The air in the cavernous ground floor of the supermarket hung thick with a foul, fetid stench. An oval, bluish Ironclad Dragon egg, suspended in a ring held by six flying knives, gently dropped into the opening of a backpack. The six knives immediately zipped back to the sheaths fastened to the outer sides of Luo Feng’s legs.
“Hiss!” Luo Feng tugged a cinch cord on the pack, instantly securing the entire dragon cargo deep within its innermost layer.
“That’s a haul; let’s get out of here, quick!”
Luo Feng, his backpack bulging, prepared to leave, but just as he turned,
“What’s that?” A peripheral glimpse caught his eye—some objects inexplicably laid out nearby. This was where the Ironclad Dragon slept; aside from the egg, all other clutter—shelves, refrigerators, TVs, and junk—had long been swept to the periphery.
The ground before him was empty.
Yet, on that bare expanse, a few items sat strangely arranged. These things weren't far from the dragon egg; it seemed the Ironclad Dragon must see them every day.
“Why would the Ironclad Dragon keep these items within its line of sight?” A thought sparked in Luo Feng’s mind, and he moved closer rapidly.
As he advanced, his heartbeat began to quicken.
“Could it be…”
“Could it really be…” When Luo Feng found himself involuntarily standing three meters from these items, he clenched his fists so tightly with excitement that he could barely contain himself. “It really is them! This is a massive score; I’ve hit the jackpot!”
Before Luo Feng lay a complete set: alloy battle boots, a combat suit, and a sharp sword still sheathed. The material of the combat suit was a pure, absolute black that compelled the viewer to involuntarily hold their breath. The sword's scabbard was exquisitely crafted, far superior in workmanship to his own Blood Shadow Battle Blade’s sheath.
“It must be the gear of a Wargod,” Luo Feng whispered, utterly thrilled. “Just judging by its appearance, the material of this combat suit is extraordinary. That sword… it must be countless times better than my battle blade.”
“Furthermore, the Ironclad Dragon collected a set of human Wargod equipment! Killing the wearer must be the Ironclad Dragon’s proudest achievement.” Luo Feng easily deduced this. Monster Lords possessed intelligence comparable to humans, and sometimes a Wargod might find themselves outmatched by a high-tier Monster Lord.
But human Wargods possessed formidable escape capabilities!
Throughout all of Huaxia, Wargod fatalities were extremely rare. Every time a national Wargod fell, the entire country held a televised memorial service! It was easy to imagine how difficult it was for a Monster Lord to kill a Wargod!
Therefore, Wargod gear left behind in the wilderness zones was exceptionally rare!
“For the Ironclad Dragon to be so proud as to hoard this combat suit and sword, this human Wargod must have been very powerful… And this set, having survived a battle with a High-Tier Lord, shows almost no damage, meaning its grade must be high. At least Q-series!” Luo Feng quickly assessed.
Based on market prices: A full set of Q-series combat gear retailed for 12 billion Huaxia coins, or 6 billion at half price from the Limit Family.
“Even as second-hand gear, if this doesn’t fetch six billion, selling it for two or three billion is still possible!”
“And that’s just the Q-series price. What if this suit is the Star series?” Luo Feng felt his blood begin to boil.
The series 1 through 9 corresponded to G-grade, F-grade, E-grade, D-grade, C-grade, B-grade, and A-grade—nine distinct levels. A series 9 weapon or suit was equivalent to an A-grade piece of equipment!
And above A-grade, there was the S-grade!
An S-grade combat suit could withstand the bites of most King-level monsters. As for Lord-level monsters, they absolutely could not breach an S-grade suit.
“If this is the more precious S-grade… then it’s priceless,” Luo Feng was overwhelmingly excited.
A series 9 (A-grade) suit retailed for 12 billion.
But an S-grade suit retailed for a staggering 120 billion! Something unaffordable for ordinary individuals or organizations!
One needed to remember that this level of gear could resist the bites of most King-level monsters. The power gap between King-level and Lord-level monsters was astonishing; one King-level beast could sweep away a whole contingent of Lords—an absolute rout! Similarly, human experts who surpassed the Wargod level, like Hong and Thunder God, were worlds apart from the Wargod rank in strength.
Naturally…
S-grade gear commanded a price far exceeding A-grade.
An S-grade combat suit retailed for 120 billion, meaning half price was still 60 billion!
“If—if this is an S-grade suit, even used, failing to sell for 60 billion, selling it for twenty or thirty billion isn't impossible.” Luo Feng’s excitement reached a fever pitch. “Perhaps with the combined haul from this trip, I might finally acquire enough money to buy the 'Water of Life' for my younger brother.”
Of course… Luo Feng didn't know for certain if this suit was S-grade.
But that it was at least Series 9 (A-grade) was certain; there was a possibility it was S-grade.
All this thinking took place in the brief moment it took Luo Feng to walk up to the combat suit and sword.
Putting aside the speculation, he immediately opened his backpack.
“If it’s S-grade, it’s worth infinitely more than the dragon egg!” Luo Feng rapidly utilized his mental force, guiding the combat suit, alloy boots, vambraces, and the sword swiftly into the backpack.
At the entrance of the vast supermarket, a pack of Beast General-level monsters patrolled the surroundings. Dozens of them guarded the main gate, periodically turning their attention back toward the interior. Through the empty doorway, their keen Beast General vision could vaguely make out the silhouette of the oval dragon egg.
