In the dim light of the abandoned platform, the man in the black trench coat, like an elegant predator, scrutinized Su Nian, who was tightly protecting Xie Chen behind him. The compass-like instrument (star tracker?) in his hand was pointed at Xie Chen, emitting a continuous and rapid hum, and its eerie blue light flickered wildly.
"What an amazing energy reaction..." the man murmured in admiration, his gaze burning as if he were admiring a rare treasure. "Even suppressed to this extent by the rules of this barren world, it is still as conspicuous as a lighthouse in the dark night. No wonder the hyenas of the 'Purification Sequence' pounced on it as if they smelled blood."
"Purification Sequence"? "Hyena"? Does he mean "Cleanser" and the Main God Space? Alarm bells rang in Su Nian's mind, and her body tensed up even more, like a mother beast protecting her cubs, firmly blocking Xie Chen in front of her.
"Who are you? What do you want?" Her voice trembled slightly with tension and exhaustion, but her eyes were unusually sharp, fixed on the other person.
The man chuckled, put away the star tracker, and spread his hands in a slightly exaggerated "harmless" gesture. "Don't be nervous, beautiful lady. If I were part of the 'Purification Sequence,' you would already be packed into cryogenic hibernation pods and on your way to some laboratory."
He took two steps forward and stopped about three meters away from Su Nian. His gaze fell on the brooch on her collar, which exuded a slight chill, and a knowing look flashed in his eyes.
“My name is Ling Mo,” he introduced himself, his tone as casual as if he were chatting in a coffee shop. “An independent researcher who is interested in ‘anomalies’ and ‘ruins’. By the way, I’m also the one who sent you the encrypted message.”
Was it him who sent the warning message?!
Su Nian's heart skipped a beat, but she didn't lower her guard. "Why are you helping us?"
“Help?” Ling Mo raised an eyebrow, a playful smile on his face. “No, I’m just ‘investing.’ The ‘Purification Sequence’ wants to eliminate or control all ‘anomalies’ that they can’t understand, while my philosophy is exactly the opposite. I believe that ‘anomalies’ are the keys to breaking through the established rules of this world and peering into higher dimensions. Especially…”
His gaze fell once more on the unconscious Xie Chen, his eyes burning with intensity. "Someone like the one behind you, so... ancient and powerful 'anomaly,' is an extremely rare research sample."
Research samples?! Su Nian's heart sank. Just out of one den of wolves, into another? This Ling Mo seemed more dangerous than those cold-blooded "cleaners," because he had a clear purpose and...curiosity.
"He's not your sample!" Su Nian retorted decisively, while secretly communicating with 088, "088! Scan him! Analyze his threat level!"
[Scanning in progress... Target: Ling Mo...]
[Physiological characteristics: Human (suspected)... Energy fluctuations: Weak, but... Contain... an unknown technological creation reaction...]
Threat Level: High (Purpose and methods unknown)... Recommendation: Keep your distance...
[Database comparison...no matching record...not a known unit of the 'purification sequence'...]
They are not from the Main God Space, but their threat level is still high!
“Don’t be so resistant,” Ling Mo seemed to see through her wariness and smiled. “My ‘research’ on him isn’t about dissecting him or anything. I’m more inclined to…observation and cooperation. After all, we’re natural allies in the fight against the ‘purification sequence,’ aren’t we?”
He paused, then pointed at Xie Chen: "Moreover, given his current condition, if he doesn't receive timely treatment, he probably won't last long. The rules of this world are rejecting him, and the 'purification sequence's' tracking won't stop."
Su Nian looked down at Xie Chen, whose face was pale and whose breathing was weak, and felt a sharp pain in her heart. Ling Mo's words, though harsh, were the truth. Xie Chen had forcibly activated his power, which had aggravated his injuries. The suppression of the rules of this world was like an invisible shackle, constantly draining his life force.
[Mission objective... vital signs... continuing to deteriorate... rule rejection reaction... worsening...]
[Urgently needed...a stable environment...and...energy replenishment...]
[Warning... 'Cleanser' signal... Relocked... Estimated arrival time... 10 minutes...]
The 088 alarm was like a death knell.
With Ling Mo, whose motives are unclear, in front of her, and the "cleaners" who are about to catch up behind, Su Nian is caught in a dilemma.
She looked at Ling Mo, who remained calm and composed, as if everything was under control. Should she take a gamble? Trust this mysterious man who called himself an "independent researcher"? But what if he had ulterior motives…?
Just then, Xie Chen, who was unconscious, suddenly convulsed violently, and the dark gold crack between his brows, which had long since faded, suddenly reappeared, emitting an extremely unstable and weak light! The air around him seemed to begin to distort, emanating an aura of being rejected by the world and on the verge of collapse!
“Tsk, the backlash from the rules has intensified.” Ling Mo frowned, his nonchalant expression vanishing, and his tone became more serious. “There’s no time to hesitate, Miss. Either trust me and come with me; I have a place where we can temporarily block the 'purification sequence's' tracking and alleviate his pain a little. Or, you can stay here and wait to be recycled by the 'hyenas'.”
