111: Chapter 111 The Final Kill (Part 1)

At five in the morning, the sky over the Gobi Desert was still a deep purple.

The base was already bustling with activity. The roar of engines, the crisp clang of metal, and the hurried footsteps of soldiers mixed together, breaking the pre-dawn silence. When Chen Fan stepped out of his tent, Lei Zhen was already waiting outside, fully armed.

"Ready?" Lei Zhen asked. He had changed into a black Special Operations Uniform; his bulletproof vest was covered in magazines and gear, a pistol and military knife were tucked at his waist, and an assault rifle was slung across his back. On the open ground behind him stood eight soldiers in similar attire, each with a cold expression and sharp eyes.

"Ready to go anytime." Chen Fan nodded. He was wearing the same Amplification-enhanced protective suit from last night, with his Entrenching Shovel strapped to his back and Xiao Zhi hovering by his shoulder.

"This is the Sharp Sword Special Forces' 'Point of the Blade' squad," Lei Zhen introduced. "Every one of them is the elite of the elite, specializing in urban and underground warfare. They're responsible for covering our entry into the experimental base and establishing a defensive line on the perimeter."

Chen Fan glanced at the eight men. Their energy signatures were much stronger than those of ordinary soldiers, their movements were clean and efficient, and their stances were steady—clearly, they were battle-hardened veterans who had seen blood.

"The vehicles are ready." Lei Zhen pointed toward the east side of the base, where three modified military off-road vehicles were parked. Heavy machine guns were mounted on the roofs, and bulletproof steel plating had been added to the bodies. "The experimental base is fifteen kilometers from here; we can reach it in twenty minutes. However, once we enter the base perimeter, we must proceed on foot."

The group boarded the vehicles and set off.

The off-road vehicles sped out of the base in the morning light, racing northeast along a temporary dirt road. Outside the windows, the Gobi Desert scenery gradually became clear in the dawn—desolate sandy ground, jagged rocks, and the wave-like undulations of the Yardang Landforms in the distance. Everything appeared peaceful, but Chen Fan's Energy Vision could "see" that beneath this calm lay hidden countless dark red energy sources, like venomous snakes lurking in the grass.

"Stay alert," Lei Zhen said over the comms channel. "We've entered the Red Zone."

Almost the moment his voice fell, the sandy ground ahead suddenly exploded!

A dozen Mutated Gerbils lunged out from underground. They were as large as hounds, with dark gray fur and blood-red eyes. They didn't attack the vehicles directly but quickly scattered, flanking them from both sides.

"Open fire!" Lei Zhen ordered.

The heavy machine guns on the roofs spat tongues of fire. Bullets poured out like a rainstorm, tearing the leading gerbils to pieces. But more gerbils had already reached the vehicles, their sharp claws scratching against the bulletproof steel plates with an ear-piercing screech.

Chen Fan pushed open the car door and leaped out. Entrenching Shovel in hand, he charged into the pack of gerbils like a tiger into a flock of sheep.

The shadow of the shovel flew about.

Every strike was precise and ruthless, either severing a neck or splitting a skull. Dark green blood splashed, falling like rain in the morning light. Meanwhile, Xiao Zhi pierced through every gerbil that tried to ambush him from behind.

In ten seconds, the battle was over.

A dozen gerbil corpses lay on the ground. Chen Fan stood in the center, green blood dripping from his Entrenching Shovel and stains splattered across his protective suit, yet he was completely unharmed.

Lei Zhen and the soldiers looked at him with complex gazes—there was shock, admiration, and a hint of wariness. This kind of combat power had already exceeded the scope of their understanding.

"Keep moving." Chen Fan put away his Entrenching Shovel and returned to the vehicle.

The convoy continued forward. They encountered no further large-scale attacks for the rest of the journey; only a few scattered Aberrations peered from a distance but did not approach.

Twenty minutes later, the experimental base appeared in their field of vision.

The concrete walls were covered in cracks and claw marks, the glass was entirely shattered, and the metal frames were twisted and deformed.

The air was thick with a strong stench of rot and chemical reagents, which could be smelled even through gas masks. Dark green slime and dried bloodstains were visible everywhere on the ground, and in some places, eerie dark red moss had even grown, wriggling slightly in the morning light.

Chen Fan activated his Energy Vision to scan the entire ruin.

"Long Zaifei isn't here," Chen Fan said. "At least not on the surface."

"Can you find him?" Lei Zhen asked.

Chen Fan closed his eyes and sensed with all his might. His Energy Vision penetrated the surface and delved deep underground. The subterranean structure was more complex than imagined—there were several crisscrossing tunnels, massive underground spaces, and a dense network of energy nodes.

Finally, his perception locked onto a location about fifty meters deep underground.

There was a massive energy source there, its intensity far exceeding that of other Aberrations. The energy signature was chaotic and violent.

"Found him," Chen Fan opened his eyes. "Fifty meters underground, to the southeast, about three hundred meters from here. He's in an enclosed space, appearing to be... resting?"

"Hibernating?" Lei Zhen frowned.

