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

at the same time.

In the ERP research lab.

Everyone outside is deeply concerned about Lin Zhen's mysterious disappearance.

But the five members of the Armor Team Two in the ERP research lab were already getting restless from being idle.

The research room was lifeless, lacking the tense atmosphere that should be present in a battle.

The five people were either slumped or leaning against something, their postures lazy and perfunctory.

He completely lacked the demeanor of an armor summoner.

Fang Zhong leaned against the control panel, looking utterly bored, and broke the silence by speaking first.

"Mijin, think of something."

"If all else fails, arrange a media interview so we can make an appearance."

There's nothing to do during this time.

The endless waiting day after day was wearing down everyone's patience.

Dian Nan slumped in his chair, tapping his fingers idly on the table, grumbling in frustration.

"If this silence continues, the popularity I've worked so hard to build up online will completely evaporate sooner or later."

Jersey looked even more displeased, his tone full of frustration.

"What exactly is going on?"

"The mutant beasts are clearly under the big boss's control, so why haven't they been released to roam around for so long?"

Wen Dong stared at a blank piece of scrap paper, idly crumpling and playing with it over and over.

Without even looking up, he replied in a sarcastic tone.

"You'll have to ask our Director Bing'er for that."

Bei Kai stood with his hands in his pockets, leaning lazily against the cold, sophisticated equipment.

He sneered upon hearing this.

"Asking her is pointless."

"Every time we went to see her, she would just make us wait, saying that there were new plans from above."

"Who knows if it's just a random excuse to brush us off?"

After a moment's thought, Jersey shared his thoughts.

"There are only two ways to maintain public attention on the five of us."

"Either hold a formal press conference, or organize an offline fan meeting."

At this moment, Meizhen is still on duty as the liaison officer for the Armored Team.

But her mindset is completely different from before.

Having gone through so much, she saw through this deliberately staged farce.

The appearance, chaos, and retreat of the alien beasts.

It was all arranged in secret.

The second team's use of armor summoners to fight and attract attention is merely a performance for the general public.

She asked herself countless times what the meaning of her daily perseverance and hard work was.

During the high-level meetings, Director Bing'er repeatedly emphasized this point.

The Shadow Guardians are the deadliest threat to the entire world.

Ke Meizhen felt no sense of so-called deadly danger from beginning to end.

Despite being known as the infamous Shadow Guardians, four of them were easily killed.

Now only the evil gold remains, fleeing in all directions.

In addition, Xiangyang mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

All the clues subtly point to Bing'er, and even to her father, Lin Zhen.

However, she had no concrete evidence and could only speculate.

I still remember the time when Xiang Yang had just disappeared.

Li Xinnan and Minci spent their days in tears, filled with sorrow, searching everywhere for the person.

But as time went by, they still couldn't find any trace of him.

The two had long since gone from initial grief and anxiety to numbness and indifference.

Dian Nan suddenly looked up and turned the conversation to Mei Zhen.

"Meizhen, why don't you take the lead and hold a press conference for us?"

Upon hearing this, Meizhen deliberately looked down at the computer screen, pretending not to have heard.

I deliberately avoided the topic, too lazy to pay attention to their utilitarian motives.

Her disregard completely enraged Dian Nan.

Dian Nan immediately voiced his dissatisfaction.

"Seriously? You're our designated liaison officer, after all."

"Can't you even pay a little more attention to something like this?"

Meizhen's brows furrowed tightly, and the anger that had been building up for days was instantly ignited.

She turned her head and looked directly at the group, her tone cold and resolute.

"I am the liaison officer for armored combat, not your personal agent, much less a celebrity assistant."

"Your desire to gain fame and popularity is your own selfish motive, and has nothing to do with me."

"I really don't understand why the director specifically chose the five of you to be the summoners."

"Normal people with talent and ability will hide their talents and endure hardship."

"You guys are really something, you want the whole world to know that you are armor summoners."

"You're all summoners, but compared to Xin Nan and Bei Miao, you're far inferior."

The pent-up discontent finally erupted at this moment.

The five members of the second team were all stunned at first, not expecting that the usually gentle Meizhen would turn on them so suddenly.

After a brief moment of surprise, Dian Nan quickly exchanged glances with the other four.

