Chapter 432: Mutation!!! (Two in One)

"How does it feel to know you were kept around just as biological data?"

Above Yan Jing's head, Boss Rat suddenly started reading a newspaper.

"It's alright. Not bad. It just means I have the potential to be president," Yan Jing said with a smile.

Mao Si and Quan Dazhong were blood relatives. It was highly likely he was even Quan Dazhong's biological son.

It was news explosive enough to shock the entire Peace Heavenly Kingdom.

Yet in this moment, the two of them spoke of it completely casually.

"I thought your jaw would drop and your eyes would shake in shock. At the very least, you'd demand to know if I only raised you to hold onto leverage against Quan Dazhong."

Papa Rat shifted his gaze from the newspaper and glanced at Yan Jing, seemingly a bit surprised by his calm reaction.

"Thanks for raising me, Pops."

Yan Jing just kept smiling.

If Papa Rat had only wanted to secure a complete set of Quan Dazhong's biological data, he could have just killed Mao Si once the boy was a bit older.

Even taking a huge step back.

When Quan Dazhong sent people to kill Mao Si back then, Papa Rat hadn't needed to risk exposing his own identity to intervene.

Taking another huge step back—

There was no stepping back anymore.

Some things didn't require forcing an explanation.

The only real key was whether there was love or not.

"Did I even raise you, kid?!"

Papa Rat seemingly recalled a specific memory and let out an exasperated laugh. "I was ready to toss you in the trash back then. You were the one who stubbornly tagged along."

"Change of plans, change of plans." Yan Jing rubbed his hands together. "The new plan is—my presidential father."

"Perfect. I'm changing my plans too."

Papa Rat's mouth twitched, and he rolled his newspaper into a cylinder. "The new plan is to kidnap the president's kid."

Yan Jing subconsciously rubbed his head. "Am I dumb because you used to hit me?"

"You can't break what isn't there," Papa Rat sneered.

"You've crushed a child's hopes of becoming president!" Yan Jing said in mock anguish. "Didn't you say you wanted me to be president when I was little?"

"To a child, the words of a parent are sometimes remembered for a lifetime."

Then, as if thinking of something interesting, he asked, "So, after he backstabbed you back then, you sent his biological data and photos to the conglomerates?"

Papa Rat's expression remained calm. "I didn't."

"I handed them over at the end of the second term transition."

"In the beginning, Quan Dazhong's policies were objectively beneficial to the Peace Heavenly Kingdom. It was only later that things started to spiral out of control."

"Despicable!" Yan Jing gave Papa Rat a thumbs-up. "I love it."

"Another question. If that's the case, Quan Dazhong should have guessed my identity when he saw me back then, right? Why didn't he put it together? Instead, he acted shocked, as if he didn't even know his biological data had been preserved."

"How should I know? If your old man knew everything, you'd really be the legitimate son of the president."

"Enough."

Papa Rat stuffed the newspaper into his pocket. "I'm done wasting my breath on you. You remember what I just said, right?"

"Understood. Once this is over, I'll follow Mr. Luo. I remember."

As his voice fell, Papa Rat took a single step, appearing directly above ground right in front of the three men.

On the grass, Song Yanjun looked smilingly at the arriving Papa Rat. "I thought I was going to have to invite you."

He and Zeng Chu had been the first to arrive. Naturally, they had noticed Papa Rat's presence.

"Come out, Elder Chen."

Song Yanjun spoke with a smile, and a final figure slowly stepped out from the distant shadows.

It was a werewolf—a human body with a wolf's head. His muscles were as robust as mortared bricks, full and evenly lined. His eyes burned crimson like twin candles in the night, and only the rings of graying fur around his neck and the wrinkles on the back of his hands betrayed his age.

If Papa Rat hadn't revealed himself just now, he and Yan Jing's hiding spot would have faced an assault from this Eighth Tier werewolf.

