In a perfect world, you start by relying on your own strength.

Large amounts of scarlet pigment seeped into the air, spreading an eerie red mist through the dimly lit passage. Several hunters were quickly affected, and in their confusion, they turned their guns on each other indiscriminately.

The entire passage instantly descended into chaos, filled with gunfire and screams. Even Shi Geng, who was observing from the sidelines, was caught in the crossfire; several hallucinating hunters pointed their guns at him and unleashed a barrage of fire.

"Ugh, this is such a hassle."

Shi Geng sighed helplessly and reached out casually.

His movements were so fast that they left only afterimages, sparks flew in the air, and he flicked away more than a dozen bullets that were aimed at him with his fingertips.

This scene was witnessed by Mark and his group who had just arrived. The group froze on the spot, their faces filled with disbelief.

What exactly did they just see?

"Mark, I think I'm hallucinating because of the effects of scarlet."

Ran Bing stared wide-eyed and exclaimed in disbelief.

Is this even human? Flicking bullets away with bare hands?

Mark was also jolted, but there was no time to think on the battlefield. He quickly regained his composure and ordered in a deep voice, "Never mind that! Mo Cheng, organize the evacuation immediately!"

Mo Cheng accepted the order and immediately called on the still conscious team members to support their out-of-control companion and quickly retreat towards the exit.

The scarlet pigment in the channel became increasingly concentrated, and the chaos intensified.

Several hunters who had been completely corrupted had lost their minds and were firing at those around them.

Shi Geng frowned slightly as he looked at the chaotic scene before him.

He didn't want to meddle, but if these people continued to act so recklessly, who knew how many more people would die? And these were all his future assets.

After a moment's hesitation, Shi Geng casually placed the supply box aside and suddenly moved.

There was no earth-shattering display; it left only a faint afterimage in place.

The next moment, he appeared behind several out-of-control hunters, his hand lightly resting on the back of their necks.

The seemingly gentle press caused the berserker to go limp instantly, fainting and completely breaking free from the control of the Scarlet Essence.

Mark and Ran Bing, who had been watching him closely, were deeply shocked. He dealt with the out-of-control team members with ease, his speed was so fast that it was almost invisible to the naked eye, and he could even catch bullets with his bare hands...

"mark."

Ran Bing subconsciously looked at Mark.

"I see it. Let's evacuate first. There are more and more spinal worms. Why hasn't the gate been opened yet?"

Mark suppressed his shock, staring intently at the swarm of spineworms ahead, while urging those behind him to hurry on.

However, he soon noticed something was wrong; the swarm of spine worms that had been charging forward suddenly stopped their attack.

Immediately afterwards, a rustling and wriggling sound arose, and the densely packed spinal worms turned their bodies and retreated back into the deep darkness.

This unusual scene, however, did not make Mark relax; instead, it made him tense up and instantly put him on high alert.

Based on his experience from numerous ground missions, there is only one possibility that could cause a swarm of spinal worms to retreat in such a panic.

A far more terrifying and advanced Devouring Beast than the Spine Worm has arrived!

Sure enough, as the swarm of spinal worms retreated, a low, violent roar suddenly erupted from the depths of the dark passage. A snake-dog slowly stepped out of the shadows, completely exposed to everyone's eyes.

Its body was as large as a giant wolf, but it had six claws covered with hard armor, and the ground trembled slightly with every step it took.

Its body is covered with a hard, dark blue exoskeleton, with dark red Devouring Beast patterns swirling between the gaps, making it ferocious and full of oppressive power.

The most bizarre thing was that it didn't have a normal head on its neck. Instead, it had a thick, retractable snake-like neck with a cold, scarlet vertical pupil at the top. Its tongue flickered in and out, staring intently at the group of hunters.

A few slender, glowing tentacles behind its head emitted a faint blue light; these were its organs for communicating with its kind and sensing life. Its thick, long tail swayed behind it, ready to launch a deadly attack at any moment.

