Zhao Ruikong had been waiting for this very moment. The so-called breaking skill with force truly meant overwhelming an opponent with sheer momentum, but this required applying the entire momentum; any hesitation would create an opening. Zhao Ruikong showed no mercy. Her soft, pale, delicate little hand gently deflected the incoming fist with a slight lift. It looked weak, but utilizing the momentum of evasion, that gentle lift successfully diverted the punch. At this moment, Zhao Likong felt a flicker of doubt. Zhao Ruikong’s slight deflection had indeed redirected his attack. She then struck his chest without hesitation. With a dull thud, as Zhao Ruikong landed the blow, she simultaneously used the recoil force to leap backward. In the blink of an eye, Zhao Ruikong had reversed the situation and seized the upper hand.

Struck by that palm, even his nearly two-meter frame trembled slightly. That recent strike seemed light and weak, but under the control afforded by the Ruwēi (Subtle/Microscopic) Realm, every fraction of power was delivered precisely to the target point. Forget a person; even an ox might have been killed, and only someone with Zhao Likong’s physical conditioning could sustain such a blow and live.

Zhao Likong wiped a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth and then erupted into laughter again. "It can't be helped. Our close-quarters combat abilities are nearly equal, differing only slightly due to combat styles, where I might have a slight edge over you. But every time we fight, as soon as I’m interfered with by your mental energy, that slight gap flips, and you gain the advantage. It seems that unless I can suppress your mental energy advantage, the one who fails will always be me. Hahahaha…" Zhao Ruikong laughed along. "It’s good that you realize it."

"So, are we going to keep fighting? Or will it be like last time, where I beat you until you pass out?" "Hahahaha. Of course, we must fight… but who knocks out whom is not yet decided!" Zhao Likong laughed heartily again and charged straight at Zhao Ruikong once more. The two instantly clashed, and this time, Zhao Ruikong did not lose the initiative.

Consequently, the fight settled into a stalemate. However, this situation was clearly disadvantageous for Zhao Ruikong. Her fighting style relied on evasion and defense, which put her at a significant disadvantage against a brute-force approach. Moreover, several of Zhao Likong’s subordinates were already charging toward their location.

Zhao Ruikong snapped her fingers again. The few girls she had under her control immediately moved to intercept the charging men, while Zhao Ruikong focused her psychic energy to sense Zhao Likong's next move. Gradually, having grasped the initiative, she struck Zhao Likong’s shoulder with another palm strike. The power of this blow was far greater than the previous one, sending Zhao Likong flying backward until he crashed into a large tree several meters away, stopping only when his shoulder was completely dislocated.

"That hurts…" Zhao Likong spat out another mouthful of blood, yet he smiled, saying, "That felt good! Zhao Ruikong, if I defeat you, can I challenge Zhao Yingkong? She is the one I truly wish to fight! I want to challenge Zhao Yingkong!" Zhao Ruikong dismissively curled her lip. "Don't flatter yourself. You can't even beat me. What right do you have to challenge Sister Yingkong? Go back, or don't force me to knock you unconscious again."

Zhao Likong suddenly stood up, gritting his teeth and shaking his shoulder forcefully. With a pop, the dislocated shoulder snapped back into place, but the pain must have been intense, causing him to break out in a cold sweat. The man ceased his booming laughter. He spoke seriously and sternly. "I can’t go back now… Since the fight has begun, deserting the field is not my habit. Zhao Ruikong, I have a way to exploit the gaps in your psychic power. However, if possible, I truly don't want to use that move. How about this: you don't use your psychic power, and I won't use that move. Shall we fight fairly?" Zhao Ruikong shook her head, asking curiously, "What move is that? And don't you think your proposal is unfair? Psychic ability is part of my combat strength, just like all those bulging muscles of yours. Why should I give up my mental power to accommodate you? Would you feel happier if you won that way?"

"Understood!" Zhao Likong suddenly roared toward the sky. As he roared, his entire body began to tremble violently. While performing these actions, the man could still speak through his bellowing: "This is a state I only recently discovered… Don't die!" At that moment, the muscles across his entire body began to keratinize, making his skin look decidedly inhuman. Everyone around froze simultaneously. Zhao Yingkong suddenly shouted, "Damn it! Ruikong, quickly withdraw your psychic energy from his consciousness!" As she spoke, she charged toward Zhao Ruikong and Zhao Likong from the sidelines, but it seemed too late. Zhao Ruikong screamed and dropped to her knees, clutching her head.

Zhao Likong had entered the fourth stage of unlocking his Gene Lock. The instant he entered this state, Zhao Ruikong, whose consciousness was linked to him, was immediately engulfed by the boundless, brutal consciousness. Although she had experienced receiving Zhao Yingkong’s violent consciousness several times before, Zhao Yingkong had always transmitted it bit by bit, under strict control. How could it compare to the ferocity of Zhao Likong now? The violent awareness surged into her Sea of Consciousness like a tsunami, almost causing her consciousness to burst; pain, brutality, and madness flooded her in an instant, leaving the little girl screaming uncontrollably.

