Zhan Lan was fully restored, but the two of them didn't separate just then. Zheng Zha didn't know what he was feeling, but after kissing Zhan Lan for a long time, he finally released her lips. The young woman's face was flushed crimson, though it was impossible to tell if it was the sickly hue of recovery after pain or the blush of shyness, yet it possessed a strange, almost morbid beauty.

Zheng Zha coughed and chuckled, "Are you feeling better? You looked pretty bad just now—did you unlock the Gene Lock?" Zhan Lan looked stunned. "That state just now was unlocking the Gene Lock? I don't know. I was completely focused on extracting the bullets from your back, and suddenly I felt like my hands had their own instinct. I knew exactly when to stab the dagger where, and with how much force, as if it were my own decision. Oh, and I focused my mental scan to an incredibly small point; I could see and feel almost every inch of your body."

Zheng Zha subconsciously glanced downwards, a movement that made Zhan Lan's slightly calmed complexion flush red once more. Zheng Zha quickly said, "Haha, good. It's a good thing you unlocked the Gene Lock, but don't haphazardly open it again for the next couple of days. You need to know you just entered that state. If you use it frequently early on, your genes could collapse. If you can't return to the 'Main God' space quickly then, you'll be dead. So promise me, don't casually activate the Gene Lock again."

Zhan Lan nodded obediently, and Zheng Zha handed her the strong bandages. "Haha, bandage yourself up first. Huh? Someone is trying to contact me?" Zheng Zha curiously opened the communicator, but strangely, he only heard crackling sounds. After listening for a long time, he finally discerned it was the sound of burning firewood. No matter how loudly he called out, no one replied. In other words, the communicator was engulfed in flames, meaning those two girls must have already... A chill went down Zheng Zha's spine. He recalled the dangers he had encountered since entering this horror film world. It was only thanks to his enhanced attributes and physical conditioning, coupled with Zhan Lan's extremely sharp premonitions activated by the Gene Lock state, that he hadn't been killed. Starting from the very first high-voltage wire attack, that assault alone could have electrocuted an ordinary person. The subsequent encounters were all narrow escapes relying on luck and skill. It could be said that for those two ordinary girls, if they weren't attacked, they were fine; but once attacked, death was almost certain.

Zheng Zha sighed heavily. "All the newcomers this time are dead. Everyone on the bus, except for me, is gone." Zhan Lan felt a chill run through her heart, and she quickly urged, "Don't say such discouraging things; you're still fine! Don't worry, once we defeat Zhang Jie, then surely..." Zheng Zha shook his head with a wry smile. "It's very difficult. Zhang Jie's strength is far greater than we imagined, and there’s Zhao Yingkong, Zhang Heng... It's highly likely Xiao Honglu is setting a trap for us. In short, defeating them will be extremely hard."

Zhan Lan quietly leaned against Zheng Zha and murmured, "Don't worry, I will always help you. There must be a way to deal with Zhang Jie, there definitely is." Zheng Zha rubbed his temples, beginning to seriously ponder how to address the current situation. This scenario felt like... "Zhan Lan, there is a way I can charge directly at Zhang Jie, but you will have to bear a great danger, or perhaps you might face immense danger." Zheng Zha paused, then stated seriously.

Zhan Lan immediately nodded. "Yes, it doesn't matter. I can’t just watch you face danger while I stand idly by, can I? If there’s a fight, let me fight too! Please."

"Do you remember that sparring match we had? It was just the two of us against their four. Of course, the current situation is clearer for us; as long as I can defeat Zhang Jie, we don't need to worry about the others. As long as I can reach Zhang Jie, this mission can definitely be completed. So, my plan is..."

Meanwhile, Zhu Wen finally waited for the police to arrive. Even the officers felt a prickle of unease when they saw the human figures burned black. Just contemplating a person being alive and set on fire sent a cold shudder straight to the core; everyone felt that chilling dread. It took a long time before any officer finally came to inquire about Zhu Wen's condition. Of course, she lacked any identification, green card, temporary residence permit, or even entry documents, so Zhu Wen was naturally treated as an illegal immigrant and escorted into a police car heading for the station.

