The system is four years ahead of schedule, but Weird is still a cub.

It lay quietly on the tray, yet it exuded an indescribable, cold, and obscure aura, causing several guests near the front to instinctively shrink their necks.

"This item is called the 'Shark Helmet'."

The auctioneer's voice carried a hint of seduction as he introduced the details of the Shark Helmet to the crowd: "According to the consignor, it originated from the scene of an extremely unusual marine paranormal event. After professional evaluation by 'Rock' Company, it was confirmed that it possesses rare 'paranormal energy adaptability'! Preliminary tests show that it can distort light to a certain extent, interfere with the perception of low-level paranormal entities, and even... provide one-time energy deflection protection when the wearer is subjected to a fatal paranormal energy impact."

As soon as the auctioneer finished speaking, a suppressed gasp and gasps of shock filled the hall.

Mystic Gear!

Moreover, it is a cybernetic equipment with practical combat protection capabilities!

In this era of constant uncertainty, the value of a piece of magical equipment that can save one's life cannot be measured in money!
This is no longer an ordinary charity auction item; it's a life-saving artifact that can save lives in critical moments and a ticket to a higher level of survival security.

The bidding atmosphere, which had just been somewhat reserved and had a social purpose, vanished instantly, replaced by an almost greedy frenzy and a deep sense of apprehension.

All eyes were fixed on the dark gray shark helmet, and breathing became heavy. The wealthy exchanged glances, their eyes filled with desire, calculation, and naked competition. The faces that had been laughing and joking just moments before were now tense, and the atmosphere became heavy and volatile.

Shen Ge's eyes instantly sharpened like a hawk's. His eerie eyes clearly "saw" that the eerie shark helmet was wrapped with wisps of extremely subtle eerie energy fluctuations, the core frequency of which... had a subtle and unsettling similarity to the "upgraded black mud" parasite that the research center was working hard to analyze.

Cheng Shengnan also sensed the sudden change in Shen Ge's aura beside her, and she asked in a low voice, "Is there a problem?"

Shen Ge nodded slightly, his gaze remaining fixed on the Shark Helmet. At the same time, Xiao Qi completed the energy scan: "Master, we detected a weak energy resonance emanating from the Shark Helmet. The pattern has a 36.8% similarity to the core resonance point of the 'Upgraded Black Mud'. Furthermore... the scan of the Shark Helmet's internal structure is obstructed, indicating the presence of an unknown shielding layer."

The auctioneer seemed quite pleased with the response from the audience. He looked around and announced a staggering starting price: "'Shark Helmet,' starting price—fifty million!"

Fifty million might be an astronomical figure that ordinary people could never reach in several lifetimes, but for these wealthy people, it's just a month's or even a week's expenses.

Given the current bizarre environment, auctioning a piece of bizarre energy equipment that can "save your life" in a critical moment for 50 million is extremely cheap.

"Fifty-five million!" Almost as soon as the words were spoken, a slightly hoarse voice rang out impatiently. It came from a hot-tempered tycoon who made his fortune in mining.

"Sixty million!" Another well-dressed, sinister-looking middle-aged man immediately raised the price.

Bidding was incessant, and prices climbed at an astonishing rate. The wealthy seemed to have forgotten about charity, their eyes only fixed on the Shark helmet that provided a sense of security.

The atmosphere of the venue completely changed, transforming from a glamorous social gathering into a gladiatorial arena filled with desire, greed, and potential danger.

Shen Ge's gaze swept over the scarred, bald captain of "Rock Solid" security, who was standing next to the auction stage. The man had his arms crossed, looking coldly at the crazy bidding below, with a faint, mocking smile on his lips.

"The target... has taken the bait." Shen Ge made a cold judgment in his mind.

The appearance of this eerie shark helmet is no accident; it may well be the poison bait thrown out by the twelve to stir up this "charity" dinner!

The auctioneer's passionate voice still echoed in the hall, and the almost frenzied bidding by the wealthy for the "Shark Helmet" nearly lifted the roof off.

The final astronomical figure was displayed on the screen, belonging to Zhou Hongyu, chairman of Hongyu Group, a real estate giant in Fuzhou.

He stood up triumphantly, and amidst a chorus of envious and jealous glances, nodded slightly to those around him.

However, Shen Ge's attention was no longer on the priceless magical helmet. Just as Zhou Hongyu bid for the helmet, and all eyes were on him, Shen Ge keenly noticed that the figure who had been standing like a rock on the side of the auction stage—the scarred, bald captain of Rock Security—was gone!

