[Detecting that the host has used Stellaron power, exiting slacking state. For the next 8 hours, slacking will not grant any Stellaron experience.]
"Hah, that counts as exiting slacking state? I only caught it barehanded—I didn't even make a move!"
Stepping over the Voidranger corpse, Zeig walked forward.
[Replying to host: This is your first combat engagement.]
[Thus, the system automatically activated the Stellaron earlier, greatly enhancing your physical capabilities.]
"That counts too." Zeig grumbled.
No wonder he hadn't felt a thing when blocking the blade barehanded—it had triggered an automatic protection mechanism.
…
The dark passage was completely empty.
The once brightly lit corridor now appeared dilapidated and ruined.
The metal floor had become pitted and blackened.
As Zeig stepped on it, it creaked with "creak creak" sounds.
Besides the scattered remains of Voidranger on the ground, there were also many human bloodstains that had dyed large areas red.
Ahead, a heavily injured young man sat in the corner gasping for breath. His body was wrapped in bandages, blood overflowed from the corners of his mouth, and he clutched his wound.
Hearing footsteps, he immediately tensed up, enduring the pain to quickly grab his weapon and stare ahead.
"Who's there?!" the young man shouted.
In the darkness, sensing Zeig's figure gradually approaching, the young man gripped his spear tightly.
Only when the person drew closer and he could clearly see the face did the young man relax.
It was a human.
"This place is very dangerous—please leave quickly!"
The young man blocked Zeig's path, his tone extremely serious.
"Buddy, I'm here to provide support. How's the situation here?"
"Support?"
The young man looked Zeig up and down suspiciously. Not only was he wearing no protective gear, he wasn't even carrying a weapon.
This was support?
"This place is really dangerous—I'm not joking." The young man said gravely, meeting Zeig's eyes.
"I'm not joking either."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Zeig threw a punch straight behind him.
"Boom——!!"
The blow was heavy and powerful, unleashing violent gusts of wind that stung the young man's eyelids.
Behind Zeig, a rift creature was forcefully blasted back dozens of meters, its body torn into pieces.
Like a dismantled stack of blocks, it instantly collapsed.
Turning into a pile of remains.
The young man stared in stunned silence, involuntarily swallowing: "Gulp."
Without using any weapon—just a plain, unadorned punch—he had sent a rift creature flying dozens of meters and killed it in one strike!
Even if their Security Department chief Arlan came, he couldn't do that.
While the young man was still shocked, Zeig patted his shoulder and slowly walked deeper inside.
"Buddy, I'm heading in first. Do whatever you need."
Leaving the Security Department young man standing alone, disheveled in the wind.
This man.
What was his background?
The answer to that question was still unknown, but suddenly another figure appeared ahead.
The sound of those footsteps jolted the Security Department young man, who immediately gripped his weapon tightly: "Who is it this time?!"
A short figure came running in.
It was none other than Wen Shiling, who had just parted with Zeig.
The little girl asked anxiously:
"Where's Zeig? Is he inside? The station master just contacted me—something happened at the platform, and Captain Arlan's comms are down. She told me to come notify them, hoping that after Captain Arlan and he finish here, they can quickly head to the platform for support."
"The platform?" The Security Department young man was stunned.
A problem even the station master couldn't handle?
"No, wait—Xiao Ling, how could you come in here?!" The bandaged young man reacted and shouted loudly at Wen Shiling.
"This is rift territory—it's extremely dangerous! And the lighting is poor; Voidranger and void monsters hide in the dark—you can't defend against them at all!"
But Wen Shiling remained expressionless, far calmer than the young man.
"No big deal." The little girl said indifferently. "Everything visible and invisible along this path has already been cleared out by that guy alone. It's cleaner than your dinner plate now."
Young man: "…"
She… kind of had a point.
He couldn't hear any monster growls anymore.
When that rift creature had approached earlier, the man hadn't even looked—he had simply shattered it.
The entire process was smooth as flowing water.
"So he's that strong," the Security Department young man sighed.
Having worked at Herta Space Station for so many years and learned many techniques under Captain Arlan, he had thought himself outstanding among his peers—yet there was such a dragon among men.
Wen Shiling shrugged noncommittally, hands on hips as she retorted:
"Hmph, he's just so-so. Compared to my Young Master Capote, he's still an entire galaxy behind."
Security Department young man: "…"
Hearing Wen Shiling mention Capote, the young man pursed his lips.
Honestly, that punch from Zeig earlier—Captain Arlan probably couldn't even block it.
Capote?
Who did he think he was?
The young man had dealt with that "Young Master Bo" before—just a motivational speaker full of empty words.
Nothing noteworthy academically, and zero combat prowess.
His greatest contribution was probably dispensing chicken soup for the soul to weary researchers.
…
Unlike outside, Zeig frowned at the scene deep in the rift.
Rift crystals had grown everywhere, the ground was covered in monster remains—there was hardly anywhere to step.
Fighting directly ahead was an elite group from the Security Department, each wielding the finest weapons, locked in desperate combat with the monsters, covered in blood.
"Damn Antimatter Legion—why are they so tough!"
A Security Department researcher swung a large hammer repeatedly at the monster beneath him, but the metallic clangs filled him with deep despair.
"Move aside—he's about to regain mobility."
A slightly short white-haired boy quickly pulled the researcher away.
The boy's face was somewhat tanned, but his eyes were filled with determination.
This was none other than the Security Department captain, Arlan.
"Captain Arlan, what do we do now?" The researcher behind him sounded somewhat anxious.
They had thought the battle would end quickly, but these Voidranger were unexpectedly difficult.
Their bodies were more robust—humanoid upper halves, but four legs below, resembling the centaurs of legend.
There were fully ten such monsters.
After so long.
Arlan had fought alone and killed three, while the other Security Department members working together had taken down two more.
Five of these Voidranger Trampler remained, eyeing them menacingly.
But their stamina was nearly spent.
"We've dragged this out too long," Arlan said gravely.
He looked at the Security Department members behind him—their armor was battered and torn, bodies covered in blood. The more severe wounds even exposed glimpses of bone.
Arlan himself was no better.
His armor had long shattered, even his comm earpiece was destroyed—he had no idea what was happening outside.
The wounds all over his body throbbed with faint pain.
"No other units have come to support us yet—probably trouble outside as well," Arlan said in a low voice.
He wondered how the young lady was doing.
"Thump, thump, thump—"
Just as Arlan and the Security Department members resolved to fight to the death, footsteps echoed from afar.
Zeig's tall figure gradually appeared in everyone's view.
"You are?" Arlan looked over.
…