“So, Director Ding, how strong is the strongest Zhiji Xie Shi (lit. Intelligent Machine Master, Mechanist) in our Yi country right now?” Li Cheng颐 asked directly about the topic he was most concerned about.

He needed to have a clear comparison of the highest combat power in the current system.

This way, he could understand where his floral scale armor combat strength stood within modern technology.

“The number one of the Jiu Yi (Nine Instruments), Dong Jun Mu Tong. Well, Old Man Mu is the head of the Jiu Yi. The protection field on his body alone is called the Great Brightness Lion King Emperor Palace.”

“What does that mean?” Li Cheng頤 asked, puzzled.

“It means the strength of the protection field on his body is comparable to the strict and heavy high walls of an entire Imperial Palace.

In fact, Old Man Mu’s protection field is indeed no simpler than an Imperial Palace. The construction generators inside are directly powered by many energy plants. That’s the production capacity of more than a dozen energy plants, all gathered on him alone. That kind of intensity is simply…

The protection fields of the other Jiu Yi members are similar in structure, but not as exaggerated as Old Man Mu’s.”

Ding Zaocheng’s words left Li Cheng頤 dumbfounded.

More than a dozen energy plants, just to supply energy for one person’s protection field??

The intensity… it was probably impossible to estimate.

“Zhiji Xie Shi (lit. Intelligent Machine Master, Mechanist) are a link in modern warfare, a link in special operations. They are not primarily focused on individual strength. So if you want to truly develop, you must obtain more resources and more logistics,” Ding Zaocheng explained.

“Understood!” Li Cheng頤 wanted to ask if he could join the system for development.

But thinking of his identity as a Dead-Angle Person, he didn’t say anything.

“Alright, I’ve achieved my purpose for coming today, so I won’t disturb you any longer. If the Thug responds, remember to send it to me in time,” Ding Zaocheng said, rising to his feet.

“No problem. Director Ding, please take care on your way out.” Li Cheng頤 rose to see him off.

He watched as the three of them left the botanical garden and got into their special car.

His mind was still immersed in the exaggerated intensity Ding Zaocheng had just described.

Dong Jun Mu Tong, the head of the Jiu Yi (Nine Instruments)…

The energy of more than a dozen energy plants, all to provide energy for one person’s protection field…

The protection field on one person’s body could actually be called a palace?

That kind of intensity was simply…

‘It seems I still have a long way to go.’

“Brother Cheng, have they left?”

Rainbow Candy’s voice suddenly came from behind him.

Li Cheng頤 was thinking about things. Hearing the voice, he turned around and saw that this girl had run over to wander around again.

Ever since he had revealed his dual identity to Rainbow Candy, this girl had been coming to the botanical garden to wander around every few days.

“They’ve left. Director Ding is pretty good. He explained a lot about the Jiu Yi. It’s information you can’t find online,” Li Cheng頤 said softly.

“That’s how Zhiji Xie Shi (lit. Intelligent Machine Master, Mechanist) are. They're one of the highest crystallizations of modern technology, and belong to two extremes along with modified humans. The Jiu Yi are the strongest Zhiji Xie Shi (lit. Intelligent Machine Master, Mechanist) department in our Yi country, so there must be many experts,” Rainbow Candy said nonchalantly.

“But these things have nothing to do with us, who might die at any moment,” she added.

“That’s right. We might not even be able to save our lives. We’re not qualified to say anything else,” Li Cheng頤 said with a smile.

“You can still laugh. Brother Cheng, you’re really awesome.” Rainbow Candy shook her head. “Don’t forget what day it is today.”

“I haven’t forgotten. Have you chosen your flower?” Li Cheng頤 asked with a smile.

“Here.” Rainbow Candy handed over a photo.

Li Cheng頤 took it and looked.

Green leaves like mint surrounded clusters of ball-shaped flowers that were white inside and purple outside.

Each of these flowers was only the size of a walnut, but many flowers gathered together, looking like balls from a distance.

“It’s a hydrangea…” he said with a smile. “A purple hydrangea.”

“It’s very beautiful, right?” Rainbow Candy said with a smile, her big eyes narrowed into slits. “I fell in love with it at first sight.”

“Alright. I’ll arrange it for you later,” Li Cheng頤 said, putting away the photo.

“Thank you, Brother Cheng! When you cremate my ashes, please burn them finely, so the hydrangea can definitely bloom more beautifully.” Rainbow Candy said strangely with an indifferent expression.

“Yes, I will,” Li Cheng頤 nodded.

After Rainbow Candy’s main flower was determined, the choices of the others came in a few days.

Big Bear’s main flower was the white lily, Longmen Diao’s was the crape myrtle, Big Black’s was the tulip, and Little Brown’s was the olive flower.

It seemed everyone had carefully chosen their main flower.

After Li Cheng頤 received the list, he instructed the purchasing department to buy all these flowers when they placed their individual orders.

Because the order volume was large, it wasn’t a big deal to bring some of these from the supplier.

A few days later, Li Cheng頤, using Xiao Hao’s name, gave Ding Zaocheng a reply, registering and promising to behave himself in the future and not violate regulations and laws in the city.

As compensation for his previous illegal activities, Xiao Hao needed to help the Suiyang Security Department maintain law and order when necessary.

According to the answer from Director Ding Zaocheng, this was the decision of the newly arrived Jiu Yi specialist, Jiang Zhihen.

From his reply, it could basically be seen that the attitude of the higher-ups towards Dead-Angle People was not to force them or recruit them. As long as they didn’t pose a threat to social security, it was one less thing to worry about.

