Chapter 19

Chapter 19

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The light beam arrived earlier than the experts at the Environmental Department had calculated, mainly because they had based their estimations on the standard speed of light, failing to anticipate that this particular beam was different from previous ones.

Not only did it differ in intensity, but also in color.

The images captured by the satellite network appeared on the screen, causing not only the Environmental Department personnel but also the think tank and all high-ranking officials to abruptly rise to their feet, their faces filled with shock.

Red.

There was red within the beam.

A crimson ray pierced through space, its arrival initially detected by the satellites. However, what those satellites also captured was the instant destruction of other satellites. The frozen, transformed, invaluable massive satellites instantly lost all functionality, drifting off course into the asteroid belt, where they were repeatedly struck and eventually exploded. The satellites that narrowly avoided the blast managed to record these scenes but could only see a sea of red, unable to discern the true nature of the phenomenon or comprehend what the red light might signify.

But everyone was aware that this was not the first time.

A century ago, the catalyst for the first Global Cataclysm was a crimson beam of light that struck Earth, triggering extreme climate shifts, mass extinction, and ecological devastation...

Now, a century later, it has returned.

And once more, it targets these very same archaeological zones, just as it did back then, showing its peculiar preference.

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The crimson beam descended, piercing the ground and penetrating the mountain within the B05 Anomaly Zone's excavation site. It also fell upon the ice that a century ago lay deep beneath the ocean.

Within the ice, the light refracted in terrifying ways. Normally, such a beam would induce extreme cold, but Sui Xin was well aware of what the crimson light implied – she almost laughed in her final moments.

Dying on the cusp of this century-long "Crimson Calamity" – yes, that's precisely what the incident a century ago was dubbed – the Red Disaster from the cosmos, a day of scarlet terror, a calamity for life.

But hadn't anyone mentioned that the Crimson Disaster's beam could instantaneously melt ice?

A transformation of matter?

As the colossal fragments of ice, shattered by the explosion, were about to engulf the front of the vehicle, they transformed into a deluge of icy water in an instant. The frigid currents doused the scorching flames that could have claimed Sui Xin and others, simultaneously freezing the hidden cameras within the walls.

Beneath the chill, they were submerged by the surging cold water.

It seemed there was still a chance for her to survive!

Human willpower was terrifying. Sui Xin attempted to save herself, clenching the car door frame with all her might and mustering the last of her strength to duck inside the vehicle, waiting for the water to subside.

But sometimes, even the best-laid plans can go awry.

In that moment, a torrent of water rushed into the hole, sweeping the radioactive materials along with it. The environment and the water became one.

The red glow signified the Ultimate Reactor.

The radioactive materials melted in the red light, turning into mercury-like beads floating in the air. At the same time, the wireworms trapped within the hole were also flushed out.

Amidst the alternating cold and heat, Sui Xin felt as if she had been pulled back from the brink of death. However, the cracked helmet allowed a flood of icy water to pour in. She could see the eerie glow emitted by the melting radioactive liquid, as well as the multitude of wireworms in the water. Some had perished from the initial radiation, others from the explosion, and still others from the red light.

Regardless of the fact that she saw the radioactive beads enter her body, along with the red light, it was because she was in the front that the enormous octopus's body surged out, pinning the car down.

The force of the water was so strong that it pushed the car outward, yet Sui Xin, along with the vehicle, was trapped under the giant octopus's tentacles, unable to move. All she could do was watch, underwater, as a massive influx of radioactive fluid and red light entered her body at close range.

The iron wire worms didn't dare approach her body, seeking other hosts for their own safety. However...

As Sui Xin, almost frozen stiff all over, watched, a test tube floated out from her torn clothes, its lid already open. A worm emerged.

It was the Salmonella Tailspore Queen.

This queen worm, which could control corpses by hiding in the brain, wasn't particularly rare. But it had survived the initial radiation, and now, entering the red light-infused water, it was subjected to the primal red light mutation radiation. Under such stimulation, driven by the instinct to survive, it was much stronger than ordinary worms. After its body was distorted by the red light, it frenziedly searched for other hosts.

