3: Chapter 3 unfolds, and all sides take the stage! Mechanical gears pierce through the universe!

"Not an attack?!"

Zhao Jinlong's face changed slightly.

Looking at the Gear pattern that suddenly appeared on his goggles, he had thought the mastermind was finally dropping their mask, laying their cards on the table, and attacking them. He didn't expect that the anomaly of the Gear didn't trigger an attack at all.

Instead, it released a projection.

Looking at this setup, it seemed like an educational broadcast?!

Not only was there no malicious attack, but information was generously provided instead.

According to the information prompted on the Gear...

This guy who could withstand gunfire was indeed not an ordinary person, but a monster parasitized by the Insect Race?

The black shell that emerged on his body in the flames earlier wasn't some kind of martial arts or a soft armor artifact, but an insect carapace?

"Ancient Martial Arts?"

"Gu Martial Arts!!"

Zhao Jinlong's pupils contracted sharply, and he couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.

So, this was a group of parasites?!

——

"Holy crap? What is this thing?"

"I was literally playing a video game! How did it suddenly pull me here?"

"Damn it, what kind of virus is this again? Someone bring up my software suite quick to scan and kill it."

"You can even hijack people into a livestream room like this?"

"..."

The sudden anomaly bursting from electronic devices...

Was clearly not unique to Zhao Jinlong alone.

Instead, it spread directly outward, covering many electronic devices centered on this city. Many people using electronic devices were forced to be infected by the afterglow of the Gear, their information networks completely breached.

In their bewildered gazes...

The screens before them were occupied by mechanical Gears.

Afterward, it turned into the live footage of what was happening with Zhao Jinlong and the others, forcing a livestream.

No need to ask—this was definitely Su Xiu's doing.

Now that a good show had started, how could there be no audience in their seats!

——

"Ancient Martial Arts? Gu Martial Arts? A civilization parasitized by bugs? Isn't this way too scary?"

"The truth behind ancient martial arts is actually this terrifying? Who the hell would dare practice martial arts anymore!"

"Wait, what's going on exactly? Has the movie trailer started using viral infection for promotion? And this scene looks way too real—it couldn't actually be real, right?"

"This promo scene is way too realistic! Is it a game or a movie? Why isn't there a download link!!"

"..."

Although the way of entering the livestream room was somewhat baffling and inexplicable...

Looking at the spine-chilling scenes in the livestream...

They still couldn't help but send bullet comments.

Streams of bullet comments flashed across the live screen. It seemed that only by doing so could they draw a sliver of faint warmth from the cold internet, keeping themselves from panicking too much in the face of this sudden situation.

Just as bullet comments flew across Gear Live...

And the spectating Netizens were filled with shock...

On the other side, Su Xiu, who had personally caused all of this...

Finally heard the belated harvest.

[Ding—]

[001 Mechanical Snail caused a massive emotional fluctuation. Emotion Points +2872]

[Emotion Points +1210]

[Emotion Points +3031]

[...]

The frantically jumping numbers climbed on his points balance.

The Gear invading major electronic devices...

Was clearly the work of 001. Only the Mechanical Snail, standing above virtual reality, could easily invade and infect current networks, engraving its livestream meme into countless electronic components.

Having accumulated for so long, the effect of bursting out all at once was indeed extraordinary.

Unfortunately, acquiring Emotion Points had major limitations. Only emotional fluctuations caused by himself or the sequences he authored could be absorbed by his golden finger and turned into omnipotent Emotion Points.

Otherwise, relying purely on the bizarre nature of Gu Martial Arts would definitely scare countless people faint.

Harvesting tens of thousands of points at once through the panic spread among the crowd would be effortless.

Relying solely on 001's livestream conversion ultimately had a layer of separation; only deploying his own power was the right path.

But Su Xiu was in no rush.

003 Taotie Cat had already been deployed.

Soon, it would officially clash with these monsters.

At that time, as his dependent, the impact caused by 003 would definitely bring him harvest beyond imagination.

The stage had been set; now all that was left was waiting for the grand show to begin!

——

On the scene...

Zhao Jinlong, who was in a fierce battle with the freak...

Was completely unaware that he had become an actor under the spotlight, watched by countless people in the livestream.

They were all focusing intently on dealing with this ancient martial artist suspected of being a parasite.

No, a Gu Martial artist!

Boom!

A terrifying blast of air burst from the freak.

Bending his knees, he catapulted upward, leaping over ten meters high, springing out of the flamethrower range in the blink of an eye.

Then, braving a hail of bullets, he closed in on a military member and launched a fatal attack.

"You guys—"

"All deserve to die!!"

Amid the freak's roar, his ancient-style warrior robes were instantly shredded by sharp blades. His right hand transformed into a mantis-like raptorial leg and snapped outward, its steel-like edge slitting the soldier's throat instantly.

The figure collapsed into a pool of blood immediately.

"A bug!"

"It really is a bug!"

Seeing the opponent's offensive move, Zhao Jinlong's heart tightened.

After his suspicion was confirmed, instead of feeling the slightest joy, a dense chill filled his heart.

A carapace withstanding fire, limbs comparable to steel, jumping like a mantis—this wasn't human at all, but a bug wearing human skin. Its non-human power was truly terrifying.

"Retreat! Retreat quick!"

"..."

Zhao Jinlong roared in a low voice through the internal comms.

The enemy's strength far exceeded their imagination.

Immune to small-caliber bullets, unable to be suppressed even with heavy firepower, and with over half their ammunition consumed, they had only inflicted light injuries on the enemy while their own side was about to lose half its members.

This was not an enemy they could deal with. Fighting to the death would only lead to total annihilation.

They had to retreat immediately and request reinforcement from above—that was the only way!

But Zhao Jinlong wanted to retreat.

That didn't mean the ruthless man claiming to be from the Longwhale Gang would let them leave.

Being injured by strange hidden weapons of mortals he looked down upon had already sent his rage sky-high. As these people retreated, he charged straight forward, biting hard at their heels.

Seizing opportunities, he repeatedly snapped out his mantis raptorial legs, slitting throats to kill.

Several comrades fell into pools of blood just like that, causing Zhao Jinlong's eyes to tear at the corners in rage.

"Bastard!"

"He's doing it on purpose."

Zhao Jinlong quickly realized that the enemy wasn't unable to catch up, but was deliberately playing cat and mouse, treating the pursuit as a game.

Just before another of his companions fell...

A new change finally occurred on the battlefield.

"Argh—"

The pursuing freak was suddenly engulfed by a vast shadow. After a scream, his entire body disappeared in an instant.

Right at that moment, a brown dragon-li cat slowly walked out from the alleyway.

A cat?!

How could there be a cat here?!

And what was with the shadow that had just swallowed the freak?

Zhao Jinlong's pupils shrank sharply, and boundless terror crept into his heart, making him break out in a cold sweat.