The central control room of the breeding factory hung heavy with a sickly stench of formaldehyde and scorched flesh, churning everyone's stomach. Jin Wanchao's steam gauntlet was poised to strike the grotesque bio-host, putting an end to this unholy "life".
A low, creaking rumble echoed.
Deep within the control room, the door marked "Black Box" slowly creaked open.
A frigid, overwhelming energy surge, like an invisible storm, swept across the chamber in an instant. Jin Wanchao's heart clenched; his inner flame seemed frozen, receding abruptly. He could clearly sense that the energy carried a familiar yet alien weight, like an ancient steam engine roaring to life, slow and ponderous.
A towering figure stepped out, a demon god risen from the depths of hell. Clad in heavy, savage steam armor, every riveted alloy plate glinted with cold metallic luster. From beneath his helmet, two scarlet beams flickered in the dark, like a beast hunting for prey. Each step he took grated with heavy metal friction, and the very air seemed to solidify under his oppressive presence.
His voice, modulated by machinery, was deep and authoritative, a chilling calm that sent shivers down the spine.
"Rebels, halt here."
"Your commotion disturbs the children…"
Before the Warden could finish, Jin Wanchao's inner flame burst forth, piercing through the thick steam armor. He saw it — beneath the plating, the face of a missing worker! The face was contorted in agony, yet locked rigid by mechanical force, numb and grotesque. His veins intertwined with steam pipes, nerves tangled with wires, flesh fused with cold alloy. This was no mere puppet; it was a living, twisted Chimera.
"You beasts!" Ah Xing could hold back no longer. With a roar, he swung his steam gauntlet and charged at the Warden.
"Watch out!" Jin Wanchao shouted.
The Warden did not flinch. He slowly raised his right arm, which bore a massive steam hammer, its head carved with savage gear patterns. The hammer collided violently with Ah Xing's fist mid-air.
Boom!
A deafening crash shook Ah Xing's exoskeleton. He was sent reeling backward by the tremendous recoil, his steam gauntlet letting out a tortured whine under the strain.
"Your commotion disturbs the children's 'evolution'," the Warden's modulated voice rang out again, devoid of all emotion. He snapped his left arm forward, and a thick alloy chain lashed through the air toward Old Zhong.
Old Zhong reacted swiftly, ducking to evade the chain. At the same time, he fired up his cutting spear, unleashing scalding steam as he thrust it at the Warden's side.
Clang!
Sparks flew. The cutting spear left nothing but a white scratch on the Warden's heavy alloy armor, unable to penetrate further. The Warden seized the spear in a reverse grip and yanked hard.
Thud!
Caught off guard, Old Zhong lost his balance and crashed to the ground. His inner flame flared violently, clearly shaken by the impact.
"This monster… his defense is impenetrable!" a team member exclaimed.
The Warden's fighting style seamlessly combined heavy firepower with precise combat techniques, trapping the exoskeleton-equipped Chosen Squad in a bitter struggle. His strikes carried crushing force, yet eerily avoided the bio-host. Jin Wanchao's inner flame could clearly perceive that every time the Warden swung his steam hammer, he adjusted his angle deliberately, ensuring not a single blow grazed the bio-host.
"He has a weakness!" Jin Wanchao's voice cut through the internal communication channel, firm and commanding. "The Warden is protecting that bio-host!"
He lunged forward, his high-pressure steam spear spewing scalding white mist as he thrust straight for the Warden's chest.
Clang!
The Warden raised his steam hammer to block the attack, unleashing a thunderous metallic clash. Jin Wanchao's palms tingled from the shock, but his eyes lit up.
"Ah Xing! Attack the bio-host!" Jin Wanchao roared. He leaped backward, hurling his steam spear at the Warden's face.
Ah Xing froze. He glanced between the Warden and the grotesque bio-host, hesitation flickering in his eyes. Jin Wanchao's order meant striking the "children".
"Don't hesitate! That is not life — it's a cage! Strike…!" Jin Wanchao's voice boomed like thunder in Ah Xing's mind, carrying unrivaled resolve.
Ah Xing snapped back to his senses. He could feel Jin Wanchao's inner flame burning furiously, a testament to absolute trust and will. Gritting his teeth, he swung his steam gauntlet around and slammed it toward the pulsating giant brain.
"How dare you!"
For the first time, the Warden's modulated voice trembled violently, seething with rage and panic. Abandoning his pursuit of Jin Wanchao, his hulking frame darted like a black bolt toward the bio-host, attempting to intercept Ah Xing's attack.
Now!
Jin Wanchao's inner flame erupted. He could clearly see the fatal weak spot on the Warden's back — the power core vent! The energy pathways there were chaotic and fragile, fully exposed the moment the Warden spun to defend.
Jin Wanchao shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow. His high-pressure steam spear struck like a striking viper, piercing precisely into the Warden's back vent.
Hiss —
High-pressure steam flooded into the Warden's power core like a raging torrent.
"No… impossible…"
The Warden let out a tortured shriek. His voice was no longer cold machinery, but held suppressed despair. His body stiffened, and the scarlet glow of his electronic eyes dimmed rapidly.
Under the steam's assault, his steam armor began to disintegrate, revealing the mangled flesh beneath. His pained, twisted face flashed through the cracks of the breaking armor before being swallowed by a steam and energy explosion.
Boom!
The Warden's body collapsed heavily onto the control room floor with a dull thud.
For a moment, the entire control room fell silent.
"We… we won?" a team member panted, disbelieving.
Jin Wanchao said nothing. He slowly approached the fallen Warden. His inner flame could clearly sense that the once violent energy flow within the Warden had been extinguished completely.
A faint blue light flickered once more in the Warden's dimmed electronic eyes.
"Thank you…" he whispered, his voice feeble yet filled with relief. "Finally… peace…"
With that, the blue light in his eyes vanished entirely. His body dissolved into a pile of cold metal and flesh, motionless.
At that moment, a violent tremor shook the entire breeding factory.
Beep — beep — beep —
A shrill alarm blared at maximum volume. Red warning lights flashed wildly inside the control room, painting everyone's faces hellish red.
"Warning! Warning! Core energy circuit disrupted! Factory will self-destruct in five minutes!"