The battle for the top spot has commenced! Brothers, I'm adding extra chapters to cheer you on—use your recommendation votes to pave the way and push us to the very peak! With a humble, fragile strength, we march toward the world's summit! …… Bailong was caught completely off guard, instantly struck and sent tumbling backward onto the floor, staring at Ye Chen with wide, horrified eyes. Fear etched itself onto his face. “You… you’re real too?”

Ye Chen let out a cruel sneer and brought his axe down in a savage chop.

CRASH!

Before the axe could connect, his body was sent flying backward by a powerful kick. Immediately after, Ye Chen slowly descended the staircase, casting a cold gaze upon the corpse whose appearance had been twisted by an invading Black Snail Worm. With a flash, he materialized beside the dead body, a gust of wind trailing him, standing over it, and then he brought his boot down.

SQUELCH!

The head burst open!

The black worm inside was crushed instantly.

Just then, the fake Mo Feng, who had been chased up from downstairs, rushed up. The moment he saw Ye Chen, his expression shifted drastically, and he turned to flee. But Ye Chen was faster. With a flicker, he was behind the imposter, smashing a fist forward, crushing his skull and simultaneously squeezing the Black Snail Worm within until it popped.

Bailong staggered to his feet from the floor, utterly bewildered. “You… you’re the real one?”

Ye Chen nodded slightly. “These are corpses, their skulls possessed by a monster called the Black Snail Worm. Let’s go; we need to find Mo Feng first, and then we look for the serum together.” Saying this, he took the lead and walked off.

Bailong glanced back at the two bodies on the ground, a chill running down his spine, and hurried to keep up.

The two arrived on the first floor and saw more than a dozen corpses strewn haphazardly across the long corridor. Ye Chen’s gaze sharpened. He walked over and looked closely; all the bodies bore axe wounds—most likely the handiwork of Mo Feng.

“Let’s go!” Ye Chen turned to leave.

Bailong looked surprised. “We’re not looking for him then?”

Ye Chen replied coolly, “He doesn't need our protection. First, the serum.”

The pair headed upstairs, searching room by room. Because they were prepared, even when encountering someone suspicious or uncanny, they could judge quickly, so they avoided any real danger.

After a short while, they progressed from the second floor all the way up to the eighth and final floor. Perhaps the Black Snail Worms realized they couldn't fool Ye Chen, so they stopped appearing, allowing the two to storm through the hospital unimpeded.

“Nothing!”

“Still nothing here!”

They swept through every room but found nothing.

Ye Chen pondered for a moment, his eyes suddenly lighting up. “Follow me.”

Bailong was somewhat confused but trailed behind him. They quickly descended the stairs, going down to the first basement level, and then all the way to the third basement level.

“The serum!” Ye Chen immediately spotted a massive storage vault. The walls were metal, and cold air circulated everywhere, making the atmosphere frigid.

“You finally arrived,” a detached voice echoed. Mo Feng stepped out from the serum vault, glancing at the two of them. “I’ve already found the correct serum. Let’s go!”

“Are you the real Mo Feng?” Bailong asked suspiciously.

“Nonsense!” Mo Feng scoffed.

“Alright, I believe you.”

Ye Chen examined Mo Feng carefully. He detected no scent of decaying corpses on him, which finally eased his mind. He nodded. “Then let’s move!” He led the way upward.

The trio left the basement, reached the first floor, and hurried toward the main exit.

Rumble! Rumble!

Suddenly, the ground trembled slightly, the sound like a minor earthquake emanating from outside the hospital building.

Ye Chen paused, then quickly moved to the wall and peered out the window. His pupils contracted instantly.

Dozens of meters outside the building, a colossal entity, resembling a beast from the ancient ages, was approaching slowly. It stood four zhang high—about two stories tall—entirely black, covered in dark scales. Its four iron hooves struck the ground, causing the earth to groan under the unbearable pressure.

“What kind of monster is that!”

Bailong and Mo Feng saw the behemoth as well and both gasped audibly.

“Purple Extreme Demonic Ox!” Ye Chen’s expression grew grim. This was a juvenile Purple Extreme Demonic Ox!

In the late stages of the apocalypse, there were three of the most powerful bovine monsters; the Purple Extreme Demonic Ox was one of them—immensely defensive, overwhelmingly powerful, and its body possessed rare lightning attributes. Its scales were infused with strong conductive elements, meaning every move it made during a thunderstorm would attract lightning from the sky to strike its enemies!

Ye Chen once witnessed a Purple Extreme Demonic Ox, the size of a large mountain, fighting a Level Five Superman warrior. When it stomped its hoof, a bolt of lightning suddenly struck from the clear sky, wrapping around its hoof and instantly vaporizing the Level Five warrior!

“A Level 1H1 Purple Extreme Demonic Ox possesses the strength of thirty men; a Level 1H2 possesses the strength of a hundred men!”

Ye Chen recalled the data regarding the monster. “Though massive, its movement speed is incredible, and its body is agile, not clumsy at all… Its only weakness is its eyes!”

Once the eyes of a Purple Extreme Demonic Ox were destroyed, it would enter a frenzy, causing its power to surge dramatically, but once the madness subsided, it became much easier to kill.

Moooo—

The black shadow of the Purple Extreme Demonic Ox neared the hospital. It suddenly let out a massive roar and charged, its two purple horns thrust forward, slamming into the building and shattering it to pieces.

“You two go to the basement!” Ye Chen ordered immediately.

Bailong looked startled. “What about you?”

“Stop wasting time, go now!” Ye Chen roared, clutching his fire axe and rushing toward the hospital entrance. Bailong and Mo Feng exchanged a look, then quickly turned and fled into the basement.

At this moment, only Ye Chen could possibly handle such a colossal threat.

The wind howled outside as Ye Chen charged forward, a gale slamming into his face.

He tilted his head back, looking up at the sky.

An exceedingly terrifying ox head loomed over him, peering down. The blood-red eyes radiated violent and merciless light.

Ye Chen’s nose twitched; he caught a strong scent of decaying corpse and felt a jolt of alarm. Could this Purple Extreme Demonic Ox also have had its brain hijacked by a Black Snail Worm?

Moooo—

The Purple Extreme Demonic Ox roared in fury and brought down a hoof, as if the sky itself were collapsing.

Ye Chen’s figure blurred as he retreated ten zhang instantly. Where he had just stood, the iron hoof struck, carving a massive crater in the ground.

Although this Purple Extreme Demonic Ox only possessed the strength of a hundred men, the defense offered by its scales was terrifyingly impenetrable. Even a person with the strength of 150 men would struggle to break through its hide without a specialized, sharp weapon!

Ye Chen narrowed his eyes.

“Superman Mode—”

“Activate!”

BOOM—

A loud clap of thunder exploded in the sky. Ye Chen took a step forward, the ground vibrating, a savage aura sweeping outward. A pair of black feelers slowly began to sprout from his forehead, and his eyes turned pure black.