¡± Li Sen¡¯s reaction was explosive, displaying great anger: ¡°Is this an interrogation? You¡¯re clearly treating me like a criminal, you fucking bitch, I¡¯m going to file a complaint against you...¡± Fuck your mother. Li Sen had spoken in Cantonese, which Susan did not understand. She did understand the ¡°fucking bitch¡± that followed. In the next moment, Li Sen was taken down to the ground by Susan with a martial arts maneuver. After doing all this, Susan was not done yet. She pressed down on Li Sen¡¯s joints so he couldn¡¯t exert any force and screwed his chef¡¯s hat into a ball, shoving it into the still cursing Li Sen¡¯s mouth. Then she placed her thumb under her index finger, made a fist, and forcefully pounded Li Sen¡¯s throat and other areas. ¡°Woo woo!!!!¡± Intense pain shot through Li Sen¡¯s brain. His eyes widened as he tried to let out a pained howl, but his body was locked tight, and he could only struggle feebly like a fish out of water. ... Brian hadn¡¯t expected Susan to be so violent. Li Sen was, after all, a fellow townsman. Moreover, Brian felt that a black fast-food vendor called Audlin was a more likely suspect. So he quickly stepped forward, hoping to calm Susan down. But before he could speak, Li Sen had already pushed the hat out of his mouth with his tongue and continued to gasp and curse: ¡°You damned bastards, white people bully us, black people bully us too, you¡¯re no better than those animals in the homeless camps, if you¡¯ve got the guts, kill me. Otherwise, I swear I¡¯ll make you take off that uniform!¡± ¡°Bullying you?¡± Susan scoffed and stopped hitting him: ¡°Li Sen, forty-seven years old, divorced, with a son from your ex-wife, but the boy has Down syndrome, so most of your earnings go to your son.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± Li Sen¡¯s forehead veins bulged when Susan brought up his son. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything!¡± Susan got up from Li Sen and dusted off her hands: ¡°I hit you because you have a foul mouth, but if you keep this attitude, I assure you that no hotel in Los Angeles will dare to hire you.¡± His son was Li Sen¡¯s weakness. He climbed up from the ground, humbled: ¡°Ask your questions.¡± ¡°Do you know Kenneth?¡± ¡°Yes, he was my former colleague.¡± ¡°Did you ever have a conflict with him?¡± ¡°We did. He wanted to steal my secret seasoning. Actually, I knew before that he tried to steal some of my culinary skills. But he was not a bad person. So I pretended not to know. Since my son has Down syndrome, he surely won¡¯t be able to carry on my craft. So I even thought about taking him as my apprentice. But that doesn¡¯t include my secret seasoning! To me, it¡¯s as important as the gun you carry on your person. I felt like my kindness had been betrayed. So I was very angry at the time.¡± Li Sen still could not conceal his anger when he spoke of this. Susan, unable to empathize with Li Sen¡¯s feelings, continued to ask, ¡°Where were you after five o¡¯clock on September 30?¡± ¡°At the hotel, until the early morning when I finished my shift, and then I went straight home. I do this every day.¡± Li Sen went on: ¡°I saw on the news what happened to Kenneth. But I swear to Mazu. It wasn¡¯t me! I was angry at Kenneth¡¯s theft for sure! But it¡¯s impossible for me to take revenge myself! I couldn¡¯t possibly abandon my son to do something impulsive!¡± Susan felt that Li Sen was not lying. Because after hearing news about his son earlier, the frustration and concern he showed were hard to fake for most people. She thought for a moment, then said with a frown: ¡°However, according to my colleague¡¯s investigation, you have a quick temper and frequently insult your colleagues in the kitchen. You are not a person with stable emotions.¡± Li Sen¡¯s face showed bitterness: ¡°This is just an image I deliberately constructed to live better. I don¡¯t have a strong physique. Most people¡¯s perception of people from Hua Country is that they are easy to bully. In a place like a kitchen, where the bottom-level personnel change frequently, it¡¯s hard to build a long-term stable relationship with colleagues. Many of my colleagues are envious of me for drawing a high salary every month when I don¡¯t look as good as them, nor am I as tall. If I don¡¯t appear a bit more dominant, I might not even be able to protect my basic interests.¡± With that said, he even managed a smile: ¡°I once volunteered to help out at a homeless camp, and all I got in return was those animals bullying and complaining about me; since then, I¡¯ve known how to communicate with these animals.¡± Hearing this, Susan and Brian exchanged a look and both felt that Li Sen¡¯s words had a high degree of credibility. Because a person with vulnerabilities does not resort to extremes unless compelled. Brian handed Li Sen a cigarette and patted him on the shoulder, saying in Mandarin: ¡°You are a good father...¡± ¡°Well then, Mr. Li Sen, we¡¯ll verify the information you¡¯ve provided, and please don¡¯t leave Los Angeles in the near future.¡± After finishing her statement, Susan handed Li Sen the number of a private doctor: ¡°I¡¯m very sorry for my rude behavior towards you earlier. If you want to file a complaint against me, I will accept it. Also, this is the number of my family¡¯s private physician. He has many high-end connections in the medical field, which might be helpful for your son¡¯s condition..¡± Susan walked away feeling somewhat embarrassed. She felt like she had played the ignoble villain in a movie today, picking on a good father struggling for the sake of his son. This was tormenting her. ... After leaving the hotel, Susan suddenly slapped herself: ¡°It¡¯s all because of that uncle of mine who said that to interrogate someone, you should pick a fight first, beat them up, then grab their vulnerability and threaten them, it would make things go smoother, but I feel so terrible now...¡± Bullying such a responsible good father. She felt she truly deserved to die. Brian, on the other hand, was much more open-minded: ¡°Susan, there¡¯s no need to feel so guilty. You just used some methods for the sake of cracking the case. Whether as a police officer, a doctor, or a forensic doctor, those with strong empathy are not good at their jobs.¡± Susan gave Brian a blank look: ¡°You really have a good attitude.¡± Brian shrugged: ¡°I¡¯m just selfish! Instead of consuming myself, I¡¯d rather torment others. As long as you let go of your personal moral standards, your mood will be as good as mine.¡± Susan thought Brian was joking to cheer her up. She was about to compliment him on his humor. Then a phone call came in, causing the smile to fade from her face. After hanging up, she looked at Brian with a serious expression: ¡°Ivan called. The top suspect, Audlin, was found dead in his own basement workshop. The body was already somewhat decomposed. The time of death must have been over three days ago. He couldn¡¯t possibly have committed the crime!¡± What? Brian was also stunned. The top suspect was already dead? Chapter 35 - 35 28 The Clue is Lost Seeking Follow-up Reads on Tuesday!!! ?35: Chapter 28 The Clue is Lost (Seeking Follow-up Reads on Tuesday!!!) 35: Chapter 28 The Clue is Lost (Seeking Follow-up Reads on Tuesday!!!) Audlin was a fast-food stall owner on the commercial street. He was a convict with a checkered past, having been in prison twice for theft and selling homemade explosives. Because of business. Audlin and the deceased, Kenneth, had also had a fight. What¡¯s worse, Audlin didn¡¯t win.. All these factors combined, Naturally made him the prime suspect in the commercial street food cart explosion case in the eyes of Brian and others. Susan and Brian hadn¡¯t expected that the other party had already died before the explosion! ... Half an hour later, They drove to Audlin¡¯s house. To Brian¡¯s surprise, Audlin¡¯s home was just two streets away from his residence. This area used to be an independent housing district from earlier years. Later, with the start of Los Angeles¡¯ decentralization, Many wealthy people moved out. This area, then, became a gathering place for homeless people. So the security here was not good. When Brian and Susan arrived, they saw many disheveled, unkempt, and dejected black people and middle-aged white people with hair like weeds, crowded outside the police cordon to see what was happening. The two pushed through the crowd, showed their credentials, and entered the house. The whole house was in the very American style of a detached two-story wooden structure, with a lawn outside that wasn¡¯t well-maintained, looking dry and yellow; near the house was a shabby, long-abandoned little doghouse. There was no one inside the house. They passed through the house and went to the backyard. There was a tree in the backyard, also seemingly not well-cared for. Beside the tree was an entrance to an underground storeroom, the covering door of which had already been opened. Ivan and Glenn, the two of them, were sitting on the side smoking glumly, not looking in a very good mood. Seeing Susan and Brian arrive, Ivan tossed away his cigarette butt and said somewhat irritably, ¡°This is a private workshop down here, with lots of barrels and a pungent smell, as well as some half-finished explosives. Audlin died at the workbench. This guy, secretly, was still in the business of selling explosives!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go down and have a look.¡± Brian activated his Olfactory Enhancement, wrinkled his nose as he adjusted to two breaths, and then went down. Susan stayed above, talking to Ivan about the morning¡¯s inquiry into another suspect, Li Sen, and the conclusions drawn. ... This cellar looked quite rough. In the United States, many detached family homes would have a cellar for storing seldom-used appliances and items. But this cellar obviously had more than just that simple function. Following the stairs down, The first sight was some homemade filtration barrels. The liquids inside were murky, predominantly brown and tan. The smell was very pungent. Further in, there were some separately partitioned, clear white bags containing white crystalline powder. With just a sniff from afar, Brian knew what it was. TATP, also known as triacetone triperoxide! This stuff, a household chemical often used in furniture making and processing, was not yet regulated and not difficult to obtain; it was the material of choice for many criminals making homemade explosives. Obviously, Ivan was right. After Audlin was released from prison, he returned to his old ways for some reason, running a fast-food stall on the surface, but secretly he continued to make and sell explosives. Past these objects and shelves, The body of a black man sprawled on a simple workbench came into view. To the left of the corpse, there were several bottles of indeterminate material scattered about. These bottles were the exact type that Old Hardenn had reconstructed through technical means as the kind used to hold explosives in the explosion case! It was conclusive evidence! The explosives from the explosion case, in all likelihood, were made by Audlin! This guy, if not a participant, knew the murderer! ... ¡°What a pity, ¡®obsession¡¯ wasn¡¯t found.¡± Brian murmured to himself, taking white rubber gloves out of his pocket and putting them on. Ever since dealing with that detective¡¯s body, He had started to carry some gloves and similar items with him. An Autopsy Officer carrying some gloves around was perfectly reasonable. Just as Brian was about to conduct a preliminary examination of the body, Susan and Glenn, who had finished smoking, came down along with Ivan. Four people, crammed in here, making it slightly crowded. Susan covered her nose, the first to notice the few bottles on the workbench, and exclaimed, ¡°Aren¡¯t these the explosive bottles that Hardenn restored?¡± Ivan nodded, ¡°Yes, and those white powder crystals on the shelves are triacetone triperoxide, the substance used to make explosives in the bombing case. Audlin, if he isn¡¯t the culprit in the case, is definitely acquainted with the culprit!¡± Upon hearing this, a glimmer sparked in Susan¡¯s eyes, ¡°Does this mean there has been a breakthrough in the case?¡± The lackadaisical Glenn laughed to the side, ¡°How could it be that simple? This is actually the start of the troubles for the case.¡± His muscular partner Ivan also sighed and nodded: ¡°Chief, the easiest cases to crack are the ones with a single thread. For instance, if Audlin hired a hitman due to personal grudges or took the initiative to kill someone himself. In such cases, we only need to follow the victim¡¯s social connections to lock down the suspect and quickly solve the case. Once a third party is involved, it signifies a steep increase in the complexity of the case, especially with someone like Audlin who has complex social relations. Because it¡¯s very difficult for us to identify another participant.¡± ... While the three were chatting, Brian had already removed his gloves and quickly completed the preliminary examination of the body. He interrupted their conversation: ¡°The victim¡¯s preliminary time of death is estimated to be the night of September 29. The probable cause of death is due to an overdose of anesthetic ether, resulting in cardiac arrest. Also, the victim¡¯s body does not appear to have been moved; otherwise, the relaxed muscles would have shown obvious lividity. This suggests the killer is confident in their method, possibly not their first offense.¡± Hearing Brian¡¯s words, Ivan nodded, ¡°It¡¯s roughly the same as my analysis, but I inferred the cause of death based on the expression on the body before death. Those who die from anesthesia have a struggling look on their face, but because the muscles quickly lose control, it ends up being a very eerie smile.¡± Brian thought of the strange expression on Audlin¡¯s face and nodded. Worthy of being an old detective. Learned something. His analysis was all based on the scent picked up by his nose. Unfortunately, there are too many chemicals here. Even with enhanced sense of smell, it¡¯s impossible to detect the scent left by visitors from three days ago amidst the irritating smells of chemical reagents. ... No useful things were found at the death scene. After searching Audlin¡¯s home, the group came across an unexpected discovery. Those were two account books. Audlin¡¯s education level wasn¡¯t high. So the account books he recorded were also very simple and clear. One was presumably the record of shipments. Explosives represented by X; several Xs indicated the number of explosive bottles. Behind that was a string of numbers and dates. This probably represented the selling price. You have to say, it¡¯s quite cheap. One bottle of explosives, only fifty US dollars. Such a low price, and it¡¯s illegal business. No need to guess, it¡¯s almost certainly cash transactions. However, Audlin didn¡¯t ship frequently. That¡¯s understandable. The impact of explosives versus bullets is completely different. In the United States, you can have bullets flying around freely. But you can¡¯t have explosives going off indiscriminately. This is a principled country! The other account book contained various donation records. Yes. Donations. Because on the outside of the book, there was a drawn heart. Under the heart were a pair of clasped hands. This guy Audlin was actually making monthly donations to local homeless shelters and camps.. Unfortunately. Neither of these two account books brought Brian and the others any new leads. They returned to the police station with regret and Audlin¡¯s body. ... The most likely suspect had died. But now the leads had ended. What to do next? Even Ivan, with the most experience in case handling, was somewhat at a loss. They must figure out. What role did Audlin, the guy who had a conflict with the victim but died the night before the bombing, really play in this bombing case? Chapter 36 - 36 29 New Clues Seeking Follow-up Reads on Tuesday! ?36: Chapter 29 New Clues (Seeking Follow-up Reads on Tuesday!) 36: Chapter 29 New Clues (Seeking Follow-up Reads on Tuesday!) The office was enveloped in smoke. Several people sat in front of the conference table, smoking cigarettes one after another. Even the female team leader, Susan, was no exception. Brian, smelling the intense second-hand smoke, couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit irritable. He pushed open the windows of the conference room for ventilation and walked back to the whiteboard, listing all the information they had so far. But after pondering for a long time, there was still no so-called flash of inspiration. In terms of solving cases, he had heard plenty. Practical operation, however, was a first. Without the guidance of obsession, his ordinary intelligence didn¡¯t uncover much. Suddenly, Brian thought of something! He walked over to Susan and snatched the slim cigarette from her mouth, ¡°Do you remember Li Sen¡¯s evaluation of the deceased, Kenneth?¡± Susan was startled, contemplated for a moment, and uncertainly said, ¡°He was a good guy... knew that he was stealing the learning, but didn¡¯t expose him... right, Li Sen also said that he originally considered taking Kenneth as an apprentice, but before he could speak, they had a conflict because Kenneth stole his secret sauce...¡± ¡°There¡¯s a problem here!¡± Brian clapped his hands, attracting everyone¡¯s attention. He crushed the slim cigarette in his hand and wrote the recently discussed points on the whiteboard, analyzing, ¡°Due to racial discrimination, Li Sen has a sensitive personality and always uses a bad temper to shield himself to avoid being bullied. A person like that tends to be very accurate in his assessments of others.¡± Ivan glanced at Brian crushing the cigarette butt with his fingers and remarked indifferently, ¡°So?¡± ¡°Why would a guy with a nice personality, who was continuously learning new things under Li Sen¡¯s tacit approval, suddenly decide to risk angering Li Sen by stealing his secret sauce?¡± Brian drew a bold line under ¡®secret sauce¡¯ and continued: ¡°This stuff isn¡¯t ketchup, where a little more or less wouldn¡¯t matter to anyone. As a young person with his own ideas, Kenneth must have known the consequences of being exposed. He was still young. Following his previous growth trajectory, it was foreseeable that his future wouldn¡¯t be too bleak. Yet he still took the risk. What was the reason that drove him to take such a risk?¡± Upon hearing this, those who had previously been directionless had their eyes light up again. Ivan clapped his hands, ¡°Money, he needed more money!¡± Glenn affirmed: ¡°A woman! Only a woman could induce a young man with his own thoughts to make an impulsive decision. Following Brian¡¯s train of thought, I suspect Kenneth had the idea of starting a fast-food truck even before he stole the secret sauce. That¡¯s right!¡± Glenn stood up abruptly, ¡°Do you remember the box with the serial number?¡± Susan, who had been a bit confused, quickly added upon hearing this, ¡°Of course I remember. Didn¡¯t Hardenn say it was a new method of selling Y and went to investigate it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Why would a young guy with a good job and simple connections get involved with people from such an industry after opening his fast-food truck?¡± Glenn¡¯s handsome face showed a light smile, ¡°There¡¯s only one reason, and that¡¯s the woman he liked was a part of this industry chain. Who knows, Kenneth¡¯s fast-food truck might even have been financed by her!¡± Ivan and Susan¡¯s faces showed realization. Brian even thought of the deceased Kenneth¡¯s obsession: to prevent Shaina from continuing her fall from grace and live a happy life. It all clicked! Everything matched up! Indeed, three heads are better than one! A mere fleeting thought that he had suddenly become a new line of investigation perfected with everyone¡¯s contribution! ... From Glenn¡¯s speculation, Brian had another new idea! He looked at everyone, ¡°I strongly agree with Glenn¡¯s guess. Has anyone noticed, how bustling Kenneth¡¯s fast-food truck business was? Have you calculated how much money he could make in a day?¡± ¡°How much?¡± Susan, coming from a well-off family, had no real concept of such matters. Ivan and Glenn, though often mingling with the lower echelons, had never dealt with these inconspicuous street vendors. Under the puzzled gazes of the three, Brian wrote a number on the blackboard, ¡°Two thousand US dollars! And this is just my lowest estimate. Kenneth¡¯s daily net profit definitely exceeds two thousand US dollars!¡± ¡°What!!!¡± ¡°FK, are you kidding me?¡± Everyone except Susan gasped. As frontline detectives in homicide investigations, they put their lives on the line, and their pre-tax annual income barely reached over seventy thousand US dollars. And that was because detectives in Los Angeles were paid relatively well. Now Brian was telling them that a mere fast-food cart owner was making half their monthly earnings in just one day. Who would believe that? Brian spread his hands: ¡°After graduating from high school, I did some research on this. Normally, a small stall, if located well, can net about three to four hundred US dollars a day in pure profit. Kenneth is advertising ¡®Hua Country delicacies,¡¯ charging seven to eight US dollars for a serving of fried rice. The actual cost wouldn¡¯t exceed one US dollar. Plus, he¡¯s the star fast-food cart of that business street. You guys can do the rest of the math..¡± Why is it that in Los Angeles, at this point in time, the majority of Hua Country immigrants are middle class, with very few poor? It¡¯s not because they have a strong background. But because, at this point in time in the United States, if you¡¯re willing to work hard, there really are a lot of ways to make money. ¡°FK, if I had known this, I would¡¯ve gone selling hot dogs myself, my ex-ex-ex-girlfriend really loved my hot dogs,¡± Glenn said, feeling a bit resentful after doing the math. Ivan, however, wasn¡¯t so interested in money. He caught onto the implication in Brian¡¯s words, ¡°Brian, are you saying that after Kenneth realized how profitable his fast-food cart was, he started having bigger ideas?¡± Brian nodded: ¡°That¡¯s human nature. Maybe before starting the fast-food cart, Kenneth just thought about saving some money and then returning to a normal life with the woman he liked. But he didn¡¯t expect his business to boom like this. So Kenneth moved up the timeline. The problem is, his fast-food cart was not only involved in selling fast food but also functioned as a conversion channel for clients. If you were the mastermind behind this crime chain and found out that a guy bringing you clients didn¡¯t want to work anymore and even planned to take your money printer away, what would you do?¡± Ivan rubbed his rough stubble, admiring the confident Brian, ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve found a new suspect!¡± He quite liked Brian¡¯s confident demeanor. A man¡¯s confidence is more attractive than a good-looking shell. ... Just as they were preparing to pursue this new lead and arrange investigative tasks, the conference room door was pushed open. An older black man dressed in trendy clothes came in, choking on the thick secondhand smoke, ¡°Cough cough, God, did you start a fire in here or something?¡± Upon seeing it was old Hardenn, Susan quickly asked, ¡°Did you find anything in your investigation?¡± Old Hardenn rubbed his sore back and nodded, ¡°I found an important clue that I think might be useful, but..¡± ¡°But what?¡± Brian and the others couldn¡¯t help but press. Old Hardenn, somewhat sheepishly, pulled out a hair salon receipt with a lipstick mark that totaled four hundred US dollars, ¡°Can I expense this?¡± To guard the safety of the citizens of Los Angeles, he could endure physical torment. But not an assault on his wallet. That was a principle! Everyone looked at old Hardenn¡¯s unchanged hairstyle, and the way he kept rubbing his back:... Five hundred US dollars for a haircut? Was this old rascal taking them for fools? Chapter 37 - 37 30 Sorry I Used to Speak Too Loudly ?37: Chapter 30: Sorry, I Used to Speak Too Loudly 37: Chapter 30: Sorry, I Used to Speak Too Loudly Susan saw Old Hardenn staring at her, hands spread, ¡°Sorry, we are still a reserve team, we don¡¯t have much funding, and Brian¡¯s hospital check-ups have already cost quite a bit. If you can¡¯t give a good reason, I refuse to reimburse you.¡± She was just straightforward, not fond of beating around the bush, not stupid. Agreeing to everything would make it difficult to manage people later. Old Hardenn became anxious, ¡°It¡¯s not my fault, there were armed guards there, I had to pretend to be a client to coax out some information.¡± Seeing Glenn, who was displeased, scoffed sarcastically, ¡°You¡¯re right, the best way to open a woman¡¯s mouth is to have her kneel down, and for this, you spent five hundred US dollars...¡± ¡°I...¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Brian interjected, stopping their nonsense, ¡°Our most immediate task right now is to solve this case. Old Hardenn, talk about what you¡¯ve found, and if it¡¯s useful, when the case-solving bonus comes out, Team Leader Susan can reimburse you!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Old Hardenn gave up his struggle: ¡°That apartment is managed by a small gang called the Wild Dog Gang. Most of those women are addicts or chicks picked up by the gang members. They used to stand on the streets at motels or crossroads. Since June this year, when the new boss of the Wild Dog Gang took over, he changed their previous methods. Now, they work with some food trucks to provide deliveries, actively inviting clients over, and it has been quite successful so far. I heard that their boss even sought legal advice. He¡¯s a smart guy.¡± ¡°How many women are there?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the new boss¡¯s name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure exactly how many women there are. The apartment has three floors. The first floor is the activity area of the gang members; I only saw seven or eight people, all clearly armed. The upper two floors should be the living areas for the prostitutes. Meals costing two or three hundred US dollars only grant access to the second floor. Meals costing five hundred US dollars can take you to the third floor. Once there, you can knock on any door freely. Whatever you want to do to the women inside, they¡¯ll comply.¡± Upon hearing this, Glenn sneered, ¡°So you went to the third floor?¡± Old Hardenn ignored him and continued, ¡°As for the new boss, his name is Ike, and everyone in the gang calls him Mad Dog Ike. I felt that the prostitute became very scared when she mentioned his name.¡± ¡°Mad Dog Ike?¡± Ivan and Glenn looked at each other, showing shock. Seeing their reactions, Brian asked, ¡°You guys know this guy?¡± Ivan nodded, ¡°This guy is somewhat crazy, acts recklessly without considering the consequences, and he¡¯s pretty stupid. He once bought a lot of explosives to blow up a small bank¡¯s vault door, and the money he stole wasn¡¯t even as much as what he spent on the explosives, which pissed him off enough to confront the bank¡¯s director about why there wasn¡¯t more money, and then he got caught. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s been released already.¡± ¡°Buying explosives..¡± Susan¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Maybe this Ike knows Audlin, and he has issues with the deceased Kenneth too, acts without considering the consequences, he¡¯s really a prime suspect!¡± Ivan and others nodded, feeling that Ike was indeed highly suspicious. Brian was puzzled by another point. How did a rash, impulsive guy come up with the idea of using delivery as a method to organize prostitution, even going as far as to consult a lawyer? Could it really be that amazing, this insight from Domain? ... To find out more, Simply speculating in the station is useless. Under Susan¡¯s leadership, they all geared up, wearing bullet-proof vests, and called in eight armed police officers to move together and surround the apartment Old Hardenn had visited before. Old Hardenn even wore a black hood similar to those used by anti-terror forces, only revealing his eyes. This was someone who cared about appearances. As Old Hardenn said, Visiting for business in the morning, then leading a raid in the afternoon, Could easily damage one¡¯s reputation. ... Outside the apartment, there were security cameras. Before they even knocked, A thin man with sunken eyes and brown hair, accompanied by seven or eight others, rushed to the corridor to block the entrance, ¡°This is a private property, who are you?¡± This guy, sniffing constantly, his body shivering, Any observant person could see that he had just taken drugs. ¡°NW Unit Six, I am the team leader, Susan, who here is Ike?¡± Susan, hanging two large revolvers at her waist and not wearing a bullet-proof vest, confidently walked forward. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to wear a bullet-proof vest. But she had tried several times. And each time, the adjustable bullet-proof vests constricted her breathing. ¡°NW Unit?¡± The short man grinned, ¡°Sorry, never heard of it; also, we don¡¯t know the Ike you mentioned. Leave right now, or else...¡± He didn¡¯t know whether he was high or just stupid; he suddenly pulled out a handgun in front of Susan and the seven or eight LAPD officers behind her, trying to show his intimidation. The next moment. Bang~ An 11.18 mm caliber special bullet had ripped open his skull and simultaneously catapulted him into the air before he heavily slammed into the ground, scattering a mix of white and red matter which might have been either blood plasma or brains. Brian was close by. He could still see those things on the ground, steaming... Everyone was stunned. The shooting had started just like that? Ivan and Glenn, the old-timers, felt a chill around their necks. That was a fast gun! They had not even clearly seen Team Leader Susan¡¯s movements. A precise headshot. Susan¡¯s beautiful face, now cold, expressed nothing as she reinserted the over thirty-centimeter long Smith & Wesson Model 29 revolver back into her waistband and said coldly, ¡°The NW team has the authority to arrest any suspects directly within Los Angeles County, but I guess you don¡¯t need to know that anymore!¡± ¡°FUCK!¡± ¡°This bitch killed the boss¡¯s brother...¡± Several gang members, also high on drugs, didn¡¯t care that there were so many policemen outside and frantically tried to draw their guns. Bang, bang, bang¡ª The sound of gunfire erupted like firecrackers. When the noise ceased, the seven or eight gang members who had stood in the apartment corridor, reaching for guns or towards their waists, had all neatly fallen to the ground, sleeping very peacefully. Only one with slow reactions was left, his eyes wide open, seemingly stunned into idiocy. Brian: .. Was this what Susan referred to as American Iaijutsu? Thinking about how he had flippantly agreed to compete with Susan, Brian felt as if his life had started a countdown. It was terrifyingly scary. Even killing a chicken wasn¡¯t this fast! He looked back at his colleagues. Aside from Glenn and Ivan, who had quickly drawn their pistols, everyone else stood dumbfounded, still not realising what had happened. ... Susan frowned and looked down at the torn holster. She had just used a highly dangerous holster shooting technique, also known as the ultimate technique of American Iaijutsu. It sounded terrifying. In fact, it was about shooting directly without drawing the gun. This method pushed shooting speed to its limits, with the sole drawback being a propensity to shoot oneself in the foot. But for Susan, the biggest drawback was that each use required a new holster. And these were handmade with deerskin. She didn¡¯t have many left. After reloading her bullets. Susan kicked the metal door, startling the shocked group awake. She pointed at the still-living gang member, ¡°Ask him where Ike is, go in and arrest him, and shoot to kill if they resist!¡± ¡°Yes, Team Leader!¡± Ivan and Glenn, admiration in their eyes, motioned to eight patrol officers, drew their guns, and rushed in. Old Hardenn, somewhat shyly, approached Susan, ¡°Boss..¡± Susan glanced at him, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Sorry, I used to speak too loudly...¡± ¡°Hmm, be careful in the future.¡± Susan pinched her slightly aching fingers and strode towards the apartment. Previously, her father had said she was brainless and couldn¡¯t lead people. What a joke. Look now. All these old foxes, so obedient. ... Watching Susan¡¯s unchanging expression as she stepped over the mix of brain and blood plasma on her way into the apartment, Brian swallowed. Damn. Why did he feel so secure around this woman? Maybe chasing after her wasn¡¯t such a bad idea. At worst, he¡¯d mend his ways later! Brian felt that even his uncle might not beat Susan. Those long, strong legs! So reassuring! Chapter 38 - 38 31 Mad Dog Ike ?38: Chapter 31 Mad Dog Ike 38: Chapter 31 Mad Dog Ike Bodies strewn all over the ground, none with an ¡°obsession¡±. Could it be that they died too quickly? With a strange thought in mind, Brian finally entered the apartment. Unfortunately, Mad Dog Ike was not in this apartment. According to the ladies and the remaining gang member in the apartment, Ike hadn¡¯t been seen since the end of last month. The only one who might know his whereabouts was probably Ike¡¯s brother. But that poor guy was the first one Susan blew his head off. Now the bodies were stiff. Left with no choice, everyone had to take all the ladies and customers from the apartment back for interrogation, hoping to obtain useful clues. With that question, indeed, they got useful information! Outside the interrogation room, Brian and Susan watched the interrogation room¡¯s surveillance. Ivan and Glenn, two experienced detectives, were responsible for interviewing the informative lady again on camera. The subject of the interrogation was a woman with distinctive features and a tall stature. The woman wore heavy smokey makeup, but her delicate features still showed she was quite young, the only unsightly thing was her high swollen left cheek, where one could faintly see the residue of a slap print. ¡°Shaina, are you saying you know Kenneth?¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s my neighbor. We had a good relationship. Last month, I even asked boss Ike for money to get Kenneth a food truck.¡± Hearing this, not only did Ivan and Glenn in the interrogation room perk up, but Susan and old Hardenn outside also got more alert. This woman named Shaina might just know something about the explosion case! Brian couldn¡¯t help but light up a cigarette. Shaina. Kenneth¡¯s ¡°obsession¡±. Their relationship was indeed extraordinary. Inside the interrogation room, Shaina¡¯s face was sad: ¡°It¡¯s all my fault, I shouldn¡¯t have involved Kenneth in Ike¡¯s affairs, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have been blown up by that mad dog Ike¡¯s people.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ivan straightened his back: ¡°Ms. Shaina, are you saying that Kenneth was blown up by people sent by Ike?¡± Shaina nodded affirmatively: ¡°Absolutely him!¡± ¡°What do you know?¡± ¡°This was personally told to me by Ike, I can testify against him!¡± Shaina¡¯s eyes flashed with a hint of hatred: ¡°I was Kenneth¡¯s girlfriend, pregnant with his child. But I always felt I was not worthy of him. So I didn¡¯t let Kenneth tell outsiders. After Kenneth knew about my pregnancy, he wanted to earn more money and buy me back from Ike. So we decided to get a food truck. Since I was forced into drug addiction and didn¡¯t have much money, I could only borrow from Ike. When he found out Kenneth wanted to start a food truck, he agreed to lend the money as long as Kenneth was willing to continue attracting customers to the apartment. Kenneth agreed. Unexpectedly, the food truck business was good. Kenneth quickly earned the money to pay back for the food truck. The day before the incident, Kenneth came to the apartment to repay the money. He didn¡¯t want to continue drawing customers for Ike. Ike beat him up harshly, threatening if Kenneth didn¡¯t continue, he¡¯d blow up his food truck and kill me too. But I never thought he would still end up killing Kenneth, sob sob...¡± Shaina bowed her head and began to sob. Glenn couldn¡¯t stand seeing a beautiful woman cry. He pulled out a tissue he always carried from his pocket, stood up, and gently handed it to Shaina, saying, ¡°Is the injury on your face also caused by Ike?¡± Shaina didn¡¯t speak, just nodded. ... Due to her good looks and tall figure, Shaina had always been a money maker for the Wild Dog Gang, therefore she knew a lot of information. Based on her provided information, Susan and her team returned to the apartment and found a secret basement. In the basement, not only were large quantities of drugs and firearms hidden, but there were also bottles of explosives identical to those found near the black victim, Audlin. It was conclusive! This guy was most likely the perpetrator of the explosion case! Meeting room. Ivan, holding a marker, wrote on the whiteboard the name of Mad Dog Ike: ¡°Ike, from Los Angeles, 46 years old, unmarried, with no children, only a brother by his side. Over ten years ago, Ike had been arrested for blowing up a bank and threatening bank executives, but was released as there were no casualties. He was released from prison last year.¡± Having finished speaking, he looked towards old Hardenn. Old Hardenn neatly distributed a stack of documents to everyone, ¡°I retrieved from the police database the information that the person who originally sold the explosives to Ike was the deceased Audlin, who had also been arrested at the time of that case; the two had known each other for a long time!¡± After witnessing Susan¡¯s American-style strategic handling, the newly formed Team Six not only became more harmonious but also saw significant improvements in work efficiency. After listening to the two narrations, Susan slammed the table, ¡°There¡¯s no mistake, the mastermind behind the explosion case is this Mad Dog Ike, release his arrest warrant!¡± Old Hardenn nodded, ¡°Based on the evidence we¡¯ve found so far, along with Shaina¡¯s testimony, issuing the warrant shouldn¡¯t be difficult, and we can finally breathe a sigh of relief.¡± Hearing this, several people nodded, smiles appearing on their faces. This explosion case was not only influential but also tied to whether they could secure permanent positions. Everyone had their own reasons for joining NW. Now, passing the assessment seemed likely. The stress in everyone¡¯s hearts was significantly reduced. It was just Ivan and the others worried that Susan¡¯s killing so many people in one go might cause problems. The police, though powerful, would need to arrange administrative leave and undergo various procedures if any criminal fatalities occurred, which were quite cumbersome. So many had died this time... Ultimately, Susan stated clearly: ¡°As long as it¡¯s a case handled by NW, from now onwards, we¡¯ll make the final call!¡± This once again highlighted the unique status of NW! ... Now that the perpetrator had been identified, they all felt considerably less tense. Brian completed the autopsy report for the previous black victim, Audlin, then prepared to leave work and head home. But at the entrance of the police station, he unexpectedly saw Shaina getting into Glenn¡¯s car. ¡°These two hooked up just like that?¡± He had noticed it all along. Within the team, Susan the team leader appeared well-born, making her comparatively naive; not stupid, just linear in her thoughts, quick in action rather than decision-making, overall a decent person. Old Hardenn was an old slick who didn¡¯t like meddling in others¡¯ affairs. The solidly built Ivan was mostly normal, except sometimes his gaze seemed a bit odd. Then there was Glenn. Brian could only infer from the bits and pieces Glenn let slip that he had quite an extensive romantic history. However, on most days, Glenn didn¡¯t make any surplus moves. Whether it was because he was new and thus subdued, or for some other reason, now it was clear. An undeniable Casanova. ... ¡°But speaking of it, Glenn is quite handsome, has a decent job and income; if Shaina truly ends up with Glenn, wouldn¡¯t that fulfill the late Kenneth¡¯s ¡®obsession¡¯?¡± Suddenly, Brian thought of this. Although Shaina was involved in drugs and prostitution and had an offer of ¡®buy one get one free¡¯, that didn¡¯t stop her from putting aside her dealings, reforming, and becoming a good woman later! Glenn coveted her beauty. Shaina¡¯s baby in the womb also needed a father. He too could fulfill an ¡®obsession.¡¯ Three birds with one stone! Perfect! With this in mind, Brian no longer hesitated, slowed down his car speed, and stealthily followed. As a good person, if necessary, Brian didn¡¯t mind being Glenn¡¯s wingman, letting Glenn easily pick up a chunky son! Chapter 39 - 39 32 Who is the Killer ?39: Chapter 32 Who is the Killer? 39: Chapter 32 Who is the Killer? To Brian¡¯s surprise, Glenn hadn¡¯t taken Shaina to some place more suitable for the two of them to be together; instead, he followed the flow of traffic and ended up at a hospital in the city. After the two left, Brian went in to inquire and found out that Glenn was just accompanying Shaina for some gynecological exams. Shaina¡¯s condition wasn¡¯t good. Her long-term indulgence, drug abuse, and erratic sleeping patterns had caused her body, and uterus, to be in poor shape. Her baby was at risk of miscarriage. If she wanted to save this child, it would cost a lot of money. Shaina obviously didn¡¯t have that kind of money. In fact, without quitting drugs, the latter half of her life would be short and joyless. Falling further into prostitution to satisfy her growing addiction was her likely fate. ¡°What a pitiful woman.¡± Brian shook his head, losing interest in getting involved. Kenneth¡¯s obsession was very likely to remain unfulfilled. ... The next day, The warrant for Ike, a suspect in an explosion case, had been issued throughout Los Angeles County. Ivan and Glenn had also activated their former informants. As for that, Brian adopted a laissez-faire attitude. If he wanted, he could also ask his uncle for help, letting him use the Bloodbath Gang¡¯s influence to search for Ike¡¯s whereabouts. But without confidence, Brian was reluctant to make contact with his uncle again. The case was nearly declared concluded anyway. He wasn¡¯t in a hurry. As for Glenn and Shaina¡¯s affairs, Brian didn¡¯t butt in. It was their private matter after work. It wasn¡¯t his business. .. A day passed. Then two days passed. Susan¡¯s complexion grew increasingly worse. She was like she was on her period, irritable with everyone, which made Brian and the others not dare to stay in the office; they simply used the name of capture as an excuse, drove the police department¡¯s cruiser, and went out for a stroll. In the evening, just when Brian thought he would get through the day safely, suddenly, the police cruiser¡¯s radio transmitted a call from the dispatch center: ¡°...Suspect Ike located, repeat, Apartment 332 on Sunset Boulevard, suspect located...¡± ¡°Apartment 332?¡± Brian¡¯s heart stirred. Wasn¡¯t that the building where Susan had gone on a killing spree a few days ago? Mad Dog Ike was actually hiding there? Well played. The most dangerous place is the safest, huh? Without hesitation, Brian sounded the siren, turned the car around, and headed in the direction of Apartment 332. As he approached the streets of the apartment, there were already quite a few police cars on the roadside, converging on the apartment building from all directions. Brian even heard dense gunfire from the car. Instinctively, he slowed down. At that moment, Boom~ The ground shook. A large burst of flames lit the darkening sky red. The police car¡¯s radio also transmitted screams and chaotic calls for help: ¡°Requesting backup, requesting backup...¡± ¡°FK, they¡¯ve got RPGs!¡± ¡°Oh God, Bob¡¯s dead, ambulance, we¡¯ve got injuries...¡± Brian took in a sharp breath. Damn. RPGs now? This was outrageous! His hands moved quickly, executing a rapid 180-degree lateral drift, skimming past police cars rushing through, and dashed to the street behind the apartment. Brian wasn¡¯t scared. This was just a tactic: block the escape, fire from the shadows, fight and retreat, advance to victory! Brian hid the patrol car well, pinned his badge prominently on his chest, took out his handgun and the M4 that had been issued to him over the past few days, and found a corner to crouch in. After the explosion occurred. The sound of gunfire ahead had weakened for a moment, only to roar back to strength. Brian¡¯s spirits rose. If this had been a few years earlier, Ike might have been able to suppress the police with heavy firepower. But ever since two robbers, wearing bulletproof vests and armed with automatic submachine guns, made a mockery of hundreds of Los Angeles police officers, the well-funded LAPD¡¯s firepower had significantly improved. No matter how crazy Ike was. He wouldn¡¯t last much longer! Brian hadn¡¯t guessed wrong. He had been crouched for less than five minutes. When several ragged figures emerged from a side community of an apartment building ahead, carrying pistols and backpacks, and rushed towards a car parked on the roadside. Brian¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Wow, is there a tunnel?¡± The key was that these guys didn¡¯t have any long guns or short guns in their hands; they probably had run out of ammunition. It was his chance to make a difference! He watched as they were about to disappear from his sight. Brian couldn¡¯t care less, he found the right angle, raised his gun, and started firing wildly. Tat-tat-tat~ The trajectory of the M4 was stable. Under a close-range spate of reckless shooting. Three of the five men who had just run out fell to the ground. The remaining one, not very tall but incredibly quick to react. As the gun sounded. Immediately grabbed a comrade and used him as a shield. As soon as Brian¡¯s gunfire paused. He didn¡¯t hesitate, and raised his handgun to counterattack, but his body stiffened in place. He saw, about eight meters away at the corner of a wall, a large man in a bulletproof vest crouched sneakily, and what was crucial was that his handgun was already aimed at him. Brian took a deep breath and said coldly, ¡°Drop your weapon, you can bet whether I can hit you from this close range.¡± A glint of madness flickered across Ike¡¯s face. He sneered as he dropped the handgun, ¡°Damn cop, aaah, I¡¯ve been framed, I didn¡¯t do the bombing!¡± During his rant. Ike¡¯s left hand casually crept behind him. As long as this damn cop was distracted by his words, he could turn the tables! Seeing that his opponent had stopped. Brian didn¡¯t hesitate for a second and pulled the trigger. Bang. The bullet grazed Ike¡¯s body and hit the ground behind him. Before Ike could erupt in fury. Five or six bullets followed, finally two hit their mark. Ike¡¯s eyes widened, seemingly puzzled by why the cop shot him even though he had dropped his weapon and hadn¡¯t tried to run! Thud~ A dull thump. The body crashed heavily to the ground. Mad Dog Ike¡¯s curtain call. Brian reloaded a new magazine, walked over to Ike¡¯s body with unseeing eyes, and shrugged, ¡°Sorry, my shooting is terrible. I told you to stop just to make aiming easier. I couldn¡¯t let someone with a deranged mind like you live to go to prison. What if you escaped?¡± When he had finished. Brian proceeded to shoot the bodies on the ground again. To cut the grass, one must pull out the roots! He couldn¡¯t face the risk of retaliation. As Brian waited for other officers to arrive. A strange sensation surged through him. Following the feeling, he astonishingly found two distinctly red little balls slowly emerging above the body of the recently deceased Ike, eventually hovering over it! Obsession! Two of them at once! This Ike really was a kind-hearted fellow! Brian went from shock to delight and hurried over, crushing the two Obsession Little Balls. As the Obsession Little Balls shattered. Two pieces of information emerged in Brian¡¯s mind: One: Kill that bitch to avenge my brother! Two: Find the bastard who framed me and kill his whole family! Brian was stunned. Framed? Ike really wasn¡¯t the bomber after all. Then who was the real culprit? Chapter 40 - 40 33 Look How Happy She Smiles ?40: Chapter 33 Look How Happy She Smiles 40: Chapter 33 Look How Happy She Smiles Three days had passed since Ike, the ¡°culprit¡± of the explosion case, had been killed by Brian. Today, the documents for the full conversion of Group Six were finally issued. According to the notice in the documents, the members of Group Six were to go to Ace Base this Saturday, the day after tomorrow, for formal training. After the training ended, Group Six would get their own office location, their own fixed jurisdiction, and they could also recruit personnel and purchase the weapons and equipment needed to supplement the group¡¯s strength. Indeed, Brian was not foolish enough to bring up that Ike was not the actual bomber. To retrieve the money hidden in the apartment, the other party brazenly used heavy weapons in the city center and killed two policemen, sealing his own fate. It was better to use him as a scapegoat, bringing happiness to others, and thus accumulating merit for redemption. The case was closed prematurely. The families of the victims were relieved. The citizens no longer needed to worry and be afraid. The deceased policemen would also receive the honors they deserved. Group Six would smoothly pass the assessment. Even the real culprit lurking in the shadows would feel at ease and reveal his hidden tail. This was the outcome everyone wanted to see. ... ¡°Damn it, the assessment is finally over!¡± Glenn was the most excited! Only God knew how long he had held back these days to avoid being kicked out. Ivan was also extremely excited, howling and beating his chest like a gorilla in the office. Susan watched everything with a smile. The regularization of Group Six meant that the scales of the bet with her father were tipping in her favor. Old Hardenn was far calmer, merely holding the small note in his hand and occasionally sneaking glances at Susan, worrying about his own five hundred US Dollar reimbursement. At his age, he had joined NW not for anything but these embarrassing utilities. The only problem was that he thought joining NW meant staying at the base in logistics, playing games safely. He didn¡¯t expect to return to the front lines. Perhaps this was the guidance of fate. .. Brian followed the others, laughing heartily, yet there was no warmth in his eyes. He was contemplating fulfilling his obsession. Regularization meant he had completed his uncle¡¯s arrangements. Unless something unexpected happened, his foster parents¡¯ medical expenses were essentially resolved. But this did not relax Brian. Without sufficient strength, even if he completed his uncle¡¯s tasks, could he ensure his uncle would keep the promise? Even if his uncle kept the promise, could he ensure his uncle would not assign him new tasks? Such an uncle was better off gone! ... ¡°Alright, guys!¡± Susan interrupted everyone¡¯s cheers and pulled out a document: ¡°There¡¯s still one thing we need to handle. That is the deceased Kenneth, who before his death had taken out two insurance policies, naming his girlfriend Shaina as the beneficiary. Now that the case is closed, I need someone to convey the investigation results to the insurance company liaison and Shaina.¡± ¡°I..¡± Glenn was about to raise his hand but noticed Brian had already raised his hand first. He glared at Brian, ¡°Dude, I was already on it, that¡¯s not cool of you!¡± Brian ignored him and looked at Susan, ¡°Team leader, let me go. Shaina is pregnant, and what she needs now is to heal quietly, not be exploited by some scumbag.¡± Susan looked at the handsome Glenn and then at the even more handsome and tall Brian, and decisively nodded, ¡°Brian, you go.¡± Brian nodded, took the document from Susan¡¯s hand, and left with big strides. ... After Brian left. Susan sighed, ¡°It¡¯s good there are two compensations that can make life easier for Shaina going forward; otherwise, I can¡¯t imagine how a drug-addicted single mother with no income could overcome her current predicament.¡± Hearing this, everyone nodded. Regarding Kenneth¡¯s purchase of insurance, nobody thought much of it. That was already a basic requirement of operating a food truck. The beneficiary being Shaina also made sense. After all, she was Kenneth¡¯s girlfriend and was carrying his child. Now, they felt somewhat happy for this unfortunate woman, having received such a large compensation. Perhaps with the support of the baby, Shaina could escape her addiction and live a clean life. Kenneth, the good man, could also rest in peace. ... After leaving the insurance company, Brian went directly to Shaina¡¯s home on East Street, Los Angeles. At the coffee table, Shaina, her face still swollen, placed a cup of hot water in front of Brian and gratefully said, ¡°Thank you for killing that demon Ike, Kenneth will bless you from heaven...¡± Brian interrupted her. He took out a receipt from the insurance company from his pocket, ¡°I have handed over the case closure document to the insurance company, and next, an adjuster should contact you to discuss the compensation.¡± ¡°Compensation?¡± Shaina looked puzzled, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t quite understand what you mean.¡± ¡°Before he died, Kenneth took out two insurance policies. One was for the food truck, with a compensation amount of nineteen thousand US dollars. The other was an enhanced version of his accident insurance, with a compensation amount of one million, nine hundred and fifty thousand US dollars. You are the beneficiary of both policies, Miss Shaina.¡± ¡°What?¡± The cup slipped from Shaina¡¯s hands. She was stunned for a moment; her body finally began to tremble uncontrollably, her hands tightly covering her face, bent over, face downward, trembling violently until she could no longer keep her voice choked up in her throat and burst into a pitiful wail... Brian¡¯s nose twitched slightly, he sighed, silently put on a pair of gloves from his pocket, then took out a syringe, removed the plastic cover from the needle, and quickly and accurately injected it into Shaina¡¯s neck! As the liquid was injected, Shaina¡¯s body grotesquely contorted, her toes curling against the floor, her original sobbing sound turned into a deep, soul-satisfying moan of pleasure. He pulled out the syringe. Stuck it in Shaina¡¯s hand. Brian whistled as he walked to the cabinet in front of the TV and beamed at the portrait of the smiling Kenneth, ¡°Buddy, look at your beloved, look how happy she is smiling..¡± The hands no longer covering her face, Shaina not only had no tear stains imagined, but her mouth was also cracked open in a frenzied smile, happiness personified as she murmured, ¡°Two million, two million, haha, so much money..¡± Brian watched silently. Until Shaina foamed at the mouth and lost all sense of reality, he crouched down, got close to her ear, and whispered softly, ¡°Who really is the father of the child in your belly?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, don¡¯t know, hehe, I don¡¯t know either.¡± Very well. Brian nodded, dismissed the idea of resuscitating Shaina, and turned to leave. More than ten minutes later, A warm stream surged through Brian¡¯s body. This was the feedback from completing an obsession! Kenneth¡¯s obsession was fulfilled! Shaina ended her latter half of life in extreme pleasure. The other side passed peacefully. The client Kenneth also satisfiedly provided feedback, further enhancing Brian¡¯s physique. .. In the car, Brian stretched out his palm. With a gentle effort, Muscles bulged, showcasing the explosive power within! He had become stronger! Actually, ever since Brian found out that Mad Dog Ike was slandered, he had marked Shaina, who provided the information. He secretly found other ladies from the apartment. According to the information they provided. Shaina, before bringing Kenneth to borrow money from Ike, had always been favored by Ike. More coincidentally, Mad Dog Ike, after becoming the leader of the Wild Dog Gang, Shaina got close to him. Before Brian was puzzled. Mad Dog Ike, obviously not the brightest, why would he think of ¡®delivery service¡¯? Two clues crossed. Shaina became his suspect. She was the center of this case. Everyone was related to her. The insurance policy, then, became Brian¡¯s final tactic to test Shaina. Regrettably, she overplayed her role. Didn¡¯t she know tears could also emit a distinct scent? Crying fake tears in front of a humanoid police canine, how much did she underestimate him? Thus, Brian decisively injected her with a high-purity ¡®liquid happiness¡¯, sending her on her last journey. ... After feeling the enhancement in his body. Brian, feeling the motionless obsessions of Mad Dog Ike in his mind, sighed. The real culprit wasn¡¯t Shaina. This case has another perpetrator, ah! But Brian had already guessed who it was. Today was going to be busy. Chapter 41 - 41 34 You Just Know Youre Going to Die! ?41: Chapter 34 You Just Know You¡¯re Going to Die! (Combined) 41: Chapter 34 You Just Know You¡¯re Going to Die! (Combined) ¡°Just past nine at night. The dark, elongated alleyway. After work, Brian wore a hoodie, his body hidden beneath the sweatshirt, took out a disposable phone, and taped a can tab to his throat as he dialed that number. A moment passed. The call connected. A hoarse voice came from the other end, ¡®Who¡¯s this?¡¯ ¡®You don¡¯t need to know who I am, but if you can¡¯t make it to the back alley of Husky Bar within half an hour, you¡¯ll never see your son again,¡¯ said the trembling metallic voice, chilling to the ear. ¡®Son!¡¯ The person on the other end was initially shocked, then as if they heard something ludicrous, they angrily retorted, ¡®My son died this afternoon, he¡¯s dead, go to hell with your son, who the hell are you!¡¯ Dead? Brian was startled. Such a ruthless person! He thought about how the other party had reacted when mentioning his son, shook his head, ¡®Stop pretending, you know I¡¯m not talking about that burden you¡¯ve long wanted to shed, you can try contacting Shaina, but from your place to where I am, you have only half an hour, one minute over, and you¡¯ll lose everything.¡¯ He hung up. Brian silently lit a cigarette. He didn¡¯t like witnessing the ugly side of humanity. Yet, he seemed addicted to the thrill of personally executing such scum. For what many victims went through, Even centuries of prison time would be too lenient, Not to mention that often, Due to incomplete evidence chains, Some criminals who could afford good lawyers are still at large. Perhaps, After dealing with Uncle¡¯s threat, Does Los Angeles also need their own bloodthirsty Batman? Hmm, a dark, legalized vigilante! Half an hour later. An Asian middle-aged man, not too tall, under five feet three, with a square face and slightly overweight, rushed frantically to the alley where Brian was. He surveyed his surroundings, but couldn¡¯t spot anyone in the alley; he could only bellow furiously, ¡®You bastard, come out, you told me..¡¯ The next moment, From a dead angle in the shadows, a hand swiftly covered the man¡¯s throat and nose. The man struggled a couple of times before slumping weakly. The neon lights of the bar overhead flickered. Under the faint red glow, The face of the Asian middle-aged man came into view¡ªit was indeed the Chinese chef Li Sen who Susan and Brian had previously questioned! Dragging Li Sen¡¯s body, Brian disappeared into the shadows following a route he had planned earlier. More than an hour later, In a dilapidated wooden house on the outskirts, Under the bright moonlight, Brian dug the pit with vigorous ¡®spitting and puffing.¡¯ Suddenly, whimpering struggles came from behind. He set down the shovel, wiped the sweat from his forehead, walked over to crouch in front of Li Sen, and yanked the stinking sock from his throat, ¡®Talk?¡¯ ¡®Is it you?¡¯ Li Sen, recognizing Brian¡¯s face, immediately knew who he was, ¡®You¡¯re that cop who speaks Chinese! What are you doing? You¡¯re breaking the law!¡¯ His memory of Brian was vivid. ¡®Breaking the law?¡¯ Brian looked perplexed, ¡®Knowing it¡¯s illegal, why did you bomb and injure so many people?¡¯ ¡®I...¡¯ ¡®All because of a whore who said she was pregnant with your child?¡¯ ¡®You bastard...¡¯ ¡®Forgot to tell you, that whore didn¡¯t even know who the child¡¯s father was, she only wanted to use you to get a lot of money and freedom.¡¯ ¡®Sh*t...¡¯ Whack~ The shovel struck hard against Li Sen¡¯s chubby face, cutting off his words. After a strike, Brian wasn¡¯t satisfied, ¡®Just for a whore, you dared to swear a lie to the Goddess Mazu?¡¯ Whack~ Another strike with the shovel. ¡®Just for a whore, you killed your own son?¡¯ Whack~ Yet another strike. ¡®Just for a whore, you bombed an innocent woman and the hardworking Kenneth?¡¯ Brian raised the shovel to continue, but he saw that Li Sen¡¯s mouth was full of blood from his exertion, and he could hardly breathe anymore. Only then did Brian spitefully stop. He pulled out a morphine syringe from his waist and injected it straight into Li Sen¡¯s neck. After a minute or so, Li Sen came to. He looked dazedly at Brian, and after a long while, murmured unclearly, ¡®The child really wasn¡¯t mine?¡¯ ¡®Yeah.¡¯ Brian told the poor sap the truth, ¡®At the police station, she said it was Kenneth¡¯s, she later said she didn¡¯t know who the father was after getting high; after all, she saw so many clients a day, some clients not afraid of disease, wouldn¡¯t wear protection, which is quite normal.¡¯ ¡®Ha ha..¡¯ Li Sen banged his head on the ground, emitting meaningless laughter which then turned into sobs, he lamented loudly, ¡®What did I do wrong, I just wanted a normal kid, to pass on the blood of the Lis, was that wrong?¡¯ He wept and spat out mouthfuls of bloody saliva: ¡®Do you know how painful it¡¯s been for me the past twenty-some years, a man having to care for that idiot, and being bullied and earning that pathetic money outside? I thought of finding an illegal immigrant from Hua Country. But those whores, they¡¯d rather be with those black or white jerks, being beaten and cursed, than be with an honest chef like me, just because I came with an idiot!¡¯ Brian watched emotionlessly as Li Sen raved. He swung the shovel in his hand, ¡®Tell me what really happened.¡¯ Li Sen, though temporarily not in pain due to the morphine, was frightened into trembling but spoke honestly, ¡®I was very jealous of Kenneth, he was very popular in the kitchen, ambitious, hardworking, optimistic, and cheerful, I was very jealous of him!¡¯ Chapter 42 - 42 34 You Just Know Youre Going to Die! ?42: Chapter 34 You Just Know You¡¯re Going to Die! (Combined)_2 42: Chapter 34 You Just Know You¡¯re Going to Die! (Combined)_2 Kenneth had a phone argument once. I accidentally found out that his girlfriend was a bitch. You know how happy I was at that time? Haha. So, through stalking and tailing, I finally found out where his girlfriend worked. For a long time after that, I was a regular there. That bitch would do anything for some powder. Sometimes, I¡¯d even take her out alone, right under Kenneth¡¯s nose... I spent a lot of money on that bitch and had a lot of fun. Until she told me she was carrying my child. Do you know how thrilled I was? A child! A healthy child! For the money. And to get away from those gang bastards. I discussed a plan with her, to deliberately tell Kenneth she was pregnant, and then I found an opportunity to pass on some skills to Kenneth and purposely let him get a hold of my secret mix. After that, you should know. Kenneth and Mad Dog Ike had a conflict. That bitch deliberately seduced Mad Dog Ike¡¯s brother and staged a bombing scare while the mad dog was out dealing. It was just a firecracker. But I replaced it with a real one. That idiot thought he was high on drugs and had picked up the wrong thing. He didn¡¯t dare say much afterward. Talking about it, Li Sen felt a sharp pain surging in his heart, his throat itched, he wanted to cough, but he coughed up a lot of blood. He looked at Brian in horror and pleaded, ¡°Save me.¡± Brian looked down at him, ¡°Was Black Audlin also killed by you?¡± ¡°Yes, I knew him before at the Wanderer¡¯s Camp. But it was that bitch¡¯s idea. She knew that Audlin and Mad Dog Ike knew each other from the past and were still doing bomb deals, so I pretended to be a buyer and smothered him. I just wanted to divert all police attention to Mad Dog Ike.¡± Li Sen¡¯s ears began to bleed too. ¡°Save me, I can¡¯t see clearly anymore,¡± Li Sen wailed. Brian remained unmoved, ¡°But your technique is very skilled; it doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s your first time.¡± ¡°I only wanted to kill my son before and practiced many times, but I really killed someone for the first time, and he was a bad guy too, please, let me go!¡± ¡°But, on the phone, you said your son had already died in the afternoon!¡± Brian slowly raised a shovel. Li Sen, oblivious, his eyes blank and spiritless, murmured, ¡°That bitch has a poor health, it costs a lot of money for her upkeep to save my child, I had no choice, that bitch suggested insurance fraud, I was wrong, I know I was wrong, please, save...¡± Thump~ The ground trembled slightly. Everything stopped abruptly. Brian wiped the blood splashed on his face emotionlessly, ¡°You¡¯re not sorry, you just know you¡¯re going to die!¡± ... Before Li Sen died, he hadn¡¯t realized that he was just a pitiful pawn being played. Shaina, this woman, was terrifying. She used everything she could. Using Mad Dog Ike as a scapegoat, simultaneously removing her own restraints. Using Kenneth¡¯s love for her as a fuse to ignite everything while securing a hefty legal insurance payout. Using Li Sen¡¯s obsession with the child as a catalyst for the plan; after the plan, if things didn¡¯t go smoothly, Li Sen would be the perfect fall guy; if the plan went well, she could cash in on her son¡¯s insurance money too. After everything was completed. Li Sen, more likely than not, would have been killed by Shaina too. She is a completely selfish woman. Honestly, Brian couldn¡¯t figure out. Why such a scheming woman would become a cash cow for a gang? Could it be that she was controlled by drug addiction before? Or did Shaina have an enlightenment in the chicken farm, setting up this game afterward? ... When a man dies, his debts are cleared. Brian didn¡¯t bother to waste brain cells pondering the good and bad inside. He had come to like solving problems through violence. It¡¯s simple and easy. Direct and straightforward. No matter what schemes or tricks. As long as there¡¯s a problem. Just kill it off! With a pleased mood, Brian started sorting his gains. .. The moment Li Sen breathed his last, the warm current from the ¡°obsession gift¡± surged around Brian. This time it was accomplished, Mad Dog Ike¡¯s second obsession: find the bastard who framed me and kill his entire family! Unfortunately, Li Sen killed his own son in the afternoon. And was killed by Brian at night. That, too, counted as wiping out the whole family. The warm flow from the Gift this time was very small, almost symbolic. Besides completely restoring the energy Brian had used up, the enhancement effect wasn¡¯t significant. Brian seemed to think of something and immediately plunged his consciousness deep into his mind. A unique golden orb appeared within his perception. Upon seeing the orb, a realization dawned on Brian: a Skill Orb, consuming it would plunge his consciousness into a deep sleep. A skill had burst forth? Brian was pleasantly surprised! He hadn¡¯t expected a skill to burst forth this time! But the timing and place were all wrong. Brian also didn¡¯t know what skill the golden Skill Orb contained. But considering Mad Dog Ike, being able to break through a police encirclement and kill his way out, the skill mustn¡¯t be too shabby, right? Carrying a bit of anticipation, Brian began to process the scene. He was well-prepared this time, first spreading his homemade thermite over the dug pit, then tossing the bodies in, corroding them with sulfuric acid and other reagents, then shoveling all the surrounding soil in, and finally igniting the thermite. Clothes, gloves, shovels, all thrown in. The burning process produced an awful smell. Brian took a long rest back in his car before he returned to the cabin to start spraying the Lumiruo Reagent test spray around. This stuff reacts with blood to release a faint blue glow. It was a common method used in crime scene investigations. But for cleaning up a crime scene, it was exceptionally useful. After all, blood could only react once. Any leftover would be cleaned up by him. It would help avoid any traces of blood being overlooked at the scene. In autopsy and crime scene investigation, Brian had made no progress. But in handling crime scenes, he was becoming increasingly proficient. At dawn, after changing his tires, Brian returned to his apartment. This step was the most troublesome. He silently vowed that once he had the money, he would definitely set up several secret bases to store necessary items and set vehicles for consistent use, and also use these bases as a line of early defense. Otherwise, dealing with these matters every time was truly exhausting. Since the explosion case was closed and all subsequent reports were completed, he took a rest today. This allowed Brian to further realize the prowess of the NW (Night Watcher) organization; it really was extraordinary. Otherwise, just Susan blasting so many gang members¡¯ heads off wouldn¡¯t have been an easy matter to resolve. Including Brian. He had shot and killed five criminals. Even according to the previous process at the Detective Bureau. After killing the criminals, for his mental and physical health, a psychological evaluation, report writing, and a period of administrative leave were required. And now? He had no issues at all. Sometimes, Brian would speculate. The establishment of the NW organization, outwardly called the crime experiment group, internally referring to itself with the Cthulhu mythos-inspired name Night Watchers, might it be because of the Blood Moon? Whether it was the timing coincidence, or the unknown secret his uncle had him join NW to uncover. It all fit too perfectly. And his uncle! The man had apparently been keen on having him bathe in the Blood Moon¡¯s light. And indeed, he had awakened Golden Finger. Considering all the oddities around his uncle, Brian suspected that his Golden Finger was probably different from those systems in the novels he had read in his past life. These mysteries, troubled Brian greatly. Fortunately, an answer was at hand, as Susan had mentioned. Tomorrow, Saturday, they would visit Ace Base again for their onboarding training. The secret his uncle mentioned, he would know it soon! Chapter 43 - 43 35 Buy One Get One Free Art is Explosion ?43: Chapter 35 Buy One Get One Free, Art is Explosion 43: Chapter 35 Buy One Get One Free, Art is Explosion ¡°It¡¯s time to open the blind box!¡± Brian rubbed his hands with a sense of ritual, lay down flat on the sofa, and closed his eyes. He found himself once again in that familiar white space. In the space, a golden orb floated, accompanied by two smaller specks of light. The golden orb was a Gift from completing Mad Dog Ike¡¯s obsession. It made Brian wonder if all the Skill Orbs representing skills from now on would be gold. It certainly looked high-end. The two tiny lights were fragments of memory from the giver of the obsession, dating back to their lifetimes. Brian had encountered these before. Most of those memories were useless. But they seemed to enhance his Spiritual Strength. After all, since the Blood Moon incident, even without using the snap-transfer method, he hadn¡¯t experienced hallucinations or any other forms of mental anomalies for a quite a while. ... The absorption of the Skill Orb seemed to take a very long time. So Brian decided to crush the orbs representing the memories of the deceased first. The first deceased was Kenneth. His memory was worthless, just a fragment of his girlfriend Shaina telling him she was pregnant. Brian had no interest in watching a bitch¡¯s feigned affection and quickly skipped over it. The second was Mad Dog Ike. This guy¡¯s memories were a chaotic mess. One second he was riding Shaina hard, and the next, he was holding a detonator, cackling madly as he threw it toward a distant cop car. You have to say, the guy had a hell of an arm with his Throwing. Brian suspected that Mad Dog Ike might really have had a screw loose, a true madman. ¡°What a pity, I thought there might be some memories of a hidden stash or something...¡± After watching the two memory fragments, Brian reached for the golden orb. The moment he touched it, the orb turned into flowing light and surged into Brian¡¯s consciousness. A sense of enlightenment flooded into Brian¡¯s mind: Talent: Supercomputer Perception Skill: Precise Throwing Huh??? Brian was a bit stupefied. Wait a minute. He was promised a skill! And he ended up with a buy-one-get-one-free deal, a Talent thrown in? If one were to describe Brian¡¯s feelings at the moment, it would be like defeating a major BOSS, finding a shiny golden chest in the loot, opening it to discover a bunch of flimsy umbrellas¡ªutterly speechless and disappointed¡ªonly to realize upon using them that they were not only light and compact but also enhanced and CHU... This... was awesome! Precise Throwing. Brian wasn¡¯t very interested. The skill sounded pretty LOW. But that Talent, Supercomputer Perception, was different. It sounded like some serious gear! Just as Brian was feeling curious, a wave of dizziness overcame him. His consciousness slowly drifted into sleep. ... Where is this? Brian looked around, a bit dazed, at the three or four police cars surrounding him. In his hands, he held a kerosene lighter and a detonator, with a row of high-explosive tubes wrapped in yellow paper across his chest¡ªlike a living bomb, cackling madly. Wasn¡¯t he just receiving a Gift from the dead? What the hell was this? Brian realized he seemed to be possessing the body of a terrorist, located in some abandoned estate in the suburbs, apparently being chased by the police, and knew nothing beyond that, as if he was watching someone play a first-person virtual game. Bang bang bang~ The police, without any hesitation, started firing towards him. ¡°Come on, you damned cops.¡± The guy Brian was possessing showed no fear of being shot at by a barrage of guns; instead, he lit the detonator first, and with uncanny accuracy, he threw it over fifty or sixty meters. Boom~ An old police car was lifted into the air by the blast wave, crashing down heavily onto a fat policeman. ¡°Ha ha ha!¡± ¡°Blow you bitches to hell!¡± One after another, the high-explosive tubes were thrown precisely at the police cars and officers ahead. In just a short while, the surroundings, except for the bodies and wrecked police cars, returned to quiet. Brian watched, dumbfounded. What a guy! Really, what a guy! The body he possessed must have belonged to a bomb expert. Whether it was fifty-sixty meters away or seventy-eighty meters away. Whether they were hiding behind a wall or beside a car. The detonating caps he threw were like they were guided by precision navigation, landing unerringly next to the police cars and officers, causing them to not even have a chance to run away before they were wiped out in just a few breaths. ¡°Right, why does this guy¡¯s voice sound so familiar?¡± Brian thought of the skills he had just acquired and realized, wasn¡¯t this Mad Dog Ike¡¯s voice! But it sounded a little sharp. Like it was changing? Brian wondered. Could it be that he had possessed the body of Mad Dog Ike as a teenager or young adult? As he pondered in secret, the body slowly walked to those still burning old police cars and began looting corpses. Not until all the guns and ammunition were packed did the possessed body spit on the pile of police corpses, ¡°Was it just for blowing up that bitch¡¯s mine owner that they chased me so far, fuck, can¡¯t use the name Drew anymore, perfect time to go back to the old home, take my brother with me, and head to Los Angeles...¡± Carrying a bag of weapons and ammo, the possessed body returned to the abandoned, decrepit mansion and got into a car that had a strong sense of the era, driving onto the outer path. Through the car¡¯s rearview mirror, Brian finally saw the face of the body he possessed: not at all good-looking, with a few light freckles on his cheeks, just a white teenager. ¡°It really is Ike!¡± ¡°But he doesn¡¯t have that mad demeanor.¡± ¡°Could this be Ike¡¯s memories from when he was a teenager?¡± With these questions lingering, Brian¡¯s consciousness blurred. When he regained his consciousness, he was back at the opening scene... ... Saturday, early morning. Brian opened his eyes, feeling a bit weary. But everything had changed! Everything he laid eyes on was different. Brian looked around his apartment where he had lived for several years in amazement. Everything was the same. Yet, when the light passed through his retina and transferred the visual information into his brain, the perception was different! Brian discovered with astonishment that he could precisely determine the length, width, height, and distance to himself of everything in his field of vision, automatically converting it into units he could understand. It was a magical sensation. Brian walked to the apartment window and gazed at the distant view. The same perception. The same feedback. But now it included additional senses like wind speed and humidity. Obviously. The Supercomputer Perception wasn¡¯t just affecting Brian¡¯s vision but was also enhancing the subtle sensations of his skin towards the external environment. It was like he was born to be a sniper observer! Besides this special perception, Brian also found that as long as an object entered his field of view, even if his subconscious didn¡¯t notice that object, it would still seamlessly imprint into his mind with the transformed sensation. He felt like he was playing a shooting game with data cheats on. This meant that his observational skills also underwent a qualitative improvement. If he had good gun skills, he would be invincible! ¡°Great talent!¡± Brian felt somewhat elated but also a little stunned. No wonder Mad Dog Ike possessed such a rare Precise Throwing talent. With such perception, merely practicing control of strength would almost equal a sure hit. Brian casually picked up his phone. Immediately, the weight and the three-dimensional data of the phone became crystal clear to him. A rush of confidence surged through him. He was confident that he could throw his phone with pinpoint accuracy to the furthest distance it could go, the error not exceeding ten centimeters! What if he replaced the phone with high explosives? Brian grinned, ¡°Art is an explosion, after all!¡± Next, he would practice his gun skills extensively to fully utilize the Supercomputer Perception talent! He really didn¡¯t know why Mad Dog Ike, with such an outrageous talent, was so foolish as to only develop a Precise Throwing skill with so many limitations. If it were gun skills, Brian even doubted whether those officers could have escaped Ike¡¯s fatal sniping back in the day. ... Ding-a-ling-ling~ The phone alarm rang. Brian suppressed the excitement and joy in his heart and walked to the mirror to tidy up his image. Today was the date for his orientation training at Ace Base. He was going to work! Chapter 44 - 44 36 Sudden Change! ?44: Chapter 36: Sudden Change! 44: Chapter 36: Sudden Change! As full-fledged reservists of the NW. This time, Brian and his companions¡¯ visit to Ace Base clearly had much higher stakes. A military helicopter landed directly on the rooftop of the precinct, picking up Brian and the other four. The only thing that surprised him was, on the helicopter, aside from the few members of Squad Six, there was also an extra body bag. .. Because the helicopter had no observation windows apart from the cockpit, they couldn¡¯t see outside. This time, they weren¡¯t required to wear blindfolds. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Glenn kicked the body bag curiously and asked. After a day of rest, Glenn¡¯s face, despite sporting two large dark circles, had become noticeably more animated. Perhaps this was his true nature. The previous behavior was just a front due to being in a new environment. Now that he was fully inducted, he no longer pretended. Besides Glenn, Ivan was the same. The guy was actually wearing a garishly pink suit, which paired with his hormone-exploding physique, long hair, and a goatee, looked pretty odd. In Brian¡¯s mind unbidden came the image of a bearded giant in a women¡¯s sailor suit, with golden pigtails, hands cradling his chest, one leg coyly cocked behind him, posing in a shy demeanor for the camera... Susan was rather oblivious to these perceptions. She was fiddling with her paired large-caliber revolvers, yawned, and explained: ¡°This is Mad Dog Ike¡¯s corpse.¡± ¡°Mad Dog Ike¡¯s corpse?¡± Ivan, Glenn, and Brian exchanged glances, all sensing something odd. Why would they bring this guy¡¯s body to the base instead of just cremating it? Only the older Hardenn seemed to think of something, showing a hint of melancholy and disgust, and he shifted further back, distancing himself from the corpse. Faced with the trio¡¯s puzzlement, Susan, in a good mood, smiled lightly and said, ¡°You don¡¯t think the helicopter came just for us, do you?¡± ¡°Captain, are you saying the body is the base¡¯s real objective?¡± Brian thought about Ike¡¯s incredibly special ¡°Supercomputer Perception¡± talent and vaguely guessed something. He had already confirmed. The Blood Moon celestial event that occurs once every thirty years in this world is not a normal astronomical phenomenon! Susan nodded, ¡°Yes, but you haven¡¯t signed a confidentiality agreement yet, so I can¡¯t tell you why. However, you¡¯ll learn the reason after the onboarding training. Oh by the way...¡± She suddenly looked at Brian, ¡°There¡¯s something we must thank Brian for. The blast incident had a bad influence, and as a reward, our Squad Six will receive a bonus later. Moreover, once this corpse is delivered to the base and verified, we can also receive a substantial private bonus.¡± ¡°How much money?¡± The usually silent Hardenn was stirred. Fuck him an almighty. He still hadn¡¯t gotten his five hundred US Dollars reimbursed! The others also perked up. Money is something nobody ever thinks is too much. Susan spun her dual revolvers with flair, shrugged and said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about the case-solving bonus, but Ike¡¯s body, if it meets the standards, is worth a minimum of a million US Dollars. This sum is tax-free. At that point, I plan to give half directly to Brian, and the rest of us can split the remainder.¡± Brian was overjoyed. Five hundred thousand US Dollars? Didn¡¯t that mean he could perform a preemptive strike and put on an art show for his great uncle without worrying about his adoptive parents¡¯ medical bills? Hardenn and the others also showed faces of pleasant surprise. The four of them, sharing five hundred thousand, could each get over a hundred thousand US Dollars, which was almost equivalent to two years¡¯ salary for them! This Ike, he was actually worth that much? With joyful hearts, The few on the helicopter started to look forward to the so-called onboarding training mentioned by Susan with even more anticipation. ... After arriving at the base, Brian and his companions went through rigorous checks and were once again asked to wear special blindfolds before being driven in the base¡¯s vehicle. They endured a bumpy ride, waiting. The elevator¡¯s roaring began. In a state of weightlessness, a sequence of numbers naturally emerged in Brian¡¯s mind: 10 meters, 30 meters...121 meters. When the elevator came to a stop, the number in Brian¡¯s mind ended at 121! This underground base was located a staggering 121 meters below the surface! Susan was obviously very familiar with this base. After removing their hoods, She led everyone straight through the main corridor, making left and right turns, passing through several metal lift doors made of a special alloy, until they finally reached a screening room akin to a movie theater. Brian noticed. The base¡¯s guards had taken their issued guns, but Susan¡¯s two large revolvers at her waist had not been touched. This gave him a more intuitive understanding of Susan¡¯s family background and identity. This was a leg he must cling to! ... ¡°It seems we are the earliest of the reserve teams to arrive. Alright, I...¡± Susan was about to go look for her uncle Pavel. But Pavel, accompanied by four fully armed soldiers, appeared at the entrance of the screening room. ¡°Uncle Pavel...¡± Susan moved forward with a hint of surprise, ¡°Are you conducting the orientation training today?¡± Pavel¡¯s expression was serious as he pulled Susan behind him with one swift movement and waved his hand. The four fully armed soldiers behind him, their eyes the only feature visible, immediately pointed their guns at Brian in the crowd. ¡°Employee Brian, we have some issues that need to be reviewed with you. Please come with us!¡± Pavel, the old man who had interviewed Brian, now had none of the smiling warmth he had shown when he had first invited Brian to join; he was not only cold but also held a strong hostility. Brian¡¯s heart skipped a beat. This was bad. He realized! His great-uncle had sent him to join NW, supposedly to validate a secret that could empower the Kamor family, but the real purpose was probably to use him as cannon fodder! And in this base, located 121 meters underground, there was no chance for him to run. Resigned, he raised his hands, ready to go forward. But a strong figure blocked Brian¡¯s path. Ivan looked at Pavel and the others with a stern expression, ¡°Brian is also an NW employee, our colleague. If there¡¯s an issue, let¡¯s clear it up here. Otherwise, I won¡¯t allow anyone to harm my colleague in front of me!¡± Glenn hesitated but still stepped forward to stand with Ivan. Susan spread her arms in front of the few soldiers, ¡°I¡¯m Brian¡¯s team leader, come to me first if there¡¯s an issue!¡± The remaining Hardenn sighed, taking a step forward to shield everyone. Hmm... He hid behind Ivan and Glenn... Looking at these colleagues he had not known for many days. Brian was moved. These guys really had loyalty! Seeing this, Pavel suddenly acted, jabbing an electric baton into Susan¡¯s stomach. Susan¡¯s eyes rolled back as she slumped to the ground. Having dealt with his niece. Pavel coldly extended three fingers, ¡°I¡¯ll count to three. Move, or everyone gets shot!¡± Hisss~ Watching this group, they seemed genuinely unfeigned. Hardenn was the first to run off. Glenn looked back at Brian and shrugged, ¡°Sorry, buddy. If something happens to you, I¡¯ll place a bouquet of daisies I grew myself on your grave.¡± With that, he also stepped aside. The only one left, Ivan, looked regretfully at Brian¡¯s shapely rear, shook his head, moved to the side, and covered his eyes with his hands. Brian: ... Damn... So much for not letting a colleague be taken away in front of you. You¡¯re just going to cover your eyes! But he didn¡¯t blame them. If their roles were reversed, without an emotional connection, he probably wouldn¡¯t have stepped forward to begin with. ¡°Man dies and birds fly high; no death is forever.¡± A fierce look flitted through Brian¡¯s eyes. If he made it out of this okay, he would show his great-uncle what an explosion of art looked like upon his return! ... And so, on the eve of the orientation training, Brian was taken to a room blacked out entirely with an unfamiliar material, housing a device resembling a CT scanner. Apart from this huge machine, there was also a gurney placed to one side with a body on it. Brian recognized at a glance that it was the body of Mad Dog Ike. What were these people planning to do? Chapter 45 - 45 37 Luck ?45: Chapter 37 Luck 45: Chapter 37 Luck Brian, unaware of what he would encounter next, a dispassionate mechanical female voice emanated from the four corners of the room, ¡°Employee Brian, identity confirmed. Please enter Deformation Radiation Detector number 009 within five seconds.¡± With the mechanical woman¡¯s voice trailing off, a machine in the room, resembling a CT scanner, cast a green light that illuminated a specified area. At the same time, the mechanical female voice began counting down, ¡°5... 4...¡± Brian swallowed heavily, taking a decisive step into the green projection without hesitation, his heartbeat quickening with a sense of powerlessness over his fate. At that moment, his desire for power swelled within him! As Brian stepped into the green-lit area, the countdown ceased. The entire room began to vibrate at a low frequency. Buzz buzz buzz~ The sound was annoying enough to drive Brian to distraction. Simultaneously, beams of yellow light, forming a grid, passed back and forth over his body as if scanning and detecting. Accompanied by those visible yellow rays shining within Brian¡¯s body, a dense, almost black dark red stirred slowly and was forced out, blending into the yellow light, tainting it a faint dark yellow before quickly turning deeper and re-emerging from his body. These deeper yellow rays mingled inconspicuously with the other lights. Brian¡¯s Supercomputer Perception, relying on the corners of his eyes, forcibly branded this change into his mind. But his consciousness and state were far from fine. Those rays, whatever they were, felt like countless tangible fine needles piercing through his body when they penetrated, and the irritating low-frequency buzzing of the machine noise was almost explosive! Just as Brian felt like he couldn¡¯t hold back from clutching his head and howling, the piercing low-frequency vibration began to slow and then disappeared within a breath or two. Phew~ Brian could no longer contain himself, kneeling on the floor, head down, gasping for air. Sweat poured down from him in large amounts. A feeling of weakness surged within him. Brian knew those yellow rays had carried intense radiation! Threads of blood emerged from his eyes. Fury, stimulated by emotion, uncontrollably spewed out large amounts of adrenaline, rapidly blocking the feeling of weakness in Brian¡¯s body and mind, transforming into a clear sense of anger. Right now, he really wanted to punch the bastards outside to smithereens! However, Brian was well aware. With neither background nor strength, no matter how angry he appeared, it was merely futile rage. At that moment, a thought took root and sprouted at the bottom of his heart: he did not want to go through today¡¯s situation ever again! He had to become stronger! ... After several deep breaths, Brian forcibly suppressed the fury within him, the blood in his eyes slowly dissipated, and the adrenaline flooding his body began to metabolize, being excreted with a lot of sweat. Without the stimulation of adrenaline, Brian could no longer hold himself up and slowly collapsed onto the floor. As he sank into a stupor, a man¡¯s screams and Team Leader Susan¡¯s roar seemed to echo in his ears... Thump~ The heavy door to the room was opened. Susan, with an icy expression, stepped over the wailing bodies of several soldiers on the floor, ignoring the residual radiation in the room and hurried to Brian¡¯s side. Grinding her teeth, she hoisted Brian¡¯s 170-pound body onto her shoulder and walked towards the exit. Pavel watched his niece, single-minded as always, but didn¡¯t try to stop her. He earnestly said, ¡°Lurker 132 is extremely vigilant and cruel. Without Brian¡¯s cooperation, we¡¯ll have a hard time completing the task handed down from above.¡± Susan glared fiercely at her father¡¯s friend, finding him utterly alien, ¡°Mr. Pavel, spare me your crappy plans. All I know is that Brian, he¡¯s my man, and he passed the machine¡¯s test! As long as he¡¯s not a Mutant, anyone who wants to touch him will have to answer to my guns first!¡± ¡°You¡¯re just asking for trouble, Susan.¡± Pavel stepped aside, ¡°You¡¯re gambling your future on this insignificant character. He¡¯s someone who¡¯s only joined your team recently. You don¡¯t even know his real past, he...¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°Brian is now my companion! I never abandon those I acknowledge! If he really has a problem... I¡¯ll execute him with my own hands!¡± Susan interrupted Pavel, carrying Brian on her shoulder, taking big steps toward the base¡¯s infirmary. Behind her, Pavel shrugged his shoulders. He felt sorry for his old friend. To have such a stubborn, obstinate daughter. What a torment. Pavel kicked the few soldiers who had been knocked down, ¡°Alright, stop acting. Push the bodies inside to Deformation Radiation Detector number 009. If there really is a Mutant¡¯s body there, our bonus this month will be hefty.¡± A few soldiers, who had just been screaming in agony, were now baring their teeth as they struggled up from the ground. Clearly, they weren¡¯t as frail as they appeared. A moment. The sealed room once again emitted a yellow glow. But this time, the glow lasted less than two seconds before it altered from yellow to orange-red as it entered the corpses, and as time persisted, it suffused the entire room with a faint red hue... Seeing this. A smile spread across Pavel¡¯s face. Mad Dog Ike was indeed a Mutant! ... Brian, in a groggy haze, felt as if he were floating on clouds, his head occasionally bumping into the cotton-like fluff. You can¡¯t say. These clouds were both bouncy and fragrant. In his daze. Brian tossed his head side to side and opened his eyes, only to be met with a curved obstruction that blocked his view ahead. He instinctively reached out to push the object aside. Hmm? This touch... The next moment. Boom~ In an instant world-flip. Brian was slammed onto the ground by Team Leader Susan with a judo throw. Brian gasped for air, hunched over in a ¡®C¡¯ shape, the pain from the heavy impact almost leaving him breathless. ¡°Hmph!¡± Susan snorted coldly, looked down at the obstruction that had been expanding since she was 15 such that she couldn¡¯t even see her own feet, a flush creeping up her cheeks. She grabbed Brian¡¯s ankle and dragged the tofu-stealer along with her towards the medical room. A moment. Because of his tactless reminder of his earlier mistake, Brian was beaten black and blue by an infuriated Susan. Stripped of his clothes, his chest covered with electrode pads, he bit down on a breathing tube and obediently lay down in a glass vat filled with a green solution. The composition of the green solution was unknown. But once inside. Brian felt a cool and refreshing sensation surging into his painfully prickling body. About ten minutes later. The female doctor monitoring him tapped the glass lid, ¡°Alright, most of the special radiation inside you has been cleared. Now just eat more vegetables and less exercise. Abstain from any sexual activities, and in about half a month, your body should return to normal.¡± Brian spat out the breathing tube from his mouth and moved his body around, feeling much better indeed. He took the towel the doctor handed him and, without minding her tofu-stealing gaze, began to dry off his body while asking, ¡°Is that yellow light very harmful to the body?¡± The female doctor gave Brian a strange look, wondering why he didn¡¯t know this. Still, considering Brian had been brought in by Susan, she nodded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a very aggressive method for detecting Mutants. A normal person, after being irradiated, would have a massive number of cells entering accelerated degeneration. You can think of it as shortening your life by several years. But don¡¯t worry. Team Leader Susan used up her merit points to exchange for this one use of the Repair Liquid for you, and since you arrived in time, you shouldn¡¯t have suffered much impact.¡± Susan... Brian felt moved in his heart. In fact, under the wonder of Supercomputer Perception. He not only remembered the nearly black dark-red substance concealed within him but also knew well Susan¡¯s actions and words from before. Brian knew this was just Susan¡¯s character and not special treatment towards him. But he was still profoundly touched. To work with such a person. He was quite fortunate. Furthermore. Brian learned a lot of things thanks to the conversation between Susan and Pavel. Mutants... Lurker number 132... Was this the secret Great Uncle had been hiding? Brian had already harbored murderous intentions towards this flip-flopping Great Uncle who threatened him. Now, knowing that the man had used him as cannon fodder for testing. Coupled with Susan taking risks on his behalf. After much consideration. Brian decided to come clean to Susan about his Great Uncle threatening him to join NW! As for the consequences. They couldn¡¯t be worse than where he was now anyway. He was indeed lucky to have passed the test. Brian didn¡¯t believe Pavel would really let him off the hook. Without dealing with Great Uncle, this hidden threat! It could very well implicate him! Chapter 46 - 46 38 Secret the BOSS Turns Out to Be Me!!! ?46: Chapter 38: Secret, the BOSS Turns Out to Be Me!!! 46: Chapter 38: Secret, the BOSS Turns Out to Be Me!!! Outside the infirmary. Susan was idly toying with a bullet, lost in thought. ¡°Team leader.¡± Brian pushed the door open, greeted Susan with a gentle voice. Startled, Susan seemed lost in her own world. Realizing who it was. Her face flushed as she glared at Brian, ¡°Why are you talking so loudly!¡± Brian: Meow meow meow? As a man who had dealt with enough situations, he knew it was stupid to argue with a woman in such an inexplicable state. Because at that moment. Their minds were in a Schrodinger-like emotional state. Whatever you said would be wrong. The correct approach was to do something drastic. So, Brian gave Susan a slight ninety-degree bow, the casual version, ¡°Team leader, thank you for everything you¡¯ve done for me!¡± Susan was stunned by Brian¡¯s act. She hurriedly helped Brian stand up, ¡°I¡¯ve told you, I¡¯ve got your back, you don¡¯t need to do this.¡± ¡°But I owe you an apology, team leader, I actually joined NW with an agenda, coerced into it.¡±, guilt and unease filled Brian¡¯s face. Susan sighed, ¡°I already knew that. Let¡¯s go, the orientation training must have started by now, I will train you separately.¡± ... Susan was really familiar with Ace Base. Brian suspected that the structures above ground, built only a few years ago, were just a disguise. The real Ace Base was here, 121 meters underground. And it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if it had been established a long time ago! Filled with queries. Brian followed Susan into a private room. Susan looked around nostalgically, ¡°This was my training room when I was training specially. I stayed here for eight years before joining the security team. After returning to Los Angeles, they restored this room to me.¡± Feigning confusion, Brian asked, ¡°Team leader, was Ace Base not constructed only in recent years?¡± Susan shook her head, ¡°This place was established in 1975.¡± She did not elaborate, gestured for Brian to sit down, and tapped her head, pondering for a long time before figuring out how to start his orientation, ¡°Brian, you must know about the Blood Moon phenomenon that occurs every thirty years?¡± Excited, Brian. Finally, he could learn about this damned secret! He nodded vigorously, ¡°Yes, and I have seen it with my own eyes. It¡¯s amazing, it doesn¡¯t seem like the infrared coloring caused by light refraction that astronomers talk about.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about, what refraction, what infrared.¡± Susan, clearly not academically inclined, said bluntly, ¡°Anyway, your feeling is correct. The first appearance of the Red Moon Phenomenon was on the day World War II ended, and afterward, many different kind of people emerged in the world.¡± Brian thought of his Golden Finger and the dark red substance hidden somewhere in his body. He licked his lips: ¡°What kind of different people?¡± A hint of disgust flashed in Susan¡¯s eyes: ¡°A bunch of perverts, some are incredibly strong, some are very fast, some have keen hearing, some can see very far. During my training, I even saw a...¡± She paused, pointing at Brian: ¡°A reproductive organ specimen almost as tall as you.¡± Brian: ... If you can¡¯t give examples, don¡¯t give any! Considering his height was nearly one meter ninety! Such a long Jill! Could it be that Jill¡¯s owner wraps it around his waist normally? ¡°You can¡¯t believe it, right?¡± Susan sighed: ¡°When I first saw it, I couldn¡¯t believe it either, but this is the impact of the Blood Moon. Its moonlight can merge into the bodies of some exceptionally twisted and evil people, transforming into a gift we can¡¯t comprehend, causing their bodies to mutate in the direction most desired by those chosen.¡± Exceptionally twisted and evil people... Brian was somewhat dumbfounded. He now confirmed that the changes in his body were not any Golden Finger, but a mutation brought by the Blood Moon. The problem was. Brian considered himself kind-hearted and uninvolved in disputes, even his part-time job was just to earn some hard-earned money, although he did kill and set fires, his methods were clean and crisp, never torturing. Such a good person. And yet, he too had been favored by the Blood Moon. This was simply the biggest insult to his noble character! He asked without giving up, ¡°Team leader, are you saying that all those who received the Blood Moon¡¯s Gift are perverts?¡± Susan shook her head, ¡°Not all are perverts.¡± Relieved, Brian sighed. That¡¯s good then. ¡°There¡¯s also a significant chance for psychopaths to receive the Gift.¡± Brian: ... That¡¯s fine then. ... Susan lit a thin cigarette, waiting for Brian to process these secrets. After finishing the cigarette. She continued, ¡°Initially, governments around the world didn¡¯t realize the severity of the issue until there was a significant increase in the number of cases, many of which were extremely brutal. That¡¯s when everyone realized something was wrong. Anyway. After a lot of capturing and research. Nations had basically figured out the characteristics of the Mutants.¡± ¡°What characteristics?¡± Hearing about capturing and research, Brian felt goosebumps all over his body. Susan shrugged, ¡°There are many. Initially, Mutants underwent significant hormonal changes, and their physical appearance and habits could change drastically, such as becoming very strong, developing bizarre eating habits, preferring dark and damp places, liking to soak in water, growing significantly taller, and so on. But these are not the reasons they are called Mutants. The real reason is their already twisted souls, which become even more warped. The darkest corners of their hearts are magnified continuously, making them unable to suppress their impulses to do what they most desire. The more they do. The more abilities they gain. And the faster they lose their rationality. Most Mutants, within one or two years of encountering the Blood Moon Gift, lose their self-awareness and completely turn into beasts of desire.¡± Hearing about elevated hormone levels. Brian couldn¡¯t help but think of the last time his uncle suddenly asked him to undergo a physical examination! The other party had already known all these facts. Brian¡¯s resentment towards his Uncle Billy increased by +1. Susan, probably tired from talking, took out a bottle of water from under the bed, gulped it down, and then continued, ¡°However, the most accurate detection method is still that each Mutant harbors a specific type of red radiation within their body.¡± ¡°Based on current research. The more perverse and evil the Mutant, the denser the red within their body. Subsequently, scientists invented the Deformation Radiation Detector based on this feature. It emits yellow rays that react with the red radiation inside the Mutants. For example, low-concentration Mutants under the device produce orange rays. Medium concentration produces red-orange rays. High concentration produces red rays. The accuracy is very high! So far, there haven¡¯t been any errors.¡± Hearing this, Brian felt a wave of relief. Damn. Luckily, black and yellow blend to produce an ocher color. He hadn¡¯t been exposed! Otherwise, he dreads to think what he would have gone through. Brian¡¯s resentment toward Uncle Billy increased again by +1! ... He tentatively asked, ¡°Captain, are there only these three types?¡± Susan nodded affirmatively, ¡°As of now, we¡¯ve only discovered these three levels. Internationally, Mutants who have gone through the second Blood Moon Radiation have already been tested. Among them, the ones with the strongest concentration, that is, the high concentration. No more powerful Mutants have been found. I feel it¡¯s not likely to happen. Because human willpower, as time goes by and the body ages and weakens, becomes weaker. Having been through the second Blood Moon Radiation. Most of them are not young anymore. It¡¯s tough to stay rational until the third Blood Moon Radiation.¡± Brian: ... The red radiation inside me... it¡¯s so red it¡¯s almost black... What level is that? Damn. I¡¯m the BOSS myself! Chapter 47 - 47 39 I Brian do not Share the Sky with Evil! ?47: Chapter 39: I, Brian, do not Share the Sky with Evil! 47: Chapter 39: I, Brian, do not Share the Sky with Evil! When Brian realized that he himself was a Mutant and that there was no such thing as a Golden Finger, his feelings were very complex. According to Susan¡¯s claims, Mutants are either super-perverts or mentally ill. These people, after being exposed to the radiation of the Blood Moon, had a certain probability of receiving the Blood Moon Gift. The Gift¡¯s power would reflect the host¡¯s heart, giving birth to the ability that the host most desired and was most compatible with, and with the passage of time, the dark side of their hearts would uncontrollably surface, gradually losing sanity and committing crimes. According to Susan¡¯s words, Once these Mutants acted on their inner darkness, and their desires were satisfied, they would become stronger while their sanity diminished even further. Therefore, most Mutants, after the initial influence of the Blood Moon, could not last one or two years before they succumbed to their desires, turning into beasts and losing their reason completely. This made Brian feel uneasy. He thought of something serious! His uncle might have been a Mutant before the Blood Moon. Could it be that, Uncle was a Mutant who had received the Blood Moon Gift twice? How strong would that make Uncle Billy? ... Thinking of this, Brian hurriedly asked Susan, ¡°Leader, if those Mutants can receive the power they desire most, then if someone wishes to destroy the world, won¡¯t we have no way to resist?¡± Susan heard this and sneered with disdain, ¡°If it were really that simple, the world would have been in chaos long ago. It¡¯s not about what Mutants want in their hearts that they will possess; it depends on two factors.¡± ¡°The first factor is the degree of Blood Moon pollution when the Mutants awaken. The higher the pollution degree, the more aligned the awakened ability will be with their innermost thoughts. For example, A Mutant Awakened with low pollution, who desires the strongest body, might develop bone proliferation, skin calcification, muscle hardening, and such abilities that are beneficial but come with significant side effects. If it is a Highly Polluted Mutant Awakened, with the same desire for the strongest body, they might develop a substantial increase in muscle fiber quantity and density, a substantial increase in bone density, a significant increase in nerve reaction speed, and so on, with positive Enhancements without side effects. The specific pollution degree depends on their willpower. The stronger the willpower, typically the higher the degree of pollution. According to current research, the most potential Mutants are usually those who are perverted, mentally ill, but always consider themselves as sane. These people deceive even themselves, often having a high degree of pollution. But regardless of the type, ninety-nine percent of Mutants receive physical Enhancements and do not possess whatever they wish for, only to say it¡¯s infinitely close.¡± Brian: ... He felt that Susan¡¯s last statement was hinting at himself. Yet, from Susan, He also realized that his uncle was likely at the very least a Highly Polluted Mutant. He wondered if the ten kilograms of explosives he had accumulated would suffice. The problem was, Uncle¡¯s many minions had a danger perception akin to that of wild animals and had the ability to acquire a large amount of weapons. His own explosives and small handgun might not be effective! Brian hurriedly pursued, ¡°Leader, what is the second factor?¡± Susan glared at Brian with irritation, then took out a bottle of water, took a gulp, and continued, ¡°The second factor that determines the strength of a Mutant is their sanity. Mutants are human too, and as humans, they know how to use tools. Just imagine, A Mutant who reacts and moves faster than you, shooting at you. Can you dodge it? However, in general, the higher the pollution levels of a Mutant, the easier their sanity spirals out of control. Without sanity, they don¡¯t harness outside forces. Whereas those with lower pollution levels have average willpower at best; even if they are less likely to lose control, their Mutant Abilities are not strong and don¡¯t differ much from the average criminal.¡± Hearing this, Brian did not feel relieved. He felt that his uncle Billy did not fit the descriptions given by Susan. Not only was the opponent brutal and strong, their intelligence was also not low. The more he knew, the less confident Brian felt inside. Seeing Brian¡¯s face turn pale, Susan thought he was still worried, so she took out a special bullet as thick as Brian¡¯s little finger and 11.18 mm in caliber, ¡°Brian, don¡¯t overthink it. Even the strongest Mutant we¡¯ve discovered so far can¡¯t withstand the gunpowder justice that can shatter a brown bear¡¯s head in my hand!¡± Brian nodded, but his expression still did not improve. He didn¡¯t believe that his uncle could physically resist bullets and explosives. The problem was, The opponent¡¯s perception of danger was too sharp. A sneak attack might not be effective. A head-on confrontation... Brian sighed. A wise man does not stand under a collapsing wall. Since his uncle had been targeted, he was probably doomed to be captured and studied. He might as well do the righteous thing and embrace Susan¡¯s ¡°big white leg¡± firmly. After Susan¡¯s primer, Brian also figured out his so-called Golden Finger wasn¡¯t really a transmigrator¡¯s Fooly. It was entirely a Gift from the Blood Moon. It also reflected the deepest desire in his heart. Thinking about it made sense. As an ordinary transmigrator, faced with immense pressure and life-threatening danger, yet powerless to change his situation, what did Brian¡¯s heart desire the most? It was undoubtedly the Golden Finger. Thus, Brian had Awoken the dead¡¯s Gift of the ¡°Golden Finger.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no wonder I feel so satisfied every time I execute those beasts,¡± Brian thought, his mind a bit of a mess. This meant that, if things continued this way, his rationality might disappear like those of the Mutants and turn into a beast of desire? ... Brian sighed internally. Forget it. Take one step at a time. Uncle Billy and Mad Dog Ike had managed to hold on for thirty years without losing control. He should be able to do the same. First, deal with the current predicament. With that thought, Brian pushed down the worry in his heart and continued listening to Susan¡¯s endless explanations. ¡°... Every out-of-control Mutant strikes a blow to the social order. That is the reason for our existence as NW.¡± At the end of her primer, Susan looked into Brian¡¯s eyes, earnestly saying, ¡°We are the first line of defense for the common people, the Night Watchers of the dark; capturing or killing any detected Mutants is our most vital mission!¡± Brian, a BOSS-level Mutant, raised his fist with resolute eyes: ¡°Understood, Chief! I, Brian, stand against sin with no shared sky!¡± Susan nodded in satisfaction, patting Brian¡¯s shoulder: ¡°Good, Brian! I knew I hadn¡¯t misjudged you! Forget about your uncle¡¯s business. He brought you into NW probably because he¡¯s aware of the Blood Moon¡¯s secrets, using you to test if we were onto him. It¡¯s actually pointless. Even without my intervention, the base¡¯s people wouldn¡¯t touch you. They would only try to turn you. Because your uncle has great value, his own code, and I bet he¡¯s already been listed on those disgusting people¡¯s breeding list.¡± ¡°Breeding list?¡± ¡°Mutants are unstable elements, but also a wealth resource. You don¡¯t need to know the details. From now on, avoid contact with your uncle. His surroundings are no doubt filled with those disgusting people¡¯s informants. If you keep in contact with your uncle, I might not be able to keep you safe. In any case. You can tell your uncle that you¡¯ve passed the NW¡¯s vetting. But don¡¯t meet him again. If your uncle insists on seeing you. Let me know. I¡¯ll personally send him to meet Satan!¡± Susan proudly patted the dual guns at her waist. ¡°Chief...¡± Brian¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, wishing he could offer himself to Susan right there and then. Unfortunately, Susan wasn¡¯t into playing by the unspoken rules. She glanced at the clock and beckoned to Brian: ¡°Let¡¯s go, the orientation training should be over by now; I¡¯ll take you to sign the confidentiality agreement and receive some official employee gear. Actually, Ace Base¡¯s purpose is to detain and study Mutants. We are basically their first-line staff and their eyes and ears.¡± Hearing about detention and research, Brian tensed up inside. His identity as a Mutant absolutely must not be exposed! Otherwise, life would be worse than death. ... Following Susan, Brian, laden with thoughts, received a ¡°high-tech¡± watch exclusive to NW employees. This device wasn¡¯t just for positioning but also for emergency aid. Most importantly, after a Mutant¡¯s death, the polluting radiation within their body would leak and be detected by the watch. In actuality, every law enforcement agency in Los Angeles, after the Blood Moon, would immediately test every corpse to make sure they didn¡¯t miss a dead Mutant. That was the fundamental reason Mad Dog Ike¡¯s corpse was discovered so quickly and sent to the base. For NW front line employees like Brian, every Mutant¡¯s corpse represented a substantial bounty. As to who was the Hunter and who was the prey, it was all about each other¡¯s methods. Chapter 48 - 48 40 Why Do You Compel Me ?48: Chapter 40 Why Do You Compel Me? 48: Chapter 40 Why Do You Compel Me? ¡°Brian, I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re okay!¡± As soon as Ivan saw Brian following Susan, he rushed up to give him a warm hug. Brian decisively refused the close contact, ¡°Don¡¯t do that, Ivan. I¡¯m very weak now, and I can¡¯t stand your roughness.¡± Regarding everyone¡¯s previous concessions. Brian didn¡¯t feel much awkwardness. It¡¯s only human nature. Emotions, they need time to brew. It was already beyond his expectations that everyone came forward at that time. Susan also briefly mentioned Brian¡¯s situation. She didn¡¯t want the new team she had just formed to have any estrangement over trivial matters. ... After returning to Los Angeles, since the new office of the Sixth Group was still under urgent renovation and many equipment needed filling, plus the need to recruit some assisting staff, the Sixth Group entered a period of refurbishment. Brian sent the news of his successful employment to his uncle and then borrowed some money from Susan to spend all day at the firing range partnered with the police station, beginning to train his gun skills. Actually, gun skills, aside from a few individuals with extraordinary talent, are mostly developed through extensive practice with bullets. Unfortunately, Brian¡¯s Supercomputer Perception Talent was very much suited for shooting. Actually, hidden weapons worked too, more suitable for assassination. But having a gun and not using it, relying on martial arts, how could one become a grandmaster? Mad Dog Ike developed it into the Precise Throwing skill, too limited, completely turning a priceless pearl into a glass marble for play, a waste! Brian suspected this was related to Ike¡¯s mental state. Such individuals, cannot be understood by normal logic. ... Thanks to his enhanced physical condition, akin to that of someone who regularly exercises and works out, in just two weeks, Brian¡¯s gun skills improved rapidly. At least within twenty meters, hitting a fixed target, he could almost hit exactly where he aimed. As for moving targets... much better than before, but not a significant qualitative change. No way around it. Although after firing hundreds of bullets, Brian understood roughly what kind of wind speed and aiming were needed to hit the target, every time he fired, it was still difficult to precisely control the position of his gun. A slight deviation. And the landing point of the bullets would be worlds apart. Brian, with his only average talent in this area, had to rely on feeding a large number of bullets to develop muscle memory to achieve a major breakthrough. It required more bullets and time. ... What surprised Brian was, since he texted his uncle, not only had there been no response, but even his cousin seemed to have lost contact. Because of Susan¡¯s words, Brian had been restraining himself from contacting the Kamor family members. But after two weeks, he was getting impatient. Just when Brian was thinking of finding Ivan and the others, wanting to use their informer connections to check on the Bloodbath Gang¡¯s situation, Susan, who hadn¡¯t shown up for many days, came to the firing range with a suave-looking Caucasian man in a suit and gold-rimmed glasses, finding him. ¡°Boss, are we regrouping?¡± Brian greeted Susan warmly. The bonus from the NW hadn¡¯t come through yet. The money for the bullets for his shooting practice and his foster parents¡¯ medical bills this month had all been borrowed from Susan. The team leader really had a strong sense of loyalty. Susan shook her head, said nothing, but gestured for the glasses-wearing man to speak. The Caucasian man with glasses politely extended his hand to Brian, ¡°Autopsy Officer Brian, I am Investigator Karen from Team A¡¯s First Group. I came here to ask you about some issues.¡± Now Brian understood why he didn¡¯t see his forensic colleagues when he went to interview at Ace Base. Because they joined Team A directly. No need for probationary assessment. As for Susan and others¡¯ reserve teams formed by the second generation, after turning official, they would report to Team B. In the NW organization, Team A¡¯s status is higher than that of Team B. A member of Team A coming to find him... Brian tensed up, realizing the other party¡¯s purpose. He picked up the towel on his shoulder, wiped the sweat off, concealing the slight change in his expression, ¡°No problem, directly ask whatever you need.¡± Karen nodded, his face turning from gentle to stern, ¡°Do you still remember Shaina?¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Of course I remember, she was a poor woman. I even helped deliver the receipt for her boyfriend¡¯s insurance compensation.¡± ¡°Was there anything unusual about her at the time?¡± Brian stroked his chin, thought for a moment, then shook his head, ¡°Well... Shaina heard her boyfriend had left her a large amount of insurance money and lowered her head sobbing very sadly. But in reality, I didn¡¯t see any tears on her face. I mean, I could feel that she was just pretending to cry, so I just left.¡± Upon hearing this, Karen adjusted her glasses, ¡°Are you saying that she wasn¡¯t really sad about her boyfriend¡¯s death?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but it felt like she might not have been as sad as she appeared to be,¡± Brian changed the subject, ¡°Investigator Karen, what happened to Shaina?¡± ¡°She¡¯s dead.¡± Karen didn¡¯t keep it secret: ¡°A few days ago, a thief broke into her house to steal and found her decaying body on the ground. After an autopsy, the forensic doctor discovered Shaina died from a drug injection into her carotid artery, causing cardiac arrest. We found numerous injection marks on her skin. She had a severe addiction.¡± Hearing this, Brian shook his head, ¡°Such a pity for Kenneth¡¯s child.¡± It was then that Susan spoke up, ¡°Investigator Karen, Brian and Shaina had no conflict of interest, they didn¡¯t even know each other before this. It was just a simple accident. I hope in the future you will spend more time on the case rather than focusing on us colleagues!¡± Karen shrugged apologetically and reached out to Brian, ¡°Sorry, I was just following procedure.¡± Brian breathed a sigh of relief, reached out his hand, and smiled, ¡°I understand..¡± Suddenly, Brian¡¯s expression changed slightly, looking at Karen with confusion. Karen just nodded with a smile, withdrew his hand, greeted Susan, and left on his own. .. Brian casually withdrew his hand and looked at Susan, ¡°Team leader, why do I feel like you don¡¯t like this guy?¡± Susan rolled her eyes: ¡°Because their team leader is a guy I really dislike. In fact, it¡¯s because of their team leader that I applied to be the group leader of Team B. Otherwise, I would probably have become a somewhat famous Bounty Hunter by now.¡± As she spoke, she seemed to think of something amusing, a smile appeared on her face, ¡°Oh, and recently, the first unit of Team A had a new investigator who just joined and went missing, they didn¡¯t even find the body, which made the team leader of Team A lose quite a bit of face.¡± Upon hearing this, Brian¡¯s heart sank. He thought of the Caucasian detective he had disposed of earlier. Good grief. Trouble was coming. After Susan asked a few more caring questions, she hurried off. She had been really busy recently. After bidding farewell to Susan, Brian went to the shooting range¡¯s restroom, stretched out his hand, and looked at the ¡°Gift¡± left by Karen. It was a piece of paper. On the paper was a name: Andres. The very first beast Brian had executed. The detective who had previously approached him on his own was also there because of Andres. So was this a warning? ... Brian scoffed, throwing the paper into the toilet and flushing it away. Although unclear why Karen and the previous detective were targeting him, since Karen hadn¡¯t come directly with people to arrest him, it indicated that Karen didn¡¯t have evidence to charge him! The opponent was probably wary of his official NW position, so they wanted to stir up alarm! A fleeting shadow of the Blood Moon flashed through Brian¡¯s eyes: ¡°Why do they have to force me when I just want to lead a good life?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I just live peacefully?¡± He took a deep breath, temporarily suppressing the murderous intent in his heart. Karen was yet untouchable. He had killed too many people recently. Strictly speaking, all these people had had contact with him. Nothing had been fully exposed. Only because the base number was too low, and there was no connection between the dead, and the bodies had been dealt with. But if someone were to focus on him, it would be easy to discover a problem. Brian silently lit a cigarette. For the sake of the dead¡¯s Gift. He had to kill. But couldn¡¯t expose himself. How could he solve this problem? Chapter 50 - 50 42 Come call me Grandpa ?50: Chapter 42 Come, call me Grandpa 50: Chapter 42 Come, call me Grandpa Nightfall. A bar. A brown-haired beauty, whose face exuded purity and whose figure was svelte, swept her gaze around before uncertainly greeting the man sitting in the booth, ¡°Hey, Brian, long time no see.¡± Brian stood to meet her, gave her a close greeting, then invited her to sit down with a gesture, ¡°Jenny, it¡¯s been a while, how have you been?¡± Jenny gently stroked her hair, her face showing gratitude, ¡°Not bad, thanks to the A-grade evaluation you provided for me earlier. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to pay off the gambling debt my family owed so quickly. I would probably have ended up on the streets by now. I really appreciate the help you gave me before.¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°No need for that, I received my due compensation.¡± Jenny was an early client of his. She was a young nurse at a hospital, pretty, and had a good chance of marrying an official doctor, living a middle-class lifestyle. But Jenny¡¯s father was a gambler. In the midst of this, some unpleasant things happened. Desperate Jenny, under the threat of the gang, turned to Brian and became a part-time used car. What happened after that... Brian didn¡¯t know. He had started part-time jobs in college. The vehicles he evaluated numbered not less than three thousand, at least two thousand. It wasn¡¯t possible to keep track of every one. If not for the fact that he kept detailed records of every high-quality client as his unique network of contacts, he might not even remember Jenny. Today, Brian needed her help. He didn¡¯t beat around the bush and went straight to the point, ¡°Jenny, I¡¯m looking for you today because I need your help with something.¡± Jenny looked puzzled, ¡°Sorry, I have my own family now, I don¡¯t do that work anymore.¡± ¡°No, no, no.¡± Brian quickly shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t do car evaluations anymore. In fact, I¡¯ve just joined a new department that specializes in post-mortem examination work. But you know, I was always busy making money before, and my professional level isn¡¯t that great. So, I was hoping you could help me out. I want to visit the morgue at the hospital to gain more insight.¡± Hearing that it wasn¡¯t that kind of trouble, Jenny breathed a sigh of relief. So long as it wasn¡¯t that kind of matter, all was well! Her current husband was a department head at the hospital, with a high income and not insignificant power, which made her hospital life quite comfortable. If she weren¡¯t worried about Brian using this to blackmail her, she wouldn¡¯t even have wanted to come today. Jenny tentatively asked, ¡°Are you sure you just want to visit the morgue?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Brian confirmed with a nod, ¡°I have a good reputation in the industry, so you don¡¯t need to worry about anything else. In return, you can ask for my help with anything in the future.¡± As he said this, Brian opened his suit jacket to reveal the gun holster and police badge inside. If Jenny still didn¡¯t agree, he¡¯d have to say that phrase: Jenny, you wouldn¡¯t want... Seeing the police badge on Brian¡¯s chest, Jenny agreed right away. Given her husband¡¯s influence in the hospital, this was not difficult. ... Two hours later. Brian handed a stack of twenty-dollar bills to the elderly guard and, dressed in a white coat, entered the cold morgue. ¡°What a serene place for the heart.¡± Back in the familiar environment, Brian breathed in the cold air contentedly, holding the hospital¡¯s death register and started ¡®blind-boxing.¡¯ Hospitals, Brian believed, were places with a higher chance of encountering ¡®obsession.¡¯ The reason was simple. When do people experience the most emotional turmoil? One was the resentment after being terrified and tormented. The other was knowing death was near, tallying the days awaiting the Grim Reaper, accumulating fear, unwillingness, regret, day after day... The ICU was the perfect breeding ¡®nest.¡¯ The bodies of those terminal patients were Brian¡¯s targets. This hospital, where Jenny worked, was not small. According to the death register, there were five or six terminal patients dying here every day. These people were Brian¡¯s main targets. To ¡®blind-box,¡¯ naturally one starts with the freshest ¡®boxes.¡¯ One body, two bodies... After inspecting several bodies, just when Brian thought he would come up empty-handed today, the body of the last child gave him renewed hope. It was an orphan with congenital heart disease. He died two hours ago. The body was still very fresh. The moment the fridge was opened, a wisp of red light immediately caught Brian¡¯s eye. He quickly drew his hand over the body¡¯s surface, crushing the small red ball that represented the ¡®obsession.¡¯ A message flooded into his mind: I really want to go to the amusement park one more time. Brian stood silently for a moment, then pushed the fridge back and left the morgue. ... The next day. After returning from the amusement park, Brian took out a hammer and, without the slightest hesitation, fiercely smashed it onto his left pinky finger! Thud¡ªa muffled sound. Brian sharply inhaled, his face contorting with pain. The fingers are connected to the heart. One strike down, and damn¡ªit hurt! He gasped heavily for several seconds. Brian then recovered. He looked at his purple and numb pinky finger, a thought struck him. The next moment. A warm current began to flow under the skin of the pinky finger. After about a breath¡¯s time. The pinky finger still looked purple and bruised. But in reality, the flesh and bone damage underneath had been fully repaired. Brian tried moving again, his gruesomely injured pinky finger twitched. It was numb. But it no longer affected his movement! This Enhancement repair. Had probably used up about a quarter of the little boy¡¯s Gift Energy. Very good! A ferocious smile crossed Brian¡¯s face. That investigator with the small glasses! Threatening me, huh! Want to startle the snake in the grass, eh! Well, let him see what kind of snake I am! ... Evening. Brian went to the morgue again. The little boy¡¯s obsession was simple, and the feedback was small. Brian wasn¡¯t sure he could fully repair himself after fracturing his leg. If his leg broke. And if the repair wasn¡¯t complete. That would be laughable. To be on the safe side. And also to store up some more Gift Energy. Brian planned to fulfill another obsession, then send that A-team investigator named Karen to meet his colleagues! ... Not sure if it was luck. Or that the bodies of critically ill hospital patients had indeed a high drop rate. Brian this time, actually succeeded in collecting an obsession from an old man¡¯s corpse: What a pity, that I won¡¯t be able to hear my granddaughter call me Grandpa... Another very genuine obsession. Brian rubbed his head. He felt like he was in the wrong line of work. The obsession of a murder victim, although high in occurrence, was either about killing this one or taking revenge on that one. Now look at this. One wants to go to the amusement park. The other is to hear a granddaughter call Grandpa. Both safe and simple. Maybe I should consider changing my profession to a Night Watcher in the morgue? ... With the thought of changing careers. Brian used the hospital¡¯s registered address. And silently made his way to the old man¡¯s house at night. He skillfully avoided the surveillance of the house, entered through a window, Silent, and drugged the men and women of the house into unconsciousness, and then wickedly reached for the infant blissfully asleep in the cradle. Not making an effort to learn crawling or babbling! At your age! How can you sleep? Sleep, my ass! Get up and party! Looking at the bewildered infant waking up and staring at him. Brian whispered softly, ¡°Come on, call Grandpa...¡± The infant: ... Waa waa waa ... After one night. Not knowing how many times he had to coax the infant to call him Grandpa before fulfilling the old man¡¯s obsession, Brian licked his dry lips. Leaving the tired infant snoring away in deep sleep, he contentedly returned to his apartment. Next. He had to take the opportunity while he still had time. To send Karen to meet his colleague who had become one with nature! To be honest. Brian was also curious. Why a good person like him, who had been kind to others, had attracted the attention of Karen and that previous white police detective! What exactly were their goals? Chapter 51 - 51 43 Preparation ?51: Chapter 43 Preparation 51: Chapter 43 Preparation Before taking action, gathering intelligence was an essential part. Through the developed network, Brian collected some useful information via public platforms. The leader of Team A from NW¡¯s first group was named Vadim O¡¯Sullivan. Brian didn¡¯t know this man. On the official website, there were only some basic career experiences of the man. However, through the surname, Brian still found some additional information. The O¡¯Sullivan family was among the earliest powers to settle in Los Angeles, initially making their fortune in mining, although this wasn¡¯t notable until they chose to venture into maritime after moving to Los Angeles. Unexpectedly, Los Angeles developed rapidly afterwards, and they gradually took root. Overall, this was another case of a second generation. The only difference between him and Susan was that Vadim was originally a team captain in the Detective Bureau. Thus, when NW was established, Vadim also naturally became the leader of Team A. Among NW¡¯s frontline staff, Teams A and B had the same enforcement rights. The biggest difference was that Team A¡¯s members were originally outstanding personnel in the industry. They could switch positions directly after passing a qualifications review; no further assessments were needed for confirmation. The members of NW¡¯s Team A, Group One, were seasoned detectives, forensic doctors, and some supporting staff. They were divided into three squads internally and had as many as 17 members, mainly managing homicide cases in the jurisdiction of the Canyon Division. Originally, they had 18 members. Unfortunately, Brian had claimed one. It was also the first time Brian learned the name of that detective he had assimilated into nature: Galan. Galan and Karen were both members of the third squad of Team A, Group One. Brian could be sure. Before that, he didn¡¯t know these two people and had no prior conflicts of interests. If investigator Galan had wanted to investigate and convict him, there was no need to come alone, especially choosing a remote cemetery at night. That meant the other party wasn¡¯t here for law enforcement but for another purpose! But this was no longer important. He would soon know the reason. Brian quietly lit a cigarette. When he was able, he didn¡¯t like to carry troubles overnight. Following that, Brian began to follow Karen. He didn¡¯t tail or meet face-to-face. Brian simply observed Karen¡¯s daily homecoming from hundreds of meters away using binoculars. This process lasted three days. After three days, utilizing supercomputer perception, and having prearranged with his adoptive parents, Brian ingeniously used a reckless Will-o¡¯-the-wisp youngster, resulting in a ¡°car accident.¡± In the hospital, ¡°Buddy, I have to say, you¡¯re really unlucky.¡± Ivan looked at Brian, whose left leg was secured by a device, and his face showed sympathy. They had already checked. The kid who knocked down Brian had driven the motorcycle up onto the sidewalk, flipping Brian who was walking, and it wasn¡¯t an intentional attack. This was just an unlucky accident. Beside them, Glenn, who looked quite pale, turned his eyes and glanced at Susan, who was looking at an X-ray: ¡°Team leader, Brian is an indispensable member of our team. Since he¡¯s now physically disabled, shouldn¡¯t our team extend the vacation period?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t extend it.¡± Susan shook her head: ¡°In about three or four days, our office site will be ready. We¡¯ve been renovating for a long time. There¡¯s been a surge in homicide cases in Los Angeles recently. Teams in Squad A are almost too busy to manage.¡± Brian, biting into the fruit a colleague had brought him, spoke with ease: ¡°Guys, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve asked the doctor. Although I¡¯m physically disabled now, I¡¯m still capable of performing autopsy officer duties. I¡¯m just not convenient for fieldwork. If I can recruit an assistant who¡¯s familiar with crime scene investigations, it should not affect the upcoming work.¡± Upon hearing this, Susan¡¯s expression softened considerably. She smiled lightly: ¡°I¡¯ve already found someone. The person is an experienced old staff member from the Forensic Bureau and has previously worked on the frontlines in the Detective Bureau, Brian, weren¡¯t you once a forensic assistant at the Forensic Bureau? Maybe you know him.¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Brian said nonchalantly. The Forensic Bureau only had a few hundred people, men and women, and he was familiar with most of their faces. They exchanged pleasantries for a moment. One by one, the people left. But Susan was stopped by Brian. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Susan looked puzzled, ¡°Brian, I have a lot to deal with. Thanks to Old Hardenn, without his help, I doubt I could have managed these past few days.¡± Brian¡¯s face showed an apologetic expression. ¡°Team leader, I need a favor. Here¡¯s the thing. After I returned the last time, I sent a message to my uncle. But I haven¡¯t received any reply, and I can¡¯t get in touch with any members of the Kamor family either. I¡¯m feeling quite insecure now.¡± ¡°That is indeed a problem...¡± Susan bit her lip, pondered for a moment, then said with some difficulty, ¡°Your uncle is a target of the Hunting Team. If I start inquiring about his situation, it might cause a misunderstanding with them. It could be troublesome, but if you¡¯re worried about your safety... you could stay at my place.¡± Huh? The Hunting Team? Brian mentally noted the name. Susan¡¯s words. He felt a bit disappointed at first, but his eyes lit up as she continued. However, considering his next move. And then glancing at the two large revolvers at Susan¡¯s waist. The excitement that had just risen in him instantly extinguished. ¡°No thanks, team leader, you go on with your duties.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Positive!¡± ¡°Alright, call me if you need anything.¡± Susan was indeed very busy, and without further ado, left the hospital. Mainly because she didn¡¯t believe Brian¡¯s uncle had any chance of harming Brian. She knew some details but it wasn¡¯t convenient to disclose them to Brian. ... Brian only had a fractured left leg, so there was no need for hospitalization. Once his condition stabilized, he was wheeled back to his apartment by a hospital orderly. Accompanying that, there was a crutch. These things normally cost around twenty US dollars. The hospital charged him a full two hundred dollars or more, and negotiation was not an option if he wanted to claim medical reimbursement later. Late at night. All was quiet. Brian got up from bed, did not turn on the lights, and began to disassemble the splint on his leg. He had refused the suggestion to apply a plaster cast, citing the need for cleanliness. Because that thing is not easy to remove intact. Feeling the pain shooting up his leg, Brian had a thought. The stored Gift Energy transformed into a warm flow, appeared at the site of his wound, and began to heal rapidly. Brian had experimented with this once before using his thumb. This time, he handled it with ease. Under his meticulous control, the damaged bone fractures in his left leg began to heal slowly. Only when it no longer affected basic movements, did Brian stop the supply of warm flow. He didn¡¯t completely fix the fracture. This was because, afterward, he would have to re-break his leg. The presence of a fracture. It would help to avoid affecting the X-ray results. ... After he was done, it was around nine in the evening. According to Brian¡¯s observations over several days, Karen¡¯s daily routine was very regular. After work, he would go to a nearby bar, have a drink for a while, and then go home to sleep before nine o¡¯clock. This was a disciplined man. Brian liked disciplined people. It reduced the chances of unexpected incidents during his operations. ... Avoiding surveillance cameras. After leaving the apartment, Brian approached an old, rundown second-hand car he had prepared earlier, loaded with a set of tools, and disappeared into the night. Chapter 52 - 52 44 Making a Move ?52: Chapter 44 Making a Move 52: Chapter 44 Making a Move Somewhere in a detached house. Karen looked at the report in his hand, fingers tapping on the desk intermittently, his breath carrying a heavy scent of alcohol. Lately, he had been under a lot of pressure. His colleague, Galan, had disappeared without reason. And Galan¡¯s assignment had ended up in his hands. The thing was, he hadn¡¯t been very familiar with the deceased colleague Galan, only knowing that before the incident, Galan had investigated that Brian. But he wasn¡¯t sure whether Brian was the murderer. To be safe, he had looked into Galan¡¯s whereabouts before the incident and found a name in his house: Andres. Upon investigation, Karen discovered that Andres was a murderer who had mysteriously died in another case. Coincidentally, the NW had just formed at that time. The forensic work for that case was left to the Forensic Bureau. The target, Brian, happened to be a former employee of the Forensic Bureau. According to the work file Karen had accessed, Brian had even participated in the intake process for the deceased, Andres! Karen suspected that there might be some secret connecting his colleague Galan, the target Brian, and the dead murderer Andres. So, using another case as an excuse, he wanted to probe the target. Based on his observation over the past few days, the target, Brian, hadn¡¯t made any superfluous moves. That was the source of Karen¡¯s pressure. According to normal human reactions, regardless of the reason, one would at least be curious about the note he had provided. But there had been no response. This made Karen feel uneasy. Years of investigative experience told him, this Brian really had a problem! ... ¡°FK!¡± ¡°This Team B¡¯s Sixth Squad, its members all have some issues, I really don¡¯t understand why that bastard Galan had to pick this Brian!¡± ¡°Maybe change the target...¡± Karen couldn¡¯t help but curse aloud. In truth, he also understood why his colleague Galan had chosen Brian as the target. The Sixth Squad had previously consisted of four members: Autopsy Officer Brian, the former detective duo¡ªIvan and Glenn, and the rehired veteran logistics officer, Old Hardenn. The duo, Ivan and Glenn, had a notorious reputation in the industry; despite being extremely forceful and somewhat insane, they acted recklessly and were not easy to provoke. Old Hardenn had been a veteran employee in the police system for over forty years. No one wanted to know what kind of people this old-timer might know when it really came down to it. Only that Brian seemed like a pushover, easiest to control. Now it seemed, this Brian was also not right! Karen closed his eyes in agony. Could Team B¡¯s Sixth Squad not recruit any normal people? What was he dealing with here!!! Karen felt like backing out. Not because he was afraid of that Brian, but because it all felt too tricky. As an official NW employee, his identity was even more sensitive than his previous detective status. Without any leverage, he was unable to employ many of his tactics. This way, there was no way to complete the tasks assigned from above. While he was wrestling with his thoughts, a surge of unease washed over Karen. His hair stood on end, and he suddenly turned around. Behind him, under the orange glow of the desk lamp, the emptiness was dark, and nothing unusual met his eyes. Karen exhaled a sigh of relief. Despite the gold-rimmed glasses he wore, he had also come from a background of bullets and warfare; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to join NW¡¯s influential Action Team A. ¡°It seems I¡¯ve been too anxious lately.¡± Karen exhaled a heavy breath of alcohol, resolved to find the new team leader tomorrow and turn down the assignment. Without absolute certainty, one should not take the slightest risk. That had been his code for living and making it back to Los Angeles from the battlefield! With his resolution set, Karen slowly stood up, ready to change clothes and go to bed. The next moment, a syringe-like anesthetic needle shot out from the darkness, hitting his neck with deadly precision. ¡°Damn...¡± As consciousness plunged into darkness, Karen had one last thought... ... ¡°Pretty vigilant, could it be ¡®Sixth Sense¡¯?¡± Brian, encumbered by his full figure and wearing a pig mask, slowly emerged from the darkness. He kicked the motionless Karen and then delivered another dose of the homemade anesthetic from the crossbow in his hand. The thing wasn¡¯t as effective as medical-grade anesthetics, and its effects were mediocre. But after two shots, even a robust adult male wouldn¡¯t be able to regain consciousness for several hours. That was the power of professionalism. Only after ensuring the room was free of surveillance, did Brian approach the table to pick up the report Karen had left behind. It was a record sheet. After reading the content, Brian felt a surge of relief. Lucky him. During this time, the other side had actually been observing him in secret. Fortunately, every time he went out to watch Karen¡¯s residence, he had stealthily left his apartment and had used disguises, as a form of preparation for today¡¯s action. Otherwise, he feared Karen might have noticed something amiss. ¡°People are evil!¡± ¡°Good thing I struck first!¡± Brian muttered to himself, deciding to continue his style in the future. As long as he struck quickly, he wouldn¡¯t fear a stab in the back! After cleaning up the traces he had left during his infiltration, Brian hoisted Karen over his shoulder, dropped a thumb-sized, grotesque pig head sculpture on the ground, then went directly under the outdoor surveillance camera, made a throat-slitting gesture, and walked away confidently, vanishing into the night... ... Three o¡¯clock in the morning. A familiar cabin in the suburbs. Brian was digging a hole. This was a place previously used by the Kamor family for organizing family hunting trips, a temporary refuge located in a desolate area that had been abandoned for a long time. Other than during the legal hunting season, people generally wouldn¡¯t come close to this place. Before, Brian had dealt with Li Sen right here. Now, this site had become Brian¡¯s temporary waste disposal point. But, there¡¯s a saying: all things should not be done more than three times. After this time, Brian planned to stop coming here. Once the pit was dug, Brian stripped Karen, who was nearly awake, of his clothes, and threw him into the pit. After all was done, he took out a plastic bucket filled with densely packed, ferocious little snakes, and placed it aside, waiting for the unfortunate Investigator Karen to awaken. In this place, Brian sincerely thanked the illegally practicing Dr. Anna. This peculiar lady, although a bit rough with her fees, had truly wild methods, could acquire many things, and kept her mouth tightly shut, ensuring privacy and confidentiality. She even allowed services to be provided before payment was required. ... After waiting for about half an hour, the groggy Karen finally started to come around. He felt like he was in a strange state, like the half-awake daze after a night of heavy drinking, not quite sober. His body also felt weak. He opened his mouth, trying to call for help: ¡°Is anybody there...¡± To Brian above the pit, however, it was just muffled moans. He was not surprised. This was a normal reaction during recovery from anesthesia. In fact, the integrity of many people dissipated from the moment they woke up on the operating table. Many patients, just after waking up, would say anything. That place was a hotbed for social embarrassment. ... About fifteen minutes later, the effects of Brian¡¯s substandard anesthetic had completely worn off, and Karen¡¯s consciousness had fully returned. It was the darkest time of the day, when the moon had receded and the sun had not yet risen. Karen looked around in panic but could only vaguely see the blurry figure of Brian in the pig mask above the pit, like a psychopathic killer from a horror film, curiously observing his prey with a morbid interest. The naked Karen curled up helplessly in the corner of the pit: ¡°Whatever your purpose is, I¡¯ll cooperate.¡± Brian: ... I haven¡¯t made my move, and you¡¯re already capitulating. Isn¡¯t that a bit disrespectful to the snake banquet I¡¯ve prepared for you? Losing interest, Brian had no choice but to remove the pig mask from his head: ¡°Investigator Karen, I¡¯m curious, why do you and your colleague Galan keep troubling me?¡± Hearing this familiar voice, desperation flashed through Karen¡¯s eyes. The man who killed Galan was indeed Brian! His own death was certain! Chapter 53 - 53 45 The Reason Kill! ?53: Chapter 45: The Reason, Kill! 53: Chapter 45: The Reason, Kill! People don¡¯t truly understand desperation until they face it. Karen was no exception. He took a deep breath of the earthy air, forcing his panicked heart to calm down. ¡°If I tell you the reason, will you let me go? I know a lot of things that could definitely help you!¡± Brian replied indifferently, ¡°First, the reason.¡± ¡°Well, it was the leader of our A1 team, Vadim¡¯s idea. He had wanted Galan to win over one of your group members, whether through bribery or coercion, to become one of us.¡± Huh? Brian¡¯s face grew more puzzled. ¡°You¡¯re saying you weren¡¯t specifically targeting me?¡± At those words, Karen felt a stir in his heart and nodded. ¡°Yes. Actually, I don¡¯t know why Galan chose you. After he disappeared, Vadim handed the task over to me. He told me to turn one of you against your group, then find opportunities to sabotage the cases you take on. I was worried that Galan¡¯s death was related to this mission, so I spent some time investigating. I found out that Galan had investigated a guy named Andres, who¡¯s already dead, and you were responsible for handling his body, so I purposely used Andres¡¯ name to probe you.¡± After hearing Karen¡¯s words, A light bulb went off in Brian¡¯s head. No wonder that Galan, knowing it was him who had killed Andres, didn¡¯t report it and chose to follow him, finally making a move when he came to the suburbs. Now that he thought about it, it must have been the other party¡¯s intent to lever this situation as a threat against him. The guy deserved his death. After experiencing the threat of being buried alive by his uncle Billy, Brian had become somewhat reactive to threats. Anyone who wanted to threaten him should die! As for that Vadim, Brian suspected that the real target was Susan. He himself was just collateral damage. Thinking this, Brian chuckled lightly. ¡°What you mean is, your leader Vadim doesn¡¯t yet know why Investigator Galan has disappeared?¡± Karen nodded. ¡°Right. We guys usually don¡¯t report in before we¡¯ve done the deed. But I¡¯m different, Mr. Brian! If I also disappear, then Vadim will definitely suspect it has something to do with the mission he assigned. Your B6 group only had five people total before. No matter how clean your actions are, you can¡¯t escape suspicion!¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Brian nodded. It seemed that today, Vadim could not be left alive! Seeing that Brian¡¯s tone was not as cold as before, Karen thought that his killer intent might have lessened. He quickly said, ¡°Mr. Brian! There¡¯s no deep animosity between us. I considered abandoning the mission when I realized that you had no reaction to my probe. We¡¯re both just minor characters working for others; wouldn¡¯t it be better to call a truce and deal together with any coming crises?¡± ¡°Crisis?¡± Brian looked up at the sky. ¡°There¡¯s no rush for that; first tell me where your leader lives and if your group has been involved in any thorny cases lately.¡± Eager to save his own life, Karen was very cooperative. He not only told Brian where their team leader lived but also spoke of a secret incident. It turned out that when Vadim was still a captain in the Detective Bureau, for the sake of a married woman, he had had Karen, who was already working with Vadim, frame and entrap someone, not just leading to the death of the woman¡¯s husband but also moving into the man¡¯s house. Whoa. Sleeping with a man¡¯s wife, taking his life, and then casually seizing his property. This Vadim was no good character at all. He had paved his own way to death! Brian jotted down the address and then continued, ¡°What about the secrets you mentioned earlier?¡± ... The mountain forest in the wee hours exuded a chilling aura. Karen ignored the shivering cold and continued, ¡°I know many secrets! Haven¡¯t you ever wondered about something? Since the Blood Moon phenomenon has occurred three times now. Then surely there must have been similar organizations like NW before! What about those predecessors? How many have you heard of? And about those bounties on Mutants! A Low-level Mutant is worth a hundred thousand US Dollars! A mid-level, two hundred thousand US Dollars!¡± High-level one million US dollars! Why are those greedy people so generous about this? Aren¡¯t you smart enough to find that odd, Mr. Brian? Kill me. It will only hurt you! Let¡¯s make peace! I can go with you to randomly kill someone. You film the video as leverage.¡± Brian¡¯s appetite was whetted by Karen¡¯s words, ¡°Tell me why.¡± This time, Karen wasn¡¯t so compliant, ¡°It¡¯s a secret that¡¯s a matter of life and death. Unless you let me go, otherwise...¡± Before he could finish, a plastic bucket was kicked over. Countless cold, slippery creatures that were still writhing eagerly squirmed in the pit, startling Karen into letting out a shriek like a slaughtered pig, ¡°Oh my God! F**k, what the hell are these things!¡± He moved. And those snakes, who had been hungry for a long while, didn¡¯t hesitate to climb onto his body, following his body heat, and viciously began to bite him. This made Karen¡¯s screams even more severe. The fear of snakes is branded in human genetics. ¡°I¡¯ll talk, I¡¯ll talk!¡± Karen couldn¡¯t keep up his tough front anymore. But Brian just shrugged: ¡°Sorry, buddy, I can¡¯t separate them. But these are non-venomous snakes. You don¡¯t need to worry about dying. However, if you continue to be stubborn, I will light gasoline around the pit. Then, they¡¯ll go crazy and burrow towards cooler places. Guess where they will burrow?¡± This was an interrogation method Brian had thought up based on a dish from his previous life ¨C loaches burrowing into tofu. Karen was the first ¡®lucky¡¯ one. Brian believed that even the toughest mouth would soften when a group of snakes burrowed through every hole. ... Karen was indeed like that. He softened very quickly: ¡°Pull me up and I¡¯ll confess everything!¡± Brian was curious and confident, hesitating under his own willpower; he still turned on the lighting and threw down a rope. The pit was actually an abandoned trap left over from before. Otherwise, Brian alone might not have been able to dig it so quickly. Seeing the rope, Karen, as though seeing his own mother, lunged for it, with a body covered in bloody holes, he exploded with unprecedented agility, like a Spirit Monkey, climbing back up to the surface in no time, gasping heavily. ¡°I don¡¯t have much patience.¡± Brian kept his distance and raised the handgun in his hand, ¡°Continue talking.¡± Karen tried to speak but suddenly retched violently, vomiting a large amount of foul-smelling material. This disgusting spectacle made Brian unconsciously frown and look away. The next moment, a large clump of soil mixed with the thick vomit flew towards Brian. Karen, seemingly half-kneeling but actually in a sprinter¡¯s stance, didn¡¯t hesitate, and taking an S-shaped bullet-dodging step, put forth all his effort to pounce toward Brian. ¡°Shit!¡± Brian was infuriated by Karen¡¯s sudden attack. He actually threw the handgun in his hand, letting the filthy substances hit him, his whole body¡¯s muscles tensed, and he decisively grasped the arms of Karen who had lunged towards him: ¡°Fury!¡± Endless power surged within Brian. Karen, weighing over a hundred pounds and with the momentum of the impact, was literally pinned mid-air by Brian¡¯s hands. ¡°Ah!¡± Agonizing pain struck. Karen¡¯s face distorted with pain, shrieking, ¡°Mutant, you¡¯re a Mutant! I was wrong, spare me, I was wrong, I¡¯ll talk, I¡¯ll talk!¡± Brian wasn¡¯t about to indulge him. He lifted the hundred-plus-pounds Karen high and threw him on the ground like a dead dog, with a thud. Karen¡¯s eyes bulged, his whole body formed an inverted U-shape, his mouth open to the limit, in pain beyond speaking or breathing. ¡°Huff~¡± Brian looked at the dirt on his body and exhaled a hot breath. He walked over to Karen, who now looked like a dead dog, dragged his foot, and headed toward the pit. Not talking, huh? Don¡¯t feel like talking! With a splash, Karen was thrown back into the pit. Along with the flames igniting, screams of piercing pain came from the pit. ... Brian crouched above the pit, curiously inspecting for a moment and then shaking his head. Imagination and reality were still somewhat different. He took off his clothes, threw them in, poured gasoline and thermite, and under the glow of the raging fire, he began to clean up the scene. Dawn was breaking. Brian had to hurry, heading to the next scene. Chapter 54 - 54 46 A Real Man Never Looks Back at the Explosion! ?54: Chapter 46: A Real Man Never Looks Back at the Explosion! 54: Chapter 46: A Real Man Never Looks Back at the Explosion! Brian was surprised. Karen¡¯s corpse actually burst out an Obsession Little Ball. The ball was a vibrant color, blackish red. It showed how deep Karen¡¯s obsession was before she died! With anticipation, Brian leaned over the foul-smelling pit, scooping the Obsession Little Ball into his hands. The ball cracked. A new obsession surged into Brian¡¯s mind: kill Brian, let him taste the agony of being torn apart by a thousand snakes! Brian smirked. He suddenly thought of a joke, ¡°Who down there dares to accuse me?¡± ¡°Sorry, buddy, but I hate pain and fear death, so you¡¯ll just have to die with your eyes open.¡± Brian expelled Karen¡¯s final obsession from his mind. He refused this job! ... After processing the scene. Brian dressed in new clothes and headed towards the address Karen had provided. He was in luck. Karen had previously worked with Vadim, the leader of Team A1, and had done many dirty deeds for him, so he knew where Vadim lived. Vadim now lived in his mistress¡¯s house. This guy was no saint. He¡¯d slept with someone¡¯s wife and then tried to kill him. After killing him. He moved into the man¡¯s house, living under his wedding photos, galloping every day... What a soap opera. Brian wasn¡¯t one to meddle. Unfortunately. Vadim had now crossed him. ... Thirty minutes later. Outside a suburban villa, Brian eyed the tall boundary walls and dense surveillance cameras and frowned. He immediately recognized that the villa had a robust security system. Such systems, common in American standalone residences, not only provided angle-free monitoring of the entire living area but typically included a panic room, a one-touch alarm button, and a deeply embedded independent power supply. Some top-notch security systems even had facial recognition at this point in time. Should an outsider break in, An alarm would sound. Although the villa in front of him might not have such high-level features, Brian wasn¡¯t confident he could infiltrate without making a sound. He lacked some professional experience. Moreover, though he moved unimpeded now, his leg, with a fractured bone, throbbed with pain constantly; he just bore it silently. Actions like running. Were currently impossible for him. After some thought. Brian, dressed in a butcher¡¯s leather apron, in specially made shoes, and wearing a pig mask, making his figure bulky, returned to his car, fetched two tied zap straps, and bravely walked under the surveillance, climbed over the fence, and entered. Moments later. He crossed the outdoor swimming pool, climbed up to the second-floor terrace, and saw a couple lying in the master bedroom. Brian had seen Vadim¡¯s handsome photos on the official website. It was unmistakably him. ¡°They actually left the balcony door open. Probably because the lovebirds on the bed had been working out their bodies out on the deck yesterday, against the great outdoors...¡± Brian whistled softly, climbed down carefully, returned to the front gate, picked up a stone, engraved a row of letters on it with his left hand, placed a thumb-sized, gruesomely detailed pig head sculpture on it, then moved down and yanked off the detonation cord. After a silent three-second count. A perfect arc sailed through the opened sliding window, landing in the middle of the man and woman on the bed. Vadim felt something hit him and groggily opened his eyes. Hmm? Oh! Explosives!!! His eyes widened, and he quickly tried to roll under the bed. Unfortunately. Brian had timed it perfectly! The next moment. A loud explosion. Countless pieces of glass shattered from every corner of the villa, crashing to the ground. Snap~ A strong, battered arm fell from the sky, landing right in front of Brian who was walking away from the villa, not looking back. Brian expressionlessly stepped over the arm and climbed over the iron gate again, disappearing under the surveillance. A real man never looks back at explosions! ... Back in Los Angeles. Brian didn¡¯t rush back to his apartment. He first drove his beat-up car to a poorly secured neighborhood, took off the clothes and hood he was wearing, and threw them all into a pitch-black oil drum with random graffiti still on it. He poured acid to corrode them, then sprinkled gasoline and lit it up. After doing all this. He tightened the hood around his head and walked away. The remaining tools. He had already disposed of them on the road. As for that used car, which had been cleaned of traces and deliberately left unlocked with the keys still in it. It wouldn¡¯t take two hours. Some early-rising diligent young man from the community would take care of this car for him, swapping plates and modifying it, erasing the last traces he had left... ... A few hours later. Just past nine o¡¯clock in the morning. Yawning and leaning on a cane, Brian walked out of the apartment, ¡°Team leader, what¡¯s up?¡± He had originally used Supercomputer Perception to carefully repair many small fractures and re-open them to ensure they were nearly the same as before, and was ready to rest well, when Susan called him downstairs. With no choice. Brian had to come down again, pushing through his mental fatigue. Susan was obviously in a good mood today. She patted her Ford Mustang, ¡°Get in, I¡¯ve got some good news. It¡¯s boring to celebrate alone, come with me and have a look!¡± Brian: ... He looked at his foot secured in a splint, ¡°I¡¯m a patient.¡± ¡°So what if you¡¯re a patient!¡± Susan¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°You¡¯re going to work in a few days anyway, start getting used to it today!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Brian had to endure his fatigue and get in the car. ... Susan was considerate, helping him with support and fetching his cane, even giving him a fragrant neck pillow. But she drove too fast. And chuckled foolishly from time to time. It made Brian worry about a potential car accident. Just to be safe. He used a third of the remaining Gift Energy, avoiding his injured left foot, and enhanced his body. The Enhancement feeling was minimal. But the accompanying recovery ability did lift his spirits quite a bit. He was really afraid to die. Susan didn¡¯t disclose the destination, just drove towards the suburbs. Brian tried to make conversation, but she ignored him, only chuckling from time to time. Out of boredom. Brian simply used ¡®Supercomputer Perception¡¯ to further optimize that rudimentary panel. This time, a new attribute was added: Energy. This energy was the energy from the deceased that Brian gained each time. From his current experience. After completing a deceased¡¯s Gift, there were mainly three kinds of rewards. One: Pure physical enhancement energy. The amount of energy varied, mainly depending on the strength of the deceased¡¯s obsession. Two: A small amount of energy + a skill. Three: A small amount of energy + a talent. Besides. After completing a human¡¯s obsession, a death replay would also be obtained, and after the replay, the residual crystal would slightly enhance Brian¡¯s Spiritual Strength. For the convenience of (readers). Brian simply used the experience of repairing his body this time to convert the energy strength needed to fully repair a fracture into unit 1. Based on this calculation. He had 2 units of Gift Energy left. He needed to replenish it soon. ... As Susan drove out of the Los Angeles area. A subtle change appeared on Brian¡¯s face. This route looked very familiar. Chapter 55 - 55 47 A New Obsession ?55: Chapter 47: A New Obsession 55: Chapter 47: A New Obsession When the familiar villa appeared before his eyes, Brian felt numb all over. ¡°Father just left this morning. Not even ten in the morning, and you¡¯re bringing me back?¡± Is that appropriate? ... Around the villa, there were already eight or nine police cars parked, with a lot of isolation tape pulled out. Through the gate, one could see a bustling crowd meticulously investigating the scene. Besides that, at every intersection, there were Los Angeles police officers with walkie-talkies patrolling. Not to mention people, even a passing dog wouldn¡¯t dare to get close. Brian feigned surprise, ¡°What a grand scene. Has some wealthy tycoon been murdered?¡± Team Leader Susan executed a beautiful drift to park the car on the side of the road, her mouth corners ticking up uncontrollably with a cheerful tone, ¡°No, it¡¯s some guy I really dislike. If it weren¡¯t for him, I¡¯d have become a Bounty Hunter a long time ago.¡± Saying this, she opened the car door and ran over to Brian¡¯s side, helping him out of the car. The patrol officers at the corner noticed this peculiar duo. Especially the two large guns at Susan¡¯s waist, which were too eye-catching. One of the African American patrol officers quickly placed his hand on his waist belt, calling his partner over as he approached: ¡°LAPD, hands...¡± He couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. Because Susan had turned around. His pupils dilated, ¡°That badge, so large and impressive!¡± Susan, noticing his gaze, said coldly, ¡°I am NW, Team B6 leader. Move aside!¡± Her presence was too overpowering. The African American patrol officer and his partner repeatedly apologized, moving aside, envy and jealousy clear as they watched Brian, being closely assisted by Susan, wishing they could be in his place. ... The badge cleared the way. The two of them entered the villa area without issue. The person in charge of the case received the news and came out with an assistant, ¡°Susan, what brings you here?¡± ¡°I heard Vadim died in a blast, I am heartbroken, so I brought over the most outstanding member of my team to see if we can offer some help...¡± Susan obviously knew the person and even pretended to wipe away non-existent tears while speaking. The case lead was a young Caucasian man who resembled a younger Schwarzenegger. He was tall and well-proportioned, wearing an exquisitely tailored suit with a badge similar to Susan¡¯s hanging on his collar, his forehead bearing a faint ¡°´¨¡± shaped wrinkle. His first impression was slightly stern. Aiden glanced at Susan¡¯s mouth, which was struggling to keep composed, and looked helplessly at Brian, who was leaning on a crutch, extending his hand, ¡°Buddy, hello, I¡¯m Aiden, Team B1 leader. I really appreciate you coming over to help with your injury, but we can handle this.¡± It was clear he did not want Susan to interfere with the case. Susan¡¯s eyes widened, about to explode. Brian immediately stepped forward with his crutch and grasped Aiden¡¯s solid handshake: ¡°Hello, Team Leader Aiden, I¡¯m Brian, B6 Team Autopsy Officer. We aren¡¯t planning to take over the case. But the victim was an acquaintance of Team Leader Susan, and more people mean more strength. Why don¡¯t we have a look at the scene?¡± Aiden was obviously a proud person and shook his head in refusal, ¡°Sorry, the identity of the deceased is special; we currently have key evidence and don¡¯t need...¡± Brian directly ignored him, his gaze passing over the pool in front to the surrounding shattered glass, confidently stating: ¡°Judging by the scene, the victim appears to have died from an explosion. Looking at the glass debris around, it¡¯s evenly distributed. The blast point was on the second floor balcony of the master bedroom. The location was very precise. The perpetrator is either very familiar with the villa¡¯s structure and had placed the explosive in advance, or climbed up from the first floor after verifying the victim¡¯s location, then threw in the explosive. I noticed that the villa has a very comprehensive security system, which is still operational. Such security systems have a special power supply. The wiring is installed separately. Only the owner of the house and the security company know the power supply location of the security system.¡± Once it was cut off. Only the security company¡¯s logistics could provide repair services. That indicates the murderer didn¡¯t intentionally cut off the security surveillance¡¯s dedicated power supply before acting. I suspect. The murderer is the former. He was very familiar with the victim¡¯s situation and had prepared the timed explosives in advance! This was a premeditated murder!¡± Brian spoke with great confidence. There was no other way. The entire crime scene was his handiwork. He had just purposely given a wrong statement. Susan listened to Brian¡¯s casual conjecture, nodding her head in agreement from time to time. This was the elite she had chosen! Pride shone on her face as she looked at Aiden and raised an eyebrow. She seemed to be saying, Are you sure you don¡¯t want our help? ¡°Clap clap clap.¡± Aiden clapped his hands and nodded his head in approval towards Brian: ¡°That¡¯s a fascinating conjecture. Unfortunately, you¡¯re wrong! The murderer climbed in front of the surveillance, then after ascending to the second floor and ascertaining the location of the victim, Vadim, he climbed back down and...¡± He made a throwing motion: ¡°The murderer threw two pull-string detonators up to the second floor, then confidently left after waiting for the maximum detonation time. Indeed, his throw was very accurate. The detonators landed precisely between Vadim and his lover, killing them instantly.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Brian expressed an appropriately surprised expression: ¡°Committing the crime right in front of the surveillance? So brazen?¡± Susan had a different focus. Gossip gleamed in her eyes: ¡°A lover, what lover, wasn¡¯t Vadim known to have a good reputation in the circle?¡± Aiden looked at the gossipy Susan, his forehead wrinkling tightly, and in the end, he sighed: ¡°Never mind, go inside and take a look, the crime scene is quite straightforward anyway. You¡¯re Brian, right?¡± Speaking of which. He handed over a business card: ¡°Your reasoning and observation ability are very strong. Our team is still missing an Autopsy Officer with sufficient ability. If you¡¯re interested, you can switch over to my team.¡± After speaking. He stuffed the business card into Brian¡¯s hand, and while Susan was still not reacting, he jogged away. ... ¡°FK squid!¡± Susan, catching on belatedly, flipped off Aiden¡¯s departing figure, then her gaze dangerously turned to Brian. Brian immediately tore the business card in his hand to pieces: ¡°This guy¡¯s no good! He wants to destroy the steadfast comradery and bonds of brotherhood between us!¡± Susan nodded in agreement and pretended to be serious: ¡°Aiden was once a member of my squad. Actually, he¡¯s not bad, he¡¯s very capable and loyal, and he likes people with ability. If you went over, maybe you¡¯d do even better.¡± How could Brian be foolish enough to fall for it, shaking his head furiously: ¡°Susan, don¡¯t be like that. From the moment you stood up for me at Ace Base, I swore in my heart that I would always be by your side as long as you needed me, to become your most reliable partner!¡± ¡°Brian...¡± Susan was moved. She hadn¡¯t expected Brian to be so genuine. If this were a game strategy, a string of +¡±1¡ä¡ä affinity points would have already appeared above her head. Susan felt ashamed for her testing. Embarrassedly, she lowered her head, but found her view blocked, so she turned to look aside and pointed to the body collection vehicle nearby, changing the subject: ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s see what kind of state Vadim is in after being blown up.¡± Brian breathed a sigh of relief. He¡¯d managed to deflect the conversation. And even managed to gain some extra affinity points. I¡¯m really strong! ... Aiden¡¯s team had already collected the shattered bodies of the victim, Vadim, and his lover, placing them on the morgue vehicle. Even without getting close. Brian saw a strikingly red balloon hovering over one of the morgue vehicles. A new obsession had exploded! Chapter 56 - 56 48 Difficult New Case ?56: Chapter 48: Difficult, New Case 56: Chapter 48: Difficult, New Case ¡°There¡¯s one thing to say.¡± ¡°This feeling of eliminating the other party, and still being able to refresh their obsession.¡± ¡°It¡¯s truly exhilarating.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t know what the obsession in this Obsession Little Ball is.¡± Brian quickened his pace with his cane. It seemed he heard some noise. The staff who were originally patching up the mutilated bodies stood up, looked up, then showed a surprised expression, ¡°Brian?¡± ¡°Tom?¡± Brian was also surprised. Because it was Tom, a colleague from the Forensic Bureau he had a good relationship with. Speaking of which. The death of A1 group leader Vadim, caused by an explosion set by Brian, was also related to Tom. If it hadn¡¯t been for Tom calling Brian to work overtime at the Forensic Bureau in the middle of the night. Brian wouldn¡¯t have killed the beast, Andres, for the sake of his obsession. Not killing the beast, Andres. Investigator Galan wouldn¡¯t have directly aimed the counter-threat at Brian. Unexpectedly, in the end. It was still Tom who was responsible for gathering Vadim¡¯s body. It had to be said. This was a dark humor. The two hadn¡¯t seen each other for nearly a month. Now it seemed. Tom had joined group B1. When Tom saw Brian¡¯s leg wrapped up, he quickly put down the piece of flesh he was holding, and asked with concern, ¡°Brian, buddy, what happened to your leg?¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°Got hit by a kid high on marijuana riding a motorcycle, is this the body of the deceased?¡± Tom, knowing that Brian had also joined group B6 and seeing him access the crime scene, didn¡¯t bother with secrecy, and nodded: ¡°The deceased was the leader of the A1 group. This guy, it seems, stole someone¡¯s wife and also caused the unfortunate man¡¯s death, which provoked a vicious butcher. While he was sleeping, he was blown to pieces.¡± ¡°A butcher?¡± ¡°Yes, the surveillance captured the appearance of the killer. He was rather tall. According to the support pillars in front of the door, he was nearly one meter ninety, wearing a butcher¡¯s leather apron, and masked with a pig head. It¡¯s a lot like a butcher from a plasma movie. Group leader Aiden also thought it was fitting, so he used ¡®Butcher¡¯ as the code name for the killer. The guy was arrogant, first wrote the motive at the entrance, left behind a pig head toy, and after doing all this, he pulled the detonator cord and threw it into the second floor. The execution had a strong sense of ritual! I feel this isn¡¯t his first offense!¡± After listening to Tom. Brian noncommittally nodded, ¡°It seems the other party is very confident, isn¡¯t afraid you¡¯ll gather useful clues from surveillance.¡± Tom scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re wrong. Brian, it might seem so to an outsider. But for us investigators who often handle cases, there are too many flaws. For instance, the guy¡¯s shoes seemed to increase his height by at least five or six centimeters, and his walking posture was a bit uncoordinated, obviously, he was padding his feet. Also, remove the thickness of that pig head mask. I estimate the butcher¡¯s real barefoot height is probably between one meter eighty to one meter eighty-three. Additionally, although the butcher seemed corpulent, his exposed hands gave away his approximate body shape. There¡¯s more...¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Susan, who had not spoken until now, interrupted Tom¡¯s exhaustive analysis, ¡°Buddy, what did you say was the motive of the killer?¡± Tom looked at Brian. Brian shrugged, ¡°This is our B6 group leader, Miss Susan Adams. Miss Susan and the male deceased didn¡¯t have a very good relationship.¡± ¡°Is that so!¡± Tom quickly changed the subject, lowered his voice, and started gossiping, ¡°I heard from group leader Aiden that this leader of the A1 group, wasn¡¯t a good person...¡± ... Watching the two conspiring together to gossip. Brian inwardly chuckled. He wasn¡¯t worried about Tom¡¯s analysis. It was all intentionally staged by him. For instance, the shoes weren¡¯t padded and had even thinned soles. And like the hands that seemed unproblematic were actually wearing thick flesh-colored latex gloves... If Aiden and his team really believed their ¡®experienced talk¡¯. They would only be misled. This is the disgusting part about crimes committed by professionals: you can¡¯t really tell if the clues left behind are unintentional or deliberate... ... While the two weren¡¯t paying attention. Brian walked in front of Vadim¡¯s hearse. Vadim¡¯s body, due to an attempt to get up and dodge before death, exposed more of his body, the devastation was a bit more severe than the female corpse beside him. However, looking at the remaining face. This guy wasn¡¯t bad-looking in life. Brian pretended to make the sign of the cross over the body, didn¡¯t make any contact with the body, then turned around and left, pretending to be tired from standing, found a step to sit down, and pulled out a cigarette to light. From a distance. Group leader Aiden from B1 silently shifted his gaze away, returning to the surveillance playback. He wasn¡¯t suspicious of Susan and Brian, it was just his nature. Except for himself. He trusted no one! ... Brian still didn¡¯t know his cautiousness had spared him trouble. As the red Obsession Little Ball shattered. A message flashed through his mind, ¡°I want to feel Susan Adams¡¯s adoration and gratitude!¡± Hmm? Susan Adams? Brian instinctively looked towards Susan¡¯s retreating figure. Susan, who had been laughing heartily, felt something, suddenly turned around, and met Brian¡¯s intense gaze. She looked down at her jeans stretched tight like yoga pants, her face flashed with embarrassed anger, and she glared at Brian, ¡°If you want to look, just look. Sneaking around is so pathetic!¡± Tom, seeing this, his sunken eyes twinkled with amusement. Brian, the team leader, was quite the character. Brian: .. He awkwardly turned his head away. Damn! Talk about social suicide! ... Susan still had things to keep her busy. After the gossip. She took Brian back with her. On the way. Brian wondered if it was because of his earlier sneaky behavior. Susan was tight-lipped the entire trip, showing no intention of chatting with Brian. Brian sighed, ¡°Team Leader, you misunderstood, I wasn¡¯t peeking, it was just...¡± ¡°Misunderstood!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t peek?¡± Susan suddenly swerved the car dramatically to the side of the road and stopped, her expression unfriendly as she looked at Brian, ¡°Are you saying my figure isn¡¯t attractive enough for you?¡± Brian: .. Should I have looked at her or not? To be honest. If Susan weren¡¯t so terrifying, Both her appearance and figure would completely win his heart! Seeing Brian play dead. Disappointment flickered in Susan¡¯s eyes as she tossed a cigarette to Brian, ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about the grudge between me and Vadim?¡± Brian eagerly lit the cigarette for Susan, nodding, ¡°Yes, and I noticed that all these team leaders, including you, seem very wealthy.¡± Susan nodded, ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. My full name is Susan Adams. Most of the high-end hotels in Los Angeles are owned by the Adams family. Vadim comes from a good background too. We knew each other since we were kids.¡± While speaking. Susan blew out a smoke ring, her eyes showing a hint of disgust: ¡°Actually. Vadim had been a playmate I used to beat up since we were kids. I felt he was too gentle, but I didn¡¯t dislike him until his family approached mine, seeking a marriage alliance... I only like those who are stronger than me. So I refused. My father was very angry. Vadim felt humiliated, and we cut off contact. But looking back now, I made the right choice. Vadim is so hypocritical and repulsive. Anyway, that¡¯s all in the past.¡± Finished talking. Susan lost the desire to chat, threw away her cigarette, and restarted the car, driving towards the city center. ... Susan Adams really was the team leader! After hearing Susan¡¯s explanation, Brian had some revelations. No wonder Vadim¡¯s obsession was to feel Susan Adams¡¯s adoration and gratitude! Probably, Vadim, who had been beaten up by Susan since childhood, harbored this obsession since then. The problem was. How could he make someone as stubborn as Susan admire and be grateful to him? Self-direct and play the hero? Brian glanced at the two large revolvers at Susan¡¯s waist and sighed inwardly. More like the beauty saves the hero. This obsession was a tough nut to crack! ... Approaching Brian¡¯s apartment. A phone call interrupted Susan¡¯s drive. The caller was Old Hardenn, ¡°Team leader, the emergency center has an urgent notification. A female body, stripped and hanged, was found in the suburbs, and we need to cut our vacation short and head to the crime scene, although I can¡¯t get hold of Ivan and Glenn...¡± ¡°No problem. Brian is right here with me. He¡¯s very capable!¡± After getting the approximate location, Susan without asking for Brian¡¯s opinion, immediately turned the car around, and once again headed for the suburbs... Chapter 57 - 57 49 Bullets Are More Persuasive Than Words ?57: Chapter 49: Bullets Are More Persuasive Than Words 57: Chapter 49: Bullets Are More Persuasive Than Words The location of the homicide. It was inside a motel on the highway from Los Angeles to Long Beach. Long Beach is a major city in the Greater Los Angeles area, currently with a population of nearly 400,000, making it the second largest city in terms of population. It has one of the world¡¯s top ten ports in terms of throughput and its endless coastline has spurred a thriving tourism industry. Every year, many people come to vacation in Long Beach. The more people there are, the more likely problems will arise. Especially since many places lack surveillance. Moreover, in the United States, once you leave the city, the mobile signals are as crappy as dog shit. If you really encounter danger, There¡¯s no way to call for help. While Brian was at the Forensic Bureau, he would hear about a significant number of highway murders every year. But it was rare to see one in a motel, with such a brutal method. Because the more brutal the method, the more attention the police will pay. A shooting compared to a skinning, the social impact is completely different. Also, leaving a body in a motel. The body is very likely to be discovered. It is not the murderer¡¯s first choice of location! Even if someone commits murder in a motel, anyone with a sane mind would buy a large suitcase and take the body away to a wilderness to dispose of it. Brian¡¯s intuition told him. There was something off about this case! ... On the road. Brian shared his analysis with Susan, who had little experience in this area. Susan shook her head, ¡°Perhaps. But past experiences can¡¯t be applied to the present. In fact, After the Blood Moon, the crime rate in the entire Los Angeles area increased by more than 300 percent. Only a minority were uncontrollable Mutants. Most were impulsive murders by people who, while not infected, had their emotions amplified by the Blood Moon radiation.¡± Brian was surprised, ¡°Could ordinary people also be affected by the Blood Moon?¡± ¡°Not just ordinary people. It should be said that, in the year or two after the Blood Moon, most ¡®spiritual¡¯ beings were affected. This includes some animals!¡± Worry flashed in Susan¡¯s eyes, ¡°It¡¯s because of the lack of information flow in the past that most ordinary people are not sensitive enough to these things, who knows what will happen in the future.¡± Seeing Brian deep in thought, Susan lit a cigarette and continued, ¡°Do you know why we have so much authority, to shoot directly without needing administrative leave? This is the reason! Our duty is to ensure that the lives of ordinary people are not impacted by the aftershocks of the Blood Moon. But keeping our own lives safe is even more important!¡± Brian nodded. This was the difference between America and the frontline department in his previous life. Here, If the benefits are sufficient, I might consider it. Too dangerous? Sorry, Then I can¡¯t take it. Even if you are the President! ... Susan still valued Brian, her ¡®talented¡¯ subordinate. Afraid that he hadn¡¯t understood her point, She said more directly, ¡°Brian, what I mean is, in future cases, if you feel something is wrong, don¡¯t hesitate, shoot directly. Whatever consequences arise, I¡¯ll cover for you!¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Understood, Boss.¡± Working with this kind of leader, It really is great! After fulfilling the obsession, life will be much more comfortable. It¡¯s just that the execution rate for criminals will be high. Brian felt he might earn himself a nickname: Bloodthirsty Autopsy Officer. Hmm... It sounded pretty good. Susan heard Brian call her Boss and her eyes narrowed into crescents, excitedly flooring the gas pedal. The first time someone called her that. Happy. ... The case was assigned to Los Angeles. Naturally, it wouldn¡¯t be too far from the city center. Half an hour later. A sign built out of worn tires appeared before Susan and her companion. Beside the sign, a police car was parked. By the license plate and paint job, it should be the highway patrol that arrived first. Susan glanced at the motel name, slowed down, and pulled over to the side of the road. This was a modestly sized motel offering lodging, temporary rooms, wired telephone communication, food, and fueling services. But that was just the facade. These kinds of motels near the city center mainly served as safe battlegrounds for those committing adultery. Ever since motels and drive-in theaters became popular across the United States, ¡°Where¡¯s Daddy?¡± had become a major social issue in the country. With that, the number of sensational TV shows and radio programs had surged. Some watched for amusement. Some saw a reflection of themselves. And others were researching how to find their biological fathers... When Susan and Brian entered the motel, they saw seven or eight pairs of men and women with various expressions, waiting in place. The ground was littered with a pile of cigarette butts. Behind the counter, a whiskered white man pacing back and forth with a shotgun, somewhat resembling the live-action version of Dave from Plants vs. Zombies, appeared particularly restless. Besides these people, There were two men, one white and one black, dressed in police uniforms, blocking the entrance. The arrival of Susan and her partner immediately drew everyone¡¯s attention. Susan wasn¡¯t quite sure how to handle the situation. She instinctively looked towards Brian. Brian, sensing the moment, stepped forward. After confirming their identities with the two highway patrol officers, he looked at the rest of the people, ¡°LAPD, who called it in?¡± ¡°Me!¡± exclaimed the middle-aged white man behind the counter, promptly setting down his shotgun and stepping out, ¡°I¡¯m the owner of this motel. When cleaning the rooms today, I found that a female guest who came late last night, was killed and hung on the wall, just like...¡± The thought of that scene. Even the motel owner, who did not seem like an easy person, had a gagging reaction. Brian nodded, about to say something, When a white man from the waiting crowd, seeing Brian¡¯s friendly demeanor, said rather aggressively, ¡°Officer, my girlfriend and I have a very important meeting to attend to, can we...¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Brian¡¯s friendly expression changed as he looked sternly at the man who had spoken out, ¡°Every person at the crime scene is a suspect. If you want to be charged with obstructing justice, which could affect your work and credit record, then keep getting in our way!¡± Although he had not handled cases before, His colleague Tom had often shared with Brian his past experiences in investigations. Due to rampant drug abuse, the widespread use of marijuana, and permissive education, the incidence of non-compliant (NC) individuals in this country was not low. So, when handling a case, he must never show a pleasant face! Once you do, It would only complicate matters. But Brian had still underestimated the limits of NC. The man¡¯s female companion, instead of being scared off, sneered, ¡°I¡¯m a field reporter for the Los Angeles Times, officer, may I ask for your badge number, I...¡± It was a story handed to her on a silver platter! The dark muzzle of a gun Directly silenced the reporter¡¯s words. She let out a scream and fell to the floor in fright. She wanted a story, but surely not to become the story herself! Susan retracted her revolver and turned to the two highway patrol officers: ¡°Call the switchboard to check these two people¡¯s identities! If they are married, get their spouses to verify the situation. If they are single, contact their employers to confirm. And remember to make it clear that they were obstructing and threatening the police during an investigation at the motel!¡± Hissss~ Without a second thought, the other couples quickly distanced themselves from the two who had spoken up. As for the outspoken man and woman, their complexions worsened. Now they were really done for. Not only was their marriage in jeopardy, But their jobs were at risk as well... After dealing with the vocal man and woman, Susan raised an eyebrow at Brian, ¡°Pal, you¡¯re too soft. Bullets are more persuasive than words!¡± Upon hearing her unguarded comment, The unlucky lodgers bowed their heads even lower. Only one or two female guests couldn¡¯t help but take a couple of glances at Susan, wanting to approach her for contact information... What a spirited policewoman! Brian had grown accustomed to Susan¡¯s way of doing things. He shrugged, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go up and check out the crime scene first.¡± Under the guidance of the owner, The three of them arrived at the fourth room on the third floor. ¡°Room 304...¡± Brian felt he had some sort of connection with this room number. Chapter 58 - 58 50 Mysterious Scene! ?58: Chapter 50: Mysterious Scene! 58: Chapter 50: Mysterious Scene! The store owner pushed the door open, not daring to look inside: ¡°This lady guest, around eleven o¡¯clock last night, arrived alone in her car with a large suitcase and a small dog, and checked into the hostel. She paid for one day¡¯s room fee, but asked me to call her around eight in the morning to remind her to check out. When the time came today to check out, she didn¡¯t answer the phone. I thought the lady guest was still resting, and since there was a deposit, I didn¡¯t go up to disturb her. Around ten. She still hadn¡¯t come down. I knocked on the door and found it unlocked, and upon entering, I just... vomited~¡± The unfortunate store owner once again covered his mouth, making a retching gesture. After listening to the information provided by the store owner, Brian put on gloves and shoe covers and pushed the door open. He hadn¡¯t even entered yet. A strong scent of blood hit him straight in the nose. Susan frowned. Brian, accustomed to this, activated his ¡°Olfactory Enhancement¡± before stepping into the small room. It was a typical quick-rent room. Right at the entry was a small bathroom. Taking two steps forward, one could see a TV cabinet and in front of the cabinet, a lofted large bed that occupied seventy percent of the room. A large travel suitcase lay beside the cabinet. Above the large bed, on the wall where there should have been an oil painting or something similar, a corpse in a dark crimson hue was displayed in a spread-eagled position, gruesomely nailed to the wall. The woman¡¯s corpse had a face devoid of skin, twisted in agony, eyes wide open and mouth agape as if trying to scream, but all that was left were pitch-black voids, and numerous streams of blood flowed down the off-white walls, as if sinister bloody tentacles had sprouted from behind the corpse... The murderer had taken the victim¡¯s eyeballs and tongue. ... Staring at the flesh-exposed corpse, Brian felt a vague sense of familiarity. The current state of the corpse would be unrecognizable to her own mother. But Brian felt something familiar. Some recognize people by their facial features, others by their skeletal structure. Having personally dissected over a thousand bodies, Brian belonged to the latter category. He might have known the victim. Susan, wearing shoe covers, came up behind Brian. After scanning the tragically dead body, she furrowed her brows slightly before tapping on Brian¡¯s shoulder, ¡°What are you spacing out for?¡± Brian shook his head, masking his thoughts: ¡°It¡¯s just that the scene feels very strange.¡± Susan looked puzzled, ¡°Other than being brutal, what¡¯s strange?¡± Brian... He stepped forward, pointing at the neatly laid bedsheet: ¡°The victim had a large frame and was corpulent, appearing to weigh at least a hundred pounds. How did the murderer manage to fix her to the wall? Moreover. The crime scene is too clean! According to the blood distribution behind the deceased, she was most likely alive when she was nailed to the wall, but apart from the wall, there¡¯s no excess blood splattered on the bedsheet or quilt below. Nor are there any obvious signs of cleaning elsewhere at the scene. This means that the murderer had nailed the deceased to the wall before proceeding with the skinning. This is too bizarre. Even the world¡¯s greatest Skinning Master couldn¡¯t achieve such a clean finish!¡± At these words, Susan nodded, ¡°Now that you mention it, it is suspicious. Could the murderer have injected some kind of coagulant into the victim?¡± Brian shook his head immediately. Not to mention, his nose hadn¡¯t detected any scent of medication. The color change in the victim¡¯s blood also didn¡¯t match the symptoms of a coagulant. In fact. In the room, apart from smelling scents from the store owner, the deceased, and a canine, Brian had detected no other living creature¡¯s scent! ... Brian kept his suspicions to himself. Stepping on the chest by the bed, he allowed Susan to support him as he placed his intact right foot on the chest to begin a more detailed examination of the deceased¡¯s body. Upon closer inspection, things seemed even more amiss! There were no visible external injuries on the female corpse. But there was a large amount of blood, trailing down the wall and pooling on the floor. The amount of blood was nearly equivalent to the total volume within a human body! This implied... The victim had bled to death while still alive! But that was scientifically impossible! Normally, after death, rapid changes occur in the body, causing the blood to start coagulating. Even if the killer had drained the blood immediately, it would be difficult to extract more than two-thirds of the blood volume. Unless the perpetrator had directly slit the victim¡¯s artery to cause death. However, Brian found no such wound on the body! This case was too bizarre! Brian took a deep breath and after confirming there were no other odors, he activated the recorder on his body and said gravely, ¡°The victim, female. According to the wear on the teeth, she is roughly estimated to be between thirty and forty years old. All outer skin on the body is missing. No apparent... adhesive... on the surface of the flesh.¡± Brian swallowed. Another strange finding surfaced. Under what circumstances would the skin tear and peel off without showing clear adhesion? Does slaughtering pigs ring a bell? In the old days, black pigs with multiple folds on their bodies made it easier to remove hair by first making a small cut on the pig¡¯s feet. Then, an air pump would be used to inflate and separate the skin from the flesh, ballooning it... But the problem was... Brian hadn¡¯t found any obvious cuts on the female corpse. He licked his lips and continued, ¡°The victim¡¯s limbs were penetrated by large nails without apparent signs of struggle. The victim¡¯s eyeballs are missing and the wounds are exceptionally clean. The victim¡¯s tongue is missing and the break at the base is smooth and even. The victim...¡± By the end... Brian confessed weakly, ¡°The cause of death... remains unclear.¡± This corpse was undoubtedly the most bizarre one he had ever seen. Between the residual traces and clues... There was no logical explanation! Susan¡¯s eyes were still keen, ¡°Didn¡¯t find anything?¡± Carefully stepping down from the chest, Brian steadied himself with his cane and nodded, ¡°Her death was highly illogical. By reasoning based on the marks on the body, we encounter many inexplicable aspects. I cannot imagine how the killer managed all this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t dwell on it for now,¡± Susan suggested nonchalantly, ¡°The motel has surveillance, and here we have the victim¡¯s suitcase and her parked car outside. Let¡¯s first confirm the victim¡¯s identity and then revisit the matter of how she died.¡± Brian nodded. With no leads from the autopsy, it was all they could do. The coroner¡¯s van had not yet arrived. After locking the room, they took the victim¡¯s suitcase and headed back downstairs. The other guests had already been questioned. After Brian reviewed the information, finding no issues and confirming all were coupled, he memorized their scents before letting them go. They asked two officers to first go upstairs and secure the crime scene. Brian and his companion followed the innkeeper to the counter to review last night¡¯s footage. Thanks to the technological advancements in this world far surpassing those of Brian¡¯s previous lifetime, even though the innkeeper¡¯s surveillance cameras were cheap, they could still clearly display the visuals from early last morning. According to the surveillance, just past eleven o¡¯clock, a plump woman wearing a hat, dragging a suitcase, and leading a dog, rapidly approached the counter. Seeing the woman¡¯s profile and the small dog... Brian¡¯s pupils constricted. It was her! Chapter 59 - 59 51 Lauras Obsession How Desperate Are You ?59: Chapter 51 Laura¡¯s Obsession, How Desperate Are You? 59: Chapter 51 Laura¡¯s Obsession, How Desperate Are You? Brian had not expected this. The deceased turned out to be Laura, the vet who had deceived him before! Laura had died here. What about his dog?! Laura¡¯s death did not matter to him. But he couldn¡¯t bear anything happening to his dog, Shi San! That dog he saved with tireless efforts thirteen times! Where was the dog?! ¡°This is a Labrador Retriever, looks so young and spirited.¡± Susan wasn¡¯t interested in the woman on the surveillance monitor but was intrigued by the dog following her, always on high alert looking around. She pointed at the dog and said to Brian, ¡°Have you noticed that this dog keeps waryly watching its surroundings?¡± After observing for a while, Brian nodded in agreement, ¡°Yes, they might have gone through something before, which kept the dog¡¯s spirit tightly wound. But the woman seems to be mentally stable. She does not show any signs of panic on her face.¡± He did not mention that he knew the deceased. It was hard to explain. Brian hoped that in Susan¡¯s eyes, he was a pure, white moonlight or fresh cucumber, not a weathered old eggplant. Susan was drawn by Brian¡¯s comments. She shifted her attention to the woman. The next moment, Susan¡¯s expression gradually turned solemn as she began to repeatedly watch the surveillance footage of the woman entering the motel. After several minutes, Susan finally affirmed, ¡°Brian, something¡¯s off, this woman¡¯s identity might be extraordinary!¡± Confused, Brian said, ¡°Sorry, apart from noticing her good figure, I didn¡¯t see anything unusual.¡± ¡°Pay attention to the distance of her stride and the amplitude and angle of her hands swinging,¡± Susan reminded him. Following Susan¡¯s words, Brian took another look. This time, he indeed noticed something amiss. In the surveillance, although Laura appeared to walk with a light gait, she actually propelled herself forward on the tips of her toes, and each step was nearly identical in distance, as if she could explode into action at any moment with the sharp heels of her shoes delivering maximum damage. Meanwhile, her hands, seemingly languid, were always ready to reach into her coat pocket. ¡°A killer?¡± ¡°An agent?¡± Susan shrugged, ¡°An agent, and a federal field agent at that! Only constant training and life-and-death experiences would instill such a habit of being ready to unleash full combat power at any moment. I¡¯m familiar with that sort of demeanor. She must be from either the CIA or the FBI. Those people are crazy.¡± Brian: ... So, he was made a fool by a female agent? Besides the surveillance at the entrance. To Susan and Brian¡¯s surprise, there was also a camera at the stairway entrance. However, the camera was inconspicuous, resembling a decoration. The wall beneath it, in matching font, bore a small, inconspicuous sign: ¡°This area is under surveillance...¡± One could only say, The motel owner was quite cunning. Whatever his reasons for doing so, At least it facilitated Brian and Susan. The motel was small, with rooms arranged along corridors flanking the stairways. Each side had only five to six rooms. The camera at the stairwell provided a clear view of the elevator exit, stairway corner, and the coming and going of guests in each room. After switching the surveillance feed, Brian and Susan realized that the suitcase Laura pushed must have been very heavy; she struggled to lift it slightly when exiting the elevator. The problem was, The suitcase they brought down wasn¡¯t heavy at all! ¡°Let¡¯s keep watching.¡± Susan stopped Brian from going to check the suitcase. Brian nodded. According to the surveillance. Laura entered the room with her puppy, heavily shut the door behind her, and never came out again. During that time, no one else entered the room! Not until the next morning. The shopkeeper came up to knock on the door, but found it unlocked. He called out twice, got no response, pushed the door open, and seconds later, as if he had seen something horrifying, he scrambled out, rushing downstairs to grab his shotgun... A new doubt surfaced here. The victim, Laura, clearly shut the door before entering. Both the shopkeeper¡¯s testimony and surveillance confirmed the door was open at that time. Was the door opened by the murderer? Another odd point! The victim Laura¡¯s room was on the third floor. About ten meters above the ground. There was no supporting tree or any other cover outside. The room window was also very small. It only allowed a child aged around six or seven to pass through. The surveillance showed no one entered or exited Laura¡¯s room from beginning to end. Could the murderer possibly be some dwarf Spiderman, who climbed directly up the exterior wall to the small window, then sneaked into the room to commit the crime? ... ¡°This case, how did it become a locked room mystery...¡± Susan rubbed her temples painfully, ¡°And that puppy, it wasn¡¯t seen leaving on the camera, nor was it seen in the room, it¡¯s just unfortunate that the corridor surveillance doesn¡¯t cover the door lock of Room 304, otherwise, we could know roughly when the door was opened from inside...¡± Brian felt even more troubled. He had olfactory enhancement and could confirm that the only fresh scents in the room were from the victim Laura, the puppy Shi San, and the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper¡¯s involvement was almost eliminated based on the third floor¡¯s surveillance. So how did the murderer commit the crime without leaving any scent? Mutant? Other than that possibility. Brian couldn¡¯t think of any other criminal who could achieve such a bizarre extent! ... Don¡¯t overthink it if it doesn¡¯t make sense. Seeing Susan pulling her hair because her brain¡¯s CPU was overloaded. Brian quickly changed the subject, ¡°Leader, take a look at the suitcase, there might be additional findings.¡± Susan tiredly dropped her hair and lit a cigarette, ¡°Check it yourself!¡± She suddenly remembered her father¡¯s assessment of her: ¡°Susan, my daughter, if you face difficulties, follow your instincts, don¡¯t try to think, because I¡¯m worried you might laugh the dilemma to death...¡± All because during her development period, nutrition had gone to the wrong places, not only was it burdensome, but it also made her not smart enough! Brian glanced at Susan, who was unexplainably sulked, dared not to retort, put on his gloves, leaning on his cane, pathetically adopted a one-legged stance, bent down, placed the suitcase on the ground, and tore open the zipper. As soon as the zipper was opened. A rancid smell assaulted his nostrils. Brian¡¯s expression changed slightly. This was a unique smell emitted by decomposing internal organs! He immediately called to Susan, ¡°Leader, come give me a hand!¡± Hearing the call for help. Susan inhaled half a cigarette in one breath, crushed the butt, put on gloves, and came over to help Brian completely unzip one side of the suitcase. A sight of blood and gore met their eyes! A pile of hearts, livers, spleens, lungs, kidneys, large and small intestines, and somewhat liquefied brain matter intermixed, giving off a disgustingly nauseating odor... ... ¡°Ugh~¡± Susan, although not a stranger to killing, had never encountered such a scene before and immediately retched on the side. Brian, however, looked oddly. His palm passed over the top of the brain matter. A red Obsession Little Ball rushed into his eyes, turning into a thread of obsession information: What a pity, can¡¯t play again with that kind-hearted, handsome guy called Brian... Brian: ... Confirmed. The victim was indeed Laura! Silently, Brian got up with the support of his cane, went to the window, and somewhat wistfully lit a cigarette. He really wanted to ask Laura, ¡°You¡¯re dead this tragically, not thinking about revenge but rather playing with me, how desperate are you??¡± ... Susan almost vomited for nearly a minute before she recovered from that special rotten smell. She glanced embarrassingly at Brian, seeing him leaning against the window smoking, thinking he did it to spare her embarrassment, her appreciation grew. What a considerate and capable subordinate! Susan wiped her mouth, ¡°I feel this case is tough, and the victim¡¯s identity isn¡¯t simple, should I ask headquarters to send someone?¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°No need, I have a way to solve this case.¡± The murderer¡¯s methods were indeed eerie. But he still left a fatal flaw! Chapter 60 - 60 52 K9 Unit Police Dog Tracking Raising a Book Again Release the Dogs! ?60: Chapter 52 K9 Unit, Police Dog Tracking (Raising a Book Again, Release the Dogs!) 60: Chapter 52 K9 Unit, Police Dog Tracking (Raising a Book Again, Release the Dogs!) ¡°Are you sure?¡± Susan looked at Brian in surprise. She couldn¡¯t figure out why Brian was confident about solving such a bizarre and clue-scarce case! Brian shrugged, ¡°Have you forgotten? There¡¯s still a missing person in this case.¡± The murderer should never have, taken his dog! That was a fatal mistake by the opponent! ¡°Missing person...¡± Susan was initially bewildered but soon realized, ¡°Are you referring to that Labrador Retriever?¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Yes, no matter how strange the murderer¡¯s methods are, we can at least be sure that the dog disappeared from the room, and the only exit from room 304 is the window. Let¡¯s call for the K9 squad¡¯s support.¡± ¡°Brian, you¡¯re so clever!¡± Susan¡¯s face lit up with joy, and obediently she took out a slightly bulky phone from her waist and made the call. The K9 squad is a special operations team from the Los Angeles Detective Bureau, comprising 1 lieutenant commander, 4 officers, 16 policemen, and several police dogs... Yes. It¡¯s a police canine unit! ... While there was still time. Brian asked the owner for an empty room. He closed the door. Brian walked into the bathroom somewhat melancholy and took off his trousers... More than half an hour later. Laura¡¯s obsession was completed. Under the Supercomputer Perception. Brian knew more clearly the energy ¡°Gift¡± he had received: Energy +5. One unit of energy could repair a not so serious fracture once. Five units. Using it to enhance the body might not be very effective. But for saving his life and using the Fury adrenal talent, it was perfect. Besides that. Laura also generously offered a specialized skill: side kick. From previous surveillance, Laura¡¯s combat ability was evident to be strong. For such professional skills burst out. Brian was very interested. Sadly, absorbing the skill. Took a long time. Now was not the right moment. ... After washing his hands several times. Brian stood by the window again, letting the air through for quite a while until he felt the smell on his body had almost dissipated, then, leaning on his crutch, he returned to the front desk. Susan was passing time by juggling bullets. Just as she was about to ask Brian if he had rested well. Suddenly. Susan sniffled twice and said somewhat curiously, ¡°Why do I smell Heather?¡± Heathers are native to North America. However, there are few people who like to grow them in Los Angeles. Brian: ¡°...¡± Being thick-skinned and quick-witted, he immediately changed the subject, ¡°Not sure, it might be the smell from that room. By the way, how much longer until the K9 squad arrives?¡± Susan didn¡¯t dwell on it either and casually said, ¡°They should be here in about ten minutes. Also, while you were resting, the new survey assistant recruited by our team has already packed up the victim¡¯s body and the evidence from the scene.¡± It was then that Brian remembered, Susan had mentioned earlier that she had recruited an outside-duty assistant for him. The person also hailed from the Forensic Bureau. However, the two had not yet met. Curiously, Brian asked, ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡± ¡°Rechter, a quiet guy, one of my friends referred him,¡± Susan said as she pulled out a tuft of yellow dog hair. ¡°He found this dog hair while collecting the victim¡¯s body, it can be used for tracking later.¡± Rechter... An image of a Caucasian young man flashed through Brian¡¯s mind. He actually knew the guy. Like Brian, Rechter was also a Forensic Bureau, Forensic Department assistant. To some extent. Brian was a slacker. But this Rechter, he was talented. He had been at the Forensic Bureau for almost five or six years ahead of Brian. Rechter had served under several forensic doctors, known for his quick learning, strong comprehension, and had knowledge comparable to some formal forensic doctors. Most importantly, he was even taken as an apprentice by the last Autopsy Officer at the Forensic Bureau! What did that signify? Well, put it this way. The Los Angeles County Forensic Bureau implements a system where the Chief Forensic Doctor and the Autopsy Officer are one and the same. The same person manages the Bureau¡¯s operations and forensic authentication work. In other words. Rechter¡¯s master was the former head of the Forensic Bureau. Such a character. Not going to Team A and instead, coming to Team B through someone¡¯s introduction to be my assistant? Brian instinctively smelled trouble. This wasn¡¯t about whether he could maintain his position. He worried that Rechter, this guy, didn¡¯t join Team B6 for work, but for Team Leader Susan! As the saying goes, a lowly person overlooks others. Brian wasn¡¯t exactly a noble person himself and tended to judge others with bias. His impression of Rechter, his former colleague, instantaneously plummeted to negative one hundred! Two tigers can¡¯t share one mountain, unless one is male and the other female! This Rechter had it all figured out! ... Seeing Brian staring blankly. Susan tapped his head and continued, ¡°Rechter is amazing. He found a hidden locking wheel on a gypsum board at the top of room 304. That¡¯s probably why the killer easily fixed the victim to the wall. Plus, after the victim was taken down. Guess what was stuffed inside her body?¡± ¡°Oh~¡± Listening to Susan praising Rechter, Brian responded somewhat jealously, ¡°What did he find?¡± ¡°Straw!¡± Susan, like a little girl discussing a horror plot, continued, ¡°The victim¡¯s organs were neatly processed by the killer and thrown into a suitcase, then the killer stuffed straw into it. If we hadn¡¯t taken down the body, we would have never realized she was hollow inside.¡± She rubbed her goosebump-ridden arms, ¡°Brian, I¡¯ve seen those horror movies before where they skin and stuff straw into scarecrows, and I¡¯ve heard of similar crimes, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen this in person.¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s rare.¡± Susan continued sharing what she had learned during the half hour while Brian was away, ¡°Rechter said, this killing style with a strong personal signature, is either a serial killer, or some cult using this specific method for a ritual. He plans to go back and investigate.¡± You could tell, she was very pleased with this new subordinate. Seeing this, Brian felt even more sour. Rechter said~ Rechter is amazing~ Before today, those words were used to praise himself! Huh. Women. Brian couldn¡¯t be bothered to engage in Susan¡¯s conversation. ... Susan had no idea that Brian was being so petty. She thought Brian just hadn¡¯t rested well and didn¡¯t want to talk, so she shut her mouth and started juggling bullets, entertaining herself. Ten minutes later, four large, modified black pickup trucks arrived at the small motel, pulling several iron cages. Also coming were six cross-country motorcycles with sling baskets. It was unclear whether it was Susan¡¯s influence or NW¡¯s mighty power. The K9 operation team, directly sent two squads, a total of ten people, equipped with fifteen robust dogs in bulletproof vests, fully armed not only with rifles but also carrying two infrared detectors. This device isn¡¯t as amazing as in the movies where you can see human figures through walls, but in the wilderness, its night vision effect after tuning is almost like having a ¡°perspective hack¡±! Seeing this external support, Susan felt like a general ready for battle, eager to try. She took out the collected dog hair and approached the leading officers. After explaining the situation, over a dozen dogs sniffed the hair and began searching the ground under room 304. Just ten minutes later, a German Shepherd barked loudly a few times. The rest of the dogs quickly swarmed forward and started running into the wilderness along the ground. ¡°Follow up!¡± A K9 lead officer got on a cross-country motorcycle and waved his hand. Two people per vehicle, they immediately followed the dogs and left the motel. .. Brian was enjoying watching the dogs search, thinking about learning a trick or two. Who could have predicted that this group would leave so abruptly! Watching Susan sit in the sling of a police officer¡¯s motorcycle and disappear into the distance, Brian panicked. He leaned on his crutch and shouted, ¡°I haven¡¯t gotten on yet, Captain, I haven¡¯t gotten on yet..¡± ¡°Susan... your leg is inconvenient, just stay here and watch the cars, wait for my good news...¡± With Susan¡¯s voice gradually fading away, Brian stood there dumbfounded, like a statue waiting for her husband. Damn! He brought this upon himself. He wanted to go find the dog! The thing is, this case, Brian suspected that the killer was a Mutant. If he could casually pick up a Mutant¡¯s obsession and acquire a new twisted talent, wouldn¡¯t that be wonderful? ¡°Whatever, with so many people in action, nothing bad should happen; I¡¯ll just reap the rewards later...¡± Brian reassured himself and returned to the motel. ... Upstairs. The owner, who looked like Crazy Dave from Plants vs Zombies, watched the departing K9 squad and grinned, but as he did, the skin on his face seemed to have lost its adhesion to the flesh, sagging down... Chapter 61 - 61 53 Skinless Monster Please Follow! ?61: Chapter 53: Skinless Monster (Please Follow!) 61: Chapter 53: Skinless Monster (Please Follow!) Because of the bloody murder. The motel had temporarily closed. Returning to the motel. Brian walked to the counter and rang the bell. Momentarily. The owner, looking like Dave, came down from upstairs with a broom in hand, ¡°Officer, is there anything I can assist you with?¡± Not sure if it was an illusion. Brian felt the owner¡¯s pale face had become even whiter. This whiteness was not the color of skin. But the pallor of skin after losing blood. Brian didn¡¯t look further, yawned, and spoke lazily, ¡°Buddy, what¡¯s your name?¡± The owner put the broom down, slowly wiped his hands, before finally speaking, ¡°Alba, but my friends call me Dilam.¡± ¡°Dilam?¡± Brian somewhat awkwardly repeated, ¡°That pronunciation doesn¡¯t sound like it¡¯s from the United States, does it?¡± Alba nodded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s French from the Empire, meaning ¡®idiot.¡¯ I¡¯m an immigrant from France, was quite slow and dumb as a child, so my friends liked to call me Dilam. Over time, I¡¯ve grown quite fond of the nickname ¡ª it reminds me of the happy times in my childhood.¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°Alright then, Alba, it¡¯s too boring here, I want to practice my gun skills, any suitable open space around?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Alba said with a light chuckle, pointing behind the motel, ¡°Two thousand meters that way, there is an abandoned lumber mill. It has been deserted for many years, and usually, nobody goes there. I go there once in a while to shoot, sometimes even bag a few birds.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Brian¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Buddy, close up, let¡¯s go check it out together.¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Alba walked to the counter, slung his shotgun on his back, locked the door, hung up a ¡®closed for business¡¯ sign, got into a pickup truck with the limping Brian, turned into a side path, and they drove off in the opposite direction from where Susan and the others went. ... The side path was fairly smooth. But surrounded by overgrown weeds. Clearly, it was seldom traveled. Brian, looking at the increasingly remote surroundings, pulled out his pistol to inspect it. Alba, who was driving, glanced over, curiously remarked, ¡°That looks like a pretty new gun.¡± ¡°Yes, because it¡¯s newly issued,¡± Brian said, unlocking the safety, aiming out the window, ¡°Actually, this is my first time carrying a gun. Oddly enough, my colleagues seem to prefer second-hand guns.¡± Hearing this, a smile flickered in Alba¡¯s eyes. He glanced at Brian¡¯s handsome face and explained, ¡°New guns need breaking in, second-hand guns tend to be more accurate.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Brian turned, pensive, ¡°But a new gun can kill just the same, can¡¯t it?¡± ¡°What?¡± Alba thought he had misheard, looking puzzled at Brian. The next moment. Bang~ A bullet precisely penetrated his eye socket, entering the soft brain tissue unprotected by his skull... Alba¡¯s remaining eye bulged as his body shook violently like a fish out of water. As he trembled. Under Alba¡¯s skin on his face, it seemed as if countless meat tendrils writhed, pushing the thin layer of skin into uneven mounds, as though numerous meat worms were burrowing within! This macabre scene. Despite Brian¡¯s anticipation, still sent shivers and goosebumps all over his body! What kind of monster was this!? He didn¡¯t dare hesitate. Bang, bang, bang~ Not until the magazine was empty. Did Brian grab the steering wheel and stop the vehicle. He had used the popular Glock 17 9mm caliber pistol with a 17-round capacity. A whole seventeen bullets! Turned Alba¡¯s face into a hornet¡¯s nest. What was strange, The wounds exhibited no trace of blood flow; instead, densely packed meat buds the color of damning red grew rapidly through the bullet holes, wriggling in the air, making one¡¯s scalp tingle. ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°Is he dead or what!¡± Brian didn¡¯t dare get close, grabbing his cane as he got out of the car. ... Just as he got out. Ding-dong~ The crisp sound of a bullet hitting the steering wheel rang out. Brian, who was reloading his magazine, had his pupils contract sharply. He saw those red meat buds wriggling, actually pushing the bullets that had entered his cheeks and head out one by one. Alba¡¯s remaining eye quickly started rotating again. ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°Susan said that even a headshot would kill a Highly Polluted Mutant with one bullet!¡± Brian didn¡¯t dare hesitate, lifted his handgun, aimed at Alba¡¯s head, and pulled the trigger again. This time, however, Alba didn¡¯t give Brian a chance. He turned around, letting the bullets penetrate his back, and staggered off the car. Without even looking, he grabbed the shotgun, aimed from the car door toward Brian, and pulled the trigger. Brian reacted extremely fast, collapsing to the ground. Bang~ This shotgun was actually loaded with a slug! The massive force of the slug burst a considerable hole right through the door of the pickup. A large amount of metal door fragments flew everywhere, shredding the weeds on the path into large pieces. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°I want you dead!¡± Alba let out a frantic howl, ripping off his clothes, tearing the tattered skin from his body to reveal his entirely red and twisted appearance with countless wriggling flesh tendrils, as the bullets embedded in his body got forcefully expelled. Each bullet that fell to the ground seemed to drop onto Brian¡¯s heart. Damn. This scene was nothing like what Susan had described! ... After expelling all the bullets from his body. The skinless, blood-red Alba, with a ferocious smirk on his face, said, ¡°You little bug, I¡¯m going to peel off your skin with my own hands, and then with your identity, I will...¡± Before he could finish. A bullet accurately passed through his open mouth and into his throat. After the shot. Brian immediately got back on the ground, peering under the car chassis, staring intently at Alba¡¯s feet. This time. Brian saw it clearly. The bullet that had entered Alba¡¯s throat, after puncturing the muscle in his mouth, got stopped by a layer of red mesh underneath it! There was some foreign substance implanted in the guy¡¯s head! What kind of cyberpunk Mutant is this!!! No wonder so many bullets hadn¡¯t killed him! Alba too was startled by this bullet. He didn¡¯t dare dawdle, clutching the shotgun, he went around the vehicle, intending to confront Brian face to face. But just as he took a step. Alba was horrified to find that his feet seemed out of control, like a cerebral palsy patient, sending out signals with no coordination, he staggered and fell to the ground, his remaining eye meeting Brian¡¯s, who was lying on the ground, staring straight at him. A glint of joy crossed Brian¡¯s face. He understood! The first bullet that had entered Alba¡¯s eye socket had not been in vain. The inner membrane of the eye bone, which was closest to the brain. Even with Alba¡¯s weird mesh defense, the impact of the bullet had shaken his brain nerves! Brian¡¯s face broke into a malicious grin. He always loved shooting from the shadows and bullying the weak! ... ¡°FK!¡± Alba hadn¡¯t expected to fall. This fall sent the shotgun in his hand tumbling to the side. As numerous blood-red flesh tendrils on his body wriggled, trying to push him toward the fallen firearm, a hand got there first, grasping the shotgun¡¯s stock. Brian picked up the shotgun, whistled, and aimed the thick muzzle of the shotgun at Alba. Alba¡¯s single eye flashed with madness, his hands propped on the ground, his whole body¡¯s bloody muscles bulging, about to pounce. Whoosh~ A slug as thick as a grown man¡¯s thumb ejected at close range. The tremendous force sent Alba¡¯s body, with half a brain missing, flying backward, crashing heavily onto the ground... Chapter 62 - 62 54 Turns Out to Be a BOSS Great Harvest Seeking Follow-Up Reads ?62: Chapter 54: Turns Out to Be a BOSS, Great Harvest (Seeking Follow-Up Reads) 62: Chapter 54: Turns Out to Be a BOSS, Great Harvest (Seeking Follow-Up Reads) This time, Alba didn¡¯t get back up again. His head, along with the blood-colored mesh inside, was completely shredded by the solid slug, revealing the fractured skull and the mingled red and white broken brain matter inside. ¡°Large calibers really do it for me!¡± Brian licked his lips. No matter what demons or devils. Under the spray, all beings are equal! ... Brian had taken down Alba. He did not rush over immediately. He waited a while, and after seeing that Alba¡¯s corpse really showed no signs of movement, he approached, using his cane, to a spot about one meter from Alba¡¯s body. Bang Bang~ Two more solid slugs powerful enough to blow off the head of a brown bear! These two shots were cunningly placed. They hit Alba¡¯s cervical spine one after the other, brutally tearing apart his neck vertebrae and surrounding flesh, resulting in only a half-head connected by flesh and a mutilated body. The next moment. A scene that made one¡¯s skin crawl unfolded before Brian¡¯s eyes: The separated trunk of Alba, the blood-colored meat buds that had previously been still, after losing the neural connections to the brain, began writhing in the air like a headless snake¡¯s body, causing one¡¯s scalp to tingle. ¡°Truly fucking sinister and disgusting.¡± Brian broke into a cold sweat. It was good that he was cautious enough! Otherwise, who knows what could have happened had he recklessly approached! Mutants are truly bizarre. This Alba was the epitome of bizarreness. In comparison. Mad Dog Ike, who had been killed in a random shooting without showing any supernatural signs, was practically a good citizen. ... ¡°No wonder the NW organization offers such high bounty of one hundred thousand US dollars for even low-pollution mutant corpses!¡± Brian shook his head, threw the now empty shotgun aside, sat on the tailgate, lit a cigarette, and vigilantly watched over Alba¡¯s remains. This time. Alba was truly dead. Three minutes later, the writhing meat buds on his torso gradually lost their vitality, turning into numerous protrusions that remained on Alba¡¯s blood-colored body surface, resembling clusters of flesh tumors, disgustingly permeating. Five minutes later, two nearly black red orbs of obsession slowly condensed above Alba¡¯s corpse. Brian first sighed in relief, then showed a pleased expression. Jackpot! The appearance of the obsession orbs meant that Alba was definitely dead. Brian quickly leaned on his cane, rushed to Alba¡¯s corpse, and crushed the two obsession orbs. The last time corpses with such phenomena appeared was Mad Dog Ike. The adversary was a high-concentration mutant. Unfortunately, Brian only fulfilled one of his obsessions. The reward was the immensely powerful ¡°Supercomputer Perception¡± talent! Who knows what will be gained this time! ... As the obsession orbs shattered, plunging into Brian¡¯s eyes. Two streams of obsession information emerged in his mind: One: This disabled investigator is too good-looking, I really want to peel off his face skin and play with it! Brian: ... Is this about peeling off one¡¯s own skin to play with? What kind of hellish obsession is this! He exhaled deeply in frustration and looked at the second stream of obsession information: Two: I miss mom and sister, want to go back and see them. Brian breathed a sigh of relief. This obsession was much more normal. ... After absorbing the obsession information. Brian threw Alba¡¯s corpse and the torn clothes and skin aside into the pickup¡¯s bed, drove the car, and returned to the motel, waiting for Susan and the others to come back. Near evening. The roar of motorcycles ignited. A few motorcycles with cargo baskets carrying people and dogs finally returned. Sitting at the entrance, Brian quickly stood up, waving to Susan, ¡°Team leader, did it go smoothly?¡± A grim-faced Susan jumped down from the motorcycle, shaking her head, ¡°The trail vanished near a small lake, and they even anticipated we¡¯d track them, burying several mines that exploded and killed several police dogs.¡± Only then did Brian notice the broken police dog bodies piled in the middle motorcycle¡¯s cargo basket, continuously dripping blood, staining the basket blood-red. The expressions of the K9 unit members were grim; some even had residual tears on their faces. For these people. Police dogs were their colleagues, with whom they shared deep bonds. All this just for a mission. Fifteen police dogs, only nine returned. They had forever lost six comrades they had spent days and nights with. Seeing this, Brian remained silent without a word. As his strength continued to grow, his numb heart was gradually regaining the agility of a normal person. ... Susan also felt very guilty about this. She wanted to say something. One of the K9 team leaders spoke in a low voice, ¡°I hope you can catch that bastard and avenge Coal and the others!¡± After speaking, he and another team leader, along with the remaining police dogs and team members, returned to downtown Los Angeles. Until their convoy disappeared at the end of the horizon. Susan turned around with a look of loss, ¡°Brian, I..¡± Suddenly, Susan paused, looking at Brian suspiciously, ¡°Why are you so dirty?¡± Brian shrugged and gestured towards a pickup truck, ¡°The store owner was problematic, a mutant. I was worried he might have accomplices here, so I tricked him into driving me out, then killed him while he was driving.¡± ¡°What?¡± Susan¡¯s eyes widened. She glanced at Brian¡¯s injured leg pinned with a plank, then hurried towards the pickup. When Susan saw the separated and disgustingly grotesque body on the bed of the pickup truck, her mouth opened wide and she let out a sharp cry, ¡°This... this is a Transformer, a Transformer of the Doomsday Sect!¡± She rushed back in front of Brian, grabbed his shoulders, and said excitedly, ¡°You actually killed a Transformer!¡± Brian¡¯s face was nonchalant, ¡°Sounds like this guy was someone important?¡± ¡°No kidding!¡± Susan¡¯s expression was fervent, ¡°This is a Transformer! This bastard killed more than a hundred Hunters over twenty years ago. He¡¯s a Federation Class-S wanted criminal!¡± ¡°Hunters?¡± Brian looked confused. He had heard Susan mention the FBI¡¯s Hunting Team before and wasn¡¯t too fond of those people. Susan then realized that Brian didn¡¯t understand all this. She took several deep breaths, trying to calm herself. After a moment, Susan then explained, ¡°Thirty years ago, only the FBI in the United States had set up special squads to hunt mutants. As for the states, they were formed by knowledgeable elite detectives, police officers, and some retired personnel, known as the Hunting Team. Those members were called Hunters. Actually, they are quite similar to our current status, it¡¯s just that there wasn¡¯t complete official management!¡± ¡°You mean, this Transformer killed over a hundred people with a status similar to ours in the past?¡± Brian pondered. It was actually a BOSS! No wonder this guy was so hard to kill! Susan nodded vigorously, ¡°Right, I didn¡¯t expect him to have survived a second mutation, only to die at your hands, Brian. You¡¯re incredible; we are going to be rich!!!¡± With those words, a warm flow emerged in Brian¡¯s body. Gift Energy +15. Under the Supercomputer Perception, Brian knew that his previous act of killing the A1 Team Leader had fulfilled Susan¡¯s obsession of admiration and gratitude. Now he had twenty-two energy units. This was almost equivalent to a physical enhancement or an extra life. Not only had he gained the Obsessions of two well-rewarded mutants this time, but he had also completed another Obsession. It was extremely thrilling! Seeing Susan¡¯s reaction, the body of this mutant must be worth quite a lot! That was yet another gain! How exhilarating! Brian was inwardly delighted. ... The surprises waiting for Brian didn¡¯t end there. Seeing him lost in thought, Susan thought Brian might be confused. She stepped forward, patting Brian on the shoulder, ¡°Brian, for every Class-S wanted criminal, you not only get a substantial monetary reward, but also precious merit points. You¡¯ve made a great contribution; your leg will probably heal soon, and there are more surprises waiting for you!¡± Upon hearing this, Brian felt even more delighted. He remembered that back at Ace Base, the green Nutrient Liquid that helped him recover his weakened body was exchanged by Susan using her own merit points. Now he could repay the favor. And there¡¯s more surprises? Given Susan¡¯s standards, it couldn¡¯t be too bad, right? Could this be considered a windfall? Chapter 63 - 63 55 The Sci-Fi Underground Base Thanks to the Alliance Leader Pretty Sister! ?63: Chapter 55: The Sci-Fi Underground Base (Thanks to the Alliance Leader ¡®Pretty Sister¡¯!) 63: Chapter 55: The Sci-Fi Underground Base (Thanks to the Alliance Leader ¡®Pretty Sister¡¯!) If you say Susan¡¯s words hadn¡¯t yet made Brian realize how impressive the person he killed was, then the arrival of three fully armed helicopters sent by the NW organization gave him some idea. This thing. Even though Brian had lived in this Federation for twenty-three years, he had only ever seen such a display in movies; this was the first time he was seeing it in reality. The treatment this time was completely different too. When he got off the helicopter, besides handing over his own firearms, he wasn¡¯t asked by the base soldiers to cover his eyes. ... NW organization headquarters. Ace Base. The white old man, Pavel, who had interviewed Brian before, was waiting with a group of people in white biohazard suits on the empty ground. As soon as the body of the Transformer appeared, it was immediately surrounded by those in biohazard suits. In a moment, these people and the disgusting body of the Transformer disappeared into a small room entrance at the base, which was probably also one of the entrances to the underground base. Pavel, on the other hand, approached with a smile all over his face. ... Susan, still upset about Brian¡¯s last ordeal, had the smile disappear from her face and said sternly, ¡°Uncle Pavel.¡± But Pavel didn¡¯t even glance at Susan. He walked past Susan, warmly extending his arms towards Brian who was following, ¡°Welcome back, my chosen elite, the pride of the Night Watchers, Mr. Brian, the entire Night Watchers will shine because of your deeds...¡± Brian:... This old guy last time even brought several fully armed soldiers, nearly about to kill him. Now that there was a benefit, he suddenly became his chosen elite. Damn it! Susan was even more furiously red-faced. She directly blocked Pavel¡¯s path, her tone dangerously warning, ¡°Old man, I¡¯m greeting you!¡± Pavel awkwardly withdrew his open arms and explained, ¡°Sorry, sorry, I was just too excited, Susan, you should know how much pressure NW organization has been facing since its establishment, now that we have some results, I got too excited.¡± Susan sneered disdainfully, ¡°Mr. Pavel, you are just a logistics manager, what pressures should concern you! Keep your petty thoughts to yourself and step aside, I¡¯m taking Brian to claim the reward he deserves, don¡¯t get any ideas!¡± Pavel: ¡°I...¡± Susan¡¯s right hand hooked, and her thirty-centimeter-long revolver traced an arc, pointing the barrel at Pavel, ¡°You know I don¡¯t like to waste words!¡± ... Brian next to her was stunned. What¡¯s happening? How did it get to drawing guns while talking? Pavel, staring at the gun pointed at him and considering Susan¡¯s fierce combat record and stubborn mind, smiled bitterly and looked at Brian behind Susan, ¡°Kid, following Susan must be the biggest fortune of your life.¡± After saying this, he stepped aside. ¡°Hmph!¡± Susan then slipped the gun back into the holster, yanked the cane off Brian¡¯s hand, and despite Brian¡¯s objections, hoisted him on her back, running towards a certain row of small rooms in the base. A few minutes after they left, several helicopters arrived at Ace Base. A few young men and women in casual clothes hurriedly jumped down from the helicopters, only to see the dejected, smoking figure of Pavel standing there. They exchanged glances, seeming to think of something, their faces flashing with disappointment. Seeing this, Pavel exhaled a ring of frustrated smoke, ¡°If you guys are here for that lucky kid¡¯s reward, don¡¯t bother, unless you think your skulls are harder than my niece Susan¡¯s bullets.¡± ¡°Mother T-Rex Susan?¡± ¡°She¡¯s back?¡± ¡°Yes, buddy, you haven¡¯t been following the news; she returned over a month ago. Hey, we all need to be more careful from now on.¡± ¡°FK, that bitch got away with it!¡± The group reacted differently, complaining for a while before turning back to their helicopters, leaving the base again. ... Elsewhere. Susan carried a dazed Brian on her back to a small room. From the outside, the room looked unremarkable, and it wasn¡¯t large either, just over twenty square meters. The wall facing the door had a plasma screen rarely seen on the market, and next to the screen was a small device similar to a clock-in machine at Brian¡¯s old job. ¡°Team leader, this...¡± ¡°Shut up, if you don¡¯t want the surprise spoiled, don¡¯t disrupt me!¡± Susan, panting heavily, dumped Brian to one side and brought her unique-colored NW exclusive watch close to the clock-in device. With a beep, an image of an expressionless woman flashed on the screen, her mechanical voice saying, ¡°Sequence Staff Susan Adams, facial scanning in progress... Iris recognition in progress... Identity confirmed, Susan, welcome home.¡± As the voice fell, a staircase leading downstairs appeared where the ground used to be seamless. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Susan grabbed Brian once more and entered the staircase leading underground. At the end of the staircase was an elevator. Walking into the elevator. Susan said directly, ¡°Requesting access to headquarters!¡± Above the elevator. A green light scanned over Brian and Susan in the elevator. After about a second. The mechanical female voice that had been in the room before appeared again, ¡°Request received... reviewing... review passed, temporary permissions granted, access to Passage 3 temporarily authorized, beginning transit...¡± As the voice died down. The previously motionless elevator gently shook and started operating. By now. Susan¡¯s tense nerves finally relaxed. Leaning against the elevator¡¯s metal wall, she wiped the sweat from her forehead and looked at Brian, ¡°It should be alright now. If you have any questions, ask them.¡± Brian spread his hands, ¡°I want to know everything that I can!¡± Equally secretive bases, equally advanced technology beyond the outside world, equally massive private armaments, equally conducting mysterious human body research... In fact, he really wanted to ask, ¡°Is our organization really called NW and not Umbrella?¡± ... Susan was brought up short by Brian¡¯s words. ¡°You want to know everything?¡± Susan scratched her head, ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a long story. You killed the Transformer, which not only allows you to truly join the Night Watcher sequence but also gain a lot of merits. Merits are a precious thing. They can be exchanged for many wondrous items. Like the Hemostatic Spray that stops bleeding with just a spray, the Body Repair Needle that can temporarily keep you alive with just an injection, the Skin Repair Liquid that makes you look over a decade younger after sleeping, the Active Potion that enhances certain parts of your body... and so on.¡± ¡°That amazing?¡± Brian caught on, ¡°That old man from before, was he after the merits I have?¡± Susan nodded, ¡°Merits are valuable, only frontline B Sequence Soldiers and A Sequence scientists have the opportunity to get them, but trading merits between members isn¡¯t prohibited. Often, newcomers are easily hoodwinked into exchanging their merits for worthless money.¡± Brian nodded thoughtfully, ¡°So what exactly is a sequence?¡± Susan pointed to herself, ¡°The sequence is essentially different divisions of labor. Within the formal staff of the NW Night Watchers organization, there are three sequences. A Sequence is for scientific researchers. B Sequence is combat personnel, also called Soldiers. C Sequence is for logistics and administrative staff at the base. These don¡¯t actually mean much.¡± Brian nodded thoughtfully, ¡°Then what about Ivan and the other staff like me?¡± Susan shrugged, ¡°Non-permanent staff. Or temporary workers. You can also understand it as support personnel. Your position is also that of staff. But you have no authority in the base, and you can be dismissed at any time. This is also why you had to be blindfolded on your previous visits. Money is your compensation. Merits, on the other hand, are the goal for us group leaders. Didn¡¯t you wonder before why every group leader seems well-off at home? Here¡¯s the reason. We don¡¯t lack money, we lack merits.¡± Hearing this, Brian finally felt as if he had touched just the tip of the iceberg of this world. .. As they spoke, the elevator halted after a few minutes of operation. The door opened. Before them was a tunnel with soft lighting, resembling a subway waiting area. At the mouth of the tunnel, two tech-filled cable cars had their doors open, as if waiting for their entry. Susan pointed to the cable car at the back, ¡°Brian, go on. You are non-sequence staff, you need to go upgrade your sequence and clearance first. I will wait for you at the headquarters.¡± After speaking, she hurriedly boarded the cable car in front, disappearing from Brian¡¯s view. It was clear. She had something urgently needed to exchange. Watching the cable car carrying Susan disappear from sight, Brian, limping along with anticipation, made his way toward the remaining cable car. Wondering about the surprise Susan mentioned, What exactly could it be. Chapter 64 - 64 56 Hard Currency ?64: Chapter 56 Hard Currency 64: Chapter 56 Hard Currency After entering the cable car. As the green light scanned Brian¡¯s face, the cable car began to operate automatically. About ten minutes later. The speed of the cable car slowed down and gradually came to a stop. The door of the cable car also opened automatically. A delicately featured young blonde Caucasian woman, dressed in black stockings and a casual suit, pushing a wheelchair, waited outside the door and smiled politely at Brian, ¡°Mr. Brian, I¡¯m Finnie from the C sequence staff, you need an authority upgrade to enter the Night Watcher headquarters.¡± C sequence... It seemed they were logistics personnel. Without asking further questions, Brian sat in the wheelchair and was pushed by the other party out of the tunnel, taking the elevator, walking down the long corridor, and arriving at the door of a very simply decorated room. Above the door hung a sign: Personnel Department. ... As he pushed the door to enter. If he hadn¡¯t known that this was underground. Brian would have almost thought he was back on the ground floor of some commercial office building. Inside the unremarkable little room, the lighting was soft like natural light, and outside the closed windows, one could see the traffic below, birds flying past, and drifting clouds. Sunlight streamed through the windows, scattering throughout the room. It was only when Brian activated his enhanced sense of smell that he realized it must be some sort of projection technology. At the front of the desk by the window. A fat man was comfortably lying in a thick boss chair, his oversized suit pants had slipped down to his ankles, revealing cartoon underwear. The floor was messily strewn with seven or eight balls of tissue paper, some dried up, some looking sticky and clumped. It was obvious they had been used to wipe his nose not long ago. Finnie, who had pushed Brian in, couldn¡¯t maintain her smile upon seeing this scene. She couldn¡¯t help but step forward, kicking the desk and exclaiming, ¡°Green!¡± ¡°Ah?¡± The fat man was startled by the sudden noise and jumped up from his chair. Because his pants hadn¡¯t been pulled up yet, he tripped over. With a thud, he fell onto the computer desk, knocking the large-screen computer to the floor as well. It seemed to have triggered some switch. The previously off computer screen lit up. From the stark white screen, the sounds of a woman¡¯s hasty and devoted cries to ¡°God¡± came forth. Beneath that voice, were also intermittent sounds of a man sending non-stop greetings with clapping... Brian had seen all sorts of sights. He took one disdainful glance at the screen and quickly averted his eyes. It was obviously one of those plotless, uncreative mass-produced pieces of junk. This fat man had no sense of aesthetics at all. No ambition! ... Finnie, the sequence staff member, looked at the socially dead fat man with utter disdain and said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re using the base network to watch these disgusting things again, I¡¯ll report this to the supervisor!¡± The fat man¡¯s body shook, but he didn¡¯t move. Seeing this, Finnie said no more. She turned to Brian, and the professional fake smile emerged on her cold face again, ¡°Mr. Brian, I¡¯ll wait for you outside. If you need anything, just call me.¡± After saying this, she hastened her steps, eager to leave the room that made her feel nauseous. As soon as the door closed, the fat man on the desk immediately got up, pulled up his pants while muttering, ¡°The base network is so fast, if not for watching movies, what? Am I supposed to be trading stocks?¡± Seeing his dilly-dallying, Brian knocked on the armrest of the wheelchair, ¡°Buddy, I¡¯m in a hurry...¡± ¡°Hurry for what?¡± the fat man interrupted Brian, pulled out two tissues, wiped his hands, put the computer back on the desk from the floor, and leisurely closed the web page, then opened his mailbox. As he looked, it seemed like he saw something astonishing, like being electrocuted, he shot up and looked at Brian, who was sitting in the wheelchair, in shock, glanced at the computer, and again at Brian. After several back-and-forths, the fat man, under Brian¡¯s gaze, turned around. After taking several deep breaths, once he turned back around, his face had transformed into an extremely enthusiastic smile, ¡°Ahem, Mr. Brian, right? Hello, I am Green, a C sequence staff member, responsible for handling authority upgrades and explanations for sequence staff members. But before that, please allow me to apologize for my earlier rudeness.¡± As he spoke, Green bowed deeply at a familiar ninety degrees to Brian. Brian: ... This fat man had a few tricks up his sleeve when it came to shamelessness. Brian couldn¡¯t be bothered to analyze why the fat man changed his attitude so quickly and simply said, ¡°I have other things to do, just upgrade my authority for me!¡± ¡°Sure thing,¡± Green swiftly put on a pair of newly unsealed white gloves and walked over to a safe in the corner of the room. After a series of operations. He was crouching in front of Brian with a metal watch encased in some unknown transparent material, much like a waiter in the service industry, sycophantically looking at Brian, ¡°Mr. Brian, please allow me to put this B Sequence Soldier¡¯s exclusive watch on you.¡± The watch was just like the one Susan had. As the saying goes, unsolicited kindness usually conceals a plot! Brian narrowed his eyes slightly but didn¡¯t refuse. The chubby Green swiftly took Brian¡¯s original watch off and put the cooler new one on: ¡°Mr. Brian. This watch is standard issue for the Night Watch sequence staff. You are a B Sequence Soldier. So, apart from the normal communication, positioning, and SOS functions, it can also serve as a key to access the Night Watch¡¯s exclusive website and as an ID recognition device to enter the base.¡± Brian nodded disinterestedly. This thing, it had tracking. When there was no need, None of them wore this thing. Green also knew that everyone actually disliked the watch, so he rubbed his chubby hands and chuckled, ¡°Mr. Brian, the thing is, I saw that you have a full hundred merit points on your account, I...¡± ¡°Sorry, not selling!¡± Brian didn¡¯t even listen and wheeled himself straight out. ¡°It¡¯s fine, if you ever want to sell, just contact me. This stuff is solid currency, whether it¡¯s money, female stars, or other needs, it¡¯s all negotiable,¡± Green wasn¡¯t discouraged, he obsequiously opened the door for Brian in advance and also slipped a business card to him. Brian thought it over and decided to keep the business card. It wasn¡¯t for any so-called female stars. Really, it wasn¡¯t. The reason he accepted the card was simple. At such a secretive base, Green could use the base¡¯s network to watch films, which showed how powerful his family was. Perhaps one day he might need to use Green¡¯s connections. That¡¯s how networking is built up. .. Leaving the human resources department, Finnie wheeled Brian in the cable car, arriving in a vast hall. In the center of the hall was a huge glass multi-tube elevator, with people continuously entering and exiting, bustling with activity. Brian wasn¡¯t sure if it was an illusion, But he faintly heard very faint screams and roars. Finnie introduced to Brian: ¡°This place is mostly for scientific researchers and the logistical staff serving them. Typically, B sequence combat personnel rarely come to the headquarters unless they¡¯ve been severely injured. Actually, I don¡¯t like coming here either. Beneath this place, it¡¯s all those things.¡± Brian questioned, ¡°Mutants? But wasn¡¯t the Blood Moon a recent phenomenon?¡± ¡°There were a lot before.¡± Finnie, this beautiful woman, said matter-of-factly: ¡°The offspring of mutants inherit some traits. Many mutants that were alive and captured are kept in captivity. Some are taken for research. Others are sent for breeding. Then, regular extraction of their special components is used to produce expensive potions for sale, sustaining the base¡¯s operations. Otherwise, where would so many mutants come from to sustain years of hunting?¡± Brian felt a chill in his heart. So this was the reason. If there was no shortage of mutants, Why then would the NW organization be willing to offer such high bounties for mutants to people like them? Was it really to maintain social stability? ... Just as Brian wanted to continue asking, A tall, stern-looking beauty approached the two, ¡°Brian, you finally made it over. Come, I¡¯ll take you to receive your surprise gift.¡± It was Susan. On seeing this, Finnie passed a business card to Brian, ¡°It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Brian. If you wish to sell your merit points, contact me, and we¡¯ll give you a good price.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Brian politely pocketed the business card. After the others left, He then turned to Susan, ¡°Team leader, why do I feel like these people take merit points very seriously?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not them who take it seriously but the old immortals behind them who take it seriously. You¡¯ll understand in time,¡± Susan moved behind Brian and pushed his wheelchair towards the central cylindrical transparent elevator in the hall, ¡°Let¡¯s go, your special reward for killing the Transformer has arrived. You¡¯re going to love it!¡± ¡°A surprise?¡± ¡°Yep!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°A second life!¡± Chapter 65 - 65 57 Inventory of Harvest ?65: Chapter 57 Inventory of Harvest 65: Chapter 57 Inventory of Harvest ¡°A life?¡± Brian became interested. Susan nodded, ¡°Exactly, it¡¯s an S-T cell active injection reagent. This reagent requires core materials which can only be secreted by Mutants with special regenerative abilities. And the extraction technique, only available to our Los Angeles NW Organization. Its effects are magical. For healthy bodies, after injection, the body will undergo a secondary development, significantly improving your physical fitness and lifespan potential. For those with severe physical injuries, as long as there are no amputated limbs, missing body parts, or brain damages, even if the heart is penetrated by a bullet, it can completely heal within seconds without any side effects.¡± Hearing it was such a magical reagent, Brian hurriedly said, ¡°Then, does this injection reagent work for genetic diseases?¡± ¡°No use,¡± Susan shook her head. ¡°The S-T cell active injection reagent can only enhance cellular activity of the body. It might be somewhat useful for certain immune diseases, but for cancer, congenital genetic defects, ALS, and so forth, it isn¡¯t very effective.¡± Upon hearing this, disappointment flashed across Brian¡¯s eyes. He possessed the Gift, as long as he had energy, whether it was enhancing or recovering the body, it was no worse than the reagent Susan mentioned. He really didn¡¯t need this thing. His foster parents, however, did need it. Yet, this thing was useless for hereditary diseases. Too much of a white elephant. Seeing that Brian was not as surprised as she had imagined, Susan asked curiously, ¡°Brian, aren¡¯t you excited? Because it involves extending life. Each S-T cell active injection reagent, even before being produced, has already been allocated in advance. The reward for you must be from the organization¡¯s unexpected surplus stock. This is something you can¡¯t buy with money or merits.¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°I¡¯d prefer something that could fix genetic diseases.¡± Then, he briefly mentioned the current situation of his foster parents. Susan realized, ¡°The money you borrowed from me before was for your foster parents¡¯ medical expenses?¡± She had been through Brian¡¯s files and knew some things about Brian and his uncle, but she was truly unaware of Brian¡¯s foster parents¡¯ situation. ¡°Yes,¡± Brian nodded, his tone slightly melancholic: ¡°People will eventually die, but if there¡¯s anything I can do within my abilities, it will make me feel better.¡± Susan, seeing Brian¡¯s downcast expression, flashed a mix of gentleness and sympathy in her eyes. She touched Brian¡¯s head, ¡°You¡¯re doing very well. From what I know, even for research institutions deeply invested in genetic technologies, they can currently only perform slight genetic enhancements based on research on Mutants; they can¡¯t fix genetic defects.¡± In the meantime, the elevator had reached the floor. The S-T cell active cell injection reagent was precious. Stored in the safest part of the base¡ªthe Research Department. This was also the real core area of the NW Organization. Susan, as a team leader, followed Brian, benefiting from his presence, also received a reward. But she was left outside. Brian, meanwhile, was taken away alone by the security guards waiting at the elevator door. ... Half an hour later. Susan, looking at Brian standing before her, widened her eyes: ¡°You directly injected the S-T cell active injection reagent?¡± Brian hopped in place twice, ¡°Yeah, I did, this stuff is really incredible.¡± Just a bit of merits drew so much attention. To avoid trouble and to provide a justifiable reason for his continual strengthening, Brian directly injected it into his body in front of many people right after obtaining it from the Research Department. Otherwise, he could have sold it to the team leader. The process of injecting felt almost like energy enhancement of the body. Quick in effect. And similar in results. Brian did a quick calculation. One S-T cell active injection reagent, converted into Gift Energy, was roughly equivalent to five units of energy. Well, it was trash. Seeing Brian¡¯s indifferent behavior, Susan painfully covered her left chest: ¡°A precious reagent that could save lives, and you used it to fix your fractured left leg! Ahhh! It¡¯s so frustrating! I really want to punch you!!!¡± Brian, seeing Susan exerting so much force with her hands, felt distressed too. His hand trembling slightly, he handed a special metal injector, as thin as an adult¡¯s little finger, to Susan, changing the subject, ¡°This is your reward. Honestly, I¡¯m curious what the situation with this Transformer is, that made the base so generous.¡± Susan¡¯s understanding of human nature was too shallow. The most precious aspect of the S-T cell active injection reagent was not its powerful healing ability, but the extension of life. He was currently too weak. Keeping it was like a child possessing gold. Trading it out. If he encountered a fool who was upset because he traded it to someone else and not to him, causing trouble, wouldn¡¯t it be a self-invited hassle? Brian even suspected. Inside the base, the decision to give him this reward might have been to showcase generosity while also diverting some internal pressure. Perhaps he was too suspicious. But there really was no need to grasp at minor benefits. He had also received an extra reward of one million US dollars this time, plus those hard-currency merit points and his foster parents¡¯ medical expenses, he wasn¡¯t worried about money anymore. He only had to develop quietly, and he was destined to rise. Moreover, with the cover of the S-T cell activity injection reagent, Brian would be able to demonstrate even stronger abilities in the future. Direct injection. That was the safest choice. As for why he changed the subject and didn¡¯t explain to Susan... From Susan¡¯s reaction, he knew that the S-T cell activity injection reagent was a rare item for her background as well. He explained. Given Susan¡¯s personality, she would likely feel guilty, thinking she couldn¡¯t protect him. There was no need to explain these things. ... Susan didn¡¯t understand Brian¡¯s cautious mind. She snatched the injector impatiently, checked the serial number on it, first showing joy, then her expression turned serious: ¡°Federation S-level mutant fugitives, do you know how rare they are? The power of mutants comes from the mind, so generally, the more crimes they commit, the stronger they are, but also the more likely they are to lose control. A mutant wanting to become an S-level fugitive must remain clear-headed at all times. Beyond that, their abilities have to be very powerful and special. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t live until becoming an S-level fugitive. Thus, each S-level fugitive represents not only a government achievement and an honor but also very precious and rare research material. If the NW organization isn¡¯t generous, other organizations will be.¡± After listening to Susan¡¯s explanation, Brian was thoughtful. He felt like these didn¡¯t seem like manhunts but more like rewards, treating those exposed yet uncaptured special mutants as cherished treasures, offering rewards to encourage officials to hunt them down. ... Back in Los Angeles, Brian slumped relaxedly on the sofa. He didn¡¯t have to pretend to be crippled anymore. It felt great! His gains from this trip were significant. First, he had completed the obsession of the veterinarian Laura and received a Gift of a combat skill. He hadn¡¯t had time to absorb it before, and it was still stored. He would see the effects later. He hoped it wouldn¡¯t disappoint! Second, he had received two new obsessions from the Federation S-level fugitive, the Transformer. The Transformer¡¯s ability looked disgusting. But it was really strong! If he could unleash it, Brian felt like he could take on his uncle head-to-head in a 1V1 snipe. Third, inside the NW organization, his authority had been raised, and he had also received an internal URL accessible only to sequence staff, which probably held more secrets of this world. Brian planned to look into this when he had time. Fourth, a reward of one million US dollars! This money, unlike the reward from Mad Dog Ike, was directly transferred to his account. After repaying Susan, Brian still had over eight hundred thousand US dollars. Plus the additional five hundred thousand in rewards that hadn¡¯t been disbursed yet. He could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Fifth, eighty merit points. These seemed to be very valuable, even called hard currency by the chubby Green. Originally it was a hundred merit points. Before leaving the base, Brian transferred twenty merits to Susan. The last time he had undergone an audit, he was forced to endure machine radiation checks. Susan not only stood up for him publicly but also spent her own merit points to help him exchange for Repair Liquid to heal his body. Although this time, Susan had also benefited from his actions, he was a man of clear debts and gratitude. Sixth, the S-T cell activity injection reagent. Hmm... For others, it was a treasure. For himself... it was trouble. But he wouldn¡¯t have to continue pretending to be crippled in the future, and he could gradually show a little more of his real strength, slowly gaining more say in the team. This would help him later ¡°legally complete his obsession.¡± ... Now that he finally had some free time, Brian was prepared to collect the Gift from Laura, the female veterinarian, and then complete the first obsession of the Transformer. Chapter 66 - 66 58 Frustrated Laura Preparing to Skin ?66: Chapter 58 Frustrated Laura, Preparing to Skin 66: Chapter 58 Frustrated Laura, Preparing to Skin Find a position to lie down. Brian¡¯s heart stirred. Completing Laura¡¯s obsession, the skill gifted: the side kick, transformed into a sphere of light, merging into Brian¡¯s consciousness. The scene shifted: Inside a strange, dry, earth-yellow base, like a large pit that resembled a cage. A girl, appearing no older than ten, held her breath with intense focus, facing an aggressive and fierce dog lunging at her. With precise timing, her foot shot out and kicked the beast¡¯s mouth open. Taking advantage of the dog¡¯s momentum, she rolled away to safety on the other side. Again and again, she faced attempts at being brought down. Until she was completely exhausted. The armed soldiers above the pit glanced at the time before pulling triggers aimed at the vicious dogs. The view zoomed out. Dozens of similar pits came into view. The cries of children and the growls of fierce dogs echoed above the base... The scenes began to fast forward in a flickering rush. Nights turn into days. The girl focused on leg techniques that could generate greater strength, practicing tirelessly. Time after time, she overturned the odds and became the best fighter among her group. Beasts, companions, death-row inmates, targets, innocents... One by one, they fell to her graceful legs. Rapidly passing scenes of combat. Brian marveled at Laura¡¯s brutal and murderous side kicks. This was truly a technique perfected for the sake of killing! Time passed. In the scene, the image of Laura slowly transformed into Brian¡¯s appearance... A multitude of muscle memories emerged. When Brian opened his eyes again, he sprang to his feet and shot into the air. Weighing over 160 pounds, his legs became blurs, and he executed kicks that cut through the air with agile and explosive might. For a moment, Sated with the thrill, Brian then sat down, panting heavily, back on the sofa. Laura¡¯s side kick was truly incredible. No fancy moves or combinations, exclusively for killing. As a bonus to the skill. Now, not only were Brian¡¯s legs more agile and flexible, but his mind was also filled with hand-to-hand combat experience. He went straight from rookie to expert level. Brian glanced at the dashboard he had created using his ¡°Supercomputer Perception¡± talent. On it, the side kick skill was at a master¡¯s level. This meant that Laura had merged the killing techniques of her leg skills into her very instincts, reaching the pinnacle of what ordinary people could achieve. ¡°How did someone as fierce as Laura die?¡± Wiping sweat from his forehead, Brian browsed through Laura¡¯s death replay with confusion. ... In the scene. Laura, with her luggage and her dog, arrived at a small motel. She said something to the middle-aged woman at reception. The woman seemed surprised and warmly welcomed Laura. ... The scene shifted. At the dinner table, Laura, the middle-aged woman from before, and a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl were eating potato stew with beef, laughing and chatting. Suddenly, The teen girl became dizzy and collapsed onto the table. The middle-aged woman¡¯s expression changed. She dragged the girl behind her while shouting something loudly at Laura. Laura looked puzzled but nodded. As soon as the middle-aged woman relaxed, Laura leapt two meters across, her leg shooting out fiercely, kicking the woman in the jaw, twisting her neck backwards, crashing it down onto the floor. Then, without hesitation, she leaped into the air and, with a knee drop, accurately hit the unconscious girl¡¯s neck, brutally breaking it. She efficiently dealt with both of them. Laura pulled out a strangely designed handgun and aimed at the twisted limbs and body parts of the middle-aged woman, pulling the trigger. After several shots, She cautiously moved to the body, squatting down as if to check the arrangement. The moment Laura touched her, Her expression changed dramatically. Without hesitation, she rolled towards the wall, then with her legs propelling her, she took to the air, avoiding the girl who sprang back to life. Taking control of the situation, she positioned herself behind the seemingly resurrected girl. Her legs became a blur of a storm, furiously kicking at the girl¡¯s limbs, joints, and neck. When the storm ceased, The poor girl, limbs twisted, lay squirming on the ground, howling at Laura in a frenzy, no longer looking human. Laura scoffed, pulling out her handgun again, leisurely loading it with specially made syringe-like bullets. Only after firing and ensuring the girl was motionless did she pack the twisted body into the luggage she had brought. Then, She skillfully spread gasoline throughout the hotel, called the dog that had been hiding in a corner, lit a cigarette, tossed a match, and under the blazing inferno, pulled her suitcase, led the dog, and left with nonchalance... The image ended there. Countless specks of light merged into Brian¡¯s consciousness. He felt his Spiritual Strength had grown slightly. ... ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Brian was somewhat disappointed. Normally. After fulfilling an obsession, a Death Replay would show some memory fragments of the deceased¡¯s life. But this time it was different. Although he didn¡¯t know the cause and effect. But from the images, Brian had noticed something. Laura was probably the one Susan mentioned, an FBI Hunting Team member, specially tasked with hunting Mutants. Her target was supposedly that middle-aged woman at first. But it turned around. The real Mutant was the girl who looked to be only seventeen or eighteen years old. It¡¯s just that Laura was too strong. She easily dealt with the girl, committed murder and arson, and after sedating the mutated girl, she packed up and left. The images beyond that were gone. But Brian knew what happened next: Laura took her spoils and the little dog to rest in another hotel, only to end up skinned and stuffed with straw, dying a pathetic and untidy death, with the dog¡¯s whereabouts unknown... ¡°It¡¯s a bit strange.¡± Braiken stroked his chin. He had not smelled anyone else¡¯s scent in that large suitcase before. Could it be that the girl didn¡¯t have any scent on her at all? But this could also be the girl¡¯s Gift ability. After all, during Laura¡¯s previous Death Replay, aside from the girl¡¯s body being somewhat resilient, she didn¡¯t show any special physical abilities. Maybe the ability itself was rather insignificant. As for why there was no appearance of what Laura encountered before her death in the Death Replay. Brian speculated that it might be because Laura herself didn¡¯t know how she died. She didn¡¯t even react before losing consciousness, and then the killer skinned her, removed her body parts, removed her internal organs, and filled her with straw... In short. She probably died very frustrated. ... Brian didn¡¯t dwell on it too long. The two weren¡¯t close. He had been fooled by Laura with the promise of a dog and charm. With her death, the debt was settled. No need to fixate on it. As for the case. Brian guessed that once the FBI came to their senses, they would step in. This was also one of the reasons why he had decisively injected himself with the S-T cell activity injection reagent earlier. At Laura¡¯s death scene, a Class S special fugitive Transformer had appeared. It was going to be troublesome to dispute that. Speaking of which. Brian also wasn¡¯t clear when the Transformer had replaced the hotel owner, or whether it was after Susan and the K9 unit left that he smelled the rich, unusual scent of blood on the owner and felt something was off. At that time, he didn¡¯t know the owner was a Mutant, his thoughts were simple. Better to strike first than suffer the consequences. Something wasn¡¯t right. Just shoot. Lure them out and kill them. The main concern was hotel surveillance; he didn¡¯t want to expose his special attributes, after all. ... ¡°By fulfilling the deceased¡¯s obsession, not only can one receive a Gift, but one can also see a portion of the Death Replay...¡± ¡°Let me see, what exactly is this about.¡± Brian took a tray and sat in front of the mirror, starting to disinfect the skin on his face. Autopsying others. He was quite skilled. Autopsying himself. Today was the first time. Hopefully, it wouldn¡¯t go wrong. Chapter 67 - 67 59 Master-level Skin Stripping Skill Gunshot ?67: Chapter 59: Master-level Skin Stripping Skill, Gunshot 67: Chapter 59: Master-level Skin Stripping Skill, Gunshot Skinning is quite a troublesome affair. Human facial nerves are comprised of the temporal nerves, trigeminal nerves, and cervical nerves, which are mainly distributed on both sides of the cheeks, leaning towards the area above and below the temples and around the neck. Under normal circumstances. For safety¡¯s sake, it¡¯s necessary to first make an incision at the jawline, then gradually separate the adhesions between the skin and flesh. The whole process tests one¡¯s patience. Brian didn¡¯t need to bother with all that. After local anesthesia. He first used a sharp scalpel to draw a fine line across his forehead, widened the incision, then circled around the entire cheek, tracing a mask-like area in one go. The whole process looked quite bizarre. Having completed this step. Brian picked up some hemostatic cotton and gently wiped away the blood, using a mirror to find the right angle, then pinched the edge of the cut skin with his fingers and tore it off according to the distribution of force. The tearing sound~ The whole process was filled with the faint sounds of tissue and fat being pulled apart as the flesh separated. But Brian felt fine. He looked at his ¡®red and white¡¯ exposed face and even curiously bared his teeth and grimaced. After playing for a while. Brian finally took ¡®his own face¡¯ in his hands and examined it. About ten minutes later. A warm flow surged through his body. Brian knew that the Transformer¡¯s first obsession had been fulfilled. ... Brian didn¡¯t rush to check the Gift he received after completing the obsession. The delay was a bit long. The effects of the anesthetic began to wear off. He could already feel a tingling numbness on his face. ¡°Recover!¡± With a thought from Brian. His stored Gift Energy gathered towards his face. This was a rare opportunity to witness the recovery process directly. Brian immediately widened his eyes and looked in the mirror: He saw layers of collagen reconstructing and connecting on his patchy red and white face, forming the base layer of the epidermis, followed by the stratum spinosum, granular layer, clear layer, and finally the stratum corneum. After roughly more than a minute. A smooth and fair face, devoid of eyebrows and beard, reappeared in the mirror. ¡°Uh, where¡¯s my hair?¡± Brian was a bit confused. ... It seemed that facial repair was quite meticulous. It cost Brian two points of Gift Energy. After washing his hands. He used chemicals to clean off his discarded thick skin and other traces. After ventilating by opening the window. Brian then began to check the Gift of Transformer Alba. This time it was ten units of Gift Energy plus a skill. When Brian touched the skill with his consciousness, he discovered it was Alba¡¯s Skin Stripping Skill. ¡°What a pity it¡¯s not a talent, I wonder if it¡¯s like Mad Dog Ike, getting a skill and perhaps also giving a talent...¡± With some anticipation, Brian crushed the skill and began the absorption. ... The scene before Brian¡¯s eyes changed: Inside a small log cabin in the woods. A blond, freckled youth huddled in a corner, his leg tied with an iron chain, crying and begging incessantly: ¡°Dilam, I was wrong, I shouldn¡¯t have mocked you, please let me go, I beg you...¡± Opposite him. A short, ugly youth with half his face covered in hypertrophic scars ignored the boy¡¯s pleas, merely keeping his head down as he methodically arranged items like iron hooks, shoulder gaffs, pulley assemblies, and wire brushes. Once ready. He grabbed a hammer, walked up to the boy, kicked a small stake over: ¡°Turn around, crawl up there, and close your eyes.¡± ¡°No, please don¡¯t kill me.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about, you won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°For real!¡± The ugly youth kicked the little boy onto the stake, face down, back up, and raised his hammer-wielding arm high, smashing down with force! A dull thud echoed. The blond, freckled youth¡¯s body convulsed violently. Looking down on his dying companion. The ugly youth sneered, knelt to the ground, and whispered into his companion¡¯s ear: ¡°Momma told Tam not to lie, so you won¡¯t die, Tam will live on in your place, and about your girlfriend, once Tam is bored with her, she¡¯ll be sent over to keep you company...¡± When the freckled youth finally died. He undressed himself, took a deep breath, and bit down on a piece of wood. The next moment. ¡°Ah!!¡± The ugly youth¡¯s eyes bulged, veins throbbed, and he actually managed to bite a dent into the wood in his mouth. His muscles throughout his body began to squirm like living things, faster and faster, until they finally forcibly burst through the skin, turning into blood-stained meat buds that thrashed in the air, ghastly and nauseating... ¡°Hu hu hu~¡± The skinned flesh monster, feeling the prick of the breeze on its exposed flesh, actually started laughing heartily. He grabbed the dead freckled youth and used a hook to pierce through the other¡¯s shoulders. After hoisting him up with a pulley system, he began skinning with practiced ease... Several minutes later. A human skin, entirely flayed from the back, was laid out before the Transformer. Except for the eyes, the color was slightly different. A new freckled youth was born. ¡°Ha ha ha!¡± ¡°From today on, Tam is dead,¡± the ¡®freckled youth¡¯ intoxicatedly inhaled the bloody scent in the air, his voice shifting continuously, until it finally settled into the voice of the formerly freckled young man: ¡°From now on, I am Jimmy!¡± ... The scene kept changing. One by one, men and women, lured to the cabin by the skin-wearing Transformer, eventually became one of the dried-up corpses in the corner. Transformer Tam¡¯s skin-stripping technique improved at a visibly rapid pace. His talent was too high. There was significant progress almost every time. He required fewer and fewer tools. Until there was left only a willow leaf-shaped small knife as long as an adult¡¯s middle finger, thin and delicate, then the scene shattered... ... ¡°Ugh~¡± Having fully integrated the skill. Brian couldn¡¯t help but cover his throat, retching. The Transformer¡¯s skinning level was comparable to a master! This damned Transformer, at first committed retaliatory killings, but later it was pure addiction, and he even heartlessly hunted for the sake of studying the differences between the skins of the young and old, different genders, and races. What¡¯s worse. During the process of integrating the skill. Brian¡¯s consciousness would sink into it, repeating the process over and over, until it was completely absorbed. It wasn¡¯t a good experience. The real loss. This time there was no buy one get one free, no appearance of a talent! What a loss! The only consolation was. Brian found his hands had become much more dexterous. ... Further, Brian had obtained two important pieces of information through the skill transfer. First, the Transformer¡¯s real name was Tam. Tam must¡¯ve suffered from a fire, resulting in disfigurement. After gaining abilities, he killed everyone who had laughed at him. The first victim was a teenage golden-haired freckled youth named Jimmy! To complete the second obsession of Tam. One could investigate in this direction. Second, Tam¡¯s advancement in the technique of skin stripping was too rapid. He could also easily imitate others¡¯ voices and movements. Brian suspected that Tam¡¯s Mutation talent was related to body control! It was merely due to his ugly appearance and inner longing. That this talent, in the end, became Tam¡¯s North American version of ¡°Painted Skin¡±... ... About the Mutation talent of Transformer Tam. Brian really wanted it. Body control category. This meant that learning any skill-based task would be very fast. This talent also especially complemented Brian¡¯s Gift Energy. For instance, if Brian was shot multiple times. With enough Gift Energy, he could heal his body, but he wouldn¡¯t be able to expel the bullets. That would be like a bug in a system, healing the wounds but keeping the bullets inside, which could easily lead to a body crash and still result in death. If he could acquire the Transformer¡¯s talent. Brian would truly become a lower-grade version of the Undying Body! In conclusion. This talent had a lot of potentials. Brian was ready to fulfill Tam¡¯s second obsession as soon as possible! ... A sleepless night. The next day, after drawing on his eyebrows, Brian prepared to contact Susan to inquire about the follow-up on the case of the veterinarian Laura, only to learn of dreadful news: Susan had been shot and was in the hospital! Chapter 68 - 68 60 Tea and Its Essence Rechter Convincing with Reason Brian ?68: Chapter 60 Tea and Its Essence Rechter, Convincing with Reason Brian 68: Chapter 60 Tea and Its Essence Rechter, Convincing with Reason Brian Hospital. On the bench outside the ICU, five figures yawned as they waited. Another lay on the ground. Among them were Old Hardenn, Ivan, and Glenn, three of the team members. Glenn, for some reason, was sound asleep on the floor. The other three must be newcomers Susan had recruited a few days ago. Brian only recognized one of them. His name was Rechter, who bore a slight resemblance to Karen, an investigator Brian had dealt with before. He was about six feet tall, with a refined appearance and gold-rimmed glasses, looking less like a forensic doctor and more like a young university professor. The two had previously spoken little at the Forensic Bureau. There was no helping it. One was skilled, and the other was popular; naturally, they couldn¡¯t really connect and had merely nodded to each other in passing. Brian directly looked at Old Hardenn, ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± He had called Susan¡¯s phone, but Old Hardenn had answered. He was clueless about the current situation. Old Hardenn rubbed his tired face with both hands: ¡°The team leader, feeling guilty over the K9 unit incident, called us to spend the night investigating the skinned corpse case at the motel, when a group of FBI agents appeared, claiming the victim was one of theirs, demanding we hand over the case and all evidence found... The team leader suggested a joint investigation. Then their team leader, said something sarcastic. Our team leader kicked his groin. That¡¯s when the conflict started.¡± Hearing this, Brian glanced over the unharmed crowd, his brows furrowed deeply, ¡°Are you saying that their people, on our turf, shot our team leader in front of you?¡± As his ambitions grew stronger. If this bunch didn¡¯t even dare to strike, Brian would have to consider advising Susan to replace them. The sturdy Ivan stepped forward, ¡°How could that be, the issue is...¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Brian laughed at Ivan¡¯s comment, ¡°Just because they¡¯re FBI, you guys chickened out?¡± Glenn, who had been yawning, quickly spoke up for his friend, ¡°Brian, don¡¯t be so agitated. The problem is, we didn¡¯t even get a chance to react. When Susan saw them raise their guns, she flew off the handle, and by the time we caught on, those dozen FBI agents were down.¡± ¡°What?¡± Brian was stunned, ¡°Then...¡± ¡°Shush!¡± The newcomer Rechter raised a finger, signaling everyone to keep quiet. A calculating smile spread across his face as he softly said to Brian, ¡°Brian, calm down. I know you¡¯re worried about the team leader¡¯s safety. Didn¡¯t Old Hardenn tell you? She was shot at. Not hit by a shot! She¡¯s fine. It blew up into a big scene. Although the team leader deliberately avoided vital areas, hitting their Bullet-Proof Vests, her pistol was too powerful. Among the FBI agents, eight suffered rib fractures, and four had almost completely torn shoulders. Their supervisor was practically incapacitated; if I hadn¡¯t administered first aid and gotten him to the hospital in time, he might have died from the pain. To be safe, when we sent the FBI agents to the hospital, the team leader accidentally tripped and has been unconscious since.¡± Seeing the nonchalant expression on Rechter¡¯s pretty face, Brian knew, this idea must have been Rechter¡¯s. He had often seen Rechter assume this posture during their time at the Forensic Bureau. Every time, he was the most conspicuous one among the forensic doctors. Back then, Brian, plagued with health issues, compared to him, was like a plain extra with a protagonist¡¯s face¡ªanemic and dull. ... Seeing that Brian had stopped talking. Rechter¡¯s eyes quickly scanned the others, his lips curling into a smile as he adjusted his glasses, ¡°Brian, I remember you joined the Forensic Bureau in ¡¯03, right? You were only 20 years old, fresh out of college, looking quite steady. I didn¡¯t expect that nearly three years had passed and you still rush into things when faced with a problem.¡± Knowing Susan was fine. Brian wasn¡¯t in a hurry either. Looking at the tea-colored Rechter. Brian smiled. The meaning of his words was simple: First, to show that he had deeper experience and stronger abilities than Brian. Second, to point out that Brian was young and not steady. Third, to remind the other ¡®old-timers¡¯ of the contrast between himself and Brian. Seeing that Brian still wasn¡¯t speaking. Rechter felt somewhat disappointed. Dealing with such an egghead really didn¡¯t bring any sense of accomplishment. He patted Brian¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Let¡¯s find a place to sit down. The team leader¡¯s room is guarded by armed soldiers from the NW organization. I hear NW is currently negotiating with the FBI folks. Once it¡¯s all settled, we can head back.¡± Brian looked at the hand on his shoulder, then looked down at Rechter and said softly, ¡°Rechter, I don¡¯t drink green tea.¡± Huh? Rechter didn¡¯t quite understand what Brian meant. Are we talking about tea? The next moment. A solid knee strike hit Rechter in his stomach. Ugh~ Rechter clutched his abdomen and was about to kneel. A blur flashed. Brian¡¯s dress shoe swung with a whistling sound, delivering a close-range kick to Rechter¡¯s chin, sending his kneeling body flying backward into the air, crashing heavily onto the floor, twitching twice, spitting out a few broken teeth, and passing out. All of this happened too suddenly. Just a moment ago, everyone had been watching Rechter soothing his younger peer, and the next moment, Rechter was lying on the ground. Ivan even rubbed his eyes. Something¡¯s off! He just realized. Wasn¡¯t Brian¡¯s left leg fractured? How could it have healed in just over a day!!! ... A kick shot out. Brian felt exhilaratingly refreshed. No wonder Susan liked to pull out her gun so often. Convincing with reason. Indeed, it was the fastest way to shut annoying people up. He waved at a passing young nurse, ¡°Miss pretty, could you come here for a sec? We have a new guest in the ICU, it¡¯s on public funds, money is no issue...¡± Speaking of which. Brian spread his hands towards the still silent crowd, ¡°Guys, don¡¯t look at me like that. I just got inspired by what Rechter said. A team leader and a specially invited elite forensic doctor from the Forensic Bureau, because of those jerks at the FBI, are now admitted to the ICU. Might this be better?¡± Everyone: ... If they said it was not okay. Would the ICU need an extra spot? ... The burly Ivan wasn¡¯t afraid. He glanced at the unconscious Rechter, shrugged and said, ¡°To be honest, I never liked the kid too. He always seemed too slick, like a snake wearing a mask. But... ¡°What¡¯s going on with your leg?¡± Ivan took a step forward, reaching for Brian¡¯s thigh, ¡°Look at these developed quadriceps and hamstrings, buddy, weren¡¯t you supposed to have a fracture? I saw your deformed shin and the X-ray myself.¡± Brian dodged Ivan¡¯s groping hand, ¡°You guys handle Rechter, I¡¯ll go check on the team leader.¡± Old Hardenn shook his head, ¡°Armed soldiers are guarding the place; we can¡¯t get in.¡± Brian smiled, ¡°Maybe they¡¯ll let me in because I¡¯m handsome...¡± Saying this. Brian flaunted his watch in front of the soldiers at the door. The four fully armed soldiers nodded at Brian and stepped aside. Chapter 69 - 69 61 Acting Team Leader New Case ?69: Chapter 61 Acting Team Leader, New Case 69: Chapter 61 Acting Team Leader, New Case Smack smack~ As soon as he entered the room, Brian heard the sound of smacking and eating. Hearing the noise. Dressed in a hospital gown, Susan sat cross-legged on the bed with her mouth stuffed like a hamster, looking bewilderedly toward the door. Could it be the FBI coming over... Wouldn¡¯t that be awkward? Only after seeing clearly that it was Brian did Susan breathe a sigh of relief and started to chew again with loud smacks. Brian sat at the head of the bed and considerately poured a glass of water, handing it over to her. After drinking the water. Susan patted her stomach contentedly, ¡°I was starving, those FBI people are really annoying.¡± ¡°Why did they suddenly start shooting?¡± Brian asked, puzzled. Susan looked tough, but she wasn¡¯t really brainless. ¡°I did it on purpose.¡± Susan shrugged her shoulders: ¡°Actually, as soon as I learned that the female victim could be from the FBI, I knew we couldn¡¯t hold onto this case. But I had promised the K9 unit that I would personally execute the bomber, so I looked for a chance to lash out on purpose. This is what my father taught me.¡± With that. She mimicked her father in a playful manner, hammering her mouth with her right hand and coughing, imitating his speech: ¡°Susan, my daughter. If you find it hard to solve problems through communication. Then just flip the table. To protect what¡¯s on the table. Others will change their attitude.¡± Brian: ¡°Well, your father must be a very wise man.¡± Susan nodded, ¡°Yes, he¡¯s my idol. Except for when it comes to choosing a partner, I usually listen to my father. He¡¯s a very sensible and kind-hearted man.¡± ... They chatted for a while. A phone call interrupted their conversation. After Susan hung up the phone, her previously laughing face darkened. She let out a sigh of frustration and looked at Brian: ¡°The FBI doesn¡¯t want to let go, and they¡¯re refusing to coordinate. Because the target who escaped is a Lurker the FBI has been watching for over a decade, and his abilities are miraculous. Plus, the guy who killed that female field agent has been identified. The murderer is an S-class Mutant wanted by the FBI for a long time, named Scarecrow, with distinctive killing traits. Just didn¡¯t expect he had joined the Doomsday Sect where the Transformer is part of. They must have come for the Lurker the FBI was after too.¡± Brian was somewhat confused: ¡°What¡¯s a Lurker, what¡¯s a Doomsday Sect?¡± ¡°A Lurker is what the FBI¡¯s Hunting Team calls some mutants with potential,¡± Susan said, a look of disdain flashing in her eyes. ¡°To get quality Mutant material, they observe and study those mutants while their abilities are weak, allowing them to commit crimes, until the right time to harvest them.¡± ¡°Allow crime?¡± Brian was somewhat surprised, but not overly so. A Federation that could use citizens as guinea pigs for testing vaccines and other drugs wouldn¡¯t be surprising if it did many things. ¡°Yes, allow crime, because that way Mutants can grow rapidly,¡± Susan sighed. ¡°Some people dislike this but are powerless because the say mostly lies in the hands of those old immortals who are the ones most in need of various miracle elixirs.¡± As a default. Anyone who dared to oppose openly would be torn to shreds. Seeing Susan¡¯s low spirits. Brian could only change the subject, ¡°What about the Doomsday Sect?¡± Susan came back to her senses: ¡°It¡¯s a sect formed by Mutants. The Blood Moon has appeared three times. In the early years, some Mutants themselves were highly learned, even high-ranking officials of the Z government. Informed, they realized something was amiss and started to lie low, then used their influence to secretly build a sect that continuously recruits powerful Mutants. There are actually quite a few such covert organizations in the shadows. But the Doomsday Sect is the largest one. At present, almost all of the Federation¡¯s S-class fugitives are members of it.¡± After listening to Susan¡¯s explanation. Brian stroked his chin, ¡°So, are you still getting involved in this case?¡± Susan shook her head: ¡°You¡¯ve already been lucky to kill the Transformer. The FBI is afraid that Straw Man might also be snatched by us. There¡¯s also that Lurker who is valued by two S-ranked fugitives; it¡¯s probably very unusual. The NW organization says, if we continue to get involved, people from the FBI might employ some special means. There¡¯s no way I could implicate you all for the sake of venting my anger. It¡¯s just that I feel somewhat sorry for the members of the K9 unit.¡± Hearing this, Brian breathed a sigh of relief. He suspected that the people from the FBI, valued the runaway female mutant much more than the S-ranked fugitive Straw Man. It was simple. In veterinary Laura¡¯s death memory, her initial target was the middle-aged woman, not the girl. Susan had also said that the FBI would only make a move against the Lurkers they were focused on. This meant that. The information that veterinary Laura had received was likely accurate. Then why did Laura make a mistake? The reason was simple. That female mutant who appeared young was probably already in her forties or fifties! Longevity or rejuvenation? Brian wasn¡¯t sure. But he suspected the FBI¡¯s firm stance was likely due to the feedback discovered from veterinary Laura¡¯s information. Tsk. Under such circumstances. Forget about Susan wanting to get involved. If the NW organization knew the details, they would likely want to interfere, and he guessed that the FBI¡¯s people would be unabashed in choosing to engage directly. ... ¡°Well, the abilities of mutants are too strange. Now that the case has been taken over by the FBI, we¡¯ve also lessened the risk of retaliation,¡± Brian comforted, ¡°Team leader, we can¡¯t handle the matters of the bigwigs, but at least we can ensure the peace and stability of our area.¡± ¡°The problem is, the higher-ups told me to rest in the hospital for a while to avoid the limelight.¡± Susan fiercely bit into an apple, ¡°I plan to appoint you as the acting team leader.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Our office space has been prepared, and the necessary equipment has been replenished. The center should issue us a new case in the next couple of days; as the first case for our group after becoming regularized, I hope it can be completed quickly and cleanly.¡± Susan wiped her mouth, ¡°Right now, I understand you the best in the squad. I¡¯ll be more at ease with you leading everyone temporarily.¡± Brian had been considering taking the lead on a case. He nodded, ¡°Okay, I will handle it. Do you have anything else to instruct?¡± ¡°Be ruthless!¡± Susan looked into Brian¡¯s eyes and said earnestly: ¡°Under the Blood Moon. Even some children might do something drastic. When you are leading the team to investigate, never let appearances deceive you. If something feels off, just shoot. I¡¯d rather write a couple of extra reports later than to have you return to a reduced team when I come back!¡± Ruthless... Brian nodded somewhat helplessly. He was already so ruthless. And yet Susan was asking him to be even more so. Difficult. ... Two days later. The B6 unit had nearly a month of rest and was finally ready to start work again. The new office was located in the Hollywood Avenue area. It wasn¡¯t very big. It seemed to be converted from a storage company¡¯s warehouse area. Because three... no, two new members had joined, Acting team leader Brian was preparing to pull everyone together for a meeting to get acquainted and then reassign everyone¡¯s main job responsibilities. Just as everyone had sat down, the office landline phone rang. This phone was connected to the reporting center. Meaning. There was a new case. Chapter 70 - 70 62 So thats what the teddy combination means! ?70: Chapter 62 So that¡¯s what the teddy combination means! 70: Chapter 62 So that¡¯s what the teddy combination means! ¡°Brian, an unoccupied house, the homeowner returns to find a dead body in his own home. The deceased carried a driver¡¯s license, an eighteen-year-old boy. The emergency center discovered that his family had reported him missing over a month ago.¡± After hanging up the phone, Old Hardenn relayed the situation to Brian. Brian nodded, ¡°All right, Old Hardenn, you and the two rookies stay in the office; Ivan and I will go check it out.¡± Old Hardenn nodded, took note of the report address on a piece of paper, and handed it to Brian. This time, Susan had recruited three people. Two men and one woman, all support staff. Among them, Rechter was originally intended to be an assistant to the Autopsy Officer for Brian. However, Brian had sent him to the hospital with a kick. A mild concussion + loose lower jaw. He lost a few teeth to boot. Brian thought the man would complain about him to Internal Affairs. After all, this constituted intentional injury of a colleague. He had already prepared to use his merits to barter with people with clout at the base for exemption from punishment. Or if they chose to punish him, by suspending him, he¡¯d conveniently do some part-time work at the hospital, earn some Gift Energy, enhance his body. But Rechter kept playing dead. This didn¡¯t make Brian feel grateful; instead, it made him suspicious. The action yesterday was merely a test. Rechter had a small reputation while at the Forensic Bureau. With Rechter¡¯s qualifications, even joining a few teams from A-Team wouldn¡¯t be a problem. Yet, he had actively sought a third-party reference to join Susan¡¯s unit, B6, to become Brian¡¯s assistant. And after Brian had made his hostility clear and directly injured him, there was no reaction. This was abnormal. Brian had already spent a sum of money in the black market, posting a reward for information on Rechter. But in such a short time, there had been no reply. The other male and female were also logistics. What they specifically excelled in, Brian had yet to ascertain. But it was apparent. Due to Rechter¡¯s incident. These two seemed to have some regrets about joining this B6 team. Brian didn¡¯t care about this. Three-legged toads are hard to find, but there¡¯s no shortage of two-legged humans. If they didn¡¯t want the job, plenty of others did. .. After taking down the address, Brian, driving with Ivan and Glenn in the newly equipped crime scene investigation vehicle, headed to the scene of the incident. On the road, Brian drove. Through the rearview mirror, he noticed Ivan and Glenn stealing glances at him from time to time. Brian chuckled lightly, ¡°Are you curious how my fractured leg healed so quickly?¡± Glenn nodded vigorously, ¡°Yes, very curious. Did you see some ancient witch, or did you use some other method? I mean, I have a friend who needs a good doctor to sort his body out.¡± Ivan laughed heartily, ¡°Give it a rest, Glenn. We¡¯re among ourselves here. You¡¯ve changed nearly fifty or sixty partners during your vacation time.¡± Whoa. Less than a month, and fifty or sixty partners! Brian couldn¡¯t help but take an extra glance at Glenn. No wonder the guy looked so drained. He¡¯s more ferocious than me! Caught out, Glenn didn¡¯t show embarrassment or anger; he just sneered, ¡°You¡¯re not much better off, Ivan. I¡¯ve heard Sailor¡¯s House doesn¡¯t dare let anyone go home drunk anymore because if they do, their backsides hurt.¡± Hiss~ Brian inwardly took a sharp breath of air. Damn. He had felt there was something off about Ivan. Now it was confirmed through Glenn¡¯s words. He interrupted the two as they were about to hurl insults at each other, ¡°Sorry to interject, but may I ask what made you choose to go through the assessment for B-Team instead of directly entering A-Team?¡± Faced with this question, Ivan and Glenn fell silent. After a while. Glenn lit a cigarette and said somewhat melancholically, ¡°It was because of a woman, a beautiful woman. I couldn¡¯t resist.¡± Ivan shrugged his shoulders too, ¡°Okay, I do like men, especially those cool and aloof types. They¡¯re warmer than most people in that spot; I couldn¡¯t hold back either.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this a personal issue?¡±, Brian became even more curious, ¡°I don¡¯t see how this relates to the choices you guys made...¡± ¡°The problem is, they were a married couple, and a couple that came to the police station to file a complaint. I slept with the wife, Ivan slept with the husband, and then, when we went to the hotel, we bumped into each other, and as a result, Ivan and I were both filed against with complaints. This wasn¡¯t the first time. Plus, the complainants had some status. So, after discussing things with the higher-ups, Ivan and I decided to try joining Team B of the NW. Otherwise, without our police detective status as protection, we figured that couple would run us into the ground.¡± Glenn felt helpless. This is a lack of understanding, isn¡¯t it. That couple really had no sense of honor. They were the ones who couldn¡¯t maintain their boundaries, betraying their partners. And then they complained against them, what the hell is that? Brian: ... Damn! That¡¯s brutal! So that¡¯s what the Teddy Duo meant!!! Include me in the mix. Susan really had an eye for picking people... ... Ivan, the muscular man, wasn¡¯t as thick-skinned as his colleague Glenn. He licked his lips, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about these unpleasant things. Brian, it¡¯s your turn to answer us.¡± Brian wasn¡¯t planning to keep things to himself. He simply relayed what Susan had told him about the internal structure of the NW organization, the honors, and the magical medicinal concoctions. As a result, Ivan and Glenn became interested and were full of regret. While the case of the female veterinarian dying miserably in a hotel was happening, they were both busy working hard. As a result, they missed the notification from Old Hardenn and lost the chance to earn honors. ¡°I hope this case is also one committed by those Mutants!¡± Glenn rubbed his hands together and began to seriously inspect his firearm. He... he really needed some medicine to fill in the retaliatory energy expenditure from these past few days. ... Twenty minutes later, the three of them arrived at the reported address. It was an ordinary old neighborhood, where you could see plenty of Black and Hispanic folks on the streets; as you passed by some alleys, you¡¯d see groups of young people gathered together, creating graffiti on the walls, presenting quite the art vibe. The complainant was a white middle-aged homeowner in his thirties. At his side were a male and a female patrol officer. The independent house where the body was found had been cordoned off with yellow warning tape. Some neighbors had gathered around, peeking inside through the tape, seeking a thrill. Honestly speaking, they couldn¡¯t see anything. It could only be said that rubbernecking is in human nature. The three of them went up to understand the situation, ¡°I¡¯m Autopsy Officer Brian from Team B6. Could you tell me what the situation is right now?¡± The female patrol officer, seeing the three men, was visibly impressed. These three guys, each had their own charm! She spoke before her partner, ¡°I¡¯m Daisy from Precinct 65. The homeowner here is Mr. Hafeez. He had been living with his wife in Las Vegas and, worried about running into bad tenants, had left his Los Angeles house vacant. This time Mr. Hafeez came back to Los Angeles for business and intended to check on the house on the way. That¡¯s when he discovered the male corpse inside.¡± Brian briefly inquired the homeowner as well. The man was somewhat agitated and didn¡¯t provide much useful information. Brian didn¡¯t want to waste time, so he left Glenn with the homeowner and the two patrol officers to talk, while he himself, with Ivan, all geared up, entered the house. This was Team B6¡¯s first real case since they were officially in charge. Brian was ready to go all out and start off with a smashing success. Chapter 71 - 71 63 Restless Youth The Cost of Ignorance ?71: Chapter 63 Restless Youth, The Cost of Ignorance 71: Chapter 63 Restless Youth, The Cost of Ignorance Enter the room. A faint stench wafted from the living room. All around, the various pieces of furniture were covered with white cloths. They were laden with dust. Except for the white cloth on the sofa. There were obvious signs of movement on it. ... Because odors are sometimes part of the crime scene, unless dealing with a corpse that was clearly contagious, veteran detectives and forensic investigators wouldn¡¯t usually bother to wear masks. Ivan frowned, sniffing around: ¡°This smell doesn¡¯t seem like a decomposing body.¡± ¡°Correct, it¡¯s the smell of excrement.¡± Brian activated Olfactory Enhancement and took a light whiff. He detected the excrement of four females and one male, likely left over the past two days. The male in question seemed to have some issues, his urine smelled somewhat fishy... Excrement carries unique biological pheromones. And with each phase, the information conveyed by the pheromones changes. So, he could easily discern it. Thus Brian added, ¡°It seems like the excrement of several people grouped together.¡± Ivan: .. He looked at Brian like he was an idiot: ¡°Dude, you can¡¯t bullshit me just because I¡¯m gay.¡± ¡°See for yourself if you don¡¯t believe it,¡± Brian pointed at the sofa covered with the white cloth, then headed towards the master bedroom. According to the homeowner¡¯s statement. The corpse was on the bed in the master bedroom. This turned his stomach. Behind him, Ivan, disbelieving, lifted the white cloth that covered the dust on the sofa. The next moment. ¡°Ugh~¡±, he hurriedly replaced the cloth: ¡°FK, these people are truly disgusting, pulling such stunts in someone else¡¯s home!¡± The sofa unveiled five long streaks, trailing from the backrest to the seat cushion like a waterfall. Ivan could imagine the scene. Several people lined up on the sofa¡¯s back cushions, and then... He looked peculiarly at the retreating figure of Brian. Was this guy nosing around like a dog? Not only could he identify the source of the smell under the sofa from several meters away, but he also determined the number of people involved, including their sexes. Absolutely preposterous! He quickly followed and asked, ¡°Hey, man, how did you sniff out that it was several people¡¯s excrement?¡± ¡°Different diets lead to different scents in metabolic waste, having been exposed to this a lot, I¡¯ve become sensitive to it.¡± Brian answered offhandedly. ... He pushed open the master bedroom door. Brian scanned the conspicuous corpse on the bed, and finding no lingering obsession, he frowned and turned his gaze to the floor. This room, too, was littered with many white cloths. But these were all tossed on the ground. There were clear signs of ransacking in the room. Stuff was strewn about haphazardly. On those white cloths were discarded items: umbrellas clearly used, cigarette butts, beer cans, and greasy skewers. Besides that. The corner¡¯s wall was blackened with soot. More than a dozen bricks, clearly not belonging to this room, were stacked up into a makeshift stove. The intruders had actually barbecued and thrown a silver party in someone else¡¯s master bedroom. Brian took a light sniff with his nose. The air carried a very faint odor of decomposition. And a strong lingering scent of marijuana. After death, under normal temperatures. Rigor mortis begins six hours post-mortem, spreading from localized areas to the whole body, fixing the posture. Twelve hours post-mortem, the body¡¯s internal microorganisms begin to digest the muscles and organs, softening the body once again. Twenty-four hours post-mortem, the body shows signs of marbling, typically in the lower abdomen turning dark green or dirty green, and then spreading to the entire body. Forty-eight hours post-mortem, a large amount of putrefaction gas forms inside the body, leading to increased internal pressure and some blood being forced to the skin¡¯s surface, resulting in putrefaction blisters; some blood may also enter the subcutaneous veins, forming a network of rotten veins. Seventy-two hours post-mortem, with a buildup of gas, the phenomenon known as ¡®post-mortem giant observation¡¯ occurs. Based on these signs, one can roughly deduce the time of death and the state before death, and even by examining the distribution of livor mortis and marbling, in combination with the current posture of the body, determine if the corpse has been moved post-mortem. The room was relatively airtight. The decaying scent on the deceased was very mild. This indicated that the time of death probably hadn¡¯t exceeded 48 hours. ... Brian moved forward to meticulously examine the body for surface characteristics. Ivan also entered the room at this point. He was competent and after a quick scan, confidently said to Brian, who was performing the external autopsy: ¡°I saw at least five people¡¯s activity marks here. They threw a silver party in this room, drank beer, smoked marijuana. Such behavior is typically seen in adolescents. They do things to assert their grown-up status. But usually, this happens at outdoor bonfire parties, not inside someone else¡¯s house. I suspect the participants come from strict families, possibly local residents, which would explain their impulse to sneak into someone else¡¯s house to vent.¡± Ivan knew all too well about some of the high schoolers¡¯ degenerate private lives here. That attitude towards life could extend all the way into their college years and even their work life. Some would end up ruined. Others might come to their senses by their thirties after growing tired of play. This is why many Hollywood movies, or more broadly, American values, affirm the redemption of the prodigal son. Because they¡¯ve all been there. ¡°That¡¯s an excellent conjecture,¡± Brian nodded: ¡°I¡¯ve made some findings here too, there¡¯s no obvious trace of external injury on the victim¡¯s appearance. It wasn¡¯t completely so. His lower body had some bruises and abrasions, suggesting he probably had a very good time before he died. Furthermore, his mouth was slightly open, and the blood accumulation under his eyes indicated he was still in an excited state before he died. To be precise, he most likely overdosed and died suddenly. That¡¯s right. The deceased also had STDs; you could see the syphilis sores just by looking, not to mention what else he might have had.¡± Ivan was indeed very capable, easily deducing psychological profiles from the scene and narrowing down the characteristics and probable identities of the participants. Brian felt impressed. He couldn¡¯t have produced such a psychological profile himself. Those who stand out really do have a few tricks up their sleeves; otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have lasted. Ivan stroked his chin, ¡°Are you saying that this eighteen-year-old kid died from exhaustion because he went to battle with four women at once, along with drinking and smoking marijuana? He wasn¡¯t murdered?¡± Brian nodded, then shook his head, ¡°There¡¯s another possibility.¡± ¡°What possibility?¡± ¡°He was killed by someone!¡± Brian turned his head toward the neatly arranged wedding photo on the bedside, his nose twitching thoughtfully, ¡°First, we need to find the other people who came to this party.¡± There were so many clues left at the scene. It wasn¡¯t going to be hard. ... A few hours later. Four girls, dressed demurely and elegantly, appeared in the B6 group¡¯s interrogation room, wringing their hands anxiously. Their parents were in the midst of a shouting match with old Hardenn and his team. ¡°FK squid!¡± ¡°My daughter has followed the Lord¡¯s teachings since childhood, how could she do such a thing!¡± ¡°It must be a mistake, you bastards, you must be slandering her!¡± The usually quiet office had turned into a noisy marketplace. Bang~ A gunshot rang out. The room went completely quiet. Brian reholstered his gun and said casually, ¡°Sorry, it went off by accident, but I must remind you that if you continue to obstruct our investigation, your children might not be in trouble, but you certainly will be!¡± The two newcomers were gnashing their teeth in shock. Team leader Susan seemed so gentle and beautiful; how could she have such a violent Autopsy Officer under her... ... After calming the agitated parents, Brian and his team began to question the girls separately. Ivan¡¯s inference was extremely accurate. The four girls came from decent, albeit not very wealthy families and were raised with good values and strict discipline. The eighteen-year-old boy who died, on the other hand, was a troublemaker. After his family found out about his involvement in some street-level drug dealing, they argued. In a fit of anger, the boy chose to run away from home. Relying on friends. He mixed with the wrong crowd for nearly a month. But his friends were either too poor or got fed up with him after a while. Out of desperation, he thought of dealing marijuana again. He understood the psychology of his peers very well, carefully selecting four girls who appeared very naive, then approached them, tempted them, and finally, with smooth talk, sold them his marijuana. When full, one yearns for pleasure. The boy who had made some money and saw how easily the girls were deceived, thus, with the girls¡¯ excitement for rebellion and departure from their usual lives, persuaded them to play some ¡®king¡¯ games. Starting with kissing at first, and then later... Two days before. The five of them had played together, and it was the most exciting time they ever had. Because they were tightly supervised at home, after going crazy, the four girls went back home early, leaving the exhausted boy to continue sleeping on the bed. As for his death, they genuinely didn¡¯t know. ... After the interrogation. Old Hardenn approached Brian and said softly, ¡°The test results are in; the deceased had three STDs, including HIV...¡± Upon hearing this, Brian shook his head. Such a long time of unprotected contact. Those four girls would probably not escape it either. Actually, these cases weren¡¯t that common. Because education about STDs here starts early and is relatively straightforward. It was precisely these girls¡¯ families that were very conservative believers. The children were restless during puberty, but due to a lack of education, didn¡¯t know how to protect themselves. This was the cost of ignorant youth. ... Out of humanitarian concern, they still informed these girls and their parents of the situation. Now, not only did they have to compensate the homeowner for the damages, but they were also worried about their children¡¯s health issues. And because of this event, Their homes might very well fall apart. Seeing this, Brian felt somewhat emotional. Regardless of his previous life or this one, the destructive power of a ¡®bad boy¡¯ on naive girls was not to be underestimated. He turned his head and clapped his hands at the spectators, ¡°Alright, everyone, let¡¯s bring the homeowner back. Although I sympathize with what he¡¯s been through, murder is murder; we¡¯ll just have to take him for our performance.¡± Ivan, Glenn... and the rest stared at Brian in astonishment. The case was so clear now. Was Brian really trying to take the innocent, unlucky homeowner to boost their performance? Chapter 72 - 72 64 Admit Guilt ?72: Chapter 64 Admit Guilt 72: Chapter 64 Admit Guilt ¡°Mr. Hafeez, are you still satisfied with our investigative speed?¡± Interrogation room. Brian placed a cup of coffee in front of the previous homeowner and victim, Hafeez. Hafeez glanced involuntarily at the surveillance camera¡¯s unlit light above the room, picked up the coffee cup, and forced a smile on his unpleasant face, ¡°Faster than I imagined. Thank you all, I feel my annual taxes are well worth it.¡± The issue with the deceased had been resolved. The house cleaning fee had been compensated. And there was a sum for emotional distress. He was indeed very satisfied. Seeing this, Brian chuckled and nodded, ¡°Nowadays, kids are really getting worse, I remember when I was a child...¡± The two of them started to chat casually. ... Outside. Ivan and a few others were sitting in the conference room, watching the hidden surveillance in the interrogation room, somewhat baffled. ¡°What is Brian doing?¡± Glenn asked with a puzzled face. ¡°I feel like this Hafeez doesn¡¯t seem to have any problems.¡± Ivan listened to their reminiscent chat and seemed thoughtful. He seemed to know why Brian thought Hafeez was a problem. Old Hardenn was kindly explaining to a new male and female detective, ¡°This is an interesting interrogation method, you could learn something...¡± Glenn, not pleased with Old Hardenn, looked aside, ¡°Learn what? Chat about some trivial matters from their childhood?¡± Old Hardenn touched his pendant, ¡°Yes, if you want to open up a middle-aged man¡¯s heart and you¡¯re not sure of his interests, evoking his memories is the best way to do it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s hilarious, what does Brian need to open up a middle-aged man¡¯s heart for...¡± Glenn thought Old Hardenn was getting senile. He wanted to say more but was immediately silenced by Ivan covering his mouth, ¡°Shush, watch the surveillance!¡± Everyone promptly turned their attention back to the surveillance. ... After a casual chat, Brian abruptly changed the subject, ¡°Mr. Hafeez, I¡¯ve enjoyed our talk; you must be a good elder. But there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask your advice on.¡± Hafeez, holding his coffee cup, looked puzzledly at Brian, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I had such an interesting conversation with a young person like you. Go ahead, I hope my life experience can offer you some good advice.¡± Brian nodded then suddenly leaned forward, getting close to Hafeez¡¯s face, ¡°What device did you use to get a large amount of tetrahydrocannabinol into the body of the deceased?¡± Tetrahydrocannabinol is the main ingredient in the drug marijuana. It can be simply understood as nicotine in cigarettes. Excessive consumption poses a risk of sudden death. Hafeez¡¯s grip on the coffee cup stiffened. His eyes changed in an instant from a kind elder to a wary stranger, ¡°Sorry, what are you talking about?¡± Brian stood up, took a photograph from the table, and put it in front of Hafeez, ¡°The marks on the sofa are clear. Why, when you saw the body, did you not mention the marks on the sofa? You didn¡¯t mention it at first, and just now, when recalling the bad kids, you kept your mouth shut about this as well. Are you subconsciously trying to cover up your criminal motive?¡± Smack! Hafeez slammed the table, ¡°What in the world are you talking about? Is this an interrogation? If so, please turn on the surveillance in the interrogation room; I want my lawyer to come over!¡± ¡°Calm down, calm down...¡± Brian raised his hand to soothe, ¡°I know you¡¯re anxious, but please don¡¯t be hasty right now. Mr. Hafeez, there¡¯s one thing you must understand. No matter how careful you are, there will always be traces left from what you¡¯ve done. I guess you used some kind of spray device. In such a short time, you probably haven¡¯t dealt with your stuff yet. There should be a lot of residue left to check.¡± After finishing. Brian didn¡¯t give Hafeez the chance to retort, putting another photo in front of him: ¡°This is a wedding photo from your master bedroom. It¡¯s clear, you love your wife very much. So, when you saw the deceased sleeping on your bed, using it as a footstool, you were very angry. The master bedroom is a cozy place. There are many loving memories of you and your wife here. The deceased desecrated your love and memories. Plus the previous couch incident. So you came up with a way to let off steam...¡± Hafeez¡¯s face darkened and he remained silent. The friendly exchange they just had seemed like an illusion. Damn it! He realized that the previous friendly conversation was just to confirm his criminal motive. He had miscalculated. ... Seeing Hafeez not speaking. Brian wasn¡¯t in a hurry. He tapped on the table in front of Hafeez, ¡°Actually it¡¯s not hard to guess the tool, the most common spray device accessible to ordinary people is an atomizer, and to extract tetrahydrocannabinol from marijuana, one would need...¡± Bang~ Hafeez suddenly stood up, knocking the chair to the ground with a loud crash. He glared at Brian fiercely, ¡°Cut the crap. If you¡¯re going to correct me, then bring a search warrant and find evidence. Otherwise, you¡¯re just wasting our time. I was a cop when you were still in diapers, kid!¡± ¡°So it¡¯s former Detective Mr. Hafeez.¡± Brian nodded, ¡°You may leave. But I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Hafeez. I just heard from a colleague that Los Angeles has recently seen a rise in thieves. Maybe one will visit your luggage as soon as you leave. But don¡¯t worry. My colleagues are elite. They¡¯ll quickly catch that thief for you. However, just to be safe. We¡¯ll have to inspect the items first, to ensure the thief hasn¡¯t left any harmful substances on them before returning them to you. No need to thank us. As a member of Los Angeles law enforcement, that¡¯s what we¡¯re supposed to do!¡± Brian, who had been in contact with the Kamor family from a young age, knew very well how police operated over twenty years ago. He believed his words would awaken Mr. Hafeez¡¯s ¡®conscience.¡¯ ... ¡°You...¡± Hafeez was so angry his lips were trembling. His dead memories started to attack him: Back then, he was just an old rookie transferred from patrol to the Detective Bureau. The first thing his predecessor taught him was not to let regulations tie him down. To catch criminals, one must be even more shameless and ruthless than the criminals! His first case involved bending the rules. They had already identified the killer, but couldn¡¯t find the evidence. Without evidence, they couldn¡¯t apply for a search warrant to legally collect the suspect¡¯s DNA as crucial evidence for conviction. So they faked a search warrant. Get on the bus first, then buy a ticket. Hafeez remembered the conversation from that time very clearly: ¡°Where¡¯s the search warrant?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no warrant, just a bluff.¡± ¡°What if they don¡¯t cooperate?¡± ¡°Simple. If they get hurt, we can collect the evidence.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that against the rules?¡± ¡°What rules? What¡¯s our duty? You suspect, you investigate. If they don¡¯t cooperate, you pressure them. If that doesn¡¯t work, you take them down. Who cares about breaking rules? If you¡¯re even scared of complaints, how can you call yourself a detective?¡± From then on, Hafeez knew how to become a qualified detective. But that was all in the past. These rule-breaking practices, if done often enough, would backfire. Sooner or later, you encounter a ghost. Eventually, he was forced to resign. ... Brian did not interrupt Hafeez¡¯s reminiscing. In fact, he hadn¡¯t found any evidence at the scene or deduced all this because he smelled an excessive marijuana odor inside the nostrils of the deceased. This was abnormal. Marijuana is usually smoked in a joint, at most leaving a trail passing through the nasal passages when puffing and exhaling, not inhaled through the nose and exhaled through the mouth... Besides that, Brian also smelled the odor of the deceased¡¯s feet on the wedding photo at the crime scene... The wedding photo had been neatly arranged at the scene. Combined with some observations, he decided to bluff Hafeez. Of course, Brian¡¯s reasoning wasn¡¯t wrong either. As a former professional, Hafeez should know what to do to be more favorable to himself. ... In the end, Hafeez confessed on his own. He never expected that he was just coming back to take care of something. And now, well, he can¡¯t go back... Chapter 73 - 73 65 Glenns Integrity Protection Action ?73: Chapter 65 Glenn¡¯s Integrity Protection Action 73: Chapter 65 Glenn¡¯s Integrity Protection Action 5:30 PM. Brian tossed the burned interrogation room videotape into the toilet and watched it flush down before returning to the conference room. What Hafeez said was not wrong. Such evidence is only admissible in court under legal circumstances. For example, notifying about surveillance. Or having at least two personnel involved in the interrogation to prevent false accusations, etc.. Although NW organization often has a lot more authority, cases not involving Mutants are treated just like any others, with random checks by the internal affairs department to ensure the team¡¯s ¡°cleanliness.¡± But most of the time, it¡¯s a case of no one reporting, no officials investigating. Meaning, if you understand these twists and turns, you know how to safeguard your interests. If you don¡¯t, and you encounter that kind of lousy detective, then I¡¯m sorry. Your name ought to be included in the annual performance report. This also results in some citizens who have been wronged, often knowing more about the law than the detectives and patrol officers handling the cases... Brian had Ivan and others watch the live footage in the conference room not because he intended to use it as evidence to trap himself but to showcase his strength. Although Susan had verbally appointed herself as the acting team leader, if she wanted to justify her role, showcasing strength was the only way. ... Sure enough, when he returned to the conference room, the way people looked at him had completely changed. Respect and recognition were added to their gazes, including the two newcomers. You can be bad, but you cannot be incompetent. That¡¯s the survival rule in law enforcement. Brian looked at everyone and clapped his hands: ¡°Alright, guys, as our team leader Susan is currently in the hospital for some medical reasons, and with the cases in Los Angeles increasing by the day, we need to clearly define our job scopes to operate more efficiently. Plus, we have two newcomers. Let¡¯s reintroduce ourselves.¡± No need to mention the veterans. The two newcomers, a male and a female, introduced themselves. Actually, only Brian was unfamiliar with them. The male newcomer, Ali Hoy, was 32 years old, Brazilian, seemingly shy, wearing old-fashioned glasses with a noticeable beer belly, and stammered somewhat, apparently not much of a talker. Surprisingly to Brian, such an unremarkable guy turned out to be a Weapon Expert. Ali was proficient in all the common firearms on the market, understood their mechanics, performance, and could modify them independently based on needs, providing substantial help either in terms of firepower support or in investigating shootings. Besides, Ali was also familiar with vehicles, stating he could modify the existing vehicles of the B6 team to be safely and powerfully equipped, eliminating worries about future pursuits and combat situations. Altogether, he was genuinely a skilled talent. The female newcomer, Edna Burton, looked somewhat cute and petite, more lively than Ali. Edna was more ordinary. She was a clerk at the police station before, but after witnessing the former chief¡¯s misconduct with a male subordinate, she faced backlash and rumors, making her life difficult. After learning NW organization was recruiting, she sent in her re?sume?, and Susan had brought her over to be a secretary and receptionist. She and the old Hardenn would take over the follow-ups of previous cases. ... After the meeting, everyone clearly understood their future responsibilities. Until Susan returned, Brian, Ivan, and Glenn were responsible for front-line examinations and investigations of cases. Old Hardenn stayed at the police station. Wherever needed, that¡¯s where he¡¯d be. The female newcomer Edna, following Old Hardenn, assisted with various documentation and case follow-up handovers. Weapon Expert Ali took care of the ammunition supplies and several vehicles retrieved by the B6 team. Brian actually suspected Susan recruited Ali solely for personal service, but considering the terror exhibited by the former Transformer, enhancing the firepower of the team was indeed necessary. At least now, his vehicle hid a large-caliber shotgun capable of bursting a brown bear¡¯s skull in one shot, along with some explosives and an automatic rifle. ... Once roles were clearly divided, it was time to clock out. Glenn suggested everyone go to a bar to unwind. Ivan and Old Hardenn strongly agreed. NW paid biweekly salaries with bonuses attached. Tomorrow was payday. Everyone was eager to spend. Brian hesitated. He still wanted to look up information on Transformers and fulfill their second obsession. In addition, he also wanted to investigate the matter regarding his uncle. And there was Doggie Shi San. The life of a dog, saved only after thirteen times of blood and sweat. And now, not a single hair of the dog was to be seen! He really had a lot of things to handle. But considering the cultivation of team cohesion, Brian agreed to it. Last time they gathered for a meeting, they almost got blown up. This time... It shouldn¡¯t go wrong, right? The AB teams of NW¡¯s front-line groups had taken on the responsibilities of the Detective Bureau¡¯s Robbery and Homicide division. But there were some differences. Like duty shifts. Normally, personnel for duty shifts needed to be scheduled. NW didn¡¯t need to. Because outside of business hours, if a murder happened in their jurisdiction, the reporting center would notify the nearby patrol officers first. After confirming the nature of the case, they would report it again and then directly contact the team members. Thus, all they needed to ensure was that their phones were operational. Brian seldom visited bars. Glenn and the others were regulars. They arrived at a bar recommended by Glenn and Ivan. Glenn, this guy, began displaying his true nature. He noticed a figure at the bar with a broad back and a slim waist chatting with another blonde beauty and his eyes lit up, ¡°Wow, beauties stick with beauties, that figure, sizzling... Guys, excuse me for a moment.¡± After saying so, Glenn wiggled his hips twice and ran over. Everyone: .. The style changed so quickly. Glenn¡¯s best buddy, Ivan shrugged and explained, ¡°Glenn has a severe ¡®X addiction¡¯; he can¡¯t control himself around beautiful women and will do some bizarre things.¡± Brian rolled his eyes, ¡°I see he¡¯s pretty well-behaved in front of Captain Susan.¡± ¡°In front of the captain¡¯s twin revolvers, anyone with a brain knows to restrain themselves,¡± Ivan rolled his eyes too, ¡°In fact, the first time everyone met, he jerked off several times intentionally to not act strange during the meeting.¡± Brian: ... No wonder Glenn was so quiet back then. It turned out he was in a post-event state. The two newcomers, hearing their conversation, exchanged glances, increasingly feeling something was off. It felt like they boarded the wrong ship... Now, it was still early, and the bar wasn¡¯t crowded. The group picked a seat close to the bar, ordered some drinks and snacks, and started chatting casually. Glenn, however, began to question his life choices. He approached as usual, tapped the ¡®beautiful¡¯ broad-back-and-slim-waist¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Hey, darling, why don¡¯t you turn around and spend a lovely evening with me?¡± Broad-back-and-slim-waist turned around, revealing a delicately soft face under the light. He eyed Glenn¡¯s handsome face and nodded in satisfaction, replying with an equally rugged voice, ¡°Why not, no problem, babe. Do you like brandy?¡± Glenn, hearing the voice, started to question his life. His eyes widened as he noticed the other¡¯s more prominent Adam¡¯s apple moving up and down, then glanced at the tightly stretched shirt below it, losing some confidence, ¡°A man?¡± The other person shrugged, ¡°Could be a woman, depends on what you prefer.¡± Glenn¡¯s face changed. He brushed away the hand that was grabbing his arm and exclaimed in panic, ¡°Get lost, you cross-dresser!¡± To Glenn¡¯s insult. The other person didn¡¯t take it to heart, just swept a regretful glance over Glenn¡¯s face, preparing to turn away. Looking at the other person¡¯s soft chin and slim waist under the light. And again over the other¡¯s broad chest. Glenn gritted his teeth, somewhat unwilling to give up, ¡°Wait! Before the surgery or after?¡± ¡°Before.¡± ¡°FK! Get lost! You cross-dresser!¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± The beauties nearby, listening to their conversation, were already holding their bellies, laughing. Glenn¡¯s eyes lit up and he leaned closer... When Brian and the crew were about to leave after a very enjoyable chat, they realized Glenn had disappeared. They asked the bartender. Only to find out he was carried away by someone after being made drunk. The bartender smirked, ¡°The people who took him seemed to be two cross-dressers; they often hunt for prey here.¡± Ivan¡¯s expression changed upon hearing this, ¡°Made drunk? Impossible, Glenn drinks even better than I do!¡± Brian: ... Damn! This time at the bar, there was no explosion incident. But the issue was, Our buddy Glenn¡¯s in trouble. What kind of situation was this? To protect Glenn¡¯s virtue from being taken, Everyone had no choice but to follow the bartender¡¯s clues and chase after them. Hopefully, they were in time... Chapter 74 - 74 66 News of the Bloodbath Gang ?74: Chapter 66 News of the Bloodbath Gang 74: Chapter 66 News of the Bloodbath Gang Based on the information provided by the bartender, Glenn was dragged out of the bar by two people more than half an hour ago. Glenn and Ivan were regular customers of this bar. The bartender spoke with obvious schadenfreude, probably having disliked Glenn for a long time; otherwise, under normal circumstances and for the sake of business, he would have at least informed Ivan. Over half an hour. Calculating the time. Glenn was probably turned into an ¡°O¡± by now. Not to mention the lack of nearby surveillance and the possibility that the perpetrators had a car. The chances of finding him were slim. ¡°Ho ho ho~,¡± Old Hardenn said to Ivan with glee, ¡°Ivan, buddy, looks like you and Glenn can elevate your relationship now.¡± ¡°FK squid!¡± Ivan didn¡¯t give Old Hardenn any face, grabbing him by the collar and lifting him up forcefully. Old Hardenn, caught off guard by Ivan¡¯s immediate hostile reaction, desperately looked to Brian, the acting team leader, for help. Brian shrugged his shoulders, ¡°Alright, put down Old Hardenn. Don¡¯t forget, we still have the locator watches.¡± According to NW¡¯s operational protocols, it was forbidden to remove the watches during work hours. Glenn was still wearing his watch at that time. Hearing this, Ivan let go of Old Hardenn and looked at Brian, ¡°Brian, hurry up, I don¡¯t hope for my brother to become a stir-shit stick in the future. It¡¯s not fun.¡± Brian looked at Ivan curiously, nodded, took out his phone, and dialed the NW base. To protect privacy, the location feature couldn¡¯t just be accessed at will. This required authorization from the base. ... A moment later, Brian received the feedback. According to the locator, Glenn was taken to a residential area three kilometers away. That area was a community, usually under surveillance, making it easy to find two residents with a distinct impression. Location confirmed. Without hesitation, everyone got into the car and rushed over. After arriving at the community, Ivan knocked on a household¡¯s door, familiar with the procedure. Using his police status, he easily obtained the accurate address of the transgender individuals. At that time, Glenn had regained a bit of consciousness from his groggy state. ¡°So cold...¡± He wanted to stretch out his hand in a daze, to cover himself with something. The next moment, his groggy senses snapped to clarity: Why can¡¯t I move my hands? His career as a detective had given him a considerable mental fortitude. Glenn didn¡¯t panic or struggle recklessly. He began to assess his own condition. Glenn found that in addition to his hands and feet being tied up, he could not see clearly even with his eyes open, probably because they were covered, and there was a small fruit stuffed in his mouth. His entire body was arranged in a kneeling position with his lower body in the air and head down. This feeling was familiar. Kneeling... with an apple stuffed in the mouth... ¡°FK, don¡¯t tell me I¡¯ve been mistaken for a suckling pig about to be roasted!¡± Glenn could no longer remain calm. He began to attempt an escape. But beyond rocking back and forth, it was completely futile. Only then did Glenn realize in horror that there was a rigging mechanism above, connecting his limbs. The person who tied him up was definitely an expert. The possibility of self-rescue was not great. ¡°I hope when they see my police badge, those two bastards won¡¯t dare to make a move...¡± Glenn was becoming desperate. ... Outside the room, the two transgender individuals who had been drinking with Glenn were holding glasses of red wine, watching Glenn¡¯s struggles. It was evident. The room, modified with an observation hole, was lined with hooks and ropes all over the interior. Cameras were arranged around Glenn at every angle. Clearly, the work of professionals. One of them, the ¡®beauty¡¯ who could mimic a woman¡¯s voice, fiddled with a police badge and said to their companions in a slightly magnetic voice, ¡°We¡¯ve nabbed a cop, what do we do?¡± Their companion grinned, ¡°It¡¯s good to nab a cop. When we leave this place, attach his ID information, and the video will sell for more. With that leverage, he wouldn¡¯t dare speak out. Otherwise, how could that bartender possibly let us hunt on his turf?¡± Turned out, the bartender was also a victim. Amidst the true and the false, one could never be too cautious. But the bartender was no saint, either. He knew Glenn¡¯s identity, and that Brian and the others had come together, yet he didn¡¯t warn the two transgenders, perhaps not without the thought of using Glenn to get rid of these two nuisances. The transgender playing with the police badge was persuaded by their companion. Licking their lips, they said, ¡°Alright, to be honest, it¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve seen such fine prey. We have to make the most of it today. I suggest we tame him and make him join us.¡± ¡°Seeing one loser after another scream and cry brings such a thrill to my heart.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± The companion agreed. Indeed. Once a victim turns into an aggressor, they can become far more ruthless. While laughing and chatting, the two began to prepare the banquet¡¯s kitchenware and soon finished. They entered the modified room, turned on the cameras, pulled off Glenn¡¯s blindfold, and laid out various items in front of him. When Glenn¡¯s sight was restored, he saw a mess of items placed before him. Especially with cameras behind. He first let out a sigh of relief, but then could not help but start to struggle. Glenn realized what was about to happen. Good news: He wasn¡¯t going to be a spit-roasted pig. ... ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± As it seemed inevitable his dignity would be compromised. Bang~ Along with the roar of a shotgun. Brian, with a shotgun in hand, charged in with a group of comrades. And then... Everyone saw a man with a large syringe resembling a dead otaku with chest hair, playing with an expander as another delicate, long-haired man steadied a tripod, Glenn like a little pig on a table, and an array of unspeakable props scattered across the floor... ¡°Oh, God...¡± The only female rookie, Edna, seeing the scene, quickly covered her eyes with her palms, which she opened wide between her fingers. The others also opened their mouths in shock. Not daring to imagine what would have happened to poor Glenn had they arrived a moment later. Seeing his friends come to his rescue, Glenn didn¡¯t feel happy but instead closed his eyes in pain. Men shed blood before they shed tears, but it¡¯s all in due time. A tear. Slid down from the corner of Glenn¡¯s eye. ... Seeing the violent entry and Brian with the shotgun, the two perverts immediately realized what had happened. Without a word, they lay flat on the ground, legs crossed and hands placed behind their backs, ready to be slaughtered. They clearly had studied the police¡¯s way of operating quite thoroughly. Giving no room for violent law enforcement. But they were still too naive. Ivan looked at the miserable Glenn. His eyes glinted fiercely, ¡°You two bastards...¡± He strode over and immediately knelt on one¡¯s neck, ¡°I am going to search you now!¡± Ivan was tall and muscular, easily weighing over two hundred pounds. With his knee pressing down, the prisoner couldn¡¯t breathe. Seeing their companion¡¯s plight, The other delicate, long-haired man immediately pleaded, ¡°Pull him off! I know about a big case. Let us go, and we¡¯ll tell you about a big case. About the Bloodbath Gang!¡± Upon hearing the name of his uncle¡¯s gang, the Bloodbath Gang, Brian immediately stepped forward, pulling the furious Ivan away from the pervert, ¡°Don¡¯t be impulsive, go and save Glenn.¡± Ivan took two heavy breaths before reluctantly moving towards Glenn, who was playing dead with his eyes closed. Brian signaled Old Hardenn to take the two rookies out of the room, then tapped the shotgun in his hand and spoke softly, ¡°Speak up. I want the truth. Otherwise, I cannot guarantee that this shotgun will be free of your fingerprints!¡± Chapter 75 - 75 67 Shi San! ?75: Chapter 67 Shi San! 75: Chapter 67 Shi San! Hiss~ Upon hearing Brian¡¯s words, the effeminate man sharply inhaled. Was he thinking about directly killing them? Ivan, who had rescued Glenn, also looked at Brian with surprise in his eyes. Man, isn¡¯t this a bit too much? Brian gave him a look. Under hesitation, Ivan slightly nodded and pretended he didn¡¯t hear anything. ... ¡°I¡¯ll talk, I¡¯ll talk...¡± The effeminate man didn¡¯t realize this was a threat. They had long considered the possibility of being caught while engaging in their activities, so they closely watched the police¡¯s enforcement efforts and studied various laws, striving to be cultured hooligans. They weren¡¯t afraid of victims calling the police, suing, or anyone who might handle things by the book. The only thing they feared. Were those unreasonable people who only talked through bullets. Because no matter how tough the tongue, it couldn¡¯t withstand a bullet. No matter how thoroughly one might understand the legal system, it¡¯s useless against a corrupt cop who doesn¡¯t play by the rules. So he scrapped certain ideas. The effeminate man confessed honestly: ¡°We haven¡¯t been in Los Angeles long. Because of surgery. We¡¯ve spent all our money. Along with our current state, it¡¯s tough to find normal work. Working the streets could easily lead to dirty diseases. So we thought of this method to make money. It could satisfy our needs and also extort some money from the victims using the videos we took, eventually selling the backup special videos for more money when we leave. We never thought about harming anyone...¡± ¡°Get to the point!¡± ¡°Alright. Our initial targets for our crimes, were actually our neighbors. He is a guy who lived off his parents¡¯ insurance money. We were going to move on him initially. That way we could make some extra cash. But after he got drunk and boasted about recently working for the Bloodbath Gang, we recognized the gang¡¯s name and didn¡¯t dare touch him, so we just let him go.¡± ¡°What exactly did he do?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t recall clearly, something about online phishing regarding blessings, anyway, once he hooked someone, he would lure them to the community where the Bloodbath Gang was, and then the gang would give him some money offline.¡± The effeminate man declared earnestly: ¡°Officer, we¡¯re only after money and lust, we never harm people, but that Bloodbath Gang, I suspect they¡¯re engaging in organ and human trafficking, this is definitely a big deal!¡± ¡°Blessings?¡± Ivan walked over, giving Brian a raised eyebrow. Brian nodded. The two men exchanged a glance and then left the room. The effeminate man was initially puzzled, then a hint of joy surfaced on his face. Could this mean they were going to let them go? The next moment. Heavy breathing came from behind. Glenn was holding a whip, looking at them with a sinister smile... ... Outside the room. Seeing Glenn come out. Ivan went straight up to him and gave him a hug, ¡°Buddy, treat us to a drink, I swear, we¡¯ll keep today¡¯s events under wraps.¡± The rest of them nodded in agreement. But their grinning cheeks, harder to suppress than an AK¡¯s, made the somewhat moved Glenn feel like he wanted to crawl into a crack. ¡°Alright, these two scumbags just revealed some potentially useful information.¡± Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Brian immediately shifted the topic: ¡°Glenn, buddy, you go rest first, take it easy. Old Hardenn, you take care of these two freaks, Ivan and I will check out the accuracy of this new intel.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Glenn looked gratefully at Brian, didn¡¯t say a second word, and quickly made his way out. He needed to heal. Old Hardenn, being an old hand, understood Brian¡¯s intentions right away and immediately made his stance clear: ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll make these two understand what should and shouldn¡¯t be said.¡± Brian nodded. His saying all this without excluding the two newcomers was also a kind of test. If they could adapt to the group¡¯s atmosphere and style of doing things, they would stay. He wasn¡¯t suited. He just left on his own. If it was Holy Mother, he would directly use measures to drive her away. Brian didn¡¯t want to be stabbed in the back by a trusted colleague later. Nor did he want a brain-dead Holy Mother around him. That thing had too much damaging power. He couldn¡¯t handle it. ... Previously, the gunshots Brian had fired to break down the door had attracted quite a stir. However, no residents came out to check what was happening. Even families who had their lights on and were enjoying dinner drew their curtains and turned off the indoor lights when they heard the gunshots. It was the smartest way to avoid trouble. Luckily, before the operation, Brian and his team had given the reporting center a heads-up. Otherwise, there could very well have been an embarrassing incident with fellow officers shooting each other. Just to be safe, it wasn¡¯t until two psychopaths and a bunch of ¡®evidence¡¯ had been taken away by Old Hardenn and the police officers called for support, in the view of many residents, that the community returned to tranquility. Only then did Brian and Ivan quietly approach the neighbor¡¯s house mentioned by the two psychopaths. This community consisted solely of detached houses. There were lawns at the front, and walled backyards. In such communities, residents are required to keep the front lawns tidy and regularly trimmed, or else the homeowners association and property management would send emails notifying fines; however, the backyards enclosed by walls had a lot of freedom. The two had initially planned to just go up and knock on the door. But then Ivan, his ears twitching slightly, suddenly pulled on Brian¡¯s arm, ¡°There¡¯s some movement in the backyard!¡± The two went down the small path to the backyard. The target house¡¯s backyard, enclosed by a wall nearly two meters high, ensured strict privacy. At this spot, Brian too heard a man¡¯s voice and the soft barks of a puppy. The path was dimly lit. Rows of large trees were planted on both sides. The two exchanged glances and started climbing the nearest large tree. After absorbing veterinarian Laura¡¯s side kick skills, Brian¡¯s physique was still the same, but the agility of his legs surpassed that of before. With just a couple of pushes against the tree trunk, he scaled it effortlessly, reaching a height of over three meters. He grabbed the tree trunk and looked towards the backyard in the light coming from there. He saw, in the backyard, a middle-aged Caucasian man with glasses, who looked refined, feeding a large dog. Beside the large dog, three puppies nestled into her bosom, eagerly nursing. Around them were various flowers and plants he¡¯d grown himself. The scene looked quite warm. Seeing this, Brian was about to signal to Ivan to go down and visit from the front door. Just then, it seemed the man felt the big dog had eaten enough. He looked at the pups drinking deeply, swallowed, glanced around subconsciously, then remembered it was his own yard. Without hesitating further, he quickly rushed forward, bending down. Brian¡¯s mouth twitched. This guy, he wasn¡¯t thinking of drinking dog milk, was he? In the next moment, the mother dog eating was sent off, and the refined man with glasses lay down swiftly, gathering all the puppies to his chest... ... Brian: ... Damn. This community really is full of weirdos! He looked towards Ivan in another tree and found him staring, dumbfounded. Brian gently tapped the tree trunk, signaling to Ivan with hand signs to go knock on the front door. Suddenly. ¡°Woof woof woof~¡± A series of short, sharp, and clear barks came from the backyard. There in the yard, a cream-colored puppy, probably only a month or two old, was baring its teeth and constantly issuing childish growls at the big tree where Brian and Ivan were. Brian instinctively looked towards the puppy, then his eyes lit up. He activated his enhanced sense of smell, took a deep whiff, and finally confirmed. This puppy was his own lost dog, Shi San! Chapter 76 - 76 68 The Reason ?76: Chapter 68: The Reason 76: Chapter 68: The Reason This damn dog. It even barks at its own owner! Does it have any appreciation for what I¡¯ve done for it? Brian felt a tightness in his heart. He felt like he had rescued a worthless dog. It didn¡¯t even recognize him. And why is his dog here of all places? Wasn¡¯t it at the veterinary clinic where Laura died, taken away by the killer? Thinking this, Brian promptly warned Ivan, ¡°Draw your gun and be on guard, this person could be very dangerous!¡± After speaking, he kicked off the tree trunk with a deft force, and his body soared into the air towards the fence over a meter away; then, with a parkour-like roll, he descended from the sky and landed right in front of the bespectacled Sven man who was squinting and revelling in the joy of ¡®nurturing¡¯. Hearing the commotion, the man finally opened his eyes in delayed awareness. The puppy Shi San also got frightened by the Brian who descended from above, and hid among the flowers and plants. With big, almost human-like eyes, it first glanced at its new owner who was lying on the ground, then at the suddenly appeared Brian,, hesitantly poked its head out again, getting down on all fours, and began to crawl behind Brian in a belly-crawl. ¡°Who are you...¡± The bespectacled man instinctively covered his chest, watching Brian with his gun in terror, his eyes filled with the awkwardness and fear of being caught doing something bizarre. Seemingly sensing the grim situation of its new owner, the scared Shi San no longer hid, but bravely dashed out, positioned itself in front of the man, and started to bark at Brian in a juvenile yapping. A wave of emotion flickered in the bespectacled man¡¯s eyes. He grabbed Shi San and hid him behind his back, and with righteous indignation told Brian, ¡°You can hurt me, but don¡¯t you dare hurt my dog!¡± ¡°Arf arf arf~¡± Shi San also popped its head out from behind the man and bared its teeth at Brian. Brian: ... Quite a touching man-and-dog scene! Looks like I¡¯m the villain now. Damn it! He hated betrayal the most! This damn dog! A malevolent glint crossed Brian¡¯s eyes, just as he was about to kick it. Shi San seemed to sense danger and suddenly sniffed the air. It lifted its head, its big eyes turning very human-like, and then without hesitation, ran in front of Brian, turned around, and started to yelp at its new owner. The bespectacled man: ... Brian: ... The bespectacled man watched Shi San in shock, his finger trembling as he pointed at it, ¡°Simba, you, you, you...¡± This dog changes sides too quickly!!! ... Witnessing this, Brian laughed. It seemed it recognized him after all. That¡¯s more like it. He felt like a girl who had been wooed back by a lousy boyfriend, feeling much better. Looking at the heartbroken bespectacled man, Brian stepped over Shi San¡¯s body and kicked the man to the ground, ¡°What Simba? This is my dog! Its name is Shi San, a dog I rescued at a great cost. Tell me, why is it with you!¡± ¡°This is my dog!¡± The bespectacled man, heartbroken by the treacherous Shi San, suddenly forgot about the threat of the gun in Brian¡¯s hand and roared as he charged at Brian with a feeble attempt at fisticuffs, teeth clenched in rage. As they say, beyond seven steps, a gun is fast; within seven steps, a gun is both fast and accurate! Bang bang bang~ Three gunshots rang out. Instantly, three bullet holes appeared in front of the bespectacled man. His charging body softened under the shock of gunfire, transforming his onslaught into a kneeling slide, which stopped right in front of Brian, giving him a solid headbutt. The bespectacled man¡¯s courage also dissipated with the sound of gunfire. His head pressed against the dirt of the yard, his hands raised high, ¡°Don¡¯t be impulsive, don¡¯t kill me, your dog, this is your dog...¡± On a tree outside the courtyard. Ivan, holding onto the tree with one hand and clutching his gun with the other, watched the scene in utter astonishment. WHAT? For a dog, two men had drawn guns on each other. What kind of melodramatic soap opera was this? Unfinished canine affection? ... Several minutes later. Rob Red, the bespectacled man, with his hands cuffed, glanced at the dog named Shi San rubbing against Brian¡¯s legs and, with a broken heart, recounted what he had done for the Bloodbath Gang. Originally, Rob was a website maintenance worker for a company. Since his parents died unexpectedly, leaving him a substantial amount of insurance compensation, he had quit his dull job and lived a life of luxury. That money soon ran out. Out of necessity and having no other choice, Rob began to look for work again and somehow ended up being scouted by the Bloodbath Gang. The Bloodbath Gang¡¯s demands on him were not high. Through technical means, he would search for keywords on various forums, find netizens curious about mysterious phenomena, Blood Moons, mutations, etc., and then find ways to draw them into chatrooms, before screening them further. The ones who were selected were lured to Los Angeles under various pretexts, to places provided by the Bloodbath Gang. For this purpose, the Bloodbath Gang would even cover travel expenses for some targets who were short on cash. Rob adjusted his dirty glasses: ¡°There are quite a few people doing this work for the Bloodbath Gang; I¡¯m just one of them. I don¡¯t know the specifics, but I do know that the gang would concoct all sorts of events, offering free health checks for these people. After eating, drinking, and having fun, most were sent back, but a very few...¡± He struggled with himself, but ultimately confessed honestly, ¡°A very few completely lost contact, I mean in the real world. As for their online accounts, they would occasionally be active, but I feel that it¡¯s no longer the same person.¡± Ivan, standing to the side, sneered after hearing this: ¡°You knew something was fishy but still worked for them?¡± Rob didn¡¯t speak. He too had his reservations. But for every person he brought in, he got thousands of dollars. And the work was easy. Eventually, he chose to turn a blind eye to these issues. ... Brian, hearing Rob¡¯s description, had guessed what the Bloodbath Gang was up to! The Bloodbath Gang was founded by his uncle. From his uncle¡¯s various actions, it was feared that the man knew not only about the Mutants but was also preparing to take advantage of the coming Blood Moon to seek out new Mutants in society and then... conduct human experimentation or something else. But whatever it was, Brian felt that without his intervention, his uncle would fall on his own. ¡°Uncle, you may know some secrets, but you probably don¡¯t realize how deep the waters are...¡± Brian remembered at Ace Base, after being irradiated by a machine and in a state of vague consciousness, he had overheard information using his Supercomputer Perception Talent: Lurker number 132! His uncle Billy had long been targeted by the FBI. Thinking of this, Brian felt a tinge of loss. After learning about the existence of Mutants, he began to suspect the real motive behind why his uncle arranged for him to enter the Forensic Bureau years ago. If he had the chance, he actually would have liked to find his uncle and confirm his suspicions from the man himself. Brian cared deeply about this. He was a person lacking affection. Regarding familial love, deep down, he still yearned for it greatly. But now it seemed, he probably wouldn¡¯t have that chance anymore. ... ¡°Brian?¡± Ivan patted Brian¡¯s shoulder: ¡°Buddy, have you thought of something?¡± Brian came back to reality. He nudged away Shi San, the dog fawning at his feet, and gave Ivan a nod: ¡°Yes, this seems to be a case of a private organization collecting Mutants. Report it. As for this person...¡± Brian looked at Rob, who was anxious: ¡°You haven¡¯t told me why Shi San is with you.¡± Ivan perked up as well. He had learned some of the embellished truth from Brian. This dog was involved in the skinning case that the FBI had taken from them. They were all Law Enforcers. Ivan was very upset about FBI agents coming to their Unit B6 and snatching their case! To spite those jerks and possibly earn a merit that Brian had mentioned would undoubtedly be a very satisfying thing to do! ... Rob looked at the little dog who was kicked away by Brian but still kept eagerly approaching, feeling like he was in the position of a new lover being pestered on how he hooked up with someone¡¯s ex, like a cuckolded minotaur clown. He shared his tale of woe with Shi San, the little dog, with a forlorn expression. Chapter 78 - 78 70 Things are getting more interesting! ?78: Chapter 70 Things are getting more interesting! 78: Chapter 70 Things are getting more interesting! Arriving at the address provided for intelligence on the black market. Brian walked openly to the storage locker, entered the code, took out the document bag inside, turned, and left. Such matters are impossible to keep completely secret. For instance, Brian knew that the CIA, the external security organization of the Federation, even sold intelligence on the dark web, earning some extra cash. The number of official organizations fishing for information on the web was countless. But under normal circumstances, no one would break the rules. Returning to the apartment. Brian stood at the door, not rushing inside. Instead, he activated his enhanced sense of smell, capturing the scent distribution around him. This had become a habit of his after being attacked at the cemetery last time. Constant use of enhanced sense of smell would interfere with his normal life and put a great strain on his brain. But turning it on and off occasionally didn¡¯t have any adverse effects. Brian just hadn¡¯t developed a good habit of using it. After suffering once. He had become even more cautious. With the murky scent flooding into his nostrils. Assisted by Supercomputer Perception. Brian quickly categorized these scents in his mind. The next moment. He squinted his eyes, spun on his heel, and walked upstairs to a certain apartment, took out the keys, opened the door, sat down on the sofa, retrieved a small box from beneath the cushion, connected it to the TV stand, and turned on the TV. The screen lit up. The scene from his living room instantly appeared before him. In the surveillance. A man wearing an antique suit and hood sat on the couch that Brian liked to lounge on, fiddling with a dagger in one hand and stroking Fooly, Shi San¡¯s, soft fur with the other. Fooly bared his teeth and wagged his tail fast, looking utterly silly and naive, with no Heart Eye, very affectionate towards people. ¡°Is it him?¡± Recognizing the man¡¯s face, Brian¡¯s pupils shrank. This person was one of his uncle¡¯s confidants, named Jack. Jack was an Executioner of the Bloodbath Gang, operating internally, not publicly, known for his cruel and bloody nature, refusing all firearms, and usually silent and rarely seen. Brian had only seen him twice at the Kamor family gatherings in the past, and had never interacted with him. He only heard about some of his methods occasionally from a cousin. He was someone skilled in ancient forms of punishment. Almost no traitor could withstand his interrogation. The members of the Kamor family had all vanished. As the right-hand man of his uncle, Jack¡¯s sudden appearance at his place. Was an ill omen! ... Turning off the TV. Restoring everything as it was. After erasing any traces of the safe house, Brian took the document bag, returned to his apartment downstairs, pretending to know nothing, and opened the door. Hearing the noise. Both the man and the dog on the sofa looked over. As soon as Fooly saw Brian, he immediately broke away from Jack¡¯s hold and rushed up to Brian. His dog face changed, he bared his teeth at Jack, alerting Brian to the intruder. Seeing this. Jack not only didn¡¯t get annoyed but his eyes lit up. What a flexible and perceptive dog. Truly spiritual! He flicked his palm, and the dagger he was playing with vanished. He waved to Brian, ¡°I¡¯m planning to retire, I¡¯m in a bit of a hurry. Your cousin Fooly asked me to deliver a letter to you.¡± ¡°Fooly?¡± Surprise showed on Brian¡¯s face. As far as he was aware. Jack had always been with his uncle while in New York. Why was he suddenly retiring? Could it be that something unexpected had happened to the Kamor family? Jack did not seem intent on explaining, tossing an envelope onto the table, then stood up and walked towards the door. As he reached the doorstep. He suddenly stepped aside, clearing the space at the door for Brian, and said, ¡°Is the dog for sale? I heard from Billy that you need money, I can offer...¡± ¡°Sorry, not for sale!¡± Brian was on high alert, and his Supercomputer Perception locked on to Jack. Jack glanced at Brian¡¯s stance, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. He nodded, ¡°Alright then, it¡¯s a pity. Oh and, Billy seems to have underestimated you a bit. I hope you can surprise him. I¡¯ve been annoyed with him for a long time.¡± Leaving a cryptic message. Jack didn¡¯t linger any longer and disappeared from Brian¡¯s sight. Brian: ??? What¡¯s all this about... Wasn¡¯t Jack the right-hand man of his uncle Billy? What did these words mean? ... With a foggy head. Brian opened the letter from his cousin Fooly: Brian, my brother. By the time you read this letter, I¡¯ve already gone to find my sister. I¡¯ve broken away from the family. Besides myself, there are other family members who also boarded the plane leaving the United States. The Kamor family has dissolved. Don¡¯t ask me why. I don¡¯t know either. This is our father¡¯s arrangement. I know my father has done some unpleasant things to you. For that, I¡¯m truly sorry. I can¡¯t help you much, I can only give you all the money I have on me. I hope it can be of some help to you. Your brother ¨C Fooly. Below the letter, there was a payment slip. It was a bill for the private medical facility where Brian¡¯s foster parents were, amounting to over 480,000 US Dollars, enough to cover more than a year of their convalescent care. ... ¡°Fooly...¡± Warmth surged in Brian¡¯s heart. Even though he was not in need of the money now. But Fooly¡¯s gesture undoubtedly made Brian feel warmth. He put away the letter and the billing statement. Brian lit a cigarette, deep in thought. Does it feel like Uncle is settling his affairs? Could it be that Uncle Billy has sensed something amiss? And why did his dog end up on the Bloodbath Gang¡¯s turf? There are too few known elements. After much thought, Brian shook his head. He couldn¡¯t make sense of the connections. However, Jack¡¯s last words did give him a bit to ponder. The other party was warning him, to be careful of Billy! Yes, it was a warning. Jack was Billy¡¯s right-hand man when they were in New York, privy to many of Billy¡¯s affairs, so the information was highly credible. There would be no point in lying about such matters. This implied that Uncle Billy was not yet ready to leave him alone! Brian crumpled the cigarette butt, lay back on the sofa, and silently stared at the ceiling. First, he was made to join the Forensic Bureau and nearly became mentally ill. After it was ¡°confirmed¡± he wasn¡¯t a Mutant, they made him join NW without a second word, as cannon fodder for a test, and they never gave him the promised bank card PIN. The family disintegrated, and the family members scattered. No one informed him about it either. Under such circumstances, Uncle Billy still wasn¡¯t willing to let him go. Brian was almost speechless. He shook his head. No matter. Since he had already faced the threat of being buried alive and gone through radiation checks at the NW base, and knew he was just cannon fodder for his uncle, Brian had no intention of letting Billy off the hook either. He was really looking forward to Uncle¡¯s surprised and shocked expression when he found him again! Brian truly couldn¡¯t wait for that moment to come! ... ¡°Woof woof woof~¡± Spirit, the clever little Shi San, seeing that Brian was deep in thought and ignoring him, started to bark dissatisfiedly. Brian¡¯s train of thought was interrupted; he gave Shi San a glare but paid no further attention. He got up, opened the file bag he brought back, and took out the documents inside. The files contained documents and photos. They even smelled of fresh ink. This complete set of information about Rechter was very meticulous. Not only did it include all the public records and history that could be found on Rechter, but it even had photos of his school days and classmates. It was worth the commission of over 20,000 US Dollars in virtual currency! However, most of the information was meaningless. That was until Brian saw a group photo from Rechter¡¯s middle school days with his classmates... ¡°Anna!!!¡± Brian¡¯s eyes locked onto the girl standing next to Rechter, veins popping on his forehead. Rechter was actually middle school classmates with the psychologist Anna, who had illegally treated and helped him multiple times! Thinking back to his own resignation. How his uncle immediately took family members and brought him to the cemetery... Brian clutched the photo, his head slowly drooping, the afterimage of the Blood Moon flickering in his eyes. His mouth uncontrollably curled into a smile. Deception! Again, deception! Things were getting more interesting! Chapter 79 - 79 71 Everyone Must Die! ?79: Chapter 71: Everyone Must Die! 79: Chapter 71: Everyone Must Die! ¡°Whimper~¡± The little dog Shi San, covering his eyes with his front paws, curled up under the sofa trembling violently. The master had suddenly become terrifying. Brian heard the noise from Shi San, and the lingering Blood Moon in his eyes finally faded away. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. The stored Gift Energy inside his body began to enhance every part of Brian. Seconds later. Thirty units of stored energy, leaving just three units for emergency, the rest completely depleted. Under Supercomputer Perception. Brian¡¯s physical attribute score finally reached 1.1. Physical attribute scores use the body state of a 23-year-old who exercises regularly as the baseline of 1. A score of 1.1 indicated that Brian¡¯s muscle, bone toughness, density, and other strengths had all been further enhanced on the prior basis¡ªseemingly insignificant numerically, but in reality, his physical qualities, strength, speed, endurance, had all crossed the threshold of an athlete, easily overpowering an average person, and he could effortlessly beat three or four of his former selves. Brian suspected that once he reached a physical score of 1.2, he could probably toss ordinary people around as if they were toys. After becoming familiar with his body¡¯s state. Fully armed, Brian patted Shi San¡¯s head and left the apartment again. Rechter was in the open. It was not convenient for him to act. Anna was different. ... Nine o¡¯clock in the evening. At Anna¡¯s place. Brian rang the doorbell. After a moment¡¯s wait. A woman, dressed in a sloppy plaid shirt with messy hair, opened the door, ¡°Brian, you come here at this time, are you ready to pay back what you owe?¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m just curious, what exactly is your relationship with Rechter.¡± Upon hearing this name. A flash of shock passed through Anna¡¯s eyes. Her long right leg kicked violently towards Brian¡¯s groin. But Brian¡¯s leg, acting later yet arriving first, went down like an axe, his toes chopping fiercely at Anna¡¯s right leg joint, kicking it inwards, while simultaneously flinging her face down into the room, crashing heavily onto the living room rug. Before Anna could scream. Brian, like a ghostly figure, interlocked his legs rapidly, covering a distance of more than two meters in a flash, and kicked once more, this time against Anna¡¯s temple. Anna¡¯s eyes rolled back, her head hit the ground, and she passed out. Brian did not let his guard down. He took out a piece of white cloth from his pocket, covered Anna¡¯s nose and mouth with it, and after waiting a few seconds, he got up to close the door and pulled out some rope to start tying her up. Having subdued Anna. Brian took out his gun and began to search around the room. Anna, as the unlicensed psychologist he had chanced upon, had helped him on numerous occasions. For instance, with psychological diversion techniques, many items made from contraband raw materials... She was probably the person who knew Brian both physically and mentally better than anyone else. If such a person. Was an enemy. Thinking about it sent chills down Brian¡¯s spine. ... Having visited Anna¡¯s place several times, Brian was familiar with every room. He searched methodically. But apart from some contraband drugs. Brian found nothing of particular interest. In terms of scents... Brian smelled his own hormonal scent. That was a trace from the last time he had made a payment. Fine, he thought, it¡¯s time to eliminate it. When Brian returned to the living room, Anna had regained consciousness and was trying to struggle. ¡°The average person will be out for around three minutes after a heavy blow. Drug effects last about fifteen minutes. It¡¯s only been nine minutes and twenty-seven seconds, and you¡¯re already awake. Anna, you really are no ordinary person.¡± Anna calmed herself down, ¡°Brian, I admit that I¡¯m not an ordinary person, but I really meant no harm to you. Calm down, let me go, and I¡¯ll tell you everything.¡± ¡°As the person who understands me best, you should know what I hate the most!¡± Anna fell silent. It took a while. She finally nodded, ¡°I know, you yearn for familial affection and hate betrayal. I understand you; we had a good relationship before. Believe me, I really have no ill will, and there must be some misunderstanding in all of this.¡± Hearing this, Brian shook his head, ¡°It seems you¡¯re not really a professional psychologist; otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have been foolish enough to mention our past relationship twice. Aren¡¯t you just reminding me over and over that I¡¯ve been betrayed by a friend?¡± The composure on Anna¡¯s face crumbled. Her lips, drained of color, trembled, ¡°I really meant no harm!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡±, Brian placed a cloth bag in front of Anna, ¡°Answer well, and there¡¯s a reward. Get it wrong...believe me, you definitely don¡¯t want to find out what you¡¯ll experience next.¡± Huff huff~ Anna took several deep breaths before tremblingly saying: ¡°Rechter was my middle school classmate, and later he joined the Forensic Bureau. Because of my connection, my father took him on as a student. After my father retired from the Forensic Bureau, he joined a secretive company. He brought me and Rechter into it as well. We were specifically in charge of researching the variables that turn psychotics into Mutants under the Blood Moon. We used you as an observation target, but beyond that, we meant no harm to you.¡± Having heard this, Brian laughed. So he was just a little mouse in their experiment. And this woman still tried to deceive him. As friends who knew each other thoroughly, why can¡¯t you just confess honestly and leave peacefully? Indeed, people never give up hope until they face the end. Brian shook his head, ¡°Wrong answer.¡± Having said that, he opened the small cloth bag, took out a cotton ball, and stuffed it into Anna¡¯s mouth, then he took out an eye speculum, fixed it on Anna¡¯s head to ensure she couldn¡¯t close her eyes, and finally placed a mirror in front of Anna to ensure she could see her own face. ¡°Ugh ugh ugh~¡± Anna realized something terrible might happen next and wanted to beg for mercy, but could only make sobbing sounds. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, you know, my touch is very gentle.¡± Brian comforted by patting Anna¡¯s head, continued to take out a bottle of iodine from the bag, gently disinfected Anna¡¯s beautiful face, and lastly poured the remaining iodine over the handle of a willow-leaf switchblade. Preparation complete. He held the slender knife, and gently traced it across Anna¡¯s cheek, then followed the cut wound to carve circles, trembling his wrist while evenly dispersing the force across the blade¡¯s edge. By the time Anna felt the sharp pain on her face, she horrifyingly discovered that the skin on her forehead, like flaking plaster from an old wall, was half-drooping on her forehead, half hanging down, covering her eyebrows just enough to ensure she could see her own forehead¡¯s twitching muscle fibers through the mirror... Ah ah ah! Anna felt like she was going insane! The agony of skinning. She could bear it. But to watch her own skin being peeled off by someone else! This was a psychological impact beyond what ordinary people could imagine! ¡°No wonder your smile is so infectious,¡± Brian complimented, ¡°The distribution ratio between your frontalis and orbicularis oculi muscles is quite nice, which makes your eyes sparkle when you smile...¡± Brian went on to praise while carefully avoiding the skin around Anna¡¯s eyes, then carefully turned the knife towards the sides. Master-level skinning skills. Kept his hand very steady. Anna helplessly watched her beautiful face become a faceless horror with twitchy bloody muscles and sagging skin. Fearing that Anna would faint from the dual shock of physical and psychological terror, Brian even considerately injected her with a shot of morphine to ensure she could stay focused and admire her current visage. He pointed at the clock on the living room wall, ¡°It¡¯s only 9:20 PM, the night is still long, and my skinning skills are superb, I can ensure you stay conscious to witness yourself shedding your outer layer, revealing the most genuine self.¡± Tears streamed down from Anna¡¯s eyes, staining the wounds, mutating into tears of blood. Seeing this, Brian gently wiped her tears away, his bloodshot eyes puzzled, ¡°Why cry, Anna? I am only this kind to friends. Ordinary people don¡¯t get this kind of treatment.¡± Madman! Madman!! This is a madman! At this moment, Anna deeply regretted joining that damned breeding group! Why study anything else? To study a psychopath! ... Half an hour later. Brian, who had obtained all the information he wanted, proficiently wrapped Anna¡¯s body in a body bag, cleaned up the scene, and after busying himself for half an hour, he still hadn¡¯t reached the study that Anna had talked about. He gently pulled the third book. A heavy bookcase split in two, revealing a small basement that one could see the end of in a single glance. According to the interrogation. Anna¡¯s father was the former Autopsy Officer of the Forensic Bureau ¨C Marquis. After Marquis retired, he was recruited by the FBI¡¯s breeding team and became the person in charge of a project code-named ¡®Divine Revelation¡¯, selecting Lurker No. 132, also known as Brian¡¯s uncle Billy, as the target. Calculating the time. It coincided with before Brian graduated from college. What happened in between is unknown. Anyway, it was then when Brian¡¯s uncle Billy arranged for Brian to join the Forensic Bureau. He became the target for Anna and Rechter to practice on as part of the ¡®Divine Revelation¡¯ project. Marquis¡¯s student, Rechter, became the Forensic Bureau¡¯s eye following Brian. Anna, then, became Brian¡¯s observer. These three people were the responsible team for this Divine Revelation project. ... Looking at his own files, photos, and observation data in the basement... There was even information about his adoptive parents!!! Brian didn¡¯t want to look any further. He couldn¡¯t help but cover his forehead and burst into uncontrollable laughter. Hahaha! Interesting! So interesting! There really was a Truman¡¯s world. And he was the protagonist inside it. Hahaha! Everything is fake! How angry I am! I am truly so angry!!! A mass of dark red mysterious substance, sensing Brian¡¯s violent emotional turmoil, began to animate like little elves, merging into Brian¡¯s emotions. Laughing until hoarse, Brian finally lowered his hands, revealing reddened eyes. He began to seriously clean up the basement¡¯s materials, surveillance archives... From Anna¡¯s mouth. He had learned about the Divine Revelation project, as well as the whereabouts of his uncle and Anna¡¯s father, the old Autopsy Officer Marquis. The night was still young. Everyone must die! Chapter 80 - 80 72 S-Class Wanted Criminal ?80: Chapter 72: S-Class Wanted Criminal? Dead! FBI? Dead! (Please Subscribe) 80: Chapter 72: S-Class Wanted Criminal? Dead! FBI? Dead! (Please Subscribe) From Anna¡¯s mouth, Brian had only just realized that all along, he had been a clown. But a clown has its advantages. At least he didn¡¯t have to worry about his information, being reported to the FBI by Anna and her group. Because in the eyes of these people, he was not an important figure. They had simply considered him to be a test subject with some potential, a diversion in their dull lives. The goal of Anna¡¯s group was singular, and that was the ¡°Divine Revelation¡± project! ... The Divine Revelation project was not about creating gods. Rather, it referred to a potion capable of simulating the changes mutants underwent during awakening¡ªthe ¡°Divine Revelation Potion¡±! According to Anna, the birth of mutants occurred in a thirty-year cycle. Ninety percent of these mutants, without proper guidance and restraint, would, like drug addicts, rapidly lose their sanity in the relentless pursuit of satisfying their desires, eventually dying at the hands of the police or the official Hunting Teams. Their lifespan was only one to two years. The remaining mutants, most of them struggled to survive until the next Blood Moon. The ¡°Gift¡± of the Blood Moon, for these perverts and lunatics, was neither a blessing nor a curse. But there was something magical about the mutants. That was, during awakening, the bodies of mutants underwent wondrous transformation, capable of healing virtually all known diseases, aside from regenerating severed limbs. The aim of the Divine Revelation Potion was to do just that: eliminate the side effects of becoming a mutant, retaining only that near-omnipotent healing factor! In a sense, if someone could develop the ¡°Divine Revelation¡± potion, then that person would become a god to all terminally ill patients. This represented immense wealth and prestige. However, in recent decades, no organization had managed to achieve this. At least, the FBI¡¯s most advanced research had only been able to extract certain rare and special substances from the amniotic fluid of sheep, using the genetic traits of mutants, to create Divine Revelation Class I reagents, artificially producing a small number of congenitally deficient acquired mutants with a very low success rate. For the breakthrough in experiments and collection of data, the FBI had set up cultivation groups in various states across the United States. ... Anna was part of one such FBI cultivation group. Similar groups, Anna had no idea how many of them there were across the entire United States. Their purpose was singular: to exploit the power of the chosen Lurkers, manufacture Divine Revelation Class I reagents, conduct brutal human experiments, collect various data and ¡°raw materials,¡± and when the time was right, let the Hunting Teams handle the chosen Lurkers, reaping the body, wealth, and research outcomes, gaining both fame and fortune. As for Brian, he was just an unlucky guy targeted by his obsessive uncle. Anna only knew that Brian¡¯s uncle stubbornly believed that, with his deliberate guidance, Brian would surely become a mutant. In order for the Divine Revelation project to proceed smoothly, she and Rechter had been monitoring Brian. The result was, Brian hadn¡¯t ¡°awakened.¡± Further observation had followed. Rechter joined Team B6. But that was all per Billy¡¯s coercive demands. Until her death, Anna could never have imagined that this person she saw as a pitiful creature, a plaything, had apparently been bestowed with divine favor; not only did he discover her and Rechter¡¯s anomalies before they did, but his formerly kidney-deficient and overextended body had also become incredibly robust, revealing previously unpossessed combat skills and skinning expertise... ... Brian evenly spread gasoline around the wooden house, utilizing a few candles and cloth to set up a rudimentary mechanical time-delay ignition device. He glanced at the clock on the wall. Eleven twenty-three in the evening. There should be enough time. Hefting the body bag, Brian returned to the stolen car. Behind him. The dark and silent wooden house would, in a little over an hour, turn into a fully engulfed inferno, eliminating the last traces he had left behind... ... His uncle Billy¡¯s new hideout was located on a secluded farm in the suburbs. Brian had a busy night ahead. He had no extra time to deal with the bodies. Anna¡¯s corpse was directly tossed into the trunk of the car. If all went well on this trip, dealing with one body wouldn¡¯t be difficult. If things didn¡¯t go well, there wouldn¡¯t be any need to bother. ... Approaching the farm. The headlights of the car were particularly conspicuous on the pitch-black road. For the sake of concealment, Brian drove the car into a pile of weeds, covering it with vegetation, then he dropped a large backpack on the ground. For a moment. A burly thug wearing a thick bullet-proof vest, a shoulder-holstered, long and heavy bullet chain, with a dozen blasting caps on his belt, and wielding a hefty shotgun, had appeared beside the vehicle. ¡°Feels pretty good.¡± Brian, feeling the security that the cold gun body brought, took out a large bag of pungently smelling powder, sprinkled it all over the car and himself, activated his enhanced sense of smell, and after making sure everything was foolproof, he went back to the path and walked toward the farm on foot. When he was about three or four miles away from the farm. On this land bathed in pure moonlight, far from the pollution of city lights, vast fields of crops began to appear. On the thick, dead branches of trees, a few crows sat unblinking. They curiously sized up the outsider who had suddenly breached their territory. The night wind blew. The tall scarecrows, erected by the roadside and hung on poles, swayed with the wind, adding a touch of horror movie atmosphere to this land. Brian¡¯s gaze shifted from the crows perched on the dry trees at the entrance. He quickened his pace, ready to step into the area wrapped by tall cornfields. Suddenly. Brian stopped in his tracks. His nose twitched, and he violently looked toward the vast cornfields to his left, a dozen meters away. There was the smell of blood! In the next moment. Two figures, covered in fresh blood and breathing heavily, stumbled and fled from the adult-height corn. ¡°We¡¯ve escaped!¡± A woman with a trembling voice, seeing the path that appeared before her, let out an exultant cheer. The other, his face also smeared with blood, revealed a look of joy. They had finally escaped from that pervert¡¯s grasp! They were saved! They were going to be saved! At that moment. ¡°Heehee, are all of you FBI Hunting Team members this trashy? You¡¯re even worse than the woman whose guts I spilled earlier...¡± A sharp voice rose on the empty path. The two poor souls who had just escaped turned in terror toward the direction of the sound. They saw a ¡®scarecrow¡¯ hanging on a pole within the cornfield, who jumped down and started walking towards them with open arms under the moonlight. On the ten fingers that danced under the moonlight, there flickered a cold shine¡ªsharp iron claws! ¡°Scarecrow!¡± The man from the two of them let out a cry of terror, ¡°Are you toying with us?¡± ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t sleep, so I thought I¡¯d have some fun with these FBI dogs you¡¯ve caught,¡± the scarecrow admitted as he approached. He enjoyed watching his prey go from believing they had a new lease on life to the despair that followed. Looking at the scarecrow, an S-class fugitive, drawing nearer. The woman, her face smeared with blood, also wore an expression of despair. She looked at her companion¡¯s back, a ruthless look flashed in her eyes, and she pushed her companion towards the scarecrow as she ran toward the exit on Brian¡¯s side. Behind her, the companion¡¯s screams resounded. ¡°That quickly?¡± Just as the woman thought she too had no escape. Her eyes suddenly lit up, and she yelled toward Brian ahead of her, ¡°Bob, you finally arrived, please come save us!¡± The scarecrow kicked away the corpse torn open by the iron claws, followed the direction of the woman¡¯s shout, and became even more excited, ¡°There¡¯s dessert after the meal, I am so¡ª¡± Bang~ Gunfire spat out. The massive gunshot echoed around. The woman, with a vacant look in her eyes, watched what used to be the standing position of the scarecrow. Only an intact lower half remained, along with countless torn human tissues and a pair of perfect iron claws... ... A single shot had exploded this lunatic who¡¯d appeared suddenly. Brian turned his gaze toward the woman. A shiver ran through her heart. She had only then seen the pig¡¯s head mask on Brian¡¯s head and was taken aback. Bad news! This guy didn¡¯t look like any good sort either! The woman hastily pretended as if by accident, tearing away most of her tattered top, revealing her impressive assets, and in a seductively charming voice, she said, ¡°Thank you, sir, I am Nicole, an FBI investigator, our backup is about to arrive, you...¡± Bang~ Another shot. The rippling gunfire struck among the dense, thicket of cornstalk leaves, disappearing into the wind before reaching five or six hundred meters. The surroundings quieted down once more. Brian, looking at the exploded remains of the woman, was filled with disdain. Using someone else as a human shield. Whether you¡¯re FBI or anybody else! Dead! ... After reloading the bullets. Brian, stepping over the bloodstains on the ground, moved toward the remains of the scarecrow. Above the severed limbs. A small blood-red sphere was slowly forming... Chapter 81 - 81 73 We Are Family! ?81: Chapter 73 We Are Family! To Death! (Please Subscribe) 81: Chapter 73 We Are Family! To Death! (Please Subscribe) ¡°The Scarecrow...¡± ¡°Susan seemed to have mentioned it. According to the state of veterinarian Laura¡¯s death, the FBI has pinpointed the culprit to be either a Transformer or this S-class fugitive known as the Scarecrow. This guy¡¯s getup is pretty frightening to look at...¡± Brian muttered to himself, crushing the Obsession Little Ball floating above the Scarecrow¡¯s remains. A piece of information surged into his mind, ¡®Suppressant! I need suppressant!¡¯ ¡°Suppressant?¡± Brian searched his mind but found no relevant information. The obsession of an S-class Mutant was valuable. Brian couldn¡¯t just let it go. He figured that this obsession, just like the leftovers of the Transformer, would have to be pursued slowly in the future. He glanced at the moon overhead and continued towards the farmhouse. Neither the Transformer nor the Scarecrow was unaffiliated; they belonged to the Mutant Organization¡ªthe Doomsday Sect. The former died in a motel. The latter, after escaping pursuit, appeared near his uncle Billy. Listening to the conversation between the Scarecrow and that pair of FBI agents earlier, it seemed he had even captured a group of FBI agents. This meant the Scarecrow¡¯s residence was also nearby! Then there was his dog Shia San, which that Rob had found on Bloodbath Gang territory. It was getting interesting. Brian grew more curious. Just how many secrets was his uncle hiding? Did he really not know that Anna and the others were with the FBI? Things didn¡¯t seem so straightforward. But it didn¡¯t matter. Brian was about to find out the answer. Under the shotgun, all beings are equal. ... The dense corn stalks not only provided concealment for the farm but also limited the effective range of the gunfire. When Brian reached the heavily fenced farm, everything was still brightly lit, with no sign of anything amiss. Hidden among the corn stalks, Brian¡¯s eyes flashed with thought. Strange. On the way here, he had not smelled even a trace of the Scarecrow¡¯s scent. The same was true on the farm. The problem was, upon approaching the farm, Brian had smelled the blood-scented pheromones from those two FBI agents. This meant that those two had indeed escaped from here. Could the Scarecrow¡¯s ability be to eliminate scents? Brian had just entertained this thought but immediately dismissed it. Such a LOW ability could not possibly earn a place as an S-class fugitive among Mutants! ... Whatever, he had the obsession now; he would find out later! Brian reined in his thoughts, glanced at the lit house ahead, took out several detonators, and started to busy himself around the farm. After setting traps, he sniffed here and there. Finally, he stopped outside a dark row of cabins, took out several drugged meat pieces from his body, and threw them toward the cabins about eighty or ninety meters away. The next moment, a slight commotion came from the cabins. However, the noise was brief. After a minute or two, it fell silent once again. ¡°I knew there¡¯d be dogs!¡± Brian scoffed. Dogs might not eat food that suddenly appears before them, but they can¡¯t resist going to sniff. These creatures, quite easy to handle. Having dealt with the farm¡¯s dogs, Brian took a running jump, leaped over the fence about one and a half meters high, and entered the farm¡¯s interior. ... The farm was not large. Just three cottages. The largest one near the gate was lit up, the sounds of men and women drinking and making a racket just barely audible. The other two cottages were pitch black. By their design, they were either storage or makeshift housing. Farms here were all of the same model. Brian didn¡¯t rush into action. He first went to the kennel and dealt with two well-fed large dogs, then continued to circle the farm to avoid cameras, sniffing east and west. It was odd. Brian did indeed smell his uncle¡¯s distinct scent on the farm. But it was faint. It seemed like he hadn¡¯t been here for some days. Apart from that, the installations here didn¡¯t resemble a research facility. Was the address Anna knew incomplete? Unwilling to give up, Brian continued his search. And with that, he made an extra discovery. In the largest barn, he smelled a heavy odor of blood and chemical agents. Opening the door and entering, he saw under the dim moonlight, a row of corpses with their bellies split open and stuffed with straw, hanging from the barn¡¯s rafters, swaying gently with the breeze that entered through the door cracks, like rows of air-dried cured meat. Under the corpses were piles of iron cages. However, they were all empty. The cage near the door still retained the scent of the couple from earlier. They must have escaped from there. Brian glanced at the corpses and approached a large table. A pile of documents was scattered atop. He extended his gloved hand to casually pick one up and look at it under the moonlight. The light was too dim to see details. But the unique badge of the FBI and positions resembling special task forces were still identifiable. Dropping the booklet, Brian counted the corpses hanging in the barn. Plus the two who had escaped earlier, that meant, thirteen FBI agents died here. Brian was amused. Could it be that the FBI team investigating Laura¡¯s murder had all bit the dust right here? Serves them right! ... After confirming there were no living people in other parts of the farm, Brian finally approached the main house, peering inside through a window. There weren¡¯t many people inside. Three men and a woman, cigarettes in their mouths, were playing cards. Several handguns were scattered carelessly on the table, making them look like a ragtag bunch. Brian felt his previous cautious actions were somewhat unnecessary. He pushed the door. It wasn¡¯t even locked. Without hesitation, Brian kicked the solid wooden door open and, gun in hand, aimed at the four people at the table, ¡°Long time no see, folks.¡± The sudden intrusion bewildered them. But after all, they were gang members who had seen bloodshed. One of them immediately reached for a pistol by his side. The next moment. Bang~ The roar of a large shotgun echoed inside the cabin! A headless corpse, under the massive impact of a single slug, flipped over the chair and crashed heavily into the wall, the blood from the severed neck spraying all over the other three, drenching them thoroughly. They looked at their gruesomely dead companion with stunned expressions, then turned to the intruder¡ªtall and wearing a pig¡¯s head mask¡ªand silently raised their hands. ¡°Good.¡± Brian nodded and pointed at the three, ¡°Kneel down in a row.¡± This time, they finally recognized Brian¡¯s voice. The woman, angrily looking at Brian with the mask, said, ¡°Fuck, Brian, what the hell are you doing!¡± Figuratively speaking, She was Brian¡¯s elder! Or rather, All these people were Brian¡¯s elders. Her response was a specially designed slug capable of easily tearing through human flesh and bone! One shot. The cross-shaped slug exploded upon impact. Numerous shrapnel carrying splattered flesh and bone fragments burst out in a large fan shape behind the woman, a terrifying scene with shocking power. The remaining two, no longer daring to say another word, quickly crouched down with their heads in their hands. ¡°Very good!¡± Brian looked coldly at the older man, ¡°Uncle Eric, tell me, where is Billy now?¡± Eric was now confused. He couldn¡¯t understand how Brian, who had always been so polite and ambitious, and who treated his elders with respect, could suddenly become like this. Damn! That¡¯s what you get for not raising a child with the family, they never grow familiar! Was it just because the family threatened to bury you alive? Is that how you treat your elders? Thinking of the terrifying Clan Leader Billy, Eric hesitated, ¡°We don¡¯t know the specifics. The clan leader arranged for us to be here to entertain a... a pervert. That pervert used very strange means to bring back a group of FBI people and torture them. Our job here is to fulfill that pervert¡¯s requests; we don¡¯t know much about anything else. Brian, you¡¯d better leave. That pervert went off to play his hunting game again. He¡¯ll probably be back soon.¡± ¡°You¡¯re avoiding my question..¡± Brian shook his head in disappointment, pulled the trigger, and sent this ¡®elder¡¯ off to play cards underground. Four companions who had been together day and night, now three were gone in the blink of an eye. The remaining middle-aged man was so scared he wet himself. Without waiting for Brian to speak, He trembled, ¡°Billy is in the dungeon, our family spent two or three years building that underground area for some sort of drug research, it¡¯s inside the mountain ahead, everyone else left by the family is there.¡± ¡°Good, now tell me about that pervert.¡± Brian leisurely reloaded his weapon. ¡°I really don¡¯t know! This place was originally a transfer point for receiving personnel, also a vanguard. But a week ago. Billy had us abandon our properties in the city and the Bloodbath Gang, all the young family members scattered, and left us old folks here. That pervert arrived by car the day after. Right!¡± He seemed to remember something and quickly added, ¡°There was a girl who came with him, around seventeen or eighteen years old, pretty and with a small dog, but that girl later went back to Los Angeles with the clan members who were transporting supplies and materials, and she hasn¡¯t come back since.¡± Brian¡¯s eyes flashed with contemplation. The girl must be Laura, the veterinarian¡¯s target. The small dog was his Shi San. Everything matched. Uncle Billy had indeed been connected to the Doomsday God Sect for a while. And of course, Before the return of the Blood Moon, His uncle hadn¡¯t been as irritable as he is now, his keen perception and microexpression skills were nearly perverse, a very cunning man; there¡¯s no way he¡¯d be so easily fooled by Anna and her fellow FBI accomplices! Brian guessed Billy might have seen through the real identity of Anna and her companions long ago. He must have been using them. With this in mind, Brian looked forward even more to meeting Uncle Billy. The man was like a demon in his heart, If he didn¡¯t crush this demon under his feet, Brian felt he would live in the man¡¯s shadow his whole life! ... Seeing that Brian was silent. The kneeling clansman forced a strained smile, ¡°The dungeon is two kilometers east, there¡¯s a small lake, a cabin built next to the entrance, the entrance is right by the cabin, it¡¯s very obvious, Brian, let me go, I even invited you for a barbecue before, we¡¯re family!¡± Brian came to his senses. He nodded, ¡°Alright, although I don¡¯t remember that, I¡¯ll spare you considering your cooperation. The next time we meet, we¡¯ll settle the score for that time you threatened to bury me alive!¡± After that, Brian disappeared outside the door. Inside the house, The man slumped on the bloody carpet, his body going limp. Fuck! He had managed to save his life! Thinking of the cold eyes beneath the pig¡¯s head mask, The man tried to get up to inform Clan Leader Billy about what had happened here, then leave for overseas to meet up with his son. He had saved enough money over the years. He stayed, Merely because he was used to the comfortable life of power and influence. But today he realized, in comparison to Brian¡¯s ruthlessness, their daily carrying of small handguns, taking advantage of Billy¡¯s fame to act tough, was more like playing house. Suddenly, The man attempting to get up sensed something was wrong. The light inside the room seemed to have dimmed. His neck stiffened as he turned towards the door. He saw a figure in a pig¡¯s head mask standing at the doorway, tilting its head to look at him, as if to say, we meet again... Chapter 82 - 82 74 How Did They Appear Here ?82: Chapter 74: How Did They Appear Here? (Subscription) 82: Chapter 74: How Did They Appear Here? (Subscription) Bang~ After a gunshot echoed. The farm finally plunged into utter silence. Brian whistled and, with his left hand, scratched a line of text on the door frame, threw down a pig head toy under the surveillance camera¡¯s gaze, and headed towards the dungeon. Family? Haha! Whose family would choose to bury their own alive at the command of a Clan Leader? Whose family would, for the sake of a madman¡¯s idea, coerce their kin into madness and continue to oppress and deceive them? Brian¡¯s previous sense of belonging to his family was strong, as painful as his time at the Forensic Bureau, as dutiful as he was in front of his adoptive parents; now to these traitors, his hatred was just as fiery! Born twice a human. Twice an orphan. What Brian longed for the most was familial affection! This was why he was willing to give up his career plans as a dentist, to join the Forensic Bureau, to face the bloody corpses day after day, to the point of almost having a mental breakdown, before he thought to resign. This was why he was willing to repeatedly strain and exhaust his body for the sake of his foster parents, and even risk joining the NW organization once more for an uncle¡¯s illusory promise, all to allow two old people to leave this world with dignity. And the result? It was all a joke! After tearing off the filter of kinship. Those family members, except for his cousin Fooly, were nothing but a bunch of blood-stained scum in Brian¡¯s eyes! It was only because Uncle Billy had suddenly dissolved the family. That some of the young relatives previously on Brian¡¯s hit list had fled abroad. Otherwise, after killing the uncle. Brian would have chosen to continue the pursuit! After killing so many people. The afterimage of Blood Moon in Brian¡¯s eyes appeared more and more frequently. His heart was continually roaring with a voice! Everyone who had deceived his emotions had to die! ... Brian¡¯s physique now compared to a professional athlete without any weaknesses. A journey of over two kilometers. It was hardly even a warm-up. Soon, a small lake shimmering with silvery gray light under the night sky appeared before him. Finding a downwind spot. Brian gently flared his nostrils. A multitude of scents rushed into his nose and, with the aid of Supercomputer Perception, quickly sorted... In a moment. Brian¡¯s brow furrowed under his mask. The mountain breeze was strong here. Scents dissipated quickly. Apart from a faint smell of excrement in the direction of the mountain, he found no additional leads. Brian glanced down at the heavy Bullet-Proof Vest he wore and without hesitation, headed straight for the small cabin halfway up the mountain. Uncle might be tough, but he was just a gang leader. And not one that had risen for long. Labor here wasn¡¯t cheap. Transportation of materials and equipment was also troublesome. Setting up a lab in the mountains without drawing attention, even using existing caves, was bound to be small-scale. Power supply and such were big problems. Thus, it was unlikely that many surveillance and security measures would be set up outside. The conditions weren¡¯t there. A small base meant fewer people. Under these circumstances. Unless there was heavy firepower. In the narrow environment. Brian already possessed the ability to break the situation! ... The cabin in the mountains appeared inconspicuous. As a land of immigrants, the North American Federation, vast in land and sparse in population, had many similar constructs. Brian approached the cabin against the wind direction, inching closer with extreme caution. When he got to about twenty meters away. Two trails of scent wrapped in tobacco smoke drifted to him on the wind. Brian¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. Two people! He thought for a moment, secured his shotgun, and crept closer. Getting close. Idle chatter reached Brian¡¯s ears: ¡°I don¡¯t know when these days will end...¡± ¡°I miss the girls in the city too.¡± ... Listening to their conversation. Brian thought for a moment, picked up a stone from the ground, and accurately threw it onto the roof of the cabin. With a light pat sound. Silence fell inside the cabin. After waiting a few seconds. A guy wearing a heavy mechanical helmet opened the door, peering around cautiously. The moment he saw the helmet. A pang struck Brian¡¯s heart, and without hesitation, Fury! A surge of adrenaline flooded every part of his body! Under Supercomputer Perception. Brian felt as if the entire world had entered slow motion. Like a snake thrusting up from the ground or a frog springing into the air, he leapt up with his limbs splayed out, emitting a whooshing sound. He pounced on the man stepping out of the door, grabbed his neck, and with a twist, brought him down. One down. Brian didn¡¯t hesitate and rushed into the cabin. Just as another man was about to press a button, Brian¡¯s right leg shot up high, his heel striking with explosive force against the man¡¯s jaw. The heavy body was kicked up into the air, weightlessly hitting the ceiling before crashing down onto the ground with a twisted neck, lifeless. Two down in quick succession. The stabbing pain of tearing muscles surged through him. Without hesitation, Brian used a unit of Gift Energy to start repairing his damaged body. In just a moment, he found a stone passage leading further inside along the wall abutting the mountain. The cabin was indeed built over a cave entrance. ... Brian wasn¡¯t foolish enough to enter there. As the saying goes, a cunning rabbit has three burrows. A man with Uncle¡¯s personality would never leave just one exit. Fortunately, Brian had already located another exit by the scattered scent of excrement. He removed a pair of Night Vision goggles from one of the dead guards. Brian slid them under the oversized pig mask. The next moment, the world¡¯s images appeared in a pale green hue. After trying them for a moment, Brian, disappointed, removed the Night Vision goggles and wiped off any potential traces. This gadget wasn¡¯t as useful as his own eyes plus Supercomputer Perception. It would only limit his field of view. Better not to wear them. Since he couldn¡¯t be certain the night watch wouldn¡¯t periodically report in for safety, Brian turned down a walkie-talkie to its lowest volume, then made his way toward the other entrance. The other entrance was hidden in the forest, covered by a pile of fallen leaves. If not for Brian¡¯s keen canine nose and human brain, an ordinary person would not find this entrance without large-scale detection equipment. Perhaps it was for emergencies, to facilitate quick entry. Below the wooden plank, there were no further locks or similar devices. This spared Brian quite a bit of effort. Following the path, Brian took out an outdoor glow stick, moving forward with its dim light. After about ten seconds, a large wooden plank blocked his way. Brian gently pushed on the plank and easily pried open a small gap. The next moment, a stench of excrement, blood, sweat, and various other human odors flooded his senses. Beyond that, there were faint hums and screams intermittently coming through. Without further hesitation, Brian shoved the plank open. He was met with dim lighting. Surrounded by iron bars, a wooden barrel fashioned into a latrine sat near the entrance. This place turned out to be a prison-like room. Seeing no one around, Brian crawled out of the passage into the room. After ensuring there were no other disturbances, he began to survey the area in the dim light. A narrow corridor had ten tiny rooms on each side, although these rooms were empty. Following the wails and hums he had heard, Brian stepped out of the corridor. His view suddenly cleared. He was on an upper level, akin to a basement. At the end of the corridor were rows of even worse partitioned ¡®bathrooms.¡¯ Indeed, bathrooms. Much like the partitioned squat toilets with flushing tanks that Brian remembered from his previous life¡¯s school days. Each open-topped compartment probably measured just about a square meter and each held a person, both men and women. In total, there were about seven or eight people restrained by chains locked to their ankles, restricting their movement. In fact, they couldn¡¯t even lie down. Their eyes had gone blank, only instinctively groaning. It was impossible to know what they had endured there. Suddenly, Brian¡¯s gaze shifted to the rear, to a significantly larger compartment. Inside, people were also locked up, but it wasn¡¯t just one person; it was a man and a woman. By their looks, neither was particularly young. Among this group, the feeble cries of despair were coming from them. The two were huddled together, occasionally jerking as if addicts in the throes of withdrawal. ... Brian thought he was seeing things. He rubbed his eyes repeatedly, and only after several times was he finally sure: that old couple... was actually his foster parents! The problem was, just a few days ago, he had visited them in the sanatorium! And the fee for his cousin Fooly had just been paid the day before yesterday! How could they end up here? The corners of Brian¡¯s mouth, hidden under the pig mask, split open. This was getting more and more interesting. Chapter 83 - 83 75 The Madman Thanks to the alliance leader Xiao Ai 6 thank you! ?83: Chapter 75: The Madman (Thanks to the alliance leader ¡®Xiao Ai 6¡¯, thank you!) 83: Chapter 75: The Madman (Thanks to the alliance leader ¡®Xiao Ai 6¡ä, thank you!) Just a little ahead of where Brian¡¯s adoptive parents were placed, there lay two more beds. A white woman and a black man were busily throwing two disheveled men and women, respectively, onto the beds and engaging in forceful activity. The men and women below were clearly drugged. Their mouths hung open, drooling without coherent thought. They were left with nothing but primal responses. Brian realized in an instant. No wonder they all seemed so dull and stupefied. They must have been drugged into stupidity. Seeing this. Brian didn¡¯t hesitate and swiftly walked towards the two people. As he passed the captives. Not a single one glanced at him. These people, after enduring who knows how much torment, probably had nothing left but an empty shell. ... Arriving at the bedside. Brian pulled a willow leaf switchblade from his pocket and with swift precision, sliced across the black man¡¯s throat. A mass of bloody froth poured into the wound, blocking his airway completely. He touched his neck in bewilderment, turned his head to look at Brian, his mouth moved twice, and then he collapsed on top of the woman below, his body beginning to convulse. The woman being crushed beneath him was drenched in blood but showed no reaction, still with that same foolish, vacant expression. This commotion caught the attention of the white woman on the adjacent bed. She glanced over instinctively to her companion, only to be met with the sharp edge of a blade... After dealing with the two guards. Brian surveyed the two ragged men and women lying beneath, and only after seeing the scars around their eyes did he come to a realization. These people¡¯s foolish appearance was not just a result of the drugging; their frontal lobes had been primitively excised, losing the neural core of emotional exchange, and with some additional drug effects, they had become docile fools. ... Brian now understood who these people were. If he wasn¡¯t mistaken. They were likely the new generation of Mutants that the Bloodbath Gang had recently gathered from across the United States. According to the words of Rob, who recruited online for the Bloodbath Gang. Those he brought in were not highly educated and easy to deceive, not worrying about encountering danger. Brian even suspected that these fools, upon discovering abnormalities in their bodies, probably thought they had undergone an Awakening to superpowers... and may have even boasted about it to the outside world... No wonder the Bloodbath Gang managed to find so many in such a short time. As for the goal, it was quite simple¡ªto have them breed offspring. Divine Revelation Type I Potion required the extraction of certain special components from the amniotic fluid during pregnancy. These people, including the two guards Brian had killed, as well as the subsequent offspring they would bear, were all consumables. ... It seemed like he pondered for a long time. But in reality, only a few seconds had passed. Brian had no time for reverie. He approached his adoptive parents, pulled out two morphine injectors, and administered a dose to each of them. A moment later. The old couple¡¯s focus finally regained some clarity. ¡°Who are you?