Clearly, Song Yanjun and Zeng Chu had come far more prepared.

Of course, it wasn't that Quan Dazhong hadn't wanted to call in an Eighth Tier master. Rather, as the president, his authority to command an Eighth Tier was far more restricted than that of Song Yanjun and Zeng Chu.

"Everyone is here."

Song Yanjun chuckled. "Go ahead, please. Tell us everything the two of you know."

In the current standoff, he and Zeng Chu clearly held the upper hand.

Even with a Heavenly Kingdom Weapon in his hands, Quan Dazhong only counted as the equivalent of a single Eighth Tier.

As long as the other Eighth Tier didn't show up, it was three against one.

...

Papa Rat and Quan Dazhong exchanged dark looks. Immediately after, Quan Dazhong pointed toward the Stele Forest. "There is something inside that can control the Origin Plants."

"Kill Big Rat, and whatever is inside is yours to take."

"I'll step down voluntarily."

Papa Rat's mouth curled upward. "I'm only a Seventh Rank. He has a Heavenly Kingdom Weapon, and if he summons another Eighth Tier, it'll be the equivalent of two Eighth Tiers."

"The moment I die, considering how he betrayed me back then, he would naturally betray you two as well."

"Big Rat!" Quan Dazhong roared. The black hair across his entire body stood on end, and his eyes seemed to spit fire as he glared at Papa Rat.

"We walk forward together."

Song Yanjun narrowed his eyes at the two of them before making what he deemed the most rational decision.

Big Rat couldn't die. Otherwise, Quan Dazhong would fight to the bitter end. The evidence the two of them held could, at best, force Quan Dazhong to step down afterward. It wouldn't make the other Eighth Tier abandon his duty, and once that Eighth Tier arrived, Quan Dazhong wouldn't die.

With so many days left until the next election, there were simply too many variables in play.

And because of that Eighth Tier's presence, they couldn't touch Quan Dazhong either.

Conversely, for Quan Dazhong, the reason he hadn't forcefully summoned his Eighth Tier was out of fear that Song Yanjun, Zeng Chu, and Big Rat would join forces and instantly leak the news.

If those three and that Eighth Tier couldn't all be wiped out today...

Without the means to violently suppress them, he would absolutely end up losing his position as president.

"Fine. Then let's move forward together."

Quan Dazhong finally agreed.

Papa Rat's expression remained indifferent. This was fully within his expectations.

He said, "Then let's go."

He didn't look toward Yan Jing's direction, nor did he intentionally use any secret signals.

At a moment like this, any slight disturbance could trigger a massive chain reaction.

Though only a handful of people stood here, they constituted the absolute pinnacle of the entire Heavenly Kingdom.

If anything went wrong, the entire Heavenly Kingdom would be thrown into chaos.

At this moment, the fate of the Peace Heavenly Kingdom converged before this Stele Forest.

Harboring their own ulterior motives, the group slowly walked forward.

Just like that, they passed through one section of the Stele Forest after another.

When Papa Rat sensed that Yan Jing hadn't seemed to follow them, he lowered his gaze. He readied himself to activate Plan A at any moment:

Run away directly.

Just like how he had escaped from Quan Dazhong's grasp back then.

Of course, it was impossible for him to escape from an Eighth Tier.

But that was only if the Eighth Tier's attention was fully focused on him.

And right now, that wasn't the case.

As long as he could dodge the Eighth Tier's initial strike and run out of his attack range...

He would definitely be able to escape.

Because the Eighth Tier couldn't possibly abandon Quan Dazhong to chase him down.

Quan Dazhong held a Heavenly Kingdom Weapon.

If the Eighth Tier pursued him, Quan Dazhong would be able to kill at least one of the other two.

So the key lay in whether he could evade the Eighth Tier's very first attack.

It was a gamble.

Papa Rat's gaze sank. But right at that moment, he felt a gloomy stare land upon him.

