Chapter 137: The Company You Can’t Leave (End)

Chapter 137: The Company She Can't Leave (End)

The red tentacle ceased its writhing; Zhu Ning's blood still clung to it. When it loosened slightly, she discovered a wound on her abdomen, a mechanical tentacle had pierced through her lower belly.

The tentacle penetrated from behind, a segment still writhing as it emerged. The pain was so intense that Zhu Ning forgot many of her injuries.

Her shin bone was shattered, both arms broken, and her protective suit was completely damaged.

The absolute power of Zhu Ning's metal manipulation showed its effect; blood streamed inside her helmet, and the red tentacle revealed a hint of fear.

Mutants feed on fear, and they sensed the scent of it.

Rustling—

The mutants made feeding sounds, surging out from the gaps in her protective suit at incredible speed. Black slime already touched the surface of the red tentacle.

"Health remaining: 36%" the system issued a cold warning. Skin hardening consumed a lot of health points, and she was almost unable to hold on.

The black slime and the red tentacle churned together. Zhu Ning gritted her teeth; one end of the black slime was connected to her spine. Last time when she consumed a small insect, she barely noticed anything.

This time, Zhu Ning clearly realized she was feeding, like a cheetah spending thirty minutes chasing a water buffalo on the grassland. Compared to an antelope, a water buffalo is larger with horns, and a cheetah would only choose to attack under extreme hunger.

When the cheetah catches up to the water buffalo, even after biting into its body, it dares not relax for a moment, as the prey could struggle and escape at any time.

You must bite down firmly, piercing through the tough skin, aiming for the throat.

Do not let go, not even in death.

Zhu Ning was doing just that now, trying to control the mutant. The black slime must not retreat.

With no way to retreat, Zhu Ning refused to let it back away, determined to die together if necessary.

It was a parasite within her, but Zhu Ning was still Zhu Ning, and it was her servant.

Zhu Ning needed it to obey her.

She aimed to kill the red tentacle, willing to pay any price. Ignoring her own pain, she strangled it, using the mutant as her weapon.

Crack, crack—

The mechanical metal embedded deep within the red tentacle began to twist, controlled by an irresistible force. The tentacle that had pierced her abdomen was forcibly extracted.

It stopped writhing and twisting, perhaps never having experienced such absolute control since its creation.

Splat—

As the red tentacle withdrew, it brought out a large amount of blood. Zhu Ning's abdomen bled profusely, but she did not relax, only gritting her teeth harder.

She could sense the other's fear, initially like a small flame, detected by the black slime.

Then the small flame fell onto a stack of firewood, and the fear spread rapidly like a wildfire.

The more afraid the red tentacle became, the more excited the black slime grew. They entwined, inseparable, with the black slime covering the surface of the tentacle.

Splat— The red tentacle was crushed by the black slime, as if a tear had been ripped open, and a bright red fluid oozed out.

The black slime, like seeing fresh blood, abruptly drilled into the tear. It was a soft liquid, never having tasted such delicious prey.

Under Zhu Ning's unbreakable control, the mechanical parts inside the tentacle were twisted into a tangle.

Zhu Ning was a competent feeder; she subdued the prey, waiting for the black slime to feed.

They burrowed into the tentacle, and wherever they went, the red tentacle seemed to be sucked dry, its surface quickly collapsing.

Crack—

They bit through the core components of the tentacle, sparks flying. The resistance against Zhu Ning vanished, like someone who has been wrestling your arm down to the table, and you're about to be pinned, but then the pressure suddenly disappears.

Zhu Ning's body, freed from restraint, fell to the ground like a boneless mass. Her back lay on the rubble of the exploded ruins, her body covered in blood, nearly half of her bones broken.

Her helmet was damaged and deformed, revealing her face, which was covered in blood, resembling a vengeful ghost.

She lay quietly at the bottom of the ruins. The black slime, having eaten its fill, then spat out a pile of undigestible mechanical parts—gears, wires, and components Zhu Ning couldn't identify.

The black slime wrapped around Zhu Ning's body playfully, like a puppy seeking praise. Seeing that Zhu Ning was too busy to notice, it slowly retreated.

Zhu Ning did not stop it, so it returned to where it came from, entering through the nape of her neck and slowly merging with her spine.

