Everything vanished in a puff of smoke.
The ruined city was completely destroyed in a shocking self-detonation. The enormous crater was proof of the unimaginable explosion that had just occurred.
Even in death, the Planet Devouring Crocodile wouldn't allow any creature to obtain its flesh. Mutual destruction was the final act of defiance for all Planet Devouring Crocodiles.
In the distance, a mass of flesh and blood moved.
Looking closely, it wasn't just a mass of flesh and blood, but a person, their entire body mangled and bloody.
Lei Ming wasn't dead, but he was close. Limbs were severed, his back was a bloody mess, and his internal organs could be seen pulsating.
Plop!
A figure appeared.
"Save me."
Lei Ming rolled his eyes, struggling to raise his hand and grasp at the blurry figure. As a powerful member of a Starry Sky Clan, he didn't want to die like this.
Had he known this would happen, he definitely wouldn't have come.
His consciousness gradually faded.
The figure walked towards him, and after that, he didn't know what happened.
Special Department.
One-Eyed Man's expression was grave. He wasn't at the scene, but he knew what the final scene represented.
Total annihilation.
When the giant beast died, it took many lives with it.
"Truly terrifying. If it had detonated in Yanhai City, I'm afraid no one could have stopped it. No… Lin Fan could have stopped it."
One-Eyed Man stood by the window, looking at the night view outside. Such a beautiful scene, yet they faced so many dangers. Perhaps with the slightest carelessness, this beautiful night view could turn into ruins in the blink of an eye.
That night, Li Guofeng made a public announcement.
The giant beast had been eliminated.
However, the two Starry Sky Clan powerhouses were caught in the beast's self-detonation, and their fates were unknown. It wasn't stated definitively, but the general meaning was clear.
Unfortunately, they had both heroically sacrificed themselves.
October 5th!
Netizens all paid attention to the news online.
The giant beast had been eliminated. Someone even posted photos of the scene online. The enormous crater was shocking, startling everyone as if they had seen a ghost.
Such a terrifying scene.
How was it even possible? It was simply too frightening.
1,000 meters beneath the Li Group.
Modern High-Tech Research Institute.
A group of scientists in white coats surrounded a container. Inside the container lay Lei Ming, his body now in tatters, clinging to a thread of life.
Li Guofeng's ultimate goal was to obtain the body of a Starry Sky Clan member.
He wanted to study the secrets hidden within their bodies.
He couldn't let anyone know he had obtained the body of a Starry Sky Clan member.
Otherwise, the consequences could be very troublesome.
For Li Guofeng, secretly conducting research was his only option. Getting benefits from the Starry Sky Clans directly was too difficult. Those damned clans hid themselves deeply and were incredibly stingy with others. Since they wouldn't give him a chance, he had to create his own.
Special Department.
Mo Wu stood there proudly, waiting.
His purpose in coming here was to find Lin Fan. He hadn't told the guards at the entrance who he was looking for. A Saint Realm powerhouse like him had to maintain a certain demeanor. How could he say he was looking for someone and then be stopped outside?
That would be a humiliation.
"That tree…"
Mo Wu's gaze was drawn to the Dao Tree. Under the sunlight, the Dao Tree radiated brilliance, each leaf enveloped in a hazy veil.
It seemed to be a treasure.
Encountering a treasure and not taking it wasn't Mo Wu's style. Unfortunately, this Dao Tree belonged to the Special Department. He could ignore anyone in the Special Department, except for Lin Fan.
As he waited, the figure he was waiting for appeared.
"He's here."
Lin Fan walked out with Old Zhang and the others. Mo Wu's power was strong, his aura unique. Any powerful individual, even if they didn't know Mo Wu, would stop and look at him.
This was respect for the strong.
Mo Wu held his head high, his demeanor extraordinary, as dazzling as the stars. He was hard to ignore in a crowd. Anyone who saw him would pay attention.
"What do you want to eat for lunch?"
"I'm easy. What about you?"
"So many choices, it's difficult."
Lin Fan and Old Zhang passed by Mo Wu, completely ignoring him. Their conversation was utterly mundane, discussing what to eat for lunch.
Mo Wu had been prepared to meet Lin Fan's gaze.
He never expected this outcome.
Mo Wu trembled with anger, as if the weather had suddenly turned cold.
"Stop!" Mo Wu couldn't help but say.
It seemed he had to take the initiative.
Lin Fan stopped, looking at Mo Wu with confusion. He didn't recognize the man, but he still smiled amicably at the stranger.
Sharing his smile with the other person.
"Is something the matter?" Lin Fan asked.
Mo Wu said in a deep voice, "I want to talk to you about something."
Lin Fan was puzzled. He had no impression of this person. He racked his brain, trying to remember if they had met somewhere, but even after thinking hard, he couldn't recall.
"May I ask who you are?" Lin Fan asked.
A while ago, he at least pretended to recognize him, but now he directly said he didn't know him.
This was a very bad situation.
Actually, Lin Fan wasn't to blame.
