Chapter 375: Monster
"Big brother."
Seeing Ling Chen carrying Nanrong Wanqing and catching up from behind, Qiu Yong grimaced. "We’re surrounded outside. The enemy’s fire is too strong; we can’t get out."
Hearing this, Ling Chen called Xia Yue over, handed Nanrong Wanqing to her, and instructed her to take good care of Nanrong Wanqing’s safety.
Glancing at the time, Reylov had said they would have three hours to act, and there were still about two hours left, which was more than enough.
Listening to sporadic gunshots from outside, Ling Chen pondered for a moment, then turned his gaze to Hu Fei beside him.
Hu Fei trembled with fear under his stare and swallowed. "What are you planning to do?"
"What are you afraid of? I’m not preparing to send you to your death." Ling Chen laughed, took his backpack, pulled out a few smoke grenades, and said, "Big brother, I’ll distract them. You all head to the evacuation point according to our earlier plan; I will find you as soon as possible."
"Alright, take care of yourself."
"Ling Chen." At this moment, Kaelina rushed over from the monitoring room and reminded him, "Zhu Hong is also outside."
"I know!" Ling Chen nodded, a sharp, cold light flashing through his pupils.
After throwing a few smoke grenades, thick white smoke immediately enveloped the outside of the base. Seizing the opportunity, Ling Chen, like a darting rabbit, quickly dashed out. However, just as he rushed out of the base, gunshots immediately rang out, bullets falling at his feet.
That was close!
A shock went through Ling Chen, and he suddenly had an ominous premonition.
Bang! Bang!
Two successive shots, both hitting where he had been. Luckily, he kept moving at high speed, and each bullet missed his body by a whisker.
Trouble! Ling Chen frowned secretly. Under the cover of smoke, the enemy was still able to accurately pinpoint his location, indicating that they were equipped with thermal imaging. As long as he had body heat, he couldn’t escape their eyes.
Without thinking further, Ling Chen leaped, his body soaring high and landing behind a small mound. Just as he landed, a bullet shot toward him, but it was blocked by the mound.
Taking a deep breath, Ling Chen lay on the ground, reached for a grenade from his waist, unscrewed the detonator, and threw it into the air.
Bang!
An explosion rang out, followed by several screams.
Ling Chen’s mouth curled slightly. The gunshots from the enemy had likewise exposed their positions. Having taken out several gunmen, Ling Chen hesitated no longer, rushing forward like a swift wind. His plan was clear—to circle to the enemy’s rear, draw their attention, and create a chance for Qiu Yong and the others to escape.
Tens of seconds passed, and the thick smoke outside the base gradually dispersed. By then, Ling Chen had successfully navigated to the rear.
Hearing the gradually distant gunshots outside the base, the group knew Ling Chen’s plan had succeeded. Immediately, under Kaelina’s lead, everyone followed, quickly evacuating with Nanrong Wanqing.
Yet, just then, Qiu Yong, who was covering the rear, suddenly flew into the air, crossing over everyone’s heads and heavily falling to the ground.
This sudden change shocked everyone present, causing them to hurriedly turn back. In the darkness of the night, a figure was rapidly approaching from behind. As the figure entered their line of sight, Kaelina and Hu Fei, among others, widened their eyes in disbelief at the approaching silhouette.
Is this… still a human?
Hu Fei gaped, his face full of horror.
At this moment, the person appearing before them could no longer be called human, but a monster. Its entire body was swollen, its limbs seemingly inflated, and pus-blood was flowing all over. Its head was unevenly sized, extremely disproportionate. Its face was also twisted beyond recognition.
After a brief moment of shock, Hu Fei was the first to react, pointing at the monster in alarm. "That’s Stephen!"
Previously, Ling Chen had injected Stephen with an overdose of enhancement drugs, expecting him not to withstand the pain and die. However, Stephen not only survived but also transformed into this neither human nor ghost-like monster.
"Everybody be careful; his strength is terrifying." Qiu Yong stood up from the ground, watching Stephen approach step by step, and cautioned.
Without a second word, Zhang Zhongfeng immediately drew his bow and arrow, aiming at Stephen’s head.
Whoosh!
Following the sound of air tearing, the sharp arrow pierced straight through Stephen’s head.
However, to everyone’s astonishment, the fatally wounded Stephen appeared completely unaffected. As if unable to feel the pain, he continued charging towards them.
Seeing this, Hu Fei’s eyes darted around, his gaze suddenly brightening, and he shouted loudly, "I have a plan; hold him off first!"
Without hesitation, Qiu Yong lightly tapped his foot off the ground, leaping up and throwing a punch towards Stephen’s head. Simultaneously, Xia Yue and the one-armed Yuan Yun rushed forward, wielding their swords, pinning Stephen in place.
With agile movements, Yuan Yun and Xia Yue coordinated swiftly, and in a blink of an eye, Stephen had more than a dozen wounds on him. For a normal person, these injuries would have been fatal, but Stephen was completely unfazed; no matter how severe the wounds, they were completely ignored.
Just then, Xia Yue seized the opportunity, lifting the Mother-Child Sword, her wrist flicked, thrusting straight for Stephen’s eyes.
However, just as the sharp tip of the sword was about to penetrate his eyeball, Stephen suddenly raised his hands, completely disregarding the blade’s sharpness, fiercely grasping onto the sword, and then violently throwing it.
Xia Yue felt a powerful force transmitted from the sword, her body immediately losing control, soaring straight up.
"Be careful!"
Yuan Yun, seeing this, and fearing that Xia Yue might get hurt, hurriedly sheathed his sword and rushed over, stretching out his hands to catch Xia Yue’s delicate body. However, just as Xia Yue landed in his arms, her complexion abruptly changed, and she exclaimed in shock, "Brother, watch out behind you!"
Yuan Yun turned back only to see Stephen had somehow appeared behind him, his arm fiercely swinging, heavily slapping his back.
Struck by Stephen’s powerful blow, Yuan Yun’s face turned pale, he stumbled, and together with Xia Yue, they both fell to the ground.
Seeing the dire situation, Qiu Yong and Xu Ming, fearing for their safety, quickly rushed over, collaboratively blocking Stephen’s assault. Seizing this opportunity, Wei Jiahao swiftly moved to help Yuan Yun and Xia Yue to their feet.
Once they had retreated, Qiu Yong glanced at Hu Fei nearby and asked in a grave tone, "How much longer?"
"Almost ready." Hu Fei, neglecting the sweat on his forehead, hurriedly handed the modified arrow to Zhang Zhongfeng who immediately placed it on his bow, drew the bowstring full circle, aiming right at Stephen’s forehead.
"Big brother, second brother, move aside!"
Hearing Zhang Zhongfeng’s voice, Qiu Yong and Xu Ming didn’t hesitate and quickly retreated. Without waiting for Stephen to catch up, Zhang Zhongfeng seized the moment, his finger slightly loosened, and the arrow immediately tore through the air, flying towards Stephen’s forehead.