For the final five kilometers, only Chi Yao remained.

The closer he got to the cave, the worse the signal became.

Jing Xi’s voice gradually distorted in his ears, intermittent and choppy.

“Stick to the plan… be safe… waiting for you…”

When only static remained in his ears, Chi Yao cut off communications, shifted gears, and floored the gas pedal toward the cave at full speed.

The bombing was continuous, but at this point, apart from rendering the ground unrecognizable, the missiles weren’t of much use.

Halfway up the mountain, Chi Yao tapped his terminal lightly: “Black Brother, time to work.”

It took a long while for the small black bean to fly out of the terminal and stick to him.

[Only up to the cave entrance.]

Chi Yao parked the car behind a massive rock.

“Enough.”

The continuous missile bombardment all around had drawn the mutant beasts near the cave away; only a scattered few were running around wildly.

Chi Yao calculated the time, waited for a moment, then headed into the cave.

Compared to the previous two times, the stench in the cave was even heavier, accompanied by the smell of decaying animals.

Before he had walked two steps, Xiao Hei turned back into a small black bean and darted into his terminal.

Chi Yao thought it was shutting down for self-preservation, but suddenly a palm-sized virtual screen popped up, the words exuding a sense of stubbornness.

[Call me when it’s time to run.]

Having been here twice, Chi Yao had some understanding of the branching paths in the cave.

“No need—”

Xiao Hei: [Heh, without me, you can’t run out.]

Chi Yao: “…”

Where did this confidence come from?

According to the plan he and Jing Xi made, he just needed to lure those scattered beasts out.

But that thing inside the cave had to be dealt with.

This time, before even entering that tunnel, he heard that strange voice.

[Why help them? They deserve to die!]

Repeating this sentence over and over again.

Chi Yao walked in, ignoring it.

Walking straight to where he had stopped last time, surprisingly, he didn’t see a single mutant beast.

[Why help them? They deserve to die! They deserve to die!!!]

The voice in his ear became increasingly angry.

Chi Yao asked calmly: “They?”

[Humans! They are unworthy of dominating this planet!]

Chi Yao: “If they aren’t worthy, who is? You?”

After asking, the voice fell silent for a long time. When it sounded again, the tone was no longer as agitated as before.

[I am also unworthy… I want to return dominion to them; this is my responsibility…]

Without its explanation, Chi Yao immediately understood who “them” referred to.

With this kind of consciousness, its intelligence far exceeded that of a Beast King.

“Sounds nice.” Chi Yao sneered, probing, “You control them to slaughter humans. How many beasts died on the battlefield? They could have lived well in areas where they could move freely, yet they lost their lives because of you. Is this really what they want?”

[They should have been the masters of this land. Why must they be restricted by humans to survive in such small areas?! It’s humans who killed them, not me!]

Chi Yao walked inward slowly, speaking unhurriedly: “Didn’t you consider yourself human too? Since you are human, what right do you have to make decisions for the beasts? How is what you do different from the humans you say deserve to die?”

This question seemed to stump it.

Only when Chi Yao reached the end did the voice sound again.

[Then what are you?]

Chi Yao: “I am human.”

[Being able to hear me speak means you are already far from human.]

Chi Yao’s eyes darkened, and he chuckled: “What, now you think you aren’t human again?”

[I had no choice… I am in pain… Only by killing all humans is there hope…]

Listening to its moody, muttering voice, Chi Yao looked toward the pitch-black cave ahead.

The cave was piled with beast remains. Decaying organs were heaped on the ground, blood mixed with other unidentified liquids flowing to his feet.

That strange voice was on the left side of the cave, blocked by rocks, invisible from his angle.

Chi Yao, with a dark expression, stepped inside.

His foot stepped on a bone, making a crisp crack. At the same time, he saw the true appearance of the voice’s source.

Chi Yao’s pupils constricted, unable to take another step forward.

This cave was larger than the one he came through. On top of the beast carcasses lay a giant unidentified creature over ten meters tall.

It had no fur on its body, covered instead with lumps like soap bubbles, inside which surged dark red liquid.

