Chapter 40: Madness

Grenades? Time bombs? While those things pack a punch, they are far too slow to hit a Predator. However, Ye Yang had one more trump card.

He opened his storage space, and bullets were chambered in a flash. Lin Tian had warned him of the preciousness of the mercury bullets, but Ye Yang could no longer afford to care. A blur of blade shadows manifested from his right hand, while his left hand aimed the pistol directly at a Predator.

Bang! A shot rang out, and a thin silver streak whistled through the air. At the same time, Ye Yang’s blade shadows tightly ensnared the two Mutants.

The mercury bullet slammed instantly into the Predator’s lower abdomen. Ye Yang’s marksmanship was truly abysmal; he had actually aimed for the head... he broke into a cold sweat.

Another bang rang out, but this time it was Ye Yang being swiped away by the claws of another Predator. He slammed into the stone wall and spat out a mouthful of blood.

Struggling to lift his head, Ye Yang stared intently at the wounded Predator. If this shot was effective, he still had a sliver of a chance; if not, then...

The Predator stood frozen, staring in disbelief at its lower abdomen. It was only a tiny blood spot, but the pain forced it to let out a frantic roar.

"Ah... ah!!" The Predator’s voice was unmistakably human, sending a chill down Ye Yang’s spine. Was it ineffective? It didn't seem so, but it wasn't fatal! Could it be...

Just as his thoughts raced, the Predator’s body shuddered violently and then burst open from within. The explosion wasn't powerful enough to blast it into smithereens, but it ejected countless mercury shards from its muscles.

Its body became a bloody, rotting mess in an instant. Predators could indeed resist mercury toxins, but they were completely unable to withstand such an attack from within.

With a heavy thud, the Predator collapsed. Was it dead? Not yet, but it was convulsing uncontrollably, unable to move.

"It works! Haha! So fierce! I love Uncle Lin to death!" Ye Yang was so overjoyed he nearly roared to the heavens. Sang Shi, who had collapsed on the ground behind him, cheered as well; he had known what it was the moment Ye Yang pulled out the pistol.

The other Predator was completely stunned, staring blankly at the pistol in Ye Yang’s hand. Suddenly, it took a step back. It wanted to flee, but the gun was immediately leveled at it.

"Run? Can you even run?" A savage grin spread across Ye Yang’s face. He would never show the slightest mercy to monsters like these. But the moment he lifted the gun, the situation took another turn.

A tingling sensation traveled from his hand, followed by agonizing pain. Ye Yang froze. He saw a wisp of deep blue energy rapidly wrapping around his hand. Was that... electricity?

With a pop, the thin line of energy exploded. The pistol was knocked several meters away and clattered to the ground. Ye Yang was completely dumbfounded.

"What are you doing?" Ye Yang looked up, his eyes bloodshot. That was lightning! Wang Feng’s lightning! He actually... could it be that he really wanted to drive him to his death?

"Cheating is not allowed," Wang Feng said coldly.

Ye Yang was absolutely frantic, stomping his feet and cursing, but Wang Feng ignored him entirely, watching the scene below with a cold gaze. This was exactly what he wanted. He had let the three of them walk into the Predator’s trap; he intended to push them to the brink of death.

"Only by pushing one to the edge of death can they be reborn. Without this, it’s hard to force out your true potential," Wang Feng muttered to himself. "Show me. Show me where your limits truly lie, and just how far you can explode. If you're too weak, you're useless to us."

"I’m sorry, but there is no time for standard training. The Chinese Alliance is currently walking on thin ice; I must push you! Push you with your life, and the lives of your companions!"

Wang Feng’s voice was icy, but Ye Yang couldn't hear him anymore. If he had, he would have understood why his internship was so urgent, why Wang Feng had chosen to let him pick his own teammates—it had to be people he knew—and he would have understood why Wang Feng didn't object to Chen Yun joining. Even if Ye Yang hadn't chosen her, Wang Feng likely would have arranged for someone similar to force him.

Unfortunately, Ye Yang did not know Wang Feng’s intentions, and he had no time to worry about it. The remaining Predator was already pouncing forward with a ghoulish cackle, accompanied by the two Mutants.

Ye Yang couldn't hold on. He was already severely wounded and exhausted; he couldn't even defeat the Predators to begin with. His demonic power had only reached Level 3, and he was far from being truly strong.

During the first attack, Ye Yang sacrificed his back to be ripped open just to sever the remaining arm of one of the Mutants.

During the second attack, Ye Yang had no way to counter. He could barely hold his blade and could only desperately fend off the Predator’s claws.

During the third attack, he caught the blow while half-kneeling. His left hand was nearly torn off, and he could only struggle on with his right.

Fourth... fifth... Ye Yang didn't even know how he was holding on. As his blood drained away and his demonic power neared depletion, his consciousness began to blur. He felt only sighs and resentment; he hated Wang Feng with every fiber of his being.

"Die! Haha!" With a wild laugh, the Predator’s claws descended again. Ye Yang couldn't even lift his arms. His mercury short blade had fallen to the ground. He just gritted his teeth and stared at it, then at the pistol in the distance. If only the gun were still in his hand...

