"Boss, how exactly is this dog doing that?"
"Is its mouth poisonous or something?"
On the screen, the dog found another corpse and began to repeat the process.
Driven by old professional habits, Taruno, who was watching, couldn't help but ask Chen Qi.
"Does the Dark Web World have a toxin that can dissolve corpses like this?"
Chen Qi looked to Leiteri, who thought for a moment before nodding, then shaking his head.
"Some assassin lineages have their secrets. There are Secret Medicines that can dissolve corpses, and some can even turn them to ash."
"However, those are all chemical toxins synthesized with advanced human technology, not biotoxins produced naturally by an organism."
"Even the most venomous creature in nature, the Black Death King Snake, can only char a person's body. I've never heard of anything that can make a person spontaneously combust and turn into black smoke."
"What this dog is injecting into the corpses might not be a toxin at all!"
Leiteri gave a detailed explanation. His squad specialized in intelligence gathering, and as far as they knew, no such bizarre toxin existed in any of the dozen or so small countries in the vicinity.
"Heh. We'll find out what it is once we catch it."
"We'll use the remote capture protocol. No close contact."
'I thought the dog was just physically powerful, but I never expected it to have such a terrifying ability.'
'If it can turn corpses to black smoke, I'm not sure even I could survive a bite.'
"Don't worry, Boss. We have the perfect plan to capture it."
"When do we move in?"
The Hummingbird Mercenary Squad was warmed by Chen Qi's consideration.
It was rare to find such a conscientious client.
'Looks like that long-term contract Taruno proposed is worth considering.'
"No rush. Let it enjoy its last big meal."
Even though the dog had crossed him before, Chen Qi was still going to let it eat its fill.
Alright, the truth was that Chen Qi believed a well-fed dog would be hardier and better able to withstand the coming experiments.
And so, under the watchful eyes of Chen Qi and the five others, the big black dog scurried back and forth, devouring a total of ten corpses.
This seemed to be the limit of its appetite. By the end, it couldn't consume any more of the "black smoke," and instead began "storing" it in the Spiral Horn on its forehead.
'I thought that horn was just for show,' Chen Qi mused, 'but it actually has a practical use.'
He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but Chen Qi had a feeling there was something on the horn.
But even with the high-definition drone footage, Chen Qi couldn't see anything out of the ordinary with his naked eye.
Still, Chen Qi firmly believed the horn was special. It was a warning from his intuition.
······
"Time to pack it in! Fight's over, let's go!"
"Hahaha! The Crocodile Gang are just a bunch of losers!"
"Damn, the bodies really vanished. Just like in the stories!"
The battle lasted just over an hour before completely dying down.
Although the two sides seemed to be fighting an earth-shattering battle, the actual casualties amounted to only a dozen or so people.
If not, with them fighting every other day, their men would have been wiped out long ago.
The gang members couldn't care less about the disappearing bodies; at least it saved them the trouble of cleanup.
The moonlight continued its westward trek, and the West District gradually fell silent.
"A-WOOO!"
Having absorbed the last wisp of black smoke, the Dog of Death let out a contented howl at the moon.
Its cry wasn't the simple bark of a dog, but held the wild abandon of a wolf's.
But in the next instant, a miserable, rage-filled yelp shattered the newfound tranquility of the street.
"A hit!"
Without a sound, the drone hovering in the sky abruptly dropped altitude and fired a tranquilizer dart at the Dog of Death.
The timing was perfect, striking just as the Dog of Death let its guard down.
The tranquilizer dart struck the dog squarely in the rump!
"Perfect!"
Seeing their "plan" succeed, the Hummingbird Squad let out a cheer.
It was no wonder they were so excited; the Dog of Death's bizarre feeding ritual had put them under immense pressure.
"Boss, we fitted the drone with a tranquilizer launcher designed for capturing a Mammoth!"
"This dog is only the size of a calf. Even a real Mammoth couldn't take a hit from this!"
Leiteri explained the device they had just used to Chen Qi. On the monitor, they could see the stricken Dog of Death was furious, showing none of the panic of a typical dog trying to flee an attack.
But its defiance lasted only a few seconds before it began to sway, its footing becoming unsteady.
Everything was going exactly as Leiteri had predicted. This mission was turning out to be simple after all.
'After all, the target is just a dog!'
"Du San, you and Dick go drag that dog over here!"
Just as Leiteri was about to order his men to wrap things up, Chen Qi held up a hand, signaling him not to act rashly.
"Test it again. This dog isn't that simple."
Chen Qi's brow furrowed. His intuition was telling him something was wrong.
After a moment's thought, Chen Qi spotted the flaw in its performance.
From the very beginning, the dog had shown no intention of escaping.
Even as the drug supposedly took effect, the dog merely swayed in place rather than making a desperate run for it.
That went completely against animal instinct!
'Damn, these days even dogs are trying to win acting awards.'
Realizing what was happening, Chen Qi was left speechless. This dog had really become a cunning spirit.
At Chen Qi's reminder, Leiteri and the others realized it too.
They were both ashamed and furious; their earlier excitement had completely clouded their judgment.
"Dammit! We just got schooled by a dog!"
"Liya, use the high-voltage Magnetic Storm Net!"
"Crank it to max voltage! The damn thing won't die from it!"
Leiteri was so angry he nearly lost his composure. He ordered Liya, the drone operator, to deploy their "ace in the hole."
His squad was always cautious; they had prepared three separate contingency plans.
"Got it, Captain. Time to teach this mutt a lesson!"
Under Liya's control, the drone dove rapidly toward the dog. When it was just ten meters above, an electric net shot out, wrapping the unprepared animal up like a rice dumpling.
"CRACKLE! CRACKLE!"
"YELP! YELP! YELP!"
The crackle of electricity and the dog's yelps erupted simultaneously. The big black dog, which had been feigning unconsciousness on the ground, was now enveloped in a ball of high-voltage electric arcs.
Watching through the monitor, the group could almost smell something burning.
"So much for your unnatural cunning. You still fell right into our hands!"
"Boss, this Magnetic Storm Net is made of a special alloy wire. It can withstand tens of tons of tensile force!"
"Forget a dog—even a three-meter-tall bear couldn't break free if it got caught in this, especially not while being zapped with high voltage!"
Seeing the dog ensnared, everyone in the Hummingbird Squad breathed a collective sigh of relief. They had finally saved face.
They had complete confidence in this piece of gear.
"Impressive. If it's just relying on physical strength, there's no way it can escape."
Chen Qi stared at the screen with rapt attention. The big black dog thrashed within the crackling net, but the more it struggled, the tighter the Magnetic Storm Net constricted.
Gradually, thin welts appeared on the dog's body as trickles of black blood began to seep out.
And the moment the dog's blood soaked into the Magnetic Storm Net, the unbelievable happened once again.
The Magnetic Storm Net snapped, and the electrical arcs vanished.
The black blood possessed terrifyingly corrosive properties.
This time, the dog dropped the act. It had finally realized the gravity of the situation and the preciousness of its own life.
Tucking its tail between its legs, it fled, diving straight into a sewer drain.