The scar-faced gang leader's steel rod slammed heavily into the spot where Lu Zhechuan had been standing just a second ago, denting the hard ground beneath the scrap metal with a dull crash. The force of the missed strike left him off-balance, stumbling forward a step before he could steady himself, his face twisting with raw surprise and fury.
He'd fully expected to crush this powerless scrap picker with one blow—after all, this was the kid who'd snuck up on their three brothers the night before, relying on cheap tricks to win. Never did he think Lu Zhechuan could dodge his attack so easily, so gracefully, like he'd predicted the move long before it landed.
"You little bastard! How dare you dodge?!" the scar-faced man roared, his voice booming through the narrow crevice. He quickly regained his footing, gripping the steel rod so tight his knuckles turned white, and swung it horizontally toward Lu Zhechuan's waist, putting every ounce of his Early Core Implantation realm energy into the strike.
The remaining four Blackstone Gang members didn't stand idle either. They spread out slightly, blocking every exit from the crevice, their eyes gleaming with killing intent. Two of them pulled out cracked energy daggers, the dim blue blades humming weakly, while the others grabbed loose metal pipes from the ground, closing in on Lu Zhechuan from all sides. They were determined to surround him and beat him to death on the spot.
Lu Zhechuan's gaze remained calm and sharp, no trace of fear in his dark eyes. For the first time in his life, he didn't rely on brute instinct or sneak attacks to fight—he had the Basic Movement Footwork from the system guiding his every move, his body reacting with precision and speed he'd never possessed before.
He shifted his weight lightly, his feet stepping along an invisible, smooth trajectory. He bent his upper body backward at a sharp but steady angle, the steel rod brushing past his abdomen mere centimeters away, carrying a sharp gust of wind. Before the gang leader could pull his weapon back for another strike, Lu Zhechuan pushed off his back foot and darted to the side, slipping through the gap between two gang members like a wisp of smoke.
His movements were light and agile, no wasted motion, perfectly matching the footwork phantom in his mind. The gang members' attacks crashed into each other's paths, their wild swings hitting nothing but air and scrap metal, their own formation thrown into chaos.
"How is this possible? His movement technique is so perfect?!" One of the gang members with an energy dagger exclaimed, his face pale with shock. He'd never seen a scrap picker from the Chip Graveyard use such a neat, professional movement technique—this was something only cultivators who had proper martial manuals could master!
Lu Zhechuan didn't give them time to recover.
The Basic Defense Art and Basic Core Cultivation Technique surged in his mind, and he instinctively channeled the pure, stable energy flowing through his meridians—energy that the Passive Auto-Cultivation had already begun to refine and circulate nonstop. He gathered a thin layer of soft but tough energy around his right fist, no flashy light, no overwhelming aura, just pure, concentrated power.
He stepped forward quickly, closing the distance to the nearest gang member in an instant. Before the man could react, Lu Zhechuan's fist slammed firmly into his wrist, right where the man's low-grade Dao Core was implanted.
Crack!
A crisp sound of energy channels being blocked echoed out. The gang member screamed in pain, his energy dagger clattering to the ground, his Dao Core flickering and going dim in an instant. He lost all ability to fight, clutching his wrist and collapsing to the ground, writhing in agony.
In just a few short breaths, Lu Zhechuan had defeated one of the five gang members without breaking a sweat.
The scar-faced leader's eyes widened in disbelief, his heart sinking with a strange sense of dread. This wasn't the same kid who'd fought their brothers last night—he'd changed completely, like he'd suddenly become a trained cultivator overnight! There was no time to dwell on it; he let out a furious roar and charged forward with the remaining three men, launching a full-on, chaotic attack.
Metal pipes swung, energy daggers slashed, and the entire crevice filled with violent, messy Dao Core energy. The gang members fought like wild beasts, desperate to take Lu Zhechuan down.
But Lu Zhechuan remained unfazed.
He weaved through their attacks effortlessly, his footwork carrying him out of harm's way time and time again. He didn't rush to attack; instead, he let the auto-cultivation run its course, growing slightly stronger with each passing second, familiarizing himself with the three basic techniques his body now possessed. Every dodge, every block, every counterstrike was smooth and precise, turning the gang members' fierce attacks into useless, clumsy flailing.
