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

So, some bolder media reporters at the scene went forward with their microphones.

The camera was set up steadily.

The camera was fixed on the armored summoner in front of them.

"I have a question. Recently, there has been a very popular rumor circulating in the Armor forum."

"Netizens are saying."

"You second-generation armor summoners seem to have reached some kind of secret agreement with the alien beasts."

"The reason is quite obvious: ever since your second team took over the battle."

There are virtually no more cases of mutant beasts being completely sealed away on the market.

"Do you have any explanation for this?"

The person being interviewed at this moment is Fang Zhong, who has just taken off his armor.

Facing the camera, he subconsciously raised his hand to touch his hair.

She then straightened the wrinkles in her clothes.

He deliberately struck the most energetic pose, facing the camera and the entire online audience directly.

"Cough cough."

Fang Zhong coughed lightly twice.

He responded slowly and deliberately.

"The matter is not as outrageous as netizens have speculated."

"It can only be said that the strength of the mutant beasts in the world today is no longer what it used to be."

"The opponents we are facing now are not even in the same league as the small fry that our team dealt with back then."

"It's obvious to everyone that all the mutant beasts have become smarter."

"If you can't win, immediately back down and run away; never linger in battle."

"If they're determined to escape, we'll give them our all."

It's also difficult to completely retain the other party.

What can be done?

The reporter did not stop there and continued to dig deeper into the matter.

"According to netizens, the first generation of armored team was able to successfully seal the alien beasts during combat."

Faced with this comparison, Fang Zhong's expression darkened instantly, and he felt extremely displeased.

He immediately changed his tone and retorted in public.

"I already said, the strength of the mutant beasts now far surpasses what they used to be!"

"The past is the past, the present is the present."

Times and competitors have changed. Do you even know what it means to advance your skills?

Seeing this, the reporter quickly shifted the focus of the question and continued to ask important questions.

"There's another hot topic on Tieba that's been widely circulated recently."

Some netizens speculate that all the alien beasts originated from the Shadow Realm.

The mastermind behind the control of the Dark Shadow Realm is none other than the now-dominant Riyin Group.

"Mr. Fang Zhong, what is your opinion on this statement?"

Upon hearing this, Fang Zhong's expression changed drastically.

He subconsciously took half a step back, deliberately distancing himself from the female reporter.

His eyes were full of pity.

I don't know you.

After saying that, he didn't give the other person a chance to ask further questions and turned to leave.

He left the interview site decisively and without hesitation.

Only the bewildered reporter and his partner carrying the camera were left behind.

The female reporter frowned, her face full of confusion.

She turned to look at her partner beside her, and asked in a low voice, puzzled.

"What's going on? Did I ask the wrong question?"

"I was just asking normal questions about current public issues."

His partner slowly lowered the camera from his shoulder and shrugged helplessly.

"I don't know, maybe I touched on something they're sensitive about."

"Alright, let's call it a day and head home."

"This exclusive interview alone is enough to get our newspaper to the top of the trending searches tonight."

The reporter suppressed his doubts and stopped dwelling on it.

In the media industry, traffic is king.

Today she asked a sensitive question that none of her peers dared to touch.

Once this exclusive footage is released, it will undoubtedly go viral across the internet and generate massive traffic.

The two were overjoyed at that moment, completely unexpected.

A massive crisis, capable of upending their lives, has quietly descended.

Late that night, the storm suddenly broke out.

This newspaper, which dared to publish sensitive opinions, was directly acquired by a mysterious capital firm.

The journalists who participated in this interview were immediately and completely dismissed.

This is just the beginning.

The next morning, the reporter opened his eyes and was utterly plunged into despair.

She received a formal lawyer's letter from the legal department of the Nippon Group.

The reason given was that the group was spreading rumors without any evidence and openly smearing its public image.

They are demanding that he pay up to 20 million yuan in damages for reputational loss.

Overnight, the life of an ordinary journalist completely collapsed.

……

Riyin Group Building.

A private artificial beach on the rooftop.

This is the most exclusive and private area in the entire city, and no one of lower status is allowed to enter.

The lowest position refers to at least the company's general manager, who holds real power.

Lin Zhen and a group of senior executives of the group were leisurely sunbathing.