A scream pierced the air, and a figure threw themselves forward without a second thought. Ye Yang froze, and the next moment, he was tightly embraced by a soft body.

The claws descended, and blood sprayed wildly. Ye Yang was completely stunned, as was Sang Shi, who was struggling to get up.

It was Chen Yun who had thrown herself in the way. The girl was already streaming with tears. In truth, she had been using her freezing energy to help Ye Yang all along, but her strength was too low; she couldn't stop the Predator’s frenzied assault.

The girl was filled with regret. She shouldn't have let Ye Yang bring her along. It wasn't that she feared death, but she had truly become a burden. Sang Shi was strong, and Ye Yang was stronger than her; she was simply dragging them down.

Only now did the girl realize that her dream of becoming strong, of standing out, and of making her family proud was, in the end... just a dream. She was too weak.

And so, at the moment of crisis, she gritted her teeth and lunged forward. She absolutely could not let Ye Yang die; she could not let this team collapse because of her weakness.

"Chen Yun... Chen Yun!!!" Ye Yang’s voice sounded like a vengeful spirit; he was screaming. He stared blankly at the girl lying in a pool of blood, his heart constricting in an instant.

"What are you waiting for? Are you waiting for them all to die?" On the cliffside, Wang Feng roared. "You brought them here, yet you can't even lead them back? Your potential is far greater than this! Bring out your true power! Show me! The hope of the Chinese Alliance, show me!!"

Ye Yang was stunned; he didn't understand what Wang Feng was saying. He was utterly shocked. Although he had lost his parents and his loved ones, this was the first time it had happened right before his eyes. He only now truly grasped the horror of this world and the apocalypse, presented in such raw, terrifying reality.

"Strong? Can I become strong?" Ye Yang whispered deliriously. He had no idea why he should be strong, or where his strength even lay.

"Yes!! You can become strong, stronger than me! So... show me!!" Wang Feng’s roar echoed through the heavens. "Do not disappoint me, do not disappoint Lin Tian, do not disappoint your companions! Show us!!"

A black shadow flashed before his eyes—claws. The Predator, cackling, launched another attack. This time, the strike wasn't aimed at Ye Yang, but at the girl in his arms.

A blood-red haze filled his vision. Ye Yang spat out a mouthful of blood, having bitten his tongue to shreds. He didn't know if he could become strong, but in this moment, his heart was completely consumed by hatred.

A searing white light enveloped his right hand. Beneath his clothes, a savage tattoo emerged. Was it a tiger? A lion? That tattoo could no longer be called merely savage; it was truly terrifying.

"Roar!" A growl erupted from Ye Yang’s throat—a sound more horrific than that of the Mutants or the Predators. His eyes, burning like blood, fixed on the claws that were growing infinitely closer.

"Roar!" Another roar followed, and Ye Yang lunged forward like a crazed tiger.

The Predator froze, terrified by Ye Yang’s manic state, by the demonic power radiating from his arm, and by that horrific tattoo. What was that... why did it feel a sense of familiarity—a terrifying sense of familiarity?

His right hand rose and fell in a frenzy. He no longer held the mercury blade; he was fighting with his bare hands. Compared to the Predator’s powerful body, were these fists of any use?

The unexpected happened. Ye Yang’s fist smashed into the Predator’s abdomen without the slightest resistance. The monster was completely stunned and, the next moment, began to roar frantically, struggling desperately.

Ye Yang would not allow it to struggle. He drove his arm directly into its body and grabbed with his other hand. With a spray of blood, the Predator’s abdomen was ripped wide open.

"Save... save..." The Predator was terrified, frantically sending out distress signals. The Mutant that had been attacking Chen Yun immediately lunged over.

"Get lost!" With a single punch, his right fist struck the Mutant’s forehead with pinpoint accuracy. Its body came to an abrupt halt, and the next moment, a line of blood appeared across its brow and instantly cracked. The scene from the abandoned city repeated itself: a single punch from Ye Yang completely shattered the Mutant into fragments.

The Predator had gone mad. It looked at Ye Yang, feeling that it wasn't the monster here—this guy was. One punch to kill a Mutant? Tearing a Predator apart in an instant? Was this possible? How had this guy suddenly become so strong?

Its thoughts ended there. Ye Yang’s right hand pierced its forehead like a blade, and a cluster of searing demonic energy exploded, shattering its entire skull. It fell to the ground with a thud.

With another thud, Ye Yang collapsed limply. He had completely blacked out; he could not bear the sudden surge of demonic power. However, this time, he had waited until everything was resolved before losing consciousness.

In the final moment before he drifted into darkness, Ye Yang’s heart was filled with shock. Was this his doing? How could it be? Where had his power come from? He could not fathom it at all.

On the cliffside, a flash of azure lightning rained down, electrocuting dozens of zombies still struggling to climb the wall. Wang Feng jumped down with a smile on his face, looked at the blood on the cliff, and nodded in satisfaction.

"Not bad. At least it wasn't a waste of effort. However... I still want to see more," Wang Feng murmured.