21: Chapter 21 The drug lord next door wants to double-cross us? Send him a Licker!

"We are all going to die."

Guzman's venomous voice still echoed in the air, like the final drop of venom spat out by a dying viper.

But what he didn't know was that this sentence had been heard not only by his "allies," but also by the Easterner he regarded as his prey.

Pharmaceutical Factory, underground command center.

On the massive holographic screen, the scene of Guzman in his study was being broadcast in real-time. The Red Queen's vast data tentacles had long since crawled along the telephone lines into every corner of San Verde.

"Very self-aware."

Chen Yuan sat on the leather sofa, swirling the unfinished whiskey in his glass, a cold sneer on his lips. "Since you are so self-aware, I will fulfill your wish."

He turned his head and looked at Alice.

"Although I would love to let the Tyrant Legion just steamroll over there, that would make too much noise. After all, we are civilized businessmen; disturbing people in the middle of the night is not good."

Alice understood immediately, her fingers dancing rapidly across the console as she pulled up a new bio-weapon file.

【Codename: Licker】

【Status: Hungry】

"Boss, this thing hasn't undergone combat testing yet. Its uncontrollability is 40% higher than the Tyrant's." Alice reminded him, but her tone betrayed an eager excitement. "However, it is professional when it comes to cleaning out the rats in the sewers."

"Then let it out for a stroll."

Chen Yuan drained his glass in one gulp, his eyes becoming bloodthirsty and cruel. "Tell it that tonight is an all-you-can-eat buffet, and it can eat its fill."

...

Guzman's estate was located on a hillside in the southern suburbs of San Verde, with treacherous terrain that was easy to defend but hard to attack.

Ever since learning of the Vulture Legion's destruction, this major drug lord had recalled all his security forces. There were guards every three steps and sentries every five; over a dozen ferocious Dobermans patrolled the courtyard, and even a fly that flew in would get bitten twice.

The night was deep, and the estate was brightly lit.

Guzman sat in his study, clutching a gold-plated desert eagle tightly in his hand. He glanced out the window every few minutes; the heart-pounding sensation made him restless and uneasy.

"Boss, rest assured."

The bodyguard captain pushed the door open, carrying a cup of coffee. "The brothers are all awake. We've set up machine guns on the outer wall; as long as that Chen Yuan dares to come, we'll be sure to turn him into a sieve."

"Shut up!"

Guzman roared irritably, "What the hell do you know! That kid has monsters! Do you understand? Monsters that can even tear apart tanks!"

The bodyguard captain curled his lip, unconvinced. What monsters? It was probably just an excuse made up by those wastes in the Vulture Legion to cover up their incompetence.

Just then, the barking of the dogs in the courtyard suddenly stopped.

It wasn't the kind of stopping that gradually subsided, but an abrupt halt. It was as if an invisible giant hand had instantly choked off all their throats.

A deathly silence abruptly enveloped the entire estate.

"What's going on?" Guzman stood up abruptly, cold sweat instantly soaking his back.

The bodyguard captain also sensed something was wrong. He drew his pistol and shouted into his headset: "Guys at the gate! Respond! Why did the dogs stop barking?"

Bzzt—bzzt—

There was only the sound of noisy static in the headset, along with... a teeth-grinding, wet chewing sound.

"I'll take a look."

The bodyguard captain walked to the window and carefully lifted a corner of the curtain.

On the lawn outside the window, the searchlights were still on, but the four guards who had been patrolling there were gone. Those dozen or so Dobermans were also gone, leaving only a pool of blood slowly spreading across the lawn.

"Where are the people?"

Before he could react, a red afterimage suddenly flashed past the window.

Immediately after, there was the crisp sound of shattering glass.

"Crash!"

The bodyguard captain felt a chill on his neck, and his vision began to spin. In the last second before losing consciousness, he saw a skinless, bright red body hanging upside down from the ceiling like a giant gecko.

The exposed brain pulsed slightly with its breathing, and two huge, sharp claws were deeply embedded in the concrete.

"Ah—!!!"

Guzman let out the most shrill scream of his life.

He watched the headless corpse fall from the ceiling, watched the spurting blood stain the expensive carpet red, and his entire being instantly collapsed.

"Fire! Fire!"

He pulled the trigger like a madman, the huge gunshots of the desert eagle echoing in the study.

But that red monster was too fast.

It was like a bolt of red lightning, ricocheting between the walls, bookshelves, and chandeliers. The bullets could only hit the afterimages it left behind, or shred the bookshelves into flying wood chips.

"Hiss—"

The monster let out a hair-raising hiss.

It was not in a hurry to kill Guzman; instead, like a cat playing with a mouse, it crouched in the corner. Although its eyes, which had degenerated into nothing but white membranes, could not see, its extremely keen hearing had already locked onto the prey's heartbeat.

Guzman threw away the empty gun and scrambled toward the bookcase in the corner of the study.

There was a secret door there, leading to an underground safe room. It was an absolute safe zone built from thirty-centimeter-thick steel plates; as long as he hid inside, even a missile couldn't blow it open.

"Help! Someone come!"

He cried out while pressing the switch. The bookcase slowly moved aside, revealing the heavy steel door.

Guzman, as if he had seen a lifeline, rushed in like a madman, then forcefully turned the winch to lock the steel door tight.

"Click."

The sound of the lock engaging finally allowed his heart, which was about to jump out of his throat, to settle back into his chest.

Safe.

There was an independent ventilation system here, enough food and water, and a satellite phone with a direct line to the outside world. As long as he hid here, that monster couldn't get in.

Guzman collapsed onto the floor, gasping for air, a ferocious smile of having survived a disaster on his face.

"Chen Yuan... you just wait... when I get out, I will definitely tear you into ten thousand pieces!"

He struggled to get up, preparing to get the first aid kit to treat his injured knee.

"Drip."

A drop of warm, viscous liquid suddenly dripped from above, landing right on the bridge of his prominent nose.

Guzman froze.

This was an underground secret room; how could it be leaking?

And the smell of this liquid... why did it carry a nauseating, fishy stench, just like rotting internal organs mixed with strong acid?

A fear originating from the depths of his soul made his neck stiffen like a rusted gear.

He slowly, bit by bit, raised his head.

The ventilation duct.

That alloy ventilation duct, only the size of a bowl, had now been forcibly torn into an irregular, large hole. The metal edges were curled outward, just like a can lid that had been ripped open by some immense force.

And in that pitch-black hole.

A scarlet tongue, fully two meters long and covered in barbs and mucus, was slowly hanging down like a greedy viper, trembling excitedly just a few centimeters above his head.