At this moment, one of the mechanical hounds seemed to have caught something and suddenly turned towards the direction where they were hiding, letting out a low, threatening growl from its throat and its nostrils flaring!

"Oh no!" Ajie's heart tightened and his finger pulled the trigger of the energy rifle.

At that critical moment, a faint blue light flashed in Wen Shifei's eyes! An extremely subtle, yet incredibly precise mental force, like an invisible needle, instantly pierced the mechanical hound's processor core! The hound's roar abruptly stopped, its body suddenly stiffening. The red light in its eyes flickered wildly a few times, then died, and it collapsed to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.

"What's going on? This piece of trash!" The Black Snake Gang member who was holding the dog kicked the collapsed hound in astonishment.

The other hound seemed to be startled by its companion's abnormality and began barking more frantically in their direction!

"Exposed! Kill them!" Lu Cheneng acted decisively, his voice icy. His injured left arm couldn't hold the gun, so his right hand instantly drew the demonic blade wrapped in ominous purple lightning from his waist!

Almost at the same moment Lu Chenentang gave the order, Ajie and another warrior, "Anvil," opened fire with their energy rifles! Two dazzling beams of light tore through the darkness, precisely piercing the chests of the two still-dazed Black Snake Gang members!

"Woof!" The only remaining mechanical hound barked and rushed over!

Lu Chen entropy snorted coldly, and instead of retreating, he charged forward, his body suddenly leaping out like a cheetah that had been gathering strength for a long time! The demonic blade slashed down with a shrill sound of breaking through the air and a dazzling silver-blue light (interspersed with a few heart-pounding dark purple arcs)! The blade flashed!

Snap!

The mechanical hound's alloy-clad head, along with half its torso, was neatly bisected like a hot knife through butter! Sparks flashed from the internal wiring, and foul-smelling lubricant and bionic blood spurted out!

"Go!" Lu Cheneng shouted, sheathing his blade without even a glance at the debris on the ground. The purple lightning on the demonic blade twisted slightly like a living thing, as if licking the filth from the blade with relentless gusto. He forcibly suppressed the all-consuming restlessness emanating from the blade, and the accompanying intensified burning pain deep within the chip in his brain.

Without stopping, the six of them quickly cleared away any corpses or debris that might reveal their location, fading back into the deeper darkness. Wen Shifei's face paled even further; the precise mental attack had consumed her immensely. She glanced at the purple-lightning demonic blade in Lu Chen's hand, a flicker of deep worry in her eyes.

Encounters became more frequent on the journey ahead. The Black Snakes seemed to have come out in full force, combing the old city. They encountered more than one patrol, and once nearly ran into a makeshift gathering place of dozens. Each encounter was a fierce hand-to-hand combat, with energy beams crisscrossing the ruins, and the flames of explosions briefly illuminating the hideous, frantic faces.

Lu Cheneng was like a blood-soaked god of war, the Demon Blade a whirlwind of death in his hands. With every swing, silver-blue light intertwined with dark purple arcs, accompanied by the horrific sight of enemy limbs being torn apart and energy shields shattering. His bandages had long since been stained red with blood, yet his movements showed no sign of slowing down, instead carrying an almost frantic, life-or-death ruthlessness. The Demon Blade absorbed the enemy's life energy and the escaping Ark pollution, the purple lightning on the blade growing stronger, the backlash of excruciating pain surging through his nerves like a tide. Deep within the pupil of his right eye, a faint purple hue flickered like a will-o'-the-wisp, flickering and fading.

Wen Shifei, on the other hand, was like the most sophisticated assassin and shield. Her laser pistol accurately targeted any approaching enemies, while her mental energy was intensely focused, sometimes disrupting their perception, sometimes forming a weak mental shield to ward off stray bullets and energy shocks. She always flanked Lu Chenentang, sharing his pressure, but her gaze was often anxiously cast toward the outline of the abandoned factory, which drew closer amidst the ruins, resembling a colossal tombstone. Her brother's final words—"Remember...factory...control room...core...key..."—beat like a drum of war in her heart.

Ajie and three other soldiers formed the strongest rear support and flanks. They covered each other, their firepower accurate and deadly, using their bodies and weapons to clear a path for Lu Cheneng and Wen Shifei. While shielding Wen Shifei from a mortar round, one soldier was blown away by the blast and slammed into a broken wall, spitting blood and losing his combat effectiveness. Ajie carried him without hesitation and continued forward. Each soldier bore fresh wounds, a mixture of blood and sweat, but their forward march never faltered.

When the familiar abandoned hospital building, emitting a strong smell of blood and decay, reappeared before their eyes, the six people (including the wounded being carried) had been fished out of a pool of blood. The strong smell of death was overwhelming, even more suffocating than when they left.

"It's right here... The control room is deep inside the factory..." Wen Shifei panted, her voice trembling slightly, whether from excitement or fear. The bird carving knife in her hand seemed to sense something and became slightly hot.

Lu Cheneng wiped the sweat and blood from his face. The purple lightning on the magic blade danced nervously, as if warning him of the great danger ahead. He glanced at his exhausted but determined companions behind him, then at the carving knife in Wen Shifei's hand, which held his last hope. The madness and hesitation in his eyes were forcibly suppressed, leaving only cold determination.

"Monkey, you stay here to take care of the wounded and guard this entrance." Lu Cheneng quickly ordered, "Ajie, Anvil, follow me in! Wen Shifei, follow me closely!"

Without hesitation, the four of them (Lu Cheneng, Wen Shifei, Ajie, and Tiezhen) once again entered the factory, which resembled the carcass of a giant beast. The interior was even darker than before, and the air was filled not only with the stench of blood and decay, but also with a faint, humming sound, like high-voltage electricity passing through rusted metal. It was as if the entire factory, stimulated by some force, was slowly resurrecting from the dead.

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