"Caw~~~"
A Black Crown Golden Eagle with a wingspan of nearly thirty meters descended from the sky and landed atop the ruins of a building, its wings spread wide as the pressure of a Lord-level Monster radiated without restraint.
The surrounding monsters stopped in fear, then slowly scattered beneath the Black Crown Golden Eagle's intimidation.
Monsters possessed intelligence as well, and followed the law of the strong devouring the weak. Lower-level monsters were naturally submissive toward higher-level ones.
"Black Crown Golden Eagle!"
"They're dead for sure! Quick, get out of here! Don't alert that Black Crown Golden Eagle!"
The white martial artists on a nearby building immediately hid themselves, slipping into the shadows at the building's corner before fleeing into the distance.
This was a Lord-level Black Crown Golden Eagle, the third-ranked terror among avian monsters.
If it spotted them, they would undoubtedly die.
In their terror, they did not even notice the human figure riding on the Black Crown Golden Eagle's back.
Qin Mu floated down from the Black Crown Golden Eagle's back and strode toward the building beneath it. As for the fleeing white martial artists, a flock of Golden Vultures was already watching them from the skies.
"Tap—"
"Tap—"
"Tap—"
The sound of metal combat boots echoed through the silent building.
Inside, six military martial artists in Combat Suits, armed with all manner of weapons, shielded a gray-haired old man behind them. Their hands gripped their weapons tightly as their eyes remained fixed on the entrance.
"It's reinforcements!"
A martial artist in a black Combat Suit entered through the doorway, eleven short spears floating behind his back.
The moment they saw that familiar Combat Suit, the tightly wound group finally relaxed.
This was a Combat Suit exclusive to the military. The man before them was evidently one of their own.
"You're safe now!"
Looking at the wary people inside the building, Qin Mu lowered his visor and spoke to them.
"Sir?"
Looking at the unfamiliar man overflowing with killing intent, He Jing Tian, the guard squad captain, could not gauge Qin Mu's background and could only test the waters with that form of address.
Anyone capable of silently dealing with a Lord-level Monster like the Black Crown Golden Eagle and saving them had to be at least a War God-level existence. Calling him sir could not be wrong.
However, there were only so many War God-level experts in the military. He Jing Tian knew most of them, and even if he had not spoken to them, he had at least seen their photographs.
Yet he had no impression of the man standing before him.
"I'm not some sir. In terms of rank, mine might even be lower than yours."
Qin Mu shook his head, his spearhead lowered in his hand.
The members of the guard squad hurriedly lowered their weapons as well. The previously tense and murderous atmosphere immediately eased, while Zhang Sheng, who had lost an arm, staggered and collapsed onto the floor with a pale face.
"Quick, his wound needs treatment! Bring me my medical kit!"
The old man who had originally been protected in the center of the group sprang into action. After accepting a metal case, he removed medical instruments from it and began treating Zhang Sheng.
"He Jing Tian, High Beast General-level martial artist, captain of the Falcon Special Operations Martial Artist Squad. Thank you for coming to support us. Otherwise, we would have been dead for sure."
He Jing Tian removed his visor as well, walked up to Qin Mu, and offered his hand.
"Qin Mu, Mid Beast General-level martial artist, entry-level War God Mental Master! I only joined the military recently."
Qin Mu extended his hand as well.
He Jing Tian's gaze narrowed. Just as I guessed. He's actually a Mental Master, an existence practically invincible among those of the same level.
At the same time, he glanced slightly toward Shao Yanwu behind him. Shao Yanwu operated a miniature computer with his fingers, then carefully looked Qin Mu over again. His expression was full of surprise, but he still nodded, evidently having confirmed Qin Mu's identity through some method.
Only then did the other military martial artists truly lower their guard. They stepped forward one after another and introduced themselves.
"Ma Shao, Mid Beast General-level."
"Shao Yanwu, Mid Beast General-level."
"Meng Xiu, firearms Beast General-level."
"Liu Shao, firearms Beast General-level."
Once everyone had introduced themselves, He Jing Tian looked at Zhang Sheng, who had already fallen into a semi-conscious state, and shook his head with a bitter smile.
"The one lying down is Zhang Sheng, also a Mid Beast General-level martial artist. The one treating him is the person we were assigned to protect, Professor Zhou, chief researcher of the Biological Treatment Key Laboratory at Jiangnan First Military School!"
