Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 347: Monster Nemesis, Rune Absorption!

The anomalies regarding the Winter Moon Ore didn't seem directly connected to Starship or the Four Sacrifices Cult. Instead, they pointed toward Zhuang Jing, who had already fled to Great Banyan Shelter City.Watching the information space gradually dim and fade back to reality, Cheng Ye began to ponder.

If he couldn't dig any more clues out of Zheng Dayou, the only way to uncover the truth behind the Winter Moon Ore would be to head to Great Banyan Shelter City and find that former Vice Lord.

Finding an excuse like "verifying the lingering matters of the Twin Moon Lake cooperation" to meet Zhuang Jing wouldn't be difficult.

However, the two locations were not along the same route. Considering he still had to complete his Field Duty mission at the Black Branding Mountain Gathering Place, detouring to Great Banyan would add nearly 300 kilometers to his journey.

Not only would it be time-consuming, but it could also expose him to unknown risks.

'Should I go?'

Cheng Ye didn't rush to change his itinerary, deciding to discuss it with Liu Bi later before making a final decision.

In his dream, even ordinary people could participate in the excavation of the Extreme Cold Ore, and the veins were widely distributed. It was completely unlike the current Winter Moon Ore, which was hidden solely within this concealed hill cave.

Moreover, the fact that he couldn't find a single shred of information about it despite his current status as a core Inspector was highly suspicious in itself.

Furthermore, from Zheng Dayou's communications with Captain Zhang, to Radiant Rainbow Shelter City's subsequent forceful intervention and additional ore demands, everyone referred to this mineral as "Winter Moon Ore." No one had ever mentioned "Extreme Cold Ore."

This indirectly suggested that the Guanghong Alliance might be equally ignorant of the Extreme Cold Ore's true existence, only seeing the Winter Moon Ore's value in energy isolation and weapon improvement.

If someone was truly pulling the strings from the shadows, plotting an earth-shattering explosion, then this move was incredibly ruthless.

They would let Happiness City and Radiant Rainbow Shelter City fight over the ore veins, allowing both sides to happily transport the minerals back to their respective cities. Then, with a resounding boom, the two Hegemon-Tier Shelter Cities would be leveled to the ground, and the power dynamic of the entire region would completely collapse.

Of course, this speculation was not without its flaws.

The most crucial point was that if the Extreme Cold Ore truly possessed such massive explosive power, the mastermind had absolutely no need to let the two great Shelter Cities actively mine it.

They could have simply mined the ore in secret, smuggled it to the outskirts of the Shelter Cities, and detonated it. That would achieve their goal while minimizing the risk of their plan being exposed. There was simply no need to overcomplicate things.

'Is transporting the Extreme Cold Ore in large quantities problematic, or... are the detonation conditions incredibly strict?'

Without further evidence to support his theories, Cheng Ye could only assume the worst-case scenario for the entire situation, the doubts lingering in his mind refusing to fade.

Before long, two guards emerged from the depths of the mine with specialized tools, carefully carrying two pieces of exceptionally high-purity ore.

They were entirely snow-white without a trace of impurities, looking almost identical to the Extreme Cold Ore from his dream.

However, their so-called thermal insulation measures simply consisted of placing the ore into a sealed Aluminum Foil Box, relying on the exclusion of air to maintain the low temperature.

"I wonder how Inspector Cheng plans to study this ore?" Zheng Dayou personally took the Aluminum Foil Box, his tone carrying a hint of probing, though he didn't dare ask too much.

"Could I trouble you to have someone bring over a few tables and chairs? There's no need for complex instruments; I'll just study it right here."

Cheng Ye pointed to the open space at the top of the hill. "The view here is wide open. Besides, it's best we don't take an unknown mineral like this into a crowded area. If any accidents occur, it will minimize the collateral damage."

"Inspector Cheng is so thoughtful!" Zheng Dayou hastily nodded in agreement. Knowing that asking too many questions would only lead to trouble, he didn't hesitate in the slightest and immediately ordered his subordinates to comply.

Less than half an hour later, several tables and chairs had been set up at the top of the hill.

Zheng Dayou even specifically had someone bring over a spacious resting tent, stocking it with fresh fruits, vegetables, and drinking water. He had been extremely considerate.

