Wasteland Border Inspector

Chapter 80 Extraordinary Symbiosis, The Tears of the Horned Star! (Three-in-One)

The defense communication system is still receiving information.

Starting with the first one, more and more information about advanced fusion entities was synchronized.

For some reason, when Cheng Ye had previously guessed that the fusion entity was targeting him, he was still somewhat uneasy and held onto a sliver of hope.

But at this moment, he suddenly calmed down and turned his gaze toward the direction of Sector B-3.

"big dragon."

"exist."

"The fusion entity is coming."

"understand!"

Da Long was stunned for a moment, then reacted instantly. The honest expression on his face vanished, and an undisguised ferocity flashed in his eyes.

Over the years, bloody conflicts have frequently occurred between communities due to differing ideologies. Tianyuan Community has been able to expand to its current size without relying on the charity of other forces.

"Everyone, form ranks! Form ranks immediately!"

With a loud shout from Da Long, everyone—whether they were dealing with the source of infection, on guard nearby, or chatting with acquaintances at the hotel—was startled and then sprang into action with astonishing efficiency.

Wow.

"Brother Meng, the fusion entity is coming. Can we borrow your cover?"

"Damn it, hurry up and come in. The fusion entity is almost here, what are you talking about?"

The hotel manager paused for half a second, then immediately turned around and roared at the people behind him.

One of the important reasons why the pioneering corps was disbanded a few years ago was the soaring casualty rate.

The frequency of fusion entities is increasing, and they often claim dozens or even hundreds of lives.

Humans already face difficulties fighting these monsters in the wilderness, often having to fight and retreat, relying on pulling the battle lines to repel the fusion.

But now, on their own turf, they have nowhere to retreat.

If the 300 people in the mall are wiped out, there is absolutely no chance of survival for the people in their hotel.

"Move!"

"Don't just stand there! Bring out all the guns and usable equipment, and hurry up!"

Meng Ge and Da Long's roars echoed throughout the entire area.

Not a single one of the hundreds of people panicked; with a speed that even modern people like Cheng Ye found astonishing, the assembly was completed in a flash.

Sandbags were moved out of the bunker with a clatter, and four machine guns were quickly set up in their designated positions.

The rooftop between the four floors of the hotel gradually became crowded with people climbing up, skillfully setting up firing lines.

Two groups of men rushed to the other side of the street, while two other groups cut off the end of the street.

Faced with the impending fusion, without Cheng Ye giving any orders, everyone spontaneously formed multi-dimensional shooting positions, including pulling, sniping, frontal suppression, flanking attacks, and guerrilla harassment. The entire tactical layout seemed to have been practiced countless times.

"Two hours have passed, and you've returned with two underlings."

"But I wasn't idle either."

In the distance, one could hear the sounds of tentacles slamming into the ground.

Cheng Ye grinned and tucked the defense communication device back into his waistband.

Although it is unknown where these messages came from, the mystery surrounding the advanced fusion entity has been completely unveiled.

In the end, it's just a monster with a bit more brain.

However, the wastelanders' minds were already inclined towards violence, and becoming monsters further weakened their intelligence. Their reckless charge into the kite tactic was the best proof of this.

"They have a negative obsession with me"

Cheng Ye quickly retreated behind cover, his mind racing through the people he had come into contact with during this time.

Garcia is definitely one of them. He was beaten to the point of needing emergency care by Liu Bi. That guy must hate him to the core.

Garcia is an inspector, and the checkpoint will definitely move him before the outbreak; they will never allow him to become a fusion entity and wreak havoc.

Could it be those quarantined individuals who were released from the warehouse earlier?
Cheng Ye recalled the behavior of those people before they left, but quickly dismissed the idea.

That emotion didn't seem strong enough to make him continue to hunt him down after he transformed into a fused being.

After all, it's the prosecutor's duty to open the warehouse and release people; it's not something he's deliberately targeting.

So, who could it be?

"coming!"

Da Long roared, interrupting Cheng Ye's reverie.

Almost the instant the words were spoken, a tentacle-like entity appeared at the end of the street.

Two metallic tentacles dangled behind it, supporting it forward like mechanical arms.

"So arrogant?"

"Give me the rocket!"

Reaching for the green rocket launcher, Cheng Ye calmed himself and decided to test the waters with a single shot.

The exhaust plume propelled the armor-piercing projectile.

As expected, this fusion entity was only arrogant on the surface, but in reality it was just pretending. The moment the rocket was fired, it changed direction and accelerated to dodge.

Boom.

The armor-piercing bullet exploded behind him, and the fusion entity's two tentacles danced wildly as it sped forward.