It didn't have many options. It could either choose the massive deep-sea octopus or Sui Xin, who was trapped beneath the tentacles.

Everyone else had been swept away, whether they were alive or dead.

A choice of two.

It clearly didn't fancy the weak E-class foodie, Sui Xin, so it hurriedly rushed towards the enormous deep-sea octopus.

However, it was pulled back in. The dying Sui Xin used her last bit of strength to force it into the exposed wound on her arm.

She was saving herself!

She knew she was on the brink of death—her constitution couldn't withstand such continuous damage, and with the radiated fluid seeping into her body, she could already feel the agony.

Either she would succumb to death, or she could attempt to utilize the Salmincochlea's ability to affect ATP and maintain muscle activity – it was her only chance.

The Salmincochlea Queen had no other options either. Upon coming into contact with the previously punctured wound scorched by the explosion, it immediately burrowed in with great force.

In unison, as the others perished, the Salmon Ophiocordyceps parasites hidden within their bodies emerged, swimming towards the colossal deep-sea octopus.

In this era, this extraordinary age, the world's most prominent biologist, King Alizew, once uttered a profound statement:

"In the most extreme and hostile environments, the instinct of all life is to survive, regardless of genetic hierarchy. Amidst this struggle, life and death engage in a war, with cellular vitality reaching its peak. If there's stimulation of the genetic sequence, energy replenishment, neural activity, and an unwavering will to live, mutation occurs."

Living organisms cannot function without neural control, for without it, their bodies would disintegrate. Even if the conditions for genetic mutation are met, mutation cannot occur without that vital neural component. Thus, the so-called destruction and evolution ultimately boil down to the slim chance of survival, not solely reliant on luck but largely on the willpower of the organism itself.

However, Sui Xin seemed unlikely to undergo mutation, for she lacked a crucial element—energy.

Her body was too weak, and she was an ultimate glutton; the Caviar Tail Fungus Queen might have felt utterly deceived the moment it entered her.

Was this its host? A mere rag with not a scrap of ATP to exploit.

It was over.

Fortunately, the Caviar Tail Fungus Queen was extraordinary. As mentioned earlier, humans were much harder to mutate than other creatures due to their complexity. Their intricate life structures made mutation an extremely perilous process, often leading to death before completion.

On the contrary, lower-life forms like the Ironwire Worm had undergone mutations. The Crimson Rust Ironwire Worm was a perfect example.

Similarly, after being exposed to red light, the Caviar Tail Fungus showed signs of mutation. Thus, upon realizing that Sui Xin's body was problematic, it triggered a slight mutation—enhancing its control over other Caviar Tail Fungi.

Those Caviar Tail Fungi that entered the deep-sea octopus controlled parts of its body.

The tentacles wriggled, entering the car and entwining around Sui Xin.

She lacked energy, but the deep-sea octopus did not. Inside its body, there was a fossilized biological energy core, accumulated over thousands of years, stored in a sac in the octopus's abdomen—Sui Xin, a country bumpkin, was unaware of this fact. In reality, not the entire body was fossilized; instead, its biological energy core could be excavated and used as a pure marine fossil.

At that moment, that fossilized core was revitalized, draining an immense amount of energy that surpassed the total energy reserves of the entire base.

Amidst the surging icy currents.

Human beings, insects, radiance, red light, cold currents, and deep-sea octopuses... all underwent a singular transformation in that instant.

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The cold current continued to surge, sweeping away those half-alive individuals who were desperately clinging to life.

Under the crimson glow, at the entrance of the excavation site, Zhou Xingxing, who had felled several insectoid creatures but ultimately succumbed to his injuries and lay prone, sensed death's approach.

Swarms of insects crawled towards his body,

while the red light induced changes within him.

He was transforming, as were some "people," for the ubiquitous salmon ophiocordyceps fungi were frenziedly seeking hosts.

Each person's conditions for mutation varied slightly, and each individual was unique, with differing states, leading to distinct mutations.