¡± The elderly woman recovered faster and upon seeing a man in a pig mask, she was so frightened that she kept scooting back, only to realize she was restricted; she could only cover her eyes with her hands, adopting the ostrich technique. Seeing this. Brian¡¯s voice came out somewhat hoarse, ¡°It¡¯s me, Brian.¡± ¡°Brian?¡±, hearing the familiar voice, the old lady lowered her hands and then said with alarm, ¡°Were you deceived by that demon Billy to come here? Leave quickly; he¡¯s a madman!¡± Seeing that her concern didn¡¯t seem feigned. The bloodshot in Brian¡¯s eyes began to recede slightly. He asked with confusion, ¡°Why deceive me?¡± Upon hearing this, the old woman¡¯s lips quivered, not knowing how to explain, and eventually tears streamed down her cheeks as she dared not look into Brian¡¯s eyes again. ¡°Hey.¡± The white-haired old man also returned to a lucid state. He wrapped his arms around the old woman, looking at Brian with some guilt: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Brian. We are just a very poor couple. Fifteen years ago, your great-uncle Billy found us and gave us a large sum of money. In exchange, it was to adopt you. In our younger days, we lived too indulgently, which led to infertility. The prospect of getting a large sum of money and having a beautiful child like you, we couldn¡¯t refuse.¡± The old woman also choked up: ¡°You were very sensible. You brought us a lot of joy. Brian, we swear, our affection for you was real. Except when it came to illnesses.¡± The old man wiped the corner of his eyes and nodded, ¡°A year ago, your uncle suddenly found us and asked us to pretend to be sick to deceive you. We didn¡¯t want to do it, so he threatened us with your life.¡± Brian fell silent. He wasn¡¯t stupid. The moment he thought of resigning, he faced threats. Not long after. His foster parents both fell ill. Too coincidental. He just didn¡¯t dare to think in that direction. After a moment of silence. With clarity returning to his eyes, Brian touched his foster parents¡¯ haggard faces, ¡°Was the addiction also contracted at the private sanatorium?¡± The most potent and effective painkillers were actually narcotics, legal drugs. But memories inexorably flooded into Brian¡¯s mind, his foster parents had given him a great deal of freedom since he was young, just too busy with work, often traveling, and seldom spent time with him... Brian forcefully suppressed these thoughts, unwilling to delve deeper. ... Both nodded. The old woman, touching Brian¡¯s hand: ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself. If it weren¡¯t for you, we might have become homeless years ago due to a dissolute life, dead in some forgotten corner. Your presence gave us a truly warm home. It¡¯s us who have wronged you. Brian. Don¡¯t blame yourself.¡± The old man also nodded, ¡°Brian, your uncle is a madman. He brought us here to lure you to come of your own accord. He is a humanoid beast, not a human at all. Leave quickly, don¡¯t concern yourself with us, leave the United States, go anywhere, find a good wife, and live a happy life.¡± Upon hearing this, Brian felt at peace. He was glad. At least his foster parents truly loved him. Instead, he had brought trouble upon them. He looked at the two elders and shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m taking you both with me.¡± Just then. Boom~ Accompanied by a grating noise. The heavy door was pushed open forcefully by a thick, muscular hand. A formidable figure, carrying a solid steel shield, emerged in the dungeon-like hell. ... Upon seeing the newcomer. The bloodlines that had dissipated in Brian¡¯s eyes once again converged. A surge of boundless rage. He slowly stood up, his gaze icy as he stared at the figure at the entrance¡ªUncle Billy! Billy curiously looked at the intruder wearing a pig mask, probing, ¡°Brian?¡± Brian pulled out the shotgun from his back, ¡°Billy, long time no see.¡± ¡°So it really is you!¡±, Billy¡¯s eyes filled with doubt, ¡°Although I left a message for you at the sanatorium, the address wasn¡¯t this place. How did you find it?¡± Regarding the impressively sized shotgun in Brian¡¯s hand, there wasn¡¯t a flicker of concern in his eyes, as if it was merely a toy. ¡°Want to know?¡± ¡°Indeed, I am curious.¡± Billy nodded, ¡°Lately, too many people have been watching me, so I wanted your foster parents to trick you into coming to the farm. But when these old fools refused, I had to take time to personally make a move and bring them here.¡± ¡°Why not come directly to me?¡± Brian was even more puzzled. Billy sighed with a hint of lament, ¡°Naturally, it¡¯s because you are too useless. I originally thought you were the only one in our family as excellent as I am, but you disappointed me too much, failing even to receive the blessing of the Blood Moon.¡± Having said that. He continued on his own: ¡°Do you know how high my hopes were for you at the beginning? When I found out at the age of eight, you¡¯d cunningly killed so many people, I was almost too excited to sleep. You were born a Divine Favored. To ensure your Awakening potential, I found these pieces of trash to give you warmth at first, then forced the family to accept you, treat you favorably, to make you continue feeling the warmth of a family. When you came of age, I purposely let you join the forensic bureau to twist your spirit. And when you wanted to escape, I¡¯d come along with a group from the family, using aggressive threats to continue to provoke you, and then have your foster parents use an embarrassingly poor ruse to pretend to be sick, keep distancing you from the family people, causing you confusion, and destroying your last mental pillar! But then..¡± He looked at Brian with frustrated disappointment, ¡°But you, the incompetent one, still did not Awaken.¡± Billy sighed, ¡°There¡¯s no other way. The rest of the family is even more useless. Compared to them, you had more hope. So, I used those FBI fools to get my hands on Divine Revelation Type I Potion. Originally, my plan was to intentionally arrange for Rechter to join your team, then find an opportunity for you to realize something was wrong, then let you find out about your foster parents, and force the you questioning your life to come here. This level should have been enough. But unexpectedly, you didn¡¯t follow my script.¡± He took out a dark red vial and said solemnly to Brian, ¡°Never mind. Brian, my nephew. Come, kill the sacrifices before you and then inject yourself with Divine Revelation Reagent to become a Divine Favored like me. The Kamor Family will once again be great because of our Divine Favored bloodline!¡± Brian looked at Billy as if he were dirt, ¡°Madman!¡± He hesitated no longer and pulled the trigger directly! Chapter 84 - 84 76 Since theres no retreat fight with the resolve to do or die! ?84: Chapter 76: Since there¡¯s no retreat, fight with the resolve to do or die! 84: Chapter 76: Since there¡¯s no retreat, fight with the resolve to do or die! Bang~ Roaring gunfire exploded. Almost simultaneously, Billy slightly tilted his head. The next moment. The thick door behind Billy was immediately torn apart, leaving a huge dented crater. Hiss~ Brian took a sharp intake of breath. This reaction speed is unreal! He refused to believe it, pulling the trigger three times in a row, emptying the chamber. The massive recoil numbed Brian¡¯s arms, even with his current physique. This time, Brian was cunning. Under Supercomputer Perception, his bullets locked onto a large area where Billy might dodge. In such a narrow space, if the opponent dares to move, he¡¯s bound to be hit by a Cross No. 12 bullet that could blow a bear¡¯s head off! A Cross Bullet that fragments on impact, spinning and splattering shards. A graze cripples, a hit kills! As long as the opponent is still a Carbon-based Life, It¡¯s impossible to withstand! Faced with this situation, Billy just smiled indifferently. The moment Brian fired, Billy stood in place, silently taking out a cigarette, then lit it amidst the barrage of shrapnel. Billy took a deep drag of his cigarette, surrounded by smoke, indifferently watching Brian, who was trying to reload: ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time, Brian! I¡¯m surprised that you showed up here ahead of time. Your performance has even exceeded my previous understanding of you. But none of that matters! Your destiny was sealed when you turned eight! Only when all that is good in your heart is destroyed, the resulting emotions become the best catalyst for the Divine Favored. This is the dream I¡¯ve spent over a decade weaving for you! Now it¡¯s time to wake from that beautiful dream! Brian, my nephew! You have no choice now! Become a Divine Favored. Or you die! Everyone you care about must die too!¡± ¡°Fuck your beautiful dream!¡± Brian was completely infuriated by Billy¡¯s condescending attitude, thinking he could control his fate like an ant! No one can control his destiny! If the problem can¡¯t be solved, Then eliminate the one who caused the problem! Brian roared internally: Fury! A surge of adrenaline burst forth, spreading throughout his body. The next moment. In Billy¡¯s surprised gaze, Brian charged like a cheetah. ¡°Such speed.¡± Surprise crossed Billy¡¯s face. How could Brian¡¯s physique have improved so much? The seven or eight-meter distance vanished in a blink of an eye! Just as the two were about to clash in close combat. Brian violently stuffed the gun barrel into the butcher-style leather apron, concealing the direction of the muzzle. Without aiming, he pulled the trigger repeatedly while his left hand recklessly grabbed the pull wires of the detonators strapped to his waist. A chilling, inescapable Death Warning surged in Billy¡¯s heart. Shock flashed in his eyes, but his hands moved quickly, grabbing the special Steel Shield beside him like a Middle Ages shield warrior. With a roar, his body instantly swelled by a third, transforming into a charging warrior, thundering toward Brian. Clang! Clang! Clang! Three loud, dull thuds echoed in the narrow space. Dust showered down from above. Hit! Brian felt a surge of elation. At such close range, the bullet impact would have shaken even a sedan, let alone Billy with just a shield! He didn¡¯t believe Billy¡¯s flesh and blood could withstand that force! Strike when your enemy is sick, take his life! As long as Billy was destabilized by the bullet¡¯s impact. Brian would pull the trigger, sending the last bullet into Billy¡¯s head! Shockingly! Billy, hit by three bullets on the shield, had merely slowed down slightly, showing no signs of being pushed back. In Brian¡¯s unbelieving gaze, the Steel Shield slammed forward ruthlessly. At this distance, there was no room to dodge! The next moment. Thud~ Like a monk striking a bell, a deep resonance sounded. An unstoppable great force hit Brian¡¯s chest. Brian just felt a buzz in his ears as if struck by a heavy truck, his body forcibly launched seven or eight meters, the pig head mask on his head flung off, crashing hard onto the ground, spitting blood profusely, his body limp. The twisted, broken shotgun flew off to the side. The steel barrel was slightly bent. It made one wonder if it hadn¡¯t been for the barrel taking some of the impact, Brian might have been crushed to death by the terrible force of the shield. One shield blow sent Brian flying. Billy cracked his neck, the friction of his bones making a loud crack: ¡°The struggle of an ant is so boring.¡± Warily eyeing the detonators on Brian¡¯s waist, not approaching, he put down the shield, now with two dented bullet pits, and took out a metallic-looking syringe from his belt, tossing it in front of Brian seven or eight meters away: ¡°Brian, I¡¯ll give you another chance. Inject this vial of Divine Awakening Class I into your heart. If you survive and become Divine Favored, you¡¯ll still be my good nephew, we...¡± Before he could finish. Boom~ The massive explosion reverberated, echoing through the cave. Billy only realized as he was thrown into the air that the sense of imminent danger he had been feeling wasn¡¯t from Brian detonating the charge on his belt, which could have caused the cave to collapse, but from the charge Brian had sneakily tossed beside him the moment he fired his gun! This kid really has changed! ... ¡°Ha ha, cough cough, ha ha!¡± Brian laughed while coughing up blood. Damn it! You really thought I wasn¡¯t aware you have an ability like a danger warning! The previous shots were just probes and traps. Brian¡¯s real killing move was the undercover high-explosive charge while pretending to repair the road! Billy could sense the danger of each bullet in advance. What about a bundle of charges? That was Brian¡¯s tactic! And it meant he won! At such a close distance, an ordinary person would have been torn to shreds by the explosion or had their organs shattered and their brains scrambled, dead as dead gets! Mutants are still human. And humans can die! Brian didn¡¯t believe Billy was strong enough to withstand the blast with his flesh and blood! ... The explosion was so loud. Brian was worried more guards would come rushing over, so he didn¡¯t hesitate to use up the last unit of Gift Energy to heal his internal injuries! Thank goodness for the solidly built shotgun. Otherwise, the crushing force of the shield strike just now would undoubtedly have broken a whole row of his ribs. At that point, it wouldn¡¯t have been a matter of one or two units of Gift Energy to fix the problem! Feeling the sharp pain subside and his chest clear up, Brian dared to get up from the ground. He wiped the fresh blood from the corner of his mouth: ¡°Damn, I wasn¡¯t feeling right yesterday, charging in with just two units of Gift Energy like a teenager with a hero syndrome, completely out of character for me.¡± Brian couldn¡¯t help but think of Susan¡¯s constant talk of mutants losing control. He hadn¡¯t felt it before. Not until the life-and-death crisis that just passed did Brian realize his state was somewhat abnormal. Losing control of your emotions isn¡¯t scary. What¡¯s scary is not realizing you¡¯re out of control when you are. That can make it easy for you to do something foolish and put yourself in danger! ¡°Billy has survived for so long, he seems pretty normal usually, he must have a way to handle it. Even if he doesn¡¯t, by the time thirty years have gone by, I¡¯ll be over fifty ¡ª good enough, why live any longer...¡± Brian comforted himself. He forcefully suppressed his wandering thoughts, picked up his pig-head mask, and put it on, preparing to check if Billy was dead or not. He turned around. Brian was stunned. He saw a towering figure slowly emerging from the dissipating dust and smoke, standing tall amidst the rubble and reappearing at the entrance of the cave. ... Billy was in a bad state. His right hand was torn off, bone shards and strips of flesh hanging out, the clothes on his chest turned into rags by the blast, exposing a big chunk of mutilated flesh and skin on his upper body, through which the movement of internal organs could be indistinctly seen in his abdominal cavity. Apart from that. One of Billy¡¯s eyes was forever closed. Long trails of blood slid down his dust-covered face, adding an iron-clad touch to Billy¡¯s already formidable demeanor. ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°He¡¯s not dead???¡± Brian licked his lips tasting of iron as he drew out another charge. The crippled state of Billy¡¯s body didn¡¯t ease Brian¡¯s tension; in fact, it only made the pressure even greater than before. Brian felt he wasn¡¯t facing a man but a monster that was impossible to defeat! It was as if he was back to the night when the Blood Moon arose, and he was under the bloodthirsty gaze of Billy. When Billy¡¯s remaining eye turned his way, Brian felt the air around him solidify! ¡°Cough cough~¡± Billy coughed a few times and spat a black sputum mixed with organ fragments on the ground. He looked at Brian hidden beneath the mask and grinned: ¡°Brian, your tense muscles give away your nervousness. You¡¯re like a scared wild dog right now, baring your teeth and trying to look fierce when in reality, you¡¯re just terrified. You¡¯re afraid! That won¡¯t do. This is a dark jungle world where only the strong survive! Without a strong will! Even if you become a Divine Favored, you¡¯ll always be nothing but a terrified rabbit. Come!¡± Billy pointed at himself, ¡°Come here! Kill me! I¡¯ve already sent all the guards to secure the evacuation route. Only by killing me can you leave with those pieces of trash safely! You have no choice!¡± His eyes burned with fervor as he looked at Brian. This nephew had given him a big surprise today. Ever since he knew about Brian¡¯s failed Awakening, and his mental anchor had started to crack, he was on the verge of losing control. The Kamor family could not fade away like this! If possible. Billy didn¡¯t mind using his own blood as the sacrifice for Brian¡¯s Awakening! ... Looking at the robust figure standing like a wall in front of him, and within the depths of his heart, Brian took a deep breath and put the charge back at his waist. ¡°As you wish!¡± Seeing no way out. It was a fight to the death! Today, he would personally shatter the great mountain that was Billy, looming over his heart. Chapter 86 - 86 78 Billys Relics Extra 1 for the Sovereign Awaiting Your Return with Wine ?86: Chapter 78: Billy¡¯s Relics (Extra 1 for the Sovereign ¡®Awaiting Your Return with Wine¡¯) 86: Chapter 78: Billy¡¯s Relics (Extra 1 for the Sovereign ¡®Awaiting Your Return with Wine¡¯) Due to the limitations of the terrain, the laboratory wasn¡¯t large, probably only a little over twenty square meters. To maximize its use, a mezzanine design was specifically implemented, with the most conspicuous feature being two glass columns placed on top. Inside the columns were two women with their eyes tightly closed, sporting large bellies. Two oxygen tubes were inserted into their nostrils, and many more dense unknown patches were stuck onto their swollen abdomens, creating an atmosphere filled with the aura of bizarre scientists. The old man was busy at the operating table. Lying there was the body of a woman with her abdomen cut open and organs exposed. He meticulously arranged each organ into its respective category, with the center of the tray holding the curled-up body of an unborn baby that had not yet fully developed. So focused was he that he didn¡¯t notice Brian had come up behind him. ¡°Marquis, so this is the experiment your cultivation group is conducting?¡± Brian stood behind the old man and silently drew out the pistol he had taken from the guard. No wonder the FBI used other people¡¯s names to conduct experiments. Human experimentation was in itself a crime against humanity, and here it involved the elderly, children, pregnant women... The old man, also known as the former chief Autopsy Officer of the Forensic Bureau, Marquis, stiffened when he heard the voice behind him. Then he stopped what he was doing, put down the scalpel, and raised his hands nonchalantly, ¡°Brian? Are you the intruder? It seems Billy and I both underestimated you.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t answered my question. What are these?¡± ¡°They¡¯re all perverts, as well as rare pregnant Mutants. Look, the extraction container on the left side of the table. She was a bloodthirsty prostitute who liked to lure men home and then cut off their genitals to pair with her drinks. The extraction container on the right, she had some mental issues. She was a respected and well-paid doctor who, after suffering from heartbreak, irrationally believed all men were scum. She killed her father and several brothers with her own hands, then cut off the limbs of her boyfriend and his new flame, keeping them in containers facing each other. As for the extraction container in front of me... She doesn¡¯t seem to have done anything bad. She¡¯s just a poor girl who was imprisoned and bullied by her foster father. Her foster father also used her as a tool to make money. In fact, she¡¯s not a Mutant herself but the conception body of a Mutant. I¡¯m not clear on where Billy found these rare specimens. He¡¯s amazing, always able to easily spot what¡¯s extraordinary about a person.¡± Marquis slowly spoke while Brian listened intently. Extraction container... So, in Marquis¡¯s eyes, none of these of his kind counted as a complete person. ¡°The guards?¡± ¡°Just four, all Billy¡¯s confidants. When there was a disturbance in the dungeon earlier, they all rushed over. I¡¯m old and don¡¯t like to watch the excitement, so I just kept myself busy with my work,¡± he said. Hearing this, Brian nodded. Billy hadn¡¯t lied to him before his death. Looking at the composed old man, Brian put away his pistol and silently took out a willow-leaf scalpel, approaching Marquis from behind, ¡°I¡¯m very curious, why weren¡¯t you affected by the Blood Moon given your view of your own kind as experimental materials?¡± Marquis shrugged, his tone indifferent, ¡°Why should I bask in the Blood Moon? The difference between humans and wild beasts is the ability to use our brains. Besides those fools and terminally ill, those in the know would choose to make use of these God-given beasts to develop technologies more suited for humans, instead of turning into beasts destined to lose their senses themselves.¡± Looking at the unperturbed Marquis, Brian laughed. He leaned close to Marquis¡¯s ear and whispered softly, ¡°Anna was just as composed before she died; no wonder you¡¯re father and daughter.¡± ¡°What?¡± Marquis¡¯s calm frame shuddered. He turned around shakily, ¡°You killed my beloved daughter?¡± Brian nodded, ¡°She died a miserable death, screamed miserably too. I wonder if you¡¯ll be the same. As your junior at the Forensic Bureau, I hope you can satisfy this little curiosity of mine!¡± Having said that, Brian didn¡¯t give the grieving-faced Marquis a chance. He kicked him over onto the operating table, carefully placed the unlucky woman with the tragic death on the ground, and then tied Marquis up. Then, before his terrified eyes, he pulled out a willow-leaf skinning knife... ... Half an hour later, Brian walked out of the lab, his body reeking of blood, with a satisfied look on his face. Although he didn¡¯t want to admit it, every time he listened to the scum like Marquis wailing and begging for mercy beside him, it brought him great spiritual fulfillment. Perhaps this was the price one had to pay to be a conscientious good person. Perhaps he died too miserably. Marquis released an obsession: to torture Brian, the beast, to death! Brian decisively refused, rejecting Marquis¡¯s call request. ... After checking his ammunition, Brian followed the passage, passed through several rest areas, and came outside. The barriers connected to the wooden hut had been pushed open. The sky outside was beginning to brighten. At the entrance, Brian tossed the pig¡¯s head toy he was carrying onto the steps, and then took out the remaining detonators, heading towards another hidden exit... A few minutes later. Four fully armed men and women came into Brian¡¯s sight. He was too lazy to approach them, pulled off the detonator from his hand and, timing it carefully, hurled it over tens of meters. Amid the roaring explosions and screams. The large silhouette of the pig-headed butcher vanished into the depths of the jungle... ... The soft morning breeze caressed Brian¡¯s palm. He stood on the roadside, giving a thumbs-up to passing vehicles, waiting for a kind soul to stop their car. Everything that could act as evidence had been burnt by him. The car, along with the bodies inside, had been driven into the sea by Brian, waiting for some lucky person to open the box in the future. Now he was ready to go back and check out what Billy had left for him. ... It¡¯s a world that judges by appearances. After waiting for several minutes. An old Volkswagen Beetle pulled up in front of Brian. The window rolled down, and an elderly woman with a little dog gave Brian, who was at the side of the road, a smile revealing her well-maintained false teeth: ¡°Oh, my God, how could anyone have the heart to leave such a lovely child on the road.¡± Brian shrugged his shoulders, flashing a sunny smile, ¡°Maybe God hasn¡¯t woken up yet, kind lady, may I trouble you for a ride into town?¡± ¡°Of course, hop in, dear. The mood in the morning is supposed to be wonderful.¡± ¡°I am in a wonderful mood right now, ma¡¯am.¡± Brian opened the back door of the car and got in. He really did feel refreshed. His uncle was gone, of the trio that knew about his peculiarity, only Anna remained ignorant of the situation, and his foster parents, whose true or false affections he could never quite discern, had also left this world gracefully and content... Apart from the potential threat of the Mutants losing control. Brian now felt the joy of being debt-free. The dog in the front passenger seat had curled up into a ball, its body trembling incessantly, not daring to make a sound. The old lady was too preoccupied admiring Brian¡¯s handsome face in the rearview mirror to notice the dog¡¯s unusual behavior. This occupied state caused the old car to swerve in an S-shape on the wide road, until a road rage-stricken passerby yelled at the old lady and things got a bit better. Just like that. Brian returned to the city jittery all the way. As soon as he got out of the car. He quickly thanked the reluctant old lady and dashed off. Too scary. Facing his uncle 1V1 wasn¡¯t as nerve-wracking as riding in this old lady¡¯s car. ... After a couple of transfers with kind-hearted people. Brian arrived at the street next to his apartment and tossed the worn coat he wore atop a tent belonging to a homeless person, displaying the athletic shorts underneath, before he jogged back to his apartment... On the way back. Many early-risers greeted Brian warmly. It couldn¡¯t be helped. His part-time career had made him well-known for bringing home different beautiful women every day. This also led to the envy of the men and the scorn of the women, who either slipped him notes or made the special effort to knock on Brian¡¯s door from blocks away, asking him to help unblock the drains at their homes. It was only because Brian feared being shot by their husbands that he never played the neighborhood Lothario. Otherwise, the kidney-deficient man might not have lived to see this day. Back at the apartment. Brian first checked the surveillance and his phone to make sure no one had contacted him, then he secured the doors and windows before heading to the couch and forcefully flipping it open. A cardboard box over twenty centimeters in length and width, without a lid, appeared before Brian. Brian chuckled silently. It seemed Billy knew exactly what kind of character he was, deliberately leaving no lid. Otherwise, Brian really wouldn¡¯t dare to open the box directly. There wasn¡¯t much inside the box. A syringe similar to the Spirit I-type serum that Brian carried on him, just with a slightly different outer code. A letter. A USB drive. A string of keys with stickers. And a solid, black object that looked somewhat like an iron egg. With a mixture of trepidation and anticipation. Brian picked up the letter first. Chapter 87 - 87 79 Letter Obsession Fulfilled Extra 2 for Alliance Leader Waiting with Wine ?87: Chapter 79 Letter, Obsession Fulfilled (Extra 2 for Alliance Leader Waiting with Wine) 87: Chapter 79 Letter, Obsession Fulfilled (Extra 2 for Alliance Leader Waiting with Wine) He opened the envelope. Brian withdrew the thick paper from inside. The material of the paper, was leather. It wasn¡¯t the light, delicate human skin, nor the solid-feeling lambskin. It had a faint scent of blood and dryness, probably from the hide of some fierce beast. Brian unfolded the leather paper and carefully began to read: Brian, my nephew. If you¡¯re reading this letter, it means that you came from the private sanatorium to the farm and that you left my care alive. I am relieved. This means that the Kamor family will have a successor. The doctor responsible for your foster parents in the sanatorium has been dealt with by me, so there¡¯s no need to worry about any hidden dangers. Your scum foster parents should have been handled by me as well. If not, don¡¯t hold back. Just give them a bit of drugs, and they¡¯ll blurt out the color of your underwear to anyone. Never, ever trust an addict¡¯s words and feelings! This is my final piece of advice to you. Next, are some gifts I have for you. Those keys are the independent safe houses I¡¯ve prepared over the years. There¡¯s an address on each key. If you¡¯re not stupid, you should be able to find them quite easily. Each safe house¡¯s basement is stocked with enough drugs and munitions, and there are sufficiently secure vehicles in the garages; feel free to use them. The remaining gold and other materials are things I¡¯ve left to aid the rise of the Kamor family. If you don¡¯t want to carry this mission, give them to someone in need. I¡¯ve stopped using the Suppressant and am almost out of control. I doubt I¡¯ll see the day. The syringes in the box are Suppressants. These are the methods the Doomsday Sect uses to control the senior Mutants under them, highly addictive, but they can stabilize a Mutant¡¯s emotions. Although the effects will diminish, when you¡¯re out of options, like me, joining the Doomsday Sect is a choice. However, I suspect that the upper echelons of the Doomsday Sect are an agency of the Z government. It seems they have some other purpose. If you can survive within the NW organization, don¡¯t get involved with the Doomsday Sect. These official organizations have developed decent methods through years of research to control the Mutants¡¯ breakdown problems. But this will require you to constantly climb the ranks. That¡¯s why, after knowing your Awakening had failed, I arranged for you to join the NW organization. Aside from severing ties between you and me. It also allows you to pass the NW organization¡¯s scrutiny. Because of my being targeted by those FBI fools, you¡¯ll probably face some trouble and coercion, but your life won¡¯t be in danger. I¡¯ve always believed that you have potential enough that even with a very high mortality rate and still-imperfect Divine Favored I-type reagent, you would be able to Awaken. I¡¯ve always believed in you! Of course, if my instincts are wrong, you won¡¯t have a chance to see any of these things. The USB drive contains data I¡¯ve collected over the years. When you have time, you can take a look. The black iron egg left over is a high-explosive bomb meant for suicide given to me by my master. I¡¯ve made some modifications. If no one turns it back to its original position by the designated time, it will explode, destroying both the things I¡¯ve left for you and this house. Of course, it might also kill you if you¡¯re trying to escape. Sorry, although it¡¯s cruel, the Kamor family has no need for members who flee. Unfortunately, I can¡¯t leave you my master¡¯s contact information. He is the most formidable Divine Favored I¡¯ve ever seen. If I hadn¡¯t met him in my early years, I might have lost myself to an ever-strengthening physique. He taught me a lot. I can¡¯t leave his information here, lest the letter falls into the wrong hands, disturbing his peaceful life. However, I can give you some direction. My master told me. Those organizations have all studied the wrong direction. The birth of Mutants stems from a powerful mental spirit. It¡¯s just that most psychopaths and the mentally ill, with their stronger mental spirits, are therefore more favored by the Blood Moon. Not only psychopaths and the mentally ill become Mutants. The two... Cause and Effect, are not equivalent. I¡¯m not sure if this was right. But I strongly agreed. Even though I enjoyed tormenting those animals since I was a child, to assert my strength, I always thought it was part of a man¡¯s growing process. Only with ruthlessness and power could I lead the Kamor family to rise. Unfortunately, I did not understand the importance of wisdom and insight. By the time I realized it, it had become exceedingly difficult to maintain a calm spirit for growth. Brian, that¡¯s one of the reasons I valued you. The despair that arises from the destruction of one¡¯s inner goodness, though it may have some lingering effects, if you can withstand it, it can quickly fortify a person¡¯s soul, and also make it easier for you to awaken into a powerful Divine Favored. To maintain reason afterwards, you must reconstruct the goodness within your heart to resist the desires that erode you continually. Some choose religious faith. Some choose self-exile. My choice was family. This process is very arduous. I hope you can persevere. I¡¯m sorry, Brian. Really sorry. Since I was a child, I was indoctrinated with the notion of sacrificing for the family; I once despised this destiny bound by obligations, believing by my own efforts I could lead the Kamor family to restore the mafia¡¯s glory. Subsequent setbacks made me realize my powerlessness. I never expected that I would become what I hated the most in the end. In the end... You might wonder why I emphasized vision and insight earlier yet persisted in transforming you into a monster like myself, making you part of a group that society shuns. I cannot tell you why. But in this age of rigid social hierarchy, the quickest way for a family with no depth to rise is through the status of a Divine Favored. With this status, you can cross class boundaries. When those people come for you, you¡¯ll understand why. Until then, hide your true self. ¡ª Your family member, Billy. ... After reading the letter, Brian rolled his eyes. Complete lunatic! No one likes having fate forced upon them. This feeling was like being pushed into the Abyss by elders who didn¡¯t care whether you lived or died, shouting for your greater good while ignoring your opposition. Given another chance, Brian would still not go easy on Billy. He was a simple man; he treated others well who treated him well, judging by actions, not intentions. Unless he knew in advance and willingly chose to be resentful. Otherwise, any deceit and betrayal were a challenge to the sensitive Brian¡¯s bottom line. ... But all that was in the past now. Death absolves all debts. Considering the vast inheritance his great-uncle left behind, Brian didn¡¯t bother to delve any further. The mountain that had been pressing down on his head was gone. He could finally live for himself! Billy¡¯s other inheritances were stashed away in various safe houses, making them temporarily uncountable. But the immediate benefits were ready at hand! Brian put down the letter. He first twisted the black metal egg back into place to avoid blowing himself up, then immediately turned his attention to the metal syringe. Suppressant! The obsession left behind by Strawman, the Class S fugitive, was indeed the Suppressant! That must have been a Mutant on the verge of losing control. Strawman¡¯s death was too sloppy, blown to pieces by a shot from Brian. But considering he could easily take down so many FBI agents to earn the name of a Class S fugitive, there was no way he was that weak. Brian was curious about the Mutant¡¯s ability. He wiped his hands sincerely, and picked up the Suppressant from the box. He wondered what kind of Gift this obsession would bring him! Chapter 88 - 88 80 Talent Pheromone Control! ?88: Chapter 80: Talent: Pheromone Control! 88: Chapter 80: Talent: Pheromone Control! He held the syringe in his hand. A warm current surged through his body, sweeping away the fatigue that clung to Brian¡¯s frame. Each time his obsession was fulfilled, he could recover his physical strength once. This ability was truly top-notch! Brian took a deep breath and began to check the Gift from the scarecrow. Energy +20, Talent: Pheromone Control. Brian clenched his fist in excitement! He had actually burst forth with a talent directly! So generous! Let¡¯s see what this talent does! Brian immediately closed his eyes and entered the Conscious Space. ... As the Talent Fusion occurred. Brian also received some memory fragments from the scarecrow: The scarecrow¡¯s original name was Mossley Lars. Mossley was an inbred, deformed in appearance, to the extent that he was abandoned by his parents at the age of seven or eight and was bullied in the Children¡¯s House, with no one willing to adopt him. Had it not been for government subsidies, which also facilitated publicity, Mossley would likely have been kicked out of the Children¡¯s House long ago. After reaching adulthood, to survive, Mossley moved to a small farm and became a cheap laborer there. Due to his appearance, he still could not escape a fate of being bullied. Seeing his peers easily finding women to accompany them, while he could not even get a prostitute to take his savings for the business, Mossley became enraged! He wanted people to fear him, wanted women to fall in love with him, wanted to... But he was timid and cowardly, nothing more than a daydreamer. Until thirty years ago, the Blood Moon descended... ... A realization dawned upon Brian. The Talent of Pheromone Control meant he could control the secretion of various micro-substances in his body, such as hormones, androstadienone, pheromones, etc. Professionally speaking, it referred to substances secreted by an individual to the outside, perceived by the individual¡¯s olfactory organs, such as the accessory olfactory bulb or vomeronasal organ, causing the individual to exhibit certain behaviors, emotions, psychological or physiological changes. For example. The simplest pheromone is the sex pheromone. Like when a female cat is in heat, the sex pheromones in her urine can be detected by male cats within a few kilometers, forcefully putting them into heat. Or the dry feces of tigers and lions, when burned in the wild, can drive away nearby wild animals. These are the effects of pheromones. The Talent of Pheromone Control resembles the Fury Talent that Brian had previously acquired, but it far surpasses the Fury Talent. The Fury Talent could only stimulate the secretion of adrenaline, harming both others and oneself. But the Talent of Pheromone Control was different. Its influence was much broader. Take the most common example! Why do men¡¯s needs for the opposite sex greatly decrease and their capabilities weaken as they reach middle age? The main reason is the decreasing secretion of male hormones. Brian wouldn¡¯t have such worries now. If he wished, he could even use his enhanced sense of smell to control his body and secrete custom-made pheromones for a specific male or female, making them feel elated and their hearts beat faster just by seeing him. Literarily speaking. This is called love at first sight, genetic selection. In reality, it¡¯s stimulating others to be passively in heat. Brian now, if he wished, could transform into a walking hormone, a universal donor, beloved by all, men and women alike. This was a degree even the scarecrow couldn¡¯t achieve. Because the scarecrow lacked enhanced sense of smell and couldn¡¯t tailor the secretion of specific pheromones. He could only manage actions like eliminating his own scent, keeping himself in an exhilarated state, or maintaining the vitality of his youth regardless of age. These had a large impact on himself but very little on others. Fundamentally speaking. This ability, as awesome as it was called; as useless as it was called; more like a freely adjustable BUFF, could always keep himself in states of exhilaration, intense concentration, or joy, but without a similar enhancement like Brian¡¯s ¡°Olfactory Enhancement¡± for private customization, its effect on other humans wasn¡¯t very significant. The truly awesome aspect of this ability lay in its silent and invisible dissemination of toxins. This was the real reason the scarecrow could become an S-class wanted criminal. By consuming specific toxins, ether, and such, and using his talent to evaporate them into the surrounding air, he could make people unwittingly fall prey. Without any defenses. He could single-handedly handle an entire fully-armed team! Brian suddenly understood. No wonder the scarecrow liked to kill people and then stuff their bodies with straw after dissecting their bellies. What seemed like sadism was actually a tactic to drain the victim¡¯s blood, reducing the risk of exposing his real powers! Brian admitted he had been naive. No S-class criminal was simple! .. ¡°Very strong, very impressive! But now this talent is mine!¡± Brian grinned with a smirk. A walking bio-toxin! He finally possessed a trump card that could alter life and death! Brian, with a thought, replayed the scarecrow¡¯s memories just before death. This process, Brian had experienced firsthand, contained no particularly valuable information, and he skipped it. The playback ended. A Spirit Crystal, significantly larger than the ordinary ones from humans, merged into Brian¡¯s consciousness. A distinct feeling of relief and relaxation washed over Brian. He comfortably squinted his eyes. It was a very peculiar sensation. If the use of Gift Energy was like soaking the body in a warm hot spring, then completing the deceased¡¯s obsession and absorbing the Spirit Crystal after witnessing the death memory felt like wiping away the mental dust, rejuvenating a heavy spirit. However, this process was brief. The Spiritual Enhancement ended. Under Supercomputer Perception, Brian¡¯s Spiritual Strength was still at 1.1 and had not undergone a qualitative change. However, due to the continuous killings, his previously heavy heart had lightened considerably, stabilizing his emotions enough to not instantly think of Destruction when something unhappy crossed his mind. A contemplative look flashed through Brian¡¯s eyes. Perhaps, if he completed enough obsessions, he might not need any Suppressant to manage the Mutant¡¯s uncontrollable issues... This needed time to verify. No rush. Brian glanced at the time, ready to use the Gift Energy to heal the hidden injuries on his body. Suddenly. He squinted slightly. Something was off. Where¡¯s my dog? Brian¡¯s nose twitched as he began to walk around the room. A few seconds later, he approached the fridge and kicked it: ¡°Come out.¡± ¡°Woof?¡± Shi San¡¯s whimpering came from beneath the fridge. A miraculous event happened. After acquiring the ¡°Pheromone Control¡± talent and activating ¡°Enhanced Sense of Smell,¡± Brian was amazed to find that he could understand the messages conveyed by Shi San: fear, is it the master? ¡°How miraculous?¡± Brian licked his lips, trying to manipulate his unique scent and spread it around. The next moment. A yellow figure dashed out from under the fridge, desperately trying to squeeze under the sofa but, due to Brian¡¯s fidgeting with the sofa, could only fit Shi San¡¯s tiny head under it, leaving its butt and tail completely exposed. As Shi San struggled to push further in, it whimpered: don¡¯t come close, scared... Brian stroked his chin: ¡°Could this scent be intimidation, murderous intent?¡± Looking at the frightened little ball curled up, Brian flashed a sleazy smile. Keeping a dog for a thousand days, using it once. He continued playing until Shi San lay on the floor, legs up in the air, eyes vacant, looking like a lost soul ready to be slaughtered, before Brian reluctantly dressed in a suit, pinned on his badge and gun, prepared for work. He still had traces of gunpowder from firing shots. If there were no cases later, he¡¯d have to go to the shooting range for a while to eliminate the last bit of flaw on his body. As for his uncle¡¯s obsession and inheritance. Brian decided to wait a bit, until everything was stable, before slowly addressing it. He was now debt-free and light-hearted, not as urgent as before. Living for oneself felt great! ... In compensation for Shi San¡¯s ordeal, Brian placed finely chopped meat and prepared sheep¡¯s milk powder in the dog bowl before leaving the house. After he left, Shi San, who was playing dead on the floor, rolled its eyes and even sprinted to the balcony to watch, only rushing to its food bowl and eating joyfully after making sure Brian had driven away. Compared to its peers, it was significantly more intelligent... ... Arriving at the B6 team¡¯s modest office, It was still early. Only one person was zoning out at their desk. Brian squinted slightly. It was Rechter! The guy had actually come to work. Counting. In the FBI¡¯s three-person training team, only Rechter was still alive. According to Anna¡¯s dying declaration, Rechter had joined the B6 team to observe Brian, but mainly to replace Brian¡¯s position as their inside link in NW, for safety, he had always verbally reported on Brian¡¯s situation with Anna, leaving no electronic or paper records. In this situation, just find an opportunity for an accidental death. How should he reasonably deal with the other person? Thinking this, Brian walked up to Rechter¡¯s desk, smiling, ¡°Rechter, buddy, I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re alright, I was too impulsive last time. How about this, I found a great fishing spot, how about fishing after work?¡± Rechter: ??? Watching the suddenly eager Brian, Rechter inexplicably felt a chill at the back of his head... ¡°Fishing, where to go fishing?¡± Old Harden, wrapping a colorful scarf around himself, cheerfully entered from outside: ¡°Brian, I just bought a nice fishing rod, how about going sea fishing on the day off?¡± The million-dollar bounty for eliminating the Highly Polluted Mutant¡ªMad Dog Ike was already deposited. Old Harden and the others had shared around a hundred thousand cash, living quite comfortably recently. Brian glanced at the interrupting Old Harden and shrugged, ¡°No problem, just afraid you might be busy then.¡± So clueless. Brian decided that on the day off, he¡¯d find some tasks for Old Harden. ... As Los Angeles began a new day against the sunrise, A group of outsiders also dodged the coast guard and landed on this West Coast. Chapter 89 - 89 81 The Strange Shooting Case ?89: Chapter 81: The Strange Shooting Case 89: Chapter 81: The Strange Shooting Case At nine in the morning. Team B6 members, except for Susan, had all arrived for the first time. Today was unusually free from cases. Some played games, others caught up on sleep, and some hit the gym. Brian glanced at Rechter, who continued to daydream and seemed lost in thought, then headed to the shooting range in the basement warehouse. Besides live-fire training, this place also served as a ballistics testing lab and an ammunition modification test site. It looked simple but offered many possibilities. Next door was Brian¡¯s exclusive autopsy room and a temporary morgue. The new member, a Brazilian, Ali, a firearms and vehicle expert, had his office here. He doubled as the logistics warehouse guard and a specially appointed munitions expert, providing the team with suggestions for firepower enhancements. With multiple roles, he also held the right to a share of the team¡¯s bonus. When Brian arrived, Ali was at the workbench in a small room, crafting some tiny, egg-sized white balls. Hearing the noise, he finished his task and then looked up. Seeing Brian, a colleague known for resorting to kicks at the slightest disagreement, Ali was noticeably cautious. He quickly got up, carefully saying, ¡°Good morning, Brian, what¡¯s up?¡± Brian eyed the white balls on the workbench, curiously asking, ¡°Good morning, buddy. What are these?¡± ¡°These are improved miniature bomb casings I made while bored. Based on your needs, they can be made into high explosives, flash bombs, shock bombs, poison gas bombs, tear gas, incendiary bombs, and the most commonly used high explosive bombs. Created in this form, one is for easy carrying, and the other is for easy close-range throwing. The detonation is very simple. The only issue is that their power is much less than regular bombs.¡± Brian listened and became interested. Great stuff! ¡°Can I have some?¡± Brian asked directly with a cheeky grin. Ali nodded generously, ¡°No problem, Team Leader Susan left me over five hundred thousand US dollars for procurement. We get internal discounts too. How many do you need? I¡¯ve made a lot these past few days, but they are all high explosives!¡± ¡°I just love high explosives!¡± Brian was even happier. Moments later, Ali blankly watched his ammunition box being emptied, bidding farewell to Brian, who had noticeably gained weight, as he signed and left. Is the NW field operation that dangerous? Otherwise, why would Brian, who is responsible for autopsies, take so many high explosives all at once? ... Having emptied Ali¡¯s ammo box, Brian occasionally felt the special lining he had wrested away, feeling a full sense of security. It was a custom bulletproof vest made by Ali for carrying the small specialty bombs he designed, capable of carrying over twenty types of small explosives, allowing unrestricted movement, easy accessibility, and also providing bulletproof functionality, avoiding the hazard of bullets detonating the explosives. For safety. The detonation of these small explosives also differed from regular explosives; it required pulling up an internal clasp, tearing it off, then smoking for a few seconds before detonation, making it very safe. Brian also carried a small box. This contained a thousand rounds of ammunition he had requested. He spent the whole morning at the shooting range, practicing his gun skills. When his hands couldn¡¯t take it anymore, he simply used some Gift Energy to enhance his body and simultaneously recover from the fatigue in his arms. His exaggerated stamina made Ali, the weapons expert, call him a beast. ... In the afternoon. Brian, smelling faintly of gunpowder, was about to request a few hundred more rounds to kill time in the afternoon with paid practice shooting when the team finally received a new case. It was a gunshot homicide. Brian, who had just arrived at the parking lot, was still unclear about the case details. He got into the crime scene investigation vehicle. Only after placing the Los Angeles police badge on his suit lapel did he look at Rechter, who was driving, and ask, ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± Rechter, having been dealt with by Brian earlier, was much friendlier now. Following Ivan and others in their Dodge custom police car, he said, ¡°This is a very strange case. The deceased was called Bill, a 42-year-old Caucasian male and the owner of a company. Around 2 p.m. today. Bill jumped off the rooftop of his apartment building in an attempt at suicide. The apartment was undergoing municipal safety renovations, and a safety net had been installed at the eighth floor. At the time, there were about a dozen workers below who were eyewitnesses to the scene. They testified that Bill had jumped on his own. They tried to stop him but were unsuccessful. Fortunately, Bill landed on the safety net. However, when the workers brought Bill down, they discovered he had been shot in the chest and was not breathing. That¡¯s when they decided to call the police. Upon their arrival, the patrols confirmed the deceased, Bill, had died from a chest gunshot wound, declaring it a homicide. The scene was then sealed off and reported. This case was then transferred to our hands.¡± Hearing this, Brian nodded his head. This case sounded quite intriguing. Moreover, Rechter presented the case clearly, without his personal bias; if he really acted diligently as an assistant, he would be quite manageable. Unfortunately, he had a dark cloud over his brow. Brian could tell at a glance that Rechter didn¡¯t have long left, likely to die a violent death soon, probably not an assistant to count on for long. ... Half an hour later. Brian and his team arrived at the crime scene. It was an old apartment building about seventeen or eighteen stories high, currently under renovation, replete with lots of scaffolding and a mid-air safety net. A body covered with a white sheet was laid out at the base of the building. Some residents were watching the commotion, while an elderly couple with white hair sat in front of the body, crying. A few patrol officers maintained order at the scene. ¡°Ivan, you and Glenn will talk with the family of the deceased to learn more. Rechter and I will inspect the scene,¡± Brian directed. The four split up to carry out their tasks. Ivan and his group gently moved the elderly people away from the body and began to inquire about the deceased. Brian and Rechter then lifted the white sheet. The deceased¡¯s appearance was somewhat worn and neglected, his face unshaven, looking like he hadn¡¯t cared for himself in days. The way Americans looked down on people did not match his status as the owner of a company. Besides that. Even without using his enhanced sense of smell, Brian could detect a strong alcohol odor on the corpse. Rechter also started his examination. He put on gloves, lifted the clothing on the deceased¡¯s chest, examined the gunshot wound for a while, and seriously said, ¡°The deceased was shot in the left chest; the bullet pierced his heart. That should be the cause of death.¡± Rechter then pulled back the deceased¡¯s eyelids and continued, ¡°There is no obvious congestion in the deceased¡¯s eyes, and his expression is peaceful, which fits the psychological profile of someone contemplating suicide. I can¡¯t understand who would kill someone who was already planning to take his own life.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to the rooftop.¡± Brian sniffed the odor emanating from Bill, frowned, and stood up. This guy probably hadn¡¯t bathed in days. His body was a mess of smells, and beyond that, there was indeed another faint, odd human scent on him. Based on Brian¡¯s recent experiences, the owner of the scent was likely an older woman, probably the deceased¡¯s mother, and not of much relevance. ... Upon reaching the rooftop, the two of them saw a cut slender iron chain, which due to dust, had visible fingerprint marks; there was also a clear footprint on the ground. Rechter, keen, took out tools to imprint the fingerprints and footprint. Brian then walked over to the rooftop. The rooftop appeared to have been closed off for a long time. The messy footprints extended to a fence area, with several crushed beer cans discarded at the edge, yet there were no traces left by a second person. Brian sniffed again, only detecting the scent that Bill had left behind. This was getting interesting. No one was on the rooftop. According to the initial information questioned from the renovation workers by the patrol officers, it could be determined that at the time, Bill was sitting alone at the edge of the rooftop. Who then shot and killed Bill? It couldn¡¯t possibly be that during his fall, an apartment resident accidentally fired a gun and killed him mid-air, could it? There was another interesting point. Brian and Rechter had differing thoughts. He suspected that Bill hadn¡¯t planned to jump and commit suicide at all! Chapter 90 - 90 82 The Bullet of Fate Attack Extra for alliance leader Meng Wanyan +1 ?90: Chapter 82: The Bullet of Fate, Attack (Extra chapter for alliance leader ¡®Meng Wanyan¡¯ +1) 90: Chapter 82: The Bullet of Fate, Attack (Extra chapter for alliance leader ¡®Meng Wanyan¡¯ +1) On the rooftop, aside from collecting fingerprints and footprints which further confirmed that the victim, Bill, had unlocked the big lock to the rooftop himself before jumping off, there was no other discovery. When they came down, Ivan and another had also finished questioning Bill¡¯s parents and the eyewitness workers. ¡°Brian, this case is getting interesting,¡± Ivan said in a low voice. ¡°I feel that Bill¡¯s parents seem to be hiding something.¡± Off to the side, Glenn was daydreaming, his gaze constantly drifting to the young girls and older women among the onlookers, looking starved for attention. ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°Bill didn¡¯t usually live around here. He ran a tire factory, but there were some problems with the business, and he wanted to claim his elderly parents¡¯ pensions to fill the company¡¯s financial gaps. Today, after another argument with his parents, he left. Ten minutes later, Bill was found dead on the safety net.¡± Ivan took out a cigarette, placed it in his mouth, and continued, ¡°I feel like Bill¡¯s parents are deliberately avoiding talking about Bill¡¯s death, even reluctant to mention his name, as if they¡¯re hiding something. Moreover, Glenn questioned the eyewitness workers. They, along with the nearby residents, said that due to the loud construction noise, no one heard a gunshot at the time. The only certainty so far is that the victim, Bill, drank a few cans of beer on the rooftop before jumping down. The workers didn¡¯t get a chance to go up and pull him down before he jumped. Throughout the whole process, the workers didn¡¯t see anyone else present.¡± Rechter, standing to the side, also voiced his opinion: ¡°In fact, Bill¡¯s facial expression before his death was also strange. Usually, people who jump off buildings show fear on their faces, and their eyes would also be bloodshot, but these signs weren¡¯t present on Bill. Moreover, based on the angle of the bullet wound on Bill¡¯s body, the bullet was most likely fired from the direction of the apartment building. If we conduct a gunshot residue test on the residents along the line from where Bill jumped, we should find something.¡± It was clear that after having been unapologetically bullied by Brian last time, he was trying to make an effort to fit into the group. He wouldn¡¯t believe everyone would accept him, and yet Brian would still dare to beat him up so directly! Rechter thought resentfully. But he didn¡¯t know that Brian was already contemplating how to gracefully get rid of him. ... After listening to Rechter¡¯s suggestion, Everyone nodded their heads. A gunshot residue test is essentially checking for the remnants of shooting on a person, which mainly consist of particles of gunpowder and metal powder that dissipate after a shot is fired. Brian first came to work earlier to go to the underground shooting range just to cover up the gunshot residues on him, rationalizing any smell of gunpowder on him. These residues could remain on a shooter¡¯s clothing and hands for days, or even longer. The car was equipped with papers for testing gunshot residues. The body was found in a timely manner. If, at this point, a resident tested positive for recent shooting, or being close to a shooter, and couldn¡¯t provide a reasonable explanation, they could essentially be confirmed as a suspect. ¡°No need for so much trouble.¡± Brian shook his head and walked directly to Bill¡¯s parents: ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Autopsy Officer Brian, the person in charge of this case. We need to conduct a search at your residence now.¡± Ivan and the others also came over. Bill¡¯s father, a big-necked white old man, pulled his wife behind him and glared at Brian: ¡°We don¡¯t welcome strangers into our home!¡± Brian shrugged: ¡°Worried about the gunpowder smell in the house not clearing out yet?¡± What? Ivan and the others perked up, Especially Ivan. He suddenly remembered Brian¡¯s sense of smell, which was comparable to a dog¡¯s nose. Last time, in the case where the intruder died in the landlord¡¯s house, Brian could even distinguish the gender of the excrement¡¯s owner, a veritable cheat code. He immediately realized that Brian must have smelled the gunpowder from the shooting left on this old couple. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Unless you have a warrant, you¡¯re not setting foot in my house!¡± The old man¡¯s expression grew even more unfriendly. ¡°My son is dead, and you are here questioning his parents, is this how you¡¯re wasting taxpayers¡¯ money?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Brian signaled Rechter with a wave. ¡°Bring two papers to test for gunshot residues, I need to test both of them!¡± At this, the old man¡¯s wife behind him broke down. She pushed her husband in front of her and said with great emotion: ¡°This has nothing to do with Rag. We were arguing about Bill at the time, and then Rag took out his antique handgun from the room and pulled the trigger to threaten me.¡± ¡°Your husband was about to shoot you, and you¡¯re speaking up for him?¡± Glenn interjected in surprise. ¡°What do you know!¡± The woman¡¯s husband, Rag, spat at Glenn: ¡°My gun has never been loaded! I only did that to look imposing, and I was even worried that Mag would get scared, always pointing the barrel outside the window. Who knew someone had loaded the bullet into the gun? It must have been that beast, Bill. He wanted me to kill Mag, then I¡¯d go to prison, and that way he could take our pensions!¡± Rag¡¯s wife, Bill¡¯s biological mother Mag, also nodded in agreement with her husband¡¯s words: ¡°Every time Rag and I argue, he does this, it¡¯s just his habit. That gun has never been loaded.¡± Everyone: ... The words of the two elderly people were easy to verify. After checking the traces at their residence, Ivan found the key evidence on the gun box owned by Bill¡¯s father¡ªBill had accidentally left a fingerprint that he had only wiped off halfway. Well, that wraps up the case. The classification of the case was a bit tricky. Was it Bill¡¯s suicide, or Bill¡¯s father, Rag, accidentally shooting his son? Bill, eager for his parents¡¯ retirement money, plotted to kill his own parents and, to avoid suspicion, pretended to install a safety net on the roof after his parents had quarreled over him, intending to stage a suicide scene in front of the construction workers. However, he failed to watch closely. He only knew that every time his parents argued, his father pointed the gun at his mother and pulled the trigger without realizing that his father, who loved his mother, always aimed the gun at the window. Fatefully, the bullet, as if by God¡¯s will, hit Bill, who had jumped off the building, right in the heart, killing him under his father¡¯s gun. A fake death turned into a real one, suffering the consequences of his own scheme. This case was hard to crack. Back at the office. Old Hardenn and the rookie, Edna, were shocked after hearing Glenn¡¯s account. Seeing Edna¡¯s interest, Glenn quickly pulled her aside to chat. He was a man of strong principles, indiscriminately ruthless to all women regardless of appearance. With Susan not around, Glenn finally couldn¡¯t resist making a move on his colleague Edna. Old Hardenn was also a man of strong principles. He sneaked off to a corner and took out his phone: ¡°Hey, it¡¯s me, Old Hardenn. I¡¯ve got a really interesting piece of news. You interested? No, no, no, it¡¯s definitely going to cause a big stir, a very interesting case, and no risk involved. No way! Three hundred US dollars is not enough, I want five hundred! Okay, deal! The case goes like this...¡± As for Ivan, he went to the underground shooting range, discussing the feasibility of customizing a comfortable large bed for his vehicle with Weapon Expert and Vehicle Specialist Ali... Brian glanced at his busy colleagues, ready to call Rechter to go to the rooftop for some fresh air and to test his ¡°Pheromone Control¡± talent¡¯s effect on his kind. However, the office door was suddenly kicked open. The next moment. Gunfire erupted. Dada dada~ Numerous bullet casings ejected onto the newly laid porcelain, making a crisp sound. ¡°FK!¡± Glenn reacted the fastest, pulling his colleague Edna behind him and, without looking, fired back at the doorway to provide cover. Old Hardenn was not slow either. Already in the corner, he rolled to take cover on the balcony. The slowest to react was Rechter. When he heard the gunfire, his first instinct wasn¡¯t to take cover but to foolishly stand up and look toward the source of the gunshots at the doorway. Rechter was stunned for two seconds before he realized what was happening. It was only because his desk was in a corner that he wasn¡¯t hit by the indiscriminate gunfire. Unaccustomed to such violence, he tried to drop to the floor in shock. At the crucial moment, his good colleague Brian, in a life-risking move, threw himself at Rechter, shouting excitedly, ¡°Watch out, Rechter!¡± Rechter: ? With a bewildered face, he was completely embraced by Brian, who toppled backward, skillfully shielding Brian from incoming fire and taking five or six stray bullets. Rechter¡¯s eyes widened, looking at Brian beside him, lips twitching twice, leaving his final words: ¡°FK...¡± Seeing this, Brian embraced Rechter, his emotions running high, ¡°Buddy, what¡¯s happened to you, FK, Rechter¡¯s been shot, oh God, he¡¯s been hit, FK!¡± In Brian¡¯s fervent embrace, Rechter¡¯s last breath was squeezed out. His eyes widened, his head drooping back powerlessly, not closing in death. ¡°Brian, stop yelling, fight back!¡± Glenn, seeing Brian¡¯s reaction and noting that Old Hardenn had taken cover, couldn¡¯t help but shout orders. His small handgun couldn¡¯t suppress the doorway gunman with an automatic rifle! Luckily the office was converted from a factory, with many concrete pillars serving as load-bearing walls, or else there would have been no chance to react when the gunman charged in. At that moment, a small white ball arched through the air, rolling with precision to the feet of the gunman with a black hood. Boom~ With an explosion, the entire building shook slightly. A severed leg flew straight toward Old Hardenn, who was attempting a sneak attack, startling him immensely. The shooter was dealt with. Brian rose, stepping over the body of Rechter, whose eyes would not close in death, and headed toward the door. He needed to see for himself who the ¡°benefactor¡±¡ªspit it out¡ªlunatic was, who dared to attack a government institution in broad daylight and killed his colleague Rechter! Chapter 91 - 91 83 Oh no Ive become an S-class wanted criminal! ?91: Chapter 83: Oh no, I¡¯ve become an S-class wanted criminal! (Extra 2 for alliance leader ¡®Meng Wanyan¡¯) 91: Chapter 83: Oh no, I¡¯ve become an S-class wanted criminal! (Extra 2 for alliance leader ¡®Meng Wanyan¡¯) Two and a half hours later. Susan, with a grim expression, appeared in the B6 group¡¯s underground morgue. Two fresh bodies were laid out here. One was the mutilated body of an attacker. The attacker was a tribal African man with distinct Black features, his face covered in bizarre totems, and an image of a sunflower on his left chest. The other body belonged to Rechter, the autopsy assistant of the B6 group. He had been shot five or six times in the chest, his internal organs shredded by bullets, and he died on the spot. The group members stood silently in the corridor. This was the first loss of personnel since the B6 group was briefly established. This position, with high benefits and significant authority, didn¡¯t seem as safe as it appeared. Seeing the grim-faced Susan, Brian approached her. His face showed remorse, ¡°Team leader, I¡¯m sorry, I tried desperately to tackle Rechter, but I was still a step too late.¡± Susan nodded, ¡°I saw your effort on the monitor, Brian, you were brave, and Rechter will thank you for that in heaven.¡± Old Hardenn flinched among the crowd. Under the attack, he had shown signs of cowardice. However, Susan didn¡¯t blame anyone. She walked up to the attacker¡¯s body and said with a low voice, ¡°This time it wasn¡¯t just our B6 group that was attacked, the whole of Los Angeles, both team A and B, twelve groups in total, were targeted. This was a retaliation.¡± ¡°Retaliation against the NW organization?¡± ¡°Mainly against the B1 team. They were tracking the murderer, known as ¡®Butcher¡¯ who had killed the A1 team leader, following the leads left behind the day before yesterday, when they accidentally uncovered an Original Sect ritual and killed one of their major members. The Original Sect, a Mutant Organization originating from the African Continent, has very strong cohesion and a vengeful nature. According to the information I received. The entire team B1 was attacked by a dozen fanatics raised by the Original Sect, all staff inside were martyred, except those out on field duty.¡± As she said this, some sorrow appeared in Susan¡¯s eyes. Aiden, the leader of team B1, had been her childhood companion. Although they weren¡¯t deeply connected, the death of a familiar person, compounded by her own recruit, Rechter¡¯s death in this attack, caused Susan some emotional distress. ¡°We have to retaliate!¡± Ivan clenched his fist. At the time of the attack, he and Ali were on the underground floor¡¯s shooting range, and by the time they had heard the commotion and reached the office, the gunman had already been killed by a grenade thrown by Brian. Susan shook her head, ¡°Retaliation is difficult, most members of the Original Sect live off-the-grid, supported by their followers. NW is just one of many official organizations in the United States, it¡¯s hard to use Federation power to strike a terrorist organization, our only lead now is the ¡®Butcher¡¯.¡± Upon hearing this, Brian felt a tightness in his chest. Damn. How did this issue end up involving him too. Susan continued: ¡°Regarding the Butcher, we currently have very little information from NW¡¯s side. He is about six feet tall, has appeared twice, once at the crime scene where the A1 team leader was killed, and another time where an A1 team member, Karen, was killed. The Butcher never avoids surveillance, and after each murder, he always leaves a pig¡¯s head doll, listing the victim¡¯s crimes. It was through the pig mask technique he used on his head that B1¡¯s members located a Mutant Organization infiltrator. We suspect that the Butcher is part of the Original Sect. The headquarters also brought in a renowned criminal psychology expert to predict the criminal psychology surrounding the Butcher, and moving forward, this Butcher...¡± Before she could finish, Susan¡¯s phone, which hung in front of her chest, suddenly began to vibrate. She frowned, picked up the phone, and after seeing the caller ID, she stepped aside to take the call. Everyone tactfully moved away slightly. A little over a minute later, Susan returned to the front of the morgue van with a serious expression and said: ¡°Alright, the Butcher didn¡¯t strike twice, but three times now. Last night, he appeared at a farm in the suburbs and a base in the mountains, slaughtering over twenty people including FBI members, a Class S wanted criminal ¡®Scarecrow¡¯, and a powerful infiltrating Mutant who had been on the FBI¡¯s radar for a long time. The FBI and NW organization have decided to escalate the Butcher¡¯s case, making him the Federation¡¯s new Class S wanted criminal!¡± The series of updates from Susan left everyone unsure of what to say. So this was the real criminal the NW organization had to face! Brian thought: Damn, I¡¯ve become a Federal Class S wanted criminal! He was stupefied. When had the efficiency of official organizations gotten so high? He had barely committed the crimes before they were exposed. The most absurd part was that the pig-headed masks, leather skirt, and those pig-headed dolls were bought with cash from an old Native American man at a second-hand market, how did they get linked to a cult organization... Damn! The alias ¡®Butcher¡¯ can no longer be used! ... Brian stood there, lost in thought. Susan sighed, pulling Brian outside and whispering, ¡°Brian, there¡¯s something I need to tell you. That farm was secretly purchased by the Kamor family. The FBI found the bodies of several Kamor family members there, and an entire FBI operation squad that had gone missing was discovered tortured to death at that location. At another crime scene, members of the Bloodbath Gang were found. The base was blown up, and I don¡¯t know the current situation, but the FBI is frantically searching for Kamor family members now. Keep a low profile for a while.¡± Brian nodded, not saying much more. Seeing this, Susan tiptoed, patted Brian¡¯s shoulder, and led the others into a meeting room to project the images and criminal motives of S-class wanted criminal ¡®The Butcher.¡¯ ... Due to a terror attack, a colleague had died. The atmosphere was heavy that afternoon. After work, Susan and old Hardenn were busy contacting Rechter¡¯s family to arrange the funeral matters. Brian did not go home. He drove to a deserted lookout, took out an unregistered mobile phone, and dialed his cousin Fooly¡¯s number. The other party hadn¡¯t changed phones. A few seconds later, Fooly answered the call, his raspy voice coming through, ¡°Brian, did you receive the letter?¡± He was still unaware of what Billy had done. ¡°Um, thanks for the medical expenses,¡± Brian said after a moment of silence, ¡°I just received a message that your father might have run into some trouble. He and the remaining clan members did something to infuriate the FBI, and now they are desperately tracking down members of the Kamor family.¡± He didn¡¯t mention the necklace Billy left for his daughter and the message left for Fooly. It wasn¡¯t appropriate to bring up. Brian would wait a year or two and anonymously deliver these items to Fooly and his sister, using his uncle¡¯s voice. Before that, Brian didn¡¯t want Fooly to get caught up with those FBI people. Fooly was not shocked by Brian¡¯s news, ¡°I don¡¯t know what Dad has done, but he left me and my sister some ways to cope. Don¡¯t worry. I just hope this doesn¡¯t affect you...¡± Relieved by these words, Brian finally took a breath. He ended the call. He glanced at a fleeting light from the opposite building, stood on the rooftop for a while, and eventually yelled out, as if unloading some great burden. ... On the opposite rooftop, a man put down his binoculars and said to his companion, ¡°It¡¯s clear he¡¯s not upset about the Kamor family¡¯s predicament; it¡¯s more like he¡¯s been freed from shackles.¡± The companion packed up a long-range receiver and shrugged, ¡°Looking at this Brian¡¯s profile, he had a chance to become a dentist, but was forced to join the Forensic Bureau, and was used as bait by Lurker 132. These reactions are normal. He seems unaware of the matter with Lurker 132. Let¡¯s change our target.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s leaking secrets...¡± ¡°What does that have to do with us? Interrogating the children of Lurker 132 isn¡¯t our job. Earning dough money while harboring flour ambitions, I¡¯m sick of you...¡± The two argued heatedly over this. ... The next day, Brian took his dog Shi San to the B6 group¡¯s office. Probably because the Scarecrow had died. Susan was back in action. She curiously glanced at Thirteen following Brian and seemed to think of something, giving Brian an inquiring look. Brian nodded and voluntarily recounted the events surrounding Glenn¡¯s rescue. Susan clearly wasn¡¯t interested in the Bloodbath Gang. She gathered everyone, ¡°The FBI Los Angeles division has suffered heavy casualties recently, and with manpower short, plus the farm raid orchestrated by ¡®The Butcher,¡¯ NW commands our unit to dispatch a few members to assist the FBI with this investigation.¡± The case involved Brian¡¯s relatives, so it wasn¡¯t appropriate for him to be involved. No need to discuss old Hardenn... After a discussion, Susan sent Ivan and Glenn to the farm in the outskirts, as per NW¡¯s arrangements. News of yesterday¡¯s attack was suppressed. No information was seen online, on TV, or in the newspapers. But no one could guess the madman¡¯s thoughts. For safety, over ten SWAT teams, including a K9 police dog team, gathered in the city center and, escorted by two armored SWAT vehicles and two fully armed Apache helicopters, headed towards the suburbs. Seeing such a scene, Brian felt somewhat guilty. Indeed, one can easily act foolishly when senile. Hopefully, he hadn¡¯t exposed himself... Chapter 92 - 92 84 The Campus Body Dumping Case ?92: Chapter 84: The Campus Body Dumping Case 92: Chapter 84: The Campus Body Dumping Case Back to the still disheveled, chaotic office. The newcomer Edna couldn¡¯t help but mention the send-off scene they had just witnessed. It was her first time seeing so many heavy weapons and missiles directly appearing on city streets, and she was somewhat astounded, ¡°Do we really need to make such a big scene? I even saw media helicopters following them.¡± As she spoke, there was a hint of worry in her eyes. The object of her concern was obviously not Ivan, but Glenn. That boy, capitalizing on his performance during the attack, had completely captured the heart of this female newcomer, not missing any opportunity to uproot the carrot. Old Hardenn laughed and enlightened the newbie, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, in front of an Apache, those monkeys from Africa would turn into a pile of rotten meat if they dared to show their faces. The reason for such a big scene with even TV helicopters following is all part of a scripted play. We can¡¯t casually report police being attacked; it would damage the LAPD¡¯s dignity. But ¡®innocent civilians¡¯ being attacked by extremist groups, not only can it be reported, but it can also be covered with high intensity by the media, maybe even featuring ¡®victims¡¯ up-close shots.¡± Seeing Edna looking somewhat confused, Old Hardenn shrugged and added, ¡°Without blood and gore in front of their eyes, how else can we highlight the role of us government employees? What do you think those taxpayers willingly pay taxes for us?¡± Edna¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°But, their willingness to pay taxes isn¡¯t because if they don¡¯t, the IRS¡¯s armed teams would send tanks to their doorstep, right?¡± Old Hardenn: Er... Faced with Edna¡¯s words, he found himself unable to retort. There was a joke (for some laughs) that once circulated about the United States armed forces¡¯ internal rankings. First place goes to the United States military, also known as the United States Armed Forces, with fully-equipped army, navy, and air force. They have military bases in most regions across the globe, and in times of crisis, they have the capability and confidence to simultaneously launch a global ¡°OL special edition¡± and reboot the ¡°S3 season,¡± being the sole guarantee for the United States Federation to exert influence worldwide. Second place is the National Guard Coast Guard, also called the Federation National Militia, belonging to the direct armed forces of each state, with both equipment and armed strength that are not inferior to some small and medium-sized countries¡¯ militaries. In many Hollywood monster invasion war scenes, the most deployed cannon fodder troops are basically them. Third place belongs to the direct armed forces of the IRS. Their level of weapon equipment is on par with the U.S. Army, with over ten thousand armed personnel, and a very simple slogan: In the life of an American citizen, only death and taxes are inevitable. Whether you are a prostitute or a gang boss, or someone amidst the capital. Regardless if your money comes from soliciting or drugs, or rewards from zero-dollar purchases. As long as it¡¯s within the scope allowed by tax law and the IRS finds out, if you dare to refuse to pay taxes, they will truly go after you. Of course, the tax laws are also tailored by the wealthy. These people have their own ways to legally evade taxes. So, in truth, IRS¡¯s deterrence is more towards the American lower class. Old Hardenn thought for a while, then spread his hands, ¡°Alright, the IRS is indeed formidable, but this time NW and FBI are probably preparing to use the farm massacre case as an annual case study and achievement. This kind of thing has happened many times; that butcher is as good as dead.¡± Brian, who was playing with the dog next to him, grew increasingly anxious as he listened. He couldn¡¯t help but interrupt, ¡°But what if they can¡¯t find the butcher?¡± Old Hardenn shrugged, ¡°A pig head mask + a dirty leather apron doesn¡¯t cost much, and with the FBI having quite a few tall, dumb giants facing charges and about to be sentenced for hundreds of years, how could they not find one to play the butcher?¡± Brian: ...Okay, Old Hardenn really sees through it all. Susan, who was looking at the butcher¡¯s crime scene videos on the computer next to him, also nodded, ¡°I don¡¯t like to pay attention to these things, but Old Hardenn is right. The media reports what the public needs to hear, and likewise, whatever the news reports is what the public will believe. They just need a channel to vent the frustrations of life. In reality, nobody cares what the truth is.¡± ... B6 group already had few hands, and now with one dead, two temporarily absent, plus Old Hardenn and two newcomers in logistics, the only ones left who could actually work were Susan and Brian. Additionally, with other groups experiencing casualties to varying degrees due to sudden attacks and having staff reassigned, there was a shortage of personnel. All morning, new cases kept getting reported to the B6 team. ... As Brian drove to the crime scene in the investigation car, out of curiosity he asked Susan who was intently staring at the specialized tablet, ¡°Susan, are you really interested in this butcher?¡± Susan didn¡¯t even look up and nodded, ¡°I quite like his style.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°I feel his style is reminiscent of the old Western vigilantes, and he¡¯s extremely confident, especially with the large-caliber shotguns those guys were holding ¡ª those are exactly my cup of tea.¡± Susan was blunt, ¡°He¡¯s doing what I¡¯ve always wanted to do.¡± Brian felt comforted by these words. Even though his motive for executing criminals was for the sake of the dead¡¯s ¡°obsession gift,¡± the process also gave him great psychological satisfaction. Especially each time he saw the death memories of the victims. Brian increasingly understood why people around the world, no matter the country, like to watch movies about heroes punishing criminals. It really has nothing to do with good and evil. At its core, it¡¯s because no matter the place, the law can¡¯t cover everything. Everybody¡¯s lives are filled with too much darkness and far too much injustice. Everyone needs a vent, a kind of ¡°imagination,¡± to take the place of the ordinary person to do some things they wish to do but are powerless to do. That¡¯s why people like the idea of a jianghu, like superheroes. With this in mind. Brian petted the curious Shi San, who was examining the car¡¯s parts, and smiled at Susan, ¡°Then you must like watching Hollywood superhero movies.¡± ¡°No, those are just dumb. Especially those superheroes, who after catching the criminals, don¡¯t just kill them directly but lock them up instead ¡ª then wait for them to escape and continue to commit crimes... Every time I see that kind of plot, It gets me so mad I want to shoot the movie screen! So, I prefer watching old revenge movies. I¡¯ve been watching them since I was little, and I still dig them out to watch now.¡± Susan dropped her tablet and forcibly hugged the sullen but silent Shi San to her chest: ¡°There are just too many rules and restrictions in reality. But in the world of movies, seeing the protagonist abandon all rationality and restraint, and just beat the crap out of those bastards, stepping on their heads, cussing, watching the blood of villains splatter... I absolutely love it!¡± Okay. Now Brian knew why Susan acted the way she did. This set of values... He absolutely loved it! Seeing that Brian focused on driving without speaking, Susan wrinkled her eyebrows: ¡°Brian, do you think I¡¯m too violent usually?¡± Brian hastened to shake his head: ¡°No, no, no, only criminals would find you violent. We subordinates feel secure working with you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Susan pinched Shi San¡¯s cheek, pulling it to both sides: ¡°I asked my father who works on the front line how to make criminals scared, and he told me to be more restrained. It seems I¡¯m doing pretty well.¡± ¡°Wuwuwu~¡± Shi San, unable to bear the insult, released pheromones of distress towards Brian. Brian didn¡¯t glance aside, pretending not to notice. Joking. He was driving; could he afford to be distracted? Shi San resentfully glanced at Brian, playing dead, and had no choice but to turn to Susan, sticking out her little tongue, taking initiative in a submissive situation, licking Susan until she laughed heartily, promising on the spot to bring some top-grade steak from home for Shi San tomorrow. Half an hour later. Brian and the others drove to the first crime scene. It was a campus body disposal case. The crime scene was at a run-down community college, where students doing outdoor activities discovered a small pit in a weed-covered corner of the wall, and at the bottom was a hand gnawed down to the bone, prompting the school to immediately report to the police. Arriving at the scene, Brian glanced at the traces around the hole and directly said to Susan, ¡°Such a stupid method to hide a corpse. Judging by the size of the bones, the body should be that of a teenage girl around eighteen or nineteen years old. It¡¯s very likely that the killer was her classmate or teacher.¡± Susan widened her adorable, foolish eyes, blinked and remained silent, but her expression clearly meant, ¡°Don¡¯t beat around the bush, I don¡¯t understand your highfalutin talk!¡± Brian shrugged his shoulders, pointing to the traces around the hole: ¡°This pit was dug up by wild dogs. They smelled the putrefaction in the soil and took the body for food buried by their own kind, which led to the body¡¯s exposure. That¡¯s the drawback of shallow burial without any treatment. Moreover, the soil around the bones is pressed tightly. That¡¯s also very foolish. As the body decays and produces putrefactive gases, it not only creates a strong stench that attracts scavengers to dig it up, but also gradually pushes the soil up, forming mounds. In other words, even if this victim wasn¡¯t dug up by wild dogs, the putrefactive gases leaked during body decomposition would expose her location. The correct method is to dig the hole a bit deeper, cover it with looser soil, and leave space for the gases to escape. If you could treat the body with fire initially, that would work even better. Planting some plants with deep roots would also be effective.¡± Brian shared his experience on murdering and burial with Susan. To her, as someone only responsible for the ¡®killing¡¯ and not the ¡®burying,¡¯ this knowledge was fresh and intriguing. Brian changed into his work clothes and, while digging, continued to enlighten Susan: ¡°As for distinguishing the gender of the skeleton, one must mainly observe the skull, pelvis, torso, and limb bones, with the pelvis being the easiest to differentiate. However, for experienced Autopsy Officers and forensic doctors, even looking at the phalanges can give an idea of the victim¡¯s approximate age and gender.¡± The last statement was pure nonsense. Old forensic doctors might be able to discern gender from phalanges, but for a full-grown adult¡¯s skeleton, it¡¯s very difficult for the naked eye to determine age based on just the phalanges. Brian was sure; it was purely by recognizing the pheromones remaining on the bones. He continued: ¡°Typically, inexperienced killers will subconsciously hide the body in an area they are familiar with. Familiar areas, in their subconscious, represent a sense of security. This is also why I think the killer is likely a student or teacher at the school... But that¡¯s actually quite stupid. Burying the body isn¡¯t difficult at the time, but once the killer regains composure and realizes the burial site isn¡¯t safe, wanting to change places will be many times harder. People are averse to hassle. At that time, they¡¯ll become complacent, thinking the body won¡¯t be found. In truth, they¡¯re just fooling themselves.¡± While working at the Forensic Bureau, Brian might have been slacking off. But as his spirit grew stronger, the knowledge once casually shared during his forensic work started being absorbed by Brian again, becoming his own expertise. That¡¯s the power of professionalism. Susan listened thoughtfully. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was an illusion, but every time Brian shared his insights, and the subsequent foolishness commentary, she felt Brian was looking down on those clumsy killers from a criminal perspective... As she hesitated to ask Brian about it, Brian suddenly stopped digging, and picked up a yellow, adult palm-sized wooden lid adorned with mummy patterns, dusted off the clinging soil, and examined it closely. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°The killer¡¯s confession!¡± Brian said earnestly. Chapter 93 - 93 85 Wow a Case Within a Case ?93: Chapter 85: Wow, a Case Within a Case 93: Chapter 85: Wow, a Case Within a Case ¡°Huh?¡± Susan doubted that Brian, the bastard, was discriminating against her intellect! Brian didn¡¯t explain but instead called Shi San over, encapsulating his thoughts with pheromones in his words, ¡°Remember all the scents here!¡± Raise a dog for a thousand days, use it once. Many times. It was inconvenient for Brian to stick his nose up to many people and sniff around, as it would be ungraceful. At such times, Shi San, the nose replacement, could take the stage. Under the influence of pheromones, Shi San easily understood Brian¡¯s intent, wagging his tail, emitting clear pheromones of comprehension. Seeing this, Susan¡¯s lips curled. She crossed her arms and tapped her right foot against the ground repeatedly, watching the dog¡¯s performance that followed. Hmm. At this moment, in Susan¡¯s eyes, Brian was also a dog. A dog playing coy! ... After covering the wooden box with a bag and setting it aside, Brian increased his digging speed. Half an hour later. A severely decomposed female corpse appeared on the ground. The woman¡¯s face was unrecognisable, and her body was bloated, buried face-down and body-up; the previously exposed hand was her right, but the fingertips had been gnawed by wild dogs. Though the woman¡¯s identity could not be discerned from her appearance, her attire was trendy, a loose wool sweater matched with a short skirt that reached just to the buttocks, her legs encased in torn tights with evident ripping marks, skirt with no underskirt or panties underneath. On the bluish-purple buttocks, there were clear slap marks. Based on the traces on the lower body, Brian concluded that before the woman died, sexual activity had occurred. The cause of death was also clear. A pair of large handprints followed from the back of the woman¡¯s neck along her back to the sides of her neck at the front; the perpetrator must have been behind her, clutching her neck, getting carried away, leading to her suffocation. Moreover, the woman¡¯s neckline had a student ID hanging from it. From the design, it could be confirmed as the emblem of this community college, but the information and photo had been removed, making it impossible to determine her identity. Emm... The student information was taken, but the card was left... If the perpetrator didn¡¯t deliberately do so to divert the police¡¯s attention, then it indicated he was very panicked at the moment, probably indicating an unplanned murder. However, considering the crude method of disposing of the body, Brian was certain it was the latter case. In that case, it could be fairly confirmed that the victim was indeed a student of the school. However, there was a new twist to the identity of the perpetrator, shifting from students and teachers to older males, ostensibly upright, with respectable professional identities. After stating his deductions, Brian affirmed, ¡°This is likely an accidental death during a transaction between a patron who likes the college campus atmosphere and a self-reliant female college student.¡± Susan, though irritated by Brian¡¯s previous coy behavior, couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°Why, couldn¡¯t it possibly be that the perpetrator coerced and accidentally killed the student during the act?¡± Brian shrugged with certainty in his tone, ¡°The way to tell is simple. It¡¯s to look for other injury marks on the victim¡¯s body. Besides that. One can also check the inner sides of the victim¡¯s legs near the buttocks. This is because when a woman is coerced or engaging in sexual activity for the first time, the muscles in the lower body subconsciously tense up, causing muscle strain marks between the buttocks and legs. However, this woman, apart from signs of frequent friction, had no such marks on her body, indicating she was quite experienced in this regard and was relaxed at the time. Unless she enjoyed being coerced. Otherwise, I don¡¯t think this is a case of coercion.¡± Other types of traces, he might not be so knowledgeable about. But in this regard, Ha! Who dares challenge him here, Brian would be ready to confront them directly and let them know who is the authority in this matter! Susan, after hearing Brian¡¯s explanation, was impressed, very admiring of Brian¡¯s clear understanding of these details, truly an experienced Autopsy Officer. She looked at him appreciatively, ¡°Alright, what do we do next?¡± ¡°First, figure out the victim¡¯s identity,¡± said Brian, frowning as he looked towards two overweight patrol officers in the distance. ¡°Guys, in the past few days, has this community college reported any missing female students?¡± Normally, this simple information would be proactively reported by the patrol officers responsible for this area. Unless no one had reported a missing case. Sure enough, one of the obese patrol officers shook his head, ¡°No, when we arrived here, we reported it to the precinct, but there were no reports of young women going missing here or nearby recently.¡± ... Hearing this. Before Brian could speak, Susan exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Isn¡¯t the school being irresponsible?¡± Upon hearing this, Brian realized Susan didn¡¯t understand community colleges. He had to enlighten this young lady: California¡¯s community colleges (similar to technical schools, two-year system), mainly have two types of students. One type is high school students who failed to get into a university. Their academic performance wasn¡¯t great during high school, and to go to college, they enroll in community colleges, which have low admission requirements. Because many universities have nearly a third of their enrollment quotas reserved for students from community colleges, these students, as long as they accumulate enough credits during the two-year period, have a good chance of gaining direct entry into the universities they wish to attend. This is actually a common pathway chosen by many students in California and international students. Another pathway is adult re-education. This is generally for career advancement. In both cases, learning is very flexible and it is often normal not to attend school frequently. ¡°However, the situation with the female corpse is somewhat special. She wasn¡¯t missing for just a day or two, but at least four or five days. Normally, her family or friends would have sensed something wrong unless she was a loner living alone. Loner, out of contact, aged between 18-20, fashionable and spendthrift... These characteristics can all help me determine the identity of the deceased.¡± Under Brian¡¯s clear analysis, Susan, who was straightforward, suddenly gained a clearer understanding, ¡°Brian, you are amazing!¡± Brian¡¯s lips curved upwards, feeling pleased inside, but he appeared nonchalant on the surface as if to say: Basic, no biggie... Suddenly, Susan looked at Brian, ¡°How do you know she was extravagant with money?¡± Brian subconsciously pointed at the remnants of stockings on the corpse¡¯s legs, ¡°I am not sure about the prices of her other clothing, but these stockings cost over 120 US Dollars a pair and can¡¯t be worn more than twice. The average community college student can¡¯t afford that...¡± ¡°Do you know a lot about this?¡± Susan¡¯s tone was inexplicable. Brian: ... Damn. Trapped. ... Half an hour later, A sweaty, overweight white man in his fifties placed three female student files in front of Brian and Susan: ¡°Officer, these are the only three female students the school hasn¡¯t been able to contact. They are all between the ages of 18 to 20. The first and second, although young, are adult students; they have their own full-time jobs and enrolled in community college only to enhance job competitiveness, They mostly don¡¯t attend school. The remaining student, named Audrina, came to community college for university admissions and also seldom comes to school.¡± The chubby man was Ma Haus, the president of this community college. Susan took the photos, looked at them, and directly pulled out Audrina¡¯s photo, handing it to Brian, ¡°It seems the victim is this student named Audrina.¡± On seeing the photo, Brian noticed that she had a sweet appearance, smiling sweetly and innocently in her ID photo. Most people would find her clean and cute on first impression. According to the data, Audrina was 19 years old, in the prime of her youth. Her parents were ordinary office workers, considered a working-class family. Brian curiously asked, ¡°Why are you so sure?¡± ¡°Her necklace around her neck is Tiffany¡¯s latest model, costing at least ten thousand US Dollars, and that¡¯s not something a 19-year-old girl from a working-class family can afford.¡± Susan, mimicking Brian¡¯s style, analyzed confidently. ¡°Good job, Susan, you are really smart!¡± Brian was never stingy with his compliments. Hearing the praise, Susan¡¯s eyes turned into crescent moons. This was the first time someone had praised her for being smart, and she was quite thrilled. Just then, the dog, who had been quietly following behind Brian, suddenly ran to the overweight man¡¯s desk and started barking loudly at one of the drawers. Seeing this, Brian and Susan exchanged a glance and presented a friendly smile toward the community college president, Mr. Ma Haus. Ma Haus: ... He glanced at the exaggeratedly large revolvers on Susan¡¯s waist, ultimately lacked the courage to refuse, and without waiting for them to speak, he wisely opened the drawer himself. The drawer was opened. It was filled with various documents. Besides that. There were also several black empty supermarket bags. Ma Haus, wiping the profuse sweat, explained, ¡°These documents are all the school¡¯s peer review documents, and the bags are used for lunch bags prepared by my wife. Maybe the dog smelled the lingering food odor on the bags.¡± Saying that, he even grabbed a bag and threw it in front of Shi San. Sure enough, Shi San pounced on it, grabbed the bag, and walked over to Brian, wagging its tail, its pheromones changing to: Boss, prey... Seeing this, Susan felt somewhat disappointed. She thought it was going to be something. After a slight twitch of his nose, Brian then knocked on the desk, addressing the portly Mr. Ma Haus, ¡°Mr. Ma Haus, will you take the initiative to disclose Audrina¡¯s clients, or should we handle the issue of you organizing female students into prostitution, and then you disclose Audrina¡¯s clients?¡± Wow, a case within a case. Hearing Brian¡¯s words, Both Susan and Mr. Ma Haus doubted if they had missed any part of the plot. How had this conclusion been reached already? Chapter 94 - 94 86 You Solved the Case with Just One Look ?94: Chapter 86: You Solved the Case with Just One Look? (Added 1 more for the alliance leader ¡®Ao Ao Ao Ya Ya Ya¡¯) 94: Chapter 86: You Solved the Case with Just One Look? (Added 1 more for the alliance leader ¡®Ao Ao Ao Ya Ya Ya¡¯) Susan looked bewildered. She didn¡¯t know what Brian had discovered, but she still didn¡¯t hesitate to threaten Ma Haus: ¡°The organization sells drugs, or teaches students! I¡¯m really worried that before you even make it to jail, those angry fathers will shove their guns into your mouth and blow your pig head off!¡± When it came to people she recognized, she never backed down. Facing the threats from this pair, Ma Haus waved his sweat towel in furious anger, ¡°Slander! This is slander! I¡¯m going to complain about you. You actually defame a respected principal, I...¡± A badge was thrown onto his desk. Brian pointed to the NW logo on the badge, ¡°Sorry, Mr. Ma Haus, we are not the detectives you think we are. NW is above all law enforcement units in Los Angeles! What the detectives can¡¯t do, we can. The guns the detectives dare not fire, we dare to fire. The badge in front of you does not represent our law enforcer status, but a legal license to kill bestowed upon us by the government! We¡¯re busy today, we have many cases to handle, please cooperate, or we¡¯ll have to communicate with you in a different way.¡± Susan had a natural talent for using violence. Without Brian needing to say anything, she had already crossed her arms and blocked the office door. Shi San sensed the subtle change in the atmosphere. Being small but defiant, it jumped twice and stood on the desk, also baring its teeth at Ma Haus, trying to look fiercely cute. Ma Haus:... With the atmosphere like this, what more could he say? ... Watching Ma Haus being taken away by the police car, Susan finally couldn¡¯t help it and patted Brian¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Why did you know there was something wrong with Ma Haus, and what exactly is that lid with the mummy pattern?¡± After Brian and Old Hardenn finished their talk, he hung up the phone. He looked at Susan with a smiling face, ¡°You actually managed to hold back your questions until now, good patience.¡± Seeing the smile on Brian¡¯s face, Susan itched to punch him, ¡°Before my fist lands on your face, hurry up and explain!¡± Why hadn¡¯t she realized how annoying this guy was before! Seeing Susan raise her fist, Brian quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s mainly because of that lid. That wooden box is for mummy powder. In the past, some wealthy people thought mummies had a virility-enhancing effect, so after buying mummies, they ground them into powder, and then took it each time for a boost.¡± ¡°Mummies?¡± Susan couldn¡¯t help covering her mouth, ¡°Isn¡¯t that like eating corpses?¡± ¡°Yes, it is eating corpses. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Europeans almost ran out of mummies from Egypt, thinking mummies had magical powers because they do not decay, so they studied many ways to eat them. Back then mummies were called ¡®mummies on the tip of the tongue.¡¯ This practice gradually disappeared in modern times. But secretly, based on the idea that mummies give virility and longevity, this kind of trade has actually continued. After all, whatever is mentioned about virility and longevity, even if it¡¯s a pile of dog poop, men with needs will try a bite to test its effects.¡± At this point, even Brian couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud. During his previous ineffectual part-time job phase, he had almost tried every available virility drug on the market, so he was quite knowledgeable about it. Just then, a passing female patrol officer, seeing Brian¡¯s smile, suspiciously glanced at his lower body and showed an awkward smile, raising her eyebrows at Brian, ¡°Hmm?¡± Brian:... He rolled his eyes and pulled Susan into the car, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we have another case.¡± In front of an old driver, a few words could expose him. Susan was still more innocent. ... Holding Shi San, Susan curiously watched the female patrol officer¡¯s retreating figure, ¡°Brian, what was that strange expression and gesture about?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe she¡¯s just being weird.¡± Brian started the car and shifted the topic, ¡°Mummies, due to their unique manufacturing crafts, all have distinctive smells, like the sweetness of honey, the strong scent of spices, or the smell of brine, so those who consume mummies also retain these scents. Shi San barked at those bags because they too had the scent of mummy on them. This probably was hush money given to Ma Haus by that client.¡± In the United States, although there are $100 bills, most people still prefer to use smaller denominations since they are more convenient. This also leads to large cash transactions either being carried in boxes or bags. Ma Haus, the pimp, was locked down. The killer couldn¡¯t escape either. But as for the chain of evidence, it needed old Hardenn to rack his brains. Susan was straightforward. Without much thought, she bowed her head and rubbed Shi San¡¯s head, praising, ¡°Shi San, you¡¯re amazing. If you keep this up, I¡¯ll apply for a position for you.¡± Although Shi San was full of spirit, it wasn¡¯t spiritual enough to understand human speech. It only knew by Susan¡¯s actions that this upright female dog was in a good mood, so it wagged its tail, stuck out its tongue, turned its head, and licked Susan¡¯s little hand. ¡°Licking dog...¡± Looking at Susan¡¯s little hand, which he hadn¡¯t even touched, being licked by Shi San, Brian felt a sourness in his mouth. He simply focused on driving. Today was really packed with cases. The female corpse they had just dealt with was still lying fixed on the morgue trolley in the trunk of the car. ... On the road. The two bought three fast-food meals at a drive-thru and ate while rushing to the next crime scene. It was past one in the afternoon. Brian and Susan arrived in a typical community. This case was a home invasion shooting involving a homeless man. The homeowners, a couple, reported it. According to the homeowners¡¯ statements, they had found a homeless man in their living room that morning, searching for food in the refrigerator. After they called the police, the homeless man didn¡¯t leave but instead grabbed a knife from the kitchen and continuously kicked their bedroom door, trying to harm them. Eventually, the male homeowner had shot and killed the homeless man. California supports the Castle Doctrine. What is the Castle Doctrine? Simply put, it means that if someone attempts to forcibly enter your private residence, the homeowner has the right to use force or firearms to kill the intruder to protect themselves and their family. Some states even extend the Castle Doctrine to private vehicles and workplaces, leading to incidents where a parking spot dispute escalated to killing the aggressor first, then claiming the rights to use the parking spot. This case shouldn¡¯t have been transferred to them. With confusion, Brian and Susan approached the patrol officer stationed there. After introducing themselves, Brian expressed his doubt, ¡°Is there something wrong with this case?¡± ¡°It was my partner who thought there was something off about this case,¡± a white police officer pointed to his Black partner, ¡°he¡¯s a rookie I¡¯m training. I think he¡¯s just being too nervous.¡± That wasn¡¯t a good assessment. Mental state is an important factor in determining whether an officer can handle the job. This guy was trying to ruin his rookie. The Black patrol officer looked young. He explained somewhat uneasily, ¡°The homeless man who was killed seemed quite old, a seasoned beggar, who should¡¯ve known where to safely get food. He couldn¡¯t have randomly shown up in someone¡¯s home, and the surveillance system here broke down the day before yesterday, which doesn¡¯t provide video evidence of the intrusion. All of these details are just too coincidental.¡± The white detective sneered in response, ¡°The homeowners are tax-paying citizens with legitimate jobs. I don¡¯t think they¡¯d harm an unknown homeless person. What about the distinct footprints on the bedroom door¡ªare you blind?¡± He murmured a few more words under his breath. Though inaudible, the tone was clearly not flattering. The young Black officer clenched his fists. If it wasn¡¯t for the job, he would have smashed his so-called partner¡¯s head in long ago, this racist asshole! ... ¡°Let¡¯s first check out the crime scene.¡± Brian was not interested in getting involved in this mess. He signaled to Susan with a glance, and they entered the cordoned-off house. Inside, a young man and woman sat on the couch, heads down and not talking, clearly troubled. In front of them, an elderly Black man was lying in a pool of blood, facing the direction of the bedroom, holding a long fruit knife, with seven to eight chaotic bullet wounds visible on his chest. Besides, a blood-red little ball floated above the corpse of the Black man. It was the manifestation of ¡°Obsession.¡± Brian didn¡¯t hurry to collect the Obsession Little Ball. His gaze followed the corpse to the bedroom door. It was evident that the situation had been intense¡ªseveral parts of the door were kicked in. Brian glanced at the obvious footprints on the bedroom door and the shoes of the homeless man, then said to Susan, ¡°This is a murder case. Have those two patrol officers outside take these two murderers back to our office to record their statements.¡± As Susan, who was preparing to let Shi San sniff around, dumbfoundedly raised her head, ¡°Huh?¡± Didn¡¯t we just get here? Did you solve the case with just one look? Chapter 98 - 98 88 Shi San Warning ?98: Chapter 88 Shi San Warning 98: Chapter 88 Shi San Warning The office had been refurbished with a new desk and computer. Sitting at his workstation, Brian was browsing through his emails. Overnight, he received more than two hundred new emails. Some were from former colleagues at the Forensic Bureau, while the others were from female police officers unknown to Brian. The content of the emails included congratulations from acquaintances, and from strangers, there were attempts to curry favor, requests for dates, and even some who wanted to offer quid pro quo arrangements... Some bold female officers sent their casual life photos and uniform pictures, not forgetting to include their contact information. Among them were even two women over forty from the police department¡¯s upper echelon. Brian felt somewhat helpless about this. Was he just slightly handsome and talented? Couldn¡¯t these women be more subtle? What did they mean by booking a room and asking him to discuss job transfers and promotions? Was he that kind of person? He had reformed now, wanting only to rely on his talent to make a living! But on the other hand, If the person involved was Susan, even if she forced Brian to live in a villa, drive fancy cars, eat lavish meals, and not work, he would willingly comply. ... Old Hardenn, carrying his coffee and the dark circles from staying up all night, said to Brian enviously, ¡°The department rarely publicizes a case while it is still under process. The internal affairs division must be trying to use your situation to boost morale, which has declined due to terrorist attacks.¡± There were many capable of solving complex cases, But extensive publicity and creating a buzz were rarer. That required an opportunity. Brian had just encountered such an opportunity. It was simply good luck. And there were numerous benefits. The police news was broadcast across the entire Los Angeles administrative system, including those in higher positions. Perhaps because of this police announcement, Brian might be remembered by some leader, who could offer him a direct promotion on future occasions, making his career smooth sailing from then on. Besides, Having a small amount of fame compared to being unknown produced different outcomes when attempting the same tasks. Not to mention, If you needed assistance on a case, Being unknown, the patrol officers might help you, but with reluctant and half-hearted efforts, Everyone was on a salary, You couldn¡¯t blame them. On the contrary, When they saw it was Brian, known for his adeptness in handling cases, They might voluntarily call their friends and sincerely help you with your tasks. After all, solving the case would benefit them too. Such was the power of reputation. In conclusion, Joining the NW Action Department¡¯s B6 unit, Brian had already made a modest name for himself among mostly anonymous colleagues, setting a good starting point for himself. ... Today, something was unusual. It was past ten. Susan had not yet shown up for work. Yet a new case had arrived. The new female worker, Edna, who had worked overtime last night, couldn¡¯t help but complain, ¡°It feels like there are a lot more murder cases now than before. People seem more impatient these days, quick to resort to killing.¡± Old Hardenn yawned beside her, ¡°It¡¯s normal, it¡¯ll get better in a few years.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Edna asked puzzled, ¡°I read in the police weekly that it¡¯s not just Los Angeles, but the whole United States has seen a rise in severe cases. It seems like a societal issue.¡± Old Hardenn realized he had misspoken, quickly explaining, ¡°I mean, the pace of life has sped up, bringing an impulsive climate. Once the pace slows, it¡¯ll improve.¡± Saying this, He looked towards Brian, changing the subject: ¡°Someone fishing in Forest Park found a body. Since Susan hasn¡¯t come to work yet, why don¡¯t I join you for fieldwork today?¡± According to regulations, fieldwork required at least two people. Even NW followed this rule. ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Brian stretched lazily and whistled at Shi San, who was running around. Ivan and Glenn had not yet returned. The team was short-staffed. He had recently wanted to investigate the Transformer family to fulfill the Transformer¡¯s second obsession, or to take a part-time job at the hospital morgue, but he had no time, wondering when the issues at the farm might end. ... The two men and a dog arrived at the parking lot. A motorcycle roared into the air, leaping over a guardrail and crashing onto the ground while simultaneously braking and drifting, stopping precisely in front of them. Helmet removed, revealing Susan¡¯s delicate face and blonde hair. She looked somewhat embarrassedly at Brian and Old Hardenn, ¡°Sorry, I slept late last night. Is there a new case?¡± Old Hardenn nodded, ¡°Yes, someone fishing found a body. We don¡¯t know when Ivan and the others will come back, and with so many severe cases every day, boss, I think we need more field agents.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too much trouble with more people. Let¡¯s talk later.¡± Susan shook her head, leaving the motorcycle to Old Hardenn, ¡°Take care of my bike. I¡¯m heading out with Brian.¡± With that, She scooped up Shi San, who couldn¡¯t dodge in time, and got into the passenger seat of the forensic investigation vehicle. ¡°Looks like you can catch up on some sleep now.¡± Brian laughed heartily at old Hardenn, then got into the car. ... On the road. Susan looked a bit lethargic, constantly yawning. ¡°Did you go partying last night?¡± It was the first time Brian had seen Susan lacking energy. Susan, somewhat embarrassed, glanced at Brian. She hadn¡¯t really slept much last night, having scrolled through cop commentaries all night. Whenever someone praised Brian, she¡¯d kick around happily in bed. Whenever she saw provocative bitches, she¡¯d angrily punch the ruffian rabbit doll she¡¯d slept with for years. At last, she¡¯d fallen asleep in a daze, and had a rather shameful dream. She certainly couldn¡¯t tell Brian about any of this, it was too hard to say. Seeing Susan remain silent. Brian sniffed twice and, as if realizing something, reminded Susan, ¡°A sudden change in daily routine could mean your period has started, did you bring any pads?¡± ¡°Pads?¡± Susan, lost in thought, first puzzled, then realized what he meant, and thinking of her previous mental state, felt like Brian was mocking her being in heat! A heavy slap landed on the unsuspecting Brian¡¯s face. Brian: ???? You don¡¯t hit the face! Brian was first dumbfounded, then furious. What was Susan thinking! How could he bear this? He stopped the car and lunged at Susan! ... Ten minutes later. Brian emerged from a convenience store with a clear handprint on his right cheek and a bruised face. Back in the car. He tossed a plastic bag to Susan who, despite a bruised face, was all smiles. Damn! The confined space of the car didn¡¯t allow for much movement; he didn¡¯t win the fight! Susan hung the bag around Shi San¡¯s neck. After the fight, her spirits were much improved. Woof woof~ Shi San acted as the dog-headed hook, looking to Brian for help. Brian gave Shi San an apologetic look, daring not to utter a word, and continued driving solemnly to the crime scene. No choice. The loser isn¡¯t entitled to speak. Susan, not only fierce with gun skills but also fearsome in hand-to-hand combat. The exaggerated strength and response speed, coupled with her proficient joint locks, left Brian no chance in the cramped space. It must be said, best not to provoke women during their period. Too moody. You just can¡¯t figure out what they¡¯re thinking. Not as straightforward as men. Brian had once studied male psychology for a while at the Forensic Bureau. Simply put. There are only two types of male psychology. One is child psychology. The other is criminal psychology. Either childishly immature or maturely twisted. So simple... ... Half an hour later. Brian drove to the work site. It was a forest park, the crime scene still further inside; the car couldn¡¯t go in. The two of them and the dog had no choice but to get out and walk. For some reason. After getting out. Shi San appeared very frightened, constantly whimpering in Susan¡¯s arms, and emitting scared pheromones. Susan cautiously scanned the surroundings, and seeing nothing unusual, then asked Brian, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Shi San?¡± Brian frowned and said to Susan, ¡°Be alert, Shi San is scared, its senses are sharp, there might be danger in the forest!¡± As for Shi San¡¯s reaction. Brian was familiar with it. The day he wiped out an entire base and came back, Shi San had reacted just like this. ¡°Got it.¡± Susan heeded the advice, donned her custom bullet-proof vest, and stopped holding Shi San. Brian also wore a bomb vest borrowed from his colleague Ali and carried an M4 on his back. Fully armed. The two of them and the dog, after locking the car, carried their tools and headed toward the forest park ahead. Chapter 99 - 99 89 Twenty-Seven Corpses! ?99: Chapter 89: Twenty-Seven Corpses! A Major Case! 99: Chapter 89: Twenty-Seven Corpses! A Major Case! They walked along. The two of them didn¡¯t encounter any danger. They didn¡¯t even see a hint of wildlife. Twenty minutes later. They arrived at a lake with several small cabins. This was a lake located within the Forest Park area. Residents nearby often liked to come to such places during holidays for picnics and camping. For safety, the government would arrange for mountain patrols to regularly inspect the Forest Park area. Such places, unless during official opening hours, were off-limits to fishing and swimming. Anyone caught by the mountain patrol would be fined. By the lake, there were a few armed men standing. Next to these men, there was also a middle-aged Black man sitting. After approaching and interacting with them, Brian and his partner learned what had happened. The reporter of the incident was the middle-aged Black man. He had curly hair, was wearing a yellow short-sleeved shirt, holding a fishing rod, and beside him was an empty bucket filled only with water, looking somewhat despondent. The corpse was placed on the shore, having already been pulled ashore. Seeing the bruised and disheveled Brian and his partner, the middle-aged Black man had an odd expression on his face. The mountain patrollers, however, directed more attention to the handprint on Brian¡¯s face. There was no helping it. A beautiful female partner, a blatant slap mark, disheveled clothes ¨C all these elements together were bound to lead to speculation. ... Brian had thick skin. He ignored everyone¡¯s gazes and, while examining the severely decomposed male body, asked the Black fisherman, ¡°Buddy, that¡¯s quite the catch. Tell us what happened.¡± The mood of the middle-aged Black man was low. He said dispiritedly, ¡°Today¡¯s my day off, so I sneaked here to fish. But I didn¡¯t catch anything for hours. Just when I finally hooked something, thinking it was a big catch, I pulled it up only to find it was a corpse. So, I went back to the parking lot, found a park employee, borrowed a phone, and called the police. Buddy, can you get these guys to let me off the hook for fishing without permission...¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t have that authority. However, if the case is solved, as a citizen who provided information, you can apply for a reward from the jurisdictional police station.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± The middle-aged Black man was somewhat saddened. He hadn¡¯t caught any fish and had caused a commotion. He would have been better off joining the Air Force! ¡°Brian, did you find anything?¡± Susan squatted beside Brian while Shi San, the dog with the enhanced sense of smell, skulked around the lakeside cabins, sniffing in a somewhat sleazy manner. Brian glanced at Shi San before pointing out the various wounds, apparent strangulation marks, and entwined vines on the body, ¡°This is a clear case of murder. The body¡¯s in an advanced state of decomposition, so we can¡¯t identify the face. We can only estimate from the wear on the teeth that the victim is a male in his thirties. Due to water bloat, I can¡¯t give an exact time of death right now. There¡¯s damage to the crown of the skull, which has sustained evident trauma, like it was struck by some kind of irregular, sharp object. That¡¯s likely the cause of death. Those strangulation marks and vines are probably left by the killer when sinking the body. But the killer was inexperienced. The most effective method for sinking a body is to pour concrete over it, and it needs to be more than five times the body¡¯s weight, otherwise, when the body decomposes, there¡¯s still a risk it will resurface.¡± The Black fisherman was lucky; his hook caught onto the binding vines, and because of the body¡¯s decomposition, all the rocks had been squeezed to one side, bringing the body to the surface. Susan pointed to the dense wounds on the surface of the body, ¡°Can you tell what kind of weapon caused these?¡± ¡°These are marks left by fish feeding.¡± With that, Brian comforted the Black fisherman, ¡°Buddy, cheer up. It¡¯s not that your fishing skills are bad, it¡¯s that these fish have been well fed.¡± The middle-aged Black man hadn¡¯t yet said anything when a younger mountain patrol officer suddenly said, ¡°No wonder the dumb fish here used to be so easy to catch. In the past month, they¡¯ve been avoiding the hooks.¡± His companion quickly tugged on his sleeve. The fool, was he not just admitting to shirking his duties and breaking the law? ¡°That month?¡± Brian seized on the key point, looking seriously at the young mountain patrol officer, ¡°Buddy, I don¡¯t care about your fishing or hunting. Please answer me seriously, is it in the past month that the fish here have stopped biting?¡± He was intimidated by Brian¡¯s serious attitude and hid behind his team members. An older mountain patrol officer caught the implication in Brian¡¯s words and stepped forward to nod, ¡°Yes, our daily work is quite monotonous, and sometimes we catch some fish from the lake to improve our meals. For the last month, it¡¯s gotten much harder to catch fish in the lake. We thought it was because there were too many people fishing last season, leading to a depletion of the fish stock, so we even applied to our headquarters for the release of new fish.¡± Susan didn¡¯t quite grasp the significance of what he said and looked to Brian. Brian explained, ¡°This body¡¯s flesh hasn¡¯t separated from the bone, so the time of death is definitely not more than a week old. It can¡¯t be causing the lake¡¯s fish to stop biting for a month. These fish are usually dumb and easy to catch. The only reason they wouldn¡¯t bite is that they¡¯re well fed and aren¡¯t lacking food!¡± Susan now understood, ¡°Are you saying there might be other bodies in the lake?¡± Brian nodded, ¡°It¡¯s highly probable!¡± ... Upon checking, Among the boats tied to the lake¡¯s edge, one had a rope with very fresh wear marks. This meant that someone had been using this boat frequently in the recent past. But it wasn¡¯t certain yet whether it was used by people fishing or by those who entered the park secretly for picnicking. After about fifteen minutes, The young mountain patrol officer who had butted in earlier came to the center of the lake by himself. He tied a rope around his body, wearing only shorts and with a reluctant face, he jumped into the lake. He was a good swimmer, easily ascending and descending in the water. Seeing this, Brian approached the older mountain patrolman and asked, ¡°Buddy, do you guys often come around here?¡± The patrolman shook his head: ¡°We usually come for a walk at a set time every month, incidentally recording the distribution of animals in the mountains. If we find traces of poaching, we carefully search the mountains. Also, if we receive GPS rescue requests, we will enter the mountain to search, which is our biggest source of extra income. Otherwise, nobody likes to stay in the mountains.¡± Here, mountain rescues come at a price. And they are not cheap. Brian continued, ¡°How has the rescue business been lately?¡± The veteran patrolman realized something was amiss. He looked toward his partner, ¡°Sam, we haven¡¯t received many rescue requests since last month, have we?¡± Sam was a chubby fellow. He spread his hands and said, ¡°Buddy, didn¡¯t you notice our bonus was a lot less last month?¡± Damn. Now everyone knew something was wrong! You know, due to the good welfare system, many youngsters in Los Angeles like to take risks. Whenever they have time, they roam everywhere. Forest parks with their regular removal of wild animals and nice scenery were their preferred destinations. Often, people would sneak in during off-hours when few people were around. Because of this, there were many shops renting satellite phones and GPS distress beacons outside Forest Park, with lots of advertisements posted at each entrance to the park. The patrolmen were happy to have a good source of side income each month. They would even purposefully post their patrol times on related websites and forums as a reference for those youngsters planning to sneak in. Not everyone has extensive wilderness survival experience. Without external influences, the number of unlucky individuals requesting assistance in Forest Park each month wouldn¡¯t suddenly plummet. Unless they had no chance to call for help. Just then, the young patrolman who had previously dived into the center of the lake emerged from the water, frantically shouting and swimming towards the boat as if mad. He collapsed onto the boat, vomiting and crying: ¡°F**k! F**k! It¡¯s all bodies! My God! There are only bodies underwater!¡± The scene he saw underwater would become a lifelong nightmare for this unfortunate guy. Seeing this, Brian silently lit a cigarette. After a deep inhale, he turned to Susan and said, ¡°Team leader, call the reporting center and ask for backup, explaining the situation here.¡± Although he didn¡¯t know how many bodies were underwater, even five or six would be a hassle to deal with. Underwater operations were even more troublesome and required specialized equipment to support. ... Seven or eight hours later. Nearing evening, one by one, the retrieved bodies were laid out on the shore of the small lake. Flashes of reflected light flickered through the surrounding forest. Those were the camera flashes of reporters who had come to surreptitiously take pictures, well-informed. It couldn¡¯t be helped. Too many people had come this time; it was inevitable that some staff had contacts with those reporters and took the opportunity to make some extra cash. Besides, with today¡¯s powerful cameras, it was hard to prevent leaks of information without high-level directives. ¡°It looks like this case is going to attract no small amount of attention,¡± Susan¡¯s face looked somewhat grim. Even as a layperson, she knew the difficulties in solving random wilderness crimes. The number of bodies discovered had already surpassed twenty! Once these reporters broadcast this story, there was no doubt it would top the news in Los Angeles, perhaps even in all of California. It was a significant test for Team B6. Brian¡¯s expression was not relaxed either. He had already activated his enhanced sense of smell and scoured the surroundings. But environmental effects were significant. The open area, combined with the constant mountain breeze, made it difficult for odors to linger. Even more problematic was that the bodies had been soaked in water. This time, Enhancement of his sense of smell might not be of much help. Brian bit his lip and went back to examine the bodies. There were men and women, adults and children. The most severe case had been gnawed by the fish in the lake to the point where only a skeleton remained. Besides that. Brian couldn¡¯t find any obvious injuries on these bodies. The only commonality was that they had all been opened up, and their brains were missing. It seemed the killer had some kind of compulsion. The wounds on the tops of these victims¡¯ heads were very small and all centered. As for the missing brains, these were difficult to use as evidence. It could be that small fish had entered through the wounds and eaten the brain matter and some tissues. The underwater search team did find many rocks underwater. That caused considerable trouble for their search. This was the only useful clue. It was not easy to find so many rocks in the forested area! ... By evening. The underwater search finally concluded. Twenty-seven mangled, severely decomposed bodies were arrayed in a long, chilling line. What a major case! Chapter 100 - 100 90 Cruel Night Raid! ?100: Chapter 90: Cruel, Night Raid! (Extra update for ally leader ¡®Xi Chen Yue¡¯) 100: Chapter 90: Cruel, Night Raid! (Extra update for ally leader ¡®Xi Chen Yue¡¯) ¡°Brian, should we pass this case to someone else?¡± Even Susan, who was usually thick-skinned, felt the pressure looking at the bodies. ¡°Let¡¯s take a look first. By the way, Shi San was scratching around the clearing near the cabin earlier, did he find something?¡± Brian asked, curious. He had been examining the victims and hadn¡¯t paid attention to Shi San. Susan pulled out a piece of fabric with some bumps, enclosed in a transparent bag, ¡°It¡¯s this, buried very shallow, as if it had fallen on the ground and been stepped into it. The material looks kind of strange. Shi San kept barking at the fabric, so I bagged it.¡± Brian took the bag, looked at it for a moment, and sniffed it, only to smell a strong earthy odor, then he explained to Susan, ¡°This is silk.¡± Susan rolled her eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t treat me like a girl who hasn¡¯t seen the world, I have lots of custom silk camisoles in my closet!¡± ¡°Silk camisoles?¡± Brian was a bit confused. Susan nodded, ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s a bit weird. The camisole only covers the front, the back has just a single string, but it¡¯s super comfortable.¡± Brian rolled his eyes. What silk camisole, it¡¯s just a bellyband. Pointing to the bumpy fabric in the bag, he said, ¡°This is also a type of silk, but it¡¯s called pearl satin. It¡¯s generally used for shirts or dresses, but because the material is typically pale and quite expensive, not many people in Los Angeles like it, although some young Chinese folks do.¡± Brian knew because he had several pearl satin undershirts. There were custom shops in Chinatown. ¡°Alright, you are really well-read,¡± Susan took back the small bag, motioning, ¡°So why is Shi San curious about this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, let¡¯s ask.¡± Saying so, Brian asked Shi San in a low voice, ¡°Wang?¡± Shi San wagged his tail, ¡°Wang wang!¡± Susan: ???? She rolled her eyes, ¡°Brian, stop playing, we¡¯re solving a case!!!¡± But Brian¡¯s expression turned strange, ¡°Wang wang wang?¡± Shi San bared his teeth, ¡°Wang!¡± ¡°Good boy!¡± Getting the affirmative information, Brian pulled a pure meat sausage from his pocket, tore open the wrapper, and threw it to Shi San, ¡°Don¡¯t run off after you eat.¡± Shi San grabbed the sausage and ran to a corner, happily savoring it. Brian turned his head, spoke seriously to Susan, ¡°Look into who left this fabric at the cabin, remember, the Chinese community or individuals, wearing a white short shirt or white skirt, who have been into the mountains, near the cabin, in the past month!¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Susan clenched her fist, ¡°But before that, can you tell me what you and your dog brother discussed?¡± ¡°I asked Shi San why he is afraid of this fabric, he said it has a scent on it that scares him,¡± Brian said earnestly, ¡°Remember how Shi San reacted when we first entered here? What he is scared of is the owner of this clothes.¡± He hadn¡¯t smelled anything from the shreds. But Shi San is a real dog, a very spiritual real dog, not solely relying on smell. Watching Brian earnestly talking nonsense, Susan felt herself stiffen¡ªher fist tightened! Who talks with a dog seriously! ¡°Do you think I¡¯m talking nonsense?¡± Brian glanced at the floodlights and the busy crowd, took out a pair of gloves and put them on, ¡°Shi San is very spiritual, you shout ¡®wang wang wang¡¯ at him every day, and you can somewhat communicate with him, you know, Susan, I never lie.¡± Susan, half-doubting, held the small bag and went to find those mountain patrol officers. After she was busy, she planned to go and communicate with Shi San. ... At Brian¡¯s end, he also arrived at the makeshift autopsy table. His assistant was his former police colleague Tom. This guy was both lucky and unlucky, having barely moved from the Forensic Bureau to the NW operations division, he joined the B1 group. The last attack by the Original Sect was primarily aimed at them. Tom was lucky then, he was out on field duty. His colleagues, including the team leader Aiden who wanted to poach Brian, died miserably. The entire B1 group was dispersed. Tom, with nowhere to go, had only to return to the Forensic Bureau to continue as a field surveyor. This time he was dispatched here to help. ¡°Tom, glad to see you¡¯re alright,¡± Brian picked up the chainsaw and began to cut in a circle around the edge of a victim¡¯s skull. Tom rolled his eyes, his voice hoarse, ¡°I¡¯d rather have died in that attack, at least my family would have gotten substantial compensation. Now I¡¯m back in the Forensic Bureau, and it¡¯s not pleasant at all.¡± Creak~ A piece of skull was sawed off by Brian. He carefully removed the victim¡¯s skull, first made a mold of the wounds on the skull using some materials, then spoke to Tom, ¡°Come to group B6, be my assistant, but you¡¯ll need to learn how to do autopsies.¡± Tom was intrigued, ¡°Is that possible?¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Brian pointed to an unvanished slap mark on his face, ¡°See this, our team leader gave me this ¡®stamp¡¯ this morning. We¡¯re very close, she will agree if I ask.¡± Tom thought of the likewise bruised woman with two large revolvers at her waist, his expression was strange, ¡°I can see, you guys are indeed very close.¡± While the mold was still drying, Brian signaled Tom to hold the strong flashlight, shining it inside the opened skull, observing the inside carefully. Momentarily. His expression grew intense. Tom curiously asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Brian?¡± Brian took a deep breath and shared his discovery, ¡°The victim¡¯s brain matter wasn¡¯t eaten by small fish. The murderer took it!¡± Tom looked at the thumb-sized hole in the skull, puzzled, ¡°The wound is so small, how did the murderer take away the victim¡¯s brain matter?¡± ¡°Sucked!¡± ¡°Sucked?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Brian nodded. ¡°Take something like a straw, shove it into the wound, and then... suck!¡± He thought of a dish he had heard about in his past life: hot oil splashed on fresh monkey brains. The process was simple: In the middle of a semi-circular table, a hole was carved, then the table was split to fit the monkey¡¯s neck into the semi-circle and reassembled. It was akin to shackles used in ancient Hua Country to restrain prisoners. This way, no matter how much the monkey struggled, it couldn¡¯t hurt anyone, nor could it escape. Next. There were two methods of consumption. (The methods are too brutal, not approvable for publication... deleted) ... After Brian had relayed this to Tom. Tom, a former detective who had served in the military, been shot, and killed people, tightened his clothes, his exposed skin breaking out in goosebumps: ¡°This is too cruel, ugh~¡± Seeing his colleague with a rich imagination run off to the side to retch. A wicked smile appeared on Brian¡¯s lips as he contentedly began to decapitate the second victim¡¯s body. Past autopsies had shown him the darkest sides of human nature, a job heavily marred by negative emotions. Working with emotions was no way to do a good job. Work mode. Brian was like a soul-numbed robot. Only when he finished and was alone, he would reflect on human diversity, or he would choose not to speak for a long time. One body after another, their skulls removed. Excluding a few badly decomposed bodies, most of the skulls showed no traces of brain matter. Some victims¡¯ heads bore traces of small fish nibbling, but more so, there were remnants of puncture wounds left by sharp hollow tubes. All the evidence proved: the murderer had smashed open the victims¡¯ skulls with an irregular sharp object, then inserted a sharp hollow tube... This was a particularly brutal, inhumane series of serial killings! ... Having completed the autopsy work, it was now past nine in the evening. Body after body was placed into body bags, loaded on stretchers, and transported out of the forest overnight. A six-man squad also returned to this temporary camp. One of the black police officers broke from the group and ran toward Brian. The black police officer was Green, the rookie involved in the previous vagrant shooting incident. Green had also been assigned here to assist by Brian. Approaching Brian, Green¡¯s young face was full of solemnity: ¡°Forensic Officer Brian, under the mountain patrol¡¯s guidance, we came to a cave full of rocks, piled with tents and various belongings, likely those of the victims. Besides that, we also found a lot of hair, broken bones, and dried blood in a pit inside the cave. However, there were no signs of living people.¡± Brian nodded, ¡°It looks like we¡¯ve found the initial crime scene.¡± Just then, ¡°Ow!¡± Shi San, who had been lying on the cabin steps licking sausage and reluctant to eat it, suddenly rose from the steps and headed towards the dark forest behind the cabin, shivering and baring its teeth. Susan, who was waiting for a callback from the park reception center, stood up abruptly and looked towards the back of the cabin. Russle~ There was a noise. Something was moving rapidly inside the forest! ¡°Who?¡± Susan shouted loudly towards that direction, ¡°This is the LAPD! Stop, respond!¡± Brian¡¯s group also reacted, pulling out their firearms and approaching. The unknown presence in the forest continued to move around the lake, showing no intention of responding. Susan, no longer hesitating, drew her revolver in an arc, emitting fireworks that lit up the night. Gunshots shattered the night¡¯s silence in the forest. She had opened fire! Not daring to respond. If it¡¯s not the murderer, it¡¯s a criminal! Susan¡¯s eyes were cold! This was a lesson her father had always taught her: better to kill by mistake than let one go! ... The next moment. Aaah~ A woman¡¯s scream rang out. However, the direction came not from the forest but from the temporary camp by the lake. Shit! A diversion tactic! Brian, who was running towards Susan, suddenly turned around to see a tall figure in a white robe slamming a female officer, who was kicking and screaming in mid-air, fiercely to the ground. The female officer¡¯s panicked screams stopped abruptly. Pools of blood spread out under her, dyeing the land blood red... Chapter 101 - 101 91 Search the Mountain ?101: Chapter 91: Search the Mountain? Just Use Direct Fire Coverage! (Additional update 2 for alliance leader ¡®Xi Chenyue¡¯) 101: Chapter 91: Search the Mountain? Just Use Direct Fire Coverage! (Additional update 2 for alliance leader ¡®Xi Chenyue¡¯) After she threw down the policewoman. Leaning against the endless night, a figure in a white robe let out a harsh and grating laugh. Before the crowd opened fire. With a light tip of his toe, he soared into the air like a white crane taking flight, landing by the lake. He tapped the ground repeatedly, moving with a speed akin to a ghost, turning into a lingering afterimage that disappeared into the dark depths of the forest. Seeing their comrade killed. A group of patrol officers¡¯ eyes turned red! ¡°FK!¡± ¡°Kill him!¡± A barrage of gunfire rained toward the direction where the figure in the white robe had vanished! When the gunfire ceased. A group of patrol officers, with their flashlights, went to search but found nothing but a chaotic spread of bullet holes. After a few of them took up guard positions. The rest gathered around the policewoman. Brian squatted next to her, took a couple of looks then shook his head at everyone, ¡°Massive internal damage, head damage, significant blood loss, even in a hospital, she couldn¡¯t be saved. She¡¯s in a lot of pain right now...¡± The policewoman was still not dead. She lay on the ground, her back slightly arched, her body twitching, black blood continuously flowing from her mouth, her gaze painfully looking at everyone, full of a desire to live. The internal damage had caused her to lose the ability to breathe. In just a few tens of seconds, she would leave this world. ¡°FK!¡± An elder white police officer pulled out his pistol, knelt in front of the policewoman, his trembling hand stroking her forehead, tears flowing incessantly, ¡°Jenny, I¡¯m sorry, daddy is so sorry...¡± Accompanied by a gunshot. The man¡¯s anguished and hateful wail echoed throughout the entire camp. ... After they gathered their comrade¡¯s body. Brian was about to discuss this attack incident with Susan. They had realized that the culprit of this case was not human, or rather, not a normal human, but at a minimum, a group of Mutants made up of at least two individuals! Fortunately, Susan, using a satellite phone, knew that the group that had left with the body before had not been attacked and had safely driven away. Otherwise, the fate of those logistics personnel could very much have been total annihilation. At that moment, the rest of the police, led by the white police officer who was the father of the female officer, surrounded them. The middle-aged white police officer, with red-rimmed eyes, said, ¡°The truth, we need to know the truth! I need to know, what kind of monster killed my daughter!¡± They were not fools! That speed, that strength! A normal human simply could not reach such a level! Seeing this, Susan¡¯s eyes chilled, and she stepped in front of Brian, about to speak. Brian grabbed her and looked earnestly at the people around, ¡°A monster, a monster wearing human skin! Believe me, guys. I can understand how you¡¯re feeling right now! I am outraged by the death of a companion too, and if I could, I would catch those two monsters right now and burn them on a stake. My name is Brian; perhaps you¡¯ve heard of me. I swear I will execute the monsters that attacked us today, to avenge our fellows! But until you sign a confidentiality agreement, I can¡¯t tell you the truth about those monsters, or it would bring you big trouble. You also must keep today¡¯s events to yourselves. Believe me. Otherwise, the consequences are not something you want to know about. If you¡¯re interested, you can apply to join the NW.¡± Brian wasn¡¯t lying. If the information about the Mutants was to spread, it would cause societal turmoil. Then, people would begin to look around with suspicion and distrust. Under prolonged tension, people are easily agitated. And the United States is a nation with gun freedom... Even nations without gun freedom would dislike to see social disturbances arise. So... towards those who dare leak secrets, the global ruling classes maintain a zero-tolerance attitude; once found out, it¡¯s physical Destruction, with a large number of sequence staff always monitoring information flow through various channels, cutting off any information that could lead to instability. ¡°FK the confidentiality agreement; all I want now is to avenge my daughter!¡±, the middle-aged police officer was still furious, but those officers behind him stepped back under Brian¡¯s forceful and persuasive words. As members of a violent group, they understood the Federation¡¯s cold indifference even better. Brian embraced the man, overwhelmed by emotion, ¡°Buddy, if you want to avenge your daughter, then calm down, take a deep breath, listen to me, take a deep breath. Once you¡¯ve calmed down, I will lead people to find those monsters!¡± The black police officer, Green, also persuaded, ¡°He¡¯s Brian, the Brian who solved three cases in one day; he is capable, you should trust him!¡± ¡°Brian, I know; I just heard his name today, he¡¯s a very impressive guy from the new department.¡± The other officers who had heard Brian¡¯s name today also began to calm their comrade. Primarily because they too had been frightened by Brian¡¯s words and didn¡¯t want to invite trouble for themselves. Finally, having lost the support of his fellows, the air going out of him, the middle-aged male officer sat dispiritedly in front of his daughter¡¯s body bag, lost in a daze. ... Brian asked the black officer Green to pay attention to his colleagues¡¯ emotions. He then turned to Susan, ¡°Any news from the Forest Park reception desk?¡± ¡°No,¡± Susan¡¯s face showed anger, ¡°All this time, even if there¡¯s no one on duty, there should have been some feedback by now, those bastards!¡± Brian patted Susan on the shoulder, ¡°Stay calm. How powerful do you think the Mutants this time are?¡± ¡°Very strong!¡± Susan¡¯s expression was solemn, ¡°I can instantly hit six targets within one second, but just now with twelve bullets fired, not a single shot hit; the target¡¯s speed is too fast, so fast that I can¡¯t even complete a pre-aim lock.¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Call for headquarters support.¡± Forest, night, the enemy¡¯s speed wasn¡¯t human. In such a situation, entering the forest, it¡¯s hard to tell who is the prey and who is the hunter. He initially intended to lead people to the cave where the victim¡¯s belongings were found to survey the situation, but now he had abandoned that idea, even abandoned the case. The Mutant¡¯s abilities were eerie, one couldn¡¯t use the approach for dealing with regular criminals. Humans needed to be killed. But not by foolishly entering the forest to search the mountains. What era was it to still play the lone hero? In this situation, rallying people was the right move. Although Susan was somewhat reluctant, she still pressed the distress button on her watch and went aside to explain the situation. Brian then signaled the officers, pulled out all the grenades on his person, and began setting up traps around the camp to prevent the Mutants, whose numbers were unknown, from launching another surprise attack. ... After getting busy. Susan irritably asked Brian for a cigarette, ¡°What were you doing stopping me just now?¡± ¡°If I hadn¡¯t stopped you and you blurted out about the Mutants, that would have harmed them.¡± Brian rolled his eyes. He was also afraid that if Susan misspoke, it might incite the emotions of the policemen. All those men were armed. Susan, with her candid mind, probably couldn¡¯t grasp the artful nuances in his speech. As long as they dealt with those Mutants this time. He would effectively be courting this batch of district officers, and his reputation would spread from their mouths to more of the rank-and-file officers. Brian still remembered the second to last paragraph of his uncle¡¯s letter: When that group of people come looking for you, you¡¯ll know why. He did not know which group of people that referred to. And he didn¡¯t want to know. Brian only knew that the stronger he became, the more he could control his own fate. The power of an individual was ultimately limited. As a hidden Mutant BOSS, he needed greater influence to protect himself and even become one of the Federation¡¯s players! This would take some time, a process. Now, he was taking the first step on this path: to unite all the forces he could! ... A dozen minutes later. Three Apache AH-64 attack helicopters loaded with ammunition, along with a CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter, arrived above the camp. One of the CH-47 transport helicopters descended. Several soldiers and two sequence staff of the Northwest sequence began to have the patrol officers sign confidentiality agreements and issue warnings. After instructing Green and his group to stay put at the camp and not to wander off, Brian and Susan climbed aboard the CH-47 transport helicopter. The helicopter took off. The pilot said to the two of them, ¡°Target information.¡± ¡°The target¡¯s activity area is within a five-kilometer radius of this lake, mainly the stone caves in the mountainous area seven kilometers to the east. The speed is very fast; I don¡¯t know if you guys can conduct a night search?¡± Brian told the pilot the information he currently knew. The pilot coldly nodded and communicated over the radio channel, ¡°Activating radar search...¡± The next moment. On the electronic display, within a circle of green ripples, hundreds of life forms were marked out. Just then. The communication channel conveyed a message, ¡°Combat sequence, Unit 3, a high-speed moving target is detected to the west, traveling over a hundred eighty kilometers per hour, repeat, to the west...¡± You could hear the shock in the voice of the pilot of helicopter 3. That kind of speed in forest terrain was absurd! Brian¡¯s helicopter immediately changed direction, following the lead. In less than a minute and a half. Three Apaches hovered above a small mountain peak, ¡°Two targets, have ceased movement, deploying drones...¡± Dozens of drones flew down the mountain. A few seconds later. The drone¡¯s footage was transmitted to the screen. A tall, blurred figure in a robe appeared in the frame. The next moment. A chaotic mass of stones precisely hit one of the drones. Brian directly commanded, ¡°That¡¯s them; they are too fast, open fire and take them down!¡± ¡°Confirm target, lock on!¡± Several pilots responded, tilting their heads slightly as the gun barrel of the M-230E-1 30mm chain gun beneath the nose of the aircraft followed the pilot¡¯s movements, locking onto the figures below. ¡°Locked on!¡± ¡°Fire!¡± The next moment. Ratatat~ Three streams of fire descended from the sky, raining down upon the mountaintop ahead... Mountain searching? Sorry, direct firepower coverage! Chapter 102 - 102 92 The Terrifying Mutant Beast! ?102: Chapter 92: The Terrifying Mutant Beast! 102: Chapter 92: The Terrifying Mutant Beast! What is the concept of a 30mm single-barrel chain gun? Take note, this thing is called a ¡°gun,¡± not a machine gun. A single bullet, as long as an adult¡¯s palm, with the thickness of two or three thumbs side by side; if it strikes the torso, the body is going to be reduced to shreds. Watching this thing fire is particularly stress-relieving. The only ones likely harboring any resentment would probably be the loaders after they return. A bit more than a second later. On the mountaintop, countless clumps of dust erupted, making it impossible for the night vision capture camera on the helicopter to get a clear view of the scene below. Even so. It wasn¡¯t until three seconds later. After completing the saturation strike, the CH-47 transport helicopter carrying Brian and Susan finally began to descend slowly towards the hilltop. ¡°Radar can¡¯t find them anymore, get down to the ground!¡± The six soldiers in the cabin were the first to jump out of the plane, turning on the high-beam tactical flashlights on their shoulders to search through the mountainside littered with craters, broken trees, and a landscape in disarray. When dealing with non-human creatures, night vision can cause delayed reactions. ¡°Be careful.¡± After Susan said that, she followed them as well. Brian was the last one to leave the helicopter. He took the M4 off his back and activated his enhanced sense of smell. This time, Brian finally smelled a scent different from that of common wild beasts. It was an irritating smell, much like some white or black people¡¯s body odor, complex, and even without knowing what kind of creature it emanated from, it made Brian shiver as if it were a type of fear branded into human DNA. Brian had only felt this sensation when he was young, emanating from his uncle. Since the Blood Moon Radiation. Even his uncle only gave him a sense of oppression; never like now, trembling without even seeing the creature, just from its scent. He finally understood why Shi San had been so scared since entering this Forest Park area. Shi San¡¯s perceptions were much keener than his own merely enhanced sense of smell. Brian, for his part, wasn¡¯t overly worried. After such an onslaught of firepower. He didn¡¯t believe any carbon-based life could have survived. Instead, a strong curiosity rose in his heart. What exactly was the owner of this smell? Was it really human? The key question was, would it burst out with an obsession after death? With curiosity and anticipation, Brian hastened his pace and followed them. ... The dust from pulverized rocks cleared quickly. The beams from several high-beam tactical flashlights turned the area into daylight. The group made a discovery soon enough. ¡°Target found!¡± A soldier issued a warning. Everyone instinctively turned to look and saw a severed limb over a meter long, covered in hair, curved with long claws, fallen on the ground, still twitching, resembling the tail of a cut-off gecko, demonstrating an unearthly vitality even after being severed. ¡°FK, it¡¯s a Mutant Beast!¡± The commanding soldier, his pupils contracting, shouted, ¡°This is Sequence Soldier Group C Team 12, target confirmed as Mutant Beast, requesting fire alert!¡± ¡°Received, fire control radar lock-on activated, firing systems ready, Team 12, good luck.¡± The helicopter pilot¡¯s well-wishes came through the ears of the soldiers. But it didn¡¯t improve their complexions. Under the direction of the team leader, they formed a crossfire defense formation, searching ahead even more cautiously. Even the transport helicopter that landed stayed on the ground, its propellers starting to spin slowly ascending, not daring to linger. The reaction of these professionals was clear¡ªthey suspected that the previous saturation attack might not have worked! In the blink of an eye. Atop the hill, there remained only a six-person squad, Brian, and Susan. Hearing about the Mutant Beast made Brian¡¯s heart skip a beat. Now they were in trouble! Using his Sequence Soldier privileges, he had looked at the data on the NW organization¡¯s internal website. The Mutant Beast was also a product of Blood Moon Radiation, a mutant among animals, extremely rare, and even within the NW organization, there had never been any research material obtained on them; the data was shared from other organizations. Regarding this group, the internal website had only one assessment: Terrifying! Nobody expected. The perpetrator of this crime wasn¡¯t human, but two Mutant Beasts! ... Gripping the M4, Brian quickly ran beside Susan. Susan, this fearless tomboy, now appeared somewhat flustered, breathing rapidly as her large eyes scanned the surroundings at a high frequency. She didn¡¯t even glance at Brian, only said in a hurried tone, ¡°Stay close to me!¡± Brian was just about to say something. The next moment. A blur accompanied by the howling wind flashed in front of the squad of soldiers before vanishing. Da da da~ The highly-strung soldiers instantly pulled their triggers. Countless bullets showered the direction where the blur had disappeared, shredding the trees and leaves in front and kicking up clouds of dust from the ground. Almost simultaneously. Roar~ An enraged roar seemed to explode beside everyone¡¯s ears. A large figure in tattered robes leapt from somewhere, descended from the sky, and landed amid several soldiers. A grotesquely long arm swept wildly, sending people flying and silencing gunshots. Several heads, eyes still wide in death, flew in all directions. By the time Brian and Susan reacted and looked that way, only six headless corpses were left standing, having died too quickly to fall, alongside a cold, ice-eyed monster staring at them! What kind of monster was it! A ghostly face with fanged teeth, hairy body, sunken Blood Eyes, and flat nose, like a Demon that had crawled up from Hell. It wore something akin to a lady¡¯s white robe, but the robe was tattered and ragged. On the left side, along with the limb of the monster, was nothing but a cluster of meat buds, still writhing, exposed. Looking at Susan and Brian, the only two remaining. It lifted its remaining arm, which was over a meter long, stuck out its lengthy tongue, and licked the sharp, bloodstained claws. Its gleaming red eyes were cunning and cruel, as if sizing up two pigs ready for slaughter. Rustle~ A faint sound of footsteps came from behind. Another monster, with loose fur and a slightly smaller, hunched back, slowly emerged from the other side of the forest, crouching about ten meters away from Brian and effectively blocking their escape route. Was the saturation strike that could wipe out a hundred people just enough to sever one monster¡¯s arm? Such abnormal evasive speed? ... Susan reacted swiftly, changing direction, sticking close to Brian¡¯s back, staring intently at the second beast, whispered softly, ¡°Brian, it looks like we¡¯re going to die here.¡± Brian, thinking about the 17 points of Gift Energy he still had, licked his lips, ¡°Isn¡¯t the helicopter overhead already locked onto this location?¡± ¡°Locked on means we¡¯re the bait to lure the monsters here. If we get wiped out, they¡¯ll directly launch a missile salvo to physically annihilate all living things within a one-kilometer radius.¡± Susan was highly adaptable. Although initially agitated, she regained her composure and even joked, ¡°You should thank me. If it weren¡¯t for me being with you, those pilots would have launched the missiles already.¡± Brian: ... What else could he say. Directly in front, after finishing licking the blood, the one-armed monster started to move. Its pair of Blood Eyes glanced at the hovering helicopter and let out a strange cry. The other long-haired Mutant, after some hesitation, slowly backed away before turning and dashing out twenty or thirty meters, disappearing into the darkness ahead. Surprise flickered in Brian¡¯s eyes. Such high Spirituality! What on earth were these monsters? After its companion had left. The one-armed Mutant Beast remained motionless, only occasionally looking up at the helicopter. A dozen seconds later. Whoosh whoosh whoosh~ Missiles trailing tail flames, guided by lasers, spiraled and disappeared from the sky above the area. Aooo~ A piercing, desperate scream, full of penetration, came from afar. The next moment! Boom boom boom~ The ground shook. A dozen precisely guided missiles exploded, and flames shot up into the sky, turning the dim Forest Park into an orange-red blaze. After the Mutant Beast had left the vicinity of Susan and her companion. The directly affiliated armed helicopter from NW Military, without any hesitation, used a barrage of million-dollar missiles to give the Mutant Beast a brilliant sendoff. ¡°Wuu~¡± Hearing its companion¡¯s cry of despair, the one-armed Mutant Beast¡¯s Blood Eyes welled with sorrow. After its companion¡¯s test. It knew it couldn¡¯t escape either. It diverted its gaze, looked at Brian and Susan with hatred, its body hunched over as its long claw dragged on the ground, it began to stride towards them. ¡°Fire!¡± Seeing there was only one target left, hope for life sparked again in Susan¡¯s eyes, signaling Brian to open fire and lock down the enemy¡¯s position. Brian knew Susan¡¯s gun skills were far superior to his, and that was the key to their survival. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, he aimed his M4 at the approaching Mutant Beast and pulled the trigger. Chapter 103 - 103 93 Counterkill Bursting with Obsession! ?103: Chapter 93: Counterkill, Bursting with Obsession! 103: Chapter 93: Counterkill, Bursting with Obsession! The speed of this monster was terrifyingly fast. Brian didn¡¯t fire just one shot, he switched his M4 to full auto mode. A thirty-round STANAG magazine faced the M4 assault rifle set to fire 700-800 rounds per minute and was emptied in just three seconds. Brian didn¡¯t even have time to check his combat results before he pulled out the kind of hand speed he had honed during decades of bachelorhood. Almost the instant the magazine was empty, he had already switched it out for a new one. With a couple of clicks, the empty chamber cycled, the internal spring pushing the new rounds into place to fire again, the muzzle flashing with new gunfire. Just as Brian had said before. Accuracy is not the point. His shooting speed had always been very fast. Susan was dumbstruck. Under the light of the tactical flashlight on the body, the hairless monster moved so fast, it seemed as though it had instant teleportation hacks. It darted back and forth, leaving trails like afterimages, brushing past the hot aftermath of the bullets as if it were a ghost. How could one possibly aim at that? Brian realized something was off! Damn! Are you trying to dodge bullets like Weiske, the villain from Resident Evil? The monster seemed to enjoy their reactions. Several times it darted close to them, yet curiously chose not to attack. Its collapsed nostrils twitching, it appeared to smell the fear emanating from their bodies. It let out a chuckle like a nightingale¡¯s, its red eyes becoming increasingly bewitching. Under such oppressive tension. The eight magazines Brian carried were spent in less than a minute. Susan hadn¡¯t fired a single shot. The monster¡¯s speed had exceeded the limits of her eyesight; recklessly firing would mean giving up her last sliver of chance for retaliating. ... ¡°Damn!¡± Brian, agitated by the monster¡¯s shrill laughter, felt a surge of nameless rage in his chest. That suffocating frustration of not being able to control his own fate washed over him again! He thought of the 17 points of reserve energy he had stored. A fierce glint flashed in Brian¡¯s eyes. ¡°Susan, I¡¯ll create a chance for you to shoot, take it!¡± He said, not waiting for Susan to respond. He threw away his M4, tore off his coat to reveal a bullet-proof vest, snatched the large revolver from Susan¡¯s left hand, stepped forward into an opening, and beckoned the monster with a crooked finger: ¡°Come on, fight me one-on-one!¡± The monster¡¯s nostrils twitched, its red eyes flashing with confusion. Why was this hairless two-legged beast suddenly emitting such a tantalizing scent? It didn¡¯t matter. The great bird in the sky gave it a strong sense of crisis. It knew its end was imminent today. Before it died. It intended to slaughter these two hairless two-legged beasts! All hairless two-legged beasts must die! It extended its long tongue, licked its nostrils, and with a pull on the ragged cloth on its body, its bent feet gently pushed off. The next moment. Cinematic fantasy burst into reality! A soft popping sound. The afterimages shattered like bubbles. Brian¡¯s retinas lost sight of the monster. A chilling feeling crept up his neck. Fury! Under the boost of adrenaline. Brian¡¯s nostrils flared, and without looking, he kicked to the right. Bang bang bang~ Susan finally fired her gun! Six shots rang out. Six large-caliber special bullets covered the white shadow that suddenly appeared to Brian¡¯s left, piercing it, turning it into countless ragged scraps. She hit it!!! Susan almost shouted in excitement. A dull thud. Brian¡¯s right foot also made contact with something soft. Almost as if he had predicted it. The instant he kicked out with full force, the monster appeared right at his toes. A tearing sensation traveled from his foot to his brain. A massive impact traveled up Brian¡¯s right leg, coursing through his body and sending him flying through the air. The monster looked strangely at its chest, seemingly puzzled by how this sluggish hairless beast managed to kick it. It cocked its head, its bent legs exerting force, and it vanished from the spot again, outpacing Brian, who was now airborne, and extended its surviving right claw. The sharp claw glinted under the moonlight, emitting a bloody jade-like radiance. From a distance, Susan¡¯s face turned pale. She had just realized that what she had hit was actually pieces of clothing torn from the monster. This beast was cunning! ¡°Brian!!!¡± She let out a shrill scream, grasping the empty revolver, forgetting to reload, and madly chased after Brian¡¯s falling body. She had failed the sole opportunity Brian had traded his life for. If they were to die, they would die together! Midair. Several pilots watching the battle on the ground also felt a shadow cross their hearts. ¡°Idiots, not even trying to escape!¡±, the Commander on the transport plane ordered grimly, ¡°The jewel of the Adams family is likely not going to survive. Prepare to destroy this area.¡± The monster¡¯s speed was too terrifying. Once it escaped into the human residential area, unless they disregarded civilians and covered the area with heavy fire to kill it, the ground combat teams in the city¡¯s complex terrain would stand no chance against this beast. ¡°I should have used missiles from the start!¡± ... Brian soared through the air, his eyes tightly shut. With a combination of Supercomputer Perception and Enhanced Sense of Smell, a flood of data poured into his brain, forming a myriad of line-like structures that created a three-dimensional world in his mind. Just then, he snatched the revolver from Susan¡¯s hand. Without any hesitation, he fired three shots toward the open ground below. Almost simultaneously, a massive beast with ghostly fangs and covered in fur appeared beneath Brian. Feeling the intense heat closing in, and with its terrifyingly fast nervous reaction, it only managed to raise its already injured left shoulder to catch the three specially-made large caliber bullets, while furiously swinging its sharp right claw at Brian... Brian¡¯s body flew like a ragdoll, slamming into the ground five or six meters away, kicking up a cloud of dust. Awooo~ A fierce, painful howl roared from the beast¡¯s mouth. It knelt on the ground, most of its body torn apart, revealing wriggling internal organs and continuously squirming meat buds. Its black bones fractured, oozing an almost pitch-black, oil-like marrow amidst the dark red blood... ¡°Brian!¡± Seeing Brian motionless, Susan¡¯s eyes filled with bloodshot as she leaped into the air and, with her long legs in heavy boots, viciously smashed down on the beast¡¯s neck. The heavily injured beast was kicked over a meter away. Susan, still not satisfied, pulled out the revolver, loaded a bullet, and fired at the beast, first breaking its remaining arm, then disabling its foot, leg joints, and groin... By the time she ran out of bullets, the beast on the ground had turned into a still wriggling pile of mush. ... Susan tossed away the revolver and walked over to Brian, despondently kneeling in front of him, tears streaking down her face, ¡°Brian, I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s all my fault I didn¡¯t hit it, or else...¡± ¡°Cough, cough, Susan, you might as well stop crying, cough, otherwise I¡¯m afraid you might silence me afterward...¡± Susan instinctively wiped her tears, then it dawned on her! She trembled, turning Brian¡¯s body toward her, only to find him blinking up at her. ¡°Ahhh!¡± Susan joyfully embraced Brian, exclaiming, ¡°You¡¯re not dead! It¡¯s good you¡¯re not dead!¡± She felt an immense guilt just moments before. Brian struggled fiercely to escape Susan¡¯s suffocating hug. He collapsed on the ground, gasping heavily, ¡°I was lucky, the monster¡¯s claw only tore through my bulletproof vest, allowing me to survive.¡± That, of course, was a lie. In that brief moment of contact, Brian¡¯s right foot, kicked out in an instant, was severely fractured due to the impact from the beast¡¯s terrifying speed. The beast¡¯s right claw also tore open his chest alongside the bulletproof vest. He remained motionless as he was healing himself with the Gift Energy. The aberrant nature of this Mutant Beast redefined Brian¡¯s understanding of the world. Its burst of speed was as fast as Instant Teleportation, brushing causes injury, touching means death. The mutants he had encountered, including his uncle Billy, were nothing in comparison. It was like comparing a fertilized egg to an adult, no comparison at all. Brian even felt that Mutant Beasts represented a completely different level of life! Susan was unaware of Brian¡¯s inner turmoil. She lay powerless beside Brian, rarely cursing, ¡°I almost thought I wouldn¡¯t survive today, FK, this feeling was too exhilarating. Now that I¡¯ve calmed down, I don¡¯t even want to move a finger.¡± ... Buzz, buzz, buzz~ Several helicopters slowly landed on the mountaintop. Enthusiastically, the pilots and the Commander from the transport chopper all rushed to the side of the still-writhing Mutant Beast¡¯s body and cheered, ¡°We¡¯ve struck it rich! We¡¯ve struck it rich!¡± Mutant Beasts were rare. A fresh, intact Mutant Beast corpse was even rarer. Back to base. Each of them was about to receive a large bonus! There were even incredibly precious merits up for grabs! They had made a fortune! Hearing the commotion, Brian¡¯s expression subtly changed. He looked up, quickly scrambled to his feet, and dashed over to push away the pilots. To their astonishment, he threw himself onto the decaying flesh on the ground, pounding it with his fists. Obsession increased by one! Feeling the information flood his mind, Brian emitted a satisfied sigh. Invincible! He had never expected this terrifying Mutant Beast to burst out with obsession! If he could acquire its formidable physical fitness and speed, Brian felt he might even try wearing his underwear outside his pants. ¡°Hey, buddy, calm down! Just calm down! Don¡¯t hold a grudge; it¡¯s already dead, and this is a fortune,¡± a few pilots hurriedly lifted the Brian, who was venting on the Mutant Beast¡¯s corpse, and set him aside. Their movements were very gentle. The military was a place brimming with hormones, where strength and iron-bloodedness were revered. As for the man who could entice with his physical body and still manage to kill in return, they genuinely admired him. And if it hadn¡¯t been for Brian and another killing the Mutant Beast, they would have ended up having to physically destroy it with missiles, likely not obtaining such an intact corpse. This guy in front of them was like their god of wealth! Brian didn¡¯t have time to check the information in his mind and quickly asked the pilots, ¡°Where is the other Mutant Beast?¡± ¡°About two or three kilometers east, but I think it¡¯s turned into mud. If you want to vent, maybe you could go there to relieve yourself...¡± The leading Commander joked. ¡°Thank you.¡± As these people watched in amazement, Brian limped and jogged towards the east. Watching his disappearing figure, the Commander shrugged his shoulders, ¡°This kid sure holds a grudge. What¡¯s his name?¡± ¡°Brian, just promoted from the operations department to a Sequence Soldier. I think he¡¯s also some kind of Autopsy Officer. Lucky guy, he took down an S-tier Mutant fugitive, got promoted, and isn¡¯t really a combatant.¡± Because of the S-tier fugitive ¨C Transformer. There were indeed a few in this NW armed flight squad who knew about Brian. The Commander nodded, ¡°So that¡¯s Brian, not bad. I¡¯ll see if I can transfer him over when we get back; I really like this kid.¡± As he finished, he didn¡¯t hear any sounds of agreement from his subordinates. Sensing something was off, the Commander turned around only to see a tall, cold-faced, blonde beauty standing behind him, looking at him with a sneer... Chapter 104 - 104 94 Harvest and the Monsters Obsession March Monthly Bonus 1 ?104: Chapter 94: Harvest and the Monster¡¯s Obsession (March Monthly Bonus 1) 104: Chapter 94: Harvest and the Monster¡¯s Obsession (March Monthly Bonus 1) Walking along, Warm streams continuously surged within his body. When there were only seven points of Gift Energy left, Brian, despite being dirty and suffering from mental exhaustion to the point of dizziness, had completely recovered from his injuries. He quickened his pace and jogged to the messy clearing that still had a few sporadic flames burning. Unfortunately, after searching a one-kilometer radius, Brian only found a fierce monster head and saw no sign of the obsession. Disappointed, Brian took the head back to the small hill from before. The bodies at the scene had already been moved onto the transport planes by those pilots. Seeing Brian return, Susan spun her gun around annoyingly, ¡°Brian, I heard you went to urinate over there out of spite?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that petty,¡± Brian tossed the monster head in his hand, ¡°Look, an unexpected find. Also, I was worried the missiles would start a wildfire, so I went over to check.¡± ¡°No need to worry, buddy, a squad already came to handle the scene. They¡¯ll take care of everything. If we hadn¡¯t been waiting for you, we would have left already. It¡¯s a big haul this time!¡± The bruised and swollen-faced flight squad Commander pointed at the monster head in Brian¡¯s hand: ¡°Mutant Beasts are rare; we have a complete body already. You might want to take this back to make a specimen.¡± Brian was uninterested. He was more curious about the wounds on the other¡¯s face: ¡°Was there another battle here after I left?¡± The Commander covered his face and fled, unwilling to say more. Susan clenched her fist and said casually, ¡°He wasn¡¯t careful and fell.¡± In the end, the monster head that Brian held ended up in Susan¡¯s hands. She planned to take it back and make it into a specimen to collect. ... On the return journey, Brian sat on the chair with his eyes closed, resting, but was actually reviewing the monster¡¯s obsession: Kill all these hairless Two-legged Beasts, kill them all!!! The monster¡¯s obsession was paranoid and crazed. When receiving the obsession, Images of a tattoo ¡®shaped like a man-faced sheep body, eyes under the arms, tiger teeth and human claws¡¯ naturally appeared in Brian¡¯s mind. He looked at it, feeling somewhat familiar. After a long thought, He finally remembered, isn¡¯t that Taotie! So, was the monster¡¯s obsession about killing off a gang with Taotie tattoos? Brian breathed a sigh of relief. He was worried the monster¡¯s obsession was to kill himself, Susan, or the armed personnel flying the helicopters today. None of those would be easy to handle. It¡¯s a good thing that wasn¡¯t the case. This monster was really twisted. Brian decided to treat this obsession as the most important thing for now. Once he obtained the monster¡¯s speed or physical qualities... Shh! Brian didn¡¯t dare think about how awesome he would feel! ... ¡°Hey.¡± Just then, Susan tapped Brian on the shoulder, ¡°Mutant Beasts are very rare and have a high research value. We estimate we can get quite a bit of merit points. Have you thought about what you want to exchange them for?¡± Brian opened his eyes; the exchange items he¡¯d seen on the internal site crossed his mind before he shook his head, ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like I need anything.¡± ¡°No, no, no, even if you don¡¯t want anything, you still have to exchange,¡± Susan¡¯s tone turned serious, counting with her fingers, ¡°I estimate we¡¯ll get at least a hundred merit points as rewards, plus the eighty you had before. That puts you at one hundred eighty points. That¡¯s too many. Having so many when your status isn¡¯t high enough isn¡¯t a good thing.¡± Hearing this, Brian looked at Susan in surprise, ¡°Boss, you seem to have become smarter.¡± ¡°Go to hell!¡± Susan punched Brian hard before sighing, ¡°You don¡¯t know. After I shielded you from attention last time, some old fossils in my family have been bothering me incessantly. Just now, that advice was from my father. I was embarrassed to tell you before, but with us earning so many points now, I can¡¯t keep it to myself.¡± As she spoke, she glared at Brian, ¡°It¡¯s so hard for everyone to earn merit points. You¡¯ve earned so much in such a short time; being your boss puts me under so much pressure! It¡¯s annoying!¡± Brian:... The problem is, The base¡¯s exchange potions are either for repairing bodily harm, enhancing certain parts, or extending life...etc. None of this really seems useful for him. Brian thought for a moment: ¡°Susan, how about this, I¡¯ll exchange for a complete set of body enhancement potions, and you help me sell the rest of the merit points.¡± ¡°Exchange them for money?¡± ¡°Gold, money, or something else, anything goes.¡± Susan explained seriously to Brian: ¡°Merit points aren¡¯t as valuable as you think. They¡¯re like Game Coins, used to distribute interests among Los Angeles officials and allied forces. To prevent problems in resource distribution, the NW founders created the merit system. The truly valuable things are the various special reagents produced in limited quantities each year; these are also the most worthwhile to exchange for. Each family gets a fixed amount of merit points annually. Staff, research, and operational departments also get some, but they don¡¯t necessarily need those reagents. We, as families, will arrange to buy their merit points within the organization. Some families have entertainment resources and use handsome men and beautiful women to entice, while those with business resources offer ongoing company shares to entice, but no matter what, the value offered for merit points is never very high.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we first exchange for the reagents and then sell them outside?¡± Chapter 105 - 105 94 Harvest and the Monsters Obsession March Monthly Bonus 2 ?105: Chapter 94: Harvest and the Monster¡¯s Obsession (March Monthly Bonus 2) 105: Chapter 94: Harvest and the Monster¡¯s Obsession (March Monthly Bonus 2) ¡°Of course not. For the sake of protecting the interests of the families and consortiums behind NW, the reagents that staff members exchange can only be used by themselves or given to relatives. If it¡¯s discovered that someone is selling them privately, the consequences are very serious. And the United States is so big, there are quite a few organizations similar to NW. Ordinary reagents are far from as precious as you might imagine. What¡¯s valuable are those reagents that are produced in limited quantities and have unique effects, like the one you received as a reward after you killed the Transformer last time. Those are the kind of precious reagents that people are willing to pay a high price to trade with you for.¡± ¡°Then why did you say you can¡¯t protect my meager merit points, Captain?¡± Susan rolled her eyes: ¡°Why are you even dumber than me. A small amount of merit points, no one would care about, but nearly two hundred can be exchanged for about a dozen ordinary reagents. That is enough to attract the attention of any power. For them, money can¡¯t buy reagents at the base; they must first exchange for extra merit points through you employees, before they can use those merit points to exchange for reagents. This model was actually established by the founders of NW for the benefit of the employees, setting a rule pattern. But under the unwritten rules, everyone will keep the price of merit points within a reasonable range, not like an auction that allows staff to gain too much benefit. Although you have quite a lot of merit points in your hands, whether you exchange them for money or something else, it¡¯s actually only worth a few million dollars at most, not too high. At that time, everyone will come looking for you to discuss a trade. In this process, there will inevitably be some petty people. For you, these people are the biggest trouble. So most employees, upon receiving a large amount of merit points, their first thought is to exchange them for reagents, and if they don¡¯t need them, they look for the purchasing agent with whom they have a good relationship and exchange for the resources they want. There are very few who exchange for cash.¡± Brian was well aware of these things, but he was just teasing Susan: ¡°Captain, you sure know a lot.¡± Susan flashed a smile: ¡°My father told me all this. So, are you sure you want to exchange it for money? If you¡¯re sure, I¡¯ll let my family handle the exchange.¡± ¡°Definitely!¡± ... Brian exchanged his merit points for body Enhancement Reagents to give himself a reasonable explanation for his increasingly strong physical fitness, and the remaining points Susan turned into money on his behalf, sending out a message to the outside world: I¡¯m one of Susan¡¯s people! He had thought about using merit points to build connections. But upon further thought, Susan was already the best connection he could have! Susan had strength, background, and some emotional foundation with him, she was straightforward, protective, and importantly, she was well-shaped, pretty, and her circle was clean. Except for being somewhat bloody and violent, Brian could hardly think of any flaws in Susan. So why bother building other connections? Simply connect with Susan. ... Although Susan felt it was a waste for Brian to exchange merit points for money, she didn¡¯t try to convince him otherwise. It was Brian¡¯s freedom. She nodded, ¡°Then do you have any other needs? Like custom weapons, equipment, or something else?¡± ¡°Is that possible?¡± Susan nodded: ¡°Not just anyone is qualified to buy merit points; there are unwritten rules involved. Money, for those people, is just a number. It¡¯s the precious resources that are of value.¡± Hearing this, Brian tentatively asked, ¡°Is there a sufficiently confidential source of intelligence available?¡± His previous sources of intelligence were through the black market, not very secure. ¡°An intelligence source?¡± Susan pondered for a moment before nodding: ¡°When I was working in the security team, a colleague mentioned an intelligence organization that is well-known in the mercenary world, called Tarot Card. Apart from some intelligence between major countries which they don¡¯t touch, as long as you can pay the price, they can help you investigate anything you want to know, and they¡¯re quite principled, a hundred-year-old organization. You don¡¯t need to find someone to exchange for this. Once I find out the trading method, I¡¯ll tell you directly.¡± Brian was delighted to hear this. That way, his investigations into the Transformer¡¯s and now the Mutant Beast¡¯s obsessions both had hope. He nodded to Susan: ¡°Thanks, in that case, I don¡¯t have any other needs. Try to exchange for more money for me, and I¡¯d like an untraceable high-value overseas account.¡± Such accounts, after a few transfers, would take an enormous effort to track down. Those who have the capability wouldn¡¯t bother spending that energy on a minor figure like Brian, and those without it, even if they wanted to, wouldn¡¯t have the means. ¡°No problem.¡± Susan didn¡¯t ask too much, and readily agreed. Everyone has their own secrets. As long as there was no malice towards herself, Susan wouldn¡¯t pry into these matters. It was just her nature. Otherwise, when she first started her job, she would have thoroughly investigated the status of Brian and his comrades. ... To avoid trouble upon returning to the NW base, Brian and his partner directly deboarded at the previous temporary camp. The several C-sequence logistics personnel and armed soldiers who were responsible for having the camp¡¯s police sign confidentiality agreements also returned to the transport helicopter and left. It was unclear what those people said, but the atmosphere in the camp seemed a bit eerie. Everyone was sitting apart, not talking, just staring blankly. Seeing this, Brian asked Susan for the monster¡¯s head wrapped in clothing, took it, and approached the middle-aged police officer who had lost his daughter. Smelling the strong scent of blood, the middle-aged police officer sitting in front of his daughter¡¯s body raised his head, his gaze focusing on what was in Brian¡¯s hands, ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°The monster¡¯s head! They had two heads, both have been killed,¡± Brian unveiled the clothing, revealing the monster¡¯s hideous head with ghastly fangs. ¡°A six-man squad was entirely wiped out for this. Susan and I also nearly died at the hands of the monsters, but fortunately, the outcome is good. We killed them.¡± Looking at the fierce monster face, and the still-quivering meat buds on the neck, the middle-aged police officer felt both anger and fear. He really wanted to pounce on it, to punch and to bite, to vent the pain of losing his daughter. But... A turmoil of emotions surged in his heart, and eventually, all turned into tears of indescribable taste. The man, holding his head, began to cry loudly, ¡°Thank you, thank you, Brian...¡± Brian rewrapped the head, patted his shoulder, ¡°Please keep the monster¡¯s situation confidential, and don¡¯t forget to email me the time of your daughter¡¯s funeral. When the time comes, I hope to be there to offer my blessings.¡± ¡°I will!¡± ¡°Mm!¡± Brian nodded, turned, and left. At this moment, his figure, in the eyes of the patrol officers sneaking peeks this way, was tall and upright¡ªa kind, trustworthy, and capable good person! After today, these people would become the voice spreading Brian¡¯s reputation in the lower ranks of the Los Angeles police force. ... Late at night. Brian glanced at Susan, who was sleeping soundly in his arms with Shi San, and whispered into the darkness ahead, ¡°If you have something to say, come out. Why hide there?¡± A few seconds later. Black police officer Green sat down in front of Brian with some trepidation, ¡°Autopsy Officer Brian, I want to work with you.¡± Brian didn¡¯t ask why he wanted to tag along or anything like that. He simply nodded, ¡°No problem, as long as you can discover the real truth behind this case, I¡¯ll ask the squad leader to take you on.¡± This Green had shown he had some brains during the earlier vagrant case and now encountering him again, he was the first among the group of officers to approach him, indicating an aptitude to seize the opportunity. Taking him on was good, even for running errands. As for loyalty... Brian didn¡¯t believe in that sort of thing. Hearing that he needed to investigate a case related to monsters, fear flashed in Green¡¯s eyes. But thinking about his own family situation, and having heard of the benefits of the NW operations, he didn¡¯t hesitate for a few seconds before decisively nodding in agreement. After escorting Green away, Brian closed his eyes again. He was genuinely curious about the two Mutant Beasts. Even now, He didn¡¯t know what the monsters truly were. Ghastly faces with sharp fangs. Do such creatures really exist? ... The next day. The group packed up their things and, carrying the body of the fallen female officer, returned to the outside world. Green, armed with the information provided by Brian, called up a few friends, equipped with guns and ammunition, and re-entered Forest Park. It¡¯s rare to meet a benefactor, rare to find an opportunity. He was ready to fight for his future! Chapter 106 - 106 95 The Original Mutant Beast The Truth! ?106: Chapter 95: The Original Mutant Beast, The Truth! (March Monthly Pass Bonus 2) 106: Chapter 95: The Original Mutant Beast, The Truth! (March Monthly Pass Bonus 2) Susan and Brian had nearly lost their lives this time and were mentally exhausted, so naturally, they would not be going to work. Back at the parking lot, the two parted ways and went home. As for the case, due to the lack of personnel, it had to be handed over to another team to handle. ... Upon waking up, it was already close to evening. Brian stretched lazily, and just as he was about to freshen up, a pitiful cream-colored puppy carrying a food bowl blocked his path. ¡°Whine~ (Hungry, hungry)¡± Shi San looked at Brian with a pitiable gaze. ¡°Sorry, Shi San, I was too tired when I got back, I forgot to prepare something for you to eat and drink,¡± Brian said, slapping his forehead as he got busy. Speaking of which, Shi San was really quite spiritual. He never messed up the house and could understand some simple commands. Most impressively, he was skilled at reading the room. For example, he wouldn¡¯t foolishly come to disturb him even when hungry if he saw Brian sleeping. He was smarter than a dog. Brian suspected it had something to do with the method Veterinarian Laura used to treat Shi San when he was sick. Back then, Shi San was on the brink of death, but somehow Laura used some method to restore Shi San¡¯s health in no time, allowing Brian to fulfill Shi San¡¯s mother¡¯s obsession and acquire the talent for an enhanced sense of smell. Not to say, his own investment had been quite worth it. Watching Shi San start to eat heartily, Brian stroked his chin. The enhancing potions from the NW organization were basically useless to him; exchanging them was just to rationalize the continuous strengthening of his own physical attributes. It was difficult to sell that stuff. Why not just give it to Shi San? I wonder if I might end up creating a Transcendent dog. Thinking of that scenario, Brian felt it was worth a try. ... Today was a rare day off. After having a simple meal, Brian sat down in front of the computer, entered the complex password, and prepared to check the NW internal website to see if his merit points had been credited. After a complicated verification process, a predominantly bright interface appeared in front of Brian. The NW internal website mainly had three sections. One was the personal interface. Another was the exchange interface. And the third was a mishmash of trivia and gossip, similar to a forum page. The third was the most interesting; not only did Brian learn a lot from it, but he also managed to catch up on quite a bit of interesting news. He clicked on the personal interface. A new message appeared in front of him: ¡°Respected Sequence Staff Member Brian, your... after review... 120 merit points.¡± ¡°Wow, that was efficient. So now I have two hundred merit points,¡± Brian said. Immediately on the exchange page, buy, buy, buy, then clicked to have it delivered to his door. Besides exchanging for NW¡¯s comprehensive enhancing potions, he also exchanged for two Healing Potions, just in case he wound up in a situation like last night where, despite having Gift Energy, it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to use it openly. In the case of an emergency, it could potentially save someone he wanted to rescue. After spending a bit, Brian was left with 89 merit points. He closed the internal webpage, opened his email, and after sending Susan the number of merit points he was willing to sell, he opened the unread emails in his inbox and began to browse. The earliest email was from Susan. It contained a phone number, instructions on how to forward the call, and was marked with Tarot Association. She had actually managed to obtain the contact information for the intelligence organization Tarot Association right after going back. Thinking it over, Brian took out an unused phone and SIM card and dialed the number following Susan¡¯s instructions. This side didn¡¯t require real-name registration for a phone number. He had many SIM cards and new phones he had bought. After busying himself for a couple of minutes, a mechanical female voice finally said, ¡°Tarot Association, would you like to hire or purchase intelligence?¡± ¡°Intelligence purchasing.¡± ¡°Please provide a customer number, if not, please proceed to register and recharge...¡± Brian: ... Following the prompt, he deposited one million US dollars into an account and afterward, received his customer number and password. The whole process felt eerily like the telecom scams he had heard about in his previous life... With the deposit in place, Brian could finally put out the information he wanted to find. The first was the Transformer¡¯s family. Through the replay of memories during the skill absorption, Brian knew: The Transformer was probably in his forties, named Tam, who, after being disfigured in a fire, gained the Blood Moon Gift and the first person he took revenge on was a blond youth named Jimmy. And in the following days, he had killed many of his peers who had bullied him. Considering the Transformer¡¯s miraculous abilities, Brian only mentioned Tam, the fire, the place of residence where many teens disappeared over a short period, and amongst them a blond freckled lad named Jimmy¡ªall that information. The second piece of intelligence was inquiring whether there was a group or organization that used the Taotie pattern from Hua Country¡¯s mythology as tattoos, preferably related to wildlife. Tarot Association first conducts the investigation then quotes the price. Brian just waited for notification. ... After tidying up all these matters, taking advantage of the free day he had, Brian left Shi San to watch the house and went to the hospital morgue he had visited before. Money paved the way. He wandered around first and seeing nothing particularly interesting, began chatting with the security guard about strange and funny incidents that had occurred at the hospital, taking a look at any bodies that were brought in. Luck was not on his side today. Until the security personnel from NW headquarters notified Brian to go to a particular coffee shop near his home to sign for the delivery of reagents, he had not acquired any new obsessions. The pickup point was a small, mediocre coffee shop. Brian had been there before, but the taste wasn¡¯t great, so he hadn¡¯t gone back. Upon entering, the waitress immediately pointed toward the back of the bar. With curiosity, Brian passed behind the bar and into the coffee shop¡¯s kitchen, only to find in this small space three burly men in plain clothes, each holding a briefcase. The man holding the briefcase looked at Brian and extended his hand, showing his sequence staff wristwatch. Brian did the same. The next moment. The big man¡¯s watch glowed green. He then handed the case to Brian, ¡°Here¡¯s your stuff, Brian, the Officer.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Brian took the box and complained, ¡°Is this cafe? also a property of NW? I feel like we¡¯re dealing with flour here.¡± The big man had finished his task and shrugged, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s an intelligence gathering point. We have many similar places since some of the officers who die on duty usually have families with average circumstances. The organization needs a place to arrange things for their relatives. As for the method of trade, we can deliver to your home if you¡¯d like.¡± Saying goodbye to the delivery squad. Brian was about to head back to his apartment to pester Shi San when a strange phone call came through. ¡°Brian, the Autopsy Officer, this is Green.¡± Brian raised an eyebrow, ¡°Hello, buddy, any progress on the case?¡± ¡°Yes, based on the information you provided, we found the initial victim¡¯s details and eventually uncovered some... quite peculiar things. I think this is the real reason we encountered that monster that night.¡± ¡°You found it?¡± ¡°I had some friends help out¡ªvery good friends. They didn¡¯t see the video I found. I know the importance of the matter and am very cautious with it.¡± Green spoke with care. He had seen how NW¡¯s armed troops operated the night before¡ªcannon fire cleansing the ground, followed by missiles for the finale. He wouldn¡¯t foolishly endanger his friends. Leaving the meeting address. Brian shook his head and settled back into the cafe?. Why did it suddenly get so busy? ... After thinking it over. Brian went to the bank to withdraw some cash before returning to the cafe?. At this time, it should have been closed. Only after a generous tip did one of the employees agree to stay overtime. It was after nine at night. Green and a few casually dressed black men arrived at the cafe?. He had his friends sit in the corner, then came over to Brian with a camera and explained the whole story. It turned out that using the surveillance footage from Forest Park, Green had found the owner of the piece of pearl satin Brian had been carrying. It was a group of three men and two women. Two men and two women were university students of Hua Country descent, from wealthy backgrounds. The remaining man was Vietnamese, aged thirty-seven. This group entered Forest Park on the 11th of last month, the day before the Blood Moon, with registration, bringing a large amount of stuff. That day, the Vietnamese man left alone in a car. In reality, This guy was a second-hand dealer of wildlife trafficking, taking some youngsters into Forest Park to pick up goods. The goods were two mountain goblins and one snub-nosed monkey. Green pushed the camera in his hand to Brian, ¡°That Vietnamese put the animals in the cave in Forest Park where we found a lot of the victims¡¯ luggage. As for those four young people, they were planning to eat them...¡± Brian turned on the camera and started scrolling through the videos. The person shooting, judging by her voice, was a woman; she first took videos of the three creatures, introduced them, and then filmed her masked companions. Then, they began to eat. The first one to be eaten was the snub-nosed monkey. In front of the two mountain goblins, they made a small hole in the monkey¡¯s head by manually turning a drill, and then... The two mountain goblins were petrified with fear. The next day... There was no next day. Because the next day was September 12th, the day of the Blood Moon. All four young people were dead. They died from their favorite way of eating. Alright. Case closed. The Mutant Beasts were the two mountain goblins that almost got eaten! No wonder those two Mutant Beasts attacked humans in that particular way. It turns out to be both imitation and revenge. The problem is. Does that mean those two Mutant Beasts had only transformed less than a month ago? That strong??? ... With this question in mind, Brian told Green to wait for his news, and then handed his friend a few hundred US dollars as a hardship fee. Green was a bit embarrassed, ¡°This...¡± ¡°You and your friends come from the slums, don¡¯t you?¡± Brian didn¡¯t give Green a chance to speak, continuing, ¡°In my book, effort should be rewarded with gain, and merit with reward. Likewise, if I¡¯m having meat, the people around me should at least get soup¡ªthat¡¯s my principle in life.¡± Having said that, He patted Green¡¯s shoulder, picked up his case, and headed home. The camera would definitely need to be reported. The Forest Park case involved Mutant Beasts, and for research purposes, NW would send people for a detailed investigation, and what followed was not their concern. Watching Brian leave, Green¡¯s friend said to him with envy, ¡°Buddy, good eye¡ªthat¡¯s a generous guy. If you stick with someone like him, you¡¯ll make it big someday.¡± They were all mix-ups from the lower levels. They didn¡¯t understand the big principles. All they knew was that a boss willing to share was definitely a good boss. Green nodded vigorously. He called his brothers to go shopping, ready to go back and party. ... Back at the apartment, Brian, freshly bathed, opened the case. A chill spread outward from within. Inside the box, eight metal injectors marked with different notes caught his eye. Brian first took two of the healing potions and put them aside, then whistled at Shi San, who was gnawing on a bone, and beckoned with his finger. Shi San looked up, oblivious and happily wagged its tail over to Brian. Brian first mounted Shi San, securing it before merrily removing the needle caps from the injectors, revealing the sharp, gleaming needles inside. Shi San: ... Its joyous wagging tail drooped. Chapter 107 - 107 96 Enhanced Shi San Collapsing Room Colleagues March Monthly Ticket Extra 3 ?107: Chapter 96 Enhanced Shi San, Collapsing Room Colleagues (March Monthly Ticket Extra 3) 107: Chapter 96 Enhanced Shi San, Collapsing Room Colleagues (March Monthly Ticket Extra 3) ¡°If Shi San could speak, it definitely would have said to Brian, ¡®I may not be human, but you¡¯re a real dog!!!''¡± The poor little guy, seeing Boss Brian coming at him with a long, sharp needle, couldn¡¯t escape and, frightened, covered its eyes with its paws. The first needle went in. Shi San¡¯s eyes rolled back. It went limp, as if drunk, softly moaning and occasionally twitching. Seeing this, Brian jumped under the bed, nervously watching Shi San¡¯s reactions. To ensure Shi San wouldn¡¯t suffocate, he thoughtfully took a cotton swab and clear tape, created a makeshift mouth opener, and pulled Shi San¡¯s tongue out. As time passed, Shi San¡¯s reactions grew worse, even starting to foam at the mouth. ¡°Damn, it better not be fake!¡± Brian got angry. He had obtained its merit points at great personal risk! Selling fake stuff, was there no law anymore? The key issue was, he knew how to dissect, not how to treat. Had Shi San¡¯s breathing not remained steady, Brian would have felt compelled to perform CPR. If there were any NW sequence staff here, they¡¯d probably slap Brian twice: Injecting a dosage meant for adults into a two-month-old puppy, was he out of his mind? Only when Shi San slowly opened its eyes, looking pitifully at him, did Brian realize his mistake, and slapped himself. Shit, he had forgotten about the dosage. Luckily, Shi San¡¯s little life was tough. Moving forward, Brian learned his lesson and started injecting the reagent into Shi San in smaller doses. This time, the reactions were much lighter. The only one suffering was Shi San. It originally only needed to endure six shots, but now that number had increased to over twenty. At first, Shi San would still wag its tail as a form of protest, but by the end, it was lying on its back, letting Brian do as he pleased, completely resigned... ... A sleepless night. Brian yawned as he looked at the sleeping Shi San. Though uncertain about the effects of the enhancement reagents on Shi San, Relying on his enhanced sense of smell, Brian distinctly sensed an indescribable but oppressive scent similar to ¡®Uncle Billy¡¯ and ¡®Mutant Beast¡¯ coming from Shi San. The only difference was that the unique scent on Shi San was still very faint. Brian looked forward to seeing whether an enhanced Shi San would become more spiritual. He set out an increased portion of food and water in Shi San¡¯s bowl, grabbed his firearm certificate, and drove to work. Normally, they would have had the day off. However, because Ivan and Glenn were drafted, the B6 team wasn¡¯t able to take any regular leaves until their return. At nine in the morning, Brian promptly arrived at his workstation. Suddenly, His nose twitched twice, he looked toward Ivan¡¯s and their desks, saw that no one was there, so he approached Old Hardenn who was eating breakfast, and tapped on his table, ¡°Ivan and the guys are back?¡± ¡°They¡¯re back,¡± Old Hardenn nodded, ¡°They arrived just after eight, Team Leader Susan came in early too, and they went straight to the conference room to report on the investigation. By the way, Brian, I received notice that the case involving the body found in Forest Park was transferred, has the investigation hit a rough patch?¡± ¡°It¡¯s already closed, but the case involved a Mutant, so it has been redirected to NW headquarters,¡± Brian briefly explained, omitting the details about the Mutant Beast. ¡°Ah, okay, glad you and the team leader are safe, it¡¯s not easy earning this money.¡± Old Hardenn nodded and went back to his breakfast. Brian gave Old Hardenn a strange look. He noticed that anytime the matter involved Mutants, Old Hardenn would quickly end the conversation, or simply remain silent. There was a story there. ... Arriving at the conference room. Before Brian could get close, he heard Susan¡¯s roaring voice, ¡°Get out, just get out...¡± The next moment, The door to the conference room was flung open. Ivan and Glenn, looking disheveled, scampered out. Seeing Brian, The two squeezed out awkward smiles and greeted him. Brian shrugged, ¡°Guys, what did you do to make the team leader so angry?¡± Ivan hesitated, ¡°Some work-related stuff.¡± Glenn gave a different answer, ¡°Some emotional stuff.¡± Brian stroked his chin, ¡°Based on the criminal psychology books I¡¯ve been reading recently, people often mix truth with lies to add credibility to their deceit, so...¡± Thinking of the possibility. His eyes widened, ¡°You guys didn¡¯t take advantage of a colleague during your assignment, did you?¡± Glenn protested, ¡°What colleague? Those FBI people, what do they have to do with us NW guys? Brian, you didn¡¯t see how bizarre, how adorable some of those girls are, joining the FBI at their most beautiful age, always having a stern face! I couldn¡¯t stand it, I had to let them release the screams and joy of their age. Was I wrong?¡± Brian flashed a thumbs-up at Ivan. Ivan spread his hands: ¡°It wasn¡¯t my fault. I just saw a cute FBI agent looking all worried during his break. Out of concern, I asked him what was wrong. He told me he was in huge debt, and if he didn¡¯t solve this case and get the bonus, he¡¯d be in trouble, buddy, you know, we gave out a lot of bonuses last month. So I asked him, since he owes a buttload of debt, whether he considered paying it back with his ass. I was just concerned about a coworker! Is that also wrong?¡± Brian: ...oh you with your bushy eyebrows, full of tricks! He gave Ivan a thumbs-up too. Geez. Listening to these two beasts, they¡¯ve been quite active these past few days. No telling how many of the people sent by the FBI are still intact. Considering Susan is still on her period. Brian, who initially wanted to ask about the case, quickly turned around, ready to slack off at his workstation. ... In the meeting room, Team Leader Susan looked at the files sent to her by the FBI, feeling like her head was about to explode. Hearing the noise outside. She slapped the table: ¡°Brian, come in!¡± ¡°Sorry, pal, it¡¯s our fault,¡± Ivan clapped Brian on the shoulder and quickly made an escape. Glenn also showed a rueful expression: ¡°Brian, based on my many years of experience, the team leader is probably on her period now. At times like these, agree more, reason less.¡± Brian rolled his eyes: ¡°Thanks for the heads-up, Glenn!¡± ... Pushed open the door. Before Brian could speak, Susan threw a file in front of him. He picked up the file, saw photos of seven women and six men along with some information, and asked somewhat puzzled, ¡°What¡¯s this, Susan? Is this new personnel info?¡± Susan spoke slowly: ¡°This is victim information. In two days, including commute, less than 48 hours, after encountering Ivan and Glenn, two FBI investigation teams were wiped out!¡± Even though Brian had known something like this outside, he was still somewhat stunned. Son of a bitch! Had underestimated these two bastards! Looking at the photos¡ªwhite, black, small, large¡ªthere was no discrimination at all! For a moment, Brian didn¡¯t quite know how to respond to Susan. She crazily grabbed her hair: ¡°I only now understand what ¡®Teddy duo¡¯ means, and that damn Hardenn!¡± Susan threw another piece of paper. Brian caught it and burst out laughing. It turned out to be Hardenn¡¯s lawsuit. And the plaintiffs were a group of strippers. This Hardenn, disrespectful in his old age, frequently visited a legitimately operated drag cabaret. When drunk, he would promise big things to the women and lure them to discuss art. Hardenn probably thought he still had charm at his age, making a profit, but in reality, he was caught in a scam. Even worse. These people not only kept the DNA evidence Hardenn left on various undergarments but also directly sent the lawsuit papers to his workplace, to coerce Hardenn into paying for a settlement. The address was likely disclosed by Hardenn himself. In such a case, it¡¯s hard to gauge right from wrong; the key issue is that Hardenn is a government employee, and it wouldn¡¯t look good if things blew up. Without paying a hefty price, Hardenn was bound to be in deep trouble. ¡°Laughing...,¡± Susan looked at Brian, bursting with laughter, her expression playful: ¡°Brian, when I recruited you guys, Uncle Pavel told me you all had issues. I didn¡¯t believe it then, but now three have already confirmed it. So, Mr. Brian, what have you been hiding from me?¡± Brian:... Today¡¯s luck is a bit off. I¡¯ve been caught in my own game. He immediately protested angrily: ¡°Susan, as a good buddy who has been through life and death together, I think mutual trust is the most basic respect due to me!¡± Susan didn¡¯t expect such a strong reaction from Brian and was momentarily at a loss for words. She quickly got up: ¡°Brian, I...¡± ¡°No need to say more,¡± Brian, turning the tables, sighed, ¡°I know you¡¯re upset right now, Susan, I understand you, and I know it wasn¡¯t intentional, these hurtful words. Let¡¯s do this, I just happen to have some things to handle, so I¡¯ll take a few days off to relax.¡± Having said that, he didn¡¯t give Susan a chance to object and dashed off. ... Just the right time to fulfill the obsession with the Transformer or Mutant Beast. Completing either obsession, once the ¡°talent¡± erupted, would drastically enhance Brian¡¯s capabilities. Now that Ivan and the others were back, it was also time for him to handle it. As for Susan¡¯s mood... Please. If a woman¡¯s mood toward you is always stable, you might as well just wash up and go to bed. Brian wasn¡¯t worried about Susan discovering his scandal at all. He had kept all his medical bill receipts very well. If Susan found out and confronted him about this, Brian could always play the desperate, filial son selling himself to save his parents in a tearful montage, likely making Susan slap herself in the middle of the night when she got home. The only problem. That was when Tarot Card would provide the intel. Either would do! The feedback involving Mutants was always excellent! Brian had a strong premonition. The feedback from these two obsessions, once completed, would be the start of his soaring journey! Chapter 109 - 109 98 Encounter Arrival ?109: Chapter 98: Encounter, Arrival 109: Chapter 98: Encounter, Arrival The first piece of information was about finding the Transformer¡¯s previous identity. This information was priced at twenty-five thousand US dollars. The preliminary information included details about the target¡¯s family background, address, and the current addresses of family members; everything one might need was listed. However, the detailed information could only be accessed after payment. If Brian refused to pay, the Tarot Card would deduct the corresponding costs from the million-dollar deposit in Brian¡¯s account. Without a second thought, Brian used his overseas account to make the payment. After the payment was completed, the information about the Transformer¡¯s family suddenly appeared on the webpage. Finally, he saw the dawn of fulfilling the second obsession! Brian took screenshots of the information and saved them on his laptop, then he continued to the second piece of information. The second piece of information was about finding a group with a Taotie tattoo that hunted wild animals. This was related to whether one could obtain the Mutant Beast¡¯s freakish talent! This piece of information disappointed Brian. It contained very little information. The brief simply stated that this was a poaching organization originating from Vietnam with members active worldwide; it involved many powers. Such an organization was only valued at eight thousand US dollars. Brian felt uneasy. He suspected that the Tarot Card never really investigated. This type of information should have been easier for an organization like the Tarot Card, which operated in the grey area; there might even have been business cooperation between the two. Full of doubts, Brian still chose to pay. Eight thousand US dollars was not a significant amount to him now. After the payment, the detailed information appeared in front of Brian: Beast Pavilion, a hunting organization established by ethnic Vietnamese, originated in 1943... members unknown... headquarters unknown... scattered across... members include Beast Tamers and stable hands. Beast Tamers used the Huaxia Divine Beast Taotie tattoo as an identity mark, being rare; each Beast Tamer had their own independent Hunting Team with high combat power. Stable hands had no identity marks and acted as intermediaries with a global distribution, maintaining contact through an internal network, responsible for finding clients and transporting goods. Suspected information: the Global Pet Association possibly cooperated deeply with the Beast Pavilion. Warning: the Beast Pavilion is a VIP member of the Tarot Card, and to protect VIP rights, the Tarot Card refuses to provide more relevant information support. At the last line, Brian rolled his eyes. Then why charge at all!!! You should know that by going to some supermarket underground parking lots or a corner of the crossroads and if not afraid of getting sick, having fast food only costs a dozen or so US dollars, and sometimes only equivalent food is offered. Eight thousand US dollars could feed many people on Western fast food. Fortunately, the Tarot Card still showed some integrity by revealing a key piece of information: Global Pet Association. In his past life, Brian paid little attention to these matters, and he didn¡¯t know if similar organizations existed back then, but in this world, there were such industry associations. Their main business involved arranging pet competitions, award presentations, and issuing pet pedigree certificates. It was a large global association. Whether it was cats, dogs, or horse racing, members of this association were involved in almost these businesses, wielding substantial influence within the circle. Ordinary people found it difficult to meddle with such a global organization. But at least it was out in the open. Brian still had a chance to obtain information about the ¡®Beast Pavilion¡¯ from them. Besides that, official channels were also a good line of thought. Poaching and hunting couldn¡¯t exist without official surveillance. ¡°Eating requires taking one bite at a time. Now that I know the identities of those people, there¡¯s a chance to satisfy the Mutant Beast¡¯s obsession. My current priority is to fulfill the Transformer¡¯s obsession first.¡± Brian closed his laptop, wrote down the Transformer¡¯s information on paper, then dismantled the laptop and threw it into the trash. He returned to his apartment. He packed his belongings and with Shi San, set out to find the Transformer¡¯s family. ... The Transformer¡¯s obsession: I really miss my mom and sister and want to go back to see them. The Transformer¡¯s original name was Tam. Tam was from a single-parent family with only his mother and sister. He had been disfigured by flames from a young age and lived in a rural town within the Commonwealth. When Tam was sixteen, his small town witnessed several vicious cases of missing teenage boys and girls that led to unfruitful investigations. The following year, Tam¡¯s family, with the help of relatives, immigrated to the United States. After that, information about Tam ceased. As for his mother and sister, they ran a Mexican barbecue restaurant in a small border town in southwestern New Mexico near Mexico. Brian was about 330 kilometers away from that town, which was not very far. He planned to drive there directly. ... Near Chihuahua State in Mexico, the climate was scorching, filled with red rocky cliffs, deserts, and cacti; it was a popular location for many Western cowboy films and had poor security. Undocumented immigration routes and border smuggling were common practices here. Add to that the inadequate infrastructure that hindered communications. Drug lords and gangs liked to engage in transactions in these uninhabited areas, and participants even included border patrol and drug enforcement teams. Or rather, the integrity of law enforcement teams in these areas was hard to guarantee. Here, it was difficult to distinguish friend from foe; an inconspicuous individual could strip off a police uniform and become a gang member and, when donning the uniform again, transform back into a law enforcer¡ªsuch occurrences were quite common. This is an industry chain that everyone knows about, but no living person dares to touch lightly. Thus, if you don¡¯t want to encounter trouble in such places, it¡¯s best to stick to the highway and not deviate from your course¡ªyou might just hit the jackpot. If you see something and manage to escape, don¡¯t consider calling the police. Because after you call the police, those who come to see you might be the very pursuers you just escaped from. Going to such places, Brian naturally wouldn¡¯t go empty-handed. He took an unnumbered, easily carried pistol, along with half a pound of detonators totaling five pounds, and with a dog in tow, Brian put on sunglasses and set out for the Mexican border. ... The highway system in the United States is very developed. After leaving the traffic-congested urban areas, as long as you don¡¯t encounter highway patrols, you can enjoy the thrills of speed and passion on the wide open road, even if your driving skills are poor. Flooring the gas pedal, listening to the explosive music on the car stereo. Brian felt so great he almost wished he could attach wings to his car and switch to flight mode. No wonder so many people love road trips every year. The unrestrained speeding and the sensory thrill of watching the scenery zip by outside are truly addictive. Two hours later. Observing the changing scenery around him, Brian drove into a small lane, entered a small town, and found a fast-food restaurant by the road. Next to the restaurant, there was a private self-service gas station. Such stations are quite common in the United States; you can pay by card or cash. Brian first filled the car with gas, then walked into the restaurant with Shi San, and after ordering their meal handed the waiter a twenty US dollar bill: ¡°I¡¯m heading to Fairfax on the border, which highway should I take not to deviate from my route?¡± ¡°Wow, you¡¯re really a generous guy.¡± The waiter accepted the US dollar, flicked it with his finger, and without another word, ran to the back and brought back a regional map for Brian: ¡°Just follow this, and oh, at this spot, there are some mobile fun vehicles, cheaper than at the border, you know~¡± The young waiter winked at Brian. Brian got it right away. Every year, lots of people travel to the Mexican border in the United States to indulge in activities that are inconvenient within the Federation¡ªgambling, drugs, you name it, along with some bloody or niche interests (the kind you can¡¯t write about). Plus, it¡¯s all cheap. Hence the industries along the way are all very well developed. Brian thanked him, took his tray, found a seat, placed Shi San¡¯s portion in front of it on the wrapping paper, and started enjoying a calorie-bomb of roasted meat, doughnuts, and hot cocoa. As he was almost finished eating, A girl with brown skin, a slim figure, and seemingly young, carrying a large bag over a meter tall, ran up next to Brian with a smile: ¡°Hey handsome, did I hear you¡¯re going to the Mexican border?¡± Brian looked up, gauged her for a moment, and nodded his head, ¡°So?¡± ¡°Can I get a ride? I can pitch in for gas, and I can help you drive too,¡± the girl batted her eyelashes with a sweet smile emitting a youthful vibe. Brian glanced at Shi San, and seeing no reaction from it, nodded his head, ¡°As long as you¡¯re not worried I¡¯m a bad guy, no problem.¡± The girl immediately reached out her hand: ¡°Thanks, my name¡¯s Sandy, I¡¯m really poor, don¡¯t have money, but if you want something else, you can tell me, I might consider it.¡± Saying so, She even scratched Brian¡¯s palm, showing a maturity that completely contradicted her appearance. ... After seeing so much of the desolate landscape, it was tiring. Only Shi San was still too small, its little short legs unable to reach the gas pedal and the brake, otherwise, Brian would have let Shi San drive for a while. Now with a pretty girl in the car, it was pleasing to the eyes and alleviating the fatigue. Sandy was very talkative. According to her, after graduating high school, she had traveled to many places in the United States, living off her performances, relying on hitchhiking, encountering dangers that always turned out alright, with more than two years of a nomadic life now. ¡°Why are you going to the Mexican border?¡± Brian was somewhat puzzled: ¡°You¡¯re very pretty, and many people disappear there every year.¡± A girl, who had been safe and sound for more than two years, couldn¡¯t be naive, certainly aware of the risks involved. ¡°Buying medicine.¡± Sandy shrugged her shoulders, her tone calm: ¡®My mother was diagnosed with cancer, she doesn¡¯t have medical insurance, so it¡¯s all out-of-pocket. I heard the medications are cheaper here, plus you can auction off your first time, so I came here.¡± ¡°Okay, sorry.¡± Brian felt little emotional fluctuation over this. Throughout his career, he had seen too many bizarre things. By comparison, Sandy¡¯s situation wasn¡¯t much. Sandy seemed not to expect Brian¡¯s calm reaction, surprise flickered in her eyes, then she naturally shifted the topic. Chatting casually all the way. Just after one in the afternoon. After asking for directions several times, Brian finally arrived at his destination. ¡°Thank you, Brian. You¡¯re a good person. I hope to see you again.¡± Before Sandy got out of the car, she gave Brian a thankful hug. ¡°Wish you all the best too.¡± After bidding farewell to Sandy, Excitement flickered in Brian¡¯s eyes. Soon! He was about to fulfill the Transformer¡¯s second obsession! The talent of the Transformer was most likely related to Body Control. Once obtained, Coupled with Supercomputer Perception, Brian would immediately rise to become a Sharpshooter, a human-shaped self-aiming cheat, and his combat power would experience a qualitative leap! With intense anticipation, Brian began to inquire about the location of barbecue restaurants around. Chapter 110 - 110 99 Evolution! ?110: Chapter 99 Evolution! Did I Become an Enchanting Demon? (Added 1 more for alliance leader ¡®Xiao Ai 6¡¯) 110: Chapter 99 Evolution! Did I Become an Enchanting Demon? (Added 1 more for alliance leader ¡®Xiao Ai 6¡¯) There are quite a few Mexican barbecue shops here. Brian had inquired around for a good while before finding the one he was looking for. The shop wasn¡¯t large, spanning only about a dozen square meters and furnished with four tables. Behind the counter was a middle-aged, thin woman with brown hair wearing a headscarf. Beside the woman sat an elderly lady. The moment he saw these two, a powerful warm flow surged through Brian¡¯s body, dispelling his fatigue while subtly altering his physique. Hm? Without showing any reaction, Brian clenched his fist, blew a whistle towards Shi San, and headed towards the parking lot. Shi San glanced at Brian, puzzled, then scurried after him with her short legs, ¡°Woof? (Big dog, why does your aura seem even more terrifying?)¡± Brian ignored Shi San and quickened his pace. Back in the car. He immediately pulled the curtains shut, collapsed onto the seat, and let out a suppressed roar! It hurt so much! In the rearview mirror. On Brian¡¯s handsome face, nerves, muscles, and blood vessels... spread to where his clothes covered him, seemingly as if everything had a mind of its own and began to wriggle. ¡°Ah!¡± Brian forcefully controlled his body, stuffed the towel from the car¡¯s headrest into his mouth, threw his head back, and nearly couldn¡¯t suppress a skyward roar with his eyes wide open! In his fiercely opened eyes, the afterimage of the Blood Moon spontaneously emerged, becoming clearer and clearer as if it wanted to transcend from the world in his eyes to the real world outside... Until some limitation was broken. A thick, nearly black vapor slowly emerged from deep within Brian, enveloping him. ¡°Woo-woo~ (So scary, Big dog is really scary now!!!)¡± Shi San, on the passenger seat, flopped toward the back seat, eventually curling up at the bottom of the back seat, tightly closing her eyes and covering her little ears with her paws, acting like a withdrawn little dog. ... Who knows how much time passed. Brian slowly opened his eyes. His first reaction was to look into the rearview mirror, and upon seeing no change in his appearance, he finally breathed a sigh of relief and slumped back into the driver¡¯s seat, closing his eyes again. Almost instantly. A piece of information surged into his mind: Gift Energy: +10 Talent: Body Control. Skill: Mimicry. These were the gains Brian had made after completing the second obsession of the Transformer. But these weren¡¯t the focus. The focus was the strange transformation he just experienced. ¡°Using my powers seems so much easier now...¡± This completely different feeling left Brian puzzled. It felt like... he had leveled up. Almost instantly, the Supercomputer Perception Talent transferred all the information into his mind as if software had been upgraded, making the speed of transmission much faster. Besides this. The other talents he had acquired also became much more seamless. It seemed like... he had evolved. Or rather. The Gift abilities Brian had obtained from the Blood Moon had upgraded. ¡°Could it be that my most significant recent change, that uncontrollable emotional outbreak at the farm and slaughtering so many people at once, is why I evolved? Because I vented once and fulfilled some other condition?¡± Without a reference. Brian could only make random guesses without any clear thought. He began to explore his changes deeper. ... The biggest change was freedom. For instance, the Skill ¨C Mimicry. Brian didn¡¯t need to receive transmitted memories; it felt instinctual to master it easily, and after two attempts, he could mimic the voices of men, women, the old and young, and even animals. The Talents obtained were the same. Before, to acquire new Talents, he had to be asleep. Now, a transformation moment and he got it with no instruction. The ¡®Body Control¡¯ Talent was indeed twisted. Brian discovered he could not only control all the muscles in his body but also influence his organs and other tissues to a small extent, and even slightly affect his hard bones. This feeling was strange. It was as if he had become a robot with a brain functioning as the robot¡¯s computer. With a single thought. His body could perfectly execute commands. And adding the ¡®Pheromone Control¡¯ Talent. Combined. Brian¡¯s body could now control everything from endocrine functions to flesh and bones seamlessly. This was just like being a robot... The surprises didn¡¯t stop there. Brian also found out that with such abilities, his Supercomputer Perception Talent could truly be harnessed to its full potential. The Supercomputer Perception worked like: Receive information ¡ú Brain transfers ¡ú Body reacts. Forming a perfect closed loop. It¡¯s safe to say. If Brian got another Talent enhancing neural responses. He might even have a chance to replicate the invincible Bullet Time from the Assassin Alliance of his past life! A true replication! And if he acquired the Mutant Beast¡¯s kind of speed which, in the eyes of ordinary people, looked nearly like Instant Teleportation, covering dozens of meters in a second... Sheesh! Brian didn¡¯t dare imagine how powerful he would become! ... ¡°I really want to have a fight now, just to see how strong I am!¡± Brian gazed fascinatedly at his continuously changing hands, then looked down and yanked open his belt... After playing for a while. Brian suddenly felt a heaviness in his head, as if he had been playing video games all night and was dizzy and tired when he got up. He thought for a moment. A piece of information appeared in his mind: Physical Constitution: 1.2 (speechless, this is marked in red for review!!!) Spirit: 1.1 (0.5) Probably because his control over his body had strengthened. His constitution had significantly improved; his overall physical strength was now comparable to a seasoned athlete without any weaknesses, almost reaching the limits of an ordinary person. Equivalent to not activating his talent. Just with his body alone, he could lift up a 400kg barbell! His speed could reach 100 meters within ten seconds! His endurance was comparable to that of a professional top marathon runner! Completely unbeatable! If he activated all his talents: It would mean disabling the body¡¯s self-protection limit, unleashing all his strength! Brian hadn¡¯t tried it. He didn¡¯t dare to, fearing that the Gift Energy in his hands wouldn¡¯t be enough to repair a completely collapsed body. This was the last ace up his sleeve. He had never used it before. ... ¡°Don¡¯t be complacent! Even the abnormally strong Mutant Beasts have no power to resist under missile bombardment. In the face of modern technology, the power of the body is too fragile. I can¡¯t get ahead of myself!¡± He suppressed the rising feelings of arrogance in his heart. Brian shifted his attention from his physical constitution and looked at his Spirit Attribute, furrowing his brows: ¡°Just activating all my talents for about fifteen minutes, I consumed so much energy...¡± His abilities had improved across the board but his Spiritual Strength couldn¡¯t keep up with the consumption. He, Brian, felt like he had upgraded the software; his control over his talents was stronger and the energy consumption had increased, causing the originally sufficient Spiritual Strength hardware to lag behind. If that was the case, wouldn¡¯t absorbing random talents in the future increase his mental burden even more? Brian was somewhat displeased, but he found solace in the fact that after completing each obsession of the dead, he could absorb some spiritual particles from the Gift, enhancing his Spiritual Strength. As time passed, he was destined to become more and more non-human. Future issues like these weren¡¯t a concern. ... ¡°Forget it, from now on, I just won¡¯t fuse with some trashy talents since ordinary talents have no effect on me anyway.¡± Brian shook his head, closed his eyes, and while resting his depleted spirit, his consciousness moved to the Conscious Space. Inside the space, one large and one small, two spiritual particles floated. The smaller particle was the spiritual gift he obtained after fulfilling the hospital old man¡¯s obsession last night. The larger one was from the Transformer. Previously, Brian had to watch their death memories before he could absorb these spiritual particles. Now, it was his choice. In unnecessary circumstances, Brian didn¡¯t want to see memories filled with strong negative emotions. He snapped his fingers. The two spiritual particles instantly transformed into streams of light, merging into his Consciousness. A comfortable chill surged through his consciousness. The drained spiritual state was instantly restored to perfection, and his Spiritual Strength was clearly enhanced compared to before. Under Supercomputer Perception, his Spiritual Strength also reached 1.2. Although it seemed like a small increase in value, just like his physical attributes, Brian distinctly felt his thinking speed had improved significantly. This was also helpful for enhancing his reaction speed. Regrettably, Brian had tried, the ¡°Body Control¡± talent was about control, not enhancement; he couldn¡¯t stimulate muscles to grow quickly or increase bone density, nor could he stimulate neurons and the like. Otherwise, it would really be against the natural order. ... Suddenly, Brian felt something was off. He looked around and realized Shi San was gone. Brian¡¯s ears twitched slightly, and he turned his head with a stern look to the back seat: ¡°Why are you hiding?¡± This damn thing, he hadn¡¯t just seen his brother dancing the snake dance, had he? Shi San first peeked out with a tiny head, making sure Brian was back to normal, then bounced to the front, licking Brian¡¯s hand to please him: ¡°Woof woof~ (Big dog, you¡¯re even more amazing now.)¡± ¡°Is your perception so sharp?¡± Brian activated his enhanced sense of smell and sniffed himself. He was surprised to find that his body was emitting a special scent similar to what Shi San had. Brian was filled with curiosity. He reopened the car door, taking Shi San with him to an intersection. Brian decided to try if he, like Shi San, had undergone some kind of evolutionary advancement at the level of life that could intimidate his own kind. He first tried strolling around. What he found was that aside from people who occasionally made eye contact with him consciously averting their gaze, no one else reacted. But that wasn¡¯t quite right. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was an illusion. Brian noticed that females within three to four meters from him seemed to have hotter eyes for him. He sniffed and discovered that these females, after getting close to him for a while, would rapidly produce and emit pheromones similar to estrus, causing them to develop a love-at-first-sight delusion. It was as if their bodies, after receiving stronger male pheromones, instinctively transmitted to them signals suitable for reproduction. ¡°Damn, have I become a male Enchanting Demon?¡± Brian was a bit unwilling! He once again found a fierce-looking, tattoo-necked bald man staring his way, and gave him an unemotional stare. Bald Man: ??? Why is this pretty boy squinting at me like that? Chapter 112 - 112 101 What am I if youre a monster ?112: Chapter 101 What am I if you¡¯re a monster? 112: Chapter 101 What am I if you¡¯re a monster? Sandy watched the empty rearview mirror with satisfaction. Thinking they can catch up to me, eat my dust! Yet the thought of the unfortunate soul who inadvertently took a bullet for her stirred a slight sense of apology in her heart. I hope he has a ticket to heaven, else it¡¯s going to be pretty awkward bumping into each other in Hell. Well, a little apology, but not much. Just like the principles she operated by, a few, but not many. Humming a cheerful tune, Sandy opened the backpack on the passenger seat and looked at the bundles of cash exposed, her eyes squinting with delight. After pulling off this job, I can rest for quite a while. Too bad the kindly handsome guy didn¡¯t take the bait. His little dog looked so intelligent and cute. Sandy actually quite wanted to take it and play. Unfortunately, the dog¡¯s owner wasn¡¯t up to no good. She couldn¡¯t very well break her principles to make a move. Pickup trucks are very common in the United States. Sandy hadn¡¯t recognized the unlucky guy who took a bullet for her was the Brian who had given her a ride earlier. Nor did she know that she had stirred up an even bigger trouble. ... At the crossroads, Sandy casually turned the steering wheel, driving onto a side path, zigzagging left and right as she entered the wilderness to create false tracks, aiming to mislead any potential pursuers. Suddenly, Sandy realized something felt off with the driving sensation of her vehicle. She looked at the fuel gauge and discovered the problem. Out of gas! ¡°FK, how could it be out of gas!¡± Panic flashed across Sandy¡¯s face. This was no joke. Normally if you¡¯re out of gas, you just go on the main road, stick out your thumb, use the gender advantage, and in a few hours at most, some kind-hearted passing driver will take you away. But now she was facing pursuit. With wilderness all around, Sandy didn¡¯t think the previously unlucky car owner could hold off those hyenas for long. She hurried out of the car, only to find that the Ford she had stolen had, at some point, been punctured by a stray bullet from those chasing bastards, causing her to leak fuel all along the way. ¡°It¡¯s over...¡± Looking at the discontinuous, yet quite visible gasoline drip trail, Sandy¡¯s face turned pale. Without hesitating, she dashed back to the car, tightened her pant legs, and stuffed them with cash vigorously until her legs were as thick as an elephant¡¯s, then shouldered her backpack, picked a direction, and prepared to leave. Just then, a pickup truck followed her previous route, approaching from afar, speeding wildly like a charging bison, leaving an elegant curved skid mark, whipping up a cloud of dust that landed on Sandy, stopping right in front of her. The window rolled down. A dog¡¯s head poked out first, opening its mouth as if to display an indignant and aggressive demeanor on behalf of its owner, but as soon as it opened its mouth, it inhaled a mouthful of dust, hastily retracting its head, and embarrassingly began coughing. Useless dog! Brian disdainfully tossed Shi San back into the passenger seat. He knocked on the car door and, with a sarcastic grin, turned to the dusty-faced Sandy, ¡°Sandy, we meet again. It seems you might need some help?¡± ... As Sandy heard this familiar voice, an awkward smile appeared on her dusty face, ¡°Hi, Brian, it must be God¡¯s guidance that we would meet again so soon. Right, that unfortunate pickup just now, that wasn¡¯t you, was it?¡± Snap~ Brian snapped his fingers, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m the unlucky one.¡± ¡°Oh, my God!¡± Sandy put on an exaggerated expression of guilt and shock, her hands covering her mouth, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, I was scared to death. You have no idea what I¡¯ve been through; I...¡± She couldn¡¯t go on. Because the dark muzzle of Brian¡¯s gun was already pointed at her. ¡°Keep talking.¡± Brian¡¯s mouth twisted up in a smirk, ¡°Why stop? Run out of words?¡± Playing the victim card? What a joke. In his years of part-time work, what hadn¡¯t he heard? Gambling father, sick mother, younger brother in school, forced into society by desperation; best friend¡¯s referral to a shady industry; half coerced into the trade; younger sisters at home all depending on me; gambling addict ex-husband with domestic violence; raising a child alone and telling tales of hardship; hence, embarking on a path of no return... And the list goes on. From family background to pie-in-the-sky promises, satisfying men¡¯s every lustful and compassionate whim. Brian was tired of hearing it all. Seeing that her sob story wasn¡¯t working, Sandy immediately raised her hands, ¡°I can compensate!¡± Hearing her talk sense, Brian nodded, ¡°Be proactive. You only get one chance.¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Sandy had already tested and knew that the man before her couldn¡¯t be seduced with mere beauty. She dared not gamble with her life, and could only reluctantly place the large bag of money from her car into the back seat of Brian¡¯s pickup and thoughtfully shut the door. ¡°Is that enough...¡± Tears welled up in Sandy¡¯s eyes. She truly felt like crying. Taking even a penny from her was like taking her life! Brian glanced at her thick legs and pointed the gun, leaving things unsaid. Sandy¡¯s heart ached even more. She took off her jeans, her hands trembling the whole time, and threw roll after roll of her money into the back of Brian¡¯s truck. After she finished, Sandy felt as if she had lost the will to live. She looked blankly at Brian, ¡°Is that enough? There¡¯s nothing left, really nothing at all. If that¡¯s not enough, just sell me, I guess. It¡¯s my first time, so maybe I could fetch a decent price.¡± ¡°Nothing left?¡± Brian gave Shi San a signal with his eyes. Shi San scrambled open the passenger door and approached Sandy, who stood there with bare thighs; after sniffing around, he immediately put his paws on her high-top shoes. Brian waved the handgun again, ¡°Understand?¡± With tears in her eyes, Sandy silently took off her shoes and dumped two rolls of strongly scented emergency US dollars onto the ground. Shi San barked again at Sandy. Sandy gave Shi San a hateful glare and took off her jacket, ripped open the seams, and threw every golden-button onto the ground. Somewhat baffled, Shi San looked at the buttons that shimmered with a golden hue, then continued to bark loudly at Sandy, ¡°Woof (Tissue paper!)¡± Sandy was first puzzled, then as if something dawned on her, she started to breathe rapidly, pulled a stack of small bills from her pocket, and tremblingly dropped them in front of Shi San. FK! The ¡°dog¡± referred to the cash, not the gold buttons sewn onto the jacket! Indeed, the dog is the most despicable creature on this planet! Without any contender! The more Sandy thought about it, the redder her face became. She was so enraged that she started shaking and slumped to the ground, actually having fainted from anger. Seeing this, Brian pushed open the car door, checked Sandy¡¯s pupils to make sure she had truly passed out, and then gestured towards the car to Shi San. Moments later, The rolls of cash that had fallen in the car were also searched out by Shi San. After a quick count by Brian, most of the bills were twenty-dollar US notes; all together, there were over half a million US dollars. This was not a small sum. Let me put it this way. On the Mexico border, an eighteen or nineteen-year-old, beautiful, and youthful woman from the United States could be sold for just tens of thousands of dollars. If you are willing to pay a little extra, They could even deliver to your doorstep. Note, this refers to women with United States citizenship. Europeans could be had for twenty to thirty percent less, and those from Asia even cheaper. Killing was even more complicated. The price for a cheap hitman to kill someone started at a few thousand dollars. An expensive one generally wouldn¡¯t exceed six figures. All for that amount of money, and they still have to pay a middleman¡¯s commission. As for those movie scenarios where assassination bounties soar to millions of dollars, they are extremely rare. Such targets usually bear a significant political color, being either the leader of some armed faction, the boss of a powerful organization, or part of the ruling class in some unstable country. Ordinary people simply can¡¯t access such contracts. So, this half a million in cash was not a trivial amount. Unfortunately, Brian was still somewhat dissatisfied. Using oneself as a shield meant they were after one¡¯s life. And those who sought his life had to die! ... Brian threw everything into the back seat of the car, took out a large mineral water jug, and poured it over Sandy. Shocked by the sudden deluge, Sandy coughed herself awake. She looked around in a daze before remembering her predicament and looked woodenly at Brian: ¡°Just say what you want.¡± Brian threw a shovel in front of Sandy: ¡°Dig a hole.¡± Sandy got up from the ground, picked up the shovel, and asked, ¡°How big?¡± ¡°Lie down.¡± Sandy obediently lay back down. Brian walked around her body with a stick, drew a larger circle and nodded. Then he said to Sandy on the ground, ¡°Dig along this line.¡± Sandy: ... She finally got scared: ¡°Don¡¯t kill me, I...¡± ¡°Alright, seems like you¡¯d prefer to rot in the wilderness, I respect your choice.¡± Brian glanced at the sky and stopped dawdling, lifting his handgun. Bang~ The sound of the gunshot echoed across the wilderness~ Ahhhh~ Sandy closed her eyes and let out a cry of despair. Huh? Suddenly, She felt something was off. Why wasn¡¯t it painful? She quickly stopped struggling, opened her eyes, and felt her body, only to realize she had not been shot at all. Drip, drip~ Fresh blood flowed through a little hole in the bullet-proof vest, quickly staining the jacket red before dripping onto the dry ground. Brian looked down at his own chest. He had been shot. ... Bang bang bang~ One bullet after another was fired from over two hundred meters away on a slope, hitting Brian squarely in the chest. His bullet-proof vest, underneath his jacket, barely slowed down the incoming rounds at all against the attacker¡¯s weapon and was easily penetrated! With the constant impact, Brian¡¯s imposing figure eventually crashed heavily to the ground. ¡°Roar~¡± Shi San¡¯s fur bristled, his teeth bared, ready to charge towards that hillside, but on breaking away, he caught the scent of Brian¡¯s pheromones. The dog¡¯s face changed, his body twisted, and he vanished beneath the pickup truck, hiding himself. Sandy watched all this, dumbfounded. Coming to her senses, she grabbed her pants, trying to rush to Brian¡¯s pickup to flee from here. ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d stay put, kitty cat!¡± A voice carried on the wind and sand, reaching Sandy¡¯s ears. Hearing this voice, Sandy¡¯s face transformed, showing unprecedented terror: ¡°Ghoul Stanley! They actually sent a monster like you to track me!!!¡± ¡°Glad you¡¯ve heard of me.¡± A short figure, cloaked in grey camouflage and wearing a mask, stepped on the fine sand, carrying a similarly wrapped short gun, appeared in front of Sandy: ¡°I quite enjoy the expression on your face right now. It¡¯s the best form of respect for me. As a thank you, you may choose to leave behind a part of your body. Only one part, mind you. Because...¡± He said, removing his mask to reveal a hideous face underneath, covered in scales with a mouth full of sharp teeth: ¡°My appetite is really quite large!¡± Seeing his frightening appearance, Sandy, already jittery and on edge, lost consciousness once more, her eyes rolling back as she fainted again. Looking down at the grimy Sandy, Stanley¡¯s eyes flashed with disgust. Luckily, it wasn¡¯t a big problem. Before eating this little cutie, he had to find out where she had hidden the reagent. He had plenty of time to thoroughly clean his food. Just as Stanley was about to bend down and take his prey back to his car, ¡°Monster?¡± A voice suddenly came from behind him: ¡°If you¡¯re a monster, what does that make me?¡± Chapter 113 - 113 102 Beastification Reagent ?113: Chapter 102 Beastification Reagent 113: Chapter 102 Beastification Reagent ¡°What?¡± Stanley instinctively turned his neck 180 degrees, then his pupils constricted. The guy who had been hit by seven or eight shots from his modified rifle was actually standing up again! Impossible! His rifle was specifically modified to deal with mutants! Even a regular bullet-proof vest couldn¡¯t withstand the specialized bullets fired by this rifle! How could the other party be unharmed? Thud~ A massive fist, accompanied by the sound of the wind, fiercely imprinted itself on his face, covered in scale armor. Ah~ Two blood-stained fangs flew out. Stanley felt as if he had been hit by a truck, his feet lifted off the ground, and his whole body flew backward groggily. The next moment, Two muscular, veins-bulging hands grabbed his airborne feet, lifted him high, and smashed him down hard! Thud~ Dust exploded. In the soft Gobi soil, a shallow human-shaped indent appeared. Thud~ The ground shook again. Opposite, another shallow human-shaped indent appeared. Again and again, Time after time, Brian, with a ferocious expression like the Hulk slamming Loki, swung the human-shaped meat strip in his hands from left to right, venting the anger from his first time being shot. Crack~ He didn¡¯t know how many times he had smashed. Brian only felt his hand loosen, only to find that the bastard who shot him had turned into a pile of tattered flesh, only the pair of dismembered short legs remaining, bleakly held in his hand. He casually threw the short legs aside and spat on the opponent¡¯s rotten flesh, ¡°hetui, such trash dares to call itself a monster, isn¡¯t afraid of being killed when it goes out!¡± Brian glanced at the unconscious Sandy, took off his jacket and tattered bullet-proof vest, and looked down. Amid the rising dust, he saw on his chest, strands of blood-red meat buds wriggling in the air, squeezing out the bullets like popping a pimple and dropping them to the ground, then merging as the wounded skin spread and fused. Gift Energy -3. In the blink of an eye. Except for the blood-stained holes on his shirt, There were no more signs of gunshot wounds on his body. Gift Energy + Body Control Talent = A low-grade version of Undying Body, awesome! ... ¡°Woof woof~¡± Shi San, seeing that the situation was settled, crawled out from under the car and ferociously barked at the ground meat. If it weren¡¯t for the big dog stopping it, It would have definitely rushed up and killed the guy who hurt the big dog. ¡°Afterthought, stop yapping, go guard the surroundings!¡± Brian gave Shi San a flick on the head. Shi San looked at Brian with aggrieved eyes, jumped onto the car, and started to guard diligently. Brian withdrew his gaze, picked up a piece of scale armor, examined it for a moment, and sniffed it, frowning. The scale had a unique pheromone similar to a crocodile¡¯s, but it was faint. Not up close. Even with his enhanced sense of smell activated, he couldn¡¯t detect it. Besides, After the other party died, the pheromones emitted by the corpse seemed to contain owl pheromones as well. It felt like a hybrid product. Curious, Brian first confirmed that Sandy was indeed unconscious and hadn¡¯t seen his abnormal state, then directly slapped her face. After a few slaps, Sandy groggily opened her eyes. When she saw the shirtless Brian, her eyes widened, ¡°You¡¯re not dead?¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°If you keep spouting nonsense, you definitely won¡¯t see the day I die.¡± Sandy quickly covered her mouth. Brian nodded in satisfaction, pointed to the pile of rotten flesh on the ground, and curiously asked, ¡°What is this weak and ugly thing?¡± ¡°A person,¡± replied Sandy, exceedingly docile after having faced death repeatedly: ¡°He was a member of the Aryan Brotherhood, nicknamed Ghoul, a monster who was injected with the Beastification Reagent.¡± Beastification Reagent? Brian had seen the USB left by his uncle and had browsed some basics on the NW internal website. But there was no related information. Can humans also be beastified? Aryan Brotherhood, Brian was aware of it. It was one of the largest gangs in the United States, originating in prison, primarily composed of white inmates, characterized by Nazi Party cross tattoos and bald heads. The reason all members were white was due to their white supremacist ideology, with members widely distributed, almost in most prisons across the Federation. Brian glanced at the ugly and broken corpse on the ground, confirmed that the other party was indeed white, had cross tattoos, and his bald head was very noticeable. He nodded: ¡°What is Beastification Reagent? And why were they chasing you?¡± Sandy¡¯s lips twitched, somewhat hesitant: ¡°Beastification Reagent is a product of a mutant cult¡ªthe Doomsday Sect, where humans, by injecting Beastification Reagent, if they survive, can possess some animal abilities. How much they are enhanced depends on the genetic compatibility. Even if successful, most people experience physical mutations, akin to a weakened, uncontrollable version of a mutant.¡± Brian surprised: ¡°You know about mutants?¡± Sandy nodded, ¡°My parents worked for the Bounty Guild, specifically hunting those mutants, but they died later, and I learned about these things from their notes.¡± The Bounty Guild is an organization with a long history in the United States, tracing back to the cowboy era, where bounty hunters hunted down fugitive criminals to claim high rewards. This tradition has continued to this day. The idea of the group¡¯s leader, Susan, was to become a bounty hunter. Chapter 114 - 114 102 Beastification Reagent_2 ?114: Chapter 102 Beastification Reagent_2 114: Chapter 102 Beastification Reagent_2 The NW intranet also had an introduction to this organization. After the Blood Moon phenomenon, a few financial groups invested in this guild, thus securing the legal right to hunt Mutants, but only Senior Bounty Hunters were qualified to participate. If what Sandy was saying was true. Then her parents must be pretty formidable. After some thought. Brian kicked the bald head of the ¡®monster¡¯ on the ground, ¡°So he¡¯s chasing you for that Beastification Reagent you mentioned?¡± Sandy nodded: ¡°Yes, I acquired intelligence that the Aryan Brotherhood had purchased several doses of the Beastification Reagent, so I infiltrated them and stole one. Just let me go, and I will give the reagent to you. I really didn¡¯t mean to drag you into danger, I had no idea there were cars on the road from that angle, it was purely accidental. If it really comes down to it. Can you wait until I¡¯ve avenged my parents before killing me?¡± Looking at the pitifully pleading Sandy, a thought suddenly occurred to Brian. Mutants with enhanced neural reaction speeds were too unpredictable and hard to find, could he turn his attention to those Beastified People who possess animal-like reflexes? After all, if a gang could get ahold of it, it shouldn¡¯t be too precious, right? He took out his satellite phone, stepped aside, and dialed Susan¡¯s number. A moment later. Brian put away his phone. According to Susan, there indeed existed such a thing as a Beastification Potion, and many private organizations in the unknown Underworld had researched and circulated products derived from Mutants. However strong the effects of this stuff might be, the mortality rate after use was very high, with most accompanied by severe side effects. Out of humanitarianism. Official organizations had sealed off news about this on the surface. But in secret, on the black market, these things were in circulation. Brian guessed his uncle hadn¡¯t recorded these, probably out of disdain. ... Brian returned to Sandy and said, ¡°Good, you didn¡¯t try to run. Now hand over the reagent you stole. If it checks out, you can live.¡± Sandy breathed a sigh of relief. With some reluctance, she went to her backpack, pulled at the small pendant on the zipper, and after tearing it off, revealed a metal injector about the size of a pinky finger: ¡°This is...¡± ¡°You sure?¡± Sandy nodded with certainty, ¡°I¡¯m sure, this is a Beastification Reagent mixed with several feline genes. If the Aryan Brotherhood got the real deal, then this is authentic. The reason I¡¯ve held onto it until now is mostly out of fear of dying.¡± Taking the metal injector. Brian sniffed it and casually pocketed it, then opened the back door of his car, ¡°Since both your parents are Bounty Hunters, and you seem to like money, are you interested in a deal?¡± Seeing Brian holding the money she had risked her life to steal and asking her if she wanted to make a deal. Sandy really wanted to pounce on him and bite him hard. But remembering the Ghoul who died inexplicably and miserably, Sandy earnestly nodded, ¡°Definitely, definitely, I love doing missions the most.¡± ¡°Very good.¡± Brian took out another Treatment Reagent he had exchanged: ¡°I need you to go to the Underworld and collect all the information on Beastified People with neural responses beyond normal humans. For your reward, besides this money, I¡¯ll also give you this Treatment Reagent from the Los Angeles NW Organization.¡± ¡°Treatment Reagent?¡± Sandy¡¯s eyes widened in realization, ¡°No wonder I saw you get shot without any wounds. Are you with NW?¡± She was full of envy: ¡°Los Angeles NW, the big city organization! I¡¯ve heard the benefits are especially good there, with opportunities to exchange various Enhancement Reagents without side effects. It¡¯s a shame I have so many criminal records, otherwise, I¡¯d want to apply to join.¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°Our team is short-staffed, if you help me complete this mission, I can guarantee your entry, and even join you later in avenging your parents.¡± ¡°That good?¡± Sandy felt like she was dreaming. She somewhat regretted handing over that fake reagent. Should she confess... She was conflicted. ¡°Just a small detail, oh and Sandy...¡± Brian suddenly said. Sandy, lost in thought, blankly lifted her head, only to be terrified to see a fist the size of a sandbag smashing toward her face. ¡°Oof~¡± There came a crisp thud. Sandy¡¯s head snapped back, her perfectly straight nose spurting out a stream of blood, her eyes rolling back as she fainted yet again. Looking at Sandy lying on the ground, in a peaceful sleeping posture. Brian checked her body to confirm there were no signs of Mutation, and thoughtfully stroked his chin, ¡°Can¡¯t even dodge an attack at normal human speed, and she¡¯s clean too, so it seems she really didn¡¯t inject any Beastification Reagent.¡± After redressing Sandy and tossing her into the back seat. Brian found the car of the guy he had killed not too far away, searched the corpse, and found nothing of value besides the customized gun and some special bullets. Back at the car. He gathered everything at the scene, expertly doused it with gasoline and set it alight, then scattered around a circle of chemical powder to confuse the scent. Having done all this. Brian called Shi San to get in the car, turned around, and headed back. ... ¡°Stop pretending and wake up.¡± Brian glanced at the rearview mirror and spoke softly. Sandy held her swollen nose and said in a somewhat dry voice, ¡°Brian, you seem quite skilled at managing the crime scene...¡± ¡°As a professional Autopsy Officer, isn¡¯t that basic professionalism?¡± Chapter 115 - 115 102 Beastification Reagent_3 ?115: Chapter 102 Beastification Reagent_3 115: Chapter 102 Beastification Reagent_3 Brian tossed the Beastification Reagent back to the rear seat, ¡°Here¡¯s your stuff. If you¡¯re not afraid to die, use it. If you¡¯re scared, sell it. That syringe must have a tracker. I just found a small tracking radar in that dead guy¡¯s car.¡± Sandy suddenly realized, ¡°No wonder I ran all the way over here and still got caught. If I had known, I wouldn¡¯t have sold the Beastification Reagent.¡± ¡°The money under you, is that from selling the reagent?¡± ¡°Right, that bunch of Mexicans wanted to double-cross me, so I found an opportunity to blow them sky-high, took the money, and ran. But those bastards had laid an ambush, and that¡¯s how I ended up being chased,¡± Sandy said, grinding her teeth in anger. ¡°How many times did you sell it?¡± ¡°Thr¡ª¡± Sandy¡¯s expression froze, she raised her hands in surrender and, after wiping off the syringe¡¯s fingerprints, threw it out of the car: ¡°I was wrong. I sold it the first time, and that guy just injected it and died instantly from bodily collapse. When I saw that intact syringe, I thought about rigging it to scam some bastards and make some money. But both times, I ran into backstabbing.¡± Brian was not at all surprised. The smell he had detected on the syringe was glucose. Next. Brian stopped talking. Sandy sat anxiously in the backseat, like a prisoner waiting for her fate to be pronounced. ... Half an hour later. The entrance to a small town appeared in view. Brian turned into a lane, entered the town, and then got out of the car with Shi San: ¡°The money, the gun, the car, I¡¯ve left them all to you, along with the treatment reagent. This is my personal number. If you have the information I want, contact me directly.¡± Sandy received the business card in a daze: ¡°You¡¯re not mad?¡± ¡°I do hate being lied to, but that¡¯s only if the person is useless.¡± Brian leaned in close, released his Biological Field, touched the immobile Sandy¡¯s head, and said softly, ¡°Here¡¯s the deal, as punishment, I refuse to vouch for your entry into NW, but if you can keep our arrangement a secret and complete the mission I give you, my promise to help you get revenge still stands.¡± A strange feeling surged into Sandy¡¯s heart. It wasn¡¯t until she came back to her senses that she realized there was no longer any sign of man or dog in her sight. Sandy touched her burning cheeks and her rapidly beating chest, her mind uncontrollably recalling every moment since she¡¯d met Brian, unconsciously crossing her legs. ¡°Brian~¡± Sandy murmured, touching her swollen nose. She regained her composure and, looking at her battered reflection in the rearview mirror, gritted her teeth, ¡°Asshole, still expecting me to do work for you? Get lost!¡± That being said. For some reason, she really wanted to see him again... It was like she was under a spell, addicted as she was to D, unable to stop thinking about it. The experiences that had made her so angry before had now turned into self-brainwashing... With complicated emotions. Sandy drove away from the town. Forget it. The matter of that bastard bullying her, she¡¯d settle that another day. After returning, she might as well lend a hand and pay attention to the Mutants with the rapid neural responses... Sandy swore. She wasn¡¯t hoping to see Brian again. She just wanted to find that Mutant who had killed her parents and have a strong ally by her side! She swore! ... Not far away. Brian withdrew his gaze, silently lighting a cigarette. Male Enchanting Demons, terrifying indeed! In the future, he feared he¡¯d lose the pleasure of chasing women. Eh. Boring, truly boring. With a sense of loneliness as silent as the snow in his life. Brian called Shi San, preparing to buy a second-hand car in the town to return to Los Angeles. It had been two days. He wondered if Susan¡¯s phase of physiological irritability was over. Hoping that the team members were safe. ... At that moment. In Los Angeles, NW Operational Department, B6 Team office. A group of people stared at the seven photos of corpses projected on the screen, their brows furrowed as if facing a significant dilemma. Susan, looking at the smoke-filled conference room, suddenly had a thought. If only Brian were here... Chapter 116 - 116 103 The Terrifying Crimes of a Genius Extra 1 for alliance leader Pretty Sister ?116: Chapter 103 The Terrifying Crimes of a Genius (Extra chapter 1 for alliance leader ¡®Pretty Sister¡¯) 116: Chapter 103 The Terrifying Crimes of a Genius (Extra chapter 1 for alliance leader ¡®Pretty Sister¡¯) ¡°What¡¯s the hardest case to crack?¡± In the hallway, Susan waited expectantly for the man on the other end of the phone to answer. Amidst the pitter-patter of footsteps, A lethargic voice said, ¡°Random killings without any apparent motive.¡± Hearing the answer, Susan was somewhat disappointed, ¡°If you encounter such a case, do you have any ideas on how to solve it?¡± ¡°Generally, there is none.¡± ¡°What about the not-so-general situations?¡± ¡°You¡¯d have to ask God about that.¡± Susan rolled her eyes, ¡°Get lost. If I don¡¯t see you tomorrow, I¡¯ll put you on a wanted poster¡ªI¡¯m serious, you twisted assessor!¡± Saying this, she casually reached out to pet the dog¡¯s head that had appeared before her. Huh? Dog¡¯s head? Susan turned around sharply and saw at the end of the corridor a tall man leaning against the corner, tilting his head as he watched her. That bastard Brian actually came back! Brian shrugged his shoulders, ¡°Susan, you actually went and secretly investigated my record. That really hurts.¡± A flicker of joy passed through Susan¡¯s eyes, but she snorted coldly, ¡°Are you waiting for me to verbally lash out at you so then you can pull out that stack of private medical and rehabilitation bills, make me feel guilty, and subconsciously compensate you?¡± Brian: ???? You¡¯ve said it all, what do I say? Damn, what the hell! This isn¡¯t the script! Has Susan wised up? Seeing Brian standing there dumb as a post, Susan snorted and headed toward the office, ¡°Since you¡¯re here, come on over; we¡¯ve run into a tough case.¡± Brian watched her back and gestured to Shi San. Shi San, being very understanding, followed her eagerly, nuzzling up against her. By the time Brian entered the smoky meeting room, Susan was already hugging Shi San and hiding in her office, furiously cuddling. ... ¡°Brian? Didn¡¯t the team leader say you needed to take three days off for personal matters?¡± Ivan, the hulking man, saw Brian come in and was ecstatic. His face was covered in grease and signs of fatigue, seemingly tormented by the case. The others weren¡¯t doing much better. Hardenn¡¯s usually meticulously styled trendy clothes now reeked of a sour odor. Glenn, the secretive guy, lost his usual refinement, looking listless as if he hadn¡¯t had his fix in over 24 hours¡ªit was clear that he was suffering from withdrawal. Rookie support staff member Edna had it even worse; her eyes were bloodshot. It was uncertain whether her troubles were due to relationship issues with Glenn over two days or from the smoke in the meeting room. The only one at ease was probably Ali, the weapon expert, who had been ensconced in the underground shooting range from the start of the workday. ¡°Wow wow wow, what happened to you guys?¡± Brian opened the surrounding windows, ¡°Seeing you like this makes me wonder if I¡¯ve been gone for two months.¡± When it came to solving cases, Ivan was fairly responsible and serious. He held a laser pointer and pointed at the projector displaying photos of seven victims: ¡°At the moment, we have two cases on our hands. This one is the most troublesome. These seven mummified corpses were discovered in a warehouse in B5¡¯s jurisdiction a week ago. The corpses have been dead for too long and were treated with special methods that made it impossible to recognize their original appearance; even 3D bone reconstruction technology can¡¯t offer any technical support. There¡¯s no data matching them in the DNA database. Their abdomens have been cut open, and the internal organs are missing. The only certainties we have are two points. One is their gender. Four of them are male, three are female. The other point is that they were all drug addicts.¡± Brian looked carefully at the incisions on the abdomens of the corpses, then asked with confusion, ¡°If this case is within B5¡¯s jurisdiction, why has it been assigned to us?¡± Hardenn sighed and interjected: ¡°Someone put handmade timed explosives in their takeout food. There were five people in the office; four died on the spot, and the remaining one is still in a coma. Now, their team is left with a team leader and two members. Headquarters did an investigation and found the whole thing started because a member of B5 wanted to hit on a waitress at the fast food place, and her boyfriend, in a fit of anger, sent them a ¡®generous gift.''¡± Glenn expressed the deepest sentiment, ¡°I feel like nowadays, people are getting more and more hot-tempered.¡± Immediately, Hardenn retorted, ¡°You¡¯re just afraid that the husbands of the women you¡¯ve slept with will shove their big, dark guns into your mouth! I just hope you don¡¯t drag us down with you when it happens!¡± ¡°You better deal with your soliciting problems first, old john!¡± Glenn shot back mercilessly. Ever since the first discordant day they met, the two had been constantly at each other¡¯s throats. During the conversation, Hardenn¡¯s phone rang. He glanced at the number, and without bothering to continue the verbal tussle with Glenn, sprinted out of the meeting room with a smile plastered on his face, ¡°Ophelia, don¡¯t be like that; I thought our relationship wasn¡¯t measured with money...¡± Sitting next to Hardenn, Edna rubbed her red eyes, ¡°He¡¯s been very busy lately. I heard he¡¯s trying to avoid being blackmailed by the women at the transvestite club, planning to try the romance approach. But it seems like it¡¯s not going smoothly.¡± Brian: ... No wonder Susan looked at me as if I were her dear old dad. Having such a group of subordinates, what a blessing from her past life. ... Brian walked up to the projector, looked again at the incisions on the abdomens of the corpses, and said to Ivan, ¡°Is this case giving us a lot of trouble?¡± Ivan nodded: ¡°We¡¯ve investigated the warehouse and found out that the last person who rented it died half a year ago. He was a recluse with quirks and we couldn¡¯t find any useful information on him. That¡¯s not the real issue, though. The biggest problem is that there¡¯s been a spree of drug addicts being killed recently in Los Angeles. When the bodies of these addicts are found, all their organs have been harvested! This led us to a dreadful possibility.¡± Hearing Ivan¡¯s words, Brian¡¯s mind raced: Addicts, organs... Suddenly, Brian thought of a terrifying hypothesis! His expression grew grave, ¡°Are you suggesting someone is using the bodies of addicts to make drugs?¡± Ivan nodded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s highly likely that¡¯s the case.¡± Brian nodded, ¡°That indeed is troublesome.¡± Addicts, due to long-term use of illegal drugs, have a high concentration of unmetabolized substances in their organs. In other words, one can extract highly pure illegal narcotics from their organs with simple procedures. Just imagine. Selling illegal drugs to addicts. After their money is drained, they¡¯re killed, and their organs harvested to extract the drugs. The extracted narcotics are then sold to other addicts... It¡¯s a closed loop. The person who came up with this idea is truly genius. Because addicts are pretty much like insects hiding in the sewers; even their relatives don¡¯t care about them. The likelihood of sudden death among addicts is also high. Even if someone notices they haven¡¯t been seen in a long time, they¡¯ll just sigh, thinking the person has finally found release, and just go about their lives, rather than waste time looking for where they might have died. This kind of thing is far too common. Every year in Los Angeles, the number of unclaimed bodies exceeds four digits. To put it bluntly. Ordinary officers, unless dealing with drug lords from whom they can benefit, don¡¯t usually take cases involving harm to addicts all that seriously. So why are Ivan and his colleagues so nervous? Because the narcotics refined from the corpses of addicts carry a frightening substance: prion virus! Once the prion virus enters a human body, there¡¯s a significant chance that the host will contract Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (prion disease). Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is a rare and fatal condition that leads to disturbances in sleep, personality changes, and eventually, the gradual loss of language skills and vision, resulting in death within a year or two. The mortality rate is one hundred percent; there are no survivors. And the key point is that this disease is both communicable and hereditary! It can be transmitted through body fluids, blood, medical procedures, and surgical tools, nearly on par with HIV. The problem is. During surgeries or medical treatments, HIV is tested for routinely, but Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease can easily be overlooked unless symptoms are clear. And there¡¯s more... This includes transmission through sex. The so-called trinity of vice: sex, gambling, and drugs. Sex is tightly linked to the latter two. It¡¯s normal for addicts to have drug-fueled parties. This could lead to human-to-human transmission. The reason why not many know about Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, or prion disease, is mainly that it¡¯s uncommon. Generally, unless someone is deranged enough to eat human brains or carry genetic material for the disease that then mutates, the chance of contracting the disease is minuscule. Addicts dying en masse is a minor issue. But human-to-human transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is a major problem! ... Brian rubbed his head, ¡°Why is this case being handed to us? Under normal circumstances, shouldn¡¯t the FBI be directly involved?¡± Ivan¡¯s expression conveyed apology, ¡°The FBI says their branch members have been harmed and currently need psychological counseling. NW believes that this mess is something our B6 unit has stirred up because it was originally the FBI¡¯s responsibility, but now it¡¯s turned into NW¡¯s primary concern. They¡¯ll arrange for people to assist with the investigation. But if things don¡¯t go smoothly, our team will have to take the fall...¡± Brian: ... So, it¡¯s Susan who¡¯d be taking the fall. He let out a long, heavy sigh, ¡°Let¡¯s discuss the current progress of the investigation. And the corpses, I¡¯d like to examine them.¡± When in doubt, ask the cheat code. For his future wife Susan, Brian was ready to cheat a little. Ivan spread his hands: ¡°All the corpses have been sent to other ¡®A¡¯ teams. Glenn activated his informant network, only to find out that the narcotics detected with prion virus were randomly thrown onto the street at night, suggesting the perpetrator did not intend to make money but seemed more like carrying out revenge or a terror attack. The problem is that there are too many people harmed by addicts. There are also not a few who possess the appropriate extraction technology. The group is too large, and even with a criminal profile screening for matches in both areas, it would take a lot of time, By that point. Even if we capture the instigator, we¡¯ll still get thrown out to take the blame.¡± Upon hearing this. Brian felt a headache coming on. Without the motive of money, this reduces the steps in the crime, lowering the risk of getting caught. He too lit up a cigarette in frustration, ¡°What about searching the extraction sites? To extract drugs from so many organs, the odor would be distinct, and a sizable space would be needed. There can only be so many suitable sites; maybe there¡¯s a chance of finding something?¡± ¡°Useless!¡± Ivan shook his head immediately: ¡°As soon as the case was discovered, both the underworld and law enforcement in Los Angeles mobilized. In one night, all possible locations were searched, but nothing was found. We even dare not issue a public notice, for fear of causing panic. Moreover, even with a notice, those who are addicted to the drugs wouldn¡¯t care. Our only way out of this deadlock is to have a large number of officers on nocturnal stakeouts and secretly install cameras on streets frequented by addicts, hoping to catch the culprit spreading narcotics with prion virus. As long as we find the source, whether by arresting them or taking them out, we can solve the problem.¡± ... After listening to Ivan¡¯s rundown. Brian felt his headache intensify. After pondering for a while. He came up with a far-fetched solution. Looking at Ivan¡¯s anxious guilt. Brian patted his shoulder, ¡°Got it, I have a way to find them. Leave this case to me, you guys get a good night¡¯s rest and handle another case.¡± Having said that. Brian headed for Susan¡¯s office. A dog is fed for ten days but used at the crucial moment. Go for it, Shi San! Chapter 118 - 118 105 Say Thank You! ?118: Chapter 105: Say Thank You! (5700 words mega chapter, two-in-one) 118: Chapter 105: Say Thank You! (5700 words mega chapter, two-in-one) NW Operation Department, B6 Unit Office. Holding coffee, the security guard, stretching in the guard room, watched a tall man bathed in morning light come toward the gate, dragging a bloodstained cart, and nervously dropped his coffee cup to the ground. He didn¡¯t care about the burn and fumbled to draw his pistol from his waist, issuing a warning, ¡°Stop right there, this is an NW outpost, stop immediately!¡± ¡°Woof~¡± A small milky-yellow dog, only thirty centimeters long, popped its head out from behind the tall man, baring its teeth at the security guard. Brian looked puzzled at the security guard, pointing to the NW police badge pinned on his suit lapel, ¡°Buddy, I¡¯m the Autopsy Officer Brian here. You seem new; where¡¯s the previous guard?¡± Once he saw the badge clearly, the security guard sheathed his pistol and breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s my first day. The previous guard, I heard, was reading color magazines during the attack a few days ago when a lunatic slit his throat with a knife.¡± Saying this, He stepped forward, ¡°Need help with... er...¡± The security guard saw the motionless thin man on the cart, his limbs covered in blood, wearing a filthy apron and a gas mask around his neck, and his smile froze again, ¡°Is that a corpse?¡± ¡°Not a corpse, a criminal. Help me open the gates, buddy, and if possible, get someone to rinse the pickup parked by the roadside with water. Charge it to B6 Unit¡¯s account.¡± ¡°Sure thing, Brian, um, by the way, did you say you¡¯re an Autopsy Officer?¡± the guard, looking at the precise gunshot wounds to the man¡¯s limbs on the cart, asked again uncertainly. Such ruthless gun skills. You call that an Autopsy Officer? Brian frowned slightly, ¡°Yes, buddy, open the gate, I¡¯m in a rush, otherwise, this guy might lose too much blood.¡± This new guard sure talks a lot. ... It¡¯s now past seven in the morning. Work starts at nine, and the others haven¡¯t arrived yet. While there¡¯s still time, Brian pulled the cart down to the basement level, threw the nameless suspect onto a gurney, poured disinfectant, and took out a never-used scalpel to remove the bullets from the wound. During the process, The unconscious man let out pig-like screams. This is an autopsy room, not a medical office. Brian dealt the man a punch, employing physical anesthesia. He operated like a precise robot, no motion wasted, deftly removed the bullets lodged in the man¡¯s joints, then sloppily bandaged and stitched up the wounds. Such gunshot wounds require precious treatment reagents to heal without crippling; considering the gravity of the offender¡¯s crimes, it wasn¡¯t worth the effort. It needed to be mentioned. California does have the death penalty, although it¡¯s a long wait, but at least death comes swiftly. This world is different. With the Blood Moon, lifers flipping beds in prisons happen frequently, and various official Mutant labs welcome these serious offenders with open arms and wads of cash. ... After finishing the hemorrhage control and suturing the wounds, Brian hauled the man to his office, found a large box, arranged him to look like a gift, placed a big bag of unrefined, smelly contraband drugs beside it, topped with a bow, and left it at Susan¡¯s office door. Having done all this, Brian yawned and lay down on Susan¡¯s office sofa, quickly falling into a deep sleep. Shi San, pecking like a chicken, curled up underneath the sofa, snoring lightly. At around eight, Susan, with dark circles under her eyes, was the first to arrive at the office. The moment she opened the door, Her nose twitched twice, and she cautiously pressed her hand on the revolver at her waist, scanning the office until she spotted the large cardboard box at her office door. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the box the TV came in?¡± With confusion, Susan approached and discovered a note on the box: ¡°A gift for Susan, don¡¯t forget our arrangement ¨C Brian.¡± Below the handwriting was the address of the Crematorium. ... When Brian was woken by the noise, it was already noon. He opened his eyes to find in the office outside, the sounds of cursing and objects colliding, and a thin blanket covering him. ¡°FK squid!¡± With a loud crash, A bruised and swollen unfamiliar man burst through Susan¡¯s office door, falling onto the carpet, curling up and holding his stomach, groaning. Brian glanced at him, confirmed he didn¡¯t recognize him, then stepped over his body to the outer office. Inside the small office, packed with people. One side had the outnumbered old Hardenn and his group; the other side had a dozen strong men armed with guns and NW Operation badges and a capable woman holding a tablet. Among them, Ivan was carrying someone, struggling with two men trying to hold him back, sitting astride another person, raining punches left and right, eliciting blood and agonizing screams. Glenn, on the other hand, was overpowered. The kidney-deficient man was pinned to the ground by two people, taking a beating that already left him looking like a battered pig with a dazed consciousness. ¡°Wow, looks like people are being bullied onto our doorstep.¡± Brian silently drew his Glock 17, aiming at a man who stood by with crossed arms, smirking as he watched, ¡°Excuse me, could you tell me what¡¯s going on?¡± The crossed-arms man finally noticed Brian walking out of the team leader¡¯s office. He glanced at Brian¡¯s pistol, a sneer flickering in his eyes, before turning to the woman beside him to ask, ¡°Who is this guy?¡± Chapter 119 - 119 105 Say Thank You! ?119: Chapter 105: Say Thank You! (5700 words mega chapter, two-in-one)_2 119: Chapter 105: Say Thank You! (5700 words mega chapter, two-in-one)_2 The woman glanced at the tablet and said expressionlessly, ¡°Brian, Autopsy Officer from Team B6, a Sequence Soldier who killed an S-Class Mutant fugitive.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard that name before...¡± The man pondered for a moment, but when he couldn¡¯t remember, he gave up thinking about it. Anyway, the only person in Team B6 he cared about even slightly was Team Leader Susan. Unfortunately, the woman wasn¡¯t there, so he¡¯d have to take his frustration out on her subordinates first. The man turned to his subordinates and said, ¡°Send two people...¡± The next moment, Bang! A gunshot. A searing impact grazed by the man¡¯s mouth, shattering his cigarette into a spray of tobacco. The entire office fell silent instantly. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked toward Brian, who had fired the shot. Ivan pushed away the three men trying to grapple him and walked over to Glenn, dragging the unconscious Glenn to Brian¡¯s side, ¡°These are people from Team A1. They came looking for Team Leader Susan. When we told them the leader was not here, they got physical.¡± Brian nodded, a hint of impatience as he waved his gun, ¡°Let me ask again, what is the matter?¡± The man seemed not to have expected someone to shoot him. Trembling, he reached out and touched his lips, which had been seared by the bullet, and snapped furiously, ¡°FK, are you people dead? Draw your guns!¡± The others immediately reached for their guns at their waists. Old Hardenn, holding a phone, anxiously said, ¡°Damn, why did Brian just shoot? I can¡¯t get through to Team Leader Susan, Edna, quick, call headquarters, this is going to be bad!¡± After that, Old Hardenn also drew his own service weapon, intending to stand beside Brian and confront the group. He really wasn¡¯t good at fighting. But at this time, if he didn¡¯t draw his gun and stand up, he might as well not stick around in Team B6 anymore. Before Old Hardenn could take a step, Bang bang bang¡ª Gunfire erupted continuously. One by one, the handguns, precisely struck by bullets, were either thrown flying or had their handles shattered, sending those reaching for their weapons recoiling in pain, and frightening everyone into a cold sweat. Such accurate gun skills! He shot fifteen handguns out of their hands. Brian, facing the horrified eyes of those people, walked up to the man giving orders. ¡°You...¡± The man only then sensed something amiss and tried to step back. Brian kicked out, cutting off the man¡¯s words, and kicked him to his knees. Then he slammed the gun stock down on the man¡¯s head, making him clutch his head and howl in pain, before turning to the calm woman beside him, ¡°Who is this idiot?¡± The woman replied cooperatively, ¡°Ahmed White, the new leader of Team AI. His grandfather is one of the founders of NW and one of the three key decision-makers, but he has eight children, and those children have over thirty children in total. He¡¯s just one of them.¡± Brian looked at the honest woman in surprise, then crouched down, grabbed the hair of the man howling on the ground, ¡°Ahmed, nice to meet you, but I don¡¯t like impolite people. Let me give you another chance, speak, what is your purpose for coming to our Team B6 today?¡± Ahmed, his hair grabbed, was forced to raise his head. He glared at Brian, ¡°You bastard, I won¡¯t let you get away with this.¡± ¡°Wrong answer!¡± Brian shoved the gun barrel into Ahmed¡¯s mouth, pushing up his cheek and pulled the trigger! Blood and flesh exploded. Half of Ahmed¡¯s cheek muscle was ripped open, creating a large hole that exposed his gums to the air, which with the outpouring blood, made him look like a grinning, rotting zombie. His eyes widened in shock and his body trembled, not knowing if it was from pain or fear. The others on the scene were also stunned. They watched like lunatics at the handsome and temperate Brian, unable to understand why he would dare to shoot knowing their leader¡¯s identity. Brian didn¡¯t care about the stares of the others. He withdrew his somewhat overheated gun barrel due to continuous firing, adjusted its position, and again stuffed it into Ahmed¡¯s mouth, jutting out the other cheek: ¡°Although I don¡¯t understand why your mother didn¡¯t recharge your intelligence when she bore you, you should thank her for giving you two cheeks. Now, you have one last chance to speak...¡± Ahmed was terrified. Due to his background, from the moment he was born, everything had always gone his way; whatever he wanted, he could simply ask and receive. No one had ever treated him so rudely before. Now, not only was he treated like a dead dog in front of his subordinates, knocked to the ground, but his cheeks had also been exploded in a humiliating fashion. If it were at any other time. Ahmed would have angrily ordered his men to kill the culprit. But now, he just wanted to stay alive and go back, to cry in his mother¡¯s arms about his ordeal today. Ahmed, swallowing the blood pouring into his throat, tried to speak, but because one side of his mouth was broken and his tongue immobilized by the gun barrel, he could only make hu hu noises. Seeing this, Brian¡¯s eyes gleamed with mockery, and he deliberately said, ¡°As befits someone of team leader status, very tough. It seems I need to ask someone else.¡± Saying so, his finger on the trigger pressed down, pulling the trigger. ... Bang! Brian mischievously mimicked the sound of a gunshot. However, no bullet was fired from the gun barrel. The magazine, originally holding seventeen bullets, had been emptied just earlier. Wuuu!!! Terrified, Ahmed¡¯s eyes rolled back, his body convulsed, and his expensive custom-made trousers were instantly stained dark with some fluid, as he fainted from fear. Chapter 120 - 120 105 Say Thank You! ?120: Chapter 105: Say Thank You! (5700 words mega chapter, two-in-one)_3 120: Chapter 105: Say Thank You! (5700 words mega chapter, two-in-one)_3 After ensuring that this guy would be left with enough psychological trauma, Brian nonchalantly pulled out his gun, wiped off his saliva from Ahmed¡¯s body, stood up to reload, and looked towards the woman next to Ahmed, ¡°Tell me, what are you doing here?¡± The woman calmly said, ¡°Ahmed received a message. You captured the poisoner. Your team leader Susan, along with the perpetrator and headquarters¡¯ members, went to the site of poison production and isn¡¯t at the office. So, under his assistant¡¯s advice, Ahmed deliberately came here causing trouble, planning to use you to threaten Susan and split some of the credit with him.¡± The people behind the woman, revealing their purpose, felt a bit embarrassed as they picked up their guns and massaged their hands, but none of them cared about Ahmed on the ground. It was obvious. They had almost no sense of belonging towards their new leader, Ahmed. Brian looked at the woman somewhat surprised, ¡°You¡¯re quite frank.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the truth, but still, thank you for the compliment.¡± For the first time the woman cracked a smile, ¡°Ahmed is stupid, and the assistant he brought is both dumb and repulsive. Being led by such people is irresponsible towards our lives. We originally wanted to overthrow him through team leader Susan¡¯s intervention, but we didn¡¯t expect your B6 team to have someone as ruthless as you.¡± At this, Brian was a tad speechless. This mess sounded like a clueless second-generation rich boy, under the equally stupid advice of an assistant, committing such a foolhardy act. The only reason Brian dared to be so arrogant was because this place was the B6 team¡¯s workspace. There were codes to follow. Unless someone from NW internal affairs came with a signed warrant, no one else dared to cause trouble here as they had the right to retaliate. As long as no lives were lost, it wouldn¡¯t count as a significant incident. From this, it was clear that the seasoned operatives of team A1 genuinely disliked the newly appointed Ahmed to not forewarn him of these unwritten rules. Because unless Susan, the leader of B6, decided to not take action, even if Ahmed had influential family, he would still face an inquiry from NW internal affairs and wouldn¡¯t be able to stay in NW. ... ¡°Alright.¡± Brian holstered his gun, ¡°Where¡¯s Ahmed¡¯s assistant?¡± The woman pointed towards the door of the team leader¡¯s office behind Brian, ¡°He was the first to make a move, and your tall colleague threw him into the office.¡± Ivan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, ¡°Had I known you guys were just putting on a show, I would¡¯ve drawn my gun and killed that foul-mouthed bastard too!¡± He and Glenn, they hadn¡¯t faced such a situation before. If it weren¡¯t for old Hardenn and female colleague Edna being there, they would¡¯ve drawn their guns much earlier! ¡°Alright then!¡± Brian looked at the messy office, picked up a coffee from a desk, and somewhat impatiently went over to the unconscious Ahmed, splashing the coffee on Ahmed¡¯s bloody cheek. Under the stimulus of the drink, Ahmed was painfully roused to consciousness. He first swept his gaze around in a daze and when his eyes met Brian¡¯s, he frantically scuttled back, clumsily climbing up from the floor to hide behind his subordinates, ¡°Don¡¯t kill me, don¡¯t kill me, I¡¯ll talk...¡± Due to a big hole in his mouth, his words were slurred. Brian shrugged, wiping off the blood spattered on his face, and spoke in a calm tone, ¡°Captain Ahmed, you¡¯re mistaken. We¡¯re all civilized people here, why would we kill our own? I was merely using some excessive means to advise you that smoking is harmful to your health.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was wrong, I won¡¯t smoke again, my mouth hurts, I need to see a doctor!¡± Seeing that Brian had no intention of continuing his assault, Ahmed, covering his wound, wanted to flee the place, and couldn¡¯t care less about even his confidant¡¯s life or death. ¡°Wait a second!¡± Brian stopped Ahmed who was trying to escape. Ahmed was terrified by Brian¡¯s previous crazy actions. He didn¡¯t dare to gamble on aggravating a madman as to whether he could leave alive, and could only obediently turn back, enduring the fear and sharp pain in his cheek. Brian walked towards Ahmed. As he passed by, Ahmed¡¯s subordinates quickly cleared a path. Looking up at Brian, who was a head taller than he was and staring down at him, Ahmed felt his recently uncontrollable bladder about to give way again. He didn¡¯t even dare to continue making eye contact with Brian, letting the fresh blood run down onto the collar of his expensive handmade suit, and trembled, ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°Being polite is important,¡± Brian emitted his Biological Field, enveloping Ahmed, and flashed a benevolent smile, ¡°When someone advises you against smoking, say ¡®thank you.''¡± In an instant, Ahmed felt as if an invisible hand was clenching his heart. He stupidly said, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Go see a doctor, and next time, don¡¯t smoke so arrogantly on someone else¡¯s turf.¡± Not until Brian had walked away did a thoroughly frightened Ahmed, spurred by his subordinates, vacantly and mechanically depart the premises. ... ¡°Brian, are your gun skills really this good?¡± The recovering Glenn, his face swollen like a pig¡¯s, watched blankly on the monitor as Brian accurately shot the handguns out of fifteen men¡¯s hands, as if witnessing a divine act. He prided himself on his shooting skills being top-notch in the police force. But compared to Brian¡¯s skills, his were like a child playing with a water pistol, not worth mentioning. Ivan and old Hardenn nodded in agreement. Though Brian had often been at the shooting range, accurate though slow, he had never demonstrated his real-time gun skills in front of them during combat. Brian shrugged, ¡°Can¡¯t help it, a man might be poor at everything else, but he absolutely can¡¯t be poor in gun skills.¡± The two exchanged glances and burst out laughing. Along with naive clerk Edna, old foxes Hardenn and Ivan also joined in the laughter. After several incidents, This newly established group for just over a month finally had some cohesion. ... Meanwhile, Susan, a bit distracted and conflicted about how to confront Brian later, walked out of the parking lot. Her emotions were complex. Shocked and elated, with a hint of bashfulness. Shocked because headquarters confirmed that the man Brian had caught was indeed the poisoner. The suspect was initially a bird trainer in a circus, but he concocted this revenge scheme after his father was killed by a drug-addicted robber. He aimed to kill all drug addicts in Los Angeles! Unfortunately, he encountered Brian, a formidable opponent, otherwise even if caught later, many drug addicts and innocent people would have died from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. This averted a major disaster. The B6 task force, fortunate amidst misfortune, received commendation from headquarters. Team Leader Susan was also likely to earn the NW Action Department¡¯s Annual Best Team Leader title, a credential promising future advancement. Although Susan wasn¡¯t concerned about titles, she still felt a bit proud of the achievement. Only... Whenever Susan thought about Brian¡¯s previous mention of a kiss, she felt a bit... How could this damn guy be so formidable, actually catching the elusive murderer overnight! Thinking of returning to find a man and his dog sleeping soundly on the office couch, Susan admitted, she was moved. She touched the oral cleaning spray she had purposely bought on her way back, took a deep breath, and decided to assert her dominance in front of her male subordinates later, not letting go of the face as the team leader! Just then, A group with strange expressions, escorting a man with stiff movements and a big hole on his face, walked towards the parking lot. As the two parties met, Susan¡¯s eyes narrowed, her hand already touching the handle of the revolver at her waist: ¡°Ahmed, what are you doing appearing on my turf?¡± Aside from a confidant standing next to Ahmed, his face bruised, the group tactfully stepped back, letting Ahmed and his aide through. Ahmed:... At this moment, he felt utterly helpless. Chapter 122 - 122 107 New Obsession Are You Freaking Eight Years Old ?122: Chapter 107: New Obsession, Are You Freaking Eight Years Old? (Extra 2 for Alliance Leader ¡®Çú°Õ²»ÖªÈËÔÚ·ñ¡¯) 122: Chapter 107: New Obsession, Are You Freaking Eight Years Old? (Extra 2 for Alliance Leader ¡®Çú°Õ²»ÖªÈËÔÚ·ñ¡¯) ¡°Hehe~¡± The clown hadn¡¯t expected to encounter such an interesting person and let out a sharp, hoarse laugh, ¡°You¡¯re not afraid of me?¡± Brian was also afraid of scaring the other guy away. As he walked along the fence, he said, ¡°As a law-abiding citizen of the Federation, it would weigh on my conscience not to report a murder.¡± The not-so-tall clown, dragging a bloody hammer, followed Brian¡¯s pace through the mesh fence, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°This is my conscience, the most precious thing to me, and you want to buy it off,¡± Brian tossed a stone he was holding, ¡°You¡¯ll have to up the price!¡± ¡°Hehe~¡± The clown looked at the fence that would soon end, smiling delightedly, ¡°Okay.¡± Things had come to this. It would be improper not to kill this man. Brian also appeared very happy. To take down Susan¡¯s backing family and to acquire deeper research materials on Mutants from the NW organization, he needed to keep climbing the ranks to attain a higher position. Without a prominent family background, he could only rely on the reputation and merit he gained from solving cases. The clown in front of him was a stepping stone on his path to power. The two stopped talking, leaving only the sound of the clown¡¯s hammer, dragging a long blood trail across the cement and clanging in the deep of night... ... The few dozen meters of the fence passed in the blink of an eye. The clown tilted his head, looking up at the tall man in front of him, the smile beneath his mask growing twisted, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you afraid of me? What gives you the right not to be afraid of me? You must be afraid of me!¡± With no tall fence in the way, without waiting for Brian to reply, the clown, without saying a word, raised the twenty-something pound hammer and, with a whooshing sound, swung it viciously toward Brian. Feeling the formidable force concentrated on the hammer, Brian was slightly startled. The clown, being only a little over one meter sixty, had surprisingly great strength. Only, his speed was a bit slow. Brian tapped his toe, sliding backwards to avoid the hammer blow. But then, in the next instant, under such strong inertia, the clown managed to swing the hammer following the motion, unscientifically turning the strike into a sweep, even more fiercely aiming at Brian¡¯s midsection with added momentum. Under supercomputer perception, Brian¡¯s stomach caved in eerily, narrowly avoiding the hammer again. ¡°Eh~¡± The clown hadn¡¯t expected Brian to dodge again and became more excited. With both hands, he swung the hammer as easily as if it were weightless wood, and with the mastery of a hammer, he shifted his moves lightly, trampling over Newton¡¯s coffin lid. Brian was even more perverse. Under his talents of supercomputer perception and body control, he danced a mechanical dance, narrowly avoiding the clown¡¯s hammer each time. Over and over, even the obviously unnatural clown began to run out of physical strength. Bloodlust flared in his eyes, ¡°What makes you think you can defy me!¡± The next moment, the clown closed his eyes and, in a world of sound, pinpointed Brian¡¯s location, swung with rotational force, and the hammer that should have swept toward Brian was instead thrown in a fierce smash that landed on Brian, who could not dodge in time. Listening to the dull thud of hammer on flesh, the mouth corners beneath the clown¡¯s mask curled upward. He¡¯d hit the target! He opened his eyes, wanting to see the fear on Brian¡¯s face. The next moment, the clown stood dumbfounded. He saw his large hammer seemingly embedded in the chest of the tall man in front of him, absolutely still. ¡°Is that it?¡± Brian, somewhat disappointed, removed the hammer trapped by his muscles, swung it in his hand, and said, ¡°I wanted to see if you had any special abilities, but it turns out your strength and speed were mediocre, and aside from your keen perception, you¡¯re completely useless.¡± He had sustained internal injuries from the blow, but they healed in a blink, and he did not feel that the clown had any particularly sensational powers. Imitating the clown¡¯s movements, Brian dragged the hammer on the ground, walking step by step toward the clown, ¡°Your turn is over, now it¡¯s my turn to play.¡± The clown, now empty-handed and without his hammer, seemed to have lost his courage as well. ¡°Monster!¡± He cried out in fear and turned to run away. But his short legs couldn¡¯t outrun Brian, the embodiment of human physical limits. Brian closed the distance in three great strides, and with the eruption of a few hundred pounds of force, the hammer stamped viciously onto the clown¡¯s back. With a heavy thud, the clown¡¯s short stature was sent flying, crashing hard onto the ground and coming to a stop after sliding three or four meters. Curled up, driven by an intense will to live and spitting blood, he crawled forward and even let out fearful cries, ¡°No, don¡¯t hit me, mommy, mommy, save me...¡± This sudden change almost threw Brian off. He considered the clown¡¯s previous sharp, hoarse voice. It left him wondering, Could this guy be a Mutant going through puberty? But Brian had no sympathy. Evil knows no age. He thought of those victims who died horribly. You own up to your mistakes; you stand straight when you¡¯re punished! Brian stepped on the clown¡¯s back, raised the hammer, and aimed it at the struggling hands, slamming it down hard. One blow after another. With each strike, Brian felt his soul clearer, as if receiving the baptism of spiritual particles from the departed, his mental state becoming more stable. This sensation was addictive. Amid the screams, the clown finally experienced the pain and fear his hammer victims had felt before their deaths... Until a red Obsession Little Ball slowly emerged. Brian dropped the now bloodied hammer, wiped the blood from his face, and crushed the little ball. A single obsession came to mind: He must make his brother, Pier, afraid, he absolutely must! This time, it was entirely different from Brian¡¯s previous encounters with obsession! He could actually feel the power of choice within the obsession! Brian¡¯s spirits lifted! This change must be related to his evolution in that small town on the border of Mexico! The Gift ability had evolved. My own ability, naturally, had become even more formidable! With a thought from Brian, a few items immediately surfaced in his mind: Gift Energy 20, Auditory Enhancement, Master Hammer Technique. He could choose one out of the three, or select a modest amount of energy, plus one skill or talent. Just as Brian had previously speculated. An obsession gift always came with energy. As for skills or talents, it all depended on luck. Good luck, and the talents decide the skills; you could get almost anything, just like Mad Dog Ike and Transformer. Bad luck, and you end up like now. This clown was indeed a Mutant, probably with decent potential, but only had the talent for Auditory Enhancement, the Master Hammer Technique, and some decent strength. Likely during the mutation, he wanted too much, which is why his abilities were so scattered and lackluster. However, Auditory Enhancement wasn¡¯t too bad. It was tantamount to further enhancing the versatile talent of Supercomputer Perception. Brian was curious. Would he in the future also accumulate Visual Enhancement and have a budget version of Thousand-Mile Eye and Wind-Ear? ... Since the scene was quite gruesome. And since it was late at night, his colleagues were probably asleep. Brian contacted headquarters directly. It concerned a Mutant. On their part, headquarters was indeed efficient. In less than forty minutes, a military jeep appeared on the dilapidated basketball court. Several fully armed soldiers, led by an acquaintance, jumped out of the vehicle and walked towards Brian. Brian was sitting on the steps, smoking a cigarette he had found on the victim. Upon seeing the leader, he exclaimed in surprise, ¡°It¡¯s you?¡± The visitor was the commander of the armed helicopters from the other day. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. I¡¯m on duty today, and when I saw it was your message, I applied to lead the team over,¡± the team leader extended his hand to Brian. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m Orba, Sequence Soldier B.¡± Brian shook hands with him and briefly explained the situation. Seeing the clown¡¯s gruesome death, Orba and a few soldiers fell silent. Orba licked his lips, ¡°Brian, I remember your main job is an Autopsy Officer, right?¡± Brian was a bit embarrassed, ¡°Sorry, I had previously injected the S-T cell activity serum, and recently I¡¯ve had several other enhancement reagents. My strength and speed have increased significantly, I got carried away and couldn¡¯t control it in the heat of the moment.¡± ¡°How are the effects?¡± Orba asked with interest. Everyone had a different compatibility with reagents, and even if injected with the same reagent, the enhancement effects and limits varied greatly and there were no rules. Brian described nonchalantly, ¡°I haven¡¯t had specific tests, but my strength is around four to five hundred jins, and I can do a hundred meters in less than ten seconds. My endurance isn¡¯t bad either; at least today I ran at least twenty to thirty miles and fought a battle without feeling tired.¡± Orba and several soldiers were once again silent. Fuck! Jealous! Their teeth were aching with envy! Orba managed a smile, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen someone with your potential, buddy. How about considering joining our Combat Department? With us, you can play with a lot of big toys that you can¡¯t see in the market. Absolutely thrilling!¡± Despite some fear of Susan and her T-Rex mother, Orba still mustered the courage to recruit. He didn¡¯t want to miss out on such a potential asset. But Brian decisively shook his head, ¡°Forget it, joining you guys, who knows how long it would take to earn a few points of merit. The action department is more thrilling.¡± Thinking of how, in just over a month, Brian had earned more than two hundred points of merit. And this time, there had been gains, more or less. Orba and several soldiers fell silent once more. Orba couldn¡¯t maintain his smile, ¡°Well then, Brian, you¡¯re sequence staff, but not a leader, so you can only choose between money or merit, which one will it be? If this guy is a Mutant, do you want the monetary reward or the merit reward?¡± ¡°Give me the cash, I¡¯ve got too much merit already, and I need to exchange it for money, so just give me cash.¡± Orba didn¡¯t want to continue listening to Brian¡¯s humblebrags. He darkly signaled the soldiers to bag the body sticking to the ground, ready to leave. But Brian pulled him aside, ¡°Orba, let me ask you something. I looked at this fellow¡¯s appearance, he seems to be only fifteen or sixteen, is it true that people this age are more easily influenced by the Blood Moon?¡± Orba nodded, ¡°Yes, the younger the children, the less concept of right and wrong they have, only the instincts of an animal. Their emotions are also much more straightforward. To a certain extent, children between 6-16 years old are more prone to mutation. Therefore, we often conduct thorough investigations into such families, to prevent familial mutations.¡± Saying so, he licked his lips, his eyes showing a ferocious intensity, ¡°This is also a major source of our merit points.¡± A flicker of interest passed through Brian¡¯s eyes; he stepped forward and whispered a few words into Orba¡¯s ear. Orba pondered for a moment, nodded, and left with his men. Half an hour later, the duty patrol police, having received the message, also arrived to handle the aftermath. With that, the clown murder case, being related to a Mutant, was closed directly! Brian had solved another case. ... The next day. During the day of Halloween. Following the information Orba gave, Brian came to a filthy, small family-run, and old butchery. This place was the clown¡¯s home. The clown was seventeen years old, a developmentally delayed dwarf. His parents ran a butchery and had an eight-year-old brother. Brian was curious. After becoming a Mutant, the clown had continued to kill and likely grown much stronger, at least before encountering Brian. The clown¡¯s stature had increased significantly, and his strength was nearly three hundred jins. In such circumstances, why was he so fixated on making his eight-year-old brother scared? Including at the time of the murders, the clown¡¯s goal seemed to be to enjoy the fear of the victims. Could it all be because of his brother? With this curiosity, Brian walked into the butchery, reeking of blood. ... Momentarily, staring at the hefty figure in front of him, over one meter eighty and even larger than himself, Brian fell silent. Are you seriously eight years old? Chapter 123 - 123 108 The 300-Pound Child The Disappearing Parents ?123: Chapter 108: The 300-Pound Child, The Disappearing Parents 123: Chapter 108: The 300-Pound Child, The Disappearing Parents Brian thought he might have identified the wrong person, so he looked again at the chubby kid, munching on a pile of indistinguishable stuff in a basin, and asked, ¡°Are you Pier, with a dwarf brother, the eight-year-old Pier?¡± The chubby kid looked at Brian and swallowed hard, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡± His voice did sound like a child¡¯s, albeit rougher. Looking at Pier who was tall and burly, weighing at least three hundred pounds, Brian really wanted to ask him, ¡°Did you grow up on hormones?!!!¡± How could a child¡¯s skeleton support such a frame? Considering the reason he came today, Brian didn¡¯t waste time on such trivial matters. Smiling, he said to Pier, ¡°Uncle is a reporter from the TV station, and here¡¯s the thing, there are some questions I want to ask you. If you answer honestly, you can get a reward, and with that money, you can buy lots of delicious food.¡± Pier perked up at the mention of delicious food. He nodded earnestly, ¡°Ask away, Pier is very honest.¡± ¡°Where are your parents?¡± Pier shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know, they disappeared many days ago. My brother is still around, he tried to beat Pier, but even though he¡¯s grown taller, he can¡¯t beat Pier. After Pier gave him a beating yesterday, he ran away crying and hasn¡¯t come back.¡± Brian: ... He sensed something was amiss. But to fulfill the clown¡¯s obsession, he continued to ask, ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± Pier looked down at the large basin in front of him, then back at Brian, and licked his lips, ¡°Afraid of hunger. Pier gets hungry very fast, Pier is hungry now.¡± As he spoke, his plump, ring-laden palm reached towards the basin, eager to continue eating. Suddenly, a pebble flew in and overturned the basin. A feed-like substance spilled all over the ground, emitting a rancid smell. Pier blinked, looking somewhat blankly at Brian, seemingly confused as to why he turned over his own basin. Seeing this, Brian revealed a fierce expression, ¡°No eating!¡± ¡°Why?¡± Pier asked, puzzled. ¡°I said no eating, so no eating!¡± Brian turned into a bully tormenting a child, ¡°Not just now, you¡¯re not allowed to eat ever again!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Pier looked at Brian, large and heavily built, but seemed quite gentle in character, and nodded, ¡°Then Pier will go to sleep, it¡¯s not so hungry when you¡¯re asleep.¡± Saying this, he went over to a heap of straw in the room and laid down. A few seconds later, he started snoring. ¡°Ah?¡± Brian was dumbfounded. He had considered many possibilities, like Pier being a mutant and suddenly attacking him, or being scared by him into fulfilling the clown¡¯s obsession, But he didn¡¯t expect him to be so obedient. Brian couldn¡¯t help but feel a guilt for bullying the child. How was he supposed to fulfill the clown¡¯s obsession this way? ... Watching Pier fall asleep so quickly, Brian, feeling helpless, started to roam around the house. The place where Pier ate was a room in a warehouse. The warehouse contained piles of miscellaneous items and a freezer. But the freezer was open, without any weird smell, and nothing inside, just some hooks stained with bloodstains and clear plastic bags. There were no signs of livestock being delivered to the slaughter area. Judging by the looks of it, it hadn¡¯t been in operation for some time. Brian noticed a blood-stained depression on the ground near the slaughtering spot, similar in shape to the hammer the clown held. He had an epiphany. Perhaps the clown usually held the hammer, helping his parents slaughter the livestock. Yes, slaughter on a small farm was that crude. Actually, this was illegal and also affected the quality of the meat. It was only in remote small workshops like this that such a method of killing livestock was still used. A regular slaughterhouse, similar in setup, would have an additional high-pressure device to instantly electrocute the animals, followed by mechanical dismemberment, and also required not inexpensive equipment for processing offal and other waste. The waste that they didn¡¯t consume would be processed into cans, sold to countries around the world that eat offal, part of it would go to pet food processing plants, and some would be sent for oil production or made into high-protein powder for industrial use... As for where exactly it was sold, whether for human consumption or used as industrial material, that was hard to say. Additionally, the bones left from the livestock also required extra processing. They used to be sold to feed factories. After the outbreak of mad cow disease, this was no longer allowed. ... Walking along, Brian arrived at the residence here. As he got close, he smelled a sour stench. He pushed the door open. Before him lay the disordered furniture, showing signs of a struggle. In the open kitchen, there were piles of feed bags, and in the large pot, he could see an unserved yellow thick soup. This soup was the same kind that had been in Pier¡¯s basin. Brian couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°Good heavens.¡± They actually ate feed. This made him feel some pity for the child who was only eight years old. Through the chaotic living room and kitchen, Brian entered the bedroom. He went straight into the master bedroom. Upon entering, he smelled a faint scent of blood and decay. This put Brian on high alert. He activated his enhanced sense of smell to gather and filter the dispersed scents through his nostrils, then he pinpointed their locations. Finally, following the smell of decay, he arrived in front of a patch of dark-colored flooring. All around were splatters of blood residue. The bloodstains had turned black, indicating they¡¯d been there for quite some time. Besides that, Brian saw on the floor two pieces of clothing entirely soaked in black with blood. Judging by their style, they were men¡¯s and women¡¯s pajamas, piled together. This led him to a certain conjecture. According to Pier, his parents had been missing for many days, leaving only his older brother, the clown, behind. It looked like they had met with foul play. Brian suspected that it was the clown who, after awakening, had bludgeoned his own parents to death and disposed of their bodies. With this hypothesis in mind, Brian continued to investigate the traces. He squatted down and observed carefully, noticing in the cracks of the flooring some remnants of decaying flesh. No wonder the stench of decay lingered. There were signs of attempted cleaning around the area, appearing as if someone had used a brush made of three or four fingers to scrub the spot. These brush marks were evident on both the walls and the floor. ¡°Something¡¯s not right, the earlier conjecture seems off!¡± Brian overturned his initial hypothesis. Something about this scene seemed terribly amiss. He rubbed his chin, ¡°I can¡¯t help but feel like someone ate Pier¡¯s parents right here, and not just ate them, but licked the place clean afterward...¡± The image of Pier slowly emerged in Brian¡¯s mind. At the thought, even Brian, accustomed to killing, felt a chill run down his spine. The stark contrast between his speculation and Pier¡¯s earlier demeanor was too great. If his speculation was correct... Just then, his cellphone rang, startling the already jumpy Brian enough to draw his gun. He rolled his eyes, ¡°Damn, when did I become such a scaredy-cat!¡± Brian put away his gun, realizing it was Orba calling, the one who had led the team to collect the bodies yesterday. He answered, ¡°Orba?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Brian, any news?¡± Orba¡¯s voice carried a hint of anticipation, ¡°If there¡¯s a problem, I¡¯ll just bring the guys over for a harvest. The one from yesterday turned out to be a mid-concentration Mutant, shame it¡¯s dead. Otherwise, you could have landed at least a $300,000 reward; now it¡¯s just $200,000, half off. If there¡¯s more, we¡¯d better catch them alive; they¡¯re worth more!¡± Brian spoke with some uncertainty, ¡°There¡¯s something, but I¡¯m not sure...¡± Suddenly, he sniffed and said, dumbfounded, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s confirmed, that eight-year-old kid is also a Mutant. I¡¯ve only got a small handgun; not sure if it¡¯ll be enough.¡± At that moment, a massive figure blocked the entrance to the house. Pier¡¯s crimson eyes seemed to penetrate the wooden walls, fixed intently on the direction of the master bedroom where Brian was. Drool poured from his mouth: ¡°Meat, hehe, meat, I want to eat meat...¡± Chapter 124 - 124 109 Kids these days have no respect for martial virtues! ?124: Chapter 109: Kids these days have no respect for martial virtues! 124: Chapter 109: Kids these days have no respect for martial virtues! In Brian¡¯s olfactory perception, a life energy field as massive as a small hill coated the house from the outside, creating an oppressive sensation reminiscent of a herbivore being targeted by a predator. However, this oppressive feeling wasn¡¯t all that significant for Brian. To some extent. They belonged to the same tier of non-human beings. Brian hung up the phone and silently pulled out his 17-round Glock 17 service pistol, heading towards the master bedroom, ¡°How strange, it smelled like a dirty hunk of meat before, and now it¡¯s suddenly transformed...¡± Creak~ The wooden floors of the house groaned under the strain. Pier had already squeezed into the cluttered living room from outside. His originally dull gaze had turned to pure blood-red, staring fixedly at Brian with thick yellow saliva dripping from the corners of his mouth, resembling the image of a juvenile ogre from a western fantasy movie. ¡°Hungry?¡± With the principle of respecting the elderly and the young, Brian waved his handgun, ¡°Little guy, want some 9¡Á19mm Parabellum candy? Uncle has seventeen right here.¡± ¡°Meat, Pier wants meat...¡± Pier moved his bulky body and extended his large, fleshy hands to grab at Brian in front of him with the weight of Mount Tai. His change was really significant; he had gotten rounder, filling up the flesh beneath his skin with something oleaginous, giving his exterior a meat-jelly-like texture. Opening his mouth, the oral cavity had swiftly grown densely packed with sharp, fine teeth that contorted the entire dental ridge. ¡°Looks like he¡¯s lost all reason.¡± Brian didn¡¯t hesitate anymore and fired five shots in quick succession, targeting Pier¡¯s eyeballs, neck, heart, belly, and the dread Wolong Valley. Pier showed almost no intent to dodge. He kept lunging firmly towards Brian. The bullets bridged the seven or eight-meter distance between them in an instant, all hitting their marks! Pop pop~ Pier¡¯s right eye burst open with a spray of blood, and his Wolong Valley spilled blood on the spot, with visible chunks of flesh falling into his oversized shorts. The other three bullets, however, had minimal effect. They struck Pier¡¯s jelly-like flesh, and after piercing that substance, the bullets visibly lost their kinetic energy and came to rest inside it. Pier, having lost an eye and his Wolong Valley, felt no pain, and his cumbersome body was unaffected by the bullet impacts, coming within two meters of Brian. The next moment. His emotions plunged into even more frenzied excitement: ¡°Meat! Meat! Meat!¡± Boom~ With the howl of rushing wind, Pier¡¯s pace suddenly accelerated more than threefold, and his fat hands lunged fiercely at the unsuspecting Brian. At the critical moment. Brian¡¯s figure seemed to compress like a spring, his bones cracking with noise, shrinking to about one meter tall, barely dodging Pier¡¯s embrace. As the big chunk of meat vanished from sight, Pier stood there dumbfounded. Where is he? He could clearly smell the meat. Where is he! His intelligence now almost reduced to instinct, he couldn¡¯t even notice Brian right beneath him. Seeing this. Brian moved like a supple snake, his shortened body suddenly swelling and, with a roll, ended up three or four meters behind Pier near the doorway. Pier finally caught on. He turned around, his mouth full of thin, sharp teeth crisscrossing, drawing strands of thick, yellow saliva: ¡°Meat, saw meat again...¡± Creak~ Stepping on the overburdened floorboards. Pier sunk back into his previous sluggish state, continuing to pounce towards Brian. ¡°Strong appetite, solid physical defense, keen perception, seemingly no pain sensitivity, but not so bright...¡± Brian seemed to begin to understand the obsession of Pier¡¯s clown brother. Facing such an abnormal younger brother who couldn¡¯t be beaten or reasoned with. Surviving. The clown must have tried very hard. ... Pier¡¯s speed was similar to a normal person¡¯s brisk walk, with no visible sign of exhaustion so far, which might make him a challenging monster for a regular person without heavy weapons. But for Brian, Pier was too slow. It seemed that only when he was within two meters of his target would Pier¡¯s body speed, agility, and reaction time all surge explosively. Once out of that range, Even if the target was just two meters away, Pier would lumber forward with his big legs, doggedly chasing after it. Brian fired a few more shots, blowing out Pier¡¯s remaining eye, the rest entering his mouth. But Pier, now blind, could still lock onto Brian¡¯s position, and the bullets that entered his mouth also had no effect. Brian suspected that beneath Pier¡¯s flesh, there was another special substance, similar to how Transformers have a layer of metal mesh implanted beneath their flesh, making them immune to bullet shots. The situation now was that he could do nothing to the other, and the other couldn¡¯t catch him. Under the circumstances, Brian had no choice but to drag Pier along like walking a dog. He planned to wait for Orba and the others to arrive, use heavy weapons to break Pier¡¯s limbs, and then slowly resort to this head full of nothing but eating, eating, eating monster. .. This was located in the suburbs of the county town. If Orba and his team were to come by helicopter, it would take no more than fifteen minutes to arrive. Brian checked the time, walking Pier. And so, he walked him around for seven or eight minutes. After Brian had fooled Pier once again, Pier suddenly stopped moving. ¡°Tired?¡± Brian was about to pull the trigger on Pier again, to agitate him a bit more, when¡ª Squelch¡ª Pier¡¯s flesh, which was like meat jelly, suddenly rolled like waves, and a large amount of foul-smelling yellow-brown liquid, carrying those bullets that had entered his body, oozed from the gunshot wounds. In the blink of an eye, the bulky Pier had transformed into a hunchbacked, tall, and thin monster bristling with sharp teeth. His two blurred eye sockets squeezed out a couple of bullets, and his barbed tongue likewise flicked out three or four bullets, fluttering in the air, ¡°Pier is so hungry. Meat, don¡¯t run; you smell so good, come into Pier¡¯s mouth...¡± Watching Pier¡¯s head morph into something akin to Marvel¡¯s Venom, a spine-chilling sense of extreme danger surged in Brian¡¯s heart. Damn it! Just a second ago, they were playing a cat-and-mouse game. Now you decide to Transform on me? Kids these days don¡¯t play fair at all! Brian immediately ignited his adrenaline, and with the aid of Body Control, his muscles burst forth with a speed far exceeding that of the world¡¯s sprint champions. His feet moved rapidly, crisscrossing as he dashed off into the distance. ¡°So fragrant~¡± Pier¡¯s long tongue swept through the air, slurping up pheromones, secreting a copious amount of saliva. With his hunch angled downwards, his feet thrust against the ground. Boom¡ª The earth trembled slightly, kicking up clouds of dust. When the dust settled, nothing remained but a hole more than ten centimeters deep, with no sign of the beast that was Pier. ... If anyone could see the scene, they¡¯d think they were watching a sci-fi monster movie. On the flat expanse of the wasteland, Brian¡¯s legs moved so fast they blurred, appearing as though he was swiftly gliding over the ground; with each blink, he could dash forward tens of meters. Pier was even more exaggerated. Behind him, faint afterimages were visible, his speed nearly double that of Brian¡¯s, close to four seconds per hundred meters. Within just over ten seconds, Pier had closed in to less than five meters behind Brian. Just as he was about to pounce, Brian, without turning his head, shot blindly behind, the clever and deadly bullet hitting Pier¡¯s rapidly moving ankle joint. ¡°Ah~¡± Without the protection of that yellow-brown unknown liquid, Pier had finally been breached. He screamed and tumbled to the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust that shrouded his body. ... Phew¡ª Brian slowed his pace, panting heavily. He felt his body temperature might exceed forty degrees if he kept moving at such high intensity. Even now, numerous muscles in his body were strained to varying degrees, and his lungs and blood vessels, those fine tissues, had also suffered invisible damage from the brief, intense exertion. However, these changes were suppressed by the bursting excitement brought by the adrenaline. ¡°Recover!¡± Brian¡¯s mind willed it. A warm current flowed through him. Using two units of Gift Energy, he returned to perfect condition in the next second. As they say, kick them when they¡¯re down! Brian no longer hesitated and, lifting his gun, intended to take advantage of Pier¡¯s weakened defenses to break one of his legs, only to find that Pier¡¯s figure had disappeared beneath the dust! The enemy was gone! Brian¡¯s heart pounded violently. His nostrils flared, drawing in the surrounding scents, his Five Senses reaching their peak under the amplification of Supercomputer Perception. The next moment, Brian didn¡¯t hesitate and tucked his Glock 17 into his armpit, aimed blindly behind, and repeatedly squeezed the trigger! Bang, bang, bang¡ª Almost at the same instant, a lean, long creature was munching on a human hand and the corresponding figure appeared ten meters behind Brian, struck squarely in the chest and collarbone by three bullets, interrupting its launching attack. This time, Brian dared not relax. Hearing the scream from behind, he didn¡¯t even turn around as his gun continuously spat out flames, covering the area with a blind barrage. After emptying the magazine, Brian ran off a dozen meters, then while reloading, he turned to survey the situation. He saw an elongated, hunched figure rolling on the ground, gnawing ravenously at the flesh and bones of its own arm. As the flesh and bone were consumed, bullets, one after another, accompanied by a yellow-brown turbid liquid, flowed out of Pier¡¯s body. Watching the flesh and bone disappear with each bite, Brian¡¯s scalp tingled. No wonder he had felt goosebumps all over earlier. One bite from that thing would mean a significant chunk of his body gone. His low-grade version of Undying Body could never withstand that! Surely, he couldn¡¯t hope to regenerate inside the creature¡¯s stomach! ... With lingering dread, Brian raised his gun and aimed at Pier¡¯s mouth, emptying the magazine. Over three minutes later, a transport helicopter equipped with two M134 Miniguns finally arrived over the area. Chapter 125 - 125 110 Special Mutant The Seven Deadly Sins! ?125: Chapter 110: Special Mutant, The Seven Deadly Sins! (Extra 1 for alliance leader ¡®Brilliance of the Night¡¯ and book friends) 125: Chapter 110: Special Mutant, The Seven Deadly Sins! (Extra 1 for alliance leader ¡®Brilliance of the Night¡¯ and book friends) ¡°Did you kill him?¡± Orba looked at Pier, who lay completely still with his mouth smashed to a pulp, and felt somewhat disappointed. Living Mutants were obviously more valuable. Brian shook his head, ¡°He should not be dead yet, but I suggest we kill him directly, this Mutant is very strange, very dangerous!¡± Under the puzzled gazes of everyone. He asked a soldier for a dagger, then cut his palm open and dripped his fresh blood onto Pier¡¯s battered mouth. At first, the blood just slid normally towards the inside of the mouth, but after a few seconds, Pier¡¯s torn and battered mouth strangely began to wriggle, speeding up the flow of Brian¡¯s blood into its oral cavity, as if actively sucking. After absorbing nearly two hundred milliliters of Brian¡¯s blood, One by one, bullets were forcibly squeezed out from inside Pier¡¯s mouth, and Pier, who had been motionless, began to undergo a transformation. A little more than a minute later. A tall and thin Pier, skin and bones, opened his eyes somewhat dazedly. He looked at the people gathered around him, appearing somewhat afraid, until he saw Brian and his expression relaxed, ¡°I remember you, the fragrant TV interviewer, are these your colleagues?¡± Brian did not respond to him, but began to explain everything that had happened to the puzzled Orba and others. Of course, he made sure to embellish the story a bit. Seeing that Brian was ignoring him, Pier touched his stomach, intending to find something to eat in the kitchen. This action immediately drew the wariness of several soldiers. They aimed their automatic rifles at various parts of Pier, ready to fire without hesitation at the slightest sign of resistance! Confronted with the dark muzzles aimed at him, Pier suddenly burst into loud crying. Seeing this. Orba seemed thoughtful and waved his hand. Only then did the soldiers step aside. Seeing them move away, Pier no longer cared about being afraid and stumbled toward the kitchen. Watching his retreating figure, Orba looked solemnly at Brian, ¡°Brian, have you ever heard of the seven deadly sins?¡± ¡°The seven deadly sins?¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Of course, pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, lust. Could it be that Pier¡¯s special trait as a Mutant is related to gluttony?¡± Orba nodded, ¡°According to your description, it¡¯s very likely. The abilities of Mutants originate from a combination of the Spirit and Blood Moon Radiation. The seven deadly sins almost encompass all the negative aspects of human nature, and nearly everyone carries them to a certain extent. But the emotions of those children are the most pure. If they have never received guidance and have always acted on instinct, what ability do you think they are most likely to awaken?¡± Without hesitation, Brian quickly said, ¡°Eating!¡± This was not only a human instinct but an instinct of all living beings. Orba nodded, ¡°Yes, eating! Mutants like Pier are called Gluttons and belong to one type of the Mutants of the seven deadly sins. You may think he looked normal just now. But it¡¯s all a facade! Hunger is all he has. Sin embodiment Mutants, they don¡¯t have any humanity, only desires. As they grow, they become as terrifying as the Mutant Beasts, and completely different creatures from the common Mutants we encounter. Their evil Spirit is too pure, making them all enormously powerful, yet their mind is not even as developed as those Mutant Beasts that haven¡¯t yet lost control. Take Gluttons, for example. According to NW¡¯s records, most of the Gluttons found are either children or beggars. They have suffered cruel ordeals or have significant mental health issues. If they happen to be extremely hungry during Blood Moon Radiation, they develop an insatiable desire to eat. They can never be satisfied. If not discovered in time, they will consume everything edible, grow increasingly huge, until their bodies collapse and die.¡± ¡°No humanity?¡± Brian felt uneasy. ¡°But didn¡¯t he just show fear?¡± Without humanity, how could he fulfill his brother Pier¡¯s dying obsession to instill fear in Pier? ¡°It¡¯s just an act,¡± Orba shrugged. ¡°Have you ever seen a normal person, after being scared, act like a normal person again and run off to find something to eat?¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Alright.¡± Orba licked his somewhat dry lips and continued to educate Brian, ¡°The worst part is, the special components inside Mutants of the seven sins, once they leave the body, they gradually lose activity and have absolutely no research or containment value, yet they pose a great danger to society. So, typically once they¡¯re discovered, they¡¯re executed on the spot.¡± ... Brian pondered upon hearing this. No wonder he felt that Pier, the young Mutant, was too powerful and comprehensive¡ªit turned out he was a Special Mutant on par with Mutant Beasts. Perhaps, Pier¡¯s stunted growth was due to the ample feed available here, and his daily feed consumption had inhibited his development. Brian looked at Orba, ¡°So you¡¯re saying we did all this for nothing today?¡± Now he could only hope that after Pier died, he would drop an Obsession. Orba shook his head, ¡°Not necessarily, at least we dealt with a threat, and there will be a decent bonus. As for merit points, don¡¯t even think about it. Those are reserved for precious reagents. Special reagents, you can hardly buy with money outside. If it weren¡¯t for the base restricting the trade of reagents, any treatment reagent taken outside could sell for at least a million dollars, much more cost-effective than exchanging money with merit points through internal personnel.¡± Brian nodded deeply in agreement. He had thought about exchanging the reagents for money before. But Susan had warned him not to do so. If it was just to exchange reagents for personal use, it wasn¡¯t much of an issue. But if he used merit points to exchange for reagents and then sold them, getting caught by NW could be very troublesome, even life-threatening. For Brian, money wasn¡¯t an issue; small amounts he had plenty, and the large sums weren¡¯t significant enough, so he eventually let Susan help him find someone within the base to exchange for money. This must also be a rule set deliberately by the founders of NW. The people below either risk their lives to capture Mutants, or rely on their abilities to develop various reagents in order to earn merit points. If these people wanted the benefits of the reagents, then let them exchange merit points for reagents and give them a taste of the sweetness. If the people wanted money or other things, then enforce regulations that forced them to exchange their merit points with qualified ¡®internal¡¯ people for the desired goods and money. This avoided resource outflow and set a cap on the exchange rate for merit points, ensuring it would never be too high. A clear-cut stratagem. ... While they were talking, New noise came from inside the house. Pier, who had been tall and slender just moments ago, had turned back into a big round ball, greedily eyeing everyone outside with a hunger in his eyes, ¡°Meat, so much meat, and such delicious meat...¡± Brian felt a chill down his spine as he watched Pier, who had recovered fully except for his eyes and Wolong Valley. Just some feed, and he was back to full health! What a freak of nature indeed! Orba seemed to have anticipated this and showed no particular reaction. He waved to the soldiers behind him and pulled out a rifle of an indiscategorble model from his back: ¡°The seven deadly Mutants each possess peculiar abilities. The most twisted thing about the Glutton is their recovery power. As long as they¡¯re not killed outright, even grass can slowly heal their injuries. If placed in the era of matchlock guns, they¡¯re indeed a hassle, but now...¡± Orba pulled the trigger. Da da da~ Special bullets sprayed from the barrel, hitting squarely on Pier, who was in the throes of Gluttony and stupidly obvlivious. Torn pelvic cavities appeared on his body like spots, surfacing across his skin. Vast amounts of yellow-brown, jelly-like substance flowed from those cavities, releasing a foul stench. Without taking a single step, The big fellow, who had chased Brian into such a frenzy, knelt on the ground and shrank back down. ¡°What kind of bullets are these?¡± ¡°Armor-piercing incendiary bullets, made of a special material. They¡¯re mostly maintained for circulation within the organization. But they ensure sufficient lethality against Mutants with bizarre abilities!¡± Orba fired a dozen shots, seemingly grudging the expense, and waved at the soldiers. Together, they headed toward the helicopter. ... Elsewhere, Pier was sufficiently twisted. He extended his long tongue and incredibly licked up the yellow-brown substance from the ground, self-sufficiently removing all the special bullets that had entered his body. Observing this, Orba¡¯s face turned grim. Brian chuckled, ¡°I think with this creature, you either snap its neck directly or use Incendiary Bombs; otherwise, it¡¯s just too revolting.¡± Meanwhile, The soldiers had unloaded two M134 rotary machine guns from the helicopter, placing them in front of the house. Orba stretched out his hand to Brian, ¡°Want to try the joy of firing hundreds of bullets per second?¡± This thing was basically an egalitarian Gatling. The seven deadly Mutants, ruled by lust, devoid of humanity. Pier even... Such a creature deserved no sympathy when being killed! Brian rubbed his hands together, unceremoniously approached one of the M134 rotary guns, familiarized himself with its operation, and then pulled the trigger. In the next moment! A fiery dragon spewed forth. Brian, feeling hardly any recoil, watched countless shell casings fly as everything before him was torn apart by the torrent of bullets. Pier, who had just recovered, albeit a bit smaller, was silenced and shredded into bits under the barrage of a hundred bullets per second. Not only that. The wooden house behind Pier was also riddled with countless bullet holes, eventually shattering all its supporting columns and starting to collapse. ¡°Awesome!¡± Brian emptied a large ammunition drum before contentedly releasing his hold. Now that was a man¡¯s romance! This experience deepened Brian¡¯s conviction in staying low-profile. Flesh was truly frail before these modern weapons. ¡°All right, we¡¯ll leave the scene cleanup to the logistics personnel. We¡¯ll collaborate again in the future, Brian.¡± Orba paused for a moment, ¡°I feel you run into Mutants at an unusually high rate. Working with you, I won¡¯t be short of opportunities to earn merit points, ha ha ha.¡± When the helicopter had vanished into the sky, Brian, standing amidst bullet-ridden ground, stepped over to where Pier had exploded and picked up an Obsession Little Ball, three times the size of a normal person¡¯s, and lightly crushed it. The Obsession Little Ball turned into a red beam and shot into Brian¡¯s eyes. The next moment. An idea came to Brian¡¯s mind: Eat to satisfaction! ¡°Truly pure obsession.¡± Brian snickered and looked at the reward he would receive. With such a large Obsession Little Ball, the reward was bound to be substantial! Chapter 128 - 128 113 Sigma Man Brian The Annihilation Case ?128: Chapter 113: Sigma Man Brian, The Annihilation Case 128: Chapter 113: Sigma Man Brian, The Annihilation Case I have to say, this woman named Caroline does know some flashy moves, but she lacks real combat experience. Her strength and speed are above average, but in front of Brian, it¡¯s child¡¯s play. A series of punches and kicks. Caroline, who wasn¡¯t very resistant to beating, honestly confessed her origins. She is Susan¡¯s best friend, and their families have been close for generations. Caroline is three years younger than Susan and had just graduated from a special agency this year. Most absurdly, Caroline had always had a penchant for violence since she was little. After returning, when Caroline learned that Susan had someone she liked, she became very jealous and had someone thoroughly investigate Brian, uncovering Brian¡¯s part-time job as a Vehicle Appraiser. Thus, she schemed with Susan, trying to expose Brian as a scumbag. The effect was mediocre. For someone like Susan, who lacked experience in love, she wouldn¡¯t easily fall for someone, and once she did, she wouldn¡¯t easily give up. Although she was somewhat bothered, she didn¡¯t show any apparent disgust. This irritated Caroline. That led to the events last night where Brian¡¯s romantic opportunities unexpectedly skyrocketed. Brian had considered that his relationship with Susan might face provocations like those in melodramatic TV shows, with second-generation rivals trying to embarrass him, but he never expected it to come from a woman, especially one who looked so imposing. ... Seeing Caroline cry her eyes out, Brian did not indulge her and kicked her again, ¡°Hurry up and tell me, how do you know about my foster parents!¡± Caroline wiped away her nosebleed, sobbing, ¡°I¡¯m a new employee in the NW Internal Affairs Department, and I have the authority to access your files. Plus, during my investigation of you, I discovered that the private medical institution where your foster parents were had a doctor who died in a car accident, and your foster parents had both been discharged and even had records of leaving the country. I found it very strange at the time. Considering how you cared for your foster parents, it doesn¡¯t make sense that you would just calmly continue to work while they¡¯re abroad. So I suspected there was something hidden and sent someone to investigate, only to find that they merely had records of leaving the country but no further trace... Then I couldn¡¯t attract your attention. I just thought about threatening you a bit.¡± Goodness gracious. When Brian heard that Caroline was an employee of the NW Internal Affairs Department, he was speechless. You have this identity, why didn¡¯t you say it earlier? Internal Affairs is basically like an internal audit. He had hit an auditor... Well, since he had hit her. Pretending he hadn¡¯t heard about Caroline¡¯s identity, Brian sighed, walked to the window, and adopted a melancholic posture with his chin tilted at a 45-degree angle, ¡°The thing with my foster parents is actually like this...¡± Basically, his foster parents felt their days were numbered and decided to travel around and live a new life, not wanting to live in the past. This was the contingency plan left by Uncle Billy when he arranged for his foster parents¡¯ discharge. Without mentioning those overly paranoid methods. Billy did truly have Brian¡¯s best interests at heart. ... Brian also casually mentioned his own origin. Hearing his emotionally rich narration, Caroline felt somewhat awkward. She hadn¡¯t expected Brian to have such a complicated personal history. After finishing, Brian took a medical kit from Susan¡¯s cabinet and, after treating Caroline¡¯s wounds, said earnestly, ¡°I don¡¯t mind that you like Susan, and I¡¯m okay with fair competition, but have you considered whether Susan can accept this kind of same-sex love?¡± Caroline lowered her head. She had actually tested the waters, but Susan was straight and couldn¡¯t decipher her hints, thinking she was just being affectionate. Seeing her silent. Brian patted her shoulder, ¡°Alright, go back and think it over, and also, stop those little manipulations, I really hate being schemed against.¡± Caroline nodded and meekly left the room. Then... she came back. Caroline awkwardly said, ¡°Well... I actually have another matter for coming here.¡± ... Around 9 o¡¯clock. In the conference room, members of Group B6 looked strangely at the woman with a bruised face. Brian introduced her calmly to everyone: ¡°This is Ms. Caroline from the NW Internal Affairs Department. Ms. Caroline is here mainly to commend our team for its recent outstanding performance and to inquire about the incident involving the leader of Team A1 visiting our group the day before yesterday.¡± Caroline somewhat uncomfortably first commended the recent outstanding performance of Group B6. The members felt a bit sheepish. It couldn¡¯t be helped. Several cases had been mysteriously resolved by Brian. Making them seem somewhat redundant. Given that Caroline was Susan¡¯s best friend, the inquiry was naturally just a formality. ... After seeing Caroline off, Brian introduced Hardenn and the others to the newly joined members, Green, and Tom. Of the two, Tom was doing alright; he had previously worked in Group B1, but after B1 was attacked by the Original Sect, causing it to lose its commission, he had returned to the Forensic Bureau. Thus his joining Group B6 as a formal member, responsible for on-site investigation and collection of bodies, serving as Brian¡¯s assistant. Officer Green wasn¡¯t so fortunate. He was currently considered a peripheral member of B6 Group, similar to an intern. To be regularized, one needs an observation period of six months. After the meeting. Brian pulled Green aside alone, ¡°Our team isn¡¯t big. Ivan and Glenn are old partners and can handle cases on their own. Even though I am an Autopsy Officer, I also know a bit about solving cases. So, previously, I was partnered with the team leader. Now that the leader isn¡¯t here, you will temporarily follow me.¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Green had seen Brian solve cases before and knew that Brian was generous. He was very happy to be following Brian. All morning, Green was extremely excited, occasionally helping everyone with coffee and cleaning up. Ultimately, it was still Ivan, who had had quite a bit of beer the day before, who stopped Green: ¡°Dude, listen, what counts here is competence, not these things. Of course, I still like your sensibility, but there are no cases right now. If you are free, you can go and check out some case files.¡± Beside him, a worried Glenn also expressed his approval perfunctorily. He had also gone on patrol with Green yesterday and indeed picked up a few girls who were drunk out of their minds... After one night. Glenn didn¡¯t know what he had experienced; now he was full of worries. Green listened to the guidance of his senior and honestly grabbed a case file Ivan handed him and went off to study it. Seeing this. Glenn, who was on the side, glanced at Brian, who was forcing Dog Shi San to watch preschool educational videos, and sneaked over, ¡°Brian, a friend of mine encountered something, and I don¡¯t quite understand it, so I wanted to ask you.¡± Brian let Shi San watch the videos on his own and turned around, curious, ¡°Ask away, I hope I know.¡± Glenn was somewhat awkward: ¡°It¡¯s like this. My friend had a bit to drink, so yesterday, when he was pulling radishes, he forgot to wear a ¡®raincoat.¡¯ He woke up and found the radish wasn¡¯t clean. Do you think my friend could be infected?¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t know. I never engage in high-risk contacts.¡± Hearing this answer, Glenn was somewhat persistent, ¡°If it were an infection, what symptoms would generally appear?¡± Brian did know this and pointed at Glenn, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about other symptoms, but generally, they would be like you, going around asking others if they could be infected.¡± Glenn: ... He frowned, ¡°Okay then, Brian, I need to take a leave. I mean, I want to accompany my friend to see a doctor.¡± Watching Glenn¡¯s retreating figure. Brian chuckled and turned back to continue instructing Shi San. He had a side job and only accepted cars that came with their own inspection reports, while Glenn would accept anyone and everyone¡ªit¡¯d be unscientific not to win. ... At a little past three in the afternoon. Glenn hadn¡¯t returned yet, and a new case had come in. And it was two cases at once. The first case was a corpse dumping case. Someone spotted a woman¡¯s bare legs in a bush, thinking they belonged to a hungover girl from last night¡¯s revelry, and gleefully approached, only to discover a woman¡¯s corpse in a tragic state. Glenn wasn¡¯t there. Brian, rookie Green, Ivan, Tom who was driving the crime scene investigation van, and Dog Shi San, four people and one dog, went to the scene. The deceased was a pretty teenage girl dressed in a Snow White cosplay costume, wearing a silver wig, her skirt a complete mess underneath, and bruises and scratch marks visible on her limbs, as if several people had restrained her body, and then... It was clearly a gang assault and murder case. Ivan shrugged, ¡°Looks like a dark version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs...¡± After estimating the liver temperature. Brian determined that the time of death was approximately early last morning. The cause of death was asphyxiation. In the mouth of the deceased, some regurgitated residue could be seen. After a discussion, they conjectured that the victim vomited and then it was forced back, causing death by asphyxiation. Upon realizing something was wrong. The bastards dumped the deceased haphazardly in the bushes. It was a foolish crime, appearing that the murderer wasn¡¯t very old and had poor mental composure. Ivan spoke directly, ¡°This case is rather straightforward. The murderer is either the girl¡¯s companion or a friend made yesterday. Tom and I can handle it; you take Green to handle the other case.¡± Brian nodded. He had encountered many similar cases during his time at the Forensic Bureau. In assault cases, most are committed by acquaintances¡ªeither a victim¡¯s classmate, colleague, friend, or family member. ... After bidding farewell to Ivan. Brian took Shi San, who kept sniffing around, and the attentive Green, who had been both listening carefully and observing, to the second crime scene. The second case was a family annihilation. The crime scene was located in a high-rise apartment within their jurisdiction. When Brian and his team arrived, it was already past four in the afternoon. ¡°This place looks pretty nice.¡± Green admired the facilities outside the apartment. The suit he was wearing had been bought with gritted teeth on a credit card, costing over a thousand US dollars, but it still seemed somewhat out of place here. ¡°It¡¯s just the illusion of wealth.¡± Brian pinned his badge to his collar, ¡°The real wealthy in Los Angeles live in manors and villas along the West Coast. Unfortunately, our jurisdiction isn¡¯t over there, otherwise you¡¯d see plenty of dramatic cases.¡± Saying so, they arrived at the floor. There were patrol officers who had arrived earlier, guarding the scene. Brian was just about to greet them. When the two patrol officers spoke first, ¡°Brian? Wow, didn¡¯t expect you to be handling this case, looks like we¡¯re in luck.¡± Green chuckled, ¡°After that case in Forest Park, there probably isn¡¯t a station in the district that doesn¡¯t know you.¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m flattered. Let¡¯s get to know the case first.¡± He realized that ever since Shi San arrived on that floor, he had been extremely excited. This was the first time he had seen such a situation. Chapter 130 - 130 115 Calling the police ?130: Chapter 115: Calling the police? What do you need from us? (Additional update 4 for the alliance leader ¡®Glory of the Night¡¯) 130: Chapter 115: Calling the police? What do you need from us? (Additional update 4 for the alliance leader ¡®Glory of the Night¡¯) The massacre case left few definitive pieces of evidence, but there were plenty of avenues to investigate. Whether the case could be cracked or not hinged on finding the right direction. While cleaning up the drugs, bodies, and pile of money at the victims¡¯ home, Green had been sent by Brian to investigate the social identity of the deceased. He came from a poor neighborhood and had a group of friends who were already part of gangs, always well-informed. Green quickly brought back some news, ¡°Boss Brian, The male victim of the massacre case is called Sherick, the second-in-command of the Helen Gang. The Helen Gang is a smuggling group with only a little over a hundred members, specializing in zero-dollar purchase and overseas smuggling of electronic devices¡ªnot very notable, belonging to the beggar gangs. The core consists of just three people. Sherick was one, the gang leader Helen was another, and there¡¯s one more person named Qi Baosen, of Chinese descent, the gang¡¯s accountant and head of the overseas smuggling channels.¡± Green was a perceptive man, directly addressing Brian as boss. Brian was very satisfied with Green¡¯s efficiency, ¡°Do you know where the headquarters of this Helen Gang is?¡± Green nodded, ¡°Although the Helen Gang is just a beggar gang, many people in this poor neighborhood are aware of it. They often come to them to fence their loot or to buy some cheap stolen goods. They have fixed warehouses and an active range.¡± They grabbed something to eat. Then the two men and their dog set out again, headed for the Helen Gang. ... Regarding the poor neighborhood, Although it wasn¡¯t the area where Green lived, he still knew his way around and even continually shared some knowledge with Brian on the way. Although Brian was somewhat aware of these things due to the Kamor family, he was nowhere near as familiar as Green, who was in the circle, so he also learned a thing or two. Before long, They arrived at a somewhat dilapidated small building. There was a warehouse next to the building, and several black men were playing cards under the glow of a large light. Further away, some kids were burning fires in oil drums, laughing and seemingly at peace. The two men checked their equipment, put on their Bullet-Proof Vests, and then got out of the car. This time, Shi San stayed in the car. It had been a few hard days, and it was still young and now, sound asleep. Seeing a car suddenly stop and two tall men get out, A few people immediately put down their cards warily and looked towards Brian and his companion, with one¡¯s hand already reaching towards their waist. It wasn¡¯t that they were too sensitive, but rather, in the poor neighborhoods, sometimes separated from the outside world by just a street, both could feel like different worlds. Police were almost never seen, and shootouts between gangs could happen at any time. A few of the kids playing with fire also quietly ducked into the shadows. They¡¯d go and call for help if there was trouble. Seeing this, Green quickly made a gesture unique to black people, ¡°Hey, brothers, we mean no harm. We¡¯re just here to find out some things from you.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± asked one of the black men with thick lips, sounding unfriendly. ¡°We don¡¯t have brothers who dress up as nicely as you guys.¡± ¡°Sherick was dressed pretty well, wasn¡¯t he? Those big gold chains and diamond rings looked quite valuable,¡± Brian shrugged his shoulders. ¡°That¡¯s right, you¡¯re just small fries to him. He¡¯d never treat you guys like brothers.¡± Green thought this was not good. Sure enough, the next moment, two black men pulled out handguns, ¡°What did you say, you little white-faced son of a bitch...¡± Bang, bang~ Two gunshots rang out. The handguns held by the two black men were directly shot out of their hands. They looked at Brian with a stunned expression, not quite understanding what had happened. For them, accustomed to random gunfire that often didn¡¯t hit anyone, this gun skills and firing speed were beyond their comprehension. Brian twirled his gun around showily, pointed to the NW operations badge on Green¡¯s chest, and said, ¡°Remember, wearing this means we¡¯re the only thugs. Whoever dares to pull a gun gets his head blown off¡ªthat¡¯s how our B6 unit rolls.¡± With that, He walked up to the black man who had just spoken insultingly, put on gloves meant for inspecting corpses, and slapped them each once, ¡°You should be thankful you didn¡¯t disengage your safety. Otherwise, right now, you could be kissing the dirt with your stinky mouths!¡± Brian¡¯s arrogant demeanor not only prevented the gangsters from flying into a rage but also ensured they didn¡¯t dare make a rash move. Survival in the underworld required not being impulsive, foolish, or lacking perception. Anyway, this was their Helen Gang¡¯s territory. These two men wouldn¡¯t be able to escape. ... Seeing that the men said nothing, Brian didn¡¯t care and simply gestured for Green to sit down where those people had been before and started to wait. The reason he dared to be so brazen was that he had the confidence to back it up. As for Green, The warehouse was right behind him. He was confident that in a dangerous moment, he could throw the opponent in there. It remained to be seen whether Green had the guts. This was also a little test for him from Brian. Without that courage, no matter how talented, he wouldn¡¯t amount to much and wouldn¡¯t be worth cultivating! While Green anticipated what would happen next, he still steadfastly followed Brian, but the safety on his service pistol had already been disengaged. Now Green somewhat regretted not taking the automatic rifle from the car. After two or three minutes, A gang of dark-skinned individuals, armed with guns, surrounded the area. Those who had just been guarding the warehouse quickly joined their companions. One who had spoken first also reported the situation to a large black and fat figure within the crowd. The big fat black man glanced at Brian, who was sitting calmly, and immediately instructed his subordinates to put their guns down. He walked over with a simple smile on his fat face, ¡°I¡¯m Helen. May I ask what it is you officers would like to know?¡± This gang leader, behaving so humbly in front of all his subordinates, chose to bow down right away. ¡°Very perceptive.¡± Brian complimented, then pulled out a printed photo, ¡°You should recognize this person, right?¡± Helen took the photo with a puzzled look. The next moment, His expression changed dramatically, and he said angrily, ¡°Sherick! That¡¯s my good brother Sherick, who killed him!¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°We¡¯re still investigating. Has Sherick been acting unusual lately?¡± He had already used his enhanced sense of smell to confirm there was no scent of the killer on the scene, and with the victim¡¯s obsession, it was clear the perpetrator was a Mexican. So, it seemed unlikely that anyone from the Helen Gang was the suspect. After a moment of thought, Helen nodded with some hesitation: ¡°Recently, we¡¯ve had a batch of smuggling goods stored in a warehouse in Las Vegas. It¡¯s one way we legitimize some valuable smuggled items. Sherick took a few brothers to carry out an auction for unpaid storage there. Everything went smoothly. Sherick successfully brought the goods back. But afterward, he said he wanted to spend some time with his family and rest, otherwise, I would have definitely known if something had happened to him.¡± ¡°Call the people who went with Sherick.¡± Brian realized that the problem must have occurred on this trip to Las Vegas. It involved the death of his own good brother. And this pretty boy seemed like trouble. Without hesitation, Helen pointed out several people. He was into smuggling, not trafficking drugs or arms, and under the influence of his Chinese partner, he preferred to advocate for peaceful wealth-making and generally disliked resorting to knives and guns. ... Brian and Green separately questioned several people. Green obtained some useful information. Sherick was fond of gambling. Aside from the gang¡¯s warehouse, he had auctioned off several other warehouses. At first, He had a few minions help haul the goods but later found an excuse to send them away to play and chose to load the goods himself. The problem must have been with those few warehouses. Sherick must have auctioned off someone else¡¯s warehouse. Brian couldn¡¯t help but feel a headache. Such matters required inter-regional investigations, which were difficult to conduct. It seemed unlikely that the case would be solved today. ... Suddenly, a commotion came from outside. A group of terrified members of the Helen Gang retreated in horror, eventually hiding behind their boss, Helen. Helen was somewhat angry: ¡°What¡¯s going on!¡± ¡°Boss, look over there.¡± Helen, Brian, and Green all looked toward the street ahead. They saw a few sedans slowly appearing before them. Outside the cars, several automatic rifles were aimed at the crowd, flaunting as if this place was Mexico... Green quickly stepped in front of Brian: ¡°Boss Brian, something¡¯s not right. If it was a gang fight, they¡¯d usually set a date in advance, warn the locals to avoid collateral damage and police calls. These guys are clearly outsiders!¡± Brian nodded and gestured to Green to just watch. Seeing Brian and Green¡¯s calm demeanor, Helen took a deep breath and signaled a trusted subordinate to step forward and inquire. A well-dressed black man nodded, extended his hands to show he meant no harm, and approached the vehicles: ¡°Hey, this is Helen Gang¡¯s territory, what do you want?¡± Bang~ Under the night sky, a gunshot erupted. The approaching black man didn¡¯t even have time to scream as his body was instantly flung more than three meters away, riddled into a ragged sieve, and he died on the spot. The ruthlessness of the act stunned all the small-time smugglers and robbers. A burly white man with a cigar dangling, holding a shotgun, wearing sunglasses, kicked open a car door and swaggered out, pointing at the crowd, ¡°Who¡¯s the boss of Helen Gang, come to me!¡± Seven or eight men in suits with automatic rifles silently stood behind the man, their stares cruel and mocking, as if they were looking at a group of garbage waiting to be slaughtered. Helen swallowed hard, looking at Brian for help. These people were clearly ruthless killers. If a real conflict broke out, his minions, who tended to bully the weak and fear the strong, would probably run faster than anyone else. Brian saw Helen¡¯s pleading eyes and remained motionless. None of his business. But secretly, Brian had already pressed the distress button on his wristwatch. He sensed that these people were too arrogant. Something felt off. ... Seeing Brian playing dead, Helen had no choice but to signal a trusted subordinate with his eyes, resignedly raised his hands, and stepped forward saying from a distance, ¡°I¡¯m Helen. May I know what you want?¡± Upon seeing that the boss of Helen Gang was a big black fat man, The man with the shotgun and the cigar pulled down his sunglasses, revealing a fierce look underneath, ¡°The goods, your people took our stuff. Hand over both the men and the goods!¡± ¡°Sorry, can you tell me what goods? We¡¯ll return them if we have them!¡± Helen was very cooperative, ¡°All our goods are in the warehouse back there; you can go check it out now.¡± Seeing him cooperate, The cigar man nodded and signaled a subordinate to go check out the warehouse. A few minutes later, The subordinate shook his head at him: ¡°Boss, it¡¯s just a bunch of junk electronics, electronic products, and clothes, none of our stuff.¡± ¡°Playing games with me?¡± The cigar man violently threw away his cigar, picked up the shotgun, aimed it at Helen¡¯s feet, and fired several shots! Helen, terrified by the lunatic man, screamed and crawled back in retreat, ¡°My people have already called the police. Don¡¯t be so arrogant!¡± ¡°Called the police?¡± The man seemed to have heard the funniest joke, looking back at his subordinates, ¡°Hahaha, he said he called the police!¡± His men in suits also burst into laughter. Under the gaze of a bunch of black men, The man, whose stomach ached from laughing, pinned a Las Vegas J police badge onto his chest: ¡°Come on, the officer is standing right here. What do you want from us?¡± Chapter 131 - 131 116 My Gun No One is Allowed to be Arrogant in Front of Me! ?131: Chapter 116: My Gun, No One is Allowed to be Arrogant in Front of Me! 131: Chapter 116: My Gun, No One is Allowed to be Arrogant in Front of Me! Bang~ Another shot made sparks fly off the concrete floor! ¡°Speak!¡± The man in sunglasses, crazed with agitation, exclaimed, ¡°Calling the police, what do you want with us!¡± Over the years, Helen had dealt with corrupt cops and gunmen shooting indiscriminately with Thompson submachine guns, but seeing someone blatantly reveal their identity in front of dozens of armed people¡ªthat too across districts¡ªwas a first for him. Helen¡¯s right-hand man leaned close and whispered, ¡°We made a call and the operator said there¡¯s inter-district case handling going on, they¡¯ve transferred it. This group of bastards definitely tipped off the Detective Bureau¡¯s ¡®Anti-Gang and Narcotics Division¡¯ beforehand.¡± The Los Angeles Police Department divides into three parts: the Detective Bureau (investigators), the Patrol Section, and the Special Operations Bureau (SWAT, K-9 units, etc.). The Anti-Gang and Narcotics Division is a part of the Los Angeles Detective Bureau, a task force dealing primarily with anti-gang and drug operations and has the most interactions with gang members, making it a complex division. Hearing this, Helen¡¯s heart sank. This really was trouble. He gritted his teeth and drew his pistol: ¡°This is Los Angeles, not Las Vegas, brothers, don¡¯t be scared. These people are just pretending to be DEA officers; we¡¯ve never dealt in drugs. They want to take over our turf...¡± Before he could finish, the ringing of a cellphone stopped him. The man in sunglasses cocked his head, watching Helen trying to encourage his men, and flashed a silent, mocking laugh before pressing the speaker button on his phone. From the other end came the operator¡¯s gentle voice, ¡°Investigator Rad, we received a call from residents of the Akaron Community...¡± Rad, the man in sunglasses, cut off the operator abruptly, ¡°Sorry, our team is currently facing violent resistance from suspects, some residents might be confused. We are here, we¡¯ll ensure the safety of those innocent civilians!¡± As he spoke the last sentence, his men behind him coldly pinned their DEA badges to their chests and raised their automatic rifles, aiming at Helen¡¯s group of petty smugglers. ¡°Alright, if you need armed support from the Los Angeles Patrol Section, please contact us immediately,¡± the operator, obviously disdainful of the poor district, quickly hung up. ... Helen was a man who knew reality. If he was a drug lord with dozens of bold and violent men, he would dare to stand on these people¡¯s heads and make them kneel and lick his toes. Sadly, he was not. If he dared resist, even if the men in front of him were obviously in violation, maintaining authority would still result in a relentless siege of death by the Los Angeles police force. Surviving to fight another day was the smart play. Besides, it¡¯s not like he didn¡¯t have a way out! Thinking thus, Helen quickly wiped his fingerprints off the pistol, threw it to the ground, and raised his hands high, kneeling to surrender, ¡°Investigator Sir, I swear on my grandmother¡¯s name, I have never touched anything forbidden. Helen Gang will cooperate fully with all investigations!¡± Seeing their boss surrender, Helen¡¯s gang members breathed a sigh of relief, dropped their pistols, and followed their leader, raising their hands and kneeling. Why risk their lives for a meager income of a couple thousand US dollars a month? Rad burst into laughter upon seeing this. He enjoyed the thrill of controlling these fools¡¯ fates. What a lousy gang! Out here, you need strength, you need backing! I say they are thieves, then they are thieves! Hitting them is justified! If they resist, they are thugs and deserve to be crushed into pieces by the force! Then suddenly, the arrogantly laughing Rad froze. He pulled down his sunglasses and saw among the kneeling crowd, two figures standing upright. Turns out, Helen¡¯s men kneeling had inadvertently highlighted Brian and Green. ... ¡°Boss Brian, what do we do now?¡± Green, terrified by the deranged Rad, felt like he was suffocating. FK, it¡¯s only his first day on the job at NW, did it have to be this intense? ¡°What do you mean, what do we do?¡± Brian looked at Green oddly and unbuttoned his shirt, ¡°This is Los Angeles, since when do some Las Vegas DEA dare act so arrogant here?¡± During the conversation, Rad, followed by his men, had already approached Brian. His sunglasses were now perched on his nose bridge, his hollow eye sockets wrapped in bloodshot browns. Rad, with his bloodshot eyes throbbing, looked at the calm Brian facing him, ¡°You¡¯ve got guts.¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°You¡¯re pretty arrogant too.¡± ¡°My arrogance is a right given by the badge on my chest!,¡± Rad slowly loaded cylindrical bullets into his shotgun, ¡°Your courage, however, might just end your life tonight.¡± Brian glanced at the onlookers behind Rad and shook his head, ¡°You plan to kill me in front of all these people?¡± Rad cocked the gun, pressing the muzzle against Brian¡¯s chest, ¡°Be good, kneel.¡± Just then, one of Rad¡¯s men behind him suddenly caught sight of Brian¡¯s undercover badge and Green behind him, his silhouette partly obscured by what seemed like a bullet-proof vest, his expression changing slightly. Not good! These two are Los Angeles police! Just as he was about to warn his drug-induced boss Rad, The next moment. Bang~ A gunshot rang out. Rad staggered, his crazed, agitated eyes turning blank. This pretty boy, how dare he shoot? With that thought, Rad¡¯s deranged consciousness was swallowed by infinite darkness. Brian extended a finger, gently shoving the shotgun¡¯s muzzle away from his chest, walked up to Rad¡¯s stiff body, leaned close to his ear, and whispered softly, ¡°My gun doesn¡¯t allow anyone to be this arrogant in my presence!¡± Dilly-dallying. If it weren¡¯t for the crowd and the need for a reason to shoot, he would have sent Rad and his group to their graves long ago! Rad¡¯s followers behind him were shocked on the spot by the sudden turn of events. One of them touched the blood splatter on his face before realizing their boss Rad had just had his head blown off by a shot from the seemingly innocuous young man before them. ¡°FK!¡± He pulled the trigger immediately. The moment the gun fired, a bullet passed under Rad¡¯s armpit and entered his eye socket with precision, traveled through the soft brain tissue, and exited from the back of his head with a mix of red and white matter. He fell blankly, and as he fell, he kept pulling the trigger, drawing a long arc with the gunfire. Most of the bullets struck Rad¡¯s body, which Brian was using as a shield, and the rest flew into the sky. When the bullet went through Rad¡¯s body and hit Brian¡¯s bullet-proof vest covering his chest, it had lost much of its kinetic energy, but the blood-soaked bullet and the densely packed bullet holes still looked shocking. He had killed two people in quick succession. Only then did Brian shout loudly, ¡°NW Operation Unit, put down your guns!¡± Green, following Brian¡¯s order, pulled out his badge and rushed forward beside Brian, pointing his gun at Rad¡¯s remaining followers, and yelled, ¡°We¡¯ve already called for backup! There are dozens of witnesses here. Rad, who attempted to murder civilians and police officers, has been killed on the spot. You¡¯ve been deceived by Rad. Think of your wives and children at home and put down your weapons!¡± If Brian¡¯s action had momentarily subdued this group of lawless rogue cops, Green¡¯s words crushed their last mental defenses. This wasn¡¯t their territory after all. The long-haired Caucasian youth, who had first spotted Brian¡¯s detective badge but had failed to issue a warning in time, was the first to drop his automatic rifle. Led by him, With the exception of a buzz-cut man covered in earrings, the rest chose to give up resistance. Brian pushed aside the body in front of him and looked at the earrings guy, ¡°Seems like you¡¯re not convinced?¡± The earrings guy glared fiercely. He dropped his rifle and sneered, ¡°No matter who you are, by killing Rad, you¡¯ve brought trouble on yourself!¡± Brian couldn¡¯t care less about such fools who couldn¡¯t see the situation clearly. His own troubles were for later, But that was something the other guy couldn¡¯t see anymore. Brian shook his head at Green, ¡°He just fired too, kill him!¡± Green hesitated, then gritted his teeth and aimed directly at the shocked earrings guy, pulling the trigger. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t shoot, I¡¯m wrong, please don¡¯t...¡± Bang bang bang¡ª The earrings guy¡¯s plea was cut short as he fell to the ground dead with his eyes wide open, his body clearly not as tough as his mouth, unable to withstand bullets. ... This scene turned the remaining few junkie cops pale. They seemed brazen. But from the beginning to the end, it was only Rad who had taken drugs and directly killed a guy, an undervalued nobody from the lower ranks! Now, these two had killed three of them. Who exactly was being brazen? The local police were too barbaric! From a distance, members of the Helen Gang had been so scared that they had been crouching on the ground, their faces pressed against the dirt, primarily focusing on not seeing, hearing, or knowing anything! Gang leader Helen was extremely nervous. He admitted that he had led the kneeling to divert that madman¡¯s attention towards Brian and his companion. But he never expected that this seemingly meek young man would also be a madman, dealing lethal blows to fellow officers from the violent institution without any hesitation. Helen felt extremely tired now. All he wanted was to run some smuggling operations, his greatest violent act being to teach his subordinates to take the poor to shops for some zero-dollar shopping to fleece the capitalists¡ªhow had he attracted these two crazy parties... ... Brian, seeing Green¡¯s decisive shooting, was very satisfied. He patted Green on the shoulder, ¡°Very good, you¡¯ve already learned the working style of our B6 unit. I¡¯ll suggest you be made permanent soon. With backup yet to arrive, what do you think we should do next?¡± Overjoyed, Green¡¯s dark face broke into a smile. His eyes flashed ferociously, ¡°Boss Brian, finish things thoroughly!¡± Finished speaking, Green walked over to the long-haired Caucasian who had first put down his gun, ¡°You saw that guy, he also fired, right?¡± The long-haired Caucasian inwardly complained, but with the example lying on the ground, he could only nod, ¡°Yes, Hassava also fired, he shot at you.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the proof!¡± Green, mimicking Brian, gestured with his gun barrel! Even though his hand holding the gun was shaking, nobody doubted this young black man¡¯s determination to shoot. Under Green¡¯s gaze, These men, one by one, walked up to the body of their dead companion, the earring man, and carefully pulled the trigger of his weapon. With that, the three Las Vegas ¡®rogue cops¡¯ who attacked Brian and Green were all dead. ... They locked up the members of the Helen Gang in a warehouse behind them. While waiting for backup to arrive. Through the mouths of these junkie cops, Brian learned about the purpose of these Las Vegas DEA officers¡¯ visit. It was all related to Sherick, the second-in-command of the Helen Gang, a victim of the massacre. This greedy guy had somehow found out about a cache of goods and dirty money hidden here by Rad and others during his last pickup in Las Vegas and even managed to secure the warehouse in question. The problem was. By the time these DEA officers received the message, days had gone by, and they had only recently investigated and pursued it here. They hadn¡¯t laid a hand on Sherick. Nor had they killed anyone. If that¡¯s the case, who was the murderer? Chapter 132 - 132 117 Susan Really Sinned! ?132: Chapter 117 Susan Really Sinned! The Suspect of the Annihilation Case is Caught 132: Chapter 117 Susan Really Sinned! The Suspect of the Annihilation Case is Caught Waiting for backup. Brian was smoking, pondering the identity of the killer. Meanwhile, Green was worried about the retaliation to come. He had heard some news from Las Vegas. Brian had killed a dirty cop named Rad, who was no ordinary player. Rad was a task force leader of the Las Vegas DEA, belonging to the lower ranks of the federal drug enforcement leadership, not just a simple clerk. That was why he was so brazen. It could be said, If it weren¡¯t for the fact that this was Los Angeles, Rad, whose head was blown off by Brian in one shot, could have directly called in a squad of dozens of armed personnel to suppress Helen Gang; there was no need for him to show up personally. Such a person, Brian had killed on a whim, it was uncertain if he could withstand the consequences. At this moment, Green was still unaware of what NW¡¯s clout in Los Angeles County meant and was worrying needlessly like any ordinary person. For this, Brian offered no further explanation. Some things, one could only understand after personal experience. ... The events that had unfolded before seemed numerous but, in reality, had not taken much time. It was just over ten minutes since Brian had pressed his watch asking for backup. A large number of police cars stormed into the small and eerily quiet poor neighborhood. Anxious, Green saw Brian¡¯s lack of reaction, and took the initiative to approach and recount the events. It wasn¡¯t long before all the guns and other items at the scene were confiscated and sealed. Brian¡¯s bullet-proof vest¡ªriddled with bullet holes¡ªhad become an important piece of evidence and was collected. The unfortunate ones from Helen Gang, having suffered death and being witnesses and bystanders of this internal conflict, were herded into police cars and taken en masse to a nearby station. Since Brian was a formal member of the NW task force, and Rad and his group were from Las Vegas, the people handling this incident were directly from the NW Internal Affairs for investigation. Thus, Brian faced his first temporary suspension. Before his suspension, Brian had made a call to Ivan, asking him to investigate and check the employee list at the crime scene warehouse to see if anyone had resigned recently. According to the narcotics officers¡¯ statements, it was an inside warehouse worker who had leaked the information to Sherick. The logic of the incident was clear. Sherick, driven by greed, had taken things that weren¡¯t his. The person who leaked the information to Sherick used him to attract attention, then followed him to Los Angeles to find Sherick¡¯s home. There were still doubts, But finding the person who had leaked the information to Sherick would essentially lock down the killer in this familicide. ... At the precinct. Caroline, with a bruised face, and a middle-aged man wearing glasses, sat across from Brian. Upon seeing Brian, Caroline wanted to throw out a sarcastic remark, but the pain across her body was a constant reminder that Brian knew a bit about fighting and that being hit by him hurt. After considering her low pain tolerance, Caroline chose to be a well-behaved and obedient baby. The middle-aged man placed a recorder between them, ¡°Officer Brian, hello, I¡¯m House, the investigator from NW Internal Affairs, this is my assistant Caroline, right now regarding...¡± After a friendly exchange. The investigator named House packed up the recorder and directly returned Brian¡¯s badge and issued gun. Brian was somewhat surprised, ¡°Isn¡¯t this matter unresolved? Don¡¯t I need to take a few days off?¡± House shook his head, ¡°Right now, there¡¯s a lot of pressure from cases in Los Angeles. We¡¯re well aware of the details of this conflict, and the DEA from Las Vegas also called, wanting to handle this matter low-key. So, forget about this, we can¡¯t let outsiders bully one of our own.¡± Brian felt pretty good hearing these words. Previously, he had been forced to take tests, which had exposed him to radiation, and he found NW¡¯s way of operating overbearing and quite annoying. Now being part of it, he was one of the bullies. At least for now, Brian felt not too bad. He had ultimately become the kind of person he detested the most. ... The next day. Brian, who hadn¡¯t slept well, along with Green and Shi San, who was dejected from being locked in the car all night, thirsty, hungry, and holding it in, returned to the B6 unit¡¯s office. Upon their arrival, Ivan, who had already heard the news, wanted to seize the opportunity to give Brian a warm welcome hug. Brian resolutely refused. Ivan had no choice but to turn his attention to the naive Green. Understanding, although not comprehending why Brian had refused Ivan¡¯s warmth, he went ahead to prevent Ivan from feeling awkward and accepted the bear hug. Feeling the robustness of the man in his arms, Ivan sighed in satisfaction. He then let go and said to Brian, ¡°I called the police in Las Vegas immediately after receiving your message last night, asking for help with the investigation. They were dismissive. I thought it would be a few days before I would hear back. However, for some reason, this morning they sent over the investigated materials; it seems I misunderstood them.¡± Brian shrugged and said nonchalantly, ¡°Maybe they just heard about my case today.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Ivan was still unaware of last night¡¯s events. ¡°I shot dead three of their junkie cops who had come over, got hold of some of their dirty secrets; I figure this is their way of getting in our good graces, otherwise, if the news leaked, they¡¯d be embarrassed too.¡± Chapter 133 - 133 117 Susan Really Sinned! ?133: Chapter 117 Susan Really Sinned! The Suspect of the Annihilation Case is Caught_2 133: Chapter 117 Susan Really Sinned! The Suspect of the Annihilation Case is Caught_2 Brian briefly talked about what happened last night, causing Ivan, the tough guy, to let out a girlish gasp. He felt somewhat emotional and sympathetic. Ivan still preferred the kind and gentle Brian he knew before. When Brian first arrived, he was such a polite and well-mannered boy. But after a few field assignments with team leader Susan, he turned into the fierce and ruthless Bloodthirsty Autopsy Officer. Susan really wreaked havoc! ... Brian had no idea about the little schemes Ivan had in his mind. He was browsing through the documents sent from Las Vegas when something caught his eye. He found it! In the documents, a warehouse company had a temporary worker resign on the 16th of last month, and a regular employee went missing on the 28th of last month, which was just two days ago. The missing employee was likely the warehouse staff member who sold information to Sherick. The disappearance of the staff member was definitely the doing of Rad¡¯s drug enforcement team. The temporary worker who resigned was now Brian¡¯s primary target of interest. Sherick held an auction at the warehouse on the 15th of last month. The temporary worker checked out and left on the 16th. Highly suspicious. Brian began to scrutinize the temporary worker¡¯s details. According to the information, the temporary worker¡¯s full name was Hader Dion, 31 years old, Mexican, height 193, worked in the warehouse handling heavy physical tasks, single, and had no criminal record... The file ended with a half-body photo. The photo showed a Mexican man with a simple and somewhat crooked face, making him look not very smart. At first glance at the facial features of the man in the photo, Brian was sure this man was the one he was looking for, and also the Mexican in Sherick¡¯s obsession! He took Hader Dion¡¯s file and went to Green, who was examining case files: ¡°Pal, this guy should be the murderer in the massacre case. Fax his photo to all the police stations in the area. Tell the patrol officers that the first person who finds this guy can get a quarter of the reward for solving the case, but tell them to be careful, this guy is dangerous.¡± ¡°Okay, Boss Brian.¡± Green nodded, gathered the case files, and left with the documents. ... After Green left. The massacre case hit a standstill, and with no new cases, Brian, out of boredom, got Shi San, who was wandering around, to sit in front of the computer for today¡¯s preschool education, instructed him to behave and study before he went to update the autopsy reports of the bodies found in the two cases yesterday. Going down, Brian happened to bump into Glenn, who was whistling back to the office. The guy seemed to be in a good mood. ¡°Hey, Glenn, you look like you¡¯re having some good luck?¡± Brian greeted. Seeing Brian, Glenn casually said, ¡°No, hit the jackpot, got genital warts, but the doctor said it was caught early, so I won¡¯t suffer too much. Just can¡¯t go carrot-picking recently.¡± ¡°Sounds good, at least you can get some rest.¡± Glenn sighed, ¡°Yeah, luckily the doctor knew about my X-addiction, he introduced me to a massage project from the land of ladyboys called ¡®Grabbing the Dragon Root,¡¯ supposedly has miraculous effects, I¡¯m planning to try it out after work today.¡± ¡°Alright, good luck.¡± Brian patted Glenn¡¯s shoulder with an odd look on his face and headed to the autopsy room downstairs. Watching Brian¡¯s disappearing figure on the stairs, Glenn looked puzzled. What does ¡®good luck¡¯ mean? ... The new assistant, Tom, was tucked in here playing games, and was abruptly recruited by Brian. During the game¡¯s idle times. The headset was still filled with the old man Hardenn cursing and swearing. A few seconds passed. Tom¡¯s family had been verbally annihilated by old Hardenn about four or five times, the cursing was harsh. ¡°Are you playing with old Hardenn?¡± Brian asked, somewhat surprised. This old geezer, Hardenn, had a foul mouth when it came to gaming. Tom nodded, ¡°He¡¯s pretty good, and I¡¯ve also discovered that Hardenn¡¯s computer skills must be pretty formidable, possibly even expert level.¡± Brian was unimpressed. With his old arms and legs and a car that was several years old, apart from dressing trendily, he was just an old guy out of touch with the times, how could he be a computer expert? Before, Tom used to be an investigator at the Forensic Bureau and had also been a detective, so he was familiar with signs on a body, but clueless when it came to autopsies. Under Brian¡¯s guidance. It took several hours. The two of them finally processed four bodies brought back from yesterday¡¯s two cases. During that time, Tom even threw up once. It couldn¡¯t be helped, in the family annihilation case, that child died tragically, stuffed into an oven while still living. Not only was the sight unbearable, but the unique odor also instinctively made one want to vomit. The killer was an absolute beast. It was Tom¡¯s first time personally conducting an autopsy, and it was distressing. Brian was also getting annoyed! NW Operations had taken over the homicide investigation responsibilities from the Detective Bureau. Accordingly. As the B6 group¡¯s Autopsy Officer, Brian needed to bring these autopsy reports to court and, in front of the judge and jury, ensure the fairness of the case with his expertise. How should I put it? It was just a formality. After all, this part used to be handled separately by forensic doctors of the Forensic Bureau and detectives of the Detective Bureau, which guaranteed impartiality. Now, solving the case and presenting evidence was all up to Brian. It was like guaranteeing oneself. Completely redundant. ... Today was calm and peaceful. There was also no news from that Mexican guy at the police station. Everyone managed to leave work on time for once. Back at the apartment. Shi San was extremely excited, sniffing around everywhere, even squeezing out a few drops in the hallway to refresh his scent across the territory, and barked a few times. Brian, after eating something, immediately flopped onto the bed and fell soundly asleep. Currently, his physical condition was at a bottleneck. Brian planned to visit the hospital whenever he was free to earn more Gift Energy and break through the bottleneck soon. At a little past eleven at night. A call came from Green: ¡°Boss Brian, that Mexican guy called Hader has shown up. Hader was at the bar drinking without paying and even hit someone. The bartender called the police, and my colleague on duty who went there recognized our target, so he took Hader to the police station first, then called me.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Brian quickly dressed, left Shi San to watch the house, and hurried to the police station. He thought it would take some time to find this Hader, but it turned out to be so smooth. He hoped there wouldn¡¯t be any melodramatic twists. Chapter 135 - 135 119 The Thirsty Psychologist ?135: Chapter 119: The Thirsty Psychologist 135: Chapter 119: The Thirsty Psychologist Young Green didn¡¯t want Hader to be mentally ill. The next day, early in the morning, he called Ivan and Glenn, two veteran detectives, and went to the LAPD¡¯s headquarters, the Parker Center, to retrieve the records of Hader and his mother. They also applied for assistance from the police station at Hader¡¯s original address to conduct an investigation. Brian was much busier. He extracted Hader¡¯s genetic information, fist marks, and other traces and compared them to various traces found in the annihilation case. The B6 laboratory was very simple. Brian was somewhat confused about the use of some equipment, and Tom, this guy, was even more clueless. In the end, they had to send it to the forensic chemistry department of the Forensic Bureau. The forensic chemistry department was the Forensic Bureau¡¯s only core department besides those forensic doctors and could detect various traces. Its members were mostly experts in traces examination, toxins, pathology, etc. This made Brian plan to poach more talent from the forensic chemistry department of the Forensic Bureau when the B6 team expanded again. Brian wasn¡¯t greedy. He hoped that in the future, the B6 team could also have a forensic chemistry department to serve his needs. Otherwise, he feared that as he became more powerful, the logistics couldn¡¯t keep up. ... Familiarity makes things easier. Near noon, Tom returned with the results from the forensic chemistry department. ¡°Brian, after the examination, the biological traces found on the female victim in the annihilation case match Hader¡¯s genetic information perfectly. Moreover, the fist mark traces, after being tested, also matched the fist mark on the male victim¡¯s chest. We can almost certainly conclude that Hader is the murderer of the annihilation case.¡± Tom, who had personally dissected the bodies of the family of three, had the most direct understanding of the cruelty of the case. This morning he had heard that the suspect Hader might have schizophrenia, which also left him feeling somewhat emotional. Due to the overuse of prescription drugs and the prevalence of wealthy individuals. Every year in the United States, numerous similar cases end inconclusively. Some are genuinely mentally ill. Some are merely wealthy individuals whose powerful lawyers portray them as mentally ill, or they simply use their wealth to manipulate the courtroom. The most unbelievable case was probably from over twenty years ago when a wealthy heir suddenly went berserk, shot at the then President of the United States, and pulled the trigger, resulting in one death and one injury. And then? That wealthy heir¡¯s family powerfully sculpted him into having Schrodinger¡¯s mental illness, essentially claiming he became ill during the few minutes before and after the shooting. In the end, the heir was acquitted. Shooting the President of the United States and being acquitted... That would be nearly impossible in any other country. But it indeed happened in this peculiar Federation. However, that wealthy heir also suffered. Mentally ill meant he had to receive treatment in a mental hospital. The guy applied for discharge numerous times but was always denied due to his Schrodinger¡¯s mental illness; each application rejected, confining him in a small room where even suicide was difficult. Prison inmates could at least get some fresh air. But he wasn¡¯t allowed. Every day was solitary confinement, taking medicine... To get out, it was probably a lifetime affair. ... Brian took the feedback report from the Forensic Bureau, looked at it, and then tossed it onto the table, ¡°Tom, how are cases involving mental illness generally handled?¡± Tom shrugged and spoke in a raspy voice, ¡°With a complete chain of evidence, the police will invite a psychologist for a preliminary assessment and present the outcome. Of course, if the defendant or the defendant¡¯s family can afford it, they can also hire lawyers and experts to participate in the process. Ultimately, these will be submitted to the courtroom, where the judge will decide whether the defendant is mentally ill. If rejected, the law will then pass judgment as normal. If accepted, the defendant will be declared not guilty but will need to undergo treatment in a mental hospital. Only when the mental hospital issues a recovery report can the defendant leave.¡± While speaking, he took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a deep drag before satisfyingly continuing, ¡°However, trust me, unless the family is wealthy and well connected enough to handle those greedy people in the mental hospital, staying in there is harder than death itself; better to just go to prison. When I was a detective, I handled a case concerning the mental hospital. It turned out someone was testing drugs on the mentally ill inside. Later, I found out that homeless people, the mentally ill, and the adoption sector all have their own industry chains and cooperate with each other.¡± Assistant Edna, curiously interjected, ¡°What happened to that case?¡± Tom exhaled a smoke ring and self-mockingly laughed, ¡°I glossed over that case. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t be seeing me right now.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Edna wanted to say more. But Old Hader, sitting opposite her, knocked on the table, ¡°There are many things beyond our control, Edna. You better finish the reports of previous cases while there are no new cases.¡± That disrupted the conversation. Everyone lost interest in chatting. ... In the afternoon. Brian had just given Dog Shi San his first school examination. The content of the exam paper was entirely prepared by him. Out of a hundred points, Shi San only scored nine. Brian, looking at Shi San sitting obediently on the ground, his puppy eyes expectantly gazing at him, couldn¡¯t help but reach for his belt. I¡¯ve been teaching you addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, literacy, the nine times table whenever I have time... hoping you become a new era dog with dreams, culture, and the ability to think. And you only scored nine? Do you deserve my devoted training? ¡°Woof? (Big dog, why are you angry? Is there an enemy?)¡±, sensing the dangerous pheromones from Brian, Shi San tilted his head in confusion, ready to bare his teeth at whoever angered the big dog. Brian pulled out his crocodile leather belt and crooked his finger at Shi San, ¡°Come with me to the team leader¡¯s office, and I¡¯ll tell you why I¡¯m angry.¡± It¡¯s too crowded outside. Spanking a child, the child¡¯s self-esteem might get hurt. ¡°Woof~ (Okay~)¡± Shi San happily wagged his tail and followed inside. Big Dog had said, perform well in exams, get delicious treats. Anticipation~ The next second. Aoow~ The cries of the dog came from inside the office... ... After two o¡¯clock. Glenn and his two companions, with a middle-aged woman dressed to the nines and wearing platinum glasses, returned to the office. Brian glanced at Shi San, who had tears in his eyes and was earnestly watching an educational video with her bottom pouted, and approached her, ¡°How is it?¡± Glenn looked a bit upset, ¡°Brian, the Las Vegas Police Department helped us check Hader¡¯s medical records. During Hader¡¯s high school days, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia for attempting to rape a female classmate; afterward, he dropped out and underwent treatment for some time. There isn¡¯t much information available afterward. However, we can confirm that Hader indeed has a mental illness.¡± Brian was not surprised by this. Looking at the middle-aged woman who had come back with them, he asked, ¡°Who is this?¡± The woman seemed to be living comfortably, dressed exquisitely, and the clothes and accessories on her did not appear cheap. She took a seat by herself, ¡°I¡¯m Sylue, a psychology consultant specialized for the Los Angeles Police Department. The department assigned me Hader¡¯s psychological assessment, so I came here to learn about Hader¡¯s case.¡± Seeing this, Brian frowned slightly. This so-called psychology expert didn¡¯t seem very empathetic. Didn¡¯t even know basic manners¡ªare you really a psychology expert? Brian signals to Ivan and Glenn with his eyes before addressing the woman, ¡°Hello, Ms. Sylue, I am Brian, the acting head of Team B6. Please take a seat, I¡¯ll go get the files.¡± Ivan and the other followed him. Upon reaching the conference room, Brian looked at Ivan, ¡°Is this woman really a psychology expert?¡± Ivan nodded, ¡°This woman is a known sham in the industry. Somehow, she obtained some titles of professor and expert, and specializes in providing false assessments for rich clients. Her husband is a somewhat influential congressman, it¡¯s better not to mess with her.¡± ¡°Really powerful?¡± Off to one side, Glenn nodded, ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, but she¡¯s definitely desperate. On the way up, she already asked Ivan and me for our contact information.¡± He chuckled, ¡°If you don¡¯t like her, I can sacrifice myself tonight.¡± He was technically working while sick. Brian rolled his eyes, ¡°Dude, knowingly transmitting STDs is illegal.¡± ... Now knowing Sylue had some clout behind her, Brian felt more prepared. He handed the case files to Sylue, ¡°This contains the information on the suspect Hader, and a general overview of the mass murder. We can confirm now that he killed those people, and his methods were extremely brutal, next...¡± But Sylue was uninterested. An unpaid assessment was just a formality to her. She was more interested in this handsome young face before her. After storing the files, Sylue irritably said to Brian, ¡°This new department of yours doesn¡¯t seem to understand basic etiquette. I¡¯ve been here for a while now and haven¡¯t even seen a cup of coffee.¡± ¡°Shall I get one for you?¡± ¡°No need, you should have just poured it without asking,¡± Sylue adjusted her glasses, ¡°And judging by this shabby place, the coffee¡¯s probably cheap goods. How about this, once we¡¯re done here, come over and I¡¯ll teach you what hospitality is.¡± Saying this, she pulled a hotel card from her purse and handed it to Brian. Brian:... Glenn was right; this woman was indeed ravenous. His expression turned cold, ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, Ms. Sylue. If you have the time now, please proceed with Hader¡¯s assessment. We are quite busy here and cannot afford to waste time.¡± ¡°You!¡± Sylue glared at Brian, but seeing him turning to leave, she followed begrudgingly. She vowed to make this guy¡¯s life miserable today! Oh right. The demeanor of that young African-American earlier suggested he really wanted to pin the crime on Hader. In that case... ... Elsewhere, Before heading to the precinct, Brian pulled Glenn aside and started confiding. After listening to Brian, Glenn scratched his slightly itchy Wolong Valley, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say that doing this is unethical and illegal?¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°Indeed, but then again, Ms. Sylue is so desperate yet still takes the time to work for the police department. It¡¯s touching and admirable. As a young and promising ex-detective, showing some concern would reflect the humanitarian care of the Los Angeles Police, right?¡± Watching Brian walk away, Glenn smirked. Today he had seen the flexible moral line of Brian. This guy was rather vengeful. Lucky for him, he had never crossed paths with Brian before. ... Considering a case could come up at any time, Brian instructed the others to stay on duty at the office while he alone accompanied Sylue, a special consultant for the police, to the precinct to conduct a psychological evaluation on Hader. He also saw this as an opportunity to test a theory he had the day before. Hader¡¯s case was peculiar. Killing as an obsession didn¡¯t seem right, But releasing him after he had killed felt wrong to Brian. It wouldn¡¯t satisfy the deceased¡¯s obsessions either. Upon reflecting for a long time yesterday, Brian finally thought of a quite dishonorable method. If feasible, it would allow him to fulfill victim Sherick¡¯s obsession and bring the criminal to justice without compromising his ethical guidelines! Chapter 136 - 136 120 So Youre the Holy Mother Right ?136: Chapter 120 So You¡¯re the Holy Mother, Right? 136: Chapter 120 So You¡¯re the Holy Mother, Right? Brian and Sylue were led to a small cell where Hader was being held. Hader was sound asleep, occasionally smacking his lips, looking foolish and thick-headed. Anyone would find it hard to believe that such a simpleton had killed the mistress, beat the master to death, and thrown a child into an oven, baking him alive. Sylue disdainfully glanced at the shabby cell and Hader on the bed. She directly said to the patrolling officer beside her, ¡°Open the door, and please leave, I don¡¯t like having a third party present during a psychological evaluation.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you sure?¡± The patrol officer looked at Sylue as if she were a fool. Did this woman not realize how cruel this seemingly simple-minded fellow was? He had heard from his colleagues about the brutal crime scene. Normally, psychological evaluations are conducted in interrogation rooms with the criminals in handcuffs and someone watching to prevent any violence. Unperturbed, Sylue replied, ¡°I¡¯ve made myself quite clear; if you¡¯re worried about the big fellow inside hurting me, there¡¯s no need¡ªI am an expert and authority in this field, and no one understands mental illness better than I do. Now, please open this door and leave with this pretty boy!¡± She was indeed a fake, merely going through the motions, which is why she did not like having outsiders present. Of course, Sylue planned to irritate Brian, the pretty boy who had refused her invitation, so there certainly couldn¡¯t be any outsiders. Seeing no alternative, the young officer looked at Brian. Brian spoke casually, ¡°Miss Sylue is a psychology expert specially appointed by the headquarters; she is an authority in this field. We should trust the authority.¡± With that, he walked away. Sylue had not even looked closely at Hader¡¯s information previously and probably underestimated the gravity of the situation, misled by Hader¡¯s appearance. Brian was rather keen on seeing how this would unfold. The young patrol officer, still showing some responsibility, continued to advise earnestly, ¡°Ma¡¯am, this man is very dangerous. It¡¯s best if someone watches over him outside, or as usual, bring him to the interrogation room for questioning, otherwise...¡± Seeing his hesitation, Sylue¡¯s perfectly maintained face displayed a look of disgust, ¡°Are you discriminating against the person inside? Mental patients are also people with human rights. We should treat everyone equally. If you continue displaying this discriminatory attitude, I¡¯ll complain to your superior!¡± Their commotion woke Hader from his slumber. He got up, looking somewhat confused, ¡°May I go out now?¡± The young patrol officer looked at the simple Hader, thinking it should be fine. He sighed and unlocked the small cell door, ¡°Hader, this is Miss Sylue. She wants to ask you some questions. Please cooperate well.¡± After saying that, he also left the temporary detention place. ... Sylue disdainfully walked into the cell and then covered her nose. There was even the smell of urine and feces! Besides that, The makeshift temporary detention room, aside from a bed, had absolutely nowhere to sit. Sylue somewhat regretted relocating the psychological evaluation to this filthy, disgusting place, just to avoid the surveillance and eavesdropping of the interrogation room. There were surveillance and eavesdropping here too, but they could not be used as evidential proof unless there was an issue. Sylue was well aware of these things. Seeing her remain silent, Hader scratched his head, ¡°Ma¡¯am, what would you like to know?¡± Sylue stood at the doorway, dismissively saying, ¡°Just briefly talk about your background, like your mother, your family, and also mention your hobbies.¡± Hader nodded and began to recount his background. About ten minutes later. Sylue, with the information she wanted, quickly called Brian and the young patrol officer back, standing impatiently by the railing: ¡°Mr. Brian, from my evaluation, Mr. Hader, due to his childhood experiences with his mother being a prostitute, shows symptoms of schizophrenia. He should not be held criminally responsible and should not be tried by law! Also, when Mr. Hader is normal, he is a good, honest person. He is very kind. Before the court¡¯s judgment, keeping him in such a place is extremely inhumane. As a member of the Prisoners¡¯ Care Association, I question your actions! I suspect you are abusing an innocent person!¡± The young patrol officer thought his ears were malfunctioning. Otherwise, how could a seemingly intellectual, educated lady say something so idiotic? However, when he heard the name ¡°Prisoners¡¯ Care Association,¡± a look of realization and disgust appeared. He got it! Those were the sanctimonious Holy Mothers who always advocate for prisoners¡¯ rights! Brian was also speechless, ¡°You¡¯re saying let out a man who murdered a family of three and could lapse into sickness any moment, to roam free before his trial?¡± Seeing Brian¡¯s reaction, Sylue knew he was upset and felt quite pleased. She nodded, ¡°Is there a problem? If the trial hasn¡¯t started, then legally, Hader is an innocent civilian, entitled to human rights and freedom. What you¡¯re doing now is abuse!¡± Coldness flashed in Brian¡¯s eyes. This woman was truly irritating! He really wanted to wring her neck! Brian took a deep breath, suppressing the unknown fury inside, ¡°But he murdered a family of three, and there is clear evidence proving that he did it. We¡¯re all following the proper procedures; leaving such a dangerous person out could harm innocent people at any moment.¡± Chapter 137 - 137 120 Are You the Holy Mother_2 ?137: Chapter 120 Are You the Holy Mother?_2 137: Chapter 120 Are You the Holy Mother?_2 ¡°You¡¯re discriminating!¡± Sylue declared righteously, ¡°I must warn you, you¡¯re discriminating against a criminal! Everyone makes mistakes; we should learn to forgive them, to transform them with love, to let them know that their actions are wrong instead of provoking them with discriminating eyes! Leaving the case aside, Hader is a very kind person. I¡¯ve been alone with him for so long, and he hasn¡¯t made any moves to harm me!¡± Brian had already lost the desire to argue with such idiotic nonsense. He glanced at Hader, who was curiously listening to their conversation, and followed his own impulse to switch into his Enchanting Demon mode... However. This time, Brian¡¯s emitted pheromones were customized as an aphrodisiac specifically for Hader. To some extent, he was now seducing Hader. And it was an enhanced version, a potent 1V1 custom seduction. Such a state was the most likely to provoke Hader¡¯s other, more malevolent and sinister personality. Almost seconds after Brian released his pheromones, The foolish look in Hader¡¯s eyes began to change. He slowly lowered his head. ... The other two didn¡¯t notice this change. Seeing Brian had stopped talking, Sylue was about to intensify her efforts to disgust the opponent. Just then. Standing behind Sylue, separated by a railing, Hader lifted his lowered head: ¡°Excuse me, what¡¯s this about a family of three? I don¡¯t quite understand your conversation.¡± Feeling the breath Hader exhaled on the back of her neck, Sylue moved away in disgust and turned her head dismissively, ¡°Hader, don¡¯t worry, it wasn¡¯t your intent to kill; it¡¯s all your prostitute mother¡¯s fault. Her degeneracy caused your split personality; you are innocent.¡± Next moment. A burly hand reached through the gap in the railing and grabbed Sylue by the back of her neck. Her eyes wide with shock, she tried to turn around but was forcibly lifted by brute strength and slammed against the iron railing behind her, her feet dangling in the air. Hader, holding Sylue by the back of her neck, had a completely changed demeanor. His originally drooping eyes were now uplifted; the change was subtle but it shattered his previously simple image, paired with an asymmetrical face, he now exuded a dark and brutal impression. Hader gently sniffed the scent of shampoo and perfume emanating from the back of Sylue¡¯s head and said in a deep voice, ¡°You filthy whore, do you know how long I¡¯ve endured you? If I could have come out earlier, I would have strangled you to death! Don¡¯t keep mentioning that filthy whore I smothered with my own hands in front of me!¡± Sylue was terrified. So painful! It hurt so much to have her hair pulled like this! Her eyes filled with tears of pain and fear, she pleaded with Brian and the young patrol officer for help: ¡°Save me, please save me! He¡¯s a madman; he¡¯s going to kill me! You two bastards, save me!¡± The young patrol officer finally snapped out of the sudden turn of events. He pulled out his handgun from his waist, ready to shoot Hader on the spot, but a hand stopped him. Brian blocked the patrol officer who wanted to act, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°There are no buts,¡± Brian said with a light smile on his face, ¡°Our psychological expert, the esteemed Miss Sylue, is currently transforming him with love. She¡¯s a great woman. If you draw your gun now, wouldn¡¯t that be discriminating against the criminal? Be careful, Miss Sylue might file a complaint against you.