Monster Hunter, start with a wife!

Black Cloud Forest, H0173's temporary outpost.

"Colonel, we've found it."

Liang Ye's adjutant, carrying the holographic projector, strode forward, bending even lower, his tone tinged with caution:

"This is surveillance footage retrieved from the vehicle transport center. There were some records before the transport vehicle lost contact, but we can only hear the audio. There are some things in the footage that I dare not make any judgments about. You should listen to it yourself."

Liang Ye raised his hand, took a deep drag of his cigarette, and said coldly, "Release it."

The audio streamed out, beginning with a fawning male voice, deliberately ingratiating:

"Lord Akakage, there's no need for you to handle such a small matter personally. Just give the order to me!"

……

"You're Cheng Zhuo?"

"What is it?"

"Come with me, the deputy director wants to see you."

"Sorry, I have no interest in seeing him."

"You think I'm discussing this with you?"

……

"Kid, it's not too late for you to kneel down and beg for mercy..."

"Sizzle sizzle—"

"I forgot to tell you, I'm actually a summoner."

"Sizzle sizzle—"

"You, you...no, you can't kill me! I, I, I'm a captain in the Hunting Ruins Army!"

"Next time you unleash your ultimate move, don't waste so much time talking..."

……

"Brother Cheng, this Crimson Shadow is a captain in the Hunting Ruins Army... He's clearly colluding with the Skeleton Hunters and indiscriminately killing innocent people. I can go to the city-state to testify and help clear your name!"

"Let's exchange contact information. I, Huo Ming, may be a nobody..."

"Okay, I'll contact you again if anything comes up."

……

Upon hearing this, the audio was completely swallowed up by static, and the holographic screen went black.

The adjutant's Adam's apple bobbed, a hint of confusion appearing in his eyes:

"There is strong electrical interference at the scene, and the signal is transmitted intermittently, but we can confirm that Lord Chiying must have died at Cheng Zhuo's hands. It's really strange, how could that kid possibly kill Lord Chiying?"

Liang Ye frowned and listened to it several times.

A chilling killing intent gradually seeped from his eyes:

"Cheng Zhuo and Huo Ming cannot be allowed to live."

"I've already arranged for someone to investigate Huo Ming," the adjutant replied.

"What should we do about Cheng Zhuo? His wife has now awakened to S-level, and the deputy director is taking her very seriously. We can't easily touch him."

Liang Ye squinted, hesitated for a moment, and then asked:

"How's it going at the Wolf Pack base? Did the deputy director meet with him?"

"Not yet." The adjutant shook his head.

Our people say that Cheng Zhuo is extremely arrogant, refusing all invitations for meetings, but he left the base with an unidentified middle-aged man, and...

He paused, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping himself.

"Speak," Liang Ye urged coldly.

The adjutant, with a strange expression, said somewhat uncertainly:

"The news coming back from the scene is that Cheng Zhuo... may have awakened for the second time. Judging from the star-like signs, he might even be S-rank."

"What?!" Liang Ye's pupils dilated in shock.

"Well, it might not be him." The adjutant was startled by his reaction and quickly added:

"I heard there are two people inside Xingxuan: one is Cheng Zhuo, and the other is that middle-aged man whose identity is unknown."

"Do you want to hear what you're saying?"

Liang Ye rolled her eyes at him:

"The signs of awakening star vortex, how could there possibly be anyone else inside?"

The adjutant looked puzzled: "I'm also wondering, but our people say that the detectors have detected two vital signs right at the center of the star!"

After a pause, the adjutant's face turned sinister as he said:

"Colonel, the cooperation with the Hunters must not be exposed. Should we cut off the beginning of the video and leave the rest to confirm Cheng Zhuo's guilt in killing the Hunter Army? Once Huo Ming is dead, he will be unable to defend himself. With this audio, no matter if he is an S-rank or whatever, he will have to listen to us..."

Upon hearing this, Liang Ye fell into silent contemplation.

His fingertips repeatedly rubbed the edge of the projector, as if weighing the pros and cons.

He pondered for a long time.

He slammed his hand on the table, stood up abruptly, and his military boots slammed onto the ground with a dull thud.

"That's settled then. Let's go to the wolf pack base."

……

……

Outside the wolf pack base, the scarlet awakening star swirled in mid-air, its dark red light bands stretching out like the tentacles of a living creature, enveloping Cheng Zhuo and Lao Gao at its center.

As the integration progresses.

Time passes little by little.

Cheng Zhuo's consciousness seemed to be drawn away by an invisible force, and he felt as if he had entered a state of nothingness.

