boom--!!!

The deafening explosion wasn't the end, but the beginning of even more terrifying destruction! The dark blue core collapsed and expanded like a supernova, a devastating energy pulse exploding in a circular pattern! The solid alloy walls were torn apart and vaporized like paper! Lu Cheneng only had time to secure the unconscious Wen Shifei beneath him, activating his full body armor and micro-energy shield!

Bang!

As if struck in the back by an invisible hammer, Lu Chen's vision went dark, and a fishy, ​​sweet taste surged in his throat! The shield instantly overloaded and shattered, and the armor groaned under the weight! A violent energy turbulence, carrying high-temperature fragments and deadly radiation, engulfed the two of them like a tidal wave from hell! He was thrown violently and slammed heavily into the twisted and deformed wall of the passage. His bones seemed to fall apart, and his internal organs were churning! Wen Shifei slipped from his arms and fell like a kite with a broken string into the metal ruins a few meters away, motionless.

"Ah... Shi Fei!" Lu Chen's eyes were bloodshot. He endured the excruciating pain that tore through his body and the sharp alarm from the energy shockwaves in his brain chip as he struggled to crawl towards Wen Shi Fei. The pungent smell of ozone, the odor of molten metal, and... the faint scent of blood filled the scorching air.

"Warning! Structural damage to Level B17! 'Hive' defense protocols upgraded! Eliminate all unauthorized lifeforms!" A cold electronic synthesized voice echoed through the remaining broadcast. Even more deadly, at the end of the tunnel, a crimson scanning beam pierced the dense smoke and dust, accompanied by the piercing sound of tracks crushing debris and the sizzling sound of energy weapons charging—it was the Hive's autonomous elimination unit, the "Scavenger Kai," and a heavily armed chaebol task force! Like sharks scenting blood, they were closing in at high speed!

There was no time to check the injuries! Lu Cheneng unleashed his last remaining strength, throwing himself at Wen Shifei's side. Her face was as pale as paper, a streak of glaring crimson spilling from the corner of her mouth. The bandaged wound on her left shoulder had broken open again, blood quickly staining her clothes. Worse still, a noticeable bruise etched across her forehead, and her breathing was shallow and rapid. The impact of the explosion, the energy radiation, the secondary impact... Her injuries were a hundred times more severe than just a "graze"!

"Hold on! Shi Fei! Let's go!" Lu Chenheng's voice was hoarse and broken, filled with unquestionable determination. He scooped her up and, with all his strength, carried her on his back. Wen Shi Fei's body was incredibly heavy, slumped limply against his shoulders, her burning forehead pressed against his neck. Every weak breath strained Lu Chenheng's taut nerves. He felt like he was carrying the most precious weight of the world, as well as the fear of losing her at any moment.

He no longer looked at the approaching red light of death behind him. Relying on his last memory of the building's structure and his instinct for danger, he sprinted towards a relatively intact emergency exit! Every step landed on scalding metal fragments and sticky, unknown coolant, splashing scorching mud. His awakened strength was once again squeezed out in despair, his muscle fibers groaning. The old injury on his right arm (the backlash) and the new burning pain in his back were like maggots on his tarsal bones, but he gritted his teeth and did not slow down at all!

"Target found! V-07 and high-risk collaborators! Eliminate!" came the cold command.

"Swish, swish, swish—!" The pulsed energy beam, like the Grim Reaper's scythe, brushed past his body and shot into the wall, leaving a charred hole! The shockwaves of the explosion continued to chase from behind, and the entire underground level groaned and collapsed!

Like a lone wolf sprinting through a collapsing hell, Lu Chen-Heng finally rushed into the emergency exit through inhuman willpower and a modicum of luck. The heavy fire door slammed shut behind him, temporarily isolating him from the pursuers and some of the shockwave, but also trapping them in the narrow, spiraling stairwell. Darkness engulfed everything, with only the bleak green glow of the emergency lights illuminating the dancing dust and the white mist expelled by Lu Chen-Heng's heavy breathing.

Safe for now… for a second.

Lu Chencheng carefully placed Wen Shifei on the relatively clean steps. Her temperature was alarmingly high, her breathing was even weaker, the gauze on her shoulder was completely soaked with blood, and the bruise on her forehead looked particularly hideous under the green light.

"Shi Fei... Shi Fei! Wake up!" Lu Cheneng gently patted her cheek, his voice trembling with unprecedented panic. He tore open the blood-stained clothing from her shoulder, revealing a wound with flesh torn apart, even slight burns and charred edges, clearly damage from the energy radiation! Worse still, he felt something unusually swollen under her ribs, suggesting internal injuries!

Wen Shifei's eyelashes trembled a few times, and she struggled to open them a crack. Her eyes were unfocused, trying to focus on Lu Chen's face, which was covered in anxiety and blood. His brow was furrowed, and sweat mixed with dust trickled down his forehead, dripping onto the back of her hand, feeling cold. But deep in those eyes, she still saw the unquenchable flame of determination that burned for her, like a single beacon of light in the abyss of despair.

"Chen... Entropy..." Her voice was barely audible, barely a thread of air.

"I'm here! Don't sleep! Look at me!" Lu Chen's voice was firm and commanding, yet it was also laced with endless heartache. He quickly searched his dwindling first aid kit, pulling out a powerful blood-clotting spray and the last bit of antibacterial gel. Ignoring his own pain, he focused entirely on tending to the horrific wound on her shoulder. His movements were quick and steady, but the slight tremor in his fingertips betrayed the turmoil within him.

"Medicine...painkillers..." Wen Shifei's consciousness struggled in severe pain and drowsiness, and he uttered a few words with difficulty.

Lu Chensheng immediately searched the first aid kit. He found only the last two tablets of a powerful battlefield painkiller. Although the side effects were significant, he had no other choice at the moment. "Here!" He carefully lifted her head and fed her the pills and water. Watching her swallow painfully, Lu Chensheng felt as if an invisible hand were gripping his heart, nearly suffocating him.

My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!