Almost simultaneously, the sound of tentacles colliding came from behind the hotel; these monsters actually knew how to attack from both sides!
"Fire!"

Before the dragon's roar had even faded, a barrage of gunfire erupted like popping beans, hundreds of bullets weaving a fire net as they hurtled toward the fused entity.

This wasn't a spontaneous blockade organized by the residents of the electronics factory; it was a real, large-scale military operation.

The combined entity on the front had never seen such a scene before, and was instantly riddled with bullets.

"Done?"

"Two more fatal wounds are needed!"

Determining the fatal wound of a fusion is very simple: any part that does not heal quickly after being hit is considered a fatal wound.

At this point, there were five visible holes from head to toe, but clearly only two more were missing.

Unable to withstand the onslaught of firepower, the fusion entity abruptly retreated to a nearby alley.

But this was the moment Cheng Ye had been waiting for, carrying the rocket launcher. Instead of aiming directly at the fusion body, he pointed the cannon at the alley entrance and pulled the trigger with a bang!
boom!
A blinding flash of fire erupted at the alley entrance, and the fusion entity that had just rushed into the alley was forcibly thrown out by the blast wave.

"It's now!"

Erlong, who was waiting for his chance from a high place, suddenly lit up his eyes and pulled the trigger of his rifle all the way down.

Beep...beep beep beep.
More than a dozen rifles fired simultaneously from above, instantly blasting three of the five tentacles on the fusion body's head into pieces.

"Still want to run?"

Cheng Ye quickly reloaded and fired again, another shot.

boom.

The explosion's fiery waves engulfed the monsters; the nascent fusion form couldn't even get close to the front lines before being reduced to minced meat in the flames.

However, just as the pieces of meat were falling, a dark figure suddenly darted out from the alley entrance!
Its enormous mouth opened wide, swallowing all the bits of flesh into its belly.

Visibly, the five tentacles behind the shadowy figure trembled slightly, and a new tentacle was pulled out from its body!
It's that advanced fusion form!

"Sure enough, the infected killed by the explosion will be reabsorbed."

Cheng Ye was not surprised.

This information wasn't mentioned in the intelligence report, but he personally witnessed the evolutionary process of devouring everything after the explosion.

It seems the person who sent the intelligence was afraid that knowing this would restrict his actions, making him unable to kill even a fusion entity.

Instead of worrying about the advanced fusion entity continuing to absorb and become stronger, it's better to blast the two obstructive primary fusion entities to death first.

"Ignore him, attack the ones behind!"

There was no time for anyone to think. The six-tentacle fusion had absorbed the bits of flesh and disappeared back into the alley, while the fusion behind it had already arrived.

The sound of dense tentacles colliding grew closer, and the battle lines shifted once again.

Cheng Ye picked up the defense communication device at his waist, glanced at it, called over Huang Sheng, and handed him the rocket launcher.

"You'll be the one to fire later, and I'll create opportunities for you!"

"it is good!"

Unsure of what Cheng Ye meant by "opportunity," Huang Sheng could only take a few deep breaths to suppress his anxiety.

thump.

The fused entity clinging to the wall rapidly approached, its two tentacles rising up.

Just as everyone opened fire, a thick, dark yellow liquid gushed out of the monster's mouth.

Four or five hotel militiamen who couldn't dodge in time were covered in bodily fluids and instantly turned red and collapsed like charcoal.

"Damn it, it's a double mutation!"

Meng Ge roared, his eyes bloodshot, and grabbed a machine gun, firing wildly.

The bullets rattled in a continuous line, but the fusion entity was unusually cunning. It did not linger in the fight, and after spitting out its bodily fluids, it retreated behind the building and never showed itself again.

What should I do?
"I come!"

They realized that the limitation of humanity in dealing with fusion beings was that they could only passively form defensive lines and it was difficult to take the initiative to launch an attack.

Without the slightest hesitation, Cheng Ye equipped himself with the Iron Body armor, took out the Thunderbolt 1 and held it in his hand. Without thinking, he rushed out of the defensive line and headed towards the back of the street.

That's how life-or-death battles are; being passive or active can change in the blink of an eye.

However, at that moment, a dark figure, as if it had been lying in ambush for a long time, descended from the sky with a furious and ferocious expression.

The six tentacles coalesced into a ball and crashed down with tremendous force, about to smash Cheng Ye into a bloody pulp.

"You beast, I've been waiting for you!"

Given the intelligence of the fusion entity, it would be utterly unaware that even if it were hiding, it would still be detected by the drone's heat source.

