Apocalyptic Mechanist

Jiang Xiao had seen related information while browsing Sin City's network. Currently, there were only three known Espers in Sin City!

One was the current Speaker of the Sin City Council, a telekinetic. Another was the host of the central TV tower, Kliffen, who seemed to have a rapid regeneration ability.

The last one was a lone ranger of the wilderness, with a speed-based ability.

All three were the most common types of Espers in the galaxy!

To Sin City, Xi Guang's combat power was too great, leading to speculation that they were an Esper. However, most discussions suggested Xi Guang's race was noble and their life foundation was strong.

"Life foundation" was how the Interstellar Alliance described Talent Value.

Now, it seemed confirmed that Xi Guang was an Esper, speculated to have a combat power amplification ability.

No, why speculate?

He immediately asked, "Ms. Xi Guang, what is your Esper ability?"

Privacy was privacy, but with lives on the line, they wouldn't hold back, would they?

As expected, after a few moments of hesitation, Xi Ling chose to tell him: "Particle Destruction."

"Is it the Particle Destruction I'm thinking of?" Jiang Xiao's eyes narrowed.

"Not yet. My impression is that at this stage, Sister Xi Guang can only destroy structures visible to the naked eye. However, the ability is indeed Particle Destruction."

Jiang Xiao didn't doubt Xi Ling's words. Espers, as Darlings of the Universe, didn't need any reminders. Upon awakening, Espers themselves would receive vague information about their abilities.

Such a promising Esper, and they were sent to Prison Star?!

Sigh, the Interstellar Alliance was truly rotten. If Xi Guang survived, they would eventually escape. The broad concept of Particle Destruction could achieve too many things.

"Mr. Jiang, are you asking these questions because you plan to act soon?" Xi Ling suddenly asked, her tone a little nervous.

Jiang Xiao pondered, "More or less. I need a week to formulate a detailed plan."

"..."

After chatting for a while, as dusk approached, Xi Ling took her leave.

Watching Xi Ling's hurried departure, Jiang Xiao smiled meaningfully, then turned to wipe down his two Source Energy Battle Blades.

Even though Tier 1 blades could no longer boost his strength, their sharpness after being infused with Source Energy made them still decent melee weapons.

They were fine for use as regular blades.

Without bringing the Black Dragon, Jiang Xiao pocketed the two battle blades and left the workshop, venturing into the night.

Experiments were experiments, but they didn't interfere with his nightly hunts.

Hunting alien criminals was his only form of entertainment on this Prison Star.

Perhaps it was bad luck, but he didn't encounter many lone aliens that night, only taking down two members of the Viper Gang before preparing to return to the black market.

Standing at the entrance of the black market, Jiang Xiao looked up at the much larger market above and, after a slight pause, decided to check it out.

#Welcome to the Wicked Soul Market#

Wicked Soul? Does this place shoot fireballs?

Although this market was overhead, it was Jiang Xiao's first time here. For purchasing mechanical parts, he usually went directly to the Black Mech Gang's affiliated market.

Stepping into the market, a dense array of shops and temporary stalls flooded his vision, and Jiang Xiao immediately lost interest.

Aside from its larger scale and higher traffic, and brighter lights, it was no different from the black market. The air and environment were even worse than the black market's.

However, some individual shops were indeed large and bright, like supermarkets from his past life.

They sold all sorts of survival necessities and bulk ammunition.

Jiang Xiao browsed, stopping here and there, and casually bought a few Precision Industrial Boxes of mechanical parts that looked irreparable. They weren't expensive.

"Laser module for a high-precision floating mechanical soldier. Damn, that's good stuff."

According to the product notes, it wasn't that the stall owner didn't know its value, it was simply irreparable. Jiang Xiao only had hope of repairing these intricate parts thanks to the Precision Industrial Box.

Having found some good items, Jiang Xiao was in a great mood, humming a tune only he could hear as he wandered around.

Until he reached a large, well-decorated shop, Jiang Xiao looked up.

His expression froze.

#Viper Gang Direct Store Special Sale, Pan-Human/Sub-human Meat Products, Deliciously...#

Pan-Human meat products?

He recognized every word, but how did they combine to sound so strange?

After two seconds of silence, Jiang Xiao put on an even brighter smile, pulled out his terminal goggles from his pocket, and put them on.

He slowly stepped into the Viper Gang store. Ignoring the indifferent Viper attendants, he turned amidst the bewildered gazes of the alien and Viper attendants inside and directly closed the shop door.

Then, he turned back, pulled down his hood, and raised his index finger.

"Shhh~"

"I'd like to ask, why is there no Viper meat paste here? Do customers need to procure it themselves?"

In the Wicked Soul Market, two low-ranking Viper Race members arrived at the tightly shut gates, exchanging a slightly confused glance.

