The clattering sound of the loose metal sheets echoed sharply through the narrow scrap crevice, jolting Lu Zhechuan out of his brief daze in an instant. The midday grayish-white light of the Chip Graveyard spilled over the top of the towering scrap heaps, carrying with it scorching heat that made the rusted metal surfaces burn to the touch, while fine sand and dust swirled in the bitter wind. His entire body tensed up like a fully drawn bow, his fingers wrapping tightly around the cold, sharp metal shard tucked in his cloak, and he forced his breathing to slow to an almost imperceptible rate, every muscle coiled ready to react to the impending danger.
He could clearly hear the approaching footsteps—heavy, rough, and accompanied by the clink of rusted weapons and the crunch of broken metal underfoot. There were no less than five people heading straight for his hiding spot, their voices loud and filled with murderous rage, unmistakably the remaining members of the Blackstone Gang.
"Search every inch of these scrap heaps! Don't let that bastard get away!"
"He killed our brothers and messed with our gang's territory—we'll tear him limb from limb once we find him!"
"That weird energy fluctuation was here just now; he's definitely hiding nearby!"
The gang members roared as they moved, violently kicking aside loose scrap metal and broken debris in their path, their movements reckless and brutal. Each crash and shout felt like it was right next to Lu Zhechuan's ears, and he could even catch the faint stench of sweat, dust, and blood coming from their clothes. All five were at the Early Core Implantation realm, armed with rusted steel rods and cracked energy daggers—far more numerous and aggressive than the three pursuers he'd subdued the night before.
Lu Zhechuan's heart sank to the bottom of his chest, his mind racing uncontrollably. He stole a quick glance at the floating Primeval Origin Core, its golden light still flickering steadily as the repair continued. The system's countdown echoed clearly in his mind: 2 minutes remaining.
Only two minutes.
That was all he needed to complete the repair, to unlock the passive auto-cultivation and basic technique parsing that would change his fate. But right now, those 120 seconds felt like an eternity. If the gang members found him before the repair finished, he would have no choice but to fight with his current mid-stage Core Implantation strength alone, no formal techniques, no way to fully harness his power—he would be completely outnumbered, and death would be the only outcome.
Despair and urgency tangled tightly in his chest, dragging up memories he'd buried deep for five years. He thought of all the times he'd been bullied by scavengers and gang members for being a "worthless trash picker" who couldn't cultivate on his own, of the days he'd gone hungry because others stole his meager scrap findings, of the endless nights he'd spent staring at his dormant Dao Core, helpless and trapped in the Early Core Implantation realm. This Origin Core was his only hope, his last chance to break free from this miserable, powerless life. He couldn't let the repair be interrupted—he absolutely couldn't.
Amidst the chaos of his thoughts, the blurry fragmented memory from moments ago flashed again: the blinding white laboratory, the sharp wail of red alarms, the figures of his parents wearing white lab coats, and that cold, piercing string of numbers: Project-001. A faint, hoarse voice echoed in the depths of his mind, muffled but full of urgency, as if his mother was whispering a final warning. He couldn't make out the words, but he could feel the bone-deep fear in that voice. What was Project-001? Why was there a lab in his memories, when he'd spent his whole life in the dirty, lawless Chip Graveyard? And what connection did his parents—who'd died mysteriously years ago—have to this strange, heaven-defying Origin Core?
Before he could dig deeper into the memory, the Origin Core suddenly trembled violently, its golden light flaring bright for a split second. The faint, unknown energy fluctuation that had appeared earlier surged again, surging out from the core's internal circuits and merging with the streams of light formed by the dissolving repair scraps.
The system's mechanical voice cut through his thoughts once more, this time tinged with a noticeable trace of instability.
…Abnormal energy injection detected.
…Foreign energy source matched to core's original frequency.
…Repair process accelerating at 120% efficiency.
…Revised repair completion time: 60 seconds.
Sixty seconds!
A glimmer of hope ignited in Lu Zhechuan's eyes, quickly replaced by grim determination. It was a desperate, life-or-death gamble, but it was the only option he had. He pressed his back tighter against the cold, rough scrap metal, sinking lower into the crevice to minimize his silhouette, every movement slow and deliberate to avoid making a sound. He fixed his gaze on the Origin Core, watching as the pale golden light wove through the core's intricate lines, mending the cracked internal circuits one by one. The five types of scraps dissolved into fine, glowing particles—pale yellow for the circuit wafers, dim blue for the fractured energy cells, gray for the control chips, silver for the alloy frames, and faint green for the power stabilizers—each stream flowing smoothly into the core without a single trace wasted.