¡± Damn it! So you think you¡¯re the Holy Mother, huh? Let¡¯s see how you transform a psycho with love now! The young patrol officer caught on as well. He glanced at the surveillance camera above the prison and shrugged, ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Brian. Miss Sylue is the authority in this field. She has said that we should forgive criminals and transform them with love; she¡¯s probably demonstrating it for us now.¡± Hearing these mocking words, Sylue was about to explode with anger! Her originally charitable face, contorted with rage and pain, became grotesquely twisted: ¡°You two bastards, I swear, I¡¯ll have my husband kill you both.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Hader, in a fit of rage, grabbed Sylue¡¯s hair and violently banged her against the railing several times. For some reason... A fire raged in his belly. That pretty boy outside the railing, he smelled so good! He so wanted him... He panted and his asymmetrical face was full of impatience, ¡°If you want to save this bitch, drop your guns and open the iron gate..¡± Brian interrupted Hader¡¯s words, ¡°No, no, no, what do you mean ¡®save¡¯? Ms. Sylue has sacrificed herself to reform you, so that you may be redeemed and start a new life. So now, you should properly enjoy the redemption she offers you.¡± Hader couldn¡¯t stand the heat anymore! Seeing that the pretty boy wasn¡¯t taking the bait. He could no longer bear it, and his other hand brutally tore Sylue¡¯s clothes. ... Sylue saw that Brian and the others really weren¡¯t moving, and now she was truly scared. She could already sense what was going to happen next. If that occurred, she would definitely become the laughing stock of Los Angeles. In despair, Sylue stretched out her hand to Brian and the others, ¡°Save me, I¡¯m sorry, I was wrong, please save me.¡± Brian sneered, ¡°Don¡¯t joke, Ms. Sylue. You are the authority; how could you be wrong? It¡¯s those innocent victims who are wrong, not the criminals, isn¡¯t that what you mean?¡± Saying this, He walked over to the struggling Sylue and whispered, ¡°Do you know how the female victim in the massacre case died? You¡¯re about to experience that same desperation.¡± The best way to deal with these self-righteous Holy Mothers is to let them personally feel the victims¡¯ experiences. If they still remain defiant after that, Brian would actually respect them. ... Sylue wanted to make threats, but Hader didn¡¯t give her the chance. Amid the sound of tearing, Sylue let out a scream, then was caught by the neck through the railing by Hader and repeatedly slammed against it. The junior officer, seeing Brian doing nothing but watching, started feeling uneasy: ¡°Really not going to stop it? There¡¯s surveillance here.¡± He also wished that Sylue, that bitch, would drop dead but certainly didn¡¯t want any trouble for himself. Brian shrugged, ¡°She¡¯s not dead, just let her catch her breath. This bitch and her congressman husband are more afraid than anyone of the surveillance here getting out.¡± Only when Sylue¡¯s eyes rolled back did Brian signal the patrolman to open the cell door. Taking care of the Holy Mother gave him a sense of relief. He was ready to try the method he¡¯d thought of yesterday. Bringing out Hader¡¯s second personality was just the first step. There were still two more steps after that. Brian was still figuring out how to proceed with the next two steps when Sylue, this idiot, showed up. He was thankful for the Holy Mother Sylue¡¯s selfless sacrifice. Now, the remaining two steps would be easier to accomplish. ... Seeing the door open, Hader roared furiously, stimulated by the pheromones, and dropped the nearly choked-out Sylue, swinging a club, charging at Brian. The next moment. Bang~ A gunshot rang out. Hader screamed in agony, clutching his now absent Wolong Valley, writhing on the ground. Brian put away the small caliber pistol and turned to the patrolman, ¡°Clean up this woman, take her out, tell the people outside this involves the face of a congressman¡¯s wife. If they don¡¯t want to make trouble for themselves, they should shut their mouths.¡± ¡°What about the surveillance?¡± ¡°It will break on its own.¡± Chapter 138 - 138 121 The Original Sect Appears! ?138: Chapter 121: The Original Sect Appears! (Adding 6 more chapters for the alliance leader ¡®Splendor of the Night¡¯) 138: Chapter 121: The Original Sect Appears! (Adding 6 more chapters for the alliance leader ¡®Splendor of the Night¡¯) Thinking about Schrodinger¡¯s surveillance. The patrol officer suddenly realized, roughly wrapped up the dazed Sylue again, half-supported and half-dragged, and took her out of the detention room. The gunshot just now would attract attention within the station. He had to get out quickly and explain the situation. Seeing that the person had left. Brian took out the hemostatic spray he had prepared earlier, first treated Hader who had lost his cause of trouble with hemostasis, then tied up his hands and feet, ready for the next experiment. Actually, he could have just used his foot to physically reduce the secretion of male hormones in Hader¡¯s body. But that was too disgusting. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. Yes, the second step was to remove Hader¡¯s cause of trouble. Whether using chemical or physical methods, either was fine. Hader¡¯s case was complicated. He was a congenital sufferer of super-male syndrome, but due to certain reasons during his growth, Hader¡¯s personality wasn¡¯t much affected. Then, some accidents occurred causing Hader, under the influence of internal hormones and external stimuli, to develop a second personality truly fitting the super-male syndrome. According to the situation currently understood by Brian. It seemed that Hader¡¯s mother, with her love, taught Hader to form his current personality, but her profession subconsciously gave rise to Hader¡¯s second personality. But none of these mattered anymore. Hader¡¯s fate was destined for a psychiatric hospital. Brian had to take advantage of this opportunity to proceed to the third step. ... He had always been thinking about how to torment to death a second personality. First, the foundation that gave rise to this personality had to be destroyed: the abnormal hormone secretion. This step was already completed. Without the cause of trouble. The level of male hormones in Hader¡¯s body would rapidly decrease. Now it was time for the third step. Here arose a question: What is tormenting to death? Is torment strictly physical torture? Senior instructor Brian didn¡¯t think so. Mental torture was also a form of torment. He used his body to block the surveillance, took out the sterile willow-leaf blade, first controlled the pheromones that he specially emitted for Hader, concentrated them in the blood on his fingers, then cut open his finger, and evenly smeared the fresh blood over Hader¡¯s scalp. This way, under the stimulation of the pheromones, Hader¡¯s second personality had no place to hide and had to endure the stimulation of the pheromones while desperately seeking relief. It was uncertain how long it could last. Having done all this. Brian put away the spray and blade, with a thought, the wound on his finger automatically wriggled, without even using Gift Energy, it turned into a fine red line, barely showing any signs of injury. Under his strong cellular activity. The wound would completely heal within at most a day. Next was to wait for Hader¡¯s second personality to suffer from unsatisfied desires and eventually collapse under such torment. Before that. Brian was not sure if he could fulfill the dead man¡¯s obsession. He just did what he wanted to do. Kind-hearted Hader should not be tormented by him. Wicked Hader shouldn¡¯t escape every time he did something bad, letting the kind-hearted side suffer the punishment. This principle of action made Brian feel his soul increasingly calm. ... The absurd incident in the detention room involved a congressman¡¯s wife and was resolved with utmost speed. The detention room¡¯s surveillance conveniently broke, resulting in all stored data being lost. The congressman¡¯s secretary arrived at the station first, and after consulting with all the informed parties, the incident was documented as: Expert Sylue, during an evaluation, was shamelessly attacked by the criminal, the station¡¯s well-trained officers immediately rescued the pitiful Miss Sylue and shot the mentally ill criminal Hader. Thus, Sylue¡¯s shameful ordeal naturally ceased to exist, and she wouldn¡¯t face embarrassment; in fact, after a few minor reports, she might even receive praise from the public. For the sake of saving those criminals¡¯ lost souls and upholding the justice and dignity of the law, psychological expert and authority on criminal psychology, Miss Sylue took the risk to evaluate emotionally unstable criminals. Listen, how great. The station no longer had to worry about responsibility. Brian, too, casually completed his task. If Hader was lucky, he might focus on enjoying life at the psychiatric hospital, becoming his true self. Sylue also fulfilled her own declaration of being a saviour with her body, completing the redemption of the criminal. Everyone was happy. ... Two ambulances respectively took away Sylue and Hader. The former was directly taken to a private medical facility with high confidentiality. The latter, with his hands and feet secured, was taken aboard the ambulance under the watch of several patrol officers. Before leaving. Hader was still furiously yelling towards Brian, ¡°Give it to me, give it to me!¡± This made Brian once again realize the terror of himself being a male seducer. Truly capable of attracting both men and women! It was only because he was tired of ¡®seafood¡¯ and now sought some spiritual satisfaction, wanting to be a decent man, otherwise Brian dared not think how depraved he might become. Humming a tune. Brian declined the request of a young patrol officer who wanted to follow him and drove back to the B6 office. ... Upon his return, Brian saw Shi San at his desk, seriously watching a preschool education video on repeat. However, its sleepy-eyed expression had betrayed it. Edna, the female clerk, took the opportunity to tease, ¡°Oh, Shi San, you¡¯re awake, haha, Brian, why would you give a two-month-old puppy preschool education? No puppy is that smart.¡± She finished speaking. Shi San had already bared his teeth at this blabbermouth of a dog. Edna covered her mouth, ¡°It didn¡¯t understand what I said, did it?¡± Brian absentmindedly touched the crocodile skin belt at his waist. Shi San¡¯s dog face changed instantly, revealing a healing smile, wagging its tail, looking every bit the innocent puppy. Brian changed the subject, ¡°Edna, the mass murder case has been closed. Just submit the paperwork directly. By the way, where are Ivan and the others?¡± Edna¡¯s attention successfully diverted, ¡°A homeless man while rummaging through a garbage chute, found a male corpse that was only half intact. They went to take care of it.¡± Brian nodded. After Edna returned to her workstation, he turned to Shi San, showing a kindly smile, ¡°Not bad, you¡¯ve even learned to pretend, getting smarter.¡± ¡°Whine~ (So sleepy~)¡± Shi San rushed to Brian¡¯s palm, nuzzling his little head back and forth, acting cute. Brian, amused by Shi San¡¯s cheekiness, pinched its face for a while before letting it go. This damned dog, it hadn¡¯t learned much else, but its cheekiness was certainly growing. No clue who it learned that from. ... Nothing else to do. Brian headed to the shooting range and after firing more than two hundred bullets, unleashed some of his increasingly restless energy, then it was time to clock out. Ivan and the others also returned with the mangled corpse. Brian glanced briefly at the corpse and noticed that the break was oddly located, like rubber had been forcibly stretched until it tore. If you don¡¯t understand, think of dismemberment by horses. However, eyes on the present, typically only some gangs use this brutal method of killing with vehicles to intimidate enemies or inner members. But now, it was time to clock out. That was a matter for tomorrow to consider. Now Brian was unencumbered, just him and the dog. Clocking out, no concerns. Brian immediately called Ivan and the others for a small gathering at the bar. ... At the bar. Two big mugs of beer down. Brian breathed out comfortably, ¡°How was the case today?¡± Ivan put down his big beer mug, ¡°Quite strange, judging from the marks, it appears two vehicles pulled the victim back and forth until his body was literally torn apart, causing his death. The victim had struggled before dying, which fits with the described manner of death. Gangs have used similar methods before to punish betraying gang members, but usually, they handle the bodies themselves. The police don¡¯t actively investigate such cases; it¡¯s an unspoken agreement between them. But this body ended up directly in a garbage bin.¡± Glenn also nodded, ¡°I suspect this case is personal revenge against the gang, dumping the body was probably meant to get the attention of both the police and the gang.¡± He grew up in the slums and was naturally sharp about these things. Glenn interrupted the three¡¯s conversation, ¡°Hey, we¡¯re off the clock, don¡¯t be so morose. Life¡¯s not all about dead bodies, let¡¯s talk about something else.¡± Brian grinned mischievously, ¡°How about we talk about your illness and treatment?¡± Glenn rolled his eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t do that, buddy, you can¡¯t help me anyway.¡± ¡°No, no, no, you might want to visit Chinatown, there¡¯s a private vineyard there that sells high-strength medicinal wine, it not only activates your blood and disinfects, but it also tastes quite good.¡± Glenn¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°That wine could help me?¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°No help at all, I just really like drinking it.¡± Glenn instantly gave Brian the middle finger. This diversion turned everyone¡¯s topics to a more relaxed direction. He looked at the three engrossed in conversation, took a big gulp of ice-cold beer, ¡°I think I¡¯m addicted to it now, it¡¯s really a great massage technique, especially if the masseur is a young lady, I¡¯d enjoy it even more.¡± Seeing him enjoy himself so much, Brian teased with a wicked smile, ¡°You do know they reuse that mud, right?¡± Glenn paused for a moment. Reuse? The thought made him shudder... his face looking as uncomfortable as if he had been squished by a ¡®big burly man¡¯. But Ivan perked up. He patted Glenn on the shoulder, ¡°Sounds a bit disgusting, but if it works, it works. Hey, Glenn, what¡¯s the address, send it to me, I¡¯m not afraid of a little disgust.¡± Silently, Green took a sip of beer. He recalled his mother¡¯s advice to him: remember to get along with your colleagues in the new department. But mom, what if I feel alienated in the new department because I¡¯m not weird enough? ... After the gathering broke up. Brian, carrying the blacked-out Shi San, returned to the apartment. As he approached. He instinctively activated his enhanced sense of smell and took a sniff. The next moment. Brian stopped in his tracks. A large amount of alcohol vaporized rapidly, spreading through his skin¡¯s pores into the air, engulfing the surroundings with a strong smell of alcohol. Making sure he was in his best condition. Brian held his breath and arrived at his apartment door, only to find an enormous blood-colored handprint left on the previously intact wooden door. Below the handprint, tucked into the doorbell, was a letter. Brian, unfazed by toxins, directly retrieved the letter. The surface of the letter was crudely drawn with many symbols, resembling a child¡¯s scribbles. Brian squinted at these symbols. They were the imprints of the Original Sect! This group, having been attacked before, was now being ruthlessly hunted by the FBI and NW Combat Department; why would they come after him? Chapter 139 - 139 122 Cross Me and I Can Only See You Off ?139: Chapter 122: Cross Me, and I Can Only See You Off 139: Chapter 122: Cross Me, and I Can Only See You Off The Original Sect was an organization originating from the mutants of Africa. Not long before, this organization had suddenly pulled together a bunch of clueless thugs and attacked twelve teams of the NW Operation Division, completely annihilating Team B1, leaving only a few lucky survivors who were not there at the time. Brian¡¯s colleague Tom was one of them. This incident was somewhat related to Brian. At that time, the members of Team B1 were investigating a vicious ¡°butcher¡± who had bombed the leader of Team A1. Through the butcher¡¯s mask and outfit, they happened to probe into a key figure of the Original Sect and straightforwardly eliminated them. It was then that the Original Sect sent people for retaliation. The butcher was actually Brian. Seeing their letter, Brian realized that his life, which had just stabilized for a couple of days, was about to be disrupted again. He returned to his house. Brian opened the envelope. Inside was only a piece of paper exuding a fishy smell. On the paper, written in blood from an unknown source, were three strings of abstract Federation script: I have discovered you. If you don¡¯t want to expose yourself, come immediately to the Smith Circus. I will be watching you! At the end of the letter, there was a pair of blood-red eyes. It seemed that the person who drew it wasn¡¯t very cultured, making it look like a child¡¯s doodle¡ªother than being somewhat eerie, it lacked shocking power. ... ¡°Interesting, discovered me?¡± Brian stroked his chin. He didn¡¯t know whether this was a probe or they had really discovered him. After all, mutants had many abilities and he hadn¡¯t acquired the ability of ¡°Pheromone Control¡± + ¡°Body Control¡± when initially acting as the butcher; it was possible that his own pheromones were left behind at the scene. The problem was, after killing the leader of Team A1, Susan had dragged him back to the crime scene the next day. At that time, he had a visible identity! Even if someone used a similar olfactory mutant ability, they shouldn¡¯t have been able to pinpoint him just by the scent, right? Brian pondered for a moment, then gave up. It didn¡¯t matter anymore. Regardless of the reason, as long as everyone involved was dead, he would still be respected as an esteemed Autopsy Officer! ¡°Why can¡¯t I live a peaceful life without these pests constantly bothering me?¡± Brian shook his head, carefully stored the letter, left his residence, and went to a secretly rented safehouse upstairs, concealing all his pheromones. He took a thorough shower, changed into new clothes, put on a clown mask, and carefully sniffed the fishy letter. The fresh pheromones remaining on it suddenly rushed into Brian¡¯s mind. He walked to a mirror, twisted his neck, and under the dim light, the clown mask on his face revealed a colorful, cold, wild, and insane smile... ... Leaving the apartment. Brian didn¡¯t rush to track the origin of the pheromones but first went to the nearest independent safehouse. This was one of the safehouses left by his uncle Billy. The house was registered under the name of a salesman who roamed around the world; Brian was uncertain if such a person really existed, but he found that this person had complete tax and shopping records each year, likely managed by someone specially hired for that purpose. These details were not important. What was important was the equipment. Upon arriving at the underground chamber in the house. Brian looked at the massive amount of armaments, even a large box of high-explosive grenades, and the corners of his lips under the mask curled upward. Such a comforting sense of security! He picked and chose, donned a tactical vest, selected a Glock 17 he frequently used, fitted ten standard magazines, slung a silenced automatic rifle with ten magazines on his back, and adorned himself with eighteen high-explosive hand grenades on a tactical belt. A fully-armed riotous clown appeared in the chamber. However, all these were just routine preparations. Brian moved past this not-so-long wall of armaments and approached a refrigerated cabinet, opening the door. Inside were rows of transparent crystal balls, displaying yellow and green colors¡ªBiochemical Bombs. This was the infamous VX agent bomb; its interior contained a colorless, odorless oily liquid that would form neurotoxin gas upon contact with oxygen, exhibiting astonishing lethality, prepared by Uncle Billy as a final countermeasure for himself. To put it simply. An egg-sized VX agent bomb in Brian¡¯s hand contained enough poison gas to harm nearly a thousand people, causing hundreds of fatalities. Of course, these are just theoretical numbers. The spread of the substance mainly depends on the air. Upon detonation, the VX component reacts with the air to form a colorless, odorless neurotoxin, which can also be deployed in water sources, forming poisoned water. The best method to achieve widespread damage is to disperse it, creating a toxic circle or using planes to spray or missiles to block off areas completely. However, because it is excessively toxic, it has been banned as a weapon. The most suitable use for VX agent bombs is to be placed in highly populated public areas and water treatment plants to create a deterrent. It is easy to carry and has a not insignificant success rate, making it a favorite among terrorists. However, its production is difficult, requiring professionals and cutting-edge equipment. Most organizations do not have the capability to produce it. Brian wasn¡¯t clear on how his uncle had managed to acquire these items. But seeing them kept safe, it was clear that the FBI Hunting Team and those fools had no idea who they were messing with. Chapter 140 - 140 122 Provoked Me I Can Only See You Off_2 ?140: Chapter 122: Provoked Me, I Can Only See You Off_2 140: Chapter 122: Provoked Me, I Can Only See You Off_2 They were foolish enough to set up a cultivation group, hoping to use Billy¡¯s lab where he developed the ¡°God¡¯s Initiative¡± reagent, and in the end to kill three birds with one stone. That meant Billy was going to lose control. Otherwise, Brian had no doubt that his uncle could play those FBI agents like puppets. He meticulously attached all the VX poison capsules to his belt, ignored the protective gear set aside, walked to the garage, got into the unlicensed car, and left the safe house. ... Tracking scents, before modern times, was undoubtedly a divine skill in tracking. But in the age of developed transportation, it became somewhat difficult. The scent from a car was the hardest to track. Brian traced the possible route back and forth seven or eight times until he finally tracked down a poor neighborhood on the eastern edge of the city. There, he smelled the pheromones from the letter. This was a black slum, but its main residents were immigrants from Africa. Most African immigrants actually emigrate to Europe; not many come here because they are too much of a minority. Coming here, they easily suffer bullying and discrimination. They are not accepted by the local black community, and their living conditions are not good. Following the scent, Brian arrived at a somewhat decrepit apartment building. Walking through the dimly lit corridor, the pungent smells of marijuana, urine, alcohol vomit, and more wafted out from the rooms. The original color of the corridor was indiscernible, making it sickening just to set foot in. He came to a room at the end of the hallway. Brian paused for three seconds, then, with the aid of supercomputer perception, barely assured there was no movement inside, he gripped the doorknob with his gloved hand as his uncle had once twisted the lock off his apartment door, forcefully twisting open the cheap lock. Entering the room, he saw a young black man with protruding lips and a slightly sandpaper-like complexion, wearing only shorts, sprawled out on the sofa asleep, surrounded by food scraps and beer cans, beside which laid seventeen or eighteen low denomination US dollar bills. Brian sniffed lightly, confirmed the man was his target, closed the door, searched the room, then went over, grabbed the man by the neck, and dragged him out like a dead dog. The man woke up in shock when his throat was locked. He was incredibly angry, then he choked, and Brian¡¯s nearly five hundred pounds of brute strength squeezed him until he was oxygen-deprived, and he passed out again. Brian, with his current ability, if placed in the era of cold weapons dressed in heavy armor, would be a monster capable of handling a several dozen-pound two-handed sword with one hand, swirling it into blade flowers, with endurance on par with bulls and oxen, single-handedly slaying over a hundred people of a cold weapon army would be a breeze! Arriving at the deserted garbage disposal plant, Brian dropped the man on the ground and gave him several hard slaps. Under his interrogation, no carbon-based life could keep secrets! The young black man, under the stimulus of pain, opened his eyes bewilderedly, only to be met by the sinister smile of a mask... ... Half an hour later, at the foul-smelling sewage network node, a group of people knelt under a sculpture, praying devoutly. A bald black man looked at his subordinate, ¡°Have all those letters been sent out?¡± His subordinate, cloaked in a black robe blending into the darkness like a specter, nodded, ¡°Alaba Priest, there are twenty-seven suspects with that scent. Unless that butcher can conceal his own scent, he is definitely among those twenty-seven.¡± ¡°Twenty-seven people...¡± The bald black man sighed, ¡°That¡¯s too many. Whether there¡¯s a result or not, the hidden Beastmen of Smith Circus must leave, and we must evacuate as well. It¡¯s getting harder and harder to hide from Hyena¡¯s high-tech methods.¡± If it was not to complete the sect¡¯s mission of retribution, the FBI and the Los Angeles NW Organization, pursuing them so fiercely, they would not be using such a clumsy method that flushes out the target. In the heart of the Bald Priest, this was just for show to the high-ranking members of the sect, he held out little hope. There might be no results, but there had to be action. That was why he was able to become a priest of the sect. However, the Bald Priest still hoped that this flushed out the little mouse that had harmed their sect. When that time came, he would use the tribe¡¯s most brutal method of execution on the culprit! Just then, every kneeling believer¡¯s pupils contracted violently, they clutched their throats in pain, collapsing to the ground, gasping like fish out of water, trying to breathe but finding their muscles out of control. Only their body¡¯s instinctual reaction could expel the vast amount of sweat, causing their bodies to convulse. This sudden calamity stunned the few remaining black people in robes on the scene. ¡°Not good!¡± ¡°Attack!¡± A black man, with fluorescent light sparkling in his eyes, roared as his muscles swelled and his hands transformed into sharp claws. With a roar, he dashed through the sewage, heading into the darkness beyond. The next moment. Da da da~ A barrage of gunfire sounded. The black Mutant who had just charged into the darkness returned as a mangled mess of flesh at an even faster speed, slamming back to where he began. After convulsing twice, he lay still. Hearing the gunfire, the remaining few hesitated no more and turned around, abandoning the struggling believers on the ground as they raced into the darkness behind them. They had chosen this as their meeting point precisely because it was a nexus of sewer lines, offering multiple escape routes in case of trouble. Within less than a second of running, three deafening explosions echoed through the surrounding pipes. Light and heat flared. Two black-robed men were seen silently pierced by countless shrapnel pieces, dying miserably on the spot. Only the Bald Priest with his bizarre ability managed, in a moment of crisis, to transform into a sphere, rolling in the opposite direction. Eventually, he came to a stop at the ritual spot littered with fallen believers, his rear end studded with bullets, propelled back by the force of the explosion. He spat out several chunks of his own insides and looked ahead in despair. Da da~ Footsteps approached from the distance. Beneath the dim oil lamps flanking the deity¡¯s image, the Bald Priest could only make out the figure of a tall person wearing a maniacally grinning clown mask standing before him. As his consciousness blurred, the Clown¡¯s voice reached his ears: ¡°You¡¯ve crossed me, I¡¯m afraid I must send you on your way.¡± The Bald Priest realized. So that butcher had indeed been hiding among those civil servants! He had never expected that a trivial act meant to impress his superiors would actually lure out this hidden viper which had followed their trail straight here, baring its dangerous fangs. This was no mere mouse, but rather a man-eating lion! Filled with endless regret, the priest sent by the Original Sect for a mission of revenge died pathetically in the filthy sewers beneath Los Angeles. ... ¡°So weak...¡± Brian hadn¡¯t expected it to be so easy to kill off this group from the Original Sect. After all, during the previous interrogation, that black youth had made these ¡®Divine Messengers¡¯ sound like gods descending to earth, whose wrath would spell certain death for mortals. The result... they were nothing but bugs that could easily be squashed underfoot. Feeling somewhat let down, Brian stood in the midst of the dispersing VX nerve gas, repeatedly searching the area until he made sure that the small group of dozens were indeed all dead. ¡°What an empty feeling of being stuck in between...¡± Brian felt as if he had prepared himself for a three-hundred-round battle with a boss, only to defeat it with a single strike¡ªa sense of loss. He suddenly realized that he was no longer the weakling he had been just over a month ago. He was strong. With clear consciousness, a body nearing inhumanity, a host of talents at his disposal, and the adept use of modern weaponry... He was indeed very strong now. ... After waiting for more than ten minutes, Brian, now in possession of three Obsession Little Balls, finally left the sewer. He didn¡¯t have the time to check the contents of the Obsession Little Balls right now. To cut the weeds, remove the roots! Smith Circus, huh. Here I come! In the moonlight, the maniacally bright red smile on Brian¡¯s Clown mask became increasingly sinister... Chapter 141 - 141 123 The Mighty Lion ?141: Chapter 123: The Mighty Lion? Killed With a Single Punch! Eagle Eye 141: Chapter 123: The Mighty Lion? Killed With a Single Punch! Eagle Eye Smith Circus, that was the circus Brian had previously watched perform at the beach. Who would have thought that members of the Original Sect were still hiding inside this place? Because he had been there before. This time, after driving for over an hour, Brian arrived at the circus with familiarity, stepping into the moonlight, bearing the invitation of the Grim Reaper. The concealed ones were easy to find. The Mutants and believers of the Original Sect were all African, the undiluted, non-mixed-race kind, making them quite distinguishable. In such an environment with innocents around. The Poison Gas Bomb was clearly not an appropriate choice. The thing lingered for a long time, and Brian certainly didn¡¯t want to cause a massacre. ... The circus was stationed on a large clearing. Brian didn¡¯t expect that before he even started his search, a black man in a long robe, leading two lions, approached him. The black man looked at the tall man in front of him wearing a clown mask, and with not-so-fluent Federation language, asked, ¡°You¡¯re not the Butcher?¡± Looking at the two lions with a dull gaze, Brian curiously asked, ¡°Is your ability to control wild animals?¡± His enhanced sense of smell detected unique pheromones continuously emanating from the black man¡¯s body on the lions. Brian was certain that his own body could not secrete this kind of pheromones. It was probably a special organ secretion induced by the Mutant¡¯s unique abilities. This group of Mutants from Africa seemed to have abilities leaning towards beasts. ¡°Forget it, whether you¡¯re the Butcher or not, everyone who came here today must die.¡± With a wave of his hand, the black man directed the two lions to surround Brian from both sides. This put Brian in an awkward situation. Brother, it¡¯s the twenty-first century. Are you disrespecting the automatic rifle on my back with this act? Brian had barely entertained this thought. He suddenly felt a numbness on the exposed skin of his neck. The numbness spread quickly. ¡°Damn it, I¡¯ve been hit!¡± Brian¡¯s mind raced as the muscles and blood at the site of numbness wriggled, encapsulating the toxins that had been injected into his body and, by warming the affected area, slowly transformed the toxins into gas stored within his body. Under his Body Control. He feared no biological toxins! The black man thought his plan had succeeded. He walked up to Brian and saw that he was motionless, a contemptuous smile appeared on his face as he extended his hand. A black spider the size of an egg immediately crawled from Brian¡¯s back to the man¡¯s arm, finally disappearing under his black robe. ¡°If no one else comes later, I wonder if you can fill the bellies of my two new pets.¡± The black man gestured towards the two male lions, ¡°I am called Beastman, and I really hope that you are the Butcher our sect is looking for; otherwise, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t get enough Water of Reason to bring back. Tell me your identity, anyone without value can only become the food for my two new pets.¡± The two lions also bared their fierce teeth at Brian. Upon hearing this, Brian, using his Voice Changing Ability, replied in a deep male voice, ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried that the noise here will alarm the people at the circus? Also, how can you be so sure I am the Butcher?¡± The black man shook his head, ¡°The circus people are all knocked out by my drugs, as for your identity, stop pretending, the Hyena collected the scent of every person who appeared at the XX villa that day, the Butcher who caused us to be besieged must be hiding among them. Since you came, even if you are not the Butcher, there must be something wrong with your identity!¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying, the circus people, they¡¯ve all been knocked out by you?¡± Brian¡¯s mouth under the clown mask curled upwards. The black man looked at Brian puzzledly, ¡°You can¡¯t move half of your body now, and soon you will feel the agony of your body being torn and devoured piece by piece ¨C a very painful execution, aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± ¡°Why would I be afraid of dead men?¡± Brian tilted his head slightly and looked at the foolish black man. The black man¡¯s face changed color. The poisonous spider was useless! The next moment. A large, long-legged kick smashed into the black man¡¯s chin, kicking him up over a meter high, as if he had seen his own great-grandmother. Almost at the same time. Brian¡¯s right hand drew his gun, the muzzle flared, and the lion lunging at him let out a pitiful cry. Riddled with bullets, it fell before Brian, motionless, dead on the spot. ¡°Roar~¡± The air vibrated. The other male lion had already rushed to Brian¡¯s front, roaring with bad breath, and bit down fiercely. ¡°Get lost!¡± Brian shouted more fiercely than the lion, his left arm¡¯s bones cracked, his muscles bulged, veins throbbing, and with one punch, he hit the lion on the nose. He sent the four-hundred-pound beast flying backward, rolling on the ground three or four times. The lion twitched a few times, dark red blood slowly flowing from its orifices, lifeless. One punch had killed a male lion. The full-power burst that broke the body¡¯s limits, terrifying indeed! Brian used three points of Gift Energy to repair his left arm that had collapsed due to muscle and bone destruction from surpassing his limits, reloaded his gun with a new magazine, and walked over to the still-dazed black man, about to begin interrogation. A dark shadow, like an arrow, dove from the dim sky, with momentum, using its beak as the arrowhead and body as the shaft, with a whistling roar, it aimed for Brian¡¯s neck. Brian only managed to tilt his head before a massive force smashed him backward, his rugged shoulder torn open with a huge gash that spread to the major arteries in his neck. The body that attacked turned into a pile of flesh upon crashing onto the ground next to Brian. It was an emaciated male eagle. ¡°Hahaha!¡± The black man let out an unclear laugh, struggling to get up from the ground. Countless poisonous insects and spiders emerged from his black robe, crawling towards Brian¡¯s body. His eyes showed a cruel delight as he stared at Brian, ¡°You caused me to lose a specially bred falcon, you truly deserve to die. I¡¯m going to let the swarm chew on your body, let you feel the agony of your organs being eaten away bit by bit!¡± ¡°Just with you?¡± Crunch~ In the midst of a dense cacophony of bone-cracking sounds, Brian, who had been sprawled on the ground, suddenly began to move like a runaway mechanical monster, or like Sadako crawling out in a horror movie, slowly rising to his feet with very mechanical movements. The black man watched the monster before him in terror. Beneath the monster¡¯s mask, within that massive, gaping wound, not a drop of blood came out; instead, countless meat buds writhed in the air, interlinking and healing at a speed visible to the naked eye. ¡°Monster!¡± ¡°Monster!¡± The black man was terrified. He didn¡¯t even concern himself with the poison his own body was exposed to, and turned to run. Even in the holy land of the Original Sect, which was riddled with monsters, he had never seen such an outrageous beast! The wound healed. Brian twisted his neck, and the gun in his right hand aimed at the fleeing man¡¯s retreating figure; he pulled the trigger. Bang~ A bullet, traveling at hundreds of meters per second, punctured the man¡¯s kneecap. The black man fell to the ground with a straightforward inertia, collapsing and screaming in agony as he clutched his right leg. Brian retracted his gun, looked down at the swarming insects on the ground, curled his lip, and took out an Incendiary Bomb from his belt, throwing it accurately into the midst of the poisonous insects. Under the light and heat, those frightening little creatures didn¡¯t last two seconds before they turned into a pile of charred corpses emitting a burnt smell. ... Crossing the chaotic scene, Brian approached the black-robed man, exhaling the poison gas he had absorbed earlier: ¡°Spill your plan.¡± The black man had already been scared witless by Brian¡¯s previous show of power and spilled everything he knew without Brian having to lay a finger on him. After learning that not only he had received a letter, but also that more than twenty others had as well, Brian was not only unpleased but also somewhat irritable. More than twenty people, that was too many. The Original Sect¡¯s previous terror attack was still vivid in his memory. Brian was almost certain that someone would report this incident to the authorities. That meant this place was no longer safe. This made him want to curse. Which braindead member of the Original Sect had thought of this suicidal plan? Couldn¡¯t these African uncles spend some of their nourishment on their brains instead? This made Brian somewhat relieved. Fortunately, he had been ruthless and decisive enough to kill all those from the Original Sect who knew of these things. That way, even if officials came here and saw the traces left behind, they wouldn¡¯t know who had acted, and they wouldn¡¯t know that he had also received a letter. However, suspicion was inevitable. He would have to be even more careful in his future actions. ... Momentarily, within the blood-stained ground, Brian crushed the Blood Obsession Little Ball that had spawned from the black man¡¯s body, clearing the scene of any traces he had left, then prepared to leave quickly. As for the corpses, there was no need to deal with them. Brian was worried that he might bump into officials if he handled those bodies. He had completely locked down his pheromones, controlled the leftovers of his body; and in a hastily arranged scene with no surveillance, he wasn¡¯t afraid of leaving any clues that could lead back to him after a simple cleanup. Suddenly, Brian unexpectedly looked at a pile of rotten flesh on the ground. It was the hawk that had fallen from the sky. Under the black man¡¯s control, it had launched a physical attack, almost blowing Brian¡¯s head off. Unexpectedly, above the rotten flesh was also floating a Blood Obsession Little Ball. ¡°With the brain capacity of a bird, can it actually develop enough spirituality?¡± Curious, Brian crushed the Obsession Little Ball. The other four Obsession Little Balls, he was not in a rush to check; but this second harvest of beastly obsession was something he was indeed curious about. Accompanied by the Obsession Little Ball rushing into Brian¡¯s eyes, a piece of information surged into his brain: Kill that black demon who restricted my freedom! Almost at the same time, a warm flow surged within Brian. The obsession was fulfilled. ... A thought crossed Brian¡¯s mind, the choices granted by the obsession gift appeared in his heart. One: Gift Energy twenty points. Two: Gift Energy five points + Eagle Eye. Was there even a choice to make? Brian promptly chose the second option. The next moment, his eyes started itching unbearably. Brian instinctively closed them. Within seconds, a cooling sensation spread, and only then did Brian slowly reopen his eyes. The world in front of him had changed... Chapter 143 - 143 125 Prey and Hunter ?143: Chapter 125: Prey and Hunter 143: Chapter 125: Prey and Hunter When the adrenaline faded, Brian felt the pleasure of being torn apart. He sank into the water, gritted his teeth, and deliberately did not use Gift Energy to heal his crumbling body. Instead, he amplified the pain sent from his body through Supercomputer Perception to the maximum, bit by bit testing his tolerance for pain. Until his whole body went numb. Only then did Brian spit out a mouthful of blood and began to heal his body. ¡°Damn it, these FBI bastards!¡± Feeling the warm current washing over his body, Brian couldn¡¯t help but curse loudly! Ever since dealing with the threat his uncle posed, this was the first time he had suffered such a big loss. As the saying goes, taking a step back opens up new horizons, enduring for a moment brings even more anger! When he was weak, he had to play dumb. Now that he was this strong, even with all his gear, he still had to play dumb! Wasn¡¯t that denying his growth? The remnants of the Blood Moon flickered in Brian¡¯s eyes, and his mood, unknowingly, became more paranoid and arrogant. A nameless rage burned in his chest! When all eight stored Gift Energies in his body were used up, and Brian still felt a bit of stinging in his body, he immediately checked the four obsessions he had harvested. Brian decided that if he could harvest extra Gift Energy, he would go after those FBI Hunting Team members! He could change his shape, voice, and even restrain all his pheromones. With Body Control, as long as there wasn¡¯t severe mutilation, he could largely avoid leaking any physical information. In such a situation, he still had to return disgraced. Brian felt that the nameless fire in his chest would burn him into madness! ... The first three obsessions were harvested from that group hidden in the sewers, the Original Sect. One belonged to a regular believer, one to the Bald Leader, and another to another unknown figure who was directly killed in an explosion. Believer¡¯s Obsession: Dedicated everything to the Original Totem. Gift: 8 Gift Energy points. Bald Leader¡¯s Obsession: Obtain enough Water of Reason. Gift One: 30 Gift Energy points. Gift Two: 5 Gift Energy points + Body Expansion Unknown Mutant¡¯s Obsession: Kill the Prometheus Akachi priest! Gift One: 25 Gift Energy points. Gift Two: 5 Gift Energy points + Beast Mutation After accepting the Believer¡¯s Obsession, Brian immediately completed it, transforming it into a warm current that surged through his body. ¡°Eight Gift Energies...¡± A smile appeared on Brian¡¯s face. It was enough. He hadn¡¯t expected the believer¡¯s obsession to be completed immediately. After all, dying under the totem, losing his life, wasn¡¯t it all dedicated to the Original Totem? But why wasn¡¯t this obsession counted as completed before? Why did it only show as completed after he checked the content of the obsession? Brian thought about his past experiences and guessed that it was because he was rushed at the time and hadn¡¯t checked the content of the obsession, akin to not accepting the obsession quest, thus it hadn¡¯t been promptly completed! However, the joy was not completed yet. Another warm current surged through Brian¡¯s body. This time, it was the unknown Mutant¡¯s Obsession that was completed. Brian suddenly realized, guessing that the so-called ghost priest must have been the Bald Leader he had killed. These Mutants, compared to those brainwashed believers, were much more mediocre, not only were their minds disordered, but they also begged for mercy, significantly weakening their will to fight. This time, Brian directly chose thirty Gift Energy points. The talent of Beast Mutation was not much of an improvement for him and would only increase the pressure on his already struggling Spiritual Strength. Ordinary talents, Brian didn¡¯t plan to take at all. With this, Brian instantly gained an additional thirty-eight Gift Energy points. The completion of these two obsessions also incidentally healed his body, which hadn¡¯t fully recovered yet. A sensation of returning to his peak surged within Brian¡¯s heart. Thirty-eight Gift Energy points, enough for him to break through his body¡¯s limits and enter his strongest form to unleash unstoppable power three or four times! Moreover, regarding counter-hunting, he didn¡¯t care about exposure, not needing to worry about close combat at all! ... Suppressing the urge to rush out and slaughter widely, Brian continued to open the obsession of the man who claimed to be a Beastman. Beastman¡¯s Obsession: Let the bastard who caused me to lose my specially bred falcon with a clown mask, suffer the agony of a thousand insects devouring his body! Gift One: 40 Gift Energy points. Gift Two: 5 Gift Energy points + Biological Control Wow~ Brian was surprised. This guy¡¯s Gift was almost close to the Seven Sins Mutant ¨C Glutton he had encountered before, even stronger than the Bald Leader! The antagonist¡¯s talent, Biological Control, Brian speculated, might be the secretion ofType a pheromone-like substance that could forcibly control insects or wild animals. He had previously smelled the special pheromones emitted from the opponent. But recalling that falcon that suddenly attacked in a suicidal manner, Brian guessed that the talent of Biological Control might also have some unknown ability for information linkage and transmission. So strong! Combined with his own ¡°Pheromone Control¡± talent, it feels very fitting! The only pity is that the other party¡¯s obsession was to make him endure the pain of being devoured by ten thousand insects. Now, that condition wasn¡¯t met. As for enduring the pain of being devoured by ten thousand insects? Having experienced the helplessness of not being able to control his destiny, Brian simply didn¡¯t care as long as he could gain power. Pain was always better than when danger came, and there was no power to resist. At that moment, Brian somewhat understood his uncle Billy¡¯s paranoia. In this increasingly insane world. Having no power to resist was more despairing than death itself. Buzz, buzz, buzz~ Drones circling low overhead for the sixth time sped past above Brian¡¯s head. It was probably a small squad loss that had angered this group of FBI Hunting Team members, who had been playing the roles of hunters and hadn¡¯t given up their search of the surroundings after more than ten minutes. Including special satellites unseen overhead. Unless one could walk on the seabed, it was really hard for ordinary people to escape this group¡¯s siege. Unfortunately, they had encountered Brian, a madman. An emotionally driven madman might do anything, unfathomable to anyone! For instance: killing everyone, then there¡¯s no siege! Listening to the drone sound circling overhead, the remnants of the Blood Moon in Brian¡¯s eyes flickered lightly, and his nameless rage grew even more intense. He didn¡¯t rush to break out of the sea surface. With a thought from Brian, two dead people¡¯s fulfilled obsessions instantly turned into a comforting energy, merging into his spiritual body. A blissfully ecstatic joy surged in Brian¡¯s heart. This time, the quality of the deceased was very high. They were either mutants who had long resisted desires or ordinary sect believers who were severely brainwashed and extremely paranoid. Their mental willpower far exceeded the average person¡¯s. Although the spirit crystals of the two deceased did not further transform Brian¡¯s spiritual strength, they restored his weary spirit to its peak and even strengthened it a bit. After three successive fights. Brian not only did not fall into a weakened state, but he was even stronger than before he left! Waiting for the overhead drone to leave. A clown mask slowly emerged from the water surface. It looked up at the bright moon overhead, and under the silver radiance, cold-colored lines sketched a mad, manic smile... Four squads, twenty-four people, spread over a square kilometer area. Disliking firearms, they were now wearing emergency-airlifted, heavy auxiliary combat exoskeletons, looking like emotionless robots, searching for any life forms emitting heat within their field of view. Through the communication headset, a cold, mechanical voice came: The third Oden search is starting... The four combat teams immediately stopped to wait for the search results from the Oden satellite. The exoskeleton equipment they were currently equipped with was the Federation¡¯s top-tier single combat gear, each unit costly, only used in special operations. Deploying so many at once was quite the respect paid to this prey! Once the opponent dared to appear, there was only one way it ended¡ªdeath! In the distant FBI Hunting Department base. An old man with white hair, his deep eyes coldly watching the scene on the projection map. The abilities of the Mutants were bizarre. The Hunting Department had not experienced team losses during hunts. But apart from that legendary figure, no one had ever slaughtered their hunting teams in an encirclement and escaped unscathed! Under the crush of modern technology. Flesh and blood Mutants were a joke! Suddenly. The old man¡¯s gaze sharpened, looking at the red circle that suddenly appeared on the projection screen. Inside the circle, a slim, tall figure smoothly emerged from the chaotic rocks on the beach, looking up as if seeing the hovering Oden Super Vision satellite staring back at him... What kind of eyes were these! The elder watched the blood-colored eyes glaring under the madly laughing clown mask, feeling a chill in his heart even across vast distances. Oden was a pursuit satellite, built irrespective of cost, far beyond the technology of this era, specially designed to hunt Special Mutants, where under supercomputer algorithms, the Super Vision Lens could see a person¡¯s hair. This made the projection image in front of him extremely realistic. At this moment, the elder felt as if the prey stood right in front of him, locked in by Oden¡¯s target, making eye contact through space. The downstairs tech team had no idea what their supervisor was feeling at this moment. Once Oden had locked in the target, almost without any delay, the order from the Supercomputer Intelligence Center was transmitted to the four combat teams near the beach: Target spotted, drone combat group has locked in, Hunting Squad B4, please proceed to the marked location promptly. The 24 expressionless Hunting Team members, powered by their external combat exoskeletons, burst into speeds of seventy to eighty kilometers per hour, rushing toward the drone-marked location. Watching those marked combat unit points swiftly surround the madly laughing clown with Blood Eyes, the supervisor felt a slight relaxation inside. Perhaps it was annoyed anger from being frightened! He rarely picked up the communication device and transmitted to the combat team, ¡°Target found, capture alive, airlift back to headquarters!¡± He wanted to bring the adversary before him, step on his head, then watch those scientific researchers slowly dissect him, eventually taking out those detestable eyes to make into a specimen, placing it on his office desk! These Mutants, they are bugs, prey, resources! No bug could make him afraid! Chapter 144 - 144 126 Outlaw Lunatic Art is an Explosion! ?144: Chapter 126: Outlaw Lunatic, Art is an Explosion! 144: Chapter 126: Outlaw Lunatic, Art is an Explosion! Watching the drone swarm overhead. Brian smirked lightly, his Eagle Eye enhancing his vision so every drone hidden in the darkness was not only visible but also appeared to slow down. Under Supercomputer Perception. A flood of data surged into his mind. As soon as the drones got within the extreme range of about 800 meters from his rifle, Brian shouldered his automatic rifle and pulled the trigger. The technicians controlling the drones snickered as they watched the tall, thin clown with the mask on the surveillance screen actually pull the trigger at such a distance: ¡°This idiot must¡¯ve been scared silly by the sound of the drone swarm, firing wildly into the pitch-black sky.¡± ¡°Indeed, pretty stupid, this bastard made us work overtime through the night. I hope those monsters from the Hunting Team can torture this prey a bit more before they catch him.¡± His companion agreed, but then noticed the one who first spoke staring blankly at the control screen. He hurriedly looked at the screen and was petrified as well. On the densely-packed drone feeds, more than twenty screens had gone black, and the count was still rising. ¡°Evacuate!¡± ¡°Quick, evacuate!¡± The drone swarm commander, seeing the stunned expressions of his subordinates, roared. On the beach. Brian, controlled like a robot by the constantly refining parameters from his Supercomputer Perception, crazily titled his bullets, turning each precise night drone into a target, bursting them one by one. The power of the automatic rifle was exploited to the fullest by Brian, the flesh-and-blood mechanical monster! In the blink of an eye. Three magazines emptied. The swarm of hundreds of drones was reduced to just over thirty surviving ones, retreating in disarray, no longer daring to approach anywhere within a kilometer of this area. Casually discarding the empty magazines, he loaded new ones. Brian¡¯s gaze shifted to the figures rapidly rushing his way and he took out a high-explosive hand grenade with one hand. Supercomputer Perception + Eagle Eye dynamic vision enhancement. A barrage of data poured into his mind. Wind speed... Target velocity... High-explosive hand grenade blast radius... Detonation timing... ... Three seconds later, Brian pulled the pin of the grenade with one hand, timed it perfectly, and his right hand suddenly expanded. His muscles snapped like springs, rippling in waves, accumulating all the force in his palm gripping the high-explosive hand grenade. With a whoosh, A high-explosive hand grenade arced through the night sky, flying a staggering distance of over three hundred meters. Drifting slightly under the influence of the night wind, it began its descent. The next moment. Two expressionless Hunting Team members, creating deep pits in the sandy ground with their steps, rushed to the spot where the grenade was falling. ¡°What?¡± Their reactions were swift. They spotted the falling high-explosive hand grenade at the first instance. Such superhuman reflexes let them see clearly instead of dying in ignorance, witnessing the grenade¡¯s exterior crack open and steel balls shooting out. Boom~ Amidst a spray of flames, two mangled bodies, clad in heavy exoskeleton armor, slammed heavily onto the sand. ¡°Fire support!¡± The trained members of the Hunting Team couldn¡¯t wait to get into the optimal range, they lifted the heavy weapons slung on their exoskeletons and pulled the trigger in the direction of where Brian was. Equipped with aiming algorithms of the exoskeleton, they maintained precise pre-emptive targeting even while moving at high speeds. Faced with a hail of bullets covering four to five hundred meters, a light smile curled up under Brian¡¯s mask; his streamlined legs suddenly powered up, propelling his form towards a pile of rocks behind him. In midair, his automatic rifle spat flames. Three members of the Hunting Team jerked their heads back, fell to the ground without a sound. ¡°Strong firepower.¡± After landing, Brian glanced at the bullets being squeezed out of his thighs and arms, changed to a new magazine, and, listening to the rhythm of gunfire outside, pulled out two high-explosive hand grenades and blindly threw them. Under Precise Throwing, his grenades, as if equipped with automatic guidance, accurately landed amidst the densest cluster of bullets and Hunting Team members. Several screams followed. The Hunting Team was reduced in number once more. Feeling the pressure of gunfire lessen, Brian didn¡¯t hesitate; he rolled out from behind the rocks and began shooting at the enemies in view while rapidly adjusting his aim. Dozens of bullets, at a firing rate of 950 rounds per minute, streamed evenly into the bodies of three figures ahead. Within about ten seconds. A quarter of the 24-man combat squad was dead or injured. ... ¡°Ha ha ha!¡± Brian retracted back into the rocks, laughing heartily as he looked at the bullet holes in his chest, his eyes bloodthirstily wild. He spat out a bullet that had hit his cheek, allowing the meat buds on his body to heal the wounds, switched to a new magazine, braved the bullet stream, and returned fire at the remaining personnel. Whenever the sound of gunfire drew close, two more hand grenades were thrown with precision. If not for the last of his rational restraint, Brian would have wanted to throw the VX Poison Gas Bombs from his belt, to let those bastards who ganged up on him experience the despair of biotechnology. By the time Brian had used up all the magazines for his automatic rifle and thrown all his high-explosive hand grenades, there was no more movement ahead. The remaining members of the combat squad, pressed by the gunfire, had also finished their ammo belts and curled up. FBI Hunting Team headquarters. The old man watched as one by one the lights of combat units went out, shaking with rage. He picked up the communicator, and roared, ¡°Load the High Explosive Bombs, blow him up, blow him up!!!¡± The loss of so many elite, resource-intensive recruits in an instant meant that even as a supervisor, he would face severe punishment from the organization. Message received. The remaining members of the Hunting Team saw the bitterness in each other¡¯s eyes. They were always the ones to overpower Mutants with gunfire; in fact, most of the time, they preferred to engage directly, disliking the use of firearms. That way, they could capture their prey alive and receive the maximum reward. They had never seen a Mutant with such exaggerated individual combat capability. When did those pests, constantly assaulted by their own rationality, get so good at using modern weaponry! Even if they were fearful and had been made afraid by their prey, this group of brainwashed killing machines didn¡¯t hesitate to switch their exoskeleton mode, equip grenade launcher-like emitters, and connect the ammo boxes on their backs to the launchers. ¡°Currently, three hundred and eighty meters ahead, execute carpet bombing.¡± At the command, more than a dozen large-caliber bullets, the size of baby fists, arced through the air and covered the rocky hideout where Brian was concealed with precision. Rumble~ Amidst the dazzling firelight of the high-explosive detonation, sand and rocks were scattered about. No carbon-based life could survive in such dense explosions! In order to preserve any remaining limbs, This group didn¡¯t launch a second round of high-explosive bombs. The elder at the base also stared fixedly at the chaotic pile of rocks under the Oden projection, where flames and debris were flying. That pest had been hiding at a corner spot before. There, the stones above obstructed the view, and not even satellites could penetrate it. He could see clearly! The opponent was done for! Just then, a technician below exclaimed in alarm, ¡°Behind us, the prey is behind us.¡± The elder was shocked, immediately shifting his gaze to look behind the hunting team, only to see a lean and sharp claw break through the sand, slowly revealing an upper body wearing a maniacally laughing clown mask... ¡°No!!!¡± The elder roared. ... Silently, Brian emerged from the sandy soil, pulling out his pistol and moving with dance steps like a specter, appearing behind the remaining members of the hunting team. He whistled at everyone, emitting a shrill, ambiguous voice: ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± These men were truly elite¡ªseveral of them, without even looking back, scattered forward while trying to turn their launchers and fire high-explosive bombs backward. Two others, even more heroic, did not hesitate to shield their bodies, trying to buy time for their comrades. Their reactions, under Brian¡¯s dynamic vision, were laughably slow. He pulled the trigger. As the saying goes, beyond seven steps, quick with a gun; within seven steps, both fast and accurate! Bang bang bang~ The pistol was fired by Brian, making the noise of an automatic rifle. At such close range, these men had barely made their movements when they were all precisely shot in the head, tumbling to the ground as rolling corpses. External skeletons, after all, are not mechas. They can¡¯t stop bullets! ... Looking at the bodies on the ground, Brian took a deep, fascinated breath. What wonderful smells of gunpowder and blood. Surrounding me? You¡¯ll all die! Exhilarating! How exhilarating! ¡°Come on! Bastards! Look me in the eye! Keep coming!¡± Brian roared wildly at the unknown satellite above. The nameless fire from before, along with this roar, was thoroughly vented. Brian¡¯s body, filled with an intense to the point of almost black, restless unknown energy, also subsided with this roar, its hue turning even deeper. ¡°Huff huff huff~¡± Having calmed down, Brian replaced his magazine, and while the armed helicopters hadn¡¯t yet been deployed, he began finishing off the wounded and clearing the battlefield. Dead or not, Seeing a person, Brian would send a bullet to the head. With his body control, very few traces were left on the scene, and with some blood-stained bullets and sand, and the beach nearby, destruction was very simple. After a search, Brian, with several unidentified reagents and two Obsession Little Balls as spoils, stood back on the charred and crater-filled pile of rocks and made a throat-slitting gesture towards the sky. ... ¡°Arrogance!¡± ¡°Such arrogance!¡± The elder at the base was so angry that he smashed his communicator. Under the pressure of the great Federation, how could there be such a lawless thug! How dare he provoke the FBI like this! The old man, red-faced with rage, walked to the railing and bellowed below, ¡°Send a message to the nearest Marine base, requesting their assistance with armed helicopters and boats to hunt down...¡± Before he could finish, He clutched his head and collapsed, apparently having a cerebral hemorrhage from the rage caused by Brian¡¯s brazen actions... ... Elsewhere. After discarding all heavy gear except for the VX poison gas bomb and the spoils, Brian, like a fish, continually adjusted his body position, swimming underwater towards the nearest urban area at the highest speed. With the ability to alter his height and appearance, Once he reached an area populated with people, He wasn¡¯t worried about the hunt that followed! Half an hour later, Brian, armed with only a weapon belt and nothing else, snuck into a seaside villa, found suitable clothing, and after a short walk turned into a short, fat Caucasian middle-aged man. He stole an old car and, firing it up, drove towards Los Angeles. By five a.m., after changing a few modes of transport, Brian finally returned to his safe house. After cleaning up any traces on him and setting up booby traps at the entrance, he hid the VX poison gas bomb and, with the spoils confirmed not tracked, left the safe house he wouldn¡¯t return to for some time. The VX poison gas bomb is a strictly forbidden weapon of mass destruction. Before the bodies in the sewer were discovered, Brian did not want to expose himself... ... At eight in the morning, Autopsy Officer Mr. Brian styled his hair, donned an expensive custom suit, and pinned an NW Action Department badge on his lapel, then put on a tie and sprayed himself with a seduction perfume he compounded with his enhanced sense of smell, securing an Action Department watch on his wrist. Looking at the suavely dressed beast in the mirror, Brian nodded with satisfaction. He whistled and, with Shi San who had just woken up from a hangover and was still unsteady on his feet, stepped out spiritedly. Without the pest to bother him, The world was beautiful indeed. A pleasant day had begun. Chapter 147 - 147 128 The Female Corpse on the Tree Autopsy ?147: Chapter 128: The Female Corpse on the Tree, Autopsy 147: Chapter 128: The Female Corpse on the Tree, Autopsy The body was discovered hanging from a tree branch on the roadside greenbelt of a town. A young blonde woman, dressed coolly, dangled with her body streaked in black and red blood, eyes wide open, wedged onto a thick branch, her beautiful pupils now a dull grey, as flies crawled over her. Below the cover of branches and leaves, one wouldn¡¯t easily notice a dead person hanging there if not paying attention. A few people and a dog stood at the base of the tree. Tom looked up at the exposed corpse of the woman with a bit of pity, ¡°Honestly, I¡¯ve seen many death scenes, but this unique one is a first for me; she looks really sexy.¡± The young Green followed with a vigorous nod, ¡°Indeed, very beautiful. From the side, she kind of resembles the actress Angelina Jolie, especially those lips. My God, how could someone bear to kill such a beauty.¡± Brian was inquiring about the case with the two officers guarding the scene. The person who reported the incident was a local resident of the nearby town, a little white-collar worker who worked in the city. On the way home from work, due to a pressing need to pee, the white-collar stopped his car at this slightly more open corner, ready to artificially fertilize the large tree where the dead woman was located. After peeing, with a gesture full of ceremony, he shook off twice and looked up, making eye contact with the dead woman, and got such a fright that he ran off without even zipping up to call the police. The site was at a bend in the road, the nearest town being three to four kilometers away, connecting with the city district of Los Angeles, surrounded by a few small farms, with many town residents traveling to the city to buy daily necessities or to work. It was quite a coincidence. Otherwise, this body hidden in the tree might not have been discovered for another ten days to half a month. ... After thanking the two officers, Brian walked to the base of the tree. The trunk was thick, but only a little over three meters high, with the deceased placed on a branch over two meters up, face-down, eyes wide open, and with viscous dried blood at the corners of her mouth that looked like internal bleeding. However, there was little blood, just a few drops on the trunk. There was a network of green-grey decayed veins on the dead woman¡¯s face, looking like she was covered with a veil. This was actually a sign of a corpse that only appeared after a certain time of death. After a certain period post-death, a large amount of decay gas would form inside the corpse, the pressure of the internal gases causing some blood to be pushed towards the surface of the body, producing decay blisters on the skin. Some of the blood would also enter the subcutaneous veins, forming a network of green-grey decayed veins. The temperature in Los Angeles was mostly around twenty degrees, suitable and very livable. In such conditions, it usually took forty-eight hours post-death for the decayed vein network to appear, and after seventy-two hours, if the gases can¡¯t escape, the body begins to bloat... Looking at the woman¡¯s condition, she hadn¡¯t started to bloat. Her time of death was likely between 48-72 hours ago. Tom and Green, these two assholes, upon noticing that the dead woman looked great and was dressed generously, kept raising their heads to discuss her face and body, extremely unscrupulous. Shi San, not knowing any better, also raised her dog head curiously to observe. Brian rolled his eyes, ¡°Guys, can we focus on work here, and not corrupt my dog, please?¡± Tom shrugged, glanced at the tiny Shi San, pointed at the dog¡¯s head and laughed, ¡°She¡¯s so small, doesn¡¯t even know what a bitch tastes like, what does she know?¡± No sooner had the words left his mouth than Tom¡¯s extended finger was covered in dog teeth. Shi San viciously clamped onto Tom¡¯s finger, hanging by it, emanating a threatening growl, looking adorably fierce. ¡°Oh~¡± Tom yelped with pain, attempting to shake Shi San off, but the dog clung to his finger like a plaster, making the situation more painful with each shake until, grimacing with pain, he turned to Brian for help, ¡°Hey, Brian, get your dog to let go.¡± Brian spread his arms, ¡°Her name is Shi San, she¡¯s a polite kid. What I mean is, if you apologize nicely, she might let you off.¡± Tom was somewhat skeptical. He¡¯d rather kick the little dog away, but to beat a dog, one must watch the owner. Thus, Tom had to step aside and speak sweetly to negotiate with Shi San. Seeing this, Brian clapped Green, who was enjoying the scene, on the shoulder, ¡°Buddy, tell me your observation.¡± Green came back to his senses, instinctively saying, ¡°Very spicy..¡± Slap~ Brian smacked him on the back of the head, ¡°I know the deceased is a spicy girl, but continue like this, and I can assure you, my hand¡¯s gonna hurt!¡± The pain revived the young man¡¯s conscience. Green, rubbing the back of his head, articulated anew, ¡°I just checked around the trunk, there are no obvious climbing traces, and no vehicle tracks underneath, the body is voluptuous, the skeletal frame also looks large, she must be heavy. Also, considering the abrasions on her exposed arms and some of the broken branches above in the tree, I suspect she was hit by something and flung up into the tree.¡± With that, he paused, pointing towards the road before the corner, ¡°What appears most here are cars, but to launch a person this far away while keeping the body intact would require a specific angle and coincidence, and that position would be the most suitable.¡± After listening to Green¡¯s analysis, Brian nodded. The kid really had Spiritual, Observation was strong, a promising candidate for a detective. Just then. After completing friendly negotiations with Shi San, Tom came over with his finger covered, ¡°Let¡¯s get the body down first, that¡¯ll make it easier to observe.¡± Chapter 148 - 148 128 The Female Corpse in the Tree Autopsy_2 ?148: Chapter 128: The Female Corpse in the Tree, Autopsy_2 148: Chapter 128: The Female Corpse in the Tree, Autopsy_2 Upon hearing that, Brian¡¯s face showed a smile, ¡°Fine, I remember there¡¯s a ladder on the investigation van, this fine job, I¡¯ll leave it to the two of you.¡± Having said that, he winked at Shi San and quickly made himself scarce. Shi San scurried after him. Every time he saw the big dog wink, something was bound to happen. Tom and Glenn were still oblivious to the severity of the situation. They huddled together and, after another round of flipping the coin, decided on the division of labor: Glenn would hold the upper half of the woman¡¯s body, while Tom would handle the lower half. The ladder was set. They began their work. As Green had said, the woman¡¯s skeleton was not small¡ªprobably around one meter seventy-five, and she was plump, indeed not light. It took significant effort for the two men to get the woman¡¯s body soundly onto the stretcher on the ground. By this point, the body had already softened. Once the body was laid flat, a massive amount of gas, with a series of ¡®pfft pfft pfft¡¯ noises, surged out of the woman¡¯s mouth and esophagus, catching the two unprepared blokes head-on. Bleugh¡ª Tom, being older, was a tad slower to react, getting hit directly, and immediately fell to his knees, his eyes rolling back as he began retching. Green was in a similar plight. But he was luckier, managing to dodge in time, only to be sickened by the stench and not covered in it. Otherwise, no matter how much he washed, the stench of death would envelop him for the next four or five days. Seeing their miserable state, Brian¡¯s lips curled into a smile that reeked of schadenfreude. No matter how pretty a beauty was, she couldn¡¯t smell sweet after death. Let¡¯s see if these smart alecks maintain their basic professional ethics in the future. Enjoying the spectacle, Shi San, imitating Brian, curved his lips upward, revealing his newly sprouted sharp teeth in a sly grin. Man and dog, standing together, their expressions in sync, both obviously up to no good. After taking the scene photos and collecting the traces from the tree. The three of them secured the body on the investigation vehicle. Unfortunately, no distinct tire tracks were found on the road; otherwise, they could have served as directional evidence. ¡°Brian, did you already know that the woman¡¯s body was full of stench?¡± Tom lay on the ground, half-dead, with remnants of foam still on his mouth, looking like he was on his last leg. Brian shrugged, ¡°Don¡¯t blame me, Tom; her time of death was so obvious, I thought you had noticed already. But it seems your attention was all on the victim¡¯s figure, so this is what you deserve.¡± Tom didn¡¯t want to talk anymore. Brian continued to twist the knife, ¡°Buddy, don¡¯t say I¡¯m heartless, you can work in the morgue until the stink on you clears up, no need to come to the office for meetings.¡± Tom closed his eyes in pain. The stench wouldn¡¯t dissipate for days. Oh, his lovely young female neighbor! After provoking Tom, Brian turned his gaze to Green. Green was in bad shape too, having thrown up his stomach acid. Seeing Brian¡¯s gaze upon him, he didn¡¯t dare to speak and stood still, surrendering with raised hands, ¡°Boss Brian, I was wrong, from now on, I¡¯ll maintain respect for the bodies.¡± ¡°Hope so, let¡¯s go.¡± The experienced corpse-concealer Brian finished schooling the two and got into the vehicle with Shi San. It was getting dark, the scene investigation was complete here, and the autopsy would definitely have to be done back at the office. Looks like overtime tonight. Tom was in bad shape. Once they got back, Brian let him off early. Probably feeling ashamed over the prior incident, Green made a call explaining the situation to his family, and then volunteered to stay, lending Brian a hand to gain some experience. Turning on the bright incandescent lights of the autopsy room, after completing the necessary preparations for the autopsy, Brian changed his clothes and then took a sniff. In fact, he had used his enhanced sense of smell at the scene. But in the open air, scents evaporated quickly. Besides the strong odor of decay on the corpse, he could only detect traces of chemical drugs. The victim might have been a drug user before death. However, the specific circumstances would only become clear after the autopsy. Brian took out a scalpel and skillfully removed the woman¡¯s clothing. After a cursory inspection, he then focused on the woman¡¯s body. It had to be said, the victim really had something. With a meticulous and professional attitude, after checking her inside and out, front and back, he approached the camera and said in an even and clear tone, ¡°The identity of the deceased is unknown, female, estimated age between 20-25, time of death about two days ago... The exact time will require a microbiological test. There is a depression in the skeleton of the deceased¡¯s spine, extensive bruising on the back, and an impact imprint at the waist. The imprint is the distinctive Cadillac emblem. The arms and hands of the deceased have more than twenty scratch marks. On the right ankle of the deceased, there are pigment deposits and an oval-shaped imprint. On both sides of the deceased¡¯s tun, there are dark bruises; the inner thigh... the knees.. and significant wear inside the shell, with no signs of violation. .. The chest cavity of the deceased shows slight depression, fractures of the left 3rd, 4th, and 5th ribs, black blood in the mouth and nose, suggestive of internal organ damage...¡± After describing the external features of the body, Brian did not rush to start the autopsy. He pried open the woman¡¯s mouth, ensuring that she hadn¡¯t had dental implants and that there were no other symptoms, then turned to examine her nostrils. This examination revealed new findings. The nasal septum of the woman, the cartilage that divides the nasal cavity into left and right, had severe irregular perforations¡ªa symptom commonly found in heavy drug addicts. While there are some piercing enthusiasts who like to wear nose rings, their septum perforations are generally regular. It¡¯s only the drug addicts who snort substances that cause irregular perforations in the nasal septum under the erosion and irritation of those drugs. Brian explained this finding to the camera before picking up the surgical scalpel to begin the autopsy. Green had seen many bodies, but this was his first time witnessing an on-site autopsy. He held his breath and watched Brian¡¯s movements closely. A few minutes later. All that remained in Green¡¯s eyes was awe. Brian¡¯s hands were steady, his pressure precise, and the autopsy flowed seamlessly. If this were not the autopsy room, Green had no doubt that Brian could dismember the body with just the delicate surgical scalpel in his hands, quickly accomplishing what would be a difficult task for an ordinary person. It was too proficient and smooth! It was art! ... Brian had no idea what Green was whimsically thinking on the side. From the condition inside the woman¡¯s body, he confirmed two points. First, the woman indeed had been a long-term drug user. Her lungs had developed severe inflammation and emitted a scent that was steeped in accumulated chemical drugs. Second, the woman¡¯s spine had multiple fractures, corresponding to the impact wounds on her back. Brian speculated that she might have been hit in the back by a Cadillac, tossed into the air, and then caught on a tree branch, causing the fractures to her left ribs, organ damage, and numerous scratches on her arms. At that time, the woman was actually not yet dead. She was unable to control her body due to spinal injuries from the impact, and because of her critical injuries, she could not call for help. In other words. The woman had hung there on the tree, watching helplessly as the killer drove away, watching car after car pass by on the road in front of her, eventually dying in agony. ... After completing the autopsy. Brian took photos and made drawings with a click. When he finished his tasks, he finally turned to Green, ¡°If you have any questions, ask them.¡± Brian had intentionally not made the markings very clear earlier, hoping Green would think for himself. That way, when he explained, Green would have a more lasting impression. He was quite attentive to his sharp-witted younger colleague. Chapter 149 - 149 129 Identity of the Deceased Strange Sixth Sense ?149: Chapter 129: Identity of the Deceased, Strange Sixth Sense 149: Chapter 129: Identity of the Deceased, Strange Sixth Sense ¡°Brian, can you explain what the traces we found earlier represent?¡± Green said, eagerly. Some he understood, some he did not. When it came to the domain of autopsy traces, he was completely clueless. Brian nodded, pointed at the female cadaver¡¯s nostrils and the lungs placed aside, and after educating Green about some symptoms of drug addicts, he pointed to other parts of the deceased: ¡°These simple impact marks, let¡¯s not talk about those. Look at the deceased¡¯s ankles, here you can see deep pigmentation and indentations, indicating that she was locked up with ankle restraints for a considerable time before she died. Also, take a look at the ¡®local¡¯ area of the deceased. The two bruises on her buttocks are from being struck repeatedly over a long period. The knee bruises are from kneeling for too long. The prolonged and concentrated bruising at two points on the knees suggests that the man with her was extremely rough, not in a normal communicative relationship, more like an abuser¡¯s attitude toward their captive. The healing metabolic rate of the human body is generally about two months, which suggests that the deceased was in this state for a long time. I suspect she was restrained, and that space was not large, so she had to maintain one or two monotonous postures to vent.¡± Brian paused, pointed to the woman¡¯s mouth, and used tweezers to pull out her tongue: ¡°Look at the distribution of the coating on the tongue. This middle area of white and thick coating, with the edges of the tongue slightly raised and pinkish-white, indicates that her tongue was in long term contact with something. You know what I mean. Drug abuse, imprisonment, and these marks I mentioned... What are you thinking about, Green?¡± Green said with a touch of regret: ¡°Brian, are you saying that someone had kept her as a sex slave, she managed to escape, but then was hit and killed by the side of the road?¡± Brian nodded: ¡°If it were someone chasing her, they would not likely use a car to commit the crime; it probably happened just as you said. Moreover, the victim was confined in a small space for a long period and was a drug user, so she would not have been physically strong, which means she wouldn¡¯t have gone far during her escape. The closest places to the scene are a town and several farms around it. If I¡¯m not wrong, her captor is one of the farmers. They would be the ones with the means and the venue.¡± This is related to the lifestyle here. In densely populated areas like towns, making any noise might prompt the neighbors to call the police; it would not be safe, only those private domains with large farms would have the conditions to implement this. Of course, we cannot rule out the possibility of town residents who have expanded underground spaces in their own basements, creating dungeons for keeping sex slaves. Every year, there are similar cases. The last time Brian encountered one, the victim was a thirteen-year-old girl. The perpetrator was a thirty-something-year-old officer with a copper fetish. He just parked outside the girl¡¯s house, pointed a gun at the girl playing with her dog, and told her to get in the car. It only took a few minutes. The girl disappeared near her own home. It was not until over a year later, due to a non-professionally dug basement collapse that affected the house¡¯s foundations, that the property company¡¯s investigation uncovered the girl¡¯s body buried below, and the crime was brought to light. To some extent, the United States has always expressed its concern for children and adolescents because these two groups have always been the main recipients of harm. What¡¯s lacking, is what¡¯s emphasized. ... Hearing Brian deduce the girl¡¯s experiences from the traces, Green looked at the girl¡¯s beautiful face and felt uncomfortable: ¡°This sounds so sad. She managed to escape, but ended up dying in a traffic accident.¡± Brian was noncommittal: ¡°Fate does indeed like to play tricks on the pitiful. If you really feel sorry, then you should solve the case quickly, and arrest everyone who has harmed her.¡± After saying this, Brian grabbed the female cadaver¡¯s palm and presented her dirty fingernails to Green: ¡°I deliberately didn¡¯t check over here, hoping you would remind me, but you¡¯ve been gazing at the cadaver¡¯s flesh mounds, buddy, are you really that hungry? I suggest you find yourself a partner soon.¡± Green, upon hearing this, looked down in shame. He felt the same embarrassment as being caught by his father secretly masturbating. Seeing this, Brian chuckled to himself. This was part of his wicked sense of humor. He saw some shadows of his past self in Green. However, it has to be said, Green really was an anomaly among the black community. Many who grew up in poor neighborhoods, around his age, would have already fathered several kids with single mothers, rare to find someone as naive as Green. ... Putting his wicked humor aside, Brian used a tool to remove the dirt from under the female cadaver¡¯s nails, looked at it closely, and confirmed: ¡°This is a mix of lime and soil. Tomorrow, when we investigate those farms, ask which one has purchased a large amount of lime in recent years.¡± ¡°Alright, Brian.¡± Green nodded. The case was nearly solved, just one step away. One is the criminal who imprisoned the victim. The other, the Cadillac owner who fatally hit the victim. The town was only so large. With a direction, the investigation would be straightforward. However, for the sake of work rigor, identifying the victim¡¯s identity was also an urgent task. The victim had no identification documents on her, no dental implants, and no signs of surgery in her body. Under these circumstances, to find out her identity mainly involves three methods. Chapter 150 - 150 129 Identity of the Deceased Strange Sixth Sense_2 ?150: Chapter 129: Identity of the Deceased, Strange Sixth Sense_2 150: Chapter 129: Identity of the Deceased, Strange Sixth Sense_2 The first method was to extract the fingerprints or DNA of the deceased and check if the police database had any records of the individual. This actually had a slim chance of success. Due to the protection of citizens¡¯ personal privacy, only those who had committed crimes, been imprisoned, or had been involved in certain cases had their fingerprints and DNA retained in the police database; ordinary citizens did not have such information on file. The second method was to use facial recognition technology. Thanks to the development of technology. The well-funded Los Angeles Police Department already had the necessary technical support. The female corpse¡¯s appearance was relatively intact; as long as the individual was a local from Los Angeles County, similar citizen records could be found through facial recognition technology, and then the victim¡¯s identity could be confirmed. This method was the most reliable but required the assistance of the technical department at the Los Angeles Police Headquarters ¡ª Parker Center. It wasn¡¯t possible to do that today. The third method was to issue a public notice, to have someone claim the body. This method was seldom used as it could easily spook the criminal elements. ... The B6 group¡¯s laboratory was somewhat basic, but used for fundamental fingerprint extraction and upload, it was very simple, featuring specialized equipment for quick extraction and upload without the need to painstakingly perform comparisons. Tidying up the messy autopsy room. It was now nine o¡¯clock at night. At this hour, finding something to eat was impossible. As Brian¡¯s body grew stronger, so did his appetite; with no other options, he had to send Green out with a weapon to run an errand to the 24-hour convenience store to buy some high-energy food to bring back. Half an hour later. Green hadn¡¯t returned yet, but Brian had already completed the fingerprint comparison test. The result was unexpected. The police database not only had records of the deceased, but the individual was also a habitual offender! ... Brian clicked on the deceased¡¯s information page: Soraya Raton, female, 23 years old... According to the file records. The female victim, full name Soraya Raton, came from a single-parent family and grew up living with her mother. Soraya was a habitual offender. At the age of fifteen, she had been imprisoned multiple times for crimes such as illegal drug sales, theft, assault, among others. After her release. She continued to be incarcerated several times for similar crimes, until there were no more records after she turned 22. When he saw the charge of illegal drug sales, Brian shook his head. Where there was illegal, there was also legal; the difference was whether the establishment had a business license, and whether the prostitutes had health certificates. If you had connections and paid protection money, it was considered legal. But those charges were high. So most people preferred to patronize the illegal kind. As for the vehicles that Brian partook in part-time, similar to freelancing, they were high-end private businesses, a different model altogether, essentially under the guise of a ¡®brokerage company¡¯ operated by the Kamor family; they took on business and organized events. Returning to the present. Brian continued reading. The information on the victim, Soraya, ended here. There wasn¡¯t even a permanent address for her. However, the database had a comparatively complete record of Soraya¡¯s mother. Soraya¡¯s mother, only 38 years old this year, must have been about fourteen when she became pregnant with Soraya and then gave birth, and when Soraya was around four, the mother found a man to marry, which lasted until now. Below the information, there was an address and telephone number for her. ... All these records were printed out. Brian was a bit puzzled; Green had been gone for quite a while. He took out his phone, ready to call Green and tell him to head straight home, then he would also leave work. Just then, Green ran into the office out of breath, carrying a large box. He looked somewhat panicked. Seeing this, Brian raised his nose slightly, ¡°Green, why do you seem so flustered?¡± Green set down the box with a helpless expression, ¡°When I went to the convenience store, I encountered a young man robbing the place, and I...¡± ¡°You opened fire?¡± Brian interrupted Green¡¯s words and asked directly. Green fell silent for a moment, then nodded, ¡°I don¡¯t know why I reacted so strongly. When I saw him pointing a gun at me, I drew my weapon and shot. It wasn¡¯t until he fell that I realized what I had done.¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Is it that after you killed him, you realized the robber¡¯s safety was still on?¡± Normally, this wouldn¡¯t have been Green¡¯s reaction. Brian began to understand why his uncle Billy¡¯s ¡®Mind Reading Technique¡¯ had been so formidable. Strong observation skills meant one could discern a lot from the microexpressions of an unguarded person and, if one understood that person, the effect was indeed not much different from mind reading. Green looked at Brian with a hint of surprise and nodded again, ¡°Yes, it was only after I shot that I processed it. These kinds of robberies are usually just for show; it is rare for shopkeepers to fight back, and even rarer for the robbers to actually shoot. When I saw how young the robber was, barely a teenager, and that I had killed him, I felt an indescribable sensation in my heart.¡± Brian patted Green on the shoulder, ¡°Buddy, you did nothing wrong. If it had been the other way around, it would be your mother crying over your corpse.¡± It must have been the aftereffects of seeing blood before. After killing someone and seeing blood, one¡¯s first response to danger is to kill directly until time soothes that stress response. That¡¯s why after police kill criminals, they are required to see a psychologist and take some time off. NW had more power, didn¡¯t have such requirements, and correspondingly, the self-recovery pace was a bit slower. ... After some comforting words from Brian. Green¡¯s complexion looked a lot better. He pushed the food he bought in front of Brian, ¡°I¡¯m much better now, boss Brian, but I need to go to the police station to make a statement. I¡¯ll be leaving for today.¡± NW had a lot of power; as long as it wasn¡¯t a reckless killing, a report filed afterward would suffice. Green¡¯s case was an accident, so he still had to go through the police procedures, but it wouldn¡¯t impact his work tomorrow. ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll come with you.¡± Brian simply grabbed the food and called on Shi San to accompany Green to the precinct to complete his statement before returning to his apartment. After eating and taking a shower, Brian was lying on the couch, about to make an international call to Susan to bother her, when a warm flow suddenly surged through his body. Under Supercomputer Perception, the feedback of ¡®Gift Energy +10¡ä also emerged in his mind. Brian was taken aback. What was this all about? After a moment¡¯s thought, he realized: this was from the previous case of the annihilated family, where the multiple personality disorder murderer¡¯s second personality had collapsed and self-destructed due to his actions. ¡°This method really works.¡± Brian felt somewhat pleased. He now had a total of 45 units of Gift Energy stored, and he still had a Beastman obsession mission that wasn¡¯t too difficult to complete. After completing that obsession, he would receive a substantial amount of Gift Energy. He wondered if he would be able to break through the current bottleneck and advance to the next stage after the Enhancement! Suddenly, A question interrupted Brian¡¯s anticipation, popping into his mind: who was the person that reported the annihilated family case in the first place? The case of the annihilated family initially came to light when an unknown man used a street-side payphone to dial 911. The case was then transferred to the precinct, and after feedback from the precinct, it was redirected to the B6 team. Originally, once the case was solved, the identity of the person reporting the crime wasn¡¯t important. Brian wasn¡¯t the kind of person to pry into others¡¯ affairs. But this thought, uncontrollably, had surfaced in his mind just now, as if his Sixth Sense was telling him that there was something more to this matter... Chapter 151 - 151 130 Remember to follow Shi Sans cues! ?151: Chapter 130 Remember to follow Shi San¡¯s cues! (Extra update 9 for the alliance master ¡®Night¡¯s Brilliance¡¯) 151: Chapter 130 Remember to follow Shi San¡¯s cues! (Extra update 9 for the alliance master ¡®Night¡¯s Brilliance¡¯) ¡°Whatever.¡± After pondering for a moment, in the absence of any prior information, Brian shook his head and stopped thinking about the issue. He decided not to meddle in matters that didn¡¯t concern him. Concerning him. The dead bodies of the Original Sect and the FBI Hunting Team were precedents to consider. Filled with the joy of his unexpected gains, Brian dialed Susan¡¯s number. Susan wasn¡¯t dumb, but she was often single-minded and careless, which made it easy for her to inadvertently offend people. Brian wondered whether she had been bullied in London. After waiting for over ten seconds, the phone on the other end was picked up. Before Brian could speak, screams from men and women came through the receiver. Among the screams, Susan¡¯s fierce voice could be heard: ¡°Bastards, dare to mess with me, don¡¯t run away!¡± After another round of screams, aside from some faint moans, it gradually became quiet, and then Susan¡¯s gentle voice came through: ¡°Hey, Brian, why are you calling me at one in the morning?¡± One in the morning? Brian glanced at the wall clock and realized it was just past ten at night; accounting for the time difference, it was indeed just past one in the morning in London. But he was quick to respond: ¡°Hey, Susan, I was planning to contact you tomorrow morning, but for some reason, I just suddenly thought of you. I didn¡¯t expect you to pick up. I didn¡¯t imagine God would be so kind to me, allowing me to hear your voice, easing my yearning, thank you, God. By the way, how are things over there? You haven¡¯t replied to the emails I sent you.¡± At this time, in London. Susan sat atop two women with bruised faces, her lips curving up uncontrollably, her voice softened even more: ¡°Not bad, people here are pretty easygoing, but the food is rubbish, which has made me quite irritable lately. However, I just exercised a little with some new friends I met, so I¡¯m feeling a lot better. Sorry about the emails, it¡¯s been difficult to check them recently. The training organization I¡¯m at, the Night Demon Organization, has very strict rules, and they frequently launch early morning pursuits.¡± Night Demon Organization? An official organization in London? Brian thought of Susan saying that the people there were easygoing and wanted to laugh. He had been foolish to worry that Susan might be bullied there. Just as Brian was about to say something, a man¡¯s scolding voice suddenly came from the phone on Susan¡¯s end. ¡°Hang on, we¡¯ll talk later, Brian...¡± Susan said, and then the sound of rushing wind came from the phone, followed by the man¡¯s voice of alarm and anger, which quickly turned into screams, and the screams swiftly became pleas for mercy. Brian glanced at the time. Susan was efficient, taking only a little over ten seconds to complete the pleasant exchanges there and then she picked up the phone again: ¡°Sorry, people here are just too enthusiastic. It¡¯s a pity I couldn¡¯t bring my revolver; otherwise, the exchange would have saved more time. By the way, Brian, is everything okay with the group?¡± ¡°Pretty good, it¡¯s just that without you here, I find myself a bit out of sorts doing things, sorry, I know it¡¯s abrupt to say this, but it¡¯s true, I just can¡¯t lie to you...¡± Brian took out a sticky note, glanced at the time recorded on it and then the current time, and continued, ¡°Susan, ever since you left, at the eighty-sixth hour, fifteen minutes and thirty-two seconds, I haven¡¯t stopped thinking about you, so remember to take good care of yourself in London; I¡¯ll guard the B6 team until you return.¡± In London. Click¡ª Susan stepped on a man¡¯s head, her phone slipping from her palm and crashing to the ground. She wanted to cover her wildly pounding heart but found her hands too small, so she could only cover her flushed cheeks instead and called out to the phone loudly, ¡°Okay, Brian, I still have some stuff here, let¡¯s not talk for now!¡± After that, she kicked aside the acting team leader under her foot, picked up the phone, and hung up swiftly. Having done all this, Susan breathed heavily. Damn it. How could Brian, that jackass, say something so cheesy! So embarrassingly sweet. Seeing her like this, the bruised team leader, as well as the spoiled second-generation who had nearly lost their lives provoking Susan, and the bodyguards who were all knocked down protecting them... they all doubted their own eyes. This violent woman, to have such a shy demeanor? Oh God. That guy called Brian had to be a Dragon Knight from a fantasy novel, someone who could subdue a giant dragon! Susan seemed to sense the gazes of the people on the ground; her bashful face changed back to cold indifference. She clenched her fists: ¡°What are you looking at!¡± The second-generation and bodyguards, scared again, lowered their heads once more. Susan¡¯s acting team leader said awkwardly: ¡°Susan, there¡¯s a new mission, and also, about the Night Demon Organization¡¯s information, you shouldn¡¯t...¡± Seeing Susan¡¯s increasingly fierce gaze, he quickly changed his words: ¡°I mean, the mission is quite urgent, let¡¯s just go there first.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Susan nodded and walked toward the makeshift team. Watching her leave, the acting team leader heaved a sigh of relief. His family, in the United States, was not inferior to Susan¡¯s, which was why he had dared to use his status as acting team leader to try to take advantage of Susan, a fellow temporary member. After all, who wouldn¡¯t have thoughts about a beautiful and capable female subordinate? Now... Whoever wants her can have her. He couldn¡¯t take a beating; that was that. Only when the acting team leader got up from the ground and caught up, leaving afterward, did the two second-generation men and women, who had been beaten up, manage to scramble up from the ground looking wretched. The man among them touched his disfigured face and clenched his fist in anger: ¡°These barbaric descendants of criminals, damn pigs! How dare they beat up the son of an Earl in broad daylight! I will sort her out!¡± The other second-generation woman also had a ferocious light in her eyes. Just as she was about to say something, suddenly, her pupils dilated, she instinctively squatted down, clutched her face in terror, and exclaimed, ¡°It¡¯s not my fault!¡± ¡°Hm?¡± The so-called Earl¡¯s son, seeing his companion¡¯s reaction, was about to say something when suddenly, a violent force grabbed his hair and yanked him up. The returning Susan held the young man¡¯s pale face and revealed a cold smile on her own beautiful face, ¡°Mother Pig Luo, you wanted to deal with me?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Aow~¡± ¡°My father is... Aow~¡± ... Los Angeles. Brian stood on the balcony, looking in the direction of London, he sighed. Eh. Although he knew Susan was impressive. Still, her fiery temper worried him. He hoped that Susan¡¯s family had enough strength to back her up; otherwise, he was concerned she might provoke someone with a powerful background and a petty nature. Such a beautiful girl out in the world really made one worry... ... The next day. Brian arrived at the office with Shi San. Old Hardenn, holding a cup of coffee, saw Brian and quickly said, ¡°Ivan and his team received some intel on the dismemberment case, clocked in, and left for fieldwork.¡± ¡°It seems they¡¯re stuck on their case too.¡± Brian curiously asked Old Hardenn, ¡°The reporting center shouldn¡¯t be assigning us any more cases, right? It¡¯ll probably take a few more days to finish the cases I have.¡± Hearing this, Old Hardenn rolled his eyes: ¡°No, our B6 team is only a few people, handling two cases at once is already our limit, how could we possibly take on more. Brian, for normal cases, the typical investigation period is usually counted in weeks or months, or they may never be solved. Please don¡¯t take your case-solving speed as normal.¡± It¡¯s a pity he didn¡¯t have a varied enough vocabulary. Otherwise, Old Hardenn really ought to have asked Brian: Would you die if you didn¡¯t show off? ... With the team incomplete. Brian didn¡¯t even bother to call a meeting. Green was probably still feeling guilty about shooting an underage armed robber yesterday, and unusually overslept today, arriving at the office after ten. ¡°Sorry, Boss Brian, I had some insomnia last night...¡± ¡°Can you work normally?¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Brian nodded, ¡°That¡¯s fine then, today you¡¯ll be responsible for investigating the farm and that Cadillac. I¡¯ll have Shi San accompany you; it remembers the scent of the soil from the female corpse¡¯s fingernails, follow its signals.¡± Green glanced at the little yellow dog squatting below Brian, about thirty centimeters in length, and then back at Brian, wanting to ask if Brian was serious. Following signals... How should he do that? But Shi San was already growing impatient, barking at Green, ¡°Woof woof woof! (Black big dog, hurry up!)¡± Unfortunately, Green didn¡¯t understand dog language. He looked towards Brian. Brian shrugged, took out two twenty-dollar bills for Green: ¡°It¡¯s telling you to hurry up. Also, Shi San is growing recently and eats a lot. Remember, if you encounter danger, just run; Shi San is quite clever and will definitely run faster than you. Don¡¯t worry about it, just take care of yourself.¡± ¡°Alright, Boss Brian...¡± Green took the money, bewildered, and went off with the dog to investigate. ... At eleven-something. The people Brian had contacted also arrived. A man and a woman. The woman was the mother of the female victim found in the tree, Mrs. Gilman, along with her husband, Billis Rocky Gilman. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m the Autopsy Officer here, you can call me Brian. Do you need to go see your daughter Soraya now?¡± Brian took a glance at the two and stepped forward to greet them. However, both of their attitudes were quite cold. Mrs. Gilman shook her head, ¡°No need, she hasn¡¯t contacted me in a long time, and our relationship wasn¡¯t good. Mr. Brian, why did you call us here?¡± Billis Rocky¡¯s response was equally cold, ¡°She wasn¡¯t even willing to take my surname and didn¡¯t like me. I don¡¯t see any point in looking at her body.¡± It was clear they had no affection for the victim Soraya. Seeing this, Brian didn¡¯t want to waste words either. He led the two to the office and began to inquire about Soraya¡¯s situation. Mrs. Gilman cooperated somewhat. After thinking for a moment, she slowly said, ¡°Soraya was very beautiful, so many of her classmates wanted to sleep with her. They led Soraya astray, and she became very rebellious. By the age of twelve or thirteen, she often wouldn¡¯t come home.¡± Brian nodded, ¡°What was Soraya¡¯s social life like?¡± ¡°Very chaotic,¡± Mrs. Gilman lit a cigarette, sighing, ¡°I once tried to save Soraya, hoping she could have a better life, but she pointed a gun at me. After that, I rarely paid attention to her. I only knew that she changed boyfriends one after another, of all ages and statuses, and got into drugs. As long as she was supplied with drugs, she would do anything. Later, I completely lost track of her.¡± ... After seeing off the couple. Old Hardenn approached Brian, ¡°I feel something¡¯s off about that man.¡± Brian nodded, ¡°I noticed that too. Every time Soraya was mentioned, his eyes would subconsciously look at his feet; that¡¯s a sign of guilt! Old Hardenn, I need you to help me investigate this man¡¯s details and social connections.¡± Old Hardenn shrugged, ¡°No problem, but it might take some time.¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Take it slow, there¡¯s no hurry.¡± After what Old Hardenn said before, he also realized he had been too intense about the cases. There was no end to cases. He could handle it, but the people around him couldn¡¯t. Occasional slacking was the true path. Half an hour later, Old Hardenn placed a stack of documents in front of Brian, ¡°This is all the online and offline information on that Billis Rocky.¡± Brian glanced at the time, then back at Old Hardenn, silent without a word. Old Hardenn, isn¡¯t your efficiency a bit outrageous? Chapter 152 - 152 131 Bieber Pig Farm ?152: Chapter 131: Bieber Pig Farm 152: Chapter 131: Bieber Pig Farm Over half an hour, in a place like the United States Federation, both online and offline, to get a person¡¯s information sorted... Brian had reason to suspect that Old Hardenn was just playing with him. Old Hardenn, cunning with age, spotted immediately that Brian had something on his mind. He had no choice but to explain to Brian, ¡°The information about a person mainly consists of their social connections, work, family, and finances. The hardest to track is social connections, but the rest can easily be found by searching with their identity information.¡± Brian didn¡¯t say anything. He picked up the files and quickly started going through them. This file on Billis Rocky was very comfortable to read. His employment history, family members, credit card spending locations, and so on were each marked on separate pages. In addition, there was an analysis of Billis Rocky¡¯s usual pattern of activities and location analysis, very considerate indeed. The most outrageous part was the last page, which listed Billis Rocky¡¯s cell phone numbers, email and phone directories, call durations, and even tagged the identities of those people. Importantly, it showed a whole three cell phone numbers for Billis Rocky, not just the one number recorded by the police. It¡¯s well known around here that cell phone numbers aren¡¯t registered under real names. Brian only had a bunch of disposable phone cards. However, the data on Billis Rocky¡¯s specifics bank transactions and social connections and the like were missing from the files. Even so, Brian was extremely impressed, ¡°Buddy, how did you manage to get all this?¡± ¡°Quite simple, just start digging from a point that can be found.¡± Old Hardenn pointed at the documents: ¡°Billis Rocky¡¯s employment history was taken from his association¡¯s records. Credit card daily expenses, email correspondence, all directly from his email, which contained credit card statements and detailed purchases, making it easy to determine his usual activity patterns. As for phone communications, just flip through the telephone company¡¯s database to search. Although there¡¯s no registration for cell numbers, they do have payment records. A related search is all it takes to find them, and then compare those with his contacts. As long as Billis Rocky doesn¡¯t use that phone just once, he can¡¯t escape detection.¡± While saying this, Old Hardenn casually lit a cigarette and took a deep breath, surrounded by smoke, he spoke somewhat melancholically, ¡°Unfortunately, many bank records are in independent databases, some are simply paper archives. Although some information can be found, it¡¯s not complete, so I didn¡¯t bother to print it out.¡± Gulp~ Brian swallowed his saliva. What does he mean by ¡®directly looking¡¯? Human language? Isn¡¯t this just hacking into those systems and someone¡¯s email? Is this old man that formidable! Suddenly, Brian recalled something. Tom once said that he felt Old Hardenn had very strong computer skills. At the time, Brian somewhat scoffed at the idea, not believing that a man in his sixties would have any significant achievements in this relatively new technology. Now, it seemed, he was the clown... .. Seeing Brian not talking, Old Hardenn leaned on the office desk, shook the ash from his cigarette, and said indifferently, ¡°This file, it was a friend of mine who helped to get it. If you need it again, remember to pay up.¡± Having said that, he was about to retreat to his corner workstation to continue playing games. Brian hurriedly grabbed Old Hardenn, glanced at Edna who was reading at her desk, and said in a lowered voice, ¡°Your... your friend, is he a hacker?¡± Old Hardenn hurriedly shook his head, ¡°No no no, hacker is not a good term. My friend is a law-abiding good person, who just understands some technical methods.¡± ¡°Then why haven¡¯t you mentioned this friend before?¡± Old Hardenn spread his hands: ¡°You guys never asked.¡± According to his personality, if he didn¡¯t see Brian as truly capable, and the team wasn¡¯t on the right track, and considering his own age, wanting to help the next generation and build some younger connections, there¡¯s no way he would show off his value appropriately. Being outstanding sometimes is not necessarily a good thing. Seeing Old Hardenn unwilling to talk more, Brian didn¡¯t bother to ask further: ¡°Alright, thank my friend for me, if I need your friend¡¯s help next time, what are the usual charges?¡± Old Hardenn waved his hand, ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± After speaking, he leisurely returned to his spot. ... Watching Old Hardenn¡¯s back, Brian withdrew his gaze. Everyone has their own secrets. As long as it doesn¡¯t affect him, it¡¯s fine. Brian began to closely examine Billis Rocky¡¯s data. Billis Rocky was the victim Soraya¡¯s stepfather, and their relationship wasn¡¯t very harmonious, to the point where he couldn¡¯t even be bothered to put on a show by giving her a last glance before her death. Yet whenever Soraya¡¯s mother mentioned Soraya, the man would instinctively look at his feet, showing a guilty posture. This made it easy to suspect that something unpleasant was involved. Ten or so minutes later. Brian rubbed his temples, tapping his fingers on the desk. Looking at the data, Billis Rocky seemed like a good person. He came from an average background, with parents who were very ordinary wage earners, but he worked hard and managed to get into a prestigious university in a place where it¡¯s tough for common people to climb the social ladder. After graduating, Billis Rocky became a high school teacher in Los Angeles. He had a decent income and social status, led a regular life, and usually stuck to a routine. Except he would occasionally sit at a cafe?. Billis Rocky didn¡¯t go to bars, didn¡¯t frequent any legal adult entertainment establishments, and his phone directory and email mostly consisted of his colleagues, without any women of complicated social status. Chapter 153 - 153 131 Bieber Pig Farm_2 ?153: Chapter 131: Bieber Pig Farm_2 153: Chapter 131: Bieber Pig Farm_2 When he had asked before, Brian¡¯s enhanced sense of smell hadn¡¯t detected the scent of smoke or the smell of other females on Billis Rocky. As for Billis Rocky¡¯s other two mobile phone numbers, that was even more surprising. They did indeed have contacts. However, according to the IP information Hardenn retrieved, those were all landlines belonging to welfare institutions. There were also emails in Billis Rocky¡¯s inbox about regular donations made to welfare institutions. Which meant, Soraya¡¯s stepfather was a guy who lived regularly, didn¡¯t smoke or drink, and was quite compassionate. To some extent, Soraya¡¯s mother didn¡¯t really match him. It was puzzling how these two had ended up together. ¡°Why would such a person look guilty every time he spoke about Soraya and previously resisted seeing Soraya¡¯s body?¡± Brian noted this point at the top of the file, underlined it twice to indicate it required special attention, then locked the file away in his drawer. Staff was insufficient. He would wait for feedback from Green¡¯s investigation. ... It was past four in the afternoon. Near the end of the workday. Green, looking disheveled, returned to the office with the dog, Shi San. Seeing the bruise on his mouth, Brian frowned, ¡°Ran into some trouble?¡± Green shook his head, ¡°Not really, I pretended to be a dog-walking passerby, unnoticeable to most. But I didn¡¯t find anything significant. I took Shi San around several farms, but Shi San didn¡¯t react. I went to the town bar, asked around, but nobody heard of anyone buying lime in bulk, not many people need it, and nobody pays attention to that.¡± ¡°What about your mouth?¡± Green, looking frustrated, replied, ¡°After finding nothing, I was preparing to take Shisan for a meal before heading back. Suddenly, Shisan started barking at a man who seemed to be in a bad mood and reeked of alcohol... Anyway, I got into a fight with him, but it¡¯s nothing serious.¡± Upon hearing this, Brian turned to look at Shi San. Shi San disdainfully glanced at Green: ¡°Woof woof woof~ (The scent... The big black dog doesn¡¯t understand Shi San, and can¡¯t even win a fight, Shi San doesn¡¯t want to follow him, disgraceful~)¡± Brian:... Only because Shi San could use pheromones in conjunction with his barking to communicate, otherwise, he couldn¡¯t understand its meaning. In fact, he still didn¡¯t understand what Shi San meant by the smell. Shi San¡¯s expression and cognition of things were still somewhat limited. ... Seeing that Brian didn¡¯t respond, Green thought he was disappointed and said somewhat apologetically, ¡°However, I did find some information about that Cadillac. Not many people in town drive that car. A server told me that a white gang member named Alab often drove a Cadillac to town. The day before yesterday, his car was stolen. It caused quite a stir in town. Alab swore that if he found the car thief, he¡¯d chop off his hands.¡± ¡°The day before yesterday?¡± Brian caught a critical piece of information. That time was roughly when Soraya was hit by the Cadillac. Green nodded, ¡°The timing of the car theft and Soraya¡¯s victimization match. It was probably Alab¡¯s car that hit the fleeing Soraya. The question is whether his car was really stolen or whether he hit Soraya and disposed of the car to avoid trouble. But I think the former scenario is more likely.¡± Brian nodded, ¡°I think the car was really stolen too.¡± Because of some mafia godfather¡¯s reasons, many gang leaders, once prosperous, would spend big money to customize their bulletproof Cadillac sedans, then sit in them, smoke cigars, and hug women. With more wealth, they would even outfit themselves with yachts and private jets. It nearly became a trend. Cadillacs were a preferred model among gang members, much like Black people like AJ shoes. If Soraya was hit by the gang member Alab, in such a remote place, he would rather choose to bury the body than get rid of his own car. ... ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I think too, so I¡¯ve asked a friend to contact some illegal cab groups to find out about the Cadillac, but it¡¯s going to cost some money... It¡¯s just the basement where Soraya was imprisoned... Without any other leads, we might have to investigate those farmer profiles and analyze to find a suitable suspect, then apply for a search warrant to investigate.¡± Green, quite understanding of social customs, didn¡¯t say anything about Brian¡¯s dog not being effective, instead, he directly proposed what he thought was a suitable solution. ¡°Funding is not an issue, and as for the investigation of the farmer¡¯s data, there¡¯s no rush. First, try to find that Cadillac as soon as possible.¡± Brian wrote an authorization for Green to go get a cashier¡¯s check from the clerk Edna. Because of Hardenn¡¯s initial involvement with prostitution, Susan didn¡¯t trust the old Hardenn much and directly entrusted the group B6¡¯s funds to the new recruit Edna. Currently, group B6 had over fifty thousand US dollars left in their case-solving budget. For a team established just over a month ago, that was considered quite financially robust. ... After Green went to find Edna, Brian put Shi San on the table and stroked its head, communicating with it. After a while, he finally understood what Shi San meant. According to Shi San, the man it barked at carried the fresh scent of the female victim Soraya. This was an important piece of information. Including today, it had been three to four days since Soraya¡¯s death. A human¡¯s body scent doesn¡¯t linger for long, which means the drunk likely had contact with Soraya before her escape! Furthermore, that drunk could possibly be the person who imprisoned Soraya! Unfortunately, after Green got the check, he was busy leading his friends to investigate the stolen Cadillac, and Shi San couldn¡¯t describe what the drunk looked like. Brian could only take Shi San back to that town. This also made him realize the urgency of scheduling sketch training for Shi San. Shi San didn¡¯t yet know it was about to suffer again. It happily sat in the passenger seat, enjoying the breeze outside, wagging its tail cheerfully. Following Brian out, it felt so safe. Happy! ... At that moment, In a warehouse converted to a livestock pen, Several scantily clad women obediently entered the back seat of a Dodge vehicle shaped like a Wuling van, under the watchful eyes of armed men. At the end of the livestock pen, a tattered sign lay on the ground, covered with footprints. It read: Bieber Pig Farm... Chapter 154 - 154 132 Immortal ?154: Chapter 132 Immortal... Dogzi Jumping 154: Chapter 132 Immortal... Dogzi Jumping Arrived at the small town. It was already approaching evening. Under Shi San¡¯s lead, Brian arrived at the fast food restaurant where he had encountered the drunkard before. It was a very small fast food restaurant, mainly selling fried chicken, drinks, burgers, and the like, with just three tables and chairs outside. At this moment, during the mealtime, there was not a single person inside. This was quite normal. This town wasn¡¯t a tourist attraction, nor was it located beside a highway. With few outsiders, business was naturally mediocre. The only attendant in the shop was a white woman in her forties with dull skin and a stout figure, sporting dreadlocks. She was idly sitting in front of the counter watching TV. Hearing the bell over the doorway, the woman put down the snack in her hand and looked toward the door. When she saw Brian¡¯s appearance, her eyes lit up and she enthusiastically said, ¡°Wow, it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen such a handsome young man. What do you need?¡± Brian pulled out a twenty-dollar US bill and placed it on the counter, pointing at the police badge around his neck, ¡°I¡¯m looking for the person who had an argument with a black youth this afternoon.¡± Seeing the police badge, and then hearing ¡®black youth,¡¯ the woman¡¯s expression grew subtly complex. She quickly pocketed the twenty US dollars and said in a low voice, ¡°I heard that a woman¡¯s body was found nearby. Officer, are you here to investigate about that body?¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not convenient to say. Is the news about the dead woman widely spread?¡± The woman nodded, ¡°Isn¡¯t that normal? When many people from town came back, they saw the patrolling officers on the highway. This place is small, anything that happens is immediately known by everyone. But I advise you not to investigate this matter, it¡¯s troublesome.¡± At that, Brian looked surprised and asked, ¡°Can you elaborate?¡± He hadn¡¯t expected to gather information that Green hadn¡¯t unearthed. This world that judged people by their appearance was so realistic. The woman leaned over the counter, getting close to Brian and greedily sniffing him before continuing, ¡°Everyone knows, but no one dares to talk about it. If you hadn¡¯t been so handsome, I wouldn¡¯t have wanted to trouble myself either.¡± As she spoke, the woman stared intently at Brian¡¯s face and hinted, ¡°But if you¡¯re willing to go backstage with me for a chat, maybe I can take some risks.¡± Brian:... His smile faded, and with a stern face, he opened his coat to reveal the holster under his arm, ¡°I¡¯m not a good man. Perhaps you can rephrase that!¡± Seeing Brian¡¯s stern face, the woman felt inexplicably cold. She quickly set aside her ulterior motives and said honestly, ¡°If you want to know about the dead woman, you can look for the drunk who had an altercation with your partner. His name is Doli, and he lives on the east side of town. The house with the small swan mailbox, that¡¯s his home. He should be asleep right now.¡± ¡°Thank you for the information, ma¡¯am.¡± Brian nodded and left with Shi San. Susan was right; a pistol is the best catalyst for promoting civility and politeness between people. ... Arriving in front of the house the waitress had mentioned. Brian rang the doorbell. After waiting a long time, there was no response inside. Brian glanced at the surveillance camera above the door, shrugged helplessly, stepped out of the camera¡¯s range, picked up a rock, and smashed the house¡¯s window. Entering someone else¡¯s house uninvited is illegal. As a law-abiding citizen by day, Brian naturally wouldn¡¯t break the law under surveillance. He looked at Shi San and pointed at the broken window, ¡°Shi San, go in!¡± ¡°Wang~ (All right, big dog~)¡± Shi San took a running start, her short legs stretching over a meter high, she used the wooden wall to jump through the window. Moments later, The tightly closed house door opened from the inside. ¡°FK!¡± ¡°You bastard, I¡¯m going to kill you!¡± Along with the man¡¯s angry shouts, a yellow figure rushed out from inside and hid behind Brian. Another ten seconds passed. A young white male limping, wielding a baseball bat, wearing only underwear, with a fresh bite mark on his chest, angrily appeared at the door. He had been sleeping soundly when, out of nowhere, a mad dog rushed in, bit his chest, and woke him up. What made him angrier was, he recognized the dog; it was the same little thing that had barked at him in the afternoon. Even angrier than that! While chasing the dog, he had rolled down the stairs! Now, the young man felt the urge to swallow the dog whole! ... Shi San hid behind Brian, changing her face, emboldened by her owner, and bared her teeth, grinning spitefully at the young man standing in the doorway. The young man, holding the baseball bat, gave Shi San a fierce glare, then assessed the tall and sturdy Brian, slightly reducing his fury. He felt he might not be able to beat the dog¡¯s owner. Sensing his hesitation, Shi San stuck out her tongue at the young man, her eyes drooping mischievously as she made a mocking face. The young man, already in a bad mood, couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He raised the baseball bat and charged, ¡°FK, you damn dog, die!¡± Facing the whooshing baseball bat, Brian calmly reached out and easily grabbed the middle of the bat, pulling out his handcuffs hidden under his clothes with his other hand, ¡°Mr. Doli, congratulations on achieving the feat of assaulting an officer. As a reward, please accept this pair of silver bracelets, and see if they fit.¡± Doli:... FK, this son of a bitch, entrapment! If Brian could hear his Heart Sound, he would definitely tell the youth this was called a ¡°police trap.¡± ... Ten minutes later. Chapter 155 - 155 132 Immortal ?155: Chapter 132 Immortal... Dogzi Jumps_2 155: Chapter 132 Immortal... Dogzi Jumps_2 Doli hung his head dejectedly and placed a glass of water in front of Brian, ¡°Officer, if there¡¯s anything you want to know, just ask.¡± ¡°Do you know Soraya?¡± Doli nodded, ¡°I knew her. I still can¡¯t believe she¡¯s dead; I thought she had escaped.¡± Brian perked up. Truly an informant. It wasn¡¯t a waste of time to play a game of Immortal... jumping dog. Brian nodded, ¡°I can tell, you were close to her, tell me more.¡± Doli sighed, ¡°Soraya was like a breeding sow at Bieber Pig Farm. I know it¡¯s inappropriate to say, but that was the situation. That place was a legal brothel, and I still don¡¯t understand how that asshole Bieber managed to get a business license, but it indeed was a legally operated venue. Bieber treated those prostitutes like breeding sows, kept to satisfy some rich men¡¯s bizarre desires. I was a waiter there. From the moment Soraya arrived, I fell for her. But I was just a poor coward, without any means to help her. Until the day before yesterday, Soraya suddenly approached me, saying she wanted to run away...¡± ¡°Hold on!¡± Brian interrupted Doli, ¡°I¡¯m a bit confused; if it was a legal establishment, why did Soraya want to escape?¡± Doli glanced at the well-dressed Brian, sarcastically: ¡°Legal is just a fig leaf. How could such a business be clean? The clients are perverted; often prostitutes are found dead after being ¡®used,¡¯ and then their bodies are disposed of. Many people in the town knew it, even some of the cops. At first, someone called the police, but the ones who showed up weren¡¯t from the local precinct but Bieber¡¯s men. After that, no one dared to interfere.¡± It seemed just half an hour¡¯s drive from downtown Los Angeles, but a lawless wasteland, hiding incomprehensible sins. ... Brian was thoughtful. It seemed the local officials were involved in this establishment. He nodded, ¡°Alright, go on.¡± Doli opened a chilled beer on the coffee table, took a big sip, and continued with the smell of alcohol: ¡°In the pig farm, the prostitutes, once they arrived, were locked by one foot, then had to bend their heads down low to eat, mimicking pigs, including excretion. When clients arrived, they¡¯d stand outside the enclosure, picking the ¡®sow¡¯ they wanted, and we, the waiters, would bring the chosen ¡®sow,¡¯ take them for a wash, change into the costume selected by the client, then lead them over... Some would just get served right in the pen, in front of the other prostitutes. All in all, the entire process was extremely humiliating. Those who resisted or didn¡¯t cooperate quickly became addicted to drugs. Soraya was the same. She had already kicked her addiction in prison, but because of her resistance, she fell back into it. She endured for nearly a year. Until the day before yesterday. Soraya told me she had a rendezvous outside and had to get there, she begged me to lend her my phone, and then, I helped her unlock her shackles.¡± At this point, Doli took another big sip of beer, his tone bitter: ¡°I was planning to escape with her, but after she made the call, she told me someone was coming to pick her up, and then she ran off alone. I was very upset, went straight back to town, waiting for Bieber¡¯s retaliation.¡± Brian looked at this self-pitying fool, shrugged, ¡°It seems the Bieber you mentioned has been too busy recently to bother hunting you down.¡± Doli nodded, ¡°I was also surprised at first, but later in the tavern, I heard someone had found a woman¡¯s body on the road, then I knew Soraya was dead. Bieber and his lot must be worried that city police would discover what¡¯s happening here, so they didn¡¯t dare make a move.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, take me to Bieber.¡± Brian glanced at the time, crushed the can in front of Doli, and pulled him up. Staying up late was not good. He was rushing to settle this matter and get back. ... The pig farm, located four kilometers outside of the town, was hidden at the foot of the mountains. It wasn¡¯t recorded on any maps, including official records. Needless to say, this must have been done by the people behind Bieber. No wonder Green and Shi San hadn¡¯t found anything unusual in those rural areas before. By the time they arrived at the pig farm, there was no one in sight. However, the power supply equipment had not been disconnected. Doli, familiar with the place, turned on all the lights. Shi San was very excited, continuously barking towards each pigpen, ¡°Big Dog, scent, the scent of soil.¡± The soil under Soraya¡¯s nails came from here. Brian looked inside and noticed the dry black and white ground. This place must have really been a pig farm before, and the lime water used for disinfection had settled, forming the floor inside the pigpens. He took a quick glance. Under the assistance of Eagle Eye, the dimmed night did not affect Brian¡¯s vision. In front of the pig farm, there were rows of wooden cabins that looked a few years old, an empty space with a large patio, decorated with colorful lights and erected steel poles. Besides that, there were tire marks on the ground. It was apparent that the people here had not left for long. After finding nothing significant. Brian turned to Doli, ¡°Do you have Bieber¡¯s number? Call him and tell him to come over.¡± Doli, somewhat afraid, took out his phone and dialed. After a few brief sentences. He handed the phone to Brian, ¡°Bieber said he¡¯s busy doing physical check-ups for his staff and can¡¯t come over, but you can ask him directly on the phone if you have any inquiries.¡± Brian squinted his eyes, took the phone, and without listening to whatever was being said inside, he stated directly, ¡°This is Brian, an officer from NW Operations, if you¡¯re not in front of Doli¡¯s house within an hour, I guarantee I¡¯ll send you to prison to feel the warmth of a rectum!¡± He hung up the phone. Brian tossed the phone back to Doli, ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡± ... Two hours later. With Doli¡¯s words of thanks, Brian stuffed a black man with a gold chain and a badly beaten face into the trunk and drove back to the city. The black man was Bieber, a clean-handed figure that couldn¡¯t be mentioned in public. Initially, this guy was somewhat defiant, but after hearing that Brian was from NW, he obediently came over and cooperated by spilling the details about Soraya. But as soon as he heard that Brian was going to take him in, he tried to threaten Brian using the so-called backing he had¡ªa district chief. The outcome was obvious. Just a garbage district chief. Dared to talk big. Brian dared to show that uninvolved district chief what lawful prosecution is and what it means to be ¡®criminalized¡¯! On the road, Brian pulled out his phone and called Green, ¡°Green, stop the search. Call the nearby patrol officers and go directly to Soraya¡¯s mother¡¯s house and wait for me. Keep that woman under control and don¡¯t let her escape!¡± He hung up the phone. Watching the rapidly passing scenery outside, Brian enjoyed the adrenaline rush brought by speeding. This case was somewhat melodramatic. Chapter 157 - 157 134 Shi San Gets Organized Encountering the Troublesome Teddy Group ?157: Chapter 134 Shi San Gets Organized, Encountering the Troublesome Teddy Group 157: Chapter 134 Shi San Gets Organized, Encountering the Troublesome Teddy Group ¡°Tree-Top Female Corpse Case: Tied to a dramatic family saga¡ªa forced drug sale and a hit-and-run case.¡± After hearing what had happened, everyone at the scene was somewhat sighing. But by the next day, no one was mentioning it anymore. Every day, there are people and events that meet with misfortune. Unless it happens to oneself, most can only mention it when it comes to mind: ¡°Oh, that poor, beautiful girl, truly a tragedy born from her original family. We really should advocate for more mental and emotional care for children...¡± The others echoed a few sentences, then quickly changed the topic. The next day, after handing off the female corpse case, Brian casually asked about the progress of Ivan and his team, then grabbing the sketch pad, began coaching Shi San. Shi San wore a forlorn expression. It felt its dog life was quite tough. It longed to run wildly outside, enjoying the pleasure of being the boss and leading a pack of dogs to bully cats and chase raccoons. Brian found its expression amusing. After pinching its slightly meaty cheeks, he took a deep breath, picturing Susan, and began to draw, something he hadn¡¯t touched since graduating from kindergarten. Under the control of his Body Control talent, even though Brian had never formally learned to sketch, his drawings of people or items had a certain style of lines and shadows. Apart from not resembling anything at all, it looked quite neat. ¡°Damn!¡± ¡°What a shitty drawing!¡± Brian looked at the mess of lines on the sketchpad, tossed the pencil aside, and ripped off the paper to destroy the evidence. ¡°This thing, I really need to learn some techniques,¡± Brian realized he needed to find a teacher. Seeing the big dog¡¯s unstable mood, Shi San shrunk its head, thinking to sneak away but got lifted by Brian and placed on the table: ¡°Come on, draw how you see me.¡± Confidence comes from comparison. Brian felt that before learning to draw, he needed to build up some confidence. Without waiting for Shi San¡¯s refusal, he stuffed a sketching pencil into its mouth. Shi San: ... Several minutes later. Shi San lay on the table listlessly, its tongue limply sticking out, its big eyes looking hopefully at Brian, hoping the big dog would praise it. Looking at the drawing, which featured a tiny matchstick man and a matchstick dog almost as tall as itself, Brian suddenly thought of a phrase: ¡°A dog looking down on people.¡± He realized that dogs¡¯ perspectives differ from humans¡¯, and even if Shi San could sketch, it seemed unable to transfer what it saw into what humans might see. Maybe with detailed teaching, it could, but that would be too much trouble. Brian hated hassle. The plan to teach Shi San sketching then crumbled halfway. ... Today was the last workday of the week. Apart from the ¡®Teddy Group,¡¯ busy as dogs with a case, people in the office seemed lax and lackluster, occasionally chatting about where to head after work. Real people don¡¯t enjoy working. Brian felt the same. Having lost the joy of playing with dogs, he relaxed on his chair, feet on the desk, a deck of cards continuously shifting in his skilled hands, demonstrating the dexterity of his long fingers. This was sleight-of-hand magic, manipulating and changing cards using skill. Brian was very interested in it. He had learned many sleight-of-hand techniques before, but with his hands not being very nimble, he gave up due to boredom, until recently, when his Body Control talent motivated him to pick it up again. Unfortunately, his memory wasn¡¯t particularly outstanding. After playing a few times, although Brian could easily execute various highly difficult techniques, he couldn¡¯t remember all the card¡¯s positions. Unable to remember, he couldn¡¯t accurately control the change of the cards. Otherwise, Brian might have dragged his office colleagues to play and let them reacquaint themselves with the office gambling god. Beside him, Shi San, free from the big dog¡¯s oppression, languidly lay beside Brian¡¯s feet, paws up, tongue hanging out, enjoying the breeze from the window in a very relaxed dog pose. It was during this time of angling while at work for both human and dog. Secretary Edna approached Brian with a box. She looked at Brian¡¯s nimble fingers, swallowed subconsciously, and placed the box on the desk: ¡°Brian, this is the official issue from logistics after internal affairs verification for Shi San. Inside, there¡¯s its identification, uniform, custom dog tags...¡± Hearing its name, Shi San flipped and sat up, its big eyes blinking as it looked at the box in Edna¡¯s hands. Brian was also energized. He swept up the cards in his hand, tossed them onto the table, and took the box: ¡°They¡¯re that efficient over there?¡± Edna smiled and patted Shi San¡¯s head: ¡°It¡¯s quite normal. Shi San helped our team solve the citywide poisoning case. No one would hold up the certification of a police dog.¡± At these words, Brian nodded. Previously, at the crematorium, a maniac bent on revenging society by hunting drug-addicts manufacturing drugs had been quickly handled by Brian and Shi San within a few hours and packaged as a gift for Susan. Back then, Susan had mentioned getting Shi San an NW Action Department police dog certification, affiliated with Team B6. He hadn¡¯t expected to receive feedback in just over a week. ... Upon hearing that Shi San had become a police dog, Old Hardenn tossed his mouse, Green threw the case files in his hands and all hurried over to watch the excitement. Chapter 158 - 158 134 Shi San Gets Organized The Troublesome Teddy Duo_2 ?158: Chapter 134: Shi San Gets Organized, The Troublesome Teddy Duo_2 158: Chapter 134: Shi San Gets Organized, The Troublesome Teddy Duo_2 ¡°Boss Brian, does Shi San get a salary from now on?¡± Green looked envious. Following Boss Brian really does have prospects, even a dog gets to feast on the public¡¯s dime. Brian nodded, ¡°Seems like it, according to employee standards, he also gets his own file, a number...¡± Old Hardenn also felt some envy, ¡°So Shi San¡¯s benefits are the same as ours now?¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°More accurately, better than ours because every month he gets additional various allowances. It¡¯s like our benefits plus the police dog¡¯s benefits.¡± The three spectators: ... There¡¯s a real feeling of being less valued than a dog! They admitted, they were somewhat jealous of the dog Shi San. .. Under the gaze of the group, Brian tore off the seal and opened the box. Inside the box, there was a lot of stuff, the first thing one saw was an ID booklet which all NW employees have. Upon opening the booklet, the left side contained some information about Shi San, such as breed, your status, number, and the right side had a photograph of Shi San with an embossed stamp, with Brian¡¯s phone number and the NW Action Department¡¯s verification number below it. Beneath the ID booklet was a specially made dog tag. The dog tag was the badge of the NW Action Department, and on the backside, there was an indentation where a location tracker could be attached. Inside the indentation was Shi San¡¯s employee number. Further down, there were the police dog uniforms, two sets of adjustable service dog vests for changing, and two sets of similarly adjustable Bullet-Proof Vests. On the vest, there were also small pockets for tucking in things like ID. Apart from these, At the bottom of the box, there were some small gadgets. For instance, the latest portable enforcement camera and corresponding recording and storage devices developed by the NW research department, which looked like a small square box that could be attached to the police dog vest. Brian couldn¡¯t figure out why the logistics staff in NW didn¡¯t care much for their equipment, but put so much thought into a dog¡¯s equipment! NW didn¡¯t even have a specialized police dog squad. What he didn¡¯t know was that Shi San¡¯s reputation inside NW was even bigger than his as the ¡®Lucky Autopsy Officer¡¯, and more popular. After all, who would reject a tiny dog colleague that wouldn¡¯t have conflicting interests with them. ... At first, Shi San was quite curious about these things, but amid the flurry of hands from the group, it quickly realized it was just for show. Shi San let them dress it up, and the transformation was quickly completed. It was only about two and a half months old now, its appetite growing, but it was just getting fatter, with hardly any change in size, still slightly smaller than Labradors of the same age. This led to a pile of equipment on Shi San¡¯s back, looking like a doll in heavy armor, a slug in a turtle shell, clumsy and funny. ¡°Woof~ (Uncomfortable~)¡± Shi San looked at Brian with pitiful eyes. Finally, at Shi San¡¯s strong insistence, Brian had to pack up all the equipment, leaving only a dog tag with a number. The tracker, not needed for duty, naturally wasn¡¯t equipped. Even with just the dog tag hanging, Shi San still showed resistance. It preferred the joy of running free without any restraints. Seeing this, Brian patted Shi San¡¯s head, ¡°With this tag, you¡¯re now a dog with an identity, legally allowed to bite bad guys.¡± As a police dog of the NW Action Department, ordinary officers seeing Shi San would have to salute. Under Brian¡¯s guidance for these days, Shi San actually understood the difference between humans and dogs, but it habitually called Brian the big dog. Upon hearing Brian¡¯s words, Shi San¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Woof woof woof~~ Big dog, does that mean I can grab and eat tasty food whenever I see it now?¡± Brian rolled his eyes. This dog Shi San, taking advantage of humans, with a bully the weak and fear the strong character, probably couldn¡¯t be changed; if it were in his former life, combing a middle part, it would be the kind of interpreter who¡¯d eat big watermelons at folks¡¯ stalls without paying. ... In the afternoon, Ivan and Glenn came back, taking the newbie Green away to help out. Brian smelled the blood on both of them. The scent was very strong. It was difficult to be stained with such an intense scent of blood unless one was in an environment filled with a great deal of it. Besides, Glenn, that pervert, also had a very strong smell of gunpowder on him. The smell was so heavy that it was clear even without activating his enhanced sense of smell. The B6 team had been established for just over a month, and Brian had discovered Glenn firing a gun for only the second time. The last time was during a terrorist attack by the Original Sect lunatics. Brian realized that the Teddy combo was encountering some trouble during their case investigation. However, since Ivan and the others didn¡¯t actively seek help, Brian simply mentioned in passing whether they needed assistance, and after being refused, he didn¡¯t pry any further. This seemed to be an unspoken workplace understanding within the civic institutions here. When it came to assigned tasks, if others didn¡¯t ask for help, rushing to assist them would only be seen as disrespectful and condescending. After all, Brian was merely a nominal acting team leader, and Ivan¡¯s group wasn¡¯t like Green¡¯s subordinates who had accepted their place. It was necessary to be aware of one¡¯s limits. ... The entire afternoon, the B6 team still hadn¡¯t received any new cases. Brian was bored out of his mind. He simply pulled Shi San and Ali, the weapon expert who was slacking off in the underground shooting range, to visit a motorcycle supermarket, preparing to look for a motorcycle for daily travel. He had wanted to ask Ali for help in getting a custom-made bulletproof vehicle with explosive speed that could also go off-road. Ali indeed had the connections, but such customized vehicles often required a lengthy time and repeated testing to ensure the safety of the vehicle. According to Ali, it would take at least six months at the earliest. Brian had grown tired of the sluggishness of ordinary cars. He planned to get a motorcycle that could break three hundred kilometers per hour before the custom car was delivered. Speed and passion have always been a man¡¯s romance. Brian was no exception. ... On the other side, Green followed Ivan and the others to a small warehouse, still not fully grasping the situation. When the warehouse door was opened, he was stunned. Green was silent for a moment, then looked towards his seniors, Ivan and Glenn, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m a bit confused. Are we here to investigate a case or are we going to war?¡± Inside the not-so-large warehouse were various automatic rifles, pistols, grenades, and in the middle of the floor, there was even an old-fashioned heavy machine gun... Ivan patted Green¡¯s shoulder, licked his lips, and revealed a bloodthirsty smile, ¡°This case is a bit special; we need to knock out a bunch of bastards first, then we can solve the case!¡± Glenn¡¯s handsome face also displayed a cold smirk, ¡°Those bastards, they killed my informant friend, simply capturing them would be too merciful. We¡¯ve got to repay blood with blood, a tooth for a tooth!¡± Green, observing the sudden change in the demeanor of the two, swallowed hard, ¡°Would Brian, our boss, have any objections to this?¡± Were these still the sunny and enthusiastic Ivan and the always lecherous-looking Glenn! Memories of the first time he met Brian, crushing a cigarette butt, came to Ivan¡¯s mind as he grinned, ¡°No, Brian won¡¯t have any objections!¡± The newbie still didn¡¯t understand. Their team was not one to play by the rules! As an enthusiastic senior, Ivan was prepared to teach Green a lesson so he could understand what the B6 team¡¯s style of handling cases was like. Finding himself between the two male colleagues, Green was flustered. He clumsily put on a bullet-proof vest, picked up an automatic rifle, and strapped on grenades. Ivan was particularly sadistic, carrying an old-fashioned M60 machine gun that weighed over twenty pounds and was draped with a long chain of ammunition, exuding an oppressive aura. Glenn, on the other hand, drew out a large sniper rifle, pistols strapped to his legs, shedding his usual listless demeanor, his eyes now shimmering with a sharp murderous intent. Taking advantage of the time before the end of the workday, Two fully-armed thugs, plus one dazed rookie, drove off in a modified car with single-way glass, disappearing into the traffic... Chapter 159 - 159 135 Splurging a Million! ?159: Chapter 135: Splurging a Million! What a Coincidence? 159: Chapter 135: Splurging a Million! What a Coincidence? Brian still didn¡¯t know that his younger brother Green had not been taken to assist in solving the case but had been taken by the Teddy combination to commit murder and arson. He was driving a car, following the vehicle of Weapon Expert Ali, and was preparing to buy the first motorcycle of his life. In Los Angeles, there are many second-hand car markets and related trading websites. A lot of stuff could be equipped in one go online at this time, it¡¯s just that the delivery speed left something to be desired. Therefore, those in a hurry preferred to go directly to a car supermarket or motorcycle supermarket and purchase the vehicles they wanted on the spot. The motorcycle supermarket they came to was hidden in an inconspicuous commercial street. The motorcycle supermarket had three floors, and it looked dilapidated from the outside, but once you entered, you would find it was decorated with advanced technology. This motorcycle supermarket did not have many motorcycles on display, unlike other motorcycle supermarkets which had a large number of motorcycles. Instead, it had individual cylindrical lift display stands. One cool motorcycle after another was placed on these stands, slowly rotating under the lights, just like a group of coquettish beauties, tempting every incoming customer. ¡°Looks really cool!¡± Brian genuinely exclaimed, ¡°This place is indeed great, but why isn¡¯t there a receptionist?¡± ¡°They¡¯re probably playing with cars on the track at the back. The motorcycles here have smart locks; they are definitely not something that petty thieves can steal.¡± After Ali briefly explained, he directly took Brian to the third floor. Right in front of the elevator on the third floor was a reception desk. In front of the desk was a large LCD screen that was constantly being struck by various monsters, and a blond-haired guy was holding a laser sensor automatic rifle, shooting wildly at the monsters while shouting loudly. On one side of the reception desk was a metal silver door that exuded a sense of seclusion. Ali stepped forward, patted the blond guy, known as Cabo, on the shoulder, ¡°Hey, Cabo, stop playing with your lousy game. My colleague wants to get an awesome motorcycle.¡± The blond guy, Cabo, stopped what he was doing and turned his head irritably. Seeing that it was Ali, he excitedly dropped the laser sensor prop gun and punched Ali, ¡°You bastard, you actually went to work. That¡¯s so boring.¡± Ali shrugged, ¡°Buddy, I¡¯m getting old, and I have kids. I can¡¯t keep up with you guys anymore. Hurry up, I need to catch the end of my shift.¡± After a brief exchange of pleasantries. Cabo looked at Brian, ¡°Buddy, I¡¯ve got a bunch of wild motorcycles here. How explosive do you want?¡± ¡°Like the kind that can chase planes, anything below 300 kilometers per hour is quite boring.¡± Brian glanced at Shi San under his feet and added, ¡°Preferably with a back seat so I can enjoy speed and passion with it.¡± ¡°300 kilometers per hour?¡± Cabo didn¡¯t expect Brian to have such violent requests as soon as he spoke. He looked at Ali, ¡°Are you sure this is a colleague from your department and not a professional racer? Los Angeles¡¯ roads can¡¯t support motorcycles at these speeds; they¡¯ll literally take off.¡± Ali shrugged, ¡°He¡¯s an Autopsy Officer from our department; you can call him Brian. I¡¯ve already confirmed his needs; just need to modify the tires and suspension system afterward.¡± ¡°Fine!¡± Once Cabo heard the term Autopsy Officer, he stopped chattering and kept his distance from Brian, ¡°Follow me; the good stuff is this way.¡± Saying that, he walked to the front of the metallic silver door, stretched out his hand, and swiped it across a metal screen in front of the door. The screen lit up, displaying a wave-like voiceprint, ¡°Welcome back, Commander Cabo.¡± With a subtle clacking mechanical sound, Large plumes of white fog sprayed out from either side of the door, giving the impression that there was not a storeroom behind the door but some sort of sci-fi base. Brian looked at Ali beside him, ¡°Buddy, are you sure you¡¯re taking me to buy a motorcycle, not a spaceship?¡± Ali shrugged, ¡°All these are just decorative gimmicks. It¡¯s just a sensor door. Cabo and his pals are rich kids. You know how it is; young people like these kinds of things...¡± Okay, it was just a phase. ... Behind the storeroom door, it was actually similar to the first floor, with more sci-fi-themed decor and lighting. Additionally, there were far fewer motorcycles here, only twelve. Cabo walked up to the coolest motorcycle in front, introducing it to Brian: ¡°This is the coolest superbike here ¨C the Dodge Tomahawk! This speed monster was produced by Chrysler in ¡¯03; it features the Dodge Viper¡¯s 8.3-liter V10 engine and the wheels of a racing car, with a top speed of over 600 km... In fact, if you¡¯re not afraid to die, it can reach Mach 0.55; regular fighter jets would have to follow behind eating its exhaust fumes. The production quantity of the Dodge Tomahawk is very limited, I managed to get one with great difficulty, and if you weren¡¯t a friend of Ali¡¯s, I wouldn¡¯t even let you take a look!¡± While saying this, Cabo touched his messy blond hair, proudly, ¡°I¡¯ve also installed an intelligent lighting and voice system on this Dodge Tomahawk. When you exceed a speed of 300 km/h, it will have this effect...¡± He snapped his fingers, hit a button on the counter. The next moment. Strands of cool lights, like lightning, continuously flickered and traveled around the Dodge Tomahawk, flash after flash. It was incredibly cool, and at the same time, an icy, textured female voice surrounded the area, ¡°Flight mode activated...¡± Chapter 160 - 160 135 Splurging a Million! ?160: Chapter 135: Splurging a Million! What a Coincidence, Right?_2 160: Chapter 135: Splurging a Million! What a Coincidence, Right?_2 The dialogue that followed was just too cheesy. Brian didn¡¯t want to listen. Looking at the futuristic Dodge Tomahawk in front of him, Brian felt a pang of desire. He had heard of this vehicle in his past life; it was a concept car that ultimately proved to be a joke. But the car in front of him looked particularly sci-fi, totally different from what he remembered! When he heard the introduction by the blond Cabo, Brian was even more tempted! Aside from the overly cheesy voiceover. Everything else seemed perfect! No wonder it was called the supercar of motorcycles; it was indeed wickedly cool! ¡°No, no, no!¡± Before Brian could speak, Ali jumped in, ¡°Man, don¡¯t be seduced by this piece of junk! This thing is only good for show! If you really take it on the road, believe me, with the current suspension and smart adjustment technologies, once you exceed a speed of 350 kilometers per hour and hit a little pothole, you¡¯ll learn what it¡¯s like to fly. And even if you don¡¯t take off, you still might get to see the motorcycle¡¯s built-in flame effect.¡± ¡°Flame effect?¡± ¡°It¡¯s when the speed is too fast, the tires friction with the ground causes a fire, and then the motorcycle flies off, leaving a trail of sparks and your body parts behind!¡± Brian: ... He did want to experience speed and passion, but not a trail of sparks with lightning, flying through the air, and body parts scattered on the road... ... After the introduction of the first vehicle, Brian could see. Blond Cabo only cared about specs and flashiness; everything else was irrelevant. He wondered if any of Cabo¡¯s customers ever left negative reviews. Brian let Ali take over as the guide. Each motorcycle here was a top-of-the-line current version, performance monsters. Combining appearance and performance. The wealthy Brian, upon Ali¡¯s recommendation, chose a niche heavy-duty sports motorcycle¡ªBeast S. Beast S was very similar in appearance to the Kawasaki H2r from Brian¡¯s past life but was even more sci-fi, with comparable performance. It was from a niche brand he had never heard of before¡ªBeast Heavy Machinery Co. Many components of the Beast S were aviation-specific, part of a race motorcycle supercar designed to establish an American brand, and its speed easily exceeded 200 kilometers per hour, with a top speed approaching 500 kilometers per hour. This toy required exclusive custom fuel, and upon startup, the special exhaust pipe would emit blue flames¡ªextremely cool. However, maintenance was a hassle; tire wear was harsh, necessitating frequent replacements. According to Ali¡¯s estimate, if only used infrequently on a daily basis, the additional monthly expenses would not be less than 10,000 US dollars, considered a luxuriant money-guzzling monster beyond the reach of ordinary people. Brian, unbothered by the cost, went ahead and placed an order. Ali was a genuinely good guy; once Brian settled on the Beast S, he started chattering nonstop, ¡°Brian, for safety¡¯s sake, I¡¯ll have Cabo adjust the speed settings for you and enhance its off-road capabilities a bit. But I must remind you¡ªlisten¡ªthe bike is heavy and has high demands on the road. Unless there¡¯s no other way, it¡¯s best not to attempt off-road riding. Also, try not to let your speed exceed 120 kilometers per hour. A highway is not a racetrack. Choosing such an over-the-top racing bike, I¡¯m really worried that one day you¡¯ll end up on the autopsy table because of it..¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Brian wasn¡¯t annoyed by Ali¡¯s warning. A motorcycle with this kind of performance could easily go to one¡¯s head, then surpass safe speeds... ... The previous Dodge Tomahawk, priced at 1.08 million US dollars. Actually, the price Cabo got it for was around 920,000 US dollars, and its lowest auction price last year was also about 900,000 US dollars, belonging to the collector¡¯s realm. Cabo wasn¡¯t some sort of swindler. For him, the trade seemed more like indulging his own collecting obsession. Even without making much money, the price of the Beast S remained ridiculously high. It was even pricier than the Dodge Tomahawk because of the materials! Adding in the car modifications using materials not available to the ordinary person, the charge was fifty percent more expensive than the previously modified performance monster, the Dodge Tomahawk. And that was with a friendly discount! In the end, Brian swiped a staggering 1.5 million dollars, similar to the price of a small seaside villa. Cabo said that the modification would take at least a week. Before parting, he gazed eagerly at Brian and couldn¡¯t resist grabbing him to say, ¡°Buddy, are you sure you don¡¯t want me to install the smart voice and lighting system? It¡¯s free!¡± Brian felt conflicted. To be honest, the voice and lighting system that Cabo modified certainly looked cool, but it was just too corny. As for stealth, Brian hadn¡¯t considered it. With only so many of those things on the market, it wasn¡¯t suitable to drive one for more covert actions; otherwise, just by the tire tracks, they could catch you every time. Eventually, under Cabo¡¯s persistent requests, even at a loss to himself, Brian agreed to the addition of the smart lighting system. As for the voice system, definitely not. Too cringeworthy. He was past the age for such adolescent fantasies. Leaving the motorcycle supermarket, it was already past seven in the evening. Brian planned to thank Ali for his assistance by treating him to a good meal. But Ali outright refused, ¡°Forget it, Brian, I have to rush back to be with my wife and kids. Maybe some other time.¡± ¡°Alright, remember to come directly to me if you need anything in the future.¡± Brian nodded, saying goodbye to Ali, who never seemed to have much presence in the group. ... On the way back, Brian witnessed an odd scene. At this time, when it was the peak of post-work traffic, two LAPD-branded helicopters soared towards the suburbs above. On the ground, continual wails of police sirens could be heard as cop cars headed in the same direction, unable to speed through the heavy traffic, inching slowly outwards. ¡°Has a major case happened?¡± Wonder flickered in Brian¡¯s eyes. It had been a while since Los Angeles had seen such a scene. It didn¡¯t seem like a violent attack; otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t just be police cruisers and the helicopters above, but SWAT¡¯s armored vehicles would be deployed as well. Only a major case, with a lot of fatalities and a need for a coordinated pursuit to corner a target, would elicit such a scene. And crucially, he hadn¡¯t received any urgent contact from the dispatch center. Curiosity eventually got the better of Brian, and he got out of his car to stop a cop car going in the opposite direction. He showed his own badge and asked the patrol officer for details. The patrol officer, seeing someone flagging him down, was about to lash out, but upon recognizing Brian, he warmly rolled down the window, ¡°Hey, Brian, what¡¯s up?¡± Brian glanced at the officer¡¯s badge number and realized it was a patrol officer from their district. He said curiously, ¡°Sorry, I saw so many of your vehicles dispatched and wanted to ask what happened.¡± The patrol officer shook his head, ¡°We¡¯re not clear either, just that there was a fierce gunfight at a factory on McCall Avenue, with quite a few dead and explosives used. Now, several nearby precincts have been urgently redirected there by the dispatch center.¡± ¡°McCall Avenue?¡± A jolt went through Brian¡¯s heart. Damn it! That case involving Ivan and his group was located there! Could it really be such a coincidence? Chapter 162 - 162 137 Youre trying to fool me arent you ?162: Chapter 137: You¡¯re trying to fool me, aren¡¯t you? Money-Attracting Dog! 162: Chapter 137: You¡¯re trying to fool me, aren¡¯t you? Money-Attracting Dog! After changing his clothes, Green opened his phone, his face changed, ¡°Hey, guys, Boss Brian called me. Could it be that he heard the news here and suspects us?¡± Ivan, playing with the burning clothes and shoes in the oil drum, said indifferently, ¡°Don¡¯t scare yourself, just call back and say we¡¯re at Jenny¡¯s Strip Club, it¡¯s too loud here, didn¡¯t hear his call.¡± ¡°I suggest we go to the club first, then call him back...,¡± Glenn flashed his phone, ¡°Brian also called me, probably he really suspects something.¡± Ivan: ... He quickly took out his phone and became silent after seeing the missed calls. Brian must be born in the year of the dog, reacting so fast! ... Highway. Looking at the burning vehicle and those three Obsession Little Balls in the flames, Brian felt his heart go cold. Three Obsession Little Balls. Isn¡¯t that exactly corresponding to Ivan and the other two! ¡°Three assholes, if there¡¯s a problem, why don¡¯t you come talk to me? Especially Ivan and Glenn, those two assholes, why involve Green!¡± The more Brian thought about it, the more annoyed he became. All three had released their obsessions, it was clear how desperate the people in the car had been. And he didn¡¯t even know what happened. Just then, Brian¡¯s phone in his pocket rang. He was furious, didn¡¯t even look at the caller ID, picked up the phone, and answered coldly, ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Boss Brian, it¡¯s Green, I saw that you called me.¡± Listening to the noisy sounds from the other end of the phone, Brian said impatiently, ¡°Don¡¯t bother me, Green, I¡¯ve got things to handle here, you... eh? Green? Where are you now?¡± ¡°At Jenny¡¯s Strip Club?¡± ¡°Ivan and Glenn are there too?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing, you guys have fun, I¡¯ll come over later.¡± Brian hung up the phone somewhat speechless, taking a sigh of relief. He couldn¡¯t help but find the situation somewhat amusing. Turns out he had misunderstood. But picking up three extra obsessions was a gain, after all. Brian walked towards the pilot who had set up some branches as a temporary roadblock, ¡°Hey, buddy, how many people were in that car?¡± ¡°Three, they were a bunch of lunatics, never slowed down from start to finish. The road was cracked right here, the car just swerved a bit, and hit a tree.¡± Another person added, ¡°The explosion was loud, the car must have been loaded with a lot of high explosives, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen such crazy criminals. I feel like the public safety in Los Angeles will only get worse in the next half of the year.¡± Brian nodded. That was indeed the case. Three people, and three obsessions burst forth. Who knows why these three guys had such big emotional swings before death, with an obsession burst rate hitting one hundred percent. ... When the police backup arrived later, the car had burned up everything combustible. Brian felt something was off. Too clean. Explosions usually do not burn for a very long time unless the car was loaded with both explosives and a combustion accelerant. But then the question is, who would pack their escape vehicle with combustion accelerants? Could it be that they were planning to set fire to the factory after killing everyone inside? The crowd found some human skeletons, shattered flesh and bones, and several twisted firearms from around the wreckage¡ªa bent sniper rifle, an old-fashioned M60 machine gun, and a severely damaged common automatic rifle. All evidence pointed out that the three dead were the criminals who attacked the factory. Brian, puzzled, found an opportunity to collect the three Obsession Little Balls. Pretending to smoke, Brian¡¯s mind stirred, and three obsessions surged into his mind: Obsession One: Let those three assholes feel the despair I¡¯m feeling now, unable to go up or down, just watching life¡¯s countdown helplessly! Obsession Two: Let those three assholes feel the despair I¡¯m feeling now, unable to go up or down, just watching life¡¯s countdown helplessly! Obsession Three: Let those three assholes feel the despair I¡¯m feeling now, unable to go up or down, just watching life¡¯s countdown helplessly! After reading the three identical obsessions, Brian showed a puzzled face. What the hell? With doubts, he received the information provided by the obsessions. The next moment, three familiar faces appeared in his mind, the grinning Ivan, the cold-faced Glenn, and Green trying to look calm! Brian silently dropped the cigarette butt on the ground and ground it repeatedly with his foot. Alright, alright! Trying to fool me, huh? Not answering the phone, huh? Hanging out at Jenny¡¯s Strip Club, huh! Making me chase on a motorcycle in the middle of the night, huh! Thinking of how he had rushed over like a fool, a bitter smile appeared on Brian¡¯s face, which slowly turned into a silent, sinister grin. These three assholes! Just you wait! After greeting the person in charge on site, Brian got on his motorcycle and headed back the way he came. ... At that time, at Jenny¡¯s Strip Club, three grown men shrank into a corner, entirely out of place with their surroundings. Green downed one beer after another. Ivan patted his shoulder, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, feeling the kick from taking a life?¡± Green shook his head, ¡°No, I just feel bad for deceiving Boss Brian. By the way, you guys had the ability to deal with those guys on your own¡ªwhy drag me into it?¡± It dawned on him now; these two unscrupulous fellows had clearly set him up. Glenn, who had been watching the striptease, turned around, ¡°Sorry, we were only two and needed a third to cover the back door. Besides, Ivan and I discussed it; you grew up in the poor neighborhood, you¡¯re not lacking in guts, you have ambition, and actually made it out of there without a record, joined the police force, and managed to maintain a kind heart when handling cases. All in all, we chose you.¡± Ivan also chimed in with his brainwashing, ¡°You saw the scene earlier. Those bastards used their factory to produce harmful toys and killed Glenn¡¯s informant friend in a really cruel way. He was a good brother¡ªended up dying at the hands of trash because he got drunk and blabbed to a prostitute, who, for money, ratted him out.¡± Glenn sighed as well, ¡°If that fool hadn¡¯t gotten drunk and talked nonsense that the prostitute overheard for the sake of money, he wouldn¡¯t have died such a pathetic death.¡± Peer-pressured by the brothers, one after the other, Green too felt embarrassed to ask anything else. In fact, he still wanted to ask why they didn¡¯t just pull Boss Brian directly into it. Just then. All three of their phones vibrated simultaneously. They took out their phones, opened them, and saw a text from Boss Brian. Green read it, closed his eyes in pain, ¡°FK, I knew I couldn¡¯t keep this from Boss Brian!¡± Ivan and Glenn exchanged a look, also speechless. The messages on the phones of all three were the same, ¡°Come to Joyful Weekend Amusement Park. I want to talk about that Limp Gang case.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go. Brian is a man of loyalty; he¡¯ll understand us.¡± Ivan trusted his judgment of people. The first time he saw Brian, he knew beneath the superficial appearance of a delicate-looking man lay a bloodthirsty heart. ¡°Let¡¯s hope so.¡± Green was not comforted. He knew all too well that the last thing Boss Brian hated was being lied to. Ivan might be fine. But for himself, it was a different story. FK, I got on board with these two scoundrels¡¯ ship! ... The amusement park. Brian stroked Shi San¡¯s head, a small backpack beside him. The backpack was a gift from blond Cabo to Shi San. More accurately, it was the cash inside the backpack. Thinking back to when Cabo and his friends left with dark expressions, Brian was really amused. He didn¡¯t expect Shi San to be a money-making dog. The blond Cabo and his friends were so played by Shi San, only a couple of months old, they spent tens of thousands of dollars extra in cash just for the dog to play a game of distinguishing money. According to Shi San¡¯s testimony, combined with what Cabo himself said, Brian understood how it all happened: Cabo, the silly boy, kept asking Shi San what it wanted to play. Shi San bit out Cabo¡¯s wallet, then pulled out all the twenty-dollar bills inside. Cabo, probably a homebody, got interested in the few things he regularly played with. After discovering Shi San only wanted twenty-dollar bills, he specifically asked friends to bring over a large bundle of cash of different denominations. Then he separated all the different denominations of cash into piles and let Shi San choose. Shi San picked the twenty every time. Cabo got excited and summoned his friends to witness this dog that had a peculiar preference for twenty-dollar bills. When the novelty wore off. They mixed several denominations together into various piles and invited Shi San to choose again. Each time Shi San always picked the pile with the medium value. Again and again. At that point, Shi San had earned over two thousand dollars. But to test Shi San¡¯s limits, they took all the cash and arranged it into several small piles, seeing if Shi San could still pick the pile with the median value from so many denominations of currency. Just as they wished. Shi San indeed didn¡¯t choose the median value pile. It wanted them all! In front of Cabo and his friends, Shi San slid all the cash under its body... ... Thinking of this, Brian wanted to laugh. He couldn¡¯t help but pick up Shi San and plant several firm kisses on its head, ¡°Shi San, good dog, you truly are raised by me, even your character is the same as mine, haha!¡± ¡°Woof~ (Hee~)¡± Shi San wagged its tail happily, its Shiba Inu smile therapeutic. The big dog really liked those paper notes, he¡¯d have to get more for the big dog in the future! After praising Shi San. Brian put it down and let it play on its own. Speaking of which, Cabo and his friends were actually quite nice, having really stuffed the money into the backpack for Shi San. Though they probably didn¡¯t care about such an amount. But it showed that bunch could afford it, let go, and kept their word. Birds of a feather, they say. The group¡¯s Weapon Expert Ali seemed to be a good guy too. Thinking to himself. Car lights approached from the distance. Brian¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly in the dim light, against the glow, he discerned the driver and a cold smirk emerged on his face. Slowly rising, he clenched his fists. He was ready to teach these three scoundrels a lesson in reasoning, blow off some steam, and incidentally, deal with the three obsessions he¡¯d picked up that day! Chapter 163 - 163 138 Broad-minded Brian ?163: Chapter 138 Broad-minded Brian 163: Chapter 138 Broad-minded Brian The vehicle stopped. Ivan and his two companions got out of the car, reeking of alcohol. Green was somewhat afraid to face Brian. He gritted his teeth and apologized to Brian, ¡°Boss Brian, I¡¯m very sorry about what happened today.¡± Seeing that he didn¡¯t make excuses, Brian nodded, ¡°I don¡¯t like it when people around me apologize because it means my trust has been betrayed. However, this time it wasn¡¯t mainly your fault. I¡¯ll talk to you about it later.¡± Saying this, he walked towards Ivan and Glenn. Actually, Brian wasn¡¯t particularly angry about what Ivan and the others had done. But these two bastards shouldn¡¯t have dragged the newbie he just took in! Watching Brian approaching, Ivan, reeking of alcohol, spread his arms, ¡°Brian, sorry, buddy, this matter is a bit complicated, but...¡± Before he could finish, Brian had already charged up to him, delivering a vicious knee strike to his abdomen. Ivan instinctively blocked with his hands. The next moment, his face drastically changed. The force contained in Brian¡¯s knee was terrifying. It easily overpowered the strength in his arms and, carrying his hands along, ruthlessly shoved his 200-plus pound frame several inches off the ground. Thump¡ª Ivan, with a fierce expression, clutched his stomach and collapsed onto the ground, in so much pain he couldn¡¯t even breathe. In front of brute strength, his once-prideful combat skills looked utterly pale. After flooring Ivan, Brian turned his gaze to Glenn. This guy was way too cunning, immediately covering his face with his hands and crouching down, ¡°Not the face!¡± Brian: ... There¡¯s no pleasure in hitting you if you don¡¯t resist. You really don¡¯t want me to vent my anger, do you? Brian kicked Glenn down, punching and kicking him even harder than Ivan. Glenn screamed miserably, and in no time, he was lying on the ground, swollen and bruised. On Ivan¡¯s side, after throwing up everything he had eaten, he finally recovered a bit. Seeing his good friend being tortured, he hurriedly hugged Brian from behind, ¡°Calm down, Brian...¡± Brian¡¯s muscles seemed to ripple like waves, shaking from top to bottom and pushing Ivan off while he simultaneously performed a back throw, smashing him down next to Glenn before continuing to fiercely beat him. He got addicted to hitting them. The shivering Green on the side was also dragged by Brian into the group¡¯s internal heart-to-heart exchange... ... Several minutes later. The bruised and dirty group sat on the ground, each with a cigarette in their mouths, wincing in pain as they emitted clouds of smoke. ¡°FK, those enhancement reagents are insane, just one month and you can beat me down like that, totally unfair!¡± Ivan exhaled a puff of smoke, visibly frustrated! Glenn looked as if life had stolen his dreams, his face swollen like a pig¡¯s head, pressed by inflamed muscles, his eyes squinted into slits, lifeless and dull. Why did it always have to be the face! He had been with this crappy B6 unit for just over a month, and at least half of that time his face had been swollen! Green was much more fortunate. Boss Brian hadn¡¯t hit his face, so at least there was nothing special he needed to explain when he went back. Still, the boss was considerate. After everyone had finished smoking. Brian pinched out the cigarette butt and, with no concern for public decency, flicked it away before slowly saying, ¡°Tell me, why did you go behind my back to mess with the Limp Gang?¡± Glenn¡¯s face was so swollen he could barely speak coherently, so Ivan had to explain what happened. It all started when they were investigating a dismemberment case; they had tracked down the Limp Gang based on the clues and through Glenn¡¯s informant friend, found the factory that produced batteries by day and involved a Poison Maker by evening. Based on the clues, the victim who had been dismembered and dumped in a trash bin was the factory¡¯s waste disposal worker, specifically assigned to handle the chemical waste produced during drug manufacturing. Typically, such an informer, even if executed by a gang for some reason, wouldn¡¯t be discarded so carelessly; they would instead handle the body very carefully to avoid the police discovering it and tracing it back to the disguised drug factory. But while they were still investigating, Glenn¡¯s informant friend, got drunk and talked nonsense, revealing his recent investigation about the Limp Gang to a prostitute. The prostitute betrayed him for money. Glenn¡¯s informant friend was brutally murdered. By the time Glenn realized something was wrong and rushed to his friend¡¯s house, he only found his friend mutilated, all fingers and toes chopped off.. ... Ivan exhaled another puff of smoke and sighed, ¡°Brian, you know, if we played by the rules, even if we could get those scumbags incarcerated in the end, with gang protection, they would live comfortably. That wouldn¡¯t be fair to Glenn¡¯s friend, so we took matters into our own hands.¡± ¡°An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth!¡± Glenn added, waving his fists excitedly, though his speech was slurred and he dribbled a little. Brian shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m just an acting group leader; I don¡¯t care about these things, but you shouldn¡¯t have dragged Green into this. He has a mother, a brother, and a sister to support. If something happened to him, their chance to escape poverty would be gone.¡± Hearing this, Green lowered his head, feeling somewhat relieved. Ivan shrugged, ¡°We positioned him at the rear door, and before the operation, we even set mines there. Staying there, Green wasn¡¯t in much more danger than our usual workdays. NW, too, is fraught with danger and death, which is something every police officer must accept from the start. If Green died, we would support his family.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a good enough reason!¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°You two bastards obviously saw that I was grooming Green, so you deliberately dragged him down to test my reaction.¡± Ivan noncommittally, mimicking Brian, crushed the cigarette in his hand, ¡°At least it seems to have worked well; he took quite a few punches off you, FK, enhanced people are really freaks, your punches are as heavy as those of heavyweight champions!¡± This shameless demeanor, far from infuriating Brian, angered Green significantly. Angry, he flipped Ivan the middle finger, ¡°You two are really shameless.¡± ¡°Heh heh~¡± Glenn picked himself up off the ground and flashed an ugly pig-headed smile, ¡°It¡¯s not bad for young people to suffer a bit. Look, you¡¯ve become much wiser now, realizing we¡¯re no saints.¡± Ivan added, ¡°Kid, don¡¯t forget, your boss Brian isn¡¯t a saint either. Remember, he once ordered you to kill that J-cop.¡± Though the incident was suppressed, it didn¡¯t escape the notice of their colleagues. It was also because of this incident. Ivan and the others had confirmed Brian¡¯s temper, which is why they brought Green into the fold, both as a way to train the newcomer and as a buffer in their dealings with Brian. Green:... He suddenly felt that comparing himself, a person who grew up in a black ghetto, to the people in front of him, he was not only as pure as a little white rabbit but also as innocent as a baby not yet weaned. The three of them looked at Brian. Brian spread his hands, ¡°Well, I¡¯m really not a good person, Green, welcome to the villain group.¡± They exchanged glances and burst into laughter. ... With Green as a buffer. After this incident. Brian felt much closer to the Teddy combination at heart. Mainly because none of them were good kids, and they all shared the same values. For Brian, having a group of villainous colleagues also suited his interests. Otherwise, imagine having colleagues who complain about your violent enforcement of the law, and due to rules, you can¡¯t even lay a hand on them directly. Just thinking about it was uncomfortable. Now it¡¯s much better. In the future, he wouldn¡¯t need to hold back so much. ¡°Alright, from now on, we¡¯ll speak directly about anything, Brian. That¡¯s it for today, I must take Glenn to the doctor now. He¡¯s drooling like an idiot.¡± Ivan glanced at the time, ready to leave with Glenn. Brian, that bastard, was particularly ruthless in his violence, targeting excruciating yet not internally damaging spots. Even for him, a seasoned veteran, it was getting too much to bear. Shi San, who had been watching the whole scene, suddenly darted out from a corner and blocked their way, indicating that they could not pass. Brian shook his head and pointed towards the amusement park behind him, ¡°No, no, no, you can¡¯t leave yet. I didn¡¯t invite you here just to blow off steam.¡± The three felt uneasy. Green suddenly thought of Brian¡¯s cunning and licked his lips nervously, ¡°Boss Brian, is there something else?¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°I invite you to reminisce about the joys of childhood.¡± ... The eerie amusement park lights came on. In front of the rusty drop tower, there were occasional ghastly screams. The sensation of weightlessness from the up-and-down motion wasn¡¯t the scariest part. The most terrifying thing was the creaking sound of the ropes when they whipped up and down, accompanying the fear of snapping at any moment. This unknown fear of the ropes breaking and becoming airborne, turning into a meat pie, was what truly tormented people. Half an hour later. The twelfth drop tower experience ended. Green was crying for his mother, Ivan, the strong man, was rolling his eyes back, and Glenn, who had weak kidneys, even vomited foam. Brian finally felt three warm flows surging through his body. ¡®Let those three bastards feel my despair of not being able to go up or down, just watching helplessly as their lives count down!¡¯ Obsession x3, achieved! Brian comfortably exhaled. Those three obsessions had finally been completed! He didn¡¯t regret spending quite a bit of money to rent this amusement park and even instructed the staff to deliberately make the drop tower ropes creak, all to torment Ivan and his goons psychologically. Beating up Ivan and his thugs while achieving three obsessions at the same time. The open-hearted Brian then nodded in satisfaction. Finally, he felt relieved! ... As a warm-hearted man. Brian first took Green home, then took Ivan, who had rested for more than an hour yet still had trembling legs, and the unconscious Glenn, to the hospital. Tomorrow was a rest day. He wasn¡¯t worried about these three fellows skipping work, giving them ample time to recover both physically and emotionally. Mainly playing a caring role. ... Back at the apartment. Brian kicked a bag of cash earned by Shi San under the bed, ¡°Shi San, I¡¯ll keep the money here for now. When you grow up, it can be used for your wedding and having kids.¡± Shi San wagged his tail obediently, ¡°Woof woof~ (Big dog, you¡¯re really kind~)¡± ¡°Fool, if I don¡¯t treat you well, who will?¡± Brian patted Shi San¡¯s head, PUA style saying, ¡°Keep making money, keep up the good work. Next year, I¡¯ll try to buy another bulletproof car to take you out for a ride, and find a female owner to love you.¡± Children need to be taught from a young age. A session of praises mixed with petting. Shi San, a little over two months old, dizzily returned under the bed, digesting the overwhelming flattery from Brian, even forgetting to eat his dinner. With a sense of accomplishment from teaching his child, Brian freshened up, ate something simple, then began to review today¡¯s gains. Three obsessions, a total of twenty-three Gift Energy points. Individually they aren¡¯t much, but together, they add up. Up to now. Brian, wealthier than ever, had accumulated sixty-eight Gift Energy points! He resisted the urge to spend them all at once, ¡°Tomorrow is a day off, just perfect to deal with that black Mutant called Beastman in the suburbs.¡± Beastman Mutant¡¯s obsession: Let the one wearing the clown mask, who caused me to lose my specially bred falcons, suffer the agony of a thousand bugs devouring him! Just the pain of a thousand bugs devouring him? Simple. Tomorrow, go to the suburbs, find a termite hill, dig in, and that¡¯s it. There¡¯s no shortage of termites here, gathering in community wood houses, farm surroundings underground, etc., any termite hill houses hundreds of thousands to millions of termites. The mere pain of a thousand bugs, who does it underestimate? Beastman Mutant¡¯s obsession offers two Gift choices, both good. Gift One: 40 Gift Energy points. Gift Two: 5 Gift Energy points + biological control Whichever he picks, it¡¯ll be fine! Brian planned to first fulfill this obsession tomorrow, then go for physical enhancement. If sixty-eight Gift Energy points aren¡¯t enough, he¡¯d choose the first Gift and continue enhancing! He couldn¡¯t believe that spending over a hundred points of energy wouldn¡¯t break through the enhancement bottleneck! Chapter 164 - 164 139 The Case of the Female Corpse in the Tree Easter Egg Breaking Human Limits! ?164: Chapter 139: The Case of the Female Corpse in the Tree, Easter Egg, Breaking Human Limits! (Crowdfunding Rewards Combine Two in One 2) 164: Chapter 139: The Case of the Female Corpse in the Tree, Easter Egg, Breaking Human Limits! (Crowdfunding Rewards Combine Two in One 2) After absorbing the Spirit Crystals of three deceased, Brian felt his tense nerves relaxing considerably over these past few days, and his temper also mellowed significantly. He was no longer as irritable and emotional as before. Unfortunately, under Supercomputer Perception, his Spiritual Strength was still 1.2. This also made him hesitate to absorb additional talents for a short while. It would increase his mental burden. Once outgo exceeded income, Brian would begin to feel the unique impact of being a Mutant¡ªbecoming emotional, irritable, bloodthirsty, acting out of paranoia, cruelty, and without regard for consequences. Talents that were of little use. For him, they were more harmful than beneficial. Besides that, his greatly increased vitality also affected his current lifestyle habits. Since his body enhancement reached a bottleneck and all enhancements were applied to cell vitality, Brian¡¯s energy had become extremely robust. He only needed about four hours of sleep each day to stay energized for the whole day. At first, Brian was not used to it. He would wake up at four, and it would still be pitch black outside. Sometimes, looking at the dead silence outside, he would feel a touch of loneliness. However, when he resumed the sleight-of-hand magic he used to play with, things felt different. That kind of visible progress and achievement was really exhilarating! It brought Brian a strong sense of accomplishment. Not just sleight-of-hand magic. He planned to later try darts, sketching, carving, calligraphy, and so on¡ªpracticing all crafts that required physical talent¡ªto pass the time. ... The next day, just after four in the morning, Brian glanced at Shi San, who was still snoring, and carefully got out of bed. He washed up and quickly ate some sandwiches he had made. As usual, he logged into the NW internal network to check the latest internal information and reread the content on the USB that his uncle Billy had left behind. The contents of the USB were messy and cluttered: Some were rules of the Underworld, some were research and development of his own abilities after Billy became a Mutant, and some were records of occasional personality and psychological changes after Billy became a Mutant. What helped Brian the most was Billy¡¯s records of his psychological changes. Having been a Highly Polluted Mutant exposed to the Blood Moon radiation twice, Billy¡¯s detailed records over the years had greatly aided Brian. He gained a clearer understanding of his own situation. Brian also felt the creeping sense of powerless gradual loss of control unique to Mutants. This world, after all, was a regular world of mutation, lacking those Cultivation Techniques and so-called martial arts secrets from the novels of Brian¡¯s previous life. The only way to resist losing control to Mutation was one¡¯s own willpower! Globally, after over sixty years of research, there were currently only three best solutions to the problem of Mutants losing control. The first one involved Mutants engaging in self-harm and spiritual faith... regardless of the method, strengthening one¡¯s mind and willpower to suppress the bloodthirsty urges and avoiding bloodshed. This was the most effective. If one could avoid bloodshed for a long term, Mutants might maintain their awareness for an extended period. The duration depended on the degree of Mutation and strength of willpower. Every individual was different. The second method involved injections developed by various research institutions. Each institution¡¯s reagent was named differently, but their effects were similar. Brian had a Suppressant left behind by Billy. This Suppressant, developed by the Doomsday Sect, was addictive and one of the ways the Sect controlled its Mutants. The effects... Well, Brian, possessing ¡®Body Control¡¯ + ¡®Pheromone Control¡¯, had injected a bit. It was peculiar, similar to an antidepressant, affecting the secretion of specific hormones in the body. However, the core aspect was that the reagent contained a strange substance capable of forcibly calming, reducing emotional fluctuations but was highly addictive. Once metabolized, Brian felt like ants were crawling all over him, and his emotional fluctuations were even greater than before. This was just the effect of a small dose. Brian shuddered to think how his uncle Billy coped with the side effects of this Suppressant, Currently, Brian had less need for this. His abilities allowed him not only to use Gift Energy to enhance his body and claim the special skills and talents of the corpses ahead of him¡ªakin to the Power of Rules¡ªbut also to merge with the Spirit Crystals remaining in the bodies and bolster his own Spiritual Strength. As long as he didn¡¯t run into a bottleneck like with physical enhancement, and as long as he didn¡¯t rashly absorb talents and abilities, increasing his mental burden, Brian was confident in maintaining a general emotional stability. Unless... he became overly tired and encountered something very upsetting. At that time, he would become paranoid and make impulsive decisions. His previous annihilation of the Original Sect and an FBI combat team was somewhat influenced by this. The third method was self-brainwashing. This method was similar to the first, but more radical and difficult, with severe side effects. Uncle Billy had previously used this method. In the USB, Billy only briefly introduced this method without explaining how, but the only useful piece of information was a sentence: ¡°When you need it, you will know how to do it. Telling you in advance will only lead you to a slow death like mine. Remember to follow your inner choice, right or wrong...¡± Chapter 165 - 165 139 The Case of the Female Corpse in the Tree Easter Egg Breaking the Human Limit! ?165: Chapter 139 The Case of the Female Corpse in the Tree: Easter Egg, Breaking the Human Limit! (Crowdfunding Reward Extra Double Episode 2)_2 165: Chapter 139 The Case of the Female Corpse in the Tree: Easter Egg, Breaking the Human Limit! (Crowdfunding Reward Extra Double Episode 2)_2 ... ¡°Out of control...¡± Brian shook his head. He glanced at the slightly bright sky outside and turned on the TV. At this time, there were only some paid programs, a few soap operas, or some news rebroadcasts from before. Brian lay down on the sofa in a comfortable position and switched the TV to the news replay channel. On the screen was a television reporter interviewing a bearded gun store owner: ¡°Mr. Sprance, we¡¯ve noticed that a lot of gun stores have been seeing long lines...¡± ¡°Yes, my business is doing very well, exceptionally well, in fact, I¡¯ve sold out completely. My brother¡¯s shooting range business is also booming. Oh, and by the way, if there are any brothers with great gun skills wanting to make some extra cash, feel free to head over to XX shooting range and apply to be an instructor...¡± This sly store owner, taking advantage of the interview, quickly plugged his brother¡¯s shooting range. The reporter hurriedly signaled the cameraman to turn the camera and said to the audience, ¡°This is the thirteenth gun store owner we¡¯ve interviewed on the ground. According to our staff¡¯s statistics, since October, the gun store business in the entire Los Angeles area has improved by at least three hundred and seventy-six percent over previous months. The large number of firearms has led to a decline in public safety, and this decline in safety has, in turn, led to even more residents rushing to buy guns and ammunition. Inside...¡± Brian immediately changed the channel. After the Blood Moon, the public security situation around the world had significantly deteriorated. People¡¯s patience had diminished a lot, and their actions had become much more extreme. Perhaps previously a simple ¡°what are you looking at¡± would end with just an argument, but now it could end with the drawing of guns or knives, never content without seeing blood. In addition, there were the crimes committed by new types of Mutants hidden among the population. Just in Los Angeles County alone, the number of violent homicides in a little over a month had caught up with the last half a year¡¯s tally, with the growth rate surpassing three hundred percent and still rising. However, according to NW internal data, This situation would slowly diminish over one to two years after the Blood Moon and eventually return to previous normal levels. ¡°...Disney co-branded children¡¯s self-defense rifles, available in a choice of colors, simple to operate, and light enough to weigh less than a kilogram. Even a six-year-old child can use it to protect themselves. Order now and receive a customized charm accessory. What are you waiting for...¡± This was a military hardware merchant¡¯s advertisement. Brian:.. Is it necessary to be this absurd? The progression of madness in this United States was even more exaggerated than in his previous life. Brian lost interest in watching TV. Forget it. It was getting late; time to set out and address the Beastman Mutant¡¯s obsession. ... Shi San was young and loved sleep. Brian didn¡¯t wake it up, just picked it up and placed it in the passenger seat before heading towards the suburbs. Termite distribution was widespread. But the most common area was still near farms. There, there was enough food to nurture the termite colonies and allow them to grow their population. Brian planned to go to the pig farm where Soraya, the victim of the previous case, was held; first to fulfill the obsession, and secondly to visit the brown-nosing guard Doli¡¯s home to check on his speculation about the case. That case, it always seemed too simple for him. Too smooth, and too coincidental. .. The small town was still the same. No significant changes had occurred here in two days. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t even seven o¡¯clock yet. Aside from a few residents who got up early to jog, there were hardly any people on the streets. Brian arrived outside Doli¡¯s house only to find that he wasn¡¯t home. It was still early. Most nearby residents were likely still asleep. Brian didn¡¯t disturb them, turned the car around, and headed for the pig farm. Along the rough path. Ten minutes later. Brian¡¯s rickety car arrived at a clearing outside the pig farm he had visited once before. He didn¡¯t go directly there, but instead, found a suitable high point to activate Eagle Eye, overseeing the pig farm hidden in the woods nearly two thousand meters away. What surprised Brian was. Only two days after the resolution of Soraya¡¯s case, while the case proceedings were still ongoing and likely not going to be short, people had started to reappear around the pig farm. So early in the morning. Inside the pig farm, several older men and women dressed in ragged clothes and wielding various tools busily cleaned and spruced up the interior and exterior, the wooden cabins meant for pleasures, and the open space. Nearby, piles of neatly pruned wood were stacked up. They seemed to be preparing for expansion and renovation... Just then. A familiar figure, no longer in the previous disheveled state, dressed in a pricey suit and full of vigor, emerged from the loft of the wooden hut at the back of the pig farm. He stretched his arms open toward the desolate wilderness as if embracing the territory of his own kingdom... That person was none other than the ¡®kind-hearted brown-noser,¡¯ the guard who had let Soraya go during the previous case¡ªDoli! ¡°I knew there was something off with this case.¡± Brian, from a great distance, watched Doli and lit up a cigarette with a smile. In fact, he had felt something was not quite right at the time. One reason was that it was all too smooth. Another was that Soraya¡¯s body wasn¡¯t discovered until two days later. That meant two days had already passed when Doli had secretly let Soraya go! Why hadn¡¯t he faced any repercussions? Although Doli had explained that it might be because the owner of the pig farm was moving the scene and disposing of the traces, fearing to attract police attention, that excuse still seemed too far-fetched. Chapter 166 - 166 139 The Case of the Female Corpse in the Tree Easter Egg Breaking the Human Limit! ?166: Chapter 139 The Case of the Female Corpse in the Tree: Easter Egg, Breaking the Human Limit! (Crowdfunding Reward Extra Double Episode 2)_3 166: Chapter 139 The Case of the Female Corpse in the Tree: Easter Egg, Breaking the Human Limit! (Crowdfunding Reward Extra Double Episode 2)_3 Brian didn¡¯t bother to explore at the time, mainly because it was unnecessary. He had planned to come here to fulfill the Beastman¡¯s obsession and treated Doli as a little novelty to spice up his boring life. If it were true, he would come and take a look for fear that this obsessed follower would be retaliated against. If it were not, it would be even more interesting. Caught and imprisoned, yet still alive. Messing with himself... Heh! ... Brian withdrew his deadly gaze, returned to his car, and drove near a pumpkin farm, waking up Shi San in the passenger seat, ¡°Shi San, it¡¯s seven o¡¯clock, time to get up and pee before work.¡± ¡°Woof?¡± Shi San looked at Brian, bleary-eyed. So sleepy, wanted to sleep. But under Brian¡¯s nagging, Shi San had no choice but to jump out of the car. He waddled on his short legs, sniffed around, found a spot with good Feng Shui, cocked his right leg, and began his day¡¯s scent marking. Brian didn¡¯t mind him, wandered around the pumpkin farm for a while, eventually found a piece nibbled pumpkin scraps, first collected the unique biological scent from the termites on them, let Shi San sniff them, and then together, man and dog, started searching around. Several minutes later. A termite mound nest was discovered by Shi San. Having intelligence not inferior to that of a ten-year-old child, Shi San had overwhelmingly outperformed Brian in the search. ¡°Awesome!¡± Brian handed Shi San an old pumpkin they came across, ¡°Take this to hold over for now, I¡¯ll make you steak and egg noodles when we get back.¡± ¡°Woof~ (What is this?)¡± ¡°Pumpkin, it¡¯s tasty and good for dogs too.¡± ¡°Woof-woof~ (Big dog, you¡¯re really nice!)¡± ¡°Yep, good that you know.¡± After placating Shi San, Brian picked up a shovel and began digging. Pumpkin¡¯s mature time is generally from July to September. This farm only had some old pumpkins left, so there was no need to worry about anyone coming by. Brian was strong and had great endurance, a natural beast of burden; even though the termite nest was very sturdy, it couldn¡¯t withstand his violent demolition. Several minutes later. Brian had dug a shallow pit about three meters long and two meters wide. Inside the pit, there were winding passages, and numerous termites surged out of the soil, enough to make those with trypophobia¡¯s skin crawl. Brian didn¡¯t dawdle. He stripped off his clothes, leaving only a pair of modesty shorts, and then he lay right down... ... He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed. A warm current surged. The Beastman¡¯s obsession was completed! Brian, covered in sweat and numerous tiny red dots across his body, climbed up from the ground. He stared blankly and exhaled a turbid breath, his hands trembling slightly as he pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Only after finishing the cigarette. Did Brian feel alive again. He didn¡¯t hesitate, silently uttered, ¡°Enhancement!¡± The previously accumulated sixty-eight Gift Energy points transformed into a substantial warm current, flooding through Brian¡¯s body everywhere, the dense red spots visibly disappearing while a strong pheromone of life, uncontrollably dispersed around. Shi San, hiding in the distance with an old pumpkin to gnaw on, showed a human-like surprise in his eyes. The big dog smelled good again. It slurped its saliva and viciously licked at the pumpkin in its arms. Only after several more seconds did the enhancing warm current begin to weaken. Brian could feel his body almost filled to the brim, but it still lacked a bit. He didn¡¯t hesitate any longer and claimed the first gift reward from the Beastman: forty energy points! Another substantial surge of enhancement energy flowed inside him. This time, Brian¡¯s sensation was completely different. The warm and cozy feeling vanished! In its place was a tingling itch. It felt as if ten thousand ants were crawling all over his body, and this unbearable itching sensation kept intensifying! Brian had previously endured the agony of a thousand insects gnawing at his flesh and could bear it. But as time passed... His face began to distort, kneeling on the ground, he couldn¡¯t help but let out a hoarse roar... ... Night fell. Shi San looked at Brian lying motionless on the ground, wanting to approach, yet feeling too afraid to do so. His large eyes showed concern and fear. After the sun had set, the sweet smell on the big dog had disappeared, replaced by a scent that terrified dogs. Shi San had tried to approach, but when he was a little over a meter away from the big dog, his body¡¯s instinct made his limbs go weak, wanting to flee from the area at all costs. It was a suppression originating from a higher tier of life! Gurgle gurgle gurgle~ Shi San¡¯s stomach began to rumble. He licked his nose and headed toward the distant farm, planning to try and pilfer some melons like the big dog had. Just then, An invisible pressure slowly enveloped him. Shi San¡¯s four short legs began to tremble uncontrollably. His tiny head hadn¡¯t even enough time to ponder the situation, as his instincts drove his head to tuck down to the ground, covering his eyes with his two front paws, making random whimpering noises, his lively tail also curled under his belly, much like a terrified pill bug. ¡°Psst, what a coward.¡± Brian withdrew his Life Energy Field, looking up at the pitch-black sky. Countless data flooded into his mind, then easily categorized by his brain, even amplifying the faint specks of stars several times after his pupils contracted, as if trying to pierce through the void to see the brilliant galaxy beyond. This, of course, was an illusion. Brian¡¯s feeling now was marvelous. He felt as if his body had shed a layer of shackles, whether it was the blood surging in his veins or the constantly leaping muscle fibers, all underwent a miraculous Transformation. Brian licked his lips, ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve broken through my body¡¯s limits and entered an unknown level!¡± He willed an idea. Under the Supercomputer Perception, the latest data resurfaced. Physical: 1.3 Spiritual: 1.3 Not only had his physique Transformed! His Spiritual Strength had also reached a new level! It seemed like a small difference of 0.1. Although Brian had not tested it yet, he knew clearly, this was a completely different level. ¡°Let¡¯s try it!¡± Brian looked into the distance, data swirling in his mind. He pointed his toe. The next moment. Countless muscle fibers and bones, like the most closely integrated machinery, coordinated and exerted force together... A crisp whoosh pierced the air. The blurry afterimage slowly dissipated. Brian stood a hundred meters away, unable to suppress the joy in his heart, his mouth wide open in a silent, skyward laugh. Hahaha! Hahahahaha! A hundred meters in four seconds! He was actually almost reaching the speed of those two Mutant Beasts from before! And besides speed, He also had synchronized enhancements in strength and endurance! If he continued to Enhance, Dodging bullets instantly might also be possible! A fiery ambition blazed in Brian¡¯s eyes! If surpassing limits once wasn¡¯t enough, then twice! If twice wasn¡¯t enough, then three times! Since there are creatures that can physically combat armies and still escape after killing hundreds, Why couldn¡¯t he become the next one! .. After a long while, Brian got dressed, taking Shi San with him, and walked toward the twinkling lights in the forested mountains. In high spirits, Let¡¯s reveal a little surprise! Chapter 167 - 167 140 Im Really Damn Strong Now! ?167: Chapter 140 I¡¯m Really Damn Strong Now! 167: Chapter 140 I¡¯m Really Damn Strong Now! Walking in the wilderness, Brian could feel his robust and powerful heart relentlessly pumping blood at a rate about thirty percent faster than before. Shi San, an animal with sensitive hearing, could even directly hear the sound of the blood surging like waves within three meters. Besides, his muscles, bones, including his organs, were all slowly changing in density. Brian, while expectant, was also a bit worried. If this continued, for his strong heart and body activities, he could suppress and slow them down, like a turtle, bringing his metabolism to an appropriate level. But what about his weight? Actually, over time, with continual enhancements, Brian¡¯s weight had increased from over 160 pounds to over 180 pounds, though the change in size didn¡¯t seem obvious, and his body had become more balanced and healthy. The current changes were still being pushed forward slowly and passively. Brian was very worried that in the future his weight could exceed 200 pounds, 300 pounds, or even more. It would be hard to conceal by then. He was also afraid of producing reproductive isolation with normal humans or accidentally crushing his future wife until she couldn¡¯t breathe... ¡°The boat will straighten at the bridge; there are countless Mutants, surely there are those overweight Mutants who then desire to become thin or lighter...¡± Pondering, Brian, accompanied by Shi San, once again arrived at the pig farm. .. The name of the pig farm had been changed to Doli¡¯s name. This guy didn¡¯t conceal at all that he had risen to a position of power, not even worried that Brian would come back to confront him and then realize he had been used. This actually was a very normal mentality. Just like some people, dare to bully the kind without care, even dare to confront the Law Enforcers, but only fearful of the gang members. After all, the kind are easy to bully, Law Enforcers have to abide by rules, at most setting a few traps, nothing painful or itching, but only gang members, saying they would kill his entire family, are truly likely to kill his entire family! Doli probably had this kind of mentality. He might have already thought of how to deal with the situations after using Brian was exposed, even preparing himself to pay a certain price mentally. Looking at the sign above. Brian motioned for Shi San to stay put, took out a mask similar to that of Black Friday¡¯s Jason, placed it onto his completely unrecognizable face, whistled the tune for killing Bill, pranced the victory dance steps of the Axe Gang, and happily walked towards the wooden house behind the pigsty. Shall we open a surprise egg? How could there be no sense of ceremony! ... The wooden house was shaped like a concave, with a large open space in the middle, a stage with a pole inserted, and areas on both sides for guards and guests to entertain, spread over two levels. At this time, the pig farm was not yet open. A group of guards gathered in a room, playing cards while complaining about the girls here. They had grown tired of the previous ones. Not knowing when those above would bring a batch of fresher, younger ones. Regarding Doli taking over, they didn¡¯t seem to feel any resistance or surprise. In the neighboring boss¡¯s room, Doli propped his feet on the bulky desk he could only have stood beside before, his entire person hidden within the soft embrace of the boss¡¯s chair, holding a cellphone, reporting his progress to the one above. ¡°Yes, okay, boss.¡± ¡°I have already arranged for Bag Recruitment Company and ¡®ducks¡¯ to look for suitable prey; this time, I¡¯m planning to open a few more themes, to grow bigger and stronger. Perhaps we can buy a mountain, then build a manor, start a membership system, and do business with some high-end people...¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be radical, boss; those big shots have too many Quirks. Usually, they still have to restrain themselves a bit, but if we can provide a fully free and private place for them to vent, they¡¯ll be thrilled to death.¡± ¡°Thank you for the praise; I¡¯m not like that idiot Bieber, yes, no worries, boss, I have arranged for two kids who are still in school; if that cop comes here, I¡¯ll just get him drunk or drug him, take photos, and threaten him. They fear this the most, just a trivial cop...¡± Hanging up the phone. Doli disdainfully hung up the phone. In his heart, this boss was just a fool who barely managed to frame up relying on his family background. Doli¡¯s eyes sparkled with ambition, as long as that dumb pig boss followed his advice, he would have the chance to connect with more influential figures. When the right opportunity came, he would use the same tactic that got rid of Bieber, send the boss away too, make this place a burial site, then move somewhere else and open an Eden of his own. ¡°An island seems nice, very private...¡± Doli pondered, stood up from his cigar safety box, took out a delicate little wooden box, and picked a Brazilian high-grade cigar he had previously not dared to smoke. He was just about to enjoy it. Suddenly. A knocking sound came from next door. The knocking was loud, like a little hammer hitting the door, loud enough that amid the noisy frolicking of the guards, it still reached his ears. Doli¡¯s eyes filled with confusion; the people in town somewhat knew the situation here, they should know it hadn¡¯t reopened yet, who would come here at this time? He was not worried. This place had all the proper documents, no fear of the authorities, and his men were equipped with everything from long guns to short sprays, nothing to fear from troublemakers. .. At this time, the card-playing guards, puzzled, looked towards the door. One bald guy said to a slimmer guard, ¡°Go check, it¡¯s probably that guy Doli.¡± Chapter 168 - 168 140 Im So Damn Strong Now! ?168: Chapter 140 I¡¯m So Damn Strong Now! _2 168: Chapter 140 I¡¯m So Damn Strong Now! _2 The frail guard laughed as he stood up, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it be Boss Doli?¡± The others burst into laughter. Doli was a confidant of the previous boss, Bieber, and was in good terms with them; their conversations were not so restrained. Thump, thump, thump~ The dull knocking sound echoed again. The frail guard hastened his pace. He pulled open the wooden door, ¡°Hey, Boss Doli, is...¡± Upon clearly seeing the scene outside, his voice halted. He stared at the tall man in front of him, wearing a strange mask with holes, revealing only his eyes, and was completely stunned, ¡°You...¡± ¡°Shh~¡± Brian placed his finger over the mouth area of his mask, ¡°Go, bring your friends, and have your friends bring guns; let¡¯s play a game.¡± ¡°What game?¡± the frail guard, asked instinctively. ¡°The hunting game!¡± Brian¡¯s mouth under the mask curled up, ¡°I¡¯m going to start the countdown now yo~¡± The others had by then realized something was amiss. This guy¡¯s bizarre attire, especially that weird mask, exuded an eerie vibe, not something a normal person would wear. Earlier, the bald guard had grabbed a short sprayer under his seat, stepped forward aggressively, and pushed the frail guard aside, glaring at Brian in a hostile manner, ¡°You bastard, whoever you are, this is private property, leave immediately!¡± ¡°Ten, nine...¡± Brian disregarded everything and began his countdown. ¡°F*cking hell!¡± The bald guard didn¡¯t hesitate; he pulled the trigger towards the doorway with the short sprayer in his hand. Bang~ The smell of gunpowder was thick. The shotgun pellets, seven or eight steel balls, caused the wooden railing in the outer corridor to burst into dust and vibrated buzzing. However, there was no joy on the face of the bald guard. He looked outside in terror, ¡°Where is he!¡± The tall masked man had disappeared! The other guards, frightened by this eerie sight, all stood up. ¡°I swear, there was someone at the door just now!¡± ¡°F*ck, I saw it too, the person just disappeared!¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be a ghost, can it...¡± said one of the timid ones, already pulling out a cross from his chest, ¡°God, protect your faithful follower Sarada...¡± Next door, Doli too was startled by the sudden gunfire and hid under the thick boss¡¯s desk. Beneath the desk was a mechanism that could open a small hatch leading to the room downstairs, and the thick boss¡¯s desk could block ordinary bullets. In case of danger, he had enough time to escape. ... The guards in the next room were plunged into real fear. As they wondered if they had just experienced a collective hallucination, the tall masked man who had vanished reappeared at the doorway, leisurely continuing his countdown, ¡°Four, three...¡± ¡°Do him in!¡± No one dared to gamble on what would happen when the countdown ended! At the command of the bald guard, the guards grabbed their weapons and madly shot at the doorway and the wooden walls around it... Ratatata~ The wooden boards were shot to pieces, and the wooden fence even broke outright due to the barrage of bullets. Clouds of dust spread everywhere. Only once the makeshift group had emptied their magazines did the surroundings fall back into dead silence. Six guards, holding their breath, started reloading while staring fixedly at the corridor outside. Reason told them that no carbon-based life could survive the close-range barrage they had just unleashed, but the eerie scene earlier made them too scared even to step outside to check what was happening! The atmosphere was oppressive and uncomfortable. Finally, after over a minute, the bald guard with the short sprayer turned again to the frail guard, ¡°Ava, go check it out.¡± The frail guard wanted to protest. The other four guards quickly chimed in, ¡°Yeah, Ava, hurry up, we¡¯ll cover you!¡± Five against one. The frail guard named Ava could only cling to the pistol in his hand, shivering as he stepped through the battered wooden door. Outside, the hallway was dimly lit. By the light, Ava noticed that aside from a broken section of railing, there were no figures in sight. He was cautious, looking down the stairs. However, no lights were on downstairs, and the silver moonlight was tainted by the light from above, making everything below look murky and indistinct. ¡°That guy must have been shot and fallen down.¡± Ava deluded himself, sighed in relief, and turned to report to his teammates that he was safe. But out of the corner of his eye, he sensed something was off. Above him was supposed to be the slanted wooden roof, so why was there a shadow casting over his face? Stunned, Ava looked up only to see a tall figure bathed in silver light standing on the sloped eaves, looming over him like a reaper with a scythe... ... The next moment. A large hand grabbed Ava¡¯s head, hoisted him up, and he vanished from the sight of the five guards in the room. ¡°Monster!¡± With his last thought, Ava¡¯s consciousness was engulfed by endless darkness. Twisting the guard¡¯s neck, Brian, holding the body that weighed over 200 pounds with one hand, jumped back into the hallway and threw the body into the midst of the crowd, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you running?¡± ¡°Go to hell, you monster!¡± The bald guard, seeing the twisted neck of his fallen comrade at his feet, felt his body hair stand on end and, crazed, pulled the trigger at Brian once more. This time, Brian did not dodge. As the muzzle was raised, he moved swiftly, leaving a barely noticeable afterimage to appear beside the bald guard, slapping him on the head with a casual smack. With a cracking sound, Accompanied by the spray of steel beads, the bald guard¡¯s body inexplicably shrank, his head seeming to embed into his chest, falling silently to the ground, lifeless. ¡°Ah!¡± The remaining four men, terror-stricken, began firing wildly. In the confined space, Under the supercomputer perception, Brian sensed the movement of four gun barrels, darting through the crowd like a ghost. In less than three seconds, Three guards fell, struck down by their comrade¡¯s haphazard gunfire, leaving only one lucky guard who, despite emptying his handgun, still mechanically pulled his trigger. ¡°I¡¯m actually freaking strong right now!¡± Brian, unscathed by bullets, felt exhilaratingly unstoppable! After breaking one limit after another, He now possessed a fraction of the brilliance he had when facing two Mutant Beasts in Forest Park! After this realization, Brian, stepping over the disarray, approached this petrified guard, gently gripped his neck, and kindly sent him away from this noisy world. Sadly, these six guards, whether it was due to indulging in vices or having weak willpower and poor spiritual quality, failed to spawn a single obsession. ... Downstairs. Doli, hearing the screams and the disorderly gunfire from above, was petrified. Oh God! Could it be that a rival gang had broken in? Luckily, there was a mechanism leading to this room under the desk! Listening to the gradually subsiding noises above, Doli swallowed, took a small handgun for self-defense, and stealthily opened the door of the first-floor room, hoping to hide in the mountain forest behind under the cover of night. He did not notice a small, crouching figure in the corner, squatting low like a hunting leopard, poised to strike. The next moment. Doli screamed as the handgun fell from his hand. In terror, he raised his gun-holding hand only to find a small chunk of flesh missing. Shi San spat out the chunk of flesh from her mouth, her eyes feral, and in her blood-stained mouth, two sharp, protruding fangs gleamed coldly under the moonlight... Chapter 169 - 169 141 Smashing the Easter Egg Shi Sans Change Test ?169: Chapter 141: Smashing the Easter Egg, Shi San¡¯s Change, Test 169: Chapter 141: Smashing the Easter Egg, Shi San¡¯s Change, Test Hiss~ Doli gasped as he looked at those ferocious fangs! This was actually a tiny puppy! He almost thought he was hallucinating. A Labrador puppy, not even as tall as his own shin, had bitten off a chunk of his flesh? But the pain coming from his palm was real. And those disproportionately large fangs beneath the puppy¡¯s mouth were real too! At this moment, all the noises from upstairs had completely vanished. Under the threat of death, Doli suppressed the fear in his heart and slowly squatted down, trying to pick up the handgun on the ground with his intact left hand. He stared intently at the tiny creamy-yellow puppy in front of him, fearing that it would suddenly pounce and tear through his throat. Fortunately, until his left hand grasped the cold, reassuring gun handle, the little monster in front hadn¡¯t made a single move. Not only did it remain still, but it also seemed to have dropped its aggressive stance as its sharp fangs visibly retracted into its mouth and its short, little tail started wagging happily. Doli was puzzled, but he couldn¡¯t afford to worry about that now. He picked up the handgun. Despite the severe pain in his right palm, he was eager to leave this ghastly place. As he stepped back, Doli¡¯s body stiffened. When had a wall appeared behind him? If he were a seasoned warrior, he would have fired behind him without hesitation. Unfortunately, Doli was just a weakling. He stiffly turned his head only to find a cold, ghastly pale mask full of holes looming over him... The next moment. Doli felt his mind go blank and he collapsed limply onto the cold wooden floor. Watching the unconscious Doli, Brian bent down, grabbed his feet, and dragged him towards Shi San, ¡°Why did you stop him?¡± Trying to take credit, Shi San¡¯s tail drooped as it woefully responded, ¡°Woof~ (He was trying to run away~)¡± Brian glared at it, planning to go back and educate it on what is mean and crafty! Such a small one, if Doli had shot it, wouldn¡¯t he be heartbroken? This damn thing hadn¡¯t learned a bit of his essence! ... It was now past eight in the evening. Tomorrow was also a day off. There was plenty of time in the long night. Brian found the utility room, hummed a tune, and fashioned a cross on the spot for Doli, then nailed him to it and poured gasoline around the base. After finishing these tasks, Doli still hadn¡¯t woken up. Brian scratched his head with resignation, ¡°Physically, everything is about twice as strong as before, though I have Body Control, I still went a little heavy-handed without simple adaptation.¡± He wasn¡¯t in a rush and simply started digging a firebreak around the building with a shovel. Setting a fire was an inescapable crime. As a law-abiding citizen of Los Angeles, Brian still had some scruples. An hour later. Having completed what would have taken ten people a day or two, Brian ignited the building and then sat in front of Doli, who was nailed to a cross like a Jesus figurine, and checked Shi San¡¯s teeth. ¡°Eh~ Shi San, where¡¯s your long fang?¡± Brian looked at Shi San¡¯s canine, puzzled. ¡°Woo~¡± Shi San, with its mouth held, couldn¡¯t produce a complete sound and could only give Brian a resentful look while controlling its hidden teeth to slowly protrude. Then Brian realized that all of Shi San¡¯s canine teeth concealed a set of thin, sharp blades, resembling hooks, while the rest, not very long, were like razors, one bite could create a smooth, missing concave plane. No wonder Doli was disarmed so suddenly. Brian let go of Shi San, ¡°When did these grow?¡± Shi San retracted its hidden teeth and licked its nose, ¡°Woof woof woof~ (Don¡¯t remember, could control them only recently~)¡± ¡°Did you have these before I injected those agents?¡± ¡°Woof~ (Yes)¡± Whoa! Brian was somewhat surprised. When Shi San met him, it was just over a month old, skinny and wobbly, but full of spirit, yet surely, it wasn¡¯t a Mutant Beast. Think about it. After the mutation, most diseases originating from the body, as long as they aren¡¯t physical disabilities, even cancer would heal automatically. If Shi San had been a Mutant Beast back then, it wouldn¡¯t have been at death¡¯s door due to a minor illness. The problem then lay with the female vet, Laura. What had that woman injected into Shi San at the time? Brian suddenly remembered the agents he had found after wiping out an FBI hunting team last time. For safety¡¯s sake. He had hidden those agents in several concealed places. It seemed after sorting this situation, he needed to find an opportunity to retrieve those agents and then, using Body Control and Supercomputer Perception, experiment on the effects of those agents. ... Man and dog, communicating harmoniously. The wooden house, aided by the gasoline, burned fiercely. The rapidly rising high temperature gradually revived Doli, nailed on the cross. He let out painful moans until after about a dozen seconds, his consciousness fully returned. Hearing the noise, Brian walked in front of Doli, looked up at the man who had deceived and used him, removed his mask, and smilingly said, ¡°Mr. Doli, how does it feel to play the boss?¡± ¡°Brian?¡± Doli let out a weak cry of shock, followed by despair. Chapter 170 - 170 141 Smashing the Easter Egg Shi Sans Transformation Test_2 ?170: Chapter 141: Smashing the Easter Egg, Shi San¡¯s Transformation, Test_2 170: Chapter 141: Smashing the Easter Egg, Shi San¡¯s Transformation, Test_2 He thought back to his previously smug coping strategies and suddenly felt as childish as a little kid. He was still playing at drugging and threatening. Others had already started to kill and set fires. ¡°This is a misunderstanding...¡± Doli felt he might still salvage the situation. ¡°We aren¡¯t discussing this,¡± Brian said, pulling out a small knife to cut open Doli¡¯s clothes and throw them into the roaring fire behind him. He leaped down from the high platform, moved away from the high heat, took a moment to look around, and then nodded with satisfaction, ¡°Doli, do you know about roasting? Close-range high-temperature roasting, then using the fat inherent in the food to slowly cook it from the inside; those fats being compressed by the tight roasted meat to the surface, buttery and fragrant, neither dry nor oily, preserving the most original delicious taste of the meat...¡± Whoosh~ With his clothes gone, Doli felt the scorching pain on his back, and hearing Brian¡¯s detailed and slow description, a simple thought terrified him to the point of wetting himself. He begged tremulously, ¡°Please don¡¯t do this, I beg you, don¡¯t do this, that¡¯s too inhumane, just kill me, please, just kill me!¡± ¡°Shh~¡± Brian interrupted Doli¡¯s pleas, ¡°While there¡¯s still time, quickly tell me your earlier plan.¡± Under Doli¡¯s hurried and fearful description, Brian finally understood the truth. Actually, everything was the same before. The only problem was that Doli wasn¡¯t so-called kind-hearted guard, but the assistant to the pig farm¡¯s manager. He knew every guard, every ¡®piglet,¡¯ so after learning about the tragic incident of Soraya, he comforted her while devising the escape plan. The only issue was. He had planned to use her identity to call the police once Soraya had escaped, and then find a chance to dispose of his own boss. Unexpectedly, the person Soraya had found to pick her up was so unreliable, stealing a car was one thing, but then directly hitting and killing Soraya. Out of desperation, he had kept it secret from the boss above while returning to the small town, waiting for the city police to arrive and then actively guide them. The black man, Green, was too nai?ve and was easily seen through by Doli. That led to what happened later. Doli was even more surprised that he hadn¡¯t expected Brian, this pretty boy, to be so impressive, straightforwardly knocking his boss Bieber down, packing him up, and taking him back, paying no regard to the big boss¡¯s face. ¡°This Easter egg, it¡¯s so dry.¡± Brian shook his head in disappointment, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Doli, I¡¯m a man of principle. If you can¡¯t please me, all I can say is sorry.¡± With those words, He whistled at Shi San. One man and one dog, gradually receding under the reflection of the flames. Behind them, the pitiful and resentful voice of Doli continued unabated, ¡°I curse you, you¡ª¡± But soon, he was out of energy. Under the continuous roasting at high temperatures, blisters formed on Doli¡¯s back, and under the sting of pain, his consciousness grew fuzzy, as if he could hear the sizzling sound of oil hissing. He suddenly remembered the detailed description Brian had given earlier. Ah, quite the vivid image. ... Half an hour later, Brian reappeared on the high platform. He had left before for two reasons. First was to fish, to see if any unlucky soul, attracted by the commotion, would foolishly come over. If so, he would detonate the crude bomb beneath Doli¡¯s feet to prevent a melodramatic scene where someone might reveal his identity before dying. Second, it was for an experiment. He wanted to see if Doli would give birth to an Obsession Little Ball. Brian was not disappointed. Two pale red balls slowly condensed in front of Doli¡¯s somewhat dehydrated corpse. ¡°An ordinary person can actually generate double obsessions, Doli, you really are a greedy fellow.¡± Brian muttered, reaching out to crush the two Obsession Little Balls in front of Doli: Obsession One: Burn that beast Brian to death! Gift: 3 Gift Energy points. Obsession Two: Burn that bitch, Mrs. Gilman, who caused my death! Gift: 3 Gift Energy points. After reading the obsessions and gifts, Brian curled his lips. Such a miser, giving so little yet asking for so much, really a low-grade job. Obsession One, calling for Brian to burn himself to death. No need to say, that was an outright refusal. Obsession Two... Brian nodded, choosing to accept. Three points of Gift Energy, better than nothing, but he was also really discontent with Soraya¡¯s crappy mother. He hadn¡¯t taken action previously only due to the lack of a suitable environment and reason. Now, Doli gave him that reason. ... Back downtown, Brian, having altered his appearance, arrived at the garage of a safe house, skillfully changed the tires of his used car, and returned to his apartment. He bathed Shi San and prepared a pile of meat. Brian put on new clothes, transforming into a tall and thin man resembling a bamboo pole, and went out to dig up spoils he had buried before. It was a small lead box. With the lead box, Brian headed to a gathering place for the homeless, found an empty spot, and opened the lead box. Inside were several short and slim metal syringes. The syringes had some letters laser-etched onto their surface but had no extra explanations, making it difficult for outsiders to determine what was inside through the letters. But this was no issue for Brian. He took one out and injected it into his wrist. The injection tip was unique, ejecting seven or eight fine channels, easily piercing Brian¡¯s skin as tough as cowhide. Throughout the process, Brian barely felt any pain. ¡°Very advanced...¡± Brian closed his eyes, sensing the changes as the reagent entered his body. The unknown liquid entered his body and immediately integrated into the surrounding cells. Those cells seemed to be stimulated, twitching a few times, but it wasn¡¯t prominent. Brian opened his eyes in disappointment. This was a treatment reagent, and it forcefully stimulated cell activity and accelerated healing, leading to continuous cell division, shortening the user¡¯s lifespan. To outsiders, it would be valuable, potentially life-saving at a critical moment, but to Brian, it was a useless rib, and a risky one at that. Brian injected all the reagents into his body then with a thought. The liquids were once again squeezed out, mixing into the soil in front of Brian. Disposing of the used syringes back into the box, Brian picked up the second one... One after another. Among them were reagents similar to adrenaline, bursting agents for temporary strengthening, desperate reagents that stimulated a massive release of kinetic energy from cells, and special reagents like temporary BUFFs to enhance the function of specific regions... However, these reagents all came at the cost of bodily harm. Indeed, there was no such thing as good stuff without side effects on the expendable! Brian disappointingly picked up the last reagent syringe. This syringe had a slightly different shape than the others. That was also why Brian had left it until the end. Reagent entered the body. Brian¡¯s eyes snapped open. He seemed to know what kind of substance the animal doctor Laura had injected into Shi San! Brian hastily pushed the syringe to the bottom, stored all the unknown liquid in his body, then tidied up the scene. He randomly chose a spot, buried the lead box full of empty syringes into the soil, and disappeared from the scene. He had to go back and verify his guess with Shi San. ... More than ten minutes later. Two men wearing sunglasses, exuding a chilling aura, appeared at the open ground where Brian had conducted his experiment. One of them sniffed a couple of times and shook his head, ¡°I smell the reagent and a faint scent of lavender, but I don¡¯t smell any biological presence.¡± The other was not surprised: ¡°That cunning prey at the beach didn¡¯t leave any useful traces behind. I¡¯m very curious about the opponent¡¯s abilities, strong power, concealment, and apparently very sharp vision... Even if the opponent was a First Rank Mutant, his abilities are too complex.¡± His companion nodded, ¡°That¡¯s why headquarters sent us here.¡± After searching for a while, The two men, having found nothing, took out a semi-elliptical spherical device, looked at its radar-like interface, and found that the light previously visible had long since vanished. Those missing syringes were hidden once again. ¡°Let¡¯s go. As long as we confirm he¡¯s still in Los Angeles, he can¡¯t escape!¡± The two men left once more. ... Elsewhere. After returning to the apartment. Brian handled his coat and first came to Shi San satisfied, lazily lying down and snoring, took out a syringe. He transferred the reagent liquid stored inside his body into the syringe and then gave Shi San a kind smile... Chapter 173 - 173 143 The Fierce Old Man with Severe Mental Illness ?173: Chapter 143: The Fierce Old Man with Severe Mental Illness 173: Chapter 143: The Fierce Old Man with Severe Mental Illness Ming Lai Street was located on the east side of downtown Los Angeles. This area was full of gangs, the poor, and undocumented immigrants, either considered a poor district or just regular old communities. The taxes gathered here were minimal, so police stations were sparsely distributed, and there were fewer establishments like community policing centers, leading to fewer patrol officers and consequently average public safety. Most thefts and robberies in the area were contributed by this side of town. The Hollywood district where Group B6 was located had a relatively better economy and therefore fewer cases, most being assignments outside the city area or cases transferred from nearby groups. If Group B6 were assigned here, with just a few people in the group, they would definitely be overwhelmed. Brian¡¯s second-hand car blended perfectly into the environment here, completely unremarkable. Twenty minutes later, he arrived at Ming Lai Street. It was a dilapidated commercial street with seemingly little pedestrian traffic, filled with shops selling clothing, children¡¯s apparel, cheap branded industrial products, and more. There were also quite a few Chinese restaurants here. Brian even spotted a stir-fried noodle shop. ¡°It seems there¡¯s a Chinese community nearby...¡± Brian¡¯s mood considerably brightened, and he quickened his pace. A few meters behind him, a cute, cream-colored Labrador puppy with a metal tag appeared to be sniffing around and wandering everywhere, but in reality, its large eyes occasionally scanned Brian¡¯s surroundings, checking for anyone suspicious observing Brian. The puppy was actually Shi San. Its current task was that of a Sentinel. ... After walking over six hundred meters, Brian finally saw the sign for ¡°Daddy¡¯s Grocery Store¡± at the end of the street. However, the grocery store seemed to be closed. Brian took a deep breath. A surge of scents entered his nostrils, were analyzed, and formed recognitions, emerging in his mind. A flash of confusion crossed his eyes, ¡°Strange, why can¡¯t I smell the residue from the letter?¡± With his confusion, Brian stepped forward and knocked on the door. After a long wait, there was no response inside. Just then, an inconspicuous old Chinese man sunbathing next door opened his eyes and said to Brian, ¡°They¡¯re closed today.¡± The old man looked dried up and skinny, with messy hair and a somewhat unkempt appearance, and whiskers on both cheeks that made him resemble a large rat, the kind that would scurry away at any disturbance. Brian eyed the old man before cocking his head and softly asking in Chinese, ¡°Macho man?¡± Under the Supercomputer Perception + Eagle Eye, he had noticed that this old man had been surreptitiously sizing him up ever since he got closer. But the old man¡¯s appearance really didn¡¯t match that of a macho man. That was why Brian¡¯s tone carried uncertainty. ¡°Damn it!¡± The old man couldn¡¯t pretend any longer, ¡°You brat, calling random names, come with me!¡± After speaking, he stepped away with his short legs and disappeared into the alley behind him. Brian gestured to Shi San behind him to not follow, and then he proceeded into the alley. After passing through the alley, the old man arrived in front of a unit door and beckoned to Brian. Brian, whose strength had greatly increased, and with several tall and short buildings around not fearing ordinary light fire ambushes, followed without much hesitation. They reached an old apartment on the sixth floor and the old man finally breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Find yourself a place to sit, I¡¯ll talk to you in a bit.¡± After saying that, he went to the TV in the living room and turned it on. The screen lit up, displaying surveillance footage of ¡°Daddy¡¯s Grocery Store¡± from six different unobstructed angles... Brian:... Seeing that the old man didn¡¯t seem malicious, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Are you in trouble now?¡± ¡°Eh,¡± the old man sat on the couch and pounded his back, ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but after eating, I felt a chilling cold, as if an air conditioner was blowing on me...¡± While speaking, he rubbed his dry palms together and stood up uneasily, ¡°Strange, why do I feel colder than before, something¡¯s wrong, surely someone has targeted me.¡± Brian:... He thought quickly, reduced his heart rate to the lowest, and concealed all his leaking aura, his gaze towards the old man softened as well. ¡°Huh~¡± The old man who had just stood up, uttered a sound of surprise, ¡°Why isn¡¯t it cold anymore?¡± ¡°Such keen perception!¡± Brian marveled internally. He had realized that the old man in front of him was definitely a Mutant, and a perceptual type at that. He had sensed Brian¡¯s murderous intent since receiving his letter. Unbelievable! This was the first time Brian had encountered a Mutant Ability similar to his own Rule Type. ... To avoid making the old man suspicious, Brian took the initiative, frowning, ¡°If you need, I can introduce you to a good psychiatrist.¡± The old man rolled his eyes, ¡°Stop pretending, since I wrote you that letter, it means I know some of your situation, just didn¡¯t expect your Chinese to be so good, still true to your one-eighth Chinese heritage.¡± Seeing this, Brian sat near the door, ¡°Okay, my uncle¡¯s identity is sensitive and I work in government. By the way, where is he now? I haven¡¯t been able to contact my uncle for a long time.¡± ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± The old man sighed, ¡°He and I had an agreement to contact each other once a month. If contact was lost, he would reach out to you. After the second radiation exposure, he nearly went out of control. No contact with me means consider him gone.¡± Brian slightly narrowed his eyes, ¡°So you just sent the letter directly to my workplace?¡± Chapter 174 - 174 143 The Fierce Old Man with Severe Mental Illness_2 ?174: Chapter 143: The Fierce Old Man with Severe Mental Illness_2 174: Chapter 143: The Fierce Old Man with Severe Mental Illness_2 ¡°I¡¯ve divined it, there won¡¯t be any trouble,¡± Brian said confidently. ¡°Divination?¡± ¡°Sort of. I can sense good and ill fortune. Not sure if you¡¯ll understand, but it¡¯s like those witches with crystal balls in the legends here, able to detect danger.¡± I¡¯ve added my address and nickname to the letter. If you were in danger, that would mean I¡¯d be too, and I definitely wouldn¡¯t have done that,¡± the old man boasted proudly. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s awesome!¡± Brian praised sincerely. To have such an ability! He hadn¡¯t expected the old man to be so candid. Turned out the other party really possessed a rare mutant ability distinct from physical strength! Brian¡¯s look towards the old man changed instantly, ¡°Um, do you have any obsessions?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± the old man looked at Brian, puzzled, ¡°What kind of obsession?¡± He rubbed his arm. Why did it feel cold again? Which bastard keeps setting their sights on me! ... The old man looked suspiciously at Brian, ¡°Right, you¡¯re not a Mutant yet, are you?¡± Brian hurriedly suppressed his own greed and shook his head, ¡°No, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t even pass the NW Action Department¡¯s vetting.¡± The old man then breathed a sigh of relief, rambling on: ¡°That¡¯s good, Mutants live day to day, always potentially losing control and hurting the people around them. You¡¯re not one, that¡¯s good. Your uncle is crazy, always trying to forcibly create a powerful Mutant. I can¡¯t stand it. Since you¡¯re fine now, just stay with NW in the future. Take the chance to exchange for some Enhancement Reagents. Live to a ripe old age, have a bunch of kids; that¡¯s better than anything.¡± Listening to the old man¡¯s rambling and caring words, if it weren¡¯t for the fact that he just revealed his mutant ability, Brian almost mistook the under one-sixty, scrawny old man for just a lonely old bachelor. He couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously, ¡°How did you become a Mutant, sir?¡± The old man was indeed forthright, ¡°Me? I¡¯m a severe neurotic, got obsessed studying ¡®The Book of Changes¡¯ and went mad from it. If not for the damned Blood Moon thing, I probably would¡¯ve died in a mental hospital.¡± Brian... This old man was strangely candid. ... Seeing he was silent, The old man thought he¡¯d scared Brian and hurriedly explained, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve never killed anyone. Even if I have an episode, I just babble nonsensically and won¡¯t hurt people.¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t my uncle say that Mutants are influenced by the Blood Moon and continuously pursue their deepest desires?¡± Brian was even more puzzled. Could it be that his uncle was deceiving him? That didn¡¯t make sense. The old man nodded: ¡°That¡¯s true, my desire is ¡®The Book of Changes¡¯. So when I have an episode, as I become increasingly obsessed, my ability becomes stronger. At first, I could only sense vague malice around me. Later, I gradually became able to sense malice from far away. But it made me very uncomfortable. Because although I could feel the malice, I had no idea where the danger was coming from. It made me paranoid all the time, and I became more and more timid.¡± Brian nodded, seeing the point. It¡¯s said that the face reflects the heart, and though it¡¯s not always accurate, there¡¯s some truth to it. The old man didn¡¯t seem very brave, yet his nickname was ¡°Macho¡±... With such a cautious nature, plus the ability to predict good and ill fortune, it¡¯s no wonder he survived until now. ... Brian really wanted the old man¡¯s ability! He licked his lips, ¡°How old are you, sir?¡± The old man rolled his eyes, ¡°Why do you speak fancier than me? My last name is Macho; just call me Old Macho. I¡¯m 67 this year.¡± ¡°Do you smoke, Old Macho?¡± Brian sycophantically produced a pack of cigarettes. He really desired that ability. Mutants had a high rate of emergence. The only problem was that if Brian took action himself, it could possibly turn Old Macho¡¯s obsession into killing Brian, and the man had no hostility towards him, which seemed somewhat inappropriate. So he planned to first establish a good relationship. When the old man was no longer capable, he could come over to send him off. ¡°Not bad, not bad, showing respect for the elderly,¡± Old Macho accepted the cigarette, looking for a lighter when Brian¡¯s lighter approached, considerate as can be. ¡°Whew~¡± Old Macho, apparently a seasoned smoker, expertly took a drag that consumed half the cigarette in one go. From his mouth and nose, the smoke swirled without dissipating, as though performing some kind of breathing exercise or imitating a figure of Immortality, making him look genuinely a bit transcendent. ¡°Amazing, Uncle Macho, how do you do that?¡± Brian hadn¡¯t expected the old man to have such a skill. He had a great lung capacity, able to minutely control his body, but couldn¡¯t achieve such a feat! Old Macho just smiled and said nothing, offering no explanation. Seeing this, Brian didn¡¯t press further. ... After some more small talk, Brian shamelessly pulled out a stack of small booklets from his pocket once again, ¡°Uncle Macho, since you¡¯re my uncle¡¯s friend, that makes you an elder to me! I came in a hurry and didn¡¯t bring a gift. This is some high-quality material I¡¯ve collected from side jobs over the years. You can keep it, and when you¡¯re feeling lonely at night, just call over a couple of foreign ladies to warm your bed, it¡¯s on me!¡± ¡°Foreign ladies?¡± Old Macho¡¯s throat bobbed twice, ¡°At my age, wouldn¡¯t that be a bit inappropriate?¡± ¡°Pshaw!¡± Brian waved his hand dismissively, ¡°A man is always a youth until death; what¡¯s inappropriate about it? Besides, who would do this if they weren¡¯t short on money? Uncle Macho, you¡¯re just doing good deeds!¡± ¡°Well... alright then.¡± Old Macho hesitatingly accepted the booklets and Brian¡¯s bank check, still feeling a bit embarrassed, ¡°You kid, bringing things when you come by, not sure if this old body can take it.¡± Chapter 175 - 175 143 Severe Mental Illness - Ferocious Old Man_3 ?175: Chapter 143: Severe Mental Illness ¨C Ferocious Old Man_3 175: Chapter 143: Severe Mental Illness ¨C Ferocious Old Man_3 ¡°What¡¯s this, Uncle Meng, would you like some liquor? I can bring you some another day?¡± Brian had never been this attentive even to his own father. Drinking, whoring... he just stopped short of arranging gambling for this 67-year-old man. But he wasn¡¯t trying to poison the old man to death; he had already smelled the cheap cigarettes and the scent of a prostitute¡¯s perfume on Uncle Meng, typical of a Mutant whose body was active. They don¡¯t hesitate to indulge in drugs or shy away from such things. Brian was simply noticing that Uncle Meng¡¯s life seemed a bit strained, and he wanted to establish a good relationship. Uncle Meng decisively shook his head, ¡°Forget the liquor. You should drink less too. Drinking harms the body and brain. If you face danger, you won¡¯t be able to react in time; you might not even be able to run.¡± Listening to the old man¡¯s caring words, Brian felt a bit ashamed. Damn, to build a relationship, he actually tried to corrupt such an old man with drinks and whores. That was truly low. His conscience spoke, ¡°Uncle Meng, those foreign prostitutes will drain you dry, be careful.¡± Uncle Meng exhaled a puff of smoke, chuckled, and said, ¡°Let them drain. I am old already. Don¡¯t you think I wanted to enjoy my life before? It was just that I had no money. Living a good life for a shorter period is not a loss.¡± As he spoke, he took out his business card, ¡°Here, save my number in your phone, note it under ¡®Mutant¡¯. If you encounter danger, your phone will likely end up in someone else¡¯s hands, and I will sense the danger. Then, I¡¯ll call to notify you.¡± ¡°Is that possible?¡± Brian stared in amazement. Holy shit, this uncle wasn¡¯t a bad connection to make! Uncle Meng chuckled: ¡°It¡¯s possible, but not allowed. There are some old immortals who know about me. They don¡¯t know what I look like or my race; they can only keep chanting my name, making me shudder occasionally. But if you plan to do something dangerous, you can tell me in advance. If I sense it, I can give you a reference.¡± Mutations had been many years. He had long toyed with his abilities. Brian gave a thumbs up, ¡°Awesome, Uncle Meng!¡± This time, he meant it. However, Uncle Meng wasn¡¯t very happy: ¡°Actually, I had arranged the same for your uncle. Before he disappeared, I warned him of the danger. But he didn¡¯t listen; said you were unreliable and wanted to prepare something for you. I¡¯d say, he¡¯s more paranoid than me. Afterward, since he was anyway going to lose control, I didn¡¯t try to dissuade him.¡± After a moment of silence, Brian spoke, ¡°So, my uncle hoped you¡¯d look after me?¡± He didn¡¯t ask Uncle Meng about the unknown person his uncle mentioned would come looking for him. There might be a trap there. Brian wasn¡¯t sure how much Uncle Meng knew about his uncle Billy and his relationship. Better to speak less. Uncle Meng didn¡¯t mention it, so neither did he. Hearing Brian¡¯s question, Uncle Meng shook his head: ¡°No, Billy once saved my life, so I promised to help him with one thing. He asked me to vouch for you and bring you into our background organization if he disappeared or something happened.¡± ¡°Organization?¡± Uncle Meng nodded: ¡°An organization full of lunatics, always dreaming. Since you¡¯re not a Mutant, better not to know too much. Your uncle was also nuts! I asked him, what if you didn¡¯t turn into a Mutant; he told me not to worry, said we¡¯d know when the time comes. Know what, my ass, I don¡¯t know where he got that confidence from.¡± Brian: ... This made Brian breathe a sigh of relief. It seemed Uncle Meng didn¡¯t know his uncle¡¯s arrangements; otherwise, he would surely have known that if he didn¡¯t become a Mutant, his uncle wouldn¡¯t have told him about what was to come, not revealing... the high-explosive bomb hidden in his apartment that would get rid of him, seen as defective by Billy. In a way, Uncle Meng was right, Billy was indeed a paranoid lunatic. ... ¡°Alright, don¡¯t overthink it. It¡¯s good that your uncle is dead, Brian, you¡¯re young, a good kid. Just live your life well. Contact me if you need anything; I¡¯ll help if I can.¡± Uncle Meng comforted him. He knew what Billy had done to this boy. This sudden reach-out was also thinking he could help if possible. He could foresee the good and bad related to himself. If Brian harbored malice, his sensing would be extremely strong, intense enough to make him flee without looking back. Before, Brian did have a bit of malice but was more prepared to see what would happen before deciding his attitude. It was Schrodinger¡¯s malice. This was why Uncle Meng hadn¡¯t detected the malicious source as Brian, mistaking it as another old immortal worrying about him. Brian actually wanted to know what the organization Uncle Meng mentioned was, but to avoid arousing suspicion, he decided against asking. He suddenly remembered his own limit-breaking state and what old Hardenn had mentioned about the twisted Mutant known as ¡®Long¡¯. Uncle Meng had lived to such an old age and was part of the same mysterious organization as his uncle; perhaps he knew something. Thinking this, Brian feigned a sigh, ¡°I also want to live a good life, but my uncle asked me to join the current NW organization. I initially thought it was a police organization, but later I found out about the dangers...¡± As he spoke, he recounted the incident of encountering the Mutant Beast at Forest Park. Of course, in his version, he was just a loiterer while his team leader Susan was the main force. ... Brian wanted to try and pry some deeper secrets and truths of the world from Uncle Meng¡¯s lips! He was actually very curious; what exactly was the Blood Moon? Chapter 176 - 176 144 Secrets Mutation Fifth Rank Request for Assistance with a Case ?176: Chapter 144 Secrets: Mutation Fifth Rank, Request for Assistance with a Case 176: Chapter 144 Secrets: Mutation Fifth Rank, Request for Assistance with a Case ¡°Mutant Beast?¡± The grizzled old man clearly knew what it was, as he took a sharp intake of cold air. He pointed at Brian, ¡°You¡¯re one lucky kid. Those things, even the weakest are comparable to Transcendent Level Mutants, they¡¯re truly non-human, very terrifying.¡± ¡°Transcendent Level?¡± Brian¡¯s heart leapt with joy. From 1945 to the present, there had indeed been deeper levels of research among the Mutants, not just the simple classification of low, medium, and high pollution levels that the NW organization¡¯s free materials provided. Seeing that Brian seemed quite interested, the grizzled old man nodded and explained in detail: ¡°Within the Mutant circles of Hua Country, the Mutation stages are divided into five levels: Meat Sin Realm, Transcendent Level, Transcendent, Foundation Establishment, and Earthly Immortal. These five levels aren¡¯t divided according to combat ability, but rather the five stages of Mutation. As for whether there are levels beyond that, it¡¯s unclear. In our organization, the strongest have only reached the Fourth Rank Foundation Building and still have to rely on hibernation to withstand the risk of losing control. To my knowledge, of the known Mutants in the world, only ¡®Long¡¯ has attained the realm of Earthly Immortal, and this realm was added just for him. It¡¯s a shame ¡®Long¡¯ had just appeared in this world before he was hunted by the military on this side, and after that, no news of him was heard.¡± When it came to ¡®Long¡¯, a look of regret flashed in the grizzled old man¡¯s eyes. The man was also from Hua Country, and a pioneer among the Mutants. If he hadn¡¯t disappeared, he might have already established a sect, pioneering a new path for these Mutants who could only hide in the shadows. Brian took the five realm names to heart and asked: ¡°How do you differentiate the levels of Mutants? The NW organization does have some information, but it seems they just categorize Mutants into three levels according to the density of Mutation: low pollution, medium pollution, and high pollution.¡± The grizzled old man glared at Brian, ¡°Kid, why do you keep asking about this? Mutants who reach the Transcendent Level typically have already found their own path. They are afraid of losing control and tend to live far away from crowds. The chance of you encountering them is slim.¡± ¡°Just tell me, consider it broadening my knowledge.¡± Brian had a thick skin and was not one to back down, offering up another cigarette. ¡°Ah, kid...¡± The grizzled old man glanced at the check in his hand, sighing with a softened tone, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll just give you a brief idea. But you dare not leak this; these are secrets of the Mutant inner circles of Hua Country. If it gets out, those old immortals will have our heads.¡± Bang, bang, bang! Brian thumped his chest with conviction, ¡°Uncle, I may lack other qualities, but tight-lipped is what I am!¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± The grizzled old man exhaled a cloud of smoke, pondered for a moment, and then began to speak slowly: ¡°Regarding research on Mutants, only two countries are on the right track. One is our Mutant circle in Hua Country. The other is the ascetic circle in that country of ¡®Ah San.¡¯ Mutants in other countries either grow wildly or follow the path of religious belief, brainwashing themselves with hypnotism. As for your NW organization and other similar institutions that use Mutants as research material, they merely treat Mutants as material and their research only scratches the surface, completely off track. For example, what you mentioned about pollution levels. That¡¯s not a measure of Mutation level, but a classification of research material. Most psychopaths and people with mental disorders have higher Spiritual Strength than others, absorb more Blood Moon Radiance, have more severe pollution, and, as a result, more potential. That¡¯s potential, not a damn level! They won¡¯t develop it. Or the Mutant Ability that mutates is substandard. Even if they are Highly Polluted Mutants, they¡¯d still get shot dead with a bullet.¡± After he finished, he seemed to recall some unpleasant memories, as a fleeting apparition of a Blood Moon briefly shone in his eyes. He sighed, ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking about this. Every country, their violent institutions have also classified different danger levels of Mutants. European and North American sides like to classify them into tiers like First Rank, Second Rank, and so on. Their judgments are simple and crude. For example, a Mutant who can cause injuries and deaths among a hundred armed civilians is classified as a First Rank Mutant, a thousand is Second Rank... they have their specific standards, I¡¯m not too clear on the details. As for the Fifth Rank of Hua Country, it is divided according to the stages of Transformation. As for the judgment, it is somewhat idealistic...¡± ¡°Idealistic?¡± The grizzled old man nodded, ¡°Mutants¡¯ abilities are formed with the idealism combined with the radiating power of the Blood Moon. Brian, I don¡¯t know how much you understand about Hua Country. Initially, among the first Mutants in Hua Country, apart from the real psychopaths, there were some like me, who studied ancient cultures, methods of practice, and even those obsessed with the deranged idea of Cultivation. At first, those people thought the changes in their bodies were due to the resurgence of spiritual energy, so they devoted themselves to ascetic practices. But it wasn¡¯t very effective. It wasn¡¯t until a high-ranking official from Hua Country¡¯s religious authorities, a Mutant himself, who was well-informed, learned of the Blood Moon Radiation power hidden within each Mutant. Thus, the unique methods of practice and the classification of realms within our Hua Country circle emerged. They take the degree to which Blood Moon Radiation power has been integrated as the realms. For instance, the Meat Sin Realm is like your uncle¡¯s case. It might be due to Mutant Ability that your uncle has strong combat abilities, but he¡¯s unable to sense the Blood Moon Radiation power within, so he is only considered to be in the Meat Sin Realm. His Mutant Ability has not undergone a second Transformation. ... Transcendent Level is about a complete change of body and mind. This is a watershed for Mutants. As I said before, Mutants who follow their inner desires act quickly, the rate of their Mutation grows rapidly, and the hidden Blood Moon Radiation power within becomes increasingly active.¡± Chapter 177 - 177 144 Secrets Mutation Fifth Rank Request for Assistance with a Case_2 ?177: Chapter 144 Secrets: Mutation Fifth Rank, Request for Assistance with a Case_2 177: Chapter 144 Secrets: Mutation Fifth Rank, Request for Assistance with a Case_2 At this time, if a Mutant could maintain their sanity and guide the active Blood Moon Energy into their body, it would trigger a Transformation, forming a special Life Magnetism outside the body. The Mutant Ability of the Mutant would also undergo a secondary Transformation Enhancement in this process, becoming even more powerful. The reason why Mutant Beasts are so terrifying is that the beasts capable of Mutation not only possess sufficient Spiritual attributes but also the simplicity of animals. Their Mutant Abilities are meant for slaughter and are inherently strong. Moreover, as long as they engage in hunting and reproduction, these behaviors can naturally resonate with their spirit, seamlessly integrating the Radiation Energy of the Blood Moon, completing the next evolution of their Mutant Abilities. Thus, those Mutant Beasts are born monsters destined for combat. No matter which country it is, upon discovery, they would be eradicated. Brian listened with great interest. It truly lives up to the grandeur of our great Huaxia. Even Mutants, relying on the strong cultural heritage, had formed a systematized realm classification, paving the way for those who come later to reduce the risk of losing control. However, he still had a doubt, ¡°Uncle Meng, does that mean if Mutants do not guide the Blood Moon Radiation Energy into their bodies while it¡¯s active, they will forever remain at the Meat Sin Level?¡± Uncle Meng nodded: ¡°Yes! In the theories of our ancestors, a person¡¯s core is essence-energy-spirit. Essence is the body. Energy is the blood energy. Spirit is the Spiritual Strength. Essence-energy-spirit, all in one. As one grows older, the curve of essence and energy in a healthy person continues to rise until their thirties or forties and then gradually declines. This is also a natural law of life. A person¡¯s Spiritual Strength is also affected by this curve variation.¡± Hearing this, Brian nodded. It was a simple principle. For instance, in his previous life, when he was in his teens, he could stay up all night in an internet cafe and still have the spirit to attend classes or do other things the next day; as he grew older, staying up all night, it would take him several days to recover, and he would be listless. Uncle Meng continued in a gentle voice: ¡°Man cannot overcome nature. The path of the Mutants is against nature. Every arrival of the Blood Moon is like a calamity from heaven for the Mutants. Some Mutants at the Meat Sin Level, relying on arduous cultivation, self-hypnosis, or some scientifically developed reagents, may manage to keep their sanity and barely survive for thirty years. But during this process, their spirit, meaning their Spiritual Strength and endurance, is continually declining! Once the Blood Moon comes again. These guys, who barely survived thirty years, will be like your uncle, no matter how they struggle, they will gradually be corroded and finally lose control.¡± ¡°Uncle Meng, are you saying if they can¡¯t guide the Blood Moon Radiation Energy into their bodies, thirty years is their limit?¡± Uncle Meng nodded: ¡°Yes, only by integrating all of the original Blood Moon Radiation Energy into the body to reach the reborn state, can they have another thirty years. Mutants in the reborn state, not only will their Mutant Ability evolve again, their bodies can also rejuvenate with new Vitality, and they will have enough capacity to accommodate the next Blood Moon Radiation Energy. Naturally, they can endure longer.¡± Seeing that Uncle Meng was unrestrained and talkative, Brian couldn¡¯t care about any doubts and continued to ask, ¡°Then how can one actively guide the Blood Moon Radiation Energy to integrate into the body to become reborn?¡± Uncle Meng spread his hands: ¡°Follow your heart. Like me, I just acted naturally and reached this state. Also, those Mutant Beasts, with their simple minds, can transform within a few days after Mutation. The problem is, it¡¯s easier said than done. Many Mutants are inherently complex and have twisted spirits. It¡¯s a deep rift! Most of them lose control due to hysteria before the Blood Moon Radiation Energy becomes sufficiently active. Either they keep suppressing themselves or use medication to suppress themselves, resulting in a lifetime of never reaching the state where they can sense the active Blood Moon Radiation Energy. And then there is your uncle. Being a foreigner, he was able to join our organization because of his exceptional talent, not only his strong Mutant Ability but also his willpower, far beyond ordinary people at a young age, and having a senior¡¯s guarantee allowed the organization to accept him. But this idiot got brainwashed by his family from a young age, foolishly taking the notion of enhancing his damn family as his spiritual anchor and using self-hypnosis to strengthen this anchor, stabilizing his emotions. This method of placing one¡¯s mental reliance externally seems useful but is actually very risky. North American Technology is advanced; the upper elites, despite the costs, in collaboration with officials, create organizations to treat Mutants like cattle and sheep, continuously harvesting from them. This environment simply doesn¡¯t allow Mutant families to thrive. You¡¯ve seen the result. Your uncle disappeared before he could break through the reborn level, braving the second Radiation but still lost control. Given his potential and willpower, if he had chosen a more selfish spiritual anchor, he probably could have had hope for the Transcendent Realm!¡± Brian:... So it turns out that it was his later ¡°non-cooperation¡± and hiding the fact that he became a Mutant that led to Uncle Billy¡¯s spiritual anchor breaking, beginning his loss of control. Brian felt no guilt. The things his uncle did to him were things any normal person could not accept. Chapter 178 - 178 144 Secrets Mutation Fifth Rank Case Assistance_3 ?178: Chapter 144 Secrets: Mutation Fifth Rank, Case Assistance_3 178: Chapter 144 Secrets: Mutation Fifth Rank, Case Assistance_3 Billy suffered a backlash, it was his own retribution. However, through the narrative from old man Meng, Brian also learned about his own situation. When he killed Billy, the Blood Moon Radiation Energy within his body had reached the level of activity that old man Meng spoke of, and afterward, it was entirely due to his fierce reliance on fulfilling his obsession and continuously absorbing Spirit Crystals, enhancing his Spiritual Strength, and forcibly maintaining his sanity to complete the process of the Blood Moon fusing with his body. So, it¡¯s fair to say, Brian¡¯s true first Transformation occurred at the Mexico border. The subsequent bodily Transformation was purely because he was a BUG, his Mutant Ability was completing the deceased¡¯s obsessions, reaping the Gift, causing him not only to strengthen his body and absorb the deceased¡¯s Spirit Crystal but also to devour the deceased¡¯s talent... Brian¡¯s situation was too special, it couldn¡¯t be completely compared to the realms described by old man Meng, it could only serve as a reference. ... ¡°Uncle Meng, that third realm...¡± Brian was eager to know more. Old man Meng rolled his eyes: ¡°Do you really think I know everything? The third realm, Transcendent, is a spiritual Transformation. It allows the Blood Moon¡¯s Radiation Energy to affect the Spiritual Consciousness and mutually integrate. This process is very dangerous, with a high mortality rate. Unfortunately, old man, I¡¯m afraid of death. I¡¯m sixty-seven this year, luckily I¡¯ve reached the state of rebirth. As long as I don¡¯t lose control, I can live until 2035. By that time, I¡¯ll be over a hundred years old. How many ordinary people can live to be over a hundred? If I have to die, so be it, I¡¯ve lived long enough.¡± ¡°Spiritually...¡± Brian thought about the Spirit Crystals he had integrated after the death¡¯s Gift. The stronger the body, the more Gift Energy it consumes to enhance. But not necessarily so with Spiritual Strength. Mutants are rare to encounter, but not ordinary people. It wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to visit hospitals and other places, to harvest obsessions little by little and accumulate over time... ... After saying goodbye to old man Meng, Brian left feeling quite grateful. Some people, you could be with them for more than a decade, and it¡¯s all calculations. But with others, you feel comfortable and relaxed from the first meeting, with a sense of kindred spirit. Old man Meng was certainly that kind of person. On the surface, he wasn¡¯t any mutant, still an official. According to the agreement, old man Meng could have ignored Brian, but he chose to make contact and was frank about his abilities, not the least bit worried about malice or betrayal. Although this also reflected old man Meng¡¯s confidence in his own Mutant Ability. But this way of conducting oneself and his open attitude still made Brian, who had suffered betrayal and scheming before, very comfortable in his heart. This old man, he¡¯s a good one to deal with. ... Back at the parking spot. Shi San burst from the corner. Brian looked at it. Shi San immediately understood, shaking his dog head: ¡°Woof woof~ (Big dog, no one followed us.)¡± Brian nodded: ¡°That¡¯s good, let¡¯s go, back to work.¡± Back at the office. Ivan and Glenn were still hustling over the previous dismemberment case. Eliminating Limp Gang¡¯s factory didn¡¯t mean the case was over, plus they were still looking for a way to vent, so they continued to hustle off. Brian couldn¡¯t be bothered. As long as they don¡¯t continue to mess things up behind his back. Out of boredom. Brian grabbed Green and took him to the underground shooting range, teaching him some handgun techniques he¡¯d figured out. Around four o¡¯clock in the afternoon. Old Hardenn suddenly brought a man to the range. He pulled Brian aside: ¡°Brian, this is the leader of team C5, they have a tricky case, and they¡¯re hoping you can lend a hand.¡± ¡°C5, that¡¯s the newly formed C team?¡± Brian looked at the silent man in the distance with confusion and asked, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t all the cases be allocated and regulated by the reporting center? Why look to our team for help?¡± Old Hardenn shrugged: ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re well-known, team C5 is somewhat unlucky; they haven¡¯t finished their evaluation case, and tomorrow afternoon is the final deadline. They can only resort to some underhanded tactics, and one of their members just happens to be a friend of mine...¡± ¡°How much did you take?¡± ¡°One thousand...¡± Hardenn quickly caught himself, making a pained expression: ¡°Fifty-fifty..¡± ¡°Nineteen to one! Ninety percent for me!¡± Having said that. Brian ignored the pained expression on Old Hardenn¡¯s face and walked toward the unfamiliar man. Chapter 183 - 183 147 No Good Deed Goes Unpunished ?183: Chapter 147: No Good Deed Goes Unpunished 183: Chapter 147: No Good Deed Goes Unpunished ¡°Olina!¡± ¡°My God, what happened to her?¡± The matron of Children¡¯s House¡ªa middle-aged black woman¡ªlooked at the photo of the female corpse in her hands, her emotions running high. ¡°She didn¡¯t show up today, and I thought she was just busy. What happened to her?¡± Seeing this, Brian gave Green a look. Green took the hint like a good lieutenant, his voice low. ¡°Her body was found last night in a small grove...¡± ¡°Oh~,¡± the middle-aged black woman expressed her emotions with exaggerated body language. After a string of comforting platitudes, Brian and his team obtained information about the female victim. The victim was named Olina, 28 years old, single, an orphan who worked as a waitress at a fast-food restaurant and also volunteered at Children¡¯s House. In her spare time, Olina devoted all her time to the children at Children¡¯s House, had simple social relations, and had no bad habits. According to the black matron, Olina was a very kind and decent girl, who had not even dated. The problem was, according to the photos from the crime scene, Olina died in revealing clothes, carrying a purse, wearing high heels¡ªimages that didn¡¯t fit with the matron¡¯s description. Additionally, Brian had also seen the Autopsy Officer¡¯s examination report from Team C5. Olina was not a virgin. She was not as innocent as she outwardly appeared. In search of more accurate information, Brian and his team had no choice but to ask the matron to call and talk to other volunteers who knew Olina well. This time, they got more detailed information. According to a volunteer who had a close relationship with the victim, Olina actually had been in a relationship during her time working, with a customer who frequently visited the fast-food restaurant, named Bertrand, who was more than a decade older than Olina. As an orphan, Olina was actually longing for a home of her own. Not only did Bertrand have a house, but he also showed warm concern, giving Olina the warmth of a father. Unfortunately, the relationship didn¡¯t end well. Bertrand, Olina¡¯s boyfriend, was arrested in March of this year for soliciting prostitutes and violently assaulting a sex worker. He had to pay a large sum of money and lost his job. After that, the guy degenerated, often beating Olina. Because of this, Olina broke up with Bertrand. A month before Olina¡¯s incident, Bertrand had found her again, threatening her to either resume their relationship, give him money, or he would make her regret it. Olina¡¯s job was also jeopardized because of Bertrand. ... Having obtained the address of Bertrand, Olina¡¯s ex-boyfriend, from the female volunteer, Brian and his partner bid farewell to the grieving middle-aged black woman. Once outside, Green¡¯s face showed relief. ¡°Boss Brian, this Bertrand is highly suspect, tricked by a prostitute, violent, threatening, and demanding money... He has a motive for crime.¡± Brian nodded. ¡°The suspicion is indeed heavy. Bertrand¡¯s address is located in this area, many characteristics match the criminal profile I made earlier.¡± In the car, Shi San was sound asleep. The little fellow must be in a growth spurt lately, eating a lot, sleeping a lot. Shi San seemed to smell Brian and squinted his eyes, his tail wagging slightly, even making the sound of nursing in his sleep¡ªadorably cute. Green was enchanted. ¡°Next time I¡¯m on break, I¡¯m going to get a Labrador too.¡± Saying this, he turned to try to pet Shi San in the back seat. But before his hand reached him, the sleeping Shi San appeared to bare his teeth in a grimace, the cute smacking sounds turning into low warning growls. Green: ... Nonchalantly, he withdrew his hand. ¡°Is he pretending to sleep?¡± Brian started the car and glanced at Shi San in the rearview mirror, chuckling. ¡°Why don¡¯t you give it a try? After all, NW has disability benefits, so don¡¯t be scared.¡± ¡°Forget it.¡± Green went back to being quiet. Although Shi San was only just over two months old and probably didn¡¯t even have all his teeth yet, he had inherited his boss Brian¡¯s cunning, and Green did not want to provoke him. During a previous case with a female corpse in a tree, Tom, who was surveying the crime scene, made a joke about how little Shi San didn¡¯t even know what a bitch tasted like, and ended up not only getting bitten on the finger by Shi San but also drank ¡®spiked¡¯ water for two straight days. It was only when they checked the surveillance footage that they discovered Shi San took advantage of Tom¡¯s absence from his desk to sneak up and bite open the lid of the water bottle and urinate inside it... Green certainly did not want to follow in Tom¡¯s footsteps. ... Ten minutes later, the car arrived at the residence of Olina¡¯s ex-boyfriend, Bertrand. Bertrand was forty years old and currently unemployed. His house was an independent wooden building, surrounded by leaves and overgrown weeds, indicating that it was a standalone property not managed by any estate services. The two of them flashed their badges and went up to ring the doorbell. It wasn¡¯t even nine o¡¯clock yet, so the occupant was probably still awake. After a minute or so, a middle-aged man with lifeless eyes and a stubbled face mechanically opened the door. ¡°Who are you?¡± The moment the door opened, both Brian and Green instinctively stepped back. It stank! It was rancid, stinking, and there was also the smell of something rotten. ¡°LAPD,¡± Green suppressed the urge to cover his nose and mouth, pointing to his badge. ¡°Bertrand, we¡¯ve got some questions for you.¡± ¡°Oh, come in.¡± Bertrand didn¡¯t even bother to verify who it was and just turned back to the living room. The living room lights were off, using only the light from the television to make out the surroundings. The place was a dump, takeout boxes, beer cans, piles of dirty dishes on the coffee table, remnants of food, and green-mold-covered unidentified substances... these items were scattered all around the not-so-large living room. The smell was beyond words. Out of options, Both stood still, watching Bertrand return to his equally tattered sofa and then hold a large jar while staring blankly at the soap opera playing in front of him. Like this, he didn¡¯t seem like any kind of normal person. ... ¡°Boss Brian, I feel like he¡¯s just a soulless puppet...¡± Green glanced at the jar Bertrand was holding and added in a low voice, ¡°And one who¡¯s addicted to painkillers at that.¡± Brian followed Green¡¯s gaze and nodded. That type of jar was an oversized, family-sized painkiller, typically two thousand pills a barrel, which worked out to be more cost-effective on average, and much cheaper than snorting powder. It was the preferred choice for many impoverished addicts. This stuff, in Brian¡¯s past life, was considered antipyretic and pain-relief medicine, but here, it was just regular pain medication, sold in buckets at some discount supermarkets. It was addictive, and many couldn¡¯t avoid it; a little bump or knock, and someone would tell you to take one, joint pain, or menstrual cramps, and so on, they¡¯d also suggest taking one, and once you got used to it, you couldn¡¯t stop. In many American dramas, the male and female leads would wake up, open the medicine cabinet mirror, and show off a bunch of pills popping into their mouths. In his past life, Brian had thought these were something like Vitamin C, but after coming to this world, he realized they were more often painkillers like Oxycodone... His vision was strong, so even in the dim environment, he could still make out the setting of the living room. Apart from the large, family-sized medicine barrel Bertrand was holding, Brian also spotted many boxes under the sofa, along with the tiny font names on them. Seeing these boxes, he completely lost hope. This Bertrand, most likely, was not the killer. The reason was simple. Those boxes contained opiate painkillers, like Oxycodone. Of course, for those who didn¡¯t understand, another name would make it clear. The precursor of these substances¡¯ ingredients was called opium. Brian had once obsessed over something he encountered at the hospital: An old man with cancer, worried about his son not doing well, hid all the prescription drugs provided by the doctor, and ended up dying in pain. The old man¡¯s obsession was to leave his hidden pills for his son. Those drugs were opiate painkillers. They weren¡¯t expensive, generally three to five dollars a pill, hence, this kind of medicine was also known as the five-dollar drug. A middle-aged person who¡¯d been taking these things long-term could barely muster the strength to kill a chicken, let alone a human. ... Since they had come, they still had to ask. Green, holding back from the stench, pulled Bertrand, who was lying on the sofa, outside. The guy was cooperative, just very slow to respond, and seemed to have impaired cognitive ability, making only simple communication possible. It wasn¡¯t until Brian went to a 24-hour pharmacy and, using his police authority, obtained a box of opiate painkillers for Bertrand that he improved somewhat. ¡°Olina...¡± Bertrand muttered the name several times when his dull eyes suddenly widened, cursing furiously, ¡°That stinking bitch, she clearly promised to give me money before, she hasn¡¯t come these days, she lied to me!¡± ¡°Money?¡± Brian and Green exchanged glances and pursued this point in their questioning. Bertrand¡¯s lucidity was erratic. Through fits and starts of information, the two detectives finally pieced together what was going on. It turned out that after Bertrand ran out of money, he went to Olina, forcing her to give him money or else he would prevent her from going to work and even threatened to blow up Children¡¯s House. Olina loved those children, as most of her salary went to them, so how could she agree? But her meekness due to her orphan status led to her yielding. From that moment on, Olina, the foolish girl, had joined the ranks of streetwalkers. To avoid being recognized by people nearby, She would always go to the north and only return to her rented place here after her shift. There were surveillance cameras in Bertrand¡¯s living room. According to the camera footage, he had been wasting away at home for the past few days, with absolutely no time to commit the crime. ... Leaving the garbage heap of this wretched individual, Green seethed with injustice, ¡°Such a good girl, and this bastard not only fails to appreciate her but also threatens and forces Olina into prostitution to feed his drug habit. I really wanted to shoot that bastard just now!¡± If it were him, he would have treasured such a good girl! Brian shrugged, ¡°Good people don¡¯t get good returns; that¡¯s the norm.¡± Anyone with a bit of temper would want to slap the likes of Bertrand, or if that didn¡¯t work, a few hundred dollars for a handgun wasn¡¯t expensive. They didn¡¯t have much time to lament Olina¡¯s misfortune. The new lead had dried up, but the case had to go on. Brian glanced at the time, realized it was past nine in the evening, and said to Green, ¡°It¡¯s getting late, we¡¯ll stop here for today, tomorrow...¡± Mid-sentence. Suddenly there came sounds of arguing and scolding, along with the blare of police sirens. Chapter 184 - 184 148 Robber Is There Justice! ?184: Chapter 148: Robber: Is There Justice?! (Adding 14 more for Alliance Leader ¡®Glorious Night¡¯) 184: Chapter 148: Robber: Is There Justice?! (Adding 14 more for Alliance Leader ¡®Glorious Night¡¯) Bang~ Bang Bang Bang~ Accompanied by screams, roars. The shooting had started ahead! ¡°It seems they are chasing a robber.¡± Green squinted his eyes, observed the situation ahead, and said. A figure, with one hand holding a gun and the other clutching a handbag, ran towards their vehicle. ¡°Take him down!¡± Brian glanced at the panicking robber and whispered. Green nodded, held his breath, timed it right, and when the man desperately approached, he suddenly opened the passenger door. Caught off guard, the fleeing man was knocked by the door and thrown more than a meter away, his newly stolen handbag and the pistol in his other hand flying out, and he landed on the ground groaning in pain. Green jumped down smoothly, disregarding the man¡¯s pain, pinned him to the ground, hands behind his back, while kneeling his knee near the man¡¯s neck. This ensured that the man couldn¡¯t fight back. It was clear Green had practiced this move quite a bit. He was about to pull out handcuffs to restrain the robber¡¯s hands when several figures came running over, bombarding Green¡¯s eyes with a bright flashlight while someone shouted: ¡°Don¡¯t move, hands up!¡± ¡°Show your hands!¡± Green instinctively blocked his eyes with his hands and explained, ¡°Friendly, don¡¯t shoot, I am from NW operations!!!¡± He shouted loudly, fearing that the pursuing patrol officers might shoot him. Similar incidents had happened in Los Angeles before. The victim was a black detective who just reached into his jacket to pull out an ID, intending to show his identity, but was shot dead by a jittery patrol officer. Brian, who had been watching from the car, saw this and had a moment of revelation, understanding how the murderer in the prostitute murder case had committed the crime. No wonder the culprit was so professional! ... But Brian didn¡¯t hurry to get out of the car. He was afraid that his sudden movement might trigger the jittery patrol officers. This was no joke, Daytime was still manageable. At night, the patrol officers on duty, except when slacking off eating doughnuts, were always on high alert, especially in areas with poorer security. After hearing Green¡¯s loud shout, The officers didn¡¯t lower their guard until they had surrounded the two on the ground and saw the firearm, after which they put down their bright flashlights and guns. ¡°Pal, sorry, these bastards suddenly started shooting, and a colleague got injured,¡± an older black patrol officer apologized to Green after checking his ID. Green waved it off, ¡°No problem, these guys are crazy, daring to shoot directly at the police!¡± A white police officer spat fiercely on the ground, ¡°That¡¯s why his buddy is dead. If it weren¡¯t for your intervention, this bastard would be dead too!¡± Green had been with the B6 crew a few times, committing murder and arson, and was no longer the reserved young man he used to be. He didn¡¯t take it lightly and pointed at the white police officer, yelling, ¡°With your shitty shooting skills? I could shoot better with my pants down!¡± The usually domineering white police officer, taken aback by Green¡¯s boldness and seeing a glimpse of violence in his eyes, wanted to retort. Snap~ The car door opened. Brian, with a cigarette in his mouth, stepped out of the car and said to the white officer, ¡°How about we release this robber, give him his gun back, and you can duel it out in the alley ahead?¡± ¡°Who the hell are you!¡± ¡°Brian, just a regular Autopsy Officer,¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°How about my proposal? Don¡¯t worry, even if you die, I can do your autopsy for free.¡± The white police officer... He had heard of Brian¡¯s name, especially how today, in this particular sector, in front of many, Brian had managed in a few words to get a group to beat up a colleague from NW operations. The circle was just that small. During their patrol today, they had even talked about this incident as a form of entertainment, not expecting to meet the protagonist so soon. The white police officer¡¯s lips twitched twice; he turned to Green and whispered an apology, ¡°Sorry, my partner got injured, I got a bit agitated.¡± Seeing this, Green nodded and said no more. In reality, most LAPD staff weren¡¯t highly educated, tending towards being physically strong but simplistic thinkers. Simple reason: easier to manage, daring to fight. Drawback: emotional, average quality. Especially at LAPD during this period, white officers formed the majority, with other ethnicities making up less than ten percent. Thus, racial discrimination within the department was not uncommon. When Green had joined the patrol, he had faced a lot of discrimination. Now, as the other party had brought up his injured partner, it wasn¡¯t good to pursue the matter further. ... Seeing the other man relent, Brian didn¡¯t bother arguing with such people anymore. He walked over to the older black patrol officer with a higher status here, ¡°Pal, can I take a look at your bright flashlight?¡± ¡°No problem, Brian,¡± he took off the bright flashlight hanging from his duty belt and handed it to Brian, ¡°I¡¯ve heard Fergus mention your name, and I really appreciate you avenging his daughter in Forest Park.¡± ¡°Fergus?¡± Brian took the flashlight, ¡°I remember him, I promised to attend his daughter¡¯s funeral, but he never emailed me the details.¡± Previously at Forest Park, in the lake bottom corpse sinking case, a Mutant Beast had fatally injured a female officer, and Fergus was her father, who personally helped her pass on. The older black man sighed, ¡°He cremated his daughter and didn¡¯t hold a funeral, quite his job and went back home to spend his days by his daughter¡¯s tombstone till his last days.¡± Upon hearing these words, Brian nodded. Everyone had their own story. His current story was solving the case he had on hand. Brian focused on the bright flashlight in front of him, fiddling with it a few times before pulling out a plastic bag from the car, under the puzzled gazes of the crowd, and signaling the battered and swollen faced robber, squatting nearby, to stand up. The robber, afraid of receiving further beatings and not daring to argue, quickly got to his feet. Brian looked at an older Black patrol officer and said, ¡°I have a case in my hands. There are some things I need to verify. Let¡¯s unlock his handcuffs first.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility if anything goes wrong.¡± With that said, the older Black patrol officer didn¡¯t waste any more words and deftly unlocked the handcuffs of the uneasy robber. Brian waved the flashlight and told the robber, ¡°Walk ahead.¡± Although the robber did not know what this ¡°pretty boy¡± was up to, he obediently walked forward. After a few steps, Brian suddenly called out, ¡°Hey.¡± The robber turned back in confusion. The next moment, A strong light struck! Instinctively, the robber raised his hand to block it, but he felt pain in his right hand and screamed. Just as he opened his mouth, a figure had already appeared behind him, repeatedly striking the back of his head at the temples. It only took three hits. The robber¡¯s eyes lost focus, dazed and unable to struggle with much strength. Then, another plastic bag was placed over his head. Having done all this, Brian squatted in front of the collapsed robber, examining his condition. ... Green: ... The patrol officers: ... Everything had happened too quickly. If they hadn¡¯t known Brian was an Autopsy Officer, they would have almost believed him to be a veteran of a serial killing spree, committing the crime right before their eyes! Especially the previous White officer who felt somewhat relieved that this expressionless ¡°pretty boy,¡± when he made his move, clearly wasn¡¯t someone easy-going. ¡°That...¡±, the older Black patrol officer licked his lips, ¡°this...¡± He wanted to say that this was against regulations. But he wasn¡¯t very keen on offending this slightly famous Autopsy Officer over a robber. The NW Operations Unit, after all, ranked higher than their LAPD Operations Unit. Brian waved his blood-stained flashlight and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. If this criminal wants to complain later, he can throw it all on me. By the way, this flashlight has excellent quality.¡± The Black officer could only follow Brian¡¯s words, ¡°Yes, after all, at times when we cannot use guns, the flashlight also serves as a weapon. We are trained for this.¡± While they chatted, the condition of the robber on the ground was not good. ¡°Huff, huff~¡± As the dazed robber tried to breathe through his nose and mouth, each breath was obstructed by the plastic bag, causing his mouth to open wider and wider. Driven by the instinct to survive, Even though he was barely conscious, his hands still tried to tear at the plastic bag over his head. But lack of oxygen plus dizziness made it hard for the robber to exert any strength with his hands. After several attempts, a strong man couldn¡¯t even tear open a sturdy plastic bag. Eventually, the constant tugging created an opening in the plastic bag, sparing him from being suffocated to death. ... A few minutes later, the robber, having caught his breath and trembling, let Brian examine the injuries on his head and arms with the flashlight. The nearly fatal encounter had instilled in him an immense fear of this seemingly gentle ¡°pretty boy.¡± After a moment, Brian nodded in satisfaction. The shape of the wounds on the robber¡¯s head matched about sixty to seventy percent with those on the heads of the previously murdered prostitutes! The same was true for the arms. That was enough! He had found the crime method and identity of the murderer in the prostitute murder case! ¡°Are we done?¡± the robber asked, feeling the weakness in his body and the blood sliding down his cheeks onto his clothes, pleading, ¡°Please, if I am guilty, let the court judge me, let me go, I am going to die if this continues.¡± ¡°Would you complain about me?¡± Brian asked, his tone gentle, his smile bright. ¡°No, I fell by myself, I swear, I fell by myself!¡± the robber truly wanted to cry. What kind of world was this! This man didn¡¯t treat people as humans, and the police nearby turned a blind eye. Was there no justice! Hell! This was utterly dark! ¡°Very good,¡± Brian nodded in satisfaction, ¡°You may now face the legal judgment.¡± Although he didn¡¯t care about complaints, not having any was best. For the first time, before solving the case, Brian still hoped to keep his record clean. ... Back in the car. Brian said to Green, ¡°Call the chief of the C5 unit.¡± ¡°What should I say?¡± ¡°Make an arrest!¡± Chapter 185 - 185 149 Locking on the Culprit Making a Bet ?185: Chapter 149: Locking on the Culprit, Making a Bet 185: Chapter 149: Locking on the Culprit, Making a Bet The C5 team leader, who should still be working overtime to investigate the archives and crime reports from the recent years in his jurisdiction, received a call from Green and immediately indicated that he would bring his team over right away. He hung up the phone. Green didn¡¯t rush to ask Brian for the reason but instead began to reflect. Brian, his boss, had just been about to let himself leave work and continue the investigation into the case tomorrow, but that had changed after the pursuit of the robber earlier on. The difference should be that police-grade high-intensity flashlight. As evidence of assault, stained with blood, the borrowed flashlight naturally wasn¡¯t returned. Green, sitting in the passenger seat, picked up the flashlight to examine it. He had undergone training on the use of police-grade tactical flashlights during his six-month program at the police academy. Such a flashlight, a kind of police equipment, was not only longer than ordinary flashlights but also made of tougher material. Its large, round head had raised triangles, almost like spikes, which could be used as a weapon. Plus, its blinding light ensured that if shone directly into someone¡¯s eyes, it would cause several seconds of temporary blindness. In other words, an inexperienced person hit by its beam, like the robber from earlier, would be blinded for three to four seconds, instinctively cover their face, and not know how to react, allowing Brian to easily launch an attack. But ordinary people rarely use a flashlight as a means of attack. First, there¡¯s the issue of how to hold it. People who often watch cop and robber movies, or similar realistic dramas, know that when police use such flashlights, they hold them up high above their shoulders, not outstretched in front of them. This is because the light sources are mutual; for a soft light, it¡¯s fine, but with such a bright light, if directed straight out, it would impair the user¡¯s own vision. Plus, this posture makes it easier to bring down the flashlight with force in case of a sudden attack. Second, there¡¯s the problem of usage habits. Trained personnel, like police officers. When they use a flashlight, they always hold it in the hand that is less dexterous; for example, left-handed individuals would use their right hand, and right-handed ones their left, which is the complete opposite for ordinary people. Why? Because holding up a high-intensity flashlight is just a control skill¡ªit¡¯s to coordinate with the other hand for drawing and aiming a gun. Therefore, the more dexterous hand must be free, to be used for attacking or defending. That¡¯s the difference between ordinary people and trained personnel. That is to say, even if an ordinary person thought of using a flashlight to blind someone before attacking, since his hand holding the flashlight would be attacking, the other hand, which isn¡¯t as dexterous, would have a hard time wrapping duct tape quickly. In that case, they might as well directly use another method. All things considered. A special flashlight, professional usage habits, familiarity with the prostitutes and their surroundings, potential discrimination and hostility towards them... it almost certainly revealed the identity of the murderer¡ªa member of the police force¡¯s vice squad! The vice squad¡¯s main targets are only clients and prostitutes. Prostitutes and their clients are relatively not as dangerous, and given the transaction time¡ªmostly at night and early morning¡ªhigh-intensity flashlights are very suitable tools for law enforcement officers in the vice squad. Plus, these individuals are very familiar with the local prostitutes. This would allow them to efficiently and cleanly kill ten prostitute victims in just two days! Realizing all this, Green looked at Brian with admiration, ¡°Brian, do you suspect a colleague from the vice squad?¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Yes, the Autopsy Officer from C5 had already approximated the shape of the murder weapon from the victims¡¯ wounds, but he subconsciously defined the weapon as a solid heavy object. It wasn¡¯t until I saw those custom police flashlights that I realized they fit the profile better.¡± Green put down the flashlight and expressed his amazement to Brian, ¡°Brian, you¡¯re amazing. Just through that incident earlier, you¡¯ve connected the dots to the serial killer¡¯s method and directly pinpointed the murderer¡¯s identity!¡± Brian wasn¡¯t particularly smug about Green¡¯s praise and simply stated, ¡°This was just an opportunity. In fact, even without today¡¯s incident, I would have shifted my investigative focus to the vice squad tomorrow. After all, an ordinary person doesn¡¯t have the capability to kill ten prostitutes in two days, especially timing it precisely when they¡¯re off duty and ensuring no eyewitnesses.¡± Random killings are simple. In this area, surveillance isn¡¯t widespread. As long as one knows the environment and targets someone isolated, it¡¯s really not difficult to execute and then leave quickly. But precisely targeting prostitutes and striking on the path they take when off duty, five in one day and ten in two days¡ªthat¡¯s not so easy. This is actually a foolish strategy. As someone who had performed several autopsies himself, Brian knew well that the initial investigation and stalking in the murder process were actually the most draining parts. So, once he knew the killer was familiar with the environment, knew the victims well, acted decisively and precisely, and was professional, his first suspects were the people in the vice squad! He hadn¡¯t spoken up before for one reason: those individuals were also insiders, privy to information. Speaking too soon could spook them, and without evidence, he couldn¡¯t convict them lightly. In that case, even if the case were solved later, he wouldn¡¯t be able to wrap it up before tomorrow afternoon to complete the task assigned by the C5 team leader, Rajag. Chapter 186 - 186 149 Locking on the Culprit Making a Bet_2 ?186: Chapter 149: Locking on the Culprit, Making a Bet_2 186: Chapter 149: Locking on the Culprit, Making a Bet_2 Brian was a man who got things done by being paid. He had to consider Rajag. Another reason was to rule out other possible criminal suspects. Of course, the recent inspiration was very helpful. At least after determining the murder weapon and methods used by the killer, Brian was certain that the killer was a member of the vice squad. There were only a few officers in charge of this area. With the answer in hand, finding clues and pinpointing the killer had become easy. ... Twenty minutes later. Two cars hurriedly arrived at Brian¡¯s location. Rajag, team leader of the C5 group, brought three team members and excitedly said to Brian who was waiting on the street, ¡°Brian, where¡¯s the killer?¡± Brian replied solemnly, ¡°No rush, he can¡¯t escape. Rajag, first tell me the results of the overtime investigation your team conducted.¡± Rajag nodded, ¡°We investigated the cases involving prostitutes in Los Angeles over the past few years, based on the lead you provided. We found a similar case more than three years ago, using almost the same method of crime, but the frequency of the crimes wasn¡¯t high, about once every two weeks, and it wasn¡¯t transparent tape, but plastic bags...¡± Hearing ¡®plastic bags¡¯, Green looked at Brian. Brian had just used a plastic bag during a crime scene simulation on an unfortunate robber, mimicking the crime process with one hundred percent realism. Rajag continued, ¡°At that time, the case was handled by the third squadron of the Detective Bureau. They were in the same situation as us, finding no useful clues. Later, the criminal disappeared, he stopped committing crimes, and after investigating for a period, the case was archived.¡± Saying this, he looked at Brian and slapped his pistol on his waist, ¡°Hearing you want to catch the killer, I even brought out the ¡®Goodness¡¯ gun, which I haven¡¯t used for years, buddy. Where is he? I can¡¯t wait to see him!¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet, but you should investigate the vice squad officers on duty in the district of that case a few years ago and also investigate those in this area. If anyone is the same in both, that¡¯s our suspect.¡± Saying this, he took out the blood-stained flashlight and shared his earlier findings. Rajag, looking at the blood-stained flashlight, was excited yet exasperated, ¡°Then we¡¯ll need to go to the bureau to retrieve the personnel transfer files from a few years ago and now. Why didn¡¯t you say it over the phone? It would have been more efficient.¡± ¡°You guys wouldn¡¯t have rushed out, how else would we alert the killer and reduce our workload?¡± Due to its nature, in addition to regular shifts, the vice squad often scheduled officers to patrol and generate revenue from the afternoon until midnight, and also arrange for officers to be on duty. With so many prostitutes victimized in the past two days, they were under great pressure, certainly always monitoring the movements of the C5 team members. A female member behind Rajag raised a question, ¡°What if the killer commits crimes across jurisdictions?¡± Brian grinned, ¡°As for committing crimes across jurisdictions, it¡¯s possible, but unlikely. Commuting, selecting crime targets, gathering intelligence on targets, and leaving after the crime, all these are challenges. If the killer did this, it would increase the risk of exposure, Furthermore, as a law enforcement officer, he is well aware of the police¡¯s investigation habits, so when committing crimes, he naturally has a sense of superiority. Choosing his familiar territory not only facilitates the crime but also allows him to keep tabs on the police¡¯s investigation efforts, so I don¡¯t think he would commit crimes across different areas.¡± Hearing Brian¡¯s explanation, the female team member nodded. Indeed. She felt that the somewhat famous Brian was very sharp and knowledgeable about criminal thinking; no wonder he had solved three cases in one day. Seeing no objections from the C5 group members, Brian checked the time on his phone, ¡°Whether or not the criminal commits crimes across jurisdictions, we¡¯ll find out when we go back, it¡¯s almost 10 o¡¯clock, let¡¯s go back and see who¡¯s absent, maybe we can wrap this case up before midnight.¡± ¡°Alright, Brian, the confidence in your voice has given me a lot of confidence. I¡¯m glad I turned to you in desperation.¡± Rajag waved to his subordinates. A group of people, three cars, headed back to the district station. The vice squad¡¯s office was there too. ... This time Brian didn¡¯t drive himself; Green did. Green seemed somewhat excited. Watching Boss Brian talk confidently in front of another team leader and members, as Brian¡¯s subordinate, he also felt a sense of pride. He couldn¡¯t help but look at Brian expectantly, ¡°Boss Brian, I feel like I¡¯ve been improving rapidly recently, increasingly getting into the mindset of solving cases, my mom was right, choosing is more important than striving.¡± Listening to Green¡¯s flattery, Brian couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°Your mom seems to have a lot of wisdom about life.¡± ¡°Yes, she guides the direction of my life, she¡¯s the most important person to me.¡± Saying this, Green curiously asked, ¡°Boss Brian, if you¡¯re so brilliant at solving cases, why did you initially join the Forensic Bureau? I believe you would have probably done even better if you had joined the police force.¡± To be honest, After being in team B6 for so long, he hadn¡¯t seen any stunning show of skill by Brian in autopsies, At least not as impressive as when Boss Brian solved cases. ¡°Solving cases...¡± Brian stroked his chin, It seemed he had indeed become increasingly skilled. Chapter 187 - 187 149 Locking on the Culprit Making a Bet_3 ?187: Chapter 149: Locking on the Culprit, Making a Bet_3 187: Chapter 149: Locking on the Culprit, Making a Bet_3 This case wasn¡¯t solved with cheats; it was all done through genuine strength. Committing crimes with knowledge of the law just increases experience. Combined with the knowledge accrued over years of work at the Forensic Bureau and his increasingly sharp brain, Brian found his ability to solve cases was improving rapidly. It¡¯s really useful to have a deep understanding of your job if you want to excel at it. So to say, his past actions weren¡¯t criminal; they were just in service of better serving the citizens of Los Angeles! The blood on his hands was merely a bit of frost on the path of growth. With that thought, Brian said to Green with an indifferent tone, ¡°I¡¯m not incredible at solving cases. I can just put myself in the killer¡¯s shoes. Green, if you think and act more like I do, you could do the same.¡± ¡°Right!¡± Green nodded vigorously. But... how exactly should he think, how should he act? He really did want to improve. ... At the police substation, there weren¡¯t many lights on. At this time of night, except for a few on-duty officers, there was practically no one around. The clerks in the archives had already finished their shifts and left. Thankfully, it¡¯s the age of the internet. Aside from paper records, most non-sensitive information was backed up on the internal police network. A group of people arrived at Team C5¡¯s temporary office. Utilizing his team leader privileges, Rajag accessed the list of officers from the vice squad who were on duty in the area where, a few years ago, the serial prostitute murders occurred. There were eight names on the list, five men and three women. He continued to retrieve the duty roster for members of the vice squad in the vicinity of the recent prostitute serial killings over the last two days. This time there were thirteen people. Comparing the two lists, three men and two women were filtered out. Brian moved his mouse over the profiles of these officers and first eliminated the two married female officers, then also discarded a male officer who was over fifty years old. He pointed at the information of the remaining two people and said, ¡°Egger Birch, Otto Eis, the killer should be one of these two guys, or maybe both are involved.¡± Rajag examined the profiles of these two. He had met both earlier that day, they were the white and black officers who assisted at the scene of the tenth victim¡¯s murder. Egger, the one with the triangular eyes, looked unkind and seemed to have a strong prejudice against prostitutes, directly referring to them as ¡°whores.¡± The other one, called Otto, was his partner, an unremarkable looking but at least polite white police officer. According to the records. The black officer, Egger, was 34 years old, divorced, and had multiple complaints against him for assaulting prostitutes. As for the white officer Otto, he was also 30 years old, single, with no marriage records, but it was uncertain whether he had a girlfriend, and he had no complaints filed against him. There may be many coincidences in the world. But when everything fits the speculation, it¡¯s no longer a coincidence. Solving cases doesn¡¯t believe in coincidences. The killer was very likely one of these two, or both were! .. Rajag printed out the profiles of the two people and handed them over to several team members. Because there was a glimmer of hope in the case. His mood also lightened a lot, and he joked with Brian, ¡°Looks like this case is about to wrap up, how about we make a bet?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the bet?¡± ¡°If I win, you help out our team for a month; if I lose, I can help you chase after Susan when you need it,¡± Rajag said as he raised his eyebrows at Brian: ¡°My mother is Susan¡¯s mother¡¯s sister.¡± Wow¡ª Brian hadn¡¯t expected Rajag to be related to Susan. He promptly agreed to the bet, ¡°Deal!¡± If he won, should Susan¡¯s family dare to object to their relationship, he¡¯d start with Rajag, the inside man, and win over Susan¡¯s relatives one by one. If he lost¡ª Heh, Susan would be back in a little over two weeks, by which time Rajag would probably give up the bet himself. It was a win-win situation. Only a fool would refuse. Chapter 188 - 188 150 I just received your complaint against me shall we talk ?188: Chapter 150 I just received your complaint against me, shall we talk? 188: Chapter 150 I just received your complaint against me, shall we talk? ¡°Igley, Otto?¡± The duty officer from the vice squad put down his transmitter and said with surprise, ¡°They¡¯re also on duty tonight, but they¡¯re field officers. Lately, due to the prostitute cases, the higher-ups have arranged for us to increase the patrol frequency on the streets where prostitutes frequent. If it¡¯s urgent, I can call them back now.¡± Hearing about the increase in patrol frequency, several old hands in the office showed smiles that were hard to decipher. Catch the thief red-handed. The same is necessary for catching clients. The vice squad usually employs entrapment, hardly ever patrolling diligently. It¡¯s just to push those prostitutes into another jurisdiction. Then, if something happens, it won¡¯t involve them. Rajag felt disappointed upon hearing they were not there. He shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not exactly urgent, but do you know those two well?¡± Upon hearing this, the duty officer immediately sensed something was amiss. Rajag was the leader of Team C5, and his focus should be on the prostitute murder case. Why would he care about two vice squad officers? Unless... Realizing this, the duty officer nodded cooperatively, ¡°I know them well enough. We often hang out together when off duty. Igley has a bad temper because of his wife¡¯s issue, but he¡¯s actually a good guy, very straightforward.¡± ¡°His wife?¡± ¡°Yes, Igley¡¯s wife, a patrol officer. She was shot during a duty call. Although she was rescued, she was prescribed Oxycodone by a bastard doctor for pain relief, and without Igley¡¯s knowledge, she became addicted. Unable to bear the mental and physical torment, she initiated a divorce from Igley and committed suicide by swallowing a gun. Igley found out about this while cleaning up her belongings. Since then, he¡¯s become very irritable.¡± Rajag¡¯s heart sank upon hearing this. The suspect he and Brian had bet on was Igley, but now it seemed that the man did not fit the psychological profile of a killer. Rajag glanced at Brian, who was watching him with a half-smile, and continued to ask, ¡°And Otto?¡± ¡°Otto...¡± The duty officer lowered his voice, ¡°I¡¯ve hardly ever seen Otto lose his temper, he¡¯s always very amiable, but I¡¯ve heard a rumor. They say he got into the vice squad because of his mother.¡± Everyone perked up their ears. This was clearly juicy gossip! ¡°I know it might sound a bit gossipy, but this rumor is probably true. It¡¯s said that Otto¡¯s mother was originally a streetwalker, who later caught the eye of a policeman over twenty years ago because of her beauty. He forced her to be with him, and that policeman became Otto¡¯s stepfather. Later, when Otto and his stepfather went hunting in the mountains, his stepfather had an accident and fell to his death. The rumors started from then on...¡± Tap, tap, tap~ Footsteps came from outside, interrupting the duty officer¡¯s words. Everyone looked, and saw two officers, one white and one black, wearing the vice squad¡¯s bulletproof vests with LOG on them, carrying some food, entering from outside. These two officers were none other than Igley and Otto. ... Igley, seeing Brian and the others, was quite surprised, ¡°Didn¡¯t Gabu say that your Team C5 had an important finding and you all went out? What are you doing here in the vice squad?¡± Otto, on the other hand, trembled slightly and did not speak. Gabu, the duty officer, saw them and felt a bit embarrassed, ¡°We just came to get some information on the streetwalkers, as you know, this case is an assessment for their team.¡± But Otto¡¯s reaction was noticed by Rajag and the others. Several members of Team C5 silently surrounded Otto. Rajag spread his hands in resignation toward Brian, ¡°Well, it looks like you win. How did you figure it out?¡± Brian merely smiled and said nothing, playing the sage. He saw through nothing. In fact, at the onset, Brian thought it was Igley. After all, the guy looked rough, had been divorced, and never hid his disdain for prostitutes. But since Rajag had chosen Igley first, Brian thought he had nothing to lose and picked the other suspect, Otto. It turned out it really was him. While they were talking idly, Black Officer Igley, seeing his colleague surrounded, expressed his displeasure, ¡°This is the vice squad. What are you trying to do!¡± Otto, however, sighed, ¡°It seems you¡¯ve found out. Yes, it¡¯s true. I killed those prostitutes, and the murder weapon is on my belt.¡± Saying this, he looked at Igley, ¡°Buddy, sorry, I can¡¯t patrol with you anymore.¡± Otto had committed the crimes multiple times within two days. He had never thought he could escape unscathed. ¡°Otto...¡± Seeing his longtime partner confess, Igley¡¯s eyes widened, and finally, he stepped back dejectedly and leaned against the wall, lost in thought... Thus, with Brian¡¯s involvement, the serial prostitute murders were declared solved that day. ... In the precinct parking lot. Brian looked at the time on his phone and chuckled, ¡°Lucky, I should be able to make it home before midnight.¡± Looking at his young face, Rajag felt rather emotional, ¡°Brian, you are indeed excellent, but this isn¡¯t enough if you think you can win over Susan¡¯s family.¡± Brian took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, ¡°What level do I need to reach?¡± ¡°Enough influence!¡± Rajag¡¯s face broke into a mischievous grin, ¡°I mean, if you could become one of the decision-makers of the NW organization, or match half the influence of Susan¡¯s family in business, there wouldn¡¯t be any more obstacles.¡± Chapter 189 - 189 150 I just received your complaint about me shall we talk_2 ?189: Chapter 150 I just received your complaint about me, shall we talk?_2 189: Chapter 150 I just received your complaint about me, shall we talk?_2 ¡°Such a hassle.¡± Brian exhaled a puff of smoke and shook his head, ¡°If that¡¯s not acceptable, I might as well marry into their family.¡± In this part of the world, marrying into a family was also scoffed at. Rajag, ¡°...then the child won¡¯t have your surname.¡± He spoke in a rather circumspect manner. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Brian said dismissively, waving his hand, ¡°If Susan¡¯s father is willing to give his inheritance to our child, I¡¯d even take the child¡¯s surname.¡± What a struggle. Rajag: ... Seeing Brian¡¯s shameless demeanor, he began to believe that Brian might really be able to handle Susan¡¯s difficult mother and her unpleasant father. Saying goodbye to Rajag. Brian got into the car, ready to drop Green off at the B6 division office first. His car was still parked there. On the way. Green curiously asked Brian, ¡°Boss, what were you guys talking about earlier?¡± Brian glanced at him and honestly said, ¡°The Independent Man¡¯s Guide to Starting a Business.¡± ¡°How do you start a business?¡± ¡°Find a wealthy woman.¡± Green bowed his head, deep in thought. And don¡¯t mention, really don¡¯t! In Hollywood, there were indeed many wealthy women who liked young, robust black men like him, and he had status as an added bonus, with the allure of a uniform, it seemed there really was a possibility... The next day. Brian received his salary and bonus, totaling over a hundred thousand US dollars. Green also got his first paycheck since joining the B6 unit. Looking at the figure on it, he couldn¡¯t help but cheer. He followed Brian for a drink of soup and received a check for just under twenty thousand US dollars. It was the first time Green had ever made so much money. What surprised him even more. Brian gave him an additional two thousand US dollars as a bonus for assisting the C5 unit in solving a case. It wasn¡¯t a lot of money, just a gesture. Green was already very satisfied. He was just a bit player and had scored an easy two thousand US dollars. Indeed, it matters who you¡¯re with when you¡¯re a bit player. In the young man¡¯s heart, his resolve to follow Brian had firmed up considerably! The rest of the office was also in good spirits. However, they had received their own checks before leaving work the day before, the excitement had passed, but their state of mind at work was much more dedicated than before. Except for Ivan and Glenn. They had also solved the cases they were working on but only brought back a minor convicted member, as for the Limp Gang, after expending some effort and having people negotiate for peace, someone from NW Operations had spoken up. The investigation just fizzled out. Brian didn¡¯t have much of a solution for this. NW¡¯s power came from the collective tacit consent and support of all capital and authority institutions in Los Angeles; as a price, it would also be somewhat influenced by capital. At noon. Brian went to the bank and, according to the information of the police officer he found, transferred money to the middle-aged policeman who had lost his daughter in the Forest Park case, as a token of sympathy. Afterward, he took Shi San, bought many toys and gift boxes, drove to the Children¡¯s House where the female victim Olina used to help, found the head of the house, briefly explained the case, and left those gifts. Each gift had a name on it. Brian didn¡¯t say he was the one who bought them but explained they were from a gift list found on Olina. This was also Olina¡¯s last gift to the children. After sending off the gifts, there was no obsession gift. Brian guessed it probably needed these gifts to be handed to the children before there would be a reaction. He wasn¡¯t too concerned about it. Even without the gift energy, he would have helped fulfill such an obsession. After saying goodbye to the black middle-aged woman, who began to wipe her tears again, Brian took Shi San to get something to eat. Partly eating in the store, partly taking out to the car. Quite troublesome. But Brian and Shi San¡¯s appetites were somewhat large, together they were too conspicuous. ... Back at the office. When Brian saw that Green and the others were gone, he asked old Hardenn curiously, ¡°Where are Green and Ivan?¡± ¡°A new case came up; the victim was a wealthy person, found dead in the bathtub of a guest room in a villa by a cleaning maid. Ivan and the others feel that since they¡¯ve received so much in bonuses recently thanks to your efforts, they wanted to do more.¡± Old Hardenn didn¡¯t even turn his head, leisurely playing a game similar to Sokoban on the computer. ¡°Alright,¡± Brian nodded, ¡°What about the case with the woman¡¯s body in the tree before?¡± That piece of trash who sold his daughter, still hadn¡¯t been dealt with. When this case was mentioned, old Hardenn stopped his game and gave Brian a strange look: ¡°Because there are so many cases, the court has increased its efficiency by quite a bit. This case should have a result in a little over a week. But it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen you take an interest in a case. Brian, as someone who¡¯s been around, I must remind you not to do anything unnecessary. We may have compassion or might enforce the law too strictly, but...¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Brian cut off old Hardenn¡¯s words, ¡°I just saw on the police bulletin that there was a fire at that pig farm where the victim was confined, and several bodies were found. I¡¯m just curious, that¡¯s all.¡± The pig farm had been discovered. But this time the case wasn¡¯t assigned to Team B6. Since two new teams were added to Group C, they indeed had it a lot easier. Old Hardenn neither confirmed nor denied Brian¡¯s explanation. He fumbled around in the drawer and pulled out a business card: ¡°This is my friend¡¯s number; he knows some people in prison. If you want to do something, contact him. He¡¯s very reliable.¡± Having said that, he returned his attention to the computer game. Looking at the business card in front of him, Brian silently pocketed it. He had previously asked old Hardenn to keep an eye on this matter because of the help Hardenn had proactively offered last time; there was a bit of a test in it. It seemed that the results were not bad now. At least Hardenn wasn¡¯t someone too rigid or meddling. .. Near the end of the workday. Because his colleagues were overly diligent, leaving him with nothing to do, Brian was preparing to work overtime tonight at the hospital, doing some side jobs to stockpile some Gift Energy points for himself. Carolyn, a junior clerk from the NW Internal Affairs Department and Susan¡¯s friend, clad in a short-skirted business suit and high-heeled shoes, came to Team B6¡¯s office with her stockings-clad legs. She went straight to Brian, ¡°Officer Brian, we have received a complaint about you, and we would like to understand what happened.¡± ¡°Complaint?¡± Brian pointed to himself, ¡°Me?¡± The first time had disappeared? Without saying much, Carolyn simply walked up to Susan¡¯s office door and beckoned him with her finger. The gesture was somewhat enticing. Why was it just Carolyn who had come over this time? Curious. Brian followed her in. ... More than ten minutes later. Carolyn, with her clothes disheveled and a black eye, left Team B6¡¯s office hastily, with tear-swollen eyes. Brian followed with a sneer, pinching his fist, carrying a file behind her. This young lady had actually tried to use the complaint information as leverage to have another round with him. She had improved quite a bit. At least she wasn¡¯t cried this time. Society indeed can toughen a person. .. As someone who is uncomplicated and doesn¡¯t carry emotions overnight, a person of kindness. After work. Brian, accompanied by Shi San, went directly to the complainer¡¯s house and rang the doorbell. In a moment. A somewhat decadent man, exuding the smell of alcohol, opened the door. When he saw that it was Brian, he was stunned. Looking at him, Brian¡¯s smile was warm, ¡°Peter, I just received your complaint about me, shall we talk?¡± Chapter 192 - 192 152 Spider Queen - Eliana ?192: Chapter 152 Spider Queen ¨C Eliana 192: Chapter 152 Spider Queen ¨C Eliana The woman¡¯s mouth was stuffed full with the icy muzzle of a gun. She looked at Brian in terror, whimpering. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it hurt?¡± The woman shook her head. Brian curiously squeezed the woman¡¯s arm and thigh, finding significant differences in her body structure compared to a normal human; Her joints were as soft as without bones, and the texture of her skin and muscles were springy and tough, akin to the products of a laboratory modification. He simply moved the gun away. Next moment. Spider Woman¡¯s sunken cheeks visibly recovered at a rapid speed; even her broken bones automatically repositioned themselves. However, the initially soft, glossy, full skin and body exhibited changes, appearing dehydrated. It was evident that this recovery consumed a vast amount of energy stored within Spider Woman. Over a minute later, the fully intact Spider Woman emitted creaking sounds of bone friction. In the blink of an eye, A soft-featured, delicate-skinned Caucasian beauty appeared before Brian. She sat on the ground, hugging her knees, looking pitifully at Brian, ¡°Please don¡¯t kill me, you can do whatever you want, I¡¯ll cooperate.¡± Brian waved his hand in disgust, ¡°Your mouth reeks of blood; I can¡¯t proceed.¡± ¡°I can wash up...¡± ¡°Not interested...¡± ¡°Any position you want, I can handle...¡± ¡°...,¡± After a moment of silence, Brian pointed at the tattoo on the woman¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Tell me about your past, and if you try to seduce me again, this pure, single young man, I¡¯ll punch your head off!¡± This tattoo was a Taotie pattern, identical to the one associated with a core member of the Beast Pavilion organization which Brian had previously researched. The only difference was that this Taotie tattoo was surrounded by an iron cage, vividly portraying a caged Taotie. Beast Pavilion was a global organization trading wild animals, operating in secrecy. Many intelligence agencies refrained from investigating its dealings, which is why Brian¡¯s previous Mutant Beast task was postponed. Unexpectedly, today¡¯s fortune not only yielded two new obsessions but also led him to a Mutant potentially linked to the Beast Pavilion. ¡°Pure...youthful...¡± The woman looked at Brian, who was dressed all in black, clearly no good sign, with a stout physique and worn clothes, speaking in a deep, mature male voice, and fell silent. Facing such a shameless person, She resignedly responded: ¡°My tattoo signifies a laboratory. Originally, I was a model from Texas. During a road trip, I had an accident and when I awoke, I was confined in a glass room along with many people, males and females, seemingly of every ethnic group, but most of them died, only I and a man with gills survived.¡± ¡°Human experiments?¡± ¡°Probably,¡± the woman¡¯s eyes unfocused as if recalling: ¡°After I woke up, people came daily to draw our blood, inject us with various unknown substances; disobedience was met with electric shocks. People kept dying suddenly. Some turned into disfigured monsters, lost consciousness, then were taken away by those in white coats. My body also underwent bizarre changes; I could move as quickly and climb like a spider, jump high, my bones and muscles became highly resilient, not afraid of regular physical attacks, able to consume bodily energy to heal injuries, and even secrete an anesthetic and corrosive liquid. As for us, the surviving monsters, we were taken to different places daily for testing, receiving many injections. More people died during this process. I don¡¯t know how long it was until only me and a gilled Japanese man survived.¡± ¡°Could you freely communicate?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How did you escape the laboratory and end up here?¡± Spider Woman shook her head: ¡°I don¡¯t know, one day the room suddenly filled with gas, I passed out, and when I woke up again, I found myself floating near a deserted island in the sea, surrounded by airplane debris. After consuming all the animals on the island, I roamed aimlessly on the sea surface, diving into the sea to catch fish when hungry. I don¡¯t know how much time passed. Then, I encountered a passing cargo ship. I stuck to the hull from underwater, climbed aboard, and hid there, eventually arriving in Los Angeles.¡± Hearing this, Brian was somewhat shocked, ¡°Roaming on the sea surface?¡± Spider Woman nodded, ¡°My body structure is unique; I can easily float on the water and cling to smooth surfaces, but I can¡¯t produce webs like Spider-Man nor possess such incredible spider instincts. Honestly, I don¡¯t even know what kind of monster I am now, as if I have many spider species¡¯ traits.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Disappointed at not hearing more detailed information about Beast Pavilion, Brian was also astonished. The woman¡¯s narrative felt very real. If true, this implied that the Beast Pavilion was not only involved in the global poaching of wildlife but also captured many humans for experiments similar to those with the Beastification Reagent. At least from the woman¡¯s abilities and her earlier appearance, she seemed to have been subjected to such an experiment. Beast Pavilion, with such strong scientific research capabilities, was likely a dark project of some government agency, not as simple to deal with as he had imagined. As for private forces. Chapter 193 - 193 152 Spider Queen - Eliana_2 ?193: Chapter 152 Spider Queen ¨C Eliana_2 193: Chapter 152 Spider Queen ¨C Eliana_2 Brian didn¡¯t even think about it before he negated the idea. Just the cutting-edge equipment for biological research and the reserve of scientific talent were not something an individual could obtain. It simply wasn¡¯t realistic. Brian sighed and his mind turned to the Mutant Beast¡¯s obsession: eradicate all these hairless Two-legged Beasts, annihilate them all!!! A pattern of a Taotie tattoo was attached to the back. Obsession Gift: One: Eighty points of Gift Energy. Two: Ten points of Gift Energy + Rapid Burst Thinking of the Mutant Beast¡¯s terrifyingly instant move speed was like Instant Teleportation, Brian felt even sicker at heart. The pain of desiring something but being unable to obtain it was the worst. Ah, the Obsession Gift of the Mutant Beast was really hard to get. ... During his contemplation, Brian put away his pistol, reached out and pinched the woman¡¯s firm cheek, and at the moment she exhaled in relief, smiled, and tried to show an obedient and compliant attitude, he suddenly grabbed her throat and twisted hard. There was a crisp snap. Spider Woman¡¯s smile froze, her head bent at a ninety-degree angle powerlessly, like a tumbling Weeble in the air, those large beautiful eyes staring straight at Brian, seemingly questioning why he could bear to kill her... Looking at the woman who died with her eyes wide open, Brian threw Spider Woman¡¯s body to the ground, stood up, and pulled back the tent flap to take a look inside. The messy tent contained a black male drifter in his thirties, skinny as bones, with loose skin hanging from his tall frame, accentuating his bulging eyes of terror that seemed about to fall out of their sockets. A huge gash was visible on the neck of the black drifter, out of which a tomato-sauce-like substance oozed slowly, emitting a pungent corrosive smell. Spider Woman had just been feeding. Brian looked emotionlessly beneath the covered tent. This Spider Woman, true to her modified nature, directly injected a digestive fluid into her prey, then absorbed it like jelly, similar to the habits of other spiders. If she had only been hunting stray cats and dogs, without exposing her physical or vocal traits, Brian might have spared her for a while longer to fish for information. Cannibalism was unacceptable. Cannibals must die! .. There was no one around. Having dealt with Spider Woman, Brian lit a cigarette, squatted to one side, and eagerly watched the open-eyed body of Spider Woman, wanting to see if an obsession would burst out. The cigarette burned down to the end. There was no movement in front of him. Brian crushed the cigarette butt and put it in his pocket, frowning as he checked Spider Woman¡¯s body features again and made sure her heart had stopped beating before shaking his head in disappointment. Just to be sure, he took out his pistol and, from his utility belt, he extracted a tightly fastened silencer. He installed it on the barrel unhurriedly, ready to shoot the woman in the head and other vital spots several more times to see what would happen. The next moment, a wave of dizziness swept over him. Brian¡¯s eyes widened with surprise as he slowly collapsed, unable to move at all. How could this be possible! Himself, with Pheromone Control and Body Control abilities, was hit? He held his breath and concentrated, his consciousness surging through his body, only to be horrified to discover that not only could he not move, but even his neural network seemed to have lost connection, leaving only his separate consciousness still functioning, which was slowing down. What a terrifying neurotoxin! Only then did Brian realize that although his talent ability could transform substances like neurotoxins through a special organ in his body to avoid poisoning, he would still be vulnerable to externally invading neurotoxins if he weren¡¯t prepared. Indeed, there was no such thing as a foolproof ability in the world! However, with the strong vitality functioning in his body, Brian could feel his bodily sensations slowly returning. Even without using Gift Energy, after a few minutes, his body, with its strong vitality and immune system, could forcibly expel and devour the negative neurotoxins inside, allowing him to regain control of his body. Seeing this, Brian gave up on the idea of using Gift Energy to cure himself. People become careless when they think they¡¯re winning. He wanted to see if Spider Woman would reveal any surprises to him. ... With the loss of control over his body, an invisible force field radiated from Brian¡¯s body. His figure, too, shifted from short and stout to a tall one of one-eighty-seven, as his muscular frame returned to its sleek and symmetrical state, so that even through the black hood, one could sense the aesthetic of his physique. Crack~ The previously still Spider Woman suddenly stretched out her hands and realigned her twisted broken neck. Accompanied by the sound of bone reconnecting. Her originally rigid expression, and her eyes, regained their vitality. Fear appeared on Spider Woman¡¯s face. Fortunately, her physical structure had already greatly differed from that of normal humans. This also gave her the ability to fake death, allowing her to survive from the previously fatal state. ¡°You damn bastard, you actually tried to kill me...¡± In addition to her fear, she was filled with anger and glared fiercely at Brian, but she was attracted to the changes in his appearance, even forgetting to be angry. She flared her nostrils twice, then as if she smelled some intoxicating scent, her face showed a blissful expression, ¡°So fragrant, such a powerful scent...¡± Spider Woman forgot all her anger and greedily gazed at Brian on the ground. With hands and feet, she instantly appeared before Brian, leaning close to his body, sniffing like a lust-crazed woman, ¡°How did you suddenly change into someone else, so fragrant, the scent on your body has become so alluring! It gives me an uncontrollable urge...¡± Seeking strong, superior individuals for reproduction is the instinct of all female animals. The moment Brian¡¯s pheromones leaked, they immediately triggered the reproductive desires imprinted in Spider Woman¡¯s genes... ... Rippp~ Accompanied by the sound of ripping clothes. A body as beautifully sculpted as a statue appeared before Spider Woman¡¯s eyes. She sniffed frantically over Brian¡¯s body like a woman starved for love for a decade, finally seizing the syringe on Brian¡¯s body, trying to make a connection. The problem was. Under the neurotoxin. Even if Brian were stabbed, he wouldn¡¯t feel much, let alone let the syringe do its work. Always unattainable. Spider Woman was going crazy! She sat on Brian and implored him, ¡°I¡¯ll help you neutralize the toxin; just don¡¯t move, please give it to me, I beg you, give it to me!¡± Brian:... What kind of twisted, perverted plot is this! Seeing no response from him, Spider Woman clenched her teeth and, risking danger, bit into Brian¡¯s neck. At the same time, two slender fangs extended from the muscles in her mouth, puncturing Brian¡¯s carotid artery. The next moment. A cool substance surged within Brian¡¯s body. Lost sensations, severed neural connections, slowly restored. He looked at Spider Woman holding him, constantly gnawing at his neck, and asked weakly, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Eliana!¡± Spider Woman exhaled hot breaths, murmured in confusion and passion, ¡°That bunch of bastards prefer to call me Spider Queen.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t lie to me just now?¡± ¡°No,¡± Spider Woman touched the syringe, discovering it still had no reaction, impatiently said, ¡°I have no reason to lie to a dead man. I truly escaped here. I have a special ability, within a certain range, I can sense spider monsters like myself. Today, when hunting stray animals for food, I suddenly detected the scent of a similar creature nearby, so I tracked it down here, but it discovered me first and ran away. I was just in front of that corpse, trying to catch the remaining scent of the other.¡± ¡°That man wasn¡¯t killed by you?¡± ¡°No, my heart isn¡¯t really that of a monster, how could I eat my own kind, especially such an ugly, disgusting, and stinky black middle-aged beggar!¡± Eliana rubbed against Brian¡¯s body in infatuation, ¡°Thank God. My own kind ran away, but God sent you to me. Such a strong body! Please, give it to me. Quickly get up, give it to me!¡± Hot breaths sprayed on the face. Brian felt as if her body was about to burst into flames. Were his pheromones so lethal to the opposite sex? To obtain his genetic material, she even risked her life, neutralizing the neurotoxin within him... The terror of a male Enchanting Demon. Frightening. ... Seeing that he could not extract any more information. Brian stopped pretending, warmth surged, instantly dispelling the remaining neurotoxin in his body, and he grabbed the lustful female spider by her slender neck, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not someone who¡¯s easy, so please die once more.¡± The female spider saw her true shape. She couldn¡¯t be kept! Chapter 194 - 194 153 The Birth of the Urban Legend Organization Killing Two FBI Agents for Momentum ?194: Chapter 153: The Birth of the ¡®Urban Legend Organization,¡¯ Killing Two FBI Agents for Momentum 194: Chapter 153: The Birth of the ¡®Urban Legend Organization,¡¯ Killing Two FBI Agents for Momentum A powerful force gripped her throat. Under the threat of death, the confused Eliana finally regained some semblance of rationality. She pleaded, ¡°As long as you have a child with me, I¡¯ll do whatever you want for you!¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°Sorry, if you could help me find those guys with tattoos similar to yours, perhaps I could consider it for you once. Sadly, you can¡¯t, and you¡¯ve seen my body, so I¡¯ll have to send you away.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he hesitated no longer, pulled out the silenced pistol from his waist, and fired several shots at Eliana¡¯s head, blowing it apart! Pop, pop, pop~ With a few not so subtle farting sounds, several bloody holes appeared in Eliana¡¯s head. A mix of red and white oozed out, and the delicate woman in his grasp ceased to struggle, her limbs hanging limp and powerless... ¡°This should do it...¡± Brian muttered as he tossed the body aside. This time, he waited a full half-hour, until her body was stone-cold and saw no sign of obsession manifesting, then left the place somewhat reluctantly. Another half-hour passed. Brian, having come back again, returned to the scene. He touched the body of Spider Woman once more, checking for any abnormalities. Finding none, he shook his head and vanished from the spot. This Spider Woman should be truly dead now. ... Minutes later, the bullets silently squeezed out of the wounds in Spider Woman¡¯s head and fell to the ground. Eliana¡¯s eyes snapped open. That feeling of being watched was gone! ¡°What a heartless bastard!¡± ¡°After shooting me dead, he even stuck around for so long!¡± ¡°Fortunately, my vitals are no longer in places like the head or heart, otherwise I really might have died here today...¡± Hatred gnawed at Eliana¡¯s heart, yet her freshly rejuvenated eyes still harbored an undying scrutiny and fervor for Brian. That instinctive attraction to his genes was nearly driving her mad. Such a perfect male specimen! If only she could mate with him, she was certain to bear the finest offspring! Eliana touched the bullet holes on her head, and after feeling almost healed, she weakly got up from the ground. Her once voluptuous figure was now dried up, the skin hanging loose under its own length, her fair and tender skin had lost its luster and moisture, looking wrinkled, resembling an old woman in her seventies or eighties. This was the price of rapid recovery. Being injured and ¡°dying¡± repeatedly had depleted her of a vast amount of stored energy. If it happened again, she figured she¡¯d truly die here. Turning around, Eliana was dumbfounded. Off in the darkness, a tall figure squatted, its eyes closed, staring directly at her, its dimensional nostrils quivering constantly, almost like two tiny motorized wings. Brian opened his eyes with a slight smile, ¡°You¡¯re really hard to kill, huh?¡± Had it not been for his boredom and discomfort in the dead of night, coupled with Spider Woman¡¯s earlier display of Fake Death, which made Brian switch to using his sense of smell rather than relying on sight, she might actually have escaped this predicament. Eliana:... Looking at this unpredictable man in the mask, she felt so weary at heart. .. Eliana lay flat on the ground, ¡°Just shoot me in the belly button, my vital point is there. Please make it quick and clean.¡± ¡°Never mind. After failing to kill you twice, it seems God isn¡¯t pleased with me doing so,¡± Brian waved his hand, deciding not to go through with it. Upon seeing Eliana give up, he suddenly had a new idea. Hearing she wouldn¡¯t die, Eliana quickly scrambled up from the ground. She looked at Brian doubtfully, ¡°Are you really not going to kill me?¡± Eliana was truly perplexed by Brian¡¯s repeated departures and returns, puzzled about life itself. How can someone cling on to life so tenaciously? Brian nodded, ¡°Yeah, by the way, how do you usually solve your food problem?¡± ¡°Normal food is fine, but the fresher the flesh and blood, the more energy I can absorb.¡± Eliana tugged at her flaccid skin that was due to excessive healing. ¡°Like now, I must find stray cats or dogs, inject them with an anesthetic and corrosive liquid using my Bone Spurs, and then directly suck it out with the spurs. I hate it though, as it¡¯s utterly disgusting.¡± As she spoke, she opened her mouth wide. In the next moment, two slender Bone Spurs shot out from her mouth, making her look like a humanoid saber-toothed tiger, adding a wild charm to the otherwise beautifully ghastly Eliana. ¡°So why was your mouth full of blood just now?¡± ¡°To scare you away~¡± Eliana retracted the two long bone spikes, giving her mouth a roll, and as she opened it again, there were indeed traces of blood on her lips and between her teeth. The blood could disappear and reappear with the movements of her oral muscles, as if her mouth concealed countless tiny holes. She sighed: ¡°I actually tried to return to my home in Texas, but was ambushed by a group. At first, I thought it was the organization that turned me into a monster, but after killing them, I found FBI credentials. They were FBI agents. I don¡¯t know why they knew so much about my situation, but for safety, I returned to the heavily populated Los Angeles, hiding in the underground tunnels during the day and only coming out at night to move and look for food. I¡¯ve been living like this for over a month now.¡± Chapter 195 - 195 153 Urban Legend Organization is Born Killing Two FBI Agents to Raise Spirits_2 ?195: Chapter 153 ¡®Urban Legend Organization¡¯ is Born, Killing Two FBI Agents to Raise Spirits_2 195: Chapter 153 ¡®Urban Legend Organization¡¯ is Born, Killing Two FBI Agents to Raise Spirits_2 FBI... Brian noted this down and said noncommittally, ¡°But you tried to attack me in the end.¡± Eliana said aggrievedly: ¡°I did indeed intend to scare you away at first, but then you revealed you had Night Vision ability. I thought you were a monster like me, so I wanted to catch you to understand what was happening to me. After that, when you tried to kill me, I released the neurotoxin. I really didn¡¯t lie to you. I appeared here this time because I sensed a monster like me and came over to see if there were any others like me, but it was very cautious, and it ran away before I could get close.¡± I see... The consistency of Eliana¡¯s words, with what she said when she thought she had won, made them very credible. At this point, Brian was finally prepared to give up on killing the little spider that had died twice at his hands and instead planned to use her as bait. Thinking this, he extended his hand to Eliana: ¡°Let¡¯s formally introduce ourselves; my name is Freddy, boss of the Urban Legend Organization in Los Angeles, young and promising, currently single, easy-going, likes to wander around at night. Anything else you want to ask, just ask.¡± ¡°Freddy? Isn¡¯t that the demon from the Elm Street movie?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a code name, man. Who uses their real name when they¡¯re out in the world?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the Urban Legend Organization?¡± ¡°I just founded it, or more precisely, I thought of the name just ten seconds ago.¡± Eliana:... That was a fast switch. She still didn¡¯t know that she had hovered on the brink of life and death again, jumping back and forth on Satan¡¯s list, and she hesitantly said, ¡°So, are you a monster like me?¡± Brian didn¡¯t answer but instead asked, ¡°Do you often feel a craving for blood?¡± Eliana shook her head: ¡°No, most of the time I¡¯m like a normal person, but now I prefer eating raw flesh. Sometimes, when I see those handsome male models on big screen ads, I feel an urge to drag them into the sewers, applaud, and then eat them.¡± Brian:... So, she even has a hint of Black Widow¡¯s genes. No wonder Eliana acted like she had taken tons of aphrodisiac after smelling the pheromones I emitted. No wonder those who transformed Eliana nicknamed her Spider Queen. Who knows what kind of creepy stuff those folks from the Beast Pavilion... no, I should say, the FBI people, are researching! Once special groups acquire strong reproductive abilities, it¡¯s simply a disaster for ordinary people! Thinking of Eliana¡¯s experiences and recalling what happened to his uncle, Brian immediately realized that the people behind the Beast Pavilion were actually from the FBI, or maybe not specifically the FBI, possibly the CIA. After all, the origin of the Beast Pavilion was in Vietnam. There are quite a few people there who are close to this side. The CIA also likes to support such foreign powers. ... But Brian had also figured out what¡¯s up with Eliana. She was just an unfortunate soul captured for research and transformation, and luckily, she had escaped during a transportation accident while being transformed. Thinking back to his earlier plan, Brian straightforwardly explained to Eliana: ¡°There¡¯s a difference between us. You are a byproduct of laboratory biotechnology, a person transformed by reagents, essentially a Genetically Modified Person. As for me, my group is called Mutants; many of today¡¯s non-human biotechnologies were born from research on our group.¡± Next, Brian began to educate Eliana about Mutants, Blood Moon, and those organizational structures. Eliana listened with great interest. These days, the greatest burden she carried was the psychological pressure of being non-human. Now hearing that there were groups like Mutants and those who voluntarily used Beastification Reagents to turn into monsters, she suddenly felt much better. But as she listened, she grew listless, like she had run out of power, her head nodding slightly from time to time. ¡°Hungry?¡± Eliana nodded her head, pulling at the loose skin on her body: ¡°Each injury consumes my body¡¯s energy, and constantly sensing the surroundings makes me extremely tired.¡± Brian was amazed: ¡°Is that why you were lying still for a whole hour earlier?¡± Eliana nodded: ¡°That was a Fake Death state. During fake death, my senses become quite amazing; I can hear the faintest sounds within several meters and sense the gaze of those around me.¡± My body structure, although somewhat different from that of normal people, also consumes a lot of my energy when my brain and heart are damaged. Once the energy is depleted, I will indeed die, so if you had lingered any longer, I would have actually died.¡± ¡°Not bad, combined with your neurotoxin, pretending to be dead and then counter-attacking is pretty powerful. Ordinary people simply can¡¯t withstand it,¡± Brian sincerely complimented. He had checked twice, and Eliana¡¯s body reaction when she faked death was almost like a real dead person. That meant he had been fooled once. Otherwise... otherwise, Eliana would have had to die. As a qualified forensic doctor, Brian often dealt with the bodies after killing. He actually meant to go back and get his tools. One could only say that Eliana was terribly unlucky to have met someone like him. ... Seeing Eliana looking like she was about to power down, Brian glanced around, saw that the people he was waiting for hadn¡¯t arrived yet, and stretched out his hand with slight disappointment: ¡°Here, drink this.¡± Eliana stared blankly at Brian: ¡°What?¡± ¡°Drink this!¡± After speaking, Brian took out a willow-leaf knife hidden in his clothes, made a cut on his wrist, then brought it up to Eliana¡¯s lips. Blood stained her lips. Eliana instinctively stuck out her tongue and licked it, then like a baby deprived of food for days, she lost her senses, grabbed Brian¡¯s hand, and started to suck vigorously. With the ingestion of the blood rich in active properties, her slack muscles visibly plumped up, and her wrinkled skin regained a pale, delicate glow. In just over ten seconds, The flesh of the old lady had returned to the beautiful and sweet Miss Eliana. She looked dazedly at Brian, blood-drunk, giggling foolishly while tearing at her clothes: ¡°You¡¯re so nice, let¡¯s have a baby together...¡± Slap~ Brian responded with a hard slap on the face, warping half of Eliana¡¯s face. Momentarily, Eliana, with a swollen face, straightened her clothes. She lowered her head, pitifully saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, your blood is too enticing, very energetic. I lost my composure after drinking it.¡± Smelling the unique pheromones emanating from Eliana, Brian grinned lightly: ¡°No worries, we¡¯re all on the same team now. If you want more, just come to me.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Eliana was a bit confused: ¡°On the same team?¡± The smile on Brian¡¯s face slowly faded: ¡°I consider you a friend and offered you my blood. As friends, I¡¯m inviting you to join my Urban Legend Organization. You wouldn¡¯t refuse, would you?¡± ¡°Okay... alright.¡± Eliana watched with ¡®friend¡¯ as Brian pulled out a gun again, aiming for the heart. Thus, the Urban Legend Organization, having been founded for just over ten minutes, welcomed its second member¡ªLittle Spider. ... Having left a tracking device on Eliana, Brian generously gave her the address of a safe house: ¡°It has modern human skin masks. Although you can¡¯t change your appearance, your unique muscles and bones should fit those masks. At least for a while, you should be able to move around without problems.¡± Hearing this, Eliana¡¯s face lit up: ¡°I can come out legitimately?¡± Brian nodded: ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± ¡°And what about you?¡± Brian chuckled lightly: ¡°Naturally, I¡¯ll take care of the loose ends. Did you really think it was just coincidence that you stumbled upon a fellow kind around here? That was just FBI bait. You better go now, I¡¯ll have tasks for you to help with in a couple of days.¡± ¡°Oh~¡± Eliana looked at Brian warily, her body creaking, then on all fours like a human spider, disregarding the terrain, she rapidly disappeared from sight along a building. Watching the human-form crawler disappearing on a glass building, Brian pulled out a cigarette. Damn, this world is getting weirder by the day! ... Not until after 3 a.m. Did two figures casually approach, walking under the dim streetlights and stepping on the sparsely scattered shadows. Hidden in a high place, Brian silently drew his gun. The Urban Legend was born tonight. Time to liven things up by killing two FBI agents! Chapter 197 - 197 155 Feeling Down Today Charcoal-Grilled Scum! ?197: Chapter 155: Feeling Down Today, Charcoal-Grilled Scum! 197: Chapter 155: Feeling Down Today, Charcoal-Grilled Scum! Back to the apartment. Shi San, who had been sleeping soundly on the couch, suddenly opened his eyes and approached Brian with some concern, ¡°Woof woof~ (Big dog, you¡¯re injured~)¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Brian waved the bottle containing his own blood and flesh, ¡°You just keep sleeping, I¡¯m going to take care of this.¡± The sealed water bottle prevented the spread of smells, so there was no need to worry about being tracked. Disposal was simple. He poured away the bloodied water, wrapped the flesh in aluminum foil, and tossed it into the oven. Once it was cooked, Brian opened it and sniffed gently. The pheromones that had previously remained in the blood and flesh had vanished, or... perhaps because of the increased activity of his own flesh, Brian could actually smell a strange aroma. No wonder Shi San always said he smelled nice; it turned out to be really true. After confirming there were no lingering smells on the meat, Brian sealed the bottle, the chunks of flesh, the clothes, everything, in plastic bags, preparing to find a time to take them out to the suburbs for burning and burial disposal. After taking care of these tasks, Brian stroked Shi San¡¯s dog head and began to check the obsession of the black investigator. The energy expended to repair the missing flesh was far more than that of a typical injury recovery. Simply put, repairing a cut heart might only require one unit of gift energy. But to fix a small piece of missing flesh, it would take several times this unit of energy. To repair the loss of flesh on his calf, Brian had just burned through the three points of Gift Energy he received tonight, leaving him completely spent. If he couldn¡¯t make up for this loss, he¡¯d have to do a few more jobs for the FBI folks! Accompanied by a single thought, a message surfaced in Brian¡¯s mind: Destroy all the data on my personal computer, make sure it¡¯s destroyed!!! Gift: Energy Points +12 At the same time, details about the black investigator¡¯s computer, its location, and all sorts of hardcore browsing and download records emerged clearly and in detail in Brian¡¯s mind, as if he was afraid of missing even the smallest bit. ¡°Deservedly so for a Beastification Person, one¡¯s obsession gift is equivalent to that of two or three ordinary people!¡±, Brian nodded in satisfaction. Thankfully, the black investigator¡¯s obsession wasn¡¯t focused on himself. He liked those who wished to leave a clean slate in the world of the living, those cultured folks. Brian looked at the sky, saw that there was a bit of time left before dawn, and solemnly said in the direction of the black investigator¡¯s demise, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother. I get you; I¡¯m going to take care of it shortly.¡± And in the process, dispose of that big bag of stuff he¡¯d switched out earlier. .. After changing clothes, Brian, now transformed into a short middle-aged man, checked his gear, slung a big backpack over his shoulder, put on running shoes, and prepared to go out again. Shi San yawned, ¡°Woof woof~ woof woof woof! (Big dog, you never take me with you when you go out at night, do you have other dogs out there!)¡± ¡°Beat it!¡± Brian gave Shi San a flick on the forehead and went straight to the balcony, quickly descended in a series of rapid drops, and arrived at the ground floor in less than two seconds. The place where the black investigator stayed was a motel, and a rather cheap one at that. That was quite normal. The pay for an FBI field agent was actually not that impressive. A newly employed rookie at the FBI, working in a big city like Los Angeles, might get a bit more, roughly over three thousand US dollars a month; it¡¯s even less in other regions. Currently, the black labor market wasn¡¯t so lucrative, and the United States was still quite prosperous at this time, so even a dishwashing handyman, with a bit of luck, could earn up to four thousand US dollars a month. If this black labor worker had some skills, like carpentry or welding, wages could rise to seven or eight thousand US dollars, and if not, by doing some Japanese sashimi or the like, one could make five or six thousand a month. A comparison would show how hard it is for an FBI field agent on the front lines. Otherwise, Ivan and Glenn, that Teddy duo, wouldn¡¯t have wiped out a new FBI investigative support team, both men and women, within two days. Apart from their good looks, it was also because the US dollars were just too tempting. That was the real reason. Only those FBI agents who had made a name for themselves earned more, and not through salary, but through various incomes that came with rank. But let¡¯s not go into details here. Both the black and white investigators died outside. The support teams that arrived later hadn¡¯t reached the motel yet. Brian easily infiltrated the motel, took the black fellow¡¯s laptop, and searched the temporary rooms of both men, but he didn¡¯t find anything useful and left disappointed. He headed to a nearby poor area. Brian dropped his backpack on the ground, laid out a special cloth inside a large oil barrel, then dumped everything else in, added gasoline, and lit it up. The laptop was also easy to handle. He physically destroyed it, smashing and shattering everything, and threw the pieces into several trash cans. He didn¡¯t burn it together mainly because Brian was worried that the laptop might have some high-tech tracking on it. This world was too magical; he couldn¡¯t judge it by his former understanding, and it was better to be cautious. After completely handling all traces, Brian felt the warmth flow inside him, satisfied with the twelve points of Gift Energy he regained, and returned to the apartment to sleep soundly. ... The next day, during work hours, everything was calm. The deaths of the two FBI special agents didn¡¯t stir the slightest ripple in the Los Angeles police world. Brian guessed that the FBI had lost face here recently and had coldly processed the incident. Chapter 198 - 198 155 Feeling Down Today Charcoal-Grilled Scum!_2 ?198: Chapter 155: Feeling Down Today, Charcoal-Grilled Scum!_2 198: Chapter 155: Feeling Down Today, Charcoal-Grilled Scum!_2 Ivan and his team were still busy with the new case: the villa owner who was found dead in the bathtub of a guest room in his villa by his maid. The victim had obvious signs of injury on his body and the case was preliminarily ruled as homicide, then transferred to the B6 team. In a show of eagerness to prove their worth, Ivan¡¯s team jumped at the chance to take it on. The victim¡¯s body, along with some physical evidence found at the scene, had been brought back. Brian took the time to perform an autopsy on the victim¡¯s body. The deceased was a wealthy person, living in a large mansion, and he was discovered dead in the bathtub of a guest room by the maid. The cause of death was simple: drowning. New scratch marks were evident on the deceased¡¯s body, including a large bite mark on the shoulder. It was an odd location, which appeared as if another partner, in the midst of intimate activity, had become overly excited and bit down. Judging by the distribution of the bite marks, the biter had a large mouth. Aside from that, there were no special features on the victim¡¯s body. However, Brian found signs of infection in the victim¡¯s nails. After surveying the crime scene, Ivan¡¯s team found traces of E. coli on the surface of a small umbrella that had been brought back. E. coli is a common intestinal bacterium... This indicates that before his death, the victim not only played poker, but also somehow was involved in gutter-cleaning activities. The more explosive revelations lay ahead. Following inquiries, Ivan¡¯s team confirmed that before the wealthy man¡¯s death, only his stepson had returned to the villa. This meant, with high probability, that the person involved in the gutter-cleaning encounters prior to the wealthy man¡¯s death was his stepson... Currently, the stepson had disappeared and could not be contacted. Ivan¡¯s team was now pressing the billionaire¡¯s wife, the stepson¡¯s mother, in hopes of extracting some useful leads from her. Brian looked forward to the results of Ivan¡¯s case investigation. This was bound to be a juicy scandal worthy of a dramatic family soap opera. ... In the afternoon, instead of getting any updates on the family soap opera, Brian was visited by Rajag, the leader of the C5 team. Rajag was not tall, just over five feet, and his eyes carried a sense of melancholy. The case of the prostitute serial murders had been cracked, and the C5 team found stable ground. The melancholy-eyed man was clearly in a good mood and greeted Brian warmly, ¡°Thank you, Brian, the case has been submitted, and I¡¯ve passed the evaluation on my end.¡± ¡°You paid for it, so it¡¯s well deserved.¡± Brian tossed his sketchpad aside, ¡°How¡¯s the case being handled now?¡± ¡°Standard conviction. We used the victim information you provided to find their residences and address books, and we contacted the victim¡¯s families. Honestly, there were some real soap opera storylines in there. There were husbands who thought their wives were working as servers in Los Angeles, and there were parents who thought their daughters were teaching here. In the end, only three victims¡¯ families agreed to take their bodies; the rest told us to handle it our own way.¡± As he spoke, Rajag sighed, ¡°We discovered something quite disgusting in the process... that poor girl named Olina, who was a really good person, but had the misfortune of encountering a scumbag.¡± Olina, the victim who had left behind the obsession of wanting to deliver a Christmas gift to the children at Children¡¯s House. She really was a good person, just slightly timid and particularly unlucky. ¡°No good deed goes unpunished, but we located her ex-boyfriend, who threatened and coerced her, through her diary, and took him away forcefully. He¡¯s a drug addict, and I hope he holds out for a few more days.¡± Rajag smiled lightly, ¡°I¡¯ve put in a good word over there; they¡¯ll take proper care of that scumbag.¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°Sounds good.¡± The thought of bad people getting their comeuppance always brought pleasure. ... Rajag¡¯s visit was primarily to build a closer relationship with Brian. After all, he was Susan¡¯s relative. They were natural allies. After bidding Rajag farewell, Brian was ready to fulfill another obsession he had collected last night: ¡°If only I had been braver, at least I could have told Angel that I liked her...¡± It was the obsession of a seventeen-year-old boy with leukemia. The Gift Energy points were sparse, only three. Even a mosquito¡¯s leg is meat. With a philanthropic attitude, Brian used the information from the boy with leukemia to locate his school, and then found a photo of his crush, Angel, who he mentioned in his obsession, on the school¡¯s official promotional images. Sure enough, Angel was a school celebrity, and searching the school¡¯s network, Brian even found a private chat room related to this girl. However, once he entered, the content turned unsavory. It was either discussions about Angel¡¯s figure and love life or proud anonymous posts of screenshot harassing messages they¡¯d sent her, even conspiring on how to get her and then... you know. Don¡¯t think this was just grandstanding. These hormone-driven guys might actually carry out such actions. Brian knew this all too well. In this place, kids mature early. Aside from some conservative faith-based families, it¡¯s common for teenagers to start dating after middle school, and they often harbor a strong curiosity about certain matters. With the influence of all sorts of information pollution and the indoctrination of adult magazines, these still immature-minded kids can easily do things even more exaggerated than adults. Most parents of victims, for the sake of honor and saving face, choose to transfer their child to a different school along with some compensation. Chapter 199 - 199 155 Feeling Down Today Charcoal-Grilled Scum!_3 ?199: Chapter 155: Feeling Down Today, Charcoal-Grilled Scum!_3 199: Chapter 155: Feeling Down Today, Charcoal-Grilled Scum!_3 Schools used to suppress related news. And some of the victims¡¯ parents would directly use bullets to tell those little beasts what they should and should not do in their next lives. To some extent, firearms gave those victims the confidence to seek justice. ... As a good citizen who¡¯d rather sell his body than mess around, Brian didn¡¯t hesitate to report all the chat rooms he could find to the cybercrime division. After he was done, he kept his achievements and fame hidden, picked up the phone he had brought specifically for this purpose, and went to the rooftop, based on the phone number for Angel he had seen in the chat room. He dialed the number. After the phone connected, there was no response from the other side. Brian changed his voice to sound relatively older: ¡°Hello, this is the Urban Legend Club. May I speak to Miss Angel?¡± ¡°Urban Legend Club?¡± A crisp female voice finally spoke: ¡°Alright, it¡¯s finally not those idiots harassing me. Otherwise, I was considering changing my number. What can I do for you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like this, a young client commissioned a sketch for you. It¡¯s ready, but I haven¡¯t been able to reach him. Oh, his name is Hillard. Do you know him?¡± ¡°Hillard?¡± Angel paused for a long time, then said uncertainly, ¡°Yes, I think I know him. He was my classmate, an inconspicuous bookworm. However, I think he dropped out due to illness. Are you saying he commissioned a painting for me?¡± Listening to her uncertain tone, Brian shook his head: ¡°Yes, a painting, with his declaration of love on it. Hillard is quite shy and has had a crush on you. If...¡± ¡°No, no, no, I don¡¯t need it!¡± Angel reacted strongly: ¡°Don¡¯t send that damn painting to the school; it would embarrass me. Tell Hillard to stay the hell away from me. I wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with him even if he were a dog. That¡¯s it, don¡¯t call me again. I could never accept the affection of a nerd; it¡¯s so low!¡± Beep, beep, beep~ The line went dead. Brian felt warmth surge through him as he realized that the young boy Hillard¡¯s obsession had been fulfilled. He pulled out a sketch he had drawn himself, lit it with a lighter, and tossed it into a small iron bucket for cigarette butts. As he watched the sketch burn, Brian said to the air: ¡°Hillard, buddy, although the outcome wasn¡¯t great, an unrequited love is like that. At least, in your heart, that Angel herself isn¡¯t worth the tip of your toe¡¯s infatuation. Rest in peace and be braver in your next life...¡± Truth be told, he slightly regretted reporting those chat rooms. Rejection is normal. But from Angel¡¯s reaction, it was clear that she wasn¡¯t anything special either. Some people just need to be educated by society! ... Feeling a bit upset, Brian, after finishing his workday, dropped Shi San off at her apartment and then went to the temporary detention center. He still had an obsession unfulfilled: to burn Mrs. Gilman, the bitch who killed my mother! This obsession was left by the guy who used Brian¡¯s identity¡ªDoli¡ªin the previous case of the woman¡¯s body found in the tree. Mrs. Gilman was the mother of the victim in the tree case. This woman had a malicious heart, envious of her own daughter. She repeatedly pushed her daughter, craving fatherly love, into the Abyss, eventually leading to the poor child¡¯s dramatic death. Truth be told, even without the ¡°Gift,¡± Brian would have been willing to fulfill this obsession. It just wasn¡¯t convenient before. But now he was at liberty to do so. Feeling in a foul mood today, time to char some human trash! Chapter 200 - 200 156 The Bizarre Family Ethical Drama Planning Susans Return ?200: Chapter 156: The Bizarre Family Ethical Drama, Planning, Susan¡¯s Return 200: Chapter 156: The Bizarre Family Ethical Drama, Planning, Susan¡¯s Return Inmates in the detention center were all unsentenced, facing serious charges, akin to the detention center where Brian had been held in his past life. Generally, the process should be within a month, but sometimes there could be fluctuations. Mrs. Gilman looked considerably haggard. Previously, her husband had a good income, and his timid nature allowed her to live a life of luxury. Nobody pampered her in the detention center. Besides, that cowardly husband of hers had nearly cut off all contact with her. She didn¡¯t have money to hire a decent lawyer, and being not young anymore, one could foresee that her future was not going to be bright. This wait for a sentence, the torment of an uncertain future, aged Mrs. Gilman by over a decade in appearance. She hadn¡¯t expected Brian to come and see her. ¡°Has there been a change in the case? Can I get out now?¡± she asked Brian, nearly pleading. Brian shook his head, ¡°Even if you get out, what then? Unless you apply for a divorce from your husband, and then use the money you get to hire a good attorney, but the legal process will take too long, and you won¡¯t have enough time.¡± After giving the wicked woman an idea, He handed Mrs. Gilman a family portrait, ¡°This was found among your daughter¡¯s belongings when we were investigating that pig farm. It¡¯s clear, even though you hurt her again and again, she never blamed you. She just wanted a normal family; unfortunately, you failed your own daughter.¡± After finishing, Brian nodded his thanks to the nearby guard and turned to leave. Looking at the childlike drawing of the family of three on the table, a pained expression crossed Mrs. Gilman¡¯s face. She clung to the paper and bent her head, letting out a painful and repressed sob... ... After leaving the detention center, Brian didn¡¯t leave immediately. He found a suitable spot and waited for Mrs. Gilman¡¯s decision. The portrait, of course, was fake. One, to give him an excuse to come. Two, to give Mrs. Gilman a reason to self-destruct. This visit was mainly to persuade Mrs. Gilman to leave the protection of the detention center voluntarily. Brian was curious. Whether such an evil woman would truly regret her actions over a drawing and accept her judgment? ... Detention center¡¯s visiting room. The guard, looking at this tearful, yet still attractive woman, felt a flicker of compassion, ¡°The mistakes made have already happened, you...¡± ¡°I want to go out!¡± Mrs. Gilman suddenly stood up, her eyes full of tears, filled with madness, ¡°I¡¯m still young, I can¡¯t die alone in prison. I want to hire the best lawyer. Let me go; I want to draft a divorce agreement with my husband!¡± The guard:.. Sour sauerkraut green pond. He actually had considered consoling this evil woman. The tears of the wicked are truly worthless. His face grew colder, ¡°You can, but you have to submit an application, or have your husband come by himself. It¡¯s after work hours now, go back!¡± With that, he pulled out his stun baton. Mrs. Gilman, wiping the tears from her face, ¡°You can work overtime. I need to go now, or you¡¯ll only find my body tomorrow!¡± After Brian¡¯s reminder, she was desperate to cling to this last glimmer of hope! Watching the frantic expression of this woman, the guard silently retracted his stun baton. Whether she died or not, nobody cared. The problem was that this was a detention center, holding inmates who had not yet been tried. If someone died, the Ministry of Internal Affairs would come to investigate. Places like this couldn¡¯t withstand an investigation. ¡°Bitch, wait and see how we deal with you later!¡± Filled with resentment, the guard had no choice but to report the situation upwards. ... At seven in the evening, A transport van with four duty officers drove out of the detention center. On it, Mrs. Gilman, handcuffed, was breathing in the polluted air outside greedily. That was the scent of freedom! The damn scent of freedom! From a distance, Brian, watching the transport vehicle disappear, shook his head. A dog can¡¯t change its habit of eating shit. He too started his car and left the place. ... After eight o¡¯clock, Having finished their work, Ivan and others called Brian to join them at the bar. A few of them drank and chatted. ¡°How¡¯s the investigation on the villa case going?¡± Brian asked curiously. ¡°The killer was caught.¡± Ivan exhaled a breath laden with alcohol, ¡°This case is too scandalous. The tycoon had an affair with his stepson. The stepson then got involved with his own mother. Jealous, the tycoon kicked the woman out and continued supporting the stepson with his money. A few days ago, while they were having a private meeting, the two of them argued. The stepson wanted his mother to join in, but the tycoon disagreed. In a fit of emotion, the stepson drowned the tycoon in the bathtub.¡± Brian raised his glass, ¡°Rich people really play hard.¡± Glenn and Brian clinked glasses, and Glenn chuckled, ¡°There¡¯s even more drama. That stepson was hiding at his mother¡¯s. Do you know what the stepson¡¯s mother told us?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°She was originally the wife of a friend of the tycoon; after her husband died, the tycoon pursued her. But the truth is, the tycoon initially fancied the stepson, who resembled his father. The tycoon was already involved with the friend. To get revenge, the stepson¡¯s mother deliberately got involved to force her son to choose between her and the tycoon. The son was distraught. He wanted both, and in the end, lost control and killed the man.¡± Brian:.. Even though he had seen much of the world, he was somewhat flabbergasted upon hearing this. Chapter 201 - 201 156 The Bizarre Family Ethics Drama Planning Susans Return_2 ?201: Chapter 156: The Bizarre Family Ethics Drama, Planning, Susan¡¯s Return_2 201: Chapter 156: The Bizarre Family Ethics Drama, Planning, Susan¡¯s Return_2 This relationship is quite a mess. A group was chatting when Green suddenly received a call, saying he had some affairs to take care of and needed to leave early. Everyone had quite a bit to drink, so they just called it a night. ... Back in the car. Brian was just about to start the car and return to his apartment when a warm current surged through his body. Another obsession was complete. He took out a spare phone. The next moment. As if timed perfectly, an unfamiliar number called. Brian chose to answer, and on the other end was the voice of little Spider Woman, Eliana, ¡°Freddy, the target has been executed, by fire. Does that count as one Contribution Value?¡± In the background of the call were screams, the sound of wood burning fiercely, and shouts for help to put out the fire... It was very noisy. Brian squeezed his throat, changing his voice to the one he used when communicating with Eliana before, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. In our Urban Legend Club, as long as you gather ten Contribution Values, you can make a request of me.¡± ¡°Including sleeping together?¡± Brian: ¡°...Including.¡± It¡¯s not always good to be too outstanding, one might attract the attention of bad women. Never mind, worse comes to worst, he would just fire blanks. ¡°That¡¯s great, next time you have something you need done, remember to hand it over to me. I¡¯m heading back now, the fire here is getting big and I don¡¯t like it that much,¡± saying this, the other end disconnected the call. Humming a little tune, Brian put the phone away. It was a shame he didn¡¯t get to see Mrs. Gilman¡¯s miserable state with his own eyes; that would have lifted his spirits even more. But with the completion of this obsession, Brian¡¯s Gift Energy reserves were back to 16 units. The remaining obsessions were down to three incomplete, with one unpaid. The unpaid one was the prostitute case, the obsession Gift of the victim, Olina. Brian had already sent the gifts, but estimated that it wouldn¡¯t be considered complete until Christmas when the gifts reached the hands of those children. Moreover, since it was only three units of energy, Brian wasn¡¯t too concerned. The three incomplete obsessions, those were the major ones. ... The first obsession was his Uncle Billy¡¯s, to revive the Kamor family legacy. The Gift was extremely bugged. There were three choices! Gift: One, a hundred points of Gift Energy. Two, one point of Gift Energy + Beast Body (Beast Power, Beast Speed, Beast¡¯s sense of smell, Beast Vision, Beast¡¯s Warning...) Three, one point of Gift Energy + Steel Will To be honest, Ever since Brian¡¯s ability to receive Gifts from the dead was upgraded to directly see the rewards, he had gained a clearer understanding of his uncle¡¯s potential. He had only one thought: outrageous! You see, the previous Mutant Beasts, or the Glutton of the Seven Deadly Sins, all their Gift Energies amounted to at most fifty. The Mutant Beast that previously had to be killed with a missile only granted eighty Gift Energy, but his uncle, who was still only in the First Rank of Mutation, had a staggering one hundred Gift Energy! This was the highest amount of obsession Gift Energy that Brian had ever encountered! Tough old Billy did not lie to him; Billy¡¯s talent was truly very, very strong! That Beast Body was almost equivalent to possessing all the traits of a beast, almost reaching the exaggerated extent of having no weakness like Brian¡¯s body. It even came with a Beast¡¯s Warning and comprehensive Beast Vision that Brian didn¡¯t even possess now... Brian knew that his Uncle Billy had held back with him, his nephew who was emotionally engulfed by the Blood Moon, but he hadn¡¯t expected him to hold back so much. Billy probably had many abilities and methods that he didn¡¯t use at that time. Unfortunately, Billy took the wrong path, using self-hypnosis and the family as the anchor for sane emotions, resulting in never reaching the next stage of Mutation when the internal Blood Moon energy was active. In the end, Billy¡¯s sanity was on the brink of collapse after the second Blood Moon. Otherwise, just imagine. If Billy stepped into the second stage of Mutation, his Gift ability, Beast Body, upgraded again, what level would it reach? A humanoid Mutant Beast without weaknesses? Perhaps, the current Brian would not stand a chance against his uncle at that time. It was a pity, Billy was already dead. There was no answer to this matter. But Brian valued Billy¡¯s third Gift reward more, the Steel Will. It seemed to be a form of mental talent reward. Judging by the Gift display, this Steel Will was evidently not less valuable than the Beast Body, and given the Beast Body, it was somewhat redundant for Brian. For Mutants, maintaining sanity was the hardest. Including Brian. He was now acting on impulse, emotions easily leading him to make some excessive and extreme choices. This was actually a very dangerous thing. Therefore, Brian wanted this talent of Steel Will even more. The problem was, it was not easy to make the Kamor family rise to power. This world was different from his previous life. Not just the conglomerates, but even the mafia and terrorist criminal organizations had complex networks of relationships behind them, not as simple as they appeared on the surface. To some extent, the class system in this world was even more rigid than in his previous life. At least until he climbed to a certain position and acquired some influence and say, Brian didn¡¯t need to consider fulfilling Uncle Billy¡¯s obsession. .. The second unresolved obsession was that of the Mutant Beast: to kill all core members of the Beast Pavilion. Obsession Gift: One, eighty points of Gift Energy. Two, ten points of Gift Energy + Rapid Burst From here, it was clear that the double-gun wielding white investigator from last night who delayed Brian was simply spouting nonsense. At that time, the members of the Beast Pavilion that could be seen by the two primate Mutant Beasts surely couldn¡¯t have been the Pavilion¡¯s heads, which indicated that there must be more than three core members with the Taotie tattoo in the Beast Pavilion. However, since the Beast Pavilion was a crime organization controlled by the CIA, there should be no problem. Otherwise, relying on a simple crime organization like the Beast Pavilion, there was no way to get advanced scientific equipment and research talent to create someone like Spider Woman Eliana. After all, Eliana was the one who was taken from the hospital to the laboratory after her car accident in Texas. There would have to be something fishy going on. It involved the CIA. To complete this obsession, Brian not only had to find the list of core members of the Beast Pavilion but also had to dodge the threat from the CIA. For all this, he currently lacked sufficient information. .. The third obsession was that of the Original Sect, whose priest Brian had easily killed. Bald Priest obsession: to obtain enough Water of Reason. Gift One: 30 points of Gift Energy. Gift Two: 5 points of Gift Energy + enlarged physique This obsession gave Brian a feeling of chicken ribs¡ªtasteless but a pity to discard. To complete it, he would need to acquire the ¡°Water of Reason.¡± This sounded like a sort of ¡°Suppressant¡± used by the Original Sect to control the Mutants beneath them. The issue was that the Original Sect mainly operated in Africa. And the reward didn¡¯t have anything special. Brian could only continue holding onto this obsession, seeing if there would be a chance to complete it in the future. .. These stubborn obsession nail houses were actually the reason why Brian whimsically started an urban legend club. Very many things he shouldn¡¯t do personally. In the future, the obsessions he couldn¡¯t directly complete might become even more numerous. Being the boss and having others work for him was the smart way to go. Having gone through all three stubborn obsessions again, Brian drove back to his apartment. Considering that he had again wiped out two Hunter elites from the FBI. For the next two days, he wasn¡¯t planning to go out and work part-time. .. One week later. Having solved a case of parental insurance fraud, Brian walked into the office with Green and a somewhat grown Shi San, only to see that Susan¡¯s office door was surprisingly open. Brian sniffed with his nose and his eyes widened. Had Susan come back early? Chapter 203 - 203 158 Mr ?203: Chapter 158 Mr. Kanchef, you don¡¯t want your daughter.. 203: Chapter 158 Mr. Kanchef, you don¡¯t want your daughter.. ¡°You¡¯re Brian?¡± A middle-aged Mediterranean man holding a reception sign looked at the tall, handsome, squeaky-clean Brian before him and let out a sigh of relief. This kid looks like a total sweetheart, an easy-going puppy dog. Brian adjusted the glasses on his face and shyly smiled, ¡°Yes, may I ask what my next steps are?¡± In order to give a good first impression to his London colleagues and to lower their guard, Brian had gone out of his way to get a pair of decorative platinum Sven nerd glasses before setting off. So far, it seemed to be working. At least three or four flight attendants, five or six unknown ladies, and seven or eight imposing English gentlemen had left their contact information with him, but Brian had tossed them all into the trash bin. He wasn¡¯t the kind to live off others! The Mediterranean middle-aged man, clearly also had a good impression of Brian. He reached out his hand, ¡°My name is Kanchef. We have a lot to do today; I¡¯ll take you to the training camp first.¡± Kanchef drove an old Beetle car, its body light blue, tiny, with large headlights that made it look incredibly cute, but it could hardly accommodate the two big men. When Brian squeezed into the passenger seat, he immediately felt the car sink and couldn¡¯t stretch out his legs, which was pretty uncomfortable. Kanchef looked apologetic, ¡°During the last mission, some idiot wrecked my car, so I had to take my daughter¡¯s.¡± Brian lightly sniffed and nodded, ¡°She must be very gentle, reserved, kindhearted, and enjoys making little treats. Mr. Kanchef, you have a good daughter.¡± Hearing this, Kanchef slowed down the car and curiously asked, ¡°That¡¯s a very accurate guess. How did you know?¡± ¡°By the scent of a woman...¡± Brian looked out the window, caught a leaf that floated by, played with it, and said with a smile, ¡°Each person¡¯s preference for certain scents is somewhat related to their personality. As for her liking to make sweets, it¡¯s because of the pack of still fragrant cookies in your pocket from a homemade packaging, not the sweets sold outside.¡± Surprise flashed in Kanchef¡¯s eyes. He promptly parked the car, pulled out his pipe from his chest pocket, filled it with some tobacco, lit it up, and skillfully puffed out a few rings of smoke, ¡°How do you make sure they were made by my daughter and not by my wife?¡± Brian shrugged: ¡°Because your wife passed away a long time ago, at least over three years ago. It was the ring mark on your finger and the wear on your wedding band that told me. You loved your wife dearly and have remained single ever since. However, you have a long-term female friend, just friends, who likes you and even gave you the tie you¡¯re wearing now. You know she has feelings for you but you can¡¯t get past the barrier in your heart, so you¡¯ve just kept her as a very good friend. You¡¯ve been struggling with this issue lately, suffering from severe insomnia, and can only sleep with the help of sleep medication. Also, there are three bugs in this car, ensuring that our conversation and chat are received by the person in the truck behind us. So, Mr. Kanchef, did I pass my entrance assessment?¡± Kanchef, pipe clenched between his teeth, frowned, ¡°Although this isn¡¯t the roleplay we had prepared, your observation and deductive skills have earned my approval. Congratulations, Brian, you¡¯ve passed the entrance assessment. Did Ms. Susan give you a heads up?¡± Brian adjusted his glasses and shook his head: ¡°You told me. When I asked you about the arrangements, you didn¡¯t reveal your identity, just directly said you¡¯d take me to the training camp. That¡¯s not normal, signaling that in your subconscious, I didn¡¯t deserve to know your identity yet. After getting in the car, I habitually checked around and noticed these somewhat conspicuous bugs. I am representing NW training personnel; whether it¡¯s for face or something else, the Night Demon Organization wouldn¡¯t harm me. So I inferred that there must be some sort of assessment next. It¡¯s too troublesome and too passive. Better to just show my abilities outright, it¡¯s easier for everyone.¡± Ever since his ¡°Spirit¡± reached a strength of 1.3, his thought processing speed had increased three or four times compared to before the Blood Moon, becoming increasingly superhuman. ... ¡°All right, I am the verifier after you have passed the assessment, and you have been assigned to the next group of recommended personnel, usually a one-month period, with the top three earning the right to exchange for rare reagents,¡± Kanchef knocked out the ash from his pipe and packed it away neatly. ¡°Does everyone have this assessment?¡± ¡°No, only those who are temporarily joining, but your recommender, Ms. Susan, is very confident in you. In fact, you performed even better than she said. At least I can¡¯t understand how you knew about the woman troubles I¡¯ve been having recently.¡± Kanchef looked at Brian wordlessly, ¡°Mate, that¡¯s my biggest secret, which you just blurted out, now I don¡¯t even know how to explain it to my daughter!¡± Brian chuckled lightly: ¡°The external signs of your medication intake are obvious, indicating severe anxiety and insomnia. At that point, I actually didn¡¯t know what was causing your anxiety. After all, in our line of work, it¡¯s normal to have a lot of worries. But when I deduced your involvement with a woman from the unfitting new tie and spoke of it, your eyes frequently darted to the rearview mirror, so I knew the reason for your anxiety.¡± Chapter 204 - 204 158 Mr ?204: Chapter 158 Mr. Kanchef, you don¡¯t want your daughter.._2 204: Chapter 158 Mr. Kanchef, you don¡¯t want your daughter.._2 Either that woman¡¯s identity is quite sensitive. Or, it¡¯s because your daughter is sitting in the surveillance vehicle, and you¡¯ve always kept this from her, worried she wouldn¡¯t be able to accept it. Considering your age. I conclude that this person of the opposite sex recently no longer wants to maintain this underground relationship. So you¡¯re anxious and afraid that I¡¯ll tell you even more.¡± Looking at Kanchef, whose face grew darker and darker. Brian took out a cigarette, ¡°Do you mind if I smoke, gentle owner? I might have some more information for you.¡± After a moment of silence. A soft female voice came from the car¡¯s vent, ¡°Go ahead, I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Brian asked Kanchef, who looked Mediterranean, for a light, ignited his cigarette, and then with a smiling face, amid the other¡¯s pleading eyes, said, ¡°That person is a close colleague of your father¡¯s and is also very intimate with your mother; otherwise, your father wouldn¡¯t be so troubled.¡± Kanchef looked young, and around here, remarriage is not a big deal. Usually, children would respect their parent¡¯s choice. Kanchef¡¯s entanglement means that this confidante has a special status; once exposed, he would worry that his daughter suspects he had been involved with her from long ago and should psychologically be unable to accept it. Actually, that¡¯s totally being paranoid. ¡°Thank you, actually I¡¯ve known for a while and was about to find a chance to talk to my father. He just cares too much about how I feel, I don¡¯t mind,¡± said the female voice with a light chuckle, ¡°By the way, my name is Heather, you¡¯re really impressive and handsome, I believe you¡¯ll do well.¡± ¡°Thank you for your recognition, Heather, that¡¯s a wonderful name, as refreshing and gentle as the perfume you wear, it touches the heart. Do you like small animals?¡± ¡°I do..¡± ¡°I have a dog that can do backflips..¡± ¡°Really!¡± ... Watching this pretty boy chat up his precious daughter in just a few words, Kanchef felt his fists clench! He wanted to slap himself right now! What a fragile little pup! Clearly, this is a charming veteran who knows women¡¯s hearts and spares no one! A ruthless predator! This bastard! And he¡¯s flirting with his daughter right in his presence! How is that different from flirting with a nun in front of a priest? Kanchef viciously tore up all the temporary surveillance equipment in the car and with a cannibalistic look stared at Brian, ¡°Bastard, if you dare come near my daughter, I¡¯ll take my double-barreled shotgun, stuff it in your mouth, pull the trigger, and let the bullet blow out the back of your head!¡± ¡°Yo!¡± Brian pulled off his posh loser glasses and loosened his tie, his demeanor changing in an instant from a refined gentleman to a ruffian, ¡°Mr. Kanchef, I¡¯d like to ask a favor.¡± ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± Brian flicked his cigarette out the window, shaking off the ash: ¡°It¡¯s not a threat, just a request, believe me, even if you badmouth me in front of your daughter a thousand times, she will just tell you: Father, you don¡¯t understand Brian.. Mr. Kanchef, you don¡¯t want your daughter..¡± ¡°That¡¯s a shameless threat!¡± ¡°Oh, is shamelessness illegal?¡± Facing the thick-skinned and shameless pretty boy, Kanchef didn¡¯t want to speak anymore. He knew, this bastard probably didn¡¯t have good intentions from the start, bringing someone else over would also be deceived by this guy¡¯s looks, only to expose his weakness and be softly coerced. He was just unlucky to be the one dealing with this bastard. Kanchef nodded weakly, ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯ll help if I can, but I¡¯m just a minor manager in the Foreign Affairs Department, too much is beyond my capability, and I won¡¯t rule out using force against your threats, this is the Federation, not your Los Angeles!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, buddy.¡± Brian arranged his tie and glasses back, ¡°At least I¡¯ve solved your biggest headache, now you can enjoy the tender land without sneaking around, that¡¯s a good thing.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to you, just get to the point!¡± Kanchef was determined not to waste another word on this shameless rascal! Brian, unconcerned, revealed his true purpose: ¡°Waiting for the next session is too troublesome, the people from this session haven¡¯t finished their training yet, I want to join directly.¡± ¡°You mean, you want to join the training that ends in six or seven days?¡± Kanchef stared at Brian like he was a fool, ¡°Didn¡¯t your recommender tell you before coming that the training isn¡¯t the goal, the goal is actually the rewards and the eligibility to exchange rare reagents afterward?¡± ¡°I know,¡± Brian crushed the cigarette butt in his hand, stored it away, and calmly said, ¡°But one session of training takes a month, that¡¯s too long. My colleagues and team leader are waiting for me in Los Angeles, I want to go back soon.¡± This session was actually Susan¡¯s session. How could he legitimately interfere with the pursuit of the Original Sect without cutting in line? And without pursuing, how could he legitimately come into contact with the Water of Reason? This was Brian¡¯s true motive for coming. Of course, Susan had highly praised the ¡®Neural Activation Reagent,¡¯ Troll Reagent, and the like; Brian didn¡¯t want to miss out on these. He wanted them all! .. Seeing Brian was serious, Kanchef¡¯s expression improved a lot. Such a request, although a bit cumbersome, wasn¡¯t troublesome. ¡°No problem, leave it to me, but once you join, you can¡¯t quit. This means you might have wasted this trip and also the precious recommendation slot that was not easy for your recommender to obtain!¡± Chapter 205 - 205 158 Mr ?205: Chapter 158 Mr. Kanchef, you don¡¯t want your daughter.._3 205: Chapter 158 Mr. Kanchef, you don¡¯t want your daughter.._3 As a nice guy, Kanchef really hoped the jerk would learn his lesson but couldn¡¯t help but warn, ¡°This spot, even though it was a condition negotiated by your sponsor Susan and our Foreign Affairs Department, she also paid an additional price for it.¡± Brian felt warmth in his heart upon hearing this. Susan hadn¡¯t mentioned any of this to him. He looked at Kanchef and asked seriously, ¡°What price?¡± Susan hadn¡¯t mentioned it, but he had to take it to heart. She was a good woman worth his effort! Kanchef spread his hands, ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but it seems like it was part of the precious resources her family gave her to exchange things. She could have had a mutated organ transplant, but in the end, she exchanged the resources for this spot, so if you can¡¯t rank in the top three in training, it would mean wasting her efforts.¡± Upon hearing this, Brian let out a sigh of relief. He nodded confidently, ¡°That won¡¯t happen; Susan never misjudges people.¡± Kanchef shook his head. The guy was still too young. The training camp evaluations were based on task performance. With only six or seven days left in a month, it was nearly one-fourth the task execution time others had. And those evaluation tasks were not about solving cases but hunting down Mutants and dangerous organizations hiding among people. Mere reasoning and Observation weren¡¯t enough; strong combat skills were needed! Did the pretty boy in front of him have that? Plus, everyone who came to train was an elite from their respective countries. Under such circumstances, how could he catch up? It was simply impossible! But Kanchef couldn¡¯t be bothered to advise anymore. Everyone had to pay for their own arrogance, as long as he didn¡¯t continue to meddle and damage his precious daughter. It was just a pity for that T-Rex called Susan. Clearly well-born and capable, how did she fall for Brian, this arrogant, pretentious, and shameless pretty boy? As an old father, Kanchef couldn¡¯t stand to watch. What a tragedy! ... With mixed feelings, Kanchef dropped Brian off outside an Ancient Castle near a seaside cliff. The castle exterior maintained the wear and tear brought by time, and the constant corrosion by the sea breeze had left it full of marks. The mountain rocks were turning green, and vines were creeping, making it a perfect horror movie shooting location. The weeds also covered the outer perimeter of the castle, so much so that vehicles couldn¡¯t even drive in. Brian looked at Kanchef, ¡°Is this the camp?¡± Kanchef shrugged with schadenfreude, ¡°You¡¯d better think about how to interact with your new teammates instead of worrying about the camp¡¯s environment. Susan has bullied them quite a bit, and if they knew you were recommended by Susan, I think they¡¯d be thrilled.¡± The old man, barely restraining himself from pointing a finger at Brian¡¯s nose, might as well have said: Young man, you wouldn¡¯t want your new teammates to know you were recommended by Susan, would you... Brian silently pulled out a cigarette, looking at the old man who annoyed him, ¡°Are you going to tell them?¡± Kanchef spread his hands, ¡°Depends on my mood.¡± He was finally experiencing how Brian felt when he had threatened him before. Sure, it was a bit nasty. But seriously satisfying! This strange feeling gave the good guy Kanchef a taste of fresh excitement and joy in his boring life. He was really looking forward to seeing this conceited brat pleading with him. Brian chuckled lightly. He took a long drag and finished the whole cigarette then, in Kanchef¡¯s shocked gaze, blew out a big puff of smoke, crushed the cigarette butt, and strode forward, ¡°Hopefully you keep your mouth shut, otherwise it won¡¯t be easy for an ambulance to get here given the inconvenient traffic.¡± Watching the lingering smoke and that tall, slender figure, Kanchef¡¯s eyes widened. Such lung capacity... Chapter 206 - 206 159 This guy is even crazier than Susan! ?206: Chapter 159: This guy is even crazier than Susan! 206: Chapter 159: This guy is even crazier than Susan! Through the overgrown wasteland, the sight of an abandoned entry-level flower bed came into view. The decay of the Ancient Castle wasn¡¯t just superficial; the interior was in even greater disrepair. If it weren¡¯t for the few paths that had been trampled down, Brian would have almost thought the place had been abandoned for years. He activated his enhanced sense of smell, with an array of scents flooding his nostrils. Brian¡¯s brow furrowed slightly as he quickened his pace. He passed through the deserted flower bed area. A temporary camp appeared in Brian¡¯s field of view. The camp was filled with wooden cabins and camping tents that looked like something a group of vagrants might use. In the open space, three men and a woman gathered together in a circle, engaged in hand-to-hand combat¡ªsometimes grappling tightly together, their movements appearing more skillful than fierce. Around them, several obvious surveillance cameras could be spotted. Beyond the camp, one could see an entrance to the Ancient Castle complete with a drawbridge. Brian¡¯s keen eyesight allowed him to notice some modern furniture on the castle terrace and fruits and food laid out on a table, there was even a glass of wine that had been left. This meant that people were living inside the Ancient Castle, and it had been renovated, not as desolate as the exterior suggested. However, these places were also under extensive surveillance. Thinking too much was useless. Brian headed straight for the rudimentary camp ahead. .. The four people engrossed in their fight in the middle of the camp paid no heed to Brian, the outsider who had silently entered their Domain. Just then, the red-haired man fighting the woman found his neck entwined by her slender thighs. Carrying the body of the woman seated on his head, face down on the ground, he hurriedly raised his hand in surrender, ¡°The scent is too strong, Melita. How long has it been since you last bathed? It¡¯s like a biochemical attack; it¡¯s not fair!¡± Slap~ The woman sitting atop the man¡¯s head, furiously embarrassed, slapped him. She was about to say something when her gaze suddenly sharpened, looking towards the entrance, and she said warily, ¡°This is a private Domain, who are you?¡± The man beneath the woman quickly stood up, and after seeing a man with glasses, a pretty boy, he exhaled in relief and shrugged, ¡°A handsome guy has come; you should be mindful of your image, Melita.¡± The other two men grappling also stopped their movements and turned to look at Brian, who had intruded. Brian regarded the dirty foursome and shrugged, ¡°My name¡¯s Brian, from the NW Action Department in Los Angeles. I¡¯ve been temporarily added to your training. Is there a kind soul here who can tell me the situation and the rules?¡± Upon hearing this, all four fell silent. As if the organization was a taboo subject. Still, the red-haired man initially being wrestled spoke up, ¡°NW Action Department? Do you have a woman named Susan there?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Brian replied as he found a wooden stump to sit on and adjusted his glasses, ¡°Susan is my team leader. She¡¯s the one who recommended me here. But that¡¯s not important. I¡¯m in a hurry, can you tell me the rules here?¡± ¡°This is important,¡± the red-haired man looked pitifully at Brian: ¡°The rules here are barbaric. Aside from not using firearms, not taking lives, and not causing organ or limb mutilation, there are no rules. The strong can freely choose missions and living quarters. The weak, like us, can only endure the elements outside, taking on some garbage and time-consuming missions. Susan had offended quite a number of people. That means those people might look for trouble with you at any moment.¡± ¡°You talk too much, Derek!¡± A strong man cut off the red-haired man¡¯s words. Before Derek could respond, Melita, the short-haired woman straddling him, kicked him first, ¡°York, be polite to Derek, or I¡¯ll use a dagger to cut off your pathetic little worm!¡± ¡°Dogs!¡± York, the strong man, spat on the ground fearlessly and strode towards Brian with a ferocious smile, ¡°Though I don¡¯t know why that madwoman would choose to send you here, but...¡± Before the man could finish talking, a stick as thick as a baby¡¯s arm, whistling through the air, fiercely struck York¡¯s mouth. As splinters burst forth, his cheek distorted visibly, and with several teeth forsaking their home, he fell in the opposite direction of the swinging stick, silent as he descended into baby-like sleep. Brian casually tossed aside the remaining half of the stick and gave the motionless York a kick. Seeing that he was deeply asleep. He looked nonchalantly at the red-haired man who had been educating him, ¡°Your name is Derek, right? I guess helping him sleep like this doesn¡¯t break any rules?¡± Derek licked his lips as he looked at the well-proportioned Brian, ¡°No rules broken. As long as you¡¯re strong enough, even beating everyone else down is fine, as long as they don¡¯t choose to leave, you can beat and torture them as you wish. But this might lead to you being beaten up in return; even Susan only got aggressive with some people who harassed her.¡± ¡°Harassed?¡± Brian lifted his head and adjusted his glasses, ¡°Buddy, are you saying someone harassed Susan?¡± Derek realized he had spoken out of turn. To answer was to court trouble for himself; the individuals in question would certainly target him afterward. Not to answer, seeing this pretty boy smilingly take down the not-so-weak York, meant he might not hesitate to rough him up too. While he was conflicted, it was Melita, still astride him, who interjected, ¡°It¡¯s quite normal, Susan is pretty, and her figure is so hot, plus the rules here are somewhat primitive and cruel. If Susan hadn¡¯t directly demonstrated her harsh gun skills, stating whoever made a move would be killed as soon as they left this place, it¡¯s uncertain if she could¡¯ve left unscathed.¡± Chapter 207 - 207 159 This guy is even crazier than Susan! ?207: Chapter 159: This guy is even crazier than Susan! _2 207: Chapter 159: This guy is even crazier than Susan! _2 Brian nodded, ¡°I really like your answers. Do you two want to get the top three spots in this training camp?¡± Derek: ??? Melita: ??? ... Elsewhere. The unsettled Kanchef watched Brian walk into the camp ahead and hurriedly took out his phone. He dialed his colleague¡¯s number, ¡°Hey, it¡¯s me, Kanchef. Keep a close eye on that new kid. No, no, I¡¯m not worried about him being bullied. I¡¯m worried he might cause trouble at the camp, just like Susan did!¡± On the other end of the phone, his colleague¡¯s lazy voice came through, ¡°Old pal, are you kidding me? He looks like a very amiable young man. He¡¯s already in. Wait, he must have said something, that guy from Germany, York, is about to strike... to strike.. FK, what strength, does this pretty boy have a beast hidden inside him? I need to check his file...¡± Listening to his colleague¡¯s muttering over the phone, Kanchef speechlessly settled into the driving seat. He should have realized something was off when he saw the other guy inhale an entire cigarette in one breath. Fortunately, the guy had just arrived and had not yet received any weapons. But considering how the guy had schemed against him before, he probably wasn¡¯t some brainless brute who would do something too outrageous. It¡¯s just unfortunate for this batch of elites. A biting dog doesn¡¯t bark. This guy named Brian, he¡¯s no good thing. Kanchef had a premonition that Brian might cause even more headaches than Susan did before. That Susan looked pretty and had a good figure, but when a few jerks started to catcall her, she almost shot them dead without caring about any rules or precious reagents, with an attitude of ¡®mess with me and I¡¯ll kill you¡¯. It almost scared the Foreign Affairs Department cold. If a massive infight really occurred in the camp, no matter how many people died, they would all be deemed negligent. Luckily, the situation was eventually contained. But who knows what might happen this time. While he was pondering these headaches, his colleague from surveillance also provided feedback: ¡°Kanchef, you would never guess, this guy named Brian, he¡¯s actually a civilian, an Autopsy Officer! He had an unremarkable record before joining NW, and somehow got favored by that bitch, Lady Luck, after joining, earning continuous merits from NW and exchanging for numerous Enhancement Reagents. Wait! Damn! I know why this guy is so formidable! He also sorted out an S-class Mutant fugitive that had humiliated Los Angeles before, and for that, NW rewarded him with an S-T Cell Activation Injection Reagent, FK, this lucky guy, his body must have reacted perfectly to the S-T Cell Activation Injection Reagent! An S-class reagent, oh! I¡¯ve worked for Night Demon Organization for decades and have been dreaming of trading for one!¡± Listening to his colleague¡¯s incessant chatter, Kanchef quickly hung up the phone. Looking at his aged reflection in the rearview mirror, envy flickered in Kanchef¡¯s eyes. The S-T Cell Activation Injection Reagent is the highest achievement of Los Angeles NW, with a limited output every year. Even before they¡¯re produced, they¡¯re mostly snapped up through interest trades by the big shots, with only a very small additional production awarded to some lucky ones. This stuff, which can further develop human potential, allowing a person to rapidly develop their physical potential to the limit, as well as repairing bodily injuries and activating cell vitality, increasing human lifespan, is much rarer than any special product of their Night Demon Organization! Even as a minor supervisor at a Federation organization, spending a lifetime¡¯s wealth might not get him similar stuff. It¡¯s not about affordability; it¡¯s about eligibility. Yet this guy, somehow stepping on some crazy luck, killed a fugitive and got it directly. ¡°FK!¡± Kanchef irritably pulled out his pipe, fuming. When would he ever encounter a fugitive that could disgrace Night Demon Organization and then kill him? His colleague was right; Lady Luck really is a bitch who only favors the handsome! ... Evening. Brian curiously watched the muscular man being airlifted by the helicopter. His strike was too fierce, shattering half of the opponent¡¯s cheek and damaging most of the facial nerves. The man had to be sent to the hospital for treatment and would likely need treatment reagent, otherwise, permanent damage was inevitable. In other words, this guy named York had been effectively knocked out of the game by Brian¡¯s single blow. Until the helicopter had disappeared into the distance. Brian then shifted his gaze to the two new underlings he¡¯d just acquired, ¡°Why haven¡¯t those people returned yet?¡± To better complete the tasks and accumulate performance points, and to avoid situations like Brian¡¯s ruthless behavior, the first thing people generally did upon arriving was to form teams based on nationality and organization to prevent the unlucky situation of being eliminated one by one. However, to maximize their performance points, only the strong formed groups, occupying the most comfortable rooms in the Ancient Castle. The rest, battling for the remaining rooms of the Ancient Castle, couldn¡¯t be bothered to team up unless there was a task that necessitated temporary teams. According to the rules of the Night Demon Organization, only eighteen portions of food and supplies were provided within the Ancient Castle, and only eighteen people were allowed to stay. So, those slightly less capable, like these four unlucky ones outside the Ancient Castle, couldn¡¯t even grab a room and had to rough it at this temporary camp. In fact, they hardly managed to snatch any tasks, since the temporarily formed teams didn¡¯t want them. But it didn¡¯t matter much. The main purpose of attending this training camp was to earn the right to exchange resources for rare reagents, not to hope for the free rewards given to the top three. Thus, Brian¡¯s actions, knocking someone out of the camp, were quite grave and could easily incite a mob attack. ... Derek placed a bunch of nails in front of Brian, speaking with a worried tone, ¡°Everyone¡¯s busy chasing after people from the Original Sect. It could be very late before they return, or they might not come back at all. Those guys from the Original Sect probably came over from France. They attacked a Noble¡¯s family. Those black monkeys love pulling stunts like this. It lets them extort the Noble quietly, forcing them to provide some advanced scientific equipment. But this time, the Night Demon Organization discovered their plan ahead of time. According to the confessions of the captured believers, this operation by the Original Sect was linked to refining a reagent called Water of Reason. The Night Demon Organization values this stuff highly and made a very good promise. Unfortunately, during the operation, your team leader, Susan, fired too quickly, killing all of those Original Sect people, including the ones trying to surrender, blowing their heads off and breaking the trail of clues.¡± Melita, the woman with short hair, added, ¡°Because of this, Susan angered many who wanted to earn high performance points from this mission. If they find out that Susan recommended you, they¡¯re definitely going to be furious.¡± Brian fiddled with the handful of nails, casually saying, ¡°There are just eighteen of them, right?