It was Quan Dazhong. He was staring fixedly at Papa Rat, and suddenly he spoke. "Don't even think about running."

Everyone immediately stopped in their tracks, their expressions shifting.

Everyone present was exceedingly shrewd; they quickly grasped the underlying implications.

"Tie him up."

Song Yanjun ordered, his eyes darkening.

Papa Rat's gaze turned grim as he slowly said, "Since I've already told them your secret, Quan Dazhong, I can just as easily tell the entire world."

—

Quan Dazhong stepped forward with a sunken face, but a moment later, Song Yanjun laughed. He raised his Information Component. "Temporarily lock down all media broadcasts."

On the other side, Zeng Chu also pressed a button, issuing a similar command.

With that, Papa Rat—now completely stripped of any backup plans—was securely bound and held in the werewolf's grip.

The group continued onward.

Eventually, they arrived at the center of the Stele Forest.

Here sat a small wooden cottage. It had originally been the residence of the forest's keeper, though it appeared to have been abandoned for a long time.

"Tear down the house."

Song Yanjun ordered. However, Zeng Chu immediately halted the werewolf's movements. "We'll do it ourselves."

He was several times more cautious than Song Yanjun, fearing that if the werewolf went to dismantle the cottage, Quan Dazhong might choose that exact moment to strike at the two of them.

"That works."

Song Yanjun laughed.

And so, these two men who stood at the absolute zenith of the Peace Heavenly Kingdom began performing manual labor.

Although neither had ever done this sort of work before, their speed was surprisingly fast.

Soon, a large hole was torn into the side of the house. From within the room, a green light poured out through the opening.

Inside were two gleaming green Crystals. They radiated a dense, bizarre energy that instantly caused the breathing of anyone who looked at them to quicken.

"It's Mutation—"

Even the eternally stoic Zeng Chu couldn't control his gaze in this moment. He subconsciously moved toward the opening. But in the very next second, catching everyone completely off guard, a dark silhouette surged straight ahead of him.

It was Quan Dazhong!

Song Yanjun and Zeng Chu's expressions violently shifted. They bolted forward in unison, Weird Energy exploding from their hands.

A massive cannon—manifested from countless interlocking pieces of expensive metal—materialized in Zeng Chu's grip. Song Yanjun was even faster. He was already right behind Quan Dazhong, dual-wielding a pair of blood-red, shimmering Daggers that clearly weren't ordinary weapons.

At the same time, he shouted, "Elder Chen!"

The werewolf moved. He was even faster than the two of them! He stuffed Papa Rat directly into his pocket and then, like a white hurricane sweeping through the night, tore into the gaping hole.

"Nobody move!!!"

Quan Dazhong spun around, hoisting the translucent Crystal Stone that served as the Heavenly Kingdom Weapon, and screamed at the three figures lunging toward him.

His face was twitching uncontrollably—fueled by both manic excitement and the terrifying uncertainty of the future.

At this point, his body was entirely at the mercy of adrenaline. He was no longer the one making choices.

The three rushing toward him halted their steps at once.

Right then, the werewolf was a mere few meters away from him.

But everyone knew that Quan Dazhong couldn't be instantly killed.

The moment the Heavenly Kingdom Weapon in his hand sensed the president was threatened, it would activate automatically.

"Nobody move."

Quan Dazhong's features twisted savagely. "Out of these two Crystal Stones, I'm taking one."

"Impossible!!!"

Song Yanjun's face darkened.

These two Crystal Stones were directly tied to the destiny of the Peace Heavenly Kingdom.

It could be said that whoever controlled the two Crystal Stones would render the presidency itself entirely obsolete.

These were the true artifacts of the nation's fate! Any future president could only ever be a puppet!

And if Quan Dazhong got his hands on a Crystal Stone, it wouldn't matter even if the two of them exposed all of his secrets.

No one would be able to force him to step down ever again.

Therefore, Song Yanjun would absolutely never yield.

