At eight o'clock at night, the Black Thorns Manor, which was usually shrouded in deathly silence, was now brightly lit. A hovercraft had delivered many gentle and docile animals, which were being individually health-checked.
"Young Master has had a change of heart? No longer afraid of the noise?" The farm owner, who had long been engaged in supplying provisions to the Black Thorns Manor, was curiously inquiring.
"It's not good for health to always be alone. The doctor has instructed that he should raise more small animals. Since our manor is vast, we might as well let them roam free; it'll be like an adornment. It's said that other manors do the same." The burly man took over the delivery note for inspection.
"Indeed, most other manors do keep some small animals, not necessarily of high pedigree, but with a gentle disposition and easy to breed. After three to five years, clusters of these animals lurking about in the forest will make it look quite lively, wouldn't you say?" The farm owner stowed away the detector into his Interspatial Button and waved his hand. "Well, they've all been checked. This batch of tortoises is fine. Could you sign here, please?"
The burly man signed without hesitation. Just as he was about to take the cages upstairs, the owner hesitated, "These tortoises are genetically improved, and although the gemstones they produce are of high quality, the growth years are ridiculously long. They only molt once every ten years, and each time, only five to ten gemstones can be peeled off. If you want to increase the manor's output, you might consider ordering the ordinary breed. They molt every half a year, and their growth rate is very fast."
"No, thank you," the burly man declined immediately. "We're just keeping them for fun; we're not interested in the gemstones."
"Well, alright then. I just heard that your boss was kicked out of the family due to gene collapse disorder. I was worried you might have economic difficulties." The farm owner didn't insist further. "Just give me a call if you need anything. I'll give you a 20% discount."
"Thanks," the burly man replied, only moving to carry a small cage upstairs once the supplier left. He left the rest of the animals to the robot butler.
In the dimly lit master bedroom, Erebus had reattached a mechanical hand and was now fiddling with three rings. A small tree was placed by the window, its lush three-meter canopy almost touching the ceiling, the twisting roots having burst the flower pot, which was less than half a meter in diameter. Many clods of soil had fallen on the snow-white long-haired carpet.
"Has it grown this much?" the burly man exclaimed in surprise.
"Yeah, just a half day," Erebus replied, looking at the small cage in his hand. "Bring them over and put them in this eco-sphere."
Since receiving the rings, he had been busy, not only conducting various experiments but also planning to personally spend some time inside. If not for his subordinates' fervent dissuasion and the purchase of small animals as a substitute, he would have risked his life long ago.
The burly man placed the two tortoises in the elaborately crafted eco-sphere. To ensure they could survive without human care, the eco-sphere was equipped with water sources, microorganisms, small fish, shrimps, mosses, water plants, and the like, forming a complete miniature world.
Erebus incorporated the miniature world into the ring with an accelerated time flow while giving detailed instructions. "Remember to remind me to take them out at the same time tomorrow."
"Alright. Boss, it's too late; you should sleep now."
Erebus nodded and maneuvered his wheelchair to the bed. The burly man immediately went to assist him. As soon as his hand touched his shoulder, there was a crackling sound. The mechanical arm that had been recently replaced was once again rendered useless, layers of rust covering the once smooth metal surface, giving an eerie impression of imminent decay. This was followed by several dull thuds, not only from the arm but also from the mechanical parts of his legs and abdomen, which seemed to be on the brink of disintegration.
The burly man's heart sank, and he quickly laid his boss on the bed before immediately contacting the mechanic.
"The material this time isn't strong enough. I'll have them replace it with something better," the burly man explained anxiously.
"Don't hide anything from me. This time, the material was superalloy, used to construct the outer shell of superpowers mecha. How could it not be sturdy? It's just that the death qi in my body has increased," Erebus shook his head. "It's late. Let Ah Feng go back; he can come over tomorrow morning. Clean up these parts, and you should sleep early too. Don't worry, since the heavens have allowed me to meet a divine-level crafting master at this time, it's a sign that I'm not destined to die."
Thinking of the master, the burly man's mood indeed calmed down a lot, and he hurriedly packed away the scattered parts, quietly retreating. The thick fog that had long enveloped the manor seemed to have thinned, barely revealing a sliver of the moon's pale lightâ
Meanwhile, Qi Ze was scrutinizing an energy stone under a light.