He disappeared abruptly and silently, as if a drop of water had been dissolved into a boiling oil pan and vanished without a trace.

Even with Shen Ge's heightened senses, he only realized what was happening the moment the other person's figure blurred.

trap!

Shen Ge's alarm bells went off instantly.

"Shengnan, you stay here and don't leave the private room. Stay alert." Shen Ge's voice was low and urgent, brooking no argument.

He quickly issued instructions to Yang Yuxin's team via encrypted communication channel: "Xiao Yang, target 'Captain Pan Shi' has disappeared. Immediately locate his last known position and search the entire club. Focus on key areas: the backstage area, the server room, fire exits, and all non-public areas. He is very likely a key figure."

"Roger that, Captain Shen!"

Yang Yuxin responded immediately in a crisp voice: "Team One, Team Two, proceed according to the plan, conduct cross-searches, and remain concealed."

"Zhang Hu, Zhao Long, strengthen perimeter surveillance. Pay attention to any abnormal energy fluctuations and suspicious personnel leaving the area, especially those carrying large items," Shen Ge continued to deploy.

"understand!"

Shen Ge was so surprised for two reasons: first, the other party had "disappeared" right under his nose; second, when he entered the club, Xiao Qi had already completed the Blood Spider's deployment, and the Blood Spider's feedback also showed no trace of the bald captain.

The bald captain seemed to have vanished into thin air, a situation strikingly similar to Camille's "disappearance" at the Australian branch of the international anti-terrorist organization.

Shen Ge stood up, his movements swift yet composed. He reiterated to Cheng Shengnan, who was casting questioning glances at him because of his sudden rise, "Stay in the private room and wait for my message. No matter what happens outside, prioritize your own safety. If necessary, Xiao Yang's men will come to your aid."

Cheng Shengnan sensed the seriousness of the situation from his eyes, nodded vigorously, her palms slightly sweaty, but her gaze firm.

Just then, a blood spider crawled out from Shen Ge's trouser leg, eventually landing on Cheng Shengnan's boot and merging into a small red dot. Shen Ge's figure, like a ghost disappearing into the shadows, silently left the noisy VIP room. He didn't head towards the chaotic auction hall, but instead turned directly into the staff passage leading to the backstage area.

The lighting in the corridor was dim, and the air was filled with the smells of cleaning agents and food preparation.

Xiao Qi activated the Red Mist Armor's Deep Energy Scanning Mode. The invisible probe spread like mercury, meticulously examining every inch of space for residual energy traces, subtle airflow disturbances, and any information that might point to the target.

"Master, we have detected a faint residual disturbance in the strange space, pointing towards the deep northwest region. It is suspected to be traces of short-distance teleportation or efficient stealth equipment. The energy characteristics of the disturbance are slightly related to some of the underlying frequencies of the 'Shadow Helmet' from before." Xiao Qi's report rang in Shen Ge's ears.

Deep layers on the northwest side?
Shen Ge quickly recalled the layout diagram of the club in his mind.

In that direction, besides the kitchen and a large cold storage, there's... a backup power room and an area marked "special storage".

Just as Shen Ge was quickly tracking the trail, his miniature communicator suddenly received a hurried report from Yang Yuxin's team members in the auction hall, sounding somewhat alarmed: "Team Leader Shen! Team Leader Yang! Something's happened at the auction! The final item... they... they actually brought up a cage! Inside... inside is a live monster! A low-level monster cat! It's mutating! Its condition is extremely unstable!"

what? !

Even with Yang Yuxin's unwavering resolve, a chill ran down her spine. Auctioning live animals? This was bizarre! These people had completely lost their minds! This went far beyond mere "greed"; it was tantamount to actively embracing destruction! This must be a crucial part of the Twelve Branches Plan!
Yang Yuxin immediately roared into the communicator, "Stop them! Evacuate the crowd immediately! Captain Zhang, send men to control the auction platform; that thing is extremely dangerous!"

However, as soon as the command was given, even more chaotic and terrified screams came through the communicator, followed by the ear-piercing noise of shattering glass and twisting metal.

"Roar--!!!"

A roar that was completely unlike any feline, filled with violence, pain, and a twisted madness, instantly drowned out all other sounds in the auction hall and even penetrated the thick walls to reach the passage where Shen Ge was.