Like a caterpillar magnified hundreds or thousands of times, a mouthpart over five meters in diameter wriggled, constantly spraying mucus.

Yet the claws hidden underneath resembled eagle talons.

Chi Yao had never seen such a creature.

Ugly, terrifying, repulsive to the core.

[No one can voluntarily choose the form they are born in. I am the same.]

The voice sounded again.

Chills seeped from his bones, Chi Yao’s ears buzzing.

[Neither you nor I belong to this world, but you are luckier than me.]

Chi Yao sneered: “Don’t lump me in with you.”

[Even if I don’t say it, you know it very well in your heart.]

Chi Yao kept a cold face, not responding.

[Seeing me like this, do you still want to help them?]

[Humans constantly create hatred and will do anything for their own benefit. Only by killing them all will no more of our kind be born.]

Chi Yao articulated word by word: “You and I are not of the same kind.”

[You are also about to lose control, right?]

[In just five years, my body has expanded a hundred times. It’s already at the limit—]

[If it were you, you could definitely lead them to victory—]

[Wake up, do what you should do, make humans pay the price.]

Its existence far exceeded Chi Yao’s imagination.

Chaotic emotions surged up, making it hard for him to breathe.

Jing Xi’s face suddenly flashed before his eyes.

His frowned brows when angry, his tight lips when holding back, the smile in his eyes when happy—

Chi Yao took a deep breath and calmed down.

“Don’t bewitch me. It’s useless.”

[Why?]

Chi Yao sneered: “Humans or beasts, what does their future have to do with me?”

[You don’t hate humans?]

“Whoever harmed me, I’ll just find them. Why make enemies of all humanity? Isn’t that tiring?” Chi Yao walked forward through the blood and filth. “As for you, if you really have nothing to do, go out and get some sun. Don’t be so full of resentment all day.”

[Do you know who harmed you?]

Chi Yao half-lowered his eyes, the killing intent in them vanishing in a blink.

“Haven’t found out yet, but soon.”

[S810]

Chi Yao paused in his steps, frowning: [What do you mean?]

[The place where I was born… I saw them call a man in military uniform ‘Sir’… Later I was thrown here…]

Chi Yao said coldly: “What did that man look like?”

[Wearing a mask… with two circles of red sleeve stripes…]

Lieutenant General?

Before Chi Yao could speak, he heard it say again: [Can you really find them?]

“Of course.” Chi Yao said indifferently, “If you hadn’t caused trouble and wasted so much of my time, I might have found them already.”

This time a long while passed, and it spoke no more.

Chi Yao saw the liquid in every blood blister on its body rolling rapidly, as if about to burst at any moment.

[You must find them and avenge me!]

Chi Yao wanted to retort, but thought better of it.

What if it threw bones at him again? Too dirty.

“As long as you stop attacking humans, I can consider sending the person over after I catch them. Whether you want to torture or eat them then is up to you.”

[Too late… I… have no time…]

In just a few minutes, Chi Yao saw the blood blisters on its body double in size.

Chi Yao frowned: “You—”

[What is your name?]

Chi Yao hesitated for an instant: “Chi Yao.”

[Chi Yao, do not forget our agreement…]

Countless blood blisters expanded rapidly. Chi Yao stepped back, his eyes vigilant.

[I also have a name… My name is Qi Niao… The Qi of ‘never abandon’ (bu qi), Niao Niao—]

Bang!

A massive explosion erupted in his ears.

Chi Yao didn’t have time to run out of the cave; his vision was filled with crimson red.

Batch after batch of mutant beasts were lured out of the circle.

The plan proceeded very smoothly, but Jing Xi felt uneasy.

He had lost contact with Chi Yao for half an hour.

According to his simulation, if Chi Yao followed the original plan, he could retreat to five kilometers away in less than twenty minutes.

“Boss, the beast herds outside the circle have been cleared.”

Lu Meng’s voice sounded in his ear.

Jing Xi glanced at the simulator on the virtual screen and the current locations of all Extreme Shadow personnel.

“Six more waves, mutation levels four to five. Execute according to plan.”

Lu Meng: “Yes!”

Jing Xi started the car, turned the steering wheel, and drove full speed toward the cave.

