CHAPTER 42 - Shimmer Transformation

"What? Mechanical monsters?!" Silco almost lost his composure, thinking he might have misheard.

"Yes. A colossal mechanical monster, at least over two meters tall. Our weapons can't penetrate its steel armor."

Due to excessive blood loss, the face of Silco's subordinate, whose arm was severed, was extremely pale. He looked on the verge of collapsing at any moment.

"Drink this." Silco quickly uncorked a vial of potion and handed it to his subordinate. "It can save your life."

The subordinate hesitated for a moment, evidently aware of the side effects of Shimmer.

But when one is at death's door, who cares about minor side effects?

He reached out with a shaky hand, took the potion, and then took a deep breath. Tilting his head back, he poured the purple liquid into his mouth.

Immediately, accompanied by a mixture of bone-cracking and flesh-squelching sounds, the wound on his right arm healed rapidly. Muscles on his body grew rapidly, and purple veins protruded from his skin.

"Ughhh!" The subordinate writhed in pain, spitting out purple blood. The transformation was complete, almost transcending human boundaries.

Shimmer couldn't regenerate lost limbs...

Silco stroked his chin, watching the second subordinate transformed by Shimmer. "How do you feel?"

The subordinate stood upright, towering over even the two-meter-tall bald, tattooed man.

He clenched his terrifying fist, radiating a dark purple glow. The sound of bone-like "cracks" from his fingers was eerie.

"I-I feel... power!"

"Yes, power." Silco's mouth curled with a subtle arc. "Now, let's deal with the mechanical monster you mentioned."

...

...

At the entrance of the Old Can Factory, Li Lin in powered armor, Caitlyn with a Mauser rifle, and Jayce with his hammer transformed into an energy cannon charged forward.

Behind them, Vander's subordinates, having witnessed the trio's combat prowess, silently chose to follow them to pick up the spoils.

Vi, Powder, Claggor, and Milo were also among the crowd, closely watched by personnel sent by Benso, preventing them from running amok or impulsively rushing into the fray.

"Jayce, on your left!"

While giving a warning, Caitlyn took precise shots, hitting a thug in the thigh, rendering him instantly incapacitated.

"Got it!"

Meanwhile, Jayce adjusted the direction of his energy cannon, pulled the trigger twice, drawing energy from the crystal. Two blue-white energy spheres were fired from the top of the cannon.

The electrifying arcs did not directly target the bodies of the people but collided with the ground or walls, creating shockwaves that stunned them.

Whether Li Lin, Caitlyn, or Jayce, unless absolutely necessary, they tried not to kill.

Although killing these "minions" would provide Li Lin with a small amount of experience, having grown up under peace time and received a good education, he lacked the hatred to easily take lives.

"All clear."

After Caitlyn shot the last thug still standing, they had successfully broken through the weak defense of the outer perimeter, defeating forty to fifty individuals.

Subsequently, led by Li Lin in powered armor, they swiftly headed toward the interior of the factory.

"What the hell is this monster?!"

"We can't even penetrate its armor. Is this still a battle? It's simply one-sided oppression and slaughter!"

"Quick, go find the boss!"

"To hell with Silco. Our lives are more important. Let's run away!"

"Don't... don't kill me! I surrender!"

"..."

Firearms and cold weapons were manageable, but among Silco's subordinates, some had installed alchemical enhancement devices, giving them at least some combat capability.

However, faced with Li Lin's impervious exoskeleton power armor, Silco's lackeys showed no desire for battle.

Coupled with Jayce, seemingly an endless source of energy, firing high-powered energy cannons one after another, they simply couldn't hold their ground.

These gangsters, who had lost their morale, either lay on the ground wailing in defeat or, upon seeing Li Lin and his team, fled in panic. Some even dropped their weapons and surrendered.

Before long, Li Lin and his group reached the central part of the factory, where the remaining loyalists of Silco, numbering over twenty, had gathered.

"Silco! You bastard, release Vander now!" Unable to contain his anger upon seeing Silco on the bridge of the second floor, Benso squeezed through the crowd, brandishing a long knife and pointing it at Silco's nose, unleashing a torrent of curses.

Silco coldly glanced at Benso, paying him no attention whatsoever. He didn't even acknowledge him.

Surveying the power armor at the forefront of the crowd, his intact right eye's pupil contracted slightly, and he couldn't help but murmur, "This kind of machine wasn't around a few years ago..."

Li Lin manipulated the power armor to walk toward the iron bridge.

The heavy machine made contact with the ground, producing a dull footstep noise that resonated clearly in the tense atmosphere of the factory.

When he stopped about six or seven meters away from Silco, he halted his steps.

"Hextech technology... an Upper City resident. Why are you meddling in the disputes of the Undercity?" Silco's voice was icy, "This is our own business."

"I don't want any conflict with you. Just release Vander, and let us ask you a few questions..." Li Lin glanced back at Caitlyn, "The rest, we won't trouble you with."

His tone wasn't friendly, carrying a hint of command.

After all, Li Lin didn't know Silco, and Silco was an enemy of Vander. An enemy of a friend is an enemy, and there was no need for Li Lin to be polite to Silco.

"Hehe... arrogant." Silco sneered and laughed, but there was no trace of a smile on his face. "You think, by getting into this iron mess, I can't do anything to you?"

Li Lin looked at the remaining twenty or so thugs on the second floor, a little amused, "Do you think your group of shrimp soldiers and crab generals can stop me?"

"Let's try and find out, shall we?" Silco's expression was indifferent as he casually snapped his fingers.

What is he up to?

Could it be a bomb?

Li Lin stared at Silco with vigilance.

Then, suddenly, a hoarse and low growl emanated from the dark corner of the factory.

"Be careful! It's the monster under this guy's command! It's the one that took Vander away!" As soon as they heard this roar, someone in the crowd shouted loudly.

"A monster, huh..." Li Lin's gaze continuously scanned the surroundings, "You guys step back a bit, give me more space to fight."

No one objected, and they all retreated to the end of the wall that led to this place.

Caitlyn and Jayce stood at the forefront of the crowd, ready to provide long-range fire support to Li Lin at any time.

Not much time passed.

Suddenly, Li Lin's peripheral vision caught a faint purple light flashing tens of meters away in a corner, so faint that it was difficult to capture its figure with the naked eye.

He couldn't help but shudder, hastily activating "Data Mind."

But in the next second, a large purple, blurry figure launched a sudden attack from the blind spot of Li Lin's field of vision, moving at a speed that ordinary people couldn't react to, heading straight for the power armor.

With a metallic friction noise and a powerful vibration, the system panel simultaneously displayed an information prompt:

[You are attacked by an alchemically enhanced being (initial experimental subject), -883 health points for exoskeleton power armor.]

(End of this chapter)