A sudden realization flashed in Han Laosan’s mind, and he was instantly drenched in a cold sweat.
That beast, the Shadow-Stalker Beast, might very well be hiding in that building!
Otherwise, there was no way that creature could have perfectly hidden itself under such heavy artillery fire.
Once this thought took root, it spread like wildfire and could not be extinguished.
He didn’t dare go there himself.
That building was too bizarre; even the Inner City’s cannons hadn’t been able to destroy it. For an Outer City gang leader like him to take his men there would be nothing short of a suicide mission!
However, he could sell the information.
Han Laosan immediately gathered a few men and headed toward the Outer City Hunter Guild.
If this intelligence proved true, he would receive a handsome commission.
Selling only information meant there would be no casualties, which was the perfect outcome for a power like theirs.
Outer City Hunter Guild branch, main hall.
The news brought by Han Laosan was like a bomb dropped into calm waters.
“A twelve-story building perfectly intact on the edge of Area A?” The guild staff member in charge of reception looked incredulous. “Are you sure you didn’t misidentify it?”
“My man saw it with his own eyes, and we even have photos!” A-Liang handed over the blurry image he had managed to capture using his modified scope.
“I suspect that the Shadow-Stalker Beast is very likely hiding there!”
The guild staff member took the image, and his expression shifted.
This was something beyond his authority to handle.
When it came to the Shadow-Stalker Beast, no one dared to be negligent.
The information was reported up through the ranks.
From the branch manager to the Operations Director at the Outer City headquarters, and then to the Liaison Officer responsible for coordinating affairs between the Inner and Outer Cities...
Ultimately, this piece of intelligence landed on one person’s desk.
Liu Sen.
The Deputy Lieutenant of the Outer City Defense Force, Colonel Yan’s confidant, and the very same Lieutenant Liu who had coordinated the purge of Area A not long ago.
When he saw the report, the coffee cup in his hand slipped, smashing onto the desk. Scalding liquid splashed all over him, but he didn’t even notice.
A twelve-story building...
Standing perfectly intact on the edge of Area A...
Liu Sen’s face turned pale for a moment before flushing a deep red, the veins on his temples throbbing violently.
Impossible!
Absolutely impossible!
He had sent out drones!
He had used the most advanced scanning equipment to conduct a carpet search of the entire Area A!
The data sent back was crystal clear—the area had been purified, no large-scale lifeforms remained, and the building structures were fundamentally destroyed!
But now, someone was telling him that a building was standing there in perfect condition, and people were even living in it?!
How had that building evaded the scan at the time?
Some kind of cloaking device? Some form of energy interference?
Or... was there a higher-level power shielding it?
Whichever the possibility, it pointed toward a terrifying fact—
He had failed the mission Colonel Yan had entrusted to him.
That Shadow-Stalker Beast was likely hiding in that building, alive and well!
Liu Sen’s mind raced frantically, cold sweat soaking through his back.
As for Colonel Yan...
Colonel Yan might seem indifferent to his duties, but Liu Sen knew that the old fox was sharp. If he found out that such a massive blunder had occurred during the purge—that a whole building had been missed right under their noses—Liu Sen’s life in the City Defense Force would be over.
Even more terrifying was the Panshi Exploration Company.
On their end...
They believed those pariahs who had killed their low-level exploration team members had already been purified by the artillery fire. But if that building was still there, and if those pariahs were still alive...
Once the head of the Panshi Exploration Company found out that Liu Sen had taken their benefits but botched the job... he would have to pay those benefits back tenfold!
And even worse, if the Shadow-Stalker Beast really was hiding in that building, and if the Inner City Research Institute found out that the “no targets found” report Liu Sen had submitted was a lie...
Then what awaited him wouldn’t be paying back money, but the gallows.
“Damn it!”
Liu Sen slammed his fist onto the desk, sending wood splinters flying.
He had only one thought now: suppress this news before it spread.
He would take his men and investigate that building himself.
If it was just a problem with the building, he would seal off the scene.
If those pariahs were still alive, he would silence them all.
If the Shadow-Stalker Beast really was hiding there...
Then he would do everything in his power to capture it. If he couldn't capture it, he would kill it! He would destroy all the evidence!
Regardless, it was a Ruin Zone. Even if he turned the place upside down and many people died, the Inner City wouldn’t care.
He quickly grabbed his communicator and issued a string of commands.
“Have Lin Hai bring his first squad over! Full combat gear! Get those ‘Predator’ armored vehicles out!”
“Also, contact the ‘Night Owl’ squad resting in the Outer City! Tell them there’s a mission. The pay is doubled. Have them assemble immediately!”
Lin Hai was one of Liu Sen’s confidants in the City Defense Force, a ruthless man whose dozen or so subordinates were all battle-hardened elites.
The “Predator” armored vehicles were equipped with light cannons and alloy armor, more than enough to deal with the vagrants and buildings of the Ruin Zone.
The Night Owl squad was a relatively famous mercenary group in the Outer City, consisting of five people, each with their own abilities and high-end equipment. They specialized in taking on the dirty work that the City Defense Force couldn't conveniently handle in the open.
Sending them to scout meant that even if they died, no one would know that Liu Sen was the one who had sent them.
A short while later, a team of fully armed men set out from a secret stronghold in the Outer City, quietly blending into the night as they headed toward the Ruin Zone.
Liu Sen sat inside the armored vehicle, his face so dark it looked like it could drip ink.
That damned building, and whatever unknown force was hiding inside it—no matter what your background is, if you dare ruin my plans, don’t expect to see tomorrow’s sun!
...
Lei Lie mingled among the vagrants, quietly waiting in line.
Finally, it was his turn.
The one in charge of his line was the robot designated C1.
Its cold electronic eyes scanned Lei Lie. “New tenant registration. Please look directly at the scanning area ahead.”
The panel on C1’s chest opened, emitting a soft red light that slowly scanned Lei Lie from head to toe.
Lei Lie’s body tensed for a split second.
The red light made him feel extremely uncomfortable, as if something was piercing through his clothes and skin to probe the hidden power and secrets within his body.
He forced himself not to react excessively, merely tightening his muscles slightly. His energy core remained in a semi-activated defensive state while he suppressed his aura as much as possible, masquerading as an ordinary hunter.
The red light scan lasted for about three seconds before turning off.
A series of rapid data streams flashed across C1’s screen before finally settling.
“Scan complete. Vital signs stable. No high-intensity infection or obvious mutation characteristics detected. Basic entry requirements met.”
C1 reported mechanically. It then took a faintly glowing “Rental Contract” from a nearby tray and held it out to Lei Lie, while an inkpad tray slid forward.
“Please read the rental terms carefully. Once you agree to the terms, please press your thumbprint at the end.”
Rate on N.U.