"The clarity is so poor; it doesn't even qualify for a grade," Ouyang Ye held an energy stone in his hand and remarked, "I asked around just now, and even the new apprentices without their qualification certificates received Grade 1 energy stones. The five stones in our hands are clearly the leftovers that no one wanted! The Mu Family still calls themselves a super clan, but their heart is smaller than a needlepoint."
"We can't blame them," Qi Ze waved his hand. "If anyone dared to make the top-level inheritance of my Supreme Divine Creation Sect known to the world, I wouldn't consider it good if I didn't kill them."
"They haven't planned to kill you yet? Where did Wang Miao come from? Where did the previous assassination attempt come from? As long as you're alive and well, the Mu Family won't stop," Ouyang Ye, worried, said, "Young Young Master Qi, let's go back to the Neptune; at least it's the Ouyang Family's territory."
"To learn real skills, you have to stay in a major sect," Qi Ze clenched the energy stone and smiled lazily. "To kill me? The Mu Family doesn't have that ability."
As he said this, black and white light interlaced between his fingers, flashing for a few seconds before suddenly extinguishing. When he opened his palm, the energy stone that was originally small had become even smaller, but the quantity had increased by one.
"Young Master Qi, what's this about? Are you performing magic?" Ouyang Ye stared at the two stones, hesitating to touch them for a long time, mainly due to the discomfort the pure black one gave him, like an R-type radiation source.
Nuclear radiation no longer posed any threat to post-evolutionary humans. Instead, a more terrifying R-type radiation source had replaced it. It was a green, glowing ore. Both insects and humans would die within seconds of exposure to its radiation, and the residual radiation contamination would take several hundred years to slowly dissipate.
The black stone didn't glow, but just staring at it sent a chill down one's spine.
"This is a refined energy stone," Qi Ze picked up the crystal-clear stone and the pure black one. "This is the impurities separated from the energy stone. To be precise, it's also a form of energy, but more violent. Once absorbed, it can cause great damage to the human body and machines."
"You can refine energy stones? At a hundred percent purity?" Ouyang Ye's eyes bulged.
"It's my special ability. You can call it a psychic power if you want," Qi Ze did not elaborate.
Ouyang Ye nodded in a daze, remaining stunned for a few seconds before suddenly coming to his senses. "Young Young Master Qi, your ability is too scary. It's best not to let anyone know about it, including me. I won't ask any questions in the future. If you have any good stuff, remember to share a bit with me. No need for it to be free; I'll pay for it. Like that test-specific jade tablet, it's great. Young Young Master Qi, you might not know, but in the Black Eye Galaxy, even 3S-level psychics cannot completely refine energy stones. Mu Feixing once processed an energy stone with a purity of 88%. From then until now, for hundreds of years, 88% has been the highest record, with no one able to break it. And that energy stone was of high grade to begin with; the process of refining it should have been much easier than with the one you have. So, you should weigh your options. If you can't protect yourself, should you expose this shocking ability to the world?"
Qi Ze wasn't the least bit flustered and asked about the topic he was most interested in. "Can that stone be sold?"
Ouyang Ye, "...Yes, it can be sold."
"Is the price high? If it's high, I'll refine a few to sell. If it's not, I'll use them myself."
"An energy stone with a hundred percent purity will definitely sell well. The specific price will depend on the energy reserves. The higher the energy reserves, the more expensive the price. Some energy stones weigh several tons, but their energy reserves are very low, so the selling price is naturally low. Some energy stones only weigh a few grams, but their energy reserves are very high, so the selling price is naturally high. The energy stones the department gave you are likely the scraps of those large energy stones that are not even graded, only suitable for use by robot butlers, and they're worth only a few hundred star coins each."
"Is there an instrument to detect energy?"
"Yes, my uncle had me bring over various instruments," Ouyang Ye took out a box-shaped detector from his Interspatial Button and said, "This is the latest energy monitor with high accuracy. Scan the energy stone inside, and the results will come out in a few seconds."
