Shen Jie had just placed a foot on the steps to the tank when he suddenly sensed something and turned to look.

Ling Yi, dressed in white, had appeared behind him.

Shen Jie frowned slightly and glanced at her sideways.

"Is your confinement over?"

A smile touched Ling Yi’s lips.

"After Lin Feng woke up, Miss Chen released me."

Shen Jie snorted coldly.

"You came all this way to find me. Is it for the Slaughter Realm, or the Devouring Assimilation Superpower?"

Ling Yi shook her head slightly, her smile never faltering as she stared at the Zerg Armor on Shen Jie.

"Forget the Slaughter Realm. That thing is an unstable bomb that could cause a major disaster at any moment. Besides, you haven’t mastered it. Your integration and understanding of slaughter are superficial at best."

"However, if you’re willing to cooperate with my research—on your Genetic Assimilation Superpower, for instance—perhaps I can help you resolve your issues with the Slaughter Realm..."

As she spoke, she saw Shen Jie slowly turn to face her, staring intently. Ling Yi’s smile widened as she continued.

"While I’m at it, I could also help you solve your little girlfriend’s problem with her external Zerg Armor..."

"You must understand, excessive Assimilation is an irreversible process, already rooted in one’s genes. But my Realm Ability can strip it away completely, purifying it from the deepest genetic level."

"Don’t forget, you are my masterpiece. While you were in a coma, I was the one who helped you eliminate the invasive Assimilation of the Zerg Race genes in your body."

Shen Jie took a deep breath, his expression shifting.

"So it was you! You left me with nothing, making me enter the Slaughter Realm as a blank slate. You made me waste a rebirth!"

Ling Yi scoffed, a hint of displeasure in her tone.

"Don’t be ridiculous. While you were unconscious, your Assimilation had already progressed to an irreversible state. Seventy percent of your body’s tissues and organs were already overwritten by Zerg Race genes. Besides your brain, heart, and lungs, what part of you still looked human?"

"If you had entered the Slaughter Realm in that state, how long do you think your sanity and self-awareness would have lasted?"

"Could you have possibly resisted the onslaught of the slaughter?!"

Shen Jie’s face turned ashen at Ling Yi’s words.

Thinking back carefully, the situation had indeed been just as Ling Yi described.

Without her help, he never would have regained consciousness within the Mental Realm, let alone achieved the final victory.

’But her goal now was no different from Ling Shuyan, whom Lin Feng had brought in last time. She wanted to obtain the perfect human genetic sequence.’

’But Ling Shuyan was, at least, a human scientist. The results of her research would help humanity as a whole. This woman before him, however, was a Mother Empress Avatar.’

’If the Zerg Race Mother Empress obtained my genes and extracted the perfect genetic sequence for Samurai Hunter Zergs, it would surely be a threat to humanity’s future.’

’She’s probably already obtained my genes. All she’s missing is the female human component from Zhang Liying.’

At this thought, Shen Jie’s gaze grew dark.

"Hah... Without Brother Feng’s permission, you won’t lay a single finger on Li Ying."

Ling Yi shrugged.

"It doesn’t matter. It’s only the female component that’s missing, which is all the same to me. Most Samurai Hunter Zergs are asexual. You, on the other hand... your Genetic Warrior research is progressing too slowly to keep up with Lin Feng’s needs."

"Perhaps one day, he’ll be the one to bring it up."

"See you tomorrow. And keep an eye on your little girlfriend. Her state seems even more unstable than yours."

With that, Ling Yi’s figure vanished into the night, leaving Shen Jie alone. He grabbed his luggage from the tank and hurried back to the apartment.

......

Later that night, near the Battleship, two women were clinking glasses over a late-night meal.

Chen Yanyan raised her wine glass.

"How did it go?"

Ling Yi nodded, lifting her glass of red wine.

"No problem. But his mastery of the Mental Realm is clumsy. The cost to activate it is likely substantial as well."

"We need to be prepared for that. Even Samurai Hunter Zergs under a Mother Empress can lose control, to say nothing of humans."

Chen Yanyan hummed in agreement.

"Regarding the Genetic Warrior project, I hope you can help the Jin City Biological Research Institute accelerate its progress. We don’t have much time."

A slight smile played on Ling Yi’s lips.

"A Mother Empress’s Realm Ability is innate, as is her talent for biotechnology. Our way of thinking is completely different from your human research methods. If I interfere too much, it will be easy to expose myself later. The other Zerg Race Mother Empresses are no fools."

"I can offer some guidance, at most."

"Rest assured. I’ve already contacted and made arrangements with the Mother Empress North of the River. Everything is proceeding according to plan."

With that, she drained her glass. Liking the taste, she licked her red lips and poured herself another full glass.

Satisfied with the reply, Chen Yanyan stood up.

"Take your time. I’m heading back."

Ling Yi watched her board the Battleship. A flash of orange light flickered in her eyes, and the smile on her lips widened.

Inside the Battleship, Lin Feng asked curiously.

"What were you two talking about?"

Chen Yanyan went and hugged her man, shaking her head.

"It’s nothing. Just her private proposal for a decapitation strike. I wanted to confirm some details."

Lin Feng nodded, not thinking much of it, and turned his gaze to the panel before him.

`Land Patrol Battleship successfully upgraded to Lv29!`

`Dreadnought Battleship Lv29/29, Orange Quality`

`Basic Defense 600, Damage 400, Average Speed 200 km/h, Endurance Limit 2,000 km`

`Extra Attributes: Land Ship`

`New Extra Attributes:`

`Indestructible...`

`Super Firepower...`