NOVEL NEXT 068. Li Aozi, You’ve Played Me Twice!
- Li Aozi, You've Played Me Twice!
Swoosh—
Nimotin's form intersected with the Cannibal's, a brief clash yielding no clear victor—enough to disgrace an 【Assassin】 like Nimotin.
Professions under the 【Artisan】 category, including 【Biochemists】, are usually seen as fragile, cultured, and knowledgeable. But the Cannibal suppressed her, a veteran martial artist with two military-grade plugins, using only his physical prowess.
Moreover, the pervasive green gas rapidly corroded her breathing filter. While Law IV uniforms had anti-corrosion properties, protecting skin and alloy prosthetic weapons, Nimotin lacked reinforced lungs.
【Destruction】's three initial professions: 【Warrior】, 【Ranger】, and 【Assassin】, allowed the first two to freely implant numerous prosthetic parts, especially 【Rangers】, who could replace even cells to enhance output.
However, 【Assassins】 could not; maintaining agility and stealth required minimal implants to avoid disrupting the energy concealment effect.
Organs like lungs, heart, and spine couldn't be easily replaced, as energy would carry synthetic metal scents, exposing them.
Consequently, inhaling biochemical toxins, even if not fatal, would leave her vulnerable.
"Breathing filter system durability at 34%—damn it, did Li Aozi run away again?!"
Nimotin couldn't help but be distracted, recalling Li Aozi's notorious acts: burning banks, threatening smugglers, impersonating Rose Army, escaping Abyss Humanitarian, and toying with Law IV agents—his escape skills and instincts were extraordinary.
"What are you looking at?"
The Cannibal gave her no time to regret or think, his form suddenly disappearing.
"Huh?!" Nimotin was alarmed, holding her breath and using energy perception to locate him.
Surrounded by corrosive gas, once out of sight, his form was hard to discern in the green fog.
"Being distracted during battle is an insult to the strong."
Before he finished speaking, the Cannibal's claws suddenly rushed forward, wind and dust trailing half a step behind his massive frame, his gaping maw nearly upon her!
"I'm~ right~ here~"
Startled by his speed, Nimotin couldn't take the strike head-on.
She dodged the hit, but the Cannibal's body stopped abruptly, twisting to slash at her waist with his gleaming claws!
Without thinking, Nimotin activated her military-grade plugin.
[Nomad Military]
With an explosive sound, gunpowder gas burst from her feet, propelling her tens of meters away. But she had no ammo left for covering fire, merely creating distance.
Pop—sizzle!
She landed, and the Cannibal's electrified claws lunged again.
"You don't have enough gunpowder to keep dodging, agent."
The Cannibal casually remarked, missing her as she ducked, rolling away in terror before unleashing her energy, avoiding direct confrontation.
"This guy isn't a normal Beta rank (β). How has he not lost any stamina? Those bioelectric currents could easily be 10,000 volts—if they hit, my prosthetics would short-circuit!"
Nimotin felt the urge to curse.
She tried checking the Cannibal's information but found nothing in Law IV's database. Such high-level intellectuals and elite fighters couldn't originate from the Outer Territories—he must be from the Four Nations.
Like most biochemists, he lacked combat skills but had formidable physical strength.
Plus, he was a biochemist—what other viruses or biochemical attacks could he unleash?
This type couldn't be left alive—Nimotin shuddered at the thought.
How to deal with him? One misstep and she'd be doomed.
As the Cannibal said, without Frost-Plated's military-grade prosthetics and plugins, an Alpha rank 【Assassin】 like her would have been easily killed like those special police.
"At this rate... I might as well retreat!"
Issuing a bounty might interest Beta rank bounty hunters.
The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to quit.
Let someone else handle it!
As a low-ranking agent earning 10,000 Derbi a month, she felt she'd done enough for the president and taxpayers—no need to risk her life!
Chasing Li Aozi and capturing the Red Arrow spy seemed more worthwhile.
