Chapter 019: Exposed

Strictly speaking, this was no longer the so-called “HD (720p), Full HD (1080p), Ultra HD (2160p)” often mentioned online. Even 4k (3840×2160), which is said to be at the limit of human eye resolution, or the still experimental 8k (7680×4320), couldn't compare to this level of surreal quality. Yet, the feature description Bai Yuxi had just read claimed this device’s resolution reached an astonishing 64k… Had digital technology really advanced to such an incredible degree already?

Even more astonishing, the technological prowess of this device was not limited to its resolution. It offered night vision, telescopic sight, infrared, glasses-free 3D, and real-time environmental data scanning. It even boasted pupil-locking and visual-tracking controls! To be honest, Bai Yuxi didn't fully understand what all of that meant; like Axeman before him, he’d simply read it from the “auxiliary functions introduction.”

This “super vision” left Bai Yuxi feeling distinctly unaccustomed. Whatever he looked at, the device would display a line of data right before his eyes, including the object’s name, material, height, length, weight, and much more. If that were all, perhaps he could eventually get used to it. But the most aggravating part was that once he put on this thing and then took it off, he felt as though his eyes had become useless. It was a sensation akin to a severely nearsighted person losing their glasses—a sense of panic and helplessness.

No wonder Axeman, despite possessing such advanced technology, had abandoned its use. Once one became dependent on it, the eyes would surely degenerate! Yet what delighted Bai Yuxi most was that, after donning this high-tech “digital visor,” all those mysterious gadgets whose purposes had previously eluded him now automatically displayed detailed functions and usage instructions—just like something out of Iron Man.

For example, the gear he wore had an official name that sounded exceptionally cool: Nightmare-7th Generation Multidimensional Information Digitalized Single Soldier Combat Auxiliary Armor!

As Bai Yuxi was fiddling with this array of advanced, market-unavailable special equipment—nearly forgetting he was still in danger—a clear notification chimed in his embedded capsule earpieces. Before he could even glance at the arm-mounted computer screen, a digital map was projected automatically before his eyes by the visor!

Several blinking dots had entered the “pheromone detection system” warning range built into the Nightmare-7. After pausing briefly on the far side of the lake, they began moving straight toward Bai Yuxi’s position, crossing the water directly.

He’d been discovered! And the enemy’s movements were clearly directed right at him. Bai Yuxi swiftly donned the half-dried Nightmare-7, and bolted in the opposite direction at full speed.

With the help of high-tech equipment, Bai Yuxi could see that those approaching him were a group of extraordinary individuals carrying some kind of “pheromone.” What puzzled him was why, unlike Axeman, they hadn't concealed their biofields and pheromones to approach stealthily, but instead charged toward him so openly.

The visor displayed their threat level: three “gray” markers indicating no threat, and two “white,” denoting safety—not even a single “yellow” for caution, let alone anything dangerous.

Because all the biometric data stored in this captured Nightmare-7 armor belonged to Axeman, all reference and comparative feedback was based on the combat capabilities of a Level 5 Overlimit Warrior. Since Bai Yuxi had managed to take Axeman down, in theory, the threat assessment for these newcomers should be even lower.

At present, Bai Yuxi hadn't yet learned how to suppress his own biofield or pheromone output. To other Overlimit Warriors, he must have looked like a blazing fireball in the dead of night, arrogantly flaunting his energy and presence.

According to what Axeman had said, only two kinds of people would behave this way: masters with supreme confidence, or clueless novices. The “super activity” Bai Yuxi now possessed registered at a staggering 537,600° on the “particle density counter” built into the Nightmare-7.

He had no idea how this figure was calculated, but according to the visor’s “combat level reference chart,” an average Level 1 Overlimit Warrior’s “super activity” and “X-Energy” was only about 100°, Level 2 was 400, Level 3 was 1,600, Level 4 was 6,400, Level 5 was 25,600, Level 6 was 102,400, Level 7 was 409,600… Each level roughly quadrupled the previous one.

Yet Bai Yuxi’s reading exceeded a Level 7 Overlimit Warrior by over a hundred thousand degrees.

No matter how you looked at it, this wasn’t a number a newly awakened novice could possess. And under these circumstances, for a group of Overlimit Warriors—estimated by the visor at Levels 2, 3, and at most 4, whose combined energy didn’t even amount to a fraction of Bai Yuxi’s—to still target him… Were they relying on sheer numbers, or did they have some trump card?

Whatever the case, Bai Yuxi had no intention of making contact. Head down, he dashed away at a sprinter’s pace along the lakeshore of Moshang Plum Garden, heading for more remote terrain.

He did consider rushing straight toward a crowd, hoping their presence would make his pursuers hesitate. But first, he was wary of the so-called “Extraordinary World” Axeman mentioned, concerned about unknown rules or constraints. Second, since he’d already been marked, hiding among ordinary people might not shake his pursuers. Third, he still hoped to avoid exposing his civilian identity as long as he could stay alive.

Unless absolutely necessary, Bai Yuxi would rather not parade around in this embarrassing getup in front of the public. If he did, he’d probably trend online as an instant celebrity in under five minutes.

The area around Donghu Lake was mostly scenic, with surveillance cameras everywhere. To avoid the omnipresent monitoring, Bai Yuxi had to pick his way through obscure corners that hardly qualified as paths, twisting and turning in a desperate escape.

Thankfully, the digital visor provided real-time alerts for obstacles and used virtual pointers to indicate a safe route. If Bai Yuxi had relied solely on his own eyes, unless he activated the extremely draining “Omniscient Perception” mode, it would have been impossible to navigate so flawlessly at such breakneck speed.