Free Web NovelBook 3, Chapter 356: First Move
Back in the command center, after confirming that Chen Chuan was going to participate in the plan, Liang Guanghai ended the call.
While the plan was risky, it would let them end things once and for all.
Besides, there were no foolproof plans in the world. Since he was willing to make this decision, he was also willing to shoulder the responsibility if it failed.
He turned his gaze forward. After Wu Qi showed up, Sentry Tower analyzed its leaked domain information and pointed out its structure and composition on the screen.
“High-energy cellular tissue, bioenergy conduits, dense mutated tissue fibers, fortified bones, multi-nodal joints, energy storage organs, regulatory glands, thermoregulating scales, regenerative membrane, signal antennae, polyhedral compound eyes, fibrous sensory organs, micro olfactory receptors...”
Wu Qi’s composition was listed in its entirety, and the list was so long that the screen kept scrolling down to show all of its body. More than 70% of it was technology from the Linacrox Union. In truth, many implants were derivatives of research regarding active biosentient entities.
Wu Qi was usually used for communication purposes. Now that it was fighting against Xu Chan’s team, all of its biological systems switched to combat mode.
Sentry Tower even gave a list of Wu Qi’s potential weaknesses, the parts they should focus on based on its composition, and produced a strategy to defeat it.
Liang Guanghai immediately ordered Sentry Tower to send it to the relevant parties, but they were experiencing severe domain interference. Even with Safe Shield doing its best to maintain a functioning domain, it would be a while before the relevant parties received it.
***
A modified bird flew above Deep End District. It was going toward an airship while carrying a lightweight parcel under its belly. With the aid of a domain signal, it landed on the airship’s foredeck. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
An airship attendant went forward to remove the parcel and delivered it to the overseer standing at the back. The man gave it a quick once-over. Once he was sure that it wasn’t damaged, he brought the parcel to the front of the upper floor and handed it to Chen Chuan.
After thanking the overseer and waiting for him to leave, Chen Chuan opened the parcel and took out a medicinal box. Its outside had a drawing of a Lingzhi mushroom sitting among clouds, which was charming and full of spirit.
This was Tiancong Baicao Corporation’s emblem, so the medicine had to be from them.
Upon opening the box, Chen Chuan found a green pill the size of his thumb. When he picked it up, it felt as if there was a layer of ice and fog surrounding it.
There was no tag on it, so Chen Chuan didn’t know what it was, but he didn’t bother wondering what it was and just took it.
In the beginning, he didn’t sense anything, but soon, a comfortable warmth filled his body, as if he was soaking in a hot spring. A pleasant feeling came from his joints.
The pill was really good at healing wounds. Since the medicine was gentle, its effects were released slowly instead of instantly, so Chen Chuan had time to get used to it. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
He cast a glance at his second self and found no signs of him blurring. This was one of the few medications that had no side effects.
That wasn’t all. After a while, a refreshing feeling filled his head, and he felt as if his mind had become clearer.
This medicine even nourished his brain’s mutated tissue. Since the mind was attached to the body and needed the brain’s mutated tissue to support its functions, the nourishment was also beneficial to the mind. This feeling was continuous, too.
The medicine had to be rare, but if the plan could be carried out smoothly, spending some money on medicine was inconsequential.
While Chen Chuan was examining the medicine’s effects, he felt something similar to a tremor in the world where he had left his mental mark. He lifted his head.
Perhaps this was a sign that more pure essence was coming.
He had two hours, so he could absorb some more.
Since no one was going to come in, Chen Chuan sat down and focused on the motions from the other world.
Soon, he sensed a flash of light approaching. In an instant, he grabbed the light and swallowed it.
This time, though, the amount of pure essence that spilled over was much higher than last time. After this wisp, another came, and then another. There was so much that he couldn’t possibly grab all of them on his own.
But he wasn’t thinking about monopolizing the pure essence, anyway. It should be made available to others. Chen Chuan was only going to grab what he needed.
***
Chu An was also waiting. Just then, excitement appeared on his face as he shouted out, “I can sense it, Master!”
His mind touched a wisp of light, and his face turned red.
Even though he had grabbed the wisp of light with his mind, the light squirmed around like a fish in water. It was also flashing nonstop, as if it was about to break free. Chu An had to use every bit of strength to keep it in place.
When the old man saw it, he knew what was going on and said, “You need to think of a way to restrain it. Even if it ends up escaping, you shouldn’t find it a pity. The act of catching in itself is beneficial for your mind.
“Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Capture and swallow as much pure essence as you can with the technique I taught you.”
Upon hearing this, Chu An did as he was told. In the end, he wasn’t able to keep most of the wisp of light he captured. A lot of it escaped, but he felt stuffed to the brim from the little bit he did swallow.
Quickly, he activated the technique the old man had taught him. After a long while, he let out a long and deep breath and looked up. “I can feel it, Master. It really brought me a lot of benefits that I can’t put into words,” he said in excitement.
Then, feeling frustrated, he grumbled, “But I let a lot of it slip.”
“It’s fine. If you didn’t capture the whole thing just now, try again. By the looks of it, there’s a lot more pure essence in the second batch compared to the first. You can try again.”
After Chu An shut his eyes, the old man cast a wary glance above.
Until a person’s physical body reached a certain level of strength, they couldn’t digest the pure essence they devoured in one go, even if they thought that they had.
Once the pure essence began accumulating in the body, it would make the martial artist a walking beacon to the existences from the other world, especially now, when the Gate to Heaven was open, and there was a gap in the World Ring. He couldn’t guarantee that no abnormal situations would appear.
So, he went to the side, took out an incense stick from among the pile of things he had brought, lit it up, went to the Strange God’s altar, and stuck it in the incense burner.
This was a way to stop the existences from the other side peeking into their world since the old era. The old man had picked this place for Chu An to devour pure essence not just because it was located up high, but also because religious places provided the perfect environment to block the existences’ gazes.
After straightening his back, he cast a glance at the Strange God’s statue, but he didn’t pay it any mind and just left.
***
Xu Chan’s team hadn’t received the command center’s strategy and analysis due to the domain interference, but they were all experienced martial artists and could make their own judgments.
Captain Lu was the first to test Wu Qi out. With a quick move, he arrived in front of the active biosentient entity, bent his hand until it resembled a hook, and jabbed. When he thrust his arm forward, he created a sonic boom.
While he was only testing the waters, he noticed that Wu Qi wasn’t slow at all, or rather, it was quite agile. It adjusted its body before the attack, brought one of its legs up, and used its sturdy exoskeleton to shield itself.
Its agility and speed surprised Captain Lu, considering the creature’s large body. It was horrifying. Even so, Captain Lu didn’t abort his attack, because he also wanted to see how strong Wu Qi was.
Thud!
He felt a tremor up his arm. The smooth exoskeleton negated most of his attack, but his incredible refined force created a few cracks.
Suddenly, he sensed danger and ducked his head to avoid the whip-like tentacle. It grazed the top of his head.
While he appeared to have avoided the attack, after the tentacle swung past him, its tip curled backward, and the sharp, claw-like tip came swinging at the back of Captain Lu’s head. When it made the turn, it let out a sonic boom.
If the attack hit, it could destroy the back of Captain Lu’s head. Despite the danger, Captain Lu didn’t avoid it. He stepped forward and left behind an afterimage as he slid under the biosentient entity’s stomach.
Captain Lu had wanted to attack, but he abandoned that plan and decided not to stay. Instead, he slid right out from under the stomach. Under Wu Qi, he had seen rows of openings. They weren’t some kind of defensive flaw, but its trapping devices.
The tentacle continued chasing after him. Once Captain Lu was behind Wu Qi, he rolled forward, got to his feet, turned around, threw a punch forward, and deflected the tentacle.
But at that moment, another tentacle came up behind him to ambush him. Just when it was about to stab his head, Captain Lu brought a hand up to grab it.
But the claw-like tip continued flailing around. It tensed its muscles, and a sharp bone blade jutted out from the center to go straight for Captain Lu’s face at the speed of lightning.
He got ready for it when he sensed the abnormal reaction in the tentacle. He shoved it aside and let the blade graze his cheek, then tilted backward and retreated.
The tentacle refused to give up. It continued going after Captain Lu no matter where he went, as if it was never going to let him shake it off.
There was more movement. Captain Wang rushed forward while Captain Lu was fighting against Wu Qi and punched at the body part connecting its stomach to one of its legs.
Clearly, he had been preparing for this. He moved quickly, and his attack was full of power. Once it landed, the bones and muscles at the contact point were blasted to bits, but Captain Wang froze as well.
One of the tentacles had come swirling back and struck him so hard that he was thrown off his feet.
Bam!
He crashed through the heavily damaged glass wall and flew more than a hundred meters. He only stopped when he slammed into a barricade, but right away, he spat out some blood and got up.
