Chapter 25: The Fierce Acting Governor

"Take a look—do you like this prey of ours?" As Zhang Gong's voice fell, several villagers stepped forward, stopping just a few meters before the group. One villager seized his own left hand and, without hesitation, tore it off, flinging it at their feet. Blood and pus gushed from the wound, and the ragged flesh was crawling with maggots.

This act was like a fuse. The other villagers followed suit in succession, and soon, a heap of broken limbs, eyeballs, and brain matter piled up on the ground. The onlookers remained silent, even the seasoned Phoenix Cry squad furrowing their brows in distaste; Zhi Jin could not bear the sight and promptly turned away to vomit.

"Since you've dropped the act, I'll lay my cards on the table too. You dead Watchmen—chasing me all these years and it’s still not enough? This time, you’ll all die here together!" Zhang Gong’s expression twisted with savagery.

"Zhang Gong! You can’t escape any longer! We’re not Watchmen, nor will we hand you over to them. But the bloodshed you’ve caused is unforgivable. We have no choice but to deliver you to the Council of Ten Elders for judgment!" Li Jiajie shouted sternly.

"Hahaha! I don’t care who you hand me to—Watchmen, or whatever unknown Council of Ten Elders you mentioned. If you have the guts, come take my life yourself! If not, you’re all going to die here today!" Zhang Gong burst into wild laughter, and with a sweeping gesture, the dozens of villagers behind him twisted their faces into manic grins and charged the group like unleashed beasts.

"Colorless, Luan Bird—you two handle these villagers. No, monsters—they’re not human anymore, so don’t hold back! I’ll keep Zhang Gong in check!" Li Jiajie issued his orders coolly, and the three of them plunged into the fray.

On the other side, Si Guilong and Dai Yin were surrounded by dozens of villagers. As one villager leapt at Dai Yin, a piercing, powerful note burst from her lips, forming a directed shockwave that struck the attacker. In an instant, the villager collapsed in spasms, and from his ears, nose, and throat, threadlike white worms wriggled out. After a brief struggle, they lay still.

"These small fry are all puppets under Zhang Gong’s control—mindless and not strong. Colorless, care for a wager?" Dai Yin’s voice was cold as she eyed the temporarily stunned mob.

"Huh? You again? What’s the bet this time?" Si Guilong scratched his head uneasily.

"Let’s see who kills more!" A manic glint flickered in Dai Yin’s eyes, and without waiting, she dashed into the horde at blinding speed.

"Hey, that’s cheating!" Si Guilong hurried after her.

Dai Yin leaped several meters into the air, her swollen coat splitting with a rip. Beneath, a black uniform flashed as she dove into the crowd.

A red, data-like light flickered in Dai Yin’s eyes. Her arms morphed into a pair of wings over a meter long. Her uniform adapted, wrapping and hardening around the wings, their surfaces instantly sheathed in a black metallic shell.

"Pheasant—Steel Angel!" Dai Yin cried, swooping down at high speed. The monsters in her path were severed in two by her steel wings. She skimmed the ground, hewing through over a dozen foes in a single sweep.

Not to be outdone, Si Guilong slipped, invisible, into the mob and revealed his true form.

"Chameleon—Piercing Strike!" he shouted, jaws agape as a long tongue shot from his mouth. But he wasn’t done—he layered on two more enhancements. "Chameleon—Keratin Reinforcement! Frog—Neurotoxicity! Down you go!"

His tongue, now sheathed in a hard, protective layer, lashed out. Any monster it struck was instantly paralyzed, unmoving, as poison flooded their systems and they collapsed in droves.

With a wet pop, Si Guilong’s tongue burst through a monster’s skull—then another, and another, the sound rapid-fire as the enemies around him swiftly dwindled.

Zhang Gong watched the battle turn against his forces, uncertainty flickering across his face. He growled, "Who are you people? Why do you have powers too? No matter—you want to kill, I have plenty more to send!"

Suddenly, animal howls echoed from all directions—by the sound of it, the numbers far exceeded the mob of monsters present. Plainly, Zhang Gong had seized control of many more creatures before the Phoenix Cry squad arrived.

"Captain, focus on that bastard. Leave the rest of the monsters to us!" Dai Yin called out, crushing a monster’s head with a stomp. Black-red ooze spattered her face, but she seemed unfazed.

Zhi Jin, seeing this, could only marvel inwardly. This woman is too fierce. If I make it back alive, I’ll never cross her.

Whizz!

A thin white worm suddenly hovered before Zhi Jin’s eyes, barely an inch from his pupil. He could see its jaws snapping at him in midair. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead, but a large hand seized the worm, holding it fast and harmless—it was the captain.

"Your opponent is me," Li Jiajie said coolly, tearing the worm apart with his bare hands.

"Tch, kid, you got lucky," Zhang Gong muttered, withdrawing the remaining worms in frustration after his ambush failed.

He had barely opened his mouth to speak again when a steel feather came whistling through the air, moving so fast it nearly broke the sound barrier. Zhang Gong reacted too late and hastily used a monster as a human shield. As expected, the monster’s head exploded instantly, and the feather, carrying its momentum, grazed Zhang Gong’s cheek, leaving a deep, bloody gash.

Zhi Jin was utterly speechless—the woman was holding her own against a horde of monsters and still had the power to threaten Zhang Gong! He couldn’t help but marvel: her mastery of her powers was terrifying.

"You wretched woman..." Zhang Gong’s face was dark with rage. Suddenly, he lashed out, unleashing a storm of white worms from his hands. "I’ll kill you!"

"Did you think I’d let you?" Li Jiajie’s blade flashed, severing worm after worm. The fallen creatures writhed for a moment before turning to ash; the powers of Sequenters couldn’t last long once separated from their host.

Li Jiajie brandished a regulation straight sword, its blade gleaming with black light, and charged straight at Zhang Gong. "I told you—your opponent is me. Keep your eyes on our fight!"

Zhang Gong immediately commanded several monsters to twine together before him, forming a shield of flesh.

The blade sliced through clusters of worms, but as soon as one was cut away, more took its place. For now, Li Jiajie and Zhang Gong were deadlocked, neither able to overpower the other.