Muddy water soaked Ye Zhu’s shoulder, staining it crimson with blood. Had the claws of the Demon Wind Dog bitten even an inch deeper, half her shoulder might have been torn away. Ye Zhu had no time to breathe a sigh of relief, scrambling desperately toward Ye Chen and the others. A searing pain shot from her shoulder, bringing a cold sweat that streamed down her face.

The Demon Wind Dog roared, its paw slashing down at her. A shadow of death fell over Ye Zhu’s head, and her heart sank. Just as she was about to perish beneath its claw, a raw, heart-rending sound erupted with savage force: “Get back!!!”

Ye Chen’s eyes were bloodshot, every strand of his furious hair standing on end. A violent killing intent flooded his mind like rushing water; his entire body’s blood seemed to reverse its flow in an instant. Drawing on some unknown source of strength, he leaped from White Dragon’s back and charged toward the Demon Wind Dog with a deafening roar!

He charged forward like that, recklessly, utterly unconcerned—like a furious wild beast, without any finesse or technique, simply lunging at the Demon Wind Dog.

“Roar!” The Demon Wind Dog bellowed, batting its paw and sending Ye Chen flying backward, crashing into the mire. But in the very next second, this man, riddled with injuries, staggered back to his feet, gasping deeply. His handsome, clean-cut face was twisted into a savage grimace as he stared wildly at the Demon Wind Dog.

What utterly brutal eyes those were!

Yue Heng and White Dragon, watching from the periphery, were stunned into silence.

Boom—

In the sky, the thunder persisted. A bolt of lightning tore across the heavens, briefly illuminating the earth. Behind the dark clouds, it felt as if an indifferent gaze was fixed upon the ground below.

“Kill!”

Raindrops dripped from his hairline. Ye Chen roared, his mind consumed only by the frantic urge to slaughter. He lunged at the Demon Wind Dog with savage abandon, clambering onto it like an ape, wrapping his arms around its massive head and hanging it beneath its neck.

“Die! Die for me!!!” Ye Chen seemed utterly insane, opening his mouth to bite at the Demon Wind Dog’s neck. His teeth ground together with a loud crack-crack, as he furiously tore through the soft, black hair and bit deep into the membrane of the flesh.

“Aoo…” The Demon Wind Dog howled in agony, its claw striking Ye Chen’s back, instantly carving several bloody gashes. But at that moment, Ye Chen could no longer feel the pain. He clung tightly to the creature’s neck, teeth clamped onto the flesh, refusing to let go no matter how wildly it thrashed its head.

Bang!

Suddenly, a gunshot rang out. Immediately following, the fiercely struggling Demon Wind Dog stiffened abruptly, then collapsed to the ground, pinning Ye Chen beneath it.

After gnawing for a while, Ye Chen realized the Demon Wind Dog was still. A measure of clarity gradually returned. He turned his head slightly and saw his sister, Ye Zhu, crying hysterically as she ran toward him. A wave of relief washed over him, followed by a dizzying blankness in his mind. Faintly, he heard a heartbroken cry near his ear: “Brother—”

Then, the sky seemed to press down. The drizzling rain landed coolly on his face and lips. Darkness enveloped the earth…

He passed out.

…

In a dim corridor, Ye Chen walked, gripping a fire axe. A zombie suddenly lunged from the side—it was a female figure, her long black hair cascading down, obscuring her face. Ye Chen showed no hesitation; he brought the axe down in a swift swing, splitting her in two.

Just then, a slight breeze parted the woman’s hair, revealing an exquisite face. It was his sister, Ye Zhu…

…

“Brother, Brother…”

A sliver of consciousness returned to Ye Chen. A sharp, intense pain shot through his abdomen, and he heard his sister Ye Zhu’s anxious, worried voice near his ear. He slowly opened his eyes. The surroundings were brightly lit, and an exquisite face hovered before him, shifting from blurred to gradually sharp, coming into focus. It was Ye Zhu, her face etched with worry.

It had only been a dream!

Relief washed over Ye Chen’s heart. He managed to squeeze out a faint smile. “I’m fine.”

Seeing him awake, Ye Zhu’s eyes lit up with great joy. “You’re finally awake! Are you feeling any discomfort?”

Ye Chen shook his head weakly, glancing around. The room was immaculately clean, with metallic walls on all sides, causing him to frown. “Where is this?”

Ye Zhu blinked. “This is the research institute. Dr. Mo killed that monster with a gun that day and saved us.”

Ye Chen nodded slowly.

Creak!

The door opened, and several figures entered: White Dragon, Yue Heng, and a young man around twenty-three or twenty-four, wearing glasses, his expression blank, giving off an aura of profound coldness.

“Hey, feeling any better?” White