69: Divide and conquer! The Sun, Life, and Death

Personnel allocation complete.

Power, skill, long-range, and core—every combination had been carefully considered.

In the Operations Center, Su Yuan watched Wang Yi's strategic deployment and nodded in satisfaction.

Wang Yi's command capabilities were becoming increasingly mature through one life-and-death trial after another.

"Good. Multi-line operation mode, initiate."

With a thought from Su Yuan, his Administrator's perspective split into three screens, each locked onto one of the three squads.

He would serve as the "eyes" for the three teams, providing intelligence support and "pay-to-win" services at any time.

"Is everyone ready?" Wang Yi asked in a low voice, looking at his teammates who were about to part ways.

"Ready!"

"Before we set out, I only have three things to say."

Wang Yi's gaze became incredibly sharp.

"First, ensure your own safety. I need every single one of you to come back to me alive."

"Second, trust your teammates. You are not fighting alone."

"Third, if you encounter danger you cannot handle, call me for help immediately. Don't try to be a hero!"

"Do you understand?!"

"Understood!"

"Good! Move out!"

The three teams parted ways there in the Central Hall.

They walked toward three dark passages leading to different fates.

Rumble—

The moment they stepped into the passages, the three massive stone doors behind them slammed shut, completely isolating them from one another.

The split-force operation had begun!

...Chen Hu and Zhao Zihan walked down the third path leading to the key of death.

This passage was much narrower than the previous Corridor of Truth and was filled with a thick scent of blood and decay.

The walls no longer featured exquisite murals.

Instead, there were deep claw marks that reached the bone and dark red bloodstains that had long since dried.

The ground was covered with the skeletons of various creatures—some human, some unknown monsters—emitting a chilling "crunch, crunch" sound when stepped on.

"This hellhole really is a road of death in name and reality," Chen Hu remarked, shouldering his high-frequency battle blade as he warily scanned his surroundings.

Zhao Zihan didn't speak. She followed behind Chen Hu, her wind walker compound bow drawn to full tension, her sharp eyes scanning every inch of the darkness ahead.

Suddenly.

Rustle... rustle... a faint sound, like countless small insects crawling, drifted from deep within the darkness ahead.

"Again?"

Hearing that sound, Chen Hu's scalp tingled.

He would never forget the terror of being surrounded by those sky-blotting Scarabs in the desert.

"Prepare for battle!"

He gave a low growl and stood back-to-back with Zhao Zihan, assuming a defensive stance.

The sound drew closer and closer.

Soon, within the beam of their tactical flashlights, a surging tide of black appeared.

Scarabs again!

And this time, their numbers were even greater and more dense than those they had encountered in the desert!

They were like a bursting flood, instantly filling the entire passage as they surged frantically toward the two of them!

"Holy shit! Is there no end to this?!" Chen Hu cursed angrily.

"Chen Hu! Over here!"

Just then, the sharp-eyed Zhao Zihan suddenly spotted a narrow side path on the wall that could only fit one person at a time!

"Quick!"

Without any hesitation, the two of them rushed into that side path.

The path was very narrow and low; a big man like Chen Hu even had to hunch over slightly to pass through.

After running for about ten meters, they discovered that this side path was actually a dead end.

"Dammit! We're blocked in!" Chen Hu slammed his fist against the wall.

"No." Zhao Zihan shook her head, pointing at the narrow entrance they had just come through. "This is the best defensive position."

Chen Hu was stunned for a moment, then realized what she meant.

Right!

Only a few Scarabs could pass through this entrance at a time. Their terrifying numerical advantage would no longer exist here!

"One man holds the pass, ten thousand cannot force it!" Chen Hu's eyes lit up.

"Step back, I'll hold this spot!"

Chen Hu shielded Zhao Zihan behind him and blocked the narrow entrance alone.

He pulled out the modified Flamethrower from his backpack.

"Go find the key first, leave this to me!" Chen Hu said without looking back.

"But..." Zhao Zihan hesitated, uneasy about leaving Chen Hu here alone.

"No buts! You can't help much here anyway, you'll just be in the way!"

Chen Hu's tone was somewhat impatient. "I'm thick-skinned, I won't die! Hurry up and complete the mission, don't waste time!"

Zhao Zihan bit her lip; she knew Chen Hu was telling the truth.

In such a narrow space, she couldn't use her bow and arrows effectively at all.

"Fine... be careful!"

She no longer hesitated and turned to run deeper into the side path.

Watching Zhao Zihan's figure disappear into the darkness, Chen Hu took a deep breath, turned around, and faced the black tide of beetles that had already reached the entrance alone.

"Come on, you pieces of trash!"

He grinned, revealing a row of white teeth, and then pulled the trigger of the Flamethrower!

Whoosh—

An orange-red fire dragon roared as it erupted from the narrow entrance!

The entire passage instantly turned into a burning purgatory!

Shrill screeches filled the air incessantly.

Countless Scarabs were charred to cinders in the flames, but the beetles behind them, unafraid of death, continued to surge forward over the corpses of their comrades!

Chen Hu's face was splattered with black pus and charred shell fragments, but he didn't care.

He just mechanically pulled the trigger over and over again.

His personal points were skyrocketing at a terrifying speed!

Five thousand!

Eight thousand!

Ten thousand!

The indicator light on the fuel tank began to flash red.

The fuel was about to run out!

Yet the beetles ahead remained constant, appearing endless.

Finally.

The Flamethrower gave an unwilling hiss and completely died out.

"Dammit!"

Chen Hu cursed, tossed away the scalding hunk of iron, and drew his high-frequency battle blade.

Without the suppression of the flames, the Scarabs instantly broke through the line of defense made of corpses and swarmed toward him!

Squelch! Squelch!

Chen Hu frantically swung his blade, cleaving one beetle after another in half.

However, wounds began to appear on his body as well.

A beetle bit through a gap in his combat suit and viciously tore a chunk of flesh from his arm!

Intense pain surged!

More beetles crawled onto his body, gnawing at his flesh!

"Aaaah!"

Chen Hu let out a roar of agony. He felt as though he was about to be completely swallowed by this endless tide of insects!

Just as his consciousness began to blur.

A cold mechanical notification sounded in his mind.

[Congratulations to Dragon Country player Chen Hu for achieving the 'Slayer of Ten Thousand' achievement! Personal points +10,000! Dragon Country national fortune points +10,000!]

[Detected that player Chen Hu is on the brink of death, mental will breaking through limits...]

[Congratulations, you have awakened a Unique Talent—Berserker!]

Boom!

A blood-red energy, violent to the extreme, suddenly erupted from within Chen Hu's body!

All the wounds on his body healed instantly!

His exhausted stamina was immediately restored to its peak!

A pure, primitive desire for battle and slaughter took over his brain!

"Roar—!!!"

Chen Hu let out a roar that sounded inhuman toward the sky, his eyes turning completely crimson!

The human aura about him vanished.

In its place was an aura more terrifying and more tyrannical than any monster!

He threw away the blade in his hand.

Bare-handed, he charged into the black tide of insects!

With one punch, his violent power directly smashed dozens of beetles ahead into a pulp!

He opened his mouth and even bit a beetle that flew in front of him to pieces!

He had completely transformed into a beast that knew only slaughter!