“If you can’t contact me, you take over command.”

Lu Meng: “Yes—wait, what do you mean can’t contact—”

Before he finished, both heard a loud bang simultaneously, and the entire ground shook violently.

“Holy shit!” Lu Meng grabbed the handle on top of the tank awkwardly, almost falling off. “Which bastard threw a nuke?!”

Jing Xi noticed the direction of the epicenter, his expression changing drastically.

“Check the frequency of the sonic waves!”

Lu Meng: “Huh? Okay!”

Jing Xi floored the gas pedal, his hands gripping the steering wheel trembling.

Never had he been as afraid as he was now.

If they had disregarded that strange thing and leveled this place directly, would all this trouble have been avoided?

Why did he agree to let Chi Yao take the risk?

The car sped into the final five kilometers.

The sonic waves disappeared, and the mountain range where the cave was located completely collapsed.

Jing Xi slammed the door and got out, shouting ahead.

“Chi Yao—!”

The voice echoed in the empty mountains, but no one answered him.

Jing Xi said coldly: “Scan.”

Xiao Hong Bean flew out of his terminal, transforming into a small tray and flying toward the collapsed mountain.

Based on the cave’s location, Jing Xi climbed up the rubble.

Moments later, Xiao Hong’s voice sounded in his mind.

[Target not found.]

Jing Xi: “Search again!”

Xiao Hong: [Yes.]

After another moment—

[Target not found.]

“Search again!”

Soon, several mountain terrain vehicles appeared at the foot of the mountain. Fang Liang and a few brothers got out one after another and ran over quickly.

“Boss—!”

Fang Liang saw Jing Xi in the pile of rocks at a glance and followed quickly.

“Major General, Boss he—”

Jing Xi held tools in his hand, moving rocks one by one, sweat soaking the hair on his forehead.

“Call all your people over. Don’t use weapons, move them carefully.”

Fang Liang gritted his teeth and agreed: “Okay.”

Outside the circle, Lu Meng received the detection report from below and was a bit confused.

“The sonic waves are gone…”

“No wonder my head doesn’t hurt anymore. Feels great.”

“Then do we drive the warships in?”

“With this annoying thing gone, it’s much easier!”

Lu Meng frowned, thinking of his boss’s nervous appearance in the communication, feeling uneasy.

Standing on the tank, he looked toward the cave from afar, suddenly thinking of something.

“It can’t be—”

He interrupted his subordinates’ chattering discussion and asked loudly: “Did all those people come out?!”

Someone looked at the real-time statistical data reported.

“No, not even a third.”

Seeing his expression was wrong, the others became nervous too.

“Did something go wrong?”

Lu Meng gritted his teeth and called Jing Xi on the public channel, but received no response for a long time.

“Minister, did something happen to the Boss?!” someone asked.

The one in trouble was likely someone else.

Lu Meng pondered for a moment and shouted on the public channel: “Logistics personnel assemble!”

Evening fell, and the collapsed mountain was brightly lit.

Lu Meng took a boxed meal and handed it to Jing Xi: “Boss, take a break. We have so many people here.”

Jing Xi pushed away the meal box in front of him, his voice very low: “I’m not hungry.”

You haven’t eaten for two meals.

Lu Meng sighed lightly, having no choice but to quickly shovel two mouthfuls of rice, grab tools, and continue moving rocks.

From daybreak to dark, and then to daybreak again.

Jing Xi didn’t dare stop for a moment.

Moving rocks for the nth time, a trace of stench seeped out from inside.

Jing Xi’s eyes flashed, letting Xiao Hong crawl in through the crack.

[Detected Xiao Hei’s signal!]

Beep beep—beep beep—

Strange sounds came faintly to his ears, and Chi Yao’s consciousness returned.

His eyelids felt as heavy as lead; it took a lot of effort to open them.

Harsh light penetrated in. He squinted, taking a moment to adapt.

In front of him was a half-open glass cover, beside it cold metal walls.

Infirmary?

He was saved?

Chi Yao moved slightly, and his vision spun.

His hand was pulled. He turned his head; Jing Xi was holding his hand, lying beside the medical pod, already asleep.

