10: Special Organization

When the heart-stopping lightning and roars outside completely subsided, and the warehouse returned to dead silence, Han Chengyu in the consciousness space finally seemed to regain his breath.

"Is it... over?" he muttered. The cruel and fierce battle he had "witnessed" through the sensors earlier still caused his core consciousness to tremble slightly.

[Confirmed. High-Threat Target life activity has terminated.] The System's voice remained steady.

[Conducting post-battle scan and analysis... Scan complete.]

[Based on residual tissue samples and energy characteristics, it is confirmed that the individual's base prior to evolution was Homo sapiens. Specific human identity information is missing and requires your subsequent investigation.]

"He... was human after all..." Han Chengyu felt complicated.

[What can be confirmed is that the individual suffered an extremely violent external attack late in its life. Based on its final evolutionary form, the attacker was likely a Predatory Creature, also enhanced by the evo factor, with pronounced beast-like characteristics.]

The System brought up a simulated Energy Spectrum and continued its calm analysis.

[In a desperate, near-death situation, the evo factor within it was activated. However, unlike the typical tendency toward 'life preservation' or 'escape,' its intense will to survive, mixed with an extreme combat instinct, guided the factor down a completely different path—'Predator Countermeasure Form'.

This evolutionary path came at the cost of completely abandoning complex emotions and some Advanced cognitive functions, optimizing all resources for Killing Capabilities, ultimately achieving a counter-kill against the original attacker.]

"To survive... it turned into a monster..." Han Chengyu felt a chill.

[Correct. But powerful combat ability means immense energy consumption. Its high metabolism and high-intensity activity post-evolution kept it in a state of 'Energy Debt'.

The urgent need for high-energy substances (especially biological tissue rich in fat and protein) was the core driving force behind its behavioral pattern loss of control, ultimately leading it to shift its hunting targets toward humans.]

Upon hearing this, Han Chengyu suddenly realized a problem.

"Wait! System! If what you say is true, evolutionary combat requires massive energy consumption... then what about my Aptitude Holder? He just transformed and fought too! I thought he was only expending physical stamina..."

[Your understanding is flawed.] The System directly denied it.

[The operation of the armor is essentially guiding the Aptitude Holder's own evo factor to undergo high-intensity, directed temporary evolution. Every transformation and battle consumes not just the biological energy from muscle movement, but the Power of Evolution driven by the direct burning of the Life Origin. The energy consumption far exceeds conventional exercise. It is only through ingenious design that most of the burden is delayed and concentrated until the moment the transformation is released. At that point, intense weakness and hunger will erupt simultaneously.]

"This... this is such an important matter!" Han Chengyu grew anxious. "We can't communicate with him directly, can we? How are we supposed to warn him?"

[Direct communication is not possible.] The System's answer was decisive.

[Under the current authority and restrictions of the world Law, we cannot actively transmit information to the Aptitude Holder in any form. The consequences of energy consumption must be experienced and handled by him personally.]

"So we can only... watch helplessly?" Han Chengyu felt powerless.

[For now, yes.] The System confirmed.

[Only when you complete more 'Stabilization' missions and gain increased world authority might I be able to provide indirect assistance within a limited scope—for instance, subtly guiding the Aptitude Holder toward a relatively safe area when he collapses from exhaustion, or, in extreme circumstances, using reserved energy to maintain his minimum vital signs.]

"In other words, he has to get through this on his own..." Han Chengyu's consciousness heavily focused on the silver figure outside, who had just slain the monster and was silently standing before his comrade's remains. "This path is clearly not easy."

Lu Jianchuan stood rooted to the spot, his heavy panting slowly subsiding, but the turmoil in his heart was far from settled.

He lowered his gaze to the silver armor, which was emitting a faint glow and residual heat, and then looked toward the direction where Uncle Li had fallen. Immense grief and confusion surged into his heart once more. He raised his left hand; the armband embedded with a crimson gem on his wrist was clearly visible.

"If I press here... can I change back?" he murmured to himself, his fingertip subconsciously moving to press the gem again.

Click. Clack.

A series of subtle yet clear sounds, like boot soles crushing gravel, accompanied by the faint whirring of machinery, simultaneously came from several entrances of the warehouse.

Lu Jianchuan sharply raised his head, his gaze instantly turning sharp beneath the helmet. Through his enhanced senses, he clearly perceived at least seven or eight fully armed figures silently and quickly taking up advantageous firing positions inside the warehouse in standard Tactical Formation.

