Armor: After finding the Demon-Sealing Box, I won't eat beef.

"Xinnan, look at the sky!"

The courtyard of Happiness Dumpling Restaurant is peaceful and serene.

Minci was standing outside, quietly drying things in the sun.

Just then, a piercing sound of wind breaking suddenly came from high above.

The sound was loud and urgent, instantly piercing the entire sky.

Minci subconsciously looked up.

Five small black dots could be seen hanging in the distant sky.

Five black dots were rapidly chasing and fighting in mid-air, going back and forth at an extremely fast speed.

During the fierce battle, blinding flashes of light occasionally streaked through the air.

He quickly turned around and shouted into the store, summoning Li Xinnan, who was busy at work.

Li Xinnan strode out of the dumpling restaurant and looked up at the sky, following the direction Minci pointed.

Upon seeing the aerial combat, his brows furrowed instantly.

Not long after, several dark shadows in the sky lowered their flight altitude.

Minci finally saw the whole picture clearly: "Those...are they Armor Warriors?"

Li Xinnan nodded slowly and replied in a deep voice, "It's armor."

These two seemingly simple words evoked a multitude of questions within me.

He stared at the positions and attacks in the air and immediately understood the situation.

The four armored figures surrounded the silver-white figure in the center, relentlessly pursuing it.

The creature being besieged by the crowd was the Snow Mastiff Armor.

"What exactly did west Zhao do to them?"

Li Xinnan was filled with confusion.

As a fellow armor summoner, he was very familiar with their fighting styles.

In this chaotic battle, Bei Miao's Black Rhino Armor and Zhang Jian's Flame Dragon Armor, who had just joined the fray, launched the most ferocious attacks.

The two men pressed forward relentlessly, showing no intention of holding back.

In contrast, Wu Dongshan's Wind Eagle and Kunzhong's Earth Tiger only wander around the perimeter and block the movement.

They barely fired any shots, and seemed to be passively cooperating the whole time.

"what!"

Minci suddenly let out a short gasp and pointed to the sky.

"Hit!"

High in the sky, the situation has already settled.

west Zhao fought against four opponents single-handedly, struggling to hold on by his own strength.

Using the Light Steed to move around can only barely buy time.

After a stalemate, he ultimately couldn't escape the relentless onslaught.

Bei Miao unleashed a powerful beam of light that struck his armor precisely.

The immense impact instantly shattered the snow mastiff's balance.

The silver-white figure plummeted straight down from the sky.

boom--!

A deafening explosion suddenly erupted.

west Zhao, along with his snow mastiff, crashed heavily onto a secluded city square.

The violent impact caused the ground to collapse, creating a deep crater.

Dust billowed from the bottom of the pit, and gravel flew everywhere.

west Zhao lay in the pit, struggling a couple of times.

He felt a tearing pain coursing through his body and could not support himself.

This heavy blow caused him real and serious injury.

With a flash of light, the heavy snow mastiff armor could no longer hold on and disintegrated on the spot.

The snow mastiff beneath him also turned into specks of energy light and completely disappeared into the air.

"Let's see where you run now!"

Bei Miao was the first to leap off the black rhinoceros, landing steadily on the edge of the pit.

Seeing west Zhao, who was usually aloof and arrogant and never bowed his head, now lying on the ground in a sorry state.

The pent-up frustration that had been building up inside me for so long was instantly released.

A strange, exhilarating feeling arose within me.

Following closely behind, Zhang Jian, Wu Dongshan, and Kunzhong also landed one after another.

"Great job, Bei Miao! That was a brilliant move!"

Zhang Jian immediately stepped forward to flatter him, his tone full of ingratiation.

This compliment greatly satisfied Bei Miao's vanity.

The fight was over, and the person was knocked down.

As Kunzhong looked at Xizhao at the bottom of the pit, a sense of panic and apprehension gradually arose in his heart.

He spoke softly, "What... should we do next?"

Bei Miao stood to the side, his expression cold and hard.

Before Bei Miao could even open his mouth to think of a solution, Zhang Jian had already spoken his plan.

"First, take control of west Zhao, then we'll immediately rush back to the ERP research lab."

"Let's seize this opportunity to reclaim all the Light and Shadow Stones. Only then can the power of the Five Elements Armor truly be in our own hands!"

