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"Beep! Data self-destruction progress: 70%!"

The mechanical roar continued. Li Haotian landed steadily. Golden-red flames exploded beneath his feet. Lin Mo, in his arms, held him tightly.

This is a huge circular space. A gigantic fleshy ball floats in the center. Purple veins pulsate on the surface of the ball, resembling a giant heart.

The surrounding area was densely packed with control panels. Several researchers were still operating them, their faces filled with fanaticism. "You're too late!" Han Dehai's voice came from inside the fleshy sphere. A crack appeared on the surface of the sphere, revealing his face. His pupils turned an eerie purple.

"Our 'Mother Body' is about to fully awaken!" Han Dehai's face twisted, emitting a shrill laugh. "Li Haotian, you ruined my life's work. I'll let you witness firsthand how the Mother Body is reborn!"

A researcher slammed down a red button. "Self-destruct program, full speed ahead!" a mechanical voice boomed instantly. "Beep! Beep! Beep! Data self-destruction progress, 90%!"

At the control panel, several researchers frantically pulled levers. Outside the massive fleshy mass, a semi-transparent purple energy shield instantly lit up, its surface crackling with electrical arcs.

At the same time, the ground around the fleshy ball suddenly cracked open. Dozens of metal hatches flew off, and all sorts of bizarre creatures rushed out. They were covered in tentacles, had menacing fangs, and their eyes glowed with an eerie green light. They roared and pounced on Li Haotian.

Lin Mo turned pale with fright at the sight of these monsters. She clung tightly to Li Haotian's waist. Li Haotian shielded her behind him, brandishing his bronze dagger. Golden-red flames instantly transformed into a wall of fire, engulfing the charging bio-beasts.

The monsters came into contact with the flames and immediately screamed in agony. Their skin blistered, and their bodies rapidly carbonized. A pungent, burnt smell filled the air. "That smell is really strong," Lin Mo said, wrinkling his nose.

Li Haotian didn't stop. He threw a punch with his left hand. Golden-red flames formed a spiraling gust of wind, instantly shattering a group of monsters. Fragments of flesh splattered onto the energy shield, making a sizzling sound. "These are just small fry," Li Haotian said into his headset.

"Su Wan, how strong is this energy shield?" Su Wan's voice was slightly breathless: "The shield's energy level is very high. It should be able to withstand a conventional missile attack. I'm trying to interfere from the outside. It'll take a while!"

Li Haotian tried to slash at the shield with his dagger. Flames exploded where he touched it, only causing ripples in the shield. Han Dehai's face swayed on the fleshy mass. His voice was smug: "Useless! Even I can't break this shield! You can only watch helplessly as it happens!"

Lin Mo suddenly extended her right hand from behind Li Haotian. Several tiny purple arcs of electricity appeared from her fingertips. These arcs seemed alive. With a crackling sound, they instantly wrapped around the energy shield.

The protective shield, which even Li Haotian's Golden Crow True Blood couldn't shake, trembled violently upon being touched by the purple electric arc. The electric arc seemed to be sucked into a vortex on the shield's surface, emitting a piercing crackling sound.

In an instant, a gap the size of a basketball was torn open in the shield. Purple arcs of electricity crackled wildly at the edge of the gap. The energy shield's protection had been easily breached by Lin Mo.

Lin Mo's face was somewhat pale. She breathed softly. "It smells so good in here..." she whispered. Her gaze was fixed on the inside of the opening.

Li Haotian's eyes lit up. He knew. Lin Mo's instinctive reaction was more accurate than any instrument. He looked through the opening. The interior of the huge fleshy ball was not empty.

A creature, about a meter tall, completely smooth, and covered in purple stripes, was curled up in the center of a ball of flesh. Its body resembled that of an infant, yet possessed the proportions of an adult.

Hundreds of thick, purple conduits connected to the surrounding area. The other ends of these conduits all led to the surface of the fleshy sphere. Han Dehai's distorted face was projected onto the sphere's wall. His consciousness fluctuated, flowing through the conduits, inextricably linked to this "little mother body."

The fleshy mass throbbed violently. With each pulse, the "little mother's" body grew larger. Energy was being absorbed by it continuously. "Beep! Data self-destruction progress. Ninety-nine percent!" The mechanical voice was almost frantic.

Li Haotian's eyes turned cold. He understood. This Han Dehai actually wanted to use the self-destruct program to merge his consciousness with the "Matrix" and complete some kind of mutation. He stepped into the gap.

He ignored the tangled purple tubes. His right hand shot out like lightning, piercing through the dense network of tubes, and grabbed Han Dehai's face from the surface of the fleshy mass. His face instantly contorted in pain.

Han Dehai let out a horrific scream. "Stop! You madman!" Li Haotian's palm erupted with golden-red flames that instantly surged. The flames, like a persistent, invasive infection, seeped directly into the flesh, beginning to burn Han Dehai's consciousness.

"Your stuff. I have no interest." Li Haotian's voice was icy. "But you dare touch my stuff?" The golden flames on his hand intensified. Han Dehai's face began to blur.

Han Dehai's face trembled violently in the flames, emitting inhuman screams. His expression contorted, then, like a melting candle, he vanished rapidly. A foul, acrid smell of burning protein filled the air.

The "little mother" inside the fleshy ball suddenly froze as Han Dehai's consciousness dissipated. Energy absorption ceased instantly. It seemed to sense something and emitted a fragile, mournful cry, its voice carrying a certain childlike innocence.

Li Haotian ignored it. He knew the self-destruct countdown had ended. "Beep! Self-destruct procedure. Complete!" the mechanical voice hoarsely announced.

With the final command, a deafening roar erupted from the core area of ​​the circular laboratory. The alloy floor beneath our feet began to tremble violently. Countless runes lit up on the walls, then quickly dimmed.

The walls began to crack. Debris rained down. "Dazhu! Run!" Lin Mo cried out in terror. Li Haotian picked up Lin Mo. A burst of golden-red light erupted from his body.

He was like a shooting star, crashing through the alloy ceiling above them and carrying Lin Mo out of the collapsing laboratory. Explosions followed one after another behind them.

The entire teaching building was shaking violently. Glass shattered. Steel bars twisted. Black smoke and flames erupted from the ground, forming an eerie purple cloud above Tunghai University.

They burst from the ground. All around them were the ruins of partially collapsed school buildings. The air was thick with dust and the smell of burning. Li Haotian gazed at the distant sky, now tinged with purple.

"Now, things are even more turbulent at the university," Li Haotian said softly. He tightened his embrace around Lin Mo. Lin Mo buried her face in his chest, her body trembling slightly. But her gaze kept drifting towards the depths of that purple cloud. Something there seemed to be calling out silently.