A cold electronic alarm blared like thunder in the emergency room, instantly shattering the joyful atmosphere of a successful surgery!
"Unknown high-dimensional energy residue! Rating: A-class (potential threat)!"
"Source: Deep tissue in Old K Captain's heart region!"
"Recommendation: Immediate isolation! Conduct in-depth energy analysis!"
The piercing alarm, accompanied by the constantly flashing red warning boxes on the screen, made the faces of all medical personnel in the emergency room change drastically!
"What? Unknown energy residue? A-class threat?"
The Medical Supervisor exclaimed in shock,
"In the deep heart tissue? How is this possible? The deep scan before the surgery found no abnormalities!"
Bai Zhi's pure sapphire eyes were filled with unbelievable shock and a hint of panic:
"Impossible! My Power of All Things Revival clearly cleared all Lava Energy residue! The deep scan also confirmed it! How could this be...?"
She lunged at the control panel, her small hands quickly operating it, "Energy traceability analysis! Maximum power! Locate the residual source!"
Buzz—!!!
Inside the Medical Pod, more dense and dazzling scanning beams instantly lit up, like countless lasers precisely focused on Old K Captain's heart region!
On the screen, the originally stable energy spectrum was instantly magnified. An extremely faint, almost imperceptible, dark red light spot, emitting a cold, eerie aura completely at odds with the surrounding life energy, was forcibly marked and magnified!
"Abnormal energy fluctuation detected! Characteristics: Unknown! Nature: Stagnant, viscous, high-density! Energy level: A-class (condensed state)!"
"Inconsistent with known Lava Energy characteristics! Not naturally generated! Suspected artificial implantation!"
"Threat assessment: Potential psychic imprint or energy beacon! May possess tracking, positioning, or even detonation capabilities!"
The cold electronic synthetic voice was like a death sentence, every word striking everyone's heart like a heavy hammer!
"Artificially implanted?!"
"Tracking beacon?!"
"Detonation capability?!"
The emergency room instantly fell silent! All medical personnel's faces were filled with shock and a hint of bone-deep fear!
"Who?! Who did it?!"
The Medical Supervisor's voice trembled, his gaze subconsciously sweeping over everyone in the emergency room, finally landing on Ling Chen, who stood in front of the Medical Pod with an instantly grim expression!
The Ashes Squad members were also stunned. They looked incredulously at the marked dark red light spot on the screen, then at Ling Chen, their eyes filled with confusion, bewilderment, and a barely perceptible hint of suspicion!
"Brother Lin Chen... this... what's going on?"
A squad member asked with a dry voice!
Ling Chen's deep black eyes contracted violently, his face instantly drained of color!
He stared intently at the magnified dark red light spot on the screen! The Soul Jade Physique's cold will frantically operated, instantly understanding what had happened!
It was that extremely tiny trace of Soul Jade Physique's original energy that he had injected earlier to precisely control the Mud Swamp Domain and suppress the Lava Energy!
It hadn't been completely cleared!
Instead, it was activated and exposed under the deep stimulation of the energy guiding matrix!
And it was judged as an A-class unknown threat! Artificially implanted!
Damn it! A miscalculation!
"Warning! Warning!"
"Unknown high-dimensional energy residue detected! Threat level A-class!"
"Central Security Protocol triggered! Medical Center entering Level One alert state!"
"All personnel remain in place! No movement!"
"Xuan Niao Guard Security Department has intervened! All exits are sealed!"
The cold alarm instantly resounded throughout the Central Medical Center! Dazzling red warning lights flashed frantically! The originally soft lighting instantly turned a cold, blood-red!
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Outside the emergency room's alloy door, dense and heavy footsteps, as well as the humming of energy weapons charging, instantly sounded!
"Inside! Immediately drop your weapons! Hands on your head! Stand against the wall!"
"Repeat! Immediately drop your weapons! Hands on your head! Stand against the wall!"
"Disobeyers! Kill on sight!"
A cold, murderous voice, filled with unquestionable authority, clearly entered the emergency room through the loudspeaker!
"Xuan Niao Guard Security Department!" The Medical Supervisor's face turned pale, "They're here!"
The emergency room door was violently pushed open from the outside!
Six figures, wearing deep black, full-coverage energy combat suits, with pure black masks covering their faces devoid of any features, adorned with a spreading Xuan Niao emblem on their chests, and exuding the cold pressure of the Energy Condensation Stage peak, or even the Bone Eater Realm, surged in like ghosts!
Their movements were perfectly coordinated, like precise machines, as they instantly occupied critical positions throughout the emergency room!
The muzzles of their energy rifles, glowing with a faint blue light, were locked onto everyone in the emergency room, including Old K Captain, who lay in the Medical Pod!
The leader's figure was tall and straight, his aura even deeper and colder!
He slowly raised his hand, holding a silver metal disc flashing with complex runes!
A dazzling blue beam instantly shot out from the center of the disc, precisely enveloping the entire Medical Pod and Ling Chen, who stood in front of it!
