To be a guest at Mu Yang's table, these space pirates were mostly violent thugs with power and ambition, men who didn't know how to write the word 'fear.' They wouldn't hesitate to swallow up a nation, let alone an entire Galaxy, so long as there was a chance. But now, seeing what was playing on the holographic screen, their faces paled, cold sweat breaking out on their foreheads, their souls seemingly detached from their bodies.
A man was tied to a hospital bed, a doctor in a white coat injecting a green liquid into his veins. In no time, the man began convulsing violently, seizing for about five minutes before slowly coming to a stop. The medical equipment that had been displaying various data readings fell silent, the pulse monitor emitting a long, drawn-out wail, declaring the man dead.
If it were just the scene of someone's last moments, it clearly wouldn't have frightened these vicious thugs. But the video was far from over; five minutes later, the man who was already dead opened his eyes abruptly. His black pupils expanded to the limit, taking over his entire eye socket. He easily tore through the steel ropes binding him, opened his mouth with a roar, revealing a set of sharp teeth. Purple spots and boils covered his skin, making him look both terrifying and disgusting.
He leaped off the bed, lunging at a group of people in white coats, but was stopped by an energy barrier, only able to scratch at it with his black nails. Five minutes later, he underwent another mutation; many hook-like bones sprouted from his spine, and sharp bone spurs grew from his wrist and ankle joints, their tips glowing with a purplish-blue light, seemingly poisonous. Following this, his dilated pupils began to contract, the frenzied emotions slowly calming down, as if regaining consciousness.
He no longer attacked the energy barrier haphazardly but used the bone spurs on his elbow and ankle joints to pierce the same spot repeatedly, attempting to break through with pinpointed force. This transformation made the onlookers' scalps tingle, but it sent the man in the white coat into a frenzy of delight. He took a few steps back, staring at the zombie with a fascinated gaze.
For two hours, he continuously drilled through the energy barrier until it finally shattered. The mutated individual lunged at the man in the white coat again but was blocked by another newly appeared energy barrier. He growled in frustration, pacing back and forth in the lab. The man in the white coat said something, but it wasn't in the Black Eye Galaxy's common language, nor was it any known language of any country. His assistant nodded in agreement, then pressed a green button on the control panel.
A silver-white metal door appeared behind the mutated individual, slowly opening. Dozens of tall men hesitated before stepping out. Seeing the mutated individual, they seemed startled but quickly regained their composure, then each launched an attack. They were all psychics, encompassing various abilities, and their levels weren't low; a rough estimate suggested each was at least S-level, with two even reaching the pinnacle of 2S or 3S level experts.
But their attacks did nothing to the mutated individual. A thick black mist seeped out from his body, tightly wrapping around him. All psychic attacks absorbed into this mist, becoming a source of sustenance for him. Within the short span of a few minutes under siege, he underwent yet another mutation; a black, sharp-tipped tail composed of bones sprouted from his tailbone.
Without lifting a finger, he could sweep away all psychics with this bony tail. He pierced every heart, the barbs on the tail end slamming against the energy barrier, causing numerous cracks. The researchers hurriedly dodged, while the leading man in the white coat burst into laughter.
Seeing this, the pirate leaders had all guessed the nature of the experiment. Humans had taken several hundred years to defeat zombies, fighting their way out of the apocalypse. How could they be unfamiliar with such monsters? But they never imagined that bio-experiments banned by all countries would be secretly researched by the Mu family, resulting in such terrifying outcomes.
This clearly endangered all humanity, even the safety of the entire Galaxy. Even the mad pirates dared not touch this taboo. So many harbored thoughts of retreat, but before they could speak, the video took a new turn.
The psychics killed by the mutated individual also became zombies, retaining their strength from life. They battled each other, tearing and devouring one another. Limbs and broken bones littered the area, turning the once bright and clean laboratory into a hellish pool of blood.
In the end, only one mutated individual survived, evolving into a half-human, half-lizard monster covered in boils and bone spines. It extended its long, suction-cupped, barbed tongue to attack the experimental personnel on the other side of the energy barrier. With its powers greatly enhanced, this energy barrier cracked under a single strike.
The researchers immediately pulled the man in the white coat a few steps back, activating another layer of energy barrier. They had anticipated that the creature would undergo continuous evolution, thus preparing different levels of protective measures. Mechanical arms hidden in the walls reached out, injecting the frenzied mutated individual with a syringe. He immediately collapsed, his breathing gradually stabilizing. Bone spines and tail slowly regressed, and ten minutes later, he returned to human form.
