The northern region of the Chip Graveyard was far more desolate than the western and southern scrap heaps Lu Zhechuan had traversed before. Towering, rusted mechanical wreckage loomed everywhere, their twisted metal frames scraping the gray, hazy sky, and the air was thick with a heavier, acrid smell of burnt metal and chemical residue. Unlike the other zones where scavengers occasionally roamed, this area was eerily quiet—no scavengers dared to linger here, for it was closer to the peripheral warning zones of the major forces, and random energy fluctuations often lingered, making it a dangerous no-man's-land.
Along the way, Lu Zhechuan saw charred marks left by exploded Dao Cores, and the remains of mechanical beasts that had gone out of control. Some scrap piles were still faintly radioactive, causing a slight tingling sensation on his skin. He had heard old scavengers say that anyone who openly offended the Heavenly Dao Corporation would either disappear without a trace or die horribly in the wilderness. Such warnings made his nerves stay tight, but the thought of the laboratory fragments and his parents' faces only made his steps firmer.
He moved swiftly through the gaps of the mechanical wreckage, his steps light and steady, guided by the Basic Movement Footwork engraved in his mind. The Passive Auto-Cultivation module ran silently in the background, a constant stream of gentle energy circulating through his meridians, subtly tempering his Core Implantation Mid-stage realm with every step he took. He did not dare to slow down; every second wasted meant a greater risk of the Blackstone Gang's reinforcements arriving, or the Heavenly Dao Corporation's supply team leaving ahead of schedule.
He clutched the crumpled note tightly in his palm, his gaze sharp and focused. The messy handwriting on the note clearly marked the approximate location and time of the supply drop: a collapsed mechanical warehouse deep in the northern wreckage, with the delivery set to arrive shortly after midday. The Blackstone Gang had planned to gather all their forces to ambush this convoy, desperate to seize the high-grade supplies and functional Dao Cores carried by the corporation's team—never expecting that their entire plan would fall into Lu Zhechuan's hands, along with their defeat.
Heavenly Dao Corporation.
These four words weighed heavily in Lu Zhechuan's mind, intertwining with the fragmented laboratory memories from the system's repair process. The white lab, the blurry figures of his parents in white coats, the shrill alarms, and the phrase "never let them get the core" all pointed directly to this behemoth force. He had spent five years in the Chip Graveyard, only hearing vague rumors about the corporation—they controlled all the high-grade Dao Core resources in the wasteland, held absolute authority, and acted ruthlessly, with no scavengers or small gangs daring to provoke them.
But now, the path to unraveling his parents' death and unlocking the system's hidden function was right in front of him. He had no choice but to move forward, even if it meant stepping into the territory of this terrifying force.
As he neared the collapsed mechanical warehouse marked on the note, Lu Zhechuan immediately slowed his pace, hiding behind a huge, tilted metal plate to conceal his figure. He carefully peeked out, his eyes sweeping the surrounding area vigilantly, and his expression instantly turned solemn.
The Blackstone Gang was not the only one eyeing the supply drop.
Three men dressed in black, tight-fitting combat uniforms were patrolling slowly around the warehouse. Each wore a wrist energy detector and a standard-issue energy dagger at their waist. Their movements were sharp and disciplined, far more orderly than the chaotic Blackstone Gang members, and a faint, oppressive aura emanated from their bodies—each of them was at the Mid Core Implantation realm, a level that made them top experts in the peripheral areas of the Chip Graveyard. On the cuffs of their uniforms, a faint, silver emblem was embroidered: a circular Dao Core surrounded by intricate lines, the exclusive logo of the Heavenly Dao Corporation.
These were the corporation's peripheral guards, responsible for escorting the supply drop and clearing any potential threats in advance.
Lu Zhechuan held his breath, not daring to make the slightest sound. He had just defeated five Early Core Implantation Blackstone Gang members easily, but facing three disciplined Mid Core Implantation corporate guards was a completely different level of danger. They possessed formal combat techniques, complete equipment, and were by no means reckless rabble like the gang members. A direct confrontation would be extremely risky, even with the system's basic functions aiding him.
