Digimon: I really didn't want to be the Digimon Emperor!

The once majestic guardian beast now lies on a specially made hospital bed, with 90% of its armor removed, and black patterns crawling across its exposed mechanical structure.

The most shocking part was the right shoulder area—the entire right arm and half of the chest had disappeared, and black oily substances kept seeping from the tear, dripping onto the collection dish and making a "sizzling" corrosion sound.

“The wounds left by the demonic beasts, wounds of dark energy,” Zhao Zheng’s voice was hoarse. “Every time a part is replaced, it gets infected immediately. The dark gears have already corroded to the edge of the digital core…”

“Uncle Guardian Beast!” Zhao Lu’s hands trembled as she stroked its armor. Seeing the Guardian Beast that had accompanied her as she grew up hanging by a thread, tears welled up in Zhao Lu’s eyes.

Cheng Yuan stared at the writhing black matter, a chill running down his spine: "Is this the power of ink?"

“Go ahead, try using the divine energy,” Xu Xin said to Cheng Yuan.

The puppy beast walked to the side of the guardian beast, and following the method Xu Xin had taught it before, its little paws were gradually enveloped in a layer of soft, sacred white energy, looking like a pair of glowing little gloves.

It leaped lightly and landed on the guardian beast.

"That's it. Try to remove the Dark Gear, but be careful not to damage the Digital Core!"

The little dog beast's white-glowing paws, like a precise scalpel, gently inserted into the center of the black oil, carrying sacred energy as they entered the gears of the guardian beast's internal mechanism. However, when the holy light touched the dark gears, the surging sacred energy was like mud entering the ocean, without any reaction.

Suddenly, a burst of black oil surged back, nearly entangled the little dog's front paws.

"Retreat!" Xu Xin grabbed the little dog beast and shook his head: "The energy level difference is too great. This is semi-complete level dark energy. The little dog beast's current divine level is not high enough."

"Bang!" Zhao Zheng's fist slammed into the wall, blood seeping from his knuckles.

Just as Zhao Zheng was about to say something, a piercing alarm suddenly blared. An urgent report came through the communicator: "Captain, the 38 Gear Beasts from the Security Bureau have started rioting again."

“Demmon has started calling Dark Gearmon again.” Xu Xin’s face darkened. “Cheng Yuan, Guardianmon can’t handle it, so the other Gearmon are yours.”

But those are 38 Gearmon… Cheng Yuan and Puppymon exchanged a glance. Looking at Puppymon's exhausted appearance, Cheng Yuan said with heartache, “Puppymon, I know you're tired, this is hard, but the Gear Crisis of Devilmon has arrived. We all have the responsibility to protect our families and our homes. With great power comes great responsibility. Although I am just a human, all I can say to you is to hold on and persevere. But I will always be with you. I will buy you some Sacred Data Snacks. Can you hold on a little longer?”

In fact, Puppymon was about to collapse. It had already exhausted most of its divine energy by trying to remove the Dark Gear from the half-complete Devilmon. It still had to treat dozens of other monsters. Could the little Puppymon withstand such a burden?

"Cheng Yuan, I'll listen to you, woof." The little dog took a deep breath and nodded resolutely.

“Why are you filming an inspirational drama?” Xu Xin interrupted. “Why are you buying such expensive snacks? It’s such a huge expense. The Public Security Bureau would be embarrassed if they didn’t reimburse you.”

“Of course, of course…” Zhao Zheng said hurriedly, “The Security Bureau will reimburse all expenses.”

“Go for it. Using and outputting this way to the extreme, and then absorbing and compressing the divine data energy, is more effective than ordinary training.” Xu Xin patted Cheng Yuan on the shoulder: “Besides, the Public Security Bureau is an official agency. You don’t usually have access to such good things.”

"What good stuff?" Cheng Yuan asked, puzzled.

At this moment, Zhao Zheng directly called the finance department: "Hello, finance department, this is Zhao Zheng! Immediately allocate all the sacred data crystals and send them to the medical department, yes, all of them!"

"Sacred crystals? The entire stockpile?" Cheng Yuan's eyes widened, and the little dog beast perked up its ears, its tail wagging involuntarily. It was nothing like the dying creature it had been just moments before.

"The Public Security Bureau has stored sacred crystals worth 1.5 million, which were seized in a previous crackdown on smuggling. They will be used for now, and I will submit a report later."

