Even as a child, you’re so strong~

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Since the clone body hadn’t fully matured yet, it had an excessively youthful appearance, combined with the confidentiality surrounding the experiment, it all meant that few people immediately recognized it as Huo Chao’s clone.

But one person did.

He Zhun stared blankly at the child standing on the control panel and instantly recognized the resemblance to Huo Chao. Just moments earlier, he had been pondering over how to get close to Bernard to investigate the truth behind the Holy Stigmata and uncover the secrets of Huo Chao’s clone.

And now, the experimental subject had appeared in such a dramatic fashion.

But… why was it looking at him with that expression???

He Zhun was keenly aware of others’ gazes and expressions. He was certain that the strange young man was indeed staring at him—and with a look of recognition mixed with disdain.

How was that possible?

He Zhun quickly ran through his memories but confirmed he had never crossed paths with this individual. While he tried to discern the reason for that peculiar look, Huo Xianfeng had already looked away.

As usual, Huo Xianfeng destroyed all the surveillance equipment. Because of his small stature—standing at only 1.6 meters tall—he had to prop himself up on one hand to climb onto the workstation so he could look down on the group of adult men.

“Hey, does anyone know where that masked old man—”

Before he could finish his sentence, everyone snapped out of their daze. Some immediately scrambled for the exits. Perhaps ordinary believers might see him as an opportunity to gain favor by capturing an escaped experimental subject, but these researchers—who dealt with experiments daily—knew far too well how dangerous such subjects could be.

An experimental subject that escaped Bernard’s lab and triggered a personal response from the Archbishop had to be incredibly dangerous, far beyond what unarmed researchers could handle.

Huo Xianfeng frowned, casually grabbed a sharp pair of forceps and his gaze locked onto someone running for the door.

Swish!

The forceps flew like a bullet, instantly piercing the person’s hand as they reached for the door, pinning them to the wall.

“Ahhhhhh!”

The agonized scream froze everyone in their tracks, but those behind him didn’t stop. They trampled over the injured man, opened the door, and fled, shouting to the believers outside:

“The experimental subject!!!”

“The experimental subject is here!!!”

The believers rushing upstairs halted abruptly and immediately turned back, charging toward the lab.

Hearing the approaching footsteps, Huo Xianfeng furrowed his eyebrows. He jumped off the workstation, grabbed a few that were left behind, and quickly interrogated them before snapping their necks.

Such gruesome sight made all the remaining researchers panic, and they screamed hysterically and ran away like lambs before a wolf.

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“He Zhun, where did Bernard go?”

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Who was this person?

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“Out the door, turn left for 150 meters. At the second fork, turn right for 70 meters. There’s a hidden elevator to the 42^nd floor directly to Bernard’s private quarters. He has a separate personal lab there and the elevator is to transport experimental materials.”

Huo Xianfeng raised an eyebrow, not expecting such precise and critical information from He Zhun—and delivered so quickly and decisively.

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Huo Xianfeng glanced at them, then immediately flung He Zhun aside. The next second, he darted from his spot.

Swish, swish, swish!

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Bang!

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Relief that he had sustained this injury.

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So strong…

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After noticing the resemblance between Huo Xianfeng and Huo Chao, He Zhun had once asked Leinster about the differences in their combat styles. The latter’s answer was that their techniques were so similar that he too had initially mistaken Huo Xianfeng for Huo Chao.

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And now, the young man showed no extra movements—every strike was a killing blow, a brutal display of violence with an almost artistic precision.

But why would a clone created from Huo Chao’s genes resemble Huo Xianfeng?

And how did he know He Zhun?

He Zhun couldn’t make sense of it.

BOOM!

At that moment, Huo Xianfeng seized a low-frequency electromagnetic cannon, carried it onto his shoulder and fired. Suddenly, there was a group of convulsing believers on the ground.

The weapon wasn’t particularly lethal; its main function was to paralyze.

Huo Xianfeng exhaled a few times, restraining the fury and hatred surging within him. He quickly regained his composure and glanced at the crimson Holy Stigmata writhing across his arm and showed an unconcealed disgust. But now he confirmed the clone’s critical importance to the Church.

—Even the Church is reluctant to use a slightly stronger weapon.

He discreetly cast a sidelong glance at He Zhun before stepping forward to grab a few panicked researchers. He focused on one who seemed to have some authority.

The young man nodded seriously.

“Oh, forty-two floors up, with an elevator. Thanks.”

The confused researcher, who had said nothing: “…???”
He Zhun, who had been watching the entire exchange: “…???”

He Zhun froze for a moment, but he quickly reacted the next second—the experimental subject was covering for him, even providing a scapegoat!

This wasn’t something as simple as one’s own consciousness.

Huo Xianfeng swiftly silenced the researcher and, before the next wave of believers surrounded him, he followed He Zhun’s earlier directions and looked for the elevator.

He Zhun hesitated for a few seconds, yanked off his cumbersome glasses, and scrambled to his feet, rushing to follow him.

—The opportunity is here!!!

This was his only chance to interact with the experimental subject—and his only opportunity to enter Bernard’s sight.

Huo Xianfeng quickly cleared a path with the low-frequency cannon, and soon found the elevator. However, standing in front of it were two familiar figures:

Cecilia and that mechanical giant from Bright City.

The mechanical warrior seemed to have been simplified and upgraded. Though it was slightly smaller than before, it still towered over two meters.

“Oh, my, my,”

The woman held her enormous black scythe with one hand, at an angle that blocked the elevator, and tilted her head to show a cute smile. “As expected of His Highness Huo Chao’s genes. Even as a child, you’re so strong~.”

“…”