That so-called disguise is like a child blindfolded, thinking they've fooled the world.

Boom, boom, boom boom!

With a roar, Cheng Ye used the body control provided by his Iron Body equipment to abruptly stop his forward momentum.

The gun barrel instantly turned, pointing towards the direction the dark figure was rushing towards, and the trigger was pulled.

Blinding sparks flew out, and as it evolved from four tentacles to six, the advanced fusion's defense increased by at least 50%!
The buckshot, which could have easily penetrated the defenses, was deflected by most of it, with only the weak points between the fascia of the body being pierced, leaving fine holes.

"Die! Die!"

The excruciating pain drove the fusion entity completely mad, causing it to lunge forward recklessly.

But the next second, a silver sphere rapidly enlarged before its eyes, and at the instant of contact...
boom!
It was no longer the sound of a gunshot from Thunderbolt 1, but the violent explosion of a high-explosive grenade!

A terrifying shockwave exploded in front of the fusion body, and even though Cheng Ye was several meters away, he was still thrown away without any resistance.

Bang bang bang bang
A barrage of shrapnel hurtled towards him. He could only protect his head with his arms and rely on his armor to withstand the impact. He crashed into a street trash can like a meteor, rolling four or five times before finally coming to a stop.

"team leader!"

"grown ups!"

The moment the screams erupted from behind the lines, Huang Sheng gritted his teeth and yanked the trigger of the rocket launcher.

Although he didn't understand how Cheng Ye had calculated the exact moment of the fusion entity's appearance, this was undoubtedly the best time to fire!
Boom.

The armor-piercing rocket exploded at extremely close range.

The shockwave violently blew several militiamen near the front line into the air; their fates are unknown.

But in this situation, no one cares about casualties.

Because if this monster cannot be killed, it won't just be a few people who die, but hundreds, and the entire B-7 area will perish.

Ta-ta-ta-ta.

Before the smoke had even cleared, all the firepower was already being unleashed in a frenzy.

Bullets rained down on the center of the explosion. No one cared about the monster's condition in the smoke; only the resolute roar of emptying the magazine filled the air.

Taking advantage of this brief respite, the hidden, spitting-type infected creature reappeared, suddenly spurting out a stream of blackish-yellow fluid.

The mall militiamen guarding the end of the street tried desperately to dodge, but more than ten people were still splashed with bodily fluids, their bodies instantly corroded with fist-sized holes.

"Damn it, beat him up!"

Da Long and Er Long were in a frenzy, and everyone was pulling the trigger like madmen.

Huang Sheng also switched to a second rocket.

However, just as he was about to pull the trigger, a dark shadow flickered in the smoke, and the advanced fusion entity escaped again!

Although it had only three of its six tentacles left and half of its body was blasted to pieces by high-explosive mines and rockets, it still did not meet the criteria for being lethal and could still recover by consuming flesh and blood.

"You beast, stay here!"

Erlong, in a fit of rage, emptied his rifle and, holding a broadsword, leaped from a great height, desperately trying to hold back the fused entity and create an opportunity for Huang Sheng to launch rockets.

But to everyone's utter surprise, the fused entity, facing the two dragons rushing towards it, abruptly stopped in its tracks, its body convulsing as it turned to flee.

No, he could have easily swept the two dragons away or swallowed them whole, so why did he choose a different direction?

Are you scared?

No.

No!

"Zhang Can, Zhang Can, I know it's you! Stay here! Stay here!"

Erlong chased after him like a madman, and when he reached the edge of the wall, he threw his broadsword with all his might.

The blade spun and struck the back of the fused creature, but it didn't even scratch the skin.

The monster turned around blankly, revealing a face covered in slime through the gaping hole in its body.

"Zhang Can, it really is Zhang Can!"

"He is a fusion entity, he has become a fusion entity!"

His face was contorted in pain, and his eyes were tightly shut, only opening slightly when Erlong shouted.

But that's all.

In the blink of an eye, the merged entity completely disappeared into the gaps between the buildings, leaving behind a street full of militia soldiers with bloodshot eyes.

Everyone understood that once the monster reappeared, it would be fully revived.

The ammunition just wasted, the fallen brothers, and Prosecutor Cheng.
Cheng Ye?

Da Long suddenly turned his head, about to roar for someone to rescue the person, when he saw a figure stagger to his feet in the garbage heap.

"No, stop chasing! Let's regroup first!"

Cheng Ye's voice was hoarse, the dizziness from the blast wave still churning in his mind.

When he was thrown into the air by the shockwave, his mind was spinning, but he felt no pain at all.

A strange mix of sensations plunged him into a state between wakefulness and dizziness.