A hint of mockery flashed in his eyes, and he retorted coldly.

As the old saying goes, it doesn't matter whether a cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice, it's a good cat.

"Your ideas are yours, but that doesn't mean everyone has to live according to your standards."

"Take me for example."

"If I don't reveal my identity and make a name for myself in front of the public, who will know that I am the summoner of the Flame Dragon Armor?"

"No one knows, no one recognizes."

Then wouldn't all this armor I've worn be for nothing?

Jersey immediately chimed in, smiling with full agreement.

"That's right, Dian Nan is absolutely right!"

Before I became a summoner, I was nobody.

"I finally got the Snow Mastiff Armor, but still nobody recognizes me."

"Then what's the point of the armor I risked my life to obtain?"

Wen Dong looked at Mei Zhen with icy eyes and a strong sense of sarcasm.

"Mijin, I truly admire you."

"Even though he was directly involved, he could still pretend to be completely innocent and detached from the situation."

Meizhen looked incredulous and immediately raised her voice to refute him.

"I'm faking it? What have I been faking the whole time?"

"Still not admitting it?"

Wen Dong showed no mercy and directly retorted.

"As a liaison officer for the armored vehicles, I should be familiar with the personality, needs, and bottom line of each team member."

"Ask yourself honestly, do you really understand us?"

"Do you know what the five of us really want?"

"What we want is the spotlight, the sense of accomplishment of being hailed as heroes by the people!"

"You, a woman who lives a peaceful life, have no idea what it feels like to be the center of attention."

Mei Zhen stood firm, her words resounding and hitting the nail on the head.

"But you must remember, your identities are armor summoners, not pop stars!"

"I know all too well why you're so obsessed with getting public attention."

"You all know better than anyone that, constrained by the rules of the higher authorities, you cannot truly seal away the mutant beasts."

"The daily battles are all acting; in the end, you yourselves have become entertainers."

In one sentence, he directly ripped away the fig leaf from everyone in the second team.

It accurately pinpointed the truth that they were most insecure about and least willing to admit.

The five people's faces instantly darkened, each with their own expression of unease.

This is the biggest weakness of the second team.

The glory of Armor Heroes originates from their protective power to slay darkness and seal away alien beasts.

However, due to Lin Zhen's covert control, they were constrained throughout the entire process.

Unable to truly eliminate evil and uphold justice, they can only rely on acting to gain popularity.

Over time, they can only rely on external praise to fill the emptiness and resentment in their hearts.

Wen Dong's face turned ashen, and he spoke in a cold voice.

"Meizhen, what you're saying is a bit too much."

"I don't think it's excessive."

Meizhen's eyes were firm, showing no fear.

"Compared to your aiding and abetting evil, I am merely stating a fact that everyone already knows."

Dian Nan was so angry he laughed, his eyes full of mockery.

"Good, good, good. As expected of a veteran liaison officer who has witnessed two generations of armored teams."

"His speech is insightful and noble."

"But don't try to absolve yourself of all responsibility."

"We're aiding and abetting evil? How can you claim to be innocent?"

"We're all in the same boat; all crows under the sky are black."

"Don't pretend to be pure and untainted by the mud, and condescendingly point fingers at us."

Meizhen frowned instantly, questioning him with obvious displeasure.

"What do I mean by being innocent? Explain yourself clearly!"

Dian Nan took a step forward, exuding a powerful aura, and retorted loudly.

"Didn't you always think we were too attention-seeking and couldn't compare to the first team?"

"Then I'd like to ask you, what exactly did that group of people accomplish back then?"

"Factions abound, internal strife is rampant, and morale is low!"

"Bei Miao, driven by selfish motives, got into a fight with Li Xinnan and forced him to leave."

"As a liaison officer, have you addressed these problems? Have you stopped them?"

"And Zhang Jian too!"

"You really think he's some kind of pure good person? Compared to us, his thoughts and methods are truly evil!"

Mei Zhen was so angry that she trembled all over and suddenly stood up and shouted angrily.

"You're talking nonsense!"

"Am I talking nonsense?"

Dian Nan sneered repeatedly, pressing closer and closer, and then revealed a shocking secret.

"Do you really think Director Bing'er is completely unaware of the chaos within Team One?"

