"That takes care of them. Time to leave."
Lu Yuan cast a sideways glance at the three lifeless bodies beside him.
Without another word, he walked straight over to where the meteorite had fallen.
It was a large crater, still steaming with heat.
In the center lay an irregular, pitted stone that looked entirely unremarkable.
He crouched down, picked it up, and felt the warmth radiating from within.
Inside it gestated an unearthly divine artifact.
It was something he had to obtain.
Originally, Lu Yuan had planned to rest here for the night after securing it before leaving.
However, after hearing what Captain Zhao had revealed, he fell deep into thought.
*Many powerful factions have noticed this meteor shower and already begun making their moves. Apart from this piece in my hand, most of the meteorites burned up upon entering the atmosphere, and even among the ones that landed, there was nothing inside. So they will definitely continue investigating in secret.*
Lu Yuan reasoned that those major factions possessed formidable means, and his purchase of the farm would certainly be uncovered.
If he simply took the meteorite away whole, they would inevitably grow suspicious.
Unfortunately, there was no way to tamper with or disguise the impact crater before him.
With only a few days left before the change, he did not want any unexpected mishaps.
So, after a moment's consideration, Lu Yuan did not hesitate. Exerting his strength, he shattered the meteorite with his bare hands.
Instantly, wisps of fine black powder fell to the ground, and in short order, most of the meteorite crumbled away completely.
Only the innermost core remained.
It was a black sword core the size of a palm.
Extremely rough, it showed no sign of anything extraordinary.
Yet the sword core was remarkably heavy. Looking closely, one could even sense a strange energy within it.
For some unknown reason, however, that power flickered in and out, as though it were sealed away.
Lu Yuan understood why.
It was because heaven and earth had not yet undergone the upheaval, so the sword core had not fully awakened.
Once the time arrived, it would unleash unimaginable power.
In his previous life, a peerless powerhouse had wielded this very sword core, sweeping across the realm, severing the nine heavens with a single strike, and reigning supreme throughout the cosmos.
Back then, Lu Yuan had witnessed it from afar. When that slash came down, the surging sword light had outshone even the sun, seemingly capable of shearing down the very stars, while the enemies caught beneath it vanished into nothingness in an instant.
To describe it as cleaving through the nine heavens was no exaggeration.
For that reason, this sword core bore another name: the Daluo sword core!
"Time to go."
Lu Yuan reined in his thoughts and slipped the sword core inside his jacket.
He had ground the meteorite entirely to dust. Even if those major factions harbored suspicions, they would study the powder first.
Besides, in their eyes he was merely an ordinary person and would not attract much scrutiny. Even if they eventually caught on, the upheaval of heaven and earth would already have begun by then.
Soon, Lu Yuan returned to the farm villa.
He hauled out the wordless stele, loaded it up, and drove off.
Tonight was bound to descend into chaos. Staying here would only invite endless trouble, so it was better to leave clean.
And just as he had anticipated, less than an hour after Lu Yuan departed, another group of people appeared at the farm.
Dressed in black with sharp gazes, these men carried firearms, making their combat strength even fiercer.
When they saw the impact crater and the dead bodies of Captain Zhao and his men, they understood immediately.
"They're from Longevity Genetics. The perpetrator's identity is unknown. Report this to higher-ups."
The leader spoke, ordering the matter to be relayed upward.
The rest of the men searched the area. Upon discovering the leftover meteorite powder, they prepared to collect it.
Right then, several more groups arrived, pulling up in vehicles.
They belonged to different factions.
Upon encountering one another, with scarcely a word spoken, they clashed immediately.
The scene plunged into utter chaos as the sounds of fighting and gunshots broke out in rapid succession.
Even so, these people retained some restraint. Once they secured some of the meteorite powder, each chose to withdraw.
At the same time, in a luxurious villa in Shanghai, Zhou Yunqiong sat on a leather sofa, gently swirling the red wine in her glass.
She was truly stunning; her curvaceous figure could not be concealed even by the loose bathrobe she wore.
"Young Miss."
At that moment, Uncle Zuo approached with a respectful demeanor. "We just received word. A meteorite did indeed crash onto that farm on the outskirts of Wuzhou. Operatives from Longevity Genetics were waiting there, but they were killed. Whoever did it is extremely formidable—definitely not an ordinary human."
"Oh?"
Hearing this, Zhou Yunqiong frowned. "And the meteorite?"
"It was reduced to powder. Our people managed to retrieve some, and it's being sent to the laboratory for analysis."
Uncle Zuo answered, pausing to think before continuing, "However, people from Tianshen Technology and Beidou Biology also obtained some during the skirmish."
Naturally, operatives from Wuzhou Group had gone to that farm as well.
During the melee, each faction had seized some of the meteorite powder.
Although there were impact sites they had failed to purchase, that did not stop them from investigating in secret; it merely lowered their priority.
"How amusing. Claiming on the surface not to compete, yet making moves in the shadows."
Zhou Yunqiong sneered, took a sip of red wine, and spoke again. "I heard that farm was bought by my classmate, Lu Yuan?"
"Yes."
Uncle Zuo produced a document. "He beat us to it, which was why we didn't succeed. Our investigation also showed that he has been living at the farm recently, but tonight he's nowhere to be found. Young Miss, should we look into him to see if he discovered anything?"
His implication was simple: he suspected Lu Yuan might have been involved.
"No need," Zhou Yunqiong replied with a shake of her head. "He's just an ordinary person."
"Back in university, every classmate around me was thoroughly investigated. There was nothing special about him."
"Didn't you guys secretly test their hair samples? None of them had any chance of awakening."
From the very beginning, she had never paid any mind to those so-called university classmates.
The reason was simple: they were all just ordinary people.
They did not belong to the same world as her; there was no need to pay them any attention.
As for the farm, it was merely a coincidence.
And even if it weren't a coincidence, what ability would Lu Yuan have to take on operatives from Longevity Genetics? He was far too weak.
"Understood."
Uncle Zuo nodded, also feeling that he had overthought things.
Before long, the entire world would change.
Ordinary people were just ordinary people; they could stir up no waves and would forever remain at the very bottom, save for those blessed with immense fortune.
Lu Yuan might have a bit of money, but after that day, money would become nothing more than waste paper. Were it not for his connection to the Young Miss, he was a minor figure entirely unworthy of their notice.
"All right, let's leave it at that. The meteorite is a minor matter. Has that person been found?"
Zhou Yunqiong waved her hand dismissively, turning to another question.
That person was the true priority for Wuzhou Group!
Chapter 23