Digimon: I really didn't want to be the Digimon Emperor!

“You mean…” She seemed to realize something and looked at the X antibody that Cheng Yuan was holding in disbelief.

Cheng Yuan: "That's right, the key is this thing. This isn't an ordinary amplification item; it can activate the potential data of the digital core." Cheng Yuan said, "I have an idea. If you trust me, you can give it a try."

Zhao Lu said in surprise, "But I've heard that wearing it for a period of time will result in some increases in data, but not like what you said..."

"In fact, it's called X-antibody, which allows Digimon to break through the limitations of normal evolution." To cover up his knowledge of advanced information, he could only use Xu Xin as an excuse: "I learned this from Teacher Xu. The secret of this X crystal is a top secret, and you must keep it a secret as well."

Zhao Lu said, "Teacher Xu really has nothing but praise for you... Okay, I'll keep it a secret, don't worry."

"Okay, then let's do it this way..."

Zhao Lu stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

After going over her thoughts again, Zhao Lu nodded solemnly, then took the X-antibody and turned to Gearmon.

The gears of the Gear Beast suddenly accelerated, emitting a buzzing resonance.

Zhao Lu gently stroked its metallic surface: "You're looking forward to it too, aren't you?"

Come on, Gearmon, let's take it a step further and get into the Beast Tamer University together.

Gearmon nodded its entire body, and then the mask that served as its face opened to both sides, revealing the intricate gear structure and the silver digital core inside.

When Zhao Lu solemnly accepted the X antibody, both of their expressions turned serious.

"Are you ready, buddy?" Zhao Lu asked softly.

The Gear Beast responded with a cheerful "click-clack" sound.

The moment the X antibody comes into contact with the digital core, a mutation occurs.

The Digicore emitted its original white light, while the X-antibody emitted a scarlet light. The two lights began to merge like two torrents of data, and the latent data in the Digimon's Digicore was highly activated, drawing out a potential power beyond anything seen before from the depths of the Digicore.

The gears all over the Gear Beast's body began to spin uncontrollably at high speed, emitting a sharp metallic scraping sound.

"Is...is this normal?" Zhao Lu nervously grabbed Cheng Yuan's sleeve.

Before Cheng Yuan could answer, layers of red metal hexagons burst forth from the digital core, forming a red metal evolution cocoon that wrapped around the Gear Beast like a honeycomb.

The little dog rubbed nervously against Cheng Yuan's ankle: "Tamer, the data fluctuations inside are so strong..."

The fifteen-minute wait felt like an eternity. When the first crack appeared on the metal cocoon, everyone held their breath.

"Click" —

The cracks began to spread, eventually peeling away to reveal a completely new form.

Its body is still a huge gear, surrounded by a red frame, and the two gears are equipped with two gold diamonds, which greatly increases its aggressiveness.

Most notably, there is a miniature gear beast on each side of its head, with the three gears meshing together at a perfect angle.

“The three-in-one Gearmon – Gearmon X Form,” Cheng Yuan said.

Zhao Lu's Tyrannosaurus Rex flashed wildly: [Data increased by 50%... New skill module detected...]

She touched the metal surface of Gear Beast X in disbelief, and the latter immediately emitted a cheerful triple "click-clack" sound.

“They said… its two small gear beasts on either side mesh together, but cannot maintain their own independent nature. They can attack and use skills according to the gear beasts’ instructions.” Zhao Lu’s expression gradually changed from shock to ecstasy.

Cheng Yuan had already retreated to the other end of the battle zone: "Talk is cheap, let's put it into practice!"

The battle erupts instantly.

Gearmon X demonstrated an astonishing three-in-one cooperative combat capability—

The main gear emits a high-voltage electric beam, the left small gear uses a modified version of the "gear blade", and the right side releases a spiral-shaped "drill shock wave".

The three skills attacked from different angles, creating a perfect barrage of firepower. The little dog was forced to roll repeatedly to barely dodge them.

"That's amazing!" Zhao Lu quickly ordered, "Try this, Triple Gear Storm!"

All three gears simultaneously enter an overclocked state, their rotational speed exceeding critical values, unleashing a perfect storm of metal and energy.

The puppy beast's "Holy Light Bullet" collided head-on with it, and small shockwaves caused the defensive field of the battle room to flicker erratically.

Ultimately, both sides stopped at the same time, ending in a draw. But both understood that being able to fight Gearmon X to a draw meant that Gearmon X's strength had made a qualitative leap.

"We did it..." Zhao Lu rushed forward and hugged her partner, and the three gears made a cheerful "click-clack" sound at the same time.

Just then, Zhao Lu's communicator suddenly rang.

She was overjoyed when she saw her name displayed on the screen.