After speaking, he deliberately turned to look at Bei Miao, adopting a very humble posture.

"Bei Miao, do you think my idea is feasible?"

This action clearly demonstrated that Bei Miao had received ample respect and control.

Bei Miao was very pleased and nodded in agreement after a moment's thought.

"Zhang Jian's suggestion is fine."

"Our current summoning devices are all provided by the other side, and the Light and Shadow Stones have always been firmly locked by them."

"What belongs to us armor summoners must be reclaimed with our own hands!"

Wu Dongshan, being a thoughtful person, immediately thought of Meizhen, who was staying in the research lab.

"Should we inform Sister Meizhen in advance?"

Bei Miao was resolute and rejected the idea on the spot.

"No one is to be notified! This matter must be resolved quickly."

"Leave one person to guard Xizhao, the rest of you come back to ERP with me."

Kunzhong immediately raised his hand and volunteered, "I'll stay and watch over him."

"Alright."

"Then Kunzhong will stay behind. Dongshan and Zhang Jian, you two come with me."

The division of labor has been finalized.

Bei Miao, along with Wu Dongshan and Zhang Jian, rode the Light and Shadow Steed, quickly taking off and speeding towards the ERP Research Lab.

The three streaks of light flew away rapidly and disappeared completely into the horizon.

In the empty square, only Kunzhong remained.

He sat cross-legged on the edge of the pit, his eyes fixed on the west at the bottom.

After a few minutes of quiet stalemate, Kunzhong couldn't help but sigh softly.

"I never imagined that you, Brother Xizhao, were actually Lin Zhen's son."

"You really can't judge a book by its cover."

"He always seemed so upright, but it turns out it was all a facade."

His words already confirmed that west Zhao was a villain disguised as a good person.

After a short period of rest, west Zhao's excruciating pain was relieved considerably.

He slowly sat up, supporting himself against the pit wall, and looked at the simple and stubborn Kunzhong, offering a kind reminder.

"Kunzhong, can you really distinguish between good and evil?"

"I've told you many times, the Shadow Guardians are our true enemies."

Kunzhong shook his head vigorously, his eyes full of stubbornness, refusing to listen to any explanation.

"Even now, you're still trying to lie to us?"

"Your father was always in cahoots with the Shadow Protectors!"

"He founded the Shadowlands himself; no matter how you try to explain, you can't clear your name!"

You're wrong.

west Zhao immediately retorted, his expression serious yet helpless.

"The truth of the whole thing is vastly different from the rumors you've heard."

"The Shadow Guardians' ambitions go far beyond simply conquering the Earth."

"Their real goal is to devour the entire solar system, and even the entire universe."

"My father wasn't exactly a pure good person, but he was definitely not a cruel, bloodthirsty, or inhuman villain."

"In this world, who among those who wield power and amass great wealth can be completely untainted?"

"Truly nice people can only ever be controlled."

"Brother Xizhao, no matter what you say, you're just trying to whitewash him."

Kunzhong remained indifferent and unmoved.

west Zhao patiently continued to persuade him.

"Kunzhong, you've oversimplified things."

"The conflict between light and darkness is never what it appears to the naked eye."

"Beneath the glamorous exterior lies a more dangerous truth."

"Bei Miao and his group can't get the Light and Shadow Stone by breaking into the ERP system now."

"Meizhen and Dr. Garu have long been excluded from the highest level of authority, and Bing'er can revoke everyone's armor summoning rights at any time with a single click."

"And those colleagues who seem insignificant to you are not ordinary people who just sit around doing nothing."

"So what if they got lucky and managed to snag the Light and Shadow Stone?"

"If we really break off relations and go to war, to be frank, you might not even be able to withstand the attack of a truly high-level mutant beast."

"My dad has been keeping a truly terrifying beast under his control, and he's never released it."

After hearing these words, Kun felt a sense of worry.

But he remained steadfast in his belief in justice and refused to waver.

"So what if what you're saying is true?"

"Once we retrieve the Light and Shadow Stone, we can capture the leader first, seize your father ourselves, and end all the calamities!"

west Zhao looked at Kun Zhong's innocent face, his eyes filled with helplessness.

He chuckled softly, his tone tinged with sarcasm.

"Too naive."

"His power far exceeds all of your imagination."

Without overwhelming power, how could one dare to firmly control the Shadow Realm and the alien beasts?

west Zhao's words shattered his illusions.