Su Nian bit her lower lip, her nails digging deep into her palms. She glanced at Xie Chen, whose breath was growing weaker and weaker, and then at Ling Mo, who seemed confident.
I'm taking the gamble!
She had no better choice!
"Fine! I'll go with you!" Su Nian raised her head, her eyes resolute. "But if you dare to hurt him, I'll fight you to the death!"
Ling Mo ignored her threat and instead smiled approvingly: "You've got guts. Come with me."
He turned and walked into the shadows of the platform, where an unremarkable black SUV was parked.
Su Nian struggled to help Xie Chen up and followed Ling Mo to the car. With each step, she felt Xie Chen's body grow heavier, and his faint breath brushed against her neck, carrying a chilling sensation.
Just as they were about to get close to the car, another unexpected event occurred!
At the platform entrance, blinding headlights suddenly blazed on! With a roar of engines, two black vans appeared like ghosts, blocking the exit! The doors opened, and more fully armed "Cleaners" swarmed out, their energy weapons all aimed at them!
"Target detected! Execute capture procedure!" a cold, synthesized electronic voice announced.
"Tsk, you came fast." Ling Mo clicked his tongue, seemingly unsurprised. He quickly opened the back door of the SUV and shouted to Su Nian, "Quick! Get him in the car!"
Su Nian used all her strength to push Xie Chen into the car. Just then, one of the "Cleaners" raised his weapon, and a beam of eerie blue energy shot towards the slow-moving Xie Chen like a venomous snake!
Su Nian's pupils contracted sharply! Without thinking, almost instinctively, she turned around abruptly, spread her arms, and completely blocked Xie Chen's path!
At the same time, the starry ice and snow brooch that she had been holding tightly in her hand seemed to sense her owner's extreme will to protect and the impending crisis, and burst out with an unprecedented, dazzling, dark blue light!
Buzz—!
A chill far colder and purer than ever before, carrying a chill that seemed capable of freezing the very essence of the soul, suddenly spread out from the brooch!
When the beam of pale blue energy that shot out came into contact with this suddenly erupting field of coldness, it was as if it had hit an invisible absolute zero barrier. Its speed decreased sharply, and its energy structure became unstable instantly. Finally, less than half a meter away from Su Nian, it shattered and disappeared inch by inch like fragile glass with a "crack"!
Moreover, centered on Su Nian, the ground, the air, and even the few "cleaners" at the forefront all showed obvious signs of slowing down, as if they were trapped in viscous icy slurry!
At this moment, the Ice Soul Origin within Su Nian's body, which had been suppressed, passively and uncontrollably leaked a trace of its true power under the guidance of extreme emotions and the brooch!
Although it was only a trace, its essential status far exceeded the comprehension of this low-magic technology world!
The sudden turn of events left everyone stunned.
The "cleaners" froze, and the sensors under their helmets emitted frantic alarms.
Ling Mo looked at Su Nian, who was standing in front of the car like an ice goddess, exuding a faint yet extremely cold aura. His eyes burst with an unprecedented, almost fanatical, excitement!
“Ice… Ice-based rules manifested?! No! Even more ancient! More primal!” He muttered to himself, his eyes fixed on Su Nian as if he had discovered a new continent. “You… you are also an ‘abnormality’! And you are of the same origin as him… no, a complementary ‘abnormality’!”
Su Nian remained in the open-arms position, breathing heavily. That last thrust had almost drained all her strength; a sharp pain, as if the rules were tearing her soul apart, surged from the depths of her soul, and her vision blurred. She knew she had messed up! Passively triggering power beyond the rules of this realm would inevitably attract even more terrifying backlash and attention!
"What are you waiting for! Get in the car!" Ling Mo was the first to react. He shoved the almost exhausted Su Nian and the unconscious Xie Chen into the back seat, and quickly jumped into the driver's seat himself.
The engine roared like a beast, and the SUV shot off like an arrow, smashing through a pile of abandoned cargo boxes and bursting out of an inconspicuous gap in the platform, merging into the city's nighttime traffic.
Behind the car, the "cleaners" who had been temporarily affected by the chilling field resumed their actions and tried to give chase, but quickly lost their target signal lock.
The SUV sped through the neon-lit streets.
In the back seat, Su Nian leaned weakly against the seat, looking at Xie Chen, who was still unconscious but whose brow crack had stabilized slightly. Through the rearview mirror, she saw Ling Mo's eyes in the driver's seat, which were flashing with excitement and inquiry. Her heart turned cold.
She was exposed.
She and Xie Chen both became incredibly valuable "abnormal" samples in the eyes of this mysterious researcher.
Does the road ahead lead to temporary safety, or to another, more sophisticated prison?
Looking through the rearview mirror at the two people snuggling together in the back seat, Ling Mo smiled knowingly.
"This is getting more and more interesting."
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