"One and a half million! System, can this be counted as wealth points? Calling the system! System!" Cheng Yuan almost bit his tongue; this number was beyond his expectations. One and a half million wealth points was enough to raise the attributes of the little dog beast by several levels.

"Ding, because the resource is owned by the Public Security Bureau, the host cannot sell or resell it, and it cannot generate wealth value."

Everyone was stunned to see Cheng Yuan's initially excited expression suddenly turn into a cold shower. His rapid change of expression left everyone speechless, wondering what he was thinking.

Zhao Zhengxin understood and said, "If you can solve the problem of the Gear Beasts here, I can leave the rest to you. Report to me and I'll figure out a solution."

Cheng Yuan immediately recovered fully, and with high spirits, he lifted the little beast: "Mission accomplished!"

Xu Xin smiled, glanced at the watch on his wrist, and then said, "The association has tracked down the demon beast. I'm going to hunt it down."

The medical staff of the Public Security Bureau brought up a holographic projection to display the underground floor plan of the Public Security Bureau.

"All thirty-eight infected Digimon have been isolated, including 31 Gearmon and 7 other growth-stage Digimon. We have categorized the infected into three levels based on the severity of the infection..."

Cheng Yuan followed Zhao Zheng and the staff to the third basement level. The moment the elevator doors opened, Cheng Yuan was stunned by the scene before him.

The entire underground level was converted into a temporary isolation area, with dozens of restraint beds neatly arranged, each bed with an infected gear beast bound to it.

The air was filled with the smell of rusty metal, and the clicking and groaning of the gear beasts echoed throughout, sending chills down one's spine.

Perhaps summoned by the dark gears of the demon beasts, they no longer obeyed the commands of the nearby security tamer and struggled incessantly on the restraint bed.

Chapter 68 Sacred Purification

“Let’s start with the Digimon with mild infections.” The female expert turned around and pointed to the first row of restraint beds. “These have only recently been infected and should be easier to handle.”

Cheng Yuan crouched down to be at eye level with the little dog: "Remember our previous method, but be more careful this time. Stop immediately if you run out of energy."

The little dog nodded solemnly, its paws gleaming with a pure white light. This time, the light was more solid than before, like liquid light flowing around its paw tips.

On the first restraint bed, a geared beast was struggling wildly. Black spots had appeared on its silver shell, and its core gears were still whirring, but its movements were clearly chaotic.

When it saw someone approaching, it twisted even more violently, and the restraints creaked as they were stretched.

“We need to get it under control first.” Cheng Yuan looked around. “Is there anyone who can help?”

The sheriffs present exchanged bewildered glances. Their Gearmon possessed the ability to use electric shock devices, but it also had a natural resistance to them.

"Is that so?" Cheng Yuan thought for a moment, then called Zhao Lu over. "Let Gear Beast X come over."

Zhao Lu asked, "But my Gear Beast X is also an electric shock device."

Cheng Yuan laughed and said, "Isn't yours an ultra-high voltage electric shock device? As long as the power is large enough, there's nothing it can't paralyze."

The main focus is on inflicting paralysis with a powerful attack.

Upon hearing this, the other sheriffs involuntarily took a half step back. Extremely high pressure? These two were too ruthless.

The junior sheriff, accompanied by the first Gearmon, curiously observed Gearmon X's unusual form, but their strict discipline prevented them from asking any further questions.

Gearmon X charged up its three gears simultaneously, and a blinding arc of electricity flashed. The infected Gearmon immediately convulsed, short-circuited, and mosquito coils appeared in its eyes, temporarily losing its ability to move.

"Short circuits are a minor problem; we need to deal with the dark gears first." Cheng Yuan indicated that we could begin.

The puppies' claws emitted an even stronger holy light, and liquid-like streams of light slowly seeped into the core of the gear beast.

Cheng Yuan held his breath, watching the divine energy flow along the teeth, causing the black spots to fade away wherever it passed.

Compared to its initial awkwardness, the little dog beast now wields divine energy with ease.

With a soft sound, a tiny dark gear was completely removed and vanished into black smoke in the holy light.

"Success!" the young researcher exclaimed. The Gear Beast, now fully conscious, emitted a cheerful hum, and its shell regained its silvery metallic sheen.

Then it was sent for repair due to a short circuit.

Over the next half hour, Puppymon purified three adult Digimon in succession. However, Cheng Yuan noticed that as the purification progressed, Puppymon's movements became noticeably slower, and the light emanating from its body also weakened.