"She knows everything, but the big boss is suppressing her from getting involved."

"I want to let your team fight amongst yourselves and fend for yourselves!"

"Zhang Jian had long been bribed by the Shadow Protector."

"It's undeniable that he's extremely talented, but once the human heart turns dark, talent becomes a sharp blade used against teammates!"

"Completely unreliable!"

Meizhen instinctively retorted, her tone resolute.

"Zhang Jian wouldn't do such a thing!"

Being in the thick of it all, she had never heard of these secrets.

But Lin Zhen's intelligence network spanned the entire city, and he could find far more information than she could.

Bei Kai interjected at the opportune moment, his tone indifferent.

"Whether he has it or not, you'll find out for yourself by asking him. He can't escape."

Meizhen fell silent instantly.

She carefully observed the expressions of the five people; each of them looked resolute, not like they were just making up lies.

A crack has quietly appeared in the firm belief I once held in my heart.

Could it be that Zhang Jian really has a secret deal with the Shadow Protector?

Wen Dong sat with his legs crossed, leisurely finishing off the enemy.

"Zhang Jian and Bei Miao's first meeting was captured on surveillance cameras in its entirety."

Do you know what he was holding in his hand at the time?

"It's an RT blood test report, and also physical examination data on internal atmospheric pressure."

Before that, he was just an ordinary person who simply played the piano.

"My only obsession is to compete with Li Xinnan."

"It just so happens that at that particular point, I went to the hospital specifically for this special test."

"And then I just happened to run into Bei Miao, and that's how I ended up letting him see the report."

"Without the Shadow Protector orchestrating everything behind the scenes, how could there be so many coincidences in the world?"

After he finished speaking, Wen Dong stared at Mei Zhen quietly, saying nothing more.

Meizhen was completely speechless, her confidence completely gone.

She wasn't entirely sure that Zhang Jian was really involved in the underworld.

But she also knew that the five members of the second team had no reason to smear someone who had already lost his armor privileges.

Smearing Zhang Jian will not benefit them.

Jersey pressed on, his gaze fixed on Mi-jin.

"I have another question for you."

"You knew all the secrets all along."

"It is clear that the mastermind behind the Shadow Realm is none other than the big boss, Lin Zhen."

"Even your own brother, Dr. Garrut, saw through everything and left."

"Why are you still stubbornly staying in the ERP research lab and refusing to leave?"

"Ultimately, it's either that you can't bear to give up your identity and power as an armor liaison officer."

"Either way, you have ulterior motives!"

A flicker of panic flashed in Meizhen's eyes, but she quickly forced herself to remain calm and deny it.

"I don't!"

beep--

beep--

beep--

Just as the argument was raging and the atmosphere in the research room was extremely tense.

The supernatural ability alarm, which had been silent for a whole month, suddenly blared out.

The piercing alarm shattered the deathly silence inside.

Mei Zhen was in a state of confusion and was momentarily unaccustomed to the sudden commotion.

The staff at the next post immediately snapped out of their daze and quickly operated the equipment.

The coordinates of the captured abnormal energy fluctuations are displayed on the main screen in real time.

In the center of the screen, a glaring red dot stands out conspicuously.

The location was determined to be a deserted, uninhabited open space in the suburbs, far from the city center.

"It's a mutant beast! We've finally detected mutant energy fluctuations!"

Dian Nan's eyes lit up instantly, his face full of joy.

"After resting for so long, my whole body feels stiff."

The five of them exchanged glances, their eyes filled with eager excitement.

They stopped arguing, turned around, and quickly walked out of the ERP research lab.

The group, all riding their own motorcycles, sped towards the coordinates in the suburbs.

The reason why everyone rides bicycles is an unspoken rule of the second team.

The laboratory's teleportation device can only transport one person at a time.

Everyone has been holding back for a month and desperately needs a battle to generate buzz and make headlines.

Neither side was willing to back down or give up the opportunity to go first to their teammates.

So everyone decided to ride bicycles to ensure fair competition.

In their cold and realistic understanding.

The speed of travel is not important at all.

Even if the battle is delayed for a moment, resulting in civilian casualties, it doesn't matter.

On the contrary, there were casualties and incidents.