"Alright, Lord Zheng, you can go back to your work." Cheng Ye waved his hand. "I prefer to be alone in peace and quiet when I'm researching, so I won't hold you up any longer."

After sending Zheng Dayou away, Liu Bi originally wanted to stay and keep him company, but Cheng Ye stopped him with a meaningful glance.

If this Extreme Cold Ore really did explode during his research, he was confident he could escape immediately on his own.

But if others were around, he might not be able to look after them, which would only add unnecessary risk.

Once everyone had left.

Cheng Ye immediately opened his System Panel, equipped his Shadow Puppet World, and retrieved the Sunlight Slate from his Shadow Box.

Standard slates were swiftly pieced together, soon forming a large level-five slate with a perimeter of over one meter in the shaded area of the hillside.

A soft yet bright light suddenly rose. Cheng Ye stepped to the side, examined it for a moment, and nodded in satisfaction.

The mine entrance was already hidden in the shade, making it hard to spot. Placing the slate here ensured it wouldn't be noticed by anyone in the distance either.

After attaching the Collector, the power output immediately reached a satisfying 125 kilowatts.

Watching his Recharge Value skyrocket at a visible pace, swiftly breaking past one percent, Cheng Ye finally turned and sat back down at the table.

The ability to search for intelligence once again demonstrated its game-breaking power.

This method of directly peering into the deep secrets of others was simply the ultimate weapon for traversing the Wasteland.

Currently, the information about the Winter Moon Ore had been preemptively sold to Great Banyan Shelter City by Zhuang Jing. But if he had arrived at Twin Moon Lake just a few days earlier, he could have unearthed the core secrets of this Gathering Place relying solely on his intelligence search.

In the future, when visiting other Gathering Places, he could rely on this trick to quickly grasp their internal situations. Whether someone was an ally or a threat, a single search would reveal all.

'However, I can't entirely depend on this ability.'

Cheng Ye mused to himself. 'What I see is ultimately limited to the cognition of the person being searched. If even the target is kept in the dark, I could easily be led in the wrong direction.'

Dispelling his thoughts, he raised his hand and opened the Aluminum Foil Box.

Hiss.

A piercingly cold gust of air violently erupted, and a wisp of icy mist fell upon his palm, carrying a chilling crispness.

A basketball-sized ore lay quietly inside the box. It was stark white, and under the sunlight, a layer of fine bubbles surfaced on its exterior, rapidly evaporating into nothingness.

To Cheng Ye's surprise, the Earth-Shrinking Giant Louse inside his Spiritual Body Space suddenly became extremely agitated, relentlessly transmitting chaotic intent.

'Go... go... leave!'

The intermittent intent couldn't form a complete sentence, breaking down into fragmented words, but the emotion contained within was exceptionally clear.

It wasn't fear in the face of danger, but a near-physiological revulsion. It was like a human seeing a pile of filth right in front of them—even without stepping in it, just seeing it and smelling it was enough to induce nausea.

'This...' Cheng Ye was stunned.

When the ore was embedded in the cliff face, the Earth-Shrinking Giant Louse hadn't reacted at all. Why was it so deeply repulsed the moment it was mined?

It was no wonder the Winter Moon Ore could repel Infection Sources. If even a Transcendent-level Mother Source couldn't withstand this effect, ordinary Infected Bodies would likely sense the ore's aura from afar and immediately detour to avoid it.

However, Little Flame in his Spiritual Body Space had absolutely no reaction to it.

In fact, spurred by the Earth-Shrinking Giant Louse's commotion, it curiously popped out. It first landed on Cheng Ye's shoulder, tilting its head to observe, before fluttering its tiny wings and landing squarely onto the ore inside the Aluminum Foil Box.

The ore, capable of instantly frost-burning human skin, felt like a cozy bed to Little Flame.

A faint golden light suffused its body as it pranced across the ore's surface, almost as if it were parading its prowess to the Earth-Shrinking Giant Louse, showing off its capabilities.

"Stop messing around. Come down," Cheng Ye muttered.

Cheng Ye helplessly reached out, pinched the soft tuft of fluff on Little Flame's head, and plucked it off, placing it on the table.

The Extreme Cold Ore could repel Infection Sources, yet it had zero effect on Transcendent Creatures.

