Chapter 201: Medium-rare
The most bewildered were Tong Zizhan and Gao Yuan.
“This… how should I write the report?”
“You saw it?”
“I’d rather not have seen it…”
“I was asking how the Train Conductor promoted to Tier 2.”
Gao Yuan turned the ring, then clapped his hands with a complicated expression.
Tong Zizhan frowned, “What do you mean?”
“That’s how he promoted.”
Gao Yuan clapped his hands again.
Tong Zizhan stretched his neck forward, mouth agape, “Are you freaking kidding me? Clap hands and promote on the spot? Are you telling a story?”
Gao Yuan countered, “Do you think I’d joke at a time like this?”
Tong Zizhan went crazy, “Is this still rigorous evolution?!”
“The Train Conductor is anything but rigorous!”
“The key is, how should I write the report?”
Gao Yuan turned the ring, silent for a moment, then suddenly looked up at the distant battlefield. Besides the Black Kite Squad suppressed by the Armed Corps and not daring to show their heads, there was also a group of sneaky guys mixed in with them.
“How about we see how they write it later?”
Tong Zizhan’s eyes lit up, “That’s a good idea, but how did they end up mixed with Black Kite?”
“They were probably captured…”
Such a big commotion below reached Haywood’s ears on the mountain, but he ignored it and searched even more diligently for the Crown Pear Tree.
……
Su Huan squinted at the Light Sphere in front of him.
He adjusted and reduced his energy output, feeling that he had underestimated it.
‘Won’t he get electrocuted to death? It’s only fifty percent energy; normally, a little struggle would get him out… This kid must be all show and no substance.’
Zhao Kuo listened to the frantic mechanical alerts in his ear, his heart sinking into despair.
“Warning: Pain sensation has reached tolerance threshold, pain sensation nerves blocked”
“Warning: Skin tissue damage exceeds 80%”
“Warning: Exoskeleton energy absorption module destroyed”
“Warning: 4 Exoskeleton motors destroyed”
“Warning: 8 Exoskeleton motors destroyed”
“Warning: Communication module destroyed”
“Warning: Electronics scanning module destroyed, power module destroyed, weapon electronics module destroyed…”
“Warning: Exoskeleton destroyed parts exceed 60%, only mechanical functions remain”
“Warning: Subcutaneous defense tissue destroyed, internal organs damaged…”
“Warning: Energy exceeding threshold detected, brain tissue sealed”
“Exoskeleton power supply full”
“Launch emergency protocol?”
“Main body brain tissue in sealed state, launching emergency protocol”
When he smelled a burnt aroma, Su Huan decisively cut off the energy output.
The next moment, a hysterical roar came from within the lightning.
A long saber over two meters long split open the lightning.
“Bang”
Zhao Kuo, forcibly lifted into the air by the current, fell to the ground, propping himself with the long saber and relying on the exoskeleton to avoid collapsing.
But his condition was too horrific to behold.
The insulation layer on the exoskeleton was pierced by the current, covered in lightning-like traces like frost patterns.
All exposed flesh and blood was charred black by the current; acid rain falling on it sizzled like dropping into charcoal fire, with charred powder sliding down with the rainwater.
Su Huan was stunned by this sight.
Adding up two lifetimes, it was his first time wielding Tier 2 power, and he didn’t know his own strength.
“How about… we start over?”
Zhao Kuo standing opposite showed no reaction.
The human parts of his flesh and blood were completely numb.
If not for his body modification ratio exceeding 40%, Zhao Kuo would be done for by now.
A crisp “crackle” sounded.
A spark flashed in Zhao Kuo’s right eye, the blue light extinguished, turning into a cold metal ball.
He raised the two-meter narrow saber and charged at Su Huan.
Su Huan sensed something off with his state, hesitated, and didn’t shock him again. He casually drew the Carbon Fiber Long Saber to block in front of him, his feet already sliding backward.
His “Defender” rank was still Tier 1, not suitable for close combat.
“Huh?”
Su Huan looked up in surprise.
A gale swept past; the ferocious Zhao Kuo merely swung empty, forcing Su Huan back, then ran toward the distance.
Without any intention of turning back.
‘Probably got his brain fried…’
But it saved trouble.
He was just worrying about how to drive Black Kite into the mountain.
Now, perfect, he ran in himself.
He manipulated several bolts of lightning from the sky to force Zhao Kuo onto the correct path.
Though this guy’s subjective consciousness was lost, his escape speed still exceeded most Tier 1 Evolvers.
Within a breath, he had vanished on the mountain.
Leaving the Black Kite Squad members and the Armored Train crowd staring at each other.
