"Dragon Wing Device?" Xue Jing murmured.
Mandrill, eager to explain, said with a bit of boasting in his tone, "This is a xenoplant made from the core organs of a dragon species."
"You know about dragon species, right? They are a very special kind of creature from the border area."
Xue Jing nodded slightly.
He had encountered many raw materials derived from dragon species, particularly in the secret medicines he consumed regularly. However, much about the border area, especially the creatures that inhabited it, remained shrouded in mystery. Most information was classified and nowhere to be found on the internet. He had no idea what these dragon species truly looked like or the full extent of their capabilities.
"The greatest characteristic of dragon species," Mandrill continued, "is that they can fly." He glanced up at the figure in the sky, Void Blade his captain who was gradually approaching, her form becoming clearer with every second.
"All dragon species possess extremely strong flying abilities, without exception. Even the giant dragon species, those that are dozens of meters long and weigh hundreds or thousands of tons, have the ability to fly."
"Flying for them is as natural as breathing," Mandrill said, admiration lacing his words. "It doesn't even require energy. They can stay in the air forever if they wish, even sleep up there. Gravity doesn't seem to affect them."
Xue Jing watched Void Blade descend slowly toward them.
"Years of research on dragon species revealed that they are born with a strange 'anti-gravity biological force field.' That's how they fly."
Void Blade had now fully arrived, hovering just above the ground before landing with graceful ease.
Mandrill gestured toward her as she touched down. "The dragon wing device is made from the core organ of dragon species that controls this 'anti-gravity biological force field.' If this organ is implanted into the human spine and connected to the nervous system, it allows humans to fly, too."
(TN - Something akin to the Cyberpunk franchise)
Mandrill crossed his arms, a smirk playing on his lips. "This xenoplant from Nantian Heavy Industry is their best-selling product. It's been well-received, no doubt about it."
At that moment, Void Blade finally landed in front of Xue Jing, her sharp eyes evaluating him. She was in her late twenties, with a calm and collected demeanor. A blade-shaped scar marked the corner of her eye, and her black tactical uniform was fitted with sharp knives in strategic positions, clearly meant for easy access during combat.
"You can call me 'Void Blade,'" she introduced herself, her tone steady. "We are the White Crow Task Force, operating under the Special Service Department of the 'Special Agency for Emergency Management of Abnormal Disasters.' Our mission is to handle abnormal incidents, particularly those related to the border area."
She extended her hand toward Xue Jing.
"I'm the captain of the 838th White Crow Squad. And Mandrill next to me," she nodded toward Mandrill, "is one of my team members."
"Hey," Mandrill added with a casual wave.
Xue Jing shook her hand and responded with curiosity. "So you're planning to recruit me into the White Crow Task Force? Why?"
Void Blade's gaze didn't waver. "You're very talented. But before I explain further, do you know the origin of the monster you killed a few days ago?"
Xue Jing thought for a moment, recalling the fight with the cockroach-like creature. "Is it a creature from the borderland?"
"Yes... and no," Void Blade said cryptically as she activated a silver bracelet on her wrist. The device lit up, projecting a 3D holographic image into the air. It slowly rotated, revealing the very same cockroach monster that Xue Jing had fought.
"We've already examined the monster's corpse," Void Blade explained. "It does contain certain biological elements unique to borderland creatures, such as core organs."
She swiped her hand across the holographic image, enlarging the cockroach's torso. Another swipe revealed a cross-section of its body, showing complex nerve pathways converging on a soft, glowing sphere inside.
Xue Jing's mind flashed back to the moment he had felt something unusual when reaching into the cockroach monster's body. This was it.
"This," Void Blade pointed to the sphere, "is the core organ of creatures from the border area. All such creatures have one, but they can take many forms—hearts, brains, limbs, and sometimes even skin or nails."
"The core organ is the source of the creature's unique abilities," she continued. "For this cockroach, its explosive strength and speed came from the energy generated by this core organ. Without it, given its size and insect structure, it would have been impossible for it to function efficiently, let alone fight the way it did."
Xue Jing furrowed his brow. "If it has a core organ, then it's clearly a borderland creature. Why did you say 'yes and no'?"
Void Blade dismissed the holographic image with a wave of her hand. She tapped her bracelet a few more times, and a new hologram appeared in the air—this time of a strange, wriggling worm. It looked disturbingly like a smooth, unwrinkled human brain.
