Doctor will never die in a hellish situation.

……

"No, no! This was all a pre-planned encirclement and annihilation. Wei Yanwu's schemes are far more ambitious than we imagined! He... he didn't treat us as a small fry; this plan... he's treating us like an army!"

“But we are just… just a mob of armed rioters. The Ursus people of Chernobog are too weak, and I was too careless. With our current numbers, we can’t fight them head-on! Even if we break through the encirclement, we won’t be able to hold out until we reach the secret passage in the slums!”

"The Guard Bureau and Rhodes Island could easily shoot us down along the way... They know the terrain well, and we're just outsiders. They can come out from any corner and leave before we can even react..."

The cheerful atmosphere clearly did not belong to the Reunion Movement. Right in the newly captured Guard Bureau outpost, Mephisto scratched his head vigorously and muttered to himself, the force so great that he pulled out a few strands of silver hair each time.

"Keep your voice down. Our morale is already low, and this will only make everyone lose their will to survive," Faust said worriedly as he looked up while wiping his crossbow bolts.

“My herds don’t care about this at all!” Mephisto retorted frantically, then continued muttering to himself, “Troops, we need more troops to break through the lines…”

“But there are still many normal compatriots in the group, and the scattered companions are trying to gather here. Besides, we still have Frostnova, and the Yetis will come to our aid!” Faust put his hand on Mephistopheles’ shoulder, trying to calm him down.

“Frostnova? Didn’t you hear what her companions said later? She’s barely holding on; she can’t help at all now!” Mephisto shook his head. “Herd, that’s right, my Herd, with my magic, we can… we can definitely…”

"Mephistopheles? Don't be impulsive!" Faust had a bad feeling and got up to stop him.

Painful howls echoed from the herds outside the base. If the elites Mephisto had transformed into on the Guard Bureau building still showed some human characteristics, these monsters had now transformed into something else entirely. Rather than being creatures, they were more like moving blocks of Originium.

Immediately, these monsters moved, not attacking the Guard Bureau or Rhodes Island, but targeting the infected people around them.

"*Ursus curse*, you monsters, stop! You're attacking friendly forces! I haven't said anything bad about Mephisto, and I haven't lost my will to fight... Help! He's biting my neck... Help... Ugh... Ouch!"

Sharp Originium teeth embedded themselves into the skin, and the struggling infected stopped moving. The Originium crystals that had previously only protruded slightly from the surface of the body began to spread at a visible speed, gradually transforming into new Originium monsters.

Then, he turned his bloodshot eyes on his terrified companion...

A few quick enough to escape the danger zone, before they could even figure out what was happening, the monsters actually tore off pieces of crystal from their bodies and threw them at them as projectiles, which also had an infectious effect.

"I have fully unleashed your vitality! Go forth! The entire Lungmen is your soil! Quickly, spread your seeds and expand your race!" Mephistopheles was insane as he looked at the chaotic temporary stronghold.

"What...what did you do?" Faust gritted his teeth and used a coded message to stop his phantom crossbowmen from approaching, signaling them to find a safe place to hide.

“I have completely broken control over the herds, making them stronger and more aggressive than before, and they will even seek out infected individuals to convert.” Mephisto’s tone remained manic. “Although they can no longer hear my voice, they will not attack us, and we can take this opportunity to leave Lungmen safely.”

"What about these herds?"

"They will continue to multiply and grow until they completely destroy Lungmen! If our compatriots do not get this city, the people of Lungmen will not be able to keep it either!"

Mephisto is now like a beast driven to the brink of despair, desperately trying to plunge his fangs into his enemy in order to fight for a last chance at survival.

He was extremely confident in the state of the herd in this condition, believing that with the combined strength of the Guard Bureau and Rhodes Island, it would be difficult to deal with these monsters.

Of course, all of this is based on the premise that Lungmen's combat strength is only what is publicly known.

Chapter 68, Section 353: The Nobleman in Red Robes and the Hound in Black Robes

The rampaging herds caused considerable trouble for the Guard Bureau, significantly slowing down the clearing of buildings. Several defensive lines were even breached by the enemy, forcing them to redeploy reinforcements.

“There are too many enemies, and our weapons can’t do any effective damage at all…” Inside a building where the Guard Bureau was stationed, an officer thrust out his energy halberd, only to find that the energy blade could not penetrate the Originium shell of the herd. The herd only took a few steps back and continued to charge forward.

"We can't back down! There are about twenty civilians gathered here. If they break through, we're finished!" The police officer dressed as the captain gritted his teeth, glanced at the red-robed man behind him out of the corner of his eye, and pushed the herd out while holding up his riot shield.

Despite being right in the middle of a battlefield, with a frenzied herd just a few meters away, the man in red robes kept his hands tucked into his sleeves and watched the show with the leisurely air of someone observing while their teammates were fighting – a true master chef's touch.