It spread along her spine, evenly enveloping her fractured bones, fusing and regenerating the broken ends.

Zhu Ning's face was covered in blood, and she silently felt this process, as if in a dream. What was she now?

A mechanical pollutant?

She resembled a large waste purification machine.

The three-dimensional defense field had only fifteen minutes left before it failed. After it failed, the underground area would collapse, burying Zhu Ning under the debris above.

But she was too exhausted to struggle.

Before her was a scene of chaos, the scorched ruins stained with blood, and scattered mechanical parts.

Mutants could only consume organic matter; many mechanical components were indigestible, leaving gears scattered on the ground like tiny bones expelled by a monster.

A small gear rolled over.

Zhu Ning couldn't even lift a hand, only glancing at it. A string of symbols was inscribed on it.

α: 0057

Alpha? Is this the product of another experimental series? If Zhu Ning's brain collapses, would it also drop a part with her code written on it?

Zhu Ning felt a gear with her hand hanging at her side and pressed it into her palm with a snap.

Her protective suit was torn, and she had no gloves on her hands, which were covered in blood. Her knuckles were severely injured, even exposing white bone.

Something was pulsing under her hand.

Zhu Ning loosened her fingers, and something floated out from between them.

It was a blood-red contaminated spore, like a firefly that had gained freedom from Zhu Ning's palm, now floating in the air.

Contaminated spores, the core energy source of the wasteland world.

Hengsheng Machinery Company found that black crystal to replace the contaminated spores. It contained energy because it itself was a contaminated spore.

In the end, the company was still pursuing the same thing, there was no new energy source to replace the contaminated spores; they just held onto a pollutant thinking they had struck a rich vein.

They let their unknowing employees come into contact with it, and Wang Qinxi died because of this cursed thing.

Zhu Ning and this brain were nothing more than discarded laboratory waste, thrown away without a second thought, as the consequences would not spread to the Divine Realm.

Just like in a fantasy novel, where the immortals casually toss some treasure down to the human world, causing chaos.

They call it a test of human nature.

First-class citizens are no different from gods.

Below the Divine Realm is all hell, and Zhu Ning lived in that hell, only this hell was packaged in technology, making you think you were in the human world.

The company's rules were wrong, they were trapped in a flawed system and couldn't break free. Zhu Ning could blow up the company to solve the problem.

But what about the system of this world?

What happens when the world's rules go wrong?

Wang Qinxi chose peace; she didn't want to continue living in this mad world, which didn't deserve her existence.

Walking out of the company meant nothing.

As long as the rules don't change, there will be countless Wang Qinxis, countless forty-centimeter temperature limits.

The blood-red contaminated spores continued to spread, like a fire burning, filling the three-dimensional defense space.

Zhu Ning understood why the contaminated spores circled around her in the abandoned village last time—they were of the same kind.

If Zhu Ning died, she would also turn into a patch of contaminated spores. Would there be a cleaner to contain her then?

Ding—

The system seemed to be acting up today, emitting continuous static sounds.

System announcement: "C-Congratulations, congratulations on upgrading the purification system. Some basic talents will be upgraded to intermediate level."

"Metal manipulation talent upgraded to intermediate level, control range expanded to 20 meters."

"Danger prediction talent upgraded to intermediate level, prediction range extended to 2 minutes."

"Congratulations for completing the random task: The Company You Can't Leave. Congratulations on being an outstanding employee, successfully leaving the company, with a purification rate of 100%."

"Reward settlement in progress..."

"Congratulations on receiving the basic reward, mental value restored to 100."

"Congratulations on receiving 15,000 purification points, current total: 15,001."

"Congratulations on receiving the Hengsheng employee reward: Rotten Ram Head."

"Rotten Ram Head: S-grade pollutant, can inflict mental pollution on others, causing them to lose their sense of time and leading to mental breakdown. Can impose mental suggestions on others, making them follow your instructions invisibly, such as inducing suicide, affecting time and life values. Note: This item will consume 150 life points, use with caution. This item is ineffective against mental ability users and those with S-grade mental values. Please confirm if the target meets the requirements before use."

"Congratulations on receiving the basic talent: God's Perspective."