But the prerequisite for all this—was survival.

Indeed, this live broadcast had surpassed everyone's expectations, both for the instigator and the unwitting viewers who had been drawn in. They were all gripped by fear.

The only relief was that the area bathed in red light was the one with the ruins.

But!

Eighteen people might have perished in the ruins where the live stream was focused, but there were many more personnel in other ruin zones, even high-ranking officials.

"Master Kerry is supervising work at the ruins!"

"It's over! All of them are in the ruins!"

"The board director of the branch company in City Y is there too..."

At this moment, not only Tiange was shaken; virtually all conglomerates suffered significant losses. Governments and factions with members still in the ruins were now caught up in this catastrophe.

No matter how exalted one's status, they were all ensnared in this deadly Red Cataclysm.

The century-long calamity had once again descended.

-----------------------

Lin Sui stared at the screen filled with red, and after his initial shock, he received instructions from the upper echelons – after the Red Tide, the company would dispatch rescue teams to save the trapped high-ranking officials at various ruins.

Would it be of any use?

"Isn't death inevitable under the Red Cataclysm? Do you understand this, Assistant Lin?"

Amidst the chatter of researchers, Lin Sui, who was in his private lab, was asked this question.

Lin Sui replied, "Yes, it could be useful. If one were to hide in a special shelter, there is still a chance of survival. From our research on the first Red Cataclysm, we know that the range and material of the light rays are limited. Some desert mountain cliffs managed to withstand the first wave back then and might do so again this time. Additionally, some underground cold storage areas in the bases, designed for food preservation, theoretically should also resist the Red Cataclysm."

"But the mountain in the excavation area definitely won't hold up. Otherwise, it wouldn't have become an excavation site in the first place."

Just look at the situation in B05; that mountain is the best evidence, as it failed to withstand the Red Tide back then.

Thus, faced with the situation where some key figures were trapped in the ordinary archaeological zone, Tiannv couldn't afford not to rescue them. Therefore, a massive rescue team was being assembled, awaiting the end of the Red Calamity.

"Back then, the Red Calamity lasted for 24 hours. Who knows how long it will last this time?"

"The 18 archaeological zones on live stream are definitely lost. There's no hope."

"Of course!"

Lin Sui's feelings were conflicted. She knew full well that the Century Shift, this transformation, might bring about unforeseen developments – perhaps even humanity's downfall.

"Wait, look over there!"

"What are we looking at?"

"Am I seeing things? Why do I feel like that corpse that was lying there just now is moving?"

What?

Drawn by her subordinate's words, Lin Sui looked towards the screen in the hall and caught sight of the gruesome, bloodied corpse on screen stirring.

Beneath the vehicle, a figure lay in a ghastly state, with shattered bones and mangled flesh. Yet, his fingers twitched, suggesting that he was regaining consciousness. Amidst excruciating pain, he clutched the car pressing down on him, letting out a furious roar.

Boom!

The heavy tank-like vehicle trembled and shifted entirely.

It had been moved.

Everyone exchanged astonished glances, more shocked than if they had witnessed a crimson calamity descending.

In another live stream from the C09 artifact zone, a fierce-looking man awoke, lying on the ground as he stared blankly at his hand.

It could no longer be called a hand.

Viewers saw sharp and robust wolf claws instead. Attempting to scramble to his feet in terror, he realized that upon touching the vehicle,

A sharp slicing sound echoed.

His claws effortlessly sliced through the metal skin.

He was as astonished as the audience, but soon, an ecstasy erupted across his features.

"Ha ha ha, I've undergone a transformation!"

In rapture, he glimpsed the young man lying ahead, his expression suddenly transforming into one of murderous intent.

"Xian Benxi! I'll tear you apart, piece by piece!"

In the previous live broadcast, they were both leaders of their respective teams. However, Dan Benxi was the captain of this exploration squad. Upon entering the excavation area, instead of being eliminated by these seasoned veterans, he severely injured hundreds of team members, earning him the title of a god of slaughter. This was because he had already broken through to the Disciple level back then and was invincible among thousands.

