Butcher’s yellow-green vertical pupils constricted violently, disbelief and horror surging within them.
What was happening?!
He desperately pushed his ability core, shadow energy churning frantically within his body as he tried to break free from this invisible restraint.
But that force was like the very rules of the world itself, utterly irresistible.
The powerful strength of a Level 4 Early Stage expert was as insignificant as an ant before this power of rules.
Su Wan slowly stood up from the steps.
She brushed the dust off her clothes and wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. Her movements were calm and elegant, as if the person who had just been fleeing in disarray and coughing up blood wasn't her at all.
She leaned over to pick up the Shadow Crystal that had fallen on the steps, weighed it in her hand, and then stored it in her system space.
Butcher’s eyes were fixed on the crystal that had vanished into thin air, his pupils shrinking again.
A space treasure!
This woman actually had a space treasure on her!
Countless thoughts churned in his heart—anger, resentment, greed, fear...
But the strongest was regret.
He shouldn't have chased her.
He shouldn't have let the Shadow Crystal cloud his mind.
He shouldn't have underestimated this Level 3 Late Stage woman.
But it was too late for regrets now.
Su Wan walked up to Butcher and looked up at the short, thin man who was slightly shorter than her.
Those yellow-green vertical pupils were now bloodshot, the eyeballs bulging as if they were about to pop out of their sockets.
“Welcome to the Terminal Station.”
Su Wan’s voice was calm and cold, as if she were welcoming a guest from afar.
A raspy gasping sound came from Butcher’s throat, but he couldn't utter a single word.
Su Wan didn't waste any more words and issued a command to C1 through the system.
“C1, prepare the interrogation room.”
【Command received. Interrogation room is ready.】
“Bring this person inside.”
Two robots, C1 and C2, walked out of the building. Their mechanical arms firmly gripped Butcher and dragged him up from the steps.
Butcher’s body remained stiff. Under the suppression of the power of rules, he couldn't move even a single finger, forced to let the robots drag him through the hall, down the corridor, and into a sealed room in a corner of the first floor.
The room wasn't large, about ten square meters, with concrete walls on all four sides and a dim emergency light overhead.
An iron chair sat in the corner.
C1 and C2 pressed Butcher into the iron chair, locking his wrists and ankles with alloy shackles.
Su Wan stood at the door, watching the process.
Once Butcher was secured, Su Wan entered the room and sat down across from him.
“Search him,” she ordered briefly.
C1 stepped forward, its mechanical arms searching Butcher with speed and precision.
A moment later, several items were removed and placed neatly on the table in front of Su Wan.
The first was a dagger.
The entire body of the blade was pitch black, about twenty centimeters long, with a slightly curved edge that looked sharp enough to slice through light itself.
The hilt was crafted from an unknown black metal, its surface covered in fine engravings that provided an excellent grip.
Even just lying quietly on the table, it radiated a cold killing intent.
The second was a ring.
The ring was silver-grey with no decoration, looking completely ordinary.
But as soon as Su Wan picked it up, the system notification rang in her mind.
【Ding! Special item detected—】
【Item Name: Shadow Ring】
【Description: A piece of space equipment crafted from fragments of a Shadow-type Aberrant core, containing a one-cubic-meter storage space. Requires shadow energy to activate.】
【Current Status: Inactive】
Su Wan’s eyes lit up slightly.
A space ring!
Although it was only one cubic meter, equipment capable of storage was a rarity in this world.
Moreover, it required shadow energy to activate. Since Butcher was a Shadow-type Ability User, this ring was likely his personal equipment.
Unfortunately, he was currently suppressed by the power of rules and couldn't activate it at all.
Su Wan set the ring aside and continued to look at the third item.
It was a palm-sized black token. The front was engraved with a distorted symbol that looked like a totem or a form of writing.
The back was as smooth as a mirror, with no markings.
【Item Name: Dark Department Identity Token】
【Description: An identity marker for members of the Dawn Federation City Defense Force Dark Department. It contains a miniature energy imprint used for identity verification and emergency communication.】
【Current Status: Signal blocked (Terminal Station domain effect in force)】
Su Wan put down the token and turned her gaze to the final item.
It was an irregular crystal the size of a fist, deep dark red in color, as if a fire were burning inside.
The surface of the crystal was covered in fine cracks, through which a flowing liquid light could be seen.
【Item Name: High-Purity Energy Crystal (Fire)】
【Description: A high-purity crystal containing refined fire energy, harvested from a Level 4 fire-type Aberrant. It can be directly absorbed, providing significant effects for fire-type Ability Users. The effect is diminished for non-fire-type users but can still be used for medicine refining, charging, etc.】
【System Recycling Valuation: 60,000 Points】
Su Wan looked at the valuation on the system panel, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly.
Sixty thousand points.
This single crystal was worth more than the monthly rent of dozens of tenants combined.
She stored all four items into the system space and turned her gaze back to Butcher.
“Anything you want to say?”
Butcher glared at her, anger and resentment churning in those yellow-green vertical pupils, but he couldn't say a word.
Su Wan ignored him and issued a command to the system in her mind.
“System, deep scan the target.”
【Command confirmed. Performing deep scan and analysis of the target...】
【Analyzing...】
【Analysis complete.】
Su Wan opened the system panel, and lines of text appeared.
【Target: Butcher (Member of the Dawn Federation City Defense Force Dark Department)】
【Strength Level: Level 4 Early Stage】
【Ability Type: Shadow-type】
【Special Discovery: Target has non-human gene fragments embedded in his body, showing high similarity to various animal gene sequences. Gene chimerism rate: 68%.】
【Conclusion: Target is a “Gene-Modified Organism: Qualified Product.”】
Su Wan’s eyebrows rose slightly.
Another gene-modified organism.
Zhou Hu’s chimerism rate was 37% and he was judged a defective product.
But the Butcher before her had a chimerism rate as high as 68%, making him a qualified product.
This was the difference.
“Your eyes...” Su Wan looked at his yellow-green vertical pupils. “Are they a result of the gene modification?”
Butcher didn't answer.
Or rather, he couldn't answer.
The suppression of the power of rules made it impossible for him even to speak.
Su Wan waved her hand, and the restraining force loosened slightly, just enough for him to talk.
Butcher gasped for air, his vertical pupils fixed on Su Wan with eyes full of hatred.
“Who... exactly are you...”
Su Wan didn't answer the question, instead asking,
“You... are a qualified gene-modified organism?”
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