Inside the logistics center of Huanxing Town, several staff members were sorting through the boxes of supplies that had just been delivered.
One of them subconsciously glanced toward the entrance, then froze.
The person working with her complained, “Why’d you stop? If you’re missing your boyfriend, do it after work. Focus on the job right now.”
Well, she’s single, and she can’t stand these show-offs.
“It’s not that, look over there…”
“Huh? Ah!” She also froze upon seeing a tall figure at the entrance. “Lin… Lin Kele?”
The other staff members also put down their work, a flicker of joy appearing in their eyes, but it was quickly replaced by complicated expressions.
“Where is my armor?” Lin Mowei walked in, getting straight to the point.
By all rights, Lin Mowei shouldn’t be here, but no one voiced any questions. They just exchanged knowing glances, as if confirming something.
A slightly older technician pushed up his glasses. “Follow me. It’s already been calibrated.”
No one said another word. They all moved with silent understanding.
Some went to activate the lifting platform, some went to confirm the energy cell’s charge status, and others pulled up the armor system’s data.
Lin Mowei followed the technician through rows of shelves to an isolated room at the very back of the warehouse.
In the center of the room stood a set of biological armor, waiting to be activated.
The armor looked somewhat strange, but upon closer inspection, it possessed an inhuman beauty.
It had an overall streamlined shape in a dark silver color, with broad shoulder guards featuring sharp angles.
Embedded in the center of the chest was a deep blue energy core, pulsing faintly with light in rhythm with its energy flow.
The joints were covered with black, overlapping structures resembling biological carapace.
The most striking feature was the helmet. Its design resembled an insect’s head, with no visible vents, only a single, solid dark visor, with curved cheek guards extending from both sides.
The armor’s full name was “All-Weather Battlefield Individual Combat Biological Weapon, Type Three.” The cost of this single suit was comparable to that of a positron cannon. Only titled Ability Users of exceptional caliber were authorized to use it.
Moreover, this biological armor was “alive.”
Lin Mowei walked into the adjacent changing room. On the table inside lay a specialized restraint suit designed for use with the biological armor.
She removed her dress, tied up her long hair, and picked up the restraint suit. It felt slightly cool and flexible, like human skin.
As the zipper on the back slowly closed, the suit automatically contracted and conformed to the curves of her body.
The design of the restraint suit was extremely form-fitting, outlining her tall, powerful physique without reservation—the full curve of her chest, the narrow waist, and a pair of long, straight, beautiful legs.
This wasn’t designed to deliberately emphasize sex appeal, but to ensure the wearer’s blood circulation could proceed normally under any speed or movement.
When she walked out, the technician was already standing by the armor, holding a connection cable.
Approaching the armor, the technician connected the port on the back of the restraint suit to the corresponding port on the armor.
A soft hum of data synchronization sounded, and then the entire front of the armor automatically opened, revealing the faintly pulsing “flesh” inside.
She fitted her body into it. With crisp locking sounds and the hiss of escaping air, the various parts of the armor wrapped around her seamlessly.
Neural sensors linked. External visual information was projected into her mind in an augmented reality format.
The biological armor enhanced all her senses. Conversely, if the armor was injured, she would feel it too.
[Synchronization Rate 94.1%. Status Good.] The synthesized voice of the built-in AI announced.
Lin Mowei flexed her fingers. The armor’s massive hands mimicked the action with perfect synchronization, the error less than a microsecond.
“Energy at full capacity. Weapon systems unlocked.” The technician operated rapidly at the terminal. “Also… news just came from the front. The beast horde is exhibiting abnormal self-detonation behavior. The defensive line is under immense pressure.”
Lin Mowei’s eyes darkened. “Understood. Patch me into the comms channel.”
“Connected to the command encrypted line.” The technician nodded. “Please be careful.”
Lin Mowei didn’t answer. She simply raised her hand and clenched her fist.
The large door at the top of the warehouse slowly opened, revealing the gloomy sky outside.
She bent her knees slightly. The thrusters on the back of the armor emitted a pale blue stream of ions, and then she shot into the air, becoming a barely visible blur as she streaked toward the distant battlefield.
—
“Contract the line! Defensive Ability Users, hold the front! All units, target Rift Beasts fifty meters out, fire at will!”
After several explosions, Mu Qingqing shouted into the comms channel.
No one had expected the Rift Beasts to pull this trick. This was definitely not an instinctive reaction on their part.
Past observations couldn’t be wrong. High-level Rift Beasts absolutely exerted hierarchical suppression over lower-level ones. Countless behaviors had proven this.
So now, there was only one possibility: an existence higher than the King Beast had issued a death order, sacrificing this severely wounded King Beast.
But… they had never seen a Rift Beast higher than a King Beast before…
Naturally, there were theories about this, but they had never been confirmed. Could it be they were about to witness it now?