Yet, despite all this, he couldn't withstand the final radiation and the Red Calamity.

Feeling that his destiny had taken an extraordinary turn, he mutated. He swiftly rushed towards the corpse of the young man over there.

As he ran, he realized that his physique and speed were now several times greater than before.

Mutation had indeed granted him terrifying power.

"Die!"

With a swipe of its claw, it reached for Single Brook's brain on the ground.

Given its sharpness, it could tear through car metal; a human brain was nothing in comparison.

He despised this junior who had humiliated him to no end.

So...

Slap!

A hand seized his wrist, forcing the claw to stop inches from the man's cheek.

The creature found itself unable to move.

And the person lying on the ground opened their eyes. In that instant...

He vanished.

Yes, he disappeared instantly.

The man was bewildered, and in the next moment, he let out a pained wail as a bullet pierced through his heart from behind.

In the scene, a cave about seven or eight meters high was displayed. At its highest point, a dark silhouette hovered in midair.

The viewers could barely make out the figure, and soon, it vanished once again.

In the next second,

Whoosh!

A bloody hand suddenly clutched the camera, detaching it and turning it towards the face.

Shan Benxi looked at them expressionlessly.

He had no visible injuries, his skin smooth and flawless, but his irises were a deep crimson. He slowly spoke to the camera.

"Enjoying the live stream?

"What a pity, we didn't die."

"Face your impending death!"

He crushed the button, and the screen instantly plunged into darkness.

In the conference room where the Tianxi Think Tank and the high-level executives were gathered, they were discussing a rescue plan for their fellow high-ranking colleagues. They had completely forgotten about the previous live broadcast plan, leaving the poor, miserable insects behind without a second thought...

Shan Benxi's words, coupled with his blood-red eyes, were like a death knell.

Are they frightened?

At first, it was sheer shock.

Mutation – they had created an actual mutant.

"Was he floating just now?"

"Yes."

The CEO of Tiannv held her hands crossed in front of her, leaning against the desk. The lenses of her glasses reflected a chilling white light under the screen's glow.

"Flight ability?"

"How intriguing."

"Altering the plan... those 18 live broadcast room ruins are the key focus. Let's set out on foot. As for the C09 area, which is home to powerful mutants like Dan Ben Xi, we will send guardians to oversee it."

"Capture alive, extract the genes."

The Gatekeeper, a formidable offensive and defensive powerhouse among the disciples, is typically stationed close to the highest echelons of the conglomerate's core figures.

Such individuals could effortlessly dodge bullets with their physique and combat skills, and with weapons in hand, they could decimate armies of hundreds.

Undoubtedly, people like Ben Xi had become the primary targets for the organization.

The other high-ranking officials were also aware of the severity of the situation. However, some hesitated, "Originally, these disciples were meant to be dispatched to rescue the various heirs. Now..."

If they recalled correctly, several scions from the board of directors were in the ruins area.

And this CEO's own younger brother was among them.

The CEO adjusted his glasses and softly uttered the final two sentences.

"It's now the golden period to capture these mutants while they're still adapting to their abilities and recovering from their injuries — neglecting them would be a threat to our Heavenly Seal. In comparison to the group's interests and our own survival, what is the sacrifice of a few individuals?"

"Moreover, it's not as if we're not attempting a rescue. Each of you can appeal to the board and ask those few whether their offspring's safety is more important or acquiring the genes of these mutants."

Silence fell upon the room, with no further objections.

Mutation... If only they too could mutate... That would truly elevate their lives above the mundane mortals on this earth.

The era would change for them.

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The tide of water had passed.

Sui Xin opened his eyes, belatedly realizing in the dimness that he was alive, not just alive but in surprisingly good condition.

It was a peculiar sensation.

She was accustomed to being weak, her happiness usually confined to the moments of satiation when she felt a surge of well-being. Otherwise, she lived with the plight of a frail chick, perpetually drained.

listlessly.

But now... she felt as though she could slay an ox.

