C23 Destroy the Enemy in the Factory

Emerging from the forest, Chu Xing found himself facing a descending cliff with a mountain road opposite him, and a vast canyon stretching downward between them. The sound of rushing water filled the air, and in the distance, nestled among the peaks, he could make out a small village.

"Have I really left the forest behind?" Chu Xing pondered as he gazed at the mountains in the distance. A gust of mountain wind stirred his thoughts, prompting him to devise a plan.

Suddenly, another helicopter appeared, joining the one already in pursuit. A relentless barrage of bullets rained down, interspersed with the occasional launch of guided missiles. Thankfully, the protective shell continued to shield him.

Controlled by his doppelganger, the motorcycle leaped swiftly down the terrain. From a distance, it resembled a monkey acrobatically leaping from treetop to ground.

One helicopter pursued Chu Xing through the canyon until they reached a flat stretch of road along the canyon's edge. Chu Xing throttled the motorcycle to its maximum speed, charging straight at the helicopter. In that moment, the roar of the motorcycle seemed to drown out all else, causing the enemies aboard the helicopter to freeze, their faces stricken with terror. Chu Xing, sword in hand, delivered a furious slash to the underbelly of the helicopter. The motorcycle soared like a giant wielding a massive axe, cleaving through the air with a fury that set the sky ablaze.

With Chu Xing aboard, the motorcycle vaulted across the thousand-meter expanse of the canyon and crashed onto the mountain road on the opposite side, continuing its descent without pause. The helicopter, as if caught in a moment of stillness, split in two and plummeted. The second helicopter, too, seemed to forget its pursuit.

Later, the helicopters resumed their chase, peppering the area with gunfire. Suddenly, a missile struck the turtle shell, which shuddered and shattered into several fragments. The shell, already fissured, could not withstand further damage and finally splintered apart.

Chu Xing inwardly lamented the loss but had no time to retrieve the fragments. He focused intently on maneuvering the motorcycle. Fueled by Chu Xing's mental prowess and his clone's innate abilities, the motorcycle seemed to defy the odds, with bullets trailing harmlessly in its wake.

Ahead, Chu Xing spotted a steel factory building, and without hesitation, he directed the motorcycle straight towards it.

This was a thermal power plant, its vast majority of structures and machinery forged from steel, boasting three towering generators each stretching over a hundred meters into the sky. The commotion in the forest had long since driven away the plant's personnel.

"This shall be my hunting ground. I await your arrival," Chu Xing declared, standing at the heart of the factory, his gaze fixed on the helicopter outside, his tone laced with determination.

Chu Xing had exhausted his Fire Dragon Talisman and Turtle Shell Magic Treasure, and the Earth Wall Technique Talisman was of no use in this setting. Yet, the metal manipulation ability of his Mechanical Clone made him the undisputed ruler of this domain. He meticulously surveyed every nook and cranny of the factory, anticipating the arrival of his quarry.

Time flew swiftly; an hour vanished in the blink of an eye as the crowd outside swelled and another helicopter touched down.

"Stay alert for Chu Xing's psychic assaults," Duan Dezhang cautioned, his mind, however, preoccupied with Lin Yu, a master of metal control. Without Fu Yuanqing's directive, he wouldn't have ventured inside.

"Come on, follow my lead," Duan Dezhang commanded, striding ahead into the plant.

"Duan Dezhang, why not just demolish this place?" the bald man inquired, puzzled and reluctant to engage Chu Xing once more.

"The extraterrestrials are after the ancient treasures, not Chu Xing's dead body. You look terrified, utterly intimidated by him," Duan Dezhang mocked, his eyes brimming with disdain.

"No, no, of course not. I just don't want to waste any time," the bald man retorted quickly, turning away.

"Coward, I'll cover you. Hahaha!" someone roared with laughter.

"Hey, baldy, stick with me and watch how I take him down," a burly man boasted, flexing his biceps and winking at the bald man.

The group erupted into raucous laughter, oblivious to the impending doom. The Mechanical Clone observed them as they passed, unseen, concealed within a small iron container, biding his time to strike.

Twenty individuals entered, among them twelve foreigners armed with a diverse array of weapons. Initially sticking together, they soon dispersed in search of Chu Xing, unaware of his presence.

The burly man who had just spoken was leaning against some equipment, blissfully puffing on a cigar when suddenly, a sword thrust through his throat. Before he could utter a sound, a hand clamped over his mouth, and in an instant, his body was pulled into the machinery, leaving no trace behind, unnoticed by anyone.

