Five days later.
Qin Fu stood before a massive instrument, his eyes fixed through the lens as he observed the intricate fluctuations of the power of the void.
These past five days had been unexpectedly comfortable, thanks to the careful arrangements of the prince of Strex. Life in the country had been surprisingly smooth, providing him ample time to experiment and study.
As he had anticipated, the country's technology was more than sufficient for his current research. Of course, part of this advantage stemmed from his own lack of magical knowledge; with less arcane reliance, he had turned to science to push the limits of the void.
Watching the power of the void crackle within the [Energy Analyzer], Qin Fu's gaze grew almost obsessive. Days of sleepless nights and skipped meals had culminated in this moment of clarity.
Previously, his rapid mobilization of the power of the void had blurred the line between mana and void energy. The flow appeared shadow-like, almost untouchable. He had often struggled to distinguish one from the other.
But after days of meticulous experimentation, he had discovered something crucial: every time he condensed the void using his mana, a transformation process occurred—subtle but present. The speed of this conversion depended on elemental affinity: the strength of elemental connections and the sensitivity of elemental perception as recorded in the world of super god mechanics.
His astonishing speed? That had been the result of Logier's half-month experiment. Though it cost him control over other elements, it had elevated his spatial perception to an unprecedented level. Later, a natural talent mutation further refined his control over space elements.
And now, after continuous testing, Qin Fu had finally succeeded in reproducing a rune. This rune allowed him to mobilize the void far more efficiently than brute-force channeling. No longer was he a wild-road mage smashing directly with raw power; he had become a strategist, a scholar of destruction.
Rubbing his temples gently, Qin Fu felt the weight of his ignorance. He still knew too little about magic. Once he returned to Paradise, he would need to collect books on magical theory—and revisit the basics of physics and chemistry. Reincarnation had given him another chance, yet here he was, learning all over again.
The past few days had been an immersion in both science and experimentation. He finally stopped the [Energy Analyzer] and moved to the [Elemental Wave Detector] nearby. The country's technology had exceeded his expectations: building such instruments was no small feat.
Research completed, Qin Fu disconnected both devices, entering them into standby mode and reclaiming storage space.
Notably, an artificial intelligence had been integrated with these instruments—but Prince Strex had installed wiretapping devices within it, interfering with Qin Fu's experiments. He made a mental note: once back in Paradise, he would decide whether to retain or destroy it.
Exiting the lab, he headed toward Prince Strex's personal workshop.
Inside, he found the prince tinkering with a mecha that could have been plucked straight from a Gundam blueprint. Qin Fu froze, a wave of déjà vu washing over him.
"What are you doing here? Research done already?" he asked.
Prince Strex looked up, expressionless. "Done. We can leave for Chicken Island. If you don't go, I'm leaving."
Hearing the mention of Chicken Island, Qin Fu's eyes sharpened. He watched as the mecha, massive and intricate, folded into a tiny, compact square with an almost impossible spatial compression.
"No matter how many times I study this, your space compression technology feels buggy—completely inconsistent with spatial laws. I've analyzed it endlessly and have barely scratched the surface of what you've done," Qin Fu complained.
Prince Strex remained calm. "If you consult Chapter 5, Section 14 of Mechanics and Science, you'll realize it isn't a bug."
Qin Fu thought of the towering tome in the corner, and a tingling sensation shot through his head—a prelude to yet another wave of discovery.
"Stop. I'll take the good learning. That thing is not worth reading in a short time."
"Can you leave?"
"Let's go."
Qin Fu lifted Gu Gu onto his shoulder and boarded the prince of Stir's spaceship, heading for Chicken Island.
The moment they touched down, the paradise system promptly triggered a notification.
[The hunter has entered the one-kilometer range of violator No. 13241. Hunting function activated automatically.]
A small map appeared before him, a single red dot flashing continuously. That was clearly the violator's location.
Turning to wave goodbye to the prince of Stir, Qin Fu set off in the direction of the violator. The prince said nothing; after all, their meeting had been transactional—a kidnapper and a hostage at best.
Qin Fu had more pressing matters. Red energy stones awaited discovery, and the pill he had given the prince had already been safely tested. Otherwise, he would not have remained unharmed alongside Qin Fu for so many days.
On Chicken Island, chaos reigned.
A contractor resembling the Hulk rampaged through villages, slaughtering both villagers and contractors indiscriminately. Wu Liuqi, Captain Jack, and other plot characters set aside past grudges to combat the threat.
Scissors sliced through the air, swords roared, and the battle ignited into a frenzy. Yet the Hulk effortlessly resisted their attacks. One punch demolished a contractor, and two scarlet cards suddenly materialized.
[You killed contractor 13067. Obtained scarlet card *2.][Warning! Warning...]
Violator 13241 sneered, roared, and shook everyone back with sheer force. A clap of his hands released terrifying wind pressure, sending countless villagers flying without any sign of survival.
With Paradise warnings ringing in his ears, he grew only more irritable. Muscles swelling, his height surged to three meters in an instant. The contractors retreated like ants facing a giant.
The Hulk, under Violator 13241's control, continued to grab treasure chests with alarming precision. This violator had once been subjected to a military Hulk experiment in the first world of Marvel, surviving alone. Paradise classified him as a dual entity: two people in one. This allowed him to claim double treasure chests and repeat missions.
Paradise might issue warnings, but Violator 13241 ignored them. He saw himself as a victim, and any punishment would be deservedly mitigated.
Casually pinching Captain Jack to death, he barked orders for the Hulk to store the two treasure chests. Just as he turned toward his next target, Qin Fu's figure appeared on the horizon.
The red dot on the minimap coincided perfectly with the Hulk, and a smile spread across Qin Fu's face.
"I didn't expect violators to have varieties like the Hulk. The blood on him will be extremely valuable for research."
With that, Qin Fu stepped forward. Space compressed around him, and in an instant, he materialized directly before violator No. 13241.
The Hulk paused, confused. Who was this person? Was he even a contractor on Chicken Island? Violator 13241 dismissed the thought. It didn't matter. He would smash everything to death.
With a deafening bang, his fists descended. The impact cracked the ground around him, and contractors nearby bolted, glad to escape while someone else distracted the enemy.
Then, in mid-swing, his fists froze abruptly. Qin Fu stroked his chin and remarked casually.
"Fifty mana. Good strength. Truly worth studying."