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

The piercing air raid sirens and city broadcasts sounded simultaneously, and the official announcement, under the guise of a "multi-department joint counter-terrorism and disaster prevention drill," reassured citizens and urged them to stay home to avoid danger.

But the flashing police lights, the roaring armored vehicle convoy, and the low-flying armed helicopters all indicated the seriousness of the situation.

A complete and inescapable net was instantly cast at Deng Yuqi's command.

In the southwest, above the No. 3 and No. 7 airspace corridors, several specially designed high-speed armed helicopters hovered like steel falcons. Below their fuselages were not missiles, but cylindrical devices flashing with complex runes—the core nodes of the "Skynet" cyber jamming array.

As Lin Yin's cold command was issued through the encrypted channel, these devices simultaneously lit up with a blinding blue light.

An invisible, powerful field of supernatural energy interference, covering several kilometers of airspace, instantly formed. The air seemed to thicken, and any attempt to perform spatial jumps, high-speed energy movement, or large-scale supernatural energy release would be strongly suppressed and interfered with, as if turning the sky into a swamp.

Lin Yin herself did not take off; she stood on the command platform atop the Special Operations Department building, her heavy exoskeleton "Pan Shi" emitting a low hum.

On her helmet visor, a complex tactical interface was rapidly updating, integrating real-time coordinates shared by Xiaoqi, the strange energy fluctuation map fed back by Tu Doupi's detection network, and the airspace situation.

Her voice was as steady as a rock, precisely adjusting the suppression range and intensity of "Skynet" to ensure that the black raven shadow remained at the core of the strongest interference.

In the core area of ​​the southwest urban area, the second action team led by Feng Chengxiu is arriving at the designated location as ordered.

"Quickly! Clear B3 and B4 areas within three minutes! Set up roadblocks; no vehicles other than those from the Special Operations Department are allowed to enter!" Feng Chengxiu's voice echoed through the noisy street via loudspeaker.

He himself was not wearing heavy equipment, but rather a light silver-gray tight-fitting combat suit, with a strangely shaped bracelet on his wrist that looked like a multifaceted crystal – the "Cyborg Track Detector".

The bracelet continuously projects pale green holographic light, weaving a net on the ground and in the air, displaying in real time all traces of supernatural energy above the threshold in the area, providing precise guidance for subsequent tracking and containment.

Police armored vehicles worked in close coordination to quickly block off intersections and guide evacuated citizens to leave in an orderly manner.

The special forces soldiers, wearing exoskeletons, set up large-caliber pyrokinetic binding cannons and shockwave emitters using buildings and temporary shelters. The cannons pointed coldly at the sky, forming steel defense lines to prevent targets from landing or causing large-scale destruction.

In the underground command center, Tu Doupi's eyes were almost glued to the huge main screen, his fingers moving like afterimages on the virtual keyboard.

Behind him, the "Abyss Eye" eerie energy detection array, a giant eerie energy detection device made of fifth-order eerie flesh and bones, was operating at full power.

"Target altitude 3300 meters, speed maintained at Mach 1.5, trajectory slightly adjusted, deflection angle 7 degrees. The peak value of the eerie energy fluctuation is stable, but the frequency of form transformation is decreasing, suspected to be suppressed by 'Skynet'!" Tu Doupi reported the feedback from the eerie energy detection equipment at an extremely fast pace.

"Xiao Qi's secondary armor is 1.2 kilometers away from the target, and its speed is much lower than the target. The opponent is widening the distance. Group 3, prepare to provide backup."

His detection network was like an invisible giant net over Rong City, precisely capturing every abnormal ripple of strange energy. It not only locked onto Ya and Xiao Qi, but also vigilantly scanned the surrounding airspace to guard against possible rendezvous or ambush.

Any unidentified flying object or unusual energy source that attempts to approach this airspace will not escape the gaze of the "Eye of the Abyss".

Meanwhile, Yang Yuxin's mobile squad sped through the buildings like arrows released from a bow, piloting specially designed anti-gravity energy assault boats.

She stood at the bow of the boat, the wind whipping her short hair, her eyes sharp as an eagle's.

In her hand she held a sleekly designed long spear with a barrel that gleamed with a dark red light like lava—"The Phantom Tracker".

This gun is not a direct-attack weapon, but a powerful tracking device.

It can ignore complex environmental interference and accurately lock onto and continuously track the unique thermal energy characteristics and eerie magnetic field fluctuations emitted by the target.

The multiple lenses on the gun body constantly adjusted their focus, and the crosshairs were firmly fixed on the fast-moving black dot of light in the night sky.