Chapter 66 Police Department Crisis

The word "Dad" on the caller ID made Zhao Lu's eyes light up. She eagerly answered the phone, ready to share her joy at the evolution of the Gear Beast—

"Let me finish." Zhao Zheng's voice was hoarse as if he hadn't slept for three days, and he spoke at an astonishing speed. "I've been extremely busy since I got back. The Gear Beasts of the Security Bureau... something happened."

The sound of sirens blaring came from the other end of the phone, and Zhao Zheng's voice suddenly lowered: "I'm sorry, Dad probably won't be able to come home for the next few days..."

Zhao Lu's smile froze on her face. She looked at Cheng Yuan and mechanically replied, "Okay, Dad, I understand... You go ahead and do your work. Don't worry, I'll take good care of myself."

Cheng Yuan looked at Zhao Lu's face, her initial joy upon receiving the call gradually fading, and finally she said goodbye with disappointment.

After hanging up the phone, Zhao Lu smiled wryly and waved her phone: "I'm sorry, my dad can't come. There are those digital hunters at the door..."

"What's there to be afraid of?" Cheng Yuan smiled confidently. "With Puppymon and the newly evolved Gearmon X, as long as the opponent isn't at the Champion stage, beating them is a piece of cake."

He made a dramatic throat-slitting gesture: "Snap them, anyway, we're super strong!"

Zhao Lu was also infected by Cheng Yuan's inexplicable confidence. Okay, then... let's take them down.

Just as they were about to open the door, Cheng Yuan's phone suddenly rang.

"Class representative, your seat!" Xu Xin's voice came through the phone.

Cheng Yuan reflexively stood at attention, then awkwardly scratched his head after realizing what was happening: "Digital Center Battle Zone."

"Bring the little beast with you, and come to the police station immediately!" Xu Xin paused for a moment, "to lend a hand."

“But…” Cheng Yuan briefly explained the matter of the digital hunter at the door.

"Such a trivial matter..." Xu Xin snorted coldly, "I know, you can set off now."

Cheng Yuan hung up the phone. Facing Zhao Lu's questioning gaze, he said, "Let's go find your dad..."

"Huh? The Digital Hunters outside...?"

"It's all sorted out, let's go."

As the two walked out of the Digital Center, they saw a group of Digital Center security personnel leading a group of Labradormon, who were rubbing the three Digimon hunters and their Digimon into the ground.

The security personnel at the head of the team also nodded to Cheng Yuan as he walked out of the digital center.

"Comrades, you've worked hard." Cheng Yuan waved to them.

"Hey kid, watch out, we'll remember you! You just wait!" the Digital Hunter, who was pinned to the ground, shouted, before being slapped on the back of the head with a righteous dog paw.

When the taxi stopped at the police station, Xu Xin was already waiting at the entrance.

He saw Zhao Lu getting off the bus with him, nodded to her, and led the two of them quickly into the police station building.

The surveillance cameras on both sides of the corridor turned to them in unison, like countless eyes watching them.

"The Institute of Evolution is incredibly efficient," Xu Xin said in a low voice. "They developed the Dark Gear Monitor overnight."

“The association directly mobilized a technology company to produce a batch overnight, and the results of this morning’s city-wide survey…” He led the two into the elevator and pressed the button for the seventh floor: “It’s terrible.”

Cheng Yuan and Zhao Lu held their breath.

“Traces of the Dark Gears have been detected in almost every district.” Xu Xin’s fingertips tapped out an uneasy rhythm on the wall. “Do you know where the hardest-hit areas are?”

Now that everyone's here, how could Cheng Yuan not know: "The Public Security Bureau? No, it should be... the place where Gear Beasts gather, so it should be the Public Security Bureau, factories, construction sites, etc..."

"Not only that... but also the military!"

The military base has a large number of tank monsters, armed vehicle monsters, etc.

The impact was too wide and too deep, Cheng Yuan gasped.

"That's right. The experimental results confirm that ordinary Digimon can only be infected, but Gearmon are like virus culture dishes. Once infected, they will continuously replicate new Dark Gears and then further infect other Digimon. The infection range is mainly for Rookie Digimon."

Zhao Lu's face turned deathly pale instantly. Wasn't that the security system...?

Xu Xin nodded.

He looked at Zhao Lu: "Yesterday, the association suspended Team Zhao's mission and urgently recalled her to Pengcheng. She and we searched all night, found the demon beast in the underground sewer network, and carried out a great battle to wipe it out."

"At the time, the monster was forming its evolutionary cocoon, and we abruptly interrupted its evolutionary process."

"At the same time, there were 198 cases of Digimon attacking Tamer Partners throughout the city. These were all infected Digimon summoned by Devilmon."

