Central Star Purification Tower.
Because they had received Leo’s message in advance, the Warden had ordered all regulators to be on high alert from early morning, allowing not a single mistake.
One of the Federation’s only three S-class Lords, absolutely nothing could go wrong on their watch.
Otherwise, no one could bear that responsibility.
The regulators inside the tower knew the severity of the situation and sharpened their focus to the utmost, waiting for Lady Yunyang’s arrival.
But of course, it was precisely at a moment like this that something major went wrong.
In the office area, Jenkins had barely answered the communicator call when he heard an anxious voice from his subordinate: “Warden, it’s bad—a high-pollution male has escaped!”
“What?”
Jenkins shot to his feet and strode quickly toward the elevator.
Even as he walked, he demanded: “How did you people keep watch! What kind of beastman, and what ability level?”
“He—he—” The person on the other end gritted their teeth. “It’s the Flood Dragon beastman sent back by the 1st Army yesterday. Ability level SS.”
With a thud, Jenkins slammed into the elevator doors before they had even opened.
That SS-class black Flood Dragon?
Damn it.
“I’ll deal with this debt with you later. For now, activate the tower’s highest defense protocol and dispatch half of the regulators. You must find that black Flood Dragon!”
That was a black Flood Dragon half-transformed into a dragon, with pollution levels teetering near 100—at any moment it could completely degenerate into a beast.
If he managed to escape from the Purification Tower, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Most critically, Lady Yunyang was about to arrive, and if that black Flood Dragon harmed her…
Jenkins shuddered, ended the call, and immediately requested a communication with Leo.
The other side connected quickly. “Jenkins, what’s the problem?”
Jenkins took a deep breath and spoke rapidly: “Commander Lei Ou, that black Flood Dragon your people sent over has escaped!”
On the other end of the communication, the normally composed Commander of the 1st Army’s face drastically changed.
He did his best to maintain his calm. “Has Lady Yunyang reached the tower yet?”
Jenkins said: “Not yet, but Deputy Qin of the 23rd Army just sent word that they can arrive within half an hour at most.”
Leo let out a slight sigh of relief.
“I’ll arrange for the 1st Army to assist. Have your people positioned to wait on the only route to the tower, and make absolutely sure you intercept Lady Yunyang.”
“Under no circumstances may the escaped beastman harm Lady Yunyang.”
Leo’s words were like an anchor of reassurance. Jenkins nodded hurriedly and gave orders according to his arrangements.
Half of the regulators within the tower were mobilized—some launching a grid-by-grid search, others heading out to take their positions and wait.
The tower had a total of 80 floors, with higher ability levels being housed on higher floors.
Above floor 75, all those under watch were ability levels exceeding S.
Therefore, not a single regulator assigned above floor 75 participated in the hunt—they remained at their posts.
On floor 77, where aquatic beastmen were detained, the corners were covered with patches of water stains—damp, cold, and clammy—the kind that land-dwelling and flying beastmen hated most.
And right now, within the largest pool of standing water, a dark shadow seemed to flicker past in an instant.
·
The airship carrying Yunyang and her four beast-husbands had only just entered the Purification Tower’s airspace when it was halted.
Forced to land, the airship’s hatch was opened by Qin Mo immediately.
He swept his gaze over the shoulder patches worn by those blocking their way and frowned. “You’re regulators from the Purification Tower?”
"Yes, Deputy Qin." The lead warden stood up straight. "There's been a small incident at the purification tower. For Lady Yunyang's safety, the Warden Jenkins ordered us to wait here."
"Lady Yunyang cannot proceed to the purification tower at the moment."
"A small incident"?
Qin Mo didn't quite buy that. If it really were a small incident, these wardens would never have left the purification tower.
More likely, a beastman with a high contamination level had escaped.
Such incidents weren't rare. Across the three major star systems of the Federation—except for the T star cluster, also known as the rim star cluster—every planet in the other two major star systems had a purification tower.
The beastmen held in these towers were of various species, with all sorts of bizarre abilities.
If a beastman under watch possessed abilities like time or space manipulation, and their ability level was S-rank or above, they could easily slip past the wardens' perception and break out.
So, every now and then, this kind of thing happened.
These wardens came from the Federal Army, and Qin Mo, being a deputy in that same Federal Army, knew more than a bit about it.
The moment a beastman was brought into the purification tower, a special program was implanted into their optical brain. Those with clearance could monitor their contamination levels and location in real time.
That optical brain was genetically bonded to the beastman, and only death could sever the link.
So, even if a beastman successfully escaped, they'd be caught soon enough.
The only problem was the cost of the damage in the meantime.
These wardens had been dispatched, most likely to keep their own female master from being harmed by any escaping beastman.
Qin Mo mulled it over briefly, then nodded. "I understand. I'll take my female master and leave."
"If the purification tower needs any help, feel free to contact me."
The warden sighed in relief, then hurriedly escorted him back to the airship.
Inside the small airship, Yunyang took a sip of the juice a robot had brought her, then set it down in silence.
Terrible.
In both her past life and this one, she'd never drunk juice so awful!
Cloyingly sweet! And sticky!
She couldn't even tell what fruit it was supposed to be squeezed from.
But since it was a freebie with the airs hip ride, she didn't bother dumping it in the restroom.
Noticing Yunyang didn't like it, her three beastman husbands silently made a note: from now on, no matter where they went, they'd steer clear of that juice!
Yunyang downed two sips of plain water to wash away the sickly sweetness and saw Qin Mo returning from outside the airship.
"Qin Mo, what's going on?"
Qin Mo squeezed past his three love rivals to sit beside Yunyang, explaining, "Something happened at the purification tower. My female master, you can't go in for now."
At that, the other three beastman husbands turned to look.
Xuan Yu: "What happened?"
Rong Jin: "Our female master sat through two hours on the airship. If the purification tower doesn't give us a proper explanation, they can forget about her ever helping them again!"
Fu Shiyi: "Did a beastman escape?"
Qin Mo nodded toward Fu Shiyi. "Probably someone with a high ability rank. I saw people from the First Army on my way in."
At that, the fury on Rong Jin's face vanished in an instant.
He grabbed Yunyang's hand. "Female master, we're turning back now. An out-of-control beastman is dangerous!"
The other three beastman husbands nodded in agreement.
As the four of them spoke, a faint black shadow began to surface within the juice sitting on the coffee table before Yunyang.
Fu Shiyi frowned almost the moment it appeared, pulling Yunyang into his arms and away from where she'd been standing.
Qin Mo, Xuan Yu, and Rong Jin all looked at him at once.
Seeing Fu Shiyi's grave expression, Qin Mo sensed something and also moved to protect Yunyang's side. Naturally, Xuan Yu and Rong Jin were not about to lag behind. Yunyang, completely surrounded and shielded, spoke up in a weak voice, "Did something happen?"