The man in the white coat removed his mask, revealing an extremely handsome face. He gazed through the energy barrier at the test subject, seeming both pleased and filled with regret. After a full five minutes, he faced the camera, speaking in a clumsy, slightly odd accent of the Black Eye Galaxy's common language, "Mu, why do you insist I develop a cure? Do you know how adorable these little lizards look when they hop around?"
"Doctor Kulun, without a cure, we'll struggle to control the situation. My Galaxy belongs to the Third Civilization and doesn't have the strength to exterminate all the mutants," Mu Ran spoke respectfully. "When will you arrive? We're ready."
Doctor Kulun took off his white coat, chuckling softly. "I'll be there in three days. Do you really have what I want? If I find out you're playing games, I guarantee I'll turn the Black Eye Galaxy into an apocalyptic paradise."
"How dare I?" Mu Ran bowed slightly. "We can discuss further details when you arrive."
"See you in three days, darling." Doctor Kulun gave Mu Ran an air kiss, then cut off the visual communication.
Mu Ran turned to look at the leaders of the pirate groups, introducing, "This is my partner, a divine alchemist. You've seen it for yourselves; with a single vial of serum, I can destroy an entire planet. Your participation is actually irrelevant to me."
"What are you calling us here for then?" one of the leaders asked tremulously. "Master Mu, do you understand the consequences of your actions? You're opposing all humanity, even all sentient races in the Galaxy!" If they had known Mu Ran had gone this crazy, they would never have accepted his invitation.
Everyone was drenched in cold sweat, their faces pale, except for Wolf Fang, who sat with lowered brows and eyes, showing no sign of abnormality. But this was the biggest anomaly. Anyone who saw a zombie with a Demon Resistant Body would lose their composure; despair might not be felt, but fear would certainly be present.
But Wolf Fang wasn't desperate, nor was he afraid. His fingertips tapped the tabletop, seemingly carefree. Such a display caught Mu Yang's attention, drawing more glances from Mu Ran.
If not for Master Qi's "tempering," Wolf Fang would certainly be as terrified as everyone else. But there was no helping it; after seeing too many of the venomous creatures and interstellar behemoths cultivated by Master Qi, he simply couldn't feel fear towards this kind of amateur zombie. He thought for a moment, asking, "Master Mu, if you inject this serum into someone, turning them into a mutant and infecting more humans, they'll kill and consume each other, eventually producing the strongest survivor. Have you considered whether you'd be capable of exterminating a Zombie Emperor fed by hundreds of millions, even billions of people? What's the ultimate goal of creating such a terrifying monster?"
What benefits would Mu Ran and Mu Yang gain if all humanity died and planets were destroyed? Would they become commanders without troops? Wasn't this sheer idiocy?
Mu Ran looked at him deeply, replying, "Doctor Kulun will help me control the situation. My purpose is simple: to establish a new humanity. Only when all old humans are dead can new humans be born. Aging and death will be distant from us; as long as our spirits remain, we can live forever."
Damn, this guy is seriously sick, medication won't help! Wolf Fang cursed inwardly, but he didn't show any abnormality on his face. After some deliberation, he asked, "Can you explain this plan for new humans in detail? Why are new humans immortal?"
"That's not something you should pry into," Mu Ran smiled. "If you become my partners, you'll receive great benefits; if you're my enemies, you'll become these not-quite-human, not-quite-ghost creatures. Choose for yourselves."
"You're not here seeking cooperation but planning to swallow our forces, aren't you?" Finally, someone realized.
"You're right; you have no choice. Asking a few more questions was merely out of politeness," Mu Ran nodded nonchalantly.
"I'll fuck your mother..." A leader slammed his hands on the table, rising, but then he rolled his eyes and collapsed to the ground, convulsing uncontrollably, foaming at the mouth, just like the mutated individual. Everyone jumped up in fright, aiming guns and turning him into a sieve, while a high-intensity protective barrier descended before Mu Ran and Mu Yang, isolating everyone.
"How you should decide, I believe everyone understands. Now, go back and make preparations. The old era will pass, and a new era will dawn. Here's to the future," Mu Ran raised his glass, draining it in one gulp. Mu Yang also drank his red wine, chuckling repeatedly as he walked away.
The leaders looked at each other, forced to compromise.
After leaving Mu Yang's territory, Wolf Fang cursed loudly, "Mu Yang, I'll fuck your mother! I've spent my whole life in the business of killing and plundering, and this is the first time I've been pushed this far! What bullshit new humans, I see a bunch of lunatics! I'd rather have water in my brain than join this ship of thieves!"
"But Boss, you're already on board," a subordinate who accompanied him trembled. "We may already be infected with that virus. If we don't follow the Mu brothers, sooner or later, we'll become monsters."
