They traveled through time at the same time, but the villainous scientist

Chapter 412 The Captain's Qualification

come yet……

Zhang Jie's gaze pierced through the billowing smoke and dust, fixed intently on the giant cicada pupa suspended in mid-air.

His expression turned solemn like never before; this was precisely the trump card he had previously glimpsed in Zhang Qi's hand...

The next moment, as if in response to his gaze, the giant cicada pupa moved.

The biological tissues that make up the shell contract inward like flowing ink, while the metal skeleton emits a teeth-grinding friction sound as it undergoes rapid reorganization and deformation.

The complex structure folded and unfolded repeatedly, until finally, a giant, entirely black with smooth lines and full of power, stood silently in the center of the training field.

It is... [Giants Armor].

Zhang Jie raised his hand again, and this time, the burning blue light in his eyes almost materialized.

The entire training ground groaned under the strain, and the invisible telekinetic energy transformed into a tangible storm, unleashing a devastating wave centered on him.

The alloy ground was torn apart and rolled up out of thin air by an unseen force, turning into hundreds of sharp metal torrents that shot towards the black giant from all directions.

However, the Titan armor simply stood still, motionless.

The gems embedded in its body suddenly lit up, and the energy amplification units on its body entered full-power operation. A protective shield composed of a visible orange hexagonal energy grid instantly unfolded, enveloping the entire body.

This is precisely the AT Field, known as the absolute defense in the EVA world...

"Om-"

Countless metal fragments struck the protective shield at supersonic speeds, yet not even a ripple was created.

Zhang Jie did not stop. He compressed his mental power to the extreme, and a transparent giant spear, made of pure will and a length of 100 meters, condensed behind him. Then, with the momentum of tearing through space, it stabbed fiercely into the giant's chest!
This strike was enough to pierce through a mountain peak.

The giant armor remained standing, letting the giant spear strike the protective shield. At the moment of contact, there was no earth-shattering explosion, only a suffocating silence.

The spear of mental energy failed to break through the AT field's defense; the spearhead disintegrated inch by inch less than a meter from the armor, turning into countless specks of light.

The more Zhang Jie fought, the deeper his heart sank into an abyss.

He was now certain that this thing's strength was definitely at the S-level enhancement level.

Having confirmed this, Zhang Jie slowly lowered his hand.

All attacks ceased, and the training ground returned to a deathly silence.

He knew that the fight was pointless.

He laughed self-deprecatingly, a laugh filled with endless weariness and desolation.

"A Nightmare on Elm Street... Everyone died, including me, becoming the guide to this state of neither life nor death."

If I hadn't accidentally created her... I might not even have had the courage to live on...

His voice was very soft, as if he were talking to himself, or as if he were making a final confession to the empty training ground and to the "God" in the void.

"Then it's just a continuous cycle, with promising newcomers joining and facing off in many horror films..."

However, because I am both the captain and the guide of the Central Continent Team, the 'Main God' sensed something was wrong and began to deliberately increase the difficulty of the horror movies the Central Continent Team had to face.

He paused, rummaged in his pocket, took out a cigarette that was slightly deformed from being crushed, and put it in his mouth.

"Take Resident Evil for example, it's supposed to be a difficulty level for just a few people... yet we barely survived in the end, something you probably wouldn't encounter in other teams... every single time, it's always like this..."

His voice began to tremble uncontrollably, and the memories he had forcibly suppressed deep in his heart surged out like a flood breaking through a dam.

Zhang Jie took a light drag on his unlit cigarette, as if drawing on the last bit of solace.

He silently gazed into the distance, where a graceful figure was walking towards him.

The classical beauty's face was streaked with tears, yet her expression was so gentle and serene, as if carrying a hint of blissful relief. She
Silently, she walked to Zhang Jie's side, said nothing, but simply reached out and tightly grasped his trembling hand, which was slightly shaking from exhaustion, in her own palm.

That familiar warmth was the only reality for him in this cold and desperate world.

Zhang Jie grasped her hand back, turned to look at Zhang Qi, and the last trace of struggle and resentment in his eyes completely disappeared, leaving only a relieved calm.

"After this, I'll leave the Zhongzhou team to you..." The moment the words fell, Zhang Jie's body, starting from his feet, transformed into countless tiny specks of light, slowly dissipating upwards.

His existence is being erased from this space little by little.

"The way you're doing this makes me look like the bad guy..."

Zhang Qi, who had been silent all along, shook his head, and the visor of his suit retracted upwards, revealing his calm face.

Although this deviates somewhat from his plan, for now, he has no choice but to try the backup plan.

He took a step forward, and his voice clearly reached Zhang Jie's ears as he was about to disappear.

"Do you want to live?"

"What's the matter?"

Zhang Jie, who was about to turn into particles of light, suddenly froze, his whole body standing there, his face full of astonishment.

He almost thought he was hallucinating.

“I said, if you want to live, I have a way…”

Zhang Qi took a deep breath and, while speaking, took out a small container.

This word was like a bolt of lightning, cleaving through the deathly darkness in Zhang Jie's heart.

He stared blankly at Zhang Qi, then looked down at the classical beauty beside him, her eyes filled with tears, yet also revealing a mixture of astonishment and anticipation.

Live on...with her...truly live on...

"miss you!"

Without any hesitation, and without even having time to consider the potential risks, Zhang Jie used his last bit of strength to utter this word.

"I have truly received your wish."

Then get a good night's sleep...

As Zhang Qi spoke, he raised his other hand.

A crystal-clear, gem-like object, seemingly formed from the purest light in the world, appeared in his palm.

As soon as that thing appeared, it emitted a strange fluctuation that could soothe the soul.

This is a blank container for the Soul Gem, created using the technology of the Incubator from the world of "Puella Magi Madoka Magica," and then combined with the technology of the world of "Bleach."

Its sole purpose is to extract the soul of an existing being completely, transform it into a gem, and store it away.

This was one of the contingency plans he had prepared for Zhang Jie.

If Zhang Jie ultimately chooses the worst path and attacks Zheng Zha or other team members to protect himself, then there is naturally no need to activate this plan.

A person consumed by despair and wielding a knife against their companions is not worth saving.

But now, Zhang Jie has made his choice through his actions.

The next moment, the gem container in Zhang Qi's hand emitted a gentle yet powerful suction force.

Zhang Jie's dissipating body suddenly accelerated, completely disintegrating into countless particles of light.

These particles split into two streams. A smaller, cold, data-flow-like torrent of particles surged directly toward Zhang Qi's body.
Meanwhile, a larger, warmer light, filled with human emotions and memories, was drawn to the gem container, converging into a beam of light that poured into it.

"Om-"

The gem container emitted a soft hum, and the originally transparent crystal was gradually filled with a blue light, eventually stabilizing and transforming into a gem.

At the same time, the cold data stream completely merged into Zhang Qi's body.

A series of emotionless, mechanical prompts echoed directly in the depths of his mind.

"Captainship of the Central Continent Team activated... Guiding authority transferred... Gene lock unlocking strength review, base strength is... Gene lock unlocking stage two, evolution first stage, current strength is gene lock unlocking stage three... Fusion begins..."

(End of this chapter)