Can't Wait for the Next Life

Chapter 30: Can't Wait for the Next Life

"Could this be the card's influence on its holder?" Feng Ling wondered to herself.

What kind of card had she even drawn?

Fortunately, her Corruption Value was only 7% for now. If it were a bit higher and she encountered another bout of ravenous hunger, she really couldn't be sure what madness she might unleash.

Then Feng Ling thought again: maybe it wasn't the card's fault. Maybe she'd been injured so severely that all the energy she'd stored from eating earlier had been used to repair her wounds, leaving her hungry again?

She simply couldn't figure it out.

Ahead, the space suddenly brightened. The light was so intense that Feng Ling couldn't see anything for a moment, like a person caught in a spotlight on stage.

She heard scattered voices from above:

"Someone's coming out!"

"Is it Brother Zhou?"

"...No, it's not the vice-captain."

"Why didn't Brother Zhou come out?"

Further away, she also heard an announcement from a loudspeaker: "...Please follow the guidance of the Xenomorph Safety Supervision Bureau for shelter. Do not panic. Board the vehicles in an orderly fashion. The Surveillance Team will do its utmost to protect the lives of citizens... Now repeating the broadcast..."

"Feng Ling!"

Someone suddenly called her name—it was Su Yuqing's voice.

Feng Ling squinted, letting her eyes adjust to the light. She looked up and saw Su Yuqing's face at the opening above.

Remembering Zhou Diao's instructions, she pulled out the chip and tossed it high into the air.

"About a few hundred meters from here, there's another parking lot. The underground nest connects to both parking lots. The chip has a map of the terrain. Zhou Diao wants you to find a way to seal the entrance and stop the bugs from crawling out." She explained the situation concisely.

"I'll handle it." Su Yuqing asked quickly, "How's Zhou Diao's situation over there?"

"Not good. He might already be done for." Feng Ling rubbed her eyes. "Can you give me that big light? And your loudspeaker too."

The weary sound of panting was exceptionally clear in the empty pit.

Zhou Diao struggled to pull his blood-soaked beast claw from the corpse, his vision already blurring.

Piles of shattered insect remains surrounded him, and the smell of gunpowder lingered in the air, refusing to dissipate.

The only flashlight left illuminated an area no more than ten meters in diameter around him. Beyond that darkness, who knew how many Contaminants were still waiting for him.

How many had this been?

He'd been fighting for so long, he'd lost count...

He had killed Contaminants before. Back then, the city's finest inspector, Ye Zheng, hadn't yet been transferred. He'd followed Ye Zheng on missions, and every Contaminant they encountered was a lone individual—not a single exception.

Even the study materials provided by the Supervisor General Bureau contained lengthy passages arguing that Contaminants, lacking rationality, were incapable of group coordination.

Why was this time different?

Why was it different...

Zhou Diao's steps faltered. His breathing slowed. He felt so tired.

It was like being trapped in an endless war of attrition—never able to finish them off, never able to kill them all. How many enemies were still hiding in the darkness?

Fatigue accumulated in every part of his body. His hands grew so heavy he could barely lift them. Those Contaminants must be lurking all around him. He had to stay highly alert. But why was he so tired...

It seemed that the Xenomorph's little jelly wasn't all that impressive after all. It had only perked him up for a short while.

A self-deprecating smile tugged at the corner of Zhou Diao's mouth.

Suddenly, a wave of stench rushed toward him!

He stepped back, swinging his claw at the oncoming shadow purely on instinct—

It was a human neck, stretched several meters long, with hard mandibular teeth growing from the opening. The rest of the body had almost completely insectized.

Zhou Diao's claw should have shredded that long neck. But the prolonged battle had coated his beast claws with clotted blood and viscous bodily fluids, dulling their edge. The heavy, exhausted muscles in his shoulders and arms also left him lacking strength. This swing only left a scratch.

Zhou Diao let out a breath, thinking weakly: Have I already reached my limit?

No.

He was the only inspector in Qingjiang who could still fight. He couldn't fall. If he fell, Su Yuqing would surely be in a difficult position, wouldn't he?

Another shadow lunged.

Zhou Diao turned to dodge, but his movement was too slow. A pair of mandibles pierced straight through his waist!

His entire body was hoisted into the air by the monster. Then his right arm was torn away, clamped in the jaws of another Contaminant!

He could barely feel any pain.

Had his brain activated a defense mechanism, numbing all the pain?

Zhou Diao thought hazily: They're not going to tear me apart, are they?

He never imagined his final death would be so ugly... Really, not cool at all.

Red light flickered before his eyes.

His throat was full of a coppery sweetness.

He spat out a mouthful of blood, feeling his body about to split into pieces, and thought again: Should've known not to try so hard—at least I could've died a quicker death.

...Still, before dying, he'd made the team evacuate, and the Detector's map data should have reached Su Yuqing's hands. Not everything was a total loss.

As for his unwillingness, his fury, his regrets.

Next life.

Next life, he'd make up for it...

Suddenly, hurried footsteps rang out, and a jolt of impact sent him crashing to the ground!

Zhou Diao opened his eyes. Through a bloody haze, a few familiar figures blurred into view. Rage instantly flared in his chest, and he roared: "Who told you to come back?! Get lost!"

He thought his tone was threatening enough, but the words came out choked with blood, utterly lacking in force.

Xiao Li stabbed her short blade into the Contaminant's neck, viciously twisting the tip to force its jaws apart. She shouted: "Old Cao! Get Deputy Captain Zhou out of here!"

Cao Hongyi charged from some corner, heaving Zhou Diao's half-human form onto his shoulder!

Qin Liang covered their retreat from a distance with his dwindling bullets.

Zhou Diao cursed loudly: "A bunch of idiots! You're no match for them! You all ran back to die?!"

Xiao Li gripped the knife hilt tightly, her voice bitter: "Better we die than you! Aren't you always saying you're Qingjiang City's god? Three people for one god—worth it!"

The neck under her blade twisted and contracted, flinging her off like a long-necked turtle thrashing in a river!

"Xiao Li!" Qin Liang cried out from afar, watching helplessly as she fell beyond the illuminated zone. In that darkness, he could see nothing, let alone provide support.

"Idiots! Idiots! Id-iots-id-iots-id-iots!!!"

Zhou Diao was beyond furious, cursing and struggling as he tumbled off Cao Hongyi's shoulder.

He wanted to save Xiao Li, but his limbs wouldn't obey. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't even crawl!

Cao Hongyi hoisted him up again, silent as he ran toward the exit.

Zhou Diao went berserk: "Cao Hongyi! I'll fuck your grandpa!!!"

Cao Hongyi remained unmoved, his voice flat as a taut line, repeating Xiao Li's words: "Deputy Captain, three of us for one god—worth it."

Zhou Diao wanted to curse more, but blood choked him, and not a single word came out. Only hatred and unwillingness surged endlessly in his heart!

Such hatred!

He hated it!—hated these Contaminants that couldn't be killed! Hated that he wasn't strong enough!

If he'd held on just a little longer, just a little longer, maybe his team wouldn't have to die!

He couldn't wait for the next life! He wanted to get stronger now! To protect this place and these people!

Shing—

The dim pit suddenly blazed bright as day.

White light stabbed into his eyes, making Zhou Diao freeze for a moment.

The next second, he heard Feng Ling's voice:

"Deputy Captain Zhou, you're not dead yet. Pretty impressive."