"This isn't robbery, this is genocide, do you understand? Are you human? Am I human? If all humanity dies, what are we living for? Mu Ran has gone mad, and you're following him into madness?" Wolf Fang pondered for a moment, suddenly slapping his thigh. "Bullshit divine alchemist, I don't believe he's better than Master Qi. Come on, let's go to the Empire."
"Will we be targeted by Mu Yang?" The subordinate had also escaped from Planet ME219 and had a mysterious trust in Qi Ze.
"Just find a shapeshifting ability user to impersonate me. Come on, let's go." Wolf Fang had been a wanted criminal for over a hundred years; he lacked other skills, but evading surveillance was his forte. He traveled through multiple places, making circuitous routes, finally reaching the temporary base of the Imperial Army three days later. He contacted Ouyang Ye, and through him, found Yan Junyu, informing him of the news.
"A high-civilization alchemist? Are you sure?" Yan Junyu's expression was grave.
"I'm sure. Mu Ran told the alchemist that the Third Civilization didn't have a strong one like him. Isn't the meaning clear enough?" Wolf Fang lay on the chair, exhausted. To travel, he hadn't slept for three consecutive days.
Yan Junyu didn't doubt the truthfulness of these words. That a leader-level pirate would willingly step onto military territory was enough to indicate the severity of the situation. When had Mu Ran become so insane? His so-called new human plan was likely not for the birth of new humans but to resurrect Mu Feixing. With billions of people as nourishment, how powerful would Mu Feixing's soul become? Once the goal was achieved, they could follow the alchemist to Second Civilization, or even First Civilization, and carve out a new world.
"Hold on, I'll call all the generals. You can tell them in detail again. Don't worry, I'll lift your bounty," Yan Junyu turned and left.
"What about the virus in my body? Have Master Qi take a look at me!" Wolf Fang was sweating profusely. Lifting the bounty was useless; the Empire no longer existed, who would arrest him?
"Little Ze is in seclusion and won't come out until two months later. I can sense the poison in your body," Yan Junyu summoned an adorable jade vine, explaining slowly. "It's peculiar, dense. When I first saw you, I almost couldn't resist draining you dry." Even The Gu in his belly craved it, showing how potent this poison was.
Wolf Fang hurriedly hid behind the table, shouting, "This vine can suck anyone dry upon contact; you better not come close! This is important. Can you ask Master Qi to come out of seclusion early?"
"I'll have Xiaohei check you out first; if that doesn't work, I'll find him." Yan Junyu didn't dare disturb Qi Ze casually and instead called Ming Rui. The military network system was filled with Soul Snatching Arrays, and Mu Feixing, no matter how capable, wouldn't dare peek inside, so smartbrains, fiber optics, databases, and communication devices could be used with peace of mind.
Ming Rui soon arrived, her three-heads proportion body wearing a white coat that reached her ankles, looking somewhat comical. Xiaohei sat on her head, holding a plump poisonous bug.
"Chief Engineer? Little girl's doing well," seeing Ming Rui's ID badge, Wolf Fang teased with a grin.
"General, what do you need from me?" Ming Rui tried to appear mature and steady. Xiaohei had only glanced at Wolf Fang with a faint look, habitually sniffing the air, but it seemed to have discovered something. Its black hair stood on end instantly, then lunged at Wolf Fang with teeth bared and claws unsheathed.
Wolf Fang reflexively drew his particle gun but was swatted aside by Xiaohei's claw, then wrapped in a cocoon-like mass of rapidly growing black hair. Black strands penetrated his pores, absorbing the toxins within him. About twenty minutes later, they slowly loosened.
"He's poisoned?" Ming Rui guessed.
"Mm-hmm," Yan Junyu watched this scene with concern. Xiaohei, whose hair had shrunk back to shoulder length, stood on Wolf Fang's stomach, covering its small mouth to burp. Its hands, originally in the style of a glove, slowly separated into ten chubby fingers, with pinkish-white nails, round and cute.
Ming Rui immediately ran over to pick it up, boasting, "General, look, Xiaohei has grown fingers! Oh! Toes too!" She seemed to want to lift Xiaohei's skirt but realized her boss was still there, hurriedly letting the hem drop, blushing and running away. Xiaohei was so adorable, it must be a girl!
"Ming Rui's got guts! She dares to raise such a terrifying monster," Wolf Fang climbed up from the ground, rubbing his face hard.
"This monster saved your life," Yan Junyu said sternly. "Wait here, I'm going to summon the generals."
