The sudden appearance of a blazing white energy beam instantly annihilated the entire large house.
At this moment, under the brilliant morning sun, where the Lin family's grand house once stood, only a pitch-black, deep crater remained.
Along the edges of the pit, molten orange lava, a result of the intense heat energy, flowed into the crater.
High in the sky, Wei Wu, a Dragon Rider piloting the S-class Dragon Roar Battle Armor, calmly reported the results of the surprise attack plan to the other end of his communicator.
Everything had been too easy; in this world, everyone beneath the Battle Armor was nothing but an ant.
"Heh, those good-for-nothings from the Lu family, their deaths were quite valuable."
After the sneak attack that eliminated his formidable enemy, Wei Wu couldn't help but feel a sense of self-satisfaction.
At the same time, his thoughts drifted back to the previous night.
...
Wei Wu was the mastermind behind the operation to reclaim Dragon Heart City, and it was under his directive that the other families obeyed the Lu family and attacked the Lin family together.
Last night, in addition to Lu Shaofeng ambushing Lin Yue outside the city, the main forces of most of the other families had arrived at the Lin family's grand house under Wei Wu's command.
Under the influence of the Nine Dragons, over the past twenty years, families from all regions had acquired a certain level of Battle Armor and combat exoskeletons.
The former were exclusive to Soul Masters, while the latter were standard weaponry.
During the joint attack by several families last night, the Lin family's defensive forces were broken from the outset.
However, the cautious Wei Wu chose to remain at the rear, even when the situation looked favorable.
His caution proved to be beneficial. When Lin Qing, piloting the initial form of "Azure Firmament," tore through space and appeared, Wei Wu's eyes nearly bulged out in shock.
This reclamation mission was a prize Wei Wu had snatched through his connections.
He knew there was a nascent titled Battle Armor here, but according to the company's calculations, it should not have been fully developed yet.
As per the mission requirements, Wei Wu was supposed to bring back the nascent Battle Armor and all related bloodlines to the company.
Based on the information, the Lin family head, Lin Qing, outwardly possessed only an A-class ordinary Battle Armor.
However, he had never expected to stumble upon such a significant catch!
Gazing at the terrifying Battle Armor that suppressed everyone the moment it appeared, Wei Wu's initial shock gave way to a surge of panic.
A fully developed SS-class titled Battle Armor, and one of the space element at that, was far beyond his ability to handle.
According to protocol, Wei Wu should have immediately abandoned the mission and contacted headquarters to dispatch multiple SS-class Dragon Riders for a forceful suppression.
The moment he saw Lin Qing piloting Azure Firmament, Wei Wu's thoughts were indeed along those lines.
But then, he noticed a detail!
The heads of the various families, piloting their A-class ordinary Battle Armors and leading the charge into the Lin residence, had fled in disarray!
This was impossible! The higher the class of Battle Armor, the more terrifying the disparity.
A truly completed SS-class titled space-element Battle Armor, if it willed it, could instantly erase these ants from existence.
Could it be that Lin Qing was benevolent and did not wish to kill?
However, Wei Wu immediately dismissed this speculation.
A woman who, after the company's attack years ago, managed to raise two young sisters alone and survive in this city of wolves and tigers, how could she be a soft-hearted benevolent person?
Watching Lin Qing tear through space and teleport away, Wei Wu, observing from a distance, revealed a cold smile at the corner of his mouth.
Unlike the bumpkins in these new frontier cities, as a member of the company's direct armed forces, he had received proper training in Soul Master Battle Armor.
Even though Lin Qing had concealed it well, Wei Wu had seen through it.
She wasn't unwilling to kill, but unable to!
An SS-class titled Battle Armor could not be truly piloted without the strength of a Dragon Rider.
This woman, just like in the records, was only truly capable of piloting the A-class ordinary Battle Armor.
"Indeed, without the company's methods, how could outsiders possibly grow into Dragon Riders? Unlike those lingering rebels from other countries."
Lin Qing, with her A-class Soul Master strength, forcibly piloting an SS-class Battle Armor would only result in her soul shattering and her body perishing.
Wei Wu estimated that Lin Qing could only activate this unknown space-element Battle Armor once or twice more before she would directly die!
"There's no need to fight desperately against such a doomed woman. According to the data, she values her two younger sisters the most."
"I've already sent the Lu family to capture the second sister, and the third one should still be in the main residence."
"So, is this woman teleporting away to save her sister?"
"No need to rush to capture the third sister now. If she comes back at this moment and drags me to mutual destruction, it wouldn't be worth it."
"Why not..."
With a thought, Wei Wu emerged from the shadows and rejoined the fleeing family heads.
He quickly calmed these terrified rats, and just as he was about to forcibly order them to charge into the Lin residence to search for and capture the third sister,
He saw a silver-white sports car slowly drive into the estate.
Observing Lin Qing in the back seat through a long-range telescope, the family heads fell into a panic once more, but Wei Wu, with a cold smile, chose to temporarily withdraw.
Although he didn't know what means this woman had used to forcibly suppress her injuries, Wei Wu was certain she was on the verge of death.
However, the titled Battle Armor was still a huge threat. Even if Lin Qing could only unleash one attack before dying, Wei Wu wasn't entirely confident he could emerge unscathed.
"Wait until tomorrow... after the sun rises, and kill them instantly!"
"The Battle Armor has been fully developed, so these related bloodlines are no longer necessary!"
Wei Wu finalized his new attack plan in his mind.
However, looking at the terrified family heads, Wei Wu had no desire to say anything more to them.
A bunch of useless cowards who had barely awakened.
As for the handsome young man in the back seat, who wasn't in the records?
Wei Wu paid him no mind. After all, as a Dragon Rider, he didn't sense any Soul Power from the youth.
Judging by his appearance, he was probably Lin Qing's kept man.
"Heh, the records also said this woman was virtuous. Bah, she's also someone who can't resist handsome guys, and likes younger men!"
....
High in the sky, a thousand meters above, Wei Wu gazed at the dark crater, feeling even more triumphant.
His killing blow, unleashed with the sun's rays, could have injured even a Dragon Knight in a hasty situation, let alone this unprepared A-class rookie.
"Heh, this is also thanks to that brat from the Lu family. If he hadn't taken it upon himself to lure Lin Yue outside the city, this woman Lin Qing wouldn't have forcefully torn through space to teleport away."
"This woman does have some talent; she managed to survive by repeatedly tearing through space."
Lost in thought, the cold metallic figure slowly descended.
"Alright! Time to reclaim the Battle Armor! Haha, with this great achievement, I might have a chance to glimpse the realm of a Dragon Knight!!"
Buzz!
A black shadow, enveloped in light and heat, suddenly shot out from the dark crater!
Furious alarm sounds continuously blared from the Battle Armor's microcomputer!
【Alert!! Ultra-high-risk attack detected!!!】