Lin Xiaomei carefully observed the appearance of the mecha, her expression solemn as she said, "This is Storm Red No. 9527, a Level 1, 8 Stars mecha, with power comparable to that of a Danger Level 8 monster."
Qin Shou asked puzzledly, "How do you know that?"
Lin Xiaomei pointed to the mottled chest plate of the mecha and said calmly, "Isn't the number written right there?"
Qin Shou: "..."
He shook his head with a wry smile, glanced at the cut marks on the waist of the mecha, and couldn't help but rub his chin.
The cut was neat, not like damage caused by a monster.
The three mechanical arms of Storm Red, which were most troublesome, had completely detached from the main body. It seemed the attacker was very knowledgeable about Storm Red.
Meanwhile, the cockpit on the chest showed the most concentrated attack marks, indicating it had been specifically targeted.
This wasn't the work of a monster!
It was human-made!
And not done by cultivators of other systems—it was a mechanical master!
Thinking of this, Qin Shou grew increasingly cautious.
Outside this city, the enemies aren't just monsters but also human cultivators.
From the distance, Zhao Jing's voice rang out.
"Come quick, the lower half of the mecha is here!"
The three hurried toward the sound and saw that the lower half of the mecha was in better condition than the upper half, having almost no signs of damage.
After a moment, their tense emotions eased. Zhao Jing glanced at the others and asked, "What should we do with this mecha?"
"Obviously, we split it! A Level 1, 8 Stars mecha isn't cheap. Even in a damaged state, it can be sold for 600,000 Federation Coins!" Yu Zhan said anxiously.
"No way. If we take this mecha to sell, it'll be easy for the forces behind it to find us. Then, we wouldn't have a leg to stand on," Lin Xiaomei said, shaking her head.
Yu Zhan, still hopeful, replied, "It should be fine, right? We didn't kill the owner. We can just explain…"
Zhao Jing interrupted, "Yu Zhan, how would you even explain it?
We're just regular students. This mecha is stolen goods; anyone who takes it is as good as dead. Even if someone gives you a fortune, you won't live to spend it."
Qin Shou nodded, "That's right. To avoid trouble, let's just act like we didn't see it."
Yu Zhan, unwilling to give up, said, "How about we just take a few parts…"
Lin Xiaomei snapped impatiently, "Yu Zhan, wake up! Even if we only take the parts, anyone intent on investigating could easily trace it back to us. Don't take chances."
Yu Zhan gritted his teeth and gazed at the damaged mecha, then sighed.
"What a great chance to make money!"
Zhao Jing patted Yu Zhan on the shoulder and comforted him, "Don't worry. With our current abilities, getting into Beast Power University is a certainty.
Once we advance into the Vajra Realm, won't mechas of this level be something we can buy at will?"
Yu Zhan nodded and gave up any thoughts of taking parts from the damaged mecha.
Seeing this, Qin Shou smiled and said, "Alright, let's move on."
"Hmm."
...
The four moved onward. Qin Shou, bringing up the rear, covertly handed the Space Wristwatch to Big Big Wolf and instructed it to collect the damaged mecha.
Others feared trouble, but he didn't.
That's because he never intended to sell the damaged mecha!
Wouldn't combining it into a mechanical monster be more rewarding?
A moment later, Big Big Wolf returned after completing its task. Qin Shou smiled in satisfaction, his steps becoming lighter.
"Hiss!!"
Suddenly, a piercing cry came from high above, and the forest was hit by a howling gale that swept aggressively through the trees.
The four raised their heads against the wind and saw a giant bird with a wingspan of over twenty meters circling above them, its icy gaze glinting coldly.
"It's an Ancient Relic, the Wind God Winged Dragon!" Zhao Jing exclaimed in shock.
Lin Xiaomei's face turned grim. "Judging by its size, it must be a Dangerous Nine Stars Wind God Winged Dragon. Run!"
With that, the four burst forth with their Star Power, transforming into blurry shadows as they dashed into the dense forest, fleeing for their lives.
