Chapter 107: A Familiar Yet Strange Scent

This was an immense space, surrounded by utter darkness.

At that moment, a radiant light appeared within, dispelling the shadows.

Before him, Lin Qiu’s figure materialized out of thin air.

Beneath his feet lay a circular platform about a meter wide, etched with mysterious circuits forming a complex pattern. As he stood upon it, the mecha’s data began to connect with his mind through an ethereal link, merging with his consciousness.

The world through Lin Qiu’s eyes transformed—vast and sharply clear.

The dormant mecha’s eyes blossomed with a jade-like glow.

As the light faded, a pair of piercing black eyes cut through the ocean of darkness, gazing upon the boundless world beyond.

“Amazing!” Lin Qiu was struck with awe.

Once his mind connected to the mecha, his six senses amplified by dozens of times.

Though submerged thousands of meters beneath the ocean in ruins, he could see the expansive blue sky above.

At his thought, the mecha lying in the trench became a fleeting shadow and vanished without a trace.

Moments later, wild turbulent currents churned where it had disappeared.

Above the deep blue sea, a colossal silhouette emerged from nothingness.

Seconds later, a massive water column erupted, shooting skyward.

“What incredible speed... such overwhelming power!” the mecha’s mechanical voice rumbled with awe.

A peak tier-six mecha linked to Lin Qiu’s mind gave him the illusion that a single punch could shatter heaven and earth.

Yet dread also gripped him. If a tier-six was this formidable, then Wu Hua, who approached tier-eight, must be unimaginably powerful!

Inside the mecha, Lin Qiu’s eyes flickered with a trace of fear.

If not for his crystal cannon scaring off Wu Hua, he might have already been defeated.

Wiping cold sweat from his brow, Lin Qiu saw the mecha mimic the motion.

Just then, the system’s voice echoed:

“Upon inspection, the mecha possesses an evolutionary attribute talent.”

“Evolutionary attribute talent?” Lin Qiu was puzzled. What did that mean?

“It means this tier-six mecha can evolve into tier-seven, tier-eight, tier-nine, or even higher, given sufficient materials.”

The system’s words ignited a fire in Lin Qiu’s heart.

He hadn’t expected to acquire such a treasure.

But the next sentence from the system felt like a bucket of cold water, instantly chilling his enthusiasm.

“Replacing mecha components requires special metals, which are currently unavailable in sufficient quantities on Blue Star.”

“I despise you!” Lin Qiu raised his middle finger.

The system gave him hope, then snatched it away.

“However, all required materials are available in the system’s marketplace, though at exorbitant prices.”

As the system spoke, the marketplace interface appeared before his eyes.

Seeing the replacement parts listed, each demanding upgrade points, Lin Qiu felt a chill run down his spine.

For example, replacing a pair of hands alone would cost a thousand upgrade points.

He currently had only ten upgrade points at tier three.

Advancing from tier three to four required a thousand points.

He thought, wouldn’t it be wiser to save those points to improve himself rather than upgrade the mecha’s hands?

Lin Qiu shut the system marketplace decisively, deciding to use the mecha as it was.

Once his own strength reached tier six, he would either reclaim or give away the machine.

After all, this was a bottomless pit; he wouldn’t make a losing investment.

Above the sea, the mecha’s chest crystal shimmered with golden light as a figure emerged from within.

Lin Qiu looked at the massive mecha, raised his left hand, and pressed a button on his wristband. Instantly, the mecha transformed into a golden stream of light and was stored within the band.

“Ancient civilizations were truly awe-inspiring,” Lin Qiu murmured with a complex expression.

Just the craftsmanship of this mecha, its neural linkage system, and the wristband’s storage space were technology far beyond present-day science—even by a millennium.

This small wristband contained a high-tech foldable space.

Its interior was vast enough to store the mecha or serve as a storage compartment.

But with the system at his disposal, that function felt trivial.

Whatever he wished to store, a mere thought would send it to the system’s space.

Checking the time, Lin Qiu saw it was nearly eight o’clock.

Focusing his mind, he vanished silently through the bridge of his contract space.

Within the Exotic Beast Management Bureau, Lin Qiu’s form appeared out of thin air on the bed in his room.

“Hmm?”

In another room, Bai Jingjing, who had stayed awake all night using her void realm to monitor Lin Qiu’s room, snapped to attention when he suddenly appeared.

She sat up from the bed, alert.

“Something’s wrong!”

Back in Lin Qiu’s room, he furrowed his brow slightly upon returning.

He sensed a familiar yet strange aura within the space.

Having the system and evolved into a true dragon bloodline, his sensitivity had increased countless times.

This aura might be imperceptible to others, but Lin Qiu felt it clearly.

Narrowing his eyes, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

He recalled where he had seen this familiar yet alien scent.

“Bai Jingjing!” he sneered inwardly.

That aura was the immortal spirit energy unique to Bai Jingjing.

Only she bore this special energy on Blue Star, and it had been altered by his own intervention, which explained the mixed familiarity and strangeness.

Lin Qiu knew he had been targeted by her.

She must be trying to uncover the secret behind his ability to evolve her bloodline.

“I don’t care who you are or what your status is. As long as you don’t provoke me, after the concert, we’ll each go our own way.”

“But if you cross me, don’t blame me for retaliating without mercy!” Lin Qiu snorted coldly, casting a frosty glance upward.

“He’s... discovered me?!” Bai Jingjing stared coldly at Lin Qiu’s eyes within the void realm.

Even through the void realm, the chill and ferocity in his gaze were unmistakable.

“You really do harbor secrets.”

“A mere tier-three exotic beast can sense a void realm’s presence and convey dissatisfaction with just a glance.”

“Lin Qiu, Lin Qiu, your secrets intrigue me more and more. I hope you’ll continue to dazzle me.”

A cold smile curled Bai Jingjing’s lips.

She retracted her void realm, stirred her immortal spirit energy, and the exhaustion of a sleepless night vanished instantly.

Her smile shifted into a sweet one as she rose, washed up, and left the room.

By eight thirty in the morning, personnel from the Exotic Beast Management Bureau were driving Bai Jingjing toward Wudu Stadium...