Cruelty

"What the hell is that thing?" Dilos couldn't help cursing aloud.

The two half-humanoid Lizard Monsters were so shocking to look at—no, terrifying.

The colossal creatures had heads almost the size of small cars. Their hideous heads combined human and lizard features, and their upper and lower jaws were packed with sharp teeth like upright daggers. No one could doubt they could tear a person to pieces with ease.

Their enormous bodies stood five meters tall, every inch packed with taut, bulging muscle. Just looking at them, he could feel the terrifying explosive power they possessed. Their thick limbs were part human and part beast, each ending in nearly meter-long, razor-sharp claws. Their wrists and ankles were almost half the length of a small car, and thick, long tails sprouted from their tailbones.

And then there were their white scales, gleaming with a frigid light... Everything about them was terrifying.

Dilos silently compared his strength with theirs, then reluctantly realized that with his current abilities, even if he encountered just one Lizard Monster, he would have no choice but to run. And there were two of them.

I'd better stay out of sight for now. I'll hide and see what happens. If things get bad, I can just take the person beside me and make a run for it. With my abilities, those monsters won't be able to catch me anyway.

Dilos thought it over, then crouched down with Qin Jiayin behind a row of cargo. He cautiously poked his head out and watched what was happening outside.

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

The two terrifying giants walked slowly, step by step, but every heavy footfall put more pressure on the people hiding nearby.

Not everyone had managed to escape the street during the chaos just now. Quite a few people, like Dilos, had hidden in small shops or behind other obstacles. Though the two monsters put them under immense psychological pressure, their instinct for survival forced them to endure their fear and hide somewhere out of sight.

Just stay hidden. Once the monsters leave, we'll be safe.

Most people thought that way, but Dilos couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. He didn't know anything about these monsters, though, so all he could do was remain where he was and quietly watch.

Suddenly, Dilos's keen eyesight caught sight of a middle-aged man in an expensive suit in the distance. His slightly plump body was trembling beneath the chassis of a large truck.

Thud!

After that footfall, the two Lizard Monsters reached the truck and suddenly stopped. Their narrow, slit-like nostrils flared as if they were sniffing the air. A second or two later, their hideous heads turned in unison toward the middle-aged man's hiding place.

The atmosphere seemed to freeze for a moment. After two seconds, everything changed.

One of the Lizard Monsters suddenly swept its tail into the truck with a deafening thud. The tremendous force sent the several-ton truck flying. It flipped through the air once or twice before crashing into the nearby vehicles with a series of thunderous booms.

The Lizard Monster paid no attention to the truck it had sent flying. Its golden, vertical pupils settled on the spot where the truck had been. A middle-aged man in a suit was there, staring at the two enormous Lizard Monsters with wide, terrified eyes. His plump body quivered uncontrollably with fear.

Who the hell is that idiot? He could've hidden anywhere. Why did he have to pick there?

Dilos cursed under his breath as he silently assessed the Lizard Monsters' abilities.

They had sent a four- or five-ton truck flying with ease. Their strength was far beyond anything he could hope to match!

As he was thinking, the Lizard Monster made its move.

Roar!

The Lizard Monster let out a deafening roar, bent down, and grabbed the man in one swift motion.

"AAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"

The middle-aged man screamed in terror, thrashing wildly as he struggled. But how could an ordinary person hope to match a monster like that in strength? As he screamed, the Lizard Monster's enormous mouth, lined with terrifying fangs, snapped open and shut.

Crunch, crack... crunch, crack.

As bones shattered, the middle-aged man's upper body disappeared completely. The smell of blood sent the Lizard Monster into a frenzy. Just as it was about to eat what remained, the other Lizard Monster—also worked into a frenzy by the scent—slammed into it. The second monster rudely snatched the remains from its rival, tossed them into its mouth, crunched them up, and swallowed.

After its food was stolen, the first Lizard Monster didn't dare fight back. The other was bigger and stronger! Its instincts told it that this was the time to back down.

Dilos turned his head away from the horrific scene. Beside him, Qin Jiayin covered her mouth in terror, trying not to scream. Her petite body trembled uncontrollably.

"We can't stay here," Dilos decided. The monsters had an incredible sense of smell. If they stayed, they would surely be discovered by their scent.

By then, there would probably be no chance to escape. If they were going to run, they had to do it now!

He wasn't the only one. A few of the others who had been hiding also began to flee.

Before, a shred of hope had kept them hiding here. But now, the Lizard Monsters' brutality had completely shattered that last comfort.

People rushed out of nearby shops and ran toward a street without any Lizard Monsters. Some even screamed in panic, losing their senses. In doing so, they exposed themselves completely to the two monsters.

After tasting how delicious human flesh was, the two Lizard Monsters had grown to love it. Besides, the man they had just eaten clearly hadn't been enough to fill their stomachs, so...

"ROAR!!"

With a deafening roar, the two Lizard Monsters sprang into action. They trampled across the vehicles around them. No longer moving slowly as before, they began to run!

They split up and charged after the people fleeing in different directions!

Their size made them somewhat clumsy, but they were still faster than humans. And on a street clogged with vehicles, people couldn't run at full speed. Before long, the two Lizard Monsters had caught the fleeing people one after another, and each of them met their end as prey.

Dilos had known what fate awaited those people as soon as they started running. But there was nothing he could do to help them. While the two giant monsters were busy chasing them, he scooped Qin Jiayin up, used his ability to cling to the wall through static electricity, and hurried upward to escape!