The Rule-Breaker of the Doomsday Game

’The required armor increase just went from one point to two. This is going to be the death of me.’

Qi Suian looked at the Tai Sui God, which had now reached 20 armor points after completing its nineteenth evolution.

The next evolution required its armor to increase from 20 to 22 points. To Qi Suian, it was as if his Gold-devouring Beast had just evolved.

Even though he had been prepared for it, seeing it in black and white still made his heart clench.

With every evolution, the resource consumption of this thing was a bottomless pit.

The AI said nothing. This was a necessary price. After all, the three traits of the Tai Sui Divine Mecha were exceptionally powerful.

’If it weren’t such a Gold-devouring Beast, how could it possibly be SSS-rank?’

"Whatever. I’ll deal with it later."

Qi Suian quickly calmed down. ’It’s only two points of armor. It won’t be impossible if I just bite the bullet.’

Now that the temperature was higher, the efficiency of acquiring evolution energy from the Melting Furnace combined with the dark energy crystals had also increased.

The only thing vexing Qi Suian was what to choose for the module.

Should it be his own Dragon and Tiger Primordial Force, the juggernaut created by Qin Sheng, or should he stick to the original plan and choose the language module?

Or, more decisively, he could leave the slot empty for now and wait until after he absorbed the Seven-Star Jade Lotus to install the item suspected of being the Ancient Martial Source.

Each option held immense value for Qi Suian, and he couldn’t bear to give up any of them.

"AI, what’s your take on the module choice?" Qi Suian asked.

’As a last resort, I’ll just have to trust the AI.’

[I advise you to proceed according to the plan and select the language module.]

Seeing this, Qi Suian understood the AI’s reasoning. Since he already had a communication module, the follow-up translation and signal modules were a more logical fit.

’Giving up halfway would just be a waste.’

After careful consideration, Qi Suian followed the AI’s advice and installed the language module in the empty slot.

[SSS-Rank: Pan-Lingual Dynamic Analysis Core]

After learning its functions, Qi Suian didn’t have much more to say.

It not only functioned as a language module but also enhanced related systems like the reconnaissance network and communications hub.

It also optimized the algorithms of the AI and its chips, making its computational power even stronger.

"There isn’t much of a difference between the translation module and the language module, is there? They seem to have similar functions," Qi Suian asked.

[By your understanding, there is indeed no difference.]

[The language module is akin to software, while the translation module is more like an additional piece of hardware. Combining the two optimizes their effects to maximum efficiency.]

[It can also enhance related modules such as communication, signal, and reconnaissance.]

"I understand." Having chosen to stick to the plan, Qi Suian had no intention of changing it now.

As for worrying about the AI having issues, that wasn’t a concern. The Seal of the Profound Dominator and the Profound Virus Bloodline Armor—these two modules bound the Tai Sui God securely to him.

Besides, the AI’s core logic had numerous restrictions. Every time the Tai Sui God evolved, its loyalty and protective protocols evolved in sync.

Moreover, it wasn’t a true sentient life form. It had no emotions like a desire for freedom or greed; it was just a string of code.

Of course, this wasn’t foolproof. There was surely a way to crack it, but that would require a higher-level external force.

Qi Suian wasn’t too concerned about such things. For him, anyone capable of cracking the AI would be far stronger than he was. If it came to that, his only thought would be how to save his own skin.

’No need to overthink it.’

[Do you recall that I previously intercepted the Sun Puppets’ communication channel?]

"What? You found something?" Qi Suian’s Spirit lifted as he asked hurriedly.

[Yes. With the help of the language module, I have deciphered a portion of their communications. It was interspersed with a great deal of wailing, which I have filtered out.]

The Tai Sui God then transmitted the content to him.

After reading it, Qi Suian’s expression turned grim.

"Seriously? Why won’t they just leave me alone???" Qi Suian could see from the content that the Sun Puppets were still looking for him.

Because Qi Suian’s hiding spot was unique, even though the ambient temperature had risen, the sun couldn’t reach it. As a result, the Sun Puppets were unable to lock onto his position.

’Are we sure this isn’t some kind of taunt effect from my protagonist halo?’ 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Qi Suian felt this was getting ridiculous. He could understand if it were one or two, but this was the case for all of them.

He figured that the moment he poked his head out into the sunlight, he would have to face several thousand Sun Puppets at the very least.

"Since we’ve hacked into their network, can we muddy the waters a bit?" Qi Suian suddenly realized. If the AI could understand them, sending messages back wouldn’t be a problem.

[It is possible. However, the Tai Sui God lacks the translation and signal modules, so it cannot perfectly imitate their communication or convey messages flawlessly.]

"Imitate? You mean the translation module can synergize with mimicry and camouflage?" Qi Suian had connected the dots.

[Correct. The language and communication modules also serve a complementary function.]

"I see." Qi Suian hadn’t expected that. He put the thought aside for the moment and continued, "It’s fine if we can’t do it perfectly."

"We can just pretend to be one of the more idiotic Sun Puppets. As long as we get the general idea across, it’ll be fine."

