It was no longer necessary to deliberately pursue any single individual; any one of them posed a threat to him. Whether it was Xiao Honglu, analyzing the layout; Zhan Lan, whose mental scan could pinpoint his location; Zhao Yingkong, the assassin; or Zhang Heng, capable of ranged attacks—rescuing any one of them would solidify his position against the others. He understood the principle of shifting advantage; therefore, he could no longer afford to hunt down Zhao Yingkong, the greatest immediate threat. Rescuing either Zhang Heng or Zhan Lan would constitute a major victory for him! With this mastery of Qinggong, Zheng Zha's speed became incredibly swift as he ran.

Twice, sharp murderous intent swept past his body, yet both times it vanished just before its peak intensity. Finally, the killing intent completely dissipated.

Zheng Zha had now reached the ground floor of the building. He had previously sensed Zhang Heng on the third floor, and without a second thought, he engaged his Qinggong and leaped up. His feet found purchase on jutting external features, propelling him upward continuously. The advantage of Qinggong was instantly apparent, especially in a complex urban environment where it was an absolute weapon for city combat! Within a few steps, Zheng Zha reached the height of the third floor. He raised his dagger, slashing horizontally, while simultaneously kicking the broken glass out with his foot. The room was now empty; only dust on the floor revealed several footprints, suggesting the presence of one man and one woman.

Zheng Zha bolted out of the room's doorway without hesitation.

He then rushed down the stairs, and sure enough, after running a short distance, he saw a girl rushing out of the first-floor main door.

Zheng Zha’s speed was phenomenal; he seemed to clear a flight of stairs in a single bound, charging outward with relentless velocity.

Indeed, outside the ground floor entrance, he spotted Zhan Lan running desperately. Without hesitation, he covered the distance in a few strides and was right behind her.

He gently pressed his palm beneath the base of her skull, knocking the girl unconscious.

Just as Zheng Zha rendered Zhan Lan unconscious, a faint pain shot through his mind, plunging him into a state between sleep and wakefulness. This feeling was similar to transitioning from the "Main God" space into a horror film scenario, yet this time it was significantly clearer. In this haze, he saw Zhang Jie, who exhaled and smiled at him, the usually jovial man seeming momentarily unsure of what to say. Zheng Zha was in no hurry; he observed his surroundings, finding it strange that only he and Zhang Jie were clearly visible; everything else appeared hazy and indistinct.

"Don't bother looking. This state must be our consciousnesses communicating," Zhang Jie sighed, still smiling as he spoke. "Congratulations, you've completed a quarter of the mission. Here, I want to give you a preliminary warning: in the horror movie Final Destination, although you only need to survive for five days, the attacks from Death become increasingly unbridled as the final days approach. Around the fourth day, Death will cease caring about the lives of ordinary people in its frenzied assault. If you wish to survive, come to me. Defeating me will conclude this horror film smoothly. What do you want to know?" Zheng Zha thought it over carefully, then asked earnestly, "Why exactly do you exist? No, perhaps I should ask this way: Who exactly are you?" "The Guide." "'The Main God' does not allow those entering this horror film world to face danger directly. To give them a chance to survive, a person is established—that is the Guide. The Guide cannot truly die, unless the first person in the team unlocks the Genetic Lock. This person usually unlocks the first stage of the Genetic Lock. The Guide's role is to test whether they possess the capacity to become the Captain. If the test is passed, the Guide will grant them the Captain position and raise their stage by one level," Zhang Jie murmured with a sigh.