Qi Ze immediately placed the refined, coin-sized energy stone inside. A series of beeps sounded, and the display screen showed a string of numbers: 7.9 gigajoules. It wasn't clear what standard that represented.
Ouyang Ye, however, drew in a sharp breath, took the stone out to examine again and again, his voice hoarse. "Just one of these energy stones is enough to blow a small asteroid into pieces. Let me explain it more specifically. With this stone, Wang Xuan's G9 can operate at full capacity for at least ten years. The hundred percent purity means virtually zero damage to the machine. This is too conspicuous. Young Young Master Qi, I suggest you don't sell it for now."
"Alright, I'll use it myself," Qi Ze was a decisive person and immediately absorbed the spirit energy contained within the stone until there was nothing left.
Watching the energy stone dissipate into a plume of green smoke, Ouyang Ye was stupefied, wanting to ask but not daring to. He had never heard of an energy stone being absorbed by the human body. Was Young Young Master Qi not human but a machine?
"When my cultivation recovers a bit more, I can take the extra stones to sell," Qi Ze touched his chin, feeling this amount of spirit energy was not enough to scratch the surface; alchemy was the most practical. As for the pure black stone, filled with violent energy, he still wanted to conduct some experiments with it. He had a hunch that this kind of stone, like the magic crystal, would be of great use.
With that thought, he was about to dismiss Young Master Ouyang when the door was knocked on. Yan Junyu entered with a box and said, "This is your school gift. See if you like it."
"What is it?" Ouyang Ye hastily stowed the energy detector into his Interspatial Button.
Qi Ze flipped his palm, and the black stone disappeared without a trace. He smiled and said, "Thank you, Instructor Yan. You're too polite. I should be the one giving you a thank-you gift."
"Yeah," Ouyang Ye echoed with a grin. "What do you want? I'll have my uncle prepare it immediately."
Yan Junyu didn't even look at him, only gazing intently at the youth and softly inquired, "Do you like it?"
"Not...I like it very much," Qi Ze, who had already pushed the gift box away, naturally grabbed it back, a smile gathering in the corners of his eyes and eyebrows. Neatly arranged inside the box were nine crystal-clear energy stones, which, just by looking at the color, one could tell were of high grade.
"These are nine Grade 9 energy stones, symbolizing longevity. I wish you a pleasant life on Imperial Star," Yan Junyu didn't explain the specific meaning of longevity, only gently flicking the youth's raised hair and smiling. "Rest early. Have a good dream."
"Thank you," Qi Ze was truly grateful to Yan Junyu. He was about to rummage through his Qiankun Bag to find a low-profile but decent gift to return when a scream rang out from outside the door.
"What's going on?" Yan Junyu immediately ran out to check. He saw Wang Miao lying on the ground, with Mo Tianlei kneeling by his side, looking helpless and not even attempting first aid.
"It's Gene Collapse Disorder! He has Gene Collapse Disorder!" Mo Tianlei's father had died of this disease, so he knew it at a glance.
"It does look a bit like it from the appearance. Stand back, don't touch him," Yan Junyu immediately dialed the emergency number.
Ouyang Ye craned his neck for a look and couldn't help but hiss. Last night, Young Young Master Qi mentioned Wang Miao's misfortune, and tonight, something happened. This speed was indeed fast. As the proverb goes, a nobleman can wait ten years for revenge, but a villain seeks revenge day and night. It seemed, Young Young Master Qi was truly a villain through and through!
Thinking this, he hurriedly covered his mouth to stifle a laugh, but his eyes revealed shocked worry. He liked the truly bad Qi Ze more than certain hypocritical, fake gentlemen.
Qi Ze put away the energy stone and then leisurely left the room, not getting close, only standing indifferently behind Ouyang Ye and Yan Junyu. Those who kill will be killed by others; this was the law of the world's operation, true for both the Qianyuan Continent and the Black Eye Galaxy.
Wang Miao was convulsing violently, his skin covered in blue-black veins. It seemed there were many tiny worms inside, wriggling and trying to break out, a truly terrifying sight. He wanted to scream, but his open mouth could only emit intermittent gasps, kaka, kaka, kaka... like an old bellows, or the wailing of a lost soul.