"Target confirmed! Unknown high-dimensional energy residual source located in the deep heart tissue of the injured! Energy signature locked!"
"Threat level: A-class! Confirmed!"
"All relevant personnel! Submit to investigation! Resistors! Eliminate on the spot!"
The cold voice was like a pronouncement from the netherworld, devoid of any emotion!
"No! Impossible! Old K Captain is the victim! How could he be the source of the threat!"
The Ashes Squad members shouted excitedly, but were immediately forced back by the Xuan Niao Guard's cold muzzles!
"Shut up! Submit to investigation!" A Xuan Niao Guard barked sharply!
Bai Zhi's small body trembled slightly, her pure sapphire eyes filled with terror and disbelief!
She looked at Ling Chen, enveloped by the blue beam, then at Old K Captain, still asleep in the Medical Pod, her voice choked with tears:
"No! It's not like that! Old K Captain is a good person! Brother Lin Chen was saving him! There must be a mistake somewhere!"
"Doctor Bai Zhi! Please calm down!"
The leading Xuan Niao Guard Security Officer's voice remained cold,
"Everything is based on the detection data! Now! Everyone, please cooperate with the investigation! Especially you!" His gaze, like a cold blade, instantly locked onto Ling Chen!
"Name! Identity! Ability! Relationship with the injured! Answer immediately!"
The Security Officer's voice carried an unquestionable command!
The Soul Jade Physique's cold will frantically operated in Ling Chen's mind, analyzing the desperate situation!
Exposure? Absolutely not! Once the secret of the Soul Jade Physique was discovered, he would face the encirclement of the entire Shengjing, and even the Central Special Task Force! A dead end!
He must explain! He must cover up the lie! He must rationalize this trace of energy residue!
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the stormy waves in his heart, and a complex expression, a mix of shock, confusion, grievance, and a hint of lingering fear, appeared on his face!
"I... my name is Lin Chen! A newly registered member of the Hunter Guild! Ability: Mud Swamp Domain! Energy Condensation Stage Lv.1!"
Ling Chen's voice trembled slightly, as if he was terrified,
"Old K Captain is the captain of our Ashes Squad! He was severely wounded by the Lava Lizard's lava breath aftershock while saving me! I used my ability to help him suppress the Lava Energy to buy time to get him here..."
"Mud Swamp Domain?"
The Security Officer's cold gaze swept over the silver disc in his hand! The disc displayed the faint energy fluctuations emanating from Ling Chen!
The characteristics indeed had some similarity to the dark red energy residue marked on the screen! Both were stagnant and viscous! But the intensity and nature were vastly different!
"Your ability's energy characteristics are similar to the residual energy! But the residual energy is more condensed and higher-grade! Rated A-class! Absolutely not something an Energy Condensation Stage Lv.1 can possess!"
The Security Officer's voice held a hint of doubt! "Explain!"
"I don't know!"
Ling Chen's face showed confusion and fear!
"The situation was too urgent then! Old K Captain was hit by the aftershock of the Lava Lizard's lava breath! The Lava Energy raged wildly in his body! I just wanted to save him, so I fully activated the Mud Swamp Domain, trying to suppress that energy! Perhaps my ability underwent some kind of mutation when I was fighting for my life? Or did it mutate due to over-exertion? I really don't know what that is!"
He attributed everything to "ability over-exertion and mutation in an emergency!"
This was a phenomenon that occasionally occurred among ability users in life-and-death situations! Although rare, it was not without precedent!
"Ability over-exertion and mutation?"
The Security Officer's cold gaze flickered slightly, seemingly evaluating the possibility of this statement!
"How do you prove it?"
"I can't prove it!"
Ling Chen's voice carried a hint of desperate crying!
"But Doctor Bai Zhi can testify! How critical Old K Captain's situation was then! I just wanted to save him! How could I possibly harm him?!"
He turned his gaze to Bai Zhi, his eyes filled with pleading and grievance!
Bai Zhi's pure sapphire eyes instantly filled with sympathy and a hint of wavering!
She remembered Associate Chairman Tieshan's words! She remembered Ling Chen's precise control on the arena!
She remembered his anxiety and worry when escorting Old K Captain! She remembered his sincere joy when he learned the surgery was successful!
"He's telling the truth!"
Bai Zhi mustered her courage, her small face flushed red, her voice trembling slightly but exceptionally firm! "At that time, the Lava Energy in Old K Captain's body was extremely violent! It could have self-destructed at any moment!
It was Brother Lin Chen who forcibly suppressed it with his Mud Swamp Domain, buying time to get him here! He was risking his life to save Old K Captain! He couldn't possibly harm anyone!"
Bai Zhi's testimony was like a faint but firm light, instantly breaking the cold deadlock!
The Security Officer's cold gaze scanned between Bai Zhi and Ling Chen! Bai Zhi's identity was special! Her testimony carried a lot of weight! And she didn't look like she was lying at all!
