Chapter 406 - 74: Another Step Forward

Even now, after repeated reflection and analysis, he realized the opponent’s most troublesome aspect had been their invisibility.

As long as he could use Life Sensing to lock onto their position and temporarily restrain them with a Secret Technique, then even an expert at the peak of the Exploration Level would have to pay a bloody price against him in his Titan state.

....

Time quietly slipped by.

In the half-month that followed, Lu Chao divided his time among several pursuits.

When he wasn’t creating potions, completing his duties for the Superpower Bureau, or leading his team to sweep for Rebels, he was in the gravity room, diligently honing his various Martial Skills.

He frequently activated his Flow State talent, trying to achieve a breakthrough in his Ten Thousand Spirits Martial Arts Skill and comprehend the deeper mysteries of Qi Flame. He also visited the Storm Club to ask Chen Xuanxing—an Exploration Level expert and head of the club’s three masters—for guidance on projecting his Qi Flame.

During this period, the atmosphere in the Superpower Fourth Bureau subtly changed.

Although Li Xiyuan officially remained with Team Three, his authority had been quietly elevated. He now held the concurrent post of deputy director, and even Li Junyi treated him with respect. Li Xiyuan was authorized to give orders to other Superpower Teams.

His subordinate captains also basked in his reflected glory, and their status among their peers rose a notch.

"That Xu Wei and the rest of those guys from Team Three... they’re really two-faced."

"I swear, they’re getting so full of themselves."

「Noon. Near the port of Satellite City No. 4.」

A tributary of the Red River flowed past, cutting through the city district. Rows of gray-white cargo ships were moored at the docks, their shipments suspended due to the Beast Tide.

Only a few freighters belonging to the City Lord’s Mansion, the elder families, or the Five Major Enterprises still sailed the wide river.

The once-bustling scene had vanished. All that remained were red and blue shipping containers piled high in the port’s open areas and the members of the City Guard Army patrolling here, on alert for Mutant Beasts emerging from the water.

In addition to them...

"Tell me about it."

A gruff voice rang out. Following the sound, one could see five or six black SUVs from the Superpower Bureau parked by the roadside.

Heavily armed Superpower Members were spread out around the port. All were in black combat uniforms, wearing earpieces and patrolling with guns in hand. From time to time, a swarm of drones would pass overhead, surveying the river’s surface for any threats.

Gao Hu, whose eyes were as fierce as a tiger’s, nodded. He and Wang Dali’s group were standing guard on one side of the riverbank, beneath a massive red steel crane. He chimed in, "Ever since Leader Li’s breakthrough, everyone in Team Three has been acting all high and mighty. It’s unbearable."

"Honestly, if the boss hadn’t ordered us not to, I’d want to go pick a fight with them."

He was now the official captain of the Fifth Squad, and his strength had broken through to the peak Elite Level, but his temper was as fiery as ever.

"Ugh, don’t even start. I feel the same way."

Yang Heng, the now-recovered captain of the Second Squad, got along well with him. He was also standing nearby with his men, keeping a watchful eye on the river as he added his agreement. "There was a mission last time, and those guys tried to snatch it from me. Especially that Xu Wei. She’s always working with those captains from the East Port circle."

"Nothing I could do. I had to let them have it in the end."

Their voices carried over, tinged with a hint of helplessness.

Lu Chao, sitting in a black SUV behind the main port area, overheard the resentful discussion among his captains.

He silently glanced at his wrist device and didn’t get out of the car.

In reality, it wasn’t just Gao Hu and the others.

Ever since Li Xiyuan had broken through to the Exploration Level, he had monopolized many of the Fourth Bureau’s high-contribution missions. Yao Jin’s Fourth Team was in a similar boat, faring no better than they were.

"Dammit. Team Three gets to handle the big missions, while we’re stuck here guarding a port."

"They’re just pushing us around."

Chen Xiao, sitting in the driver’s seat, was clearly dejected. While Fang Xu in the passenger seat said nothing, he pursed his lips.

Hearing this, Lu Chao glanced out the window.

The port’s riverbank was relatively calm, the river’s surface rising and falling in swells.

In the distance, by the high-walled channel, two enormous black watchtowers stood on either side of the riverbank, with several squads of the City Guard Army patrolling nearby.

Due to the repercussions of the Beast Tide, the United Committee had issued several directives.