¡± Melita and the others nodded, ¡°Yes, just eighteen, and they¡¯re all armed with guns. If you plan to rely on hand-to-hand combat to subdue them, we¡¯re not sure if there will be someone like your team leader who will just draw a gun and deal with you. Similar things have happened before.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a problem!¡± Brian tossed the nails in his hand, ¡°I¡¯ll have a good chat with them.¡± Seeing his nonchalant attitude, Derek couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Brian, can you share how you plan to help Melita and me also get into the top three?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you figured it out?¡± Brian looked at them strangely, ¡°Just knock everyone else out of the game, then it¡¯ll just be the three of us left, won¡¯t we all be in the top three then?¡± Derek:... Melita:... Damn, got on the wrong ship. This guy is even crazier than Susan! Chapter 208 - 208 160 Ive finished speaking ?208: Chapter 160: I¡¯ve finished speaking. Who agrees and who opposes? (Adding 4 more for the alliance leader ¡®Post-80s Angler¡¯) 208: Chapter 160: I¡¯ve finished speaking. Who agrees and who opposes? (Adding 4 more for the alliance leader ¡®Post-80s Angler¡¯) Past eight in the evening. The decrepit Ancient Castle was brightly lit, while the campfires of the camp below were meager. Brian idly fiddled with a large pile of nails in his hand. These were provided free of charge by the Night Demon Organization for the refurbishment of their wooden huts, in addition to the nails there were some hammers, saws, and there was also an ammunition depot in case some Mutant Organization came sniffing around. Knowing that he wasn¡¯t allowed to shoot his comrades here, Brian lost all interest in even picking up a gun. In his hand, nails were no worse than bullets. This was rather underhanded. Because with a nail, he could beat others down, but the moment someone fired a gun, it would be tantamount to breaking the rules and being eliminated. Across the campfire. Derek and Melita hesitated to speak. They wanted to say they weren¡¯t interested in the top three spots anymore, but they were afraid that opening their mouths would get them disqualified by the psycho opposite them. The reason was simple. Due to sheer boredom, the unlucky sod who had grappled with York earlier had caught Brian¡¯s attention. Just once, just one time. The unlucky sod who could take on ten opponents bare-handed was knocked out by this bespectacled thug of a man with a punch and was still unconscious. That strength and speed had definitely reached the limits of the human body! They didn¡¯t understand the purpose of Brian participating in this training camp at all. Listening to the crackling of the burning wood, Derek took a deep breath, walked closer, and whispered, ¡°So, Brian, are you a combat group member from the NW action department? I¡¯ve heard your side is pretty dominant, dealing with those tricky Mutants directly with armed helicopters and missiles.¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°As you can see from my get-up, I¡¯m a logistics guy, actually, I¡¯m an Autopsy Officer, in charge of autopsy work for the team. How about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m with the Commonwealth Navy, a gunner in charge of hunting Undersea Mutant Beasts,¡± Derek said, nodding toward Melita beside him, ¡°Melita is with MI6, responsible for intelligence work in the colonies. We¡¯re actually not that good at combat.¡± Watching him beat around the bush, Melita pushed Derek aside and spoke directly, ¡°What he means is, we¡¯re just nobodies without much backing. The Night Demon¡¯s outer camp here is really just a chance for the elites from other organizations to exchange for rare reagents and surgeries. If you eliminate everyone else, you probably won¡¯t be able to handle their retaliation.¡± Derek nodded frantically, ¡°Or let¡¯s just forget about it. It¡¯s tough for everyone to come here, kicking people out is just going to breed resentment.¡± Seeing the two retreat, Brian dismissively waved his hand, ¡°I get it, if you¡¯re not up for it, just stay out of the way when the time comes.¡± He wasn¡¯t an idiot. How could he possibly knock everyone out of the competition? That York was only targeted because he had a filthy mouth. Later, making an example of one would suffice. He wanted to see if those guys who were harassing Susan had as much tough talk in them! ... At this moment, at Night Demon Headquarters. Kanchef yawned and drank some coffee. A colleague joked upon seeing this, ¡°Manager Kanchef, it¡¯s rare to see you working overtime today.¡± Kanchef looked at the monitoring video on the computer, setting down his coffee cup, ¡°I just want to see what kind of trouble this Brian is going to stir up later.¡± The training camp is actually a kind of alternative reward, an avenue for maintaining a welfare exchange of goods with other allies for the Night Demon Organization; the barbaric rules set forth are meant to suppress the pride of these elites. The emergency team was nearby, and even if someone got seriously injured, they could easily be saved, which is why the camp¡¯s rules only prohibit firing guns and causing dismemberment injuries. Fundamentally, the camp¡¯s rules serve as a means of tempering growth for this group of elites. Unless there were old grudges to begin with. Otherwise, there were seldom occurrences of people being eliminated. They were very curious about this arrogant fellow named Brian, who despite knowing his sponsor, Susan, had offended many, still dared to join this camp session, and they were even more curious about what might happen next. With the surveillance room crew dying of boredom and rarely encountering something so interesting, they decided to open a betting pool. Final call, no backing out. The bookie, holding a notebook, came up to Kanchef, ¡°Manager Kanchef, would you like to place a bet? Odds are 1 to 0.5 for Brian to be beaten up and kicked out of camp by the crowd, 1 to 0.9 for just getting beaten up... him beating up everyone, 1 to 1.5, and him having a go at the crowd and knocking out more than one person, 1 to 3...¡± Kanchef pulled out a stack of pound notes directly, ¡°I¡¯ll make an individual bet. I wager Brian will intentionally pick out the guys who have a problem with Susan and forcefully take them down, then compel several other top performers to withdraw, taking charge of the camp¡¯s Original Sect assignments on his own! 1 to 5, do you take it?¡± ¡°Kanchef, what you¡¯re saying is outrageous. If it¡¯s ten thousand pounds, I¡¯ll take it!¡±, his colleague thought Kanchef had gone mad. That guy named Brian might have some skills, but when it really comes down to being ousted, those folks sure won¡¯t play nice. They would truly draw their guns! ¡°No problem, ten thousand pounds it is!¡± As the first person duped by Brian, Kanchef clearly knew what kind of a character the man was. The other party would not be so confident to claim ¡®Susan doesn¡¯t misjudge people¡± unless they were sure of themselves. Easy money, fifty thousand pounds, awesome! ... It was just past nine in the evening. Seven or eight cars appeared outside the secluded Ancient Castle in the countryside. A bunch of people disembarked with subdued excitement, switched on their searchlights, and headed towards the Ancient Castle. According to the current clues, the members of the Original Sect had disappeared around London after their base was raided, likely hiding in other districts. Unfortunately, they were only temporary members of the camp and couldn¡¯t leave London. They could only watch helplessly as the Night Demon Organization¡¯s members followed the leads and parted ways with them. This also meant that they would have difficulty leveraging this mission to gain additional benefits from the Night Demon Organization. For them, other than the top three spots in the camp, their spots were merely an opportunity to exchange for rare reagents. Therefore, apart from the three confident individuals aspiring to be in the top three, the rest were not very enthusiastic. Damn that Susan! Passing through the familiar flowerbed area. The person leading the group suddenly slowed down, ¡°Why are there so many bonfires lit tonight in this loser¡¯s gathering?¡± ¡°Maybe those four losers are celebrating because they are about to leave. For the next few days, I plan to just stay in the Ancient Castle. I¡¯ve had enough of the crappy food and the isolation in this dump of a camp. I wish I¡¯d never come!¡± the person nearby casually replied. The people didn¡¯t particularly care about the changes here. With countless surveillance cameras scattered around, the Night Demon Organization would inform them in advance if there were any unusual situations. Hence, they were not worried about any surprise attacks. In over fifty years since the camp¡¯s establishment, nothing like this had ever happened. Aside from a true madman, no one would dare offend so many nations and organizations all at once. As the group was about to enter the Ancient Castle after crossing the temporarily deserted and eerily quiet campsite illuminated only by bonfires, a tall figure suddenly emerged from the shadows and blocked their path. ... Brian stood in front of everyone, giving a half-bow with gentlemanly grace, ¡°I¡¯m Brian, an employee of the Los Angeles NW Organization, joined the camp temporarily, I¡¯ve got something to inform you all.¡± ¡°NW Organization, isn¡¯t that where that mother T-Rex Susan is from?¡± ¡°Interesting, as soon as mother T-Rex leaves, here comes a newcomer from their side, even cutting in line. What¡¯s the deal?¡± There was a buzz of conversation among the crowd, but no one stepped forward. Everyone was no fool; they knew that if someone dared to block their way and talk about informing them, they were either insane, dumb, or a very capable individual. Nobody wanted to be the sacrificial lamb. Seeing that no one was speaking up or cooperating, Brian had to continue, ¡°My purpose here is simple, to take first place, win the reward, and incidentally help my team leader Susan vent a little. So, for the next few days, please rest well in the Ancient Castle, and those who have previously crossed Susan ¨C please make yourselves known and get the hell out of camp.¡± Having said that, Brian, ignoring the looks from others as if seeing a lunatic, casually tossed a nail in his hands, ¡°I¡¯ve said my piece. Who¡¯s in favor and who¡¯s opposed?¡± Chapter 209 - 209 161 Difficult to Handle ?209: Chapter 161: Difficult to Handle? Then Don¡¯t Bother at All! (Two in One) 209: Chapter 161: Difficult to Handle? Then Don¡¯t Bother at All! (Two in One) Brian admitted that he was deliberately looking for trouble now. Like a villain in some movie, he waited for an extra to step forward obediently, making a show of force to deter the rest and spare himself further trouble. Of course, there was the possibility of playing tough only to get beaten up instead. Real life wasn¡¯t a movie. And Brian wasn¡¯t the protagonist. With his arrogant and brainless words, four men exchanged glances and, without a word, burst out from the crowd. Swinging their waist sticks and daggers in tacit agreement, they charged at Brian. Watching the four men charge out, a short Asian woman with a ninja sword on her back looked to a black-haired Caucasian man beside her, ¡°Julio, keep an eye out. If these four aren¡¯t enough, just shoot and blow this idiot¡¯s limbs off. I¡¯ll give you my purchasing rights, and I¡¯ll cover half of the resources needed for the exchange.¡± After Susan left, she ranked third in performance for this session. With training nearing its end, she was willing to pay a price to maintain her position. ¡°No problem, Miss Yoshiko. It¡¯s a win-win.¡± A young white man with black hair whistled, his right hand, seemingly unintentionally, already reaching for a small pistol. ... It all happened so fast. As the four men charged at him, Brian silently stepped back and disappeared behind the trees at the corner. ¡°Watch out for traps.¡± ¡°We¡¯re more familiar with this area than he is.¡± These four had developed a good understanding over this period. Seeing the situation, they no longer rushed forward but instead dispersed to circle around to the path from different directions. The next moment. Whoosh whoosh whoosh~ Seven or eight iron nails shot out from the fallen leaves above, turning into streaking shadows as they passed through the four men who were just about to disperse, appearing on the body of the black-haired young man who had just drawn his pistol. The youth, still puckering his lips from the whistle, found four nails driven with immense force into the joints of his limbs, and two more miraculously collided in mid-air, changing direction and perfectly embedding in his pouted lips above, stitching his mouth shut. The last nail, clearly weaker, finally reached and hit the woman who had spoken directly above her left breast. It all happened too fast. Only after the black-haired Caucasian man collapsed, trying to scream in pain but able to produce only a trumpet-like noise from his sewn-up mouth, did the others belatedly realize what had happened and in terror scattered behind cover. The woman who had spoken was the most pitiable. She stared down blankly at her left breast. That nail was too malicious; it had ruthlessly pierced her bullet-proof vest, with the tip of the nail hitting right on her left grape, the pain mixed with a tingling sensation, the humiliation overwhelming the physical injury. ¡°Damn it!¡± She snapped back to reality, veins bulging on her forehead, her eyes turning into vertical slits like a cat¡¯s, as she cursed in Japanese and dashed low to the ground. Surprisingly, she managed to outpace the previous four men, ignoring the terrain as she sprinted up to the tree, drew her sword, and with hands together, brought it down: ¡°Laido One Slash!¡± The flash of the sword passed. Leaves scattered everywhere. Where the edge of the blade went, branches broke and leaves shattered, fiercely sharp, carrying the deadly intent of cutting everything in two with a single stroke. ¡°It¡¯s a nostalgic accent indeed...¡± In a daze, Matsushita Yoshiko thought she heard a man¡¯s low lament. The next moment, a large hand barely grazed the trajectory of her slashing sword, catching her sword-wielding hands with impeccable accuracy. Brian, like an ape, grabbed onto the tree trunk with one hand, holding the woman¡¯s hands with the other, leapt down from the tree, landed on the ground, and before everyone¡¯s eyes, gave a shake of his single hand, tossing the struggling Japanese woman high up, then slamming her hard onto the ground. With a muffled thud, everyone felt the ground shake slightly. They hurried to check on Matsushita Yoshiko only to find the agile, impressive swordswoman, also skilled in various hidden weapons, now embedded in the ground as if fused with it. Her body twitched slightly, her wide-open mouth attempting to breathe but the pain was too intense to draw any air; only the blood slowly seeping from her mouth, nose, ears, and other orifices, told everyone that with just one blow, this expert woman from Japan had been severely injured and could die at any moment. Hiss~ Everyone gasped in shock. This superhuman strength, did they even need it for a training camp at their level? Wasn¡¯t this just like a father beating his child, a case of bullying the weak? ... Back at Night Demon Headquarters, the bookmakers were rendered speechless by Brian¡¯s brazen actions. Only Kanchef, the Mediterranean man who had received Brian personally, had anticipated this situation and calmly picked up a microphone: ¡°Medics, go ahead.¡± These elites, whether they were enhanced or transformed, were not normal humans. Injuries that would kill an ordinary person could be endured much longer by them, enough time for rescue. But they were only responsible for lifesaving. As for the subsequent treatment, it was no longer the concern of the Night Demon Organization. Before joining the training camp, everyone had signed a death waiver; as long as deaths weren¡¯t caused by external attacks, they were considered internal conflicts of the respective organizations the elites belonged to, not involving the Night Demon Organization. On the other side, the four strong men who had initially charged out were now frightened by Brian¡¯s ferocity and strength, pulling out their firearms. Chapter 210 - 210 161 Difficult to Handle ?210: Chapter 161: Difficult to Handle? Then Don¡¯t Bother at All! (Two in One)_2 210: Chapter 161: Difficult to Handle? Then Don¡¯t Bother at All! (Two in One)_2 With their physical condition, if they fought barehanded, even four against one would absolutely result in being crushed. Only the guns in their hands gave them a slight sense of safety. ¡°Are you planning to eliminate yourselves?¡± Brian, targeted by four guns, nonchalantly tossed the iron nail in his hand, ¡°Why not try and see, whether my nail will pierce through your necks first, or your bullets will hit my body first?¡± The area was full of big trees, and with his speed, he didn¡¯t care about the mere four pistols. Among the four, the strongest one stifled his anger and holstered his pistol, ¡°Stop it, we were admittedly rude earlier and offended Susan, and she did teach us a lesson! You¡¯ve single-handedly disposed of Matsushita Yoshiko and Cortes, offending Japan¡¯s Ninja Sect and France¡¯s Sword and Musket group. If you forcefully eliminate us now, even the NW group won¡¯t protect you!¡± Another nodded, ¡°This camp has been established for over fifty years, and less than ten people have been directly eliminated. Even Susan only taught us a lesson previously. These are the unspoken rules; trampling on them will only harm yourself!¡± Others watching also nodded silently. While the camp rules allowed for no shooting and no physical organ damage, everyone was here to exchange for the rare resources from the Night Demon Organization, not to fight to the death. Unless there was already a grudge, everyone would tacitly abide by these unspoken rules. Seeing the four looking fearful, Brian smirked lightly, casually removed his glasses, threw them on the ground, and crushed them with his foot, ¡°Rules are merely protection for the weak, never a constraint for the strong. If you¡¯re scared, I¡¯ll give you a chance...¡± ¡°What chance?¡± ¡°Three seconds. If you all together can block me for three seconds, I¡¯ll let you go.¡± The four exchanged glances, nodded, ¡°Okay!¡± They all put away their pistols, ready to make a last stand! Firing the gun meant certain elimination. A fight might still offer a chance! It¡¯s only three seconds! In their respective organizations, none of them were mediocre. They couldn¡¯t believe that together, they couldn¡¯t withstand this pretty boy for three seconds! .. The moment they nodded. Brian¡¯s feet tapped lightly, and he instantly covered a distance of five or six meters, appearing in front of the nearest man, and, with no technique but sheer power and momentum, smashed a punch down. The burst of speed was too fast. Even though Brian had held back most of his speed and strength, by the time the physically enhanced man processed it, the punch had already hit his shoulder. ¡°Ah!¡± With a scream and a flailing figure, Brian was already in front of another man, his right leg chopping down like a battle-axe on his arms that shielded his chest. The man¡¯s hardened arms visibly dented and broke, then he was sent flying. In front of this terrifying burst of speed, the so-called teamwork of the four turned into a joke. The remaining two exchanged glances and turned to run. Seeing this, Brian casually tossed a handful of iron nails, then his hands moved so fast they created numerous afterimages in the air. The nails, falling like meteors ripping through the night, precisely hit the escaping two all around, turning them into porcupines as they screamed and fell to the ground. This wildly cool scene not only stunned everyone present but also those from the Night Demon Organization¡¯s Foreign Affairs Department who were monitoring the area. Was this a juggling act? They had never seen anyone use nails up close in a way that was even more outrageous than a pistol, akin to an automatic rifle. In their eyes, the most formidable with hidden weapons was Matsushita Yoshiko, who, before being crushed and severely injured by Brian, was like a dog getting hit. But even her darts and the Cross-shaped Dart couldn¡¯t compare to Brian. Looking at the silent scene, Brian shook his slightly aching hands, stretched out three fingers, ¡°Three seconds, two breaths, I¡¯m a man who honors his promises. Congratulations, you get to stay.¡± But all he got in response were the groaning sounds from four people. The first man¡¯s right shoulder bones were entirely smashed, half of his body numb. If he endured, he could still make it through the next few days. The second man¡¯s arms broke, and ribs in his chest cracked a lot, but if he endured, he¡¯d also survive the next few days. The remaining two, who tried to flee, were immediately nailed into porcupines by Brian. Although Brian deliberately controlled the nails to avoid vital areas, the numerous wounds, if not promptly treated, could bleed out or cause tetanus, costing them their lives. These two cowards who tried to escape would have to leave early if they didn¡¯t want to die. ... At that moment, a group dressed in medical attire arrived at the camp with stretchers and emergency equipment. Upon inquiry, the Japanese woman, the French Caucasian man, and the two unfortunate souls turned into porcupines were rushed away for emergency care. The remaining two requested pain relievers, prepared to endure. Unfortunately, Brian didn¡¯t give them any face, ¡°You can have some medicines to prevent bone necrosis, but no pain relief allowed. Otherwise, I¡¯ll beat you once a day.¡± If this place weren¡¯t full of cameras, just for the bravado these bastards showed towards Susan would have been enough to seal their fate. He had taken down so many from the FBI, and absolutely didn¡¯t care about the organizations and families behind these people. Chapter 211 - 211 161 Difficult to Handle ?211: Chapter 161: Difficult to Handle? Then Don¡¯t Bother at All! (Two in One)_3 211: Chapter 161: Difficult to Handle? Then Don¡¯t Bother at All! (Two in One)_3 Brian got desperate. He changed his identity and, with the Transformer¡¯s talent, kept disguising himself as others. Alone, he could slaughter any family or even annihilate some smaller official organizations. But the process of transforming was just too disgusting. If not necessary, Brian simply didn¡¯t want to do it. To hold out until the end of the one-month period, the two of them finally compromised. Enduring the pain, they were carried into the Ancient Castle by the medical team from the Night Demon Organization, preparing to grit their teeth and bear it ¨C paying the price for their earlier grandstanding. ... After taking care of these nuisances, Brian was about to act polite, straighten his glasses, when he remembered he had crushed them. He awkwardly spread his hands and said to the others, ¡°Folks, to avoid some unpleasantness, just stay here quietly from now on, okay?¡± The temporary team leader who¡¯d teamed up with Susan before shrugged, ¡°No problem, we were planning on that anyway.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Brian was stunned. He didn¡¯t know yet that the members of the Original Sect had fled. Another member from the United States Federation sighed, ¡°Originally, the Original Sect had a base in London, but when we coordinated with the Night Demon Organization for a raid, Susan killed them all. The remaining clues all pointed outside of London. We¡¯re just a temporary combat team. According to the treaty, we don¡¯t have law enforcement rights outside of London, plus there¡¯s quite a gap in performance with those ahead of us, so continuing with the mission seemed pointless.¡± Ah, this... Brian was somewhat helpless; didn¡¯t that mean his previous act was for nothing? He sighed, pulled out a pair of iron nails from his pocket, and with a ferocious smile that left everyone speechless, said, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t know about this. Since I can¡¯t get high performance points, I¡¯ll have to ask all you seniors to leave now, otherwise, I can¡¯t guarantee making the top three.¡± Everyone: ... They silently drew their pistols. If they were destined to be eliminated, they didn¡¯t mind breaking the rules and shooting dead this lunatic in front of them. Even several members from the United States Federation were speechless. Susan¡¯s violence seemed friendly compared to this pretty boy¡¯s crazy logic. What is going on. The temporary team leader who¡¯d teamed up with Susan stretched out his hands and said helplessly, ¡°Brian, right? Don¡¯t be rash, this is too outrageous. If it doesn¡¯t work out, negotiate with the Night Demon Foreign Affairs Department, see if you can come to an agreement...¡± The others nodded in agreement. If it weren¡¯t for this guy¡¯s alarming speed and the Nail Shooting Skill at close range being comparable to an automatic rifle, plus all the large trees around and the fact that using their guns would be a violation, nobody would want to waste time on this bug-abusing lunatic. Seeing he had achieved the desired effect, Brian nodded, ¡°Okay, contact the Foreign Affairs Department. If it works out, I¡¯ll let you go. Otherwise, I¡¯ll attack daily. In five or six days, sending you away from the camp shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± With that, Brian vanished from their sight. ... A moment later, a call came through on the satellite phone Brian had specifically been equipped with before setting out. He answered the call. Kanchef¡¯s voice came through, tired and resigned, ¡°Brian, what are you trying to do?¡± Brian stood on the cliff¡¯s edge, letting the sea breeze hit him, and spoke in an even tone, ¡°I¡¯m a man of rules, either give me a free slot to obtain rare resources or I¡¯ll eliminate everyone and take the slot myself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not within the rules!¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t fired a gun, nor caused them to lose any limbs or organs, what¡¯s against the rules?¡± Kanchef: ... No one expected that Brian would have a Nail Shooting Skill at close range akin to an automatic rifle. If others fired back, they¡¯d be breaking the rules. If they didn¡¯t, they¡¯d be awaiting to be turned into pin cushions. This bastard was clearly exploiting a loophole! Kanchef sighed, ¡°The rare resources are always limited. We had to tap into our reserves to make an exception for Susan, who also provided a vast amount of resources in exchange. You have nothing. If we make another exception, it¡¯d be very difficult for us!¡± ¡°Difficult? Then let¡¯s not do it at all!¡± Brian¡¯s tone was indifferent, ¡°Let¡¯s see whether I can¡¯t withstand their counterattacks or your Night Demon Organization loses all face and authority!¡± He wasn¡¯t truly brainless. Time for bargaining. If they wouldn¡¯t open a window, he¡¯d flip the roof! Someone would compromise. ... In the end, after negotiations, the Night Demon Foreign Affairs Department agreed to Brian¡¯s request. But they also set a condition: ¡°Brian, you must have heard of the Original Sect. After our investigation, their headquarters in Africa has seen a rebellion. A faction of the Mutants from the Original Sect has stolen a raw material called ¡®Water of Reason¡¯ and fled to France. They then infiltrated London, attempting to kidnap a high-ranking executive from a pharmaceutical company to use their cutting-edge equipment to synthesize harmless ¡®Water of Reason¡¯. Currently, their base in London was defeated before their plan could be carried out. There are three escaped individuals, one of whom has knowledge of the ¡®Water of Reason¡¯ raw material¡¯s whereabouts. If you can find them, we will grant you a free choice of rare resources. If you can get to the Water of Reason before our Night Demon team does, we will reward you accordingly. This is our final offer, otherwise, you will be forcefully stripped of your camp privileges and blacklisted by us for life, with perpetual prohibition from entering the territories of the Commonwealth!¡± It was evident. Brian¡¯s shameless extortion had annoyed these ¡®gentlemen¡¯. If they couldn¡¯t win, they¡¯d break the deal. Yet, Brian didn¡¯t hesitate for a second and directly accepted the Night Demon Organization¡¯s demands. After all the trouble, He finally got what he wanted. The earlier antics were but a smokescreen. This was his true goal! Chapter 215 - 215 163 Dark Council Are You Still Itching ?215: Chapter 163: Dark Council, Are You Still Itching? 215: Chapter 163: Dark Council, Are You Still Itching? ¡°Original Sect Priest?¡± Brian probed. The wind-blown woman on the street shook her head, ¡°Those are just cannon fodder to draw away the Night Demon Organization. Enough talk, if I weren¡¯t fond of keeping my food¡¯s blood boiling, I¡¯d really rather not waste words with people.¡± As the sound of her voice fell, she chewed the gum, which she had been chewing for who knows how long, and it actually flew towards Brian with the sound of breaking air. Brian¡¯s pupils narrowed, and his figure flashed, dodging behind a sculpture. With a muffled thud, the stone sculpture was surprisingly dented by the piece of gum, and it wobbled incessantly. ¡°Eh~¡± Seeing how quickly Brian dodged, the woman was not surprised but delighted: ¡°I didn¡¯t expect just picking up a shipment would lead me to such quality prey like you...¡± Brian peeked out again, curiously examining the pit on the sculpture and even touched the wad of gum. This touch made him realize something was wrong. The material of this thing seemed to resemble some kind of highly stretchable metal. That is to say, this woman, she had been chewing on metal. Nice set of teeth. Brian drew his twin guns, curiously asking, ¡°Doesn¡¯t chewing that hurt your mouth?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt, it¡¯s quite relieving the itch!¡± The woman¡¯s eyes turned blood red, two long fangs slowly protruded from her mouth, her figure became elongated and thin, her flesh shriveled up, and her clawed hands grew longer and curved, resembling ten sharp steel knives. At this moment, she looked very much like the Vampire creatures in Western novels, and her voice became husky and unpleasant: ¡°My teeth are so itchy right now, let me bite you, just one bite!¡± As her voice fell, with a whoosh, the distance of five or six meters vanished in a flash. With a swift motion, her fingers crossed, among the flickering cold lights, carrying the momentum of speed, fearsomely sharp, once it touched flesh and blood, it was almost no different than a cutting machine. Just as her claws were about to pierce through Brian¡¯s body, a long leg sprung out, hitting the woman¡¯s stomach dead-on. The longer it is, the stronger it gets! A wail rose. This swift monster was kicked back against the wall by Brian due to insufficient distance and weak strength, hitting it so hard it covered the whole room with a cloud of dust. ¡°Itchy, is it?¡± A ferocious smile appeared on Brian¡¯s face: ¡°Big brother here will satisfy that itch with some bullets!¡± Bang, bang, bang~ Gunfire erupted, each bullet striking against the woman¡¯s dried-up skin. She writhed and howled on the ground, attempting more than once to struggle to her feet and attack again, only to discover in terror that numerous bullets were lodged in her joints, making it near impossible for her to get up and exert force. More than thirty bullets, not a single one wasted, all had hit the monstrous woman. ¡°What era is this, still playing hand-to-hand combat.¡± Brian shook his head, smoothly reloading his guns, unsatisfied, and picked up the stone sculpture that weighed several hundred pounds, like Hercules lifting a cauldron, strode toward the woman: ¡°Still itchy?¡± Upon seeing the heavy object as light as a feather in his hand, the woman finally realized the gravity of the situation. Her eyes showed fear: ¡°Don¡¯t hit me anymore, I¡¯m with the Dark Council, you won¡¯t get away with offending us.¡± ¡°Threatening me?¡± Brian, holding the sculpture in his right hand, didn¡¯t hesitate for a second and smashed it down onto the woman¡¯s slender and thin right leg. Boom¡ªthere was a loud noise. The ground shook, and the monstrous woman screamed in agony. When the sculpture was lifted again, the woman¡¯s right leg had turned flat, pressed to the ground, looking quite abstract. ¡°Dark Council, you say!¡± Another loud noise resounded. The woman¡¯s left leg also became a flattened piece of flesh. She was in so much pain that she couldn¡¯t speak, only able to emit groans. Brian casually tossed the sculpture aside, squatted down, and touched the woman¡¯s two fangs. These were very sharp; the tips were hollow, somewhat like the Spider Woman¡¯s teeth but much larger and felt like jade when touched, cool and smooth, very comfortable. ¡°Susan seems to really like collecting these things...¡± Saying this, Brian pressed down on the woman¡¯s head: ¡°You¡¯ve got itchy teeth, huh? That¡¯s funny because my dream is to be a dentist. Be good, don¡¯t move, I¡¯ll treat you, don¡¯t be scared, I am very gentle.¡± The woman: !!! The next moment. Ahh ahh ahh~ Amidst the woman¡¯s high-pitched and brief screams, Brian forcibly tore out the woman¡¯s fangs, then wiped them on her body to clean off the residual flesh and blood, successfully obtaining two very high-quality Vampire fangs. Tucking away the teeth, Brian grabbed the woman by the hair, lifting her entire body: ¡°Still itchy?¡± The woman¡¯s mouth was full of blood, she shook her head frantically with terror: ¡°No, not itchy anymore.¡± ¡°Very good.¡± Brian nodded, satisfied. He truly was the Innate Dentist Holy Body, permanently resolving the patient¡¯s source of pain in a second. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you say thank you?¡± The woman was about to cry. Suppressing the unfair tears, she stammered, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Mm, that¡¯s what I should do,¡± Brian said as he dragged the woman in front of the sculpture and stuffed the woman¡¯s hands under it: ¡°I¡¯ve helped you like this, is it too much for you to satisfy my curiosity?¡± ¡°Not at all!¡± The woman shook her head frantically. She feared that if she spoke even a second later, her hands would become flattened as well. ... For a cooperative patient, Brian always had a good attitude. He asked gently, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Collecting the soon to be completed Water of Reason.¡± ¡°Water of Reason, isn¡¯t that a material?¡± The woman shook her head: ¡°Actually, all the actions before were to attract the trackers of the Night Demon Organization.¡± Chapter 216 - 216 163 Dark Council Are You Still Itching_2 ?216: Chapter 163 Dark Council, Are You Still Itching?_2 216: Chapter 163 Dark Council, Are You Still Itching?_2 The finished product of the Water of Reason is quite special; ordinary containers cannot lock in the smell, and this smell lingers for a long time. It can only be contained using the original tree material from which it¡¯s derived, but these people only manage to bring out the raw materials. Once the Water of Reason is synthesized here and leaves a smell, the Night Demon Organization would go crazy tracking it down, making our evacuation very difficult. ¡°Is it any different now?¡± The woman continued to shake her head, ¡°I can store the Water of Reason in my body using my fangs to block the scent from escaping. It¡¯s easier for a single person to move around. With the Original Sect people drawing attention openly, even if the Night Demon Organization realizes something is amiss, I¡¯d have already left the Federation.¡± Brian nodded. True or false, logically it makes sense. It doesn¡¯t matter if it doesn¡¯t make sense. He hadn¡¯t expected that the raw materials for the Water of Reason were actually hidden here. What a windfall. ... Worried that things might complicate if delayed, Brian grabbed the woman by her hair. After finding out where the items were, he went to the base where sculptures were previously stored and punched down. The room trembled. Under the woman¡¯s horrified gaze, the concrete base was covered in dense cracks. Ignoring the pain, Brian threw another punch. With a sharp crack, the thick concrete base completely split open, revealing a basketball-sized, unknown depth ¡®pool¡¯. Inside the pool, something like jelly or a thick, green oil continuously rippled with vibrations. Beneath its dark surface, it refracted wisps of pale green light waves, looking dreamy and splendid. ¡°Really beautiful, is this really a natural product?¡± Looking at these substances, Brian couldn¡¯t help but exclaim. The woman glanced outside, a gleam of joy flashing in her eyes, and murmured softly, ¡°These items are very valuable; let¡¯s collaborate. Give me back my teeth, and after I complete the final extraction step, we can leave together. Then you can totally abandon the Night Demon Organization and join us in the Dark Council, we...¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Brian casually punched the woman in the head. With a muffled thud, her head, still wearing a shocked expression, hung from her body, held only by half-torn neck skin, swinging loosely¡ªa dark humor filled the scene. With over two thousand pounds of force focused on a single point, even a thick steel bar would bend, let alone a fragile neck. This female mutant, resembling a vampire, was actually not weak, and her explosive speed was nearly as good as Brian¡¯s, but apart from speed, she was useless. In front of Brian, a fully-rounded human beast, she stood no chance and could be killed effortlessly. ... Easily killing the whining female mutant, Brian reached into the pool below. The next moment, a warm current surged. The Bald Priest¡¯s obsession was completed! This made Brian¡¯s mood much more pleasant. No need for processing, and still, the obsession could be completed, meaning that this stuff, even if unprocessed, still worked, although perhaps less pure. The Bald Priest¡¯s obsession offered two types of Gifts: Gift One: 30 points of Gift Energy. Gift Two: 5 points of Gift Energy + body expansion That body expansion, Brian had seen it before, similar to the Ninja¡¯s meat-tank technique from his past life¡¯s stories, indeed a bit peculiar, but without ¡°chakra¡± in the real world, this skill served only to add a bit of private amusement, making him an obvious target in the age of firearms. He chose Gift One. 30 points of Gift Energy entered his body. In a short time, Brian¡¯s reserves of Gift Energy replenished to a full 66 units. Right, there was also the reward from the Night Demon Organization. Thinking of this, Brian, without turning back, gently said, ¡°Buddy, I remember you¡¯re called Joseph, right? I¡¯m in a good mood now. If you don¡¯t resist, I might consider not harming you and handing you over to the Night Demon Organization. ¡± Outside, this guy had a very pungent smell, along with the previous young Joseph¡¯s scent. Obviously, he was with the just-killed vampire. Outside the small church, a massive beast, about three meters tall, with a wolf¡¯s head and gray fur, its large eyes staring shockingly at the dry decapitated body in front of Brian: ¡°You killed Messer!¡± Hearing this name, Brian was stunned. He turned around, picked up the smashed body, tore open its ragged jeans for a look, and expressed a speechless reaction. It indeed had genitals. ¡°I thought he was a woman. Are you with the Dark Council too?¡± Having completed his obsession, Brian wasn¡¯t in a rush to keep killing the young guy in front of him. He was quite curious about the mutants here. Whether werewolves or vampires. Quite interesting. ... Seeing Brian¡¯s calm demeanor, Joseph sighed, shook his body, and his form gradually shrank, and the body hair retracted back into his skin. He tenderly pulled out an orange glass vial, ¡°This is a specialty of the Dark Council, called Primordial Blood, extracted from a huge mutant killer whale and combined with some special biological materials from the Dark Council. It enhances the cellular vitality of organisms. It¡¯s beneficial to both regular people and mutants. I give this to you, please spare me.¡± Brian looked surprised, ¡°If I kill you, isn¡¯t this thing mine anyway? Besides, why not try to escape?¡± Joseph shook his head. ¡°Can¡¯t escape. Messer was a fake vampire mutant, fast enough to almost dodge bullets, with claws that could tear through buffalo hide, yet you still killed him here. My beast instinct tells me you are terrifying.¡± Chapter 217 - 217 163 Dark Council Are You Still Itching_3 ?217: Chapter 163: Dark Council, Are You Still Itching?_3 217: Chapter 163: Dark Council, Are You Still Itching?_3 ¡°I don¡¯t want to gamble.¡± ¡°Though I don¡¯t understand how a human like you can be so powerful, before you kill me, I can definitely crush the Primordial Blood I hold in my hand, killing me won¡¯t benefit you, but sparing me, this Primordial Blood can make you stronger!¡± Looking at the tensed muscles of Joseph, Brian pondered for a moment and nodded, ¡°Throw it to me, tell me how to use it, give me some information about the Dark Council, and then you can leave.¡± If he refused, Brian would kill him directly. The so-called reagents were of help, but not as direct as the enhancement from Gift Energy. He agreed, purely to provide a clear reason for his own power and also thought of bringing it back for Susan. Facing Brian¡¯s terms, Joseph thought it over and finally chose to agree. He carefully tossed the vial he held towards Brian. After catching it, Brian opened the vial, smelled it, and a fragrant scent entered his nostrils, surprisingly giving him a faint sense of hunger. Impressive. His current physical condition was almost inhuman. Just by smelling it, it could attract his body, although not strongly, but still quite remarkable! At least much stronger than the initial injection of S-T fluid he took. He didn¡¯t expect this puppy to have such good stuff. Brian, satisfied, stored the item in his suit lining, and gestured to Arthur. Seeing he didn¡¯t move, Joseph licked his lips, looking like a frightened rabbit, ¡°Primordial Blood, once ingested, can fuse with the body¡¯s cells, increasing cellular activity, helping organisms break through bodily limits, redevelop, and even extend lifespan. It has a lesser effect on Mutants, but it can also make their physical strength stronger. As for the Dark Council, it originally was an underground organization in Europe, handling tasks like assassinations and disposing of stolen goods. After the Blood Moon, some Mutants in the council began to take power, and with their substantial financial resources, and the Mutants fitting the powerful creatures in some mythical legends here, they slowly formed today¡¯s Mutant Organization.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ve messed up your plans today, will you retaliate?¡± Brian casually said. Ever since he met old Moe, his attitude towards Mutants wasn¡¯t as lethal as before. Joseph shook his head, ¡°Not sure, this time it was Councilor Shi San¡¯s personal mission. The Dark Council operates with councilors and a platform management, having connections with many high-level Europeans, as long as it doesn¡¯t threaten the platform¡¯s survival, the Dark Council never targets individuals, but I can¡¯t guarantee Councilor Shi San won¡¯t seek personal revenge.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Brian looked at the big dog in front of him and warmed to him. He flashed in front of Joseph, hooked his shoulder, and pressed down on him like a bully, ¡°Any interest in being the leader?¡± Joseph had originally wanted to fight to the death, but upon hearing this, his expression turned blank, ¡°Huh?¡± ... A few minutes later. This noble left the ancestral mansion with a strange expression. After Brian crushed the obsession hovering over the Vampire¡¯s corpse, he dialed Mr. Kanchef from the Night Demon Organization Foreign Affairs Department. He didn¡¯t want to be so conspicuous, effectively slapping the faces of those people from the Night Demon Organization, but his strength and luck didn¡¯t allow. The phone connected. Before Brian could speak, Kanchef started yelling, ¡°Brian, you bastard, I¡¯m not going to help you, give it up!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve found the raw material for ¡®Water of Reason¡¯!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Pickled radish Bichi, you must be joking, right?¡± ¡°The truth is exactly that, the address is at the former Original Sect¡¯s base, that abandoned mansion. If you don¡¯t want to come, I¡¯ll just call the Night Demon Organization Headquarters.¡± ¡°No, no, no, don¡¯t do that, I¡¯m willing, I really am! What I mean is, just wait there, I¡¯ll bring Heather along!¡± Listening to Kanchef¡¯s tone change from initially yelling to shock, then to excitement, and even dragging his beloved daughter into it, Brian quietly hung up the phone. Eh, he still liked Kanchef¡¯s foot-stomping demeanor. Suddenly becoming so enthusiastic was quite unnerving. Boring. Brian shook his head, inspecting the obsessions of the effeminate male Vampire. Chapter 218 - 218 164 Obsession Reward ?218: Chapter 164 Obsession, Reward 218: Chapter 164 Obsession, Reward Vampire Obsession: I really want to make a movie with my vampire identity and convince more than a hundred people that vampires are handsome and elegant creatures! Gift One: Gift Energy 35 Gift Two: Gift Energy 5 + Mutated Vampire Brian stroked his chin: ¡°This kid¡¯s obsession is pretty pure, it¡¯s not about killing me for revenge. But how do we deal with this obsession? Am I supposed to play COS and spend my own money to make a film? Should I ask Susan to COS as a Female Werewolf and stage a torturous romance between a vampire and a werewolf, the script from Twilight isn¡¯t bad...¡± Of course, he was joking. At this time, over a million dollars would be enough to make a movie and handle the marketing and release. Just stating the idea, and the talent agency could handle everything from top to bottom, but shooting Twilight was completely a joke. Brian¡¯s funds were not sufficient for that. And such a ruckus would be too conspicuous. In fact, Brian leaned more toward finding a time to go directly to San Fernando Valley. This place is the biggest shooting source of adult films in the United States, known as the Porn Hollywood, located about thirty kilometers northwest of Los Angeles, very close to the downtown area. If he was efficient, he could wrap everything up in a day and come back. Many of Brian¡¯s former female clients did part-time work there, and he knew the situation well. With good planning, he might not only complete this obsession without spending money, but he might even earn some. Just couldn¡¯t use his own face to go abroad. After all, he had gone straight. ... Waiting is boring. Brian drank up the Primordial Blood left by Joseph, the Werewolf Mutant, stored the liquid within his body in isolation, and then simply did his job, performing external examinations on the bodies on the ground. The male vampire¡¯s body maintained a Mutated state even in death. Ripping open the clothes, one could see the partner¡¯s two shriveled ¡®bags¡¯ and the clear rib pattern. From the outside, apart from the two bags being a bit unsightly, the overall structure was almost identical to that of humans. But the partner¡¯s spine showed clear abnormalities. The male vampire¡¯s spine was long and tenacious, and the bones of the limbs were the same, giving an overall slender and streamlined look. The muscles in the legs and arms appeared shriveled but were actually elastic, and he could feel the explosive power beneath the skin. This thing, in the age of cold weapons, was truly a killing machine. In addition, Brian found that under the partner¡¯s gray skin lay dense abnormal blood vessels, and even though he had been dead for half a day, there was still a faint sensation of organ pulsation. Yes, this guy had two blood-supplying hearts. The most outrageous part was below. This guy¡¯s underside could contract and had two sets of reproductive systems; he was hermaphroditic. Brian disdainfully tossed the wooden stick he had picked up to the side. It made him think of something: Mutants can reproduce, and their offspring would retain some of the parents¡¯ physical genetics... The Blood Moon had been around for over sixty years. How many descendants of these monsters were hidden in the world during this long period? If these descendants bred with each other and mutation continued to happen, what would become of it? Even on the internal network of the NW Organization, there were no traces of this information, let alone any discussion about it. The more he knew. The deeper Brian sensed the waters of this world ran. Sometimes, he felt lost. In this mad world, he really didn¡¯t know what path it would ultimately take. ... The Night Demon Organization highly valued the raw materials of the Water of Reason. While Brian was feeling lost about life, Kanchef arrived at the decrepit manor in a transport helicopter. Behind him, there was also an armed helicopter. Hearing the commotion. Brian came out to the gate and waved, ¡°Over here, the stuff is this way.¡± When Kanchef saw his calm demeanor, he completely relaxed, ¡°Quick, quick, quick, bring over the instruments and equipment, and follow me.¡± They arrived at the small chapel. Kanchef couldn¡¯t care less to ask about the signs of battle in the room and the corpses on the ground. He was eager to see the scientists confirm the salvaged materials, and only after they nodded in affirmation did he burst out laughing, ¡°The stuff was actually here, and that bunch of idiots were desperately chasing those black coal balls, while we from the Foreign Affairs Department picked up the bargain.¡± ¡°Is this stuff really precious?¡± ¡°Of course, it is precious!¡± Kanchef looked at Brian as if he were an ignoramus: ¡°This stuff is a very valuable raw material that can act as a top-tier Rejection Serum, allowing ordinary people to transplant mutated organs and have some of the vitality of Mutant Beasts without taking on the risk of going out of control. Though there are negative effects, the life force of those creatures is what countless wealthy people dream of; they wouldn¡¯t care about those issues.¡± ¡°Then why hasn¡¯t anyone sent the military to wipe out the Original Sect?¡± ¡°Africa is so vast; you can¡¯t even find people. Moreover, destroying them means a one-time harvest, but keeping them fed, they can¡¯t resist the allure of the prosperity in Europe and often come here. Those coal balls use this stuff to ease their mental mutations and always carry some with them. We can harvest a bit from time to time and then let them go, allowing them to bring back more. They know as long as they have the ¡®Water of Reason¡¯ on them, their lives won¡¯t be in danger, and some of the members even want to cooperate with us. It¡¯s just that those old bastards from the Original Sect aren¡¯t willing. But they also fear that we¡¯ll do them in, so they don¡¯t prevent their people from coming over here. This way, we always have a little gain, which is much more worthwhile than the trouble of wiping them out.¡± Wow, the plans were crystal clear. Brian nodded, patted Kanchef¡¯s shoulder, ¡°What about Heather?¡± Kanchef rolled his eyes, ¡°Brian, I admit you really are Lady Luck¡¯s favorite bastard, and you¡¯re very lucky, but you¡¯re too impulsive, and I can¡¯t possibly let my precious daughter date a madman like you; it would ruin her.¡± Heather was mentioned just to calm Brian down. He would never betray his daughter! Seeing Brian¡¯s face turn dark, Kanchef awkwardly changed the subject, ¡°Whose corpse is this, and what¡¯s with the commotion here? Oh God, was it two elephants fighting here?¡± Brian flexed his fist, punching a several hundred pound sculpture beside him and sending it rolling several times. He bared his teeth and smirked coldly at Kanchef, ¡°Of course, I fought them. With my fists!¡± Gulp~ The disturbance had Kanchef gaping in awe. The surrounding workers also stopped what they were doing, staring dumbfounded at Brian. Was this something a human could achieve? ¡°Impossible!¡± Kanchef hurried over to the stone sculpture and, despite exerting all his strength, could not move it at all. He then excitably said to Brian, ¡°This is absolutely impossible, even if you injected the S-T Cell Activation Reagent, you couldn¡¯t be this strong!¡± ¡°What if you add this to it?¡± Brian took out the vial that had previously contained the Primordial Blood, ¡°The creature on the ground seems to be from the Dark Council. I forced it to reveal this stuff before I killed it with a punch. Oh, and this seems to be called Primordial Blood. I found it on the monster, and after drinking it, I felt incredibly powerful. Now, I feel like punching everything I see.¡± Kanchef: .. Other workers: .. ¡°Why would you drink just anything?¡± Kanchef, heartbroken, ¡°This stuff is even more precious than your NW¡¯s own S-T Cell Activation Reagent, and you didn¡¯t even use a nutrient tank to absorb it slowly, you just drank it!!!¡± He was more upset than if his own father had died, ¡°You got this stuff, you should have told me sooner. Why didn¡¯t you say anything? I would have brought a nutrient tank here myself, just to avoid wasting it like this!¡± Saying this, Kanchef snatched the vial from Brian¡¯s hand and, in front of everyone, extended his nimble old tongue trying to lick the last drops from the tube. Brian: .. Pointing at the crazed Kanchef, he looked at the others, ¡°Why is he so agitated?¡± A young guy snickered, ¡°If you¡¯d used a nutrient tank for absorption, afterward Kanchef, banking on his supervisor status, could shamelessly jump in to bathe in your bathwater and maybe look a year or two younger.¡± Another middle-aged man also showed envy, ¡°Foreign Affairs Department said you¡¯re the lucky lady¡¯s man. Buddy, you really do have good luck. I have a daughter...¡± Brian, looking at the excited Kanchef and those trying to pimp out their daughters, quickly walked outside. He was afraid that Kanchef, in his eagerness to lick the vial, might directly run up to him in hopes of consuming whatever was left in his mouth. The thought alone was frightening. ... Collecting the ingredients for the Water of Reason took over an hour. There wasn¡¯t much to collect, probably only around a cubic meter. It would be even less after purification; otherwise, the Vampire wouldn¡¯t have said that it would use its hollow fangs to process the material into a product and then store it inside its body. The problem was. These collectors were just like Kanchef, who, after collecting the raw materials with their instruments, even scraped the wall paint and everything, planning to take it back for secondary purification. Truly living up to the legacy of bandits, they were worth learning from in this respect. With their spoils, everyone happily returned outside. Kanchef left Brian an address, ¡°Come over on your motorcycle. Oh, and weren¡¯t there police guarding the outside? How are they?¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°I was worried that the Mutant might have accomplices. After I called you, I stayed by the small chapel the whole time.¡± ¡°A very wise decision. You should check on them later. If anything happened to them, I¡¯ll apply for the highest compensation for their sacrifice.¡± After speaking, Kanchef couldn¡¯t wait to get on the transport helicopter, ready to secure his achievements. ... Watching their distant silhouettes. Brian also made his way out of the mansion. Luckily, the two policemen had survived; they were just lying beside fast asleep. Actually, Brian was a bit puzzled why Joseph and that Vampire didn¡¯t come over quietly at night. But when he considered the police¡¯s familiarity with Joseph and the remaining traces inside the mansion, Brian had a vague understanding. Probably the people from the Night Demon Organization had been searching the mansion all along; maybe they would even set up a watch at night, hence their visit in the daytime to probe whether the Night Demon Organization was still guarding this place. After all, Joseph was openly one of the inheritors of this mansion, and previously, they had the pretense of ¡®treasure hunting¡¯. They probably considered these factors when they initially allowed the defectors from the Original Sect to use this as a base. With this in mind, Brian felt indeed fortunate. Had he come later or earlier, he would have missed the ¡®Water of Reason¡¯ ingredients. ¡°Quite the coincidence...¡± Brian suddenly thought of Joseph¡¯s pale face, thoughtful. ... The matter was over. Brian didn¡¯t dwell on these things too much. He woke the two unconscious policemen and briefly explained the situation inside before riding his motorcycle to the address Kanchef had given. Susan couldn¡¯t stop praising the Night Demon Organization¡¯s rare resources. He was curious too. The headquarters of the Night Demon Organization was located in a bustling area of London. The entrance was an old-fashioned cafe? that looked quite stylish but was exorbitantly priced. Except for the genuinely wealthy, most of its patrons were pretenders without real substance. Kanchef must have given them a heads-up. Seeing the somewhat dirty Brian walk in, a waitress immediately came forward, ¡°Mr. Brian, follow me, please.¡± Following the waitress to the back. Passing through the backstage to a storeroom, the waitress placed her palm on the wall. The ordinary tiles on the wall unexpectedly emitted a faint glow. The next moment. A passageway leading underground appeared before Brian. Brian curiously touched the wall, discovering the wall material felt slightly metallic, not real tile. ¡°Mr. Brian, those below have been notified and will meet you at the entrance.¡± Brian nodded and quickened his pace, heading downstairs. The sooner he got his reward, the sooner he could finish up and go back! Chapter 222 - 222 166 A Master ?222: Chapter 166: A Master? This is Just a Threshold Standing Before Me! 222: Chapter 166: A Master? This is Just a Threshold Standing Before Me! ¡°Why is his fusion with the reagent so high?¡± Inside the observation room, a group of biological experts were somewhat surprised by the neural reaction speed displayed by Brian on the monitor. Because each person¡¯s physique is different, their tolerance to reagents varies; hence, after injecting the same reagent, the effects produced are also somewhat different. But the disparity here, at most, equates to a full score of one hundred percent¡ªwith a few falling below the passing mark, most hovering around the threshold, and a very select few scoring ninety or even a hundred percent. And Brian, had achieved a score of one hundred twenty percent! This was the shock that these biological researchers were feeling. ¡°Perhaps the cellular activity inside the target¡¯s body is too high.¡± An elder, flipping through the collected data and testing results of Brian, clapped his hands: ¡°The previous data of target Brian was close to the limit that an ordinary person could achieve. Now that he has injected three types of rare Class A enhancement reagents, I suspect he has completely broken through the limits of ordinary people, reaching the strength of a First Rank Mutant. Issue the order, send out the Demon Hunting A Team. I want to test the target¡¯s combat ability now.¡± Upon hearing this, a middle-aged man, dressed out of place here, showed signs of difficulty: ¡°Director Yana, Brian is a sequence staff member of the NW action department, and his recommender is a scion of the Adams family. If we do this, there could be problems afterward that may be difficult to explain.¡± The elder who had spoken, his eagle eyes looking at the middle-aged man: ¡°I am the chief here, follow the orders!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The middle-aged had fulfilled his duty to caution and wasted no more words, turning to leave the place. ... The security room. Brian quickly adapted to his state, ensuring that his information was collected and recorded here without being excessively out of standard; he then cleaned himself, got dressed, and prepared to leave. He did not like these enclosed underground bases. Whether it was the headquarters of the NW Organization or the headquarters of the Night Demon Organization, he disliked both! These kinds of places, not only enclosed, but also equipped with various modern automated defense systems and gates, not to mention surveillance cameras everywhere¡ªit would be impossible to escape in the event of a conflict, even with his current strength, which would easily allow him to kill everyone here. Brian suspected that only characters from Marvel would have a chance to escape from such a place. Outside the security room. The man with the hawk-nose who had guided Brian before was waiting outside. Seeing Brian come out, he immediately revealed a kind smile: ¡°Mr. Brian, did everything go smoothly?¡± Brian nodded: ¡°Not bad, I feel like my strength has greatly improved.¡± If the data here would be transmitted to NW as Susan said, he believed that, upon his return, NW would grant him the status and authority he deserved. The man with the hawk-nose looked envious: ¡°Sometimes I regret not joining the front-line action team. It¡¯s only when you get older that you realize how bland a bit of money and power are in the face of your weakening body.¡± Sufficient for some, lacking for others. It was only after age had caught up with them, people like the hawk-nose man realized they had completely missed the ticket to board the ship of the new era. Brian doesn¡¯t care about these things: ¡°Buddy, maybe you can impart your experience to your descendants, but for now, I want to go back.¡± ¡°Do you need to go through a combat test?¡± The hawk-nose man shifted the topic, hinting: ¡°Our Night Demon Organization has always advocated for various exchanges with allied organizations for mutual progress. If you perform exceptionally during the test, you might also improve your field rank within the NW Organization.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to!¡±, Brian¡¯s bright eyes narrowed, staring straight at the man with the hawk-nose: ¡°I want to leave right now!¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take you out now.¡± The man with the hawk-nose nodded naturally and led the way. Everything here required access authorization nearly every section of the passage. Should there be a problem anywhere, it would ensure the overall structural safety. It was very similar to the NW Organization¡¯s headquarters. The two retraced their steps. Just as Brian arrived at the area where his clothes and belongings were stored, a group of twelve armed plainclothes agents, seven men and five women, simultaneously descended from another train. ... Seeing these twelve people, the hawk-nose man stopped: ¡°Captain Arthur, was the mission successful?¡± The bald and burly leader looked up, and seeing it was the hawk-nose man, he nodded indifferently: ¡°Is the guy behind you new?¡± The hawk-nose man shook his head, introducing to the group: ¡°This is a trainee from the Los Angeles NW Organization, who¡¯s had some luck assisting the organization in finding some rare resources. He¡¯s just completed enhancement with three Class A reagents and is preparing to leave.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The bald man seemed intrigued and together with his team, they all turned to look at Brian¡ªwho was well-proportioned and handsome¡ªstanding behind the hawk-nose man. Brian sighed: ¡°Your acting is awful. I¡¯m just an autopsy officer who loves peace, prefers safe logistical work, and not skilled in combat. There¡¯s no need for you to cling to me.¡± No sooner had he said this. The expressions of the others all became subtly different. The aloof look on the bald man¡¯s face turned into a sneer: ¡°I heard early this morning about a cocky guy who came to the external camp, threatened our Night Demon Organization with some juggling tricks. I¡¯m really annoyed with him!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Brian twisted his neck: ¡°And who are you?¡± His patience was nearly gone. ¡°Arthur!¡±, the bald man¡¯s gaze was filled with aggression: ¡°The captain of the Night Demon Action Department¡¯s Demon Hunting A Team!¡± Brian ignored the other man¡¯s gaze and turned to the hawk-nose man: ¡°Is he strong?¡± The hawk-nose man nodded: ¡°Among the captains in the action department, Arthur is one of the top three experts.¡± ¡°Impressive.¡±, Brian shrugged: ¡°I am not an opponent; I give up. Let¡¯s go, I miss my dog back in Los Angeles.¡± Saying so, he moved toward the storage room. The bald Arthur stepped forward briskly, blocking Brian¡¯s way: ¡°Coward, why don¡¯t you dare look me in the eye?¡± The next instant. A fist, with a sharp sound as if tearing through the void, smashed into Arthur¡¯s jaw. A loud bang. Blood, flesh, and bone splattered, drenching the faces of the team members behind Arthur. Brian slowly retracted his fist and patted Arthur, who still stood in his place, on the shoulder: ¡°Because you¡¯re not qualified! An expert? That¡¯s just the threshold for standing in front of me!¡± After saying that, he walked past Arthur and disappeared from everyone¡¯s sight. ¡°¡±¡±¡± Arthur, with his entire lower jaw missing, stood still, seemingly not yet realizing what had happened. The tongue that was unsupported by the now-missing oral cavity hung down, squirming in the void like a fat, wide red worm, disgusting and horrifying. ¡°So much explosive force, yet why didn¡¯t the target¡¯s figure move when hit?¡± murmured the man with the hawk-like nose. This defied science! The other members of the Demon Hunting A Team soon reacted, disregarding the blood and saliva splattered on their faces as they rushed to Arthur¡¯s side to assess his condition. But Arthur, delayed in his realization, turned to the direction where Brian had vanished, his body going limp, and he heavily collapsed to the ground behind him. ¡°Captain...¡± A group that had just been posing and striking poses let out cries of alarm. They clumsily carried the unconscious Arthur back into the base¡¯s subway system, intending to take him for treatment. ... Observation room. Yana, the head of the research department and the director who issued the test commands, watched the close-up replay of Brian¡¯s punches on the screen, his face full of wonder: ¡°Nearly perfect exertion of power, concentration of strength, a combination of speed and power ¨C magnificent, this is the perfect soldier in my heart!¡± The man sitting next did not look pleased: ¡°Arthur is the strongest in unarmed combat among the action department personnel at the base, yet he couldn¡¯t withstand even one punch from the target. Unless we use firearms, it will be difficult to continue the tests.¡± ¡°Then use them!¡± Yana roared nearly maniacally. He wanted to see the limits of this Brian! The rest of the research staff voiced their agreement. Their scientific fervor ignited, they couldn¡¯t care less about the depravity of the situation or the potential of causing the Night Demon Organization¡¯s reputation to crumble. The more accomplished the scientist, the more obsessive and tenacious they tend to be; when confronted with something of interest, they could commit all manner of inhuman acts for the sake of testing. When the Nuclear Peace Envoy was first created, the United States Federation had instances of using their military for tests. And the use of the lower social classes for various practical experiments... The United States and British Federation were historically aligned in this respect. The middle-aged man was not one of these lunatics. He chose to report the situation urgently. ... Brian was not yet aware these people were so shameless; they still intended to use him. His lack of cooperation stemmed solely from these people¡¯s lack of decency, offering him no benefits and his disdain at being treated as a research subject. If they offered enough benefits ¨C He wasn¡¯t completely opposed to lying down and turning over or stretching his legs when required. But these people were not decent! After changing clothes, And surrendering the handgun he had been issued, Brian stepped onto the departing base subway, his footsteps over the still uncleared bloodstains, under the fearful gaze of the man with the hawk-like nose. Once above ground. He took a deep breath and said, ¡°The surface is still more comfortable.¡± Next to the underground exit stood a middle-aged man in a suit, slightly overweight, with a friendly smile on his face, nodding in agreement, ¡°Underground is indeed oppressive, Mr. Brian. I¡¯m Smith, an investigator from MI6, pleased to meet you.¡± Brian frowned, ¡°I¡¯m not pleased to meet you. What exactly do you want? If you keep this up, I will ask my recommender to disclose my experiences and you¡¯ll be tarnishing the reputation and credibility of the British Federation!¡± ¡°One class A Enhancement Reagent!¡± Smith promptly held up one finger: ¡°It¡¯s just some simple tests. Besides the enhancement reagent, as long as you sign a confidentiality agreement, we can also show you some of the outcomes of human evolutionary research, our utmost sincerity. If Mr. Brian doesn¡¯t find this agreeable, I can take you to the airport right now.¡± Brian¡¯s frown immediately eased: ¡°But then again, since the British Federation is so generous and hospitable, it should indeed be promoted more. Mr. Smith, where shall we go for this exchange?¡± That¡¯s more like it. Finally, he had encountered a normal person. The reagent wasn¡¯t a big deal. Brian was primarily curious about the human evolutionary research outcomes that Smith mentioned. He didn¡¯t have access to this information at the Los Angeles NW Organization. ... Riding in Smith¡¯s classic car, Brian was brought to a small military camp. He looked around the environment with curiosity: ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t quite understand why you¡¯re so persistent in researching me. I don¡¯t believe you don¡¯t have stronger people than me.¡± The abilities he showcased were only those from before his Transformation, at best combined with a more powerful neural response speed but not exaggerated. To tackle a Mutant Beast barehanded would likely be a struggle. Such strength was insignificant to a modern military. Smith shook his head: ¡°I¡¯m just following orders to bring you here. For the specific details, someone inside the camp will liaise with you. In fact, I have another task; maybe Mr. Brian would consider switching allegiance to join the British Federation. We are willing to...¡± ¡°No need.¡± Brian cut Smith off before he could finish: ¡°I don¡¯t like the weather here.¡± He was much more comfortable in Los Angeles. He¡¯d be mad to join the unfamiliar British Federation. If it weren¡¯t for his identity as staff of the Los Angeles NW Organization, Brian would even be suspicious whether he was now living like a lab rat underground. The ¡®gentlemen¡¯ here were too hypocritical. He didn¡¯t like it! ¡°Alright, that¡¯s truly unfortunate,¡± Smith didn¡¯t press the matter. ... After the security check, The two took the base¡¯s shuttle to an open concrete firing range. Waiting for them at the range was an old man, surrounded by seven or eight guards clad in sci-fi exoskeleton armor. Beside the old man stood a handsome young man with a stern expression. The young man was quite conspicuous among the group. Brian followed Smith to the group. He addressed the old man, ¡°Before the test, could you tell me why you are so insistent on me?¡± Chapter 223 - 223 167 Royal Ace Agent Covert Return to Los Angeles ?223: Chapter 167 Royal Ace Agent, Covert, Return to Los Angeles 223: Chapter 167 Royal Ace Agent, Covert, Return to Los Angeles The old man shrugged his shoulders, ¡°We want to test the limits of your neurological responses. Before you, we have never encountered anyone so compatible with the ¡®Neurological Response Activity¡¯ reagent.¡± ¡°My enhancement effects are way above standard?¡± ¡°Way above. If the effect on others after using the ¡®Neurological Response Activity¡¯ reagent is 1, then you are at 1.2, or even more. After all, you were injected not long ago, and there is still room for slow growth.¡± The old man was quite talkative, ¡°So this test could also benefit you. It could maximally stimulate the remaining reagent in your body, speeding up the absorption and development at the nerve endings.¡± Brian understood instantly. He was no epitome of compatibility, it was simply because with ¡®Body Control¡¯ + ¡®Pheromone Control¡¯, he could absorb and digest the reagent at the fastest rate, and that¡¯s why his progress seemed so significant. Anyone with these two talents would not perform worse than him in absorbing the reagent after injection. Of course, Brian certainly wouldn¡¯t explain any of this. He just said, ¡°Okay, I didn¡¯t expect it to be so simple. Whatever tests you have, let¡¯s start.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not simple. If we can figure out the reasons behind this, it could greatly enhance an organization¡¯s or a power¡¯s capabilities, perhaps even advancing many projects in current biological research. Of course, it might also be a wasted effort. Research is like this; as long as there¡¯s a possibility, we don¡¯t want to miss any hope.¡± The old man rambled on, then couldn¡¯t help but complain, ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be as troublesome as the Night Demon Organization said. You seem very cooperative.¡± He had a good first impression of Brian, the handsome young man. Brian just smiled, saying nothing. Smith, standing by, rolled his eyes, ¡°Professor Bell, please hurry up. To get his compliance, we provided an additional ¡®Class A¡¯ reagent and agreed to some extra conditions.¡± Bell:... What a waste of his emotions! ... Brian¡¯s ¡®cellular structure¡¯ was backed up at the Night Demon base. But apart from higher than average cellular activity, no other findings were uncovered. Therefore, the testing items this time were very simple, only two. One was the blank bullet evasion. The other was a real hand-to-hand combat scenario. Before the first test, Brian carefully checked the props to ensure they were all blanks, then donned the Bullet-Proof Vest and took his place on the open ground. This test had three rounds. Single, triple, and quintuple opponents. The distance was kept at ten meters. Ten meters is the relative safety distance for blanks. Too far, and the already slower-flying blanks would hardly serve the testing purpose. Brian was also very interested in this. Without revealing his full strength, such testing could help him understand his own capabilities as well. The test began. Brian controlled his speed to about the explosive power of running 100 meters in eight or nine seconds and watched the combat personnel in front. The others were clearly elite operatives themselves, drawing and firing immediately, emptying their magazines in three seconds, with bullets flying all around Brian¡¯s space, minimizing his chances of finding an angle to dodge. Almost at the moment the gun was fired. Brian immediately entered a strange state: all the surrounding noises and moving objects slowed down three to five times. His eyes underwent subtle changes, relaying the objects in his field of vision to his brain in order of their distance, after which the neurological information was transformed and then passed on to his body for response. This speed of neural transmission was his neurological response. Previously, even if Brian could barely make out the trajectories and movements of these blank bullets, without dodging in advance, his body simply wouldn¡¯t have been quick enough to respond. Now, it was completely different! He easily dodged the path of over a dozen bullets with mere left and right dodges and a bend at the waist. Brian even felt the urge to catch the bullets with his hands. This experience was truly amazing, exhilarating! ... Watching Brian narrowly dodge those bullets in the 200x slow-motion replay captured by the ultra-high-definition camera, Professor Bell nodded and looked to the stern man beside him, ¡°Agent 5, how do you feel?¡± The stern man nodded slightly, ¡°The speed is average, the reaction is decent. I¡¯ve heard his strength is also substantial, and he has very subtle force application techniques. Unfortunately, his speed is far below mine, it would be difficult for him to hit me. If the target has rich combat experience, they might last a while against me; otherwise, I could take them down in no more than two seconds.¡± Hand-to-hand combat is a combination of speed and strength. The instant contact, delivering a sudden explosive strike. Speed, strength, reaction, if any one of these is overwhelmingly lesser, it¡¯s a qualitative difference! Professor Bell naturally nodded, ¡°You are a member of the Top Agent group, and he used to be just an Autopsy Officer. He can manage against those regular elites, but it would be hard for him to dominate as before against you lot, the inhumans.¡± During the conversation. Brian had already completed the second round of testing with difficulty. With three guns aimed at him and restraining his speed and explosive power, and restraining from preemptively dodging, he was nearly hit. The third round of testing began. Five well-coordinated guns were fired. Brian barely burst out before the Bullet-Proof Vest was struck. The test ended. ... Brian pretended to be disappointed, ¡°Too hard. When there¡¯s a large number of guns, my brain and eyes can¡¯t keep up.¡± The stern man standing before Professor Bell nodded, ¡°You haven¡¯t undergone special training to develop instinctive bullet dodging reactions. With this performance, you are already quite impressive. Your capabilities have my recognition.¡± Chapter 224 - 224 167 Royal Ace Agent Covert Return to Los Angeles_2 ?224: Chapter 167 Royal Ace Agent, Covert, Return to Los Angeles_2 224: Chapter 167 Royal Ace Agent, Covert, Return to Los Angeles_2 ¡°Who are you?¡± Brian looked at the man whose appearance was no worse than his own, a fair-faced youth. The stern young man stepped forward, ¡°Royal Ace Agent, you can call me Number 5. I¡¯m also your examiner for the second practical combat test. Come at me, attack me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a lot more handsome than the agents in the movies..¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Brian threw out a leg whip without any sense of sportsmanship, creating a blur that appeared beside Number 5¡¯s cheek. An empty sensation came through. Brian sensed trouble and, carrying his body¡¯s inertia, tumbled awkwardly while extending his hands in a blocking position. The next moment, A fist, trailing a blur, appeared on Brian¡¯s arm and sent him flying backwards. He barely managed to stabilize his figure as he landed, slightly disheveled. Number 5 stopped his motion and appraised, ¡°Not bad reaction speed and combat sharpness, but unfortunately, your speed is too slow. Acting carelessly without knowing the enemy¡¯s capabilities only gives them a chance to discover your weaknesses.¡± Brian¡¯s face showed gravity as he adopted a defensive stance, secretly amazed. This guy¡¯s got something. His speed was almost as explosive as his own, his strength nearly a ton, and most crucially, he had managed to dodge the close-range whip of Brian¡¯s leg, which had been exceedingly fast. Number 5¡¯s reaction speed completely surpassed his! Looking at Number 5¡¯s expression, Brian guessed that this might not be his full strength. That¡¯s a bit outrageous. Brian doubted that without going all out, without lifting his body¡¯s limitations for hand-to-hand combat, he might not be a match for his opponent. Seeing that Brian remained silent, Number 5¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, his toes tapped lightly. Whoosh. As if by instant teleportation, he covered a distance of seven or eight meters in an instant, appeared in front of Brian, and lightly punched toward Brian¡¯s face. This time, Brian saw it clearly. Number 5¡¯s burst of speed was no slower than the Mutant Beast he had encountered in Forest Park, and in fact, it was even faster than his own current speed! For such an enemy, moving carelessly would only expose weaknesses! Brian stood firm and raised his hands to block. Another fist from Number 5 came in the form of an uppercut from below. Brian blocked again! Both of them stood in place, their arms blurring rapidly, exchanging blows more than a hundred times in just a few seconds. Because of the incredible speed, the surrounding air was full of the afterimages of their arms, clashing against each other like special effects from a movie, eliciting gasps of astonishment from a group of onlookers. These two freaks, their hand speed must be fast enough to catch blanks! The middle-aged amiable white man Smith, who had welcomed Brian, patted his belly, ¡°Every time I see these inhuman fights, I feel this world is very strange and very insecure.¡± Professor Bell, standing beside him, nodded his head helplessly, ¡°No one can stop the world from changing. The only thing we can do is keep up and not fall behind...¡± ... After five or six seconds of continuous exchange, Brian timed it right, his hand speed slowing more and more, his expression growing uglier, then with a step back, he withdrew from Number 5¡¯s attack range, raising his hands to surrender, ¡°No more, no more, my body can¡¯t handle it.¡± Number 5 also demonstrated gentlemanly restraint by not pursuing the attack, but there was a touch of disappointment on his face, ¡°I thought you would improve under my pressure, but it seems not. Your body must have just absorbed the ¡®Neurological Response Activity¡¯ reagent quite well and completely.¡± After speaking, he returned to Professor Bell¡¯s side. Hearing this, Professor Bell quickly waved to Brian and then drew some of his blood. He also carefully inserted a long, thin needle, resembling an acupuncture needle, into the crevices of Brian¡¯s skull to extract a bit of tissue fluid. Having done these, he immediately began using a simple device on the spot to carry out the examination. Smith led Brian toward the base¡¯s interior. Gazing at the old man, who had become engrossed in his research at the shooting range, Brian touched the newly inserted, sensationless tiny hole in his head and wondered, ¡°Does he hold a high position?¡± The pheromones and other substances in the organization fluids and blood had all been filtered and purified by him. The other party would only find traces of ¡®Troll Reagent,¡¯ ¡®Primordial Blood,¡¯ and ¡®Visual Cell Enhancement Reagent¡¯ within it, with hardly any components of the ¡®Neurological Response Activity¡¯ Reagent. This would reduce complications. However, this experience had made Brian realize that his two innate talents, when combined, seemed to greatly advance biological research. Perhaps after gaining a high position, wealth, and power, he would establish his own department specifically for researching these things? Smith was still immersed in the inhuman images he had seen earlier. Upon hearing Brian¡¯s comment, he nodded somewhat slowly, ¡°Professor Bell is a professor at the Commonwealth Royal College and holds a high academic position. He just doesn¡¯t agree with the methods of the Night Demon Organization, which is why he hasn¡¯t joined their Research Department. Otherwise, he would have been the chief of the Research Department.¡± As they spoke, Smith led Brian to a heavily guarded archive room. Elsewhere, Professor Bell, too, looked up with some disappointment, ¡°Tell the Night Demon Research Department that the subject¡¯s hyperabsorption of the ¡®Neurological Response Activity¡¯ Reagent is most likely due to the simultaneous injection of the Dark Council¡¯s ¡®Primordial Blood¡¯ in a short time span, which led to a significant increase in cellular activity and sped up the absorption of the reagent¡¯s components. There were no special reactions to the other two reagents...¡± ... Archive room. After a complicated verification process, Smith, straining, removed a metal safety deposit box from the metal wall, ¡°Due to the lack of secrecy on the network, many important documents are stored in paper archives. As a condition for cooperating with the test this time, the higher-ups have agreed to grant you access to some internal documents, which should be of some help to you.¡± Upon hearing this, Brian¡¯s curiosity was piqued. He always loved secrets. The more he knew, the less he felt uneasy about the unknown. After signing a confidentiality agreement, Brian saw the contents of the safety deposit box: ¡°Biological Inheritance: The New Human Archives.¡± ¡°New humans?¡± Brian was astonished. This was exactly what he most wanted to know! He had always been curious about how official organizations managed so many enhancers and body transformers, as well as the private institutions, bounty organizations, and the rampant circulation of such things in the Underworld. What traits would the descendants of these people have? Without clarifying these matters, Brian had actually avoided intimacy with women for a long time. Apart from fearing that his strength was too great and could harm them, he was also afraid that by accident, he could sire some mutant offspring. This would be unfair to the new life. Seeing Brian¡¯s curiosity, Smith chuckled, ¡°Actually, this isn¡¯t considered important information. It¡¯s just not something that can be made public because it might cause social panic. Therefore, countries around the world have imposed an information blackout on these matters. Even internal members usually only learn about these matters after several years.¡± Brian paid no attention to him. It wasn¡¯t until half an hour later that he left the military base with a flickering expression and boarded the private jet arranged specially for him by the Night Demon Organization. ... On the flight back to Los Angeles, Brian toyed with the reagent injector in his hands, gazing out of the airplane window at the clear, boundless sky, and sighed softly. The matter of descendants was a tricky one. Chapter 225 - 225 168 New Human Class First Subscription Bonus 1 ?225: Chapter 168 New Human Class (First Subscription Bonus 1) 225: Chapter 168 New Human Class (First Subscription Bonus 1) The Night Demon Organization classified non-ordinary humans into three groups. The first group consisted of Mutants. This category of data was the most comprehensively collected. According to the Night Demon Organization¡¯s decades of investigation and records, the majority of Mutants underwent somatic Mutation, leading to changes in their genetic material. Therefore, their offspring were, to varying degrees, affected. This impact was divided into dominant and recessive traits. Of these, over ninety percent were recessive, meaning there was no discernible difference from ordinary people. If both parents were Mutants, the probability jumped to between thirty to fifty percent, though the specific reasons remained unknown. If the offspring of a Mutant with dominant inheritance were born, they would naturally possess abilities that were unusual to ordinary people. Yet, this ability might not necessarily be the same as that provided by the Mutant parent¡¯s genetic material, mutations could occur. Moreover, the vast majority bore obvious physical deformities; the chances of dying young were high, and most suffered from abnormal brain development. Even those who grew to adulthood had low intelligence, akin to wild beasts. There might be individual differences, but within the data Brian had seen, no relevant records existed. This point made Brian very uncomfortable. He was a Mutant, and a highly potent one at that. The only difference was that his Mutant Ability likely fell into the category of Rule Type. Apart from containing Blood Moon Radiation Energy within his body, initially, there was nothing particularly different about him. Even the previous NW and the current Night Demon Organization¡¯s tests had revealed no abnormalities. Brian wasn¡¯t sure if his genetic material would be affected in these ways. ... The second type of non-ordinary human was the Transformed people. Transformed people referred to those who were injected with various Enhancement Reagents devised using Mutants as a base combined with modern biotechnology. This type was the most common non-human staff member within all official organizations currently. Thus, the Night Demon Organization had also amassed considerable data on them. The offspring of this category, similar to that of Mutants, also displayed certain anomalies, with a fairly high incidence rate. But most were benign Mutations. The descendants of these individuals possessed innately superior physical conditions and traits over ordinary humans and had an improved tolerance and absorption for subsequent reagents. They were the preferred ¡®insiders¡¯ of official organizations. Of course, a small portion might result in deformed offspring. This was particularly prevalent and likely among those who used Beastification Reagents that altered their body¡¯s structure. To some extent, these types of Transformed people were virtually indistinguishable from Mutants, except for the lack of a risk of losing control, and even their living habits might shift following the transformation. The most notable example was the Spider Woman and the FBI hunting squad that Brian had previously encountered, as well as the unknown entity that had lured the Spider Woman with bait. This unknown entity was even more extraordinary than the Spider Woman, adapting eating habits similar to spiders. God knows what sort of creatures they¡¯d produce if they reproduced. There was another point. The likelihood of Transformed people reproducing offspring was quite low. It was possible that even after years of effort, one might not manage to sustain a fertilized embryo, and even if successful, there was a high probability of miscarriage during gestation. Human intervention was also challenging. Therefore, although this group had significant potential, their numbers were not substantial at the moment. Brian suspected that the Royal Ace Agent from England was a descendant of a Transformed person; otherwise, it would be exceptionally abnormal for someone his age to be so strong. .. The third type of non-human was Mutated organ transformation. This was different from the use of Beastification Reagents. This category involved the use of rare substances extracted from Mutant traits, synthesizing various miraculous serums, and then forcibly integrating foreign organs into the human body, in defiance of biotechnological laws. Simply put, these were a type of transformed individuals that should not exist in this era. It was only because of Mutants that they even existed. These individuals were characterized by their quick combat readiness, low cost, easy control, and served as the sacrificial lambs by nature, the go-to choice for staff of large organizations that lacked power, connections, or abilities. Their offspring reproduced like normal humans, with no impact. Similarly, their descendants were also ordinary people. .. What gave Brian a headache was that he was not only a Mutant but also a Transformed person, and his body had absorbed a miscellany of talents, leading to some unknown changes within him. As a bearer of the dual talents of ¡®Pheromone Control¡¯ and ¡®Body Control,¡¯ he also came with an almost cheat-like ¡®Supercomputer Perception¡¯ talent. Brian clearly knew that although he appeared to be a normal human, and could even let the Night Demon and NW organizations test the filtered blood and tissue fluids from his body without issue, his true core was already far from that of a normal human. Which meant. Reproducing offspring for him was akin to opening a blind box. If the mother was also a Mutant or a Transformed person, it would add even more uncertainty to this blind box. Brian was quite worried that if he continued to grow stronger, there might be reproductive isolation between him and humans... ¡°If I had known, I would have gone to donate sperm with my classmates back in university days. At least now I could find my own uncontaminated sperm...¡± Brian truly had some regrets now. Because of his good education and appearance, many private institutions had approached him while he was at school, wanting to buy his sperm at a high price. Influenced by certain ideas from his previous life, Brian ultimately did not agree and chose to become a Vehicle Appraiser¡ªan uncomplicated part-time job that allowed him to enjoy and make money. Thinking back now, he felt quite regretful. Brian really wanted to have his own healthy offspring. ¡°If it really doesn¡¯t work out, I¡¯ll just have to accept it...¡± Brian, thinking about the Top Agent, consoled himself, ¡°Such an exceptional individual as me, as long as my offspring survive, they probably won¡¯t be terrible. Monster or not, this world has gone mad anyway. In the future, maybe it¡¯s the non-human monsters that will truly be the ruling class...¡± After all, the file name from the Night Demon Organization was ¡°Biological Inheritance: The New Human Files.¡± People like Susan and their second-generation peers, none of them had the slightest resistance to using Enhancement Reagents. In their circles, it was probably already an unspoken agreement. With that in mind, Brian suddenly remembered two phrases from his great-uncle¡¯s will: ¡°In an era where class structures are fixed, the fastest way for a family with no background to rise is by the status of being Divine Favored.¡± This identity can let you transcend class boundaries. ... Brian slapped himself hard on the face! His uncle had already given him a hint, yet he was still wallowing in self-torment. Understood! He got it! The organization Uncle and the fierce old man belonged to must have a way to solve the problems of mutants¡¯ offspring! And this method must surely make the offspring more outstanding than those of the enhancers! That would make sense! Otherwise, Uncle Billy wouldn¡¯t be so fixated on turning him into a mutant! Brian didn¡¯t believe that Billy couldn¡¯t get his hands on the Enhancement Reagent. If Billy didn¡¯t do so, then it surely meant that after joining the fierce old man¡¯s organization, he found a better option, which was why they kept forcing him, the unlucky one, to become a mutant. In their eyes, ¡®new humanity¡¯ was, after the Blood Moon, the master of the new era, and it was the true invisible threshold for class transition. The offspring of those ordinary people, no matter how excellent, were probably destined to work for that group of ¡®new humanity¡¯. The lucky few could come to know these sealed truths, let their offspring start from the same starting point as others, assimilate into this group, and become a part of the class. The less fortunate just got swallowed up. Just think about the composition of the NW organization: tycoons + government. Below them, there were their children, and people like Brian, the elite commoners who became new ¡®enhancer¡¯ workers. That is to say. In this era, a new social class had already emerged, it¡¯s just that ordinary people were completely unaware of it. Thinking through all these. The many contents in the will Uncle Billy left before made sense. Billy was not foolish; he just knew more, saw the truth of the mutated world more clearly, grasped its essence more firmly, and was more desperate, which finally led him to take such extreme measures. Brian let out a huge sigh of relief. It must be like this! And it has to be this way! Once off the plane, Brian decided to call the fierce old man to confirm this! ... Eleven hours later. The private plane began its descent. Looking at the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles in the night below, Brian¡¯s lips curled into a light smile, wondering if his colleagues would be surprised to see him tomorrow. After getting off the plane, it was already past eight o¡¯clock in the evening. He took a taxi from the airport. Brian returned to his empty apartment. He took out his phone and dialed the fierce old man¡¯s number. For a moment. There was the sound like that of opera humming, followed by the old man¡¯s voice, ¡°Kid, if you have something to say, say it. I¡¯m busy.¡± Hearing the opera singing filled with foreign flavor, Brian: .. ¡°Uncle Fierce, you¡¯re not teaching a foreign lady how to sing opera, are you?¡± ¡°Hey, exactly. Those foreign ladies in your address book, many of them are well-educated and learn quickly. They were unwilling to learn and sing for me at first, but when I flashed some cash, they were willing to do anything. Ah, money is really nice to have.¡± The fierce old man sighed on the phone. Having scurried and hidden for half a lifetime, when had he ever been so comfortable? This is what living should feel like! Brian: ... What¡¯s the difference between this and hiring a prostitute to come home and work the fields and harvest rice? It shows no respect for their profession at all! But money does make an old man happy. Although it was his money, Brian was still quite generous in this respect. He shared his doubts with him, ¡°Uncle Fierce, today I came across a file on new humanity and found out some things. Does your organization have a way to resolve the problems of mutants having children?¡± There was a silence on the phone for a moment, followed by the old man¡¯s voice urging someone away. After waiting another ten seconds or so. The fierce old man cautiously said, ¡°Did that nutjob Billy leave you any information?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing, just a guess. Otherwise, I don¡¯t understand why Billy insists on turning me into a mutant. Right now, being an enhancer is so much better; my next generation will naturally belong to this group, and it will be much simpler for them in the future.¡± Brian, of course, wouldn¡¯t honestly reveal the reason behind his guess. ¡°Ah~¡± The old man sighed, ¡°Kid, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to tell you, but this matter is very complicated. Even within the organization, most don¡¯t know about it, and only Billy¡¯s master can do it. I don¡¯t know the specifics.¡± Again, it was Uncle Billy¡¯s master... Brian knew if he asked any further, the old man would become suspicious, so after making some idle chatter, he hung up the phone. ... Shi San was at Susan¡¯s. Returning to living alone felt weird. He spent a sleepless night. The next day, Brian cleaned up and went to Cabo¡¯s motorcycle superstore to collect his ¡®monster¡¯ motorcycle and then rushed off to work. One reason was he missed Susan and Shi San. The other was that with so much reagent liquid hidden within him, Brian felt uncomfortable and wanted to expel it as soon as possible. He wondered whether Shi San would undergo any new changes after absorbing all those reagents... Chapter 226 - 226 169 Promotion Dawn Warrior ?226: Chapter 169: Promotion, Dawn Warrior 226: Chapter 169: Promotion, Dawn Warrior ¡°Brian?¡± Old Hardenn punched in, sleepily opened the door, and after seeing a figure in the office, rubbed his eyes, ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to be on a business trip for a month?¡± ¡°That place was too boring, so I came back early.¡± Brian buried his head in replying to comments. He had just posted a picture of his motorcycle ¡®Beast¡¯ on his personal social media account. With such a cool motorcycle, it would be ridiculous not to show it off. It was a website similar to the forums Brian had known in his past life. His ¡®Beast¡¯, with its domineering look and sci-fi exhaust pipe, had attracted over a dozen comments within just a minute or two of posting. Looking at the silly netizens¡¯ sour comments was oddly satisfying. ¡°Any gifts?¡± The old man scanned the room, slightly disappointed. After Susan came back, she had brought them some perfume and branded wallets and stuff. Brian shrugged, ¡°My return is the biggest gift, now our team can go full throttle, and we don¡¯t have to worry about tough cases anymore.¡± Oh no, he suddenly remembered he hadn¡¯t brought Susan a gift. ¡°Alright, I do feel a lot more at ease, and by the way, there¡¯s something for you.¡± Old Hardenn dragged a large box out of the corner and handed it to Brian, ¡°It was delivered after you left, just left at the guard¡¯s station. According to the cameras, a short person dropped it off at night. Ivan and the others scanned it, confirmed it wasn¡¯t a bomb, and even had Shi San sniff it to make sure it wasn¡¯t dangerous, then they brought it up.¡± Brian was somewhat surprised, ¡°You trust Shi San that much?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Old Hardenn looked at Brian strangely, ¡°In the two days you weren¡¯t here, Shi San sniffed a body at a murder scene and led Susan straight to the killer. The guy was really unlucky, he was the victim¡¯s neighbor and stood outside watching the fuss when Shi San bit him. Later, Shi San also led the team to the murder weapon that the culprit hadn¡¯t disposed of yet, breaking the record for the fastest case solved after you left. It is now the most badass investigator in our team.¡± Brian:... What is this strange feeling that my own dog is plotting to take over the throne? ... Nine o¡¯clock in the morning. The other members of the team gradually arrived. They all greeted Brian warmly as they saw him return. Only young Glenn, not having seen him for two days, seemed a bit wilted. Brian asked why, but Glenn was somewhat evasive, only saying it was an emotional matter. Seeing he didn¡¯t want to elaborate. Brian didn¡¯t ask further. Nine thirty. ¡°Woof woof~¡± Accompanied by the excited barking, a fluffy ball dashed into the office from outside, leaping from over three meters away and crashing into Brian¡¯s arms like a rubber ball. ¡°Woof woof~ (Big dog~)¡± Shi San¡¯s tongue was agile and didn¡¯t give Brian any chance to refuse; it licked his cheeks all over, marking its scent, then cuddled in his arms to express its missing feelings. For a dog, two days is six meals. That¡¯s a pretty long time not to see someone. Brian pinched Shi San¡¯s neck of fate and, with his other hand, disdainfully wiped his face, ¡°How do I feel that after not seeing you for two days, you¡¯ve gotten fatter...¡± Walking in unhurriedly, Susan gave Brian a look, grabbed Shi San away, and held it in her arms, whispering softly, ¡°How come you¡¯re back in just two days?¡± Brian grinned and laughed lightly, ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it, I¡¯m too outstanding. If I didn¡¯t come back, those Brits would have kept me there as a son-in-law.¡± Susan rolled her eyes at Brian, her eyes showing joy but her mouth critical, ¡°Officer Brian, come to my office and report on your business trip.¡± ¡°Yes, Team Leader!¡± Brian called out loudly and followed her. Watching the big door of the chief¡¯s office close. Ivan sighed, ¡°Ah, marriage is the grave of love. Brian¡¯s life is over.¡± Glenn¡¯s face showed no envy, ¡°Brian is still too young, doesn¡¯t understand women are creatures that will change once they get you, the team leader is so violent, Brian¡¯s going to have it rough.¡± Old Hardenn, however, spoke with a touch of sentiment, ¡°Young people still need love and marriage, otherwise when you¡¯re old, you¡¯ll find you don¡¯t even have memories to look back on.¡± Glenn: ??? He remained silent for a moment before realizing, ¡°Are you saying that Boss Brian and Team Leader Susan are dating?¡± Old Hardenn and the others:... ... Entering the office. Brian¡¯s stern subordinate¡¯s face changed, and he complained with a hint of grievance, ¡°I thought you¡¯d be joyful to see me back.¡± Seeing this, Susan quickly threw Shi San, which was comfortably laying in her arms, to the side and hugged Brian, pressing his head against her shoulder, ¡°Brian, there were too many people outside just now, you know, office romance... Hmm~¡± Shi San, thrown to the ground, felt truly aggrieved. It looked at two big dogs in heat, their mouths glued together nibbling away, paws touching here and there. Disappointed, it shook its tail and hopped onto the couch sprawling out a? la Ge You. Not understanding humans... After a while. Brian reluctantly took his hands away and settled with Susan on the couch, kicking the unloved Shi San away, and began to whisper, briefly narrating his days in London. Men have a bit of a desire to show off in front of women. After a simple artistic embellishment by Brian, he was a knight who, upon hearing his lover was aggrieved, angrily went to her defense, shouldering his spear, went in and out of the Night Demon Organization and Foreign Affairs Department seven times, slapping faces and venting and even got three free A-class reagents, greatly increasing his strength, just shy of carrying off a princess to produce a litter of children and live happily ever after. Chapter 227 - 227 169 Promotion Dawn Warrior_2 ?227: Chapter 169: Promotion, Dawn Warrior_2 227: Chapter 169: Promotion, Dawn Warrior_2 Susan knew Brian was talking nonsense, but she couldn¡¯t suppress the surge of emotions and once again pinned Brian beneath her, unleashing her seldom-seen feminine charm. It happened for a good while. She pinched Brian¡¯s pectoral muscle before reluctantly retracting her hand, ¡°Brian, did you inject Shi San with enhancement reagents?¡± After taking care of Shi San for two days, she noticed something different. Brian nodded, ¡°I exchanged quite a few enhancement reagents before. It¡¯s probably because the S-T cell activation reagent worked so well on me that the reagents I exchanged didn¡¯t do much for me, so I gave them all to Shi San.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too extravagant..¡± Susan gave Brian a reproachful look, ¡°And very unsafe!¡± If reagents could be injected without risk so easily, the second generation wouldn¡¯t have to wait until they¡¯re adults to earn merit through their own efforts. Through Susan¡¯s narration, Brian learned just how lucky Shi San was. Firstly, unless it was a congenital inheritance, during the growth period, Susan and her peers would only inject some auxiliary-type enhancement reagents to boost their own physical limits. Only when their constitution ceased improving would they start working or taking jobs, earning merit points on their own and exchanging for planned enhancement reagents according to their development direction. This was because enhancement reagents, after all, were biotechnologies developed from Mutants. Each organism¡¯s constitution was different, and the enhancement reagents they could withstand and absorb were limited. Exceeding that limit meant difficulty in absorbing substances from the reagents, stagnation, or even potential physical collapse. Hence, these second generations like Susan would select their enhancement paths after adulthood, developing step by step to maximize their potential. This approach not only minimized potential risks from enhancement reagents but also ensured the greatest growth, which was also beneficial for future progeny. Brian:.. So there was such a thing. He looked apologetically at Shi San, who met his gaze with a resentful puppy eyes. Oops, he forgot that the guy could already understand some human speech.. .. Susan was very pleased about Brian obtaining three A-class enhancement reagents and having greatly increased his strength. It meant that the future obstacles to their relationship would be much reduced. Although according to Susan¡¯s character, she wouldn¡¯t care about these things¡ªotherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have run away from home to become a team leader in a huff and never talked to Brian about these things. But if Brian was outstanding enough, naturally it was better. It would also benefit their future babies. Yes... Susan had already thought about the baby issue. She thought very simply. Like someone, then marry and have children. No breakups, no divorces, only widowhood! Brian had no idea that his departure had caused Susan to cling to her feelings closer, almost settling on a name for their future babies. He took out the A-class reagent he had obtained from the Night Demon Organization before leaving London, ¡°This is a gift I brought back for you from London.¡± Susan curiously took the reagent injector and looked at it in surprise, ¡°Is this an eye cell activation reagent? They actually agreed to let you take the reagent with you?¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°They were curious about my assimilation with the nerve activation reagent, so they proposed to conduct some additional tests on me. This reagent is my reward.¡± Susan knew Brian had already received similar reagents, so she didn¡¯t refuse. Her face lit up with joy, ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, now with my neural response and physical strength continuously developing, if I add this ¡®Eye Cell Activation Reagent¡¯, I should be able to complete the Sharpshooter assessment in half a year!¡± ¡°Sharpshooter assessment?¡± Brian asked curiously. Susan nodded, ¡°That¡¯s a level above the NW organization¡¯s Sequence Soldiers rank, for example, the gunner¡¯s path is the Sharpshooter, and the close combat path is the Dawn Warrior. This level corresponds to the authority of the base¡¯s director, allowing access to some deeper, secret information. I heard there¡¯s even a higher-tier rank above that. Those Sequence Soldiers have strength comparable to the two Mutant Beasts we encountered before, a true backbone of the NW organization. Their organizational authority is very high, and within NW, they even have decision-making power for certain matters.¡± As she spoke, she couldn¡¯t help but hug Brian and kiss him again, ¡°After I return to Los Angeles, my first goal is to make a career in the NW Action Department and fulfill the bet with my father. The second thing, I want to become a B-ranked Sharpshooter. I didn¡¯t expect that after meeting you, Brian, all this could be achieved. You¡¯re amazing!¡± A woman¡¯s praise is the best stimulant for a man. The two of them were affectionate all morning until Susan received a message that the next afternoon all the operational department leaders had to go to the headquarters for a staff member¡¯s rank promotion, ending their romantic indulgence. ¡°Who would have thought that someone in the action department could advance in rank so quickly!¡± Susan¡¯s eyes were filled with determination, ¡°Brian, I¡¯m going to continue training and absorbing the reagents at the shooting range. You have to work hard too, let¡¯s advance together!¡± Watching Susan¡¯s retreating figure, Brian held Shi San, who wanted to follow her, and felt a bit sentimental, ¡°There are always stronger people out there, huh? Who is this incredible individual?¡± The NW organization had three ranks: A, B, and C. The action department was comprised of B-rank soldiers. So there were two more levels above. This also provided Brian with a direction for his future path. Got to work hard! .. Because of Susan¡¯s reminder, Brian didn¡¯t rush to inject Shi San with the Enhancement Reagent he had brought back from his own body. He planned to go back at night and try it slowly. After eating with Shi San, Brian returned to his workstation and began to check the items that old Hardenn had handed over to him. The box was opened. An old rag doll appeared in front of Brian. Looking at the Tigger doll, Brian was somewhat baffled. He took out the doll. At the bottom of the box, there was also a letter. Brian opened the envelope and saw some scribbled handwriting, then he had an epiphany. This was a gift he had given to a friend during his middle school days. The two were on good terms. Before the other person transferred schools, they exchanged gifts as a farewell. The content of the letter was simple: Brian, I¡¯m back. Do you remember the promise we made during our school days? I¡¯ve been busy with some things lately, but after Christmas, remember to come to Round Moon Lake to fulfill the promise we made back then. ¨CRiddle Dalair. .. He put away the letter. Brian chuckled lightly as he lit a cigarette. Riddle was a wild-hearted mixed-race lad, of Indian and white descent, who had lived with his mother. When Brian first started middle school and was being bullied for his exceptional appearance, Riddle helped him and they became friends. Of course, they didn¡¯t spend much time together, just one term. After that, Riddle¡¯s mother took him to live with his Indian father. In reality, as Brian¡¯s charisma rose higher and higher, along with learning some ruthless tricks from the Kamor family¡¯s bunch of scoundrels, and having the protection of a group of school big sisters, he never suffered bullying again. As time went by, coupled with a long period of no contact, Brian had long forgotten this friend. After all, he wasn¡¯t a real child; his mind was more complex and not so innocent. But now, thinking back to some past events between them, Brian couldn¡¯t help but smile knowingly. He carefully stored the box that carried the friendship of his youth. Brian turned on his computer and habitually checked his email. To his surprise, there was an email in his inbox from the NW field department: ¡°Dear Mr. Brian, based on feedback from the Night Demon Organization and review by the Field Department + Home Affairs Department, we have decided to make an exceptional promotion for you to the next Sequence. Please arrive at Ace Base tomorrow afternoon to complete your B Sequence ¨C Dawn Warrior promotion ceremony. Please reply upon receipt.¡± Brian, upon reading the content of the email, couldn¡¯t help but burst into loud laughter. Happy days. It turned out that the fierce warrior was himself. At noon, everyone went out to eat. The office had only old Hardenn at the moment. Hearing Brian¡¯s laughter, Hardenn, who had just opened a game, curiously asked, ¡°Brian, what¡¯s up?¡± Brian made a perfunctory reply, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, the box from earlier was sent by an old friend I haven¡¯t seen in a while, made me think of some happy memories.¡± ¡°That¡¯s indeed something to be happy about...¡± Old Hardenn got a bit distracted. At his age, there weren¡¯t many friends left. .. As the saying goes, the three great joys for men are promotion, wealth... I¡¯m in a good mood today. Brian decided to be gentler with Shi San tonight. Chapter 228 - 228 170 Online Dating Has Risks Head to the Base! ?228: Chapter 170: Online Dating Has Risks, Head to the Base! 228: Chapter 170: Online Dating Has Risks, Head to the Base! In the evening, Shi San curled up on the couch, her doggy eyes darting now and then towards the bathroom. She didn¡¯t know why. Ever since the big dog had returned, she felt his gaze on her was filled with ill intent, sending a chill across her buttocks. After taking a bath, Brian stretched lazily, feeling content, and flopped down on the couch, grabbing a pile of chocolates and showing them off. Seeing this, Shi San followed suit, snatching a big piece of beef jerky that Susan had given her from the coffee table and dragging it back in front of Brian. She mimicked Ge You¡¯s slouching posture, humanely holding the beef jerky with her little paws and munching away. One man and one dog sat there languorously watching TV and eating. After finishing a full box of chocolates, Brian downed two liters of milk in one go before he felt that his body was no longer craving sustenance. As his strength grew, so did his daily requirement for energy from food. Luckily, his digestion was not bad. Otherwise, Brian suspected he might become nothing more than a feces-producing machine. After eating, Brian took out a row of small syringes and, in front of Shi San, he began to carefully extract the reagents stored in his body, sorting and placing them neatly. There were mainly two types of reagents. One was the Eye Enhancement Reagent, which could strengthen the number and tissues around the eye cells, enhancing vision. The other was the Troll Reagent, which dramatically increased the strength and resilience of biological muscle fibers, greatly enhancing the muscular explosive power of the creature. Note, it was the strength, not the quantity. Otherwise, Susan would have turned into a Kong Fu Barbie by now. In fact, Brian had in his body another reagent, the ¡®Primordial Blood¡¯, obtained from that large wolf-dog. Originally, this had been intended for Susan, but upon his return, he discovered that once exposed to air, the substance would undergo a qualitative change and ordinary containers could not hold it. The key was that the test tube that initially contained the ¡®Primordial Blood¡¯ had already been taken by the Night Demon Organization. With no choice, Brian continued to store it in his body, planning to find an opportunity to make a fake Nutrient Liquid and then give it to Susan to drink, seizing the chance to transfer the liquid into Susan¡¯s body with a kiss. ... Looking at the familiar small syringes, the piece of beef jerky between Shi San¡¯s paws suddenly dropped onto the couch... The beef jerky didn¡¯t seem delicious anymore. ¡°Woof~ Woof woof woof~ (Big Dog, Shi San doesn¡¯t want to get injected!)¡± Shi San looked pitiful. Brian stroked Shi San¡¯s head: ¡°Silly, ordinary dogs can only live for about a decade. Don¡¯t you want to keep me company for longer?¡± ¡°Woof? (What is living?)¡± ¡°Our current state, that¡¯s being alive. When we can¡¯t live anymore, that¡¯s death, like your mother who has permanently left you,¡± Brian patiently explained. He really did hope that Shi San could keep him company for a longer time. With his Supercomputer Perception, Brian knew very well that given his current state, living past a hundred years was a piece of cake. It would be a long, long time. If possible, Brian wanted to cultivate Shi San into a similar state as himself, greatly increasing cellular vitality, breaking the upper limits of a dog¡¯s life, and being with him forever. Hearing Brian¡¯s explanation, Shi San thought of the already blurry figure in her mind, hurriedly burrowing into Brian¡¯s embrace, tears rolling down her cheeks: ¡°Woof woof woof! (Shi San doesn¡¯t want to die, woo woo, Shi San wants to stay with Big Dog forever!)¡± ¡°Alright, alright, don¡¯t cry..¡± Brian hugged Shi San, soothing her helplessly. This little broken dog, her emotions were becoming richer and richer. .. On the couch, Shi San covered her eyes with her paws, obediently lying on the couch, but her body couldn¡¯t stop trembling. Getting an injection actually wasn¡¯t painful. But she was afraid of that sharp and long needle. This time, Brian was even more careful. He injected a portion of the reagent and asked Shi San how she felt before continuing with the injection. Shi San had a surprisingly high tolerance for the Enhancement Reagents. Especially the Troll Reagent. After injecting all of the small doses of Troll Reagent, not only did Shi San not feel discomfort, but she also seemed kind of addicted to it, constantly begging Brian for more. However, the ¡®Eye Enhancement Reagent¡¯ resulted in some unusual reactions. After the injection, Shi San kept saying her eyes were swollen and painful, and it was only by relying on Brian occasionally administering a drop or two of ¡®Primordial Blood¡¯ that she was able to endure. Nevertheless, after the Eye Enhancement Reagent injection, Shi San fell into a deep sleep. After checking Shi San¡¯s physical characteristics and making sure that only her eye temperature was slightly high, with no other abnormalities, Brian then picked up his sketchpad and, with the TV program in front of him, began to play a quick sketching game. He wasn¡¯t planning on sleeping tonight. He had to keep an eye on Shi San. Brian was strong and full of energy. It wasn¡¯t a big deal for him to stay awake for several days. ... The next day. Susan made a quick visit to the office before rushing off. She was planning to see her best friend at the NW Ministry of Internal Affairs to get information on today¡¯s list of promoted employees, seemingly eager to challenge that person. Seeing this, Brian smirked wickedly to himself. He was quite looking forward to seeing Susan¡¯s face when she realized the promoted employee was him. With that thought, he stealthily sent a text to Susan¡¯s BFF, the pretty girl Caroline, who had been beaten by Brian twice, threatening Caroline not to tell Susan that he was the promoted employee, or he would beat her up every time he saw her! At the NW base, Caroline was happily fidgeting with a blade on her fingertip, occasionally flicking it out to slice long wounds into a doll hanging with Brian¡¯s face. Chapter 229 - 229 170 Online Dating Has Risks Head to the Base!_2 ?229: Chapter 170: Online Dating Has Risks, Head to the Base!_2 229: Chapter 170: Online Dating Has Risks, Head to the Base!_2 She gave it two more punches, making the bobble doll stagger from side to side. Each time she saw the doll in such a sorry state, Caroline couldn¡¯t help but burst into loud laughter. This damn bastard, not only did he compete with her for Susan, but what made her even angrier was that she couldn¡¯t beat him! As the saying goes, ¡°Thirty years on the east of the river, thirty years on the west!¡± Never underestimate a young woman in poverty! Once she leveraged the resources of the internal affairs department and rapidly developed, she would definitely make that bastard kneel and beg for mercy. Then she would wrap her arms around Susan¡¯s waist and flaunt her power right in front of him! As Caroline daydreamed, the phone placed on the table suddenly vibrated. She lazily picked up the phone. The next moment, Crash~ The phone fell to the ground. Caroline looked around guiltily, realizing only then that she was in the office at Ace Base, not in front of that bastard. Annoyed and embarrassed, she punched the doll again. ¡°Right, what promotion ceremony?¡± Brian is getting promoted? Caroline picked up the phone, looked at the text Brian had sent again, and, out of curiosity, picked up the office phone to call a relative who worked in the external affairs department. A few seconds later, The office was filled with Caroline¡¯s roar and the heavy thumping of the unfortunate doll against the wall. It¡¯s just not fair. Why does that awful bastard get to be so strong! Dawn Warrior! This was a second sequence staff position! Caroline¡¯s goal was to be promoted to this level before she turned thirty. In reality, Out of a hundred enhancers, not even one might possess such potential for promotion. Humans have limits. Everyone¡¯s physique is different, their limits differ, and their tolerance to Enhancement Reagent varies as well. For most people, even with Enhancement Reagent, their potential might just remain what it is. It was determined by their genes. Otherwise, these second-generation kids would have long been abusing drugs instead of methodically enhancing themselves and maximizing their body¡¯s potential. Why could that despicable bastard, having joined the NW organization for just over two months, get promoted! Aargh!!! Minutes later, a flushed Caroline tore off Brian¡¯s photo from the doll and stealthily dragged the tattered toy to the garbage chute, throwing it inside. After a bout of psychological victory, she felt much better. Back in her seat, Caroline couldn¡¯t help but open Brian¡¯s profile again, gazing at his brilliant, sunny, handsome face and pondering how she could defeat this bastard who stole her woman. ... Brian, of course, was unaware that a little beauty was constantly cursing him. At ten in the morning, Group B6 received two cases. Ivan and the others received a new case as well. One was near a local park. The driver from the city waste recycling company, while handling a large trash bin there, noticed a man¡¯s body mixed with the garbage and reported it. The other was a mass murder in the suburbs. Many people, after getting wealthy, liked to buy land near towns, build their own houses, and live off the land, but this wasn¡¯t really safe. The complainant was the mother of a victim. She had gone to her daughter¡¯s home in the suburbs only to discover that all five family members had died, some already decomposing... they must have been dead for quite some time. If the victims¡¯ mother hadn¡¯t been unable to contact her daughter and personally went to check, the bodies might have turned to skeletons before finally being discovered by someone from the tax bureau. Considering he had to attend a promotion ceremony at Ace Base in the afternoon, Brian chose to take Green and deal with the male corpse in the dumpster. Ivan and Glenn went to handle the mass murder in the suburbs. Assistant Tom was also assigned to follow Ivan and Glenn. The team split into two groups and, driving two crime scene investigation vans (hearse vans), left the B6 group¡¯s office base. .. Shi San was awake today but dizzy while walking. Its sight and physical condition had improved drastically but were also making it hard to adapt. Brian had no choice but to carry it in a backpack. ¡°Boss Brian, Shi San is still young; try not to let it drink too much.¡± Green said earnestly. He thought Brian had taken Shi San drinking again the previous night. Before Brian could speak, Shi San poked its head out of the backpack and bared its teeth at Green, barking, ¡°Woof woof woof~ (Don¡¯t corrupt the big dog!)¡± Green couldn¡¯t understand Shi San¡¯s dog speak. He let go of the steering wheel with his right hand and patted Shi San¡¯s head, ¡°Buddy, no need to thank me, I¡¯m just doing what I should.¡± Seeing that communication was futile, Shi San looked despondently at Brian, ¡°Woof woof~ (Big dog, I want to learn human language~)¡± Brian gently stroked Shi San¡¯s head to comfort it. The child was growing up and beginning to realize its uniqueness and problems. .. Arriving at the crime scene, Apart from a garbage truck, there were also two patrol officers who had cordoned off the area, standing guard. Beside them was a black garbageman in uniform and a grim-faced Caucasian man in a suit, apparently the driver¡¯s boss. It was rare for Brian not to see any reporters. It was probably because there had been too many homicides recently; they couldn¡¯t keep up with reporting them, people were no longer surprised, and there wasn¡¯t much traffic, so they were too lazy to come. After a brief interaction with the driver and the patrol officers, Brian surveyed the scene and asked, ¡°Where is the body?¡± The driver pointed to the garbage truck, ¡°Inside there. Thankfully, I noticed it, otherwise the body would have been crushed with the rest of the trash into a big block for recycling.¡± Chapter 230 - 230 170 Online Dating Has Risks Head to the Base!_3 ?230: Chapter 170: Online Dating Has Risks, Head to the Base!_3 230: Chapter 170: Online Dating Has Risks, Head to the Base!_3 He had not finished speaking when the middle-aged white man beside him glared at him and explained to Brian with a smile, ¡°That won¡¯t happen. We have specialized personnel for waste sorting during each collection, and we won¡¯t become an accomplice to the murderer.¡± Upon hearing this, Brian rolled his eyes. This was complete nonsense. In fact, every year, there are homeless individuals who sleep in dumpsters and are irresponsibly transported into garbage trucks by drivers. If the driver does not follow procedures, hides in the truck listening to music, or if the weather is bad, with heavy rain, coupled with the special structure of the garbage truck¡¯s hopper and the automatic recycling compression function... The fate of these homeless individuals is to be crushed alive into ¡®human slices¡¯, then mixed with other garbage and compressed into a large block of waste rectangles. Even if they are eventually found, the waste collection company¡¯s staff will not report it. Brian couldn¡¯t be bothered with the middle-aged man, gestured to the driver to remove the body, and went to inspect the area around the dumpster. As soon as he activated his sense of smell, Brian frowned slightly, and then exerted effort from both his eyes and nose, trying to find possible clues. Green assisted the driver in extracting the corpse. .. Unfortunately, the garbage in the dumpster had all been dumped into the back of the truck. Brian didn¡¯t smell anything peculiar. He could only focus his gaze on the large amount of trash being slowly tipped out. From the pile of garbage emitting all kinds of strange smells, the body of a young Asian male, who did not appear to be very old, was dragged out by Green and the driver. Brian put on gloves and began the examination. The body¡¯s appearance was unclear, and it was slightly bloated overall. Taking into account the relatively sealed environment of the dumpster and the temperature higher than the outside. Brian deduced the victim¡¯s time of death to be between forty-eight and seventy-two hours, that is, not more than three days. This roughly matched the waste collection company¡¯s collection schedule. They generally use one garbage truck, with a fixed collection route, about three times a week. Based on the jacket the victim wore, it seemed that his family was well-off, not a homeless person. Taking into account the process of the driver finding the body, Brian inferred that the victim must have been thrown into the dumpster when it was empty. The reason he was certain it was thrown in is that a freshly emptied dumpster is actually quite disgusting, and even homeless individuals wouldn¡¯t be willing to go in, let alone this young Asian male who clearly wasn¡¯t homeless. .. Brian took the opportunity to teach Green about the investigative approach and procedure of the case. ¡°In a typical case like this, the first step is to see if the victim¡¯s identity can be determined,¡± Brian quickly searched the victim¡¯s belongings, but other than something resembling a mouth freshener spray, there was nothing else. On the wrist of the deceased, the skin was noticeably whiter than the surrounding areas, a sign of a wristband indentation, but it was unclear whether a watch had been taken or if he had left home without it. ¡°The victim was probably someone who cared a lot about his personal appearance; this kind of item is generally carried for negotiations and dates,¡± Brian bagged the mouth freshener spray and handed it to Green. Green looked around the environment and nodded, ¡°He was probably about to go on a date before he died because no one would set a meeting place in the park. He looks young too, darn it, Asians always seem so much younger; I¡¯m quite envious.¡± He looked just like an adult at the age of fifteen. Now, in his twenties, he looked like he was in his thirties. Brian ignored Green¡¯s grumbling and continued, ¡°If the victim¡¯s identity cannot be established, the second step is to determine the cause of death and rule out the possibility of accidental death. Although this case is most likely a homicide, we don¡¯t dismiss other possibilities. Additionally, teeth are also a step in determining the victim¡¯s identity.¡± As he spoke, he began a physical examination of the body. To be honest. The touch of such a slightly bloated body instinctively made one uncomfortable, as though it was a feeling of unease etched into one¡¯s DNA. The victim had no external injuries. Brian examined the victim¡¯s mouth. The oral hygiene of the person in question was quite good, the upper and lower teeth were neatly arranged. However, through the condition of the teeth¡¯s wear, Brian confirmed that the individual was a person from Hua Country and furthermore a student studying abroad there. The difference in dietary habits was distinctive. This aspect was easy to differentiate. Suddenly, Brian, looking at the corpse¡¯s open mouth, slightly wrinkled his nose. He sighed, turned the body over, pulled down his pants and, indeed in the perineal area, found obvious bruises and lacerations. There were no signs that the wounds had been treated. Beyond that, the victim¡¯s banana, at the junction where the skin meets the flesh, also had tearing injuries, along with some white filth marks. This implied that the victim had previously been a good boy, careful with his body. His first time was still intact. What Brian meant was that the victim¡¯s jewel had not been polished from birth until now. The perpetrator, while assaulting the victim, had attacked the victim¡¯s banana, leading to scars on that small area where the skin meets the flesh. This further validated the likelihood that the victim was from Hua Country. At that time, the concept of circumcision was not present there. Here it was different; most parents probably had the hospital perform the surgery when their child was born, as a matter of course. So, through this characteristic, one could also ascertain the victim¡¯s identity to some extent. ... When Brian shared his analysis with Green, not only did the two patrol officers nearby look at Brian with admiration, but Green also exclaimed, ¡°Boss Brian, I feel like there¡¯s an endless amount to learn in criminal investigation, it involves such a broad range of knowledge.¡± Brian nodded in agreement. Solving cases was much harder than committing crimes. ¡°All right, there are no obvious external injuries on the victim, so we¡¯ll probably have to go back for an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Let¡¯s transport the body back; I have things to do this afternoon.¡± Brian took off his gloves, signaling to Green to bag the corpse. ¡°What about me?¡± Green appeared somewhat at a loss. Brian pointed to the body, ¡°Buddy, Asian, young, not cheap clothing, naively comes to a park like this for a date. What does that suggest to you?¡± ¡°A student studying abroad.¡± ¡°Correct, a student studying abroad. And also one who was tricked here by a girl, only to discover upon arrival that the other party was actually a man¡ªa foolish egg.¡± ¡°Online dating?¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Likely. So, you just directly contact the Chinese student groups at various schools. They have their own communication groups. Ask them if anyone has been missing for two days and is involved in online dating; this will allow us to pinpoint the victim¡¯s identity. And with the chat records, we can establish the perpetrator¡¯s identity, got it?¡± Online dating is risky, one must be cautious when hooking up! ¡°Got it!¡± Green¡¯s eyes lit up, and he was impressed once more. Boss Brian is awesome! .. In the afternoon, Brian left Shi San with old Hardenn and got on the helicopter that came to pick him up. Actually, he didn¡¯t expect the NW organization to hold him in such high regard. Susan was right. Upon being promoted to the second level, his privileges had greatly increased. What¡¯s this called, face value! After boarding the plane, the respectful demeanor of the pilot also spoke volumes. Brian touched the employee watch on his wrist, looking forward to the look on Susan¡¯s face when she discovered he was the one promoted. It was sure to be very interesting. Chapter 231 - 231 171 Deputy Ministers Coaxing and Testing First Subscription Bonus 2 ?231: Chapter 171 Deputy Minister¡¯s Coaxing and Testing (First Subscription Bonus 2) 231: Chapter 171 Deputy Minister¡¯s Coaxing and Testing (First Subscription Bonus 2) Arrived at Ace Base. This time, it wasn¡¯t the same uncle Susan who had welcomed Brian before, but a strange old man with silver hair. The old man was around 1.8 meters tall, with an upright figure, dressed in a military uniform, his face flushed, and his brown eyes bright and piercing. If it weren¡¯t for the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and his full head of silver hair betraying his age, he would look about thirty years old. Behind him stood a row of twelve armed soldiers, their status evidently not low. Upon seeing Brian, the old man curiously sized him up for a moment and immediately smiled as he approached, ¡°Hello, Brian, I am the Deputy Minister of Operations, you can call me Xide.¡± ¡°Hello, Minister Xide!¡± Brian shook his hand, his attitude humble and his words filled with tact. ¡°Let¡¯s go, there are some procedures before the promotion ceremony,¡± Xide led the way. ¡°By the way, Brian, have you ever crossed paths with the top agents of the Federation?¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Yes, but I only know the individual is Number Five, very strong. Without a weapon, I feel they could kill me easily.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very normal.¡± Xide comforted him, ¡°Those top agents, comparable to our Operations Department B Series Third Level staff, at the very least match the strong Mutant Beasts. Without a formal armed team to ambush them, ordinary people are no match. These are individuals who have transcended humanity, and in our NW organization, we only have two. So, as the first of the new generation to be promoted, we are quite surprised, and our expectations of you are high, I have great faith in your future.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Minister.¡± ... After a cumbersome process, Brian arrived once again at the NW headquarters located deep underground. Under the leadership of Deputy Minister Xide, he went through tests similar to those he had undergone in London: strength, speed, reaction speed... Next, the research department also collected Brian¡¯s blood and bodily fluids. Just when Brian thought it was ending, Xide led him to a heavily guarded, highly technological intelligent factory. Yes, it was a factory. Countless transparent tubes connected to an unknown underground space, continuously pooling various colored liquids into large metal tanks. Individuals in white coats and protective suits shuttled back and forth inside, replacing tanks and then taking filled tanks via a conveyor belt to soldiers who guarded the next step in the process, forming an assembly line. ¡°Minister, what is this place?¡± ¡°Basic Soldier Serum Production Factory,¡± Xide stamped his foot on the ground. ¡°Beneath us is what we call the ¡®vegetable garden,¡¯ which we spent fifty years selectively cultivating.¡± Vegetable Garden... Brian looked at the substances in the transparent tubes, obviously composed of human tissue fluids, and felt a chill. So much tissue fluid¡ªif it was extracted regularly, how many ¡®materials¡¯ were detained beneath their feet? Indeed, humans were their own cruelest enemies. Seeing his expressionless face without any excessive reactions, Xide nodded contentedly, ¡°Brian, this world operates on the principle that big fish eat small fish, and small fish eat shrimp, and shrimp eat mud; survival of the fittest is the truth. Your potential is strong, you have the chance to become a third-level sequence staff, part of the decision-making in NW organization. Although that¡¯s just the beginning, it also means you have earned a ticket to the upper layers, have you considered leaving the frontline to follow me?¡± Brian did not commit but simply retorted, ¡°Minister Xide, I am a member of the Operations Department, and you are the head of the Operations Department. I am already your man.¡± A joke. Leaving the frontline, where else could provide such a conducive environment for one to pursue their obsessions. Brian would not serve anyone, unless that person was Susan, considering as a couple, they would inevitably engage in role-playing and cosplay in the future. Those are two different matters. He really didn¡¯t understand how some characters in movies would willingly obey a frail trash command and regard them as a master. At least in Brian¡¯s perception, beneath Xide¡¯s seemingly young and healthy exterior, he could smell the decay of an old man without even needing his enhanced sense of smell. This kind of guy wanted to be his boss? Xide picked up on Brian¡¯s subtext. However, he did not show much disappointment, only gesturing towards the busy staff, ¡°After your promotion, not only will your benefits and organizational authority increase, but you will also have the option to choose a new department. For example, the Armed Department, which is our front-line combat division and the strongest spear of the NW organization.¡± ¡°If you join the armed department, your promotions and strength development will progress quickly. Besides having to combat outside the Federation most of the time, it¡¯s perfect for a young person with potential like you.¡± Brian directly shook his head this time, ¡°No thanks, I¡¯m not very ambitious and I really like working under Team Leader Susan.¡± ¡°Heroes love beauties, that¡¯s normal.¡± Minister Xide laughed, ¡°Then I wish you luck in winning over Susan¡¯s father soon, that old man is quite troublesome.¡± Brian: .. Really? Even the previous A1 team leader, who I killed myself, was introduced to Susan. Being as outstanding as I am, Susan¡¯s father and family shouldn¡¯t make things difficult for me.. After leaving that flesh factory. Xide then took Brian on a tour of the NW organization¡¯s weaponry arsenal, along with several special departments. There, Brian saw many novel pieces of equipment that were unheard of outside. Among them, two caught his eye. One was a special combat Energy Bar. A single one could sustain a robust soldier¡¯s food need for two to three days. If he had a large amount of these, Brian¡¯s food intake could be greatly alleviated. Otherwise, it was manageable on a daily basis. But it would become a problem if he had to venture out for a long time or operate in the wilderness. He could cope. Using Gift Energy also helped alleviate the feeling of hunger. But that was too wasteful and uncomfortable. Another item was a type of Phosphorus Burning Bomb, resembling a sticky incendiary bomb the size of a little finger, that could clean wipe an area of one meter radius at terrifying temperatures ¨C an excellent accomplice for murder by fire and destroying all traces. Having gained a lot of knowledge. It was only after that, Xide took Brian back to the earlier testing room. An old man in white clothes approached with a report, ¡°Senator Xide, here are the physical examination report and the strategic analysis recommendations for Mr. Brian.¡± Xide glanced over it and with a touch of regret handed it to Brian, ¡°Keep this well, you still lack some foundation, and the NW think tank¡¯s strategic analysis will be very helpful for planning your future.¡± Brian nodded and carefully stored the report without rushing to look at it. It probably confirmed his capabilities. Next. Brian left Mr. Xide, was guided around by someone, first upgrading his sequence watch, and then receiving a few sets of special uniforms and brand new credentials... In short, by the time he finished everything, Brian had transformed into a tall, cool, handsome man in uniform. The uniform was similar to a military outfit but not quite, with a high-level, snug fit, all in black, and soft to the touch, making it feel like there was nothing on his body. However, when Brian tried tugging at it, he found that even with his strength, he could only deform the fabric, unable to rip it. The watch was also completely different from before ¨C a regular watch model but looking much more upscale, not only retaining the positioning and rescue functions but also equipped with a hidden weapon that could shoot a special tranquilizer dart that could knock out an elephant from ten meters away. Besides that, there were several other functions. And there were numerous other miscellaneous items. However, these items all came with instructions. Brian packed them, together with his own report, into a handbag brought over, followed the field staff to the backstage of the awarding and promotion ceremony room. He actually didn¡¯t yet know what permissions had been upgraded. But seeing the field staff¡¯s respectful behavior and envious eyes, Brian knew, from today, he was truly no longer a mere pawn at others¡¯ mercy. .. At past four in the afternoon. Field personnel collected a large number of plates in front of Brian and whispered, ¡°Mr. Brian, your promotion ceremony is about to begin, and all department heads and higher-ranking staff of the operations division are already present.¡± Brian stood up and adjusted his appearance and clothes, nodding, ¡°Thank you for guiding me.¡± This ceremony was mainly about recognition. The procedures, Brian had already known. It was mainly about awarding honors, making speeches, followed by a process similar to a dance party, accumulating contacts. He didn¡¯t care about these. Brian was curious as to what expression Susan would have when she saw him next. Chapter 232 - 232 172 I Specialize in Punching Faces! ?232: Chapter 172: I Specialize in Punching Faces! 232: Chapter 172: I Specialize in Punching Faces! An oval-shaped large conference room. On the podium, Xide, the deputy minister of the operations department, stood at a lectern and spoke eloquently, ¡°Today is a very special day. In the third Blood Moon cycle, the NW operations department has welcomed our first B sequence promoted staff member...¡± Brian felt bored backstage. Behind the screen backstage, a magical thing similar to one-way glass, one could see directly through the wall the various chiefs sitting in the conference room, along with a large number of unfamiliar faces that Brian hadn¡¯t seen before. These unfamiliar faces all looked older, the youngest of them probably over thirty, relaxed in demeanor, exuding an air of a worldly-wise. The group included both men and women, although women only constituted about one-seventh of the population. As one of them, Susan stood out with her relaxed attire of denim and T-shirt, her impressive figure and delicate face were eye-catching, yet only a short man sat next to her. This short man was none other than Rajag, the C5 team leader whom Brian had helped before. The two occasionally chatted but, most of the time, Susan was lazily playing with a bullet, her expression as cold and unapproachable as when Brian had first seen her. It was obvious that she was quite bored. ... On stage, after Xide babbled for about four or five minutes, he tactically coughed, ¡°Now please welcome the new star of our operations department, the first Sequence promoted to Dawn Warrior¡ªBrian Lee!¡± As his words fell, everyone¡¯s gaze turned towards the entrance. A tall figure in a slightly sci-fi-fitting uniform, bathed in the lights of the conference room, appeared in their sight like a protagonist stepping from a black and white film into a colorful world. Recognizing the newcomer, C5 team leader Rajag¡¯s profound eyes widened. Brian! How could it be Brian!! Hadn¡¯t he joined the NW organization just over two months ago!!! Rajag thought he might be seeing things and turned to glance at Susan, only to find her just as agape. Plop~ The bullet that Susan was nimbly playing with lost support, fell to the ground with a crisp sound, rolled along the slope, and stopped at the feet of Brian, who had just walked out of the corridor. Brian bent over, picked up the bullet, raised his eyebrows at Susan, lightly kissed the bullet, and then solemnly placed it in the front pocket on his chest. He stepped onto the podium, ¡°Hello everyone, I am Brian, a staff member of the operations department¡¯s B6 team, and I thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend my promotion ceremony... But the one I am most grateful for is my team leader, her name is Susan, yes, that beautiful lady who just sent me a bullet in blessing...¡± Listening to the laughter of the crowd, Susan¡¯s pretty, slender fingers clenched into fists, and her cool face, now uncontrollably reddened bit by bit, spreading to her earlobes, like an inebriated beauty, seductive with a shy charm amidst her cold beauty. ... After the self-introduction, the award ceremony began. Xide took a wooden disk from the hands of a woman dressed as a field OL, approached Brian, and personally pinned a medal bearing the emblem of a sword and shield onto Brian¡¯s chest. Then he announced to the audience, ¡°After the approval of the NW Supreme Committee and the assessment by the Internal Affairs Department, it was specially approved to promote the B sequence soldier Brian Lee to the Second Rank Sequence¡ªDawn Warrior. Congratulations to him for becoming the thirteenth Second Rank sequence staff of the NW operations department. Let¡¯s wish him well!¡± Crackling. Accompanied by the audience¡¯s enthusiastic applause, Brian officially joined the privileged class of the Los Angeles NW Organization in a reserve capacity. His name would now circulate among the upper echelons of the millions of residents of Los Angeles, a global economic megacomplex, no longer an unknown individual. After the award presentation, the next items on the agenda were networking and a ball. Naturally, these wouldn¡¯t take place in a conference room. Brian left first with Xide leading the way. Only then did the audience follow suit and leave one by one. Susan, listening to the surrounding crowd discussing whether the handsome, young, and promising Brian was single, clenched her fists harder, angered to the point where her chest swelled. This damn Brian! He had actually kept his own promotion a secret from her! Thinking back to when she had told Brian that she would work hard so that they could both be promoted together, she now really wanted to pin Brian to the ground and ravage him thoroughly! That bastard must have been laughing inwardly at the time! The thought of Brian having just kissed the bullet and then raising his eyebrows at her made her both angry and amused. Seeing Susan alternate between grinding her teeth and chuckling, Rajag standing beside her breathed much lighter, afraid of drawing her attention. He had to admit he felt some admiration for Brian. The guy had just made it clear to everyone that his relationship with Susan was special. This matter would surely reach Susan¡¯s family¡¯s ears. Still too young. Foolhardy ambition isn¡¯t necessarily a good thing. If it were him, he wouldn¡¯t have dared to be so brazen without first securing his position. ... The construction cost of the underground base, in terms of manpower and resources, was several times that of the surface, and due to its mountainous location, the costs were even higher. This, however, did not impede the luxuries that the wealthy could afford. In a hall filled with virtual landscape and lights, Brian looked at the sheer cliffs before him, under the bright sun, stretching out his hand to feel the cool breeze, his face showing amazement. Chapter 233 - 233 172 I Specialize in Punching Faces! ?233: Chapter 172: I Specialize in Punching Faces! _2 233: Chapter 172: I Specialize in Punching Faces! _2 The virtual environment technology of this world had actually developed to such an extent. Watching Brian with his unsophisticated appearance, Xide chuckled, ¡°Our NW organization, in biased research projects for health preservation, longevity, and individual combat strength, isn¡¯t really outstanding among the major international organizations. Our only advantage is probably that we¡¯re wealthy...¡± Speaking of which, he held up his wine glass, ¡°There¡¯ll be some duel-style entertainment later on, and I expect there will be some fools looking for trouble. Just play along; don¡¯t lose your temper.¡± Brian frowned slightly, ¡°Because of my background?¡± Xide nodded: ¡°In front of you, among the current twelve second-rank sequence staff of the action department, there is only one who, like you, comes from a civilian background, but his wife is the daughter of a billionaire. ¡°In fact, other than the initial founding of the NW organization, when there was a need for civilians to test the stability of those reagents, cultivating a large number of civilian enhancer experts, in the decades that followed, you are one of the few true civilian staff who climbed up the ranks on your own merits. ¡°Normally, this kind of thing would only happen in the armed department with high casualty rates, so in the eyes of this crowd, you¡¯re an anomaly.¡± Brian remained silent for a moment, then nodded, ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Minister Xide.¡± Xide shrugged his shoulders and said with a light laugh, ¡°No need to thank me, because I¡¯m the lucky one who got promoted thanks to his wife. Susan is a bit impulsive in temperament but not a bad person, and her family background ranks quite high within the NW organization. Seize the opportunity well.¡± Brian: ... No wonder he felt that this old man had been very kindly to him from the start. Turns out, they were birds of a feather. ... During the casual conversation. The various group leaders and the veterans of the NW action department had also arrived at this virtual reality hall one after the other. Brian was undoubtedly the main attraction of this gathering. Quite a few people came forward to introduce themselves, hoping to get acquainted. Some of the female staff even boldly recommended members of their own families, or directly offered themselves, hoping to get a taste of this rising star and go for the younger-man-older-woman relationship. When the crowd dispersed, Susan came over with Rajag. Looking at Brian holding a bunch of contact information, Susan spoke sarcastically, ¡°Yo, Brian the Autopsy Officer, you¡¯re quite popular, eh!¡± Brian shrugged and put on a thick-skinned facade: ¡°Can¡¯t help it, gold shines wherever it is. If I weren¡¯t outstanding enough, I wouldn¡¯t have attracted you, either. You were able to recognize this gem early on, which means your insight is much sharper than theirs.¡± Susan rolled her eyes, wanting to scoff at Brian¡¯s thick skin. But Brian didn¡¯t give her a chance to speak. Ignoring the onlooking and gossip-loving Rajag, he grabbed Susan¡¯s small hand and placed it over his chest where that ¡®Courage Bullet¡¯ was located: ¡°Susan, thanks for your courage bullet. Before going on stage, my legs were trembling with nervousness; it was your bullet that gave me courage. This must be the power of love. I will cherish it and carry it with me to the grave...¡± Susan¡¯s face flushed visibly at a rapid ¡®speed¡¯. Feeling her hand being held down and the strong heartbeat it conveyed, her mind became dizzy, and she forgot to even question Brian. By the time she came to her senses, Susan had already followed behind Brian, standing there as if they were a perfect couple, shielding the rest who were trying to claim Brian, this promising stock, for themselves. ... Perhaps it was Susan¡¯s identity that afforded Brian some convenience. Until most people had greeted Brian, not a single person lacking in discernment had jumped out wanting to spar with Brian and test the strength of this Dawn Warrior. Just when Brian thought the day would end just like that and he could take Susan back for some intimate time, A mature middle-aged woman, accompanied by a tall and handsome young man, approached them. Looking at the woman, Susan¡¯s expression shifted slightly as she respectfully said, ¡°Instructor Oli.¡± Instructor... Brian glanced at the handsome man beside the middle-aged lady, who was looking at him with hostility, and smilingly wrapped his arm around Susan¡¯s small hand, ¡°Susan, when did you get an instructor?¡± Susan explained, ¡°For a long time in my childhood, I trained here, and Instructor Oli was our gunmanship teacher. She¡¯s also second-rank sequence staff in the armed department B sequence ¨C The Sharpshooter.¡± ¡°Oh~¡± Brian nodded and smiled at the middle-aged woman, ¡°Hello, Miss Oli, I am Susan¡¯s boyfriend. Thank you for the guidance you gave Susan in the past.¡± Their cordial behavior made the young man beside the middle-aged woman clench his fists. He was about to speak but was pulled back by the sleeve of Oli, the middle-aged woman, and managed to regain his silence. Oli ignored Brian and turned to Susan with a smile, ¡°Susan, it¡¯s been a long time since we last met after you left for Washington, I didn¡¯t expect you to return to NW and join the action department in the end. Oh, this is my son, you¡¯ve met him when you were kids, he was very excited and happy to hear you¡¯ve come back.¡± The courtesy vanished from Susan¡¯s face: ¡°Miss Oli, my boyfriend was speaking to you. At your age, haven¡¯t you learned basic manners? By the way, does your son with the crooked eyes have a problem with his vision? Instead of spending time here, you might as well take him to get checked out. I have no interest in getting to know a fool. Excuse my bluntness, but he doesn¡¯t look too bright.¡± To disrespect Brian was to disrespect her! Susan would not give her any face! She was done calling her instructor! Oli: ... She hadn¡¯t expected such a strong reaction from Susan and felt some regret, but it was soon replaced by anger, and the thought of introducing her son vanished. Chapter 234 - 234 172 I Specialize in Punching Faces! ?234: Chapter 172: I Specialize in Punching Faces! _3 234: Chapter 172: I Specialize in Punching Faces! _3 This kind of woman should not marry into his family and burden her son. Yet, Brian felt as though it was mid-summer and he had just guzzled an icy soda, incredibly refreshing. Such motherly protection truly was great! ... At this moment, the surrounding crowd was drawn by the somber atmosphere. They looked over, whispering among themselves. They enjoyed watching scenes like this. Feeling the commotion around them, Oli¡¯s face darkened. Now that they had torn off all pretenses, she stopped pretending and looked at Brian, ¡°Sorry, I haven¡¯t seen Susan for a long time, I got a bit too excited and missed what you just said. Oh, were you about to thank me?¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°Yes, thanks for bringing that bag of grass beside you as a clown at my celebration, entertaining us all. And yes, Susan¡¯s right, your son doesn¡¯t look very smart. But he does look much better than you. I can¡¯t imagine how good your husband¡¯s genes must be to mend your inferior ones and produce such a pretty vase. Are you sure you didn¡¯t pick up the wrong child back then?¡± Beside him, Susan looked at Brian with admiration. When it came to sharp tongues, she couldn¡¯t equal a tenth of Brian¡¯s. ¡°You...¡± Oli was infuriated by Brian¡¯s piercing comments. In fact, coming from a combat unit with a high fatality rate, she herself belonged to the lower ranks, and her husband had taken a liking to her mainly for her high-quality enhancer status, to improve his offspring¡¯s genetics, and had barely touched her since. Brian¡¯s words undeniably pushed Oli to recall those unbearable memories. She was angry, and her son beside her was even angrier. ¡°You bastard, I want to duel with you!¡± the handsome young man shouted, his voice echoing throughout the hall. The entire venue suddenly fell silent. Xide also put down his wine glass, interestedly watching the unfolding drama. He was curious to see how Brian, who was as handsome as his younger self and had similar experiences, would react. ... Watching the enraged handsome young man, Brian grinned, showing off his ghastly white teeth, ¡°A duel, huh? I usually aim for the face, and it¡¯s gonna hurt, you sure?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± The young man¡¯s eyes were icy, ¡°I, Lenny Mensa, challenge you, peasant, to a duel!¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Fine, I accept your challenge, let¡¯s begin.¡± The handsome young man took a deep breath, nodding, ¡°I...¡± The next moment, there was a light snap. The handsome young man beside Oli had vanished. Brian retracted his hand, spreading his arms towards the stunned crowd, helplessly saying, ¡°Everyone saw, he nodded in agreement to start.¡± The crowd:... You, a Dawn Warrior skilled in hand-to-hand combat, who could be likened to a warrior against a hundred men in ancient times, just sneaked in a sneak attack, really underhanded! Oli, probably out of touch from combat for a long time, only reacted after her son was already sent flying. ¡°Lenny!¡± She let out a shrill scream and rushed three meters to the right, toward Lenny, whose right cheek was severely indented and who had passed out. She tried to help him up. As a result, with her movement, Lenny groaned twice, and a large amount of accumulated blood and dislodged teeth flowed from his mouth. Nowhere was there the handsome posture from before, just a wretched dead dog. ¡°Brian!¡± Oli¡¯s eyes reddened. Brian, with a look of apology, said, ¡°I told you, I specialize in hitting faces, and it hurts a lot, but your son wouldn¡¯t listen. No need to thank me, we are colleagues after all. It¡¯s better I teach him a lesson than have him die outside, bringing shame to our NW organization.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too arrogant!¡± She glared at Brian in front of her, her eyes instantly turning cat-like as she erupted with a chilling murderous intent, ¡°Young man, don¡¯t be too arrogant. There are some people you can¡¯t afford to provoke!¡± The smile on Brian¡¯s face also disappeared, and he shielded Susan behind him: ¡°Not arrogant, or still young? In your foolish understanding that¡¯s as dumb as a sow¡¯s, should others be lower than you, subjected to your insults? It¡¯s your own face that came in close to be lost!¡± During this time. Brian¡¯s leg muscles, hidden under his neatly pressed trousers, began warming up and tremoring, ensuring in an instant he could cross four to five meters to trample this delusional middle-aged woman underfoot, crippling her limbs! Having offended her now, he shouldn¡¯t hold back. Strike hard with one punch, to avoid a hundred more. Today, if someone dared to come close, he was ready to assert his dominance! ... Ever since Oli had married into a wealthy family and had been pampered for many years, she had long since lost the endurance and patience she had during missions. Almost the instant after Brian finished speaking, her hands drew two streaks of afterimages. ¡°Stop!¡± Deputy Director Xide, sensing trouble, threw his wine glass and shouted to stop, but it was a moment too late. The next moment. Bang bang bang~ The continuous gunfire suppressed Xide¡¯s voice. Oli, true to her title of Sharpshooter, moved so fast that most people couldn¡¯t even see what she did or even know where she hid her gun before numerous bullets appeared in front of Brian. Brian neither dodged nor avoided, forcibly keeping Susan, who wanted to draw her gun and return fire, in place. His body trembled slightly. Bullet holes pierced through his newly received special uniform, looking like cleats, difficult to dislodge from the muscle in his limbs. Brian looked down, watching the blood slowly leak out, and a vicious smile appeared on his lips: ¡°This uniform has good bulletproof effects.¡± Tik tok~ One by one, the bullets, forcibly squeezed out of the muscles, fell to the ground. The crisp sound they made was like drum beats striking against the hearts of everyone present. Oli, seeing those bullets forced out, felt her scalp tingle. This man is a monster! The firearms she carried, though not custom-made, were sufficient to penetrate that special uniform, causing substantial damage. Even a typical Dawn Warrior wouldn¡¯t have such resilience! Let alone someone who had joined the NW organization just over two months ago! The critical point was that this was inside the base, she didn¡¯t bring her own equipment and spare magazines! Oli realized the trouble she was in. A shooter, out of bullets, targeted by a frontline fighter, what would her fate be? She looked towards the cold-faced Deputy Director of Operations, Xide, in terror, about to beg for mercy. The next moment. A hurricane surged. A towering figure appeared before her, looking down at her, the corners of his mouth in a vicious smile, revealing sinisterly pale teeth: ¡°Madam, when you do something wrong, you must pay the price...¡± Chapter 235 - 235 173 The Mensa Familys Compensation Meeting the Father-in-law ?235: Chapter 173: The Mensa Family¡¯s Compensation, Meeting the Father-in-law 235: Chapter 173: The Mensa Family¡¯s Compensation, Meeting the Father-in-law Oli had a sinking feeling. Her slightly plump figure, like that of a python, sprung forth, and between the gaps of her fingers, two sharp blades appeared, making a whistling sound and leaving a trail of afterimages as they slashed towards Brian¡¯s neck. The next moment, Two large hands, like iron clamps, firmly locked onto her killing hands. Brian¡¯s eyes were icy cold as the herculean strength in his arms erupted. Rip-tear~ Accompanied by the sound of cloth ripping, two snowy-white arms, with bits of bone attached, were thrown onto the ground. ¡°Ah!!!¡± A piercing scream resounded through the hall. The crowd looked at the Venus de Milo statue that Milos had become and the ¡®Sharpshooter¡¯ Oli writhing miserably on the floor, feeling a chill in their hearts. This guy, who seemed kind and gentle, was really savage when he got down to business! Even with the advanced biotechnology of today, the treatment for limb loss was not very satisfactory. These hands, once reattached, would probably only be good for wiping one¡¯s backside. Without her nimble hands, what would the Sharpshooter do? Shoot with her feet? Oli was finished. The best outcome for her now was probably to rely on her genetic value as a high-quality Enhanced, to obediently stay at home, and continue to bear more children for the Mensa Family. ... Wiping the blood splatter from his cheek, Brian saw Vice Minister Xide, dark-faced, just watching Oli writhing on the ground without saying a word, stepped over her body, and walked to his unconscious son. He lifted the boy by his collar into the air, gently patting his deformed left cheek. Lenny numbly opened his eyes, and it took him a while to realize the situation. He tried to speak, only to find his whole face seemed to have vanished, numbness mingling with intense pain. He could no longer feel his mouth! ¡°Uuuu~¡± Lenny could only make muffled cries instinctively, and as he did so, more teeth fell out due to his deformed mouth. Brian¡¯s previous slap had broken a large portion of his facial bones. It was uncertain if he could ever regain his handsomeness after treatment. ¡°Stop your whining.¡± Brian dropped Lenny next to his mother: ¡°Good boy, take your mother¡¯s arms and go to the infirmary yourself, may God bless you, child.¡± Only then did Lenny notice his mother¡¯s terrible state. His father had seven wives and dozens of children. His mother, Oli, was his only support within the family. But now the Sharpshooter had lost her arms!!! He looked up in terror at Brian, only to meet the latter¡¯s gaze, sweeping over his limbs as if contemplating where to strike next. ¡°Uuu!¡± This fledgling, who had barely seen blood, was spitting out blood while awkwardly crawling away, even forgetting his own mother in his panic. The crowd watched Lenny crawling on the ground with disdain, clearing a path for him as if he were an annoyance. All that glitters is not gold. This guy was nothing but a spoiled brat! ... Oli was truly a former warrior of the armed department. Although twenty years of comfort had made her lose her former endurance and combat skills, in a few dozen seconds, she regained her composure. Watching her son abandon her in a sorry state, her eyes filled with loss and self-destruction, she looked at Brian: ¡°If you have the guts, kill me now, or the Mensa Family will not let you off!¡± The next moment. Bang, bang, bang~ Blood spattered everywhere. Oli¡¯s intact leg joints were blasted open and shattered by the large-caliber special bullets. The woman, who had just regained her vigor, let out a scream like a pig being slaughtered. ¡°The Mensa Family?¡± Susan gracefully twirled the guns in her hands, aimed at Oli¡¯s womb: ¡°I¡¯ve been putting up with you for a long time. I want to see if, without this womb, the Mensa Family will still bother our Adams family for the sake of you, a crippled waste!¡± Bang, bang, bang~ Not until she emptied her magazine did Susan blow on the hot gun barrels. She turned her head towards the dumbfounded Brian, raised an attractive eyebrow: ¡°I taught you to be ruthless, not to hold back, I¡¯ll take the heat for anything, it seems you haven¡¯t learned the essence, Brian.¡± Brian shrugged: ¡°Sure, team leader, it¡¯s great to be your subordinate.¡± ¡°Hmph~¡± Susan coquettishly re-holstered her guns. Watching the man and woman stand nonchalantly among the bloody chaos, flirting despite the screams of the victims, everyone actually felt it was quite harmonious and fitting. ... The farce was over. Vice Minister Xide finally clapped his hands. Several soldiers entered the hall, carrying away the unconscious Oli and her severed arms, which were left on the ground. Then several women in OL attire, unfazed, rode tools similar to balance bikes, quickly cleaned up the mess, and sprayed perfume to dissipate the stench of blood in the air. In the blink of an eye. The hall had been restored to its previous cleanliness. ¡°Sorry, Minister, I might have gone a bit too far,¡± Brian said, patting his special uniform riddled with bullet holes: ¡°I didn¡¯t want to, but that woman started shooting, and I reacted a little excessively.¡± Hearing Brian¡¯s words, Xide nodded in satisfaction. That was quite well phrased. He coughed twice and gestured: ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. Your duel with Oli¡¯s son was agreed upon by him, and for some reason, Oli, an officer from the armed department, inexplicably shot at you. Your actions were merely self-defense. I won¡¯t let anyone bully our Action Division people! Brian, come with me to get your injuries assessed. The Internal Affairs Division and the Mensa Family owe us an explanation for this matter!¡± Chapter 236 - 236 173 The Mensa Familys Compensation Meeting the Father-in-law_2 ?236: Chapter 173: The Mensa Family¡¯s Compensation, Meeting the Father-in-law_2 236: Chapter 173: The Mensa Family¡¯s Compensation, Meeting the Father-in-law_2 ¡°Armed division,¡± Deputy Minister Xide said it out loud. The rest of the hall immediately echoed in response. That¡¯s right! An employee from the armed division came to their operations department, provoked them, and even fired a shot. They had swallowed a loss for nothing. Only a few young people who had previously wanted to test Brian¡¯s composition breathed a sigh of relief. So terrifying. This pretty boy, his moves were really ruthless. Luckily, they saw Susan standing behind the pretty boy and decided to abandon the idea of seeking guidance; otherwise, the ones embarrassed and at a loss would have been them. ... The conflict in the hall was resolved quickly. That woman, Oli, was given administrative leave, probably permanent, and was taken away by the Mensa Family along with her useless son. Brian was hit by twenty-three bullets. As compensation, the Mensa Family gave him two treatment reagents, a set of custom high-end bulletproof suits, and as much as five million US dollars in nutrition and spirit damages. The person in charge of the compensation did not question the matter with Oli and her son; their attitude was very cordial, repeatedly stating that it was Oli and her son¡¯s personal doing and had nothing to do with the Mensa Family. Had it not been for Brian¡¯s constant refusals, they would have even considered giving him a few 28-year-old girls from the Mensa Family as further compensation. To be honest, this cordiality somewhat puzzled Brian. With doubts and his compensation, Brian walked into a small tea room. Besides Deputy Minister Xide, there were five or six middle-aged men and women. These were all Second Rank employees from the B sequence of the operations department currently at the base, and Brian¡¯s seniors. ¡°How¡¯s it going, Brian?¡± Xide looked at Brian, who was carrying a case, with a smile. Brian sat down and said with some curiosity, ¡°The Mensa Family¡¯s people are too polite, much more so than I had imagined, they even wanted to give me women.¡± Hearing this, everyone laughed heartily. A petite woman, twirling a thin needle, said with a smile, ¡°Brian, you probably haven¡¯t read the analysis and suggestions the think tank sent you before, right?¡± Brian nodded, ¡°I was planning to read it when I got back.¡± Saying so, he opened the case in his hand and took out the analysis and suggestion report. The content on it was pretty straightforward. One part of it was Brian¡¯s test data. These data, in fact, were equivalent to Brian¡¯s physical condition before the transformation, maybe just stronger, plus significantly faster nerve reaction speed, roughly one-third of his regular strength displayed. Underneath these data, there was a bold black paragraph: Target cell activity exceeds that of same level enhanced staff by 50%, no apparent physical weaknesses, nerve reaction standard, combat awareness standard, enormous potential, recommended for development towards the Auxiliary Mecha Knight path. First Rank Life potential for promotion assessment: 85% Second Rank Life potential for promotion assessment: 23% Recommend joining the armed division, to undergo Auxiliary Mecha Knight training, for focused development! ¡ª Think Tank, Identification Number 2735, Archived. .. Putting down the report, Brian looked at everyone with innocent eyes: ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t quite understand.¡± Xide explained, ¡°It¡¯s pretty normal; this is knowledge only available after promotion. To be promoted to Third Level in sequence B, your strength must reach the First Rank Life threshold. This is our strength classification for Mutant Beasts. If you can¡¯t understand, think about the Top Agent you encountered before in London and the two Mutant Beasts you ran into at Forest Park. They¡¯re roughly at this level. According to the organization¡¯s decades of research, for an enhancer to reach this level, not only does it require a significant amount of resources, but they must inherently have such potential. And the people with this potential are too few. Extremely few! Even the descendants of enhancers rarely ever have such potential individuals. Your potential, after the think tank¡¯s analysis, is 85% likely to reach the First Rank Life threshold, meaning sooner or later, you¡¯ll be able to become one of the decision-makers in NW like me. How could the Mensa Family afford to become enemies with someone with your potential just because of the ruined Oli and her son who performed so poorly? They are hoping you¡¯d accept the women they send over, better yet, for those women to return home pregnant. If you¡¯re willing now, there are many female staff who would spend all their savings just for the chance to have a child who inherits your excellent genes!¡± ¡°Ha ha ha~¡± The rest laughed heartily along. But within the laughter of those male staff, there was a touch of envy. The petite woman who spoke earlier even gave Brian a suggestive look, her eyes brimming with implication. Brian: .. If he remembers correctly, this woman senior not only had a husband and child but had also given birth to seven or eight kids. Was this kind of suggestion to him appropriate? Brian was at a loss as to what this world had become. He clearly wanted to make a living through his talents, yet, both openly and covertly, they were making him out to be some irresistible delicacy, tempting him to live off others, and it seemed he could do pretty well for himself that way.. ... The way adults socialize and their attitudes largely depend on whether you can bring them benefits. Brian, a promising individual from humble beginnings, undoubtedly fared better being shown goodwill while still weak and unrisen¡ªwhen there¡¯s no conflict of interest, as they might be useful in the future. Afterwards, The group shared some secret knowledge known only at this level with Brian, their junior. Chapter 237 - 237 173 Mensa Familys Compensation Meeting Father-in-law_3 ?237: Chapter 173 Mensa Family¡¯s Compensation, Meeting Father-in-law_3 237: Chapter 173 Mensa Family¡¯s Compensation, Meeting Father-in-law_3 For instance, an Auxiliary Mecha Knight. This thing is actually an upgraded version of external skeletons. However, due to energy and technology limitations, it has high demands on the wearer¡¯s physical condition in every aspect, but the combat ability is also formidable. Fully loaded, Auxiliary Mecha Knights are like agile humanoid tanks that can single-handedly obliterate an entire troop division¡¯s armed forces in nations outside the major powers. For example, those Second Rank Life Forms officially defined by the NW organization. The criteria are simple, resisting small caliber bullets with one¡¯s flesh, sprinting a hundred meters in two seconds, and having a single-handed strength of over two tons¡ªif any two criteria are met, or if one can cause the death or injury of over a thousand civilians in a short time, they are considered a Second Rank Life Form... But according to what Xide and others in the NW organization say, they don¡¯t have such entities, and whether others have them is also unclear; everyone keeps it a secret. Indeed, among Mutants and Mutant Beasts, although this group is rare, a few such rumors can still be heard every month. Brian even tentatively asked if there were any Mutants or Enhanced individuals involving telekinesis, Rule Type, or Spirit Abilities apart from the physical ones. The answer, however, was yes, but those were far scarcer than Mutant Beasts. After three Blood Moons, the NW organization had grown significantly and had been around for over fifty years, yet they had never encountered such an individual; they¡¯d only heard rumors about a Mutant capable of predicting good and bad fortune, but no one had ever seen what they looked like, or even knew their race. Brian: ¡°This is just like that fierce old man.¡± It appears that he and that kind of Mutant are truly rare among the rare. ... Agreeing to meet again when time permits to discuss more. Brian, carrying his spoils of victory, found Susan waiting for him, and together they headed back to Los Angeles under the night sky. He planned to check over his enhanced permissions and obligations when he got back. But as the landscape outside changed, Brian faintly sensed something was amiss. He looked at Susan, ¡°Team leader, where are we going? This isn¡¯t the way back to the city.¡± Susan glared at Brian, ¡°We¡¯re going home!¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the city route!¡± Brian playfully tugged at his collar, pretending to be scared, ¡°I want to get off!¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Susan rolled her eyes, ¡°My father called me and asked me to bring you home!¡± Brian was dumbfounded. Meet the father-in-law. It¡¯s the first time in two lifetimes... Too sudden. He silently opened the window, took out a cigarette, and murmured somewhat wistfully, ¡°I forgot to bring something... maybe another time.¡± ¡°What thing?¡± ¡°Your father¡¯s grandchild... Team leader, maybe we could try hard right now, while we still have some time.¡± Susan flicked the Texas Gun King Medal hanging in front of the car, ¡°Brian, are you trying to test the value of my Gun King Medal?¡± ... On the other side. A handsome middle-aged man sat on the villa¡¯s terrace, holding a double-barreled shotgun as thick as an adult¡¯s arm... a Hunting Cannon, whistling while he cleaned and maintained it. After finishing, He stuffed two bullets, thick as ordinary bananas, into the gun barrel and shouted down, ¡°Lawrence, old buddy, I¡¯m going to test the gun.¡± Below, a burly white man reluctantly triggered the mechanism. The next moment, A watermelon shot up from underground, soaring into the air. With a loud bang, The watermelon burst apart, turning into numerous fragments that scattered in the air. Despite the huge recoil, the middle-aged man remained expressionless and didn¡¯t sway at all; instead, he indecently gyrated his hips twice, ¡°Awesome! It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve shot, really reminds me of the days when I was hunting those monsters!¡± The man called Lawrence below: ... Compared to those monsters, aren¡¯t you the real monster here! He couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit worried for Susan¡¯s boyfriend who hadn¡¯t arrived yet. Good luck, young man... Chapter 238 - 238 174 Father You Dont Understand Brian at All! ?238: Chapter 174 Father, You Don¡¯t Understand Brian at All! (First Subscription Bonus +3) 238: Chapter 174 Father, You Don¡¯t Understand Brian at All! (First Subscription Bonus +3) Susan¡¯s home wasn¡¯t in downtown Los Angeles but in Newport Beach City, a small city in Los Angeles County located along the eastern coastline of the Pacific Ocean. This small city was considered one of the wealthiest coastal cities in the whole of California, and even in the United States. Newport Beach city boasted year-round sunshine and had Balboa Peninsula as a natural barrier, making the inner sea calm. Whether going out to sea for fishing or playing on yachts was very comfortable. Of course, Susan¡¯s house wasn¡¯t a manor villa in Newport Beach City but an entire artificial island in the inner sea. Note, an entire one! And this place was only for the leisure of Susan¡¯s parents and some of her father¡¯s old friends. Indeed, Susan didn¡¯t even know how many fixed properties her family owned globally; she never paid attention to these matters and seldom used her family¡¯s resources. It wasn¡¯t until after 9:00 PM that the two arrived at the harbor. A speedboat had been waiting there already. ¡°Hey, Susan, it¡¯s been a long time since you¡¯ve been back,¡± the speedboat driver, a middle-aged Black man, grinned and curiously sized up Brian. ¡°Uncle Harry, long time no see.¡± Susan greeted him warmly, pointing at Brian, ¡°This is my boyfriend, Brian. Brian, this is Harry, who used to work with my father. They both took early retirement because of some incidents.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Harry.¡± Brian greeted him with a timid smile. ¡°Nice young man.¡± Harry nodded and focused on driving the speedboat. Brian couldn¡¯t help but feel that Harry¡¯s gaze toward him carried a hint of pity. .. The harbor wasn¡¯t far from the island. About ten minutes later. The three of them landed on the island. Passing through a garden that made Brian feel vaguely uneasy, they arrived at a chain of buildings sprawling over a cliff by the seaside, the end of which was not visible at first glance. Brian looked at Susan, conveying his thoughts telepathically. Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be just your family and some of your father¡¯s old friends here? Susan¡¯s brows flicked, understanding immediately, ¡°Plus some security personnel my father trained. The ocean is vast and though the probability of Mutant Beast spawning is low, their numbers add up. Otherwise, why do you think the NW organization formed an armed branch...¡± During the conversation. A singing and dancing bonfire party appeared before Brian. There were too many people. Men and women, young and old, along with a bunch of kids... Listening to Susan¡¯s introductions, Brian numbly followed along, greeting and acknowledging people. In a daze. Susan took Brian¡¯s right hand, pulling him up to a handsome middle-aged couple, ¡°Dad, mom, this is my boyfriend, Brian.¡± Then, she introduced them to Brian, ¡°This is my father, you can call him Dean, and this is my mother, Nell.¡± The beautiful woman, after giving the tall, handsome Brian a glance, nodded in approval, ¡°Susan, very nice. Your boyfriend looks tall and handsome. I¡¯m glad you took the initiative to find someone.¡± In front of her parents, Susan, who did not carry herself with the same air as she did outside, bashfully lowered her head. To be honest, she herself didn¡¯t know how she ended up with Brian, this shameless jerk. She used to hate this kind of person the most! It was all because he was too good at pretending, initially acting like a harmless little bunny. By the time she realized, she couldn¡¯t let go. ¡°Thank you for the compliment, beautiful lady.¡± Seeing that his mother-in-law was easy to talk to, Brian shamelessly buttered her up: ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered who could raise someone like Susan, who combines beauty and talent into an angelic human being. Until I saw you, I understood what heritage means. I think Susan must have inherited her father¡¯s bravery and determination, and her mother¡¯s beauty and forthrightness, for God to have sent such a wonderful girl my way.¡± Susan gave Brian a disdainful look. Too cheesy. Her mother, however, quite enjoyed it and covered her mouth as she giggled. At that moment, the previously silent handsome middle-aged man waved Brian over, ¡°Young man, to welcome you, I¡¯ve specially taken out my prized wine, care for a drink?¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Brian, looking at this man, inexplicably felt a sense of familiarity. How to put it? It was the familiarity of like meeting like, the scoundrel recognizing another scoundrel, a kind of repellence among their own kind... Dean watched the young pretty boy in front of him, feeling very annoyed. The guy reminded him of his younger self the moment he started talking. Hitting on his daughter, huh? Let¡¯s see if you can leave peacefully today! Seeing this, Susan¡¯s mother, pulling Susan along, joined the barbecue line in front, leaving the two men alone. Before leaving, Susan blatantly cheered Brian on with a fist pump, irking her old father even more. Every father probably fears no one wanting his little cabbage and also fears the cabbage being stolen by a boar. ... Susan and others left. Now, it was a battlefield for the two men. Brian had felt apprehensive before coming, but once he was here, he was not scared at all; he directly grabbed a bottle of strong liquor, tore off the cap, and guzzled it down in front of Susan¡¯s father. He casually tossed aside the empty bottle and exhaled a strong alcoholic breath without changing his expression, ¡°This wine¡¯s alright, a bit weak though, almost something to rinse the mouth with. Don¡¯t you have something stronger?¡± Dean raised his eyebrows: This kid, so arrogant! Chapter 239 - 239 174 Father You Dont Understand Brian at All! ?239: Chapter 174 Father, You Don¡¯t Understand Brian at All! (First Subscription Bonus 3)_2 239: Chapter 174 Father, You Don¡¯t Understand Brian at All! (First Subscription Bonus 3)_2 He casually took out a bottle of high-purity alcohol, ¡°This is more refreshing to rinse with, kills germs.¡± Brian: ... Damn, ran into a tough one. If he drank, he would expose the special nature of his body. If he didn¡¯t drink, his momentum would weaken. Brian glanced out of the corner of his eye at Susan, who was devouring meat without a care in the world, and whose lips curled upwards confidently as he waved his hand, ¡°Mr. Dean, Susan doesn¡¯t like it when I¡¯m drunk, so let¡¯s forget it. I love her too much to make her unhappy.¡± Bang! The bottle containing the alcohol was crushed by Dean. That bastard! This used to be the treatment he received! Dean was squeezing the shards of glass in his palm into powder right in front of Brian¡¯s surprised eyes, casually sprinkling it to the side, ¡°I¡¯ve heard from Xide that you¡¯re quite strong...¡± Brian licked his lips, ¡°Indeed, but probably not as strong as you.¡± He was telling the truth. Crushing a glass bottle, he could manage, but turning it into powder was a different story. It wasn¡¯t about strength, but technique and body defense. The glass debris was already fine; applying force would only cause it to embed in the flesh, preventing any real force from being exerted. Even if Brian used his Body Control talent, he couldn¡¯t contradict such a regular occurrence¡ªunless one day his skin could compare to tough iron and his muscles to pliable stone. Only then could he achieve this. .. ¡°You¡¯ve got a tough mouth.¡± Seeing Brian backing down, Dean let him off the hook. He gestured to Brian, ¡°Sit down, let¡¯s talk about your future plans.¡± Brian knew that the real show had started. He nodded, reining in his emotions, and said seriously, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not an ambitious person. My current plan is just to help Susan crack cases and to improve my strength. If I can make it to the upper ranks of the NW organization, great. If not, I still need to ensure that I have the strength to protect Susan and our future children. After all, you might not use martial force, but you can¡¯t be without it.¡± ¡°Not bad!¡± Dean nodded, ¡°I like your style. You¡¯ve got the temper I had when I was young, but there¡¯s something I want to ask you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Can you explain about the Kamor family, your missing foster parents, your purpose for joining NW, and, if possible, I¡¯d like to know about the series of coincidental accidents after you joined Children¡¯s House at the age of eight...¡± Dean looked at Brian with an indifferent expression, his tone even more placid, yet it gave Brian an intangible pressure. It was a gaze that seemed to penetrate the heart. After a moment of silence, Brian shook his head, ¡°If Susan wants to know, I can tell her, but not you, you¡¯re not Susan.¡± Apart from his identity as a Mutant, he also had his Mutant Ability. If Susan really wanted to know some things about him, Brian wouldn¡¯t hide anything from her. Just as he knew what kind of person Susan was, he believed she would understand some of his actions. But not Dean. He wouldn¡¯t be spending his life with Dean in the future, even if the man was Susan¡¯s father! Hearing this, Dean¡¯s face revealed a cold smirk, ¡°Then please stay away from my daughter. I don¡¯t want a man with ulterior motives to delay her. No one can hurt my daughter, neither physically nor emotionally.¡± Brian rolled his eyes, ¡°Give it a break¡ªback in Forest Park, if I hadn¡¯t been lucky, Susan and I would have both died at the hands of those two Mutant Beasts. Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself.¡± Dean: ... He stubbornly retorted, ¡°You don¡¯t know shit. Even if you died, Susan wouldn¡¯t. She has... never mind, I wanted to talk to you as a regular person, but you¡¯re just too immature, kid. If you don¡¯t leave, I¡¯ll show you what it means to bully the weak!¡± Brian turned and called out to Susan, ¡°Susan, your dad said he wants to...¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Dean hurriedly covered Brian¡¯s mouth, ¡°Can¡¯t you have some shame?¡± From a distance, Susan looked curiously at the two men tussling together, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± How quickly did these two get sick of each other¡¯s company. The bonds between men grow fast. Brian raised his eyebrows at Dean. Dean sighed, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± Saying this, he let go of his hands that covered Brian¡¯s mouth. Brian touched the palm print on his mouth somewhat speechlessly. This old guy, his strength was just too exaggerated, his palm was like one cast of steel; even his skin, tough as cowhide, and his sturdy muscles had been marked. He waved to Susan, ¡°Your father said he looks forward to seeing you in a wedding dress one day and told me to take good care of you in the future.¡± At those words, Susan shyly turned her head away and didn¡¯t reply. Dean: ...I didn¡¯t say that! He suddenly felt a sense of powerlessness similar to what his father-in-law must have felt when facing him all those years ago. ... It was too late. That night, Brian stayed over. But the petty Dean assigned him a room very far away from Susan, so to chat they would have to call each other on the landline. Poor Shi San, who knew if it would be mistreated following old Hardenn. .. The next day. Watching his daughter get ready for work, Dean struggled helplessly for the last time, ¡°Susan, that bastard is shameless and not a good person, you...¡± ¡°Father!¡± Susan¡¯s face turned stern, ¡°You don¡¯t understand Brian at all. He would take a bullet for me in dangerous times, give gifts to children of victims during cases, he can..anyway, he¡¯s not the kind of person you think he is!¡± Dean: ... Looking at his daughter, his face filled with the powerless sentiment of watching a daughter grow up too fast, his face rugged with a resigned sigh. Nell, seeing this, covered her mouth and chuckled, ¡°Come on, Susan. Your father is just tough on the outside and soft on the inside. When he purposely set up a blind date with the young White from the White family, he actually just wanted you to come back to Los Angeles to see you more, not really to marry you off.¡± Susan looked at her father Dean. Dean waved his hand, ¡°I just worry about you being wronged in Washington.¡± ¡°Father...¡± Susan¡¯s eyes reddened. Just then, Brian poked his head in from outside, ¡°Susan, the fact that you were persuaded to leave the protection detail might have also been his doing...¡± Damn it! That old man, still trying to speak ill of me. How could Brian tolerate this? Dean: ... He watched as Susan¡¯s eyes narrowed, went over to the fireplace, and took down the oversized ¡®Fire Burning Stick¡¯ hanging on the wall, then proceeded to stuff two oversized calibre..no, small shells into it. ¡°Fuck!¡± Brian¡¯s scalp tingled, he rushed over to Susan, scooped her up, and ran. Damn it, resort to violence when losing an argument, huh! Can¡¯t mess with him, better run. .. By the time the two got back to office B6, it was already past ten in the morning. With solemn faces, they walked into the office one after the other, pretending not to notice the earlier commotion. Green, seeing Brian, quickly came over with a stack of documents, ¡°Boss Brian, I worked overtime last night to conduct an investigation just as you instructed, and I¡¯ve uncovered something frightening.¡± It was the first time Brian had seen Green this serious. He took the documents and quickly flipped through them. A moment later. He put down the paperwork and looked at Green, ¡°So many people have gone missing?¡± Green nodded, ¡°Yes, and they¡¯re all male Chinese international students. This is a big case!¡± Chapter 240 - 240 175 Clues on the Corpse Pinpointing the Identity of the Murderer ?240: Chapter 175: Clues on the Corpse, Pinpointing the Identity of the Murderer 240: Chapter 175: Clues on the Corpse, Pinpointing the Identity of the Murderer Serial murder cases typically involve three or more linked homicides. Green had collected information on missing Chinese male international students from various major high schools and community colleges in Los Angeles over the past six months¡ªadding up to nearly twenty individuals. In the past, if such a case were made public, it would dominate the news headlines for weeks. ¡°So many missing persons, was there really no clue before?¡± Brian seemed surprised. The families of those who disappeared would have also contacted the schools, even the embassy. Once the embassy received numerous tips, they would have realized the severity of the situation; it¡¯s impossible they hadn¡¯t heard anything at all. Green shook his head: ¡°Yesterday afternoon, I called up a friend, and we contacted the Chinese communities at various major schools, and then I went to Parker Center (Los Angeles Police Department Headquarters) to inquire about missing Chinese international student cases in the past six months. As a result, only three reports had been filed. Two were written off as false alarms, and the remaining one was a private report by the missing person¡¯s girlfriend¡ªshe has since been expelled from school and the contact information she left at the police station is no longer valid.¡± Upon hearing this, Brian fell silent. He could tell what was happening. Those schools had all suppressed the cases. In the United States, academic elites¡¯ influence was no joke, with vast social networks spanning government, business, and a considerable portion of the middle and upper-echelons of society. The disappearance of a foreign student was not something they would care about. As for the friends of those missing... considering the fate of the girl who reported the case, as told by Green, they knew the threats they would face. These days, students coming from Hua Country to study are either wealthy or the ¡°child of the whole family¡¯s efforts¡± plus ¡°talent,¡± able to seize the opportunity to come here. People are selfish. It¡¯s just so fucked up. Of course, there is another important factor. That¡¯s the issue of the Chinese community¡¯s voice. Los Angeles is actually a core area for Chinese immigrants, with a significant number, almost equivalent to the second-largest ethnic group after white people, and most are in fairly good condition. The problem is, despite there being numerous wealthy and middle-class Chinese here, due to factors such as geography, the composition of immigrants, generation gaps, and so on, they have not unified into a powerful force. Early immigrants mostly preferred to work honestly, make money, and few strived for political office, often it¡¯s the rich who make political donations rather than climbing the ladder themselves, leading to a very fragmented voice overall. In such a situation, being victimized is unavoidable. Strictly speaking, in this period, due to the need for the market in Hua Country plus some extraneous factors, in earlier years, it wasn¡¯t hard for the Chinese community to rise up. At least, it was simpler than for the black uncles. The problem is that inner fighting is fierce, disappointing indeed. .. Pushing down some thoughts. Brian returned the documents to Green: ¡°Has the identity of the deceased been confirmed?¡± Green nodded, pulling out and handing a piece of the material to Brian: ¡°Confirmed, this is his information. The deceased was a freshman at the University of California, Los Angeles branch, from Jiangsu, Hua Country, lived off-campus. Yesterday was a bit rushed, I reached out to his roommate through the school¡¯s international student mutual aid group, hoping to get ahold of the deceased¡¯s computer and phone. But the roommate said all the stuff was taken by the deceased. The deceased had recently been in an online relationship, the last contact with them was four days ago, when he planned to drop out of school for love, so they didn¡¯t call the police in the end. However, I felt that something was off about those students, but when asked for details, no one cooperated with me, and it was too late, so I returned.¡± Brian nodded: ¡°Green, you¡¯ve done great, very effective. By the way, give me the roommate¡¯s number, I¡¯ll contact him.¡± Interesting, the victim turned out to be his schoolmate. Brian is a UCLA graduate. This university is part of the University of California system, located on the west side of Los Angeles, established in 1919, with very high global rankings. More than twenty missing international students¡ªalthough not all of them necessarily met with mishaps, some probably just came to attend unaccredited schools and then worked illegally¡ªthe majority of the missing students were the pride of their families. A single disappearance is equivalent to a broken family. Plus, these people are also compatriots of Brian¡¯s world. He still hopes to catch the killer as soon as possible. .. Brian picked up the desk phone and dialed the roommate¡¯s number. While waiting, he quickly scanned the information of the deceased: Yang Wei, from Jiangsu, 18 years old... The information was somewhat rudimentary, lacking identification details; it was evident that it wasn¡¯t registered information from the school, or else the deceased¡¯s parents¡¯ contact details would have been included. For Green to have gotten this much by the afternoon was impressive. Listening to the dial tone in the phone, Brian pondered the criminal¡¯s mindset. Such cyber crime likely involves casting a wide net, then filtering and pinpointing the chosen targets. So why is the killer fixated on Chinese male international students? First: Possibly gay. That needs no explanation. Second: Aesthetic preference, perhaps favors the Chinese male demographic¡ªafter all, in terms of delicate skin and body odor, the Chinese are indeed quite exceptional. Third: Chinese international students are relatively ¡®naive and easy to deceive.¡¯ At this time, societal attitudes in Hua Country are somewhat conservative, and the internet and other technology are slightly behind the United States, information not exploding as much, with the better students typically being the ones who study diligently and hard. Chapter 241 - 241 175 Clues on the Corpse Pinpointing the Identity of the Murderer_2 ?241: Chapter 175: Clues on the Corpse, Pinpointing the Identity of the Murderer_2 241: Chapter 175: Clues on the Corpse, Pinpointing the Identity of the Murderer_2 Unnecessarily naive and gullible, this was not something Brian just made up. It seemed the victim was just unlucky. Looking at the victim¡¯s clothes, you could tell he came from a good family, yet at such an age, he was still inexperienced, never even having touched a woman. In any country, the circles of wealthy people tend to be trendy, and under constant exposure, such honest kids are a rare sight indeed. Perhaps if he¡¯d been a bit wilder, he wouldn¡¯t have been so easy to deceive. Brian tapped on the table, ¡°So, the murderer is likely a gay man who has had contact with the Hua Country community and is very familiar with international students, even knowing the psychologies of male Hua Country international students, allowing him to precisely target each one...¡± Just then, a voice interrupted Brian¡¯s thoughts, ¡°Hello.¡± The call was connected. ... A moment later. Brian hung up the phone pensive. Leveraging his status as an older student and his fluency in Mandarin, he easily obtained information that Green hadn¡¯t managed to get. Turns out, the embassy had already issued warnings to all Los Angeles international student groups not to trust online romances blindly, nor to meet online friends in private. As for the victim¡¯s roommate, his vagueness while speaking to Green was due to some of these embassy cautions. There¡¯s no need to elaborate here. The useful information was scarce. The victim¡¯s roommate didn¡¯t even know whether the person the victim had been chatting with online was male or female, nor what their username was. The victim, shy about such matters, wasn¡¯t very communicative. Seeing no gains, Brian had no choice but to call Tom and prepare to perform an autopsy on the victim to see if they could find some information. ¡°And we could also have old Hardenn investigate the online chat groups... see if there are any word searches or something, that shouldn¡¯t be too difficult for a tech whiz...¡± Brian looked over to where Hardenn was supposed to be, only to find him hugging Shi San, man and dog, engrossed in their game. Especially Shi San, who had been snoozing the day before, now wagged his tail joyously and anthropomorphically tapped on the keyboard, addicted to the internet. Brian sighed, ¡°Damn it!¡± No wonder his day at work had felt off. It was because Shi San hadn¡¯t rushed over to greet him! This game had made Shi San forget his own master! ... Brian quickly stepped forward and interrupted the joyful game session between man and dog. ¡°Hey, take it easy, Brian. Shi San is still a kid!¡± Hardenn said anxiously, ¡°Shi San is too smart, much better than some useless teammates I¡¯ve had. He has real eSports talent, and I¡¯m thinking of custom-making a keyboard and mouse for him.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll talk about that later.¡± Brian rolled his eyes, ¡°Do me a favor.¡± Speaking of which, he informed Hardenn about the situation surrounding the case of the Hua Country international students and online dating murders. Hardenn, looking tenderly at Shi San swaying in the air, nodded quickly, ¡°No problem, just be gentle with Shi San!¡± To an outsider, Hardenn might have seemed like he was talking about his grandson. After leaving the office, Shi San looked pitifully at Brian, ¡°Woof~ (Big Dog~)¡± His large eyes seemed more vivid than before, even visibly contemplating. In addition to this. Although Shi San¡¯s size hadn¡¯t changed much, still round and fluffy, he felt heavier when picked up, indicating an increase in muscle and bone density. This process was likely to continue as Shi San kept consuming energy. Brian, holding Shi San, flicked the still imperceptible little member, ¡°How do you feel now?¡± ¡°Woof woof woof~¡± Shi San¡¯s vocabulary was still quite limited. Brian roughly understood¡ªit seemed that his perception had changed, becoming more human-like. Also, his strength, speed, and responses had improved, but he got hungry faster. Seeing no negative impacts. Brian felt reassured. ... Autopsy room. Tom was already dressed and waiting. This time, Brian didn¡¯t do the dissection himself but let Tom handle everything. The dissection process was actually not complicated. Including the fact that the target was a dead body, the requirements for dissection technique weren¡¯t high. Even ordinary people who had never been exposed to it could become skilled after ten to fifteen days of slow and careful practice. Otherwise, assistants wouldn¡¯t be called technical workers. The difference between this and a butcher isn¡¯t actually big. However, for different corpses, the methods and skills of dissection also varied. For example, this current victim. Counting from now, his time of death had exceeded three days. The body had bloated severely. If the order of incisions was incorrect, without venting it beforehand, it was no different from triggering a Poison Gas Bomb. As the autopsy proceeded. Brian picked up the victim¡¯s intestines and squeezed them, then started to frown. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Brian?¡± Tom had just taken photographs of the victim¡¯s anal area and documented the injuries. Seeing Brian handling the disgusting intestines seemed strange. Hearing Tom¡¯s inquiry. Brian put down the heart, ¡°I know what identity the killer has!¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Tom thought he had misheard, ¡°Brian, stop joking. There¡¯s no apparent external injury on the victim¡¯s body, no organ degeneration internally, apart from his ¡®banana¡¯, I can¡¯t even figure out his cause of death.¡± ¡°The cause of death is simple. Look at the victim¡¯s heart. Here at the ventricle, there¡¯s residual congestion, which means that there was a reflux of blood before his death. Now look at the compression marks on his waist. Normal trousers, even if the belt is very tight, wouldn¡¯t cause such heavy compression marks at the abdomen and lighter ones at the back. Combining the anal injuries and the residual fecal matter in the intestines. I estimate the victim died suddenly due to prolonged inversion, which caused reflux of blood to the heart.¡± Brian continued, pointing at the victim¡¯s anal area: ¡°This initial penetration here, without having performed an enema, could easily cause a tear in the sphincter, just like the victim¡¯s current state. The immense pain would have caused the intestines to lose control, resulting in incontinence. On the victim¡¯s body, no such scenario having occurred is even evident after death. The residual matter in the intestines wasn¡¯t expelled out of the body by decomposing gases. However, there was still fecal residue in the victim¡¯s intestines. This means that, for the maximum pleasure, the perpetrator hung the victim halfway on something and then, standing on a high place, kept swinging into the victim like on a swing. In this state, not only would the victim have reacted violently, the sphincter contracting tightly giving the perpetrator the greatest pleasure, but it was also clean and labor-saving, no need to worry about his intimate part becoming a troublemaker. And this continued for a long time. The torture continued until the victim died, and it didn¡¯t stop until the victim¡¯s body stiffened and was eventually dumped into a trash can by the perpetrator. Because of the victim¡¯s special posture. The fecal matter got stuck in the intestines, so even as the body softened and bloated, it wasn¡¯t expelled by the decomposing gases.¡± Tom looked at Brian with a strange expression, ¡°Ordinary people rarely understand these things.¡± Brian rolled his eyes. As an experienced operator, he had seen all kinds of scenes. That¡¯s the advantage of being well-informed. He reviewed films, just to add a bit more experience to his work and to bring more moments of inspiration. .. ¡°But I still don¡¯t understand, based only on these, how can you determine the identity of the killer?¡± Tom suddenly remembered the case from two months ago, when a neighbor killed the single mother next door who had a child, then killed his own wife. Back then, Brian had been like him, a novice, asking all sorts of questions. How had it only been a couple of months? Things had completely turned around. What went wrong? Brian shrugged, ¡°Tom, you¡¯ve been away from the homicide frontline for too long, immersed in games everyday, now your thinking is too rigid. Think about it, a park that is frequented by people or homeless, prolonged actions, inverted hangings, body dumped in a trash bin, this indicates the killer is very familiar with the location for dumping the body and has a safe space nearby. Moreover, the killer knows the operating procedure of waste management companies, confident that dumping the body in a trash bin would go undiscovered, and even if discovered, he wasn¡¯t worried that anyone would suspect him, indicating this isn¡¯t his first time. Constant success breeds habitual criminal procedures. These are the basic features of a serial killer. Gay killer, specifically targeting males, specifically Chinese students, also shows he¡¯s familiar with this group. Buddy, think it through. All these factors combined. This type of person, what do you think his identity is?¡± Chapter 242 - 242 176 There Must Be Something Despicable About A Pitiful Person ?242: Chapter 176: There Must Be Something Despicable About A Pitiful Person 242: Chapter 176: There Must Be Something Despicable About A Pitiful Person ¡°Homeless man?¡± Tom said with some uncertainty, ¡°A homeless man who used to work as a labor intermediary for transnational students from Hua Country?¡± First of all, many homeless people, will hide in places like parks to rest at night, avoiding the staff on patrol duty. Secondly, because homeless people often rummage through trash cans, they are quite familiar with the garbage truck pick-up times and behaviors. Then there¡¯s the identity of the homeless. Many homeless people don¡¯t even have a complete set of ID documents, and hardly anyone pays attention to this group. As for the latter addition, it was because Tom, in his earlier years as a detective, had seen those Chinese labor intermediaries who specialized in scamming their compatriots, and he had seen the unfortunate ones who were stabbed or shot by those they had scammed, so he knew something about this group. Brian nodded: ¡°Yes, this group exists, and there¡¯s another group, those illegal immigrants who have had some tragic experiences and harbor animosity toward their compatriots. Tom, you should know, the CIA actually has special funds in the Asia region to bribe some public figures of those countries, glorify the United States, and attract the outstanding newcomers from those countries, continuously coming over here. But this also results in many of the lower class from those countries trying every means to come over here each year. These people have low self-awareness, have had unsatisfactory lives in their own countries, and think that changing environments will allow them to succeed, but they forget that the lower class is the lower class no matter where they are. What would they do if they then encountered some unfortunate events, couldn¡¯t even keep going as undocumented workers, and then received some kind of stimuli?¡± ¡°Take revenge on society?¡± Tom said and then shook his head, unsure, ¡°Take revenge on their compatriots?¡± Brian nodded: ¡°Yes, because such people often have a high opinion of themselves and lack a clear self-awareness. When they encounter setbacks and their perception is turned upside down, they tend to become extreme and do something rash. Moreover, they most likely have language issues as well, so their easiest targets are their compatriots. After all, they can¡¯t deceive foreigners.¡± Tom nodded, ¡°Brian, to be honest, your growth is really frightening. Are those Enhancement Reagents really that magical?¡± His eyes revealed a longing. He had long been fed up with his weak physical condition. Brian shook his head: ¡°The Enhancement Reagent isn¡¯t that amazing; I¡¯m just awesome.¡± Tom: .. ... Following this line of thought. Brian, along with Green and some of Green¡¯s friends, rushed to the vicinity of the crime scene. Using cash, food, and blankets as incentives, they questioned the homeless people they encountered, looking for clues. His speculation was very accurate. When Green¡¯s friend questioned an elderly homeless man, he provided a piece of information: A few days ago, a Chinese homeless man, taking advantage of his old age and frailty, killed his only dog, took away the body, and left with his only blanket. The key was that the homeless man was carrying a large backpack with a laptop of considerable market value on it! Before long. Green learned another clue from another middle-aged homeless man: Over a year ago, a Chinese homeless man had moved into the underground drainage pipes of the park. There were snakes and many rats living there, so regular homeless people dared not approach. However, for the past few days. He hadn¡¯t seen that homeless man¡¯s figure. The man would often disappear for a while and then reappear, not interacting much with these homeless people. Green exclaimed excitedly, ¡°Boss Brian, looks like we¡¯ve found the murderer! He¡¯s definitely going to deal with the victim¡¯s computer and phone, we¡¯re close to catching him!¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°No need to go through so much trouble.¡± With that, he whistled. The next moment, a round little Labrador pup leaped out from a bush, landing in front of Brian, sticking out its tongue and wagging its tail playfully. ¡°Shi San, let¡¯s go, we need your help.¡± ¡°Woof~ (Okay~)¡± Shi San became even more cheerful. It enjoyed helping out the big dogs. ... In fact, many of the drainage and sewage pipes in downtown Los Angeles are not all that dirty. They are quite spacious inside. Some areas, due to the small population living nearby, are dry, and even some places have platforms for workers to climb and walk on for regular inspections. Actually, quite a few people live down there, but they are unseen and uncared for by outsiders. They are like a group of mice living outside of humanity, surviving in misery, waiting for death to come amidst various diseases and malnutrition. Following the information provided by the middle-aged homeless man. The group found a manhole cover hidden behind some trees. There were some muddy footprints around the manhole cover. Suddenly. Shi San barked twice and went to a bush, rolling up a shoe with its tongue and appearing in front of everyone. It spat out the shoe, turned to Brian and barked, ¡°Woof-woof~ (The scent of a corpse~)¡± Brian glanced at the shoe size and nodded, ¡°Shi San, go!¡± They removed the manhole cover, and everyone went down the ladder in turn. Below was a large circular concrete pipe; the recessed bottom section had some relatively clean water and wasn¡¯t emitting any unpleasant scent, just a cold breeze. On one side was a concrete-built terrace and road. But overall, the environment was pitch-dark with little light shining down. Chapter 243 - 243 176 There Must Be Something Despicable About A Pitiful Person_2 ?243: Chapter 176: There Must Be Something Despicable About A Pitiful Person_2 243: Chapter 176: There Must Be Something Despicable About A Pitiful Person_2 After waiting for a long time, ordinary people really couldn¡¯t stand it. Under Shi San¡¯s lead, everyone switched on the flashlights they had temporarily bought and headed in the direction to their left. Soon afterwards. Some light and the sound of flowing water came from up ahead. ¡°Woof~¡± Shi San barked and quickly dashed forward. The next second. Cursing came from up front. In less than a second, the cursing turned into screams and groans. ... By the time Brian and the others caught up, Shi San was baring his teeth and snarling in front of a long-haired man who was howling with his hand covered, preventing the man from escaping. This place was a drainage turn-off point, several pipes converged here, and iron bars overhead provided faint light. There were tents piled up on the terrace, along with a cooking tripod. Beneath the tripod was a pile of bones. Judging by the shape of the skulls, they seemed to be dog bones. Beside the bones hung a row of dried rat carcasses and snake strips that appeared to be cured and were bone-dry. What caught the eye the most was a few ropes and pieces of cloth tied to the overhead iron bars, forming a strange ¡®swing¡¯. When Brian saw the swing, he realized it. This guy was the murderer they were looking for. In front of the man, there was a mobile phone with its screen still lit. Brian put on gloves, picked up the phone, and discovered that it was in the midst of texting someone, using a feminine tone with some mushy words... No. He was a bit puzzled. In this environment, how did the other party manage to catfish online? ... ¡°Damn dog!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you...¡± The long-haired man on the ground, seeing that Shi San didn¡¯t continue the attack, cursed in Chinese and grabbed a metal rod, getting ready to fight Shi San desperately, but was startled by the dazzling flashlight and instinctively covered his eyes. Feeling a sudden shock in his heart, he lowered his hand, squinting his eyes, and looked toward Green in front with a vicious tone, ¡°Beat it, this is my turf!¡± He could handle one person! Homeless people fear getting hurt, so they rarely fight. This was the jungle rule he had learned over his more than a year of vagrant life! Green¡¯s friends were speechless as they pulled out a pistol from their waistband, ¡°Green, do you often come across such dim-witted criminals?¡± The long-haired man was startled and pulled aside the hair that was blocking his right field of vision, only to be shocked to realize that to the right of Green, there stood several black and burly African Americans. Damn! It wasn¡¯t one person! He threw himself to the ground, pleading in broken English, ¡°Take everything, just don¡¯t beat me...¡± Everyone: ... After handcuffing the man. The group found the victims¡¯ computer in the long-haired man¡¯s pile of trash along with a dozen mobile phones, some money, and a lot of random stuff. Among these items, there were even several well-preserved dried ¡®human penises¡¯.. Brian waved his hand speechlessly, ¡°Take him back. Tonight, I will have the team leader issue you an expense form as a reward for your friend¡¯s efforts.¡± ¡°Long live Boss Brian!¡± Green¡¯s friends cheered and efficiently bound the long-haired man, carrying him out like a dead dog. The remaining items could only be left for the nearby patrol officers to help pack and take away. ... In the afternoon. Interrogation room of Team B6. Brian and Green sat at the table, looking at the long-haired man in front, ¡°Tell us, how did you use the internet to catfish those international students, lure them out, and then cruelly murder them?¡± The long-haired man remained silent. Brian shook his head, ¡°Green, go turn off the surveillance.¡± Saying that. He picked up the Bible laid on the table and pulled out a hammer from his pocket, smiling as he approached the long-haired man. Now he was scared, ¡°What are you going to do! This is illegal, I will complain about you, isn¡¯t it said in the United States that you value human rights the most, I have rights!¡± ¡°Seems like you¡¯re quite familiar with this Great Memory Recovery Technique, huh?¡± Brian tapped the Bible with the hammer, ¡°So do you need treatment first, then a confession, or are you going to confess straight away?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll confess, I¡¯ll confess!¡± The long-haired man became intimidated, clearly having suffered from this kind of treatment before. Under Brian¡¯s questioning. Through the long-haired man¡¯s intermittent confessions, Brian also came to understand what had happened. The long-haired man¡¯s real name was Zhou Shun, in his homeland, he was nothing but a petty thief with a wife. By a streak of luck, he learned about the United States, the Dream Realm. So he sold his parents¡¯ house and borrowed from every friend and relative, then brought his wife, relying on various connections, and after enduring all sorts of dismal events, finally made it to the United States. In this process, he lost his wife and money. He got away himself, but penniless, he had no choice but to live off his delicate skin which had been nurtured by a life of indolence, sticking with a strong Mexican and only then reaching the United States. Upon arrival, he instantly abandoned the Mexican who had helped him clear his guts, ready to embrace the freedom of the United States. But everything was different from what he knew. Without an identity, his best bet was to work in some Chinese-owned restaurants as an illegal worker and then exchange work cards... All in all, it was both tiring and dirty. Back in his homeland, he was lazy to begin with. He thought that by coming to this Dream Realm, he could live the life of a Parasite on welfare as written in the U.S. publications. It was nothing like that! So he lost his wife, his innocence, and almost his life coming here for what? Wasn¡¯t it all in vain? Working was out of the question. Eventually, this guy ended up mingling in the homeless camp, living off food handouts, dumpster diving, and deceiving some well-intentioned fellow countrymen to scrape by. Chapter 244 - 244 176 There Must Be Something Despicable About A Pitiful Person_3 ?244: Chapter 176: There Must Be Something Despicable About A Pitiful Person_3 244: Chapter 176: There Must Be Something Despicable About A Pitiful Person_3 Until six months ago. He had encountered a kind-hearted Hua Country student who came to distribute relief food. The student was deceived by the story Zhou Shun fabricated, providing not only a temporary residence for him in the property he¡¯d purchased, but also teaching him a lot. Until the student saw Zhou Shun¡¯s true nature and wanted to drive him out. This person became Zhou Shun¡¯s first victim. It was also through the large amounts of cash and items like computers that he acquired from the victim that Zhou Shun could continue to commit crimes. However, he didn¡¯t continue to live there. Instead, he took his spoils and went to live in the sewers under the park. When the power was out, he would take his laptop and computer to the library, using the internet there to continue to select and chat with international students, deciding on his next move. For Zhou Shun, targeting these affluent international students not only meant financial gain, but also allowed him to project his own misfortune onto them. It satisfied the distortion in his heart after his dreams were shattered. ... ¡°Where are the other bodies?¡± Brian asked expressionlessly. Having spilled everything and knowing he couldn¡¯t escape, Zhou Shun simply said: ¡°One time, a kind-hearted homeless person warned me not to sleep in dumpsters, or those negligent drivers would toss people in with the trash into garbage trucks. The trucks have automatic compaction axles, so I thought of this as a disposal method. At first, I was a bit scared, but after I switched locations a few times for dumping bodies and realized that no one was reporting it, I kept doing it. Actually, the best method is to choose a rainy day. In that weather, those garbage truck drivers don¡¯t bother to look. It¡¯s just that this time, the idiot came to me himself, interrupting the time I¡¯d set to meet him, so I had to invite the person to my actual home and act earlier than planned. I¡¯ve watched the drivers around here; they¡¯re veterans, so I felt pretty safe.¡± Green, who was standing by, couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°Your first victim was so kind to you. How could you kill him?¡± Brian had been helping translate, so he knew what Zhou Shun had said. Zhou Shun¡¯s English wasn¡¯t fluent, but he could understand. He flashed a look of scorn: ¡°That jerk helped me just to satisfy his own conscience, why should these second-generation wealthy live in comfort while we from the lower class suffer? His family has so many houses in Los Angeles and so much money ¨C what¡¯s the big deal about giving me one to live in? He didn¡¯t even want to do that. He also called me a parasite. Could I tolerate that?¡± After Brian translated this, Green shook his head: ¡°You¡¯re really desperate. I can¡¯t understand how you could turn on your benefactor.¡± Zhou Shun guessed Green had a decent temperament and snickered coldly: ¡°Who asked him to be kind to me? If I didn¡¯t deal with him, I couldn¡¯t get to others. If my cash hadn¡¯t been stolen, I¡¯d be rich now. It¡¯s just that heaven is blind. Luckily, your side respects human rights and there¡¯s no death penalty. I¡¯ve had my fun, and I¡¯ll keep having fun in prison. Los Angeles is rich; I¡¯ve asked around, and the prisons here have good welfare, with people like you providing for my retirement. I¡¯m not losing out.¡± ¡°Providing for your retirement?¡± Brian scoffed and signaled Green to take the man away. Times have changed. The fate of such serious criminals is not to end up in research institutions or drug-testing companies, where the fate is hardly much better than those of the victims they killed. .. After it was all over. Old Hardenn also retrieved, through technical means, the chat histories Zhou Shun had deleted from his laptop. This guy had a pretty accurate grasp on psychology. Casting a wide net and encountering those who were naive and good-hearted, he¡¯d fabricate stories and express concern, eventually finding an opportunity to invite them to a certain place with their computers, claiming there was a gathering of people from Hua Country or for other reasons. But these attempts were not very successful. Most of these people went with friends, and Zhou Shun didn¡¯t even show his face. The highest success rate involved seduction. Such victims, often worried about their reputations, were unlikely to bring someone along, sneaking about and being easy to manipulate as novices in love. Adding to this, Zhou Shun, the young man, was good at verbal seduction, from portraying himself as a down-and-out young lady, a reluctant prostitute, to a single mother abandoned by a lover... In short, the success rate wasn¡¯t low. Some others desired to obtain a ¡°Love Potion,¡± drugs, and other illegal items. Those who were ensnared. Except for perhaps a few good-natured people, most had ulterior motives. It can only be said. Those who are pitiable often have aspects of them that are hateful. .. After the case was concluded, and after work, Brian declined Susan¡¯s dinner invitation and rode his ¡®Beast¡¯ motorcycle, taking Shi San with him, directly heading to the suburban areas. He planned to take Shi San on a wild hunt, testing its current condition and incidentally letting it taste blood. Chapter 245 - 245 177 Hearing Rumors of the Beheader Wolf Pack ?245: Chapter 177: Hearing Rumors of the Beheader, Wolf Pack 245: Chapter 177: Hearing Rumors of the Beheader, Wolf Pack ¡°Woof woof woof! (Big Dog, where are we going?)¡± Shi San wore a cartoon Thunder God helmet and was strapped to Brian¡¯s chest by a harness, limbs flailing upward, his little tongue lolling about, filled with wonder and joy. This little guy had been gaining more than a pound a day, and in just a few days, he was almost round. Brian casually hung a sniper rifle he got from the Weapon Expert Ali on the side of the motorcycle, and flicked Shi San¡¯s chin, ¡°Taking you to find a little she-wolf.¡± ¡°?¡± Shi San still wanted to bark. The next moment. Boom~ With the roaring of the throttle, the beastly motorcycle burst out of the parking lot, merging into the dense flow of after-work traffic, weaving and swaying to become a streak of black lightning, drawing exclamations of envy from pedestrians on the streets. This motorcycle is so cool! On the rooftop of Building B6, Susan watched Brian disappear into the distance and snorted. She instantly drew her guns, spun them around twice, then stylishly holstered them and strode towards the elevator. Stinking Brian! Getting stronger secretly was one thing, But stealing Shi San, the little warm treasure, was another! She needed to quickly assimilate the Enhancement Reagent she acquired in London to boost her strength. As someone who has always been competitive, she liked that Brian was stronger than her, but she wouldn¡¯t allow herself to fall too far behind. ... Woof woof~ Shi San opened his mouth wide, enjoying the strong wind blasting into his mouth, his tongue flailing wildly, making woofing sounds, clearly having a blast. Brian smiled knowingly. Suddenly, he remembered how, as a child in his previous life, he loved to entertain himself by talking into an electric fan. The smarter Shi San got, the more childlike he seemed, which gave Brian a feeling of caring for a child. Thanks to the convenience of the motorcycle, Brian successfully broke out of the traffic, revved the throttle, doubled his speed, and finally experienced the balance between dynamic vision and the scenery disappearing rapidly behind him. This sensation was magical, like speeding over two hundred kilometers per hour on a highway, while in Brian¡¯s view, it felt like he was just leisurely riding a forty-mile-per-hour electric scooter. It was as if his daily life before was suppressingly slow, and now he finally was at the speed he was meant to be. This normal release of bodily functions gave Brian an involuntary rush of adrenaline. He couldn¡¯t resist twisting the throttle to the max. On the cool black body of the motorcycle, strips of lightning illuminated and continuously moved around, turning the whole body of the bike into a streak of lightning racing down the broad highway. This was the light effect that automatically appeared after Cabo modified it to exceed speeds of three hundred kilometers per hour. ¡°So cool!¡± Brian cheered loudly inside his helmet! Boom~ Carrying with it a bullet-shaped hurricane formed by its passage. The black lightning flipped a roadside speedometer and vanished from the view of two highway patrol police hiding beside a grill. They looked at each other. The chubby cop, somewhat slow, turned to his colleague, ¡°Hey, Bobby, was that something that just sped past?¡± His colleague shook his head, ¡°Don¡¯t know, who cares, did you bring any ketchup..¡± ¡°Brought some..¡± The chubby cop pulled out two crumpled packs of ketchup from his pocket, just about to speak, but he stared blankly at something behind his colleague. ¡°Damn it, next time can you not put the ketchup behind your disgusting ass, hey, what are you looking at, did you hear me..¡± His colleague didn¡¯t finish speaking. The next moment. A head still wearing a look of disgust flew into the air. Blood spurted from the headless body, extinguishing the fire while also leaving the chubby cop too terrified to speak, with only his trembling hands and facial muscles showing his fear. Thud~ A large foot kicked the headless cop¡¯s body aside. A gloomy man dressed in a black coat sat opposite the chubby cop, casually stabbed the direct-handle hunting knife into the headless cop¡¯s body, picked up the blood-soaked barbecue, and started to eat heartily. Chewing twice, It seemed the flavor wasn¡¯t satisfying enough. The gloomy man gestured to the chubby cop, ¡°Ketchup.¡± ¡°Oh..¡± The chubby cop blankly handed over the ketchup. The gloomy man took the ketchup, tore it open, and squeezed it directly into his mouth, mixing it with the blood-filled barbecue and chewed for a moment before swallowing, then nodded in satisfaction, ¡°Thanks.¡± He pulled out a paper full of writing, elegantly wiped his mouth, then tossed the paper on the ground, pulled out the hunting knife, and walked towards the chubby cop. Appetizer finished. Now it was time for the main course. ... Unbeknownst to Brian, he had just avoided a massacre. At over three hundred kilometers per hour, In less than an hour, he reached his destination¡ªKen Victor Lake. Ken Victor Lake retained its natural state, surrounded by mountains, a popular weekend camping destination for many Los Angeles families, and a favorite spot for photographers. Brian chose this location out of necessity. Los Angeles was generally flat and close to the coastline, and the mountainous area was occupied by Ace Base. Who knew how many surveillance setups NW organization had in those mountains? To maintain relative privacy, Brian could only choose this camping spot teeming with hares and occasionally capturing glimpses of American wolves and bears. First, he needed to refuel the motorcycle, then find a private garage to store his precious bike. Chapter 246 - 246 177 Hearing Rumors of the Beheader Wolf Pack_2 ?246: Chapter 177: Hearing Rumors of the Beheader, Wolf Pack_2 246: Chapter 177: Hearing Rumors of the Beheader, Wolf Pack_2 This place was deemed a tourist spot, with plenty of automated refueling stations and self-service garages. After getting these done, Brian finally thought about letting Shi San down from his chest. ¡°Shi San, you didn¡¯t fall asleep, did ya? Why so quiet?¡± Brian dropped the wobbly Shi San onto the ground. Shi San opened his mouth wide, his tongue hanging weakly, looking at Brian with mournful dog eyes, ¡°Whimper~¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Whimper~¡± Brian then realized that because the goofy dog kept his mouth open to play with the wind, when the motorcycle sped up behind him, the gust had dislocated Shi San¡¯s jaw. ... ¡°Silly dog!¡± Brian deftly hooked his hand. With a click, Shi San¡¯s drooping jaw returned to its place. Its numb tongue licked its nose, and it tentatively barked, ¡°Woof?¡± Finding it could make a sound again, it instantly revitalized, dashed to the garage outside, lifted a hind leg, and began marking its scent and territory. After the surroundings bore his scent, Shi San then looked at Brian, ¡°Woof woof~ (Big dog, hungry~)¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get you some fresh food.¡± Brian, carrying a gun bag and wearing an oversized hat to cover most of his upper cheeks, led Shi San toward the tourist area ahead. It was about seven in the evening now. On the streets, one could occasionally see some old men and women with fishing gear walking back to the town, along with some boys and girls returning from the opposite direction with their drawing boards. The ambiance was peaceful and serene. Just as they were about to leave the town, a young female patrol officer, sitting on a roadside bench eating a burger, noticed Brian¡¯s gun bag and immediately put down her burger to call her colleague who was still ordering. Just like that. A man and a dog, just as they were about to step out of the town¡¯s gates, were stopped. The female officer smiled, revealing bits of cabbage stuck between her teeth, ¡°Sir, what¡¯s in the bag?¡± Her companion stood a bit farther behind, expressionless, eyes fixed on Brian, his right hand resting on his waist, ready to draw his gun at any moment. Brian shrugged, ¡°Naturally, a gun in a gun bag.¡± ¡°We need to see your firearm license and ID. Also, we need to inspect your firearms. I must remind you, this isn¡¯t a hunting area; gunfire isn¡¯t welcome.¡± The female officer spoke righteously. Such an officer was clearly a local. In the United States, many small towns still retain the style of police stations from the cowboy era. These officers often have considerable autonomy and power. Brian naturally couldn¡¯t let them open his sniper rifle bag, which was clearly over regulation. He directly pulled out his NW action department ID, ¡°I¡¯m here on a special mission with a colleague. I can¡¯t divulge specifics.¡± Seeing the special badge on the ID, the policewoman took the card, puzzled, and looked at her colleague. Her colleague knew about NW, took out his phone, and called the LAPD headquarters in Los Angeles. After a moment, The male officer nodded to the female officer, smiled, and returned the ID to Brian, ¡°Welcome to Ken Victor Lake, Investigator Brian, are you here to investigate the Beheader case?¡± After his promotion, Brian¡¯s ID had become that of a special operations officer with LAPD, giving him substantial authority. Even without local enforcement powers, it was enough to command respect from the local patrol officers. But Brian was taken aback by the male officer¡¯s words, ¡°The Beheader case?¡± Seeing his unawareness, The male officer nodded, ¡°Sorry, it might be a misunderstanding. The thing is, a legend about the Beheader has been circulating on the highway outside for half a month. It¡¯s said to be a man with a flat expression who appears on the highway and then uses a knife to sever the heads of the unfortunate, using their blood as seasoning, their bodies as food. The tale sounds quite believable, and the highway patrol did indeed find some vehicles abandoned by the roadside with blood nearby, though no bodies or other traces were discovered.¡± The female officer quickly added, ¡°Not true, I heard that next to the bloodstains, there would also be a blood-stained paper with the legend of the Beheader on it. The Beheader likes to chop off its prey¡¯s head and then eat them from head to toe, leaving not even a fragment of bone, terrifying to even think about if something similar happened nearby.¡± The male officer rolled his eyes. How could anyone possibly eat so cleanly? However, he did not interrupt his colleague¡¯s account. Hearing this, Brian said with a smile, ¡°I hope the Beheader doesn¡¯t encounter me on the road; otherwise, I¡¯ll twist his head off first.¡± The male officer rolled his eyes again. This pretty boy looked tall and well-proportioned but had no explosive muscles on him, all show and no go, unlike himself, whose chest muscles were way bigger than his female colleague¡¯s, full of masculine charm. After chatting for a bit. Brian said goodbye to the two officers and whistled at Shi San, who was idly loitering around, and walked out of the town. Shi San immediately returned to Brian¡¯s side, head shaking and wobbling as he followed. Watching the backs of the man and dog, the female officer looked at her colleague with some regret, ¡°Why don¡¯t we have such handsome colleagues in our town? He looks really good. By the way, didn¡¯t he say he was here on a mission with a colleague? Did you see anyone else?¡± The male officer shrugged, ¡°Did you see that Labrador puppy?¡± Chapter 247 - 247 177 Shocking Rumors of the Beheader Wolf Pack_3 ?247: Chapter 177: Shocking Rumors of the Beheader, Wolf Pack_3 247: Chapter 177: Shocking Rumors of the Beheader, Wolf Pack_3 ¡°I saw it, it¡¯s so round and cute,¡± nodded the female patrol officer. ¡°Investigator Brian must be a very caring person to bring along a little dog.¡± ¡°That¡¯s his colleague, a police dog from the NW Tactical Department named Shi San. The dog¡¯s name and information are on the credentials. Actually, we rank even lower than that dog in the police system. We have to address it as an officer when we meet.¡± The female patrol officer:.. The tiny dog they were looking at was their superior? Forget it, she¡¯d better go back and continue eating her hamburger. This Investigator Brian was clearly out of her league. .. It was after nine at night. Brian stood atop a mountain range, his eyes scanning the profound darkness, trying to spot a bear or similar prey. This area was no longer within the Ken Victor Lake region but deeper into the mountain range, several dozen kilometers away from Ken Victor Lake, in a desolate and uninhabited wilderness. Beside him, Shi San, covered in blood, lay roundly on the ground. It lay on its back, humming contentedly, a tuft of gray fur still stuck to its mouth, next to a neatly arranged family of seven, seven rabbit heads with eyes still open in death. This was its first time hunting, tasting fresh blood. As a descendant of a Labrador retriever. Shi San felt as if something unknown was leaping and cheering inside it, making it feel warm all over, and its body, previously always hungry, now felt satisfied and full. Blood! It loved the taste of blood! Suddenly, Shi San¡¯s ears perked up against its biological instincts. The next moment. A blur flashed by. By the time Brian turned around, Shi San had already returned from ten meters away with a rat as big as a grown man¡¯s palm in its mouth. It wagged its tail at Brian, then tossed the rat into the air with a flick of its little head. Its small mouth suddenly widened, engulfing the rat, and its dense teeth, like steel forks, grinded twice before shredding the rat into seven or eight pieces, swallowing it down. ¡°We came hunting at the right time.¡± Brian looked at Shi San, who had lain down again, and stroked his chin. He felt that since coming to the wilderness, the pheromones emitted by Shi San¡¯s body had become much more active, and its reactions, speed, agility, and so forth had all greatly increased. It was as if the potential accumulated within had finally started to be released bit by bit. Let¡¯s put it this way. A little over an hour before and after entering the mountain. Shi San had grown to the point where it could easily kill the previous three Shi Sans. But by now, Shi San¡¯s strength had stopped increasing at the visibly noticeable rate it had at the start. ... After resting for about ten minutes. Shi San¡¯s originally round belly had shrunk. It went to a thicket, bent its hind legs, squatted its buttocks, and started to defecate, Eliminating the rapidly digested waste. Shi San stretched its now much leaner, taller, and longer body, and barked at Brian: ¡°Woof woof~ (Big Dog, I¡¯m hungry again~)¡± Just then. A long wolf howl traveled with the mountain breeze from the distant west. Then another and another wolf howl, like a relay, echoed across the mountain ranges, passing on messages. Brian shrugged, ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯re in luck to encounter the rare North American gray wolf pack here. Your food is coming.¡± ¡°Woof woof? (Is the wolf pack tasty?)¡± Shi San¡¯s dog eyes shimmered with curiosity, saliva already dripping from its mouth corners. ¡°Tasty!¡± Brian nodded, his figure flashed, and he leaped down the steep mountain. Without any hesitation, Shi San followed suit. Under the moonlight. Two small figures, like fleas, or using the Ninja¡¯s teleportation technique, leaped and raced among the cliffs and precipices, disappearing into the silent, desolate woodland... Chapter 248 - 248 178 Dodging Bullets in an Instant Finally Getting Beast Pavilion Intelligence! ?248: Chapter 178: Dodging Bullets in an Instant, Finally Getting Beast Pavilion Intelligence! 248: Chapter 178: Dodging Bullets in an Instant, Finally Getting Beast Pavilion Intelligence! In the lightless forests, Several figures quickly weaved through the trees. In the distance, a tall gray wolf, holding a rabbit in its mouth and preparing to return to its pack, suddenly paused and looked towards the forest ahead as if it had sniffed the scent of a natural predator. Frantically, it dropped the hard-won rabbit from its mouth, howled to the sky, issuing a warning: ¡°Awoooo~¡± The penetrating howls of the wolf echoed throughout the surrounding forest. The responses of its companions, from far and near, swiftly moved away from this area. Hearing the responses of its pack and the alpha, the lone gray wolf relaxed somewhat, intending to turn and run, only to find it was already too late. It could only stop in its tracks, its green glowing eyes fixated on the darkness ahead, baring its teeth and revealing two sharp, bloodstained fangs. The next moment, Several figures emerged atop the trunks of nearby trees. These people dressed strangely, clad all in black bodysuits, wearing silver collars around their necks, and donning equally styled, curvaceous, opaque silver glasses. Moreover, On their backs, they carried rifles and some kind of slender, strange twin blades, their hands and feet clinging to the tree trunks, defying the Earth¡¯s core gravity as if they were humanoid spiders. ¡°A lone little wolf.¡± The woman leading the group raised her head, looking at the gray wolf that they had surrounded, and couldn¡¯t help but stick out her deep red tongue, licking her lips. Under the moonlight, the woman¡¯s beautiful face revealed ferocious fangs between her lips, clearly a humanoid monster with non-human organs. The rest of them, both men and women, bore a striking resemblance to the woman. One of them, beyond the cover of his glasses, even had a row of eyes on each cheek, emitting a faint glow within the black, an incredibly horrifying sight. They all fixated on the gray wolf, their throats constantly gurgling. Upon seeing this, The woman waved her hand: ¡°Eat quickly, after we finish we need to keep moving and lure out that Mutant Beast, or else you know the consequences!¡± ¡°No problem, Boss!¡± One of the men casually threw something. The next moment, A dart-like slender rope shot straight through the brain of the half-human-tall gray wolf, hoisting it high off the ground. ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought we¡¯d encounter a migrating North American gray wolf in a place like this, we¡¯re really lucky. We haven¡¯t encountered a single unfortunate soul entering the mountains along the way, only managing to catch a rabbit here and there to satisfy cravings. I was famished.¡± ¡°Quit your chattering, eat up!¡± The group silently leapt down from the trees, approaching the suspended gray wolf, their mouths wide open. Pfft, pfft, pfft~ Sharp, hollow tubes extended from their mouths, penetrating the body of the wolf before them. Before long, Accompanied by slurping sounds, the reflection of the wolf under the silver moonlight, an animal of over a hundred pounds, was left as nothing but a skin-and-bones silhouette, fluttering in the wind... ... Over a thousand meters away, Brian carried Shi San, his eyes slightly squinted. Interesting, they appeared to be a group akin to Eliana, the Spider Woman. Moreover, the manner in which these monsters fed was the same as the corpse of the vagrant the FBI had used to lure Eliana, who almost got drained. This suggested that they were most likely connected with the FBI and the Beast Pavilion that Brian had been investigating. The equipment on the bodies of this group of Spider Beastification People confirmed this. Since this was the case, encountering him meant bad luck for this bunch! Brian twisted his neck, securing the gun bag to his back, and said to Shi San, ¡°Shi San, there are a few bad guys up ahead, go draw their attention.¡± ¡°Woof~¡± Shi San barked once and immediately ran ahead. In truth, it had no idea what lay ahead, but if the big dog said there were bad guys, then there must be bad guys. The big dog wouldn¡¯t lie to it! ... A full-grown and robust North American gray wolf stood no chance under their mouths, turning into skin and bones in under a minute, a sinister and eerie sight. After filling their bellies contentedly, The group, led by the female leader, prepared to move on. Suddenly, The female leader once again halted, turning towards the rustling sound coming from the brush ahead. In the moonlight, a fluffy dog¡¯s head cautiously poked out from the bushes, its big dog eyes curiously observing them. The dog was Shi San. ¡°Hey~,¡± a female member¡¯s eyes lit up with delight, ¡°A Labrador Retriever, strange, why would a Labrador be out here? Could it have gotten separated from its owner?¡± ¡°A dessert after the meal.¡± The man who had shot the gray wolf licked his lips, ready to shoot his tethered dart again, but the first female member stopped him, ¡°No, we can¡¯t eat such a cute dog!¡± Before becoming the monster she was now, she had a Labrador Retriever, so seeing Shi San reminded her of happier times and a glimmer of humanity flickered in her otherwise numb heart. Hearing this, the man chuckled mischievously, ¡°We¡¯ve survived this long, having eaten plenty of people, and yet you won¡¯t let me eat a single dog, hypocrite. Go make me feel good, and I¡¯ll spare it, how about that?¡± The other male members also looked at the female member with tilted heads. ¡°A bunch of fools!¡± The female leader tapped her glasses, her gaze intent on the curious dog head emerging from the bushes, ¡°When have you ever seen a normal animal, upon smelling us, not only not flee but even dare to stop and observe us?¡± At her words, everyone was shocked. Chapter 249 - 249 178 Dodging Bullets in an Instant Finally Getting Beast Pavilion Intelligence!_2 ?249: Chapter 178: Dodging Bullets in an Instant, Finally Getting Beast Pavilion Intelligence!_2 249: Chapter 178: Dodging Bullets in an Instant, Finally Getting Beast Pavilion Intelligence!_2 Right! As non-human Beastification People, the special scent they emit is akin to that of a huge spider to ordinary wild animals. Even fierce creatures like lions and tigers would turn tail and run away because of the pheromones they emit. Why wasn¡¯t this few-months-old puppy afraid of them? The female member who had previously stopped her companions from making a move wasn¡¯t surprised at all. Instead, she took a few steps forward and waved at Shi San, ¡°Puppy, come here.¡± As she spoke, she turned back and smiled at her companions, ¡°I used to have a Labrador retriever just like this one, fearless and silly, very well-behaved. Later, when we went to the vet, the vet said it was retarded.¡± From a distance, Shi San: ... ¡°Woof woof woof woof woof!!! (You¡¯re the retarded one! You are! You!)¡± The lack of vocabulary made it hard for Shi San to curse properly. The most infuriating thing was, these people didn¡¯t understand his dog language! Shi San got angry. He took a deep breath, and his body, much like a balloon, began to slowly inflate. His cute form was now lined with clearly visible muscle contours. But the most terrifying part was Shi San¡¯s mouth. His mouth was filled with teeth sharp as blades, sticking out from both sides of his lips, glinting coldly under the silver moonlight, capturing the soul. One bite from Shi San, and even the doctor would wrack their brain in confusion over what kind of creature could¡¯ve caused such a wound. Upon seeing the dog suddenly transform, everyone collectively gasped in surprise. Mutant Beast! Aside from a Mutant Beat, they couldn¡¯t believe a normal dog could play the transformation game like they did. The previously smiling female member was dumbfounded, ¡°Weren¡¯t we supposed to go to the coordinates to act as bait to attract Mutant Beasts? Why is there a Mutant Beast here!¡± The female leader licked her lips, ¡°This is good news. This Mutant Beast doesn¡¯t look very powerful. If we can catch it, we can rest for a while and stop working ourselves to death for those bastards.¡± With this statement, the others snapped out of their initial shock. They pulled out their weapons from behind, their faces turning from shock to greed. Suddenly. They all turned together, looking behind. Something had touched the web of sensory pheromones they had secreted! ... Meanwhile, Brian, who was trying to silently approach, stopped in his tracks. He looked at these Beastification Spiders and clapped his hands, ¡°You guys have sharp senses, at least sharper than that waste, Eliana.¡± Eliana, self-proclaimed Spider Queen, was a bit odd in body structure, stronger in recovery, and could climb regardless of terrain because of her dynamic vision, but her sensitivity was nothing compared to these people¡¯s. While Shi San was drawing their attention, Brian had already surveyed the area to ensure there were no other people behind them. ¡°Kill him!¡± The female leader immediately made the decision without any unnecessary words. This guy, clearly in cahoots with that dog. Although curious about how a human could tame a Mutant Beast, it was definitely the right choice to take down one side first under the pincer attack. Several male members immediately pulled out their firearms, pointing them towards Brian in a very unprofessional manner. Seeing that these people didn¡¯t react to Eliana¡¯s name, Brian had a measure in his mind. He stood still and flicked his fingers at them, ¡°This is a good time to let off some steam since my power increase, so aim properly and shoot at me.¡± ¡°Arrogant!¡± Da da da~ Three men directly pulled the triggers. The female leader and another female member focused most of their attention on Shi San behind them to prevent a sneak attack. ... What they had were automatic rifles. Once they pulled the trigger, Dozens of bullets were fired at Brian in an instant. Almost at that very moment, the world in front of Brian seemed to slow down. Break the limit! A large volume of blood pumped vigorously through his heart at over three to four hundred times per minute, like a high-pressure water cannon, the strong surge driving massive amounts of energy throughout Brian¡¯s body. Tapping his toes, his form instantly disappeared from the spot. Dodging left and right, he seemed to dart through the hail of bullets within a mere four to five-meter radius, dodging every bullet! This performance, compared to when Brian was tested in London, was at least twice as exaggerated. His speed, although not as fast as Top Agent Number 5, wasn¡¯t much weaker, and once he broke the limit, his burst of speed was nearly unmatched. Real combat. Brian found an opportunity, and with a sudden punch, he could kill the opponent! Just three automatic rifles. Dodging was effortlessly easy! Click, click, click~ Three faint sounds of emptiness came. The bullets were out! ... Brian, slightly regretting the short action, stopped dodging. His bloodshot eyes filled with disappointment, ¡°You guys are too unprofessional, don¡¯t even know how to aim in anticipation, nor understand crossing fire. Most of your bullets were wasted, posing no threat to me!¡± He lost the mood to test further, slowly walking towards them. ¡°Dodging bullets!¡± The three male Beastification Spiders were stunned by Brian¡¯s performance. How could there be a person in the world who could dodge bullets! Even they, these monsters, could only rely on dynamic strength to barely see the trajectory of some bullets, but dodging them was completely out of the question. This guy, who looked like a legitimate human, could actually dodge bullets! Chapter 250 - 250 178 Dodging Bullets in an Instant Finally Getting Beast Pavilion Intelligence!_3 ?250: Chapter 178: Dodging Bullets in an Instant, Finally Getting Beast Pavilion Intelligence!_3 250: Chapter 178: Dodging Bullets in an Instant, Finally Getting Beast Pavilion Intelligence!_3 Seeing Brian approach, one of them finally reacted. In terror, he dropped his automatic rifle, pulled a pistol from his thigh, and fired at Brian while screaming crazily, ¡°Die, monster!¡± Swoosh swoosh swoosh~ Brian moved in a blur, almost like instant teleportation, appearing right in front of him. He grabbed the man¡¯s neck with a large hand and twisted fiercely. Without any hesitation, he then slung the man¡¯s head toward the distance! The body, with a twisted neck, smashed against a tree and heavily fell to the ground, as if battered and twisted, resembling the destruction caused by a car crash, with at least most of its bones broken. ¡°No explosion.¡± Brian relaxed a bit. He had thought that these collars were like the bombs in movies that exploded when they sensed their host had died. Now it seemed, the technology was too advanced, and the likelihood of accidental triggers was not low; they wouldn¡¯t be as commonly seen as in the movies. ¡°Monster!¡± ¡°Monster, indeed!¡± In the blink of an eye, a comrade had died. The other two instantly lost their will to fight and turned to run in different directions. ¡°Fools!¡± The female leader, who had been observing the situation, pushed a female member towards Shi San and leapt five meters, like a giant human spider, swiftly running in another direction. She had no confidence at all. The speed of that human-shaped monster was terrifying. Compared to its speed, the creatures these average humans called monsters were simply an insult to the word ¡°monster!¡± In front of such creatures, their chances of escaping were slim. Unless that monster chased the other two first, she needed to find a chance to use her body¡¯s unique characteristics to hide somewhere concealed... There was a chance! There must be a chance! With strong willpower, amidst the screams of her teammates, the female leader unleashed her potential, rapidly covering a distance of over a thousand meters, then she shrunk down and hid in the canopy of a large tree, praying it would be enough to evade the monster¡¯s pursuit. The next second. Bang~ A bullet sliced through the night sky, hitting the female leader¡¯s forehead from hundreds of meters away, shattering her skull. She glanced bewilderingly at the bright moon above just before her body, which had been tightly pressed against the tree, lost its adhesion and dropped straight down onto a pile of fallen leaves, lifeless. Returning the sniper rifle, Brian smirked. Did they really think his sniper rifle was just a fire burning stick? Thinking they could play a game of chase with him. Nai?ve! Brian turned to look at the last female member, who Shi San had cornered against a large tree, trembling, ¡°Do you like puppies?¡± The female member, now noticing the human-shaped monster beneath the tree was quite handsome. Added with his gentle tone, it slightly eased the fear within her: ¡°Yes, I used to have a Labrador Retriever, now I don¡¯t know how it¡¯s doing.¡± ¡°Come down,¡± Brian gestured to the terrified little spider, ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡± ... After a moment, Brian¡¯s eyes gleamed with delight. This group of Spidermen were actually a Beast Hunting Team trained by the Beast Pavilion! According to the girl¡¯s confession. Her group had been captured during a trip, trafficked to an island, transformed, and trained to become a team specialized in capturing Mutant Beasts from around the world. Most importantly, Brian learned two important pieces of information from the girl¡¯s mouth. First, Loki Mountains was home to an important base of the Beast Pavilion. It held captive the Beast Pavilion and a group of people in black, who had captured Mutant Beasts from all over the world! However, the number was not large. For example, their Beast Hunting Team typically only went out on missions every half a year or even longer, and the rest of the time, they were kept at the base with no worries about food or drink. Over time, they even began to see themselves as members of the organization that had turned them into monsters. The female member also gave Brian a rough coordinate. Second, this time they were air-transported to this area, responsible for working with a member of the Beast Pavilion to lure out a Mutant Beast that had appeared in this region before. These Spider Beastification People, having undergone extensive transformations, emitted pheromones that were a great threat to ordinary wild beasts. But to those powerful Mutant Beasts, they were delicious, fragrant. Their bodies held an attraction far beyond ordinary wild beasts for the Mutant Beasts. The so-called ¡°Beast Hunting Team,¡± more accurately called a bait team. .. After sharing everything she knew, the female member looked at the dazed Brian and timidly asked, ¡°Are you a Transformed person too?¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°I am certainly human. By the way, how did the Beast Pavilion confirm there was a Mutant Beast here?¡± Back in the small town, the two patrol officers had only mentioned rumors about the Beheader, close to the highway, without mentioning incidents of beasts injuring or eating people. If that were true, there wouldn¡¯t be so many tourists in that area of the town. The female member shook her head: ¡°I¡¯m not sure; though they don¡¯t restrict us much other than putting collars on us, they don¡¯t tell us much either. But we guess it must be information provided by those people in black. The Beast Pavilion people treat those in black very well. Often, some people in black come to the base to undergo another kind of enhancement, then leave, and we are quite envious of that type of surgery that doesn¡¯t greatly alter one¡¯s appearance.¡± Brian realized in his heart. The people in black must be a special agency of the FBI. He continued to question the female member repeatedly, making sure she had no more useful information before standing up and pulling her up. Under the uneasy gaze of the female member, Brian reached out his right hand, caressing her seemingly smooth but actually finely fuzzy young cheek, ¡°Do you really want to eat me?¡± The girl¡¯s pupils constricted. The next moment. Accompanied by the sound of breaking bones. A powerless head twisted to one side. Sizzle~ Green viscous liquid traced from the girl¡¯s mouth corner, corroding her own cheek with a sizzling sound, instantly turning into an indescribable rotten liquid, disfiguring beyond recognition. She had been accumulating venom all along! Brian disdainfully tossed the body aside. To think he hadn¡¯t picked up on the information leaked during their earlier argument. Monsters will be monsters. Compared to the Spider Queen Eliana. These people-eating Transformed People could no longer be truly considered human. ... Five bodies, laid in a row. Two flickering red obsessions attracted Brian¡¯s eyes. With anticipation, he crushed these two fresh obsessions. Chapter 251 - 251 179 Mutation Hound Beheader! ?251: Chapter 179: Mutation Hound, Beheader! (Two in One, Seeking Monthly Pass) 251: Chapter 179: Mutation Hound, Beheader! (Two in One, Seeking Monthly Pass) First was the woman member¡¯s obsession. It seemed that Brian¡¯s despicable personality caused the other¡¯s emotions to fluctuate wildly, until finally, she couldn¡¯t take it anymore and developed a strong obsession just before she died. Woman member¡¯s obsession: Twist this bastard¡¯s neck!!! Gift: 11 points of Gift Energy. ¡°Sure enough, these guys, even if they were innocent victims at the beginning, after staying in that kind of environment for a long time, they end up being no good. It¡¯s good that I made my move first.¡± Brian waved to Shi San, ¡°Shi San, keep watch around us.¡± ¡°Woof~ (Okay~)¡± Shi San turned his head and disappeared into the surrounding bushes. Seeing Shi San leave, Brian did not hesitate either; he placed his right hand on his own neck and, using his Body Control ability, made the neck muscles actively exert force. With a sound like a firecracker exploding, Brian¡¯s neck, in a strange posture, hung swinging from his shoulders. The next moment, a warm current surged. The woman member¡¯s obsession was fulfilled. This was also the first time Brian had done something like this to himself. He was amazed to find that even without immediate recovery, under the high activity of his cells and physical quality, this kind of injury that would be fatal to ordinary people seemed to have little effect on him. With the muscles wriggling. Without consuming any Gift Energy, his dangling and twisted neck automatically lifted, twisted over and over, and finally returned to normal. At the same time, a large number of dirty blood beads emerged from the skin pores in the neck area. All of these were bruises resulting from blood vessel damage caused by the rough movement to the neck muscles earlier. An even more ridiculous thing happened. These bruises actually seeped back into the skin, only leaving behind some dirty sludge of an unknown composition. Brian grabbed a handful, rolling it into a mud pellet. He flicked the mud pellet away and touched his still swinging neck, ¡°I feel like I could maintain some vitality in my head for a while, even if my neck were chopped off...¡± He hadn¡¯t felt it before. This time after being harsh on himself, Brian realized that he had strayed further down the non-human path. With a thought, The eleven points of Gift Energy he had just gained immediately decreased by five. Originally, it was just the vertebrate bones in his neck being forcefully held in place by the muscles, but with the energy surge, they started to reconnect like living things. Even the tiny bone fragments seemed to melt like molten iron and reintegrated into the spinal column. In just a single breath¡¯s time. Brian¡¯s body returned to its original perfect condition. Actually, this consumption was more than Brian had anticipated. After all, given the activity level of his body, even without Gift Energy, such a fatal injury, under Body Control, would heal over time, bit by bit. ¡°Probably has something to do with body strength; the stronger the body, the more energy it consumes to heal,¡± Brian mused for a moment, gaining a new understanding of his Blood Moon Ability. .. Pulling his thoughts together, Brian focused on the second obsession at hand. Maybe it¡¯s because women¡¯s emotions are richer, but the second obsession belonged to that female leader who had been shot in the head. Female leader¡¯s obsession: Escape Hell, live and return to see my daughter! Brian looked at the female leader¡¯s corpse, which had half its head missing, showing a helpless expression. Dead people give rise to obsessions, but her obsession is to live and return to see her daughter... Your obsession is somewhat unreasonable. This obsession was naturally unfulfillable. Brian didn¡¯t care about this little bit and, with a thought, devoured the Spirit Crystal left after the previous woman member¡¯s obsession was completed, and briefly watched the playback of her death scene. No gains. Those who die at his hand, their death scenes typically just show the last thing they saw. But seeing his own nearly phantom-like speed of superhuman movement through this third-person perspective of the woman member made Brian quite astonished. Without using heavy firepower to conduct area shootings beyond twenty meters. Against ordinary people, he was nearly invincible. Especially now, with his physical quality and cellular activity, even if he explosively exerted his full power in an overclocked state without regard for damage, as long as it didn¡¯t exceed a minute, the extent of that bodily harm, with energy intake from eating and other sources, the internal damage would also heal automatically. That top agent number five from London, if he didn¡¯t have any other trump cards, would probably face only death against Brian, even if his speed was a little faster. After all, in an overclocked state, Brian¡¯s speed could not be entirely crushed, nor could his endurance possibly be the same as Brian¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m seriously strong right now!¡± Pleased with himself, Brian indulged in a moment of self-admiration, whistled, and began to clean up the scene. .. The collars around the necks of these five Spider Beastification People were indeed bombs, but the timed kind. They usually needed to be reset every three days. If they were on a mission, this time would extend to about a week. And every twelve hours, the collar would automatically transmit the target¡¯s location once to ensure they could not escape. Actually, this was still limited by energy. Otherwise, the reporting on their location wouldn¡¯t need to take so long between each occurrence. According to the interrogation. The five people had been dropped into this area less than six hours ago. In terms of time, Brian was still at ease. The collars¡¯ unique nature also gave him great convenience. Chapter 252 - 252 179 Mutation Hound Beheader! ?252: Chapter 179: Mutation Hound, Beheader! (Two in One, Seeking Monthly Pass)_2 252: Chapter 179: Mutation Hound, Beheader! (Two in One, Seeking Monthly Pass)_2 Relying on the physical strength of a beast, Brian buried the bodies over two meters deep in the loosely packed soil a few kilometers away, and also cleared the surrounding traces to avoid obvious signs of excavation. The mountain breeze blew. The surrounding odors would dissipate quickly. Tracking them would not be easy. The battle scene couldn¡¯t be handled. In the chaos of flying bullets, these traces couldn¡¯t be perfectly concealed and there was no point in cleaning them up. As long as the opponents couldn¡¯t tell that Brian had been involved when they found the place, that would suffice. Carrying several people¡¯s collars. Brian continued to wander in the valleys with Shi San, attempting to find traces of the Mutant Beast. But they had already walked more than two hundred kilometers. Both the man and his dog had found nothing. The area was too vast. It was unclear whether the Mutant Beast would mark its territory with urination. In such remote wilderness, finding a Mutant Beast that hasn¡¯t appeared in populous areas was entirely up to luck. Shi San also seemed disheartened. It was very young and though it was considered an enhanced dog, its endurance wasn¡¯t great. Out of options, Brian had to casually throw the last collar more than ten kilometers away and then return to his original spot, carrying Shi San back to Ken Victor Lake, more than three hundred kilometers away. .. Brian was fast and had great endurance, he could scale mountains and cross rivers; places that seemed impassable to ordinary people could just be a boost for him. A journey around three hundred kilometers, using shortcuts of over a hundred kilometers, took him less than an hour. His continuous extreme running also made Brian feel an unusual fatigue in his body. He enjoyed the sensation of his muscles being sore and soft; it was only his shoes that couldn¡¯t take it. Brian looked down at his slightly damaged shoes, standing from afar, scanning the landscape within a seven or eight kilometers radius, and finally, holding Shi San, he jumped down from this more than ten-meter-tall tree, heavily hitting the ground. Layer upon layer of muscles and spine cushioned the impact like springs. Not only did Brian not feel uncomfortable, but even Shi San in his arms did not feel any jolts. The dog¡¯s eyes were half-closed, its nostrils snoring, evidently comfortably asleep. Brian pinched Shi San¡¯s damp nose and chuckled as he ran toward the detected highway. After all, rambling aimlessly for several hundred kilometers overnight, he could determine the location of Ken Victor Lake, but there could still be some deviations. Using the highway for orientation saved effort and worry. Now it was probably around 4 a.m., the sky dim, and the broad highway was empty of vehicles. Brian simply held Shi San and leisurely walked along the highway toward Ken Victor Lake. .. After walking for about half an hour, An advertisement billboard appeared ahead of Brian. This meant that he was soon going to reach the small town area near Ken Victor Lake. Suddenly, Shi San, comfortably asleep in Brian¡¯s arms, fur bristled as if shocked, suddenly opening his eyes, and whimpering, ¡°Woof woof! (Danger, big dog, danger!)¡± Brian paused, activated his enhanced sense of smell, and his sharp eyes scanned the surroundings. There were no abnormalities around. Brian didn¡¯t smell anything unusual either. He remained alert and whispered to Shi San, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Shi San?¡± While Shi San¡¯s eyes still looked drowsy, its black little nose started working like a little motor, breathing in and out everywhere, finally pinpointing a spot to Brian¡¯s left: ¡°Woof woof woof~ Left side, a threat.¡± Brian scanned the surroundings quickly and ran toward the billboard, leaping twice to reach the top, and looked in the direction Shi San had indicated. Only to see, about seven or eight kilometers away, a campfire flickering in the darkness before dawn, appearing in Brian¡¯s eyes as a red speck the size of a bean, very inconspicuous. ¡°The last time Shi San reacted like this was back in Forest Park¡ªcould it be the Mutant Beast those five Spider Beastification People were tracking?¡± Brian frowned. The question was, why would a Mutant Beast light a fire? After thinking, Brian jumped down from the billboard, pulled out his sniper rifle from behind, put down Shi San, gave him some instructions, left Shi San in place, and walked briskly toward the discovered campfire. Here, only about ten miles from Ken Victor Lake, compared to the straight-line distance where Brian had killed those Spider Beastification People, it was nearly a hundred miles. The mountain was high and the road rough. For ordinary people to detour, it would take about two to three days. Such a distance, even if the controllers behind those Beastification People were the FBI, they hardly could suspect the people near Ken Victor Lake, not so nearby. This naturally would not direct their scrutiny toward Brian. Even if the powerful agency turned their eyes toward Brian, who had appeared at Ken Victor Lake, frankly, given Brian¡¯s current status as a Second Level sequence staff, the FBI would have a harder time investigating him. That¡¯s why Brian had dared to attack those Beastification People previously. However, if he could hunt a Mutant Beast and transfer its blood traces to the previous battle scene, that wouldn¡¯t be bad. That would make things even safer. If the Mutant Beast could explode with obsession, that would be perfect! With seventy-two Gift Energy points and his sniper rifle in hand, Brian, now much stronger, was no longer the weakling who had barely survived under the claws of the Mutant Beast in Forest Park. Chapter 253 - 253 179 Mutation Hound Beheader! ?253: Chapter 179: Mutation Hound, Beheader! (Two in One, Seeking Monthly Pass)_3 253: Chapter 179: Mutation Hound, Beheader! (Two in One, Seeking Monthly Pass)_3 He was confident enough that even if he couldn¡¯t kill the Mutant Beast, he could still escape. ... The campfire was located about seven or eight kilometers off the highway. That area was all wilderness, rarely visited by anyone. Treading on the ground of sand, stones, and weeds, Brian moved like a ghost, changing direction with the mountain breeze, approaching against the wind, little by little. When he was still nearly less than a kilometer away, A pungent whiff of pheromones was captured by Brian¡¯s nostrils. He stopped in his tracks, carefully deciphering the message contained in the air¡¯s pheromones: Territory owned, approach with danger! Brian was familiar with this kind of pheromones. Every time Shi San marked his territory with urine, it was somewhat similar, only the smell wasn¡¯t as strong, and the aggressive scent within the pheromones was not as intense. ¡°Could this mutant beast be a dog, or a dog with an owner?¡± Brian widened his eyes. He began to understand why there was a campfire up ahead. Right! Brian suddenly remembered the Beheader rumors mentioned by the Ken Victor Lake town police before; vehicles abandoned along the highway, bloodstains at the scene, papers smeared with blood that told the Beheader¡¯s story, yet no bodies or traces of human tissue could be found... If the so-called Beheader had a Mutant Dog with him, then it all made sense. There were no victims¡¯ bodies because they had all been eaten! ... Now, Brian dared not approach any closer. Shi San¡¯s perception was already so keen, able to lock on scents in the air that even his enhanced sense of smell couldn¡¯t detect; who knew what kind of amazing abilities the Mutant Dog possessed. Following the mountain breeze, he once again found a relatively high point, observing the area from there. The other party had chosen a spot to camp that was a low-lying area sheltered from the wind. Standing here, he could barely make out the situation on the other side. But with just one look, Brian furrowed his brows. No one! Not only were there no people, but there were also no dogs! There was just a campfire still burning. ¡°In this open environment, with this kind of fire, wood must be added every twenty minutes or so, or else the fire would have gone out long ago; no people, no dogs...¡± Brian violently looked behind him. Just over two hundred meters behind him, in the midst of weeds, lay a monster over a meter tall, with a body length of more than three meters, a slender head, ears like drooping fans, and a long, flat mouth, stealthily creeping towards his direction. On the back of the beast, rode a man with a pale face and long hair, wearing a coat, his expression somber. When Brian looked over, the man was also looking this way. ¡°Shit!¡± ¡°To be discovered from this far, impressive!¡± Brian cursed, lifted the sniper rifle in his hands, and with the triple enhancements of Supercomputer Perception + Body Control + Eagle Eye, his mind flashed with a plethora of data, and instinctively he adjusted the muzzle ever so slightly before pulling the trigger. In the distance, the man riding on his beloved dog¡¯s back slightly squinted his eyes, looking at the small figure on the hill ahead. He didn¡¯t expect to be woken from a sound sleep by someone brazenly approaching this place. Now he had his breakfast. ¡°Blanco, my dear, no need to be so cautious, we¡¯re at an attackable range now...¡± The next moment. Bang~ Gunshots echoed across the wilderness. Before the gloomy man could finish speaking, a sniper bullet had pierced through his mouth, and the impact of the bullet sent his body flying backward, smashing onto the soft grass. His sullen, narrow eyes still held the cruel excitement of the hunt, but now they were wide open, with a bloody hole through his entire head, silently aiming at the sky, a mute testament to who was really the prey... ¡°Roar~¡± Sensing the disappearance of its master¡¯s life force, the beast that was ready to charge let out a mournful roar, sounding less like a dog and more like some ancient wild animal. It turned its body, its long tongue licking the corpse on the ground, stimulated by the scent of blood, the light of intelligence in its eyes disappeared, turning to a blood-red. ¡°Roar~¡± This time, it was an angry roar. Bang, bang, bang~ Bullets, one after another, showed it no mercy. The beast just opened its mouth, and seven or eight bullets penetrated it, targeting the unmoving monster¡¯s eyes and brain. The next moment. Almost out of a premonition like instinct. The beast¡¯s form flashed, its bulky body suddenly appeared more than three meters away, and then it rushed towards Brian over two hundred meters away like a mad creature. Brian casually tossed his sniper rifle to the ground, twisted his neck, and slightly squatted with his legs. As the beast charged to within thirty meters, Brian leaped up, coming at him with an overwhelming force, but Brian¡¯s leg muscles exploded with power, leaping over five meters high from a standstill, and with the momentum of the jump, he got the jump on the beast and landed a precise punch right on the beast¡¯s nose. Boom~ The heavily built monster, weighing several hundred pounds, was sent flying back at an even faster speed, screaming as it crashed onto the gravel, kicking up clouds of dust. Brian¡¯s form, too, under the force¡¯s influence, had his right hand twisted and fractured, and he awkwardly tumbled back up the hillock from where he had leaped. Crunch~ Brian spat out a mouthful of sand and stones, his twisted right hand moved like a writhing snake, making a noise of bone grinding, and rearranged itself, returning to normal. He kicked off the broken shoes from his feet, just as he was about to look forward to the rising dust in front of him. A sharp pain, however, came from the back of his right hand. Brian looked down, only to be shocked to find his right hand, tough as buffalo hide, muscular as rubber, bony as iron, had been corroded as if by strong sulfuric acid, in less than a second, only a pit-riddled skeletal frame of the hand remained... ¡°Damn it, this monster¡¯s body fluid is so corrosive!¡± Brian didn¡¯t hesitate, grabbed the wrist of his right hand with his left, and with a grimace of intense pain, he forcefully ripped off the palm area of his right hand, accompanied by a crisp tearing sound. .. ¡°Roar~¡± Ahead, as the dust cleared, the monster with sunken cheeks drooled droplets of highly corrosive liquid from its gaping mouth, corroding the ground into numerous pits. Its blood-red eyes, filled with relentless hatred, were fixed on Brian in front. Amidst the heavy breathing. A special scent emanated from around it, corroding the stubborn weeds into a black and yellow color. This was truly a monster, poisonous through and through! Brian met the monster¡¯s hateful gaze, a slight squint in his eyes. One touch, and there goes a hand! Hand-to-hand combat is not good. Damn it! How can there be such a monster! While pondering. Brian casually threw the severed right limb aside; the meat buds at the amputated wound squirmed, and under the continuous washing of the warm Gift Energy, pieces of pale white bones, muscles, blood, and skin grew at a visibly rapid pace... Chapter 254 - 254 180 Becoming Stronger Again! ?254: Chapter 180: Becoming Stronger Again! Returning to Los Angeles! (First order bonus chapter 4, asking for monthly ticket) 254: Chapter 180: Becoming Stronger Again! Returning to Los Angeles! (First order bonus chapter 4, asking for monthly ticket) He clenched the palm of his right hand that had regrown, and a fierce smile spread across Brian¡¯s face. Forgot. He was no good man either! Stripping off his clothes. Wrapping his bulletproof vest tightly around his right palm, Brian beckoned to the monster that had yet to attack: ¡°Come on, I want to see who is fiercer, you or me!¡± The monster seemed to have some sort of warning ability; his sniper rifle¡¯s magazine was empty from the previous engagement, now he was left with only close-quarters combat! ¡°Roar~¡± The monster roared angrily, yet dared not approach any closer, and opened its mouth to actually shoot out a green liquid orb, crossing over thirty meters with precision towards Brian¡¯s location. However, this thing¡¯s flying speed was not even a third of a regular handgun bullet. In Brian¡¯s eyes, the green venom orb¡¯s flight was slow; he even had time to kick a severed palm on the ground to his feet and to toss the sniper rifle aside before swiftly dodging. Sizz~ Accompanied by a nauseating frying sound, green smoke rose. The green venom orb hit precisely where Brian had been standing, corroding the broken palm to nothingness, showing remarkable efficacy; on the contrary, the sandy ground only emitted white smoke, showing poor effect. This was a corrosive liquid specifically targeting flesh. Seeing that the monster had been frightened by his punch and refused to come closer. Brian did not want to risk getting his body corroded by getting too close. He simply picked up a few rocks and, transforming his body into a great bow, launched each stone bullet with tremendous force at the adversary. The monster dodged to the left and right. It seemed to have a similar warning ability, reacting every time Brian made a move. But its speed, though it could crush an average person, was less than a third of Brian¡¯s, and with its large body, it was still hit repeatedly under the lock-on prediction of Brian¡¯s dynamic vision, screaming in agony and finally sounding somewhat like a whining puppy. ¡°Your defense is not bad either.¡± Seeing the monster only screaming, Brian casually aimed at its limb joints. After being hit a few times, the monster felt its movements slow down and sensed trouble. It finally grew fearful and tried to run away, only to sadly find that it was less than a third as fast as that humanoid food, meaning more stones would hit its hind leg joints if it tried to flee. It couldn¡¯t escape. Nor could it win the fight! It howled pitifully, as ferocity was provoked, secreting a large amount of green gas around its body, heedlessly charging at Brian again. ¡°Bring it on!¡± Brian¡¯s eyes brimmed with fighting spirit as he once again wrapped the bulletproof vest around his palm and met the charge. Man and beast collided. Before the monster could strike with its claws and teeth, it was brought down by Brian¡¯s heavy right fist with three successive punches, screaming miserably as green blood splattered everywhere, corroding the ground into numerous holes and releasing stinging white vapor. Brian ignored the tingling sensation spreading over his body, squinting his eyes and beating the fallen beast, smashing the limbs of the monster with several punches, then hammering one punch after another onto its elongated head. Thud thud thud~ The ground echoed with the severe impact of flesh, accompanied by the sounds. Billows of green fog, stirring dust, corrosive white gas all mixed together, engulfing the two beasts locked in close combat, with only the continuous dull thuds and the monster¡¯s pitiful howls echoing around, frightening the field mice and hares, scattering them in panic from the area. ... Not until an Obsession Little Ball of blood rose up did Brian stop his actions, panting heavily. ¡°Cough cough~¡± He coughed up a few mouthfuls of blood mixed with tissue fluid, only then noticing his trachea and airways were pitted with wounds, corroded by the green gas. Beyond that. All his clothes had vanished, and the skin on his body surface seemed to have been scorched by flames, exhibiting large areas of disgusting pus-filled blisters. Inside his body, unseen. His internal organs had also been somewhat affected, showing signs of dissolution. Such injuries would have killed an ordinary person long ago. But Brian could still move freely. His condition, however, was far from good. Killing a thousand enemies, injuring oneself by eight hundred, that was the state Brian was in. .. Crushing the rising Obsession of the Mutant Beast, Brian weakly backed away a few meters and began to heal his wounds inside and out with his Gift Energy. After a moment, Large chunks of dead skin peeled away. He coughed up a mass of metabolized dead flesh and toxic substances, finally feeling a lot more comfortable. Including the previous consumption to repair his palm, His reserve of 72 points of Gift Energy was now down to only 28 units. Brian felt painfully reluctant: ¡°Damn, next time I go out, I need to bring one of those large-caliber anti-mate?riel sniper rifles! The ammunition must be fully stocked! And the range must be long!! Otherwise, if I encounter another Mutant Beast with a warning ability like this one, unless it¡¯s barrage shooting, a regular rifle is less useful than hand-to-hand combat!¡± This kind of magical sensing similar to Beast Warning also required reaction time. Extreme long-distance sniping. Brian didn¡¯t believe the creature could react in time! With a bit of frustration, Brian, naked, picked up the emptied sniper rifle and walked to a distance, whistling sharply behind him. After a moment, Shi San came trotting from afar, circling Brian worriedly: ¡°Woof woof woof~ (Big dog, this place is uncomfortable, it¡¯s distressing~)¡± Chapter 255 - 255 180 Becoming Stronger Again! ?255: Chapter 180: Becoming Stronger Again! Returning to Los Angeles! (First order bonus chapter 4, asking for monthly ticket)_2 255: Chapter 180: Becoming Stronger Again! Returning to Los Angeles! (First order bonus chapter 4, asking for monthly ticket)_2 ¡°Hmm, the toxic gas in the air is still evaporating, let¡¯s move a bit further away.¡± A few hundred meters later, Shi San¡¯s keen sense of smell finally stabilized. He signaled to Shi San to be on guard. Brian sat cross-legged and began to examine the Mutant Beast¡¯s obsession. He hoped it wouldn¡¯t disappoint him, otherwise, this would really be a loss! .. Mutant Beast¡¯s obsession: Blanco must be with Franz forever. Gift One: Eighty points of Gift Energy. Gift Two: Ten points of Gift Energy + Beast Warning Gift Three: Ten points of Gift Energy + Super Hearing Gift Four: One point of Gift Energy + flesh corrosion bag Lastly, the image of a sullen-faced man emerged in Brian¡¯s mind. An epiphany rose in his heart, this guy must be Franz from the obsession, while Blanco was probably the Monster¡¯s name. Zloo~ Brian swallowed. Damn! Three talents! He really wanted them all! But the priority was to fulfill the plain obsession of the Mutant Monster. Brian held his breath and burst into the fastest speed, reaching the body of the sullen man, tossing it forcefully, landing it precisely onto the liquid where the Monster was rapidly decomposing, then quickly retreated. After just lingering for the duration of two breaths, he felt a slight stinging sensation on the surface of his skin again. You should know, now, even a common dagger found it difficult to easily slice through Brian¡¯s skin. And yet it couldn¡¯t withstand the corrosive gas residue. Too frightening. The corrosive liquid contained within the Mutant Beast was just too ruthless against flesh creatures! This made Brian lock onto his target for the obsession gift: Gift Four! Although he also desired Beast Warning, the capability of the flesh corrosion bag from Gift Four, coupled with Brian¡¯s Pheromone Control and Body Control, offered a higher cost-performance ratio. Whether it was facing organized enemies or disposing of evidence, its range of usefulness was wide. Crucially, he couldn¡¯t ensure he would always have weapons on hand, this would become his last countering measure against a modernized army. As for the hereditary issues... He didn¡¯t plan to have offspring before resolving the latent hereditary issues of Mutants. So be it if he became a monster. There is a future only if one is alive. As for Beast Warning... Definitely useful, at least no worries about assassinations. But Brian had already encountered several creatures with similar abilities, and he estimated that the Original Sect likely had Mutants with similar talents. This could be reserved for later. .. While pondering, In the distance, a human and a monster combined, producing a sizzling sound akin to frying meat. Following the death of the monster, the toxins within surged forth, and the flesh of both the human and the monster rapidly dissolved together, becoming indistinguishable forever... A warm current surged. Brian knew the Mutant Monster¡¯s obsession had been fulfilled. ¡°What a good Mutant Beast, such a simple obsession...¡± Brian joyfully selected the fourth Gift. The next moment. He felt subtle changes occurring inside his body, as special channels resembling blood vessels silently multiplied within his flesh, eventually converging beneath his lower jaw, forming an inconspicuous, sac-like organ. Besides this. His flesh tissues, including the skin¡¯s inner and outer layers, also underwent minor changes concurrent with the formation of this new organ. This was the first time Brian experienced such internal bodily changes. This kind of transformation, enhanced by his Body Control and Supercomputer Perception, provided Brian with a peculiar perspective, like he could perform an introspection, visually witnessing the formation of the new organ system. Brian had a thought. A magical, thick liquid gathered from various parts of his body. The next moment. A faint green mist effortlessly diffused from his body. With this speed, much faster than the constipated pace of the Mutant Beast, any close-quarter combat with Brian would likely be caught off guard. ¡°Wang!¡± Shi San, surprised by the green mist enveloping Brian, panicked and fled about ten meters away: ¡°Wang wang wang~ (Big dog, you¡¯re so terrifying~)¡± Brian rolled his eyes and ignored Shi San. He touched the mist emanating from his body and discovered the previously stinging corrosive poison gas no longer affected his flesh. ¡°Truly magical...¡± Brian stopped the secretion of poison gas and stepped into the toxic mist from where the monster dissolved. This time, he felt no sting either, as if his flesh had developed strong resistance to this kind of corrosive poison gas. This must be the effect of the minor changes that had occurred in the flesh tissues and skin cells. With excitement, Brian brewed for a moment and spat a green, thick blob of poison saliva toward a distant rock. Zila~ The weathered, hard rock began pitting visibly at a swift pace, its toxicity proving even more violent and fierce than the poison the Mutant Beast had spat out. ¡°So refreshing, it¡¯s going to be so much easier to dispose of bodies from now on!¡± Brian grinned and picked up a handful of bullets, starting to clean up the scene. After finishing, He held all the sniper rifle casings, focused his thought, And a dense green poison gas began reacting with the metal in his hands. The effect was so-so. Not until he felt fatigue did Brian¡¯s bullet casings and the bullet remnants show significant corrosion marks, aged considerably, but not dissolved like flesh. Chapter 256 - 256 180 Becoming Stronger Again! ?256: Chapter 180: Becoming Stronger Again! Return to Los Angeles! (First subscription bonus chapter 4, seeking monthly passes)_3 256: Chapter 180: Becoming Stronger Again! Return to Los Angeles! (First subscription bonus chapter 4, seeking monthly passes)_3 But it was already enough. Under such traces, every remaining creature had been dealt with cleanly. After testing, Brian found that the best targets for this ability in its Poison Man state were flesh creatures, to which the toxin was powerfully effective. Then came plants and trees, more useful than any extermination reagent. Next were stones and earth, and last was metal. The corrosive effect on metal was also the weakest. Moreover, this ability had several flaws. The first flaw was the residue it left behind. Once released, everything within the vicinity was obvious¡ªa swath of death, with not a single plant or tree surviving. The trace was very clear. Both the poisonous gas and the liquid carried a distinctive green color. This thing was more suitable for use at night; otherwise, it was too noticeable. However, when it came to dealing with corpses, this Corrosive Poison was truly unbeatable. Now, the body of that monster and the gloomy man had disappeared without a trace, even the remains of their flesh after corrosion had blended into the sand and stones below. Except for the metal buttons on the man¡¯s clothing and a hunting knife hanging at his waist remaining in place, all clothes and furs had vanished, leaving the scene exaggeratedly clean. The second flaw was that it didn¡¯t discriminate between friend and foe, and could easily corrode one¡¯s clothing. This was also an issue with poisonous gas methods; it couldn¡¯t be termed entirely a flaw, but Brian would have to figure out a way to get a breathable and corrosion-resistant coat in the future, otherwise going around naked could become the norm. After another thorough cleanup of the scene, Brian glanced at the sky, noting the faint light of dawn, then stealthily returned to the self-service garage in the small town with Shi San. Out of habit, he always kept a change of clothes in his vehicle. This saved Brian quite a bit of hassle. He changed into fresh clothes from the motorcycle¡¯s panniers. Only then did Brian take out the phone he had stored inside. For the sake of secrecy, he had not brought his phone with him, but it had been well preserved. He checked the time. There were still around fifteen minutes until five o¡¯clock in the morning. Brian patted Shi San¡¯s head, ¡°I need to head back into the mountains again, you stay here and watch.¡± ¡°Wang~¡± Shi San obediently nodded its head, but its dog eyes glanced at Brian¡¯s mouth from time to time. Frightened yet curious. Its little canine brain couldn¡¯t quite understand why the big dog could emit that kind of scary green gas. It seemed that sneaking kisses to the big dog¡¯s mouth at night was no longer an option... Brian went back into the mountains again to deal with the battlefield left from the Spider Beastification People he had killed earlier. Even with his constitution, after testing the Poison Sack Tissue¡¯s effects, he was now extremely tired and had to consume one unit of Gift Energy to fully recover. Several hours had passed since the battle. As it wasn¡¯t clear whether the FBI or the Beast Pavilion people had discovered the disappearance of that bait squad, Brian stashed his clothes after traveling some distance, changed his appearance, and then rushed towards the area at high speed. By the time he arrived, the sky had already brightened. Brian wasted no time in releasing a large amount of green poison in the surrounding area, turning the leftover battlefield into a vast range of lifeless land for plants and animals. Such wide distribution of toxin would drain a great amount of bodily energy. After all this, Brian consumed another unit of Gift Energy to restore his strength and retraced his steps back the same way. Everything went smoothly. By the time Brian got dressed and returned to the town, people were slowly starting to emerge on the streets for their morning exercises. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that just taking Shi San out for some exposure would end up keeping me busy all night.¡± Brian massaged his forehead, absorbed the Spirit Crystal from the Mutant Beast, and finally felt his spirit rejuvenated. This continuous feeling of becoming stronger was truly exhilarating! ¡°Wang wang~ (Big dog, hungry~)¡± Shi San rubbed against Brian¡¯s trouser leg, its stomach growling. ¡°Shi San, we¡¯ll eat when we get back.¡± Brian pinched Shi San¡¯s cheeks, got on his Beast motorbike, equipped Shi San with a specially made helmet, hung it on his chest, and leisurely rode out of the town on the ¡®Beast¡¯ motorbike. This time Shi San obediently kept its mouth shut. After leaving the town area, Brian let out a strange cry, turned up to full speed, and transformed into a bolt of black lightning, speeding towards Los Angeles... Chapter 259 - 259 182 Big Brian You Know So Much! ?259: Chapter 182: Big Brian, You Know So Much! (Two in One, Requesting May Monthly Tickets!) 259: Chapter 182: Big Brian, You Know So Much! (Two in One, Requesting May Monthly Tickets!) ¡°Boss Brian, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Green looked at Brian, who had suddenly stopped moving, and curiously asked. Brian shook his head and stepped forward to touch the sculpture. When he touched a symbol resembling the letter Z under the chin of the sculpture, he said with certainty, ¡°Three years and nine months ago, I was here. If I remember correctly, the owners of this villa were a couple who were dentists!¡± In front of the villa, the guard nodded, ¡°Yes, Autopsy Officer Brian, the deceased couple owned the Mason chain dental clinic. They were somewhat renowned in the local community, and Mr. Mason was even a popular candidate for district head this year.¡± Hearing this, Green looked at Brian admiringly, ¡°Boss Brian, your memory is really good, recalling events from three or four years ago so clearly, even down to the month!¡± Brian rolled his eyes: ¡°Of course I remember clearly! Back then, after I graduated from college, I planned to pursue a career in dentistry, so I volunteered at their clinic during the holidays to accrue volunteer hours. Mr. Mason treated me like a laborer and often asked me to help with weeding after the clinic closed. His wife frequently asked me to help unclog the villa¡¯s blocked drains. Mr. Mason was a busy man and often needed to attend social events outside while only his wife was at home. Green, you know. If toilets at home aren¡¯t used often, limescale will deposit inside the pipes and they can get blocked without notice. The process of unclogging was physically draining. To make matters worse, their pipes needed unclogging frequently. During that time, I was often listless.¡± Green and the two guards expressed indignation at Brian¡¯s sufferings, ¡°These rich folk just love to bully and exploit ordinary people, it¡¯s too unfair!¡± Brian nodded in agreement: ¡°Right! His wife was also very inconsiderate. Seeing that I was young, she kept exploiting my strength. Later, I got angry and refused to help further. Dr. Mason was furious. He thought that as a young person, I lacked a spirit of helping others, and even called me petty!¡± Speaking of being petty, Brian¡¯s expression turned bitter: ¡°Although it¡¯s been three years and nine months... Yes, and eight days, I remember clearly! That day, just after finishing up, sweaty and tired, I was standing right here where you are, telling Dr. Mason, who had just returned from drinking, that his house¡¯s drainage had too much limescale and needed frequent unclogging, which was too tiring and severely affected my rest. Yet, he thought I lacked a helping spirit and slandered me as petty! That comment deeply hurt me back when I was younger! If it weren¡¯t for his wife stopping me, I would have punched him right then!¡± Brian grew more aggrieved as he spoke. If it weren¡¯t for his hard work during that period, Dr. Mason¡¯s home would have fallen apart! He wasn¡¯t even paid! Green:... The more he listened, the more something felt off. If he wasn¡¯t petty, why would Boss Brian remember this incident so clearly, even down to the exact day and Dr. Mason¡¯s condition and words... The other two guards also felt increasingly that something was off. Was the pipe unclogging described by the Autopsy Officer Brian really legitimate? ... However, faced with this rising star of the Los Angeles police, regardless of what the three of them were thinking at the moment, they quickly launched into criticizing and denigrating the now deceased Mason couple, exaggerating Brian¡¯s spirit of rising against oppression and unwritten rules. Look, who says there is no sentiment and convention here. This is it. Seeing this, Brian waved his hand, ¡°Let it go, it¡¯s been so long. Being a magnanimous person, I¡¯ve long since let it go. Let¡¯s talk about the crime scene now.¡± You say you¡¯ve let it go, yet you remember it so clearly... The three of them thought to themselves. An older guard coughed twice, suppressing the desire to complain, and briefly described the situation they understood: ¡°Since the Masons opened their chain of dental clinics, they became obsessed with the stock market. They would subscribe to The Wall Street Journal daily and insisted that the paperboy deliver it directly to their hands to ensure they saw the important global financial news and major headlines first thing. Today, the paperboy found their front door ajar, so he looked inside and noticed bloody footprints on the doormat, which frightened him into reporting to the community committee. After we arrived and confirmed with the community committee members, the deceased were indeed the Masons. They had driven home around 9 p.m. last night. They even greeted the residents of the community. This area is a neighborhood of villas. The villas are quite far apart from each other. With the help of community committee members, we questioned the nearby neighbors, who mentioned hearing no unusual noises last night, but at around 1 a.m. surveillance at the exit captured the Masons¡¯ SUV leaving. To ensure the scene was preserved, we reported to the crime center and transferred the case.¡± ¡°Thank you, your preliminary work will be a great help. When the case is solved, I¡¯ll ensure the clerks write up your contributions and efforts in the case report; you deserve that.¡± Brian was making empty promises. Such statements cost him nothing but could earn him a good reputation. Hearing this, smiles appeared on the faces of the two the guards. They felt ashamed for previously suspecting that Autopsy Officer Brian was petty. Chapter 260 - 260 182 Boss Brian You Know So Much! ?260: Chapter 182: Boss Brian, You Know So Much! (Two in One, Seeking May¡¯s Monthly Pass)_2 260: Chapter 182: Boss Brian, You Know So Much! (Two in One, Seeking May¡¯s Monthly Pass)_2 Brian, the Autopsy Officer, was so generous in sharing credit, how could he possibly be petty? Three years, nine months, and eight days ago, Dr. Mason¡¯s words about Brian, the Autopsy Officer, were outright slander! Green saw the response of the two patrol officers and puffed out his chest. At that time, he was shamelessly eager to team up with Brian, purely because he saw Brian¡¯s generosity and prowess. Now his five-digit bank account balance had proven his judgment right. Following the lead of Brian the boss. With Brian leading, and eating his fill, there would always be a bone for Green to gnaw on! His future was promising! ... Brian had no idea that these three people had so much internal drama. He slipped on shoe covers, put on gloves, and with Green, also fully equipped, entered the villa¡¯s main gate. Right at the entrance was a distinct bloody footprint on the white carpet. The footprint was clear, showing the tread pattern of the shoe. Just by looking at the complex pattern, one knew the shoes weren¡¯t cheap. Green crouched down, measured the footprint with his hand, and offered his opinion, ¡°Boss Brian, the shoe size is probably between 42 and 44. The foot is big, the murderer must be a man.¡± Brian nodded, ¡°This is an imprint of leather shoes, the exact size is 43. See that pattern in the middle? That logo indicates they are custom-made shoes. They cost over five thousand US dollars a pair. Take a picture of this bloody footprint and send it to Hardenn. Ask him to contact the brand and request a customer list for this shoe size.¡± He was a man who paid great attention to his image. After becoming wealthy, he was particular about his clothes and shoes and had an understanding of these items. Green whistled softly, and snapping photos with his camera hanging in front of his chest. After storing the camera, he said relaxedly, ¡°Boss Brian, generally, there won¡¯t be many customers for these handcrafted, expensive leather shoes. It seems this case won¡¯t be too hard to crack. We¡¯ll soon be able to pinpoint the murderer¡¯s identity.¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°The murderer isn¡¯t smart, providing us directly with a direction to investigate. However, the owner of the shoes might not necessarily be the murderer. This footprint might have been intentionally left by the murderer.¡± Saying so, he squatted down and pointed at the footprint while analyzing, ¡°The pressure points for most people¡¯s feet are located on the muscles beside the metatarsal bones and the heel muscles. These three points receive an even load, forming an elastic arch. Flat feet might be different, but when they step forward, the position of the metatarsal bones definitely bears the greatest load.¡± ¡°Metatarsal bones?¡± Green was not very familiar with these anatomical terms. Brian explained: ¡°The metatarsal area, simply put, is the section just below your five toes. If you still don¡¯t know how to distinguish it, feel the small bump that bulges outward from your big toe; that¡¯s the metatarsal ball. Usually, in a shoe, that¡¯s where the arch of the shoe is. When we walk forward, the cross-section where the metatarsal ball is located is often the area that bears the most pressure; hence, no matter how good the shoes are, the cross-section where the shoe arch is located will be creased over time. Similarly, When we leave footprints, normally the imprint of the area where the metatarsal resides is also the deepest. But look at this bloody footprint...¡± Brian had not inspected many crime scenes before, but he had fabricated quite a few crime scenes and was self-taught through practice. These were valuable experiences he had learned on his own, conveniently passed down to Green. Green had an epiphany upon hearing this. He looked back down at the bloody footprint on the ground. Upon closer inspection, he immediately noticed something different. The deepest part of this bloody footprint was not in the region of the shoe arch, where the metatarsal ball was located, but rather in the area with the custom-made imprint in the center! This meant that the murderer¡¯s metatarsal area was actually in the middle of the shoe! The culprit¡¯s feet were not only not size 43, they were probably only in the thirties. Green looked admiringly at Brian, ¡°Boss Brian, this is a footprint deliberately left by a woman wearing an oversized shoe size!¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°It seems so, but it¡¯s also possible that the murderer used a glove on the leather shoes, pressing the palm right in the middle, leaving this mark. We still need to perform an on-site investigation.¡± ... Crossing the carpet, the two entered the villa¡¯s main hall. What met their eyes was a man and a woman, two naked bodies. The man, facing the door position, had wide-open, murky gray eyes, lying in a cruciform on the large sofa. In the Wolong Valley position, he still wore those specially made panties with a silicone whip, dangling, appearing utterly unresigned in death. ¡°Wow~ What kind of panties are these?¡± Green curiously looked at the unusual underwear. Brian, with an expression suggesting Green was making a big deal out of nothing, glanced at Green and educated, ¡°This is obviously a whip set, some men past their prime wear these battle panties to cook for their wives and significant others to ensure they¡¯re well-fed. There¡¯s also a solid version, which typically is bought by lesbians.¡± ¡°Boss Brian, you really know a lot!¡± Green had lost count of how many times he had said this. All he knew was that Boss Brian was the guiding light of his life, not only providing guidance in his work but also enriching his life experiences so that he wouldn¡¯t get run over by others and remain clueless. In face of Green¡¯s flattery. Brian¡¯s expression remained serene and unaffected as he calmly started examining the body of Dr. Mason. Chapter 261 - 261 182 Boss Brian You Really Know a Lot! ?261: Chapter 182: Boss Brian, You Really Know a Lot! (Two in One, Seeking May¡¯s Monthly Pass)_3 261: Chapter 182: Boss Brian, You Really Know a Lot! (Two in One, Seeking May¡¯s Monthly Pass)_3 Dr. Mason was considerate, he only wore a pair of underpants before his death. This made Brian¡¯s initial autopsy much easier. The cause of death was obvious. Three bullets, two hit Mason in the chest, one right in his forehead. As the saying goes, two shots to the chest, one to the head, even Hua Tuo would shake his head. This is the classic Mozambique Drill, ideal for close-range handgun firing, with a fatality rate close to one hundred percent. The murderer came with the intent to kill! Brian grasped Mason¡¯s ¡°greenish¡± head and lifted his entire body up to examine the blood spatter distribution on the sofa cushion behind him. The blood spatter was narrowly distributed. That meant that when Mason stood up upon hearing noise at the door, the murderer had already opened the door, appeared in front of them, and pulled the trigger directly, which caused Mason¡¯s internal blood to be blocked by the cushion before it could spray out. Generally speaking, when a pistol bullet enters the human body, it does not move in a straight line due to penetration; the bullethead can be deflected by bones and muscles, causing the bullet, under the influence of kinetic energy, to tumble. This results in the bullet hole appearing small, while the interior has been torn to create large cavities of flesh and blood. Therefore, in reality, a person shot in the body may not feel much pain but will lose strength within seconds and cannot continue to fight valiantly as in the movies. Unless the bullet caliber is very small, or the person has taken drugs. To a certain extent, a bullet wound that does not involve internal organs is comparatively a minor injury. Mason was lucky. Two bullets passed through his body and into the sofa behind him. If he had been lucky, he might have been able to call an ambulance. Unfortunately, the murderer also fired a bullet into his head. Brian stood in front of Mason¡¯s body, turned around, and looked toward the door, touching his chin: ¡°The blood from the gunshot wound on the back of the victim, Mason, is distributed over a very narrow area. This means that the murderer fired from a very close distance. At that time, Mason must have just stood up to check the situation when he heard the door opened, only for the murderer to appear directly in front of them and pull the trigger... The whole process took less than a second. There¡¯s no sign of the door lock being forced, meaning the murderer has a key to their house.¡± Green was learning on the sidelines. He even stuffed a recording pen in his own pocket so that he could repeatedly review Brian¡¯s every word and action afterward, reflecting on Brian¡¯s thought process in solving the case. After examining the body of the victim, Mason. Brian went behind the sofa and, following the chaotic and horrific bloodstains on the floor, found Mrs. Mason¡¯s body. She was in a crawling position, desperately reaching towards the bedroom, seemingly wanting to hide back there. There was a shoeprint bruise on her back, and her right foot and the back of her head each had a bullet hole¡ªthese were fatal wounds for Mrs. Mason. Looking at her side profile, Brian was surprised. This middle-aged woman actually looked several years younger than she did over three years ago, even her dead, ashen-finished face seemed only to be in her thirties, exceptionally well preserved. Another point was also strange. Mrs. Mason had injuries on her feet, but the amount of blood left in one area behind the sofa was clearly more than where her body lay. That meant... Mrs. Mason knew the murderer, at least enough to have communicated and pleaded. ¡°Green, give me a playback of Mrs. Mason¡¯s death,¡± Brian casually ordered, glancing at the bruised shoeprint on Mrs. Mason¡¯s back. Green nodded and, after pondering for a moment, said: ¡°At that time, Mrs. Mason was probably getting intimate with her husband when the villa¡¯s front door was suddenly opened. Mason went to check the situation and was shot dead by the murderer. Mrs. Mason was shot in her right foot. She turned over behind the sofa, instinctively trying to crawl back to the bedroom, but the murderer caught up with her. The murderer stepped on her back and shot Mrs. Mason dead. Right, Boss Brian, looking at the distribution of the bruise marks on Mrs. Mason¡¯s back, we can determine the murderer is likely a female with a shoe size of about 35. Because the bloody footprints at the door could have been deliberately created by the murderer wearing gloves and shoes. The bruise on Mrs. Mason¡¯s back would be hard to create with hands! Bruising only appears on body tissues that still have active blood circulation.¡± Even if the murderer had intentionally left the footprint after killing the victim, because the muscles are soft shortly after death, bruising would still require the murderer to apply their body weight. The murderer couldn¡¯t have been standing upside-down on the shoes, so it must have been that she committed the crime wearing oversized leather shoes.¡± Listening to Green¡¯s analysis. Brian clapped his hands, ¡°That¡¯s a pretty good analysis, basically correct, but you missed one point.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Green scanned the crime scene again, pondered for a long time, but eventually shook his head, ¡°Sorry, boss Brian, I can¡¯t think of what I missed.¡± Brian pointed to the drag bloodstains that Green had overlooked: ¡°Do you see these bloodstains? If it was as you said, the traces left by this blood wouldn¡¯t be so numerous and messy. This means that Mrs. Mason didn¡¯t actively flee in that direction but was forced by the murderer to struggle awkwardly on the ground. Pay attention to the concentration of blood in the stains. These areas are faint, meaning Mrs. Mason quickly crawled across this area. The blood residues in these spots are thick and spread out, meaning she stayed in this position with her bleeding foot, for at least a few minutes. That¡¯s also why the bloodstains from where she died are not as heavy as those behind the sofa.¡± ¡°Staying...¡± Green had an epiphany, ¡°Boss Brian, are you saying the victim knew the murderer, and after flipping over the sofa, she hid behind it and pleaded and communicated with the murderer?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Brian nodded his head: ¡°An acquaintance, a woman, shoe size 35-36, possibly with military experience¡ªthat¡¯s our target for the next investigation. And don¡¯t forget to pay special attention to the customer list of Hardenn¡¯s handmade leather shoes. The fact that the murderer was able to get those shoes to frame someone indicates she knew the owner of the shoes as well. As long as there¡¯s such a woman who meets these common points, She is the murderer!¡± Solving a case was just like this. Identify commonalities ¡ú Investigate ¡ú Pin down the suspect fitting the criteria ¡ú Case closed. The most difficult part is the first step. Missing any element could lead to an inability to lock down a suspect. So a crack detective definitely had to be someone with strong observational skills. .. After surveying the scene. Next was to collect the body. The rough work naturally fell to Green. When he saw Mrs. Mason¡¯s beautiful face and impressive figure, he couldn¡¯t help but look regretful, ¡°Such a beautiful woman, it¡¯s a pity she¡¯s dead.¡± Such women, belonging to a social stratum he couldn¡¯t even touch. Brian scoffed disdainfully, ¡°She was just okay-looking, but her breasts were fake, all silicone inside, felt like touching a counterfeit product when squeezed, her waist was liposuctioned, her buttocks filled with fat. It looked good, sure, but it all felt terrible. Oh right, Mrs. Mason should be forty years old now...¡± ¡°Forty?¡± Green pinched her smooth, albeit stiff, cheek, disbelieving. If she put on some makeup and said she was in her twenties, he¡¯d have believed it. ¡°It does seem excessively young, quite a few years younger than when I first helped her... met her. It¡¯s like reverse aging, which is indeed abnormal...¡± Brian frowned in thought. Though in this world, with the Enhancement Reagent, achieving this was easy. But according to the scale of the Mason Dental Chain, they were at most considered quite wealthy middle-class. They wouldn¡¯t even qualify to touch such high-quality Enhancement Reagents. ¡°Let¡¯s just investigate for now.¡± Brian couldn¡¯t be bothered to think any longer. .. On the other side. Susan looked at Shi San strangely. Shi San had been sleeping all day. Strange. What did Brian take Shi San to do last night? Chapter 262 - 262 183 Unexpected Discovery This Case is Quite Interesting ?262: Chapter 183: Unexpected Discovery, This Case is Quite Interesting 262: Chapter 183: Unexpected Discovery, This Case is Quite Interesting They packed the body and returned to Team B6. Brian thought Susan had already taken Shi San back, but to his surprise, the lights in the team leader¡¯s office were still on. Curious, he peeked inside. There, Shi San lay comfortably on the large sofa, belly up, mouth open, deep in sleep, occasionally grinding its teeth with a creaking sound. Susan, unusually, stood outside the window, lost in the scenery outside. ¡°Back already?¡± It was as if she had eyes on the back of her head. ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s up, you seem troubled?¡± Brian approached Susan from behind and embraced her sturdy, elastic waist. Susan shook her head: ¡°No, it¡¯s just that Shi San has been very sleepy today. What were you guys up to yesterday?¡± ¡°Hunting.¡± Brian rubbed his chin on Susan¡¯s head: ¡°Took it rabbit hunting all night long. It was a nice spot; next holiday, we could go camping together.¡± Hearing this, Susan nodded: ¡°Yeah, that sounds good. Since you and Green are back, I¡¯ll take Shi San back. You guys continue with your work.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll walk you out.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Brian picked up Shi San to wake it up, and while Susan was gathering her things, he whispered into Shi San¡¯s ear: ¡°Tonight, you go back with Susan, keep an eye on her, see what she does all night, who she meets...¡± Shi San, groggy, nodded its head and fell back into a deep sleep. It did look quite out of spirits. However, to Brian¡¯s enhanced sense of smell, the pheromones that Shi San emitted were growing stronger, likely stimulated by the previous night¡¯s hunting, enhancing its absorption of the Enhancement Reagent. Susan had driven over today. Brian helped Susan and Shi San into the car and kissed Susan¡¯s forehead: ¡°I feel you¡¯re troubled; if you want, I can be an absolutely confidential listener.¡± Susan shrugged: ¡°Alright, maybe a little.¡± She then grasped Brian¡¯s collar, pulling him close, her beautiful eyes locking onto his: ¡°What exactly were you up to yesterday?¡± Caught in the gaze of her beautiful eyes, Brian moved closer, almost lost: ¡°Hunting, it was really just hunting, Susan, your eyes are so beautiful...¡± ¡°Mmm~¡± Eight minutes later, Susan, cheeks flushed, pushed Brian away, gave him a glare, and drove off. Watching the disappearing car, Brian licked his lips. He pondered for a moment and then headed to the underground morgue. Susan hadn¡¯t discovered anything; she was just naturally feeling more insecure after falling in love, a normal reaction, unrelated to personality. Of course, it wasn¡¯t out of the question that someone had been speaking ill of her in front of Susan, making her more sensitive. Hopefully it wasn¡¯t the latter. Otherwise, the sly Shi San would show them what a joke they were. ... On the basement level. The lights at the shooting range were still on. When Brian passed by, Weapon Expert and weapon logistics provider for Team B6, Ali, was rubbing his neck, preparing to leave work. Upon seeing Brian. He pointed to the storage room behind him: ¡°Brian, I¡¯ve already maintained the sniper rifle. You can just grab it next time you want to use it, the code is still the same.¡± Brian shook his head: ¡°I tried this gun yesterday; the range isn¡¯t great, nor is the power. It¡¯s fine for humans, but against a hypothetical mutant, it might struggle.¡± Ali spread his hands, helpless: ¡°This is already the best model among mainstream sniper rifles. After all, for most people, even if a sniper rifle¡¯s performance is excellent, they can¡¯t fully utilize it. Humans have limitations. Even the best marksmen in the military have an effective sniping range of only about 800 meters. In reality, beyond 600 meters, most snipers rely on instinct and experience. If not, you could check NW¡¯s internal weapon exchange storage; you might find the good stuff you want there, or you could swap some parts, and I¡¯ll help you assemble them.¡± Brian nodded: ¡°Alright, thanks, you can go home now. Green and I will probably have to work late tonight.¡± Humans have limitations. But he was hardly normal anymore. Ordinary weapons were indeed somewhat ineffective for him, merely more convenient; otherwise, throwing stones by hand might be quieter. But Ali made sense. Brian planned to buy some materials from the black market and DIY a large-caliber sniper rifle. ¡°Alright, the cases are endless; you guys finish up and go rest early too.¡± Ali nodded and got into the elevator. ... Morgue. Green had already diligently placed two bodies on a small trolley. Next to it was an open laptop. This had also been brought back from Mason¡¯s dental villa. When Brian entered, Green was inserting a USB drive into the laptop. ¡°This thing is locked; we¡¯ll hand it to old Hardenn tomorrow to handle, he should know how to crack it,¡± Brian reminded. Green shook his head: ¡°I already talked to old Hardenn; he said this lock is too simple, just use his universal cracking program.¡± Saying that, he clicked the pop-up reminder. The next moment. Large captions burst onto the laptop screen, and the program began to run automatically. In about three seconds. The screen changed. The built-in electronic lock on the laptop had been cracked. ¡°Old Hardenn has quite the skills!¡± Brian moved closer and started examining the contents of the laptop with Green. The desktop only had some texts like account books, PPT. Green, somewhat disappointed: ¡°Big boss Brian, seems like there¡¯s nothing useful on this laptop.¡± Brian rolled his eyes: ¡°Would you keep stuff right on the desktop?¡± He pushed Green aside and started operating himself. His computer skills, from his previous life to this one, had never really been honed, but when it came to hiding things on a computer... His learning materials were no joke. In this aspect, he had reached a rather proficient level! ... As Brian opened the internal storage files of the laptop, skillfully clicking those that clearly looked like system files, attempting them one by one. A few minutes later, a new password prompt appeared before them. Green stared at the code file named ¡°Program Exchange,¡± lost in thought. ¡°This damn thing is a bit large.¡± Brian also had a headache. Within the file, there was a lock. How could he break it? Before he could react, just like in the beginning, a popup automatically appeared followed by a long stream of code data. A few seconds later, ¡°98533680,¡± an eight-digit number, automatically filled into the password box. The encrypted file unlocked. ¡°These all-purpose decryption programs are amazing. Hardenn really knows his stuff with computer technology!¡± both expressed their astonishment. People love peering into others¡¯ privacy. It is a natural gossipy instinct. Brian and Green were no exceptions. With curious hearts, the two opened the folder. ... The file contained not secrets but some private photos. To be precise, roughly a hundred photos of men with men, men with women, women with women, and groups of men and women. Two of the main characters in these were Dr. Mason and his wife. They, along with others of the same and opposite sex, and seemingly other couples, were photographed in a setting that looked like a disreputably decorated building filled with a lot of equipment. Even on some photos, women¡¯s bodies were marked with pen as a sort of check-in memento: ¡°2003, 4 people, Eden Club...¡± Looking at these uncensored, large-scale photos, Green¡¯s breathing grew heavy. So ¡®Program Exchange¡¯ was this kind of exchange. Brian then realized, This is just like a swingers¡¯ club! Especially those penned words, just like the things those players in his past life liked to do. This thing was indeed an old tradition. To keep their investigation rigorous, the two examined every photo carefully, hoping to find any useful clues. Forget the clues for now. They had quite an eye-opening experience. These people were seriously extravagant. However, in one photo, Green unexpectedly saw a light¡¯s reflection on the background that, when deciphered, read ¡®Eden Club.¡¯ This must be the place where Dr. Mason and his wife used to have fun. After searching online, Green quickly located the club¡¯s website. However, the details there were minimal. The site clearly catered to a private, membership-based club, set up just for show; the real flow of information would never be online. This kind of thing had similarities to what was there a long time ago. Brian knew this well. In the past, this kind of place was called a club. As for swinger clubs, they originated from noble balls in Europe. Such traditions existed there early on. Leading by example, it later evolved into an activity for middle-aged and even young couples seeking thrills, eventually influencing many countries in this regard due to the spread of online information. ... ¡°Tomorrow we¡¯ll go check out this club.¡± Brian had Green note down the address, and he made preparations to start the autopsy. Gunshot fatalities¡¯ primary detection focuses were the type of gun and the shooting angle experiment. The latter, also known as crime simulation, involves deducing the perpetrator¡¯s position in relation to the victim, the steps taken during the crime, and their height, etc., based on trace evidence found at the crime scene... Brian had already conducted this step with Green at the crime scene. The first body to be autopsied was Mason the dentist. Examining a particular area, Brian glanced at a mark and whistled, ¡°No wonder Mrs. Mason used to buy cucumbers to make salads¡ªapparently, Mason faced misfortune as a child.¡± Green, driven by a thirst for knowledge, looked at Brian. Brian pointed towards Mason¡¯s anal region: ¡°See this? There¡¯s a clear prolapse scar here which implies Mason was frequently penetrated from behind for years. Also, take a look at these obesity lines; such striations generally occur when muscle and fat stretch beyond the skin¡¯s normal elasticity. In a typical adult, even if obese, this pattern should be present on the buttocks, not here. This indicates Mason was frequently stimulated in this area during his developmental period, leading to this unique phenomenon. Children do not indulge in adult fetishes; he must have endured some disgusting experiences as a child. Furthermore, look at his genitals. These are clearly underdeveloped due to repeated abuse. Such conditions can also arise in those who frequently masturbate during adolescence. Generally, the younger the individual, the higher the likelihood of such occurrences. I suspect Mason¡¯s parents had issues.¡± Green: .. Weird knowledge was forced into his head in a strange manner. Green estimated that he would not forget these details for a long time. Also, the Autopsy Officer was truly terrifying. In front of such a person, there really isn¡¯t any secret that can be kept. ... Brian¡¯s previous findings didn¡¯t mean much. He proceeded with the autopsy of Mrs. Mason. This time, there really were some strange discoveries. Mrs. Mason¡¯s skin and age status didn¡¯t match. Brian also noticed that her internal organs and muscle tissue displayed stratification. What is stratification? It¡¯s when the age of organ tissues varies. Mrs. Mason¡¯s external skin, blood consistency, and teeth resembled someone in their youth while her internal organs remained at an elderly state. This situation... Brian suddenly thought of a highly unethical surgical procedure. This case seemed to get interesting. Chapter 266 - 266 185 The Magical Landscape Painting Curse Pattern ?266: Chapter 185: The Magical Landscape Painting, Curse Pattern? (April Extra Chapter 1) 266: Chapter 185: The Magical Landscape Painting, Curse Pattern? (April Extra Chapter 1) ¡°How is this painting?¡± A bald, middle-aged white man wearing black-rimmed glasses walked in from outside. This private reception room was enclosed by glass without any coverings, making it possible to see inside and out. However, the soundproofing was excellent; once the door was closed, hardly any noise from outside could be heard. Brian turned his head to the newcomer, ¡°Professor Mycroft?¡± Mycroft nodded, ¡°Yes, but I prefer people to call me by my name directly. How do you feel about this painting? It was a gift from a friend from Hua Country. He said that they prefer the ¡®sense of atmosphere¡¯ in their ink paintings. I¡¯ve never understood what that means, so I hung it up here in hopes of finding someone to interpret it for me.¡± ¡°Sense of atmosphere?¡± Brian thought for a moment and pointed to Mycroft¡¯s tall, gorgeous secretary standing behind him, ¡°Green, how would you approach her if you wanted to sleep with her?¡± Green: ¡°Ah?¡± Everyone here was respectable; it wasn¡¯t appropriate for Brian to say something like that. The beautiful secretary, upon hearing this, showed no change in expression, as if the discussion did not involve her. Seeing everyone looking at him, Green reluctantly said, ¡°Maybe I¡¯d say, ¡®Beauty, how about coming to my place tonight? My bed is quite big.''¡± ¡°More direct!¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯d say, ¡®Got time tonight to sleep together?''¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Brian nodded. ¡°That¡¯s realism for you¡ªwhat you see is what you get.¡± Mycroft, intrigued, looked at Brian: ¡°And what about the ¡®sense of atmosphere¡¯?¡± Brian approached the painting and said softly, ¡°Lady, I would like to ¡®set sail¡¯ with you and watch the sunrise.¡± Mycroft was stunned for a few seconds before he caught on, ¡°A space for imagination?¡± Brian nodded, ¡°You could say that. A painting is merely a medium to display emotions; what it truly shows is the mood of the artist at the time, or things that can only be understood personally and can¡¯t be accurately described.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Mycroft pointed to a landscape painting on the wall, ¡°Then what do you think this represents?¡± Brian paused uncertainly, ¡°Danger, unease, a goodbye before death...¡± The mountains were tall and distant, yet overly steep. The lakes and rivers flowed, but the water was too turbulent. There were birds in the sky and an old man in a straw raincoat fishing from a boat on the water. The birds looked down, and the old man looked up; their gazes met, yet one was in the sky and the other on the water, one flying towards the setting sun, and the other on the unpredictable waters, seemingly on a boat but actually not stable. Seeing Mycroft deep in thought. Brian added, ¡°If you received this painting when you were in a turbulent environment, having lost the stability in your life, then my guess is probably right.¡± ¡°Goodbye before death...¡± Mycroft sighed, ¡°That must be it. I haven¡¯t seen him for over twenty years, and I seldom talk about this matter. Anyway, what did you come to consult me about?¡± Brian glanced at the ink painting of the lake one last time, suppressing the surprise in his heart, ¡°A case...¡± .. Half an hour later. Brian, with Green, bid farewell to Professor Mycroft. The female secretary escorted them out and suddenly slipped a piece of paper into Brian¡¯s hand without giving him a chance to ask questions, then turned and left. Seeing this, Green looked curiously at Brian. As someone who had never encountered such an incident, he was eager to know what was written. Brian unfolded the paper. It read simply: ¡°Sir, I¡¯d like to get up and watch the sunrise with you. ¨C Vanessa Phone: ...¡± Green¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°One line and you¡¯ve got this woman?¡± He didn¡¯t understand. His bed was large, getting up to watch the sunrise with Brian¡ªwhat was the difference? Wasn¡¯t it all just sleeping together? Brian crumpled the paper, shrugged and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be envious, this trick only works on artistic young women. For a girl on the street, she¡¯d just tell you to skip the nonsense, ¡®Twenty US dollars a time, pay up first.''¡± Green: ¡°..Brian, you really do have a way with life.¡± ¡°Your description is also very emotionally intelligent.¡± The two exchanged glances and burst into laughter. .. Back at the office. Green took out his notebook, ready to call the list of researchers Mycroft had provided. The blood exchange therapy, indeed, underwent further development after its discovery, transitioning towards beauty treatments, anti-aging, mainly because researchers, during this process, discovered in young men and women¡¯s blood, several special substances that older people¡¯s bodies reduce or cease to produce. These substances were stimulating some kind of bioactivity in elderly test rats, achieving an effect akin to rejuvenation. The only problem was that human bodies are not like those of test rats. Humans are much larger in size. And their body structures are also more complex. Simply transfusing blood into a human body is risky, cumbersome, and the effects are not clear, full of variables, both good and bad, hard to control. But those researchers, through continuous experimentation on rats, discovered and extracted a substance named C6. This substance, according to Brian and Green¡¯s understanding, could stimulate cellular metabolism and renewal. It showed promising effects in reducing scars and aiding wound recovery to some extent. However, C6 itself couldn¡¯t rejuvenate cells and body tissues, which contradicted current biological understanding. More usage meant shorter cell life, implying it could also affect lifespan. Thus, this substance was still confined to the lab and wasn¡¯t made available on the market yet. Mycroft didn¡¯t think anyone could indeed categorize human tissue age through blood exchange, but he still shared the contact details he knew of several research facilities with them. ... Brian stopped Green from making the call, ¡°There¡¯s no need to call now. Before I left, I secretly placed a tracker in Mycroft¡¯s car. Keep an eye on his location changes, and as long as he doesn¡¯t go to a place with signal interference, we should be able to locate that facility.¡± Ali¡¯s tracker operated on wireless wave transmission for positioning. This thing, one is a mobile positioning unit, constantly sending signals to the receiving station. Based on predefined reception time, time difference, radio wave entry angle, and other parameters, the receiving station will lock the position. The locator in cop and robber movies is basically this type. Green¡¯s eyes widened habitually, ¡°Brian, boss, are you saying that Professor Mycroft lied?¡± Brian often made judgments that impressed him and were unexpected; Green was used to it, but that didn¡¯t stop him from exaggerating his reactions. This is called emotional value. Being a little brother also requires some knowledge of psychology. Brian indeed liked Green¡¯s reactions, which inevitably made him feel the urge to mentor and found this satisfying rather than impatiently saying, ¡°You¡¯re really stupid.¡± He nodded, ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice something Professor Mycroft said unintentionally?¡± ¡°What did he say?¡± Green asked cooperatively. ¡°He unintentionally revealed that the Hua Country landscape painting on the wall was given to him by a friend more than twenty years ago. The thing is, how old do you think Professor Mycroft is?¡± Brian asked back. Green, recalling Mycroft¡¯s face, unsurely said, ¡°Probably around forty years old, not too old, and not too young, exactly the age when a person¡¯s energy hasn¡¯t entirely faded, and he has ample experience.¡± ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll assume he¡¯s forty-five. That means Mycroft knew that friend when he was in his early twenties or even his teens. Green, you might not understand, that type of ink painting, to express emotions, requires sufficient life experience, which takes time to accumulate, years to settle. It¡¯s rare for people with rich experience to become too close to those much younger than themselves; they have different thought outlooks and perspectives, they might not even have the interest to chat. So, I guess, like Mason¡¯s wife, Mycroft used the same or even better technology.¡± Brian voiced his suspicions. This was actually to bamboozle Green. His real certainty about Mycroft¡¯s deceit stemmed from the pheromone concentration he smelled; it didn¡¯t match Mycroft¡¯s relatively young appearance, almost as if there were old, decaying organs slowly rotting inside Mycroft. Appearances can change, but the characteristics of the pheromones emitted by the body aren¡¯t something you can change just because you want to. ... Hearing Brian¡¯s explanation, Green sincerely exclaimed, ¡°Mycroft met his misfortune encountering you, you are so meticulous, Boss Brian!¡± Brian... rolled his eyes, ignoring Green, the simpleton. Compared to the unfortunate Mycroft who stumbled into his hands, Brian was more curious about that landscape painting. He was certain that the lake in the painting seemed to be subtly flowing, yet neither Green nor Mycroft seemed to have noticed it. This made Brian think of how human eyes perceive computer or television screens and how cameras capture these screens; the difference might not be small. This process is because the images on the screen are continuously refreshed at a high frequency, too fast for the naked eye to distinguish, but when the screen refresh rate is lower than the camera¡¯s shutter speed, it results in screen effects resembling Moire? patterns.. Could that painting also have similar characteristics, only visible to someone with excellent vision, presenting magical imaging? How is this achieved? ... In the following time, Green stared at the locator receiver, while Brian stroked his dog, his mind occupied with that landscape painting. This feeling was uncomfortable. The painting seemed to possess a certain bewitchment, unforgettable after just one glance. This was a first for Brian. After continuously being distracted, he faintly sensed something wrong. That darn painting isn¡¯t some breathtaking beauty. Why did he care so much? Thinking this, Brian cautiously approached his station, pulled out some sketch paper and pencils from a drawer, and, without looking, let his fingers control the pencil, moving unconsciously like a printing machine. Shortly, a cluster of meaningless lines appeared on the sketchpad. ¡°Brian... there¡¯s a call... hmm?¡± Old Hardenn, who came to call him, saw the lines on Brian¡¯s sketchpad, his eyes widened: ¡°That¡¯s the Curse Pattern! Why did you sketch the Curse Pattern!¡± As if he saw something terrifying, he continually backed away, attracting the gaze of others in the office. Brian was startled by Old Hardenn¡¯s reaction and snapped back to his senses. ¡°The Curse Pattern?¡± Brian became interested, grabbed Old Hardenn, ¡°It¡¯s just a game, why are you so concerned? What was that about a call? Let¡¯s go to the meeting room.¡± After saying that, without waiting for Old Hardenn to react, Brian, tall and robust, ¡®enveloped¡¯ him in his arms, and they headed together toward the meeting room. ¡°Let me go, Brian, you¡¯re being too forceful, I don¡¯t want to talk about this,¡± Old Hardenn tried to resist, but his old body seemed as if clamped in a vice, other than being able to shout, he was completely unable to control himself. ¡°I told you, play less, don¡¯t get too absorbed, you never listen, look at you, starting to talk nonsense, where am I being forceful? This is just normal colleague interaction, right?¡± Brian casually covered Old Hardenn¡¯s mouth, leading him and the sketchpad into the meeting room, and closed the door. People watched as Old Hardenn¡¯s feet dangled and kicked in the air:... Really curious about what it is. Unfortunately, outside the door, Shi San hunkered down doggedly, glaring at everyone, baring his teeth threateningly at anyone who approached, completely disregarding the usual feeding from everyone, embodying Brian¡¯s teachings in full force. People:... Why is Shi San the dog exuding more and more of a Brian-like vibe! ... Inside the meeting room. Reluctantly brought closer by Brian, Old Hardenn was ¡®placed¡¯ into position. ¡°Pal, talk about it, what is the Curse Pattern?¡± Brian pushed the sketchpad forward. This was what he had seen, copied down one to one, relying on his robotic control over his body. Old Hardenn had actually seen it before. Brian was curious about the stories hidden within! Chapter 268 - 268 186 Old Hardenns Short Story Jumping from a Building April Bonus 2_2 ?268: Chapter 186: Old Hardenn¡¯s Short Story, Jumping from a Building (April Bonus Chapter 2)_2 268: Chapter 186: Old Hardenn¡¯s Short Story, Jumping from a Building (April Bonus Chapter 2)_2 ¡°I ran into some trouble afterward,¡± Brian said, ¡°and under a cloud of despondency, was introduced by a friend to work as a Prison Guard. Inside, I met some people and learned a few skills, then for family reasons, I returned to the Los Angeles police department to take a role in logistics. Then my granddaughter came of age, took up playing musical instruments like others, which required a lot of money, so I relied on someone I had hooked up with... the same guy who had interviewed us before, and I chose to join NW. Initially, I planned to simply coast along idly at headquarters, but to my surprise, Susan singled out this old man...¡± At this point, old Hardenn felt somewhat fortunate. If he really stayed at headquarters, he probably would be nothing more than an amiable mascot playing video games and barely supporting his granddaughter¡¯s artistic dreams with his sideline income. Now... with Brian working hard, with a bit of luck, his granddaughter¡¯s dreams would be no problem at all. The last time they got rid of that crazy dog, the bonus alone, if not squandered, was enough to pay for more than a year of his granddaughter¡¯s lessons. That¡¯s also why later on, he voluntarily showed off his hacker skills to make a good impression on Brian. The money came too easily, it was hot to handle when idling around. ... Brian was even more surprised when old Hardenn mentioned this: ¡°But you, as an ace hacker, could just apply to any cyber company, or take on a few more consultancy roles, and you wouldn¡¯t be short on money, right? Plus, you¡¯ve been quite diligent in peddling hacks, haven¡¯t you?¡± At this, old Hardenn sighed: ¡°My skills are indeed formidable, but what I know is mostly offensive hacking techniques. I have a special talent in this area, but when I first learned it, I did some impulsive things that gave me a certain notoriety in the industry. If I were exposed, it would be over for me. In my style and habits, anyone who¡¯s a professional can recognize me at a glance; it¡¯s just that no one suspects a real-life little black old man. In reality, working a job would definitely require showing my hand in front of those professionals, right? The risk of exposure is too high, and at best, I could only work at a cyber security company. Besides, I¡¯m getting older and just don¡¯t feel like going through the trouble. As for selling hacks...¡± Old Hardenn¡¯s face creased even more: ¡°Although the law doesn¡¯t clearly state that using hacks is illegal, those people at the cyber companies aren¡¯t that kind-hearted. After all, hacks disrupt the balance, and some gamers take it seriously. Once my selling hacks gets out, a lawsuit would be the least of my worries. I¡¯m more afraid of some gamer who¡¯s been victimized by hacks showing up with guns, looking for offline PvP...¡± At the end, Brian couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Recently in a neighboring state, a gamer had gotten into an argument in-game, couldn¡¯t win with words online, and drove overnight for six or seven hours to find the other player, emptying three or four rifle magazines... In his previous life, the worst he¡¯d do in a game was talk big, saying ¡°I¡¯m set on killing you,¡± but here... well-fed people have too much spare time and get the itch, really ready to empty their magazines. ... Finally, old Hardenn made a run for it using the phone incident as an excuse. It turned out that NW had sent him a new Second Level Staff uniform to the office and asked him to confirm it on the website when he had a moment. Brian knew that old Hardenn still had a lot to say, clearly dodging the important issues, but who doesn¡¯t have secrets? He didn¡¯t press on. It was just a pity. Besides knowing that this thing had appeared before, but still not understanding what all these messy patterns were or why they lingered in his memory. The extent of the influence wasn¡¯t deep; once he realized something was amiss, Brian lost that previous sensation¡ªit was quite remarkable. It was as if the object could only psychologically suggest and hypnotize, but once you realized it was problematic, it became ineffective. It was amazing. At that moment, Brian even considered being a gentleman thief just once, to take that landscape painting back for thorough investigation. Exiting the meeting room... Brian picked up Shi San, who was guarding the door, and praised him heartily. The child needed encouragement as he grew older. This made Shi San ecstatic, wagging his little tail like a fan, incessantly urging Brian to give him more tasks. He loved being praised by the big dog! Brian, unable to peel off the clingy Shi San, handed over a self-study math test on basic arithmetic operations, and Shi San instantly deflated. Stretched out over the test papers Brian had printed, in a spreadeagle pose, ears drooping and tail dragging motionlessly on the floor, Shi San¡¯s dreams shattered. Shi San hated math, hated it! ... The target, Mycroft, was good at keeping his nerve. Brian had deliberately not let Green follow the list provided. He intended to startle the quarry and make Mycroft suspicious, leading them to the unknown agency. Still, there was no sign of Mycroft until the afternoon. Of course, there¡¯s also the possibility of not driving a car, but here, not driving out or leaving one¡¯s car at home and taking someone else¡¯s, is quite inconvenient. It¡¯s possible but unlikely. Out of bore, done with correcting Shi San¡¯s test full of errors and patiently guiding him once more, Brian found Susan, who was intently training at the firing range, and engaged in a gunplay competition, shot for shot. Both fierce by nature, they had agreed that the winner could speak first as consolation to the other. Until Susan¡¯s mouth was sore from the kissing, Brian failed to win even once. That rascal deliberately made it easy for Susan to win every time. He would let her win by a hair, firing up Susan¡¯s competitive spirit, so much so that she wouldn¡¯t let Brian leave. Chapter 269 - 269 186 Old Hardenns Short Story Jumping from a Building April Bonus 2_3 ?269: Chapter 186: Old Hardenn¡¯s Short Story, Jumping from a Building (April Bonus Chapter 2)_3 269: Chapter 186: Old Hardenn¡¯s Short Story, Jumping from a Building (April Bonus Chapter 2)_3 Of course, Susan might have become addicted to this manner of interaction herself, finding it amusing and effective for training. By the time group B6 had clocked out, Susan left with Shi San, with no movement from Professor Mycroft. ... Rooftop. Even by 8 PM, there was still no sign of Mycroft. Green put down his phone gloomily, ¡°Boss Brian, looks like we¡¯re in for another night of overtime. I¡¯ve already told my family I won¡¯t be home tonight.¡± Lately, influenced by the rascals in the group, he had flirted with a wealthy widow, but his own busy career hardly allowed him time for occasional visits. He had prepared himself for an all-nighter. Brian viciously stubbed out his cigarette, ¡°Screw overtime, let¡¯s just go find him!¡± When they arrived at the institute and saw police cars with flashing blue lights illuminating the surroundings in red and blue, they then realized that a few hours earlier, Professor Mycroft had jumped to his death... The patrol officer told Brian, ¡°After Professor Mycroft finished the meeting downstairs and arranged his work, he locked his office door, left a letter, and jumped in front of many off-duty employees.¡± ¡°A letter?¡± The officer shrugged, ¡°It appears to be some kind of confession involving many people. In any case, we¡¯ve been ordered to surround this institute and not let anyone enter or leave without authorization from the headquarters.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not allowed in either?¡± Since Brian had gained some recognition in the lower-ranking police circles, it was rare for him to encounter an officer who wouldn¡¯t cooperate. The officer shook his head, ¡°Sorry, truly, no exceptions. We¡¯re only at the outer perimeter; inside is already under control by the NW Special Service Department.¡± A captain noticed the commotion here. He glanced at the tall and handsome Brian and instantly recognized this recently famous young NW officer. He waved the explaining officer back to his post and said to Brian in a firm tone, ¡°Non-relevant personnel, please leave the area.¡± Upon hearing this, Green glared at the unfamiliar middle-aged Caucasian officer. This guy seemed to harbor animosity toward them! Seeing this, Brian sighed, ¡°I tried to interact with you under the guise of a mere Autopsy Officer, but you¡¯re not making it easy..¡± He silently pulled a newly received NW staff badge from his pocket, replacing the previous one. The middle-aged Caucasian officer, initially puzzled by Brian¡¯s intentions, stiffened in disbelief when he saw the crest of a sword and shield on the badge, ¡°A Second-level Staff of the Dawn Warrior order?¡± Brian raised an eyebrow, ¡°Well recognized. I actually prefer your indifferent attitude. Can I go inside now?¡± He had no antecedent convenience. But belonging to the NW, the most powerful law enforcement conglomerate in Los Angeles, as a Second-level Staff, already qualified him to take charge of many issues. The middle-aged officer, visibly irritated by Brian¡¯s words, veins bulging on his forehead, though coping silently, stepped aside, ¡°Go talk to the Special Service people yourself then.¡± Even so, The middle-aged man knew that the Special Service team would likely respect the young man before them. After all, their team leader was also just a Second-level Staff of NW. There was a significant difference even among the same rank peers. A Second-level Staff in his twenties, compared with one in his forties, conveyed a wholly different presence. Real life isn¡¯t a melodrama. Brian knew he couldn¡¯t be liked by everyone, so without wasting words after the officer yielded, he stepped into the institute he had visited during the day, amidst the shocked looks from Green, the surrounding patrol officers¡¯ curious glances, and gossip. By tomorrow night, his story with this middle-aged patrol officer would likely turn into a dozen different versions, spreading across various precincts and police stations, becoming a tale of ¡°never underestimate the young and poor.¡± Brian was resigned to it. After all, one¡¯s reputation is often lost by their own action. ... Inside the institute. A group of people was standing around a dead body, lost in thought. They had been there for over half an hour without touching the body, as if there was something peculiar about it. Suddenly, A middle-aged Caucasian man with a cold demeanor twitched his ear and turned around, his indifferent gaze meeting the approaching gaze of Brian bringing Green along. He frowned initially until he saw the badge on Brian¡¯s collar. His furrowed brow relaxed, and his demeanor softened slightly, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Brian, Second-level Staff of the operations department, here regarding a case involving the deceased.¡± Brian stated briefly, shifting his gaze over the man to the hovering red Obsession Little Ball above the body. The thread was drawn. Chapter 270 - 270 187 Saving the Girl and the Professor ?270: Chapter 187: Saving the Girl and the Professor 270: Chapter 187: Saving the Girl and the Professor ¡°Mycroft got entangled in the case?¡± The indifferent middle-aged man¡¯s face showed some astonishment. He pulled out a piece of stationery and with a tremble of his hand, the soft paper seemed to become a stiff flying card, cutting a spinning arc and accurately appearing in front of Brian. Brian¡¯s fingers precisely pinched the edge of the paper, flipping through it. This was Mycroft¡¯s suicide confession: I regret falling in love with a woman I shouldn¡¯t have loved. For her, I did some disgusting things. Stop the investigation. The Mason couple, it was I who killed them. His wife, through my lover, learned some things about me, pressured me to give her the rejuvenation procedure. This is a risky medical technique not yet on the market, and the process is somewhat cruel, but for the sake of my lover¡¯s reputation, I chose to compromise and operate against the rules... After the procedure, the effects were good, she got what she wanted. I thought it would end there, but they made new demands... I knew, if this continued, it would be an endless abyss, so I took advantage of a follow-up visit to get the keys to their residence and ended up killing them, even deliberately arranging some doubts... The matter started because of me and will end with me. -Mycroft. ... Brian casually tossed the paper back into the man¡¯s hand, ¡°Your gun skills must be pretty good.¡± The middle-aged indifferent man, feeling the same finesse and precision on the paper as his own from just before, squeezed out an unsightly smile, ¡°Yes, my name¡¯s Merlin, my marksmanship is indeed passable, but Mycroft was our NW research department¡¯s specially appointed technical consultant. Let¡¯s put an end to this case.¡± ¡°So the case involves some NW internal staff?¡± Brian asked back. Merlin nodded: ¡°The NW Special Service Department only launches investigations into cases of homicide against official NW staff. After we arrived, we immediately used our authority to comprehensively investigate Mycroft¡¯s finances, movements, etc., and discovered that he and some internal researchers established a medical institution called Black Light Technology. Many of the projects at Black Light Medical are medical technologies that have been phased out internally, but they can be used to harvest from the middle class, which is not considered a violation. However, Mycroft chose to commit suicide; there must be other issues involved. We will investigate it.¡± Brian shook his head outright: ¡°The reasons are not sufficient, buddy. You should be able to see that Mycroft¡¯s suicide is only to conceal for someone; he is not the murderer of the homicide case, the woman behind him is. He committed suicide. The woman was then protected. Protection in a double sense. If I¡¯m not mistaken, the Mason couple should be clients developed by the person Mycroft was protecting. To make money. The real murderer should be someone who secretly stole Mycroft¡¯s medical achievements, something probably went wrong in the process, and then this foolish woman went and killed the others, hoping to silence them while framing Mycroft. I speculate that the murderer is Mycroft¡¯s wife.¡± With that, Brian¡¯s gaze fell on a shoe that had tumbled and turned upside down on the ground. The pattern and imprint on the bottom of the shoe were identical to Mycroft¡¯s shoes, the size also a perfect match. Brian saw on the underside of the shoe some very faint, almost invisible to the naked eye and hard to smell bloodstains. He gave Green, who was a bit confused, a signal with his eyes: ¡°Take this pair of shoes as evidence for our case.¡± This pair of shoes had likely been used to fabricate evidence at the Mason couple¡¯s murder scene. Although Green was somewhat bewildered listening, he obediently gloved up, took out a large transparent bag, and in front of several people from the Special Service Department, bagged the shoes. Seeing this, Merlin sighed, ¡°You¡¯re very smart, but everyone¡¯s dead, and some things are not suitable for further investigation; they could bring trouble for you. We¡¯ll handle it.¡± Brian glanced over Mycroft¡¯s corpse, his nose twitched lightly, and his brows furrowed slightly. The scent and pheromones emanating from Mycroft¡¯s corpse were different from before. There was something wrong with the body. This was perhaps the reason why Merlin and his team, after arriving, hadn¡¯t touched the corpse. To be honest, lacking sufficient information, Brian was a bit confused about the case himself. After thinking it over, he ventured, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in things outside the case, but there won¡¯t be a problem if we take Mycroft¡¯s wife, right?¡± ¡°No problem, that foolish woman killed one of our talents. Mycroft had great talent in the field of human body research. This is a loss for NW. We have no objections if you go after that foolish woman. Our bottom line is Mycroft¡¯s corpse and research materials.¡± Relieved at Brian¡¯s words, Merlin let out a sigh of relief. This stuff couldn¡¯t be leaked out; the rest didn¡¯t matter. Mycroft thought he could commit suicide to save that woman, a bit too naive. This was a common problem among many researchers. Mycroft may have been very powerful academically but didn¡¯t understand one principle: A person is of value only while they are alive and can negotiate. ... So far, Brian hadn¡¯t formed a clear understanding of NW¡¯s internal structure and power dynamics, and he didn¡¯t want to waste time and energy on such matters at the moment. He made a show of crossing himself in front of Mycroft¡¯s body, collected the Obsession Little Ball, and then, with Green, headed back to the conference room and, with the pretext of evidence, took the ink wash landscape painting that was hanging on the wall. Back in the car. Chapter 271 - 271 187 Saving the Girl and the Professor_2 ?271: Chapter 187: Saving the Girl and the Professor_2 271: Chapter 187: Saving the Girl and the Professor_2 Brian said to Green, ¡°Call old Hardenn and tell him to find Professor Mycroft¡¯s wife¡¯s contact information. Notify her of Mycroft¡¯s death and ask her to come and claim the body.¡± Green was startled, ¡°Boss Brian, do you mean that the person who killed the Mason couple is Professor Mycroft¡¯s wife?¡± They couldn¡¯t even get ahold of Mycroft¡¯s body yet. The meaning in Brian¡¯s words was clear: lure her to the B6 team to prevent her from fleeing. Could it be just a coincidence? He glanced at the shoes in his hands and finally understood what Brian had meant during that conversation with the Special Service Department leader. But he couldn¡¯t quite figure it out. Professor Mycroft, whether in terms of value or social status, was not lacking. As his wife, why would she murder and why would she deliberately frame Professor Mycroft? Furthermore, if this were true, wouldn¡¯t that mean that even if they hadn¡¯t found any appropriate clues and had just happened to investigate Professor Mycroft, his wife would still look for an opportunity to expose Mycroft¡¯s suspicions to the police? With his doubts, Green took out his phone, ready to contact old Hardenn. Then Brian¡¯s phone rang. It was Hardenn calling. Hardenn was in a good mood, ¡°Brian, someone reported that her husband committed murder. The call center verified the identity and found that the deceased was the one in our current case, the Mason couple¡¯s murder.¡± Brian curled his lip. So before they had made a move, she had willingly walked right into their hands. What a boring case. He handed the phone to Green, ¡°You talk to him.¡± Once done, Brian closed his eyes and began to check Mycroft¡¯s obsessions. ... Mycroft¡¯s obsession: Protect Heidilin Silva from being retaliated against by people from the Black Light Company. Gift One: 8 units of energy points Gift Two: 3 units of energy points + Extensive Knowledge and Strong Memory Gift Three: 3 units of energy points + Advanced Self-Training for Bootlickers Along with the obsession was the projection of a woman. She was a matronly beauty who still retained her charm, appeared to be in her thirties, dressed finely with robust features and long, slightly curled red hair draped over her shoulders. Paired with her fiery red lips, she had the beauty of an alluring woman in troubled times. She was a type that men born in the fifties and sixties would admire. In the past. Just with her looks, she could have made a living in the entertainment industry. Even today, she would still be popular with older white men. Brian silently looked at the list of obsessions and gifts, especially Gift Three. He was speechless. The damn self-training for bootlickers. It seemed he was getting an idea of what this was about. The truth behind this case would probably be melodramatic. .. Back in the office. Old Hardenn had already prepared the information about Professor Mycroft¡¯s wife. Professor Mycroft¡¯s wife, Heidilin Silva, was precisely the woman from his obsession. Heidilin Silva was registered as 48 years old this year, and from the photo on her previous ID, she appeared to be in her forties. From a half-length photo, although Heidilin still looked well-maintained and kept in good shape, her beauty had faded with age; the loose skin could not uphold the facial value of her youth. According to the archives. Heidilin Silva had been married three times, with Professor Mycroft being the latest husband, registered three years ago. They were not an old married couple. Heidilin Silva¡¯s records showed more than three lawsuits at the court, all for illegal cosmetic medical practices and as many as seven illegal drug dealing citations, with the first dating back thirty-two years, when she had just turned sixteen. This was a typical file of a delinquent girl¡¯s growth. ¡°God, Professor Mycroft, how could he fancy such a woman, aren¡¯t those young and pretty female college students more appealing?¡± Green looked at the files, somewhat speechless. Around this college, there were many young people who became the lovers of men and women professors or those with resources and status as a shortcut. This was quite common, especially in areas like science research and medical fields, where academic thresholds existed. Old Hardenn shrugged his shoulders: ¡°I hacked into this woman¡¯s social media on a whim, based on her IP address. Her chatting skills are impressive, or should I say, she really understands men, easily grasping their hearts and bringing them significant emotional value. Even after getting married, she still kept in touch with lots of men, getting them to make transfers and buy expensive gifts for her. Once they¡¯re drained, she¡¯d find an excuse to break up and move on to the next one.¡± Green was even more astonished, ¡°And she¡¯s still alive?¡± ¡°Yes, not only is she still alive, but there are also men she¡¯s conned out of all their money, begging her to continue the online relationship and constantly apologizing to her. Looking at those chat logs, I can¡¯t understand what goes through those men¡¯s heads.¡± The female clerk, Edna, listened with shining eyes. Oh, my God. Is she that good? As someone who¡¯s been single since birth, she thought about buying a class to learn. Brian was also curious. He came over to Old Hardenn¡¯s workstation and started to go through the chat logs that had been obtained. To his discovery, all the male targets that Heidilin chose seemed to have issues with their original families. In psychological terms, these were men who lacked love in their upbringing. And these men, they all shared a common feature: a bit of money, but socially awkward or introverted, no complex romantic history, mostly decent guys without bad habits, their work and life routines very regular, just lacking in social interactions, leading lives that were utterly uninteresting. Heidilin¡¯s chat tactics, moreover, followed a consistent pattern: Initially gentle, understanding, and sweetly spoken. Mid-way she would start brainwashing and applying PUA techniques, incessantly demanding money, increasing their cost of engagement. Eventually, Heidilin would fabricate some excuse, pointing out the other person¡¯s mistakes, applying cold violence, tormenting them in all sorts of ways, before gently asserting from the victim¡¯s perspective that she did not want to keep them hanging on, continuing to apply PUA techniques: To love someone is not to torment each other, hoping they could find someone better... In reality, by this stage, these male online love interests were mostly squeezed dry and had fallen into an endless state of self-doubt and depression. What was even more incredible, Most of these chatting partners had never even seen Heidilin in person. They didn¡¯t even know Heidilin¡¯s address, real age, or identity... ¡°Pro,¡± said Brian, looking at Old Hardenn, ¡°What does this woman do for work now?¡± Old Hardenn shook his head: ¡°The data doesn¡¯t say, and there¡¯s no related record in the social security department, but judging from her social media account, she might be involved in something like cosmetic medicine. Oh, and I wanted to investigate Mycroft¡¯s information, but his files had an organizational special marker. When I tried to access them, it drew attention from NW Tech Department¡¯s people, who traced me through my IP and called our office to inquire about the situation. This guy¡¯s identity is somewhat unusual.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a special consultant for the NW Research Department and probably responsible for some particularly special research projects. Forget about Mycroft for now. Let me know when that Heidilin arrives.¡± Brian was quite interested in the ins and outs of this case. He wasn¡¯t too fond of melodramatic stories, except for the exceptionally melodramatic ones. ... At four in the afternoon. As Brian idly stared at a landscape painting he had casually taken, a delicate-looking and dignified woman arrived at the B6 team¡¯s office building. Old Hardenn cast a strange look at the painting in Brian¡¯s hand and reminded him, ¡°Brian, that Heidilin has arrived, and she¡¯s brought a lawyer with her. Green has taken her to the interrogation room.¡± ¡°She brought a lawyer?¡± Brian put down the landscape painting, somewhat surprised. ¡°Yes, and the lawyer is a pretty boy, no less handsome than you are. Oh, and about this painting...¡±, Old Hardenn glanced at the landscape painting Brian had placed on the table, ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but it looks very strange to me, almost eerily familiar.¡± Brian smiled without saying a word, did not respond, and got up to walk towards the interrogation room. The main character had arrived; it was time for the case to come to a close. Right. To send someone to prison, or to find an opportunity to silently eliminate them, that should settle Mycroft¡¯s obsession. After all, the so-called Black Light Company wouldn¡¯t go to the trouble of a dead person. Chapter 272 - 272 188 The Truth Raki Doesnt Deserve to Be in Prison Monthly Ticket Extra 34 Combined ?272: Chapter 188: The Truth, Raki Doesn¡¯t Deserve to Be in Prison (Monthly Ticket Extra 3/4 Combined) 272: Chapter 188: The Truth, Raki Doesn¡¯t Deserve to Be in Prison (Monthly Ticket Extra 3/4 Combined) Heidilin and the person in the ID photo couldn¡¯t be said to be completely identical, it was more like they were unrelated. This was a woman of great temperament, in her early thirties, fully exuding the allure of a mature woman, as though every gaze, every motion, could captivate a man¡¯s heart. When Brian saw her for the first time, he knew this was a woman whose seductive charm had been perfected through countless experiences¡ªshe was thoroughly seasoned. Behind Heidilin was a man, also in his early thirties, slim, dressed exquisitely, wearing a designer watch, holding a briefcase. This must be the lawyer Mr. Hardenn had mentioned. Pardon the expression, but based on looks alone, this guy really wasn¡¯t too bad¡ªbelonging to the type who could live off his looks with the added advantage of his status, he could easily get on top of the list of divorced, eligible bachelorettes. At least it was a much higher league than the part-time gigs Brian had before. When Brian arrived, Heidilin was leaning lazily at the doorway of the interrogation room while Green and the male lawyer seemed to be arguing about something. From Green¡¯s expression, it looked like he wasn¡¯t winning. Hearing footsteps, all three turned to look. Seeing Brian, Green showed delight, ¡°Boss Brian, this lawyer thinks that bringing Ms. Heidilin here for questioning is disrespectful to human rights and hopes we can change the environment.¡± The lawyers here mostly had significant clout. Most of the police didn¡¯t like this bunch at all. ¡°Human rights?¡± Brian looked at the male lawyer, puzzled, ¡°Did we call you here?¡± The male lawyer, seeing the man in front of him who looked no less handsome and tall than himself, subconsciously stepped forward to shield his employer Heidilin, blocking her from view. He said righteously to Brian: ¡°As far as I¡¯m aware, my client Ms. Heidilin filed a report in advance, reporting her husband¡¯s alleged involvement in a murder, yet you brought Ms. Heidilin to the interrogation room. This isn¡¯t normal procedure! She¡¯s not a criminal! What you¡¯re doing is against regulations!¡± Brian yawned: ¡°Buddy, before you start living off a woman, first think whether the meal is poisoned. Your Ms. Heidilin, 48 years old, having inherited the wealth of two husbands, probably has more pets online than the fish you¡¯ve seen. Her past, stacked up, might be more complex than your great grandmother, grandmother, mother, and all the girlfriends you¡¯ve ever had, combined. My advice, you¡¯re still young, you can¡¯t handle this type of woman, let us handle it.¡± Lawyer:... What does he mean I¡¯m too young and can¡¯t handle it? He looks younger than me! Still, he was somewhat shocked by Brian¡¯s words. Was this beautiful woman, Heidilin, really that complicated? Heidilin, who had been an onlooker till now, was also a bit stunned. Why was her background investigated so thoroughly? Her beautiful brows furrowed, ¡°What are you talking about, am I to take that as slander?¡± Brian looked at the woman as if looking at an idiot: ¡°No matter how dignified your appearance, it can¡¯t cover up your inner filth and past affairs, don¡¯t you know the police have records documenting all your past crimes?¡± He didn¡¯t bother with more words, pushed the lawyer blocking the way aside, and signaled Green to bring the woman into the interrogation room. Bullies fear only a thrashing. Because a thrashing doesn¡¯t give them a chance to bullshit, just a smack in the mouth sets them straight. When faced with Green¡¯s rough push, Heidilin, a women of poised and seductive charm, broke down, pretending to be weak, turning to the handsome lawyer for help, ¡°Steve, they are bullying me...¡± The lawyer, hearing this delicate voice, felt his masculine hormones surge, and just as he was about to speak, a palm pressed him hard against the cold wall, unable to move an inch. Brian ripped open his clothes to reveal a gun inside: ¡°Just like I said before, we aren¡¯t nice guys, nor are we those ordinary cops who you bullies can push around and still have to swallow their pride. This is the NW Action Department! If you don¡¯t understand the seriousness of this matter, you can go ask your mentors and seniors, but if you continue wasting our time here, I guarantee you¡¯ll lose your current social standing.¡± In this world, unlike Brian¡¯s previous life. A lawyer in the United States, no matter how cheeky, could never outclass them who stood at the T0 level of power. Faced with violent threats. The disgraced handsome lawyer bit his lip, somewhat lacking in confidence, ¡°I reserve the right to pursue legal action against your violent enforcement...¡± Brian: ... He slapped the lawyer, knocking him down to the ground with a twitch: ¡°Green, drag this idiot to the detention room, lock him up to cool off for a night.¡± Ungrateful and indecisive man! ¡°Alright, Boss Brian.¡± Green clenched his fist, dragging the man by the feet towards the elevator. He had endured enough from this lawyer just moments ago. Now, only Brian and Heidilin were left. She looked at Brian, drawing out a seducing smile, ¡°Is there a misunderstanding here?¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°Why don¡¯t you talk to my slap, see if it turns into your little lapdog?¡± Against the crude slap, Heidilin conceded. This guy was clearly not one to play by the rules. Chapter 275 - 275 189 You Cant Even Use Flying Thunder God What Kind of Ninjas Are You! ?275: Chapter 189 You Can¡¯t Even Use Flying Thunder God, What Kind of Ninjas Are You! 275: Chapter 189 You Can¡¯t Even Use Flying Thunder God, What Kind of Ninjas Are You! ¡°I have to say, the NW organization¡¯s response to technology leaks was swift.¡± That very evening, a cargo truck arrived at the B6 team¡¯s office building. Two individuals clad in black, exuding an aura of chill, were led by Green to bring Heidilin and that pretty-boy lawyer downstairs. Green seemed a bit embarrassed, ¡°Sorry, this woman made such a mess when we tried to detain her, we haven¡¯t had time to clean her up.¡± ¡°Washed or not, they¡¯ll piss themselves out of fear when they get to where they¡¯re going.¡± One of the individuals said nonchalantly. The other one smirked coldly, ¡°The Inner Realm, is the final destination for all the bad guys; their continuous influx fuels the development of our biotechnology. Eventually, we will have hoses to wash their bodies clean.¡± The Inner Realm... Green etched this name into his memory. Heidilin and the pretty-boy lawyer, facing the two men in black and hearing their incomprehensible words, felt uneasy, ¡°Where are you taking us?¡± ¡°Somewhere nice.¡± The man in black opened the cargo hold, ¡°Come on, get in nicely, and after you arrive, I¡¯ll make sure the scientists remember to administer anesthetics.¡± Looking inside the cargo truck, seeing row upon row of dog cages, the two finally sensed something was wrong. The male lawyer turned to run, ¡°FK, you¡¯re trafficking humans, you¡¯re administering vigilante justice!¡± ¡°Futile struggle.¡± One of the individuals in black waved a gloved hand. Zzzap~ A stream of electricity, like lightning, shot out, hitting the lawyer¡¯s back, causing his body to tremble violently and he fell to the ground. The man approached the lawyer on the ground, ¡°You¡¯re out of anesthesia!¡± Afterward, the individual in black turned to Heidilin, who stood there in a daze, ¡°Are you going up on your own, or should I help you?¡± Heidilin, dumbfounded and motionless, didn¡¯t react until the man in black raised his hand again. Her lips quivering, she looked at everyone present, ¡°Where are we going?¡± The other man in black casually threw the lawyer¡¯s heavy body into the iron cage like a dead dog and ridiculed Heidilin, ¡°Where to? We call that place the Inner Realm, sometimes it¡¯s also referred to as the trash incineration center. But for you Raki, you prefer to call it¡ªPurgatory, earthly Purgatory.¡± ¡°Earthly Purgatory?¡± Heidilin¡¯s face turned paler, her whole body shivering. Once more her lower body was stained by the flow of urine, and she couldn¡¯t stand firm, sinking to her knees and begging for mercy, ¡°I was wrong, I truly was. I can atone. Please, let the law judge me, I¡¯m willing to confess, to admit all my wrongdoings, I¡¯ve deceived many, I¡¯m willing to give everything to compensate...¡± She had imagined the most tragic end would be solitary confinement for life in prison. Heidilin had even thought, if she ended up there, she could write books, an autobiography, earning money while serving her sentence, maybe even becoming an Internet celebrity, living comfortably inside. She had studied many such cases. With money, one could still live comfortably inside. Why wasn¡¯t the script going that way now? Where were human rights? Where was the law? It shouldn¡¯t be like this! ¡°We don¡¯t need those; we just need your bodies,¡± the man in black said with disgust, grabbing Heidilin¡¯s clothes, ready to throw her in as well. ¡°I¡¯ll give in, I¡¯ll cooperate!¡± But Heidilin, as if clutching at a lifeline, began to undress herself. Slap~ The man in black slapped her down to the ground, ¡°Act slutty once you¡¯re there. What we want is your body tissue, your pile of rotten flesh, not to sleep with you, and that¡¯s the only value you Raki people have.¡± ¡°Body tissue...¡± Heidilin lay on the ground with a vacant stare, looking up at the night sky, as if she could see her foolish husband Mycroft watching her from above. Why did I not enjoy the good life I had, why did I do so many stupid things? At that moment, she truly regretted. But it was too late. Until her body rolled and hit the iron cage, she did not utter another sound... ... Until the vehicle was far away, Brian finally stepped out from a corner with a cell phone in hand. He looked at Green, ¡°Have the people been taken away?¡± Green nodded, ¡°Yes, two men in black took them; Boss Brian, their gear was so cool, gloves that can emit electric shocks, just one wave and they knock a person down, they have an aura like a cold air conditioner, just the sight of it makes you shiver.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because they¡¯ve handled too many corpses of their own kind, the stench of death is heavy on them.¡± Brian sniffed lightly, detecting the remnants of countless scents of blood. ¡°Is there really such a thing as the scent of death?¡± asked Green, somewhat astonished. Brian nodded, ¡°Of course, in the animal kingdom, before dying, many animals emit fear pheromones. If their own kind smell it, they know there¡¯s danger here. Just that humans have greatly regressed in their perception. Most people only feel fear and disgust, triggering their primitive genetic imprint to be wary, when they smell something like a decaying body or see a corpse, distancing themselves from the area. But if one deals with too many corpses or executes too many people, they¡¯ll give off the same cold feeling to their kind, like those men.¡± Such individuals will also suffer from the effects themselves, typically not meeting good ends. ¡°I¡¯ve learned something new again.¡± Green chuckled, ¡°Boss Brian, you should¡¯ve seen that woman¡¯s reaction, it was so satisfying!¡± ¡°Evildoers deserve their retribution; the world should be like this, alright, time to clock out, Green. Head home early.¡± Chapter 276 - 276 189 You Cant Even Do the Flying Thunder God What Kind of Ninja Are You!_2 ?276: Chapter 189: You Can¡¯t Even Do the Flying Thunder God, What Kind of Ninja Are You!_2 276: Chapter 189: You Can¡¯t Even Do the Flying Thunder God, What Kind of Ninja Are You!_2 Brian waved his hand. He actually wanted to see the scumbag¡¯s reaction, but he had just received a call from London. The caller was none other than the top agent known as Number Five, who had once fought against him. This brother, probably feeling a kindred spirit towards Brian, a fellow strong powerhouse, actually tipped him off, stating that the Ninja Sect from Japan was seeking revenge because he left Yoshiko, a student they sent over for training, battered and breathless. ¡°Japanese people sure are petty. Setting aside the fact that I almost beat someone to death, isn¡¯t that chick at fault for striking first?¡± Brian shook his head, feeling somewhat wronged, and then rode off on his ¡®Beast¡¯ motorcycle. ... The next day. Considering the Ninja Sect¡¯s vicious methods, Brian still decided to give Old Mangle a call: ¡°Uncle Mangle, how are you doing lately?¡± ¡°Just the same, at this age, without kith or kin, just waiting to die every day. I actually wanted to set up a fortune-telling stall, but with the card you gave me to spend at will, life¡¯s been, ah, corrupted!¡± While he spoke, sounds of laughter and splashing water could be heard over the phone. Brian glanced at the sky outside, speechless. He had never been this ridiculous. Who in the world indulges in lovers¡¯ frolics underwater early in the morning? Indeed, men only behave when they¡¯re nailed to the wall. Seeing the old man sounding safe on the phone and not mentioning any dangers, Brian made small talk for a bit before hanging up. He figured he might as well give Eliana, the Spider Woman, a call too. As the first member of his ¡®Urban Legends¡¯ organization, he was quite concerned about her. Originally, he wanted to train with Eliana in combat skills whenever possible, but aside from breeding, this spider woman lacked drive for anything else and just wanted to lay flat. Before her Beastification, Eliana was a fashion model who loved to post her glam shots and work schedule on social media. Now, she resists those jobs that demand self-presentation. She recently managed to get a job as a waitress, using human skin masks to hide her identity. She¡¯d turned into a salted-fish spider. After completing the routine interactions, Brian took several high-explosive hand grenades, opened the built-in modification storage compartment on his Beast motorcycle, and secured the grenades inside, just in case. For the sake of aesthetics, the motorcycle had no external storage boxes. Plus, most of the Beast¡¯s interior space was taken up by the fuel tank, so this storage compartment was very small ¨C it usually held nothing more than a pair of shorts and a shirt. He couldn¡¯t load too many grenades; otherwise, Brian would have to stuff in a hundred or so, and in a critical moment, use the Beast motorcycle as a self-destruct weapon. If only he had a storage device, he could become a mobile artillery. With that lingering regret, Brian arrived at the office building to start the last day of duty for the week. Tomorrow was his off day. He planned to take Susan and Shi San out to sea for some fun. Brian was rather looking forward to seeing Susan in her swimsuit. ... Considering that tomorrow was a day of rest, Brian did not have Old Hardenn take the initiative to request cases from the reporting center. Just let it be. Ivan and the others were still busy with their case. Green took the initiative to help out. After Brian and Susan finished their routine stamping duties, they picked up the landscape painting that had been left under the desk and began to examine it again. The painting was truly of high quality. At least Brian could replicate the appearance, but he couldn¡¯t capture the essence hidden within, especially the rhythm hidden in the landscape. Yes, rhythm. After observing the painting for a long time, Brian had vaguely understood why the lines in the water, which Old Hardenn referred to as ¡®Curse Patterns,¡¯ appeared as flowing water in the landscape painting. It involved a very delicate visual trickery technique. To the average person, this painting was simply a tasteful landscape. But to those with strong dynamic vision, the water seemed to flow. The most magical part was that the stronger one¡¯s dynamic vision, the more the water¡¯s motion seemed to change. Brian had tried entering his limit-breaking state to look at the painting, and he faintly sensed that beneath the fluctuating water, something was hidden. It looked like writing, but he couldn¡¯t make out what it was. He suspected that only with a certain level of dynamic vision might one see the information hidden beneath the painting. ¡°It¡¯s a pity Mycroft is dead, and his house was ransacked by NW agents; otherwise, I could¡¯ve asked him about his friend from Hua Country.¡± Brian regretfully tossed the painting back under the desk. The more attention it received, the more conspicuous it became; left as it was, even thieves might not find it appealing. ... At noon. Brian called out to Shi San and Susan to go eat together. They arrived at the B6 group¡¯s office building. Seeing one of the leaders, Susan¡¯s face broke into a smile: ¡°Caroline, how come you have time to drop by today?¡± Caroline, Susan¡¯s best friend, pointed towards a group of shorter people behind her with some awkwardness: ¡°Susan, these Japanese people contacted our headquarters, wanting to have an exchange with Brian.¡± Susan turned her big eyes questioningly towards Brian. Brian shrugged: ¡°At the London Foreign Affairs Training Camp, I made one of them, some XX Yoshiko, into a dead dog. Not sure if they managed to save her.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± A Japanese elder glared at Brian: ¡°You bully the weak. Today I will avenge Yoshiko and cut down you, the bastard!¡± Chapter 277 - 277 189 You Cant Even Do the Flying Thunder God What Kind of Ninja Are You!_3 ?277: Chapter 189: You Can¡¯t Even Do the Flying Thunder God, What Kind of Ninja Are You!_3 277: Chapter 189: You Can¡¯t Even Do the Flying Thunder God, What Kind of Ninja Are You!_3 Behind the old man, men and women in civilian clothes with swords slung on their backs were also looking at Brian with hostile stares. Bang~ The gunshot silenced the noise. The old man touched his left ear with a stunned expression, feeling something wet. With one shot, Susan blasted the old man¡¯s left ear off. The smile on her face vanished, replaced by an icy demeanor, ¡°On my turf, you want to chop my man, did you ask my gun first?¡± Everyone: ... Normally in situations like this, there would be an argument followed by stepping into the ring to settle it. Who just starts shooting without a word? That¡¯s not fighting fair! ... ¡°Cough cough~¡± Raki, the middle-aged man from the Internal Affairs department accompanying Caroline, coughed, breaking the silence, ¡°Susan, don¡¯t be agitated, these are people from the Ninja Sect of Japan, mainly here to ¡®exchange views¡¯ with Brian. If you disagree, I¡¯ll just take them back, no need for guns.¡± As he spoke, Raki looked apologetic, turning to the old man who was now missing an ear, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Matsushita Ichijirou, Susan is still a child, a bit impulsive. You¡¯re the adult, so please don¡¯t stoop to argue with a child.¡± Without waiting for any protests, Raki bowed at a ninety-degree angle, ¡°Please!¡± The Japanese crowd: ... Something¡¯s odd about that pale skin of yours... Matsushita Ichijirou was even more furious. What do you mean by ¡®playing¡¯? You call blowing off one¡¯s ear playing? And what the hell is with your bowing, if you¡¯ve bowed already, how are we supposed to keep arguing? ¡°Forget it.¡± Brian stepped forward, pulling Raki up, ¡°Bowing to such a shorty really turns my stomach. Consider it a warm-up before dinner. Let¡¯s go to the underground shooting range.¡± After saying this, He also glanced at Caroline standing next to Raki, causing the beautiful Caroline to tremble with fear. When this group of Japanese came to protest, they were shown the gruesome photos and videos of Yoshiko. Brian was too cruel. Such a cute and soft girl, with nearly her entire spine broken, limbs crippled, and most of her internal organs damaged. If it weren¡¯t for the Healing Potion that cured her, she would be drooling. Thinking back on her own repeated provocations towards Brian and ending up with just a bruised face and swollen nose, Caroline even felt that Brian was rather gentle with her, a pretty decent guy... ... Underground shooting range. Brian, discarding his suit jacket and undoing his shirt buttons, twisted his neck, ¡°So, you all are ninjas?¡± ¡°Is there a problem?¡± A proud-looking young man with three katanas at his waist stepped forward, standing in front of Brian, ¡°Today, you will pay a heavy price for harming Miss Matsushita Yoshiko!¡± Looking at the shorty in front of him, Brian smirked lightly, ¡°Then can you do the Flying Thunder God?¡± ¡°Flying Thunder God?¡± The group of ninjas looked at each other in confusion. ¡°What is the Flying Thunder God?¡± The young man also looked puzzled at Brian. ¡°You don¡¯t know the Flying Thunder God, what kind of ninjas are you!¡± Brian¡¯s expression darkened, pointing at all the ninjas, ¡°Let¡¯s skip the one-on-one duels, come at me all together, a bunch of trash gathered together, you¡¯re all Raki, I¡¯m in a hurry.¡± ¡°Arrogant!¡± The blood vessels in the proud young man¡¯s eyes bulged as he wrapped a white cloth around his forehead, ¡°The eldest disciple of the Three-Sword Style, Koyanagi Inuburou at your service, we fight not to distinguish superiority but life and death!¡± The next moment. Boom~ The sound of bones and flesh exploding echoed around. Everyone just saw a blur before their eyes. When they could see clearly again, they were all shocked. The proud young man who was just shouting a second ago stood still, not moving, only his forehead, pressed by a pale hand palm, had his entire neck driven into his chest like a stake. The eldest disciple of the Three-Sword Style who said they would fight not to distinguish superiority but life and death, made his appearance for a second and was killed on the spot. ... With a slap, Brian killed the noisy ant. He drew out the katana from the man¡¯s waist, kicked the body aside, pointing to the remaining Japanese, ¡°What crap Ninja Sect, I still have to eat. How about, just me, against all of you?¡± Chapter 279 - 279 190 Unhuman Brian Greens Crow Mouth Monthly Ticket Additional Update 56 Combined_2 ?279: Chapter 190: Unhuman Brian, Green¡¯s Crow Mouth (Monthly Ticket Additional Update 5/6 Combined)_2 279: Chapter 190: Unhuman Brian, Green¡¯s Crow Mouth (Monthly Ticket Additional Update 5/6 Combined)_2 There was nothing left there, not a single hair remained on the resilient skin, which now bore a deep red mark. Just a moment later, and the whole arm might have been severed by the enemy¡¯s sudden slash. Expert! Brian¡¯s gaze finally became solemn. Yagyuu Ittou still stood in his original spot, with two worn Small Tachis strapped to his waist, as if he had never drawn his sword. Seeing Brian take a hit, the surrounding male and female Ninjas finally got excited. ¡°Yagyuu Ittou truly is the pride of our Ninja Sect! This bastard must die here today. Only fresh blood can cleanse the shame our Ninja Sect has suffered!¡± ¡°He¡¯s as good as dead! Master Yagyuu Ittou¡¯s Heart Flow Technique is so fast that it can slice through rifle bullets and is known as ¡®Cuts Through Anything¡¯. Having stepped into the Non-human Realm, even those terrifying Mutant Beasts might not be a match for him! He¡¯s definitely a goner this time!¡± ... ¡°This doesn¡¯t bode well.¡± Caroline grabbed Susan¡¯s hand, expressing her concern. Susan: ... She squinted her eyes, ¡°Caroline, didn¡¯t you used to hate Brian the most, always saying this and that about him? Why do you care about him more than I do now?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Caroline realized that she had been acting out of the ordinary. She quickly made an excuse, speaking with righteous indignation, ¡°Hate is one thing, but Brian is our Dawn Warrior of NW. If he loses to this group of Japanese, it will be our entire NW that loses face, not just him. Do you actually want Brian to lose?¡± Watching her friend try to turn the tables, Susan rolled her eyes. She patted the dual guns at her waist, ¡°As long as Brian is okay, that¡¯s all that matters. If not, I¡¯ll open fire.¡± Susan actually quite liked the spirit of Western showdowns. If it were herself in a duel like this, dead was dead, but if it was Brian, sorry. She¡¯d be a double standard. ... Down below, everyone¡¯s thoughts were varied. Up above, Brian realized how difficult this ¡®little Japanese guy¡¯ could be. The opponent seemed to have some kind of magical predictive ability. Though his speed and strength didn¡¯t seem to be anything special, he could accurately strike first, attacking Brian¡¯s exposed weak points. Such an opponent was indeed troublesome. His body wasn¡¯t yet invulnerable to blades and bullets. Even if he could take the damage head-on and fight to a standstill, it wasn¡¯t certain he could hit the opponent. Because Yagyuu Ittou had two blades. Without guns, how to fight? Seeing that Brian made no move, Yagyuu Ittou said in a soft voice, ¡°I have foreseen your death. Kneel down, apologize to Elder Matsushita Ichijirou, and serve at his memorial for seven days, and I will spare you.¡± This was after all the United States. He didn¡¯t dare be as arrogant as to kill someone like Brian outright. Otherwise, considering the double standards of those white-pig Americans, his group might not be able to return safely to Japan. Most likely, there would be an ¡®accident¡¯ on the way back. ¡°Foreseen my death?¡± Brian: ... Why are these Japanese guys so melodramatically teenage... If it really came down to it, he¡¯d have to tough it out... No guns or nails in hand. Many of his strengths couldn¡¯t be utilized. Damn. Suddenly, Brian glanced at a corner of the shooting range¡ªa sheet of iron. The B6 Office Building was originally converted from a factory. This iron plate, a remnant of the past factory, was too bulky to remove and was simply left here to serve as a target, frequently pocked by bullets from Brian and others. The iron sheet was about 4mm thick and weighed close to a thousand pounds. Brian¡¯s eyes lit up. There was a chance. He tossed aside the light Small Tachi and, in front of everyone, walked over to the steel plate. Taking a deep breath, his well-proportioned muscles swelled, veins bulging as if he were a muscle man from the Devil Team. He grabbed the iron plate with both hands, and to everyone¡¯s shocked gaze, the creaking and groaning of twisting metal resounded. Brian actually folded the plate into a twisted, cylindrical steel pipe. But this pipe was far too heavy. Dragging the steel pipe, the ground vibrated with a thrumming sound, like a game character dragging a colossal weapon with a spiked head... ... ¡°Is this some kind of joke?¡± Everyone watching Brian inhumanely fashion a steel pipe into a weapon were stunned. Was this even humanly possible? Even Susan grasped for the first time what a Dawn Warrior was. A monster completely different from the human race, someone who could truly stand up against those terrifying Mutant Beasts. Watching the heavy steel pipe being dragged towards him. Yagyuu Ittou, who always kept a calm demeanor, replied with the same placid expression, ¡°It¡¯s meaningless. The heavier the weapon, the slower it is. You can¡¯t hit anyone and will only expose more flaws. You have great physical prowess. If you¡¯re willing to join our Ninja Sect, I can spare you.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s try.¡± Brian took a deep breath, his leg muscles fiercely tensing. Boom~ The entire underground shooting range shook slightly. The next moment. The long steel pipe, as if it were merely a toy, was lifted by Brian, covering the area Yagyuu Ittou was in. With the pipe¡¯s hollow interior producing a ghostly howling, it was fiercely smashed down. The inertia of something weighing a thousand pounds, when smashed down, was comparable to a mud truck in terms of damage to flesh and blood. ¡°This speed!¡± Yagyuu Ittou¡¯s eyes twitched, forced to dodge quickly. Almost at the same time. Brian let out a roar, and as his body spun like a top, the steel pipe which was initially smashing down, carried by his terrifying strength, spun along with him, rapidly catching up to Yagyuu Ittou, who was trying to dodge. Chapter 280 - 280 190 Inhuman Brian Greens Crow Mouth Monthly ticket additional update 56 combined_3 ?280: Chapter 190: Inhuman Brian, Green¡¯s Crow Mouth (Monthly ticket additional update 5/6 combined)_3 280: Chapter 190: Inhuman Brian, Green¡¯s Crow Mouth (Monthly ticket additional update 5/6 combined)_3 Brian, who had always remained composed, felt like cursing! The area was only so big. It was completely shameless! He tentatively drew his sword to strike. As sparks flew, an unrivaled force slammed into his palm, causing his complexion to drastically change as he stumbled backward several steps before finally managing to discharge the force. There was simply no way to play! ¡°You¡¯re just being shameless!¡± He broke his defense, and walked straight out. No more playing! Bang~ A bullet hit right at his feet. Susan, with a cold face, said, ¡°You all wanted to fight to the death before, now you want to leave? Fine, but only a corpse can leave!¡± Click~ Weapon Expert Ali, who had been as invisible as the Invisible Man, quietly pulled off a piece of black cloth, revealing a heavy machine gun underneath, pulled the bolt, and aimed at the group of ninjas. It was just that everyone else had gone to eat. Otherwise, there were a few more machine guns in the warehouse that could fill these people¡¯s bodies with bullets. .. This.. The ninjas, who originally wanted to make a move, refrained miserably, daring not to budge. This damned place even had heavy machine guns. These people were even more shameless than them! Yagyuu Ittou knew there was no way out today. He took a deep breath, casually took out several black pellets, and smashed them on the ground. Bang~ With smoke swirling around. His figure vanished from everyone¡¯s sight. The next moment~ Whoosh whoosh~ Raging steel pipes swept across the area. The smoke dissipated. But Yagyuu Ittou¡¯s figure was nowhere to be seen. Brian almost didn¡¯t hesitate, the thousand-pound heavy steel pipe in his hand effortlessly thrown, smashing towards the top of his head. Clang clang~ The sound of metal clashing and sparks scattering was incessant. Yagyuu Ittou, like a ghost, relied on the spacing of his tachi, brushed past the outer edge of the steel pipe as he fell, dual swords flashing out, turning into countless afterimages, like eight-armed blades, covering Brian¡¯s whole body. Still, he could defend against all attacks, moving, he could hit all weaknesses. This was the Ninja Sect¡¯s strongest Sword Dao¡ªShin-ryu? Itto?! The existence of mutants and the development of the Enhancement Reagent reinvigorated what was once a fading assassination organization, breathing new life into it and shining ever more brilliantly with the support of the might of a nation. ¡°Fury!¡± In the face of danger, a roar of anger echoed in Brian¡¯s mind. Originally, the fast, incomparable blade marks, under the enhanced dynamic vision, turned into nothingness, leaving only two blade pieces slashing towards his neck and abdomen. What he dreaded most was not Yagyuu Ittou¡¯s miraculous ability to predict but rather the opponent¡¯s weak speed and strength! ¡°You¡¯re too slow!¡± Brian laughed loudly, his body twisting and turning like noodles, narrowly avoiding the two small tachis, and slammed a punch towards Yagyuu Ittou¡¯s head. In everyone¡¯s eyes, he appeared to be facing countless afterimages of sword marks, prepared for mutual destruction. Thump~ With a muffled sound. The fist connected, the sword stopped. Yagyuu Ittou¡¯s eyes and ears spurted out a large amount of blood and cerebrospinal fluid, his entire cheek caved in, he froze in place, his body powerless, kneeling down without a word, instantly lifeless. Two tachis fell to the ground, powerless. One punch, life and death decided. .. ¡°Heartflow, your defense is pretty powerful, but as for offense, it¡¯s all about speed and strength, and you¡¯re seriously lacking in those areas..¡± Brian lifted the powerless, kneeling corpse of his opponent and positioned it respectfully. The strong shouldn¡¯t be humiliated. Indeed, the opponent was very strong. At the very least in a head-on confrontation, without using firearms or hidden weapons, and remaining motionless, he estimated that to take down his opponent, he would truly have to risk having both his arms and neck sliced off. Of course, if it were outside.. With just a spit, Brian could poison the other. Times have changed. Unless you can take a missile hit, it¡¯s always the era of the military. This was also why Brian had chosen the Gift of the Poison Gland previously. He couldn¡¯t guarantee that he would always have weapons and ammo on hand, and in the case of such a crisis, the toxins within his body would be his final, desperate move. As for whether he was a monster or not, it was no longer a concern for him. Anyhow, if the latent genetic threat posed by the Mutants wasn¡¯t eliminated, Brian wouldn¡¯t want offspring, with or without the Poison Glands. ... ¡°He¡¯s dead..¡± Witnessing the lifeless Yagyuu Ittou, the Ninjas had the last bit of their backbone removed. Their gazes towards Brian no longer held animosity, only fear remained. Bullying the weak yet fearing the strong, worshipping the powerful, enduring humiliation, ready to betray at any moment; these were the innate traits of their race. Seeing these fellows either too scared to meet his eyes or looking at him with fervent, almost aroused expressions, Brian lost the mood to slap these people in the face. He picked up Yagyuu Ittou¡¯s two small Tachi, ¡°I¡¯ll keep these two blades as a memento. As for Yagyuu Ittou¡¯s body, you take it back. He was a strong man, deserving of a dignified burial.¡± Sadly, none of the three Japanese he killed burst forth with any obsession. This was dissatisfying. ¡°Hi~¡± The group of male and female Ninjas responded with their heads bowed. ¡°Truly despicable..¡± Watching the group leave with the body, Brian shook his head, handed the small Tachi over to Ali to store in the warehouse, and then approached Susan who was saying goodbye to her best friend, ¡°Sorry, team leader, I was held up for a bit. Let¡¯s continue with our meal.¡± Caroline glanced over Brian¡¯s chest with burning eyes and said to Susan, ¡°Susan, I¡¯ll go with House to send this group of little Japanese folks back first, we¡¯ll talk more tonight.¡± Saying this, she hurried off with long strides. She feared if she stayed around Brian any longer, she¡¯d be swayed by the hormones he was exuding. Watching her retreating figure, Brian sneered inwardly. Dare to stir trouble in front of Susan, he¡¯d deal with this piece of work later. Turning back to Susan, he was about to speak but noticed Susan looking at him with a smile that was not quite a smile, ¡°Brian, could you explain how you came to know my bestie?¡± Brian: .. ... In the afternoon. After lunch and busying themselves, the team listened to Weapon Expert Ali recount with vivid detail Brian¡¯s spectacular solo resistance against Japan, eliciting gasps of admiration from time to time. Because of the conflicts of the Second World War, along with later events, they held no good feelings towards Japan. The only Americans who might actually like that place, are probably those soldiers who take turns staying at their military bases. After all, who wouldn¡¯t like spending those people¡¯s money, sleeping with their women, and enjoying privileges. To get stationed there, one supposedly has to pull some strings. Otherwise, most ordinary soldiers get placed in places like the Middle East, a hellhole. ¡°Looks like we can clock out peacefully today.¡± Green said as he stretched lazily with a smile. Brian also put down his sketchpad out of boredom. He had plans with Susan to go fishing and enjoy water activities at the sea tomorrow. He was looking forward to it. Just then, the office phone rang. Everyone shot Green looks of grievous resentment. That damn jinx! Chapter 282 - 282 192 The Obsession of Great Filial Piety in All Members Morse Code ?282: Chapter 192: The Obsession of Great Filial Piety in All Members, Morse Code 282: Chapter 192: The Obsession of Great Filial Piety in All Members, Morse Code ¡°Hmm?¡± When he saw the content of the obsession and the Gift, Brian had to admit he was somewhat baffled. These Japanese, what audacity!!! Their obsession Gifts looked very off!!! ... Yagyuu Ittou¡¯s Obsession: He killed his father Yagyuu Kojirou. Gift One: 100 points of Gift Energy. Gift Two: 30 points of Gift Energy + Dual-Mind. Gift Three: 10 points of Gift Energy + Heart Eye. Gift Four: 10 points of Gift Energy + Body Activation. Below that, there was a projection of an old man sitting cross-legged on a coffee table, who was indeed Yagyuu Ittou¡¯s father, Yagyuu Kojirou. He appeared to be in his late seventies or eighties, probably fathering Yagyuu Ittou in his fifties or sixties. Yagyuu Ittou, to have three recognized talents, with Gift Energy reaching as high as one hundred points, was comparable to the potential of Brian¡¯s great-uncle. But something was not right! Besides Ittou¡¯s somewhat filial obsession, the talents for Gift Two and Gift Three were also a little odd, not seeming like talents gained from enhancement or transformations. The usual enhancements and body modifications tended to focus on the physical side. Yet Ittou¡¯s talents were not of that kind. At this point, Brian already felt something strange. The second person¡¯s obsession: Killing his mentor Yamamoto Taku. Gift One: 40 points of Gift Energy. Gift Two: 5 points of Gift Energy + Body Mimicry. Gift Three: 1 point of Gift Energy + Master-level Blade Technique. Below the obsession, there was also a projection of a middle-aged man. Hmm, this obsession also showed filial piety. As for the talents, from the names, Brian couldn¡¯t make out much, but combining them with the third Gift, he could vaguely guess that this was a kind of Body Control talent. Because Brian had only previously acquired the Skin Stripping Skill from that Transformer, which was due to the other person possessing Body Control talent that allowed for exaggeratedly rapid mastery of any technical skill. After all, in Brian¡¯s Supercomputer Perception, such talents were categorized at the pinnacle of skill refinement, an achievement that normal people could reach only with talent, effort, and time. The second person must have been able to practice to a Master-level Blade Technique with the help of the ¡®Body Mimicry¡¯ talent. The question is. Could such a talent be the result of physical modifications or enhancement drugs??? This person also wasn¡¯t right. The third person¡¯s obsession: Killing his mentor Yamamoto Taku. Gift One: 35 points of Gift Energy. Gift Two: 5 points of Gift Energy + Rapid. Gift Three: 5 points of Gift Energy + Enhanced Digestion. Gift Four: 1 point of Gift Energy + Hostility Perception. Still the same projection of the middle-aged man. This weakling, like Yagyuu Ittou, also had three talents. The first two talents were acceptable, possibly attainable through body modifications and enhancements. But the talent from the fourth Gift was off, just like with Yagyuu Ittou, he also possessed a mental domain talent! So far. Brian had only seen similar mental talents among Mutants. Like his own Gift of the Dead, the old man¡¯s Prophet Warning, and the common Beast Warning... Their Blood Moon Gifts were actually considered mental talents. If Yagyuu Ittou and the third person were considered exceptions. Then the next three people were all like the third obsessor, not only did they all want to kill that mentor called Yamamoto Taku, but the energy points and talents of their Gifts were all the same... One or two could be called exceptions. But if all were the same, only one thing could be explained: Most of these Japanese Ninjas bursting with obsession were Mutants!!! And the talents of these people weren¡¯t much different, either mostly warnings, or similar to a lower-grade version of Heart Eye type, capable of quickly identifying enemy¡¯s flaws¡ªmental talent skills. They just weren¡¯t as formidable as Yagyuu Ittou. Japan was actually purposefully training and nurturing directionally cultivated Mutants! No wonder the obsessions of these people, if not patricide, were mentoricide, filial piety bring forth strength! That¡¯s not right... Brian shook his head. Something was off. The Blood Moon was once every thirty years. And most of these Mutants didn¡¯t even look thirty years old. So how had they nurtured this generation of youths with talents comparable to Mutants? ... ¡°Mutants...