Chapter 5: Twisting Off a Dog's Head
Ninglu arrived at the center of Hantmansi Dome with two of his subordinates. Two guards holding weapons stood before the three-story gray building.
"Are you Ninglu?"
"That's right."
The two guards heard him and warily glanced at the laser gun on his back.
"You can only go in alone, and you can't bring any weapons."
Ninglu cooperatively took off his laser gun and chainsword, handing them to his subordinate.
The two guards breathed a sigh of relief, and the one on the left spoke.
"Arbitrator Dimitrov is waiting for you in the Arbitration Hall on the third floor."
Everyone they met along the way looked at the boy with surprise.
"He's the one who killed 'Vulture'?"
"'Vulture' must have been drunk to be killed by a kid like that."
"I heard his marksmanship is superb, even better than the guards beside Boleslav King. Every shot can pierce the enemy's eye."
"..."
Ninglu clearly heard the whispered discussions around him and calmly walked to the third floor.
The entire third floor, covering over four hundred square meters, was exclusively occupied by the Arbitration Hall. After the two guards at the entrance rechecked that he had no weapons, they let him in.
Ninglu entered the Arbitration Hall. Facing away from him, standing by the window, was a figure in a gray uniform with a steel bionic left arm.
"Woof woof..."
The chemical dog, grown on chemical agents, was as tall as an adult and as wide as a tiger.
The chemical dog swiftly darted in front of Ninglu, its green eyes fixed on his dark ones. Its long tongue licked towards his face, and the strong, pungent smell even wafted out the door.
"Yogane, come back!"
Dimitrov turned his head. The large dog turned and went to its master's side, wagging its tail.
The Arbitrator stroked the large dog's fur and looked at Ninglu.
"I heard it was a boy who killed 'Vulture.' I thought it was an exaggeration, but you're even smaller than I imagined."
"Yogane, don't scare the child."
Dimitrov emphasized the word "child."
"There's a saying on Ancient Terra: 'Heroes are not judged by age.'"
"If your dog is disobedient, I don't mind teaching him a lesson, like tearing off his head."
Dimitrov's eyes narrowed, scanning him from head to toe. After confirming the boy had no weapons, a confident smile appeared on his face.
He had started raising Yogane ever since he became an Arbitrator, adding many strengthening agents to Vostronia's traditional formula.
No matter how vicious the Lower Nest Criminal, if targeted by the chemical dog, they would be torn to shreds.
If Ninglu had a gun, he would be wary, but an unarmed boy could only be slaughtered.
Of course, it would be a pity for such an excellent boy to die.
"This beast really needs a lesson. If you can tear off his head, I won't blame you."
"If he tackles you, it means you're too young and need training. You'll come and learn by my side."
With that, he patted the chemical dog's head, and the large dog immediately went wild, leaping high into the air and pouncing on Ninglu.
Ninglu's dark eyes fixed on the chemical dog. Through its thick brown fur, he saw its throat area, which was slightly yellowish—that was Yogane's habit.
After drinking chemical agents, the chemical dog liked to hold them in its mouth for a moment, and years of Corrosion made its already fragile throat even more of a weakness, though it was hidden by its thick fur.
When enemies faced it, they would also be intimidated by its massive body and choked by the pungent chemical agent smell.
The Gene-Seed Primarch subtly shifted, and the chemical dog missed, crashing to the ground.
Ninglu clamped the chemical dog's neck with both arms, precisely on that yellow line, and his legs tightly gripped the large dog.
With a 'snap,' the Arbitrator watched in shock as the boy twisted the chemical dog's neck.
Dimitrov stared at the boy in astonishment, as if looking at a humanoid beast. Someone could actually break a chemical dog's neck with their bare hands.
"I'll take this dog's head with me."
Ninglu only needed the tongue, but he asked for the entire dog's head to conceal the most important alchemical material for the "Lawyer."
"Hmm..." The Arbitrator's eyes fixed on the bloody dog corpse. "Foundry D-46 is yours. Everything as usual."
