The End

"Ugh."

Abruptly, a black blade pierced through Bai Yan's neck.

Bai Yan's expression froze. He reached up to touch his throat, only to find blood that would not stop flowing.

Pulling out the Zanpakuto, Lu Mingfei watched as Bai Yan collapsed to the ground, motionless, without even a chance to utter a plea for mercy.

"Clap, clap, clap!" The sound of applause rang out.

"As expected of a Half-Blood who has wiped out so many of my test subjects, your rank must be S, right?" Li Yuan's voice came through the loudspeaker.

He received no answer to his question.

"Are you not running because these Dead Servant are your only source of confidence?" Lu Mingfei simply pointed his blade at the group of serpentine Dead Servant.

They stood in place, waiting for orders to be issued.

"What do you think? My test subjects are quite good, aren't they? These are my masterpieces. Once I capture you, I will turn you into an even more powerful Dead Servant. I haven't experimented on an S-rank yet; I'm truly looking forward to it."

Li Yuan stared at Lu Mingfei through the monitor with intense longing, as if he were looking at some peerless delicacy.

Rolling her eyes, Jiu De Mai had already begun mentally offering incense to the leader of this organization.

An eerie whistling sound echoed from the loudspeaker.

The serpentine Dead Servant raised their heads and looked toward Lu Mingfei and Jiu De Mai.

Jiu De Mai instinctively drew her ninja swords from her thighs.

Still refusing to learn, Lu Mingfei reached out to stop Jiu De Mai. "Let's make this quick this time." He swung his Zanshin forward.

"Five Senses Separation."

The Dead Servant that had just begun to move stopped instantly. It was as if they had been sealed off, feeling nothing but void.

Lu Mingfei strolled leisurely among the serpentine Dead Servant. With light swings of his blade, one after another, the Dead Servant fell. They had no room to resist at all.

"Is that all?" Lu Mingfei asked. "This doesn't even qualify as a warm-up."

Li Yuan stared at the monitor in astonishment. How could his perfect creations be so vulnerable? It must be the effect of an unknown Spirit Word.

Damn it, why didn't that guy Bai Yan report this intelligence!

Li Yuan's expression shifted uncertainly. After a moment of thought, he finally said to the other researchers in the room, "Everyone, take the data. We are escaping through the secret passage."

Before he could finish his sentence.

Boom!

With the sound of the laboratory door collapsing, the very door that Bai Yan hadn't even managed to enter was blown wide open.

"How is this possible? This door is comparable to the underground vault of the Roman Bank!" Li Yuan gasped.

"Has everyone finished packing?" Lu Mingfei looked at them with a smile.

Li Yuan fell silent for a moment, then stepped forward and smiled kindly. "Welcome, Your Excellency. My previous actions were those of someone who didn't know their own limits."

"You change your face quite quickly." Lu Mingfei looked around the laboratory casually.

"Strength is the foundation of equal dialogue. We were merely using the laws of the Dragon earlier. Now that you have proven your strength, I will naturally treat you with courtesy," Li Yuan explained.

"Furthermore, we can cooperate. With your formidable strength and my technology, we can surely become the new kings if we join forces!" Li Yuan began painting a blueprint of the future for Lu Mingfei.

"Your technology is turning people into Dead Servant?" Lu Mingfei asked.

Seeing that Lu Mingfei seemed interested, Li Yuan's eyes lit up. Indeed, who could refuse the temptation of power?

Li Yuan began his introduction: "As everyone knows, when a Half-Blood's Dragon bloodline exceeds the critical blood limit of 50%, the immense power of the Dragon blood forcibly rewrites human genes into Dragon genes. Once the purity of the bloodline can no longer be reduced below 50%, the Half-Blood gradually transforms into a Dead Servant."

He paused slightly, checking Lu Mingfei's expression, but found only a blank face.

Li Yuan continued, "The vast majority of people become mindless monsters after contact with Dragon blood pollution. However, I have developed a method to control these Dead Servant, and my Evolution Drug can transform ordinary people into even stronger, more obedient Dead Servant."

Li Yuan finished with a sense of pride. This was his crowning research. If the world of Half-Blood knew of this technology, they would surely scramble to seize it. He didn't believe this young man wouldn't be tempted.

"There is one thing you said that is quite correct." Lu Mingfei slowly walked to his side.

"Which part?" Li Yuan asked, puzzled.

A whistling sound cut through the air. Lu Mingfei swung his blade in a horizontal slash, and Li Yuan was instantly decapitated.

As his head hit the ground, Li Yuan's expression remained one of confusion, as if he could not understand Lu Mingfei's choice.

"Strength is the foundation of equal dialogue. A weakling like you has no right to negotiate with me," Lu Mingfei said coldly.

The remaining researchers, seeing their A-rank bloodline leader dispatched so easily, scrambled to beg for mercy.

One of them said, "I am just a researcher. I didn't participate in the evil deeds they committed; I only conducted the research."

"And what were the subjects of your research? They were ordinary people!" Lu Mingfei looked at them coldly.

"Evil wretches like you are no longer worthy of being called human."

He swung his blade down, severing them in two.

Jiu De Mai walked out of the laboratory in silence.

She leaned against the wall beside the door, listening to the sounds coming from within.

Pleas for mercy, cries for help, bitter curses, and confessions of guilt rose and fell in succession.

The sounds vanished. Lu Mingfei walked out of the laboratory and gave his blade a light flick, the crimson edge instantly returning to its normal color.

He deactivated his Shikai, and Zanshin reverted to an ordinary Zanpakuto. He sheathed the blade; the matter was concluded.

"Let's go," Lu Mingfei said to Jiu De Mai.

Jiu De Mai trotted to his side.

Once outside, they were met with a forest untouched by any pollution. Looking up at the sky, one could see the stars twinkling in the profound tranquility.

"What excuse should I use to slip away later?" Jiu De Mai pondered to herself.

"I have a question for you," Lu Mingfei suddenly asked Jiu De Mai.

"Ask me anything!" Jiu De Mai patted her chest boldly, looking as if she were ready to answer anything.

"Do I need to destroy this base? It seems like it would be easily discovered by ordinary people if left like this," Lu Mingfei said, looking thoughtfully at the location of the facility.

"You don't need to worry about what happens next. You know Chu Zihang, right? Kassel College, the organization behind him, will take care of things like this. They are professionals in this regard," Jiu De Mai hurriedly explained to Lu Mingfei.

"That's fine, then." Lu Mingfei breathed a sigh of relief; other than leveling the entire area, he truly didn't know how else to cover it up.

And so, Jiu De Mai followed Lu Mingfei along the path, the camp in the distance becoming vaguely visible.

Jiu De Mai stopped in her tracks.

"What's wrong?" Lu Mingfei asked.

"Um, could I not go over there with you? Please, please!" Jiu De Mai pressed her hands together and looked at Lu Mingfei with sincere eyes.

Lu Mingfei felt like laughing at her expression; he wasn't some kind of villain, after all.

"If you want to go, then go. I won't stop you."

Jiu De Mai asked in a low voice, "So, I'm leaving?"

Lu Mingfei waved his hand, signaling her to go.

Jiu De Mai turned and walked away.

Damn it, I can finally get away from this killing machine!

"Oh, right," Lu Mingfei's voice drifted over.

Jiu De Mai's body stiffened.

"I haven't asked your name yet."

Jiu De Mai let out a breath of relief.

"Jiu De Mai. My name is Jiu De Mai."

After answering, Jiu De Mai hurried away.