313: Chapter 314 The Academy of Sciences' "Academic Exchange"

Above the D-3 Region, the heavy rain clouds were pushed aside by an invisible force. A dozen silver-grey warships bearing the Federal military emblem formed an escort queue, surrounding a much larger survey ship as it slowly sailed in.

"Brother Qi, it's the Federation's fleet."

Zhang Wei's voice was tinged with tension.

Instructor Su Qing stopped her cleaning movements, her gaze turning heavy as she looked toward the sky.

The assassination had just concluded and now the Federation's main force had arrived; the timing was far too coincidental.

Lin Qi only glanced up, but a hint of interest appeared on his face instead.

"They've come at just the right time."

The survey ship cast down a soft beam of light, safely delivering two figures to the ground.

Leading them was the Vice Dean of Longya Academy, Zhao Shouzhen. As soon as he landed, he saw the battlefield in disarray and those four totem poles with their ominous auras, causing his temples to throb.

"Little Qi, you've really caused quite a stir this time."

Zhao Shouzhen walked over quickly, his words filled with helplessness.

The Federation's "Skynet" System had issued a maximum alert when the Four Directions Prison Formation was activated. Space blockade, Law distortion, high-energy collisions—every piece of data had kept the generals in the military's supreme command room awake all night.

"A few blind flies came by, so I swatted them to death."

Lin Qi's tone was devoid of any emotion.

Following behind Zhao Shouzhen was a man in his fifties, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and a white research lab coat. He adjusted his glasses, his gaze at Lin Qi filled with a condescending scrutiny.

"Mr. Lin Qi, I presume? I am Director Gao Yuan of the 'Institute of Applied Law Physics' at the Federal Academy of Sciences."

"The 'flies' you speak of utilized the Four Directions Prison Formation, which is sufficient to blockade an entire war zone."

"Our Academy of Sciences has come today under the orders of General Luo to evaluate this 'Extra-standard Law Event' and to provide you with... technical assistance."

Lin Qi gave a light chuckle and looked at Zhao Shouzhen.

"Old Zhao, do all your Federation people enjoy talking to themselves like this?"

"No, no, no, Little Qi, don't misunderstand."

Zhao Shouzhen quickly explained, "Director Gao and his team have no ill intent. It's mainly that your methods have completely exceeded the Federation's scope of knowledge. The higher-ups are very concerned and somewhat worried, so they sent them to, uh, conduct a friendly academic exchange."

Before he could finish, a dozen researchers had already disembarked from the survey ship, carrying silver-white cases as they fanned out to set up instruments in the surroundings.

"Old Zhao, you can't reason with him."

Director Gao Yuan directed his subordinates without looking back, placing a core instrument studded with blue crystals in the center of the area. "A layman is always a layman; he doesn't understand the greatness and danger of Laws at all."

He patted the instrument, his pride irrepressible in his tone.

"This is the masterpiece of our Academy of Sciences, the 'Gaia Law Imaging Instrument.' It can monitor and digitize all Law fluctuations within an area in real-time."

"Today, we will conduct a comprehensive 'Law check-up' on the D-3 Region to ensure no safety hazards exist."

"Mr. Lin Qi, I hope you will cooperate."

Director Gao Yuan adjusted his glasses, maintaining a very haughty posture.

"Of course, if you wish to observe and learn from the side, we wouldn't mind."

Zhang Wei's fists clenched as he listened, and Instructor Su Qing's aura also darkened.

Lin Qi, however, began to laugh. He waved for the two of them not to worry and instead took a few steps forward to inspect the instrument.

"Sure, I support academic exchange."

He made a 'please' gesture. "If you want to look, then look to your heart's content. Go ahead."

Seeing Lin Qi being so cooperative, Director Gao Yuan actually felt a bit bored and gave a huff.

"What are you all standing around for?"

He barked at his subordinates, "Turn on the imaging instrument, set power to 70%, and conduct a first-stage general analytical scan. I want certain people to see what real science is."

"Yes!"

"Buzz—"

The crystal at the top of the Gaia Law Imaging Instrument lit up with a blue light, and invisible Law ripples spread out in waves, sweeping across the entire D-3 Region.

On the screen, countless complex data streams flashed by rapidly.

"Reporting to the Director, conventional Laws are stable."

"Abnormal Law fault detected; it looks like a crude patch has been applied."

"Ultra-high density energy aggregate detected inside the target individual. The instrument cannot analyze it; the energy level far exceeds the Five-turn Peak."

Report after report caused Director Gao Yuan's expression to turn extremely ugly.

How could this be?

His proud masterpiece was actually failing completely in front of Lin Qi, with the screen flashing nothing but unanalyzable warnings and garbled code.

"Impossible!"

Director Gao Yuan's shout changed pitch. "Disable the safety limits, connect the energy core directly, and overload the power to 120%!"

"Director, that's too dangerous."

"I don't care if it burns out, I must see it clearly!"

Director Gao Yuan had already lost his composure. He rushed to the console himself and heavily pressed the red overload button.

"Buzz—"

A shrill whistle sounded as a thick pillar of purple light shot into the sky, enveloping the entire area in a violent investigative force.

Zhao Shouzhen looked at Lin Qi nervously, only to find the other party looking perfectly composed, even offering a comment.

"Oh? It's finally getting a bit interesting."

Lin Qi could feel that investigative force turning into countless tiny tentacles, frantically drilling into his body and touching the 'Throat of Devouring Heaven' mark he had just learned about from Ying Wan's Soul.

That mark immediately reacted when provoked by this powerful Law energy.

A violent, greedy, and malicious intent followed the Law connection between the imaging instrument and Lin Qi, finding an outlet to vent.

"The bait is cast, and the fish has bitten."

A cold glint flickered in Lin Qi's eyes.

With a thought from his Divine Thought, he didn't stop it; instead, he actively opened a path for this external intent straight to the core of the Gaia Law Imaging Instrument.

"You want to see, right? Then I'll show you something big."

The moment Lin Qi's thought fell.

All data streams on that frantically operating Gaia Law Imaging Instrument vanished into thin air, and the entire screen was completely swallowed by a blinding, blood-red light.