Chapter 86: Haste Makes Waste

Chen Yi knew the situation was dire.

If his group alone faced those mutated zombies, they would surely be wiped out.

"Boss Chen, seems you've forgotten something," the zombie monkey said, thumping its chest with a smug look. "I'm your ally too!"

Chen Yi tapped its head. "Don't worry, I'll send you into battle. For now, your task is to protect the friends I have left. Remember, the red zombies attack fast, so don’t get killed too quickly!"

With those words, Chen Yi prepared to act.

"Xiao Xi, protect your sister Yunxi!"

Chen Ya Xi nodded.

At that moment, the giant ten-armed octopus noticed Chen Yi’s movements and began shifting its massive body, ready to strike.

Moving swiftly, Chen Yi darted beneath the octopus and, with two clean slashes, severed one of its tentacles.

Roaring in pain, the octopus lashed out in fury, instantly flinging the zombie monkey away as it tried to assist Chen Yi.

Its remaining tentacles waved toward Chen Yi, attempting to ensnare him.

Chen Yi dodged with ease, climbing up the octopus’s enormous body. Each strike was quick and sharp, his angles and force so cunning that the octopus could not defend itself.

"Boss, I’ll help once I finish here!" Lu Kai hefted three Gatling guns onto his shoulder, took a deep breath to steady himself, and opened fire.

In an instant, the battle raged across the sea’s surface.

"Xiao Xi, lift me up. I need to get to the octopus’s front," Chu Yunxi requested, making Chen Ya Xi frown.

"Is that wise? If anything happens, brother will be furious," she said.

"It’ll be fine." Chu Yunxi smiled again. "Just say I insisted. Trust me, he’ll listen to me and won’t blame you!"

Chen Ya Xi still hesitated, prompting Chu Yunxi’s smile to fade.

"What, do you want your brother to be in danger?"

"Of course not." Chen Ya Xi shook her head immediately. "I’ll help you, but you must stay safe. If I don’t let you move, you must obey, sister."

Chu Yunxi chuckled and tapped the younger girl’s forehead. "How could I act recklessly? Don’t worry. I’m not careless."

Reassured, the little girl nodded, excitement rising.

"Alright, I’ll help you," she said.

Chu Yunxi held onto Chen Ya Xi, and, using the shuttle, they soared high above the octopus.

Once Chu Yunxi spotted the octopus’s weakness, she called out loudly to Chen Yi.

"Its weak spot is the eyes!"

The giant octopus heard the cry and quickly lifted its head.

Danger!

Sensing the threat, Chen Ya Xi sped away with Chu Yunxi, but the octopus’s tentacles were already swinging toward them.

"Careful, both of you! Move aside!" Chen Yi shouted, hacking at the octopus’s limbs, but he was a step too late.

Just when it seemed the two could not escape, the giant Kunpeng swooped down, crashing into the octopus and rescuing Chu Yunxi and Chen Ya Xi.

Chen Yi breathed a sigh of relief; without the Kunpeng, his heart would have shattered.

Though accustomed to life and death, he could not bear seeing his loved ones in peril.

Chen Ya Xi exhaled deeply, her heart pounding.

"Sister, see? Something happened! I’m doomed—my brother will scold me to death. Oh!"

"Don’t be afraid, it’s my fault," Chu Yunxi admitted, gently taking Chen Ya Xi’s hand. "I’ll explain everything to him."

The Kunpeng set the rescued pair safely on the shore, then used its massive tail to hurl the octopus away as it attempted another attack.

High above, General K watched, his brows furrowed.

"What is this creature? It actually helps those people. Good thing we didn’t intervene, or we would have lost our forces for nothing."

Other members of the X Organization shook their heads.

"This kind of monster only exists in legends. There are no records of what animal it is, but it’s clear it’s allied with these survivors."

General K shot them a glare. "Did I need you to remind me?"

Now, the giant octopus was raging and clashing with the Kunpeng, but before the enormous bird, it was as helpless as a child, utterly crushed by a single heavy strike that left it sprawled in the sea, unable to rise.

Chen Yi rushed forward, plunging his twin blades into the octopus’s eyes.

Deprived of its strength, the octopus soon went still. Chen Yi quickly sliced open its head and extracted a mutated crystal core.

Sensing the unusual energy within, he did not use it immediately but stored it in his collection pouch.

Seeing this, General K ordered helicopters to approach, intent on seizing the desired item from Chen Yi.

But the Kunpeng struck first, swinging its vast tail.

"Dodge quickly!"

General K and his men fled, but several helicopters failed to react and were shattered by the Kunpeng’s blows, reduced to fragments along with the larger aircraft, utterly destroyed.

"Thank you," Chen Yi nodded to the Kunpeng.

At that moment, a small head popped out; the young Kunpeng slid down from its parent, wriggling toward Chu Yunxi and the others.

"Little one, you’re back!"

The cute movements of the young Kunpeng made everyone smile.

Just then, a fishing net suddenly enveloped the little bird.

Chen Yi looked up to see a fighter jet in the sky, foolishly casting a net to capture the young Kunpeng. This enraged the adult bird, which lashed its tail and smashed the jet into pieces.

Now, because the young Kunpeng had been snared, the parent’s eyes began to glow crimson.

"Damn, the Kunpeng has been infected by the zombie virus. We need to be careful," Chen Yi warned, urging Chu Yunxi and the others to take the young Kunpeng and flee, while he remained behind.

Earlier, he had faced only one opponent; now, confronted with two, he was stretched to his limits.

With no choice, Chen Yi quickly absorbed all the crystal core energy he carried.

In that instant, Chen Yi erupted with unprecedented power; silver wings unfurled from his back, and his left hand transformed into a giant scythe.

Yet the scythe felt light as air, almost nonexistent.

Clearly, this was connected to the awakening of his ant gene’s rainbow-striped abilities.

But the crystal core’s power was not finished; his body continued to change.