In an instant, the crimson starlight before my eyes vanished.

Instead, a huge arena floated in the void.

Under the dark, deep starry sky, layers of dark blue stone stands stood, and countless blurry figures shouted from them. The cheers, like a tsunami, were so loud that his eardrums were almost deafened.

In the center of the arena, a colossal dragon that blots out the sky is locked in battle with an eight-legged creature.

The dragon was covered in dark purple scales, each scale gleaming coldly. The purple dragon flames it spewed from its mouth ignited into eerie blue flames upon landing, scorching the air and distorting its shape.

The eight-legged creature was entirely silver-white, resembling both a snake and a lizard.

Eight sharp claws gleamed with a cold, blade-like light, and each swing of the claws tore through the air, unleashing several semi-transparent blade-like energies.

"boom--!"

The two powerful energies collided, creating huge ripples in the air from time to time.

The eight-clawed lizard was clearly no match for the dragon, but whenever the dragon's claws were about to pierce its body, the shackles around its neck would suddenly light up with dark gold patterns, and an invisible force would pull it back. Several dragon scales were torn off, and dark purple blood droplets fell onto the stone ground, instantly evaporating into white smoke.

He was then forced to leave the scene and was locked in a gold-plated cage on one side.

As the sun and moon alternated, the eight-clawed lizard reappeared.

Cheng Zhuo just watched them fight.

The dragon won battle after battle, only to be imprisoned time and time again.

Until that eight-clawed lizard gradually grew stronger.

As the dragon grew weaker, it finally fell to the claws of the eight-clawed lizard!

"hateful!"

Cheng Zhuo couldn't help but clench his fist.

He could sense that the dragon's peak was long gone, and it shouldn't have been defeated in such a way!

"Go ahead and untie its shackles if you dare!"

Cheng Zhuo couldn't help but shout.

But the only response he received was a series of cheers from the stands.

As the dragon collapsed completely, the arena began to gradually dissipate. The dragon seemed to sense something, and slowly raised its eyelids, as if gazing at the starry sky, or perhaps staring at Cheng Zhuo.

"Get up!"

Cheng Zhuo felt inexplicably distressed.

But the scene, which had lasted for nearly a century yet seemed to exist for only a moment, suddenly vanished, leaving him with nothing but emptiness!

……

A deep, burning sensation followed.

Old Gao couldn't help but beam with joy!

"It's done! I actually managed to pass on my skills to an S-rank potential inheritor of ancient martial arts! Moreover, his second awakening of his origin is also S-rank!"

Old Gao's eyes gleamed, and his usually indifferent face was filled with surprise.

“Eh…”

But his ecstasy lasted less than three seconds before his smile froze, his pupils contracted sharply, as if he had seen something unbelievable.

He moved forward a little.

His fingertips hovered in front of Cheng Zhuo.

He could clearly sense Cheng Zhuo's Origin Card—

There was even a Source Card floating there, exuding a chilling aura!

The dark patterns were shrouded in wisps of gray mist, which were also S-level source energy fluctuations!

"W-How come there's another one?!"

For a moment, Lao Gao even thought he had misjudged the situation.

An S-grade source card.

How could it appear in Cheng Zhuo's origin without any warning?

Something's not right!

Almost the instant he discovered the second Origin Card!

A powerful suction force suddenly erupted from Cheng Zhuo's body!

Old Gao felt his source energy gushing outwards like water being torn apart, and a tearing, stinging pain came from his very source!

Oh no, this is getting out of control!

Old Gao suddenly recalled the records in the clan documents about the confusion surrounding their origins—

Three origins...

That is a power that humans cannot control. Those who possess it will eventually be corrupted by the Void Realm and become vessels for evil spirits, causing immeasurable disasters!

Old Gao hurriedly shouted:

"Cheng Zhuo! Wake up! Don't let the origins lead you astray!"

But Cheng Zhuo seemed unresponsive, his gaze wandering, his lips moving incessantly, his voice soft and fragmented, yet carrying a stubborn obsession:

"Get up...get up...get up..."

……

The outer edge of the star vortex.

The crowd of onlookers suddenly shivered.

A chilling coldness suddenly seeped into the originally scorching source energy fluctuations.

Someone instinctively shrank back and pointed at the edge of Xingxuan, screaming:

"Look! What's that!"

"Did something crawl out of the ground?"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound.

From the edge of the crimson band of light, countless pale, skeletal hands emerged from the soil, followed by the outlines of skulls with various shapes!

"Skull..."

An old hunter's expression changed drastically, and he took two steps back:

"Someone is casting a necromancy summoning!!!"