"Report!"
An instrument in a Xuan Niao Guard Security Officer's hand suddenly prompted!
"In-depth analysis of the residual energy! Its core structure indeed has stagnant and viscous characteristics similar to the Mud Swamp Domain! But the energy level was forcibly compressed and condensed by some external force, causing a qualitative leap in its nature! Suspected energy qualitative change occurring under extreme pressure!"
Energy qualitative change?! External force compression and condensation?!
This analysis result seemed to corroborate Ling Chen's statement about "ability over-exertion and mutation!"
The Security Officer's cold gaze softened slightly, but still held a hint of doubt!
"Even so! This A-class energy residue is still a huge hidden danger! It must be cleared!"
"But it's located in the deep heart tissue, intertwined with his life essence!"
Bai Zhi said anxiously! "Forcibly clearing it will endanger Old K Captain's life!"
"Then isolate both the host and the energy!" The Security Officer's voice was cold and merciless!
"This is a security regulation!"
"No!"
Bai Zhi suddenly blocked the Medical Pod, her pure sapphire eyes filled with stubbornness!
"Old K Captain is a hero! He was injured protecting the fortress! You can't treat him like this! And that energy is very stable now, with no aggressive properties! I can slowly purify it with the Power of All Things Revival!"
"Doctor Bai Zhi! Please do not obstruct official duties!"
The Security Officer's voice carried a hint of warning!
"This is an order from the Security Department!"
"I don't care!"
Bai Zhi's small face was flushed red, her eyes filled with tears!
"I am his attending physician! I must be responsible for him! If you want to take him away, you'll have to step over me first!"
Her small body stood in front of the huge Medical Pod, like a protective lioness cub, trembling but exceptionally firm!
The atmosphere instantly became tense again! The Xuan Niao Guard Security Officer's rifle barrels slightly raised!
Just then!
"Enough!" A majestic and aged voice suddenly rang out!
Associate Chairman Tieshan, leaning on his metal staff inlaid with a huge crystal core, walked into the emergency room with a grim expression!
Behind him followed two other powerful Guild executives!
"Associate Chairman Tieshan!"
The Security Officer bowed slightly in salute, but his tone remained cold! "We are enforcing security regulations!"
"Security regulations must also be reasonable!"
Associate Chairman Tieshan's gaze, like lightning, swept over the Security Officer, then over the Medical Pod, finally landing on Ling Chen! "Lin Chen! Tell me again what happened at that time!"
Ling Chen took a deep breath, he knew this was his last chance!
He recounted his previous statement in detail again, his tone more sincere, and filled with a sense of terror and lingering fear after narrowly escaping death!
He also emphasized the ferocity of the Lava Energy at the time and the desperate sense of over-exertion he felt when frantically activating the Mud Swamp Domain!
Associate Chairman Tieshan's deep gaze lingered on Ling Chen for a moment!
The Soul Jade Physique's cold will perfectly simulated the weakness and energy disorder of an Energy Condensation Stage ability user after over-exertion, without any flaws!
"Bai Zhi! How is that energy doing now?" Associate Chairman Tieshan looked at Bai Zhi!
"Very stable!"
Bai Zhi quickly said!
"Under the embrace of my Power of All Things Revival, it has shown no unusual activity and has caused no harm to Old K Captain! I am confident I can slowly purify it!"
Associate Chairman Tieshan pondered for a moment, then looked sharply at the Security Officer!
"I understand the Security Department's concerns! But Old K Captain is a meritorious hero of our Hunter Guild! Doctor Bai Zhi is also a strategic talent protected by the Central Special Task Force! Her judgment and ability are trustworthy!"
He paused, his voice carrying an unquestionable authority!
"How about this! Old K Captain will temporarily remain in the Medical Center, with Doctor Bai Zhi fully responsible for his treatment and purification! The Xuan Niao Guard Security Department can send personnel to monitor 24/7, but they must not interfere with the treatment! As for Lin Chen..."
Associate Chairman Tieshan's gaze once again fell on Ling Chen!
"He is Old K Captain's savior and a key figure in this incident! He will temporarily remain in the Medical Center to cooperate with the investigation! He is not allowed to leave until Old K Captain recovers or that energy is completely purified!"
This was a compromise! It addressed the Security Department's concerns, protected Old K Captain and Bai Zhi, and temporarily kept Ling Chen within a controllable range!
The Security Officer was silent for a moment, seemingly weighing the pros and cons, and finally, he slowly nodded!
"Alright! But the monitoring level will be raised to the highest! And Lin Chen must undergo our in-depth mental lie detection and energy retrospection!"
"No problem!"
Associate Chairman Tieshan nodded! "Lin Chen! You cooperate with the Security Department!"
"Yes! Vice President!"
Ling Chen immediately responded, a relieved expression on his face, but his heart grew even colder!
Mental lie detection! Energy retrospection! This was the real test!