But his mind seemed clear. He grabbed the badge on his chest, trying to tear it off. But the pain had drained him of all his strength. He could only grip tightly... unable to complete the next movement no matter what.
"I know this is the most precious thing to you. I won't let the doctors take it off. Don't worry," Mo Tianlei comforted him with unusual "sympathy."
Wang Miao stared at him with his bloodshot eyes. But he couldn't speak or move, merely letting the medical staff carry him onto the ambulance. As he was about to faint, he could still faintly hear Mo Tianlei's earnest instructions, "Don't lose his badge; he'll be anxious when he wakes up."
Outside the emergency room, Mo Tianlei, Ouyang Ye, and Yan Junyu were in the smoking area, blowing out clouds of smoke. Qi Ze sat at the other end of the corridor, playing with his smartbrain. The elevator doors opened, and another hovering stretcher rushed out, followed by a group of doctors and family members, a few of whom were familiar.
"Mu Ran, why are you here?" Yan Junyu was somewhat surprised.
"My brother is sick," Mu Ran's expression was grim.
"Which brother, Mu Lun?" Yan Junyu knew that only if his same-father-same-mother brother was sick would Mu Ran show such an anxious expression.
Mu Ran seemed too busy to talk, nodded, and followed the stretcher. Mu Yun was not present, but several elders of the Mu Family had come. Mu Lun was in great pain, writhing on the stretcher. His lips turned purple-black, and his skin was covered with many thick, blue veins. These were clear symptoms of Gene Collapse Disorder.
Within a day, two people had contracted Gene Collapse Disorder, and one of them was a psychic with relatively low risk. Could this just be a coincidence? Yan Junyu frowned, lost in thought.
Qi Ze merely glanced at him indifferently. Now, he could be certain that the person who ordered Wang Miao was none other than Mu Lun. The dense demonic aura, Wang Miao alone could not absorb, would naturally be transferred to someone who had also touched the badge.
What did it mean by 'one should not have ill intentions'? This was it.
"No wonder Wang Miao's illness and death were so quick. It was due to radiation," the doctor felt relieved and angry, stating decisively, "All those who have come into contact with Wang Miao are not to leave! I've already called the police. This will be jointly investigated by the military and the police."
The moment he finished speaking, a row of fully armed police officers surrounded them, sealing off the No. 1 emergency room and the corpse, and detained relevant personnel. The superalloy badge, under heavy protection, was also handed over to a special department for handling.
The Imperial Palace and the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament were all set in District 1, with a population of several hundred million. No matter what, the empire would conduct a thorough investigation. Those at the top were the most concerned about their lives. Undoubtedly, the appearance of an R ore in the imperial capital had truly hit a sore spot for all the leaders. No matter how powerful your background, if you were involved in this matter, you would ultimately not escape the death penalty.
First, Qi Ze and his group were taken for isolation and examination to ensure they had not been contaminated by radiation. Only then did the interrogation begin. When the police took Yan Junyu away, he wasn't panicked but rather filled with helplessness. How many times had he dealt with the relevant departments? He couldn't even count. It seemed that whenever he was with Qi Ze, these situations would always arise.
Ouyang Ye secretly leaned close to Young Young Master Qi's ear and laughed, asking, "The matter has blown up again. Do you think the military and the police can uncover the truth?"
"If they can't figure out something like this, this country's fate is at its end," Qi Ze replied in an inaudible whisper.
Ouyang Ye was now relieved. After being led into a small room, he disclosed everything he could. He had entered interrogation rooms more than once, his psychological resilience top-notch. No matter how high-ranking the official, he wasn't flustered. Due to his blind trust in Young Young Master Qi, he unexpectedly passed the lie detector scan and was smoothly released.
After Yan Junyu told him that the special interrogation room of the police department was secretly equipped with a lie detector, he belatedly broke out in a cold sweat.
Naturally, there were no issues with Qi Ze and Yan Junyu, and Mo Tianlei genuinely knew nothing, so he also passed the investigation. While the police force and the military were busy searching for clues, Mu Lun, who had contracted the disease at the same time and died in the same manner, drew their suspicious gazes.