These officers didn't deliberately make things difficult for Zhu Wen. Firstly, she was a breathtaking beauty, and any man would find it hard to be harsh with her. Secondly, according to informants, Zhu Wen seemed connected to a rising gang leader in the town. Everyone knew that a gang leader, in the nascent stages of their rise, was often exceptionally ruthless, but once established, they tended to maintain a more harmonious relationship with the police—this was the so-called 'unspoken rule.' Therefore, they dared not offend Zhu Wen arbitrarily.

One officer drove Zhu Wen to the station, while the others continued to assist the firefighters in managing nearby pedestrians and searching for any possible traces of fire. Zhu Wen could only sit in the police car and be driven away slowly. The officer looked like a middle-aged man with a pot belly. He didn't speak, merely closing the small window behind the rear seat, then turning on the music channel. Loud rock music blared out, and the portly man seemed utterly satisfied, shaking his head constantly as he drove forward.

Zhu Wen felt increasingly uneasy in the back seat, tormented by the tragic death of Huang Lilin, who had been exceedingly kind to her, and by the visions she kept seeing—terrifying black shadows surging toward her. The sensation was overwhelming and horrific, as if she were about to die the next second. And as the police car drove further, this feeling grew more pronounced.

The pot-bellied officer kept nodding his head to the beat, even overtaking several vehicles along the way. Only when they reached a construction truck loaded with bamboo poles did he stop overtaking because the truck was too large. This made the officer quite impatient, and he honked the horn several times. The truck seemed eager to let the police car pass, swaying several times side to side. Unfortunately, the bamboo made further maneuvering impossible, especially since they were on a narrow side street, forcing the police car to follow slowly behind the truck.

Zhu Wen's sense of impending death was so intense it defied description. She began pounding violently on the partition window of the police car. However, the middle-aged officer's ears were filled with rock music, and he couldn't possibly hear her knocking. He continued to drive forward, stuck behind the truck.

As both vehicles moved forward, neither noticed that the bamboo poles were rubbing against the ropes binding them. Gradually, one small strand of rope snapped, then another. The bamboo load was becoming increasingly unstable. At the same moment, Zhu Wen’s pounding grew more forceful. Finally, the officer heard her. He quickly slid the small window open and asked without turning his head, "What is it? Are you feeling unwell?"

Smack! A bamboo pole slipped off the truck in front, landing precisely against the windshield of the police car. It pierced the glass and shot straight through, lodging perfectly into the opening of the small window. Behind the window, Zhu Wen had just leaned forward to speak out. The bamboo pole slammed in, passing straight through her mouth.

Zheng Zha shuddered violently and sat bolt upright. He blinked his hazy eyes and looked around, realizing he was on the plaza platform where he and Zhan Lan had been staying. There were no dangers around; the nearest tall building was over a hundred meters away—likely the only place where the Grim Reaper's threat was almost impossible. After the chaotic battle of the previous day and the explosion in the warehouse, Zheng Zha was covered in wounds. Even with his mutated bloodline as a Vampire Count, his injuries were quite severe. So, he and Zhan Lan had bought some food to eat their fill, and then he found this plaza for them to rest soundly for the night. In truth, it was only a rest; Zhan Lan still stayed up late, constantly using her psychic scan to monitor the Junzi Tandanɡdɑnɡ Radio and Television Building. Only with her vigilance could Zheng Zha truly rest.

The sky was just beginning to lighten. Zheng Zha moved his body slightly. He had to admit the tenacity of the mutated Vampire Count bloodline. After one night's rest, the wounds on his back were almost completely healed, and even the arrow wound on his shoulder that had injured the bone was almost fully recovered. Now he was just waiting for dawn. Once light broke, he would head toward the Radio and Television Building without hesitation. There, he planned to give Zhang Jie a severe beating!

"Aren't you going to sleep a bit more? Let me keep watch for a while," Zheng Zha said tenderly to Zhan Lan sitting beside him. Zhan Lan giggled. "It's fine. We should be returning to the 'Main God' space today, right? Don't worry; you've always protected me before. Hehe, protecting you feels pretty good too."

Zheng Zha remained silent, looking up at the sky where the Morning Star had already appeared, signaling the imminent arrival of a new day. "Remember that sparring match! Zhang Jie! Wait for me!"