Of course, Li Cheng頤 thought that this might also be related to the fact that he had killed many terrorists from Ideal Land.

As for the specific internal reasons, only Jiang Zhihen himself knew.

After dealing with this last matter, everything returned to the previous situation.

He would go to the Quiet Little Shop every once in a while to absorb flower energy to complete the collection progress of the floral scale armor.

Then he would maintain the health of the mutated shallot flowers in the botanical garden.

Occasionally, he would go home to gather with his parents.

And as time passed.

The collection progress of the creeping beggarweed slowly broke through ninety, reaching 91%.

It was only two more times before he could complete the collection of this new flower god position.

‘Ding-dong.’

Late at night.

Li Cheng頤 slowly walked up the steps of the Quiet Little Shop, looking at the automatic shop door that he was already very familiar with.

This time, he not only wanted to increase the collection progress, but also to purchase a new bottle of Blood of Shadow of Resentment.

The previous bottle of blood was almost used up from constantly watering the flowers.

So he came to restock this time.

He slowly walked up the steps.

Li Cheng頤 still habitually looked back outside.

The surroundings of the Quiet Little Shop were all dark and black at this time, with nothing visible.

The entire shop was like the only light source in the middle of endless darkness.

This feeling was a bit like the Black Sea that Iselin had mentioned to him.

But the world outside the Dead-Angle was too strange and mysterious, and Li Cheng頤 was not sure.

He retracted his gaze and first went to the right, walking to the green belt and reaching out to touch the creeping beggarweed growing inside.

Several swaying small flowers were almost bald from being touched by him, looking listless.

Obviously, the continuous collection of flower energy also had an impact on them.

Feeling the collection progress rise, Li Cheng頤 turned around and walked to the opposite side, skillfully stroking the flowers.

He had thought about using the radiance field on these flowers, but he still didn’t dare.

Because he was worried about attribute conflicts, if there was any damage, he would be crying too late.

As long as the first floral scale armor was completed, it would be easy to handle afterward. Later, mutated flower energy could be completely replaced with other creeping beggarweed outside in reality.

A trace of cool flower energy flowed into the back of his hand.

‘Creeping Beggarweed floral scale armor collection progress: 98%.’

Li Cheng頤 exhaled, retracted his hand, and took out the prepared nutrient solution to replenish some nutrients for these small flowers.

After doing all this, he turned around and entered the Quiet Little Shop.

‘This should be the fifth time entering here. Most of the time, it was just a flash. As long as I don’t mess around, the difficulty usually won’t increase. But forced entry will definitely increase the difficulty.’

Li Cheng頤 thought, raising his vigilance.

The store was still the same as before.

There were several boxes of stockpiled mineral water on the ground. The red and white cardboard box packaging was a bit conspicuous.

The beverages on the shelves and in the refrigerated cabinets had also been changed a lot. Just looking at them from a distance, you could feel that the packaging was much more exquisite.

‘Could it be because I bought more things, bringing about the change?’ Li Cheng頤 speculated.

He slowly walked into the store.

There was no movement.

The white light overhead still emitted a slight hissing sound of electricity.

He walked slowly between the shelves.

Tap, tap, tap.

There was only the sound of his own footsteps around him, quiet and eerie, with a slight echo.

Soon, he came to the location of the Blood of Shadow of Resentment again, picked up a bottle, and turned to walk towards the cash register.

Nothing happened along the way.

He safely arrived at the cash register.

He placed the drink on the glass counter.

Li Cheng颐 took a deep breath, about to close his eyes for three seconds.

Clatter.

Suddenly, there was a soft sound.

The only cash register on the counter suddenly opened automatically.

The white cash register was a bit old, consisting of a computer display, an operating keyboard, and a cash drawer.

The cash drawer and keyboard were connected and would automatically pop open, revealing rows of compartments for storing paper money and coins.

Originally, every time Li Cheng颐 came, the cash register’s computer display was turned off and completely dark.

But this time, before he could start the checkout, the computer screen lit up.

Fragmented snowflakes quickly turned into a blurred black.

Countless black dots jumped and shone, like countless grains of black sand, dazzling the eyes.

Poof.

Suddenly, the counter vibrated.

Li Cheng颐 frowned and subconsciously took a step back.

This feeling… as if the counter was about to collapse?

Poof.

Another muffled sound, accompanied by an extremely obvious tremor.

This time, it wasn’t just the counter, but the entire floor of the Quiet Little Shop was vibrating.

Li Cheng颐 felt that something was wrong.

He narrowed his eyes, and a purplish-black floral scale armor suddenly adorned his body.

He gripped the golden swords in both hands.

Looking around, he began to search for the source and direction of the vibration.

Bang!

This third time, there was no slight feeling at all, but a real, heavy vibration.

The entire Quiet Little Shop, the floor along with the walls, was trembling.

Li Cheng颐’s eyes were fixed on the computer screen on the counter, watching the faint sounds it was emitting.

He was waiting for a threat that might appear.

But as soon as he put on the floral scale armor, his five senses and strength were greatly enhanced.

He suddenly felt that something was wrong.

What was wrong…

Wrong?

Li Cheng颐 gripped the sword hilt, his muscles tensed.

Suddenly, he abruptly turned his head and looked outside the store door!

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows and glass doors.

An amber vertical pupil, about the same height as him, was quietly staring at him.

Across the glass door.

One large, one small. Two completely different gazes met at this moment.

(End of chapter)