On the Verge of Eruption

The security hall where An Rongru hid was built from highly defensive Dark Metal and Soft-Gel Crystal, capable of withstanding more than fifty tons of weight. The Guard Mutant Human naturally did not possess the strength to break such solid defenses, but not every part of the security hall was sturdy. For example, the Supermagnetic Lock had lost power, so the door could only be shut by traditional means—relying solely on a switch gate.

Thus, the security hall An Rongru considered the most defensible place had such a fatal weakness. She had unconsciously overlooked this crucial point. After all, living in this prosperous age of technology, she had grown accustomed to the convenience brought by technology, forming a habitual way of thinking. That was only natural.

Mu Xiao had miscalculated, and An Rongru had likewise overlooked the most basic thing.

The danger she faced had been brought about by herself. That was why the Guard Mutant Human's savage blows against the security hall's defenses filled her with such terrifying dread. Outside the sturdy metal shelter, every thunderous impact seemed to strike directly against the defensive line in her heart. Under the immense pressure of panic and helplessness, her mental defenses kept slipping toward collapse.

If she had not still held hope for Mu Xiao, her mental defenses might have collapsed long ago, leaving only despair.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The thunderous, muffled tremors shook the night and echoed through the entire Silent Villa District. Even far in the distance, the reverberations could be heard clearly.

The Guard Mutant Human did not attack the same spot on the security hall. Since it had not discovered the hall's fatal weakness, it tested every location with heavy strikes. Clearly, after delivering its first strongest blow, it had realized that the security hall possessed immense defensive strength and could not be forcibly breached.

The fragrance emitted by the bloodline genes of New Humans was like honey to ants for Mutant Humans. Every cell in their bodies was filled with an instinctive, ravenous temptation.

Because Mutant Humans had unbalanced genes and were half-finished products on the road of evolution, the genes within them carried an extreme desire to evolve. The bloodline genes of New Humans, on the other hand, were stable, successful, and full of hope. That was why New Humans became the most ideal evolutionary food for Mutant Humans.

Especially since An Rongru was only a weak New Human, how could the Guard Mutant Human easily let such delicious genetic flesh slip away?

Bang!

A fist struck like a massive hammer. The metallic sound it produced was different from before. The Mutant Human's vicious, venomous cone-shaped pupils flashed faintly red as it stared at the metal door for a moment, then let out a shrill howl. Its fists became a blur of afterimages, hammering the metal door with frenzied excitement, producing a barrage of booming impacts like heavy metal music.

The metal door's slight tremors gradually became more violent, as though it might crack apart like a broken slab at any moment.

"He'll definitely make it back in time... He'll definitely make it back in time..."

In a room on the third floor of the security hall, An Rongru's pale, delicate face was filled with terror. Her restless heart increasingly prayed for Mu Xiao to return quickly.

A minute had passed, yet Mu Xiao had not returned. Given such a short distance, he should have needed no more than thirty seconds to get back, but he had run into some trouble on the way...

"This Guard Zombie is truly intelligent, and not just a little. It actually knew to gather a large group of zombies to delay me. I just hope An Rongru can hold on until I get there. Otherwise..."

Mu Xiao maneuvered the Thermal Motorcycle Racer at high speed, dodging constantly as his Laser Pistol fired one blue beam after another at the ghostly figures shifting in the darkness ahead.

The zombies in the night were exceptionally agile. No matter which direction he went, their kind blocked Mu Xiao's path. Even the laser beams found it difficult to kill them. Moreover, Mu Xiao's vision was affected by the darkness, so his accuracy naturally could not compare to daylight. Besides, unless their heads or hearts were blown apart, the zombies were not affected at all and could still charge and obstruct him.

"If I hadn't underestimated the Mutant Human's intelligence and placed all the grenades in useless locations, a few grenades might have opened up a route by now!"

The worse the situation became, the calmer Mu Xiao grew. To him, An Rongru was merely a "little soldier" worth cultivating. If her death proved unavoidable,

then Mu Xiao would not grieve or blame himself. He would only find it a pity that such a beautiful New Human woman had died, costing him his first "human resource." But if she could be saved, he would certainly do his utmost to save her.

"Looks like I can only use this move early to clear the way!"