Well, to use game terminology.

It's just stiff!

He was fully conscious, but unable to make any movements.

Fortunately, this state did not last long. As he removed the iron body, the intense pain stimulated his nerves, and his body quickly regained sensation.

"Captain, don't move!"

Zhu Xiang was the first to rush out from the front line, carrying a makeshift medical kit, completely disregarding the spitting fusion entity that might attack again from the shadows.

He finally breathed a sigh of relief after removing the trash from Cheng Ye's body.

Although his armor was damaged in many places, it was not completely broken, and Cheng Ye's breathing was still relatively steady, not like he was seriously injured.

"I, I'm fine."

He took out the red medicine from his side pocket and swallowed it in one gulp. The rich heat went down his throat, dispelling some of the churning pain.

In order to recharge his iron body, he could only endure the discomfort and stand up.

"Sir, that monster is Zhang Can. He has become a fusion entity and is taking revenge on us!"

Da Long rushed over and grabbed him, looking dazed and lost in thought.

"Zhang Can?"

Cheng Ye was taken aback.

He vaguely heard someone calling a name, but he couldn't make out what it was.

"Is it that young man who wants to leave the community?"

"It's him! It's him! He's returned as a hybrid to take revenge on us!"

Da Long clenched his fists. "If I had known, I should have shot this bastard dead long ago!"

It's a pity that I didn't know earlier.

Cheng Ye was slightly lost in thought. He had even thought of the people who were released from the warehouse, but he never expected it to be Zhang Can.

That's not right. The two of them only met briefly and didn't even exchange a word. How could there be such a strong negative obsession, wanting to kill him to vent their hatred?
But now is not the time to delve into the reasons.

"Never mind me, get the defenses in place and distribute the ammunition!"

Assigning Da Long to regroup the enemy lines, Cheng Ye pulled out his defense communication device. Fortunately, it hadn't been smashed. The screen displayed the real-time location and image of the fusion entity:
In a crumbling tenement community, Zhang Can leaps from a high place, his three remaining tentacles forcefully grabbing an infected body and stuffing it into its enormous mouthparts.

As soon as a disgruntled infected lunged forward, he slapped it away with his tentacle, leaving the survivors in the community dumbfounded, thinking it was an infighting among the infected.

In just over ten seconds, the hundreds of infected individuals that had been besieging the community were thrown into disarray by Zhang Can's frenzied devouring.

Cheng Ye also noticed the relationship between devouring and recovery.

"His recovery requires him to eat more and more, which means there's a limit to his abilities!"

At first, Zhang Can was sprayed with a few shots by him, and he could complete all the repairs by grabbing an infected body.

But now, it takes at least five infected creatures to barely heal one wound.

The tentacles on the back demanded even more; after devouring more than a dozen, no new tentacles had yet grown.

"So...this is actually a war of attrition?"

Having grasped the key to victory, Cheng Ye stood up, feeling almost no pain anymore.

This made him immediately realize the correct way to use the Iron Body.

"Since I can't feel pain during combat, if I can stack the thickest armor and infinitely increase my defense, wouldn't I be able to withstand any attack?"

The thought arose, and suddenly a deafening buzzing sound came from above.

Ok?
Cheng Ye subconsciously looked up and saw a transport drone, seven or eight times the size of the inspection drone, skimming low through the gaps between the buildings. Its metal hatch opened and it precisely dropped a silver-gray box.

[Supplies delivered, please verify badge acceptance]

?

Are there any more supplies?

Cheng Ye paused for a moment, then took out his defense communication device, which showed no new notifications.

But his intuition told him that this box of supplies must be directly connected to the person who sent him the message.

Is it a checkpoint?

Or is it a faction within the inner city?
"We can't worry about that now. We'll deal with the future later."

Only by surviving can one have the right to think about what comes next.

Zhang Can was recovering by devouring infected beings and had no time to think about anything else.

The badge was swiped, and the supply crate popped open.

A set of gold and red armor came into view. The material was very similar to the armor he was wearing, but it had a more intense metallic luster.

Even through a layer of rubber gloves, Cheng Ye could still feel the warm, smooth texture emanating from the surface of the armor when he touched it, as if it contained some kind of special energy.

Ding.

He received a notification from his defense communication device, picked it up and glanced at it, his pupils suddenly contracting.

The Fire Lotus Armor, crafted from the extraordinary material 'Lotus Steel,' can absorb direct kinetic energy impacts.

Price: 2800 Contribution Points

[The advance payment has been deducted from your account. Please follow the instructions to apply the spray paint.]

