ATIGIBTC Chapter 17

«Is it a Nightmare Beast Seed or Useless Dust?»

Min Zhizhou took a deep breath. The new armor fit his body perfectly. Its superb performance made him feel slightly out of place.

He marveled at how the researchers’ craftsmanship had transformed the heavy armor into something so lightweight, almost as if he were just wearing clothes and moving freely.

Gone was the bulky filtration mask. The beast-like mask, which balanced both practicality and aesthetics, boosted his morale. At that moment, he even had the illusion of being a superhero, with innocent citizens waiting for his protection behind him.

This city was full of advanced technology and endless hope. It possessed the world’s most cutting-edge technology and had countless rare resources sought after by mobile cities. In this apocalyptic world where only escape seemed possible, perhaps the city behind him was the starting point to restore prosperity to the world.

Min Zhishou took another deep breath. He was a mercenary, a selfish outsider who traded danger for money and a somewhat comfortable life. Loyalty and devotion were emotions long discarded by mercenaries and considered useless.

Yet now, he wanted to use the knowledge he had accumulated over the years to teach the citizens how to protect themselves. If possible, he didn’t want the children with clear, innocent eyes in this hopeful city to follow the same path he had—becoming exiles living the mercenary life.

“You are…” The Nightmare Beast seemed to not recognize him. After all, how could it identify Min Zhizhou hidden behind the armor?

Min Zhizhou remained silent. He didn’t want to reveal his identity. He didn’t want to see his former teammates, now Nightmare Beasts, using him as a soft spot that they once cherished.

Min Zhizhou gripped the light sword tightly, its blade illuminating his armor. His actions made it clear that he would not be deceived by the Nightmare Beasts in front of him.

Humans parasitized by Nightmare Beast seeds didn’t lose their ability to think. In fact, as their life force rapidly dwindled, their minds became even clearer. They knew that their identity as Nightmare Beasts had been exposed. The melancholic human expressions gradually faded, leaving only a cold, lifeless emptiness.

As Min Zhishou’s former mercenary teammates, they understood how mercenaries hunted Nightmare Beasts. It took multiple people working together to succeed. With five Nightmare Beasts and only one mercenary, the odds were not in his favor.

The Nightmare Beasts knew they had the upper hand.

Min Zhizhou patiently observed the five Nightmare Beasts. None of them wore the armor they should have been wearing. Clearly, all of their armor had been completely corroded.

Although the Nightmare Beasts now appeared no different from humans, the Nightmare Beast seeds continuously consumed their lifespan to mobilize the body’s potential and power—strength, speed, thought, and ability. This was the final stretch of time when human potential was being fully unleashed, leaving him at an absolute disadvantage.

The five Nightmare Beasts did not hold light swords, instead, they wielded long swords.

Mercenaries used a combination of light swords and long swords in combat. The light sword was used to expel the parasitic Nightmare Beast seed, while the long sword followed closely behind, swiftly cutting into the living being. A sword strike had to follow the light sword, or the blade would be rendered useless if it was contaminated by the seed.

When fighting the Nightmare Beasts, there could be no contact. Any direct engagement meant defeat.

But now, Min Zhizhou didn’t need a long sword.

The enormous technological advancement brought by the researchers—his light sword—allowed him to easily cut through his teammates’ bodies, disabling their ability to move!

The Nightmare Beasts, holding long swords, swiftly charged toward Min Zhizhou, their target clear. They used the mercenary’s fighting habits to focus on the weakest parts of the human body—joints. They aimed to cut Min Zhizhou in the same way!

Min Zhizhou immediately distanced himself. These teammates, with whom he had once fought side by side, were now his enemies. He knew their every move, yet he never expected that one day, he would have to kill them using that very familiarity.

Min Zhizhou’s first lesson to the watching officers was that the most important thing in fighting the Nightmare Beasts was to maintain distance!

