Chapter Three: Mutation

The helicopter hovered in the sky, whipping up layers of dust. The scorching sunlight felt suffocating, and the sky stretched cloudless, as if even the clouds had been frightened away by the army’s overwhelming firepower.

Shaken citizens seized this rare opportunity to flee with the help of the armed police and military, while a few fearless youths tried to capture the scene on their phones but were pushed aside by the officers.

Luo Longyu also began to retreat, preparing to leave this place. On the square, nearly a hundred giant eggs stood silently in dense clusters, exuding an invisible pressure.

Suddenly, a thunderous explosion jolted Luo Longyu, as a Type 96 tank fired the first shot. Immediately, the military unleashed its full firepower; the Z-10 attack helicopters and machine guns joined in, stirring a tempest among the giant eggs. It seemed the army had no intention of discovering what the eggs were—they would simply obliterate everything first.

In the midst of the barrage, a piercing, shrill cry erupted from within the eggs, soon joined by a chorus of wails that rose and fell amid the smoke and flames. Luo Longyu watched in terror as enormous, tail-dragging silhouettes moved within the inferno—creatures that the military’s firepower could not swiftly destroy.

“What are these monsters?” Luo Longyu’s mind reeled, on the verge of shutting down.

Then, a sudden wave of dizziness overwhelmed him, accompanied by a violent ringing in his ears that left him staggering to the ground. An armed police officer caught him, half-dragging, half-carrying him away from the chaos.

“Medic! Medic!” Amid the confusion, Luo Longyu faintly heard the shouts of the police.

Low, continuous murmurs echoed inside his head, ethereal and elusive, as if they had traveled from the dawn of the universe, lingering at his ears, resounding in his heart, shaking the very core of his soul. Clutching his head, Luo Longyu felt as though the voices would tear his mind apart.

Through the haze of smoke, his vision blurred, he seemed to see the world shattering—amid the raging celestial fire, four towering figures appeared, surrounded by countless others, filling every inch of space with a suffocating oppression. Though their faces were unclear, Luo Longyu could feel their gaze fixed upon him.

The murmuring continued ceaselessly, without the slightest pause. Luo Longyu could not comprehend their words; it was like the chanting of three thousand Buddhas, the singing of a million gods and demons, or perhaps a story being told. As he listened, a sorrowful emotion welled up within him, coupled with a nameless rage. Threads of silver flashed through his half-closed eyes.

Elsewhere, the military’s firepower raged on. Amid the shrieks, scores of two-meter-tall humanoids leapt from the inferno, charging directly at the army.

These creatures wore bone armor, dragging massive, barbed tails. Their fangs and claws were so sharp a single swipe could cleave a man in half, leaving only blood and carnage.

Thirty or so of these beings attacked the military lines, while the rest ignored the hail of bullets and turned instead toward Luo Longyu’s location.

Hearing the screams behind him, Luo Longyu abruptly regained clarity. Twin beams of silver shot from his eyes, and a tremendous force blasted outwards, flinging away the nearby police and medics as a fierce, bloodthirsty aura filled the air.

He surveyed the carnage around him—soldiers lying in pools of blood, the sounds of gunfire, cries of pain, and curses mingling amidst the stench of smoke and blood, turning the place into a living hell.

Another deafening crash—this time, a Type 96 tank was overturned by two of the humanoid monsters.

A bloodied steel helmet fell at Luo Longyu’s feet as he bowed his head.

Anger—fierce, overwhelming anger.

A terrifying roar burst from his throat. As a black shadow lunged at him, Luo Longyu whirled, snatching up the two claws that struck at him. The creature froze in disbelief, gazing into Luo Longyu’s silver-lit eyes, their gaze locking with his own green ones.

With a crack of splintering bone, Luo Longyu tore the creature’s claws from its body. Roaring, he leapt onto its neck, driving his talons deep into its skull.

The monster shrieked in agony as Luo Longyu swung it like a weapon, smashing it into the oncoming horde.

For a moment, the surrounding soldiers were dumbfounded, stunned by this sudden eruption of power. They didn’t know how to react.

“What are you all standing around for? Support him, full force!” someone shouted. Gunfire resumed, heavy machine guns spewing bullets to intercept the charging monsters.

Luo Longyu was now like a raging beast, fighting relentlessly. He grappled with two of the creatures, but another struck him with a swipe that sent him flying. Strangely, he was not torn apart—just a faint scratch marked his body.

Far above, a Z-18 helicopter circled. Inside, several figures in alloy combat suits watched the city below. A short-haired woman’s eyes, glowing faintly with gold, locked onto Luo Longyu.

“We’ve found our target. It’s him. Let’s go—this battle ends now.”

Luo Longyu emerged from the rubble, hefting a massive slab of concrete, bringing it down on another monster in a spray of blood.

Several more creatures pounced, driving their claws into his chest and pinning him against the debris. Their steel-like claws pressed hard, piercing his flesh, while others gripped his arms to restrain him.

The beast with its claws in Luo Longyu’s chest leaned in, its mouth full of fangs muttering words he could not understand. For a fleeting moment, Luo Longyu regained his senses—he realized these monsters had no independent will; someone else was speaking through them.

But as the claws dug deeper, his consciousness faded once more, and the silver light in his eyes flared. He bit down on the creature’s lower jaw, tearing it off with raw force.

Three scarlet beams streaked in from the horizon, instantly killing the monsters restraining Luo Longyu. A Z-18 swooped into the combat zone; several figures descended, cutting through the remaining monsters like a scythe through autumn leaves.

The short-haired woman landed before Luo Longyu, her posture sharp and commanding. Her clean, crisp hair shifted in the wind, eyes aglow with golden light, reflecting the silver in Luo Longyu’s gaze.

“So, you are—”

Bang!

She had barely begun to speak when Luo Longyu, lost to all reason, lunged at her, his hand reaching for her throat. She reacted swiftly, a dragon halberd flashing into existence to block his strike. With a swift turn, she lashed out with a spinning kick, sending Luo Longyu crashing into the rubble, disappearing in a cloud of dust.

“Early-stage transformation, all instincts, no control—that matches the legends,” she murmured, standing tall with her halberd slanted at her side.

The remaining monsters had been annihilated. The other armored figures returned to her side. One man, wiping his broadsword, glanced around. “Where is he?”

The woman gestured toward the ruins. As the dust settled, a massive crater was revealed. “He’s gone berserk. Keep your distance—he’s a Rebel by nature, your natural nemesis. Evacuate the army. There’s nothing left here to worry about.”

“Alright, we’ll leave him to you, Guardian.” The others, untroubled, turned to coordinate the military withdrawal.

No sooner had they disappeared than the ruins stirred. A concrete slab shot forth, which the woman shattered with a sweep of her halberd, red light slicing the air. Almost simultaneously, the ground behind her split open as Luo Longyu burst from the earth, launching himself at her back. She dodged at lightning speed, pivoted, and pressed the halberd’s point to his chest. With a dragon’s roar, Luo Longyu was sent flying again.

“He has combat instincts, but doesn’t blindly attack—that’s a bit different from the legends,” she mused, watching him rise, undaunted, for another assault.

Luo Longyu roared in fury, pouncing with astonishing speed. The woman frowned slightly, sidestepping his attack, then tapped her fingers to his brow. A blood-red sigil vanished into his skin, and the silver light in his eyes faded at once. He collapsed at her feet.

Gazing down at him, she pondered aloud, “Hmm… Sometimes, he does fight head-on after all…”