"Armor made of extraordinary materials?"

Cheng Ye's brow twitched suddenly, and an overwhelming joy instantly welled up inside him.

As for the price and deductions, he had completely forgotten about them at that moment.

Zhang Can could make a comeback at any time. So what if it's 2800 points now, or even 28000 points?

"Borrow as much as you can, preferably a complete set of top-tier gear, to show Zhang Can what a 'Loan God of War' really is." "Give me a little more, can you deduct it from my account?"

Unfortunately, Defense News did not provide any notification.

Cheng Ye could only shake his head and give up. He picked up the adaptation removal spray and sprayed it onto his armor before starting to change.

The amazing thing is that this Fire Lotus Armor was not made according to his body shape, but it fit him better than his previous equipment. A warm and soothing current seeped into him through the gaps in the armor, as if it had become one with his body.

"nice one!"

His eyes lit up as he spotted three brick-like blocks under the box, along with a palm-sized remote control.

【'Binder' Bio-stick Bomb: After being thrown, it can automatically attract organisms within a one-meter radius and explode remotely】

[All three need to be detonated simultaneously to kill the advanced fusion entity]

Price: 145 contribution points/each

[The advance payment has been deducted from your account. Please detonate at least ten meters away after gluing is complete.]

"Really?"

Picking up the sticky bomb and hanging it on the side of his armor, Cheng Ye felt its weight and experienced the allure of being a "pay-to-win" warrior for the first time.

It’s so cool!

Zhang Can can devour infected beings to become stronger, but behind him is the entire City of Happiness.

It can not only monitor the location in real time, but also provide equipment enhancements.

[The target fusion has been repaired; please prepare for a second battle.]

[The second fusion unit has re-entered within one kilometer, position: 67 degrees to the side and rear]

"here we go again?"

Cheng Ye took a deep breath, took out the red medicine and swallowed it, then took a deep breath of the blue medicine.

As a refreshing aura rushed into his mind, the dizziness quickly subsided. He picked up Thunderbolt 1 and replaced the deer bullet with a blasting bullet.

We absolutely cannot let this fusion escape again; it's time for the final battle.

If this continues, the ammunition brought from the supply point will soon run out, and Zhang Can will certainly not give the team the opportunity to open the next supply point.

If only melee weapons remain, this battle is doomed to be lost!

Less than half a minute later, under the real-time monitoring of the drone, the vanished spitting fusion finally reappeared.

Seeing Cheng Ye, clad in golden-red armor, charging towards it without dodging or avoiding, it was clearly stunned for a moment, then let out an angry howl.

But next second.

"kill!"

"kill!!"

"kill!!!"

Almost instinctively, a roar more deafening than a howl erupted from everyone's throats.
Just like when Zhang Can was suppressed in the electronics factory area, the roar of the mortal once again drowned out the superhuman ability of the fusion body!

At the same time, the accumulated firepower suddenly erupted, completely engulfing the fusion body.

Unlike Zhang Can, who could withstand pistol bullets with his bare body, the skin of this fusion body was far less resilient and was instantly riddled with three or four large, irreparable holes.

"Ow!"

It roared in pain, but what made it tremble even more was the golden-red figure that had already rushed over.

Boom! Boom!
Four explosive rounds were fired from the muzzle of the PL-1, precisely blocking all escape routes.

At the same time, a silver-white high-explosive grenade was also thrown.

Boom.

As the blast wave surged in, Cheng Ye instinctively knelt on one knee to defend himself, already prepared to be thrown into the air again.

To his surprise, the Fire Lotus Armor emitted a red light, forming a visible red arc in the shockwave!

The arc of light lasted only a moment before shattering with a deafening roar, but the residual impact only caused him to roll twice on the ground before coming to a steady stop.

Is this the power of 2800 contribution points?

The fusion creature collapsed to the ground with a miserable howl. With its remaining intelligence, it could not understand why humans dared to rush up. How could these weak creatures, who should have been hiding behind cover and trembling in fear, possess such strong defense and lethality!
Unfortunately, the holes all over his body were no longer enough to allow him to escape and recover.

They could only watch helplessly as the golden-red figure stood up and walked over with firm steps.

"Gurgle"

A middle-aged man's face emerged from the twisted starfish-shaped body, his eyes revealing a hint of honesty and simplicity. No one could possibly connect this face with the terrifying fusion before them.

Seeing Cheng Ye approaching step by step, it forced its cloudy left eye open, and a look of relief flashed across its face:

"Kill me quickly, kill me!"

"as you wish."

boom.

The muzzle of the combat pistol spitting fire left a gruesome hole in the middle-aged man's forehead.