"Target core heat source locked, trajectory prediction data has been synchronized with Team Leader Lin and Xiao Qi." Yang Yuxin's voice carried a hint of excitement. She was ready to launch a deadly attack or interception the moment the target was slowed down or attempted to change its trajectory.

In a corner of the command center, Cheng Shengnan and several cadres from the Information Department, including Zhang Quan and Luo Jin, were standing in front of the control console, with multiple screens in front of them displaying a rapidly scrolling stream of data.

"Online public opinion monitoring is normal. The keyword coverage rate of 'exercise' reached 98%, and no large-scale panic statements were found. The activity of encrypted channels has increased... Mark the targets 'Dark Web Node 17' and 'Encrypted Forum Raven's Nest', and initiate information interference and reverse tracking!"

"Police report: The ground cordon has been completed as planned, and the evacuation efficiency is 95%!"

"The air traffic control center has confirmed that the southwestern airspace is now clear, and all civil aviation routes have been rerouted or canceled!"

Cheng Shengnan's instructions were clear and efficient, like a precise clock, ensuring that this unprecedented operation proceeded simultaneously in the physical and information worlds, leaving no blind spots.

At the same time, she closely monitored all communications of the members of Chen Su's task force to prevent any possible interference or leaks.

Just as Xiaoqi's secondary armor, relying on its super speed and ability to ignore the "Skynet" suppression, closed the distance to "Crow" to less than 800 meters, a sudden change occurred.

Below, on the southwestern edge of the city, a terrifying surge of strange energy suddenly erupted from an abandoned industrial area. In addition to the strongest surge being above the fifth level and still rising, relatively weaker surges of strange energy were also continuously detected.

"Alert! High-intensity ghost energy burst detected! Coordinates: Southwest Industrial Zone D7! Quantity: Unknown! Ghost energy characteristics... Suspected monster!" Tu Doupi, who was in charge of monitoring ghost energy throughout the city using ghost energy monitoring equipment, noticed the anomaly and immediately alerted everyone through an encrypted channel.

Before Tu Doupi could finish speaking, the eerie energy detection equipment "Abyss Eye" detected several more powerful eerie energy fluctuations appearing around the city.

Deng Yuqi frowned deeply as she looked at the virtual city map projected on the screen. Her expression was grave as she said, "Suspected monsters? With this many... I think it's highly likely that the Twelve Branches have sent reinforcements. Captain Tu, retrieve the real-time locations of several points of strange energy fluctuations and arrange for the nearest captain to lead a team to provide support."

"Roger that!"

After Tu Doupi completed the coordinate sharing, the nearby captain-level anti-terrorist agents immediately led their teams to intercept these strange people before they entered the city.

"This road is blocked." With a roar, a heavy hammer flew into the sky, accurately striking down the miniature Red Mist Armor. A bald, super-strong man, comparable to Schwarzenegger, emerged from the shadows, twisted his neck, and then ripped off his T-shirt with a rip.

On his chest, a fleshy heart, at least the size of a basketball, was exposed, thumping loudly. Black blood vessels extending from the fleshy heart wrapped around his body like cables.

"Pah, I thought we'd caught a big shot, but it turns out to be just Shen Ge's little follower. How boring." The burly man looked at Xiao Qi, who had reformed into human form after landing and was still multiplying blood spiders and expanding his body, and said disdainfully.

"I've been looked at completely," Xiao Qi complained, and began scanning the burly man.

Strange energy level: Tier 6!
With such powerful supernatural abilities, he is most likely a "cadre-level" monster among the twelve zodiac signs.

"But I've heard that Shen Ge's toys are quite interesting. If we capture you and take you back, you should be able to complete this rank-keeping assessment, right?" The burly man twisted his neck, took a step forward, and the next second, the veins wrapped around his body suddenly swelled to the thickness of an adult's arm, looking from a distance like tires wrapped around his body.

Puff puff--

With a series of throbbing sounds as blood vessels burst, the burly man grew taller at a visible speed, eventually reaching a height of nearly five meters. His skin was covered with thick, bluish-black keratin, like a rock armor.

His head also grew larger, and something resembling bull horns grew on the top of his head. The fleshy tumors on both sides of his neck burst open, growing out two bloody, mutated bull heads.

He picked up the giant warhammer that had smashed Xiaoqi down from the sky and slammed it to the ground. The shockwave alone caused the wall of the factory building next to him to collapse.

"Oh, it's a cow." The body of the secondary armor controlled by Xiaoqi was slowly growing, from a miniature size that was half a person's height to about 1.7 meters.

However, the secondary armor was a "human form" formed from a mixture of flesh and blood, without skin or face. Standing next to the minotaur in front of him, it was really hard to tell who the monster was.