"Reward description: Can activate this perspective to overlook the surrounding terrain, with no buildings obstructing your view, visible range of thirty meters."

"Congratulations on receiving the random task reward: Corrosive Potion."

"Reward description: Can corrode objects and human bodies. Note: This item will consume life points, and the degree of corrosion will be calculated based on remaining life points. When using, the required life points will be indicated based on the object."

"This task has advanced the side quest: Seeking the Truth of Death. Key clues have been found, search progress: 60%."

So, consuming pollutants can upgrade the system. Both of her basic talents have been upgraded. This time, the rewards were generous, and her efforts were not in vain.

But what key clue did she find about the truth of death? Was it the serial number on this mechanical part?

What series is Alpha? Is Zhu Ning also part of some experimental project?

Zhu Ning was thinking about how to get out of here next. Her life points were down to 6, and exchanging purification points should extend her life for a while.

Suddenly, footsteps came from above; someone was coming.

...

Three minutes ago.

Xu Meng and Mountain Cat got out of the car, the noise was like an earthquake. People had to be careful walking on it to avoid causing a secondary collapse.

Xu Meng: "Be careful."

They didn't know where Zhu Ning was. If this place collapsed, they could still escape on the ground, but Zhu Ning below might be crushed to a pulp.

This contaminated area was too bizarre. The entrance had already been opened, but they hadn't seen a single spore of contamination yet.

Lynx carried a pollution concentration detection device, which showed that a certain area was continuously emitting contamination.

Lynx: "This way."

Xu Meng and Lynx both moved very quietly. Most of Building Three had already collapsed, with not many piled-up stones.

The pollution concentration on the detector soared. Lynx: "It's down there."

As soon as he finished speaking, a particle of contamination spore suddenly floated out from the crevices of the rubble, as if there was a source of contamination spores below.

This must be the place.

Xu Meng's body slowly melted into a shadow in front of Lynx, like black oil seeping slowly through the cracks in the rocks.

Zhu Ning was sitting below the ruins, a three-dimensional defense space had been erected to a height of two meters, and the thirty-minute effective time was almost up.

She was still trying to identify the sounds coming from above. If it were another enemy, she might not have the energy to fight again.

Zhu Ning just heard a faint sound, followed by a black shadow flowing down from above.

It looked similar to a mutant, but not as dark; it was a shadow.

"Captain?" Zhu Ning spoke up.

In this state, Xu Meng seemed unable to make a sound. The black shadow extended a finger, like a cat extending a paw, pointing downward. She was blocked by an unknown space.

Zhu Ning allowed Xu Meng to enter her three-dimensional defense space.

After entering, Xu Meng reformed into human shape, like a stone falling into calm water, dispersing the dense cloud of contamination spores instantly.

Xu Meng frowned, not asking about the space just now. Her first reaction was to wonder what kind of ancestor Zhu Ning was. Leaning against a rock, her whole body was covered in blood, and her helmet was crushed.

If someone didn't know better, they would think she had been swallowed by some wild beast and then spit out. The ground was littered with mechanical parts, many of them covered in flesh and blood.

Zhu Ning had already stored several important parts in her cards, so Xu Meng could only see the remains, making it hard to imagine what Zhu Ning had experienced here.

Seeing the damage to Zhu Ning's helmet, Xu Meng's frown deepened, but she had seen it before, and this time it felt natural. Zhu Ning was an experimental subject; being exposed to contamination spores should be fine.

Many psychics could also withstand exposure to contamination spores.

Xu Meng watched helplessly as she sought her own death, asking, "How did you plan to get out?"

Zhu Ning could feel Xu Meng suppressing her anger. For a moment, she felt like a naughty child caught by a parent.

Zhu Ning really hadn't thought of a foolproof plan. She thought either to use a bomb again to blast an opening for her to escape or to cardify herself, lying quietly underground, waiting for someone in the future to rescue her.

That would be a complete surrender.

So when Zhu Ning saw Xu Meng, it was like seeing a savior goddess. She had been in the contaminated area for so long that it felt like she had lived her entire life there, clocking in and out every day.

She really felt like she belonged with the contaminants.

Xu Meng appeared in the ruins below, breaking the invisible barrier, making Zhu Ning feel human again after a long time.

