Chapter 77: I Just Want to Touch the Divine Relic

Chapter 77: I Just Want to Touch the Divine Relic

"Dragon Wing Device?" Xue Heng murmured.

Shan Zhen, with a hint of pride, explained, "This is a xenograft made from the core organ of a dragon species."

"You know about dragon species, right? They're a very special type of creature in the borderlands."

Xue Heng nodded.

Many of the secret medicines he took daily were made from ingredients obtained from dragon species.

However, information about the borderlands was always shrouded in mystery, and he couldn't find anything about it online, so he didn't know exactly what dragon species looked like.

"The most distinctive feature of dragon species is their ability to fly," Shan Zhen said, glancing up at the captain, who was rapidly approaching and had now transformed from a black dot into a recognizable human form.

"All dragon species possess an extremely strong ability to fly, without exception. Even those that are dozens of meters long and weigh hundreds or thousands of tons have the ability to fly."

"Flying comes as naturally to them as breathing; it requires no effort. They can stay in the sky forever, even sleeping in mid-air, completely unaffected by gravity."

"Based on years of research on dragon species, we've discovered that the reason they can fly is due to a peculiar 'anti-gravity biofield' that they naturally possess."

The woman in the sky had now descended to just above Xue Heng's head and was slowly lowering herself.

Shan Zhen looked up at her and continued, "The Dragon Wing Device is made from the core organ of a dragon species that possesses this 'anti-gravity biofield'. When implanted into the human spine and connected to the nervous system, it grants the ability to fly."

"This is the best-selling xenograft of the Nantian Heavy Industries Corporation, bar none. It has received rave reviews."

At that moment, the woman also landed gently in front of them.

Xue Heng glanced at her appearance.

She had an ordinary face, sharp eyes, and seemed to be in her late twenties. There was a blade-shaped scar at the corner of her eye, and her black tactical outfit was adorned with various blades of different shapes and sizes, all within easy reach.

"You can call me 'Xu Ren,'" the woman introduced herself calmly.

"We are the 'Emergency Management Special Agency for Abnormal Disasters'. We are under the Special Service Department of the White Crow Task Force and are specifically responsible for handling abnormal incidents related to the borderlands."

She extended her right hand.

"I am the captain of the 838th White Crow Squad, and this ape beside me is a squad member."

Shan Zhen: "Hey!"

Xue Heng also extended his right hand and shook hers, asking, "So, you're inviting me to join this White Crow Task Force? Why?"

Xu Ren replied, "You are very talented... What do you know about the creature you killed the other day?"

Xue Heng thought for a moment and replied, "It's a creature from the borderlands?"

"Yes, and also no," Xu Ren said.

As she spoke, she extended her right hand and pressed a few times on a silver bracelet on her wrist. The bracelet lit up, projecting a blue light that formed a 3D holographic image in the air, slowly rotating above them.

The image was of the cockroach-like creature with a human torso, two legs, and six insect-like limbs that Xue Heng had slain.

"We've examined the creature's corpse, and it does contain some unique traits of borderland creatures, such as its core organ."

She manipulated the holographic image with her other hand, zooming in on the cockroach-like creature and then slicing it open at the throat, revealing its internal cross-section.

Within its body, countless neural pathways converged towards a soft-looking spherical object at the center.

Seeing this, Xue Heng's heart stirred.

He recalled how he had reached into the creature's body and grasped something; it must have been this object.

"This is the core organ of a borderland creature," Xu Ren continued. "Every borderland creature has one, though they may take different forms—hearts, brains, limbs, claws, or even skin."

"The core organ is the source of the special powers of borderland creatures. For example, this cockroach's incredible burst of speed and strength came from the energy provided by its core organ. Otherwise, with its large size and insect-like structure, even breathing would be a challenge, not to mention anything else."

Xue Heng asked, "If it has a core organ, it's clearly a borderland creature. Why then did you say 'it may not be'?"

Xu Ren waved her hand, causing the cockroach creature's holographic image to dissipate.

She then pressed the bracelet again, and a new holographic image appeared in the air.