Though Min Zhizhou was tall, he was incredibly agile. He could find every blind spot where the Nightmare Beasts could not strike. The Nightmare Beasts moved incredibly fast, but they didn’t immediately close the distance to Min Zhizhou.

The Nightmare Beasts understood the danger of the light sword. Their instinct to avoid harm kept them out of its range, while Min Zhizhou used the light sword to create unapproachable blind spots.

The massive light sword was used as a huge shield, blocking the range where the Nightmare Beasts tried to attack.

The Nightmare Beasts communicated amongst themselves. “Is that a light sword?”

“It’s too big, too hard to get close.”

“Cut it.” One Nightmare Beast moved at an astonishing speed to Min Zhizhou’s other side, but it was merely a decoy. The true attack came from the Nightmare Beast that had quietly reached his other side, intending to cut the arm that held the light sword!

However, suddenly, a huge burst of light shot out, enveloping one of the Nightmare Beasts in an instant.

While the research lab’s weapons were powerful, no matter how powerful, they were not omnipotent.

Min Zhizhou had purposely allowed this gap to form, luring the Nightmare Beasts into attacking. Once they got too close, their demise was inevitable.

One Nightmare Beast instantly vanished without a trace. Though Min Zhizhou’s eyes were hidden behind the beast-mask of his armor, he struggled to suppress the sorrow. The light sword, provided by the research lab, was so powerful that he had no time to mourn.

The remaining four Nightmare Beasts grew more cautious after their failed attack.

These Nightmare Beasts, capable of thought, didn’t hesitate to accelerate their body’s energy circulation by consuming their life force. However, the rapid acceleration of their bodily functions caused inevitable physical damage. They would have no choice but to engage in a bloody battle with Min Zhizhou.

Min Zhizhou took a deep breath. The second lesson: adapt to the Nightmare Beasts’ incredible speed.

Min Zhizhou became more vigilant, his eyes constantly trying to track the fast-moving Nightmare Beasts. Suddenly, he noticed an electronic assistance device had appeared on his helmet’s visor, something he had never seen before. It clearly helped him track the position and distance of the Nightmare Beasts. What he had previously relied on was just physical fitness and experience, but now, with this powerful assistance, Min Zhizhou found himself momentarily out of sync with the new technology.

His teammates were all powerful mercenaries. There could be no moment of relaxation. The Nightmare Beasts, also wary of the many light swords on Min Zhizhou, had not made any rash moves. For a moment, they found themselves in a standoff.

Min Zhizhou suppressed his sorrow, his grip on the light sword firm and unwavering.

He was the first line of defense for the town behind him.

He would never allow these Nightmare Beasts to pass him and reach the people he was protecting!

Suddenly, a Nightmare Beast appeared right in front of Min Zhizhou. He swiftly drew his light sword and slashed the charging Nightmare Beast in half. But even so, the half-body of the Nightmare Beast didn’t lose its ability to act. It attempted to touch Min Zhizhou’s armor. As long as it made contact, the Nightmare Beast seed could start to parasitize him!

However, Min Zhizhou had predicted the Nightmare Beast’s move. A second energy blast was fired, and the Nightmare Beast’s body, unable to avoid it, was instantly engulfed by the blast.

The third lesson: The Nightmare Beasts sometimes sacrifice their ability to act in order to gain parasitism rights.

Min Zhizhou truly understood how great the light sword technology invented by He Fang’s city was. With multiple forms and attack modes, these advanced weapons, if possessed by a single person, could even turn them into an entire army!

The remaining three Nightmare Beasts halted at the sight. In front of Min Zhizhou, two of the Nightmare Beasts suddenly turned on each other. Countless fine black particles quickly emerged from their bodies. Min Zhizhou’s pupils contracted.

The Nightmare Beast seeds that had detached from the parasites now swarmed toward him, like a dense fog. Min Zhizhou widened his eyes, watching as the seeds detached and, with the flow of air, relentlessly moved toward him. He had no way of defending against these pervasive seeds from all directions!

