The worst failures among crystal beings are those that move like zombies, only their bodies are a bit stronger than zombies, otherwise, they are no different.
The more powerful ones utilize the crystals on their bodies for combat.
The crystal being before them is of this type, similar to the three encountered in the abandoned battlefield.
Beyond this level, they develop more potent crystal abilities and possess a certain degree of controllability, allowing them to be manipulated in combat.
In a way, this type of crystal being is quite close to what Rhine Company desires, but Rhine Company has greater ambitions; they require crystal beings with independent combat consciousness, not mere puppets.
Bai Ye mused, simultaneously sensing the incoming gust of wind and sidestepping to the side.
*Bang!*
The crystal pendant, formed from the opponent's arm, struck the wall, a dull thud accompanying the shattering of a section of the wall.
Bai Ye retracted his wandering thoughts and swept his leg across the opponent's abdomen, kicking them backward.
The crystal being retreated several steps, stabilized itself, and then roared at Bai Ye before lunging again!
*Clang!*
The instant the opponent lunged, Bai Ye slashed with his Thunderclap Purple Lightning, directly severing the opponent's crystalized arm.
With the shattering of the arm, the crystal being seemed to be in great pain, struggling violently and crashing into the wall, causing powder to rain down.
Bai Ye looked left and right, his gaze finally settling on the fractured wall to the side, where an electrical cable was embedded.
Bai Ye immediately stepped forward, grabbed the cable, and pulled with all his might, yanking it free before casually swinging it at the crystal being.
The cable whipped across the crystal being's neck, entangling it tightly, and then with a sharp tug, the being was forcefully pulled to the ground.
"Behave, and you'll suffer less," Bai Ye said, pressing his knee into the crystal being's back, shaking his head. "Never mind, what could you possibly understand?"
Bai Ye twisted the crystal being's arm behind its back and quickly bound it with the cable. He then wrapped the cable several times around the opponent's legs, tying it to the cable on its arms to form a loop.
Having completed this, Bai Ye lifted the crystal being as if carrying a handbag.
As he passed a stairwell corner, Gengar floated halfway down from the ceiling, grinning at Bai Ye, indicating that all crystal beings in the building had been cleared.
Bai Ye smiled, patting Gengar's head, then recalled Gengar and Goomy into their beast-taming balls before leaving the building.
"Hey, don't wander off," Ji Ruyue noticed Bai Ye's movements and immediately grabbed her walkie-talkie. "There are crystal beings on the street to the side of the building entrance..."
Before Ji Ruyue could finish, Bai Ye had already exited the building. Without even looking, he raised his hand towards the side.
The Steel Slime rapidly condensed and morphed, forming a cannon barrel on Bai Ye's wrist.
Skybreaker Energy Cannon!
Golden energy coalesced at the muzzle, then with a *bang*, it fired to the side.
And then...
*BOOM!*
The golden energy sphere landed at the feet of two crystal beings, and an explosion erupted.
With the detonation of the golden energy sphere, the ground shattered and began to collapse. In the wake of the energy surge, the entire area of ground was pulverized into dust.
Bai Ye walked towards Ji Ruyue, asking, "What did you say?"
Ji Ruyue gritted her teeth. "Your energy cannon is awesome, right? Can't live without showing off, huh? What if you attract more crystal beings?"
Bai Ye replied, "Didn't you scout it out? There were only a few on the street. What's the big deal if more are attracted? I'll take care of them easily."
Ji Ruyue was speechless. She then looked at the crystal being in Bai Ye's hand.
Ji Ruyue asked, "Is this the crystal being you said had some issues?"
Bai Ye nodded, dropped the person on the ground, and then pulled the crystal being's face over.
The crystal being wore a ferocious expression, snarling at Bai Ye, letting out whimpering sounds, even baring its teeth as if to bite Bai Ye's hand.
Bai Ye quickly retracted his hand and said, "See? This is a living crystal being. In its normal state, it's like this, like it has rabies. I don't think this guy has normal human cognitive abilities."
"Life signs?" Ji Ruyue asked. "Hold him down!"
Bai Ye casually pushed the crystal being's head to the ground and said, "This guy has no life signs. I checked. No heartbeat, no breathing. It's moving in a state like a living dead."
Ji Ruyue ignored Bai Ye, retrieved an instrument, attached several pads to the crystal being, and then examined the readings.
Ji Ruyue stated, "The heart isn't beating, but the brain shows life signs, and the internal organs are not decaying. Furthermore, crystallization has appeared within this guy."
Bai Ye asked, "So, is it considered alive or dead?"
Ji Ruyue scratched her head, looking troubled. She then tentatively suggested, "A vegetative state?"
Bai Ye was speechless. "The brain is beyond saving, yet the heart is beating – that's a vegetative state. This guy's brain is fine, but his heart has stopped."
Ji Ruyue shrugged. "Then it's not considered a living organism!"
Bai Ye nodded and then took out the work ID card from the crystal being's chest pocket. "Look at this. Mo Chenggong, Laboratory Three, C2 clearance."
Ji Ruyue asked, "Does this prove he's from Rhine Company?"
"Come on," Bai Ye said. "In the City of Ruins, who else but Rhine Company has the qualifications and capability to establish laboratories?"
Ji Ruyue thought for a moment. "That makes sense, but it's a bit of a stretch."
Bai Ye pulled open the crystal being's white coat. "You should recognize the Rhine Company's logo, right?"
The buckle of the belt featured an 'L' and a 'y' on either side, partially overlapping to form a symbol, which was the Rhine Company's logo.
Bai Ye continued, "This couldn't have been put on him by someone else, could it? Or perhaps you could check if his pants fit him properly?"
Ji Ruyue gave Bai Ye a sidelong glance. Was this guy looking for a beating? Absolutely looking for a beating, wasn't he?
At this moment, Davis, Allen, and Gonzales also emerged from the building. Gonzales was carrying a crystal being on his shoulder.
The crystal beings here were of a lower grade than those encountered in the abandoned factory, thus weaker. Allen and the other two had managed to capture one alive together.
However, the attire on that crystal being looked no different from Rhine Company's.
"Come take a look," Ji Ruyue called out. "Have you guys heard of Laboratory Three?"