"Oh no! Captain Shen! That strange cat... it... it was suddenly enveloped by a black, mud-like thing, and its mutation speed... skyrocketed! Energy reading... fourth rank! No, it's still rising! Approaching the peak of the fourth rank! It broke free of its cage!" The team member's voice was filled with disbelief, shock, and urgency.

Black sludge! Parasites!

Shen Ge instantly understood; this was the Twelve Branches' backup plan. The bald captain's disappearance was likely to activate or release this "upgraded black mud" parasite, targeting the monstrous cat used as bait and catalyst. They intended to create a bloody chaos in full view of everyone, sacrificing the lives of all the celebrities present to achieve a more terrifying goal.

The auction hall had now become a veritable foyer of hell, with the once elegant guests now swarming like frightened sheep, screaming and pushing their way toward the exit.

The ornate tables and chairs were overturned, expensive wines were spilled all over the floor, and the crystal chandelier swayed wildly under the violent energy fluctuations, with light and shadow dancing wildly.

On the auction stage, the strange cat that was originally locked in a specially made alloy cage is now unrecognizable.

A viscous, wriggling, ominous black sludge-like substance tightly wrapped around it like a living thing, frantically penetrating and merging into it.

The cat's body visibly swelled and twisted, its bones emitting chilling cracking sounds, its fur torn apart to reveal the rapidly proliferating, deformed muscles covered in black slime.

Its head was elongated, its fangs protruded, and tentacles made of pure black sludge, with suckers or bone spurs at the ends, burst out from its deformed body, lashing wildly at everything around it.

"Bang! Boom!"

The alloy cage was torn apart like paper, and a violent shockwave of supernatural energy swept out, violently sending the nearest auctioneer and several "Rock" security personnel flying, crashing into the wall, their fates unknown.

The terrifying pressure of the fifth-order power was like a tangible tsunami, instantly engulfing the entire hall, making the fleeing ordinary people feel breathless, their legs weak, and a sense of despair spreading wildly.

The remaining members of the "Rock" security team attempted to organize a resistance. Their specially made magical firearms spewed fire, and the energy bullets hit the mutated cats, but only caused insignificant ripples on the writhing black sludge, which were even absorbed by the cats.

A thick, black tentacle shot out with lightning speed, severing two security guards in half at the waist. Blood and entrails splattered onto the clean floor, creating an extremely gruesome scene.

"Damn it! Attack failed!"

"Retreat! Protect the employer's retreat!" Rock Security's formation collapsed instantly.

In the chaos, Zhou Hongyu, who had just won the "Shark Helmet" and hadn't even had time to savor his victory, was shoved to the ground by the panicked crowd, and the billion-dollar helmet flew out of his hand. He looked in horror at the mutated, monster-like cat, a tentacle covered in suckers that was coiling towards him.

At this critical moment!
A figure rushed forward and stood in front of Zhou Hongyu. An invisible force field suddenly expanded from that person, covering an area of ​​several meters around him.

Within the force field, the air seemed to undergo subtle distortions and oscillations.

The moment the black tentacle coiled towards Zhou Hongyu made contact with the invisible force field, the black sludge covering its surface suddenly rippled violently, like water rippled by a stone thrown in. The previously perfectly restrained eerie energy fluctuations instantly became chaotic and leaked out. The tentacle's movements stiffened and went out of control for a moment, grazing Zhou Hongyu's scalp before slamming heavily onto the floor beside him, creating a deep crater.

Zhou Hongyu was terrified and scrambled backward to hide. Still shaken, he looked at the figure blocking his way, which was none other than Yang Yuxin, a senior anti-espionage agent from the Rong City Special Operations Unit.

The special wristwatch on her wrist, which shimmered with a faint blue light, was a portable "ghost energy resonance interference generator" hastily produced by the Special Operations Department's Engineering Division.

At a critical moment, the research results from Li Xiang's team played a life-saving role, as they interfered with the core resonance point that allowed the "upgraded black mud" to maintain its perfect mimicry and energy restraint.

"efficient!"

Yang Yuxin's calm voice came through the communication channel, "Attention all groups, the 'Strange Energy Resonance Jammer' has been confirmed to be effective against the target parasite. Prioritize protecting the survivors, establish a jamming field, attempt to isolate the target, and proceed according to plan!"

Although this charity auction was not reported to the Special Operations Department, the attendees were all prominent figures in Rong City, holding the reins of the city's economy. The Special Operations Department soldiers naturally couldn't just stand by and watch them die. (End of Chapter)