The sheer magnitude of the crystal explosion, coupled with the violent chain reaction it instigated, left Fang Senyan directly facing the shockwave. Even with a ten-second buffer, he couldn't reach the safer far side in time. His only option was to locate the nearest anti-gravity escape pod marker and slam his hand onto the emergency activation button.

The red light flashed rapidly, and instantly, two steel rings shot up from the ground, clamping onto Fang Senyan's ankles to pinpoint his exact location.

Next, a life-raft seat, as broad and comfortable as an executive chair, automatically swung beneath Fang Senyan's hips. As he settled into it, the seat swiftly slid backward along a rear track. The sound of safety harnesses clicking shut was incessant, effectively binding Fang Senyan tightly in place.

Immediately following this, darkness descended before Fang Senyan’s eyes as a large airbag enveloped his head, instantly sealing him within. Several more airbags then hissed loudly, inflating around the exterior. Finally, feeling a dizzying sense of rotation, Fang Senyan was propelled outward inside the escape pod at high velocity.

Even so, the jettisoned escape pod was not spared; it was affected by the aftershocks of the blast. At this point, whether Fang Senyan’s stamina reserves were at 100, 200, or even 1000 made little difference. Had he been at the epicenter of the explosion, he would have been reduced to ash; even at the periphery, the violent vibrations alone would have knocked him unconscious.

Fortunately, this instance of unconsciousness was only a light one—his awareness was hazy, yet he retained a basic perception of the external world, akin to the fuzzy, indistinct state just before waking. He could vaguely register things like someone pushing open a door.

Thus, the moment Fang Senyan felt the escape pod cease its motion, he began to struggle, forcing his equilibrium-deprived brain to regain control over his limbs. Soon, his efforts bore fruit. First, his index finger, then his thumb... Following this, the joints of every bone in his body began to stir as if awakening from hibernation, wriggling, and then, control over his entire body was restored.

The first sense Fang Senyan recovered was touch. He felt heat and dampness on his forehead, which then gradually cooled—a sure sign of a head injury that was still bleeding. Next, he registered a stinging, burning pain across several wounds on his body, as if they had been cauterized.

Finally, his vision began to return. From a blur to mere shadows, then double vision, before slowly clarifying. He realized he was situated in a desolate-looking valley, strewn with boulders and jagged rock formations everywhere.

The exterior of the escape pod that had saved Fang Senyan looked repulsive. It resembled an orange that had been baked in fire for five or six minutes; a light touch would flake off large amounts of black ash from its skin. The pod’s surface was ragged and torn, as if savaged by the powerful jaws of several beasts. If not for the internal steel plating visible inside, it would have looked far worse.

Because the lid of the escape pod appeared to have been cleanly sliced off, Fang Senyan was fully exposed to the cold air. A large pool of dried blood had congealed by his head, turning a purplish-black—an ominous sign. The sharp, metallic scent of blood would easily attract any creature with a keen sense of smell.

One piece of good news was that the pod’s internal computer remained functional, and the emergency supply kit inside was fully stocked. Fang Senyan quickly surveyed the contents and noted the impressive engineering standard of P’Tan. According to the logs, the Cataclysmic Beast had ejected six times before disintegrating, all successfully. Since Fang Senyan was the only escape pod that ended up on the blast-facing side of the shockwave, the others were undoubtedly in much better condition, offering him some reassurance.

At this moment, Fang Senyan viewed a recorded playback. He watched as the Queen Zerg, having sustained the fatal blow, glided down from the sky like a falling leaf, while countless Zerg surged upward, using their own bodies as shields for their Queen. Against the terrifying explosion, even the mightiest Mammoth Beast was instantly engulfed in light... yet they charged forward without hesitation or regret.

Just then, Fang Senyan distinctly heard the sound of falling stones nearby, followed by two men talking: “Hey, is this the spot? Are you sure you’re not mistaken?”

“Yes, this has to be it. I absolutely cannot be wrong.”

“Do you think there might be danger?”

“Danger, my ass! You saw the power of that explosion. Even five or six kilometers away, we’re still recovering! What good could that escape pod possibly do?”