"It needs to rest." Cheng Yuan picked up his partner with heartache and found that the little guy's fur was soaked with sweat.

Just then, the elevator doors opened again. A staff member pushed in a trolley full of golden data crystals, which emitted a warm glow in the dim light.

The little dog's eyes lit up instantly, and it squirmed restlessly in Cheng Yuan's arms.

"Don't rush." ​​Cheng Yuan chuckled, pressing it down and turning to Zhao Zheng. "I plan to use this crystal..."

"Use them freely." Zhao Zheng waved his hand. "Since we've already applied, as long as we control this infection, it doesn't matter if we use them all up."

No... whatever's left is mine...it's all potential wealth.

Once given permission, the little dog immediately pounced on the pile of crystals and began munching on them like cookies.

As the crystal was swallowed, its radiance recovered at a visible speed, even becoming brighter than before.

"The effect is so good?" Cheng Yuan checked the data of the Digivice in surprise and found that the sacred energy storage of the Puppy Beast was rapidly recovering.

"Woof!" The little dog burped contentedly, and the energy released by the Sacred Ring became even more concentrated. It couldn't wait to rush to the next batch of infected, eager to consume its energy so it could continue to "eat more."

These sacred crystals were not immediately digested, but temporarily stored within the body. Consuming them during the purification process both expands the capacity for sacred energy and hones the ability to control it.

The purification process proceeded smoothly. After treating every five Digimon, the puppy would replenish its Sacred Crystals. Cheng Yuan was surprised to find that as the purification progressed, the little guy's absorption speed and conversion efficiency of the crystals were increasing.

As time went on, more and more Digimon were purified. Before each session, Gearmon X would deliver a high-voltage electric shock, which horrified the sheriffs—they were both amazed by the two Digimon's incredible energy reserves and shocked by their ruthless methods.

The puppy beast's movements became increasingly skillful, and it even developed a new technique—the ability to simultaneously control six holy light bullets to clear away the surrounding dark energy.

As the energy was replenished, the sacred energy around the little dog beast became even purer and more condensed. Although this energy was used to treat its depletion, Cheng Yuan could feel that the sacred energy capacity within the little guy's body was quietly expanding.

“It’s like breaking through a bottleneck,” Cheng Yuan explained to Zhao Lu. “Each time the sacred energy is completely exhausted, it’s a special training session that can help the Digimon achieve a qualitative leap.”

Gearmon X was the same; a high-voltage cable charging station had been installed in the underground warehouse to continuously replenish its power. With ample energy supply, the two Digimon demonstrated astonishing endurance, relying on abundant and reliable sources of both divine crystals and electrical energy.

As darkness fell, and the clock struck seven in the evening, they arrived in front of the last five Digimon.

At this point, the Gear Beasts had stopped struggling—it seemed that Xu Xin and the others had once again successfully interfered with the evolutionary process of the demon beasts.

This is a big problem.

“I’ve already notified your parents.” Zhao Zheng handed them a hot cocoa. “He said you’re assisting the police department with an emergency. Don’t worry about going home.”

Cheng Yuan nodded gratefully, looking somewhat tired. The little dog was also exhausted, its tongue lolling out, but its eyes remained firm.

Just then, Xu Xin, looking travel-worn, returned, his clothes still bearing the marks of battle.

The last five Gear Beasts were the most severely infected, their original appearance no longer recognizable. Their entire bodies were covered in viscous black oil, and the Dark Gears were deeply adhered to the Digital Core. Only the occasional flashes of light proved that they were still "persevering".

"Can these five... still be saved?" Zhao Lu asked softly, unconsciously hugging her Gear Beast tighter.

“Conventional methods won’t work,” the female expert shook her head. “The Dark Gear has become fused with the digital core; forcibly removing it will damage the core…”

After examining the dog closely, it suddenly perked up its ears. It turned to Cheng Yuan and began to whisper among itself.

"What? Using the power of the Shadow Sphere?" Cheng Yuan asked in surprise. "How did you come up with this method?"

The little dog shook its head, pointing its paw at its head: "It's as if... a voice is telling me that this method will work."

"A sound?" Cheng Yuan's heart tightened. "Wasn't the Dark Gear already cleared away? What... what is this sound?"

Chapter 69 The Ultimate Form of the Guardian Beast

“The Dark Gears have clearly been cleared away, so what’s with this mysterious sound?” Cheng Yuan frowned, but now was not the time to investigate further.

