Cosmic-Level Demon God-Chapter 95 - 85: Rust, Red Eyes (Third Update!)

[Skill: Predator]

[Effect: Can mark a "prey" and then start the "hunt". Completing this will randomly acquire beneficial effects such as "healing", "enhancing", and "recovery".]

Qin Shi looked at the blood sample, Chen Yun and Lin Yunqing standing on either side, their eyes filled with anticipation, watched him intently, which made him feel oddly like a humanoid mechanical dog.

"Don’t get too close, I get nervous..."

Qin Shi coughed twice, regarding the means of tracking the pathogen of the electronic demon.

His explanation was simple, the all-powerful secret technique of the Old Martial!

"Hah! I’m going to start, you two step back, I don’t want to hurt any innocent bystanders!"

Chen Yun backed up a few steps on hearing this, while the round-faced girl beside her muttered softly:

"Team leader, can he really find the living target carrying the ’electronic demon virus’? No matter how you look at it, he seems unreliable, pretending to be a Qi Gong master at such a young age..."

Chen Yun’s eyes flashed fiercely, stopping her team member from speaking further, although she also had no confidence in her heart and couldn’t discern whether Qin Shi truly had skills or was just seeking attention.

But for now, they decided to treat the dead horse as if it were alive, rather than sit around waiting for the Urban Circle to issue a strike order.

After all, the Dangyang East Suburb had a population of over a million. Even if they knew an electronic demon had mixed in, the inspection department couldn’t lock onto a target, and it could result in widespread infection at any time. It was challenging for any high-ranking official to dare make the decision to eliminate it.

The Lord Governor of Heng Province’s New Star had to think twice and hesitate.

After all, this was no longer the Dongxia period of the old empire, where human lives were trampled like grass, and hitting the strike button carried little consequence and no psychological burden.

Moreover, a massive death toll of over three hundred thousand would release enough negative emotions to trigger a spiritual shock comparable to a mega-tsunami.

It might even nourish and birth a high-level demon.

The mere thought of it could make one’s scalp tingle.

"The electronic lockdown and energy restrictions in Heng Province to some extent are also a self-imposed limitation. If a high-level electronic demon were to be nurtured, it would only take less than six hours to break through the Iron Curtain defenses. The urban circle would fall just like the Central City..."

The thought sent chills through Chen Yun, making her increasingly resentful of Qin Lihao. Did that fool even know what he was doing?

"Believe in Assistant Professor Qin! The Old Martial Sect indeed has secret techniques for locking souls and sensing direction over long distances!"

Lin Yunqing seemed completely confident, her eyes unwaveringly fixed on Qin Shi like a magnet.

"Heaven and Earth have no boundaries, tracking across thousands of miles..."

Qin Shi casually muttered some gibberish, secretly activating the predator skill and directly marking the blood sample.

Sure enough, his vision abruptly changed, no longer showing the scene before him.

An image of a man with a limp right arm, apparently severely injured, appeared in his view.

Leather jacket, jeans, a lean and rugged body...

"It’s really Brother Ze."

From burning several of Qin Lihao’s container collections, it was clear the other party had a personal grudge against Qin Laosan.

Thinking of Qin Zhijie’s kidnapping, it wasn’t hard to guess that Cheng Ze was the living host carrying the electronic demon virus.

But speculation aside, after genuinely learning the answer, Qin Shi still felt emotionally conflicted.

To be fair, Brother Ze had treated him pretty well, and they shared a bond as fellow disciples.

If it weren’t for the seriousness of the situation, concerning the safety of many neighbors and even Lao Liang and his sister Qin Lan, he might not have wanted to get involved.

"Brother Ze’s condition doesn’t seem good either."

The fragmented images in Qin Shi’s mind were blurry, shaking as if filmed with a handheld camera.

He could vaguely see Cheng Ze’s bleeding arm, the dripping blood was black and somewhat viscous, like leaking oil.

The tissue around the wound had a distinctive silver gleam, like tin foil being scorched.

[Prey successfully marked]

[Start the hunt?]

Two lines of text flashed on his retina, and Qin Shi’s thoughts flickered as he chose to start.

A strikingly conspicuous blood trail materialized mid-air, like a crimson ribbon swirling above his head, pointing him in the right direction.

Seeing no movement from Qin Shi, an impatient Chen Yun couldn’t help but ask:

"How is it? Little Qin, did you find the target?"