From this, it wasn't hard to deduce that there had to be some special substance inside the ore. This substance specifically targeted Infection Sources, capable of inflicting severe damage upon them.

'Do you want to come out and give it a try?'

Cheng Ye pondered for a moment, attempting to transmit an intent to the Earth-Shrinking Giant Louse.

Unsurprisingly, the Earth-Shrinking Giant Louse immediately erupted with an intense feeling of resistance. To avoid this proposition, it actually opted to simply... play dead!

All of its emotions and intent vanished without a trace in an instant, thoroughly hiding itself in a corner of the Spiritual Body Space, completely motionless.

"Good grief, without any tasty treats involved, you have no motivation to work," Cheng Ye couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head.

But on second thought, assuming the Extreme Cold Ore did deal damage to Infection Sources, using the Earth-Shrinking Giant Louse for the test was indeed inappropriate.

After all, they shared a symbiotic relationship. If the Earth-Shrinking Giant Louse were weakened by the ore, it meant that he, as the host, would also suffer the consequences.

The best testing method was to directly experiment with a wild Infection Source.

Finding one in the Wilderness required some effort, but near a human Gathering Place, they were practically available at a moment's notice.

Cheng Ye immediately picked up his radio, contacting Wang Sheng at the Inspection Station to ask about the status of contained Infection Sources in the Twin Moon Lake Gathering Place.

Sure enough, the Inspection Station had quite a few Infection Sources in storage. Some were contained during routine patrols of the perimeter, while others dropped from Infected Bodies killed after attacking the Gathering Place. Furthermore, they were mostly all common varieties.

"Alright, bring me three Green Jewel Bugs," Cheng Ye instructed.

"Understood, I'll have someone bring them to you right away," Wang Sheng readily agreed.

A short while later, Dashan, the apprentice who had been following Zhang Weidong the day before, furiously pedaled a bicycle up the hillside, holding a standard-issue Containment Box in his hand.

Cheng Ye opened the box to find the three Green Jewel Bugs looking utterly sluggish, hovering on the brink of death.

Without Burning Chive to maintain their vitality, Infection Sources could only preserve their energy by entering a state of suspended animation.

For the most ordinary Infection Sources like the Green Jewel Bug, they couldn't endure suspended animation for more than a year before completely dying out.

Once Dashan left, Cheng Ye put on a pair of rubber gloves and used a pair of tongs to pluck out one of the Green Jewel Bugs.

He casually flipped open the lid of the Aluminum Foil Box, and a bone-chilling cold rushed out instantly.

Unexpectedly, the Green Jewel Bug, which had been dying just a second ago, suddenly thrashed about in the tongs as if it had been injected with adrenaline. Its emerald body took on an unnatural crimson hue, as though it were being roasted alive by the frigid air.

'An ordinary Infection Source is directly harmed without even needing to make contact?'

Cheng Ye's heart trembled.

No wonder Captain Zhang had said this ore could be forged into weapons to deal with Infection Sources with remarkable effectiveness.

If the Extreme Cold Ore could be refined into bullets, it would have made fighting those Infection Sources inside the Chamber much easier back then.

However, now wasn't the time to ponder weapon modifications.

Cheng Ye steadied his focus. He simply clamped down on the Green Jewel Bug with his tongs, pressing it firmly against the surface of the Extreme Cold Ore, carefully observing the reaction between the two.

Sizzle...

A prolonged, agonizing sizzle rang out, sounding exactly like a live bug being dropped into a vat of boiling oil.

Visibly, the Green Jewel Bug's body shriveled at a frightening speed. The moisture within its body seemed to evaporate in an instant, its form deflating rapidly before his very eyes.

Yet, the piece of Extreme Cold Ore remained entirely unchanged, as if relying solely on its innate freezing properties to execute this one-sided annihilation.

Cheng Ye leaned in to scrutinize the ore's surface before suddenly lifting his hand to move the Green Jewel Bug away.

On the exact spot of the ore previously covered by the bug's body, a faint, elongated mark had been left behind, roughly two centimeters in length.

The mark was exceedingly sheer, resembling a layer of dead skin shed by the Green Jewel Bug. But before Cheng Ye could get a clear look, it was completely evaporated by the frigid air radiating from the ore, leaving absolutely no residue behind.

