After soothing the symbiote, praising it, and promising virtual rewards, Su Ming began feeding the symbiote.
First came common metals like copper and iron, the most widely used and likely needed.
While tracking the traces of the Demon Army, with special footprints similar to animal marks, he experimented with the symbiote's new abilities.
After devouring steel, it could transform into firearms, but it couldn't transform its structure into bullets.
In reality, it's not that it can't, it's just that it doesn't want to.
It once transformed part of its body into Bat Darts, but at that time, Penguin Man didn't look carefully—there was a thin black line connecting those Bat Darts back to Batman's body.
But bullets are propelled by explosive gunpowder; how could it connect bullets?
And if the unconnected structure were to be launched, it would be like spore splitting, leading to offspring competing with it for the host in the future, which is unacceptable.
It would rather not use guns than undergo splitting reproduction.
Su Ming didn't know its thoughts; ever since buying a small silk pouch, the quantity of bullets hasn't been an issue. Before going out this time, he prepared against the army, bringing plenty of bullets and explosives.
Strangulation can transform into guns—and countless guns—it's a good thing, enhancing the density of the firepower coverage. Bullets costing a few US Dollars per box wouldn't impoverish a big boss like Su Ming.
Then he tore some clothing, feeding Strangulation some fabric, ensuring that its daily camouflage wouldn't appear greasy, greatly increasing authenticity. Even if appearing in prominent places during the day, there'd be no worry of drawing gazes from passersby.
Next, he fed glass bottles to Strangulation, allowing it to mimic glass, and spicy snack packaging, enabling it to mimic plastic—essentially feeding it not only his own items, but also things brought by Monac and Gin.
After dozens of experiments, Su Ming formally confirmed that this ability is highly reliable, without other drawbacks, and even when mimicking other metals, Strangulation's weakness to flame was considerably mitigated.
At least it's not much of a fear with open flame—transforming parts of its body into metal, as long as the fire doesn't reach the melting point, there's no problem.
Strangulation's remaining weakness now is sound waves; maybe feeding it some Vibranium could help? After all, Vibranium's nickname is Sound Absorbing Steel, so it should work, right?
Yet Wakanda hasn't been found yet, maybe sneaking a bite of Steve's shield is the solution?
"Well, let's find an opportunity to take a bite; anyway, Steve's probably tired of the round shield—that's no problem to try other shield shapes. Out with the old, in with the new."
With this thought in mind, Su Ming listed a long feeding plan for Strangulation, arranged according to the periodic table, with a sample of every compound.
But now there's one last item to feed it.
"Strangulation, eat my armor."
The black liquid organism crawled over every inch of his armor.
This armor, made from Promethium Metal and N Metal Alloy, has accompanied Su Ming through many adventures—it holds great sentimental value.
But every time it suffered damage, it needed X Metal for repair, and even with Strangulation's help in wearing it, it was slightly cumbersome. Now having an opportunity, it's naturally to replace it with Strangulation.
Within seconds, from the outside, Deathstroke appeared unchanged, but Su Ming knew the armor he wore at this moment had completed its upgrade, now to be called Strangulation's Holy Image Form.
And curiously, the new armor fits even more snugly than before, enhancing mobility greatly, completely freeing him from the trouble of repairs.
Actually, initially Su Ming contemplated stealing some technology from Howard or utilizing the Adjutant's Cybertron tech to modify his armor, but the repair issue was insurmountable.
Without X Metal for repair, he'd have to return to DC for alloy, requiring connections—a heap of trouble.
Now, with the ability to mimic matter, the plan for Iron Armor Mark 1 can be bypassed, directly proceeding to a plan akin to MK46 'Blood Edge Armor'.
Tony's Blood Edge Armor utilized liquid nano metals from the bloodstream—its defense was average, but its advantage lay in including a full set of electronic systems alongside hot weapons.
Su Ming's is achieved through Strangulation's biological ability, entirely unelectrified—the digital lenses on the helmet are unused. The benefit is defense hasn't decreased, and there's potential for upgrades.
There's gain and loss; he's considered this long ago.
Strangulation was presently expelling past X Metal 'patches,' and Su Ming reattached them to the Nightfall Greatsword.
Slightly unexpectedly, it eventually expelled a complete 'Eye of Ra.'
Originally, Su Ming had seen The Ancient One personally fuse this thing into his helmet, transforming it entirely into Golden Light; now Strangulation expelled an unaltered form—this is hard to understand.
Attempting to understand magic's principles? That's futile. Su Ming harbors some curiosity but not enough to study magic theories for years just to grasp the principle of 'zero save and full fetch.'