The Superpower Bureau was required to periodically dispatch personnel to help the City Guard Army stand watch for Beast Tide attacks at key locations.

Furthermore, the Special Investigation Team had recently discovered traces of Ink Green Rattan, a warlord leader of Black Thorn, and was concerned she might try to escape through the port.

It was originally Team Three’s turn to handle this duty, but Li Xiyuan had used his authority to take a different mission in advance, forcing them to fill in.

As a result, Team Five had dispatched a good fifty or sixty people to patrol the port area, shouldering two tasks at once.

’Beast Tide alert, warlord capture...’ Lu Chao shook his head to himself.

He knew their presence here was most likely just for show. After all, the members of the City Guard Army were far from weak and were exceptionally well-equipped; it was unlikely they would let a large number of aquatic Mutant Beasts into the city.

As for Ink Green Rattan, even if she wanted to escape, she would never risk coming here.

At this thought, he withdrew his gaze and looked down at his wrist device.

He scrolled through several alchemical texts—"Refining the Life Essence of Beast King-Level Mutant Beasts," "The Theory of Fusing Biological Blood Factors with Medicinal Fluids," and more—all knowledge related to biological serums that he had compiled from his gains at Nanyun Mountain.

By now, he had basically grasped and understood all of this alchemical knowledge.

If he had enough materials, he was confident he could produce an incomplete biological serum, most likely replicating thirty percent of its effects.

’Thirty percent isn’t bad. Three doses would raise my Life Energy by two points.’

’But... if I could master another piece of Senior-Level Potion knowledge, like the Biological Nutrient Factor Theory, I could complete part of the formula and increase the efficacy by another twenty percent.’

As he pondered this, a plan began to form.

This particular piece of Superpower Potion knowledge was one of four required to become a Biological Alchemist, and it could be redeemed for 25,000 contribution points.

For the same number of contribution points, he could exchange them for two vials of Essence of Qi, which would certainly be useful in the short term.

But for one thing, he was already starting to build up a resistance to their effects; even if he took them, he would only gain three points of Life Energy.

For another, the variety of Basic Nutritional Potions on the intranet was extremely limited. He was running out of options and needed to prepare for the future.

The third and most important point was this:

If he exchanged the points for the Superpower Potion knowledge, he could make better use of the tens of millions of Alliance Coins he had on hand.

After all, an incomplete biological serum with fifty percent efficacy was equivalent to half a vial of Essence of Qi and energy mineral essence—its effects were nothing to scoff at.

Moreover, he could freely purchase the materials and craft it himself, no longer restricted by contribution points or Dark Web points.

The thought flashed through his mind, and Lu Chao remembered he still had twenty thousand contribution points left. His decision became clearer.

He decided to access the intranet and look up the relevant Superpower Potion knowledge.

The next instant.

"Hm?"

A flicker of intuition; he vaguely sensed something was wrong.

He tilted his head and looked out. The surface of the river outside the port was rolling gently, and the sound of splashing waves could be heard from time to time.

Although Gao Hu and the others were talking amongst themselves, they were still performing their duties, spread out with their respective squads along the riverbank and coordinating patrols with the City Guard Army.

But...

Lu Chao sat up a little straighter, quietly activating his Life Sensing.

Everything around him seemed to transform into a three-dimensional model inside his mind.

Be it the Superpower Bureau or the City Guard Army, every Life Magnetic Field within a five-hundred-meter radius was reflected in his mind, and there were no significant anomalies.

However, his expression grew serious. He threw open the car door, walked to the riverbank embankment, and stared at the heavy, closed metal gate at the base of the high wall.

It was a gate forged from a special alloy, standing nearly ten meters tall. Even a Beast King would have trouble destroying it easily. It only opened briefly when specific cargo ships passed through.

And right at that moment.

At its very bottom, near the riverbed.

VMM!

A Professional-level Life Magnetic Field materialized out of thin air, as if it had slipped through some kind of opening to get past the high wall.

Immediately after.

SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

One after another, Life Magnetic Fields charged in from the waters outside, pouring into the city perimeter.

Ten, then dozens, then hundreds...

The bloody, frenzied aura of the magnetic fields was sickening, and their numbers were multiplying.

Lu Chao’s expression turned grim. He instantly understood the situation.

"A Beast Tide..."