"The energy fluctuations are very steady, not like a waking state," Chen Fan explained. "He might be in some kind of physiological cycle. Now is the best opportunity—take him down in one go while he's weak."

"How do we get down?"

Chen Fan walked to the center of the ruins and pointed at the ground: "There's a ventilation duct here that leads straight underground. Xiao Zhi has already scanned it; the duct's diameter is 1.2 meters, enough for a person to pass through."

Lei Zhen looked at the pitch-black duct opening, then at Chen Fan: "You're going down alone?"

"The duct is too narrow; too many people will just get in the way," Chen Fan said. "You guys establish a defensive line on the surface to prevent other Aberrations from interfering. Xiao Zhi and I will go down, find Long Zaifei, and deal with him."

"It's too dangerous," one soldier couldn't help but say. "The situation below is unknown; what if there's a trap..."

"That's exactly why we need to be fast," Chen Fan interrupted him. "Catch Long Zaifei off guard while he's still hibernating. If we wait for him to wake up and take the initiative, our casualties will be much higher."

Lei Zhen was silent for a few seconds before finally nodding: "Fine. But you must keep communications open at all times; call for support immediately if anything happens. We'll be waiting at the duct entrance to back you up."

"Understood."

Chen Fan said no more and walked to the duct opening. The duct went vertically down, its depth seemingly bottomless, the inner walls rusty with climbing rungs faintly visible. He checked his gear one last time, and after confirming everything was in order, he grabbed a rung and began his descent.

Xiao Zhi followed closely behind, the faint blue light patterns on its surface turning dark red as it entered a state of high alert.

Inside the duct was pitch black, with only the faint light emitted by Xiao Zhi illuminating the surroundings. The air was damp and murky, filled with a strong stench of rot and metallic rust. Chen Fan descended very quickly; his strengthened body allowed him to move as if on level ground.

Ten meters, twenty meters, thirty meters... as the depth increased, the surrounding temperature began to drop and the air grew thinner. However, Chen Fan's protective suit had an internal circulation system and remained unaffected.

Forty meters, forty-five meters, fifty meters—

His feet touched solid ground.

The bottom of the duct connected to a spacious underground passage, about three meters high and five meters wide. The walls were rough concrete, and the floor was covered in anti-slip metal grating. There were emergency lights every ten meters on both sides of the passage, but most were damaged; only a few were still flickering, casting a ghastly white light.

Chen Fan landed soundlessly. He pressed himself against the wall, alertly observing his surroundings.

In his Energy Vision, Long Zaifei's position was about a hundred meters ahead, separated by a heavy metal door. However, the passage was not empty—in the shadows on both sides lurked a dozen Mutated Gerbils.

They were on guard.

Chen Fan made a gesture to Xiao Zhi. Xiao Zhi began its firecracker mode again.

A few seconds later, the sound of bodies hitting the ground echoed softly. All the gerbils were dealt with in an instant, without even letting out a scream.

Chen Fan continued forward. The passage was very quiet, with only the echoes of his footsteps and breathing. That rotten smell in the air grew stronger, mixed with a strange sweet, metallic scent, like a blend of blood and some kind of chemical reagent.

Finally, he arrived before that metal door.

The door was three meters high and four meters wide, cast from heavy alloy, its surface covered in scratches and impact dents. There was an electronic lock in the center of the door, but its display screen was shattered and wires were exposed. A dark red light leaked from the gap in the door, accompanied by a low, heartbeat-like roar.

Long Zaifei was behind that door.

Chen Fan did not rashly break through the door. First, he carefully inspected the environment around it—there were hidden cameras on the walls, but the lenses were broken; there were drag marks on the floor, as if something heavy had been dragged inside; and dark green slime seeped from under the door, thick and foul-smelling.

"Xiao Zhi, scan the situation behind the door."

The droplet hovered before the door, its scanning beam penetrating through the gap: [High-intensity bio-energy source detected, confirmed as target Long Zaifei. Target is in a hibernation state, vital signs are stable. Indoor space is approximately two hundred square meters, five meters high, no other life signals detected.]

He had to deal with him as quickly as possible.

"Xiao Zhi, prepare the Ultrasonic Generator. Set frequency to 15 kHz, maximum intensity."

Complex energy patterns surfaced on the droplet as it began to gather high-frequency sonic energy. Humans cannot hear ultrasound, but for creatures with keen hearing, it is an extremely painful torture.

Three seconds later, the gathering was complete.

"Fire."

Invisible sound waves penetrated the metal door and blasted into the room.

In an instant, the heartbeat sound behind the door stopped.

Immediately following that was an ear-splitting roar!

It wasn't a human voice, nor the roar of a wild beast, but something far more terrifying—a howl mixed with pain, anger, and madness, as piercing as metal grinding against metal, echoing through the enclosed underground space and making the walls tremble.

"Boom!"

The metal door was struck violently from the inside, making the entire frame vibrate. Another impact followed, and a protruding fist print appeared on the door. With the third impact, the lock area began to crack apart.

Chen Fan took a few steps back, holding his Entrenching Shovel across his body, ready for anything.

"BOOM—!"