It was a constantly wriggling, brain-like creature, except it lacked any folds or wrinkles.

"This thing is called a 'Celestial Brood Mother'."

"It's from F056, a creature from the borderland's 'Carrion Lake'."

"Its danger level rating is as high as 6.2..." Hu Ren said softly.

Xue Jing waved his hand dismissively. "Hold on, what's this about a danger level now?"

Hu Ren was speechless. "Don't they teach you about this in the dojos out here?"

"Ape, send me the combat data from your fight with him earlier," Hu Ren called out to Shan Zhen.

Shan Zhen sighed. "It's not 'Ape'..."

He pressed his ear, performing some unknown action, and Hu Ren did the same.

After a while, Hu Ren looked at Xue Jing with a hint of surprise. "Oh? Your danger level rating is already at 2.9 to 3.1."

Xue Jing shrugged. "I don't understand."

"The danger level is a rating system devised by a battle-crazed doctor in the Inner Ring," Hu Ren explained.

"A healthy adult male typically has a danger level of around 1 to 1.1."

"This system is similar to the Richter scale for earthquakes, with each 0.1-level difference representing an increase of approximately 1.414 times. So, in theory, a level 1.1 individual is roughly 1.4 times stronger than a level 1 individual."

"To put it simply, the Celestial Brood Mother's maximum danger level is 6.2, equivalent to sixty-five thousand of you combined." Hu Ren emphasized.

Xue Jing's eyebrows furrowed.

That was indeed extremely dangerous...

"Of course, this is an extreme scenario. In reality, the Celestial Brood Mother's level fluctuates greatly, with a maximum of 6.2 but a minimum of only 1.8."

"The Celestial Brood Mother can absorb the genetic information of the creatures it consumes, giving birth to corresponding insect types, and even combine the genes of different creatures..."

"Over a month ago, a borderland smuggling group captured a Celestial Brood Mother from 'Carrion Lake' and took it with them."

"When we learned of this, we pursued them relentlessly until they entered Qingcheng, after which they suddenly vanished without a trace."

"It doesn't matter if they disappeared, but we must find the Celestial Brood Mother. Otherwise, if it eats something it shouldn't and spawns unimaginable monsters, the consequences could be catastrophic."

Hu Ren turned to Xue Jing. "And now, through you, we've finally found a lead."

Xue Jing frowned. "Are you saying the cockroach-like creature I killed was born from this Celestial Brood Mother?"

Hu Ren nodded. "Yes."

Xue Jing narrowed his eyes. "So, this thing is a combination of cockroach and human characteristics?"

"Probably... The Celestial Brood Mother is slow and an easy target due to its size. If it were acting alone, we wouldn't have had such a hard time finding it. Someone must be hiding it, intending to use it for their purposes."

Hu Ren looked at Xue Jing sincerely. "Xue Jing, you're only seventeen, and after just a month of training, you've reached this level. Your talent is exceptional, and you have the courage to face borderland creatures head-on... Staying in the Outer Ring would be a waste of your potential."

"I want you to join our White Crow Task Force. We are backed by the Organization and have the most professional and advanced training system in all of Zhuxia, capable of maximizing your potential in every aspect."

"You deserve a bigger stage."

Xue Jing remained silent.

For a fleeting moment, he was truly tempted.

However, he quickly dismissed the idea.

Joining the White Crow Task Force and having the support of the Organization sounded appealing, but unfortunately, it wasn't for him.

He had access to a cultivation system that surpassed all others from the very beginning...

While joining such an official organization might accelerate his growth, the thought of the restrictions and loss of freedom that would inevitably come with it made him feel uncomfortable.

There's no such thing as a free lunch... Official support always comes with a price.

What if the higher-ups ordered him to carry out tasks he didn't agree with? It wasn't worth being bound by others for the sake of faster growth.

Xue Jing shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I have to refuse."

Hu Ren's expression didn't change, as if she had expected this response. "It's fine. I understand your concerns, but don't reject the idea outright."

"As the captain of the 838th Squad, I temporarily grant you the status of an external member of the White Crow Task Force."