As she lost her will to fight, the Cannibal grew more enthusiastic. Strong individuals in the Outer Territories were rare, each cherishing their lives, but here was a professional agent from the Four Nations to spar with.
Naturally, he was also interested in her military-grade plugins and prosthetics—valuable for research in both mechanical and biochemical fields.
Nimotin soon realized the Cannibal treated her like a cat with a mouse. He wasn't rushing to kill but constantly toying with her, pushing her to desperation.
If not for Li Aozi, she wouldn't be in this mess.
"Li Aozi! You played me again!"
Just as Nimotin was about to scream in frustration, a scorching meteor streaked across the red-black sky.
"Oh?"
The Cannibal glanced up, immediately letting go of Nimotin, raising his left claw to block the incoming meteor.
But the next moment, his expression grew serious.
Nimotin looked up, her face turning pale.
"Where did that car come from—"
Bang!
A gasoline-filled car crashed into the Cannibal like a meteor, sending him flying. His legs were driven into the frost soil by the impact. His tough armor ignited under the thousands of tons of kinetic energy, with depleted uranium casing melting and fragments falling off as he staggered.
【Entering combat mode, determining...】
【Primary attribute check passed】
【Based on your attributes, you will see the following information about the enemy:】
【Name】: 'Cannibal' ???
【Race】: ??
【Gender】: None (psychologically female)
【Age】: ??
【Template】: Common Daily NPC (Max Health +10%)
【Faction】: Abyss Humanitarian
【Total Level】: lv.40
—Main Profession: Artisan—lv.30 (MAX) [Biochemist]
—Sub Profession: lv.10 [Biologist]
【Health】: 1486/1925
【Mana】: 654/660
【Armor】: 440/450
【Attributes】:
Strength—46
Dexterity—11
Constitution—55
Charisma—16
Intelligence—66
【Talents】:
Professional Talent • Gene Immortal (Advanced)—You are a pioneer of life, leader of flesh, revolutionary of species evolution. Each time you learn an exclusive biochemist knowledge, gain 1 point of 【Constitution】.
Beta • Advanced Effect: Based on 【Intelligence】, for every 10 points of 【Intelligence】, gain 200 'mimetic' health points.
Mimetic health cannot be healed, only recovering out of combat.
【Specialties】:
【Gigantic Form】—Your body surpasses mortal limits, crushing smaller targets. Against smaller targets, gain +5 【Strength】.
【Transcendent Physique】—As a Beta rank elite, your constitution surpasses mortals. Lower-level targets inflict only 90% damage (including physical penetration, magic penetration, true damage).
???
【Skills】:
(Due to attribute disparity, combat skills are not displayed)
《Objective Materialism》, 《Abyss Humanitarian: Emergency Rescue Technique》, 《Administrative Management》, 《Professor-Level Advanced Medicine》, 《Professor-Level Biochemical Material Science》, 《Professor-Level Genetic Engineering》, 《Professor-Level Organ Transplantation》, 《Professor-Level Basic Biology》;
【Rank】: Beta
————————————————————
Psychologically female... biochemist... Abyss Humanitarian?
Li Aozi's eyes narrowed.
A thought about the Cannibal's identity surfaced.
"What a surprise..." Li Aozi stepped into the battlefield, his tone icy cold. "A Beta rank biochemist hurt by an unranked mortal—so that's all you're capable of?"
Tap, tap...
The Cannibal slowly stood up, his left arm and spine shattered by the kinetic impact, but quickly healed thanks to 【Biochemist】's injected agents.
His reaction armor's outer layers burned and fell off, the high-temperature explosion causing minimal damage.
"How unexpected."
He said slowly:
"How did you do it? The launch distance was no more than 120 meters, yet you reached supersonic speed—"
Before he finished, a chain, stretched into a spear, shot towards him.
Clang!
The Cannibal raised his hand, deflecting the chain, but to his surprise, it wrapped around his arm, the terrifying acceleration stripping his arm guard off.
"Fifteen times gravitational acceleration, kid."