On the fourth impact, the metal door finally gave way, collapsing inward and hitting the ground with a massive thud.

Amidst the swirling dust, a massive figure appeared at the doorway.

Long Zaifei.

His physique had swollen to 2.5 meters, his entire body covered in a dark red keratinous carapace bristling with hideous bone spikes and tumors. His limbs were disproportionately thick, and his fingers had evolved into sharp claws, each twenty centimeters long and gleaming with a metallic chill. His face was completely distorted, his features displaced, and his mouth split to his ears, revealing interlocking, serrated teeth. On his forehead, that triangular brand was like a red-hot iron, emitting a piercing red light in the darkness.

Most terrifying of all were those eyes—blood-red with vertical pupils, containing not a shred of reason, only pure madness and killing intent.

"Chen... Fan..." Long Zaifei spoke. His voice was hoarse and distorted, like a broken bellows leaking air, yet his original tone could still be heard. "You... dare... come find me..."

Chen Fan looked at him calmly: "I've come to end this disaster you've created."

"Dis... aster?" Long Zaifei let out a piercing laugh. "This is... evolution! The... beginning... of a new world! Look at me... how powerful... how perfect!"

He spread his arms, displaying his deformed body: "Old humans... are too fragile... a disease... an accident... and they die. But now... I am immortal! Wounds will heal... limbs can regenerate... I am... a God!"

"A God?" Chen Fan sneered. "A God who hides in a dark hole, living off carrion and infecting other creatures? Long Zaifei, you're just a pathetic monster, barely able to even hold onto your own consciousness."

These words stung Long Zaifei.

The muscles on his face twitched violently, and the madness in his red eyes grew even more intense: "What... do you know! I control everything! These Aberrations... are all my army! Once I complete my evolution... I will rule this Gobi Desert... then the entire Northwest... the entire Blue Star!"

"You can't even get out of this hole." Chen Fan continued to provoke him. "Lei Zhen's troops have already surrounded this place, and those 'armies' of yours are being wiped out. Long Zaifei, you've failed. Your experiment failed, and your life has failed. Right now, you're just a pollutant that needs to be cleared."

Chen Fan's verbal assault completely enraged Long Zaifei.

"Shut up—!" Long Zaifei roared in fury.

He roared toward the ceiling, the sound shaking the entire underground space.

"I will... tear you apart! Eat you! Use your flesh and blood... to complete my evolution!"

Before his voice had even faded, he moved.

He was too fast, so fast that in Chen Fan's eyes, he was nothing but a blur. His claws, accompanied by the whistle of tearing air, went straight for Chen Fan's throat!

Chen Fan was well-prepared. He dodged to the side and swung his Entrenching Shovel upward, slashing at Long Zaifei's wrist.

"Clang!"

A massive sound like metal colliding rang out. The shovel struck the carapace, sending sparks flying, but it only left a shallow white mark. Long Zaifei's defense was even stronger than Chen Fan had anticipated.

Failing to land the hit, Long Zaifei changed his move extremely quickly. His other claw swept horizontally, aiming for Chen Fan's waist and abdomen. Chen Fan leaped back to avoid it, and the claws grazed his protective suit, creating a trail of sparks—without the enhanced protection, that single strike would have disemboweled him.

"Xiao Zhi!"

The droplet moved. It didn't attack directly but instead split into dozens of energy beams that wrapped around Long Zaifei like a spiderweb. The moment the beams touched the carapace, blinding electric light erupted—it was a high-frequency energy shock specifically targeting biological tissue.

Long Zaifei let out a scream of pain, his movements faltering. Charred marks appeared on his carapace, but only half a second later, those marks began to heal.

"It's useless!" Long Zaifei grinned hideously. "I am immortal! Your attacks... are useless against me!"

He lunged again, this time faster and with more power. Chen Fan had to respond with everything he had, his Entrenching Shovel dancing in a tight defense that barely held back the storm-like attacks.

But this couldn't go on.

Long Zaifei's strength and speed were not inferior to Chen Fan's, and his defense was ridiculously strong. Moreover, his healing ability was too abnormal; ordinary attacks couldn't cause effective damage. He had to find a weakness.

During the fight, Chen Fan observed carefully. With Energy Vision fully active, he scanned Long Zaifei's entire body.

Soon, he discovered an anomaly.

Although Long Zaifei's entire body was covered in carapace, the energy flow was particularly active in several spots—the forehead, the center of the chest, and the third vertebra of the spine. These places should be the energy nodes and control centers.

Especially that triangular brand on his forehead; it had the highest energy reading.

[Scanning... This brand simultaneously possesses energy reception, biological signal transmission, and... life support functions.]

Life support functions?

Chen Fan understood. The reason Long Zaifei had such an abnormal healing ability was that he relied on the brand to absorb energy from the surroundings and quickly repair damage. As long as the brand remained, he was immortal.

If he destroyed the brand or cut off the energy supply... "Xiao Zhi, attack the brand on his head," Chen Fan immediately ordered.

Xiao Zhi flew at high speed directly toward the brand on Long Zaifei's head.