¡± Brian suddenly thought of himself. Good grief. These people, their experiences couldn¡¯t be too different from his own, could they... He could only think of two possibilities. Possibility one: Previously, they had collected a large number of disciples and conducted morbid training and cultivation, waiting for the Blood Moon to see how many could complete the mutation. Through continuous brainwashing and deliberate cultivation, to some extent, it was possible to achieve oriented cultivation of Awakening-like abilities. Possibility two: Japan might have something similar to the ¡°Divine Favored¡± reagent and possibly even more advanced than what the FBI had, or Japan had other ways to increase the ability to artificially create pseudo-Mutants. This possibility was not unfounded. In terms of human body research and perverse human behavior, the United States really might not be able to surpass Japan. Brian knew that, in the past, this side had specifically taken in a large number of Japanese military doctors involved in all sorts of bacteria and human body experiments who should¡¯ve been on military tribunals after World War II. But let¡¯s not get into that. Brian considered Japan¡¯s unique national conditions and suspected that the probability of Mutants awakening in this bunch of Japanese folks probably far exceeded that of other nations, and they might even be actively creating Mutants for recruitment and training. These lunatics, they really aren¡¯t afraid of losing control. Lest the legend of Japan¡¯s eight million gods be reborn, only to become eight million Mutants... The imagery was too splendid; Brian didn¡¯t dare to conceive what kind of human purgatory that would be. ¡°Forget it, let them do whatever they want to do.¡± Brian shook his head, toying with the Small Tachi he had obtained from Yagyuu Ittou: ¡°Regardless of whether it¡¯s for these six people¡¯s obsession or to eradicate the roots, I¡¯ll definitely make a trip to Japan when the opportunity is right.¡± The obsession of those six people required him to kill just two. Not counting the Gift Energy, just the reward Gift Energy alone was nearly two hundred and eighty units. Adding to Brian¡¯s stored Gift Energy, he estimated it would be enough for a full Enhancement of his body. He was set on killing those two! Not even Jesus could save them! Brian decided that starting tomorrow, he would use online resources to practice Japan¡¯s so-called ¡°Sword Dao¡± and, at the same time, keep an eye on the force that wiped out the Ninja Group, then disguise himself as that force to stir up trouble in Japan! The next day. After only four hours of sleep, a fully spirited Brian got up early, using a spare laptop to look up Japanese Sword Dao teachings. The profession of the ninja, prior to the Blood Moon, was actually that of an assassin during Japan¡¯s Warring States period. Their methods of combat were a hodgepodge, mostly involving disguise, poisoning, hidden weapons, and other cold weapons; they seemed mysterious but were basically similar to organizations that every nation had during the cold weapon phase. Their status was well below the warrior class beneath the nobles. Here, the Sword Dao was influenced by competitive techniques passed down from Hua Country during the Sui and Tang dynasties, and even initially used the sword types of that era. Afterward, due to continuous conflicts between small noble factions since the 10th century, the warriors banded together for protection, and through constant skirmishes between village... no, nations, the rudiments of Japan¡¯s Sword Dao slowly formed. Also, due to the scarcity of material resources and the smaller stature and weaker strength of people in early Japan. Most of Japan¡¯s Sword Dao contained fatal attack techniques; otherwise, if they learned the movie-style clashing of swords, the blades wouldn¡¯t withstand and would go broke after a couple of fights. This has led to the majority of instructional videos circulating online nowadays to be all about Iaido Slash, Draw Sword Slash, and cutting water, bamboo mats, or diagonally drawing the blade while practicing a single move. With impressive-sounding names. In truth, it¡¯s just hacking at water, bamboo mats, or a single movement with a diagonal draw. Of course, it¡¯s also possible that due to the Blood Moon, the potential in combat with cold weapons has been enhanced, leading to complex techniques that people are unwilling to upload online, creating another technology blockade. Brian, with innate abilities such as Body Control and Supercomputer Perception and other numerous physical talents, accomplished learning techniques at a frightening speed. Almost every slash showed significant improvement in footwork and precision. In just over half an hour. In the living room of the apartment, two beams of blade light flickered. Under Brian¡¯s speed and strength, they looked like two giant silver wheels, wildly unleashed the blade¡¯s cold light, bearing an overwhelming Cuts Through Anything aura. ¡°This stuff isn¡¯t that difficult after all.¡± Brian turned his small hand, and the blades returned to their sheaths. Even if you remove the bonuses from speed, strength, neural response, and so on, his footwork and compatibility with sword skill were clearly superior to those jumpy Japanese swordsmanship instructors in the videos. It was just that the Small Tachi in his hand felt too short, like a big horse pulling a small cart, lacking fluidity. ... Nine o¡¯clock. Susan, driving her car, appeared under Brian¡¯s apartment building with Shi San and her best friend Caroline. Brian, dressed in flashy beach shorts and wearing sunglasses, saw Caroline and frowned slightly: ¡°Susan, didn¡¯t we agree that today was going to be a two-person and a dog world? Why are there irrelevant people here?¡± Caroline pouted, wanting to retort, but recalling the brutal heart-wrenching fierceness of Brian from yesterday, she dared not speak. ¡°Bad guy, bad guy...¡± Just then, a bird¡¯s head peeked out from behind Caroline, squawking at Brian. Brian looked at Caroline with an unfriendly expression. This little missy was scared of him, and now she¡¯s even started to bring in a mouth-piece, huh? ¡°Arf~¡± Shi San reacted quickly, baring teeth at the parrot. The parrot got scared and quickly retreated: ¡°Bad dog, bad dog...¡± Seeing this, Susan burst into laughter: ¡°Alright, Brian, get in the car. Today Caroline was tasked with teaching this little parrot Morse Code and was super bored, so I brought her along to hang out. You wouldn¡¯t be jealous of a girl, would you?¡± Brian hummed disdainfully, shooed Shi San into the backseat, and sat in the passenger seat. Morse Code... Right. He had always been unsure what new thing to teach Shi San. This seemed like a pretty good idea. Later, Shi San could even directly phone chat with him. Shi San shrank its neck. For some reason, it felt suddenly chilly inside the car... Chapter 283 - 283 193 This Bird Really Knows How to Judge People! ?283: Chapter 193 This Bird Really Knows How to Judge People! 283: Chapter 193 This Bird Really Knows How to Judge People! ¡°Can this parrot learn Morse Code?¡± Brian sat in the passenger seat, seemingly making small talk with Susan, but his eyes were fixed on Caroline in the rearview mirror. Caroline was probably feeling guilty and was looking in their direction. Through the mirror, their eyes met. Caroline forced a please smile and quickly lowered her head. After going back the previous night, she had dreamt all night. She could hardly remember the contents of the dreams, but she recalled Brian¡¯s well-proportioned chest... When she woke up today, she just felt tired and weary, with dark circles under her eyes, which was rare. Susan focused on driving. Hearing Brian¡¯s question, she nodded, ¡°That¡¯s quite normal, parrots are inherently intelligent. Our base has specialized Beast Tamers who selectively breed and enhance them through the best candidates using reagents, producing highly intelligent beast species. However, this method isn¡¯t cheap, and only a few such creatures are bred at the base. That parrot was obtained by Caroline herself in exchange for her merits.¡± Turning to Caroline, she asked, ¡°What direction are you planning to develop this parrot in?¡± Caroline, with her head down, seemed to be lost in thought. It wasn¡¯t until Susan asked again that Caroline somewhat dazedly lifted her head, ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but my brother told me to develop its flying ability and mental faculties. That way, I can have an extra helper, and he will help me get the exclusive Beast Enhancement Reagents from the FBI.¡± ¡°Beast Enhancement Reagents?¡± Brian interjected. He suddenly recalled the reagent the female veterinarian had injected into Shi San. After tests, Brian suspected that the reagent the female veterinarian used was geared towards Beast Enhancement, but its side effects were significant for humans and seemed intended for expendable use. After all, the veterinarian was just a normal top-ranking individual. Considering Brian¡¯s adversaries, she barely ranked. Caroline nodded, stuttering a bit, ¡°Yes, the FBI¡¯s research on Beastification Reagent and Beast Enhancement Reagent is top-notch globally. However, they seldom sell or trade it.¡± ¡°Why is it that I¡¯ve rarely seen any FBI personnel carrying pets before?¡± Brian said vaguely. He had encountered the FBI¡¯s Beastification People a couple of times. One group was sent to capture him and Spider Woman, and the other was during a hunting trip with Shi San, where they eliminated a Spider Beastification People bait team. However, regarding pets, he really hadn¡¯t seen any. ¡°Because the cost-effectiveness is too low,¡± Susan yawned. ¡°The FBI folks directly use the Beast Enhancement Reagents as exchange reagents for those special operation groups. This not only increases their combat abilities but can also be used as a treatment reagent in times of crisis, although it might lead to severe genetic disintegration and possibly produce some beast-like physical traits. My father said that the relationship between the Original Sect and the FBI is quite complex. Much of the research data on Beastification Reagents are outdated technologies previously discarded by the FBI.¡± Brian nodded. Okay, that¡¯s confirmed, then. The difference between Shi San and its kind, apart from its innate spirituality, owes much to the female veterinarian¡¯s Beast Enhancement Reagent, which seems very compatible with Shi San, allowing substantial development of its intellect and body. It¡¯s just unclear what type of Beast Enhancement Reagent it is. ... Not sure why. Last night neither Susan nor Caroline slept well. Susan almost drove the car onto the median. Left with no choice, Brian had to take over the driver¡¯s role and switched places with Susan. He was puzzled, ¡°Susan, even if you didn¡¯t sleep last night, shouldn¡¯t you be this tired?¡± Susan listlessly opened the car window, ¡°It must be the Enhancement Reagents I took before entering the rapid assimilation phase. Nowadays, I need a lot of sleep, and then there¡¯s Caroline, who went nuts and sleepwalked last night, cuddling and rubbing against me, which kept me pushing her away all night long. I really wonder what she dreamt about.¡± Caroline... She nervously lowered her head. Luckily, she didn¡¯t talk in her sleep last night; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t know what she might have said. Casually chatting, The three of them arrived at the beach. Their accommodation was in Caroline¡¯s mansion villa. Yes, a mansion villa. Here, not only did Caroline own a villa, but she also had a small intelligent yacht that could be comfortably managed by one or two people for outings. Besides that, She also owned two water planes, a small private dock, and the mansion... At that moment, Brian felt his own poverty. Aside from his talents, handsome face, strong physique, mouth full of emotional value, and a stomach often upset, he had nothing showy in front of these wealthy women. Glancing at the pool in front, Brian couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°How much does this mansion cost?¡± Caroline casually scratched the parrot¡¯s chin perched on her shoulder, ¡°I think it¡¯s over thirty million. I¡¯m not too sure. These were all gifts from my parents for becoming of age. I seldom come here. Most of the time, the gardeners and maids live here. I used to stay at the academy, but now I live with Susan.¡± Brian... Some things, if not had before birth, are also unlikely to be had after. He suddenly found Caroline, this lesbian, quite pleasing to the eye. Well, Caroline is quite adorable. ... Finally, a much-needed break. Chapter 284 - 284 193 This Bird is Really Accurate at Judging People!_2 ?284: Chapter 193 This Bird is Really Accurate at Judging People!_2 284: Chapter 193 This Bird is Really Accurate at Judging People!_2 After grabbing a quick bite, they cleaned up and, with a dog and a bird in tow, boarded the yacht right from Caroline¡¯s private dock and sailed into the sea, triggering the cruising mode. Over the next day and night, they would bask in the sun and enjoy sea fishing in the nearby waters. Brian wore beach trunks and took off his shirt. He even outfitted Shi San in Hawaiian-style clothes and put sunglasses on it. The two, one man and one dog, lay comfortably on the deck. Susan and Caroline had changed into swimsuits and were applying sunscreen and sun oil to each other. As a perfect gentleman, Brian naturally couldn¡¯t take his eyes off them. It would be a waste not to look. ¡°Goodness gracious!¡± ¡°Truly, goodness gracious!¡± He had already thought that Susan was exceptionally hidden, but now in a cool swimsuit, that kind of visual impact had to be seen to be believed. It¡¯s rare for someone to combine proportional physique with explosively voluptuous curves¡ªSusan did just that. At that moment, Brian greatly regretted not bringing a camera along. Caroline wasn¡¯t bad either. She was one of those who looked thin and delicately sweet, but her skin, akin to white jade, emitted a warm glow under the sun and was devoid of the coarse pores typical of many Western women. During their previous fight, he hadn¡¯t noticed how good Caroline¡¯s skin really was. In this regard, Susan couldn¡¯t match Caroline. Brian felt some regret, wishing he hadn¡¯t resorted to fists earlier. Actually, most of the group leaders Brian knew, regardless of gender, lacked the intense body odor, coarse pores, or excessive hair typical of Westerners. This was probably because they all were descendants of enhancers. ... Susan wanted to tan her skin darker, so she applied suntan oil. Watching Caroline apply it repetitively on Susan, Brian¡¯s eyes under his sunglasses almost turned red. ¡°Damn!¡± He had originally planned to advance his relationship with Susan today, but Caroline stubbornly insisted on tagging along! It seemed Caroline noticed the fervent gaze from behind Brian¡¯s sunglasses. Her shoulder parrot suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Peeping, there¡¯s a pervert peeping...¡± Both Caroline and Susan turned to look at Brian. Nonchalantly, Brian pushed up his sunglasses, revealing his eyes, and raised his eyebrows at them, ¡°Your figures are like works of art sculpted by the creator; it would be hypocritical to pretend I¡¯m not admiring.¡± Susan blushed at Brian¡¯s straightforward words but smiled and lifted the sunscreen and sun oil in her hand, ¡°Do you want some?¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°That stuff won¡¯t work for me.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Susan then turned back to help Caroline. While applying it, she noticed something was off, ¡°Caroline, why is your body so hot, your face flushed, and your earlobes, why are they red?¡± Caroline lay on the chair, head down, earlobes flushed, murmuring softly, ¡°It feels a bit itchy when you apply it.¡± She hadn¡¯t expected Brian to compliment her too. It was a strange feeling. A mix of nervousness and joy. ¡°When did you become so sensitive?¡± Susan muttered curiously but didn¡¯t dwell on it and passed the suntan oil to Caroline, ¡°Help with my back too; I want to sleep.¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Caroline absentmindedly went about her task. She was quite skilled. Soon, Susan fell into a light snore and deep sleep. .. Looking at the sleeping Susan, Caroline inexplicably turned to look at Brian, only to find him also watching her with interest. Instinctively, Caroline turned her head away, then, thinking it cowardly, sharply turned back and glared at Brian, ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°Have you been speaking ill of me in front of Susan lately?¡± Brian asked lazily. Caroline... How did this jerk know? She didn¡¯t bother to deny it, ¡°So what if I did? I just warned Susan to keep an eye on you. I don¡¯t know why her parents agreed to let such a scoundrel like you date Susan, I...¡± *Crack* Brian cracked his knuckles, the joints making a crisp sound. Caroline... She looked down, somewhat aggrieved, ¡°So what do you want?¡± Seeing her back down, Brian smiled lightly, ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to teach your bird Morse Code? How about you teach Shi San too. Any problems with that?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Caroline dutifully agreed. ¡°Woof?¡± Shi San, basking upside down in the sun and lazily wagging its tail, looked confusedly at Brian, ¡°Woof, woof, woof?¡± ¡°Learning more is for your own good!¡± Brian stretched out comfortably, ¡°By the way, find a chance to teach that stupid bird a lesson for me!¡± Damn, that stupid bird actually called him a pervert earlier. Spot on! ... While Brian and the others were enjoying the sea breeze and sunlight, in a corner of Brazil, a figure dressed in black Ninja Suit moved through a dark, damp passageway, lit only by dim yellow lights, and came to a pitch-dark underground space, kneeling at the entrance, ¡°Master, Shinnozuke and his team have sent news. They have killed Yagyuu Ittou.¡± His hoarse voice echoed through the gloom. After a long pause, two blood-red dots gleamed from the darkness like a ferocious beast opening its eyes, and a deep, grim voice resounded, ¡°Shinnozuke and his team actually killed Yagyuu Ittou?¡± Chapter 285 - 285 193 This Bird is Really Accurate at Judging People!_3 ?285: Chapter 193 This Bird is Really Accurate at Judging People!_3 285: Chapter 193 This Bird is Really Accurate at Judging People!_3 ¡°Yes, Master.¡± The black-clothed ninja, bowing his head, said, ¡°According to the intelligence sent back by Shinnozuke, Yagyuu Ittou clashed with a master from the NW organization and was critically injured, nearly dying, and even lost his two Blood Blades. Without Yagyuu Ittou, the top combatant, the other inferior products of Ninja Sect are no match for Shinnozuke and his group.¡± Another long silence followed. Then a rough voice let out a piercing, shrill laugh, ¡°I really look forward to seeing what kind of expression Yagyuu Kojirou will have when he finds out the monster he betrayed his granddaughter-in-law for and sacrificed his son, grandson, and a whole line of descendants over dozens of years and the death of more than a hundred progeny to cultivate, has died. Very good, very good, ha ha ha, I am very satisfied. Tell Shinnozuke that I will personally reward him when he returns.¡± ¡°Yes, Master!¡± The black-clothed ninja, under his mask, showed an envious look. The Master, although a monster, had a very special ability and was very generous. Shinnozuke had made a fortune this time. Suddenly. A foul, fishy stench began to pervade the dim space. The black-clothed ninja¡¯s expression changed drastically, and he spoke very quickly, ¡°Master, I¡¯ll have food brought in immediately...¡± After speaking, he ran off as if escaping for his life. Ten minutes later. A dozen raggedly dressed young men and women, chased by something, ran panic-stricken into this dim space. They slowed down only when they reached an area that was nearly pitch black. Dim, yellowish lights illuminated the corridor. Going forward, however, led to pitch-black depths. Fear of the dark made them all instinctively stop in their tracks. The young man at the forefront, breathing heavily, sat on the ground, ¡°Those monsters didn¡¯t catch up, right?¡± ¡°No, damn it. Once we escape, I¡¯m definitely going to find the boss, bring a group of guys here, and kill all these monsters!¡± A Brazilian gang member with a scarred face and tattoos all over his body spat viciously on the ground. But the rest of them didn¡¯t respond, only looked around uneasily in the dim light, not knowing what to do next. These people were the dregs of society, either complete scum from gangs or smugglers trying to make it to the United States, all for various reasons, captured by monsters wrapped in black clothing. For some reason, the cage that had held them was opened. Driven by instinct, they ran to this place through the corridor. But no one knew what to do next. Seeing that no one was talking to him, the scar-faced man¡¯s eyes flickered with brutality, about to speak, when suddenly he felt an itch on his face. He touched his face subconsciously and felt something wet, warm, soft, and long... ¡°What is this?¡± When the scar-faced man saw what was in his hand, his blood seemed to freeze. How could this thing look so much like a tongue? The next moment. In the dim corridor, long and strange shadows, resembling countless tentacles, danced and cast across the floor and walls. ¡°Ah!!!¡± Accompanied by screams of utter terror. One by one, the frightened and desperate men and women were dragged by those strange tentacles into the darkness ahead, completely disappearing from this world. Watching the scene on the monitor, the earlier black-clothed ninja flashed fear in his eyes. The Master¡¯s appetite was growing larger. It was uncertain how much longer the other party¡¯s reason could maintain. And regarding the food... More members of the Brazilian gangs were disappearing; it was too conspicuous. It seemed that it would be necessary to bribe some more public figures in small countries soon. Only a constant stream of smugglers could satisfy the Master¡¯s growing appetite without drawing attention. The black-clothed ninja sighed inwardly and went to a machine to send the Master¡¯s message to Shinnozuke hiding on the West Coast. If it weren¡¯t for the Ninja Sect¡¯s abominable behavior, he really wouldn¡¯t have wanted to defect to the Dark Sect. After arriving, he discovered that he had merely escaped from one Hell into another. Perhaps Hell was the final resting place for monsters like them. ... At a harbor on the West Coast. On an inconspicuous cruise ship, a somewhat bow-legged woman walked up to a young man riding a horse: ¡°Leader, the Master is very pleased with your slaying of Yagyuu Ittou. When we return, he will personally reward you.¡± The young man didn¡¯t respond but began to breathe rapidly and became rougher in his actions. After a moment. He let out a satisfied roar and exhaled, ¡°Got it.¡± As the words were spoken. He reached out and placed his hand on the neck of a woman crying and wailing before him, and gently squeezed. Crack¡ª With the sound of bones breaking, the unfortunate white girl¡¯s tongue hung out, her bloodshot eyes widened, and her head dropped lifelessly. Her body, like a rag doll, was casually thrown by him, flying five or six meters and precisely landing in the corner of the cruise ship. There lay a dozen corpses, all of which died hideously, old and young alike, all part of the original owner¡¯s family who had been enjoying a vacation. Now they were neatly piled together. Especially the female bodies. The marks on the surface of the corpses showed they suffered horribly before death. The young man was already accustomed to killing. He gestured for the woman with bowed legs before him to come down and help clean up. The woman obediently knelt. Feeling the expertise of his subordinate¡¯s service, He spread his arms and embraced the sky. The joy of dominating others¡¯ lives, that unchallengeable thrill, was wonderful. Suddenly. The young man¡¯s gaze sharpened as he stared into the dazzling sunlight, locking eyes with a parrot circling in the sky. The parrot seemed startled by his gaze, flustered and flew down to a cruise ship passing below. ¡°What a spiritual parrot.¡± The young man kicked away the woman who was helping him clean up, ¡°I¡¯m going to have some fun over there. Tell Hebita and the others to come back tonight.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± The woman stayed kneeling on the ground. Splash¡ª With a sound of water, the young man, bare-skinned, quickly swam across the sea surface, approaching the cruise ship up ahead... Chapter 286 - 286 194 The Dark Sect Japans Frenzied Blood Project Extra 8 for Monthly Votes ?286: Chapter 194: The Dark Sect, Japan¡¯s Frenzied Blood Project (Extra 8 for Monthly Votes) 286: Chapter 194: The Dark Sect, Japan¡¯s Frenzied Blood Project (Extra 8 for Monthly Votes) On the cruise ship. Susan and Caroline were basking in the sea breeze, soaking up the sunshine, and sleeping soundly. Brian, however, was full of energy but bored out of his mind since it wasn¡¯t realistic to fish when the cruise was on steady cruising speed. So, he just let Shi San give him a back massage to enjoy a bit of the landlord¡¯s privilege. Speaking of which, Shi San¡¯s paws were soft and toasty, and after the Troll Reagent Enhancement, had just enough strength for a massage that was actually quite comfortable. At that moment, a green-feathered parrot in a panic landed on Shi San¡¯s head, squawking loudly, ¡°Bad guys, bad guys are coming.¡± In the next instant. A large hand suddenly appeared above the green-feathered parrot¡¯s head, grabbing it whole. Brian held the little parrot, ¡°So it was you who called me a pervert earlier, right?¡± The little parrot trembled, ¡°Bad guys, bad guys are coming!¡± ¡°Coming my ass!¡±, Brian lifted the little parrot above his head, ¡°Shi San, lick it!¡± Slurp slurp~ Shi San, the dog, didn¡¯t hesitate for a second; his big tongue rolled out and made the little parrot¡¯s feathers sticky and damp. The more he licked, the more enticing it got. Shi San¡¯s saliva secretion also increased. He had never eaten a little bird before. It smelled so good. He really wanted to eat it. Shi San¡¯s eyes rolled as his dexterous tongue wrapped around the parrot¡¯s body. You can¡¯t eat birds, but a couple of licks should be fine, right? The little parrot was indeed quite spiritual; sensing danger, it let out a sharp cry for help towards the soundly sleeping Caroline, ¡°Eating bird, stupid dog¡¯s eating bird~¡± Unaware of what pleasant dream Caroline was having, she smacked her lips, turned over, her leg landed on Susan¡¯s body, turning her back on the helpless and pitiful little parrot. At that moment. Shi San¡¯s ears twitched, and he immediately turned around, showing his teeth and snarling at the rear of the cruise, while growling in a low voice, ¡°Woof! (There¡¯s an intruder!!!)¡± Brian quickly got up and looked behind him. He saw a palm actually reaching out from the smooth side of the cruise ship, pressing against the edge of the cruise. ¡°Wow, even on vacation, I run into trouble. I must have some sort of Detective Conan aura..¡± Brian was speechless in his mind. He casually drew a small knife from the fruit plate, spun it, following the rhythm of the waves, tiptoed and silently appeared at the edge of the cruise, looking down. This look coincided with that of a naked Asian man looking up. ¡°Buddy, need a hand?¡± Brian took a step forward, stepping on the man¡¯s hand that was pressed against the edge of the deck, while a fierce smile appeared on his lips. The cruise side was so slippery, and without the ability to exert force in the water, the man couldn¡¯t climb up, but the fact that he did meant he was either a Mutant or a Beastified Person with special abilities. Whichever it was, sneaking aboard silently like this meant hostility. ¡°Bakayaro!¡± Upset by the stepping, Shinnozuke yelled out and spat. A glint of cold light. A white steel needle, unbelievable, shot out from his mouth towards Brian. At the same time, a great force came from underfoot, as if trying to shake off his stance. Brian¡¯s right hand casually flicked, deflecting the steel needle aimed at his neck, then he pressed down harder with his foot. Crack! With the sound of bones cracking, the naked man hanging on the ship¡¯s edge changed his face. His right hand was fractured! His strength, along with the casual manner in which he deflected the Hidden Weapon, told him that this was not an ordinary person! Shinnozuke felt a sudden apprehension. Uh oh! He had hit a hard target. What¡¯s worse, he thought it was going to be another massacre game, so he came over without even wearing clothes, and all his Hidden Weapons and weapons were left behind. Now he was in an awkward position, and it was hard to counterattack; his only trump card, the oral sword, had been deflected... It seemed like Shinnozuke was pondering much, but in reality, it didn¡¯t even take a second. Without any hesitation and with ruthless determination in his eyes, he took a deep breath, his body rolled over, ready to endure the pain and forcefully twist off his own right arm to escape. Woosh~ Almost simultaneously with Shinnozuke¡¯s breath in, Brian fiercely blew out a thick gas. Caught off guard. Shinnozuke took a deep breath. The gas entered his nostrils. Shinnozuke¡¯s face looked even worse. That was anesthetic! ¡°Break it off!¡± Making use of the few seconds before the anesthesia took effect, Shinnozuke rolled like a crocodile, twisting his body violently. Brian watched, indifferent, watching this naked freak perform. As someone who feared death. Although he had acquired a Poison Gland ability, Brian still stored some anesthetic liquid and two doses of neurotoxin inside his body, ready to turn into a Poison Man at any moment. That breath of anesthetic gas he just blew out was enough to knock out a fully-grown elephant. Brian himself couldn¡¯t resist it. He didn¡¯t believe the other party could handle it. The other¡¯s response was too decisive and ruthless, clearly not just any ordinary Mutant or Beastified Person. He wanted to capture a live one! ... Crack~ With one motion, the shoulder joint twisted violently. Tear~ Twice, most of the shoulder muscles, like rubber, made a dull tearing sound. As Shinnozuke wanted to withstand the extreme pain and turn for the third time, a sense of weakness surged in his body. The third turn, which was supposed to be even more savage because of the inertia, fizzled out like a wet firework, and his body slammed against the ship¡¯s side under inertia alone. Even though the injuries were worsening, Shinnozuke found that the pain transmitted from his body was rapidly diminishing. He knew he was done for. The anesthetic had taken effect. ¡°Not bad physical fitness, you managed to resist the drug for a good ten seconds before it kicked in.¡± Chapter 287 - 287 194 The Dark Sect Japans Frenzied Blood Project Extra 8 for Monthly Votes_2 ?287: Chapter 194: The Dark Sect, Japan¡¯s Frenzied Blood Project (Extra 8 for Monthly Votes)_2 287: Chapter 194: The Dark Sect, Japan¡¯s Frenzied Blood Project (Extra 8 for Monthly Votes)_2 Brian bent down, crushed the opponent¡¯s shoulder blade forcibly as he praised him. He disabled his opponent¡¯s arms. Brian grabbed his head, lifted him midair like pulling a radish, checked to make sure Susan and the others weren¡¯t awake, then looked towards another cruise ship in the distance. With Eagle Eye¡¯s assistance. He could clearly see four people on the deck of the cruise ship opposite, one woman and three men, all watching intently with grave expressions, already aware of this unfortunate man¡¯s plight. ¡°It seems you came from that ship.¡± Brian grinned, estimated the speed of the cruise ship beneath him, and turned to Shi San, ¡°Watch over Susan and the others, wake them up if something happens, if not, just stay put.¡± After that, he tossed a lifebuoy tied with a rope into the water, grabbed the intruder who had already passed out, and with a splash, jumped into the sea, swimming rapidly towards the opposite cruise ship. .. Opposite cruise ship. The three men and one woman looked somewhat panicked. ¡°Dang it!¡± a short middle-aged man kicked the woman, ¡°Why did you let Shinnozuke invade another ship without weapons? This will increase our exposure risk!¡± The cruise ship they were on now had been selected carefully. Shinnozuke¡¯s actions had undoubtedly put them in danger. This damned guy, though strong in combat, was influenced by frenzied blood and acted recklessly. The woman, expressionless, spat out a mouthful of blood and stood up from the ground. She wiped her mouth, ¡°Shinnozuke is the person the grandmaster wanted to reward, Snake Lord, we better think about how to rescue Shinnozuke.¡± Just then, Another man exclaimed in shock and anger, ¡°Stop arguing! That guy grabbed Shinnozuke and jumped into the sea.¡± At this revelation, the other three blanched. They were about to be wiped out! The short middle-aged man, without hesitation, grasped the handle of his knife at his waist, ¡°Forget Shinnozuke, start the ship and leave!¡± Even without weapons, Shinnozuke¡¯s physique was exceptional, yet he was dealt with like a dead dog, not even giving them time to react. The enemy was clearly beyond their capabilities. ¡°But...¡± The woman wanted to say more. Shinnozuke was her powerful backer, and she hoped to gain his bloodline. If he were lost here, not only would she be punished, but all her previous efforts would be wasted. Before she could finish, A flash of a blade. The woman looked bewilderedly at her companion, her mouth moving as if she wanted to speak. A line of blood ran from her forehead down, splitting her into two vertical halves that fell to either side. ¡°Start the ship!¡± The short middle-aged man sheathed his knife, his voice cold. ¡°Hi!¡± The other two, in a hurry, rushed towards the cabin. The next moment, Splash~ A body burst from the water, slamming onto the deck. The three looked and saw it was the unclothed Shinnozuke. He looked rather miserable, his eyes tightly closed, chest faintly heaving, but his knife-holding right shoulder was twisted grotesquely, both shoulders dented, revealing the bones piercing through flesh. Glancing over and seeing Shinnozuke temporarily incapacitated, the three did not hesitate or communicate, they immediately ran in three directions, planning to scatter and swim away. The coast was not far away, underwater was the best hiding place, with strong physiques and blades in hand, even sharks wouldn¡¯t scare them. Yet right as someone jumped into the water, screams immediately followed. The two slower individuals, startled, stopped in their tracks. Splash~ Another body burst from the water, slamming onto the deck. The remaining two looked and discovered it was the quick-reacting short middle-aged man. Within the blink of an eye, his arms and legs were twisted grotesquely, as if someone had grabbed his limbs and tormented them like wringing a sheet. ¡°What monster did Shinnozuke provoke to come after us!¡± A younger man¡¯s voice trembled. Killing and facing one¡¯s own death evoke completely different feelings. Many who are used to killing might act worse than ordinary people when facing their own death. The other man was considerably calmer. He took a deep breath, his right hand on his knife and his left hidden beneath the sleeve of his ninja suit, his gaze swept around, his spirit focused, constantly seeking chances to strike back or escape. Thud~ A slight vibration came from the ship¡¯s side. Brian pounded his fist against the side of the cruise ship. This material, generally known as fiberglass with synthetic resin, is water-resistant and corrosive-resistant, nearly as hard as steel but much less tough, difficult for ocean voyages, and under focused force, creating a dent was easier than one might imagine. After seven or eight punches, a leverage point appeared. Using the force¡¯s reaction, Brian casually pushed himself from the water into the air, explosively stomped with his toes, leaping over four meters high, and grabbed the edge of the cruise ship, pulling himself up again. By the time the two on the deck realized, Brian was already standing before them. ... ¡°Kill!¡± The young man screamed furiously, slashing with his knife. Brian¡¯s hand moved like a phantom, accurately grasping the blade, forcibly twisting it, grabbed the broken tip, and flung it at another man trying to escape, deflecting the hidden weapon coming his way and directly piercing through the other man¡¯s head. Chapter 288 - 288 194 The Dark Sect Japans Frenzied Blood Project Extra 8 for Monthly Votes_3 ?288: Chapter 194: The Dark Sect, Japan¡¯s Frenzied Blood Project (Extra 8 for Monthly Votes)_3 288: Chapter 194: The Dark Sect, Japan¡¯s Frenzied Blood Project (Extra 8 for Monthly Votes)_3 Another kick sent the young man flying four or five meters away, crashing heavily against the outer wall of the cabin, sticking to it as if glued, pausing for a little over a second before slowly sliding off. This all seemed complicated but actually happened in less than a second. To outsiders, Brian seemed to have activated a speed hack. With every move of his arms and legs, only afterimages remained, too fast for the naked eye to catch the actual movements. Looking at the young man who couldn¡¯t get up from the ground, Brian was somewhat speechless, ¡°In my past life, I fought against Japan every day in front of the computer, and now in this life, I¡¯m clashing with you guys again, huh? I just took care of a batch of you bastards yesterday, and today it¡¯s you guys again?¡± He pulled out a fruit knife, ¡°I¡¯m in a hurry, so tell me your identity now, your origins, why you¡¯re bothering us, and I¡¯ll give you a quick death. Otherwise, I¡¯ll skin you and draw your tendons, and then pickle you in salt, dry you up, and once dried, keep adding salt...¡± Before he could finish, the convulsing young man on the ground oozed black blood from the corner of his mouth and stopped breathing. Brian frowned and sniffed, knowing the man must have hidden a cyanide poison pack in his teeth or somewhere and bit down to commit suicide. ¡°Good thing I still have two more captives...¡± Brian learned his lesson and first checked the mouth of the man who initially climbed onto their cruise ship, successfully removing a poisonous implanted tooth. Another short man, middle-aged, who had been thrown back into the water by him, didn¡¯t escape either. The short middle-aged man was the first to wake up. Who knows how that organization trained its people. Upon regaining consciousness and realizing he was captured, his first reaction was to bite down on his teeth, but when he bit, there was only blood... the poison tooth was gone! ¡°Playing the honorable martyr with me, huh?¡± Brian grinned and stepped forward. This time he didn¡¯t waste words and directly started the interrogation. ¡°Ah, ah, ah!¡± The screams were endless. Soon, the man who woke up wanting to commit suicide confessed. It proved that saying: no one can keep their mouth shut in the face of torture. After a moment, Brian disdainfully spat a wad of green phlegm on the ground where the bloody mess of a corpse was. Ssssh~ White mist rose, and after a dozen seconds, aside from a pool of blood and a heap of metal hidden weapons, there were no traces of the body left. He continued towards the man they had captured first... Seeing the pile of bodies in the corner of the cruise ship, it was clear that these guys weren¡¯t going to have a comfortable departure. Seven or eight minutes later, Brian disdainfully tossed a piece of human skin on the ground. Looking at Shinnozuke writhing and screaming on the deck, he spits another loogie of poison phlegm, corroding the man. Yagyuu Ittou, to think you died at the hands of such a thing, truly not worth it. ... With the help of poison glands that had extremely strong corrosive effects on flesh, disposing of bodies was a breeze. After clearing the scene, Brian didn¡¯t touch the pile of bodies belonging to the original owners of the cruise ship. He took with him the two new obsessions and the information about the origins of these men, and swam crazily back to Caroline¡¯s luxurious yacht. He retrieved the climbing rope and lifebuoy that he had thrown down earlier. Brian looked towards Shi San, who was crouched under Susan and Caroline¡¯s lounge chairs. Shi San pouted his lips and shook his head, indicating the two of them were sound asleep. ¡°Why are you puffing up your cheeks?¡± Brian asked, puzzled. Shi San continued to shake his head, but a green feather peeked out from the corner of its mouth. Brian: ... Thankfully, Caroline¡¯s green parrot wasn¡¯t dead, just passed out. It wasn¡¯t clear whether it had fainted from lack of oxygen or from being upset by Shi San. Either way, when it was pulled out, every feather was soaked with Shi San¡¯s drool. It was dirty. ... ¡°Eh, went out for a vacation, and accidentally took a few more lives...¡± Brian lazily lay back in his chair and closed his eyes. The group he encountered today turned out to be the same people who attacked Yagyuu Ittou yesterday, from an organization known as the Dark Sect. The Dark Sect was actually an offshoot of the Ninja Sect of Japan or rather their defective product. This was related to a plan code-named ¡®Blood Frenzy.¡¯ After World War II, Japan, facing the magical phenomenon of the Blood Moon extraction, put most of their new hope in the Mutants brought about by the Blood Moon Radiation, in order to regain their global status. Leveraging the inhumane human experiments performed during wartime, and the resulting technological prowess, These Japanese elites continuously experimented on domestic criminals and Mutants, and finally through hybridization techniques, successfully used a particular Mutant to conceive a unique group with a bunch of female enhancers ¨C the first generation of Blood Frenzy. The first generation of Blood Frenzy, also the precursor core to the members of the Dark Sect. This group, with potential similar to that of Mutants and enhancers, could awaken some special abilities with constant emotional stimulation and, to a certain degree, directionally awaken certain talents, but they were prone to extremist behavior. Simply put, they were uncontrollable. Thus, the first generation became a breeding stock, continuing to cross-breed. Yagyuu Ittou¡¯s generation was the third generation of Blood Frenzy, by comparison already relatively stable and controllable, with a higher likelihood of Awakening as Mutants. As for the original first generation, they were systematically destroyed. However, during the process, because of Blood Moon Radiation Awakening, a few mutated first generations escaped. These escapees secretly formed the Dark Sect and continuously attacked and absorbed the general test subjects from the Blood Frenzy labs for cultivation. After decades of struggle, The Dark Sect has now become a global-scale assassin organization. This information came separately from the mouths of two people under interrogation and was unlikely to be a lie. ¡°Ninja Sect, Dark Sect...¡± Brian felt the relationship between these two organizations was probably not as simple as those two people had said. Sort of like the FBI and the Original Sect. On stage, you can¡¯t really tell what the true colors are beneath the makeup of the red and white-faced actors. It¡¯s possible that the Dark Sect was also established by the Ninja Sect as a comparative experiment. ¡°Whatever, none of this is my damn business. I myself casually set up a city tales of the supernatural organization as a front, not to mention the three rounds of the Blood Moon, over sixty years of time, all those haphazard organizations in plain sight and behind the scenes.¡± Brian pushed away the clutter of thoughts in his mind and started to review the two new obsessions he had acquired. Chapter 289 - 289 195 Fulfilling the Obsession a Torrent of Cases Incoming Combined ?289: Chapter 195: Fulfilling the Obsession, a Torrent of Cases Incoming (Combined Chapter) 289: Chapter 195: Fulfilling the Obsession, a Torrent of Cases Incoming (Combined Chapter) The first obsession was Shinnozuke¡¯s obsession. This guy was truly mad, mad in the real sense, as if he felt no pain even when skinned and dismembered, constantly cursing at Brian. From him, Brian even saw a shadow of his own outbreaks from the past. In the end, it was only after Brian threatened to cure him and send him to a gay bar to become a mascot, then spend money to send him off to Japan as a free Western gay AVI distribution, that the guy compromised and spilled everything he knew. Shinnozuke¡¯s obsession: Let this damn bastard feel the pain of being skinned and dismembered!!! Gift One: 50 points of Gift Energy Gift Two: 10 points of Gift Energy + enhanced vision Gift Three: 10 points of Gift Energy + enhanced sense of smell Gift Four: 1 point of Gift Energy + Master-level Draw Sword Slash + Master-level Tracking and Stealth + Master-level Hidden Weapon + Master-level Human Slicing Sword Skill Gift Five: 1 point of Gift Energy + Mutated Mad Blood Bloodline (all-around enhancement) ¡°Does this guy have so many reward choices?¡± Brian was somewhat surprised. After all, this fellow named Shinnozuke was no different from a dead dog in his hands, probably not even half as strong as Yagyuu Ittou previously. But thinking about the awkward scenarios in which the other had appeared... These so-called Ninjas, in fact, mainly relied on their strong modified bodies + various cold weapon skills, combining them to be masters of cold weapon combat. Without their proper weapons in hand, their combat abilities indeed dropped significantly. Comparing with Gift One, Shinnozuke truly was not as good as Yagyuu Ittou before. Shinnozuke was able to kill Yagyuu Ittou and his group only because Brian had previously injured Yagyuu Ittou severely and had taken his twin swords beforehand, allowing Shinnozuke to finish them off. The appearance of Gift Five also confirmed some of Brian¡¯s speculations. The most potential individuals in the Ninja Sect and Dark Sect were not the enhancers, but these Mutated Mad Blood offspring who underwent further mutations. The growth history of these guys was probably more cruel and dark than the growth plan arranged by Brian¡¯s uncle. After all, Billy was Brian¡¯s only suitable choice; if he died, there was no second option. Thus, before Brian came of age, Billy didn¡¯t deploy his methods, but after Brian¡¯s mentality had relatively matured, he began to make his moves, arranging for him to enter a place like the Forensic Bureau, constantly in contact with various dead bodies, and deliberately guiding Brian to transfer his psychological stress through X, in fact forcing him to exacerbate his psychological issues, before finally tearing up all the familial love and emotions Brian had woven over more than a decade... But the ¡°Mad Blood¡± project test subjects in Japan were cultivated with the country¡¯s full support, continuously bred without end. Even if the conception rate of these individuals was low, given the large population, the numbers wouldn¡¯t be small. With more numbers, the methods would naturally become much cruder, not like Billy who spent more than a decade slowly guiding Brian¡¯s state. Only those Japanese families who actively cultivated their own offspring would have the patience and necessity to do so. If these guys continued breeding offspring, resulting in stable Bloodline Inheritance, coupled with the Blood Moon radiation every thirty years... ¡°How come it feels like, perhaps hundreds or thousands of years from now, the style of this world could turn into cyberpunk mixed with something like Cthulhu fantasy...¡± Thinking deeper, Brian actually felt a hint of horror within. With a large population base, many mutations could occur. Like in the West, it was fine. The major families bred their offspring, pairing enhancers with enhancers, continuously optimizing their offspring¡¯s genetics, gradually moving away from the ordinary human category, without those mental issues. In Japan, though, it¡¯s hard to say what it would turn into. Perhaps Brian¡¯s previously joking thoughts of a world of eight hundred spirits and demons, earthly Hell, with everyone insane and mutated, may not be impossible to realize. ... ¡°Awo~¡± Shi San¡¯s comfortable yawn broke Brian¡¯s wild thoughts. Life is short, enjoy it while it lasts. After all, if that kind of situation really came to be, Brian reckoned he¡¯d be in a high position himself, with his own forces. If necessary, he would just let that mad nation embrace the warmth of little boys once again. In the presence of the ¡°Nuclear Peace Envoy,¡± many problems weren¡¯t problems; maybe he could even add a bit of nuclear radiation shock to their mutation process. Thinking about that scenario, Brian smirked, got up, and headed to the cabin. He closed the cabin door. He took off his underwear and, using his fingernails, forcefully tore open a long, red gash on his scalp, revealing the flesh and bone beneath, then with a thought, the next moment. Layers of meat buds detached from the skin underneath, continually writhing and separating from Brian¡¯s flesh. This process was quite exhilarating. When all the flesh had detached, Brian endured the piercing pain throughout his body and, following the previously torn scalp, like taking off clothes or a monster shedding its skin in folklore, he peeled off his entire skin, from head to toe. Without the protection of skin, Brian could feel the strong discomfort and even more intense stinging pain even though there was no wind or sunshine in the cabin, as a large amount of tissue fluid uncontrollably surged to escape. He put a lot of effort into controlling his body¡¯s minute details, so as not to turn the interior of the cabin into a slaughterhouse. Only when the red and white meat buds on the surface of his body started to age and wriggle by themselves, forming a layer similar to the outer layer of skin, did these strange sensations disappear. Chapter 290 - 290 195 Fulfilling Obsession A Wave of Cases Is Approaching Two in One_2 ?290: Chapter 195: Fulfilling Obsession, A Wave of Cases Is Approaching (Two in One)_2 290: Chapter 195: Fulfilling Obsession, A Wave of Cases Is Approaching (Two in One)_2 ¡°No wonder the flesh beneath that Transformer¡¯s skin was so disgusting,¡± Brian muttered to himself. ¡°It turns out it was because without that, the body would be in too much pain, couldn¡¯t bear it, and it would easily leave traces of various bodily fluids...¡± To tell the truth, this was the first time he had done something like this. It was just a pity that there was no mirror on site; otherwise, his current appearance would probably be quite frightening. Having completed the skinning, the next step was to dismantle the bones. This step was much easier. With a mere thought, Brian¡¯s muscles writhed, his bones and joints pressed and twisted, forcibly disassembling them. The whole process was much more uncomfortable than skinning, but it was indeed simple; it only took a few seconds to complete the disassembling of the bones. This was the first time Brian had done this to himself as well. However, having his joints disconnected affected him, but it wasn¡¯t so dramatic. Thanks to his powerful muscle mass and body control talent, Brian could still move freely. It was just that his speed and explosive strength were probably about a quarter of what they used to be without the support of his skeletal structure. Brian guessed that even if Shinnozuke were resurrected, he wouldn¡¯t believe that Brian, this beast, could actually accomplish his obsession. As Brian skinned and dismantled himself, a warm current surged through his body, alleviating much of his pain. At this point, Shinnozuke¡¯s obsession was complete. Brian quickly controlled his muscles, restoring his skeletal joints, then, like putting on clothes, he wore the skin he had thrown to the ground, putting it back on like a bodysuit. The meat buds writhed. The wrinkled ¡®skin¡¯ gradually fused together. Brian¡¯s appearance at this moment bore some resemblance to that previous ¡®Transformer,¡¯ except the Transformer didn¡¯t have his strong physical condition and spiritual strength, leading to the embarrassing phenomenon of skin sloughing off, and moreover, without nourishment from the body for a long time, the skin wouldn¡¯t last for more than a few days. Previously, it was because of this that the Transformer emitted a scent through his flesh, which exposed him before Brian¡¯s sense of smell. Brian also had pheromone control and higher than average cellular activity, so even without using energy for repairs, he could ensure the vitality of his skin, and over one or two months¡¯ time, relying on his powerful self-healing ability, the skin could reunite with the flesh and the disconnected skeletal joints would heal on their own. But that was unnecessary. ¡°Repair!¡± With a thought from Brian, A surge of Gift Energy flowed, dispersing the uncomfortable sensation throughout his body. With ten units of Gift Energy consumed, in less than two seconds, Brian was back to full health, with even a few fallen hairs regrowing. ... Having completed the obsession, the next step was to choose the Gift. Shinnozuke¡¯s first, second, and third Gifts were rather redundant. He had everything Brian did; there was no need for them. Gift number five, that mutated frenzied bloodline... Brian dared not choose it. He was afraid he¡¯d truly become mad, become someone like Shinnozuke who couldn¡¯t control his own actions and mind. Choosing this Gift would be like installing a time bomb on himself, gaining a negative BUFF that wasn¡¯t worth the loss. Therefore, Brian could only choose Gift four. Following his choice, A flood of memories came... Brian sat on the ground, slowly closing his eyes. For a moment, He reopened his eyes, his hands transformed into blade hands, simulating various sword skill postures in the air, moving steps, a stab, a slash, with master-level techniques and bursts of terrifying physical condition, producing a series of air booms. ¡°It seems I¡¯ve somewhat underestimated techniques in the past.¡± Brian found that, with the boost of four master-level techniques, his already abnormal physical condition was even more greatly utilized. Whether it was body movement, silence, or instantaneous burst, all had improved significantly. After all, techniques could be interrelated. Plus, with Brian¡¯s supercomputer perception, body control, and other talents, Any technique in his hands could be perfectly performed, even surpassing the original masters. For a long time, After enjoying his newfound abilities, Brian exhaled a hot breath and put on his underwear. ¡°Indeed, these master techniques should belong to someone like me. With Shinnozuke, it¡¯s like casting pearls before swine.¡± He shamelessly indulged in self-admiration for a while, and then casually checked his second obsession in the cabin. ... The second obsession was that of a female corpse. She had been killed cleanly and neatly, sliced from head to toe into even halves with a single blow ¨C a perfect combination of skill and blade that would become a legend in his previous life¡¯s knife forging shows. Judging from her skin color and crooked legs, the female victim must also have been Japanese, like Shinnozuke. It was unknown why she was killed due to internal conflict. Her obsession made Brian somewhat helpless: to bear Shinnozuke¡¯s excellent bloodline and live a life above others through her offspring. No! Dead people can¡¯t bear anything at all! Can obsessions be this absurd before death? Can¡¯t you rely on yourself? This reminded Brian of a segment from a female-oriented fiction circle in his previous life: The pleasure points in sweet stories: I¡¯m a powerful man¡¯s treasure. The pleasure points in tragic stories: I¡¯m a plaything for a powerful man. The pleasure points in great female lead stories: I am strong, and I am also the treasure of another, stronger man. The pleasure points in revenge stories: From plaything to the treasure of the male lead. And the pleasure points in rebirth and face-slapping stories: From trash to the treasure of the male lead. Chapter 291 - 291 195 Fulfilling Obsession A Wave of Cases Is Approaching Two in One_3 ?291: Chapter 195: Fulfilling Obsession, A Wave of Cases Is Approaching (Two in One)_3 291: Chapter 195: Fulfilling Obsession, A Wave of Cases Is Approaching (Two in One)_3 NP Sweet Spot: I was the beloved of several powerful men. NP Cruelty Sweet Spot: I was the plaything of several powerful men. Adoration Sweet Spot: Everyone wanted to turn me, their beloved, into their plaything. Contempt Sweet Spot: Everyone thought I was trash, treated me as a plaything, and later desperately begged me to be their beloved. Sweet Story Plus Edition: Upon seeing me, a powerful creature that wasn¡¯t human immediately recognized me as his long-lost beloved. The endings for all the stories above: One: I was spoiled rotten. Two: I was ruined by their attentions. Brian didn¡¯t understand at the time. Is it that abstract? Now, seeing the obsession of the female ninja, he got it. After all, he sometimes fancied the idea of living off someone else, not wanting to make an effort anymore. It was perfectly natural for others to want to be spoiled by a father, a husband, or a child. It was that obsession... Although men could also carry a pregnancy, Brian was a man of principle. He was better off without that obsession. ... Back on deck. Shi San looked at Brian questioningly and barked softly, ¡°Woof woof? (Big dog, what¡¯s wrong?)¡± It smelled something unusual on the big dog. Although Brian had controlled his body and hadn¡¯t left a mess of blood and bodily fluids in the cabin, the separation of flesh without the covering of skin still left a lingering odor. ¡°Got in a bit of exercise, broke a sweat...¡±, Brian explained halfheartedly. Perched atop Shi San¡¯s head, the parrot lay there with a dazed look, its feathers wet and matted with Shi San¡¯s saliva, now dried, but it seemed to have lost all interest in flying. In the afternoon. Susan and Caroline finally woke up. Caroline navigated the yacht to a bay, refueled, and then the three people, along with a dog and a bird, started fishing, swimming, barbecuing... In between, Susan and Caroline shared many stories from their past. It was clear that the childhoods of these second-generation rich kids were not as happy as ordinary people might imagine. Even for the girls, choosing their own future paths came with a rigorous and challenging upbringing. Aside from studying, there was more studying, and then etiquette, rules, and art classes... It was only Susan¡¯s parents who were not so strict, nonchalant about these things. Otherwise, Brian would have worried he¡¯d never have met a Susan with such a unique personality. Thank you, father-in-law Dean! The forebearers planted the trees, and the descendants enjoyed the shade, no doubt about it. Late at night. The once beautiful sea had turned into a dark and restless expanse, with waves constantly churning and crashing against the hull. For those unacquainted with the sea, this environment was rather frightening and noisy. For safety¡¯s sake, the yacht docked at a harbor. The yacht was small, and the three of them had to sleep in the same room. In the middle of the night. Brian stealthily knocked Caroline out and tossed her onto his bed, then snuggled up to Susan, hoping to use this playtime as a chance to get closer to her. That was until a freezing revolver¡¯s muzzle landed on his wandering hand... Brian¡¯s body stiffened, and he complained, ¡°Susan, I was just worried about your feet getting cold in your sleep, wanted to warm them up for you...¡± As he spoke, he rubbed Susan¡¯s feet. But her feet were toasty warm, like a little furnace, clearly the constitution of someone meant for childbearing. In the darkness, Susan hummed, ¡°Brian! You seemed quite skilled at knocking out Caroline just now. You¡¯ve practiced that a lot, haven¡¯t you?¡± Brian: ... In the end, he still got his taste of the forbidden fruit, though the process was nothing like he had imagined. Susan didn¡¯t like being passive. Brian¡¯s plan to deepen their relationship was turned by her into a case of a failed male investigator¡¯s undercover mission, very much forced and reluctant, pretending to teach Susan, who only knew about kissing, as the little fool she was... the details are omitted. But the plan did have some effects. The next day, during their fun and swimming, Susan became much more proactive and affectionate. Anyone with eyes could see the two were deep in the throes of love. Poor Caroline. Waking up sore and not understanding why was one thing, but then having to endure a day of watching them being sickeningly sweet was another. Now she somewhat regretted getting involved in Brian and Susan¡¯s romantic vacation plan. All she could do was vent her frustration on Shi San and her little parrot, starting to teach them Morse Code. Shi San and the parrot:.. ... The pleasant vacation ended in the blink of an eye. Before departure, the cruise ship filled with corpses was also discovered by the tourists, who notified the coast patrol, causing quite a stir and prompting many visitors to hastily leave. However, that had nothing to do with Brian and his team. This wasn¡¯t within their jurisdiction. Since the NW Action Department, Teams ABC with over twenty groups, rotated vacations to ensure the completion of basic daily case work, it meant that the first few days after a vacation usually had a surge in cases. Ivan and his team had just taken on a new case and hadn¡¯t finished it yet. They were already working overtime during their vacation, so naturally, they couldn¡¯t take on any new cases. So, it was Brian¡¯s turn. As soon as he returned to work, Old Hardenn tossed three cases to Brian, letting him choose one. The first case was a restaurant poisoning incident. A Japanese restaurant owned by a Chinese proprietor had numerous patrons poisoned, resulting in three deaths and eighteen in ICU, with more customers also in critical condition. Such public hazards are typically handled by the FBI, so it was a mystery why it had ended up with the NW Action Department. The second case was from a suburban area. Someone hiking outdoors discovered a valley filled with dozens of discarded vehicles, both new and old, which so frightened him that he scrambled back to the city and reported it. After an investigation by the highway patrol, it turned out that many of these vehicle owners were on the list of missing persons. Every year, the United States had a considerable number of missing persons. Brian¡¯s parents in this life were among them. Now that it was just a few months into the third round of the Blood Moon, such incidents had increased significantly. On the road, there were not only poems and distant places but also serial killers. This was also a tough case, and encountering wild mutants was not a low possibility. Such cases were highly sought after; having one delegated to Team B6 meant that the other teams were too swamped with similar cases to take it on. Security in Los Angeles County was continuously deteriorating. The third case was another disappearance, involving two small-town police officers. After receiving a call from residents, they vanished on their way to the reported location. After searching for a whole day, the town¡¯s police station couldn¡¯t find any trace of the missing officers¡¯ vehicles and had no choice but to report it. Brian glanced at Green, somewhat helplessly, ¡°You choose.¡± Green widened his eyes, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, to me, it doesn¡¯t matter which case,¡± Brian said indifferently. Hearing this, Green was excited and directly chose the second case, ¡°This kind of case has the vibe of a horror movie plot. Let¡¯s go with this one.¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Alright, then you go to the underground shooting range and ask Ali for some rifles, ammunition, and high-explosive hand grenades.¡± Green and Old Hardenn:.. Brian seemed to always have an anxiety that he was undergunned. Susan joined in as well. Her condition had much improved; she had nearly fully assimilated the previous Enhancement Reagent, significantly increasing her strength and she couldn¡¯t resist joining a mission. Brian was concerned, ¡°Susan, the team leader should be present in the office. If there¡¯s an emergency and you¡¯re not there, it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate. Plus, you don¡¯t have a partner.¡± Susan rolled her eyes, ¡°The team functioned fine without me for so long, and now when I want to join a mission, you¡¯re worried about the impact? Besides, isn¡¯t Shi San still here? He¡¯s my partner now!¡± Brian wanted to say more but was rebutted by Susan¡¯s assertive statement, asserting her position as the team leader. With no choice, he rejected Susan¡¯s idea of taking Shi San to investigate the disappearance of the patrol officers, instead assigning her to the case of the Japanese restaurant poisoning. Mostly, such cases were results of staff revenge, with a smaller investigative scope and relatively easier to handle. Even if that wasn¡¯t the case, with Shi San¡¯s presence, it would be a lot more convenient and less dangerous. ... Consequently, Team B6, fresh from vacation except for a few logistics personnel, mobilized and dived into a busy period. Since they were going to a rural area, Brian didn¡¯t ride his motorcycle but instead chose to take Green¡¯s recently purchased Ford car. But before they set off, they needed to make a trip to the Los Angeles Police Headquarters¡ªthe Parker Center. Here, they could find records of all missing persons cases which would help them understand how many people had gone missing in that area over recent years, serve as a reference, and even pinpoint the criminal¡¯s usual locations for committing the crime. Right after arriving at the Parker Center, a warm sensation surged through Brian¡¯s body. He started inwardly. Which obsession had been fulfilled? Chapter 295 - 295 197 Troublemakers Emerge from Poor Mountains and Bad Waters Brians True Colors ?295: Chapter 197: Troublemakers Emerge from Poor Mountains and Bad Waters, Brian¡¯s True Colors 295: Chapter 197: Troublemakers Emerge from Poor Mountains and Bad Waters, Brian¡¯s True Colors Thump, thump, thump~ Hearing the knocking, the old man inside exclaimed in terror, ¡°Get away, you bugs!¡± As he spoke, the faint sound of bullets being loaded could be heard. Green was slower to react. Although Brian didn¡¯t have an enhanced sense of hearing, his overall physical quality had continuously enhanced, so his hearing was far superior to that of an ordinary person and was very clear. He yanked Green away from the door and gently slapped the old, weathered wooden door with the palm of his hand. With a clever force applied, the door bolt broke, and the locked door swung open, revealing an old man inside who was absurdly holding a double-barreled shotgun and screaming at the door. He probably never imagined that these two strangers could easily open his door. A look of surprise flashed across his face, then turned back into terror as he raised his shotgun, ¡°Get out, you chosen ones, scram to your garden!¡± ¡°Acting, huh...¡± Brian looked disappointed, flashed forward to the old man, grabbed the antiquated shotgun, and with both hands, bent the barrels upwards, forcefully turning it into a flat U-shaped shotgun. This exaggerated scene stunned the old man. So you play ghost tricks with me, and you expect realism from me? Brian casually tossed the U-shaped shotgun onto the ground, ¡°Will you talk on your own, or shall I make you talk?¡± He quickly slid off the chair, knelt on the ground, and raised his hands in surrender, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be rash, young man, don¡¯t be rash. I was just trying to make some money, no harm intended...¡± Turns out, this old man, like the female store owner they had asked earlier, was in on it. They would scam any outsider that came along. The female store owner lured people to that garden, or invited them home for a meal. If it was the latter, she and her husband would scam them in other ways. If it was the former, it would be this man living at the junction doing the scamming. Generally, if someone was intrigued by what he said, they¡¯d likely stop to ask. Then, he would pretend to spout some nonsense about being chosen, initially not opening the door, and finally opening it reluctantly, fabricating a story to scam them, while in the meantime, the shop owner¡¯s husband would add stuff to the gas tank of the outsider¡¯s car. Regardless of whether the outsiders believed the old man¡¯s story or not, their car would eventually break down, and they¡¯d be scammed even further. Green hadn¡¯t expected people to be so malicious, his eyes wide, ¡°What if people simply ignore you?¡± After all, not everyone is overtaken by curiosity to actually stop and ask. The old man squeezed out an ugly smile, ¡°We scam whoever we can.¡± ¡°And aren¡¯t you afraid of outsiders calling the police?¡± The old man shrugged, ¡°The town sheriff is the shop owner¡¯s husband. You were lucky not to be invited in for a meal. It would have been much worse.¡± Then, he continued, ¡°Actually, not many residents are left in town. Outsiders, whether it¡¯s food, drink, lodging, or transport, end up getting scammed by us, which is why not many come by anymore.¡± Brian and Green exchanged glances. Well, well. A town of scoundrels indeed. Considering the mine was depleted, the remaining locals were indeed ¡®kind-hearted¡¯. Brian activated his enhanced sense of smell, walked around the house, and then looked at Green, ¡°What do you think?¡± Green shrugged, ¡°Something¡¯s off. After all, that grocery store¡¯s old lady did seem like she wanted to invite us to her place for a meal, but her husband stopped her...¡± Just then, An elderly cowboy walked in from outside, knocked on the door, ¡°Because I saw that pile of guns in your car, I knew you weren¡¯t the kind-hearted sort, so I gave up on the idea of extorting you, let Old Arthur go, or you won¡¯t make it out of town!¡± Brian and Green looked up and realized the elderly cowboy was the grocery store old lady¡¯s husband. An emblem on his chest marked him as the town sheriff. Besides, Unknowingly, seven or eight figures, all armed with various types of shotguns and rifles that were particularly powerful at close range, had appeared on the street outside, surrounding the place. Green... He helplessly looked at his boss, Brian. This godforsaken place plays dirty. Brian sighed, unbuttoned his shirt to reveal a row of high-explosive hand grenades hanging from his waist, ¡°Want to reconsider your wording?¡± The elderly cowboy sheriff... He looked at Old Arthur. Kneeling on the ground, Old Arthur, helpless, pointed at the bent U-shaped double-barreled shotgun on the ground, ¡°Don¡¯t be hasty, ask them what they want first. We¡¯re just a bunch of helpless old folks, they probably won¡¯t do anything rash.¡± Seeing the U-shaped shotgun on the ground, the sheriff¡¯s pupils contracted violently, his voice unsteady, ¡°Are you guys from the Black Light Company?¡± ... Hearing ¡®Black Light Company,¡¯ Brian was taken aback. Wasn¡¯t that the company Mycroft and some people from the NW research department set up? He frowned at the elderly sheriff, ¡°How do you know about Black Light Company?¡± Before he could speak, the old man on the ground muttered, ¡°The mine where our townsfolk worked was bought by them, they¡¯ve owned it for over a decade now, though they didn¡¯t use the name ¡®Black Light Company¡¯ until recently.¡± The elderly sheriff nodded, ¡°Seems you¡¯re not with them. Black Light Company previously had a different name. They seem to be researching some weapons technology in the mountains, and occasionally military helicopters would visit. Some townspeople tried to make use of their knowledge of the terrain to sneak in and steal something, but they encountered guards as physically imposing as you and nearly died there. Since then, our town¡¯s residents have been too scared to venture close.¡± Chapter 296 - 296 197 Troublesome People Emerge from Harsh Environments The True Colors of Brian_2 ?296: Chapter 197: Troublesome People Emerge from Harsh Environments, The True Colors of Brian_2 296: Chapter 197: Troublesome People Emerge from Harsh Environments, The True Colors of Brian_2 Upon hearing this, Brian seemed thoughtful. It seemed that Black Light Company was merely a front. Mycroft and his people were just sacrificial pawns, set up to mask the deeper control of the company. Even within NW, the waters ran deep. This was an unexpected harvest. Next, under Brian¡¯s intimidation, the two people in the house honestly answered many questions. For example, the missing persons case. The aged sheriff knew something: ¡°I¡¯m not sure about other places, but in Harvest Town, outsiders often come to post missing persons flyers. To avoid affecting the town¡¯s business and population flow, the residents tear down the flyers after the people leave. In reality, we don¡¯t know what¡¯s actually happening. Residents of the nearby towns haven¡¯t gone missing, nor have there been any vicious murder cases. Everyone¡¯s too familiar with each other, if something happens, we could guess who did it. But this isn¡¯t some uninhabited area in the West, even us old folks are just trying to make some money, not really harm anyone.¡± As he spoke, the aged sheriff seemed to remember something and cast a glance at the impeccably standing Green, adding, ¡°You should stay away from that garden if you¡¯re not in trouble. I¡¯ve heard that people from Harvest Town barely go there either. My wife was just deceiving you earlier. I¡¯ve told you everything I know, now you can leave.¡± Once they were sure the other party wasn¡¯t lying, Brian and Green had no choice but to leave. They weren¡¯t about to massacre a town over such a trivial matter. Of course, the main reason was that Brian truly didn¡¯t smell the scent of blood or the stench of corpses on these people. They planned to check out Harvest Town. .. In the car. Green seemed to remember something, ¡°Boss Brian, should we go back and wipe off the fingerprints on that shotgun? That old guy is still the sheriff, and I worry he might come after us.¡± Although they weren¡¯t afraid, it could still be a hassle. Brian shook his head, ¡°No need.¡± There were no fingerprints of his on the gun. Fingerprint detection technology relied on sweat and oily secretions on the fingers to identify print traces. So, as long as one ensures a smooth skin surface that doesn¡¯t keep secreting, there¡¯s no need to worry about leaving fingerprints. At most, there would be marks from dust on the barrel, but they would be indistinct and not clearly imprinted. Unless one was strong enough to squeeze the barrel and leave a fingertip impression. Having left Tengteng Town, which was full of villains, Brian continued to drive along the route he had previously determined. Harvest Town and another town called Little Stone Town, were located near this stretch of road. The distance between the two towns wasn¡¯t far. Fifteen minutes later, Brian and his companion saw a bunch of signposts at a turn, including the sign for Harvest Town, motel advertisements, among others. There was also a sign for ¡®Alice¡¯s Secret Realm¡¯ garden, recommended by the old lady at the grocery store. Colorful lights hung on these signs. Brian had excellent vision and could see a flyer similar to a harvest festival advertisement and an invitation, suggesting that Harvest Town was hosting a festival around this time, with free-flowing beer and various foods at discounted prices. The car turned onto a small road. The two of them finally felt the presence of people, unlike in Tengteng Town, encountering many cars leaving the town, some of which were trucks with farm trade company logos. As they drove into town, the buildings here didn¡¯t have the bleak and worn feel of Tengteng Town. The clean streets were filled with young people and children everywhere. This place was full of vitality. ... The same strategy as before. After arriving in the town, they posed as travelers, each separately chatting up the locals. But this time, there was basically no harvest. People in this town were very alert to topics like disappearances. In the end, it was the shameless Brian who took a bullet casing, found a snotty-nosed child, and enticingly questioned him: he wasn¡¯t allowed to play in the garden by his parents. This was mentioned by the old sheriff back in Tengteng Town. And now, it was confirmed by the words of a child. Brian was somewhat puzzled. It was clear that the people of Harvest Town were diligently managing their town, unlike Tengteng Town, a dying town where they would fleece everyone they could catch. Since there seemed to be something wrong with this garden, why were they still allowing the placement of promotional signs at the crossroads? With this puzzlement, Brian pulled Green along, and following the map on the flyer they had earlier, they left Little Stone Town and drove towards the garden behind the town. This was a country lane. Some of the town¡¯s farms, breeding operations, and houses built by residents who lived on the outskirts were all along this route. These were also choices often made by young residents of many towns. If they couldn¡¯t make it to big cities, they wouldn¡¯t choose to build houses in the town center. Instead, they would buy some land outside of town, use local materials to build a cozy little cabin and a vegetable garden. The benefits of this approach were the very low living costs and the comfortable life. So in towns like these, within a ten-kilometer radius, you could usually encounter some isolated houses scattered all around while wandering aimlessly. Green seemed to long for such a life, constantly peering out the window. On the way, they also encountered several other cars, whose drivers were all young couples ¨C that age when one is curious about everything in the world and fears nothing. There were also families out for a day of fun. Among them was a young girl in one of the cars who looked only fourteen or fifteen, with youthful plumpness on her cheeks that made her quite endearing. Seeing Brian driving, her eyes lit up, and she waved: ¡°Hey, are you also tourists going to visit that garden?¡± Brian rested his hand on the window frame and turned his head to give the girl a lazy smile, ¡°Yes, we heard that some people are transported there by horse-drawn carriages, but we didn¡¯t see any.¡± ¡°Because of the Harvest Festival, there are a lot of visitors, and everyone wants to have a picnic in the flower fields, all the carriages have been rented out,¡± the young girl replied cheerily to Brian, chattering away happily. This made Brian a bit worried about the girl¡¯s father finding trouble with him after getting out of the car. This was something he often encountered during his adolescence. Kids here, around the ages of fifteen or sixteen, frequently engage in a lot of foolish acts. Finally, they arrived at an estate surrounded by wooden stakes. Everyone parked their cars, and a woman with a matronly fullness tugged her daughter and another younger boy towards Brian¡¯s car. She raised her eyebrows at Brian, who had just gotten out of the car: ¡°We¡¯ve brought plenty of food made in our own town, would you like to join us?¡± The girl also egged Brian on: ¡°My mom¡¯s smoked meat is delicious, and the apple cream pies are especially good; you really should try them.¡± ¡°No, thank you, my companion and I have some matters to handle, we appreciate the invitation, but it¡¯s really inconvenient.¡± Brian declined politely. Watching their reluctant departure, Brian patted the daydreaming Green: ¡°What are you spacing out for? Lock the car, let¡¯s go.¡± Green snapped back to reality. He swallowed the acid rising in his throat, ¡°Boss Brian, do you often encounter things like this?¡± Brian shook his head: ¡°How could that be possible?¡± Green felt somewhat relieved. This kind of romantic luck happens to him maybe once or twice in a few years. Brian continued: ¡°Being chatted up by girls? That happens every day, from female neighbors to any woman I encounter. But this kind of mother-daughter pair with a little kid? That¡¯s rare.¡± Green: ... He thought Boss Brian was being modest, but it turned out he was just winding up to deal him a more significant blow. Boss Brian was a good guy, but sometimes his words, well, Green didn¡¯t want to comment... They were just too cutting, without any regard for the well-being of a nobody like him! ... ¡°Come on, stop dawdling, I have a feeling we¡¯re going to find something on this trip.¡± Brian led the way forward. Green touched the gun at his waist, took a deep breath, and hurried after him. He had the same premonition. His experiences in Tengteng Town allowed this black youth, who rarely left the city center and grew up in the poor district, to realize for the first time the dangers that lay outside. This was different from the overt aggression of the poor district; it was the chill of a soft knife you never saw coming. Now, he saw everyone as a potential villain. Hopefully, there would be some gains this time... Green prayed in his heart. Chapter 297 - 297 198 The Gardens Anomaly Discovered! ?297: Chapter 198: The Garden¡¯s Anomaly, Discovered! 297: Chapter 198: The Garden¡¯s Anomaly, Discovered! The manor had an intriguing atmosphere. Wooden fences featured European garden styles¡ªvines enveloped the surroundings, and green leaves unfurled, giving the impression of stepping into a fairytale world. Standing at the entrance, one could smell the intense fragrance of flowers. Although the interior scenery was yet unseen, the initial impression was quite favorable. Outside the manor, there was a small cabin. At the cabin window, facing a small door, sat an elderly man, seemingly in his late fifties or sixties, with a face full of wrinkles and white hair on both sides of his ears, charging and stamping tickets for the new visitors. It was the kind of stamp placed on one¡¯s hand. The charge was twenty dollars per person, allowing unlimited playtime until the stamp naturally faded, not a one-time ticket, which was quite affordable. Brian first sniffed at the entrance and didn¡¯t notice anything unusual. It was just that the scent of flowers was overwhelming. With his enhanced sense of smell, the fragrant odor from over twenty different types of flowers mixed together was so intense that it made him uncomfortable. It was a wonder how the owner managed to cultivate so many different types of flowers and plants in such abundance approximately in December. .. They paid and received a stamp. Next was the tour. Throughout the manor, Brian continuously used his enhanced sense of smell. Green, on the other hand, kept his eyes on the roots of the plants and the soil. Seeing him act sneakily, Brian asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Green glanced away and muttered, ¡°Big Brother Brian, I am observing the soil under the plant roots. Tom mentioned that if a body is buried underneath, the soil in that area would show some sinking.¡± Hearing this, Brian nodded, ¡°Yes, indeed. When a body decomposes in shallow soil, the soil sinks in a way that might slightly retain the posture of the body before it was buried, providing some references.¡± Some experienced forensic doctors could determine if there was a body buried under a plant just by looking at these signs. Just when Green thought he was learning something, Brian poured cold water on his theories, ¡°It¡¯s unlikely here. Look at the plants; whether flowers or trees, they are quite old. This indicates they have been growing for many years without being relocated or replaced. Under these conditions, it¡¯s unlikely there¡¯s a buried body beneath.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. If there really was a body beneath the plants, root burn would likely occur, which kills the plants. The vehicles found in missing person cases include both new and old models over an extended period, and handling so many bodies by simply burying and planting over them isn¡¯t feasible. A more appropriate method would be using them as fertilizer.¡± Brian switched to the mindset of the perpetrator and explained crime psychology to his younger brother: ¡°Animal or human corpses contain a large amount of nitrogen and phosphorus, two of the three most important nutrients needed for plants¡ªnitrogen, phosphorus, potassium; they make the best fertilizer. However, if bodies are buried directly, the decomposing process can burn the roots and kill the plants. Thus, the proper method is to strip the flesh and crush the bones into powder, mixing them into the soil. After these materials decompose, you end up with top-quality plant fertilizer. Moreover, the nitrogen from animal muscle tissues decomposes faster, while the phosphorus from bones breaks down more slowly, sustaining the fertilizing effects for a longer duration. A batch of such fertilizer can be used for a long period. In fact, many places that cultivate flowers use defatted bone powder from animals as a fertilizer. If the criminal is from here, they wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to bury the bodies directly but would use the method I mentioned. Without taking samples for analysis, it¡¯s impossible to determine whether the fertilizer is of human or animal origin.¡± Brian had already smelled it. There was indeed a distinct odor of bone powder in the soil, suggesting it was likely from farmed animals like chickens and cows, because he could smell the scent of feed ingrained in the bones. Humans certainly don¡¯t consume feed daily. Green: ... The lengthy explanation from Boss Brian, delivered with a calm expression and emotional thought process, overwhelmed him somewhat. Is this criminal psychology? Why does it sound like a step-by-step guide on how to manage a body without leaving traces after murder? More unsettling to Green was a young girl with freckles on her face. She was the same girl who had previously wanted to invite Brian to a family dinner. The girl, unable to give up, had secretly left her mother and younger brother to find Brian but had caught snippets of his conversation. She was at a considerable distance, unable to hear everything, but she did catch some horrifying phrases. Terrified by the talk of stripping flesh and crushing bones... Trying to hold her bladder, she trembled and attempted to escape further inside but accidentally tripped over a vine, falling to the ground and drawing Brian and Green¡¯s attention. Seeing it was the little girl from before, Brian chuckled, ¡°Are you alright?¡± Assuming she was, he stepped forward to help her up. ¡°NO, don¡¯t!¡± The girl scrambled up and ran toward her mother¡¯s location, screaming about murder, causing a commotion and panic among some tourists hidden behind various plants... Brian: ... Do I really look like a murderer? Eventually, Brian had to explain that he was an Autopsy Officer on vacation. The lush growth of the plants reminded his friend of a horror movie plot, and his explanations dispelled the suspicions of the men who had come over. Chapter 298 - 298 198 The Gardens Anomaly Discovery!_2 ?298: Chapter 198: The Garden¡¯s Anomaly, Discovery!_2 298: Chapter 198: The Garden¡¯s Anomaly, Discovery!_2 Mainly because he was well-dressed, and his looks and temperament weren¡¯t bad, the first impression people had of him was that he was someone of status, not at all like a bad guy, which is why it was so easy for him. If it had been Green alone, he might indeed have suffered a bit due to the girl¡¯s misunderstanding. After all, it¡¯s a world where appearance counts. ... However, due to this incident, it wasn¡¯t good for Brian and his partner to stay around much longer. After a hasty tour, they left, disappointed. The plants in the garden were indeed thriving, and the overall planning was very thoughtful. The various types of flowers and plants merged into one another, complementing each other in a way that didn¡¯t seem possible for one person to manage alone. But Brian, with his enhanced sense of smell, didn¡¯t detect anything unusual. It was already past three in the afternoon. Considering where to stay for the night, they decided to head back to Harvest Town, found the local police station, identified themselves, and directly inquired about why the townspeople avoided the garden. It¡¯s like having a beautiful manor nearby that you can visit, yet everyone avoids it and even warns their children not to go there. It certainly wasn¡¯t normal. The town¡¯s police chief was not very welcoming of the two of them. Here was a somewhat dissolute middle-aged white man, reeking strongly of tobacco, with his uniform slung carelessly over his body, buttons mismatched, giving off the vibe of being disreputable. It felt like the difference between a regular army and guerrillas. Facing Brian and his colleague from the big city, this middle-aged chief gave no courtesy, ¡°Nobody likes that nutjob who lives in his own world, so we don¡¯t go there. Got a problem with that?¡± In small towns, the chief and officers are usually elected, holding considerable law enforcement powers. To some extent. In a small town, it is a law enforcement area, and if they didn¡¯t give face, even using some pretext to lock up Brian and his partner would pose no problem. The dynamic here was completely different than in the Los Angeles precincts, divisions, and the NW operation department. They are not part of the same system. This is a significant problem in the United States Federation: chaotic law enforcement powers. Between states, cities, and towns, departments abound, even police categories exceed hundreds; the boundaries between them give even professionals headaches. ... Facing the chief¡¯s unfriendly attitude, Green got a bit angry, ¡°We¡¯re here to investigate a disappearance, to help eliminate hidden dangers for you. If this gets out to the media, businesses in the towns along the way will all be affected!¡± The chief propped his feet on the desk and sneered, ¡°What disappearance case? I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about. Besides, Harvest Town¡¯s main income comes from procurement contracts with agricultural companies; it doesn¡¯t matter if outsiders come or not. You can leave now. Please do not disturb the residents, or I will have you removed!¡± The way he reacted to the disappearance was suspicious. Green looked at Brian. Brian pursed his lips and looked toward the office door. Green got the message and closed the door. The middle-aged chief was startled, ¡°What are you doing? Leave my place now, do you hear me? You people...¡± He couldn¡¯t finish. Because a handgun was pointing at him. Brian moved the gun slightly, ¡°Buddy, thanks for the reminder. Under the regional security law, it¡¯d be a headache for us if you don¡¯t cooperate, but likewise, for you, garbage like you trying to trouble us afterward will also be difficult. So, under the fair witness in my hand, perhaps you can rephrase.¡± ¡°You dare to shoot?¡± The middle-aged chief was defiant. He was used to being authoritative in the relatively isolated town. Few could make him yield. The next moment. A slap in the face introduced him to what heavy justice felt like. The middle-aged chief was hit so hard that half of his face went numb. He lay on the floor, questioning life, staring at the ceiling, his mind buzzing, half conscious, unsure of what had happened. Brian disliked those who refused to recognize a favor. Green was also eager to fight and followed Brian¡¯s pace, ¡°Boss Brian, let me vent too, I¡¯ve been holding back against this jerk for a while!¡± Brian holstered his pistol and shrugged, ¡°No problem,¡± The two of them took turns beating up the sheriff for several minutes before finally letting go of the pleading man. Thanks to the slack attitude there. Throughout the small police station, there was just a female clerk reading a magazine and an old man at the door. The young people were probably all out, having no idea that their esteemed sheriff was currently being beaten by outside law enforcement. Several minutes later. Leaving behind a sheriff who now resembled a pig¡¯s head, the two of them left the police station in high spirits. ... To avoid trouble. Brian and his partner drove away, temporarily leaving Harvest Town. Although violence didn¡¯t solve problems, it could handle those stubborn and unreasonable people. Through a ¡®justice therapy,¡¯ the middle-aged sheriff finally revealed the reason for his stress: Previously, when there were frequent missing person notices, they tried to investigate but to no avail. The only clue they discovered was two characteristics of the missing individuals. First, those people had all visited ¡®Alice¡¯s Secret Realm,¡¯ the garden mansion, before they disappeared. Second, the missing individuals were all outsiders, and their families or friends only realized they had lost contact after they had left Harvest Town for some time. Considering the inconvenience of communication. This meant that there was a high probability that the missing individuals had encountered some sort of accident shortly after leaving Harvest Town and disappeared on the highway. If this incident were to be revealed, it would not just be a matter of insecurity here; it would also lead to accountability from superiors and panic among the residents. Informed residents were also worried that exposure of such incidents would affect their interests. Furthermore, there had been no disappearances among the locals. Under various factors, a tacit understanding to play dead emerged; they simply would not warn tourists there might be something wrong with the garden, nor would they let children go near it anymore. ... ¡°Boss Brian, do you think there¡¯s really something wrong with that garden?¡± Green said with a headache. According to the sheriff. They had been monitoring the garden ever since, but still, disappearances occurred in the meantime, more than one, eventually leading them to give up further investigation. This at least showed, the owner of the garden had no suspicions during that period. Unless it was a gang at work. But how did the other party select their targets? Brian was also puzzled about how precisely the other party avoided locals. In the evening. They stopped by the roadside, preparing to cook some undercooked food they bought from the town and rest there for the night. Suddenly. Brian¡¯s nose twitched twice, looking at the flower-like pattern on his hand. This was the stamp you got at the entrance to the garden after paying. Sniffing the slight peculiar scent it emitted, a smile appeared on his face. Interesting. He seemed to have found the other party¡¯s little tail! They were only about two or three kilometers from Harvest Town, close to the main highway, on a highland wilderness spot. Brian stood up, scanned the surroundings, and said to Green, ¡°Wait to eat, let¡¯s get the weapons from the car first; we might have company tonight.¡± Green holding a roasted leg: ¡°Huh?¡± Chapter 299 - 299 199 Uncle Invites You to Eat a Bomb ?299: Chapter 199 Uncle Invites You to Eat a Bomb 299: Chapter 199 Uncle Invites You to Eat a Bomb Green, although he didn¡¯t understand why, was very obedient. He took all the weapons from the car, arranged them around for easy access and to be ready to load at a moment¡¯s notice. Brian, holding a special fuse, set up defensive hand grenade traps a few dozen meters away from their hiding spot. In many people¡¯s minds, grenades are simply pulled and thrown, but this is a grave misconception. For example, the small portable grenades that Brian had previously asked Ali for are offensive grenades, primarily relying on the high-performance explosive¡¯s blast shockwave to cause damage. The effective killing radius of such offensive grenades usually extends to about ten meters. This distance is sufficient. For instance, in the movies, where the protagonist just ducks behind a sofa after a grenade is thrown into a room and then comes out unharmed is pure nonsense. Unless that room is as large as a football field. Defensive grenades, also known as fragmentation grenades. Their killing range can generally reach around thirty meters, mainly inflicting area damage through the shrapnel and steel balls from the explosion. With such an exaggerated killing range, using them during an offensive can easily cause self-harm. Therefore, they are usually used for defensive throwing when there is cover or for setting traps. Generally speaking, stepping on a defensive fragmentation grenade in an open space, especially if it¡¯s set to detonate mid-air, would kill everything in the vicinity, not just people but even the flowers and grass on the ground. Their location was secluded enough. Normal people out for a spring outing would not come this way, let alone travel through the wilderness in the evening. Anyone with a brain wouldn¡¯t do this. So the likelihood of the traps causing accidental harm was not great. After setting up a perimeter of early-warning kill zones, Brian sternly warned Green not to run around carelessly, lest he die in his own trap, and then he found a high place from which he could watch the exit of Harvest Town, lest the killer didn¡¯t come for them but rather targeted someone else. But considering the time, They had left Harvest Town in the afternoon. Unless the tourists¡¯ destination was nearby, people generally would not travel at this time and would rather stay overnight and continue their journey the next day. Anyway, when Brian and the others left, they only encountered vehicles going in, none that were leaving with them. ... They waited like this for over two hours. The sky grew darker. And from afar came the strange calls of animals and chirping insects. ¡°In December, are there so many bugs in the wilderness?¡± After being tense for a while, Green couldn¡¯t take it anymore. Munching on a somewhat stale burger, he spoke softly to vent the pressure inside. Facing an unknown assailant in the wild was nothing like what he had imagined when tracking down a serial killer. The oppressive feeling before the storm hits was even more uncomfortable than facing the storm directly. Brian was about to utter a teasing remark with a smile when suddenly, the insects¡¯ chirping in the distance, as if silenced, vanished in a regular pattern. His eyes narrowed as he looked eastward, ¡°Stay alert, something is coming!¡± Green hastily adjusted his Bullet-Proof Vest, lay on the ground, and perfectly blended into the dark cover, looking east. Regrettably, he saw nothing but darkness. Brian was different. Under the moonlight, his vision was like the white light of morning, just not as vivid in color as during the day, but this did not hinder his capture of moving objects. In Brian¡¯s view, a small figure crawled on all fours, similar to some grotesque crawler, winding left and right, occasionally raising its head to sniff the scents permeating the air, quickly approaching their direction with alarming speed. The figure was crouching too low. So much so that Brian could only make out that it was a moving life form, but it did not look like a person, rather like a crawling little lizard. Just as it was nearing the Hand Grenade Trap, The creature abruptly stopped its bizarre crawling and slowly lifted its body. Under the moonlight, a Caucasian little girl with not more than a meter tall, her head full of curly hair, held a dirty rag doll in her hand, tilting her head as she sized them up. Her eyes were large, the eyeballs a ghastly white, resembling a terrifying doll with only the whites showing, her gaze spanning the dim distance of dozens of meters, meeting Brian¡¯s directly. A chilly sense prickled his skin, spreading from Brian¡¯s tailbone throughout his body. This thing, why did it look so inhuman? It seemed she did not expect to be discovered. The girl split her mouth into a smile toward Brian, showing a mouthful of dense, serrated teeth reminiscent of a shark¡¯s, giving him a cheerfully cute grin. The cuteness made Brian¡¯s scalp tingle. This little thing was too creepy. Without a word, he picked up the automatic rifle in his hand and sprayed a burst of bullets as a sign of respect. This thing stopping outside the trap was definitely not an accident. It was another entity with a similar danger premonition. Dada dada¡ª The gunfire flecked the darkness. Green, who was lying down, shuddered and pulled the trigger following the direction of Brian¡¯s gunfire. In the blink of an eye, dozens of bullets flew out, covering the ground ahead. The next moment, The little girl¡¯s figure flitted continuously. Under Brian¡¯s dynamic vision, her tiny body, like a broken puppet, weaved through the rough, uneven wilderness, avoiding the bullets whizzing her way. This speed was even faster than his full-force burst! Chapter 300 - 300 199 Uncle Please Have a Bomb_2 ?300: Chapter 199 Uncle, Please Have a Bomb_2 300: Chapter 199 Uncle, Please Have a Bomb_2 This is outrageous! How could the killer be such a ghostly thing! No wonder those missing persons could disappear so much in places that couldn¡¯t be considered uninhabited, with no survivors escaping to alert the authorities or anything. Running is pointless. Frankly speaking, such a monster, if it wished, could massacre an entire small town with ease. Even if ordinary people were armed, they would have virtually no ability to resist. ... Just as Brian felt the situation was tricky, Green was extremely excited. This was his first time really letting loose with gunfire. Although he didn¡¯t know what was coming at them, the roar of bullets, casings scattering on the ground, and the smell of gunpowder was like an adrenaline shot, making his rookie blood boil. After emptying a magazine, he threw aside his automatic rifle and grabbed two more, continuing to fire excitedly. Whether he hit anything or not wasn¡¯t the point, the feeling of unleashing firepower wildly was truly thrilling. Seeing this, Brian cracked a smile and disappeared from the spot with a flash. The roar of gunfire suddenly seemed much quieter to Green. He didn¡¯t think much of it. Not until he emptied two more rifles and was gasping for breath, with numb hands quickly changing magazines, he turned towards Brian¡¯s position and whispered, ¡°Boss Brian, what¡¯s the situation?¡± Boss Brian was an enhancer; he must have seen something to open fire so suddenly. Green was not as capable. He hadn¡¯t anticipated night-time operations and wasn¡¯t equipped with Night Vision goggles. They were expensive, and since the department didn¡¯t use them often, Team B6 hadn¡¯t been issued any. However, as Green¡¯s words fell, there was only dead silence around him, with no response. A sense of unease welled up in Green¡¯s heart. He held his breath and squinted into the moonlight where Brian had been standing, but now in place of Brian¡¯s tall figure, there was a small figure around one meter tall that seemed to be a little girl tilting her head and sizing him up. ¡°How does that look like a little girl?¡± Green couldn¡¯t make out the specific features of the creature in front of him; he could only discern a silhouette in the moonlight. That¡¯s not right! It was clearly Boss Brian standing here just moments ago. How did it turn into a little girl? Green finally realized what was happening. An indescribable fear filled his heart. But Green¡¯s hands didn¡¯t slow down, the barrel of the rifle he had just reloaded jerked up, blindly firing wildly ahead while shouting, ¡°Boss Brian, get down!¡± He was still worried about hitting Brian by mistake. This made Brian, who had appeared a few dozen meters away, feel somewhat guilty. Fine, he would have to treat Green to a foot massage with the full works when they got back; it was the least he could do. ... Green¡¯s wild shooting had confused the little monster. In her simple perception, threats were everywhere. She suddenly let out a piercing scream, ¡°Ya~~~¡± Boom~ A circle of visible sound waves, like ripples, burst outward from the little monster¡¯s mouth filled with sharp teeth, impacting the surroundings. Green, without making a sound, rolled his eyes and fainted. Almost at the same moment, the little monster¡¯s body also shook twice. Several stray bullets had finally hit her. Holding a ragged teddy bear and pulling at her tattered dress, she looked down and with blood gleaming in her eyes void of any iris, she uttered a hoarse voice, ¡°The dress is torn, Alice¡¯s dress is torn...¡± ¡°Uncle will buy you a new one, okay?¡± Brian figured the time was about right, walked back to Green, skillfully kicked him underneath a car to prevent the frantic monster from tearing him to pieces later. The little monster, calling herself Alice. Definitely related to that garden! The problem is... Brian remembered that garden had been around for over thirty years, hadn¡¯t it? The owner of the garden had first lost his wife, then his daughter Alice ¡®died¡¯ too, and the garden had been built for his daughter, lasting until now. So, the little monster in front of me is actually over thirty years old? ... The little monster looked dazed, not quite conscious. Despite the copious amounts of blood gushing from the gunshot wounds on her body, dyeing her dirty white dress blood-red, she seemed utterly oblivious, murmuring to herself as she looked down at the tears in her dress. Seeing this, Brian made no hesitation. His mind rapidly processed a wealth of data, and then his automatic rifle spat out flames once more. A sense of danger arrived. This time, the little monster finally reacted. She jerked her head up, about to dodge, but felt her once all-powerful body lag as if suffering network latency, stuttering uncontrollably. That hiccup in movement allowed her to be accurately hit by a dozen bullets all over her body. Her body appeared frail and tiny, yet her flesh was absurdly resilient. Under normal circumstances, a close-range burst from this kind of automatic rifle would create bloody holes in a human body, the tumbling bullets would drill through flesh and even through-and-through gunshot wounds would carve paths through the tissue. A dozen bullets would mean a body riddled with bloody holes for such a small frame. Yet the little monster¡¯s body simply trembled non-stop. This meant that the entire impact of the rifle bullets was absorbed and trapped by her flesh. Such density and toughness explained the excessive speed she could unleash. ... Watching the monster collapse to the ground, powerlessly, like a malfunctioning robot, limbs twitching arduously and mechanically but with no additional movement, Brian didn¡¯t let his guard down. He drew out a grenade while smiling at the girl monster, ¡°Little sister, what¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Would you like uncle to take a look?¡± ¡°Alice is in pain...¡± The girl raised her head, her bloody eyes locking on Brian: ¡°Alice wants to eat meat!¡± ¡°Eat meat?¡± Brian¡¯s face held a smile, but his eyes were cold: ¡°Uncle¡¯s got a bomb for you to eat!¡± As his words fell, he precisely tossed the fragmentation hand grenade, stuffing it into the little girl¡¯s mouth. A man-eating monster must die! The next moment. Boom~ Flames burst forth. Countless specially-made sharp fragments and steel balls, along with lots of flesh and bone, shot out from the girl¡¯s mouth, sparking a flash in the night... The smoke cleared. On the ground lay only a twitching corpse, most of its head gone¡ªonly the broken skull and the back of the head remained. It was proven. The monster couldn¡¯t withstand an internal explosion, not even one blow. Still, Brian was astounded by the exaggerated vitality of her body. The little monster¡¯s body twitched for well over a minute before it finally stilled. Two dark red Obsession Little Balls slowly emerged. She was finally dead. ... Brian finally exhaled in relief. This battle had been anticlimactic in some respects. He hadn¡¯t even come to grips with her and had ¡®easily¡¯ dealt with her. But the reality was not so simple. She had not only exaggerated speed but also some kind of preemptive sense, which meant that without a wide array of gunfire, there would¡¯ve been no chance even to hit her. If really threatened, she would¡¯ve fled. This little monster had dared to charge because, in her instinct, she believed that just guns would pose no threat to her. But she didn¡¯t understand that there was something called poison and bait. Yes, the only reason Green, that fool, could hit her was that his boss Brian had used him as bait, dispersing a large amount of anesthetic gas and neurotoxin around him, carried by the wind toward his front. So by the time Brian stopped firing and the monster instinctively perceived Green as the final threat, she had already been poisoned. ¡°Seems like a little girl, but actually a little monster over thirty, let uncle see what¡¯s going on with you.¡± Brian rubbed his hands together and began the much-anticipated search of the body. Chapter 301 - 301 200 The Little Monsters Obsession Pursuit of the Truth ?301: Chapter 200: The Little Monster¡¯s Obsession, Pursuit of the Truth 301: Chapter 200: The Little Monster¡¯s Obsession, Pursuit of the Truth This was the third time Brian had encountered an individual with dual obsessions. One shot, two impacts¡ªit was a delightful thing. Crushing the Obsession Little Balls. Two pieces of information surfaced in Brian¡¯s mind: Alice¡¯s Obsession One: Forever stay with father in the small garden. Gift One: 50 points of Gift Energy Gift Two: 30 points of Gift Energy + slight Danger Perception Gift Three: 10 points of Gift Energy + ultrasonic shock perception Alice¡¯s Obsession Two: Remove the annoying collar around the neck. Gift One: 60 points of Gift Energy Gift Two: 1 point of Gift Energy + Cannibalism Gift Three: 10 points of Gift Energy + Hunting Pursuit Gift Four: 30 points of Gift Energy + Terrain Adaptation .. ¡°These two obsessions and Gifts..¡± Brian frowned slightly. The obsessions were no problem, overly simple, giving him a sense of purity. But the talents of the Gifts...could the names not be more intuitive? At that moment, Brian felt a strong impulse for his Blood Moon Gift Ability to upgrade again. The abilities from Obsession Two completely mismatched the little girl¡¯s displayed abilities. That wasn¡¯t right. The talent for Hunting Pursuit should relate to her ability to capture scents on marks, possibly including tracking capabilities. But ¡®Cannibalism¡¯ and ¡®Terrain Adaptation¡¯, what did these have to do with the girl¡¯s exaggerated speed? Terrain Adaptation might still be understandable. This thing, depending on the situation, was worth about thirty Gift Energy units¡ªessentially enabling the fastest speed adjustment to diverse terrains. This would substantially enhance speed. But with his powerful Body Control, Supercomputer Perception, and visual capture, Brian could easily achieve this too. And the ¡®Cannibalism¡¯ talent? ¡°Forget it, such a ghostly talent, even if it¡¯s powerful, tends to cause one to lose humanity. It¡¯s not suitable for my path, so whatever effect it has.¡± Brian shook his head and focused on the corpse¡¯s neck. Without the hint from the obsession, he really wouldn¡¯t have noticed the very special, thin collar around the other¡¯s neck. This collar was probably as thick as a normal necklace, perfectly fit the little girl¡¯s neck girth, difficult to remove, and had a tiny ball hanging from the front. Combined with the dirty neck of the little girl, that¡¯s why Brian had not noticed before. He reached out and tried to pull the collar. Hundreds of pounds of force down, this collar did not budge, not even deforming. Brian was incredulous. He then directly, from the little girl¡¯s deformed, fragmented head, slipped off the collar. The collar was a flesh-like color, only the little ball looked metallic, with a layer of cloud-like patterns on the surface, and an inconspicuous ¡®HG¡¯ letter, hidden at the bottom. As the collar came off, a warm stream flowed through Brian¡¯s body. The second Obsession of the little monster, easily completed. Brian didn¡¯t rush to claim the Gifts. He was now more interested in this strange collar. He carefully examined the collar all around, making sure there were no oversights, then grabbed it and with brute force, gave it a hard pull. ¡°Ding Ding Ding~¡± In response to Brian¡¯s force, this metal ball actually emitted a rapid alarm sound. This seemed to trigger some mechanism in the ball. Along with the rapid dinging, an eerie sensation surged into his heart. Without the slightest hesitation, Brian forcefully threw the collar far away. The whole process didn¡¯t even take a second, but it was still too late. Boom~ A small spark exploded. Brian watched as his right forearm broke off and disappeared, transforming into numerous flesh and blood fragments, exploding outward. Luckily, because the sphere was small and also flew a bit away, aside from some dizziness and the ultrasonic shock impacting his senses, Brian suffered no additional harm. He shook his head, feeling the pain and numbness from his arm, somewhat speechless. Who would have thought that a ball smaller than a marble could still explode... and the power was not small. At least in terms of volume, the power was really substantial; if it had exploded at the neck, it would have been enough to blast a person¡¯s head and chest cavity into smithereens. Without Danger Perception, it just wasn¡¯t possible. .. The explosion caused his own flesh and bone to scatter too widely. With no choice, Brian, after expending a full twenty-eight units of Gift Energy to repair his vanished right forearm, then moved the car and the unconscious Green, impacted by the sonic shock and anesthetic gas, to a far place. Along with the little monster¡¯s corpse, he also took out a body bag from the car, packed it up, and tossed it aside. After finishing these tasks, he took off his clothes, took a deep breath, and sprayed violently all around. Countless green mists, emitted from Brian¡¯s mouth, spread around, swiftly dissolving the surrounding flesh, bones, and other materials. The surrounding flowers and grasses also seemed to encounter a potent pesticide and weed killer, beginning to shrivel and yellow. Ensuring all traces of blood and flesh were dealt with by his own Corrosive Poison, Brian then exhaled a big breath of invisible mist. This mist had a very pungent smell, resembling some banned virus and weed-killing chemical agent. This was what he had absorbed into his body in preparation, now proving useful. To be honest, Brian sometimes felt his body was like a ticking time bomb. If he were to die, within a radius of one kilometer, it would likely be engulfed by neurotoxin and other unknown toxins, becoming a land of biological extinction. Chapter 302 - 302 200 The Little Monsters Obsession Pursuit of the Truth_2 ?302: Chapter 200: The Little Monster¡¯s Obsession, Pursuit of the Truth_2 302: Chapter 200: The Little Monster¡¯s Obsession, Pursuit of the Truth_2 ... After cleaning up the scene, Brian sat in the driver¡¯s seat, somewhat speechlessly looking at the moon overhead. Killing the enemy didn¡¯t consume any Gift Energy, but picking up the corpses used up twenty-eight units of it; what a loss. Now, he only had twenty-six units of Gift Energy reserves left. Fortunately, there was the small monster¡¯s Gift to replenish it. Brian gathered his thoughts and chose to receive Obsession Two¡¯s reward, Gift One: sixty units of Gift Energy. A warm surge flowed through his body, restoring his sense of security. There was no helping it. Obsession Two, with no explanation of the talent, and the most valuable-sounding talent ¡®Cannibalism¡¯ seemed creepy. Brian really did not know what to choose. Then came the second obsession. This was also simple to complete. The small monster¡¯s father was likely the owner of the garden estate known as Alice¡¯s Secret Realm. Brian was also very curious about how the small monster came to be. Judging from the material and setup of her collar, it involved high technology, not something an ordinary person could access. Brian was very interested in the stories behind this. Moreover, if this involved some official organizational institution, there was no way to cover up the traces of the battle here. The movement tracks of him and Green couldn¡¯t be concealed either. This would make it difficult for him to fulfill the small monster¡¯s second obsession. What a headache. ... ¡°Let¡¯s first see where the small monster¡¯s father is...¡± Brian first checked the images accompanying Obsession One and then absorbed the Spirit Crystal¡¯s death replay that came with the small monster. Death replay was usually a segment of the life form¡¯s experiences before death. Brian was lucky and clearly saw the path taken by the other party after leaving the ¡®nest.¡¯ The area where the other lived was underground in Alice¡¯s Secret Realm. As for Alice¡¯s monster father, in the projected images, he was a disheveled white old man with a hooked nose, sparse hair, and heavy dark circles under his eyes. To be honest, upon seeing this person¡¯s appearance, Brian was reminded of Gollum, the little monster mutated by the One Ring, in the movie The Lord of the Rings he had seen in his previous life. Really quite alike. No wonder he had not seen the owner of the garden previously. With that ghostly appearance, even if there weren¡¯t any missing persons cases, Brian guessed the residents of Harvest Town would not be willing to let their children play in such a place. One glance could give you several nights¡¯ worth of nightmares. Now that he knew the path, Brian also worried that the exploded metal balls might have tracking or teleporting capabilities. He retrieved the bomb traps he set up earlier, drove the car with Green, who probably wouldn¡¯t wake up until the next day, and the body bag containing the small monster¡¯s corpse, and headed back to Harvest Town. At this time, the town was brightly lit; but apart from some places like pubs, the streets were deserted except for the illuminated streetlights. Brian casually found somewhere to park the car, carried Green into a house without lighting, and left a note on him in case of any emergencies; then, keeping the body bag, he rapidly ran towards the garden on a rural path. His speed was much faster than the car¡¯s during the daytime. A few minutes later, the garden under the night sky came into view. The place was pitch black except for a glowing road sign outside, which seemed ghostly. Brian, following the small monster¡¯s death memories, disregarded the dark environment, wove through the garden, and finally arrived at an inconspicuous rockery. His body squirmed like a long python and plunged into the pond, diving into a very small hole beneath the rockery. The cave entrance faced downward, twisted and irregular. Apart from children, adults, even if they found this hidden cave, would struggle to enter. This had little effect on the child Brian, who was eight years old and a few months more. Accompanied by a muted thud, Brian slid down the passage and landed on a soft, large bed. This underground space had been transformed into a very cozy little room, with soft lighting, dolls, and pink decorations everywhere, looking very warm, though the smell was somewhat strong. It was a hard-to-describe odor, akin to a fermentation vat in which a dead rat had fallen and stewed for a long time. Carrying a body bag, Brian followed the smell, passed through a corridor, and arrived at a large hall. In the hall, a stooped figure was busy in front of a large pool. Upon hearing the noise, He, without turning his head, spoke in a hoarse voice, ¡°Sweetheart, you came back a bit early today. I¡¯ll deal with the car and your stinky-stink after I¡¯m done... I¡¯m planning to extend the garden. Otherwise, your stinky-stink will be too much, it¡¯ll fill this place up, haha~¡± Despite the man¡¯s weathered and raspy voice, his tone was full of doting warmth. Brian listened to the other¡¯s endearing words, but his face revealed a chill. Seeing the residue in the pool, He finally understood why the plants grew so well here¡ªit was because he had never found anything unusual before. The victims were absorbed and digested by the small monster¡¯s powerful digestive ability, turned into excrement for transformation, then used as fertilizer, which left much cleaner traces than man-made compost. Those who disappeared were in the garden above their heads. They had been eaten! ... Seemingly not hearing the usual response, The stooped man finally sensed something amiss. He slowly turned his head, revealing a monstrous face. Seeing the unfamiliar Brian, his pupils, encircled by dark eye bags, narrowed, ¡°Who are you, and where¡¯s my Alice?¡± Brian tossed the body bag forward, ¡°Your little treasure got a bit lost, I brought her back for you. But before she fell asleep, she left behind an ¡®obsession.¡¯ You love her so much, you don¡¯t want her to die with her eyes open, right?¡± ¡°Dead?¡± Clearly, the man had some psychological issues, shaking his head in a dazed and silly manner, ¡°Impossible, those people told me Alice wouldn¡¯t die. She could live a long time, live until I¡¯m gone. She can¡¯t be dead. Where have you hidden my Alice?¡± Seeing the bloodstained body bag, the man¡¯s tears streamed uncontrollably, while he murmured that it was impossible for Alice to be dead. Brian¡¯s patience was not great, especially for scum. A ferocious smile appeared on his face as he drew a willow leaf-shaped small knife from his waistband and approached... To hell with father-daughter affection. Today the truth needed to be known, the ¡®obsession¡¯ had to be fulfilled, and the garbage nurturing a man-eating monster was to receive the punishment he deserved. Psychotic? Brian believed that under his professional methods, any mental illness could be cured and the true feeling of fear experienced anew. The night was long, and he had plenty of time. ... Elsewhere, After Brian had exploded the collar around the neck of the small monster, A piercing alarm sounded in a realm of darkness. The dozing guard, upon hearing the commotion, jolted upright from the office chair, looked at the alarm in terror, then grabbed the communicator, urgently saying, ¡°There¡¯s a problem with Subject Number Three, repeat, a problem with Subject Number Three has occurred...¡± Chapter 303 - 303 201 The Reason A Pleasant Surprise Two in One ?303: Chapter 201: The Reason, A Pleasant Surprise (Two in One) 303: Chapter 201: The Reason, A Pleasant Surprise (Two in One) Some people, after experiencing certain setbacks, find life entirely uninteresting and lose reverence for many things. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of death, so what else is there to fear?¡± But that is merely an illusion. Many things are more terrifying than death, such as Brian¡¯s live anatomical teaching process. Usually, the ¡°material¡± for the dissection is the student themselves. Under the close one-on-one teaching of Brian, a highly skilled anatomy instructor, the student, an old hunchback, deeply understood his own body structure for the first time, realizing that a person won¡¯t die immediately even if dismembered into many pieces. The human body is fragile yet resilient. To thank Brian, his teacher, he begged Brian to pause the teaching to spend some time listening to the story of his daughter, who had a good appetite. Everything was as the rumors said. More than thirty years ago. When the old hunchback felt happiest, his wife died of illness. To alleviate his daughter¡¯s grief, he promised to build her a garden that only existed in fairy tales. Hard work alleviated the grief in his and his daughter¡¯s hearts. During this process, his daughter developed a strange disease. It was a peculiar disease: hunger that could never be satisfied. Even after eating until her stomach ballooned like a ball, she still felt hungry and couldn¡¯t stop eating, even though she nearly burst several times. The man was not wealthy. He spent all his possessions to seek treatment for his daughter in the city, but it did not alleviate her suffering. The hospitals, astounded by this ¡°Gluttony¡± that differed from anorexia, even advised the man to entrust them with the care of his daughter. By care, they meant to tie her up and continuously draw her blood for research. The man was furious. He desperately took his daughter back home, ready to wait for death to come, so the entire family could be together. At that point, a company called Black Light Biotechnology approached him, explaining that his daughter suffered from a disease called cannibalism. It was an unpublished and extremely rare disease. The patient lacked certain special components in the body, which could only be satisfied by eating human flesh. This clearly sounded ridiculous. But the man believed it. To preserve the only love he had left in the world, he lured a homeless man back home, turned him into hamburgers, and fed them to his daughter, who was tied up and constantly hungry. Miraculously, after eating, his daughter really stopped crying out in hunger. From that day on, he began hunting. All this continued until the second arrival of the Blood Moon brought new changes: his daughter gained exaggerated speed, highly sensitive smell for certain odors, and became more bloodthirsty. In one week. Seven disappearances occurred consecutively around them. Only when the old hunchback saw the pile of special ¡°human fertilizer¡± in his daughter¡¯s room did he realize that his daughter had become a monster, a predator that actively sought prey. His small reserve of ¡®food¡¯ couldn¡¯t satisfy this drastically altered new daughter. Although she did not harm him, she furiously attacked nearby humans. While no one suspected a small girl yet, as the victims increased, exposure was only a matter of time. While he didn¡¯t know how to handle his daughter¡¯s situation, Black Light Technology, the previous company, appeared again. They spent manpower to excavate the current underground space and took his daughter away for a while. When they brought his daughter back. His daughter finally returned to her previous appetite and could communicate again, the only problem being that, at fixed times, she still couldn¡¯t resist the urge to hunt. But with his daughter able to communicate, there were no further incidents of attacking people near their residence. As time went on. His daughter also ¡°passed away.¡± Alice¡¯s Secret Realm, flourishing in vegetation, slowly began to operate... ¡°You mean, before the second Blood Moon, your daughter already had symptoms where only human flesh could normalize her?¡± Brian was somewhat surprised. There were two points that surprised him. One was that the company Black Light, wasn¡¯t just established a few years ago, as Mycroft had thought, but had been around for over thirty years, albeit under a slightly different name than Mycroft knew. This meant that there was another influence hidden within the NW organization. Susan had never told Brian about this. It wasn¡¯t known whether she was also unaware or if these matters were inconvenient to disclose. Based on Brian¡¯s understanding of Susan, it was likely the former. Susan had revealed that there were also breeding and bio-tech research on Mutants within NW, which she found repugnant, but she wasn¡¯t very detailed. She had a straightforward personality. If she didn¡¯t like something, she wouldn¡¯t intentionally learn more about it. The other point that surprised Brian was the question he asked. Cannibalism was complete nonsense. What rubbish about trace elements, as most human tissues, after being cooked, aren¡¯t much different from chicken, duck, or fish meat, perhaps only differing in texture. This texture generally depends on the animal¡¯s body structure and dietary habits. For instance, the meat of herbivores generally tastes better than that of carnivores, while that ofAppgetarian¡¯s meat is not only toxic but also foul-smelling. Chapter 304 - 304 201 The Reason A Pleasant Surprise Two in One_2 ?304: Chapter 201: The Reason, A Pleasant Surprise (Two in One)_2 304: Chapter 201: The Reason, A Pleasant Surprise (Two in One)_2 Humans are omnivorous animals, consuming both meat and vegetables, which makes it hard to categorize them, but most human meat definitely wouldn¡¯t impress in the animal kingdom. Therefore, cannibalism is absurd. Unless they are severely psychologically ill, no one would want to eat their own kind. Brian suspected that the Black Light Biotechnology Company had intentionally released some research result (a special virus), which only affected the daughter of the other party. In any case, that little monster had been deliberately cultivated! .. Faced with Brian¡¯s questions, the man on the ground, already tortured to the point of being nearly delirious, spoke weakly, ¡°Yes, I suspected that what happened to my daughter was orchestrated by those people. They even put a collar around my daughter¡¯s neck, but I had no choice. I just wanted my daughter to be with me, and for that, I was willing to become a demon among men.¡± The tail wags the dog. Brian felt sympathy for the man¡¯s plight, but even more so for those unlucky souls who had been turned into food by him and his daughter over the past thirty-plus years. Seeing that the man was nearly gone, he hurriedly continued, ¡°What does the ¡®HG¡¯ on your daughter¡¯s collar stand for?¡± ¡°Hit Girl.¡± ¡°Hit Girl?¡± Brian felt the conversation was going off track. Were the research personnel at the Black Light Biotechnology Company that juvenile? The flesh on the ground coughed up a mass of blood: ¡°The abbreviation stands for my daughter¡¯s code name. They originally wanted to call my daughter Ghoul. I disagreed! My little princess isn¡¯t that disgusting thing! Because after that Blood Moon thirty years ago, she never aged, so I took it upon myself to give my daughter the nickname ¡®Hit Girl.¡¯ I hope one day she can remove that collar and destroy everyone at Black Light Technology... She looks a lot like her mother, who after her death, became my everything...¡± His voice grew fainter and finally stopped completely. A blood-red Obsession Little Ball emerged from the mass of flesh on the ground. Brian remained silent for a moment before crushing the Obsession Little Ball. Obsession of a hunchbacked old man: a family of three, together forever. Gift One: thirteen Gift Energy points. Gift Two: five Gift Energy points + mastery in plant cultivation. At the end of this information, a mummified corpse hidden in another room surfaced in Brian¡¯s mind. Brian:.. A perfectly ordinary family, minding their own business, yet ended up in this ghastly state. Such is the world... .. If it were before, completing one task could concurrently resolve two obsessions, hitting two birds with one stone, and even if the rewards from the obsession gift weren¡¯t much, Brian would be pleased. It¡¯s like grabbing a red envelope, even if it¡¯s just a few cents, it feels different. Now, he couldn¡¯t feel happy. ¡°Black Light Biotechnology...¡± Brian muttered to himself. This company had become disliked in his heart. After briefly cleaning up the scene, Brian packaged up the specimens, the man¡¯s body, and the body of the little monster, then followed the exit of this underground space to the surface, where he buried their bodies under an unidentifiable small yellow flower. His hands were faster at digging than any tool. After about fifteen minutes. Brian briefly covered up the traces at the scene and left. .. Brian originally planned to report the little monster¡¯s body to the NW. That would conclude the case. Now he decided not to do so. It was pointless. Brian already had a plan for handling the situation. He first went to where the battle had occurred and directly ignited the withered vegetation affected by the corrosive gas. His Blood Flesh Corrosive Poison was incredibly effective; any residues of dissolved flesh and bones mixed with the soil, and with little flesh to deal with, the traces of corrosion were minimal. Burning the plants destroyed almost all remaining traces. Outsiders could only tell that a battle had occurred, and could guess the approximate positions and conditions of the shooters from the ballistic marks, but they couldn¡¯t discern Brian¡¯s methods. After finishing all of this, it was already past eleven at night. There were no unusual occurrences around Harvest Town. Brian continued to observe for a while before returning to the uninhabited house where he had placed Green. He opened the window, looked up at the silver moon, and silently lit a cigarette. The traces of the previous battle were almost entirely cleaned up. For this case, he planned to play dead to test the reaction of the Black Light Biotechnology Company. ... Until the sky brightened outside. Harvest Town was still free of outsiders. Brian gazed in the direction of the garden estate and noticed no unusual activities. The anesthetic on Green had worn off, but he was still deeply asleep. The guy slept soundly. Brian withdrew his gaze, stroked his chin, and pondered, ¡°Why haven¡¯t my two obsessions been resolved yet? Could it be related to the reaction of the Black Light Biotechnology Company?¡± After some thought, he sent a message to Susan, conveying the information he had gained from the sheriff of Harvest Town the previous day, and asked Susan to contact the local agency to fax an assistance order to the town¡¯s sheriff. It¡¯s like a whore trying to display a saintly sign. Though Brian was playing dead for this case to probe into the Black Light Biotechnology Company, the necessary procedures still had to be followed. Relying on his identity as a Dawn Warrior, he didn¡¯t believe the Black Light Biotechnology Company would dare to lay a hand on him. Chapter 305 - 305 201 Cause and Happy Accident Two in One_3 ?305: Chapter 201 Cause and Happy Accident (Two in One)_3 305: Chapter 201 Cause and Happy Accident (Two in One)_3 If it really doesn¡¯t work out, there¡¯s still Susan... And her father, too! He has his own backer, doesn¡¯t he? .. It was past eight in the morning. A truck finally appeared in Harvest Town, heading towards the Garden Estate. The side of the truck bore the name of some floral company. Townspeople on the road greeted the driver, as if he often visited this place. Brian¡¯s eyes squinted slightly, watching from seven or eight miles away as the driver took the truck to the Garden Estate. After exchanging greetings with the old gatekeeper, he pushed a pile of goods inside. More than half an hour later, the white truck driver wearing a hat emerged from inside, looking strangely. He chatted with the old gatekeeper again before getting back into his truck and driving away. Almost the instant the other party left, two warm currents surged within Brian¡¯s body, several kilometers away. The little creature and her father¡¯s obsessions were both fulfilled! .. After completing the little creature¡¯s second obsession yesterday, the Gift Energy in Brian¡¯s hands had returned to eighty-six units. For the little creature¡¯s father, the hunched old man, he chose his second Gift directly: five points of Gift Energy + plant cultivation mastery. Plant cultivation mastery involved not just the planting of plants, but also an understanding of various plant characteristics. This thing couldn¡¯t be mastered purely through knowledge from books; it required spending time and energy to deeply research and achieve mastery. Knowledge is priceless; you never know when it might come in handy. Brian didn¡¯t care too much about the difference of a few points of Gift Energy. As for the choice of Gift for the little monster¡¯s first obsession... Brian was rather conflicted. The Gift for the little monster¡¯s Obsession One, aside from the first Gift, which was purely Gift Energy, the second and third Gifts each came with a very practical talent. Gift Two: 30 points of Gift Energy + slight Danger Perception Gift Three: 10 points of Gift Energy + ultrasonic shock perception These two talents were much more user-friendly and easier to understand. The first Gift was the Danger Perception Talent that Brian had encountered many times. However, the ¡°slight¡± part made Brian very conflicted. The little monster¡¯s performance in this respect yesterday was quite average, not even as sharp as his uncle Billy¡¯s keen Danger Perception in the past. And based on Brian¡¯s Blood Moon Talent, this slight Danger Perception corresponded to only twenty units of Gift Energy, indicating that the potential of this talent was rather mediocre. This might not be accurate, like Supercomputer Perception; strictly speaking, the compared Gift Energy isn¡¯t high, but it¡¯s very practical. But a slight level of Danger Perception likely wouldn¡¯t be much help to Brian at the moment. He currently had physical reactions like hair standing on end in some threatening situations, which might be a result of his body and Spiritual Strength reaching a certain level, creating a danger warning. Adding another low-intensity slight Danger Perception would be simply adding a burden to his psyche. Gift Three¡¯s talent was different. Brian had experienced the ¡®ultrasonic shock¡¯ released by the little creature yesterday. Green fainted without a word. His own reaction was minor; after promptly controlling his ears to seal off, he only experienced a slight acceleration of his heart and a bit of mild dizziness in his head. But consider Brian¡¯s current physique. Even with his ears sealed, he was affected, meaning that the frequency of the ultrasonic waves emitted by the little monster likely couldn¡¯t be blocked by simple physical means. Coupled with Brian¡¯s lung capacity and physical fitness... it was like having an additional means to deal with an ordinary military siege. Yes. Brian¡¯s hypothetical enemy had always been the human military. This was the unease that came from being a Mutant. This unease would persist until Brian was exposed, or until he grew to a level where he could disregard conventional firepower, perhaps then it would disappear. But before that, Brian valued any talent that could increase his area-of-effect attack capabilities! .. After much deliberation, Brian ultimately gave up on Gift Two, which seemed rather insignificant, and chose Gift Three. As he made his decision in his heart, a tingling sensation surfaced in his throat. Brian was astonished to find countless new tiny, sealable cavities amongst the minute toxin channels within his oral cavity. Besides that, his ears seemed to have undergone some subtle changes. Brian touched his ears, ¡°It seems like there are some extra fine hairs on the surface of the cochleae.¡± He tentatively opened his mouth and, using those holes, let out a faint ¡°ah.¡± The next moment, an invisible fluctuation echoed throughout the room with his voice, eventually refracting back after hitting objects and returning to Brian¡¯s ears, unexpectedly forming a three-dimensional image similar to sonar echolocation. ¡°No wonder this talent has ¡®perception¡¯ included in its name, so this is what it means...¡± Brian thought, delighted. He had chosen correctly! Next, he continued to experiment. The more he experimented, the more delighted he became. He had previously been misled by that little creature. To activate this ability, one did not need to make a real sound; rather, the true sound produced by this ability was a controllable ultrasonic frequency that human ears could not hear. The number of holes in the mouth that were closed, the direction they faced, and so on, all resulted in different effects that could be used to precisely probe nearby or distant areas, or for attacks that enveloped an area or were more focused. This ability was a lot more awesome than Brian had imagined. He was thoroughly enjoying himself. Brian silently opened his mouth toward a glass beer bottle sitting atop a trash can a hundred meters away. The next moment, a transparent vibration appeared in the air and struck the neglected glass beer bottle. Under Brian¡¯s dynamic vision, the bottle first intensely manifested a dense pattern of fractures, the pattern forming a strange shape like one circle nested within another, before it exploded into countless irregular pieces of shattered glass... He withdrew his gaze. Brian yawned contentedly, feeling somewhat fatigued, and moved away from the window. It was still too restrained here. When he had time, he¡¯d go find some small mice to test his ability on. However, this unexpected discovery had revived his somewhat dull mood. This case was indeed worthwhile. He had struck gold! ... At exactly nine o¡¯clock in the morning, Brian received a call from Susan. On the other side, Susan¡¯s tone was a bit odd, ¡°Brian, when I went to get the investigation assistance order for you, NW headquarters revoked the case. Oh, and a Second-level Staff member from Sequence A named Benjamin wants to schedule a time to meet with you. Researchers in Sequence A have a high status; I¡¯ve never even seen a second-level staffer before. When did you get to know such a powerful person?¡± Brian: ¡°...If I knew him, would he need to go through you to schedule with me?¡± There was a moment of silence on the other end, before Susan realized, ¡°I guess that makes sense... Well, such a person is a good connection to have; I¡¯ll send his personal number to you. When you have time, you can reach out to him.¡± After hanging up, Brian¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. He knew that this Benjamin guy must be someone from Black Light Biotechnology Company. It was simple for them to find him¡ª the case and the location matched; it was impossible to keep hidden. Yet for someone in NW like him, getting his personal contact details wouldn¡¯t be difficult, but the fact that the other party chose to express their intention to meet through Susan and even left a phone number... This attitude was quite interesting. ¡°I guess it¡¯s related to my current identity. If I were a beat cop or an NW operative like Green, an outsider to the official ranks, the treatment would probably not be like what I¡¯m receiving now.¡± Brian¡¯s mouth curved into a smile. Wasn¡¯t this the reason he strived to climb the ranks? Right, Susan¡¯s support was also quite delightful. This was indeed the correct path for a young person to take! Chapter 306 - 306 202 Its Done Poisoning the Rat Two-in-One ?306: Chapter 202: It¡¯s Done, Poisoning the Rat (Two-in-One) 306: Chapter 202: It¡¯s Done, Poisoning the Rat (Two-in-One) ¡°I slept so well...¡± Green opened his eyes from a deep slumber. He first glanced around in a daze before realizing, ¡°Is this...¡± ¡°The case is closed.¡± Brian was driving, his voice soft, ¡°Yesterday, you were knocked out by that monster¡¯s sonic attack, but I took care of the creature afterward. This case is over. Don¡¯t talk about last night¡¯s events willy-nilly. If anyone tries to pry, just give me a call.¡± Hearing Brian¡¯s words, it took a while for Green to remember what had happened the previous night. A look of relief flashed across his face. Thank goodness Brian, the big man, was there last night; otherwise, I¡¯d probably be toast. ¡°Boss Brian, thank you¡ªI owe you my life!¡± Green said gratefully. Brian shrugged, ¡°You¡¯re my guy, I¡¯ve got your back, no need for thanks.¡± Without Green as bait yesterday, he wouldn¡¯t have tricked the monster into losing its accurate alertness, leading it into the neurotoxin trap. That stuff is non-directional and indiscriminate¡ªit¡¯s not easy to control. Green, unaware that he had been used as bait, felt even more moved by Brian¡¯s words and his loyalty to Brian deepened even further. Back in the city. Brian let Green go and have a good day off. Anesthetic gases have side effects. Each person has a different tolerance, but after deep anesthesia, symptoms similar to memory damage can occur. Brian planned to extort Benjamin, to get them to cough up one or two tubes of Enhancement Reagent. Brian didn¡¯t need it, but he could give it to Green. One man¡¯s rise could lift all his companions. Green was a good guy. Increasing his strength would be more beneficial for Brian down the line, even if just to use him as bait for a little longer, right? ... Noon. Brian met with Susan and Shi San. Shi San, dressed by Susan¡¯s female best friend, looked quite sassy in a little moose dog outfit, complete with two antler covers on its head. It gazed at Brian with mournful eyes, rhythmically knocking the dog bowl on the ground: ¡°Take me back home...¡± Listening to the rhythmic knocking, Brian was startled, ¡°Is that Morse Code?¡± Susan nodded proudly, ¡°Right, Shi San is way smarter than Caroline¡¯s stupid parrot. I feel it¡¯s smarter than many humans, so impressive!¡± Caroline¡¯s parrot, available from NW, was a specially bred intellect, enhanced with a matching Enhancement Reagent, as smart as an eight- or nine-year-old child. In front of Shi San, it was swiftly outmatched. Last night, the parrot actually started scratching Shi San, making Caroline green with envy. She couldn¡¯t understand why her acquired parrot turned into a submissive bird to a dog. Susan laughed so hard last night that her stomach hurt. She loved Shi San too much. Susan even thought, if one day Brian broke up with her, she would definitely fight for custody of Shi San. If Brian agreed, she might even open a few less rounds on him. Brian was clueless about the messy thoughts in Susan¡¯s mind. He looked at Shi San with contrite amusement, chuckling, ¡°Shi San, it¡¯s good for you to learn things while you¡¯re young...¡± Bang bang~ Shi San knocked again: ¡°Bad big dog!¡± Having knocked, its head tilted slightly, eyes glancing skywards at a 45-degree angle, the epitome of indignation. Brian: ... His gaze turned curiously toward Susan, ¡°What do you guys normally do at home in the evenings?¡± Susan replied innocently, ¡°I usually practice fighting for a while, then take a bath and go to bed. But Caroline likes soap operas, and Shi San seems to enjoy them too. It can even turn on the TV and change channels by itself.¡± Brian suddenly understood. No wonder Shi San was behaving like this. What do you do when a child misbehaves? A spanking usually does the trick. Susan wanted to dote on Shi San, but Brian caught her and together they disciplined them both. Half an hour later. Both human and dog had clearer eyes. ... After some fun and games. Brian inquired about the case situation on Susan¡¯s side. There were three cases at the time. Brian and Green handled a deserted car disappearance case. Susan, finding it boring, took Shi San to investigate a case of food poisoning at a Hua Country businessman¡¯s Japanese restaurant. Seeing Brian inquire, Susan¡¯s face showed a speechless expression, ¡°It¡¯s already solved. It was an easy case to crack. As soon as Shi San sniffed around, it found the culprit.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Brian asked curiously. ¡°A giant rat half a meter long. I never imagined a rat could be so big, its tail alone was nearly a meter long, looking like a giant otter. At the time, Shi San led me and a few patrolling officers to pry open a sewer manhole cover. Down there, we found a lot of rats. These rats were well-fed by the restaurants on the commercial street. We hadn¡¯t yet suspected the rat as the culprit. We were even puzzled why Shi San would lead us there until we found a stash of rat poison collected in the rats¡¯ nest. Can you imagine our faces then? These rats actually gathered the rat poison in a shoebox. After testing, we confirmed that this rat poison was the substance that poisoned the victims. Right away, we installed cameras in the kitchens of nearby restaurants. This morning, we checked last night¡¯s surveillance and discovered a giant rat over half a meter long, carrying rat poison around several Hua Country-owned restaurants, again causing food poisoning. Chapter 307 - 307 202 Its Done Poisoning the Rat Two-in-One _2 ?307: Chapter 202: It¡¯s Done, Poisoning the Rat (Two-in-One) _2 307: Chapter 202: It¡¯s Done, Poisoning the Rat (Two-in-One) _2 It had ground the drugs with its teeth into powder, mixing them in flour and rice. Normal people wouldn¡¯t think of that, and if we hadn¡¯t installed surveillance, there likely would have been more poisoning incidents, and by then, that business street would have been ruined. Susan spoke for a few minutes before she explained the case clearly. After she finished, her face still showed surprise. ¡°Rats are known for being smart, and some departments even specifically train them for tasks like search and mine clearance, but I¡¯ve never seen such an intelligent rat.¡± ¡°Mutant Beast?¡± Brian became interested. Susan shook her head. ¡°Not sure, but I wouldn¡¯t rule it out. For safety, I have already reported the situation to NW; they have already sent someone to take over the case and the investigation.¡± The encounter with the two Mutant Beasts in Forest Park had left a deep impression on Susan. She definitely didn¡¯t want Shi San to be killed by that big rat. Thump thump¡ª Shi San tapped on the dog bowl facing Susan. ¡°I can.¡± It had only learned Morse Code two days ago, didn¡¯t know many words, and could only express itself using simple vocabulary. ¡°No, you can¡¯t!¡± Susan gave Shi San a light thump on the head. ¡°That rat is too filthy, I don¡¯t want you biting it.¡± At her words, Shi San¡¯s dog face looked wronged. It looked at Brian. ¡°Woof woof¡ª(Big dog, I wanna eat, the rat smells so good~)¡± Brian rolled his eyes. That phrase, Shi San had only ever used it on himself. The ¡°deliciousness¡± Shi San mentioned was only applicable to organisms with high physical activity. It seemed this rat also had high physical activity. Brian became even more interested. ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡± Susan asked curiously. She had been fooled by Brian before, interacting with Shi San saying woof woof for a long time. Later, Caroline had laughed about it until now. Only then did Susan realize that Brian¡¯s method of communication he had taught between herself and Shi San was meant to tease her, and she had believed it... She was both angry and amused. Only after witnessing Shi San¡¯s intelligence did Susan figure Brian might not have fooled her. Brian pinched a little soft flesh on Susan¡¯s belly. ¡°It wants to eat that rat.¡± He found a new treasure spot; the feel was particularly great. A girl¡¯s body structure is miraculous; no matter how much they exercise, there¡¯s always a bit of soft flesh on the stomach, something physiologically determined. ¡°No way!¡± Susan swatted away Brian¡¯s mischievous hand. ¡°I don¡¯t allow Shi San to eat random stuff. Never mind, I¡¯ll take him to the firing range; remember to contact that Benjamin after you finish work.¡± Having said that, she picked up Shi San and walked out of the office. Shi San desperately flapped its four short legs, casting a pleading look at Brian, hoping the big dog could snatch him from Susan¡¯s tyrannical hands. Brian imitated Shi San¡¯s earlier pose, looking left and right at a 45-degree angle as if there were flowers on the wall, pointedly ignoring Shi San¡¯s plea for help. Shi San:... The light went out of its eyes. The seventh day away from the big dog¡¯s warm nest, missing... ... In the afternoon, Brian finally met with Ivan and Glenn, whom he hadn¡¯t seen much in the last few days. They looked somewhat troubled. Before the holiday, the Teddy duo had taken on a new case. Both of their professional skills weren¡¯t bad. Though not as efficient as Brian in the cases they handled previously, compared to other detective squads, their efficiency wasn¡¯t low at all. This time, the victim was a Caucasian boy aged between thirteen and fifteen. His body was found by workers piled in the sand at a construction site. The investigation was not going well. The victim¡¯s body was decomposed; after the autopsy, it was determined that the time of death exceeded ten days, and it was only discernible that the victim had endured cruel torture before being stoned to death. It was a very vile case. The construction site was definitely not the initial crime scene. But until now, Ivan and Glenn hadn¡¯t even identified the real identity of the victim, let alone pinpointed a suspect. The case had hit a deadlock. That was actually the norm in solving cases. The essence of solving a case is the collection and analysis of information. Crime scene investigation, the autopsy, investigation into the victim¡¯s interpersonal relationships, profiling the perpetrator¡¯s criminal psychology, speculating possible motives based on known conditions, identifying potential leads for solving the case, verifying each lead... With some luck, you might catch the perpetrator in two or three days. With bad luck, you may never know who the perpetrator is. That¡¯s the usual state of most investigations. Brian wanted to help, but with so little information left from this case, not even knowing the victim¡¯s identity, he felt somewhat at a loss. He could only hope Ivan and Glenn had better luck in discovering the victim¡¯s identity first. ... After work, Brian contacted Benjamin, the Second-level Staff from NW¡¯s Research Department, using the number Susan provided. He had intended to arrange a meeting for tomorrow. Unexpectedly, this normally busy Second-level Staff was currently in the downtown area. Half an hour later, Brian parked his beastly motorcycle at a parking spot in a square. The square had many pigeons. Brian liked pigeons. Not in a psychological sense but in terms of taste. In his previous life, he had liked drinking pigeon soup; in this life, he occasionally bought some meat pigeons to cook himself, though his cooking skills weren¡¯t great, and the flavor was always a bit off. Chapter 308 - 308 202 Its Done Poisoning the Rat Two-in-One_3 ?308: Chapter 202: It¡¯s Done, Poisoning the Rat (Two-in-One)_3 308: Chapter 202: It¡¯s Done, Poisoning the Rat (Two-in-One)_3 According to the agreed-upon location, he saw a middle-aged man sitting on a public bench, with several greedy little pigeons perching on his body. ¡°You look younger than I imagined, Mr. Benjamin,¡± Brian approached and greeted the other. Benjamin was a white man who appeared to be just over thirty, slightly on the thin side, not very tall, with a plain appearance. The only thing that might have been remarkable was the slight stoop in his back. Yes, this guy seemed to have a hunchback. Benjamin looked up, saw Brian, and with a tremble of his small hands, he shook the pigeons pecking at seeds from his hands. He clapped his hands, stood up, and nodded at Brian, ¡°I¡¯m also pleased to meet you, NW¡¯s newly promoted Second-level Staff. You look even more handsome and spirited than in your profile photos.¡± ¡°You also look very young,¡± Brian said, making polite conversation. Benjamin shook his head: ¡°I¡¯m over sixty already. The youthful appearance is just the result of experimentation, but my insides are already decayed. That¡¯s also the target of my research. I¡¯ve always hoped to raise the upper limit of human physical lifespan to over two hundred years. It¡¯s difficult, even now with various Enhancement Reagents. According to laboratory estimates, most individuals enhanced by reagents start to deteriorate around the age of one hundred fifty.¡± ¡°Deteriorate?¡± Brian asked curiously. This was a novel way of chatting, at least different from what he had expected. It piqued Brian¡¯s interest in the conversation. Benjamin nodded: ¡°Yes, the professional term is ¡®Rapid physical aging,¡¯ but I prefer to call it ¡®deterioration.¡¯ Various cancers are typical examples of bodily deterioration. If you¡¯re familiar, you should know that apart from genetic inheritance, the probability of older people getting cancer is much higher than in younger people. In fact, even with advanced biotechnology today, although some cancers can be easily cured, the means are basically to remove the diseased parts. In my view, that¡¯s not a real cure. My research goal is to hope that individuals can live healthily to over two hundred years, breaking the current life expectancy limit.¡± Speaking of his goal, the man with the unremarkable appearance showed a radiant face. Brian even sensed a glimmer of faith. However, he was not interested, ¡°That¡¯s a noble ideal, but it¡¯s not necessarily a good thing, like now. Formerly, classes were simply about status, wealth, but now it has become an invisible class of life...¡± ¡°You¡¯re being too shortsighted!¡± Benjamin rudely interrupted Brian. He spoke somewhat passionately: ¡°Don¡¯t worry about those dying classes and what¡¯s good or bad, no matter the outcome, time will give an answer. We need to produce it first, to make the results appear, just like before the scientific revolution when, for a long time, scientists were considered witches by ignorant humans, mathematicians were burned, and chemists were treated as heretics... But with the passage of time, now they have become the beginnings of modern technology... As long as it is done, it will be meaningful. The result is not for us to worry about!¡± Brian replied with a sneer, ¡°Like how you poison innocent people and observe their growth?¡± Benjamin was indifferent: ¡°The advancement of science requires sacrifice. It¡¯s just that those people happened to be them. HG is a research project I¡¯m working on, and knowing that she was destroyed, I¡¯m very upset. She was the only successful project I had. Brian, you were promoted after the third Blood Moon. I know you don¡¯t understand these methods, but you will get used to them. The various Enhancement Reagents you enjoy are the results of one inhumane experiment and observation after another in the eyes of ordinary people. The fact proves we are right. You¡¯re just not accustomed to the rules of this real world yet.¡± Benjamin had spoken very politely. Actually, he looked down on this kind of thinking, just as it¡¯s ridiculous for someone who is eating meat to question why the butcher has to cruelly kill the animals. It was laughable. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the young man before him was the organization¡¯s newly promoted Second-level Staff, with a Second-generation girlfriend, Benjamin actually would have preferred to bring over a hunting team, take the other to his lab, and vent his anger over his experimental subject being destroyed! Brian waved his hand: ¡°I¡¯m not here to debate with you, nor am I interested in what you¡¯re saying. Just tell me your, or your organization¡¯s, goal.¡± Seeing this, Benjamin wasn¡¯t angry. He smiled slightly: ¡°It¡¯s simple, just this once! If you encounter similar cases in the future, please have Autopsy Officer Brian directly report to NW headquarters, and don¡¯t act impulsively like this time.¡± Every experimental subject, from inception to termination, often consumed resources over several decades. Without yielding results, they were destroyed. Such costs, the company could not afford.¡± Brian furrowed his brows, ¡°Are you teaching me how to do my job?¡± Benjamin looked indifferent: ¡°Just a friendly reminder, you should know that Black Light Biotechnology is merely a fig leaf, a veil for NW. Second-level Staff, although few, do exist, and the Adams family does not revolve around what your girlfriend dictates! Autopsy Officer Brian, I must remind you, as an adult, you should think of the consequences before acting, you are not truly alone. This is a well-meaning reminder and also the bottom line of Black Light Biotechnology.¡± The next moment, Benjamin, not particularly tall, began to slowly rise. Brian gripped the other man¡¯s neck, ¡°I¡¯m generally good-natured, virtually without enemies, nor people threatening me, do you know why?¡± Benjamin did not expect that Brian would know his identity and still dare to lay hands on him. His face turned red, looking at Brian with puzzled eyes, yet made no attempt to struggle. As a fellow NW Second Level sequence staff, Brian was a combat sequence, killing him was no different from slaughtering a chicken, struggling would be meaningless. Brian loosened his grip slightly, dropping the other man to the ground, speaking softly, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to know the reason, Mr. Benjamin.¡± Having said that, he turned and left. ... Watching Brian¡¯s retreating figure, Benjamin rubbed his sore neck, his eyes flickering with thought. This Brian matched the file records quite well, decent to friends, but ruthless to enemies, unhesitating with his methods. ¡°No wonder he became a Second Level sequence staff in just over two months, besides physical talent and luck, his personality must play a significant part. Too bad it was discovered too late, otherwise, he would have been excellent experimental material...¡± During his contemplation, the bulge behind Benjamin began to squirm slightly. His expression changed subtly, he swept a glance around, and hurriedly left. Damn it. The mutated organs were becoming restless again. And with Subject No. 3 accidentally destroyed, a new suitable target had to be selected. Back in the car, Benjamin grew increasingly irritable. He had heard that the FBI had stumbled upon a Lurker with great potential, but unfortunately, during the capture process, the Lurker got away, costing them a disposable field agent. ¡°It might not have been an accident that he got away... The Doomsday Sect, haha, not much different from Black Light Biotechnology, it seems necessary to have someone approach them, see if we can acquire that Lurker¡¯s body tissue.¡± Benjamin couldn¡¯t control his drifting thoughts, two soft tentacles, which had emerged from his crooked back without notice, coiled around the steering wheel, initiating the car¡¯s ignition... ... Watching the car disappear at the end of the street, Brian¡¯s gaze returned from the motorcycle¡¯s rearview mirror. This Benjamin, definitely problematic. After meeting him, he had engaged his enhanced sense of smell, detecting a scent akin to the unique smell of the sea emanating from the other man. This smell was common among seaside fishermen. But there was a difference between the two. The fishy smell on fishermen was due to prolonged contact with seafood, leaving a distinctive odor. Benjamin... he seemed more like the seafood itself. ¡°Beastification People?¡± ¡°Or Transformed people?¡± Brian shook his head. If things continued to develop this way, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if one day, going out without three eyes and four arms, one would be considered an alien. Quite the hellish joke. ... Brian did not go straight home. He made a special trip to the pet market and bought some small hamsters. While Brian was experimenting with his newly acquired ultrasound positioning talent using the little hamsters, Shi San also sneaked out of Susan¡¯s house. That big rat smelled too delicious. Want to eat! Chapter 309 - 309 203 Shi San was it you who lured the ghost ?309: Chapter 203: Shi San, was it you who lured the ghost... Mutant Beast over here? 309: Chapter 203: Shi San, was it you who lured the ghost... Mutant Beast over here? Bathroom. Brian¡¯s mouth opened slightly, aiming at the mouth of the glass bottle in front of him. The mouse inside the bottle had been scurrying around the bottom, sensing danger and trying to escape, only to realize it was trapped with nowhere to go. The next moment. The mouse¡¯s body stiffened, its body beginning to expand strangely, bit by bit. Bang~ Blood and flesh flew in all directions. In the blink of an eye, the inside of the bottle became a blown-apart mess of gore, slightly nauseating and creepy. Brian set the glass bottle down with a tired look. Around him were a dozen similar bottles, arranged in a heap. Each bottle contained a mouse corpse, all differing in appearance; some had blood seeping from all orifices, some looked intact but were flattened, and others seemed no different from sleeping, with no external injuries. These were the results of Brian¡¯s experiments. He gained ultrasonic shock perception from the little monster, and the abilities he could develop were far too many. Low-frequency ultrasonic waves, similar to a bat¡¯s echolocation, were like a low-grade radar, with a maximum effective range of about one kilometer after Brian¡¯s tests. However, the further the distance, the less meaningful the detection, and it was impossible to distinguish between people and objects accurately, but in a sealed environment, such as within a room, combined with supercomputer perception, it was a divine skill. Brian could walk around his apartment with his eyes closed without worrying about bumping into anything¡ªalmost the same as with his eyes open, except that in his perception, he only saw the shapes of objects, not their colors or anything like that. Mid-frequency ultrasonic waves were like an indiscriminate area-of-effect attack ability, which could cause creatures to inexplicably feel annoyed or depressed, or at worst, die. Exposing a creature to mid-frequency ultrasonic waves for over thirty seconds would result in the creature mysteriously suffering from congested blood vessels and potentially fatal conditions like cerebral hemorrhage, heart attack, or thrombosis. High-frequency ultrasonic waves had a single destructive effect. The result... was just like the fate of the little mouse just before. Similar to a microwave, it would directly blow up the insides of a living being. For all three types, the farther the distance, the poorer the effect. Additionally, Brian could only barely control the direction of these sound waves, but he couldn¡¯t use the ultrasonic waves like bullets, targeting a specific person precisely. However, he could limit the attacking range with the help of tools. The most useful tool turned out to be a pen holder. This at least ensured that creatures within a few hundred meters were unaffected, as for beyond those few hundred meters, Brian estimated the effective distance to be around one kilometer. This was tested on the pigeons he had encountered during his previous meeting with Benjamin. Standing a kilometer away and using his strong lung capacity, he continuously directed ultrasonic waves at those doves fond of dropping their ¡®white bombs,¡¯ and after about two seconds, a large number of doves fell from the sky like rain. Against humans with stronger physical constitutions, the effective distance was only about two hundred meters. After Brian¡¯s experiments. The larger the creature, the closer it needed to be to inflict damage¡ªwith distance, or if the creature was very strong, the ultrasonic waves might only cause dizziness and nausea. ¡°Too bad there¡¯s no suitable human criminal or such to test the effect and power control on ordinary people, this way I could achieve maximum destructive output...¡± Brian pondered. Suddenly, his gaze fell on the gore in the bottle, and he was startled. This attitude of his, how was it any different from Benjamin¡¯s before? He seemed... to be growing more indifferent to life. Previously, as an autopsy officer¡¯s assistant, he¡¯d seen enough dead bodies to become numb, but as the number of people he had killed was increasing... Snap~ Brian gave himself a slap: ¡°What the fuck am I thinking, to believe that I am a callous, bloodthirsty bad guy, what a joke, would a bad guy possess my kind of sensitive conscience?¡± He sighed slightly at the sacrificed remains of a dozen mice. He, as a man, was good in all aspects except that his heart was too soft, too kind... ... You can never understand the logic and twists inside the mind of a man in an abnormal psychological state. Like Brian. After mumbling about being overly kind, he started searching online for where to buy a copper bell. What ultrasonic attack? This was clearly a soundless version of the Lion Roar Technique! With a copper bell for amplification and an effective range of about a kilometer or so... Brian thought about it and felt an immense sense of security. Most armed helicopters fly at altitudes with a ceiling of about six thousand meters, and most flights happen at around two thousand meters¡ªexcept when traveling, they do not fly too high, and they deliberately lower their altitude to attack... This meant Brian had very strong countermeasures against such helpless weapons and human military forces. Should anyone truly wish to harm him, without precautions, even if they could subdue Brian, the number of casualties would definitely be an exaggerated figure. Not to mention, Brian could directly control his body to change his height, appearance, physique, and facial structure, altering everything from bone to face, and could perfectly mimic even walking postures... Additionally, he had an extremely low-grade Undying Body... Brian thought about it and felt that he was becoming more and more twisted and difficult to deal with. He was very satisfied. This was how a BOSS Mutant should be. Brian was a straightforward person; he had no mad ideas like destroying the world, his only obsession was that, should his identity be exposed one day, when people said he was dangerous, he truly would be dangerous. Chapter 310 - 310 203 Shi San was it you who lured the ghost ?310: Chapter 203: Shi San, was it you who lured the ghost... Mutant Beast over here?_2 310: Chapter 203: Shi San, was it you who lured the ghost... Mutant Beast over here?_2 If there were a concept for this level of danger, Then Brian hoped that in due time, he¡¯d be known by similar titles such as ¡°Walking Human-shaped Nuclear Bomb,¡± ¡°Nation-destroying Natural Disaster,¡± ¡°Empire¡¯s Hand of Justice¡±... Just as Brian got more and more absorbed in his teenage fantasies, his dog Shi San was skillfully avoiding surveillance in public spaces, jumping agilely from building to building like a parkour runner. Shi San constantly searched the streets for vehicles. Finally, its doggy eyes lit up, and with several leaps, it traced a yellow arc in the night sky and silently landed on the back of a truck, settling down. This truck was heading in the direction of the commercial street where the poisoning incident had occurred earlier. Lying on the truck¡¯s roof, Shi San gazed at the moon overhead, its doggy eyes showing a human-like longing. It had been several days since it left the big dog, and it missed him. If the big dog were here, he surely wouldn¡¯t despise Shi San for eating rats like the mother dog did. Even cats can eat rats. Why can¡¯t it! Shi San was no longer the two-month-old baby it once was. Had it not been for the mother dog¡¯s impulsive feeding, would Shi San, a nearly three-month-old pup about to enter a rapid growth spurt, have to suffer such discomfort under others¡¯ roof? After several transfers, Shi San smoothly arrived at the commercial street from earlier. At this time, there were still customers around, but perhaps due to the influence of the poisoning case at the Japanese restaurant, it wasn¡¯t yet eight o¡¯clock, and the street, aside from some shops habitually not yet closed, seemed very empty. This wasn¡¯t Shi San¡¯s destination. It quickly weaved through alley after alley, pausing occasionally to sniff around, until it arrived at a garbage disposal company located more than two kilometers away. To say it was a company was really just a large factory compound. A huge amount of unprocessed garbage was piled high into mountains. This waste was mostly metal, wood, and even included a few discarded vehicles. Under normal circumstances, places like these were favorite haunts for stray cats, but Shi San, atop a discarded children¡¯s toy car, found a piece of cat fur. On this piece of fur, Shi San smelled the scent of that savory mouse. ¡°sliiurp~¡± Shi San swallowed and stealthily weaved through the paths between the garbage mounds. This was its first action, and it failed to notice that some small mice, startled by its scent, were touching each other and passing on information after it left... The garbage hills were truly massive, one after another. It was hard to imagine how many garbage disposal companies a city inhabited by millions required, but without them, this modern metropolis would soon become a city amid heaps of rubbish. The deeper Shi San went, the more it felt something was off. It was too quiet. Its doggy brain couldn¡¯t quite make the connection. When it accompanied Brian in the past, if it wasn¡¯t sleeping, it was bullying the weak while backed by its human, baring its teeth and positioning itself, or acting cute for some beef jerky. This was the first real hunt it was on. Shi San couldn¡¯t pinpoint what was amiss, but driven by instinct, the closer it got to the area with the stronger scent of the big rat, the slower its steps became. Finally, it halted its paws without hesitation and took off running in the opposite direction. Though it couldn¡¯t understand what was wrong, running was the right choice. Shi San planned to find the big dog for some pampering and have him accompany it back here. With the big dog so fierce, nothing else would matter! In the shadows, Watching the little dog suddenly turn tail and run, a pair of dark red eyes flickered with confusion. Had it discovered the ambush? No time to think further. Its small brain couldn¡¯t support much contemplation. The owner of these blood-red eyes saw its prey dart away and, dispensing with ambush tactics, turned into a black blur darting through the piles of trash, like a ninja adept in the art of teleportation, flickering in and out of sight under the moonlight. In two breaths or around three to four seconds, it had covered nearly a hundred meters and now stood in front of Shi San. Shi San¡¯s legs braked sharply, and it was about to leap to the side. The next moment, A sharp cracking sound burst forth. The old tire in front of Shi San emitted a violent thud. Its doggy eyes widened with fear as it saw, to its astonishment, a long, black, hairy tail on the tire. The tail, likely over two meters long with the thickest part as wide as a baby¡¯s wrist, lay atop the tire like a writhing python. Too scary for a dog! Following the tail, Shi San also got a clear view of its owner. It was actually a black-haired giant rat, almost humanoid in stance! The rat stood on its hind legs, about twice Shi San¡¯s size, almost a meter tall, and it was even wearing what looked like a taekwondo uniform, albeit one that had blackened. Shi San simply had never seen Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; otherwise, it would definitely have asked where the four little turtles were. Too similar! Feeling the strong biological signals emanating from the creature, Shi San realized through eye contact that it was no match. It felt its hunt tonight might have been a bit too rash. Big dog, save me!!! A rat is about to eat a dog! Shi San inwardly cried out in fear, but its expression remained composed, and it didn¡¯t show any aggressive posturing, imitating Brian with a bluff, its not-so-smart brain rapidly searching for ways to escape. Seeing this little prey appraise itself yet not wet itself in fear, the black-haired giant rat¡¯s small dark eyes flickered with confusion. Chapter 311 - 311 203 Shi San was it you who lured the Mutant Beast here_3 ?311: Chapter 203 Shi San, was it you who lured the Mutant Beast here?_3 311: Chapter 203 Shi San, was it you who lured the Mutant Beast here?_3 This time, the prey seemed somewhat different. It tentatively squeaked at Shi San. Shi San often communicated with Brian through pheromones, and instantly understood from the other¡¯s strong pheromones, ¡°This is my territory!¡± They could communicate!!! Shi San was overjoyed. It quickly stuck out its tongue, limbs flailing in the air, exposing its belly unhidden by police uniform after work, then emitted its own pheromones, ¡°Ally, powerful, you, boss, submission..¡± Shi San worried that this large rat wasn¡¯t as clever, for the messages contained in the pheromones were quite simple. The black-furred big rat was surprised again. It hadn¡¯t expected this strange creature to actually understand its message and even communicate! A flood of excitement surged in its small brain. Only God knows how lonely and miserable it felt after its intelligence awakened, especially when seeing those ignorant peers and those incompatibly sized female rats. The creature in front of it wasn¡¯t of its kind, but in the corners of the city, there were many like it. It had even seen those tall creatures capturing and killing this little guy¡¯s kin, similar to its own plight. This gave the black-furred big rat a certain sense of identification with Shi San. Its dark red eyes rolled, and its nimble tail appeared in front of Shi San, coiling around its body and lifting it up midair, pulling it close. Shi San felt a tight sensation around its waist and abdomen and didn¡¯t resist at all. The opponent¡¯s speed had proven that there was little hope of escaping. The big dog had taught, if you can¡¯t beat them, join them. That¡¯s what you call a tactic. Mainly, Shi San¡¯s keen sense of smell felt that the hostility from the big rat had greatly diminished. Indeed, after pulling Shi San close, the black-furred big rat stretched out its tongue, licked its forehead, leaving its scent, then set it down and squeaked twice, ¡°Food, hungry, give me..¡± Rats are inherently clever creatures. That night, its intelligence kept enhancing, as did its craving for flesh, initially from hostile kin, escalating to stray cats and dogs. In just a few months, it had grown into this exaggerated form. The black-furred big rat had thought about eating those large two-legged creatures. There were many of these two-legged creatures, mostly appearing weak and were prime meat. Especially the little two-legged ones. Soft and small, emitting a milky scent, they were like food waiting to be enjoyed. It had initially stealthily stolen a few to taste, and even once ate a large two-legged beast. The taste was terrible, nowhere near as clean and delicious as the small two-legged ones. From that time, the black-furred big rat had become addicted to this flavor. Until during a regular hunting, it almost got shot dead by a drunken man, then it realized the danger of two-legged creatures. Since then, the black-furred big rat had been hiding near this garbage dump¡¯s underground drainage channel, controlling the rat population to hunt stray cats and dogs for food. The past encounter became a shadow for the black-furred big rat. Even as it grew stronger, it rarely messed with those two-legged prey again. Until recently, it found out many of its descendants had died in those restaurants, and in revenge, it had undertaken the poisoning.. .. ¡°Food?¡± Shi San, catching the information in the black-furred big rat¡¯s pheromones, displayed a standard bootlicking grin, ¡°Boss, lots of meat, I¡¯ll lead the way..¡± Earlier, it was considering acting cowardly to escape this crisis, but it hadn¡¯t expected the other to be so easily deceived. ¡°Meat?¡± The black-furred big rat¡¯s dark red eyes deepened, its mouth uncontrollably drooling foul saliva, ¡°Safe?¡± ¡°Safe!¡± The message in Shi San¡¯s pheromones was completely affirmative! Nonsense. It¡¯s the big dog¡¯s home, how could it not be safe? Oh, that¡¯s for its own safety. As for this silly big rat.. Shi San didn¡¯t know. Its saliva also couldn¡¯t help but secrete, already pondering how to devour the other. Seeing Shi San drooling too, and its pheromones emitting delicious signals, it couldn¡¯t restrain itself, its tail giving Shi San a few rolls on the garbage, ¡°Lead the way, meat, eat meat!¡± Thus under the cover of night. A dog and a rat moved through the shadows. Midway, the big rat even complained about Shi San¡¯s short legs being too slow, directly coiling its tail around him, letting him point the way, while it hurried along. This newbie subordinate, Shi San, also very thoughtfully taught the black-furred big rat how to avoid surveillance. This pleased the black-furred big rat greatly. It thought its decision to take this subordinate was quite excellent. The other party seemed to understand the world after the ¡°Awakening¡± better than oneself, making it quite unfamiliar. Perhaps with their help, one would be able to safely devour the young of the Two-legged Beasts... ... It was past nine in the evening. Brian was getting ready to wash up and go to bed. Suddenly. Thump thump thump~ There was a knocking at the apartment door. ¡°Who would come to see me at this hour?¡± Brian curiously looked toward the door monitor. When he saw what was outside, he was stunned. He saw Shi San, very subserviently standing in front of a mutant rat almost a meter tall, squatting on two legs, continuously knocking on his own door with a wooden stick in his mouth. The rhythm of the knocking was like Morse Code, translating roughly to: ¡°I¡¯ve brought you some prey back...¡± Looking at Shi San acting all cowardly in the monitor, Brian stroked his chin, ¡°Could it be Shi San, this little scoundrel, couldn¡¯t resist his cravings, sneaked out, and upon realizing he couldn¡¯t beat this rat, brought it here?¡± Damn! This stupid dog, actually playing the role of a guide! If this were his former life, I bet he¡¯d have a center-parted hairstyle on his doggy head. Speaking of coincidences, Just earlier, Brian was lamenting how weak these experimental guinea pigs were, easy targets, and in the blink of an eye, Shi San had brought such a huge black-furred rat. This dog wasn¡¯t raised in vain! ... Squeak~ Accompanied by the creaking noise from the old apartment door, Brian opened the door. A man, a dog, a giant rat, three pairs of eyes met. Ignoring the giant rat¡¯s doubtful and cold dark red eyes, Brian looked down at Shi San, ¡°Shi San, was it you who brought this Mutant Beast here?¡± Shi San blinked his big eyes somewhat innocently, ¡°Woof~ Woof Woof~ (It¡¯s so powerful¡ªhelp, big dog~)¡± He said it very naturally, without a hint of embarrassment. After all, relying on others is a Talent Skill. He couldn¡¯t suppress his own nature. At the big dog¡¯s place, any little nervousness Shi San had felt before was long gone. This place was full of the big dog¡¯s scent, full of safety! ... ¡°Squeak~¡± The black-furred rat became somewhat impatient. It hadn¡¯t expected that its newly recruited little brother would bring it to a place of Two-legged Beasts. If the food mentioned was this tall Two-legged Beast right in front of it, it would surely discipline this little brother, eat its tail and let it understand the consequences of spreading false messages! Brian could feel the biological field radiating from the giant black rat in front of him, but couldn¡¯t communicate through pheromones as easily as Shi San. He gave Shi San a nudge, ¡°Dog translator, what is this rat saying?¡± Shi San, ¡°Woof~ Woof Woof~ (I tricked it saying there¡¯s tasty meat here, it¡¯s asking where the meat is)¡± Hearing this, Brian was startled. This big rat didn¡¯t look anything decent, so gullible in front of Shi San? That¡¯s not right! Since when did Shi San learn to deceive? Brian had that uncomfortable feeling of his child being led astray! Damn! It must be Susan, that girlfriend, who corrupted Shi San! Annoyed, Brian muttered to himself and told Shi San, ¡°Tell this silly rat the meat is in a house outside, I am your little brother, now I¡¯ll take you to eat.¡± After all, this place was his home, housed many people, and wasn¡¯t suitable for a fight. He had a proper safety house. Under Brian¡¯s teaching, the naive urban giant rat foolishly followed this man and dog into the car, disappearing into the night. Of course, in its small brain capacity, this was a little brother taking it to meet another little brother¡¯s little brother, preparing to treat it to a feast. This kind of identity recognition is quite necessary in the animal world. It didn¡¯t like Two-legged Beasts, but seeing it was the face of a newly recruited little brother, it still left its scent on this tall Two-legged Beast. Just didn¡¯t understand why, as it drew back its tongue, it felt tingly and numb. Feeling a bit sleepy... Chapter 312 - 312 204 Unscrupulous Master and Servant ?312: Chapter 204: Unscrupulous Master and Servant 312: Chapter 204: Unscrupulous Master and Servant Brian¡¯s great-uncle had left him seven or eight safe houses in the central and suburban areas of Los Angeles. These safe houses weren¡¯t just left there¡ªthey demanded attention. From tax payments to neighbor relations, they all required maintenance; otherwise, under big data scrutiny, these safe houses would be anything but safe and filled with suspicious points. In fact, aside from one special safe house, Brian was planning to gradually abandon the rest. He didn¡¯t have the energy to maintain so many safe houses, nor was it necessary. In reality, Brian only used these safe houses as temporary storage for dangerous items. He believed that any place could become his safe house if he so desired. This time, Brian was taking the black fur big rat to a safe house in the suburbs. It was a small house located in a town around Los Angeles¡¯s central area. Official records showed that the original owner of the house was a seventy-three-year-old white man who was currently renting a young woman in Thailand as a caretaker and temporary companion to live out his final years. Every year, a designated company would provide various details about the homeowner, making him appear as a typical retired elderly man in ¡°records¡±. Meanwhile, the town house was listed with a real estate agency, available for rent at any time. However, it was not entirely entrusted to the agency; while they could rent it out, the homeowner could also find tenants through his own channels. This type of housing generally just padded the inventory of real estate agencies. It¡¯d be best if it could be rented out; if not, it would sit in the resource pool, serving as data for clients to browse through¡ªcosmetically pleasing, but the agents wouldn¡¯t pay much attention to it compared to exclusively marketed rentals or sales properties. This also meant that if unfamiliar faces appeared, the surrounding neighbors wouldn¡¯t find it strange because their ¡°subconscious¡± told them that if people were inside the house, it was rented out; if not, it was simply unoccupied temporarily. Even the agents wouldn¡¯t find it strange. They couldn¡¯t be sure if the house had been rented out by the homeowner himself. The greatest hidden secrets were those in plain sight¡ªthat was one of the safe house principles. After acquiring his talent of Body Control, Brian had visited this particular safe house during his free time. He remembered clearly; beneath the antiquated house, there was not only a secret chamber but also many props and an escape tunnel of about a hundred meters. The chamber was sufficiently soundproof. The tools were conveniently adequate. It was a fine place; the black fur big rat should like it. Brian was driving, glancing at the rearview mirror. The black fur big rat seemed to be slightly carsick, its dark red eyes half-closed, showing two sharp large incisors, and coiled up with its tail around itself. Shi San was overly obsequious, thoughtfully covering its rat boss with a blanket, but his dog eyes whirred, seemingly pondering something. ¡°Stop looking, it licked a mouthful of anesthetic from me¡ªwhen this stuff hits, you don¡¯t know it¡¯s hit, and even if you¡¯re physically robust, you¡¯ll just think you¡¯re sleepy.¡± Brian spoke casually. These days, you shouldn¡¯t be a boss. It¡¯s a high-risk position. Hearing this, Shi San relaxed. Brian had specifically taught it some basics about sedatives, explosives, anesthetics, and the like to prevent accidental encounters or intoxication; he had even tested them on it. Therefore, Shi San knew their effects. It crawled from the back to the front and barked at Brian: ¡°Woof woof~ (Big dog, you¡¯re really impressive~)¡± Brian gave a cold smile: ¡°I can¡¯t compare to Lord Shi San, if I couldn¡¯t handle this big rat, wouldn¡¯t that just be adding to its meal?¡± He hadn¡¯t expected Shi San to be so bold, daring to act alone. It seemed that more hardship training was necessary for Shi San in the future. In his eyes, there was no such thing as rebellion. Shi San shrank his head, ¡°Woof woof woof~ (The big dog is the strongest, it can¡¯t lose!)¡± Brian was his sky. How could the sky possibly fall... ... Half an hour later. Brian parked the car and, together with the Black Fur Big Rat and Shi San, whose spirits were not very good, entered the basement of the safe house. The safe house was just an ordinary, old standalone wooden cabin on the surface. The houses in the town were basically all like this, nothing remarkable. The essence of this place was in the basement located under the living room carpet. The basement was not large, it was only around eight square meters and was divided into three areas by wooden partitions: one for storing food and water, one for storing weapons, and the final space contained a metal interrogation table and lots of torture tools. This place was not equipped for long-term survival; it was clearly an emergency safe house intended for countermeasures and interrogations. Though the Black Fur Big Rat was not very intelligent, it did not lack the caution typical of its species. It sniffed the surroundings and blocked the stairway to the basement, its dark red eyes gradually becoming more menacing as it chirped anxiously at Shi San! To avoid trouble, Brian had minimized the dose of anesthetics forced out of his body, which did not have a significant impact on it, only increasing the rat¡¯s slight drowsiness. In a little over half an hour, the effect of the small dose of anesthetic had already been absorbed and metabolized by the Black Fur Big Rat¡¯s body. Shi San, a little actor influenced by both sight and sound, faced the threat from the Big Rat boss and bared his teeth at Brian, ¡°Woof! (Big dog, it¡¯s asking why there¡¯s no smell of meat.)¡± The Black Fur Big Rat, unable to use pheromones to communicate, couldn¡¯t understand dog language. Its eyes, following Shi San¡¯s movements, looked toward Brian. Brian immediately gestured toward the electric chair, inviting the Black Fur Big Rat with an extended hand, ¡°Tell it, if it sits, it¡¯ll get it.¡± As they spoke. A few drops of blood fell from Brian¡¯s fingertips onto the electric chair ahead. The next moment. Both Shi San and the Black Fur Big Rat¡¯s noses twitched noticeably, eventually fixing their gaze on the chair in front of Brian. ¡°Wow (It smells great!)¡± ¡°Squeak (It smells great!)¡± Both an old rat and a dog were attracted by the active special scent in Brian¡¯s blood. .. The special aromatic in the blood deceived the short-sighted Black Fur Big Rat once again. Under Shi San¡¯s translation and Brian¡¯s personal service. It willingly sat on the small table as described by the little brother, urging Brian, the little brother, to serve the meat. It couldn¡¯t wait to enjoy the food its DNA craved! Brian slowly placed the iron ring, usually worn on a human¡¯s head, thoughtfully around the Black Fur Big Rat¡¯s neck, ¡°This is the Two-legged Beast¡¯s dining utensil, it will enhance the pleasure of eating later.¡± Shi San translated simultaneously. The Black Fur Big Rat, with its mind filled with thoughts of high-quality food and influenced by the residual sedatives that affected its minimal intelligence, was coaxed by this unscrupulous dog and man into sitting willingly on the electric chair and even wearing the torture tools. In its anticipating gaze. After Brian adjusted the voltage, he turned on the switch. Chapter 316 - 316 206 Three Obsessions Super Adaptation Talent! ?316: Chapter 206: Three Obsessions, Super Adaptation Talent! (Extra 1 for Alliance Leader Chang Ji Xi Ting at Dusk) 316: Chapter 206: Three Obsessions, Super Adaptation Talent! (Extra 1 for Alliance Leader Chang Ji Xi Ting at Dusk) Brian estimated that he would remember this unknown giant rat for a long time. Because this was the first time he had encountered a creature that burst out three obsessions, and the subject was a mutated rat. With a bit of trepidation, Brian reached out and crushed the three Obsession Little Balls. Three dark red lights shot into his eyes. The next moment, three messages appeared in Brian¡¯s mind: Black Fur Big Rat Obsession One: I really want to taste a bite of the blood master¡¯s fragrant flesh; it¡¯s so fragrant! Gift One: 30 points of Gift Energy. Gift Two: 1 point of Gift Energy + Micro Super Adaptation Talent. Black Fur Big Rat Obsession Two: Eat that stinking dog! Gift One: 30 points of Gift Energy. Gift Two: 1 point of Gift Energy + Micro Super Adaptation Talent. Black Fur Big Rat Obsession Three: Eat this cruel Two-legged Beast! Gift One: 40 points of Gift Energy. Gift Two: 11 points of Gift Energy + Micro Super Adaptation Talent. Behind these pieces of information, previous images of the blood on the electric chair, Shi San, and Brian appeared in succession, signaling the three obsessions corresponding to their completion subjects. After reviewing this content, Brian was both shocked and pleased. Pleased that a talent had actually burst forth, shocked that this crappy talent seemed to have split into three. Can you even play it like this? .. ¡°Obsession One is easy to complete, but the remaining two obsessions are impossible to deal with...¡± Brian was somewhat unwilling. But considering that this was ultimately something for nothing, he couldn¡¯t just let the corrosive reaction in the utility room disappear, so he viciously bit down on his own fingernails. There was no other way; all the tools in the utility room had been snarfed down by him. And since the Small Tachi on his belt wasn¡¯t sterilized, which was nauseating, he had to use his mouth. After biting his fingernails, the Obsession showed no response. Left with no other choice, Brian reluctantly targeted his forearm once more, and gingerly took a small bite, enduring the pain as he swallowed a tiny piece of flesh. The next moment. A warm current surged, and Black Fur Big Rat Obsession One was completed. Brian licked off the blood remaining at the corner of his mouth, healed his injuries first, and then, containing his excitement, claimed the reward from Gift Two. Waiting for a moment, apart from feeling an extra unit of Gift Energy and a slight warmth in his body, he didn¡¯t notice any other changes in himself. Brian was a bit stunned. He took another look at the Status Panel he had created using his Supercomputer Perception Talent. On it, indeed, was an extra status: Cellular Adaptivity Activation. ¡°Could this be the Super Adaptation Talent?¡± Brian wondered in his heart. Not even a manual included! His talent desperately needed further upgrades. As his thoughts changed, ¡®Cellular Adaptivity Activation¡¯ on his self-made Status Panel also transformed into ¡®Super Adaptation,¡¯ and was categorized under the talent section. This was why Brian rarely looked at the panel. This thing was formed by his own understanding + Supercomputer Perception Talent ¨C too rigid. Its only use, probably, was to discover some changes he hadn¡¯t noticed himself but were recorded by the Supercomputer Perception. ¡°Adaptation... This talent probably requires environmental changes or external stimuli to react.¡± Brian pondered for a moment and understood the reason. ... He planned to abandon this safe house. After cleaning up the scene, he took Shi San, who was yawning at the door, and returned to the city center. Upon arriving back at the apartment, Brian smiled and stroked Shi San¡¯s head, ¡°Shi San, I remember Susan wakes up very early and exercises her body flexibility every day. She¡¯s probably already discovered that you¡¯re gone. Have you thought about how you¡¯re going to explain it to her?¡± Shi San¡¯s head drooped, the whole dog appearing somewhat despondent. Busy all night and nearly eaten, not even a single rat hair to show for it. And now going back to be bullied by the fierce mother dog. Life as a dog is so tiring. In the end, Brian made up for Shi San as a way of thanking him for bringing such a big gift package. He made a loving breakfast and wrote a note, suggesting Shi San simply couldn¡¯t resist returning to his comfortable big bed and hoped that after Susan went to work, they could discuss the matter amicably, like putting their two beds together so there were no more worries about the dog running between them... Hanging the bag around Shi San¡¯s neck, Brian watched him leave. After Shi San¡¯s figure was out of sight, Brian closed the apartment door firmly, and started experimenting with the Super Adaptation Talent he obtained ¨C well, the Micro Super Adaptation Talent. This wasn¡¯t difficult to test. The simplest way was to lie in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator. Of course, a refrigerator that can fit a person is usually called a chest freezer. This, Brian had indeed encountered while at the Forensic Bureau, but not in a homicide case. Rather it was a case of a giant baby who had frozen his deceased parents in a chest freezer to commit pension fraud. Actually, similar cases were not rare. Previously, there was a particularly vile case involving a retirement home that squeezed those elderly to death and buried them in the mountain behind and in the yard. Some state laws had put in plenty of measures to prevent such things from happening, but there were always those who found loopholes. Brian¡¯s house didn¡¯t have such a large chest freezer, so he chose the bathtub. .. More than twenty minutes later. The bathtub was half-filled with water. Brian couldn¡¯t help but grab a timer and directly lay down in it, submerging his entire body underwater. Without taking a deep breath in advance, it still took nearly six or seven minutes for him to feel a slight sense of suffocation, as his chest instinctively craved fresher air. As time trickled away, second by second. At thirteen minutes, Brian already had an urge to burst out of the water. Why suicide, some jump off buildings, some jump into rivers, some hang themselves, but why does no one choose to stop breathing and consciously suffocate themselves to death? Because it is nearly impossible to do so. Breathing, the instinct to survive, is an innate response of the body. Ordinary people simply can¡¯t resist the body¡¯s instinct to survive. But Brian was different. Desperation gripped his mind as he entered a state of hypoxia, yet he forcibly controlled his body to stop struggling and moving, while using his Supercomputer Perception and Body Control Talent to feel the minute changes in his body. Time continued to pass. Around eighteen minutes, Brian¡¯s consciousness began to blur. Thinking, after all, consumes a lot of oxygen. Even though his body instinctively reduced oxygen consumption, entering a state similar to hibernation, it couldn¡¯t overcome Brian¡¯s highly strained spirit and thought processes. Almost twenty minutes passed, and his body reached its limit! Until this critical point. Brian could feel every cell in his body growing more silent, entering a sleep-like state, praying they could help the body, their host, hold on a bit longer, but there were no other changes. In a dizzy stupor, he nearly could not resist his survival instinct to break the water¡¯s surface. Just at that moment, Brian was amazed to find changes happening inside his body! His skin cells, astonishingly, began to shift from their hibernation-like state back to being active, and some miraculous changes occurred among the cell tissues. This process was extremely fast. In just over a minute, Brian actually felt the dizziness caused by the lack of oxygen alleviate significantly. Countless tiny oxygen molecules were actually being absorbed from the water through his skin, nourishing his extremely oxygen-deprived, dormant body! ¡°Is this skin breathing?¡± Brian thought joyfully. So this Super Adaptation Talent is only activated when one is close to death. No, that¡¯s not right! The previous black furry beast just got roughed up by me and then it adapted. Brian understood. This must be the result of an incomplete talent. Along with the changes in the surface cells of the skin, some stored energy inside Brian¡¯s body was also rapidly consumed. This method of breathing was quite peculiar. The oxygen absorbed was integrated directly into various parts of Brian¡¯s body, with no need for blood circulation or blood oxygen transport via the heart. That is to say, without his heart, he might now be able to survive for a while. It¡¯s just that this transformation was incomplete. How to describe it? Until the adaptation finished, Brian found that the oxygen absorbed by the skin was only enough to keep him in a hibernation-like state of survival, without truly suffocating, but he could forget about any rigorous activity underwater. The stronger the body, the more oxygen it consumes. It wasn¡¯t noticeable normally, but in an underwater environment like this, the tiny amount of absorbed oxygen was probably only enough for him to paddle a bit. Floating on the water¡¯s surface going with the flow, or burying himself in the soil for seven days and nights would be simple. Playing dead was also easy. It¡¯s just that this fell short of Brian¡¯s expectation. If this was the extent of it, wouldn¡¯t that mean his Super Adaptation Talent could only be used for life-saving in critical moments? Although this was still very powerful, Brian¡¯s initial expectations were too high, and now he felt somewhat disappointed. He began to try some activities underwater while controlling the cells inside his body to become active together, increasing the consumption of oxygen. Once he started this, the previously vanished suffocation slowly crept back. ... More than an hour later, Brian climbed out of the bathtub feeling somewhat disheartened. After numerous experiments. He realized that his acquired ¡®Super Adaptation¡¯ talent was indeed powerful, a process that would normally require countless years of environmental stimuli was compressed into a short period of freakish evolution. Brian¡¯s acquired ¡®Micro Adaptation¡¯ talent, though not as potent as the complete version, would actively change his bodily traits to ensure survival at the lowest required level in the current environment, as long as his body had sufficient energy reserves and external conditions allowed it. Note that there is only a process of change. But whether one would survive in the end is not guaranteed. This talent was like a passive adaptation skill to the environment, such as heat resistance, cold resistance, etc., accelerating the organism¡¯s adaptation to external stimuli. The black furry beast¡¯s full talent was probably formidable, effectively a constantly growing BUFF. As for Brian¡¯s weakened version, it was still of substantial help, reducing the chances of sudden death and increasing his survival ability. Moreover, the beast could only activate its talent passively. Some changes might not have a positive effect on the body, only guaranteeing positive impact in that environment at the time; once removed from that environment, it could become detrimental. Many human genetic diseases originated this way. Long ago, such genetic anomalies might not have been diseases but adaptations for survival, which then became burdens or even nightmares when inherited in the present-day. Brian didn¡¯t face such issues. If he felt uncomfortable, he could always control other body cells to ¡®kill¡¯ the adapted parts and restore his body¡¯s ¡®purity.¡¯ ¡°If the full talent of Super Adaptation were mine, it would¡¯ve been amazing, truly like a Golden Finger from the novels of my past life, but now it¡¯s mine,¡± Brian smirked. His Blood Moon Gift Talent was even more powerful. ... After shedding the dead skin produced by killing off a large number of surface cells and using acid to dissolve away the traces. Brian adjusted his tie in the mirror, revealing a standard sunny smile. It was now just past eight in the morning. Time for him to go to work. Chapter 318 - 318 207 Pure Evil Added 2 more for Chief Sunset Alliance Leader Chang Ji Xi Ting ?318: Chapter 207: Pure Evil (Added 2 more for Chief Sunset Alliance Leader Chang Ji Xi Ting) 318: Chapter 207: Pure Evil (Added 2 more for Chief Sunset Alliance Leader Chang Ji Xi Ting) Since he couldn¡¯t stop these people from watching, as someone who had been there, he took the initiative to spend money to produce some high-quality films, to elevate their taste, essentially doing a good deed. Brian was not a person who sought empty fame. He didn¡¯t care for fame or fortune, so he would not do this under his current identity, nor would he ask for help from industry insiders he had previously known. ... After noting some available filmmaking teams¡¯ contact information on the website, Brian continued to search for new series and then browsed some various other sites to obscure his search history. Thanks to his talent for extraordinary memory. He could scan over a lot of information and automatically record it in his brain, without the need for pen and paper, which was very convenient. At noon. Brian used a disposable new phone and altered his voice to contact seven or eight available filmmaking teams. There were many filming companies in San Fernando Valley, with a very chaotic personnel turnover. Some companies lacked technical skills, or were just unlucky with poor business. Additionally, many people with a little money liked to spend some to make films under the guise of artistic pursuit, recording their own DVDs as keepsakes, so there were plenty of such filming teams available. When there was work, they would be the go-to team for companies. When there was no work, they would freelance, rent venues on the side, introduce suitable actors, and expand their business. As long as you had money, anything could be arranged meticulously. No matter how outrageous the plot, they could film it. After a brief chat. Brian finally chose a team called Old Turkey, and through them, he also got the contact information for a reliable director. As for the screenwriter... As a man who had watched countless films online and served thousands offline, he had plenty of material for scripts and he also had targets for the right female actors. After arranging to meet everyone on the weekend, Brian then returned to the office. This obsession was a mediocre Gift. But even a mosquito¡¯s leg was meat. Completing it wasn¡¯t too troublesome, and Brian wasn¡¯t picky. ... Nothing happened today. In the evening, Ivan and the others brought a few kids back to the detention area in Building B6. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Looking at these young teens and girls with youthful complexions, Brian asked curiously. Ivan had a complicated expression: ¡°The case should be cracked. We found people at the arcade who knew the victim. They also knew that before the victim disappeared, she had left with these kids, and then she never appeared again. So, we found these people. They were scared and confessed everything right away. How to put it. The cause of it all is quite ridiculous.¡± ¡°Ridiculous?¡± Brian gestured for Ivan to pause, whistled towards Shi San. Shi San, who had been gnawing on a bone, hurriedly bit open Brian¡¯s drawer, took out a bag of beef jerky, and scurried over to Brian. ¡°Good dog!¡± Brian patted Shi San on the head and then stuffed a piece of beef jerky into his mouth, ¡°Ivan, buddy, you can continue now.¡± Without some snacks in hand, it just didn¡¯t feel right to enjoy the story. Ivan rolled his eyes: ¡°The cause is simple, it involves the ¡®Dad Zero¡¯ issue at school. The victim¡¯s family background wasn¡¯t great. The victim¡¯s mother had abandoned him and his father in her early years, running off with another man. The victim¡¯s father, after that, often drank to drown his sorrows and would beat him when drunk, leading the victim to become addicted to online gaming and to develop a rather timid personality. The victim usually relied on various part-time jobs to earn Game Coins; aside from being timid, he generally didn¡¯t pick up any bad habits. Before the victim was murdered, he did not know any of the killers. They met in a gaming arcade. Brian, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve ever played any PK-style fighting games, but it all started because the victim was very skilled at gaming; he trounced one of the killers, who couldn¡¯t take it and called his friends over. In the end, they all got trounced and felt they lost face, so they tricked the victim into leaving the arcade and then...ah.¡± Ivan sighed. It was over such a trivial conflict that they tortured and killed one of their own. He couldn¡¯t understand what had become of the world. The victim¡¯s experiences were somewhat similar to Ivan¡¯s, so understanding the situation, he felt wounded by the shared plight, and his mood became somewhat somber. Seeing this, Brian swallowed the beef jerky in his mouth and offered comfort, ¡°Children with unformed values act without considering the consequences. The evil in their hearts is also the most pure form of emotional wickedness. When I was at the Forensic Bureau, I heard about a case. The killer was a four-year-old child who murdered his own mother. At first, when I heard it from the old forensic doctor, I thought he was joking, but it turned out to be true. It was all because he got a cavity, and his mother hid all the sweets, so this angelic child, mimicking a scene from a movie, took out his father¡¯s hidden gun case and shot his mother dead...¡± Upon hearing this, Ivan remained silent for a moment before asking, ¡°What happened to the child in the end?¡± ¡°He died.¡± Brian¡¯s tone was light, ¡°That case was a special one; in the end, the responsibility fell to the father. The child was adopted. However, the adoptive family eventually found out about the incident and sent him back. After all, aside from the Holy Mothers, no one likes a matricidal child, and even if their cognition is not fully formed, still nobody would like them. Finally, the child was adopted by a couple of poor quality. They only did it to receive more government subsidies, so they didn¡¯t care what the child had done. The result was that they went out to party one time, forgot the child was still at home, and ran out of food; they spent the last of their money on themselves. And the child ended up starving to death.¡± ¡°It sounds cruel, but it makes me feel a lot better.¡± Ivan¡¯s face took on a bit more color. Brian nodded, ¡°Yes, the ending is not bad, including those people you brought back. They are old enough to be held legally accountable, and they have no exemptions due to age; I quite like that.¡± As he spoke, he added, ¡°The victim was buried in a sand pile at the construction site; all his clothes and belongings were gone. This isn¡¯t something a bunch of kids would think of. I suggest you dig deeper and not let any bad person off the hook.¡± Ivan smirked and raised an eyebrow at Brian, ¡°We thought of that. Otherwise, according to regulations, their guardians should be present. Right now, they have been arranged by the people at the district bureau.¡± Brian waved his hand in disgust, ¡°You go be busy, Ivan.¡± This guy, with his hormone-ridden appearance, liked to stir up trouble, making Brian somewhat uncomfortable with Ivan¡¯s brow-raising actions. ... Night. Brian sat under a desk lamp, writing a vampire-themed screenplay set in England. Translating the plot in his head into a screenplay. It was a novel experience. Brian was even looking forward to seeing the finished film. He decided to spend this weekend¡¯s rest day to finish this task. Chapter 319 - 319 208 Starting a Briefcase Company Prison Case ?319: Chapter 208: Starting a Briefcase Company, Prison Case 319: Chapter 208: Starting a Briefcase Company, Prison Case In the following days, Brian was busy with film shooting arrangements. He not only set up an anonymous account for the shooting funds but also invited the leading actress. The actress was a socialite. The concept of socialites actually dated back to the Middle Ages. There were many social gatherings in the West, and in the East, there were teahouses with performances. Often, the essence of both was quite similar. To blend into such situations, snag a wealthy suitor, or gather resources had strict requirements. First was appearance and temperament, second was conversation and manners, third was taste and accent... Yes, accent was also key, especially for upper-class gatherings which had their standards. The last one was identity, which was the least important. After all, once outside, identity was self-proclaimed. These were some of the unwritten rules in the United States. If it were England... let¡¯s just say, from the moment you spoke and they heard your accent, they could tell whether you belonged in their circles or not. Then there were matters of attire, family background, appropriate clothing, and accessories for different times and occasions... Over there, it felt like how Brian imagined the nobles in the past, preoccupied with various strict norms, an outsider truly couldn¡¯t integrate, forming an invisible class circle. Thus, being a ¡®socialite¡¯ there was mostly women with genuine status. This included politics and other aspects which seemed classless but had clear thresholds set, unreachable for ordinary people, even if wealthy. In the United States, things were slightly different, not so intensely particular. Brian¡¯s client had previously been part of the English circle; her family¡¯s business failed later, and her mother took her to live in the United States. Her appearance and temperament were impressive, and she was quite knowledgeable about the inner workings of social circles. Unfortunately, she had to lower herself for some money, making her one of the rare high-end clients Brian had. She had the aura and knew the ins and outs ¨C once involved in the shooting, she would certainly bring appeal to it. This was likely to greatly increase the chances of fulfilling Brian¡¯s obsession. To invite her to participate in the film, Brian offered one million US dollars in remuneration and promised to technologically enhance her image, which prompted her to agree to meet. She would decide whether to take the job after seeing the male lead. ¡°Ah, a million US dollars, previously I¡¯d have to shake down my bed to make that much, plus the odd bits on extras and other participants, location rent, production team expenses... Oh yes, that old man¡¯s monthly expenses aren¡¯t small either; that old boy gets quite reckless with money...¡± Brian recounted and was startled to realize. He seemed to be running out of money again. ... Tomorrow was a day off. At noon, Brian returned to the office with Shi San after lunch and sat idly in his chair. Susan walked in from outside, heading straight to where Brian sat. Frowning, she said, ¡°Brian, what¡¯s wrong? You seem a bit distracted these last couple days?¡± The previous poisoning case at the sushi restaurant, suspected to involve a Mutant Beast, was reported by Susan to NW headquarters, and she was no longer in charge of the case. She was idle once more. Brian sighed, ¡°I¡¯m running low on money. I¡¯ve been needing some money recently, but I haven¡¯t encountered any cases involving Mutants lately, which makes it hard to make money.¡± Upon hearing this, Susan looked puzzled. Other than Brian¡¯s beloved motorcycle, she hadn¡¯t seen him have any major expenses. Combined with previous bonuses, sales of medals, and so on, Brian should still have had plenty of money. After thinking for a while, Susan pulled out a small wallet from her jeans and placed a bank card in front of Brian. ¡°This is the annual dividend from my family¡¯s business. After over a decade, there should be a few tens of millions of US dollars in it. You can use it first. The password is my birthday.¡± Looking at the ordinary-looking bank card, Brian inhaled sharply. Although he had long known that Susan was wealthy, he never expected her to be this wealthy. She was speaking in terms of tens of millions. This made it hard for Brian to even feel firm in his resolve. It was like she was forcedly feeding him. Ultimately, Brian refused Susan¡¯s financial care. It wasn¡¯t because he was too shy or embarrassed, but purely because he didn¡¯t want Susan¡¯s banking email to receive notification of expenses for the film shoot. He had the money for hiring people and shooting the film. What Brian contemplated was whether there was a stable and legitimate way to make money. Regrettably, in business, he was clueless in both his past and present lives, understanding nothing. Although some ideas from his past life seemed copy-pastable, executing them wasn¡¯t so straightforward, and he faced issues of incompatibility. Ideally, the best money-making opportunity was through internet and hardware development in the 21st century. However, this world was a parallel universe compared to his past life, along with influences from the Blood Moon causing deviations in development post-World War II. After over sixty years, many things had changed. The insights from Brian¡¯s past life were outdated in this world. ¡°After thinking for several days, it feels like the fastest and most convenient way to make money is through violent crimes like robbery, damn it, no matter how I think about it, I seem like a born criminal...¡± Brian was quite troubled. That was until he met Tom. With no recent cases, Brian mostly loafed around, and as Brian¡¯s forensic assistant, Tom had been joyously getting paid to play games these past days. Chapter 320 - 320 208 Starting a Briefcase Company Prison Case_2 ?320: Chapter 208: Starting a Briefcase Company, Prison Case_2 320: Chapter 208: Starting a Briefcase Company, Prison Case_2 Public food is still the best. He came up from the underground floor, originally to get Old Hardenn to sell him a perspective hack at a cheaper price, so he could give the players who had tormented him a technological shock. Seeing Brian¡¯s distracted look, he smiled and sidled over, ¡°Brian, buddy, what are you thinking?¡± Lazily holding a cigarette, Brian put his feet up on the desk, ¡°Thinking about how to make money, Tom, what do you think people like us can do to legally make a lot of money?¡± Tom thought for a bit and casually said, ¡°If it were before, definitely some part-time work, like a Funeral Director or something, as long as you collaborate with some funeral companies, you could get some orders. But if it¡¯s you, you might consider doing some detective work, I heard the investigative rewards for some divorce cases are pretty generous. If you think it¡¯s too bothersome, you could also work at a club after work, your face alone could make you rich. If all else fails, didn¡¯t you get involved with the team leader? I heard her family is quite wealthy...¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Brian gave Tom the middle finger, ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡± Tom helplessly spread his hands, ¡°I¡¯m serious too, to make money, you either rely on your body or on skills and talent. I¡¯ve also thought about why I didn¡¯t study harder back then, then anything like a bit of science and technology would make money just by owning the patents. Even game design would work, a blockbuster game could easily sell for millions of US dollars...¡± Listening to his fragmented thoughts, a light bulb went off in Brian¡¯s mind. Right. Games, and various software. But not any AAA titles, or turn-based games that netizens wait for, but those addictive online mini-games, like popping sheep and jumping boxes. These don¡¯t require high technical skills. It¡¯s about creativity and novelty. Actually, something like Happy Farm isn¡¯t bad either, mix in some features like campus beauty contests and such, farming + social interaction. It might even develop into a major social IP, package it and sell it, and achieve financial freedom straight away. But that requires funds and connections, too cumbersome, can be handled by someone specialized in the future, not now. Thinking this, Brian quickly pulled Old Hardenn aside and began whispering. Moments later. Old Hardenn looked at Brian strangely and nodded. ... Old Hardenn knew a lot of people. That very afternoon, a lawyer proactively visited to collect Brian¡¯s personal data, preparing to help him register an online shell company. The name would be Shi San, Shi San Online Games. Mainly because Brian didn¡¯t want it to be too on the nose when players cursed the company as being run by dogs. The lawyer was quite diligent, reminding Brian that the number thirteen, in many places in the West, is considered unlucky, similar to the number four in Brian¡¯s previous life, and it might not give a good first impression. Brian didn¡¯t care. Ever since meeting Susan, he had nothing to do with poverty. He was just casually giving it a try. This lousy company completely went by a shell agency model, its address being the B6 group¡¯s office building, game development was outsourced to Old Hardenn¡¯s side. Brian initially wanted Old Hardenn to join as a technical partner, but the guy wasn¡¯t very optimistic about Brian¡¯s games and only wanted to earn a fee. .. After signing all the agreements. After getting busy with these. The time came to a little past four in the afternoon. Brian was cheerfully preparing to leave early with Susan. He had arranged to have dinner with Susan tonight. The lethargic detection dog Shi San also followed lively behind, ready to leave early with Brian to become a salary thief. Old Hardenn, this geezer, however, inconveniently appeared in front of them, ¡°Brian, there¡¯s a new case.¡± Brian: .. Susan gave a slight smile, ¡°Looks like our date is off again tonight.¡± Brian said speechlessly, ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s the case?¡± Old Hardenn looked innocent as he handed over a piece of paper, ¡°It¡¯s a prison case. A prisoner was stabbed to death in his sleep, but the prison guards can¡¯t find the weapon and can¡¯t figure out why he died in his own room, so they reported the case.¡± Upon hearing this, Brian was surprised, ¡°A prison case, why would it appear in our system?¡± These kinds of prison death cases have their own independent department handling them. The two systems are entirely separate. ¡°The identity of the deceased is a bit troublesome. He was a high-ranking member of the Aryan Brotherhood. The Brotherhood is quite infuriated by his death. They pressured the prison and expressed distrust; that¡¯s why this case ended up with us, and specifically with our B6 team, mainly because of you, Brian. The Aryan Brotherhood is vast, especially influential in prisons. The prison side wants someone capable to handle this case. Currently, in the operations department, your profile is the most impressive. Therefore, the issuing side designated you to conduct the investigation. As a return, the prison will pay you an additional technical consulting fee.¡± Brian was planning to have Old Hardenn decline the case, given it was a prison matter, until he heard the name Aryan Brotherhood. This is one of the largest gangs in the United States, originating from prisons, and its main members are white prisoners, identified by Nazi Party cross tattoos and bald heads. Their membership consists of white individuals because they uphold white supremacy. Members are widespread, almost in most prisons within the federation. Brian, when previously at the Mexican border completing the mission on Transformer obsession, had an encounter with a Beastification person from the Aryan Brotherhood because of that girl Sandy; he had personally killed the opponent. As for the girl named Sandy, Brian had also arranged for her to help search for Beastification people with talent points like neural reaction enhancement. But until now, Brian hadn¡¯t received any feedback from Sandy. It was unknown whether she took the opportunity to run away or if she had yet to make any findings. According to information Sandy had revealed before, the Aryan Brotherhood habitually purchases those unbranded Beastification Reagents from the black market. This time going to solve the case might connect him with some folks in the Underworld. Thinking of this, Brian apologetically looked at Susan, ¡°Captain, it looks like our candlelight dinner tonight will have to take place in the car.¡± Susan nodded indifferently, ¡°Actually, I prefer going on calls. It¡¯s much more interesting than just eating boring stuff, like completing missions.¡± Of course, the premise is doing it with someone she likes. ... The prison where the incident occurred is not in the city but rather in a place called Tuo Meng City, roughly forty kilometers from downtown Los Angeles. Brian was unfamiliar with this place. Susan had heard of it, ¡°Tuo Meng City is a small city with a population of only about a hundred thousand. It doesn¡¯t have much of an economy; probably the only industry is the prison economy. Many dangerous criminals are imprisoned there, and it contributes quite a tax revenue to the city every year. Of course, NW also sources from there every year; I encountered some goods received from there during my training at the base, so I have some impression of the place.¡± Naturally, the goods Susan mentioned weren¡¯t cheap industrial products produced by the prison, but rather people. She didn¡¯t like these aspects very much, so she rarely spoke about them. Brian had never been to prison in either of his lives. He was somewhat curious about such places. Memorizing the route map. He drove Susan¡¯s car, with her and the dog, heading to the prison located in Tuo Meng City... Chapter 321 - 321 209 Various Weapons in Prison Case Closed Instantly ?321: Chapter 209: Various Weapons in Prison, Case Closed Instantly 321: Chapter 209: Various Weapons in Prison, Case Closed Instantly Many cities in the large metropolitan area of Los Angeles actually look quite shabby. Tuo Meng City is just such a place. To put it bluntly, Brian felt that this place was not as bustling as the small 18th-tier county town he had lived in during his previous life, the only merit being its wide open spaces and less crowded streets. Tuo Meng City has a total of four prisons. Three of them are high-security prisons, where the chances of inmates getting out are very low, leaving one that is more oriented towards youth crime detention. This place also collaborates with a training camp, similar to the ¡°Thunder King¡± reformative training camp from Brian¡¯s previous life, mainly responsible for hosting troubled teenagers sent by their parents for militarized management and reform. This is one of the few lessons parents here can administer to their children. As for physical punishments... If a child calls the police, their parents will need to serve time in jail. This is no joke; it¡¯s a reality that occurs every year. There have even been immigrant parents shot by police for this reason. It¡¯s quite absurd. ... Back to the main subject. Following the address, Brian and his team drove to their destination¡ªJem Prison. ¡°I guess the owner of this prison is named Jem,¡± Brian said to Susan. Susan, indifferent to his remark, stepped out of the car with Shi San first. Having called ahead, someone was waiting for them at the entrance. The receptionist was a bespectacled young Caucasian man. This guy looked feeble, and it was a mystery why he would work in a place like a prison. After all, in the United States, prison riots aren¡¯t rare, and the mortality rate for prison guards is comparable to street patrol officers. Inside, various gangs create chaos, smuggling businesses abound, and even prostitution thrives¡ªit¡¯s anything but a secure place. The young man with glasses didn¡¯t talk much. After confirming their identities, he led them towards the crime scene, occasionally glancing at Shi San who was wearing a police uniform. He didn¡¯t reveal much in response to Brian¡¯s probing. This prison typically comprised several areas: the exercise yard, holding cells, cafeteria, workrooms (factories), staff dormitories, fences, surveillance areas, medical and logistics facilities, among others, and, if large enough, a few additional areas. Its hallmark was closed management. Under the watchful eyes of armed prison guards, the group passed through three checkpoints to reach the detainment building. The structure there resembled some electronics factory compounds with a honeycomb layout, requiring card access to pass through each gate, each one guarded by prison officers. Passing through these areas, Brian and his team finally arrived at a place resembling a pigpen. Pardon his description, but it was true. The spacious room had aisles down the middle connecting to small individual cells separated by iron bars. Each cell contained a bunk bed, a small toilet, and about two square meters of open space, some with wooden shelves bearing magazines and books, others adorned with framed photos, creating a semblance of a lived-in space. Dividing walls made of concrete separated the rooms, but you could see all the way across to the opposite cells. It was probably mealtime since the cells were empty, except for one that was open. As Brian and his team arrived, a guard, dozing against the railing, stood by this cell. On hearing noise, he sleepily opened his eyes, looking confusedly at the three people and a dog suddenly in front of him: ¡°Ler, what¡¯s wrong?¡± The young man with glasses nonchalantly pointed to Brian and his companions, ¡°This is the team sent from the city to investigate the murder of Sirad Bosworth. You take over now.¡± With that, he didn¡¯t give the guard a chance to respond and quickly walked away. ... Watching him leave, Susan commented, ¡°Why do I get the feeling he¡¯s somewhat resistant to getting involved in this case?¡± ¡°Darling, if you give me your contact, I might consider telling you...¡± said the remaining guard, finally noticing Susan¡¯s attractiveness and speaking flirtatiously. Before he could finish, he felt as though he¡¯d been hit by a motorcycle, his mouth spewing blood and broken teeth as he slammed into the iron bars and passed out without a word. Susan retracted her long, shapely leg, looking disdainfully at the slight dirt it had gathered: ¡°People here really have dirty mouths.¡± ¡°Dentists will help clean up his filthy mouth; hopefully, he has insurance for that,¡± shrugged Brian. He wasn¡¯t a minotaur, and Susan had struck first; otherwise, he would have been even more ruthless. .. With no guard left to guide them, it was like the start of a game without an NPC to give directions. But the main quest was clear, so it didn¡¯t affect Brian¡¯s investigation of the crime scene. Through the bars, he already saw a body kneeling in front of the flush toilet, its head stuffed inside. This was probably the only semi-private spot in the cell. The toilet area was covered with a cloth, but the cloth hung about twenty centimeters above the ground¡ªensuring that while prisoners used the toilet, guards could still monitor them. Now, the cloth was pulled back, revealing the deceased. From appearances, the dead man was very muscular, with dark red, congealed blood beneath him, and his posture was relaxed, leaning against the toilet; it seemed he had died cleanly without any post-mortem interference. Chapter 322 - 322 209 Various Weapons in Prison Case Closed Instantly_2 ?322: Chapter 209: Various Weapons in Prison, Case Closed Instantly_2 322: Chapter 209: Various Weapons in Prison, Case Closed Instantly_2 This was abnormal. Prison guards held significant authority within the prison. Normally, upon discovering a deceased prisoner, their first reaction would be to lay the body on the ground, examine the injuries, and conduct an investigation themselves, instead of doing nothing. Unless... At this thought, Brian looked toward Susan, ¡°Team leader, weren¡¯t you curious why the guy with the small glasses seemed so resistant to touching this case?¡± Susan, bored, glanced around and nodded, ¡°Yes, but those who could speak are already lying on the ground; no one can answer us.¡± ¡°No, no, no.¡± Brian waved his finger: ¡°The scene has already told us the answer. This is a typical two-person cell, which means the deceased¡¯s status was just so-so, but the entire cell shows signs of only one person living here; this means the deceased¡¯s identity was somewhat special. He was a member of the Aryan Brotherhood. Since he wasn¡¯t the leader, he was probably a notable enforcer or someone in charge of business within the prison gang.¡± ¡°Can you even conduct business inside a prison?¡± Susan asked curiously. She didn¡¯t know much about prisons. Brian nodded: ¡°Of course, the prison guards need to make money to support their families, and the prisoners also hope to live better lives. Where there¡¯s demand, there¡¯s trade. Cigarettes, bagged beer, radios, televisions, better single cells, mobile phones, even women¡ªif you have the money, all these can be arranged. That guy with the small glasses must be something like the Prison Director¡¯s assistant; people like him know more about prisons and wouldn¡¯t show much resistance over the death of a gang enforcer. Moreover, the death of this person made the prison wary of the Aryan Brotherhood, so they specifically requested assistance from our Los Angeles area... The answer is already out. This seemingly strong deceased was likely a member of the Aryan Brotherhood responsible for contraband sales in this prison¡ªnot the leader, but his position was very important. Because this relates to the living standards of the Brotherhood¡¯s members in prison, as well as their market share. Prisoners aren¡¯t exactly loyal customers. If you have stuff, you¡¯re God; if you don¡¯t, you¡¯re dogshit¡ªthey¡¯ll turn to other channels immediately to buy what they need.¡± Susan: ¡°..Ah..¡± She opened her mouth, said nothing, feeling merely that Brian¡¯s long explanation seemed very learned, broad in knowledge, very intellectual. Well.. Seeing Susan¡¯s reaction, Brian realized she was struggling with logical thinking¡ªa clear case of her single-threaded mind freezing up. He didn¡¯t bother talking further, handed a camera to Susan, put on gloves himself, and stepped forward to begin examining the body. .. The body¡¯s head had been thrust into the toilet, with half of the brain submerged and soaked. The toilet contained something white and mushy¡ªperhaps overly soaked toilet paper, but it looked sticky, like rice porridge. The deceased¡¯s head was covered in this substance. Brian¡¯s nose twitched twice, his eyes showing confusion. Even without ¡°enhanced sense of smell,¡± he could smell a faint scent of chemical adhesive. He noted this in mind. Brian carefully laid the body onto the ground. No apparent wounds were found on the deceased¡¯s back or limbs, until the body was laid flat in the cell¡¯s open space, and a wound on the left chest came into view for both. Susan aimed the camera and shot. Seeing the wound, she confidently said, ¡°This is a knife wound.¡± The deceased had a stab wound two fingers wide on his left chest, penetrating his prison uniform and staining the area orange-red. The bloodstains on the ground must also have flowed from here. Brian didn¡¯t respond; he first probed the wound with his fingers to check its depth and then examined the condition around the wound on the prison uniform before nodding, ¡°It¡¯s indeed a knife wound, but not from a normal knife¡ªit was made from a paper dagger; this is a case of suicide.¡± Susan: ¡°What?¡± She said blankly, ¡°Toilet paper can be made into a dagger and then stab through fabric prison clothes to pierce the heart?¡± If it weren¡¯t Brian speaking, she would have doubted that he was joking with her. Brian pointed to the white rice paste inside the toilet: ¡°The prison is full of talent, they are very skilled at crafting various weapons. The most common is a toothbrush. Sharpen the bottom of a toothbrush, and it becomes a spike, easily penetrating the human body. By reacting the bristle part of the toothbrush with paper and laundry detergent, it burns and melts, then insert a piece of iron, the melted plastic and spines bind to the iron. After grinding, it turns into a small throat-slitting knife. Right, they can also make incendiary bottles. These are also one of the main protagonists in every prison riot, and the making process is simple: just throw some fruits into a bottle, wait for them to rot and produce gas, stuff it with a cloth, and an easy incendiary bomb is made. I remember someone in prison used the steel pipe of an iron bed to make a simple air-compressed shotgun, which not only blasted the lock of the cell but also kidnapped a prison guard and escaped. These are all weapons.¡± ¡°That toilet paper...¡± Susan just couldn¡¯t fathom how soft toilet paper could be crafted into a knife, piercing through human flesh and clothing. ¡°This is the power of knowledge.¡± Brian explained: ¡°The nature of an object, after accumulating to a certain extent, undergoes a qualitative change. Similar to water guns and high-pressure water jets. An ordinary water gun shooting on you, you might not even feel it, but a high-pressure water gun is a very powerful industrial cutting tool, capable of cutting through steel with its water stream. The same applies to toilet paper. If you wet it with water, then compress it continuously with something like a wood plank, sculpting it into the shape of a knife, layer by layer, adding some homemade adhesive, after dozens or hundreds of repetitions, you can obtain a paper dagger. This thing, if honed, becomes a lethal weapon and can get past various security checks in the prison, being small and concealed, and both toilet paper and adhesive are easy to obtain. The only downside is that after being used once, it needs to be repaired if it contacts blood, so not many prisoners are willing to spend the effort to craft such a gadget. They prefer simpler methods, such as stealing a couple of metal trays from the cafeteria, breaking them into many small triangular metal pieces, wrapping them with fabric, which equals many weapons as potent as real daggers.¡± Brian narrated in detail, and this time Susan finally understood. She pondered, ¡°So you suspect that the deceased made a paper dagger, knelt in front of the toilet, and stabbed himself through the heart, then dissolved the paper dagger in the toilet?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not suspicion, it¡¯s a certainty.¡± Brian pointed to the corridor outside: ¡°There¡¯s surveillance here, iron bars, the door locks are both electronic and physical, and right across there is a cell that directly oversees this side. The surrounding cells are separated only by a non-soundproof concrete wall. It¡¯s impossible for an unknown killer, or even a prison guard, without alerting anyone, to evade surveillance, open the door, and kill such a strong prisoner in front of the toilet. The only reason is suicide.¡± ¡°Then why would he commit suicide and then destroy the weapon, staging it to look like a homicide?¡± Susan had new doubts. Brian shrugged, ¡°The prison only requested us to investigate the situation of the case, not to research the background of the deceased. Knowing that it was a suicide is enough, the rest is up to them to handle.¡± He actually wanted to use this opportunity to connect with people from the Aryan Brotherhood, but whether it would succeed was up to fate. Brian wasn¡¯t insistent. .. At this moment, Shi San, who had been sniffing around since entering, seemed to have locked onto a target and called out toward the wall of the crime scene cell. This wall, located behind the toilet, connects to an area outside the detention zone. Because Susan was present, Shi San¡¯s call was in Morse Code frequency. Translated, it meant: Item. Something was hidden in the wall. Brian stepped forward and touched the wall but found nothing unusual. It was just an ordinary concrete wall connected to another area. But the guide with small glasses didn¡¯t introduce it, and they were also unclear about what was beyond that point. ¡°Shi San¡¯s nose is very keen, ask the prison staff to come and tear down the wall.¡± Brian said to Susan. Susan nodded and pulled out her phone. Chapter 323 - 323 210 The Truth About Suicide ?323: Chapter 210: The Truth About Suicide 323: Chapter 210: The Truth About Suicide The person who arrived was the one who had previously led Brian, another person, and a dog inside¡ªthe bespectacled man named Ler. After receiving a call from Susan, only Ler came, without any assistants or tools. Ler hadn¡¯t expected to be summoned again. He said somewhat irritably, ¡°Tear down the wall?¡± ¡°Yes, we suspect there¡¯s something else inside the wall,¡± Brian said, indifferent to Ler¡¯s tone. ¡°No, that won¡¯t work, we don¡¯t even have the proper tools. By the way, where is Bolam?¡± Ler said, his initial mild manners fading. Just as Brian had mentioned earlier. They operated under two different systems; not only was this a private prison, strictly speaking, it was just a subsidiary cooperating unit under the Department of Justice system, which generally didn¡¯t interoperate with Brian¡¯s NW police department system. He did not show much respect to Brian and his companion. Seeing this, Susan kicked the iron bars irritably and pointed to a corner, ¡°If you¡¯re talking about that prison guard Bolam, he paid a price for his verbal harassment.¡± Ler looked blankly in the direction Susan was pointing. When he saw his somewhat corpulent colleague lying on the ground with his head tilted back and mouth full of blood, he was baffled. He had only left for a moment, how had this man and woman assaulted the prison guards? Before he could react, the passage was already blocked by the towering Brian. He grinned at the bespectacled Ler, ¡°Let¡¯s talk, what exactly is going on with this case? If you¡¯re not clear, after we deal with you, we¡¯ll just leave. If you dare, send someone to Los Angeles to find us!¡± Susan really liked this approach and patted the twin guns at her waist. Shi San also bared his teeth. A man, a woman, and a dog cornered the unfortunate Ler in the passage. His mind went blank for a moment¡ªdid people from Los Angeles always act so recklessly and disregard the rules? This place was clearly a prison, their territory, yet why did it feel like they, the locals, had become the disadvantaged group? Looking at the towering Brian and the revolvers at Susan¡¯s waist, Ler swallowed. His face no longer displayed the earlier impatience, and his voice softened considerably, ¡°Don¡¯t be like this, buddy, I¡¯m just a runner. If there¡¯s a problem, you can contact our prison director. I don¡¯t know anything.¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s too much trouble. If you don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, you¡¯re just unlucky.¡± Saying so, he rolled up his sleeves, ready to take action. Ler hurriedly raised his hands in surrender, ¡°I¡¯m not clear about the specifics, but I¡¯ve heard a legend. It¡¯s said that many people died when Jem Prison was first established. Apparently, there was a prisoner wrongly imprisoned, his wife and daughter were ¡®stabbed¡¯, and he ended up being prosecuted as their murderer and sent to Jem Prison. Eventually, he hanged himself in this cell. Before dying, he wrote a line of blood on the floor.¡± ¡°Are you telling a ghost story?¡± Brian looked at him disdainfully. It was just a suicide case, what nonsense. If it really were a supernatural case, with his robust vitality, he¡¯d simply roast any male ghosts and scatter female ghosts. He wouldn¡¯t indulge them at all. Susan, however, liked listening to such stories. She glared at Brian, then urged Ler, ¡°Keep going, what did he write?¡± Ler spread his hands: ¡°There are many versions. Some say he wrote a declaration of revenge, others say he wrote a confession of remorse... After I started working here, I found this cell always empty and learned of this rumor when I asked. Curious, I inquired with the oldest prison guard, who told me the story was true. As for the blood writing left by the suicide, it was just one line: I saw my wife and daughter, they miss me. Actually, not just him, after that, several prisoners were consecutively placed in this cell, and none lived past half a month; they all died, all by suicide. The prisoners next to this room heard nothing unusual and weren¡¯t affected.¡± ¡°So you knew this prisoner committed suicide?¡± Brian frowned slightly. Were they playing with them? Ler nodded reluctantly: ¡°Yes, he definitely committed suicide, the traces were clear. The prisoner, Sirad Bosworth, seems to have used a paper knife. His gang recognized the object in the toilet, but they didn¡¯t believe it. They thought another gang in the prison, the Limp Gang, had colluded with the prison guards to kill Sirad Bosworth. That¡¯s why it¡¯s been so tumultuous. Sirad Bosworth was a core member of the Aryan Brotherhood. After being jailed, he managed some smuggling routes and sales in Jem Prison. He chose to stay in this well-known suicide cell due to a dispute between the Aryan Brotherhood and the Limp Gang over smuggling issues. There had been several incidents between them, and the prison director was furious. He called their leaders in prison, and eventually, both agreed that if Sirad Bosworth could stay peacefully in this cell for a month, the Limp Gang would cede the newest smuggling routes to the Aryan Brotherhood. However, Sirad Bosworth died within two weeks, by his own paper knife. After the incident, the prison director even specifically reviewed the corridor surveillance for the Aryan Brotherhood members, but they believed the footage was falsified.¡± Chapter 324 - 324 210 The Truth About Suicide_2 ?324: Chapter 210: The Truth About Suicide_2 324: Chapter 210: The Truth About Suicide_2 Everyone knew they were simply unwilling to give up the newly profitable smuggling routes, but there was nothing they could do, the Aryan Brotherhood was too powerful for even Jem Prison to provoke. In the end, the Prison Director decided to pass the buck and reported the matter. Ler was a smart man and knew that for those who didn¡¯t play by the rules, the result of talking nonsense was still getting beaten. His mouth wasn¡¯t very tough, so he chose to skip the beating part and spoke directly. After hearing Ler¡¯s words, Susan was somewhat surprised, ¡°You, as guards, are actually afraid of a gang?¡± Official fear of thieves sounded ridiculous. At least Susan had never seen a criminal talk tough in front of her. Because those who talked tough, in the end, only ended up drinking porridge. Ler felt even more helpless, ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve heard of the Aryan Brotherhood, a white prisoner gang present in many Federation prisons. They are very united, almost one of the biggest gang forces. Many prison guards don¡¯t dare to mess with them. After all, these criminals might be in prison, but they still have their people outside. Everyone is just trying to make a living and doesn¡¯t want their entire family to end up at the bottom of the sea.¡± Mature gangs, after chaotic developments in the last century, have kept up with the progress of the times. Not only do they employ professional lawyers, but they also upgrade and iterate various means, and they are not afraid of police investigations, even with extreme measures like murder and extermination. Brainless gangs don¡¯t last long and can¡¯t grow big. In comparison. If people in the prison messed around, a complaint + sob story + buying off the press, and then spending money to have people protest outside the prison could be very troublesome. Even if the trouble was resolved, the loss would still be on the prison¡¯s side. No one would fight against money. It was a very simple truth. Faced with Ler¡¯s explanation, Susan was somewhat at a loss for words. NW was just an exception; in fact, under various restrictions and with human rights campaigns on the rise, police work had become increasingly difficult, and internal complaints were growing. Law enforcement not being violent enough could mean getting shot by criminals. Being violent enough would bring all sorts of public accountability. This also led to the current situation where the police were becoming more laissez-faire about crime incidents. The Los Angeles Police Department had handed over all murder cases to NW¡¯s action department and given them such extensive authority, not just to detect crimes by the Mutant as soon as possible but also because of these reasons. Brian didn¡¯t care about Ler¡¯s sob story. He turned his gaze to the wall Shi San had previously found abnormal and suddenly said, ¡°You¡¯ve talked so much nonsense, but still haven¡¯t explained why you are so resistant to us demolishing the wall!¡± Ler¡¯s face panicked, and he explained, ¡°I just think it¡¯s too much trouble.¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°The dumbest thing you did was report it. This matter is no longer just an internal issue of Jem Prison, but a concern for our B6 Unit. If you¡¯re not willing to speak out, I would suggest a crime activity review of your prison.¡± Hearing this, Ler sighed and took out his phone, ¡°Let me contact the Prison Director.¡± Saying that, he looked eagerly at Brian. Brian nodded and moved aside. Once he left, Brian immediately said to Susan, ¡°Captain, take Shi San and step back a bit.¡± Susan asked, curiously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Are you not curious about what¡¯s inside the wall?¡± Brian grinned, walked back into the cell, and placed his hand on the iron bed frame. The next moment. With a couple of loud snap sounds, a section of welded iron pipe was forcefully torn off by Brian. Seeing this, Susan laughed, ¡°Brian, you¡¯re not really going to dig with that small iron pipe, are you? Stop wasting time, no normal person would do that.¡± ¡°But are we normal people?¡± Brian said without looking back. Under Susan¡¯s curious gaze, he took the torn-off iron pipe, placed it in his right palm, and using brute force, wrapped it around his palm and knuckles as a makeshift fist wrap. Quickly, a rudimentary iron knuckle-duster was made. Susan¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. Such a strong man. Such a robust body! She had taken the Troll Reagent from London to enhance her overall muscle strength, and after fully absorbing it, her maximum strength was only about 400 pounds, nowhere near Brian¡¯s savagely violent capability. Brian took a deep breath and punched hard. With one punch, the concrete wall slightly shook, and only a few pieces of debris fell off, unyielding. Brian¡¯s muscles moved like flowing water, effortlessly absorbing the rebounding force, and he punched again. Punch after punch. Getting familiar with the rhythm of the rebounds, Brian could even use the rebound force to continuously increase the strength and speed of his punches, eventually creating numerous afterimages resembling a pile driver, unleashing a storm of punches on the helpless concrete wall. Thud, thud, thud~ Under Brian¡¯s wildly violent fists, countless pieces of concrete fell off, and the speed of deterioration was akin to a dam breach. The continuous dull thumping sounds in the prison cell echoed like an earthquake. Ler, holding his phone and accompanied by several armed prison guards, rushed in panic, and upon seeing this scene, they all froze in place. Is this even human? Watching Brian resemble a humanoid King Kong violently destroying the concrete wall, with concrete debris fluttering down, they even doubted whether the wall was made of flour. Only the continuous vibration from the ground and the blurry fists, visible only as afterimages, clearly told them that this tall man in a suit was truly non-human. Chapter 325 - 325 210 The Truth About Suicide_3 ?325: Chapter 210: The Truth About Suicide_3 325: Chapter 210: The Truth About Suicide_3 ¡°Boom~¡± Another punch landed, and Brian¡¯s expression slightly changed as he stopped his movements. He frowned, looking at his ¡®Iron Fist Cover¡¯ on his right hand. The fist cover, made from iron tubes, was now completely flattened, with the fist mark protruding and a clear dent torn right through the middle, as if it had been cracked open. It wasn¡¯t that it had hit a steel bar, but a metal corner. Visible within the hollow of the wall, amid a web of cracked crevices, was a silver metallic corner, carrying several scratches¡ªmarks left by Brian¡¯s punch. Inside the wall, there really was something¡ªa metal box! .. Half an hour later, the young Prison Director of Jem Prison twitched his eyes as he observed Brian, head down, kneading and toying with a ¡®metal sheet¡¯ in his hand. The action was eerily similar to the way his grandmother kneaded flour to make cookies. But this was iron! Iron! He had previously heard tales of inhuman monsters, never expecting that a simple act of kicking a ball would actually bring such a creature to his doorstep. His demeanor was gentle, even somewhat humble, ¡°I am the director here, and also the second to hold the position at Jem Prison, succeeding my grandfather. I...¡± ¡°Our time is precious, get to the point!¡± Brian casually threw the iron ball he had shaped onto the other man¡¯s desk. Susan, holding Shi San and watching the drama unfold, said not a word. She really liked Brian like this; he seemed incredibly charismatic. The Prison Director pulled out a tissue, wiping his forehead: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I only found out about this myself. I called my grandfather and explained the situation, and after much hesitation, he told me that it was set up by people from Black Light Biotechnology Company, it seems to be some sort of experiment. After seven or eight inmates died, the experiment ended, so my grandfather didn¡¯t arrange for any more prisoners to stay after that, and since Black Light Biotechnology Company didn¡¯t retrieve the metal box, the whole thing was eventually forgotten by him.¡± Upon hearing this, Brian¡¯s brow furrowed. It was that Black Light Biotechnology Company again. He glanced at Susan, who also looked puzzled. Clearly, she was not very familiar with this company, supposedly established by people from NW. The course of events was now clear. The box had been part of an experiment, and two gangs in the prison fought over the smuggling channels, resulting in actual deaths. To avoid pressure from the Aryan Brotherhood, the new director, unfamiliar with his grandfather¡¯s arrangements, didn¡¯t interfere, thus kicking the ball to Los Angeles PD. It was quite a foolish move. Because he didn¡¯t grasp the core issue, which was the smuggling interests, not the truth. He was merely engaging in a futile effort. .. With the obtained metal box in tow, Brian, plus one human and one dog, headed back towards the city center by car. Now that he knew the true circumstances, there was no chance for him to encounter members of the Aryan Brotherhood. Susan, playing with the box, said, ¡°Is this the thing that caused people to kill themselves?¡± Brian, with one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding a cigarette, replied, ¡°Susan, have you ever heard about the origins of Black Light Biotechnology Company?¡± Susan shook her head, ¡°Not sure, I rarely pay attention to such matters, but if they were able to make arrangements with the prison, they must have official connections; otherwise, they couldn¡¯t influence the decisions of the Justice Department and secure quotas for Jem Prison.¡± Brian stubbed out the cigarette butt, and without much civic conscience, tossed it away carelessly, then nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve had dealings with them twice before; they are formed by some people within the NW organization. As for this box, I expect their people will contact us once we reach the city.¡± Susan put the box down and looked at Brian, ¡°What are you planning to do?¡± ¡°Ask for hush money.¡± Brian added, ¡°Hush money for two humans and a dog!¡± Shi San wagged his tail, seriously learning the mature attitude of a big dog. Some words are very true. The actions and words of adults often influence the behavioral style of children in the future. Shi San was a case in point. .. As Brian expected. After they arrived in the city. An unknown call came through right on time. This indicated the Black Light Company had quite an efficient information network. Following the communication. Brian drove to a gas station. A person holding a package was waiting outside the station. The moment he parked the car, Shi San, who had appeared lazy, suddenly pricked up his ears, his dog expression becoming a bit stiff, barking at Brian, ¡°Woof woof~ (Master, scary~)¡± The approaching individual was dangerous. Chapter 326 - 326 211 The Item in the Box Compensation Supplement ?326: Chapter 211 The Item in the Box, Compensation (Supplement) 326: Chapter 211 The Item in the Box, Compensation (Supplement) Shi San was no strong contender, but when it came to sensing danger, he was quite sharp¡ªalmost every alarm he raised panned out with actual substance. Brian immediately heightened his vigilance. After exiting the car, he positioned Susan behind him, took the box from her hands, and raised it towards the man in a sign. The man, silent, stepped forward with the box, placing it on the hood of the car to open it. A chill seeped out. It was a refrigerated box, inside were three green reagents, looking slightly reflective and ominous. ¡°Three standard-issue Cell Activation Reagents for combat soldiers; effects vary by individual but can enhance human limits to a certain degree. This is the greatest sincerity from our Biological Black Light Company. Hand over the goods.¡± The man spoke with an indifferent expression, reciting the words as if from a script. Brian waved the box he held and chuckled, ¡°What¡¯s in here?¡± The man glanced at him and said coldly, ¡°The more you know, the more dangerous it becomes.¡± ¡°Fine, take these reagents with you. I¡¯ll take this experiment box back and soon let a few media outlets report on your company¡¯s experiments on citizens,¡± Brian¡¯s smile vanished, leaving no trace of amiability. The next moment. Whoosh¡ªwhoosh¡ªfists whistling, the impact on Brian and Susan¡¯s faces made their hair whip back. The man¡¯s fist stopped in front of Brian¡¯s face. Three guns, in tacit agreement, pointed at the man¡¯s heart, throat, and head. Shi San blinked in surprise. How did it come to blows so quickly? But then it quickly snapped to attention, baring its teeth and snarling, aiming, due to its short stature, at the man¡¯s crotch¡ªas if ready to rob him of his lifelong companion should things go awry. ¡°Come on, why don¡¯t you throw the punch?¡± Brian nudged the man¡¯s head with his gun, ¡°Guess if I dare to shoot?¡± In the distance, a few gas station employees exchanged helpless looks, then went inside, brought out several roadblocks, and sealed off the nearby road to prevent outside vehicles from entering. ... ¡°This isn¡¯t fun.¡± The man, unperturbed by the threat of the two humans and a dog, said, ¡°You both have bright futures. It is the wise choice to gain the friendship of Black Light Biotechnology.¡± Brian shook his head again, ¡°We are merely short-sighted folks, so tell us, what¡¯s in the box!¡± He had promised Susan that he¡¯d satisfy her curiosity and he intended on keeping that promise. Mainly because he was curious too, what exactly was in it¡ªbetter to be prepared for the future. After a moment¡¯s silence. The man retracted his fist and spoke towards his collar, ¡°Plan A failed, initiating Plan B.¡± Then, refocusing on the two, he continued, ¡°Forget the confidentiality agreement. The outcome won¡¯t be pleasant if you talk. The thing in the box is called the Potata Band Reflector, but insiders prefer to call it the Brainwasher.¡± ¡°Brainwasher?¡± Susan twirled her gun gracefully and holster it, ¡°Like something out of an evil scientist¡¯s invention, a brainwashing machine?¡± The man nodded: ¡°Somewhat, but also a lot different. This machine was invented after over thirty years of research on a Mutant with hypnotic abilities. It emits a specific frequency. This frequency can carry information, and any living being subjected to this information for extended periods will develop in the expected direction. However, the information that we can control is still very limited, mostly negative.¡± Susan turned up her nose in disgust. Such a device sounded revolting. But Brian was lost in thought. The description of the device sounded very much like a Biological Field or, perhaps, like pheromones carrying information? He glanced at Shi San. Shi San returned a gaze, clear and innocent. It didn¡¯t grasp the meaning behind Brian¡¯s look. Brian: .. He continued to ask some questions, attempting to glean more information, but the man would not continue. He indicated that he was just field personnel and knew little else. These details had been disclosed to him as part of Company¡¯s Plan B. Hearing that it was Brian and Susan involved, the company suffered headaches¡ªknowing these two would not be easy to deal with, so that was Plan B was formulated. ¡°Is there a Plan C?¡± Brian curiously inquired. The man nodded, ¡°I am Plan C, to kill you or be killed by you. After that comes negotiations between Biological Black Light Company and the Adams family.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Brian felt slighted, ¡°Killing me, aren¡¯t you afraid of the NW Operation Department coming after you?¡± ¡°Your greatest value is yourself. Once a talented individual dies, they¡¯re no longer talented. You have no friends or family. Some formalities to save face for the department will suffice.¡± A voice emitted from within the man¡¯s collar. This voice, Brian found very familiar. A name immediately surfaced in his mind: Benjamin. Benjamin was the Researcher in charge of the previous experiments in Alice¡¯s Secret Realm and had met with Brian in a square because of it. ¡°So it¡¯s Researcher Benjamin,¡± Brian said with a wry smile towards the man¡¯s collar, ¡°You¡¯re not busy dealing with the two little tentacles behind you, still working so hard. Hope I don¡¯t get the task to take down the alien that is you one day.¡± This damn thing, daring to threaten him! Brian wouldn¡¯t tolerate that. As they say, ad insult to injury, kick someone while they¡¯re down¡ªhe was quite adept at it. On the other end of the communication, Benjamin was rattled. How could this guy possibly know about his situation? Seeing the other side play dead and stay silent, Brian decided it was time to wrap things up, handing the silver box to the man before him, ¡°Alright, buddy. We won¡¯t make it difficult for you. Take it and get the job done. Let¡¯s hope we never have to use this thing on people like you..¡± Chapter 327 - 327 211 The Item in the Box Compensation Part 2 ?327: Chapter 211: The Item in the Box, Compensation (Part 2) 327: Chapter 211: The Item in the Box, Compensation (Part 2) ¡°Scram, you lowly inferior, filthy half-breed, greedy shameless thief...¡± Benjamin had another breakdown on the other end of the communication. Brian, that son of a bitch, after extorting money, was now sowing discord, a true beast among beasts, yet frustratingly one of their own, whom he couldn¡¯t simply rough up. If it weren¡¯t for the enhancements to his own body, Benjamin suspected that this animal would have infuriated him to the point of brain hemorrhage!!! ... The man took the box and mouthed silently to Brian as his lips moved: ¡°Thanks, be careful of Benjamin.¡± Brian nodded and watched as the man walked away. ¡°What did he just say?¡± As the man left, Susan, still holding the box containing three vials, asked Brian curiously. Brian shrugged, ¡°He said my girlfriend is very beautiful.¡± Susan nodded earnestly, ¡°Even though anyone with eyes can see that, he¡¯s very honest.¡± Yet she couldn¡¯t restrain a curving smile, indicating she was quite pleased at heart. It was getting late. Brian prepared to drive back to the office building. His motorcycle was still parked there. The road barriers down the gas station¡¯s alley had been removed by the workers. This gas station was apparently a property of the Black Light Biotechnology Company, and an internal one at that. In the car, Susan toyed with a green vial, ¡°Brian, I¡¯ve never heard of this type of vial, we need to take it back and ask about it before determining if there¡¯s a problem.¡± ¡°Okay, you get two vials, and Shi San gets one.¡± Brian said nonchalantly. This thing was unlikely to be of much use to him, otherwise there would not be so few Second Level combat staff within NW. If the vial turned out to be fine, he planned to take the opportunity to inject Susan with the ¡°Primordial Blood¡± he had acquired last time in London. Susan was somewhat surprised by Brian¡¯s decision, ¡°Brian, are you sure? This is compensation, you could sell it. It¡¯s not organization merit points¡ªthe price won¡¯t be low.¡± ¡°No need, there are other ways to make money, but money can¡¯t always buy these non-circulating vials.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really generous. The money you¡¯ve spent on Shi San¡¯s enhancements is already higher than what many team leaders get from their family investments. They¡¯ll probably die of envy when they know.¡± Susan found the thought amusing. ¡°I promised Shi San¡¯s mother I would take good care of him, and I¡¯d share the good stuff.¡± Brian habitually brainwashed Shi San in front of him, then lit a cigarette, ¡°By the way, team leader, when you have time, ask your father about Black Light Biotechnology Company. I feel Benjamin¡¯s attitude towards me is a bit off.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Susan nodded, but decided in her heart to exaggerate the issue and complain to her father that Benjamin had threatened and bullied her! ... Upon reaching the B6 office building. Besides the security guards, there were no longer any people in sight. Before parting ways, Brian took a moment to pull Shi San aside, ¡°What did you feel when you smelled that silver box?¡± After receiving the box, he had also activated his enhanced sense of smell to check it, but hadn¡¯t detected anything unusual. Shi San licked its nose, ¡°Woof woof woof~ (Thought of that big rat, was very scared and then I smelled a special scent on the wall~)¡± Hearing this, Brian let out a sigh of relief. It was really down to the creation of pheromone-like substances. If it had been brainwave hypnosis, he would have been really troubled, since that stuff was too sci-fi. The only understanding Brian had of that stuff was probably from some melodramatic shows from his previous life, beyond that he didn¡¯t know how to deal with or defend against it. Beep beep~ Susan honked, ¡°Brian, hurry up and return Shi San, I can¡¯t sleep without it every day!¡± ¡°I got it!¡± Suddenly, Brian realized, sleeping alone and uneasy every day, while that damned Shi San slept with his woman; his eyes grew dangerously dark. Before he could act, Shi San suddenly felt a coldness on its behind, and with innocent big eyes, looked up at Brian. ¡°Forget it, why get worked up over a dog...¡± Brian felt ashamed inside, and gestured for Shi San to get back in the car. After returning to the apartment, He first looked up the age at which a dog could be neutered... ... Meanwhile, at a regular medical company¡¯s research lab. After checking the silver box in his hand, Benjamin nodded to the man who had contacted Brian earlier, ¡°No problem, it¡¯s ¡®Demon¡¯s Whispers¡¯ number 13, arrange for someone to find a suitable place for implantation.¡± The man silently picked up the box again and turned to leave. Watching his departure, Benjamin¡¯s eyes flashed with a dangerous light. After pondering for a long while, he ultimately gave up the idea of transferring out of this combat unit. His chance to go out in the field and move from the shadows to the open had come because a previous idiot in charge killed himself over a woman. The forces he could mobilize right now were not many. Just a few words were unlikely to have any effect on a weapon that had been brainwashed since childhood. It was this Brian... Benjamin didn¡¯t know if he and this beast were naturally at odds, but he had been covertly taken advantage of by the other several times. If it hadn¡¯t been for an investigation revealing they were all coincidences, he would have suspected this Brian, whom he had not even previously known, was targeting him and Black Light Biotechnology. ¡°The other party has taken ¡®Primordial Blood¡¯; if I can obtain his serum, maybe it could help with my uncontrollable state. My position is too low, I can¡¯t get such a rare vial through European channels, I will have to find a way myself...¡± Chapter 328 - 328 211 The Item in the Box Compensation Part 3 ?328: Chapter 211: The Item in the Box, Compensation (Part 3) 328: Chapter 211: The Item in the Box, Compensation (Part 3) Sitting in the empty research lab, Benjamin tapped on the desktop. But before that, he decided to keep this Brian busy so as to prevent him from continuing to disgust himself. Just then, Benjamin¡¯s wristwatch sent out a series of urgent alarms. Benjamin¡¯s expression darkened. Silently, he took off his coat. The next moment, under the laboratory lights, shadows uncontrollably burst forth from their reflections on the wall, dancing in the void, as if cheering for their own release from confinement... ... Upon waking up, Brian got up early to get ready. He first changed into a slightly flamboyant chest-revealing suit and donned a golden wig with light blue colored contacts. Then, sounds of bones shifting and colliding clicked and cracked from within his body, and his muscles began to contort and change. After some adjustments, a handsome man with blonde hair, blue eyes, approximately 1.78 meters tall, and a well-proportioned face appeared in the mirror. The process was actually not pleasant; it was quite painful. Human skeletons constantly rub against each other. The reason one does not normally feel it is that the body continuously secretes a kind of pain-relieving hormone that negates the perception of this frictional pain. Most animals have a similar structure. Those addicts, especially the ones on chemical drugs, find it difficult to quit not only because of psychological addiction. Their bodies lose the function to secrete this hormone due to the influence of the chemicals, which is an important factor. Imagine. Whether they move or not, they feel like ants are crawling all over them, accompanied by constant pain, itching... assorted discomforts. The only solution is to take another hit, and who could withstand that. Brian wasn¡¯t confident he could endure such torment. His body transformation could cause a similar situation. Luckily, he could still control the secretion of pheromones in his body, allowing his body to quickly adjust to changes and fine-tune its hormonal secretions to prevent discomfort. After all that, Brian grabbed the script and left his apartment. When he was leaving, the previous neighbor happened to be smoking on the balcony and witnessed everything. Seeing this, he drew a sharp breath. FK, so that¡¯s why there hadn¡¯t been any women visiting his handsome neighbor lately. It turns out this guy had changed his tastes! Thinking back to when he had eagerly greeted him the last time, the neighbor couldn¡¯t help but clench up. He decided to move! ... After two consecutive days of busyness, As a responsible man intent on ensuring the film¡¯s quality, he tirelessly directed the actress¡¯s movements, expressions, and poses. But the content of this kind of thing is just so much. A quick shoot generally depends on the male actor¡¯s condition and filming time, most of it is calculated by the hour. Editing time is over ten times the filming time. Brian had plenty of energy. He had been abstinent for a very long time. The actresses and female supporting characters couldn¡¯t make it through, though. Anyway, after two days, Brian had finally finished his first foray into the industry. The male lead¡¯s name was Bob. Well, he had nothing to do with Brian at all, just a friend of his. The subsequent promotion and disc sales of the film were handled by a specialized company. Brian was very generous, put forward many demands, and also promised to share the profits with all the cast and crew. That made everyone work harder and have no issues with his requests. The leads were both good-looking and well-built, with great presence, and the story was provocative; there was no reason it would flop. It wasn¡¯t one of those big movies but an action movie that both men and women loved; it¡¯s always a profit, just a matter of how much. .. Back at the apartment, Brian was surprised to find that his neighbor was gone. During the two days he was out, the neighbor had moved. It was the neighbor who almost went on the show ¡°Daddy Where Are We Going.¡± ¡°Hopefully, previous issues were not dealt with properly, and he hasn¡¯t fled,¡± Brian felt a little regretful. The neighbor was a good person, generally did not disturb others, and envied the frequent female company. He would also give a heads-up about any little changes happening. With a sigh, the energetic teacher Brian, who hadn¡¯t shown a hint of tiredness after being busy for two days and nights, whistled and started maintenance on his beloved car. The next day, He came to work at the company full of vim and vigor only to see old Hardenn looking at the printouts with a face as dark as if he¡¯d been jilted by an Immortal. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Brian asked curiously. ¡°Annual Performance Review.¡± Old Hardenn waved the printout: ¡°Christmas is coming, and the NW Operations Department hopes our team will take on more cases to reduce social risks and maintain the image of public security in the greater Los Angeles area.¡± ¡°That sounds weird.¡± Brian used to mix in at the Forensic Bureau and knew that holidays tend to be hectic for front-line workers. Old Hardenn shrugged: ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s strange. The current public order is already bad enough. This notice seems more like an attempt to dress up a prostitute to look pretty, so outsiders won¡¯t laugh at her status.¡± Susan was probably still dealing with the previous three reagents and didn¡¯t come to work today. But Brian was as busy as a dog. In just one morning, he had gone out on three field assignments... Chapter 329 - 329 212 A Collection of Bizarre Cases The Fourth Case ?329: Chapter 212: A Collection of Bizarre Cases, The Fourth Case 329: Chapter 212: A Collection of Bizarre Cases, The Fourth Case At noon, Brian was in such a hurry that he didn¡¯t even have time for lunch, and he took his assistant Tom to rush to the scene of the fourth case. The first three cases: The first case was a marital shooting, ridiculously simple, merely because the husband secretly took an unflattering photo of his wife sleeping, and then she pointed a gun at his head demanding he delete it. The husband thought it was a joke and said he would post it on social media. Accompanied by a gunshot, the unfortunate man ended his absurd life. For such cases, the perpetrator and the victim were clear, and a simple look at the scene was enough; even an autopsy could be directly handled by Tom. The second case was a home robbery. A thirteen-year-old paperboy had his eye on a racecar model but didn¡¯t have enough savings, and his parents disagreed with the extra few hundred US dollars expense. So, he turned his attention to the home of an elderly lady he regularly delivered newspapers to. Well... the deceased wasn¡¯t the old lady, but the paperboy. Hearing the noise, the old lady thought a thief had broken in, and the moment he appeared from the bedroom, she fired her double-barreled shotgun, blowing the small boy over a meter away, his death was far from peaceful. This case, with living room surveillance footage as evidence and given the old victim¡¯s age, wasn¡¯t problematic to handle. The kid died in vain. Cases like these could even have perfunctory autopsies, but Brian planned to leave it for his assistant Tom to practice. The third case was even more outrageous. By the time Brian and his team arrived, a giant teddy bear was dragging its female owner¡¯s body around, creating a chaotic scene due to the intense emotional stress caused by a peculiar close-distance contact established between them. This thing about male dogs, they have a uniquely structured organ. The male dog¡¯s apparatus is bone-in. This leads to a relatively long mating duration for dogs, typically between twenty to thirty minutes, and they exhibit a ¡®tie¡¯ phenomenon during mating, where the apparatus gets stuck and can¡¯t be removed until the end. The cause of this case was also simple. The woman, unsatisfied with her middle-aged husband¡¯s diminished vigor and unwilling to give up the affluent lifestyle he provided, yet not wanting to have an affair, decided to purchase a giant teddy bear after reading some bizarre posts online. Once fully grown, this thing could be even bigger than some Tibetan mastiffs, useful and obedient. Originally, there was no issue. However, the woman¡¯s husband, noticing his wife¡¯s recently radiant appearance every day, suspected an affair. He ordered takeout, but after monitoring the home surveillance and seeing his wife mostly stayed at home, doubted an affair was possible. He decided to drop the idea of catching her cheating, to avoid damaging their marital relationship. Today, the man brought colleagues home for a gathering, and after making an advance call for his wife to prepare, no one answered the phone, so he simply took his colleagues home directly. As they entered the living room, they heard noises from the bedroom, and in anger, the man kicked open the bedroom door... The woman had committed suicide. If it had been just her husband present, she might have awkwardly explained her situation, but with her husband¡¯s colleagues also at the scene in a wealthy community filled with respectable people. Thus, the woman, dragging the loudly howling dog, grabbed a gun and blew her own jaw off. The bullet accurately penetrated her brain. The departure was relatively peaceful. The only one hurt was her husband. When Brian and his team arrived, the husband was still staring at the teddy bear in a daze, unsure if he was upset about being cuckolded by a dog or feeling humiliated. But Brian guessed this guy probably wouldn¡¯t bring people home so casually in the future. ¡°What are all these incidents..¡± Tom, somewhat tired, flicked his cigarette ash outside the car window. He had previously worked as a police officer, then as a forensic scene investigator, and now had become Brian¡¯s autopsy assistant, quite experienced, but three peculiar cases in one morning, although the cases were simple, still felt exhausting. Tom rarely went on so many field missions in one go. ¡°Old Hardenn mentioned that headquarters issued an annual assessment notice, plus with Christmas approaching, our team is performing well, so it¡¯s going to be busy recently,¡± Brian casually explained. With his current physical condition and spiritual strength, he could continue such routine work for four or five days without rest, practically an evolved workhorse. Tom shook his head and said no more. Life is tough, but considering the high income, he could still persevere. .. On the road, Brian also ordered seven fast food meals at a drive-thru. ¡°So much?¡± Tom was surprised. These fast food meals were typical heavy, meaty, sugary, energy-packed meals that average people might not even finish one, but Brian bought seven. ¡°This is a side effect of body enhancement; the stronger the body, the more energy it consumes. The organization has special energy bars, but I¡¯ve been quite broke recently, and those energy bars taste awful, so I still prefer eating normal food,¡± Brian educated Tom. With his current strength, if he earns more merit points later, he could sell them cheaply to his colleagues. Doing good to others is really doing good to oneself. In this regard, after satisfying his own needs, Brian was still quite generous to his people. Tom enviously drooled. Chapter 330 - 330 212 A Collection of Bizarre Cases The Fourth Case_2 ?330: Chapter 212: A Collection of Bizarre Cases, The Fourth Case_2 330: Chapter 212: A Collection of Bizarre Cases, The Fourth Case_2 He also wanted enhancement, or else even a single vigorous effort would cost him half his life, and he abstained from women who threw themselves at him, forbearing for many years. Momentarily, two young and beautiful girls, wearing roller skates, brought over a heap of bags. Seeing Brian, these two girls brightened up but didn¡¯t flirt; they hurried off, not even curious why he ordered so much. Tom looked enviously at the young, well-shaped figures of the two girls as they left, ¡°Why do I feel like the quality of the waitstaff at these drive-thru fast food restaurants has been pretty good lately, and there¡¯s a high proportion of female servers?¡± ¡°These two are working part-time.¡± Brian took out the food from the bags and began eating heartily. ¡°Part-time work is quite normal, many people like to do odd jobs at fast food restaurants, it¡¯s quick money, and doesn¡¯t require much thinking. I guess they just graduated from high school.¡± Tom drove the corpse transport vehicle aside. This model was commonly used by funeral homes, which was also why the two girls scrammed. The death industry is unpopular in any country. Brian shook his head, ¡°The part-time work I¡¯m talking about isn¡¯t about regular jobs, but that kind, if you were willing to spend more money earlier, you probably could have engaged in some pre-dinner activities.¡± His Supercomputer Perception + Eagle Eye + Extensive Knowledge and Strong Memory caught sight of wet wipes and small umbrella packaging boxes around the waists of the two waitress. These are typical essential items for people in the industry. Recently, worsening public safety has impacted the global economy, particularly maritime trade, with a lot of cargo ships encountering accidents in international waters, leading to many captains and insurance companies going bankrupt. From this specific case to the general situation. Now the third Blood Moon effect is gradually emerging. Transportation costs will ultimately be passed on to civilians. With rising costs, the income of all industries is affected, eventually causing many small and medium enterprises to go bankrupt, jobs rapidly declining, and living costs increasing; if not controlled, an economic crisis is inevitable. Unfortunately, whenever this happens, the first ones to be laid off are mostly women in the workplace, who usually can¡¯t compete with men. In the United States, there¡¯s no such thing as layoff compensation. They just tell you to get lost, and you have to get lost. This leads many single women, burdened with mortgages and without the habit of saving, in order not to become defaulters, eventually to fall into the lowest social strata, resorting to things they wouldn¡¯t have considered previously. When Brian had gone to shoot a film, he found the number of women applying for jobs there frighteningly high... ... Tom found Brian¡¯s comments hard to accept. In his view, those two girls looked only eighteen or nineteen, at the prime of their youth, how could they be in such a profession. The contrast was just too stark. Before he could express his thoughts, he saw a girl in a fast food uniform handing over a meal to a sedan in front of them and instead of leaving immediately, she leaned into the driver¡¯s window, said something, then got into the car. Next. The car moved to a dining parking space and pulled down the sunshade curtain inside... Tom... Being somewhat traditional, he felt a profound sadness seeing this, and could only bow his head and start eating. After finishing their meal. The vehicle resumed travel. The fourth case was a convenience store shooting. Someone had robbed a remote convenience store and, upon leaving, also shot the poor clerk. When they arrived, it was just after one in the afternoon. More than two hours had passed since the time of the incident. The convenience store was cordoned off by the patrol police, and there were insurance company vehicles parked outside. ¡°Brian, Autopsy Officer!¡± The two police officers, recognizing Brian, greeted him enthusiastically. After three months of interactions, a legend had spread throughout the community police department: if you assist on a case handled by Brian, you could earn an extra bonus that month. Currently, this autopsy officer maintained a one hundred percent case-solving rate, with both rapid and efficient performance, and he was always willing to share credit in his case reports, never forgetting to mention the hardworking patrol officers. The money wasn¡¯t much, but it felt rewarding. People are drawn to strength, and here strength was admired. This had contributed to Brian¡¯s great reputation among the rank-and-file patrol officers. Brian courteously greeted the two and inquired about the case situation. Actually, when he saw the address of this convenience store, he found it strange. There were no major communities around, just small roads; such a location normally wouldn¡¯t do much business. The reason was simple. In most states in the United States, convenience store goods are more expensive than those in supermarkets, usually serving community residents for emergency purchases, not suitable for wholesale. Without being in a community, it¡¯s hard to ensure profit. This was why, in many American TV shows, when the main characters go shopping, they fill an entire cart. This kind of bulk shopping involves buying one or two weeks¡¯ worth of groceries in a single trip, more cost-effective and also allows for using some discount coupons. Even some thrifty housewives, by using these coupons, can not only save money but even earn money from shopping. Faced with Brian¡¯s questions, the two officers looked troubled, ¡°We don¡¯t have much information, but the convenience store owner is here, Brian, you could ask him.¡± Saying this, they pointed to a middle-aged Asian man arguing with a man in a suit. Chapter 331 - 331 212 A Collection of Bizarre Cases The Fourth Case_3 ?331: Chapter 212: A Collection of Bizarre Cases, The Fourth Case_3 331: Chapter 212: A Collection of Bizarre Cases, The Fourth Case_3 Brian nodded his thanks to the two and asked Tom to make inquiries while he entered the convenience store. ... The convenience store was small, probably about forty square meters, stocked with common goods, but it had an extra selection of Hua Country¡¯s dishes. Some of these were Brian¡¯s favorites, like the ¡°Old Lady¡¯s Hot Sauce.¡± This condiment was in limited quantity here and mostly bought by Hua Country immigrants despite its steep price, but it still sold pretty well. That made sense, given that many immigrants found it hard to adapt to the local food at first, and if they couldn¡¯t cook, using ready-made condiments from Hua Country was a great solution. Brian always had to call ahead to reserve his purchases at the store. Yes, most supermarkets here didn¡¯t carry these items, only some Chinese-owned stores had their own channels to stock up, unlike the convenience of e-commerce back in Brian¡¯s previous life. But this convenience store was strange. Brian noticed a thick layer of dust on these popular Hua Country dishes. This meant not only were the sales poor, but the goods had been neglected for a long time. Moreover, Picking up any product from the store, one could see it had been produced over a year ago, which fit the image of a store with dismal sales due to a poor location. The victim was lying face-down in front of the counter with a handful of change still in his right hand. Brian put on gloves and moved forward to inspect. The cause of death was clear, with seven or eight bullet holes in his chest and blood had splattered all over the floor; a broken handle of a shotgun lay beneath the counter. It was broken because the other half was still hanging on a hidden hook. A scenario flashed in Brian¡¯s mind: facing the robbery, the Chinese clerk was trying to draw out money while reaching for the gun to retaliate, but was shot. After killing the clerk, the robber fled immediately. Because a typical robber wouldn¡¯t leave behind the scattered cash totaling over a hundred US dollars in the dead man¡¯s hand. That amount of money wasn¡¯t insignificant, enough for a convenience store robber to squander for a day or two. Brian lifted the victim¡¯s face. The victim looked young, probably just over twenty, with a quintessentially Hua Country face, handsome, and with a strong build, his muscle contours apparent, a clear sign of regular exercise. This guy hadn¡¯t been in the United States for long! Brian could tell his identity at a glance. The reason was simple; even if he was an immigrant, after living in the United States for more than three years, his overall appearance would show marked differences from those still in Hua Country. How to put it... Unless he was an undocumented worker who always stayed in the Chinese community and rarely socialized, these individuals would gradually transform into what Americans perceive as a Hua Country person. It was a curious phenomenon, but it was true. ¡°This case looks strange. Running a convenience store doesn¡¯t seem to be about doing business. The robber doesn¡¯t seem to be after money but just to kill...¡± Brian mused, suspecting something was off about the convenience store itself. ... There weren¡¯t many clues left at the scene. After examining the site, Brian activated his enhanced sense of smell and successfully detected the scent of gun smoke mixed with a faint smell of sweat and machine oil. The mix was probably the robber¡¯s lingering scent. This was likely the most useful clue Brian had found. Brian glanced at the surveillance camera blown apart by a gunshot and the noticeably absent recording equipment, then walked out to talk to the store owner himself. The owner, a middle-aged Chinese immigrant, was talking to Tom. Seeing this, Brian waved to a white man in a suit, who was smoking and looking impatient, ¡°Buddy, can we talk?¡± The white man, seeing the badge on Brian¡¯s collar, nodded, ¡°Hello, officer. My name is Bruce, the Client Manager at Ada Insurance Company.¡± ¡°Is this convenience store often robbed?¡± Brian asked directly. Bruce looked at Brian in surprise and nodded vigorously, ¡°Yes, the guy is cunning, specifically insured with smaller companies like ours, and because he is of Chinese descent, which made us let our guard down. We didn¡¯t realize he¡¯d been rejected by many other insurance companies until now; I just found out about this information.¡± Generally, Chinese people have a good reputation in this country, at least appearing honest at first impression. Hearing this, Brian understood. It was as he had suspected. Due to the particularities of insurance companies in the United States, there was often no shared information database among them, leading to certain groups systematically committing insurance fraud. Of course, this lack of regulation also meant that many insurance companies weren¡¯t easy targets. It was a game of wit and shamelessness between the two, with the winner taking all. He had a good idea of what was going on with this case! Chapter 332 - 332 213 The Truth of the Case An Unexpected Gunfight First Subscription Bonus 6 ?332: Chapter 213: The Truth of the Case, An Unexpected Gunfight (First Subscription Bonus Chapter 6) 332: Chapter 213: The Truth of the Case, An Unexpected Gunfight (First Subscription Bonus Chapter 6) This ¡°insurance fraud¡± was doomed to be limited in scale. Typically, it involved incidents where goods were damaged, leading to insurance payouts, and the damaged goods were then disposed of at a low price. The profit came from this very process. Very few insurance companies would choose to recover these damaged goods, but some people without much money and illegal workers were quite fond of these cheap deals. Moreover, they could also be sold to some ¡°charitable organizations¡±. However, this was just small change, the real money was in the employee life insurance. The owner of this convenience store in question was rather greedy, trying to have his cake and eat it too, with previous insurance claims including employee life insurance, product insurance, store renovations, and other types of coverage. The claim amount, as far as this insurance investigator understood, had surpassed a million US dollars. Under normal circumstances, this amount would have been enough for insurance companies to collaborate and blacklist the other party, as for lawsuits and the like, it was very difficult to sue if the opposition was professional. Brian detested these beasts who exploited their own compatriots. He twisted his neck, his refined demeanor momentarily revealing a hint of ruffian spirit as he approached the Chinese middle-aged man who was conversing with Tom, ¡°I am Brian, an Autopsy Officer and the person in charge of this case.¡± Tom¡¯s gaze flashed, and he silently stepped aside. He sensed that Brian¡¯s mood was not very good at the moment. The Chinese middle-aged man had not yet perceived the seriousness of the situation, smiling as he greeted Brian, ¡°Hello, Mr. Brian, I am the owner of this convenience store; you can call me Mike.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have a Hua Country name?¡± Brian adjusted his tie. ¡°What?¡± The Chinese middle-aged man felt he couldn¡¯t keep up with the train of thought of this seemingly sophisticated young man but still cooperated, ¡°I am a second-generation immigrant; my family gave me a Hua Country name, but I hardly use it.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Brian nodded, pointing towards Tom, ¡°Buddy, give old Hardenn a call, have him check this Mr. Mike¡¯s financial transaction accounts, communication records, and information on lawyers he knows well. I suspect he¡¯s committing murder for insurance fraud.¡± ¡°This is against the rules; I am the victim here, my employee was shot dead, and yet you suspect me, want to investigate me; I need evidence, otherwise, based on what you¡¯ve said, I can file a complaint against you!¡± The expression on Chinese Mike¡¯s face changed in an instant. Is this guy born in the year of the dog, how can his face change so quickly? ¡°File a complaint against me?¡± Brian pulled down his tie at the front, looking around, ¡°Did I just threaten him?¡± ¡°No!¡± Tom¡¯s hoarse voice rang out loudly. It was somewhat unpleasant, but it reminded the other three people present. The two patrol officers looked entertained and naturally sided with Brian; the insurance agent who disliked the store owner turned his head away, pretending to be interested in a small tree at the roadside as if there was something fascinating about it. Upon witnessing this, Chinese Mike realized he had encountered a corrupt cop. Just as he was about to vent his spleen, Brian¡¯s tie whipped through the air with a sonic snap. This scared Mike silly. The tie looked light and flimsy, but how could it crack like a whip? Magic? The next moment, he found out if it was magic or not. Brian¡¯s tie struck his face, forcibly leaving a four-finger-wide bloodstreak across the middle-aged man¡¯s cheek, which soon turned into a black and purple bruise, showcasing to all the force behind Brian¡¯s hit. Mike was stunned for a moment before clutching his face and letting out a scream. Snap~ The air popped. Another tie strike landed on his mouth, shoving his scream back down his throat. Again and again. Brian lashed out a dozen or so times in quick succession, knocking the man unconscious then reviving him, leaving him battered before exhaling a breath of frustration and tying his tie back around his neck, regaining his refined appearance, ¡°You exploit the ignorance of those countrymen, harm them, so I use my position to oppress you; seems fair, right?¡± Mike lay on the ground. He had been swindled many times because of his circle, had seen a lot of darkness, but it was his first time coming across someone so arrogantly abusing their power. He pursed his lips, now swollen like sausages, and stayed silent. Seeing this, Brian nodded, ¡°Good, you¡¯ve still got spirit, looks like you want to try out the Great Memory Recovery Technique over here.¡± With that, he gestured to the two patrol officers at Mike lying on the ground, ¡°Take him to the station; I¡¯ll cover any issues.¡± ¡°Roger that, Autopsy Officer Brian,¡± one patrol officer flashed his handcuffs, ¡°What¡¯s the reason? We need to make a police report.¡± ¡°Publicly spitting at a public officer, uncooperative, there¡¯s your evidence.¡± Brian pointed untruthfully to a patch on the ground mixed with blood and saliva. Mike¡¯s eyes went wide. Wasn¡¯t that drool from being hit? How did it become publicly insulting a public officer? Does this great Los Angeles have no conscience, no law? The sky here is so dark, so dark! ... Until he was dragged onto the police car, this unscrupulous Chinese store owner still couldn¡¯t believe what had happened to him. He had dared to do this, and had done so for quite some time, considering the potential reactions and actions of the insurance companies and victimized illegal workers, as well as the response from the police. With regard to the group of Chinese illegal workers switching their work cards, this area has always been indifferent. The only difference between these people and the homeless was the work card in their hands, providing some cheap labor for the metropolis of Los Angeles. After all, dishes had to be washed, toilets had to be scrubbed. The illegal workers also needed to see hope. Chapter 333 - 333 213 The Truth of the Case An Unexpected Gunfight First Subscription Bonus 6_2 ?333: Chapter 213: The Truth of the Case, An Unexpected Gunfight (First Subscription Bonus Chapter 6)_2 333: Chapter 213: The Truth of the Case, An Unexpected Gunfight (First Subscription Bonus Chapter 6)_2 But human rights, sorry, in the eyes of most police officers, these groups don¡¯t even count as human. This isn¡¯t a joke, but a fact. Mike could never have imagined that this time, he would encounter someone who took things seriously, even to the point of feeling indignant on others¡¯ behalf. Because of the unexpected situation. Tom stayed behind to collect the body, while Brian rode in the insurance agent¡¯s car, following the patrol cars to the precinct. The white insurance agent was very polite and enthusiastic towards Brian, the brutal and unruly law enforcement officer, even considerately handing over his business card, hoping Brian would visit their insurance company when he had the time. These insurance companies, they love to hire police officers or retired public servants as consultants and the like. This way, they can leverage their connections. ... Upon entering the interrogation room. When the big lights were switched on, and the little book and hammer were in hand, Mike still talked tough. He clearly understood the consequences of confessing. It would mean his spacious House would become a tiny cell, with sewing machines he couldn¡¯t finish operating every day, and within half a month, parts of his body would be bruised purple. There¡¯s no helping it, crimes committed by Hua Country people are relatively rare, they¡¯re seldom seen in prison populations, and therefore have no affiliations, only to end up as the bullied group. But when Brian cut off some of his hair, put the hair trimmings into a coffee cup to pour into his mouth, and considerately brought out paper and a cup of water, he broke down. Hair milk tea, you government thug! This damn pretty boy, why did he know so much about the torture methods from Hua Country! ¡°I¡¯ll talk..¡± Mike raised his hand to surrender. According to his statement, he used to work as an immigration intermediary, of course, this immigration intermediary was just a shell company. Wealthy people from Hua Country have their own professional channels and agencies. Life is all about circles, those with money or the middle class all have their own circles, knowing who is reliable, so they know how to handle their children¡¯s study abroad, their own immigration, and so forth, in a trustworthy manner. At this time, it was many of these middle-class people who were the mainstream of those immigrating to the United States. In fact, since the 9/11 incident, this country had no longer the spirit, energy, or enthusiasm it once had, as it was in decline from its peak, what one could consider the last of its shining afterglow. But these groups were unaware of it. Apart from them, the remaining majority comprised the black market labor workforce. This group was most densely comprised of coastal Fujian residents. Mike¡¯s parents were from Fujian, and he still had relatives there; by referral from clients, just running his shell intermediary honestly would have been enough to ensure a worry-free life. However, this guy got hooked on gambling. Just earning a modest service fee or commission wasn¡¯t enough to meet his expenditure needs anymore. So, he started having crooked thoughts. Having worked as an intermediary, he knew that the black market labor group was also divided into many segments. One segment had family already here, and the only role for these intermediaries was to introduce smuggling channels and take a cut, after which they had nothing to do with them anymore. It was not easy to cheat this segment of the workforce. When abroad, family and relatives often stick together, especially amongst the residents of the coastal region where clan sentiments are still strong. But there was another segment driven by sheer desperation and seduced by overseas prosperity, who came with the idea of earning several years¡¯ hard-earned money before returning to enjoy life. This was entirely feasible. At that time, Hua Country was not very wealthy, exchange rates considered, work permits here were not as difficult to come by as later, if one came here and honestly earned and saved money, it was quite good for the common folk. At least they could save enough to go back and build or buy a house and car. With some luck, they might just catch up with the rapid development back home, achieving wealth freedom, and fare even better than those who immigrated directly. But this was all on the premise that they didn¡¯t run into a bastard like Mike. After this guy had his crooked thoughts, he quickly got all the legal risks sorted out through a lawyer he often worked with, then cheaply rented the current convenience store, specifically targeting those black workers without family or relatives to exploit, not only securing work permits for them but also employing them. He had chosen a remote location to open a convenience store. First, because there weren¡¯t many people around, making it easier for his own crew to commit robberies and vandalism. Second, the rent was cheap, saving money. As for the robber, he was Mike¡¯s nephew. This guy was no good bird, previously in charge as a guard for some Chinese gangs¡¯ leaf industry parks, but later kicked out for his drug addiction. These illegal workers, seeing Mike, a fellow countryman, not only helped them get their work cards but also provided jobs, tended to feel a strong sense of responsibility, leading to some resistance to robberies. At that moment, when the robber pulled out a pistol and injured them before escaping after destruction, these relatively naive illegal workers would feel ashamed. They would believe they failed to protect Mike¡¯s property and caused him to pay for their medical expenses. In reality, the place where they were treated was just a black clinic selling inferior products run by Mike¡¯s relatives. Most were left with sequelae after treatment, some unlucky ones died directly, and then they were made to sign loan agreements to repay the money through labor or drug trials. In short, there was an opportunity for yet another layer of exploitation. Most of these exploited illegal workers didn¡¯t have much cunning in their home country, nor any sense of law and rights, and being in unfamiliar territory, even if they sensed something was wrong, they dared not speak up. Just like that, in a few short years, Mike had made more money than he had in the first half of his life. But this time, there was a problem. The illegal worker he had hired was too young, hot-blooded, and straightforward, and actually tried to pull a gun in retaliation. Mike¡¯s nephew, in a panic, shot and killed him. Mike, the beast, was a little frantic but also somewhat gleeful. After all, the compensation for death was much more than for injury. Furthermore, since the deceased was an illegal worker with only a work card and no identity, he didn¡¯t think there would be any trouble, but he didn¡¯t expect to run into Brian, the white-skinned, yellow-hearted guy. Having understood what had happened, Brian felt somewhat suffocated. He didn¡¯t have an aversion to his fellow countrymen who merely wanted to work hard to make a living. After all, who didn¡¯t want a better life? As long as they weren¡¯t the kind of people who disparaged their motherland, like shepherd dogs, it was just a personal choice. But Mike¡¯s kind, even worse than a shepherd dog, was disgusting. If he weren¡¯t at the police station, Brian would have already sent this guy to meet Satan! The rest was not up to Brian to handle. The police department had professionals to deal with it. Brian was a young man destined for greatness, and everyone was willing to turn a blind eye to his rule-breaking. Some even thought he embodied the spirit of a United States officer, not as nonaggressive as he appeared to be, harboring more fondness for him. The previous patrol officer politely prepared to send Brian back to B6 Office Building. Brian had no objections. After messaging Tom to go back by car, he got into the patrol car and stared out at the scenery, lost in thought. Mike would pay for his actions, but Brian always felt a weight on his chest, a sense of discomfort. Unbeknownst to him, swarms of dark red energy surged, trying to merge into his void spirit, but as if lacking a catalyst, they were unable to succeed. The dark red energy began to settle smoothly. Suddenly, a woman¡¯s urgent voice came from the police radio: ¡°Gunfight reported near 389 Brighton District, repeat...¡± The driving officer reflexively picked up the pager: ¡°Badge number 34XX78 in the vicinity, ready to respond..¡± Having finished speaking, he then realized Brian was still in the car. The young patrol officer looked apologetic: ¡°Autopsy Officer Brian, I¡¯m sorry, but you might need to get off here temporarily and call your colleague for a pickup.¡± Brian shook his head, opening his jacket to reveal the holster under his arm: ¡°Just go there.¡± He was in a bad mood and wanted to see blood. The young officer shook his head: ¡°It¡¯s dangerous, the security in Los Angeles is getting worse, we¡¯ve lost more than ten officers recently..¡± ¡°Drive!¡± Brian cut him off: ¡°You¡¯ll soon find out who is really in danger!¡± The young man probably had no idea what a NW battle sequence was and how terrifying a Second-level Staff, Dawn Warrior, could be against ordinary robbers. Chapter 334 - 334 214 Elite Squad One Man Rampage ?334: Chapter 214: Elite Squad, One Man Rampage 334: Chapter 214: Elite Squad, One Man Rampage In this kind of emergency situation, there was not much information available. By the time they rushed over, the patrol officers in the car had already adjusted their radios based on the guidance. From the radio, the first policemen on the scene were reporting, ¡°It¡¯s a group of Mexicans, they¡¯re wearing white t-shirts, and most of them have automatic rifles, I repeat, a group of Mexicans...¡± From the pager, apart from the patrol officers¡¯ frantic reports, there were also screams and rapid gunfire, and calls admonishing residents to grab their guns and rush back inside. It was clear that the scene was chaotic. ¡°Damn it, why would they call us for backup in this situation? They should have sent out the SWAT team directly,¡± the patrol officer muttered under his breath. At this time, the LAPD¡¯s weapon authorization wasn¡¯t bad, but it wasn¡¯t as exaggerated as one might imagine; at least among the first responding officers, only the high-level officers were equipped with automatic rifles and powerful shotguns in their cars. The rest of the patrol officers just had standard handguns at most, perhaps with the addition of a bullet-proof vest. Brian silently drew his handgun and checked his ammunition. Ever since he had thrown stones with enough force to match the close-range power of a regular handgun, he seldom carried a lot of magazines¡ªjust a few small cantaloupes hung around his body. On Brian now, there were only two spare magazines, totaling fifty-one bullets, and three fragmentation hand grenades for emergency situations. That should be enough. Meanwhile, the patrol officers continued to grumble. Listening to the intense gunfire coming through the radio, their hands gripping the steering wheel were trembling. Before he could finish his complaints. Boom¡ª Accompanied by a series of explosions. From the radio, all the sounds disappeared. The officers lips turned instantly pale. This meant that the police car relaying the information had been destroyed... ... Brian was also somewhat surprised. In downtown Los Angeles, the last time such a scene had occurred was when Mad Dog Ike went insane; that guy had hidden several rocket launchers at his location and even blown up two police cars. Brian couldn¡¯t believe that only about two months had passed before such an incident occurred again. Three minutes later. Within their line of sight, there appeared chaotic traffic fleeing the scene. A large number of police cars were approaching. At this location, they could already hear the explosions. ¡°Are you scared?¡± Brian casually snatched the headset out of the junior officer¡¯s hand, stuffed it into his ears, and clipped the receiver to his waist. He kicked open the car door, looked back at him, and said, ¡°Stay behind me, you¡¯ll need to drive me back later.¡± In the heat of battle, it¡¯s easy to enter a state of adrenal explosion. This state isn¡¯t particularly good; not only does it make one prone to reactive actions, but it also easily wastes energy, leading to poor sustained combat ability. Taking the junior officer with him was mainly because his uniform was noticeable and it wouldn¡¯t be easy for him to be shot by his own people. ¡°Ah?¡± The junior officer looked at Brian¡¯s calm demeanor, somewhat perplexed. Wasn¡¯t Brian the Autopsy Officer? Wasn¡¯t he afraid of dying? Nervous, the junior officer hurriedly donned his bullet-proof vest, drew his small handgun, and followed behind Brian, looking around cautiously as if on alert. In reality, they hadn¡¯t yet reached the combat zone. Walking about a hundred meters, crossing a community building complex and a street cluttered with a chaotic array of vehicles and raging fires, the scene unfolded before their eyes. Scattered police cars encircled the houses on the left; on the lawns outside the houses lay seven or eight motionless figures, the attire and age indicating these were innocent civilians who hadn¡¯t managed to flee and were shot dead in the chaos. Most conspicuous was an overturned police car, next to which a Black patrol officer lay groaning in pain on the ground. His leg had been shot, rendering him immobile. Not far from this Black patrol officer, there was also a body on the ground, motionless and on fire. Further away were two more downed police officers. From their positions, they seemed to have been attempting to rescue their injured comrade when they were fatally shot. Most absurdly, there was a blast shield in front of these two men. This shield, designed to withstand regular bullet impacts, showed a large bullet hole and a spread of dense cracks, indicating the powerful impact of the bullets that had penetrated it. This was definitely not from a regular handgun or rifle! Looking at the scene, Brian¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. This was a classic sniper tactic: wound one or two first, then wait for their comrades to come to the rescue. There was a sniper among the enemies! ... Brian appeared to be observing meticulously, yet he only scanned the scene briefly. The situation was not as he had anticipated. Under these circumstances, there was no need for the burden of having the junior officer around. He took a deep breath, a look of absorption crossing his face. The scent of blood and gunpowder made his blood involuntarily start to boil. Brian took out his pager and handed it to the junior officer behind him, ¡°Tell your colleagues to stop firing indiscriminately, inform them Second Level Staff are intervening, and tell them to just secure the perimeter.¡± After speaking, without waiting for the junior officer to respond, Brian, holding his gun with one hand, casually stepped into the battleground. Immediately, a patrol officer tucked in a corner shouted upon seeing him, ¡°Get back, get back to your place, it¡¯s dangerous here, get back!!!¡± Next moment. Brian flicked his gun. Bang bang bang¡ª Three bullets fired out. Three Mexican men who had just peeked out, intending to take down this suddenly appeared conspicuous package, collapsed silently behind their cover, startling their comrades. Chapter 335 - 335 214 Elite Squad One Man Rampage_2 ?335: Chapter 214: Elite Squad, One Man Rampage_2 335: Chapter 214: Elite Squad, One Man Rampage_2 Almost simultaneously, Brian¡¯s mind rippled with countless waves, his figure flashed, and he turned into an afterimage, vanishing above the road. This speed... Everyone on the scene who saw Brian widened their eyes in disbelief, thinking they were hallucinating. The junior patrol officer who had followed Brian was especially terrified. If not for the pager still in his hand, he almost thought he might have taken drugs, to believe that Autopsy Officer Brian had just been with him. ¡°NW Second-level Staff... NW Second-level Staff... Could this be why NW has such high status in Los Angeles...¡± The junior patrol officer murmured to himself. The afterimage that Autopsy Officer Brian left behind, with a speed nearly akin to instant teleportation, almost made him believe he had seen a comic book superhero descend to Earth... ... Hundreds of meters away, at the top of a light sign, a man lying down frowned. Where is he? This kind of speed... He seemed to think of something, and fear appeared on his composed face. Damn it, they¡¯re those modified monsters! They were merely attracting the attention of those around, how could it bring such a powerful official person to join the fight so quickly!!! Without hesitation, the sniper urgently communicated through his radio: ¡°The plan has changed, everyone...¡± He didn¡¯t finish his sentence. The next moment, There were knocking sounds beneath him. He looked down reflexively, only to see the muzzle of a gun aimed at him... Bang~ A gunshot echoed. The concealed sniper, spotter, and temporary commander died on the spot. ¡°Plan?¡± Looking at the body that collapsed and fell at his feet, Brian frowned. He casually flicked away a drop of blood falling from the sky, bent down to pocket the man¡¯s radio, and his face broke into a charming smile as he turned back into an afterimage, rushing towards the residential areas. Screw whatever the plan is. All he wanted to do now was kill. Four in a row. A surge of uncontrolled excitement bubbled up, finally transforming into a blood moon afterimage that flickered in and out of existence in Brian¡¯s indifferent eyes. Invisible ripples spread from his mouth in all directions, forming colorless three-dimensional contours that revealed the silhouettes of armed thugs hiding in the buildings in Brian¡¯s mind. It was as if he had activated a perspective hack, whistling while he shot each armed bandit dead at their hiding spots. Crushing these ordinary people to death was no more difficult than crushing ants. ... Listening to the screams coming through his ears, Two Mexican men on the attic roof of a residential building showed panic. One of them looked anxiously at his companion, ¡°Fifteen people, it looks like it¡¯s just us left now.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be...¡± his companion clutched the rocket launcher in his hand, ¡°How could these Raki police of Los Angeles be so powerful? We¡¯re from a special operations squad; even massacring civilians wouldn¡¯t go this fast, there must have been some accident... Didn¡¯t you hear Number One say the plan had changed!!!¡± He tried to convince himself. Their current position was dire, with no way forward or back. If there was a problem with his companion, then the Los Angeles police would definitely search this place, and they would have no chance to evacuate according to the original plan. Just as these two men were frightened, Brian¡¯s figure flashed and he jumped up to the second floor; in mid-air, his pistol magazine was ejected; as he landed on the balcony, a new magazine was already clicked in, completing the reload. Looking at the man who fell on the balcony, with eyes filled with terror looking up at him, Brian squatted down, showing a gentle smile to the man, ¡°Can you tell me who you are?¡± The thugs in plain sight had already been killed by him within a little over two minutes. Even though he was still not satisfied, Brian deliberately left this gunman in a blind spot, trying to interrogate him for information. Looking at the handsome and fair-faced Brian, the man shot in all limbs was so terrified that he was out of his wits, his pupils dilated, and he kept calling out the word ¡®monster¡¯ in Spanish. Murky liquid continuously dribbled out of the man¡¯s mouth. Brian took a slight sniff, knowing the guy was scared out of his wits. ¡°Forget it...¡± Brian twirled his gun and with one punch knocked the man out cold, then lifted him and jumped off the balcony that was over three meters high, tossing the man¡¯s unconscious body onto the lawn in the backyard, ready to leave him for the police as a living witness for interrogation. Killing too smoothly, he forgot to keep a few more alive. Hoping there¡¯d still be survivors among the thugs... With this thought in mind, Brian whistled as he emitted bursts of ultrasound, scanning the vicinity and started wandering around the nearby houses. The most effective use of ultrasound was direct feedback, which meant returning from the first obstacle and forming the clearest image. But it could also penetrate gaps, just not form images. Brian was so freakish because his vision and sense of smell were also exaggerated, enabling him to easily distinguish any remaining scent of gunfire and thereby accurately track and eliminate the thugs with efficient killing. ... Having searched round twice, Brian, smelling of gunpowder, emerged from the last building. He dragged the previously taken-down, limb-incapacitated gunman to the ground and gestured to the patrolling officers in the distance that it was safe now. A plump officer, upon seeing this, had his chubby cheeks twitch and turned to the skinny officer behind him, ¡°Hey, how long has he been in there?¡± The skinny officer uncertainly replied, ¡°Seven minutes, or maybe eight minutes, definitely no more than ten!¡± ¡°This Second-level Staff from the NW is amazing, how could there be someone this formidable in the world.¡± The fat officer exclaimed in awe, without much consideration he stood up and, taking a shotgun, trotted towards Brian. Seeing this, the skinny officer bit his lip, gripped his handgun tightly, and followed. The fat partner was a meat shield he had been nurturing for over two years, he couldn¡¯t let him go down here! Faster than them was the young officer who had previously contacted Brian by car. His face dripping with sweat, as though he¡¯d been through a great battle without firing a single shot, he gasped, ¡°Autopsy Officer Brian, is everything here... all taken care of?¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°Pretty much, have your colleagues take this man to the hospital for treatment, and clear the bodies nearby. Oh, and under that billboard up ahead, there¡¯s one more, plus this one on the ground, makes thirteen in total. Don¡¯t miss any.¡± The young officer pulled out his phone, glanced at the time, and fell silent. Real freak! Just minutes, thirteen well-trained armed thugs that had the patrol officers unable to even approach, under fire from scattered points, were all taken down¡ªwas this the true strength of an NW organization staff? Too powerful! He quickly gestured to the other officers to help. Following Brian, he had made his presence known this time; from now on, even boasting over drinks would make others envious! ... Watching the bustling officers, Brian holstered his gun and quietly lit a cigarette. Satisfied, but not completely. Such low-intensity combat was akin to slaughter for him, offering no sense of achievement at all. Right... Brian exhaled a cloud of smoke and pulled out the communication device he had confiscated from the sniper, coughed twice, and three seconds later, his voice transformed into the other¡¯s. A mischievous smile crept onto his face as he softly said into the device in United States English, ¡°Change of plan, the police have sent a pro, remaining team, report in with your status!¡± In the attic, two brothers who were contemplating their escape heard a familiar voice resume in the dead-quiet headset, exchanged a look, and both showed a hint of elation. One of them quickly grabbed the headset, pressed several concealed buttons, and began to hastily speak into the communication channel in Spanish, ¡°Number One, this is...¡± The other one suddenly realized something was off, covered his companion¡¯s mouth: ¡°Wait, why would Number One use the official Federation language!¡± In most countries around the globe, even if the Federation language isn¡¯t the official one, it¡¯s one of the main languages. Mexico was no different. Many there spoke English. But as comrades who had come from a combat unit, most of the time they communicated in the official language¡ªSpanish¡ªand in special times, they used a more obscure indigenous language as encryption. Something¡¯s wrong with Number One! Alas, by the time they realized it, it was too late. Brian watched the abruptly silent headset and gently crushed it. His eyes scanned the building opposite, quickly pinpointing a three-story house from which observation of this side would be easy. Almost at the same moment, two little heads in the attic window of the three-story house also looked this way, their gazes meeting with Brian¡¯s... Chapter 336 - 336 215 Ability Transformation Again First Subscription Bonus 7 ?336: Chapter 215 Ability Transformation Again (First Subscription Bonus 7) 336: Chapter 215 Ability Transformation Again (First Subscription Bonus 7) Confirmed by eye contact, it was the target they were looking for. Brian¡¯s figure flashed, turning into a blur of exaggerated speed that only left visible afterimages to normal eyes, and he vanished from the street once more. The remaining two finally understood why their companions had disappeared so quickly. Monster! A modified monster had joined the battle! ¡°Run!¡± Without a second thought, the two picked up their rocket launcher and ran toward another window. There was a dog flap in the backyard of this house, and on the other street outside the dog flap was the getaway car they had prepared. Their original plan had been to cause a big commotion in a short time, and when the moment was right, they would fire the rocket launcher to attract attention, coupled with Sniper No. 1¡¯s rifle to disrupt the police deployment, and make a quick escape. The process wasn¡¯t to take more than fifteen minutes. God knows why they had provoked a monster, causing the plan to fail in less than ten minutes. These two men were indeed members of a special combat squad. Even in a state of panic, they used the ropes they had prepared beforehand to rappel down into the courtyard in less than three seconds. Just as they were about to escape through the dog flap, a figure already appeared below them, smiling and looking up at them. ¡°Go to hell, monster!¡± The man carrying the rocket launcher, without a word, picked up the portable rocket launcher and prepared to fire it at close range, intending to take Brian down with him. The other also viciously raised the barrel of his automatic rifle. But to Brian, their movements were as slow as snails, like a video that had dropped frames. He instantly crossed the three-meter distance between them, hands shooting out and precisely grasping their necks, and at the moment he lifted them, shook his hands sharply. Intense pain shot through them. Both let out a scream of agony as the weapons in their hands fell to the ground. ¡°Tell me where you come from,¡± Brian said, tossing the two to the ground and asking curiously. ¡°Go die!¡± One of them gave a hostile response. The next second, a shadow whistled through the air with a sharp crack, whipping his head to spin twice on the spot, his back to his companion, his eyes wide open, still filled with a blend of vicious and fearful emotions... Having dispatched the stubborn one with a single kick, Brian turned his gaze to the other man. He, however, foolishly watched as his companion¡¯s head was turned 180 degrees to the back, his whole body trembling and lost in shock. As members of a ruthless gang¡¯s armed forces, they had seen plenty of cruel deaths and had even witnessed mass slaughters where bodies were treated with sulfuric acid, but nothing had shaken them as much as the way their companion died today. In front of the monster before them, their strong bodies were as fragile as a baby¡¯s. Seeing this, Brian sighed. He flicked the ash off the tip of his cigarette, ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re going to die, so why not cooperate and die peacefully?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand, if I betray those above us, my whole family will be buried alive. Just kill me, I won¡¯t talk, I won¡¯t...¡± Before he could finish his sentence, his throat took a heavy blow, and his body collapsed powerlessly to the ground, following his companion¡¯s footsteps to the afterlife. ¡°Talk or don¡¯t talk, it¡¯s all the same.¡± Brian crushed the cigarette butt and walked away. Having killed this gang of thugs, he felt much better. ... Next, it was time for the patrol officers from the operations department to ¡°clean up.¡± After waiting for over half an hour and collecting two new obsessions from the fifteen gathered bodies, Brian was finally taken back to Group B6¡¯s office after some bartering with a plump higher-up from the police who had arrived late. Seeing Brian return, Old Hardenn looked up, ¡°Good thing you¡¯re back. Tom said you went down to the district station. I heard there was a fierce shootout over there.¡± ¡°It¡¯s over, I handled it,¡± Brian tossed his suit casually onto his desk, ¡°Has the team leader arrived yet?¡± ¡°No,¡± Hardenn shook his head, then turned to a female clerk beside him, both curiously eyeing Brian, ¡°What happened?¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know. The situation was a bit chaotic. A few officers and many civilians died at the scene, there was gunfire, and then I took care of them. But one was left alive; not sure if they can be saved.¡± It was only after he returned to his desk and started typing up the case report that Old Hardenn and the female clerk caught Brian¡¯s meaning: taking care of them = killed them all, except for one survivor. Both were silent... The female clerk¡¯s eyes widened as she wrote on a piece of paper, ¡°Is Brian that fierce?¡± Old Hardenn shook his head in reply, ¡°This kid used to spray bullets all over the place when he killed someone, must have been corrupted by the team leader.¡± The female clerk nodded in agreement. Brian was usually good-tempered, slightly less so with bad people¡ªprobably influenced by his team leader, Susan. ... Actually, whether those people admitted their affiliations or not wasn¡¯t a big issue. All were Mexicans, their style of combat was elite, and with their equipment and other factors, there were only a few factions that could have that level of power. Ironically, the CIA probably knew those unfortunate neighbors better than they knew themselves. A simple cross-reference was all that was needed to identify the group¡¯s identity and purpose. After sending the case report to the leadership at the district station and forwarding another copy to the Internal Affairs Department of NW, Brian began to examine the three obsessions he had collected. Obsession One: Become an enhanced human. Gift: 9 points of Gift Energy. This was the sniper¡¯s obsession. It wasn¡¯t clear if he¡¯d always had this desire, or if it was only after seeing Brian¡¯s inhuman performance that he¡¯d developed it. But it was meaningless. The man was dead; he couldn¡¯t become anything. Even if he hadn¡¯t died, such an obsession would have been a loss to fulfill¡ªunprofitable. Rejected! Obsession Two: Give that monster two shots! Gift One: Eight points of Gift Energy. Gift Two: One point of Gift Energy + rifle mastery. This is an unnamed obsession. There was no helping it, Brian killed too quickly, never paying attention to who was who, only having the time to examine their obsessions after the deed was done. The obsession was simple. Gift Two was meaningless to Brian. Gift One wasn¡¯t too bad, even a mosquito¡¯s leg is meat; he accepted this obsession. Obsession Three: Buy a farm, stay away from blood and fire, and live a stable, happy life with family. Gift: Five Gift Energy points. Along with it came the faces of a group of people. This group had the old and the young, including three little girls and a boy, amounting to over a dozen, surrounding the deceased with radiant smiles; it must have been a family portrait. Seeing this obsession, Brian was inexplicably reminded of a past shootout scene, with the bodies of innocent civilians littered across the ground, feeling a touch of irony. ¡°Sorry, but this obsession is too troublesome, and the feedback is too little, so let¡¯s just forget about it.¡± Brian rejected this obsession as well. ... Susan wasn¡¯t in. Brian texted her but got no reply. There was still some time before the end of the workday. He simply went down to the basement to check on Tom¡¯s autopsy work. The guy was partnering with Ali, the Weapon Expert, for videotaping, and coupled with the obvious causes of death for several of the collected bodies, so he was doing quite well. After greeting them, Brian went to the shooting range, picked out a modified air rifle from Ali¡¯s modifications, and casually fired a few shots to confirm its power, then lifted his shirt and aimed the still-hot barrel directly at his stomach before firing three shots. The extra one was a freebie. At such close range, the airgun pellets were reduced to masses of lead, struggled to tear through Brian¡¯s sturdy skin, and barely penetrated his muscles before being forcefully stuck. The next moment, With the movement of muscles, The three deformed lead pellets, without a single stain of blood, were expelled from the wound in Brian¡¯s stomach. The skin of the wound was writhing. In about two breaths, the wound sealed, leaving only barely visible red streaks where the holes had been. Seeing this, Brian nodded in satisfaction. Such minor wounds, he could heal without using Gift Energy, relying on his own cell vitality and the ¡®BUG ability¡¯ of Body Control, it would take at most a few days to heal naturally with next to no impact on his life. Advancing to the next level, he anticipated his self-healing ability would become even more prodigious. He felt he could somewhat understand why that ¡®Long¡¯ from the past could go up against a modern military alone and still escape tens of kilometers to the sea. He himself was steadily drawing closer to that realm. As warm currents surged, the obsession was complete. Brian once again gained eight Gift Energy points, his accumulated Gift Energy reaching 94 units and soon returning to triple digits. ¡°Once that Vampire obsession is complete, I¡¯ll find an opportunity to visit Japan, and then I can consider enhancing my body once more...¡± A smile spread across Brian¡¯s face. This sensation of continuous growth and the building sense of security, it was truly exhilarating. ... Until the end of the shift, Susan still hadn¡¯t returned nor replied to messages. Susan had previously mentioned she¡¯d take some time to visit headquarters, where there were signal jammers in some areas, so Brian wasn¡¯t particularly anxious, but he decided to send her another message using the staff wristwatch. This time, the reply was quick: Read, will return tomorrow. Seeing this, Brian was relieved. This matter served as a reminder: it was time to get Shi San a phone. Otherwise, with Susan unreachable and Shi San the same, he would still worry a bit. Riding back home. There was a small bag hanging on his apartment door. On the bag, there was a note saying, in essence, that its owner was a new neighbor who had moved in downstairs, intending to do some simple renovations which might cause disturbance, and this was a lunch box she had made as an apology for the trouble. ¡°How overly polite, it just feels full of superficial formality.¡± Brian sniffed at it, assured it was just some ordinary snacks, and took it to his room, tossing it into the trash can. Although he wasn¡¯t afraid of most poisons, having encountered more and more mutants with bizarre abilities, Brian was even more cautious about such things. After eating. Brian held his coffee and stepped out onto the balcony, staring into the night sky, lost in thought at the moon overhead. For some reason. He started to feel sleepy after returning home. Since his energy levels had been high, this had never happened. ¡°Could it be related to today¡¯s killings?¡± Brian yawned, ¡°Today, my mood was indeed a bit off, like a woman on her period, the fluctuations were somewhat abnormal...¡± With a hint of tiredness, Brian returned to the living room and checked the surveillance. His guess was right on the mark. The bag on the door was indeed hung there by a short-statured Asian-faced woman. A woman from Japan, recognizable by the legs. Due to their kneeling posture, most women there have short, stubby legs like little radishes. The woman appeared gentle, probably a housewife. As he continued to watch, the afterimage of the Blood Moon in Brian¡¯s eyes reappeared, and he unknowingly closed them, settling down on the couch. Countless dark red energies boiled silently, infiltrating his consciousness... Chapter 337 - 337 216 Ability and Change ?337: Chapter 216 Ability and Change 337: Chapter 216 Ability and Change In his sleep, Brian dreamed of the monsters and humans he had personally executed during this period. Some of these dead, Brian remembered quite clearly, while others he had simply killed without much attention to their faces, and now their faces, which had been fleeting, were also clearly visible. He was as if suffering from sleep paralysis, unable to move, he could only let these phantasmal beings circle around him, questioning his cruelty and coldness. Unable to move, Brian simply watched them wander aimlessly. After all, he had already killed them, whatever they wanted to ask, they could ask. Anyway, he only killed those who deserved to be killed. Among those he had executed, none were innocent. They were either mutants who harassed ordinary people, laboratory monsters, or enemies. Brian felt no guilt. Thinking this way, and listening to the echoes of questions resounding in his mind, he actually fell asleep again during his sleep. This time, Brian once again plunged into another bizarre world. This was a world assembled by the Spirit Crystal gift recipients after he completed his obsessions. One moment, Brian was watching a man and a woman tormenting their bed at home, the next moment the scene before him turned into the cruel sight of cannibalism following a hunt. The most frequent appearances were made by the Mutant Rat, which had granted him the Super Adaptation Talent, the garden¡¯s man-eating girl, and the Mutant Dog that provided the flesh-corrosive poison bag talent. These three monsters kept dragging Brian deeper into their memories of hunting and feasting. Their manic desire to hunt and eat relentlessly assaulted Brian¡¯s mind, giving him a strong impulse to merge into the phantoms. Fortunately, Brian was a man of two lifetimes, with a strong sense of self-awareness. This assault was unpleasant, but bearable. In addition to these mad memories, there were many others from the people whose talents Brian had absorbed before, including Laura, the female veterinarian. This FBI field agent fodder, raised from childhood, had memories that were very violent and explicit; either she was killing, or she was squeezing every last drop out of the various handsome men she fancied, and then zipping them into body bags... The onslaught of memories increased the mental pressure on Brian. His consciousness even began to blur. However, what Brian felt more was throbbing pain. This throbbing was like cramming three days and nights of studying into his head, a throbbing filled with too much information. ... Brian wasn¡¯t sure how much time had passed before he slowly opened his eyes. He scanned the surroundings. In the pitch-black environment, a pair of blood-red eyes glimmered faintly, allowing him to see everything as if it were daytime, unaffected by the darkness of the night. Brian touched his somewhat warm eyes, a look of relief washing over his face. Damn! He hadn¡¯t realized that, without being aware, he had undergone another Transformation. This transformation was extremely dangerous. It started off with something akin to a demon of the heart. Fortunately, Brian wasn¡¯t good at much else, but he had a thick skin. He faced the questioning of those he had killed by falling asleep in his dream, completely unaffected. What followed was the backlash from absorbing talents and skills from the gifts. To be precise, it wasn¡¯t backlash, but rather the hidden dangers within his own body that erupted this time, attempting to assault Brian¡¯s consciousness. To put it in more mystical terms, it was those talents and skills carrying the strong Spiritual Imprint of their original owners. These had not been eradicated until the activation of the Blood Moon Ability. The memories from the mutants were more real and detailed, while those from ordinary people, including Laura, were a bit more blurry. Once the critical period passed, Brian only remembered that something like this had happened but couldn¡¯t recall the details of those assaulting memories anymore; it was as if those memories had been directly cleared from his mind like trash. His current state was very good. His mind was clear, it worked quickly, and there wasn¡¯t that previous sense of throbbing pain¡ªonly the lingering fear in hindsight. This test challenged not only his willpower but also his experience. In just three months, he had absorbed too many obsession gifts. These included the wild Mutant Beasts, the ferocious Mutants, as well as the mixed obsessions of various ordinary people. The real age of Brian, who had lived two lifetimes, was now fifty years old. Combined with the rich and colorful life and experiences of this lifetime, along with his formidable Spiritual Strength, he had managed to survive. In fact, he still had many unfulfilled obsessions on him. Like his uncle¡¯s obsession, the six obsessions of the Japanese Ninja, the obsession of the monkey Mutant Beast... Brian suspected that if he had truly completed these obsessions before, he would probably no longer be able to distinguish himself, really becoming insane. ... ¡°I thought I was a very special Mutant with no dangers, but apart from occasionally being a bit emotional, there was also this kind of hidden cost, there really is no such thing as a free lunch in this world...¡± Brian got up, wanting to drink some water, but he felt chilly all over. Touching himself, he realized that his entire body was drenched in sweat, leaving a clear human-shaped sweat imprint on the sofa. While dreaming, his body had also undergone some unknown changes. ¡°Gurgle~ Gurgle~¡± Brian sprawled at the kitchen sink, gulping down the ice-cold tap water before he cleaned up the sofa, took a bath, and changed clothes. Once he was dry and comfortable again, he returned to the couch and closed his eyes to reassess his condition. With a thought, Supercomputer Perception immediately activated. At that moment, Brian felt different. How should one put it? The skills and talents he had gained before were like plugins, always with a sense of separation. He could use them, even better than their original owners, but they would consume his spirit. Now, they still consumed spirit, but in a much more natural way. The previous slight awkwardness was completely gone. Brian quickly tested his other talents and discovered similar changes as if these talents were inherently his own, growing up with him and adapting. Most crucially, the combinations of these talents became smoother. They seemed to have merged together. Take ¡°enhanced sense of smell¡± + ¡°Eagle Eye¡± + ¡°Supercomputer Perception¡± + ¡°ultrasonic shock perception¡±; these four combined, forming Brian¡¯s exaggerated and unique sensory network. How should one put it? Brian, sitting on the couch in his apartment¡¯s living room, could clearly comprehend the outside environment, as if he could see directly through the concrete walls, sensing all inanimate and animate objects within approximately a dozen meters or so outside. This was a sensation he couldn¡¯t quite describe, not truly seeing, yet he just knew the movements around the balcony, the arrangement of objects, the leaves drifting by when the evening breeze blew... The combination of talents was this terrifying! Besides this, Brian¡¯s ¡°Body Control¡± + ¡°Pheromone Control¡± + ¡°Super Adaptability¡± ¨C his three physical talents ¨C had also undergone a subtle fusion. Apart from being more supple in application. For the first time, Brian had the ability to slightly alter his cellular structure. He didn¡¯t know why he was so sure that he could do this, but he just was, as if he naturally knew the functions of his talents. Brian tentatively stretched out his hand. The next moment. As he willed it, this fair-skinned hand began to slowly change in color, very gradually turning into matte black. About ten minutes later, a hand that anyone would believe belonged to a black person appeared before Brian. ¡°The speed is too slow, this rate of change is too slow, it can¡¯t be used in an emergency, but if I don¡¯t actively control it and let my body adapt automatically, it should work better than my controlling it...¡± With that thought. Brian directly took out a lighter and burned the matte black hand. A sting spread. Brian remained expressionless, silently watching the spot sending out white smoke from the burn. Only when the smell of charred skin cells reached him did he move the lighter away and used his Gift Energy to heal the wound. Such an injury, the consumption of Gift Energy, was about 0.8 units. Touching the skin that seemed healed, yet was more resilient than before, and feeling a slight hunger, Brian¡¯s face lit up with joy. The ¡°Super Adaptation Talent,¡± which he had only acquired a third of, had undergone a miraculous change after merging with his other two talents! Brian immediately picked up the lighter again and resumed burning the previous spot. This time, the pain was significantly less. The same distance, the same duration of burning. When the time was up. Brian immediately drew back the lighter and again controlled his Gift Energy to heal the wound. This time, the consumption of Gift Energy was only 0.5 units. After repeating several times. Under the same burning conditions, although Brian could still feel the sting, when he removed the lighter, the skin, which had been repaired several times, showed no sign of injury apart from being slightly yellowed on the outside. This wasn¡¯t to say that this patch of skin was now fireproof, but it had become much more resistant to fire and could withstand it longer before being damaged. Brian touched the small patch of skin that was almost the same as elsewhere, but whether in terms of toughness or resistance to high temperatures, it far surpassed the surrounding skin, his face showing pleasure. This is what ¡°Super Adaptability¡± is all about! The skin cells at this spot seemed to have remembered the stimulation from the fire burn and actively changed their structure. Moreover, while healing, they altered their form to adapt to the fire environment. But that was not even the most impressive part. The most incredible aspect was that Brian¡¯s body remembered this change. What did that mean? It meant he could use Gift Energy at any time, or slowly draw on the energy ingested from the outside world, to make all his body cells undergo this type of resistant change, achieving adaptation to high-temperature flames. If he chose not to, he could also revert this patch of skin back to its former state, making it undetectable to others. Compared to the Mutation Talent of the Mutant Rat, Brian¡¯s ability was incredible. Because adaptation changes generally result in visible alteration, often uncontrollable, whereas Brian could absorb their advantages and choose whether to change. One could imagine. The longer he lived, as long as he had sufficient energy, his body would become increasingly freakish, and the lethal threats to him would decrease more and more. Chapter 338 - 338 217 Upgrading Gift Ability Female Celebrity Death Case ?338: Chapter 217: Upgrading Gift Ability, Female Celebrity Death Case 338: Chapter 217: Upgrading Gift Ability, Female Celebrity Death Case ¡°The destructive power of a nuclear bomb mainly relies on shock waves, high temperatures, and radiation. If I start adapting a bit earlier, and take it slowly, it seems like in a hundred or two hundred years, I might have a chance of withstanding a nuclear bomb...¡± Brian suddenly had this bizarre thought. However, upon imagining the energy consumption involved, he immediately dismissed the idea. After readjusting all of his abilities, Brian finally opened the panel formed by Supercomputer Perception. This panel, based on his cognition, was essentially like a notepad. According to the values displayed, Brian¡¯s physical constitution and Spiritual Strength were still at 1.3, without a significant leap. However, he clearly felt that the impact of the various talents he had obtained on his Spiritual Power had nearly reduced by ninety percent. What does that mean? It means Brian could now maintain his strongest state all day long with various talents activated, barely managing to uphold it. If he turned on just a few talents, such as the enhanced sense of smell, he could maintain it twenty-four hours a day without any pressure, unlike before when he would feel physically and mentally exhausted. Besides that, Brian discovered even more surprising changes. There were explanations now!!! The talents from Gifts all had explanations! Similar to his previous senses, when Brian saw a talent, he would naturally understand the status of that talent. For example, Brian¡¯s Uncle¡¯s unfinished obsession gift, Steel Will: Steel Will: Your will is as tenacious as steel. External and internal distractions can¡¯t influence your will, and the only things that can defeat you are your progressively aging body and yourself! This type of explanation was more like a monologue from Brian himself, not a real textual explanation. Instead, it was an understanding infused into his mind in a way that Brian could grasp with just one look. ¡°This talent is awesome. Mainly, if I don¡¯t court death, even if my Mutation goes haywire, I should have a good chance of withstanding it.¡± Brian hurriedly looked at other talents that he had only partially understood before. Such as Yagyuu Ittou¡¯s Heart Eye. Heart Eye: You have a natural, powerful Sixth Sense that allows you to effortlessly see through all weaknesses and threats within your perception range of enemies. You can sense certain emotions of intelligent beings to a lower degree. ¡°This is amazing too, it¡¯s like having built-in headshots and Danger Perception, plus sensing some emotional changes. If I learn a bit of psychology and microexpression knowledge, I could become a master of psychology...¡± And there was the talent of the Mutant Beast ¡®Rapid Burst.¡¯ Rapid Burst: Your muscle fibers and bone structure are peculiar, significantly enhancing your jumping and short-distance moving speed. This surprised Brian again. After all, his physical condition now was probably not much worse than that Mutant Beast, and his speed was only slightly off. Brian sometimes worried that this talent wouldn¡¯t be much help to him. Now he was much more reassured. Such a physical structure change, akin to a BUFF enhancement, meant the stronger he was, the more speed and jumping power he would experience after obtaining this talent; there was no such thing as it not being much help. .. Looking at the uncompleted obsession talents one by one, Brian felt like he was viewing a vein of gold waiting to be mined, and he even felt an urge to skip classes and devote himself to completing his obsessions. Although he had collected these obsessions before, the fact that the talents just had a name without a clear understanding made the excitement fade after the initial joy. Now knowing clearly the functions of these gifts was like being aware of the detailed mission rewards, and Brian felt a surge of enthusiasm to get down to work. After the excitement, Brian¡¯s figure flashed, and his tall silhouette, like a monkey leaping through the mountains, nimbly appeared at the top of the balcony, then with a tiptoe, he soared around the apartment¡¯s possible footholds, silently rushing to the top floor of the apartment. It was closed up here, with weeds and dirt everywhere. Standing on the roof, and looking at the distant lights and deep darkness, Brian felt invigorated. No wonder those superheroes always jump between high-rises and admire the moon from towers; this feeling is indeed exhilarating. According to the old bruiser, Inside Hua Country, the Mutant circle divided Mutation into five stages: Flesh Woe, Metamorphosis, Transcendent, Foundation Establishment, and Land Immortal. These five stages weren¡¯t demarcated by combat ability but by the five stages of Mutation. Including the beginning, Brian had experienced two Transformations of abilities, and today was the third time. According to this standard, would he have entered the third stage of Mutants, ¡®Transcendent¡¯? Hua Country people like to be symbolic in naming things. For instance, the First Rank, Flesh Woe. This stage is actually the phase where Mutants awaken their abilities after Blood Moon Radiation. The meaning of the name is simple, controlled by desires, still at the risk of losing control, like Mutant newborns. The Second Rank, Metamorphosis... In this stage, Mutants experience an evolution in their talents, and their Biological Field also undergoes a change. Moreover, they gain some control over the risk of losing control. Mutants at this stage have a thirty-year buffer period. Most of them are clear about their situation and can live secluded if they avoid the crowd. Though they may do things extremely, as long as they are not stimulated by the outside world, they won¡¯t easily become slaves to their emotions. Chapter 339 - 339 217 Gift Ability Upgrade Female Celebrity Death Case_2 ?339: Chapter 217: Gift Ability Upgrade, Female Celebrity Death Case_2 339: Chapter 217: Gift Ability Upgrade, Female Celebrity Death Case_2 This phase would continue until the next Blood Moon arrived. By the way, Brian needs to add a bit of information he inveigled from that fierce old man: When the Blood Moon descends, if a normal person isn¡¯t directly enveloped and irradiated by the Blood Moon, even if they are a suitable candidate for mutation, the likelihood of direct mutation is not high. At most, in the one or two years following the Blood Moon¡¯s influence, that person might become worse and more extreme. But if it¡¯s a Mutant or a Mutant Beast, then even if they hide hundreds of meters underground, they can¡¯t escape the Blood Moon¡¯s secondary irradiation effects, and significant changes would occur. Mutants, a disaster every thirty years. Brian¡¯s Uncle Billy had fallen victim to the ongoing impact of the second Blood Moon. The third stage... Transcendence. Literally speaking, this seems like the beginning of becoming extraordinary. Apart from his ability transformation this time, which included talent driving sensation, his invisible consumption dropped by ninety percent, his talents became more harmonious and fused, and his Gift gained an additional interpretation, Brian felt that his changes weren¡¯t significant. After all, his combat ability had long been extraordinary and non-human. What actually surprised Brian was the harvest brought about by the Talent Fusion. The gains from this aspect were too numerous and mixed; he decided to explore them slowly later. ... For one night, Brian had no plans to sleep. He excitedly transformed into a bouncing tiger, blindly parkouring through the cityscape, and even made a trip to Spider Woman¡¯s safe house out of boredom. The other party was honestly resting in the bedroom, limbs stretched out in a spread-eagle, sleeping soundly on the bed without a hint of vigilance. The television was still broadcasting some late-night radio shows with heavy tastes. Under the bed was a pile of snack trash bags. The bedside was stuffed with a bunch of bone sticks, with meat fibers and tendons clinging to the bones, which looked like beef bones, precisely like the style of Indian roasted whole cow. It was evident that this once model and beautiful woman had now grown accustomed to being bred by Brian, living a life of eating and drinking waiting for death. ¡°You¡¯re just a Spider Transformed person, not a pig-headed girl Transformed person, don¡¯t end up eating yourself into a pig...¡± Brian had a bit of a headache. He had only taken in three subordinates, and it seemed only Green was a bit reliable. Could it be he was infected by Susan? Because Spider Woman had a unique sense, Brian did not approach. He scanned the surroundings and, after confirming there was nothing unusual, continued to close his eyes. Stepping on points of leverage that ordinary people would hardly notice, he leaped across under the moonlight like a nimble and large cat man, racing through this sleeping city... ... The next day, Brian arrived at the office full of vigor. He had received a message from Susan in the morning. She would bring Shi San back today. He had arrived early enough, but Old Hardenn, that slacker, and the less conspicuous female clerk, Edna, had come even earlier. They sat tiredly in front of their computers, typing away, with some freshly developed photos and copies of autopsy reports on the side. Seeing this, Brian understood. With four cases in one day, the real drudgery wasn¡¯t for him and Tom, the body collectors. After all, these cases, though bizarre, were straightforward and just a matter of process, and the convenience store owner, solely dealt with by Brian, had also been resolved by his abuse of power. So they weren¡¯t busy. Old Hardenn, however, had it rough. They needed to organize autopsy reports, coordinate with the court on the timing for dealing with criminals, and sort out everything from the crime scene findings to the case history, to the records of police responses to cases... A pile of troublesome business. Normally, this process would take a week to deal with. In recent months, with the multitude of cases and too many criminals, this process had to be postponed to within two weeks. Normally, Old Hardenn and the others would have enough time to handle these matters. Knowing Old Hardenn as Brian did, it seemed last night¡¯s events had spooked him into hustling with the female clerk to urgently process these cases, fearing an increasing backlog and impacting their holidays. Thinking of this, Brian, in a good mood today, approached with a smile, ¡°Rushing like this?¡± Edna yawned, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to rush either, but Old Hardenn said he had other matters to attend to recently and feared there would be no shortage of cases in the next few days. We¡¯d end up working overtime on rest days just like Ivan and the others...¡± Old Hardenn shrugged, ¡°Life is full of uncertainties; this is called the wisdom of the elderly.¡± In fact, he just wanted to finish these tasks early so that he would have time on the rest days to contact friends and develop something Brian needed, to earn Brian¡¯s money. Seeing this, all Brian could do was remind Old Hardenn to take care of his health. As it turned out, Hardenn¡¯s premonition was accurate. It was just past eight o¡¯clock. Susan hadn¡¯t even shown her face yet, and the office phone started ringing. Another case! ¡°FK, this is outrageous, our B6 unit is just a small team of fewer than ten members, why are so many, such dense cases assigned to us!¡± Old Hardenn picked up the phone and immediately started cursing. Even ordinary cases, follow-ups, etc., consume time and manpower, and this frequency seemed to push the limits of their staffing. If it doesn¡¯t kill them, they¡¯re worked to death. This overwhelmed Old Hardenn, who had always been accustomed to taking it easy. On the other end of the phone, the female operator¡¯s voice was even louder: ¡°Old Hardenn, you bastard must have forgotten to brush your teeth this morning. These are cases allocated by the system rotation. If you don¡¯t take it, it automatically goes to the next group. You accepted it, so what¡¯s with the fury!¡± Chapter 340 - 340 217 Gift Ability Upgrade Female Celebrity Death Case_3 ?340: Chapter 217: Gift Ability Upgrade, Female Celebrity Death Case_3 340: Chapter 217: Gift Ability Upgrade, Female Celebrity Death Case_3 People here report false alarms like it¡¯s going out of style, not to mention the petty stuff, drunken rambles, drug-induced harassment calls, and the likes, with complaints coming just as easily. It makes these operators¡¯ shifts akin to attending a funeral every day. They¡¯re among the few who work twenty-four-hour shifts, and aside from dealing with callers, they¡¯re not known for their sunny dispositions. Facing the operators¡¯ roaring rants, old Hardenn helplessly turned to Brian with an inquiring look. Brian nodded, ¡°Ask what the case is about, will you? And let¡¯s hope it¡¯s not another body pick-up job¡ªthose lack challenge.¡± Old Hardenn nodded and mumbled into the phone. A moment later. His gaze shifted toward Brian with an odd expression, ¡°It¡¯s from Beverly, a case where a somewhat famous actress was found drowned in a manor swimming pool, naked...¡± At that, Brian whistled, ¡°Too bad Glenn and Green aren¡¯t here; they¡¯d be thrilled.¡± As for Ivan, he would only be excited if it were a male star, naked. ... Luckily, Tom was already in. So, early in the morning, they made their way to the crime scene, against the flow of rush-hour traffic, driving the hearse. Beverly had high-end apartments and hilltop manor estates, clearly demarcating the same place into residences priced in the millions, five millions, tens of millions, and so on. At this hour, the area¡¯s security was still quite good, with 24-hour patrolling guards. However, because it attracted actors, athletes, singers, and such¡ªthanks to Hollywood, the big stadiums, and other factors¡ªthe place often swarmed with tourists and undercover paparazzi. Such environs, actually, didn¡¯t sit well with the truly socially established. They considered the so-called celebrities to have brought down the class of their living community. To avoid the heavy traffic, Tom took back roads and eventually reached near Franklin Canyon Park. It was even farther from the Beverly estates, a good twenty kilometers away. The surrounding areas were also pretty decent residential zones. Not too far off was Los Angeles¡¯ commercial hub, Rodeo Drive. The roads here were numerous and less congested. The air was quite pleasant. Brian rolled down the window, drawing in a deep breath. The next moment, He nearly retched. Seeing this, Tom let out a weird cackling laugh, ¡°Buddy, you must seldom come around here. Though it looks nice, people often urinate and defecate in the greenbelts¡ªyou must¡¯ve caught a fresh whiff.¡± His voice was unpleasant to hear, marred by a past injury. ¡°No, it¡¯s that shark meat smell, rotting shark meat, sour pickled cabbage pit, definitely some damned Icelander¡¯s leftover food trashed in the bin!¡± Brian swore inelegantly. The stench was unbearable. He had encountered it once before, almost forming a psychological scar; its imprint was so deep that he instantly recognized the smell. How did such maggot-infested stuff ever become part of human cuisine??? If only he hadn¡¯t been half-utilizing his miraculous ¡®combination perception.¡¯ Half-use was a technique Brian had figured out for himself, allowing his sense of smell, vision, touch¡ªeverything but hearing¡ªto be keen without interfering with daily life or demanding too much energy. And yet, he fell victim to it. The odor that their hearse accumulated was nothing compared to that rotting shark meat smell, not even one-tenth as bad. Truly nauseating! With a sullen mood, Brian rode along as they passed through community security and drove into the villa estate where the incident occurred. The place was basically a detached villa perched atop a hill with a large pool, a dozen-plus rooms inside, with structures both above and below ground, the actual estate size not all too expansive. When they arrived, the vicinity was cordoned off by police tapes, and numerous journalists and paparazzi with cameras were standing around. Passing through them, The two men, with toolkits in hand and after verification of their identity, were led by a female patrol officer to finally see a stunningly gorgeous body that was in excellent shape by the swimming pool. Crucially, the body was in a backstroke position. Describing the visual impact of that scene was challenging, It kindled an impulsive physiological reaction. Even Tom, who had been physically frail and indifferent to women¡¯s allure after many injuries, swallowed reflexively and got distracted at the sight of the body. Brian spared a glance and curled his lip. Fake. All of it was fake. Only her face was worth looking at. He nudged Tom, ¡°Fool, aren¡¯t you curious why she¡¯s not face down?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Tom instinctively responded. Brian smiled but didn¡¯t answer, simply stepping forward. Chapter 341 - 341 218 Death Conjecture Blood Association Two-in-One ?341: Chapter 218: Death Conjecture, Blood Association (Two-in-One) 341: Chapter 218: Death Conjecture, Blood Association (Two-in-One) Beside the swimming pool, there was a middle-aged Black man dressed in trendy clothes, exuding a peculiar scent. He was wiping away tears with a handkerchief while two female patrol officers stood awkwardly nearby. They whispered to each other, discussing some gossip about the female celebrity in the pool. Upon seeing Brian and his team arrive, the two female patrol officers lit up, ¡°Hey, are you Brian, the Autopsy Officer from the Hollywood district?¡± One of the blonde patrol officers warmly greeted Brian. This female officer, while having quite a nice face, was tall and muscular. Her bare arms, covered in reflective hairs, clearly belonged to someone with a vigorous hormone secretion. Her companion, also a female patrol officer, curiously scrutinized Brian who had just arrived. ¡°Yes, I am Brian. Can you tell me briefly what happened here?¡± Brian nodded to them both, scanning the surrounding security devices. Such mansions generally have their own independent security systems. Before the officers could respond, the crying middle-aged Black man erupted in anger towards Brian, ¡°Get out! Why are male officers allowed in here? Get out, you disgusting man!¡± ¡°Who is he?¡± Brian curiously asked. The female patrol officer shrugged, ¡°He¡¯s Paola Rigado¡¯s manager, and he¡¯s the one who called the police. He mentioned that the deceased had a private appointment last night. For some privacy reasons, she turned off the security systems, and he wasn¡¯t staying here. He couldn¡¯t reach the deceased today, got worried, came early, and found the body in the pool... Oh, and he doesn¡¯t allow male officers inside the villa, claiming it¡¯s disrespectful to the deceased woman. Considering she was a public figure, the department had us lock down the exterior while we conducted a brief survey inside.¡± In a capitalist country, rich people still get to enjoy certain luxuries. At least the police are somewhat more cautious around them, even in cases of crime, opting for a softer enforcement. Otherwise, their extensive connections, ability to mobilize financial resources, or even influence public opinion can be quite headache-inducing. ¡°I see..¡± Brian nodded and said to Tom, ¡°Buddy, here¡¯s your chance, get the body from the pool.¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Tom¡¯s voice was shrill, unable to suppress the smile on his face. Brian was truly a brother. A female celebrity! He usually only got to briefly see her on TV, but today he would have the chance to touch her directly. This, however, infuriated the Black manager. His small hand, holding the handkerchief, trembled, ¡°You dare allow this grotesque man to desecrate Paola¡¯s body, it¡¯s criminal! I will expose your disgust in the media, I will file a complaint..¡± With a sharp smack sound, The effeminate Black manager flew out three meters without a peep, crashing heavily onto the distant steps, becoming stupefied. Brian disgustingly wiped his hands, ¡°Ungrateful for the kindness shown.¡± With that, he gestured to Tom. With a splash, Tom dove into the pool fully clothed, dog-paddling toward the deceased woman¡¯s body. ¡°Uh..¡± The two female patrol officers watched Brian in surprise. Police brutality in the United States and excessive use of lethal force were common topics every year in every state, but arriving at a crime scene and first striking the person who reported the case were rarely seen. After all, this was a wealthy area. They were patrol officers, and although their compensation wasn¡¯t bad, they often faced difficult situations. Unlike some community officers who might just resolve domestic disputes with a gunshot, snagging paid administrative leave, and ending up with no consequences. ¡°Brian, don¡¯t you think you were a bit too impulsive?¡± The female patrol officer expressed her concern. Brian shook his head, pointing to the badge pinned on his suit lapel, ¡°That person just now attempted to obstruct a public officer from performing duties and verbally insulted and attacked a police chief¡¯s staff. Please take him back later and sue him.¡± To beat someone and then to press charges... This method was in stark contrast to Brian¡¯s handsome and sophisticated appearance, catching the two female patrol officers off guard. ¡°No problem, but usually, this kind of action isn¡¯t very effective. It¡¯s likely that the court¡¯s judge won¡¯t accept our prosecution suggestion. Even if they do, there will definitely be a bail option, and he might end up causing you trouble later on.¡± The hairy female patrol officer advised her. Her colleague nodded, ¡°The Justice Department has been worsening. I heard that prisons have developed an industrial chain; as soon as someone gets locked up, they contact the inmates to offer them loans for bail. It¡¯s ridiculous, we just arrest them and they¡¯re released in a couple of days. Every arrest carries the risk of being shot. It¡¯s disgusting. If it weren¡¯t for the need to support a family, I would have quit already.¡± Hearing this, Brian also felt fortunate to have joined NW rather than a normal precinct, district office, or those local police offices. In the United States, the relationship between every police team and the Justice Department is generally strained. Their practices are indeed disgusting. This was still a time before law enforcement body cameras were common. Once widespread, policing would become even more difficult, restrictive, and thankless. Brian explained in response to the concern, ¡°It¡¯s different here with NW. If that effeminate man dares to complain against me, I¡¯ll let him know what being unreasonable is like.¡± Chapter 342 - 342 218 Death Conjecture Blood Association Two-in-One_2 ?342: Chapter 218: Death Conjecture, Blood Association (Two-in-One)_2 342: Chapter 218: Death Conjecture, Blood Association (Two-in-One)_2 Hearing this, envy was the only thing left in the eyes of the two female patrol officers. Their responses were relatively slow; they hadn¡¯t kept up with several NW expansions, and the assessment requirements for staff without special skills were high, so most ordinary patrol officers weren¡¯t qualified and could only envy others. ... Tom, this doggy-paddler, was quite unreliable. He floundered over to the female corpse, struggled for a long while, and ended up gasping for breath, barely avoiding drowning in the swimming pool while clutching the female corpse. He was indeed quite feeble. Tom also came to understand what Brian meant at that moment. FK. Something felt wrong to the touch! That the female corpse could still float on the surface, dragging him, covered in technology, was enough to look at, but to touch it was cold and felt no different from silicone. Seeing this, Brian helplessly threw a rubber inflatable duck from the shore. With the help of the little duck, Tom managed to bring the female corpse back. And with them, a nightgown came back too. Generally, nobody goes into the water dressed in a nightgown, which suggested that the female victim, very likely, had been in a state of merely wearing a nightgown when she unexpectedly fell into the water. They laid the female corpse at the shore. Brian pressed his palm on the firm soft flesh exaggeratedly sticking up from the corpse and analyzed, ¡°Her lungs have accumulated water, but not much. There are no signs of blood in her mouth and nose, which suggests that she didn¡¯t struggle much when she entered the water. She might have already been unconscious.¡± The symptoms of drowning are quite distinct. This is asphyxial death. In fresh corpses, the whole body¡¯s blood doesn¡¯t coagulate; internal organs show congestion, and there are hemorrhagic spots in the eyelid conjunctiva, mucosa, and serosa, among others. Apart from these symptoms, most drowning victims can be identified by white or red semi-spherical foam around the mouth and nose, similar to the symptoms seen in pesticide ingestion deaths. This is because water choking the respiratory tract stimulates copious secretion of protein-containing fluid from the trachea and bronchial mucosa, which then mixes with the liquid in which the victim drowns. As for the red foam, it indicates that the small vessels in the victim¡¯s bronchial mucosa or alveolar walls ruptured and bled during the process. These are distinct characteristics of death by drowning. In rivers or oceans, additional symptoms are evident, like struggle marks, silt between the nails, and water in the lungs. The most accurate way of identifying drowning is by examining the condition of the lungs. If there¡¯s water, it means the victim was alive when they entered the water and choked on water before dying. If there¡¯s no water, it implies post-mortem immersion. Actually, determining the time of death for bodies found in water is most challenging. This is usually determined based on the symptoms on the victim¡¯s body surface. For instance, if the drowning victim had been in the water slightly longer, the body would appear a pale pink color. This is because the oxyhemoglobin in the blood, under low temperatures, doesn¡¯t easily release oxygen and the water can slightly permeate the skin vessels and combine with hemoglobin, hence light red livor. During this process, the corpse¡¯s skin also undergoes some changes in properties, including wrinkling, swelling, whitening, etc.; some areas of skin and the outermost layer might even gradually peel off, creating an eerie sight resembling what¡¯s known as drowning hands or feet. The female corpse in question displayed this condition. Her lungs had not much accumulated water, her body showed a slight reddish tint, and the hair follicles on the sides of her chest, abdomen, buttocks, upper arms, and outer thighs showed a goosebump-like elevation. The outer layers of skin on her hands and feet were softened and whitened without peeling. Considering the weather in Los Angeles... Brian deduced that the female corpse had been thrown into the swimming pool unconscious and had been submerged for over twelve hours. Tom shook off the water droplets on his body, ¡°Brian, are you saying the victim was unconscious when thrown into the pool and drowned?¡± Brian shook his head: ¡°You might be right, but the victim didn¡¯t die from drowning. She did choke on water, but it wasn¡¯t fatal. Her condition doesn¡¯t resemble typical drowning patterns. I noticed very small points of hemorrhage in the victim¡¯s eyes. This symptom is odd, more commonly seen in victims of hanging or falling deaths, which happens due to capillary rupture in the eyes from the blood flowing backward. I can¡¯t understand why it would appear on this corpse.¡± As he spoke, he glanced at the surrounding buildings. Actually, bungee jumping can also cause similar conditions, but the female victim¡¯s body didn¡¯t have those dense clusters of small red spots, obviously not matching that category. Neither were there any signs of strangulation around her neck. Falling or jumping into the water might be a possibility. But the problem is, this villa doesn¡¯t have a suitable place for diving. The swimming pool is plain, without a diving board. Why then does the female corpse show such a condition? ... Faced with Brian¡¯s explanation, Tom, a former investigator frequently dealing with bodies, could understand Brian¡¯s point, but the two female patrol officers were completely baffled. They couldn¡¯t grasp what Brian was saying and could only handcuff the African-American middle-aged agent who had already gotten up and cowered in a corner wiping his tears. Brian was gentle; otherwise, this guy would have been half-dead. Tom offered his speculation: ¡°Brian, could it be like this? The female victim and the murderer were having an argument on that balcony up there, and then she was pushed off by the murderer. Her head hit the water causing the capillary burst in the eyes. The murderer probably thought the victim would drown in the pool and just walked away. What they didn¡¯t expect was the technology on her body that caused her to remain floating on the water surface, thereby not drowning.¡± Chapter 343 - 343 218 Death Conjecture Blood Association Two-in-One_3 ?343: Chapter 218: Death Conjecture, Blood Association (Two-in-One)_3 343: Chapter 218: Death Conjecture, Blood Association (Two-in-One)_3 ¡°She was just unlucky, died for some other reason...¡± This speculation was consistent with the scenario of the female victim falling into the water wearing pajamas. ¡°There¡¯s that possibility, but it¡¯s also possible that the victim was emotionally agitated before her death, leading to the rupture of capillaries in her eyes, causing this symptom. Let me first see if I can determine the cause of death.¡± Saying this, Brian squatted down, carefully felt the female victim¡¯s entire body, ensuring that there were no broken bones or obvious internal injuries, then pried open the woman¡¯s mouth. The victim had undergone oral surgery, belonging to the kind of full, plump lips that exuded sensuality with their natural fiery red for mature men. Brian took out a flashlight and checked the inside of her mouth. Her oral hygiene was quite good; under the skin there was no sign of hemorrhage, and her teeth were all veneered. With an enhanced sense of smell, he could detect a hint of red wine residue. In addition to that, there was an unpleasant odor escaping from the body¡¯s internal gases. It proved that even beautiful women can emit a foul smell from their mouths after death. Brian then pinched and tugged at her tongue. Wow, the woman¡¯s tongue was long and slender, the kind that could easily touch her own nose, with a relatively thick and creamy coat in the middle, while the sides were more distributed but still much thicker than normal. This wasn¡¯t to say that the victim was unhygienic before death; rather, it was a characteristic that came from excessive friction, similar to calluses on the hands. Even if this white coating was scraped off, someone experienced could still discern certain information contained on the tongue at a glance. It was clear that the victim was also a woman who strived for self-improvement. Brian noticed that the victim¡¯s tip of the tongue, throat, and tonsils were all significantly swollen. This was inflammation caused by excessive congestion. However, Brian was unsure whether the throat inflammation was due to physical friction or a pathological reason; medicine was his weak point, and he couldn¡¯t determine or distinguish. Suddenly, Brian¡¯s eyes narrowed. He reached out and gently scraped the top teeth of the victim, and actually peeled off a blackish-gray piece of skin tissue. Brian immediately said to Tom, ¡°Take a picture with the camera; this is an important clue.¡± Tom hurriedly snapped a photo and took out an evidence bag to preserve the blackish-gray piece of skin. After securing the evidence, he turned to Brian with curiosity, ¡°What is this?¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, but if I¡¯m not mistaken, this is dead skin peeled off from some man¡¯s banana.¡± ¡°Uh?¡± Tom thought he¡¯d heard wrong. Brian lifted an eyebrow, ¡°Uh!¡± Friction creates calluses. Indeed, bananas can develop calluses too, but these calluses are different from those on hands. Bananas are relatively fragile and sensitive; too frequent friction in a short time can lead to peeling and swelling, and then the skin in these areas becomes blackish-gray dead skin, which comes off at a touch. As a man who once held a crazy part-time job, Brian had been through these experiences, so he knew a little. The average person wouldn¡¯t know this. This is the wisdom that comes with experience. What he once considered debauchery now seemed like just a little accumulation of knowledge on the road to growth. ... Tom confirmed that he had not misheard, his face showing excitement, ¡°Then can¡¯t we use this to identify the owner¡¯s DNA based on the piece of dead skin?¡± Brian nodded, ¡°The victim¡¯s mouth was full of veneers. Although teeth veneers are beautiful, they require great attention to oral health, otherwise the gums can easily recede. Her oral condition was not bad, indicating she had good habits, which means the owner of this piece of dead skin should be the last person she contacted.¡± In any murder case, the last person the victim had contact with before death has naturally the highest probability of being the murderer. The female victim had an incredibly attractive figure and face, which is limited by the current medical beauty materials, making the tactile experience average, not very alluring to someone who has tasted finer things. However, the exaggerated features of the victim¡¯s tongue and throat prompted Brian to a new hypothesis about the cause of death. It was likely during the act of ¡®biting¡¯ someone that some accident occurred, causing the victim to gag or choke, subconsciously closing her mouth, which hurt that person, who then pushed her down, causing her to fall into the swimming pool. To verify this guess, Brian, along with Tom, went to the second-floor balcony of the villa. The area was not small, furnished with a high-end sofa and lounge chairs, offering a vast view. There was an oddly shaped swing nearby with some decorative coverings, ensuring that one could see out from this location, but only the upper body part could be seen from the outside. This setup seemed a bit deliberate... Brian moved to the edge of the viewing balcony. The distance to the ground wasn¡¯t too high, about five meters, with a large glass fence for protection. This kind of special large glass isn¡¯t cheap in the United States. The production is difficult, and the fees are high; adding the brand premium, this circular structure probably cost six figures. There was a gap near the swimming pool side of the balcony, made into a small step, like a diving board. From here, one could jump precisely into the swimming pool below without the fear of taking a nasty fall. Brian focused on inspecting the area, and then he sniffed the ground, extended a finger, and wiped between the tiles, bringing back many shattered glass fragments, nodding his head: Chapter 344 - 344 218 Death Speculation Blood Association Two in One_4 ?344: Chapter 218: Death Speculation, Blood Association (Two in One)_4 344: Chapter 218: Death Speculation, Blood Association (Two in One)_4 ¡°Fine, the situation at that time must have involved the female victim chatting with someone on the balcony, drinking red wine, and then doing something ¡®naughty.¡¯ To be precise, the female victim must have been sitting on this step, eating a banana. The owner of the banana must have been standing right here, enjoying the service of the female victim meanwhile holding the red wine and gazing into the distance. Then there was a problem. The female victim choked on the banana, and when she pulled away, she brought down some banana peel. This caused the owner of the banana pain, and he dropped the wine glass to the ground. Angered, he either kicked or pushed the female victim off the balcony into the pool below. Already choking, the female victim was uncomfortable, and then she encountered the fall and the impact of the water surface, probably causing some physical issues, and she died in the pool. Afterwards, the owner of the banana cleaned up the scene and left without attending to her.¡± Tom, following Brian¡¯s description, imagined the scene with envy, ¡°It sounds quite romantic..¡± He truly envied the owner of that banana. Brian rolled his eyes, realizing this guy had only picked up on part of what he described, ignoring the rest subconsciously. .. According to the existing clues, finding the owner of that banana is the focus of the case moving forward. A likely informant¡ªthe effeminate Black agent¡ªhad become the most suitable lead for them. Additionally, This community is very strict with the management of outsiders, with security patrolling around the clock to ensure the comfort of the residents. These people might not be reliable, but they definitely would have records of vehicle movements. Brian asked Tom to contact the community security company for information, while he went downstairs to find the effeminate Black agent again. The guy was still weeping. Brian, annoyed, raised his hand again, ¡°Dude, crying like this could lead to hyperventilation acidosis, let me ¡®treat¡¯ you.¡± Seeing the big hand, the Black agent instinctively shrank back behind the female officers, panicking, ¡°No, no, don¡¯t, I¡¯ll stop crying, you¡¯re too violent, waaa~¡± Brian:.. He felt like he was bullying an easy target, The guy¡¯s pathetic state made Brian somewhat embarrassed to threaten him. He sighed, ¡°Talk then, who did the victim meet last night? You know, with someone dead, the other side might decide to silence you, and there might also be records of their vehicle coming and going. For your own safety, you better talk.¡± The female victim, being a movie star, had specifically turned off the surveillance of the villa area when meeting the owner of the banana. This suggested the figure was somewhat sensitive, likely the female victim¡¯s financial backer. This was normal. After all, an ordinary little star couldn¡¯t afford the house here. This place, like luxury cars, is expensive, with property taxes, management fees, and all sorts of other miscellaneous expenses that could amount to hundreds of thousands of US dollars each year. Not something most people could afford. So, it was highly probable she had a financial backer. .. This effeminate Black agent, from some of his previous words and actions, was known to be a not very reliable individual. Hearing words like ¡°silencing¡± panicked him even more. ¡°I can talk, but I require police protection for my safety. You must promise me, otherwise, you won¡¯t be able to identify who they are! The person¡¯s identity is very sensitive. Every time, it was Paola who met them in person, I¡¯ve never seen the person myself, but I know who it is!¡± The Black agent pleaded with Brian. After a moment of thought, Brian nodded. He then told the two female officers, ¡°You two go outside, I worry that knowing some of this information could cause you trouble.¡± The two female officers weren¡¯t nai?ve, and quickly left. Once it was just the Black agent and Brian, the Black agent wiped the corners of his eyes and asked Brian, ¡°Have you heard of the Blood Association?¡± Chapter 345 - 345 219 Evil Insider Lobbyist ?345: Chapter 219: Evil Insider, Lobbyist 345: Chapter 219: Evil Insider, Lobbyist ¡°Blood Association?¡± Brian had heard of the Red Cross, the Red Cross Blood Center, or the United States Blood Center Organization, but it was his first time hearing of a simply named ¡°Blood Association.¡± ¡°Yes, the Blood Association, a rather niche organization, but it¡¯s responsible for the import and export of plasma products for over fifty states in the United States.¡± The African American agent eyes darted around suspiciously as he spoke, his face expressing fear: ¡°You have any idea how many secrets hide behind it? Buddy, seriously, you look young, and those two female officers treated you with respect, you might have a great future ahead of you, let¡¯s just say Paola fell into the water drunk and drowned. I feel like they won¡¯t target a small fry like me.¡± He seemed to come back to his senses. If the backer behind Paola wanted him dead, he would have left with Paola yesterday. The other party¡¯s power was significant, even if he ran off to Europe, it would surely be a dead-end as well; globally, he couldn¡¯t even imagine where he could run if that group hunted him. So he should be safe. Seeing the African American agent seeming to snap back to reality, unwilling to continue, and even trying to persuade him, Brian¡¯s lips curled. He cautioned politely, ¡°I was just piqued by what you said, and now you¡¯ve stopped talking, that¡¯s no fun, quite a letdown. The last person who did that to me is now laid out in the morgue¡¯s freezer!¡± The African-American agent:.. Death threats, now THAT¡¯S a letdown alright! He attempted to instill fear in Brian: ¡°You¡¯ve no idea of the power behind Paola¡¯s backers, do you have any notion how ludicrous the blood import-export business is?¡± ¡°Go on.¡± Brian was unconcerned. Could it be more outlandish than those Mutant Organizations? The African American agent once again looked around sneakily before speaking rapidly: ¡°All this was told to me unintentionally by Paola after she got drunk. Her backer is a member of the Blood Association, in charge of Los Angeles¡¯s non-mainstream blood export and import operations. There are many official organizations involved. What I mean is, without your knowledge, the higher-ups at your police station could also be part of this chain of interests. If you keep investigating, you¡¯re really just making life difficult for yourself.¡± Brian shook his head: ¡°Sorry, I am a member of the NW organization; the businesses you¡¯re talking about won¡¯t dare touch me before I affect their interests. By the way, although I still don¡¯t know your name, I must remind you that when I sent those two female officers away, I actually made it known to certain people outside that you¡¯ve been with me for a long time. Even if you know nothing, you can¡¯t escape now. Whether you can survive is determined by whether or not I will investigate that so-called Blood Association, you understand?¡± What is a whirlpool? It¡¯s when you think you can leave, but you¡¯re already too ensnared to escape. To the powerful, life is as cheap as dirt. When they sense trouble, they¡¯ll directly remove any problematic elements instead of investigating whether you¡¯re the one to bring them trouble. Simply eliminating those who ask questions is easier than solving the problem. That¡¯s the mindset of the powerful. Only when they can¡¯t find a solution do they consider negotiation or peace talks. ... The African American agent, after all, was in showbiz¡ªsometimes a little foolish, but once it involved scheming, he immediately caught on. His lips turned pale: ¡°Are you setting me up?¡± ¡°No, no, no, I¡¯m not setting you up, I¡¯m a warrior for the Lord, with a duty to help lost lambs find the right path,¡± Brian¡¯s tone was indifferent. ¡°I don¡¯t believe in the Lord.¡± ¡°Then go to hell; worst case, I¡¯ll ask someone else if they know about the Blood Association. If no one knows, then so be it,¡± Brian¡¯s tone was even more indifferent. Whether you believe or not is none of my business. This case lacked any obsession; it was pure curiosity. Solving a case is like solving a puzzle, a highly addictive activity; otherwise, detective novels worldwide wouldn¡¯t have been enduring and impervious to changes in trends over the years. Faced with Brian¡¯s shameless proposition, the African American agent felt helpless. He tried to convince himself: ¡°Forget it, Paola was my best friend; I have to let her soul rest in peace. I will tell you what I know next, I hope you won¡¯t regret it.¡± Brian nodded: ¡°Alright, tell me, what exactly does non-mainstream blood export and import operations entail.¡± ¡°Criminals, junkies, and homeless people¡¯s blood!¡± The African American agent whispered lowly: ¡°These are the demographics of the non-mainstream export channels, among them, some are special blood samples coming out of the labs, carrying various contagious diseases. The volume of this business is frighteningly enormous, scarily so. After Paola hooked up with her backer, even with poor acting, terrible singing, and a fake body, she still managed to get a lot of exposure and endorsements in Hollywood¡¯s chase for fame, all within just one year. Curious about their power, I investigated some information regarding this. Currently, the countries with mature blood export technology and capability don¡¯t even make up a third of the globe. These capable countries have a domestic blood shortage, so there¡¯s even less available for export. As of last year, the United States accounted for ninety-six percent of this export market!¡± Chapter 346 - 346 219 Evil Insider Lobbyist_2 ?346: Chapter 219: Evil Insider, Lobbyist_2 346: Chapter 219: Evil Insider, Lobbyist_2 Brian frowned at the first sentence spoken by the African-American broker, ¡°Can this group¡¯s blood be used?¡± No country is a fool. Most prisoners, addicts, and homeless people carry a multitude of diseases, and their blood is a source of infection¡ªwouldn¡¯t that be tantamount to delivering poisoned blood? Not to mention, the African-American broker blatantly admitted that some of the blood was produced in laboratories; it was poisoned too. ¡°Of course it can¡¯t be used publicly, you know that. I¡¯m in the entertainment industry, I know people from many layers of society, and being African-American, I have my own sources of information. These pieces of information were told to me by a friend in the gang. He informed me that among their loan services, selling blood is an option for payment. Healthy blood is stocked separately, problematic blood is also stored separately, and both have their buyers¡ªas for the purpose, it¡¯s quite simple. I¡¯ve looked into these international blood trade organizations and found that most of them are associated with welfare organizations. The blood they export is given away free of charge. Do you believe that?¡± Brian responded, ¡°Is the Blood Association the pharmaceutic companies¡¯ hidden glove?¡± The African-American broker nodded: ¡°Yes. Do you know about AIDS? If you pay attention, you¡¯ll notice that soon after this group appeared, various corresponding drugs became available on the market. Many countries that initially had few AIDS cases began to report an increasing number. I was genuinely frightened when I uncovered this data. Korea, Japan, those Southeast Asian countries¡ªin short, nearly all countries worldwide began reporting more cases of AIDS. Sure, there might be more testing, but before a flame starts, there¡¯s always a spark that ignites it. I realized then that the Blood Association was that spark. This terrible group would first create the medication based on the patients¡¯ conditions in labs, and then they would spread these agents of infection globally.¡± No market? Create one. The truth behind it all is definitely not as simple as the African-American broker had laid it out; it is far more complex and involves many more players. Pharmaceutical companies actually aren¡¯t as powerful as they appear; at least their revenue on the books might not even compare to some rising tech companies. But these pharmaceutical companies¡¯ international strategies are crucial. Food, clothing, shelter, and medical care are fundamental issues of people¡¯s welfare. If they cannot solve these, a country cannot rise to power; in this environment of global trade, they¡¯re just prey for exploitation. Many countries realized it too late, whether it was medical standards or other areas, such as equipment and medical certifications, they could only play by others¡¯ rules by then. Not to mention, let¡¯s talk about Brian¡¯s past life. While Europe and America were still experimenting with bloodletting, Brian¡¯s ancestors already had a refined system of traditional Chinese medicine, dispensing the right medicine to save countless citizens. Going back further, how many died in Europe from the Black Plague? Hua Country had faced many infectious diseases, but they were mostly controlled. These are medical disparities. Now... Before Brian was reborn, traditional Chinese medicine was demonized, and many things couldn¡¯t make a comeback. Times are progressing. Certainly, many internal reasons exist, but the invisible helping hand fueling the process is also a problem. After thinking for a while, Brian stopped mulling over these issues and continued to ask, ¡°What about imports then?¡± The African-American broker licked his thick lips and continued: ¡°I couldn¡¯t find much on this, but it seems like some organizations from the United Nations Cross Organization collect blood from all ethnicities worldwide and bring them back. However, most of this blood won¡¯t enter the market. There¡¯s no related information online, and I don¡¯t know anyone involved in these industries. The only thing I know was told to me by Paola. For instance, her patron disappears every year for a period. After I checked the news, I found it coincides only with the times for international medical assistance. Do you know about international medical assistance? It¡¯s when many developed countries send medical teams to developing countries to provide free medical aid, technology transfer, and cooperation with primitive hospitals to offer training opportunities and free medical check-ups. To me, this feels very much like missionary work.¡± Hearing this, Brian immediately understood. This was simply using the guise of charity to brainwash the core medical groups of those countries, establish the image of ¡®modern medicine¡¯ in the eyes of the public, and secretly steal the people¡¯s genetic material. Killing several birds with one stone, fitting the image of these Western countries. If they are to bring you benefits, those benefits are never pure. ¡®No one rises early for nothing¡¯; seeing good opportunities and seizing them is in the nature of these countries, engraved in their DNA. It¡¯s a simple principle. By collecting genes and relying on the ability to cut corners with current biotechnological advancements, there¡¯s a high probability of developing a virus weapon effective against certain specific ethnic groups. Training on technology? That¡¯s even more interesting. Training stands for interests. The personnel from these countries who receive the training naturally sympathize with their system; after returning to their countries, they might, to maintain their social status, naturally advocate for modern medicine, becoming inherent missionaries. For most countries, this process unquestionably has more benefits than drawbacks. Chapter 347 - 347 219 Evil Insider Lobbyist_3 ?347: Chapter 219: Evil Insider, Lobbyist_3 347: Chapter 219: Evil Insider, Lobbyist_3 After all, most countries had rather primitive medical standards before the development of modern medicine. The modern medical system is excellent, saving many lives, and adapts well to scaling up in the modern era; these benefits are undeniable. However, for those countries that already had decent healthcare systems, it meant prematurely stifling their chance to preserve the merits of their systems, integrate the essence of modern medicine, and develop a unique, superior, and more suitable healthcare system. It was a bad deal. Brian was just a minor individual and could not influence such strategic matters. That didn¡¯t stop him from taking his frustration out on a minor director of the Blood Association. This group, as the black agent had said, was powerful and well-connected, but for a clandestine group, it was normal to sacrifice one of their own. What is a glove? It blocks wind and rain, does the dirty work, and when it wears out, you throw it away and get a new pair. That¡¯s what gloves are. ... ¡°Do you know the identity of this patron?¡± Brian glanced with a slight frown and approached the black agent, speaking face-to-face. Feeling the shadow looming over him, the black agent uncomfortably lowered his head, ¡°I¡¯m not certain, but I can guess. It¡¯s probably Jonathan Armstrong, a director of the Los Angeles Red Cross Blood Center!¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°You¡¯re safe now!¡± Brian nodded, rolling up his sleeve to reveal his wristwatch. After a few presses, a pleasant female voice emerged from the watch, ¡°This is the NW special line. Brian Second-level Staff Dawn Warrior, I am operator 233, happy to serve you.¡± ¡°I need a combat team to escort someone away from address XXX, please hurry.¡± Brian spoke softly. ¡°Second-level Staff Dawn Warrior Brian, your order has been approved based on your credentials. Command sent..¡± After a three-second wait. The female voice continued, ¡°Combat team arranged, flight path registered, they will arrive at your location in 35 minutes.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Brian disconnected the satellite communication. Dispatching a combat team was one of his privileges after his promotion. But it wasn¡¯t without restrictions. Only three chances per year, and the purpose of deployment definitely couldn¡¯t be for nefarious activities; there had to be some overt justification. Actually, he had quite a lot of freedom. Brian had asked before; even if he used these combat teams for day jobs, squeezing a bit of sweat money, it was permitted. These combat teams belonged to the NW Combat Department. Brian had interacted with these people a few times before, even collaborated with them in Forest Park, and he knew them to be elite and heavily armed, heavy with firepower, from the perspective of ordinary people. ... During the wait. A white middle-aged man with a lieutenant¡¯s police rank suddenly walked in from outside. His purpose clear, he made a beeline toward Brian, who was smoking and daydreaming. Brian, without even looking up, said, ¡°If you¡¯re here to plead for that person, don¡¯t bother. Even if the case wasn¡¯t in my hands, it¡¯s fine, but since it is, it needs to be resolved.¡± He was actually a person with a very flexible moral baseline. He had ignored several cases involving his own people before. However, some words from the black agent had evoked some unpleasant memories of his past. In his homeland¡¯s development, countless families were impacted by various vile deeds. Those groups that casually spread nasty diseases around the world, they all deserved to die! The police chief didn¡¯t expect Brian to be so perceptive. His direct words killed the chief¡¯s prepared defenses, leaving him to glance at the cowering black agent and mutter lowly, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of you, Brian. You¡¯re a very capable young man, and I admire you, but I must remind you, the world isn¡¯t divided into just black and white; it¡¯s not so clear-cut. You¡¯re young, and our growth involves constant compromise. Please hand over the case. NW itself includes capital from those institutions. Hand it over. It¡¯s better for everyone!¡± Brian whistled softly, smiled, and simply ignored the officer. If he remembered correctly, this guy was named Jason, a mid-to-high-ranking officer in the district and a member of the police association, the kind who no longer showed up at crime scenes. Since gaining Extensive Knowledge and Strong Memory, he had memorized a lot of publicly available information inside the police force. But sorry, he was not planning to yield on this case! Chapter 348 - 348 220 Take Action Intercept ?348: Chapter 220: Take Action, Intercept 348: Chapter 220: Take Action, Intercept Seeing Brian being so disrespectful, Jason¡¯s expression stiffened. On the way here, he had been cursing inwardly non-stop. Why had this case been transferred to the NW Action Department?! That damn fool, didn¡¯t he know the police scene in Los Angeles had changed? Murder, even if the victim was a newly popular actress with a large fan base, was not a big deal to them. The Department of Justice, police force, capital, media companies... they all had their people. A small celebrity was nothing but a toy in the eyes of ordinary people, and just an object of amusement to them. Like this case, a simple call could arrange many things before the public could react. There were plenty of excuses. They controlled what was written on white paper. As long as no opposing internal forces deliberately caused trouble, even if the public didn¡¯t believe it, it was useless. The rumor would only circulate for a while, and then everyone would forget that a budding female star had died. That was the reality. By the time he heard the news, the case had already been assigned by the reporting center. If it had been assigned to one of the regular NW action teams, it wouldn¡¯t have been a big deal. The leaders of those teams were typically the second generation from Los Angeles families, making exchange of interests and negotiations smoother. But it had to be the B6 team! That team leader Susan had built a reputation among many in the Los Angeles police community when she, during her first case, blasted away a gang of mobsters with a pair of revolvers, taking down Mad Dog Ike. For people like them, even Brian was not someone to be trifled with. Despite his young age, he was already a Second-level Staff in the NW Action Department, almost like having an early invitation to manage, half stepping into Los Angeles¡¯ upper society. It would be fine if he was just talented. Internally it was rumored that this guy seemed to have hooked up with Susan, the leader of the B6 team. Susan wasn¡¯t like many other second-generation leaders of NW action department teams. She was the treasured daughter of the Adams family, not some insignificant illegitimate child. That meant, aside from being talented, this young man Brian was like a man who had secured a backing, reducing his years of struggle significantly. In this situation, he didn¡¯t even know how to threaten such a young man. Jason felt powerless. As for such shitty teammates, this middle-to-upper tier police officer felt powerless. .. Jason stood silently in front of Brian for a moment, then nodded, ¡°I understand, I won¡¯t interfere anymore, I hope you won¡¯t regret this.¡± After speaking, he turned around and left. That shithead was just one link in their chain of interests, he himself had been compelled to come over and try to internally resolve this issue. If that wasn¡¯t possible, he didn¡¯t want to provoke this young man with a promising future because of others. As he was leaving the villa estate, a camouflaged transport helicopter slowly flew in from afar. Seeing the helicopter, Jason shook his head. That shithead was done for. ¡°Young people are so hot-headed.¡± Jason got back into the car, took out his phone, and reported the situation to that shithead. .. On the other end of the phone, a white-haired old man listened to Jason¡¯s slightly mocking narration of the communication. He was so angry that he threw his wine glass, splashing the pristine white wall with a layer of crimson: ¡°Just because a bitch died, she dared to oppose me!¡± Jason had intended to explain Brian¡¯s background to this shithead, persuading him to proactively find a way to contact the other party, to see if they could reconcile, or find a scapegoat to settle the case. But as he was about to speak, the other party had already hung up. Jason shrugged, ¡°Another fool corroded by his perceived power, unclear of his own position, it seems I won¡¯t be seeing Jonathan at future annual gatherings.¡± Saying this, he patted the seat in front of him. The driver immediately started the car, taking Jason back to the police station. Yes, the person who killed the actress was indeed the one the black agent had guessed: Jonathan Armstrong, a director at the Los Angeles Red Cross Blood Center. Jonathan was also very angry. Ever since he joined the Blood Association, he had access to a network of contacts he hadn¡¯t been able to reach before, and he had been intimate with female celebrities of all statuses until he was sick of it. When had he ever been treated like this? Jonathan had been having a tough time lately due to poor progress in some international business. Business with the Eastern Great Country had also suffered a fatal blow, breaking many connections, and his mood was already not good. This was why he lost control last night and accidentally killed that canary. Alcohol plus an emotional outburst led him to forget to notify anyone to handle the issue beforehand. By the time he woke up and sent people to inquire, the NW had already taken over the case. So, he had to contact Jason, an acquaintance, to handle the situation. But they wouldn¡¯t give him any face at all! A cold look flashed in Jonathan¡¯s eyes. He was just an NW junior staff who didn¡¯t even know the value of being in the Blood Association. If reasoning nicely wouldn¡¯t work, then let death be the solution! He was going to ruin this small actor! Thinking this. Jonathan immediately took out another phone and dialed a satellite-encrypted communication. ... Brian hadn¡¯t expected the operational team sent by headquarters to be led by Orba, with whom he had previously cooperated. Orba was the captain of the NW operations team; they had previously collaborated in Forest Park dealing with a primate Mutant Beast and later jointly addressed the Seven Deadly Sins type Mutant. Orba greeted Brian with a rather emotional expression on his face. He had previously recognized Brian¡¯s potential and had built a relationship with him in advance. But he had never expected that in just over a month, Brian¡¯s rank within the organization had already surpassed his own. This guy is too fierce! Brian briefly explained the situation to Orba and asked him to take the black broker back for temporary custody for a few days to prevent him from being silenced. Orba nodded, ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll take him directly to one of our team¡¯s safehouses. This way it¡¯ll be convenient for you to bring him back when you need to, and we can rest for a few days.¡± ¡°Alright, thanks guys. I¡¯ll treat you to drinks when it¡¯s done.¡± Watching Orba and his group board the armed transport helicopter and leave, Brian then called Tom over to pack the beautiful corpse into a body bag and drive away. It was around ten-fifty in the morning. At this time, the traffic had eased a lot, not as congested as before. Tom chose to take the direct route, no longer detouring. He reminded Brian, ¡°Brian, a bunch of reporters took photos of that helicopter earlier. They¡¯re making a big deal out of the victim¡¯s death case outside.¡± ¡°What¡¯s it to us if the PR department handles it?¡± Brian laughed lightly, not caring at all. Wearing a skin makes work easier. Now asking him to quit NW, he was reluctant. Part of this road connects to the main highway. On the road, Brian and his team encountered highway police chasing a white BMW sedan, then performing a precise ¡®pit maneuver¡¯ on the BMW. This pit maneuver involved side ramming, forcibly knocking the target vehicle out of the lane, causing it to roll over or flip, losing the ability to escape. ¡°Amazing!¡± Driver Tom uttered in astonishment at the officer¡¯s textbook beautiful pit maneuver. Many highway cops are tested on this skill, but not many can precisely bump a pursued vehicle out of a lane and achieve a ¡®pit stop¡¯; only the elite can. The difference between a vehicle flipping on the highway and off the highway is significant. Whether it¡¯s the ensuing handling, the needed blockade personnel, or the impact on government property damage, the differences are huge. Brian nodded, ¡°Indeed impressive, but you better speed up. I don¡¯t want our car to be affected by the roadblock.¡± Tom nodded. However, they were unlucky, as about two kilometers out, they were stopped by two crosswise heavy police motorcycles. Two fully armed officers stood in front of the police vehicle, shouting something at the scene inspection car and gesturing for them to pull over. ¡°These guys have gotten so efficient all of a sudden; it seems that white BMW sedan had a pretty important criminal...¡± Tom stopped the car, muttered under his breath, took out his credentials, and prepared to negotiate with them. Brian stopped Tom by the arm, ¡°Don¡¯t move, something¡¯s off!¡± ¡°Off?¡± Tom was startled, and the next moment, quickly drew a handgun from underneath him, simultaneously restarted the car, ready to maneuver the vehicle sideways to block any potential threats. Brian twisted his neck, pulled out his handgun, and whispered, ¡°Their shouting distance is a bit far, you know what that means!