'Is the Green Jewel Bug too weak?'

Cheng Ye frowned in thought, unable to discern any clues for the moment. Left with no choice, he picked up the dying Green Jewel Bug again, preparing to press it back onto the ore's surface.

However, the instant he made this motion, he suddenly straightened his posture, a look of pure disbelief flashing across his eyes.

No, that wasn't right!

The exact moment his gaze had left the ore, Cheng Ye suddenly realized that he could no longer recall the specific shape of that mark.

He had only ever witnessed such a bizarre effect with a Rune.

Could it be that the mark wasn't the Green Jewel Bug's dead skin, but rather... a Rune?

Cheng Ye was appalled, never having expected a Rune to manifest on the surface of an unassuming chunk of ore.

Did the ore evaporate and extract the Rune from the Green Jewel Bug's body, or did the ore itself contain this Rune?

He immediately clamped the Green Jewel Bug with his tongs once more, pressing it forcefully against the Extreme Cold Ore, his unblinking eyes fixed intently on the changes occurring beneath the bug's body.

This time, he saw it clearly. As the Green Jewel Bug's skin made contact with the ore, a faint phantom projection was directly siphoned right out of the bug's body. It fluttered delicately onto the ore's surface before slowly seeping inward.

However, the phantom projection was far too weak. Most of it completely dissolved into nothingness before it could even fully seep in. Only scattered fragments managed to momentarily adhere to the interior of the ore before instantly sinking into its depths, vanishing without a trace.

Under this continuous extraction, the Green Jewel Bug's vitality slowly drained away. Its body shriveled before his very eyes, gradually nearing the end of its life.

By the time the ore could no longer extract anything else, the tongs suddenly lost their purchase. The Green Jewel Bug instantly turned into a pile of green ash, dissipating into the air with a soft "poof."

This scene was exactly cut from the same cloth as the Stone Sunflower Person turning into fine sand after having its Sunlight Slate gouged out; only the color was different.

'Rune, absorption, ashes...'

Cheng Ye abruptly slammed the lid of the Aluminum Foil Box shut and sat back at the table. Innumerable flashes of insight exploded in his mind in an instant, rapidly merging and connecting all the phenomena he had observed previously.

After the Extreme Cold Ore siphoned the Rune from its body, the Green Jewel Bug turned directly to ash.

Once the Stone Sunflower Person lost its Sunlight Slate, it also turned into fine sand. Their manifestations upon death were completely identical. This was absolutely no coincidence.

It was already known that piecing Sunlight Slates together to a certain magnitude might form a complete Rune.

Didn't that signify that the core keeping Infection Sources and Infected Bodies alive was also directly tied to Runes?

The Extreme Cold Ore's ability to absorb these Runes was equivalent to directly obliterating the very foundation of an Infection Source's survival. This was precisely why they avoided the ore like the plague, only wishing to detour and flee as quickly as possible.

But why wasn't Little Flame affected? Could it be that the source of its abilities wasn't derived from a Rune?

Unable to figure it out for the time being, Cheng Ye simply pulled a standard Sunlight Slate out of his Shadow Box, grasped it with the tongs, and slowly brought it close to the Extreme Cold Ore.

If the Extreme Cold Ore truly could absorb Runes, then its upper limit was likely inconceivably high.

The instant the two objects touched, his hypothesis was validated.

Just like how entering the Blazing Eagle Symbiotic State and using the Blazing Eagle's Killing Fire combined with Earth Fire Power could melt the Sunlight Slate, the Extreme Cold Ore possessed a similar ability. Only, its manifestation was far more extreme and bizarre.

The spiral patterns on the slate's surface suddenly vibrated violently. Wisps of faint golden light were forcefully extracted from the slate, detaching from it and plunging straight into the Extreme Cold Ore.

The ore remained completely inert from start to finish, yet after being drained to a certain degree, the Sunlight Slate suddenly disintegrated, crumbling into a pile of loose sand upon the table.

The Sunlight Slate, which could not be destroyed by external physical forces, was utterly powerless against the Extreme Cold Ore.

'My god, is this... a magic material specifically meant to counter Rune-related abilities?!'