Beside him, Zeng Chu also wore a grim expression.

"Then how do you expect to split them? Hmm?"

Quan Dazhong spat viciously. "Are you two just going to take the Crystal Stones?!"

"Do you think I'm a fucking idiot?!"

"Fuck you! Let me tell you, you brain-dead bastards! I've been sick of your shit for a long time!!!"

"Huh?! Every time I try to make a decision, you dare to threaten me?!"

"Motherfuckers! It's just a gamble, isn't it?!!!"

No one expected that amidst his raging torrent of curses, Quan Dazhong would suddenly lunge forward!!!

He was a true gambler! And an absolute madman!

In his view, he had started with absolutely nothing in his early years. Making it to where he was today had required grinding and risking everything step by step. Therefore, unlike Song Yanjun and Zeng Chu—who meticulously weighed the consequences of their actions—his job was simply to strike when completely unexpected!!!

Even if he didn't know what the Crystal Stones actually did or how to control them, he was risking it all!

The very next moment, before he could even brush against the Crystal Stone, the werewolf materialized in front of him. Weird Energy violently distorted the space within the beast's grasp as he viciously swatted at Quan Dazhong.

"Thwack—"

Taking the palm strike directly, Quan Dazhong's internal organs felt as if they had instantly shattered. He began to hemorrhage blood like a cracked vase.

But a blinding white light bloomed from his hands, preventing him from being instantly swatted away. A barrier unfurled, encasing him completely, and then he snatched one of the two Crystal Stones straight into his hand!!!

Meanwhile, miles away.

The skin-and-bones Old Man—who had received Quan Dazhong's message beforehand and had been waiting on standby—suddenly had his eyes erupt with a terrifying radiance, like two clusters of spectral fire. In the very next second, he vanished from his spot, hurtling toward their location at an unimaginable speed!!!

"Mutation!! It's the power of Mutation!!"

Staring at the Crystal Stone in his hand, Quan Dazhong was delirious with joy. His eyes overflowed with an unimaginable, frenzied gleam, as if he had laid eyes on some world-shattering power.

"I succeeded!!!"

"Do it!!!"

Song Yanjun roared!

In the next second, all three of them moved at once!

The werewolf's claws flickered with a blinding radiance, like two shooting stars crashing into the mortal realm. They were so bright they were searing, capable of igniting everything in their path as they smashed directly against the barrier surrounding Quan Dazhong.

Bang!!

Another layer of blood mist exploded from Quan Dazhong's body!

And the blood-red Daggers in Song Yanjun's hands slashed against the white barrier. An ancient, murderous aura spilled forth, heavily mingled with the scent of metal, actually tearing two rifts straight through the air.

But in the very next moment, he suddenly coughed up blood, a massive hole tearing open in his chest.

In sheer disbelief, he snapped his head back to look at Zeng Chu, who had just fired at him from the side.

At that moment, Zeng Chu had already seized the remaining green Crystal Stone.

Yet, unlike Quan Dazhong, his expression was incredibly grim.

"Heh."

Quan Dazhong wiped his bloody mouth, a mocking look in his eyes.

Zeng Chu had been tricked.

That was right. He hadn't unlocked the secret of that Crystal Stone at all.

Although he could feel the dense aura of Mutation inside it, how to actually control it was clearly another issue entirely.

But he had to feign ecstatic surprise. Only then could he force the two of them to turn on each other.

"Zeng Chu, you—"

Song Yanjun's eyes burned with an inextinguishable fury, looking as if he wanted to devour the man alive. In the very next second, clutching the bloody hole in his chest, he sprinted frantically into the distance.

The werewolf was an extremely unique existence.

He wouldn't interfere with the infighting among the Four Major Megas, just as he wouldn't harbor any greed for these two Crystal Stones.

In the next breath, Zeng Chu's eyes flashed. He raised the giant interlocking metal cannon once more and aimed it directly at Song Yanjun.