This thought didn’t bring Mu Qingqing a shred of joy.
Maybe the research institutes would be ecstatic, but this was a battlefield. Unknown variables only represented death, represented defeat!
During the brief lull while blocking the explosions, she desperately tried to think of possible next steps. Even though people were being severely injured or even dying every minute and second, she could no longer afford to focus on that…
—
“Gao Jiyuan! Take two people and fall back!”
Liu Lili grabbed the back of his collar and threw him toward the rear.
Gao Jiyuan flipped in the air and landed steadily, his gaze involuntarily turning to her. Their relationship at school had been average; they were more like rivals.
He truly hadn’t expected this woman to tell him to run first.
“Hey!” He suddenly wanted to say something.
“Huh?” Liu Lili, holding two “hardened” alloy shields, turned her head slightly, her eyes fixed forward as she shouted back.
“After we get back, I’ll treat you to a meal.” After saying it, for some reason, his heart started beating a little faster.
“…Okay!” Liu Lili also bit her lip, the corner of her mouth lifting slightly.
Gao Jiyuan let out a long breath to steady himself, casually grabbed two slower-moving people, and led them in retreating.
“Jiyuan doesn’t easily treat people to meals. He won’t even treat me, says since I have money I should pay.” Wei Fan came up beside her, joking.
“?” Liu Lili gave him a bland look. “Oh? And then?”
“And then… this meal is on me. Help me ask Liuli what she likes.”
“……” Liu Lili’s eyes took on a look as if she were staring at an idiot.
Wei Fan was puzzled but didn’t say more. He raised his hands, and transparent crystalline shields floated in front of him.
This was his ability, “Crystal.”
He could create a transparent crystal harder than diamond. Those crystals would take on different shapes according to his will and move around his body following the motions of his hands.
The second wave of impacts arrived quickly. Various defensive abilities blocked the shockwaves and fragments from the explosions.
Many Ability Users were wounded, but thankfully there were no casualties yet.
However, soon a scream pierced through the explosions. “Ahhh!!!”
An Ability User whose power wasn’t very strong couldn’t withstand the blast and was sent flying, creating a gap in the line.
The self-detonating Rift Beasts, which had been indiscriminately charging, immediately surged toward that spot.
“Damn it!”
That Ability User tried to get up and quickly plug the gap, but the earlier impact had left her legs numb. She couldn’t stand at all, only able to crawl slowly toward the spot. But how could she make it in time?
Just as the defensive line was about to be breached, a mature figure with short hair descended from the sky.
“Don’t panic! Hold your positions!”
Xin Yao’s hands were wreathed in invisible air currents, which she pushed forward.
The Rift Beasts trying to break through from that side were all halted in their tracks, but it was only a temporary stop. This spot was still a weak point.
Her ability wasn’t suited for defense.
Strictly speaking, her flight was more like gliding. By adjusting her posture and utilizing air currents, she could stay airborne for a long time. But simply creating a gale like this consumed a tremendous amount of energy.
Liu Lili and Wei Fan knew this and looked anxiously toward her, but they were also hard-pressed and couldn’t spare the attention.
Soon, the wind field she was creating began to weaken.
The incapacitated Ability User had already been taken away by the logistics team. People nearby told Xin Yao to fall back quickly; they would cover this area.
Xin Yao didn’t speak. Clenching her teeth, she didn’t retreat a single step, staring fixedly at the hideous monsters.
If an explosion occurred at this position, she would be blown up just like the previous Ability User, and then torn apart by the charging Rift Beasts.
Watching as the Rift Beast’s body began to swell, the nearby Ability Users were also ready to take over this spot at any moment.
They also understood that after Xin Yao was blown away, they might be next. But not a single one of them had any thought of retreating.
Knowing her likely fate, Xin Yao’s eyes held no fear, only a relieved smile.
She wasn’t even deliberately straining her power anymore. There was nothing left to strain.
The wind stopped.
In this moment of exhaustion, she lowered her arms and closed her eyes. But the figure that flashed through the darkness made her brow furrow slightly.
Why is it him…
If he were here…
But there aren’t that many ‘ifs’ in the world…
BOOM!!!
The explosion arrived as expected. Scattered blood and bone fragments shot toward Xin Yao. The Ability Users nearby didn’t even have time to block them for her.
One fragment embedded itself in her abdomen, another in her shoulder. The corrosive blood of the Rift Beast splashed onto her face, bringing a searing pain. The shockwave sent her flying backward.
The Ability Users nearby tried to block the gap, but it was too late. A Rift Beast broke through and charged in.
Its gleaming, sharp claws reached for her throat…
“Sister Xin Yao, giving up like this really isn’t your style.”
A familiar voice, one that made her heart tremble, sounded in her ear. The owner of this voice was the last person she wanted to see right now—Lin Mowei.