C2 The Sudden Attackers

Zhuge Yao nearly burst into laughter upon hearing that. In his past life, this man had not only betrayed the empire himself, but he had also led his entire family to do the same, resulting in the fall of Myriad Beast City's defense. This time around, however, Zhuge Yao was determined to keep a close watch on him and not allow even the slightest opportunity for betrayal.

After Gongsun Ce concluded his speech, the host called Zhuge Yao to the stage. The audience, including Lei Ming who was positioned below, erupted into thunderous applause. Gongsun Ce, initially enraged, quickly regained his composure when he spotted two figures stealthily entering the hall, each carrying a large bag.

Once Gongsun Ce had taken his seat, Zhuge Yao stepped up to the podium and addressed the crowd. He promised to set aside his pride as a scientist, submit to military authority, and endeavor to be an exemplary soldier. The officers in attendance listened intently, their gazes filled with agreement and respect.

Zhuge Yao's speech was abruptly interrupted as a hail of bullets tore through the podium, sending sparks flying as they struck him and propelled his body several meters into the air before he crashed down among the crowd, toppling many.

Gunfire erupted from the back of the hall where two masked Devil Beast Men brandished Assault Rifles, firing wildly in the direction of the fallen Zhuge Yao. Chaos ensued as most people dropped to the ground, while others screamed and ran in a blind panic.

The assailants were ruthless, gunning down several individuals attempting to flee. One of them fired several shots into the ceiling before bellowing in fluent Dawn Empire official language, "Everybody stay down! If anyone else gets up, I'll know who you are, and my gun won't hesitate!"

The hall, already filled with people lying low, fell into an eerie silence following the attacker's command.

Zhuge Yao reached for his chest, and as a green light flickered, he confirmed he was unharmed and breathed a sigh of relief. It was fortunate that he had donned a portable Universal Level Small Mecha before leaving home; otherwise, he might have met his end there. With a durability rating of one hundred, the mecha was capable of withstanding gunfire from standard firearms, leaving him without a scratch.

He brushed the dust off himself and was about to stand up to assess the situation when one of his companions acted even quicker. Snatching a pistol from his partner, he stood up ready for action.

"Houyi, get down! This isn't our barracks!" his companion shouted urgently, tugging at his clothes, but Houyi, the young, hefty man, was beyond restraint.

Houyi took aim at the lead thug and fired what would be both his first and last shot. Tragically, he missed, only managing to infuriate the thugs. The repercussions were dire; within seconds, his body was riddled with bullets, and he collapsed, his fate uncertain.

The thugs lost all control, wildly firing into the crowd. Dozens fell victim to their rampage, their screams of agony piercing the air. Even the King of the Dawn Empire was struck in the abdomen. Just then, a squad of armed police stormed in, wielding their Laser Assault Rifles, and swiftly put an end to the assailants' lives.

It was only at this point that Zhuge Yao came to his senses. He quickly surveyed the hall and, upon seeing that Huang Wenwen was unharmed, he sighed in relief. Turning to Gongsun Ce, he noticed a bullet wound on his arm and grew more confused. Initially, he had suspected Gongsun Ce was the culprit, but the evidence didn't add up.

The royal family members were swiftly evacuated, followed by the rest of the attendees, leaving the hall eerily quiet. Zhuge Yao approached the bodies of the two thugs, donned a pair of pristine white gloves, and began examining their remains and possessions.

Upon unmasking them, it was clear they had been transformed into a rodent-like state, likely due to an injection of Rat Transformation Fluid, which allowed users to alter their size. This gene optimization fluid was unique to the Dusk Empire, though it was also available on the Dawn Empire's black market. Each thug bore a flame tattoo on their left shoulder, distinct from the Burning Flame Sect's symbol, adding to the mystery. Their gear was antiquated, consisting of rifles several centuries old and a handful of smoke grenades.

"Sigh, has the Dusk Empire's invasion already begun?" Zhuge Yao sighed softly, filled with regret. He wished he had learned more about detective work from the old man back then; maybe he wouldn't be so clueless now.

Shortly after, several Dawn Empire Armed Police officers approached and forcibly removed Zhuge Yao, claiming that bystanders were not allowed near the scene.

As soon as Zhuge Yao stepped outside, he saw Huang Wenwen rushing towards him with a look of urgency, tugging at his clothes as if to check for injuries. He gave a wry smile and gently stroked her hair, reassuring her, "Wenwen, I'm alright. See, I'm in one piece."

After speaking, Zhuge Yao puffed out his chest, trying to look as if he could still take down a tiger. Huang Wenwen finally cracked a smile and playfully punched him a few times on the chest.

"Beep beep." A shrill alarm rang from Zhuge Yao's pocket, and a holographic image materialized before him, intermittently flashing a deep red. In the projection, four monstrous figures were hammering away at a door, on the verge of breaking through. These beings were odd; from a distance, they resembled humans, but up close, they bore a closer resemblance to wolves. They were incredibly strong, denting the steel door with just a few kicks.

"Isn't that our room? What on earth are those creatures?" Huang Wenwen stared at the projection, terror evident in her eyes, her voice quivering.

"Those are level one Devil Beast Werewolves, with Combat Strength Values around 300. Come on, let's go check it out," Zhuge Yao said, grabbing Huang Wenwen's hand as they hurried down the stairs.

Humans could become Devil Beast Werewolves by injecting a special serum, gaining a speed of one hundred, body strength of fifty, and a vitality of fifty. Zhuge Yao figured that with the help of his Small Mecha, he could take on four Werewolves.

He had barely left the Century Music Building when he saw his hotel engulfed in flames. Anxiety gripped him; all his crucial research data and tools were still in his room. But he quickly realized that rushing over now, with the situation so uncertain, would be tantamount to suicide.

Zhuge Yao gritted his teeth, forcefully suppressing the surge of emotion within him, and etched the incident deeply into his memory. He made a vow to himself that he would seek retribution in the future. No matter who it was, anyone who dared to tamper with his research data would face severe punishment.

He managed to contain his anger, but Huang Wenwen could not. Upon seeing the hotel ablaze, she seemed possessed, abruptly pulling away from Zhuge Yao and sprinting toward the inferno.

With a frustrated sigh, Zhuge Yao angrily stomped his foot and pursued Huang Wenwen, racing towards the hotel.

Once they had disappeared into the distance, the window of a flying car parked in front of the building lowered slowly. A young man watched the direction Zhuge Yao had gone with a cold smirk, then gradually rolled the window back up. This young man was Gongsun Ce, who now bore an even more menacing look of murderous intent on his face than before.