Drenched from head to toe, she didn't feel cold. Instead, she observed her surroundings, instinctively looking at the walls that were now covered in frost. Even if the cameras were still functional, they wouldn't be able to capture anything outside.

This realization brought her much relief. Then, she noticed that she was still in the same place—her car was there, and so were the tentacles.

Tentacles?

She stared at the shriveled octopus tentacle skin hanging limply on her abdomen, then through the car window, she noticed the enormous octopus had vanished—leaving only its withered skin on the ground.

Not so? What's going on here?

Staring at the skin, she suddenly felt an inexplicable burning sensation in her stomach, followed by an intense itchiness in her arm. The spot where the worm king had entered was both painful and itchy. As Sui Xin examined it closely, she saw that the area around the wound was transforming... her skin... was turning into another kind of skin.

Octopus tentacle skin.

From a young age, she knew her mind was sharper than most, always seizing opportunities to absorb various knowledge and enrich herself. Yet, at this moment, she was still momentarily lost. But soon enough, she came to a realization.

She had mutated.

She had survived the once-a-century Red Calamity in that extreme environment and undergone a transformation.

But what kind of ability was this?

During her pursuit of knowledge, she had come across imaginative novels where superpowers were not an unfamiliar concept.

Still, the ability to turn into an octopus skin was not something she could find amusing.

She would have preferred strength, speed, or any combat or survival-enhancing abilities.

"Transformation? Can it transform into anything or just a single form?"

Curiosity piqued, Sui Xin placed the octopus tentacle-like skin on a dagger inside the car and gripped it...

Transform, transform, transform!

Bang!

Her stomach burned once more, and as expected, she transformed.

Her upper body turned into an octopus skin, draped limply over the chair, while her lower body remained intact as a human form. Two eerie octopus eyes were bizarrely attached to the octopus skin.

Sui Xin: "...."

She had wanted her palms to directly turn metallic for enhanced combat! Not to become a half-human, half-octopus dried-up creature!

Sob, sob, sob.

What kind of absurd ability was this?!

--------------------------

But what's the point of having a mind?

It's for exploration.

Sui Xin quickly realized that her complete transformation and disguise were extraordinary as well.

"I can't believe my ability is useless just because I can't turn into weapons. Could it be that I can only replicate living organisms or organic matter?"

"And with this mutation, my body seems much stronger than before. All my wounds have healed."

"If it's a perfect replication, that would be even more terrifying."

Sui Xin changed her train of thought and became excited. She examined her body again and found that the transformation seemed to be connected to her stomach.

There was something in her stomach that seemed to control it.

After a while, Sui Xin vaguely sensed the presence of that entity within her gut.

Transform, transform, transform...

Bang!

Sui Xin returned to her original form.

Exiting the vehicle, she leaped lightly and discovered that her physical fitness, which was previously a mere 1 out of 10 for an ordinary frontline combatant, had now increased to around 20. Though it was still far from the level of Zhou Xingxing and other prospective disciples, her body was now robust and capable of handling ordinary combat situations.

But the crucial aspect lay in the abilities she had acquired through mutation.

Sui Xin decided to test them further.

There were no other living beings or organic entities around here.

A corpse, perhaps?

Sui Xin crouched before a crushed body beneath the car and attempted to use her newfound ability.

It didn't work.

Was it because the target had to be alive? But then again, an octopus wasn't technically alive either.

Well... Sui Xin searched and found a barely surviving metallic wireworm.

She probed it with a stone, confirming that it lacked any combat abilities after its mutation. Only then did she approach it cautiously, using a wooden plank to pin down half of its body before gently touching it with her finger.

The instant their skin made contact, Sui Xin sensed something.

Was this her skin-based mimicry ability?

Within seconds, a burning sensation returned to her stomach.

The worm... She had transformed into a worm.

A giant, crimson-blotched wireworm, towering over humans.

The obscenely plump worm crawled gloomily on the ground...

Sui Xin: "..."

After several tests, Sui Xin finally confirmed her unique mutation ability.