¡± Tom, belatedly realizing, gasped. It meant a sanctioned killing! In the United States, police authority is high because of the high risk of the job. To ensure their own safety, police can use lethal force if they feel a threat to their lives is imminent. This means, during their duties, when they shout their identity. Whether or not the other party hears, if any aggressive action is taken without hands being placed where they can be clearly seen, or if one makes a motion like reaching for something, police can claim they felt their lives were threatened and then open fire. This isn¡¯t an exaggeration, but a reality where many innocents are killed, and officers get administrative leave with no consequences, a consensus among the public. Cause and effect. This is why police departments face allegations of excessive force every year. Both being on a mission, they would definitely carry guns, and unguarded, would make the gesture to pull out credentials, unlike ordinary citizens who would act obediently as learned in driving school. Plus, with the perspective of the dashboard camera on the police motorcycle, many things can¡¯t be clearly articulated! This is legal murder! All of this seemed like Tom pondered for a long time, but it was just a moment. Just as he was about to restart the vehicle for a sideways maneuver, the two mounted police made no extra moves, only making cautious gestures toward them. Tom wondered if Brian was overreacting. The next moment. Two handguns, from out of their blind spot, were suddenly aimed at Brian in the car, ¡°Put your hands on the steering wheel and somewhere visible!¡± There were actually two cops hidden in the blind spot! Seeing this, the two officers blocking the car exchanged a smile, drew their handguns under the surveillance of the police motorcycle¡¯s camera, and pretended to issue some warnings. Tom was stunned. He finally realized something was off. These guys were clearly waiting for them here. He looked at Brian, ¡°What do we do?¡± ¡°What do you mean, what do we do? Just obey.¡± Brian promptly withdrew his handgun, placed his credentials in the seam of his hands, and casually turned on the recording function on his wristwatch, slowly raising his hands. He wanted to see how these few guys planned to trouble them under surveillance. Mainly because, under surveillance, directly attacking police was troublesome. Even if the other party was corrupt, without direct footage of an assault, it was difficult. World rights and obligations are relative; while enjoying institutional privileges, actions are also restricted. Seeing this, Tom had no choice but to stuff his gun back into the box and then place his hands on the steering wheel to ensure visibility to the motorcycle¡¯s camera. As a former detective, he knew the risk at this angle; he was unsure of Brian¡¯s fate, but his chances of survival were high. The four highway officers did not expect Brian and him to be so cooperative. Seeing this, one middle-aged officer whispered, ¡°Proceed as planned, quickly!¡± The four moved in unison, ready to act as instructed by their sponsor. Chapter 349 - 349 221 Four Kills Bad News Not Enough Body Bags First Subscription Bonus 8 ?349: Chapter 221: Four Kills, Bad News, Not Enough Body Bags (First Subscription Bonus 8) 349: Chapter 221: Four Kills, Bad News, Not Enough Body Bags (First Subscription Bonus 8) These four people coordinated seamlessly. Two of them employed the standard gun-holding gesture, staring intently at the two people in the car, another held a manual filming device and followed to record the scene, while the last one stepped forward to negotiate. In fact, at that time, most officers in the United States, regardless of the type of police, were not accustomed to using police cameras. One reason was technical; the other was that it wasn¡¯t yet the time for that. In Brian¡¯s previous life, these events had happened fourteen years later, because of the excessive use of force by the police combined with the rise of the racial movement, that the police departments started to equip extensively. The purpose of the equipment was not to regulate law enforcement but merely for self-protection. Because of the votes, the Black men had strong fighting capabilities for a while in the future, which resulted in more and more officers following normal enforcement procedures but ending up incriminated themselves. After such incidents increased, the equipment of American officers was largely replaced. The people in front of him had deliberately carried a portable filming camera, which was quite thought-provoking. After the procedural exchange. The questioning officer, holding the two men¡¯s NW identification, glanced at them casually, took out his cellphone, dialed a few numbers, and then pretentiously said, ¡°Sorry, this is a suburban road, the signal isn¡¯t very good. We can¡¯t confirm your identities. Could you come back with us to verify?¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°I have a cellphone, you can use mine, it¡¯s in my pocket.¡± Tom chimed in, ¡°There are people living around here, it¡¯s not really a suburb, and there¡¯s no way the car communication is down. Confirming our identities shouldn¡¯t be difficult.¡± ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s broken!¡± The questioning officer¡¯s expression darkened, and he pulled out handcuffs, ¡°For your safety and ours, we will put these on your hands and then search your vehicle for dangerous weapons and contraband. Please cooperate with us.¡± Seeing the handcuffs, Brian smiled slightly, extending his hands cooperatively. Seeing this, Tom felt uneasy but had no choice but to follow and get cuffed, squatting to the side. Next. The search began. The whole process resembled a border patrol small game that Brian played in his previous life. The officer carrying the filming equipment also directed the device there. First, they searched the people, then the vehicle. Assuming they had already secured the people. The searching officer¡¯s attitude became much rougher. He put on gloves, first found a pistol under Brian¡¯s armpit. He glanced at the pistol, smiled meaningfully at Brian without asking about the legality of the gun or any related questions, and handed it to his colleague, continuing the search with a smile. The next moment. His facial expression froze, and the hand placed on Brian¡¯s waist couldn¡¯t move, ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Hand grenade, fragmentation hand grenade; effective killing radius is about fifteen meters. You know, departments that deal frequently with criminals, we¡¯re not comfortable without carrying some stuff.¡± Brian explained thoughtfully, ¡°That¡¯s why I carry only a few of them, it feels uncomfortable otherwise. Otherwise, I would carry thirty, instead of three.¡± ¡°Madman!¡± The body-searching officer couldn¡¯t hold back his cursing, ¡°You maniac, I¡¯ve never seen an Autopsy Officer carrying grenades!¡± The smile on Brian¡¯s face deepened, ¡°Buddy, you forgot the credentials I gave you, they only had information about NW action department staff, no position information!¡± His previous credentials had it; he now had two sets, one as an Autopsy Officer of B6 team with NW credentials, and another one marked as a Second Level Staff of Dawn Warrior on the NW credentials. What these officers saw was the second set. Unfortunately, these fools were too low-level; they knew of the NW organization but had no concept of what a Second Level Staff entailed. The body-searching officer also realized it and glared at Brian, explaining, ¡°Your credentials are ridiculous. What¡¯s this Dawn Warrior, something you bought for a few bucks?¡± Saying this, he barely dared to breathe heavily, carefully removing the three grenades hung on Brian¡¯s waist. The officer who took over also carefully handled these grenades, which were not common models. On the other side. The officer searching the vehicle also retrieved a handgun, a big box containing an automatic rifle and a shotgun from the vehicle. They also discovered a body bag in the trunk, and the beautiful female corpse inside. Seeing the female corpse, the officers exchanged glances, confirming they had the right target. They immediately packed up the camera and drew their guns, walking directly towards Brian and his companion. ... Tom hadn¡¯t even processed the situation when he was kicked by Brian, rolling off the roadside, disappearing from their view. Seeing this, the officers were slightly surprised but not very worried. A handcuffed person, in high-speed motion, his balance would be difficult to maintain, and the terrain here didn¡¯t favor running far. The next moment. In front of their eyes, Brian lightly exerted force with his hands, forcibly breaking the steel handcuffs on his wrists. Under the astonished gazes of the officers, he grinned at the officer who had just mocked him, ¡°I thought you guys had some plan. Turns out you just dawdle around and finally just shoot to kill.¡± Not skilled at all. Brian pointed at his chest, ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious what a Dawn Warrior is? Come on, shoot here.¡± ¡°Get him!¡± Though surprised that the target could break free from steel handcuffs, the leading officer didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment. While Brian was still speaking, he drew his gun and executed a quick policeman-style shoot-out. Bullets, aimed precisely at various spots on Brian¡¯s chest, struck him. Chapter 350 - 350 221 Four Kills Trouble Running Out of Body Bags First Subscription Bonus 8_2 ?350: Chapter 221: Four Kills, Trouble, Running Out of Body Bags (First Subscription Bonus 8)_2 350: Chapter 221: Four Kills, Trouble, Running Out of Body Bags (First Subscription Bonus 8)_2 Brian looked down at his chest. Clumps of blood slowly seeped out from his white shirt, dying his costly shirt into a garment of blood. The other three finally reacted, preparing to shoot. In their subconscious, at this distance and with so many guns, a normal person would be a dead end. Unfortunately, Brian didn¡¯t give them another chance. Evidence left, Brian stopped toying with kids. He flashed forward, appeared in front of the leading officer, and slapped him across the face. With a smack, The man¡¯s head burst open like a watermelon, drenching his three colleagues in a mess. They looked on in stunned silence at what had just unfolded before them. Were they dreaming? Just one slap, just one slap! Their colleague¡¯s head had exploded! Even as corrupt cops with a history of violence and blood on their hands, the shock of this exaggerated scene had them frozen. Too weak. Brian¡¯s right hand produced three afterimages. The three dazed officers clutched their throats and slowly fell. The whole process was easier than killing a chicken. After all, chickens still run, but these three were like idiots. ... After dealing with the four corrupt cops, Brian flashed his watch again, contacted NW headquarters via satellite, and explained the situation before softly saying, ¡°I cooperated with everything, yet I was shot fifteen times in the chest. If I hadn¡¯t been lucky, wearing the simple bullet-proof vest beneath my shirt, carrying treatment reagent, and not getting shot in the head, by now I and my partner would already be dead. I need the person behind this to give me an explanation, or I will blow this matter up!¡± ¡°Situational update received, someone will contact you shortly. Do you require emergency medical response, Officer Brian?¡± ¡°Not needed, but I need headquarters to send someone to take photos and gather evidence!¡± After hanging up, Brian turned and smiled at Tom, who was peering out cautiously and hiding in a pile of weeds, having returned to the scene, ¡°Come out, Tom, it¡¯s safe now.¡± Hearing Brian¡¯s voice, Tom rushed out in sheer joy, ¡°God, Brian, I heard the gunfire and thought you were shot dead.¡± It wasn¡¯t until he saw Brian covered in blood that he panicked, ¡°FK, you¡¯ve been shot, lie down, I¡¯m calling for emergency medical rescue right away!¡± Brian nonchalantly patted his bloody shirt, ¡°This is just some procedural requirement. Didn¡¯t you really want the Enhancement Reagent for healing? This time someone is providing it for free, and the case of the female celebrity will be handled by someone else taking care of the murderer.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Tom was taken aback. But he didn¡¯t think too hard about it and just turned his gaze to the several tragic bodies next to the car. Truly tragic. One body was without its head. Masses of blood plasma and brain tissue stuck to the car and ground, looking extremely disgusting. The other three officers were also in a bad state, kneeling neatly on the ground with their heads tipped back, revealing their indented, twisted throats, like boneless, strange dolls with haunting death poses. All these... were they the work of Brian? Were Enhanced humans this powerful? ... While waiting for the NW personnel to arrive, Brian and Tom sat cross-legged. Tom had already taken the keys from the bodies and unlocked the handcuffs. Brian, relying on brute strength, tore off the handcuffs and collar that were on his wrist, leaving Tom feeling both envious and anticipatory. This scene, seen with my own eyes, really was awesome. He rubbed the bruises on his body left from the previous rolling and collisions, feeling a bit anxious, ¡°So, the case is really solved, and we can get compensation?¡± Brian nodded, ¡°The opponent was stupid to actually choose to mobilize dirty cops for the shooting. Such a thing is highly taboo, so that person¡¯s superiors will personally take care of the opposition and will even present us with a gift as compensation. The rest need this kind of attitude to stabilize their emotions.¡± After several instances of extortion, Brian had become quite adept at dealing with such matters. Assassination is a double-edged sword, also the crudest means of problem-solving. Normally, only when absolutely necessary would respectable people wearing shoes resort to such measures. So, that so-called mastermind behind the scenes was clearly an idiot, and God knows who chose him as their pawn¡ªit¡¯s really unlucky. However, all this was predicated on Brian¡¯s formidable strength. The dead have no value. Revenge means nothing to the dead. Having been through so much, Brian was increasingly an advocate of personal might makes right. He couldn¡¯t guarantee that future enemies would play by the rules, but he could ensure that he had the ability to twist the heads off any rule-breakers. .. Next, Brian briefly discussed the details of the case with Tom. Especially the things the Blood Association had done. Tom had been a detective before, with a wealth of experience, and had heard about such matters, sighing, ¡°Capital is disgusting, especially those squid groups; I suspect they¡¯re the dark force behind the Blood Association.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Brian didn¡¯t expect that Tom actually had some information. Tom shrugged, ¡°Simple, do you know which country is the largest organ trade nation in the world? It¡¯s the one founded by those bastards! Many media companies are also under their control. I really despise this race, do you know how many nations have expelled them?¡± Without waiting for Brian to ask, Tom lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and continued, ¡°Let me tell you, based on the history I studied in university, ever since there has been recorded history, this race has been wandering and getting expelled. Basically, every country they¡¯ve stayed in has expelled or even massacred this race. If it happens in one country, it might be the country¡¯s problem, but when it¡¯s recorded from the beginning of history, without exception, it¡¯s the race¡¯s problem. That¡¯s also why when they came to the United States, they were obsessed with putting down roots in the media and Hollywood because they knew that if they didn¡¯t control these channels, their foulness would be widely spread. I have a premonition, perhaps in ten to twenty years, the United States will also raise the butcher¡¯s knife against this unfaithful race.¡± Brian didn¡¯t expect Tom to have such depth. He had no idea that Tom had a history degree¡ªTom had never mentioned it. When Brian got to know him, Tom was already a scene investigator at the Forensic Bureau, looking feeble every day, only energetically talking about games. There¡¯s no helping it, his injured body can only support playing games now. The two chatted idly for a while. It was evident that after the incident where Brian kicked him out earlier, Tom became much more confiding in Brian, sharing many past experiences he had never mentioned before. Suddenly. Brian seemed to remember something important, looking at Tom, ¡°Buddy, I just remembered something very important.¡± Tom¡¯s expression tensed, and he gripped the handgun at his waist, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do we still have four body bags in the car?¡± Shoot, looks like we¡¯re short on body bags. Facing Tom¡¯s baffled expression, Brian raised an eyebrow, ¡°Killing and collecting the bodies, giving the dead their due respect, that¡¯s our professional ethic as autopsy officers.¡± Tom: ¡°..I see that now, Brian, you really are an autopsy officer with professional ethics, believe me, if you weren¡¯t in front of these still-warm bodies, making such ghastly jokes would be even more ethical.¡± The two looked at each other and burst into hearty laughter. Chapter 351 - 351 222 Susans Anger Headquarters Emergency Mission Two-In-One ?351: Chapter 222: Susan¡¯s Anger, Headquarters¡¯ Emergency Mission (Two-In-One) 351: Chapter 222: Susan¡¯s Anger, Headquarters¡¯ Emergency Mission (Two-In-One) ¡°Wow, pal, you sure are lucky, all those guns and not a single bullet hit your head.¡± A bald black man with sunglasses, dressed in West Coast tight beach shorts and wearing a gold chain as thick as a thumb, flashed a mouth full of gold teeth in the sunlight. This was the forensic officer sent from NW, a man who made a strong first impression. Brian glanced at his watch and said in surprise, ¡°Are you going to gather evidence with your eyes?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t eyes enough?¡± The black man spoke with rhythm, ¡°Right, I¡¯m Bradgreen Ethan, Second Level Staff from the Internal Affairs..., in charge of dealing with your attack incident. You¡¯ve got some serious strength, buddy. These guys died quickly. Any suspects?¡± The guy¡¯s name took him a solid ten seconds to say. Brian nodded, ¡°Okay, Gold Teeth, the suspect should be a board member from the Los Angeles Red Cross Blood Center. His name is Jonathan Armstrong, but I was pretty angry when I acted, I didn¡¯t leave any survivors.¡± ¡°Gold Teeth?¡± The black man took off his sunglasses and looked at Brian for two seconds before nodding, ¡°Nice nickname, but I prefer to be called Bieber, Big Bird Bieber, because my bird is really big.¡± With that, he beckoned, ¡°Got it, you guys can go back, I¡¯m going to deal with this board member now.¡± Tom pointed at a heap of bodies by the mountainside next to the car, ¡°These bodies...¡± ¡°You guys are in forensics, right? Take them back, do an autopsy report yourselves, send it to the police station these corrupt cops belonged to. Let them deal with this matter with the police association.¡± Bieber waved his hand dismissively. Brian hadn¡¯t expected someone so rough to show up and said in reminder, ¡°These corrupt cops should have been in phone contact with the mastermind behind the scenes. We can locate them through communications...¡± He¡¯d at least put up a facade in his official duties, some sort of token effort. This guy seemed in a hurry to wrap things up and get home, giving off a very unreliable vibe, even less reliable than himself. Brian was now worried that this man would complicate his own matters. ¡°No need, buddy. I see you¡¯re decisive, not someone who dawdles. So, don¡¯t bother with those pointless things. Just tell me who the suspect is, and I¡¯ll go execute him. Then we all clock out, simple as that, okay?¡± Bieber waved his hand impatiently, remounted his heavy motorcycle, and left first. Watching his retreating figure, Tom¡¯s eyes showed admiration, ¡°Brian, to be honest, I really like this guy¡¯s personality. It¡¯s right up my alley.¡± This black man named Bieber had a way about him, like when Tom played video games: I don¡¯t know the strategy, I don¡¯t know the story, I only know I want to go on a killing spree... ... Collecting bodies, cleaning up the scene. There was some trouble in the process. A private car passing by saw Brian and his partner loading bodies, which were still in highway patrol uniforms, and they immediately reported it to the police, resulting in seven or eight police cars surrounding them. Two nearby public security office armed transport vehicles and an armored car showed up as well... Actually, this was the typical posture of the United States police when facing thugs: group beatdowns and overpowering force. If the thugs were hiding inside a building, it would be even more desperate because the wealthy LAPD would choose to violently dismantle the house with an armored car and then crush the thugs. The result was that these people ended up helping Brian and the others carry the bodies. But everyone¡¯s mood wasn¡¯t great. Even though everyone knew about the corrupt cops, seeing the bodies of their fallen comrades was still unsettling. As Brian and his car drove away, a young face turned to a senior officer, ¡°I really don¡¯t understand, how were they killed barehanded in the face of four armed police officers.¡± His senior officer, a slick veteran of over twenty years with more than twenty administrative leaves, was quite well-known locally. The middle-aged officer spat on the ground and said, ¡°Because that blood-covered pretty boy isn¡¯t normal. NW has a lot of those types, which is why they now hold such power.¡± ¡°Not normal?¡± Some officers who weren¡¯t privy to much insider information also looked towards the veteran for more. Another older policeman chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s like the monsters in the movies. Don¡¯t inquire too much; it¡¯s not interesting. You must understand this is a capitalist country ¨C the more you get, the greater the risk. I had the chance to join them thirty years ago, but I declined. Now, I visit my colleagues who did join every year. They reside not far from Thyssen Park.¡± Hearing this, those with thoughts of their own fell silent. Near Thyssen Park was a cemetery... ... On the way back, Brian spontaneously bought a transforming toy car and pre-ordered a birthday cake, then wrote a note for the clerk to deliver it to the address. For this, he paid an extra fifty US dollars in tips to ensure the clerk would complete the task properly. Back in the car. Tom curiously looked at Brian, ¡°A friend¡¯s birthday?¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°A friend¡¯s kid¡¯s birthday.¡± Actually, this was the obsession of one of the corrupt cops he killed: to deliver the needed gift and birthday cake to his son. The gift was the transforming toy car. Brian, due to his own stance, had killed the man, but it did not stop him from fulfilling the man¡¯s obsession. Chapter 352 - 352 222 Susans Anger Headquarters Emergency Mission Two-In-One_2 ?352: Chapter 222: Susan¡¯s Anger, Headquarters¡¯ Emergency Mission (Two-In-One)_2 352: Chapter 222: Susan¡¯s Anger, Headquarters¡¯ Emergency Mission (Two-In-One)_2 B6 Group Office Building. Seeing Brian covered in blood, everyone was shocked and quickly approached to ask about the situation. ¡°Woof woof woof!!!¡± Shi San growled and barked angrily. Susan, who had just returned, frowned her pretty face darkly, ¡°Brian, what happened!¡± Though Brian had returned alive, the densely packed bullet holes in his clothes were still heart-wrenching. Brian appreciated everyone¡¯s concern nonetheless. He briefly explained the situation to Tom, ¡°Tom, could you find some time to work on the autopsy reports of those bodies?¡± Tom nodded, ¡°Does it need to be very detailed?¡± ¡°No, just superficially acceptable.¡± Before he could finish, Susan dragged Brian into the office in front of everyone. Shi San also scampered after them. ... Bang~ The door closed. Susan tore off Brian¡¯s inner lining and bullet-proof vest, and seeing the bullets embedded densely in it, her eyes immediately reddened, ¡°How could ordinary people possibly hit you!¡± ¡°I was ambushed, but it¡¯s just some superficial wounds.¡± Brian pinched Susan¡¯s cheek with a smile, ¡°How¡¯s the ¡®Activation Reagent¡¯ verification going?¡± He didn¡¯t dare say he had done it on purpose as that would surely lead to Susan hitting him. But seeing Susan¡¯s eyes red for him, while Brian felt a touch of guilt, he also felt greatly comforted. Susan was a good girl. Susan glared at Brian, turned around, and pulled a medical kit from the shelf drawer behind her, forcibly pushing Brian down on the sofa. As she tenderly extracted the bullets, she said softly: ¡°The reagent is real, but it¡¯s not as effective as the organization¡¯s T-cell Activation Reagent. I also took the opportunity to inquire about the background of Black Light Biotechnology Company.¡± ¡°What background?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit complex. Within the NW organization, most of the power is concentrated in three elders who are also clan leaders of several major families, ancestors of whom were nobles from England, similar to our Adams family, but they have fared better here. The rest are families like ours, each decently mixed in various domains. Lastly, there¡¯s the local capital rooted in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area. Black Light Biotechnology Company is actually a capital consortium, formed by some radicals and capital forces within the NW organization, and is also a covert power of the NW organization. The internal research department of the NW organization primarily focuses on human positive enhancement and is also very bloody and cruel, but operates internally only, the subjects being mutants captured over the years and heavy criminals collected from various prisons. Black Light Biotechnology Company is different. Each of their projects establishes a company, managed by a person acting as a partner, mainly operating externally, conducting experiments that are not suitable for public disclosure. You could think of them as the FBI¡¯s Hunting Team. They have their own security department. The only difference is, aside from research projects, Black Light Biotechnology Company also has an external business department that sells some outdated technological products of the NW organization to help maintain operational funds.¡± During the conversation, Susan accurately extracted bullets one by one from Brian¡¯s chest, then took out a green reagent, uniformly sprinkling it over his wounds. Brian did not stop her. Although it was wasteful, he quite enjoyed Susan¡¯s care. Love, when it involves mutual giving, lasts. As for the wasteful use of the treatment reagent? The Blood Association would pick up the tab. ... Through Susan¡¯s explanation, Brian developed a concept of Black Light Biotechnology Company. This entity essentially served as the covert strength of the NW organization. NW organization maintained a dignified and upright public appearance. Black Light Biotechnology Company, like the Umbrella Company from Resident Evil, operated without identity constraints, prioritizing profits, and neither humanity nor law was their concern. The Los Angeles Metropolitan Area, being a major global economic conglomerate, in itself generated wealth crushing that of most countries globally every year. Such an organization, relying solely on that underground base in the mountains, indeed did not make sense. Taking this opportunity, Brian also inquired about the situation in Susan¡¯s Combat Department. This time, he received a surprising answer: War! Specifically, an ocean war! The Blood Moon had risen, and those most affected were not the human world but marine life. The peace of the near sea and certain fixed maritime routes was maintained by the combined forces of these organizations; as for the deep sea, Susan was also unclear. Brian did indeed have the authority, but he would need to join the Combat Department to find out more. Their own people were so strictly controlled. This was not a good sign. The situation of humanity was not as peaceful as it seemed on the surface. ... After another casual chat. Brian put on a shirt that his younger brother Green had gone out to buy temporarily, and hugged Susan who was still organizing the bullets, ¡°What, want to take revenge for me?¡± Susan, without turning back, neatly stored the bullets, ¡°You are my boyfriend, I won¡¯t allow anyone else to bully you.¡± ¡°Susan.¡± ¡°Mm? Mmm!¡± Accompanied by an exchange of fluids, a dark red liquid slowly blended into Susan¡¯s body, making her entire consciousness cheer. She felt drowsy, only sensing her body warm and comfortable, as if floating on a cloud. By the time she regained consciousness, only Shi San was left by her side, idly playing with a bullet. Chapter 353 - 353 222 Susans Anger Headquarters Emergency Mission Two-In-One_3 ?353: Chapter 222: Susan¡¯s Anger, Headquarters¡¯ Emergency Mission (Two-In-One)_3 353: Chapter 222: Susan¡¯s Anger, Headquarters¡¯ Emergency Mission (Two-In-One)_3 ¡°Shi San, where¡¯s Brian?¡± Susan stretched lazily, feeling an incredible comfort throughout her body as energy surged continuously, her condition surprisingly good. She hadn¡¯t slept this comfortably in a long time. Shi San flicked its tail, tossing a wad of paper to Susan. The moving paper ball, in Susan¡¯s eyes, seemed to fly toward her in slow motion. She grabbed it with her hand, caught it precisely, and unfolded it to see a segment of handwritten text that was quite pleasing to look at: ¡°The attack has been handled by the organization. The Blood Association should offer compensation, remember to ask Tom for an Enhancement Reagent to repair bodily injuries. I injected you with the two Activation Reagents that were compensated earlier. You inject Shi San. I have received the organization¡¯s annual dispatch task, and I need to leave Los Angeles for a few days. I hope to return in time to spend our first Christmas together. ¡ª Your loving Brian.¡± Seeing the last line, Susan¡¯s cheeks quickly flushed red. No wonder she felt so good upon waking up; it turned out she had already been injected with those two Active Reagents. Thinking for a moment. Susan¡¯s eyes slightly narrowed. Why did it feel like their team¡¯s cases were so frequent these days, even including the annual dispatch tasks! Brian wasn¡¯t the team leader and wasn¡¯t aware of the situation. But Susan knew about the other teams. Those teams, although busy as dogs and continuously receiving news of staff sacrifices, weren¡¯t as exaggerated as Team B6! As for the annual dispatch tasks, they indeed existed. But as a norm, for the first few years, the organization would give new Second-level Staff enough time to adapt and grow, not casually assigning tasks. This norm, though unspoken, remained unless there was a staffing shortage; it had always been this way, so Susan hadn¡¯t mentioned it to Brian before. Actually, it was mainly because she wasn¡¯t that detail-oriented. Before this, she hadn¡¯t even thought of these things. She thought of them now solely because something felt slightly off. With this in mind, Susan pushed away the ingratiating Shi San, stood up, and called in Old Hardenn. ... On the other side. Brian, riding his beast motorcycle, returned to his apartment somewhat gloomily. After he had administered the ¡°Primordial Blood¡± he had stored for Susan, he originally wanted to wait for Susan to wake up and savor the moment, but he then received an urgent task. The mission was personally issued to him by NW headquarters. As a Second-level Staff, Brian enjoyed certain privileges, but also corresponding obligations. This obligation was an annual special task dispatch. Brian was annoyed. Headquarters should have known he was injured. With the attack still unresolved, headquarters had already arranged the annual task as well, somewhat disregarding the staff¡¯s safety and well-being. ¡°Damn, why does it feel like there¡¯s an unusual amount of stuff recently!¡± Brian tore off the bandages on his body, burned them, and flushed them down the toilet, clearing any traces. After handling all this. Brian, whose physical injuries had healed, changed into a new set of clothes, did not carry any guns or weapons, grabbed some cash, and left the house. Downstairs, Green was guarding Brian¡¯s motorcycle. NW had already booked Brian¡¯s flight ticket. After reaching the airport, Brian needed Green to ride his beloved motorcycle back and park it in the office building. Leaving it at the apartment, Brian feared it might get stolen. The urgent task¡¯s gathering point was located in Orlando City, Florida, a straight-line distance of over three thousand five hundred kilometers from downtown Los Angeles. It was a small city in the middle of Florida, with a population of only about two hundred thousand, situated in the swamp lands, the kind of place where one could wake up and see crocodiles in the yard. Because of his foul mood, Brian drove ¡®a bit¡¯ fast. Upon reaching the airport. Green knelt down with trembling legs, saying, ¡°Boss Brian, you drove too fast.¡± Brian lifted Green up, casually promising, ¡°Buddy, you need more practice. Next year, I¡¯ll see if I can find an opportunity to get you a few Enhancement Reagents.¡± This opportunity would depend on encountering Mutant criminals or finding new blackmail targets. Blackmail was a fast way to obtain things. Brian had grown to like this process. Speaking of Enhancement Reagents, Green instantly stopped feeling dizzy. His eyes were watery as he looked at Brian. Brian, feeling goosebumps from Green¡¯s affectionate gaze, said, ¡°Your look is really disgusting, take good care of my motorcycle while I¡¯m gone.¡± Green nodded. It was then he remembered to ask, ¡°By the way, Boss Brian, where are you traveling to this time?¡± ¡°A small city in Florida!¡± ¡°Florida?¡± Surprise flashed across Green¡¯s eyes. That place... emm He wanted to kindly warn Boss Brian to stay away from some loony psychopaths once there, but saw only the disappearing back of Boss Brian entering the gateway. ¡°Never mind, with Boss Brian¡¯s temperament, he might just cure a psychopath if he encounters one...¡± Green muttered under his breath, rested for a moment and carefully rode Brian¡¯s motorcycle, disappearing into the traffic among a group of people secretly taking photos. ... Just as Brian had boarded the plane and was resting with his eyes closed, Susan also learned about the recent surge in case frequencyͨ¹ýOld Hardenn. She immediately picked up her phone and dialed her best friend Caroline¡¯s number. Caroline was a newcomer in NW¡¯s Internal Affairs Department. However, the Edas Family to which Caroline belonged was somewhat special. It was a family of military tradition, with a wide network in the armed forces, including a few relatives holding high ranks, and a share in a military factory, belonging to a family who held real power. Chapter 354 - 354 222 Susans Anger Headquarters Emergency Mission Two-In-One_4 ?354: Chapter 222: Susan¡¯s Anger, Headquarters¡¯ Emergency Mission (Two-In-One)_4 354: Chapter 222: Susan¡¯s Anger, Headquarters¡¯ Emergency Mission (Two-In-One)_4 So Caroline actually held a higher position in the NW organization than Susan. Half an hour later. Susan discovered what she wanted. She gritted her teeth and stared at the data fax in her hands, slamming her fist on her sturdy office desk! With a muffled bang, the entire office trembled. The thick desk, designed to withstand small caliber bullets, unexpectedly was dented by her punch, a tight web of cracks spreading from the point of impact like a spiderweb. Shi San was originally playing with a bullet and was startled by the sudden noise, jumping up from the ground. It didn¡¯t know what had happened, but that didn¡¯t stop it from baring its ¡®ferocious¡¯ teeth towards the empty doorway. With this movement, the bullet it had been toying with flew up, slipping into Shi San¡¯s mouth by chance. Shi San continued to bare its teeth, and with a gulp, it actually swallowed the bullet. It stood there bewildered, frozen for a few seconds before looking helplessly at Susan. Damn it. It had eaten the wrong thing. Witnessing the scene, Susan was both amused and exasperated, and a good deal of her anger dissipated. ¡°Team leader, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Voices of concern echoed from outside, it was Ivan and the others. Ivan and the other troublesome teens had already wrapped up the case involving the slaughter of another unfortunate youth, and incidentally, they¡¯d also detained both children¡¯s parents. Hence, apart from Brian, who was still en route, and Ryan, who was on the road, everyone was present today. Susan let out a weary sigh, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t come in.¡± As the noises outside subsided, Susan refocused on the data that Caroline had faxed over. Their B6 unit was indeed being targeted. More precisely, the target was Brian. The person aiming at him was an NW researcher named Benjamin Burnett, A2 level, corresponding to Brian¡¯s B2¡ªbelonging to the Second-level Staff, not a minor character. Benjamin¡¯s tenure was long, but his current relationship records had vanished. There were three possibilities for this situation. One was that the person had died. Another was that he was on some special mission, and his information had been hidden by the organization, requiring exceptionally high clearance to access. The last one was resignation. It was possible to resign from NW, but that was only for the ordinary staff; for Second-level Staff, retirement might be an option, but resignation wasn¡¯t possible under normal circumstances, unless the person had been assigned elsewhere. Like to Black Light Biotechnology... Personnel transfers within NW couldn¡¯t occur without the involvement of the Foreign and Domestic Affairs Departments. The circles were that small, and a lot of information could be uncovered with the right connections. According to her best friend Caroline¡¯s quick investigation. Brian had recently been promoted and had been assigned a special mission, which happened to be orchestrated by Benjamin, who somehow convinced a deputy minister in the Domestic Affairs Department with some perks. Special assignments for Second-level Staff were arranged by the Domestic Affairs Department. This deputy minister had bypassed the leadership of the Action Department and directly conveyed the special mission directives to Brian. Speaking of which, this was also somewhat improper; it was like a snub to the face of the Action Department¡¯s leadership, but it was in line with NW¡¯s official regulations¡ªso it was a contentious issue. ¡°Benjamin and this deputy minister from the Domestic Affairs Department...¡± Susan glanced through some of Benjamin¡¯s career records again and crumpled them into the trash bin. She currently had no clue where this Benjamin was hiding. But this deputy minister, huh! And the 911 dispatch center! Those involved couldn¡¯t be let off either! ... Susan was a person of formidable action. Before long. She led Shi San and a few team members to the 911 dispatch center, where she roughed up and threatened several leaders in front of numerous operators. Then, following a suggestion from the Teddy combination, they found a petty thief and, through a mix of coercion and enticement, compelled him to cooperate, leading them to an upscale community. Susan and her team used the tracking of the suspected thief as a pretext to lock down a villa. This villa was where the deputy minister¡¯s family lived. She wasn¡¯t foolish enough to involve family members in calamities, especially since the other party also held some clout, but that didn¡¯t prevent her from disciplining an unruly dog. After all, a bigwig like you surely wouldn¡¯t get angry with a dog, right? In the midst of a crowd of onlookers drawn by the commotion. Shi San ferociously bit every dog in the villa owner¡¯s home, leaving them covered in wounds, and even left the clothing of several family members who tried to resist with guns torn to shreds, utterly humiliating them... ... Continuous incidents occurred in Los Angeles. Just finished with a layover, Brian had also encountered some trouble. Air travel between cities in the United States was well-developed and affordable, with usual fares only amounting to a few dozen US dollars per flight. However, traveling to smaller cities could require layovers, similar to an alternative public transportation network. This flight was on a small plane without a so-called business class, just a hundred or so scattered seats. There weren¡¯t many passengers. Including two middle-aged flight attendants, there were only about thirty-odd people in total. Brian expressionlessly looked at the middle-aged white man who had deliberately sat next to him and said, ¡°Move away!¡± Chapter 355 - 355 223 Shara of the Weathering Group The Serial Disappearances at Iona Lake ?355: Chapter 223: Shara of the Weathering Group, The Serial Disappearances at Iona Lake 355: Chapter 223: Shara of the Weathering Group, The Serial Disappearances at Iona Lake The strong scent of the man¡¯s perfume couldn¡¯t overpower Brian¡¯s sharp sense of smell. This guy carried more than one venereal disease. Especially on the sides and back of his slicked-back hairstyle, there were noticeable patchy lesions. This was a clear symptom of syphilis. When faced with Brian¡¯s scolding, the middle-aged Caucasian man wasn¡¯t angry; instead, he flashed a greasy smile. He ran his hands through his slicked-back hair, his smile suddenly disappeared, he lowered his voice, and said fiercely, ¡°Watch your attitude, pal. Just so you know, I¡¯m HIV positive. If you don¡¯t know what manners are, I¡¯ll stick close to you and bite you when you¡¯re not paying attention!¡± Based on his experience, guys who looked well-groomed like young pretty boys were both vain and timid. With such a threat, the reactions were mostly predictable. He was well-versed in this, and the chances of succeeding were not low. Brian... Is it this dangerous for a young man to go out alone? He silently signaled to a flight attendant. Seeing this, the Caucasian middle-aged man remained calm. The middle-aged flight attendant walked up to Brian, ¡°Sir, the plane is about to take off, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid we need to reschedule our departure time; I have some issues to handle.¡± Brian immediately took out his identification. After speaking, With a somewhat perplexed look from the flight attendant, Brian, with disgust, picked up a cushion and fiercely covered the face of the middle-aged Caucasian man next to him, then started to punch and kick. He beat the man half to death. Brian then loosened his tie and exhaled a breath of frustration, ¡°Contact airport security, have this trash who threatened an investigator¡¯s life taken care of.¡± ... NW¡¯s jurisdiction covers the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area. But Brian held a Second-Level position. When on a special assignment, he had the authority to act as an NW investigator and request support from officials in other regions. Whether local authorities would comply or not was another matter. After all, some places, even the FBI would get snubbed, let alone a local agency like NW. But no one would oppose an official just for some trash. After confirming Brian¡¯s identity, the airport soon had the beaten middle-aged man taken away. This was a small city in Florida, and the airport regulations were lax. After handling the situation, The airport operations confirmed that there was no issue with the flight schedule, and the flight proceeded as planned. After the flight attendant calmed the other passengers, Brian also checked through airport security with his ID and learned the identity of that passenger. Coincidentally, the guy was a resident of his destination, Orland, but he was a habitual offender, accused of numerous public endangerment and sexual assault charges. Most outrageously, this guy had raped over ten men, resulting in seven of them contracting various infectious diseases. He¡¯d been detained multiple times but had always been bailed out. This time, the man was returning to Orland for an upcoming hearing. Well... According to major databases, not long ago, this middle-aged Caucasian had forcefully had relations with a young salesman who had recently graduated and came to his house to pitch a product. Moreover, he maliciously informed the young man afterward that he was infected with multiple diseases... His audacity stemmed from the Department of Justice¡¯s bail system. Except for some high-profile cases, most of the time, police would arrest criminals, but to make money, the judicial system would eventually offer the criminals a chance for bail. Normally, the criminal would be required to wear an electronic ankle monitor and have limited movement range, but that didn¡¯t mean they were off the hook. But those who know, know. The system is one thing, and its implementation is another. With these cases, unless truly innocent, most of the offenders accepted on bail would soon be recaptured and then... increased bail was set, money exchanged, people released. It was just like running through missions repeatedly. Most outrageously, there was even a bail loan industry chain providing financial assistance for broke criminals. Imagine this. These criminals have no money and are forced to take loans for their freedom. Once out, to repay those loans, they had to make money somehow. What could they do? It¡¯s tough on some front-line police teams. In the United States, every year there are unfortunate police officers who have been followed and killed by deranged criminals they¡¯ve arrested, sometimes even involving their families. Before the Blood Moon Radiation, nationwide, the average annual figures were around fifty to sixty cases. Those were just the successful ones. The unsuccessful ones were likely more than double that. That¡¯s why often, when frontline police felt slightly off, they¡¯d empty their magazines reflexively. Not only to protect themselves but to avoid potential retaliatory threats. ... Given this sudden incident, the other passengers on the plane, aside from being curious and entertained, showed surprisingly little dissatisfaction or extreme emotion. Brian struck up a casual conversation with an elderly man. The old man had a good impression of Brian, ¡°You have the spunk I had when I was young. That man looked downright vile.¡± Brian chuckled lightly, ¡°You all seem very calm; is this common here?¡± The old man nodded, ¡°At least it¡¯s common in Florida. You can meet a lot of oddities here, ah, it¡¯s all due to that mess that ruined this place years ago.¡± The old man had been a resident of Florida for a long time. Through the chatty old man¡¯s narrative, Brian learned about some local conditions. Most of the oddities here stemmed from a specific mandate known as the ¡°Cuban Special Law.¡± Chapter 356 - 356 223 Shara from the Weathering Group Serial Disappearances at Iona Lake_2 ?356: Chapter 223 Shara from the Weathering Group, Serial Disappearances at Iona Lake_2 356: Chapter 223 Shara from the Weathering Group, Serial Disappearances at Iona Lake_2 What does this mean? In 1980, when the United States saw unrest in neighboring Cuba, they stirred things up and issued the ¡°Cuban Special Law¡± allowing Cubans to freely immigrate to the United States. Their initial idea was to drain Cuba of its elite. The Cuban leaders weren¡¯t fools either and countered by pulling the rug out from under their feet. As a result, due to its geographical proximity, unfortunate Florida was flooded with over 150,000 immigrants, most of whom were mentally ill, drug addicts, prostitutes, street thugs, and even hardened criminals from prisons. When the United States realized something was amiss, it was already too late. Cuba kept sending more people continuously by boat. This was unacceptable! The United States hastily had to take back the saliva they had spit out. In short, the result was losing both the wife and the army. Florida ended up bearing the brunt of it all. Mental illnesses, as you know, are often hereditary. With the questionable quality of these new immigrants, few of their descendants were likely to succeed. Yet, these people had gained legal status, like throwing a bunch of rat droppings into a pot. Another point is, because of its location, this state already had a particularly high number of illegal immigrants. Subtly, due to the loose gun laws, racial diversity, and other issues, the state, which already had average law and order, became even more chaotic. The United States has many bizarre places to speak of. But Florida has one particularly unique law¡ªit has the most open public records law in the nation: all their criminal cases are public. After the internet became widespread, naturally, the bizarre cases that everyone knew about were concentrated here. ... Chatting for over half an hour, the old man seemed tired by the end and said, ¡°The environment in Ordolan is quite nice, just a bit too many mosquitoes and a lot of outdoor wildlife, fishing and hunting are popular, as long as you stay calm about everything, you should have a good time.¡± Brian nodded. Listening to the old man¡¯s account, he felt the online rumors were somewhat exaggerated. At least this old man seemed perfectly normal, and rather nice. This flight was a transfer between small cities, headed directly to Ordolan, with only less than forty minutes of flying time. So shortly after, the plane started to descend. Before leaving, Brian was about to bid farewell to the old man he had been chatting with, when he saw the old man stand up, give Brian a friendly smile, then linked arms with another old man and walked out closely with the other passengers. Brian:... Now his first impression of Florida was very complicated, extremely complicated. ... With mixed feelings, Brian got off the plane. Florida is a state in the southeast of the United States, located on the prominently protruding peninsula on the southeast coast, bordered by the Atlantic to the east and the Gulf of Mexico to the west. Ordolan is a central city in Florida, situated on top of a swamp. Though not near the coast, the area has many lakes and abundant wildlife resources, making water activities, camping, water fishing, and driving special boats in the swamps for hunting quite famous in the vicinity. There were quite a few tourists. Brian¡¯s meeting point was the local landmark: Iona Lake. But he didn¡¯t need to worry about how to get there. A police car, visibly marked with something like ¡°Orange County Sheriff¡¯s Office,¡± was parked outside, with a police officer in uniform sitting at the wheel, holding a sign and idly swinging his short legs. The sign had Brian¡¯s name on it. As someone who cared about appearances, giving a good first impression was his way of showing respect to others. Brian took his stylish platinum frameless glasses from the pocket of his coat, placed them on his nose, dressed in a suit, and walked towards the police car. He found it somewhat strange. He didn¡¯t know much about Ordolan, just that it was part of Clear County, and the total population of the urban area in the region was less than 700,000, truly a case of vast lands with sparse population. In such small cities with not many people, the police cars usually bore the logo of some security office, which basically functioned like a local police station covering only a few streets. In these small cities, because a criminal could quickly drive into another jurisdiction or even another city, joint enforcement was particularly frequent. The process would typically start with one police car chasing the criminal, but as they drove on, seven or eight different departments with dozen of differently marked police cars would end up following... From the insignia on this car, Brian guessed that Ordolan was probably the administrative center of Clear County, similar to the headquarters of the city police department. Seeing Brian approaching, the bored female officer¡¯s eyes lit up. She blew a bubble from her mouth and actually whistled at Brian, ¡°Hey, come here, I need to check your ID.¡± Brian:... Silently, he handed over his staff ID, while taking a casual look at the policewoman. She seemed young, wore short sleeves, and was average in height, appearance, and build, but had a babyface. Combined with her stature, she gave the impression of a child wearing adult clothes. Moreover, her exposed neck and arms were covered with plenty of tattoos, and when she spoke, a tongue piercing was visible, adding quite a bit of adult-like symbolism. Chapter 357 - 357 223 Shara of the Weathering Group The Serial Disappearances at Iona Lake_3 ?357: Chapter 223: Shara of the Weathering Group, The Serial Disappearances at Iona Lake_3 357: Chapter 223: Shara of the Weathering Group, The Serial Disappearances at Iona Lake_3 The policewoman didn¡¯t even bother to check the information on the ID. After she received it, she took out a notepad clipped in front, ¡°Name, phone number, and oh, also mention your social media accounts...¡± ¡°Have I broken the law?¡± ¡°No,¡± the policewoman looked at Brian straightforwardly, ¡°I just think you¡¯re good-looking and have a perfect height. I want to sleep with you, and if I could have a child, it would be even better to improve my family¡¯s genes.¡± Brian silently pointed to the badge in the policewoman¡¯s hand. Only then did the policewoman take a serious look. Hmm... It seemed to be a police badge. She opened it, silently handed the badge back to Brian, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t expect such a coincidence, Investigator Brian, I¡¯m Shara, an officer from the Vice Squad. There¡¯s a manpower shortage at the station, so they assigned me to come over and help with reception.¡± ¡°Vice squad?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯d actually prefer to be in a frontline department, but the Vice Squad values the annual performance I bring to the team, so they won¡¯t let me go.¡± Brian understood instantly. Prostitution usually just results in a fine. But there would be big trouble if the person involved was underage. Unfortunately, this Shara appeared to be only about fifteen or sixteen years old, having that problematic teen look, the type who¡¯d bait the big naive ones when fishing. Shara pushed the police car door open unembarrassedly, ¡°Let¡¯s go, though I don¡¯t know why the proud Chief Flory would ask for help from Los Angeles, we must hurry. Five officers have already gone missing there.¡± Brian got into the passenger seat, ¡°What exactly is happening?¡± Shara shook her head, ¡°It all started with missing children cases. There are many lakes here, and some kids, not knowing better, secretly go swimming. Every year there are instances of drowning and being eaten by alligators, but it doesn¡¯t help; similar incidents happen again the next year. So, initially, when the patrol officers received the reports, they didn¡¯t take it very seriously. They started their investigation according to procedure, eventually contacting the dispatch center, and went into the lake camp where the disappearance occurred, and then they too lost contact. Subsequent officers only found their patrol car. The trunk was still holding their gun case, but the rifles and shotguns inside were gone. It was unclear whether the officers had taken them or if someone had attacked the police. So, many officers went together to search the initial disappearance point. The result was just continuous disappearances. One person vanished at a time. No one heard gunshots before they vanished. After three searches, three more people disappeared. The strangest part was, someone found one of the missing officer¡¯s uniforms at Iona Lake, over twenty kilometers away from the disappearing site. After verification, the found uniform was indeed what the missing officer was wearing that day. This was too eerie. No one wanted to continue anymore. Chief Flory, having no choice, told everyone to stop searching the disappearance point and only arranged for people to warn others to stay away, and also requested reinforcements. Then they arranged divers to search in Iona Lake. The request for help was sent yesterday, and today I was assigned to receive you. That¡¯s all the information I know.¡± Shara¡¯s narration was very clear. Brian noticed that her hands on the steering wheel were very steady, the occasional visibility of her palms showing thick calluses from shooting. She was not as non-mainstream as she appeared but was a capable officer. ¡°Thank you, the information you provided is helpful.¡± Brian withdrew his scrutinizing gaze, politely thanking her. Shara slowed the car, turned to look at Brian, her voice taking on a hint of allure, ¡°I prefer to take action, and we will pass by a barren land soon..¡± ¡°Officer Shara, please behave yourself! I am not someone to be trifled with!!!¡± Los Angeles top Vehicle Appraiser Brian, righteously declined this policewoman¡¯s second indecent proposal! .. Upon reaching the outskirts of Iona Lake. With a bit of regret. Shara forcefully handed a business card to Brian and then drove off somewhat dispiritedly. Iona Lake was one of the landmarks of the city, surrounded by many buildings and communities, somewhat resembling an urban park community, with a road next by. Brian estimated that the lake-view houses here wouldn¡¯t be cheap. Suddenly. He stopped, looking at a tourism promotional picture by the roadside. These were images of attractions in the urban suburbs, including Disneyland, Universal City, etc., but a nondescript picture of a lake campsite caught Brian¡¯s attention. His expression was peculiar. Damn, why does this place look so much like the opening scene of a horror movie he saw in his past life! With increasing spiritual strength and his talent for Extensive Knowledge and Strong Memory. Many of Brian¡¯s forgotten past life memories had become clear again. Some scenes from this suburban lake campsite resembled the drowning site of a youth named Jason in a movie called ¡°Friday the 13th¡± that he had seen in his previous life. Right, that movie, also known as Crystal Lake... Brian had even cosplayed as the murderous Jason before. Could this be fate? Chapter 358 - 358 224 Malice A Bet ?358: Chapter 224 Malice, A Bet 358: Chapter 224 Malice, A Bet Iona Lake: (In Chapter 223, the last paragraph, and Police Officer Shara¡¯s description of the missing case¡ªspecifically, the latter part of the second-to-last paragraph¡ªunderwent minor changes. There¡¯s no need to revisit them intentionally; the content below will briefly describe the changes.) ... ¡°It must be a coincidence..¡± Brian retracted his gaze from the promotional billboard for a campsite by a lake that resembled ¡°Friday the 13th.¡± In reality, he had never heard of any supernatural events, nor was there likely to be a Crystal Lake or an Undead Jason. It was probably just that the geographical environment here was very similar in many respects. After all, even in the world of movies, the locations didn¡¯t match up. Brian walked along a small path towards the lake, pondering the information he had gathered. According to the description by Police Officer Shara, the disappearance took place at a campsite near another lake some twenty to thirty kilometers away from this one. The subsequent disappearance of five police officers also happened there. What was peculiar was that during that time, someone found one of the missing officer¡¯s police uniforms on the surface of Iona Lake which was twenty to thirty kilometers away. Continuous disappearances + peculiar circumstances. Under the frightful atmosphere, Chief Flory, the responsible case officer, had no choice but to seek outside help while arranging divers to search Iona Lake¡ªlocated in the city center¡ªfor any possible underground waterways. Actually, this move was quite correct. The disappearance occurred at a campsite by a lake in the suburbs. Like I mentioned before, even with the combined populations of the major cities, there were only about seven hundred thousand people¡ªsparse in comparison to the land, and beyond the cities, the suburbs were scarcely populated. Once faced with danger in those places, humans felt enormous pressure. Iona Lake was different; it was situated within the more populous parts of the city, and the investigation here was not like the wilderness¡ªthere was not as much psychological pressure. After all, even if an incident occurred, a large number of armed reinforcements would arrive promptly, which instinctively brought a sense of safety. .. Pondering. An old man wearing a police uniform, holding a cigarette, suddenly burst out of the trees by the road. He glanced at Brian and asked, ¡°An outsider?¡± Brian nodded. ¡°Yes, I came from Los Angeles to find Chief Flory. Shara was supposed to welcome me, but she brought me here and left straight away.¡± ¡°I am,¡± Chief Flory replied somewhat haughtily with a nod. ¡°Shara can be unreliable. I only just received her call and found out you¡¯ve arrived.¡± Saying this, he extended his hand to Brian. ¡°The moment I saw you, I knew you were going to be of help. You can call me Flory or Chief; I prefer the latter.¡± ¡°Brian, I¡¯m an Autopsy Officer by profession,¡± Brian also briefly introduced himself. ¡°Autopsy Officer?¡± Chief Flory was slightly confused. He had suspected that a Mutant might be behind this crime, prompting a request for special assistance from the county. However, the county¡¯s special organization also suffered heavy losses and had to continue seeking outside help. Now the outside help had arrived. The guy looked decent enough. The question was, why would an Autopsy Officer come? ¡°Yes, an Autopsy Officer, but I have some knowledge of gun skills and close combat, so I won¡¯t be a burden. Tell me about the situation, Chief Flory.¡± Brian pushed up his Sven glasses, smiling amicably. Chief Flory sighed inwardly. What a sham of outside help this was. He lacked spirit and motioned for Brian to follow, ¡°Did Shara tell you about the case?¡± ¡°Just a brief rundown.¡± Brian recapped what Shara had told him. Chief Lorry nodded. ¡°It¡¯s about right. The disappearances happened a week ago. The initial missing were children from a nearby town, a total of three, the oldest eleven and the youngest eight. I am the town¡¯s chief of police. After the families reported it, I led the officers to the missing point to search. That area is somewhat secluded, but there are some citizens living there, and with a children¡¯s summer camp nearby, clearance of wildlife hazards was frequent, and there had been no incidents of wild animal attacks in the past several years. But this time was different. After we arrived and met up with some volunteering residents, we began an immediate search and finally found one of the missing children¡¯s shoes. The shoe was floating at the edge of the lake. There were no traces of flesh residuals and no signs of crocodile activity. Oh God! We suspected they had drowned. So we sent officers to search underwater, but again, nothing turned up. Here¡¯s where the strange part begins. After returning, we discovered that one officer was missing. This was an abnormal incident. Our financial situation isn¡¯t great, so including myself, the town¡¯s police force consists of only three officers. Three officers, two cars. It wasn¡¯t until after we returned that we realized someone was missing from our group. Mr. Brian, can you imagine our feelings at that time? We even began to suspect that some Demon had erased our memories.¡± As he recounted the past events, fear inadvertently showed on the old chief¡¯s face. Brian¡¯s interest was piqued. This case was intriguing. He curiously asked, ¡°What happened next?¡± To date, five officers had gone missing. And this was just the beginning. ... Chief Flory took a deep breath. He slowed his pace and pulled a cigarette from his pocket, lighting it up, taking a deep inhale. Finally regaining some composure with the help of nicotine, he continued: Chapter 359 - 359 224 Malice A Bet_2 ?359: Chapter 224 Malice, A Bet_2 359: Chapter 224 Malice, A Bet_2 ¡°Autopsy Officer Brian, since you¡¯ve managed to get here, you must be someone in the know. Our world underwent some changes a few decades ago. I haven¡¯t stepped into that circle, but having been a police officer for many years, I¡¯ve encountered one or two of those twisted cases and have some understanding. I feared this case was abnormal, so I reported it to the Flory County Police Department. They took it seriously and sent support forces and a leading investigator from the CD organization right away. CD stands for ¡®Crocodile¡¯, which is the department that handles special cases throughout Florida. They have branches in every county and major city and are a group of professionals. Under the leadership of that investigator, the team, better prepared this time, re-entered the area to search. This time, we lost two more people. Just like the last time, only after everyone returned did we discover people were missing. The missing included the CD investigator sent over, while the other was my last partner...¡± At this point, Chief Flory¡¯s face showed pain. They were old partners for many years, and now all were gone, leaving only himself. Brian¡¯s focus, however, was on this Crocodile organization. Crocodile, as in the crocodile organization. This organization should be similar to the local NW organization, although its strength remains unknown. But it probably can¡¯t compare to NW. After all, the NW organization, backed by the entire Los Angeles city group, is substantial in capital and internationally well-regarded. Actually, Brian had found it strange even before he set out. According to his understanding, nearly every state in the Federation has its special organizations, and some more chaotic states have more than one. Even if the NW organization was to carry out special missions, they should be assisting other smaller organizations in California. So why send him over three thousand kilometers away to Orlando? ... After a few more drags of nicotine, Chief Flory coughed twice before continuing: ¡°This time, with a CD investigator missing, the Flory County Police Department is very concerned and has sent a team equipped with a large amount of advanced equipment and heavy weapons. They completely sealed off the area and conducted a thorough search. As a result, apart from driving away some hidden crocodiles and unexpectedly capturing two fugitives lurking in that area, they found nothing. The eerie pattern occurred again, and two more persons disappeared, both leading CD investigators. The process was the same as the previous two times. Even though everyone was on guard this time, with basic communication towers constructed and constant personnel roll calls, when we returned to the temporary camp, people were still missing. The surveillance footage showed two people entering the camp, but by the meeting time, those two investigators were gone. There¡¯s are only just over twenty people in the CD division in Flory County. They too became fearful, sealing off the area and calling for reinforcements.¡± Speaking of which, Chief Flory cast a somewhat strange look at Brian: ¡°My rank isn¡¯t high enough; I only found out today that an investigator from Los Angeles came to help us with this case. I don¡¯t know what those people from CD are thinking, but I hope to resolve this matter quickly and restore the town¡¯s former peace. What I mean is, if you also feel something¡¯s off, you might as well leave sooner rather than later, to avoid adding another name to the missing persons list.¡± He is not an insider, yet he knows that Brian¡¯s arrival here is out of the ordinary. Special organizations are not like the FBI, with offices across the Federation and investigators often handling cases across states. These organizations also cannot escape the special nature of federal regional and political structures. There is not so much harmony between states. Brian glanced at the crowd appearing in front of him, smiled, and changed the subject: ¡°Chief Flory, based on Shara¡¯s description, I thought you were the one in charge of the case.¡± Chief Flory shook his head: ¡°Shara is the daughter of a friend of mine; she doesn¡¯t even know the truth about this world, and I haven¡¯t let her know the real situation of the case, so she must be under some misconception.¡± He glanced at the crowd that was drawing near, threw his cigarette butt to the ground to stamp it out, and sighed as he lowered his voice: ¡°I get the feeling that the CD people don¡¯t take your arrival very seriously, or else they wouldn¡¯t have left it to me to be in charge of welcoming you. From my years of experience, you might have offended someone in your own organization and have been set up; these organizations often have their internal dealings. In my youth, I often encountered such disgusting incidents where people betrayed and killed their own kind.¡± Brian just smiled and didn¡¯t say anything. He wasn¡¯t stupid; he had sensed something was wrong before he left. Not lashing out just meant it was like before, allowing those corrupt cops to shoot at him¡ªwaiting for the enemy to make a move before he could justify taking drastic action against his own people. Without drastic action, how could he rightfully and legitimately eliminate his own people? Without elimination, how could he clear enough of the profit chain for himself and then rise in ranks quickly? To take what you want, you must first give. Brian¡¯s current ¡®giving¡¯ was to pretend to be unaware, willingly stepping into the dangers laid out by the enemy, becoming a victim first, and then demanding ¡®compensation¡¯ from the organization when he returned. It didn¡¯t matter who the enemy was. In Brian¡¯s eyes, the adversary was already a dead man. The only difference was how much benefit the other party could bring to him. As for Chief Flory... Brian wouldn¡¯t naively harbor goodwill just because of his warning. We¡¯ll just wait and see. ... In the midst of their conversation. Under the lead of Chief Flory, the two had reached a temporary camp by the lake. Chapter 360 - 360 224 Malice A Bet_3 ?360: Chapter 224 Malice, A Bet_3 360: Chapter 224 Malice, A Bet_3 There was a small dock here, surrounded by numerous machines. A group of people was busy by the machines, and you could see oxygen tubes disappearing into the water. There were also a few small speedboats roaming on the surface of the water, equipped with devices that Brian guessed were for sonar searching. As he assessed the situation, a middle-aged Caucasian man, previously staring blankly at the lake, was nudged by a companion and turned to look at Brian. Brian, feeling something, met the middle-aged man¡¯s gaze. The middle-aged man squinted slightly and then smiled, walking towards Brian, ¡°Brian, hello, I am the captain of the Cheng County squad of the CD action department, you can call me Krist.¡± ¡°Hello, Captain Krist, do you know me?¡± Brian slightly twitched his nose, remembering the man¡¯s scent. Krist appeared to be in his forties, handsome features, though slightly stout and with an overall reddish complexion, a characteristic of Caucasians who frequently sunbathe. Of course, drunkards would have it too. Krist shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ve read your information, you look as handsome as in the photos, thank God, you arrived just in time, we have a tough problem that needs your help.¡± Brian pushed up his Sven glasses and smiled slightly, ¡°Not convenient.¡± ¡°This matter is simple, just... huh?¡± Krist paused mid-speech, thinking he¡¯d misheard, ¡°Did you say it¡¯s not convenient?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Captain Krist, you¡¯ve misunderstood something. I¡¯m here to handle this difficult situation, not to assist in handling it.¡± Krist stared at the scholarly-looking Brian for a few seconds, then smirked with a strange tone, ¡°Mr. Brian, I¡¯m not very cultured, can you explain it more straightforwardly?¡± Brian shrugged: ¡°No problem, I¡¯m easy to talk to. What I mean is, I prefer to be the boss, not the subordinate. You have two choices now, either I take over the case and you all follow my lead, or I follow your lead, and whatever you say goes in one ear and out the other. After receiving the attendance allowance, I¡¯ll go back to my regular job.¡± Krist had not expected this pretty boy to be so blunt. Can¡¯t you understand the sarcasm in my words? He scowled, ¡°You want to take over the case, no problem, but this case has already caused the disappearance of two policemen and three CD organization investigators, it¡¯s very dangerous. Without knowing your capabilities, I can¡¯t convince the others to listen to you.¡± ¡°How to prove my capabilities?¡± Brian followed up based on what the other had said. It seemed that the other¡¯s true intentions were next. Krist pointed at a box by the shore, ¡°This is a geo-ultrasonic transducer, able to transmit signals through fissures in the terrain, also currently the favorite communication device of underground research organizations. I need you to place it in the lake where the disappearance occurred.¡± ¡°Just that simple?¡± ¡°Just that simple!¡± Brian nodded and muttered a few words to Chief Flory. Chief Flory looked at Brian with a peculiar expression, nodded, and ran outside. ... A moment later, In front of a crowd, Krist, with a dark face holding his credentials towards Brian¡¯s camera, explained the bet he had with Brian. It was an embarrassing process for him. How could it not be? It was purely Brian¡¯s bad taste, letting the other leave evidence of the bet just like the lending forms he saw in his past life. This was also a test for him. Normal bets involve mutuality. But the other party clearly didn¡¯t care. This indicated that his purpose was to make Brian go to the disappearance site. Brian sneered internally. Such undisguised malice. He didn¡¯t have many enemies within the NW organization; one was Benjamin, whom he incidentally faced several times, and another was a Second Level Goddess Gunner from the Combat Department, whom he had previously defeated during promotions. The latter didn¡¯t have much background, just strength, and hooked up with a male from a family using her excellent enhanced genes and reproductive ability. That possibility was even smaller. So the enemy was Benjamin. ¡°This Black Light Biotechnology really clashes with me...¡± Brian muttered to himself, packed up the recording equipment, took the box Krist asked him to carry, and got into Chief Flory¡¯s car. .. The disappearance site, located about twenty kilometers away at Camp Lake. The two left Oduolan City and headed to the campground lake site twenty kilometers away. Chapter 361 - 361 225 The Fake ?361: Chapter 225: The Fake 361: Chapter 225: The Fake Passed a gun store. Brian said to Chief Flory who was driving, ¡°Chief, I need to stock up on some ammo.¡± Chief Flory shook his head: ¡°No need to bother, we will pass by my office along the way. I have a collection of weapons there, you can borrow whatever gun you like. Besides, you haven¡¯t paid tax in Florida, regular gun stores won¡¯t sell you one. They fear being baited.¡± Upon hearing this, Brian did not say further. In the United States, there is no household registration system. Normally, when a citizen lives in a new place for a while, having a fixed residence there, whether rented or bought, and has paid taxes, they will automatically become a local resident. They come under the local government¡¯s jurisdiction, enjoy local benefits, and need to fulfill some civic duties. Among these, having a residence and paying taxes are crucial. With a residence and having paid taxes, the community recognizes you as an individual. You can then enjoy the rights of local residents, such as exchanging driver¡¯s licenses, filing local lawsuits, and so on. Otherwise, you don¡¯t even have the right to sue... Driving is similar, touring or passing through temporarily, you don¡¯t need to worry, but if you loiter for longer, Brian¡¯s California driver¡¯s license won¡¯t work. You must go to the local DMA agency to inquire and follow requirements like exchanging your license. This is one of the reasons why the police have considerable power here. Most of the time, whether you have violated local laws or not is generally up to them, at least until you have a chance to enter the courtroom and defend yourself. The standard of judgment during this period is very flexible.. It partly depends on the professionalism and work ethic of the police officer. It partly depends on their first impression of you and their mood at that moment. .. The small town under Chief Flory¡¯s jurisdiction was located in a forest-surrounded area. This marshy terrain allows the plants here to flourish. The paths are mountainous. Both sides are filled with dense forests and vines, and many other unknown plants. Brian, whose eyesight was excellent, even saw bits of the leaves¡ªcannabis.. It seemed to be growing well, albeit irregularly, possibly growing wild, not intentionally cultivated. Of course, it wasn¡¯t ruled out that someone had planted it here and then died. Chief Flory probably saw it too. He actually stopped the car, pulled out a bag from inside, filled it up, and placed it at his feet. He casually explained to Brian, ¡°This is for Jimmy¡¯s mother. Oh, Jimmy is one of my missing partners. His mother is old and has many age-related ailments, she needs this stuff to alleviate the pain.¡± It was a bizarre scene, akin to a public official harvesting drugs in front of you, claiming it was for a colleague¡¯s mother to consume. But here, it was too normal. Many people simply treat this stuff as an alternative to ¡®cigarettes.¡¯ From their school days, many people here start dabbling with this stuff or are goaded by their ¡®peers¡¯ into trying it. Here, if you say to a newly met friend, ¡°Hey bro, want a cigarette?¡± They¡¯d think you lack boundary awareness. If you say, ¡°Hey bro, top-grade cannabis, want a drag?¡± They¡¯re likely to not mind your saliva, take a hit, and then compliment you for being a generous and good person. ¡°Is there a lot of this stuff around here?¡± Brian asked, looking at the calm Chief Flory, curiously. Chief Flory nodded: ¡°There¡¯s quite a lot, especially in Odoran. This area is all marshland, the soil is fertile, very suitable for growing cannabis, and there are a lot of illegal immigrants in Florida. So, often, some bad guys deceive those illegal immigrants to this area and imprison them. They use these illegal immigrants like serfs, forcing the unlucky ones to cultivate cannabis in the mountains. The luckier illegal immigrants end up being absorbed by these groups as subordinates, then managing other illegal immigrants. As for the less fortunate, when their health fails, they are sold to some trafficking organizations to draw blood and traffick organs. But this generally doesn¡¯t fetch much money.¡± In many states here, selling blood is legal. A person can sell blood up to twice a week, $30-40 US dollars each time, just enough to buy enough cheap bread to last two or three days, with some cannabis to top it off. When they run out of money, they can sell for the second time. All of these are well calculated. Of course, the blood of these people is generally exported, otherwise, with a total population of just over three hundred million in the United States, it wouldn¡¯t be possible to provide the majority of the plasma exports worldwide. ¡°Has anyone escaped?¡± Chief Flory shifted his gaze, remained silent for a moment, then spoke softly: ¡°Yes, or rather no. Occasionally, a lucky one escapes, but they all end up unable to leave. These illegal immigrants are marked with dog tags by those groups. Each dog tag corresponds to a cannabis farm gang. If the nearby residents see such a person near their home, based on the style of the dog tag, they contact the respective gang behind it. Reporting one can earn at least a thousand US dollars, along with some free cannabis...¡± He didn¡¯t continue, but Brian already understood the meaning. On one side, money + cannabis. On the other side, illegal immigrants, not even considered citizens, helping them could even bring trouble to oneself and family. The choice of most people goes without saying. Chief Flory probably felt somewhat embarrassed. Chapter 362 - 362 225 The Fake_2 ?362: Chapter 225: The Fake_2 362: Chapter 225: The Fake_2 He changed the subject and kicked the bag of marijuana at his feet, ¡°Sometimes the drug enforcement folks come at just the right time to raid these illegal marijuana farms. These wild strains, they just grow on their own out in the abandoned fields, kind of a perk for the locals.¡± Brian nodded, no longer in the mood for conversation. Simple folk in Gotham City, free and peaceful United States. That sentence, applied to the Federation under the Blood Moon Radiation, wasn¡¯t the slightest bit exaggerated or fabricated, all realism. ... Upon arrival in the small town. Chief Flory first stopped to buy some rolling papers, then handed them, along with the bag, over to an old lady basking in the sun in her yard. The old woman, upon seeing the rolling papers and the bag of fresh marijuana, was happier than if her own son had visited. She trembled with excitement as she invited Chief Flory in for a cup of coffee, but he declined. After leaving the old woman¡¯s yard, Brian was taken by Chief Flory to a small bungalow with a yard and a warehouse. From the outside, it looked like a typical farmyard. But once inside, one could see some signs and a large office with a reinforced cell behind iron bars. Dual-purpose: office work and guarded watch. Chief Flory led Brian straight to the innermost warehouse. The door here seemed much sturdier than the others and had several locks. Once opened, Chief Flory showed Brian his collection: six or seven handguns and revolvers, three standard-issue semi-automatic rifles, an old-fashioned small-caliber sniper rifle, and various shotguns, long and short. The weapons were pretty plain. Left with no other choice, Brian picked out a double-barreled shotgun of an unknown brand. No way around it; it seemed to have the largest caliber. Seeing him choose this, Chief Flory hesitated for a moment, ¡°I modified that piece specially for alligator hunting when I was younger; it¡¯s got a big kickback...¡± ¡°It¡¯ll obey me.¡± Brian said casually, inspecting the shotgun. ... The shotgun was well-maintained, emitting that unique smell of gun oil. It was a simple affair: manually loading, firing two rounds at once, each bullet slightly thicker than a person¡¯s thumb. It came with an ammo belt that could be slung over the shoulder. Chief Flory had only two ammo belts for this model, 36 rounds each, which Brian promptly packed and took with him. He also took a large-caliber revolver and some bullets. Chief Flory didn¡¯t seem bothered by this. Previously missing people didn¡¯t even get the chance to shoot. He felt that carrying this thing only served to boost his courage and wasn¡¯t much use otherwise. Armed and ready, The pair set off once again. This time, the journey was shorter. After driving along a mountain trail for about ten minutes, a campsite appeared ahead. Seeing the campsite¡¯s sign, Brian¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, ¡°I think I saw an advertisement for this place on the way here.¡± Chief Flory nodded, ¡°Yes, this lake used to be known only to locals for a bit of fishing. Later, a company bought the land from the government and built a summer camp for kids to train socializing, swimming, fishing, rowing, and so on. They even drove away the local alligators and some wild animals. The place started to attract more people over time. However, there was a fire a couple of years back that killed quite a few children, the company went bankrupt, and the land fell into disuse again. What you saw must¡¯ve been an old advertisement.¡± ¡°How long did that company operate here?¡± ¡°Nearly ten years, brought quite a bit of extra income for the surrounding residents. Everyone was quite sorry when the accident happened. There was recently interest from people in the city to take over the place again, but then this disappearance happened.¡± Chief Flory drove into the campsite, his spirits not very high. The campsite was primarily made of timber structures, with several large wooden houses built like treehouses, and many statue-decorated playhouses. Through the open doors of these houses, rows of small beds connected together could be seen. The ground was neatly paved with bricks and stones, with no weeds¡ªa clear indication that special care had been taken for this area. In the distance, several tandem rowboats were neatly arranged. Once the car was parked, Chief Flory pointed towards a trail leading outside the campsite and farther away, ¡°The lake is just down there, about a three or four-minute walk from the campsite. There¡¯s a dock where they found the missing child¡¯s shoes.¡± Brian nodded, carrying the case and the gun, ¡°Do we go together, or do you wait here for me?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡± Chief Flory shakily pulled a long, thin cigarette from his shirt pocket, lit it up, and took a deep drag. Closing his eyes, savoring the moment, he seemed to regain some courage, ¡°Heh, haven¡¯t touched this stuff in a while. I don¡¯t have kids; if they go missing, they go missing. Since you¡¯ve come all the way from Los Angeles, as the local chief of police, there¡¯s no reason for me to let you take the risk alone.¡± Smelling the marijuana on the other man¡¯s breath, Brian nodded and began to lead the way. ... The path seemed long unattended, overgrown with vines. Without careful attention, one could easily take a tumble. With uncanny precision, Brian avoided the obstructive vines with speed and urgency, quickly putting distance between himself and Chief Flory. The path was not long, short of even a kilometer. At the end lay a grove of bamboo, with traces of an old path visible, though much of the area had reverted back to its wild state. Chapter 363 - 363 225 The Fake_3 ?363: Chapter 225: The Fake_3 363: Chapter 225: The Fake_3 Brian licked his lips and didn¡¯t wait for Chief Flory, his figure disappearing into the woods. By the time Chief Flory arrived, panting heavily, Brian was already standing in front of a wooden dock. He looked at the calm lake water in front of him and the wooden platform in the middle of the lake, playing with the double-barreled shotgun in his hand. As for the box he had been carrying, it was nowhere to be seen. Hearing the noise, Brian withdrew his gaze and said to Chief Flory, ¡°I tossed the box with the shockwave bomb into there. You better notify Captain Krist.¡± Nothing unexpected had happened along the way. He felt somewhat disappointed. Chief Flory nodded, pulled out his phone, and dialed out. There was a town nearby, and a campsite not far away with a signal receiver, so there was no need to worry about signal problems. On the other end of the phone, there was only a busy tone. Chief Flory¡¯s face grew increasingly ugly. After trying to make a few more calls, he pulled out his service pistol and said uneasily, ¡°Brian, my phone suddenly has no signal. Give me your phone to see if I can get through.¡± Brian¡¯s expression was relaxed, ¡°No problem, it¡¯s probably broken. Let me fix it for you.¡± Chief Flory looked puzzled, ¡°How do you fix it?¡± ¡°Like this, of course.¡± Brian raised the barrel of the double-barreled shotgun in his hand. Bang~ White mist rose up. A headless body slowly fell... Looking at the headless body on the ground, Brian spat on the ground disrespectfully, ¡°Phone¡¯s broken? I think your brains are broken, trying to fool me with ghost stories. Isn¡¯t that like seeking death with a lantern in a toilet?¡± This ¡®Chief Flory¡¯ didn¡¯t have the smell of cannabis in his mouth, and he didn¡¯t doubt the story about the ¡®box with a shockwave bomb.¡¯ It was clearly an imposter. Of course, the most important reason was that he had run so fast on purpose, as a test for Chief Flory. Actually, Brian had been keeping his senses locked onto Chief Flory¡¯s position. This impostor had essentially exposed his own presumed disguise right in front of Brian. ... Amidst the blood and flesh on the ground, Brian noticed some gelatinous substance. It seemed to be some kind of high-tech material for facial disguise. The person had calluses on his hands and a slightly plump body, matching Chief Flory¡¯s physique very closely; even the hair color and style wouldn¡¯t reveal any differences unless looked at closely. This was definitely a person who had been prepared in advance. The only pity was that the person probably died too suddenly and didn¡¯t leave behind any obsession. This made good-hearted Brian quite disappointed. How could he let you die content if you don¡¯t burst out with obsession? The deceased was not at all cooperative! Picking up the person¡¯s phone, Brian dialed the number labeled Krist in the contacts. After a moment, A deep voice came from the other end, ¡°Chief Flory, have you placed the box properly?¡± Brian imitated Chief Flory¡¯s voice, ¡°Autopsy Officer Brian has already put the box into the lake. I saw it with my own eyes.¡± ¡°Good, I¡¯ll wait for you in the city.¡± The line paused for a moment before the call was hastily ended. Brian whistled and headed back the way he came. He didn¡¯t extract any useful information, but this Krist was definitely problematic. That was enough to confirm. Brian believed that with his hospitality, the other party would be very willing to tell him some things. ... Halfway there, Brian sensed the stripped Chief Flory lying beneath a clump of bamboos. The man was lying there like a dead pig. After checking the man¡¯s pupils, Brian slapped him across the face twice. The guy was lucky; he was still alive. Chief Flory woke up with a start from the pain. His first reaction upon opening his eyes was to lash out with both hands while angrily cursing, ¡°Pickled radish bitch, let go of the child!¡± ¡°Hey, it¡¯s me!¡± Brian slapped him again, knocking the rising Chief Flory back to the ground. Once he saw Chief Flory had regained his composure and instinctively covered his privates, Brian withdrew his hand. A fool would have no sense of shame. Now he should be back to normal. Brian kindly tossed his own expensive coat to him, ¡°What happened?¡± Chapter 364 - 364 226 Trouble Give Me an Extra Body Bag ?364: Chapter 226: Trouble, Give Me an Extra Body Bag 364: Chapter 226: Trouble, Give Me an Extra Body Bag Chief Flory seemed a bit bewildered. He rubbed his forehead, ¡°My head might have suffered a blow, I can¡¯t quite remember everything, just that you left quickly, I struggled to follow, and then I saw a man with a mask holding a child, I chased after them, and fought with him...¡± Brian looked at Chief Flory¡¯s not so abundant hair and said leisurely, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you draw your gun?¡± It was a decades-old habit. Whenever there was trouble, drawing their guns was the first reaction of these veteran cops. ¡°Right, why didn¡¯t I draw my gun?¡± Chief Flory repeated dumbly. He was no longer the fiery young man he had been over thirty years ago, so why would he rashly engage in physical combat? It didn¡¯t fit with his usual approach! Before Brian gave him a chance to think further: ¡°What did the man look like?¡± ¡°Very tall, wearing a black mask, I couldn¡¯t see his face clearly...¡± ¡°What color were his pants?¡± ¡°Pants... they were a dirty pair of jeans.¡± ¡°And the child, what did the child look like?¡± As Brian¡¯s questions got more detailed, Chief Flory¡¯s responses became more and more uncertain and delayed. By the time Brian circled back to ask again, the other man wasn¡¯t even sure about his previous answers. This kind of out-of-order questioning was suitable for distinguishing truth from falsehood. It was determined by human logic. As the saying goes, one lie requires countless other lies to embellish and cover it up. The lies ordinary people tell often contradict themselves logically, falling apart upon questioning, and while those trained or professional in lying may be more logically rigorous, they are the same in essence. So truly clever liars will mix truth with falsehood, leaving things unclear, so when questioned again, they are uncertain, unclear, can¡¯t remember... They don¡¯t corner themselves. Brian¡¯s line of questioning wasn¡¯t to confirm whether Chief Flory was lying, but rather to verify his own guess. Chief Flory was also an experienced cop who had interrogated others. Realizing Brian¡¯s tactic, his expression turned sour, ¡°Hey, listen, I don¡¯t know what happened to me, but everything I¡¯ve said is true.¡± Brian nodded, not denying it, ¡°I know, you were caught up in a hallucination earlier.¡± ¡°Hallucination?¡± Chief Flory hastily felt his head, noticing no injuries, just a burning pain on his face. He began to doubt himself, ¡°Could it really be because of that marijuana? Its effects can¡¯t be that exaggerated...¡± Unprocessed marijuana typically only causes hallucinations in first-time users, but soon after, it becomes like cigarettes to them, at most giving a slight boost of energy and causing abnormal excitement when consumed, leading to lethargy, weakness, and even brain damage when not used¡ªnot at all a good thing. To be blunt, the hallucinogenic effect of this substance is not even as strong as the venom of certain poisonous toads. Brian nodded, ¡°Ordinary marijuana wouldn¡¯t have such exaggerated effects, but the one you smoked was that potent. Who gave it to you?¡± Chief Flory seemed to recall something, pausing for a moment before speaking: ¡°Shara, the policewoman who greeted you. She is the daughter of a friend of mine, and we get along well. I trust her. The continuous disappearances of colleagues had me on edge, she noticed it, and gave me some confiscated marijuana. I had been exposed to it when I was younger, so I eventually took it.¡± As he spoke, he looked up at the ammo belt on Brian, ¡°There are two bullets missing from you, did you fire your weapon?¡± Brian patted his double-barreled shotgun, ¡°Yes, someone dressed up in your clothes and wore a fake mask like yours, and then I blew his head off. This thing packs a punch.¡± ¡°Taking him alive might have been better.¡± Chief Flory circled Brian¡¯s suit jacket, ¡°This whole situation is bizarre. The disappearances started a week ago; you just received the message yesterday; and the marijuana was given to me by Shara three days ago. I need to think about the relationship between all these events.¡± As a veteran chief, he still possessed basic crime-solving skills. Brian waved his hand dismissively, ¡°There¡¯s no need to complicate things. Let¡¯s first pack up the assailant¡¯s body, then head back to town and get you a new set of clothes.¡± ... The marijuana was actually not a problem. The conversation was still a probe by Brian. No one would use such a foolish, uncontrollable tactic to set someone up. Knocking someone out directly would be much more effective. After all, there was no way to make Chief Flory smoke at a specific time, or even touch the stuff had the pressure not been so great. So the marijuana was not an issue. Chief Flory reacted quite normally to Brian¡¯s leading questions. From Brian¡¯s earlier perception, there also seemed to be nothing unusual about him. Combined with the previous phone conversation Brian induced with Captain Krist using Chief Flory¡¯s voice, it seemed Chief Flory hadn¡¯t participated in the operation against him. This man was fairly trustworthy. ... Brian didn¡¯t believe someone would prepare a disappearance case in advance to deal with him and then send him to his doom. The likelihood was almost nonexistent. Therefore, the matter was fairly straightforward. The disappearance case was real. CD¡¯s request for help from NW was also genuine. The only variable was Brian. Now the question arises. A disappearance case in Florida¡ªwhy would the CD organization seek help from the Californian Los Angeles NW Organization thousands of miles away? Did they run out of people? This speculation was clearly not valid; even if Florida was a land of outstanding people, with a higher number of Mutants, it¡¯s unlikely that they would outnumber official suppression forces. This shows that there is actually some kind of connection between NW and the disappearances here. The CD organization knew it, and after reporting here, they sent the information to NW. As for what this connection was, that would require investigation. Following normal procedures, this should have been an investigation case tinged with betrayal by one¡¯s own people, a story that ultimately brought evil to justice. Regrettably, Brian was no ordinary person. ... Elsewhere. Captain Krist of CD Andora had just pocketed his cellphone and called out to a subordinate beside him, ¡°The sonar tracker has been deployed, have everyone come ashore, we need to adjust the equipment.¡± ¡°Understood, boss.¡± The subordinate hurriedly went about his business. Watching him walk away, Krist quickly took out another cellphone and pressed the pre-set speed-dial button. The call connected, but there was no sound from the other end. Unperturbed, Krist went straight to the point, ¡°This is Krist. The new Second-level Staff from NW, Brian, has been positioned in the test area, but it seems he hasn¡¯t encountered the ¡®welcome gift¡¯ you prepared for him.¡± There was a continued silence on the other end, before someone finally spoke, ¡°The ¡®welcome gift¡¯ has lost contact, he¡¯s been dealt with.¡± Hearing this news, Krist¡¯s face turned sour immediately, ¡°FK! Didn¡¯t you say that ¡®big surprise¡¯ was formidable, that even an NW Dawn Warrior could be easily taken care of?¡± If the ¡®big surprise¡¯ had launched an attack, then the surviving Brian would definitely suspect there was something wrong with himself. Krist was an enhanced human himself and was very clear about the prestige Second Level Staff in a large organization like NW held in the Combat Department. FK! What the hell was he supposed to do now? On the battlefield, in the face of gunfire and explosive weapons, such non-human monsters might not be so arrogant. But if the enemy only intended to assassinate a single person, then that person was in big trouble! The person on the other end of the phone, noticing Krist¡¯s agitation, responded indifferently, ¡°Apologies, this temporary mission was to capture alive, you should know the difficulty difference between capturing and killing...¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use of talking about that!¡± Veins bulged on Krist¡¯s forehead as he suppressed his own voice, ¡°What am I supposed to do now!¡± ¡°Just maintain normal operations.¡± The person on the end of the phone chuckled lightly, ¡°This temporary mission was originally an internal struggle within their NW organization, and it has nothing to do with us. Next, you just hand the case over to that Dawn Warrior and then return to headquarters. He wouldn¡¯t dare come to headquarters to kill you, would he?¡± ¡°What about my benefit?¡± ¡°When you return to headquarters, I¡¯ll have someone deliver it to your residence.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do!¡±, Krist adjusted his tie, somewhat agitated, ¡°Send it directly to my residence in Andora, I plan to take the items and lay low for a while.¡± He hadn¡¯t personally seen how formidable the NW¡¯s Dawn Warriors were, but he was well aware of how violent the Second-level Staff of CD were. The trip to headquarters took some time. He didn¡¯t feel safe. It would be better to take the items and head straight to a safe house. After a pause, the other side agreed, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll send someone to you now for the case handover, and she¡¯ll bring the items to you.¡± Krist was noncommittal. After all, he had already agreed to hand over the investigation rights of the case to Brian. What happened next was their problem, not his. In truth, Krist wasn¡¯t particularly afraid that Brian would kill him. He was an employee of the CD organization. Although his position was average and it had taken him decades to become a captain, he still represented the face of the CD organization, at most he would suffer some hardship. Otherwise, he would not have accepted this temporary task for profit in the first place. To Krist, this deal was worth it. ... At the lakeside camp. When Chief Flory saw Brian throw the still-bleeding headless corpse into the trunk of his car, he felt a refusal in his heart. But watching Brian hoist up a corpse that weighed over a hundred pounds singlehandedly with ease made him truly give up any notion of protest. This pretty boy was indeed superhuman. Wiping his hands. Brian wiped clean the shards of the special material face mask, sat in the passenger seat, and smiled at Chief Flory, ¡°That guy looked a lot like you, eh?¡± ¡°Though his face was smashed by you, both the build and hair color are not much different from mine; I even felt like I was looking in a mirror. I really don¡¯t know how you figured out he was fake.¡± Chief Flory muttered and then started the car. Returning to the town. He went to change his clothes, while Brian stood beside the car waiting. He fondled the material of the mask. This stuff had a bizarre texture; despite lacking anything resembling glue, it adhered strongly to skin and would move with subtle muscular changes in Brian¡¯s fingers. The material¡¯s texture was also similar to skin, with excellent breathability, making it possible to feel the temperature of skin beneath it. Wearing a face mask made of this material meant that even if touched by hand, it would be difficult to detect; speaking wouldn¡¯t produce discordance. It was truly amazing. Even more so than the face-changing techniques in some martial arts novels. After all, face-changing required skill, whereas this thing was purely a technological product, a technology that could be mass-produced and used by anyone. Briefly. Chief Flory, now in fresh clothes, came over holding a body bag, ¡°Put that thing in here, then let¡¯s switch cars to head downtown.¡± Brian glanced at the trunk where blood was continuously flowing and nodded, ¡°Okay, I didn¡¯t expect his blood hadn¡¯t coagulated yet, but I¡¯ll need another body bag.¡± Chief Flory¡¯s car was an old one. The seal of the car left much to be desired. Blood constantly seeped through the cracks of the trunk; it was nearly drained dry and showed none of the typical signs of a dead corpse. Chief Flory thought Brian wanted to double bag it and hurriedly said, ¡°This is one of the higher-quality body bags left over from before; the station only has two left. It¡¯s very durable, you don¡¯t have to worry about leaks.¡± ¡°No, no, no.¡± Brian waved his hands, ¡°The trunk¡¯s corpse doesn¡¯t need two, I mean, someone will need one, it¡¯s the treatment he deserves, so I wanted to prepare it in advance.¡± Chief Flory: ... For some reason, that sounded a bit odd. He looked at Brian¡¯s handsome, Sven-like face behind those little glasses, and ultimately decided to bring the last body bag from the town¡¯s police station as well. This guy appeared to be okay and surely wasn¡¯t the type to kill on a whim... right? Chapter 365 - 365 227 Captain Krist Enlightens People ?365: Chapter 227 Captain Krist Enlightens People 365: Chapter 227 Captain Krist Enlightens People After they had taken care of the body and switched cars, the two returned to Iona Lake in Odoran. Captain Krist and a group of people were examining a mobile electronic screen similar to a radar display. Upon seeing Brian and Chief Flory returning, Captain Krist¡¯s expression looked somewhat unnatural. His mental strength wasn¡¯t that weak, but Brian¡¯s identity as a Dawn Warrior put too much pressure on him. Although he was no longer young, he was in good health and wanted to enjoy many more years without leaving this colorful world right now. Captain Krist forced a smile, ¡°Welcome back, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re both safe.¡± Chief Flory pressed his lips together and said nothing. The incident involving Brian¡¯s attack carried a bizarre air. Until things were clarified, he decided to remain silent and let Brian handle the investigation on his own. Brian didn¡¯t engage with Captain Krist either. His gaze was fixed on the screen. The electronic screen used green dashed lines to outline incomprehensible geological terrain maps, with a line that stretched for a distance and finally connected to the next circle. Overall, it resembled a dumbbell-shaped diagram with a big circle spreading out three dashed lines connecting to a small circle. According to the unit display, each thumb-length dashed line represented a distance of twenty to thirty kilometers. ¡°Is this the image sent back by the detector?¡± Brian asked a young white man operating the machine. The young man glanced at Brian and nodded: ¡°Yes, this is the most advanced terrain detection radar from the CD Science Department. It can transmit over nearly a hundred miles using a special frequency, typically used for oceanic exploration. Connecting two machines can yield a precise terrain map. Connecting three machines, however, can produce a three-dimensional terrain map.¡± Upon hearing this, Brian smiled and turned to Captain Krist, ¡°Mr. Krist, since I¡¯ve returned safe and sound from the disappearance location where equipment was set up, according to our agreement, should I be in charge of investigating this missing persons case now?¡± Captain Krist nodded: ¡°Yes, five people have already disappeared there. Although I still don¡¯t know what your abilities are, your bravery deserves our recognition. Moving forward, both the police department and CD division staff here will follow your command. I hope you can solve this case quickly to prevent more innocent civilians from disappearing.¡± Hearing this, Brian nodded in satisfaction, ¡°Good, I like people who keep their promises. Given that, Chief Flory, I¡¯d like you to act as my assistant. I want you to compile a complete report on the course of this disappearance case, including the dash cam recordings after the return journey.¡± Currently, many private cars on the road don¡¯t much like installing dash cams, but the proportion installed in public vehicles has started to increase. There were quite a few cars involved in the operation before, it¡¯s impossible that none of them had one. Such operations might also have people carrying portable video cameras to track and shoot, so there¡¯s no worry about coming back empty-handed. Chief Flory nodded, ¡°We have all of that, I will organize it ASAP.¡± The young man operating the detector interjected: ¡°What about this? According to radar detection, there are three very small passages at the bottom of Iona Lake, connecting to the underground water channels, which in turn connect to the lake where the disappearances occurred... Do we need to arrange for personnel to dive down and check the conditions of these underground water channels?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s discuss that later.¡± As he spoke, Brian reached out to stop Captain Krist who was about to leave, ¡°Buddy, where are you going?¡± Captain Krist smiled faintly, ¡°I¡¯ve received orders from above. Someone will replace me to continue following this case. As for me, I need to head back to headquarters.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll escort you.¡± Brian didn¡¯t give Krist a chance to refuse, placing his hand on Krist¡¯s shoulder, half-dragging, half-carrying him out. Watching Brian¡¯s retreating back and the struggling Krist, Chief Flory swallowed nervously. FK, my God! That body bag Brian asked for, it isn¡¯t intended for Krist, is it? Krist is the CD division head of the county! The rest of the CD division team members, watching this scene, exchanged glances, silently turned their heads away, pretending they hadn¡¯t seen. They knew a bit more than Chief Flory did, aware that the personnel sent from NW to assist them were a Second-level Staff Dawn Warrior. Many official organizations in the United States have similar staff structures and hierarchies. They understood the significance behind Brian¡¯s staff title. Anyway, since he hadn¡¯t harmed Captain Krist in front of them, pretending they hadn¡¯t seen was the smart thing to do. As for problems that might arise later, there were experts from the CD organization to handle those, irrelevant to their lower ranks. After all, there was no benefit for them to be gained, and they didn¡¯t have to be cannon fodder if things went south. ... Once they reached a secluded area with no one around, Brian dropped Krist on the ground. He chuckled at his former subordinate, ¡°It seems you¡¯re not very well-liked by your team members, not a single one spoke up for you.¡± Krist resignedly sat on the ground, ¡°It¡¯s normal, I¡¯m not a very generous captain, and due to my negligence, three subordinates vanished at the disappearance site. They hold grievances.¡± ¡°If you had called out, they would have intervened, and there are plenty of local police around too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s useless.¡± Krist, somewhat dejected, took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, tapped it on his palm, and shook out a cigarette to light. He took a deep drag and murmured through the swirling smoke, ¡°You can escape temporarily, but not for a lifetime. My only regret is thinking you wouldn¡¯t dare to make a move directly, so I stayed here waiting for you to return, FK, this damn pride and vanity!¡± Brian nodded. The guy knew himself well. Pulling out the body bag from his pocket, he shook it open and laid it out in front of Krist, ¡°Sit on this, the ground is cold, don¡¯t catch a cold.¡± Seeing the style of the bag, Krist thought: Are you going to tell me it¡¯s cold outside next and that I should climb in myself? He looked pleadingly at Brian, ¡°Buddy, don¡¯t do this. You¡¯re so young and already a Second-level Staff in a large organization¡ªthe future is bright for you. There¡¯s no need to ruin your prospects over a small fry like me.¡± ¡°My girlfriend belongs to a powerful family, paying a price to get rid of you is still not much pressure for me.¡± Brian calmly told Krist that he had backing. Since this guy, knowing full well that he was a Second-level Staff of NW at such a young age, still dared to make a move, he had to bear the corresponding consequences. Everyone is an adult, so there¡¯s no point in speaking nonsense. ¡°Tell me directly who is involved, and I¡¯ll give you a dignified exit.¡± Brian gave him one last chance. But Krist still didn¡¯t give up on surviving: ¡°Don¡¯t do this! I can compensate you! I¡¯m innocent in this matter. Someone offered me a benefit to send you to the site of the disappearance after you arrived. It¡¯s that simple! Even if I didn¡¯t do it, you would have gone there yourself, which wouldn¡¯t have affected you.¡± Although that was the case, Krist had made up his mind that as long as Brian gave him a chance, upon receiving the benefits from the other side, he would immediately abandon his position as Deputy Squad Leader of the CD division and flee. This deal was a huge loss! Seeing that Brian hesitated to take action, Krist actually wasn¡¯t as nervous. He felt that the other party wasn¡¯t as reckless as he said, and that the previous words were just to exert psychological pressure, not really intending to kill him. In Krist¡¯s view, except for a madman, no one would kill a squad leader with a position over a slight displeasure. It would be a slap in the face of the CD organization. To vent anger, it¡¯s just not worth it. ... Seeing this, Brian sighed, ¡°I offered you dignity, but you took me for a fool, which is inappropriate.¡± Dignity? Krist was still puzzled about what dignity Brian had granted him. The next moment. An overwhelming force descended on Krist¡¯s enhanced head. His eyes widened, and his pupils slowly dilated. Brian leaned close to his ear and whispered softly, ¡°Krist, I¡¯m not very patient. Not talking? It¡¯s up to you whether you want to talk or not!¡± Until he fell, blood slowly trickled from Krist¡¯s eyes, nostrils, and ears, and he uttered his last words, ¡°Madman...¡± He killed him with a single slap. Brian calmly picked up the ¡®dignity¡¯ from the ground, shook it open, and stuffed Krist¡¯s body inside. For an Autopsy Officer. Killing and collecting bodies, that was dignity! The body was bagged. A dark red orb condensed above the body bag. Shipped out. ... Brian hadn¡¯t expected an additional gain. He had killed Krist cleanly and swiftly without wasting time on interrogation, worried that someone from CD and behind Krist might get involved. He could kill one, but not a group, even with a legitimate reason. That would really mean turning against the CD organization. Moreover, killing Krist actually wouldn¡¯t have any consequences. Brian was the victim. Krist was one of the assailants. His death was actually a step for Brian to communicate with the CD organization. Indeed, just a step. As long as Brian didn¡¯t go on a killing spree like a madman, it would send a signal to those people: I¡¯ve vented my anger, let¡¯s talk. Essentially, seeing Krist as the scapegoat for this assault incident. Probably, the other side initially thought the same. Only Krist, who thought himself clever, couldn¡¯t see it through. Brian guessed that this guy was just a lucky guy who climbed up the ranks relying on his seniority, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t be unable to manage his own squad well or win the hearts of his people. .. These are things to be discussed later. Now was the time to reap. There wasn¡¯t anything valuable on Krist¡¯s body. His obsession was the greatest unexpected gain. Crushing the obsession. A piece of information emerged in Brian¡¯s mind: Acquired the Auditory Enhancement Reagent, acquired the No.3 Auditory Enhancement Reagent!!! Gift One: Twelve units of Gift Energy. Gift Two: One unit of Gift Energy + Minor Auditory Enhancement At the end, there was a male voice and an image: ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll send someone over to handle the case handover with you soon, and she will bring you the item.¡± The image was of an orange-yellow reagent. ¡°Is there also this good fortune?¡± Brian was a bit surprised. Combining the content of the obsession and the information provided, someone would soon come to give Krist the reagent he wanted. Turns out this obsession was giving him a benefit for free, and he could also receive a reagent. Generous Krist! Worth the body bag he had prepared in advance! Chapter 366 - 366 228 Compromise Mastermind Behind the Attack Case Clues ?366: Chapter 228: Compromise, Mastermind Behind the Attack, Case Clues 366: Chapter 228: Compromise, Mastermind Behind the Attack, Case Clues Brian carried the body bag back to Chief Flory¡¯s squad car just as the chief arrived with a woman in tow. Seeing the woman behind Chief Flory, Brian felt a stir in his heart. Could this woman be the one Captain Krist obsessed over, the one who would bring him his reward? Chief Flory also eyed the bulging body bag in Brian¡¯s hands. He swallowed hard, sounding unnatural as he said, ¡°Brian, Autopsy Officer, this is Ellie, an Internal Affairs staffer for the CD organization.¡± When Brian left, he had been with Captain Krist. In just a short while, Captain Krist had disappeared and the body bag Brian was carrying had swelled. Damn, was the efficiency that exaggerated? Brian paid no attention to Chief Flory¡¯s gaze. He scrutinized Ellie standing behind Chief Flory. Ellie was a petite blonde Caucasian, standing only as tall as Brian¡¯s chest, probably just over 4¡¯7¡ä¡ä, pretty but not stunning, with an ordinary figure. With a mask, she could probably pass for a middle schooler. However, this type was popular with the old white men from the Federation. Statistics from organizations had shown so. Every year on adult sites, the most popular content browsed was small-framed women, particularly tiny Asian women if their hands were bound and mouths sealed with clear tape. In Brian¡¯s past life, this was the ¡°White S Petite Lolita¡± type. And these browsers were mostly white men over the age of forty. They really liked that. The addition of ¡°Asian¡± mainly was due to most Asians having faces and actual ages that seemed relatively younger, unlike here where some people in their teens looked like they were in their twenties or thirties. Translated, this meant lots of old white men liked young girls, especially those bound and defenseless. Ellie¡¯s attire leaned towards that style. Unfortunately, Brian only liked robust, healthy women of the opposite sex. He casually nodded at Ellie examining him, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Brian, an Autopsy Officer for the NW organization.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Brian.¡± Ellie¡¯s eyes swept over the body bag in Brian¡¯s hand, and she chuckled lightly, ¡°I hope you won¡¯t mind my joining in on the upcoming case investigation.¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Brian, carrying the body bag, opened the car¡¯s trunk, tossed the bag inside, and made it a neighbor to another body bag, ¡°Miss Ellie, your timing is impeccable.¡± He indicated the two body bags in the trunk, ¡°Because Chief Flory¡¯s vehicle¡¯s trunk is this big, it can¡¯t accommodate a third body bag, not even a small one, and I don¡¯t have any new body bags either.¡± Brian spoke in a matter-of-fact tone, causing Ellie to feel a chill. What did he mean even a small one wouldn¡¯t fit? She pursed her lips nervously, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Brian, Autopsy Officer, but I don¡¯t quite understand what you mean. Also, I heard from Chief Flory that Captain Krist left with you. May I ask where he is? I have something to give him.¡± ¡°I know, it¡¯s a test tube. Just give it to me.¡± Brian reached out his hand towards Ellie. Ellie looked at Brian, and as their eyes met, there was no evasion. After a moment¡¯s gaze, as if understanding something, Ellie reached down to her waist, pulled out a metal vial no thicker than a normal person¡¯s little finger, and silently handed it to Brian. ¡°Very good, this is a good start. I believe our cooperation will be very pleasant.¡± Feeling a surge of warmth. Brian knew that the unassuming vial-shaped reagent was Captain Krist¡¯s obsession, the No.3 Auditory Enhancement Reagent. This obsession had been easily fulfilled. Handling the reagent, Brian, unwilling to waste words, closed the car¡¯s trunk and left with the supposedly dead Chief Flory. Watching their retreating figures, Ellie quickly took out her phone and dialed a number. In the next moment, the phone rang from inside the trunk of the chief¡¯s car. Ellie silently ended the call. She redialed another number: ¡°Minister, Captain Krist is dead. Brian came back and killed him... Not in front of many people... Yes, I understand.¡± Putting away her phone. Ellie followed Brian and the others, her behavior now tinged with restraint. ... Chief Flory curiously examined the vial of reagent spinning between Brian¡¯s fingers: ¡°Is this your powerful secret?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s an unconventional biotechnology, also an invitation to the upper echelons of a new era. Without this, and without connections, it¡¯s hard for normal people to truly rise.¡± Brian didn¡¯t mind schooling the old chief on some of the inner workings. Chief Flory was indifferent, merely remarking, ¡°There used to be the American Dream; at least young people had a chance. Now, it seems like a joke.¡± Ellie, catching up, added in a low voice, ¡°Chief Flory, this is classified information, only personnel who have been vetted and signed the confidentiality agreement are privileged to know, please keep it confidential, do not spread it.¡± Chief Flory shrugged: ¡°I won¡¯t trouble myself.¡± He had no descendants, and he was already of age. To him, it mattered little whether he had the reagent or not. At the lakeside, the underwater survey team had finished up. The boats on the water had come ashore. Chapter 367 - 367 228 Compromise Mastermind of the Attack Case Clues_2 ?367: Chapter 228: Compromise, Mastermind of the Attack, Case Clues_2 367: Chapter 228: Compromise, Mastermind of the Attack, Case Clues_2 A large truck equipped with an electric gear hoist was preparing to lift the small yachts into its cargo bay. Strictly speaking, the lake in front was part of a residential area and boats were not allowed to loiter there¡ªit resembled a large ornamental water feature. Chief Flory said to Brian, ¡°Brian, the video footage you requested is in the CD branch office building. We can only see it there.¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Then let¡¯s head there. And have the folks from CD guide us. Also, have them leave a few people to watch this lake. It would be best to set up some infrared alarms around the area to prevent anything from coming here through the underground rivers and then entering the city.¡± Chief Flory obediently did as he was told. Once people had left, Brian then turned to Ellie who was beside him, ¡°How do we use this reagent?¡± Ellie looked at Brian curiously, ¡°Why do you think I would cooperate with you?¡± Brian ignored her and grabbed a duty officer who was walking out, ¡°Hey buddy, where can I find a body bag...¡± ¡°You¡¯re truly a madman!¡± Ellie interrupted Brian speechlessly, ¡°Just drop it into your ears and wait about ten seconds. It will actively integrate into the surrounding tissue, but it doesn¡¯t work for everyone.¡± The officer looked bewilderedly at the two of them, ¡°I have body bags in my patrol vehicle...¡± ¡°Thanks, but no need.¡± Brian smiled, signaling the officer that he could leave. See, as long as you¡¯ve mastered the art of communication, conversations become easier. ... After the officer had left, Ellie had figured out what kind of person Brian was and continued to explain: ¡°The Auditory Enhancement Reagent from the CD organization is an optimized type. There are three models, which you sequentially drop into your ears to reduce the risk of incidents and increase the chance of successful enhancement. Regarding the temporary task targeting you, we¡¯re sorry. If you¡¯re willing, we can send you the first and second reagents as compensation.¡± This was almost what Brian had anticipated. Ellie was ready to negotiate. This was in line with Brian¡¯s expectations, so he didn¡¯t beat around the bush and simply said, ¡°I want them now.¡± ¡°No problem!¡± ¡°What about Krist?¡± ¡°He went to the lost lake camp area on his own and disappeared. I¡¯ll have someone take care of his body!¡± ¡°Who issued the task targeting me?¡± ¡°The person is Benjamin, a project manager from Black Light Biotechnology Company. Florida has a higher number of wild Mutants and lacks sufficient research capabilities, so it has a very good cooperative relationship with Los Angeles and New York. Benjamin has just been promoted to a manager at Black Light Biotechnology Company not long ago. He has a project that cooperates with one of our department¡¯s laboratories. The results of this cooperation are very important to our people here, and our minister had no choice but to agree to cooperate. Actually, we didn¡¯t do anything extra. The person who made the move was pre-arranged by him; we just notified Captain Krist.¡± Ellie, instructed from above, didn¡¯t hide any details from Brian¡¯s inquiries. The reason was simple. If Benjamin¡¯s plan succeeded, the other party, in order to express their gratitude and seal the deal, would offer them more benefits in the cooperative project. If the plan failed, This Brian wouldn¡¯t target a department head of one organization; at most, he¡¯d go after Benjamin. Such attacks against one¡¯s own people are egregious. Even if that Benjamin managed to escape this predicament, it would be difficult for him to continue to hold an important position. In that case, Benjamin¡¯s threat in the cooperative project would naturally not be a concern. Either way, they wouldn¡¯t lose. Brian had also figured this out, which is why he went ahead and killed that idiot Captain Krist. Killing him was in vain. ... ¡°So it really was Benjamin...¡± Brian nodded. It matched his guess. But he couldn¡¯t understand why Benjamin would do such an irrational, foolish thing. After all, the previous two accidental conflicts had been settled. Could it be that the other party kept dwelling on it and decided to act out of growing anger? At that moment, Ellie added, ¡°By the way, our minister asked me to tell you that Benjamin intended to capture you alive.¡± ¡°Capture me alive?¡± Brian pointed to himself, ¡°Capture me alive?¡± Ellie nodded, ¡°Benjamin is a senior research staff member of your NW. Black Light Biotechnology Company is the stronghold for the NW militants, powerful and possessing many secretive methods. Second Rank staff are also people, just stronger ones, not as difficult to handle as you might think. Over the decades, a considerable number of defected staff have been killed across the Federation.¡± Brian nodded in agreement with her statement. That was indeed the case. Unfortunately, he was no ordinary Second Level staff. If his capabilities were evaluated according to the Federation¡¯s official classification of Mutants, Brian suspected he would be classified as a Level Three or Four Mutant, capable of causing thousands of civilian casualties in a short period. If officials truly decided to take action against him, and if it were in a densely populated metropolis, the consequences would be almost equivalent to detonating a humanoid chemical nuclear bomb. And they might not even be able to capture Brian. He could easily grab a soldier, disguise himself as the soldier, and blend in. If he couldn¡¯t defeat them, he could always join them. To be honest, thinking about that scenario, Brian felt he had grown too quickly and was too aberrant. He himself didn¡¯t know how he should deal with his current self. Chapter 368 - 368 228 Compromise Mastermind Behind the Attack Case Clues_3 ?368: Chapter 228: Compromise, Mastermind Behind the Attack, Case Clues_3 368: Chapter 228: Compromise, Mastermind Behind the Attack, Case Clues_3 Luckily, he was a good man. It was a blessing for the United States that they could produce a Boss-level Mutant like him. ... After Chief Flory finished the tasks Brian had assigned, everyone arrived at the CD organization¡¯s branch office building in Cheng County. Ellie drove off in Chief Flory¡¯s car to take care of the two body bags in the vehicle, as per Brian¡¯s request. She also needed to report to the Ministry of Internal Affairs on that side about Benjamin framing Brian. Brian didn¡¯t care about that. To him, a scientific researcher like Benjamin was just a weakling who could be easily crushed. All he wanted now was to finish this case early and return to Los Angeles. Conference room. With the help of the CD branch staff, various surveillance footage appeared on the projector screen. There were over thirty different pieces in total. Some were shot with handheld cameras, some were recorded with special equipment carried by CD staff, and some were captured with vehicle dash cams. The CD staff here had already been reviewing these recordings, but with the ongoing series of disappearances barely two days apart, progress was slow, and no useful clues had been found in the footage yet. Brian was in a hurry and asked for all the footage to be projected and played at an accelerated speed. To ordinary people, the fast-forwarded footage was dizzying, but to Brian, it appeared sluggish. His strong spiritual consciousness and extensive knowledge and memory, coupled with the perceptual effects of supercomputer perception, turned these thirty-plus projections into a series of frame-by-frame clips, each flickering through Brian¡¯s mind. Chief Flory hesitated. This was nothing like the way he¡¯d imagined reviewing surveillance footage. In fact, with this accelerated method, he couldn¡¯t capture even a single small projection, let alone extract potentially useful clues from it. This was simply not a normal way to investigate. Even the CD staff found Brian¡¯s request somewhat puzzling. That was normal. The most impressive person they had known was the deceased Krist. It was right that they didn¡¯t understand. ... More than an hour later. Brian rubbed his slightly aching head and said to a few CD staff, ¡°Project number one and number five separately, freeze number one at one hour, thirty-eight minutes, and twenty-seven seconds, and number five at...¡± The obedient CD staff did as instructed. Everyone held their breath and looked towards the screen. Since Brian had specified so, it indicated there was something in these images. The first image was from a patrol car¡¯s dash cam, part of the second search team. There was no choice. Chief Flory and his team were small-town police and the concept of installing dash cams in cars was foreign to them. The image was paused, somewhat blurry, but it was still possible to see that it was right after the car had parked and everyone was preparing to get out, captured by the dash cam. In the image, focused on a bush. Inside the bush, there was a face hidden, looking like a disgusting, melted ice cream. The other image was shot by a CD staff member. The camera was located on the person¡¯s chest. At the time Brian mentioned, the person was standing on the lake shore, looking towards the lake. In the frozen image, a shadow lurked beneath the water in the distance in front of them. If you looked closely, you could barely make out that it was also a face, looking as though it had melted... ... Chief Flory stared at the two images, disbelief written all over his face. He pointed at the second image, ¡°The first one was captured by the car, and it¡¯s normal that no one noticed since the subject was hidden in the bush. But the second image, the subject is underwater, why didn¡¯t that staff member notice?¡± Several CD staff members looked simultaneously at a female staff member. That footage was captured with her equipment. The woman looked innocent, ¡°I can¡¯t remember exactly what happened at that time, but I swear, I hadn¡¯t noticed anything unusual, otherwise I would have reacted.¡± Brian shrugged: ¡°It¡¯s normal, look at the time shown on the footage. At that time, the angle of the direct sunlight perfectly matched the position of her eyes, meaning that when she stood there looking at the water, it was all reflective and difficult to see clearly what was underneath. The filming equipment was different. It was positioned at chest level, so it captured a glimpse of something underwater. The female employee realized and nodded frantically, ¡°I remember now, yes, the surface of the water was like a mirror, and after looking at it for a while, my eyes hurt and I left.¡± An employee played the subsequent actions of the person. In the footage, the person stood for about thirty seconds and indeed changed location. This corroborated Brian and the female employee¡¯s statements. ... Chief Flory, looking at the critical information found in the footage, exclaimed, ¡°I can¡¯t understand how you discovered this fleeting information from over thirty sped-up frames.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t understand why I am so brilliant either, but we did find a useful clue, didn¡¯t we?¡± Brian chuckled. As an Autopsy Officer, Brian had seen corpses of various causes of death and recognized at a glance the melted-like facial features as typical burn marks. The traces of flesh that resembled melting ice cream could be caused by burns and sulfuric acid, but the flesh erosion caused by sulfuric acid was not just that simple; it also produced chemical burns, penetrating wounds deep into the bones, causing overall deformation of the appearance. The face in the footage looked horrifying, but the bones were normal. Another point. The injuries caused by sulfuric acid, with the dual effect of flames and chemical burns, would decompose the biological tissue of the injured area. After the flesh heals, the regrown tissue appears black and brown and also exhibits a noticeable unevenness. Burns, after the wound heals, the skin and flesh regenerate tissue, appear red, and have streaks of raised growths, similar to Freddy¡¯s appearance in Elm Street. That was not actually a still photo but a realistic photograph. Based on these characteristics, it explained that the unknown entity in the footage had previously suffered from severe fire burns. This information was crucial. Brian took out a pad and pen, and while sketching, he said to Chief Flory, ¡°Chief, I remember you mentioned before that the lake training camp was closed due to a fire?¡± Chief Flory nodded, ¡°Yes, I remember. Two years ago, there was a fire at the camp that killed many children, and the company went bankrupt due to huge compensations, and the leased camp was also abandoned.¡± As he finished speaking, Brian¡¯s pen also stopped. ... Brian called everyone¡¯s attention and placed the three sketched papers on the desk: ¡°The silhouette in the footage was caused by typical fire injuries. This is the reverse extrapolation of different age portraits I outlined based on the facial bone structure. Go find photos of the victims and those missing from the camp fire two years ago, compare them, and see if there are any results.¡± Everyone was amazed that Brian had made progress as soon as he took on the case and nodded continuously. After printing and copying several portraits, each person took a copy and went down to investigate. Watching everyone leave, Brian walked to the window, lit a cigarette, and zoned out. There was still one thing about this case he couldn¡¯t understand. According to the statements of everyone involved, five missing people, two regular officers, and three CD employees, everyone vaguely remembered the others being there on the way back, and only after returning did they realize people were missing. Some surveillance footage also confirmed that the missing persons did actually return with them. At least before leaving, they were in the car. The car proceeded normally. How did they disappear mid-journey? Brian couldn¡¯t figure out how the perpetrator had managed it. ... ¡°Forget it, while no one¡¯s here, I¡¯ll collect the previous ¡®obsession gift¡¯ I was granted and see the effect.¡± Brian shook his head and collected the obsession gift. Gift One: twelve units of Gift Energy. Gift Two: one unit of Gift Energy + slight Auditory Enhancement Brian naturally chose to collect the second obsession gift. Enhancement of the Five Senses was in progress. He already possessed enhancements for the nose and eyes. This time, he was supplementing the ears. Brian was quite anticipatory of the effects. Chapter 369 - 369 229 The Problematic Company Benjamin Why Are You Forcing Me ?369: Chapter 229: The Problematic Company, Benjamin: Why Are You Forcing Me? 369: Chapter 229: The Problematic Company, Benjamin: Why Are You Forcing Me? Brian had opted to receive Gift Two. A ticklish sensation spread around the area of his ears, where the structure of the ear canal and eardrum underwent subtle changes, becoming much more sensitive. The next moment. Many of the faint sounds that Brian used to overlook flooded into his ears. There were the sounds of bodily tissues rubbing together, the movements of internal organs, the slight distortions of the building structure, and the footsteps of employees walking downstairs... This range wasn¡¯t vast, only about ten meters. Beyond that, the sound diminished significantly, but within that ten-meter radius, his hearing was not only incredibly sharp but also highly accurate, similar to echolocation. ¡°This faint enhancement of my hearing is a bit better than I expected. I suppose it¡¯s because of my own body¡¯s superior condition; that captain probably doesn¡¯t have hearing as good as mine.¡± Brian speculated in his mind. The improvement from his Auditory Enhancement exceeded his expectations. In daily life, this talent-based enhancement seemed more practical than Olfactory Enhancement, and it came with fewer negative sensations. Just as Brian was about to test more changes in his auditory system... An incredible reaction occurred. An unknown force was infused into the area where his auditory system was. The next moment. Brian was amazed to find that his eyes, ears, nose, and sonar perception systems¡ªall four areas¡ªmerged into one under the influence of this unknown force. It was a peculiar sensation, as if his specialized sensory vision had merged with his auditory system, becoming more vivid and controllable. It seemed to be an ability that came with Brian¡¯s Blood Moon Gift Ability¡¯s third upgrade: Talent Fusion. Indeed, as the changes subsided, Brian found that he could now easily control the volume of sound in his ears, and the previously ten-meter range of precise hearing had extended to about twenty meters. The most outrageous thing was that the moment Brian¡¯s ears locked onto a source of sound, the approximate shape of the source, the scents it emitted, and more, all appeared in Brian¡¯s mind simultaneously. Moreover, The reflections of that object¡¯s sounds also outlined the surrounding environment. This meant that, if someone was speaking in another room, Brian could not just see through walls in an unusual manner, knowing the outward traits of that person but could also sense the three-dimensional environment around that person... ¡°This can¡¯t be considered cheating, can it?¡± Brian smirked with a wry smile. He still had a vial of No.3 Auditory Enhancement Reagent in his hand, and following the assault incident, the Internal Affairs Department of the organization would compensate him with two additional types of Enhancement Reagents. After all injections were administered, his hearing should be further enhanced. This sensation was quite thrilling. After quickly acclimating to the brand-new sensory system, Brian devoured Captain Krist¡¯s residual Spirit Crystal and skimmed through the dead man¡¯s memories, hoping to gather some useful clues. Indeed, there were some. Within Captain Krist¡¯s memories of his death, Brian saw the communication between him and the mastermind behind the scenes, the minister of the Internal Affairs Department of the organization. From the content, it seemed that the information given by Ellie wasn¡¯t deceiving him. The only disappointment for Brian was that after consuming the Spirit Crystal of an enhanced person, the impact on his own Spiritual Strength was negligible. It was much the same for physical constitution. He needed more high-quality deceased victims. .. Chief Flory¡¯s team was highly efficient. The campground area by the lake where the disappearance occurred had, because of a previous fire incident, already supplied the police with most of the client¡¯s data from the company involved. Their task was to revisit those files and compare them to Brian¡¯s sketches. Human features are mainly composed of bones, muscle tissue, skin tissue, and the like. Of these elements, bones contribute to one¡¯s skeletal features. Flesh and skin contribute to one¡¯s facial features. Facial appearance is easy to change and unreliable, but skeletal features, unless altered by surgery, can be extrapolated over decades based on studied patterns. Additionally, parts like the eyes and mouth are also key facial markers. These traits form the technical logic behind modern facial recognition tools and electronic eyes or satellites, which can accurately identify individuals in large crowds. Sketch artistry follows the same principles. The techniques are further differentiated into psychological profiling sketches and age progression sketching, among others. Brian was using the latter technique at the moment. Comparing the photos and sketches, it took Chief Flory¡¯s team less than half an hour to identify the individual. The individual¡¯s name was Kullos Delarossa, born in March 1994. Strictly speaking, he should be 11 years old now, having disappeared from the lakeside campground during a fire two years prior. Brian was somewhat surprised when he saw the photo in Chief Flory¡¯s hand. It was different from what he had imagined. In that fire incident, seven children and teenagers, two caretakers, and an elderly security guard perished, while three children, a caretaker, and the camp manager went missing. Kullos was one of them. Brian¡¯s three sketches illustrated the subject at ages ten, twenty, and thirty. Based on his understanding of human growth, Brian estimated that the age of the figure in the footage was around thirty years old. So the person he suspected was actually the missing camp manager. After all, it had only been just over two years since the fire, and most of the staff were quite young, except for the camp manager, the rest were young people in their early twenties. Chapter 370 - 370 229 The Problematic Company Benjamin Why are you forcing me_2 ?370: Chapter 229: The Problematic Company, Benjamin: Why are you forcing me?_2 370: Chapter 229: The Problematic Company, Benjamin: Why are you forcing me?_2 Under normal circumstances, only the campsite supervisor fitted Brian¡¯s conjecture. Chief Flory then told him that the person who matched the sketch portrait was a child, just nine years old two years ago, this... Looking at the photo, with blond hair, brown eyes, a handsome appearance, and a radiant smile, Brian¡¯s lips twitch slightly, ¡°To be honest, I thought it was the missing campsite supervisor.¡± The rest of the CD staff also nodded. Looking only at the frame in the footage where the figure was clearest, only the head was visible, but it indeed looked like an adult. Chief Flory, however, was optimistic, ¡°Regardless, this is the most important clue we currently have. Besides, although Kullos Delarossa was nine before he disappeared, no one knows what he¡¯s been through in these two years. Overdevelopment is also a possibility.¡± A CD male staffer, who had been a detective, nodded in agreement, ¡°When I was a detective, the group I hated dealing with the most were these teenagers and the drug addicts with fried brains.¡± Most state police forces didn¡¯t really like these two groups. Due to ample nutrition, both boys and girls here tend to develop early, and the end of their development is mostly around the age of fifteen or sixteen. This group might not be mentally mature, but they already have the capability for violent crimes, sometimes even more ruthless and reckless than seasoned criminals. The other group is addicts with mental issues. These two groups could cause more casualties among the police than some criminals. Brian thought deeper. He looked around, ¡°What was the result of the previous campsite fire investigation?¡± Chief Flory, one of the participants, knew clearly: ¡°According to survivors, there was a bonfire party by the lake that night, and after it ended, the eight supervisory counsellors began drinking in private, venting their unreleased hormones. This was actually in violation of the camp staff code. But the missing campsite supervisor was also rolling in the sheets with a female counsellor, and nobody was on duty, leading to the tragedy. The fire ignited a cabin where several children were sleeping. Surrounded by wood, the flames spread quickly...¡± Brian¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°But when I was at that lakeside campsite, I didn¡¯t see any signs of a fire, nor at the dock.¡± Chief Flory explained, ¡°The campsite used to have some structures on the open ground by the lake; it was there that the fire happened. After the incident and before the camp company went bankrupt, they cleared everything, worrying that the remnants would affect the mood of the town¡¯s residents.¡± Brian:... That sounded like total bullshit. On the verge of bankruptcy and facing huge claims, they were still concerned about the town residents¡¯ feelings. Didn¡¯t anyone feel that was odd! More absurdities were to come. Chief Flory really hadn¡¯t noticed anything amiss, ¡°That company had been operating there for over a decade, doing well without any accidents, taking good care of those children, and bringing economic development to several nearby towns. The unreliable campsite supervisor ruined a good company.¡± That was just ass-backwards. Brian continued to ask, ¡°What happened to the company¡¯s management afterwards?¡± ¡°They all died.¡± Chief Flory looked regretful: ¡°The boss was a local from the town, and after the incident, facing those questioning parents, he committed suicide by shooting himself in the mouth. Others jumped into the lake or shot themselves, and some were killed by revengeful parents. The only survivor faced media condemnation and public insults until she lost her mind. After a stint in a mental institution, she too put a bag over her head and ended her life.¡± Having said that, he seemed to recall something, adding to Brian, ¡°By the way, the campsite owner was an orphan from the town, who made some money elsewhere before setting up the lakeside camp. After his suicide, the remaining funeral was processed with donations from the town¡¯s residents. Some of his personal belongings were also left in the police station¡¯s warehouse.¡± Upon hearing this, Brian¡¯s face, which had been unpleasant, looked somewhat better. Now, he could only hope to find something useful among the late owner¡¯s personal belongings. ... Around noon. After Brian finished eating, he received two text messages. One was from Susan, telling him to stay safe. The other was from Susan¡¯s best friend Caroline, also urging him to be careful, and expressing sympathy and outrage for his plight. Uh. Caroline wasn¡¯t just Susan¡¯s best friend, she was also an internal affairs staff member at NW. She was probably the one who told Susan. The only problem was, why was she even more emotional than Susan... This left Brian uneasy. Could he really have ¡®straightened out¡¯ this lesbian? Soon after, Ellie from the CD¡¯s internal affairs department returned to Odolan. She brought some good news to Brian, ¡°After we reported the situation to NW headquarters, your supervisor, Benjamin, has been restricted from the investigation by your internal affairs, but specifics will need your assistance after you return.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already been told by a friend.¡± Brian replied calmly. Ellie was somewhat surprised, ¡°These matters are usually handled discreetly by internal affairs to avoid disrupting organizational stability. You seem to have good connections.¡± ¡°Stop the chatter, we¡¯ve got some clues for the missing case, we¡¯re waiting on you.¡± With that, Brian signaled Chief Flory, who was cleaning his gun. The three of them set off again for Chief Flory¡¯s town. Chapter 371 - 371 229 The Problematic Company Benjamin Why are you forcing me_3 ?371: Chapter 229: The Problematic Company, Benjamin: Why are you forcing me?_3 371: Chapter 229: The Problematic Company, Benjamin: Why are you forcing me?_3 ... Continuous exertion. Chief Flory was noticeably tired. Seeing Brian and Ellie so energetic, he expressed some envy, ¡°I suddenly regret that in my youth, I rejected the invitation from the CD Organization.¡± Upon hearing this, Ellie, sitting in the back seat of the car, chuckled silently. Without connections, background, or any special talent, even if he had joined the CD Organization, he would have been just cannon fodder, perhaps not even surviving to his current age. Why had Brian¡¯s reputation spread so widely among the low-ranking officers in his jurisdiction and surrounding areas in such a short time? The most important reason was that he was promoted too quickly. So quickly that those low-ranking officers couldn¡¯t even dare to imagine it. Following that, Chief Flory, perhaps stimulated by something, rambled on while searching for the former camp owner¡¯s belongings, suddenly losing his vigor and spirit as he reflected on life¡¯s encounters. The belongings were also found. It was an old wooden box. The box was covered in dust, probably untouched since it had been thrown in there. Opening the box, it revealed some small items inside. Some were photos, including group photos of children and instructors from various training camps, as well as some of his own old photos. The owner appeared very kind-faced, his gaze towards the camera gentle. The documents were about company management and such matters. From these belongings alone, Brian didn¡¯t find anything unusual. As Chief Flory had said, the camp company had not received any complaints or faced any lawsuits before the fire; it was well-managed. That was not easy to achieve in the United States. People often liked to threaten with lawyers here, although most ordinary citizens actually couldn¡¯t afford the expenses, but that didn¡¯t stop them from making trouble and complaints over minor issues. Being besieged by lawsuits and complaints was typical for most service and training industries. Therefore, maintaining such a clean operation for over a decade as this camp had done was extraordinarily difficult. Instead of looking at Chief Flory with his built-in filters, Brian turned to the silent Ellie, ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Too clean,¡± Ellie stated bluntly, ¡°A normal service training industry that can be run this well for such a long time, would have good reputation and business. Near Odolan, there are many suitable spots for expanding new camps, developing better and better, more and more camps opening, eventually forming a franchise¡ªthat¡¯s what a normal businessman would do. Even if the founder is reluctant, those below him would push for such growth to develop, but this camp company did not. After the fire, most of the company¡¯s personnel were gone. That is also very strange.¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Yes, beneath the surface of normalcy, nothing is normal, Ellie, are there any Mutant Organizations or private research institutions around here?¡± Ellie frowned slightly, ¡°Are you suspecting that there is a research institution behind this company?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a suspicion, just feels similar to the methods of Black Light Biotechnology Company, but seeing your reaction, this shouldn¡¯t be your people¡¯s doing,¡± Brian spoke frankly. He really had that feeling, especially since the shadow in the camera, only eleven or twelve years old, had the facial bone structure of an adult, which was abnormal, more like being forcibly matured. So he had this preconceived notion. Suddenly, Brian, while browsing through the items, his gaze sharpened. He stopped talking and pulled out an old photo that had been torn and then glued back together from the box, studying it for a moment before looking at Chief Flory, ¡°Where is the owner¡¯s grave?¡± Chief Flory, puzzled by why Brian was asking this, still answered honestly, ¡°Just outside the town. Cremation is too expensive, costing up to five or six thousand US dollars, so we all do burials, and I will be buried there later too.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go have a look!¡± Brian put the photo into his pocket and turned to leave. Watching his back, a flicker of confusion crossed Ellie¡¯s eyes. What had this guy discovered? From her understanding, since a useful clue was found, they should first go to the disappearance site, look for the individual captured in the camera, rather than going to look at a dead person¡¯s belongings and grave. However, since Brian was in charge of this case, she didn¡¯t bother to ask and just followed him. ... Meanwhile, Benjamin looked grimly at the three men in black standing before him, ¡°I¡¯ve made contributions to the organization, I shouldn¡¯t be treated like this!¡± ¡°Please cooperate with our investigation, Benjamin!¡± the lead black man, wearing sunglasses, spoke coldly. ¡°Damn Brian!¡± Benjamin sighed, slowly standing up, ¡°I really didn¡¯t want it to come to this, why did you have to push me?¡± The lead black man sensed the impending danger, his face shifting slightly. In the next moment, the three enhanced agents, as if struck by a magical immobilization spell, were suddenly unable to move, only able to watch as behind Benjamin, his clothes tore apart, revealing four horrifying, disgust-inducing tentacles... It was unclear how much time had passed. Benjamin bent down, put a blood-stained pair of sunglasses on his face, looked towards Florida, and unveiled a bloodthirsty smile. Chapter 372 - 372 230 Monster Found You! ?372: Chapter 230: Monster, Found You! 372: Chapter 230: Monster, Found You! The town cemetery was located just outside the town. Brian followed the scent and found the address. Chief Flory was somewhat surprised, ¡°Brian, how did you know the cemetery was in this position?¡± ¡°You can guess from looking at the environmental traces of activity around here. After all, most people always avoid the deceased subconsciously,¡± Brian explained offhand. He wasn¡¯t lying. Chief Flory nodded and said, ¡°Alright, that¡¯s very accurate, so what do we do now?¡± ¡°Verify if there¡¯s a body beneath our feet.¡± ¡°Dig up a grave?¡± ¡°No need for that hassle.¡± While speaking, Brian took out a long piece of wire he had taken with him upon departure and waved it around: ¡°The soil burying a body has a distinct smell from normal soil, even with a coffin blocking it. In two years, the surrounding soil would have absorbed that peculiar odor.¡± ¡°Peculiar odor?¡± Chief Flory asked curiously. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s similar to the smell of a corpse, but slightly different. The odor emitted from human decomposition is very adhesive and has strong penetration. Some fools wrapped bodies in concrete to dispose of them, only to have the smell of decay reveal them. That¡¯s the reason. The encapsulation of concrete can¡¯t block the molecules of smell from penetrating unless they are buried deep underground, but even then, the surrounding soil would be invaded by the odor, becoming very characteristic.¡± During the conversation. Brian looked at the tombstones before him. The name and other information were on the gravestone. The campground owner was named Reinhard Cap, born in 1960 and died in 2003, which was two years ago, dying at the age of forty-three. One could see some withered flowers around with varying times of decay. This indicated that Reinhard¡¯s grave was frequently visited. The guy must have had a good reputation in town; otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be like this. Seeing where Brian¡¯s gaze landed, Chief Flory explained, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve always felt it¡¯s a shame about the campground. Reinhard was a good man. He often helped the town¡¯s elderly and children and brought extra income to everyone. We all deeply regretted his passing.¡± ¡°Maybe so.¡± Brian voiced something that made Chief Flory feel uneasy, walked to the flat ground ahead, and used finesse to drill the iron wire into the soil bit by bit. In the United States, the rate of cremation at this time was not high, with the cremation rate in rural areas being roughly between fifteen and twenty percent. The main reason was the cost. The cremation process could cost at least five or six thousand US dollars, which wasn¡¯t a small amount for the lower class. Therefore, some of the deceased¡¯s relatives, in order to save money, even donated their loved ones¡¯ bodies to charitable organizations for organ and human tissue research. Those charities would then offer free cremation services for the remainder of the bodies. However, that circle was very messy, incredibly messy. Another reason was the customary practice of burial, ¡°returning to the earth,¡± which was also the thought of most people here. Brian had to thank the local burial customs. Unlike his past life, where large mounds of earth were piled on top, it was a flat structure here ¨C at least most were a rectangular piece of flat land. This saved him a lot of effort. With the help of finesse, Brian¡¯s wire burrowed into the ground, looking almost like X-ray vision, avoiding areas of hard soil and small clumps, and precisely drilling more than a meter deep into the ground. The general depth of a burial was around two meters, not too shallow and not too deep. This distance was sufficient. Feeling that the depth was about right, Brian lit a cigarette and waited for the wire to absorb the odor from the surrounding soil. ... Ellie, who had been surveying the surroundings, ultimately couldn¡¯t contain her curiosity, ¡°Do you suspect that the campground owner Reinhard is actually not dead?¡± Chief Flory also looked over. Brian exhaled a puff of smoke and nodded, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m quite sure he¡¯s not dead.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the reason?¡± Chief Flory was not too willing to accept such an outcome; it meant that the town¡¯s regrets were nothing but a joke. Brian took out the photo he¡¯d found earlier, ¡°It¡¯s this that told me.¡± Ellie and Chief Flory examined the photo for a moment but didn¡¯t quite catch on. Wasn¡¯t that just a photograph of Reinhard when he was young? Seeing their somewhat dim-witted looks, Brian pinched out his cigarette, tucked it away, and explained reluctantly, ¡°This photograph is Reinhard himself, right?¡± Chief Flory nodded, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s him, from when he was still living in town. I can confirm that.¡± Brian nodded and pointed at the photo pasted on Reinhard¡¯s gravestone: ¡°This photo should be of Reinhard in his forties, that is, a photograph from before his death, the same as in the police records. I saw it earlier in the CD building. The problem is if this young photo is indeed Reinhard himself, then he shouldn¡¯t look the same as the photo on the tombstone when he was in his forties. The differences in their facial bone structures are significant.¡± ¡°They do look a bit alike,¡± Ellie said, puzzled. Chief Flory nodded in agreement. Brian was even more speechless. He directly asked Chief Flory for paper and pen, drew two skull portraits, and asked them, ¡°This is how they really look through my eyes.¡± Ellie and Chief Flory were even more confused, ¡°Isn¡¯t that almost the same?¡± Brian shrugged: ¡°Almost the same is the big problem. The normal growth of a Caucasian¡¯s cranial bones stops and sets around the age of twenty-two at the latest. Chapter 373 - 373 230 Monster Found You!_2 ?373: Chapter 230 Monster, Found You!_2 373: Chapter 230 Monster, Found You!_2 The human skull is composed of 23 bone structures. Together with skin and flesh, they form our entire head and facial shape, but due to our chewing habits, muscle tissue impact, and other factors, the gaps between these bones continually move and change. A change in one region might not be significant, but impacts on multiple areas can lead to major morphological changes in the skull. Additionally, there is the metabolic proliferation of bones. For most people, although bone density decreases with age, the lateral thickness continues to increase, so between the ages of twenty and forty, there are noticeable changes in bone appearance. The main reason I was sure Reinhardt was not himself was due to his youthful photos. In the photos, the right masseter muscle was significantly more developed than the left, indicating that he habitually chewed on the right side, and might even have a habit of chewing things like chewing gum. This means his facial bones would also be affected by this habit. More than twenty years later, at the time of Reinhardt¡¯s death, his skeletal condition resembled that of his youth. This was abnormal. Seeing the two deep in thought, Brian smiled at Chief Flory, ¡°After Reinhardt returned, did he initially have minimal contact with the townspeople and only appeared occasionally?¡± Chief Flory pondered for a moment, then fell silent. Indeed. He had been busy setting up a company at the time, mainly interacting with the town¡¯s youth, only beginning to frequent the town taverns after the camp activities settled down. Moreover, Reinhardt had a habit of chewing tobacco, influenced by his grandfather. These details matched what Brian had said. Ellie, seeing Chief Flory¡¯s expression, knew Brian was on point. She gave Brian a thumbs up, utterly convinced. Professional! True to his title as Autopsy Officer! ... After some casual chat, Brian pulled out a wire. The wire was stained with dark brown soil. Brian¡¯s nose twitched, and he shook his head, ¡°There¡¯s a unique post-mortem odor produced by the soil, similar to an egg buried for a year or two, it seems there is indeed a body underneath.¡± Upon hearing this, Chief Flory sighed in relief. He preferred this outcome over the possibility that Reinhardt was an imposter. That was purely an emotional preference. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve gone through unnecessary efforts.¡± Ellie also chuckled lightly. Ever since she met Brian, he had always maintained a position of strength; seeing him proven wrong was quite satisfying. Brian shook his head: ¡°That doesn¡¯t prove anything; it¡¯s common to plant a body as a decoy in meticulous fake deaths.¡± ¡°Specifically, we need to exhume.¡± ¡°However, I suspect the police don¡¯t have Reinhardt¡¯s DNA record, and he might not even have his own children, so exhumation might be meaningless.¡± Chief Flory: ... All correct again. He was starting to doubt himself now. After their conversation, Ellie developed some interest in solving the case: ¡°Since we¡¯ve come up empty here, what¡¯s our next step?¡± Brian softly said, ¡°Exhume.¡± Ellie was puzzled, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say it was pointless? Then what¡¯s the point in doing it?¡± Brian explained: ¡°Solving a case involves verifying the clues one by one.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s not the main purpose of exhumation; my goal is to spook any potentially watchful eyes.¡± ¡°Normal crimes need not be this complex, which suggests he doesn¡¯t want people to uncover his issues, and the more he tries to conceal, the more critical it is.¡± ¡°By doing this, we¡¯ll make whoever is watching nervous.¡± ¡°When people get nervous, they tend to make mistakes.¡± ¡°Let the Chief handle the exhumation.¡± ¡°We have other things to do.¡± Ellie nodded, ¡°Okay, what are we going to do next? Your other two reagents should arrive this afternoon.¡± ¡°The reagents aren¡¯t urgent; I¡¯m planning to take you to the disappearance site to resolve the missing person case first.¡± After Brian finished speaking, he asked the Chief to find some people to start the exhumation and walked off. Ellie, not quite grasping Brian¡¯s last remark and seeing he was not inclined to explain, curiously followed him. ... Half an hour later. Brian was alone once again, having returned to the dock not far from the lake campsite. Ellie didn¡¯t come. She had other things to do. With outsiders around, he too would be restricted. At the dock, he could still see the bloodstains and filth left by the attacker Brian had previously shot in the head. He sniffed the air around him, saw that it yielded nothing, and started wandering around. It had to be said. The Federation¡¯s environment was quite unique¡ªvast and sparsely populated, with wilderness covering most of the area except for some densely populated urban clusters. This also resulted in a decent natural ecology. Under almost Transcendent perception, a vast amount of information converged in Brian¡¯s mind, allowing him to enjoy the surrounding scenery while also eliminating areas one by one. Solving the disappearance case, for Brian, was actually not difficult. Previous evidence had suggested that this was merely a human-induced attack. As long as human factors were involved, traces would be left. The location of the disappearances was where the adversary was active; the time of the disappearances was when the adversary was active. Everything carried information. These were impossible to cover up. Suddenly, in a wooded area growing a few wild cannabis plants, Brian stopped. He frowned at the land where the wild cannabis was growing. This location was very close to the lake, less than ten meters away. Above was a slope covered with plants, and below by the lakeside were several old trees. Above the wild cannabis plants, Brian smelled a very peculiar pheromone. As he examined the cannabis plants, secretly, a pair of eyes gazed through the gaps between the water surface and the lakeside branches, intently watching Brian¡¯s back. Brian sensed something and abruptly turned around. The water surface was uneven, and the reflected light passed through the lake-side tree trunks and leaves, refracting in the woods, showing nothing unusual. Thinking it over, Brian walked towards the cannabis plants, crushed them, and took a sniff. A sense of dizziness surged within him. He actually felt a peculiar floating sensation. Considering his current physique, even chemical drugs and anesthetics would hardly take effect so quickly on him, and even the feeling after inhaling would differ due to his body¡¯s rejection response. This cannabis carrying special pheromones was indeed magical. ... As Brian paused to experience the effects of this special cannabis, ripples gently parted the water surface. A head reflecting an eerie red glow under the sunlight slowly emerged from the water and then, in a strange posture, kept moving closer to the shore. Such movements, to any onlooker, would seem horrifying, as if a vicious head stood atop the water with ripples spreading below but no trace of limbs moving, continuously advancing. To put it vividly, it appeared as if a long snake had grown a human head! Splash~ Accompanied by a slight water sound, a three to four meters long creature with the body of a snake and a human head, covered in red, coiled around a tree trunk by the shore, its head hanging down, arriving above Brian. It greedily watched Brian below, revealing a mouth full of sharp teeth. This guy smells so good! Much more fragrant than those tender or old meats. For this prey¡¯s condition, it was already no longer surprising. Those special plants were cultivated by it; guarding these special plants was its purpose. Although it desperately craved the scent of the prey¡¯s flesh, its long-term hunting had made it cautious. It opened its big mouth and exhaled in Brian¡¯s direction. A certain colorless, odorless gas was emitted from its mouth, slowly diffusing, blending into the surrounding air, and enveloping the area below. Just as it thought the prey below would fall into illusions, Creak~ A bone-cracking sound was heard. The head beneath the big tree rotated one hundred eighty degrees, tilted slightly upward, the mocking gaze meeting its eyes. Looking at the monster¡¯s blank gaze, Brian, with his body facing forward and face turned backward, lightly smiled, ¡°Monster, found you!¡± Chapter 374 - 374 231 Monster Dies A New Obsession Acquired ?374: Chapter 231 Monster Dies, A New Obsession Acquired 374: Chapter 231 Monster Dies, A New Obsession Acquired The serpent-bodied monster was somewhat stunned at the moment. Not... Who¡¯s the monster? You, a thing whose head turns as freely as a ghost¡¯s, you call me a monster? Its blood-red muscular face, full of tumor-like bumps, twisted as it bared its sharp teeth, and spoke in a hoarse voice, ¡°Not a monster, Kullos is not a monster!¡± Hearing this name, something stirred in Brian¡¯s heart. Kullos was the owner of the face captured previously during the search; Brian had drawn portraits of the individual at three stages of age based on the facial structure, ultimately confirming his identity. Kullos had been nine years old when he disappeared in the campfire; as of today, two years later, he was only eleven. Brian didn¡¯t know how the other had turned into the ghostly figure he was now. The biotechnology of this world had somewhat edged towards magic realism. Kullos¡¯s biological transformation was even more horrifying and outlandish than the Spiderman Brian had previously encountered. After a thought. He twisted his neck back, turned around, and waved at Kullos entwined in the tree, ¡°Kullos, I¡¯m a detective. Your family has always believed you¡¯re not dead, so they asked me to find you. Can you come down for a chat?¡± Consciousness means there¡¯s room for discussion. ¡°Family...¡± Kullos in the tree, his eyes full of blood vessels, flashed with humanized confusion and pain, even a bizarre transparent film flickered continuously across his eyes, as if blinking. Seeing this. Brian continued to talk about the names of Kullos¡¯s parents, even fabricating some everyday life details. Kullos¡¯s records were on file at the police station. Brian had read them, and as for daily life... the daily white family life in many cities here, it¡¯s pretty much the same, whether it¡¯s diet or something else, all pretty mundane. Hearing Brian¡¯s continuous description. Kullos¡¯s expression on his face grew more and more agonized. His memory seemed to have some issues, ¡°Kullos remembers, Kullos has a family, but Kullos can¡¯t remember clearly, my head hurts, my head hurts so much!¡± Seeing its confusion. Brian quickly said, ¡°Who made you stay here?¡± Kullos murmured, ¡°Mr. Reinhardt, he said if Kullos cultivates a hundred Heavenly Grass, he can go home, just a hundred Heavenly Grass, only need a hundred...¡± Reinhardt was the boss of the lake camp company! Brian¡¯s guess was correct; this man indeed had a problem! Just as he was thinking of gathering more information, the monster suddenly stopped muttering. It glared at Brian angrily, ¡°You¡¯ve destroyed Kullos¡¯s cultivated Heavenly Grass, Kullos will eat you!¡± Countless dense, scale-like patterns popped out on Kullos¡¯s body, now resembling a python, propelling his form to coil and gain momentum like a drawn bow, with its head shooting out. All this seemed complicated, yet it happened in the blink of an eye. The opponent¡¯s speed was so astonishing that it even produced a sonic boom. The next moment. Bang~ Brian¡¯s double-barreled shotgun roared. Two large-caliber bullets exploded at close range. Amidst the flesh and blood. The ground where Brian had been standing erupted, soil scattering in all directions, revealing a huge deep pit. The monster¡¯s head was plunged into the earth, its body as tense as an arrow shaft, the whole being like an arrow shot out; anyone hit by such a blow would likely be gone. ¡°Such strong muscle power, such hard bones, it¡¯s just that the attack method was a bit dumb.¡± Brian, dodging to the side, reloaded two bullets and fired again at the neck of the monster buried in the dirt. Bang~ Another burst of blood and flesh bloomed. In the face of carbon-based life, Brian hadn¡¯t yet seen anything truly capable of withstanding bullets with its flesh; they would all be penetrated to some degree, including himself. The monster also reacted. In its pain, its three to four-meter-long body violently jerked around. Crack~ The hard trunk of the tree was affected, large chunks of bark directly blasting off. Crack~ Another crack in the air. The earthen ground was left with a long whip mark. ¡°Such exaggerated strength...¡± Brian easily dodged it. Out of curiosity. He timed the trajectory of the opponent¡¯s lashing body, and his right hand met it head-on. The next moment. Thousands of pounds of force collided. An overwhelming, overbearing power surged. Brian¡¯s body, weighing hundreds of pounds, flew sideways. In terms of strength, he was actually no match for his opponent. Seizing the opportunity to whisk Brian away. The serpent-bodied monster also pulled its head from the mud. It glared at Brian angrily. Copious amounts of blood surged from the tumor-tubular area of its neck, the incomplete gunshot wounds on the red meat buds pulsating, bullet fragments being squeezed out, seeming eager to heal rapidly. Alas, the bullet was too powerful, tumbling through its flesh, causing a cavitation effect. No matter how hard it tried, it was still unable to close the wounds on its neck. Its face was even more tragic, previously disgusting like a larger and uglier version of Freddy, now even the nose and mouth were blasted away, indescribably disfigured. Whether it was the direct impact of the bullet or excessive bleeding, along with the drain of several bursts of exertion. It struggled for a while before collapsing on the ground like a dead snake, its bloody, blurred mouth constantly emitting beast-like groans, only spewing out various blood froth. Through these traces, one could see some metallic luster. That was probably the key reason why Brian¡¯s bullets hadn¡¯t penetrated the monster¡¯s skull. ... Brian climbed up from the ground, somewhat frustrated. Since becoming powerful, this was the first time he was at a loss in terms of strength. He glanced at his own arm. The strong and powerful right arm had suffered extensive fractures in its tough, iron-like bones due to the monster¡¯s dominating force, with joints twisted and shattered. Even broken bone spurs had pierced through the tough hide that was like that of a wild buffalo, now exposed and looking both disturbing and miserable. Enduring the pain, Brian¡¯s mind moved. The next moment, the muscles in his wretched right arm began to move on their own, pushing the shattered bones out of his body, while the tissues underwent a bizarre reconnection among themselves. In the blink of an eye, An arm that was tattered and torn was back to its normal state. As for the blood and fragments of bone and flesh that had fallen off, they were enveloped by a mist of green smoke during their descent and vanished into thin air before even hitting the ground. ¡°Flesh corrosion bag combined with Pheromone Control and Body Control is truly handy; there¡¯s no need to worry about leaving any traces of bodily tissue out there...¡± Brian bared his teeth in a grimace, spurring the Gift Energy to surge through his hand. In less than five seconds, Brian¡¯s nearly crippled right arm was fully restored, save for some residual bloodstains. Even those bloodstains were corroded away into nothingness the next second, wrapped up by a wisp of green mist emerging from his pores. Looking at his pristine right arm, Brian nodded in satisfaction. Truly environmentally friendly. Actually, he could have blocked out the pain as well. The reason he chose not to was simply to temper his will. Weaklings never become strong. A true strong man has to have a strong spirit as well. ... Brian picked up the double-barreled shotgun, reloaded it, and moved to a safe distance, sizing up the monstrous creature before him with a blend of a human head and a serpent¡¯s body. Previously human, the monster had a name, Kullos, and it had family. But once it consumed human flesh, whether by choice or force, it ceased to be human in Brian¡¯s eyes. Kullos¡¯s biological transformation was likely based on serpentine characteristics, and it was an extremely thorough modification. That was likely the reason behind the creature¡¯s exaggerated strength. The muscular structure of snakes is very well-developed. An adult human has around 700 to 800 muscles, while snakes boast between 10,000 to 15,000, each one similar in strength to a human¡¯s bicep. That¡¯s an astonishing figure. Of course, due to their anatomical structure, snakes cannot perfectly unleash the power of these muscles, but transformed beings are not normal creatures, and they might very well be able to. Brian, being not quite human, had muscle fibers like rubber, and their density and toughness far exceeded that of an average person, but his overall muscle count could never match these non-human snake-transformed beings. This kind of transformation technology was something the FBI excelled at. The Beast Pavilion under FBI had created a number of Spidermen for various tasks. Brian had also encountered the FBI¡¯s special squad of beastified agents several times. This led him to suspect that the people behind all this were from the FBI. However, one discovery shook Brian¡¯s confidence. ¡°The internal skeletal structure inside this guy¡¯s head...¡± Brian noticed the metallic luster inside the creature¡¯s mouth when it spat out blood foam. This scene seemed familiar. Under the rapid turnover of his powerful brain, a scene from several months ago flashed through Brian¡¯s mind. Right. It was the Transformer he had killed. A similar metal device had been implanted within its body. However, in the Transformer¡¯s head, there was a peculiar metal mesh that, after being smashed, became soft and floppy as if its actual properties had been altered. After handing over the corpse, Brian hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the details. The creature before him, Kullos, seemed to have undergone a similar alteration. Brian licked his lips: ¡°If I remember correctly, the Transformer was from the Doomsday Sect. The relationship between the Doomsday Sect and the FBI is very complex, similar to that between Black Light Biotechnology and the NW organization, but the Doomsday Sect clearly does not follow FBI orders, more resembling a private Mutant power with a lot of FBI technology and expertise...¡± These details, Susan¡¯s father and his uncle Billy had both mentioned in passing. Could all of this be the work of the Doomsday Sect? .. Lost in thought, Brian waited for a while. The creature on the ground was indeed tenacious. Even though the blood on the ground had formed a small puddle, it still hadn¡¯t ceased to struggle. Considering its mouth was blasted open and its consciousness was probably altered due to the modifications, making communicating difficult, Brian, being a good man, decided to let it go peacefully. After all, before the incident, Kullos was just an innocent nine-year-old victim. Turning into this monstrous form wasn¡¯t Kullos¡¯s fault but the fault of this distorted world. ¡°Hope you have better luck in your next life, buddy.¡± With a sense of ceremony, Brian murmured and raised his double-barreled shotgun to the area where the creature¡¯s neck and torso connected, pulling the trigger repeatedly. This was likely the most vulnerable part of its body. The powerful flesh-tearing force of the bullets created gaping wounds in the creature¡¯s flesh. Beneath the torn flesh, there was a layer of exceptional metal mesh, much like what he had seen in the former Transformer. Ordinary handguns or rifles might struggle to inflict a fatal wound through such a structure, but Brian¡¯s double-barreled shotgun, specially procured by the sheriff for hunting boundary-ignorant crocodiles, was very powerful. This metal mesh had already been compromised by Brian¡¯s first shot and posed no resistance to the bullets that followed. After each shot, The creature¡¯s neck flesh, bones, and the metal mesh were all torn asunder. After the sixth reload, all that was left on the ground was a corpse with a severed head. Almost at the moment of death, a dark red Obsession Little Ball formed and emerged above the corpse. Jackpot! ... This Obsession Little Ball, judging by its color, was of decent quality but wasn¡¯t top-notch. Brian wasn¡¯t too concerned. What he valued were the creature¡¯s unique abilities. Especially Pythonification. The thought of combining his muscle strength with the traits of python muscles was terrifying. Chapter 375 - 375 232 Confusing Truth Baited First Subscription Bonus 9 ?375: Chapter 232: Confusing Truth, Baited (First Subscription Bonus Chapter 9) 375: Chapter 232: Confusing Truth, Baited (First Subscription Bonus Chapter 9) With a heart filled with expectation, Brian crushed the small ball. The ball turned into a rainbow light and shot into Brian¡¯s eyes. Then, a piece of information appeared in his mind: Kullos was heading home, his mom and dad had promised they would come to get him, Kullos was going to be home, forever with his family! Gift One: Fifty units of Gift Energy points. Gift Two: Twenty units of Gift Energy points + Hallucinogenic Poison. Gift Three: One unit of Gift Energy point + Python Body Transformation. At the end of his obsession was a family of three, smiling brilliantly at the camera. In the picture, Kullos, with his blond hair and brown eyes, was handsome and beaming with a radiant smile. He should have been a young man who would be able to enjoy life to its fullest as he grew older, but now he had become a monster on the ground, barely recognizable as human... This obsession didn¡¯t seem too difficult to understand. Yet, Brian¡¯s eyebrows slightly furrowed. From Kullos¡¯s obsession, it seemed that more than two years ago, he hadn¡¯t simply disappeared; his parents were aware of it? What was the truth behind all this? For some reason, Brian suddenly felt an odd sense of familiarity with the relationship between him and his granduncle. ¡°I hope it¡¯s not what I think it is, otherwise it¡¯s really cruel for Kullos, even crueler than becoming a monster...¡± Brian laughed at himself mockingly. ... He calmed his complex emotions. Brian refocused his attention on the gifts from Kullos¡¯s obsession. His Blood Moon Gift ability had undergone its third Transformation, coming with an explanation that made it more complete. As Brian¡¯s consciousness poured in, He naturally became aware of the function of ¡®Hallucinogenic Poison¡¯: it produced a colorless, odorless hallucinogenic gas that, when it merged with plants, underwent a change in properties, leading to more variations. ¡°Heavenly Grass...¡± Brian looked toward a few wild cannabis plants in the distance. This must be the reason why the people behind Kullos had arranged for him to be here. This was supposed to be a covert operation. After all, this area was rich in food, yet unexpectedly, for some reason, Kullos began to attack humans, which led to the exposure of the situation. For the specific truth, he needed to wait and see if Ellie had made any progress. Brian once again poured his consciousness into Gift Three. Python Body Transformation: The body¡¯s bones and muscles begin to mutate towards those of forest pythons, the muscle tissues change in nature and greatly increase in volume, strength substantially increases, bones soften, and structure changes... Accompanying the explanation, Brian even saw an image of what he would look like if he accepted this gift: Perhaps due to his Body Control, there were two total forms. One was similar to Kullos¡¯s current appearance, very bizarre, with changed eye and nose construction, practically resembling a limp human-shaped python. These special structures were the reason Kullos could easily move underwater and see objects. The other form was a human-shaped python covered in delicate scales, somewhat similar to the half-human, half-snake appearance of Sasori from Naruto in his previous life. The dense muscles under the skin would cause even Brian, with his Body Control, to display a python-scaled, grid-like muscle pattern on the surface, hardly better than the first form. This made Brian somewhat displeased. Honestly, the ¡®Python Body Transformation¡¯ talent was really impressive. Just imagine. The strength of Brian¡¯s muscles, combined with a huge increase in muscle quantity, would result in a terrifying force. Even if practical limitations, such as bone structure, meant he couldn¡¯t reach the exaggerated levels of theory, increasing his strength by several multiples was still not a problem. ¡°Can¡¯t I just take the benefits without the ugly appearance?¡± Brian tentatively checked to see if he could use his own Blood Moon Gift to separate the benefits from the gift. His ability was quite special, similar to Rule Power. That one third of Super Adaptability Talent also gave Brian some inspiration. A Talent Gift didn¡¯t necessarily have to be complete. His own body¡¯s talents could freely merge, taking the best and discarding the rest ¨C that was the path better suited to him. Otherwise, the more talents he acquired, the harder it would be for Brian to maintain a normal human form. This was a human society; becoming a deviant would not lead to any good outcome. Brian didn¡¯t want to lead a solitary life, cut off from society. He could be non-human but didn¡¯t want to appear as non-human. ... Brian¡¯s idea was indeed feasible. With a thought, The options for Gift Three changed: Gift Three: Thirty units of Gift Energy points + Python Body Transformation (muscle properties) As the gift altered, the simulated image that appeared in Brian¡¯s mind also included a third form: He looked the same as before, but with a slight flexing of his body contours, it revealed many muscle fiber outlines, transforming from a tall and well-proportioned figure to one styled after Hanma Yujiro¡¯s muscular back. ¡°This one¡¯s pretty handsome.¡± Brian¡¯s eyes shone. His muscle form was very symmetrical, yet lacked that oppressive feel, and most importantly, this new form normally looked like an average person, not too ostentatious. He chose this one! The Hallucinogenic Gas actually had a useful effect too, but Brian already possessed a flesh-corrosive poison bag; and with his body¡¯s special nature, he could achieve a similar effect with chemical reagents. He had to reluctantly give it up. ... The smell of a dead body was obvious. Brian was about to follow the special pheromones emitted from the body to find the place where the other had once lived. That place must be underwater; otherwise, he would have smelled it already. Just then. A phone call came through. It was Susan calling, ¡°Brian, there¡¯s been an incident. After receiving information from the CD Internal Affairs Department, the NW organization sent a special ops squad to capture Benjamin. He killed three special ops soldiers and vanished.¡± Brian was taken aback, ¡°Is he that formidable?¡± ¡°The on-site investigation indicates that Benjamin had illegally transplanted banned mutated beast organs. He devoured those special ops soldiers. I went to the scene, and it was eerie; there were only three dissolved skeletons, no flesh in sight, and few traces left. Other staff members at the research facility didn¡¯t hear any sounds of conflict. Based on surveillance tracking. He left the research institute using his card in a calm manner, heading straight in your direction.¡± Upon hearing this, Brian was stunned. Could this be a stroke of luck? To send a head across a thousand miles is a gift light in weight but heavy in sentiment. He hoped that Benjamin wouldn¡¯t lose his way and be unable to find him. It was just that they had no way of contacting each other, otherwise, he might have sent his location coordinates to the other party. ... Suppressing the random thoughts in his mind, Brian began to console the worried Susan and incidentally got her to ask her father to discuss with the NW organization what compensation could be demanded. Benjamin was not only a Second-level scientific researcher at NW but also with Black Light Biotechnology. Normally, even if he had sent people to attack Brian, the worst that could happen would be that NW and the people from Black Light Biotechnology would pay off Brian, settle the matter amicably, and then save Benjamin. Talent was hard to come by. Benjamin, who had risen to become a Second-level Staff in a department teeming with talent, was such a rare asset. What Brian had intended before was to use this opportunity to take over Benjamin¡¯s authority and the research institute. He hadn¡¯t expected Benjamin to be so impulsive, killing people and fleeing. In such a case, even if Benjamin didn¡¯t die, he was as good as dead. However, for Brian to achieve his goal now, relying on himself alone was out of the question; he would need external help. Susan¡¯s father and her family were the biggest connections he had at his disposal. Soft rice wasn¡¯t for nothing. It was time to harvest. Listening to Brian¡¯s confident voice, Susan¡¯s tension and concern eased, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go to my father right now, but he¡¯s been retired for a long time, I don¡¯t know if he can do anything.¡± ¡°Just do your best.¡± With that, Brian continued in his smooth-talk, ¡°Susan, you know, I hope that when we get married, no one will think you married someone beneath you. You are the motivation for me to keep climbing higher.¡± ¡°Brian...¡± On the other end of the phone, Susan was moved to tears. Clenching her fist, she said firmly, ¡°Brian, don¡¯t worry. If my father doesn¡¯t help, I won¡¯t acknowledge him!¡± The call ended. Brian chuckled to himself. A father-in-law who doesn¡¯t give a generous dowry is no good father-in-law. He hoped Mr. Dean, Susan¡¯s father, wouldn¡¯t be too stubborn. Otherwise, he would elope with Susan and just infuriate the old man to death. ... While Brian was comforting and seducing Susan on the one hand, elsewhere. Chief Flory, surrounded by onlookers, opened a hanging, decaying coffin. An indescribable stench worse than rotten eggs rapidly filled the air. Ugh~ The sound of widespread vomiting erupted on the scene. Chief Flory looked helplessly at everyone. He had told them not to crowd around, but they still wanted to see the spectacle. If it wasn¡¯t for his decades of high prestige as the Chief, some might even take up arms to stop him from disturbing the peace of Reinhardt¡¯s corpse. In the crowd, an old man covered his nose and shakily made his way outside. He seemed to be unable to bear the smell at the scene and kept muttering, ¡°The disturbance of a dead person¡¯s body, the unrest of a departed soul, all these will bring retribution...¡± A kind-hearted girl quickly came to support the old man, ¡°Snoppy, at your age, why come here for the excitement? It¡¯s too foul.¡± ¡°Linda...¡± the old man trembled, ¡°Reinhardt was a good man; the chief shouldn¡¯t disturb his rest.¡± The girl named Linda, who looked to be only fifteen or sixteen years old, agreed with a nod upon hearing the old man¡¯s words, ¡°Mr. Reinhardt was indeed a very good person. He contributed a lot to the town and brought business. The police are going too far!¡± Hearing the girl¡¯s words, the old man¡¯s eyes showed both relief and helplessness. He liked this sense of acknowledgment. But this place was already exposed, and after delaying for so long, the traces to be cleaned up were nearly erased. It was hard to leave one¡¯s homeland, but it was necessary; otherwise, it would bring disaster here. It was time for him to leave with the K-2 experimental subject. In contemplation. The old man, supported by the young girl, returned to a wooden house with a courtyard. ... After entering the house, the old man¡¯s stooped back slowly straightened. He was about to take his equipment and leave. Then, there was a knock at the door. Reluctantly reverting to his old man¡¯s guise, he opened the door, ¡°Linda, what¡¯s the matter, you...¡± Upon seeing several strangers standing before him, his voice came to a sudden stop. Ellie looked at the old man before her with a teasing gaze, ¡°Should I call you Mr. Snoppy or Mr. Reinhardt?¡± The kindly smile on the old man¡¯s face slowly faded. After a moment¡¯s silence. He sighed, ¡°I didn¡¯t want the peace here to be disrupted; I just wanted to complete my mission and leave silently. Why come seeking death?¡± Reinhardt realized that the excavation just now was merely a ruse. He was that fish that had taken the bait. Chapter 376 - 376 233 Team Wipeout Linda鈥檚 Resurrection from Death ?376: Chapter 233: Team Wipeout, Linda¡¯s Resurrection from Death 376: Chapter 233: Team Wipeout, Linda¡¯s Resurrection from Death ¡°Don¡¯t get excited,¡± Erin pointed toward the distance. Reinhardt followed her gesture and saw, on the open ground in the distance, rows of long rifles and short cannons aimed in their direction, and most absurdly, a chain-fed machine gun lying flat. Seeing the muzzle of the machine gun, his expression finally became grave. The bullets from that thing were at least a dozen centimeters long, typically used for anti-aircraft purposes or mounted on helicopters. One shot could literally shatter a person. Reinhardt said in a lowered voice, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that this will destroy the town?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t have a problem if you surrender quietly, otherwise, all these sins will be blamed on you, Mr. Reinhardt!¡± Ellie¡¯s eyes were devoid of emotion, ¡°If it weren¡¯t to keep you from suspecting, you¡¯d already be surrounded by armed helicopters. Put on the electronic bracelet, or die. It¡¯s your choice.¡± As she spoke, she tossed a ring in front of Reinhardt. The device, as thick as an adult¡¯s big toe and flickering with light, clearly wasn¡¯t anything benign. ¡°Surrender...¡± Reinhardt cracked a smile, ¡°Compromise is just the sorrow of the weak, pity is but a boring diversion for the strong. You have no idea what kind of monster you¡¯ve provoked.¡± A wave of invisible oppression spread out. Ellie¡¯s expression changed. This was at least a First Rank enhancer or Mutant! First Rank corresponded to the Second Level combat operatives of various official organizations. She was fully aware of what that strength meant! ¡°Engage!¡± As Ellie spoke, she stepped back. The two men behind her, expressionless, pulled out dual guns and started firing. Da da da~ The two fired four handguns, emulating the effect of an automatic rifle. In the blink of an eye. Four pistols and over a hundred bullets were pumped into the body of the seemingly frail old man, causing him to tremble violently. Oddly enough, there was no visible blood. The next moment. A flash of cold light. The two gunmen stood rigid, a red line spread across their necks and, amid the squeaking sound of tearing flesh, their bodies slowly hit the ground, only to spray twin fountains of blood while the stoically standing figure colored the surroundings with a nauseating stench. Ding ding ding~ Bullets were squeezed out of Reinhardt¡¯s body. Accompanying the bullets was his skin. Reinhardt¡¯s clothes and skin, along with the bullet holes, slowly ripped apart. Amidst the merging and wriggling of his bones, his hands, hard as sickles, slowly tore through the outer skin, transforming into a handsome man standing nearly six-foot-three, clearly defined by layers of joints, slim and bent. ¡°It feels better to be back to normal.¡± Reinhardt lazily stretched his body, his numerous compound eyes looking toward the distant crowd. In a flash, his figure disappeared. .. In the distance. Ellie was still rushing toward the main force. She was having regrets. Reinhardt was so strong! She should not have risked coming forward. As a minor official with some authority, who normally did little but gained much, it was irrational for her to risk being at the front lines. Luckily, she reacted quickly and was fast on her feet, with two expendable blockers to buy some time. Initially uncertain of who the suspect was, the task force lay in wait outside the town. After confirming the suspect, they began their operations, so they were quite distanced from the cabin, a good hundred meters away. For Ellie, with her leg muscles enhanced, even with short legs, she could cross that distance in about eight seconds. Those two expendables, regardless of how incompetent, could surely buy eight seconds... Ellie¡¯s adrenaline surged, and her mind began to race illogically. Even a First Rank master couldn¡¯t withstand concentrated gunfire. As long as she reached the crowd, she would be safe. The next moment. Ellie saw the horrified expressions on the faces of the combat team members ahead. Then, disregarding their own lives, they opened fire!!! .. Ellie was puzzled why these people would fire without considering their own safety. She was a confidant of the chief of internal affairs in the CD organization! With this thought. A figure turned into an afterimage and vanished beside her. Ellie, startled, realized, for some reason, her view was getting higher. It was so high. Being short, she seldom experienced such an odd perspective. Only when her head tumbled, the residual nerves in her eyes saw the familiar, headless body that had followed its running inertia into the air, did Ellie realize what had happened. She had been beheaded! In that moment, time seemed to stop. A myriad of memories flashed through her mind. Endless darkness encroached. In the last moments of her life, Ellie had only one thought: why did she only choose to enhance her leg muscles because she was afraid of pain when the minister suggested choosing body enhancements for a greater thrill? ... With a single hand chop, Reinhardt killed the annoying woman. He moved through the hail of bullets, roaring to the sky. He dodged every bullet. Those he couldn¡¯t evade, he incredibly split with his hand like a knife. Their slow neural responses and lack of experience in dealing with such exaggerated speeds meant that although they greatly outnumbered him, most aimed shots only hit his afterimages. Only some flat-trajectory gunfires that didn¡¯t worry about civilian casualties posed trouble for him. But it was meaningless. Ordinary bullets, he could split in an instant, only that anti-aircraft machine gun. Its operator seemed to have dynamic vision, the bullets tailing him like a shadow, causing Reinhardt significant psychological pressure. Chapter 377 - 377 233 Team Wipeout Linda鈥檚 Resurrection from Death_2 ?377: Chapter 233: Team Wipeout, Linda¡¯s Resurrection from Death_2 377: Chapter 233: Team Wipeout, Linda¡¯s Resurrection from Death_2 He definitely didn¡¯t dare to take this thing head-on. But it didn¡¯t matter. Too short! The distance between them was too short! A mere hundred meters or so was nothing to him, a highly agile, extremely rare insect Reformer. He needed only two or three breaths, five or six seconds to cross it! He saw the afterimages getting closer. The combat team panicked. One of them shouted angrily, ¡°Fire at will!¡± Everyone instinctively followed the command. Countless bullets, like raindrops parallel to the ground, covered the area around Reinhardt. In such a situation, there was no way to dodge. Clang clang clang~ Reinhardt¡¯s hands became a blur of afterimages, deflecting each bullet. Due to the high-speed collision, a mass of sparks flickered between his hands and the bullets. He didn¡¯t scream in pain from being hit, but behind him came the sound of houses made of wood bursting under the strain, the screams of the unlucky ones hit by stray bullets... Although the houses in the town were densely packed, the townspeople had been gathered together due to the digging of graves and the opening of coffins, and had once again left because the scene was too disgusting. Those hit by the bullets were the townspeople heading back. They were just walking along the road when bullets came flying through the houses. Listening to the screams of the townspeople in his ears, Reinhardt¡¯s densely packed compound eyes erupted with astonishing murderous intent. He roared to the sky, ¡°You Federation trash, you really deserve to die!¡± Reinhardt leaped seven or eight meters and landed behind the combat team, his hands like the scythes of death, drawing countless afterimages in the void. In an instant. Flesh flew, bones shattered. A group of people was dismembered into numerous pieces of flesh and limbs before they could even scream... ... ¡°Cough cough~¡± Reinhardt, looking at the mess around him, stood on one foot, vomiting out large mouthfuls of green blood. He touched the void in the middle of his belly. That machine gunner, who apparently had dynamic vision, had still managed to hit him with two bullets. One tore through half of his calf, and the other pierced his abdomen. Had his body¡¯s structure not been different from that of ordinary people, he would have been split in two. His right hand, covered with armored plates, writhed, squeezing out a metal injector the size of a little finger from between the plates. Just as he was about to inject it, he seemed to think of something and, emotionless, hopped and skipped to the back of his camouflaged house. There lay three unlucky ones who had been shot. It appeared they were passing by when they suddenly heard gunshots but didn¡¯t see the scene of the firing, which delayed their hiding. By the time they reacted, they were immediately shot dead. There were also bloodstains on the path, which spread to a yard. Reinhardt hopped into the courtyard, only to find the corpse of a beautiful girl with her eyes wide in terror, looking up at the sky, her chest no longer rising and falling. She had been shot in the abdomen and dragged herself here before dying. ¡°Linda~¡± Pain flashed through Reinhardt¡¯s eyes. This girl was the same one who had supported him earlier. The town was small, with fewer than two hundred people. He was very fond of these children. Children meant the hope of life. Reinhardt crouched on one leg, his double-scythe-like hands shedding their armored musculature to return to normal human hands. Trembling, he first removed the bullet from the girl¡¯s body, then injected the life-saving reagent into her neck, hoping that it was not too late for a miracle to occur. The composition of the reagent was unknown, but once it entered the girl¡¯s body, it reacted immediately. Her dead body began to shake violently. The wound in her abdomen visibly moved and regenerated, eventually knitting back together. A dense mass of scales emerged on the surface of the girl¡¯s body. Under Reinhardt¡¯s hopeful gaze, these scales spread over most of Linda¡¯s body and then abruptly stopped, as if the energy had been completely exhausted. Reinhardt¡¯s ears twitched twice. There was no heartbeat he had been longing to hear. The girl was dead. ¡°FK!¡± Reinhardt cursed loudly, punching the nearby courtyard fence to pieces. ... The next moment. A bullet hit him right between the eyebrows. Then came a flurry of gunshots. Reinhardt grimaced and reached for his head, plucking the bullet lodged there while his muscles writhed, expelling one by one the bullets that had penetrated his body¡¯s surface. In the distance, Chief Flory held his gun in both hands, having emptied his magazine. Yet he felt no joy. After hearing the commotion, he urgently dispersed the townspeople and rushed over, only to see craters from bullets all over the ground and several houses affected by the stray bullets. There was Ellie, the woman from the CD organization¡¯s Internal Affairs, lying in a pool of blood, beheaded with a single cut, her eyes wide open in death. Further afield, the scene resembled a slaughterhouse with blood and limbs scattered everywhere, staining all heavy weapons blood red, a terrifying sight. What on earth happened here? Chief Flory was puzzled. It wasn¡¯t until he followed the traces that he saw the monster before him. The creature was hunched over, with long arms, and its skeletal structure clearly visible, somehow still alive despite its hollowed abdomen. Especially the green liquid oozing from its body. This thing was clearly not human! Years of duty had Chief Flory suppressing his fear as he fired his gun. The result was despair. His small pistol seemed only to tickle his opponent. Chapter 378 - 378 233 Team Wipeout Linda鈥檚 Resurrection from Death_3 ?378: Chapter 233: Team Wipeout, Linda¡¯s Resurrection from Death_3 378: Chapter 233: Team Wipeout, Linda¡¯s Resurrection from Death_3 It¡¯s over. Decades of police career, I guess it all ends today. Chief Flory felt despair in his heart. His hands trembling, he commenced the magazine swap. Death before dishonor! Just do it! ... ¡°Cough cough~¡± Reinhardt spewed out another two mouthfuls of green blood. Watching Chief Flory¡¯s movements, he remained indifferent, simply lacking the desire to act. He took one last look at Linda lying on the ground. Still couldn¡¯t save her after all. Bringing disaster here was, indeed, his doing. With a numb heart, he pulled out a wooden fence post for support and limped in the direction of the town¡¯s outskirts, toward the lake campsite. Even without a shin, hopping on one leg would have been infinitely faster than his current pace, but Reinhardt subconsciously didn¡¯t want to appear like that in front of familiar faces. Bang bang bang~ More shots struck Reinhardt¡¯s back. He didn¡¯t look back, just kept moving forward. Chief Flory¡¯s movements stiffened; he released his finger from the trigger, watching the tall, hunched figure moving ahead. Though clearly a monster, its silhouette seemed forlorn and oddly familiar. He tentatively called out, ¡°Reinhardt?¡± Reinhardt paused, then hastened his pace away, his lips moving silently to utter, ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± ... By the time Chief Flory caught up, all he found on the ground was a fence pole stained with an unknown green substance and several bullet casings that had been squeezed out. Looking at these objects and thinking about the corpses of townspeople along the road, as well as the dead bodies of Ellie and those unknown armed personnel, it seemed to him like the world was absurd and caught people off guard. ¡°Don¡¯t eat sour pickles!¡± ¡°Can someone tell me what exactly is going on here?¡± With the adrenaline fading, the elderly Chief Flory, gasping heavily, stood there, not knowing what to do next. Suddenly, a faint cry for help reached him. This snapped Chief Flory back to reality. He hurriedly rushed toward the source of the sound. There, a girl about fifteen or sixteen years old lay terrified where the monster had stood, cuddled against the fence, surrounded by bodies, and crying out for help. ¡°Linda!¡± Chief Flory recognized her and exclaimed with joy, ¡°You¡¯re alright, thank God. I just saw you lying there and thought you were dead!¡± ¡°Chief Flory!¡± Linda also looked relieved, ¡°Come save me, I¡¯ve been shot!¡± Hearing this, Chief Flory rushed over immediately. But as he opened the girl¡¯s bullet-riddled top according to her instructions, there were only slight traces of blood on her flat stomach... no bullet holes... Chief Flory wanted to say something, but when he met the girl¡¯s gaze, he was frightened into retreating. The girl¡¯s eyes blinked, revealing a layer of eerie white film, closing over one another like those of a humanoid lizard... Linda didn¡¯t know what was happening. She looked bewildered at the retreating Chief Flory: ¡°Chief Flory, I swear, I¡¯m not lying, I really got shot. I thought I was going to die earlier and never get to eat my mom¡¯s delicious pancakes again, I¡¯m not lying to you...¡± Watching her sincere expression and the continuously closing and opening white eyelids, Chief Flory¡¯s hand trembled slightly as he pulled out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. He took a deep drag, then slowly looked up at the clear blue sky above. FK¡¯s sake, God. What the hell is wrong with this world? He had lived in this world for decades, yet now it felt unfamiliar, as if he had never truly known it. Chief Flory was lost now. ... Elsewhere, Brian¡¯s leg muscles twitched rapidly like little motors supporting his hefty body, standing in the water that only submerged his shins, wading through it. The process was exhausting but cool. He had just followed underwater traces for half the day and finally found, to his surprise, a large space underneath. It must have been a cavity formed by an underground river over time. As time passed and the river changed course, an inner space beneath the forest formed. It was indescribable inside. Scattered with the remains of many animals and various excrements. Mostly undigested bones from crocodiles and children¡¯s clothing. As mentioned before, animal modifications can have a probability of genetic influence causing mental issues. Kullos, as a python-transformed creature, compared to a large crocodile¡¯s size, it had the ability to swallow a child whole... It can only be said that this creature was innocent, but its death was not unjust. Inside the cave, Brian also found a CD organization badge, which must belong to those missing persons. To this moment, Brian couldn¡¯t fathom how Kullos managed to deal with those missing employees; after all, they had returned before disappearing. His operations were unclear to Brian. Unless it involved Kullos¡¯ magical intoxicating gas or perhaps the effects of the cultivated ¡®Heavenly Grass.¡¯ Sadly, Brian¡¯s physical resistance was too strong. Even when eating those substances raw, apart from feeling comfortable, he felt nothing. To him, those hallucinogenic toxins that could affect ordinary people were only equivalent to heavily concentrated cigarettes. Besides some miscellaneous items, Brian finally found some household items and numerous vacuum bags. The bags were filled with more than a dozen marijuana buds. These must be the so-called Heavenly Grass cultivated by Kullos. Brian packed everything and took it with him. By the edge of the cavern was a pitch-black river. Brian surmised that the river led to Orlando City Center¡¯s Iona Lake. The previously missing people¡¯s clothing must have emerged there, leading to the subsequent events... Now, Brian was left with one puzzle. Benjamin had requested his presence in this jurisdiction. This indicated that he knew there were issues here. Wasn¡¯t that man part of NW and Black Light Biotechnology? ... With doubts in his mind, Brian was about to emerge from the water when he suddenly turned toward the dense forest ahead. Something was coming! Chapter 379 - 379 234 The Truth Obsession Fulfilled First Subscription Plus 10 Extra ?379: Chapter 234: The Truth, Obsession Fulfilled (First Subscription Plus 10 Extra) 379: Chapter 234: The Truth, Obsession Fulfilled (First Subscription Plus 10 Extra) ¡°Whoa, so many eyes.¡± Brian treaded water as he moved across the surface like a ghostly apparition, approaching the tree at a steady pace: ¡°Buddy, come down and let¡¯s talk.¡± Reinhardt slowly emerged from behind the tree. He was particularly tall. Even hunching his back, he stood over one meter ninety, as if his joints were filled with an unknown substance that stretched his entire body. The other man¡¯s condition was also not good. The cavity in his abdomen, torn by large-caliber bullets, showed no sign of healing, and a large amount of green fluid was gushing from it, nearly draining him dry. The two locked eyes. Reinhardt¡¯s gaze landed on Brian¡¯s submerged shins: ¡°Are you also a Beastification Transformed Person?¡± Brian shook his head: ¡°No, this is just a technique of exerting force. In fact, if you can control all the muscles in your body, you can also do many amazing things.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nice.¡± Reinhardt gave a sincere appraisal: ¡°Much better than being a monster like me. By the way, I heard Flory mention your name, are you Brian?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Brian nodded: ¡°It seems my fishing plan worked. Are you Reinhardt?¡± ¡°So it was all your design.¡± Reinhardt¡¯s expression darkened: ¡°Do you realize that because of your plan, more than four townsfolk have died? Those beasts didn¡¯t treat people like humans at all!¡± Brian looked strangely at the creature before him. He exerted force on his feet and moved to the shore, stepping in front of the other: ¡°Don¡¯t you find your words ironic? Should those children in the camps have burnt to death alive? Kullos originally had a decent family environment. Did he deserve to be turned into a monster by you and even become a cannibal? What¡¯s the difference between you and Ellie and the others?¡± ¡°What do you know?¡± Reinhardt became even angrier. He spat out two mouthfuls of green fluid, his compound eyes angrily glaring at Brian: ¡°If it weren¡¯t for me, more than just a few people would have died!¡± Seeing no signs of him making a move. Brian pulled out a cigarette, threw one to Reinhardt, and also lit a mosquito coil for himself, then tossed the lighter in front of the other: ¡°It looks like you¡¯re about to die. Ellie¡¯s people were really ruthless. The gunshot wounds on you must be from bullets over 20mm; they can shred 20mm thick steel plates within a thousand meters. You¡¯re pretty amazing to have survived. While you can still breathe, why not talk about this? I want to know the truth, and you probably aren¡¯t content either. Maybe I can help you fulfill some last wish. You might not know this, but I love listening to stories and helping people.¡± Still feeling not satisfied. Brian also pulled out two pieces of ¡®Heavenly Grass¡¯ he found in a cave and chewed on them. Seeing his savageness, Reinhardt¡¯s mouth twitched. The stuff was highly hallucinogenic, even he found it hard to resist. That meant the pretty boy before him had a physique stronger than his monstrous body. This was the first time he had seen such a beast. ... After a moment of silence. Reinhardt, while spitting blood, sat down cross-legged. He picked up the cigarette and lighter from the ground, lit it, took a few puffs, and then slowly began: ¡°This story is long. I¡¯ll start with my misfortune. Many years ago, I was an orphan and grew up thanks to the kindness of the townspeople. I¡¯m very grateful to them. As I got older, I always thought about doing something to give back to everyone. But I was too ordinary. No high education, no outstanding talents. I realized that an ordinary person like me could only hope to find opportunities to make money in a big city, so I left Orlan and went to New York. To be honest, I was disappointed. It was bustling and there were many people, but many things were uncomfortable for a kid from a small town like me. Then. I learned a new lesson, that an ordinary person in a different environment is still very ordinary. I could only work mechanically as a dishwasher, a helper, a waiter; the pay was meager, barely enough to survive. Even though I worked like my Chinese colleagues for eleven or twelve hours a day, I couldn¡¯t save much money. Anyway, a lot of things happened in between. I got hooked on drugs and even took out high-interest loans from gangs. To pay back the money, I was even forced to participate in some underground medical trials. There were too many people like me at the bottom in New York. I should have ended up like them, become a street vagrant, slowly rotting, and eventually swallowed by that big city, becoming its nourishment. Until I was scheduled for a new drug trial. I¡¯m not sure of the results, but afterwards, I was taken by car to a building lit only by lights. They locked me up. There were many men and women like me around. Then came various liquids injected into our bodies. Some people died, died horribly. Some people were fine before they went to sleep, but when they woke up, their whole body was covered in abscesses, yellow-brown fluid moving under their skin, and you could even see some insects in it. Yes, insects, very disgusting things. I knew I was done. I wanted to kill myself, but I couldn¡¯t. Those white-coats were very experienced and took all measures not to waste. Anyway, I was lucky and eventually became a Transformed Person. I was special, adapting to the insect transformation, particularly a strong mantis combatant. Perhaps for that reason. I had the opportunity to join them, but a special chip was implanted in my head that could locate and even detonate at any time. They also implanted various metal grids on my body, and my head was replaced by a disgusting thing, turned into a metal state. Chapter 380 - 380 234 Truth Obsession Fulfilled First Subscription Bonus +10_2 ?380: Chapter 234 Truth, Obsession Fulfilled (First Subscription Bonus +10)_2 380: Chapter 234 Truth, Obsession Fulfilled (First Subscription Bonus +10)_2 The process was excruciating; it was about injecting some liquid into your brain, and then the liquid would gradually corrode your skull, solidify, and finally become your new skull. The sensation of the surrounding nerves would drive you mad, but there was nothing you could do. In any case, through sheer strength, I became the organization¡¯s Gold Hunter in a few years. I hadn¡¯t intended that, but I wanted to survive. To survive and return to the small town. Listening to Reinhardt¡¯s endless prattling, Brian wasn¡¯t in a hurry. He asked offhandedly, ¡°What¡¯s the organization called?¡± ¡°Doomsday Sect,¡± Reinhardt replied mechanically. An invisible scent enveloped the surroundings. He didn¡¯t realize that he had unknowingly fallen under the influence of the ¡°Heavenly Grass¡± hallucinogenic components emitted from Brian¡¯s body. Serious injury + drug effect. Reinhardt had already succumbed when he bent down to pick up the cigarette. ... When Brian heard the name Doomsday Sect, his eyes narrowed slightly. This coincided with his speculations. The question was, given that this situation was concocted by the Doomsday Sect, why would Benjamin, a scientific researcher from the NW organization, know about the dangers here from thousands of miles away? ¡°Keep talking, buddy, you must have kept these things to yourself for a long time. Let it all out. Speaking out will make you feel better. There¡¯s no need to hide anything. Say what you want to say.¡± Brian whispered like a Demon. Reinhardt¡¯s compound eyes were muddled: ¡°Yes, I do feel much lighter. After spending a few years with the Doomsday Sect, I did a lot of things for them and became a member of the group I most despised. They are very skilled in genetic engineering. They also raised many groups known as Mutants, a few hundred in total, I think, with only the exceptional individuals being absorbed. This group is similar to us, also possessing some unique abilities, but all quite weak, prone to losing their minds, and even more mad-looking than us. The Doomsday Sect controls them with a kind of potion. Their treatment was better than ours. In the meantime, I went on a few missions and helped the Doomsday Sect capture some Mutants who refused to join. Until I met a special girl. She looked very young. She saw through my disguise and gave me a bottle of red blood, saying it would help me, and the price was to go to her aid when notified. The blood was peculiar, it aroused my appetite. I couldn¡¯t help but swallow it down, and when I woke up again, my body had undergone a miraculous change and became what it is now. After returning, I learned that I had grown stronger. They called me a First Rank life form. My permissions were elevated, and I gained the privilege to move freely. But I still had to accept missions. To return to the small town, I had no choice but to pick a directive breeding task.¡± ¡°Directive breeding?¡± Brian touched the Heavenly Grass at his waist: ¡°Is it for cultivating Heavenly Grass?¡± He actually wanted to ask about the girl, but with Reinhardt in a dazed state, he preferred to find out the truth of the matter first. ¡°Yes,¡± Reinhardt nodded: ¡°The Doomsday Sect, as far as I know, has three mature directive breeding routes, one is my type, the Scythe Warrior, another is the Undead Warrior, and the last one is the Hallucinogenic Snake. The Doomsday Sect gave me two precious special reagents. They told me to find life forms that wouldn¡¯t reject these two reagents, preferably children. So I returned to the small town, using the money given by the organization to set up a lakeside camp, continuously drawing in children from around to come. Before coming, to ensure safety, the children all needed to go through our medical examinations. This gave me the opportunity. However, there were very few targets that fit, and I could never bring myself to take action. The sect was very unhappy. I had no choice but to intermittently complete the organization¡¯s missions to prevent them from intervening. Until a little over two years ago. The Doomsday Sect sent someone to check on my situation again. This time, Kullos happened to be tested for compatibility with the Illusory Snake reagent. If he underwent the reagent¡¯s transformation and Enhancement, his chances of survival were about ten percent, which was very high, at least several times higher than my own chances. Because of this, I got into an altercation and fight with the person the Doomsday Sect sent. I didn¡¯t win. He set a fire, then threw Kullos, who was barely alive, in front of me. To save him, I could only inject him with the reagent. He was lucky and survived. After that, I changed my identity and have been raising him with my own flesh and blood, but he was too young, and his mind was very vague. I could only continue to bring his parents in to train him into a relatively obedient individual.¡± ¡°His parents?¡± Brian pressed on: ¡°Do his parents know about their son¡¯s condition?¡± ¡°They knew, but Kullos devoured them during one of his fits of madness,¡± Reinhardt¡¯s voice grew weaker: ¡°Since then, I¡¯ve realized he¡¯s just a simple beast. To protect the townspeople from being killed by the Doomsday Sect, I had to control Kullos and cultivate the Heavenly Grass as they required. It¡¯s all my fault. I couldn¡¯t bear to leave the small town. Kullos had serious mental issues, almost like a wild animal. Although I tried hard, he still attacked anything that came near the Heavenly Grass. That also led to the disappearance of several children afterward. When it happened, I knew it was all going to end. So I started cleaning up traces and preparing to take him away. But I was still one step too late. Chapter 381 - 381 234 The Truth Obsession Fulfilled First Subscription Plus 10 Extra_3 ?381: Chapter 234: The Truth, Obsession Fulfilled (First Subscription Plus 10 Extra)_3 381: Chapter 234: The Truth, Obsession Fulfilled (First Subscription Plus 10 Extra)_3 ¡°Cough, cough..¡± Green blood had already pooled into a small pit beneath Reinhardt. He had almost drained all his bodily fluids. .. Brian: ... ¡°I never expected that the parents in Kullos¡¯s obsession had already been eaten by him himself.¡± Damn! What a human tragedy. The Doomsday Sect, this organization actively creating monsters, really deserves to die! Fortunately, Reinhardt was a decent person, and afterward, he buried the poor couple¡¯s un-digested skeletons beneath the camp. Having the bones together somewhat makes it a family reunion, right? Next, Brian asked him for the address of the Doomsday Sect. But Reinhardt didn¡¯t know it. His trips were always very secretive. Being no Beastification Person with enhanced sensing abilities, he was unaware of the base¡¯s location. Brian could only continue asking about Benjamin. But Reinhardt still had no clue. His life trajectory was simple, and being somewhat simple-minded after making a name for himself in the Doomsday Sect, he had never thought about ascending ranks or cared much about such matters. Actually, if he had learned from Brian to form alliances and cling to the powerful, his situation would probably be much better now. Not getting the information he wanted, Brian could only go on asking, ¡°What about that girl who once helped you? And where is that reagent under you?¡± Reinhardt, his compound eyes lifelessly gazing at the sky, smiled, ¡°The girl lives in XX, she¡¯s always at that hotel, staying with her daughter. The reagent, the reagent was used on Linda. I saw it, I saw her come back to life, and that¡¯s good...¡± Brian was about to ask more but then saw specks of starlight emerging from Reinhardt¡¯s body, gathering mid-air, and forming into a deep red Obsession Little Ball. He was dead. .. Brian remained silent for a long time. From Reinhardt, he had learned a lot of useful information. Directed cultivation... The more he learned about the Doomsday Sect, the more outrageous it seemed. Brian suspected that this sect was not only involved with the FBI but also collaborated with Black Light Biotechnology and possibly other organizations. Shades of gray. Even Brian, an ¡®insider,¡¯ was beginning to lose track at this point. Also, there was the address of the girl who helped Reinhardt evolve. Located within the Greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. Curiously, hearing Reinhardt¡¯s story gave Brian a strangely familiar feeling. ¡°It seems that if I want to know why Benjamin knew about this place and used others for his own ends, I¡¯ll have to find him personally for answers.¡± Contemplating, Brian crushed Reinhardt¡¯s Obsession Little Ball. He didn¡¯t rush to check the contents of the obsession, but returned to where he had previously killed the python monster. Brian dragged the corpse to the burial site mentioned by Reinhardt. Upon digging, he indeed found two skulls marked by acid corrosion. These must be the remains of Kullos¡¯s parents from his obsession. Throwing the bodies together, he covered them with soil. A warm current surged. Kullos¡¯s obsession was fulfilled! ... Upon fulfilling the obsession, it was time to choose a reward. Honestly, after experiencing the effects of ¡°Heavenly Grass,¡± Brian was somewhat swayed. That ¡°Hallucinogenic Poison¡± talent was also quite useful. No need for interrogation in the future. After a moment of thought, Brian still chose the selective Mutated python muscle. According to Reinhardt¡¯s story, the Doomsday Sect¡¯s three Enhancement pathways were already well developed, even mass producible. The talent of ¡°Hallucinogenic Poison¡± could be pursued later. At this moment, the Doomsday Sect, and indeed all the official underground organizations, appeared to Brian as mere instances. Farming these inhumane organization instances wouldn¡¯t cause him any moral dilemma. But that was a later concern. As Brian made his choice, strange transformations surged within him. Muscles differentiated, filling his body more efficiently, while his bones also subtly changed, becoming more flexible. Seconds later, Brian, like a king cobra unfolding, his muscles fanned out, with a demonic face formed by his back muscles contracting with each breath, was vividly lifelike... He looked at his ordinary fists, feeling an explosive power inside, and an inexplicable sense felt as if he could smash through the void with a single punch. This Enhancement was incredibly effective! Chapter 383 - 383 235 Secrets of Second Rank Life Benjamin Arriving Soon Combined 682 in One_2 ?383: Chapter 235: Secrets of Second Rank Life, Benjamin Arriving Soon (Combined, 682 in One)_2 383: Chapter 235: Secrets of Second Rank Life, Benjamin Arriving Soon (Combined, 682 in One)_2 He turned to Brian and said, ¡°I¡¯m Tagg, the Second-level Staff of the Combat Department in the CD organization. Where¡¯s Reinhardt? We received a rescue signal from Ellie, that she and her team were killed by Reinhardt in Green Town. Based on the traces of fluids left by Reinhardt, we finally pinpointed this location.¡± Green Town was actually the name of the sheriff¡¯s town. Influenced by a certain fairy tale, there were many towns with similar names across the Federation. Brian pointed in the direction of the camp toward the lake, ¡°He¡¯s dead. He was shot in the abdomen and the shin. By the time he made it here, he was barely hanging on, I watched him die.¡± Tagg narrowed his eyes, ¡°The reason? What was Reinhardt¡¯s reason for coming here? What did he tell you before he died?¡± Ellie was a confidant of the Minister of Internal Affairs, of course, everyone was aware of their relationship. The other party was dead. This matter definitely required an explanation. Faced with the other party¡¯s somewhat hostile tone and attitude, the plentily benefited Brian wasn¡¯t bothered as he took out a pouch from his waist and tossed over a few ¡®Heavenly Grass¡¯. He then briefly spoke of the story here. Of course, he didn¡¯t mention anything about Benjamin, nor did he talk about the woman whose blood allowed Reinhardt to break through from First Rank life, that is, the strength level of a Second-level Staff member. Tagg probably didn¡¯t expect Brian to be so cooperative. He carefully stored the few Heavenly Grass, nodded at Brian, ¡°Thank you.¡± As for the remaining Heavenly Grass by Brian¡¯s waist, he pretended not to see it. Brian was a Second-level Staff member of NW. Considering the other party¡¯s stature, he didn¡¯t seem easy to mess with. He didn¡¯t want to stir up trouble, even if his own combat units surrounded them completely. Such were the benefits of status. ... Before long. A group of soldiers packed Reinhardt¡¯s body into a body bag and hoisted it onto a helicopter. Brian hitched a ride. Tagg probably thought well of him because of Brian¡¯s size and simply performed a friendly ¡®handshake¡¯, not taking advantage after, and chose to share an armored vehicle with him. On the road, Brian curiously asked, ¡°Tagg, in your CD organization, are there many with strength similar to yours?¡± Tagg shook his head: ¡°Very few, I only know of three. I¡¯m certain there are some I don¡¯t know about, but they¡¯re definitely not plentiful. Second-level Staff of the Combat Department, with the exception of Sharpshooters who rely on external aids, are basically First Rank lives, and achieving this step requires not only a huge amount of compatible resources but more importantly, talent. Like me. I took the path of pure physical strength and defense enhancement. The Combat Department has a big guy similar to me, but my maximum strength is about 1500KG, my muscles can withstand small caliber bullets, whereas he¡¯s only at 1000KG, his muscular strength not as good as mine. However, his speed is much faster than mine. If we really got into hand-to-hand combat, I might not be his match. Every First Rank enhancer is a unique individual, you can¡¯t make quantitative comparisons.¡± Tagg, knowing from the records that Brian had only emerged as a Second Level Staff after this cycle of the Blood Moon Radiation, that his promotion was very recent, especially explained some fundamentals to Brian. Mainly because Brian¡¯s resume was too astonishing. Anyone with a sane mind, looking at Brian¡¯s promotion curve, would know that as long as he didn¡¯t die halfway, he was destined to become a high-level executive of the NW organization. Now they could sit together as equals. In the future, should they meet again, the circumstances could be completely different. In this regard, the seemingly big and brawny Tagg was genuinely heartfelt and did not skimp on showing his kindness. Seeing him so easy to talk to. Brian probed, ¡°What about Third Rank Staff? I¡¯ve always been curious about the difference between Third Rank Staff and us, but since I have a thin foundation in the NW organization and I often have to go on missions, I¡¯ve never had the chance to find out.¡± ¡°Third Rank Staff...¡± Tagg pondered for a moment, then whispered, ¡°Third Rank Staff are very rare globally, I¡¯m not clear on the differences between them and us, only knowing that the higher-ups are restricting the birth of this group.¡± ¡°Restricting?¡± Brian was startled. Could there be some secrets here? Seeing Brian¡¯s reaction, Tagg quickly clarified: ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, it¡¯s not as dark as you imagine. Third Level combat staff, also known as Second Rank Life Forms. Their numbers are small, one reason is resources. The Enhancement Reagent required by Third Rank Staff, beyond the capability of the majority of Mutants to provide. In the many years I¡¯ve been a Second-level Staff member in the CD organization, I¡¯ve never even seen such a powerful Mutant. So for us to continue to become stronger, we must rely on those Mutated Sea Beasts from the deep sea. They are a terrifying group, especially those disgusting octopuses, I¡¯m a bit afraid of those creatures now. Overall, for us to continue to become stronger, if we don¡¯t have the support of major powers, it¡¯s difficult. The birth of every Second Rank Life Form is behind the death of a large number of soldiers in pursuit of Mutated Sea Beasts and the consumption of weapons resources, it¡¯s a great cost. Without the help of a power, the chances for ordinary people like me to be promoted are virtually non-existent.¡± Brian nodded thoughtfully, ¡°Makes sense.¡± Tagg continued: ¡°The second reason is talent. I¡¯ve heard my superior say before that apart from their physical prowess, Second Rank Life Forms also involve willpower. That¡¯s a state that cannot be described in words, only experienced personally. Regardless, without a will as strong as steel, even if you were given resources, your end result would be to fall into a bizarre state of frenzy, lose your mind, die on the spot, or become a test subject.¡± Chapter 384 - 384 235 Secrets of Second Rank Life Benjamin Arriving Soon Combined 682 in One_3 ?384: Chapter 235: Secrets of Second Rank Life, Benjamin Arriving Soon (Combined, 682 in One)_3 384: Chapter 235: Secrets of Second Rank Life, Benjamin Arriving Soon (Combined, 682 in One)_3 This also led many Second-level Staff to never even consider the prospect of promotion. After all, the social status we currently possess is already sufficient to ensure a superior life for ourselves and our descendants, and nobody likes to risk a decent situation for an uncertain future. The major organizations also don¡¯t want to waste their hard-earned rare resources and their cultivated powerhouses on a gamble. That¡¯s another main reason why there¡¯s a limit imposed on the birth of Second Rank Lives.¡± This information was significant. Brian hadn¡¯t expected that Enhanced Persons, like Mutants, would also face a test of will to continue advancing. He wondered if it was because the resources for Enhancement all originated from Mutants or Mutant Beasts. But it seemed that both groups converged on similar paths in the later stages. Tagg waited for a moment, giving Brian time to absorb this information, before continuing, ¡°There¡¯s also a third reason, and that¡¯s eating.¡± ¡°Eating?¡± Tagg nodded. ¡°Yes, eating. Brian, you must know that at our current level, just maintaining our daily bodily needs requires consuming large amounts of food or those specially formulated nutrient pastes and Nutrient Liquids.¡± Brian nodded. Indeed, that was the case. His Enhancement was achieved through Gift Energy of unknown composition, instantly set in place without additional depletion of his own bodily energy reserves. But for maintenance, he still had to rely on himself. He was very hungry now, extremely hungry. If Brian hadn¡¯t deliberately suppressed it, his powerful stomach would have been growling like thunder by now. ¡°Have you ever thought about how much food and resources those Third Level staff in the Combat Department have to consume to maintain their daily bodily needs?¡± Tagg appeared to find something amusing, chuckling to himself, ¡°I¡¯ve heard quite an interesting story. Those Third Level staff, with their exaggeratedly active cellular metabolism and strong digestive capacities, can barely sustain their basic needs with just meat and high-calorie foods. So initially, the first Enhanced Persons to reach Second Rank Life simply had to sit on the toilet all day, eating and defecating continuously until those scientists urgently synthesized some special nutrient pastes to end that ridiculous state. But even with those nutrient pastes, it¡¯s hard to sustain their intense combat exertions. This also leads to the difficulty for these powerhouses to go on missions; they can only stay in one place to reduce their energy consumption, gnawing on those unappetizing things every day. Plus, their bodies are too strong. Ordinary pleasures provide little stimulation for them. Whether it¡¯s women, tobacco, or even narcotics, their exaggerated cellular activity metabolizes it all. So in reality, they don¡¯t have much of a life.¡± Brian was somewhat startled by the information Tagg had revealed. Were those guys really that miserable? No, not just those guys. He felt that his muscle-bursting state must be what Tagg referred to as Second Rank Life. No wonder he felt especially hungry now. Keep in mind that Brian could control his own body, so he naturally reduced consumption and avoided wasting energy, allowing his body to remain in a low-frequency state most of the time. Even so, just by experimenting with his strength briefly, he was already unbearably hungry. Those Third Level Staff who couldn¡¯t lower their body¡¯s frequency of energy consumption were probably in an even worse situation. It¡¯s no wonder Tagg mentioned eating as a factor impacting the emergence of Third Level Staff, or official Second Rank Enhanced Persons. ... Tagg was somewhat disappointed that Brian didn¡¯t laugh along when he heard about the miserable situation of the Third Level Staff. He had laughed for quite a while when he first heard about it. Brian¡¯s unamused reaction dampened Tagg¡¯s enthusiasm to share. He added without much interest, ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. The research and development departments of the major official organizations have been working hard to solve this problem. You see, the Mutant community also gives birth to Second Rank Lives. But they are different from us Enhanced Persons. When they elevate their level of life, they undergo certain special changes and develop some strange bodily organs that reduce their bodily wear and improve their absorption of food. Enhanced Persons are a group that emerged from the bones of deceased Mutants. I believe that in the near future, we will not only be able to safely become Second Rank Lives but also avoid the unlucky fate of our predecessors.¡± As he spoke, Tagg pulled a copper box out of his pocket. The box opened to reveal a row of hand-rolled tobacco. Brian caught the scent of marijuana from it. Tagg lit one up and took a deep drag, then exhaled a satisfying puff of smoke, ¡°To be honest, sometimes I think Mutants are the true evolved beings. Their strength increases without any impact on their senses, unlike us. Now when I drink or smoke, I hardly feel anything, and getting rough with women often leaves them battered, which is no fun at all.¡± Hearing this, Brian smiled and remained silent. Unlike Enhanced Persons like Tagg, he could not only control his strength finely but also retained his previous senses, and he didn¡¯t need to rely on drugs for some minor physical stimulation like Tagg. Hm? Brian seemed to have a thought. He looked down at the pouch around his waist containing Heavenly Grass. Could these specially cultivated marijuana plants be the pastime product specifically cultivated by the Doomsday Sect for the high-level Enhanced Persons of official organizations? ... Back in the town, Brian met with Chief Flory again. Chapter 385 - 385 235 Secrets of Second Rank Life Benjamin Arriving Soon Combined 682 in One_4 ?385: Chapter 235: Secrets of Second Rank Life, Benjamin Arriving Soon (Combined, 682 in One)_4 385: Chapter 235: Secrets of Second Rank Life, Benjamin Arriving Soon (Combined, 682 in One)_4 There were still many members of the CD organization cleaning up the remnants of the battle in the town. Chief Flory was in a terrible mood. He squatted on an empty lot, staring blankly at the logistics staff of the CD organization as they cleaned the battlefield, lost in his thoughts. It wasn¡¯t until he saw Brian return that a flicker of life returned to Chief Flory¡¯s dull eyes. He rushed over angrily and confronted Brian, ¡°Why did you secretly arrange a fishing plan, you killed...¡± A large hand clamped down, cutting off the rest of Chief Flory¡¯s words. Tagg held Chief Flory¡¯s neck with one hand, as if pinching the neck of a small chicken, and calmly said to Brian, ¡°Ellie agreed to give you the compensation in the hands of the field staff, go get it. I¡¯ll handle this man for you.¡± In his words and expression, Chief Flory, an old sheriff who had served the town for decades, appeared as insignificant as an ant, easily squashed. Brian was taken aback and shook his head. Seeing this, Tagg nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m heading back now, see you when there¡¯s a chance.¡± With that, he casually tossed Chief Flory to the ground and returned to the armored vehicle, leaving the town. Brian watched the armored vehicle leave. He looked at Chief Flory lying on the ground, clutching his neck and coughing uncontrollably, and apologized, ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t know Ellie and her people act so... indifferent to life.¡± He had been with the NW operations department for a long time. He subconsciously associated that place with here. The groups in the NW operations department, though not without authority, still primarily focused on protecting citizens¡¯ lives and identifying hidden Mutant criminals. On this side... Both Ellie¡¯s way of doing things and what Tagg just did were somewhat different from them. Perhaps this is the real attitude of these official organization employees towards ordinary people. Tagg¡¯s pinch also awakened Chief Flory¡¯s senses. He wiped the saliva from his mouth and sat on the ground, smoking in despair. Today¡¯s events were a heavy blow to the sheriff who had maintained the town¡¯s security for decades. Seeing this, Brian prepared to collect his compensation reagent and also look for the girl who used the rare reagent from Reinhardt. Suddenly, from behind, Chief Flory asked, ¡°What about Reinhardt?¡± ¡°He¡¯s dead, died of severe injuries by the lake camp, and I¡¯ve also dealt with the murderer causing the disappearances, so things here will return to normal.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Brian nodded, did not look back, and disappeared from Chief Flory¡¯s view. Unless something unexpected happened, the two would not meet again. As for the compensation for the town¡¯s residents, the CD organization would handle it; it was not his concern. He was just a foreigner who came to help. Under the guidance of the CD logistics staff, Brian received a small silver briefcase. Inside the case were two Auditory Enhancement Reagents, and together with his previous third reagent, it was a complete enhancement process. At the same time, he also saw the tragic, mangled body of Ellie. ¡°Reinhardt really hits hard...¡± Brian sighed. Ellie... Suddenly, the face of a little girl flashed in his mind. Speaking of which, His first obsession was a great mother wanting to protect her daughter Alli. Ellie and Alli, the pronunciation of the two names was the same. That obsession, Brian hadn¡¯t yet had the chance to address it, and it had resolved itself. ¡°Going back could be a good chance to see that little girl...¡± Holding the briefcase, Brian knocked on the door of a townsman¡¯s home, bought a set of clothes to wear, and made an excuse to inquire about Linda¡¯s residence. He didn¡¯t ask the sheriff because he was not in a good state. Probably because some townspeople had been mistakenly killed by the officials, the townspeople¡¯s attitude towards Brian was not very good, but they still viewed Franklin favorably. Eventually, Brian got Linda¡¯s address. Linda was the girl Reinhardt kept muttering about in the end. Before coming here, Reinhardt had acquired two rare Beastification Reagents from the Doomsday Sect. One was for transforming the Illusory Snake, and the other was a Beastification Reagent for the Undead. The one injected into Linda was likely the latter. Undead... Naturally, it couldn¡¯t be that exaggerated. Brian suspected it was some kind of beast reagent with strong self-healing abilities. Something like a gecko, for instance. If possible, he wouldn¡¯t mind bringing her back to Los Angeles to join their B6 team, or even the Urban Legend Organization he had established and then abandoned. ... Meanwhile, on the exterior of a plane headed to Ordolan, a figure clung to an inconspicuous part of the fuselage, eyes tightly shut. Suddenly, Gurgle~ A hunger signal emerged from the figure¡¯s stomach. Benjamin slowly opened his reddened eyes and looked at the small plane¡¯s fuselage. The next moment, two dark octopus tentacles violently detached from the plane, flailing in mid-air, brutally smashing the special glass of the plane. Before the passengers in the cabin could react, the suction-cup-covered tentacles sprouted numerous sharp teeth from their cavities and pierced into their necks and bodies, visibly creating small balls of liquid that continuously transferred outside. These tentacles were feasting on humans! This scene was essentially a live-action version of ¡°Deep Freeze¡± played on a plane! In less than two seconds, two unfortunate souls were drained into dry, skin-and-bone corpses. The rest of the passengers finally reacted. ¡°My God, am I still not awake?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a monster on the plane!¡± Some screamed, some looked dumbfounded. Some unbuckled their seatbelts, trying to flee, only to find their bodies uncontrollable and their hands shaking uncontrollably. Others grabbed anything nearby and hurled it at the two narrow, dark, disgusting tentacles. But it was all pointless. After all, it was a small plane with limited space. In just over a minute, a dozen passengers and a flight attendant all collapsed in the cabin, turning into piles of skin-and-bone dry corpses. ¡°Truly delicious...¡± Benjamin licked his lips, his eyes glowing redder. He moved like a liquid, worming along the plane¡¯s surface, entering the plane and stepping over the bones, he reached the cockpit. The small plane¡¯s cockpit also had a security door, but it wasn¡¯t as robust as those in larger commercial planes. With loud bangs. The metal door fiercely revealed four indentations... Momentarily. Accompanied by screams, Benjamin sat in the pilot¡¯s seat, picked up the pilot¡¯s hot coffee, and elegantly sipped it. Soon. Brian! I¡¯ll find you soon! Benjamin believed that his superior genes could definitely be used to create the best biological serum to suppress his own loss of control. Brian was his last hope! He couldn¡¯t escape! Chapter 386 - 386 236 Taking Linda Away Benjamin Arrives ?386: Chapter 236: Taking Linda Away, Benjamin Arrives 386: Chapter 236: Taking Linda Away, Benjamin Arrives ¡°Hello, is this Linda¡¯s home?¡± Brian stood at the doorstep of a residence, ringing the doorbell. Due to the recent attacks and resulting unrest, the few inhabitants of the town predominantly stayed indoors, not venturing out into the commotion. After a short while, a sliver of a door cracked open, revealing cautious eyes behind it, ¡°State your purpose, stranger.¡± Brian gestured with his hand, ¡°My name is Brian, I¡¯m an investigator officially sent to look into a missing persons case. I¡¯ve resolved the case; may I come in to discuss it?¡± The owner of the eyes hesitated, looking over Brian¡¯s ill-fitting and obviously cheap jacket. Considering that many official personnel were clearing out the town, he eventually opened the door. Behind the door stood a middle-aged man with a beard, holding a handgun¡ªa very common Glock 17. It was moderately powerful, and affordable. A brand new Glock 17 from the gun store would only cost a few hundred US dollars, and civilian ownership was extensive. Behind the man was a woman holding a long gun. On the sofa sat one adult and two children, all three glued to the television. Brian noticed a picture frame on the cabinet. It was a family photo of the man and woman, along with four children. A family of six, quite fertile. This gave Brian more confidence about taking Linda with him. ¡°Good sense of security.¡± Brian scanned the room, nose twitching slightly, and his gaze shifted to the staircase leading upstairs, ¡°Is Linda upstairs?¡± ¡°What do you want with Linda?¡± The couple watched Brian, on their guard. Brian pulled out his undamaged ID, ¡°I¡¯m a high-level officer from Los Angeles NW. It¡¯s like this, miss Linda is involved in a special case. Her situation is quite problematic right now, and if possible, I would like to recruit her to join our team, to become...¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t even think about it!¡± The woman clutching the long gun angrily pointed the barrel in his direction, ¡°No one can take my daughter away. No one!¡± The man also blocked the doorway, with a look that meant Brian had better explain himself clearly. Brian shrugged his shoulders. He tucked his ID away: ¡°Our organization is of a higher level than the regular police force, the benefits are very good. The average salary for official staff is ten thousand dollars a month, plus additional bonuses, and the families of our staff also enjoy services from our cooperating private medical institutions. Every year there¡¯s paid vacation, free travel. Oh, and the average bonus of my team alone, in just three months, has exceeded six figures. Maybe you could reconsider.¡± Saying this, Brian acted as if he was about to leave. The couple exchanged glances and stopped him again, ¡°Sorry, perhaps we can sit down and discuss this more thoroughly. By the way, handsome sir, would you like coffee, or water...¡± ... It turns out everyone loves Franklin. Nothing sways people like laying out the income directly. Many people think that everyone in this area is wealthy. That¡¯s a very wrong line of thinking. In the Federation Townships, if the area doesn¡¯t have resources, most residents¡¯ annual income at this point is, for a family, only about twenty or thirty thousand dollars. Some have absolutely no job opportunities, no income at all, relying only on odd jobs and a bit of homegrown produce, plus welfare to get by. This isn¡¯t a joke. The terms Brian offered represent a class leap for this family of six. Thus, he smoothly met Linda, who was curled up in a bed on the second floor. Linda was not in a good state, her little face still showed signs of shock, her eyes red and her body trembling slightly. Not far, on the floor, there lay blood-stained shorts with a bullet hole. However, Brian noticed that there were no injuries on Linda¡¯s body. Linda¡¯s parents went out first to converse with the others before stepping out, leaving the two of them alone in the room. They didn¡¯t close the door, either. It was a warning to Brian: we¡¯re ready to come in at any time. ¡°Who are you?¡± Linda got up, wrapped in a blanket, and looked at Brian with a scared and uneasy look. Today¡¯s attack was her first encounter with violence, and the experience frightened this young girl. Even now, Linda felt like she was dreaming. She felt as though she¡¯d been shot, with no wound on her body yet a bullet hole in her clothes... It was all too surreal. Brian briefly introduced himself and smiled at Linda, ¡°Do you feel that your body has undergone some subtle changes?¡± Linda didn¡¯t speak, just staring at Brian with wide eyes. The next moment, a white film popped over her eyes, flickering rapidly, revealing the inner turmoil of the girl. In any movie, this would be a perfect horror transition scene. Brian also felt surprise. He walked to the vanity, took out a small mirror, and tossed it to Linda, ¡°Your body has changed, you just don¡¯t want to believe it. Look at your eyes.¡± Linda hesitantly picked up the mirror and looked at her reflection. The next moment, she screamed. Outside, the fierce-looking couple burst in. They didn¡¯t see what they had imagined, but they saw their daughter Linda, her beautiful eyes covered with an uncontrolled white film, and even fine grey, scale-like material appearing on her cheeks. They too let out cries of shock. Chapter 387 - 387 236 Taking Linda Away Benjamin Arrives_2 ?387: Chapter 236: Taking Linda Away, Benjamin Arrives_2 387: Chapter 236: Taking Linda Away, Benjamin Arrives_2 Is this still their daughter Linda? ... ¡°...A small passenger plane headed for Odran has lost contact with the ground, according to an employee at the control center, this plane...¡± In the hotel, Brian turned off the TV and opened the box on the coffee table. Inside the box were three reagents, all Auditory Enhancement Reagents, ear drop style, sold in sets of three, with effects varying from person to person. Brian had gained slight auditory enhancement thanks to fulfilling that captain¡¯s obsession. This slight talent, combined with his physical condition, proved quite effective. He now wanted to try using the reagent again to see if the effects would be even better. Beside him, the dazed girl stared blankly at Brian¡¯s actions and suddenly asked, ¡°What is this, Mr. Brian?¡± ¡°Enhancement Reagent, it can give people some special abilities, similar to your current situation,¡± Brian patiently explained. The girl was Linda. When her parents saw the monstrous traits on Linda, they did not need Brian¡¯s persuasion to convince Linda to follow Brian. It hurt Linda deeply. Her parents were not the inclusive kind portrayed in movies. Their gazes toward Linda were filled with fear and rejection. They even wished that Brian would keep it a secret and quietly take Linda away, so the townspeople would not know about Linda becoming a monster. This left Linda disheartened, numbly following Brian onto the car. ... The comment she made was the first thing Linda had initiated since leaving home. Seeing this, Brian felt a bit relieved. It was good that she was willing to speak. Otherwise, for a fifteen-year-old girl, he didn¡¯t have much experience handling. Brian gently comforted her, ¡°So you are not a monster, just a new type of human that ordinary people don¡¯t know about. If you are a monster, then I am too, as are many officials. You are not alone.¡± In Linda¡¯s eyes, a flicker of life returned. She looked at Brian with expectation, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Brian affirmed, nodding his head. He casually picked up the glass ashtray from the coffee table, clasped his hands together. In the next moment, the sturdy ashtray crisply shattered like a chip, mercilessly crushed by Brian¡¯s palms into countless glass fragments that fell into the trash can. Seeing this, Linda¡¯s mouth dropped open, ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± ¡°Ha ha.¡± Brian ruffled Linda¡¯s hair, ¡°So don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take you to Los Angeles to meet some new friends. You¡¯ll have a new life and lots to do there... it¡¯s a bustling place.¡± Next, Brian painted many grand pictures for Linda. He might not understand fifteen-year-old girls, but he understood human nature. Humans have a self-defense mechanism. When they perceive their situation as terrible, they subconsciously want to escape their current environment. If someone paints a rosy picture for them, they become hopeful and may even see the new environment as their only redemption. In fact, some of the large number of people who go missing in the United States each year are lured away by foreign scammers using this tactic. Linda was captivated by the scenes described by Brian. Her eyes regained their sparkle, showing a hint of anticipation for her future life and some nervousness. However, this nervousness was significantly lessened in the presence of the tall, reasonably good-looking Brian. She even harbored some typical teenage girl fantasies. ... Watching Linda shyly blush, stooping with a coy posture. Brian¡¯s nostrils flared, his expression suddenly became strange: Teenagers, regardless of gender, have raging hormones... He simply took the box and returned to his own room. The Auditory Enhancement Reagent came in three vials. Following the label, Brian first dropped the number one reagent into both ears. This stuff, similar to a pill, mostly consists of inactive ingredients. The reagent was the same. As the liquid entered his ears and touched air, it automatically congealed into a sphere, and with a slight tilt of the head, it rolled into the ear canal. The moment it touched the eardrum, the spherical liquid melted and merged into the surrounding bodily tissue. The operation on the other ear was similar. The stuff worked quickly. Almost immediately after completing these steps, Brian felt a warmth in the area of both ears, a large number of nerves became active, and even started to proliferate. According to field personnel and the previous Ellie, this process was supposed to last about ten seconds, the longer the better. Brian figured it was his physique and the previous slight auditory enhancement talent that made his absorption of the reagent exaggeratedly effective, taking a full half-minute before the feeling subsided. He briefly tested the enhancement effects. His auditory nerves had developed significantly and had also increased substantially. His precise hearing range, which initially span around ten meters, had extended by about three meters, equivalent to an enhancement of over twenty percent. ¡°Continue..¡± The remaining two reagents were also used by Brian. Normally, the effectiveness of these things would definitely diminish. But that wasn¡¯t the case for Brian. It was like the previous auditory enhancement plug-in could not meet the demands of his body¡¯s performance; now with the supply of the Enhancement Reagent, it was like rain after a long drought, with surprisingly good effects. He absorbed all three reagents. Brian¡¯s precise hearing range had directly reached more than thirty meters in radius, and his effective hearing range had reached nearly two hundred meters. Even if someone whispered bad things about him from two hundred meters away, he could hear them now. That was pretty cool! Of course, with physical obstacles and external forces, this range would also fluctuate, still adhering to basic physical principles. ... Enhancement complete. Brian was about to leave the room when he distinctly heard weird noises coming from Linda¡¯s mouth in the next room, along with some strange actions... They were all coming of age. He immediately understood. ¡°Ah, my damned charm.¡± Brian sighed, walked to the window, lit an incense stick, gazed at the street and passersby outside, and diverted his thoughts, wondering how Benjamin would find him. A dozen minutes later. Sounds of water flushing came from next door. Followed by wiping and dressing. It seemed about right. Only then did Brian open the door and called Linda to go for lunch. .. ¡°Mr. Brian, do you always have such a good appetite?¡± Linda asked in surprise, wearing small sunglasses. She still couldn¡¯t control her body changes well and, driven by emotions, would sometimes exhibit unusual physical reactions; thus, she had to wear sunglasses when out. ¡°Not bad.¡± Brian responded indifferently, then tore into the one-pound steak in front of him and gulped it down in a few bites. They had already changed to three different restaurants and had lunch three times. Of course, Brian was the main eater. As for Linda, her eating habits hadn¡¯t shown anything special yet, probably because the special energy carried by the Beastification Reagent hadn¡¯t fully dispersed. Brian was no longer the greenhorn he used to be. With his extensive knowledge and strong memory, he had memorized a lot of confidential data and information from the NW organization. Normally, Beastification Transformed People, after completing their transformation, would have a period of frenzied eating, the duration of which was uncertain and differed from individual to individual. Some unprepared or unlucky individuals who came across the Beastification Reagent might attack humans during this phase. Brian¡¯s efficiency in absorbing food was very high. Twenty pounds of meat a day, along with some high-calorie foods, were enough to maintain his basic physical energy consumption. After eating. He took Linda back to the hotel they were at before. Brian planned to give Benjamin two days to find him. If he hadn¡¯t shown up in two days, he would take Linda back to Los Angeles first to deal with Benjamin¡¯s leftover laboratory. .. In the evening. Brian had just ended a somewhat mushy call with Susan. Linda, who was watching TV beside him, looked a bit sad, ¡°Mr. Brian, you have a girlfriend.¡± ¡°Yes, her name is Susan, she is also an enhanced individual, and she should be able to help you grow; you two could get along well. Susan has a very amiable nature, providing a special sense of security. You would probably like her.¡± Brian¡¯s affirmative reply dashed the flicker of romantic affection Linda had just begun to feel. Linda nodded listlessly. Just as Brian was about to go and get some snacks, his phone, which he had just put down, rang again. He picked up the phone and saw an unknown number on the screen, his expression turning odd. Oh crap, this couldn¡¯t be Benjamin. .. The call connected. Hearing the voice, Brian was somewhat speechless. It really was Benjamin. This guy¡¯s way of finding people was indeed direct. Chapter 388 - 388 237 Surround and Kill Burst Clothes One Punch One Kid ?388: Chapter 237: Surround and Kill, Burst Clothes, One Punch One Kid 388: Chapter 237: Surround and Kill, Burst Clothes, One Punch One Kid ¡°Where are you?¡± Benjamin¡¯s voice was somewhat different from before, slightly hoarse. It was unclear whether it was due to his turning to the dark side. His voice now clearly did not belong to a good person¡ªit had the special effect of a villain. ¡°Benjamin?¡± Brian chuckled lightly, ¡°I received a message that you killed the NW agents and defected. Is my charm really that irresistible, compelling you to target me consistently?¡± ¡°Tell me the location!¡± Benjamin¡¯s condition seemed not too good, ¡°Hurry, come to these coordinates XX.XX or I¡¯ll kill everyone you know. I¡¯m only giving you one day!¡± Listening to the busy tone on the phone, Brian frowned slightly. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was an illusion. He felt that Benjamin¡¯s voice had an undertone, how to say it¡ªit was as if more than one mouth was speaking. According to the information from Susan, Benjamin had privately undergone mutant beast limb transplant surgery, but NW had not yet identified which species of mutant beast had been transplanted. This meant that Benjamin¡¯s mutant beast limbs were of foreign origin, not belonging to NW. ... He pocketed his phone. Brian looked at Linda, who stayed obediently by his side, ¡°I need to step out; do you want to come with me, or should I find a place for you to hide?¡± He was particularly concerned that Benjamin was not acting alone, possibly deceiving him with a diversion. ¡°I want to come with you.¡± Linda immediately stood up and walked to Brian¡¯s side. When she left, other than her brother and sister, her parents had simply reminded her to be careful and make money. There was no reluctance as she had imagined, rather a sense of relief. If Brian disappeared again, she wouldn¡¯t know where to wander. ¡°Okay, grab your personal items and let¡¯s go.¡± Brian nodded. The two quickly packed up, checked out, and left. Out of caution, before leaving, Brian even activated all his senses. Surprisingly, he smelled the familiar scent of Tagg. Various senses also confirmed it was him. This guy was just sitting downstairs in the hotel, quietly reading a newspaper, with no intention to disturb them. They went downstairs. Brian approached with Linda, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The bald strongman, Tagg, put down his newspaper, ¡°I heard you took a little girl with you, I¡¯m here for the illegal cohabitation with a minor.¡± Saying this, he even raised his eyebrows at Brian in a sleazy manner. Brian: ¡°...I have some matters to address, please get straight to the point.¡± ¡°Alright, you¡¯re quite dull now,¡± Tagg tossed the newspaper on the table: ¡°Allerland Evening News, a small private jet went missing. Staff from the CD operations department located the aircraft using their equipment. It landed in a suburb more than fifty kilometers away from Allerland. The pilot, passengers, and crew were all dead. They were eaten, the manner of death consistent with a warrant we just received.¡± Brian glanced at the newspaper, ¡°What¡¯s this got to do with me? At that time, I should¡¯ve been in the town, with your people.¡± ¡°The owner of the warrant is called Benjamin.¡± Tagg¡¯s expression sobered up, speaking seriously: ¡°He killed your NW arresting officers and came after you. We are very curious about how he knew about the missing person case here and used it to frame you. The disappearance was caused by the Doomsday Sect. This is important for the CD organization, so I came. You didn¡¯t leave immediately, probably waiting for him, shall we team up?¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t like others meddling in my affairs.¡± ¡°No, no, no, this is no longer just your problem. Benjamin attacked a jet! He targeted a jet in our CD organization¡¯s operational area! This is a grave matter. Brian, please agree, I don¡¯t want things to get ugly. As an apology for the disturbance, you can take this girl without any trouble.¡± Tagg stroked his chin, ¡°A very special little girl...¡± In their territory, how could they not pay attention to Brian, an outsider. So, the moment Brian took Linda away, CD organization¡¯s special agents approached Linda¡¯s parents to understand the situation, learning some particulars. Those characteristics fit those of beastified people. And the beastified people, previously responsible for the disappearance cases, were all cultivated by the Doomsday Sect. Such a coincidence. The CD organization personnel didn¡¯t approach him directly, simply out of respect for Brian¡¯s identity. On hearing this, Brian nodded, ¡°Alright, but I must state, this operation may not be safe, and I will only look after Linda, not you.¡± ¡°No need to worry.¡± Tagg confidently declared, ¡°Just an old scientist whose physical capabilities aren¡¯t great; no matter how much he¡¯s modified, his limits won¡¯t be too high, I can crush him easily!¡± ... With Tagg joining in, Brian gained a free driver. According to CD organization¡¯s satellite positioning, the location Benjamin provided was within a swamp basin. The area was covered with water or some specially composed terrains. Ordinary people going to that area either had to be very familiar with the local terrain or needed to use a special boat capable of navigating the swamp. To keep Benjamin from escaping, Tagg did not call for aerial support. The three of them drove there, then rented a swamp ship, and according to the GPS, rushed to the location Benjamin described. The whole process was not pleasant. There were too many mosquitoes here. Chapter 389 - 389 237 Ambush Clothes Bursting One Punch One Kid_2 ?389: Chapter 237: Ambush, Clothes Bursting, One Punch One Kid_2 389: Chapter 237: Ambush, Clothes Bursting, One Punch One Kid_2 Exaggerated much! In the land of water cattails, densely swirling, the buzzing of flapping wings filled the ears, stirring frustration and restlessness in anyone who heard it. This water also emitted a stench mixed with mud and decay. Aside from researchers, few people visited this area to suffer. As the sky gradually darkened, the three finally arrived at the coordinates Benjamin had provided. This place was a relatively open water body without any land in sight, not even the soft, squishy marshland. This meant, at this location, their only landing place was the boat beneath their feet. Benjamin really picked a fine spot. Brian promptly had Linda stand behind him instead of hiding in the cabin. He turned on all his senses and scanned the surroundings from the boat¡¯s roof. Anomalies caught his eye. At the convergence of water grasses, influenced by the waves, the shore was clogged with what appeared to be short ¡°wood.¡± But these weren¡¯t real pieces of wood, they were the flat, dried bodies of alligators. From their condition, they looked like their blood had been drained, but not in a way that emptied flesh and muscle. Brian looked down, turned to Tagg who was watching the water, and asked, ¡°Tagg, do you know of any Mutant Beasts obsessed with the blood of creatures?¡± Tagg shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s rare, wild beasts hardly ever mutate unless human-induced. For example, by constantly selecting the best among them. The NW organization possesses such technology. They even breed and domesticate some beasts for people to trade. Only creatures smart enough normally feel the effects of the Blood Moon. Like bats. Some bat leaders could undergo Mutation. Oh, and some sea creatures. Like the Deep Sea Octopus I mentioned before. These guys are incredibly smart, their mutation rate also outrageously high, mankind¡¯s greatest enemy in the ocean. These two, I know, have a fondness for bodily fluids of creatures. I¡¯ve heard in Europe, some Mutants¡¯ Mutant Abilities are influenced by folklore, making their bodies resemble those mythic creatures. Amongst them, Vampires also have such preferences.¡± Hearing this, Brian nodded. Apart from the Deep Sea Octopus, which he hadn¡¯t encountered, he roughly knew about the rest. As the two spoke, The distant water rippled, and a bright, python-patterned bald head slowly emerged. It flicked its long, thin tongue, looking towards the distant boat with a hideous smile. The prey had arrived! Brian, sensing something, suddenly looked towards the distance. Within his sharp vision, a ripple disturbed the water¡¯s surface, yet nothing unusual was visible. Tagg glanced briefly in that direction but couldn¡¯t make out anything, only turning to ask Brian, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Nothing, probably just a fish coming up to breathe for the evening,¡± Brian withdrew his gaze. Tagg nodded, ¡°There are lots of mosquitoes here, so the fish grow quite large, but their flesh has an earthy bloody taste that everyone dislikes.¡± Brian nodded, pulled out his phone, and tried redialing Benjamin¡¯s last call. The call wouldn¡¯t go through. Brian put away the phone and focused his gaze aloft. The sky was growing dark. Once the last gleam vanished from the horizon, this place would become a Hunter¡¯s paradise. Tagg also realized Benjamin¡¯s plan, ¡°Looks like that guy wants to show up later and is probably hiding somewhere observing us right now.¡± Brian sighed, ¡°But I want to head back to Los Angeles sooner. If he won¡¯t show himself, I¡¯ll just have to force him.¡± ¡°Force?¡± Tagg was puzzled, ¡°We don¡¯t even know his position, how can we force him?¡± Brian didn¡¯t respond. He stood by the ship¡¯s edge, twisted his neck left and right producing a crisp cracking sound, grabbed a metal pipe, and forcefully snapped it, then twisted the hollow pipe into a solid twirl. Listening to the screeching metal, Tagg swallowed hard. Oh God! Was this guy that strong? He tried to imitate Brian¡¯s action but only managed to bend the old pipe, utterly unable to break it. Seeing this, Brian chuckled, ¡°It requires some knack and strength technique.¡± Saying so, his sleeves burst open, his right arm muscles swelled like a fierce python; his muscles taut like steel cables, expanded to the thickness of a normal person¡¯s thigh, and with a burst of power, he did it all in one go. The next moment, Brian¡¯s ¡°threaded steel pipe¡± tore through the air with a piercing burst, instantly vanishing from everyone¡¯s sight. After just over a second, Boom~ The water trembled. Then a scream followed, and calm water by now riddled from a distance with ripples. The spear hit the mark! Tagg eyed the darkness far away, his look towards Brian filled with intrigue. Did this guy also have visual enhancements? Linda, on the other hand, was both afraid and astonished as she stared at Brian¡¯s exaggerated right arm, filled with wild, fearful thoughts that she might end up the same. Brian, as if aware of Tagg¡¯s thoughts, explained without looking back, ¡°I was lucky, no mosquitoes were swirling around there, so I took a shot.¡± Tagg squinted towards that area and begrudgingly accepted the explanation. Whoosh~ The piercing air sound exploded again. Another hand-crafted threaded javelin vanished before their eyes. The same scenario replayed. Another scream came from afar. Brian grabbed a third section of the steel pipe, twisting it while giving Tagg a shy smile, ¡°It¡¯s the luck. I¡¯ve just been lucky.¡± Chapter 390 - 390 237 Ambush Clothes Bursting One Punch One Kid_3 ?390: Chapter 237: Ambush, Clothes Bursting, One Punch One Kid_3 390: Chapter 237: Ambush, Clothes Bursting, One Punch One Kid_3 Whoosh~ The sound of the air being pierced exploded once again, and then another scream came from another direction. Tagg:.. Three strikes, three hits. You tell me it¡¯s luck. ... Meanwhile, Benjamin was completely bewildered by Brian¡¯s unreasonably aggressive moves. A figure in a black robe, frustrated and enraged, looked at the monster in front of him: ¡°Benjamin, just do it, otherwise if this continues, all my subordinates will be dead.¡± Benjamin slowly raised his head, somewhat dully looking at the black-robed figure in front of him. Seeing the monster before him, the black-robed figure trembled. At this moment, Benjamin¡¯s appearance had completely changed compared to before: his limbs had turned into entwined dark brown tentacles, he sat cross-legged on the water surface, with four even more exaggerated tentacles dancing in the void behind him, countless mouthparts opening and closing, revealing numerous sharp hollow teeth. If it were just this, the black-robed figure, who had seen his fair share of deformities, would not be scared. The problem was. Benjamin¡¯s face was even more disgusting. His originally rather graceful and handsome face now had five pairs of eyes, and the contours of several more pairs could be seen at the back of his head, giving him a 360-degree field of vision with no blind spots. Unknown fleshy tendrils wriggled at his jaw, seeming like some sort of sensory organ. Looking at the black-robed figure before him, Benjamin cracked a smile: ¡°Are you afraid of me?¡± The black-robed figure opened his robe, revealing his constantly blinking compound eyes, and his face also began showing patches of Scale Armor: ¡°I¡¯ve endured you for a long time, Benjamin! You used our people to trap and kill that Brian, causing our precious breeding ground to be destroyed. If the sect hadn¡¯t ordered us to cooperate with you, you would have already been taken back to the sect for review!¡± As his words fell. Seven or eight figures appeared behind him, all looking towards Benjamin with hostile eyes. The presence of this group seemed to bring some clarity to Benjamin¡¯s somewhat dulled mind. He nodded: ¡°Understood, if that¡¯s the case, then let¡¯s take direct action. I only need the blood; as for him, according to our agreement, he¡¯s yours.¡± ¡°What about the secret?¡± The black-robed figure, seeing Benjamin concede, pressed on: ¡°So many knights from our sect have been cooperating with your personal business, but not just for that excellent specimen named Brian. You know what the higher-ups are after!¡± The NW organization, in its early years, had acquired a special substance and used it to develop a miraculous weapon. This special weapon held a secret. The Doomsday Sect didn¡¯t choose to retaliate against Benjamin and even sent people to assist him in his personal matters, obviously not for the excellent individual called Brian. The secret of the weapon that Benjamin was responsible for, that was the goal of their sect. Benjamin didn¡¯t continue speaking; his figure disappeared from everyone¡¯s sight, approaching the distant vessel. Seeing this, the black-robed figure cursed under his breath. The secret hadn¡¯t been obtained, and Benjamin couldn¡¯t afford any trouble. He took out a strange conch shell, put it to his mouth, and blew into it. An invisible ripple spread for more than ten miles around. Waves effervescing with this sound wave moved en masse from beneath the water, heading toward the target vessel... ... On the boat. Brian was preparing to throw his fourth handmade spear. Suddenly. His ears twitched twice, and he stopped his action, looking towards Tagg: ¡°They¡¯re coming.¡± Tagg scanned the surroundings in confusion. What¡¯s coming? The next moment. Four ferocious tentacles burst from the water, wrapping around Tagg¡¯s large frame and pulling him under. ¡°Get off me!¡± Tagg roared in anger, his body swelling as he tried to break free. Gurgling~ The stinking marsh water drowned out the remainder of his struggles. ¡°Such good acting?¡± Brian smirked at the corner of his mouth. The guy was playing his part well. Too bad the opponent didn¡¯t know he had a pair of dog¡¯s nostrils and had already caught something off about him. Brian looked at Linda, ¡°Get inside, and don¡¯t come out until I call for you.¡± Linda obediently ran into the cabin, curled up in a corner, and anxiously watched Brian outside. To her, a girl from a small town, this scene was almost indistinguishable from a movie. ... Rippp~ Inch by inch, clothes tore apart. Brian spread his arms, revealing his exaggerated physique that bulged out of his outer clothes, ¡°No more hiding, come at me all at once.¡± Splashhh~ From all directions, the dense sound of water could be heard. One after another, figures climbed aboard along the ship¡¯s side and appeared on the not-so-spacious deck. It turned out to be beastified people covered in scale armor, their mouths full of sharp teeth. These monstrous, crocodile-like creatures didn¡¯t hesitate for a second and rushed toward Brian in unison. The deck was only so big. In an instant, Brian found himself facing at least eight monsters attacking him from all sides. ¡°Too slow!¡± The next moment. A sonic boom sounded. Countless fist marks, under the force of horrifying power, seared through the void, creating vacuum punch-wind tunnels like a violent tornado exploding, tearing through everything in sight. Bang bang bang~ Almost the moment those monsters pounced. It was as if they had been hit by speeding dump trucks, bursting into mist of blood in midair without even a chance to scream. Their scale armor, which was reputed to withstand small-caliber bullets, was like toilet paper that ripped easily under the violence of Brian¡¯s fists, unable to withstand a moment¡¯s resistance. Drip drop drop~ Ferocious teeth and bones fell clattering onto the deck. Linda clamped her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide with shock. In her field of vision, Brian¡¯s massive form, standing at two meters twenty, was bathed in the exploding blood mist, his back muscles contorting like the grimacing face of a laughing demon, indistinct and godlike... Such an incredibly secure scene!!! ¡°So weak, not worth the effort!¡± Brian said, shaking his head in disappointment. He stepped over the scattered bones and walked to the edge of the deck, looking at the still water, ¡°Benjamin, right, and you too, Tagg, along with those hiding turtles, come out and let me see your purity!¡± Underwater, Tagg¡¯s face turned pale as a ghost. Unbelievable! Truly unbelievable! Eight combat beastified people, transformed for battle, were exploding with each punch in Brian¡¯s presence. What kind of strength was this? No wonder when he pretended to propose military support, the other party didn¡¯t agree. If the CD organization¡¯s armed support had arrived, were they here to save Brian, or save them? Tagg didn¡¯t even want to know why his location was revealed. Seizing the opportunity while the rest emerged from the water, he turned around without a word and swam toward the shore. .. As Brian¡¯s voice fell. One by one, figures emerged again from the water, with even more crocodile-like scale armored beasts converging from all sides, encircling the boat. Benjamin followed, sticking out his head. He greedily eyed Brian¡¯s tall figure, saliva uncontrollably drooling from the corners of his mouth. Delicious! He wanted to devour it! His genetic instincts told Benjamin that by consuming Brian before him, his own uncontrollable and collapsing body would find relief and even successfully survive this deadly ordeal. After a few conflicts, how could he risk offending NW, CD, and the Doomsday Sect all at once by plotting against Brian? The real reason was that he smelled a chance to survive on Brian! Faced with an even greater number of enemies besieging him. Brian was far from alarmed, he was ecstatic. So many targets, enough for him to have a killing spree! Chapter 391 - 391 238 Cant You Just Wait for Death Honestly ?391: Chapter 238: Can¡¯t You Just Wait for Death Honestly? (Combined Chapter) 391: Chapter 238: Can¡¯t You Just Wait for Death Honestly? (Combined Chapter) ¡°Charge!¡± Benjamin roared. Seven or eight people in black robes waved their hands, and a large number of expendable Beastification People howled with various noises, attacking the ancient Swamp Ship ahead. Brian¡¯s body shook. An invisible gas enveloped Linda in the cabin. As she collapsed unconscious, Brian¡¯s form flashed, appearing mid-air, and kicked a Beastification Person in the chest, then without looking, he pushed off and kicked another Beastification Person. Even in muscle burst mode, his speed was still astoundingly fast. Relying on this momentum, in an instant, he cleared over a dozen figures in front of him, returning to the deck. Thud, thud, thud~ It sounded like bombs hitting the water, exploding. Blood and water, flesh, and bones, at this moment, became the only symphony in this swampy area. These expendable Beastification People, however, lacked any bit of rationality. The surviving Beastification People had already surged onto the Swamp Ship from the other side, howling as they pounced on Brian, who had just landed, with no fear of death typical of a normal living creature. ¡°Bring it on!¡± Brian laughed heartily, vanished forward, and with one kick after another, he sent Beastification People soaring into the air like kicking a soccer ball, creating blooms of blood mist. It was a pity it was night; otherwise, the scene would have been spectacular. Brian killed fast, but the Beastification People emerging from the surface were even faster. God knows how many Beastification People were hidden here. After killing over thirty Beastification People in one breath, even more surged from underwater, swelling towards the boat. The seven or eight Doomsday God Sect Punishment Knights showed signs of fear on their faces because of Brian¡¯s exaggerated combat strength. The leader glared at Benjamin, ¡°Benjamin, you damn bastard dared to deceive us! Is this the First Rank life form you told us about?¡± They were all First Rank life forms but were nowhere near as exaggerated as Brian. They even suspected that Brian¡¯s physical body had reached Second Rank Life Form level! A Second Rank Life, someone capable of physically resisting the encircling kill of hundreds of modern soldiers! Placed within any official capacity, that¡¯s a Third Level employee, belonging to the true upper echelon. Placed within their Doomsday Sect, such individuals would at least be bishops controlling several state¡¯s church affairs! Was this someone they could provoke at will? Benjamin, not alarmed but delighted, let out a grating laugh, ¡°This is good news. He¡¯s only been in NW for a few months, yet he¡¯s so strong; he must have secrets on him. This is your breeding ground, full of expendable troops; even if he¡¯s a Second Rank Life, he will be worn to death by us.¡± At these words, the others¡¯ faces eased somewhat. These expendable crocodile Beastification People were transformed from the lower-class people they captured, with a total of two to three hundred in the base, usually left to cannibalize each other for food, used to cultivate expendable First Rank Life forms. So, no matter how satisfyingly Brian killed, he was merely exhausting his stamina. The leader in a black robe nodded, ¡°There¡¯s too much noise here, it will definitely be exposed afterwards; we can only abandon this breeding base, and that Tagg can¡¯t be kept alive either; he knows too much about us.¡± Benjamin greedily scanned the bloody water and the few black-robed figures, nodding, ¡°I¡¯ll deal with him.¡± The Beastification People, whether through limb modification or Beastification Reagent injection, always ended up affecting their rationality in some way. The most apparent was emotionalization. These Doomsday Sect Punishment Knights were an example. The intense fighting environment affected their judgment, not even noticing the clear malice in Benjamin¡¯s eyes. They nodded and turned their attention back to the Swamp Ship. During their conversation, the deck of the Swamp Ship was already piled high with layers of blood, flesh, and broken limbs in leather armor; no one knew how many expendables had died. Looking at these fools, Benjamin shook his somewhat unclear head, soothingly whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t rush, I¡¯ll take you to eat something delicious right now.¡± The several tentacles behind him even anthropomorphically twitched twice, waving even more freely in the void. ... On the deck, Brian exhaled a turbid breath. The air around him had been completely filled with the smell of blood. After killing one hundred and thirty-seven Beastification People in succession, his physical strength had clearly declined. Burst state consumed too much stamina. Without consuming Gift Energy, it was difficult to maintain high-intensity combat. Actually, he could have dealt with those expendables in a more economical way. But it was rare to have such a satisfying moment. Saving would have been less fun. After an enjoyable bout of punching and kicking, Brian turned to the endlessly emerging Beastification People and opened his mouth slightly. The next moment. Zha!!! A silent ultrasonic wave rippled right in front of Brian. One by one, just as the Beastification People reared their heads, their heads exploded neatly, creating quite the spectacle. The black-robed figures lurking at a distance were not spared either. The stronger ones only felt their heads wobble and were a bit dazed, not realizing what had occurred. The weaker ones immediately clutched their heads, screaming in pain. Streams of blood flowed from their noses, dripping into the water. They felt as if countless needles were pricking inside their heads, causing pain and difficulty in focusing, only able to rely on their instincts to howl to relieve the discomfort in their brains. ¡°Thrilling!¡± A shout that annihilated dozens of expendables; this feeling, compared to the experience of being unmatched in hand-to-hand combat, was completely different. Chapter 392 - 392 238 Cant You Just Wait for Death Honestly ?392: Chapter 238: Can¡¯t You Just Wait for Death Honestly? (Combined Chapter)_2 392: Chapter 238: Can¡¯t You Just Wait for Death Honestly? (Combined Chapter)_2 A roar ended. Brian took another deep breath and turned his head to roar backward. Bang bang bang~ Dozens more heads swelled at a visible speed only to burst open moments later. Compared to those in black robes, the one merit of this cannon fodder was the thick scale armor on their skin, resembling that of a crocodile¡¯s, but internally they were mediocre, unable to withstand Brian¡¯s powerful fists and feet, nor the omnipresence of ultrasonic waves. Bodies without heads floated on the water¡¯s surface. Masses of flesh, blood, scale armor, and shattered bone scattered in all directions. This scene was akin to purgatory on earth, one that even splatter films would rarely invest heavily in to present to the audience. All of this was the result of Brian¡¯s actions in less than five minutes. When he got serious, numerical advantage meant nothing to him. There were still firearms that could restrain him. If this were ancient times, him annihilating an entire country would merely be a matter of time. .. With Brian¡¯s two area-clearing attacks, this time, the swamp¡¯s surface finally became much quieter and clearer. He twisted his neck and jumped down to the water, his nearly 300-pound body partially submerged, like a standing, human-shaped motorboat, breaking through the water and crushing the lingering Beastification People one by one. By the time the Beastification People recovered from the ultrasonic attack, aside from the corpses strewn about, no new Beastification People emerged from beneath the water. The swamp was rather chilly at night. Whether or not Brian felt cold was unknown. But at least for those in black robes who viewed ordinary people as ants, their hearts were pretty cold at the moment. What about the cannon fodder? The hundreds of cannon fodder from the base? They were all gone? At this moment, they finally realized that the identity of the prey and the Hunter was different from what they initially imagined. The man before them was not a so-called lone wolf, but a ferocious tyrannosaurus! Rustle rustle~ Water rippled. Brian arrived ten meters away from the people, looking at the eight black-robed figures with interest, ¡°Weren¡¯t you just discussing how to divvy up my body? Come on, I¡¯m right here.¡± ¡°Charge!¡± The black-robed leader wasted no words, waved his hands, and tore off his robe, rising to his feet alongside three others, transforming into human-shaped Water Spiders, and rushed toward Brian. The remaining four disappeared beneath the surface. These individuals emitted an aura much stronger than the cannon fodder, roughly equivalent to the Illusory Snake Beastification Person encountered at the lake camp. The leader was even a match for the Mantis Beastification Person who had been killed by the CD machine gun. Beastification People, being more prone to combat effectiveness than Enhancement People, had defects and were not recognized by most official organizations; typically, only average workers would opt for this path. The eight before him were like eight flawed First Rank lifeforms. This lineup, if any other Second-level Staff were to face them, even armed, there would be little chance of survival. Unfortunately for them, they met Brian. Facing encirclement, Brian¡¯s muscles tensed with a crisp sound like steel wires, his body¡¯s muscles working mechanically in layers, culminating in a tremendous punch from his right hand. Boom~ Water exploded to a height of seven or eight meters. Countless waves surged forward, forming a tide that pushed everything away. The four human-shaped Water Spiders, receiving the brunt of it, appeared as if struck by countless arrow-like water splashes, followed by a thunderous punch that left their heads buzzing. Without giving them a chance to retaliate. ¡°Kill!¡± Brian roared silently. At close range, the invisible sound waves transformed into palpable sonic waves, blasting forth. The four black-robed Beastification People had almost no power to resist; their orifices burst with blood, severely injured on the spot. Boom boom boom boom~ Another four sonic explosions followed, and blood mist erupted. Under the crushing force, even the First Rank Beastification People had no resistance when met head-on, dying tragically on the spot. After a series of combination punches, in the blink of an eye, four were beaten to death by Brian. Only then did several figures emerge, entwining through the water toward him. Brian stood still, coldly observing the still-roiling water surface. Somehow, the water had turned to a sickly green, casting a poisonous haze around the area. ¡°Arghhhh!¡± ¡°Glug glug~¡± Screams and gurgling arose from underwater. Figures covered with disgusting pus-filled blisters writhed and screamed on the surface. The previously submerged figures were now fizzing with a rank stench, like boiled fish flailing out of the pot, struggling violently but unable to escape due to being in the water, muddying the water around them without any chance of fleeing. The screams lasted for over a minute. When the noise ceased, all that remained were several mutilated skeletons floating on the surface, devoid of life. ¡°The corrosive poison dissolved in the water, reducing its concentration, thus lessening the damage to First Rank lives. If this had been on land, these fellows would have had a complete chance to escape...¡± Brian stroked his chin. With the eight black-robed individuals effortlessly killed by Brian, the scene fell into dead silence apart from the sizzling sound of corroding flesh and blood. Brian returned to the deck, first checked on Linda to make sure she hadn¡¯t woken up, and then began to clear the battlefield. As for Benjamin? He couldn¡¯t get away. .. One by one, corpses were gathered and thrown onto the water surface, then enveloped by billows of green mist. Chapter 393 - 393 238 Cant You Just Honestly Wait for Death ?393: Chapter 238: Can¡¯t You Just Honestly Wait for Death? (Combined Chapter)_3 393: Chapter 238: Can¡¯t You Just Honestly Wait for Death? (Combined Chapter)_3 Watching these bones gradually decay into liquid and dissolve into the water, Brian¡¯s expression soured somewhat. All these Beastification People fodder, probably devoid of any human spirit. Hundreds of fodder, and not a single obsession among them. Fortunately, the drop rate from those eight robed figures was quite high, yielding three Obsession Little Balls. First Rank lifeforms, whether they¡¯re Enhanced People, Beastification People, or even Mutant Beasts and Mutants, the obsession gifts are never too shabby. Plus the obsessions of those Japanese ninjas. Once it¡¯s all completed, Brian was very confident that his physique could step into 1.4. Paired with his talent, his 1.3 physique was already badass. What would 1.4 be like, he dared not even imagine. Physical resistance to rifle bullets? Or punching an armored vehicle into an explosion with one fist? Slurp. Just thinking about it was delightful! He was getting closer and closer to that ¡®Long¡¯ realm! With anticipation for the future, Brian didn¡¯t bother to check the contents of these Obsession Little Balls. After making sure most of the traces of blood and flesh were cleared from the scene, he eagerly chased in the direction of Benjamin and Tagg. .. At this moment. Tagg looked grimly at the approaching Benjamin, ¡°You old thing, I have some transactions with the Doomsday Sect, not with you. Chase me again, and I¡¯ll explode your head with one punch!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Benjamin¡¯s limbs and tentacles undulated forward, drawing closer to Tagg¡¯s position. His expression was eerie: ¡°Explode my head? With so many heads, which one do you want to explode?¡± Almost simultaneously, the four dark brown tentacles writhing in the void behind him, the tips split open to reveal a mouth-like disgusting appendage, then said, ¡°With so many heads, which one do you want to explode?¡± The array of diverse voices created a scene with a shocking index. Tagg, a Second-level Staff of the CD organization who had seen a lot and killed countless, even daring to have secret dealings with the Doomsday Sect, turned pale-lipped from fright at this spectacle, losing his previous violent demeanor. He shivered looking at the tentacles behind Tagg: ¡°Deep Sea Diver! This isn¡¯t just ordinary octopus mutation beast limb grafting, this is Deep Sea Diver limb grafting! You¡¯re insane! You madman! You actually dared to graft such taboo items!¡± ¡°This world is already insane, so what¡¯s wrong with me being a little crazy?¡± Benjamin unconsciously had approached within ten meters of Tagg. He stopped, extending his tentacle-formed arms in a welcoming embrace toward Tagg: ¡°Life¡¯s evolution requires some risks! Humans have limits, to seek the true meaning of life, I can only stop being human! Tagg, come! Fuse with me! Let us gloriously evolve together!!!¡± ¡°You madman, die!¡± At these words, Tagg roared like a bull seeing red, his body swelled by a third, rushing towards the malformed Benjamin with a whooshing sound, each step leaving a deep pit. The next moment. The four dark brown tentacles encircling in the void, blending into the night, like iron spears, the tips emitting a sharp whistling sound, piercing the defenseless and unevading Tagg. It wasn¡¯t until the intense pain struck that his reddened eyes regained some clarity. ¡°Cough cough~¡± Tagg, lifted into the air by those tentacles, coughed up blood profusely: ¡°You... you¡¯re an enemy of all humanity, cough cough... I¡¯ll wait for you in hell.¡± Slurp~ Accompanied by the sound of consumption, this warrior, over two meters tall and capable of withstanding an impact from a sedan, was sucked dry like a dead dog by Benjamin. ¡°Delicious, truly delicious!¡± Benjamin savored with his eyes closed, looking much better. Indeed, a First Rank lifeform provided some relief to his uncontrollable state. Once he returned and consumed those Beastification People, then using the equipment here, he would inject the special serum made from Brian into his body. By then, he would surely become a miracle of the new age! Dr. Octopus, that¡¯s quite a fitting name. Thinking of that scene, Benjamin couldn¡¯t help but let out an unpleasant laugh, ¡°Ke ke ke~¡± ... ¡°Your laughter is really grating.¡± Benjamin came to a halt. His body didn¡¯t move, but his head turned backward. He saw a towering figure emitting steaming vapors all over, who had appeared behind him at an unknown time. That person was Brian, who had rushed over. He arrived just as Tagg lost control of his emotions and mindlessly charged at Benjamin. Brian simply stood aside to watch the drama unfold. Benjamin remained silent, his only response was to accelerate the writhing speed of his tentacles consuming Tagg¡¯s body fluids and flesh. Brian wasn¡¯t in a hurry either. The other was delaying time, but wasn¡¯t he doing the same? He reached into his pocket and realized the cigarettes had been soaked. He simply plucked a blade of grass to chew on, ¡°What is the Deep Sea Diver?¡± Benjamin cocked his head at Brian, ¡°Want to know?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°Then fuse with me!¡± Benjamin let out a bizarre cry. In the next moment, An invisible wave reached Brian¡¯s sensory organs. He staggered, his gaze becoming vacant. Inside Brian¡¯s mind, a multitude of whispers arose, assaulting his spirit and drawing forth the memories he detested the most. Even the mysterious substance that darkened from red to black due to his urge for ecstatic slaughter was stirred by this invisible assault, merging with those whispers into his spiritual consciousness. Almost instantly, Brian¡¯s vacant gaze turned into an evil, dark red. The afterimage of a visible Blood Moon flickered in his eyes, like two glowing red lanterns in the pitch-black night... ¡°Huh?¡± Benjamin, who charged towards Brian, halted abruptly at this eerie sight, warily regarding Brian. What kind of eyes were these! Bloody, brutal, tyrannical... Apart from humanity, Benjamin saw in Brian¡¯s eyes all the world¡¯s negative emotions. Especially that Blood Moon afterimage. He almost turned into the earlier Tagg, his voice trembling, ¡°Mutant, you are a Mutant!!!¡± Brian cracked a smile, ¡°Correct, but no prize!¡± Why stir up unpleasant memories? Can¡¯t you just wait to die honestly? He was so angry right now! ... Boom~ The ground shook. Benjamin¡¯s five heads barely caught the blur approaching. He screamed madly, ¡°Mutant, I¡¯ll eat you too!¡± Six tentacles slapped the void, spinning Benjamin around like a top, blocking every possible attacking angle. The next moment. A hand grabbed one of his tentacles and brutally yanked it. Riip~ Flesh parted from flesh. Benjamin let out a scream as if his limbs were being torn apart. Brian casually tossed aside the still-writhing tentacle, which continued to echo the scream, the bloodlust in his eyes intensifying, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, you still have seven tentacles. To thank you for triggering my memories, I¡¯ll give you a very special experience.¡± ¡°No, please don¡¯t!¡± It was only after a tentacle was ripped apart that Benjamin realized the horror of Brian before him. It was like the difference between a child and an adult. His most powerful methods not only failed to confuse Brian¡¯s mind, but it seemed like a monster had been unleashed. At this moment, he was filled with regret! But it was all too late. This fate had been sealed from the moment Benjamin had considered Brian prey. Under the silver moon, in the deadly silence of the earth, the shrill screams echoed for a full half-hour before quietude was restored... Chapter 394 - 394 239 Humanitys Arch-Enemy High-Quality Obsession ?394: Chapter 239: Humanity¡¯s Arch-Enemy, High-Quality Obsession 394: Chapter 239: Humanity¡¯s Arch-Enemy, High-Quality Obsession ¡°Phew~¡± Brian¡¯s face showed slight fatigue as he exhaled a breath of turbid air. People who often slaughter pigs know that slaughtering pigs is easy, but cutting pork is tiresome. Benjamin was just like this pig. To be precise, he was a monster, a real monster! When Brian was dismembering Benjamin¡¯s body, he surprisingly found that this guy had five heads! Five!!! Besides the head on Benjamin¡¯s neck, his four tentacles on the back not only had countless suckers and teeth but also brains. Those four brains could even control the sucker-like mouths to mimic cries for mercy. It was too horrifying. Beyond that, Benjamin¡¯s vitality was also exaggeratedly strong. Brian had already dismembered his limbs and the four tentacles on his back, yet he seemed relieved, except for the initial screams, his current mental state was even better than before. ¡°What the hell did you transplant?¡± Brian shrank in size and kicked Benjamin¡¯s round trunk. ¡°What exactly is the Deep Sea Diver?¡± Benjamin spit out a mouthful of blood. This blood, unlike the previous ones in color, resembled red dye mixed with a bit of blue alien blood, clearly separated and vividly colored. What was more eerie, following this spit of blood, the previously weakening heartbeat in Benjamin¡¯s body suddenly grew strong and robust again. That¡¯s not right! Brian¡¯s ears trembled slightly. If he hadn¡¯t misheard, this was clearly a new beating heart inside Benjamin, supplying blood, maintaining his fragile lifeforce! This made Brian even more curious about Benjamin¡¯s transplantation of mutant beast organs. This thing, it¡¯s very much like an octopus. .. Seeing Benjamin remain silent, Brian tentatively asked, ¡°Did you transplant a tentacle of a Mutated Octopus, and then got influenced by its brain, forming a symbiotic relationship?¡± Brian liked watching ¡°Animal Planet¡± and knew a bit about octopuses, these strange creatures. Octopuses are short-lived species in the ocean, living only two to three years, but they have peculiar structures. They have nine heads, eight tentacles, three hearts, blue blood... The tentacles are filled with sensory nerves and an independent brain, which possesses its own memory and cognitive ability. The tentacle cells also carry pigment cells, rainbow cells... Well. These little creatures are smart. They can use shells and other tools to enhance their survival abilities and mimic the surrounding environment¡¯s color in less than a second using their well-developed nerves, hiding from danger. This mechanism is even quicker and more colorful than a chameleon, almost capable of mimicking any color. Changing color to perfectly blend into the surroundings is one thing. Their nine brains can control the body¡¯s muscles, blending both shape and color genuinely with the environment. This advanced biological concealment allows octopuses to evade danger and hunt by disguising themselves. Besides, Octopus tentacles can regenerate, similar to a lizard¡¯s tail. Should they face unavoidable danger, they can also squirt ink to obscure the predator¡¯s vision. Oh, and they have venom sacs inside. All sorts of tricks. What¡¯s outrageous is that they can form memories of the environments and dangers they have experienced. Scientists have conducted experiments. They placed octopuses in underwater mazes, and after an initial exploration, the time it took them to navigate through on subsequent tries significantly decreased. This means they have real memories. Also, if they place an experimented octopus with another that hasn¡¯t been part of the experiment, and then let them go through the experiment together, the new octopus will simply follow the first one... This suggests that they can communicate simply, even passing on experience to their kind. In human society, these creatures are turned into skewers and takoyaki, considered delicacies, and some people even like to eat octopuses raw, enjoying the stimulation of them squirming in their throat and trachea. Of course, eating them raw is not only cruel but also risky as it could lead to choking, with fools losing their lives to this yearly. From the perspective of an average person, octopuses are just peculiarly shaped, edible creatures. But from a biologist¡¯s view, octopuses are strange and perfect creatures, almost like they don¡¯t belong on Earth. What allows humans, who are not physically top-notch across the animal kingdom, to dominate the planet? One is the ability to think, to use tools. The other is the transmission of knowledge. Octopuses can do both. But their only problem is their short lifespan. Once octopuses mate, male octopuses either get eaten by the female or sever their third mating tentacle and leave it inside the female, then die from starvation. As for the female octopuses, they also die by suiciding after the fertilized eggs hatch. That is to say, Every born octopus is essentially born an orphan sage. They are denied the transmission of knowledge and must rely on luck and experience to start afresh with the most primitive survival. This means an inability to pass on civilization, difficulties in the gathering of groups, high mortality rates among newborns... All in all, none of these are favorable for the species¡¯ evolution. The reproductive characteristics of octopuses, unique in the global animal kingdom, are almost like an invisible shackle, limiting the extension of their lifespan, the transmission of knowledge and experience... Chapter 395 - 395 239 Humanitys Formidable Enemy High-Quality Obsession_2 ?395: Chapter 239 Humanity¡¯s Formidable Enemy, High-Quality Obsession_2 395: Chapter 239 Humanity¡¯s Formidable Enemy, High-Quality Obsession_2 Otherwise, such creatures might well develop their own civilization in the ocean. Then what if such a creature were to accompany the descent of the Blood Moon, by chance possess uniquely special individuals whose intelligence far exceeds their kind, reject mating, live longer than usual, and then happen to be irradiated by the Blood Moon? The miracle of life lies in various coincidences. The probability of this happening is quite high! Thinking of that scenario, Brian felt a chill in his body. According to his understanding of the Blood Moon, this phenomenon favored ¡®Spiritual¡¯ entities. The higher the ¡®Spiritual¡¯ nature of a being, the greater its potential for Mutation, and the more miraculous the abilities granted by Mutation. An octopus is a collective entity with one main and eight auxiliary independent brains! If they Mutated, what would they become? The Deep Sea Diver mentioned by Tagg? ... ¡°Cough cough~¡± Benjamin probably felt better after throwing up; the recently activated heart in his body also provided him with some strength, enough for him to speak: ¡°I had thought that your genes were highly compatible with the biotechnological products of Mutant creatures, but I never considered that you were a Mutant. No wonder you¡¯ve improved so rapidly! How do the idiots in the NW Foreign Affairs Department even do their jobs!¡± His eyes still held a strong unwillingness. He had risked his life to merge with forbidden Mutant Beast tissue, endured for so long, and successfully took over as head of a research institute. And most fortunately, this institute harbored a project that perfectly matched his condition. All of this seemed like a gift from God, the favor of the goddess of luck! Then Brian appeared. Some unpleasant incidents occurred between them. Before this, Benjamin hadn¡¯t harbored any crooked thoughts. Until he saw Brian¡¯s resume¡ªthe exaggerated pace of his progress, coupled with his own overburdened and rapidly deteriorating body. What was this? This was another gift from God! Such an outstanding individual must have genes highly compatible with Mutant biotechnology. This was the perfect neutralizing gene serum to solve the crisis of his body spiraling out of control! At that moment, Benjamin almost believed he was the chosen one! Then came the plan to use others for his own nefarious ends. Benjamin had always been in close contact with the Doomsday Sect. They provided him with some forbidden research materials, and he in turn occasionally supplied them with some research data. Heavenly Grass was his creation. Therefore, Benjamin was aware of the situation here and, in the last moments of losing his rationality, concocted the rough plan to use others for his scheme. Calling it rough might not be accurate. Benjamin was in bad shape at the time, and there was a Doomsday Sect cannon fodder breeding base around. To ensure nothing went wrong. He had long prepared for the eventuality that things would be exposed, using the Doomsday Sect to ultimately consume them all. Evolution requires energy. These Beastification People and Brian were the best sources of energy. These were the antecedents and consequences of the situation. Benjamin had thought through thousands of scenarios, the only thing he overlooked was that he never imagined there would be such an aberrant person who, in a matter of mere months, could become so powerful that he could single-handedly annihilate a bunch of cannon fodder and the Doomsday Sect¡¯s Punishment Knights. You see, although Punishment Knights are mass-produced Beastification People with innate intellectual deficits, they are even stronger than average First Rank Enhanced People in hand-to-hand combat without weapons. First Rank Enhanced People are Second-level Staff in any official organization. And Brian was just a newly promoted Second-level Staff of NW. How could he lose in such a scene? Benjamin never considered the possibility of them losing. He was still very unwilling! .. ¡°Hey, you seem very dissatisfied!¡± Brian kicked Benjamin¡¯s limbless, round body: ¡°How about this, you answer my questions, satisfy my curiosity, and I¡¯ll answer yours, satisfy your curiosity.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it!¡± Benjamin let out an ugly laugh: ¡°Brian, you are indeed terrifying, but you¡¯re too stupid for coming here of your own will. Do you think I brought that fool Tagg here for no reason? This is...¡± ¡°Shh!¡± Brian cut off Benjamin¡¯s voice: ¡°Stop pretending, it seems removing those disgusting tentacles with surgery has cleared your mind, and you can think about intimidating me again. You were about to say that Tagg was brought in to capture me if he failed and to slander me or expose the situation here, weren¡¯t you?¡± Benjamin¡¯s smile stiffened on his face. This guy was strong enough, but why was he also so quick-witted? To break Benjamin¡¯s spirit, Brian continued: ¡°Actually, I¡¯m grateful to you for arranging for Tagg to come. You were confident that you could take me down this time, so Tagg was tasked with cleaning up any traces of my actions. That helped me out. After all, I don¡¯t like revealing my true strength. Otherwise, how could I see such an overconfident fool like you end up under my foot?¡± Pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger, old but satisfying. The abilities and status that Brian had made public were already not weak. This would prevent smaller characters from bothering him, while also ensuring that any significant enemies underestimated him, hitting the sweet spot. Benjamin, verbally slapped by Brian, was still unwilling to give in, yet persisted stubbornly: ¡°If we killed you, we¡¯d just leave. Why would we bother to clean up any traces? You think too much, young man!¡± Brian sneered dismissively. Why? Because this was one of the Doomsday Sect¡¯s bases. The sheer number of Beastification People cannon fodder made it clear. Chapter 396 - 396 239 Mankinds Greatest Enemy High-Quality Obsession_3 ?396: Chapter 239: Mankind¡¯s Greatest Enemy, High-Quality Obsession_3 396: Chapter 239: Mankind¡¯s Greatest Enemy, High-Quality Obsession_3 How long had Benjamin been here? How could he possibly mobilize so much firepower of the Doomsday Sect to ambush him in such a short period without attracting local official attention? There was only one truth: These people were already here. Brian was actually quite surprised about Tagg¡¯s involvement. The second time Tagg waited for him at the hotel, he carried the scent of Benjamin. They had been in contact. Little did Tagg know that Brian possessed abilities comparable to a dog in terms of smell, and he immediately sensed something was wrong with him. As for Tagg¡¯s role, it was simple. It was to control Brian¡¯s movements and incidentally, erase their tracks. If Brian was not mistaken, including that swamp ship and the car driven by Tagg when he arrived, everything had been arranged in advance. With the coordination of Tagg, a CD Armed Forces personnel, by the time the NW organization realized Brian was missing and sent people to investigate here, the final investigation result would surely lead nowhere. Of course, Tagg¡¯s involvement in this operation also included a precaution, for instance, if Brian managed to escape, Tagg could use his identity to reappear and then ambush Brian. That was roughly Tagg¡¯s role, definitely not including those mentioned by Benjamin. .. Seeing Benjamin still stubborn, Brian also lost his patience. He twisted his neck, a fierce smile appearing on his face, ¡°Forget it, say it or not, I¡¯m just curious about the Deep Sea Diver. When I go back and take over your research institute, I¡¯ll find the answers I want.¡± With that, he raised his foot high. Watching Brian¡¯s mud-stained sole, for the first time under the desire to live, fear of death finally appeared in Benjamin¡¯s eyes. He begged quickly, ¡°Don¡¯t do this! I¡¯ll tell you whatever you want to know! That research institute is just a shell, there is nothing inside. Don¡¯t kill me, I can work for you in the future! The research institute is meaningless, the scientists are the real treasure, I..¡± But Brian¡¯s foot raised higher, as muscles bulged and swelled in his calves. Witnessing death nearing in such an execution style imposed great mental torment and pressure on Benjamin. Unable to maintain his last bit of dignity, he blurted out a lifeline, ¡°The Deep Sea Divers are the Mutated Octopus clan and the Ocean Clan they deliberately created. They are our greatest enemies now! Right. The research institute where I work has developed a major weapon against the Deep Sea Clan. It can be called a Biological Nuclear Weapon! I planted their organs in me because I knew this clue. Once my plan succeeds, I¡¯ll gain power that overturns human technology and lead the era. Yes! You can¡¯t kill me! I am the king of the future! I am a milestone in human history! I am the greatest treasure of mankind! You can¡¯t kill me!¡± Watching his foot slowly descending, Benjamin grew frantic: ¡°You have no right to kill me! For the future of mankind, you should have willingly allowed me to consume you. You..¡± Boom~ The ground trembled. Benjamin¡¯s last frenzied words halted as his head was crushed underfoot, brain matter spread evenly across the pit. Looking down at the headless corpse, Brian¡¯s expression was icy. ¡°Finished talking?¡± He disdainfully wiped his sole, ¡°Now that you¡¯re done talking, you can die!¡± .. Benjamin was, after all, a carbon-based life. Even though the heart in his chest spurred its last potential, pounding vigorously as it transferred all remaining energy in an attempt to stimulate cellular survival efforts, it was in vain. Three or four seconds later, an almost dark-colored little sphere hovered above Benjamin¡¯s corpse. Objective achieved! Seeing the Obsession Little Ball, Brian grinned. His lengthy talks and the deliberate slow execution of Benjamin were not in vain. The quality of this Obsession Little Ball was evidently high! Chapter 397 - 397 240 Tallying the Harvest Exaggerated Benjamin Two in One ?397: Chapter 240: Tallying the Harvest, Exaggerated Benjamin (Two in One) 397: Chapter 240: Tallying the Harvest, Exaggerated Benjamin (Two in One) Except for the unconscious Linda, no one else survived. Brian again expertly exhaled green mist, clearing the scene and paying special attention to Tagg¡¯s body. Just as he had previously guessed. On Tagg¡¯s body, there were no items similar to the NW Organization watch. His biggest contribution was probably an Obsession Little Ball floating above the corpse. ¡°Mutants, Mutant Beasts, Enhanced People, and Beastification People have a really high rate of obsession drops...¡± A smile appeared on Brian¡¯s face. This harvest was truly significant. In total, including before and after, there were five Obsession Little Balls; even if some obsessions could not be completed, it wasn¡¯t that none could be completed. Adding to the previous one from Reinhardt, that made six Obsession Little Balls. This trip to Florida really hadn¡¯t been in vain! Ensuring that nothing was overlooked, Brian then leisurely returned to the Swamp Ship. The Swamp Ship still bore traces of battle, though not many. The battle had mainly taken place outside the ship. As for the fight on the ship, it could hardly be called a fight¡ªit was simply Brian¡¯s one-sided slaughter. The worst damage to the ship was the trace of the iron pipe Brian had previously torn off. Brian¡¯s biggest loss was his fractured coat and dirty shoes. ... After checking around the ship, Brian headed to the cabin. His ears twitched twice, and a look of surprise crossed his eyes. He said to Linda, who had her eyes closed, ¡°Alright, stop pretending to sleep. The enemy has run away, and we¡¯re safe now.¡± Brian was somewhat surprised at Linda¡¯s wakefulness. The anesthetic gas he had released should keep an ordinary person in a deep sleep for at least 12 hours, yet Linda had woken up in less than an hour. This young girl, who had received injections of the Undead Beastification Reagent, had many times the recovery power, metabolism, and tolerance to chemical drugs of an ordinary person. Hearing Brian¡¯s voice, Linda suddenly opened her eyes. Still startled, she looked at Brian and excitedly threw herself at him, but Brian stopped her with a finger to her forehead. Her short arms struggled but couldn¡¯t get close, managing only to touch Brian¡¯s abs momentarily. At least she got a small advantage from it. Linda stood properly, blinking her eyes at Brian, ¡°Brian, you¡¯re so amazing. You drove all the bad guys away.¡± She could hardly forget the godlike and demonic scene performed by Brian earlier. Brian nodded, ¡°You¡¯ll be amazing in the future too. Alright, we can go back now.¡± Saying so, he grabbed his backpack and started to change his clothes, including his pants. Linda watched with great interest. Suddenly. As if she had thought of something, she looked down, somewhat disheartened, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m as amazing as you said. I don¡¯t know why, but I suddenly fell asleep earlier, and couldn¡¯t help at all.¡± Brian took a deep breath. His body temperature rapidly increased, and tendrils of steam rose from his damp body, drying him off. Hearing Linda¡¯s words. Brian nodded empathetically: ¡°Yes, those people were indeed bad, using poison gas to knock you out, trying to use that to threaten me. But you shouldn¡¯t be discouraged. No one is born a warrior¡ªit takes training. I¡¯ve mentioned it before, my girlfriend is amazing; she¡¯ll help you grow.¡± As someone who had experienced betrayal by loved ones, Brian had been somewhat emotionally stressed since then. He no longer trusted someone easily. Previously, he had intentionally let Linda see him overpower those expendables; it was Brian¡¯s deliberate action to test Linda¡¯s discretion afterward. Releasing the anesthetic gas was because those scenes were not suitable for Linda to continue watching. ... Next. While controlling the ship back, Brian educated Linda about some truths of this world, casually explaining what a Mutant, Mutant Beast, Enhanced Person, and Beastification Person were... This was also the division of all non-human components after the Blood Moon. The other side of the truth of this world, for Linda, a 15-year-old girl from a small town, was not only not frightening, but she found it quite interesting. Those expendable Beastification People crocodiles had given her quite a visual shock. But young people are highly adaptive, especially those at an age where they enjoy fantasizing. Linda quickly accepted the fact that she was now a Beastification Person, even thinking that by following Brian, she had joined a super hero squad like in American comics. She was looking forward to the day she would become an outstanding female hero. To this, Brian just smiled and said nothing. Linda¡¯s ability, currently, was just strong cellular metabolic activity and recovery speed¡ªsimply put, a punching bag. If her constitution was no longer suitable for reagent enhancement. Then her potential wouldn¡¯t be very high. ... Back in the city. As Brian had anticipated, the local CD organization didn¡¯t even know that a major battle had taken place not far from the city center. Because of this, one Second-level Staff from their Combat Department had died, and a Doomsday Sect base had been destroyed. Thanks to Tagg¡¯s thoughtful arrangements. Returning to the hotel, the two of them packed up their things briefly and headed straight for the airport. The airport offered not just scheduled flights. If you were willing to spend the money, you could also rent a temporary plane, or have them arrange a special flight line for you. Using his official status, Brian managed to arrange all this smoothly. Chapter 398 - 398 240 Tallying the Harvest an Exaggerated Benjamin Two-in-One_2 ?398: Chapter 240: Tallying the Harvest, an Exaggerated Benjamin (Two-in-One)_2 398: Chapter 240: Tallying the Harvest, an Exaggerated Benjamin (Two-in-One)_2 Until the small plane took off, Brian finally breathed a sigh of relief. This place, after all, was CD Organization territory, and he didn¡¯t want any accidents to occur that would result in being stranded in Cheng County again. As for after returning, if the CD Organization discovered something amiss, then he was sorry. If the CD Organization wanted to squabble, they could go ahead¡ªhe wasn¡¯t going to serve them. Just as Brian was prepared to close his eyes and check the five obsessions he had harvested today, Linda, who had been curiously examining the scenery outside the window, suddenly tugged his sleeve. Brian turned his head to look at Linda, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, feeling uneasy about the future?¡± Linda shook her head. She bit her lip hesitantly and said softly, ¡°Brian, do you really have a girlfriend now?¡± Brian: ... With a firm tone, he said, ¡°Really, I¡¯ve told you, her name is Susan, she¡¯s the leader of our team, a sharpshooter, who likes to blow people¡¯s heads off the most.¡± Linda, hearing this, became a little scared. Is she that fierce! But she still mustered the courage to ask, ¡°Then, would you mind having one more girlfriend?¡± ¡°Mind!¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Linda lowered her head, somewhat dejected. Her secret crush had ended before it could even start. ... Having handled the adolescent girl Linda, Brian finally had the time to check his own harvest. In this battle, Brian had slaughtered over three hundred lives. Most of them were cannon fodder Beastification People bred by the Doomsday Sect. These creatures had average strength and speed, but they could survive underwater, and their skin could withstand ordinary small-caliber handgun bullets, posing some threat to humans but meaningless to the military. These Beastification People cannon fodder, lacking much intelligence, didn¡¯t release any obsessions. He didn¡¯t know what the Doomsday Sect saw in cultivating such liabilities. After all, the lack of intelligence meant they couldn¡¯t use modern weapons or perform tasks requiring precision. They were, in the modern sense, true cannon fodder. It could also be for the accumulation of technology or perhaps some other purpose. Brian couldn¡¯t be bothered to probe further. He had understood a principle: what¡¯s yours is mine. To him, these cults were just like leeks, ready for the harvesting whenever necessary, simultaneously eliminating trouble for the people¡ªa quite comfortable arrangement. There was no harvest from the cannon fodder. But those in black robes did burst out with three obsessions. Brian first checked these three obsessions. First black-robed person¡¯s obsession: The bodies of infants under one year old are the most chewable and tender... after eating a hundred from different countries... knowing which country¡¯s... infants taste the best... Gift One: 56 units of Gift Energy Gift Two: 15 units of Gift Energy + Body Pythonification Gift Three: 30 units of Gift Energy + thermal imaging As expected of a First Rank life, equating to the official organization¡¯s Second Level staff. The starting Gift Energy for each was over fifty units. But the other¡¯s obsession was somewhat disgusting and anti-human. As a human being, there are things one does and things one does not do. Brian chose to directly pass it up. Second black-robed person¡¯s obsession: The giant serpent broodmother cultivated by the organization looks really pretty, I really want to try what that kind of interspecies communication feels like... Gift One: 60 units of Gift Energy Gift Two: 20 units of Gift Energy + Body Pythonification Gift Three: 40 units of Gift Energy + thermal imaging Brian: ... Are there no normal obsessions among these Beastification People??? The key thing is that these several Beastification People seem to be mass-produced goods, with only differences in Gift Energy, and their talents are the same. Brian was no Xu Xian. He didn¡¯t want to know the taste of a mother serpent. This obsession, although not about killing him for revenge, was still not appropriate. Brian could only continue to look further. Third black-robed person¡¯s obsession: Kill that bitch Sudan, avenge my family!!! Gift One: 70 units of Gift Energy Gift Two: 10 units of Gift Energy + Body Pythonification Gift Three: 1 unit of Gift Energy + thermal imaging Brian perked up at the sight of this obsession. If he remembered correctly, the owner of this obsession was the leader of the group in black robes. An obsession that could finally be completed. Behind the gifts was an image of a woman. Seeing the woman¡¯s portrait, Brian was startled. He had seen this woman. To be exact, he had seen her on television. She was the daughter of a gambling king in Las Vegas, in charge of a casino. Brian didn¡¯t like gambling. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn¡¯t have an impression of such a character. But it was hard to ignore that this woman had often appeared in the media recently, attending various charity dinners, and trying to boost her reputation. With his Extensive Knowledge and Strong Memory and Supercomputer Perception, a casual glance would involuntarily commit her to his memory; normally he wouldn¡¯t think of her, but as soon as key information triggered, the relevant memory would emerge from his mind. ¡°Los Angeles is very close to Las Vegas. After getting back, I can make a trip there under the guise of needing a rest to fulfill this obsession.¡± Brian murmured to himself. Regarding the thermal imaging in the gifts, he cared quite a bit. The more diverse his perceptions, the fewer weaknesses he had. It could be foreseen. As time passed, if Brian didn¡¯t fall halfway, he was destined to become a real bug of this era, the God of Mankind. He just needed a little more time. ... After looking over the obsessions of the three black-robed individuals, Brian shifted his consciousness to the obsessions of Tagg, Benjamin, and Reinhardt. Tagg¡¯s obsession: Kill the evil Benjamin, torment him!!! Gift One: 60 units of Gift Energy Gift Two: 30 units of Gift Energy + Master-level hand-to-hand combat Chapter 399 - 399 240 Tallying the Harvest an Exaggerated Benjamin Two-in-One_3 ?399: Chapter 240: Tallying the Harvest, an Exaggerated Benjamin (Two-in-One)_3 399: Chapter 240: Tallying the Harvest, an Exaggerated Benjamin (Two-in-One)_3 Gift Three: 10 units of Gift Energy + robust physique Behind the Gift, was the scene of Benjamin finally killing Tagg. Seeing this image, Brian¡¯s consciousness smirked. He suddenly remembered what Tagg had confidently said to him at that time. Tagg probably never imagined he would encounter Benjamin, let alone take this researcher seriously. So, never jinx yourself by being too sure of things. Almost immediately after Brian received this obsession, a warm current surged through his body, signifying the completion of this obsession. That... felt amazing! As for the choice of Gifts. Brian directly chose Gift One: 60 units of Gift Energy. The reason was simple; despite Gift Three¡¯s robust physique talent seeming quite valuable, it was of little use to him. Robust physique: Your flesh and bones are inherently 50% stronger than your peers, your male rapid hormone secretion is vigorous, your physique is above average, you desire the opposite sex, you crave battle, you are a natural-born warrior. Due to the Blood Moon Gift Ability. Brian naturally knew that this inherent advantage over peers meant compared to ordinary human beings. This meant that someone with this talent would naturally be a sports champion, have a good tolerance for Enhancement Reagents, and have great potential, belonging to the genius type. But to Brian, all this was meaningless. He checked the hypothetical scenario of selecting robust physique, and, as he expected, it had almost no effect on enhancing his own strength. With the influx of sixty units of Gift Energy into his body, Brian¡¯s stored Gift Energy once again surpassed a hundred, reaching 154 units. ... Tagg¡¯s obsession, it was practically a free gift. This made Brian couldn¡¯t help but label the other as a generous good guy. Two more high-quality mystery boxes awaited opening. Brian felt a sense of poignancy and hastily continued on. He habitually saved the best for last and therefore first checked Reinhardt¡¯s obsession. Reinhardt was a special product cultivator arranged by the Doomsday Sect. The guy was a victim, not naturally bad, at least decent to his own people, but a bit lacking in ability and somewhat timid. Just as Brian was affixing labels to Reinhardt, the latter¡¯s obsession made him retract the label he had just applied. Reinhardt¡¯s obsession: Find the girl who made me break through to First Rank life, coerce the secret of how she helped me ascend, then kill her, and keep the secret all to myself! Brian: ... Brother, I had just praised your nature, and then you pull this stunt? Truly the offspring of robbers and criminals. He checked Reinhardt¡¯s Gifts speechlessly. Gift One: 65 units of Gift Energy. Gift Two: 15 units of Gift Energy + a mantis-like Mutated physique Gift Three: 1 unit of Gift Energy + Instant Strike Gift Two, which would change the external structure of the body, Brian always disliked. He turned his attention to the talent of Instant Strike. Instant Strike: The musculoskeletal structure of your upper limbs is special, able to withstand greater bursts of power, able to explode with the strongest strength of the body at the fastest speed, the greater the power, the faster the speed, and the faster the speed, the higher the damage... Simultaneously, a virtual image appeared in Brian¡¯s mind: He swung a forceful hand chop. The next moment. The void-like air visibly rippled and surged forward before being followed by a sharp sonic boom from the air being torn apart. The most outrageous part was the compressed air carried by the tip of the hand chop, which shot out more than three meters before dissipating. Brian¡¯s eyes lit up. Good grief, a striking speed faster than the speed of sound, with the key that the greater the power, the quicker the strike, growing with the body¡¯s growth. This Instant Strike talent might sound unremarkable in name, but in the right hands, it¡¯s a genuine enhancement to combat ability. Brian eagerly focused on the impact carried by the last of the obsession. This obsession, he wanted to complete as soon as possible. With a thought, the image of the girl contained in Reinhardt¡¯s obsession appeared before Brian. Seeing the image of the girl, Brian was startled. This girl was actually identical to the hunting target he had seen in Laura¡¯s death playback, the female veterinarian! Brian¡¯s interest was piqued. If he remembered correctly, this girl was a Mutant, the kind with a life-related Mutant Ability who had lived for at least decades without any signs of aging. Afterward, she was captured by Laura but rescued by two Mutants from the Doomsday Sect. In the meantime, she had even abducted Brian¡¯s Shi San and somehow got tangled up with Billy¡¯s Bloodbath Gang before disappearing without a trace. Brian hadn¡¯t expected such a connection with her. ... Keeping this obsession in mind, Brian looked towards the last obsession. Mutated Benjamin¡¯s obsession: Become a milestone in human history. Brian: ... Your obsession is truly plain, isn¡¯t it! Become a milestone in human history? Why don¡¯t you just shoot for the stars? Suddenly, Brian, who was internally criticizing, was drawn to Benjamin¡¯s title. ¡°Mutated?¡± Brian had completed many obsessions, but this was the first time encountering such a prefixed character label. Was there something special about this guy, Benjamin? He hurriedly continued reading. Gift One: 300 Gift Energy units. Gift Two: 10 Gift Energy units + a supercomputing brain Gift Three: 10 Gift Energy units + Super Mimetic Skin Gift Four: 1 Gift Energy unit + Survivor lineage ¡°This good?¡± Brian was somewhat shocked. Three hundred Gift Energy units!!! Three hundred!!! He had never seen such a level before! But the problem was, Benjamin, this weakling, did not seem worth that price, did he? What was going on? He hurriedly looked at the descriptions of a few Gift talents. Chapter 400 - 400 241 Method to Fulfill Benjamins Obsession Six Thousand Words Combined ?400: Chapter 241 Method to Fulfill Benjamin¡¯s Obsession (Six Thousand Words Combined) 400: Chapter 241 Method to Fulfill Benjamin¡¯s Obsession (Six Thousand Words Combined) Super-Computational Brain: You felt one brain wasn¡¯t enough, so your body began to mutate. You started to continually generate new sub-brain tissue. Your cognitive capacity increased with the number of sub-brains. The number of sub-brains depends on the biological structure of the body. Your current sub-brain limit is 4. ¡°Isn¡¯t this essentially a biological computer...¡± Brian muttered to himself. Imagine that. Carrying a few biological computers around, wouldn¡¯t your thinking speed skyrocket? Filled with curiosity, Brian checked what his form would look like after obtaining this talent. The next moment, A ¡®Brian¡¯ with three heads appeared before him. Of the three heads, only the central one looked no different from the Brian of now, while the two smaller heads were squished together to the left and right of the normal-sized brain. The most absurd thing was that these things, worthy of being called sub-brains, lacked external features like eyes, noses, ears, and mouths, possessing only the contours of a human face on their bald surfaces, which displayed the unsettling wrinkles of brain tissue. Besides, in the image, Brian¡¯s two pectoral muscles were also occupied by two protruding faces. Yes, the remaining two heads were growing from Brian¡¯s chest. Probably because this area was close to the heart and facilitated nutrient absorption. Brian closed the image display with disgust. This was an ability he really wanted. Any normal person would want it. The problem was, its physical appearance was just too disgusting. He wasn¡¯t some humanoid octopus or other tentacled monster with enough appendages to support those sub-brains. If he really chose this talent, These conspicuous sub-brains would become weaknesses in his body. ¡°Such a pity for this talent...¡± With a sense of regret, Brian continued to look at the explanations for the remaining two talents. ... Super Mimetic Skin: Your skin underwent a miraculous change. You could capture the external environment¡¯s brilliance and physical features perfectly, passively or actively altering your skin color to blend into your surroundings. Your skin could decipher all types of external wave refractions, mimetically absorb them, and eliminate the refraction phenomena. .. Heritage Bloodline: You were born into an ancient and noble civilization. You were a descendant of a forgotten civilization¡¯s lingering bloodline. You had forgotten your ancestors¡¯ glory, but their bloodline still protected you. Maintain the purity of your bloodline. Perhaps one day, you might rediscover the history of that lost empire. .. ¡°Hmm?¡± Upon reading the introductions to these two talents, Brian¡¯s consciousness uttered a surprised and dubious sound. Both of these talents had some issues. Take ¡®Super Mimetic Skin¡¯ for example. This was basically the color simulation of octopus skin, similar to a chameleon. However, compared to a chameleon, octopuses are much faster at integrating into their environment, not only in skin color changes but also in body tissue alterations, perfectly blending both color and form. Which means, ¡®Super Mimetic Skin¡¯ is just a part of the octopus¡¯s innate Mimetic Environment Talent. This must be because Benjamin¡¯s mutation wasn¡¯t complete when Brian killed him, resulting in an incomplete inheritance of the ¡®Deep Sea Diver¡¯ talent. Brian didn¡¯t underestimate this half-talented ¡®Super Mimetic Skin.¡¯ The amount of Gift Energy Units it deducted was enough to showcase the value of this talent. Of course, it¡¯s also possible that for an octopus-like soft-bodied tentacled creature, physical mimicry isn¡¯t considered much of a talent, which is why it hadn¡¯t formed into something special. As for Benjamin¡¯s toxin talent, it wasn¡¯t present here, possibly embedded within that Heritage Bloodline talent. As usual, Brian looked at the form he would take upon fusing with this talent. The next moment, A void appeared before Brian. At first, he was startled, but then it dawned on him that it wasn¡¯t a void, but ¡®him,¡¯ perfectly blended into the surrounding environment and refracting its light. In layman¡¯s terms, he had become optically invisible. ¡°Damn, this ability would be badass in modern times!¡± Brian¡¯s eyes lit up. He was already capable of blocking his body¡¯s scent, and with invisibility on top of that, wouldn¡¯t that mean he could do whatever he wanted in the future? It just wasn¡¯t clear whether this ability would be affected by motion. Along with his thought, A light ripple appeared unobtrusively in the otherwise empty scene. This was a strange phenomenon, akin to the air, which should have been empty, suddenly revealing a blurry human silhouette. Which means, if he moved slowly, it would be hard for ordinary people to notice the invisible Brian, but for those with enhanced vision or other non-human enhancers, they would still sense something off. However, as ¡®Brian¡¯ in the image sped up, the exposed outline became increasingly blurred, to the point where anyone seeing it would likely just think their eyes were playing tricks on them. This was really great. More importantly, according to the explanation, ¡®Super Mimetic Skin¡¯ talent could analyze all external wave refractions, mimic absorption, and eliminate wave refraction phenomena. Light is actually just a part of the electromagnetic spectrum and a very small segment that living eyes can capture. Many human sensory detection devices also use similar principles. That means the ¡®Super Mimetic Skin¡¯ talent is immune to modern advanced equipment¡¯s scrutiny. That¡¯s really impressive. This talent, if possessed by an ordinary person, would probably lead them to do rather sneaky things, like peeping on people bathing or stealing. Chapter 401 - 401 241 The Method to Fulfill Benjamins Obsession 6000 Words Combined into One_2 ?401: Chapter 241: The Method to Fulfill Benjamin¡¯s Obsession (6000 Words Combined into One)_2 401: Chapter 241: The Method to Fulfill Benjamin¡¯s Obsession (6000 Words Combined into One)_2 But when it came to a non-human like Brian, the possibilities were so much greater. ¡°¡®Super Mimetic Skin¡¯ Talent, almost worth three hundred units of Gift Energy, should be more than what I¡¯ve seen. It¡¯s a shame that although my Blood Moon Ability has evolved and gained an annotation-like function, which allows me to see the changes in my form and abilities after a Talent Fusion, I still can¡¯t feel and explore the Talent¡¯s power intimately...¡± At that moment, Brian felt as if there was an ant crawling in his heart, ticklish, like reading a novel and reaching a thrilling plot point, only to find that damn author had cut the chapter short. You ask him, ¡°What happens next?¡± And he has the audacity to look you straight in the face and say, ¡°There¡¯s nothing next.¡± That was really frustrating. Brian was particularly fascinated by the ¡®Super Mimetic Skin¡¯ Talent. He was now very keen to know the limits of the ¡®Super Mimetic Skin¡¯ Talent. Invisibility, what man wouldn¡¯t find that tempting? Of course, Brian wasn¡¯t the sleazy type some might imagine. As a paragon of justice, he simply thought the ability, whether used for escape or infiltration, was a godsend ¨C and considering its high value, there must be other magical special powers as well. The problem was, Benjamin¡¯s obsession was to become a milestone in human history. How could he accomplish that? Just as Brian was pondering whether to take a trip to the sea and kill another Mutant Big Octopus, his eyes suddenly caught the third Gift Talent ¨C Heritage Bloodline. A light bulb went off in Brian¡¯s head. This obsession might not be unachievable after all. But there needed to be some ¡°story¡± in between. Yes, story. ... The introduction of Heritage Bloodline was utterly absurd. ¡®An ancient and noble civilization,¡¯ ¡®the offspring of a lost civilization¡¯s remnant bloodline¡¯... Every word told Brian that the octopuses, which were being turned into countless snack foods like takoyaki, char siu, and grilled skewers every day, might be descendants of some advanced civilization. They may not know what they went through to end up as food now, only surviving due to their strong reproductive capabilities. To be honest. In all of Brian¡¯s past and present knowledge of history, there was no such discovery of a similar alien civilization. At most, there were some legends. Such as the theory that the Egyptian pyramids were constructed by ancient Egyptians in imitation of an alien spacecraft. Or the highly advanced civilization that worshiped the sea god Atlantis, mentioned in Plato¡¯s Dialogues, which perished in a flood thousands of years ago. There are many such legends of civilizations. But nearly none have been confirmed. The closest match is actually the ¡®Atlantis¡¯ civilization. Because archaeologists have excavated some very old ruins in the land where the legend was spread. Those ruins are ancient, from before the appearance of human writing, very old in time. Moreover, this civilization venerated the sea god and was close to the sea. This fits well with the form of octopuses. However, from the state of those ruins, there are no traces of a highly advanced civilization, but rather like the remains of earthen structures drowned by water. Plus, in both the East and the West, around the same time period, there were myths and legends about a great flood. Therefore, some scholars believe that a long time ago on this planet, there must have been a global flood that led to the destruction of many early human civilizations, leaving those traces. Thinking this way, the likelihood that these Big Octopuses originated from the legendary civilization of ¡®Atlantis¡¯ is not very high. Brian was more inclined to believe they were aliens who came from outer space. After all, octopuses have a physiology that is fundamentally different from other creatures on this planet. All the above were reasons why Brian had some confidence in fulfilling Benjamin¡¯s obsession. Just imagine. What would humanity react to knowing that the origin of their greatest enemy in the ocean, the ¡®Deep Sea Divers,¡¯ is? A sense of crisis! After all, if it was just the sea Mutant Beasts impacting human shipping and their quantity affecting human activities, at most it could be considered a nuisance. Humanity, with its modern advanced technology and a plethora of terrifying weapons, wouldn¡¯t consider this group a real threat. But what if the other side also had its own civilization? That would be a completely different matter! It would be a struggle for survival between humanity and the descendants of another civilization. As the current rulers of the planet, humans would definitely not want such a group to emerge and compete with them for dominance. Brian¡¯s earlier speculations, along with others who were in the know, would also think along the same lines, and perhaps even more so. The feasibility of this plan was very high. So how could he let humanity know the true origin of those octopuses? After pondering for a moment, Brian had an answer. The more you do, the more mistakes you make. Revealing some true information about the Lurkers and then borrowing a few words from Benjamin would be enough to imply that the Deep Sea Divers had their own civilization. Exactly how to say it required a bit of acting. In this regard, Brian had made some progress under the tutelage of his uncle over the years. As long as the people in charge believed this information. Then Benjamin¡¯s obsession might be deemed fulfilled. You wanted to be a milestone in human history, didn¡¯t you? So as Mr. Benjamin, an evil scientist who, in pursuit of power, transplanted forbidden substances, revealed the true nature of the group of Deep Sea Divers under the impact of emotional stress and unclear consciousness, leading to a potential civilization war between humans and the Deep Sea Divers... Chapter 402 - 402 241 The Method to Fulfill Benjamins Obsession 6000 Words Combined Into One_3 ?402: Chapter 241: The Method to Fulfill Benjamin¡¯s Obsession (6000 Words Combined Into One)_3 402: Chapter 241: The Method to Fulfill Benjamin¡¯s Obsession (6000 Words Combined Into One)_3 ¡°Look, the battle between human civilization and non-human civilization began with Mr. Benjamin¡¯s wicked transplant, which could be considered a milestone in human history, couldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°If Brian¡¯s plan succeeded.¡± ¡°Perhaps a long time later, Benjamin might even have a chance to be mentioned briefly in human history books.¡± Thinking this way, Brian even felt a bit selfless and great. The other wanted to eat him. Yet he was thinking about how to immortalize the other and help Benjamin fulfill his greatest obsession before death. Damn, he was just too damn selfless. Who knew that in this cold and materialistic world, there was such a handsome man striding ahead behind each dead person, just to satisfy their last obsession... ... This mental state might explain why Brian, an ordinary transmigrator, had gained such a darkly red Mutation potential after the Blood Moon. His uncle Billy¡¯s efforts were just icing on the cake. The real reason was Brian¡¯s thick-skinned nature. After all, Susan once said that the most potential Mutants were not perverts or psychopaths, but those who always believed they were normal ¡ª perverted psychopaths. Brian had all these elements. Not becoming a Mutant boss would be the Blood Moon¡¯s loss of discernment. ... Lost in his wild thoughts, Brian¡¯s plane landed at a small airport. They needed to transfer here for a direct flight to Los Angeles. The wait wouldn¡¯t be too long. All over the Federation, there were more than twenty thousand airports, not counting some privately built ones, and the frequency of flights was the best in the world, comparable to train schedules in other countries. Waiting time. Brian and Linda grabbed some food, then he called Susan. Susan must have been busy; after a little wait, an excited bark came from the other end: ¡°Woof, woof, woof~ (Big dog, I¡¯ve missed you~)¡± The respondent... the dog, was Shi San. It had become much more skilled at using Morse Code. Hearing Shi San¡¯s bark, Brian also felt a bit happy, ¡°Shi San, I¡¯ll be back soon, where¡¯s Susan?¡± Beside him, Linda was stuffing her mouth with food like a starving ghost. For some reason, her appetite had grown a lot. Hearing Brian¡¯s slightly happy voice, Linda quickly puffed her cheeks, her ears perked. Shi San? From Brian¡¯s reaction, this Shi San seemed to be someone very important to him. Linda was somewhat pleased. She planned to get on good terms with this person named Shi San once they reached Los Angeles, then see if she could influence those close to Brian to steal him from that woman named Susan. Yes. Fifteen-year-old Linda, at the age where she dared to love and hate, didn¡¯t care about some of the rules seen by adults, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have asked Brian if he minded having another girlfriend. Right now, she only wanted to chase after Brian, the man who stirred her heart! Since Brian didn¡¯t have the ability to ¡®eavesdrop on heart sounds,¡¯ he had no idea about Linda¡¯s thoughts at the moment. He chatted briefly with Shi San, then asked Shi San to pass the phone to Susan. Based on the primitive information provided by Shi San, Susan seemed to have gone home, had a quarrel with her father, and was now complaining to her mother. Brian felt a warmth in his heart. Susan was quite efficient, already going back to seek her father¡¯s help with the matters regarding Benjamin¡¯s research institute. The poor old father-in-law, Dean. But Dean had only one daughter, Susan. His things were Susan¡¯s, and Susan¡¯s things, weren¡¯t they his? They were all family. Brian believed Dean would be very willing to help his son-in-law¡ª¡¯We are family.¡¯ ... After waiting a while. Then Susan¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Brian, are you okay?¡± She had been worried about Benjamin¡¯s situation. Brian¡¯s tone was relaxed, ¡°Not bad, I completed the external task assigned by NW, and also found a promising prospect. Oh, I ran into Benjamin; this guy attacked me, you wouldn¡¯t believe how disgusting he is now...¡± ¡°Benjamin!¡± On the other end, Susan¡¯s voice tensed up. Nearby, Susan¡¯s mother, Nell, saw Susan¡¯s reaction and shook her head silently, sipping her red tea. As a Mutator heading down the shooter path, Susan was undoubtful in mental resilience. As Susan¡¯s mother, she hadn¡¯t seen Susan nervous since she entered NW¡¯s training camp, but now, because of a man, she saw her daughter¡¯s girlish demeanor again. It seemed Susan really liked this young man named Brian. Nell had a favorable impression of Brian. Brian¡¯s appearance and abilities were excellent, and he was promoted to a Second-level Staff in a short time, showing great potential for the future. These were the shining points visible in Brian. She wasn¡¯t opposed to Brian and her daughter¡¯s relationship. It was just her husband... As Mrs. Nell pondered how to deal with her husband Dean, Susan was listening to Brian¡¯s ¡®story¡¯, interjecting with gasps and questions now and then. After a moment. Susan hung up the phone with a serious expression. She looked at her mother, ¡°Mam, I have urgent matters to discuss with father, I need to leave for a bit.¡± Nell, holding a small cookie, nodded: Chapter 403 - 403 241 The Method to Fulfill Benjamins Obsession 6000 Words Combined Into One_4 ?403: Chapter 241: The Method to Fulfill Benjamin¡¯s Obsession (6000 Words Combined Into One)_4 403: Chapter 241: The Method to Fulfill Benjamin¡¯s Obsession (6000 Words Combined Into One)_4 ¡°Go on, I¡¯ll talk to your father about Brian tonight. You should stop arguing with your father, it only makes him more hostile to Brian. Maybe you should take some time to learn how to control a man from me..¡± Susan rolled her eyes and hurried off. The twin guns at her waist were more eloquent than any words, she had no interest in learning her mother¡¯s theories. ... The castle watchtower. Dean looked gloomily at the distant coastline, wiping a shotgun thicker than a normal arm. Although he had known his ¡°little cabbage¡± Susan would drift away from him ever since she brought that pretty boy home last time, her request to help the pretty boy deal with some radicals at NW for a meaningless institute still depressed him. It was already like this without marriage, would it be the end if they were to marry? Suddenly. Dean¡¯s movements halted, then pretending to be oblivious, he quickly spilled some liquor from a bottle onto himself and took several big gulps, making his body reek of alcohol. With the dispersing scent of alcohol, his expression also shifted to one of sadness. A few seconds later. Tap tap tap~ The crisp sound of footsteps approached. Susan, with a cream-colored puppy, rushed to the watchtower through the narrow passage. Seeing Dean, she was about to say something but noticed her father looking melancholically towards the sea, appearing heartbroken. Susan instinctively remembered their earlier argument and felt a surge of guilt, awkwardly apologizing, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m sorry about earlier...¡± Beneath her, Shi San sniffed and immediately barked twice at Susan. The next moment. Susan¡¯s guilt vanished, replaced with anger, ¡°Dad, you tricked me!¡± Dean¡¯s melancholic expression changed. He awkwardly stroked his stubbled chin, ¡°Your dog is pretty impressive, it even knows Morse Code. Susan, what rushed you here?¡± Distracted by Dean¡¯s deflection, Susan momentarily forgot her grievances with her father. She hurriedly relayed the information she had obtained from Brian. ¡°Civilization?¡± Dean¡¯s expression turned grave, ¡°Are you sure?¡± Susan nodded more confidently than Brian: ¡°This is all from Brian, he wouldn¡¯t lie to me! And Brian is too honest; he couldn¡¯t know so much about the Deep Sea Divers. This information isn¡¯t even available in textual form in any official organization; only warriors who have been to the deep sea battlegrounds and families like ours know about it.¡± Dean rolled his eyes. Brian.. honest.. Do those words even go together? It was only because he loved his daughter too much and couldn¡¯t bear to see Susan sad; otherwise, knowing about Brian¡¯s background, he would have blasted the guy¡¯s head off during their last encounter. After a moment of silence. Dean picked up his shotgun, ¡°I understand, I¡¯ll handle this myself at the NW headquarters. Tell Brian not to come back to Los Angeles yet, wait for my news.¡± Susan dumbly asked, ¡°Why?¡± Dean rolled his eyes again and pinched Susan¡¯s cheek, ¡°Be good, my dear daughter. Think less, ask fewer questions. It¡¯s better for us both.¡± ¡°Dad!¡± Susan clenched her fists. Whoosh~ The hurricane roared. Apart from a large crater, there was no sign of Dean. Susan was not surprised. Pouting her lips, she glared toward a hundred meters away but could only see a trail of dust disappearing into the distant forest. That was the disturbance from her father running. In reality. Susan had witnessed even more extraordinary displays of her father¡¯s strength when she was very young. Many in NW liked to call her mother ¡°T-Rex,¡± not because she had a fiery temper and would shoot people in the head at the slightest provocation. There was only one real reason. Her father, Mr. Dean, had another title: Human-shaped Tyrannosaurus! Chapter 404 - 404 242 Arrangement Heading to Las Vegas Supplement ?404: Chapter 242 Arrangement, Heading to Las Vegas (Supplement) 404: Chapter 242 Arrangement, Heading to Las Vegas (Supplement) Seeing her father leave, Susan could only pick up her phone again and tell Brian not to come back to downtown Los Angeles just yet. The two of them continued chatting for a while before hanging up. On the other side. Brian put away his phone. He hadn¡¯t expected such luck. Since there was a valid excuse not to return, he seemed to have just the opportunity to fulfill the obsession of Black Robe Number Three. Obsession of Black Robe Number Three: Kill that bitch Susan and avenge my family!!! Gift One: 70 units of Gift Energy Gift Two: 10 units of Gift Energy + Body Pythonification Gift Three: 1 unit of Gift Energy + thermal imaging Brian had seen Susan¡¯s interview on TV before. She was the daughter of a casino owner in Las Vegas, owning a legitimate casino and hotel, and seemed to be busy gathering reputation since she frequently appeared at charity galas in the news. Ironically, Las Vegas was just over four hundred kilometers away from downtown Los Angeles. Brian could run there in no time. ¡°Um, when I get off the plane and settle Linda, I¡¯ll go deal with this obsession.¡± Brian muttered to himself and began to meditate. Such a woman who lured people into human experiments causing families to be ruined, didn¡¯t need to be investigated further. Her death would not be regretted. ... Five hours later. After a connecting flight, a small plane landed at a small airport in Alhambra City in Los Angeles County. This airport looked non-commercial, with no planes parked there. For this flight, Brian had paid a fee of five thousand eight hundred US dollars and then paid the pilot an additional one thousand three hundred US dollars for his service. Once out of the small airport. The two reached the streets of the city. It was now the afternoon, and there were quite a few pedestrians moving about. Linda curiously observed this city more than three thousand kilometers from her hometown, then tugged at Brian, ¡°Are there a lot of Asians in Los Angeles? I can¡¯t understand many of the signs on the streets.¡± The street signs were not only in Federal language but also in many Traditional Hua characters. The pedestrians on the streets included only one or two Caucasians and African-Americans, occasionally one could see one or two browns or Latinos and Native Americans, the rest were all black-haired Asians. Hearing this, Brian smiled, ¡°There are quite a few Asians here in Los Angeles, but most here are from Hua Country. I heard their mayor next year is very likely to be a Hua descendent.¡± He had been here before. Alhambra was located to the east of downtown Los Angeles, very close at less than fifteen kilometers away, with a current population of just over ninety thousand. Not counting undocumented workers, there were over forty-five thousand Hua people and descendants. Interestingly, the Hua descendants here liked to do business. Many of the shops here were owned by them. This caused a humorous phenomenon where non-Hua ethnic groups settling here ended up learning some Hua language to blend in. This wasn¡¯t an isolated phenomenon. It was mostly because most Hua people were disinterested in politics and not very united; otherwise, many of the developed cities in the United States would have had a significant number of Hua descendants as high-ranking federal officials. After all, at this point in time, the political climate of the United States wasn¡¯t as hostile towards Hua Country as it had been in Brian¡¯s previous life. But it was getting close. Brian wasn¡¯t very interested in this area, so he wasn¡¯t very familiar with the relationship between both sides in this slightly different parallel world. While explaining this to Linda, they reached a commercial street. The street was called Valley Avenue. Brian used to hang out here often during his studies, as it was one of the main Hua business districts in the whole Greater Los Angeles area. Most of the shops, restaurants, and supermarkets here were owned by people from Hua Country. After eating some Hua Country stir-fried dishes with Linda, they found a small inn to stay in. During that time, a Hua Country auntie gave Brian a very odd look. After all, Linda¡¯s appearance, although mature, still had juvenile fuzz on her face that made it clear to anyone with a bit of experience that this girl was not very old. When they registered their details, wow, fifteen years old, that¡¯s critical. The auntie¡¯s look at Brian became even stranger. But she didn¡¯t make a fuss. At fifteen, in this place, there were quite a few who were on the streets. .. ¡°Brian, that auntie¡¯s gaze at you... haha¡± Upon entering the room, Linda threw herself onto the bed, laughing heartily. Following Brian had significantly eased her previously frightened mood, and the influx of novel information had restored some of her original character. Brian rolled his eyes. Linda had just been pretending to be restrained, prompting inappropriate thoughts from onlookers, her gaze towards him was also odd, as if she saw him as a pretty boy seducing an innocent young girl. ¡°I¡¯m going out to buy some stuff, do you need anything?¡± Brian checked the time on his phone casually. He needed to prepare some materials for the night¡¯s activity. Linda licked her lips, ¡°Water, I guess. I didn¡¯t quite get used to that Hua Country food, I suspect I might get diarrhea later.¡± Her reaction was quite genuine. Due to dietary habits, most Americans couldn¡¯t actually adapt to authentic Hua Country cuisine, even the lighter varieties. Their palates and stomachs struggled. So, the ¡®Hua Country cuisine¡¯ that was popular was actually the kind that was completely altered. ¡°Alright.¡± Brian chuckled and nodded, leaving the room. To avoid interference, he didn¡¯t tell Susan where he was staying, as she might have driven straight over. Susan was not Linda. Brian was not confident about silently knocking her out and going out. ... It was after 8:00 PM. Linda lay in bed watching TV. Every now and then, her gaze drifted towards Brian who was flipping through a magazine on the couch, her face slightly flushed with color. It was her first time spending the night in the same room with an adult male. For some reason, Linda felt unusually tired that day. In a daze, she closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep. Brian, who had been browsing the magazine, immediately got up. He walked over to the bed, adjusted Linda¡¯s sleeping position, and pinched her slightly chubby cheeks. The touch was alright. She was indeed at a beautiful age. Linda had a particularly high resistance to drugs. To prevent her from waking up early and feeling scared when she realized he was gone, Brian considerately left a note on the bedside table. Then, He used a chain to lock the door from the inside before slinging a small backpack over his shoulder and leaping out the window, disappearing into the night. .. After leaving Alhambra City, Brian changed his clothes, altered his appearance, and headed towards Las Vegas along the highway. He watched and listened in all directions, unaffected by the darkness, and sprinted at full speed without hesitation. The whistling wind filled his ears, and plants on both sides quickly passed by. The sensory thrill of this exhilarating run was something that couldn¡¯t be replicated by any vehicle. The highway was sparsely populated at night. Most people wouldn¡¯t be found on the interstate at this hour unless it was an emergency. The reason was simple¡ªit was terrifying. Most parts of the interstate lacked streetlights. The entire road was pitch-dark, and you could only see a short stretch illuminated by car headlights. It was easy to feel fatigue while driving, and any random scarecrow, road sign, or roadside phone booth could make you tense and paranoid. It was an unpleasant feeling. Whenever a vehicle passed by, Brian could hear it from a great distance and gave it a wide berth. An hour later. More road signs began to appear. Each junction represented a small town. This usually indicated proximity to a large city. Las Vegas was one such city. Brian didn¡¯t have a cell phone. He slowed down, found an opportunity, and hitched a ride with a truck driver. The driver seemed like a tough, bearded man with a potbelly and a shotgun at his feet, giving off an intimidating vibe. This was quite normal. At this time of night, only people like him would dare to extend a helping hand and offer a ride. At this moment, Brian appeared as a slightly sunken-eyed Englishman with a prominent nose, overall quite presentable but with an added mature charm. He thanked the driver, ¡°Thank you, buddy. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t know what to do in this pitch-black night.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no trouble, everyone needs help sometimes. Actually, if you followed those side roads, you¡¯d easily find motels to stay in. But why are you out here at this time of the night?¡± The bearded strongman drove one-handed, the other arm resting on the open window, cigarette between his fingers. ¡°I had a fight with my girlfriend, and she left me on the side of the road. That damn bitch¡¯s car was even paid for with my card!¡± Brian glanced at the driver¡¯s outfit and quickly inferred the man¡¯s possible past, feigning anger. This struck a chord with the driver. He nodded, ¡°Yes, there are many bitches around here spending men¡¯s money while leading their own free lives. Like my wife. I gave her lots of money every year, and she ended up bearing a mixed-race child. FK, I really wanted to kill all the black guys in the community at the time...¡± What followed was the driver¡¯s diverted rant. Like many other long-haul truck drivers here, he too had been cuckolded. After leaving him a dark-skinned child, his wife took the money for a sports car he had been saving for years and took off. She didn¡¯t even take the child. You should know the truck drivers here often belong to high-income groups. Their average annual income is around $70,000 to $80,000. If they own their trucks and work hard, it¡¯s not unusual for their annual income to exceed six figures. That¡¯s why many truck drivers here, for the sake of family harmony, choose to bring their wives along on runs before having children, aiming to decrease the chances of infidelity and prostitution. This brother was obviously a family man, unwilling for his wife to suffer. However, his outcome was not very pleasant. Brian¡¯s rant resonated with the brother. After arriving at their destination, the driver parked at a logistics company and insisted on taking Brian to a tavern to drown his sorrows. This was also Brian¡¯s intention. His target, Susan, was a public figure; the driver¡¯s bar was definitely a place where useful information could be gathered. There was no other way. Brian didn¡¯t have his own source of intelligence. Due to the urgent nature of his mission, there was no time to buy information from the black market. He had to make do. Chapter 405 - 405 243 Yo Armored Vehicle Supplement ?405: Chapter 243: Yo, Armored Vehicle (Supplement) 405: Chapter 243: Yo, Armored Vehicle (Supplement) Brother¡¯s car was parked in the parking lot of the logistics company. On the way to the bar, Brian also witnessed the bustling life of this place. Here, one could see many iconic buildings from abroad, such as the Eiffel Tower and the like; Brian even saw a building that imitated the city towers of Hua Country, though he had no idea what it was used for. The streets were also filled with pedestrians, unlike the desolation of most areas at night. Dazzling lights in every color lit up everywhere. This city knew what true glitz and glamour were. Sightseeing along the way. The car arrived at a bar located in a residential area. The name of the bar was quite common, called Daddy¡¯s Bar. Bars liked by veteran drivers were always good sources of information. Many of the guests here were also drivers. With the lead of brother, Brian easily got acquainted with many well-informed truck and taxi drivers and successfully gathered some information on the target, Sudan. Ordinary people might not pay attention to such public figures¡¯ information. But they were different. They often listened to the radio, and sometimes they even sold exclusive news to the media to make some extra cash. Plus, they liked to sit together and gripe, so they were more sensitive to these things. Having turned his new acquaintances. Burping from the alcohol, Brian paid the bill and staggered out of the niche bar. When he appeared again, he had changed into casual clothes and came to a hotel called Sudanville. On the lower level of the hotel was a casino. Hotel plus casino was a standard setup around here. By this time it was past nine in the evening, and the casino was still crowded. Most of them, in fact, were tourists from the surrounding areas, and some were international visitors; locals were quite rare. Brian had never been to such a place before. When he stepped into the casino, he almost thought he was on the streets in daylight. The ceiling decor was clearly specially designed, displaying the blues and whites of the sky, with soft lighting and artificial natural light that passed through a row of slot machines into some recreational venues. There were coffee shops placed along the roadside, public benches for the streets. And food stalls as well. If you stayed here for long without checking your phone, you might even get the illusion that you couldn¡¯t tell if it was day or night. Such an environment was specially designed for gamblers. There were many types of entertainment venues here as well. One could imagine, even if someone won money at the casino, as long as they didn¡¯t leave immediately, that money would eventually be spent on one luxurious pursuit after another. A cut from the gambling tables, a cut from the entertainment venues, this place truly lived up to the saying: ¡°Earn at the casino, spend at the casino ¡ª not a dime taken home.¡± .. After making the rounds. Brian left the hotel and sat down on a bench on the street outside, waiting for his prey to show up. According to the information he¡¯d received. The target Sudan was an ambitious businesswoman who carved out the persona of a charitable businesswoman. Every day she would come here with her accountant to check the books and then leave. Probably to reinforce her public persona, there were often reporters capturing images of her busy until the wee hours of the morning. This saved Brian a lot of trouble. Time ticked away. During this time, two call girls approached Brian to ask if he wanted to have a wonderful night; for just two hundred US dollars, he could go to their place for some fun. Actually, these weren¡¯t really prostitutes but the ¡°Immortal Trick.¡± Ordinary people looking for such services here would either need a local to take them to some community streets or find them in hotels, where someone would call to inquire if they needed services. Both were relatively safe. As for these, they weren¡¯t the ¡°Immortal Trick,¡± they¡¯d lead you to various consumer trap games. They targeted unsuspecting tourists, skirting the edge of the law, and even if you called the police afterwards, it would be futile. In the midst of this, Brian encountered a gay man and several unknown people hitting on him. This frustrated Brian. If it weren¡¯t for the underdeveloped intelligence, he wouldn¡¯t need to wait so miserably and could have gone straight for the kill. ¡°The more glamorous the place, the dirtier the secrets it hides...¡± Brian lit a cigarette, pondering how to create a dedicated intelligence system for his personal use. His hastily-constructed Urban Legend Organization actually had this idea in mind, but with few people and a lack of professionals to lead, it didn¡¯t even have a framework yet. Time passed. Not until after eleven o¡¯clock at night. When the streets had far fewer people, a hefty sedan guarded by vehicles in front and behind, slowly drove from the hotel¡¯s driveway towards the main road. Brian cracked his neck. He was finally here! ... He was just about to get up when someone nearby moved faster. Not far away, a man and a woman at a street corner table, savoring sweet treats and coffee and chatting, took out a camera and such, blatantly aiming at the motorcade to take photos. Seeing this, the lead guard vehicle didn¡¯t react at all, continuing to drive forward, even deliberately slowing down. Seeing this, Brian smirked. These two were probably arranged by Sudan. It seemed the bar crowd was right; Sudan did indeed enjoy creating her own image on this front. There were often reporters and passersby capturing her itinerary for local TV and websites. This constant media bombardment might not be effective in a day or two, but over time, it would subtly shift the public¡¯s perception of Sudan, molding the persona into what they believe to be the ¡®real¡¯ person. Chapter 406 - 406 243 Yo Armored Vehicle Supplement_2 ?406: Chapter 243: Yo, Armored Vehicle (Supplement)_2 406: Chapter 243: Yo, Armored Vehicle (Supplement)_2 This move, commonly seen in the entertainment industry, had nothing to do with Brian. Taking advantage of the slowed speed of the convoy, which also happened to be at a corner of the lane, Brian didn¡¯t hesitate and quickly approached the vehicle guarded in the middle. His actions immediately raised the alarm of the leading vehicles. The driver asked his companion, ¡°Did we arrange for any other reporters today?¡± His companion shook his head, ¡°No, and those guys from the operations department never arrange for strangers.¡± As he spoke, he rolled down the window and said to the approaching Brian, ¡°Buddy, if you don¡¯t want trouble, stay back... this is...¡± Bang~ Along with a gunshot, the bodyguard¡¯s eyes went wide. Streams of blood flowed from his forehead. His lips moved twice and, powerless, he collapsed on the window, shot dead instantly. The shot came very suddenly. The driver was startled at first, then immediately tried to close the window and step on the gas to speed away from the corner. Bang~ Another shot. The bullet precisely passed through the body hanging in the window, hitting the driver in the neck. He clutched his neck and turned to look outside. All he saw was the electric window moving up and down, trapping his companion¡¯s head, never to close again. ¡°FK!¡± The two bodyguards in the rear seat finally realized what had happened. They quickly rolled down the windows, ready to return fire. The two vehicles behind also reacted. The windows of the middle vehicle, hastily closed. The last vehicle began to reverse, with the barrel of an automatic rifle peering through the slowly lowering window gap. ... All of this happened in just a few seconds. Across the street, the two young people taking photos screamed. The boy with the camera, after taking two close-up shots of the relaxed-looking Brian as he continued to approach the vehicle, pulled his companion and rushed into the crowd of tourists screaming and hiding. Brian didn¡¯t care in the slightest. Almost in the instant the windows were opened, his pistol¡¯s bullets poured through the gaps straight into the heads of the bodyguards trying to retaliate, killing them instantly, brutally. In the blink of an eye, three of the vehicles, except for the last one that started to back up, trying to return to the back of the hotel, fell silent. Brian paid it no mind. He arrived in front of the middle vehicle. The windows here had already been closed. These vehicles had special glass; you couldn¡¯t see inside from the outside. Brian aimed at the window and bang, bang, fired two shots. Thud, thud~ The bullets that struck the window actually bounced back. Inside the vehicle, a woman¡¯s slightly frightened voice came through the speaker, ¡°The car is the best bulletproof vehicle, the hotel staff and police will be here any moment, tell me who sent you to kill me, or you¡¯re a dead man!¡± Listening to her voice, there was something odd in Brian¡¯s eyes. This woman was so timid? His ears twitched, and without delay, he raised his fist high. Bulletproof vehicle? Can it stop my fist? Inside the car, a well-dressed woman curled up in terror. Beside her, two bodyguards lay dead, their heads blown open. The driver was much calmer than she was. He waved his pistol, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the security team is on its way, this lunatic is as good as dead.¡± Judging by his tone, he had no respect for his boss. Swinging a fist at a bullet-resistant vehicle? What else could that be if not insanity? The next moment, Boom~ The modified stretch limousine, weighing a full seven tons, suddenly jolted and forcefully slid several inches across the ground. The two survivors inside the car were both shocked as they looked towards the window. Outside the window, the attacker raised his fist again, as if lifting a huge hammer, and slammed it down at the edge of the car window. Boom~ The car shifted and vibrated once more. The driver, who had remained relatively calm, now trembled with the handgun in his palm, ¡°FK, I must have taken too many drugs...¡± One punch had shifted a seven-ton modified car. It was outrageous! Even ramming the car wouldn¡¯t do the job this easily! ... Outside, Brian didn¡¯t care about the terror brewing in the hearts of those inside the car. He could hear the sound of sirens. His full-power burst mode had too distinct a signature. Brian would not use it in public. Looking at the immovable bulletproof glass windows and their frames, he holstered his handgun at his waist, raised his hands high, his muscles and bones tensing like the tightest machinery, readying for the quickest charge and release of energy. Boom, boom, boom~ Accompanied by the ground shaking, the vehicle swayed, and countless afterimages enveloped the expensive bulletproof modified vehicle. One punch wasn¡¯t enough. Then a hundred punches, a thousand punches! Endless strength gathered, a continuous rebounding force transmitted through Brian¡¯s bones and muscles, which his ingenious mechanical body then redirected back into his fists, making each punch more ferocious than the last. The armored car didn¡¯t have such an advanced stress dissipation structure. The power continued to build up. In just four or five seconds, the metal frame of the car window and the corners of the bulletproof glass began to twist, deform, and even shatter. Under the horrified gazes of the two inside the car. Boom~ With a final explosive sound. The special alloy window, unable to withstand Brian¡¯s violent destruction, deformed under the stress, dragging along the bulletproof glass riddled with countless cracks, and smashed into the interior of the car. ¡°Hoo~¡± Brian exhaled a breath of foul air and looked inside the car. He saw inside, on the luxurious seat, a woman in a tight-fitting pencil skirt, now one with the flying window. The reason there was only a description of her lower body in a work skirt was that the upper part was completely flattened. A bit further on. A man holding a handgun, with a vacant expression in his eyes, was also staring at Brian as he poked his head inside. ¡°Hm?¡± Brian¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. Why hadn¡¯t he received the notification of his ¡°obsession¡± being fulfilled? He knocked on the car¡¯s frame, ¡°Buddy, this woman isn¡¯t Sudan?¡± The driver shook his head mechanically, ¡°No, Sudan never really appears in public, the one on TV and outside is always a body double.¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know...¡± The more the driver spoke, the more sober he became. He looked at Brian with alarm, ¡°I really don¡¯t know Sudan¡¯s whereabouts, probably only the casino manager knows; he¡¯s at the very top of the hotel.¡± The driver, holding the gun, had never felt so vulnerable before. The handgun didn¡¯t offer him any sense of security. How could a human be so terrifying? ¡°Thank you.¡± Brian politely thanked him and turned towards the car that had sped off. As they saw his retreating figure. And listened to the sound of sirens approaching. The driver bit his teeth, his hands shakily gripped the muzzle of the gun, aiming at Brian¡¯s back. Bang~ Accompanied by a gunshot. The handgun fell. The driver, who could have lived, touched the empty space on his forehead in a daze and then collapsed, powerless. Brian, without turning his head, stuffed the handgun back into his pocket. It was difficult to sneak attack him now. He would suggest a direct barrage of fire or supersonic missiles instead. Chapter 407 - 407 244 Massacre Unexpected Arrival May Monthly Bonus 1 ?407: Chapter 244: Massacre, Unexpected Arrival (May Monthly Bonus 1) 407: Chapter 244: Massacre, Unexpected Arrival (May Monthly Bonus 1) Drip-drop, drip-drop~ One by one, police cars, flashing their sirens, surrounded the area. A large number of tourists were evacuated. Brian also caught up with the escaping guard vehicle, smashed the car window to create a big hole, questioned them for a bit, and then, with one bullet each, he sent them away. He evaded the hotel security team that had rushed over, climbing on the exterior walls of the hotel, and under the cover of night, he climbed towards the hotel¡¯s top floor. This operation was a failure. What was supposed to be an assassination turned into a massacre. The uncertainty of information is always such an inconvenience. To expedite the process, Brian even ignored the few obsessions that burst forth. These obsessions from ordinary people were hardly attractive to him anymore. This approach also found Brian an opportunity. .. Underground parking lot. Looking at the wrecked bullet-proof sedan, a dozen armed security guards opened their mouths slightly in shock. The security team leader rubbed his eyes, ¡°My God, was this car attacked by a T-Rex?¡± A team member inspecting the inside of the car said with an ugly expression, ¡°Captain, they¡¯re all dead. The blood inside is still warm. The killer might be close by.¡± A group of people, frightened, gathered together, looking around in terror. Security, security, sometimes you can¡¯t even protect yourself. The captain, watching his subordinates¡¯ poor performance, dark-faced, spoke into the communicator, ¡°Surveillance, any sightings?¡± The pager buzzed with an electric sound, ¡°The killer is a British man in a suit, definitely a Brit. He left the garage and isn¡¯t in the surveillance area anymore.¡± ¡°Understood, relay the message to Kulunbu¡¯er¡¯s manager, tell all the guests to stay in their rooms and wait for the police to arrive.¡± ¡°Okay, Captain.¡± Kulunbu¡¯er¡¯s manager is the official person in charge of the hotel and casino. He is a relative of Miss Sudan, a complete idiot who only knows pleasure. The surveillance room attempted to contact him several times, but no one answered. Knowing he was probably indulging in entertainment again, they had no choice but to send a hotel waiter up to inform him personally. .. By the time the hotel waiter arrived, he only saw two security guys lying in a pool of blood, and a huddled mass lying on the floor, with its entire skin peeled off and stuck to the wall. Beside the huddled mass, several very young looking girls with dog collars around their necks, wrapped in towels, lay scattered on the ground. Clearly, the waiter was also a confidant. He knew all these were the manager of Kulunbu¡¯er¡¯s captives, kept as playthings. The waiter stepped forward trembling and checked on the girls, finding they were just unconscious, not killed. This gave him a breath of relief. It¡¯s not that he was glad the children were okay. He wasn¡¯t that noble, it was simply the knowledge that the killer had probably left already, ensuring his own safety. The fact was just so. Brian had already left. With the stench of blood on him, he grimly leaped across neighboring buildings. According to the interrogation, that disgusting pig revealed that Sudan was only ostensibly the casino hotel owner, but actually also the leader of the Rat Gang. The Rat Gang, a gang specialized in human trafficking. The little girls from the fat pig¡¯s room were supplied by the Rat Gang. This kind of business, actually wasn¡¯t very profitable. Compared to the casino hotel, this inevitably small gang could probably not make as much in a whole year as the casino hotel made in half a month. The risks were higher, too. The fat pig never understood why Sudan cared about such a small gang and even personally oversaw it. But Brian knew. She must be one of the Doomsday Sect¡¯s material suppliers. The others trafficked could also serve as bait, drawing in those seemingly illustrious politicians, the transactions involved, too complex to express with words. ... At this moment. An ostensibly abandoned factory. Brightly lit. A fierce-eyed woman, putting down her phone, looked at her subordinates, busy at several crates, ¡°Everyone stop what you¡¯re doing, grab your weapons, and enter Level 1 alert!¡± These people were well-trained, completely lacking the loose discipline typical of gang members. Almost the instant the woman ordered, these people orderly put down what they were doing, lined up to the weapon and ammo boxes aside, donned Bullet-Proof Vests, and picked up standard-issue automatic rifles. Mechanical doors closing resounded around them. Lines of infrared security beams and lights turned the sizable factory into a sealed fortress. Seeing this, the woman got up, preparing to go to the security room to inquire about the specific situation on the hotel side. The next moment. Boom~ A loud noise came from above. Debris fell in torrents. Everyone shockingly looked up, only to see a figure jumping from a gap more than ten meters high, landing directly in front of the woman. Thud~ The ground trembled slightly, raising dust. Brian scanned the surroundings, grasping the neck of the somewhat stunned woman, slowly lifting her into mid-air, ¡°Not a single camera installed, you¡¯re really cautious, Sudan.¡± Sudan was truly stunned. According to the news, the hotel and casino had been attacked seven or eight minutes ago, her foolish uncle was discovered dead in the hotel penthouse five minutes ago. The death was gruesome, limbs broken, skin peeled off while alive, dying excruciatingly. None of this scared Sudan. What she did was bound to attract retribution from inhuman entities. Thus, the hotel and casino were nothing but a lure. The fact was indeed so. Chapter 408 - 408 244 Massacre Unexpected Visitor May Monthly Ticket Bonus 1_2 ?408: Chapter 244: Massacre, Unexpected Visitor (May Monthly Ticket Bonus 1)_2 408: Chapter 244: Massacre, Unexpected Visitor (May Monthly Ticket Bonus 1)_2 The attack had only just occurred, and she had already received the news. Even if the attacker knew of this place and rushed over, it would take at least seven or eight minutes. Not to mention, they still had to interrogate for the address. Her worst-case scenario was that the enemy would arrive within fifteen minutes. That was enough time for her to turn this place into another trap. But now, only five minutes had passed! Five minutes! After initiating the attack, they had interrogated and found out the address of this place, from the hotel casino to the transportation factory seven or eight kilometers away. This was absurd! Sudan, her neck being clenched, remained calm with difficulty, ¡°There is a self-destruct device here, and my life is the trigger. There are more than thirty specialized, professional mercenaries around. You won¡¯t be able to leave even if you kill me!¡± The various weapons of the surrounding crowd were already aimed in this direction. ¡°Oh!¡± In front of everyone, Brian viciously ripped the clothes from Sudan¡¯s body. He flicked his fingernail: ¡°I originally just wanted to send you off simply. But you¡¯ve made me very embarrassed! Why can¡¯t you cooperate? Ms. Sudan? Why must you force me to turn an assassination into a violent home invasion massacre? Do you know how your uncle died? I sliced open his skin along his neck, then I rubbed it and skillfully separated the skin from the flesh until it all came off like removing clothes with a shake of his feet...¡± Sniffing the stench coming from his fingertips, Sudan¡¯s pupils dilated to their fullest. A foul smell emanated from her lower body. She had been scared to pee herself. Cruel people aren¡¯t necessarily brave. They can be cruel to others, but when that cruelty comes upon themselves, they could become even more frightened and insane. The reason is simple. They have seen too many miserable people struggle before death. So, without even experiencing it, they start to imagine, scaring themselves. Brian was not joking. In front of all the guards and gang members, he sliced open Sudan¡¯s neck skin and, amidst her shrill screams, he meticulously crushed the adhesive tissue between her skin and flesh bit by bit... The scene was unbelievably cruel and horrifying. Sudan passed out from the pain, then woke screaming for someone to kill her. The guards recovered and someone actually fired a shot. Brian then tossed Sudan into the air and disappeared from everyone¡¯s sight. When their eyes finally caught the figure, He had already appeared before the guard who had shot, placed his hand on the man¡¯s head, and harshly yanked¡ª Rip. An entire spine, connected to the head, lay tossed on the ground. The sight was chilling. Watching their comrade¡¯s body, now devoid of spine and head, become a human fountain, these oft-malicious gunmen swore they had witnessed the true arrival of Satan! Brian¡¯s figure flickered and reappeared ten meters away, catching Sudan again in his hands. He smiled at the guards, ¡°I don¡¯t like being disturbed while I work, so can we keep it quiet, alright?¡± ¡°Monster!¡± Someone screamed and threw down their gun, attempting to run away. The next moment, Sudan¡¯s groggy body took flight again... The same scene replayed. These elites didn¡¯t even see Brian¡¯s movements before another wriggling spine and head appeared on the ground. The fleeing body maintained its pace for a few steps before crashing heavily to the ground. They truly were the skilled forces trained by Sudan at great expense. But in front of such a monster, they were as fragile as small children bullied by bigger kids, only capable of hiding in their mother¡¯s arms and crying. This time, Brian didn¡¯t need to remind them again. With the guards as witnesses, Brian slowly followed the previously described process, peeling off the skin of Sudan, who had gone through threats, pleading, and insults. The guards watched as their leader writhed on the ground, turning into a lump of flesh. Brian distastefully tossed the remnants in front of Sudan, took out a bag of salt bought from a convenience store on the way, and applied it evenly to her body. He whispered soothingly, ¡°It hurts, doesn¡¯t it? The people who have lost their children, fathers, wives, mothers¡ªthey hurt even more inside. I¡¯ve always despised human traffickers the most.¡± ¡°Ah ah ah~¡± Sudan clawed at her own skin, writhing and screaming on the ground. Tears streamed down, turning into blood and tears spattered everywhere. To live was worse than death, that was her current state. After several minutes of screaming, Her pupils became fixed, no longer struggling. At the same time, a warm flow surged through Brian¡¯s body. The obsession of the third-robed figure had been fulfilled! Brian glanced at the blood and flesh on the ground, knowing she had died from the pain. It turned out. There was no self-destruction device after all. Even if there had been one, Brian wouldn¡¯t care. Ordinary high explosives, unless in a confined space, would find it hard to kill him with the units of Gift he had. Smelling the blood in the air. Brian turned his gaze to the guards who were so frightened their legs gave out. These people were not innocent. Now that he was here. Might as well kill them all! And those patrolling gangsters outside. Wipe them all out! Every single one! Human traffickers deserve to die! After a full thirty to forty minutes, Brian, still reeking of a blood scent that would not dissipate, watched as a group of rescued ¡°goods¡± ran away before turning and leaving. Chapter 409 - 409 244 Massacre Unexpected Arrival May Monthly Bonus 1_3 ?409: Chapter 244: Massacre, Unexpected Arrival (May Monthly Bonus 1)_3 409: Chapter 244: Massacre, Unexpected Arrival (May Monthly Bonus 1)_3 Back at the factory. Brian climbed to a high point, his eyes emitting a faint red fluorescence as he scanned the area, ensuring no one had escaped while he cleaned up the battlefield. The obsessions of ordinary people aren¡¯t worth much, but even a mosquito¡¯s leg is still meat. If there¡¯s time, you still ought to take what you can get. The obsession of the third cloaked figure was fulfilled. After slaughtering a group of gang members and guards, Brian chose their thermal imaging talent. This talent was quite marvelous. Brian¡¯s eyes could now see the changes in temperature around him, and his tongue could sense the movement of heat sources within a hundred meters. The combination of these, along with Brian¡¯s other perception abilities, created a very complex and eerie three-dimensional field. After all, heat is something that is constantly changing. This meant that when Brian used this ability alone, the world he saw was a twisted scene, reminiscent of the style of ¡°The Scream¡±: However, when combined with other Perception Talents, it was pretty powerful. Using it, Brian even found a sealed-off room. He sensed a hidden air vent, and then following it, he discovered a safe room hidden within the wall¡¯s construction. Some clerks and some delivery notes were still hiding here. According to an interrogation. This small Rat Gang was sending out over ¡®a hundred pieces of cargo¡¯ a year from the surrounding area, often helping individuals locate suitable items for private transactions and delivering them after some training. This had formed an industry chain. The Rat Gang was just one link in this chain. Seeing the figures on the paper and the details of some missing people, Brian let out a slight sigh. The deepest malice towards humans always comes from humans themselves. ... After dealing with the hidden little vermin. After checking several times to make sure there were no survivors, Brian finally left, content. Yeah. This time, he was truly satisfied. Compared to the operation at the casino hotel. This was what you called a perfect infiltration and assassination. These folks dropped seven obsessions, but only one was right for taking orders. Out of these seven obsessions, four were about killing him for revenge. That definitely wasn¡¯t going to happen. Of the remaining three, one was about not having spent all their money, wishing to spend the hidden cash. This was workable. One was about wanting to sleep with Sudan. This too was impossible; Brian couldn¡¯t bring himself to touch Sudan in her current ghostly state. He wasn¡¯t the kind of person to abandon his principles just for a few units of energy. The last obsession was about wanting to retire early and return home safely. If it meant sending bones home, Brian might have done it. Safe return, huh? Brian couldn¡¯t be bothered with the corpse. Aside from the one about spending money, The remaining six obsessions weren¡¯t fitting to be fulfilled. The money spending obsession was also easy to complete. As soon as Brian found the individual¡¯s private cash following the hint, it was done. Another gain of five Gift units. And talk about money¡ªthat guy had a pretty penny saved up, over a hundred thousand in cash, all in small denominations, filling up a small backpack. The money was soaked in blood, which Brian nonchalantly tossed into an orphanage. As for how the people at the orphanage would deal with finding the money, he didn¡¯t care. ... It was past three in the morning. After changing clothes, preparing to climb back to his hotel room, Brian was about to climb the wall. Suddenly, he paused and turned to look towards the distant street. There, a hundred meters away, a tall figure was slowly approaching under the dim streetlights. To Brian, the night was no different from day. Seeing that the approaching person made no attempt to hide their face, He was a bit bewildered. Not... why would old Logan be here? Chapter 413 - 413 246 Shi Sans Edition of Holy Water Billionaire Brian Happy Dragon Boat Festival ?413: Chapter 246: Shi San¡¯s Edition of Holy Water, Billionaire Brian (Happy Dragon Boat Festival) 413: Chapter 246: Shi San¡¯s Edition of Holy Water, Billionaire Brian (Happy Dragon Boat Festival) Feeling Linda clinging tighter, Brian quickly hoisted her into the air and tossed her back onto the bed. ¡°You should be grateful that child marriage isn¡¯t a thing where you live,¡± Brian teased, ¡°or with you being so mature for your age, you might already be a mother of several kids by now.¡± Linda shook her head, denying Brian¡¯s suggestion: ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t be that naive. I just like your looks and that visible sense of security you have, plus, in Florida, there¡¯s something called ¡®T marriage.¡¯ I knew a girl once, she was just in her teens, and she married an old man.¡± ¡°Teens?¡± Brian was taken aback. ¡°Yes.¡± Linda nodded as she jumped off the bed, ¡°She told me that the man raped her. He was a deacon in the parish, and there are many believers where I come from. Her entire family are believers. It was a scandal. So the case ended with them getting married. Later, when I looked up the laws, I found out as long as the girl¡¯s parents and the local judge agree, she could be legally married off. What¡¯s worse, anyone under eighteen doesn¡¯t have the right to sign any legal documents for divorce. She had no choice but to accept her fate without help from anyone. Actually, it wasn¡¯t just my classmate. It was only after reading an investigative paper by an organization for the protection of women and children that I realized there are tens of thousands of these cases registered in the Federation every year, allowing these perverts to commit crimes legally. From that moment on, I even thought about if something like that happened to me, I¡¯d shoot the man dead. Luckily, I was fortunate enough not to have gone through such an ordeal. Otherwise, I¡¯d likely be a murderer now.¡± Her words came out slow and firm, clearly not made up but something she had truly experienced and given serious thought to. Brian fell silent for a moment before nodding, ¡°Alright, but I really am not the right person for you, and even if Susan weren¡¯t in the picture, I prefer girls with a fuller figure. You¡¯re just a little bean sprout.¡± Linda looked down at the tips of her feet and fell silent. Brian¡¯s comment hurt her more than any of his previous rejections. ... The ¡®little bean sprout¡¯ remark Brian made kept causing Linda ongoing hurt. Even the next day, when the two of them reached the B6 group¡¯s office building, she was listless and without energy. Upon seeing Brian, Susan gave him a warm hug and kiss despite the presence of a bunch of colleagues in the office. It was pretty much a public announcement. Green whistled and made a fuss. The Teddy combo had mixed reactions. Ivan showed a hint of regret. Glenn was full of envy. Leader Susan might be a little violent, but she was beautiful, capable, clean, and had a background... Forget it, no more thinking. Remembering how he nearly got seduced by a ladyboy, Glenn resolved to upgrade his aesthetics and taste. No more looking for one-night stands in bars. He planned to look in the gym. Old Harden and the others reacted more normally, just clapping even though they didn¡¯t understand why they were clapping, but they clapped anyway. Linda stood somewhat awkwardly behind Brian. She felt superfluous in this unfamiliar environment. Thankfully, Shi San came to her rescue. Seeing Susan hogging Brian for so long, it started barking agitatedly. Susan let go of Brian with a hint of annoyance and glared at Shi San, ¡°Hey, make it clear to me, are you saying I stole your boss? He¡¯s my guy, mine, not yours!¡± Shi San tucked its tail and looked at Brian with a pitiful expression. Brian laughed heartily and crouched down to pat Shi San¡¯s head. It felt good to be back. Though he had executed over six hundred lives in the past two days, and it had affected him, making his eyes noticeably more intense. But just seeing these familiar faces eased his mood a lot. Perhaps this was the meaning of companionship. ... Brian didn¡¯t forget about Linda. He began introducing her to his colleagues. When mentioning Linda was only fifteen, Brian shot Glenn a meaningful look. Glenn was indiscriminate and adventurous, and despite his deceiving looks, Brian was really worried Linda might fall for Glenn¡¯s tricks. Glenn put up his hands defensively, ¡°Hey, Brian, don¡¯t look at me like that. I¡¯m not a beast; I wouldn¡¯t make a move on someone so young.¡± Green rolled his eyes, ¡°Yeah, right. Just last night you were telling dirty jokes to three young girls, ending with asking who wanted to lose their virginity.¡± Hearing this, Susan¡¯s expression immediately turned cold: ¡°Glenn, I thought you had some standards!¡± She reached towards her waist. Glenn wilted, ¡°I was just trying to show them that bars are full of bad guys, and they shouldn¡¯t be sneaking in at their age.¡± Ivan quickly added, ¡°It¡¯s true, Glenn does have standards.¡± Watching the chaotic scene unfold, Linda curled her toes inside her shoes. Why does this place feel so different from the law enforcement agency she had imagined? Where was the cool vibe of the movies, with all the agents in suits and sunglasses looking so intimidatingly handsome? She pulled on Brian¡¯s arm, ¡°I remember you mentioned a friend named Shi San, is he here too?¡± ¡°Woof woof~¡± Shi San, hearing someone call its name, eagerly barked at Linda. Linda looked down at Shi San. It was gazing at her with its big eyes, batting adorably, its tail wagging rapidly. Linda: .. Cute, but... She turned her head to Brian, who gave her a confirming nod. Chapter 416 - 416 247 The Envied Linda Tycoon Brian ?416: Chapter 247: The Envied Linda, Tycoon Brian 416: Chapter 247: The Envied Linda, Tycoon Brian ¡°Unless the equipment is broken, that¡¯s indeed the case.¡± The female researcher picked up a report: ¡°We found traces of modifications in her genes. Part of it is the special gene of a gecko, and a large portion of it we can¡¯t understand, but this part has enhanced her cell¡¯s metabolic speed.¡± Saying this, she pointed to two comparative data charts on the computer for Susan: ¡°If we consider the metabolic speed of an ordinary person as 1, then her metabolic speed in a wounded state would be seven or eight. This multiplier, along with her absorption of the Nutrient Liquid, is still slowly increasing, which means her wound recovery speed is seven or eight times that of an ordinary person. This figure is quite exaggerated. The average Second-Level Staff involved in combat probably only has one-third or half her cell metabolism speed, unless they¡¯re those fast recovery type enhancers. But even for those fast recovery type enhancers, it¡¯s estimated that none have a value as high as hers.¡± ¡°Metabolizing this fast, could there be dangers?¡± Susan asked with concern. Enhancement always carries the risk of genetic collapse. Beastification enhancement is more than ten times this risk. And that¡¯s for mature reagents. As for experimental reagents and non-human biological organ transplants, it¡¯s not suitable to compare them here, as they vary from person to person, condition to condition, transplant subject to transplant subject. The female researcher nodded: ¡°Metabolizing quickly, she consumes more energy, the individual¡¯s vigor and desires will be extremely strong, and the number of cell divisions will also speed up. A biological cell has a limit to division. According to our current research, some special reagents can repair and increase an individual¡¯s cell division limit, thereby extending the lifespan. This is the principle behind some of the current Life Extension Reagents. Maintaining this high metabolic state over time will shorten her lifespan. However, according to our earlier examinations. Linda¡¯s metabolism only accelerates in certain areas of her body when she is injured or in an abnormal state, speeding up the abnormal metabolism and injury recovery to maintain the normal functioning of the body. So there¡¯s no need to worry about these issues. After all, being injured would intrinsically affect a person¡¯s lifespan. Her body is simply shortening the ¡®wound recovery¡¯ process.¡± Hearing this, Susan nodded. That makes sense. The theoretical lifespan of a normal human body is about one hundred and fifty years. But not many ordinary people live past a hundred. This is because many things in life are wearing down their bodies, reducing the lifespan of the body. Excluding the impact of disease and congenital genetics. Generally speaking, people who work hard both mentally and physically will definitely have shorter lifespans than those who are carefree and just coast through life. The longer the working years, the sooner the death. This rule may not cover everyone but represents the majority. The female researcher continued: ¡°Before she was injected with the Beastification Reagent, she must have been in a near-death state. This state significantly enhanced her integration and absorption of the Beastification Reagent, but also caused her body to be in a state of self-consumption. Fortunately, she is young, and you brought her here in time. If it had been delayed by about half a month, she would have grown up very quickly.¡± Normally, when injecting the Beastification Reagent, one would also deliberately put themselves in a near-death state to increase the efficiency of the reagent¡¯s absorption and fusion, but also ensure sufficient nutritional intake. Therefore, this process is generally conducted within a Nutrient Container. The Linda in front of us was clearly injected in a less formal way. ¡°Grow up quickly?¡± Susan was a bit slow to respond when it was not related to battle. The female researcher nodded: ¡°It¡¯s just as it sounds. Her body, being in a high metabolic state for an extended period, will ¡®ripen¡¯ itself, becoming more mature. This process will continue until she reaches the end point of her body¡¯s growth. Normally, this growth time is in the mid-twenties for most people. She will, due to her high metabolic state, reach this growth and developmental endpoint prematurely. This is a very normal phenomenon. Nowadays, many children who are well-nourished at the age of eleven or twelve might have a bone age equivalent to that of a fifteen or sixteen-year-old, and by seventeen or eighteen, they might be close to the natural end of their growth and development. So there¡¯s no need to worry.¡± This woman¡¯s explanation was somewhat convoluted, but Susan directly grasped the essence of her final point. It¡¯s good that there are no concerns. However, the female researcher was quite envious of Linda: ¡°Officer Susan, can you tell me what Beastification Reagent she used? This reagent is very friendly to us women; it can maintain a vigorous state in a living being.¡± ¡°A vigorous state?¡± Susan somewhat regretted bringing Linda here. This should have been a job for Brian to handle. Right now, she felt like she was in a classroom. ¡°Yes, a vigorous state.¡± The female researcher, noticing Susan¡¯s expression, realized she was speaking to someone with little academic understanding. She thought for a moment, then explained in more straightforward language: ¡°You can simply understand it as although her lifespan hasn¡¯t been extended, once her body has finished developing, she won¡¯t age anymore. She won¡¯t have any wrinkles or crow¡¯s feet to worry about, she won¡¯t become less energetic as she ages, but will always maintain vigorous energy. As long as she has sufficient energy intake, she will always be in her best state. Of course, as a tradeoff, her lifespan will be significantly lower than that of an ordinary person. Unless she can evolve her life, making her cell vitality stronger, and increase her lifespan limit.¡± The cost of maintaining a peak state, therefore, is a shorter life. Even so, the female researcher was still quite envious. She believed that if one could maintain their youthful beauty and vigor, ninety-nine percent of women would choose to live a few fewer years. Chapter 417 - 417 247 The Envied Linda Tycoon Brian - Part 2 ?417: Chapter 247: The Envied Linda, Tycoon Brian ¨C Part 2 417: Chapter 247: The Envied Linda, Tycoon Brian ¨C Part 2 A bald Researcher couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Forget about women, if I could keep the vitality of an eighteen-year-old, I¡¯d be willing to only live to fifty or sixty, since the last period of life is of low quality anyway.¡± The other male Researchers nodded in agreement. Susan was somewhat tempted by this statement. She planned to go back and ask Brian what Beastification Reagent Linda had injected. Enhanced people could also accept multiple enhancements, but the risk would significantly increase, so few chose to do so; they rather chose a fixed route for enhancement to reduce the likelihood of genetic breakdown in their bodies. Generally, only those with very strong cellular activity would try this. Like her father, Dean. As far as Susan knew, her father was not only the first Third-level Staff in the NW organization but he had also encountered some special events, resulting in his body having four different types of enhancements. These were things she¡¯d heard her mother mention unintentionally. Susan wasn¡¯t clear on just how strong her father actually was. All she knew was that when she used to violently beat up her peers as a child, she always received little gifts from those peers¡¯ parents afterward, thanking her for helping to discipline their kids. Such unique experiences had led her to form the habit of not using her brain much nowadays. After Brian had finished discussing all the compensation details, Susan¡¯s side had not yet concluded. Refilling nutrients was similar to charging a battery. There¡¯s a conversion rate involved. The special Nutrient Liquid in the nutrition pod and Linda¡¯s high metabolic absorption, put her in a kind of fast-charging state, but it still took a considerable amount of time. According to the Researchers¡¯ estimates, this process would last for at least three days and consume Nutrient Liquid worth at least ten merit points. That meant Linda had joined NW already in debt of ten merit points, joining the group of indebted individuals. A merit point, internally exchanged, was approximately forty to fifty thousand dollars, although not as high as one might imagine due to the implicit agreement among the ¡®bookmakers¡¯, and very few people would convert it to cash. Those who had merit points either exchanged them for rare Enhancement Reagents or Treatment Reagents from the outside world or considered them as rare resources to engage in some hush-hush trades with the people responsible for collections. Brian had long since run out of merit points. This account could only be paid by Susan. Since there were still a bunch of things to be busy with, Brian planned to leave Susan here to watch over Linda to avoid any unpleasant events. Before parting, Susan seemed to think of something and handed a file to Brian, ¡°This is a compensation document from the Blood Association delivered to the NW organization; sign it, and then you can go claim the compensation.