Who Let Him Cultivate?! (WX)

After their heartfelt exchange, the four discovered that they all shared tragic pasts. Furthermore, as they were bound together like grasshoppers on the same thread while fleeing from the three factions, their bond grew noticeably closer.

“What are your plans now?” Lu Yang asked. He didn’t really care either way. I’ll just tag along with them and broaden my horizons.

“My chip contains evidence of the Murong Group’s crimes. If I post it online, it’ll catch public attention, and the High Council will sanction them,” Yu Ran said. Only their leader had the means to contact the High Council. With the Stellar Society wiped out and their leader missing, making the evidence public was her only option.

Lan Hai shook his head. “That won’t work. Ether controls all networks. Now that I’m with you, it’ll mark you as my accomplice. You won’t be able to send out any messages. I’m afraid it even knows where we are right now.”

Yu Ran was disheartened. She had the most crucial piece of evidence but couldn’t stop the Murong Group. Still, one thing puzzled her. “Then why hasn’t Ether sent more robot armies after us?”

𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Lan Hai took his hands off the wheel and let the car drive autonomously. It wasn’t connected to the network, so there was no need to worry about Ether taking control. He turned to explain to Yu Ran, “The earlier robots hunting me down could still be explained away as programming errors to fool the alliance. But if robots after robots keep coming after us, the alliance will realize that something is seriously wrong. Ether isn’t willing to expose itself yet.”

“Mi Xue’er, what about you?” Lu Yang asked.

Mi Xue’er was equally despondent. “I was also planning to make the evidence public, but after hearing Lan Hai, it seems my approach won’t work either. But I do have another plan.”

“What is it?”

“The professor’s chip contains a formula for an ‘anti-gene agent.’ It can incapacitate genetically modified humans like me. As long as I have the formula and access to a laboratory, I can synthesize it. That way, we won’t have to fear the pursuers from the Supreme Society anymore!” Mi Xue’er spoke with confidence. She was not only skilled in combat but also an expert in genetic technology.

“A laboratory, huh...” Lan Hai mumbled. Then his eyes lit up. “I know! I have a good brother who loves doing experiments. He’s got a small lab at home. We can go there!”

“That’s perfect!”

With their plan set, Lan Hai rerouted the car to his friend’s place. The sports car drifted through turns, leaving brilliant streaks of taillight behind.

Lan Hai’s sports car was incredibly fast. In about an hour, it had sped from one end of the city to the other.

“Stop the car,” Lan Hai suddenly said, baffling the other three.

“What’s wrong?”

Lan Hai pointed at a restroom sign by the roadside. “I need to use the toilet. Anyone else going?”

Yu Ran shook her head. “No need. Most of my body has been mechanically modified. I don’t need to use the bathroom.”

Mi Xue’er also shook her head. “My body has been genetically modified. I can basically go without eating or drinking.”

Lan Hai scratched his head. Why are these two beautiful companions each less human than the last? I only have my arms modified.

“I’ll get out too,” Lu Yang said, though it was because he spotted a kiosk and wanted to grab something to eat.

“Do you have any cash? Can I borrow some?”

“Should have.” Lan Hai fished around in his pockets and pulled out two bills. “Given our bond, don’t call it a loan. That sounds too distant. You don’t have to pay me back,” he said generously.

“Thanks.”

Lu Yang and Lan Hai got out, leaving only Yu Ran and Mi Xue’er in the car.

“Sister Yu Ran, is your modified body geared more toward combat?” Mi Xue’er suddenly asked.

Yu Ran was stunned. “How did you know?” She had a penchant for fighting since childhood, so when she underwent mechanical modification, she had oriented her body toward combat. But I have never revealed my modification model. How did Mi Xue’er tell?

Mi Xue’er smiled and pointed at herself. “I can’t explain the reason, but perhaps it’s a result of genetic modification. I can roughly sense how much of a threat people around me pose. Among the three of you, Sister Yu Ran, you feel the most dangerous to me.”

“So miraculous?” Yu Ran was surprised. The Supreme Society really has some substance.

“What about Lan Hai and Brother Meng?”

“I sense no threat from them at all. They’re both ordinary people. If I have to rank them, Lan Hai is slightly stronger than Brother Meng.”

~~~

“Boss, do you have any popular snacks? I’d like to buy some.”

The owner was a robot. The screen on its face displayed several snack options. “I recommend these.”

“One of each, please.”

“Alright.”

Lu Yang emerged with a large bag of snacks. He picked out something like a lollipop and popped it into his mouth. It had a cool, refreshing taste.

“It’s not bad. Immortal Fairy, you should try.” Lu Yang swapped bodies with the Everlasting Immortal Fairy. He wasn’t much of a foodie. He mainly wanted her to have a taste.

“Not bad at all.” The Everlasting Immortal Fairy’s response surprised Lu Yang. He had expected her to complain that the lollipop wasn’t as good as her cooking.

“I’m glad you find it decent.”

On the way back, a gloomy man in a black trench coat and black hat blocked Lu Yang’s path. He threw out a small device that formed a barrier around him and Lu Yang.

“Kid, looks like you’re Mi Xue’er’s new companion.”

“Who are you?”

The man pushed back his hat, revealing a fearsome face with a cross-shaped scar, a visage that would intimidate anyone.

Immediately after, genetically modified humans radiating killing intent appeared one after another. There were over thirty in total, each wielding bizarre and exotic weapons.

“Heh heh, kid, you only have yourself to blame for being friends with Mi Xue’er. If you honestly tell us the identities and abilities of the people in the car, I can be merciful and give you a quick death!” Another genetically modified human sneered. His ability seemed to be related to ice; the temperature around him dropped several degrees.

“Don’t bother screaming. See this small device on the ground? It simulates the surrounding environment. From the outside, everything looks perfectly normal. No sound can escape!”

Lu Yang trembled in fear as he figured out their intention. “Are you trying to get information out of me to ambush Mi Xue’er and the others? I’ll never betray my comrades!”

“It seems Mi Xue’er has really found herself a loyal comrade. Then die!”

~~~

Five minutes later, Lu Yang climbed back into the car with bags of snacks. Seeing that everyone was present, he said, “Let’s go. Oh, and Lan Hai, here’s your money back.”

Lan Hai took the money, flummoxed. “You didn’t spend anything?”

“That’s not it. I ran into some kind souls on the way, and they gave me some money.”

Lan Hai didn’t think much of it and let the sports car keep going.

However, the moment the car started moving, they saw a gaunt man standing in the middle of the road. His arms were unnaturally long, and he slashed at the car.

The car braked hard, evading the attack. It gouged a deep trench into the road.

The gaunt man laughed wildly. “Mi Xue’er, aren’t you going to come out?!”

Knowing they were sitting ducks in the car, Mi Xue’er and the others reluctantly got out.

Mi Xue’er was on high alert and warned the other three. “Be careful! He's a Class-A warrior of the Supreme Society—the Reaper. I’ll hold him off; you all find a chance to flee!”

The Reaper laughed heartily. “Mi Xue’er, do you think you can still run? I’ll be honest with you. The organization dispatched over thirty warriors to surround you all from every side! Among them are Class-A warriors—Extreme Frost, Blazing Sun, All Things Born, Ghost Face, and Seven Blades—and the rest are all Class-B warriors!”

He spread his arms wide and shouted, “Come out, all of you!”

No one responded.