Another gang member lunged at him with a metal pipe. Lu Zhechuan raised his arm lightly, the Basic Defense Art activating automatically, a thin layer of energy covering his forearm. He blocked the strike head-on, the impact jolting his arm slightly but not causing any pain. He then twisted his wrist, grabbing the end of the metal pipe and yanking it hard, disarming the man in one move. He followed with a quick elbow strike to the man's abdomen, sending him doubling over and collapsing to the ground.
Two down, three to go.
The remaining two underlings lost their fighting spirit, their faces filled with terror as they stared at Lu Zhechuan. This wasn't a fight—it was a one-sided massacre! The kid they'd thought was an easy target had turned into an unstoppable monster, and they didn't stand a chance. They hesitated, stepping back slowly, ready to turn and run for their lives.
"Cowards! Don't run! Kill him together!" the scar-faced leader shouted furiously, but his words fell on deaf ears.
The two men turned and bolted toward the exit of the crevice, not daring to look back.
Lu Zhechuan's eyes turned cold. He couldn't let them escape—if they ran back to alert more of the Blackstone Gang, he would be stuck in endless pursuit, with no time to grow stronger or figure out the system's secrets.
He activated the Basic Movement Footwork to its fullest, his body darting forward like a shadow. He caught up to one of the fleeing men in two quick steps, sweeping his leg out and tripping the man to the ground. Before the man could scream, Lu Zhechuan pressed a palm to his back, injecting a wisp of pure energy to seal his Dao Core, just like he'd done to the pursuers the night before.
He then turned and chased after the second man, catching him just as he reached the top of the scrap heap. A quick strike to the back of the knee left the man crippled and immobile, his cries of pain cut short by a sealed Dao Core.
In less than a minute, only the scar-faced gang leader was left standing.
The man's face was ashen, his hands shaking as he gripped his steel rod. He'd never felt so terrified in his life—he'd gone from being the hunter to the hunted, facing a monster he couldn't fight at all.
"You… who the hell are you?! You're not just a scrap picker!" he stammered, his voice trembling.
Lu Zhechuan stepped forward slowly, his eyes calm and unyielding. He didn't answer the question—there was no need to. He was just Lu Zhechuan, a scrap picker who'd finally been given the chance to be strong.
"Who sent you to track me?" Lu Zhechuan asked quietly, his voice cold.
The scar-faced man gritted his teeth, trying to hide his fear. "The Blackstone Gang won't let you go! Our boss's elder brother is a Mid Core Implantation realm expert—he'll avenge us and kill you!"
He tried to bluff, to scare Lu Zhechuan with the gang's remaining power.
But Lu Zhechuan didn't care.
A Mid Core Implantation realm expert used to be a threat he could never face. But now, with the system's basic functions activated, with passive auto-cultivation strengthening him every second, he no longer had reason to fear.
He stepped forward again, his aura steady and firm.
The scar-faced leader's resolve crumbled completely. He turned and tried to run, but Lu Zhechuan was faster. A single strike to the shoulder left him paralyzed, his Dao Core sealed instantly, falling to the ground with a heavy thud.
Silence fell over the crevice.
All five Blackstone Gang members were defeated, lying on the ground unable to move.
Lu Zhechuan stood quietly in the center, taking a slow, deep breath. The Passive Auto-Cultivation continued to run in the background, a warm stream of energy flowing through his meridians, making him feel stronger than ever. He closed his eyes, fully digesting the three basic techniques in his mind, memorizing every movement, every way to channel his energy.
This was his first real battle, and he'd won completely.
But he didn't let himself relax for long.
The system's earlier reminder echoed in his mind: Hidden exclusive function locked. Unlock condition: Locate Heavenly Dao Corporation related items.
And the scar-faced man's words lingered—the Blackstone Gang had a Mid Core Implantation expert on the way. The Chip Graveyard was no longer safe, not for even a moment longer.
He quickly searched the defeated gang members, taking their intact low-grade Dao Cores, a small amount of wasteland currency, and a tattered, crumpled note from the scar-faced leader's pocket.
The note had a few messy lines written on it, mentioning a "Heavenly Dao Corporation supply drop" that the Blackstone Gang had been planning to ambush in the northern part of the Chip Graveyard.
Lu Zhechuan's pupils contracted sharply.
Heavenly Dao Corporation.
The name that had appeared in his parents' memory fragment, the key to unlocking the system's hidden function, was right here in the Chip Graveyard.
A new opportunity, and a new wave of danger, was already closing in.
He stuffed the note and loot into his canvas bag, erased all traces of the fight as quickly as possible, and turned toward the northern scrap heaps.
He had to get to that supply drop first.