She didn’t really expect there to be a result, but Qin Shi’s answer made the team leader overjoyed:

"He’s heading towards the northwest of the factory area, about nine kilometers from here."

Chen Yun was stunned for a moment before quickly dragging Qin Shi into the car:

"Let’s go! You navigate for me!"

The engine of the Black Knight Guard roared, like a beast eager to run wild.

"I’m Chen Yun from Inspection Department Team Seven, open the gate and let us through!"

Chen Yun floored the gas pedal, the steering wheel twisting, the tires almost sparking against the ground. In the blink of an eye, the two of them and the car had left Jiushong Port.

"Hey! I haven’t gotten in the car yet! Take me with you!"

By the time Lin Yunqing realized, she could only spread her hands and stomp her feet, clenching her teeth in frustration.

...

...

"This is rustification. The electronic demon has no physical form; it’s like a wave, akin to a spectral presence. Once it enters an organic body, it will corrode the flesh. The organ tissues will irreversibly transform towards metal."

Listening to Qin Shi describing the target’s characteristics, Chen Yun’s expression became serious:

"There are many short-sighted people who see this as a path to immortality—after all, replacing parts and maintaining mechanical constructs is easier. Prosthetics still have rejection reactions to the human body and aren’t plug-and-play.

What’s more, being possessed by an electronic demon isn’t as profitable as one might think.

My father often said, in this world, pros and cons always coexist. If an organic body gets infected by the electronic demon, the probability of contracting ’rustification disease’ is ninety-seven percent."

Qin Shi was silent, although he wasn’t fully clear on the severe consequences of rustification disease, common sense told him it wasn’t a good outcome.

"Sister Yun, can the electronic demon be exorcised?"

He asked softly.

"It’s very difficult. Unless one is a spiritual cultivator who can forcibly use ’spiritual shock’ to expel the electronic demon from the host body. Or a Mechanical Priest...Heng Province doesn’t have the means."

Chen Yun stomped on the gas, the vehicle’s speed hitting its limit.

"So, do you know the target?"

At this critical moment, there was no point in hiding, and Qin Shi spoke truthfully:

"An acquaintance from Old Factory Street."

"Little Qin, my primary plan is to eliminate him... I hope you understand."

Chen Yun also laid her cards on the table.

Qin Shi nodded.

His gaze through the window, the crimson blood trail snaking like a serpent across the night sky, as if the hand of fate was tightening around Cheng Ze.

"Brother Ze, what did you take away?"

...

...

Inhale, exhale.

Heavy breathing echoed in the alley, with black handprints on the mottled brick walls. Cheng Ze, as if in a fever, drifted in and out of consciousness.

He recalled Lao Shen’s advice over the phone:

"Aze! Quickly get rid of that thing! It will kill you..."

Kill me?

What value does a delinquent’s life on Old Factory Street hold?

Cheng Ze clutched his chest, the scorching heat burning his skin, like a red-hot iron pressed against him, nearly penetrating his chest.

"My life...is so cheap...how valuable it is in exchange for an opportunity! I want to fly...teacher, I want to fly away, fly out of Old Factory Street!"

Muttering incoherently, Cheng Ze’s right eye twitched uncontrollably, forming a metal orb that emitted a crimson glow.

Cold data flowing in his eyes.

[Ascending]

[17%]

"You bastard! Where do you think you’re running? I should’ve known, it’s you, you stray dog! Cheng Ze, tell me where Ajie is, and I’ll give you a quick death!"

At the alley’s end, an SUV blocked the way like a bronze wall, Qin Lihao in his conspicuous white suit barged into view:

"At last! Damn it, been at this all night..."

The phone in his pocket vibrated wildly, but Qin Lihao ignored it and hung up immediately. Once this matter was settled, he would report to his elder brother.

"Brother Hao... just in time! You’re the person I most wanted to see!"

Cheng Ze, leaning half of his body against the wall, finally regained focus despite his blurred consciousness.

"Let me show you how well I’m doing now! All thanks to you!"

In the thick darkness, a hand reached out, the flesh entirely turning to metal, shining a bright silver.

"Obey me!"

Cheng Ze uttered only three words, as if activating some powerful force field, the SUV blocking the alley roared furiously, black flames erupting around it, the glaring headlights turning into crimson beast eyes!