Dark Energy Limiter

The Shadow Realm, the great hall.

Inside the great hall, the low hum of various instruments rose and fell, mingling with the footsteps of Giant Shadow Soldiers crossing the metal floor.

Dozens of holographic screens hovered in midair, scrolling with dense streams of data and energy models. Their spectral blue light washed the entire hall into a sea of cool tones.

In a corner of the hall, a cage built from Dark Energy Pillars stood quietly.

Thick black patterns of light flowed along every energy pillar, interweaving into an impenetrable net.

Inside the cage, Soton lay sprawled on the floor, his thick, dark green tail curled beside him and his crocodilian snout resting on his forelimbs. His snores shook the air.

He had clearly grown used to life in captivity; even his sleeping posture had become much more relaxed.

The Giant Shadow Soldiers came and went around him, carrying data tablets, sample containers, and precision instruments, each busy with their own research. Some walked right past the edge of the cage without so much as glancing at Soton, as though they had long since grown accustomed to his presence.

Suddenly, a long, thick syringe slipped silently through a gap between the Dark Energy Pillars and plunged precisely into Soton's tail, which rested along the edge of the cage.

"Hrrrooooh!!!"

Soton's eyes flew open. He sprang up from his prone position with an agonized howl.

He turned his head and saw two Giant Shadow Soldiers standing outside the cage. One held the thick syringe expressionlessly, slowly drawing out dark green blood.

The blood in the syringe shimmered faintly with energy, looking particularly striking under the spectral blue light.

"You Big Buns, are you ever gonna stop?"

Soton jerked his tail back and bared a row of uneven fangs at the two Giant Shadow Soldiers. "How many times have you taken my blood today? If this stupid thing wasn't holding back my strength, I wouldn't be scared of you!"

He tugged hard at the Dark Collar around his neck.

The collar sat flush against his skin, its surface flowing with an extremely fine layer of energy patterns. They flickered a few times when he pulled hard, but quickly returned to normal.

Samo had put this thing on him.

Back then, the fellow had patted his shoulder and told him he could eat once he put it on. He had believed him.

Who would have thought that although he did get to eat after putting it on, all his power would be completely sealed away?

He could not access dark energy or open his dark plane. Even the gene engine inside him seemed shrouded in thick black mist, giving him no feedback whatsoever.

Now, apart from the innate toughness of his peak third-generation beast body, he could not use any of his other abilities.

Otherwise, he would have taken out his massive axe, cleaved open the cage, and taught these Giant Shadow Soldiers a harsh lesson for treating him as free research material all day.

But the two Giant Shadow Soldiers turned a deaf ear to his roaring and continued concentrating on drawing blood.

Once the syringe was full, they carefully withdrew it and placed it in a temperature-controlled sample container.

The two walked toward the main control console without looking back, feeding the fresh sample into the ongoing experimental process.

Soton breathed a sigh of relief and was about to lie back down when he caught sight of two more Giant Shadow Soldiers approaching his cage.

They were not carrying a syringe. Instead, they held a tray bearing a small, sharp blade that gleamed coldly.

Soton's pupils instantly contracted, and cold sweat broke out.

"Wait, you're cutting off flesh again?"

His voice rose, and his tail instinctively curled beneath his body as though trying to hide something. "Give me a break! I'm begging you! I promise I won't cause you any trouble once I get out! I swear!"

The two Giant Shadow Soldiers ignored him.

Upon reaching the cage, one deftly reached out and seized the end of Soton's tail. The other brought the blade down, severing a small, scaly section of the tip and catching it neatly in the tray.

"Aaaow!!!"

Soton let out another agonized howl, tears nearly spilling from his eyes.

He stared at his shortened tail tip, his whole crocodilian body wilting. He flopped onto the floor, looking for all the world like a salted fish that had lost its dreams.

Then another Giant Shadow Soldier rapidly entered a command on the tablet in hand.

The next second, a gentle yet searing surge of stellar energy poured from the device at the top of the cage, precisely covering the fresh cut on Soton's tail.

Green and golden patterns of light intertwined as they seeped into the wound, and the flesh at the severed end began regenerating at a visible speed.

In less than ten seconds, the tail tip had grown back, exactly as it had been before, down to the patterns on its scales.

Lying on the floor, Soton looked at his perfectly restored tail in utter despair, then at the expressionless Giant Shadow Soldiers outside the cage. With a helpless wail, he buried his face between his forearms.

He had already lost count of how many times this had happened today, and he had no idea when these days would end.

In the corner, Zhi Xin, who had been sitting on a tall stool absorbed in studying an energy model, looked up and saw the scene.

She frowned, a trace of pity flashing through her pale golden eyes, but she soon shook her head and suppressed it.

Although she had never personally witnessed Soton's past deeds, she had read many accounts of them in the Angel Knowledge Base.

Back then, this fellow had devoured countless innocent lives on Blue Star. The blood on his hands could have stained a sea red.

His current situation could count as repayment for his past sins.

"This counts as getting what he deserved, doesn't it?"

She murmured softly, then returned her attention to the data model before her.

Just then, an almost imperceptible ripple passed through the space beside her. A black rift opened silently, and Qin Feng stepped out.

"Qin Feng, you're back! Are Sister Yan and the others all right?"

Though Zhi Xin asked about Yan and the other two, her eyes remained fixed on Qin Feng. Only after she saw that he was unhurt did she truly breathe easy.

Qin Feng chuckled at the worry she could not conceal. "Don't worry. They're all fine."

"How are things on your end? Is the research going smoothly?"

"Yes! We've already made breakthroughs on several projects."

Zhi Xin nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling, yet her gaze still kept drifting toward him involuntarily.

Qin Feng stroked her little head and was about to offer a few words of concern when he noticed something new around Soton's neck.

"What's that thing around his neck?"

Samo promptly strode over from the main control console, holding a data tablet, and bowed.