“This is the only way, no matter what.” He turned to the five sheriffs and animal trainers. “Regular purification methods have failed, but we’ve come up with a special method that might bring about some unforeseen changes…”

"Could things get any worse than they are now?" Zhao Zheng smiled bitterly.

The five animal trainers exchanged glances and said in unison, "We accept whatever the outcome."

"Okay, little beast!"

A resolute glint flashed in the little dog's eyes, and a dark gray light gathered at the tips of its claws, a power completely different from divine energy flowing around its body.

"Dark energy!" exclaimed the female expert named Wang Shu. "It can actually manipulate two opposing types of energy simultaneously..."

The surgery has begun.

The shadow energy transformed into the most precise scalpel, each cut precisely into the point where the dark gears and the digital core were stuck. Even more astonishingly, the puppy beast was able to fill the gaps in the digital core with its own stable shadow data, forming new energy circuits.

“This…this is unbelievable…” Expert Wang Shunu’s voice trembled so much it was almost inaudible. She stared intently at the fluctuating data curves on the monitor. “It’s gradually replacing those violent dark data with stable shadow energy…Although these two energies originate from the same source, their properties are completely different…”

She excitedly turned to her colleagues: "Look! The dark energy within the puppy's body exhibits an unusual stability, which I'll call 'Shadow Energy.' This energy retains the characteristics of darkness without triggering data rage. Good heavens, what kind of Digimon is this? It can perfectly balance the two opposing forces of divinity and shadow!"

As the last fragment of darkness was replaced, Puppymon suddenly exerted its strength. The sticky black oil on Gearmon's shell quickly dissipated like the receding tide, revealing a brand-new black metallic shell that gleamed coldly under the light.

"The attributes have changed..." Expert Wang Shu took off his glasses and rubbed his red eyes vigorously. "It has transformed from a data species to a virus species, but has completely broken free from the control of the Dark Gears..."

The subsequent treatment proceeded like an assembly line operation. By the time the fifth Gear Beast had completed its transformation, the eastern sky was already turning a pale white, and the first rays of dawn streamed into the laboratory through the window.

Cheng Yuan carefully picked up the exhausted little dog. The little guy curled up in his arms and fell into a deep sleep, a satisfied smile on his lips. Although he had exhausted all his strength, Cheng Yuan knew that this extreme operation would allow its energy capacity and control to achieve a qualitative leap.

Before the remaining sacred crystals could be counted, a burst of hurried footsteps shattered the tranquility of the laboratory. A young researcher rushed in, panting: "Commander Zhao! The guardian beast's vital signs are plummeting!"

Inside the intensive care unit, the oppressive atmosphere was almost solidified.

"At most... we can hold on for another day." Expert Zhou Qin's voice seemed to come from a great distance, each word striking heavily on the surface of the room.

Cheng Yuan looked around, and everyone's face was filled with despair—in the Eastern Kingdom, the scarcity of mature-stage Digimon far exceeded expectations.

"There are only eighteen Digimon registered in Pengcheng, all of them in their growth stage," expert Wang Shu said, pulling up the data. "The only one close to adult, the Kutsubomon, evolved into the wind-type Riftmon two months ago..."

"Divine type evolving into wind type?" A young medical worker couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "This evolution attribute is too erratic, it's just outrageous..."

Zhao Zheng scratched his already messy hair in frustration: "Isn't there a Pegasus in Victoria Harbour City?"

"We've already made contact. They entered a digital space in another province three days ago to carry out a mission, and their whereabouts are still unknown."

Cheng Yuan's heart sank to the bottom. He knew Devilmon's strength—even Pegasusmon would have difficulty contending with it. In his memory, it would take multiple Champion-level monsters plus Angemon to match it, but now…

“Yangon in the West is a gathering place for Digimon of the Holy type.” Expert Wang Shu smiled wryly. “Not only are there angels, but also Holy Beasts… and their cathedral houses Digimon of the Holy type at their Ultimate level.”

“A distant solution can’t quench an immediate fire.” Zhao Zheng slammed his hand on the monitoring device, which emitted a piercing alarm. “The approval process for foreign-related matters alone takes two weeks, not to mention the layers of scrutiny from the International Digital Beast Cross-border Trade Association…”

A deathly silence fell over the room. Cheng Yuan recalled the news from last week—Yangon had just rejected a batch of vaccine-generated Digimon's exit applications, citing "national security" concerns.