Zheng Zha pondered this, then stated, "So, are you the Guide? Or the Captain of the Mid-Continent Team? No matter how I think about it, I can't understand. Since I've already unlocked the second stage of the Genetic Lock, why are you only testing me now? If you are the Captain of the Mid-Continent Team, what right do you have to test me? And regarding your so-called test, do you not need to consider the rest of the team members?" Zhang Jie shook his head. "No, I am both the Guide and the Captain of the Mid-Continent Team. The Guide's instinct forbids attacking team members, unless that member is the Captain undergoing the trial. If the Guide attacks any other member, the Guide will suffer a certain degree of punishment, personally administered by 'The Main God.'" Zheng Zha was about to ask more, but Zhang Jie turned and said, "A quarter of the questions have been answered. If you wish to know the rest, find me at the top of the TV Broadcasting Tower. Remember what I told you: in the horror film Final Destination, as the days progress, Death's attacks will become more reckless, eventually disregarding nearby civilians. If you want to survive, defeat me before then. By the way, well done; you are close to unlocking the third stage of the Genetic Lock. Keep it up, my comrade, strive to defeat me." Zheng Zha swiftly gave chase, but just as he was about to place a hand on Zhang Jie's shoulder, he violently snapped awake from the semi-conscious state. The surrounding scene had not changed at all; even the pedestrians rushing towards them remained frozen in place, and Zhan Lan in his arms was still motionless, as if the entire world around him had been static just moments before. If the dialogue hadn't left such a profound impression, he might have dismissed it as mere illusion.

"The Guide? Captain of the Mid-Continent Team? Zhang Jie, what exactly are you trying to tell me? Tell me!" Zheng Zha roared toward the sky, feeling both bewildered and frustrated. He had finally found a chance to converse with Zhang Jie, only to be pulled away after just a few sentences. He simply couldn't accept it! Wang Xia and the punk arrived the fastest; they were already shouting loudly from a distance. Zheng Zha concealed nothing further. Holding Zhan Lan, he used his Qinggong to sprint towards the heavens. The surrounding pedestrians were already sufficiently horrified; it was too late to hide anything now. He simply pushed his speed to the limit, reaching Wang Xia and the punk in an urgent rush. "Go, run to the front where the path is clear," he said breathlessly.

With that, he leaped over the traffic congestion, carrying Zhan Lan, landing near the front lines of the stalled vehicles.

Zheng Zha’s speed was astonishing. Amidst the shocked expressions of drivers and pedestrians, he leaped across the roofs of countless cars, moving forward. By the time he cleared the blocked street, an old sedan was just preparing to start its engine. He delivered a fierce kick to the car door, causing the thick metal panel to cave inward significantly. The middle-aged Chinese man about to accelerate froze, raising his hands while staring blankly at the door, where a distinct boot print marred the solid steel.

Zheng Zha wasted no words. He pulled out two gold bricks and placed them before the driver. "Get out!" The driver blinked, his gaze flickering between the gold bricks and the dented door. He snatched up the bricks, opened the passenger door on the opposite side, and turned to run. However, the man showed a shred of decency, tossing the car keys onto the driver's seat before fleeing, indicating he had no intention of keeping the car.

Zheng Zha carefully placed Zhan Lan in the back seat, then settled into the driver’s seat. He started the car and looked back at Wang Xia and the punk who were running towards him. Their speed was vastly inferior to his. About half a minute later, they reached the car. Neither said much; the punk yanked the door open and slid in, while Wang Xia naturally took the rear seat.

Zheng Zha exhaled, placing his foot on the accelerator to drive, while asking the punk, "Which direction is City West District? Just point the way for me." The punk, clearly shaken, nodded with a slightly pale face. "Big Brother, relax, I know this district well. Turn left, keep driving down the main avenue, and we'll reach City West District soon. Don't worry, Big Brother, it’s very safe around here."

Zheng Zha and Wang Xia exchanged wry smiles simultaneously. For them, in this horror film, there was no such thing as safety. Anything could happen, and they could die from any situation at any moment. Zheng Zha continued, "Wang Xia, help me wake her up, but don't hurt her. Use your military techniques to rouse her."

Wang Xia nodded, then pressed firmly on Zhan Lan's back. The girl let out a low murmur, finally opening her eyes slowly. She looked around with utter astonishment until Zheng Zha’s voice reached her; only then did the look of terror fade from her face. Waking up to such unfamiliar surroundings had clearly frightened her badly.

"Zhan Lan, I will definitely explain the detailed situation later. Help me scan for Zhang Heng, Zhao Yingkong, Xiao Honglu, and Zhang Jie's locations. We can't just keep getting hit, right? Let's go get our weapons, and tomorrow we start preparing the counterattack!"