Kunzhong admitted that he was a little flustered.

He retorted in a low voice, "You're just lying to me!"

"Kunzhong, apart from concealing my identity, I have never lied to any of you."

Just as the two were arguing, something unexpected happened.

The light on Kunzhong's Earth Tiger Armor suddenly dissipated, and it disintegrated on its own without warning.

He stood there completely stunned, his face filled with astonishment.

"What happened? My armor is gone?"

west Zhao shook his head gently and let out a long sigh.

"What else could it be?"

Your armor summoning privileges have been completely revoked.

"this……"

Kun's heart sank.

He knew long ago that ERP had strict access controls, but he never expected it.

The right to summon can be so easily taken away.

At this moment, west Zhao's injuries have almost completely healed.

He pushed himself up from the pit and crawled out, stretching his aching limbs.

Then, looking at the pure-hearted Kunzhong, he spoke his heartfelt truth.

"Kunzhong, you are a good person."

"You are completely different from the competitive Bei Miao and the scheming Zhang Jian."

"Bei Miao always strives to be number one and take the lead in everything."

Xin Nan couldn't stand his personality, which is why she chose to leave.

"You are simple-minded and have never had any thoughts of vying for credit or power."

"I don't deny that my dad wasn't a good person, but he was a million times, a million times better than the Shadow Guardian."

"There's one more thing you must remember clearly."

It wasn't the armor that chose you as its masters; it was my father who personally selected you and bestowed upon you the power of the armor.

"Ever since the Armor Summoner was developed, the Light and Shadow Stone has lost its ability to choose its own master."

"I'll tell you one last thing."

"But don't be discouraged."

"In the future, only the five of us will be able to completely defeat the Black Beast."

Kunzhong was completely confused.

What exactly is the Black Beast? And why are there only five of us?

Before he could ask any further questions, west Zhao had already turned and left.

Without further explanation, Kunzhong was left standing there, filled with doubt.

The scene shifts, and the perspective returns to the ERP research lab.

Bei Miao and his two companions rushed back at full speed, only to be completely dumbfounded the moment they arrived at the entrance of the research lab.

The heavy alloy door was locked tightly, making it impossible to enter.

Their identity and access permissions, which they had entered into the system years ago, have all become invalid.

Unwilling to give up, the three immediately decided to work together to break open the side door and force their way inside.

But at that moment, the light on his armor suddenly faded, and he instantly disintegrated and disappeared without a trace.

"What's going on?!"

Bei Miao, Zhang Jian, and Wu Dongshan stood there, looking completely bewildered.

Zhang Jian was the first to react, his eyes brimming with deep resentment and frustration.

"It must be because we got back too late!"

"If I had known, I should have left someone behind to steal the Light and Shadow Stone when we were chasing west Zhao!"

Wu Dongshan has been in charge of ERP data center technology for many years and is very familiar with the entire summoning system.

With a stern face, he revealed the truth in one sentence.

"Someone manipulated things in the background and directly revoked all of our armor summoning privileges."

Upon hearing this, Bei Miao panicked and asked Wu Dongshan anxiously, "What do we do now?"

Zhang Jian racked his brains but couldn't come up with a solution.

After a moment of silence, Wu Dongshan suddenly spoke, revealing the only way out.

There's only one way now.

"Go find Meizhen and Dr. Garu. If we can get their help, we can work together from the inside and outside."

"Only then will we have a chance to reclaim the Light and Shadow Stone."

"I'll try again!"

Zhang Jian was still unwilling to give up. He raised his hand, lifted the summoner at his waist, and roared through gritted teeth.

"Flame Dragon Armor—Ah!!!"

Before the words were even finished, the summoner suddenly emitted a blinding electric current.

A violent electric shock instantly swept over his hand, causing him to scream in agony.

"it's useless."

Wu Dongshan shook his head helplessly and explained.

"The summoning authority has been completely revoked. The summoning devices we have are now no different from scrap metal."

Bei Miao took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the anger and panic in his heart.

"Let's leave here first, find Meizhen, and then we can discuss this further."

After saying that, he turned and left first.

Zhang Jian followed closely behind, filled with resentment and unwillingness.

He had a plan in mind all along.

Originally, I thought I could take advantage of Bei Miao's impulsive nature and make him the cannon fodder.

