527: Chapter 171: Disturbance 527: Chapter 171: Disturbance The King of Godspeed was a monument atop the Martial Arts, a symbol.

Today, with the Martial Ancestor gone and the Martial God defeated multiple times, the King of Godspeed was considered the pinnacle of external strength achievable by humankind.

Countless Martial Artists aimed to reach the standards set by the King of Godspeed.

Yet now, this person was seriously contemplating whether his current level was even ten percent of the King of Godspeed’s.

It was uncertain whether to call him “so arrogant” for daring to compare himself to the mythological Martial Artists, or “so insecure” for only daring to mention one-tenth as a specific figure.

This statement was laughable on two levels.

However, Zhili Jiliu’s tone was dead serious.

He genuinely believed that he should be at one-tenth the level of the King of Godspeed, no more, no less.

“According to our Scientific Knights, this requires multiple tests, repeated comparisons, to draw any conclusions.

I think even the Holy Maiden couldn’t speculate on this matter.” White Hermit shook his head, “What a pity.”

Normal people rarely had the experience of facing the King of Godspeed.

Those who did usually got instantly killed.

The King of Godspeed was extremely decisive in action.

It’s said the Holy Maiden had clashed with him several times, only catching glimpses of the King of Godspeed’s Martial Arts prowess.

Although Zhili Jiliu was pondering whether he had ten percent of the King of Godspeed’s ability, he knew well that he didn’t yet qualify to challenge the King of Godspeed.

“That’s just temporary,” Guardian Zhi dismissed, “As long as the project continues, my neural reflexes can keep improving, and the advantages the King of Godspeed has due to his innate talent and cybernetic enhancements will become increasingly marginal.”

All Protectors of the order of Kings underwent customized gene modification surgery.

Calculated through massive intelligent computers and vast computational resources, and verified experimentally with clones, these were special gene modifications effective only for the individual.

Such an enormous resource utilization almost exhausted the possibilities of the human nervous system.

Together with customized cybernetic enhancements, the starting point of the Kings was on a level that ordinary Martial Artists could never achieve in their lifetimes.

White Hermit knew that among the militant group the “Protectors”, some joined the Six Dragons Sect for similar reasons.

The experimental nature of the deep transformations offered by the Six Dragons Sect could further close the gap between ordinary Martial Artists and the Kings.

White Hermit smiled and pointed in a direction, “This way leads to the underground area.

We have prepared some high-level equipment there, all of which were previously smuggled to this sector.

Let’s walk and talk, and I’ll also show you the Secluded Crane Knight Order’s proudest reception area.”

“Just give me a moment, I need a bit more time to adjust,” Guardian Zhi hopped in place, then jumped forward, backward, left, and right.

This was not his full state.

On the asteroid, Guardian Zhi used a powerful prosthetic body.

However, to evade inspections, he temporarily abandoned the large prosthetic body.

He left the spaceship near Earth’s orbit, disguised as a small meteorite entering Earth.

This prosthetic body was prepared for him by the Secluded Crane Knight Order.

While speaking earlier, Guardian Zhi was continuously adapting to this body.

A few minutes later, he nodded at Bai Changkong, “Okay.”

The two proceeded.

The entire Burgess Shale region was covered by the central building of Secluded Crane City, a massive structural behemoth spanning throughout.

Just maintaining the magnetic fields in various parts of this structure required immense electrical power.

An independent reactor burned for this skyscraper.

If this building lost power, its lower structures would gradually deform.

And the building’s basement space was also divided into several larger sections due to the terrain of Fossil Ridge.

“I thought this was going to be a mine,” Guardian Zhi commented, “Seems it is not.”

“Not at all.

The Scientific Knight Order employs a ‘steady’ strategy when it comes to fossil excavation.

Fossils that have been exposed naturally during the excavation process do need to be collected as soon as possible.

However, we do not allow the fossil beds to be entirely stripped,” said White Hermit.

Guardian Zhi was somewhat puzzled, “Wouldn’t fully mining them yield a lot of meaningful data?”

“But then you would hardly know what you have missed,” White Hermit shook his head, “The technologies for fossil collection and identification are continuously improving.

What is identified today as ‘surface debris’ that can be cleared away might tomorrow become important evidence of biological habits.

There are also molecular fossils that might get damaged through washing or even contact with air—things we simply cannot detect with current technology, so we remain ignorant, but future researchers might be able to.

We must give future generations a chance.”

“However, we must still excavate.

Exploring biological evolution is a key endeavor highly valued by His Majesty Yawgmoth, and it relates to the future well-being of humanity.

Fossils excavated each year undergo some preliminary research and documentation.

Afterwards, some fossils are encapsulated in synthetic amber, waiting for Scientific Knights of decades or centuries later to explore with new technology.

Others are subjected to slicing, chemical analysis, and other destructive examinations.”

“Of course, there have been knight apprentices who, unable to seize opportunities for promotion, ventured to mine on their own,” he added.

Guardian Zhi was curious, “Did he get promoted then?”

White Hermit chuckled, “He died.”

Guardian Zhi pondered for a moment, “Does this comply with Dyson’s Principle?”

“In theory, all fossils owned by the Secluded Crane Knight Order are property of His Majesty Yawgmoth.

Collection that goes beyond the charter is naturally unacceptable,” White Hermit looked at the strangely gleaming trilobite fossils beneath his feet, speaking calmly, “So naturally, he deserved to die.”

Guardian Zhi looked up at the immense dome above.

They felt like ants in the crevice of a giant’s palm.

“The apprentice was a bit too careless,” said the Protector of the Six Dragons.

“Yes, quite careless,” responded Hermit.

The two had reached the edge of the fossil excavation area.

There was an elevator door there.

The Protector of the Six Dragons and the Hermit descended underground.

…………………………

Outside the city, three people were quietly approaching.

Looking at the city resembling military barracks, Cain sighed, “Are you really not considering it…

Shouldn’t we at least wait until others join us?”

“Opportunity doesn’t come twice,” Xiang Shan spoke calmly, “It’s only now that the Six Dragons Sect is in a ‘rather lose something than be disturbed’ state.”

Therefore, it was an opportune moment to disturb them.