Most of the people present were middle-aged and elderly business leaders aged 40 to 60.

Despite being middle-aged, they were all full of energy and showed no signs of fatigue.

Lin Zhen, standing out from the crowd, exuded an aura that made him stand out even more.

Despite being middle-aged, his face still looks firm and youthful.

He looks almost exactly the same as he did in his twenties, with a lean and upright physique and hidden strength.

There were dozens of beautiful female service staff in bikinis all around.

Some people served top-quality tea and drinks, while others waited in the artificial swimming pool.

Even when the higher-ups present took the opportunity to tease them and take advantage of them, they all smiled and had no complaints.

Just because of the hourly wage for working here.

It's equivalent to the income of an ordinary person who works hard for a whole year.

Moreover, these seemingly ordinary middle-aged people present all wield immense power.

Lin Zhen, who sits at the center, is a top-tier capital godfather who can influence the domestic economic landscape.

However, his aura was too fierce and domineering.

Even though this place is full of beautiful women, no one dares to take the initiative to approach and chat with them.

After a long while, the group's vice chairman, who was lying down enjoying a personalized essential oil treatment, spoke in a low voice.

"Chairman Lin, the rumors circulating on online forums have been escalating recently."

"Should we intervene and take control, or issue an official statement to distance ourselves from the situation?"

Conspiracy theories from various smear groups are flying everywhere, and the situation is almost completely out of control.

As a core senior executive of the group, I will never allow the reputation of Riyin Group to be wantonly slandered.

More importantly...

He was completely unaware of the secret that the Shadowlands were controlled by the corporation.

Li Qiang, the chairman's secretary who was lying next to him, echoed his sentiments with a worried expression.

"I almost forgot about this if Lao Wang hadn't mentioned it. These rumors and misinformation really need to be addressed."

"This is utter nonsense, a pure malicious smear!"

"Who exactly is deliberately stirring up trouble behind the scenes and opposing our group?"

The other senior executives also chimed in, and the discussion became lively.

Every woman in a bikini present displayed impeccable professionalism.

They kept their heads down, pretended not to hear anything, and acted as if they hadn't heard any conversation at all.

A 56-year-old branch manager made a serious suggestion.

"I suggest a thorough investigation of the entire internet to trace the source and find the originators of these rumors!"

"A number of people must be severely punished as a warning to others!"

At this time.

The group's second-in-command raised his hand to interrupt the discussion.

"Everyone, please stop for a moment. You've all been so focused on your own comments that you haven't listened to the chairman's instructions."

Everyone fell silent instantly, turning their gazes to Lin Zhen, who sat upright in the center.

Lin Zhen picked up his wine glass and took a small sip of Romanée-Conti red wine.

With graceful and composed movements, he then slowly set the wine glass down.

His tone was flat and emotionless, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

"No need to investigate, I know who's pulling these tricks behind the scenes."

"Don't bother with these rumors; just let them spread."

"As long as you don't cross my bottom line, there's no need to make a big deal out of it."

He saw things very clearly.

Even if you force everyone to shut up, you can't stop the rumors from spreading everywhere.

This world has never lacked people from the lower classes who like to follow trends, are obsessed with conspiracy theories, and habitually resent the rich.

Platforms like Baidu Tieba serve as outlets for the emotions of the underprivileged.

Ordinary people who are unhappy with their lives will never admit that it is because they are not capable enough.

They only find various external excuses to attribute all their setbacks and failures to the monopoly of giants and the suppression of capital.

In plain terms, the overall environment is bad.

Riyin Group is a large corporation that monopolizes more than 80% of industry resources in China.

Naturally, it became the perfect target for everyone to vent their dissatisfaction.

Lin Zhen remained completely unmoved by this.

Today, he firmly controls most of the country's resources and economic structure.

His sights have long been set on overseas global markets.

A bunch of incompetent, mediocre ants are making a ruckus online; they're not worth mentioning.

This society is realistic and cruel; the law of the jungle is the eternal rule.

A capable person, even if they are at the bottom for a time, can climb up step by step.

A person who is stuck at the bottom of society their whole life, making no progress.

Ultimately, it comes down to their own inadequacy.