"The main goal is to set a trap. See if we can bait and capture a Sun Puppet to use as fuel."

"One Sun Puppet should be enough to raise the Tai Sui God’s armor from 20 to 22 points, I’d imagine."

Qi Suian had no intention of running. Escape was impossible anyway. Instead, he switched his mindset and prepared to hunt.

The Sun Puppets were an echelon of Extraordinary Life Form far beyond the norm; their value was bound to be high.

These weren’t the "Ashen" versions from before, but real Sun Puppets.

[According to my calculations, one would indeed be enough for the Tai Sui God to complete an evolution, with energy to spare.]

[However, the risk is extremely high. We have no way to mitigate the Sun Puppet’s intense heat.]

"We just have to trick it into toning down its heat. I think we can manage that."

"And if we can’t, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it." Qi Suian thought for a moment before adding, "You know what a long con is, right? A ’pig-butchering scam’?"

"We’ll use that method to trick it. Use multiple sock puppets and con the hell out of it."

[Your method is effective against conventional life forms, but Sun Puppets are not conventional. They may not fall for the deception.]

"Let’s just try it first. Sure, they might be a bit touched in the head, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have egos."

"We can exploit their preferences—for example, their obsession with hunting me."

"It doesn’t matter if we fail. We can just chalk it up to intelligence gathering." Qi Suian’s attitude was basically that the AI wasn’t busy anyway, so it might as well have an online chat with the Sun Puppets.

He might even stumble upon some good news. After all, his protagonist halo was just sitting there, waiting to be used.

[Understood. Executing your command...]

Since Qi Suian had put it that way, the AI was not about to refuse.

In truth, it was just as Qi Suian thought: nothing ventured, nothing gained.

As for the risks, they were certainly real, and Qi Suian knew it.

This kind of behavior could very well lead to the enemy tracing his connection right back to his location for a beatdown.

However, Qi Suian was far from defenseless. If they really dared to come, the Dark Energy Beams from his Floating Cannons were not just for show.

Qi Suian couldn’t kill an endless tide of Sun Puppets, but a hundred or so? That was a different story.

Capturing one alive would be difficult, but killing them wasn’t particularly hard.

Then, Qi Suian saw a virtual projection resembling a chat channel appear. The AI was beginning its deception.

It started with a public channel chat. The AI quickly identified several Sun Puppets that didn’t seem particularly bright and initiated private messages with them.

Progress would take time. The conversations had just begun and could only be considered initial contact at best.

However, given the AI’s computational and logical capabilities, it would likely determine whether these "fish" were biting and how best to reel them in within three to five hours.

"You get to it, and I’ll get to my own work." Qi Suian didn’t keep watching. The AI’s conversational tactics were skillful, but that wasn’t his path.

He turned his focus back to the Blood Moon tissue sample and resumed his research.

Ever since his Celestial Fate: Profound was enhanced to +4 and combined with the Seven Elements Relief effect from the Seven-Star Jade Vein Lotus, his research progress was finally no longer moving at a snail’s pace.

Once his protagonist halo completely absorbed the Seven Elements Relief and the "Big Dipper Chain Stars," making them fully his own, the effects would likely be even stronger.

An S-rank virus talent was just around the corner.

Of course, this was just a hopeful prospect. As for when he’d actually see results, Qi Suian wasn’t entirely sure himself.

This wasn’t something he could achieve just by wishing for it; he still had to rely on his own studies and research.

The boost from his protagonist halo was immense, but it wasn’t a panacea. If he didn’t put in the effort, opportunities would slip through his fingers even if they were handed to him on a silver platter.

It was as if someone had given him a stage to perform on, bribed the referee, and assigned him a team of all-stars. But at the end of the day, he still had to put in the work himself.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to grasp success even if it was right in front of him.

"Man proposes, Heaven disposes" was true, but there was another saying: "Human will can conquer Heaven."

Qi Suian was a greedy person. He wanted it all.

Luck, combined with hard work, was what had brought him to his current level of strength.

-----------------

"Kill the Desecrator? What’s a Desecrator?" Xu Tongming’s expression was a bit odd.

After his Power of the Limit reached one hundred and twenty degrees, he became able to occasionally hear certain low hums from the Sun Puppets.

He was also able to use his own Power of the Limit to transmit some of his thoughts.

And just now, a Sun Puppet that didn’t seem quite right in the head had started a private chat with him, apparently wanting his help with something.

He had flatly refused at first, but as they continued to chat, he realized that this supposedly brain-damaged Sun Puppet was actually quite unusual.

’Could it be someone like me? A human whose Power of the Limit has broken past one hundred and twenty? Are they disguised as a Sun Puppet to test me?’ A sharp glint flashed in Xu Tongming’s eyes.

If that were the case, it would be excellent news for Xu Tongming.

Surviving alone versus teaming up with someone else were two completely different things.

He had managed to survive, so it stood to reason that others might have also managed to break through their own limits with the Power of the Limit at the critical moment.

"Their location isn’t far from me. I’ll go take a look." A smile that he hadn’t shown in a long time appeared on Xu Tongming’s face.