Min Zhizhou focused all his attention, but then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw one of the Nightmare Beasts charge toward a police officer. His attention was momentarily diverted. At that instant, a hand grabbed his arm.

Min Zhizhou immediately turned and saw his former teammate smiling cruelly at him. Black Nightmare Beast seeds rapidly spread from where they touched.

He was going to be parasitized.

A clear thought flashed through Min Zhizhou’s mind. But even if he was about to be parasitized, he had already made up his mind to protect the people behind him.

Before the armor was breached by the parasitic seeds, he would kill these Nightmare Beasts!

Min Zhizhou attempted to slice the Nightmare Beast in front of him, but the Beast, having achieved its purpose, quickly distanced itself from him. Without hesitation, Min Zhizhou ran toward the direction where the Nightmare Beast had been attempting to approach the police officer.

Faster…

Faster…

Min Zhizhou’s heart raced. He could not let a single resident be parasitized!

He watched helplessly as the Nightmare Beast approached the officer, even turning back to flash him a triumphant, mocking grin. A chill ran through Min Zhizhou’s heart.

But then, the officer who had been observing suddenly raised his light sword high. In an instant, a blinding flash of light split the Nightmare Beast into several pieces, which fell to the ground. Even Min Zhizhou didn’t quite see what had happened.

However, the parasite seeds erupted from the dead creature and rapidly latched onto the officer, wrapping around him. Min Zhizhou’s heart sank instantly.

“Everyone, stay away from him!” Min Zhizhou drew his light sword and rushed forward, preparing to cut the officer down.

At that moment, the officer suddenly sneezed loudly.

“Damn it, now I’ve got dust all over me.” The officer spoke up. Min Zhizhou froze, utterly confused. The officer, holding the light sword, disdainfully patted his clothes, shaking off countless black dust particles. “What Nightmare Beast seeds? It’s just dust. Got me all dirty. I just washed this uniform yesterday.”

Min Zhizhou stared at the officer in shock. Once the Nightmare Beast seed parasitizes a human, it would rapidly enter the cells, how could it possibly stay on the surface like dust and be so clearly visible, even being shaken off like that?

“Get away from me. The Creator might come by and praise us later. Don’t make us look dirty. Dirt’s the least of our problems, but losing face in front of the Creator is huge,” the officer, now covered in seeds, said as he quickly moved away from the other officer.

The officer with the dust on him scowled as he patted his clothes. “You’re disgusting, not me. A dead body suddenly sprays dust. I didn’t have time to react.”

Min Zhizhou was utterly confused, questioning everything.

But he still raised his light sword towards the officers. “He’s likely already turned into a Nightmare Beast. Don’t let your guard down.”

“Nightmare Beast, Nightmare Beast… What Nightmare Beast?” The officer covered in dust snapped angrily. “You’ve been fighting for ages, and not one of you noticed that those so-called Nightmare Beast seeds didn’t even touch the grass on the ground? You’ve made them sound like invincible creatures from the sky, while we’ve been fighting some weird dust spreaders!”

“Don’t say it like that. The Environmental Bureau has regulations about not bringing non-city soil into the city. Have you forgotten?” another officer reminded.

“Oh right, I’ll go wash off in the river over there before heading into the city.”

“Yeah, you can wash up and then go home. Your place is nearby anyway.”

Min Zhizhou stood there, dumbfounded, watching the officers gradually relax and ease up. Unable to help himself, he said again, “The Nightmare Beast seeds quickly parasitize humans. They’re so small that you can’t even see them once they do…”

“Parasite? Look at yourself first!” one of the officers suddenly said.

“Look at myself?”

Min Zhizhou, confused, looked down. Suddenly, he saw the armor that was supposed to have been parasitized. The lethal Nightmare Beast seeds were slowly sliding off the surface of the armor, falling onto the grass, eventually revealing the pristine surface of the armor underneath.

From beginning to end, the Nightmare Beast seeds seemed to have lost their parasitic ability, turning into completely useless dust.

Min Zhizhou: “…???”

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