"If you hadn't arrived in time, we would have been finished this time!
We hunt geese all day, only to have our eyes pecked out by one. Those bastards from the HR Alliance set us up this time!"
Qin Mu's gaze shifted slightly. He was actually a professor from Jiangnan First Military School? And a professor in biology?
"Those people were from the HR Alliance?"
"That's right! Their leader was Davis of the Polenus Family. He specializes in doing dirty work for the HR Alliance."
He Jing Tian nodded. He seemed to see Qin Mu's confusion and began explaining.
"You've only recently joined the military, so you may not know.
But with your strength and clearance, you could find out if you checked. Professor Zhou Zhengming, the chief researcher at the Biological Treatment Key Laboratory of Jiangnan First Military School, has made major breakthroughs in research on the Self-healing Factor.
If the research succeeds, it may be possible to mass-produce Gene Potions capable of regenerating severed limbs!
That may be why he became a target for assassination by the HR Alliance!"
Upon hearing that, Qin Mu felt that the name Zhou Zhengming sounded familiar. Then, a lightning-like memory suddenly surfaced in his mind.
"Professor Zhou Zhengming? Is he the Professor Zhou who developed the Human Cell Repair Agent?"
He Jing Tian nodded in confirmation.
"Yes. The Human Cell Repair Agent was also one of Professor Zhou's research achievements."
Qin Mu was truly shocked now. He might not know the others, but how could he not know this great man?
He had used the Human Cell Repair Agent himself.
Besides that, the internal organ repair agents for martial artists, nerve cell repair agents, and many more had all come from this man's work.
Not to mention that during his recent self-study of biology, many of the textbooks had been coauthored by this great man.
"No, why would someone like him come out into the wilderness? And with only you protecting him?"
Qin Mu felt that something was off. Although he did not know all the details, he understood that a scientific giant like this should not have been allowed to enter the wilderness so easily, without even a War God by his side.
"Sigh, originally, there was a War God-level expert protecting him in addition to us."
He Jing Tian had evidently guessed what Qin Mu was thinking.
"But recently, King level monsters rioted in City 003, which could very likely trigger a disaster-level beast tide! Most of the War God-level experts in the Jiangnan Military District were transferred away."
"Another War God-level expert was originally supposed to be assigned to protect him, but..."
At this point, He Jing Tian seemed reluctant to continue.
"This old man was too stubborn. I insisted on coming into the wilderness, so I can't blame them!"
Professor Zhou, who had already given Zhang Sheng emergency treatment, heard their conversation and walked over.
"The military had originally intended to assign another War God-level expert, but that would take at least half a month. I couldn't wait, so I forced them to bring me out here."
"Because we needed to draw blood from a High Beast General-level Swamp Salamander, and it had to be fresh blood taken from a living Swamp Salamander. Once more than three hours passed, the effect of producing the agent would be greatly reduced."
Although Professor Zhou's hair had gone completely gray, he was in excellent physical condition and did not look elderly at all. The moment his research was mentioned, he immediately became energetic.
"Sigh, although we successfully obtained the Swamp Salamander's blood, the results still weren't as good as expected.
I don't know whether the issue lies with the extraction technique, or whether the concentration of Self-healing Factor in the blood of a High Beast General-level Swamp Salamander is insufficient."
"Swamp Salamander?"
Qin Mu listened and silently thought to himself.
He knew about this monster as well. The Swamp Salamander was a monster with regenerative abilities. Whether its limbs were damaged or its internal organs shattered, it could regrow its limbs and organs.
Seeing that Qin Mu seemed to understand something, Professor Zhou enthusiastically explained.
"Ordinary monsters possess powerful self-healing abilities, but the Swamp Salamander does more than heal itself—it regenerates!
This regenerative ability comes from its unique cellular structure and genetic regulation. Through cuts in their skin, they can regenerate damaged cellular tissue, then through wound healing..."
"Professor Zhou!"
He Jing Tian cut Professor Zhou off and said firmly.
"We have to return. The HR Alliance has already set its sights on you. If we don't go back, they may attack again! We must ensure your safety!"
Hearing He Jing Tian's words, Qin Mu smiled.
"If it's those assassins from the HR Alliance, I might have a way to deal with them!"
The moment he learned Professor Zhou's identity, Qin Mu had already sentenced them to death in his heart!
For the sake of personal gain, they dared lay hands on a national treasure like this. They were simply enemies of humanity!