The fusion entity, which had been struggling just a second ago, suddenly froze, and its still twitching arms and tentacles drooped down, becoming completely still.

[The target fusion entity has entered within 200 meters, position: 11 degrees directly above]

Defense Communication sent another notification.

At this moment, more than twenty surveillance drones were floating in the sky around Hongguang Hotel, their dense buzzing sounds creating a wave of noise.

Poor Zhang Can thought he could get away with hiding in the gaps between buildings, but little did he know that every move he made was being clearly captured in real-time footage.

Following the alley wall, Cheng Ye retreated rapidly, took out an explosive magazine, and inserted it into the Thunderbolt 1.

These are the last four explosive rounds.

But that's enough!

Zhang Can descended from the sky and landed in front of the already dead infected body, grabbed it violently, and shoved it into its mouth.

In the blink of an eye, the seventh tentacle tore out from his back.

At the same time, a face full of resentment and malice emerged from the starfish, staring intently at Cheng Ye, who was standing at the alley entrance.

"You, damn it!"

"Zhang Can, I must state that I have no grudge against you."

Cheng Ye couldn't help but shake his head. Just from that look in his eyes, he was 100% certain that Zhang Can truly hated him and hadn't mistaken him for someone else.

But the two of them hadn't even spoken a word; their eyes had only met briefly in the mall. Why was there such intense resentment between them?

"No injustice or enmity?"

A ferocious roar erupted, "You, you deserve to die, you deserve to die!"

"I'll give you three chances. If you keep barking and biting like a dog, I'll give up on communicating."

Cheng Ye frowned. "You gave up taking your medicine and went out to die. What does that have to do with me?"

"I didn't give up! It was you! You forced me to give up!"

"Did I force you?"

"If I were a prosecutor, I would have survived, and I wouldn't be in this state. You are so weak, you don't deserve to die! You are the one who should die!"

"Ha." Cheng Ye laughed in exasperation. "So, you think you're afraid to take your medicine because of me?"

"I, I dare, why wouldn't I dare?"

puff.

A packet of dark brown anti-epidemic powder was thrown out, rolled twice, and landed in front of Zhang Can.

"eat!"

Cheng Ye sneered as he raised the gun. "Come on, eat it for me. I love the honesty of people like you who are stubborn as mules!"

"you!"

Zhang Can's ferocious face suddenly shrank back into his body, and the fusion entity, which had been trying to argue just a second ago, suddenly went berserk.

Seven tentacles danced wildly like snakes, and its entire body crashed into the alleyway like a runaway bull.

Unfortunately, he stopped abruptly after only a few steps.

Cheng Ye suddenly stepped back, and Da Long and Huang Sheng, carrying rocket launchers, emerged simultaneously, grinning maliciously as they pulled the triggers.

"You don't really think I'm just having a casual chat with you, do you?"

The words fell.

boom!
A terrifying explosion swept through the alley, sending debris flying like raindrops from the alley entrance.

Before the smoke had cleared, Cheng Ye pulled out the remaining four high-explosive mines and, without thinking, threw them all into the alleyway where flames were raging.

A series of thunderous explosions followed, interspersed with Zhang Can's heart-wrenching roars.

"kill!"

"kill!!"

"kill!!!"

This time, Cheng Ye also joined the suppression force, roaring with all his might.

The exhilarating feeling was like taking a cold shower on a hot summer day.

Amidst the smoke and fire, a dark figure flickered once more, attempting to escape as before.

But this time, Erlong, who was standing on the roof with his men, was not holding a broken broadsword, but a machine gun loaded with bullets!
"Zhang Can, if you're even human, don't run away!"

Erlong pulled the trigger, and the barrage of metal bullets from the four machine guns forcefully pushed the shadowy figure back into the alley.

At this point, there was only one direction left for him to escape.

front.

"Come on, let me see your guts. Didn't you even dare to eat the antidote powder?"

Cheng Ye made a sarcastic remark, mentioning the antidote powder. The fusion entity, which was still hesitating, suddenly lost its ability to think and roared as it broke through the fire net blockade.

Even if several "bricks" hit it during its charge, it wouldn't feel a thing until it broke through the alleyway.
Hundreds of militiamen had already gathered around, each with a strangely gleeful smile on their face.

What are they laughing at?
What are they waiting for?
"Zhang Can, you don't have much time to escape."

Holding the remote control, his fingertips hovering over the detonation button, Cheng Ye breathed slightly heavily.

Now, as long as the monster leaves the crowd, he can press the remote control and everything will be over.