But now, the familiarity of the ocular interface is gone since the lenses are a mimic by Strangulation, and the night vision is its provision—a slight adjustment period is needed. If needed in future battles, he'd have to swiftly adapt.
The extra Eye of Ra can be used as a telescope in the future. When needed, let Strangulation take it out of the bag, and it won't be a hassle.
Gin is still at the very back of the team, just a few steps behind the Celestial Horse. She is a little worried about the boss's condition, after all, Strangulation's appearance is really reminiscent of that pile of monsters from earlier.
However, given the boss's confidence over the years, she still didn't ask the question.
Actually, Su Ming clearly understands the situation with the Symbiote; if his symbiote were Venom instead of Strangulation, he would definitely not be able to enhance its power and let it know so many things.
Venom has changed hosts too many times, and his brain has been messed up by his little cousin, trusting it is not as reliable as trusting Batman, at least Batman doesn't kill.
Strangulation is much simpler and has been following Su Ming for several years, so it has passed the test.
The group passed through several junctions, and the traces on the ground gradually formed footprints, allowing them to track faster.
The footprints aren't fresh, so they need to hurry. Su Ming has floated up to hover just above the ground, while the Mage and Gin have both ridden on horses.
In pure darkness, one loses track of the passage of time.
After an unknown amount of time passed, Gin suddenly saw the Celestial Horse's ears flip back and fix at a strange angle.
She used to be a cavalry, and is very familiar with horses. This indicates that the mount heard something that people did not, and it was right behind them.
The shape of humanoid ears makes them less sensitive to sounds from behind, but ears on top of the head that can rotate are a great advantage.
"Enemy attack! From behind!"
Hearing her words, Su Ming immediately turned around, flying over the heads of the two, to the very back of the team, focusing his gaze on the pitch-dark tunnel behind.
Perhaps it was Gin's voice that confirmed their location for the hidden hunters; as soon as Su Ming landed on the ground, he could feel a slight vibration beneath his feet.
This was one of the benefits of Strangulation becoming armor, making the senses much sharper.
Soon, the sensation became more specific; it wasn't just a shaking, but the orderly movement of countless small feet on the ground causing the tremor.
In a subterranean tunnel, such a large creature must be one of those insects.
Almost in the next instant, a gaping maw suddenly appeared in front of them, as if a Great White Shark had leapt out from the dark ocean, revealing only circle upon circle of sharp teeth and an internal chamber like that of a sea cucumber.
Because it burst through the floor of the tunnel from below, even Su Ming did not see its movement, only knowing that its speed was astonishing compared to its tens-of-meters-long body.
Saying it was like a train was inaccurate before; this thing was more like a bullet train.
It appeared earth-yellow all over, covered with black bristles, its patchy skin marked by irregular dark spots, and inside its belly were unrecognizable body parts.
Underneath its massive body were hundreds of pairs of short, thick limbs, supporting not just rapid movement, but also enabling this monstrous insect to perform leaps and lunges.
In just a brief moment, the monster's mouth was already in front of Su Ming.
Calculating the angle and speed, he raised his arms and legs, exerting force, and pried the creature's maw open.
The creature's mouth could open to a diameter of five or six meters at maximum, but this wasn't a problem; Strangulation could stretch too.
Now acting as armor, it was like a jack, slowly prying open the insect's mouth.
Not only did its limbs stretch and extend like liquid, but a mass of tentacles also emerged, anchoring in all directions of the tunnel, firmly fixing both itself and the enemy in place.
Su Ming nodded in satisfaction; with this transformative armor that's attuned to his will, who needs electronic systems?
"Hold it open, I'm going in to look for clues."
The armor in front melted away, revealing him wearing only shorts inside, with a black line on his spine connecting to the empty armor shell behind, looking quite horrifying.
Casually barefoot, he walked into the creature's body, holding onto the writhing chamber's walls and slowly making his way toward the unrecognizable body parts inside the monster's belly.
This kind of insect had a direct digestive system, which was good. Though the digestive juices caused some corrosion to Su Ming, his self-healing ability could handle it.
Strangulation and the insect were locked in a grappling contest, with Strangulation clearly having the upper hand. It extended more and more tentacles, piercing through the monster and fixing to the tunnel in all directions.
Then it transformed all these tentacles into Promethium Metal, making the effort much easier now.
Monac sighed, turned away no longer wanting to watch. This monster posed no threat to Deathstroke; he preferred not to witness the nauseating scene of a naked man inside the creature, opting to rest instead.