It turned out that if she got lost, someone would indeed come to rescue her.

Zhu Ning smiled, "I knew you would come to save me."

Xu Meng: "..."

It wasn't clear if this was within Zhu Ning's expectations, but if Xu Meng didn't act, Prometheus might have other plans.

Xu Meng asked, "Can you walk?"

Zhu Ning, like a mischievous child seeing a parent clean up the mess, didn't want to move a finger and started slacking off, "Nope."

"Don't pout," Xu Meng grabbed her arm, "You can walk."

Zhu Ning: "?"

Before she could react, when Xu Meng touched Zhu Ning's arm, she suddenly felt very strange—really strange. Her whole body melted into a thick liquid, the kind that bubbles when you open your mouth.

It was as if... a three-dimensional person had been flattened into a sheet of paper.

Zhu Ning followed Xu Meng, turning into a shadow on the spot, being forcefully pulled away by a suction force. The shadow passed through the gaps in the rocks. She couldn't even feel her limbs, let alone know where to put her hands and feet.

Such an amazing experience should really cost something.

After about a minute, she took a breath and realized she was already on the ground.

Xu Meng could not only turn herself into a shadow but also turn others into shadows. She probably could do the same with objects. No wonder she was the captain of the Cheetah Team; her powers were stronger than Zhu Ning had imagined.

Xu Meng supported Zhu Ning, holding her waist. Zhu Ning's legs and feet weren't fully healed, and she couldn't stand steadily.

A black flying car was parked in front of them. This commotion might attract the Clean Center, so they needed to leave quickly.

Xu Meng and Lynx had worked together multiple times. By the time Xu Meng came down, Lynx had already prepared for their retreat.

Xu Meng roughly shoved Zhu Ning into the back seat of the car, as if tossing a suitcase inside. As soon as they got in, the flying car immediately took off.

The company that had become ruins was left far behind, the contamination spores below looking like scattered sparks in the night.

Zhu Ning hadn't fully recovered from Wang Qinxi's story and was still a bit dazed.

Zhu Ning leaned against the car window for a while and asked, "What's next?"

Xu Meng said coldly, "You don't need to worry about it."

Zhu Ning responded with an "Oh," and then really didn't bother anymore.

The driver was a man. Zhu Ning glanced at him; he wore a metal mask. Her intuition told her this person was Lynx.

Lynx had appeared here to back Zhu Ning up, but ended up being completely useless. He activated the autonomous driving mode, and Xu Meng kept rummaging around inside the car. Lynx tossed a medical kit to the front seat.

Xu Meng opened a vial of potent healing agent and injected it into Zhu Ning's leg.

Through the rearview mirror, Lynx saw that Zhu Ning was covered in blood, her protective suit torn in several places. The wound on her abdomen was the worst, yet she didn't make a sound or cry out in pain.

The blood on Zhu Ning's face had partly dried, making her look as if she had just emerged from a pool of blood. It was hard to tell what she originally looked like, except for her bright eyes.

Lynx and Zhu Ning had always communicated online. This was their first meeting, and she had truly managed to enter an S-level contaminated area alone.

"Congratulations," Lynx said.

Zhu Ning's feat would be announced internally within the guild that day, and everyone would know about her. Lynx had been in this line of work for over a decade, and Zhu Ning had surpassed him overnight.

That's how it goes in the demon hunter business—new geniuses will always emerge.

While Xu Meng was applying medicine to Zhu Ning, she asked, "Are you Lynx?"

Lynx: "Yes."

Zhu Ning: "Then what's the captain's name?"

Xu Meng was about to bandage one of Zhu Ning's arms and was thinking of telling her not to ask, but Lynx had already spoken, "Black Cat."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Ning responded with an "Oh." She extended a blood-stained hand, "Hello, I'm Caracal."

Xu Meng: "..."

She knew Zhu Ning had no good intentions.

Lynx wasn't much of a talker and didn't enjoy interacting with people. He seemed particularly wooden. Xu Meng thought Lynx wouldn't respond, but after a moment's hesitation, he took Zhu Ning's bloody hand.

Fearing he might touch her wounds, Lynx held her hand lightly, "Hello, Caracal."