"Bang!"
Jing Mingqiu stomped hard on the ground, accompanied by the frantic operation of the controllable fusion reactor in his abdomen, a powerful surge of energy erupted.
Jing Mingqiu transformed into a black lightning bolt, streaking through the crowd, grabbing a panicky, obese man, and returning to the stage.
"I said, no cutting in line!"
Jing Mingqiu's voice, converted by the armor, gained a mechanical, slightly hoarse tone, echoing throughout the grand hall, reaching everyone's ears.
The obese man continued to bluster indignantly, "So what if I cut in line! You were already preparing to leave on your own, so why are you stopping me!"
"If I want to leave, I can leave anytime." Jing Mingqiu waved his hand, and the giant white tiger, carrying another person who tried to cut in line, leaped out from the crowd.
"Since you don't follow the rules, you'll leave last, just like me!"
After Jing Mingqiu's show of force, no one dared to cause trouble anymore.
Everyone filed out according to the rules. The grand hall, which had been packed moments before, was quickly cleared.
"Let's go!"
Jing Mingqiu picked up Mo Ruixue and placed her on the white tiger. "Xue'er, there might be aftershocks from the earthquake. Take the people to the playground to take shelter. I'll look around and see if I can lend a hand anywhere."
Mo Ruixue, having witnessed the true power of combat mechs alongside Jing Mingqiu, knew that without a mech, she couldn't help much by staying with him. Without any hesitation, she readily agreed.
"I understand. Qiu, be careful too, don't overexert yourself! Also, take this with you! It can help you observe from high up."
Looking at the small cloud Mo Ruixue handed him, Jing Mingqiu chuckled and raised his hand to stroke her head.
"I was just teasing you, little dummy. This is a miniature drone; it can't fly very high. Don't worry, I know my limits and won't push myself!"
After assuring Mo Ruixue, Jing Mingqiu gently patted his waist. The controllable fusion reactor operated at full capacity, and he transformed into a bolt of lightning, shooting out of the window.
As soon as he left the grand hall, a large cluster of intense flames burning in the west immediately caught Jing Mingqiu's attention!
He immediately changed direction, full throttle, and rushed into the fire.
The western laboratories were primarily dedicated to research on various machinery. It wasn't a tall experimental building but a complex structure formed by scattered laboratories and workshops of varying sizes.
Upon entering the inferno, Jing Mingqiu first activated the thermal imaging function, attempting to quickly locate others.
However, due to the extremely high temperature within the fire, the thermal imaging scan failed. With no other option, Jing Mingqiu resorted to a blurry scan, marking all humanoid life forms.
"There are two on the east, three on the north... I'll go to the north first!"
Jing Mingqiu made a quick decision, rushing directly to the outside of the northern laboratory. He gripped the severely deformed fireproof door with both hands and forcibly tore it from the wall.
"Clang!"
He hurled the fireproof door behind him, disregarding the burns on his palms, and quickly rushed into the laboratory.
Thick smoke filled every inch of space, rendering Jing Mingqiu blind. He could only rely on the system's scan function, stumbling forward through the flames.
After countless falls, Jing Mingqiu finally reached the depths of the fire and saw three researchers lying on the ground, in a deep coma.
The wind picked up, and the fire intensified. It was too late to go back the way he came.
Jing Mingqiu, thinking quickly, threw a system scan at the burning laboratory in front of him.
[Scanning...]
[Name: Large Concrete Building Laboratory]
[Main Frame: Third pillar, fifth pillar, ninth pillar... multiple supports severely damaged. Reconstruction recommended.]
[Ventilation System: Central air conditioning insufficient, fume hoods incomplete. Overall planning and component upgrades recommended.]
[... ]
[System level insufficient for modification!]
Seeing the rapidly scrolling text, Jing Mingqiu's face lit up with joy. He had only tried scanning it as a long shot, never expecting it to actually work.
The insufficient system level for modification was within Jing Mingqiu's expectations. What he wanted was not to modify the laboratory itself, but to find the structural weak points.
Comparing the laboratory's 3D model provided by the system with his current location, Jing Mingqiu quickly identified a perfect point to apply force.
Jing Mingqiu first moved the three severely comatose researchers to the corner, then walked to the weak point. He held his breath, and his controllable fusion reactor entered an overload state.
"Bang!"
With a muffled thud, Jing Mingqiu punched out. Accompanied by the sound of his gauntlet shattering, a steel bar in the laboratory's main beam snapped.
Whether it was due to design flaws or shoddy construction, this small section of the floor slab was connected to the main structure solely by this single steel bar.
As the steel bar broke, the floor slab lost its support. Jing Mingqiu followed up with another punch, and with a loud rumble, it fell from above, revealing the blue sky.
"Rescue, quick, rescue!"
Carrying the three researchers, Jing Mingqiu burst out of the fire through the roof and rushed to the side of an ambulance. After handing them over to the doctors, he didn't hesitate and charged back into the fire.
With the experience from the previous attempt, Jing Mingqiu was even faster this time. He quickly followed the guidance of the blurry scan into the eastern laboratory and found the two researchers.
They were huddled in a corner, their bodies charred black, no longer breathing.
Jing Mingqiu refused to believe his eyes and, holding onto a sliver of hope, threw two scans at them.
[Scanning...]
[Name: Carbon-based Human Corpse]
[Structural Integrity: Multiple bone fractures, laryngeal muscles severed horizontally. Repairable.]
[Outer Protection: Skin severely burned, with multiple lacerations. Replacement recommended.]
[Internal Organs: Contain multiple mixed toxins. Extractable!]
[... ]
[Modification possible, generating modification plan...]
Jing Mingqiu had no interest in the so-called modification plan, nor could he bear to desecrate the bodies of his teachers.
Jing Mingqiu's entire attention was captured by the preceding scan results.
The presence of toxins in the internal organs could be attributed to accidental inhalation of chemical reagents during experiments or breathing in toxic smoke in the fire.
However, the skin being cut by sharp objects and the horizontal severing of the throat muscles were highly peculiar.
After Jing Mingqiu scanned the other person and received similar results, a chill ran down his spine, and a daring thought flashed through his mind.
A sudden fire and accidental injuries were normal, but both individuals suffering throat injuries had an extremely low probability. Moreover, their simultaneous poisoning by multiple potent toxins was even stranger.
Unless!
The thought of this possibility ignited a fire of rage in Jing Mingqiu's chest...