Chapter Seventy-Seven: Never Yield to Those Who Betray Justice

"Do you find it utterly unacceptable?" The Viper sneered as he took a step forward, his movements deliberate and menacing.

"In truth, I know you're clinging to hope, wishing for someone to rescue you. But don't delude yourself—when the Viper strikes, no one survives!"

As he spoke, the man’s fist shot out toward Chu Yunxi. Before she could react, his fist was already flying toward her face.

Yet, in the very next instant, Chu Yunxi vanished right before his eyes.

"What?" The Viper froze, stunned for a split second before realization dawned—someone had relocated her!

"Damn it!" His brow furrowed deeply as he remembered that Chu Yunxi wasn't his only adversary; there were others.

"Thank you," Chu Yunxi said to Lu Kai, visibly relieved.

If it hadn't been for Lu Kai just now, she would have died without a trace. She hadn't expected that, despite all her careful calculations, she would almost become a sitting duck for someone else. The thought was laughable, in retrospect.

"Sister-in-law, there's no need to thank me," Lu Kai replied, embarrassed, scratching his head and chuckling.

"In times like these, we brothers must stand together. But to be honest, you were a bit careless just now. That guy isn't as formidable as he seems. I've studied him—his heart may regenerate, but if we're strong enough, we can destroy it."

Chu Yunxi shook her head, her gaze resolute. "He has three hearts, but only one true weakness. You could approach it from another angle!"

"You're courting death," the Viper spat, charging at them as soon as he saw Lu Kai and the others.

Lu Kai raised his AK and unleashed a barrage of bullets at the man. Though wounded, the Viper's mobility was greatly impaired, but not enough to prevent him from continuing his assault.

Once more, a sly grin appeared on the Viper’s face.

"Do you really think you can kill me? You're mistaken. You might destroy my body, but my soul will still come back to annihilate you!"

Such chilling words drew a collective gasp from the group. What manner of monster was this, to remain so unrepentant even at death’s door?

Meanwhile, Chen Yi had finished his own battle and was rushing back, a growing sense of unease gnawing at him as he realized that the weather station and several network nodes had been cut off.

The thought that something had happened at the shelter crossed his mind, and his eyes grew sharp and cold. Whoever dared harm the one he cherished would pay a terrible price.

With Hu Sanhan’s ability to teleport, they returned to the shelter in the blink of an eye. At that moment, the Viper was about to unleash his carnage on Lu Kai and the others, but before he could, Chen Yi’s evolved twin-bladed scythe severed his head.

"Chen Yi, you’re back." At last, a smile appeared on Chu Yunxi’s face, her eyes brimming with relief. For a moment, she had truly feared losing him.

"Save your words—we’re not done yet," Chen Yi said gravely.

As he spoke, the severed head reassembled itself before their eyes.

The Viper chuckled softly. "I had planned to finish you off last, but since you insist on courting death, Chen Yi, I’ll oblige. I’ll kill you first!"

With that, the Viper lunged at Chen Yi, but Hu Sanhan and Lu Kai immediately opened fire.

The Viper’s face darkened. "Didn’t I tell you? You can’t kill me so easily. Why do you keep interfering? Are you so afraid to let me face Chen Yi alone?"

"We don’t care about that!" Lu Kai taunted, flashing his little finger with a sneer. "None of us will ever compromise with you! Viper, just you wait—we have our own ways of solving problems!"

Seeing their resolve, the Viper began to suspect a traitor within his organization. How had these people prepared such thorough defenses?

Chen Yi studied the positions of the Viper’s three hearts, then split his evolved twin-bladed scythe into single blades and attempted an assassination.

The first time, the Viper fell, but his wounds healed simultaneously and astonishingly quickly. Clearly, with each injury, he only grew more resilient.

The second time, all three hearts were pierced, yet the Viper still did not die.

This made Chen Yi reconsider—had he been targeting the wrong place all along? Perhaps the man’s fatal weakness wasn’t the hearts, but somewhere else entirely.

"Give it up," the Viper sneered, shaking his head.

"I think it’s time you accepted subjugation. Your abilities are nothing before me. I stand above the world!"

But those words were what finally enlightened Chen Yi as to why this monster wouldn’t die.

The three hearts were indeed vital, but there was another, more crucial element—the cluster of hidden neurons inside his mouth!

With a single, swift stab into the Viper’s mouth, Chen Yi watched the flash of absolute terror in the man’s eyes and shook his head with a cold smile.

"Unlucky for you—God complexes are the last thing I tolerate. Trying to fool me with that was a grave mistake!"

The man whimpered, but in the next moment, Chen Yi destroyed all three hearts. The Viper collapsed, dead at last.

Chu Yunxi frowned deeply. "Did my clairvoyant eye fail me as well?"

"No, it didn’t," Chen Yi replied calmly. "Everything you saw was real. But this fiend had more neurons than ordinary people. Neurons can keep a half-dead body moving, much like the stories of a final burst of energy before death."

"I see!" Lu Kai exclaimed, sudden understanding lighting his face. "So this guy died countless times, but because his neurons weren’t destroyed, he kept coming back. His hearts were nearly at the limit!"

"Exactly," Chen Yi nodded. "Unless the neurons are destroyed, all we’re doing is giving him the illusion of growing stronger. In truth, traces of the mutagenic energy within him had already surfaced, though he hadn’t realized it himself."

"How horrifying," Chu Yunxi murmured, shaking her head. "Even in the apocalypse, people still resort to such abhorrent means just to survive. Does selling one’s soul truly bring happiness?"

"No, it doesn’t," Chen Yi’s face darkened. "But they think it does. Our duty is to expose and break the vile machinations of that mysterious organization."