Human civilization is progressing.

It is a process of constantly eliminating the weak and selecting the strong.

Throughout thousands of years of history, it has been able to stand firm and continue its legacy from generation to generation.

They have always been a family with a rich heritage and strong capabilities.

Those low-level farmers who can't even hold onto their jobs as tenant farmers simply can't support the continuation of their family businesses.

The saying goes that poverty doesn't last three generations; it's never true that the poor can turn their lives around and become rich.

Rather, it is the incompetent who cannot find a partner, cannot perpetuate their genes, and are ultimately eliminated by the times.

After hearing Lin Zhen's idea, the group of senior executives quickly echoed his sentiments.

"The chairman is right!"

"However, we still need to conduct a simple investigation into the source and arrest a few typical cases to serve as a deterrent."

"So that no Tom, Dick, or Harry will dare to try and extort money from us."

"Agreed! We'll follow Chairman Lin's arrangements!"

Everyone voiced their opinions, and no one dared to utter a single word of rebuttal.

Lin Zhen turned to look at his secretary Li Qiang beside him, and changed the subject.

"I heard that lately, my son has been frequently going to the secretariat on his own initiative?"

Upon hearing this, Li Qiang immediately became interested and sat up straight.

She replied with a smile, her large belly protruding.

"Chairman Lin, you're absolutely right!"

"The young master has been getting unusually close to Commissioner Li Ruowei lately."

"The two became acquainted after having dinner together and interacting with each other last time."

Lin Zhen took a small sip of the wine in his glass, a hint of understanding in his eyes.

"It seems that Li Ruowei is quite adept at manipulating people's hearts."

What kind of personality does west Zhao have?

He's always been a stubborn blockhead, with no one to listen to reason, and his heart and mind are only for Bing'er.

It is truly rare for someone to be able to let go of their obsessions and get close to other women now.

This is enough to show that Li Ruowei is insightful and understands west Zhao's weaknesses very well.

Of course, there is another, deeper reason.

The descendants of Guangying Village possess a bloodline attraction.

The mutual restraint and harmony of the bloodlines of Tu and Jin make Li Ruowei, who comes from Tu Village, naturally able to attract west Zhao, a descendant of Jin Village.

It is precisely this special bloodline attraction that has led to the emergence of a few descendants who possess five different light and shadow bloodlines.

"It must be that the young master just happens to like Ms. Li's gentle and insightful type."

Li Qiang responded with a smile.

The surrounding executives cast envious glances their way.

Everyone knows the truth.

Although west Zhao is Lin Zhen's adopted son, he is the group's only designated heir.

Lin Zhen had countless women by his side, but never had any biological children.

In the future, the entire trillion-dollar empire of the Riyin Group will eventually be handed over to Xizhao.

If it were her own relative, Li Ruowei, who could firmly control the young master.

The power shift will happen in the future.

The Li family's status will inevitably rise.

"Perhaps."

Lin Zhen responded casually, without delving into the matter further.

west Zhao was able to settle down, have his own life, and shed his youthful naiveté and stubbornness.

This is a good thing for him and for the entire group.

Immediately afterwards, Lin Zhen looked at an elderly man in his sixties not far away.

That was Ni Guohua, the general manager of the Hope City branch.

"Ni Guohua".

"You will be in charge of all affairs in Hope City, in addition to your regular work."

"Send more people to keep an eye out for ancient towers and historical buildings hidden deep in the mountains and forests."

"Any ancient pagoda that is old and has a unique shape."

All will be registered and reported, and key monitoring will be implemented.

Ni Guohua quickly straightened his posture and became respectful.

"Rest assured, Chairman, I will personally oversee the process!"

Lin Zhen then specifically named the branch manager in charge of the archaeological project.

He urged the other party to intensify archaeological exploration efforts and delve deeper into the hidden secrets of ancient sites in various places.

After explaining all the important matters, the group fell silent.

Quietly enjoying this leisurely sunbathing session reserved for the elite.

……

Time flies, and two months have passed in the blink of an eye.

During this period, undercurrents surged in City D, and many unusual changes occurred.

Besides the frequent battles and constant conflicts between the Armored Team 2 and the alien beasts.