Zhao Likong's physical transformation had stopped. His entire muscular exterior had keratinized. With his sharply angled face and fully hardened muscles, he resembled a bipedal lizard form. He had intended to punch Zhao Ruikong, but upon seeing Zhao Yingkong charge forward, he erupted into maniacal laughter. "Good timing! I’ve wanted a proper fight with you for ages!" With that, he swung his fist fiercely toward Zhao Yingkong. They were nearly ten meters apart, but the punch generated a shockwave that directly snapped a large tree between them. The tree trunk, mixed with the pressure wave, hurtled toward the constantly rushing Zhao Yingkong.

Zhao Yingkong was beyond anxious, filled with both self-reproach and regret. If she hadn't insisted on letting Zhao Ruikong face him alone, even with Zhao Likong present, the two of them could have ended the fight in seconds. How could it have escalated to this point? Thus, she showed no hesitation, kicking out at the oncoming tree trunk.

"Boom!" A muffled sound of splintering wood erupted, but Zhao Yingkong’s figure had already vanished amidst the wood chips. Everyone nearby felt their vision swim, but only Zhao Likong, without thinking, punched toward a specific direction again. The resulting pressure wave was immense. Zhao Yingkong’s figure indeed appeared within that pressure wave. All this happened in the blink of an eye. Zhao Yingkong was now only three to four meters from Zhao Likong, and about ten meters from the kneeling Zhao Ruikong, with Zhao Likong positioned between the two girls.

"If you don't want to die… a killing intent as cold as frost," she stated coldly, "Get lost!" Zhao Likong’s eyes began to glaze over. He rasped, "No, I really want to kill people! Suddenly, I really want to kill you both… Ah!" As he finished speaking, only madness remained in Zhao Likong’s eyes. He roared and lunged at Zhao Yingkong, his speed matching that of Zhao Yingkong’s initial rush.

(Fast, indeed. Getting away from him won't be difficult, but saving Ruikong after getting clear will be impossible. It looks like he’s completely submerged in the madness of the Fourth Stage. It might take a long time to pull him back from that frenzy. So, the only option is… to use lethal force?) Zhao Yingkong’s heart skipped a beat, but the moment her eyes fell upon Zhao Ruikong kneeling in the distance, her gaze became incredibly sharp. Her hands relaxed slightly—the stance she took when preparing for an all-out fight.

(…Ruikong, and… Zhuikong, let me bear all the sins!) In a haze, Zhao Yingkong saw a group of dark figures running in the far distance—likely her teammates, alerted by the noise and coming to assist. If she couldn't resolve this situation, two or three monsters who had unlocked the Fourth Stage of the Gene Lock… her comrades would almost certainly be doomed. Therefore, she had to fight desperately.

"Come on! End this in one minute!" Although Zhao Yingkong set a one-minute limit, even she doubted the feasibility of that timeframe. After all, Zhao Likong had also unlocked the Fourth Stage of the Gene Lock, and in his frenzied, berserk state, his combat power was increased by thirty percent over normal. To end the battle in one minute, she could only take risks.

Zhao Likong was completely insane, his eyes bloodshot, saliva dribbling from his mouth. If not for his crazed expression, he might have looked like a stroke victim. But in an instant, he covered the distance of several meters and appeared before Zhao Yingkong. He threw what seemed like an ordinary punch, but Zhao Yingkong felt a colossal pressure wave preceding it. A flash of understanding crossed her mind: she absolutely could not meet this punch head-on! However, Zhao Yingkong was not Zhao Ruikong; her strength far surpassed Ruikong's. Although this punch was undodgeable, she advanced instead of retreating. She shifted her body slightly to the side by half a step—a gap of millimeters in an instant. That punch scraped past the side of her shoulder, and during that opening, Zhao Yingkong’s hands gently grasped Zhao Likong’s neck.

(…Such immense power. My shoulder feels like it’s about to shatter. But right now, he has lost his reason; most of a killer's technical skills are useless and he isn't guarding against them… He has lost!) Zhao Yingkong’s eyes became piercingly sharp. She stomped her foot down hard. Before Zhao Likong could retract his fist, she flipped up from the ground, using the leverage of his neck to swing over his head toward his back. A sharp crack echoed as Zhao Likong’s head twisted completely backward. His spine near the neck fractured into several pieces—this blow was clearly fatal.

Zhao Yingkong landed lightly on both feet. She didn't look at the dead Zhao Likong behind her but strode toward the kneeling Zhao Ruikong. Yet, as soon as she took one step, another huge pressure wave struck her from behind. Because it came so suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her lower back and was sent flying, slamming violently against the trunk of a large tree. Behind her, Zhao Likong, with his head twisted backward… he was still jumping up—