Guard the egg! That was the primary mission assigned by their leader, the Ironclad Dragon, to this squad of Beast Generals!
This was also why the Beast General squad hadn't followed the two human Wargods into battle.
A high-tier Beast General, a Bloodthirsty Tank, lay sprawled, its massive body resembling a small earthen mound. It slowly turned its head, glancing casually into the supermarket—a motion it had performed countless times. Previously, it could always spot the faint shadow of the dragon egg.
But this time—
“Boom!” The Bloodthirsty Tank bolted upright, its enormous eyes wide open, and immediately tilted its head back to let out an anxious roar.
“ROAR…” The piercing, frenzied howl instantly echoed across the surrounding area for ten square miles.
The other Beast Generals at the entrance reacted almost instinctively, simultaneously spinning around to look toward the dragon egg’s location inside the store, each rearing back with frantic cries.
Simultaneously—
Rumble, rumble…
All Beast General monsters, whether stationed at the entrance, patrolling nearby, or resting idly on the second, third, or fourth floors, roared and charged violently toward the central area on the ground floor. Rumble, rumble… Large holes were punched through floor slabs, and concrete walls were smashed inward. The five-story structure of the supermarket shook violently, as if on the verge of collapse.
In the distance, the Ironclad Dragon was locked in combat with the two Fire-Scaled Three-Horned Hogs against the two human Wargods, Wang Tong and Li Wei. At this moment, cracks spiderwebbed across the Ironclad Dragon’s head armor, and one eye was already blinded. Wang Tong bore faint streaks of blood, but his condition appeared slightly better than the dragon’s.
“Roar…” Upon hearing the roar emanating from the supermarket direction, the Ironclad Dragon’s single remaining eye instantly flashed crimson.
“AWOOOO…” The ear-splitting shriek tore through the air, its sound manifesting as a visible shockwave that swept madly in all directions. Nearby concrete instantly disintegrated, even bending steel rebar, kicking up massive clouds of dust. This desperate, furious roar echoed throughout City 003.
“Not good!” Wang Tong’s expression changed drastically.
It had gone berserk!
The Ironclad Dragon was losing its mind!
“AWOOOO…” The Ironclad Dragon’s cry was so intense it was almost hoarse, conveying a rage so profound that all the waters of the five great lakes could not extinguish it!
BOOM!
The Ironclad Dragon’s speed instantly surged to an unprecedented limit. It ceased caring if its skeletal structure could withstand the strain, charging toward the Carrefour supermarket at a velocity of absolute frenzy. Rumble, rumble… The terrifying sonic boom cracked the ground and shattered buildings, sending debris flying everywhere.
As Luo Feng was rapidly stowing the combat gear into his backpack, mad roars erupted from outside the supermarket, followed by the unified howling of every Beast General. Luo Feng jumped in shock.
“What’s happening?” Luo Feng paused slightly; he hadn’t made any noticeable noise.
Rumble, rumble… The floor slabs above, and the concrete walls to the East, West, South, and North, were instantly blasted open, creating huge gaps. Angry Beast General monsters slammed their way inside! Guarding the dragon egg was the utmost priority assigned by their leader, the Ironclad Dragon.
The dragon egg was the Ironclad Dragon’s lifeblood!
No matter the cost, the egg must be protected!
“Damn it, they found out. Escape!” Luo Feng felt no guilt over stealing the egg; this was a war between two species—humans versus monsters. Monsters sought to wipe out humanity, and humanity sought to destroy the monsters. Inflicting maximum anger and loss upon the enemy was a positive outcome.
Whoosh!
Luo Feng instantly shot toward the elevator shaft at top speed, while the massive Beast Generals pouring in gave immediate chase. Luo Feng had jammed the elevator doors earlier, allowing him to slip inside instantly.
“Escape!” Luo Feng immediately prepared to shoot upward.
Rumble, rumble…
Luo Feng felt the entire supermarket threaten to collapse. Then, with a loud bang, the elevator shaft exploded outward. Several Beast Generals almost simultaneously slammed into the shaft from both inside and outside the structure. Monsters from the second, third, and fourth floors also converged instantly.
“This is bad,” Luo Feng stomped off the wall, moving like a lightning bolt, arcing diagonally out of the elevator shaft toward the open sky!
If he could just reach the higher altitudes, he could escape!
But just as Luo Feng burst out, scores of Beast Generals leaped from the surrounding horde. The common Beast Soldier level monsters barely moved, but every single Elementary Beast General monster leaped out from various positions across the swarm… The Beast General squad was composed, at minimum, of Mid-Tier Generals.
And a larger number of Elementary Beast Generals, scattered throughout the main beast horde, were all charging in! They were normally responsible for keeping the main group organized.
Now—
All the Elementary Beast Generals rushed him!
With this leap, they achieved a height of roughly ten meters, and some monsters from the upper floors even reached the rooftop to leap down, almost completely blocking the space above Luo Feng.
Sky! Ground!
Completely surrounded!
Rumble, rumble… The Ironclad Dragon, moving at speeds far exceeding the sound barrier, propagated its furious charge faster than the sound of its roar! Leaving a blurred phantom in its wake and a trail of devastation on the ground, it plunged into the smoky zone. In mere seconds, this enraged, red-eyed Ironclad Dragon would reach the Carrefour supermarket.