“But, but Grey, Artemis specifically told us to monitor the west for any unusual activity. If we get caught slacking off here trying to make a quick buck, the consequences could be severe.”

“If you don’t mention it, and I don’t mention it, how would she know anything? Listen, Gavin, don’t be foolish enough to be blinded by her large assets and backside. Even if Artemis is a total fox, think—would it ever get to you? There’s a queue of men outside waiting to sleep with her. Besides, look at Ronnie, that idiot is head-over-heels. Can you compare your efforts to his? Did you see his end? So I’m telling you, self-preservation is king. What good is pleasing that slutty Louder?”

As the two men babbled on, the rocks beside them suddenly erupted. A sturdy figure burst through the cover like a tiger descending a mountain, sending fragments of rock striking Gavin’s face, eliciting a sharp cry. It was Fang Senyan!

He charged straight into Grey’s chest and immediately seized hold of him!

But Grey reacted in a way no one would have expected. The instant Fang Senyan applied force, he sensed something terribly wrong. The object he gripped felt nothing like a human hand; it was like an inflated balloon. As Fang Senyan squeezed harder, the thing he held went POP, exploding outward. Air rushed out, dust swirled, and a single leaf drifted down from the resulting commotion. Grey’s true body, however, was already ten meters away.

The stout, short man now held a long, rod-shaped box from which he swiftly drew out a whip, grayish-white in color. Upon closer inspection, the whip appeared to be strung together from human bones, sending a chilling gust of wind washing over Fang Senyan.

Grey wasted no time. He cracked the whip, producing a loud CRACK. A look of alarm flashed across Fang Senyan’s eyes. The whip seemed innocuous, but in that snap, streaks of tearing, bluish-white electrical energy flared, accompanied by a sound like weeping!

Fang Senyan pressed forward again. Grey met him with a lash aimed at his head. Protected by his handguards—which he had transformed using his shapeshifting gloves—Fang Senyan managed to block, continuing his charge. The whip coiled around his arm.

Fang Senyan immediately shuddered violently. Where the whip touched, it felt as though a black hole had opened, draining his body heat as if through a massive siphon. Worse still, within mere seconds of contact, a thick layer of ice coated his arm, emanating a foul odor.

Then, Gavin drew a rocket launcher, aimed it at Fang Senyan, and pulled the trigger! Weapons with slow firing rates but high destructive power were Fang Senyan’s biggest weakness, and without knowing the full extent of his enemies’ capabilities, he dared not try to absorb the hit.

In desperation, he rolled on the ground to evade the immediate danger. But when he looked back, he saw the rocket bend slightly in mid-air. Grey, somehow producing a second whip from an unknown location, unleashed it with killing intent that surged like an immense, unstoppable river! With a deceptively casual flick, he struck Fang Senyan hard across the back! The StarCraft Marine armor Fang Senyan wore shattered instantly, flying off in pieces like butterfly wings!!

With a deafening BOOM, the rocket exploded. A scorched Fang Senyan lunged out of the smoke. His left hand began transforming into the Demonic Sword Apophis. Grey lashed out again with a whip. Fang Senyan blocked with Apophis, only to realize whips were flexible; though parried, the tip cunningly snaked around and CRACKED across Fang Senyan’s face, tearing away a long strip of flesh!

What was even more infuriating was the whip’s apparent ability to draw blood. No blood flowed from the wound; instead, the flesh around it turned into corpse-like rot, threatening to spread outward. If not scraped away immediately, the infection would surely worsen.

Fang Senyan endured a few more exchanges and realized that when it came to complex techniques, trickery, or agility, he was hopelessly outmatched by these two fellows! He had taken significant damage. He took a deep breath, driving his feet into the earth as if rooting himself there.

The terrifying illusion of the Sun Staircase began to sway, its tentacles whipping through the air... Countless invisible viruses spread cheerfully through the atmosphere. A sharp, scornful glint appeared in Fang Senyan’s eyes. He spat out a few words through clenched teeth: “Foolish bastards... SARS virus... Activate!”