"Good."
Ninglu immediately turned and left. He didn't feel any killing intent from Dimitrov, and he didn't want to challenge the old order of Hantmansi Dome just yet.
After leaving the Arbitration Hall, he pulled out a pre-prepared rope, tied the dog's head, and slung it diagonally across his body.
Everyone they met along the way, recognizing the Arbitrator's chemical dog, looked at the boy in surprise.
Ninglu walked up to his subordinates, "Take me to the Hive Giant Rats."
"Yes, Boss."
A moment later, the two subordinates led him to a narrow passage.
"Boss, this passage is the largest giant rat habitat among the hundreds of passages around Hantmansi Dome."
"Let's go."
"Boss, just the three of us? Should we go back and call your other subordinates?"
The subordinate with a gray rat head tattooed on his left arm asked in surprise.
"Boss, you don't know, there are thousands of giant rats in this passage. Although your marksmanship is godlike, it can't withstand a tide of giant rats."
"I have my own way," Ninglu looked at the two. "Do you want to eat rat meat or skin?"
The two looked at Ninglu, who held a sword, their eyes full of doubt. Even if the Boss's swordsmanship was as excellent as his marksmanship, the Boss's body hadn't fully grown, and every giant rat was bigger than him.
Moreover, those giant rats were fast, their teeth could bite through steel plates, and most terrifyingly, their numbers were vast. In a place like a passage, they could instantly overwhelm the three of them.
If they had a choice, the two naturally wouldn't want to go, but they didn't dare not to.
Ninglu killed without batting an eye, one shot, one kill; they had all witnessed it.
The two exchanged glances, immediately understanding the bitterness in each other's eyes. They spoke simultaneously.
"Boss, we'll go with you."
The two followed Ninglu into the dim passage, ten people wide, and then saw the Boss activate his chainsword.
The roaring sound was particularly harsh in the passage.
The passage immediately trembled, and the squeaking sounds made their scalps tingle, while countless pairs of crimson eyes made their legs tremble.
The two didn't have time to stop him, and it was too late to run. They sighed inwardly.
【This time, we're definitely dead. I thought I was following a strong man, but it turns out he's just an arrogant child.】
Just then, Ninglu moved.
Each time he swung his blade, he killed a giant rat.
The two's eyes gradually adjusted to the dim environment. They widened their eyes; the boy in front was like a ruthless killing machine.
Suddenly, they saw a giant rat nearly two meters long pounce fiercely on Ninglu from above the passage.
"Boss, look out!"
Ninglu's movements were faster than their warning. He leaped sideways, dodging the giant rats ambushing from above and pouncing from the front.
The two giant rats collided. The ambushing giant rat let out a yelp, and the smaller one immediately froze, being bitten to death by the larger one.
Just as it was about to look up, Ninglu came beside it and kicked it in the head.
The giant rat was immediately knocked unconscious. All the other giant rats stopped and then turned to flee.
The subordinate with the rat head tattoo on his left arm slapped his forehead.
"Boss, you caught the Rat King! The rat swarm was scared away by you."
Ninglu slung the chainsword on his back, "You two, each carry two giant rats. I'll reward you with meat when we get back."
"Thank you, Boss. Boss is wise and mighty."
"Boss is the King of the Lower Nest."
The two vied to flatter their Boss. Now they knew that following their Boss, their future was bright.
Ninglu hoisted the unconscious giant rat onto his shoulder, "Let's go."
The two each carried a giant rat about a meter long. Rodents are relatively light, each weighing only about thirty kilograms. For them, who live by the sword, sixty kilograms was only slightly strenuous.
Ninglu did not immediately return to the foundry. He first traded one meter-long Hive Giant Rat for 2000 ml each of black ras fuerte, gray larsvort, yellow larsvort, and green larsvort.
He only needed black ras fuerte; exchanging for four types was merely to conceal the alchemical materials.
【Once I get a wire grass from the foundry, the alchemical materials will be complete.】