The hair on his forehead was stuck together in strips, his uniform covered in mud, looking very bedraggled.

Chi Yao moved over carefully, a smell of sweat hitting his nose.

“Searched for a long time, right?”

He couldn’t help curving his lips upward, holding Jing Xi’s hand back.

Just moving, Jing Xi woke up.

Chi Yao lay on his side, shaking his hand: “Woke you?”

Seeing the person awake, Jing Xi’s hand tightened: “You were too reckless.”

The voice that came out was unusually hoarse, hard to hide the exhaustion.

Chi Yao: “Sorry.”

He honestly admitted his mistake, his thumb gently wiping the dust off Jing Xi’s face: “Made you worry.”

Jing Xi had a stomach full of words but swallowed them back because of these few words.

Complaining to Chi Yao was useless. When this person wanted to do something, no one could easily change it.

“Next time you do this, I won’t wait obediently for you to wake up,” Jing Xi said calmly.

Chi Yao raised his eyebrows: “What do you want to do?”

“Asleep, you look delicious no matter how I look at you.” Jing Xi brushed his face and pinched hard. “Suitable for making a move.”

“Hiss—gently, gently!” Chi Yao stretched his face out. “You have a necrophilia hobby too?”

Jing Xi let go, leaning down to place a light kiss on the spot he had pinched red.

“Didn’t before, very interested now.”

Chi Yao: “…”

Jing Xi looked up slightly, looking down at him: “Cherish your chastity well.”

Chi Yao: “……”

Has anyone told you that you look scary when you warn people seriously?

Not long after, Lu Meng called Jing Xi out with a video call.

Chi Yao waited until the medical pod emitted the treatment completion tone before getting up to go to the bathroom.

The moment it exploded, Xiao Hei activated protective armor mode to protect him.

But the cave collapsed too fast, and he was still trapped inside.

Warm water poured over his head, but the warmth in Chi Yao’s eyes disappeared bit by bit.

Its strange, ugly body floated before his eyes. He turned over his wet hands.

From texture to bone, still human hands.

Will this body expand and fill with blood blisters in a few years, finally self-destructing?

At that time, what would Jing Xi think facing him like that?

Would he still say “even if you turn into a beast, the engagement won’t be canceled”?

Unknown how much time passed, a knock came from outside the bathroom.

“Chi Yao?”

Chi Yao snapped back to reality, wiped his body hastily, put on a pair of trousers, and walked out.

The door opened before his eyes. Jing Xi: “I had them send food over, you—”

His gaze followed the water dripping from Chi Yao’s hair downwards. Jing Xi suddenly forgot what he was going to say.

For some reason, Chi Yao couldn’t quite face Jing Xi.

He pretended nothing was wrong and walked out: “So fragrant, braised pork ribs?”

Jing Xi casually grabbed a towel and walked behind the chair, wiping Chi Yao’s hair for him: “Lu Meng’s father sent it. Said it’s a pig raised on pure grain from their mountain, especially delicious.”

Chi Yao leaned back slightly, chuckling: “Sending pigs now?”

Jing Xi was helpless: “An old man’s kind intentions, couldn’t refuse.”

As they spoke, three small beans flew over.

Chi Yao saw Xiao Hei’s shell was intact and asked Jing Xi: “It’s okay?”

Caught in the explosion and then crushed under rocks, Chi Yao thought he wouldn’t escape this time.

Jing Xi: “Put in the repair bay for repairs. Can turn on currently, but can’t transform.”

Chi Yao beckoned it over.

The little black bean hovered above the dining table, popping up a palm-sized virtual screen.

[Told you you couldn’t escape without me, still didn’t believe.]

Chi Yao: “…”

[I got heavily injured saving you. Kneel and be grateful.]

Chi Yao: “…”

“Whose personality did you use to build it?” Chi Yao laughed. “Simply terminal chuunibyou.”

Jing Xi looked down at him: “What do you think?”

Chi Yao’s brow twitched, sensing something in this gaze.

“Impossible, my personality is so cute.”

Jing Xi nodded slowly: “I also think Xiao Hei is very cute.”

Chi Yao: “……”