¡± Seeing the file, Brian remembered. Previously, due to a case involving a female celebrity¡¯s death, a fool had attacked him and his assistant Tom. Compensation had been agreed upon back then. However, because of Benjamin¡¯s scheming, Brian had run off to Florida to carry out an annual field mission. The capital behind the Blood Association was Squid people. After signing the understanding agreement, Brian got a thermally insulated box containing exactly seven reagents from a staff member of the Foreign Affairs Department. Brian, seeing the list, was somewhat surprised, ¡°These people are too generous, aren¡¯t they?¡± The reagents, while all basic Enhancement Reagents, were usually the kind you could get for free if you joined NW¡¯s Combat Department and went to foreign battlefields. But if one were to exchange them on their own, it would add up to around sixty to seventy merit points. The Blood Association is a private capital force. They had wanted the NW organization to help pay the compensation, which would cost them more. Was this still the calculating group that valued money over their own lives? The receptionist from Foreign Affairs, seeing this, explained with a smile, ¡°Originally, it wasn¡¯t this much, but the person in charge on the other end, after seeing your and Staff Susan¡¯s data and understanding some things, voluntarily raised the compensation amount.¡± Joking. Never mind Susan. Although very violent, she had almost never ¡®actively¡¯ forced others using her family¡¯s influence before she knew Brian. But no one with a sane mind would provoke Susan. As for Brian... This guy¡¯s quick promotions and astonishing potential were one thing. But those who provoked him either lost face or bled heavily in compensation; not an easy target. The Blood Association, originally without a real case, worried about under-compensating, so they stuck to these two troublemakers and simply bled heavily. This was also a kind of business wisdom. Brian was the type who was shameless. Hearing the words of the Foreign Affairs staff, not only was he not ashamed, but he was somewhat pleased inside. It seemed that after these months, his reputation had started to spread. Plus the unlucky one who had just been coerced by him into a nine-figure compensation... Brian¡¯s lips curled upward. He believed that if anyone else caused him trouble in the future, without him needing to say much, they would know what standard to compensate him by. Comforting. Being a villain felt quite good. Carrying the thermally insulated box, Brian called a helicopter and was directly taken to the rooftop of the B6 group¡¯s office building. Having been a Second-level Staff and also having made some acquaintances, using a public machine for private purposes was just a minor issue. Upon reaching the office, Green and his group were all out, leaving only old Hardenn and the female clerk Edna busy in front of the computer. It couldn¡¯t be helped, as tomorrow was Christmas. Even the criminals hoped to spend the holiday better with their families, so they were busier with their ventures during this period. Chapter 418 - 418 247 The Envied Linda Tycoon Brian_3 ?418: Chapter 247: The Envied Linda, Tycoon Brian_3 418: Chapter 247: The Envied Linda, Tycoon Brian_3 Public security naturally puts more pressure on people. When they saw Brian. Hardenn got up, hammering his old waist, ¡°I thought I heard the sound of a helicopter just now, guy, your profile is getting bigger and bigger, I think I¡¯m witnessing the rise of a big shot.¡± With a grin, Brian said, ¡°Then wouldn¡¯t you consider coming to kiss my boots? Otherwise, I¡¯m afraid there won¡¯t be any room for you to do so later.¡± That¡¯s an American joke. In the past, this action represented submission. Now, it¡¯s more about admiration and agreement. For example, in many sports scenes, you can see team members running to a teammate who has performed exceptionally well, pretending to help clean their shoes or even kiss them. ¡°Of course, I¡¯d like to do that, but I¡¯m afraid my old waist won¡¯t allow me to bend down,¡± Hardenn said with feigned helplessness. ¡°Then you might want to try this...¡± Brian patted the case in his hand, opened it, and revealed a row of colorful metal injector reagents. This action, paired with the suit he was wearing, to tell the truth, made him look a bit like a door-to-door health product salesman. The moment Hardenn saw those reagents, his gaze froze. He trembled a little: ¡°Is this the Enhancement Reagent?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a basic type. How about buying one on a mortgage?¡± Brian said with a smile. Edna, a female clerk who stood by, also blinked with heated eyes at the case in Brian¡¯s hand. She was new but knew through daily communication that within NW, there was a magical reagent that could make people stronger and healthier. Unfortunately, she was a clerk, hardly ever went on field assignments, and relied entirely on the team¡¯s profit sharing. Although there was a bonus, merit points were hard to come by. Her greatest hope was to serve for a certain number of years, to have the opportunity to purchase reagents with money. However, these people usually allocated the opportunity to use the reagents to their grandchildren and similar relatives to give them a head start beyond ordinary people. Of course, if there was a strong member in their own team and they had a good relationship, they could also trade with such team members, spending money to buy reagents. Unfortunately, when Brian had a bunch of merit points, everyone was not that familiar with each other. They naturally missed such an opportunity. Now, however, an entire row of seven reagents was laid out in front of them... ¡°How much?¡± Hardenn, the miser, didn¡¯t hesitate for a second, displaying an attitude and expression of determination to purchase! He didn¡¯t mind for himself, but he wanted his grandchildren to have a better starting point. He had tried in his youth. He had lost a lot for it and had completely lost his ambition. Now, the opportunity was placed before him, easy to grasp. Edna also looked expectantly at Brian, hoping he would name a price she could afford. ¡°Five hundred thousand US dollars should do. As colleagues, I can accept payments spread over thirty years, no interest needed, but we need to sign a contract,¡± Brian said seriously. Gratitude becomes enmity. His terms were already quite favorable. Without any hesitation, Hardenn replied, ¡°I¡¯ll buy it, I¡¯ll buy it, Brian, thank God, you¡¯re the most generous guy I¡¯ve ever met, just come to me for anything in the future!¡± Edna also raised her hand, speaking sincerely: ¡°Thank you, Brian, you¡¯re so generous. I need it too, but I¡¯ll need to pay in installments!¡± Their faces showed gratitude, without the slightest sense that Brian was asking for too much. After all, for ordinary people, the chance to get an Enhancement Reagent meant risking their lives by joining organizations like NW¡¯s Combat Department to fight against monsters, or it depended on luck. This premise still required that they were already part of an official organization, its employees, and lucky enough to encounter and either kill or capture Mutants. But that¡¯s not all. As contract workers, people like Hardenn also had to be lucky enough that their superiors weren¡¯t embezzling their merit points and would give them a chance to exchange. Otherwise, they would most likely just get some cash rewards. So, Brian¡¯s offer to buy reagents with money was already kind of generous. Not to mention the fact that he also provided up to thirty years of interest-free installments. For Federation citizens, tormented by credit cards and the high interest of various loans, this was akin to generous benevolence. ... Seeing the two happy, Brian¡¯s lips curled into a light smile. He had Green and the others called back for a visit. The case was not urgent. Brian was looking forward to seeing the team¡¯s happy expressions when they saw the reagents. Uh-huh. If they didn¡¯t flatter him then, he would raise their interest, raise it high! Chapter 419 - 419 248 The Collective Enhancement of B6 Team Shi San Danger! ?419: Chapter 248 The Collective Enhancement of B6 Team, Shi San: Danger! 419: Chapter 248 The Collective Enhancement of B6 Team, Shi San: Danger! While Green and the others were still out, Brian prepared to administer the Basic Enhancement Reagent to old Hardenn and Edna first. Old Hardenn was somewhat reluctant. He wanted to save it for his grandsons and granddaughters. Brian rolled his eyes, ¡°Buddy, I see you as a talent in technology. Listen, as long as I, Brian, have a bowl of food, you¡¯ll have a bowl to wash. Stick with me, and you won¡¯t lack reagents in the future.¡± He didn¡¯t want old Hardenn to kick the bucket from working overtime one day. Without a good body, how could he be of use in the future? Edna was more cooperative. She knew that Enhancements could be inherited, which was even safer, so investing in herself was like investing in her progeny. The injection of this basic reagent was simple and quick to take effect. Within two or three seconds, both had completed the Enhancement Reagent injection. Edna, in her twenties, reacted fairly well. She sat in the chair, somewhat limp, taking deep breaths, her face red and feverish, much like symptoms of a fever, but without any other reactions. Old Hardenn, on the other hand, had it rough. After his injection, he simply collapsed and fell to the ground, fast asleep. His poor condition meant he needed sleep for a smoother absorption. Brian checked on Hardenn¡¯s condition briefly and noticed that although his heart rate was high, overall, he was stable, which was a relief. The older the age, the higher the risk of using this stuff. Fortunately, Hardenn¡¯s constitution was decent; otherwise, it would likely have wasted a treatment reagent. The Basic Enhancement Reagent was a mass-produced, mature reagent. Although the effect was average, its safety was high, and indeed, it appeared to be the case. ... Edna¡¯s reaction could easily lead to wild thoughts. Fortunately, the team was all out at the moment. A couple of minutes later, Edna smoothed out her clothing with a touch of embarrassment and then jumped in surprise, ¡°This is amazing, I feel strong all over, I could even lift an office desk.¡± Of course, this was her illusion. Basic is basic; how could the effect be that good. At Brian¡¯s suggestion, Edna tested her physical condition in the office. Her strength and speed had improved slightly. However, the magnitude was small, ordinary people on Edna¡¯s previous base level, with a year or two of training, could have achieved this kind of improvement. The biggest help, in fact, was health. These were subtle changes, to be felt slowly in everyday life. Half an hour later. Everyone returned one after another. They were still unaware of what had happened. Seeing Hardenn lying on the office desk, they quickly asked, ¡°What happened, what¡¯s wrong with Hardenn?¡± Tom was the most agitated of them all. He and Hardenn were both gaming enthusiasts, and over the past few months, the two had established a good friendship. ¡°It¡¯s nothing..¡± Just as Brian was about to explain, Hardenn lying on the table slowly opened his eyes. He looked up at the ceiling with a bit of confusion and then surprisingly rolled over and leaped, nimbly jumping off the desk. Seeing this, The Teddy group whistled, ¡°Wow, oh God, Hardenn, did you take some kind of fun drug?¡± This move was not hard for them. But Hardenn was a sixty-year-old man. Trendy clothes couldn¡¯t hide the decline of his body. Hardenn was also bewildered. That had been an instinctive move on his part. He bounced on the spot, exclaiming with joy, ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve returned to my body from my forties or fifties, very light, as if I¡¯ve shed a heavy burden off my body.¡± The effects of Hardenn¡¯s Enhancement were much more obvious than Edna¡¯s. This was quite normal. One being in her youth, the other well past sixty. For the latter, even a little change would feel significant. However, the reagent only repaired many of the internal injuries brought by Hardenn¡¯s old age, making him feel healthier; the actual enhancement effect wasn¡¯t that significant and didn¡¯t bring an increase in life expectancy. Basically, Hardenn¡¯s body was better than before, certainly he would live longer than his previous physical state, But his life expectancy had not fundamentally increased. ¡°What in the world is going on?¡± Tom was a bit confused. Green was a bit quicker on the uptake, glancing at a box, and connecting it to the pie-in-the-sky picture Brian had painted for him earlier, excitement flashing across his face. Couldn¡¯t it be the Enhancement Reagent! FK, God! Just a few months, and Boss Brian is cashing in on his promise? Green cheered inwardly! He must have kissed the feet of Lady Luck to have met such a great boss like Brian! ... Momentarily. In the meeting room. Everyone watched Brian¡¯s box with bated breath. There were five reagents inside. Four of them were the same standard Basic Enhancement Reagent, geared for overall Enhancement, but with very average effects. The remaining one was the treatment reagent that autopsy assistant Tom had been longing for. Brian pointed to these reagents, ¡°Guys, Christmas is coming, let¡¯s treat this opportunity as a group Fooly, how does everyone feel about that?¡± ¡°I love Christmas to death!¡± Green jumped up on the spot, ¡°Of course, I love you even more, Boss Brian.¡± ¡°Get lost, I only like women!¡± Brian said with a smile, watching everyone¡¯s happy faces. Tom, however, wasn¡¯t doing too well. Seeing the treatment reagent he had been longing for, he became so excited that he ran out of breath and collapsed. Fortunately, they were all professionals and easily revived him. Chapter 420 - 420 248 Collective Enhancement of B6 Group Shi San Danger!_2 ?420: Chapter 248 Collective Enhancement of B6 Group, Shi San: Danger!_2 420: Chapter 248 Collective Enhancement of B6 Group, Shi San: Danger!_2 Tom lay in Old Hardenn¡¯s arms, excitedly looking at Brian, ¡°Brian, tell me, you have the treatment reagent here!¡± ¡°Yes, you heard right, there is. This was the compensation given to us last time by the Blood Association, so you can inject it directly without paying.¡± Brian confirmed. ¡°Fantastic!¡± Tears unexpectedly filled Tom¡¯s eyes. ¡°Damn it, I¡¯m fed up with my current weak state. Thank God I met you, otherwise those maniacs from the Blood Association would have killed me, and I wouldn¡¯t have received any compensation.¡± He was very clear-headed. Behind the Blood Association was Squid Capital. He knew the style of those people. If it were not for Brian standing up for him, even if he were attacked, he wouldn¡¯t have gotten any compensation. If he died, it would just be over, maybe NW would argue a bit with them and give some compensation to his family in this world. That was the cold reality. Thank God for Brian! Thank you! Filled with extremely excited emotions. Tom was the first to be injected with the treatment reagent. The effect was very good. In just a few minutes, this old detective, weakened by chronic injuries over the years, felt the long-missed relief. The treatment reagent was not an enhancement reagent. It was more inclined towards healing. Hence, Tom¡¯s own strength did not increase much, and even his original injuries were not fully resolved by a single ordinary treatment reagent. But at least he became a ¡®normal person¡¯. Watching Tom excitedly running around, even repeatedly lifting office chairs and some heavy objects, the others looked eagerly at the remaining four reagents. The group probably investigated the number of members in Team B6. Green, Glenn, Ivan, and weapon expert Ali, exactly one for each. After signing the loan agreements in Brian¡¯s hands, they all grabbed syringes and stabbed themselves in the necks without considering the potential risks of enhancement. That was normal. Given such an opportunity, anyone would be tempted to try. Because by injecting this reagent, they and their descendants stepped onto another layer of society. A new era where they might not become superior humans, but at least had hope. Most ordinary people didn¡¯t even have this opportunity. .. Brian carefully collected everyone¡¯s IOUs, smilingly observing their enhancement effects while also taking charge of watching over them. If anything unexpected happened. He wouldn¡¯t mind transfusing some of his own blood into their bodies. His cell activity was extremely exaggerated. After eliminating some special components inside, giving it to these team members with ordinary physiques to absorb was as good as the special nutrient liquid at the base. At least it ensured they could last a bit longer, waiting for emergency help was not a problem. Basic Enhancement Reagent, truly the standard reagent for soldiers in the Combat Department. Everyone safely got through their enhancements. Among them, Glenn showed the most noticeable effects. This guy, suffering from an addiction to X and getting uncomfortable without a woman for a day, was the most excited, ¡°I¡¯m back, I feel like I¡¯m in my twenties again, it¡¯s so vital, I swear!¡± What Glenn referred to as ¡®it¡¯, those who knew, understood. Brian sneered coldly: ¡°Don¡¯t be too happy too soon. Glenn, the basic enhancement reagent mainly enhances the strength of flesh and body tissues, it is not healing, meaning, your reagent energy was all spent on making up for your physical deficits, you wasted this reagent.¡± Glenn was still a bit unconvinced. Reality taught him a lesson. Green, a person with hardly any combat skills, relying on brute strength, turned him over on the ground, making him question his life. Looking at Glenn lying dead on the ground, Brian shrugged his shoulders, ¡°Alright guys, in recent times, exercise more and supplement various nutrients so that you can maximize the effects of the enhancement.¡± Everyone was even more surprised, ¡°Can we still get better?¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Of course, but old Hardenn and Glenn probably can¡¯t, their reagents were all used to make up for the deficit.¡± Old Hardenn didn¡¯t mind. He felt that he was already awesome now. Glenn wasn¡¯t bothered for long. Anyway, he was in a pretty good state in certain aspects, very good! After feeling joyful for a while, everyone returned to their work mode. They dove into a new case. It was a simple robbery and murder case. Usually, such cases are done by novices; experienced criminals tend not to hurt people recklessly. The killer was probably some fool short on money for the holidays. Cases like this, in neighborhoods lacking public surveillance, depend a lot on luck. .. Looking at the office that had returned to quiet, Brian stretched lazily. He was just about to wake up Shi San, who was oversleeping. Not sure if it was an illusion. Since coming back, Brian felt that Shi San seemed a bit unhappy. Just then, Ivan, who had just left, suddenly came back and quietly called Brian outside. Brian went over to Ivan, puzzled, ¡°What¡¯s up, buddy, you aren¡¯t feeling particularly energetic and wanting to spar with me, are you?¡± Ivan rolled his eyes, ¡°Forget it, you¡¯re just a monster, here¡¯s the thing...¡± He briefly mentioned how he drank water in the morning and then unexpectedly felt full of vitality. As he talked, Ivan lowered his voice, ¡°The test results of the mineral water aren¡¯t out yet, but I feel that the reaction after injecting the enhancer just now and the feeling after drinking that water were similar, only without the enhancement effects.¡± Such a thing? Brian was amazed, ¡°Did you check the surveillance?¡± Their office had surveillance, but most of the time they didn¡¯t specifically look at it, as the surveillance content was automatically overwritten after a certain period. ¡°Checked it, the surveillance was obscured. Looking at the video, it seems someone was lying on the ground, using some disgusting liquid to precisely cover the camera, so nothing was captured.¡± As Ivan spoke, this burly man, radiating male hormones, quickly glanced at Shi San lying upside down on Brian¡¯s chair, sleeping like a shy housewife sneaking peeks at handsome guys. Brian: ¡°..Alright, I think I know what this is about, you don¡¯t have to put it so mildly.¡± From Ivan¡¯s description alone, he knew what was going on. Shi San, the guy, must have picked up someone¡¯s bad habits and was a bit petty. It must have been when Ivan accidentally spoke ill of Shi San while introducing Linda to everyone, causing the little thing to remember and then secretly add some of its own liquid into Ivan¡¯s water bottle. It had done such a thing before. ¡°Shi San¡¯s urine has this effect?¡± Brian stroked his chin. That research institute he had just taken over seemed to have a suitable research project now. .. Shi San was lying upside down, sleeping comfortably. Suddenly. A wave of inexplicable malice came from out of nowhere. Shi San floundered a bit, as if having a nightmare, jumped up from the desk, looked around, its wide eyes met Brian¡¯s smiling eyes... ¡°Woof?¡± Shi San wagged its tail at Brian. Not sure if it was an illusion, but why did it feel that the big dog¡¯s gaze was a bit strange... Chapter 421 - 421 249 Christmas Eve Warmth Additional May Monthly Ticket 2 ?421: Chapter 249 Christmas Eve, Warmth (Additional May Monthly Ticket 2) 421: Chapter 249 Christmas Eve, Warmth (Additional May Monthly Ticket 2) Christmas had saved Thirteen. Everyone became busy. Brian also temporarily had no time to manage the research institute. He directly called there to declare a holiday, planning to visit later and see how to arrange the institute and those sealed projects. This Christmas, Brian spent it quite alone. In previous years, there were the Kamor family and his foster parents. This year, some passed away, others ran away. Susan was accompanying Linda at the NW headquarters. All the team members were on duty, busy dealing with yesterday¡¯s cases and new cases. The group that had just received Enhancement was brimming with energy, in the healthy stage of adjustment. Old Hardenn, that cunning man, was actively engrossed along with a group of friends in the development and small-game development on the online game platform Brian had managed before. That was the ¡®Thirteen Online Game Company¡¯, which Brian had managed when he was short of money. The game development cycle usually wouldn¡¯t be short, combined with Brian¡¯s unusual demands and everyone¡¯s lack of experience and a fixed team. All these demanded time for exploration. For Brian, this company was just a trial and arrangement. But life is unpredictable. Just a few days ago he was still struggling with not having money, now his account was lying around with nine-digit cash, he could retire on the interest alone. Of course, he still needed to spend this money quickly, otherwise taxes would cause Brian headaches. Unfortunately, the identity of an NW staff didn¡¯t exempt him from taxes. Moreover, Brian didn¡¯t abandon the construction of the game company. This business was indeed quick money, if managed well, it could be a continuous cash cow. The operating cost of the online game carrier company wasn¡¯t high, marketing in this era of scarce online games and loopholes in legislation, many viral promotion tactics could be used. It was really hard not to succeed. In the future, needing a lot of money, Brian, aiming to build a biological research company, naturally wouldn¡¯t pass up this money-making model. Slow is just slow. He plans to spend a portion to hire someone to operate the Thirteen Game Company, which lacked even a framework, and invest the rest into the research institute. .. Everyone was busy. Brian felt embarrassed to slack off. After a video call with Susan, he donned casual clothes, brought Shi San, who wore a police vest, started riding a motorcycle on the streets, wandering idly. In his previous life, Brian greatly enjoyed a movie called ¡°Home Alone.¡± At the time, that movie gave him a grand illusion of foreign holidays as a child. However, after coming here, he realized that the kind of Christmas Eve with twinkling lights, warm orange light indoors, a family praying at the dining table, and snow fluttering outside, actually happened in New York. As for Los Angeles...it rarely snowed here. So Brian always felt that the Christmas here lacked the atmosphere he remembered. Walking the streets already let him feel that festive atmosphere. Here, many companies started their holidays early with consecutive days off. Some communities had already hung various colorful lights, and even some wealthier communities had stage activities and performances. Downtown, one could even see many festive signs and staff dressed as Santa Claus, greeting customers and children. The more eye-catching, however, were the sexy Santa girls and the girls dressed as sexy reindeer. They were really hot. The festive joy diluted the tense social atmosphere caused by escalating violence and death cases in Los Angeles since September. Humans are very adaptable creatures. Initially, everyone would be very nervous, but after a few months, seeing more reports of death cases or even more frequent gunfights nearby, they would start to adapt and even think it was normal. Just like that, a man and a dog came to a square. .. Brian parked his bike. He purposefully hung a LAPD badge with magnetic suction on it to send a clear message to those with ulterior motives: This is a cop¡¯s bike, don¡¯t trouble yourself. Although those patrol officers acted more like subordinates in front of NW officials like Brian, in truth, the authority of law enforcement in any state¡¯s police department was extremely substantial for ordinary people. The reason was the legal right to use deadly force. This right was jokingly referred to as the Federation police¡¯s legal right to kill. If you don¡¯t understand, here¡¯s an example: You¡¯re patrolling and suspect someone is acting stealthily, so you identify yourself and ask him to comply with an inquiry. That seems fine, right? Big problem. When the police identify themselves, regardless of whether the person heard clearly or had reacted, the police at that moment already possess the legal rights to use deadly force. Meaning, At that moment, they could legally set you up and shoot you dead. After all, without any law enforcement recorders, whether the ¡®victim¡¯ was a ¡®threat¡¯ was entirely up to their words. If you are skilled in talking, even if the person was just reaching into his pocket for a tissue, you could claim you suspected he was pulling out a gun, and you fired to ensure your safety, filling his body with bullets. Experienced officers clearly know what to do to pass the safety office¡¯s investigation process and rulings after killing someone, meanwhile receiving paid administrative leave. This also caused, unless someone was drugged out of their senses, nobody would intentionally provoke the Federation police. Chapter 422 - 422 249 Christmas Eve Warmth Additional May Monthly Ticket 2_2 ?422: Chapter 249 Christmas Eve, Warmth (Additional May Monthly Ticket 2)_2 422: Chapter 249 Christmas Eve, Warmth (Additional May Monthly Ticket 2)_2 Of course, Federation police rarely deliberately set traps to kill others. After all, the deceased also have families, and those families also have guns. They also don¡¯t want to be shot in secret. In any case, Brian¡¯s approach avoided a lot of trouble. Indeed, seeing the police badge on the cool beastly motorcycle, many greedy gazes disappeared into the crowd, leaving mostly young people who simply wanted a photo with the bike. Brian didn¡¯t mind that. ... Shi San, much grown, wobbled and attracted a lot of attention from passersby. It attracted children. Brian was responsible for attracting the women and girls who were out with their kids. Luckily, he had a police badge pinned on his chest. Those women mostly just glanced with their eyes, and very few came up to strike a conversation. Just like that, they strolled around. The man and his dog went to an indoor sports arena, planning to grab something to eat. There were many children playing there. A bolder boy, skating on his skateboard, came up to Brian and curiously said, ¡°Wow, a Labrador wearing a police dog vest, are you guys playing COS?¡± ¡°No, not COS. His name is Shi San, and he¡¯s a registered police dog with enforcement rights.¡± Brian explained. Shi San curiously looked at the boy¡¯s skateboard, then eagerly looked at Brian, ¡°Woof woof woof~ (Big dog, I want to play~)¡± The boy wanted to pet him, but dared not to touch it, only saying, ¡°So, are you a police officer too, Mr. Officer? Why is he barking at you?¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°Buddy, what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Gandor, my name is Gandor, I¡¯m nine years old, Mr. Officer.¡± ¡°Very good, Mr. Gandor, now I¡¯m requisitioning your skateboard on behalf of the LAPD...¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Gandor looked puzzled. .. Shi San¡¯s athletic talent was quite good. He quickly got the hang of using the skateboard and joyfully joined the group of children playing, his short legs moving fast, eliciting cheers. Soon, everyone stopped playing and watched Shi San perform. A dog that could roller-skate was far more interesting than roller-skating themselves. Mr. Gandor¡¯s cooperation also earned him some little treats. Brian sat down with him, his eyes smiling, ¡°Now that no one¡¯s watching you, what did you need me for?¡± He had noticed this little guy sizing him up when he had come in. His badge was visibly pinned on his chest. The local education, whether it was driving tests or anything else, always included safety education, teaching them how to ¡®safely¡¯ and without misunderstandings deal with inquiries from Federation police. And all of this would be tested. So, the other party had already known his identity. He had merely been playing dumb earlier. Kids nowadays were sharp. The little boy, Gandor, hadn¡¯t expected Brian to see through his purpose so quickly. He shyly lowered his head: ¡°My father hasn¡¯t come home for many days, and my mother hasn¡¯t been back for several days either, it¡¯s just me and my grandmother at home, can you help me find them? Everyone else has their parents for Christmas. I miss them.¡± Upon hearing this, Brian fell silent for a moment, then nodded. After making inquiries, he dialed the station phone and got the community patrol officer¡¯s number. It turns out the officer really knew some details about Gandor¡¯s family. Gandor¡¯s parents had divorced; they both had affairs and often fought over it, finally divorcing just before Christmas and then went off to spend the holidays with their new partners. Clearly, these were parents who lived quite selfishly. Gandor was actually quite lucky. He still had a grandmother with him; otherwise, given his situation, the final result would have been to contact the community children¡¯s welfare center and be sent to a foster home, becoming an orphan with parents. Such situations were not uncommon here. Brian¡¯s situation back then was quite similar to Gandor¡¯s. He thought about it. Brian put away his phone and looked at Gandor, who was looking at him expectantly, shaking his head: ¡°Sorry, Gandor, your parents probably won¡¯t be able to spend Christmas with you this year. But you shouldn¡¯t envy others. You still have your grandmother to keep you company. I think you should make her happy, instead of spending the Christmas sulking because of some people who don¡¯t care about you. It would break her heart to see you like this.¡± Gandor nodded listlessly: ¡°Thank you for your guidance, Officer Sir, I won¡¯t let my grandmother notice.¡± After playing for about fifteen minutes, Shi San got tired of being watched by a bunch of kids and gave the skateboard back to Gandor. The boy was in a bad mood and ready to take the skateboard back home. Brian stopped him and placed a twenty-dollar bill in front of him: ¡°Thank you for your generosity, Gandor, this is what you deserve, take it and buy a small gift for your grandmother, she will be happy for the whole year.¡± ¡°Thank you, I will always remember you, Officer Sir!¡± Gandor took the bill and walked away lonely amidst the crowd of families out having fun, disappearing from Brian¡¯s sight. ... Brian shifted his gaze: ¡°Let¡¯s go, Shi San, we should find another place to have some fun.¡± Shi San tilted his head: ¡°Woof~¡± ¡°Amusement park?¡± Brian nodded: ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go to the amusement park.¡± Thereupon, When Brian, who hadn¡¯t received a call for backup from the office, went with his ¡®colleague¡¯ Shi San on a paid meandering all day until nightfall before they boarded the helicopter flying to the NW base. Yes. Brian planned to take Shi San to the base to spend Christmas Eve with Susan. A family, after all, should be together. Susan was very happy about their arrival. Very happy indeed. Brian had never seen the smile fall from Susan¡¯s face. That silly girl probably also didn¡¯t want to spend it alone here; she was just too shy to ask Brian to stay with her. The cold base, exteriorly decorated with a touch of Christmas atmosphere, But underground here, one couldn¡¯t see any trace of the holiday. It remained ice-cold. ... The two of them and one dog, spent their first Christmas together in this icy place. The midnight electronic clock rang. With Shi San and Susan in his arms, Brian¡¯s body warmed up. He sighed softly in his heart. This fulfilled Olina¡¯s obsession. Olina was a victim in a previous serial prostitute murder case, whose obsession was to deliver the promised gifts to the children at Children¡¯s House. Christmas had arrived. Those children had also received the gifts Brian left in the Children¡¯s House. ¡°Olina, the children have received your gifts, may your soul find peace...¡± Brian silently prayed. He did not know if there really were souls in this world. Just as in this world, where good people may not always be rewarded, and bad people may not always face retribution. But one must still hold onto some thoughts. In the ringing of the electronic clock, Brian kissed Susan¡¯s forehead as she watched a show with Shi San and whispered, ¡°Susan, I love you...¡± ¡°I love you too, Brian, and I¡¯d love you even more if you could get me that Coke, I swear.¡± Susan responded half-heartedly, but subconsciously snuggled closer into Brian¡¯s embrace. ¡°Woof!¡± Shi San, a bit jealous, lifted his head and gazed at Brian with big eyes: I want some too... Brian laughed and reached to pick up the Coke from the table for Susan and Shi San. His mood was much better now. In this warm atmosphere, the blood-red moon in Brian¡¯s eyes slowly faded away... Chapter 423 - 423 250 Major Case Unexpected Gains ?423: Chapter 250: Major Case, Unexpected Gains 423: Chapter 250: Major Case, Unexpected Gains The underground base of NW, although equipped with realistic virtual projection technology, still felt oppressive. Brian didn¡¯t like it here. The next day. He left early, saying goodbye to Susan, and returned to the city center with Shi San. Back at the apartment. Brian put on the NW series watch, donned the custom bulletproof suit he had obtained through compensation, fixed his appearance, and again took Shi San, who had finished eating, to the office building of the B6 Group. Generally, the period after a holiday is a busy time for the police. This busy period often lasts one to two weeks. If before the holidays, it¡¯s the patrol officers who are busy, then after the holidays, it¡¯s the department responsible for death cases that becomes incredibly busy. The reason is simple. Christmas is not only a time for family gatherings but also a prime time for family conflicts and passion-driven homicides. Distance creates fondness. Family members, who might not see each other often throughout the year, come together to celebrate Christmas. Eating and drinking are usually followed by conversations about the past. Who doesn¡¯t have an embarrassing story... During this time, arguments are prone to arise. Add to that broken relationships, infidelity, drug use, and rampant firearms...a multitude of factors come together, making this time of year a peak period for domestic homicides. Most of these are crimes of passion. The cases aren¡¯t necessarily difficult, but they are time-consuming. Arriving at the police station. Today, unusually, everyone arrived very early; it was just past eight, and the office was already filled with the steam from hot coffee. ¡°Good morning, Brian.¡± Glenn hummed a tune, warmly greeting Brian. He usually wasn¡¯t so proactive. After last night¡¯s experiment, Brian had become a pillar in Glenn¡¯s eyes, a guarantor of future happiness. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to be a little warmer. What if someone else took the pillar¡¯s ¡°leg hair¡±? Next, Brian experienced what colleague warmth truly was. Tom, Green, Old Hardenn, Ivan... They took turns. Brian, surprised, found that everyone¡¯s emotional intelligence seemed much higher, even Ali, who liked to hide in the underground shooting range and ammunition depot, never stopped speaking sweetly. This scene, if Susan were here, she might even feel jealous of Brian. However, everyone didn¡¯t stay long in the office. The robbery and homicide case Ivan and others took over had kept them busy all of yesterday without yielding any clues or witnesses, and they had to take Shi San and go out on patrol. Ivan understood Morse Code, so he could communicate with Shi San in simple terms. ¡°Time flies, Shi San is even starting to take initiative in going out on patrols..¡± Brian picked up Los Angeles Times delivered today by the doorman, crossed his legs, held a small coffee, and began to while away his workday. Little brother Green didn¡¯t go out to investigate with Ivan and the others today. The boss, Brian, was back. He wanted to closely follow the boss¡¯s steps. Today, Green even brought a small ball and played catch by himself in the corner, training his reaction speed. The innate physical abilities of black people are indeed remarkable. Green was probably one of the members who responded best to the injection two days ago. Even Ivan, strong and vigorous, didn¡¯t absorb the serum as well as Green did. Considering the history of black people in this Federation... Initially, those black people with poor physical fitness had no chance of leaving descendants to this day, those who did leave descendants had exceptionally good genes. Thinking this way, it made more sense. Brian really appreciated Green¡¯s diligent attitude. Diligence might not allow you to leap across social classes, but it definitely can raise your lower limit a great deal. Around ten in the morning. The office phone rang. Old Hardenn stretched lazily, picked up the phone: ¡°This is the office of the Action Department B6 Group... Sure... Are you sure you¡¯re not joking?¡± Crash~ Old Hardenn, shocked, stood up, knocking the chair behind him to the ground with a noisy clatter, attracting everyone¡¯s attention in the office. Old Hardenn didn¡¯t react. He solemnly took a paper and pen, quickly jotted down information in a notebook, nodding continually. Brian, slacking off, put down the newspaper, perked up his ears. This was the first time he had seen Old Hardenn lose his composure. What happened? After a good five or six minutes, Old Hardenn finally hung up the phone. He looked at Brian and Green beside him: ¡°There¡¯s a big case, a vehicle filled with children going to the suburbs disappeared last night, and today someone saw that vehicle in a forest.¡± Brian nodded. His hearing had greatly improved, and he had learned the full details from the phone conversation. The children on this camping trip were students of a Noble private middle school, totaling twenty-eight. These twenty-eight children, along with the camp¡¯s driver, two accompanying teachers, and two armed security personnel responsible for their care, were all found hanging in the discovered forest. The parents of these children were all wealthy and influential. This case was indeed significant. Old Hardenn continued, briefly explaining the situation. After hearing his explanation, Green wondered: ¡°Isn¡¯t that area under the jurisdiction of Team A1? Why would the dispatch center transfer the case to us?¡± Old Hardenn shook his head: ¡°Not sure, but based on my experience, this must be due to some influential parents among those children, having directly requested this. After all, our B6 Group has the best performance in the entire department.¡± The B6 Group didn¡¯t have many members, but they solved cases quickly and, except for a few cases directly intervened by headquarters, had not failed yet. Chapter 424 - 424 250 Big Case Unexpected Gain_2 ?424: Chapter 250: Big Case, Unexpected Gain_2 424: Chapter 250: Big Case, Unexpected Gain_2 Of course, the main reason was still Brian, this BUG. The operations department, to put it bluntly, served as a training ground for some less talented second-generation members of certain families within NW. Placing Brian, a Second-level Staff here, was completely an act of suppression. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about why the case landed in our hands, let¡¯s go, Green.¡± Brian picked up his suit jacket and began walking towards the exit. ¡°Wait for me, Boss Brian!¡± Green hurriedly followed him. Indeed. No matter why the case was assigned to their team. With Boss Brian around, there was no problem! ... There were more than thirty bodies, and their team¡¯s crime scene investigation van couldn¡¯t fit them all. The two simply drove a sedan instead. The car belonged to Green. This guy had changed cars again. Green had also installed a siren device on his newly purchased sedan, leaving it on the passenger seat. ¡°Why did you buy this?¡± Brian asked curiously. This sort of thing is usually equipped for patrol officers; private ownership is illegal. Of course, Green had an official staff identity, which met the usage standards, but staff from the operations department usually didn¡¯t like to keep such things in their cars and generally didn¡¯t need them. Driving the car and looking straight ahead, Green began to explain: ¡°In recent months, the death rate of LAPD officers has already surpassed that of the previous year. The police union had major complaints, so the higher-ups gave LAPD a major upgrade. They¡¯ve equipped many patrol cars with new gear, I heard even individual connected micro vehicle computers for GPS navigation and coordination with the central system, marking emergency locations, and so forth. Oh right. Also, new bullet-proof vests and firearms regulations. Since it was all free, I just went and got a set for myself; the trunk has a special shotgun that uses cross bullets powerful enough to shatter steel plates as thick as a pinky finger. I tried it, and it¡¯s indeed very powerful.¡± Hearing this, something clicked in Brian¡¯s mind: ¡°Are you saying that the police force has loosened firearm regulations?¡± He was quite keen to get a legal Fire God Cannon. With his physical build, various talents, and the exaggerated firepower and impact of the Fire God Cannon, even a terminator would be blown away. Green nodded: ¡°They¡¯ve relaxed them quite a bit. The principle is to ensure the safety of the officers on duty. Robust firepower is essential. I heard the government will also install a device called a ¡®gunshot detector¡¯ around the city, so if a gun is fired somewhere, the central dispatch will automatically receive an alert and send nearby patrol officers to check it out...¡± Green was always well-informed. For the rest of the ride, he continued to share many changes that Brian hadn¡¯t been aware of. After more than half an hour. A large number of vehicles parked along the road caught their attention. They had arrived at the scene of the incident. ... This area was located at a highway fork. There were a few small towns not far away. The camper van was found in a forest by the side of the town and the road, so it was discovered early in the morning by townspeople heading to the city for work. Green drove the car directly to the edge of the forest. Several police cars were still parked here. Beside the police cars was a bus, surrounded by police tape, similar to a school bus but painted with lots of colorful designs, giving it a cheerful look. Several officers were moving in and out and taking pictures. Nearby, several crying men and women were kept behind the isolation tape, unable to approach. Inquisitive reporters, armed with long and short cameras, were already aiming at the scene. The death of more than thirty people at once, even in these times of frequent homicides, was still major news. Brian even spotted some foreign correspondents stationed in Los Angeles from the logos on their equipment, clearly journalists from major media organizations. It was foreseeable that if this case was not handled well, LAPD would face significant public scrutiny. ... Outside the forest, someone was already waiting for Brian and Green¡¯s arrival. A middle-aged white man with a potbelly, seeing Brian and Green getting out of the car, ran over as if seeing his own father: ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Jilder, the police chief of the Jiao Town Public Safety Office, are you the investigators sent over from NW operations department?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Brian, and this is my assistant, Green. Let¡¯s discuss the details of the case,¡± Brian nodded. Jilder wiped the sweat from his forehead: ¡°Let¡¯s talk while walking, the victims¡¯ bodies are further inside the forest.¡± The three of them were about to head inside. In the distance, a tall, thin white man, seizing the moment when a few patrol officers were not paying attention, suddenly rushed over, shouting to Brian: ¡°Mr. Brian, I have something important to discuss with you!¡± Smack¡ª Before he could finish his sentence. He was swiftly pinned to the ground by two strong and muscular patrol officers. Appearing embarrassed. One of the officers scolded the man while pinning him down with a standard hold on his back, while the other quickly frisked the man. Brian looked and did not recognize the man. However, the man could call out his name... After a moment¡¯s pause, he told the two officers: ¡°Let him go, let him come over.¡± Jilder quickly added: ¡°Listen to Investigator Brian.¡± The two officers then reluctantly pulled the man up from the ground. The skinny tall man appeared weak, his face was red from the brief pressure, and upon standing, his body was somewhat unsteady, breathing heavily. After catching his breath. He approached Brian with considerable agitation: ¡°Mr. Brian, you may not know me, but I am an employee at the Aiden Research Institute, my name is Alpha.¡± Chapter 425 - 425 250 Big Case Unexpected Gain_3 ?425: Chapter 250: Big Case, Unexpected Gain_3 425: Chapter 250: Big Case, Unexpected Gain_3 ¡°Staff staying at the base?¡± Brian exclaimed in surprise. Alpha nodded, ¡°Yes, after the institute closed for the holiday, I returned to Jiao Town. Unexpectedly, my niece died less than two kilometers away from me, so I recommended Team B6 to Chief Jilder, who was the first to arrive.¡± Brian: .. Alright. So that¡¯s how it is. He glanced at Alpha, ¡°So why did you stop me?¡± Alpha¡¯s eyes showed sadness, ¡°My sister had been divorced for many years, devoting most of her emotions to her son and daughter. But then she heard this news and committed suicide this morning. Mr. Brian, I have investigated some of your information. I know you are a remarkable person. I beg you to find the murderer...¡± ¡°This is my duty, you may leave now,¡± Brian nodded indifferently. He would solve the case. However, Alpha¡¯s approach made him feel somewhat annoyed, as if he went from proactively solving the case to being forced into it. And this guy was going to be his subordinate in the future. That feeling made him even more annoyed. This guy does not seem to have much emotional intelligence, probably didn¡¯t mix well at the institute, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have been left behind by those at Black Light Biotechnology Company for me to deal with. Alpha didn¡¯t notice the change in Brian¡¯s mood. He looked at Brian gratefully and pulled out a USB drive from his pocket, ¡°Mr. Brian, I don¡¯t have much money, this is my private research project, not yet published, please help me kill that criminal, I...¡± Brian: .. Is this something you say out loud? Alright, this guy really lacks social skills. Luckily, it¡¯s quite far from the reporters. Green and Chief Jilder pretended they didn¡¯t hear and turned their heads away. Brian took the USB drive, looking towards Jilder. Chief Jilder obediently walked forward, moving away from the scene. He didn¡¯t know Brian but was aware that the people of NW are not to be trifled with and needed the clean-cut face before him to help solve the case or share the blame, so he did not want to upset him over a trifle. Seeing the people walk away. Brian casually asked Alpha, ¡°What is this research about?¡± Alpha earnestly said, ¡°A very significant research! Decades ago, the institute had a research project called the Gluttony Gene. Individuals injected with this gene develop a severe appetite for the flesh and blood of their own kind and could absorb certain special substances from the flesh, causing mutations. However, individuals who could integrate the Gluttony Gene are very few; it only appeared once among tens of thousands of individuals and consumed a lot of resources. Therefore, except for that surviving individual, the project was shelved. I think the project, though cruel, has great potential. So, changing my approach, relying on gene grafting technology..¡± What followed were strings of incomprehensible technical terms. But Brian understood the final words. Essentially, Alpha had applied this technology to plants and, after tens of thousands of experiments, cultivated a unique type of Cannibal Flower. This Cannibal Flower, not only immensely more vital than most existing plants, could through the flesh, bear a special kind of red fruit. According to Alpha¡¯s tests. These red fruits contained significant energy. Ordinary lab rats needed only a little to go a week without needing to eat while maintaining their vitality, and if they ate too much, they would bleed from their mouths and noses. Brian was shocked after hearing Alpha¡¯s introduction. Damn. Isn¡¯t this high-energy food? Similar items, for which various official organizations research to ensure the combat demands of High Rank Warriors, also exist. Like Nutrient Liquid, special Energy Bars and the like. But those things are not cheap to synthesize, otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t need merit points to exchange. Special Energy Bars could be bought with cash, but the price wasn¡¯t cheaper compared to merit points, and they were only available in limited quantities. If what Alpha said about those special Cannibal Flowers, that they really could just use flesh to cultivate fruit, then this research truly has great value! Thinking this. Brian carefully stored the USB drive, his indifferent expression immediately turning enthusiastic: ¡°Alpha! You¡¯re an employee of my research institute, which makes you one of my own people! Your matters are my matters! I, Brian, treat my people as brothers! Don¡¯t worry, I will find the person who killed your nephew and niece, caused your sister¡¯s death, and I¡¯ll personally twist his neck off!¡± Who says low social intelligence! This is clearly a research-obsessed talent! This talent, I¡¯ll take him! Previously at the institute, because Alpha couldn¡¯t talk well, he was always alienated by his colleagues, but he didn¡¯t expect the new BOSS to be so kind! He choked up and nodded, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Brian. You¡¯re a good person.¡± ¡°Mr.? Call me boss!¡± Brian patted Alpha¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Alright, Alpha, you don¡¯t look well, go back first. I¡¯ll contact you after I solve the case.¡± ¡°Okay, boss!¡± Alpha, somewhat sadly, glanced at the depths of the forest and turned to walk outside. He still had to claim his sister¡¯s body and handle the funeral. .. Unexpectedly, there was also an accidental gain from this outing. Feeling quite pleased, Brian was preparing to lead Green to inspect the scene. Suddenly. He squinted his eyes slightly. ¡°Gluttony gene... Cannibalism...¡± Isn¡¯t this the mutation talent of that little girl mutant they encountered at ¡®Alice Garden¡¯ while investigating the highway disappearance case previously with Green? Brian¡¯s current sonic attack and tracking abilities were obtained from that little girl mutant. That¡¯s right, the institute he took over was responsible for the research project involving that little girl. Only after killing that mutant girl did Benjamin, the person in charge then, begin interacting with him, eventually dying by his hands. He touched the USB drive in his pocket, the corners of his mouth turning up. Fate, indeed wonderfully indescribable. ... Considering it as buying goodwill, Brian was also prepared to resolve this case beautifully. He quickened his steps towards the crime scene. Chapter 426 - 426 251 The Arrogant Killer Provoking ?426: Chapter 251: The Arrogant Killer, Provoking 426: Chapter 251: The Arrogant Killer, Provoking Along the way, Brian¡¯s keen eyes spotted plenty of fresh tracks on the ground and some small footprints. In an open area, it¡¯s difficult for tracks to remain visible for several days. The mountain wind would carry away leaves that covered any traces. This indicated that the tracks were fresh. Judging from the tracks and footprints, these weren¡¯t left by the police officers; they more closely resembled those left by the victimized children wandering through the forest. In an open space, tracks are hard to preserve, and scents are even more difficult to retain. Movement plus strong wind meant scent molecules had no chance to cling to the surroundings before being dispersed. Other than detecting some residual urine smell, Brian didn¡¯t notice any particularly distinctive scents along the way. After walking about fifty meters more, He came across Chief Jilder waiting under a cluster of disordered trees, with a few patrolling officers around him. Their faces were mostly grim. The reason was simple. In front of them was a somewhat sinister scene: one after another, bodies were hung on the trunks of large trees, blindfolded, motionless, swaying in the wind... These bodies formed a large circle. Underneath them, an old, large wine barrel stood on a frame, equipped with a spigot, over a conically shaped ¡®silver carpet.¡¯ The ¡®silver carpet¡¯ was quite expansive, almost completely covering the area beneath all the bodies. The wind whispered through. Brian¡¯s acute hearing also picked up the faint metallic sound coming from that silver carpet. The thing was a metal foil. On top of the metal foil, there remained quite a bit of a converging liquid. The liquid was colorless. Brian took a light sniff and confirmed it was water. In addition, all the deceased had been blindfolded, their mouths stuffed with cloth, their facial expressions exaggeratedly distorted. This, combined with the curved, withered branches of the scene, created an atmosphere of despair. In daytime, it wasn¡¯t too bad, but come nighttime, if someone were to witness this sight and didn¡¯t scream their head off, it would speak volumes about their courage. Brian narrowed his eyes slightly. This crime scene, it had an artistic quality. The perpetrator this time didn¡¯t seem to be a simpleton. ... Seeing that Brian had finally arrived, Chief Jilder did not inquire about the previous Alpha incident. He pointed at the crime scene ahead, saying, ¡°Mr. Brian, the person who reported this discovered the camper parked outside of the forest out of curiosity, wondering why such a vehicle would be here, so they came to check it out and ended up finding this. After receiving the report, we sealed off the area and removed one of the bodies for a preliminary examination. The result was unexpected.¡± ¡°What was the discovery?¡± Brian retracted his evaluating gaze and looked at Chief Jilder. The efficiency was somewhat high, probably because there were so many dead and the children¡¯s parents had some status, prompting these people to exhibit such high efficiency. Chief Jilder¡¯s face showed a strange expression: ¡°Aside from a cut on the wrist of the right hand that only damaged the epidermis, there were no other external injuries found on the body¡¯s surface. The Autopsy Officer who conducted the examination, dissected the body. And he found that the victim had been scared to death. He said the symptoms of the deceased were very similar to an experiment in psychological suggestion once conducted by Martin Jlard, but the effect was even more astonishing. The problem is, the environmental conditions at the scene do not meet the requirements of that experiment at all.¡± ¡°What experiment?¡± Green asked curiously. Chief Jilder smiled awkwardly, ¡°Sorry, I was a bit frustrated at the time and didn¡¯t really remember it.¡± Green rolled his eyes to the side. This chief was a complete fool. Such an important clue, and he failed to remember it. Brian explained: ¡°It¡¯s a very famous psychological suggestion experiment. Martin Jlard is a psychologist. He used death row prisoners for his experiments. They would blindfold the condemned, tie them to a bed, and place various instruments on them to monitor body temperature, blood pressure, ECG, EEG, and so on. Then, a judge would come to the side of the death row inmate¡¯s bed and announce the execution. A priest would also bless his soul to ascend to heaven soon. At this time, the inmate would be told that he would be bled to death. With a command from the judge, an assistant who had been prepared in advance would approach and scratch the inmate¡¯s wrist with a small piece of wood. In reality, the wood only scraped the epidermis of the inmate¡¯s wrist. Then, these people would turn on a previously prepared faucet, letting water drip into a copper basin below, making a ¡°ding dong¡± sound. With the dripping rhythm going from fast to slow, a great sense of fear would arise in the inmate. He felt his blood draining slowly away! All kinds of detection instruments accurately recorded various changes in the inmate¡¯s physiology: the prisoner exhibited typical ¡°blood loss¡± symptoms. In the end, that inmate passed out.¡± After listening to Brian¡¯s explanation, Chief Jilder nodded repeatedly, ¡°Yes, yes, right, that¡¯s the experiment.¡± Green, somewhat disgusted, shrank his neck, ¡°These researchers really know how to torture.¡± ¡°Death row inmates are just prisoners who lost their rights. They just sacrificed themselves for the sake of scientific research, that¡¯s all. By the way, Martin Jlard isn¡¯t dead yet, Green, buddy, you might have a chance to say that to his face.¡± After speaking, Brian stepped on those metal plates and walked in front of the barrel to crouch down. The mouth of the barrel had been transformed into a drip-tube shape. This drip-tube was specially designed. From a mechanical perspective, the dripping would accelerate constantly as the liquid level in the barrel decreased, hitting the metal foil below. The metal foil underneath would then amplify the sound of the water drops hitting it. Based on these clues, it indeed matched some steps of Martin Jlard¡¯s psychological suggestion experiment. The problem was, the core of this experiment was psychological suggestion, scaring oneself. People in a sealed environment tend to let their imaginations run wild, especially when blindfolded, coupled with previous psychological suggestion, their emotions can be strongly affected to the point of impacting them physiologically. To achieve that level. Quiet environment, enough psychological suggestion, alone... these are all important. This is why many hypnotic methods are commonly seen in film and television, but in reality, hardly anyone can snap their fingers or swing a pocket watch to hypnotize others, not even hypnotists or psychologists. The current scene was in the midst of a forest. When the wind blew, the rustling of the leaves was all disturbance. The victims were all clustered together, and although their mouths were stuffed, it didn¡¯t stop them from making some noises. Moreover, the presence of a group, at most, would create mass panic, which doesn¡¯t help the atmosphere created by psychological suggestions, but instead, disrupts it. So how did the murderer manage to scare so many people to death at the same time? Brian became interested. This case was more intriguing than he had imagined. ... After examining the scene. Brian began to... observe the bodies on the trees even more minutely. On several bodies, he smelled the scent of urine that he had previously encountered on the road. Urine carries many unique pheromones. These pheromones are one of the sources of each individual¡¯s distinct scent. This is why wild animals use urine to mark their territory. This discovery also confirmed that these victims had walked here themselves. Brian continued to look around. By the time he had made a full circle, he was frowning slightly. Green whispered beside him, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, boss Brian?¡± ¡°The scene is too strange, these victims should have come here on their own, but there are no large amounts of adult footprints, nor signs of clearing evidence. This indicates that there aren¡¯t many murderers. It¡¯s winter, and although the climate in Los Angeles is good, it¡¯s very difficult to clear tracks like footprints without leaving traces in a forest. I suspect there are only one or two murderers, maybe even just one. How do you think they controlled so many children, and a few armed security guards and camp teachers?¡± As he said this, Brian pointed to the bodies of two strong men in the trees. At their waists, you could see the pistol holsters and the guns that remained. Hearing Brian¡¯s words, Green also furrowed his brows. It really didn¡¯t make sense. The armed security guards were professionals, much stronger than ordinary people, and they still had their guns. The camp teachers, judging by their muscle contours, were also the type to exercise regularly. Even if the murderer had a weapon and coerced these people to cooperate, there should have been a chance to fight back when the murderer was tying them up, right? The traces at the scene were as if these people had no thoughts of resisting at all, as if they had complied with the murderer to be hung up, and then simply waited for death to come. The more Green thought about it, the more eerie he found this place. He shrank his neck and said in a low voice, ¡°Boss Brian, there¡¯s something fishy about this case. It feels like these victims were like the rats in the fairy tale controlled by the Magic Flute, helplessly slaughtered by the perpetrator.¡± The Magic Flute is a story from the Grimm¡¯s fairy tales, roughly about how the rats would follow the piper and jump into the river to drown themselves. Listening to Green¡¯s words, Brian simply shook his head, ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a Magic Flute in reality, even for a Mutant, it¡¯s extremely difficult to achieve an effect similar to the Magic Flute. The possibility is too small.¡± The most devilish thing he had encountered was the silver box he came across in the prison, which was another project from Benjamin¡¯s research facility. The thing inside the box could use the electromagnetic waves emitted to continuously bombard the prisoner living in that cell, triggering certain negative emotions. But this process took a long time. Judging by Benjamin¡¯s attitude, that thing was also very important to Black Light Biotechnology Company, who even sent an expert to contact Brian. If criminals had such technology, they would have been hunted down long ago. As for Mutants... The possibility was even less. Precise hypnosis is almost the equivalent of a Rule Type Blood Moon Gift ability. Apart from himself, Brian had only seen similar abilities in old man Ryan, the rest were mostly physical talents. If he was really that lucky to come across a Mutant with such abilities... That would be like winning the lottery, a cause for celebration. Excluding those two possibilities, how did the murderer manage to make this group cooperate so well? ... After pondering for a while. Brian told Chief Jilder, ¡°Have the bodies packed up and taken back; I want to perform a full autopsy on them.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Chief Jilder nodded, took out his phone, and arranged for someone to come and collect the bodies. Twenty minutes later. Seven or eight people arrived with stretchers, and someone cleverly brought a folding ladder. Seeing this, Brian was spared the trouble. He had been prepared to climb up and undo the bodies himself, but now there were others to do it, he didn¡¯t need to bother. Authority, authority. If you had to do everything yourself, what was the point of having authority? Under Green¡¯s command, everyone started packing up the bodies. A rather slim officer, with a knife in hand, took the initiative to climb the folding ladder, ready to untie the ropes. He was just about to lower his head and tell the person stabilizing the ladder to be careful not to let him fall. Suddenly. The officer¡¯s eyes widened, staring intently at the ground, exclaiming, ¡°Shadows, shadows!!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Brian heard the officer, with no hesitation, leapt up over three meters, then grabbed onto the tree trunk and pulled himself up the ten-plus meters to the treetop, looking down. He saw that under the sunlight, the ropes and the swaying shadows of the bodies on the ground formed a line of letters: this is just the beginning... Brian pursed his lips. Interesting, really interesting. Such an arrogant criminal. Murdering is one thing, but leaving a message at the scene as a provocation. Too interesting! Chapter 431 - 431 253 Waiting for Rabbits by a Stump ?431: Chapter 253: Waiting for Rabbits by a Stump 431: Chapter 253: Waiting for Rabbits by a Stump The murderer was unlucky to have encountered Brian. Before, Brian had recorded the entire Los Angeles traffic electronic map at Parker Center to handle a large number of highway vehicle disappearances. Using his talent of Extensive Knowledge and Strong Memory, he etched the map into his brain. So when he saw the patterns on three pieces of cloth, after simply combining them, he recognized their meaning. This thing, it was part of the Los Angeles highway traffic routes. The three strips of cloth had some overlap in routes. If one understood the meaning of the blue lines and arranged them according to their original positions on the highways, overlapping them, the coordinate point where the lines connected would likely be the location of the murderer¡¯s next crime. Looking at the place, it seemed to be located under an overpass. Brian took out his phone and glanced at the time. It was almost noon. The overpass location connected three highways; there was a lot of traffic during the day. The murderer probably wouldn¡¯t be so bold as to make a big move in broad daylight; it was estimated that he wouldn¡¯t be able to enjoy himself to the fullest. There was still some time. Brian prepared to review all the victims¡¯ files before taking a trip to the overpass. This was actually very important. In homicide cases, the motive was an essential element. Apart from the insane and the perverted, no one would kill their own kind for no reason. Whether it was for money, revenge, emotional issues, quarrels that led to crimes of passion... as long as these motives could be found, combined with the clues discovered at the scene, it was easy to narrow down the suspects. Just like the current case. Based on Brian¡¯s psychological profiling of the murderer, it was deduced that the killer was an arrogant person who had probably encountered some setbacks recently. His motive for the crime was most likely to vent, show off his power, commit random acts, and provoke the police; with a small probability, it was to get revenge on someone who had caused him setbacks. This was the profile of the killer. If something similar had happened around the victim¡¯s parents, then the people who fit the criteria were very likely the murderer. Of course, this case also revealed a critical problem with the murderer. ... ¡°Boss Brian, did you understand what these blue lines represent?¡± Green asked curiously, seeing Brian confident. Brian nodded and counterasked, ¡°What do you think, Green, besides investigating the situation of the victim¡¯s family, what other avenues should our investigation explore?¡± Green had clearly contemplated similar questions before. He said with some lack of confidence: ¡°I feel that the murderer is either from the school or the camp. The crime scene looks bizarre, but it doesn¡¯t hide some of the information exposed by the murderer. The campsite for the outing, located more than sixty kilometers away at the seaside, is actually quite close to the city of Los Angeles, yet the murderer prepared enough rope in advance and chose the location. No matter how he committed the crime. This at least shows that he knew about this camping trip in advance and made preparations for the crime. This information would not be publicly available on the internet. Random crimes also wouldn¡¯t prepare so many items like rope for no reason, as once encountering highway patrol, it would be hard for him to explain those preparations and increase the risk of exposure. So, a criminal with a normal mind wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. Excluding this possibility. I believe that the murderer is hidden among these four groups: the students, their families, school staff, or camp company employees. It¡¯s a retaliatory crime!¡± Hearing Green¡¯s unconfident narrative, Brian gave him a thumbs up: ¡°Green, my good buddy, you¡¯ve really surprised me. I mean, your crime-solving thinking and Observation have both improved quickly, which will help you succeed in the future.¡± What Green said were precisely the fatal clues that the murderer had been forced to reveal. The old saying goes, the more you do, the more mistakes you¡¯ll make. This murderer was a case in point. That¡¯s why, when Brian saw the crime scene, he was confident that in no more than two days, he could find the murderer and then crush his neck! ... Hearing Boss Brian praise him without any reservation made Green¡¯s face bloom into a big smile. The boss complimented him. Hehehe~ While the two were talking, Chief Jilder, sweating profusely, ran in. He was holding a stack of files, gasping: ¡°This is all the victims¡¯ information I could get, including the family information of the victims, as well as the contact numbers and staff details from the camp. It¡¯s what I thought might help the case. If anything else is needed, I¡¯ll take care of it right away.¡± Upon hearing this, Brian nodded in appreciation. Why else would someone become a chief if not for their ability? He may not have been exceptional in capability, but in terms of social skills and attitude, he was really not bad, better than many others around here. ¡°Thank you, Chief Jilder. Your information is comprehensive. Just place it on the open ground up front. As for the victims¡¯ bodies, we¡¯ve completed the basic autopsy. The next step is to make proper arrangements...¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Chief Jilder put down the files, patted his chest, ¡°The cold storage is run by my nephew; he won¡¯t mind. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Brian thanked him again. Seeing that Chief Jilder gestured for several patrol officers to come in and help, Brian led Green with the files to a restful room. Each took some files and began to peruse them. Chapter 432 - 432 253 Waiting for the Rabbit_2 ?432: Chapter 253 Waiting for the Rabbit_2 432: Chapter 253 Waiting for the Rabbit_2 ... Brian first reviewed the files of the three victims he had pointed out earlier. The three victims, two males and one female, were all around eleven or twelve years old. Their parents also held some status. Among them were a lawyer and a university professor. The mother of the female victim was the owner of a private psychological counseling firm in Los Angeles! She was known as Yelena Morton, forty-three years old, moderately famous in the field of psychological counseling, and had even published a bestselling book on psychology and social phenomena. Brian had read this book during his university days. He memorized the information of these individuals and started flipping through other documents. Meanwhile, Green, looking at the data of these children¡¯s parents, occasionally smacked his lips and remarked somewhat reflectively, ¡°No wonder they all attend private schools, their parents are wealthy..¡± His mother, counted among the visionary in the African-American community, didn¡¯t squander money, but worked hard to earn enough money to fully fund his high school education and even pushed him to attend community college. Although it wasn¡¯t too beneficial, it gave him a significant advantage over other African-Americans when he applied to the LAPD. The police force needed African-Americans. Green had no criminal record, his academic performance was average, but a community college is still a college. Given this comparison. He easily passed all the interviews. As a police officer in a major city, the rookie patrol officers at the LAPD had a decent income; even if he hadn¡¯t met Brian later, Green, under his mother¡¯s planning, could have at least led a prosperous life. In Green¡¯s eyes, he was already quite successful compared to others on his street. But seeing the professions of these children¡¯s parents, and the costs of some courses and the like at their schools, he couldn¡¯t help but feel sour. After all his efforts for over a decade, he was still not at the starting point of one of these kids. Importantly, if he hadn¡¯t met Boss Brian, no matter how hard he tried his whole life, it would have been very difficult for his children to attend this private school. At this moment, Green understood what the real social class was. Hearing Green¡¯s complaints, Brian chuckled lightly, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t envy them. This group, in fact, is the most exhausted. Caught in between, not reaching the top nor staying down. The annual high insurance fees, the living costs to maintain class decency, attempting to climb higher, sending kids to costly private schools. Children at school, not only have a curriculum far exceeding public schools but also participate in various extracurricular activities, barely getting any rest time. This is yet another huge expenditure. Both adults and children are tired.¡± Green shook his head speechlessly, ¡°If I were them, I definitely wouldn¡¯t let myself or my kids get so tired.¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°Once you¡¯re in that class, you¡¯d be forced to keep up unless you want your descendants to turn into failures.¡± Green was a bit too naive. He was utterly unaware of the cruel operational rules of this Federation society! The educational resources here are polarized, the wealthier the children, the more competitive. Children from lower echelons lean towards happier education, mostly becoming blue-collar workers, small business owners, and such with very few chances to turn their lives around after high school graduation; they are just consumables. Even if some are talented or lucky enough to get into a good university, the hefty tuition fees make their lives difficult. Not everyone can obtain a scholarship. University tuitions are already costly, not to mention high-interest rates. Otherwise, Brian wouldn¡¯t have needed to work a part-time job to pay off his loans at that time. Let¡¯s just say, the United States Department of Education, by virtue of student loans alone, is the biggest financial institution in the Federation in the lending sector. Some even jokingly say that the Department of Education is the commercial bank with the strongest earning capacity in the United States. As the interest on student loans compounds, Even if these kids graduate from university, unless they are exceptional and land a high-paying job immediately, or suddenly win a lottery and get a lump sum to pay off the student loans, They seem to work decent jobs, but after paying taxes, daily expenses, travel, and social interactions, etc., they still have to continue working hard for many years to clear their loans. Essentially, They remain merely higher-educated, relatively high-quality middle-class worker bees, fundamentally no different from those on the lower rungs; they are all consumables. This society has calculated everything perfectly, forcing people from all classes to keep working continuously, creating value for the operation of this society. Realizing this, Brian sighed softly to himself. He understood more deeply now why his uncle Billy was so obsessed with elevating the social class of the Kamor family. In a society where social classes are increasingly solidified and opportunities are dwindling, some things are determined while you are still in the womb. At this moment, Brian actually felt somewhat thankful to Blood Moon. He was a person who understood compulsion. If it weren¡¯t for the gift from Blood Moon, perhaps his greatest achievement in life would have been being the king of gold-diggers in the United States. There were plenty of wealthy widows around here... ... Shaking off his reflections, Brian focused seriously on the documents again. The victims¡¯ data wasn¡¯t sparse. However, Brian read quickly and managed to go through all the materials in less than ten minutes. There was not much to gain from these documents. Next. The regular process of solving the case would be to visit these victims¡¯ homes. But Brian wasn¡¯t that idle. He stretched lazily, ¡°Let¡¯s go, send the digital files of these materials to old Hardenn. Tell him to notify the victims¡¯ families to all report at our office building, and also the schools, the children¡¯s teachers, and the leadership of the camp company, let them all come.¡± Chapter 433 - 433 253 Waiting for the Rabbit_3 ?433: Chapter 253: Waiting for the Rabbit_3 433: Chapter 253: Waiting for the Rabbit_3 ¡°What question should you be asking? You should know, right?¡± Green nodded: ¡°Yes, ask them if they know anyone exceptional who they¡¯ve recently offended or encountered other setbacks with. Focus particularly on the parents and teachers of students numbered 7, 13, and 27. I¡¯ve also obtained Mr. Jason¡¯s phone number and will keep an eye on his situation.¡± Jason was the previous black Autopsy Officer. The other party was now revisiting old files, trying to recall that particular double-sided tape. Green always felt that it was also a very crucial clue. After all, being special meant it had limited uses, which made it easier to pinpoint the user group. After hearing Green¡¯s response, Brian nodded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s that simple. Let¡¯s go back.¡± Having an agile and efficient lieutenant like Green was quite reassuring. When Chief Jilder saw them preparing to leave, he hurriedly followed, looking expectantly at Brian: ¡°Mr. Brian, may I ask about this case...¡± Brian thought highly of him, so he nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it will be settled in two days. I¡¯ll make sure your assistance in this case is noted in the final report.¡± ¡°Two days?¡± Chief Jilder was just probing, but he hadn¡¯t expected this handsome investigator to tell him the case would be closed in two days. This... He felt Brian was boasting, but out of politeness, he still warmly thanked them and personally saw them off in their car. ... After getting in the car, Green belatedly realized and asked, ¡°Boss Brian, when you asked me earlier how to question those victims¡¯ relatives, did you have other arrangements in mind?¡± Brian nodded: ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me earlier what those blue lines represented? That¡¯s a location, where the murderer has told us he plans to commit his next crime. I plan to stake out that area and give this self-important murderer a surprise.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Green had been contemplating how to catch the murderer. He hadn¡¯t expected the murderer to be so arrogant as to reveal his next crime scene himself. Wasn¡¯t that suicidal? The question was, since Boss Brian already knew where the murderer would appear, why did he still arrange for him to painstakingly question the victims¡¯ families... Brian instantly saw the confusion in Green¡¯s eyes. ¡°Are you curious why I still asked Old Hardenn to have someone come to our office to cooperate with the investigation?¡± He patted Green on the shoulder: ¡°The reason is simple, think more carefully about it.¡± Green was quick-witted. After thinking, he guessed, ¡°To lull the murderer into complacency?¡± Brian nodded: ¡°One reason is to follow procedure, in case I¡¯m wrong. The other reason is indeed to lull the murderer. Since he¡¯s left clues, he¡¯ll definitely be watching our moves secretly. The more we follow his script, the more he¡¯ll be fooled into thinking he¡¯s outsmarted us. I¡¯m looking forward to the look on his face when he realizes it¡¯s he who is the fool!¡± Saying this, Brian clenched his fist with a fierce smile. Playing motherfucker high-IQ crimes. Since you like to show off, I¡¯ll just lie in wait and strike directly to smash your damn head! Seeing the vicious smile on Brian¡¯s face, Green shivered. He didn¡¯t dare to ask more, quickly starting the car. The last time he¡¯d seen this expression on Boss Brian was when those S-detectives had come from Las Vegas. The result was their boss dropped dead on the spot and he himself had seen blood. In Green¡¯s eyes, the life of this murderer, who was trying to play games and manipulate the police, was already counting down... ... Elsewhere. A pale, long-haired Caucasian young man wiped the sweat from his forehead and pushed a cart out of a small room filled with scratches and bloodstains. Passersby, upon smelling the odor from the cart, instinctively avoided the young man. Some even deliberately slowed down, looking at the janitorial youth with disgust and schadenfreude before leaving with a pleased mood. Seeing a once dazzling genius not only fall before rising but also doing disgusting dirty work that not even cleaners would touch, many who had once been jealous found it very satisfying. For all this, the young man was oblivious. He walked with his head down. Beneath his long brown hair, the corners of his mouth slightly curled up. Not too long ago, he had been the star of the future in everyone¡¯s eyes. Now, he had fallen to this state, burdened with enormous debt, unable to recover. ¡°Humanity is truly ugly...¡± The young man murmured in his heart. Just wait. You worthless trash will regret this! Chapter 439 - 439 255 Fulfilling Obsession Brother You Are an Iron Pipe ?439: Chapter 255: Fulfilling Obsession, Brother, You Are an Iron Pipe... 439: Chapter 255: Fulfilling Obsession, Brother, You Are an Iron Pipe... Brian pinched his little hand, and the Obsession Little Ball immediately transformed into a rainbow light, shooting into his eyes. The next moment. A message appeared in his mind. Sudan¡¯s obsession: What is soft-heartedness? Seeing this obsession, Brian was stunned. Wasn¡¯t this a question? It was the first time he had encountered a question-like obsession. Geniuses are often paranoid. It seemed that this Sudan had suffered from being soft-hearted, turning it into an obsession. Brian continued reading. Gift One: 95 Gift Energy Units. Gift Two: 50 Gift Energy Units + Observation. Gift Three: 1 Gift Energy Unit + Self-Deception. Judging from Gift One, Sudan¡¯s potential was indeed high, his Spiritual Strength was not low, nearly reaching the level of Brian¡¯s great uncle. Brian then focused his attention on the talents of the next two gifts. Observation: Your Observation ability is naturally strong, allowing you to notice details that others easily overlook, your mind is sharp, and you can easily see through the real emotions of the people around you. Self-Deception: ¡°You even deceive yourself; when you deceive your body, your body will choose to believe you unconditionally. Bro, if I say you can do it, you can do it, perk up! When you are paranoid enough, your persuasive power increases. Your emotions will influence the people around you.¡± Brian quickly passed over the talent of Observation. This talent wasn¡¯t as good as his Supercomputer Perception. Although Supercomputer Perception initially didn¡¯t have as much potential as Observation, at least in terms of Gift Energy Units. However, as his other hardware continued to upgrade, this talent that had been with him from the beginning played a bigger and bigger role. Thus, a versatile talent was actually more helpful to Brian. As for ¡®Self-Deception¡¯... Brian:¡±...what does ¡®bro, if I say you can do it, you can do it¡¯ mean... you¡¯re quite sassy.¡± This thing, in reality, was just his own Blood Moon Gift Talent transforming the obsession gift into something Brian could understand. That is to say, the style of the note was influenced by Brian¡¯s personality. Of course, he considered himself a decent person and wouldn¡¯t acknowledge this. .. After checking the gifts. Brian stroked his chin. The talent of Self-Deception was, in fact, easy to understand. For example, when Sudan made a move, his body suddenly burst into that kind of explosive speed, and his knife-wielding hand was also very stable. But in conversation, Brian felt he was just an ordinary person. That kind of change was likely due to Sudan¡¯s Blood Moon Mutation talent ¡®Self-Deception.¡¯ Key to the note, Self-Deception could not only deceive one¡¯s own body, but when confident enough, it could also influence the people around. This talent was probably cooler than it seemed on paper. As for Mind Reading... Sudan didn¡¯t have it. Mind Reading... This would be considered a psychic skill. Considering Sudan said he was a Ph.D. in psychology, so this should be his own inherent talents and knowledge at play. Many practical psychology applications, such as micro-expression observation, the art of speaking, etc., actually all revolve around Observation. Like Brian. When communicating with others, he could also easily capture subtle facial expression changes, thereby determining whether the other party was lying or not. However, this skill only worked on the unguarded. For those who were mentally prepared, you could only feel that they were very wary, but couldn¡¯t get much information, plus seasoned liars with good acting skills, it¡¯s hard to discern through simple conversation whether they were telling the truth. Unfortunately, Sudan didn¡¯t have it. Brian was slightly disappointed. Sure enough, he didn¡¯t. Earlier, when Sudan had countered him by asking if he was wearing a fake face, Brian realized that Sudan must have used micro-expression analysis to control someone¡¯s psyche, then through his persuasive speech, toy with others. It turned out exactly so. ... ¡°Let¡¯s forget it, whether it¡¯s Gift One or Gift Three, they both look good; it¡¯s just this obsession, how should I answer it?¡± Brian habitually thought to stroke his chin but ended up picking up Sudan¡¯s head, which stared back deathlessly. He discarded the head with some disgust, walked over to a black man lying unconscious, ready to strip off his clothes to wrap around Sudan¡¯s head. But before he even bent down, he smelled a strong body odor. This scent was too pungent. Brian sighed, took out his phone, and called Green. It was already late. Green was still working overtime. The victims were numerous, and their parents were too, and being somewhat socially established, it was inevitable to offend some, so the mess of information provided was also abundant. Plus, the information provided by schools and camps. This screening process was highly brain-draining. Green was just feeling the headache when he received a call from Boss Brian, who informed him that the perpetrator had been dealt with. ¡°Boss Brian¡¯s efficiency is really fast...¡± Green happily threw the documents in his hands onto the conference table, grabbed his coat, hurried to the parking lot, and drove the investigation van to the location Brian had provided. Following the right person truly brings joy! During the wait. Brian wasn¡¯t idle either. He tried to mimic Dean¡¯s posture, attempting to light a cigarette with his fingers. Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t work. He had rubbed his own skin raw and still hadn¡¯t seen a spark. ¡°This swaggering bit, I still need to practice...¡± Brian sighed and pulled out a lighter. A puff of smoke billowed out. Chapter 440 - 440 255 Fulfilling Obsession Brother You Are an Iron Pipe_2 ?440: Chapter 255: Fulfilling Obsession, Brother, You Are an Iron Pipe.._2 440: Chapter 255: Fulfilling Obsession, Brother, You Are an Iron Pipe.._2 Brian¡¯s brain was working faster and faster, gradually stepping into Sudan¡¯s pattern of behavior. The obsession of Sudan seemed to be just one problem. But that problem definitely wasn¡¯t as simple as it appeared on the surface. According to Brian¡¯s own understanding, this kind of question-like obsession seemed more like a demon, a psychological barrier. To overcome the obsession was akin to psychological counseling, resolving the other party¡¯s psychological barrier. The problem was, Sudan himself was a psychologist with a Ph.D., and he had easily manipulated psychology to play many people to death. Against such a person, simple words of consolation were utterly useless. Maybe he understood these principles even better than you. He just couldn¡¯t get past that hurdle himself. What¡¯s that saying: ¡°Physician, heal thyself.¡± That¡¯s precisely Sudan¡¯s situation. Following Sudan¡¯s way of thinking and doing things, Brian tentatively offered several answers. They were utterly ineffective. Clearly, in front of a paranoid genius like Sudan, ordinary answers were neither recognized nor persuasive. ¡°This obsession seems simple, but without understanding why he has this obsession, it¡¯s really difficult to deal with,¡± Brian eventually gave up on resolving the obsession for the time being. Sudan had deliberately mentioned some of his past to trigger Brian¡¯s emotions but without detail. Brian couldn¡¯t deduce the cause and effect of the other¡¯s psychological issue. ... Half an hour later. Green drove over the crime scene van assigned to Team B6. This thing looked like the common ambulance, converted from a van, with a closed rear compartment fitted with a trolley, body bags, securing buckles, and so on. ¡°Wow, boss, you¡¯re really strong.¡± Looking at the beheaded corpse ¡®deflated¡¯ in the trunk, along with a section of bloody spine connected to the head, Green kicked the head nonchalantly, ¡°Is this skinny little guy the killer? He looks kind of like one of those nerdy bookworms you see buried in their books.¡± After hanging around Team B6 for a few months, he had seen everything but ghosts, a far cry from the newbie patrol officer he was when he started. ¡°Stop gabbing and pack it up,¡± Brian rolled his eyes. Green shrank his head and, donning gloves, started tidying up the scene like picking up trash. When he noticed a few black men on the ground, he even recognized one of them. These guys had just been knocked down by Sudan earlier and hadn¡¯t fainted yet; later, they were scared unconscious by Brian¡¯s brutal methods. Words are too pale to describe it. The scene of forcibly ripping a person¡¯s head and spine from the body was significantly more shocking to people than horror movies. Seeing Green stop his work, Brian nonchalantly flicked away his cigarette butt, ¡°What, you know this guy?¡± Green nodded with a complicated expression: ¡°Yeah, I know him. He¡¯s my neighbor, used to bully me when we were kids. Later, he joined a theft gang and lived off stealing cars with a group. They would immediately sell the cars to their fences, who would then haul them to cooperating docks with trucks. Once the cars entered the containers, even with GPS locators, it was futile. Because the cars would be shipped to other countries and sold after modifications. So, these guys are particularly ruthless; I heard they¡¯ve even stolen ambulances before.¡± Brian: ... Damn, that¡¯s one mature industry chain. Turns out if I hadn¡¯t been keeping an eye on my motorcycle, it would¡¯ve been hard to find after being stolen. ... Just as they were nearly done with the scene and preparing to leave, the black man who had previously run away actually came back with a few patrol officers, then excitedly pointed at Brian, ¡°That¡¯s him, the madman! He actually ripped a person¡¯s spine out of their body, this demon!!!¡± That¡¯s too frightening! Now, just thinking about that scene, the black man who had abandoned his companions and run was shaking all over. The patrol officers had already drawn their pistols upon exiting their cars, some even armed with automatic rifles and shotguns. But before they could announce their LAPD presence as usual, someone recognized Brian. The officer who recognized him quickly stopped his colleagues, ¡°Hey, hey, hey, don¡¯t point, put away the guns, this is Brian, the Autopsy Officer from NW. He¡¯s not a bad guy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not possible!¡± The black car thief shouted in agitation, ¡°Don¡¯t joke around, how could someone so savage be...¡± Whack~ A slap across the face knocked him down. The conclusion... was that this car thief brought himself back, and after a beating, he was taken away along with the bunch on the ground. Initially, Brian couldn¡¯t be bothered with such minor characters, but the guy insisted on a delivery. Well, now... Brian¡¯s motorcycle was worth a million. This group of car thieves would probably spend a significant amount of time in jail now. Who knows if after learning the truth, his companions would give him another beating... ... Back at the office building. The body had been properly placed. Brian suddenly turned to Green and said, ¡°Green, tell me, what is mercy?¡± Green looked at Brian in surprise, ¡°Mercy?¡± He thought about it and said uncertainly, ¡°Boss Brian, everyone has a different definition of mercy. For example, when I¡¯m enforcing the law, I don¡¯t like being merciful because if you show mercy, you might give a criminal the chance to kill you. But with people I know, I might be more lenient, or pretend not to notice their faults...¡± ¡°So why do you think a criminal would be fixated on this issue?¡± Brian asked again. He rarely showed mercy. It was evident from his style of doing things. In some dumb movies, the villains clearly have the upper hand but insist on babbling with the protagonist, eventually getting killed by them. But Brian was different. He preferred to rattle on at the corpse of an enemy after killing them. The satisfaction was the same. Brian would only show mercy to harmless, vulnerable groups, with a hint of emotion: like the woman whose obsession was to protect her three-year-old daughter, or the prostitute who, despite a tragic death, hadn¡¯t forgotten to buy Christmas gifts for the kids at the Children¡¯s House... To a certain extent, Brian was a relatively self-centered person. His mercy only extended toward kind and harmless people. ¡°Criminal?¡± Green, without a second thought, scoffed and said: ¡°If a criminal is struggling with the issue of mercy, it¡¯s definitely because he¡¯s suffered for being merciful. Especially those extreme criminals. They never reflect on their own issues, only believing the fault lies with others, or society; if they suffer for showing mercy, they just become more extreme.¡± Hearing Green¡¯s explanation, a lightbulb went off in Brian¡¯s head. Right. How could someone like Sudan struggle with mercy and then admit his wrongs? He had been caught in a dead end before. Sudan struggling with mercy surely meant he had suffered for it! At this thought, Brian quietly said to himself, ¡°Mercy, it¡¯s like a knife stabbed into your own flesh!¡± The next moment. A warm current surged. Sudan acknowledged this definition from Brian. He indeed only formed an obsession after regretting an instance of mercy in the past! ¡°Ho, I guessed right!¡± Brian grinned. He immediately gave Green a thumbs-up: ¡°Well said, very insightful, eh?¡± Green: ??? Why was he suddenly being praised? Confused, Green still smiled foolishly. No matter why the boss praised him, smiling was the right response. Arriving at the parking lot. As if he remembered something, Green said to Brian, ¡°Oh right, Boss Brian, Ivan and the others, under Shi San¡¯s lead, left Los Angeles to chase the killer today.¡± Brian nodded, ¡°I know, Ivan told me.¡± Ivan and the others were handling a robbery-murder case. There were no clues at the scene and no eyewitnesses. It wasn¡¯t until Shi San arrived and tracked the killer to their home based on the residual scents on the victim. The killer turned out to be a sixteen-year-old girl. She secretly prostituted herself to buy a Christmas gift for her boyfriend and ended up stabbing her client, a smooth-talker who had quickly realized she wasn¡¯t gang-protected, seven or eight times when he refused to pay after the deed. All of this was pieced together with the help of Shi San, as Ivan and the others found the girl¡¯s home and learned the details from her mother. The girl had run away. Ivan and his team pursued her for the sake of their performance record. After listening to Brian recount the case, Green seemed reflective, ¡°That girl is quite something...¡± He was serious, not joking. Brian: .. He had been living here for over twenty years but still couldn¡¯t understand some people¡¯s thought processes. ... After they parted ways. Brian rushed back to his apartment, took off his clothes, and started to receive Sudan¡¯s ¡°obsession gift.¡± He chose the third reward option: 1 ¡°Gift¡± point + Self-Deception. A moment later. Brian, feeling no change in his body, looked down at his member and mumbled, ¡°Buddy, you¡¯re just a steel pipe...¡± Chapter 441 - 441 256 The BUG Born Under Talent Fusion ?441: Chapter 256: The BUG Born Under Talent Fusion 441: Chapter 256: The BUG Born Under Talent Fusion As the saying goes, a true gentleman hides his tools within himself, ready to use them at the appropriate time. Brian¡¯s brother, under normal circumstances, preferred to keep a low profile, never keen on showing off or acting rashly. As Brian silently chanted in his mind, a strange sensation began to surge through his body. The next moment, a torrent of blood rushed to his brother at a speed nearly at the limit his body could withstand, filling him to the brim. At the same time, changes occurred in the density of his brother¡¯s skin and keratin layer. Let¡¯s not even mention the painful sting. The entire transformation process was over in less than two seconds. Looking at his brother, now extended in form, head held high, veins bulging, and far from low-key, Brian raised his eyebrows. Not bad at all. He extended a finger and flicked. Twang~ The dull sound echoed in the confined room. It wasn¡¯t the crisp sound of metal being struck, but rather a thud as if hitting some sort of hard leather. Nevertheless, in terms of hardness, it was no worse than a common iron pipe. ¡°It seems that structure-wise, it still depends on the physical foundation; it¡¯s impossible to truly transform flesh and skin into metal. It¡¯s just trying to get as close as possible to the characteristics of an iron pipe. I bet that Sudan definitely isn¡¯t as fierce as this...¡± At that moment, Brian felt that his brother could pierce through a human body. Shattering a brick with a single strike would certainly pose no problem. The only issue was that this state was clearly unhealthy, making him feel very uncomfortable. According to the feedback from his Supercomputer Perception Talent, if he continued in this state for about five hours, he would lose his brother permanently, around four hours and his brother would only retain the function to urinate, around three hours and his brother would lose sensation for some time... In short, the longer the duration, the greater the damage to the body. This made Brian somewhat frustrated: ¡°Isn¡¯t this thing just like an alternative form of Body Control, only slightly more magical?¡± Had he chosen the wrong Gift? With this frustrated mood, he began various experiments. If someone like Sudan could burst forth with a speed of five seconds for a hundred meters, there was no reason he could only achieve this much! ¡°Brother, you¡¯re not an iron pipe, you¡¯re bloody an alloy steel pipe that could smash through a wall in one go!!!¡± Brian gritted his teeth and silently chanted! The next moment, Brian¡¯s face turned pale. The surging blood roiled. Visibly to the naked eye, his brother swelled to nearly three times the waistline, twice the height, the high concentration of blood nearly solidified in the veins, forcefully stretching and smoothing out the folds over his brother¡¯s prosperous belly. With the sensation of a significant loss of blood, Brian clenched his fists, stood his ground, his body trembling uncontrollably, lips tightly bitten, enduring the pain that nearly made him howl. Pain! It was too painful! He felt as if his brother was about to burst at any moment. ¡°Fuck, brother, it¡¯s fake, everything just now was fake, get back to normal, you¡¯re too frightening like this!¡± Enduring the nearly explosive pain, Brian collected the data and quickly reverted his brother back to being less conspicuous, to turn over a new leaf and become the stick once more! ... ¡°Phew~¡± Brian sat on the floor, still shaken, his legs trembling. According to the feedback from Supercomputer Perception, during those less than three seconds, his brother actually reached a strength akin to alloy steel, but could only maintain it for a few seconds before threatening to explode. ¡°Thank goodness I was quick on the uptake!¡± Even though Brian could grow a new brother if his exploded, that kind of scene would likely traumatize any normal person. Even with his quick reaction, he could no longer feel the presence of his brother. His brother had clearly sustained serious damage in the process. Suppressing his residual fear, Brian continued to experiment: ¡°Brother, pull yourself together, you¡¯re okay, you¡¯re just like you were in your normal state before, you¡¯re okay~¡± The next moment, a warm flow akin to Gift Energy for healing and Enhancement surged through Brian¡¯s body, finally converging in the residence of Brian¡¯s brother. Brian¡¯s complexion turned pale again, he felt weak, as if all his physical energy had been drained in an instant. In contrast, his brother regained sensation, a numb and tingling sense, currently in an abnormal state of rapid recovery. This sensation, how to put it, is like a knock-off version of Gift Energy healing. This state didn¡¯t last too long. When Brian felt as if he was famished, having not eaten for days and nights, as if he saw his great grandmother, the healing ceased. After draining all the stored energy in his body, his brother had almost returned to normal. Brian quickly consumed a unit of Gift Energy to replenish his body¡¯s depletion. After recovering his strength, his face showed delight. This Self-Deception, with effects similar to his Body Control but even more peculiar, didn¡¯t follow the usual path. The limit of this talent depended on the strength of his own physique, and it wasn¡¯t simply as he claimed, but it allowed him to easily reach the limits of his body. This was different from Brian¡¯s bursting state. The limit state brought about by Self-Deception was more akin to Heavenly Demon Disintegration, similar to the Overclocking State brought about by Brian¡¯s Body Control Talent. The Overclocking State is when Brian actively burns all the cell energy in his body, his physical form deteriorating even as he fought. But that requires a process. Self-Deception is different. It can instantly burn up all of Brian¡¯s cellular energy and unleash the most brilliant strike of his life, one far more powerful than the slowly deteriorating Overclocking State. Chapter 442 - 442 256 The BUG Born Under Talent Fusion_2 ?442: Chapter 256: The BUG Born Under Talent Fusion_2 442: Chapter 256: The BUG Born Under Talent Fusion_2 Surely, this wasn¡¯t why Brian looked pleased. He was delighted because he had discovered a BUG. Previously, he had obtained a ¡°Super Adaptability¡± talent. This talent allowed his body to actively adapt to the environment in a passive state and to passively evolve in that direction. It was a very powerful survival talent. Unfortunately, Brian had only acquired one-third of the ¡°Super Adaptability¡± talent¡¯s strength. Because of this, he had felt somewhat regretful. Later, the ¡°Body Control¡± talent fused with the ¡°Super Adaptability¡± talent, and Brian felt a bit of trepidation. Because the ¡°Super Adaptability¡± talent was actually a passive one. It was difficult for Brian to actively control it. The key issue was that this talent could cause changes to his appearance. For instance, if Brian was locked in an iron coffin and thrown into the sea, he might grow gill-like organs to survive in the water as quickly as possible. At the same time, he might also develop organs that could consume microorganisms in the water to prevent starvation. In short... all these would passively alter his body structure. When one-third of the ¡°Super Adaptability¡± talent fused into ¡°Body Control,¡± it underwent a change. For example, the gills could transform into skin respiration according to Brian¡¯s will, actively exchanging oxygen with the environment, and the ability to consume microorganisms for survival could be controlled as an internal organ change, rather than an uncontrollable passive alteration. In other words, the passive talent of Super Adaptability, with only one-third of its full strength, not only became less effective and slower in changes but also gave Brian the ability to actively influence the transformation. The benefits outweighed the drawbacks. In conclusion, this passive talent simply made it harder to kill Brian. His ability to survive had been greatly enhanced. But previously, he hadn¡¯t made a special effort to do anything. Mainly because he didn¡¯t have the time or energy. Now, it was different! While experimenting with ¡°Self-Deception¡± just now, Brian discovered that his ¡°Super Adaptability¡± talent was actively adapting to his super-limit state!!! ... ¡°Super Adaptability + Self-Deception + Body Control, the fusion of these three talents is terrifying! That means from now on, I can continuously passively enhance my body¡¯s strength based on my own thoughts. The longer this passivity lasts, even if I lose the enhancement of the Gift Energy in the future, I will become stronger and more monstrous by the day...¡± As long as I live, will I eventually be invincible? Brian hadn¡¯t expected the fusion of these three talents to create such a major BUG. So awesome! Isn¡¯t this just like a real-life version of Saitama¡¯s human body? Consequently, Brian hurriedly began experimenting. About an hour later, his face showed both shock and delight. What shocked him was, The process consumed too much energy. According to the information collected by the ¡°Supercomputer Perception¡± talent, If he relied solely on his body¡¯s energy to maintain this passive enhancement, then the strength increase per day would be limited, and it might take years to see any real effects. And this speed was continually slowing down as his body¡¯s strength increased. Using Gift Energy was not cost-effective by comparison. Directly using Blood Moon Gift Ability to enhance his body¡¯s strength was many times more efficient than using it to replenish the energy consumed by passive enhancement. Much more so. Therefore, this ability was at best a Passive Enhancement Buff, which allowed Brian to maximize the utilization of the food energy ingested into his body to enhance himself, without fear of becoming a waste processing machine. What delighted him was, After all, it was an era of significantly increased productivity. Some food wasn¡¯t worth much; it just took time. Passive enhancement, although not as quick as direct points addition through Gift Energy, could serve as a daily check-in for guaranteed enhancement. Over time, He would become a true Big Boss. As long as there was no limit to this talent, having a body resistant to nuclear bombs was not a dream. There was another surprise. His ¡°Super Adaptability¡± talent had been enhanced. Using the stored Gift Energy through ¡°Self-Deception¡± and combining it with ¡°Super Adaptability,¡± Brian could quickly adapt to the surrounding environment in a very short time under extreme conditions. And one more surprise, He could rapidly change features like his hair color, hair shape, iris pigment, and skin tone. Truly¡ªa male version of Mystique. Brian was quite fond of this coincidentally acquired ability. He stood in front of the mirror, constantly changing his eye color, hair color, shape, and even his skin tone... In the mirror, a new face appeared every second. Sometimes it was a blond-haired, blue-eyed Caucasian; other times, a blond-haired, blue-eyed African American, and sometimes, a typical mixed-race person with curly black hair... A transformation could be completed in just one second. Each transformation consumed about half of Brian¡¯s bodily energy, or 0.5 units of Gift Energy. Crunchy goodness. This was so much fun! After playing for a few minutes and wasting more than twenty units of Gift Energy, Brian suddenly realized what he was doing and felt a pang of distress. Damn it! He gave himself a hard slap on the face. Those Gift units were the accumulation of his blood and sweat! The next moment, Supercomputer Perception relayed a Gift: his skin had become slightly more resilient and strong due to the slap he just administered. Brian: ... Forget it, today is a day of great joy, let¡¯s not fret over some wasted energy. Out of boredom. This time, while absorbing the obsession spiritual body crystal from Sudan, Brian perused the death replay of the other party. This time was somewhat magical. Brian actually saw all the memories from three days before the other¡¯s death. He wordlessly gave himself another slap. Damn! Memories of death were so boring. He hadn¡¯t actively watched them for a long time; he usually just devoured the deceased¡¯s obsession crystal after settling their spirits, to avoid exposing himself to too much darkness and affecting his mood. And now he just realized this. This must be one of the changes brought about by the third Transformation of his Blood Moon Ability. The more Brian thought about it, the more speechless he became, so he slapped himself a few more times. Consider it training the resilience of his face. ... The next day. Humming a tune, Brian arrived at the B6 unit office building to deal with the aftermath of last night¡¯s case. The massacre created by Sudan was somewhat outrageous. This case was also quite troublesome to handle. Next, there were some press conferences, small-town police station arrangements, and post-case proceedings to deal with. Ivan and those guys weren¡¯t in Los Angeles. This left a bunch of people running around like headless chickens. It wasn¡¯t that Brian needed to handle it. Old Hardenn and the others could take care of these issues just fine. The problem was that the state of Sudan¡¯s corpse was too gruesome. The man was dead, without any proof to the contrary, and the case was closing too quickly, more like it was being dismissed by the police. This made it difficult for the reporters and victims¡¯ families to accept. Eventually, it was Brian and Green who went to Sudan¡¯s residence and found a videotape of the crimes he had recorded, barely managing to subdue the chaos. As to why Brian knew about the videotape, naturally, it was from the death replay. The three days of death replay coincided with the timeframe when the crimes were committed. Brian also took the opportunity to learn about Sudan¡¯s situation in the mental hospital. He began to understand why the other was so obsessed. The people in the mental hospital, probably having spent too much time with the mentally ill, truly lacked skill and sense, mindlessly bullying a suppressed talent without ever considering possible retaliation. Brian didn¡¯t like these people. Subordinates too foolish could easily cause him trouble. He planned to sell the mental hospital. ... After busily wrapping everything up, it was already four or five in the afternoon. Brian hadn¡¯t done anything today other than sort out Sudan¡¯s aftermath, which was more annoying than solving the case itself. The only gain was probably the gratitude from the small-town sheriff. Right, he also got Sudan¡¯s file. The file had almost all of the other person¡¯s information! Well, well, it was quite interesting. From it, Brian discovered yet another tip of the iceberg that Black Light Biotechnology concealed beneath the water. He had somewhat underestimated the radical faction of this NW organization in the past. Chapter 443 - 443 257 Eaten by Susan Mmm-hmm ?443: Chapter 257: Eaten by Susan (Mmm-hmm) 443: Chapter 257: Eaten by Susan (Mmm-hmm) ¡°Damn it, I really don¡¯t understand why we give these journalists any face..¡± Green¡¯s face turned ugly as he sat down in his chair. The journalists¡¯ words were sharp, nitpicking, and it was a small step from pointing fingers at them, accusing them of finding scapegoats to close the cases. This made Green, who thought he could stand out, very uncomfortable. Old Hardenn was also quite weary. He held a cup of coffee and chuckled lightly, ¡°It¡¯s normal, these journalists like to do this; without news, they¡¯ll create some news. Even if we present solid evidence, they will write their reports so vaguely that the public thinks they¡¯ve seen something dark...¡± Journalists live by their pens. Sales and traffic are king. Without a sensational story, they¡¯ll create one. As for the people at the center of the events, whether they¡¯re affected or not, that¡¯s none of their concern. Because they¡¯re in a hurry to find the next big news story. Brian was even more composed. He was reading through Sudan¡¯s material. The information Sudan revealed before his death was mostly accurate. Guessing that there was no need to lie to a dead man, the guy was very frank. The material had been requested by Brian from the Aiden Research Institute. Though he hadn¡¯t gone there yet, he had already been in contact with the acting director. According to the material, Sudan was indeed a genius. His academic performance had been outstanding since childhood, showing his talent in elementary school. Eventually, an organization approached him and sponsored the financially average Sudan to access superior educational resources. This organization was actually the talent development institution of Black Light Biotechnology Company, with offices all over the Federation, even throughout the entire Western Realm. As the saying goes, catch talent while they¡¯re young. Many times, the progress of an era and technology actually relies on the leadership of one or two top talents. The founder of this institution indeed had a far-reaching vision. It was evident that Black Light Biotechnology Company was even more powerful than Brian had imagined. Moreover, geniuses like Sudan were not only sponsored simply. He also underwent many expert tests to identify his strongest talent, which was then nurtured. Under such favorable conditions, Sudan became a doctor of psychology at the age of eighteen, and as agreed, joined the scientific research institution affiliated with Black Light Biotechnology Company. Being special talent, after a few years of work, Sudan had the opportunity to start accessing some of Black Light Biotechnology¡¯s core research projects... What followed was what the other party told Brian. The only fresh information was about the other party¡¯s experience. After playing with many of the unpaid ¡®materials¡¯ brought into the Aiden Mental Hospital for ¡®care¡¯, Sudan wouldn¡¯t end up as tragic as becoming a janitor. The mental hospital was merely his starting point. He was someone destined for greatness; no one would target such a talent over a bunch of consumables for no reason. But he showed leniency. After the incident, According to the regulations, he was detained for review. During this period, a girl he liked visited and questioned him under pretense, eventually recording and reporting his private research. Sudan did sense that the girl was leading him on. But he never expected her to be so ruthless, wanting to entrap him, so he let down his guard. According to the recording, Sudan was eventually deemed to have an antisocial personality, very egotistical and dangerous. Considering his talent, they did not execute him directly but thought to suppress his personality instead. These details, handwritten records by the director of Aiden Mental Hospital, were included in Sudan¡¯s personnel file, allowing Brian to be privy to them. As for that tape, Green and the black Autopsy Officer, through their investigations, also locked down a list of users. Aiden Mental Hospital was one of them. This stuff was a special adhesive tool used for restraints. Sudan probably found it handy and used it to stick fake bombs as threats to manipulate the first batch of victims. In other words, even without Brian, the exceptional player, by following these clues, they could have eventually locked down Sudan. But by that time, it would¡¯ve been too late; they would¡¯ve been played for fools by him. Probably, Sudan never expected to encounter someone like Brian who could skip over the drama and directly target him. Now, let¡¯s talk about Sudan¡¯s obsession. From the file above, Sudan¡¯s tender-hearted obsession was probably the hurdle he couldn¡¯t overcome after being manipulated by someone he liked, thinking he had been too soft-hearted to have actually revealed his ambitions. Honestly, After reading the material, Brian was somewhat speechless. Because, when it came down to it, this was just a case of colleagues sabotaging each other. Such things are too common in society. Colleagues who smile at each other on the surface but stab each other in the back for a promotion or resources, there are too many of them. Friends included. When getting along well, anything can be said, and one might even share their misdeeds. But once the relationship goes awry, Those spoken words become weapons aimed at your heart by the other party. It¡¯s all too common. So mature people all know the wisdom of keeping things superficial, speaking carefully to each other, not easily showing their weaknesses to anyone. Sudan simply had too smooth a life, which is why he turned out the way he did. Otherwise, Brian would just have picked up a genius for nothing. Thinking of this, he felt a tinge of regret. But thinking of the gold coins that the genius burst forth, Brian¡¯s little regret transformed back into pleasure. Chapter 444 - 444 257 Eaten by Susan Mmm-hmm_2 ?444: Chapter 257: Eaten by Susan (Mmm-hmm)_2 444: Chapter 257: Eaten by Susan (Mmm-hmm)_2 Dead and bursting with coins, still a good employee! ... Just as it was almost time to clock out. Brian was skiving off with a newspaper in hand. Ivan and the rest had already caught the escaped girl and were on their way back. Rushing back overnight wasn¡¯t because they were in a hurry, but because Ivan¡¯s credit card had maxed out. Yep, maxed out. Shi San was eating him into poverty. If they stayed any longer, he figured they¡¯d end up washing dishes abroad to pay off debts. Actually, these guys had money, but after getting their hands on some cash, Ivan bought a lot of male celebrities¡¯ personal items¡ªyou know, the usual stuff¡ªand then there was the daily splurging. As for Glenn, his money wasn¡¯t wasted; it all went on women. Due to taxation issues, people here mostly didn¡¯t have the habit of saving, or rather, didn¡¯t make a deliberate effort to save. This left Brian somewhat amused and perplexed. Ding dong~ The office clock chimed. Brian stretched lazily, about to head to the beach to feed and start his routine enhancement work. Suddenly, his ears twitched slightly as he looked toward the office door. A minute later. Click~ The office door opened. Team Leader Susan came in with a dark face, leading a somewhat strange woman in. ¡°What¡¯s up, Team Leader?¡± Brian greeted her. At the office, he still preferred to call her Team Leader Susan. Susan didn¡¯t speak; instead, she walked up to Brian, stretched out her hand to his waist, and pinched him hard. Not to say, it was ticklish. Watching the skin on Brian¡¯s waist being twisted 360 degrees without any reaction from him, Susan couldn¡¯t help but kick him, ¡°Can¡¯t you just play along?¡± It was the first time Brian had seen Susan in such a girly posture. He immediately feigned a grimace and cried out in pain, ¡°Ouch, ouch, ouch~¡± ¡°Hmph~¡± Only then did Susan let go somewhat satisfied, and then, feeling a bit sorry, she rubbed the spot she had pinched, muttering, ¡°Brian, you have to go on a trip again.¡± Brian: ¡°Huh?¡± ... A moment later, Brian finally understood the whole story. It turned out that at the end of the year, White Elephant Country (India) had sent out invitations to many countries as usual, to attend a ceremony recognizing newcomers. It was really just a show of muscle and a chance to boost their presence. Before the third Blood Moon had arrived, this kind of job was often left to the older generation of official organizations in various continents; it was also a chance for a resource and benefit exchange. With the Blood Moon coming again, and with Brian being a rising star, along with the matter regarding Benjamin, they decided as a consolation to let him go through a meeting. This was a good thing. Susan was mad because Brian was going to leave again. Brian¡¯s heart stirred. This was a good opportunity to deal with a bunch of obsessions in Japan. He quickly hugged Susan, comforting her, ¡°Team Leader, you¡¯re like the moon above my head, wherever I am, whenever I see the moon, I see you. And isn¡¯t Shi San here? I¡¯ll come back as soon as I¡¯m done.¡± The strange woman who had come in with Susan made a disgusted face on the side, ¡°Brian, you make me feel greasy.¡± Hiding on the side and secretly enjoying the drama, Glenn only then noticed someone behind Susan. Can¡¯t help it, Susan was nearly 1.8 meters tall just with her shoes. After taking various reagents, she had become a bit more voluptuous, and ordinary women seemed somewhat petite next to her. It seemed she noticed Glenn¡¯s gaze. This strange woman, sticking her head out, glared at Glenn, ¡°What are you looking at!¡± Glenn: ... No, who are you? Brian also looked at Susan, puzzled, ¡°Why does Linda seem a bit odd after coming back?¡± Yes, this strange woman was Linda, whom he had brought back. Her appearance had changed quite a bit, but the biological scent was mostly the same, just slightly altered. ¡°Linda?¡± Glenn¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Boss Brian, you¡¯re saying this is Linda?¡± Looking at the woman in front of him, tall and about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, Glenn thought he had heard wrong. Wasn¡¯t Linda just a fifteen-year-old girl? It¡¯s only been a few days! Do kids develop this fast nowadays? Linda, seeing Glenn¡¯s surprised expression, hee-heed and made a face at him, then ducked back behind Susan. ... Faced with Brian¡¯s questioning gaze, Susan finally reacted. She picked up Linda, who was hiding behind her, like picking up a little chicken, explaining, ¡°The Beastification Reagent Linda was injected with is a bit special; it has a cell-catalyzing effect, so after absorbing enough energy, she became the way she is now.¡± Hearing this, Brian¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly, ¡°Are there any side effects?¡± Susan shook her head: ¡°I asked the sequence staff at the base, they said this is a normal phenomenon, her body condition is much better than before with ample energy. The only problem is, for the next while, she might have some uncontrollable changes in her personality due to hormonal changes...¡± Brian: ¡°..Okay, I can see that.¡± Linda was now somewhat lively. She dejectedly held her small buns, ¡°Brian, why didn¡¯t these grow bigger too...¡± The room went silent. Glenn reacted the quickest. He grabbed his things and ran outside, ¡°I¡¯m off work first, my Ma made pizza for me...¡± Old Hardenn and the female clerks also found an excuse, disregarding Brian¡¯s fate, and disappeared from the office. Brian: ... Linda also realized she had misspoken. She stuck out her tongue, ¡°Sister Susan, you guys go ahead, I¡¯ll wait outside.¡± .. Linda scurried out excitedly. Chapter 445 - 445 257 Eaten by Susan Mmm-hmm_3 ?445: Chapter 257: Eaten by Susan (Mmm-hmm)_3 445: Chapter 257: Eaten by Susan (Mmm-hmm)_3 The next moment. Boom~ The office door, half-detached, hung limply on the frame, looking quite pitiful. ¡®Light as a feather,¡¯ he closed the door. Susan turned her head to look at Brian. Brian spread his hands: ¡°I¡¯m innocent.¡± Susan nodded: ¡°I know, Second-level Staff Brian, come with me into the team leader¡¯s office, I need to talk to you!¡± Over half an hour later. Susan, out of breath, straightened her clothes: ¡°Are you full?¡± Brian nodded obediently. He had just been ¡®eaten.¡¯ Thanks to Linda¡¯s assist! Before that, Susan had always been reluctant to take the final step! ¡°Now that you¡¯re full, don¡¯t you dare eat anything outside, or I¡¯ll blow your G-head off!¡± Susan huffed, standing tall and proud, and strutted out of the office. In the blink of an eye. The entire office was left with Brian alone. He got up from the ground, his facial expression turning into one of relief. It was a good thing he had reacted promptly, voluntarily killing his genetic material. Otherwise, considering his cell vitality, Susan might soon have to come to work with a big belly. The combination of enhanced humans and Mutants, where difficulties in bearing offspring were common, seemed to lose its regularity before him, a Mutant. Brian could feel his genetic materials, that urgent desire to leave his body and seek a target to propagate as if those things had their faint instincts. ¡°Looks like I still need to get stronger as soon as possible, then find old Dean¡¯s organization, to address the potential problems with freakish offspring...¡± After pondering for a moment, Brian couldn¡¯t help but crack a smile: ¡°Thanks, Linda!¡± Bringing this young girl to Los Angeles wasn¡¯t a waste. After months of drought, he finally got to ¡®eat meat¡¯! ... The next day. Susan was back to her usual self, arriving at Brian¡¯s apartment early in the morning, around five, to take him to the airport. Of course. When they left, it was already past eleven in the morning. When Brian left wearing the Second-level Staff uniform he had hardly ever worn before, the sofa that had witnessed his growth and been stained with countless sweats had become a wreck. People often say that men are lecherous. The people who say this must not be married. Even with his physique, he was feeling a bit limp right now. Susan¡¯s constitution didn¡¯t seem as simple as it appeared. Her resilience was extremely exaggerated. So exaggerated that Brian suspected Susan might have inherited some of old Dean¡¯s talents, which just hadn¡¯t been unearthed yet. After all, the first time he went to see old Dean. Brian deliberately used the story about encountering the Mutant Beast in Forest Park and nearly perishing to provoke Dean, resulting in Dean asserting that it would have been just his, not Susan¡¯s, demise. It¡¯s just that old Dean had promptly realized his mistake and hadn¡¯t finished his sentence. ¡°It looks like there are indeed some secrets to Susan¡¯s body...¡± As he rubbed his lower back, feeling even more bitter, Brian grew more convinced that any offspring he would have with Susan wouldn¡¯t be too normal. Hopefully, she wouldn¡¯t be pregnant for three years and then give birth to a Nezha. ... Having tasted the ¡®meat,¡¯ Susan now had a special charm about her. She was already beautiful with a good figure. Apart from her height putting pressure on many men, her turnaround rate was very high outside. Today was even more exaggerated. It made Brian a bit jealous. If it weren¡¯t for his black uniform and Susan wearing two shiny revolvers on her waist, which even at the airport made her look unapproachable, there might have been men who would¡¯ve ignored him and approached her directly. Susan, hugging Brian, felt reluctant to leave, having acquired a taste for it: ¡°Hurry back when you¡¯re done, I¡¯ll miss you.¡± ¡°Me too...¡± After more sickening sweetness, Brian was finally let go. Phew~ Only when Brian got to business class did he dare show a sigh of relief. It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t handle Susan, but purely due to body structure, in certain affairs, men¡¯s pleasure lasted only for the first few minutes, and it became uncomfortable over time, while it was different for women. And Susan¡¯s toughness was just ridiculous. With a moment¡¯s sentiment. Brian scanned his surroundings, pulled out his phone, and dialed old Dean¡¯s number. This trip was not only for an exchange in White Elephant Country. He was also planning to visit Japan. A call to check on the safety was necessary. After all, he was planning to have a blast this time. The call went through, but it was met with the busy tone of a rejected call. Brian furrowed his brow slightly. Although old Dean was a Mutant, he was only somewhat obsessed with ¡°The Book of Changes.¡± Even if he sensed danger, he would have told him about it. What did this rejection mean? Something seemed off. Chapter 446 - 446 258 Fierce Old Man Leaves the Magical White Elephant Country ?446: Chapter 258: Fierce Old Man Leaves, the Magical White Elephant Country 446: Chapter 258: Fierce Old Man Leaves, the Magical White Elephant Country At that moment, Inside the messy room, the fierce old man grimly set down his cellphone. At his feet, two women dressed in Hua Country¡¯s traditional costumes, one in black and the other in white, lay on the ground. Their eyes were wide open, their necks twisted, already lifeless. ¡°It¡¯s been over a decade, and you seem to be playing quite a game, Tian Ji.¡± A young man in his twenties, acting as if he was alone, sat next to the fierce old man. As he spoke, he glanced at the old man¡¯s cellphone, ¡°Friend? Pick it up. Why aren¡¯t you answering the call?¡± The fierce old man ignored him, looking at the bodies on the ground, his voice deep, ¡°Evil Charm, with your strength, it would have been easy to knock them out. Why kill them!!!¡± An invisible force erupted from the unremarkable, withered body of the fierce old man. The young man, feeling the biological force field enveloping him, remained unconcerned. He pulled out a cigarette, lit it leisurely, took a deep inhale, and amidst the exhaled smoke which clouded slightly, he said somberly, ¡°The Blood Moon a few months ago greatly affected me. I often lose consciousness suddenly now. I just didn¡¯t want to accidentally kill you, after all, we have fewer old friends left.¡± The original anger of the fierce old man dissipated as he heard this. He sighed. Indeed, there were fewer and fewer old friends. He stood up, walked to a cabinet, and took out a compass, ¡°Tell me, what brought you here suddenly? Say it and then get out!¡± ¡°I feel like I won¡¯t make it to the next Blood Moon. While I¡¯m still clear-headed, I plan to find that group of Hyenas and eliminate them all.¡± Evil Charm flicked his cigarette ash, ¡°The boss woke up recently. It¡¯s time to visit him too.¡± The fierce old man was about to reply. Evil Charm¡¯s gaze suddenly froze. The next moment. A remnant of the Blood Moon, as if emerging slowly from deep within the young man¡¯s eyes, turned his dark brown eyes into a blood-red color, casting a sinister red glow in the dim room. Gulp~ The fierce old man swallowed his saliva involuntarily. Almost at the moment the remnant of the Blood Moon appeared in his eyes, all the hairs on his body stood on end, and waves of fear crashed against his heart, telling him to run away! But the fierce old man dared not move. He knew Evil Charm had lost control. Fuck! This short-lived ghost, knowing he¡¯d lose control, still came to find him. Wasn¡¯t this a set-up! The gulping sound caught Blood Eyes¡¯ attention. The young man turned his gaze upon the fierce old man, his lips curling upwards, revealing his continuously elongating canine teeth, and dark lines spread across his surface. Tear~ Clothes tore, the body expanded, and sharp claws extended from his fingertips. In a blink. The young man¡¯s human form vanished and transformed into a creature akin to the Evil Charm mountain ghost from the myths of Hua Country. It opened its mouth, revealing crisscrossed canine teeth, greedily eyeing the fierce old man, ready to strike but a feeble consciousness influenced it, causing the monster¡¯s Blood Eyes to struggle. The consciousness was weak and easily crushed. It shrugged off the influence, and the emotions within Blood Eyes turned gruesome again, reaching out its claws towards the fierce old man. That consciousness emerged again, interfering with its instincts. After several back-and-forths, The monster seemed impatient. It looked regretfully at the fierce old man, flickered its body, and appeared instantaneously in front of the two female corpses on the ground, its ten claws swelling over a meter long, piercing into the bodies. Sizzle~ Disgusting slurping sounds filled the air. Within three seconds, the bodies of the young women, which appeared to have undergone years of erosion, their skin shriveled and wrinkled, and all flesh gone. As the monster retracted its claws, only the traditional costumes wrapped around two infant-sized, shriveled remains were left on the ground. Having tasted the flesh, The monster let out a soundless chuckle. Amidst flickering blood glow, the blood-colored remnants slowly dissipated. The next moment, The young man returned to his previous form. His vacant gaze gradually regained its sharpness. Seeing his clothes gone, The young man sighed, ¡°It seems I lost control again. Damn, eating makes me lose control, not eating forces me to lose control, either way, it¡¯s death. I really envy the boss who can survive on air...¡± ¡°Get out!¡± The terrified fierce old man, paralyzed on the ground, no longer caring about attracting the attention of neighbors, yelled at the young man, ¡°Evil Charm, just get out! Out! Out!¡± The young man shook his head, ¡°First, help me figure out where those bastards are.¡± The fierce old man somewhat reluctantly nodded, extending his hand, ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t lose control again?¡± The young man nodded affirmatively, ¡°No, I usually eat twice now, each time at least two people to satisfy my body¡¯s needs, but I¡¯m not sure how long that will last. This is indeed harming the universe, so I might as well die sooner.¡± ¡°Heh, isn¡¯t that why we originally ran here from Hua Country...¡± The fierce old man scoffed at himself. The deeper the Mutation, the greater the change. The need for food also rose. This was also nothing much. But if you lose control once, and eat a human, then it¡¯s a definite death. Because it becomes addictive. No one knows why. The more humans eaten, the greater the risk of losing control, the higher the risk, the easier to lose control, and when losing control, the body will automatically seek more humans to consume. This is a vicious cycle. Only by sleeping through some special methods can some time be delayed. The problem is, sleeping also requires energy. Moreover, Blood Moon occurs every thirty years, each time bringing heavier mental burdens. Chapter 447 - 447 258 Fierce Old Man Leaves the Magical White Elephant Country_2 ?447: Chapter 258: Fierce Old Man Leaves, the Magical White Elephant Country_2 447: Chapter 258: Fierce Old Man Leaves, the Magical White Elephant Country_2 People without mutations could hide and remain unaffected by the Blood Moon Radiation. Mutants, even if they hid a hundred or two hundred meters underground, it was utterly useless. It was as if the Blood Moon had embedded itself in their souls, and when the time came, whether their eyes were open or closed, no matter where they were, they could see the rise of the Blood Moon... For mutants, there was simply no turning back from this dead-end path. In order not to harm their own people. These monsters, who had consumed the human pill, eventually crossed the ocean, came to this realm, and hid in every corner; they asked no questions, interfered not with the mundane world, seeking only a way to transcend. The human pill was, in fact, a human. To avoid adding to their psychological burden. They purposely called the eaten humans ¡°human pills.¡± This was also why the fierce old man disliked going back to the organization. ... Floods of unbearable memories surged in his mind. The fierce old man slowly closed his eyes. His dry hands, from slow to fast, performed a ¡®finger calculation.¡¯ During this process, a gruesome paleness appeared on his withered old face. After a moment, The fierce old man stopped his movements. He opened his eyes weakly and shook his head, ¡°There¡¯s no escaping death. Those people from the Beast Pavilion must have been startled by something, all retreated to a place in the north. It¡¯s very dangerous. Even if you¡¯re a third-stage Mutant, going there means certain death.¡± The young man, heedless of the old man¡¯s repeated intimations of his death, was curious. ¡°How do I die?¡± ¡°It must be some kind of missile. I can only see very few images. You¡¯re standing on a pile of Spiderman corpses, holding a head in your hand, then you were vaporized by something that flew by at high speed.¡± ¡°A rather creative way to die.¡± The young man stroked his chin, ¡°If only I were Long. Is he still alive?¡± The fierce old man reluctantly nodded, ¡°He should be in New York. I once sensed that there was a walking Nuclear Bomb in that downtown area. People here wouldn¡¯t dare do something that dangerous; it must be him.¡± If Brian were here, he would certainly scold the fierce old man as a fool. The guy could sense danger and even calculate it. Indeed, predicting good and bad fortune. It¡¯s all one and the same. The Blood Moon Gift was the power of the soul¡¯s reflection. The fierce old man still had a hidden trick, which was quite typical. .. Knowing that Long was truly still alive, the young man¡¯s eyes flashed with a hint of envy. Sadly, the fate of Mutants who had consumed the human pill was sealed. They were merely living on borrowed time. Even if Long generously told all the Mutants how he endured the fifth Transformation, it would only mean increasing the uncontrollable destructive power for their group. It didn¡¯t matter much. ¡°I understand.¡± The young man nodded. He suddenly stepped forward and hugged the fierce old man. By the time the old man struggled irritably, everything in the room, including the dried-up corpses on the ground, had vanished. Only three green glass test tubes remained on the coffee table. The fierce old man looked at the coffee table with a complex expression, then at the open apartment door, shook his head, and closed the door. These were three very precious Compressed Nutrients. He was different from the people in the organization. His abilities were peculiar, belonging to the kind with a strong spirit but a weak body, and having only mutated twice. He didn¡¯t have the risk of losing control due to energy demands. However, using ¡®calculation¡¯ was different. Predicting fortune was a passive ability with little consumption. Calculation, however, was a forbidden power not bound by events, as if cursed by heaven. Every time it was used, the fierce old man¡¯s mental state would decline significantly, and it lasted for a long time. The mind affects the body. This was also when he was most likely to lose control. At such times, to avoid losing control, the fierce old man often needed to distance himself from people, ¡®burying¡¯ himself and surviving on these Compressed Nutrients. ¡°Damn it, I have to be a ghost again for a while!¡± The fierce old man wiped away his tears and carefully packed away the test tubes. After thinking. He took out his cell phone, sent a text message to Brian, then crushed the phone and disappeared into the night. ... Brian didn¡¯t receive the old man¡¯s text message until the next morning when he arrived in White Elephant New Delhi. Followed by the message were two account debit notifications. Probably sent while he was still flying out of the Los Angeles area, only delayed due to being on the airplane. But that wasn¡¯t the point. The point was the sensory overload. After getting off the plane, Brian was numbed. His strong sense of smell told him he was in a boundless public restroom. Feces, urine, farts, the foul smell of burning bodies, various domestic wastewater, curry spices... The stench in this accursed place was even more nauseating than being inside a garbage truck. ¡°Ugh~¡± A white old man, also from business class and probably in New Delhi for the first time, unexpectedly knelt on the ground and started retching. Before long, He was carried away by the airport medical staff. ¡°It¡¯s too awful...¡± Brian shook his head and quickened his departure. Fuck! Those people in NW organization are merciless, arranging for him to stay in such a place, even calling it a reward and compensation. Damn it! Compensating me with the smell of shit and piss, right? Brian was somewhat displeased with this business trip. He had initially planned to go to the institute, to have a good chat with that young man who had developed high-energy food. After all, he badly needed high-energy food these days to enhance his strength daily. Chapter 448 - 448 258 The Fierce Old Man Leaves The Mysterious White Elephant Country_3 ?448: Chapter 258: The Fierce Old Man Leaves, The Mysterious White Elephant Country_3 448: Chapter 258: The Fierce Old Man Leaves, The Mysterious White Elephant Country_3 He was assigned to go on a business trip to the White Elephant Country. If he hadn¡¯t thought about sorting out a few obsession gifts from Japan, he really wouldn¡¯t have wanted to come here. In the White Elephant Country, not only was the environment outlandish, but the people were also ridiculous. Until Brian walked out of the airport, he didn¡¯t see anyone who came to receive him. Left with no choice, he could only take his passport, hail a taxi, and head to the best hotel. He decided not to use a local SIM card. This time, he brought a NW staff watch that allowed satellite communication, so there was no hassle. He paid and checked in. The bellhop, who led Brian upstairs and knew that he was from the United States, kept reminding him to only drink clean water from the suite refrigerator and not to use tap water for brushing his teeth. Of course, it wasn¡¯t out of kindness or service attitude, but purely because of the twenty-dollar tip Brian had given. Once settled, Brian took out his laptop and mobile phone from his luggage. The mobile phone had no signal. The SIM card wasn¡¯t supported. Yet, there were three texts received over ten hours ago. Two were VIP large transaction alerts from the bank. He had given Old Man Hardenn the card, and it had over a million US dollars deducted. The remaining one was a text from Old Man Hardenn. ¡°Two transfers, over a million US dollars.. Why would Old Man Hardenn suddenly spend so much money?¡± Brian opened the text from Old Man Hardenn, somewhat surprised. [The message is long: Because of some sudden issues, your uncle needs to hide for a while. At least nine months. So don¡¯t come looking for him. If you run into a life-threatening situation, log in to this website, order a bean and eggplant rice without chili and sugar, but with extra dark soy sauce. Don¡¯t do anything else, someone will find you. Just tell them you are my godson. Remember, no matter who the person is, they are extremely dangerous. Do not contact unless it is a matter of life and death! Do not contact! Do not contact!] Brian breathed a sigh of relief. As long as the man was fine. He admitted that when he first got in touch with Old Man Hardenn, he had thought of exploiting Hardenn¡¯s gold. But the other party had been really good to him. Brian didn¡¯t want anything bad to happen to him. After some thought, Brian, using his wristwatch, reached out to Old Hardenn who was still in Los Angeles, and requested him to help find out who owned the accounts that had received his money. Old Man Hardenn had the ability to anticipate the good or bad of things, acting in such a way assured him it wouldn¡¯t affect Brian, but Brian wanted to know what Old Man Hardenn had encountered. If it was a severe trouble, he would step in to help. There was only one reason: before leaving, he gave him a way that he believed could help him. Likewise, Brian didn¡¯t believe he would ever need to use that website, but he was quite moved in his heart. .. Time passed. Until night fell, Brian had still not seen any official reception personnel from the White Elephant side. Old Hardenn had replied, however. Since he didn¡¯t have a staff watch, he sent the investigation results to Brian via email. The owners of the two accounts were two men Brian didn¡¯t recognize. Old Hardenn did a reliable job and sent the information about their families as well. One was from a white family and the other was from a black family. Seeing the family photos with two girls in them, Brian finally realized. He had seen these two girls before. Before going to enhance relations with Old Meng, the other side had shown him photos of these two girls. They were students at a high school, quick learners in subjects like opera, and were favorites of Old Meng. ¡°This amount of money can¡¯t be because Old Meng lost control and killed the two girls, then out of guilt, gave it as compensation...¡± Brian thought more and more that this could be true. He began to worry whether Old Meng had lost control. However, Old Hardenn¡¯s investigative email mentioned these two families and provided nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe he was overthinking it. Unfortunately, Brian could no longer contact Old Meng, and even if he could, there was nothing he could do about the loss of control. After all, he himself would occasionally lose control, relying only on constantly consuming the Spirit Crystals contained within the Obsession Gifts to alleviate the negative effects of his killings. ¡°Old man, I hope the day that I have to personally send you off never comes...¡± Brian sighed softly. His mood was poor. Brian simply left the hotel, bought a world map to plan his journey to Japan, and then sampled some local food. He dared not approach the roadside stalls. Brian¡¯s constitution had no fear of diarrhea, it was just too disgusting. Who in their right mind would pay money for food made by hands smelling of feces!!! Walking along, Brian passed by more than twenty small stalls, nineteen of which had stall owners whose hands smelled of urine and feces!!! On these roads, there were also bizarre sights. Cows sauntered cluelessly across the main roads. As the cows walked, they also defecated, occasionally an elderly woman would come forward to offer them food she herself could hardly afford to eat. Seeing a cow urinate, people would rush to collect it with a cup and then, admired by a crowd, gulp it down... There were women who would suddenly step aside, squat down, lift their skirts slightly, and urinate right beside the busy road as passersby looked on unconcernedly, as if it was a normal behavior. Brian suddenly realized. No wonder many of them wore skirts! There were also men blatantly squatting by the roadside without any cover, defecating in rows. After doing their business, some scraped with wooden slats, some wiped with unknown materials, and some just used their hands... These ghastly scenes were even more absurd than the videos of White Elephant Country Brian had seen in his past life. After all, this was New Delhi, the capital of White Elephant Country!!! Considering it was the end of 2005... Alright then. Brian let it go. Even in a parallel universe, White Elephant Country was still that White Elephant Country. Impressive! After a stroll, Brian finally returned to the upscale commercial street where his hotel was located. Because he realized this place was the best area nearby. It was apparent that people on this street, not only in their clothing but also in predominantly fair skin, mostly belonged to higher castes. The food at high-end restaurants here was actually quite good. Especially the curry chicken. It looked disgustingly sticky but tasted quite delicious. The local long sticky rice also had a unique flavor. However, looking at the prices, it seemed different from the kind of long rice sold on street stalls. In this upscale district, there were also many Western restaurants, but as for the taste... as a country colonized and deeply influenced by the British Commonwealth, one shouldn¡¯t expect much from their taste in aesthetics. He spent over a thousand US dollars in one sitting. Brian touched his barely satisfied stomach and returned to the hotel, ready to head up. In the lounge area, a fair-skinned and beautiful woman suddenly blocked his path, looking somewhat embarrassed, ¡°Excuse me, are you Mr. Brian?¡± Brian glanced at her seemingly delicate and smooth skin and nodded, ¡°It seems you finally remembered me, the unfortunate soul no one cares about.¡± This woman had considerable strength, not an ordinary person. The woman apologized repeatedly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve just joined the Saint organization¡¯s Foreign Affairs Department recently; I thought your shift was tomorrow...¡± The scene attracted quite a few people¡¯s attention. Brian disliked being watched like a monkey. He nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s talk in my room.¡± Chapter 449 - 449 259 Shawana the Rakshasa Woman Holy Cow Grand Assembly ?449: Chapter 259 Shawana the Rakshasa Woman, Holy Cow, Grand Assembly 449: Chapter 259 Shawana the Rakshasa Woman, Holy Cow, Grand Assembly Amid the envious gazes of a group, the woman followed Brian into the room with a bit of constraint. Seeing her standing at the door like a log, Brian spoke somewhat rhetorically, ¡°This is your country¡¯s capital, New Delhi. I¡¯m not going to eat you. There¡¯s no need to be so tense. Go on, speak.¡± The woman nodded blankly, then looked towards Brian blankly again, ¡°Speak what?¡± Brian: .. He felt a sense of powerlessness as if he were conversing with a child. The kind of not-so-smart child who could be easily tricked with just a lollipop. Why would the Foreign Affairs Department of the Saint Organization recruit someone like this? Before coming here, Brian had done some research. White Elephant Country, similar to the United States Federation, could be considered a federation too, internally extremely chaotic. However, the only official organization was the Saint Organization. Even without considering modern weapons, purely in terms of enhancers, even if it were just NW as a single organization, they would need to show a friendly attitude towards the Saint Organization. Here, there were many powerful figures who followed a path distinctly different from technological enhancements. Mutants and enhancers in White Elephant Country coexisted harmoniously. They only targeted and killed those mutants who lost control. ... Just as Brian was contemplating how to coax words out of this foolish woman, Moo~ A cow¡¯s moo tore through the heavens. The somewhat slow woman, like a darting snake, shot forward over ten meters to the window and knelt down facing the east, muttering under her breath. Brian couldn¡¯t understand what she was muttering in some obscure White Elephant Country language. Curious, he approached the window. Below, on the bustling streets, well-dressed high-caste affluent individuals of White Elephant Country were, disregarding the dirt on the ground, kneeling in rows. In the distance, A huge bull, over three meters tall, covered in disgusting tumors with a pair of pointed horns piercing the sky, was slowly emerging from the other side of the street. It was pulling a cart with an open two-wheeled carriage. The carriage was filled with various orange and white blossoms of unknown origin. A child, only nine years old, dressed in the attire of a Buddhist disciple, sat cross-legged, eyes closed, muttering; his hands constantly fiddling with a string of black beads that faintly emitted a dark glow... This bizarre duo swiftly crossed the commercial street beneath the hotel. Not until the figure disappeared into a small temple¡¯s grand entrance, did the woman kneeling by the window slowly rise to her feet. Her demeanor had completely changed. The woman gave Brian a few looks before saying coldly, ¡°I apologize, I am a Rakshasi. Before the Holy Cow paraded through the streets, I operated purely on subconscious. Let¡¯s formally meet now, you can call me Shawana.¡± Rakshasi.. Brian was somewhat surprised to hear this term. He had thought earlier that this woman was one of the high-caste affluent locals, not expecting her to be a Rakshasi. ... This world¡¯s White Elephant Country was different from Brian¡¯s past life. In his past life, White Elephant Country had too many beliefs. Hinduism, Islam, Christianity... As for Buddhism, it had declined many years ago, with only a very small portion of the population still adherent. In this life, the entire White Elephant Country had only one religion¡ªBuddhism. As for the other sects... During the thirty years of the first Blood Moon, they were exterminated by the newly risen Buddhism, and all their scriptures were burned. Of course, to assimilate those believers of other sects, The Buddhism of today¡¯s White Elephant Country had integrated many other sect doctrines, becoming completely unrecognizable. As for the Rakshasi, they are the Holy Women of Buddhism. Of course, that¡¯s a more refined way of putting it. In the records of the NW organization, a Rakshasi is actually a temple prostitute in the Buddhist temples here. These temple prostitutes are generally sold to the temples by their families when they are very young, due to high-interest loans or other reasons. They do manual labor during the day and entertain the monks at night. The attrition rate of this group was very high annually. At least, the NW organization described their treatment as ruthless. For an organization like NW, which harbored many Mutants and radical sects like Black Light Biotechnology, to consider it ruthless... It speaks volumes. Brian was curious, wouldn¡¯t this group, under the influence of the Blood Moon, have all turned into Mutants? ... As a gentleman, Brian naturally did not show any curiosity or disdain. He smiled at Shawana, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Shawana. By the way, was that cow you mentioned just now the Holy Cow?¡± Shawana nodded: ¡°Yes, the Holy Cow is a Protective Holy Beast cultivated by Buddhism through special means. Its voice is strange, capable of calming the minds of Mutants and making ordinary people forget its existence, only remembering a vague figure. It serves as a bridge of peace between Mutants and Enhancers. Each day, cowherds take the Holy Cow through the streets.¡± Hearing this, Brian¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly: ¡°So are you a Mutant?¡± Shawana nodded: ¡°All Rakshasi are low-caste Mutants because this makes our skin fair and more appealing to the Venerables. The Saint Organization combines religion and governance. We have special methods that allow us to be in a holy state during the day, venerating the Buddha in the heavens to cleanse the filthy sins from us, in exchange for a superior life in the next world. When night falls, Led by the Holy Cow, our consciousness descends from the heavens to handle the organization¡¯s matters and serve the followers, accumulating good karma for the next life.¡± Well... Brian was taken aback. It seemed his earlier thoughts were not mistaken. The dreadful ordeal these Rakshasi endured was probably to induce their transformation into Mutants¡ªalthough Mutants were not easily formed, given a large base, it ceased to be a problem. Looking at Shawana¡¯s demeanor, she indeed seemed to have been tamed. Even believed that whatever he did, it was a way of cleansing a sin that never actually existed. This official organization here is truly wild! Brian couldn¡¯t help but grow intensely curious about this Saint organization. Out of the ordinary? He just loved being different! Like that Holy Cow earlier. Brian really wanted to acquire the Strange Sound Wave Talent that could soothe the soul... ... Brian had originally wanted to strike up more of a conversation. Sadly, Shawana didn¡¯t give him the chance. She glanced at the time on her watch, a look of apology appearing on her cold face, ¡°Mr. Brian, we still need to attend the Saint¡¯s almsgiving conference, and the venue is quite a distance from here. We must hurry now, otherwise, the Saint will be angry.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Brian nodded his head, didn¡¯t bother packing up, and stood up to ask, ¡°What is the almsgiving conference?¡± Shawana explained as she led the way, ¡°The almsgiving conference is actually an event where various official organizations send representatives to participate. This event will last three days, and you can duel each other or make some resource exchanges. The Saint organization will also offer some special items as alms. The technology in White Elephant Country is quite weak. It¡¯s also a means to maintain the relationship between White Elephant Country and other nations.¡± Brian was astonished, ¡°You can say that?¡± Shawana¡¯s expression remained unchanged, ¡°This is a well-known fact. The Saint believes that the human body is the greatest gift Buddha has bestowed upon his believers. Developing human potential and getting closer to nature is the correct path, and technology only hinders us from following the right path!¡± Following this brainwashed woman, Brian got into her car. The car headed east to a small airport. There, Brian met several other unfortunate souls like himself. Some were sent from the European Union, others from different states of the United States. Together, they boarded a transport helicopter. The helicopter flew north, covering roughly three hundred to four hundred kilometers in a straight line, and the imposing mountains came into view. The air finally started to feel fresh. It was then that Brian realized they had reached the Himalayas. Speaking of which, the capital of White Elephant Country was quite close to the Himalayas. The history of this world had been chaotic since after World War II. But in Brian¡¯s past life, White Elephant Country once had its army provoke its neighbor, crossed the border, and almost turned it into a capital defense battle.. Thinking of that piece of news from his past life, Brian couldn¡¯t help but smirk. While Brian was smirking, opposite him, a blond young man, holding something similar to a tablet, looked at something on it and burst out laughing. ¡°Hey, buddy, what are you laughing at?¡± Another person couldn¡¯t help but ask. Having left the city full of smells, everyone was in a good mood now. The young man showed his tablet to everyone and said in Commonwealth English, ¡°This is the local online news I¡¯m watching. They told people that they are the second nation to bring people to the Moon after the United States.¡± Seeing the pictures as proof, everyone was first stunned, then all burst into laughter. The pictures were just too funny (timeline moved up a bit for comedic effect): Another person pointed at the ¡®astronauts¡¯ from White Elephant Country and laughed, ¡°Hey, are their helmets modified from motorcycle helmets? They seem pretty good at riding motorcycles.¡± The blond young man shrugged, ¡°Probably, otherwise they wouldn¡¯t complain about it being too hot, having trouble breathing, and taking them off for air.¡± Brian added, ¡°It might also be because they think if they wear helmets, they won¡¯t be able to show their faces on camera. Isn¡¯t that just a wasted effort?¡± The helicopter pilot¡¯s face darkened. Due to colonial influences, Commonwealth English is also one of the official languages of White Elephant Country, known by many. He couldn¡¯t help but retort, ¡°This is White Elephant Country, you should learn to respect the people of this land!¡± But no one paid him any attention. If it weren¡¯t for the appealing items in this place, they wouldn¡¯t bother coming to this country that seemed to regress over time. ... While the pilot stewed in his resentment. The seven or eight arrivals were dumped into a camp located within the mountains. The place was bustling with activity. From high above, Brian had seen over two thousand people. And that didn¡¯t count those staying inside tents. But that was normal. Like the United States, so many states, so many official organizations, a minimum of fifty or sixty people had come in one go, plus those from the small European Union countries with tiny land areas and other nations. This made Brian somewhat look forward to the night¡¯s conference. The area was at a high elevation, covered in snow, cold air everywhere, ordinary people wouldn¡¯t survive the night without protective clothing. However, inside the camp, not a single oxygen tank could be seen. Everyone was either dressed in shoulder-baring cool clothes, small suits, or organizational uniforms like the one Brian was wearing. A bit of harsh cold was a joke to these people. Following the signs on those big tents, Brian located the tent belonging to the United States. Just as he was about to head over, familiarize himself with some people, and accumulate some potentially useful networking resources, a loud noise suddenly came from afar. Listening to the clear quarrels hundreds of meters away, Brian raised an eyebrow. Interesting, it was a clash between the Japanese representatives and the people from Hua Country. What to do next needn¡¯t even be mentioned. Brian twisted his neck and strode toward the scene. His anti-Japanese sentiment from a past life had awoken! Chapter 450 - 450 260 Various Rare Items Acquaintances ?450: Chapter 260 Various Rare Items, Acquaintances 450: Chapter 260 Various Rare Items, Acquaintances Brian hurriedly made his way to the source of the commotion. The argument had already concluded. A crowd was dispersing with mutterings and cursings, leaving a small stall behind. On the stall, a middle-aged man clad in a Taoist robe, also muttered curses as he returned a plate of black pills, about the size of longan fruits, to the table and sat down cross-legged, waiting for the next fated person to inquire about the price. It was then Brian noticed that this area resembled a market place. Stalls were lined up along the roadsides, mostly selling reagents and some food-like items in small quantities, with informational signs placed beside them. These were usually custom order businesses, not really typical market stalls. Furthermore, the areas where the reagents were displayed were marked as being in cooperation with official organizations only, not for private transactions. Each area had different research priorities. Some organizations selected appropriate partners for collaboration, and private families also sought to foster their own growth by establishing secret collaborations with countries where official partnerships were unsuitable. For instance, the stall belonging to the Taoist from Hua Country that had the recent argument sold something called Fasting Pills. A single pill could sustain the energy needs of an ordinary first-rank life for one day, tasted sweet, and was easy to carry, but would cost five thousand US dollars each, with discounts available for bulk purchases. To be honest, the price was steep. Brian¡¯s place in NW also sold similar specialty energy bars in fixed amounts to second-level staff. Those bars tasted worse but were much cheaper. Just as Brian was reflecting on the Taoist¡¯s pricey merchandise, a Middle Eastern youth wearing a headscarf approached, exchanged a few words, popped a large black pill into his mouth, and repeatedly gave enthusiastic thumbs-ups, then proceeded to pack up and purchase all of the Taoist¡¯s large boxes. The Taoist cheerfully produced a POS machine. In less than ten seconds, he had packed up after selling everything and walked away. Seeing this, Brian stroked his chin. He suddenly realized that he should offer a higher salary to his employee who had developed the high-energy food. This stuff was not only vital for himself, but it could also be a highly sought-after commodity if put up for sale! At that moment, As the middle-aged Taoist was packing up and passed by Brian, he paused, glanced at Brian, stroked his beard, and put on the air of a profound elder, ¡°Big guy, are you also interested in the Taoist¡¯s Fasting Pills?¡± He spoke directly in the language of Hua Country. Brian curiously asked, ¡°How do you know I speak Hua Country¡¯s language?¡± The middle-aged Taoist feigned mystery, pinching his fingers, ¡°I calculated it, but forget it, you foreigners wouldn¡¯t understand even if I told you. I¡¯ve sold out of Fasting Pills, if you want to buy, you¡¯ll have to go to Hua Country. However, I still have some Inverted Phoenix Pills, do you want them?¡± ¡°What are they for?¡± Brian asked, curious. The name didn¡¯t sound like it was for recreational use. ¡°For pleasure.¡± The expression on the Taoist¡¯s face became ambiguous: ¡°Big guy, you¡¯re obviously the strength enhancement type, don¡¯t be shy. You strength types tend to have dulled nerves, and you miss out on a lot of pleasures. Eat this, and you¡¯ll be able to experience the joys of a normal person again, though it will make you more sensitive, speeding up the release. It¡¯s not a big problem, considering how quickly your body recovers; as long as you last longer overall. Do you want them? I just made some money, and I¡¯ll sell these Inverted Phoenix Pills to you for cheap.¡± Brian rolled his eyes. Who are you looking down upon! He had come to enjoy the show and see if he could teach someone who was living well a lesson, but the fight never happened. Boring. Disappointed, Brian turned and left. Seeing him leave, the middle-aged Taoist didn¡¯t care and vanished into the crowd in a flash. ... Since he was already here, Brian decided to casually stroll through the stall area to broaden his horizons. The items on sale here were diverse. It wasn¡¯t just various reagents and nutrient liquids, but also a variety of small technological items, weapons and ammunition, even those small detection drones with high-tech content, which came with sci-fi-esque liquid crystal wrist-worn eyewear, clearly not bulk-made products. The most outrageous was Big Hairy¡¯s stall. It had a meter-long, plump artillery shell on display. When Brian read the accompanying description, he was dumbfounded: Mini nuclear bomb, launcher included, effective firing distance of four kilometers, impact blast radius of five kilometers, radiation coverage... Are they kidding? Especially since it¡¯s a mystery how they even got it here. After all, the capital of White Elephant Country was only a little over three hundred kilometers away, and they didn¡¯t seem to care. Walking by, Brian truly broadened his horizons. The attendees of the conference were mostly official staff from their home countries, or the wealthy heirs of the rich, not ordinary people. It probably explained why. Many of the items here looked ¡®criminal,¡¯ quite ¡®interrogatable.¡¯ The best-selling were some special reagents, like those pushed by the earlier middle-aged Taoist, along with other unique reagents for private exchange, and the rest were leaves... But these leaves were not ordinary; they were the Heavenly Grass that Brian had seen before. They had already drawn a long queue in front of the stall. Those who managed to purchase were sitting aside, drinking in the smoke, leaving the air filled with the stench of burnt leaves... Most of the items here accepted cash transactions. Mostly in US dollars and gold. Chapter 451 - 451 260 Various Rare Goods Acquaintance_2 ?451: Chapter 260 Various Rare Goods, Acquaintance_2 451: Chapter 260 Various Rare Goods, Acquaintance_2 Some also accept settlements in certain well-regarded virtual coins. However, for reagents, barter is preferred, with money being undesired. Walking along, Brian reached a dividing line. In front of the line, there were stalls, but they were cleaner, and there were fewer people. Here, what was sold was not tangible goods, but life. For example, various kinds of pets. The pets here were naturally not real organisms but beings modified or enhanced. There were various enhanced flying pets similar to Susan¡¯s best friend¡¯s exchange, and also mice, cats, dogs, snakes, etc., all appearing tame, doing good business, with occasional transactions happening. There were also some goods that were people. Literally, real people. These human goods, according to the signs, involved private transactions, where if you paid the money, the ownership of the goods belonged to you, and how you took them away was your own matter. These humans were no ordinary people either. Some were experimental materials. These experimental materials, according to the records, were mostly children born from mutants and normal humans or from mutant to mutant, with varying ages; some even exhibited deformed limbs, seemingly already experimented on. These goods had numb and unintelligent looks in their eyes. Brian couldn¡¯t even see the unique intelligence of humans in their eyes; it seemed they were brought up without normal education from birth. At the end of these goods¡¯ introduction, a line was written in bold ink: ¡°Bred at the base, exclusively for ¡®Fake Humans.''¡± Wow, ¡°Fake Humans,¡± not even humans anymore. No wonder everyone found it commonplace. Brian passed these busy stalls and continued forward. There were other human goods, but more proactive. They stood in front of their stalls, actively attracting customers. Most of these were handsome men and beautiful women of various races, with good spirit, appearance, and attire, nearly indistinguishable from Brian and his colleagues, except for the collars on their necks that might make someone think they were just event members doing a gig. Brian even saw a woman at one stall whose appearance and demeanor were no less alluring than Susan¡¯s level. She was somewhat more petite, with a complexion, indicating she was from South America. These people were all holding genetic testing reports, most having undergone basic reagent enhancements, classified as enhanced humans. Meaning, these ¡®goods¡¯ were high-end. A new black man, seeing the South American beauty, widened his eyes. He excitedly approached the stall, ¡°Hey, are these real? Lord, to find such quality goods, how much money, I...¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Unexpectedly, the beauty¡¯s face darkened, ¡°We don¡¯t welcome niggers here, from several tens of meters away, I can smell the poor stench on you, blackie!¡± The young black man was stunned by the insult, so much so that he forgot to explode in anger. After a while, he came to his senses, discontentedly looking at the female stall owner nearby, ¡°Hey, say something, is this how you do business? I got called a nigger by a lowly whore, this is discrimination, I am from the Federation...¡± ¡°You¡¯re too loud!¡± The female stall owner waved her hand, ¡°I don¡¯t care what organization you are a staff of, this is a free market, I¡¯m just a broker, if they don¡¯t want to, I can¡¯t control it, but if you want to go to the arena, I can approve your application.¡± With that, the female stall owner lifted her head, a detailed face slowly revealing harsh black veins. The young black man... He quietly left the stall, then enthusiastically ran to another stall ahead. That place also sold handsome men and beautiful women, key point, still with various kinds of ears and tails. These tails and ears even moved!!! Brian was about to follow and watch, but the South American woman who had shooed a customer away brightened up, blocking his way; with a gentle voice, she handed up her genetic report, ¡°I¡¯m Felicity Bent, today I turn eighteen, biological assessment Grade A+, have not given birth yet...¡± Brian glanced at the report and looked at the female stall owner whose face still had fading black veins. There wasn¡¯t much introduction here. But looking at this ¡®goods¡¯ genetic report, the subject was indeed a healthy individual and had completed over three basic enhancements, dwarfing Brian¡¯s colleagues. Judging purely from the enhancements, this beautiful woman, probably added to the NW armed forces, would match the level of enhancement opportunities soldiers traded their lives for. The female stall owner, seeing Brian, tall, handsome, in a sleek black uniform, exuding a heroic aura, looked much more pleasant. She explained, ¡°Felicity Bent is a free individual. She is an investment of our organization, specifically sold to clients who wish to breed enhanced offspring. You don¡¯t need to marry her, but basic protection needs to be provided to her, we have people who will visit regularly until the service period ends.¡± ¡°Of course, you can also choose surrogacy, as long as she agrees.¡± ¡°Additionally, we offer customized fertility services. If you are willing to pay a high price, you can even purchase mature eggs from a First Rank female Enhanced...¡± With that, Brian understood. He had seen similar industry chains in his past life too. For instance, some wealthy people who didn¡¯t want to marry yet desired superior offspring would seek out such intermediaries. They would find highly educated and good-looking members of the opposite sex, buy their genetic material, then find someone to be a surrogate, among other things. There were also customizations available for future offspring¡¯s skin color, hair, eyes, etc. As long as you had the money, there was nothing those companies couldn¡¯t do. Brian shook his head and continued walking forward. The South American beauty, probably rarely seeing a high-quality client like Brian, wanted to market herself proactively. ¡°I can do it for free, I¡¯ll pay the agent¡¯s fee myself. All I ask is that you give me a title, I don¡¯t care if you have other women!¡± Without turning his head, Brian walked further to the bustling stall of the Beastification People. Beast-ear women! These guys actually managed to create them. Unbelievable! The world was getting crazier and crazier. Watching his retreating figure, the female vendor smiled and said, ¡°Your taste is quite good. Judging by the uniform, this guy is a Second-level Staff in Los Angeles NW. So young, he must either come from a powerful family or have a great talent. If you can stick with him, have a few kids, maybe I¡¯ll have to bow my head when I see you...¡± The South American beauty felt disheartened. However, when another young and handsome man walked by, she immediately lit up in her most beautiful state and approached him again. For her, it didn¡¯t matter who the father of her children was. Nor did it matter if he gave her a title. As long as she could gain a higher status through her children. Some men nearby, also wearing collars around their necks, looked over enviously. They had very little choice. Either sell genetic material in bulk. Or they didn¡¯t even have the right to know who the future mother of their children might be. Or sell themselves into hard labor to unattractive female powerhouses, work day and night to pay off their high intermediary fees... ... The stall of the Beastification People was bustling. Mostly male customers. Everyone gets it. And the signs clearly stated that these Beastification People were specifically bred, with very low combat abilities, minimal threat, trained for over a decade with no sense of rebellion¡ªyou could take them for a sum of money, and for a bit more, delivery was included. Thus, the business here was booming. Each cage was soon tagged with a ¡®sold¡¯ label. Judging by the tags, even the cheapest one was worth several million US Dollars. One of them, seemingly a leopard woman modified by Beastification Reagent, was priced at nearly thirteen million US Dollars. It was sold as well¡ªa huge profit indeed. Brian was also amazed by the imaginations of these institutions. They actually managed to develop such targeted Mutation through Beastification Reagents. It just shows money was the primary force behind production and development. He just wondered how many innocent lives had died in the development process. With this confusing thought, Brian, unknowingly, arrived at an outdoor platform at the end of the stalls, resembling an auction venue. The auction scene very much resembled those of slave auctions from the past. In fact, there were slaves being auctioned on the platform. It even had a special offer marked on it. The platform wasn¡¯t large, just about ten square meters. There were three large cages set up, covered with cloth so you couldn¡¯t see inside, only hear some women¡¯s rapid insults! Brian instinctively twitched his nose twice. The next moment, His face revealed a somewhat speechless expression. Well, well. He had run into an acquaintance. In the cage, he smelled the scent of someone he knew. Life truly had a way of bringing people together. No wonder, after they parted ways, the person had never contacted him, having been captured and sent away for training. Chapter 452 - 452 261 Acquiring a Cat Girl Departure ?452: Chapter 261: Acquiring a Cat Girl, Departure 452: Chapter 261: Acquiring a Cat Girl, Departure During a speechless moment for Brian. The Caucasian fat man on stage noticed Brian¡¯s uniform, his eyes lit up, and he initiated a greeting, ¡°Guest, are you interested in these items? They¡¯re all top-quality goods. Would you like to purchase one at a special clearance price?¡± NW¡¯s Second-level Staff! Los Angeles was indeed a wealthy place, and the people who came from there weren¡¯t short of money. Brian pointed at the three cages, ¡°Are these also Beastified People?¡± The auction stage was even covered with a black cloth, likely about to close down. The fat man nodded, ¡°Yes, but they are those who underwent Beastification Transformation and then tried to escape, breaching the contract. According to international privacy laws, they have lost the normal civil rights of their countries due to their breach, and we have the right to auction them.¡± Brian wasn¡¯t familiar with any so-called international privacy law. He glanced at the logo on the fat man¡¯s suit and recognized it as the mark of the United States Bounty Hunter Association. He nodded and directly pointed at the cage in the back, ¡°That one, how much?¡± ¡°You can pay directly in cash or choose to trade using some NW Enhancement Reagents. We have experts to price the reagents accordingly, and we¡¯ll provide any necessary adjustments,¡± the fat man said, sounding more enthusiastic upon completing another troublesome sale, ¡°Do you need to inspect the goods? The other two aren¡¯t bad either.¡± Brian shook his head, pulling out a card from his pocket, ¡°No need for inspection. The women in the other two cages curse horribly, have no decency. I prefer quiet women. Just go ahead and charge my card.¡± The fat man nodded in agreement, ¡°Yes, if only my woman at home could learn to keep quiet, I would definitely like her more.¡± Card transaction, pick-up the goods. Brian also signed a waiver, basically stating that once the goods were sold, they were not responsible for any after-sales issues, even if he was killed by the purchased goods afterward, they would bear no responsibility. It seemed similar incidents had occurred before. Brian signed swiftly, then had the fat man deliver a temporary tent for him, where he settled in along with the purchased cage. Buying this Beastified Person cost him over 1.5 million US dollars. It was indeed a special price. A safe Beastification Reagent would normally hit the market around two million US dollars. A common Enhancement Reagent too priced around two million US dollars in the market. Brian obtained these Enhancement Reagents by exchanging valor points; only about ten valor points were needed. Those points, if exchanged for cash at the base, would fetch only about four to five hundred thousand, but trading the reagents externally would yield over four times the profit. If he encountered some nouveau riche who suddenly rose to wealth and hadn¡¯t been involved in certain circles before, an Enhancement Reagent could fetch an astronomical price. The only issue was that NW didn¡¯t allow this practice. Maybe once Brian advanced to a Third Rank Staff, he could share in the profits from this venture. ... The complimentary tent provided was somewhat like a Mongolian yurt, square with a sloping top, containing only a simple bed and a chair. The iron cage occupied a significant portion of the tent¡¯s area. Brian pulled off the black cloth outside. Beneath it, a young Caucasian woman in a bikini with furry cat ears on her head and a faint mustache visible on her face appeared before Brian. She sat cross-legged, her eyes closed in meditation, and a long, dark tail uncontrollably swaying in the air behind her, drawing attention. The only pity was that her transformation was a bit excessive. Sandy¡¯s face no longer bore any human-like forms; it was covered in black fur, not the cute type belonging to cats but rather resembling large coarse pores, with flesh-colored tendrils hiding among the fur. From afar it was bearable, but up close, it could induce disgust. Except for some with specific fetishes, it would be hard for others to accept these modifications. No wonder, with such a good figure, she still went unsold. Brian knocked on the iron railing, ¡°Sandy, long time no see.¡± Yes, the slave woman was indeed Sandy, the same Sandy Brian had met previously on the Mexican border, whom he had sent to find Beastified People with neural reactions. In fact, given Brian¡¯s current pace of development, ordinary neural reaction talents no longer held any significance for him. Nonetheless, encountering someone familiar, the 1.2 million wasn¡¯t a significant amount for him, so he thought he might as well help her. He was quite curious about Sandy¡¯s experiences. Hearing her name called, Sandy opened her eyes. When she saw Brian, her eyes widened and her calm face revealed joy, ¡°Brian, did you buy me?¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°Yes, you now owe me 1.27 million US dollars.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Sandy rubbed her cheeks and subconsciously extended her sharp claws to scratch her chin, ¡°I may need some time to repay the money I owe you. All my money was taken by a villain. The four hundred thousand in black money you gave me previously, I¡¯m grateful for it, so after I escaped the pursuit, I was constantly on the lookout on the outside for you, looking for Beastified People with neural reaction abilities. This information is quite secretive. So, I didn¡¯t make much progress. Until one day, in a Bounty Hunter¡¯s bar, I heard that some high-quality Beastification Reagents had leaked onto the black market, including some cat-type reagents inclined to neural reactions. I thought since you wanted me to find Beastified People with neural reactions, high-quality reagents should also suffice. So I took all my savings there. Then I walked into a trap and a villain took all my money and also injected me with a syringe of reagent. That guy had stolen the goods from the black market. This caused me to be mistaken by the black market people as the thief when they saw I survived the Beastification, they didn¡¯t kill me.¡± ¡°Then you were sold here?¡± Brian interjected. Sandy nodded sullenly, ¡°After confirming I wasn¡¯t a thief, to compensate for their loss, they sold me at a low price to a Bounty organization. I was even planning on working off the debt for the bounty group. But my Beastification was imperfect, and ugly. Those bastards didn¡¯t care about the efforts my parents had made for the Bounty Association and sold me off again. I ran away, and they sold me. I ran again, but was captured back by the Hunters.¡± After several hands, I was sent here.¡± She said, lifting her head to reveal a pair of beautiful eyes shimmering with an unusual mix of gold and blue, ¡°Luckily, you saved me, otherwise I reckon I would have ended up with amputated limbs, sold off as a slave or lab material. You saved my life.¡± Those eyes were truly beautiful. Brian saw gratefulness brimming in Sandy¡¯s eyes. It seemed like a long time had passed. It looked like some of Brian¡¯s previous enchanting demon tricks had lost their effect on Sandy. At least, Brian didn¡¯t see the obsession in Sandy¡¯s eyes that was there when they last parted. He couldn¡¯t resist pinching Sandy¡¯s chubby cheeks, then scratching her under the chin. Sandy instinctively purred, then realized, and glared at Brian, ¡°Don¡¯t do that, my chin is especially sensitive now, but I really appreciate that you don¡¯t mind my ghastly look.¡± Sighing, she said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so down, at least you¡¯re alive.¡± Brian couldn¡¯t help but rub Sandy¡¯s cat ears again, ¡°Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do, I recently acquired a research institute, you can work there and pay off your debts.¡± Those ears felt really nice. It was like having a cat. Though this cat looked a bit ugly, with a mask it was quite presentable. Sandy gave up avoiding him. She nodded resignedly, ¡°Alright, boss, you¡¯re my boss now. Can you let me out? It¡¯s really uncomfortable in here, I want to change clothes.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Brian stretched out his hands and with a puzzled look from the other side, forcibly pried open the cage made of special light alloy used by the Bounty Hunter Organization, creating a passage big enough for a person to get through. Sandy¡¯s eyes widened. Seeing Brian¡¯s expression, breaking the cage seemed as easy as tearing apart noodles. This strength was terrifying. Seeing this, Brian chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m not like your previous owner; just remember, if you don¡¯t work hard, I will get angry!¡± ¡°Understood, boss!¡± Sandy meekly agreed. Damn. She really sold herself. There were no clothes for sale here. Brian could only tear some edges from a tent to temporarily make her some rough clothes to cover her body. After finishing this, Brian told her to stay put, as he went to attend the conference. However, the conference was somewhat disappointing. He didn¡¯t see the so-called Saint; only a middle-aged monk came forward, making ill-formed gestures with a strong hint of Hindu customs, and then he talked about some unique ascetic practices prevalent there. Mostly self-mortification methods. Indeed quite mystical. From the monk¡¯s demeanor, Brian saw a hint of genuine ascetic practice. It was evident that in the exploration of this new era, this country with ancient civilization had indeed figured out a few things. The most impressive was the ¡®Divine Skills¡¯. Though called Divine Skills, it was actually Mutant Ability. This guy was actually a Mutant and had ¡®cultivated¡¯ Heavenly Ear Technique and Divine Feet Power. In reality, it involved Auditory Enhancement and speed Enhancement. However, the practitioner¡¯s level of development was profound, and he even proposed a theory of the mind influencing the body.. Sadly, aside from some people from Hua Country and Southeast Asia, the rest were merely going through the motions. Following that were some activities. One was about some specialties from Holy Buddhism. Among them, Holy Bull Blood was the most popular. Consuming this could enhance Spiritual Strength. Anyway, there were quite a number of buyers. Next was an item called Holy Corpse Fragrance, a type of sandalwood with unknown ingredients, but also used to maintain mental tranquility. This too was snapped up. The rest were some unique Enhancement Reagents from this region. But fewer people liked those. The imitation drugs here were quite famous, but their own research capability was not strong. Most institutions here famous for imitation drugs were actually foreign; their own research products weren¡¯t guaranteed to be effective. After the transactions. There were also matches between enhancers from different countries and some private exchanges. Brian found it tedious, so he directly left. The conference would last three days. It was said that on the third day, the strongest person from White Elephant Country, the Saint, would also show his face before these juniors. Brian decided to come back and take a look on the third day. He was curious about what was so special about the strongest person in White Elephant Country. Before that, Brian planned to take a trip to Japan. Chapter 453 - 453 262 Hearing of the Mysterious Girl Again Arrival Additional for Monthly Votes 7 ?453: Chapter 262: Hearing of the Mysterious Girl Again, Arrival (Additional Chapter for Monthly Votes 7) 453: Chapter 262: Hearing of the Mysterious Girl Again, Arrival (Additional Chapter for Monthly Votes 7) Located the receptionist for the camp in White Elephant Country. Brian and Sandy, fully wrapped up, returned to New Delhi on a helicopter, along with some strangers. Back at the hotel. Carrying some newly bought clothes, Sandy rushed into the bathroom. A moment later. A youthful and attractive girl, in tight sportswear, stepped out. Seeing her appearance, Brian was startled, ¡°Where are your ears and tail?¡± ¡°They¡¯re retracted.¡± Sandy flashed a proud smile, ¡°The previous appearance was fake. Being too beautiful isn¡¯t always good, but actually, I can freely control my transformation form; the reagent absorption worked really well.¡± As she spoke, a pair of fluffy ears popped out from her long hair, and a long tail also emerged from her pants, swaying mid-air. Sandy¡¯s eyes narrowed, transforming into the round eyes of a feline animal, with exquisite gold-and-blue irises that gave her a unique air of nobility. Now her face was clean and clear, free from those disgusting meat buds and black fur. Brian cracked a slight smile, ¡°Looks like I got quite a bargain.¡± ¡°A huge bargain!¡± Sandy looked at Brian with sad eyes, ¡°You said before that if I help you find a beastification person with very fast neurological response, you would help avenge my parents. Does that promise still stand?¡± Brian, sitting on the sofa, motioned to her, ¡°Let¡¯s see how fast.¡± The next moment. An afterimage flashed. A pair of sharp nails stopped at Brian¡¯s throat. Sandy, sprawled on top of him, took a deep breath before her eyes brimmed and her voice changed in tone, ¡°Is this speed fast enough?¡± Brian remained unfazed. He knew it was a bluff. He pushed Sandy away, ¡°Feel your own neck.¡± Dropping the charming act, Sandy felt her neck. A slight sting surfaced. She retracted her fingers in shock. On her white jade fingers, a conspicuous smear of blood was visible. In the instant she got close, Brian had already slit her neck! Sandy looked like a frightened kitten, her eyes wide, ¡°Impossible, my visual reaction speed is twelve times that of a normal human. I can even see the trajectory of bullets, but I didn¡¯t see you move!¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re too weak,¡± Brian said flatly. ¡°But with that speed and neural response, you¡¯re already pretty strong. A single reagent making you this strong is quite astonishing. Train well, and you might even have a chance to kill a First Rank life. Why don¡¯t you seek revenge yourself? If it¡¯s only a leave of absence, I¡¯d still agree.¡± Sandy shook her head, ¡°I can¡¯t do it. The mutant who killed my parents might not be stronger than I am now, but he has joined the Doomsday Sect. I have no idea where he is, but you¡¯re with NW; maybe you can help me find him.¡± As she spoke, she clenched her teeth, ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious why a single Beastification Reagent made me so strong? This involves a shocking secret of the Bounty Hunter Organization. If you promise to help me avenge my parents, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Brian was intrigued. He really wanted to know. If the Beastification Reagent really had such an exaggerated effect on Sandy, ordinary people couldn¡¯t access it. She was an exception. Thinking he was about to make a trip to Japan, Brian glanced at the wall clock, nodding, ¡°Sounds good, tell me first.¡± Sandy firmly shook her head, ¡°You promise first!¡± Brian, speechless, touched her ears and tail to ease his temper, ¡°What¡¯s the difference? In the end, it still depends on my integrity, right?¡± Sandy earnestly said, ¡°I¡¯m exposing this because I know you¡¯d be curious about my significant power increase. These are my terms. Since it all depends on your integrity, why not agree first?¡± ¡°Alright, I promise. Now tell me quickly.¡± Sandy breathed a relief, ¡°The Bounty Hunter Organization is actually controlled by the Bush family behind the scenes. They¡¯ve been secretly capturing special mutants for a project called ¡®Life Escape.¡¯ I accidentally encountered them transporting a container while I was gathering intelligence on neurological response beastification people for you. Thinking it was something valuable, I sneaked in and found a girl being held captive. These are the things she told me.¡± Brian rolled his eyes, ¡°Do you believe that all organizations studying mutants are engaged in similar research?¡± Eternal life, who wouldn¡¯t want it. No matter how much wealth or power one has, death is inevitable. The emergence of the Blood Moon, however, gave these people hope. In a sense, these powerful people probably created various official organizations and research teams primarily to investigate immortality, with anything else just a bonus.¡± Seeing the disappointed look on Brian¡¯s face, Sandy quickly explained, ¡°That¡¯s not the point. The critical thing is that the girl eventually made me drink her blood. I thought she was abnormal at first, but she slit her own wrist, and like someone who had lost their mind, I voluntarily drank from it. She told me, this blood could help me; in return, she hoped I could free her if I got the chance. I didn¡¯t notice any changes in myself afterward. Until I was attacked by that bastard. After he injected me with the Beastification Reagent, while I was unconscious, it seemed like in a dream I saw that girl. Afterwards, I perfectly absorbed that Beastification Reagent and gained my current strength.¡± Sandy didn¡¯t notice. When she talked about drinking blood, Brian¡¯s pupils severely constricted. It was that girl again! This was the second time Brian had heard news from the other party. He still harbored an obsession related to a girl. The owner of this obsession originated from the Mantis Beastification People in Florida who cultivated Heavenly Grass for the Doomsday Sect. The other party was also a beneficiary of this mysterious girl. The problem was, hadn¡¯t the other party mingled with the Doomsday Sect? How had they been captured by the Bounty Hunter Organization? ... Sandy looked at Brian excitedly, ¡°Do you realize what this means? It means you can rely on her to build a powerful organization on your own, do what you want to do, or even become stronger or immortal! Isn¡¯t that an astounding secret?¡± Sandy¡¯s news was very important to Brian. However, he didn¡¯t like Sandy¡¯s arrogant demeanor: ¡°She helped you.¡± Sandy shook her head: ¡°That was just her investment. I don¡¯t have the ability to save her, but you do. You should rescue her, and that would complete the deal.¡± Well, think about it, it really was. Ding-dong~ The midnight alarm rang. Brian picked up his phone, took off the NW Organization¡¯s watch from his wrist, threw it onto the sofa, and then began to undress. Seeing this, Sandy panicked slightly: ¡°Giving it to you isn¡¯t impossible, but could you help avenge my parents afterward..¡± Due to the emotional upheaval. Her small tail behind her shrank, and her ears drooped against her hair. Brian ignored her. After changing into casual clothes. He crouched down, gripping Sandy¡¯s chin: ¡°Why did you insist I agree before you were willing to speak?¡± Sandy shook her head: ¡°I don¡¯t know, but my subconscious trusts you, finds you reliable, close, wanting to be near. I don¡¯t know how to describe it, just feeling very safe, believing you won¡¯t deceive me..¡± She found it strange. She wasn¡¯t love-struck! Brian understood. It seemed that his previous use of Enchanting Demon pheromones on Sandy had an effect. Similar to quitting smoking. Over time, Sandy¡¯s body had rejected nicotine, but her psychological addiction remained, still fostering a fondness for him. This feeling was not bad. Brian couldn¡¯t help but rub Sandy¡¯s cat ears again: ¡°I guess I will be away for a day or two. Stay here, don¡¯t wander off. Wait for my return. However, if something happens, don¡¯t just sit idly; I¡¯ll handle it when I return.¡± ¡°Hmm~¡± Sandy wanted to say more. But, with a gust of wind in front of her, Brian¡¯s figure disappeared. She walked to the window feeling somewhat emotionally lost, touched her ears while gazing at the bustling dark streets outside. Her small tail moved erratically behind her, showing her disquiet. .. In reality, Brian hadn¡¯t left the hotel at all. This was the capital of a nation, who knows how many people were patrolling secretly. He found a spot in mid-air, retrieved clothes he had hidden earlier, changed again, then transformed into a person from White Elephant Country, walking the streets, hopped into a taxi, and headed to the airport. Mount Fuji, his destination, was thousands of kilometers away. After looking at the map, he decided to fly. Otherwise, swimming there, not to mention potential dangers in the ocean, the distance alone was unbearable. There were flights at this time. Many small airlines, for profit, would specifically book the nighttime slots and offer special price tickets. Many budget-conscious tour groups would also choose such flights. Naturally, Brian wouldn¡¯t opt to buy a ticket. Using his form, once he confirmed the flight, he morphed into a fleeting shadow, sneaked into the cabin alongside the retraction gear, and hid. At one past midnight. The plane took off. Seeing the somewhat cracked landing gear and the very bumpy takeoff, Brian¡¯s face darkened. This pilot was probably locally trained in White Elephant Country, the airline might be as well. Dammit. He had forgotten to prepare a parachute in advance! .. With a nervous heart. Brian finally arrived in Tokyo, Japan. He transformed his shape again and followed the crowd out. Standing outside the airport, he lit a cigarette with some lingering fear: ¡°If possible, I must obtain a flying ability, at the very least like Old Dean, who can glide in mid-air. Otherwise, one day I might end up as a pancake..¡± A cigarette ended. Brian walked towards Mount Fuji. He carried six Ninja obsessions, targeting only two. These obsessions gifted nearly three hundred units of energy! After he kills those two. Brian could try to enhance himself again! He really looked forward to how strong he would become! Chapter 454 - 454 263 Kill ?454: Chapter 263: Kill 454: Chapter 263: Kill Brian bore the obsessions of six Ninja from Japan. Among them, the strongest obsession belonged to a fellow named Yagyuu Ittou. The gift from his obsession was almost equivalent to that of his great-uncle Billy, and the content of the obsession was rather simple: patricide! The man longed to kill his father, Yagyuu Kojirou. The remaining five Ninja had initially accompanied Yagyuu Ittou to Los Angeles to challenge Brian¡¯s younger brother. Their obsessions were also straightforward: kill their master! All five of them shared the same master, a man named Yamamoto Taku. This meant that Brian only needed to kill these two men to fulfill all six obsessions at once. These Ninja from Japan had a very high drop rate. Previously, Brian had unexpectedly encountered Shinnozuke, the leading Ninja of the Dark Sect that had killed Yagyuu Ittou¡¯s group. After killing him, Brian not only obtained various master-level fighting skills but also learned about something called the Mad Blood Plan from them. Yagyuu Ittou¡¯s group of young Ninja were victims of this plan. The Mad Blood Plan was similar to the phenomenon Brian had encountered previously in the White Elephant Country, intertwining Mutants and Enhancers. However, one was gathered through religious faith, while the other was forced together through threats of violence, displaying some differences between them. But they shared one thing in common: a high drop rate. Coming all the way across the ocean just to kill two seemed somewhat inappropriate. Brian wanted to test his limits. ... Brian had investigated Yagyuu Kojirou and Yamamoto Taku a long time ago. Both men were very famous in Japan. Yagyuu Kojirou was the head of the Yagyuu family, controlling Japan¡¯s largest organized crime group, the Yamaguchi Group, essentially the leader of the underworld. However, this organized crime group was relatively more formal; not only were full members required to wear suits, but they also had their operational logic and companies involving in adult film production, community property management, high-interest loans, nightclubs, dining, etc., and during festivals and holidays, they would even give gifts to the community or sponsor poor students to attend good universities. Many people even felt that joining the organized crime group was a job, and a promising one at that. Of course, this refers to the larger syndicates, which owned many businesses. Otherwise, joining a small group, a middle-aged, down-and-out boss might take you to secretly fish at sea to sustain livelihoods through selling octopus balls or seafood ramen. As for Yamamoto Taku. He was also very famous, acclaimed as a modern Sword Saint in Japan, fond of appearing on shows performing feats like slicing tennis balls and blank bullets with a wooden sword. These two had a close personal relationship and had established a Kendo Headquarters at the foot of Mount Fuji, identifying talented young individuals for training. Many police inspectors were also members of the Kendo association. This group formed a complex network of connections. From Brian¡¯s memories, although he could recognize the appearances of Yagyuu Kojirou and Yamamoto Tako through the obsession readings, he could not pinpoint their locations. Therefore, his destination was that very Kendo Headquarters ¨C the Organized Crime Sword Training Center. The place was well-known, surrounded by numerous cherry trees, often attracting tourists who came to camp and take photos, and it even had a dedicated bus route. While riding the railcar, Brian encountered a group of well-dressed, lively Japanese middle school students. They were discussing their upcoming visit to the sword training center in their sportswear. Some also talked about planning to sign up for karate class during the summer vacation. One person¡¯s name suddenly caught Brian¡¯s attention. A girl sitting in the front row said enviously to her companion, ¡°I heard that Matsushita Yamaichi has great talent and has become an official disciple of the Organized Crime Sword Training Center, joining the school¡¯s Kendo club. With this experience, his university life will be much easier.¡± Her companion nodded enviously, ¡°I really hope to be Yamaichi¡¯s girlfriend. That would certainly be prestigious.¡± Their conversation resonated with the group of students. In their eyes, their classmate Matsushita Yamaichi was a natural Kendo prodigy, not only proficient in various sports, outshining these ordinary folks, but also incredibly lucky, always the envy of others. Listening to the students¡¯ idle gossip. Brian realized that Japan¡¯s official organizations were deliberately steering the public towards a martial spirit, inciting the inherent aggression in the new generation¡¯s genes. This might also be a part of the Mad Blood Plan. .. Got off the railcar. The stop was located at River Mouth Lake. Across the lake, one could see a mountain peak resembling a cone without a tip, its summit white, its base a dark green, crowned with rolling white clouds, giving off a desolate feeling under the sunshine¡¯s reflection. Brian took a deep breath. The air here was indeed nice. The soil around Mount Fuji was nutrient-rich, leading to lush vegetation in the area. At this time, it was the tail end of the autumn foliage season; everywhere was drenched in hues of yellow and red. Standing by the lakeside path, walking on fallen leaves, being there indeed felt somewhat like a scene out of a manga. But looking further wasn¡¯t as good. It felt somewhat petty. The Extreme Sword Dojo was located across River Mouth Lake, at the foot of Mount Fuji. There was a ferry nearby. Brian followed the group of students and boarded the ferry. A fifteen or sixteen-year-old blonde saw Brian, who had been following them since the earlier tram ride, and struck up a conversation, ¡°Mister, are you going to the Extreme Sword Dojo too?¡± Usually, those climbing the mountain would start from the trails in Yamanshi Prefecture or Shizuoka Prefecture, and for lake tours, there were specific cruises and ferry points, so the other¡¯s purpose probably aligned with theirs. Brian nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± Seeing him engage, the blonde¡¯s friend said with a smile, ¡°Mister, you came in vain. Visiting the Extreme Sword Dojo is only available once a week, not usually open. We also came because a classmate invited us; his name is Matsushita Yamaichi, the kendo talent of our school.¡± A girl also nodded, ¡°Thanks to classmate Yamaichi, we¡¯re here representing our school to cheer for his first battle, which earned us the invitation. Mister, you might as well go back directly later; getting chased away would be quite embarrassing.¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m not a tourist.¡± Saying this. He suddenly stood up, walked to the deck, looked into the distance, then announced to the crowd, ¡°Today isn¡¯t suitable for a visit. Your classmate Yamaichi probably won¡¯t have the chance for any first battle either. Better head back soon; you might still have a chance to enjoy the rice balls your mothers rolled for you.¡± The crowd looked puzzled. The next moment. Brian leaped down, plunging into the lake. Everyone on the boat gasped and rushed to the deck. Little did they know, a figure moved across the water like a furious speedboat, pushing white spray to each side, approaching a raised platform on the opposite shore at an exaggerated speed. On that platform, an old man with a topknot had a sense of something. He suddenly opened his eyes wide, his gaze piercing as he looked toward the sprinting Brian. Before his arrival, an unmistakable aura of slaughter enveloped the area. The old man¡¯s expression changed slightly as he slowly stood up, making a sword-drawing gesture towards Brian, who was still a hundred meters away, ¡°Who are you!¡± ¡°Dark Sect!¡± ¡°Shinnozuke!¡± ¡°Your killer!¡± As his words fell, Brian instantly crossed the hundred-meter span of the lake, his right hand transforming into a blade, surging up with killing intent, thrusting forward from five meters away in a direct stab! Boom~ The sound of a sonic boom burst forth. A mass of water, driven by the air blast, formed a gigantic water blade lunging toward the old man. ¡°Is this..¡± On the cruise, everyone was dumbstruck. Were they watching a movie now? Chapter 455 - 455 264 Human Butcher Supplement ?455: Chapter 264: Human Butcher (Supplement) 455: Chapter 264: Human Butcher (Supplement) When a supersonic aircraft flies at low altitude, the shockwave from its stirring sound can shatter the tempered glass of high-rise buildings tens of meters away. Brian¡¯s charged strike was hardly weaker than that. It was the terrifying effect of strength and speed concentrating at one point. The Gang Wind howled. The lake it carried seemed like high-pressure water blades, giving a sharp feeling of cutting through metal and jade. The expression of the elder on the high platform by the shore changed slightly. ¡°Wave Breaking Slash!¡± He cried out lowly, channeling all his muscle strength into his right hand, and his waist-attached alloy tachi turned into a meteor slicing through the air, precisely cutting through the invisible air and the incoming water spray. With a tearing sound~ Under an exquisite force, the Gang Wind and high-pressure lake water carried by Brian¡¯s palm were as if separated by a vacuum, cleaving in two by the elder¡¯s tachi, and when it fell back down due to inertia, it had already lost its lethal power. ¡°Such formidable strength and technique.¡± Surprise shone in Brian¡¯s eyes. He took a deep breath, standing on the water surface without launching another attack. The elder¡¯s single slash might have seemed simple, but it actually vibrated at a high frequency, forcibly changing the air currents where the blade passed and neutralizing Brian¡¯s exploratory strike. Even after Brian had absorbed the master-level sword skill of that Shinnozuke and could control his physical body, exerting 120% of his strength, he couldn¡¯t achieve the same level of exquisite control as the elder. It was almost the peak of some sort of technical skill. The elder was even more shocked than Brian. He looked solemnly at Brian, ¡°When did the Dark Sect have an expert like you?¡± Just now his charged slash, which hit the shockwave and water spray, felt almost as if he had slashed on real ironwood. What kind of monstrous power was needed to create such an effect? Beyond human! Beyond human! This guy¡¯s strength was definitely on par with a Second Rank Life! The elder, although unafraid, had held high power for many years and did not wish to engage in a meaningless fight to the death. Just drag it out. Without taking action, this guy would be surrounded and killed. With that thought in mind. He sheathed his tachi, ¡°The Ninja Sect and Dark Sect have vied with each other for years, only because of different philosophies. Now that the Empire is flourishing, we can only break free from the foreigners¡¯ oppression by following the extreme path, and return to our Empire¡¯s glory. You, who have come this far, should understand this!¡± ¡°Really like a dog that can¡¯t change its habit of eating shit...¡± Brian was about to taunt when suddenly, his ears twitched slightly, and a smile crossed his face. Here they come! Brian slowly walked toward the bank, ¡°Your support is pretty quick; it looks like I can get started now.¡± ¡°What are you here for?¡± The elder tried to engage in a further conversation. The other party¡¯s calmness made him feel that something was not right. According to the agreement, how could an expert of the Dark Sect suddenly attack him, the Ninja Sect¡¯s foreign affairs elder? Could it be that those trash from the Dark Sect thought they had the strength to replace the Ninja Sect? Impossible! ¡°My purpose is simple!¡± Brian inhaled deeply, ¡°To avenge the blood debts of the elders in my dreams!¡± The elder was startled: What? In the next moment. Brian¡¯s clothes exploded, and the water under his feet seemed as if it had been hit by a nuclear bomb, splashing up over ten meters high, with the residual force spreading out in a terrifying wave, pushing against both shores and even causing a distant ferry to rock violently. Where is he? The elder¡¯s eyes turned a terrible white, scanning the area, and then, as if cutting through the layers of water, he saw the figure of Brian, jumping seven or eight meters high. The opponent seemed as if inflated, his body swelling to more than double its size, his muscles ferocious, resembling a malevolent spirit amidst men. ¡°Die!¡± The elder hesitated no longer, his wooden clogs shuffling as if he were a flea, effortlessly jumping in front of Brian, drawing his tachi to battle, giving no chance for Brian to gather strength from above. With a tear~ The alloy tachi was terrifyingly sharp, slicing through Brian¡¯s skin tough as rhino hide, and muscles and ribs as hard as regular steel. Just when the elder thought he had so easily taken care of Brian, the powerful adversary, Brian¡¯s mouth curled into a taunting smile. And then, They both descended. Ignoring the near-waist-deep wounds on his body, Brian threw out a fierce punch. The elder¡¯s face changed dramatically as he lifted his tachi to block! That horrible punch showed no sign of hesitation, smashing hard on the blade. With a thundering boom~ A trail of blood fog left a long scar in the void, crashing down onto the wooden platform below. The more than three-meter high platform burst apart, turning to ruins. A mass of sand and gravel burst forth. Brian landed on the ground. He kicked away the surrounding wooden debris, walking to the edge of a large pit, his eyes surprisingly looking at the lump of mashed flesh imprinted there. This old man¡¯s life force is indeed strong. He had punched the opponent¡¯s arms and most of his ribs apart with the residual force comparable to a grenade exploding at close range, not only flinging the man away but also busting the sturdy platform into ruins and even creating a big hole in the ground. The power of this punch would bring down an elephant. But this old thing is still alive! Within the pit, the flesh squirmed. The elder, whose head remained most intact, slowly crawled out with strenuous effort from the mass of flesh. With terror-filled eyes, he looked at Brian and pleaded, ¡°You can¡¯t kill me, the Ninja Sect¡¯s top experts and the armed unit will arrive soon, if you kill me, you won¡¯t escape in your injured state!¡± His response was a mouthful of green spit. With a hiss~ The spit hit the flesh and immediately turned into exaggerated sulfuric acid, horrifically corroding the elder¡¯s raw flesh and bones at an alarming rate. Chapter 456 - 456 264 Human Butcher Supplement_2 ?456: Chapter 264: Human Butcher (Supplement)_2 456: Chapter 264: Human Butcher (Supplement)_2 His tenacity for life had instead become a shackle torturing himself. He screamed in agony for a good fifteen seconds before he was completely corroded into a puddle of liquid by Brian¡¯s flesh-eating poison, motionless. Five streams of warmth swirled within Brian¡¯s body, alleviating the severe pain from his injuries. The elderly man was one of his targets: Yamamoto Taku. His opponent had trained five outstanding students, all of whom harbored an obsession with patricide as their dying wish¡ªa rather rare occurrence. Watching the last trace of his adversary rapidly disappearing into the air, Brian sneered, ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for the reinforcements from here and the experts from your Ninja Sect to come!¡± He glanced at the approaching helicopter in the distant skies, his figure flashed to a tachi buried in the gravel, right hand reaching out to pick it up. This tachi was incomparably sharp and absurdly resilient, purportedly the best he had ever seen, even better quality than the two tachis from Yagyuu Ittou, perfect for slaughtering soon. However, as soon as Brian exerted force, a red line emerged from the middle of his right palm, cleaving his flesh and bone in two, limp and dangling in mid-air, resembling two spread leaves. It turned out that during his earlier punch, under the force, Brian¡¯s entire right hand, from the shoulder to the forearm, had been torn by the edge of the defending tachi. Moreover. A similarly diagonal slash wound stretching across his entire torso appeared between Brian¡¯s exaggerated muscles, nearly splitting his body in half. Brian, far from alarmed, was overjoyed, ¡°What a fantastic blade!¡± He controlled his body, on the verge of splitting, to reattach, arms coming back together. With the help of the warm streams, it took only three to four seconds to restore his severely injured body to its peak condition. Brian twisted his neck, drawing the tachi from the ground, preparing to face the oncoming battle. Clatter, clatter~ A group of people, dressed in white kendo attire and wooden sandals and wielding various small tachis, rushed over from a nearby building. A number of suit-clad men, expressionless, followed behind the students, jogging over. These were likely the students of the Kendo Dojo and their armed security personnel. They reacted rather quickly. After all, though it seemed that Brian had been fighting the elder for a while, the entire event, including dialogue, didn¡¯t even last two minutes. The actual combat, just a single blow. One blow decided life and death. Brian glanced at the spoils in his hand, then at the approaching people, and nodded. To kill one is to kill. To kill a hundred is to kill. Then all shall be slain! .. The ones at the forefront were students. This group of students, looking quite young, must have been on the outermost part of the Kendo Dojo to have responded so quickly. Amidst the wreckage. These youths, barely in their teens, showed not the slightest fear. Among them, a tall, handsome young man with long hair, who could have lived off his looks alone, looked at the damaged platform with rage, ¡°Damn it! This is the place for Elder Tuo¡¯s meditation, and you¡¯ve blasted it!¡± Before Brian could respond. The young man raised his wooden small tachi and charged forward with angry steps, ¡°Unforgivable, let me Matsushita Yamaichi teach you a lesson! Get out!¡± The next moment. Brian¡¯s figure flashed, slanting the tachi while brushing past Matsushita Yamaichi¡¯s body, heading towards a group of students, who seemed ready to spectate. These young students couldn¡¯t help but rub their eyes. Was that... Instant Teleportation just now? Matsushita Yamaichi also didn¡¯t realize what had happened. He continued his momentum for another two steps before feeling something wrong, looked down instinctively, only to find his vision tumbling and crashing to the ground. He lay there with his tachi still raised, screaming. Half of his torso just happened to crash on his face, the gushing blood and severed intestines filling his mouth, silencing the dying screams of this kendo prodigy. ¡°Bisected at the waist!¡± A girl looking to be only fourteen or fifteen dropped her small tachi to the ground, shrieking, ¡°He¡¯s bisected Yamaichi at the waist!¡± The remaining students realized the terror upon seeing Brian approaching them. The black-clothed security, with more experience, turned pale, ¡°Danger, get your guns and kill him!¡± ¡°Run!¡± ¡°Monster!¡± A group of fast-running students, abandoning their wooden swords, fled in panic, scattering the security formation. This was a monster! The lead security¡¯s expression was ferocious, ¡°Forget the newbies, fire, fire!¡± If they didn¡¯t start shooting, they were all going to die! Pop, pop, pop~ Several students fell first. The rest finally calmed down, lying on the ground trembling, clearing the way for the remaining bullets to reach Brian. What followed plunged these people further into despair. Brian¡¯s speed was unchanged. Bullets tore through the air, their trajectories clear in his eyes. His right hand moved. Ting, ting, ting~ Bullets, one by one, were slashed away by the afterimages of his tachi. Across the mere ten meters or so, these elite security guards couldn¡¯t manage to get a single bullet within two meters of Brian. Click, click~ In a blink. The security¡¯s magazines were emptied. For the most part, they were there to maintain peace around the Kendo Dojo, not really to fight, nor did they expect someone would recklessly attack, so they were all equipped with just handguns. The pressure from Brian was too immense. Imagine. A monster, advancing against a barrage of handgun fire, calmly deflecting their bullets with his tachi, inexorably closing in. Chapter 457 - 457 264 Human Butcher Supplement_3 ?457: Chapter 264: Human Butcher (Supplement)_3 457: Chapter 264: Human Butcher (Supplement)_3 That was a sense of desperation as they awaited death! These elites, frightened by this scene, became so confused that they just clung to their triggers, even forgetting to reload. ¡°Boring~¡± Brian didn¡¯t give them a chance to reload. He sheathed his sword near his cheek and took up a standard sword-swinging stance. In the next moment¡ª His afterimage flashed. Brian, like a ghost, darted in front of the group of security guards and students. By the time he appeared in front of the kendo dojo building, his blade was frosty and unstained with blood; the figures behind him, whether male or female, fell slowly under the force of gravity, revealing clean, waist-high cuts across their bodies... ... Buzz buzz buzz~ The helicopter overhead finally arrived. The pilot, stupefied, stared down at the shocking scene of bodies falling like straw, and screamed in terror, ¡°Call for backup, quick, call for backup! There¡¯s a monster below; everyone at the Extreme Kendo Dojo has been killed, all killed!¡± In the next moment! A shard of rubble whistled sharply through the air, traveling hundreds of meters like a meteorite, cracking the helicopter¡¯s window and striking the pilot¡¯s head, also making the entire helicopter tremble violently. The blood-splattered, headless corpse still clutched the control stick, causing the helicopter to fall helplessly toward the distant water surface. The only sound was a sweet female voice echoing through the communication system, puzzled, asking, ¡°Nani?¡± Watching the out-of-control helicopter, Brian withdrew his hand that had flicked the stone from the lion statue¡¯s mouth. Now, to blow up this kind of low-flying small helicopter was as easy as crushing an ant. So satisfying! Brian began to understand why ¡®Long¡¯, the strongest known Mutant, could withstand modern armies with just his body! He could do it now, too! It was this stone lion... Brian slightly furrowed his brows as he eyed the two stone lion statues at the entrance of the Kendo dojo. These little buggers, when you are powerful, they bow their heads like dogs, more obedient than dogs, mimicking everything you do, but when you are weak, they reveal their fierce teeth, craving for bloodshed, committing countless massacres. Listening to the noises coming from inside the dojo. A sinister smile spread across Brian¡¯s face. Kill! Before the main forces arrive, kill everyone here! He swung his Small Tachi and, with a kick, forced open the grand doors of the dojo, charging inside. Behind him, the lion heads smashed onto the ground. The two majestic lion statues were also turned into headless statues by the fierce knife marks. If you kill, exterminate completely, not even sparing the statues! ... Screams echoed from within the dojo. Under Brian¡¯s terrifying perception, even the little buggers who sensed something was wrong and hid still could not escape death¡¯s approach. By the time Brian stepped out again, his body was enveloped in an unmistakable stench of blood. He leaped seven or eight meters, landing at the top of the dojo. Waves of invisible sound traveled in every direction from his body. Brian¡¯s eyes glinted red, his mind filling with a multitude of heat signatures. He looked toward the distant bamboo forest and chuckled lightly, ¡°You¡¯ve finally arrived!¡± Brian¡¯s voice, though not loud, was clearly transmitted into the ears of each master who had just arrived. One by one, figures emerged from the bamboo forest. The leader, an elderly man with all-white hair. He wore wooden clogs and was surrounded by a group of ninjas, faces covered, showing only their eyes, as they enclosed Brian: ¡°Who are you, and why are you attacking our new blood training base!¡± ¡°Where is Yagyuu Kojirou?¡± Brian glanced around and, dissatisfied, asked, ¡°Why hasn¡¯t he shown up?¡± The old man coldly said, ¡°Why would Lord Yagyuu appear in such a place? Name your instigator and we promise you a whole corpse; otherwise, when Elder Tuo Yamamoto returns and sees you soiling his territory, he will surely flay you alive!¡± ¡°Yamamoto Tuo?¡± Brian pointed to the ruins of a wooden platform in the distance: ¡°You mean the owner of this blade? He was the first I killed; that old thing had some skill, but not much.¡± The group finally noticed the Small Tachi in Brian¡¯s hand. Seeing the blade, an ice-cold sensation pierced through the bodies of the masters. Yamamoto Tuo, dead? But Brian didn¡¯t give them more time to waste words. His hesitation was just to capture their scents, to hunt them down in their lair and exterminate them, scents that eventually led him to their base. Now, they should die, too! ... The ninja masters couldn¡¯t even see Brian¡¯s movements; they only perceived their surroundings growing insubstantial. Only the leader quickly changed his expression, shouting, ¡°Disperse!¡± The next moment¡ª A sword cut emitted from his forehead, bisecting him in two, his flesh falling to the sides. Boosted by speed and power, Each of Brian¡¯s strikes produced sonic booms. These insignificant characters, merely equivalent to First Rank life forms or Second Level staff, died without ever seeing his attack. Looking around at the scattered corpses and limbs. Brian strolled among the dead, starting to collect the Obsessions that burst forth. These so-called new blood had a very low burst rate. He had killed over a hundred people, but only harvested two Obsessions. These arriving ninjas, only the elder counted as a First Rank life, but from ten people, they provided exactly five Obsessions. Too high of a burst rate! That Yamamoto Tuo previously also provided Brian with one high-quality Obsession Little Ball. Such a high burst rate must be related to these little buggers¡¯ perverse training methods. Such prey, too perfect! Looking at the still-quiet sky and lake, a Blood Moon conspicuously appeared, faintly visible in Brian¡¯s eyes. Can¡¯t wait anymore! He changed into attire found in the Extreme Kendo Dojo that belonged to Yamamoto Tuo, disguised as him, following the direction from which the ninjas had come. The army isn¡¯t coming, is it? Yagyuu Kojirou isn¡¯t showing himself, is it? Then kill! Turn the heavens upside down. Make rivers of blood! If there¡¯s no ninja base, then slaughter the city. If the city is calm, move to the countryside. Wherever the eye falls, massacre! Chapter 458 - 458 265 Breakthrough Army Ambush! ?458: Chapter 265: Breakthrough, Army Ambush! 458: Chapter 265: Breakthrough, Army Ambush! On the distant lake surface, the captain put down his binoculars, trembling as he turned the ferry around, steering the vessel to escape towards the far distance. The young people on the boat were silent as sparrows. Although they could not see the massacre on land, they could see the helicopter that had crashed into the lake. They were the ones who had made the emergency call. Upon hearing that a strange person was rushing towards the Extreme Kendo Dojo on water, it wasn¡¯t long before a helicopter emblazoned with the Tokyo Police Department¡¯s insignia arrived. But as quickly as it came, the crash was just as fast. Everything that happened today had overturned their worldview. On the police¡¯s end, they received the pilot¡¯s last transmission before his death. They couldn¡¯t imagine anyone foolish enough to attack the Extreme Kendo Dojo, so when they received the emergency call, they first phoned the dojo to inquire about the situation. Only after confirming that there were indeed disturbances outside did they dispatch the nearest police helicopter to check on the situation. It wasn¡¯t until the pilot¡¯s plea for help before death and the loss of the helicopter¡¯s radar signal that they realized the severity of the situation. A middle-aged man with a big belly, wiping the sweat from his forehead, looked anxiously at a sweet-looking young policewoman: ¡°Haven¡¯t we gotten in touch with the dojo yet?¡± The female officer shook her head. Before she could speak, a young police officer rushed to the middle-aged man: ¡°Police Commissioner, we just received seven or eight emergency calls at the reporting center, all from the Extreme Kendo Dojo. But now we can¡¯t get in touch with them anymore. We urgently contacted the ferry captain, and he told us a strange person carrying a sword came out from the dojo and left towards Mount Fuji.¡± Upon hearing this, The commissioner who had hurriedly run from his office turned even paler. A major incident had occurred! The maniacs at the Extreme Kendo Dojo would not let someone walk away so brazenly with a sword... Unless everyone at the Extreme Kendo Dojo was dead! At the thought of that terrifying truth, the Police Commissioner, a man of high position and power within the Tokyo Police Department, didn¡¯t utter a word, and fainted, falling hard to the ground, sending everyone in the office into a panic. In the end, it was the Police Commissioner¡¯s secretary who reacted, suggesting they should report the matter. .. While the Tokyo Police Department was still confused and shirking responsibility, Brian had already arrived at several wooden houses. According to his sense of smell, the scent of the ninjas had disappeared inside these wooden houses. ¡°Why do these organizations all like to dig holes?¡± Brian felt irritable. These fools weren¡¯t afraid of Mount Fuji erupting and getting buried alive. It was actually quite normal. The real climbing area of Mount Fuji was all rocky, utterly barren, with an extremely wide view. Key to keeping a base secret were the numerous domestic and foreign climbers; if the base were built on the ground, there would be no privacy, so underground development was the only option. But Brian felt irritable. Having a base underground versus having a base on the ground was a completely different concept. On the ground, even if missiles were fired, he wasn¡¯t afraid, but in an underground environment, a simple laser corridor could slice him to pieces. Even if there was no laser corridor. Various hidden machine guns and such left no room for dodging. He couldn¡¯t risk his life to be the first to die. Just then, a crow squawked noisily. This unpleasant sound directly set off Brian¡¯s irritable mood. ¡°Scram!¡± An invisible sonic wave blasted out. The unlucky crow felt something was wrong and tried to fly away. The next moment. Boom~ As it was just flapping its wings, its body seemed to be hit by a missile, exploding from the inside out, sending blood and feathers everywhere. Smelling the blood in the air, Brian felt as if he had been reinfused with nicotine after quitting smoking; his mood calmed down again. He fell silent for a moment, touched his eyes, then, holding his sword, turned and left. .. Not until his figure disappeared from view did a very faint exhale come from a bush. Keiko looked in the direction where Brian had vanished, painfully closing her eyes. That definitely wasn¡¯t Elder Tuo Yamamoto! Elder Tuo wouldn¡¯t kill his own pet, nor would he be unaware of how to enter the base! This was an intruder who could change their appearance! Just as she was about to send a message to the base, an irresistible force suddenly gripped her neck from behind: ¡°Little mouse, what are you looking at?¡± Keiko turned red, trying to struggle and fight back. Crack~ Along with the sound of bones shattering, the small female ninja¡¯s muscles slackened, and she was picked up by Brian like a dead dog. After killing her and seeing that no Obsession Little Ball burst out, Brian casually tossed her body back into the hole, moved over to where the crow¡¯s carcass was, and crushed a small ball. This crow had released an obsession. He found a clear area and, while waiting for a surround attack, closed his eyes and began checking his spoils from earlier. This mission had been fruitful. Killing Yamamoto Taku, he had completed the obsessions of five ninjas who had killed their master. Most of the talents of these ninjas overlapped greatly, and Brian directly chose Gift One, the pure Gift Energy Unit option. That was 180 Gift Energy Units. Subtracting the previous consumption for injury recovery, Brian¡¯s Gift Energy Units came to 270. The bulk was Yagyuu Ittou¡¯s obsession. The latter¡¯s obsession was to kill his father, Yagyuu Kojirou. Gift One: 100 Gift Energy Units. Gift Two: 30 Gift Energy Units + Dual-Mind. Gift Three: 10 Gift Energy Units + Heart Eye. Gift Four: 10 Gift Energy Units + Body Activation. Chapter 459 - 459 265 Breakthrough Army Ambush!_2 ?459: Chapter 265: Breakthrough, Army Ambush!_2 459: Chapter 265: Breakthrough, Army Ambush!_2 Yagyuu Ittou¡¯s strength was actually quite average, being merely a First Rank life proficient in sword skills, but his Heart Eye talent was abnormally powerful. He could easily spot an enemy¡¯s weaknesses and launch fatal attacks while excelling in counterattacks. Previously, he had nearly forced Brian to reveal all his abilities. As for the Body Activation, it was some sort of recovery ability. Yagyuu Ittou had originally died at the hands of Brian, but Brian later discovered that after returning to the hotel, he had come back to life and wasn¡¯t really dead. It was only because he had lost his handy weapon that Shinnozuke, along with his sword, had managed to cut him down. This was the function of the Body Activation talent. Regrettably, Brian didn¡¯t need this talent. What he needed more was to strengthen his Heart Eye to cover his own talent weaknesses! ¡°270 units...¡± Brian suppressed the impulse to enhance and started examining the obsessions he had just harvested. ... The first was the obsession of Yamamoto Taku. His strength was somewhat peculiar, with his sharp Small Tachi and a sword skill that could be considered the pinnacle of perfection, he had the ability to harm Brian and also possessed exaggerated Physical Activity, almost turning into mud yet still not dying. With a different opponent, he might not have died. Unfortunately, he encountered Brian, who fought in a life-for-life style and had the flesh corrosion bag to restrain his recovery ability. Brian had great expectations for this enemy¡¯s Gift of Obsession. Yamamoto Taku¡¯s obsession: Annihilate the Yagyuu family to avenge the pain of having his wife, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter taken away! Gift One: 150 Gift Energy points. Gift Two: 70 Gift Energy points + Grandmaster Blade Skill. Gift Three: 70 Gift Energy points + Weak Heart Eye. Gift Four: 50 Gift Energy points + Energy Insight Eye. Gift Five: 20 Gift Energy points + Body Activation. At the end of the obsession, there was also the address of the Yagyuu family and all its members: the ancestral mansion was located next to a temple in an old courtyard in Tokyo. It looked inconspicuous but housed a large number of people, over two hundred, mostly women and children of various ages. Oddly, among these children, there were very few members over ten years old. There were also very few elderly members, only three. As for Kojirou Yagyuu, he was a handsome and mature middle-aged man. Brian¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. Five gifts! A total of five choices for gifts! And the quality of these gifts was so high! This enemy, had he been encountered before Yagyuu Ittou, probably would not have been an easy match for Brian. Now, Brian had killed him with just one punch! His growth rate was incredibly twisted! The most dramatic thing was Yamamoto Taku¡¯s obsession... What kind of hobby did this head of the Yagyuu family have to love others¡¯ wives so much? The only problem was that Brian had no idea where Kojirou Yagyuu was, let alone wiping out the Yagyuu family. Left without a choice, he could only look at the other obsessions. As he looked, surprises kept on coming. ... Apart from the obsession of Yamamoto Taku, Brian had also harvested the obsessions of two trainees, five ninjas, and one crow during his previous killings, among which one ninja was a First Rank life, equivalent to a Second-level Staff in an official institution. The obsessions of the two trainees were peculiar; both were to kill the senior disciple of their sword dojo. One provided twelve units of energy as a gift, the other fifteen units. For normal humans, even those with heavy obsessions, it was tough to exceed ten units of energy through gifts. Obviously, these two fellows also had abnormal bloodlines. In the entire extremity dojo, Brian spared not even a fly, and these two obsessions were completed as soon as he checked them. Out of the five ninjas, two hoped to kill Brian¡ªimmediately rejected. The other two hoped to kill Yamamoto Taku. Brian: .. These were also completed instantly, and he again harvested fifty-five units of Gift Energy. The remaining obsession was from the old man leading the team: Kill Kojirou Yagyuu to avenge the stealing of his wife and the killing of his son! Gift One: 110 Gift Energy points. Gift Two: 70 Gift Energy points + Master Blade Technique. Gift Three: 30 Gift Energy points + Danger Perception. Brian: ... He suddenly became curious about the offspring of these little scoundrels. Among their peers, they all resented Kojirou Yagyuu. Among the younger generation, they all resented Yamamoto Taku. Were they all so deformed and peculiar? If he killed Kojirou Yagyuu and then exterminated the Ninja Sect, wouldn¡¯t he soar? With this magical thought, Brian looked at the last crow¡¯s obsession. Crows are very intelligent birds. Many institutions breed special crows for reconnaissance and alert. In Hua Country, this creature is seen as a symbol of filial piety, but the general public doesn¡¯t really like this animal, including the West where many regard crows as impure, bringing death. Every inspection of an animal¡¯s obsession was like opening a box, often yielding some rather special talents. With anticipation, Brian willed it. Crow¡¯s obsession: Hatch offspring. Gift One: 15 points of Gift Energy. Gift Two: 1 point of Gift Energy + Death Perception. At the end of the obsession, there was also the address of a small tree. Brian focused on Death Perception. A stream of information emerged again. Death Perception: I have already seen your death. Within your field of vision, you can perceive the fluctuations when a life is vanishing. Brian licked his lips. This talent might not be useful, but it was certainly rare. He saw the big tree environment in the crow¡¯s memory¡ªit seemed to be nearby, so he simply began to search. In a moment, Brian actually found a somewhat cute man-made nest with a black egg the size of an apple lying inside. Chapter 460 - 460 265 Breakthrough Army Ambush!_3 ?460: Chapter 265: Breakthrough, Army Ambush!_3 460: Chapter 265: Breakthrough, Army Ambush!_3 He could feel the vitality within the egg. It was a live egg. As for the nest, it must have been constructed by that crow¡¯s owner, the Female Ninja. ¡°What a pity, you¡¯re the enemy!¡± Brian thought for a moment, secured the egg, and ran towards the lake. Having absorbed a great deal of Spirit Crystals, his previously restless emotions had regained a bit of clarity. He planned to first hide in the lake, to see if he could achieve a breakthrough before the encirclement arrived. Though Brian now appeared invincible, his strongest Bursting Clothes State only yielded about five tons of power¡ªit was all thanks to speed + skill + the enhancement of various talents that he could slaughter his peers as if slaughtering chickens. Essentially, his physique and spiritual strength were still at 1.3. With every 0.1 increment, his strength would undergo a qualitative change. Brian believed that if he could break through to 1.4, he could better face the impending siege. ... When Brian returned to the lakeside, he still saw no sign of the army or numerous ninjas. These people were reacting too strangely and too slowly. Brian hid the egg and then dove into the lake, disappearing from the surface. He sat cross-legged at the bottom of the lake and began to enhance his body. The obsession harvested from slaughter had surprisingly yielded 82 units. Together with the previous 270 units of Gift Energy, it totaled 352 units of Gift Energy. Brian had never accumulated so much Gift Energy before, and with the previous enhancements and the boost from his own talents, he couldn¡¯t believe he wouldn¡¯t break through this time! As his thoughts commanded, vast currents of stored energy warmth surged through Brian¡¯s body. This time, the duration was exceptionally long. Brian could feel his body temperature rapidly increasing; below the incessant nourishment of energy, his body transformed into a live volcano, his blood turned into incredibly hot magma, swirling inside... evaporating... Gurgle gurgle~ As Brian¡¯s body temperature continued to rise, the surrounding lake water actually began to boil. A large amount of black blood was expelled from his pores, while new blood was generated from his bone marrow and joined the body¡¯s metabolic cycle. With the support of the Gift Energy, Brian was like a perpetual motion machine, constantly energized to support another transformation of his body. With each blood exchange, he could feel the viscosity of his blood increasing markedly. He didn¡¯t know how many cycles had passed. Just as the energy was nearly exhausted, the transformation of Brian¡¯s body finally ended. He slowly opened his eyes and looked down at his palms. Blisters visibly formed and surged on his hands. This was due to the high body temperature causing changes in the lake water. ¡°It seems like, the world has changed.¡± Brian¡¯s clothes had been destroyed during the transformation. He stood up, feeling as though he was stepping on solid ground, leaving a clear footprint with each step, as he returned to the surface. ¡°Hoo~¡± A long trail of white steam shot out from his mouth, extending more than a meter before disappearing. He had only seen this phenomenon on Dean before. So it is! So it is! Is this what Second Rank Life truly is! Seeing this familiar scene, Brian laughed silently. He had broken through! In the fourth month of the Blood Moon, he had grown from a young man depleted of energy to a Second Rank Life! A Second Rank Life, in the NW organization, was a Third Level employee, and officially, there were only two! ... ¡°My current state feels so strange!¡± Naked, Brian stood on the water surface, visibly radiating heat around him. He could feel endless energy, along with the circulation of his blood, nourishing each part of his body. His heart as well had undergone subtle changes, as if transforming from a small pump into a high-pressure water pump, with the rest of the blood circulation system following suit. Brian could feel that as the blood continuously circulated in his body, his body was slowly growing stronger. But when it came down to it, his strength, speed, and such seemed to have not fundamentally changed. ¡°Could it be that Second Rank Life starts from a point and spreads to the surface, requiring time to refine?¡± Brian stood on the water surface, lost in thought. Suddenly, he looked into the distance. Several armed helicopters were flying towards him from afar. On the opposite shore, Brian could also hear the roar of numerous truck engines. Was this the army? A smile curled on Brian¡¯s lips. Since he felt little change in himself, he decided it was a good opportunity to test his skills against this self-defense team. Combat reveals true knowledge. .. Buzz~ Accompanied by the deafening noise of helicopters, the leading armed helicopter hovered about ten meters above, aiming its gun barrel at the conspicuous Brian: ¡°This is..¡± Boom~ The lake surface seemed to be struck by a ground-to-air missile, ripples vibrating and waves splashing up several meters high from the recoil. In the frightened pilot¡¯s eyes, a figure leapt from the water surface like a flea, shocking as it sprang up fifteen or sixteen meters high and struck forward with a punch... Boom~ The massive armed helicopter, under Brian¡¯s small fist, seemed like it had been hit by a missile, its front caved in and cracked, and the whole helicopter spiraled out of control, helplessly crashing towards the water. Using the recoil, Brian flew laterally over twenty meters and landed on the shore, pulled out the Small Tachi stuck in the ground, and ran towards the cabin he had spotted earlier. .. In the distance, The other helicopter pilots, witnessing the helicopter that had descended to shout warnings being swallowed by the lake, swallowed hard. A punch that launched a helicopter? Too fierce? At that moment, a cold voice came through the headphones: ¡°Chase him, kill him, you are authorized to use all weapons!¡± Buzz buzz buzz~ The next instant, over a dozen missiles launched from these armed helicopters¡¯ storage bays, tracing lines of white air currents in the sky, spinning and covering the not-so-fast Brian. Out of fear, they didn¡¯t dare approach and opted to fire missiles directly. In the distance, A convoy of fully armed soldiers and armored vehicles blocked the area across the lake. Multiple heavy machine guns were set up. Several military drones, bought at a high price from the US, took off and flew towards the opposite side of the lake. The officer leading the scene, holding a command knife, coldly watched where the missiles disappeared. The enemy is as good as dead! Just then, A handsome middle-aged man descended from the sky, appearing beside him. The middle-aged man, with arms crossed and expressionless, glanced at the buildings on the opposite shore and asked the officer beside him, ¡°Is Yamamoto Taku dead?¡± ¡°Dead, Father.¡± The middle-aged man nodded: ¡°After killing the enemy, prepare a submarine for me to go to Brazil.¡± The officer looked at his father in surprise: ¡°Brazil? Father, are you planning to avenge Ittou?¡± The middle-aged man¡¯s voice was ice-cold: ¡°A dead failure is no longer my son. Calculate the time; the waste of Dark Sect should be losing control soon. I need to harvest the fruits.¡± Saying this, He revealed a sinister smile, looking at the officer: ¡°Nuiichi, grow well and don¡¯t disappoint me.¡± Seeing this smile, the officer shivered and lowered his head: ¡°Aye, Father!¡± Not until the man leaped more than ten meters high back to a waiting helicopter overhead, moving away, did he angrily watch the receding helicopter. He had hundreds of brothers and sisters. Now, only a few were alive. ¡°Yagyuu Kojirou, wait! Once I get the support of those American troops stationed here, I will definitely kill you!¡± The officer roared internally but instinctively lowered his head, afraid that the distant Kojirou could sense his murderous intent, somewhat like covering his ears while stealing a bell. He forcibly suppressed his murderous intent and turned to look at the small fiery mushroom clouds produced by the explosions on the opposite lakeshore. These armed helicopter missiles, although not the strongest, could cause an explosion with a force covering a radius of thirty to forty meters, producing a shockwave equivalent to being suddenly smashed and compressed by several tons of force. A dozen missiles covered an area extending over several hundred meters. No one could survive under such power! Except for his monstrous father! Chapter 461 - 461 266 One Man Destroys the Army Thousand Enemies Slain ?461: Chapter 266: One Man Destroys the Army, Thousand Enemies Slain 461: Chapter 266: One Man Destroys the Army, Thousand Enemies Slain Countless sand and dust fluttered around as droplets of blood splattered on the ground, sizzling with a sound similar to tar due to the high heat. Brian wiped the scalding blood from the corner of his mouth. Shrapnel was squeezed out of his body. Except for his head, his body had become like tattered cloth, full of terrifying blood holes from penetrating wounds. Brian was also surprised by his own vitality at this moment. Under these circumstances, he felt as if he had only sustained minor to moderate injuries. Reality is not a movie. The missiles from the armed helicopters were small and not very powerful, but the blast wave produced by the explosion swept out at a speed of three thousand meters per second. Despite rapid attenuation with distance, once within the lethal range, no carbon-based life could escape. Brian couldn¡¯t either. The force of the explosion, with a lethal power of several tons, could shred clothing and uproot and send flying large trees. This was why the battlefield after a bombing was barren, with fallen trees and only naked corpses. Brian had never experienced a real battlefield and was somewhat naive in his thoughts. He had planned to accelerate at the moment of the bomb¡¯s arrival to dodge the central blast zone. However, facing area saturation bombing, even with his speed, he couldn¡¯t escape the blast range and his body was brutally battered by the violent shockwave. In an inescapable situation just now, all Brian could do was protect his head from being penetrated by flying pebbles and shrapnel. It turned out that being a Second Rank Life was not just about a change in blood. At this moment, his internal organs were shattered, and his entire musculoskeletal system felt like shattered glass, all torn and vibrated. Yet, apart from feeling slightly dizzy, Brian¡¯s unique blood continuously released a strange substance, stimulating cellular activity in his body, allowing him not to feel near death despite having all of his major organs ruptured. He felt that as long as he had enough nutritional energy, even without using Gift Energy to heal, his bodily injuries would heal on their own in at most ten to fifteen days. ¡°I¡¯m so freakish!¡± Brian no longer dodged. A pale green fog slowly emanated from him, corroding the residual biological traces around him and also obscuring his figure. .. ¡°Unobservable... Radar detects no humanoid presence...¡± An armed helicopter hovered mid-air, communicating over the radio. Buzzing~ Drones with high-definition cameras appeared in the bombed area, marked by large craters. Suddenly. A startled voice transmitted over the communication system: ¡°It¡¯s foggy, green fog detected in the bombing area.¡± Then came buzzing sounds and a chain of alarmed shouts. As the helicopter pilot puzzled over the situation, drones flying into the green fog suffered corrosion of their electronic components and fell to the ground, while a figure leaped high, grabbed onto the external frame of the helicopter, and began to climb upward. The young military officer commanding from the opposite bank, seeing the footage transmitted from the remaining drones, was shocked! Not dead! How could he not be dead! He quickly shouted angrily, ¡°All units, use the cannon to shoot down that helicopter!¡± Ratatat~ A hail of bullets, without any hesitation, directly targeted the helicopter Brian was climbing and pulled the trigger. Countless powerful cannon bullets traced visible shockwaves through the air, turning the valuable armed helicopter into a riddled wreck, and also shattered the remaining missile racks on the helicopter, causing a sympathetic explosion. Sparks burst forth. Countless parts scattered like fairy dust, with the main wreckage of the plane also falling into the lake. Observing the now calm scene. Everyone stared intently at the lake surface. Now the opponent must be dead! Cannons, aptly called human grinders. A single bullet could kill an elephant, split a person in two, or even turn them into a mist of blood. Even knowing there were non-human Mutants and Enhanced beings in the world, no one believed any carbon-based life could survive in such a situation. Unnoticed, ripples under the water rapidly approached their shore. Brian couldn¡¯t withstand the power of the cannon. The problem was, they had to hit him! While these people madly destroyed their own helicopter, he had forcibly torn off the helicopter¡¯s door, concealed his body, and dropped into the lake in advance. He originally planned to seize control of the helicopter and then, using Supercomputer Perception, turn it around and wreak havoc. But these people were ruthless. Then let them witness what true cruelty is! .. The young military officer waved his hand and said through the communication, ¡°Drones begin patrol mode, helicopters ascend higher, urgently mobilize submersible detectors, I want to see the attacker¡¯s corpse!¡± After speaking. Still feeling insecure, he took out a black box, made a phone call, and contacted the nearby Ninja Sect base asking for their assistance. Unnoticed. At this time, on a few armored vehicles parked on the road, unable to approach, soldiers at some point had fallen, entered a baby-like sleep. This was the neurotoxin and anesthetic liquid stored in Brian¡¯s body. He had completely emptied it this time. Brian emerged from the water. Chapter 462 - 462 266 One Man Destroys the Army Thousand Enemies Slain_2 ?462: Chapter 266: One Man Destroys the Army, Thousand Enemies Slain_2 462: Chapter 266: One Man Destroys the Army, Thousand Enemies Slain_2 He was spotted by the swarming drones on the water¡¯s surface right away. The controller quickly reported, ¡°Eastern embankment, assailant discovered, Amaterasu, he¡¯s completely unharmed! Repeat...¡± Nearby Self-Defense Forces immediately moved toward the reported location. The circling helicopter also re-established its lock on this area. It was only when those Self-Defense Team soldiers came within a few dozen meters that they seemed to be stricken with an unknown toxin, their bodies losing control and lying on the ground, unable even to breathe, feeling their consciousness being swallowed by suffocation. The followers finally realized something was off and exclaimed in panic, ¡°Biological toxin, there¡¯s a biological toxin here! Put on masks, quickly put on masks.¡± The helicopter above, also cautious of the nearby Self-Defense Teams¡¯ armed armored vehicles, didn¡¯t initiate the attack right away. This delay proved to be too late. Because Brian had already gotten his hands on the anti-aircraft machine guns on the armored vehicle! He had targeted this place first precisely because of these weapons that could threaten his life. The young officer didn¡¯t wait to give another command. Brian lifted the anti-aircraft machine gun, as tall as himself, aimed at the helicopter overhead, and pulled the trigger. Da da da~ The muzzle flamed, spitting fire over half a meter. Bullets, a circle thicker than a normal person¡¯s thumb and twenty centimeters long, shot out as if guided, piercing through the helicopter¡¯s cockpit and missile pods. Boom~ One by one, the costly armed helicopters fell like targets to Brian¡¯s gunfire. The immense recoil of the machine gun, acting on his exaggerated physical strength, practically turned into a recoilless weapon, with bullets so precise it was as if he was using aim assist. In the blink of an eye. Seven or eight armed helicopters in the sky turned into wreckage, either blowing up on their own or losing control and crashing into the lakeside or the lake surface. ¡°And those buzzing little bugs!¡± Brian swung the gun barrel toward the Self-Defense Team¡¯s densest area. Bang bang bang~ Bursts of blood mist exploded. The Bullet-Proof Vests on the soldiers were practically no different from torn fabric, not even able to preserve whole bodies, as the machine gun shells tore them into bloody remnants, the scene extremely brutal. After shooting, he switched guns! Getting aroused by the killing. Brian leaped onto the roof of the vehicle, killing anyone he saw, blowing up every vehicle he aimed at. He had become the invincible cheat code version of Grand Theft Auto in reality. In just over a minute. Brian had emptied all the anti-aircraft machine gun bullets around him. A few hundred members of the Self-Defense Team hadn¡¯t even had time to pull their triggers before being shot dead or scattered; any head that poked out was instantaneously targeted. Even those seven or eight hundred meters away couldn¡¯t escape Brian¡¯s Eagle Eye + Supercomputer Perception ballistic correction, and all met a gruesome death, plunging the scene into deadly silence. Some survivors, in just a short while, witnessed their comrades die horribly, turning the scene into a bloody slaughterhouse. They either lay on the ground scared out of their wits, mentally unhinged, screaming madly, or were so overcome by the strong smell of blood that they couldn¡¯t stop vomiting, fragile enough to want to call for their mothers. .. Listening to the dead silence and static in the communication channel. The young officer and the group around him felt cold inside. Hundreds of elite modern soldiers gone just like that? Even slaughtering chickens isn¡¯t this quick, right? Brian dropped the machine gun in his hands, took clothes off a soldier killed by neurotoxin, wrapped them casually around his waist, then drew a Small Tachi and charged at them. Seeing the enemy turn into an afterimage and dash over with exaggerated speed, the young officer knew the enemy deliberately spared them. There was no way to escape from that exaggerated speed! He drew his Small Tachi, face twisted with ferocity, ¡°Fight to the death!¡± Some tried to run. Whoosh~ The blade glinted sharply. The soldier attempting to escape was sliced in two by the young officer, his mangled body struggling on the ground, crying out in agony, the sound piercing. This also deterred the remaining soldiers. They gritted their teeth and pulled the trigger towards Brian rushing over from several hundred meters away. Clang clang clang~ Countless bullets were flicked away and blocked by Brian using his blade. This Small Tachi, passed down from Yamamoto Taku, its material so tough that even as the blade became worn and ragged, the sword itself remained firm. Getting used to bullet impact. Brian could even use slight adjustments in blade angle to effortlessly divert those bullets, grazing past the sword and reducing the impact on himself. The powerful recoil, spreading throughout his body from his palm, was absorbed by his muscles, which surged like waves. Other than creating a visible circular blade shadow zone of absolute defense, not a single bullet could hit him. Several elite snipers, armed with modified sniper rifles, tried to take their cold shots in desperation but found, even as soldiers with enhanced dynamic vision, they couldn¡¯t hit that conspicuous storm of blades. His dynamic vision was more exaggerated than theirs. Every time they fired, he would immediately dodge their large-caliber sniper and armor-piercing bullets. It was useless if bullets couldn¡¯t hit him, even if they could penetrate steel! What can you do against such an enemy, other than bombard with missiles or cover with anti-aircraft gunfire? .. Apart from those machine gun bullet rains. Brian charged wildly, like a python pouncing on its prey, emitting a suffocating sense of despair. Was facing this kind of monster¡¯s charge any different from watching a truck plow towards you? Despair! Utter despair! This time, even the junior officer¡¯s ruthless execution could not suppress those soldiers from throwing down their weapons and fleeing heedlessly. Chapter 463 - 463 266 One Man Destroys the Army Thousand Enemies Slain_3 ?463: Chapter 266: One Man Destroys the Army, Thousand Enemies Slain_3 463: Chapter 266: One Man Destroys the Army, Thousand Enemies Slain_3 ¡°Damn it!¡± Watching as Brian was about to charge in front of him, the young officer left his last words through the communication device, ¡°The enemy is too strong. XX unit defeated, all troops shattered. Coordinates XX, XX, requesting artillery coverage...¡± As soon as he finished speaking. Boom~ A violent Gang Wind grazed by the figure of the young officer and rushed into the midst of the fleeing soldiers, the glint of the blade like a silver wheel, raising a mist of blood... The young officer¡¯s eyes caught fleeting dotted lines that vanished in a flash. With all his might, he exploded with a final desperate ¡®assassination¡¯ strike, aiming to follow those fleeting lines to slash at Brian¡¯s back. Clang~ The blade broke, and hands flew. The young officer, stunned, looked down to see a delayed cut mark appear on both his hands and feet. Then his torso fell, and he could only wriggle on the ground like a worm, emitting painful and unwilling roars. In just an instant, He had his limbs and tachi severed by Brian, utterly powerless to fight back! More than a minute later, Brian, having just slaughtered over a hundred more people, stepped on the bloodied soil, holding a confiscated heavy sniper rifle, and came before the young officer, looking down at him, ¡°A child of the Yagyuu family?¡± He had seen the young officer¡¯s portrait in the ¡®obsession¡¯ information of Yamamoto Taku. That was the only reason the young officer was still alive. Such a pity about that Small Tachi of Yamamoto Taku. After undergoing a baptism of gunfire, The Small Tachi Brian had been happily using to chop people finally broke from the burden. The young officer laughed madly, ¡°Kill me, haha, kill me, my father will kill you with his own hands.¡± ¡°That would be good. I..¡± Brian was about to say something more when he suddenly looked up toward the opposite shore of the lake. He saw figures from the Ninja Sect leaping onto the buildings where the Extremist Dojo used to be, watching from afar. The young officer struggled to lift his head. When he saw what was happening, he laughed even louder, ¡°Those are all master ninjas of the Ninja Sect. You are doomed, you¡¯re dead! You... uh!¡± Brian pressed the noisy little bug¡¯s head into the bloodied water, picked up the sniper rifle in his hand, and pulled the trigger directly. Bang~ More than a thousand meters away, a ninja who had just jumped onto the rooftop didn¡¯t even know what had happened when he was decapitated, his headless body like a dead dog crashing to the ground. ¡°Retreat!¡± People never expected Brian to be able to snipe from such a distance. Without hesitation, they immediately leaped from the building, wanting to escape. Bang bang bang~ Some were directly turned into a mist of blood mid-air. Others had just jumped off the rooftop when they were shot in half through the wooden walls by special sniper bullets.. The enhanced heavyweight sniper rifle, a gun that could dislocate an arm with the recoil of a single shot, turned into an automatic rifle in Brian¡¯s hands. In the span of five or six seconds, he emptied the clip, killing or maiming ten ninjas who had rushed over from the base. The few lucky survivors, not even daring to help their still-breathing comrades, fled disgracefully back towards the base. Brian replaced the magazine. Fired again. Through his vision, the entire world became a data domain. With his thoughts racing at ultra-high speed, his perception of all things controlled his precision gun adjustments and predictive firing. The last escapee, having reached nearly two thousand meters away, thought he had evaded the Grim Reaper. Whoosh~ A bullet, on an unstable arc, hit him right in the chest. The distance was too great, so the special sniper rifle bullet that could blow up a body only blasted a hole in his chest this time. He stood there, stunned, reaching to touch his chest only to find a handful of viscera... ¡°I¡¯ve been shot?¡± ¡°This far away, I¡¯ve been shot!¡± With disbelief, this fastest-running ninja¡¯s eyes widened, facing the base, he knelt on the ground, losing his breath. ... ¡°All the small fry are dead.¡± Brian tossed aside the sniper rifle that was somewhat deformed from the heat, picking up the young officer¡¯s torso, ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s too lonely for you to have a one-way trip alone. Too cruel.¡± ¡°Nani (what)?¡± Before the young officer realized what Brian meant, he was knocked out by Brian. The young officer¡¯s communication device emitted a commanding voice, ¡°Attacker! More than forty heavy artillery are already targeting this location. Release Yagyuu Nuiichi, surrender, or you will experience the true Destruction Power of the military!¡± Heavy artillery could turn a whole soccer field into ruins in an instant. This is a tourist area, but close to the Extremist Dojo. Other than on open days, it¡¯s usually not crowded, and the few visitors had long fled during the battle. They really dared to bombard this place directly. Yet Brian sneered contemptuously, ¡°Come on, at worst I¡¯ll dive into the lake before me, then sneak into Tokyo City. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing you bomb the city with artillery, or maybe switch to a Nuclear Bomb. Ask your father to deploy it, and let everything become peaceful.¡± His words, like a knife, plunged straight into the heart of the other side. Why, with the terror of modern weapons, do the high-ranking still hold enhancers in such high regard? What Brian was doing was a living example. The wilderness is one thing. To try and surround and kill such beings in a densely populated city is too difficult; heavy weapons can¡¯t be used for fear of collateral damage, and light weapons are ineffective. Struggling to contain his anger, the man said, ¡°Who exactly are you, and what are your demands?¡± ¡°Dark Sect, Shinnozuke! As for demands, you will know soon enough, hehehe!¡± Brian let out a strange laugh, grabbing Yagyuu Nuiichi, and leaped over ten meters, heading towards Tokyo¡¯s city center... He was rare to visit Japan and he was quite busy! Chapter 464 - 464 267 Burning the Shrine Slaying Kojirou! ?464: Chapter 267: Burning the Shrine, Slaying Kojirou! 464: Chapter 267: Burning the Shrine, Slaying Kojirou! ¡°Damn it!¡± At a military base, a short old man smashed the satellite surveillance console with a punch, frightening everyone around into silence. The broken screen clearly displayed the enemy¡¯s moving speed. Brian was carrying someone and running at a speed reaching forty to fifty meters per second. Such a monster, once it enters a densely populated urban area, is a disaster. It must be stopped! The old man took a deep breath and looked to his subordinates, ¡°What did the people at the Ninja Sect base say?¡± A young man with glasses, concealing his fear, spoke up, ¡°They said the Elder Council members all have important matters and can¡¯t make a move at the moment. They suggest we contact the head of the Yagyuu family directly.¡± ¡°Those bastards!¡± The old man cursed angrily. Didn¡¯t he want Yagyuu Kojirou to take action? The problem was he dared not ask! Yagyuu Kojirou was too domineering and acted so insanely that he had attracted a lot of dissatisfaction and even hatred, maintaining his power only by suppressing them with his overwhelming strength, so no one dared to challenge him. The few old immortals who had the strength to suppress Yagyuu Kojirou mostly spent their time asleep to reduce energy consumption. This also gave rise to Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s current tyrannical character. If the old man asked for help and the other party responded, ¡°Are you telling me what to do?¡± And then silenced him with a single stroke, what was he to do? Out of helplessness, the old man suppressed his anger and continued, ¡°What is the head of the Yagyuu family¡¯s response? His son was just kidnapped by the attacker.¡± The young man glanced at the computer, his complexion grim, ¡°The head of the Yagyuu family doesn¡¯t care about his son Nuiichi¡¯s predicament, nor is he worried that Yagyuu Nuiichi might divulge the secrets of the Yagyuu family. Also, the artillery corps is asking for new bombing coordinates.¡± ¡°Bomb my ass, I would have had them bomb already if it was that simple!¡± The more the old man thought, the more frustrated he became. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that Yagyuu Nuiichi was captured alive, I...¡± Suddenly, he paused mid-sentence. Yagyuu Nuiichi! Son of Yagyuu Kojirou! Right, why did the attacker let Yagyuu Nuiichi go? The ancestral mansion of the Yagyuu family is located right in Tokyo City. Could it be that the real target is actually the Yagyuu family? The old man quickly looked at the screen covered in cracks that he had punched, barely able to make out the direction the enemy was heading¡ªit was directly towards the residence of the Yagyuu family. Seeing this, he smirked coldly. Yagyuu Kojirou, you don¡¯t care about your son¡¯s life or the Empire¡¯s face, fine, but when the enemy knocks on your door, let¡¯s see if you can still be so indifferent! The old man looked at his subordinates who were waiting for his command and said, ¡°Tell the Self-defense Team to go back, have the armed helicopters on standby, and send the elite forces to the Yagyuu family¡¯s ancestral mansion, await further orders. Also prepare to start public relations, to shift the public¡¯s attention away from Mount Fuji!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± A group of subordinates bowed in response with uniformity, indicating their well-practiced discipline. The old man nodded, restoring calm. He didn¡¯t create much of a scene. The reason was simple. Although he didn¡¯t like Yagyuu Kojirou, he recognized the strength of this madman. It was a reputation built on one massacre after another. The attacker seeking out Yagyuu Kojirou was akin to seeking death! ... Elsewhere. Brian, carrying the unconscious Yagyuu Nuiichi, turned into an afterimage, rushing at a speed imperceptible to ordinary people to an unoccupied yard. He first found some clothes to change into, then woke up the unconscious Yagyuu Nuiichi. Yagyuu Nuiichi was no ordinary person; even with all his limbs chopped off and suffering severe blood loss, there was still no danger to his life, the wounds were already clotting and starting to heal on their own. After a few ¡°gentle¡± slaps from Brian. With his face swollen up like a pig¡¯s head, Yagyuu Nuiichi struggled to stand, supporting himself with his abdominal muscles. He glanced around and said, somewhat disappointedly, ¡°It seems the cowards of the Empire didn¡¯t dare to bomb you directly while you were slaughtering us.¡± Yagyuu Nuiichi¡¯s posture was strange, like a legless snake relying entirely on body muscles to maintain balance. ¡°At least you lived a little longer, right?¡± Brian took out a white cloth, wiping his hands, ¡°Tell me, where is your father, Yagyuu Kojirou, now?¡± ¡°I...¡± Yagyuu Nuiichi still wanted to mock Brian. Suddenly, his voice paused, and the look in his eyes when he saw Brian changed. It was a very strange feeling. Yagyuu Nuiichi didn¡¯t know how to describe it; it was like the longer he looked at Brian, the more pleasing he became. In just a few seconds, his attitude shifted from hostile to infatuated, and his consciousness even seemed a bit foggy, ¡°Mother, I see you again, sob, mother...¡± Brian: ... I am a male Enchanting Demon. I¡¯m not your mother! Yes, in the interest of saving time, he had activated his Enchanting Demon talent, allowing the pheromones he emitted to target the scent on Yagyuu Nuiichi¡¯s body, creating a sort of Charming power akin to love at first sight. Ordinarily, Yagyuu Nuiichi would subconsciously treat Brian as the person he liked the most. Shouting ¡°Mother¡± what the heck? Alright... Brian was also an experienced hand, first taken aback, then realizing that Yagyuu Nuiichi had been stimulated by the pheromones he emitted, exposing his own preferences. He was somewhat amused. True to the Yagyuu family, not one of them was normal. True freaks. Brian didn¡¯t bother correcting Yagyuu Nuiichi¡¯s misconception. He asked again, ¡°Where is Yagyuu Kojirou?¡± At the mention of the name Yagyuu Kojirou, hatred flashed through Nuiichi¡¯s obsessed eyes, ¡°That old immortal is in the ancestral mansion; the whole family is in the mansion, we¡¯re just his playthings. But he had me prepare a submarine to take a trip to Brazil, to devour the hidden master of the Dark Sect. I¡¯m not certain when he¡¯ll leave.¡± Chapter 465 - 465 267 Burning the Shrine Slaying Kojirou!_2 ?465: Chapter 267: Burning the Shrine, Slaying Kojirou!_2 465: Chapter 267: Burning the Shrine, Slaying Kojirou!_2 ¡°Nothing serious, thanks for the information.¡± Brian mischievously retracted the pheromones he had been emitting. Yagyuu Nuiichi¡¯s eyes were at first blank, then he realized what had happened and looked at Brian with a fierce gaze, ¡°Bastard! What the hell did you do to me!¡± ¡°I satisfied a little boy¡¯s obsession with his mother.¡± Brian slapped him across the face. With a skillful blow, Yagyuu Nuiichi¡¯s head spun around noisily, and finally, with his neck twisted, his face toward his back, his eyes wide open in death. Politeness personified, Brian added a line to the corpse, ¡°No need to thank me.¡± The next moment. Two Obsession Little Balls emerged from Yagyuu Nuiichi¡¯s corpse. Brian was slightly surprised. A double blast? Not bad, really not bad. .. The Obsession Little Balls, one a deeper color, the other lighter. Brian crushed the two spheres and examined each one. Yagyuu Nuiichi¡¯s Obsession One: Kill the damned attacker and silence them. I must not let anyone know of my mother complex! My mother is forever pure! Gift One: 20 units of Gift Energy. Gift Two: 1 unit of Gift Energy + a weakened version of Heart Eye. Behind the obsession, there was also Brian¡¯s true portrait. Brian: .. If you want to keep your innocence, keep it; why try to silence me? I¡¯m not one to gossip! However, this obsession unexpectedly informed Brian that even if he killed the obsession person before, in a disguised state, and they were unaware of his true appearance, the information feedback from the obsession still showed his real face. That¡¯s quite interesting, hadn¡¯t noticed that before. Such obsessions, naturally, Brian couldn¡¯t fulfill. He continued to look at Yagyuu Nuiichi¡¯s second obsession: Kill Yagyuu Kojirou and torture him! Gift One: 52 units of Gift Energy. Gift Two: 1 unit of Gift Energy + Body Control. This obsession, Brian liked very much. It was this guy who, compared to Yagyuu Ittou, lacked potential after all. Adding up both obsessions, there were only 72 units of Gift Energy. Despite his talent not seeming weak, he wasn¡¯t even First Rank life, clearly his spiritual will was very weak. What a waste. He spat at the corpse. As the body hissed and rotted away, Brian changed his appearance and mingled into the crowd. After several changes of disguise and appearance. Brian made sure he had lost the satellite¡¯s track before he put on a middle schooler¡¯s clothes, turning into a fresh young face, and got a ride from a lascivious housewife, heading towards the city center. .. Twenty minutes later. Brian arrived at his destination. ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Sansheng.¡± Brian politely thanked the middle-aged woman who had complained all the way about her useless husband and kept dropping hints, then hurried towards the shrine in front. ¡°Hey Shinnozuke, remember to come to my place tonight..¡± The middle-aged obasan stuck her head out and shouted at Brian¡¯s retreating back, unwilling to give up on this young man who seemed a bit submissive. She didn¡¯t believe that with her ample experience and offering herself for free, she couldn¡¯t capture this adolescent boy. The next moment. Her wide-open mouth froze, staring vacantly ahead. She saw the ¡®young man¡¯ who had run to the side of the J domain shrine, apparently annoyed, suddenly pull out several black items from his pocket and accurately throw them inside. That was not enough for him. He actually went to a streetlight, broke it off forcefully and used it like a club to flip over cars and tore off their fuel tanks barehanded, throwing them toward the interior of the shrine. Streetlights, broken! Flipping vehicles! Is this an Ultraman filming site? Before the bystanders and the housewife could react, screams and explosions followed from inside the shrine. ¡°I must be dreaming!¡± The housewife turned the car around without delay, no longer caring about catching a young man, panic-stricken, even hitting and sending pedestrians fleeing in her haste without slowing down. She feared being mistaken as an accomplice to that monster. Some police officers on duty who saw Brian, single-handedly grabbing a multi-meter streetlamp and playing with lifting cars, were stunned. The ones with stronger mental fortitude just walked away. Facing such a monster, they couldn¡¯t even protect themselves, let alone the citizens. Those with weaker mental strength just sat paralyzed on the spot. And there were those with a stronger sense of duty, who suppressed their fear, drew their small handguns, and shouted at Brian, ¡°Stop or I¡¯m going to shoot!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Brian looked at the callow-faced policeman and nodded, ¡°Courageous.¡± As he finished speaking. The streetlamp in his hand made a whooshing sound as it brushed past the policeman¡¯s hands. The young officer felt pain in his hands holding the gun only to see it shattered into pieces, scattering across the ground... ¡°I¡¯m not dead?¡± The junior officer murmured, stunned in place. He was somewhat dazed. The heavy streetlamp pole felt like an agile baseball bat in the other man¡¯s hands. How could such a monster exist in reality? Brian dropped the bent streetlamp pole, walked up to him, and smiled politely, ¡°Got a light?¡± The junior officer dazedly shook his head. ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± Brian was about to ask someone else. Just then. Whoosh~ A kerosene metal lighter shot fiercely from in front. The speed was almost as fast as a bullet. Brian¡¯s right hand drew an afterimage, accurately catching the lighter while also disarming the inertia that would have made the metal lighter deform. He looked towards a handsome middle-aged man standing on the wall far away and nodded, ¡°Thank you.¡± Chapter 466 - 466 267 Burning the Shrine Slaying Kojirou!_3 ?466: Chapter 267: Burning the Shrine, Slaying Kojirou!_3 466: Chapter 267: Burning the Shrine, Slaying Kojirou!_3 Finished. Brian flicked his lighter, tossed it backward, and then without looking back, strode towards his opponent. The kerosene lighter fell precisely into a pile of oil drums. Boom~ The J-country shrine, flourishing in incense, turned into a roaring inferno under his deliberate gasoline sprinkling. ... The handsome middle-aged man who passed the lighter to Brian was none other than Yagyuu Kojirou, whose ancestral mansion was next door. Hearing the commotion, he immediately guessed the newcomer was the attacker who had raided the Extreme Path Sword Hall and taken away his son. Yagyuu Kojirou was not in a good state at the moment. So what if his son was gone. He had had hundreds of children; losing one or two was commonplace, and he could produce more at any time. Taking action himself would only lead to further loss of control. Unless necessary. Yagyuu Kojirou had no desire to act. Alas, his opponent was courting death. Eh. Yagyuu Kojirou sighed slightly. With a tachi slung on his waist and standing on his wooden clogs, he looked down at Brian who had arrived at his feet and stated confidently, ¡°You are not from the Dark Sect. You are from Hua Country, only Hua Country people would hate J-country shrines so much. It is the glory of the Empire, and your disgrace.¡± Brian extended a finger, placed it on his lips, and made a shushing gesture, ¡°The dead don¡¯t need to talk.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Yagyuu Kojirou nodded, suddenly drew his sword, and slashed through the air. Sword light flashed! Slash~ The air tore with a piercing noise, creating a hurricane-like high pressure. Brian reacted quickly. With a swift move, he dodged a fierce Gang Wind. The next moment, Screams resounded. A terrifying sword mark extended more than ten meters behind where Brian had been standing, slicing open the concrete and steel reinforcements of the ground, cutting vehicles and their unfortunate passengers in half! Looking at the sword mark behind him, Brian was somewhat taken aback. Too exaggerated! Such a method of attack was similar to the principle of a high-pressure water jet. How fast must this guy¡¯s sword speed be to turn sword pressure into an attack resembling blade energy? Yagyuu Kojirou was definitely the strongest expert he had ever met! ¡°Not bad speed.¡± Yagyuu Kojirou, seeing that Brian dodged his attack, showed a hint of interest in his eyes. Both hands on his sword, he assumed an attacking posture and chuckled lightly, ¡°But still not good enough, you are too slow!¡± His voice had barely faded when Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s figure vanished from the enclosing walls. ¡°So fast!¡± Brian was shocked and dodged yet another slash aimed at his neck. Both their speeds were so fast that ordinary people could see only two blurry afterimages moving at high speed, unable to discern what it was! Afterimages crossed. Endless sword light shone in the clear daytime sky. Brian dodged left and right, but a strange viscosity of the air entangled him. As his opponent¡¯s drawing speed increased, so did the enveloping air pressure, making him slower and slower. Just as he was about to be slashed. Brian¡¯s leg muscles swelled instantly, leaving two deeply cracked footprints on the ground, propelling him into an afterimage that jumped over ten meters into the air. He drew a deep breath and roared down furiously, ¡°Scram!¡± Boom~ Rings of visible air circles exploded from his mouth, becoming shockwaves that swept forward. A peculiar scene arose. The supersonic shockwaves disappeared as they approached Yagyuu Kojirou, only managing to lift the dust from the ground and shatter the glass of nearby buildings. ¡°Playing with sonic attacks in my ¡®Vacuum Domain¡¯?¡± Yagyuu Kojirou sneered, ¡°Game over, kid.¡± In battle, the greatest taboo is to be airborne. Along countless dotted lines, his tachi seemed slow but was swift, charging through heavy phantoms and slashing towards Brian, who was already descending. The blade wind like Gang, howling as it instantly crossed over ten meters, striking the area between Brian¡¯s thighs as he began to fall. Rip¡ª An invisible Qi energy followed along Brian¡¯s thighs up to his face, a red line emerging, astonishingly cut by Wind Pressure Saber Gang. It neatly avoided his bones, splitting open his entire chest as if butchering meat. By the time Brian¡¯s feet touched the ground, his chest involuntarily bloomed like a blood-red flower. ¡°What a big heart.¡± Yagyuu Kojirou, seeing Brian¡¯s heart radiating intense heat waves and beating violently, had his eyes light up. As a gourmet, he instantly recognized the heart as a premium ingredient! Suddenly, Yagyuu Kojirou averted his gaze, frowning as he hefted his tachi again, ¡°A Mutant? Or a Beastification person with flesh modification?¡± In front of him, the man whose flesh was torn apart, the body undergoing a Mutation, grew numerous wriggling tentacles out of thin air, rejoining his bisected body, leaving only a faint pink scar on the surface. Yagyuu Kojirou was somewhat surprised by Brian¡¯s transformation, and Brian was equally amazed by Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s Sword Skill. This guy could actually slash out a momentary vacuum! Truly outrageous. ... It seems I need to get serious. Brian¡¯s figure started to slowly swell, ¡°I¡¯m getting serious now!¡± ¡°Serious?¡± Yagyuu Kojirou waved his Small Tachi, ¡°I was just warming up and almost killed you. What makes you think you have the right to speak of seriousness before me?¡± Brian didn¡¯t speak. He stared intently at Yagyuu Kojirou, blood roaring in his body like a river, the sound rushing loudly, and strands of dark blue muscles surfaced, muscles on his back like a ghastly face, and in the blink of an eye, he swelled into a terrifying little giant of two and a half meters. Chapter 467 - 467 267 Burning The Shrine Slashing Kojirou!_4 ?467: Chapter 267: Burning The Shrine, Slashing Kojirou!_4 467: Chapter 267: Burning The Shrine, Slashing Kojirou!_4 After his breakthrough, Brian in Bursting Clothes State became even more terrifying! Watching the heatwaves visibly distorting the air around the opponent, Yagyuu Kojirou felt the hair on his body stand on end. He abandoned his previously relaxed demeanor and murmured softly, ¡°This doesn¡¯t look good.¡± The next moment. Boom~ The sound of a sonic boom exploded in the void. Though his fist had not yet arrived, the exaggerated force of his punch had transformed into a howling Gang Wind, blowing Yagyuu Kojirou back uncontrollably. In an instant, his eyes turned a dreadful white, and he unleashed a slice following an invisible trajectory with his Ittou from the fierce pressure of the wind. The following instant. Brian¡¯s figure flashed, appearing right in front of the opponent¡¯s blade edge. Fist against blade. He was completely ready to trade life for life! Rip~ Brian¡¯s right hand split in two, the flesh and bones at the tip of his fist were directly severed, leaving only the remaining bones to scrape against the blade, crashing hard onto Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s face. Whoosh~ Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s head burst and deformed upon impact, his body shooting like a meteor, creating a thunderous sonic boom as it slammed into a high-rise building twenty meters away. Boom~ The entire building violently shook. Amidst clouds of dust, Yagyuu Kojirou, with his lopsided and drooping head, allowed brain matter and blood to flow ceaselessly from his distorted head. He staggered toward the dust, picking up his fallen sword from the ground. Beneath his torn clothes, his abdomen writhed as he let out a strange laugh, ¡°What terrific strength, it really hurts.¡± Looking at Yagyuu Kojirou, who resembled a ghost, Brian frowned. Was he this difficult to deal with? His strongest punch in Bursting Clothes State had blown Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s head to bits. The opponent¡¯s eyes, ears, nose, and brain matter, all had taken a severe beating! Despite such devastation, the opponent seemed unscathed? .. Rip. Yagyuu Kojirou forcibly tore off his own head and cast it to the ground. His headless body twisted a couple of times. A mass of white flesh spurted from the empty cavity of his neck, eventually solidifying into a new head. Everyone monitoring the battle via satellite was disturbed at this eerie scene. What kind of monster was Yagyuu Kojirou? But Brian remained expressionless. Bursting Clothes State was not his limit. Normal State, Bursting Clothes State, Desperate State... Even if Yagyuu Ichijirou was a monster, he was definitely even more terrifying than his opponent, and had no reason to fear him! Additionally, Brian felt a strange sense of familiarity with Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s condition. Suddenly. Brian¡¯s gaze fell upon the opponent¡¯s somewhat limp left hand. His eyes lit up with realization, ¡°I get it now.¡± If the head grows back and the left hand is limp... Isn¡¯t that just like Benjamin¡¯s sub-brain talent! Yagyuu Kojirou twisted his neck mockingly and taunted, ¡°What do you understand, little morsel?¡± Brian also revealed a ferocious smile, ¡°I know what you are now, little octopus!¡± The next moment. He didn¡¯t give Yagyuu Kojirou a chance to respond, instead, like a human-shaped tank, he picked up a sedan and charged savagely, directly slamming the unresisting Yagyuu Kojirou into the building ahead, blocking the overhead satellite¡¯s view. After more than ten seconds. Countless green mists billowed out from the trembling building, corroding the surrounding structures with a sizzling sound. For the first time, Yagyuu Kojirou let out a scream of misery worse than death. .. In the Basement of the commercial building. Brian casually tossed the twisted car to one side, stepping on the distorted mass of flesh wrapped in the green corrosive mist on the ground, ¡°Keep changing, damn you! Go on, grow another head, you trash!¡± ¡°Secrets.. Secrets..¡± The squirming mass of flesh uttered a faint voice, ¡°Spare me, I¡¯ll tell you the secret to immortality.¡± ¡°Go to hell with your secrets!¡± Brian lifted Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s katana and brought it down in one swift motion. Chapter 468 - 468 268 Abnormal Gift List Fusion Prototype Direct Death Demon Eye ?468: Chapter 268: Abnormal Gift List, Fusion: Prototype Direct Death Demon Eye 468: Chapter 268: Abnormal Gift List, Fusion: Prototype Direct Death Demon Eye Facing the temptation of immortality offered by Yagyuu Kojirou, Brian did not hesitate at all and His sword slashed down. The ground meatball split directly into two halves. A strange scene occurred. The meatball on the ground split into two, and while struggling, it tried to transform into two small figures approximately only over thirty centimeters long. The appearance of the small figures was vaguely similar to Yagyuu Kojirou. Under the corrosion of Brian¡¯s corrosive fog, these two figures melted like white wax, their flesh gradually dissolving and shrinking. They wore expressions of pain, mouths wide open, silently screaming and wailing, twisted and eerie. ¡°That¡¯s outrageous, isn¡¯t it?¡± Witnessing this scene, even Brian, who was well-versed in such sights, felt his mouth go dry. He guessed that Yagyuu Kojirou, like Benjamin, had fused with the Mutated Octopus from the seabed, gaining the ability of a sub-brain, but he did not expect the process to be so bizarre. This was different from the states displayed through the talent simulations by Benjamin and Brian. The silent wails continued for a good thirty seconds. With no strength left to resist and unable to defend with their flesh, the remaining flesh of Yagyuu Kojirou resisted the corrosion for a good thirty seconds before completely dissolving into a darker puddle of liquid. The liquid kept evaporating. Above the foul-smelling white steam, an almost dark Obsession Little Ball slowly formed. It was done! Almost simultaneously, three warm currents surged within Brian¡¯s body, representing the completion of another three obsessions. Brian excitedly clenched his fist. This trip to Japan was a huge profit! Take off! .. Initially, Brian didn¡¯t bother with the Gifts after completing the obsessions. He immediately crushed the Obsession Little Ball of Yagyuu Kojirou. A dark rainbow light shot into his eyes, transforming into a flood of information in his mind: Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s Obsession: ¡°My heart as my blade, all things shall be severed!¡± Brian: ? He didn¡¯t quite understand this obsession. Patiently, Brian continued to read. After the obsession, came the Gifts. Gift One: 299 units of Gift Energy Gift Two: 1 unit of Gift Energy + Plunder Gift Three: 1 unit of Gift Energy + Four Brains Gift Four: 1 unit of Gift Energy + Extreme Heart (Sword) Gift Five: 1 unit of Gift Energy + Heart Eye (Extreme) Gift Six: 1 unit of Gift Energy + Body Activation (Extreme) Gift Seven: .. ... Gift Eighteen: 280 units of Gift Energy + Quirk .. Looking at this long list of Gifts, Brian took a sharp intake of breath. Luxurious! Too luxurious! 299 units of Gift Energy, since the Blood Moon, besides Benjamin¡¯s 300, was among the highest he had encountered! As for the talents... Let¡¯s see, the previous Gifts came with a mandatory unit of Gift Energy, giving just one talent, implying that these talents¡¯ latent value amounted to 298 units of Gift Energy, the strongest he had seen! In gaming terms, that meant opening a treasure chest full of legendary gold items! Absolutely insane! Brian then felt a pang of heartache. With so many Gifts, he could only choose one. And right now, he was somewhat confused about what Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s obsession really was. This place was not benign. There wasn¡¯t much time for Brian to dwell. He forcibly suppressed the chaos in his heart and started to examine the details of these talents. [Plunder: ¡°Your talent is fine, once I eat you, it¡¯s mine!¡± Note: The Plunder talent may cause severe side effects; stronger physical conditions weaken the side effects and genetic rejection...] [Four Brains: You have four heads. When your main brain is damaged, the sub-brain rapidly transforms into a new main brain, bearing your consciousness. Each transformation releases a vast amount of stored energy from the sub-brain cells to sustain your life. Each loss of a head requires a significant amount of time to regenerate. Note: Rapid, consecutive brain changes may lead to a loss of consciousness. Lack of energy might cause the sub-brain, under its instinct, to compete with the main brain for nutrition, even possibly giving birth to a new consciousness. Ensure stable energy provision for your body, or you may be replaced by a new version of yourself!] [Extreme Heart (Sword): Ruthless training from childhood left your character extremely radical. You personally slew your parents, honing the Extreme Intent. Under the will of Extreme Intent, your heart never wavers. Any existence daring to defy you will be killed! Your conviction allows you to unleash your body¡¯s most extreme strength in a normal state. Note: Under the influence of Extreme Intent, your emotions become cold and biased, extremely self-centered. The existence of the sub-brain significantly suppresses this talent.] [Heart Eye (Extreme): You devoured hundreds of your offspring, stealing their purpose-trained Heart Eye talent through the Plunder talent. Little by little, this talent has reached a certain limit. When you activate this talent, your eyes can see the path to Silence. Note: This talent is affected by Spiritual Strength; activation may alter your eyes¡¯ appearance.] [Body Activation (Extreme): You devoured numerous kinsmen. You devoured high-level genetic creatures. Your cells have mutated. You can store a large amount of energy in your body, which can be burned all at once when needed, obtaining a massive life force supplement, accelerating the rate of cell division... Note: You lack the key to activating special genes. Each use of this ability will reduce the maximum lifespan of your cells by a percentage.] [Body Control:...] ... [Quirk: The twisted you can derive ultimate pleasure from some bizarre actions; the more corrupted, the more joyful, significantly reducing your risk of losing control. Chapter 469 - 469 268 Abnormal Gift List Fusion Prototype Direct Death Demon Eye_2 ?469: Chapter 268: Abnormal Gift List, Fusion: Prototype Direct Death Demon Eye_2 469: Chapter 268: Abnormal Gift List, Fusion: Prototype Direct Death Demon Eye_2 Note: Your happiness threshold will continually rise. The more challenging ethical issues are, the stronger the effect.] .. Brian looked over each talent one by one, finishing the list. It was too shocking. The talents of Yagyuu Kojirou were the first to make Brian realize he wasn¡¯t the only one favored by the Blood Moon. In Yagyuu Kojirou, Brian saw a bit of his own reflection! Yagyuu Kojirou must be a Mutant like himself! The other¡¯s Mutation talent must definitely be Plunder! It was because of this talent that Yagyuu Kojirou possessed so many talents. The only difference was that this Plunder talent was too disgusting. Devouring the corpses of Mutant Beasts was something Brian could accept. But going by the talent description, Yagyuu Kojirou definitely used his own children as main subjects, to reduce the negative side-effects that come with using the Plunder talent. Moreover, this Plunder talent was uncontrollable. Otherwise, Yagyuu Kojirou wouldn¡¯t have coveted a talent like ¡®Four Lives¡¯ despite having ¡®Extreme Will,¡¯ ending up ruining one of his own powerful talents. Take a look at the description for the ¡®Extreme Will¡¯ talent: simply put, regular attacks are like ultimate moves. Will is also the primary weapon for Mutants to fight against Mutation. Look at Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s fate. The guy was doing alright at first, but as he neared death, he began to beg for mercy. Without a fighting will that accepted death, it¡¯s difficult to fully realize one¡¯s combat potential. Begging for mercy is not something a strong person would do. They only seek every opportunity to turn the tide during crises, and even if there¡¯s no chance, they¡¯d make the greatest effort to inflict damage on their opponent. From these two talent descriptions, Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s peak was definitely stronger than he is now. Pursuing the Big Octopus¡¯ talent completely backfired on him. .. However, ¡®Plunder,¡¯ ¡®Four Lives,¡¯ ¡®Body Activation¡¯, and ¡®Extreme Will¡¯ are all too extreme, with significant repercussions. Brian coveted them, but didn¡¯t really want them. He was more partial to Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s ¡®Heart Eye¡¯ talent. Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s son, Yagyuu Ittou, also had this talent, which was another target for Brian. Turned out his father was even more exaggerated. What does it mean to be able to see the trajectory of all things returning to Silence? Isn¡¯t that just the Direct Death Demon Eye? Of course, Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s Heart Eye was definitely not as exaggerated, otherwise Brian would have been slain by a single slash already. ¡°If I can complete the obsession, I¡¯ll take this Heart Eye talent!¡± With a bit of anticipation, Brian finally looked at Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s last obsession clue. If the clue was also unclear, then he would have a real headache. This time, the clue was different from the rest. When Brian received it, he actually saw Yagyuu Kojirou sitting cross-legged under a waterfall. He looked at the waterfall with vacant eyes, muttering to himself, ¡°Ever since I devoured that Big Octopus, my blade has never been as sharp as before...¡± Suddenly, Yagyuu Kojirou turned to look into the void, as if he could see Brian, a mere Consciousness, and spoke, ¡°Where is my path?¡± Brian didn¡¯t expect that Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s obsession clue could communicate. He thought for a moment and squarely said, ¡°Your Sword Path is one of heart like a blade, Cuts Through Anything, an extreme path of life and death without retreat. Now that you know you have multiple lives, you have ways out, and in facing extreme situations, you have more chances to escape, so your Extreme Heart has become powerless.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it is,¡± Yagyuu Kojirou nodded, his form dissipating. The next moment, Brian naturally became aware of Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s obsession: finding the lost path of the Extreme. In human terms, that is to say, let him cultivate on his own to achieve the Extreme State of Mind, heart like a blade, that Cuts Through Anything. Having understood the obsession, Brian actually breathed a sigh of relief. Being able to complete it was good. To others, Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s obsession might seem absurd, possibly unachievable in their lifetimes. The reason is simple. Belief needs to be nurtured. It¡¯s difficult to deceive oneself. Achieving an Extreme State of Mind, heart like a blade, that Cuts Through Anything is as difficult as a man with erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation telling himself he can last half an hour or an hour during activity, and then actually being able to do so. It¡¯s practically impossible. But Brian was different. He still had another Gift to claim, which was the lower-tier Heart Eye from Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s son, Yagyuu Ittou! With the lower-tier Heart Eye, he had a great chance to fulfill Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s obsession! .. With a smile on his lips, Brian opened the two Gift options he obtained after killing Yagyuu Kojirou. The first Gift came from Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s son, Yagyuu Ittou. Yagyuu Ittou¡¯s obsession: Slain his father Yagyuu Kojirou Gift One: 100 Gift Energy points Gift Two: 30 Gift Energy points + Dual-Mind Gift Three: 10 Gift Energy points + Heart Eye Gift Four: 10 Gift Energy points + Body Activation Without the slightest hesitation, Brian directly chose Gift Three. The lower-tier Heart Eye could significantly help him fulfill Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s obsession. As for the remaining three options, only the 100 energy points were somewhat useful, the rest of the talents were stronger in Brian¡¯s possession. After making his choice, the next moment, Brian felt his eyes slightly warming up, prompting him to close them instinctively. After a few seconds, When Brian opened his eyes again, the world had changed. Within his already exaggerated visual range, all things gained some faint, fleeting dashed lines. Chapter 470 - 470 268 A Perverted Gift List Fusion Semi-Finished Direct Death Demon Eye_3 ?470: Chapter 268: A Perverted Gift List, Fusion: Semi-Finished Direct Death Demon Eye_3 470: Chapter 268: A Perverted Gift List, Fusion: Semi-Finished Direct Death Demon Eye_3 For instance, he could see the weak areas of car bodies in the parking lot, the uneven stress points of the concrete overhead, the overall stress points of concrete support pillars... These areas were the most vulnerable parts of these objects. The sensation was curious, akin to a Sixth Sense, yet he could actually see the faint virtual lines. Even an ordinary person, striking along these lines, could achieve effects similar to vital-point attacks. Of course, whether it was effective was another matter. After all, an average person punching the weak spot of a concrete support pillar couldn¡¯t possibly break it. It was only on a monster like Brian that such a talent could be utilized. Imagine. When you realized you could cut through anything with the blade in your hand, that belief in ¡°Cuts Through Anything¡± would naturally cultivate. Perhaps this was why Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s swordsmanship had formed. ... Brian felt the peculiarities of the Heart Eye Talent for a moment, not wasting much time, and looked toward the second Gift. The second Gift originated from an elderly team leader who came to provide support; he too was a First Rank life form. The team leader¡¯s obsession: to kill Yagyuu Kojirou, to avenge the murder of his wife and child! Gift One: 110 points of Gift Energy. Gift Two: 70 points of Gift Energy + Master Blade Technique. Gift Three: 30 points of Gift Energy + Danger Perception. More fighting was to come. Brian didn¡¯t hesitate and directly chose Gift Three. Perhaps due to his already high Spiritual Strength, this time he just shuddered, his body hair uncontrollably stood on end for a moment, and then the talent absorption was finished. Brian understood. That sensation just now was probably the feedback from the Danger Perception Talent, similar to a Sixth Sense. After obtaining the ¡®Danger Perception¡¯ talent, Brian could feel that he was in a dangerous environment, as if some life-threatening entity had enveloped the area he was in. This wasn¡¯t hard to guess; it was definitely some major weapon of the Japanese government. Once the situation got out of control, his indiscriminate slaughter upon exiting would be met with the government¡¯s relentless destruction. Naturally, Brian wouldn¡¯t do such a foolish thing. Once his mental state was more stable, he set his action plan. While the people outside were still watching... Brian hurried to check the last Gift. This Gift was left by the young military officer, Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s son, Yagyuu Nuiichi. He burst forth with two obsessions. One was to silence Brian, which Brian flatly rejected. The other was to dismember his father Yagyuu Kojirou. Brian¡¯s earlier used flesh-corroding poison had a similar dismembering effect on Yagyuu Kojirou, so it was judged as having completed Yagyuu Nuiichi¡¯s obsession. The opponent¡¯s Gift wasn¡¯t very impressive. Brian simply chose the option of 52 units of Gift Energy. ... Listening to the buzzing of drones hundreds of meters high in the air, Brian glanced at the underground parking lot that his green mist had corroded away, causing a power outage, picked up Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s katana, wrapped it around his body with a torn cloth, jumped back up, and walked outside. With each step he took forward, even the details such as his figure and hair underwent clear transformation. By the time Brian walked out of the broken exit of the building, he had completely taken on the appearance of Yagyuu Kojirou. Upon seeing someone emerge, countless gazes focused on Brian. Brian also glanced at the living creatures in his field of view, then slightly furrowed his brows. Yagyuu Ittou¡¯s ¡®Heart Eye¡¯ version was still somewhat low. It was fine when observing inanimate objects in the underground garage. But looking at living things, those vague and elusive lines gave a delayed impression, greatly diminishing the effect. It could be used, but it left Brian somewhat disappointed. That meant what he believed to be a real-life version of Direct Death Demon Eye was currently only a half-finished product. He must quickly complete Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s obsession! .. Maintaining Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s appearance, Brian walked out calmly and steadily. He wasn¡¯t planning to leave directly. There was still one high-quality obsession unfinished! After completing that obsession and receiving the Gift, perhaps completing Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s obsession would be easier for him. Chapter 471 - 471 269 Annihilation Return ?471: Chapter 269: Annihilation, Return 471: Chapter 269: Annihilation, Return Those drones and satellites in the sky saw the fog within the building disperse, and only when Yagyuu Kojirou walked out did some rejoice while others despaired. Inside the base, the old man who had been attentively observing finally breathed a sigh of relief. Yagyuu Kojirou might be somewhat deranged, but his strength was real. The attacker, ignorant of his own death, had chosen Kojirou as his opponent, essentially courting death. Just... The thought of the horrifying scene where Kojirou had torn off his old head to grow a new one made the old man¡¯s feelings complex once again. It was indeed a time when one could hardly tell humans from ghosts. But what of it? As long as Yagyuu Kojirou stayed in Japan, other nations would fear his unexpected beheadings, which would facilitate Japan¡¯s interactions with them. As for Kojirou¡¯s preference for person Q, his consumption of his own offspring, these were but minor indiscretions... Under heavy surveillance, Brian, carrying a Small Tachi, walked toward the Yagyuu family¡¯s ancestral mansion. The streets had already been cleared. The area was cordoned off with police barriers everywhere. As the battle ended, some in charge, licking their chops, wanted to approach and make contact with ¡®Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯ but were directly dismissed by Brian. His walking posture, voice, appearance, physique, and even his hairstyle were exactly the same as Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s. Not only did outsiders not notice anything amiss, but when Brian arrived at the Yagyuu ancestral mansion, nobody detected anything unusual either. The moment he stepped in, a group of waiting young women, dressed in Japanese kimonos, presented their buttocks and knelt down in unison, revealing an expanse of white beneath. Good lord. These were the so-called vacuum clothes. Unfortunately, Brian, having only gleaned from Yamamoto Taku¡¯s obsession that these were wives and maids seized by Kojirou, didn¡¯t know their specific details. So, he followed Kojirou¡¯s scent to a spacious hall and said to everyone, ¡°Have all the family members come over, I have something to say!¡± It took less than ten minutes. Roughly two to three hundred women, accompanied by some young children, ¡®calmly¡¯ gathered here. Brian: .. Hold on, where are your clothes? Are you so short on fabric? Only then did Brian find out how disgusting Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s ¡®Quirk¡¯ talent was. Before he could speak, These women and children had found their places. They adopted bizarre poses as if waiting to be ¡®blessed¡¯. Judging by their practiced manner, this was not the first time they had convened like this. That beast, Kojirou, had not even spared his own children. No wonder he controlled the entire family to stay here, and apart from his own kids, not a single other male was seen. In such an environment, the individuals produced were either perverted or mentally ill ¡ª there were no normal people. Brian sighed. He slowly rose to his feet. A colorless, odorless gas diffused from his body. Thud~ One body after another collapsed on the ground, unconscious. Having depleted the last of his anesthetic agent reserves, Brian drew his Tachi: ¡°You¡¯re all too tired living so twistedly; let me free you from this worldly purgatory..¡± Following the trajectory of his eyes, The blade¡¯s light was precise and sharp. Lives left without pain one after another. These Yagyuu family members became the first subjects of Brian¡¯s use of the Heart Eye talent. It was rare. With every life harvested, Brian felt a bit lighter in his heart. This was unlike his previous killings. This time, the act of murder was one of mercy. When the last life was extinguished, Brian also accomplished the obsession of Yamamoto Taku, the man known as the Sword Saint of Japan. Yamamoto Taku¡¯s obsession: To exterminate the Yagyuu family, in retribution for the heartache of losing a wife, a daughter-in-law, and granddaughters! Gift One: 150 points of Gift Energy. Gift Two: 70 points of Gift Energy + Grandmaster Blade Skill. Gift Three: 70 points of Gift Energy + Weak Heart Eye Gift Four: 50 points of Gift Energy + Energy Insight Eye Gift Five: 20 points of Gift Energy + Body Activation. His Gifts were not bad, any choice would do. Like the Energy Insight Eye, it was actually a kind of alternative Heart Eye that enabled one to see various wavelengths of light. In layman¡¯s terms, it meant being able to observe air fluctuations, enhancing dynamic vision. Combined with his Weak Heart Eye and Grandmaster Blade Skill, Yamamoto Taku¡¯s strength was actually not weak. After thinking it over, Brian still chose Gift Two, the Grandmaster Blade Skill. Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s Heart Eye (Extreme) could be applied to everything, including the intangible elements like wind and light. That was the reason why he could create a vacuum with his strikes. So for Brian, who currently wanted to quickly enhance his combat abilities, the most correct approach was to fulfill Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s obsession as soon as possible. The Grandmaster Blade Skill was no longer simply a technique; it was a kind of intuition derived from the pinnacle of sword skill, made possible by talent. This was not something Brian could easily master through mere bodily control. It required time for immersion. There was no better way to practice than to adopt the skills directly. With Brian¡¯s choice, His body and memory were flooded with a myriad of fundamental blade techniques, followed by a wealth of actual combat slashing practice, and lastly, an indescribable state of blade technique that allowed him to respond effortlessly in any situation. In terms of fantasy, it was as if when Brian once again picked up the Small Tachi, there was an illusion of perfect harmony, a unity of man and blade. ... As a conscientious Autopsy Officer. After committing a murder, Brian would often help clean up the corpse if the circumstances allowed, to prevent causing trouble for his colleagues later on. He piled the bodies up neatly together. During the process, he accidently picked up a few obsessions. The result was always the death of Yagyuu Kojirou... Brian conveniently pirated some Gift Energy. Feeling it was about enough. He tucked the trophy Small Tachi at his waist and walked out into the open with his head held high. Thanks to the notorious reputation of Yagyuu Kojirou, this time there wasn¡¯t even anyone nearby. Brian easily blended into the crowd, once again becoming an inconspicuous character, first retrieving the Crow Egg, then sneaking into the airport and finding a suitable flight to hide on the plane. An hour later. He felt the weightlessness as the plane took off. Brian gently caressed the uniquely textured Small Tachi in his hand and smiled faintly, ¡°This trip to Japan was really profitable. I¡¯ll have to come back more often in the future!¡± ... Night fell. After stowing away the Small Tachi, Brian returned to the hotel where he was staying with a frown. For someone with his keen sense of smell, the scents here were torturous. On the large bed in the suite. Catwoman Sandy was lying on the bed playing with her phone, her legs kicking in the air in sync with her playfully swaying tail. Suddenly. She looked like a cat whose fur had just puffed up, her eyes wide with terror, staring at the open window! Such a strong stench of blood! The next moment. A palm grabbed the window ledge and forcefully pulled. Thud~ The ground trembled slightly. Brian¡¯s figure appeared in front of Sandy. Hearing the noise, he was somewhat speechless. His physique had reached 1.4; he had gotten heavier. Even with shoes on and using skilled techniques, it was difficult to move without making a sound. ¡°Brian?¡± Sandy, curled up on the bed, called out with uncertainty when she recognized the face of the visitor. It¡¯s not that she no longer recognized Brian. She simply couldn¡¯t understand why there would be such a strong stench of blood on him after only two days without seeing each other! This was the first time Sandy, since her Beastification, had seen someone with such a strong stench of blood on them. Ordinary people might not notice it. But to Sandy¡¯s nose, Brian seemed as if he had been soaking in a pool of blood for days and nights. This blood scent was very fresh and carried something that made her feel very afraid. Hearing Sandy¡¯s voice tinged with fright, Brian collected his thoughts and nodded slightly, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me. Have there been any problems these last couple of days?¡± He knew why Sandy reacted this way. No helping it. He had killed too many people in a short time, and the smell had penetrated his body. And then there was the spirit. Spirit is a kind of aura around a person. For example, animals running away at the sight of an old butcher¡ªit¡¯s because they sense that special aura around them. The smell of blood can be masked with chemicals. But it takes some time to dissipate the aura of having slaughtered thousands with your hands. Sandy quickly climbed out of bed, shaking her head with restraint, ¡°No, no one came looking for you. Oh, I took a satellite call for you; it was from a lady named Susan. She said she got promoted. She seemed a bit unhappy to hear I answered the phone.¡± Brian: .. He darkly took the stored satellite wristwatch from Sandy! ... Heading to the bathroom. Brian soaked himself in a bath with shower gel, then dialed Susan¡¯s satellite phone. She picked up instantly. This put pressure on Brian. Susan wasn¡¯t just waiting for his return call all this time, was she? ¡°Hey, Susan, missed me?¡± Brian asked dryly. ¡°Missed! I really missed you!¡± Susan¡¯s response was very gentle. It would have been even more gentle if she weren¡¯t speaking through gritted teeth. Once Brian recognized Susan¡¯s tone, he quickly changed the subject, ¡°Sorry, I went to take care of some personal business these last couple of days, and then left my watch with a friend for safekeeping. Oh, and congratulations on your promotion. I¡¯m proud of you. God, my team leader is a Second-level Staff now, what could possibly make me happier than this news?¡± On the other end of the phone, Susan rolled her eyes but couldn¡¯t help laughing. She was indeed very happy about the promotion, ¡°Okay, I¡¯m actually quite surprised too. My promotion was on the slower side due to some reasons, but then I took a nap at noon the day you left, and I woke up to being promoted. It¡¯s a bizarre feeling. I feel like you gave me the power.¡± The two chatted for a while longer, finally ending the call with Brian swearing that when he¡¯s out, he would stay as pure as jade for Susan. After stowing away the wristwatch, Brian¡¯s expression was odd. Susan¡¯s feelings might be right. His cell activity had always been high. It was possible that his genetic material had been absorbed by Susan¡¯s body, allowing her to break through earlier. It was really him who had given Susan the power. Chapter 472 - 472 270 Nemo The Path of the Future The Mysterious Saint Two in One ?472: Chapter 270: Nemo, The Path of the Future, The Mysterious Saint (Two in One) 472: Chapter 270: Nemo, The Path of the Future, The Mysterious Saint (Two in One) ¡°Am I overthinking this?¡± Brian recalled how Shi San kept saying he smelled good... and then thought of the mysterious woman who claimed that blood could aid in beastification. After pondering it for a while, he took out a cup and controlled the scorching blood within his body, letting a few drops fall into the cup. His blood beads underwent a miraculous change, too. Once they left his body, their high concentration turned them into round little beads that struck the bottom of the cup with an audible clink. Most surprisingly, the blood beads emitted both heat and a very faint, delicate fragrance. To be honest, the scent was making Brian somewhat hungry. He shook the cup with the blood beads in it. After waiting about ten seconds for the blood beads to cool down, Brian walked out with the cup in hand and said to Sandy, who was engrossed in playing Snake on her phone, ¡°This is a supplement I bought at the trade market. Give it a try.¡± ¡°Supplement?¡± Sandy took the cup, eyeing the three blood beads inside with confusion, ¡°Are you sure these are edible? They look like little red crystals.¡± As she spoke, her nose twitched twice, and then her eyes lit up. These little red beads had a strange scent that made her body crave them, like the desire and impulse someone might feel after being parched in the desert for three or four days and suddenly spotting water. In a daze, Sandy tipped the blood beads from the cup into her mouth. Quick as lightning, Brian pried open her mouth. He watched as his blood, upon entering Sandy¡¯s mouth, began to dissolve actively. Before even reaching her throat, it was absorbed by the cavity of her mouth. The whole process looked less like Sandy consuming Brian¡¯s blood beads, and more like the blood beads merging into Sandy¡¯s body of their own volition. The next moment, the hair on Sandy¡¯s head parted as her normally hidden cat ears sprang to attention on their own. Her cheeks began to warp as well, sprouting whiskers like a palm civet¡¯s and sharp teeth, her hands extended claws, and even her tail became restless. Looking at Sandy, who was flush and giddy as if drunk or under the influence of an aphrodisiac, Brian frowned slightly. Suddenly, he thought of his own seemingly self-aware offspring. Susan was usually quite proper, but after that time, it wasn¡¯t long before she couldn¡¯t wait to seek him out on her own, and then, after some busy work and getting her fill, she allowed Brian to go to the airport. Was his body fluid so sinister? ... More than ten minutes later, Sandy finally regained her consciousness. She felt immensely satisfied, exhaling a warm breath, ¡°That was amazing, what was that stuff? It hit the spot, I felt like my whole body was soaking in a hot spring, so comfortable, and it even alleviated much of my hunger.¡± ¡°Do you feel anything else out of the ordinary?¡± Brian sniffed but didn¡¯t detect any change in Sandy¡¯s scent. Sandy got up from the bed, retracting her beastified features. She gave it a try, shaking her head, ¡°Nothing major, but I¡¯m not as hungry as before. No matter how much I used to eat, I always felt hungry. Now it¡¯s much better. Brian, do you have any more of that stuff?¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°No more, but my research institute is preparing to develop these things. If you¡¯re willing to help out at my institute, I can provide some of this to you for free every month.¡± Sandy¡¯s change was different from Susan¡¯s. It seemed the blood only provided energy, whereas sperm was somewhat different. Could it be a matter of composition? Considering he had a research institute at his disposal, Brian thought of some new research projects. Researching himself wouldn¡¯t be too bad. There was also Spider Woman Eliana, Lizard Woman Linda, Catwoman Sandy... He could study all of them; he couldn¡¯t just keep them without them contributing anything. ¡°Research Institute?¡± Sandy seemed interested but also a bit troubled, ¡°But I didn¡¯t even finish high school, I need a calculator for anything over a hundred, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t handle the responsibilities of a researcher.¡± She was indeed a bit excited. As soon as the word researcher crossed her mind, Sandy visualized herself wearing a white lab coat, small glasses, with a stern and serious expression. It sounded very impressive. ¡°Not a researcher,¡± Brian chuckled, ¡°Your job will mainly involve being researched.¡± Sandy: ... ... Ignoring Sandy¡¯s sullen mood, Brian quickly eliminated the remaining scent of blood on his body and started making his way to the location of the grand event. The event lasted for three days. Today was the last day. Brian wasn¡¯t very interested in the trades, nor was it a good time to network. His main intention for going was to witness the most powerful Saint of the White Elephant Country. Actually, Brian had found it odd how the official organization operated since the first day he arrived in the country. The White Elephant Country was a federation of multiple religious faiths; Buddhism had long become all but extinct here, having been absorbed by Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and others. The largest sect here was Hinduism. Hinduism¡¯s precursor, the Brahmins, took over as the mainstream sect here over a thousand years ago, accounting for more than eighty percent of the White Elephant Country¡¯s religious population. The biggest issue in a religious state is that sects can influence governance and the military. So how could such a sect, all but extinct, come to merge into the Ancient Buddhism with only a minority of followers? Brian searched for an answer a few days earlier but didn¡¯t find any. Only bits and pieces on some NW forums hinted that the spiritual practice here was very special. When Brian had first joined NW, Susan had also said that the White Elephant Country was quite formidable in this regard, their official organization ranked among the top worldwide. Chapter 473 - 473 270 Nemo The Path to the Future The Mysterious Saint Two in One_2 ?473: Chapter 270 Nemo, The Path to the Future, The Mysterious Saint (Two in One)_2 473: Chapter 270 Nemo, The Path to the Future, The Mysterious Saint (Two in One)_2 Ancient Buddhism could be making a resurgence, perhaps related to this. ... This time, Brian didn¡¯t bother to call for a helicopter. He traveled on foot to reach the Himalayas. There was no other way. White Elephant Country was stingy; they only offered shuttle service on the first day, and if you wanted to return to the city afterward, you were on your own. The area was still bustling, but signs of battle damage could be seen on some of the roads, and several tents had also been damaged. Listening to the idle chatter of the people along the way, Brian learned that in the two days of his absence, there had been more than one scuffle among the members of these international organizations. Many countries held historical grievances and disputes. Such enmity was difficult to avoid coming to head in these circumstances. As long as no modern weapons were used and no one was killed, the White Elephant Country peacekeepers wouldn¡¯t even show their faces; they, like the ascetics, sat in the highest places, striking various poses, each like a statue. The conference hadn¡¯t yet started. Brian simply found a spot and began to observe these ascetics of White Elephant Country. Most of them had disheveled hair and dirt-streaked faces; they wrapped fabric around only certain parts of their bodies, and they were filthy. Some had various iron spikes piercing their skin, their faces painted with grease and unintelligible symbols, appearing as thin as skeletons. Yet Brian wouldn¡¯t underestimate these individuals. The reason was simple. Through his eyes, he saw that most members of the international organizations gathered at the conference site had more than twenty phantom lines shimmering across their bodies. Phantom lines represented deadly weaknesses. This meant to Brian that these people were easy prey; a punch to the head or leg would suffice, no need for a second blow¡ªthey were easily crushed. But these ascetics were different. In Brian¡¯s vision, the most marked of the ascetics had nine phantom lines, but the one with the least had none, all stronger than the members from other countries. Most startling was the white-bearded old man without a single weakness. No phantom lines meant no weaknesses. That didn¡¯t mean he had no weaknesses, but rather with Brian¡¯s strength, he couldn¡¯t kill him. Him standing there was enough indication that Brian wouldn¡¯t be able to do a thing. That was frightening. Brian wasn¡¯t sure if there was an issue with his Heart Eye ability, or if it was something odd about the other person... ... As Brian was observing the old man with no phantom lines, a brown-haired Caucasian approached him proactively, ¡°Hey, buddy, are you interested in these guys?¡± Brian turned and, seeing a stranger, nodded, ¡°Yes, they seem very strong. I¡¯m Brian, from NW, an Autopsy Officer.¡± ¡°Autopsy Officer?¡± The brown-haired man¡¯s eyes showed surprise: ¡°A very rare profession, I mean, it¡¯s rare among the staff of the various country¡¯s organizations. I¡¯m Nemo, a member of the Blood Hand Brotherhood from Canada, and I occasionally deal in trading some particularly special intel.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± Brian was intrigued. ¡°For instance, these Hindu ascetics you¡¯re curious about; for half a million US Dollars, I can tell you everything I know,¡± Nemo said, seeing Brian¡¯s expression, he chuckled and pulled out a POS machine, ¡°Come on, pal, the information is explosive, I know you¡¯ll swipe that card, right?¡± ¡°You talk first!¡± Brian had funds but wasn¡¯t a fool. ¡°Alright, we¡¯re all respectable people here, you wouldn¡¯t stiff the Blood Hand Brotherhood.¡± Nemo didn¡¯t mind Brian¡¯s proposal. He hopped next to Brian, sat down cross-legged, and lit a leaf rolled from Heavenly Grass. After taking a deep drag, he lowered his voice and began, ¡°The current Buddhism in White Elephant Country is actually Hinduism from days gone by. The Saint is the contemporary spiritual leader of Hinduism. They believe that Shakyamuni Buddha of Buddhism is the ninth incarnation of Vishnu, seeing both as one and the same...¡± ¡°Hold on!¡± Brian interrupted, ¡°According to what you said, shouldn¡¯t it still be predominantly Hinduism, then why did it change to Buddhism later on?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It was a change pushed by the Saint himself. They initially used the revival of Buddhism as a pretext to purge other sects in the country, but didn¡¯t revert after that. The Buddhism now practiced in White Elephant Country is still primarily based on Hinduism. Maybe there¡¯s a special reason for this, but other than the Saint, no one is certain of the specifics, and out of respect for the Saint, the countries rarely keep detailed records or probe into this part of history.¡± Nemo¡¯s thoughts were a bit scattered. After his explanation, he pointed at the ascetic monks of White Elephant Country: ¡°Like these ascetic monks. They are actually the Ascetic Monks from Hinduism of the past, embracing suffering and self-torture, believing this would allow them to bypass reincarnation and directly ascend to heaven in their next life. This is also a tenet of Hinduism. They believe that one needs to endure many cycles of reincarnation, suffering, and tribulation to reach heaven. The most evident is the caste system: those of a low caste believe that their lowly status, exploitation, enslavement, and inferior birth are due to the heavy sins of past lives, fulfilling their current plight to accumulate merit for a better birth in the next life. Thus, they willingly serve like oxen and horses.¡± The information Nemo shared was indeed new to Brian, but he wasn¡¯t interested in this part. Seeing the man¡¯s train of thought jumping around, Brian had to steer the conversation himself: ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the cultivators of White Elephant Country have a special cultivation system?¡± Nemo nodded his head, ¡°Not just White Elephant Country, Hua Country has it too. But they are actually pretty similar. Essentially, it¡¯s a cultivation system for mutants.¡± Chapter 474 - 474 270 Nemo The Path of the Future The Mysterious Saint Two in One_3 ?474: Chapter 270: Nemo, The Path of the Future, The Mysterious Saint (Two in One)_3 474: Chapter 270: Nemo, The Path of the Future, The Mysterious Saint (Two in One)_3 They call themselves the Faith Cultivation System. Of course, there are also those who are called the Heart Cultivation System. It¡¯s roughly similar to some Mutants who place their hearts in their beliefs, akin to the pope knights of the medieval times, though we all know they were just a bunch of thugs. But after the Blood Moon, that kind of cultivation method indeed worked. The premise is that they have to be Mutants. As for us enhancers, the Beastification People and the like, following their practice methods only made us prone to drowsiness or turn into babbling lunatics with no other effects.¡± Brian: ¡°..What if they lose control?¡± Nemo shrugged: ¡°That¡¯s none of our concern. Their countries will handle these matters. Besides, those very strong Mutants are hard to confine and study. For the sake of the path ahead, we have no choice but to tacitly compromise with these countries where Mutants and enhancers coexist.¡± Brian understood: ¡°So, the so-called Saint is actually also a Mutant?¡± Nemo nodded: ¡°Yes, now the enhancement path of many countries is defined by the standards of the Saint¡ªFirst Rank Life, Second Rank Life, and the Third Rank Life whose existence is uncertain. I¡¯ve heard that the Saint is a Third Rank Life. Oh right, there was one in the United States as well, seems to be named Long, who had once inflicted heavy damage on your NW and the military of Caliniforia.¡± Hearing this news, Brian looked serious: ¡°Nemo, it seems you¡¯re not just any ordinary member of the Blood Hand Brotherhood in Canada.¡± At least after he became a Second-level Staff member of NW, he hadn¡¯t gained access to such knowledge. Nemo, just like most staff members, had weaknesses visible in his eyes. This indicated his strength wasn¡¯t strong and most likely had an illustrious background to know such knowledge that was generally inaccessible to ordinary people. Nemo nodded: ¡°Yes, because the Blood Hand Brotherhood was founded by my ancestors. However, I¡¯m just an inconspicuous member of the family, or else I wouldn¡¯t be moonlighting as an information broker. Brian, I also understand now why you¡¯re an Autopsy Officer. Your ignorance of this knowledge suggests your ordinary background, and the position of an Autopsy Officer makes it hard to earn points for Enhancement Reagents, which shows your ability is very strong, extremely so, it seems I¡¯ve met a talent.¡± Saying so, he took out the card reader again: ¡°I like making friends with talents. Would you like to purchase some new intelligence? I¡¯ll give you a discount.¡± This time Brian took out his bank card: ¡°Including the answer just now, I also want to know the difference between each level of life, how much in total?¡± ¡°emm..,¡± Nemo pondered for a moment, then shook his head: ¡°Forget it, just charge the previous five hundred thousand. As for the information on the Enhancement stages, I¡¯ll give it to you for free.¡± After swiping the card. Nemo organized his thoughts before continuing: ¡°First Rank Life is distinguished by cell vitality. That¡¯s the biggest difference between enhancers and ordinary people. At this stage, enhancers or Beastification People have extremely tenacious vitality and their lifespan will see a significant increase. However, it requires some talent, otherwise, it¡¯s easy for the genes to collapse. Second Rank Life is distinguished by Life Magnetism. To tell you the truth, I don¡¯t know what this is, but my family has teachings about it, roughly indicating that Second Rank Life undergoes a phase, from inside out, until a magnetic field eventually forms within the body. The differences, I¡¯m unsure. As for the third stage... Sorry, I don¡¯t even know if the third stage genuinely exists.¡± After he finished speaking. A vibration came from the watch on his wrist. Nemo apologized: ¡°This consultation ends here, this is my contact information, and you can look for me if you have future needs, I¡¯ll give you a discount.¡± Saying this, he hurriedly left. Watching his departing figure, Brian kept the business card. From inside to outside... Connecting this to his own breakthrough, which involved only a qualitative change in his blood, he vaguely began to grasp the future path ahead of him. .. At twelve in the morning. All the people at the convention camp gathered in the center. An unremarkable old man walked to the front and said softly: ¡°I¡¯m pleased to see so many new faces. To express my gratitude for your participation in White Elephant Country¡¯s convention, I will randomly select three individuals to come forth and resolve their doubts.¡± Seeing the old man¡¯s appearance clearly, Brian was startled. This old man was the ascetic he had not seen any vulnerability in before. Could it be the Saint? As he was surprised. The old man, under the gaze of thousands, suddenly pointed at Brian who stood at the back: ¡°Child in NW uniform, I see countless deaths in you. Come forth, you need guidance to avoid getting lost amidst death...¡± In an instant, countless eyes converged on Brian at the very back. Brian¡¯s heart tightened. Could it be that this old thing had seen something in him? Otherwise, why would he choose himself out of over two thousand people? Fate? Coincidence? Brian didn¡¯t believe in these things. He took a deep breath, moved swiftly, transforming into a fleeting shadow, and appeared on the stage. .. ¡°Such fast speed!¡± ¡°A master!¡± ¡°So young...¡± The audience below exclaimed in various tones. Those who could come here were inherently First Rank Life members of their respective organizations, just like Brian in level. Their vision was strong, and yet many there could only barely catch a glimpse of Brian¡¯s speed. This meant that in combat, they would be easily killed by Brian. Among the exclaiming crowd was Nemo, who had just interacted with Brian. Looking at Brian¡¯s back, he felt somewhat envious: ¡°The job of an Autopsy Officer is indeed great, even attracting the Saint¡¯s attention.¡± Chapter 475 - 475 270 Nemo The Path Ahead Mysterious Saint Two in One_4 ?475: Chapter 270 Nemo, The Path Ahead, Mysterious Saint (Two in One)_4 475: Chapter 270 Nemo, The Path Ahead, Mysterious Saint (Two in One)_4 Nemo¡¯s companion looked at him with astonishment, ¡°Nemo, are you saying the guy who just went up there is an Autopsy Officer?¡± Nemo nodded, ¡°Yes, I just finished a deal with him. If you hadn¡¯t called me back to gather information on the destruction of the Yagyuu family in Japan, I might have befriended him.¡± His companions ignored Nemo¡¯s complaint. They suddenly realized, no wonder the saint had seen countless deaths in this lucky fellow. An Autopsy Officer, always dealing with corpses and death, how could he not be accompanied by death? The saint is truly formidable. To be able to discern that... Their conversation wasn¡¯t hidden, and the people around them were not ordinary either. Soon, Brian¡¯s profession and some information were passed around. Everyone started to form an impression of this handsome Autopsy Officer. No matter what the profession, at least this guy seemed strong. ... Brian ignored the exclamations from below. He had just revealed probably one-third of his speed. Standing on the platform, his back to the crowd below. Brian looked at the saint, and the saint was also looking at him. Brian was surprised to find that the saint in front of him seemed a bit off, emitting a rotten smell, typical of the elderly who don¡¯t have much time left. ¡°Could this saint be about to die? If only I had the Crow¡¯s Death Perception Talent right now.¡± Brian muttered to himself. Actually, the saint¡¯s image was quite low, an ordinary appearance, with a clump of sticky white-grey mustache, and like those Ascetic Monks, only a filthy cloth wrapped around his waist for modesty, his body covered in accumulated grime. If thrown into a bathhouse, bath attendants would probably scrub their hands raw. The saint just glanced at Brian and then looked away. He pulled a stiff smile onto his face, ¡°What do you want to ask?¡± Brian suppressed his thoughts and spoke softly, ¡°What is the difference between Second Rank Life and Third Rank Life?¡± The saint thought for a moment and said, ¡°For a Mutant, it¡¯s the spirit; for you enhancers, it¡¯s the self.¡± ¡°Spirit?¡± ¡°Self?¡± Confusion flashed through Brian¡¯s eyes. The saint added, ¡°Both are actually the same. Buddhism believes everything has a spirit, one flower one universe; our body is that flower. When you can feel the self of your body, it means you are on the right path.¡± Brian wanted to ask something else. The next moment. He just felt a moment of disorientation. By the time he regained his senses, he was astounded to find himself no longer on the platform but back at his original spot! What the hell??? ... If it weren¡¯t for the footprints he had left behind on the ground, and a new unfamiliar face on the platform, Brian would have almost thought everything just then was an illusion! This saint... Brian looked at the platform, his gaze tinged with unease. If that had been a fight, he would have been dead already! He suppressed the panic in his heart and watched the platform intently. The interactions on the platform were normal. The question asked was about his own potential to break through to Second Rank Life. The saint shook his head directly, indicating no. The questioner dejectedly returned to the floor, not having an experience similar to Brian¡¯s. After returning, this questioner also received comfort from his companions and appeared completely lucid. Next. The saint spoke again, inviting a third person to come up. The third person, like the second, asked about potential; the answer was again a lack of it. He also jumped down by himself, returned to his position, his expression normal. This made Brian feel even more uneasy. The experiences of these two people were totally different from his own! Weird! Too weird! Chapter 476 - 476 271 In-Demand Brian Research Institute Extra Updates for Monthly Tickets 8 9 ?476: Chapter 271: In-Demand Brian, Research Institute (Extra Updates for Monthly Tickets 8, 9) 476: Chapter 271: In-Demand Brian, Research Institute (Extra Updates for Monthly Tickets 8, 9) After answering three questions, Saint began to talk about Cultivating Heart on the stage. The terminology used here was very esoteric. After being translated into the widely understood English, it sounded even stranger. For the many enhancers and Beastification People in the audience, this was of little value, so everyone began to let their minds wander. Saint did not express any attitude about this, continuing to recite cryptic and convoluted sentences as if reading from a script. Brian was in no mood to listen to all this. He was a person who lacked a sense of security, uneasy without understanding the unusual occurrences he had just experienced. After thinking for a bit, Brian spotted Nemo, whom he had just met, in the crowd, picked up a small stone, and accurately threw it at his head. Nemo reacted extremely fast, his right hand eerily appearing behind his head and accurately catching the stone before it could hit. He glared behind him but saw Brian waving at him. Brian was surprised to find that Nemo¡¯s angry face transformed into a smile at a visible speed. Within that smile, there was even a hint of obsequiousness. Ah, this.. Nemo¡¯s reaction only confused Brian more. What exactly had happened after he went on stage? For a moment, the two left the center stage of the camp and walked to the outer perimeter. Nemo seemed very happy, unnaturally happy and enthusiastic to see Brian, ¡°Congratulations, Brian..¡± Brian cut him off, ¡°Nemo, can you tell me what I did on stage just now?¡± Hearing this, Nemo looked puzzled: ¡°You jumped up there very stylishly, then you asked Saint if you could advance to Second Rank. Saint nodded. He affirmed your potential. This means you are highly likely to become a Second Rank enhancer. Hey, buddy, I know it¡¯s cool, it¡¯s really something to be excited about! After all, a Second Rank enhancer can become a high-ranking official in any global organization. Your name will soon be known across all the major global organizations. But there is no need to flaunt it in this way. Really, my mouth is getting sour..¡± He thought Brian was flaunting the potential Saint affirmed, sharing it in such a way. This way of boasting wasn¡¯t uncommon in North America. Nemo did feel a bit sour inside. But he was more pleased. After all, it¡¯s rare to show off to strangers in this way other than among friends. Does this mean Brian considered him a friend? Saint¡¯s judgments were never wrong. Having a friend with potential like Brian was a great thing for someone like him, who was on the fringe of his family! ... Brian did not know about Nemo¡¯s wild thoughts. At this moment, his mind was filled with a chill. It wasn¡¯t like this at all! He had not asked about his potential at all when he was on stage! Brian wanted to tell Nemo about his real question but found that just as he was about to speak, an image of Saint bizarrely appeared in his mind. Saint was looking at Brian with a smile, putting his finger to his lips, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, this is just a ¡®spirit¡¯ suggestion. Your question touched upon my breakthrough to third rank. I don¡¯t want too many people to know about this, child, please keep it a secret for me.¡± As his words ended, the apparition of Saint disappeared from Brian¡¯s mind. ¡°Hey, Brian, what are you thinking about?¡± Nemo¡¯s rambling voice reached his ears: ¡°Canada and the United States are right next to each other. Do you want to come with me to Canada first tomorrow? I can introduce you to some new friends. We can have a grand celebration party, or I can arrange some beautiful company for you, whatever you need, I can help, we are friends...¡± Brian snapped back to reality. He rubbed his temples: ¡°Yes, we are friends, but I just remembered something urgent, Nemo, I need to get back to Los Angeles soon.¡± Nemo was a bit disappointed. He had thought Brian had called him over for some special matter. It turned out to be just a weird question, followed by zoning out. Brian also felt it was too abrupt. He found a subject, mentioned his institute, and indicated that if Nemo knew any suitable scientific talents, he could introduce them to him, and he would pay a good commission. Nemo then perked up. Being needed was good! Relations develop by give and take. Spending time together, feelings were bound to grow. He happily agreed to Brian¡¯s request. When the two returned to the camp center, the assembly had already ended. The White Elephant Country Ascetic Monks maintaining order returned to their previous spots of cultivation, leaving the delegates from various countries to move about freely. Brian instinctively looked towards where the Saint had been before. With that look, he was shocked once again. There it was! The previously unseen lines of weakness on Saint had appeared! Emotions surging, Brian¡¯s eyes turned a ghastly white, veins throbbing, and everything transformed into data, all perception enhanced, forming a twisted world. In this world, the lines appeared at the throat, heart, and other areas of Saint. These were the weak points. The question was, why were there no lines of weakness before, and now they had appeared? Just then, ¡°Saint,¡± sensing something, suddenly looked up towards Brian¡¯s location. Another eerie scene unfolded. As the figure looked up, the lines of weakness on Saint disappeared from Brian¡¯s vision. Chapter 477 - 477 271 In-Demand Brian Research Institute Additional s 8 and 9 for Monthly Tickets_2 ?477: Chapter 271: In-Demand Brian, Research Institute (Additional Chapters 8 and 9 for Monthly Tickets)_2 477: Chapter 271: In-Demand Brian, Research Institute (Additional Chapters 8 and 9 for Monthly Tickets)_2 He no longer hesitated, following the crowd and rushing outside. Even without his danger perception sensing any threats, Brian didn¡¯t want to stay here any longer. He wanted to return to Los Angeles! In Los Angeles, even if he truly encountered trouble, he still had the NW organization and old Dean. Before breaking through, Brian wasn¡¯t planning to visit the White Elephant Country anymore. Watching his disappearing figure, Saint softly murmured with a smile on his lips, ¡°Interesting little fellow. I see a suppressed volcano in him, ready to explode at any moment... What path is he exactly on? It¡¯s inscrutable, inscrutable...¡± He closed his eyes again. On the other side, Brian and a group of people boarded a shuttle helicopter together. After traveling several miles away from the mountains, he looked through the still unshut door towards the direction where Saint was. Lines of dashes emerged on the other party. Brian withdrew his gaze, his previously inflated attitude from the breakthrough calmed down once again. There are always bigger fish. Keep a low profile! He needed to maintain a low profile! This trip to Japan had been too impulsive. Although partially driven by emotion, a more significant reason was his seamless development without external crises, leading to this arrogance. Humans are innately fearful of the unknown. Brian admitted that this peculiar Saint had scared him somewhat. From the moment Brian boarded, the rest on the helicopter had been covertly sizing him up. There were feelings of envy, jealousy, and some unidentifiable sentiments. Second Rank Life! In many official organizations, a Second Rank Life represents a sequence of Third Rank Staff, symbolizing power and decision-making authority. Using the term from Hua Country, it¡¯s like a real carp leaping through the dragon gate. Although in their eyes, Brian had only received Saint¡¯s recognition and had the potential for Second Rank Life, not actual strength, they still envied him. After all, ninety-nine percent of people didn¡¯t even possess this potential. After the helicopter flew for a while, As they were about to return to New Delhi and everyone would go their separate ways, A female enhancer boldly approached the resting Brian: ¡°Hello, Brian. Let¡¯s get acquainted. I¡¯m Nico, from Holland...¡± Brian couldn¡¯t even be bothered to open his eyes, cutting off her introduction, ¡°What do you want?¡± He wasn¡¯t in the mood to meet new people. Nico, unbothered, whispered with a smile, ¡°The night is long, and my hotel bed is big, would you like to come over for a drink?¡± ¡°No!¡± Brian spoke and then ignored her completely. The next moment, Another physically more stunning female enhancer pushed Nico aside: ¡°Don¡¯t mind this bitch trying to freeload, Brian. Look at me, just half a month, I¡¯ll pay ten million US dollars. If I get pregnant, I¡¯ll give you fifty million US dollars.¡± Another average-looking female enhancer was not to be outdone, her offer even fiercer: ¡°I¡¯ll give you a company worth eighty million US dollars. If you can get me pregnant, I¡¯ll transfer the company my father left me directly to you, and you can have it in advance!¡± This heated bidding caused a few males from somewhat influential families to join in. There were offers involving sisters, and other female relatives. Some, feeling they couldn¡¯t offer much value, also bid for a sample of Brian¡¯s genetic material. The stronger the life force, the harder it is to conceive. Not to mention in-vitro fertilization. But it was still a hope. Watching the excited crowd, Brian felt for the first time the charm of being a Second Rank Life. This was truly being spoon-fed easy opportunities. He suspected if he were willing, these people would even sell their own mothers. Outrageous. This outrageous live auction also helped ease Brian¡¯s tense mood considerably. He couldn¡¯t be bothered with these lunatics, turning his thoughts to the advice Saint had given him. The information revealed by the other party was uncertain. But two points: Mutants needed Cultivating Spirit to break through to Third Rank. Enhancers and Beastification People needed to perceive themselves to break through. Spirit must refer to Spiritual Strength. During his trip to Japan, Brian¡¯s physique had broken through to 1.4, and he had also devoured many high-quality Spirit Crystals, but under the Supercomputer Perception Talent, his Spiritual Strength was still 1.3, without any transformation. Brian didn¡¯t care about this. He would continue to focus on his obsessions; breaking through was just a matter of time. But this self... Brian suddenly thought of the changes in his body. Not to mention the energy contained in his blood. Brian had previously felt that his genetic material seemed to possess a kind of innate instinct... Could this be the self? After much thought and lacking sufficient information, Brian ultimately didn¡¯t come up with anything useful. The only consolation might be that he is a Mutant. If Saint hadn¡¯t lied to him. As Brian¡¯s Spiritual Strength continued to increase, the Third Rank Life would also naturally breakthrough. Additionally, once back home, Brian planned to temper his nature, reduce his inflated mood, and simultaneously spend more time at the research institute to see if any unexpected discoveries could be made, while also building up his own capital power. After getting off the helicopter, Brian threw a pile of contact information into the trash can and took the shuttle back to the hotel. The next morning, he immediately took Sandy along with his spoils from the trip to Japan, boarding a flight back to Los Angeles. There were two spoils. One was Yagyu Kojirou¡¯s Small Tachi. The material of the Tachi was special, capable of cleaving bullets, and although the blade had sustained damage, it was still worth studying, so Brian decided to risk bringing it back. Chapter 478 - 478 271 Popular Brian Research Institute Monthly Ticket Additional Updates 8 9_3 ?478: Chapter 271: Popular Brian, Research Institute (Monthly Ticket Additional Updates 8, 9)_3 478: Chapter 271: Popular Brian, Research Institute (Monthly Ticket Additional Updates 8, 9)_3 The main issue was the sword, which basically had the same style as the Yagyuu Ittou sword he had obtained before. A simple modification of the decoration would not be a big problem. Another piece of war loot was that Crow Egg. After Brian had annihilated the Yagyuu family, he took advantage of the relaxed security around the lake, actually went back for the egg, and wanted to check the bodies of the Ninjas he shot before leaving, to see if there were any new obsessions. However, the bodies had already been taken away. The Crow Egg related to the Crow¡¯s obsession and a ¡°Gift¡± of Death Perception. This obsession was highly suitable for Brian¡¯s part-time job. He planned to seriously complete the hatching work of the little crow. If all else failed, he would just give it to Shi San. The thought of Shi San hatching the egg was quite amusing. Since it was business class and Brian had a special identity, he wasn¡¯t checked and successfully boarded the plane with Sandy. After several hours, the plane landed. He was back in Los Angeles. Outside the airport. Susan, who came to pick him up, leaned against the car, idly tossing special bullets, her face wearing a slight smile. She had heard the news from White Elephant Country early in the morning. Brian, her boyfriend, was personally acknowledged by the mysterious Saint to have the potential to break through to Second Rank Life. He really lived up to being the boyfriend she had chosen. He was so outstanding! Susan still remembered the jealous and excited tone Caroline, her best friend, had used when telling her the news. Second Rank Life meant a Third Level employee at NW. Her father was once one of the earliest Third Level employees at NW, and now her boyfriend also had the chance to reach that level. By then, even those old timers in the family wouldn¡¯t nag her anymore about her relationship with Brian. Having such a boyfriend really added to her prestige. Susan didn¡¯t care about these things, but that didn¡¯t stop her from being proud of Brian. While she was happy, suddenly, Susan¡¯s smile disappeared, and the bullets she was holding dropped to the ground and rolled away. She looked towards the airport exit, her gaze sharp. Another one! He brought back another woman!! Damn it, Brian, every time he went on a business trip, he would bring back a woman!!! At the airport exit. Brian was educating Sandy about his girlfriend Susan¡¯s temperament. Suddenly, he felt a violent throb in his kidneys as if he had a bad premonition. His Perception Talent for Danger was activated! Under the influence of his Sixth Sense, Brian instinctively looked outside. He saw Susan in the distance, wearing denim, expressionless, with her large eyes staring unwaveringly at him. Brian: .. He felt that after sleeping with Susan, her possessiveness had gotten much stronger. Ah, women. .. Under Susan¡¯s powerful aura, Sandy obediently sat in the back seat, keeping her head low, playing dead. Having been in society for a long time, she immediately recognized that someone like Susan was not someone you could get close to just by talking. Playing dead was currently the best choice. At least it wouldn¡¯t worsen the impression the other person had of her. Brian was explaining how he had met Sandy, and his plans and arrangements for her. To this, Susan firmly told Brian, ¡°You don¡¯t need to go on business trips alone anymore!!!¡± Brian obediently nodded his head. At his current level, it was difficult to advance further without taking time to grind. The existence of the Saint also gave him a great sense of crisis. Brian had been taking some time to settle before, so he agreed quite readily. Susan¡¯s emotions came and went quickly. After arranging a place to stay for Sandy herself, she pulled Brian back to his apartment, and they mucked around until the evening before she finally came down contentedly. Susan lay in Brian¡¯s arms, drawing circles instinctively: ¡°You weren¡¯t here for two days, and two big things happened. There was a powerful Mutant attack in Japan, I heard that thousands of people died. An FBI base hidden in the mountains was also attacked, with many casualties. My father suspects that a powerful Mutant Organization has been active recently, urging us not to leave Los Angeles for a while.¡± Brian was somewhat surprised after hearing this, ¡°Someone is troubling the FBI?¡± After all, this world¡¯s FBI not only has various high-tech weapons but also many powerful fighters. In critical moments, they can mobilize the army. A solo infiltration is simply seeking death. Susan shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know the specifics, but I heard the attackers were Second Rank Life beings. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m very strong now, and I will protect you!¡± ¡°Then let me see how strong you are now!¡± Seeing Susan¡¯s expression, Brian couldn¡¯t help himself and pounced... ¡°Ouch!¡± Susan disdainfully pushed Brian away but found that she couldn¡¯t budge him. Why is this damn thing so heavy? No wonder he doesn¡¯t want to get on the bed and prefers the floor! ... The next day, Brian resumed his work life. Susan¡¯s promotion ceremony was next week. This gave him some time to handle personal matters. There were no changes within the group in the few days he was absent. The biggest change was probably Shi San. It lazily sat in Brian¡¯s spot, looking larger than before, already more robust than an average adult Labrador despite being just over four months old, while surrounded by high-calorie meats, like some big boss. Brian looked at Susan, puzzled, ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Green whispered from beside, ¡°For Shi San¡¯s Holy Water, that stuff sells way better than regular coffee and energy drinks, it¡¯s doing quite well.¡± Brian then learned that, in his absence, the Teddy combination and old Hardenn experimented with Shi San¡¯s urine and found it indeed had energizing and fatigue-fighting effects. After consulting with Shi San, they eventually reached a friendly cooperation. As for the selling target, it was the other members of the action department. According to Green, the business had been particularly good the last few days. Brian: .. Selling dog urine to colleagues, you guys really have a business mind. Brian decided on the spot to include Shi San in his research facility¡¯s list of research subjects. But seeing Shi San bring him a bag full of cash and wagging his tail waiting for praise upon his return, Brian eventually softened his heart. Such a good dog. Let¡¯s use anaesthesia during future research. ... Of course, researching Shi San was just a joke. Brian guessed that the magical aspect of Shi San¡¯s urine was actually due to undigested reagents. To avoid drawing attention, he stopped the group members¡¯ business activities. A day spent idly. After work, Susan, having had her fill at Brian¡¯s, disdainfully declined Brian¡¯s dinner invitation. She planned to take Sandy, who just arrived in Los Angeles, to shop for clothes and introduce Linda to Sandy. Seeing this, Brian had no choice but to take Shi San to meet with the acting director of the research institute. He hadn¡¯t had time to formally take over the research institute since acquiring it. Honestly. He was still curious about the residual research projects in this research facility. Not to mention anything else. Just the high-energy food that the previous Researcher gave him was worth commercializing, providing another way to enhance himself for a person with Super Adaptability + Self-Deception talent like Brian. Ever since the unreliable flight with White Elephant. Brian had been pondering over the problem of human flight. And believe it or not, there were actually some feasible plans. Filled with anticipation. Brian arrived at the agreed-upon restaurant with Shi San. Chapter 479 - 479 272 Future Development Establishment of Umbrella Company ?479: Chapter 272: Future Development, Establishment of Umbrella Company 479: Chapter 272: Future Development, Establishment of Umbrella Company Restaurant. Brian walked in with Shi San, ready to enter. A well-dressed service worker quickly stopped him: ¡°Sir, I¡¯m sorry, pets are not allowed inside. We have a special pet holding area where someone will take care of it.¡± ¡°Woof!¡± Shi San barked unhappily at the service worker. Brian shrugged: ¡°Buddy, take a good look at what¡¯s on its neck. Strictly speaking, your comment just now bordered on insulting a police dog officer.¡± Service worker: This... Police dogs are remarkable! But a police dog is still a dog! Speechless, he ran back to the front desk, and then came over with someone who looked like a manager. This manager was obviously more observant, recognizing immediately that the badge around Shi San¡¯s neck was not just any K9 police badge, but one from NW, the Los Angeles violent criminal investigation agency. He quickly smiled and welcomed Brian and Shi San inside. As Shi San passed the service worker, he turned up his nose at him, smugly. Service worker:... What a bitchy dog! Brian gave him a kick: ¡°He was just following regulations, it¡¯s not like he was being malicious towards you. Shi San, why are you being such a bitch now?¡± He felt he needed to reinforce Shi San¡¯s behavior training. Shi San quickly changed his expression, pretending nothing happened as he rubbed against Brian. The service worker had a smile plastered on his face, but inside he was cursing. He really wanted to tell Brian, you just threatened me with insulting a police dog officer, your attitude is worse than this dog¡¯s! If the tip isn¡¯t generous later... He would definitely curse these two dogs behind their backs! ... Led by the service worker, Brian arrived at the reserved spot. It was a seat by the window, where two Caucasian males were already waiting. One of them was older, bald, looking to be in his forties with a potbelly, crow¡¯s feet, and puffy eye bags, giving off an air of exhaustion and serious insomnia. Brian had seen the man¡¯s photo and knew this guy was called Gandob, a slacker. Because of seniority, Gandob was currently the acting director of the Aiden Research Institute. The other man was tall and thin, his head down, stirring his coffee cup nervously. Brian was more familiar with him. They had met once before. His name was Alpha, a real talent. Upon seeing Brian coming in with a dog, Gandob and Alpha quickly stood up, saying respectfully to Brian: ¡°Boss!¡± Brian nodded his head. He first extended his hand to Alpha: ¡°Alpha, sorry, after handling your sister¡¯s case, I went on a business trip and have been too busy to attend the funeral of your sister¡¯s family.¡± Alpha was flattered: ¡°Boss, I¡¯m very grateful that you avenged my sister.¡± Her sister¡¯s two children were murdered during a camping trip, which led to her sister¡¯s suicide from the shock. To seek revenge, Alpha approached the town¡¯s sheriff, asking him to report the case to the B6 group, the operational group Brian was part of. For this, he even handed over his research findings to Brian. Alpha vividly remembered how Brian, the boss, had taken special note of him and promised to twist the perpetrator¡¯s head off. He thought it was just a polite remark from Boss Brian. But just one day later, Alpha received photos of the killer¡¯s head and spine brutally extracted. While terrified, Alpha was also touched. The new boss was too honest! ... Seeing the undisguised gratitude in Alpha¡¯s eyes, Brian smiled slightly: ¡°I said that if you¡¯re my man, I¡¯ve got your back. By the way, I¡¯m planning to make your research project a core one. Have you thought about how to handle this project?¡± Alpha shook his head somewhat bewilderedly: ¡°Sorry, I haven¡¯t thought about it. I mean, I wasn¡¯t very noticeable at the research institute, and I¡¯ve never had experience with developing projects. I¡¯m not very good at this sort of thing.¡± The acting head of the research institute, bald Gandob, felt uneasy seeing the new boss ignore him. Was he going to be replaced? He squeezed out a sycophantic smile towards Brian: ¡°Boss, our research institute has a dedicated team to deal with these issues. After all, most researchers only produce results, but they don¡¯t have market experience. These require a professional team to assess. They keep an eye on the latest scientific trends in society, ensuring that the value of our research projects isn¡¯t lost.¡± Brian shook his head: ¡°I¡¯ll personally follow up on Alpha¡¯s research project, and it won¡¯t be directly listed in the research institute. Mr. Gandob, have you prepared the things I asked you to bring?¡± Upon hearing this, Gandob looked at Alpha with some envy. He wondered what he had given the new boss to be valued so highly. He nodded and extracted a safe, after a cumbersome verification, he took out a stack of printed papers: ¡°Boss, these are the current public projects of our institute, as for previous secret projects, only the project leader has the electronic key, and I can¡¯t access them.¡± Hearing this, Brian nodded and took the papers. The ¡®secret projects¡¯ mentioned by the other were in fact the Black Light Biotechnology Company¡¯s project database. These were not allowed to be disclosed at will, only the heads of each research institute had the privilege to look into it, and every institute had its own set research tasks. Now that the research institute belonged to Brian, all of that was null. But according to the previous negotiations between Brian and the Black Light Biotechnology Company, he could still access the information on the research tasks previously under the institute, and he also received the electronic key for authority. Chapter 480 - 480 272 Future Development Establishment of Umbrella Company_2 ?480: Chapter 272 Future Development, Establishment of Umbrella Company_2 480: Chapter 272 Future Development, Establishment of Umbrella Company_2 These need to be dealt with at the research institute. Brian bent over and started to look through the project documents Gandob had handed him. Seeing him flip through the projects, Gandob and Alpha quieted down again. Shi San felt bored and stretched out his paw to point at Alpha¡¯s coffee. Alpha looked surprised and whispered, ¡°Do you want to drink it?¡± Shi San nodded his head. Gandob was far more perspicacious and passed over his own coffee right away. He knew that some wealthy individuals had their pets enhanced, so one couldn¡¯t regard them as mere pets anymore. In this era, pets, too, could whisper sweet nothings in their owner¡¯s ears. Brian didn¡¯t pay attention to this interaction between the dog and the two people. He was looking through the projects in hand with a frown. These projects looked decent, but they lacked uniqueness. The biggest project was the medical aesthetics project for blood exchange. The effect of this project was acceptable, by using a special blood exchange process coupled with specially cultivated strains, it could allow middle-aged and elderly individuals to regain a relatively young appearance without undergoing cosmetic surgery. However, this project was only useful to ordinary people. Moreover, the technological methods for this project were not mature enough for immediate market deployment. The key issue was that, after Benjamin¡¯s death, people from Black Light Biotechnology Company had pulled out all the researchers responsible for this project. Actually, Brian had been aware of this project for a long time because the former head of Aiden Research Institute was a victim in his case, named Mycroft. Professor Mycroft had chosen suicide to protect his hustling wife, which had only then allowed Benjamin to succeed to the position, coming out of NW to take over as the new head of Aiden Research Institute, setting the stage for the subsequent events. Speaking of which, after Professor Mycroft¡¯s suicide, Brian had even obtained a portrait of the ¡°Curse Pattern¡± in the meeting room of the institute. That portrait was still lying under his office desk. It all came full circle. Brian had not expected that the research institute would now be his own. That was fate. Regathering his thoughts. Brian looked over the subsequent research projects. The second project was about treating hair loss. The person responsible for this project had been taken away by the Black Light Biotechnology Company. The third project was on myopia studies. The person in charge of this project was still there and on the cusp of producing results, but upon applying for live experiments, they received a warning from the eyeglasses industry association, and the project was directly canceled. The fourth project was a comprehensive research project. It included various types of secondary developments for adults, rapid body shaping using special strains, secondary skeletal development for growing taller, and so on. Yes, it included the kinds of development you are thinking about. It had huge potential for profit. The only problem was that researchers for these projects had also been taken away by the people from Black Light Biotechnology Company. Those guys acted ruthlessly, not leaving Brian any opportunity to pick up the ready-made success. There were some other eccentric research projects in the back. However, they all seemed like castles in the air, apparently just to swindle research funds. Brian put away the project documents. He sighed. If you looked at the content of the projects, any one of them could make money if successfully researched. But there¡¯s no one! The Black Light Biotechnology Company had simply left him with nothing but an empty shell of a research institute. Well, a shell was still something. At least the land, building, and those high-end research equipment were his own. Brian looked at Gandob seriously, ¡°You¡¯ve been with Aiden Research Institute for a long time and even served as the acting head for a while. Going forward, our institute is going to lose the technical and financial support from the parent company and we will need to take care of recruiting researchers ourselves. Do you have any suggestions?¡± Gandob immediately realized this was a test from the boss. If he answered well, he could continue to earn a high salary and enjoy a luxurious life. If he answered poorly, he might have to sell off his mansion, as the property tax would be a burden every year. Gandob had already prepared his thoughts well in advance. He organized his language and confidently said, ¡°Boss, in terms of research, I think we should continue to focus on the blood exchange medical aesthetics project. This project does not involve enhancement, nor does it need to consider the issue of life extension, making it easy to pass regulatory approval and go to market. We also have sufficient technical accumulation. The key point is that currently there are too many biological research institutions on the market, many projects overlap, but not many are focusing on this segment. As long as we can lower the costs and ensure safety, we can take advantage of the largest demographic, the middle class, and part of the wealthy individuals.¡± Hearing this, Brian nodded. Society was highly distorted. Biotechnological progress had surged thanks to the Mutant outbreak, but constrained by the ¡°Global Biotechnology Embargo¡± treaty, most biotech could not be applied to civilian life. Even those wealthy individuals without the right channels couldn¡¯t access Enhancement Reagents; at best, they could buy some unsafe products leaked onto the black market. Only the real wealthy who had joined official organizations or the staff of these organizations could enjoy this biotechnological advancement. The Aiden Research Institute¡¯s blood exchange medical aesthetics technology was a borderline project. It had noticeable medical aesthetics effects without genetic aspects, so it wasn¡¯t controlled by the ¡°Global Biotechnology Embargo¡± treaty and could pass approval. ¡°The project is fine, but what about the researchers? We don¡¯t have many researchers left now, and most of them are newcomers who joined not long ago, responsible for menial tasks.¡± Brian agreed with Gandob¡¯s suggestion while posing the question in return. Chapter 481 - 481 272 Future Development Establishment of Umbrella Company_3 ?481: Chapter 272 Future Development, Establishment of Umbrella Company_3 481: Chapter 272 Future Development, Establishment of Umbrella Company_3 Gandob pulled out a stack of names, ¡°Boss, there¡¯s nothing we could do about this. Previously mature researchers, upon hearing that the institute was split from the headquarters, were unwilling to stay and left as well. I realized then that this was an opportunity. So, I spent some time studying the current employment environment and discovered a pretty nice group.¡± Brian took the list and smiled. It turned out that the list Gandob prepared consisted of Hua Country international students, Hua Chinese descendants, and the children of overseas Chinese and so forth. They were all either young people or unlucky ones who hadn¡¯t achieved much after joining organizations. This guy really was talented, to actually pay attention to such a group! It was exactly what Brian had in mind! Just looking at their academic achievements, these people had excellent grades in prestigious schools and were elites. Unfortunately, in Western societies, there are invisible discriminations everywhere. Take Los Angeles, for instance. Many Hua people who had obtained green cards to settle or who had emigrated here, no matter if they were top-notch doctors or executives of listed companies back in their home country, those statuses were useless here. The jobs they could choose from were few and lacked dignity. Those without money or skills had no choice but to wash dishes, clean toilets, and do other jobs that the locals despised. Those with skills but no money became credentials exam-takers, construction workers, welders, chefs, etc.; these people could establish themselves and live fairly well. Those without money or skills, but who were a bit smarter, became intermediaries. This group also had a relatively easier time making their way up. Those with a little money, generally, went into small businesses. They chose to open shops, laundries, restaurants, and so forth. As for those who wanted prestigious jobs, only two types of people had a better chance at achieving this. One was the second generation and above Hua descendants. Growing up on this land and attending prestigious schools here, it was quite easy for them to enter good companies after graduation. The other type, prestigious school international students who stayed after graduation. This group and the second-generation Hua descendants were similar and could more easily land decent jobs. But they all had one problem. After entering a company, they would face exclusion from the group of white people, the united Indian group, and other minorities. Skin color is an invisible mountain of bias. These two groups, though their jobs might seem respectable and high-class to outsiders, only after joining would they find that their promotions were harder to achieve. After reaching a certain position, they would face subtle discrimination and couldn¡¯t advance any further. These two groups were initially Brian¡¯s targets. At this time, those who could afford to go abroad for prestigious universities or those Hua people who had blended into prestigious universities locally were truly elites out of millions, with very little fluff! As long as he could provide these people with a fair and just environment, their potential when it burst forth would definitely be no lesser than those white researchers! ... ¡°Not bad, Gandob, I am very satisfied with your discernment. Going forward, your main job will be to handle recruitment, try to recruit as many motivated newcomers as possible, and if there are talented individuals being excluded, you can also poach them!¡± Brian temporarily approved of Gandob. Being able to think of selecting talents from the Hua community showed that the other party didn¡¯t possess such strong stubborn racial discriminatory thinking and also indicated that he had considered the economic situation of the institute. Thinking ahead like this also showed that he wanted to make a bet on the institute¡¯s future. Just these three points made Brian quite satisfied. Hearing Brian¡¯s arrangement, Gandob showed a happy expression. Knowing he had passed the assessment, he quickly stood up and nodded, ¡°No problem, boss, just the funding...¡± ¡°I will first transfer fifty million to the institute.¡± Brian said and, seeming to think of something, smiled, ¡°But there are two things I need you to handle right away!¡± ¡°Boss, please go ahead.¡± Gandob, upon hearing that funding was not an issue, relaxed again. ¡°The first item of business is to transfer ownership of Aiden Mental Hospital. I don¡¯t care if you sell it to another research institute or what, I don¡¯t need this property, including the doctors and researchers, package them all together and handle it.¡± Gandob nodded, ¡°That¡¯s a high-quality asset, easily packaged and sold.¡± Mentally ill patients had become a high-quality industry in this world, even more so than convicted felons. ¡°The second item of business is to change the name of the institute. I don¡¯t like the name ¡®Aiden.''¡± Gandob nodded again, ¡°Of course, no problem, Boss, whatever you prefer. What shall we call it from now on?¡± Brian smiled mischievously, ¡°Let¡¯s call it Umbrella Company. This will be the company¡¯s logo, and the current institute is just the beginning of the company. I hope we will have our own research institutions and security departments worldwide in the future.¡± As he spoke, he handed Gandob a colorfully hand-painted logo that he had prepared earlier. Umbrella Company, in a game from Brian¡¯s past life, was the name of a villainous corporation, fully named Umbrella Company, also translated as Umbrella. This also represented some of his ambitions. Once he had accumulated enough funds and technology, he wanted to establish a massive security company. He had already thought of a name for it, Black Watch. He looked forward to that day! ... With Brian¡¯s arrangements, Gandob hurriedly left first. Brian patted the dog-like figure of Shi San, who was drinking coffee. After ordering the meal, he turned to Alpha, who seemed somewhat tense, ¡°Alpha, don¡¯t be so nervous. I value you highly, especially your research; it is very helpful to me. Shall we talk?¡± Alpha, a bit uncomfortable, fiddled with the corner of his clothing, ¡°But apart from my research, I don¡¯t really understand much else.¡± ¡°Just talk about your research.¡± Brian took out from his pocket the USB stick that Alpha had previously given him, ¡°I¡¯ve been busy and haven¡¯t properly looked at the content inside; tell me about it directly.¡± Alpha¡¯s research was on high energy food. Alpha didn¡¯t understand how important his research was, but Brian did. High energy food, in this special era, was almost equivalent to the Blood Moon era¡¯s version of ¡®oil.¡¯ Literally, the food version of oil. Why were official organizations and Second Rank Lives so rare? Apart from such potential individuals being one in ten thousand, it represented a significant burden. Take Brian, for example. After his physique reached 1.4, normal food could no longer sustain his daily needs. It wasn¡¯t a matter of being able to eat or not. Even if he ate all day, it was hard for him to maintain healthy bodily functions, let alone using Self-Deception + Super Adaptation Talent for enhancement. He now had to use Gift Energy nearly every day to suppress the hunger in his body and maintain normal bodily functions. And what about those Second Rank Life enhancers without Gift Energy? They could only rely on the high-energy food produced by the base to stave off hunger. That cost was not small. After all, every official organization, apart from maintaining normal operations, had a Combat Department used for maintaining stability on the seas; these soldiers also consumed large amounts daily. So, Alpha¡¯s research was an opportunity and also easily a crisis. This was also the reason Brian hadn¡¯t hurried to deal with this matter before. He wasn¡¯t sure if he could protect this research. Chapter 482 - 482 273 Exaggerated Effects of Blood Fruit ?482: Chapter 273: Exaggerated Effects of Blood Fruit 482: Chapter 273: Exaggerated Effects of Blood Fruit Seeing Brian inquire about his research project, the typically reticent Alpha perked up immediately. He gesticulated with excitement, explaining to Brian: ¡°I¡¯ve mentioned before, this is a transgenic technology. It began when I encountered a marvelous substance known as the ¡®Gluttony Gene.¡¯ It can bestow upon a suitable host the ability to absorb and strengthen itself by devouring its kin. However, according to previous research records, the gene has high requirements for its host, and it¡¯s difficult to find one in tens of thousands of people. Moreover, such experiments are too cruel. I thought this gene was fascinating, but it would be too cruel to apply it to animals. So, I wondered if this gene could be transplanted into plants. This process was not easy.¡± Brian cut Alpha off, ¡°This is actually a Mutant Gene, does the institute provide these resources for you to research?¡± Alpha nodded: ¡°The institute has rankings for Researchers. Newcomers are D-level, only able to do simple assistive tasks. After more than three years at the institute, or if they are favored by the project leader, they can be promoted to C-level Researchers. At that point, they can apply for research projects not exceeding ten thousand US dollars, or join another project team to continue providing research assistance. If they produce results, or have served the institute for over ten years, Researchers can become B-level after assessment. At this level, they can manage independent projects and also have access to special research tasks sent down by the headquarters. I was highly favored by the management two terms ago and reached this level within a few years. It was after I touched upon the ¡®Gluttony Gene.¡¯ I found this gene extremely fascinating and wanted to encode it into a suitable plant. This idea led to many years without results, and gradually I became a marginal figure in the institute. Above this, there are A-level Researchers. Researchers at this level mainly handle projects arranged by the headquarters. In fact, previously only Benjamin, the last head of the Aiden Research Institute, reached the level of an A-level Researcher. I heard he previously served the NW organization as a Second-level Staff in the Alpha sequence. Of course, I don¡¯t understand these things. Actually, the success of my Blood-colored Cannibal Flower project was thanks to a failed Gluttony Gene research project from decades ago. That was the only successful Gluttony Gene encoding project to date, unfortunately, for some unknown reason, it was declared a failure not long ago. I heard it was because the research subject accidentally died, leading to the project¡¯s failure. All the research data was sent back to headquarters. But some residual resources from that project were recovered. Later on, Benjamin did something, killed someone from the NW organization, and fled. The institute was in disarray, so I secretly took those resources to continue my research, which finally led to the successful project of the Blood-colored Cannibal Flower.¡± After finishing, Alpha licked his dry lips and picked up the coffee from the table and started drinking. After finishing his drink, he noticed Shi San sitting opposite him, only then realizing he was drinking what Shi San had left behind... Even Brian found the twist of fate to be quite extraordinary. Because the failed Gluttony Gene research project mentioned by Alpha was the very one where Brian had personally executed the research subject, and had gained the Perception Talent with ultrasonic capability, possessing both perceptual and wide-range destructive abilities. Unexpectedly, Alpha¡¯s successful research project owed its success to him. Such was fate. Alpha was unaware of these details. He awkwardly set down his coffee cup. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but he felt the coffee in this restaurant had an excellent effect, refreshing his somewhat tired mind. Reinvigorated, Alpha continued: ¡°The proof shows my research direction was correct. Considering the effects of the Gluttony Gene, I specifically chose carnivorous plants. This is a large category; there are over six hundred known species of carnivorous plants globally. After five to six years of research, I finally found the right method for gene encoding. The process was tough. Animal genes and plant genes have an innate separation. Until I thought of symbiosis...¡± Then came a barrage of terms that Brian did not understand. He simply nodded silently. At that moment, Brian became aware of his own lack of knowledge. However, given the choice, he would still prefer to spend more time increasing his own power. With sufficient strength, there would always be intelligent people to do his bidding. That was the case now. ... After Alpha explained his research approach, he went on: ¡°The most challenging part was achieving symbiosis. Initially, I attempted to pair special microorganisms with plants to create a symbiotic relationship, but the best result merely enhanced the plants¡¯ digestive glands. They digested food faster and grew at an accelerated rate, but the plants themselves showed no essential difference from before. It wasn¡¯t until I came across a research report on the formation of Hua Country Worm Grass that I was inspired. Hence, I began by fine-tuning the ¡®Gluttony Gene¡¯ with a certain plant parasite and then had it infest the chosen plant. This took another two years, and the results were modest. It wasn¡¯t until recently that I obtained some special serum...¡± Chapter 483 - 483 273 Exaggerated Effects of Blood Fruit_2 ?483: Chapter 273: Exaggerated Effects of Blood Fruit_2 483: Chapter 273: Exaggerated Effects of Blood Fruit_2 ¡°I¡¯ve added them to the experiment, along with the special microbe I developed before, and finally I got this thing.¡± Speaking of which, Alpha pulled out a photo from his pocket and handed it to Brian. Seeing the photo, Brian had reason to doubt whether Alpha had been playing a Plants vs. Zombies game. The real Cannibal Flower, also known as the Corpse Flower, this thing grows in the tropical rainforest, looking like a large flower with a big disk in the middle, with several particularly plump petals on the disk. When mature, it can be as big as half an adult and also has a garish appearance. However, when it blooms, it gives off a stench similar to that of rotting corpses, and this smell can drift very far. The name Cannibal Flower is largely influenced by the smell of decay. In fact, it can only capture small insects like flies and butterflies as food with its secretions, and it¡¯s not really capable of eating people. But the Cannibal Flower in Alpha¡¯s photo was completely different from a proper Cannibal Flower: Isn¡¯t this dreadful thing the image of a Cannibal Flower from the mini-game Plants vs. Zombies! Brian looked at Alpha with a surprised gaze, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not joking?¡± Alpha nodded his head: ¡°The final product was kept in my backyard before. When I initially bred it, it was only the size of a ping pong ball, and it looked not much different from a normal Cannibal Flower. I was worried at first that it wouldn¡¯t adapt to the climate in Los Angeles. Turned out I was too naive. After feeding it for about a week, it bloomed, and it didn¡¯t have the stench of a normal Cannibal Flower, but instead a sweet smell. It attracted a large number of insects that willingly became its food. A normal Cannibal Flower, after blooming, would wither in a few days, and it would produce a semi-rotten fruit. But it was different. Instead of withering, it started growing a trunk with a fruit from the hollow center of the flower, and it increased its demand for food. After about another three weeks, It grew into the roughly two-meter creature in the photo, with this frightening appearance. But all that¡¯s fake. Those things that look like teeth are actually sensory organs. As soon as a creature is attracted by the scent of its flower, it can instantly sense it and secrete digestive juices to break down the creature into nutrients, which it absorbs quickly. It also forms excess nutrients into blood-colored fruits on its surface. So I guess this must be its mature phase. As for the purpose of those blood-colored fruits, I¡¯ve mentioned it to you, boss, before. Just a little bit is enough to meet the body¡¯s needs of a lab mouse for a week; too much and they start showing symptoms like nosebleed, excess energy, and difficulty in digestion. I was planning to apply for primate experiments, but then there was an issue at the research institute. Worried about potential mishaps with my findings, I physically destroyed my research records and destroyed the mature Cannibal Flower in the backyard, then I hid this incident until my sister¡¯s child met with an accident, and I decided to use this as leverage to find you, boss!¡± Listening to the last sentence, Brian was somewhat pleasantly surprised, ¡°You mean, this research project is only known to you at present?¡± Alpha shook his head: ¡°Some colleagues have known about it for a long time, but because there were no results, everyone stopped paying attention to me, and now I can¡¯t be sure.¡± He pushed the USB drive, where he stored the data from his research, back across the table: ¡°Boss, you¡¯d better keep this. It might not be safe with me. Some people from the headquarters approached me after I contacted you. They asked me what research technology I had given you and took away the research data from my institute¡¯s computer. Of course, I didn¡¯t tell them anything.¡± Hearing this, Brian¡¯s brow furrowed. People from Black Light Biotechnology Company appeared to have been watching him. He pointed at the photo, ¡°Are you sure they haven¡¯t discovered this?¡± Alpha shook his head: ¡°I¡¯m sure! I destroyed the backyard¡¯s Cannibal Flower when the institute was in chaos. Despite its large appearance, it actually grows very quickly. It usually releases its scent to trap prey at night in response to light, and I fed it special pet food, mainly made up of animal innards, and I also had a large dog, so it didn¡¯t attract much attention.¡± Great! Hearing Alpha¡¯s response, Brian could hardly wait to give him a warm hug. Indeed, he was a research talent cultivated in the United States. One may not understand the niceties of human relationships, but the awareness of knowledge protection is truly ingrained into their bones. Brian loved employees like that, who think about their boss! .. According to Alpha¡¯s current research, the Blood-colored Cannibal Flower he created was not picky about food; any flesh would do. Once its basic needs were satisfied, the remaining energy would automatically turn into tiny blood-colored fruits. The fresher the meat, the lower the cost. On average, the cost of one fruit didn¡¯t exceed the equivalent of twenty pounds of fresh meat. But the energy provided to a creature was about fifteen times that of the same amount of meat. It wasn¡¯t that the energy increased, but that the digestion and absorption efficiencies were different between eating the Blood Fruit and eating meat. With the Blood-colored Cannibal Flower¡¯s system conversion process, this thing was that amazing. The only problem was the digestion limit of the Blood-colored Cannibal Flower¡ªonly ten pounds of fresh meat per day, which meant it could only grow a Blood Fruit every two days. The efficiency was somewhat low, and it couldn¡¯t compare to modern technological assembly lines. Chapter 484 - 484 273 Exaggerated Effects of Blood Fruit_3 ?484: Chapter 273: Exaggerated Effects of Blood Fruit_3 484: Chapter 273: Exaggerated Effects of Blood Fruit_3 Brian was itching with curiosity from Alpha¡¯s description. After dinner, he immediately dragged Alpha to his house. This guy was still hiding a few of the previously harvested Blood-colored Fruits, planning to use them as project evidence. Half an hour later, Brian saw the Blood Fruit mentioned by Alpha. It looked somewhat like a regular tomato, about the same size, with very translucent skin, allowing one to see the scarlet paste-like flesh inside. The surface of the fruit emitted a faint fragrance, though its skin was a bit wrinkled, seeming difficult to preserve. Following behind Brian, Shi San caught the scent of the fruit and became restless. It barked at Brian a few times, ¡°Woof woof woof~ (Big dog, smells good, want to eat~)¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try it first.¡± Brian kicked Shi San away and shoved the fruit into his mouth. Seeing this, Alpha panicked, ¡°Boss, we haven¡¯t performed primate experiments yet, and a whole fruit is equivalent to eating the nutritional value of 300 pounds of fresh meat. You won¡¯t be able to handle it!¡± Brian chewed a couple of times. The paste-like flesh of the Blood Fruit was a bit sticky, with a mildly fishy sweet taste, somewhat like eating double-skin milk. He swallowed it in one gulp and licked his tongue, ¡°The taste is not bad. Also, don¡¯t forget, humans are also primates. It¡¯s quite suitable for me to eat it. It won¡¯t pose a threat to me.¡± Joking. He was only afraid of high concentrations of neurotoxins and anesthetic substances; he cared little about anything else. He would even dare to swallow arsenic directly. The Blood Fruit flesh burst into a large amount of heat as soon as it reached the stomach. Brian¡¯s body temperature was naturally higher than that of ordinary people, only by controlling the low-frequency consumption of his body could he live normally. Accompanied by a surge of energy. Waves of heat radiated from his skin pores, and there was even a visible air fluctuation. Looking at this unusual scene, Alpha was dumbfounded. He said worriedly, ¡°Boss, I have ice cubes in my fridge...¡± ¡°No need!¡± Brian waved his hand, his face showing a comfortable smile, ¡°I feel warm all over now, very comfortable.¡± The energy contained in this fruit was almost lethal for ordinary people. But for him, it was just right. Brian controlled his body, quickly digesting the energy contained in the fruit flesh. Under Supercomputer Perception, he could feel the hunger in his body rapidly diminishing. This was completely different from maintaining his body using Gift Energy. One was a feeling of empty satisfaction. The other was the satisfaction of a full stomach. Brian calculated that one Blood Fruit was enough to sustain his daily activities for a whole day. It was really high quality. Much better than the NW Energy Bars he had exchanged for before! ¡°Very good, Alpha, you¡¯ve given me a big surprise! This Blood Fruit is great, very important. I can tell you for sure, you¡¯re going to be financially free!¡± Brian patted Alpha¡¯s shoulder earnestly. Alpha looked at Brian excitedly, ¡°Boss, are you preparing to reward me?¡± Brian painted a big picture, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m planning to give you dividends from this project. However, this research can¡¯t be exposed for now, I can only use it privately, otherwise we both would be in danger. I can assure you that in no more than two years, you will receive your share. It will be a sizable amount! You know, I always keep my word!¡± Thinking of the photo Brian had sent him before, showing a bloody spine connected to a murderer¡¯s head, Alpha nodded affirmatively, ¡°I believe you, boss!¡± ¡°Alright, it¡¯s getting late. You go to the research institute for work tomorrow. I¡¯ll speak with Gandob to let him buy up all the slaughterhouses in Los Angeles, and we can slaughter livestock for the farms for free, of course, the payment will be those animals¡¯ viscera. Externally, you can say you are researching a type of flesh-dissolving microbe. Of course, those viscera will be used to cultivate Blood-colored Cannibal Flowers. As for where to cultivate, I¡¯ll arrange that later.¡± Brian immediately thought of how to utilize this plant¡¯s characteristics. At this point in time, the viscera of animals such as cattle, sheep, and pigs in the United States had not yet been driven up by unscrupulous traders; the high global shipping costs also limited the development of this industry. So the chances of success for the plan were very high. As for slaughterhouse or farm owners who didn¡¯t want to cooperate, it didn¡¯t matter. Those who agreed would get a reasonable compensation. Those who disagreed would first be threatened, then given a reasonable compensation. In the face of power, he believed those slaughterhouses and farms would be willing to accept this win-win cooperation. Leaving Alpha¡¯s house, Brian was a bit emotional. The dragon-slaying warrior eventually turned into the dragon. Now that he had power, he eventually became what he had once despised the most. Brian had also figured out where to cultivate the Blood-colored Cannibal Flowers. Didn¡¯t his father-in-law Dean have several private islands with security stationed on them? He planned to pull his father-in-law into the cooperative development of the Blood-colored Cannibal Flowers. After all, Dean only had one daughter. His father-in-law¡¯s things would eventually be his too. Thinking this, Brian gave himself a slap, ¡°My brain, how could I have ever thought of becoming a dentist when I was in college? Accounting suits me much better, right!¡± In the car, Shi San looked at Brian with mournful eyes. The fruit, fragrant, want to eat! All the way back to the apartment, Shi San still looked at Brian with mournful eyes. Big dog eating alone, bad! Brian¡¯s hand trembled slightly as he took out a Blood Fruit and then took out a Crow Egg from the incubator, smiling at Shi San, ¡°Shi San, want to eat a fruit?¡± ¡°Woof woof woof~ (Want, want, want~)¡± Shi San drooled happily, wagging its tail. It retracted what it had said before. Big dog is really good! As Brian tossed the fruit up and down below Shi San¡¯s eyes, enticing Shi San¡¯s head to sway, he finally placed the Crow Egg in front of Shi San, ¡°Shi San, how about this, you help me hatch the egg, and I¡¯ll give you a fruit to eat.¡± Shi San looked at the egg Brian was pushing towards it: ??? Chapter 488 - 488 274 Breezy Cotton-Padded Coat Death Perception 6800-word combined supplementary_4 ?488: Chapter 274: Breezy Cotton-Padded Coat, Death Perception (6800-word combined chapter, supplementary)_4 488: Chapter 274: Breezy Cotton-Padded Coat, Death Perception (6800-word combined chapter, supplementary)_4 Mutant, spiritual pollution... Hearing this, Brian let out a sigh of relief. He hadn¡¯t had a dream in a long time. Luckily, he was also a Mutant, which was probably why he hadn¡¯t been affected. At most, he guessed it might have been cross-infection. ... Seeing Brian¡¯s reaction, Dean knew he must be okay. He also unconsciously let out a sigh of relief. After all, it was the man his daughter was fond of, and he had even agreed to give Dean a grandson and a granddaughter to dote on. After his sigh, Dean couldn¡¯t help but think of how his daughter Susan had her elbow turned out, and the more he looked at Brian, the more annoyed he felt. He grunted, ¡°About the Blood Fruit business, I¡¯ll have someone contact the Researcher. Give him a heads-up beforehand, and you don¡¯t have to worry about the rest. Don¡¯t go wandering around either. Just stay in Los Angeles and make babies with Susan!¡± Having said that. Heat waves surged over Dean¡¯s body, as if there was a furnace inside, he soared into the sky with a burst of heat waves and disappeared into the horizon... ... Brian:... Old Green has a dog¡¯s face, huh? Just earlier, everything was fine, and suddenly he pulls a long face! He enviously watched Dean¡¯s retreating figure. That Old Green really could fly. Before, he pretended to glide in front of him, but now it seemed he had accepted the notion, especially after hearing he¡¯d be getting a daughter and son to raise. He stopped pretending. So sly! Watching the reddish dawn mist in the sky, Brian sighed. Enhancers only had difficulty conceiving offspring, but Mutants not only struggled with that; their offspring could also mutate uncontrollably. That old codger, who even knows where he¡¯s hiding. Without solving the genetic issues, how could he dare let Susan get pregnant. ... Annoyed, Brian went back to snuggle up with Shi San and continue to sleep soundly. For the following week or more. He was either studying or responding to calls. His progress with obsession was not ideal. Most homicide cases involved victims that were not fresh, and naturally, there was no obsession. Hospitals were a place where he could try his luck. But that was unstable. For some of the obsession tasks, Brian began to try delegating them to Spider Woman Eliana and Catwoman Sandy. After the two met, since they were both Beastification People, they didn¡¯t make a fuss. They didn¡¯t ask questions about Brian¡¯s strange requests either. In the meantime, Brian also attended Susan¡¯s promotion ceremony. This time, no trouble brewed. The affairs of Brian in the White Elephant Country had already spread within NW, and with the fearsome Old Dean Green behind Susan, who would dare to come forward and make trouble? Now everyone looked at Brian and Susan with eyes reserved for a golden boy and jade girl, filled only with envy. If they were prepared to go the management route, they could easily secure some decent positions within NW. Neither of them had any thoughts of doing so. ... That day. Brian was flipping through the investigation report handed over by Green. They had encountered trouble with the serial murder case they were investigating earlier, and there had been no progress for over a week. This was actually normal. With cold cases, just confirming the identity of the deceased was troublesome, not to mention finding the murderer. However, the members of Team B6 were used to Brian¡¯s efficiency in solving cases, and subconsciously felt it was dragging on too long and wanted to handle this case sooner. The case details were simple: Volunteers, while helping to prune the garden, found a piece of a finger bone in the soil. Afterward, the police dug up eight skulls from the garden. After testing. The owners of these skulls have all been dead for over five years. The problem was. That house had been on rent for nine years prior, with frequent tenant changes, and the last tenant became the current owner. The original owner of the house defaulted on property fees for a long time, leading to the auction of the house. The last tenant, more than a year ago, bought the house at auction. From a timing perspective, the eight victims had no connection to the current owner of the house. Actually, this wasn¡¯t even the difficult part. The case had two main difficulties. One difficulty was that the identities of those victims could not be determined. And the other difficulty was that some of the previous tenants of the house were untraceable. Although renting a house usually requires the tenant¡¯s information, the Los Angeles metropolitan area has high consumption, frequent pedestrian traffic, and residents can move freely, with phone numbers not under real-name rules, so they can be changed at will. This also made finding people a very troublesome task. ... After finishing the documents Green had brought over, Brian suddenly asked, ¡°Green, why isn¡¯t there information about the previous owner of the house?¡± Green shrugged, ¡°The person was Mexican, missing for a long time. It¡¯s also the reason why his house was auctioned.¡± Brian nodded. That made sense. Mentioning Mexico creates the subconscious image of a drug dealer. And that is often the case. There are many small-time drug dealers there; the smart ones bring their families to the United States to settle down, otherwise, they¡¯d likely die in vendettas and gang assassinations, with few good endings to expect. Even running over here doesn¡¯t mean safety. Being targeted for revenge by emerging enemies is the norm. This is why it¡¯s said that once you¡¯re in the underworld, there¡¯s no turning back. You may want to wash your hands of it, but others might not forget old grudges. Thinking it over. Brian tossed the documents onto the table: ¡°Check it out, and also prepare a list of all the tenants of that house for me. I¡¯ll take a look at those bones and then decide.¡± ¡°Got it, Boss Brian.¡± Green left in a hurry with the documents. Brian stretched. He glanced at Shi San, who was sound asleep, and didn¡¯t disturb the dog. He got up on his own and walked out of the office. ... Reaching the morgue. Brian changed into his work clothes, and as he was about to start work, a warm current surged within him. An obsession task had been completed. Brian had a thought and a smile appeared on his face. The little Crow had hatched. His mind stirred, and he received the ¡®Death Perception¡¯ talent gift from the little Crow¡¯s mother. The acceptance process was exceedingly simple. Brian just felt a chill in his eyes, and then there was no other reaction. He blinked his eyes, looking around, but noticed nothing unusual. Curious. Brian changed out of his work clothes, took the elevator to the top floor of the office building, and then looked into the distance. At that moment. He finally found something unusual. In the distance. Over a certain area, several inconspicuous black strands of mist rose continuously from below, eventually dissipating into the air. ¡°If I remember correctly, that¡¯s a major hospital...¡± Brian¡¯s mouth curled upward. Truly amazing. I can see death! Chapter 489 - 489 275 Corpses Can Talk Shi San is Happy to be a Mother ?489: Chapter 275: Corpses Can Talk, Shi San is Happy to be a Mother 489: Chapter 275: Corpses Can Talk, Shi San is Happy to be a Mother ¡±¡¯Low Gift Energy talents can also have their own magic, like Brian¡¯s Supercomputer Perception or now, Death Perception.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯The principle of this talent was unclear to Brian, and its functions still needed further research, but at least it would make moonlighting much easier for him.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯He could gather more fresh obsessions over time, and in the long run, it might not be inferior to those difficult and significant obsessions.¡±¡¯ ... ¡±¡¯With a decent mood, Brian returned to the morgue.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯The skeletal remains had been assembled.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯There were a total of eight victims.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯From subtle details, it was evident that there were five females and three males among the deceased.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯Looking at the state of the bones and the wear on the teeth, the youngest victim was estimated to be over thirty years old, and the oldest was over sixty, who was also the only victim whose identity could be confirmed.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯Assistant Tom found the identity information of the deceased from the code on the inside of a lost false tooth.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯The deceased was named Osak, a white male, 63 years old, who had relatives, but after making contact, it was discovered that they had not been in touch for many years.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯Osak was a blue-collar worker in his youth and lived a pretty good life until he went bankrupt from stock trading in middle age, lost everything afterward, and became homeless, with no further records available.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯Homeless... death over five years ago.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯These two pieces of information together basically amounted to useless information.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯Apart from Osak, the rest of the seven victims were truly unidentifiable.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯Faced with this situation, even someone as savvy as Brian felt somewhat helpless.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯He could only conduct some basic trace investigations.¡±¡¯ ... ¡±¡¯Inspecting bones is somewhat different from inspecting complete bodies.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯This relies more on modern technology and experience.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯For example, through bone analysis, the race and gender can be determined, and from the wear of the teeth and the structure of the skeleton, one can roughly estimate the age, likely profession, and pre-mortem height of a person. From the marks on the bones, one can determine possible pre-mortem traumas such as blunt force trauma, sharp instrument injuries, or other causes of death...¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯This was not Brian¡¯s strong suit.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯Even when he was at the Forensic Bureau, he seldom dealt with cases featuring only skeletal remains.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯Such cases were generally handled by senior forensic doctors, and there was no need for someone like Brian to assist, so he had little experience with them.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯Luckily, he had an edge.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯Brian, wearing gloves, his eyes transforming into magnifying glasses, observed these cleaned bones meticulously.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯From the surface traces, there were no apparent signs of pre-mortem tool injuries on these bones.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯These people seemed to have been manual laborers, with severe wear and compression marks between their skeletons.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯These were symptoms of long-term heavy lifting, climbing stairs for extended periods, bending over, etc., which, in a living person, would manifest as reduced spinal gaps, reduced stature, severe cartilage wear, herniated lumbar discs, and evident deformities in calves, toes, and fingers.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯These victims also all had poor periodontal conditions.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯This implied that they struggled economically.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯People here often ate or were forced to eat sweet foods, making dental health a common issue.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯Seeing a dentist isn¡¯t cheap, and it forms a significant part of living expenses.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯Most people would purchase health insurance to reduce potential expenses.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯The problem is, not everyone can afford this insurance.