If anyone was to blame, it was Mo Wu, whose attitude towards Lin Fan wasn't one of long-standing acquaintance, but rather that of a stranger. This gave Lin Fan the wrong impression.
He genuinely didn't recognize him.
"What?"
Mo Wu stared wide-eyed, as if he had seen a ghost. If the other party hadn't misspoken, then he must have misheard. He could have imagined the other party saying anything, but he never imagined they would ask… Who are you?
To him, it was an insult.
Old Zhang said, "You know him. You beat him up a while ago. You beat him up pretty badly."
"Ah?" Lin Fan opened his mouth in surprise, then hurriedly stepped forward and grasped Mo Wu's hand. "I'm so sorry, I didn't remember. You're quite strong, we must have sparred before. It's been so long, I've forgotten, hahaha…"
When you laugh, as long as you don't feel embarrassed, the embarrassment belongs to the other person.
This method was indeed very effective.
Mo Wu was indeed very embarrassed, the kind of embarrassment that felt like being slapped in the face repeatedly.
The Evil Chicken watched the scene, screaming internally, "Brother, can you tolerate this? Aren't you going to fight this guy?"
But thinking about it, he could understand. If he could win, the situation wouldn't be like this.
Mo Wu relaxed his mind.
Deep breath!
Relax!
Don't get angry over these things.
"Can we talk for a bit?" Mo Wu asked.
Lin Fan said, "Of course."
Cafe.
Lin Fan and Old Zhang had never been here before. They looked curiously at their surroundings. The Evil Chicken and Ginseng were minor internet celebrities in Yanhai City. People found their strange combination quite appealing.
"Do you know? Danger is approaching." Mo Wu got straight to the point.
He spoke like a seasoned veteran, starting by making the matter sound serious.
"Mm." Lin Fan nodded, his eyes bright. "Go on," he said, "I'm listening. It sounds serious."
Old Zhang whispered, "Lin Fan, do you think danger knows us?"
"The danger he's talking about isn't a person."
"Then who is it?"
"Probably danger."
"Oh."
Old Zhang nodded, seemingly understanding, or perhaps not. It didn't matter. What mattered was that he felt he understood.
Mo Wu said, "The Starry Sky beast from Starry Sky Country is a descendant of the Planet Devouring Crocodile. The beast that appeared was a juvenile, the smallest kind. Its combat power isn't very strong, but if it encounters danger, it will summon an adult Planet Devouring Crocodile."
"Do you understand?"
Lin Fan said, "I understand."
It sounded like he was talking about something very powerful.
Mo Wu's purpose in finding Lin Fan was to hope he would step forward and shoulder this responsibility, suppressing the Planet Devouring Crocodile. Others might not be able to do it, but he believed this inhumanly strong guy in front of him could.
"When will we act?" Mo Wu asked.
He didn't expect the conversation to go so smoothly. Thinking about it, he could understand.
This planet was his home. If he didn't act, who could he rely on to protect it?
Mo Wu wanted to leave.
He didn't want to get involved.
But the more dangerous something was, the greater the reward. The Planet Devouring Crocodile was a treasure trove, and that wasn't just an empty statement. Adult Planet Devouring Crocodiles had swallowed countless stars, each containing immense energy.
So, saying that the Planet Devouring Crocodile was a treasure trove was entirely accurate.
"Act on what?" Lin Fan was puzzled. He couldn't understand what the other party wanted him to act on. It felt rather baffling.
Mo Wu said in astonishment, "Didn't I make myself clear?"
"Yes, very clear."
"Then act!"
"Act on what?"
The same question, the same answer.
There was no communication breakdown between them.
Mo Wu fell silent, tapping his fingers on the table, his gaze drifting to the street outside. It seemed sunny, but it was actually very dark. The sky was so dark, so dark that it impacted his mood.
"Fine, if you don't take this matter seriously, that's your choice. I've told you the consequences. You'll see for yourself what happens." Mo Wu stood up and left.
He didn't want to stay a moment longer.
Mo Wu left.
The coffee emitted steam.
"Lin Fan…" Old Zhang's weak voice came.
"What's wrong?"
"Can we not be friends with people like that in the future? I'm scared."
"What's there to be scared of?"
"I think there's something wrong with his head. I don't really understand what he's saying. And you beat him up before, but he acts like he's very familiar with you."
"Yeah, I feel the same way."
Lin Fan felt that Mo Wu was strange. When he spoke, it always gave people a baffling feeling. Fortunately, Lin Fan had a good mentality and could remain calm even when he didn't understand.
Looking at the steaming coffee on the table, he said, "Drink it, don't waste it."
"Okay."
Having never drunk coffee before, they found it disgusting. They took a sip and didn't continue, leaving the cups untouched. But it seemed a pity to waste it.
They looked at each other.
Nodding in agreement.
They waited for the coffee to cool.
After a long time…
"Alright, it's ready."
"Mm, don't waste it."
Lin Fan and Old Zhang pinched their noses, lifted their cups, and gulped down the coffee, not even wanting to taste it.
How painful.