A troublesome advanced fusion entity would be an utterly hopeless nightmare in the wild.

But in the buffer zone, Cheng Ye couldn't even imagine it.

He, a trainee inspector and a newcomer who had only been in the wasteland world for three months, was about to achieve the feat of killing a high-level fusion entity.

Should we celebrate, or feel fortunate?

"I'll make you regret this!"

The狰狞 ​​face forced out a roar, and the two remaining tentacles slammed weakly against the ground, making even the threat seem comical.

However, just as he was about to leave, Cheng Ye was about to press the button.

thump.

thump.

tsk tsk.

At the end of the street, the sound of gongs and drums could be heard.

A dense crowd surged out of the shadows, with three elderly men in red coats at the front, their backs hunched, yet their steps were unusually firm.

Two large drums were placed on a cart, and a shirtless man kept swinging the drumsticks down, making the ground seem to tremble.

Zhang Can stood frozen in place, Cheng Ye was stunned while holding the remote control, and all the militiamen were a little dazed.

Only Erlong jumped down from the roof, his voice hoarse: "When I found out it was Zhang Can, I notified Old Qu. I wanted to let his wife see what kind of person her husband really is."

"Two dragons!"

Da Long shouted, his eye twitching, "Zhang Can is still one of us, a brother. His infection is his destiny. You've gone too far!"

"Did I go too far?"

Erlong gave a bitter laugh. "I carried him back from the pile of corpses. He swore to God he would never betray us, but what did he do? How many brothers did he kill in order to survive?"

"I did not choose to live a life of dishonor!"

Zhang Can's face emerged from the twisted body, a hint of fear showing on his ferocious expression. "I can't die! My wife is about to give birth, I have to live to see my child."

"But do we deserve to die? Do they deserve to die?"

Pointing to the dozen or so people lying at the hotel entrance, they were all militiamen who had been burned by bodily fluids.

Erlong roared, "You are a coward! You are a disgrace to Tianyuan Community! You are a disgrace etched on my face for the rest of my life!"

"No, I'm not!"

Rarely, Cheng Ye actually saw a hint of fear, a trait only humans possess, on the face covered in slime.

So, even advanced fusion entities still retain such emotions?
"Ah Chan!"

An aged voice came from the crowd. Old Song, who was over sixty years old, hunched over, managed to break free from the people supporting him and slowly walked up.

"Old Qu?"

When someone tried to stop him, he waved his hand and walked towards Zhang Can on his own.

"Old Qu".

Cheng Ye raised the remote control in his hand and said in a deep voice, "You can stand there and talk to him, but you can't go any further."

"Prosecutor Cheng, please rest assured. I have survived the wave of infection and have fought against no fewer than three hundred fusion beings. Ah Can is still conscious."

Old Song forced a smile and stopped when he was three steps away from the fused body.

"Old Qu! I'm really not afraid of dying!"

Zhang Can's tentacles trembled violently, like a wounded wild beast.

"I know, I know everything."

Old Song smiled and comforted her, then suddenly slapped himself in the face.

The crisp sound stunned everyone, even Zhang Can looked surprised.

"It's Elder Qu, it's Elder Qu who made you like this."

"I'm getting old and scared. I'm always rushing you to take over, which puts too much pressure on you."

Under the dim streetlights, Old Song's eyes gleamed. He murmured to himself and took a few more steps forward. His withered right hand gently rested on Zhang Can's outstretched forehead, his fingertips caressing the skin covered in mucus.

Visibly, the massive fusion entity suddenly froze, and the two tentacles behind it miraculously calmed down.

"The burden of thousands of people rests entirely on your shoulders, Ah-Can. You can't carry it. You should have run away long ago."

"Mr. Qu, it's me."

Zhang Can's lips trembled, and his face, covered in sticky mucus, twitched, as if he were emitting suppressed sobs like a human.

"Don't worry, Erlong told me to bring your wife over, but I didn't listen to him."

"Now, Elder Qu is giving you a chance."

Old Song leaned down, bringing his gaze level with Zhang Can's, his voice suddenly becoming clear and carrying an undeniable sharpness:

“Go to the prosecutor’s office, kneel down in front of him and admit your mistakes. You will still be a member of our Tianyuan community, a hero who came from our collective. I will let your wife know, and your children know, that their man and their father are real men!”

"Or, you can eat Old Qu right now, and that will be the case that Old Qu's old eyes have misjudged him and mistaken Ah Can for someone else!"

"Elder Qu!"

A terrifying roar erupted once again from the center of the starfish.

But this time, there was no impact, only blood-red, painful cries.