"This creature is called the 'Tianxu Insect Mother,'" Void Blade said, her voice calm yet deliberate. "It's native to the 'Carrion Lake' at the F056 junction."
"The Tianxu Insect Mother is extremely dangerous, with a threat level as high as 6.2."
Xue Jing raised a hand, looking confused. "Wait, what's a threat level?"
Void Blade sighed, clearly not used to explaining such things. "The outer ring dojos really don't teach much, do they?"
She turned toward Mandrill. "Give me the battle data from your fight with him."
Mandrill grumbled as he fiddled with a device behind his ear, but complied. Void Blade did the same, pulling up the data and analyzing it.
After a moment, she looked at Xue Jing with raised eyebrows. "Your current danger level is between 2.9 and 3.1."
Xue Jing shrugged. "Still not sure what that means."
Void Blade explained, "The danger level is a combat power rating system developed by an expert in Inner Ring City. It's exponential, like the Richter scale. For reference, a normal adult male has a level between 1.0 and 1.1."
She gave a moment for the numbers to sink in. "Each 0.1 increase is about a 1.414 times improvement in strength. So, a person rated 1.1 is roughly 1.4 times stronger than someone at 1.0."
"Now," she continued, "the highest known danger level of the Tianxu Insect Mother is 6.2. To put it simply, that means it could be as strong as 65,000 people like you."
Xue Jing raised an eyebrow, a little taken aback by the sheer scale of the numbers.
"Of course," Void Blade added, "this is an extreme case. The Insect Mother's power fluctuates greatly, with its lowest levels being around 1.8."
"The Tianxu Insect Mother absorbs the genetic information of the creatures it devours, giving birth to insect species based on that data. It can even combine the genes of multiple organisms."
(TN - Basically the Ant Queen from Hunter x Hunter)
"A month ago, a smuggling gang captured a Tianxu Insect Mother from Carrion Lake and transported it out of the borderlands."
Xue Jing listened carefully as Void Blade explained how they had chased the gang all the way into Sunny City before the Insect Mother disappeared without a trace. The gang might have vanished, but they had to find the Insect Mother. If it consumed the wrong kind of creature, it could give birth to something catastrophic.
Void Blade looked at him seriously. "And now, thanks to you, we finally have a clue."
Xue Jing frowned. "Are you saying that cockroach monster I killed was created by the Tianxu Insect Mother?"
Void Blade nodded. "Exactly."
Xue Jing's eyes narrowed in thought. "So... that creature was a mix of a human and a cockroach?"
"Most likely," Void Blade confirmed. "The Tianxu Insect Mother moves slowly and is a big target. It must have been hidden by someone who wanted to use it for their own purposes."
She paused, her eyes locking onto Xue Jing. "Xue Jing, you're only seventeen. You've been practicing martial arts for just over a month, and yet you've already shown incredible potential. You have the courage to face borderland creatures head-on."
She leaned forward slightly, her voice carrying a hint of urgency. "If you stay in the outer ring, you'll be wasting that potential. Join the White Crow Task Force, and we'll ensure that you reach your full potential—without any blind spots. You deserve a much larger stage."
Xue Jing was silent for a moment, contemplating the offer. It was tempting, especially given the dangerous enemies lurking at the border.
But something held him back.
Xue Jing had already learned enough to know that joining a government-sanctioned task force like White Crow would come with a heavy price. The allure of faster growth and more advanced training was tempting, but he understood that such an opportunity would also come with strings attached, strings that could be used to pull him in directions he might not want to go.
There's no such thing as a free lunch. The words echoed in his mind.
He liked his independence. The ability to grow at his own pace, to make his own decisions, and to train with the ancient techniques passed down through Canglong Dojo was something he cherished. While the White Crow offered more immediate resources, Xue Jing wasn't sure he wanted to trade that for the loss of control over his own path.
He shook his head. "Sorry, I'm not interested in joining any official organization, at least not now."
Void Blade's expression didn't change. If anything, she seemed to have anticipated this response. "I see," she said calmly. "But before you completely reject the idea, hear me out."
She leaned back, adopting a more neutral stance. "How about a compromise? I'll give you temporary non-staff status with the White Crow Task Force. You'll remain free to do as you please—no obligations, no orders to follow unless you choose to. When we need assistance, I'll reach out to you with specific commissions. You can choose to accept or decline as you see fit."
Void Blade's gaze was unwavering. "In exchange, we'll grant you access to certain resources and information, should you choose to assist us. Rewards for successful missions, training opportunities, and... access to something I think will interest you."