"Go ahead, go ahead. I knew you'd have a solution. I wonder if Xiaohei can handle a fully mutated zombie. That thing seems to have a demonic constitution, immune to psychic attacks, only physical attacks can harm it." Wolf Fang relaxed, his dark humor surfacing. "By the way, there's a question I've always wanted to ask you. Your vine turns whoever it touches into ashes; how do you get along with Master Qi? What if you accidentally touch him one day? Sigh~ Pity, tentacle play was quite stimulating..."
Recalling the feeling of the vine being gently caressed by Qi Ze, Yan Junyu felt a tightening in his lower abdomen. He glared at Wolf Fang, warning, "Shut up, or I won't mind completely purifying you."
Wolf Fang raised his hands in surrender, but a lascivious smile remained on his face. Yan Junyu left the reception room expressionlessly, only worrying at the elevator entrance: it was a significant flaw that he couldn't extend tentacles during arousal; he had to find a way to solve it.
Although Wolf Fang didn't bring sufficient evidence, the generals still believed his words. If Mu Feixing could resurrect, it wasn't impossible for a high-civilization divine alchemist to appear. There were two ways to deal with it: One, assassinate the opponent before they act; Two, steal the antidote and prepare it beforehand.
But judging from Mu Ran's behavior and speech, this person came from a high civilization and had strength far exceeding the peak of the Black Eye Galaxy's strongest. How easy would it be to assassinate him? Stealing the antidote was even less possible. To scientists, research results were often more important than life and would certainly be protected by the most stringent mechanisms.
"Let's consult with Master Qi. He also comes from a high civilization, perhaps he has a solution," Old Man Yan decided. As for Qi Ze's origins, even if he didn't reveal them, others could surely guess. Mu Ran could seek external aid; why couldn't they?
"Yeah, yeah, hurry and find Master Qi," the generals, at a loss, mentioned Qi Ze as if swallowing a tranquillizer pill, quickly regaining their composure.
"Master Qi comes from a high civilization? No wonder!" Wolf Fang suddenly understood.
"I'll send Little Ze a message first, so as not to interrupt his work," Yan Junyu took out a paper crane, blowing a breath of demonic qi on it, then released it. The paper crane passed through walls, disappearing without a trace, its elusive method further soothing the generals.
Qi Ze was engrossed in polishing a breastplate. Beside him, the Great Demon Gathering Array continuously extracted demonic qi from the air, inputting it into the Eight Desolation Ghost-Faced Spider. Originally just black and red, the Ghost-Faced Spider grew white, purple, and green spines. The black-Red Phantom face, with the addition of mixed colors, became more grotesque and horrifying, appearing to be a lifelike ghost ready to devour humans; its shriveled body slowly filled out, vaguely regaining some of its former vitality.
Given more time, Qi Ze could eventually cultivate this Ghost-Faced Spider into a genuine Saint-level Spirit Beast. If he could capture a profound expert with high cultivation and extract their soul to refine into a spirit essence, it would be even better. Thinking of this, Qi Ze had to mentally draw a cross, not because refining a soul violated ethics, but because there was no qualified expert here.
"Top-notch spirit weapons naturally require top-notch spirit essences; how can one settle for less?" He was muttering to himself when a paper crane flew in, recounting the emergency.
Qi Ze was filled with curiosity about high civilizations and immediately opened the restrictions and went out, but in the next second, the world spun, and he lost consciousness. Yan Junyu waited for him for a long time but personally found that he had mysteriously disappeared. There were no suspicious figures entering or leaving the scene, nor were any alarm devices triggered. From the surveillance video, the youth vanished into thin air the instant he stepped out of the warehouse door.
"Is Master Qi leaving on his own or being kidnapped?" The generals asked uncertainly.
"Little Ze wouldn't leave without saying goodbye," Yan Junyu's face was livid. "He must have been taken away by the alchemist Mu Ran invited." Apart from a high-civilization powerhouse, no one could quietly take away Qi Ze.
At the same time, a handsome man in a white coat was carefully undressing a youth, uttering a cry of disbelief. "Oh! This is the most perfect body I've ever seen. There's not a speck of impurity in his body; it's all soaked through with spirit source! Mu, you're ruthless, wanting me to extract his memories."
The virtual form of Mu Feixing smiled and spoke, "You can preserve him as a specimen forever. Wouldn't that be better?"
"Alright, maybe I can turn him into a little cutie," the man cupped Qi Ze's cheeks, pecking his lips lightly, then stroked his naked skin, sighing, "He's actually wearing an invisible protective suit, only detectable by mental power. What's the principle behind this? It seems Little Cutie has many secrets. Let's begin then."