A warm, gentle current spread from the core to his chest, winding through his meridians softly, soothing the dull ache left by the previous night's battle. The unknown abnormal energy lingered as tiny silver specks within the golden light, moving through his veins with a faint tingling sensation, as if it was searching for something. A translucent light-blue progress bar materialized in the corner of his vision, jumping steadily toward 100%: 51%…58%…64%…
The gang members' search closed in faster than he could have imagined.
A tall, burly gang member with a scar across his cheek stepped directly in front of the crevice entrance, kicking aside a pile of loose metal shards. His bloodshot eyes scanned the dark, narrow space, and his lips curled into a vicious snarl.
"Hey, look over here! There's a hidden crevice—this piece of trash is definitely hiding in there!" he roared at the top of his lungs, waving the steel rod in his hand to summon the others.
In the blink of an eye, all five Blackstone Gang members surrounded the small crevice, their faces twisted with rage and bloodlust. Without a second of hesitation, the scar-faced leader raised his steel rod and slammed it down hard on the pile of scrap metal blocking the entrance.
Bang!
The entire crevice shook violently, metal fragments splattering everywhere. The barrier of scrap shifted, a wide crack splitting down the middle, and Lu Zhechuan's shoulders jolted from the impact. He gripped the metal shard even tighter, his knuckles turning white, silently counting down the seconds alongside the system's progress bar.
Bang! Bang!
Two more heavy blows landed, and the crack widened further, the barrier on the verge of collapsing. The gang members jeered and cursed, their voices dripping with malice, ready to storm in and attack the second the entrance broke open. Lu Zhechuan held his breath completely, his eyes locked on the Origin Core—78%...85%...92%...
The memory of his parents' faces flashed in his mind once more, clearer this time. He saw his mother tucking the pitch-black Origin Core into a small metal box, her eyes brimming with tears and fear, while his father stood guard by the lab door, shouting something about "Heavenly Dao Corporation" and "never let them get the core." The red alarm lights flashed across their faces, and the distant sound of urgent footsteps echoed through the lab corridors.
This was no random memory—it was a fragment of the night his parents died, a clue to the truth he'd been chasing for years.
Crash!
The scrap metal barrier finally shattered completely, and the scar-faced gang leader lunged into the crevice first, steel rod raised high to strike Lu Zhechuan's head.
At that exact same moment, a clear, crisp chime echoed in Lu Zhechuan's mind.
…Temporary emergency repair 100% complete.
…Basic core functions officially activated.
…Passive Auto-Cultivation module: Online.
…Basic Technique Parsing module: Online.
Warm, steady energy immediately began to circulate automatically through his meridians, absorbing the faint free energy from the surrounding air and converting it into pure, stable Dao Core energy. Three complete sets of basic techniques—Basic Core Cultivation Technique, Basic Movement Footwork, and Basic Defense Art—burst into his mind, complete with clear text and smooth movement phantoms, as if he'd practiced them a hundred times before.
Before Lu Zhechuan could fully process the surge of power, the system's voice sounded again, cold and cryptic, leaving a faint but sharp hook in his chest.
…Unknown residual energy detected in core.
…Hidden exclusive function locked.
…Unlock condition: Locate Heavenly Dao Corporation related items.
The scar-faced gang leader's steel rod was inches from Lu Zhechuan's head, the wind from the swing whipping against his face.
But this time, Lu Zhechuan didn't panic, didn't freeze, didn't rely on raw, unskilled instinct.
His body moved on its own, guided by the newly parsed Basic Movement Footwork. He twisted his torso lightly, stepping sideways in a smooth, precise arc, easily dodging the deadly blow.
The gang leader's attack hit nothing but thin air, his momentum carrying him forward, leaving his side completely exposed. Lu Zhechuan raised his eyes, the faint golden light of the Origin Core reflecting in his dark pupils, a calm, unshakable resolve replacing his earlier desperation.
The five Blackstone Gang members stared at him in shock, clearly not expecting him to dodge so effortlessly.
Lu Zhechuan tightened his grip on the metal shard, the passive auto-cultivation still running quietly in the background, strengthening his power with every passing second.
The real fight, the first fight where he could truly control his own strength, was just beginning.