It wasn't the flashy perfect replication power; instead, it was a mimicking disguise that required skin contact. However, she couldn't imitate others—human bodies, whether alive or dead, seemed too complex for her to replicate.

Currently, she could only disguise herself as simpler living organisms or organic materials, like nematodes or octopus skin.

Perhaps she wouldn't be able to mimic a full deep-sea octopus if one were right in front of her.

During the mimicry, she could control the size and area of transformation. As the cells of nematodes were relatively simple, she could transform her entire body. However, the cellular structure of the giant deep-sea octopus was more complex, so she could only maintain a partial transformation, allowing her to turn into either an intact worm or a bizarre dried octopus.

The transformation speed could be controlled within three seconds. The duration was determined by the consumption of heat in her stomach. She could sense that the longer she maintained the transformation or the more complete the form, the more energy it drained. For instance, when she turned into a plump worm just now, she clearly felt the significant reduction in her stomach's warmth.

To conserve energy, she quickly returned to her original form after each transformation.

It was a great camouflage skill, perfect for escaping danger.

If used wisely, it could save her life. However, it lacked combat effectiveness. Furthermore, after each recovery, she needed to touch the corresponding skin again to initiate another transformation.

There were quite a few limitations.

However, there would be ways to develop it further in the future. After all, even the main character of a novel wouldn't acquire godly abilities from the start, right?

Sui Xin tried to reassure herself as she carefully placed the metallic worm into a test tube and added some water to preserve it.

Suddenly, Sui Xin recalled something and quickly checked her wristwatch, grateful that it still worked and displayed the time.

"My goodness, there are only two hours left until the final explosion!"

Sui Xin's scalp tingled, and she prepared to leave. But as she was about to search for a vehicle that could still be used, she remembered the pure marine fossil of the giant octopus.

She flipped the octopus skin over, only to find that it was missing.

"Did I absorb it?"

"Why can't such a powerful energy source grant me straightforward and powerful abilities? Like flight, super strength, or incredible speed? Why did it have to give me this sneaky, spy-like camouflage ability?"

People often desired what they lacked, and Sui Xin genuinely admired high combat personnel. Yet, she had been fortunate enough to undergo mutation, but ended up with such a secretive skill. It was no wonder she felt frustrated.

Just as Sui Xin was about to depart, she heard the sound of a car engine.

Someone's here?!

It couldn't be from the company. During the Crimson Calamity, even though the Light Radiation phase had ended, one would still need to account for travel time. Even with the fastest flight team, it would take 48 hours to dispatch personnel from the nearest branch in M City.

So, it was impossible for anyone from the company to have arrived now.

Unless it was a team already stationed nearby by the company to eliminate or capture the survivors from the live stream zone. But they too would be within the range of the Crimson Calamity's light radiation.

Another mutated survivor?

Sui Xin's heart raced. Knowing she wasn't a high-ranking combatant, she didn't dare to confront them head-on. Instead, she...

Swish! She scanned her surroundings and laid eyes on the enormous octopus skin. She also noticed a corpse nearby holding a gun, with a long blade hanging from its waist. She approached the pistol, only to discover that the ammunition had been soaked and rendered useless. With no other choice, she drew the sword and walked over to the octopus skin. Estimating the position, she lay down and transformed into a wireworm, pretending to be dead beside the palm. Of course, the sword wouldn't transform with her, nor would her clothes. She would have to wait to return to her original form before putting them back on.

This was actually quite an awkward situation.

After a while, the vehicle came to a halt, and a man stumbled out.

Upon seeing him, Sui Xin was greatly alarmed.

Liu Yong.

This old man wasn't dead.

Not only was he not dead, but his body had even grown in size, giving off an impression of immense muscle power. However, it was true that he was somewhat weakened at the moment. His wounds were still bleeding, his steps were unsteady, and his breathing was labored. He was heading straight for the deep-sea octopus.

His goal, naturally, was the pure marine fossil.

This man's greed ran deep into his bones. Having survived the mutation, he didn't rush to leave. Instead, he eagerly searched for a vehicle outside before coming back for the fossil.