They wore uniform Dark Gray Combat Suits and were equipped with weapons he had never seen before—weapons fitted with energy slots and complex modules. All muzzles were steadily aimed at him, the sole standing target.

A powerful sense of danger, unlike what he felt facing the monster, seized him. Were these people... the "Special Affairs Investigation Bureau"?

One person, who appeared to be the squad leader, held his gun steady with one hand while quickly pressing the communicator on the side of his neck. His lowered voice came through the mask, cold and clear: "Command Center, a new Anomalous Individual has been discovered at the scene. Form is a full-coverage biomass armor, energy signature is strong. Target H-77 is confirmed to have lost vital signs, suspected to have been eliminated by the individual. Requesting instructions."

New Anomalous Individual... eliminated... These words pierced Lu Jianchuan's ears like ice picks. What did they take him for? Something like that monster?

He couldn't stay here! He had to leave! This thought arose like an instinct.

He had just gone through a life-and-death struggle, lost a Senior who was both a mentor and a friend, and was physically and mentally exhausted. He absolutely could not afford to get entangled with this group of mysterious armed personnel.

Almost the instant the opposing commander's voice fell silent, Lu Jianchuan moved! He chose not to attack, instead pouring his residual internal strength into his legs. The silver-white figure shot out like a phantom, charging toward a side exit that seemed slightly less defended!

"Stop him! Non-Lethal Fire!" The commander reacted extremely fast and immediately gave the order.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Several low-pitched energy beams grazed past his body, striking the walls and machinery behind him, leaving scorched marks, but without any explosion sounds. It was clearly a specialized Restraint Weapon.

Relying on the superior reaction time and speed granted by the armor, Lu Jianchuan dodged left and right under the cover of debris, moving so fast that he only left a blurry silver shadow, narrowly avoiding all the shots.

Lu Jianchuan had no desire to fight, bursting through the side door and returning to the cold moonlight.

Outside the warehouse, the scene was completely different from when he arrived. More black vehicles were parked in the distance, subtly surrounding the area. Personnel wearing White Protective Suits with Special Logos were busy on the periphery, setting up isolation zones and operating various detection equipment.

His sudden burst out immediately caused a commotion among the peripheral personnel. Several staff members, who looked like civilian workers holding tablet computers, were so startled they repeatedly backed away.

Closest to him, a young investigator who looked like he had just graduated and still had a hint of student naivety on his face, seemed stunned by the sudden silver figure and froze on the spot.

The sturdy and composed Veteran Investigator next to him reacted instantly, pulling the young man behind him, shielding him with his broad back. At the same time, his right hand was already pressed on the holster at his waist, his gaze solemn and vigilant as he stared intently at Lu Jianchuan bursting out.

However, Lu Jianchuan's target was not them at all. He didn't even spare them a glance. The silver figure showed no hesitation, tearing through the night like a streak of light, and with speed far exceeding that of an ordinary person, he broke through the sparse outer perimeter in a few bounds, vanishing into the complex shadows of the streets and alleys leading toward the city.

He dared not take the main roads, deliberately choosing the darkest, most winding alleys to travel through. The silver-white armor occasionally reflected faint light under the moonlight, forcing him to try his best to hide himself in the shadows of buildings.

All he could hear was his own slightly rapid breathing from running, and the extremely faint friction sound of the armor joints moving. Everything that happened in the warehouse kept replaying in his mind—Uncle Li's final gaze, the monster's miserable screams, and the cold muzzles of the mysterious armed personnel.

All of this was too unreal, yet it was so cruelly etched into his memory.

He didn't know how long he ran until the surrounding scenery became familiar and the streetlights grew denser, indicating that he had left the remote suburbs and returned to the vicinity of the relatively old residential area where he lived.

He found an empty blind spot, vigilantly observed his surroundings, and after confirming there were no followers, he silently scaled the low wall behind his rented apartment building, like a true ghost.

Instead of using the unit door, relying on the astonishing strength and agility granted by the armor, he clung bare-handed to the subtle protrusions on the exterior wall and the old drainpipes, climbing precisely and swiftly like a gecko to the window of his rented room on the fourth floor.

Fortunately, the window hadn't been locked for ventilation. He gently pulled it open, agilely flipped inside, and immediately shut the window tight, drawing the heavy curtains.

Only after completing all this did he lean back against the cold wall and slowly slide down to sit on the floor.

Finally... he was home.

The cramped, familiar, and enclosed space offered him a faint sense of security. The silver-white armor emitted a hazy glow in the dim room, illuminating his exhausted face.