He hid behind the scenes, taking advantage of the chaos to steal the Hokage Stone.

Once he fully controls the Fire Shadow Stone, he can monopolize the power of the Flame Dragon Armor and no longer need to pretend or act.

But no one expected that they wouldn't even be able to get through the ERP system.

They were even stripped of their right to transform into armor.

Now that things have come to this, he has no other choice.

They can only rely on Bei Miao for the time being and quietly wait for a turning point.

……

The top floor of the chairman's office at Riyin Group.

The atmosphere inside the enclosed, luxurious office was extremely oppressive.

Lin Zhen gripped his phone, his tone icy and furious, and sternly rebuked the person on the other end of the line.

"So many people, so many eyes watching!"

Can't even find a pregnant woman who ran away?

"A bunch of useless trash! Utterly useless trash!"

"I spend a fortune on you every year, giving you resources and power, and this is how you get things done?"

A few days passed in the blink of an eye.

None of his intelligence and surveillance personnel reported any useful information.

Liu Ruyan vanished from the city as if she had evaporated into thin air.

Lin Zhen's heart grew increasingly gloomy.

With his intelligence network now spread throughout the country and infiltrated into all walks of life.

Let alone a living person.

Even a cat or dog can be accurately tracked in a short time.

The more he couldn't find Liu Ruyan, the more uneasy he felt.

This can only mean that the fetus in Liu Ruyan's womb contains unimaginable and bizarre power.

The ugly man on the other end of the phone was being verbally abused so severely that he didn't dare to breathe loudly.

I could only report with trepidation and utmost caution.

"Chairman Lin, your subordinates have truly exhausted all available resources to conduct a thorough investigation."

"We found Ms. Liu's last known location after she left in the old town, and the surveillance cameras captured her in their entirety."

"But after that area, all the clues went cold, and we couldn't find any trace of them anymore."

Lin Zhen's anger intensified, and his voice became chillingly cold.

"Then let's completely seal off the entire old town!"

"Search every inch of the ground, find out exactly how she vanished into thin air!"

"I'll give you three more days."

"If you can't find him within three days, you don't need to come back to report."

"Yes! Yes! Your subordinate obeys!"

The ugly man was terrified and quickly agreed before hanging up the phone.

Lin Zhen was the only one left in the huge office.

Frustration and unease intertwined, tightly gripping his mind.

He had intended to call an inside line and summon the foreigner, Marilyn Monroe.

Marilyn Monroe was a foreign woman whose temperament and appearance were very different from those of Chinese people, giving her a unique and refreshing appeal.

For a while, he had Marilyn Monroe by his side.

But just as my finger was about to press the dial button...

A sudden thought exploded in his mind.

and many more!

Something is wrong!

Everything was wrong from beginning to end!

Lin Zhen slowly put down his phone and leaned back in the leather seat.

I closed my eyes and focused my mind, quickly organizing my thoughts.

Numerous authoritative test reports have already confirmed this.

He has long since transcended the realm of ordinary humans and belongs to a completely new species of human.

His DNA and gene sequence differ from those of modern humans by millions or even tens of millions of years in evolution.

Moreover, as the dark energy within their bodies continues to surge, this species gap continues to widen.

A new kind of human who retains only the appearance of a human, but whose inner self has been completely alienated.

Logically speaking, the modern humans he sees are not the same species as himself.

There is an absolute and insurmountable reproductive barrier between species.

From a biological instinct perspective, it is absolutely impossible for him to have any desire to reproduce or be close to humans.

But reality is quite the opposite.

Even though these days have seen a continuous infusion of light energy to neutralize the source of darkness.

His volatile and bloodthirsty emotions have subsided considerably, and his mind has become more composed.

But he still has an instinctive desire for romantic love between men and women.

A strange question lingered in his mind.

Where does this desire come from?

This is because the body has already undergone millions of years of evolution.

But are our thinking and cognition still at the human stage?

Or is it that his special genetic DNA, honed through evolution, instinctively drives him to have this need?

"If it's the former, it's still manageable."

"But what if it's the latter..."

Thinking of this, Lin Zhen's pupils suddenly contracted, and a chill ran through his heart.

If it's the latter, then that's terrifying.

Once this genetic instinct fully erupts.

The resulting catastrophe would be enough to drag all living beings in the entire universe into an abyss.