A bizarre disappearance case begins to quietly spread throughout the city.

It's exactly the same as the mysterious disappearance of the seaside villa back then.

The victims disappeared from the world without warning or a sound.

There was no blood, no trace, and no witnesses.

It was as if the person had never existed.

However, this incident did not cause widespread public panic.

Ordinary people have a scale in their hearts.

The probability of sporadic missing persons is extremely low.

It's far less likely than the chance of accidentally encountering a monster fight outside and getting caught in the crossfire and injured.

Over time, people got used to it and gradually became numb to it.

But no one knew that the hidden danger that Lin Zhen had been worried about would eventually erupt.

The dark origin lurking within him.

During this period, prices began to surge dramatically.

The faint light and shadow energy scattered from the battle between the armor and the alien beast.

It can no longer keep up with the growth rate of the dark source, and is completely unable to make ends meet.

Fortunately, Lin Zhen had anticipated this and made preparations in advance.

Inside the hidden underground laboratory, the lights were cold and white, and the instruments hummed.

Lin Zhen stood in front of the core equipment and asked the person in charge in a low voice.

"How's the equipment setup going? Are all the procedures running smoothly?"

Evil Metal once risked devouring the Emperor's power that faced the sun.

This behavior is extremely reckless and tantamount to risking one's life.

The fact that the rotten metal survived by sheer luck is purely due to incredible fortune and cannot be replicated.

Lin Zhen cherishes his own strength and everything he has now.

We will never take a rash risk and ruin years of planning.

The frequent disappearances in the past two months allowed him to thoroughly uncover the key clues.

The special bloodline energy flowing in the human body after the village of light and shadow can be absorbed and transformed by humans.

Light and darkness share the same origin.

They can generate and restrain each other, and they can also transform into one another.

In the past two months, a total of 223 people have gone missing throughout the city.

The age range is extremely wide, covering everyone from five-year-old children to octogenarians.

They all share a hidden commonality.

More or less, they all carry the blood of the descendants of Guangying Village in their veins.

With Lin Zhen's current power and intelligence network, there is nothing in China that he cannot investigate.

He instantly identified the mastermind behind it all—

The fetus in Liu Ruyan's womb.

Combined with the dried human skin remains found at the seaside villa, the whole truth came to light.

That strange fetus used the descendants of Guangying Village as "food" to draw energy from them.

The flesh and soul of an ordinary person can no longer satisfy its growth needs.

Only light and shadow, the bloodline, can provide it with the energy it needs to grow.

Lin Zhen calmly deduced the connections between them.

Regardless of whether the fetus originated from the dark universe.

From a biological and genetic perspective, it carries its own genes.

Even if you're unwilling to admit it, this is still his flesh and blood.

Since their own children can absorb the energy of light and shadow bloodline to strengthen themselves.

Then he can do the same thing.

Moreover, those scattered descendants of mixed blood and light are mediocre in talent and have mixed energy.

The combined energy of tens of thousands of ordinary mixed-blood descendants cannot compare to that of Xiang Yang alone.

Xiangyang is a rare pure-blooded imperial descendant.

No cultivation or activation is required.

With a single thought, one can combine to form the ultimate Emperor Armor.

What's even more perplexing is that the Emperor Armor possesses an absolute protection mechanism for its owner.

Anyone who attempts to forcibly harm Xiangyang will trigger the protection of the Emperor's power.

If someone can break through the Emperor's protective defenses and kill Xiang Yang...

That person's strength was already so great that he no longer needed to rely on absorbing the power of emperors to improve himself.

In order to avoid all risks and completely resolve the hidden danger of the surge of dark essence within the body.

Lin Zhen spent several months developing a set of specialized precision equipment.

This instrument can safely and efficiently extract the imperial power from Xiangyang's body.

Then, through multiple layers of dilution and filtration, it is converted into mild energy.

It was smoothly absorbed and integrated into his body.

It can completely suppress the rampaging dark origin without harming Xiangyang.

This is the safest and most perfect solution.

of course.

We must also avoid any operational errors that could injure Xiangyang.

Otherwise, it will trigger the ultimate protective backlash of the Emperor Armor.

Therefore, every step must be done flawlessly.