One by one, the mechanical clone silently dispatched the isolated enemies.

"Has anyone noticed anything?" Duan Dezhang, feeling a sudden unease, asked through his headset.

"No," replied the bald man.

"It's too quiet," Duan Dezhang realized abruptly and commanded, "Sound off!"

"One," "Two," "Three,"... "Eight."

"Keep going!" Duan Dezhang barked, "If you can hear me, sound off!"

There was a startled shout, followed by a boom, and then silence.

"What's happening? Talk to me!" Duan Dezhang yelled, the image of Lin Yu flashing in his mind—wordless, with an icy stare and an unnaturally rigid body, a creature that seemed less than human. "This monster..." he muttered under his breath.

"They're all dead, all of them," the bald man lost all composure and bolted.

The mechanical clone glided through the steel-laden factory like a fish in water, moving soundlessly wherever metal was found. It watched the bald man approach, then swiftly covered his mouth with a hand and dragged him into the machinery. Without a second glance at the man's wide-eyed terror, Chu Xing's sword pierced his heart.

"I'm sorry, this is war. Seven to go," Chu Xing whispered.

"Baldie, Baldie, respond!" Duan Dezhang called out.

"He didn't leave; he's dead too. I don't want to die, let me out!"

"Ah!"

"You monster!"

...

Ten minutes later, the factory fell into deep silence. Duan Dezhang clutched his magic treasure, his heart seething with anxiety, his face flushed red as he screamed, "Chu Xing, Lin Yu, show yourselves! Stop hiding and playing games; don't think I'm afraid of you."

"You two cowards, come out and fight me fair and square!"

"I'm not afraid of death; I've already died once, and I'm tough as nails."

... "Cough, cough, cough!" Bent over from the force of his coughing, he struggled to catch his breath.

Chu Xing descended slowly, his voice dripping with irony, "You say you're not afraid of death, looking like that?"

"I'm going to kill you, you demon," Duan Dezhang snarled at Chu Xing, his face twisted with malice.

"What does it matter if I'm called a demon for killing someone like you?" Chu Xing locked eyes with Duan Dezhang, each word deliberate. "Today, I avenge those who suffered miserably at your hands."

"Hahaha, they all deserved to die! They were merely stepping stones on my path to ascension. Without their deaths, I wouldn't have gained my current power," Duan Dezhang cackled wildly, pointing at Chu Xing. "You'll end up just like them, and that alien, too—they all deserve to die. Why should they be exalted and have everything? It's all mine!"

"You!" Duan Dezhang's eyes widened in shock as he looked at the sword protruding from his heart, pointing at Chu Xing, attempting to speak as blood spilled from his lips. His eyes began to lose focus, and he collapsed to the ground.

Chu Xing felt no desire to duel a man unworthy of his time. His mechanical clone withdrew the sword from behind and decisively beheaded him. Gazing calmly at Duan Dezhang's lifeless body, Chu Xing declared, "I doubt you'll be coming back from this."

Chu Xing's consciousness entered the black sphere, where he saw Lee Yuxi's sleeping face. "I've avenged you," he whispered. Then, recalling Lee Zijie's determined look, he repeated, "I've avenged you." Chu Xing pondered, "How many more are there like Duan Dezhang?"

Meanwhile, two helicopters continued to circle overhead, with persistent inquiries crackling through Duan Dezhang's earpiece. The clone pulled out a rocket launcher and fired at one of the helicopters as it neared. A series of explosions roared as the helicopter burst into flames. The other aircraft beat a hasty retreat into the distance.

"We can't linger here," Chu Xing muttered, securing Duan Dezhang's weapons before making his way down.

The factory had been built over an underground river, its history and potential misdeeds unknown, now sealed with steel plates, invisible to the uninitiated. Chu Xing had stumbled upon it thanks to the innate abilities of his clone while examining the factory's layout.

Panting heavily, Chu Xing burst forth from the water at the lower reaches of the canyon, gasping for air. He looked upstream but the factory was no longer in sight.

Upon entering the underground river, Chu Xing had swum towards the canyon. Shrouded in darkness, he pulled out his fluorite, using its glow to navigate. After more than two hours of swimming, he finally emerged from the depths.

Knowing he couldn't afford to waste time, Chu Xing climbed out of the water, intent on finding a concealed spot to settle down. Just then, a thunderous boom echoed from upstream.

"Could the factory have been blown up?" Chu Xing wondered.