Meanwhile, Feng Chengxiu and his team, who were rushing to another location to provide support, also encountered a strange person who looked like a sheep but wasn't, and a group of bizarre creatures with sheep heads, dog bodies, and rotting flesh all over their bodies.

The strange creature, which resembled a sheep but was not quite, was relatively slender, but it was extremely fast, like a ghost. In one fell swoop, it caught Feng Chengxiu off guard and almost dislocated one of his hands.

The goat-like monster was shrouded in a pale, distorting mist, within which countless wailing, vengeful faces could be vaguely seen, much like the kind of soul-like creature the driver of the ghost car had described.

Her arms transformed into two curved, gleaming, eerie green scythes, each swing unleashing a cloud of corrosive poison.

The second team to encounter a sixth-order monster was Yang Yuxin. In front of her was a "snake monster" whose lower body had completely transformed into a huge snake tail covered with dark purple scales, while its upper body retained two arms and it held two snake-shaped longswords burning with black flames.

He was surrounded by scorching black flames, and the air around him distorted.

The three snake heads flicked their tongues simultaneously, hissing threateningly, and their vertical pupils were fixed on Yang Yuxin's assault boat, clearly regarding her as the most threatening long-range tracker.

The Ox, the Sheep, and the Snake are three cadres from the twelve earthly branches!

The oddball in the "Ox" position was dealt with by Shen Ge, so this is a "newcomer" who took over. However, the Sheep and Snake are "veterans" who have been around since the Twelve Branches were founded.

The monstrous Ugly Bull possessed immense strength, and Xiao Qi, who controlled the secondary armor, was no match for him. Just as dozens of blood-rotting tentacles bound him, a series of "poof poof poof" sounds rang out. The Ugly Bull had actually managed to break free of the blood-rotting tentacles with sheer brute force.

Although the Crimson Mist Armor is very strong, it is currently only at the fifth tier, and it is no match for a fully-formed sixth-tier monster like Ugly Bull.

Just as they were about to lose track of "Crow" because they were being held back by the Ox, a sudden screech of brakes sounded, and several special vehicles from the Special Operations Department came to an abrupt stop not far away.

A burly figure jumped off the passenger seat of the lead vehicle, raised his right arm, which was clad in exoskeleton armor, and fired a phantom energy projectile at Ugly Bull.

"Little Qi, I'll hold them off here, you go first." After receiving the coordinates shared by Tu Doupi, Lin Yin immediately realized that Little Qi must have encountered an interception, so she rushed over.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Qi tried to use the Blood Spider to condense blood wings and escape again, but Chou Niu rushed forward and slammed his huge wolf head down on Xiao Qi's head: "Did I say you could leave?"

"Click——"

With a piercing metallic clang and a dazzling spark, Lin Yin had already stepped in front of Xiao Qi, her arms, equipped with a supernatural exoskeleton, raised above her head to catch the iron hammer: "Heh. I made it go, you have a problem with that?"

"Look at your bull's head, needless to say, you're the 'Ugly Ox' cadre of the Twelfth Branch, right? The last one was smashed to pieces by our Captain Shen. How come the Twelfth Branch didn't even bother to pick one out? Where did they get such an ugly one to put on top? It truly lives up to the name 'Ugly Ox'." Lin Yin tried to provoke Ugly Ox and get him to focus his attention on her, even using her hometown dialect.

It must be said that her provocation was very effective. The two things that Ugly Ox hates most are being compared to his predecessor, the "Ugly" cadre, and being called ugly.

Lin Yin had broken two taboos; he absolutely could not let the other party leave alive!

"Very well, 'rotten to the core,' huh? I'll show you who'll end up smashed to the core." Ugly Ox kicked Lin Yin in the stomach, and at the same time, with a forceful movement, snatched the iron hammer back.

His iron hammer was made from a fifth-order bizarre bone, which not only releases extremely strong bizarre energy to corrode, but can also automatically repair itself after being damaged.

The ugly ox roared and stomped its foot on the ground. Cracks a meter wide appeared on the ground, from which countless bizarre, insect-shaped creatures crawled out.

In the Special Operations Department's command center, Tu Doupi looked at the captain fighting several strange individuals with a grave expression: "Ox, Sheep, Snake, good heavens, the three generals, right?"

At that moment, Deng Yuqi's voice rang out simultaneously in the encrypted channels of all departments: "All standby team leaders, immediately proceed to the location where the Twelfth Branch Three Cadres appeared to provide support. The coordinates are '***', '***', and '***' in the southwest urban area. Stop them and don't let them enter the urban area!"

"Roger that!"

"Received!" (End of Chapter)