This battle is more likely to generate buzz and attention.

These are rules that seem incredibly cruel to outsiders, but are regarded as truth by them.

Meanwhile, Mima remained alone in the research lab.

He had no time to pay attention to the situation on the front lines; his mind was filled with the argument from earlier.

Zhang Jian's secrets, Bei Miao's exploitation, and the various chaotic events that occurred in the past.

The sheer volume of information intertwined with her mind made her uneasy.

……

Suburban wasteland.

Five black motorcycles came to a stop on the side of the road, their engines slowly fading away.

The five men moved in unison, deftly removing their helmets and casually hanging them on the handlebars.

They exchanged a glance.

"It's just ahead."

Dian Nan raised his hand and pointed to the abandoned, unfinished building complex in front of him.

"Walk!"

The five men locked the vehicle and strode towards their target location.

They hadn't gone far when they saw the source of the strange energy on the roof of an abandoned building.

A familiar, dark figure stood silently in the center of the rooftop.

He stared at the five of them.

He was the only one of the four Shadow Protectors to survive and escape—the Evil Gold Protector.

"So it was toxic metal!"

The moment Bei Kai saw his target clearly, a smile instantly appeared on his lips.

They originally thought that the creatures that appeared this time were still the controllable mutant beasts controlled by the big boss.

Unexpectedly, it turned out to be the real Shadow Protector.

This means that we can finally unleash our full potential and fight with all our might.

No more acting, no more backing down, and no more holding back.

Online, everyone is mocking Team Two for never sealing away a single alien beast.

This time, they sealed the Shadow Guardian in front of everyone, completely clearing their name.

Wen Dong flexed his wrists and neck, his fighting spirit surging.

"It's like having a path to heaven but refusing to take it, and having no way to hell but insisting on going through it."

"Today, I'll make sure you stay here permanently!"

Jersey could no longer contain himself and urged him in a deep voice.

"Stop wasting time, attack together! Don't bother with any martial ethics!"

"etc!"

Just as everyone was about to rush forward, Bei Kai immediately raised his hand to stop them.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that cannot be wasted."

The group turned to look at him, their faces full of confusion.

"What do you mean?"

Bei Kai explained slowly.

"The entire internet is criticizing our second team for having zero seals and only being able to act."

"We can't touch the boss's superpowered beasts."

But Evil Gold is different; it is a true remnant of the shadows, without any restrictions.

We must film the entire process of sealing it to completely reverse public opinion!

Wen Dong frowned slightly and voiced his concerns.

"But what if we act too hastily and scare it away, causing it to run away?"

"Won't."

Bei Kai shook his head, confident.

"If all five of us press forward together, it will only try to escape."

"It would be better to send only one person out to fight alone, deliberately feigning weakness."

"Make it feel like it has a chance of winning, and give up the idea of ​​running away."

"Slowly deplete its energy, and once it's exhausted, seal it away in one fell swoop."

"When the complete video is released, the effect will be top-notch."

"This method works!"

Captain Dian Nan immediately nodded in agreement.

Fang Zhong looked at everyone and asked a question.

"Then who will go on to fight alone?"

"The simplest and fairest way is to decide by rock-paper-scissors."

"The winner goes on to fight and claim this great achievement!"

The five quickly reached an agreement and started playing rock-paper-scissors on the spot.

After several rounds, Jersey emerged victorious.

"Haha! Looks like this credit is destined to be mine!"

Jersey beamed with joy, unable to hide his smugness.

The other four looked displeased and full of regret.

But they were willing to accept defeat and all took out their phones.

Find the right angle, keep it pointed at the rooftop the whole time, and prepare to record this battle in its entirety.

"Stop dawdling, get started!"

Dian Nan urged in a low voice.

Jersey twisted his neck and loosened his muscles, his posture was neat and agile.

He raised his hand, gripped the Snow Mastiff Armor Summoner on his wrist, and gave a low, deep shout.

"Snow Mastiff Armor - Combine!"

A burst of silver light erupted, and dazzling white armor instantly covered his entire body.

The moment the armor was fully assembled, Jersey leaped into the air.

With agile movements, it landed steadily in the center of the abandoned building's rooftop.

He faced off against the evil metal guardian in front of him.