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯Take Brian¡¯s younger brother Green as an example.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯Before joining NW, Green was a low-ranking patrol officer at LAPD.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯His after-tax annual salary was about forty to fifty thousand US dollars, which was only because Los Angeles is a wealthy major city with rich finances that he could earn this much.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯Last year, the average hourly wage in Los Angeles ranked seventh globally, with a pre-tax average hourly wage of 19.6 US dollars, which approximates to 15.3 US dollars after taxes per hour.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯That is to say, a monthly income of about 3300 US dollars after taxes was considered average.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯Los Angeles itself has a vast gap between the rich and the poor.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯Everyone who understands, knows.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯Green¡¯s income was slightly above the average annual income in Los Angeles.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯But his life was exhausting.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯He had to cover the property tax, home insurance, his supplemental commercial medical insurance, continuously rising car insurance, daily commute costs, etc., every month. This meant taking his family out for a meal a few times was difficult, so he, like most people, resorted to eating cheap, high-calorie food.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯What about those earning less than Green?¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯First, they must ensure they can feed themselves.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯Only then can they consider other things.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯In summary.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯These eight victims were all at the bottom of society, engaged in many ¡®unskilled¡¯ manual labor jobs, lacked adequate health insurance, and had low resistance to external risks.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯The reason I highlight ¡®unskilled¡¯ manual labor is because labor here is expensive due to the skills required, not just mere labor, as purely mechanical labor is not valued highly in Los Angeles, abundant with illegal underground workers.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯Don¡¯t think there¡¯s no competition here.¡±¡¯ ¡±¡¯During times of lenient immigration policies, dishwashers who previously earned three to four thousand US dollars before taxes for working eleven to twelve hours a day were driven down to eight or nine hundred dollars a month, excluding food, with working hours even reaching up to fourteen hours, effectively turning into cheap human dishwashing machines.¡±¡¯ Chapter 490 - 490 275 Corpses Can Talk Shi San Delighted to Become a Mother_2 ?490: Chapter 275: Corpses Can Talk, Shi San Delighted to Become a Mother_2 490: Chapter 275: Corpses Can Talk, Shi San Delighted to Become a Mother_2 So this kind of mechanical, non-technical physical labor often has another characteristic: that is, the working hours are very long. These people, their social circles are generally not too large, nor are they very fluid. Because both mobility and social interactions require an investment of time, energy, money. This characteristic is very important! It can even be said to be the core idea in case-solving. The reason is simple. For victims with a narrow social circle, the fact that they were all killed by the same murderer suggests that there is some overlap in their characteristics, such as the killer being an intermediary that specifically hires cheap labor, or the killer specifically hunting these overlooked lower-class individuals in a poor area... In any case, the killer must have targeted these low-class victims due to some specific factor. Finding this specific factor means we can lock onto the killer¡¯s identity! So how do we find this specific factor? We have to consider the way the bodies were handled, the location, the approximate time they were killed, and even their genders to make an assessment. The simplest point. Eight victims, five women and three men, with the males being older in age. This suggests that the killer¡¯s targets are all the old, weak, sick, or disabled. He likely isn¡¯t very strong and might not even have a history of robbery before committing these crimes; otherwise, the plethora of readily available guns could have given him enough confidence instead of specifically choosing the old, weak, sick, or disabled. Additionally, the strong tend to be more impulsive, habitually using muscle and violence to solve problems, while the physically weak may have developed the habit of thinking as a means of ensuring their survival from a young age. All these fit the killer¡¯s profile. On the bones of the eight victims, there were no obvious signs of trauma from a tool or weapon. One case could be called a coincidence. But all of them like this suggests the killer likely used drugs, smothering, or other ¡®soft¡¯ methods to subdue and kill the victims. In the chaotic lower-class neighborhoods, this is actually not an easy thing to accomplish. The more chaotic the poor neighborhood, the more vigilant the residents are outside. They are highly sensitive to danger, and they might even scan their surroundings from time to time, to prevent someone suddenly jumping out to rob them, or becoming a victim of a gang on bikes. To successfully attack these people eight times in a row without one escaping or without any accidents truly isn¡¯t a simple matter. Combining the above factors: the killer likely didn¡¯t have similar experiences before, the killer is physically slim and weak, the killer uses underhanded tactics... The speculation that could be drawn is: the victims knew the killer, or at least they were acquaintances, which gave the killer the opportunity to harm them. ... ¡°My brain really is working better and better...¡± Brian took off his gloves, picked up a pen and paper, and began to record his analysis, one by one. After he finished his work. Creak~ The door to the morgue was pushed open. His assistant Tom walked in with a yellow paper file in his hand, ¡°Brian, were you performing an autopsy on those skeletons?¡± Brian shook the pen and paper in his hand, ¡°Yes, there¡¯s some progress, Tom, you look well now.¡± Tom looked years younger and no longer had the gaunt, heavy-drug-addict look of the past. He chuckled, ¡°I have your ¡®Enhancement Reagent¡¯ to thank for that, God, when I felt the joy of being a man again, I felt like I was back in my twenties, it¡¯s such a wonderful state.¡± As he said this, Tom handed the file he was carrying to Brian: ¡°This is the autopsy result for the skeletons, which I brought back from the Forensic Bureau chemical department. It¡¯s confirmed that all eight victims were drug addicts. Their skeletons contained high levels of painkiller components. These circumstances are common among certain cheap labor sectors. Long hours of physical work lead to various discomforts in their bodies after middle age. They could only rely on painkillers for relief, eventually leading to addiction. However, due to reasons related to economy and lifestyle, this group of people wouldn¡¯t go for real drugs. They would only increase their painkiller dosage to maintain their standard of living, which really is just another dead-end street. This group typically doesn¡¯t have comprehensive retirement plans. When they can no longer work, that¡¯s when they fall into Hell. Many middle-aged and senior crimes are committed by these people. When I was a detective previously, I saw too many such criminals. When the craving hits, they would engage in crime or other illegal activities such as robbery, trafficking, and so on. At those moments, the law means less to them than a painkiller.¡± Brian flipped through the test report that Tom had brought back, smiled, and handed the paper where he had recorded his analysis to Tom, ¡°This matches the hypothesis I made after the autopsy. I suspect these victims are as you described, the killer knew them very well and used this to kill them. However, I haven¡¯t yet figured out the killer¡¯s motive.¡± Motive, he really was a bit puzzled. After all, from the current deductions, these victims had neither money nor health; they were just lives not worth much, where the cost of disposing of the bodies would likely exceed any benefit from killing them, plus there was the considerable risk of committing a crime. The loss outweighed the gain. Hearing this, Tom shrugged: ¡°Many serial killers have mental illnesses. As children, some may have been bullied, or maybe suffered long-term domestic violence, and had unhappy childhoods; they could only prove their strength by abusing small animals. Chapter 491 - 491 275 The Corpse Speaks Shi San is Happy to be a Mom_3 ?491: Chapter 275 The Corpse Speaks, Shi San is Happy to be a Mom_3 491: Chapter 275 The Corpse Speaks, Shi San is Happy to be a Mom_3 When he grew up, people like him, if subjected to certain stimuli again, would subconsciously repeat what they did as children. They would again use killing to demonstrate their might, only this time they often targeted their own kind. Brian nodded, ¡°Maybe, but I¡¯ve already found a lead on this case.¡± ¡°You are the most talented autopsy officer I¡¯ve ever seen, Brian,¡± Tom sincerely complimented, ¡°Working with you really makes things easier, sometimes I even wish you could stay in the action department for a few more years.¡± In his view, a person like Brian wouldn¡¯t stay on the front line for long, he would be promoted. After that, they would live in two different worlds. Tom blessed him but also felt a bit sad. Clinging to someone¡¯s coattails, only those involved knew how great it was. If it weren¡¯t for Brian, he would still be sickly, muddling along in life, with only gaming bringing some solace to his heart amidst a bleak future, just mechanically living on. Hearing this, Brian smiled, ¡°Maybe.¡± ... Back in the office. Brian saw Shi San looking bewildered at a small meatball. The small ball was burrowing through its fur, its tiny mouth continuously making a hoarse ¡®eh eh eh¡¯ sound, appearing very lively. It was Shi San¡¯s first experience with such a situation. It fretfully raised its head and called out a few times but was afraid to move, worried about either squashing the small ball or squeezing it onto the ground. Old Hardenn and the female clerk Edna watched the commotion. Upon seeing Brian, the female clerk Edna curiously asked, ¡°Brian, where did Shi San find this little bird? It¡¯s so plump and cute, though its voice is a bit unpleasant.¡± Old Hardenn, stroking his chin, looked uncertain, ¡°It seems like a young crow, just a bit larger, and the eggshell looks strange too. What breed is this?¡± Crow Eggs are not small, and the color is also quite strange. ¡°This is a beaked crow from the eastern hemisphere, a species of crow. This one should be an offspring of an enhanced crow, which I found on my trip to White Elephant Country. I didn¡¯t expect it to actually hatch,¡± Brian had previously determined the species from the mother¡¯s appearance he saw online. Old Hardenn suddenly realized, ¡°Offspring of an enhanced crow... no wonder I feel it¡¯s so lively, not at all like a chick that has just hatched.¡± The female clerk Edna looked envious. She had seen on the team leader Susan¡¯s computer, through the NW internal network¡¯s exchange interface, an internally bred enhanced animal starting at over twenty merit points, something out of reach for regular employees like them who depended on Brian to even obtain Enhancement Reagents. Why couldn¡¯t she find one herself! Brian squatted down and touched the small ball with his finger. Startled, the small ball hurriedly burrowed into Shi San¡¯s fur, making even louder noises. The sound of this little creature was similar to a human¡¯s voice with a tail tone ¡®eh eh eh¡¯, and it was also a common crow sound effect in many Eastern horror movies, placed in scenes of old trees draped with withered vines, crows, and underneath, a burial ground, carrying an air of desolation and eeriness. Shi San watched Brian despondently, ¡°Woof woof woof~ (Big dog, something came out of the egg, it¡¯s so noisy~)¡± ¡°Be good, and I¡¯ll give you some fruit when we get back!¡± Brian rubbed Shi San¡¯s head and deftly flicked a drop of his treated blood into the small ball¡¯s beak. Hearing about the fruit, Shi San finally calmed down. It stuck out its tongue and licked the small ball. However, the small ball seemed overheated, its hairless body turning red all over, as if drunk, wobbling and eventually toppling over onto Shi San¡¯s belly, falling into a deep sleep. Even Brian¡¯s treated blood was too much for the little creature. It struggled with indigestion. ... Green went out to fetch some documents and hadn¡¯t come back yet. Brian gave him a call, signaling him to also check the disappearance cases and residential distribution around the morgue district and perhaps get some help from his brothers in the poor areas. The only ones who care about the bottom, are those at the bottom. A few old vagrants still living nearby might recall people from several years ago. While waiting, Brian began teaching Shi San how to nurture the chick. The small ball showed intense dependence towards Shi San. Its previous calling and burrowing behavior was actually treating Shi San as its ¡®mother,¡¯ seeking food from Shi San. This was actually the ¡®imprinting effect.¡¯ Animals hatching from eggs were basically physically developed, with vision, and would instinctively view the first creature they see as their mother. Another main reason was that Shi San, the dog, occasionally licked the egg. Thus, while still inside the egg, the small ball was fully covered by Shi San¡¯s scent. This scent provided security. There was no way it wouldn¡¯t consider him its mother. .. At a young age, Shi San unexpectedly became a mother. As its owner, Brian naturally had to teach it how to be a good dog mother. Beaked crows were actually easy to raise. They were omnivorous birds, feeding on corpses, trash, and such debris, as well as plant seeds and fruits, serving as nature¡¯s cleaners. Normally, they were sociable, grew quickly, reaching forty to fifty centimeters as adults, could use simple natural tools, had simple ways of community interaction, and were quite smart among crow species. So, all Shi San needed to do was keep the small ball warm and feed it regularly to raise it. Honestly, this knowledge was novel and nerve-wracking for Shi San. It had hardly accepted the fact that it was a dog, and now it had to nurture a bird... Eh, all for the sake of delicious fruit. Thinking of this, Shi San sorrowfully licked the small ball in its embrace again. Salty and savory... Slurp. It licked again.. Chapter 492 - 492 276 Locking Down the Culprit ?492: Chapter 276: Locking Down the Culprit 492: Chapter 276: Locking Down the Culprit Evening. Today, everyone worked overtime. Brian took the time to use facial reconstruction technology to sketch the possible appearances of eight victims, had Mr. Harden print many copies, and used the police¡¯s criminal system to search for the portraits of these victims. There are facial and skeletal reconstructions. The technology of facial reconstruction for the deceased relies on this logic for appearance restoration. Even though Brian saw the victims¡¯ remains, in his mind, he could easily reconstruct their probable appearances. This is a very impressive technology. If any of these victims had a prior criminal record and had been photographed for it, then the computer¡¯s facial recognition technology could directly identify the victim¡¯s identity. But... no matching criminal information could be found in the database. This means that these victims were law-abiding citizens in life and had never been incarcerated. However, Brian¡¯s hard work would not go to waste. If Green and Ivan didn¡¯t find anything on the information search, they could still use the victims¡¯ sketches to conduct inquiries and investigations in the surrounding communities. But this approach would be time-consuming and energy-draining and would only serve as a last resort. The problem actually lies with the citizen management system here. In Brian¡¯s previous life in Hua Country, he could have scanned these sketches into the computer and then used the nation¡¯s interconnected population management system to conduct facial searches, rapidly locking down the identities of the victims. Once identities were confirmed, combined with his prior analysis, the investigation would have been much easier. It¡¯s not possible here. Even with the NW organization, database access is limited to the LAPD¡¯s police databases. In the databases, there are detailed criminal records, but other citizens¡¯ information is not as transparent. The various official agencies overlap too much, and there¡¯s significant population mobility; departments are not unified in their management, with severe fragmentation between states, counties, and cities, leading to law enforcement chaos. The only entity currently doing well in this regard is probably the FBI. Their databases are interconnected with those of various regional police, and they can freely access citizen information without regional restrictions. .. Mr. Harden comforted Brian: ¡°Actually, there are many sources for the citizen database, like vehicle management and driver¡¯s license agencies, each with its own citizen system. The biggest issue is the chaos of management. The states are already aware of this problem and are considering real-time updates of the citizen database. At least I¡¯ve heard that the new generation of police cars will be equipped with small office computers. These computers will connect to the dispatch center and have precise electronic map navigation. Patrol officers will soon be able to locate the incident area via the dispatch center at high speed and check the suspect¡¯s information to confirm their citizen identity through the dispatch center.¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°Why don¡¯t you create a crawler system, and we make our own comprehensive database?¡± Mr. Harden rolled his eyes: ¡°Brian, that would be illegal. I¡¯m a man in my sixties; you can¡¯t send me to jail, or else nobody will help you with those game development plans. Besides, the Cybersecurity Department would not appreciate such actions. Nobody¡¯s a fool. Everyone knows what would be more efficient. The reasons it¡¯s not done are complicated. We shouldn¡¯t trouble ourselves.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so complicated?¡± Brian asked curiously. Mr. Harden was somewhat reluctant to discuss these matters, but the person asking him was Brian. Brian was generous, treated his own people well, had outstanding abilities, and a promising future. But none of these were the reasons Mr. Harden caved. The biggest reason was that Brian held grudges. So Mr. Harden could only tell the truth: ¡°It¡¯s an industry chain that involves multiple departments. For example, identity trafficking, if you¡¯re willing to pay, you can have countless real and legal identities. Then there¡¯s witness protection, such as gang members betraying their own or ordinary people required to testify against dangerous individuals; to protect them, they are usually given new identities and places to live after the fact. There are also various undercover operations. Money laundering, embezzlement, loan fraud among financial businesses... In short, it¡¯s a vast grey area. Add to that, no one likes decentralization. A combination of various factors has resulted in the current dispersed management of official organizations. Sometimes I feel like the United States is not a country at its core but a large capital company made up of many small firms, linked together only by their mutual interest against external threats. When that external interest disappears, I sometimes doubt whether the states within our country, in a fight over internal interests, would erupt in a civil war...¡± The female clerk beside them rolled her eyes: ¡°Mr. Harden, your words make me feel alienated. I¡¯d rather believe you¡¯re worried that a war would prevent you from getting your pension than believe you care about the fate of this country.¡± Mr. Harden awkwardly touched his head: ¡°Alright, there¡¯s that reason. That¡¯s why I like Los Angeles. At least if that day really comes, staying in California, we can still maintain a pretty good life.¡± Brian wasn¡¯t interested in the topic. Deep down, he always felt a certain indescribable and indefinable distance from this world, leading to his go-with-the-flow attitude and indifference about where to live. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t still be living in the same apartment he used to. Chapter 493 - 493 276 Locking Down the Culprit_2 ?493: Chapter 276: Locking Down the Culprit_2 493: Chapter 276: Locking Down the Culprit_2 This mindset should improve vastly once he marries Susan and has his own descendants. As for now... He wanted to wrap up this case first, then drive to the beach to practice his Sword skill or perhaps slip into a new set of clothes and wander around the bustling city, searching for part-time obsession jobs... Thus, Brian interrupted the increasingly off-topic conversation, ¡°Old Harden, what I mean is, what if you could set up an outsourcing-like project, a California crawler database that updates regularly, how long would that take?¡± ¡°Outsourcing?¡± Old Harden seemed a bit lost. Brian nodded, ¡°Ahem, a temp worker... the kind with a track record of misconduct but beyond the reach of the law.¡± Old Harden realized, ¡°This could work; it isn¡¯t technically challenging, but it does require circumventing institutional site security defenses and surveillance from IT departments, needing time and the purchase of independent servers... at least a month, not as simple as you think.¡± ¡°Then it looks like this case can¡¯t proceed like that.¡± Brian nodded, then took out Susan¡¯s checkbook, wrote down a number, tore out the check, and handed it to Old Harden: ¡°Still, go ahead with it. The team will reimburse you.¡± Seeing the digits on the check, Old Harden¡¯s face brightened, ¡°I love reimbursements! By the way, Brian, should I give you a kickback?¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°You deserve it.¡± Talents are rare. As for money, it¡¯s just a string of numbers. Brian was already planning to recruit Old Harden and his friends from the web in the future. Right now, whether it¡¯s the game company or the data scraping services, they were just bait to hook them. Work together a few more times. Then it¡¯d be easier to make a move. If they refused, no matter. Readymade evidence of crimes: stealing official database information, jeopardizing national security, infringing on citizens¡¯ privacy¡ªif they didn¡¯t work for him, they¡¯d all be jailed, then they¡¯d have to work to redeem themselves, and even their wages could be suppressed. Ultimately, all roads lead to Rome. ¡°It¡¯s good to have power...¡± Brian muttered to himself, his gaze on Old Harden growing warmer. ... Old Harden, unable to bear Brian¡¯s intense gaze, pocketed the check and changed the subject: ¡°By the way, Brian, what are you planning to name your Crow? How about Caesar? I watched a movie recently where an ape named Caesar ended up ruling over humans. Crows, being social animals, might later help us lead a bunch of other crows.¡± ¡°That sounds good... but you should discuss it with Shi San since he¡¯s the older brother of our little crow,¡± Brian replied casually. Lying on the table, Shi San twitched his ears and cooperatively licked the little Meatball in his arms: ¡°Woof Woof Woof~¡± Old Harden and the female clerk turned to Brian, ¡°What¡¯s Shi San saying?¡± ¡°He says to call it Salty Meatball...¡± ... While everyone discussed the crow¡¯s name, a weary Green rushed back to the office. He came bearing a whole box of documents. ¡°Boss Brian, here¡¯s all the data you requested. I specifically went to the community office and even managed to get some temporary worker data from a few agents, luckily, these guys don¡¯t value such documents and had tossed them in boxes, saving them...¡± However, his buddies didn¡¯t find much. There was a nearly fatal misunderstanding with the local gangs; it was only after Ivan and his team intervened that a fight was prevented... This had caused some delays. Now Ivan and his friends had handled the local gangs, and he anticipated some results tonight. Green said this with a touch of helplessness. The poorer the neighborhood, the more active the gang members are. They eye all strangers entering their territory with suspicion and hostility, demanding to know your purpose there, and if they were high on drugs, they might even attack unprovoked. This unique environment greatly hindered Green¡¯s brothers¡¯ inquiry work. Brian nodded, ¡°Well done, you¡¯ve done very well, Green.¡± ... Susan had gone to assist Brian with the ¡®botanical garden¡¯ project. That left Brian with more personal time lately. He planned to pull an all-nighter to handle this case. Old Harden and the female clerk paused their discussion on the crow¡¯s name to also lend a hand. The four of them started sorting through the data Green had brought back. Brian first reviewed the previous homeowner¡¯s information. The man was a Mexican with a wife and three children, a contractor who led a group of Mexicans in miscellaneous low-cost renovation and temporary jobs, with no criminal record within the United States. However, the man had vanished. Ivan and his team had previously investigated; all they knew was that the homeowner had packed up his family and fled without a word, driving off in the middle of the night. Only a few Mexicans who regularly worked with him knew about this. From the available data, there wasn¡¯t much information to extract. Brian could only start reviewing the remaining documents. But the yield was minimal. These transient workers, unless they had families, mostly lived unstable lives, working sporadically with very high turnover rates, and leaving very few personal details behind. No one cared about these lower classes. In a country abundant with immigrants and undocumented workers, they continuously siphon cheap labor from neighboring areas, and with these people lacking even a semblance of a vote, no one cared about their conditions. Chapter 494 - 494 276 Locking Down the Culprit_3 ?494: Chapter 276: Locking Down the Culprit_3 494: Chapter 276: Locking Down the Culprit_3 Ultimately, it was Edna, the female clerk, who made a discovery through the resumes stored by the employment agencies that Green had gathered: ¡°Hey, guys, look at the photos on these resumes. They look so much like the victim sketches that Brian drew!¡± These individuals had all registered their personal information with these agencies, leaving behind resumes and photographs. Among them were native residents and illegal immigrant workers. She placed three photographs on the conference table. Everyone took a look, and indeed it was true. The people in the photos appeared to be in their thirties or forties, two women and one man. These resumes had been considerately labeled with their sources by Green. Looking at the labels, it turned out that all three individuals had submitted their resumes to the same agency. Clerk Edna was very happy, ¡°Does this mean that this agency is highly suspect?¡± Green and old Hardenn shook their heads at the same time. Old Hardenn explained to the young clerk with a policing background: ¡°Agencies are just a channel for people to find work. They often leave their resumes with all the agencies, so there¡¯s a high degree of overlap. This group spends most of their time at labor markets, especially the undocumented workers. Many experienced bosses will drive directly there to find cheap labor without caring about the workers¡¯ status. The workers prefer this too because it saves them the agency fees, though there is the risk of being cheated by the employers.¡± Green nodded: ¡°Some employers are very bad, hiring undocumented workers without work permits, then reporting them to Immigration afterwards. That way, they avoid paying wages and, since they don¡¯t run a formal business, they don¡¯t face fines for employing undocumented workers. To avoid retaliation, they specifically choose Chinese undocumented workers who are less likely to cause trouble. For this very reason, many Chinese undocumented workers would rather be exploited by agencies than fall into these traps. After all, they risk their lives coming here and would rather suffer some losses than be sent back.¡± Brian looked at Green in surprise, ¡°How do you know all this?¡± Green chuckled, ¡°I heard it from a Chinese person who was registering at the community office while I was applying for documents today. He had been through this himself. Still, I do admire these people. In my opinion, they¡¯re generally very smart, do well for themselves, are hard-working, and value education. If we Black people could learn from them, our social status would surely improve a lot.¡± Old Hardenn nearby heard this and smiled disdainfully. Much better? Green was still too young. The downfall of the Black Panther Party in Orlan spoke volumes. And there were certain specific policies... Green looked at old Hardenn in confusion, ¡°Buddy, what¡¯s wrong, did I say something incorrect?¡± Old Hardenn sighed, ¡°Have you noticed that many people in our Black community grow up with just their mothers, without a complete family?¡± Green was unconvinced, ¡°That¡¯s why I think we need to change our mentality. Plus, we are very united. Many brothers I know receive care from their father¡¯s side of the family, or their father is around, just not living together.¡± Seeing this, old Hardenn lost interest in continuing the conversation, ¡°Let¡¯s get back to searching for photos.¡± ... Brian also stopped snacking. Actually, he understood what old Hardenn meant. An authoritative institution had investigated and found that over seventy percent of Black people in the United States were ¡®fatherless¡¯, growing up in single-parent homes. They believed this was a major reason for the high crime rates among the Black community. This situation, in addition to being related to the living habits inherited from African Blacks, was also connected to various single-parent benefits vigorously promoted by the Federation afterwards: unemployed single mothers could enjoy different social benefits and receive subsidies. In summary: It¡¯s hard to raise a child with a father, but without one, as long as you don¡¯t worry about the child¡¯s future, you can raise a bunch of them. It led to the situation where, for the sake of these benefits, many Black families, even if they got along, would face financial pressures and, to evade checks, the father would simply leave, only occasionally returning. Others weren¡¯t fools; seeing this, they followed suit. It didn¡¯t take long. In just over twenty years, these people had ruined themselves, also losing the healthy pattern of a complete family, unable to accumulate collective wealth generation by generation to improve their clan¡¯s status. But these were individual choices. Brian felt no sympathy. ... After reviewing by several people, they found the remaining victims¡¯ information from the resumes provided by all the agencies. This matched Brian¡¯s deductions. These victims were all from the same group. After investigating the agencies, they discovered something even more astonishing. Based on the information of the current homeowners where these victims were found, Brian and his team realized that the person had once worked at one of the agencies. And this agency had also served these victims... TThere was no need for further investigation on the case. Brian said to Green, ¡°Contact Ivan and the others, tell them to bring in the current homeowner. Oh, and old Hardenn, prepare some props. If they don¡¯t cooperate, teach them to be honest!¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Both got busy. ¡°What about me?¡± The female clerk felt it was somewhat redundant for her to stay overtime. Brian shrugged, ¡°Order us some late-night snacks, I¡¯m buying.¡± ... At a little past nine in the evening, a middle-aged man with a kind-looking face was forcibly brought to the office building by Ivan and his team. Seeing his pitiful and confused expression, Brian clenched his fists. He was extremely curious about why the man would kill a group of worthless people from the lower class! Chapter 495 - 495 277 The Cruel Truth ?495: Chapter 277: The Cruel Truth 495: Chapter 277: The Cruel Truth ¡°You can¡¯t do this!¡± ¡°I want a lawyer, I want to protest!¡± In the interrogation room, as the door shut and the overhead surveillance camera showed no evident flash, the middle-aged man uneasily struggled to speak. Thump, thump, thump~ Brian rapped on the table, ¡°Because of you, all of us are working overtime. You understand what I mean, Mr. Maggsi!¡± Maggsi was the current owner of the property where eight corpses had been found. He appeared to be of mixed heritage, with fair skin typical of Caucasians, a well-formed face, wearing somewhat outdated glasses and a shabby suit, exuding the aura of a destitute scholar. Maggsi had worked at an employment agency, and all eight victims had submitted their resumes to that agency before Maggsi left the job. The only problem was that on the surface, Maggsi had not yet rented that particular house before the victims had died. There must have been some story hidden in between. Maggsi was somewhat helpless. With a crying tone, he said, ¡°I am so sorry that remains were found behind my house, but it really has nothing to do with me. I just thought it was a bargain when the house went up for auction, and I bought it with my savings. It has nothing to do with me; I have never harmed anyone, yet you brought me here, even without proper procedures. You can¡¯t do this...¡± Anyone seeing such a man, looking scholarly and helpless, would hardly believe he could be the brutal murderer who cruelly killed eight innocent people. Green looked anxiously at Brian, the expression in his eyes clear: Boss Brian, why do I feel like we got the wrong person? Brian glared at him and spoke directly, ¡°Green, don¡¯t be swayed by the suspect¡¯s appearance; you must learn to trust the evidence and judgments.¡± Seeing Green still somewhat torn, Brian, who had initially prepared to employ some tactics, decided to teach Green a lesson. This young follower was not stupid, just inexperienced, unaware of the true meaning of ¡°wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing.¡± He stood up, approached the helpless Maggsi: ¡°After our investigation, all eight victims turned out to be low-level temp workers. Some of them were homeless drifters, some were working illegally, all had once submitted resumes at your employment agency. They were murdered, yet you bought the house that held their remains. Do you know the effort it takes to bury eight bodies?¡± Maggsi, hearing this, became a bit agitated and said, ¡°Impossible, I bought the house and even hired people to renovate the backyard, planting some flowers and grass; I never saw any bodies...¡± ¡°Because they were buried deep!¡± Brian smiled, ¡°Too many coincidences. After our examination, the victims¡¯ time of death coincides with the time you rented and bought the house, this point¡ªyou even couldn¡¯t explain in court!¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± Maggsi became even more agitated, ¡°You are slandering me!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°The evidence is right there, how am I slandering you?¡± Maggsi glared at Brian, ¡°I didn¡¯t kill anyone! Your words are framing me; you bad cops, just wait¡ªI will sue you; you won¡¯t get away with slandering me!¡± ¡°Then explain to me, why, after you moved into that house, were their bodies found buried deep in the backyard during the subsequent period?¡± Brian¡¯s tone was mocking, his expression was irritating: ¡°Those bones being discovered must have surprised you! That must have been your first time killing. Too crude, too foolish. You only knew to bury near and throw far, but you didn¡¯t know how to bury properly. The bodies underground are affected by land movement, causing them to shift, so even though you buried them deep, some bones were still exposed. To solve this, you must plant deep-rooting plants above to hold the bodies in place with their roots. Also, modern devices can approximate the time of death. These are your slip-ups. These pieces of evidence can designate you as the suspect, understand? Not understanding these, what are you doing trying to murder? Were you just handing us our performance quotas?¡± In terms of intentional mockery and sardonic comments, Brian, a keyboard warrior in a past life, was never weak. The effect was good. Maggsi flushed warmly, ¡°FK Yarn! You¡¯re the foolish one; how could those victims have been harmed after I moved in? You are clearly slandering me, you son of a bitch, despicable bug, cheese-fed maggot, you..¡± ¡°Tsks-tsk-tsk.. indeed foolish. Even your insults lack variety, absolutely no bite. People like you are just a waste of air. Committing crimes just lowers the average IQ of the criminal world..¡± ¡°FK Yarn!¡± Maggsi, looking at Brian¡¯s smug face, felt his head swell and, red-faced with anger, suddenly stood up and threw a punch at Brian. Smack~ Brian didn¡¯t indulge him this time. With a slap, Maggsi was sent flying, sticking to the interrogation room¡¯s wall in a spread-eagle position, sticking for a second or two before slowly sliding down to the floor. Brian had used a clever force. He walked over to the dazed Maggsi, looking down at him with a smile, ¡°So, since you are not the murderer of those people, why are you so sure that their time of victimization was before you moved into the house?¡± Maggsi: .. He realized he had been trapped by his own words. This pretty boy is really mean! Maggsi sat up from the floor, holding his swelling cheek, and looking down, ¡°I refuse to speak until my lawyer arrives.¡± Chapter 496 - 496 277 The Cruel Truth_2 ?496: Chapter 277: The Cruel Truth_2 496: Chapter 277: The Cruel Truth_2 For his feigned death, Brian was unmoved. He returned to his seat and patted Green¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Green, come on, you tell me, why is he so sure I¡¯m slandering him?¡± ¡°Because he knows the truth of the matter, that¡¯s why he¡¯s so certain...¡± Green said and then rose from his seat, speechless. He¡¯d been fooled by the performance of a murderer! Damn it. He made Brian the boss into a laughingstock! Twisting his neck, Green said, ¡°Boss Brian, let me take it from here!¡± Brian pulled a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, took a deep drag, and leaned back, propping up his feet, settling into a comfortable position to watch the show, and nodded, ¡°Mmm, let¡¯s see your performance.¡± A hideous smile appeared on Green¡¯s face. He walked over to Maggsi, dragged him back to the chair, and locked him in place. ¡°What are you guys doing!¡± Maggsi said nervously. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Fucking you up!¡± Green replied fiercely. He had been with the NW organization for several months now. He had gone from a law-abiding patrol officer to a bad cop, and had learned quite a few tricks! The bastard had treated him like a fool! Well, he didn¡¯t need to treat the other man like a human either! After securing Maggsi in place, Green turned on the dazzling ¡°Blinding Light,¡± glaring viciously at Maggsi, who was still threatening to get an injury inspection, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I guarantee there won¡¯t be any injuries on your body next!¡± This kind of spotlight was a real godsend. The light was so intense; even closed eyes could not escape it, and with several of them, looking down did nothing. Light after light was switched on. Secured on the chair, Maggsi let out a furious curse, ¡°You beasts are committing a crime. I can¡¯t see, I can¡¯t see! You¡¯re killing me!¡± Green, wearing sunglasses, explained patiently to Maggsi, ¡°Calm down, buddy. This thing is called ¡®Blinding Light.¡¯ Shined on you for about ten minutes, and you¡¯ll become blind, so you won¡¯t die, you¡¯ll just become blind at most, see? I didn¡¯t lay a hand on you. I just thought the room was a little dim and turned on a few more lights.¡± Maggsi... What do you mean just blind, not dead? He was scared and pleaded, ¡°I confess, I did it, I killed them, we had a conflict, so I took the chance and shot them, then buried them in an unoccupied house. Afterwards, I was afraid of exposure, so I bought that house. I confess, oh God, I confess, turn off those lights!¡± Click¡ª The sound of the lights turning off rang, and Maggsi opened his eyes in surprise, but his vision was still a red blur, and he couldn¡¯t see clearly. Green wasn¡¯t in a hurry. He waited a few minutes. Seeing Maggsi¡¯s tears streaming and his eyes rotating, he knew the man was regaining some sight. Green took out a piece of paper and a glass of water and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m glad you confessed, but I do not accept it. You¡¯re playing games with me, and that makes me very angry, so I¡¯m going to play some new games with you!¡± Maggsi blinked his still blurry eyes, weak and desperate, ¡°I¡¯ve already confessed, you¡ªmmph!¡± A piece of paper was slapped over his face, followed by cold water pouring down, quickly soaking the special paper. The paper absorbed water and stuck tightly to Maggsi¡¯s face, sealing his nose and mouth, as he emitted struggling sounds from his throat. Green was indifferent. He methodically covered Maggsi¡¯s face with sheet after sheet, preventing Maggsi from breaking the paper in his struggle. This technique, he had learned it from boss Brian. Green had experienced it himself before. All he could say was that it was terrifying, desperate, and very fitting for use in an interrogation room. This tactic wasn¡¯t designed to kill the interrogatee but to cause them to become psychologically broken from continuous oxygen deprivation, making them more amenable to questioning. Of course, this was torture. Only when Maggsi¡¯s legs kicked out straight and the veins in his neck bulged hideously did Green rip the paper off and throw it to the floor. ¡°Huff, huff, huff~¡± Maggsi breathed hurriedly. He breathed with both nose and mouth, feeling as if he had just crawled up from ¡°Hell.¡± Yet in Green¡¯s hands appeared another set of papers and water. He smiled at the terrified Maggsi, ¡°Wrong information is the key to flipping a case, and can also apply for judicial intervention, thereby negating all the suspicions we found and exonerating you. It seems you had considered being caught before you committed the crime. Smart move. Of course, your cleverness has angered me! You think I¡¯m a fool!¡± Saying this, he leisurely covered Maggsi¡¯s face with paper again. ¡°NO!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do it! For God¡¯s sake, stop!¡± Maggsi was on the brink of collapse, crying, ¡°I say, however you want me to say it, just don¡¯t torture me anymore, I have a lot of underlying diseases, I feel like I am about to die.¡± ¡°Wrong answer!¡± Anger flashed in Green¡¯s eyes as he repeated his previous actions. This bastard was still trying to trick him! Too cunning, too disgusting! On the interrogation table. Brian crushed the burned-out cigarette, surrounded by smoke, admiring Green¡¯s actions. Not bad, not bad at all. Although this guy sometimes had a soft heart, under his tutelage, he was finally showing some promise. Brian was satisfied. ... After several repetitions. Maggsi was nearly out of breath. He felt like his head was going to explode, and he was becoming delirious. Feeling the time was about right. Green wiped his palms and asked again, ¡°Tell me, how did you kill those poor people?¡± ¡°With drugs... I had them dig a hole, then treated them to spiked drinks...¡± Chapter 497 - 497 277 The Cruel Truth_3 ?497: Chapter 277: The Cruel Truth_3 497: Chapter 277: The Cruel Truth_3 Maggsi mumbled weakly. Anger flashed across Green¡¯s dark face. ¡°This guy is truly revolting, making people dig their own graves before killing them..¡± After repeated questioning, Brian and Green finally learned the truth behind this old, cold case. .. The reason was simple: it was all for a house. Maggsi¡¯s life wasn¡¯t going well. Though being a realtor could be profitable, the industry was highly competitive, and he wasn¡¯t the boss¡ªjust an employee. Hence, he rented his home and rarely saved any money. As he grew older, he began to dream of buying his own place. Houses in ordinary communities in Los Angeles weren¡¯t that expensive, with some priced as low as seventy or eighty thousand dollars. The problem was Maggsi had no cash. He had done the math¡ªif he took out a mortgage to buy a house, most of his income would afterward go toward mortgage payments, home insurance, property taxes, and maintenance fees, leaving him with very little for his day-to-day expenses. The key point was that he couldn¡¯t afford to lose his job. If he were unemployed, he¡¯d face the risk of bankruptcy. Upon calculation, Maggsi found himself in a dilemma. With his average earning capabilities, buying a house would mean turning into a beast of burden on the verge of bankruptcy from any sudden mishap. But not buying made him uneasy. Was there a way to own a house without dealing with hefty mortgage loans? There actually was! While on the job, Maggsi accidentally discovered that some landlords of rental properties didn¡¯t live locally. If, at that time, the house became damaged or community facilities needed repairs, and the tenants intercepted the community¡¯s bills, causing the landlords to remain unaware of the issues for a long time, something interesting would happen: to recover the money, the community¡¯s management company would sue the property owner, which would lead to an eviction and auction of the property.. Just like that. Whose fault was it for not paying? Of course, these properties had to have one characteristic¡ªthe house had been rented out for a long period. These landlords rarely, if ever, left an email or similar contact information on file. If somebody could then trick the owner into changing their phone number, it would mean all bill notifications had to be mailed physically. What came next was easy. Maggsi started choosing the property that would become his own. Thanks to his business dealings, he was well-acquainted with the community¡¯s residents. To avoid costly labor fees, these residents often sought out realtors for more affordable manpower. Coincidentally, Maggsi found out that one of his contacts, the original owner of a house¡ª a Mexican guy¡ªwas planning to flee early after being reported for employing illegal workers. So, Maggsi immediately found a homeless man he¡¯d worked with before, claimed he could let him live in a house for free, and had him approach the Mexican guy expressing interest in renting the property. Considering it was additional income, the Mexican agreed. Maggsi began paying the rent on time. This process continued for over a year. The stable rental income relaxed the landlord. Moreover, he had moved elsewhere and changed his social circle, so he didn¡¯t focus much on his property in Los Angeles. Then, it was time to proceed with the plan. Everything went smoothly. The only issue was that even though the house would be auctioned at an absurdly low price, it was still some amount of money. So how could Maggsi get his hands on that money? Maggsi had a cunning trick up his sleeve. When he felt the time was right, he called up the cooperating homeless man, and under the pretense of looking for cash the house¡¯s owner had reportedly buried in the backyard, the two began digging a large hole together. Next came drugging, dismembering, filming. Poor people often believed that they were worthless, penniless, too sickly to even sell their organs. But actually, they undervalued themselves. Gruesome and gory videos could be sold for a decent amount of money on some niche websites. After that, Maggsi followed the same procedure, repeatedly luring those fools who trusted him into the house, then making them dig their own graves, dosing them, dismembering them, torturing them, filming... Eight people later, Maggsi had made over fifty thousand dollars. In the end, he successfully purchased the house he had long coveted. It was just that the backyard of the house now contained the remains of eight unmissed, poorly ended lives.. .. ¡°What a beast!¡± Green looked at Maggsi, who was barely hanging on to life, wanting to inflict more harm. With a smile, Brian consoled, ¡°He won¡¯t have a good end.¡± His research institute was newly opened and needed some material. A high-quality talent like Maggsi, with just a call, wouldn¡¯t need to be sent to prison after sentencing but could be directly taken to the institute¡¯s internal facilities to be dealt with. Chapter 498 - 498 278 Daily Routine Choosing a Target to Strike ?498: Chapter 278: Daily Routine, Choosing a Target to Strike 498: Chapter 278: Daily Routine, Choosing a Target to Strike Outside the interrogation room. The overworked staff all let out a sigh of relief. This damned case was finally over. As for the murderer Maggsi¡¯s motive, they were worldly and didn¡¯t react as strongly as Green did. On the entire planet, besides dolphins who enjoy stabbing humans and consuming puffer fish toxins, and tigers who occasionally play with their prey, it was humans themselves who, for many incomprehensible reasons, would turn against their own kind. In contrast, most predatory animals hunted merely for survival, not to torment their prey. These days, Guei, who had been following Glenn, seemed very angry: ¡°Over fifty thousand US Dollars, just for that amount this guy killed eight people, dismembered them alive, and sold the videos?¡± To him, over fifty thousand US Dollars wasn¡¯t even a day¡¯s investment income. He truly couldn¡¯t understand such cruel behavior. Glenn rolled his eyes: ¡°Guei, even though you¡¯re Team Leader Susan¡¯s relative, I still have to tell you, this society is just that cruel. Some people would stab others over a few cents, some would trade a bag of bread for a life. You¡¯ve just been protected too well by your family, so you can¡¯t see the filth of this world...¡± In fact, he was quite annoyed at the beginning with Guei following him around. He wasn¡¯t a babysitter. It wasn¡¯t until he and Ivan took Guei to a bar, teaching him how to pick up women, that he, feeling awkward, just splurged money... In front of Franklin, Guei exuded masculine charm. And because the other party had a good character and upbringing, the Teddy combo didn¡¯t resist integrating Guei. However, the guy was still too nai?ve. He needed time to be steeped in reality. Amidst everyone¡¯s indifference, Guei still felt uncomfortable: ¡°Okay, I know there are some problems with my perception, but this is still too insane. I hope this guy gets what he deserves; otherwise, our society will become more chaotic.¡± Old Hardenn yawned, again throwing cold water on him: ¡°You¡¯re thinking too beautifully. Do you know how many police officers are fatally shot by criminals they catch each year in the United States? On our side, we apprehend people, the courts on the other side collect bail to release them, those without money are asked to take loans. To repay these loans, criminals have to keep their heads down and continue toiling away in illegal businesses to make money, becoming crazier than before, until they die by police gunfire... It¡¯s a profit chain without capital. But the risk is borne by innocent civilians and low-level officers. Some criminals, being extreme in character, get guns after being released and directly attack the officers who arrested them, or take revenge on the citizens who reported them... I¡¯ve seen and heard of many such tragedies.¡± Guei found it even harder to accept: ¡°I remember there¡¯s the death penalty in California, and isn¡¯t it that many serious crimes can¡¯t be bailed out?¡± ¡°The death penalty doesn¡¯t mean immediate execution. Due to humanitarian reasons, the process of execution is very lengthy. A convict can be waiting anywhere from a decision to execution for upwards of ten years, and anything could stop it at any time. As for not being able to bail out... Young man, bail regulations were originally established to serve the wealthy. If someone doesn¡¯t get bail, it¡¯s simply because the criminal didn¡¯t offer enough money¡ªfor enough money, criminals can directly change identities and live freely. As for who died, nobody cares.¡± Guei thought Old Hardenn was joking: ¡°That can happen?¡± Old Hardenn shrugged: ¡°Why not? As long as it¡¯s a profitable business, there will be an industry chain, and there will be people willing to do it. That¡¯s business.¡± Click~ Just then, the door to the interrogation room opened. Brian, dragging a barely alive criminal Maggsi, threw him to Old Hardenn: ¡°Guys, stop scaring Guei. There¡¯s still justice in the world. Hardenn, contact the police and have them send this guy to the hospital first, then inform the court of the expedited procedure. Tell them this criminal is booked by the Umbrella Company.¡± ¡°What¡¯s an expedited procedure and booking?¡± Guei asked, like a curious baby. Old Hardenn and the Teddy duo, however, turned their attention to the solid interrogation room door. The door had just closed, and the people inside could hardly hear any outside noise, while the outside could see inside through the equipment. Was Brian¡¯s hearing that exaggerated? In the face of the questions from Susan¡¯s nephew, Brian flashed a wide, kind smile: ¡°Expedited procedure means no trial, the sentencing is direct. Booking is when government-cooperative research institutions are lacking research material; some serious criminals won¡¯t be taken to prison, but directly to research institutes. Of course, the institutes pay a sum for this!¡± Guei rubbed his forehead: ¡°I¡¯m a bit confused, this doesn¡¯t seem to follow the rules.¡± ¡°Rules are for people, not for scum.¡± Green quietly added from behind Brian. Brian nodded with a smile, agreeing with Green¡¯s words. He began to brainwash the others: ¡°This is why I say there still is justice in the world. Many cases we¡¯ve dealt with before, the criminals didn¡¯t receive what they deserved. Even if they did, we wouldn¡¯t be able to see it. But now it¡¯s different. The Umbrella Company is one I established. I don¡¯t care about other organizations, but at least my company will maintain humanity¡¯s moral bottom line, uphold justice for the victims, and ensure that those scum receive appropriate punishment. And in the process, they¡¯ll contribute to the advancement of human technology and atone for their sins. The Umbrella Company is justice itself!¡± ¡°The name sounds decent.¡± ¡°At least now I know the outcome for this bastard, and it feels much more comfortable.¡± Chapter 499 - 499 278 Daily Routine Choosing a Target to Strike_2 ?499: Chapter 278: Daily Routine, Choosing a Target to Strike_2 499: Chapter 278: Daily Routine, Choosing a Target to Strike_2 ¡°Indeed.¡± After a few words, everyone was ready to wrap up and clock out. Guei wanted to chat with his brother-in-law, Brian, but Glenn and Ivan dragged him away instead. After a strenuous investigation of over a week, it was time for them to enjoy themselves. It wouldn¡¯t work without someone to foot the bill. Brian also patted Shi San, who was snuggling with Meatball in his sleep, ¡°Shi San, wake up, it¡¯s time to get off work.¡± Meatball was the name of the little crow. A name given by Shi San. This fellow, Shi San, whether it was because he had been eating high-quality food like the Blood Fruit, had recently entered a special growth phase. He slept more than sixteen hours a day, which made the little crow spend his days sleeping and waking up only to have a ¡®uh uh uh¡¯ communication session with Shi San. You have to say, the offspring of enhanced beasts are different. Of course, it might also be due to Shi San¡¯s saliva and Brian¡¯s blood, but either way, Meatball, only days old, had already learned the skill of a parrot. It could bark like a dog... The growth of birds is fast; they¡¯re already learning foreign languages. To take care of this dog and bird, Brian rented a garage, stored his ¡®beast¡¯ motorcycle in the apartment garage, and bought a small sedan for commuting. Back at the apartment. The dog and bird continued sleeping. Brian spent over an hour reading a book. At midnight, his alarm went off. He changed into a set of clothes, took the Small Tachi, rode his motorcycle to the beach tens of kilometers away, took off his clothes, eyes turning pale, and began his routine sword skill practice. Grandmaster-level Sword Skill + Heart Eye + Physical Condition. Brian¡¯s sword technique was quite exaggerated. With one slash, the continuous waves would display a vacuum-like slash trace that lasted for just over a second before merging again. But he was still not able to do something as exaggerated as Yagyuu Kojirou. That guy, with lesser speed and strength compared to Brian, could slash and create a vacuum, blocking his sonic attacks, which was outrageous. This needed eyes that could perceive the flow of air and cut through their connections. Although Brian couldn¡¯t reach that level, he was fast. Within the waves, under the moonlight, a human figure rushed into the shallow sea. The sword light in his hand created several terrifying shockwaves, forcibly splitting the surrounding seawater, protecting him from all directions. Walking on the seabed, besides the soles of his feet, not a drop of water touched Brian. It was a feat not achievable by human strength alone, completely relying on mighty miracles. But this method of practice was highly draining in terms of energy and physical stamina. Brian could only maintain it for just over an hour before he began to wear out. Each time he reached this point, he would roar, transforming into a Bursting Clothes State, and deliver a ferocious slash. Like a Gang Wind-like explosive blade sound, it would immediately transform into an invisible cutting line, following the virtual line seen in his vision through the seawater, splitting the sea surface in two and creating a ten-meter-long sword trace, like a sword aura descending from a fantasy realm. To some extent, thanks to the Grandmaster-level Sword Skill, strength, and a lighter version of Heart Eye, Brian had a bit of the flavor of Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s technique. But the mindset of ¡°Cuts Through Anything¡±... Aside from slashing more fiercely, he hadn¡¯t even touched the edge. He continued to practice until past five in the morning before he would put his clothes back on, return to the apartment, sleep for two hours, then get up, read for over an hour, and take the dog and bird to work. Occasionally, he would also visit the institute. But there wasn¡¯t much to see. Currently, the institute only had some minor Calamari left. Business transformation takes time. Hiring takes time. The only project, Alpha, had been taken by Dean¡¯s people to an island to cultivate the Blood-colored Cannibal Flower. So for Brian, the current state of the institute was like a gold-eating beast with no returns, running on idle. As for work, the minor cases were handled by everyone. He would occasionally drive out, using Death¡¯s Eye to find those in the throes of death, collect some Obsession Little Balls, and do a part-time job. These were just tiny gains, nothing substantial. But most of the Obsessions were handled by Spider Woman Eliana and Catwoman Sandy, ensuring no one could freeload off him. This kind of life, getting Gift Energy while lying down, was also very laid-back. Of course, every couple of days, he had to go to the island city to pay a visit to Susan, who was obsessed with running a slaughterhouse in the suburbs and often absent from work, to prevent the mother T-Rex from having hormonal imbalances and mood swings. Brian quite liked his current situation. These days, it¡¯s been over a month already. This day. Brian had just been slacking off and went out for a stroll, returning with an Obsession. Only to see Glenn in the office, somewhat melancholically placing some gift boxes on each workstation. Even Shi San and Meatball, who were sleeping on Brian¡¯s desk, received one. Seeing this, Brian curiously asked, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Ivan, who was lifting dumbbells nearby, explained, ¡°It¡¯s a gift from Guei. His college break is about to end, so he arranged a road trip with some friends and left early.¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°Sending gifts without personally seeing us off, it seems he hasn¡¯t grown much.¡± Glenn retorted, ¡°No one remains that naive after being with me, no one! Guei is very confident now, he¡¯s just young and doesn¡¯t like the atmosphere of farewells.¡± Chapter 500 - 500 278 Daily Routine Choosing a Target to Strike_3 ?500: Chapter 278: Daily Routine, Choosing a Target to Strike_3 500: Chapter 278: Daily Routine, Choosing a Target to Strike_3 Guei acted generously and got familiar with everyone. Ivan rolled his eyes from the side, ¡°It was obviously you who threw a farewell party. It caused Guei to lose his innocence and now he¡¯s become fond of this feeling. Throwing parties every day, squandering resources¡ªnow he can¡¯t even get up, and you¡¯re the one helping him send gifts!¡± Brian: ... He looked at Glenn without words, ¡°Is it safe?¡± Glenn scratched his head awkwardly, ¡°It¡¯s guaranteed safe. They are all professional modeling agency staff, and they¡¯ll go through strict health checks. Oh, and Brian, we absolutely can¡¯t let Team Leader Susan find out about this, otherwise she¡¯s going to shoot...¡± Team Leader Susan had handed Guei over to him with explicit instructions not to let Guei fool around with women. He¡¯d just let it slip. ¡°Shh~¡± Suddenly, Brian¡¯s nose and ears seemed to catch something, and he quickly gestured for Glenn to be quiet. Glenn had yet to realize what this meant. Puzzled, he said, ¡°Shh what? Don¡¯t be like that, I¡¯ll treat you all to drinks. You understand, women can make men mature. Although he¡¯s a bit obsessed, it¡¯s a good thing. Guei now looks much more mature than before. Isn¡¯t that the purpose of his coming here, I...¡± He couldn¡¯t continue. For many days, Susan, who hadn¡¯t been back to the office building, opened the office door with great interest, ¡°Go on, why stop speaking?¡± Brian spread his hands with a helpless look toward Glenn. Good advice is wasted on the damned. I told you to be quiet, but you kept talking... Hope Glenn doesn¡¯t end up too badly. Since Susan had ¡°eaten¡± Brian, she had become more sensitive and liked to make little jokes, not as aloof as before. Glenn was now experiencing this firsthand. The underground shooting range. He was punched by Susan and flew five or six meters, lying on the ground with a bruised nose and swollen face, unable to get up for a long time. Beside him, Susan rubbed her knuckles, ¡°Stop playing dead, it¡¯s just some external injuries. After work, you and Ivan handle Guei with this level of force. After all, he¡¯s my relative, and I don¡¯t feel right doing it myself.¡± The onlookers: ... Their gazes silently turned toward Brian. It felt like the team leader was becoming more and more like Brian. Brian: ... Happy wife, happy life, right! ... After dealing with the bad influence Glenn. Team Leader¡¯s office. Susan was curiously playing with a small meatball in her hand. Crow had not grown feathers these past few days, just flesh, becoming round and chubby with a great feel. It slept soundly, and even with Susan kneading it in various ways, there was no sign of awakening. Beside her, Shi San looked at his mother dog pitifully, constantly whining softly, begging Susan to be gentler, yet not daring to speak loudly, only occasionally looking at Brian across from her, smoking, trying to get the big dog to uphold justice. It had resisted, but was beaten by Susan. After Susan broke through the First Rank of life, her hearing, dynamic vision, and muscle nerve recruitment abilities all significantly improved. Simply put, her five senses were more sensitive, she drew her gun faster, and her strength increased. Shi San truly was no match. Shi San felt very wronged. The big dog had never hit him. The mother dog was too mean! It wanted to team up with the big dog to overturn the mother dog¡¯s tyrannical rule! Facing Shi San¡¯s pleading eyes, Brian¡¯s skin ultimately wasn¡¯t that thick. He coughed, ¡°Susan, you¡¯ve been working hard lately.¡± Susan tossed the meatball to Shi San and shook her head, ¡°Not really, I found running the company quite interesting, especially watching the new slaughterhouse taking shape from an open ground. It feels quite fulfilling. Thanks for recommending the construction team from Hua Country. Their work efficiency is incredible¡ªsuch a diligent nation.¡± Speaking of which. She took out an invitation from her pocket, ¡°Oh right, Brian, this is Linda¡¯s graduation assessment invitation. Normally for these assessments, someone needs to follow to prevent the students from having accidents. She¡¯s after all someone you brought back, so I planned for us to go together, to prevent her from dying in the assessment.¡± ¡°It¡¯s very dangerous?¡± Brian hadn¡¯t heard news about the lizard girl Linda for some time. Susan nodded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s very dangerous. It¡¯s only in the face of life and death that one can see their potential for growth, feel their limits. This experience is very important. However, if someone is there, the students will usually suffer at most severe injuries, rarely dying.¡± ¡°No problem...¡± Brian responded noncommittally. He looked down, recalling Susan¡¯s words in his mind: only in the face of life and death can you feel your limits... Yes, no wonder he had trained hard for over a month in Sword Skill, yet never touched upon the realm of Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s technique. Ultimate Blade Technique, isn¡¯t it the way of limits? Ultimate Blade Technique is the sword skill that can only be cultivated in the face of life and death. The question arose. Now that he was so strong, who could make him feel his limits? ... Seeing Brian lost in thought. Susan asked with curiosity, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Brian lifted his head, ¡°I¡¯m thinking about what my limit is.¡± Susan paused for a moment, then revealed a meaningful smile. She stood up and kicked Shi San, ¡°Shi San, go sleep outside. Brian and I have some matters to discuss and communicate.¡± Well, some matters are not suitable for children to see. Shi San looked at Susan doubtfully, then at the equally baffled Brian, bit his little meatball and ran out, thoughtfully closing the door with his tail. Brian: ¡°Susan, you¡¯ve misunderstood what I said about limits...¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Susan grabbed Brian by the collar and lifted him¡ªthis several-hundred-pound kid¡ªbehind the desk, ¡°Lie down, don¡¯t speak!¡± She also wanted to know Brian¡¯s limits... Chapter 501 - 501 279 Susans Secret Filler Requesting Monthly Ticket at Months End ?501: Chapter 279 Susan¡¯s Secret (Filler, Requesting Monthly Ticket at Month¡¯s End) 501: Chapter 279 Susan¡¯s Secret (Filler, Requesting Monthly Ticket at Month¡¯s End) Dongdongdong~ Feeling the vibrations through the floor, the Weapon Expert followed the noise and arrived at the office, only to find Old Hardenn, his crowd, and Brian¡¯s beloved dog Shi San, all leaning in the corridor chatting. Curiously he asked, ¡°Hey, guys, is the office getting renovated again? How come I didn¡¯t hear about any renovation plans for our office building?¡± Recently, Team Leader Susan had suddenly ordered a shower room to be installed in her office. There was only one group of people working in their building, so there was plenty of space. Glenn, with a bruised face and clenched teeth, enviously said, ¡°Team Leader Susan and Brian are having a combat competition in the team leader¡¯s office.¡± ¡°Combat competition?¡± Ali was puzzled. Old Hardenn added, ¡°The kind that involves hand-to-hand combat.¡± Ivan, holding a different opinion, mentioned, ¡°Brian might have left a tie on, which makes it more intense. Especially since I noticed Brian had marks on his neck when he came out. Honestly, the last time I saw such a scene was when Glenn was in the Detective Bureau; he took about fifteen minutes in the restroom to deal with a female complainant who wanted to file a complaint against him.¡± The female clerk curiously asked, ¡°Complain about what?¡± ¡°Complain about my service attitude...¡± Glenn obviously had vivid memories of that incident, ¡°I never thought German women could be so hardcore; I couldn¡¯t handle it. When I told her I was a principled detective, she wanted to complain about me. To save my bonus, I had to compromise.¡± Nearby, Green enviously said, ¡°Your detective careers are too exciting.¡± How come he never encountered such good things? As Ali listened to everyone¡¯s descriptions, he finally understood what was happening in the office at the moment. He exclaimed, ¡°Isn¡¯t that noise too exaggerated? I felt the vibration even in the underground shooting range; I thought they were renovating upstairs again... Damn, does enhancing someone make that much noise?¡± Goodness. Who makes such a ruckus when pulling up a radish? If an ordinary person went up against these two beasts, wouldn¡¯t they end up in the ICU? As one of the only two female clerks in the office currently, Edna couldn¡¯t help speaking up for Susan, ¡°Guys, be a little understanding. Team Leader Susan has been busy outside for more than a month and hasn¡¯t seen Brian for a long time. Brian is her first love, her first taste of the forbidden fruit; isn¡¯t it normal for her to be a bit exaggerated?¡± Glenn also spoke up fairly, ¡°My first time, I didn¡¯t leave the house for over a month, and eventually, an ambulance had to take me out.¡± About this topic, apart from virgin Green, everyone wasn¡¯t so discreet and simply started gossiping. Green found it hard to get a word in. He helplessly sat down on the floor, squeezing next to Shi San, ¡°Hey, buddy, we seem a bit out of place..¡± Shi San rolled its eyes at him. Is it appropriate for you to discuss such matters with a child of over five months? It barked at Meatball standing atop its head, turned around, and gave Green its backside, not wanting to engage with him. Over this past month, Crow Meatball had already sprouted feathers, though still somewhat ugly. But its growth was even faster than Shi San¡¯s had been previously; it could now communicate simply with Shi San and had even learned some basic English words. It could talk just like some parrots, its IQ no less than that of some five- or six-year-old children. This was actually normal. Birds naturally grow faster than mammals. In the wild, small-mouthed crows mature within a few months, not to mention Meatball, which had been nurtured on Shi San¡¯s saliva and grown on Brian¡¯s blood, was larger than others of its age class by a size. In another month, Meatball¡¯s size might even surpass that of a grown small-mouthed crow. With Shi San ignoring him, Green, seeking help, looked towards Meatball on Shi San¡¯s head, ¡°Meatball, what does that mean?¡± Meatball was carefully grooming its still somewhat ugly feathers. Hearing Green¡¯s question, it immediately uttered some indistinct words, ¡°Urine thief, urine thief...¡± Green:... What can I do, I haven¡¯t had much bonus lately, and I¡¯ve taken a mortgage on a middle-high end community property; I could only find some supplementation! Brain the boss had agreed! Somewhat aggrieved, Green explained, ¡°Shi San, don¡¯t be like that, I paid you, it¡¯s not theft. You supply the raw materials, and I handle the sales; this is a legitimate collaboration.¡± Shi San turned its head, ¡°Woof woof woof~ (I¡¯m raising Meatball now; I need a bigger share.)¡± This time using Morse Code, Green understood. Green:... Brother dog, we¡¯re already splitting eighty-twenty, you eighty, me twenty, you still want more? He gave Shi San a thumbs up, ¡°You¡¯re indeed Brian¡¯s dog, Shi San; you were born to be a capitalist. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll go downstairs and find you a streetlight!¡± The man and dog, bargaining for a potential extra thousand US dollars a month in revenue, began negotiations... Meanwhile, in the team leader¡¯s office. Brian lay on the floor, through two doors and a distance of several meters, silently staring at the ceiling. There was indeed something off about Susan today. Her pheromones were getting stronger, and her movements heavier, as if she had taken the wrong medication; her body heat was scarily high. ... Whew~ Only hours later, did Susan finally exhale a hot breath, contentedly stopping her motions, ¡°I felt like I was about to burst into flames; it was wonderful.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t just a feeling; you actually were on fire!¡± Brian speechlessly pushed Susan away. His skin had been scorched! Brian stood up, grabbed Susan by the shoulders, and spoke seriously, ¡°There¡¯s something off about you, very off. Are you hiding something from me?¡± Chapter 502 - 502 279 Susans Secret Filler Requesting Monthly Ticket at Months End_2 ?502: Chapter 279 Susan¡¯s Secret (Filler, Requesting Monthly Ticket at Month¡¯s End)_2 502: Chapter 279 Susan¡¯s Secret (Filler, Requesting Monthly Ticket at Month¡¯s End)_2 Susan rolled her eyes and said, ¡°Fine, I knew I couldn¡¯t keep it from you. Let¡¯s talk while I shower.¡± After the shower and mopping the floor, Susan wiped her damp hair and sat on the boss¡¯s chair, legs crossed, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. Then she said somewhat wistfully, ¡°Brian, we need to have children sooner. My father is always pressing me about it. He says if we wait too long, it will be too late.¡± Brian had already discussed this matter with Dean before. His eyes narrowed a bit, ¡°Does it have to do with changes in your body?¡± Susan nodded. ¡°I only recently learned about it. Don¡¯t you find something strange? Although my mother was just an ordinary enhancer, she had already reached First Rank Life before giving birth to me. My father was already at Second Rank Life at that time. They had a hard time having me, but me, being the progeny of two exceptional people, was nothing more than an ordinary enhancer before I met you.¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s normal, isn¡¯t it? Children of two PhDs might still end up underwhelming. Other group leaders, no less privileged than you, aren¡¯t First Rank life enhancers either. It doesn¡¯t really prove anything.¡± Susan shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s not like that. Pedigree is pedigree, genes are genes. They don¡¯t have a Second Rank Life father or mother. Brian, there¡¯s something I have to tell you. It¡¯s what my mother just revealed to me. Second Rank Life is different from First Rank Life. The genetic material of Second Rank Life is highly active, is very aggressive, and any fertilized eggs that manage to be conceived surely won¡¯t have inferior innate genes. We are born strong and can become First Rank Life upon reaching adulthood. Even if our potential is somewhat lacking, breaking through to First Rank Life is a natural process, without any risk of genetic collapse. There are examples of this. I should have been like that. But when I was very young, my father performed a surgery on me, which resulted in only exceptional dynamic vision, nerve reaction speed, and a superb shooting talent during my development period, rather than being remarkably extraordinary. And that was the case even though I never lacked Enhancement Reagent. Actually, before I met you, I had taken more Enhancement Reagents than some people drink water. But my strength only began to improve slowly a while ago. I thought it was due to my own accumulation. Not until after I broke through to First Rank Life did I feel something unusual, and then my father told me the secret within my body.¡± ¡°What secret?¡± Brian remembered something. He had once quarreled with Dean, mockingly bringing up the incident at Forest Park, where they first encountered the Mutant Beast and nearly got killed. Dean retorted that even if he died, Susan would be fine. It must be related to this secret. Susan¡¯s ears twitched, making sure no one was eavesdropping outside before flicking off the ash from her cigarette and saying reluctantly, ¡°I¡¯ve told you before. My father is actually NW Combat Department¡¯s first Third Level employee, one of the earliest organizational enhancers, until he resigned due to some issues. Then he started deep sea hunting with many partners. That¡¯s what the Combat Department is responsible for. Hunting various rare Sea Beasts is also research material no less significant than Mutant Beasts or Mutants, and they are found in great numbers with lower discovery difficulty. So my father¡¯s yields have always been good. Until one time, he nearly died in an attack, and from that encounter, he obtained two Mutated Sea Beast hearts. He didn¡¯t know what kind of creature it was, somewhat turtle-like but different. At that time, my father was severely injured. His heart was destroyed by the beast. To survive, he had to tear open his body, remove his shattered heart, and then replace it with a larger Mutant Beast heart. After that, my father was taken back to Los Angeles by his guys for recovery. I was very young then, and I don¡¯t have much memory of it. In fact, my father was in a coma for more than a year, only to reawaken due to the resilience of Second Rank Life, the endless energy support from our family, and genetic compatibility. The situation was very dangerous. If my father hadn¡¯t made it a practice to kill all his enemies, he might have been retaliated against a long time ago. Anyway, he gained a lot from that. After researching the remaining heart, he found it had great potential and that its genes were compatible with ours. So after some experimentation, he gave me that processed heart and used his blood to create a serum to prevent rejection of the heart. I was very young at the time, so the fusion would be slow, and my body would gradually adapt to the heart, making the process safer. As a result, the nutrition from my body and the Enhancement Reagents I took were almost entirely absorbed by the heart, using them to slowly transform my genetic makeup. Ideally, according to my father¡¯s calculations, I should have had two more years before completely integrating that heart, naturally evolving into First Rank Life, but then I met you...¡± ¡°So, you and your father, are both really Beastification Transformed People?¡± Brian exclaimed, surprised. No wonder Dean could spew hot air, like having a furnace in his body, and even fly! He wasn¡¯t just any ordinary enhancer after all! Susan nodded, ¡°Yes, I have just found out as well. He wasn¡¯t planning on telling me, to spare me any psychological burden. But my father got agitated about something recently and urged me to have children with you sooner, even instructing me to have at least two. Otherwise, the temperature inside my body would become very high and could mean that your genetic material would be killed by my body heat once it entered my system.¡± Chapter 503: 279: Susans Secret (Extra, asking for monthly passes at the end of the month)_3 Chapter 503: Chapter 279: Susan¡¯s Secret (Extra, asking for monthly passes at the end of the month)_3 Hearing this, Brian was somewhat embarrassed, ¡°I promised your father that once we had children, we would name a son and a daughter after your surname and then hand them over to your parents to raise, all so that he would help me build the Blood-colored Cannibal Flower botanical garden on my island.¡± Susan¡¯s face turned dark upon hearing this. She glared at Brian and then took out a pink reagent: ¡°This was given to me by my mother; it¡¯s called the ¡®Gift of the Life Goddess.''¡± Brian took it, opened it, and sniffed it, then quickly sealed the test tube and moved it away: ¡°This thing smells like some kind of potent aphrodisiac hormone factor.¡± The effects were very strong. He sniffed it, and if he didn¡¯t control himself on purpose, his body would start reacting. Susan nodded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s an enhancement-type aphrodisiac, about fifty times more effective than a normal one. I was just curious and took a sniff earlier, and that¡¯s why I became a bit impulsive today. The effects feel good, other than being a bit tired, I feel pretty lively right now.¡± Brian sighed slightly upon hearing this. Old ox plowing the field. The one who always suffers is the old ox! He handed the test tube back to Susan: ¡°I think we don¡¯t need this thing, by the way, you mentioned earlier that your heart integrated into your body early because of encountering me, why is that?¡± Susan carefully stored the test tube before explaining: ¡°It probably has to do with the high activity of your genetic material. It entered my body, killed my egg cells, and then stimulated my immune system, causing the heart inside me to speed up its integration with my body to save itself. In short, there could be many reasons. We would need to conduct detailed research using instruments, but I¡¯m not going to let anyone do that to you. As for this test tube...¡± Susan touched her burning-hot cheeks, took out several bottles of mineral water from under the table, downed seven or eight in one go, and then exhaled a white steamy breath: ¡°This is something that big families often use to ensure a high pregnancy rate in their descendants; it can greatly increase the activity of our genetic materials, which in turn boosts the chance of conception. I¡¯m currently a First Rank Life, and you are too. We shouldn¡¯t have any problems. The only uncertainty is that I¡¯m not sure if I am mentally prepared to be a mother. But my parents did quite a psychological work on me last night. Especially my father. He told me that the heart inside me is very strong, and at this rate, I would become a Second Rank Life in five or six years, and then I might not be able to have my own children for the rest of my life. I thought about it all night, and only today did I decide to come back and find you.¡± As she spoke, with the mineral water being consumed, Susan¡¯s head kept emitting white steam, much like the way Dean would when he was emotionally agitated. With such exaggerated internal body temperature, no wonder her brother got a layer of skin scorched off. ... Considering Brian had suffered a ¡®work injury¡¯, and Susan had sobered up and realized the extent of their commotion, She was somewhat embarrassed, so she directly ran away through the window to skip work. But before she left, Susan reminded Brian to attend Linda¡¯s assessment a week later. Looking at the empty office, Brian walked to the window, opened it to ventilate and get rid of the smell. He lit a cigarette, his eyes wistful. He hadn¡¯t expected that not only was he becoming less and less human, but the woman he chose wasn¡¯t normal either. A family does not get together without something in common. Brian was now afraid to think about what his and Susan¡¯s children might look like. Would they be seething Steam Men, Molten Rock Men, or something entirely non-human? Troublesome. Brian realized that figuring out the genetics of Mutants was now urgent; otherwise, if they delayed, he and Susan might have a hard time having descendants in the future, and the likelihood was that any child might turn out to be a mutant. He could not care less if his child were a monster, but he couldn¡¯t accept if the child were a mutant. At the very least, they must look human! .. After work. Thick-faced Brian threatened his colleagues into keeping today¡¯s events a secret, and then, taking Shi San and Meatball, he drove directly to the research institute. This was his first time visiting the institute since he took over. Since he had called in advance, the institute¡¯s acting person Gandob, with a shiny bald head, had been waiting early with others at the entrance of the institute. Who says foreigners don¡¯t have formalism? There it was. Seeing Brian get out of the car, Gandob greeted him with a sycophantic smile: ¡°Boss, are you here to check on our recruitment progress?¡± Brian shook his head: ¡°I have something that requires the use of the institute¡¯s most advanced electronic microscope.¡± These days, his reading wasn¡¯t for naught. Apart from hands-on practice, Brian¡¯s knowledge of biology had built up to a level comparable to that of doctoral students from prestigious universities. To resolve the issue of the mutation of Mutant genetic material going out of control, The only clue that Brian knew of was the organization that old brute Dean was part of. The problem was that Dean was now out of contact. Having no other choice, Brian was left to conduct his own research. This was something that certainly could not be entrusted to another¡¯s hands. He was now about to see the truest form of his and Susan¡¯s genetic material... Brian had a feeling that the result might not be too pleasant. Chapter 504: 280: Genetic Imprint! Only the Strong are Worthy to be My Children! (Supplement) Chapter 504: Chapter 280: Genetic Imprint! Only the Strong are Worthy to be My Children! (Supplement) The research facility had finished its rebranding. Including the name and LOGO of Umbrella Company. I must say, it looked much cooler. Paired with the quasi-special forces uniforms worn by the security personnel and the large Umbrella logo on them, the first impression was one of solemnity and a forbidden zone. Arriving here was like coming to a military research facility. Of course, the security guards who remained were mostly military veterans. They valued the comfort and safety here but could not be considered the real elite. When circumstances allowed, Brian would certainly assemble an armed force composed entirely of Enhanced Humans and Beastification People. The thing that pleased Brian the most about this facility was its ample space, housing four buildings with over a thousand different types of rooms and a large underground structure designed for dangerous experiments and detaining subjects. Especially the laboratories, they were not only fitted with automatic electronic mechanisms but also physical structures and were built to type I red safety standards, costing no less than ten million US dollars. And that wasn¡¯t even counting the high-end equipment. All of it together was no small sum; even with connections, much of the equipment was not for sale as they were prohibited items. To some extent, Black Light Biotechnology Company was quite powerful; they simply gave away such a large research facility as if they were throwing away trash. The on-site maintenance and security personnel numbered over a hundred. Without a doubt, among these people were spies from Black Light Biotechnology, including among the remaining researchers. Brian didn¡¯t care about these. The important research results would not be kept here. The unimportant ones would not be worth the risk for others to steal, as it would entail offending him. Under Gandob¡¯s guidance, Brian passed through several security gates and arrived on the third sublevel. After changing clothes and going through various complex procedures such as disinfection and sterilization, he finally entered a bright, spacious room. Most areas of the room were cordoned off with special glass, allowing one to see the individual cubicles, each with various types of equipment and zone indicators. However, in this large laboratory, only four people were bustling about. Among these four, only one was Caucasian; the rest were Asian. Judging by their facial features, they appeared to be of Chinese descent. This was mainly due to different language pronunciations resulting in subtle variations in facial muscles; of course, for those who had lived here since childhood, it¡¯s difficult to determine their country of origin by their faces. Gandob introduced to Brian: ¡°The Caucasian inside is a previous level-C researcher at the facility, skilled in Biological Inheritance research, with a pre-tax salary of twelve thousand US dollars per month, plus project allowances and bonuses. However, the profitable projects of our facility have all been transferred elsewhere, so currently, we¡¯re running at a pure loss. The other three are of Chinese descent, also proficient in Biological Inheritance research projects and have previous experience at other research institutions. They¡¯ve just recently joined our Umbrella Company and are level-D researchers. As per tradition, unless they stay for three years or perform exceptionally well and get recommended for promotion by a project-leading level-B researcher, they can¡¯t be upgraded to level-C. As for level-B and level-A, you used to need to participate in the headquarters¡¯ assessment, but now it¡¯s up to you, the boss. To lure these Chinese researchers over, I told them that you, the boss, don¡¯t care about nationality, only about competence. They were willing to take the chance, so they joined the company.¡± Brian nodded: ¡°Don¡¯t we have any new recruits among international students? We must also consider training fresh blood.¡± Gandob shook his head: ¡°It¡¯s difficult. Many of the subjects at those higher education institutions don¡¯t allow foreign nationals to participate. Biotechnology subjects, even more critical, are heavily safeguarded. There are also many restrictions on course selection for early immigrants; hence we could only find Chinese descendants. Actually, I personally like international students because those who can study abroad here are usually not from poor conditions back in their home countries; the majority are elites with high standards. The chances of them becoming talents are high and the probabilities of them job-hopping are lower. The problem is we can¡¯t find international students with the right background. Many come here just to study cultural subjects...¡± At this point, Gandob chuckled: ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t even know what kind of culture this country has to offer, especially those who choose history. The books are so thin, and they study the history of other countries more. There are even students from Hua Country who come here to study Chinese as a major. Goodness, I guess they¡¯re just here for a degree and the experience of studying abroad. It¡¯s quite amusing...¡± It was evident that Gandob had put in a lot of effort to investigate thoroughly in this area, ensuring not to waste Brian¡¯s money. This was what Brian was most satisfied with about Gandob. A managerial subordinate? They don¡¯t necessarily need to be exceptionally capable, but they should think like the boss, realizing the company is their own to work for. Without this realization, how could the boss afford luxury cars and mansions? Brian didn¡¯t disturb the work of the researchers and instead asked Gandob to take him to a separate, enclosed laboratory. Such labs are generally for level-B researchers to use. Lower-level researchers wishing to use them must get approval from a level-B researcher. Currently, Alpha was the only level-B researcher in the entire facility, and he was not present, so several labs were vacant. After dismissing Gandob, Brian first checked the lab and its machinery to ensure that no backdoors had been left. Chapter 505: 280 Genetic Imprint! Only the Strong Are Worthy to Be My Children! (Supplement)_2 Chapter 505: Chapter 280 Genetic Imprint! Only the Strong Are Worthy to Be My Children! (Supplement)_2 After he had finished, he began to collect samples. Collecting male sperm was a bit more troublesome; he needed to first place the substance into a device, let it sit for a while, wait for the sperm to fully liquefy, and then use a test tube to draw it up and place it under a microscope for observation. After Brian had completed this procedure, while waiting, he prepared to observe Susan¡¯s genetic material. First was a sample of Susan¡¯s cells. In fact, he would have preferred to observe Susan¡¯s egg cells, but since the egg cells were in the ovaries and normal egg extraction required surgery, he could only observe Susan¡¯s cells. Having prepared earlier, Brian had extracted Susan¡¯s blood and stored it internally; he also had some of Susan¡¯s skin flakes from under her fingernails. After the sampling was completed, some simple slide preparation followed, and then observation. This was the first time Brian observed cell samples from an enhancer who also underwent Beastification after the Mutation. Taking a deep breath, he peered into the microscope. The next moment, Brian¡¯s eyes widened. What in the world was this? Why did Susan¡¯s skin cells and blood cells, in addition to the normal forms of skin and blood cells, also contain a very small part that looked like egg cells? And even the egg cells were wrong! A normal egg should look like little round balls covered in a grid pattern, with many sharp-tentacle-like coronal substances on the surface, known as the zona radiata. It felt overall like a small sun wrapped in many triangles: Beneath the radiata was a layer of transparent, band-like material, which was glycoprotein that could protect the egg, trap sperm, and, above the glycoprotein should also have two red coronal cells attached. This was the observable form of a normal egg. The peculiar ¡°pseudo-egg cells¡± appearing within Susan¡¯s other bodily tissues were different. When Brian first looked, he thought it was an actual sun... During observation, her ¡°pseudo-egg cells¡± had flame-like dancing red coronas; the glycoproteins also appeared, but were golden black. Most importantly, when enlarged, the fiery red nucleus was visible inside the cell, and even the cytoplasm around the nucleus appeared flame-like, resembling flowing lava... If Brian was to describe it, it was like an egg bathing in lava. But the thing was, shouldn¡¯t this appear inside the ovaries? Why was it showing up in other body tissues? Could it be that these weren¡¯t real egg cells? What exactly was this thing? Thinking for a bit, Brian called Gandob and asked him to bring over a Researcher who had experience with enhancers or Beastification People. ... Brian thought a white elder Researcher would come, but to his surprise, Gandob brought a Chinese Researcher, one of the new employees Gandob had just introduced. The researcher looked around thirty, quite presentable, with a stern square face; dressed in an executive jacket, he resembled a high-ranking leader more than a scholar. Extending his hand, he greeted, ¡°Hello, Gandob mentioned your name is Li Hua?¡± Li Hua waved his hand, ¡°Boss, I prefer not to have physical contact in the lab, yes, my name is Li Hua, I¡¯ve worked for five to six years in basic research under an agency of the FBI, but couldn¡¯t join any interesting projects. Gandob told me everything here is new, and that you only care about talent, so I came.¡± ¡°You are confident, I like confident people!¡± Brian indifferently withdrew his hand. Talented people with attitude don¡¯t bother him; it¡¯s the incompetent posers that do. He gave Gandob a knowing look. Gandob tactfully left the lab. Once he was gone, Brian asked Li Hua, ¡°Have you observed the cellular tissue morphology of Mutants and Beastification People?¡± Li Hua nodded, ¡°Both, the FBI has many, so I have seen them all, even when I first joined, through my mentor¡¯s connections, I observed the cellular tissue morphology of First Rank life¡¯s Mutants, Beastification People, and enhancers.¡± ¡°Can you talk about these?¡± Brian asked curiously. Li Hua nodded again, ¡°Boss, we signed a confidentiality agreement, but the Umbrella Company is qualified to access these kinds of projects, and since I have never been involved with such projects, I was able to transfer here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, here¡¯s the thing, I have a friend who is a Beastification Person, also an enhancer, but recently he has been feeling unwell, so I took his blood cells for observation and found some strange structures...¡± Brian said ambiguously. Li Hua glanced at the electronic microscope previously used without showing much curiosity and honestly explained: ¡°Boss, your friend must be a First Rank life. The biggest difference between a First Rank life and ordinary humans, Mutants, enhancers, and Beastification People is the enhancement in bodily strength, but the greatest improvement is in cell activity. According to current research, the major reasons for their enhanced bodily strength and cell activity are due to the presence of a lock!¡± ¡°A lock?¡± ¡°Yes, the academic term is ¡®gene lock,¡¯ but we prefer calling it ¡®genetic imprint¡¯. Each person¡¯s genetic imprint is different, but it only appears within an organism after they become a First Rank life. It¡¯s somewhat like a female egg cell, but it actually isn¡¯t; it¡¯s a highly complex structure capable of storing vast amounts of energy, supplying it to various body tissues, maintaining their strength and activity, and it also carries the hidden genetic ¡®talent¡¯ of that life form.¡± Chapter 506: 280: Genetic Imprint! Only the Strong Are Worthy to Be My Children! (Supplement)_3 Chapter 506: Chapter 280: Genetic Imprint! Only the Strong Are Worthy to Be My Children! (Supplement)_3 Currently, cutting-edge research facilities are studying high-energy biological matter and rare talent Enhancement Reagents, among other things. The primary research focus is on the decoding of these locks. However, progress doesn¡¯t seem to be very good. At least, aside from the fact that individual gene locks are easy to decode, the more talents a target has, the more difficult the locks are to break. This is also why every official organization has its own unique Enhancement Reagent. It¡¯s simply a matter of different research directions, progress, and research goals. After hearing Li Hua¡¯s introduction, Brian came to a sudden realization. Luckily, when he was promoted in the past, he did not hide his clumsiness; he only concealed his strength and found an excuse for his own advancement, otherwise, it would¡¯ve been exposed during the physical examination. He also understood why, after he broke through as a First Rank Life and was promoted to Second-level Staff at the NW base, completing the sampling work, so many people were amiable to him and even said he had good talent. Brian had originally thought it was meant in the literal sense, but it turned out to be a conclusion after observation. His body possessed so many talents; the genetic imprint was complicated at a glance. This meant he had many talents. Although this didn¡¯t necessarily represent the upper limit of genetic structure, it at least ensured the lower limit. ... Seeing that Li Hua knew quite a bit, Brian grew fond, ¡°What would happen if an enhancer above First Rank mated with a Beastification Person, or say, an enhancer and a Mutant, a Mutant and a Beastification Person...¡± Li Hua shrugged: ¡°I¡¯ve only heard of this, but haven¡¯t observed it. It is said that genetic imprints will exist in large quantities within the genetic material, so the difficulty of them becoming fertilized eggs will be very high, mainly depending on the changes in the bodily structure and the degree of fusion between genes. This is still First Rank Life. If it¡¯s Second Rank Life, locks will also undergo new changes, as for what changes, I¡¯m not sure, but they will have a strong exclusivity, making the probability of conceiving offspring even lower, needing luck or artificial assistance.. As for Beastification People, Mutants, and enhancers, once they reach First Rank Life, the difference isn¡¯t really that big. They all have their own unique gene locks. The only difference is probably that Mutants will undergo changes in their genes after reaching First Rank Life, Beastification People will have gene changes upon successful injection, whereas for enhancers, their genes remain stable throughout, with at most one additional dominant gene lock.. But these locks are unique in themselves, so it¡¯s still impossible to determine whether they are Mutants or Beastification People, unless examined with equipment or if the individual has obvious mutant biological organs or the like. This is actually a very curious thing. Imagine, in a few years, the categories of humanity on Earth could undergo earth-shattering changes, even possibly forming Beastmen, a new category of humans, and even new groups or new political powers..¡± Li Hua¡¯s conjecture was something Brian had also thought about. The two chatted for a long time. Brian also learned a lot of new knowledge. He was not clear on what level Li Hua¡¯s talent ranked among scientific researchers, but knew that this guy definitely had ideas. In the end, Brian gave Li Hua his business card, ¡°Thank you for clearing things up. I feel the liveliness of your thoughts; research really needs that kind of flash of inspiration and leap in thinking. I see potential in you. If you have a project you need undertaking, give me a call, and I¡¯ll support you!¡± ¡°Thank you, boss!¡± Li Hua¡¯s face broke into a smile, then signaled Brian to put the business card into his pant pocket. He still abided by the same principle. In the laboratory, he didn¡¯t want to touch anything unnecessary. .. Watching Li Hua leave, Brian sighed. Li Hua had told him that like Female Enhanced Beastification People, after First Rank, the shape of the egg cells and the shape of the gene locks didn¡¯t have much of a difference, just some subtle changes and an additional, distinctive nucleus. Looking at Susan¡¯s gene lock, which appeared like a mini-sun, it was clear she was a fiery girl, fiery in the truest sense. Brian¡¯s normal body temperature was already high. Susan¡¯s internal temperature was even higher than his. Outrageous! Brian habitually thought of grabbing a cigarette, but then remembered he was in a lab. He sighed again, took out the observational lens, secreted a tiny amount of green mist, killed the egg cell on it, then sterilized it again using the laboratory¡¯s machine before throwing it into the waste bin tagged for disposal. ... About half an hour later, Brian¡¯s genetic material had also liquefied. This was much simpler. He then used a pipette to extract it and dripped it onto the observation slide. Brian took a deep breath again, bent over, and looked down. ¡°Holy shit!¡± This time he blurted out a curse. What the hell is this? Through the microscope¡¯s observation end, one could see a white ¡®pool¡¯ teeming with tadpoles frantically swimming around. Truly frantic. Their speed was like that of speedboats. But that wasn¡¯t why Brian lost his composure. He was startled because these sperm were so aggressively invasive that they would mutate upon colliding with their siblings! Really mutating!! Like Marvel¡¯s Venom, their heads would split open with a big mouth, swallowing and tearing at each other as if they had life-or-death enmity. The sperm that survived appeared unchanged and continued their wild darting until they bumped into the next sibling and engaged in another round of deadly consumption... ¡°No wonder I felt like my genetic material had a will of its own, without desperately fighting, there would be no chance of even seeing an ovum, only the most perfect and vicious can have the chance to savor the fragrance... That¡¯s not right, mine has been stationary for a long time, in actual operation, there should still be a chance for some lucky ones...¡± Brian murmured to himself. His mind was a bit of a mess at the moment. Just like that, he stayed bent over for three to four hours, enduring the sight of this war through to the end. If there were no external influences, these crazed tadpoles would fight and consume any of their kind they encountered. After most had disappeared, it was as though they had a sense of self, beginning to actively hunt. Until at last, only one surviving sperm remained. This sperm had devoured so many of its kind that it had finally mutated. Its insides had become extremely complex, and it had gained a layer of unknown substance on the surface, looking three times bigger than at the beginning, with the most exaggerated change being at the top. There, at the top, it had actually grown a sharp antenna, and below was something resembling a mouthpart. Brian was numb to the sight. Like a little unicorn tadpole. What now, you want to eat up the ovum too? His genetic material had confirmed a joke Brian had heard before: only the strong are qualified to be his children, the weak do not even have the right to be born... ... ¡°It¡¯s a pity I can¡¯t try out the state of a fertilized egg, will have to find another opportunity later.¡± Brian habitually destroyed his own genetic material. But it wasn¡¯t over yet. Since he¡¯d come this far, Brian fetched a new observation slide, controlled his body, and forced out some untreated strands of blood from his fingertips. Sizzle~ The special observation slide showed a reaction to contact with high heat substances. Luckily, the material of the slide was special, so the impact was minimal. With a nervous heart, Brian began to observe his own blood cells. Of course, the main thing was to look at his gene lock. Upon looking, Brian became numb all over again. What on earth is this? Chapter 510: 282: Humanoid Gundam, Deans Underwater Base (Filler) Chapter 510: Chapter 282: Humanoid Gundam, Dean¡¯s Underwater Base (Filler) Underwater. Brian and Dean faced each other in their swim trunks, a hundred meters apart, utterly unaffected by the surrounding seawater. Dean glanced at the Small Tachi in Brian¡¯s hand, clenched his fist in his right hand, and moved from stillness to a swift strike. In an instant, he threw a punch, stirring up a turbid explosion. The seawater shaped by the fist mark transformed into a white terrifying wave, charging towards Brian a hundred meters away. The seawater surged oncoming. Brian¡¯s eyes moved slightly. Lines of force came into his view. Following those lines, he drew his sword abruptly and swung it down! The sword turned water into blade. The sword gang, formed from the waves, precisely struck where the surge was at its weakest, splitting the underwater wave with a weight of thousands of pounds into two, cleaving the terrifying force within it as well, utterly dissipating its destructive power. ¡°Eh~¡± Dean didn¡¯t expect Brian¡¯s sword skill to be so fierce. He bared his teeth in a grin, blowing out a bubble, as countless sediments exploded beneath his feet. His body, wrapped in a myriad of seawater, charged towards Brian like a human tank. Brian was not to be outdone and met the charge head-on. Seawater is not like invisible air. In this special environment, he followed the virtual lines in the water, slicing with his sword. At the edge of his blade, he seemingly managed to create a vacuum-like state, dispelling the impact of the seawater that Dean was using to buffer his charge while his blade swept towards Dean¡¯s entire body. Regardless of the consequences, Dean gathered his strength and unleashed a Bombardment Fist! It wasn¡¯t until this close-range instance that Brian felt the freakish nature of old Dean. This guy¡¯s strength was even greater than his own Bursting Clothes State. Underneath the wrap of his fist, the water pressure was like a high-pressure jet. The undercurrents under the sea, brought together by Dean¡¯s focuses punch, turned into numerous water stream bullets that impacted on Brian¡¯s underwater sword domain, tearing apart his still unrefined domain, striking against his body and causing him intolerable pain. If this had hit him directly, wouldn¡¯t he have been sent flying dozens of meters! Brian didn¡¯t retreat but advanced, following the virtual lines in his eyesight. Amidst the numerous phantom sword blades, the real blade edge sliced out. Skimming past old Dean¡¯s fist, it cut mercilessly towards his Adam¡¯s apple, leaving no room for mercy. ¡°Roar~¡± Dean roared fiercely~ Countless sound waves materialized as watery surges, carrying Brian¡¯s form off course. At the same time high-frequency vibrations struck him, making Brian lose control over his weapon, and his consciousness and reactions slowed down. Boom~ The fist subsequently smashed into Brian¡¯s chest. The terrifying force of the vibration, resonating along the fist on his chest, shook his whole body; Brian¡¯s vision blacked out as he was forcefully knocked unconscious. By the time he regained consciousness, he was already in Dean¡¯s grasp, back at the surface of the sea. .. Looking around at the sea surface, the turbid waters were tinged with streaks of blood. Numerous fish corpses drifted on the sea, including an unlucky little shark... These sea creatures had all been killed by the shockwaves of their confrontation. Brian, who was used to casually handling others like chickens, had finally experienced being carried by someone else today. His face darkened as he looked at old Dean, ¡°Put me down.¡± Dean shrugged his shoulders and tossed Brian carelessly onto a nearby rock, ¡°You¡¯re quite heavy, and this sword seems to be a special product of the Yagyuu family from the Ninja Sect of Japan. Your sword style also greatly resembles the Extreme Skill of Yagyuu Kojirou.¡± As he spoke, he flicked Brian¡¯s Small Tachi. The clear, striking sound further darkened Brian¡¯s face. He didn¡¯t even know how he¡¯d lost. ¡°That power?¡± Brian couldn¡¯t help but inquire. ¡°High-frequency vibration...¡± Dean gestured for Brian to look at the sword in his own hand. The next moment, he casually slashed out into thin air. Rip~ The invisible air around seemed to be stimulated, bizarrely distorting along the sword blade, seemingly twisted by the force emanating from the sword, causing that section of the viewpoint to also distort. ¡°This sword is really not bad..¡± Dean swung the sword, finding it undamaged, his eyes revealing a liking for it, ¡°The material of this sword is quite special; it¡¯s made from a particular meteorite, using modern technology to forge. Japan seems to have only one, and you once killed Yagyuu Ittou, the son of Yagyuu Kojirou, but the weapon he held was definitely not the one you have now..¡± He looked towards Brian and said with certainty, ¡°The attacker who launched an assault in Japan, killing thousands, was it you? You took the opportunity to go to the White Elephant Country to make a trip to Japan!¡± Brian disregarded old Dean¡¯s speculations. He spat out a mouthful of blood and fragments of shattered organs, touched his ribs that were all cracked from the shock, and his damaged internal organs, his eyes reflecting contemplation. So, it was high-frequency vibration. No wonder he couldn¡¯t withstand old Dean¡¯s punch. A typical weapon of science fiction fantasy, the high-frequency vibrating particle blade, is said to cut through anything, slicing through alloy steel as if it were tofu. Of course, there¡¯s no such exaggerated weapon in reality. At least current technology hasn¡¯t reached that level yet. Old Dean¡¯s fists weren¡¯t that exaggerated, either. But the principle was probably the same. .. In a few breaths, Brian felt his injuries had almost healed. He got up again and, mimicking old Dean, forced his right hand to search for that high-frequency vibrating sensation, meanwhile using his ¡°Self-Deception¡± talent to convince his right hand: You are a high-frequency vibrating particle blade, a high-frequency vibrating particle blade... Hey, it actually worked. Brian¡¯s right hand¡¯s muscle fibers began to rapidly twitch on their own. Chapter 511: 282 Humanoid Gundam, Deans Underwater Base (Supplement)_2 Chapter 511: Chapter 282 Humanoid Gundam, Dean¡¯s Underwater Base (Supplement)_2 This special state had also altered the way he exerted force, A slow punch that any ordinary person could throw was surrounded by multiple afterimages around his arm and fist, as if his hand was swinging at high speed in the moment he punched. Dean looked on in shock at this scene. ¡°You just got introduced to high-frequency vibration, and you¡¯ve already mastered it?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you consider my feelings?¡± Dean, his teeth tinged with sourness, said, ¡°Stop practicing; you can¡¯t handle it¡ªyou¡¯ll ruin your own hand.¡± He had hardly finished speaking Crack¡ª Brian¡¯s right hand had truly broken. And it broke neatly and eerily. His right hand drooped, the skin showing densely packed, fragmented tear marks, and beneath the skin, the flesh and bones displayed similar injuries, as if they had been shattered by something. Brian:... My hand is really ruined... and shattered at that! He looked wordlessly at Dean, ¡°Has anyone ever told you you¡¯re a jinx?¡± Using a human body to forcibly enter into high-frequency vibration was simply unbearable! Dean shrugged with schadenfreude: ¡°You¡¯re too naive. Even in the lab, they can only use the domino principle with magnetic fields, which is very cumbersome and energy-consuming. We still can¡¯t produce anything practical; how could you dare use your own hand as the vehicle?¡± Brian¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°You¡¯re not...¡± Boom! Suddenly, Dean threw a punch toward an empty space beside him. Heat surged, the invisible air transformed into a visible, twisted shock wave that swept across more than ten meters, turning the area into a vacuum. The floating dead fish and shrimp on the ocean surface were affected and instantly turned into mincemeat, merging with the seawater and becoming purified. This time, Brian understood. ¡°Magnetic field?¡± ¡°You have a real magnetic field inside you!¡± Dean nodded, ¡°I thought you already knew. My flying and gliding are all made possible by this magnetic field. Susan must have told you about the transplant of the Mutant Beast¡¯s heart. It comes from a Mutant turtle living in underwater volcanic magma. The turtle¡¯s power isn¡¯t strong, but its heart is unique, like a mini-volcano, causing my internal body to resemble a fiery furnace, my blood like magma, and my flesh not as calm as it appears. Third Rank Life is the sublimation of Second Rank Life. This can no longer be considered human. My current appearance is actually a disguise.¡± Dean, annoyingly bragging, even gave Brian a provoking eyebrow lift: ¡°Although I don¡¯t know why you would want to be beaten, I must tell you that it is basically impossible for a Second Rank Life to defeat a Third Rank Life in melee, unless the opponent just advanced and hasn¡¯t developed their unique combat system. So this stage is also called a mini nuclear bomb. It¡¯s not as exaggerated, but unless they¡¯re attacked with area-covering missiles or tactical nuclear bombs, modern weapons aren¡¯t much of a threat anymore to people at this stage. Their enemies are only those at the same level and themselves.¡± ¡°Themselves?¡± Brian caught the key point. Dean nodded, ¡°One issue is energy replenishment. I manage alright, barely sustaining my body energy through the Beastification People¡¯s traits, using solar or thermal energy, so my food requirements aren¡¯t large. Those who can¡¯t utilize natural energy are unfortunate; they usually need to immerse themselves in high-energy nutrient liquid to store energy, to ensure they have enough combat time at critical moments, which is very inconvenient.¡± Hearing this, Brian¡¯s face looked odd. Hadn¡¯t this become like an Ultraman who charges for several days just to fight for a short while? Fighting and then lighting up. Dean continued: ¡°The second issue is the self-restriction of the magnetic field. Third Rank Life may not be stronger or faster than some physically enhanced Second Rank Lives, but we can leverage the magnetic field to harness power beyond us. But just imagine, fragile flesh housing something akin to a nuclear reactor. If during a fight, the life magnetism we trigger becomes too strong, we can be torn apart by our own life magnetism without external force stimuli.¡± ¡°That low?¡± Brian was even more disappointed. He had previously thought that the life magnetism of Third Rank Life was similar to the biological force field like Superman¡¯s. That kind would have been much cooler. But it turned out to be a castrated version, a weakened biological force field. However, considering that Dean hadn¡¯t blown him up with a single punch, the life magnetism of the Third Rank Life from Blood Moon World should still be controllable. ¡°LOW?¡± Dean grinned, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t dispersed the magnetic field just now, you would have been punched into mincemeat. By the way, Brian, when did you reach Second Rank Life? Your speed is unusually high.¡± As he mentioned the abnormality, Dean¡¯s eyes turned slightly dangerous, ¡°I¡¯ve only seen Mutants and Mutant Beasts increase their speed this fast!¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m a genius, bro. The gap between people is bigger than the gap between people and pigs. Just because you¡¯re a genius doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t be more of a genius than you. Don¡¯t talk nonsense, okay? I¡¯ve been through the Deformation Radiation Detector test at NW. If you spread rumors, I¡¯ll sue you for defamation!¡± Hearing this, Dean dismissed his suspicions. Well, he had seen Brian¡¯s test video back then. This guy should be innocent. He nodded, ¡°That makes sense. Now that you mention it, I¡¯m actually looking forward to seeing the talent of the child you and Susan will have. Sometimes, I actually feel that the appearance of the Blood Moon is a redemption for this world, saving humanity that is facing collapse.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Brian looked puzzled at Dean. What did he mean by humanity facing collapse? Dean shook his head, ¡°Let¡¯s go to my secret base to talk.¡± Brian could only nod. He originally wanted to challenge Dean to a fight to see if he could sense Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s Extreme Heart of Cuts Through Anything, but got knocked out with one punch. After such an experience, even if Dean held back, it would be hard for him to keep the right mindset. This method was unreliable. ... The two picked up their stuff and got dressed. Brian thought Dean would let him get on a small boat, but to his surprise, the other sent the boat back. ¡°Is the base on land?¡± ¡°No, in the ocean.¡± After saying that, Dean grabbed Brian, and an exaggerated heat surged from his body, transforming into an invisible force that took them diving into the sea like a conical submarine, shooting rapidly toward the distance. ¡°This power...¡± Brian looked around in amazement. That heat seemed to have its own consciousness, not affecting him but forming an invisible barrier outside Dean¡¯s body. How to put it. A magnetic field is formless, but under the prominence of seawater, it displayed its true form. At that moment, Dean¡¯s form resembled a humanoid Gundam. It was really cool. Brian couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Dean, who is stronger, you or that legendary Dragon?¡± Dean¡¯s speed suddenly faltered. He looked down at Brian somewhat annoyed and embarrassed, ¡°None of your business!¡± It wasn¡¯t the word but the meaning. Dean... That old guy has quite a temper, proud too. His reaction, didn¡¯t he really encounter a Dragon and got beaten? Sensing Dean¡¯s palm increasing in force, Brian wisely chose to stay silent. ... About half an hour later. A group of submarine mountains appeared in their view. ¡°These are all dormant volcanoes, coordinates XX, XX. After I discovered this place, I dug a secret base here just in case... If you ever run into danger and can¡¯t contact me, you can also bring Susan here immediately.¡± Dean¡¯s tone was somewhat gloomy, as if he thought of some unpleasant events. However, he didn¡¯t explain to Brian but maneuvered through the submarine mountains and finally passed through an inconspicuous thicket of seaweed. Immediately, a narrow passage leading upward appeared. The passage was full of seawater. But as they kept advancing and ascending, Brian¡¯s skin sensed fresh air. It took about three or four seconds. They burst from the water into a huge space. With their hefty bodies hitting the ground, lights around began to turn on by sensors. This place was a large room, somewhat like a cave, very rough, with several tunnels leading to other areas, one of which was radiating heat waves, making the whole underground space rather warm. In this hall, there were simple tables and chairs made of stone. After they sat down, Dean took out a cigarette made from Heavenly Grass, lit it, and began to share some unknown secrets, ¡°Have you heard of a species¡¯ self-destruction?¡± Chapter 512: 283: The Daughter Pays for the Fathers Debt! Onward to the Loki Mountain Range Chapter 512: Chapter 283: The Daughter Pays for the Father¡¯s Debt! Onward to the Loki Mountain Range Species extinction? Brian nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve been reading every day recently. In fact, as the natural environment continually changes, species on our planet are going extinct daily, unable to adapt to the current environment¡ªsome due to temperature or...¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Dean interrupted Brian. He exhaled a puff of smoke and organized his thoughts before saying, ¡°Roughly, but that¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about. I mean the self-destruction of humanity, especially in modern times. You know, despite the influence of the Blood Moon, the human population has actually been increasing.¡± Brian nodded. ¡°Yes, the productivity of modern times is unimaginable compared to before. Now, many ordinary people live better than a lot of the nobles and powerful classes of the past. Also, the development of modern medicine is a very important reason.¡± Whether it¡¯s food, comfort, or medical care, humans are currently at the best stage in history. This is the benefit of a technological explosion. Especially in the West. Many of the ¡®white bread¡¯ and ¡®expensive drinks¡¯ that the nobles consumed are now just relatively refined hard bread and cloudy fruit wine... Even a vagrant can afford these, and might even grow tired of them. ¡°But this isn¡¯t necessarily a good thing.¡± Dean flicked his cigarette ash, his tone a bit grave: ¡°Actually, in the early phase of the Blood Moon, after World War II, the United States accepted many outstanding talents from the German Empire, as well as the elite immigrants from various countries yearning for peace and stability. So the Federation initiated a project named the Human Genetic Survey. This project was initially set up based on the development of biological weapons. At that time, people had realized that different races, due to environmental and dietary evolutions over a long period, have subtle genetic differences, resulting in slight variations in resistance to different pathogens. Some people speculated that creating some sort of tailored biological viral weapon might be more lethal than modern weaponry. However, due to technological limitations at the time, the research progress of the project was slow, only collecting many special viral samples from around the world. During this process, they also accepted many war criminals who should have been tried. These war criminals, exploiting wartime chaos and cruelty through human experimentation, had relatively deeper research in these areas. Their involvement sped up the research process. This continued until everyone noticed the changes in the world. The project took on more meaning and practical value, and the Federation invested more resources and manpower into it, persisting until about a decade ago, but in the end, the results were not good, and the project was forcibly terminated. Do you know why?¡± After listening to Dean¡¯s explanation, Brian pondered for a moment, uncertainly said, ¡°Out of control?¡± Dean nodded: ¡°Out of control... was one of the reasons, yes. In the research, they found that life would choose its own way out. Almost all viruses, due to large-scale deployment in live experiments, mutated at an alarmingly fast rate. The value of an uncontrollable weapon naturally decreased dramatically. But that¡¯s not the main reason for the termination of the project. The main reason was that the project leader discovered that the genetic value of humans was continuously decreasing. The primary causes of this were the advancement of modern medicine and increased productivity. In the past, apart from the powerful, the average lifespan of humans globally wasn¡¯t long. Those who survived from the lower classes had pretty good genes; the weaker ones either died young or early on, so the inferior genes couldn¡¯t be passed down. It¡¯s different in modern times. More and more chronic diseases are appearing. More and more poor-quality genes are becoming stable dominant genes. This group may not be numerous, but as human productivity and medical technology continue to improve, and everyone¡¯s life is getting better, out of humanitarianism¡ªat least on the surface¡ªsome infants who wouldn¡¯t have survived end up growing up, becoming adults, and even reproducing. In this process, the excellent genes that humans had taken a long time to stabilize are being continuously polluted. Although hidden and slow, the overall genetic quality and physical condition of modern people are far inferior to those from a hundred years ago. According to predictions, if it continues like this, the human population might experience a particular genetic disease at some stage that sweeps across the entire species, as if the planet¡¯s self-cleaning ability decides to clear out humanity. Even though this probability is very low, it concerned the project leader that if they continued to develop biological weapons targeting genes, it could turn this low-probability event into a high-probability one, or even cause a catastrophe for all of humanity by their own hands.¡± ¡°They worried they¡¯d be caught in it too, so they terminated the project?¡± Brian was actually more concerned with the phrase ¡®large-scale deployment¡¯ mentioned by Dean. That is to say, ¡®they¡¯ had already secretly done such things among the population; it was just unknown who the unlucky ones used as experimental subjects were. But it was easy to guess. It would be either people from the third world (not black), or their own people or allies from the United States. Without their own military bases in those places with poor relations, they wouldn¡¯t be able to conduct such operations easily. In a sense, when their allies were also quite unlucky¡ªnot only did they have to be the donors and leeches needed for blood bags and chives, but they might also be done in without even realizing it. And if found out, they¡¯d hardly dare to speak up, maybe even having to help cover up the mess... Chapter 513: 283: The Daughter Pays for the Fathers Debt! Onward to the Loki Mountain Range_2 Chapter 513: Chapter 283: The Daughter Pays for the Father¡¯s Debt! Onward to the Loki Mountain Range_2 Dean, hearing Brian¡¯s response, scoffed with disdain: ¡°After the Blood Moon, there was a huge boom in biotechnology. How could these arrogant and inhumane people worry about their own and their offspring¡¯s genes being contaminated? They simply believe that a diverse gene pool would help them research the diversity of life under the conditions of Blood Moon Radiation; it just provides more research samples. After all, the more samples for research, the more opportunities for the promoters to complete their so-called Life Escape Plan.¡± Brian was taken aback. He had heard this term before: ¡°It seems I¡¯ve heard of this plan.¡± Dean nodded: ¡°It¡¯s quite normal, every country has similar plans, and the research directions are almost the same. The first phase of the plan is disease curing, the second phase is gene decoding, the third phase is gene enhancement, and the fourth phase is breaking through the life span limits of genes... The Blood Moon has only appeared three times, visiting this world for over sixty years, and currently, even those in the human upper echelons who haven¡¯t broken through the potential of a First Rank life, are estimated to have a lifespan of over 120 years based on current projections, and those with potential can even reach the limit of 140-150 years. As long as they are unaffected by disease, they have a long life to live. If during this period, biotechnology can break through the fourth phase, it means they can continue to live... Considering the current progress in biotechnology, this possibility is quite high.¡± Dean smiled, ¡°Maybe we are witnesses of the new era, and we might even live for hundreds to thousands of years, exploring the cosmos above our heads...¡± He felt somewhat longing when he said this. Due to the explosion of biotechnology, although the human elite group has primarily focused their efforts on biological research, technological development in this world isn¡¯t inferior to Brian¡¯s previous life in 2024. Especially in aerospace technology. The reason is simple, with Blood Moon Radiation, everyone wants to go to the Moon. Moreover, the non-humans in this world are truly non-human. Their ability to endure harsh environments is not comparable to the astronauts from Brian¡¯s previous life, so the technological requirements for taking people to the Moon are much lower. Thus far, several of the world¡¯s major economic powers have already completed this task. The result is somewhat meaningless. It¡¯s not that Brian knew some insider information, but he deduced this from the lack of substantial support for aerospace technology in those countries afterward. It¡¯s very expensive. No one does it if there¡¯s no benefit. Everyone now prefers to invest money and manpower into the research and development of biotechnology. After enlightening Brian with some inside information, Dean suddenly said, ¡°Everyone has their secrets. I¡¯m not interested in that, but considering my daughter, I¡¯m willing to help you. You can trust me. Tell me, why did you make such a bizarre request to me?¡± Brian:... Thinking about it now, his request to Dean for a fight seems somewhat childish. The outcome left him stunned. Using the special ability of the magnetic field, Dean could muster far more power than his physical strength allowed, delivering strikes akin to high-frequency vibrations that were non-human. Seriously speaking, it wasn¡¯t just flesh and blood; even human-shaped steel plates were merely scraps of iron under his blows. How was he to contend? And that certainly wasn¡¯t the full extent of Dean¡¯s strength. That was Brian¡¯s gut feeling. ... After Dean brought up Susan, along with knowing many of his secrets and being stronger, Brian didn¡¯t hold back. He directly said, ¡°When I killed Yagyuu Kojirou, he told me that if he hadn¡¯t lost his Extreme Heart, the one to die would have been me, which piqued my interest. I wanted to understand more about his Extreme Swordsmanship.¡± ¡°Yagyuu Kojirou..¡± Dean stroked his chin: ¡°That guy was quite formidable. He was a master from my era, had killed officials from a New York organization in the past, and wiped out an entire Combat Department troop, quite a madman. Just didn¡¯t know why he became inactive later, never thought he would end up dying by your hand.¡± ¡°New York didn¡¯t give him any trouble?¡± Brian curiously asked. Having had his fair share of clashes with Japanese people, he was quite familiar with their antics. The typical example was Yagyuu Ittou bringing a group to hassle him. They bowed quite quickly when beaten. Once they got a bit of leeway, they would snarl and grimace. Then they¡¯d continue to get beaten and continue to bow.. You can¡¯t tame them. But the United States wasn¡¯t easy either; they would reap the other side from time to time, storing them up as reserve rations, throwing them a bone when needed, fattening them up to later consume their flesh and drink their blood, not indulging them at all. Dean shook his head: ¡°It was settled with compensation. Besides those of us obsessed with power, normal high-level people wouldn¡¯t go to a Combat Department with a high casualty rate. The death of some civilians in combat is treated as normal casualties and compensated for making a quick profit, treating those deaths as normal combat fatalities. After all, many organizations in the Federation have cooperations with Japan. Like White Elephant Country, they also train mutants and have many characteristic research outcomes.¡± Dean didn¡¯t want to delve further into these topics. He changed the subject: ¡°As for the Extreme Swordsmanship you mentioned, it¡¯s actually a mindset. Similar to self-hypnosis, disregarding everything else. Too extreme, not necessarily a good thing. Certain groups in Japan are mostly paranoid, like to gamble with national fortune; this kind of mindset at the national level might yield great results, but it won¡¯t last long.¡± Chapter 514: 283: The Daughter Pays for the Fathers Debt! To the Loki Mountain Range_3 Chapter 514: Chapter 283: The Daughter Pays for the Father¡¯s Debt! To the Loki Mountain Range_3 Humans are the same. This is a path to self-destruction. Brian, listen, you¡¯re not a Mutant. You can¡¯t gain significant strength enhancements through mental states. There¡¯s no need to study these things.¡± Dean had a right to speak on this. He too, was once an arrogant man, condescending and reckless, young and rash, until he almost got killed. After having a Mutant Beast¡¯s heart transplanted, his fiery temper could easily trigger a backlash from the mutant beast heart within him, which eventually calmed his mindset. Brian knew Dean meant well for him, but Dean didn¡¯t understand his situation. He was exploring these things to fulfill Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s obsession. It was also the best way for him to maintain a steady increase in his Spiritual Strength and power, to avoid going out of control due to Mutation. Besides, he was a Mutant, and mindset really did have a significant impact on power. Fulfilling Kojirou¡¯s obsession had many benefits for him. He would certainly go for it if he had the chance. Faced with Dean¡¯s persuasion, Brian shook his head, ¡°People always have to try to know if the path they¡¯re on suits them.¡± Hearing this, Dean couldn¡¯t help but clench his fists tightly. Thinking about the child in the future, I told you kindly that road was a dead-end. So you¡¯re choosing not to listen, right? Playing the rebel, huh? Brian felt the temperature around him rise continuously and knew something was amiss. He hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯m not stupid. If it¡¯s not suitable, I¡¯ll certainly stop. Everyone¡¯s path is different. Trying more, even if it turns out to be unsuitable, will at least give me more experience.¡± Hearing this, Dean¡¯s fists slowly relaxed: ¡°You do have a point. Okay, I¡¯ll give you some advice. What you understand as Extreme Swordsmanship is actually an extreme will, which you can also see as a style of action, a mindset. Don¡¯t get confused by the name. When you firmly believe you can do something, even if it¡¯s punching the sun to explode... that can also be called the Extreme Fist Path. It¡¯s essentially an extreme style of action. A Mutant¡¯s Blood Moon Gift Ability originates from spiritual power. So if a Mutant¡¯s will is strong and firm enough, it helps in developing their own powers, regardless of whether this will is a madman¡¯s thinking or an extreme mindset; the effect is the same. That¡¯s also why I don¡¯t recommend this path for you. You have no damn spiritual power. The path of the extreme just turns you into a paranoid shit, completely pointless.¡± Dean got angrier as he spoke. He stood up: ¡°FK, if I don¡¯t beat you up today, my heart¡¯s going to explode!¡± Boom~ Flames burst violently from Dean¡¯s skin, turning him into an evil spirit knight wrapped in fire, striding toward Brian. Brian:... He just felt that Dean hadn¡¯t been using his full strength earlier. In the face of absolute force, Brian silently got up, squatted down with his hands on his head. If a fight was to happen, so be it. Afterward, he would have Susan wear Dean¡¯s clothes and win back the day on another battlefield. The daughter paying off the father¡¯s debt! ... A few days later. Susan touched her buttocks and complained to Brian, ¡°You¡¯ve been getting more perverted lately, Brian!¡± Smack~ Brian slapped Susan¡¯s fleshier part again, ¡°Captain, I want to take a few days off.¡± Outside, he gave Susan face. In the sleeping quarters, he always acted tough. Had to be tough. Susan rolled her eyes at Brian: ¡°That depends on how you behave.¡± ... After the old cow had plowed the field and felt refreshed, he said goodbye to Shi San and the little Crow meatball, packed his suitcase, and got on the plane to Canada. After arriving in Canada. He was surprised to find a group of young people cosplaying Vampires. There was nothing particularly special about that. The key was that he was very familiar with these Vampire and noblewoman outfits. How could he not be? He had designed the outfits himself. Before, to fulfill a certain Vampire-type Mutant¡¯s obsession for the European Dark Council, he had changed his body and appearance and offered up his screen debut. Movies, this thing, were slow to distribute. Even if it¡¯s a little movie, it¡¯s fast, but it spreads in a more hidden manner, mainly relying on offline VCD disc sales at the moment. This process required burning, then finding distributors, who would in turn deliver to gangs in charge of these areas... Later on, once online video technology matured, it would be faster. Practically, the day after shooting was completed, it would appear on the pay websites or certain torrent sites. Brian was very clear about these processes. Now it seemed that his artfully shot movie was beginning to be distributed. That Vampire¡¯s obsession should soon be fulfilled. That little Gift, though no longer anything significant for him now, still improved his mood considerably. Gains always brought pleasure. ... After leaving enough overt information behind, Brian changed his appearance and identity and reboarded a flight, this time heading towards the Rocky Mountains. The Rocky Mountains stretched across multiple states of the United States Federation. Brian had learned through a group of Spider Beastification People that the FBI and Beast Pavilion had a base there. Beliefs needed to be shaped with blood. He was ready to strike there! It was about time to fulfill that Mutant Beast¡¯s obsession! Chapter 515: 284: Today is the Right Place to Come! (Two-in-One, Supplement) Chapter 515: Chapter 284: Today is the Right Place to Come! (Two-in-One, Supplement) The Rocky Mountains are the backbone of the Cordillera mountain range in North America, stretching from British Columbia, Canada, all the way to New Mexico in the southwestern United States, covering over 4,800 kilometers. The terrain is vast and lacks vegetation, and it is the source of nearly all major rivers in North America, fostering countless lives. Of course, most of those lives had already become history, or their scalps were on display in museums. A small base, hidden among these mountain ranges, was hard to pinpoint. But that was no problem for Brian. No matter how concealed the base was, necessities such as eating, drinking, and excreting had to be managed, and managing them would produce smells. With smells, Brian¡¯s search was unstoppable. He had previously encountered a team of Spider Beastification People who were carrying out missions from the base a few hundred kilometers away from Los Angeles. At that time, Brian was still unsure of the exact location of the base. However, during his trip to White Elephant Country, an FBI base there was raided by a Mutant of strength comparable to a Second Rank life, which triggered an explosion in the base¡¯s ammunition depot, causing significant disturbance and heavily damaging the FBI base. Although it was officially claimed to be just a minor natural gas cavity explosion, it could not fool NW, also an official organization. When Susan was gossiping with Brian, she told him about the approximate location. Based on electronic maps, Brian finally confirmed that this base was the research facility on Beastification People jointly operated by the FBI and the Beast Pavilion Organization ¨C Zion National Park: Zion National Park, a large national park spanning 593 square kilometers near Springdale in the southwestern state of Utah, United States, features a typical canyon landscape primarily composed of canyons, deserts, riverine forests, and coniferous forests. During his student years, Brian had visited this place with classmates. Mainly, it was to photograph the Golden Eagles. The park had many birds and mammals, but the most famous were the Golden Eagles. In addition, one could spot mule deer, pumas, bats, and more. Some of the overhead views of the terrain were also spectacular: The rare terrain combined with a rich ecological environment resulted in many self-driving tourists visiting this area annually. They would traverse the entire park to reach the other side as a way to mark their visit. Frankly, the size of this park was not large. It was no more than 24 kilometers long; for Brian, it would only take about ten minutes to cross, and that was considering the terrain affecting his speed; otherwise, it would take even less time. He couldn¡¯t quite understand why, among so many uninhabited areas, the FBI chose a national park to build a base. This place was hardly convenient for transport; with numerous tourists coming and going, it was less concealed than the underground base where NW was located. ... Several hours later. The plane landed, arriving at Springdale. From the airport, one could see many tour groups wearing the same hats, and outside the simple airport, there were plenty of buses and taxis waiting to overcharge the tourists. This kind of tourist area typically had a developed car rental business. Similar small advertisements could be seen everywhere. When Brian went out, a long-haired man handed him a little card advertising companionship for eating, drinking, playing, camping, and sleeping called ¡°Spicy Tour Guide for Fun in the Park,¡± with pictures of sultry ladies on the back. ¡°Hey, buddy, traveling alone is too boring. Look, if you need it, you can call me. I provide a full pick-up and drop-off service, plus you can sign a contract for guaranteed safety...¡± The long-haired man babbled a whole lot. He suggested that the female ¡®guides¡¯ not only saved on guide fees but also ensured he wouldn¡¯t be ripped off and were securely intimate. Honestly, it was pretty clever business. Usually, single men seduced by such pitches could be easily swayed, especially since hiring a guide alone wasn¡¯t cheap, not to mention all the additional services offered made it great value for money. Of course, it was a scam. A knife hangs above the character for lust. If you really purchased this service, just wait to enjoy the whole array of being ripped off. Don¡¯t expect to leave without maxing out your credit card. But Brian wasn¡¯t put off by the hustle. In any country or region, those who dared to do this business were usually the local slick veterans who were very familiar with the local situation and even had some connections; otherwise, they would have been caught long ago. He needed to get some information from these people. Brian glanced around, flicked the card in his hand: ¡°I heard there was a big explosion in the park a few days ago, is it still safe to go in?¡± The long-haired man shrugged, ¡°Just a minor accident. They said there was a natural gas mine underground that blew up. The government has deployed experts to investigate, ensuring it¡¯s an extremely unlikely event with no further dangers, otherwise, the park wouldn¡¯t be open.¡± Brian nodded, flicked the card away: ¡°That¡¯s good to hear, but I¡¯m not interested in women. I¡¯m here to see the Golden Eagles, they are quite majestic. I mean, if I want close-up shots of these cuties, do you have a way?¡± ¡°Golden Eagles?¡± This was the first time the long-haired man had encountered such a client. He glanced over Brian¡¯s clothing, shaking his head, ¡°Sorry, we only do legitimate business, but you might want to check out Jenny¡¯s Bar. There are lots of old drunks familiar with the park there. Maybe someone would accompany you for some drink money.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Chapter 516: 284: I Came to the Right Place Today! (Two in One, Supplementary)_2 Chapter 516: Chapter 284: I Came to the Right Place Today! (Two in One, Supplementary)_2 Brian stuffed a banknote into the man¡¯s hand and turned to leave. Looking at the twenty US dollars in his hand, the long-haired man felt a twinge of annoyance. Who the hell gives away money after just a brief chat! Turns out he¡¯s a rich sucker. If only I had taken the job! ... Evening. Now disguised as Yagyuu Kojirou, Brian, dressed in a full samurai get-up, leaped through the mountain streams like a ghost; each bound covered twenty to thirty meters, treating the rugged canyon terrain as flat ground as he hurried towards the coordinates he had gotten from the bar. The information from the long-haired man had saved Brian a lot of effort. Bars were places for boastful talk, especially one frequented by old-timers. When people age, what they enjoy most is reminiscing. A trivial matter could turn into a dish to accompany their drinks during the boredom of their lives, a topic to talk about for ages. Effortlessly, Brian extracted the coordinates of the explosion site from the lips of those park patrols and old hunters. After drinking too much, these people even swore up and down that there was no way it was a natural gas explosion; surely, it was a conspiracy by the Z government conducting some sort of weapons test that set off the blast. People around here loved to talk about such theories, and many believed them. Others claimed that there definitely was a military base underground, blah blah blah, saying that decades ago, there were mining companies that spent a lot of time around here, and then the story disappeared without a trace, surely they took the opportunity to dig a military base in the mountains... If drunks could guess the truth, one could imagine how implausible it was to set up a base in a tourist site. Recalling his focus, Brian slowed down. He had arrived at the spot. He found a vantage point and, ignoring the dim surroundings, scanned the area, easily spotting a fenced-off section. After the explosion, the military had intervened and cordoned off the area. Of course, the official explanation was to eliminate potential natural threats and protect the lives of tourists. Plus, since this wasn¡¯t a main tourist route and lacked public facilities, it didn¡¯t attract much attention. It was a valley, and outside the valley flowed a wide stream, which was actually a tributary of the Vicin River. Many gold prospectors had been active in the area, but with little to show for it. As mining policies in Alaska loosened up over time, this place gradually emptied. Visible a few kilometers away on the sandy cliff terrain, one could see some rotting wooden houses. These houses were the dwellings left by gold prospectors in earlier years. Beyond the houses lay a coniferous forest. On the surface, there were no signs of habitation, let alone a base of any kind. However, Brian detected the strong scent of beastly musk and the lingering odor of gunpowder in the air. Normally, the forest has a strong self-cleaning ability. Days after, the lingering strong odors indicated that the blast was truly significant at the time. Brian was about to leap into the valley ahead to investigate. Suddenly, A wave undetectable by ordinary people, an invisible fluctuation, came from above and enveloped his vicinity. Ultrasonic exploration! Following the direction of the wave, Brian looked towards a sandy cliff in the distance. Amidst the dark of night, unbeknownst to him, a hovering figure with flapping wings was hidden in the clouds, watching his direction. The next moment, A sense of danger surged inside him. Almost instinctively, Brian drew his sword and slashed fiercely to the side. Boom~ A bone spur shot at him was cleaved in half by the razor-sharp blade. Only after the bone spur was sliced did a whistling sound, sharp as a whistle, follow. The projectile speed of the bone spur had actually surpassed the speed of sound. Brian held his sword and glared at someone several hundred meters away, speaking in Japanese, ¡°Come out!¡± ¡°Yagyuu Kojirou?¡± Before the enemy across the river could respond, a figure suddenly descended from the sky¡ªthe flying creature that had detected Brian earlier. It looked bizarre, with two bony, clearly segmented black wings enveloping its body and an odd mouthpiece covering its mouth; its voice was hoarse, and its eyes red, resembling a bat come to life. The Bat-man glanced at the cut surface of the bone spur on the ground, then at the sword in Brian¡¯s hand: ¡°You look the same, fight the same, and your strength matches the profile... It seems you are Kojirou from Japan. What are you doing in our Beast Cage?¡± Whoosh~ The winds howled. Two more figures rushed over from the opposite side of the river. One was a short, white woman, but her hands were bizarre, covered in bone spurs with a strange structure, at first glance a monster. The other was someone whose facial features were unclear, head covered with a very sci-fi metal helmet with many wires connected to the back of his head, somewhat reminiscent of a brain-machine interface. ... Seeing Brian sizing them up, The Bat-man¡¯s red eyes flickered with irritation: ¡°Yagyuu Kojirou, the Beast Cage has been attacked, and this area has become a trap zone. Leave here, enter the base through another passage, don¡¯t disturb our work!¡± If he hadn¡¯t heard that this guy was powerful, he would have attacked long ago. Brian, eyeing the virtual lines in his sight, chuckled lightly in Japanese, ¡°Beast Cage, quite a fitting name, a cage to confine you beasts, haha...¡± Interesting, does Yagyuu Kojirou have some relation with the FBI? As his voice fell, an ominous chill ran through everyone present. ¡°Something¡¯s not right, be careful!¡± Before the Bat-man could finish, A flash of the sword, A deformed head soared into the air. Chapter 517: 284: I Came to the Right Place Today! (Two in One, Supplementary)_3 Chapter 517: Chapter 284: I Came to the Right Place Today! (Two in One, Supplementary)_3 Brian¡¯s blade was too fast. The Bat Man¡¯s mouth was still loudly calling out, signaling his companions to be careful, until he saw his own body wrapped in bat wings, and he realized that he had been decapitated. Why? Why did Yagyuu Kojirou suddenly attack us? Weren¡¯t we together? With reluctance, the consciousness of this rare flying Beastification Person dissipated, the breath gone. Amidst the spray of blood. Brian didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment, his blade turned, without any fancy superfluous moves, he struck towards Hedgehog Woman on the other side. ¡°FK!¡± Hedgehog Woman cursed angrily, her arm muscles writhed, and burst apart. Countless bone spurs shot out, piercing the air, emitting sharp sounds of air tearing, filling the space in front of Brian, hoping to force Brian to dodge with a life-for-life tactic, giving her a chance to catch her breath. The opponent was too cunning. Her ability, suited for assassination and surprise attacks, made frontal combat very likely to get her killed. Just as she was about to be pierced by countless supersonic bone spurs. Brian¡¯s flesh and skin began vibrating in layers, the small Tachi in his hand oscillating at high speed, generating countless afterimages of the blade, precisely slicing through those dense bone spurs, continuing the deadly strike toward Hedgehog Woman. Just as death was about to come by the blade. She desperately shouted, ¡°Save me, Bob!¡± Swoosh~ The blade pierced through her neck. Brian didn¡¯t even glance at Hedgehog Woman, flicked his blade, walked past her figure, and approached the helmeted man who hadn¡¯t moved. ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared?¡± Behind him. Hedgehog Woman¡¯s head slowly slid off her neck, twisted in a plea for help even in death. .. In the blink of an eye, two companions were dead. Under the helmet, Helmet Man¡¯s eyes showed bitterness, ¡°Scared, but I can¡¯t move right now. Our supervisor wants to talk to you.¡± As soon as the words fell. Helmet Man¡¯s electronic visor turned red, his head mechanically rotated to look at Brian, and his voice also became mechanical, like a robot¡¯s, ¡°Who are you?¡± Brian grinned, his eyes instantly grew wide, turning into a ghastly white, ¡°The one who will kill you!¡± Another cut was made. A red line appeared along the spying man¡¯s neck, flesh and blood cohesively parted, and with the weight of the helmet, the head fell backwards. Even so, the spying man¡¯s head still didn¡¯t stop speaking, ¡°Damn it, I knew Mutants were unreliable, you¡¯ll end up soaking in the formalin of my laboratory, Yagyuu Kojirou!¡± Those white eyes were Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s most distinctive feature! The opponent was indeed Yagyuu Kojirou! Faced with the head that hit the ground, still blabbering, Brian marveled at the opponent¡¯s vitality. ¡°Then send more people!¡± Brian lifted his foot, stomping down. Boom~ The ground shook slightly. Blood and mechanical parts scattered everywhere. Three First Rank beings, one decapitated with each strike. .. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± While waiting for people from the base, Brian crouched down, poking at the head remains beneath his feet with a Small Tachi. The Bat Man and Hedgehog Woman had distinct appearances, both were Beastification People. This metal head was somewhat different. Among the wreckage, one could see some fluids that didn¡¯t belong in the human body, the skull was lighter, like a person without a skull, their bare brain enveloped by mechanics. The sci-fi glasses also looked like a display screen. He seemed to be a product of modern technology combined with Enhanced humans, somewhat like the ¡°RoboCop¡± from the movies Brian saw in his previous life, it appeared that the people at the base could still forcefully take over the body and carry out detailed conversations. The level of technology contained here was certainly not low. As for combat capability... Brian¡¯s strike was too quick, there was no chance to see how the opponent operated. Three people, two obsessions erupted. A high rate. One was the obsession of Bat Man, the other was that of Hedgehog Woman. As for the man with the helmet, his death was sloppy, and he was stingy with his drop rate, contributing nothing. Taking advantage of the waiting period, Brian crushed the two obsessions. Hedgehog Woman: Kill Yagyuu Kojirou, cut off his head! Gift One: 90 units of Gift Energy Gift Two: 40 units of Gift Energy + omnivorous Gift Three: 20 units of Gift Energy + Bone Spur Bat Man: Torment Yagyuu Kojirou, cut off his head! Gift One: 80 units of Gift Energy Gift Two: 40 units of Gift Energy + ultrasound positioning Gift Three: 10 units of Gift Energy + Wing Transformation Looking at the Gift talents of the two people, Brian licked his lips. Today was the right day to come here! Brian had never planned on going to the underground base. As a Second-level Staff member of the NW organization, Brian was well aware that these official organization¡¯s bases were full of deadly traps, and without a superhuman body, going down was a death sentence. What he had to do was simple. Kill people, lure them in, and then comprehend the ultimate path amidst a siege. ... At this moment, Dozens of kilometers away underground, Smith watched the surveillance screens with a dark expression. On the screen, one side repeatedly played all the footage after Brian was discovered, while the other side displayed the satellite tracking view, monitoring the opponent¡¯s every move. Just then, an old man in a white research coat approached: ¡°Manager Smith, I said over a decade ago that Yagyuu Kojirou is a Mutant. Mutants are untrustworthy, they could turn and bite us at any time. We should not have helped him ease the pressure from New York and allowed him to undergo taboo transplants, now...¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Smith glared at the old man in front of him: ¡°Are you Vietnamese trustworthy? Ruan Zhengyi, if it wasn¡¯t for your Beast Pavilion members exposing the location of this place recently, how would the Beast Cage have been attacked by a Second Rank Life Mutant, resulting in years of accumulated research materials being destroyed? Do you know how much pressure I am under now?¡± Ruan Zhengyi¡¯s face darkened. The Mutant who had attacked them was the Beast Pavilion¡¯s nemesis. He was now extremely relieved that he had been in this base at the time, otherwise, he would have met the same fate as the core members of the Beast Pavilion, all dying in the prior attack. Second Rank Life, especially one that was intelligent, was too terrifying. If it weren¡¯t for the siege, the base relying on Biological Weapons, forcing the opponent to lose control, then detonating the ammunition depot to kill the opponent, it might have been possible for that terrifying individual to slaughter through this underground base. Facing the accusations of the base manager, Ruan Zhengyi took a deep breath: ¡°Manager Smith, now is our chance. The fact that Yagyuu Kojirou has been able to fuse with Taboo items for so long without losing control itself makes him the perfect research material. Although he¡¯s a seasoned Second Rank Life, he likes to play with knives and doesn¡¯t have the eerie abilities of the Mutant that attacked us last time. Moreover, he¡¯s delivered himself to our doorstep. We can completely take this opportunity to capture him and make it our main research direction for the future. If we can understand how he fuses with Taboo items, our stalled Beastification Transformation Technology will surely break through. With this breakthrough, you will certainly become one of the top people in the Federation.¡± ¡°Taboo items...¡± Hearing Ruan Zhengyi¡¯s seductive words, Smith, already dissatisfied with the fact that Yagyuu Kojirou had killed his subordinates, became colder. He nodded, ¡°Take all the special combat teams from the base out there, try to capture him alive, I want to make this damn Japanese know that they can only be our dogs!¡± Chapter 518: 285: Gaining the Ability to Fly, A Dire Situation Chapter 518: Chapter 285: Gaining the Ability to Fly, A Dire Situation A chill that raised the hairs on his skin surged into his heart. Brian looked up in the direction of the east, sniffing out the scent of danger. This must be an FBI underground base mobilizing a combat team. ¡°They really didn¡¯t expect their real base to be so far from here; these guys couldn¡¯t have dug out the entire underground, could they...¡± Brian pondered. That would be a massive undertaking, especially with this kind of special terrain. He guessed they must have some kind of advanced technology. Otherwise, to rely solely on manpower, the cost would be too high, not cost-effective. The FBI itself wasn¡¯t wealthy. Meanwhile, two warm streams washed through Brian¡¯s body. This was the indication of a completed obsession. ¡°Interesting, masquerading as Yagyuu Kojirou, the dead believe that I am him, causing them to mistakenly think that Yagyuu Kojirou killed them right before their death, so their final obsession also turns into killing Yagyuu Kojirou...¡± Brian felt elated. He often encountered obsessions seeking revenge on him, but he had never thought about it from this angle. Of course, he wasn¡¯t able to imitate as convincingly before, and if the dead person¡¯s obsession was merely revenge, it probably would still lock onto Brian himself as the target, not the person he was disguised as. This time was purely a coincidence. Previously, to fulfill the obsession of a Japanese ninja, he had to torment Kojirou, which coincidentally met the requirements of these two new obsessions, meaning he freeloaded two obsession gifts. Freeloading was his favorite thing. Thrilling! Before the enemy arrived, Brian quickly considered the gifts he would choose. Now a little bit of Gift Energy was no big deal to him. Using Death Perception, he could farm the obsessions of ordinary people¡¯s deaths, ensuring a monthly income of a hundred or two, plus the leftovers from before, he now had over three hundred units of Gift Energy stored up, quite rich. So he was more concerned about picking the right talents. Hedgehog Woman had two talents, one was ominvorosity, and one was Bone Spur. Brian thought for a moment. Descriptions of the two talents appeared in his mind. Omnivorous: Your dietary range greatly expands, you can digest and utilize nearly all plant and animal bodies, your digestive power significantly increases, you can digest or store almost all biological toxins. Bone Spur: Your keratin synthesis efficiency greatly increases, you can control the formation of bone spikes in your skin and flesh. After reading Hedgehog Woman¡¯s two talent introductions, Brian furrows his brows slightly. The greatest threat posed by Hedgehog Woman was actually her ability to shoot bone spikes at ultrasonic speed. These things were Silent when they flew out, and only when they approached could you hear the screeching sound of the sonic boom, which the average person couldn¡¯t react to at all. But from the talent introduction, it seemed that the method she used to control the spikes wasn¡¯t her own ability, but rather some other modified technology; otherwise, it would also appear on the list of talent gifts. In that case... Her individual Bone Spur talent was worthless. He didn¡¯t need omnivorousness either. In an emergency, relying on his powerful digestive power, Brian could achieve a similar effect to the omnivorous talent. Besides, he had other options like Blood Fruit and Gift Energy. Brian directly chose Gift One, 90 units of Gift Energy. By now, his Gift Energy reserves had recovered to four hundred units, enough for him to play with his Fake Undying Body a few times. Feeling the rich warmth disappear deep within his body, Brian turned his attention to Bat Man¡¯s gifts. Bat Man also had two gifted talents. One was ultrasonic perception, and the other was Wing Transformation. Ultrasonic perception, Brian already had, even broader in range and more precise than the other¡¯s, and it also came with sonic attack capability, so he dismissively skipped over it without a second look. Wing Transformation was a flight-related talent. Brian was quite fond of this one. He didn¡¯t have many weaknesses now, apart from flight... And looking at Bat Man¡¯s form, aside from an ugly face, the wings alone were quite cool, giving off a dark and eerily handsome vibe, like a vampire in his transformation state from a fantasy movie, or say, the Devil¡¯s little wings. Thinking this, Brian¡¯s anticipation grew as he focused on the ¡®Wing Transformation¡¯ talent. Wing Transformation (I): Your back structure mutates, your perception of air currents sharply increases, and your Bone Wings have a unique construction, capable of expelling air for propulsion, granting you the abilities to glide and fly. Wing Transformation (II): Your back¡¯s genetics have mutated, allowing you to consume energy to quickly grow a special Bone Wing structure, your perception of air currents sharply increases, and your Bone Wings have a unique construction, capable of expelling air for propulsion, granting you the abilities to glide and fly. Note one: During the growth process of Bone Wings, there is a hardening phase; during this phase, the Bone Wings are very fragile. Note two: Once the Bone Wings are hardened, they cannot be retracted, but they can be broken off. Note three: The composition of the Bone Wings stem from the proliferation and Mutation of your cells, they can be continuously repaired and regenerate the corresponding nerve linkage channels, and you can freely adjust the sensitivity of nerve perception. The higher the sensitivity, the more easily you can control the Bone Wings. Surprisingly, this Bone Wing talent had two options. At first, he had been concerned it was a talent that changed one¡¯s physical appearance. If that were the case, he would have to give it up. Otherwise, walking around with two large wings on his back would make it difficult to move normally in human society, which he wouldn¡¯t like. In human society, being an outsider requires courage. Chapter 519: 285: Gaining the Ability to Fly, Situation is Grim_2 Chapter 519: Chapter 285: Gaining the Ability to Fly, Situation is Grim_2 He couldn¡¯t stop being human, but he couldn¡¯t let others immediately tell he wasn¡¯t human. For safety, Brian immersed his consciousness in the second Bone Wings talent. The next moment. A three-dimensional projection of a ¡°naked Brian¡± suddenly appeared in his mind. He saw the ¡°naked Brian¡± in his mind twitching the muscles on his back. Slightly below the shoulder blades, the skin ripped open, forming two slender slits, and something like thin, black membranes began to ooze out continuously from the opening, eventually transforming into two hanging cloths of black at his back. Each piece of black cloth was about three to four meters in length, almost enough to wrap around his body. However, when they extended to their limit, fine patterns began to emerge on the dark surface, and the edges started to harden, supporting the black membrane while continually hardening, forming two enormous Bone Wings. On the tips of the Bone Wings, one could see two hook-like sharp structures. Besides, on the edges of the Bone Wings, there were densely packed fine jagged structures, seeming capable of controlling wing attacks, and within those eerie patterns, tiny pores were hidden. ¡°It seems that if I choose this one, the structure is very different from the previous Bat Man¡¯s. It just takes a bit longer to grow, about ten seconds or so to complete the transformation, and it will damage the clothes...¡± But it was cool! Brian didn¡¯t hesitate and chose Gift Three. The next moment. He felt an itching and swelling below his shoulder blades, and his flesh began to subtly change. In places that Brian couldn¡¯t perceive, the structure of his gene lock also started to change entirely, becoming more complex and twisted... ... ¡°This is... the wind...¡± Almost at the instant his body finished transforming, Brian¡¯s skin perception immediately became much sharper, allowing him to even feel the subtle movements of airflow within a radius of several meters around him. Actually, his Supercomputer Perception could also sense these changes, but it was more data-oriented perception. Now, however, it was genuine bodily perception. Besides. He could also feel the flesh on his back distinctly different from surrounding areas, packed with nerves and blood vessels; it seemed that with just a thought, he could burst forth from the flesh, forming wings under his control. This feeling was instinctual. Brian clearly knew he could grow Bone Wings at least twenty centimeters long, releasing a large amount of gas to accelerate his body, or he could transform the Bone Wings into about four meters in length per side, becoming a human-sized small plane, taking off directly from the ground. It was magical... It was a pity the environment wasn¡¯t suitable; otherwise, Brian would have liked to try flying. Flight! Seeing birds fly freely in the sky, who wouldn¡¯t envy them? That¡¯s why humans had invented things like kites and airplanes. In the world of novels from Brian¡¯s previous life, cultivation stories about ¡°flying swords¡± and cultivators flying with swords were also very popular and enduring. But relying on tools, where was that comparable to flying freely by oneself? ... Weng~ The dense sound of vibrating air and changing airflow interrupted Brian¡¯s thoughts. He looked to the east. In the pitch-black night sky, a dense group of black drones was flying towards him. These drones were uniquely constructed, entirely black, each about a meter long with four freely rotating propellers facing downward at the corners, and at the bottom, you could see Gatling-style rotary barrels and cumbersome ammunition boxes. What was key is that they were very fast, although not as fast as shuttle crafts, their speed was unquestionably fast. Under Brian¡¯s dual-eyed Supercomputer Perception calculation, these drones were moving at a speed of ninety kilometers per hour, approximately flying twenty meters in a second, paired with a bulky body, their technological content was not low. It was just unknown how long these unmanned combat drones could last. This was obviously the first wave of assault from the FBI¡¯s underground base. Brian picked up the Small Tachi from the ground, took a deep breath, and without waiting for those drones to come closer, he exerted force under his feet, turned into an afterimage, and rushed towards the rapidly approaching drones from the east. ... In the distance. Several figures wrapped in metal helmets, a scene quite like something out of science fiction, suddenly changed their expressions: ¡°Such rapid speed, according to calculations, the target¡¯s speed has reached thirty-eight meters per second, and this speed is still increasing...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t panic, activate Gaia assistance, initiate the locking program, execute Combat Plan Three, open fire!¡± The leader gave an order. Drones flying toward Brian split into more than a dozen, their speed slowed, and their bodies simultaneously flickered with colorful lights. A bad feeling surged in Brian¡¯s heart. The next moment. Dada~ Countless hex-barreled cannons rotated, transforming into a precise torrent of bullets from all directions, covering Brian¡¯s front. Too accurate! Brian¡¯s speed definitely exceeded the limit of what human dynamic vision could capture. Yet these drones were able to predict his speed to launch their attack. Brian¡¯s feet suddenly expanded, carrying even more ferocious power, propelling his body to accelerate again, barely avoiding the bullet torrent. Behind him, the hard mountainous ground burst into dust clouds, in utter mess, pitted by numerous bullets, fragile as tofu. ¡°Damn, target speed rapidly increasing, needs relocking!¡± ¡°Fifty meters per second, sixty meters per second, eighty meters per second, FK, target¡¯s speed now exceeds three hundred kilometers per hour, unable to lock, unable to lock!¡± ¡°Captain, the target is too strong! We must let Gaia consciousness take over the fight!¡± Individuals with metal helmets, like human-shaped computers, used hundreds of drones to lock down all information on Brian, urgently reporting back. Before the group¡¯s leader could react. Brian, who had already approached the drone swarm, leaped up, the blade light like a silver wheel, instantly covering a hundred meters, appearing beside three drones, slashing along a virtual line he saw. The blade split into three. Boom~ The three unmanned combat aircraft instantly exploded. Within the flames, the blade wind like force, turned into three fiery wind blades charging at the remaining unmanned combat aircraft, obstructing their cameras, losing sight of Brian. ¡°He¡¯s vanished!¡± ¡°The target has disappeared!¡± The expression of the metal helmeted group¡¯s leader drastically changed: ¡°The target¡¯s strength surpasses our limits of engagement, abandon capturing alive, let other squads intervene, activate Gaia consciousness takeover.¡± The next moment. These ten or so individuals, without a noise, crashed to the ground, only their metal sci-fi helmet-clad heads emitting a faint red glow, showing they had entered overload mode. Almost simultaneously. From the other side, three squads coming in to surround also received the message. The leaders of the three squads were stunned at the same moment. The Supercomputer Team was almost the strongest single combat group at the base. With those drones and sufficient supplies, each individual member of the Super Brain Team was like an independent combat squad, capable of controlling bombing, rapid-fire, sniper, and other various types of special combat drones, almost overwhelming human armies. Such a powerful squad had encountered a crisis upon contact? Without much thought, they could only hasten their pace to the scene. .. On this side, Brian also encountered trouble. He slashed three explosive-laden combat drones with one strike, intending to use the blast as cover to speed through the drone combat swarm, but the drones overhead paused for less than a second, as if they evolved, disregarding the explosion interference, directly turning their gun barrels and locking onto him, who by then had already dashed hundreds of meters away, firing again. This time was even more exaggerated. Not only were there high-firing machine guns but also an exaggerated rate of fire sniper special bullets and ultra-small special missiles. Amidst various explosions. He had no space to dodge at all, could only forcibly follow countless ¡®virtual lines¡¯ seen in his eyes, waving countless afterimages, dodging powerful mini-missiles and sniper bullets while forcibly slashing at those machine gun bullets. Not even three seconds. The exaggerated impact of bullets made his hands numb, the force of the explosions made his body unstable. The pressure these drones imposed on him was simply greater than the pressure he faced when previously encircled by thousands of troops in Japan. That wasn¡¯t all. Brian perceived in his ability, several squads were rapidly approaching from behind. Things didn¡¯t look good! Chapter 520: 286 Complete Version of Direct Death Demon Eye (6521 Combined, Supplement) Chapter 520: Chapter 286 Complete Version of Direct Death Demon Eye (6521 Combined, Supplement) Drones had poor combat endurance. One reason was energy. Another was size. Under such frenzied shooting, the loaded bullets would be emptied in a matter of seconds, losing the ability to fight. Special drones carrying micro-missiles would stop firing after just a few shots. Brian watched coldly as a torrent of bullets flew before him, ignoring the tearing pain from his arms, maintaining his robust resilience like a rock struck by waves, seemingly continually hit, shrapnels tearing his body apart, yet he was immovably stable without any sign of defeat. He even had planned that once these drones ceased firing, he would immediately rush to those lifeforms that had surrounded him and slaughter them all. Regardless of success or failure, at least he would keep himself safe first and collect a batch of high-quality obsession. Then something unexpected happened. From the distant sky came the buzzing sound of reinforcements. A new batch of combat drones joined the battle, and those that had run out of ammunition began to automatically return to base to replenish energy and bullets. Brian... ¡°What the hell is this!¡± ... After enduring for a few more seconds, Brian¡¯s arms, tough as they were, began to show signs of cracks under the strain. ¡°Using only knives, I can¡¯t exert my full strength!¡± Brian felt his hands growing numb, the shrapnels piercing his body, realizing that if this continued, he might fall. The drones, for some unknown reason, showed improved coordination and responsive speed. It was as though some artificial intelligence was controlling these hundreds of combat drones of various types for precise operational collaboration. In a matter of seconds. When the combat drones realized they couldn¡¯t penetrate Brian¡¯s exaggerated defense circle with the knives, they immediately changed their combat mode, abandoning sniping and micro-missile attacks, concentrating all firepower on rapid-fire machine guns, pinning Brian in place with the force of the bullet stream. The special combat drones that had ceased firing hovered in the high sky, ready to join the fight immediately if Brian showed any sign of breaking through, to restrict his movements. Once the drones ran out of ammunition, they would orderly swap out, not giving Brian any chance to catch his breath, displaying modern intelligent precision strikes to the extreme. Under such circumstances, Brian¡¯s arms quickly went from cracked to torn, the muscles¡¯ surface also swelling up as if about to bleed. This was the sign of overexertion. A bullet for him was nothing more than a breeze. But when hundreds to thousands of bullets were fired simultaneously, precisely unable to dodge and forced to withstand with knives, Brian felt like he was caught in a relentless wave of impact, scattering his proud strength all around. If not for his boiling hot blood constantly supplying energy, giving his body resilience, he would have been overwhelmed long ago. What was worse, Brian felt other lifeforms gathering behind him, apparently intending to use drones first to exhaust his physical and combat strength. Continuing like this, he might be left behind. Considering this, Brian felt conflicted. Should he erupt with all his combat strength to crush these combat drones and then take the chance to escape? ¡°Ultimate way, that¡¯s the path of extremities...¡± Just as Brian thought about retreating, suddenly, Dean¡¯s words came to his mind. Extremities... Brian took a deep breath, his eyeballs covered with ferocious bulges: ¡°Come on, let me feel my own limit!¡± Dozens of units of Gift Energy instantly transformed into a warm current, repairing his tired and bruised body, while his Super Adaptation Talent activated, starting to make Brian¡¯s physique change into a more fluid power-emitting form. His mindset changed. Brian immediately felt his blade edge become sharper and more ferocious. He seemed to see the door he had been longing for! Brian opened his mouth, and numerous sound waves scouted out. Once he locked onto the distant lifeforms, without any hesitation, began to forcefully move forward, stepping on countless bullets on the ground. Kill! Clang clang clang... Countless sparks created by bullets colliding with the knife blade shaped into a huge circle, unyielding under advance, gradually forming the shape of a conical bullet, making the heads of people in the base¡¯s control room tingle. The adversary was closing in on the Supercomputer Team¡¯s location! Under this continuous attack, the drone combat group had already consumed at least hundreds of basic combat magazines, over a hundred thousand bullets! And yet, the adversary showed no sign of exhaustion! His physical strength, endurance, energy...were monstrous! Supervisor Smith licked his somewhat dry lips. He looked at the large screen before him: ¡°Gaia, how much longer can the combat drones last?¡± These combat drones were specially modified, sacrificing endurance for increased firepower, mainly to guard the base. In principle, as long as there¡¯s sufficient reserve of energy and ammunition magazines, they could continue fighting indefinitely. The problem was, this was the heartland of the United States! Why would they store so many ammunition magazines and energy modules unnecessarily? Plus, not long ago, the base had suffered an attack by a disgusting Mutant, using up a lot of resources and even requiring the explosion of the base¡¯s hidden ammunition depot to kill the invader, and the base¡¯s ammunition supply hadn¡¯t been fully replenished yet. Chapter 521: 286: Complete Direct Death Demon Eye (6,520 Combined, Supplementary)_2 Chapter 521: Chapter 286: Complete Direct Death Demon Eye (6,520 Combined, Supplementary)_2 The opponent¡¯s exaggerated resilience filled Smith with foreboding. A virtual face appeared on the screen and mechanically stated, ¡°The target¡¯s movement has increased the consumption of ammunition. Based on reserves, the drone combat group can maintain full combat status for another 5 seconds, the Supercomputer Team can maintain consciousness takeover for twelve seconds... Predicted combat values for the target exceed those of a typical Second Rank Life. It is suggested to initiate the Tactical Nuclear Bomb, to mobilize nearby stationed forces, to activate base alerts, and to prepare for evacuation...¡± Listening to the base¡¯s AI¡¯s suggestions, Smith¡¯s face darkened, ¡°I reject your suggestions!¡± Any of those suggestions would mean more trouble than before, abandoning the base. They had chosen to build the base near this national park because underground spaces with hollow layers were detected here. With a simple retrofit, they could save billions in construction funds, money that had long been embezzled. Abandon the base and then what, go out into the cold northwest wind? What if the higher-ups sent someone to investigate and found out about the corruption? There were too many problems. He couldn¡¯t possibly follow the AI¡¯s suggestions. Otherwise, he didn¡¯t know what would become of the base, but he was sure he¡¯d be ¡°suicided¡± one-stop and arranged perfectly. The virtual face showed no emotion: ¡°Understood, Supervisor Smith.¡± Then, it flickered, turning into a red light, ¡°The Supercomputer Team is completely wiped out. Connection terminated. Drone combat group ending mission early, starting automatic return... Altering orders, drones are initiating self-destruct mode...¡± Dozens of miles away from the base. Brian kicked at a pile of metal heads at his feet, gasping for air. It was over. Now, he knew what abilities these metallic heads had. They were able to control the drone combat group with their minds, turning into direct brainwave control, no wonder they managed the drones with such precision and unparalleled synergy. It was as if the combat drones were a part of them, equivalent to possessing the drones, which must have allowed for smooth and meticulous control. Now, he had slain them all with one strike. The fleet of drones above immediately stopped their attack, hovering stationary in the air like they had lost their command. ¡°These guys... they can¡¯t really be considered human anymore...¡± Brian¡¯s body expelled shrapnel from the bombs, and as he watched the headless bodies that did not spawn any ¡°Obsession Little Ball,¡± he contemplated. Just then. Invisible ripples locked onto Brian below. Brian looked up, on alert. Invisible ripples meant radar scanning. Were these drones alive again? Then, those motionless drones, upon completing their lock-on, swarmed like bees towards Brian, initiating kamikaze attacks. Brian, without thinking, turned to rush towards the life forms that were encircling him, intending to drag them along. But when he saw the blade with its many gaps, he clenched his teeth and stopped. His eyes¡¯ white membranes went pure white. He pushed his Heart Eye ability to its limits, slicing through the incoming surge of drones along the virtual lines of their approach. Boom~ Rumbles boomed~ Bursts of sparks flared. Every drone was like a high-explosive hand grenade, their bodies turning into shrapnel with a lethal radius of more than ten meters, and the impact force exceeded that of an automatic rifle, truly a harvester of carbon-based life forms. Drone after drone, as if they were free, continued to crash into the spot where Brian stood. The ground thundered. Flames reached to the sky. Dust billowed, scattering with the light, engulfing the scenery, turning it into a unique life-forbidden zone. Back at the base. A group of people stared intently at the satellite screen. The explosions weren¡¯t from bullets. No one could accurately block countless close-range fragments and shockwaves with a mere broken sword. The opponent was doomed! Only the old Vietnamese man felt the pinch at the sight of the bursts of explosions on the screen. Such good research material, and it was getting blown up. Such a waste! Too wasteful! At the explosion site. A number of hidden combat teams also revealed their presence. There were about a dozen of them, including Transformed people like Hedgehog Woman and a variety of bizarre humanoid creatures, more monster than human. The only common feature was the presence they emitted, all reaching the First Rank Life. These high-level combat units, under normal circumstances, each could decimate a human combat squad. At this moment, they looked towards the distant columns of dust and fire with a sense of relief. They were relieved not to have the opportunity to engage in close combat with that monstrous swordsman. One of them, a burly white man with copious body hair, towering stature, and curved claws on his hands, looking somewhat like a Werewolf, turned to a seductive woman beside him with a pair of spider-like compound eyes, ¡°Lilith, your vision is the best, how many bullets did Yagyuu Kojirou block?¡± The presence of these two was stronger and more domineering than their comrades. The seductive woman with spider eyes shook her head, ¡°Too many to count, but judging by the drone replacement rate, it¡¯s over a hundred thousand shots, plus a dozen mini-guided missiles and hundreds of special sniper bullets. I think he¡¯s more terrifying than the Second Rank Life Mutant that infiltrated the base a while ago; I never imagined anyone could achieve this with a melee weapon.¡± Not long ago, a Second Rank Life Mutant, with bizarre abilities, infiltrated the base, slaughtered hundreds, wiped out thirteen special combat teams, and killed the only Second Rank Life Beastification person, devouring him alive in front of a monitor. Chapter 522: 286: Complete Direct Death Demon Eye (6,521 Combined, Supplement)_3 Chapter 522: Chapter 286: Complete Direct Death Demon Eye (6,521 Combined, Supplement)_3 In the critical moment, it was ultimately up to the base¡¯s artificial intelligence, Gaia, to take over the base¡¯s defense system. First, they locked down the opponent with heavy firepower to provoke a loss of control, so they could lead the now irrational enemy to the ammunition depot and blow them up. Even that Second Rank Life, the Mutant, wasn¡¯t strong enough to withstand modern heavy firepower for long, or it wouldn¡¯t have been provoked into losing control. The monster before them, however, had withstood the impact of well over a hundred thousand bullets. Even this group of Monster Beastification Transformed People thought the opponent was ridiculously over-the-top. It was a level of exaggeration beyond the comprehension of normal people. The endurance and resilience of the body were outrageously high! The material of the Small Tachi was too strong! Even if the opponent was using skillful strength rather than directly withstanding so many bullets, it was still inhuman! ... Not until the last group of drones carrying bombs dived down and disappeared beneath the dust and smoke. Boom~ The ground shook violently. A small mushroom cloud rose from the ground and shot dozens of meters into the sky. Even the distant rock walls couldn¡¯t withstand the continuous explosions, cracking and shedding stones. Watching the commotion, this handful of special forces squads, who were bystanders, cautiously approached, ready to move in to collect the remains as soon as the dust settled. Although in their hearts, they didn¡¯t believe any carbon-based life form could retain any biological tissue after hundreds of explosive shocks, it was an order from higher-ups. They could only hope that the opponent had a bit of luck and could leave behind some scraps of flesh and bone or something. Just then, the Werewolf team leader paused, looking nervously towards the dust ahead. Clang~ Among the clear dragging sounds, a figure, stark naked, emerged with a blade in tow. His body was riddled with densely packed bullet holes. In some areas, one could even clearly see the vigorously pulsing internal organs and the amber-colored bones beneath the flesh, but eerily, there was barely any blood visible, and at the same time, the opponent¡¯s pale eyes had turned crimson red. ¡°Oh God..¡± The furry Werewolf, over two meters tall, instinctively retracted his claws: ¡°He¡¯s not dead!¡± The seductive Spider Woman with her compound eyes saw even clearer. Within the seemingly grievously wounded body of the opponent, strands of meat buds were squirming, healing! She let out a sharp sound: ¡°Attack, it¡¯s either he dies, or the bombs inside us get detonated; go, kill him!¡± Before the sound of her voice faded, Brian who had been dragging his blade began to slowly dissipate. What is this? The crowd wondered. Among the Beastification Transformed People combat squad, only Spider Woman reacted. She dashed, shielding a team member before her as she tried to flee to the side. The next moment, the flash of a blade. Three heads soared into the sky. Brian killed three people with one strike, his expressionless, mechanical slicing of the Small Tachi turned into a blur, following the dense dotted lines in his vision, completing the dissection of this squad in less than a second, standing behind them by the end. Only then did the tall Werewolf realize: ¡°Was that an afterimage?¡± As those words fell, his head, limb joints... every part of his body where there were structural connections, slowly revealed lines of blood from the cuts, and then under the force of gravity and inertia, slid off piece by piece, crashing to the ground... The situation of this Werewolf leader was just the beginning. Behind him, members of the squad stood dumbfounded, turning into mangled corpses. Brian¡¯s blade was too fast, too sharp, too precise, dismembering their bodies before they even realized what was happening. This was no longer a matter of Sword Skill, but rather something very special. ... After slaying the group of Beastification People, Brian with his crimson red eyes looked towards the lone surviving Spider Woman and smiled expressionlessly: ¡°Your reaction was not bad.¡± Spider Woman felt no relief from having barely escaped. She couldn¡¯t run away. The opponent¡¯s speed must be over eighty meters per second. Previously, the barrage of bullets from the combat drones restricted her, and she hadn¡¯t realized the terrifying nature of the person before her. By the time she did, her team members had already been reaped like weeds. Spider Woman dropped the remaining arm of a teammate from her hands, her compound eyes fearfully looking towards Brian: ¡°How did you avoid that many high-explosive bomb blasts?¡± Brian touched the nearly shattered Small Tachi in his hand: ¡°It¡¯s simple, cut through drones, cut through flames, cut through fragments, cut through shockwaves, but the most important thing is to cut through one¡¯s own cowardice, this is the Extreme Heart, I¡¯ve comprehended it...¡± As he spoke, a warm current surged. Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s obsession, complete! Brian¡¯s eyes, engorged from overuse, first turned back to a ghastly white and then the pallor faded, returning to normal human eyes. Under the prick of pain, he slowly closed his eyes. By the time Brian opened his eyes again, the world before him had turned into a construction of dotted lines. Brian looked up and laughed soundlessly. The sky above was also densely packed with lines of weakness, as if with one slice, he could cut through the invisible white clouds and blue sky... He saw the weakness in all things in the world! A weakened version of the Heart Eye had completed its Transformation! He had become it! ... Spider Woman stood in place, letting the man before her make strange movements without making a sound, without trying to run or even daring to make any movements that might be misconstrued by the other. She was nothing but a Beastification Transformed Person who, with the help of implanted modifications, was somewhat stronger than the average First Rank Life. In front of this monster, she was no different from those fragile ordinary people. Chapter 523: 286: Complete Direct Death Demon Eye (6,521 Combined, Supplement)_4 Chapter 523: Chapter 286: Complete Direct Death Demon Eye (6,521 Combined, Supplement)_4 She seemed like a fragile little spider, only able to stand in place, waiting for fate¡¯s verdict. No one knew how much time had passed. The monster finally made a new move. Brian looked at the small tachi in his hand with regret before walking slowly towards Spider Woman, ¡°I¡¯m in a good mood right now..¡± Spider Woman felt a spark of joy. Was she going to survive? Then she heard Brian continue, ¡°Here¡¯s the deal, I¡¯ll stand still, give you one second to run. If you can get away, I¡¯ll let you go.¡± Spider Woman wanted to say something, but Brian had already raised his sword. With a scream of terror, she threw herself to the ground, her limbs twisting oddly as she grasped the earth, using hands and feet together like a giant, human-shaped spider, silently scampering away at great speed.. Watching Spider Woman¡¯s retreating figure, Brian swung the raised sword, following the imaginary line he saw with his eyes. Sssh~ Accompanied by a sharp sound of air tearing, the blade¡¯s wind was like Sword Gang, as if cutting into an unobstructed vacuum, following the path of air currents, instantly rushing ahead more than forty meters, slicing across Spider Woman¡¯s irregularly fast-moving body on the ground. Rip~ Flesh separated from flesh. The half of Spider Woman¡¯s body that had been lying down, driven by inertia, glided in midair. She watched helplessly as her lower half, moving at an even greater speed, followed the remaining nerve response instructions, and detached from the upper half, continuing its irregular, rapid movement.. Brian nodded at the horrifying scene. The imaginary lines represented not only the weaknesses in all things but also the rules they follow. To attack in accordance with these rules was like a butcher expertly cutting up an ox, one part attack delivering tenfold power. This was why Yagyuu Kojirou, despite being slower and less powerful than Brian, could rely on the edge of his blade to slash with air-cutting attacks like Sword Gang and create a Vacuum Domain before him. These were feats Brian could never accomplish, no matter how hard he tried. It all came down to one following the flow and another going against it. Putting aside his reflections, Brian looked at his seemingly intact but actually riddled with holes small tachi, chuckled and planted it in the ground, then began to clear the battlefield with his bare hands. A sword? He no longer needed such things. A sword is just a vessel for attack. What he desired was the complete Limit Heart Eye of Yagyuu Kojirou. Without the sword, relying on his fists, heavy sniper rifles, anti-aircraft machine guns, rockets, or even piloting a fighter jet, using the Rule Power of Heart Eye to pierce through weaknesses in all things, he could launch even more brutal attacks. ... Those metal-helmeted individuals couldn¡¯t bring forth a single obsession. But the Beastification Transformed People were different; the drop rate was high. When Brian struck, he made a point of avoiding the imaginary line that would directly destroy the brain. This way, even if the victim didn¡¯t realize they had been dismembered, they could still contribute to Brian¡¯s obsession with a few seconds of lucid consciousness, thanks to the remaining brain cells. Out of a dozen people, three obsessions surfaced. Spider Woman and Werewolf each accounted for one; the owner of the last one seemed to be a Snake Muscle Beastification Person. Brian wasn¡¯t sure. His killing was too efficient, resulting in a pile of limbs that were hard to distinguish. After the collection. Brian approached the earlier bombing area, pretended to look at the void above, then made a motion like crushing something. The next moment. A green mist spread, covering his form. .. At this time, within the base, whether it was Manager Smith or the old man from Beast Pavilion, Ruan Zhengyi, both were holding their breath. Watching the corrosive green mist on the satellite feed. Smith swallowed his saliva, ¡°Requesting a tactical nuclear strike from afar..¡± The virtual face reappeared, ¡°Request received, headquarters is reviewing..¡± To ease his tense emotions, he looked at Ruan Zhengyi, ¡°Do you think that¡¯s really Yagyuu Kojirou?¡± Ruan Zhengyi nodded uncertainly, ¡°Those white eyes are a characteristic of the Yagyuu family¡¯s abilities being pushed beyond the limit. Descendants of Yagyuu Kojirou also inherit similar abilities in Mutants, but Second Rank Life, only Yagyuu Kojirou had the strength and signature sword technique.¡± ¡°Accountability!¡± Smith slammed his fist onto the counter, ¡°We must hold Japan accountable and demand compensation!¡± At the same time, other thoughts arose in his mind. When Yagyuu Kojirou underwent the forbidden transplant at the base, he was nowhere near this strong. Now his power was so exaggerated, he seemed even stronger than the Mutants that attacked the base previously. Did this imply that if they could solve the problem of assimilating forbidden transplants, the benefits would be even greater than they imagined? If this were true, by reporting the news to headquarters, he might not be executed for failure... As for compensation, it could be shifted to Japan, to make up for the base¡¯s losses... With this thought, he felt he might still be able to salvage the situation. Just then, Ruan Zhengyi tapped the daydreaming Smith, ¡°Manager, Yagyuu Kojirou has left..¡± Smith snapped back to reality and looked at the screen. Under satellite surveillance, the monster had left the green mist, sprinting towards the outskirts of the park, showing no intention of attacking the base. Instead, he ran exceptionally fast, as if he knew they planned to obliterate the area with a tactical nuclear bomb.. Chapter 524: 287: Inventorying Gains, Desertion, Caught You! (7500 words, two in one) Chapter 524: Chapter 287: Inventorying Gains, Desertion, Caught You! (7500 words, two in one) Brian was indeed frightened. The Gift of Death Warning, akin to the Sixth Sense, is a talent shared by many Beastification Enhancers. This perception is judged based on one¡¯s own strength. Just now, Brian had shivered violently, his entire body breaking out in goosebumps. It seemed that if he continued to stay in this area, a calamitous disaster awaited him... ¡°Could it be that the FBI base is so enraged that they¡¯re ready to have the military fire missiles at this location?¡± Although this was a national park, considering the official demeanor, Brian didn¡¯t hesitate for a second and turned to run. He ran incredibly fast, his body bare. In just over a minute, he had left that area, encountering several families camping in the park. Three minutes later, Brian arrived at the escape point he had prepared earlier, leaping down from the top of the canyon into the lake below, and then disappeared into a tributary, flowing with the current... A fisherman, hearing the noise, looked toward the distant place where Brian had hit the water, saw nothing, and turned to the panorama camera he was using to record his life. Upon checking, he was a bit stunned. What was that? The camera only captured a blurry shadow, which moved at an incredibly fast acceleration, drawing a large arc in the midair, plunging into the distant lake. The image was very blurred. One reason was the distance. Another was that the figure was moving too fast, not simply falling due to gravity. Curious, he clicked on slow-motion playback. After watching at up to eight times slower speed, he finally saw clearly what the figure in the camera was. The fisherman rubbed his eyes: ¡°My God, did a naked man just dive in a suicide attempt?¡± Although he didn¡¯t understand how the other person could jump so far, after thinking, and to satisfy his curiosity, he still picked up his shotgun, loaded it, and rowed his boat over there. But he didn¡¯t find Naked Man. Instead, suddenly there was a loud vibrating noise overhead. The fisherman looked up and was shocked to see several fighter jets appear at very low altitude in the sky, circling repeatedly as if looking for something... ... Elsewhere. Brian, who had swum over a thousand meters away, had already come ashore and transformed into an ordinary Caucasian, wearing light hiking clothes, whistling and sitting cross-legged by the water fishing. He looked up at the circling fighter jets above, then retracted his gaze. This time, he mainly had two purposes. One was to see blood, to complete Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s obsession. This went very smoothly. Relying on his abnormal physique and a continuous supply of Gift Energy, he nearly reached the limit as he sliced through countless bullets and kamikaze drones. His mindset underwent some transformation, gaining much confidence, successfully fulfilling Yagyuu Kojirou¡¯s obsession. The second purpose was to find the people from the Beast Pavilion to fulfill the long-overdue obsession with Mutant Beasts. Having come all this way, it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to just leave. Brian planned to conveniently complete this obsession. With his strength greatly increased and no longer limited by the Small Tachi. Brian, relying on his ability to disguise, even felt confident enough to infiltrate the base, then wipe out everyone there. He was quite interested in the technology of those helmeted men at the base. The drone swarm combat system, from his experience, had a high cost-effectiveness ratio and was highly threatening. Paired with something akin to a human brain¡¯s finer control similar to artificial intelligence, this might become the main theme in future warfare. Ordinary soldiers facing this kind of industrialized production could neither fight nor flee, other than being slaughtered, they had no real ability to resist. If there were more of those things and their firepower was fiercer, Brian felt that he could not withstand them head-on. Unless he had an unlimited ammo, ever-undeteriorating Gatling gun in his hands. He pondered for a while for a strategy. Feeling somewhat out of ideas, Brian simply lowered his head to look at the three obsessions he had just acquired... ... The sources of the three obsessions were all First Rank lives from the Beastification Transformed People. He now had a clearer understanding of this group. There were mainly two types of Beastification Transformation. One type was through Beastification Reagent Transformation. This was a bit more advanced, with fewer aftermath issues. After a successful transformation, one could freely switch forms, shifting between human and Beastified forms, with higher potential and less risk of losing control, to some extent, it could be considered an evolution. Brian¡¯s underlings, like Spider Woman, Cat Woman, and Lizard Woman, all belonged to this type. The biggest problem with this type was their slow growth; their combat effectiveness wasn¡¯t as immediately apparent, requiring gradual breakthroughs. The other type was through organ and tissue transplant. Octopus Benjamin, Dean, Susan, the Doomsday Sect¡¯s crocodile people Beastification base in Florida, and the special operations team previously sent by the FBI all belonged to this type. The biggest issue with this type of Beastification Transformed People was limb rejection and cognitive dissonance. For limb rejection, various serums existed. Relying on various biological serums, this type of Transformed people had a high success rate, and they could rapidly assimilate mutant organs, transforming from ordinary humans directly into First Rank lives, forming combat power in a short time. But the risk of losing control was high, and their forms leaned toward the beastly. Additionally, in terms of potential, they were almost limited by the donor organ¡¯s host; it was very difficult to break through Mutant Beast¡¯s limitations unless the transformed individual¡¯s potential was naturally higher than that of the transplanted individual, and the genetics also matched, otherwise, it was almost impossible to increase strength significantly, at most relying on technological power to enhance combat abilities. Chapter 525: 287: Inventory of Gains, Defection, Caught You! (7500 words, two in one)_2 Chapter 525: Chapter 287: Inventory of Gains, Defection, Caught You! (7500 words, two in one)_2 These individuals serve mostly as cannon fodder. First Rank Beastification Transformed people hold a lower status in major official organizations compared to normal First Rank Enhanced Life, facing instinctive discrimination. Dean¡¯s case is rather special. He had no choice but to risk the transplant. As for Susan... it was because Dean discovered her genes were a match that he transplanted her, a far cry from the bulk of the expendable Beastification People. Brian really liked the obsession of the Beastification People. Each one represented some unique talents of the transformed race. These talents, many times, were much more interesting than those of the Mutants. Brian found the talents of the Mutants dull now, except for semi-Rule Type talents like Heart Eye; the rest of the physical talents no longer excited him. He had grown too strong too fast. Many talents were no longer necessary for him to Plunder; with his increasingly aberrant body, he could easily achieve similar effects, which made most physical talents obsolete for him now. ... Checking an obsession was like opening a blind box. With a gambler¡¯s heart, Brian rubbed his palms together and clicked on three obsessions. Spider Woman¡¯s Obsession: Kill this despicable bastard!!! Gift One: 110 units of Gift Energy. Gift Two: 30 units of Gift Energy + faint spider sense. Gift Three: 30 units of Gift Energy + Spider Mutation. At the end of the obsession, there was the true appearance of Brian. This left Brian somewhat disappointed. This dead spider, the content of her revenge obsession was focused on him, not the disguised Yagyuu Kojirou, so he couldn¡¯t exploit any bugs. Such a pity to waste these over one hundred units of Gift Energy. In the previous brief battle, to perceive the Extreme Heart, he had used over two hundred units of Gift Energy, and now his stock was less than two hundred, only about one hundred eighty units left, desperately needing replenishment. Brian had to pin his hopes on the remaining two obsessions. Werewolf Obsession: Am I dead? Gift One: 115 units of Gift Energy. Gift Two: 40 units of Gift Energy + Wolf Transformation. Gift Three: 20 units of Gift Energy + Bloodthirsty Tracking. Gift Four: 10 units of Gift Energy + Super Hearing. Brian grinned. Isn¡¯t this a good thing? He quickly muttered to himself, ¡°Yes, brother, you were dismembered by me, and you died painlessly.¡± As he finished muttering, a warm flow surged. Werewolf Obsession completed. This moved Brian a bit. Look at that dead spider, then look at this Werewolf big brother... What a difference! That¡¯s the difference between people! Although Brian had killed too quickly to see the appearance hidden within the thick fur of the Werewolf, he still gave a thumbs up to this big brother: Good dog! The Werewolf had four Gift options. Brian habitually first read the talent descriptions. Wolf Transformation: You can transform into a North American gray wolf, gaining significant physical enhancement; your rationality will be suppressed, your combat instincts greatly enhanced, all your senses significantly improved, your voice will gain penetration and shocking power, and you can command a pack of wolves. (Note: Each transformation into a wolf hastens your descent into a bloodthirsty beast.) Bloodthirsty Tracking: You are extremely sensitive to blood; you can smell the faintest blood scent within a kilometer radius and lock onto the source of the blood (Note: In Wolf Transformation, this talent is enhanced several times and converts into instinctual control, unaffected by foreign smells, specific olfactory range limited by air movement.) Super Hearing: You are extremely sensitive to sounds; you can hear the faintest sounds of all natural things within a kilometer radius (Note: When Super Hearing is active, it puts a significant strain on the brain; in Wolf Transformation, this talent is enhanced several times and converts into instinctual control, unaffected by noise, specific auditory range limited by air movement.) Wolf Transformation sounded interesting, but it gradually caused loss of rationality, and Brian PASSed directly on it. He had experienced several periods of emotional instability and had made some foolish decisions. Although stronger in that state, it¡¯s easy to place oneself in danger. The latter two talents belonged to the Five Senses type, and both were considerably stronger than Brian¡¯s own abilities in this area. However, from the descriptions, Super Hearing, before activating Wolf Transformation, seemed more like a negative state. But this was not a big issue for Brian. His Supercomputer Perception + Body Control could easily block out some interferences, and his brain¡¯s cognitive growth wasn¡¯t slow; he should be able to handle the stress caused by activating Super Hearing. It would be even better if he could take both talents. After pondering for a moment. Brian chose Gift Four: 10 units of Gift Energy + Super Hearing. Bloodthirsty Tracking, he had no use for it at the moment. His perception talents were already too many; when wanting to kill a land-based injured creature, he didn¡¯t need to use his sense of smell to locate the enemy, and regarding the ocean... he couldn¡¯t sniff through his nose underwater. If needed, he could seek out a shark Mutant Beast for chance. When Brian made his choice, a strange sensation surged around the flesh near his ears. He already had enhanced hearing, but now, in his ears, there were several tiny cavities that made it easier to catch various subtle sounds in the air and also to filter out some noise while amplifying certain sounds. This was something Brian had not been able to do before, quite magical. This was likely a Mutation phenomenon that occurred after fusing the two hearing talents and various physical talents, an enhanced version that even the previous Werewolf hadn¡¯t possessed. Chapter 526: 287: Inventory of Gains, Defection, Caught You! (7500 words, two in one)_3 Chapter 526: Chapter 287: Inventory of Gains, Defection, Caught You! (7500 words, two in one)_3 This is great! Brian also tried to enhance his hearing. The next moment, countless sounds surged in, directly overwhelming his mind. His ears were too sensitive. His brain received so much external information all at once that it temporarily froze. It took him a while to get used to this special enhanced perception and start to adjust. To be honest, that Werewolf¡¯s death was somewhat unjust. If he had activated his Super Hearing then, he could easily have detected Brian approaching and reacted like Spider Woman. Brian guessed that the opponent probably didn¡¯t like to use the Super Hearing due to its negative side effects on the brain, which made his reaction slow, and he was tragically killed by Brian¡¯s blade. Even after he died, his last thought was doubting whether he was dead or not. This talent was somewhat wasted on him. It suited himself perfectly. Having gained a good harvest, Brian felt much more pleased. He began to check the last obsession. Unknown Beastification Person¡¯s obsession: I want to ¡°rip¡± Lilith in her beastification state, her beastified form is so tantalizing. Gift One: 85 units of Gift Energy. Gift Two: 20 units of Gift Energy + Ignore Terrain. Gift Three: 20 units of Gift Energy + Dynamic Vision. Gift Four: 20 units of Gift Energy + Night Vision. Gift Five: 10 units of Gift Energy + Silent. This brother might not have a high threshold, but he has quite a few talents. To tell the truth, when Brian saw this Silent talent of his, he was a bit envious. Silent: The flesh structure under your feet is special, absorbing sound and reaction force. When you walk barefoot, there will be no sound dispersing into the air. Having read the description, Brian was even more envious. His speed wasn¡¯t slow now, but his body was too heavy. As the density of his body tissues continued to increase, he now weighed almost four hundred kilograms... Normally when Brian walked, he had to use a skillful method of relieving force with each step so as not to sound like a big clumsy bear. Even so, once he started running, it was hard to be silent, just like a thousand-kilogram wild boar charging savagely... ¡°Rip... Susan, I¡¯m only sacrificing myself to become stronger, my heart remains loyal to you...¡± Brian gritted his teeth, prepared to sacrifice himself for strength. But when he checked Lilith¡¯s information, he was speechless. Lilith was the Spider Woman he had just sliced into two. She was gone, how could he ¡°rip¡±? Turned out his joy was premature. However... Through the talent, Brian also confirmed that this big brother was probably a feline Beastification Transformation. Due to human activity, wild animals were rare. And because animals inherently had less spirituality than humans, plus there were fewer of them, the number of wild Mutant Beasts on land was very rare. An FBI base with so many Beastification Transformed People, naturally had a much higher success rate of transplanting beast organs than enhancing through Beastification Reagent, but it also indicated they had a special ¡®transplant material¡¯ method, not just relying on hunting to obtain transplant materials. This brother¡¯s obsession wasn¡¯t relevant, Brian could always find similar Beastification Transformed People to associate with next time. Life is full of suffering. He was willing to become a messenger of great love, sending them away from the sea of suffering. .. Brian¡¯s Mutant Ability had undergone three Transformations. After completing the obsession, he could view a playback of the deceased¡¯s last few days. This group of Beastification People had just come out of the FBI base, and the first few Beastification People he had killed hadn¡¯t been out long either, so he also obtained a lot of internal information on the base. The internal structure of the FBI¡¯s base was somewhat different from the NW organization¡¯s underground base. This place more resembled a giant Beast Cage, with many different types of wild animals kept inside, beasts on the left and varying races of humans from unknown sources on the right, all caged like the animals, with excretion entirely dependent on those flush-style linear pits. Say what you will, Brian was quite familiar with it. The toilets in his middle school dormitory back in his previous life had the same structure. There were water channels on the edges, and water flushed the pits at set times. Apart from being somewhat disgusting, it was quite environmentally friendly and economical. Between the two areas was the base¡¯s experimental zone. Additionally, this underground base was divided into many unconnected caverns. These caverns had been excavated and connected, used for living and storing all kinds of materials; the further caverns were simply not connected, at most they had set up some internet lines on the surface for storing things like unmanned combat vehicles and military hardware. Cutting corners wherever possible. Aside from this information, in the death playback of the others, Brian discovered an elderly Asian face. According to the title remembered, this group of Beastification People respected, or rather, feared this old man. The man was named Ruan Zhengyi, a typical native appearance from South Vietnam. His last name was also one of the common surnames there. No need to say more, this old creature definitely had something to do with Beast Pavilion. The Beast Pavilion was an illegal poaching organization developed there, globally hunting various wild animals and Mutant Beasts, forming a massive industry chain. The obsession of Brian¡¯s, regarding the Mutant Beasts, was to wipe out all key figures of Beast Pavilion. This was also the main reason he was still around. .. ¡°It looks like I need to find a chance to stake out for a couple of days. I didn¡¯t kill many this time, but I made quite a fuss; even combat planes came over a few times. Maybe I could catch that Ruan Zhengyi outside or find an opportunity to sneak inside the base, but exposing too much information like that is also a bit risky...¡± Chapter 527: 287: Inventory of Gains, Defection, Caught You! (7500 words, two in one)_4 Chapter 527: Chapter 287: Inventory of Gains, Defection, Caught You! (7500 words, two in one)_4 Pondering, Brian¡¯s ears twitched, and he suddenly looked to the north. Soon after, several helicopters flew over his head. These helicopters were flying slowly, equipped with loudspeakers, continuously warning the campers and sightseers in the park, announcing that terrorists armed with heavy weapons had infiltrated the national park. For safety, they were instructed to leave the national park as quickly as possible. Brian realized his opportunity had come. He quickly packed up the camping supplies he had prepared in advance, found a hiding spot to stash them, and then reverted to the guise of Yagyuu Kojirou. Following his memory of where the base was hidden, he arrived at a canyon cliff near the edge of the national park. The entrance to the base was located at the bottom of the cliff. An animal research institute was established there as a cover. The cliff above was steep and had been deliberately populated with many snakes. There were also many warning signs and death cases posted, so usually, this place was almost devoid of visitors. Brian lay hidden on top, covering his body with dry grass, concealing all the scents and temperatures emanating from his body. With his ear pressed to the ground, he listened for any activity underneath the rocks, waiting for a possible opportunity. At this moment, his entire metabolic rate had been reduced to the lowest, making him seem like a real stone, undetectable by any modern technology and unaffected by any negative states such as blood circulation, hunger, etc. He had entered a state similar to hibernation, but still maintained awareness of the outside world. He could maintain this state for a long time. Even a month was no problem. If he set out to assassinate someone, he would certainly become that person¡¯s nightmare. It was not until nightfall that the helicopters overhead ceased activity. The usual entrances to the national park were sealed off by local law enforcement, who also deployed troops to block access and prevent daredevil journalists and onlookers from entering. At this time, inside the base, a storm was brewing. ... At that moment, inside the FBI¡¯s underground base, a trial was taking place. Base director Smith sat in the conference room, looking at the projected images of various people in dog-like poses, his face dark with anger, ¡°I¡¯ve been in this position for over twenty years, providing the headquarters with substantial operating funds and rare resources every year, training numerous special forces soldiers. Everyone here has benefited from my services. My merits outweigh my mistakes, I should be granted immunity!¡± In the center of the conference, The bald, hawk-nosed middle-aged director of the FBI nodded indifferently: ¡°Yes, Smith, we all know the contributions you¡¯ve made to the bureau. You have performed exceptionally well in the past, we¡¯ve all noticed, and as a reward, you¡¯ve been comfortably managing this base. But you must understand one thing, not every person has the qualifications to manage a base. During your tenure, the leadership of the Beast Pavilion suffered a devastating blow and is currently in a semi-paralyzed state; Loki¡¯s Range¡¯s Base 3 even suffered two major attacks in a short period of time, causing severe losses and damaging our reputation. We are all shamed by these events. You should feel ashamed!! Smith, you¡¯ve sat in this position for too long and reaped enough rewards. Perhaps taking a retirement post at one of the overseas bases would be a good choice? What do you think?¡± This was the dignified exit they had decided to offer Smith after deliberation. This was still considering that he was a true member of the establishment; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been kept well-fed for so many years without reason. Seeing that this group of people gave him no chance to defend himself but offered him a ¡®dignified¡¯ way out, Smith clenched his fists. He knew his backers had abandoned him. His backer was the FBI Director sitting in the center, who was also a Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Defense. The so-called charges against him were nothing more than a game of interest exchange. The subtext of their words had already told him the real reason: high-level offspring had their sights set on this base and the Beast Pavilion! At this moment, Smith felt somewhat resigned. After serving the organization for so many years, creating such great value, in the end, he was expected to step aside for those second-generations who did nothing but lived off their parents. How ironic. Thinking this, Smith sneered mockingly, ¡°No need, I resign and will then retire to Europe.¡± After a moment of silence, The hawk-nosed middle-aged director nodded, ¡°I will arrange for someone to provide you with a new identity. Once you¡¯ve handed over your work, you¡¯ll be free to leave. Thank you for your many years of contribution...¡± One by one, the lights went out. As the projections faded away, Smith slammed his fist onto the conference table. He called Ruan Zhengyi, standing outside the door, into the room: ¡°I¡¯m preparing to head over to the place in Europe where that Bear resides. That¡¯s the sphere of influence of the Octo people; they control 80% of that nation¡¯s resources and upper tier, establishing many experimental bases. Would you care to join me? Let¡¯s rebuild a Beast Pavilion!¡± ¡°Our very own Beast Pavilion!¡± Ruan Zhengyi deeply resisted the idea. But he knew the character of these white people. If he dared to say no, he probably wouldn¡¯t have the chance to see tomorrow¡¯s sun. Under Smith¡¯s watchful eye, he nodded, ¡°No problem, when are we leaving? I need to prepare.¡± Special resources, data... These were the manifestations of his value. Smith shook his head directly, ¡°No need, when I called for support, I arranged for people to prepare these. All the materials and rare elements have already been loaded onto the emergency evacuation transport plane. We¡¯re leaving now.¡± ... Taking a group of loyal followers, Smith and his people took off in a modified small transport plane under cover of night. They needed to reach the squid-controlled airport as quickly as possible and then board the plane to Europe before the FBI could react. Otherwise, by the time headquarters realized that all the materials and data from the base had been taken, what awaited them would surely be missiles. Without these things, the profit-driven squid wouldn¡¯t want to harbor them. It was all a trade. When the transport plane had flown over a hundred miles and reached the prearranged flight path, the exterior of the aircraft changed, and the control center¡¯s data now showed it as a legitimate, civilian transport plane blending into the thousands of flight paths. It was not until this moment that everyone on the transport plane let out a huge sigh of relief. Squid and Ansa were currently the two largest interest groups in the Federation. One controlled all the violent institutions and military bases overseas. The other controlled most of the financial capital, media, entertainment, and so on. Between them, there was cooperation as well as ongoing secret battles for power and profit, especially under the special arrangement of the Blood Moon, which had led to many unknown bloody conflicts. Now the squid¡¯s capital within the Federation was being severely reaped and suppressed. But with their massive financial advantages, they covertly controlled many small countries¡¯ governments in Europe, supported many high-end research institutes, and they were also one of the actual controllers of the entire dark world. As long as they made it there, Even the FBI couldn¡¯t bother them. Seeing their situation safely settling down, Ruan Zhengyi raised his glass to Smith, ¡°Director, why don¡¯t we hand it over peacefully and then peacefully reach Europe with the backup data?¡± Upon hearing this, Smith just smiled and said nothing. He risked leaving directly, of course, for Ruan Zhengyi, the veteran Researcher at the base, and the various rare research materials stored over the years at the base. Without these, he wouldn¡¯t be worth shit in the eyes of the squids! Considering that Ruan Zhengyi was going to be one of his most important subordinates going forward, Smith was preparing to console him, to paint a bright future. Just then, Thump, thump, thump~ A clear knocking sound came from the window nearby... Smith frowned and looked back at his followers. What¡¯s the point of knocking? He was already irritated about having lost his hard-earned turf; did his followers want to anger him further? Was it because they saw him diminished, testing his authority and control? If that was the case, he wouldn¡¯t mind giving everyone a taste of his bloody methods! Facing Smith¡¯s stern gaze, Everyone looked at him innocently, indicating they hadn¡¯t knocked on the window. Just at that moment, Thump, thump, thump~ The knocking sound came again from the window. It was then that everyone realized the sound was coming from outside, tens of thousands of meters high in the sky... ... Outside the window, Brian¡¯s face was pressed against the thick airplane window, grinning maliciously at the people inside the cabin. Staying put and catching the prey¡ªyou¡¯re caught! My lovelies! Chapter 528: 288: Team Annihilation, Confidence, Inventorying the Loot (7100 combined) Chapter 528: Chapter 288: Team Annihilation, Confidence, Inventorying the Loot (7100 combined) ¡°If you were on an airplane at an altitude of 10,000 meters and saw someone smiling and waving at you from outside the window, what would be your reaction?¡± Most people would be dumbfounded, thinking they were seeing things. Smith and his group, though not ordinary people, were startled by the terrifying sight as well. ¡°Beastification People?¡± Smith reacted quickly, ¡°Quickly have the plane make an emergency landing, contact¡ª¡± Before he could finish. Boom~ Brian from outside the window shattered the cabin glass with a punch, grabbed the edges of the narrow window, and with a fierce exertion of his hands. Riiip~ The sharp, grating sound of metal tearing echoed. By the time the people inside the cabin had reacted, Brian had already made his way into the cabin against the airflow of the decompression through the torn gap. He stretched his body, and behind him two bone wings, each over four meters long, unfolded from their curled position, covering most of the cabin and closing off the breach through which the air was escaping. But this scene was too horrifying. At this moment, Brian was like a mythological evil Vampire Duke descending to earth, exerting tremendous psychological pressure on this group of people. Looking at this ¡®familiar¡¯ face, Smith¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°Yagyuu Kojirou, it¡¯s you again, I¡¯ve helped you before, and now you are targeting me!¡± Brian cocked his head and looked at him, ¡°Help? Wasn¡¯t it a mutual need?¡± Although he did not know the relationship between Yagyuu Kojirou and these people, there was no such thing as baseless love; if they said it was mutual need, it definitely made sense. Sure enough, upon hearing Brian¡¯s response, Smith¡¯s face grew even uglier, but he did not retort. He straightened his hair and suit that had been disheveled by the reverse airflow, ¡°Speak, what exactly do you want to do? It¡¯s been a long time since we last contacted after I helped you transplant the forbidden organs. You can just say what you need, there¡¯s no need to be violent.¡± ¡°No one cares about the words of the weak. I have just come to take what rightfully belongs to me!¡± Brian¡¯s ears twitched slightly, getting straight to the point. The people in the cockpit were aware that someone had broken in, and there was no time to waste. Bluff. If bluffing didn¡¯t work, then force. ¡°Benefits?¡± A look of confusion flashed in Smith¡¯s eyes, ¡°We valued your strong will, helped you transplant forbidden organs, you provided us with data on the changes forbidden organs induce in the human body, it was an equal cooperation, what more do you want?¡± At this moment, Ruan Zhengyi, who had been coldly observing, grabbed Smith and said in a low voice, ¡°You are not Yagyuu Kojirou, what is your real purpose?¡± ¡°Always the one with too much to say!¡± Brian¡¯s left bone wing on his back suddenly quivered. The next moment. Riiip~ A massive jet of air burst from the hollows of the bone wing, and its bony edges, sharp as blades, formed a giant blade over four meters long and two meters wide, sweeping across. The few guards at the front, without any chance to react, were cut in half and crashed to the ground screaming, crawling in agony. ¡°Damn it! Everyone, attack!¡± Smith shouted, grabbing a small box and fleeing without looking back. He had anticipated a situation like this and was wearing a suit that could transform into a wingsuit at any time. His remaining subordinates, though reluctant, had no choice but to rush forward, gritting their teeth. Even the researchers pulled out their defensive weapons and opened fire on Brian. They had no choice; they were 10,000 meters in the air, with nowhere to run, they had to fight desperately. Faced with the resistance of these people, Brian smirked, ¡°The futile struggle of ants.¡± He flapped his wings fiercely behind him. Whether bone spurs or bullets, all were deflected back by the tough bone wings. The space in the cabin was limited. The more than ten resisting individuals had nowhere to hide; they were struck down by their companions¡¯ attacks, screaming in agony. A few of the faster-reacting Beastification People threw up their hands to block themselves; though thrown back, they were unhurt. Before they could celebrate. The two giant bone wings that could cover the entire cabin suddenly contracted into a ball, with their pointed bone spurs forming into two thick black lances, piercing forward, brutally impaling the bodies of those who could normally withstand bullets without dying. In a blink of an eye. Those people were either killed, injured, or skewered together like candied hawthorns by the bone wings. The skewered Beastification People, tenacious in life, tried to struggle. The next moment. The rolled-up bone wings suddenly burst open again... Inside the cabin, a rain of blood, carrying countless viscera, poured down in an extremely brutal scene. The only person who did not act was Ruan Zhengyi. The founder of the Beast Pavilion, drenched in the stench of blood, coldly watched it all. He did not run with Smith, nor did he resist. Whoosh whoosh whoosh~ Sounds of something breaking the sound barrier came one after another. One by one, screams of agony ceased. Brian retracted his still-dripping bone wings, curling them behind his back. He approached Ruan Zhengyi, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± Feeling the oppressive presence of this monster nearby, Ruan Zhengyi shook his head, ¡°Fear is useless at 10,000 meters high; you still can fly, might as well understand why I¡¯m dying... You seem to have been keeping an eye on me?¡± ¡°How many high-level members are left in the Beast Pavilion?¡± Brian cut to the chase. He didn¡¯t have much time to waste. Speak, kill. Don¡¯t speak, still kill. Anyway, he had Smith who he had intentionally left alive. Ruan Zhengyi probably knew this too and was very calm: ¡°Recently, a Mutant from the Taiyi Organization went mad looking for our Beast Pavilion members to butcher. By the time I discovered it, many high-level members were already dead. To save my life, I immediately took the remaining people to the FBI¡¯s third base in the Rocky Mountains, only to have that madman follow and kill many at the base, including the only Second Rank Life Beastification Person.¡± Chapter 529: 288: Annihilation, Confidence, Tallying the Spoils (7100 combined in one)_2 Chapter 529: Chapter 288: Annihilation, Confidence, Tallying the Spoils (7100 combined in one)_2 However, he lost control due to severe injuries and was eventually lured to the ammunition depot and blown up. Smith¡¯s case contained the heart of that Mutant. It was a very peculiar Mutant, the fastest I had ever seen. Right, he seemed to call himself Evil Charm, which is a kind of monster from Hua Country mythology and legend. Taiyi Organization, all Mutants from Hua Country; their membership is small, and even fewer leave remains after death. It¡¯s a pity I won¡¯t have the chance to study it.¡± After listening to Ruan Zhengyi¡¯s explanation, Brian nodded, ¡°Although I know you intentionally said so much to buy time, waiting for the plane¡¯s pilot to detonate the aircraft, I still appreciate your enlightenment, Taiyi... Really thank you, I¡¯ve finally learned the name of that organization.¡± The Mutant Organization from Hua Country was active in North America; powerful Mutants, considering the time when the tough old man suddenly disappeared, everything became clear. The Taiyi Organization was the name of the organization that the tough old man belonged to. He must have known that his peers would attack the FBI base, which is why he had hidden himself. ¡°What?¡± Ruan Zhengyi didn¡¯t quite understand what Brian meant. Brian didn¡¯t respond and continued, ¡°By the way, how did you determine that I was not Yagyuu Kojirou?¡± ¡°Sword. Yagyuu Kojirou is a man who cherishes his sword as his life, even when a Mutant organ transplant was taking place, he never parted with his sword, but you gave up that sword...¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Brian raised his fist. Ruan Zhengyi wanted to say something else, but at the end of his consciousness, all that remained was the afterimage of a fist... Watching Ruan Zhengyi¡¯s head get blown off by a punch, Brian felt a warm surge within his body, knowing that the long-standing Mutant Beast obsession had finally been fulfilled. He didn¡¯t rush to check but began to clean up the battlefield. A large amount of green mist emerged from the Bone Wings behind him, beginning to corrode the surrounding corpses, flesh, and even the tissues of the fuselage. More than ten people, including those who were clearly Researchers, exploded with four obsessions in total. The yield was high. After collecting all the obsessions, Brian didn¡¯t rush to look for the vanished Smith. He walked towards the cockpit. This was a specially modified small transport plane, so the hatch wasn¡¯t as sturdy as those in commercial cockpits. With one punch. The lock was blown apart. Pushing open the door, two handguns aimed at the entrance fired wildly. Ding ding ding~ The Bone Wings behind Brian promptly shielded him, deflecting all the bullets. The membrane and bone portions of these Bone Wings were quite special, their hardness and toughness exceeded that of standard steel alloys, stronger than Brian¡¯s body by one tier; the bullets from mere handguns posed no threat. Click click click~ The magazine emptied. The two pilots could only desperately watch the winged creature at the doorway. But Brian ignored the two. He stepped forward to check the flashing electronic instruments in the cockpit before speaking, ¡°Is there a suitable uninhabited area below for landing?¡± The captain, bolder than the rest, nodded somewhat fearfully, ¡°Yes, sir, we are on our way to Las Vegas, there are many uninhabited areas along the route... However, the aircraft has already been triggered for self-destruction by Controller Smith, I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t have a chance to land.¡± At these words, Brian said in surprise, ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you run?¡± The captain replied bitterly, ¡°There¡¯s no escape. For secrecy, the cockpit of this special aircraft can only be opened from the outside with a code, and there is no emergency escape system. The only exits are the door and the special hatch at the tail wing, which has been opened.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Having confirmed that the plane would not harm any innocents, Brian nodded, turned, and left. Jumping out of the airplane. His massive Bone Wings bellowed open, and the cavities within the Bone Wings cleverly ejected streams of hot gas, transforming Brian into a humanoid jet plane as he pursued a small black dot in the sky. Almost as soon as he had left. In the distance. Boom~ The little transport plane began to explode evenly from various parts of its fuselage... ¡°Die!¡± Smith, with a fierce look on his face, felt the nighttime wind slamming against him. Ruined! That imposter pretending to be Yagyuu Kojirou had destroyed everything he had. He trusted Ruan Zhengyi¡¯s judgment. The other party must have sensed something to confirm the other was not Yagyuu Kojirou. It was just a pity he didn¡¯t know the true identity of the other party, otherwise, he would¡¯ve sought revenge by any means necessary! The only silver lining, perhaps, was the case in his hand that remained. With this case, even without those high-end researchers he had co-opted, he could still continue to enjoy his superior life in Europe. At that moment. Smith suddenly felt warmth all over his body, and his vision darkened slightly. Subconsciously looking up, he discovered a massive figure looming over him, casting a shadow. Brian grabbed his neck, ¡°What were you just muttering?¡± ¡°I...¡± Crack~ Along with the crisp sound of a broken neck, a large amount of green mist enveloped Smith¡¯s body. In moments. All that was left in mid-air was a humanoid figure with huge Bone Wings and a small, exquisite case. ¡°Being able to fly is really awesome!¡± Brian grinned, and the Bone Wings behind him adjusted their position, blasting hot gas from behind. Boom~ With a sonic boom, Brian¡¯s form disappeared into the clouds of the night... If the Beastification People who previously gifted Brian the talent for Wing Transformation saw Brian¡¯s current speed, they would be utterly dumbfounded. Too fast. Leveraging his ability to see the trajectory of air currents, with jet propulsion, the supercomputer perception data boost, and the resilience and strength of the Bone Wings themselves... Brian¡¯s unbridled flight speed approached Mach two, about twice the speed of sound, roughly around six hundred and forty meters per second. Chapter 530: 288: Total Annihilation, Confidence, Tallying the Gains (7100 Combined into One)_3 Chapter 530: Chapter 288: Total Annihilation, Confidence, Tallying the Gains (7100 Combined into One)_3 This was not the limit of the Bone Wings, but the limit of Brian¡¯s body. The faster the speed, the greater the pressure his body faced. Although Brian¡¯s physique improved in all aspects each time, his body had its strong and weak areas, and its strength was not constant. He did not possess the ability to protect his body with Inner Qi, relying solely on his flesh to withstand the forces. Therefore, unless he transformed his body into a conical, streamlined curve, a speed of three Mach, equivalently 2448 kilometers per hour, was the maximum safety flying speed for Brian. By transforming into a conical streamlined curve and ignoring injuries, burning up stored Gift Energy, he could push this speed up to three Mach. That was an exaggerated figure. Three Mach meant a speed of 3672 kilometers per hour! Most fighter jets did not reach that speed! Crucially, Brian¡¯s overall body size was not large, so typical sounding radars would not detect him. It was only at that moment that Brian truly felt what freedom was. Reaching this speed in an airplane versus achieving it through his own flight were completely different experiences. Human fighter jet! Heh heh! He was feeling quite inflated now. .. Without any stops. Leveraging the cover of night, Brian circled back a great distance and returned to the area in Canada where he had landed. What to say. This kind of fantastical experience of traversing vast distances in a blink was something Brian himself was still not accustomed to. The only problem, probably, was his positioning. After all, he was not a real fighter jet without GPS navigation, relying solely on ground landmarks for navigation, which resulted in flying in the wrong direction often¡ªa mistake that could mean a difference of several hundred kilometers and wasted a lot of time. Nonetheless, blind flying also assured Brian that ordinary air defense radars could not detect him. The basic principle of air defense radars is wave reflection. Brian¡¯s body could absorb waves. Unsolvable. He now felt like a tiger sprouting wings, increasingly formidable. Sea, land, air. Only the sea remained. Brian felt that in his lifetime, he might roam space with his own body or leave his footprint on the Moon. There¡¯s a saying: A small step for Brian, a giant leap for human civilization. Reverting from daydreaming. Brian landed on a rooftop. His Bone Wings shook once, immediately enveloping in a green mist, detaching from his body, and starting to disintegrate mid-fall, leaving only the skin membranes still fizzling on the ground by the time they landed. Only after the membranes completely vanished did Brian head back to his hotel room with a small suitcase. Washing up and changing clothes. He turned on the desk lamp and examined the black suitcase he had unexpectedly acquired. Locators, actually, involve the transmission and reception of waves. Brian could visibly see waves, could not smell any unique odors with his nose, and since he flew all the way here, he was not afraid of any odorous material inside the suitcase, unafraid that the suitcase would expose him. After half a day of studying. Brian was not sure about other things, but he was certain that the contents inside the suitcase must be quite valuable. The design of the suitcase was peculiar, roughly the size of a normal safe but without locks, merely two alloy plates connected by a slot and with no visible joint from behind; it was unclear how it was intended to be opened. ¡°That broken airplane had a self-destruct device, forcefully opening this suitcase might entail similar precautions, kind of tricky..¡± After contemplating, Brian ultimately decided to take the suitcase back to Dean Logan. Logan even shared his own safe house with him. Given that Logan had only one daughter, Susan, and after so much time in contact, Brian trusted his character. Moreover, as Logan had a significant family business, and knowing much about Brian, he decided not to hide his actions from Logan. Of course, the main reason was that he had acquired Bone Wings. Put on that Bat Beastification Person, it was just a large bat, cost-effective as it was, but on Brian, after merging various talents and his physique, it transformed drastically and provided Brian with more options. Three Mach, along with various incredible talents, was Brian¡¯s confidence. ... The suitcase couldn¡¯t be opened for now. Brian had no choice but to start inspecting the four obsessions he acquired on the plane. Four obsessions, two from those researchers, one from a Beastification Person, one from Ruan Zhengyi. As for that Smith. This guy, holding a high position and leader of a base, turned out to be just an ordinary enhancer, not even a First Rank life, and no obsession exploded, what a lack of ambition! Unknown Researcher¡¯s Obsession One: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Gift One: 23 units of Gift Energy. Gift Two: 3 units of Gift Energy + Spiritual Move. Gift Three: 1 unit of Gift Energy + agile thinking. Brian: ¡°.. Why don¡¯t you ask me who to save first if my wife and mother both fell into the water?¡± He tentatively responded to both the chicken and the egg queries. No response. He realized that this was an academic obsession, not simply a question of whether the chicken or the egg came first, and so he could only put this obsession aside for the time being. Brian continued with the second obsession. Unknown Researcher¡¯s Obsession Two: How to solve the unstable genetic problem of the Mutants? Chapter 531: 288: Group Wipeout, Confidence, Counting the Harvest (7100 Combined)_4 Chapter 531: Chapter 288: Group Wipeout, Confidence, Counting the Harvest (7100 Combined)_4 Gift One: 32 units of Gift Energy. Gift Two: 10 units of Gift Energy + Never Forget. Gift Three: 1 unit of Gift Energy + Concentration. Brian: ¡°..Brother, I would like to know how to solve this problem too!¡± Fortunately, he had learned that the old man¡¯s organization was called Taiyi. With the information came a direction for investigation. His current strength also gave him more confidence. He believed it wouldn¡¯t be long before he had an answer to this problem. Brian temporarily shelved this obsession. He looked towards the third obsession. Unknown Beastification Person¡¯s Obsession: Freedom, I want freedom! Gift One: 98 units of Gift Energy. Gift Two: 10 units of Gift Energy + Drilling. Gift Three: 1 unit of Gift Energy + Enhanced Claws and Teeth. Hey, an obsession for the taking. Brian became interested in this Beastification Person¡¯s Gifts. Drilling: Your structure is special, you have a keen natural perception of geological changes, your body can quickly dig through all kinds of terrain, you have a natural keen perception of the stability of buildings, you are a natural civil engineering saint... This talent, while so-so for combat, is pretty good for logistics or escape. Too bad the guy was at an altitude of ten thousand meters with no place to dig. Truly pitiful, no wonder an obsession burst forth. Brian hastily looked towards the second Gift talent. Enhanced Claws and Teeth: The keratin in your body has mutated, your keratin tissue activity has increased significantly, it can change strength and shape freely according to your needs, you can control your keratin tissue (Note, this solidification process will consume a large amount of body energy, the limit is influenced by the body¡¯s physical strength.) Keratin is the main component of biological claws, horns, and other such structures. Brian¡¯s Bone Wings, apart from the flesh membranes, also have keratin as a major component of their skeletons. This made him somewhat conflicted. The talents Drilling and Enhanced Claws and Teeth were clearly complementary; lacking one, it would be difficult to dig quickly. Drilling could enhance his survivability and be of great use if his Umbrella Company ever needed to construct a base, but without the ¡®Enhanced Claws and Teeth¡¯ talent, the effect might not be good. Enhanced Claws and Teeth not only could enhance his combat power but also perfectly integrate with the Wing Transformation talent, making his already robust and resilient Bone Wings even stronger. Brian no longer needed to feel conflicted. He muttered in his heart: Brother, death is freedom, I¡¯ve given you death, you are now truly free, no need to thank me. A warm current flowed. The obsession of this unknown Beastification Person was completed. Brian directly chose Gift Three: 1 unit of Gift Energy + Enhanced Claws and Teeth. Choice completed. His Body Control talent underwent some changes. Brian found, for his previously nerve-lacking, weakly influenced nails, a new sense of control emerged, akin to controlling flesh and blood. With a thought. As his body energy was consumed, his fingernails immediately grew more than ten centimeters and began to curve. Once again, with a thought. The nails that were bent due to their length straightened up again, becoming like ten iron slats, constantly thickening, even starting to emit a metallic grey sheen. Brian tapped on them. He actually heard a sound similar to the clear ring of metal. ¡°This strength is really good; I reckon if I blocked my Bone Wings against my body, the average rifle bullet wouldn¡¯t be able to penetrate my defenses... I¡¯m becoming more and more of a freak...¡± The corners of Brian¡¯s mouth curved upwards. He was getting closer and closer to the goal he once thought unreachable. ... He had finished the third obsession. In Brian¡¯s hands, there remained the obsession of Ruan Zhengyi, the leader of the Beast Pavilion, and the Gift following the completion of the Mutant Beast obsession. He suppressed the urge to open the blind box and first claimed the Gift from the Mutant Beast. He rubbed his palms together, ¡°As the boss of an organization, it wouldn¡¯t be proper without some golden legend, right?¡± Mutated Monkey obsession: Kill the person from the Beast Pavilion with this tattoo! Gift One: Eighty points of Gift Energy. Gift Two: Ten points of Gift Energy + Rapid Burst. This was the first Mutant Beast Brian had encountered, an experience that nearly killed him and left a deep impression. Months had passed. The Mutant Beast that nearly killed him, if they were to meet again today, he would squash it like an ant. The Gift from the other, which he had once anticipated eagerly, now seemed quite ordinary. Brian chose Gift Two: Ten points of Gift Energy + Rapid Burst. Rapid Burst: Your muscle fibers and skeletal structure are peculiar, significantly enhancing your jumping ability and short-distance movement speed (Note: the upper limit of this talent is constrained by the constitution of the body, and its effect differs for each individual). This talent, like many physical talents, manifested stronger effects with a stronger body constitution. Feeling the feedback in his body, Brian sensed subtle changes in his physique. It became smoother. After a simple trial, Brian was astonished to find that his speed, which had a burst limit of over eighty meters per second, had successfully broken through to over one hundred meters per second¡ªand this was without the help of Heart Eye. If he used Heart Eye to penetrate air currents and utilize the wind for resistance, his speed would increase even further. In a blink, he could cross a soccer field. The reach of average heavy artillery was roughly the area of a soccer field. This was a ludicrous speed completely imperceptible to ordinary people. Brian suspected that, in his past life, in those mortal Cultivation novel worlds, he could probably kill Qi Cultivators as though slaughtering dogs, with only those Foundation Establishment cultivators who fought with swords having a chance to threaten his life. The problem was, he could also fly. An all-out burst of three Mach, according to the data from mortal Cultivation, even Foundation Establishment cultivators would likely be blasted to pieces by him. With his current life vitality, as long as he didn¡¯t lose control to mutation, living over two hundred years would be a breeze. Would that be equivalent to a Golden Core body cultivator? Thinking about it, Brian laughed to himself. A real person like himself, comparing to the fictional characters of a novel world, was purely because he found himself getting more and more abnormal, feeling that his growth rate was too magical, that such ideas occurred. Suppressing the messy thoughts. After becoming familiar with his new body, he started to check Ruan Zhengyi¡¯s obsession. As the boss of an organization, a golden legend isn¡¯t too much to ask for, right? Forget the rest. At least when Brian smashed him with a punch, he could feel the hardness of the other¡¯s body. He wasn¡¯t weak; it was just that he had encountered a freak like himself. That¡¯s why he seemed weak. ... Elsewhere. Washington, District of Columbia. FBI headquarters, the hawk-nosed middle-aged director who had previously appeared in a virtual projection meeting with Smith, looked at the latest intelligence in his hands, and his eyes flashed with violence. Smith had defected! He had fled with the core secrets of Base Three! The plane he fled on exploded mysteriously in mid-air. Whether Smith lived or died, he didn¡¯t care. The secrets of Base Three must not be leaked! ¡°Investigate!¡± ¡°I want to know what happened on that plane, investigate!¡± Orders were sent from this power institution to the Federation¡¯s hundreds of intelligence agencies, both overt and covert... Chapter 532: 289: Brain Worm Talent, Chaotic Situation (Supplement) Chapter 532: Chapter 289: Brain Worm Talent, Chaotic Situation (Supplement) Ruan Zhengyi¡¯s obsession: ¡°The FBI possesses a miraculous Mutant Beast catalytic ability, and I must obtain this technology, I must!¡± Gift One: 75 units of Gift Energy Gift Two: 1 unit of Gift Energy + Brain Worm Following his obsession was an image: the manager Smith, who had been killed by Brian, stuffing a board into a uniquely shaped silver safe... Brian was surprised when he saw this. One reason was that Ruan Zhengyi¡¯s Gift talent was minimal, and the talent name seemed peculiar. Another reason was the image prompted by the obsession: he had seen that board before! The research institute Brian now managed had previously belonged to Black Light Biotechnology Company. When Benjamin was the manager, Brian had taken on a case about a prison and had found a magical board capable of hypnotizing human minds within the prison walls. In the end, after Brian had demanded some benefits, the board was taken back by the institute¡¯s special agents. Realizing what the obsession image revealed, everything became clear to Brian. He knew what the biological nuclear weapon that Benjamin spoke of was! It was that board! Or rather, some sort of technology behind the board! According to the rule prompted by the obsession, the board in the silver safe was the Mutant Beast catalytic technology that Ruan Zhengyi obsessively desired. Similarly, the prison board that Brian had previously disregarded must be of a similar type. Thinking this, Brian stroked his chin, ¡°Could it be that there is more than one of these boards, each carrying different abilities? But previously Benjamin said that the biological nuclear weapon was developed to target marine Mutant Beast groups; therefore, only two possibilities exist...¡± Either Benjamin had lied to Brian. Or, the boards in the possession of Black Light Biotechnology were merely replicas, imitations of the kind of board now in Brian¡¯s possession! So... what exactly is this board? Brian took out the silver safe again, studied it, and after finding nothing new, he had no choice but to refocus on Ruan Zhengyi¡¯s Gift talent. Brain Worm: You yearn to control life, to live eternally; eventually, your brain mutates and activates, transforming into a brain worm form. The Brain Worm stores all your memories, serving as the vessel of your consciousness. It is extremely fragile. You can change bodies. You can exist solely in the form of a brain worm. The cells of the Brain Worm mutate, and as long as there is sufficient energy to sustain it, the cells can metabolize indefinitely. You are both human and worm. (Note1: Each body change, impacted by the body¡¯s genetic surge, will cause damage to the Brain Worm, resulting in the loss of some memories, and your willpower will continue to weaken. Note2: The longer the Brain Worm exists, the slower it operates. Note3: The brains of the same species are the best supplements for you, like humans¡¯ need for water; you cannot live without these supplements and must consume them regularly. However, these supplements contain memory fragments from their original hosts and will impact your consciousness.) After reading the talent description, Brian was somewhat stunned. Such bizarre talents existed. From the talent, Ruan Zhengyi seemed to be a Mutant. The Brain Worm talent was quite twisted. A Brain Worm with energy can be immortal and can also change bodies to parasitize, roughly equal to a simplified version of eternal life and a lower-tier version of Undying Body. However... after reading the three considerations, the talent seemed less appealing. Note1 was manageable; changing bodies and losing some memories weren¡¯t a big concern for anyone. Notes 2 and 3, however, were fatal. Note2 pertains to survival issues. Although the Brain Worm would not die as long as it had energy, it would gradually ¡®lag¡¯ and, as one might expect, eventually completely crash, rendering the so-called eternal life a hollow promise. Note3 concerned ethics and self-identity. Eating your own kind is against human nature. Effects from memory fragments, if excessive, could cause one to lose oneself. In summary, although the ability is incredible, the restrictions are too many, rendering the so-called eternal life utterly empty. ¡°No wonder Ruan Zhengyi¡¯s body is old and hasn¡¯t changed; he himself is a Mutant, prone to losing control, and with the three additional remarks attached to the talent, it¡¯s definitely a disastrous combination..¡± Brian thought, somewhat disappointed. With so many flaws, no wonder the upper limit of the Gift was only 75 units of Gift Energy. Even if Brian fulfilled Ruan Zhengyi¡¯s obsession, he would definitely not choose this Gift. Opening the box had brought him only one surprise; it clarified what biological nuclear weapon Benjamin had referred to and gave Brian a new target for investigation. ¡°The board...¡± Brian patted the box in his hands and lay down on the bed to rest. The next day. Brian strolled around, casually bought some items, then boarded the flight back to Los Angeles. He didn¡¯t take the box. It was somewhat eerie, so Brian found a place to bury it. He decided to assess the situation before considering whether to bring it back to Los Angeles. Now that he had ¡°wings,¡± he could move freely and conveniently without worrying about transportation issues. ... At the airport. Susan took the large and small bags from Brian and placed them in the car, ¡°Is this your first time shopping? Did everything go smoothly?¡± Brian nodded, ¡°It was not bad, I just went to meet a Canadian friend I knew from White Elephant Country.¡± Saying that, he settled into the passenger seat. Creak~ The car made a strained noise from the overburdened parts. Chapter 533: 289 Brain Worm Talent, Chaotic Times (Supplement)_2 Chapter 533: Chapter 289 Brain Worm Talent, Chaotic Times (Supplement)_2 Brian: Forgot I¡¯m an 800-pound baby now. Previously was barely 300 pounds. After breaking through 1.4, with the hot blood continuously flowing in his body, the density of his flesh and bones kept increasing, almost reaching a thousand pounds now. Team Leader Susan had personally experienced this heftiness, so she was not surprised. She teased with a smile, ¡°You should lose some weight, sweetie.¡± ¡°I thought you liked heavyweight players.¡± ¡°Yes, I do like them, as long as you¡¯re on the bottom..¡± Susan started the sedan and drove off. Shortly after. The car stopped outside a hotel. Brian asked in confusion, ¡°Susan, you have friends?¡± Susan shook her head, ¡°No, not friends, but vigorous Vitality drives my hormone secretion, these excessive hormones keep stimulating my body, it¡¯s not a pleasant feeling, balanced hormone metabolism also helps stabilize my mood and keeps the team members healthy..¡± Brian spread his hands, ¡°You could speak more plainly.¡± Susan raised her eyebrows at him, ¡°I¡¯ve booked a room, until tomorrow morning, we¡¯ll deal with my endocrine imbalance in the room.¡± ¡°Oh~¡± Brian nodded. He understood this time. Just say you want to sleep, why beat around the bush? .. Sleepless night. In the morning, having paid for the hotel¡¯s collapsed floors and broken furniture, a rosy-cheeked Susan contentedly let Brian go, sending him back to downtown Los Angeles. B6 team¡¯s office building. After parking, both carrying the gifts Brian had bought, they went up together. Back in the familiar office, Brian finally understood what Susan meant by ¡®helps the team members¡¯ health¡¯. In the office, one by one, everyone had swollen faces and bruises, even Shi San¡¯s dog¡¯s head was missing a tuft of fur, the only thing undamaged was the small Crow Meatball on top of Shi San¡¯s head. Seeing Susan return. The originally lazy folks quickly pretended to be deeply engrossed in work. That was hilarious. After all, in their team, unless there was a case, they were basically slacking off. Even Shi San jumped up, pretending to sob and wailing, and upon closer listening, it seemed to be imitating human speech, but the throat did not match, and the tongue couldn¡¯t curl properly, making it sound like a tongueless person struggling to speak, looking pitiful. Seeing these people putting on an act, Susan deliberately straightened her face, hummed, and threw the gifts on the floor, hastening back to her Team Leader office without even bothering Shi San¡¯s head. Seeing this, Brian raised his eyebrows. This attitude of Susan¡¯s, she was actually embarrassed. So.. what did Susan do on the days I wasn¡¯t around? ... Bang~ With the Team Leader¡¯s office door closing. A group of team members, including Shi San, gathered around. ¡°Hey, Brian, how did things go?¡± Old Hardenn, bearing a pair of panda eyes, eagerly glanced at the gift bag in Brian¡¯s hand. Old Hardenn clearly wasn¡¯t lacking money, but he loved to snag a little advantage. Brian laughed, ¡°Not bad, these are the gifts I brought back for you, there are belts, cosmetics, and some small cigars, pick whatever you like.¡± Everyone happily started choosing their gifts. ¡°Whine~¡± At his feet, Shi San, now as large as an adult Labrador Retriever, clung to Brian¡¯s trouser leg, his large dog eyes looking up at Brian, even misting up a bit, looking pitiful and wronged: ¡°Woof woof~ (Big dog, bad mama dog!)¡± Brian initially felt somewhat sympathetic, but seeing Shi San¡¯s Mediterranean-like bald head, he couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter. He pulled Green aside and whispered, ¡°Green, what happened to Shi San and everyone?¡± Green¡¯s mouth corners also sported bruises. He glanced at the Team Leader¡¯s office, whispering, ¡°While you were away these two days, Team Leader Susan came back, just that her mood was a bit off, a slight issue and she would beat someone, Old Hardenn said that enhanced humans have different bodies, the Team Leader might be going through menopause, in any case, these past two days, Team Leader Susan didn¡¯t like anyone she saw, even just passing by Shi San would get her a kick, let alone us..¡± As he spoke, Green sighed. Team Leader Susan did have a hot temper before, but she was still reasonable; ever since getting together with Brian, it was completely different. Women are really fickle. ¡°That¡¯s so Susan..¡± Brian then looked down at the aggrieved, tearful Shi San, ¡°Shi San, what¡¯s up with your bald head?¡± Before Shi San could complain, a bird head popped out from its lush fur and chirped at Brian, ¡°Go find Brian, don¡¯t go find Brian..¡± Brian:? ¡°Woof woof woof!!! (Mama dog pulls out one of my hairs each time she speaks, she¡¯s bad!)¡± A tear rolled down from Shi San¡¯s eye. Dog tears don¡¯t fall lightly, only when heartbreak has yet to arrive. As a high-intelligence dog that understood human nature, Shi San had developed a sense of beauty and ugliness. Bald head! So ugly! These past two days, it was too embarrassed to go out and see other dogs, and forced little Meatball to squat on its head to cover the bald spot! Seeing this, Brian crouched down, comforting with tenderness, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry...¡± Hadn¡¯t expected Susan¡¯s hormonal imbalance to reach such an extent after entering First Rank life. This should be a normal process of physical changes. Just didn¡¯t know how long it would last. For the team¡¯s stability and everyone¡¯s safety, it seemed he needed to take on more burdens in the future. .. After pacifying Shi San. Brian gave Dean a call to set up a time to meet and inquire about the matter with the board. Chapter 534: 289 Brain Worm Talent, Chaotic Times (Supplement)_3 Chapter 534: Chapter 289 Brain Worm Talent, Chaotic Times (Supplement)_3 As a result, Old Hardenn didn¡¯t seem to know what he was doing and didn¡¯t answer the phone. Brian had no choice but to send a message to Old Hardenn¡¯s email to arrange a meeting, and then began to check the latest news. The situation seemed somewhat bleak. As mentioned before, since the Blood Moon, the global rate of violent murders had continued to rise. In just the greater Los Angeles area, the number of officers shot or wounded for various reasons each month had climbed to more than a dozen, exceeding the annual number from previous years. This had led some officers to resign for the sake of their safety. Along with injured and deceased officers, police officers on leave who were involved in shootings... In short, there had been a shortage of patrol officers in the downtown areas of Los Angeles. This phenomenon had further worsened public security. The deterioration of public security meant that people were less willing to go out and spend money, affecting the economy of society, leading to job cuts by some companies to reduce costs. This behavior had led to an increase in the number of unemployed people who, in order to ensure the repayment of their loans, could only engage in activities that made money quickly, further deteriorating the public order... It was a vicious cycle of deterioration. And this was in a major city like Los Angeles, which had both money and personnel. In some smaller cities and towns, the shortage of police officers was even more severe. Many of them could not even guarantee two officers in a police car and had started to shift to single-officer patrols. This was actually a very dangerous sign. It meant that order was beginning to break down from the remote places! Of course, as long as the main body remained stable and the military was stable, no major problems would occur. But if this phenomenon continued, coupled with the ongoing passive radiation effect of the Blood Moon, in remote places, the operating laws of society would increasingly move towards the real Dark Forest law... .. Looking at these bloody data, Brian picked up his coffee and turned a page of the newspaper. This was the latest news from The New York Times. The main page, highlighted with bold font to draw attention, read: To maintain a good business environment, the mayor is considering implementing an emergency plan. Basically, the mayor of Los Angeles was planning to increase the benefits for police officers and recruit suitable militias to assist with public security, as well as expand the living space and rights of the Bounty Hunter Organization cooperating with the police department... There was a lot of content. To sum it up, it was about strengthening the deterrence of armed force and loosening gun control regulations. Brian was amused as he read. No matter how he looked at it, it seemed like the promotional direction had turned into some kind of urban ¡°battle royale¡± game environment. Hopefully, they wouldn¡¯t have to go to work armed with rifles and guns in the future... Although it was not currently that exaggerated, the trend was already there. .. At eleven o¡¯clock in the morning, the team got to work. A group of young people had found some human bones with fresh burn marks in a tool shed on an abandoned farm in the suburbs, and there were a large number of them. The nearby security office dispatched a patrolling police car. The scene turned out to be even worse than what the young people described. They discovered an underground chamber on the site, which contained a cremation furnace that had been tampered with, and the traces inside were disgusting. In short, the local security office couldn¡¯t handle the shock and directly transferred the case to the city. This was a big case! The Teddy combination and Tom were handling another case. The only ones available were Green and Brian. It just so happened that Brian was also an Autopsy Officer, so he could handle the entire case and autopsy in one go, without needing to apply for support staff. Green was quite happy about this. He grabbed the keys to the investigation vehicle and the voice recorder, and asked Old Hardenn for the address: ¡°Big Boss Brian, I¡¯ve been there before, I¡¯ll drive, okay?¡± Brian stretched lazily, ¡°Sure, I haven¡¯t worked a case in a few days, and I¡¯m itching to get started.¡± He kicked Shi San, ¡°Are you coming?¡± Shi San shook its tail to decline. Lately, it seemed to be in a developmental phase and didn¡¯t want to move, and this had been going on for several days. Brian didn¡¯t insist. He tugged at Meatball, which had grown to the size of an adult¡¯s palm and was hidden in Shi San¡¯s fur, ¡°Meatball, do you want to come play?¡± Meatball tilted its head to look at Brian, then suddenly jumped onto the desk, pulled out a stack of twenty-dollar bills, and with one claw holding the US dollars, waved them at Brian: ¡°Dance for Daddy...¡± Brian: .. Was his own bird teasing him? In just two days, the creature he had raised with his own blood seemed somewhat unfamiliar. ¡°Cough cough...¡± Green awkwardly explained, ¡°Big Boss Brian, everyone has been stressed these past few days, they¡¯ve been going to strip clubs to drink after work, and Shi San didn¡¯t want to go back with Team Leader Susan, insisting on following us. Meatball probably got the wrong idea of playing there.¡± Brian clenched his fist. Damn, he wouldn¡¯t let Shi San and Meatball hang out with these scumbags anymore; otherwise, sooner or later, they would turn into utterly corrupted creatures. He grabbed the stack of bills from Meatball¡¯s claw and nonchalantly stuffed them into his pocket, ¡°Forget it, Meatball, you stay in the office. Green, let¡¯s go.¡± After saying that, Brian walked briskly out. Green was stunned for a second, then hurriedly followed. Behind them, the confused Meatball took a while to react, and then approached Shi San¡¯s ear and began barking softly, ¡°Woof woof woof.¡± Shi San yawned and began to enlighten Meatball. After Shi San¡¯s education, the young Meatball, under the direct role model of its good master Brian, understood for the first time what robbery was. It had been robbed! .. More than half an hour later, Brian and Green arrived at the reported location in the crime scene investigation vehicle. It was a secluded farm a certain distance from the highway, with remnants of broken fences visible, the surroundings somewhat dilapidated, similar to many abandoned buildings, showing the clear traces of neglect from wind and rain. Lacking the regular maintenance. Like many other structures, it was missing the vitality of human presence. In the distance was some abandoned farmland, with some possibly useless agricultural tools scattered around and a utility vehicle, further on, an old, wooden storage shed, with some dried straw protruding from the fixing devices on the roof. These straws helped the shed maintain its basic integrity. Next to the shed, there were several cars, including two police cars. Next to the police cars was a group of young people and three men and women in police uniforms. They were the only living things around. Green parked the car and looked around, then said to Brian with a hint of confusion, ¡°Big Boss Brian, I feel something is off here, but I can¡¯t put my finger on it?¡± Brian, looking at a female officer coming up to greet them, took a cigarette from his pocket and put it in his mouth, softly saying, ¡°The ground here... is dead!¡± Chapter 535: 290: An Extremely Cruel Method of Murder, Clue Identified! Chapter 535: Chapter 290: An Extremely Cruel Method of Murder, Clue Identified! ¡°Land of death?¡± Green looked at Brian with confusion, ¡°Land of Death?¡± Brian nodded, ¡°You could say that. Soil nurtures life, but do you see any plants around?¡± Hearing this, Green scanned the area once more and had an epiphany. No wonder something felt off, but he hadn¡¯t been able to put his finger on what it was! It was the plants! Right! If this place used to be a farm, it meant the soil here was fine, fit for planting, and capable of supporting plant life. And yet, not a single weed could be seen! This was highly unusual. It even unconsciously brought to mind notions of a demon¡¯s dwelling, a cursed land, and other superstitious talk. While the two men were talking, a female police officer approached them. The policewoman appeared to be in her thirties, slightly overweight. She looked straight at Brian with a discerning eye, ¡°This place has a bad reputation, and not many people come here. Are you NW employees sent here to support from the city?¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Brian, an Autopsy Officer from the B6 team, and this is my colleague Green. You mentioned this place has a bad reputation?¡± ¡°Yes, a very bad one. Actually, there used to be a small town here. Over a hundred years ago, the town was stricken with a plague. The plague killed almost all the inhabitants, and in the end, the bodies were piled up and burnt. The surviving residents, in order to put the souls of the deceased at ease, eventually scattered their ashes over this land. Ever since then, the area has been abandoned. However, about a decade ago, a family from Texas bought this land. They didn¡¯t care about what had happened here and spent several years farming the land, turning it into the farm you see now. The soil here was fertile, and the farm had a bountiful harvest. Unfortunately, no one nearby wanted to buy their produce, not even the members of the agricultural association liked the crops produced here. When the products couldn¡¯t be sold, it meant that their investment was wasted. In order to repay the Seed Company¡¯s loan, they finally agreed to the company¡¯s low price and prepared to sell their products abroad. However, a fire ended this farce. The family and all their crops were devoured by the flames. People believe this was punishment from the wandering souls upon the land, and others claimed that the Farmer family, unwilling to accept that after years of hard work they had not earned a single coin and were still in debt to the Seed Company, had set the fire themselves, ending their lives. In any case, the place has been abandoned ever since. Later, someone discovered that the land here no longer produced any plants, and even those who came here to play or pay tribute to the dead stopped coming. Honestly, when I received the call to come here today, I really didn¡¯t want to.¡± The policewoman went on and on. Fortunately, she spoke clearly enough to at least give Brian and Green a basic understanding of the history of this desolate farm. Seeing that she hadn¡¯t returned, her colleague approached, ¡°Hey, Shara, what¡¯s the situation?¡± As they spoke, the two male officers rested their hands on their waists. In case anything was amiss, they would demonstrate their skill at drawing and firing their guns quickly. The policewoman named Shara finally reacted, ¡°Sorry, I was just telling them about the history here. This handsome and tall gentleman is Brian, NW¡¯s Autopsy Officer, and this one...¡± The policewoman paused, looking annoyed at Green, ¡°Hey, buddy, stop zoning out, introduce yourself.¡± Green: ... Could you tone down the discrimination and face-changing, just a bit, for my sake? Green¡¯s already dark face turned darker, ¡°You can call me Green, Brian¡¯s assistant.¡± The leading tall man glanced at Brian disapprovingly and nodded, ¡°Got it, come on, the warehouse up ahead is where the incinerator was found. Those young people are students from a nearby city¡¯s college. They came here to play a spirit-chasing game. Before you arrived, we already confirmed their identities with the school.¡± Officers in such small places are usually local, paid by local funds, and aren¡¯t as concerned with the prestige of NW as the patrol officers in Los Angeles city, so their speech is also a bit more direct. In fact, many of these officers only have a high school education, and some have even less schooling... ... Green hadn¡¯t been treated so dismissively in a long time. Just as he was about to voice his displeasure, he saw Brian glance at him. The words on his lips changed, ¡°Boss Brian, why has this place become the ¡®Land of Death¡¯? Could it truly be cursed?¡± The policewoman, who had been thinking of how to continue chatting with Brian, also looked over. In such a small place, with a limited population, excitement was scarce. She was tired of looking at the same rough men every day. To a woman her age, Brian was like a tender and juicy piece of fresh grass. Even if she couldn¡¯t take a bite, just getting a good whiff was a win. Given the right opportunity, she definitely wouldn¡¯t pass up the chance to be overly friendly. Brian rolled his eyes, ¡°Plant growth needs many conditions, but if you don¡¯t want them to grow, that¡¯s much simpler ¨C just bury lime underground. It¡¯s commonly done when building wooden structures, not only to prevent dampness and pests but also to protect the wood from corrosion and prevent grass from growing underneath.¡± Green had an epiphany. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t know this, he just hadn¡¯t thought of it. Of course, the policewoman¡¯s background introduction had also misled him. The policewoman seemed much slower in her reaction. She squatted down, picked up a piece of dead wood, and dug into the ground, revealing a white substance ¨C it was indeed lime. Chapter 536: 290: An Extremely Cruel Method of Murder, Clue Identified!_2 Chapter 536: Chapter 290: An Extremely Cruel Method of Murder, Clue Identified!_2 The two male officers hadn¡¯t even moved when Brian arrived; they simply found these things, and their gaze towards him held something more. It was the kind of respect given subconsciously to someone they deemed superior. No helping it... They really couldn¡¯t make sense of these things. When selecting officers for such remote areas, the only criterion was brawn over brains. Smart ones weren¡¯t favored, so you couldn¡¯t expect too much wisdom from officers who were chosen solely for their brawn and impulsiveness. There was something Brian didn¡¯t say. Quicklime not only disinfected, it also preserved corpses. Preserving corpses wasn¡¯t about raising the undead from old ghost stories, but about disposing of ¡®problematic bodies.¡¯ ... Arriving at the dilapidated storage shed, the men and women who had been detained for at least several hours were complaining bitterly, ¡°Hey, we¡¯re the ones who reported the crime, not the criminals! How much longer are you going to keep us here? It¡¯s not our duty to help solve the case; that¡¯s your job!¡± Three men and one woman, the perfect fodder lineup from a horror movie. Brian glanced at them and then instructed the officer next to him, ¡°Just let them go. We don¡¯t need them here. If we need anything, we¡¯ll contact them.¡± Acts could fool him, but the pheromones released by a body couldn¡¯t. Brian had now reached the point where he could simply judge a person¡¯s current mood and state through the ordinary pheromones they emitted, combined with their facial micro-expressions, to easily determine if there were any issues ¨C it was all a matter of a quick glance. The patrol officers had no objections to Brian¡¯s words, ¡°Whatever, it¡¯s been handed over to you now. We¡¯re just here to assist.¡± With that, they stepped aside. The four college students, already impatient, didn¡¯t even bother to say thank you and hurried to their car. After thinking for a moment, Brian murmured a few words to the female officer named Shara. Shara¡¯s eyes clearly widened. Looking at Brian, her eyes conveyed a clear meaning: Are you sure? Brian nodded, then called Green to follow him into the storage shed ahead. Watching their backs, the two male patrol officers asked their colleague, ¡°Shara, what did he say?¡± Shara shrugged, ¡°He told me to follow that group of students back to school, then tail the girl to see where she¡¯s headed, and then take her into custody and lock her up in our little jail. He¡¯ll take full responsibility for this action.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Shara rolled her eyes, ¡°Maybe God knows. Why don¡¯t you guys ask for Brian¡¯s contact info for me, and when I get back, I¡¯ll ask him about it in bed?¡± ¡°Ugh~¡± The two gave Shara a disdainful look and caught up with Brian. Shara responded with a middle finger before she leisurely made her way to the patrol car. ... Nearly all farms have at least one large storage shed. It¡¯s either used for storing hay or various tools. Sometimes, it also serves as a temporary transit point for harvested farm products. Looking at the old and plain storage shed, Green mentioned while surveying the surroundings admiringly, ¡°Brian, when I was very young, I always dreamed of having my own farm and settling down there with my family, living a prosperous life.¡± ¡°Prosperous?¡± Brian chuckled, ¡°Green, primary producers never really prosper.¡± Modern small farms are not as profitable as they were decades ago. People running farms usually sign regular supply contracts with seed companies and agricultural product companies, but ultimately, those companies earn more than the hardworking farmers. An agricultural association also takes a slice of the pie. The cake is only so big; with so many sharing, why should someone toiling in the fields expect prosperity? What if you don¡¯t cooperate with them? You can¡¯t even buy seeds then. Buying illegal seeds could lead straight to bankruptcy. Other aspects can¡¯t be missed either. Fail in one, and you¡¯ll either have nowhere to sell your products or, worse, nobody will buy them, and you¡¯ll be subjected to various ¡®severe¡¯ checks resulting in hefty fines. Only the real landowners could negotiate through their capital and secure the profits they deserved. Here¡¯s the thing, across the Federation, the overwhelming majority of farms are small, with large farms making up only about two percent. Yet, they supply over fifty percent of the market¡¯s produce. The rest trickle down to the small farms. Returning to the matter at hand. Brian followed the students¡¯ footprints on the ground to a pile of rotting straw near the shed. Here was a depression, a dark hole. Scattered near the hole were some splintered, decayed wooden planks. It seemed that one unlucky student had accidentally stumbled upon the hole while attempting to clean up, thus revealing the concealed underground passage. ¡°There are searchlights and kerosene lamps over here...¡± The two officers who had followed pointed towards a stack of fabric. The tools placed on the fabric must have been brought over after they received the emergency call. Brian shook his head, ¡°Wait a moment.¡± He first walked around the shed, then went outside and circled the shed once more before returning to the hole, signaling Green and the two officers to bring the lighting tools and follow him down. ... The basement was shallow, only about two meters high. In some spots, Brian¡¯s hair could even touch the ceiling. Chapter 537: 290: An Extremely Cruel Method of Murder, Clue Identified!_3 Chapter 537: Chapter 290: An Extremely Cruel Method of Murder, Clue Identified!_3 The interior was quite rudimentary, simply smoothed over with cement, with lime scattered all over the basement floor, and a faint smell of tar permeating every area. This was the unique scent produced after burning fat, fermented over a long time. The scent molecules had strong adhesive properties; they could linger indefinitely in non-ventilated areas and could persist for ten to fifteen days in ventilated areas, thus, normally, the basement was not a good place for burning bodies. Venting the fumes was troublesome. The basement was small. Four people took about seven or eight steps before reaching the end. Here was an old-fashioned furnace about two meters high and slightly wider, similar in shape to Hua Country¡¯s alchemy furnace on top of which was an oil-spraying device that looked quite ancient. There was still a smell of kerosene, somewhat reminiscent of products from a century ago. Beside the furnace, some shattered bone fragments were visible. These were human skeletal tissues that had not entirely burnt due to insufficient temperature. The entrance to the furnace, facing Brian and his companions, seemed to be of the sliding type, about a meter off the ground¡ªabout the height of a small trolley¡ªjust pull it from the side, and the bodies could be pushed in for incineration. So, this was a standard, old-fashioned body incinerator. At that moment, the sliding door had already been pushed open; under the light, many black imprints adhered and were branded at various positions on the inner walls of the incinerator, and in some places, there were even what looked like claw marks. The place was very dim. Under the light, any color appeared deeply profound. These imprints were no exception. At the most obvious observation port, two hand imprints were visible, as if someone inside, burned and shrieking in agony, could only scratch at the observation port, begging and pleading for help, trying to escape... Seeing these marks, Green shivered uncontrollably, imagining that scene. ¡°Burned alive?¡± Green looked expectantly at Brian, hoping to hear a denial. Brian nodded directly, ¡°Yes, burned alive. I¡¯ve seen at least a dozen different life marks left here, spanning several years.¡± Speaking, he pointed toward a blackened object connected to the incinerator, resembling a drip water pipe, and a similarly grimy, seemingly tar-filled small barrel, ¡°This must be the killer¡¯s purpose for burning those victims alive.¡± The two officers acting as light bearers couldn¡¯t help but curiously ask in unison, ¡°What purpose?¡± Brian, happy to educate without putting on airs, explained directly: ¡°Collecting the fats and tissue fluids emitted by the victims due to high temperatures! See these blackened substances? These are residues. Of course, their scientific name is Corpse Oil. This incinerator was specially designed with the flames concentrated in the middle, meaning the victims had ample space to hide, not that it gave the victims a chance, but such roasting was necessary to distill the Corpse Oil. Also, from the color of the fracture layers in these marks, this cruel act has gone on for quite some time. The number of victims isn¡¯t small either! This is a series of serial murders! This case has to be the most brutal one I¡¯ve encountered in my career!¡± Hiss~ Hearing Brian¡¯s explanation, everyone gasped. Being baked alive, collecting Corpse Oil... It all sounded so cruel! At that moment, Brian suddenly looked toward the dark side of the basement wall hidden in the shadows. The light still made it appear dim. However, Brian could see in the dark, so the environment didn¡¯t affect him. He waved to the two police officers, ¡°Project the light onto that wall.¡± The two officers, unnerved by Brian¡¯s description, quickly aimed their lights there. On the wall, various distinct clusters were revealed under the light, showing lifeless patterns. Green exclaimed, ¡°Totems?¡± Totems usually appeared in religious ceremonies. Could this be a religious-style brutal serial murder? Brian rolled his eyes, ¡°See that thing?¡± Green craned his neck, following Brian¡¯s pointing finger, and nodded, ¡°I see it, looks like a pillar standing on two stone altars, though the top of the pillar looks a bit odd...Honestly, it feels a bit like a J-bar, I¡¯ve heard some religions worship fertility...¡± ¡°This is exactly it ¡®JB¡¯!¡± Brian interrupted Green, ¡°These aren¡¯t totems, they¡¯re tattoos, originally on the victims¡¯ skin!¡± Smelling some specific residual scent. Brian¡¯s lips curled into a smile, ¡°These tattoos are quite interesting; I think I¡¯ve just found some key clues!¡± Chapter 538: 291: Three Clues, the Desperate Policewoman (Two in One) Chapter 538: Chapter 291: Three Clues, the Desperate Policewoman (Two in One) ¡°Tattoos?¡± A male officer who initially wanted to touch suddenly stepped back, ¡°FK, are you saying the killer peeled off the victim¡¯s tattooed skin and stuck it here?¡± During the conversation, he felt extremely uneasy all over. Because this male officer himself had more than ten tattoos. Another male officer also had quite a few. In fact, the female officer who had left earlier also had several tattoos on her arms. Green didn¡¯t have tattoos and didn¡¯t feel revolted; instead, he felt somewhat pleased, ¡°With these tattoos, we might be able to identify the victim¡¯s identity. Many tattoos have special meanings. This is a very good clue.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that complicated.¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°I smelled a faint scent of urea and ammonia on these tattoos; they wouldn¡¯t normally be preserved this long, but because they were separated from the body, and because of the relatively sealed space here, even after several years, I can still smell it.¡± ¡°Urea and ammonia?¡± Green puzzled, ¡°Brian, are you talking about a pissy smell?¡± The two male officers also subconsciously sniffed and looked at Brian. Besides decay and some indescribable nauseating smell, they didn¡¯t detect any pissy odor. Brian nodded: ¡°Many countries have a tattoo culture, but the sources and meanings are different. For example, in Hua Country, only prisoners would tattoo their faces to shame them. Like many primitive tribes, they also have a tradition of tattooing, which represents some primitive beliefs or totem characteristics. Early pirate culture used it to declare their strength and experiences... Different regions¡¯ tattoos have different developmental histories, similarly, the materials they used are also different, some use plant pigments, some use mineral pigments, but only one place uses urine...¡± Green didn¡¯t know much about this. Another male officer also looked a bit confused after hearing it. Only the officer who almost touched the human skins showed a sudden realization: ¡°Prison! I once worked as a guard in a prison when I was young. When those gang members in prison accept new people, they would use urine, baby oil, burning cotton, and aluminum to make tattoo pigments. If conditions were insufficient, they would directly use burnt rubber, ash, and urine to make the simplest pigments. Urine is indeed a material often seen in their tattoo recipes.¡± ¡°Why would they use something as disgusting as urine?¡± Green expressed his inability to understand. Brian chuckled: ¡°Urine is actually cleaner than you think, and in the past, it was often used to mix organic biological pigments. Biological bodies are also natural color extractors. For instance, if you were fed dragon fruit or mango every day until your urine turned red or yellow, you could extract these pigments from your urine. I remember people even used mummies to make pigments, saying it wouldn¡¯t fade for thousands of years...¡± ¡°There are really many talents in prison...¡± Green suddenly felt that if he went to prison, he would be easily despised, because he knew too little. ¡°Diseases are also abundant.¡± Brian smiled: ¡°Prison tattoos are hotspots for cross-infection of contagious diseases, even more than infections between men. Green, as you know, prisoners themselves are a valuable resource, so in prison, private tattooing is prohibited, and these prisoners all do this secretly. A tattoo could take several years to complete. Moreover, the longer they stay in prison, the more tattoos they tend to have. Pain brings them a different feeling, making them feel alive.¡± He casually shared some not-so-common knowledge with his subordinate Green. These pieces of information had come from members of the Kamor family whom Brian knew from their time in New York; those people were frequent jailbirds. Thinking of the scattered members of the Kamor family... Brian lost the interest to continue explaining. He took a flashlight from one of the male officers and pointed it at the wall covered in tattooed human skins: ¡°These tattooed human skins are mostly from prisoners or people who have been in prison. Considering that the crimes here happened in recent years, I¡¯m more inclined to believe these victims were former prison inmates. That¡¯s the direction you should investigate next, Green.¡± Green nodded, turned to the two male officers behind him: ¡°I need assistance from the local law enforcement office...¡± The male officers nodded, ¡°No problem, we will pay extra attention to these people. The question is, why can¡¯t the victims be current prisoners? In reality, finding so many people who have been in jail isn¡¯t easy, especially in small places like ours.¡± ¡°Because of the price...¡± Green showed his snow-white teeth to the two male officers, ¡°The price of buying a serving prisoner is not something you¡¯d want to know!¡± Saying so, he turned to the officer who had mentioned his past as a security guard in a prison, with a somewhat enigmatic remark: ¡°It seems the prison you were in was for minor offenders.¡± Green¡¯s most striking teeth reflected a ghastly glow under the flashlight, sending an unsettling chill to the two male officers. They instinctively chose to keep quiet, no longer curious to ask further.¡± .. The following inspection didn¡¯t uncover many clues. However, Brian discovered that this seemingly old furnace had been precisely modified to compress outside air into the crematorium, increasing the temperature when burning oil, and also ventilating the basement. Chapter 539: 291: Three Clues, A Desperate Female Cop (Two in One)_2 Chapter 539: Chapter 291: Three Clues, A Desperate Female Cop (Two in One)_2 This requires some professional knowledge. Moreover, according to the traces at the scene, this place has been deserted for quite a few years. This is not a good sign. Serial killers, regardless of their motives, are highly likely to share two overlapping characteristics. The first characteristic: the first victim murdered is highly likely to have some sort of connection with the killer, such as hatred, friend, conflict, or bullying... This connection stimulates the killer to commit their first crime, thereby flipping the switch on their bloodlust. The second characteristic: addiction. Murder can also be considered a kind of hunting activity. It¡¯s an instinct imprinted in human genes. Once they¡¯ve seen blood and continue to see blood, it becomes addictive like a drug. After some time, if they don¡¯t kill again, they begin to feel itchy. Only when they tire of this game or get caught or die accidentally does the hunting cease. Those serial killers who kill randomly just to vent do not fit this profile. Such serial killers have different behavioral traits and character profiles, they wouldn¡¯t have such regularity and ritualistic tendencies as this case, they don¡¯t fall into the categories mentioned above. So why is it a bad sign that this place has been deserted? Because it means the killer either changed locations, died, or grew tired of this behavior. Thinking this, Brian looked at the two male police officers, ¡°Earlier, I heard Officer Shara say that the last owner of this place committed suicide by setting a fire due to debt, and that¡¯s when this place became deserted. Are you sure that the whole family died in that fire?¡± Watching the older male officer nod: ¡°I was involved in that case. We found the remains of the farmer¡¯s family in the rubble of the house. Following normal procedures, we would contact the deceased¡¯s relatives to handle their affairs and incidentally inherit any remaining estate and debt. In fact, we did find a brother of the man of the house in Texas, but after he came and realized that the value of selling off this notorious farm wouldn¡¯t cover the debts, he took care of his brother¡¯s family and left without accepting the inheritance. What happened next was handled by the farmer¡¯s creditors, namely the people from the Seed Company. Something went wrong in the middle. It seems that several people they sent here mysteriously disappeared, and after that, the Seed Company kept people busy on this land for a while before everyone stopped coming. Later, some nearby residents, coming to pay respects to people buried a hundred years ago who died of infectious diseases, were surprised to find no vegetation growing here anymore, and so the story of this being cursed land spread, and it became what it is now.¡± Hearing this, Brian nodded, ¡°Sounds like something a third-rate screenwriter might concoct, but I found that somebody had intentionally mixed quicklime into the soil here, preventing any plant growth. Based on the leads you¡¯ve provided, it looks like we need to have a talk with someone from that Seed Company...¡± ... Finally, Brian and Green, carrying some human remains found in the crematory, followed the two officers to their office. Throughout the Federation, apart from some large cities, various towns large and small have their own police precincts, some called police stations, some called public security offices, and some with other names; some of the poorer places don¡¯t have a police station at all and report up to the next level of police organization when incidents arise. Honestly, even though Brian had been in this world for over twenty years and had joined the Forensic Bureau and NW organizations for a total of three years, he still could not completely understand these complex organizational structures. It was fortunate that the NW organization was a community of interest in capital and power, widely accepted across all of Los Angeles County, with absolute authority. Otherwise, cases like this one would be difficult for them to take charge of and quite troublesome to deal with. The nearby town was just a poor police station. Including the chief and an old man at the door, there were only six people, and the office was a small two-story building with a yard. When Brian and the others arrived, a white police officer who was balding and dressed in uniform was escorting a woman with thick lips, provocative lipstick, and exposing attire out of the police station¡¯s main door. The officer carrying the body bag with the skeletons looked at the white officer and said, ¡°Chief Arthur, these are two investigators from the NW operations department; we¡¯ve come back from the farm. Oh, and I must remind you to wipe off the lipstick mark on your collar, otherwise we might not see you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Mark?¡± The white police officer looked down, and his face showed an awkward smile, ¡°Thanks for the tip, buddy. You take them inside, and I¡¯ll see this lady off.¡± After saying that, he walked away with the flashy woman and disappeared from sight. Green looked at the chief who seemed more like a customer than an officer and shrugged, ¡°Hey, buddy, your chief sure is colorful.¡± The two officers looked embarrassed: ¡°Chief Arthur is a bit unreliable, but he has good intel and often catches some wandering drug mules, which is one of the main sources of income for our station.¡± Hearing this, Green understood. Drug mules were actually mobile drug consumption and production vehicles. Actually, making chemical drugs is not difficult; many with a bit of a chemical background could produce them. Chapter 540: 291: Three Clues, the Desperate Policewoman (Two in One)_3 Chapter 540: Chapter 291: Three Clues, the Desperate Policewoman (Two in One)_3 For safety, they would usually drive the RV to the uninhabited wilderness to produce drugs. Living in the wilderness was quite dull. Occasionally, they would head to nearby towns for enjoyment. A mobile drug consumption vehicle was pretty much the same. It¡¯s more fun together than alone. Many drug users had their circles and often held high parties. The problem, however, was that doing this in a residential area, unless in a very independent mansion, could easily lead to neighbors reporting them. Hence, it was common to drive to a cabin built in an uninhabited area and have fun. So, if you come across a cabin in the wilderness filled with lots of syringes and such, don¡¯t mess with it, or you might accidentally prick yourself and involuntarily take drugs. The rather embarrassed officers brought Brian and his team to a very crude room. Inside was a small cart. The officer explained, ¡°Our facilities are quite rudimentary, this room is where we keep corpses. However, we don¡¯t get a lot of transient population here, and seldom do we have a homicide, so this area is rarely used.¡± Brian took the body bag and casually tossed it onto the cart, ¡°Okay, thanks. Can you help contact that seed company?¡± ¡°No problem,¡± the older officer nodded. ¡°Can I drop your names? You know, these small police stations, they often don¡¯t give us the time of day.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Tell them to get the person responsible for dealing with the farm back then to contact you, or else a Second-level Staff will personally go looking for their boss!¡± The farm had been productive until the farmer¡¯s family committed suicide, only after which it became a dead land. The only ones who had the opportunity to do this were the Seed Company that came later to take over the property. The Seed Company, faced with a debtor¡¯s family that had committed suicide, did not opt to repossess the farm to recover losses. Instead, they arranged to mix quicklime into the surrounding land...this was a practice that wasn¡¯t logical nor did it follow business sense. Furthermore, from the previous reaction of the officers, they only knew that people from the Seed Company had been busy here for a while, but didn¡¯t know they were mixing quicklime into the ground. This suggested that the people from the Seed Company had kept their actions a secret. Which only made it stranger. Therefore, Brian was quite concerned about this clue. Although the officer didn¡¯t understand what Second-level Staff meant, he still nodded and left the small room with his colleague. Once the door was closed. Glenn mockingly imitated Brian¡¯s manner of speaking, ¡°Let... Otherwise... Boss Brian, you were so cool just now when you talked. I wonder if I¡¯ll ever get the chance to talk that tough to those capitalists.¡± Brian rolled his eyes and pulled out a cigarette to put in his mouth, ¡°Do you really want to be a Second-level Staff that badly?¡± Hearing this, Glenn¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Yeah! Boss Brian, do you have a way?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Brian nodded, ¡°I have a lab, and when I get some research results, I¡¯ll use you as a guinea pig...¡± Glenn shrank back, ¡°Never mind then. By the way, Boss Brian, when you told that female officer to follow those students, did you have another discovery?¡± In his eyes, the case was about uncovering an old cremation furnace, a site of brutal murders committed by a serial killer against previously incarcerated felons. As for any other information, he was completely unaware and didn¡¯t grasp the significance of Brian¡¯s earlier actions. Brian shook his head, ¡°Not quite a discovery. I just noticed that the girl had the genetic material scent of three male classmates on her, but the relationships between the three guys didn¡¯t seem close¡ªthey were practically hostile to one another, like animals vying for a mate during mating season. You know, Glenn. If it was a 3V1, where all four were together, those three males wouldn¡¯t be showing hostility. That¡¯s human nature... People who are hostile toward each other wouldn¡¯t group together without reason. So, I¡¯m guessing that the girl is the instigator behind this adventure outing. I¡¯m still not sure if there¡¯s a problem with the girl, I can only have that female officer test the waters, to eliminate a possibility.¡± Brian¡¯s judgment was based on standpoints. If it was a courtship competition, then the girl was being perceived as the prize, hence the hostility among the males. But if it was a group of four, the girl would be regarded as a plaything. No one gets hostile over a shared plaything; in fact, it tends to bring individuals closer together. Listening to Brian¡¯s explanation, Glenn shook his head slightly with a bewildered look, and whispered, ¡°...I don¡¯t know.¡± He pulled out a cigarette with a touch of melancholy. It seems I¡¯ll need to chat more with Glenn about the ladies in the future, or else I might end up disappointing my elders above, letting down my ¡°junior¡± below, not to mention failing to live up to Big Brother Brian¡¯s patient guidance. I might even end up without a common language with Big Brother Brian. That just won¡¯t do! Without Big Brother Brian, how could I go on living? .. The remains brought back from the farm were tossed into the police station¡¯s crude little room. They weren¡¯t very meaningful. These old bones could talk, but they didn¡¯t provide much information, only allowing for simple deductions about the age of the deceased, and whether they had suffered any injuries... Fresh remains were a different story. Modern equipment could reveal a lot more through examination. For example, one could determine if the deceased had been drugged before death, engaged in strenuous exercise, or had long-term medication residues... Brian often found, back when he was at the Forensic Bureau, those ¡®biochemical superhumans¡¯ who hardly reacted to police poison gas bombs, could run a distance after taking a dozen bullets and even fight back, all had significant drug residues in their bone marrow. Their nervous systems were also severely atrophied. This meant they not only had strong resistance to poison but also a diminished response to external stimuli. All this could be analyzed. The skeletal remains in front of us obviously didn¡¯t belong to that category. Green took advantage of some free time to give Old Hardenn in Los Angeles a call, asking for help in searching for a list of parolees who had gone missing in Los Angeles County and to fax it over to the police station. There wasn¡¯t much they could do now. For the moment, the two could only wait for news from various parties. .. The quickest update came from the Seed Company. The officer in contact with the Seed Company returned looking helpless, ¡°Mr. Brian, the folks at the Seed Company said that the staff responsible for handling the farm incident had a car accident on their way back, and all seven people died. Plus, the farm wasn¡¯t worth much, so they were busy dealing with the staff¡¯s accident and haven¡¯t followed up on this.¡± Upon hearing this, Green turned to Brian, ¡°Big Brother Brian, it¡¯s too coincidental. Considering their action of mixing lime into the farm soil, I feel like there¡¯s something off with the Seed Company!¡± Brian did not respond to him, instead, he turned to the officer, ¡°Did they say anything else?¡± The officer shook his head, ¡°Nothing much, but when they heard that you, Mr. Brian, are a Second-level Staffer of NW, they sent this through fax.¡± Saying so, he handed over a piece of paper. Brian took it and saw that it was some shopping lists, service payment records, and the contact details of a construction company. If he wasn¡¯t mistaken, this company should be the one that handled the lime mixing at the farm. Brian nodded, ¡°Thanks, by the way, any news from Officer Shara?¡± The male officer shook his head, ¡°None, but Shara is smart, she¡¯ll be alright.¡± Upon hearing this, Brian could only take out his cell phone to contact the construction company listed on the paper. Three leads, and one already looked grim. There was nothing to do but take it one step at a time. .. Elsewhere. On the highway, small-town officer Shara, with a bloodied head, gazed desperately at the figure in front of her, her voice hoarse, ¡°You deliberately let us find out about that farm..¡± Before she could finish, A dirty, large hand pressed onto her head and yanked hard. Rip~ Shara¡¯s head, still with eyes wide in terror, along with a freshly steaming spine, was exposed to the air, dripping blood and trembling tenaciously... ¡°I like to hunt those who keep in shape; their bodies are resilient, and they taste not bad either.¡± The figure licked its lips, smiled towards the direction of the farm. Desperate souls wailed there. The deeds of those people from before would ultimately come at a price. Luring the people from NW there, letting them slowly discover the farm¡¯s past secrets, was just the first step! Chapter 541: 292: The Cause Chapter 541: Chapter 292: The Cause For the gruesome serial live roasting murder case at the farm, after surveying the scene, Brian had three leads. The first lead was the discovery of a college girl at the crime scene. This lead was uncertain, so Brian handed it directly to the town¡¯s policewoman, Shara, to handle. However, her phone was unreachable; the signal might be poor where she was, or it could be inconvenient for her to talk. The second lead was an employee from Seed Company which dealt with the farm¡¯s subsequent assets. After a phone inquiry, Seed Company said that after handling the farm¡¯s affairs, the employee responsible died in a car accident and only faxed back the construction company¡¯s phone number and labor fee records that were involved in the farm project at that time. The third lead was the tattoos on the victims. Those victims were all prison-trained tailor contestants, relatively conspicuous due to their distinct characteristics and numbers. Moreover, some tattoos contained unique information, and the police database had photographs for archiving. Through big data searches, it was relatively easy to retrieve useful information. Both the first and the third leads required time to verify. Brian had no choice but to pick up his phone and contact the construction company number that Seed Company had faxed back. The construction company¡¯s full name was ¡°Daddy Construction.¡± From the name alone, one could tell it was one of those family workshop-style contractors, taking on whatever job came their way, likely without any social background and possibly without full qualifications. Brian was somewhat worried; after so many years, the company might no longer exist. Fortunately, when he called, someone answered the phone shortly after. There was a loud commotion on the other end, like a group of people playing cards, and the person speaking had somewhat slurred speech as if he had a cigarette in his mouth: ¡°This is Arthur Labor Agency, who are you looking for?¡± Hearing this, Brian frowned slightly, ¡°Isn¡¯t this Daddy Construction?¡± ¡°Daddy Construction...¡±, there was a pause on the other line, ¡°Ah, you mean Sorin and his group of bastards? I remember now, it¡¯s been a long time since anyone has sought them for business. They used to be my clients, but four years ago, Sorin disappeared, and the shell company those bastards formed disbanded. But I¡¯ve got better construction teams on my hands, all hardworking and reliable lads, much more honest than those bastards...¡± ¡°Hold on...¡± Brian interrupted the other party¡¯s sales pitch: ¡°I¡¯m with NW Operations Department. I need you to come down to XX town right now; we have a case we need your assistance with...¡± ¡°NW? Never heard of it, and I don¡¯t like the way you¡¯re speaking to me, piss off!¡± Slam¡ª As soon as the man heard that Brian was official and about the case, he hung up without another word. Listening to the dial tone, Brian turned to Green: ¡°Call Ivan and the others, have them find Arthur Labor Agency, and bring the person who hung up on me here, oh, and tell Ivan not to hit him in the mouth; I need to ask him some questions.¡± When needed, the NW Operations Department had the authority to command local patrol officers. Finding a labor service agency was a simple matter. Green shrugged his shoulders and picked up his phone, walking outside. Did that guy really have to mess with Brian, not knowing that the boss was famously petty? ... Half an hour later. Ivan, carrying a ragged blanket, arrived at the town¡¯s police station. Green curiously looked at the blanket on Ivan¡¯s shoulder: ¡°Ivan, where¡¯s the person?¡± Ivan threw the blanket onto the ground: ¡°He¡¯s inside. When I got there, I found two women locked up in his office, a mother and daughter. I haven¡¯t hit anyone for days and went a bit overboard. To maintain the team¡¯s image, I wrapped him up and brought him here.¡± The blanket hit the floor with a dull thud. Accompanied by a scream, the blanket rolled away to reveal a middle-aged white man covered in bruises. True to his word, Ivan was precise in his actions¡ªif not the mouth, then no part of the body was spared. He, sensing the light around him, instinctively curled up and pleaded, ¡°No, don¡¯t hit me anymore, I¡¯m guilty. Just take me to the station; what you¡¯re doing is inhumane!¡± Ivan¡¯s handsome face turned stern as he kicked the man three or four meters away: ¡°Humanity, my foot! People come here to work only to be scammed to death by you, and you lock up their wives and daughters to abuse. You scum dare talk to me about human rights?¡± Hearing the commotion and stepping out, Brian walked directly up to the man: ¡°Why don¡¯t you like the way I speak?¡± He wasn¡¯t interested in the incident Ivan mentioned. Labor services like these, in any country without resources who still want to make money, easily tend to go underground, or at the very least, dabble with the underworld. The man groaned, clutching his chest. Hearing the familiar voice, his swollen eyes widened slightly: ¡°You, you¡¯re the man who phoned me earlier?¡± F*ck! Just because of one sentence, you bring armed officers to raid my labor agency, beat me up, then pack and take me away? Little Arthur was deeply regretting his previous actions. If he had known his opponent was this ruthless, he would have come obediently. Facing Brian¡¯s question, Little Arthur¡¯s swollen piggish face squeezed out a smile, trying to please, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, officer, I had a few beers then, I wasn¡¯t very polite. Oh right, you needed my assistance with a case, isn¡¯t that it? Just say the word, and I¡¯ll certainly cooperate!¡± Brian nodded his head: ¡°Tell me about that Sorin you mentioned earlier.¡± Chapter 542: 292: The Cause_2 Chapter 542: Chapter 292: The Cause_2 Through Little Arthur¡¯s narration, Brian and his crew learned of an important clue. Sorin was the boss of Daddy Construction. Of course, it was a kind of construction bag company similar to a contractor, with many temporary workers who actually didn¡¯t have any building qualifications. Therefore, most of the projects were unattainable, and they could only do some temporary work, attracting customers with low labor costs. The reason they could offer low labor costs was that most of the people under him were ex-convicts. There was actually job discrimination here. Many jobs would require job seekers to present a ¡°certificate of good conduct,¡± which was essentially a criminal record clearance. These varied by Federation, state, and county, but the most common was one from the current city of residence. So, if someone who had been imprisoned wanted to find a decent job, they either had to go to some chaotic places that didn¡¯t care about these things, work at some small workshop companies, or directly move to another state. In short, if you didn¡¯t start a business, it would be tough to have stable job offerings for them in a local area rife with crime. Sorin¡¯s dad, a hippie in his early years, served time more than once for petty thefts. It wasn¡¯t until after Sorin was born that he straightened up and got into renovation work. To cut labor costs, he even brought in old prison mates to work. In movies, companies mostly made up of criminals are often portrayed as having strong brotherhood ties. But that¡¯s just bullshit. Drinking, gambling, visiting prostitutes without paying for the night ¨C that was their true lifestyle. The prisons here don¡¯t continuously work on you mentally, brainwashing you so that you can become a better person after release. On the contrary, many otherwise normal people who had only accidentally ended up in prison for a while were left with a lot of bad habits after their ¡°prison baptism.¡± Only a few who knew what they wanted managed to truly reform and improved their lives after being released. When such a group of people gathered together, they naturally didn¡¯t work honestly. They took advantage of their connections from their criminal pasts to collaborate with various service, leasing, and other intermediary companies. For example, when renting out a property, they¡¯d do some ¡®minor renovations¡¯ for the client first, then swindle them during the signing of the documents, swindle them again when moving out, swindle them with maintenance fees... The same went for exploiting undocumented workers. These workers were generally timid yet eager to make money. They would team up with some unethical service agencies, telling them about construction work qualification exams, promising high incomes once they passed, and then they¡¯d collect fees for training, uniforms, food, and accommodation. After all that, they¡¯d just hand over the workers to Leaf Farm to toil away, making another profit. After pulling off too many schemes like this, it was easy for things to go wrong. Sorin¡¯s dad was actually shot ¡°BIUBIUBIU¡± by an undocumented worker who had escaped from Leaf Farm. After taking over the company, Sorin didn¡¯t think his dad had done anything wrong; instead, he believed his dad had been too lenient. How could a moral old hippie make any money? With no money, one could only live in a trashy community. Otherwise, how could he be shot by an undocumented worker with a black market gun? After deeply reflecting on his pain, Sorin decided to expand upon the existing business by collaborating with loan companies after brainstorming with a bunch of social scum. This collaboration wasn¡¯t with real loan companies but with certain employees of other companies. Like with Seed Company. They monopolized special seeds. Farmers, especially small-scale farmers, needed to spend money every year on seeds, and some would opt to take out loans for seeds or livestock, fertilizers, etc., and repay the loans after harvest to ensure their livelihoods and keep the farm running. Every year, some unlucky farmers couldn¡¯t repay their loans due to various reasons, affecting the operation of their farms. Normally, the situation called for lawsuits, asset liquidation, and the like. In reality, none of this had anything to do with Sorin and his company. But when they colluded with the employees in charge of this Seed Company division, the story completely changed. They would get advanced notice through the employees, show up at the farmers¡¯ doorsteps, and tell them that, given the current situation, you¡¯ll be insolvent, your family ruined and eventually die miserably on the streets. But don¡¯t be afraid. You can cooperate with them. Modify the farm a bit; plant some leaves on one part, turn another into an ¡®entertainment venue,¡¯ and grow some regular crops on the outer perimeter. The farmer could then receive a licensing fee to get through tough times. Just like that. The undocumented workers, after being drained of their money, could be sent over here to toil in planting the leaves, with no wages paid, directly exploiting even more human labor costs, avoiding the agency fees that used to cut into profits. As for the children of the undocumented workers, like the mother and daughter that Little Arthur had locked in his office, they could be sent to the entertainment venues. In the end, if there were problems at the farm, they even had cooperative lawyers to shift all responsibility onto the farmer¡¯s shoulders, so they could extricate themselves. What if the farmer doesn¡¯t agree? It doesn¡¯t matter. At this time, Sorin and his group would come into play. They would mix the land around the farm with quicklime, and then an employee in charge of this business at Seed Company would come with people to assess the value of the farm. A farm tainted with quicklime would certainly not be worth much. Meaning, they could buy the farm at a very low price and continue the previous step¡¯s operation. As for the farmer¡¯s loan... That was no concern of theirs. After hearing little Arthur¡¯s story, Brian and Green exchanged a glance, guessing what had happened. It all fits! Everything fits! ... Green said excitedly, ¡°Big Brian, I bet the farmer¡¯s death wasn¡¯t a suicide, and that group of victims is probably the missing Sorin and his men. This case looks like a revenge murder!¡± The deceased farmer¡¯s family still had relatives in Texas. Texas... Those rednecks were called lower-class whites, crude barbarians, filled with white supremacist views, treating black people as plantation labour, and it also was the domain with the most abundant arms¡ªgun ownership per capita was among the highest in the entire Federation. If they knew their kin died by accident, they certainly had the motive for revenge! Brian nodded, ¡°It¡¯s possible, but we still need the investigative data from old Hardenn. He¡¯s got decent tech, his own compiled search system. Considering the time, we should...¡± Just then. The male officer who had been in contact with Shara came in with a grim look, ¡°Mr. Brian, I always have a bad feeling, so I contacted University City. They helped get in touch with those people¡¯s roommates. According to the information they provided, those four college students still haven¡¯t returned to their rented apartments, and there¡¯s been no contact with Shara either. Something¡¯s not right!¡± Upon hearing this, Brian checked the time. More than two hours had passed since Shara followed those college students. Such a long time without any news was indeed concerning. He looked at the male officer, ¡°Where was Shara¡¯s last transmitted location?¡± The officer reported a set of coordinates. Brian nodded, turned to Ivan who was watching the drama unfold, and said, ¡°Buddy, do me a favor and take this scum on the floor to the Umbrella Company¡¯s research institute; they¡¯ll know what to do with him.¡± ¡°Research institute?¡± Ivan knew Brian had a research institute, but didn¡¯t expect him to do this, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we arrest this guy first, follow the usual process?¡± Brian shook his head, ¡°No need, let¡¯s not waste the taxpayers¡¯ money on this scum.¡± Hearing the unscrupulous name like ¡®research institute¡¯, little Arthur shivered, ¡°No, I want to go to prison, I want to be tried in court, I¡¯m guilty, I...¡± Smack~ With an elbow strike, Ivan knocked him down, then wrapped him up in a blanket again, ¡°Got it, Brian. I¡¯ll have Glenn take those scum over as well...¡± Brian nodded. Trial first, then purchase, is pretty expensive. He was the Law Enforcer, might as well be direct. ... He left Green to stay put and wait for news from old Hardenn. Brian drove toward the coordinates provided by the male officer. Shara was sent out by him. If something happened, he bore some responsibility. Chapter 543: 293: Fooled You, Silly! (5980, Two in One) Chapter 543: Chapter 293: Fooled You, Silly! (5980, Two in One) Desolate highway. A few hundred meters away in a low-lying area, a man towering over two meters tall, his body clad in tattered strips of clothing, was gnawing on a bone in his hand, his skin dark and muscles grotesquely bulging. At his feet lay a pile of haphazardly sucked-clean bones. These bones, looking like uncooked lamb spine, still had fresh red bloodstains clinging to them. When he felt overly satisfied with his meal, he would narrow those crimson eyes, seemingly quite pleased with the taste of the food in his hands. Farther away, two men and a woman huddled beside two cars trembling in terror. They never could have imagined that their classmate they used to hang out with daily was actually a monster. This monster, for some unknown reason, became violent after spotting the police car following them. He stopped the vehicle abruptly, then attacked and killed the female officer in the pursuit car, and in front of them, brutally pulled her head and spine out of her body. How could a human possibly have such strength! Only after their classmate had feasted on the female officer¡¯s body and transformed into his current state did they realize he had been a monster all along! Sizzle~ The monster didn¡¯t care about the other three potential food sources, currently engrossed in sucking the bone stick with relish. Listening to the disgusting sounds, the woman among the two men and a woman felt nauseated and couldn¡¯t help but cover her mouth, making a retching noise. The monster paused in his actions. His crimson eyes locked onto the woman, his mouth splitting open to reveal sharp teeth with flesh still attached, ¡°Mary, your reaction truly saddens me. You used to adore me, said I was full of spirit, made you feel fulfilled!¡± The female student named Mary never expected to draw the monster¡¯s attention. She dared not look in that direction, her body shrinking back, attempting to hide behind the two male classmates she was close to. These suitors, whom she thought she knew well, reacted like they had encountered snakes, not only failing to protect her but also pushing her away. What a joke! That was a man-eating monster! As for Mary, she was just a bus. Having recognized Mary¡¯s true face, how could they risk their lives to provoke a man-eating monster over merely a bus! Mary stumbled backward when her two pursuers pushed her, rolling down the slope, and collided against the monster¡¯s feet. Struck with immense psychological trauma, she covered her eyes and started sobbing, ¡°No, don¡¯t eat me, for the sake of what we¡¯ve shared, Vasily, don¡¯t eat me, please, I¡¯ll keep your secret, just spare me. I¡¯ll do anything you want, just don¡¯t...¡± The color of the woman¡¯s jeans visibly darkened at a noticeable speed, from light blue to dark. She had wet herself. Vasily scrunched up his nose in disgust. He kicked Mary away, rendering her unconscious, tossing aside the calf bone he held in his hand, ¡°Shut up. Do you think I want to eat you and your impurities-filled flesh? Damn it, if it wasn¡¯t for that stupid policewoman going crazy and following us, causing me to lose control and reveal myself too early, you shouldn¡¯t have seen my true form this soon!¡± Food that hadn¡¯t gone through the ritual was just like gnawing at it raw, a grand waste. Regrettably, as a member of the new humanity, he couldn¡¯t control his emotions well. The woman¡¯s previous annoying crying had irritated Vasily. His breathing became more rapid, causing the sinister black muscles on his body to wriggle as if venomous snakes were slithering on his skin, creating a repressive and revolting deja vu. Vasily finally couldn¡¯t restrain his emotions. The woman¡¯s higher body fat meant more delicious grease after roasting, needing careful cooking. But the men didn¡¯t matter. A little roughness in the method was inconsequential. In the reminiscence of his few remaining rational thoughts, Vasily strode over to the vehicle. He grabbed the edge of the car, yanked fiercely, and tore off a sheet of metal panel, then twisted it like a paper, rolling it into a curled iron tube and then fixed his bloodshot eyes on one of the male classmates. This classmate, caught under Vasily¡¯s blood-red gaze, sensed impending doom. He pleaded, ¡°No, please don¡¯t do this, I haven¡¯t bathed in days, I...¡± Whoosh~ A whirlwind unfurled. In an instant, Vasily covered the distance of over ten meters between them, seized the man, then thrust the nearly two-meter-long iron tube through him with force... Sploosh~ With the sound of piercing flesh, the iron tube entered the man¡¯s body through the anal canal and exited through his mouth, held aloft by Vasily as he continuously spat blood, his body and limbs convulsing as if he were a frog skewered for roasting... Vasily licked his lips. His red eyes turned to the remaining male classmate, ¡°Go, make a fire!¡± ... More than half an hour later. Vasily sat cross-legged, holding the ¡®frog¡¯ over the flames, occasionally extending his long, purple tongue, deftly and greedily licking up every drop of red oil rendered from the roasting, unwilling to miss a single drop. This grease was second only to the cream¡¯s taste compared to blood and marrow. The female student Mary, who had passed out, woke up just then. She lifted her head drowsily and caught sight of the scene, screaming before her eyes rolled back and she fainted again. This terrified the remaining male classmate. He now desperately wished he could kill Mary, the woman he had once pursued. Damn it. With that scream, wouldn¡¯t it invite Vasily, the monster, to skewer him too and cook him over the fire! Chapter 544: 293: Fooled You, Silly! (5980, Two in One)_2 Chapter 544: Chapter 293: Fooled You, Silly! (5980, Two in One)_2 He actually would have preferred to be scared unconscious, as at least then he wouldn¡¯t have to endure the terror of awaiting death. Yet, despite feeling weak all over, he showed no signs of fainting and could only silently suffer alone in this despairing fear. Vasily didn¡¯t do what he had feared, though. The delicious fat soothed his agitated emotions. Vasily held a ¡®kebab¡¯ weighing over a hundred pounds in one hand, turning it evenly. Feeling that it was about right, he began to tear and bite into it with large gulps. The nearly six-foot body of a man was reduced to a pile of bones within minutes under his massive bites. And yet Vasily¡¯s stomach showed no sign of swelling. He ate a comrade. Satisfied, he exhaled a steaming breath and sneered at the male classmate, ¡°Do you find what I¡¯m doing disgusting and perverted?¡± Before the male classmate could speak, he sighed to himself, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to become this monster either, but there¡¯s no helping it. Sometimes, our destiny is set from the moment we are born. My childhood was as happy as many others, running freely on the ranches in Texas, until I encountered a lone wolf. It was a North American gray wolf, much larger than me when I was eight years old. It wanted to eat me. But it turned out that I ate it instead. In the face of danger, I ¡®Awakened¡¯ some magical power within my body and became what I am now. Scared, I went to find my father. My father told me that many years ago, he too was a normal person, albeit a bit more primitive and temperamental. After the last ¡®Blood Moon,¡¯ he underwent a miraculous transformation. He became very strong, even bulletproof. He had a pleasant time. Until one day, my father lost his senses, and when he came to, he was horrified to find that he had eaten my grandparents. Only then did he realize that he had become strikingly similar to the ¡®Corpse Ghosts¡¯ mentioned in the tales his grandfather used to tell him and his brother. Those with the potential, the more they fear something, the more likely they are to mutate into a being similar to that creature. To not harm his brother, My father began to wander until he found an ointment that could suppress his condition...¡± At this point, Vasily looked at the male classmate, who was now in a stupor, ¡°Do you know why?¡± The male classmate¡¯s mind was in disarray, shaken by Vasily¡¯s words. This is supposed to be a scientific world, how could such ghostly things suddenly appear! Why am I not one of these ghostly creatures! Hearing Vasily¡¯s question, he shook his head instinctively. Vasily didn¡¯t care about his classmate¡¯s absentminded response and continued, ¡°The reason is simple, go along with your emotions, let them flow like a flood. The more you suppress them, the bigger the reaction when they break free. It¡¯s by following the cravings of your genes that you become more at ease, stronger... Of course, losing control is inevitable, like what just happened. My father thought he could control his outbreaks freely. So he returned to the ranch, got married to a woman, and then I was born. I have his blood in my veins. So I was born a monster like him. I had no choice. From that day on, I started my own hunting. I satisfied the cravings of my genes through hunting, and from those cravings, I learned to control my outbreaks... I began to accept the fact that I¡¯m a monster. Then I received the news from my uncle, which caused my father to lose control again. This time, he never woke up again. He was killed by a group of people whose identities were unknown. I watched as my formidable father was riddled into minced meat by their machine guns and dragged away. Afterward, I came here to study to seek revenge. Investigate, capture. In my spare time, I became an excellent roasting chef. Those days were wonderful. I created a delicious ointment myself, and my strength continuously grew, even surpassing my father¡¯s. Those who killed my uncle and his family one by one ended up in my stomach. Actually, I had no intention of dragging you guys into this. When I received the admission letter from the medical school, I even thought of going through the medical courses and becoming a doctor, or perhaps a forensic doctor, where I could easily obtain food after taking revenge for my uncle¡¯s family. After all, I¡¯m quite afraid of that unidentified group too. Unfortunately, among those who killed my uncle¡¯s family, one person was deeply hidden. I¡¯ve been tracking for several years and hadn¡¯t found any trace of that person. Not until I heard about the NW organization¡¯s special department. You know, as an emotional creature, satisfying my emotions is very important. So, I planned this crazy adventure before graduation, exposing the ranch case to them, prepared to use their methods to help me find that person. Of course, I also wanted to take the chance to understand the real situation of the official group. To take a look at the real world. Listen, buddy, I really didn¡¯t want to kill or eat you guys. We were friends, but as I said, I¡¯m an emotional creature. The appearance of that policewoman made me lose control, and Mary¡¯s screams irritated me. So don¡¯t be afraid, I really don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡± Vasily¡¯s teeth, filled with shreds of his classmate¡¯s flesh, continued to open and close, while his crimson eyes radiated sincerity. Seeing that he indeed seemed to have no intention to harm him, the remaining male classmate mustered the courage, speaking softly and tenderly, ¡°I understand, everyone has moments of losing control of their emotions. We¡¯re friends, and I won¡¯t blame you. I¡¯m glad you told me all of this; it means you see me as a friend. Confiding in friends about what¡¯s on your mind is good; it should at least make you feel a bit better.¡± Chapter 545: 293: Fooled You, Silly! (5980, Two in One)_3 Chapter 545: Chapter 293: Fooled You, Silly! (5980, Two in One)_3 His gentle whispers and considerate words soothed Vasily¡¯s emotions. He revealed a smile, ¡°Yes, we are friends, but I¡¯ve been too emotional. Go now, I don¡¯t want to hurt my friend any further.¡± The surviving male student almost let out a roar of excitement upon hearing this. He was alive! He had actually survived the grasp of that monster. The drastic emotional rollercoaster nearly made him faint in excitement. However, the instinct to survive allowed him to control his emotions with an incredible amount of willpower. With a soft expression, he said, ¡°Thank you, Vasily. Believe me, as a friend, I will keep your secret and look forward to the day you get better. Every night from now on, I will pray for you, my friend...¡± Having said that, the male student cautiously got up, using his hands and feet to climb towards the upward slope. He was extremely careful, fearing that any small noise would cause the monster to lose control again. One meter, two meters... The closer he got to the end of the slope, the more uncontrollably his heart pounded. He was alive! He was truly going to survive! FK! Damn monster! The male student inwardly swore that once he escaped, he would call the police and have them come with a bunch of heavy weapons to kill it! Friend? Who would be friends with a disgusting thing like you! With an increasingly excited heart, he quickened his pace. He was just about to leave the depression and make it back to the highway for help. In the next instant, The male student felt a numbness in part of his body, a stabbing pain, followed by a sensation of weightlessness spreading throughout his body. He felt like he was flying. Everything in his field of vision was rising. He tried to say something but couldn¡¯t feel his tongue. Instead, a lot of blood spurted from his mouth. It was only when he saw the iron pipe protruding from his mouth that the male student realized he had experienced the same fate as the unfortunate student before him, skewered by the monster with an iron pipe... Looking at the puzzled expression in his classmate¡¯s eyes, Vasily leaned in close, ¡°Did you really think I would let you go? I tricked you, fool!¡± The more active the ¡°oil paste¡±, the higher the yield and quality, so it needed to be roasted alive for oil extraction. Snack meat roast was different. If the food ingredient was always fearful and muscles tense, the flesh would secrete substances that affected the taste, making the resulting food less delicious. His tongue was very sensitive, naturally, he had to take care of the food ingredient¡¯s emotional state. ... Humming country music, Vasily tore off the cloth from the food ingredient¡¯s body and started roasting him over the flames. This time, he intended to eat it medium-rare. As for the case at the farm... He planned to look at the situation before making his next decision. Being educated, he was much smarter than his father. At least, he was when he was satiated. Suddenly, Vasily¡¯s motion of flipping the ¡®skewer¡¯ in his hand stiffened. His ears twitched slightly, and he abruptly looked up to the top of the slope. There, without knowing when, appeared a tall man holding a large-caliber shotgun, watching him with relish. Vasily was somewhat surprised, ¡°I remember you, an employee from the NW Task Force. You found out about that female cop¡¯s disappearance so quickly?¡± Brian, spotting some blood-stained pieces of police uniform on the ground, waved his shotgun, ¡°Yes, the trail was clear, easy to follow. On my way here, I also listened to your story. Vasily, you have quite the nasty character. I was very angry. It¡¯s a professional hazard for cops to die on the job, but she was sent by me. Her death unsettles me. You should be thankful for your identity because you are not dead yet. This is my first time seeing a Mutant offspring.¡± During the conversation, Brian surveyed Vasily with a curious gaze. His lab was missing such high-quality material. ¡°Mutant?¡± Vasily, seeing Brian¡¯s composed demeanor, couldn¡¯t help but recall the uniformed men who took his father years ago. His muscles quivered slightly, and his eyes grew redder, ¡°Mutant? Is that what you call monsters like me? Haha, such a strange world. I can¡¯t smell you, so if I¡¯m a Mutant, what are you? Tell me more!¡± Boom~ The ground shook. Dust filled the air. A dark grey silhouette burst through the rising dust cloud like a humanoid tank, zigzagging with exaggerated speed, charging toward Brian on the slope. Bang~ Gunfire roared! A single lead bullet sprayed toward a spot five meters in front of Brian. The next instant, Vasily appeared at that very location, leaping high into the air, only to be hit directly in the neck by the ferocious bullet. After flying just three meters, he landed in front of Brian with half of his neck flesh missing, face up and head down, wailing in agony twice before going still. Seeing this, Brian looked perplexed. Amused, someone was still playing dead in front of him, an Autopsy Officer. Are you challenging my expertise? Without a word, he aimed at Vasily¡¯s groin and fired another shot. Blood and flesh splattered. Vasily¡¯s groin instantly bore a gaping hole. He screamed in agony and suddenly opened his mouth wide at Brian: Pfft~ Countless black, foul-smelling substances, making a sizzling corrosive noise, covered Brian. He frowned slightly and flashed backward, barely avoiding the close-spray of black liquid. Vasily, however, seized this opportunity to return to the bonfire below and grabbed the unconscious female student from the ground, threatening Brian with her, ¡°Drop your gun, or I¡¯ll kill this woman!¡± Because of the missing flesh from his neck, his head tilted oddly. When he spoke excitedly, it wobbled strangely, looking terrifying and eerie. His blood was actually black. The black blood splattered onto the unconscious girl before him, sizzling and making her scream in agony as she woke up, much like a pig being slaughtered. Brian stepped out again, shrugged his shoulders, ¡°Are you sure you want me to put down my gun?¡± ¡°Hehehe~¡± Vasily laughed hysterically, ¡°You can keep your gun, but your bullets will definitely kill this woman before they hit me. Come on, kill this innocent student with your own hands. Later when I escape carrying her corpse, with my speed of over thirty meters per second, what will you chase me with!¡± ¡°This...¡± Brian revealed a conflicted expression, ¡°If I drop my gun, I won¡¯t be able to beat you, and then we¡¯ll both die, so...¡± He really was in a dilemma. He used the gun because he feared he¡¯d blow away this weakling with one slap, and now this weakling wanted him to fight barehanded... What kind of situation was this. The female student Mary finally realized what her situation was. She was being held hostage. If the policeman before her didn¡¯t throw away his gun, she would die! Screwed up with pain and fear, she shouted at Brian, ¡°Throw the gun, throw it away quickly, I can¡¯t die, I¡¯ve worked so hard to get into a good university, I can¡¯t die! You damn cop, throw away the gun!¡± Mary didn¡¯t care what would happen after the cop threw away his gun. All she knew was that she didn¡¯t want to die! Even if it meant living just a few seconds more, she refused to give up hope! Vasily watched this scene with a mocking look, not stopping Mary¡¯s screaming. He was curious about this pretty-boy¡¯s choice. Vasily knew his mutant vitality all too well. As he said, he was confident of escaping no matter what. Faced with this classic movie scenario and listening to the mad cries of the woman whose body was already corroding and flesh falling off, Brian sighed. He tossed the shotgun far away and said helplessly to Vasily, ¡°As a moral and righteous Autopsy Officer, I admit you¡¯ve intimidated me. I truly can¡¯t bear to watch such an innocent girl die horribly. You can go.¡± Seeing this, Vasily was stunned. This idiot, did he really throw away the weapon that could hurt him? He hadn¡¯t seen such a fool in a long time! Vasily¡¯s mouth curled up, just about to say something, when the figure before him began to slowly fade away. Vasily was startled, his bloodshot eyes blinking, thinking he was hallucinating. Where did he go? The next moment, a strong and sturdy hand suddenly grabbed his neck, twisted it twice, then yanked forcefully. Rip~ Caught in his stupor, Vasily was executed with the same method he had used to kill the female officer... His life force was so exaggerated that only his head attached to the spine was left, still keeping the brain active. Vasily¡¯s eyes glared hatefully at Brian. Brian grinned, ¡°Did you really think I was intimidated?¡± ¡°Fooled you, idiot!¡± Bang~ He clenched his hand, and Vasily¡¯s head exploded in his grasp. Chapter 546: 294: Vasilys Magical Ability, Delivering Goods! (5202 Combined) Chapter 546: Chapter 294: Vasily¡¯s Magical Ability, Delivering Goods! (5202 Combined) Sunken flatland. Beside a fire emitting the scent of grease. A headless corpse lay on the ground. Next to the body, there was a woman covered in corrosive marks, her writhing innards visible, gasping her last breath, mechanically cursing and begging for mercy, ¡°Put down the gun, damn cop, put down the gun...¡± However, considering her gasps lacked the rhythm of breath, she probably didn¡¯t have long to live. Brian shook his grimy hand that was still making a sizzling sound from the corrosion, ¡°Is the bodily fluid of these Mutant descendants always this corrosive?¡± He glanced at the still ranting woman and ignored her. Given his usual temperament, he would have done a good deed and ended her misery quickly, but her foul mouth caused Brian to withdraw any pity. He¡¯s not a masochist. By vibrating at a high frequency, he shook off the corrosive liquid from his hands. Brian squatted down next to Vasily¡¯s headless body and poked it a couple of times with a stick. This guy¡¯s physical condition seemed similar to his own body at its 1.2 peak, with strong muscle tenacity, odd-looking bones, and bodily fluids as corrosive as sulfuric acid. ¡°Are descendants of Mutants really that astonishing?¡± Brian sighed, ¡°Pity I was too heavy handed and killed him outright; otherwise, it would have been interesting to take him back for research. Oh well, let¡¯s go, have someone clean up the scene.¡± Saying so, he stood up and left the scene. .. More than ten minutes later. The student named Mary, her eyes wide open, her beautiful sky-blue pupils now devoid of life¡¯s sparkle. She finally succumbed to the monster¡¯s corrosive fluids and died. Just then. Rip~ Accompanied by a faint sound of tearing flesh and blood, the previously still body of Vasily began to show signs of movement in his chest region. These movements trailed towards where the head should have been on the neck. Benefiting from body¡¯s lack of spinal support and obstructions, this unknown entity moved quickly, taking less than three seconds to emerge from the torn neck cavity. It was an adult fist-sized heart, black and turning purple! The heart was covered in sinister black lines that broke through the flesh, forming tiny tendrils that grasped at everything around to ensure the heart¡¯s mobility. In the middle of the heart was a vacant human face imprint. Driven by instinct, it madly moved towards the nearby battered body of Mary and swiftly slipped through an opening left by the corrosion. A minute later. The ¡®Mary¡¯ with eyes wide in rage and unaccepting of death, blinked her eyes open. She was alive! ¡°That damned pretty boy...¡± A hoarse voice came from her mouth. ¡®Mary¡¯ struggled awkwardly on the ground, apparently acclimating to this broken body. Only her beautiful sky-blue eyes were full of savagery and resentment, ¡°Bet you didn¡¯t expect this, I¡¯m an immortal Ghoul! Just wait, whether it¡¯s you or those bastards who took my father, you¡¯re all going to die, I¡¯ll personally devour you, keh...¡± She had barely emitted a keh when ¡®Mary¡¯ suddenly stopped struggling. There stood Brian, who had returned, standing on the slope with a look of surprise, ¡°Impressive, not only did you survive, but you also retained the keen perception of your original body. By the way, I¡¯m a very kind person, Vasily, go ahead and laugh, don¡¯t mind me.¡± Vasily:... He lay on the ground, looking bitterly at Brian, ¡°You didn¡¯t leave? How did you know I wasn¡¯t dead?¡± Brian shrugged his shoulders, ¡°You thought I left? Fool, I tricked you! I forgot to introduce myself, my name is Brian, a professional Autopsy Officer. Since you¡¯ve been accepted by the medical school, Vasily, you should possess some medical knowledge. When an animal¡¯s body loses its spinal nerve connection, it will twitch a few times following the last neural command, similar to a frog¡¯s muscular nervous reflex after its head is chopped off. However, human muscle nerves are not as developed as frogs¡¯, so it¡¯s just a twitch or two. Yet, your body honestly collapsed. That made me feel something was off.¡± Of course, this was nonsense and hindsight. As a half-baked Autopsy Officer, Brian knew this knowledge and had such keen Observation, but he didn¡¯t always have the professional habit of associating it. It¡¯s a talent issue. He didn¡¯t possess that talent. The reason Brian had returned was purely to see if any obsession would burst out, and he decided to bluff. After all, the hostages and the perpetrator at the scene were all dead. He also knew the ins and outs of the farm crematorium case; now there was plenty of time. Sometimes, we need a bit of patience. This bluff, didn¡¯t it yield something? .. Hearing this pretty boy respond with the same ¡®Fool, I tricked you!¡¯ he used on his deceased classmate before, Vasily felt like his head was about to explode. This bastard! Aaargh! This guy¡¯s personality is even worse than his own sick nature! Vasily didn¡¯t know the old saying from Hua Country, ¡°The fish on the chopping board is at the mercy of the butcher.¡± But that was precisely his state at the moment. Desperate to live, even though he was furious to the point of explosion, Vasily could only forcibly suppress his nearly eruptive emotions and pleaded softly, ¡°Can you let me go?¡± Brian pointed to a nearby police car, ¡°Before you devoured that female cop, did you ever consider letting her go?¡± ¡°That¡¯s different!¡± The woman¡¯s body occupied by Vasily began to show bloodshot red in her eyes. Chapter 547: 294: Vasilys Amazing Ability, Shipping! (582 in One)_2 Chapter 547: Chapter 294: Vasily¡¯s Amazing Ability, Shipping! (582 in One)_2 ¡°Cat eats mouse, mouse eats insect; that¡¯s just the law of nature! I am a monster, monsters eat humans, isn¡¯t that also one of nature¡¯s laws? Stop pretending, you¡¯re a monster too! Haha, you¡¯re a monster!! You are just a monster with better luck!!! I am not convinced! Why can the likes of you become Law Enforcers while my father and I are treated like stray dogs, captured and imprisoned? Why!¡± Feeling Vasily starting to lose control, Brian tilted his head and asked curiously, ¡°You were captured too?¡± He crouched down, ¡°Shall we talk about it? Want me to enlighten you on a secret corner of this world?¡± Seeing that Brian had no intention of attacking, Vasily¡¯s emotions slightly eased. He gasped heavily, pausing for several seconds, then spoke in a low tone: ¡°After my father was killed and taken away by a group of people in black uniforms, I started a life of hiding. But those people were like hounds and caught me in just two days. I wasn¡¯t this powerful back then. They locked me in a place with only lighting, I don¡¯t know where it was, but there were many others like me imprisoned around me. All children of monsters. Some were just ordinary people. Some, like me, had inherited certain traits from their parents. A group of people in white coats would regularly extract our blood or inject us with anesthesia to conduct various experiments on our bodies. Do you know about apple trees? Some people, at least human-looking unfortunates, were hung on rows of rails like clothes, with syringes inserted into their bodies, which were connected to some undecipherable devices. The blood of these unfortunates would flow out of the tubes, pass through those devices, and then back into their bodies. This process would continue for many days. After various experiments and ability tests, I too was hung up there. Each time afterward, we would be weak for over a month, and for a long time afterward, we would feel utterly drained. Sometimes they¡¯d also give us some silicone products to extract genetic material. I was imprisoned for about half a year and hung up there five times. The last time, I was so weak I could not move. Then I was discarded as waste. They threw a lot of dying test subjects into a pit, leaving behind a stone slab. I don¡¯t know if it really was a stone slab, but it looked just like an ordinary board.¡± ¡°A board?¡± Brian interjected Vasily¡¯s words: ¡°Interesting, what happened next?¡± This board sounded like the two ¡®stone slabs¡¯ he had encountered before. One was the hypnotic stone slab in the prison. Another was a stone slab from the FBI at a base in the Rocky Mountains, which Brian possessed. Of course, the stone slab was in a safe. That safe, Brian had hidden in Canada, and he hadn¡¯t tried to open it yet. He intended to ask Dean before dealing with the safe. Seeing Brian interrupt his reminiscence, Vasily¡¯s bloodshot red eyes flickered slightly. The other party seemed very interested in this? He shook his head, trying to lower Brian¡¯s guard: ¡°Yes, a stone slab. Just a plain-looking stone slab. But once the thick entrance of the pit was closed, and it was pitch black, that stone slab was not so ordinary anymore. Its surface had been treated; once it was out of light, the things on it started to melt. I can see in the extreme dark. I remember it clearly. Then, that stone slab started talking... I don¡¯t know if it was talking, but a voice that seemed somewhat familiar started appearing in my mind. I couldn¡¯t understand what it was saying, but all kinds of unpleasant memories began to surface in my mind. I sensed something was wrong. So I started killing the people around me, trying to replenish my energy to escape, but there was no chance. In the end...¡± Tendons started to rise across the face of the woman that Vasily had taken over. He looked up at Brian who was listening intently: ¡°Do you know what I did last?¡± Brian rolled his eyes: ¡°This isn¡¯t a bedtime story. For a dignified farewell, I suggest you don¡¯t play coy with me.¡± Vasily cracked a smile: ¡°In the end, I killed myself... but then I came back to life, to be precise, it was my heart that kept me alive. It seems they were composting us, burying us at a farm. I crawled out of the ground, wriggling away from that area like a reptile. Only when I heard the sound of the waves did I realize I was on an island or along a coastal area. To save my life. I jumped straight into the sea. But my luck was bad, and I encountered a school of sharks. The sharks ate my body, then using my heart, I took over a shark¡¯s body, swam back to shore, then took over another unfortunate swimmer¡¯s body, which was my previous body. Oh, and before I escaped the island, I discovered something very interesting. About that stone slab. Do you know what? It was actually...¡± Seeing Brian engrossed, Vasily¡¯s mouth, which had opened wide, suddenly moved. Zzzt~ A large burst of black mist sprayed out from his mouth, enveloping Brian¡¯s upper body who was crouching in front of him. Almost simultaneously. His upper body, primed and ready, burst with bulging muscles, and his slender fist with howling Gang Wind ferociously smashed into the neck of Brian in front of him... Chapter 548: 294: Vasilys Magical Ability, Delivery! (5821 Combined)_3 Chapter 548: Chapter 294: Vasily¡¯s Magical Ability, Delivery! (5821 Combined)_3 With a crisp snap, Brian¡¯s eyes bulged, lips twitching twice, but his bulky figure was sent flying by Vasily¡¯s full-force punch, his twisted neck flailing, crashing heavily into the earth some seven or eight meters away. Seeing the dead-eyed Brian, Vasily burst into a hearty laugh. He struggled to rise but was stunned to find his thrown arm grotesquely broken. The shattered bone fragments pierced through flesh, making a sorry sight. ¡°This son of a bitch has tough skin!¡± Vasily cursed. He didn¡¯t care about the injury. To him, the body was just clothes to be changed at any time. As long as the heart wasn¡¯t injured, he wouldn¡¯t die! ... The sudden attack drained most of Vasily¡¯s stored energy, causing his temporary body, not yet enhanced by his own blood, to fracture in most bones and tear in the flesh, not even able to support him to stand. Helplessly, Vasily crawled towards the body of Brian, like a worm. This guy wasn¡¯t normal either. Frighteningly tough flesh. An explosive speed, even faster than his own. This was a body much more powerful than his own; once taken over, his strength could skyrocket! Thinking of the certainty of death turning around, Vasily¡¯s mood lightened, and the emotions nearly lost to control also greatly eased. After crawling seven or eight meters, He arrived beside the body of Brian. He looked at his stubbornly open eyes and laughed heartily, ¡°What an idiot. At six years old, I knew that in a fight, you have to hit hard, not waste words, or else you¡¯ll be ambushed. You don¡¯t even understand that, who else should die but you?¡± The pressure Brian had put on him was too great. Ever since Vasily started taking ¡®ointment¡¯ and got stronger and stronger, he hadn¡¯t seen someone with a flesh stronger than his. Yet his own body, in front of the other, was as fragile as paper. Great! Very powerful! But now it¡¯s mine! Vasily opened his mouth, ready to spit out his heart to start the parasitism. Suddenly, staring at Brian¡¯s clean face, he stiffened. That black mist was his Corrosive Poison essence, especially effective against flesh creatures. Even vaporized, not in liquid form, it should have less potency, but shouldn¡¯t it at least corrode the guy¡¯s face, or at least his eyes? Just then, In front of Vasily, the body of Brian with a twisted neck, suddenly turned his bulging eyes towards him, ¡°Vasily, you haven¡¯t told me the secret of the board yet.¡± Under his horrified gaze, Brian¡¯s hands accurately grasped his head, swayed left and right a couple of times, and realigned the dislocated spine. With two crackling sounds, Brian rose from the ground, twisted his neck, ¡°A bit tingling, feels pretty good. If you hadn¡¯t punched me and got crippled by the backlash, I might have actually wished for you to get up and give me a few more massages.¡± Saying this, He looked down at Vasily, who was lying on the ground staring at him like he¡¯d seen a ghost, and showed a kind smile, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m not some freak; in fact, I¡¯m just like you, a monster hiding in the human world.¡± Vasily still held his head up with his mouth open. He was a little unable to accept this reality. His nearly fatal punch just made this pretty boy itch? Vasily really wanted to say: No, I¡¯m not a monster, I¡¯m not worthy in front of you! His current body was female, and quite a good-looking, well-figured woman at that. Not to mention, this pose, from Brian¡¯s angle, had a certain disheveled beauty appeal. After a moment of silence, Vasily retracted his open mouth, his spirit broken, ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°Usually, the victor says a few heartfelt words over the body, so I wanted to see if you lied to me. If you hadn¡¯t opened your mouth to possess me, we could have played a little longer.¡± ¡°Play?¡± Vasily laboriously turned over, his bloodshot eyes lifelessly looking up at the sky, devoid of life, ¡°I don¡¯t know the secret of the board; earlier was just to grab your attention, to make ambushing you easier. Do whatever you want; I don¡¯t want to resist anymore.¡± Brian shrugged, ¡°Alright, one last question, why could you maintain some sanity and even think, while you were out of control?¡± Vasily was laughed out of anger. For the first time, he saw someone so shameless, looking at Brian like eyeing a crazy person, ¡°You¡¯re about to kill me, do you think I will still answer your questions?¡± Brian stroked his chin, ¡°You will.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t speak up, I¡¯ll hang you in the pigsty and feed the boar some medicine. Ever seen a breeding barn in action? That kind of medicine is potent, and once a boar takes it, it¡¯ll want to mount any hole it sees. Tsk, and you currently have three holes on your body...¡± His words struck a devastating blow to Vasily, who felt horror just imagining that scene. Although often a man-eating monster towards the weak, at his core, he was still a twisted psychopath grown from human society, with a basic sense of moral shame and not someone who simply didn¡¯t care about anything. Vasily compromised: ¡°It¡¯s simple, even though I don¡¯t know why you call me a descendant of the Mutants, we creatures who have inherited certain traits from our parents are indeed grotesque. Most of the time, we retain normal human thought, but when stimulated by certain triggers, we turn into real monsters and commit disgusting, uncontrollable acts, as if a split personality is controlling our bodies. I used to be the same. However, once I escaped from that island, I grew stronger. As long as I follow my body¡¯s instincts, I can barely maintain my sanity and become the master of my body. Of course, it¡¯s also possible that I have assimilated and become a new persona with unstable emotions, prone to radical actions, but at least I am now clearly aware of what I am doing.¡± ¡°There¡¯s such a thing...¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Good information. By the way, do you know what the organization that captured you is called?¡± Vasily: ¡°...Didn¡¯t you say the last question was the final one?¡± Brian¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°The boar...¡± Vasily closed his eyes in agony, ¡°It seems they were called ¡®Black Light¡¯ or something. I have a high resistance to anesthetics, and I overheard their conversations, but I can¡¯t recall clearly...¡± ¡°So it was them...¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Thank you.¡± The next moment, an afterimage flashed. The female corpse possessed by Vasily stiffened and completely stopped moving, reverting back to a corpse. In Brian¡¯s hand was now a pulsating, pitch-black heart. Gazing at this hideously ugly heart, his palm vibrated, splitting into countless afterimages as it shook at a high frequency. When Brian stopped, in his hand was a heart with a human face, covered in bulging black veins and tentacles, and the human face seemed to find peace. He waited a second or two. A dark red Obsession Little Ball then materialized above the heart. Looking at the Obsession Little Ball, Brian¡¯s lips curled into a light smile. Sure enough, brother, now you are truly dead. He had originally planned to use Vasily as experimental material, locked away in the Umbrella Company¡¯s laboratory. However, the other¡¯s abilities were somewhat miraculous. He wanted it! ... Crushed the Obsession Little Ball. Brian quickly tidied up the scene, took out his phone, and called his laboratory, instructing them to send a helicopter to pick up both the previous corpse that Vasily had occupied and the recently possessed female corpse, and take them back to the lab for refrigeration. Especially the other¡¯s heart. It was a precious experimental material. The human brain is a marvelous place. Even Brian couldn¡¯t be sure if he could survive with his brain blown to bits. After all, his Blood Moon Gift Ability required the use of psychic thoughts to drive Gift Energy to repair the body. Unfortunately, his consciousness was stored in the brain and not some sort of spirit as described in novels. Without a brain, where would the thoughts come from? Yet Vasily could rely on the heart to constantly parasite and switch bodies. It was miraculous. This ability was like having an extra life. Who wouldn¡¯t want it? ... Following that, Brian made another call to Green and had him and Ivan clean up the scene. After completing all this, Brian found a clean spot to sit down. It was time for the always exciting mystery box opening! With a thought, he began examining Vasily¡¯s Obsession. Chapter 549: 295 Spirit Completes Transformation, Consults About the Board Situation Chapter 549: Chapter 295 Spirit Completes Transformation, Consults About the Board Situation Vasily¡¯s obsession: to find the last murderer of his uncle¡¯s family. Gift One: 135 units of Gift Energy. Gift Two: 35 units of Gift Energy + Fake Ghoul Body. Gift Three: 1 unit of Gift Energy + Second Brain. At the end of his obsession, Vasily had intended to use police resources to find the last murderer¡¯s portrait and some information: a white male in his forties, with a general¡¯s belly and a small mustache. According to the information left by Vasily, this guy was named Hedra Tridway, a thug who treated prison like dining out and had been jailed several times for robbery and theft. Moreover, he had assaulted an unlucky female proprietor. However, due to the bail system, he hadn¡¯t remained in prison and was currently missing. Vasily had tracked Hedra and could confirm that the other man was still alive. Hedra did not seem like a good person. His body was covered in tattoos, but the most conspicuous was on his chest. There he had a tattoo of Jesus on the cross. Probably done when he was young, it had now been distorted by fat, making it look less like Jesus¡¯ suffering and more like Jesus¡¯s hands fixed on the cross, reaching forward for a hug... Anyway, the guy was quite recognizable and paying money might easily uncover clues. As for why Vasily couldn¡¯t find him, it was simply a matter of identity. Based on his previous description, Vasily had lived a very suppressed childhood and, although he had received some education, he wasn¡¯t good at socializing due to his distinctiveness and had no exposure to the dark world. Experiences shape thought. These experiences probably made Vasily unsure of how to utilize his abilities effectively. Of course, there might be some reasons unknown to Brian. None of that matters though. Brian just needed to know that the difficulty of completing this obsession wasn¡¯t high. This was a high-quality obsession. After estimating the difficulty of the obsession, Brian immediately focused on Vasily¡¯s two gifted talents. He was really envious of Vasily¡¯s talent for immortality. It would be a great supplement to his own survival. Moreover, by the name of the talent in Gift Three, it was apparently the one that Brian valued in Vasily. This delighted him. ... In his delight, Brian suddenly shivered. This shiver was not the creepy unease of a danger warning, nor was it due to feeling cold. It was more like the refreshing shiver of diving into cool water on a hot summer day. It was truly quite refreshing. Brian looked around in surprise, saw nothing, and then touched his pitted upper body. His upper body¡¯s clothing had been almost completely corroded by the black mist Vasily had expelled earlier, leaving large areas of chest muscle exposed, but those muscles felt warm, with no change in temperature. ¡°It¡¯s not a change in bodily temperature, then that cool and joyful feeling just now...¡± Brian suddenly thought of a possibility. With a thought, he checked his Spiritual Strength in the Supercomputer Perception Talent. He saw that his original 1.3 had completely transformed into 1.4, once again matching his physical strength. Brian looked unsurprised. However, the transformation in spirit wasn¡¯t as noticeable as the change from physical 1.3 to 1.4. In fact, Brian noticed no other changes in himself apart from that comfortable shiver. This transformation was even less notable than his previous ones from 1.1 to 1.2, or from 1.2 to 1.3. ¡°Could it be because my original Spiritual Strength was high enough that I didn¡¯t feel a significant change?¡± After pondering for a moment. Without any theoretical basis, Brian didn¡¯t dwell on this any longer. He wasn¡¯t one to split hairs. If something is unclear, he¡¯d leave it be. A breakthrough was, after all, a good thing. Pushing aside scattered thoughts, Brian refocused on Vasily¡¯s Gift Talents. Vasily¡¯s Gift Talents had two. Brian unexpectedly discovered that the descriptions of these two talents differed somewhat from the previous Obsession Gift Talents. To be precise. They included some origin explanations. The change was as follows: [Fake Ghoul Body Origin: Your father, because of experiences during his childhood, developed a liking for eating human flesh, and he madly worshiped the legendary ghouls. This empty reliance gave him a delusional sense of power to resist his alcoholic father who abused him. The Blood Moon fulfilled his desire. He became a living ghoul. As his direct and outstanding descendent, you awakened this trait of his. As a young man, after the latest round of Blood Moon Radiation, your bloodline underwent its first transformation. You became a true Mutant. Your talent far surpassed your father¡¯s!] [Fake Ghoul Body: The flesh of your kind is the source of your energy. By devouring the corpses of your kin, you can enhance your entire body, gaining Night Vision Eyes, Sharp Hearing, Sharp Sense of Smell, Extreme Speed, Extreme Recovery, Corrosive Stomach, Toxin Claws, Strong Poison Resistance, Fake Death... Note 1: Devouring a large quantity of the flesh of your kind in a short time will cause you to continually lose your reason, your craving for flesh will become increasingly severe, and when your stomach is unsatisfied, your risk of losing control greatly increases. Note 2: Faced with exposed flesh of your kind, your appetite will significantly increase, and your reason will substantially decrease. Note 3: Your body instinctively craves the flesh of your kind to fill it. When you feel emotionally out of control, eating can maintain your minimal reason and thinking, reducing your risk of losing control.] Chapter 550: 295 Spirit Completes Transformation, Consults About the Board Situation_2 Chapter 550: Chapter 295 Spirit Completes Transformation, Consults About the Board Situation_2 Brian¡¯s eyes widened in amazement as he read through the series of annotations. This talent was formidable. So comprehensive! Previously, Brian had only seen so many talents attached to a single talent in his great-uncle Billy¡¯s Beast Body. The thing was, his great-uncle¡¯s Beast Body could only acquire the corresponding beast talents by extracting the flesh and blood of the respective beasts, while Vasily¡¯s Fake Ghoul Body could just keep consuming the flesh of its own kind to automatically become stronger in all aspects. By comparison, Vasily¡¯s overall strength was now comparable to the two ape-like Mutant Beasts Brian had encountered a few months ago at Forest Park. Unfortunately, Brian was not the same as before. That¡¯s why Vasily was dead. And died quite frustratingly. At the same time, Brian also realized that the annotation changes to his Blood Moon Talent were probably related to the stage-by-stage increase in his Spiritual Strength. Although it didn¡¯t seem very useful. But he suspected that this was not the only change after reaching a Spiritual Strength of 1.4. The 1.4 physique greatly strengthened Brian¡¯s vitality, and the fiery blood in his body continued to enhance his physical strength in all aspects day after day. Over time, the change was absolutely huge. The improvements to his Spiritual Strength at 1.4 should be no less significant than the changes to his physique. Otherwise, it would be too low. ... ¡°Eh, if only there was a teacher for this kind of thing...¡± Brian sighed softly and continued to check the second talent. This talent was also one Brian really wanted¡ªSecond Brain. [Origin of Second Brain: Young as you were, you refused to die like this. You hated those research scientists who treated you like a lab animal. You hated the security personnel who captured you and your father. You wished for a chance to start over, so you initiated a Fake Death. Under the mysterious radiation of XR rays, the Mutation bloodline from your father underwent a second Transformation. You completed your first Mutation. The residual radiation of the Blood Moon inside you followed your will and underwent a wondrous change. Your Blood Moon Gift underwent a Transformation. You gained a second life. Your heart, congealed a drop of Original Blood, underwent a wondrous change. The Original Blood could carry your consciousness. This life was fragile but also very powerful.] [Second Brain: You can choose an area to condense a drop of Original Blood. The Original Blood will carry your consciousness, giving your consciousness a second residence. Note 1: Condensation of Original Blood requires a large amount of energy, as it is your second body. Note 2: Each time you switch bodies, your Original Blood will be permanently depleted a portion, used to modify your new body. During this process, your consciousness will be tainted. Frequently switching bodies in a short period will exponentially increase your chances of losing control. Note 3: The Original Blood can recover, but the time needed is very long. When the Original Blood is depleted by more than half, it will no longer be able to carry your consciousness. Note 4: Your consciousness can freely be stored in both the brain and Second Brain, which ensures that you maintain basic rationality even under extreme emotional fluctuations: you know you¡¯ve gone mad, but you don¡¯t care.] After reading the annotations for the Second Brain talent, Brian¡¯s face showed pleasure. The talent had some side effects, but they were acceptable. At the very least, if he possessed this talent, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about dying one day due to sudden brain damage, preventing him from using his consciousness to drive the Gift Energy to repair body injuries. In other words. With the Second Brain talent, Brian could really play around with the skill of removing his own head. Conversely. If his Second Brain was damaged, perhaps he could also use Gift Energy to repair it. That was awesome! This meant that so long as Brian hid the location of his Second Brain well, it would be very difficult to kill him in one go. Unless his entire being was physically destroyed, he would essentially have no real weaknesses. No matter how dire the situation, as long as it wasn¡¯t the crisis of a Nuclear Bomb landing on him, he could escape by dismemberment and then return by Parasitism. Freak! It was seriously freakish! The talent wasted on Vasily was like casting pearls before swine, a gem hidden in the dark. Now following Brian, it was switching from darkness to light. Before Vasily¡¯s obsession was fulfilled, Brian began to fantasize about where he would place his Second Brain. The Second Brain¡¯s fundamental element was Source Blood. Brian didn¡¯t know what that was, but ¡®blood¡¯ suggested it was flexible and could be set anywhere he wanted. So, what location was least likely to be attacked or noticed? Reaching this question, Brian suddenly looked down at his little brother. His little brother had suffered a lot with him over the years. During his student days, he had worked diligently without complaining and wasn¡¯t afraid of dampness, mining in dark caves to help Brian with a great deal of financial support. Now it was time for him to repay his little brother. Brian decided that after completing Vasily¡¯s obsession, he would set the Second Brain on his little brother. He would have a brain, and his little brother would have another that was in sync with his own. This was truly ¡®two brothers with one mind, their sharpness cutting through gold.¡¯ Of course, there was another main reason. The Second Brain was fundamentally a life-saving talent for Parasitic Transfers. Brian wasn¡¯t sure if he would ever use it. If he really needed to, placing the Second Brain in his little brother would also prevent him from feeling disgusted after a Parasitic rebirth. Chapter 551: 295 Spirit Completes Transformation, Consults About the Board Situation_3 Chapter 551: Chapter 295 Spirit Completes Transformation, Consults About the Board Situation_3 Brother, it¡¯s indeed more comfortable when it¡¯s your own flesh and blood giving orders! ¡°Little brother, the decision is made, it¡¯s going to be you!¡± Brian clenched his fist, firming up his decision. ... The helicopter from Umbrella Company¡¯s laboratory, while starting farther away from Brian¡¯s location, arrived even more swiftly. Upon reaching the coordinates, with the advantage of the bird¡¯s-eye view from midair, the pilot easily spotted Brian and began searching for a place to land. After the helicopter landed, a bald man jumped out with four fully armed security guards. This bald man was Gandob, the temporary manager of the laboratory appointed by Brian. Carrying a specially made box, he hurried towards Brian: ¡°Boss, as soon as I received your message, I immediately came over in person.¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Yes, Gandob, you¡¯re very efficient, I trust you completely.¡± Speaking, he pointed to the two corpses and the grotesque heart he had laid out in advance: ¡°These are the bodies of two Mutants I just killed. Take them back for refrigeration, especially that heart, it¡¯s quite special and needs to be stored separately.¡± Gandob nodded repeatedly: ¡°No problem, boss. Regarding all research aspects, do these two bodies need to be added to the list for research materials?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wait until the research institute is back on track.¡± Brian said dismissively. At present, he really didn¡¯t have time to focus on the institute, so he just had the new Researchers continue the in-depth research based on the documents left by their predecessors. Whenever someone made a breakthrough, he would decide to promote one of the outstanding Researchers to lead a project for more in-depth biological research. Being a boss, one can¡¯t be lazy, otherwise, what kind of boss would that be! More than ten minutes after Gandob and his group left with the bodies, Green and Ivan also arrived with two police officers... ... The serial killings at the farm¡¯s crematorium were directly closed by Brian. As an autonomous organization, members of NW¡¯s Operations Division had the authority to conclusively end an investigation. Of course, they also needed to submit a closing report or suspension report afterwards. NW¡¯s Internal Affairs had special personnel for random checks to ensure the stable operation of the division. Rules are rules, but realistically, with the identities of Brian and Susan as open Second-level Staff, there wouldn¡¯t be any foolish Internal Affairs staff looking for trouble with Team B6. Normally, Second-level Staff wouldn¡¯t fancy staying on the front lines of the Operations Division. Team B6 was an exception. Of course, in this case, the killer was indeed Vasily. He intended to use the police force¡¯s power to find the surviving killer from those years ago, and also to probe into the government¡¯s ¡®mystical¡¯ forces, getting a glimpse into the real side of this world. Unfortunately for him, he was unlucky to encounter Brian and due to Brian¡¯s hastily made arrangements, which caused a premature reaction after seeing the female cop, revealing his special traits and leading to Brian¡¯s pursuit, eventually becoming one among the countless souls in Brian¡¯s hands, and even presenting a big ¡®obsession¡¯ gift. In this case, the only one who really got unlucky was the few classmates whose bodies were occupied by Vasily, as well as the female cop Shara sent by Brian. The few college students who died, Brian felt indifferent. Vasily was just a neurotic with unstable emotions, staying with him, even if everything went smoothly, could still lead to being eaten by him due to some other reason. Their tragic deaths within this incident could only be chalked up to their poor fate. The female cop Shara, however, was different. Dying in the line of duty while on public duty was an inherent risk of the profession. Upon joining, they had to be ready for potential sacrifice at any time. Still, Brian felt somewhat guilty. He wasn¡¯t a good person, but under the premise of ensuring his own interests, he treated his own people rather well. Hence, on top of the normal compensation for dying in the line of duty provided by the town¡¯s police station, he gave an additional seven-figure cheque to Shara¡¯s family. Money couldn¡¯t bring Shara back to life, but at least it could make the lives of the family members Shara cared about a little better, and it also eased his conscience a bit. After dealing with all of this, it was already the wee hours of the morning. ... The next day was a rest day. With so many squads and teams in NW, a rotational rest system was adopted. And Team B6 was left mostly to themselves. They could choose their own days off and then take a break. But no one did that. Apart from the staff with cases on their hands, everyone else took two days of unified rest. If there were cases within the jurisdiction, the reporting center would also directly contact their private phones. Resting together was convenient for them to gather, have household parties, and bond. Due to the nature of the profession, although they had only been working together for a few months, the relationships had warmed up quickly, and the camaraderie was genuine. After all, in times of danger, your partners are each other¡¯s backup. But Brian didn¡¯t join everyone¡¯s gathering this time. He had made an appointment with old Dean. He had encountered the mystery artifact again. He suspected it might be some kind of destiny. Plus, the artifact was related to the Biological Nuclear Weapons mentioned by Brother Octopus Benjamin, and Brian had even managed to get a piece from the FBI base. He needed to find out what this thing was as soon as possible. Consulting with Dean became his most logical choice. ... The two met at a coffee shop. Upon seeing each other, Dean looked at Brian like he had seen a ghost. His eyes widened, ¡°FK, Brian, I haven¡¯t seen you in over a month. What have you been through recently?¡± Brian: ? Ever since his last exchange with Dean at the bottom of the sea, apart from being frequently bullied by Susan, he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d gone through anything else. What was with Dean¡¯s reaction? Chapter 552: 296: Dark History, Blood Moon Afterglow Plate - Pandoras Box! (6421 in One) Chapter 552: Chapter 296: Dark History, Blood Moon Afterglow Plate ¨C Pandora¡¯s Box! (6421 in One) Brian: ??? Facing Dean¡¯s question, he looked at himself in confusion and wondered, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me?¡± Nothing seemed different. In this regard, Brian, who possessed a great deal of Perception Talent, was still very confident. Dean looked at Brian as if he were a monster, ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, the standard for recognizing a Third Rank Life is the biological magnetic field within the body, right?¡± Brian nodded, ¡°Yes, and this biological magnetic field is different from the normal biological field of our bodies. The biological field is intangible and difficult to control, but the life magnetism can be controlled by you. You even used this ability to develop the technique of Shock Fist.¡± ¡°Right!¡± Dean waved his hand, and the outside sounds immediately ceased. He looked at Brian seriously, ¡°Actually, the biological magnetic field is our biological field. They are intangible things that our bodies emit to the outside. The stronger the life entity, the stronger the biological field it emits, but aside from causing some psychological discomfort to other life entities, it does no actual harm and can¡¯t help you directly influence material. But if you add a spark inside, it¡¯s different. Do you feel this soundproof layer? This is an outward emission of the magnetic field. With my will, the air around us is separated, forming a vacuum layer centered around us, so the noises from the outside can¡¯t reach inside, and the noises from inside can¡¯t get out. Do you understand now?¡± Brian was not a fool. Following Dean¡¯s words and reflecting on them a few times, he grasped the core concepts: ¡°Spark... Intention...¡± Brian realized, ¡°The spark is our consciousness, and when consciousness merges with the biological field, it can become life magnetism, which influences the material of the outside world according to our thoughts?¡± Dean nodded appreciatively, ¡°Correct, this is the biggest difference between Third Rank Life and Second Rank Life. A mere biological field, no matter how strong, can only induce a sense of oppression, but only when it¡¯s merged with the intangible essence of the spirit can it bring about actual changes.¡± Then, He picked up a spoon from the table, stared at it intently. The next moment, The spoon seemed to twist under an invisible force, bending. After doing all this, like someone who had been tilling for three days and three nights, Dean put down the spoon somewhat tiredly, ¡°The reason I was surprised when I saw you is because in my magnetic field perception, your life force appeared like a extinguished torch, but your spiritual radiance was like a candle just lit, already possessing the foundation and potential for advancing to Third Rank Life, you are just lacking some time.¡± His tone carried a trace of indelible shock. As a rare genius of the NW organization, in terms of strength and growth speed, Dean had never admired anyone besides that man. Until he met the shameless Brian. This guy shamelessly flirted with his daughter and continually irritated him... Of course, Dean wasn¡¯t tired of Brian¡¯s personality. Because that¡¯s just who he was. But when he discovered that Brian repeatedly refreshed his understanding of him and realized that the other person was even more talented than himself, he felt somewhat defeated. Not only did this guy steal his precious daughter, it seemed that his talent was also greater than his own. Dean really wanted to ask, ¡°Why did God favor this jerk so much? Is it fair? ... Dean¡¯s expression and tone did not hide his feelings. Brian sensed it. While feeling secretly thrilled, he seriously said, ¡°By the way, Dean, why can¡¯t I perceive this life magnetic field?¡± He could see the spectral lines of light, and from light projections, sounds, smells, and many other sensory levels, he could observe a certain thing, even directly ¡°seeing¡± every strong life force¡¯s invisible biological field radiated outward. But the few times Dean used the life magnetic field, he hadn¡¯t perceived it, only able to determine through changes in the surrounding environment that there was something around Dean. Dean straightened the bent spoon listlessly, ¡°It¡¯s simple, as I said, life magnetism is essentially using intangible spiritual power to mobilize the biological field within your body. What spiritual power is, I don¡¯t really understand now, but its carrier can only be observed with spiritual power, just like I can see your spiritual radiance.¡± Hearing this, Brian was startled, ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean our strength hiding is meaningless in the eyes of you Third Rank Lives?¡± Dean shook his head, ¡°No. Spiritual Radiance is miraculous. Before reaching a certain level, it only exists within our bodies, unperceivable and unobservable, just like you can¡¯t see ghosts in the outside world. In fact, I¡¯ve seen life entities with Spiritual Radiance, including you, and not more than five. Besides you, they are all genuine Third Rank Lives. That¡¯s why I was so shocked earlier. I also only understood the close relationship between the intangible spirit and the physical body after barely breaking through to Third Rank Life. They influence each other. Theoretically, unless it¡¯s those incalculable Mutants, whether it¡¯s Transformed People or Beastification Transformed People, the stronger the physical body, the stronger the intangible Spiritual Strength will become, and the higher the possibility of breaking through to Third Rank Life. Ordinary people, including Second Rank Lives, strictly speaking, do not have the soil to cultivate such a strong spiritual body. Their Spiritual Radiance can¡¯t even break through their own bodies, radiating outward. That¡¯s why Third Rank Lives are so rare.¡± Chapter 553: 296: Dark History, Blood Moon Afterglow Plate - Pandoras Box! (6421 Combined)_2 Chapter 553: Chapter 296: Dark History, Blood Moon Afterglow Plate ¨C Pandora¡¯s Box! (6421 Combined)_2 To be honest, even if you had told me a month ago that you had broken through to Second Rank Life, I really didn¡¯t hold out much hope that you would break through to Third Rank Life. Every Third Rank Life that emerges is a miracle of evolution, irreplicable, and very hard to learn from. Brian, to a certain extent, once your physical body reaches a certain critical point, you can naturally ignite your Biological Field and transform into a Third Rank Life. FK! What the hell did you go through to ignite your Spiritual Radiance in just over a month?¡± Dean grew angrier as he spoke: ¡°God is so unfair! Third Rank Life, is a truly non-human existence, one that can single-handedly influence a whole region, essentially a walking missile. I faced countless dangers, relying on all sorts of luck, to get where I am today. Come on, tell me, what have you experienced recently?¡± Brian:.. It seems his breakthrough to a Spirit Attribute of 1.4 really did rile Dean up. When he followed Susan to the island and first met Dean, then verbally provoked him, Dean had never gotten this emotional.. Seeing old Dean shocked by his presence. This kind of feeling is quite exhilarating. But Dean is, after all, Susan¡¯s dad, and I am his son-in-law, and considering the substantial inheritance that lies behind him, I should mind my manners. He feigned embarrassment and said, ¡°Dean, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re overreacting?¡± ¡°Overreacting?¡± Dean felt his fist clenched: ¡°You think there are a lot of Third Rank Lives? No! Not at all! Around the globe, with more than seven billion humans, including those Mutants and the Undersea Mutant Beasts, there are probably less than a hundred known Third Rank Lives! This is the accumulation of data over more than sixty years after the Blood Moon, in a population of billions, countless species of animals! The majority of small countries, most animal packs, not even one Third Rank Life exists. So few Third Rank Lives, scattered across the lands and oceans of the world... You think about it yourself! This group is much rarer than you might imagine. If you tell the NW organization about this now, you could receive invitations from all of the big families in the NW organization, and they would pay a great cost to have you sleep with their family women. Whichever one you want, as long as you can sire offspring with them. Because Third Rank Lives can almost never have children, but you¡¯re different, you¡¯re not yet a Third Rank Life, and there¡¯s a chance your genes could be integrated into their families. Of course, it would be best if you didn¡¯t entertain such thoughts! Because if you dare do so, I will kill you and everyone in that family, then bury you all under my new agricultural farm to nurture those lovely Blood-colored Cannibal Flowers.¡± Brian:.. What the hell. What do you mean ¡®your agricultural farm¡¯? The Blood-colored Cannibal Flowers were clearly developed by people under me. This old Dean really has no shame. .. Brian rolled his eyes: ¡°First, the farm belongs to me and Susan, you are just a rent collector and a guard, and second, my love for Susan is as true as the day and the moon, are the assumptions you made just now an insult to my character?¡± Hearing this, Dean sneered: ¡°Character? Are you referring to the character you show charging one to two thousand US dollars per night? Or maybe your flexible moral bottom line serving at least a thousand different members of the opposite sex?¡± Facing Dean¡¯s sharp taunts, Brian really couldn¡¯t come up with a retort. No way around it. He didn¡¯t even think that in the future he would be so awesome, so in his younger days, unknowingly straying from the path, he took up the part-time job of a vehicle appraiser. If he became famous in the future. That part of his history was destined to become his dark past; his appraisal certificates might end up in auction and sell for a high price.. At this moment, Brian somewhat understood why his former movie star teachers rarely chose to marry after retiring. Imagine, when those teachers¡¯ children grow up, innocent and learning the fight scenes of action movies, only to see their own parents... What an awkward scene that would be. He seemed to be facing this risk. Dean brought up his dark history right off the bat; even Brian¡¯s thick-skinned face was finding it hard to withstand the blows. It was that he had no means of counterattack. Brian could only unabashedly retort: ¡°There¡¯s no high or low in professions, all in the service of the people. Without my hard work day and night, so many high-quality used cars wouldn¡¯t be available for everyone to test drive. This is a great part-time job that shouldn¡¯t be insulted by your words, Dean! You have such a narrow view!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Dean snickered: ¡°I¡¯m relieved to hear you say that. There is something I forgot to tell you. The women you previously came into contact with in your part-time job, I¡¯ve already arranged for people to meet them, and purchased all the appraisal certificates you issued, also making sure you haven¡¯t left any unwanted offspring. In that regard, you still have professional principles. However, I suggest you speak to me with more respect in the future, otherwise so many appraisal certificates..¡± Brian was not a man who liked being threatened. He shrugged nonchalantly: ¡°Oh, go ahead and share them if you will. I suggest you set up a separate museum named ¡®The Secret Life of Brian,¡¯ and I¡¯ll take your grandchildren there for a visit someday, especially the two with you..¡± Dean¡¯s face darkened bit by bit. If you have no shame, you¡¯re invincible! He still underestimated Brian¡¯s shamelessness. ... Seeing that the timing was about right, and pressing the issue might get Dean to give him a beating, Brian dropped the topic. Chapter 554: 296: Dark History, Blood Moon Afterglow Plate - Pandoras Box! (6421 in one)_3 Chapter 554: Chapter 296: Dark History, Blood Moon Afterglow Plate ¨C Pandora¡¯s Box! (6421 in one)_3 He straightened his expression: ¡°Dean, the main reason I called you here is that when I took over the research institute at Black Light Biotechnology, I found something quite magical. They call it the Potata Band Reflector, said to be some kind of Brainwasher (Chapter 211). There¡¯s no record of it in texts or online, and it¡¯s packed in a box, but it can hypnotize living beings on a conscious level..¡± ¡°Blood Moon Afterglow Plate!¡± Upon hearing this, Dean¡¯s expression changed slightly, ¡°Are you saying, the people at Black Light Biotechnology are carrying out the ¡®Demon¡¯s Whispers¡¯ plan?¡± Brian shook his head in confusion, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. The research institute¡¯s records only mention a brainwasher. I never actually opened the box. A man sent by that Benjamin came and took the box away, and for that, Susan and I were given a few Enhancement Reagents to keep us quiet.¡± Dean was silent for a moment before speaking in a displeased tone, ¡°Bullshit brainwasher, that thing is known as the ¡®Demon¡¯s Whispers¡¯ plan, developed from the principle of something called the ¡®Blood Moon Afterglow Plate¡¯. Anyway, it¡¯s a weapon akin to biological nuclear weapons, uncontrollable and extremely dangerous. I thought they had destroyed the research a long time ago, but it was just moved to Black Light Biotechnology!¡± ¡°Blood Moon Afterglow Plate..¡± A thrill passed through Brian¡¯s heart. Indeed, Dean, formerly a senior member of the NW organization, knew the origins of that mysterious plate. Brian coughed lightly, ¡°When Susan and I touched that box, we didn¡¯t feel any effects. Is this thing that exaggerated?¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Dean gave Brian a disdainful look. He took a deep breath, ¡°The inspiration for ¡®Demon¡¯s Whispers¡¯ came from the Blood Moon Afterglow Plate. The box you saw was probably just an individual instrument. The real ¡®Demon¡¯s Whispers¡¯ consists of tens of thousands of similar devices, forming a pheromone deployment group that can interact with each other, eventually forming something very weird!¡± ¡°Very weird?¡± Brian did not ask directly about the Blood Moon Afterglow Plate but chose to continue probing. Dean nodded, ¡°Do you know what the full name of the Blood Moon Afterglow Plate is? Its full name is the Blood Moon Afterglow Plate! This thing isn¡¯t a product of Earth but rather appeared after the Blood Moon phenomenon. The United States, the European Union, and Russia... in short, the two strongest alliances on Mercury during a relatively harmonious period, gathered the world¡¯s top scientists and developed a manned Moon landing project. The Blood Moon was terrifying. Its radiation unnaturally affected the entire planet. Everyone was panicked about the unknown. This forced everyone to choose cooperation. Eventually, the project was a success. The five strongest astronauts selected at the time successfully set foot on the Moon, leaving humanity¡¯s first footprints and discovering the Blood Moon Afterglow Plate on the surface. It¡¯s a very evil thing. No one knows how it formed. But it has a kind of invisible wavelength similar to Blood Moon Radiation, which can directly affect living entities. Those five astronauts, upon returning with the discovered Blood Moon Afterglow Plate, all fell into comas, some immediately undergoing mutations, and some are still in comas today, with no one knowing what they went through. After experiments, the only certainty was that the Blood Moon Afterglow Plate itself didn¡¯t have such a strong effect. Anyway, because of this, the Moon exploration project was declared terminated. Everyone feared bringing uncontrollable things back that could prematurely trigger a human disaster. As for those Blood Moon Afterglow Plates, they were divided among the United States, Russia, and the European Union. A total of twelve pieces were brought back. The United States received four. As far as I know, Based on these miraculous plates, various wondrous items were developed and modified, but the original plates, I don¡¯t know where they are hidden, only successive Federal Presidents are privy to that information, besides the largest official organizations in each state also regularly arrange for people to be sent to that unknown base to research the Blood Moon Afterglow Plates. ¡®Demon¡¯s Whispers¡¯ was a project proposed by researchers from the NW organization after returning. Initially, the purpose was to curb the increasingly powerful maritime mutant creatures. It could spread a kind of pheromone, and when tens of thousands of carriers gathered, this influence would be amplified, instantaneously sweeping across all organisms in the region with an effect similar to Blood Moon Radiation, but more cruel and indiscriminate. Crucially it doesn¡¯t kill instantly, and the effect is also unstable. Such a weapon, unable to be accurately controlled before, is undoubtedly very dangerous. In the end, the project was sealed under a vote by the first generation leaders of the NW organization. I didn¡¯t expect it was just a superficial closure.¡± Dean showed a mocking smile, ¡°This is only the NW organization. As for the European Union and Russia, even other official organizations of the Federation, no one knows whether any weapons based on the Blood Moon Afterglow Plate were developed. Humans always have an astonishing obsession with destruction. That¡¯s why I¡¯d rather call it Pandora¡¯s box. It gave everyone even more means to kill their own kind.¡± Listening to Dean, Brian too fell silent. Indeed. Guns, rifles, machine guns, cannons, bombs, nuclear bombs, hydrogen bombs... Tanks, planes... Every major war is a period of rapid development in modern technology. Both of them lost the desire to continue their conversation. When it was time to part, Brian asked Dean, ¡°Have you seen the real Blood Moon Afterglow Plate?¡± Dean shook his head, ¡°No, but I know a bit.¡± Chapter 555: 296: Dark History, Blood Moon Afterglow Plate - Pandoras Box! (6421 Combined)_4 Chapter 555: Chapter 296: Dark History, Blood Moon Afterglow Plate ¨C Pandora¡¯s Box! (6421 Combined)_4 The carrier of this thing, was random stone plates. The Afterglow Plates would emit a kind of undetectable bandwidth, a bandwidth that could be blocked by lead plates, and each individual plate emitted a different bandwidth. It was said that living creatures could feel the difference upon approaching. Some people said that these plates were like the glassified sand left after a nuclear test from Blood Moon radiation, carriers of contaminated information. Others argued that the Blood Moon phenomenon was caused by the resonance of these Afterglow Plates, which were experimental means of another higher civilization. We were being observed by that alien civilization, like lab rats in a glass cage... There were so many theories, and they all sounded quite plausible. However, these Afterglow Plates had something in common. That was division and Mutation. Each Afterglow Plate could be cut. The smaller the volume, the weaker the Mutation effect. Furthermore, any life form that was in contact with these things for a long time would be slowly Mutated by the Afterglow Plates, becoming entities similar to Mutants and Mutant Beasts. If the creature was already a Mutant or Mutant Beast, or even one of the Beastification People, once they came into contact with this thing, they would also be Mutated, and the effect would be even more pronounced, which could lead to them losing control and, in some cases, committing suicide. This was the real reason why the high-end combat power of the Mutants, although obviously not weak, always had to stay hidden. They were not afraid of modern weapons, but rather of the various restriction weapons made from Afterglow Plates. So, the Afterglow Plates were very dangerous to living individuals.¡± As he spoke, he suddenly lifted his head and looked seriously at Brian, ¡°Remember, don¡¯t touch it, at least not until you¡¯ve given me the grandchildren you promised, Mr. Yagyuu Kojirou!¡± This obviously meant Dean already knew about his deeds in the Rocky Mountains. Brian... He knew that his actions could not be hidden from Dean, who knew too much about him. Fortunately, old Logan was his father-in-law. If it were someone else, he probably would have been taken away and imprisoned by old Logan, who would torture him for his secrets. After all, it was difficult to grow to Brian¡¯s level in just a few months without great talent. Some of his actions, due to his obsession, were also quite whimsical and illogical. Luckily, Dean was not a boundaryless old Logan, otherwise Brian would have had to forsake his current identity and start a new life under a different name. As for dying... Brian didn¡¯t think old Logan had the ability to kill him in an instant. He had already grown strong enough. As long as old Logan couldn¡¯t kill him instantly, Brian figured he had ways to escape. ... Tap tap~ Watching Brian in thought, Dean tapped the table and stood up, ¡°I¡¯m leaving now, contact me if you need anything.¡± As he left, the previously silenced noises outside started filling his ears again. Watching Dean¡¯s departing figure, Brian withdrew his gaze. He was certain that the box he had obtained from the FBI plane escaping the Rocky Mountains contained an Afterglow Plate. This world was a bit different from his previous life. In his past life, the United States had an organization similar to national security that counterbalanced the FBI¡¯s special service. In this life, the FBI¡¯s power was exceptionally great, with official organizations scattered across various states that undercut their power and influence. Outside, there were the CIA and the military creating checks and balances, and among the capital, there were research institutes established either in cooperation with officials or privately... In the midst of chaos, a new order had arisen. To some extent, the current FBI, spread throughout the entire Federation, maintained the Federation¡¯s constitution, it was just a facade. The real source of their power lay in the many strong special service teams. Such a behemoth having the right to use one or two Afterglow Plates was quite normal. ¡°I just don¡¯t know if the Afterglow Plate inside the box is whole or a cut part... and I also don¡¯t know if this thing has any effect on me; otherwise, according to Dean, the Afterglow Plate is like kryptonite to Superman...¡± Thinking of this possibility, Brian¡¯s face darkened. He wouldn¡¯t allow such a scenario to unfold! He planned to go to Canada tonight to bring back the box! Damn it! Superman is Superman, but he, Brian, is Brian! Even if the Afterglow Plate was kryptonite, he intended to use his Super Adaptation Talent to forcibly adapt to the Mutation of the Afterglow Plate! ... In the middle of the night, a silhouette, with the roar of a sonic boom, flew through the clouds under the moonlight, marveling at the bizarre sight while speeding toward the border city of Canada. Just as the figure was about to reach the long boundary line between the United States and Canada, Boom~ An endless forest below suddenly emitted a vibrating sound. Brian slowed down for a moment as he looked down. He saw, some ten kilometers below, a massive wolf-shaped creature standing on a huge monster covered in muscular tumors, easily three meters long, howling at the moon above... ¡°Owooo~~~ Cough cough~~¡± Suddenly, the howling of the wolf-shaped creature turned into a coughing sound. Its crimson eyes blandly stared at the moon above. What flew above, a giant bat? Watching the dumbfounded wolf-shaped creature, Brian licked his lips. Having flown for so long, he was getting a bit hungry. Chapter 556 - 297: Abnormal Blood Werewolf Family, The Paddle is Gone! (6300, Two in One) Chapter 556: Chapter 297: Abnormal Blood Werewolf Family, The Paddle is Gone! (6300, Two in One) Brian stood with his back to the bright moon, his wings unmoving, suspended midair by the airflow, looking down at the battlefield below. If he remembered correctly, below was the Sentinel Base close to the border of the United States and Canada. Really, it was just some broken houses. Of course, there were no barriers between the two countries. They had simply cut a car-accessible clearing through the forest and used this as the borderline. Residents from both sides could go shopping next door at any time, and no one would interfere. Brian¡¯s box with the Twilight Plate inside was buried not far away. Huh? Thinking of this, Brian suppressed his hunger and cast an unfriendly glance downward. Big wolf dog... Monster... Damn! Could someone have dug up his box? As his gaze became unfriendly, the big wolf dog still howling at the sky below shivered, feeling an icy chill run down its spine. It hesitated not even for a moment, no longer caring about the enemies and loot on the ground. With a flash, it darted toward the forest on the Canadian side on all fours, running madly. The last time it had felt this kind of danger was when it was targeted by over twenty heavy sniper rifles. The guy above was very dangerous! But how could Brian let it escape so easily? With a shrill sonic boom, he descended from the sky with a hurricane, standing in front of the over three-meter-tall werewolf: "Sorry, buddy, you can¡¯t pass this way." The over three-meter-tall werewolf exuded an overwhelming sense of oppression. It was too large, its body sleek, its muscles bulging, radiating a raw blend of speed and power. Seeing Brian, who only reached up to its chest, the gigantic abnormal being reacted as if it had seen a ghost¡ªtoo scared to even speak, it turned to try and flee the other way. The next moment. Boom~ With a loud crash, tall trees were snapped midway. The werewolf, on all fours, let out a pained howl as Brian kicked it flying four or five meters, and it only stopped when it crashed into a large tree, breaking it in half. It coughed up mouthfuls of fresh blood and fragments of shattered organs, its large eyes looking at Brian with terror. This guy, encased in black keratin, was even more horrifying than it had imagined! As he watched the werewolf floundering on the spot, Brian¡¯s eyes showed surprise. After landing, he smelled the pheromones emitted from the other¡¯s body. Well. This guy gave off a very peculiar sensation: not a Mutant, not a Beastification Person; in fact, devoid of any biologically unique human pheromones¡ªif he closed his eyes, Brian could almost believe he was dealing with a real North American gray wolf. The other¡¯s strength was rather average, merely perched at the critical point of a First Rank life. But the pheromones were filled with a youthful scent. The other couldn¡¯t be that old. Thinking it over, Brian cocked his head and looked at him: "Mutant?" The werewolf shook its head. "Beastification Person?" The werewolf lay on the ground and shook its head again. "Offspring of a Mutant?" This time, the werewolf seemed conflicted. After spitting out a large mouthful of clotted blood, it roughly said, "My name is Kokuvi Bryan, from the Bryan family of Canada¡¯s Northwest region. We are the offspring of the union between Mutants and Beastification People." "The Bryan family?" Brian thought he must have misheard. He knew about the Northwest region¡ªit was one of the three territories in Canada¡¯s first-level administrative divisions, located in the northwest and near the Arctic Circle, adjacent to Alaska in the United States, a vast, scarcely populated region of 1.17 million square kilometers with just tens of thousands of residents. But when did this frigid northern territory get a Bryan family! If Susan found out about this, she¡¯d shoot him without hesitation! Kokuvi thought Brian knew of the Bryan family and lifted his head proudly: "Yes, our Bryan family is one of the first new Abnormal Bloodline Families, having survived for three generations, over fifty years. The strongest among us has reached Second Rank life, making us one of the top Abnormal Bloodline Families in Canada." Slap~ Brian slapped him: "Just answer the question, what are you looking up for? Fifty years and only a Second Rank life, where do you get the nerve to be proud?" Kokuvi was left seeing stars from the slap. He quickly lowered his head with a hint of grievance: "I was just answering your question." Slap~ Brian slapped him again: "Did I ask you to speak?" Kokuvi became even more aggrieved. His three-meter-tall form, with swollen lips, resembled a husky uniformly stung by bees on both cheeks, head bowed in silence. Kokuvi was beginning to regret coming out to play. People outside really were as mean as his sister had said! As he thought to himself, tears began to mist in Kokuvi¡¯s large eyes: Sister, save me! .. Watching the tears form in the other¡¯s eyes, Brian:.. No. Bro, you were howling at the moon with such passion, but now two slaps make you cry? This contrast made him uncomfortable, like bullying a small child. He cleared his throat: "Don¡¯t cry, I¡¯ll still hit you if you cry." Kokuvi sniffled, wanting to wipe his eyes, but then he realized the kick from Brian had also broken his hefty wolf claws, leaving him powerless. His anxiety shattered, he sniffled again and truly started crying: "Wuu... Awoo wuu wuu.."