He quietly activated the faint aura-concealing effect of the Primeval Origin Core, suppressing all his energy fluctuations to the extreme, blending into the surrounding scrap metal's faint energy field. At the same time, he focused his mind, waiting for the system's response—he was eager to see if the Origin Core would react to the presence of Heavenly Dao Corporation personnel, just as it had during the abnormal repair earlier.
Sure enough, after a few seconds, a faint, low hum sounded from the Origin Core hidden in his clothes, and a string of subtle system prompts echoed in his mind.
…Detecting Heavenly Dao Corporation peripheral personnel aura.
…Detecting corporate standard energy wave frequency.
…Hidden function unlocking progress: 1%.
…Warning: High-risk target detected, host strength is insufficient for direct confrontation.
At the same time, the core grew slightly warm, and another fragmented memory flashed across his mind. This time, he could vaguely see the silver Heavenly Dao Corporation emblem on the wall, and a name tag on a white coat with a string of numbers that resembled an employee ID. The memory was fleeting, but it strengthened his belief that his parents were once closely connected to this organization.
Just as he was contemplating his next move, a faint sound of hurried footsteps came from the other side of the wreckage. Lu Zhechuan's heart tightened, and he quickly hid himself deeper, peering through the gap to see the incoming group.
It was the remaining forces of the Blackstone Gang, led by a burly man with a face identical to the earlier gang leader—this was the elder brother of the Blackstone Gang boss, the Mid Core Implantation realm expert he had been warned about. His face was twisted with rage, and he clutched a tattered piece of clothing that belonged to his younger brother. There were seven or eight gang members behind him, all armed with sharp weapons, their faces filled with both fear and greed.
"Boss, the corporate guards are over there! We'll rush in together, kill them, and take all the supplies!" a gang member whispered anxiously.
The gang leader's eyes were bloodshot, roaring in a low voice, "First find that little scrap picker who ruined my men and killed my brother! I'll crush his bones before we rob the supplies!"
Lu Zhechuan's heart sank. He was now trapped between two groups of enemies. If he stayed hidden, he might be discovered at any moment. If he attacked early, he would face both the gang and the corporation's guards at the same time. After a quick calculation, he made up his mind: he would wait for the two sides to fight, then slip into the warehouse while the chaos covered his movements.
At that moment, the leading corporate guard suddenly turned his head, his cold eyes sweeping toward the wreckage where the Blackstone Gang was hiding, as if he had detected the faint energy fluctuations.
"Who's there?" the guard shouted sharply, his hand already resting on the hilt of his energy dagger.
The Blackstone Gang leader's face changed drastically. He knew they had been exposed, and hesitation was no longer an option. With a furious roar, he waved his hand and led the gang members charging out, brandishing their weapons toward the corporate guards.
"Kill them! Take their supplies!"
A chaotic battle erupted instantly.
The corporate guards reacted swiftly, forming a tight formation, drawing their energy daggers and clashing fiercely with the Blackstone Gang members. The sound of metal clashing, energy explosions, and angry roars filled the desolate northern wreckage. Mid Core Implantation energy surged wildly, sending scrap metal flying in all directions.
Lu Zhechuan's eyes flickered sharply.
This was the only opportunity he had.
Before entering the warehouse, he quickly stepped on the loose sand to erase his footprints, placed several thin metal sheets as a simple warning mechanism, and used the surrounding chaotic energy to further cover his aura. Through the broken wall of the warehouse, he could faintly hear another person's footsteps from inside—meaning there were still guards stationed within.
But he no longer had time to hesitate.
While the two sides were locked in a fierce battle, he quietly slipped out from his hiding spot, his figure darting silently toward the collapsed mechanical warehouse like a shadow. The only way to advance the system's hidden function, to find clues about his parents, was to sneak into the warehouse and find the Heavenly Dao Corporation's supply items—before the battle ended.