Yet, defeating Peizhe would be the first hurdle in drawing out the mastermind. Red Hair’s mind raced, and by the time a plan crystallized, she had already exchanged three blows with Peizhe.

Peizhe, who had known only slaughter on his path so far, finally met an opponent worth playing with. His excitement flared, a fire burning in his eyes.

He tossed aside his particle gun and engaged Red Hair in bare-knuckle combat. Lan Li made no move to assist.

He stared at Peizhe for a solid ten seconds, then abruptly asked, “Did someone inject you just now?” Peizhe’s movements hitched. Lan Li watched his eyes, pinpoints of light flickering within them.

“Look at me, and answer properly.” Peizhe glared back, utterly still. Those lurking in the corners, secretly watching, were utterly flabbergasted.

Damn it. A woman managed to hold back the mutant for several rounds, and now Lan Li could make the mutant surrender with just a few sentences?

What kind of situation was this? Lan Li stepped forward, a subtle smile playing on his lips.

He continued, “Ask your heart, why did you come here?” The blood-red hue in Peizhe’s eyes slowly faded, replaced by a trace of confusion. He mumbled, “Why did I come here?

I don’t know—no, I don’t know.” A sudden, intense pain shot through his head, like millions of needles piercing his very brain. He clutched his head, rolling on the floor in agony.

“I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know!!!” His shout bordered on frenzy. Lan Li covered his face in defeat.

Mental communication demands unwavering eye contact. The moment Peizhe doubled over in pain, unable to hold the gaze, he had failed.

He violently grabbed Red Hair. “Run, quickly!

After the headache subsides, he will be even more insane.” Red Hair refused to leave. “We need to subdue him.” Lan Li dragged her away.

As they fled, he explained, “No, we can’t. His mind is being controlled by drugs.

The more pain he feels, the worse his outbreak becomes—look at him rolling around.” The two bolted down the stairs. They reached the next floor.

Red Hair asked, “You actually knew about this?” Lan Li, seizing a rare opportunity to show off, smiled with restrained charm. “Before, the furry beasts on the Angel Border mutated.

The Commander told me to keep an eye out, so I sent a few samples to the professors at Angel University for research. They concluded that they were being controlled by medication.” Red Hair stopped dead.

“Can you hypnotize people?” Last time, at the wedding banquet restaurant, he had convinced several waiters with just a few words to tell him everything they saw. Back then, she thought Lan Li had simply been lucky enough to possess the facial features that appealed to waiters.

Now, she realized it was entirely different. Lan Li didn't deny it.

“There is a master hypnotist professor at Angel University. I learned a few tricks from him—nothing major, just showing off a little.” Red Hair promptly elbowed him and continued down the stairs.

Until they found a countermeasure, they could only evade Peizhe. However, as soon as they descended one more floor, they heard another scream.

This time, the scent of blood was even stronger. Holy hell!

Red Hair cursed under her breath and peered around the corner. Behind a crowd of terrified, scrambling humans, there was another Peizhe!

Had he reproduced too quickly? The two exchanged a suspicious glance.

Red Hair narrowed her eyes. “Something’s wrong.” Lan Li agreed.

“Look. The location of the bloodstains on his clothes is different from the Peizhe we saw upstairs.” Red Hair examined him closely, and a chill ran right through her.

It was obvious even a fool could figure it out: someone had deliberately created multiple Peizhe clones, preparing to soak the Corlay Hotel in blood. That was ruthless!

This Peizhe was even more brutal than the one above. He fired his machine gun wildly; those present were either dead or huddled inside nearby rooms.

For dozens of meters around, no one dared approach. Red Hair’s anger was successfully ignited.

She pulled out the Aurora Gun from her thigh. Lan Li immediately understood, raising his standard-issue pistol.

Crouched in the corner, they watched the “Peizhe” advance, locking on, aiming, and firing! Red Hair, the sharpshooter, aimed for the head.

Lan Li aimed for the heart. The instant the triggers were pulled, that Peizhe spotted them and leveled his machine gun in their direction.

Red Hair calmly rolled aside. Then, Lan Li collapsed onto her.

Bullets slammed into the corner, sending shards of metal flying. When the debris finally settled, Red Hair tried to push herself up, only to find Lan Li on her back, utterly still.

Annoyed, she shoved him aside. He offered no resistance and rolled onto the floor.

Red Hair stood up, and upon seeing his back, she gasped in shock. Several pieces of metal were deeply embedded in his back, and blood was slowly seeping out.

Her eyes stung with sudden emotion. She reached down, hauled him up, and said sternly, “Stop playing dead.

We need to get out of here.” Lan Li managed to force a weak smile and leaned against the wall to stand. Seeing that the “Peizhe” had fallen, Red Hair still felt unappeased.

She fired several bursts from the Aurora Gun, blowing the clone to dust, then turned to Lan Li. “We must leave; you need medical attention.” Lan Li’s face was ashen.

He had only wanted to protect Red Hair, not burden her. Yet, in the end, before he could fully shield her, he was the one injured.

He dodged her attempt to help him up and instead snatched her optical computer, opening the surveillance center. In the feeds from various cameras, there were sights of people fleeing and the wounded everywhere.

He tapped on the “Peizhe” icon. Including the one they just killed, there were six in total.

The mastermind was playing for keeps, determined to wipe out everyone inside. But he couldn't grasp why the mastermind would orchestrate such a thing.

The surveillance showed no sign of the mastermind. Seeing him lost in the screens, Red Hair felt irritated and snatched the computer away.

“Stop looking. Let’s go.” Her expression was unreadable beneath her stern facade.

Lan Li suddenly felt an urge to tease her, feigning weakness. “If I die, will you be sad?” Red Hair glared at him crossly.

“Don’t you have clones?” Lan Li: “…Clones aren’t capable of procreation.” Red Hair raised an eyebrow. “So what?” Lan Li gazed at her and smiled faintly.

“I want to make a baby with you.” Damn it! She’d been teased again.

Red Hair’s immediate instinct was to execute a shoulder throw. She started to do so, but just as she was about to heave him over, she remembered the metal fragments lodged in his back.

If she threw him and he landed on his back, those pieces would sink deeper, and he would be truly finished. Red Hair glared fiercely at him, unable to complete the throw.

Lan Li, triumphant, flashed a silly peace sign. Two years and five months of teasing Red Hair, and finally, success!

This little injury was worth it. Red Hair took a few steps forward, then suddenly remembered something.

She opened the surveillance center on the optical computer and broadcast a voice message: “Everyone head to the ground floor. The ground floor is the safest area.” One, because Peizhe and his clones were all on the upper levels, and Red Hair suspected the mastermind was also upstairs.

Two, the ground floor housed a hospital. Three, the ground floor provided access to the sub-level, allowing an exit from the hotel!