Mu Xiao brought the motorcycle racer to a stop and reached behind his back. A thick cannon barrel appeared in his hand. The Thunderbolt Cannon aimed down the route leading directly to the security hall, and he fiercely pulled the firing trigger.

In the next instant, red particles gathered at the cannon's muzzle, while arcs of electricity drifted into patterns of energy. In an instant, they formed a tremendous destructive force. A blazing red electrical beam surged from the muzzle like a thunderous rainbow, tearing through the dense night...

Boom!

Amid the enormous tremor, countless flashes of lightning and fire erupted in the depths of the night, as though the darkness itself had been pierced through. More than ten zombies were annihilated in the explosive beam. As an Evolutionary Power Source surged toward him, a clear route opened directly ahead of Mu Xiao.

"Now!"

Mu Xiao abruptly accelerated the motorcycle racer, ignoring the Evolutionary Power Source flowing back to him. After all, those zombies only possessed ten Gene Resonances and could no longer satisfy his needs for leveling up. The other zombies had no time to fill the gap, and as Mu Xiao continuously fired laser beams while using Telekinesis to hold back several charging zombies, he finally broke through the defensive line of the zombie horde.

At this moment, the tremendous echoes from the security hall continued. The gate seemed to be growing increasingly unstable, as though it had already reached the point of breaking.

An Rongru gradually fell into despair, because she knew Mu Xiao could not possibly have been delayed for so long.

Unless Mu Xiao had already abandoned her.

"If you really..." In her daze, An Rongru tightly gripped the Laser Pistol Mu Xiao had left her, ready to kill herself at any moment. Only then could she avoid being brutally devoured alive.

Suddenly, bang!

It was as though something had shattered apart...

An Rongru heard the sound, and a chill rose from her heart and spread through her entire body, as though even her blood had frozen. Just as all hope had faded from her, another deep roar sounded, followed by a violent crashing noise.

"That's the sound of a motorcycle racer..." Life instantly returned to An Rongru's deadened eyes.

Just as the Guard Mutant Human broke through the metal door, Mu Xiao returned in time. The motorcycle racer charged at full speed toward the Guard Mutant Human. His Telekinesis spread like a great net, locking down the entrance to the security hall, while the Laser Pistol fired dense beams toward the doorway. If the Guard Mutant Human tried to rush inside, it would inevitably meet the net of Telekinesis and be pierced through by laser beams.

If it had been a zombie, it would have rushed in without regard for anything to devour the food, because zombies possessed no intelligence, only instinct. They feared neither pain nor injury.

But Mutant Humans were different. They possessed intelligence and could feel pain. Too many wounds and too much blood loss would likewise affect their combat strength. Moreover, with its intelligence, the Mutant Human understood that now that Mu Xiao had appeared here, the food inside the security hall would not be so easy to eat.

Therefore, just as Mu Xiao had expected, the Guard Mutant Human did not brave the laser beams and recklessly rush into the room. Yet strangely, it did not attack Mu Xiao either.

The Guard Mutant Human ghosted aside from the motorcycle racer charging toward it and stopped at a distance that was neither too close nor too far, where it could advance or retreat. Its entire body radiated a filthy aura of depravity, desire, and brutality. Its sharp pupils, filled with resentment, revealed a savage gaze as though they wanted to tear flesh apart.

An icy, eerie atmosphere congealed around them. In the night, the Guard Mutant Human looked like a vengeful ghost, staring fixedly at Mu Xiao, who had used the motorcycle racer to block the doorway. Yet it did not launch a counterattack.

"Cunning bastard! It wants to stall until that group of zombies comes to support it!"

Mu Xiao saw through the Guard Mutant Human's sinister intentions at a glance.

Before long, movement gradually sounded in the distance. Ghostly figures shifted through the dark night and drew closer and closer. Mu Xiao soon spotted one twisted, terrifying zombie face after another, confirming his suspicion without doubt.

Generally speaking, Mutant Humans could communicate with zombies. The two sides must have reached some kind of "deal," which was why this zombie horde was helping the Guard Mutant Human.