"Didn't they say the Viper Gang's directly affiliated store would have new Pan-Human food supplies today?"

"It's still got the 'Open' sign up. Someone must have closed it out of boredom. But that food only had a little Pan-Human flesh mixed in. Most of it was just whatever meat they could find to fill it out. You know how rare Pan-Humans are in Sin City."

"It's good enough to get that taste in this dump. Let's just buy it and go back, or the boss will get impatient and we'll be in trouble."

One Viper Race member said impatiently, instinctively reaching out to push the gate open.

"Huh? What's that sound?" The Viper Race member suddenly stopped, sniffing the air. "And there's a familiar smell of blood..."

"Familiar smell of blood? Don't tell me the Viper Gang got some fresh Pan-Human meat?"

The other Viper Race member sneered, then reached out and grabbed the doorknob.

The instant it grasped the doorknob—

BOOM!!!

The entire gate shattered. A terrifying shockwave, carrying intense heat, engulfed the two Viper Race members. Neon lights along the market's dome exploded in sequence, and hundreds of astonished alien faces were reflected in the falling glass.

The deafening explosion echoed, and the entire Wicked Soul Market fell silent. Numerous aliens stared in shock towards the source of the blast.

"Who dares cause such a commotion in a Mech Martial Gang affiliated market? Aren't they afraid of being hunted and put on a bounty?"

However, when they saw the exact location of the explosion, their astonishment turned to shock.

"The Viper Gang's directly managed store?!"

There were differences even among the major gangs, and without a doubt, even among the major gangs, the Viper Gang was second only to the Black Mech Gang, in the top tier!

Sin City had just over a hundred Tier 2 elite martial artists openly, and the Viper Gang alone accounted for eight of them!

"They didn't just provoke the Mech Martial Gang, they attacked a Viper Gang shop. Who in Sin City has the guts? Could it be the Black Mech Gang?"

"Are the Black Mech Gang and the Sin City Council going to war? Should we go hide in the wilderness for a few days?"

Many bold criminals gathered around the Viper Gang shop, observing cautiously, a hint of excitement on their faces.

They were the kind who hoped for chaos, as it was easier to exploit.

The Viper Gang shop burned fiercely. Amidst the crackling flames, faint moans and screams could be heard, along with continuous, heavy roars, as if two colossal elephants were battling each other.

Before long, the sounds from within the Viper Gang shop completely ceased, leaving only the roaring fire.

"Who dares cause trouble in my Wicked Soul Market?!"

Just then, an enraged roar echoed through the market. The hundreds of onlookers, who were prisoners, their expressions shifted slightly, and they immediately scattered, fearing they might get caught in the crossfire.

A moment later, a humanoid alien, three meters tall and heavily modified with mechanical prosthetics, approached rapidly with heavy footsteps.

The sharp aura of a Tier 2 martial artist sent shivers down the spines of many aliens.

"Who is that?"

"The supervisor of this market, a regular Tier 2 martial artist. With extensive cybernetic enhancements, their strength and defense are comparable to a Tier 2 elite!"

"Hiss..."

A Tier 2 elite was an absolute big shot in Sin City. As long as a gang had one Tier 2 elite, regardless of its size, it would be considered a major gang in Sin City!

The market supervisor pushed through the criminals and looked at the burning shop, their expression momentarily frozen.

The one attacked was actually a Viper Gang shop?

How was this possible? Didn't they send a Tier 2 martial artist to guard it?!

Before they could figure out what was happening, crisp footsteps suddenly sounded from within the sea of flames, the sound growing closer.

The scene gradually quieted down.

Then, a somewhat gaunt Pan-Human slowly emerged from the inferno, seemingly unaffected by the high temperatures. The flames, as if hitting an invisible steel wall, dissipated before they could even get close.

What shocked them the most was what the figure was holding in their hand: a corpse, mangled like a mud-caked mess.

Its eyes bulged, still carrying traces of lingering terror and shock. Its body, covered in wounds that exposed bone, looked extremely gruesome.

Even in death, the lingering Source Energy fluctuations sent a shiver of dread through many martial artists.

"That Viper Race member was the Tier 2 martial artist guarding the shop!"

"What?!"

"They killed a Tier 2 martial artist so quickly??"

The market supervisor's expression turned grim. They immediately abandoned any thought of attacking and said with a heavy tone, "May I ask who you are? This is a Mech Martial Gang market. Please don't go too far."

"Who am I?"

The figure casually tossed the corpse aside and looked up at the market supervisor.

The supervisor finally saw the figure's face. A familiar-looking terminal goggles caught their eye. Before they could recall where they had seen them before, two battle blades in the figure's hands suddenly flared with red light. In an instant, the figure ferociously lunged forward!

The supervisor, who had been on high alert, was greatly alarmed. Terrifying energy and Source Energy surged within their mechanical prosthetics as they threw a punch forward!