The team members were already asking her, as Deputy Commander, what to do next.
HT-426 watched the fleeing Zhao Kuo with a chill in her heart, gritted her teeth and cursed waste under her breath.
At that moment, she saw Su Huan approaching, and uncontrollable fear crept into her gray-blue eyes.
She immediately issued an order.
“Withdraw toward Wangjiang Peak!”
“What about Deep Blue Data’s captives?”
“Abandon them all!”
Immediately after, Black Kite launched an even fiercer attack.
Experienced elite soldiers like He Jie instantly understood they were trying to flee, but thinking of the Train Conductor’s orders, they put on a show of fighting back.
Except for one unlucky guy taken down by Su Huan’s Electric Spear, most made it up Wangjiang Peak.
In the downpour, He Jie habitually yelled in his broken voice for the soldiers to clean the battlefield.
The rainwater rushing down the mountain nearly formed rivers, flowing past their ankles; an ordinary person couldn’t even stand steady now.
Su Huan speechlessly picked up the guy he had shocked unconscious.
No way a Tier 1 Evolver could drown here.
Footsteps splashing behind him; Su Huan sensed restless General Energy Fluctuation and raised his brows in surprise, “Promoted to Tier 1 ‘Soldier’?”
Liang Kuan’s chest vibrated, muffled, “No, skill broke through. Killed one without holding back.”
With that, he tossed aside a miserable corpse.
The sturdy Fighter was even more sturdy now: all four limbs encased in the exoskeleton broken, chest like stomped by an elephant with a large dent, bleeding from all orifices, utterly tragic.
Su Huan furrowed his brows, “Don’t waste it. Next time, dismantle the exoskeleton; theirs is more advanced than ours. Give it to Yu Jing; maybe she can research something good.”
“Mm.” Liang Kuan acknowledged, hesitated, then asked, “Why can’t I promote to Tier 1 even after using the Gene Potion?”
Su Huan shook his head slightly, looking at the towering Wangjiang Peak ahead, “Just short of a major battle. Maybe the next one, maybe the one after. As long as you fight hard enough, it’s only a matter of time.”
Actually, Old Liang was already fast enough; Tier 1 was a major threshold, countless people stuck there.
It was only at the one-year mark of the apocalypse that wasteland geniuses stepped into Tier 1 en masse.
Just two months in, and Old Liang was already at the doorstep.
Part of it was due to Su Huan, but it also showed Old Liang’s talent wasn’t bad.
Just compared to geniuses like him and Lin Jin, Old Liang seemed as slow as a turtle.
He Jie, Qu Hang, and the others had a head start; their actual Evolutionary Talent might not surpass Old Liang’s.
In terms of evolution speed, Su Huan was top tier, absolute T0, with layers of buffs no one could match.
Second tier: Lin Xi and other Gene Primordiums, burning vitality for rapid promotion.
These two tiers exceeded normal speeds, at the cost of short lifespan.
Third tier: top geniuses like Lin Jin. Su Huan always felt Lin Jin was some perfect Gene Primordium, balancing promotion speed and vitality; otherwise, no top genius could reach Tier 5 in four years.
But this was just his wild guess; in his previous life, Lin Jin was the only genius he’d seen like that, not even other Tier 5 powerhouses; too few samples, no basis.
Fourth tier: ordinary geniuses like Xiao Ba, balancing combat power and promotion speed, with Tier 5 potential.
Fifth tier: slightly stronger ones like Liang Kuan, Yu Jing, Yu Yue, He Jie, Qu Hang, with Tier 3 Profession potential.
Sixth tier had many: Lu Xiao, Jiang Rong, Old San and his brothers, Goat, Huang Hai, even elite soldiers; struggling to reach Tier 1, likely stuck there forever.
As for Professor Ma, Deputy General Manager Deng, Wan Xing, hard to say; didn’t know them in his previous life.
This life, Professor Ma and others focused more on research, even harder to judge.
But Wan Xing and Professor Ma had impressive evolutionary abilities that left an impression; how far they’d go on the evolution path was really hard to say.
Like Zhang Min, whom he thought would die unknown; she later became a Tier 1 Manipulator.
Evolution was like that: varied and bizarre, each with their own path.
While they talked, He Jie had already finished cleaning the battlefield with his men.
He brought over several captives and reported, “Captured six prisoners: five from Deep Blue Data’s investigation squad, except the Steel Council one, the rest are all Tier 1.”
Su Huan waved his hand, and a large swath of rain curtain between them was flung away by the Energy Barrier.
He asked curiously, “Steel Council still exists?”