Xue Jing raised an eyebrow, curious despite himself. "And what's that?"
Void Blade's lips curled into a slight smile. "Divine relics."
The mention of divine relics instantly caught Xue Jing's attention. He had long been fascinated by them, and while he was still learning about their full potential, he knew that these mysterious artifacts held tremendous power—sometimes dangerous, sometimes life-saving. His experience with divine relics through his shelter missions had shown him just how valuable they were.
Xue Jing crossed his arms, his curiosity piqued. "What kind of access are we talking about?"
Void Blade seemed to sense his interest deepening. "We have a research institute dedicated to divine relics. It's part of the same agency that supports the White Crow Task Force. There are relics there, even some among the top 100 most powerful relics in existence. Depending on your contributions to our missions, I can arrange for you to interact with them."
A glint appeared in Xue Jing's eyes. He couldn't help but feel drawn to the idea of touching and studying those relics. The mere thought of encountering objects with such power excited him.
After a brief pause, he extended his hand, meeting Void Blade's gaze. "Deal. I'll consider your commissions when they come up, but I'm not bound to any obligations. And I want access to those divine relics, especially after completing any missions."
Void Blade shook his hand, her expression calm and collected. "Deal."
Once the terms were set, they exchanged contact information. Xue Jing had officially become a non-staff member of the White Crow Task Force—at least in a loose sense. He retained his independence, which was the most important thing to him.
After wrapping up their business, Mandrill and Void Blade saw Xue Jing off as he called the Pei brothers back to the car. They drove off, leaving the back mountain of North City District behind.
Mandrill, watching Xue Jing's car disappear, couldn't help but grumble. "Captain, was it really necessary to go this far for him? I mean, he's talented, sure, but we see martial arts geniuses every so often. Why offer him such lenient terms?"
Void Blade shook her head, her gaze thoughtful. "Mandrill, you're still not seeing the bigger picture. He's more than just a martial arts prodigy."
She activated her bracelet again, and her face shimmered for a moment, revealing a more elegant and refined appearance beneath the scarred exterior she had shown earlier.
"Yesterday, I made contact with Wu Youqing," Void Blade said, her voice soft but focused. "I tested her, and the importance she placed on Xue Jing was... significant."
Mandrill's eyes widened in surprise. "Wu Youqing? You mean the Wu family? The 'natural gift' herself?"
Void Blade nodded. "Yes. She's been searching for ways to escape her status as a 'gifted one,' something that makes her invaluable in the world of divine relics. The fact that someone like her is paying attention to Xue Jing means there's more to him than we understand."
Mandrill scratched his head, confused. "But what does Wu Youqing want with him?"
Void Blade gave a knowing smile. "There's something about Xue Jing—something special we haven't uncovered yet. And even if we don't know what it is, it's worth grabbing hold of him before someone else does."
Her voice dropped slightly. "Crows are greedy creatures, Mandrill. You should know that by now."
…
Meanwhile, sitting in the backseat of the Pei brothers' car, Xue Jing found himself deep in thought. Something was nagging at the back of his mind—something he'd seen earlier.
He remembered when he had been riding in the taxi, glancing out at the unfinished buildings in South City. At the time, he'd seen something that looked like a cockroach, but had dismissed it as a trick of the light, just a black plastic bag.
But now, after hearing about the Tianxu Insect Mother, the thought lingered.
Just in case, Xue Jing pulled out his phone and sent a message to Void Blade, letting her know about what he had seen. She responded quickly, saying they'd send someone to investigate the area.
Satisfied, Xue Jing pocketed his phone and asked the Pei brothers to drop him off at his apartment. They tried to persuade him to stay longer, but he wasn't in the mood. He needed time to process everything that had happened and think about his next steps.
As the car pulled up to the entrance of his community, Xue Jing stepped out, bidding farewell to the Pei brothers. He was ready to head inside and unwind when his phone vibrated again.
Opening it, he saw a WeChat message from Wu Youqing.
[Come to the library to see me when you're free.]
Xue Jing stared at the message for a moment. With everything that had happened, it seemed like visiting Wu Youqing might be a good idea. After all, if anyone knew more about divine relics and their mysteries, it was likely her.
"Well," he muttered to himself, "I guess it's time to see what the 'rich boss' wants."
With that, Xue Jing headed in the direction of the library, curious about what awaited him.