But Liu Yong's expression changed drastically when he saw the octopus skin.

Where's the big octopus?

My huge frozen octopus? How could there only be its skin left? Who ate it?

Liu Yong's face turned ashen as he hurriedly rushed to the octopus skin, lifting it to see if the fossil was hidden underneath.

Yet, he found nothing. But Xuanyin was stunned—the skin of this deep-sea giant octopus was incredibly heavy, weighing at least three or four hundred pounds. Yet, Liu Yong lifted it effortlessly with one hand.

This was at least ten times stronger than his normal strength, right?

He compared himself to others whose mutations were purely for combat, and then to his own mutation that seemed tailor-made for being a traitorous spy...

Sui Xin felt a surge of frustration, realizing he had made a wrong decision.

Her luck was terrible; she had indeed run into a mutant, and one specialized in combat at that.

The chances of successfully eliminating the opponent were slim, but hiding and maintaining her mimicry of a small wireworm would consume a lot of energy as well. She wouldn't be able to keep it up for long before reverting to her original form.

So, when Liu Yong exerted force to lift the octopus skin, Sui Xin had already transformed back.

She emerged fiercely from behind Liu Yong and lunged with her knife.

Her aim was directly at his heart, a strike that should have been fatal.

But in that instant, a voice suddenly rang out from within the vehicle, "Watch out!"

There was still someone in the car?

The sudden warning caught Liu Yong off guard, but his body instinctively dodged. The blade still pierced his chest, though it missed his heart.

As blood spattered, Liu Yong abruptly grabbed the knife edge and turned to face Sui Xin, seething with anger. "Xiao Tiantian!"

With a surge of strength in his left hand, he snapped the blade in two.

What kind of strength is this!

In one swift motion, Liu Yong drew his saber with his right hand and swung it fiercely at Sui Xin's body.

Swish!

Reacting swiftly, Sui Xin darted to the side.

The saber slashed into the car beside him, splitting the door open. As Sui Xin sidestepped, Liu Yong, who had already been stabbed in the chest, suffered further damage to his lungs and heart with the exertion of drawing the blade out. Wounded and weakened, Sui Xin countered with a swift backhanded strike.

Clang!!

Liu Yong's return swing was so forceful that it severed Sui Xin's knife right out of his hand.

Frightening, such immense strength...

Liu Yong witnessed this woman, whom he detested, reveal a terrified expression after her blade was severed while he was severely injured.

Without a weapon, she was now a vulnerable target.

Rage surged within him, clouding his mind, and he swung his blade once more.

Die...

Thrust!

Sui Xin instantly drew a short knife from her waist and ruthlessly stabbed it into the heart of this individual.

She had long observed that Liu Yong was the leader, skilled in giving orders but rarely engaging in combat himself. He valued his life and had a capable fighter like Zhou Xingxing beneath him, thus he was accustomed to not taking action.

Moreover, this person had just undergone mutation and had no time to adapt or experiment with his abilities. Unlike her, who had repeatedly tested and honed her control, his proficiency was low. As evidenced by how deeply he had just slashed into the car door, it was clear that his powers were not yet fully mastered.

So...

She took advantage of his recklessness and weakness.

A decisive finishing blow.

After succeeding, Sui Xin swiftly ran towards the hole, as the people in the vehicle had already descended.

Without guns, and with their firearms likely soaked and damaged by the cold water, everyone was forced to resort to cold weapons.

Otherwise, Liu Yong would have been assassinated in the first round, and of course, Sui Xin would have been retaliated against by those in the vehicle.

As Sui Xin dashed, she glanced back and saw Old Zhang fiercely chasing after her.

Old Zhang had been injured in the abdomen, hence he had stayed in the vehicle before. He never could have imagined that the dead insect on the ground would suddenly come back to life.

Resurrecting as the damned Xiao Tiantian.

That cunning and venomous wench!

-----------------

Sui Xin witnessed Old Zhang's injury and initially assumed that the man wouldn't be able to catch up. However... Old Zhang's legs suddenly swelled with bulging muscles, boosting his speed dramatically, swiftly narrowing the gap between them.