“However…” Xu Xin continued, “Although we successfully stopped the demon beast and interrupted its evolution and summoning process, we also paid a price.”

"Team Leader Zhao's guardian beast... has been infected... and is dying."

The moment the elevator doors opened, a pungent smell of disinfectant wafted out. A middle-aged man with a stubble beard was roaring at the screen: "How many times have I told you! Use quantum isolation pods! Ordinary treatment equipment is simply..."

"Dad!" Zhao Lu exclaimed, covering her mouth.

Zhao Zheng suddenly turned around, and Cheng Yuan could see that the dark circles under his eyes had spread to his cheekbones, and there were dried coffee stains on his uniform collar. This elite police officer, who often appeared in the police news, looked as haggard as a programmer who had been working overtime for a month.

"Lulu?" Zhao Zheng quickly stood up, frantically straightening his wrinkled uniform.

In front of his daughter, he was a respectable and upright public security officer, but now, seeing himself in such a disheveled state made him very uncomfortable.

"What are you doing here instead of going to training?" His shout echoed down the corridor, and several security guards hunched their shoulders and hurried away.

Cheng Yuan noticed Zhao Lu's shoulders tremble slightly, but she quickly straightened her back: "Dad, I have something important to tell you. My Gear Beast has become even more powerful. It's..."

“Nonsense, do you think I don’t know what level your Gear Beast is at?” Zhao Zheng rudely interrupted her: “Do you think just getting into the Beast Tamer Security University is enough? How many times have I told you, don’t relax? Back in my day…”

Cheng Yuan then realized that Zhao Lu had always lived in the shadow of her father's reputation as one of the "earliest professional animal trainers".

At Zhao Zheng's age, to become one of the earliest professional animal trainers back then, his abilities were undoubtedly top-notch.

However, as Digimon continued to be developed, new generations surpassed the old, while Zhao Zheng's Digimon remained at the Champion level, Guardianmon, for 15 years.

Because the evolutionary path of the mature Guardian Beast to its ultimate form... is broken.

The evolutionary path of Andromon has not yet been discovered by the Eastern Kingdom.

Nevertheless, those who possess a Champion-level Guardian Digimon are already among the elite in society, and most start as law enforcement officers. Those who fail to possess a Champion-level Digimon generally only become law enforcement officers.

Zhao Lu, a top student, is burdened by the halo of the older generation of elites, constantly pushing herself to grow and catch up, to become like the previous generation.

The light in the girl's eyes gradually dimmed. She glanced at Cheng Yuan, saw him nod, and then took a deep breath, as if encouraging herself...

She held up the Dinobot, "Dad, take a look at this first."

After speaking, he pressed the summon button for the Tyrannosaurus Rex.

The Tyrannosaurus Rex emitted a dazzling blue light, and the humming sound of its metal gears echoed throughout the corridor.

As the light faded, Gearmon X hovered in the air, its three gears perfectly meshed, and data flowed across the surface of Gearmon's optical lens eyes.

“This…” Zhao Zheng’s eyes widened as the data automatically scanned by the Tyrannosaurus Rex machine made him gasp for breath: “The data volume exceeds the standard value by 50%?!”

Chapter 67 You've Been Recruited

Gearmon X's new form shocked Zhao Zheng.

The iron-fisted sheriff's expression seemed to be paused, his lips trembling slightly.

“Dad, this is my partner, Gear Beast X.” Zhao Lu straightened her back, her eyes flashing with a stubborn light. “I can do better than you.”

Zhao Zheng's shoulder trembled violently, as if he had been struck by an electric current. Cheng Yuan clearly saw a complex mix of emotions flash through the tough man's eyes—shock, disappointment, relief, and finally, pride.

"Good! Good!" Zhao Zheng suddenly burst into laughter, which gradually turned from a light chuckle into a hearty laugh. "Hahaha... Yes, the Yangtze River's back waves push the front waves forward, what am I, Zhao Zheng, anyway!"

Xu Xin interrupted the heartwarming father-daughter scene at the right moment: "Alright, that's the end of the touching part." He pushed Cheng Yuan forward, "You're conscripted now."

"???" Cheng Yuan held the little dog, looking completely bewildered.

"Hello Uncle Zhao, I'm Cheng Yuan." He introduced himself politely. "Teacher Xu said she needs my help..."

“I know you.” Zhao Zhengrui’s sharp gaze swept over Cheng Yuan. “You’re a rising star in Lulu’s class. I often hear her mention you.” He turned and strode towards the end of the corridor. “Come with me.”

The deeper you go into the medical department, the more pungent the smell of disinfectant mixed with the rust of metal becomes.

Cheng Yuan had to hold his breath and follow Zhao Zheng through three airtight doors.

"Hiss—" Cheng Yuan gasped as the door to the monitoring room slid open.