He Jie’s gaze was somber, “Li Wangchuan is still alive, gathered some survivors, built a new base at the old New City location.”
“Oh, like that, huh. Pretty good.”
Su Huan said calmly.
“Ignore him?”
“It’s all in the past; why hold such killing intent?”
For those who screwed him over, the Train Conductor bore grudges, but for those he screwed, the Train Conductor was always magnanimous.
The Investigator Captain gave He Jie a deep look.
Their internal data also had He Jie’s file.
“Once strongly advocated burning the Logistics Center. Analysis: irritable, extreme personality, certain antisocial traits.”
Seeing him today, well-deserved reputation.
Old employer screwed over so badly by you, still thinking of silencing.
This blind bastard really isn’t human.
He Jie continued, “So what next for us…”
Su Huan’s gaze fell on the Investigator Captain’s face, calmly asking, “Wangjiang Peak has a Mutated Plant, Crown Pear Tree, that can replenish vitality. You know about that, right?”
The Investigator Captain was stunned.
Vitality?
Crown Pear Tree?
“We… don’t know.”
The Investigator Captain hesitated then told the truth.
Su Huan paused, realizing their capture timing by Black Kite meant they truly didn’t know.
“That doesn’t matter.” Su Huan smiled kindly, “You know now, don’t you?”
Alarm bells rang in the Investigator Captain’s mind; he shook his head like a rattle, “I don’t know any of those concepts you mentioned…”
Before he finished, a hand on his shoulder interrupted him.
Su Huan’s distinct-knuckled hand sparked with harmless electric light, calmly asking, “Think again?”
“Crown Pear Tree, a Mutated Plant that replenishes vitality, perhaps with certain recovery effects.”
“Very good.” Su Huan’s eyes encouraged, “Use all your methods to help me find it.”
The Investigator Captain grimaced and agreed.
Just out of the wolf’s den into the tiger’s; better off in Black Kite’s hands!
At least no work there.
Su Huan said coldly, “He Jie, twenty minutes to prepare, then take them up the mountain and give the people on the mountain some pressure.”
He Jie looked worried; he’d searched for that pear tree for days.
“What if they can’t find it either?”
A cold glint in Su Huan’s eyes, lips curling, “Then die together.”
The Investigator Captain shivered.
Knowing he was done for this time.
The company’s name wouldn’t save him.
Only the Steel Council captive showed no fear, instead looking at Su Huan with probing eyes.
……
Twenty minutes later, the battlefield at the foot of the mountain was cleared, and Su Huan personally led the team.
Except for the crew, all Armed Corps members, including Xiao Ba, went up the mountain.
In the team, the six captives were separated and walked in the front row.
The heavy rain grew even more intense. If not for the mutated plants rooting extremely deep, the mountain would have been washed into a mudslide.
Turbid water flowed rumbling down the mountain. Without having traversed it several times, the bluestone steps would be impossible to find.
Mutated plants on both sides persistently covered the path that He Jie had just hacked out today.
Soldiers swung their military sabers, quickly clearing the plants, finding the anchor points secured on the mountain, tying ropes, to facilitate climbing for the soldiers behind.
After all, most Armed Corps soldiers had low evolutionary degrees, unlike Haywood and Black Kite’s group, where even the weakest were Tier 1 Evolvers. Relying on a large amount of advanced equipment, they could get up the mountain with or without ropes.
The Armed Corps steadily advanced up the mountain.
They weren’t worried at all about Black Kite’s people escaping.
Wangjiang Peak was a split-block mountain, a single-sided mountain, with only one passage up and down. The other side was a cliff face, perfect for overlooking the distant Mo Jiang waterfall.
The Mo Jiang that spanned three provinces originated in Qingchuan Province.
This was also the origin of Wangjiang Peak’s name.
If it had been two days earlier, when the rain wasn’t so heavy, they could have taken a helicopter up.
In this downpour now, even if Black Kite’s ten people grew wings, it would be useless.
Over a thousand meters of vertical height—even Su Huan couldn’t climb down. Black Kite and the others were just Tier 1 Evolvers, not superhumans.
If it were Tier 2 peak state Zhao Kuo, it might still be possible.
Even after being beaten to medium-rare, he could still escape.
It had to be said that Tier 2 Evolvers truly had a wealth of methods.
Yu Yue, who was focused on climbing, suddenly turned her head and frowned toward the foot of the mountain.
Her lips moved slightly. “Su Huan… I think I heard a beast roar.”
(Lately I’ve been a bit off, keep getting stuck… Brothers with ideas can mention them in the comments. The current outline only goes up to the protagonist solving the vitality problem and entering the Flood Zone.)