Another effective combat ability!

Sui Xin was exasperated. Taking advantage of her newfound agility, she noticed a large number of wireworm corpses on the ground nearby. Her eyes narrowed as an idea formed in her mind, and she quickly veered off the path...

Just as Old Zhang's distance from her had shrunk from about eight to seven meters to only three or four meters, and he was mere seconds away from catching up, she disappeared around the corner. Ahead, there was a pool.

The pool was filled with icy cold water and wireworms submerged within it.

Most of these wireworms were already dead.

Old Zhang was quick-witted and immediately retreated, not rushing into the pool. But as he came to a stop, he spotted clothing on the ground.

A human turned into a worm? !

Could she have hidden among the pile of worm corpses in the pool?

Full of doubt, his eyes secretly flickered. As he clutched his painful abdominal wound, a worm suddenly dropped from above, landing on his neck.

It was her!

Old Zhang's expression drastically changed as he hastily reached for his neck, but the insect transformed by Sui Xin had a clear target. It slithered into his ear the moment it landed.

Struggling, Old Zhang tried to pull out his ear, but to no avail. All he felt was excruciating pain in his ear.

Amidst his screams, he thrashed about and fell into the pool before him.

Zzzzt... The potent corrosive liquid in the pool turned Old Zhang's body bloody in an instant. He soon stopped moving. Sui Xin quickly emerged from his ear and, before submerging herself extensively in the corrosive pool, she scurried across the surface, avoiding the insect corpses.

Just as she reached the edge of the pool, her body regained control and returned to normal.

With the substance in her stomach depleted, she could no longer maintain her transformation.

Sui Xin, naked and gasping for air in the ugly, deep, and deserted cave, clutched her aching abdomen. The pain was unbearable, preventing her from even dressing herself.

Her flawless, slender form, frail and silent in the dim light, seemed to embody the primal state and desire of life—naked and famished.

She couldn't continue like this. She needed nutrient fluid; she needed energy.

This was no longer merely an instinct from her past; now, it seemed as if her stomach had come alive with a frenzied protest. The predator's hunger within her even involuntarily drew her gaze to the pool.

What did her eyes fall upon? The insect corpses? Or that human body rapidly dissolving with a pungent, nauseating stench?

Sui Xin was stunned, silently crying out in despair as she clutched her stomach. No way, mate, we shouldn't, and we can't...

At that moment, Sui Xin believed she had transformed into a monster, with an intense craving to consume these repulsive corpses.

But soon, she realized that perhaps her stomach wasn't longing for these insects or Old Zhang's decaying flesh.

Instead, it was drawn to a conical, crimson crystal that had emerged from the bloodied thigh region of Old Zhang's abdomen.

What on earth was this?

Whatever was not corroded by the Iron Wire Worm's acid was certainly not organic. So, could it be... metal? Or perhaps energy?

Sui Xin found it impossible to resist her body's urging. Scanning her surroundings, she spotted a branch and used it to retrieve the crystal.

As she touched it, the icy coldness sent shivers down her spine.

How peculiar; it resembled a mineral stone, thinly layered, as if three or four snowflakes had been stacked together in an irregular shape. Within the translucent red crystal were intricate and delicate blood-colored veins, their entangled patterns oddly familiar.

At first glance, it was as though... a gene had taken physical form in fragments?

Sui Xin almost laughed at this thought.

But as she watched her palm's skin transform naturally into a deep crimson texture upon contact with it, emitting an eerie red glow that enveloped the crystal, she realized what had happened.

She had consumed it.

It melted and was absorbed within her palm.

In the dimness of the cave, that red light seemed both bloody and eerie, casting an odd red hue on her fair complexion.

Her expression was strange because while absorbing the fragment, she received a message in her mind.

"Prophet guiding life evolution progress increased by 1% + 0.4%, current progress 1.4%."

"Evolutionary Path One: Skin Contact Simulation Camouflage, Level 1."

No, what on earth is this?

Is it her self-delusion?