"Hiss!"
In the sky above the forest, the Wind God Winged Dragon screeched, flapping its wings violently. The gust it created stirred up a storm of sand and stones, forming a beige mini-tornado that sped toward the retreating four.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh…"
Wherever the tornado passed, tree trunks were uprooted and shredded to splinters as they were sucked in.
Qin Shou instinctively glanced back and cursed loudly.
Damn it, a monster using magic? That's not scientific!
"Hiss!"
In the sky, the Wind God Winged Dragon flapped its wings again, instantly soaring ahead and positioning itself above the fleeing four. With another flap, multiple tornadoes swiftly surged toward them.
"Not good, dodge!" Lin Xiaomei shouted in alarm.
"Boom…"
The next moment, the group scattered, escaping in different directions. The colliding tornadoes caused a deafening explosion, snapping trees within a few dozen yards like twigs, while the ground seemed plowed over multiple times.
The group barely managed to evade the winds, their faces turning pale with fear.
Only Qin Shou looked eager and exhilarated.
A Dangerous Nine Stars Wind God Winged Dragon, truly formidable.
"Buzz!"
Suddenly, a Space Gate opened, and dragon roars echoed through the forest.
"Roar!"
The greedy snake soared into the sky, roaring as it lunged toward the Wind God Winged Dragon.
"Hiss!"
The Wind God Winged Dragon's eyes grew colder as it screeched, its elongated beak opening to reveal ferocious fangs dripping with revolting saliva, lunging at the greedy snake.
"Roar!"
The greedy snake twisted and darted past the Wind God Winged Dragon, avoiding a direct clash.
In terms of size and level, the greedy snake had no advantage; direct confrontation was impossible.
"Hiss!"
The Wind God Winged Dragon flapped its wings again, chasing after the greedy snake with even greater speed, determined to swallow it whole.
Below, Qin Shou looked back at the pale faces of the other three and shouted, "You all go ahead; I'll hold it off!"
Some matters are better kept hidden at the right time.
Lin Xiaomei gritted her teeth, "No, we're a team. We can't leave you behind."
Qin Shou remained stoic as he pointed to two retreating, trembling figures in the distance and said, "Are you sure we're one team?"
Lin Xiaomei flushed angrily, glancing at the fleeing duo and stomping her foot in frustration. "Unbelievable. They're despicable!"
Qin Shou looked up, seeing that the Wind God Winged Dragon was about to overtake the greedy snake, and turned to shout hastily, "Listen to me! Leave now. I have a plan to get away, but you'll only drag me down here."
Seeing Qin Shou wasn't joking, Lin Xiaomei reluctantly agreed to leave.
With her crimson Star Power flaring, Lin Xiaomei quickly vanished from Qin Shou's sight.
At the same time, high in the air, the Wind God Winged Dragon finally caught up with the greedy snake, its sharp beak about to clamp down on the snake's tail.
"Roar!!"
The greedy snake roared, suddenly changing direction and diving toward the forest below.
The Wind God Winged Dragon's eyes glinted with mockery as it followed, diving even faster.
It didn't notice that faint, fiery streaks had begun to appear on the greedy snake's belly.
"Buzz!"
The air suddenly grew scorching. Flames condensed in the greedy snake's mouth, and then it spun around and unleashed them.
"Boom!!"
An instant later, a searing pillar of fire erupted, with the greedy snake unleashing its full power and sending every ounce of Flame Power it had surging outward.
"Hiss!"
The Wind God Winged Dragon couldn't react in time, its massive body engulfed by the blaze as it let out harrowing screeches.
In just a few seconds, the greedy snake exhaled a puff of black smoke, and the dazzling pillar of flame came to an abrupt halt.
"Boom…"
The Wind God Winged Dragon, smoking all over, crashed to the ground, flattening an area of trees into a massive crater.
In the center of the crater, the Wind God Winged Dragon whimpered faintly, its charred body trembling intermittently.