The phone

The machine gun Su Chen obtained was a formidable weapon, boasting a 12.7 mm caliber. Under normal circumstances, bullets of such caliber could effortlessly mangle and dismember the human body, turning the battlefield into a gruesome meat grinder. In the Federation, it was known as the "Fire Dragon."

In truth, what Su Chen desired even more was a larger and more devastating machine gun. The mere thought of sprinting across the battlefield, unleashing a hail of bullets with his magically enhanced machine cannon, filled Su Chen with a sense of immense power.

However, Su Wenhao couldn't provide him with a weapon of that magnitude. Nevertheless, he did dangle a tantalizing carrot before Su Chen: once they arrived at the head office, Su Chen would be entrusted with the cannon himself.

The process of magically transforming the Fire Dragon proceeded smoothly. Unlike other magical alterations, which often carried an element of unpredictability, this combat unit's transformation had significantly less variance. Upon completion, it exhibited an enhanced combat state.

Following the magic transformation, the Fire Dragon now weighed over 70 kilograms and measured 1.7 meters in length. Its entire body exuded a dark, streamlined appearance. Thanks to Su Chen's strengthened physique, he could easily lift it, but running at high speeds while carrying the heavy weapon posed a challenge. Additionally, ammunition management became a crucial concern.

Su Chen believed the best course of action was to integrate the weapon with his armor, ensuring a more reliable and controlled approach to unleashing its fiery power.

Su Wenhao also provided him with two boxes of ammunition, totaling 800 rounds. As Su Chen caressed the imposing weapon in his hands, feeling its cold steel texture and admiring its flawless construction, a sinister smile crept onto his lips.

Yet, he remained uncertain of its true power...

Sitting in the back seat, unnoticed by the others, Su Chen observed as Qiao Zheng engaged in conversation with He Xuanheng, while Old Liu gazed silently at the dark world outside the car window.

He Xuanheng swiftly redirected his attention to the valiant warrior, Wang Li, attempting to engage him in conversation. However, Wang Li paid him no heed. His sole objective was to assist Su Chen and locate Lin Mo. He harbored suspicions about He Xuanheng, sensing an underlying menace behind his seemingly friendly demeanor. Consequently, he chose to remain tight-lipped, wary of divulging any information.

Despite this, an oddly harmonious atmosphere permeated the vehicle.

Qiao Zheng and He Xuanheng gradually delved into discussions about dark energy and abilities. As Su Chen continued to strengthen his body, he occasionally contributed a few words to the conversation. While he may not have fully comprehended the intricacies, he possessed a better understanding than these two individuals, recognizing the potential utility of their exchanges.

Su Chen couldn't help but notice He Xuanheng's intense curiosity about him. However, He Xuanheng exercised strict restraint and refrained from asking any inappropriate questions.

On the other hand, Qiao Zheng's character remained somewhat brash. As he spoke, he inexplicably veered off topic, recounting his cooperation with the military to eliminate the slender ghost and vividly describing their first battle in the city store, embellishing the details with a touch of exaggeration. Even Old Liu showed a semblance of interest, but Su Chen couldn't help but feel a sense of embarrassment, as if he were being executed on the spot through Qiao Zheng's words.

Just as Su Chen grappled with his discomfort, Wang Li suddenly shouted, "Attention!"

They were approaching a battlefield.

It lay in the wild, with large patches of withering vegetation and a quiet spread of mildew. A convoy of troops and survivors raced frantically across the field, relentlessly pursued by a dozen black scale monsters. Gunshots echoed in their wake.

However, as Su Chen drew closer, the pursuers seemed to receive some sort of revelation. They abruptly abandoned the convoy and turned their attention away from Su Chen.

The pitch-black monsters had been tailing Su Chen, fixated on him. When they realized he intended to hunt down their minions, they wasted no time in trying to eliminate him.

At this moment, Su Chen's off-road vehicle had not yet come into view for the military convoy.

Amidst the chaotic chase and desperate flight of the convoy, the platoon leader leading the group gazed in astonishment, a perplexed expression etched on his face. "Why did the monsters suddenly stop pursuing us? And why does it feel like they're fleeing?" he wondered aloud.

Just then, he caught sight of Su Chen's off-road vehicle hurtling toward them from a different direction. A solitary vehicle pursued the path the dozen black scale monsters had taken to escape.

He was thoroughly bewildered. Assuming the car was coming from behind, he remained oblivious to the situation. The darkness further obscured his vision, preventing him from discerning the true circumstances. Hastily, he used the car's speaker to shout, "Survivors over there, your current route leads toward the scale monsters. Please change direction immediately and join us. My unit is..."

However, the off-road vehicle paid no heed to his plea, relentlessly pursuing its quarry. Instead, a figure emerged, gracefully standing atop the vehicle's roof.

The platoon leader was dumbfounded.

What on earth was happening?

Did the apocalypse drive people to madness? Searching for oddities in such dire times?

Just then, he received a communication from Wang Li.

Wang Li began by reporting his army's numerical strength, describing himself as a subordinate unit, and then warned, "We are engaged in the perilous hunt for black scale monsters. It is highly dangerous. Please immediately steer clear!"

The platoon leader stood in stunned silence, his mind struggling to comprehend the situation before him.

How could a mere off-road vehicle, devoid of heavy weaponry, chase and kill over a dozen black scale monsters?

In a world where black scale monsters relentlessly pursued humans, it was inconceivable that there were creatures hunting down the very monsters that haunted them.

Yet, as he pondered the matter, he couldn't deny the undeniable correlation between the appearance of the off-road vehicle and the monsters' sudden change in direction.

Was it possible?

The platoon leader cautiously verified the opponent's number and encryption, reluctantly accepting the truth. He issued orders for his team to advance, their attention focused on the figure standing confidently on the roof of the vehicle.

Could this be an exceptionally gifted individual?

But why hadn't he made a move?

And why was he even using a phone?

Su Chen did indeed retrieve his phone.

Stepping out of the off-road vehicle, he intended to launch his attack. After all, it was his energy unit, his weapon. But as he glanced at the colossal shadow looming in the sky and the dozen black scale monsters abruptly altering their course, he hesitated.

The pitch black monster had shown no visible signs of warning.

A flicker of realization sparked within Su Chen. He began to piece together a theory regarding the monsters' mode of information transmission. Positioning himself firmly on the car's roof, he retrieved his mobile phone and initiated a random call, intending to disrupt the creatures' consciousness.

Instantaneously, Su Chen detected faint and imperceptible fluctuations of dark energy, emanating from a considerable distance. It seemed as though those energies were surging back from the direction in which the black scale monsters had fled, converging toward the city. Without Su Chen's heightened perception, these subtle currents would have gone unnoticed. However, at the precise moment Su Chen became aware of them, it seemed that they, too, became aware of him. Like a tiger disturbed from its slumber, they launched an immediate counterattack. Yet, at the critical moment, they lacked a certain element of support—an intangible height they couldn't quite reach. Their efforts faltered, and with swift retreat, they vanished in the blink of an eye.

...