"Big brother, Mr. Zhou has located the identity of the No. 4 stand-in!"

Song Xian ran excitedly to share the news.

Zhang Zhi was stunned for a moment, then looked at Zhou Yi: "You guys can do that too..."

"The company has internal information channels."

Zhou Yi casually responded: "According to our confirmation, this No. 4 stand-in also comes from a mutant background."

Zhang Zhi frowned: "Why would a mutant make things difficult for another mutant?"

"It's to secure his status."

Zhou Yi took a sip of tea and sat on the sofa with his legs crossed.

"The seven stand-ins each represent a different class of being, and their ecological niche can only accommodate one stand-in. If any other individual from their class evolves and becomes too powerful, it would threaten their status."

"There are two scenarios in which a stand-in is replaced without dying."

"The first is when a lifeform breaks through Earth's atmosphere and orbit, relying on its own power to travel into space. Such a lifeform would be captured by the Gemstone Transformers of the outer orbit and sent into the bodies of the Heavenly People, becoming the new stand-in."

"However, this is extremely difficult. Even the Light Core Bodies mostly rely on space channels to enter outer space. Breaking free from Earth's gravity using only the body is nearly impossible."

"Moreover, the extreme conditions in the cosmic environment pose great challenges to life. Low-pressure space, extreme high and low temperatures, omnipresent high-speed micro-debris collisions, various unidentified sources of radiation, and the pervasive mind storms across the universe... These are problems that only Transformers can generally overcome. To date, Earth has seen only one instance of a breakthrough by this path."

Zhou Yi was recounting the intelligence provided by Canghai Jun.

"The second scenario is when a superior individual appears in the same ecological niche. The previous one would be replaced and likely become experimental material for the Heavenly People."

"Like this No. 4. He must ensure that no stronger mutants emerge, so he closely monitors the mutant community. Wu Gang's 'Borrowing Power' used to leverage the strengths of others to quickly complete a snowball effect. This was a highly potential and fast-growing ability, and coupled with the fact that Wu Gang was already a Skywalker, it posed a risk to him."

"So even if Wu Gang was not killed by the Heavenly Kingdom, he would still be targeted by him."

Zhou Yi was also conveying Canghai Jun's conjecture.

Zhang Zhi pondered for a while: "May I ask, the lifeform that emerged into space, what exactly was it?"

"It is said to have been a Bone Fish."

"A Bone Fish?"

The other party was bewildered, gesturing with a swimming motion: "Is it the kind of Bone Fish I'm thinking of?"

"Yes, exactly that kind."

Zhou Yi nodded.

He had the same reaction when he first heard about it.

The most common Bone Fish in the Dead Sea can't even leap out of the Dead Sea, being hunted by other Guangna Species. And this one broke through the atmosphere, exceeded escape velocity, and entered outer space?

But Canghai Jun said: "Chairman, it's absolutely true. Although it sounds like fiction, it's real..."

According to him.

That moment was recorded by Weaving Lord with the Great Holy Spirit.

It was a gigantic Bone Fish bursting out of the Dead Sea, piercing through the Outer Sea and the atmosphere. It was larger than a Gray Whale, with a body teeming with dense bones.

Its speed was initially very slow, but it gradually accelerated. After escaping the Dead Sea, it created a trajectory cloud.

Once it broke through the Outer Sea, the Bone Fish's speed was on par with a rocket, with its body friction against the air generating bright flames.

That was the early phase of the Circular Flow outbreak.

It was also the era when No. 1 stand-in was still around.

"No. 1 followed and communicated with the giant Bone Fish."

"The Bone Fish was headed for the Sun. It said it needed more energy, which Earth could no longer provide. At that time, it was captured by the Transformers and sent to the Sun. However, this gigantic Bone Fish didn't enter Earth's sequence of stand-ins; it probably works at the Sun now."

Canghai Jun explained.

Only then did Zhou Yi realize that during the Wasteland era of Earth, such a powerful local lifeform had emerged, traversing space with its flesh and bones.

"The Bone Fish's elevation to near-Transformer levels was mainly because it burrowed deep underground and gained some form of power in the mantle, leading to its unprecedented evolution."

"Subsequently, No. 1 surveyed the giant Bone Fish's trajectory and found its dwelling deep beneath the mantle. She didn't elaborate on what was there, possibly because it's a taboo."

Canghai Jun stated: "It was after the giant Bone Fish left that 404 City was established, and its location reused the underground residence of the Bone Fish. It conceals the deep secrets of this star."

Regarding the legend of the Bone Fish, Zhou Yi only mentioned its leap from the Dead Sea into the cosmos, omitting the underground secrets.

Zhang Zhi murmured: "Indeed, there's hope after all."

"Even a common lifeform like the Bone Fish created an extraordinary history... We also have a chance."

Zhou Yi brought the topic back: "Everything is possible, but let's discuss the urgent matter at hand."

"That No. 4 stand-in caused Wu Gang's death, suppressed you, and eliminated your highly potential Talents. He's your greatest enemy, right?"

"Yes."

Zhang Zhi nodded: "I hope to leverage the company's strength to fight against him. I hope you can give us a helping hand."

Zhou Yi said: "I can make him disappear if you give me the Stone Shedding Technology. Deal?"

The other party was taken aback.

"Disappear... Of course, no problem! The greatest threat to mutants now, the one strangling us, is him. We no longer have conflicts of interest with the Heavenly Kingdom."

"Alright. I'll take care of it."

Zhou Yi agreed.

"But since the other party is a Heavenly People's stand-in..." Zhang Zhi seemed a bit uneasy and hesitant: "Wouldn't a direct attack draw the Heavenly People down?"

"No."

Zhou Yi informed: "Stand-ins are tools for the Heavenly People, like Light Core Giants. It doesn't matter who the stand-in is, as long as there is one functioning."

Zhang Zhi took a deep breath and gritted his teeth: "Let's risk it! Winning this will secure a space for mutants. To handle the stand-in, the Freedom Army is at your service, Mr. Zhou."

"No need for that."

Zhou Yi waved it off: "I have professionals to deal with the stand-in."

"Pro... professionals... you mean you've handled other stand-ins before..."

The other party was stunned.

"This is a company secret."

Zhou Yi said seriously: "This is undoubtedly risky, requiring extensive preparation and the willingness to face failure. If our professionals can't manage, the Freedom Army wouldn't make a difference."

"Such things are best prepared for years to ensure more certainty. But Freedom Army collaborating with the company will attract his Alertness."

"Now is the best moment, right now."

"You're right."

Zhang Zhi nodded slowly, looking serious: "Time is of the essence. Even we didn't expect to act today, so he won't either. We've always been led by the nose..."

"Just wait."

Zhou Yi sipped his tea, looking out the floor-to-ceiling window.

Zhang Zhi and Song Xian kept drinking water, visibly nervous.

Yuan Xiao continually poured them tea.

An hour later.

Zhou Yi smiled slightly: "Mission accomplished, I got it done."

Zhang Zhi spat out a mouthful of water, hastily wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

"Done... He's disappeared?"

"Disappeared from this world."

Zhou Yi looked out the window.

It was night.

The moon hung high.

No. 4 stand-in, Wang Fengwu, had been taken to the moon.

The Night God over there said: "This stand-in has a peculiar situation... You should come and see for yourself."

"I need to make a trip."

With that, Zhou Yi vanished from where he stood.

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