"You will remain free and won't have to take orders from anyone in the Organization. However, when the need arises, I may request your assistance in the form of a commission, which you can choose to accept or decline.

"If you choose to accept and complete the task, I'll also report it to the agency and give you a corresponding reward."

"If you ever express a desire to join formally in the future, you can do so at any time."

"How about that?"

Shan Zhen, standing beside them, wore an odd expression as if he wanted to say something but was holding back.

The captain was treating this genius far too favorably.

Are geniuses really that amazing?

Xue Jing: "..."

These conditions were too lenient.

However, they held little significance to him, and just as he was about to refuse, something suddenly occurred to him.

Xue Jing asked, "Does your agency have any Divine Relics?"

Xu Ren was slightly taken aback, and thinking of Xue Jing's identity as a C-rank Accommodator, a hint of a smile appeared in her eyes.

"Yes, of course. One of the research departments within the agency is the 'Divine Relic Research Institute', which houses numerous Divine Relics, including a few that are ranked in the top 100."

"Are you interested in Divine Relics?" Xu Ren asked.

Xue Jing rubbed his chin. "Yes, to be honest, I'm a huge enthusiast of Divine Relics. My dream is to touch every single one of them—of course, just touching them is enough for me."

Xu Ren understood his meaning.

"Then, as long as you complete the tasks assigned by the White Crow in the future, I'll report to the agency and reward you with opportunities to access the Divine Relics within."

Xue Jing extended his hand sincerely. "It's a deal. To be honest, I've been a fan of the White Crow for ten years, and my dream has always been to become a member... although, a non-official one."

Xu Ren shook his hand and smiled. "It's a deal."

...

After exchanging contact information, Xue Jing called the Pei brothers back, and the three of them drove away from the northern district's back mountains.

After they left, only Xu Ren and Shan Zhen remained.

"Captain, was that really necessary?"

Shan Zhen folded his hands behind his head. "He's just a martial arts genius, a rare talent but not that uncommon. Was it really necessary to offer him such favorable terms?"

Xu Ren shook her head. "You don't understand."

"This person... is more than just a martial arts genius."

She tapped her silver bracelet against her forehead.

Countless pixel-like colorful blocks spread across her face, transforming her ordinary, scarred appearance into a rather exquisite one.

"Yesterday, I made contact with Miss Wu from the Wu family, and her level of interest in Xue Jing exceeded my imagination."

Shan Zhen exclaimed in surprise, "Miss Wu? The 'Heaven-Blessed Receiver'?"

Xu Ren nodded. "Yes."

"She has always been searching for a way to lift her receiver status... Only a god can rival a god."

"Aside from Divine Relics, there's something else she cares about... There must be something special about Xue Jing that we haven't discovered yet."

Xu Ren tucked away her hair, which had been blown by the wind, and her gaze followed the direction in which Xue Jing had left.

"Knowing that he's a valuable asset, even if we don't understand what exactly he is, we must first bring him into our grasp."

"That's the greedy nature of the White Crow."

She spoke softly.

...

As he sat in the car, Xue Jing suddenly remembered something.

Earlier, when he had been riding in the taxi and looking out the window at the unfinished buildings in the southern district, he thought he had seen a cockroach-like creature.

Although he might have mistaken it for a black plastic bag...

Nevertheless, to be safe, he took out his phone and sent a message about this to Xu Ren via WeChat.

Soon, he received a reply from her, saying that she would go to that area to investigate. Xue Jing nodded and put away his phone.

Instead of going back to the Pei brothers' home, Xue Jing asked them to drop him off at home.

The Pei brothers tried to persuade him to stay, but seeing that he didn't seem interested, they had no choice but to give up.

After getting off the car near his neighborhood, Xue Jing bid farewell to the brothers and was just about to go home when his phone vibrated.

He saw that it was a WeChat message from Wu Youqing.

【Come find me at the library when you have time.】

Xue Jing thought for a moment; he didn't seem to have any other plans.

Since the rich young lady was summoning him, he might as well go and see her, perhaps even get to touch some Divine Relics.

...

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end