Mu Xiao swiftly got off the vehicle. His calm gaze met those terrifying pupils filled with violence and bloodshot veins. He set down the Thunderbolt Cannon, which was still recharging its energy, and holstered the Laser Pistol at his waist. Then he drew the High-Vibration Electromagnetic Military Saber from his thigh. With a slight movement of his finger, electrical resonance rippled across the black blade like water.

Using a Laser Pistol against the Guard Mutant Human would only be futile. Unless one possessed a specific ability, it was impossible to bring out a weapon's full power. Clearly, Mu Xiao could not currently rely on his own abilities to accurately hit a Guard Mutant Human capable of high-speed movement. Close combat was the only best option.

At the same time, the Laser Pistol's power was not as satisfying or as deadly as cutting down with a blade.

But if Mu Xiao fought the Guard Mutant Human, the fifty or sixty zombies before him had a high chance of rushing into the security hall.

So sometimes, if people wanted to protect their own lives, they had to rely on themselves.

"An Rongru! If you don't want to die, hurry up and bring the things down!"

His indifferent voice echoed clearly through the cold, silent room and soon reached An Rongru's ears. She was alarmed because she did not know why Mu Xiao was making such a request, but she was also overjoyed that he had returned in time to save her. Yet there was no time for her to think further. She trusted Mu Xiao, and she had already considered herself his woman. Besides, Mu Xiao had said from the beginning that his words could not be refused.

Therefore, An Rongru quickly picked up half a bag of the grenade bombs Mu Xiao had previously left for her, along with a military saber and the Laser Pistol, then hurried downstairs.

From the moment he got off the vehicle, Mu Xiao's Mental Power spread across the twenty-meter area before him, detecting the Guard Mutant Human's number of Gene Resonances.

The Guard Mutant Human had already undergone twenty-five Gene Resonances, which rose to around twenty-eight at night. Its abilities were unknown, but its body had clearly undergone at least one enhancement. Mu Xiao only had eighteen Gene Resonances, leaving a considerable gap between them. Even so, he remained confident that he could kill the Guard Mutant Human above his level.

"Raaah!"

Without waiting for An Rongru to come down, the zombie horde ahead let out piercing roars. Every one of them erupted into a frenzy, savage and bloodthirsty as they launched a fierce assault. Only the Guard Mutant Human remained motionless, its sinister, resentful eyes fixed on Mu Xiao. It clearly intended to wear down Mu Xiao's stamina.

If Mu Xiao showed any weakness, the Guard Mutant Human would certainly seize the chance to deliver a fatal blow.

"Still not down yet?" Mu Xiao frowned, drew the Laser Pistol, and used Telekinesis to restrict the zombies' evasive movements. He fired beams of laser light as fast as lightning, picking off one charging zombie after another. Now that the zombies were attacking head-on, with Telekinesis assisting him and disrupting the battlefield, Mu Xiao's shooting was steady and his accuracy greatly improved.

If he continued killing them so efficiently, the zombies would sooner or later be wiped out. Clearly, that was not what the Guard Mutant Human wanted to happen.

Suddenly, a foul gust swept in from Mu Xiao's left, followed by a powerful fist that came crashing down with brutal force!

The Guard Mutant Human could no longer resist launching a sneak attack!

Mu Xiao had kept his attention fixed on it all along and sensed its movement instantly. The black, shadowless High-Vibration Electromagnetic Military Saber adjusted nimbly, slashing toward that ferocious fist.

In an instant, sensing danger, the Guard Mutant Human's pupils contracted. It felt as though a sharp electric current had already sliced across its fist, producing a prickling numbness. Without hesitation, it immediately withdrew its punch. Its body defied physical inertia and abruptly shot backward out of Mu Xiao's counterattack range.

If he had not needed to guard this doorway, or if there had been no zombies present, Mu Xiao could have unleashed his Telekinesis completely, locked the Guard Mutant Human's movements in an instant, and severely wounded it with a single slash.

The problem was that An Rongru had not yet come down. Mu Xiao could not leave this doorway. Otherwise, if the Guard Mutant Human got inside, An Rongru's life would certainly be forfeit. In the worst-case scenario, the Guard Mutant Human would devour An Rongru's flesh and blood, increasing its Gene Resonances and raising its combat strength again.

That was the sight Mu Xiao most did not want to see.