A terrifying aura far surpassing that of the Spine Worm instantly enveloped the entire passage, causing all the hunters present to turn deathly pale, and even the hands holding their guns began to tremble.

"It's a snake-dog!"

Mark's face suddenly darkened, and his heart sank to the bottom.

Encountering snakes and dogs in such a narrow and cramped passage, there is absolutely no room for maneuver. With only flesh and blood and ordinary firearms, they are definitely no match for them.

He could only deal with this level of Devouring Beast by piloting a Gravity Body.

"Ran Bing, you lead the team to retreat first. I'll draw its attention!"

Mark raised his gun without hesitation and fired wildly at the snake dog, while giving orders in a stern voice.

"What are you thinking? Can you manage without me? Mo Cheng, you take the team and evacuate. That's an order."

Ran Bing had no intention of leaving alone and immediately picked up her rifle and followed closely behind.

"Everyone, follow me."

Seeing this, Mo Cheng had no choice but to lead everyone toward the exit.

A hail of bullets rained down on the snake dog, but when they hit its skin, they only sparked a series of flashes, causing no damage whatsoever.

The excruciating pain completely enraged the Devouring Beast. It let out a ferocious roar, slammed its six claws into the ground, and charged straight at Mark and Ran Bing like an out-of-control chariot.

At this critical moment, Mark yanked Ran Bing aside and rolled away to avoid the danger.

The snake-dog crashed into the wall where the two had been standing, instantly denting the hard alloy wall.

Its flexible, retractable head suddenly swung back, bringing a foul stench as it bit straight for Mark's throat!

Mark parried with his gun, and with a loud crash, he was sent flying backward by the force, crashing heavily into the alloy door. A sweet taste rose in his throat.

"mark!"

Ran Bing exclaimed in surprise and immediately fired, aiming at the glowing tentacles on the back of the snake dog's head. However, the bullet was deflected by the snake dog's agile body as soon as it got close.

The passage was already narrow, and the snake-dog was fast, so the two were soon cornered.

Just as the snake-dog lunged again, ready to finish off Mark in one bite, a lazy voice drifted over.

"Oh, this little guy has quite a unique mind. Would you mind letting me study the spiritual seed within you?"

The two were taken aback. Hadn't everyone been evacuated? Why were there still people around?

The two turned their heads at the same time and saw a commoner carrying a supply box standing not far away, as if he was just there to watch the excitement.

The snake-dog was also drawn by the sound, its scarlet vertical pupils instantly locking onto him, and it let out a low growl full of hostility.

Ran Bing shouted anxiously, "Run! It's not something you can handle!"

But the next second, Shi Geng moved.

Without running or gathering strength, he simply took a step, and his figure appeared before the snake dog like a ghost.

Under the horrified gazes of the two, he raised a hand and lightly placed it on the snake-dog's incredibly hard shoulder.

The next moment, a chilling cracking sound suddenly rang out.

With what seemed like a casual press, the hard skin, which even bullets couldn't budge, shattered like a fragile piece of porcelain.

The snake-dog let out an extremely shrill scream, and its massive body flew out uncontrollably, crashing heavily into the wall.

The entire room fell silent.

Mark leaned against the wall and stood up, his pupils shrinking as he froze completely.

Ran Bing nearly dropped the gun, her large eyes filled with disbelief.

One punch... no, just one palm strike sent the Devouring Beast, which even a gravity-bound creature had to be careful to deal with, flying.

Amidst the smoke and dust, the snake-dog struggled to get up, its head retracting and its head hissing wildly. The tentacles behind its head emitted a blinding light, and the wounds it had been inflicted healed rapidly.

Shi Geng raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone remaining calm: "This recovery ability is quite interesting."

Before he finished speaking, he flashed again and appeared directly above the snake dog's head.

Before the other side could react, a foot gently landed on its flexible snake head.

"Click—"

The crisp sound of bones cracking echoed clearly throughout the passage.

The snake-dog, which had just been so ferocious, suddenly trembled and then stopped moving.