Amidst the horrified gazes of the crowd, this advanced fusion entity actually slowly propped itself up, using its trembling tentacles to carry itself toward Cheng Ye.

"team leader."

"No need." Cheng Ye waved his hand, interrupting Huang Sheng.

As an inspector, he had seen thousands of cases in the manual.

But no case has ever shocked him so much as this moment.

The person who has been fused and parasitized can actually have emotions and resist the contamination of the parasite?
boom.

The enormous starfish fusion crashed down three steps away from Cheng Ye, its two tentacles drooping like tattered cotton, with slime oozing out from the holes.

“Prosecutor Cheng, you’re not mistaken, I’m a coward.”

"Shoot me, please give this coward the last bit of dignity."

Cheng Ye paused for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Where are your wife and children?"

Surprisingly, Zhang Can understood the implied meaning, and his distorted expression suddenly softened:
"I have no chance to turn back."

"Is it that you can't, or that you don't want to?"

“No.” Zhang Can’s voice suddenly became hoarse. “This is corruption, corruption that begins in the soul. I can feel it. I do have a chance to resist that extraordinary corruption, but I…”

He pondered for a moment, then squeezed out six words: "Something is missing."

"What do you mean?"

"It's indescribable, but I can feel that I was born incomplete."

Zhang Can's tentacles suddenly trembled violently, "It's like... there's a hole in my soul, a piece of my genes is missing!"

"Ok?"

Cheng Ye was slightly taken aback, but before he could ponder the meaning of those words, he was still in shock.

The drone swarm overhead suddenly exploded, emitting a sharp, piercing sound all at once.

"what!"

Zhang Can, who had regained his senses just a second ago, suddenly showed pain on his face, his eyes were instantly swallowed by blood, and his drooping tentacles sprang up like venomous snakes!
"Quickly, kill me!"

"Zhang Can, listen, you must cooperate with me 100%!"

"I...I'll cooperate with you, Prosecutor Cheng, I'll fully cooperate with you!"

The agonizing screams were terrifying.

Faced with the waving tentacles, Cheng Ye pulled out a pistol from his waist, his movements appearing somewhat hesitant.

But in the dimension that only he could see, the panel quietly unfolded.

Zhang Can, 100% (Perfect)

[Searchable Scope: Intelligence (Guaranteed Success), Items (Guaranteed Success), Skills (Lv1, -15% Chance, Lv2, -1% Chance)]

"A guaranteed hit actually appeared, and the probability of finding the skill has dropped so low?"

Cheng Ye's pupils contracted sharply; this was the first time he had ever seen such a description on the search panel.

Intelligence and items glowed with a brilliant blue light, while skills were dim and shrouded in a gray light.

It's worth noting that perfect compatibility can increase the probability of stealth by 50%, but now it shows that Lv2 only has a 1% chance of being able to search.

Is it because there isn't enough energy?

Or has Zhang Can's life form reached another level?
"Intelligence, or... items?"

The charge level is only 69%, and you only have one chance.

Before using the panel, he wanted to search for intelligence, to find information about the extraordinary.

But now, Cheng Ye hesitated for a moment, his gaze falling on the items.

He had a deep feeling that if Zhang Can's life form had evolved, then he would obtain it.
"Search for items!"

Search successful!

[Zhang Can (with ecology)]

[Searchable Item Range Check:]

[Search successful. You have obtained a special item - Tear of the Horned Starfish]

【Tears of the Starfish (Extraordinary Item)】

[Description]: Legend has it that the starfish sheds tears when witnessing genuine emotions, and each tear possesses incredible power. Consuming it can grant a short-term, immense boost to the creature, elevating it to a transcendent level.

[Power Direction]: Guardian
【Effect】: Immediately enters the Starfish Symbiotic Guardian state, lasting '5' minutes.

The following buffs will be granted during the duration:
Strength: Increased to 3165kg
Speed: Increased to 100m/4.95s
Defense: Increased to completely ignore kinetic energy impacts below 157000 joules.

Acquired skills: Carnivorous Recovery (Extraordinary; Lv5), Soul Scream (Extraordinary; Lv6)

[Note]: After the symbiotic relationship ends, the user will receive the "Guardian Blessing of the Starfish".

[Note]: Starfish Guardian Blessing: Permanent immunity to mental attack skills (level less than Lv6)

　P.S.: Thank you to reader 20200817205352832 for being a patron! Two donations in one day, what a pleasant surprise!
　　PS2: A super long chapter of 10,000 words, an extra chapter for the two Alliance Leaders!
　　PS3: This time no one will say my pants are short, right?
　　
　
(End of this chapter)