However, judging from the faint arcs of electricity flickering around the red-robed woman, she knew that she didn't really intend to just stand by and watch; she just wanted to wait until the last moment to make her move.

Just as the officers were about to give up and unleash their pent-up magic, an explosion came from outside the gate. A black-haired Felin girl carrying a hooded man rushed in, leaving a trail of sparks and explosions, and threw what she was carrying among the officers.

"Retreat first, retreat to the second-floor stairwell. Yes, this is the spot. Swordsmen, block the enemy's claws! Spearmen, take advantage of the elevation difference and stab his head; the skull is a weak point!" The hooded man weakly commanded, leaning against the wall to stand up.

"Doctor!?" Several Royal Guard officers looked delighted and immediately did as instructed.

The girl from the film cut off the herd's reinforcements, and the few remaining monsters were quickly wiped out with detailed instructions, much like a beginner's quest.

"Hey, why didn't you electrocute them just now? Wasn't it painful to hold back the spells you prepared?" Seeing that they had repelled the herd's attack, Huang slung the chainsaw over his back and turned to ask the man in red.

"Because he's the proctor. If you can't answer a question, you have to ask the proctor to give you a special pass. You're lucky if you even pass." Qin Duanyu stopped Huang, who was about to speak again, and apologized to the man in red robes with her hands clasped together. "This girl is used to being disrespectful. She doesn't even respect her superiors. She grabbed my collar and ran around everywhere. I will definitely discipline her strictly when we get back. I hope you won't take it to heart."

"What is all this about? We're clearly at war, what does this have to do with the exam?" Huang scratched his head and frowned.

"I told you on the way here, right? We're just working people, and Lao Wei from Longmen is our boss, right?" Qin Duanyu gently grabbed Huang's cat ears and whispered to him.

"Yes, that's true. Our salaries depend on Commander Wei's mood, so we have to work hard." Huang nodded, replying in deep agreement.

"If I told you that Lao Wei is just a contractor, and these red cloaks were sent by the client to inspect our work, and the inspection was about handling the integration movement, do you think we could mess with them?" Qin Duanyu continued, seeing that she understood.

"Big boss, big boss, RBQRBQ!" Huang suddenly realized, and when he looked at the girl in red again, a fawning smile appeared on his face.

Yes, she grasps things immediately; she's a good candidate to be a contractor in engineering projects!

"Pfft! Rhodes Island... You guys are really funny. You're Doctor, I've read some of your files, and you're completely different from what I imagined." Watching the two of them acting like a stand-up comedian, the head of the Inspectorate couldn't help but chuckle, speaking in an androgynous voice.

"That's great, she's a kind and friendly young lady. If you're satisfied with Rhodes Island's capabilities, please put in a good word for her with Lao Wei." Qin Duanyu said while directing the Guard Bureau officers to rearrange the defenses, and continued to try to get closer to her.

"Um!?"

"I'm sorry, although you tried to hide it, the scent of Dior's Rose Dance is just too unique. But since you're using such a fresh yet elegant perfume, you must be a gentle, virtuous, and beautiful young woman. I hope you won't mind my rudeness?"

"Heh, astonishing insight. I'm starting to take an interest in Rhodes Island." Whether overwhelmed by the flattery or because her gender had already been revealed, the red-robed woman stopped hiding it and switched to her original girlish voice, "So eager to make a good impression on me, it seems you have a good relationship with that person from Lungmen?"

"As expected, my little scheme couldn't escape your notice. Old Wei and I are sworn brothers!"

"Heh, risked your life? Doctor, you are indeed extraordinary." The girl in the red robe seemed to have heard something amusing, but in the end, she still praised Qin Duanyu.

"By the way, miss, if I may ask a question, I hope you don't mind." Seeing that the atmosphere of the meeting was good, he took the opportunity to move closer to the girl and pointed to the sky, "Were those burly men in black who just flew by also your men?"

……

On the other side, Chen was confronting the burly man in black that Qin Duanyu had mentioned.

"Speak, whose team are you? If you try to escape, I will immediately order your arrest! Hmph, a group of unidentified armed men appearing in a combat zone, the Guard Bureau has the right to kill them!" She pointed her sword at them and said coldly.

The disappearance of all the citizens in half a block undoubtedly alerted Chen. This street, located in the lower city, was not within the scope of the emergency evacuation. Although there were obvious signs of battle, there were no corpses left around if they were all killed by the Reunion Movement.

She immediately ordered the entire area to be sealed off, and then discovered the men in black who hadn't had time to leave during the investigation.

"Rebuilding the Guard Bureau would be too costly and exhausting. Moreover, as the face of Lungmen, losing it all would have a huge impact on public morale. Therefore, I do not recommend that you do it," the man in black replied indifferently.

In his words, the Guard Bureau, which seemed to be a symbol of Lungmen's military power, was something fragile that could be broken at the slightest touch.

"Wow, you're so amazing! I'm really scared. Should I thank you for not wiping out the entire Guard Bureau? Are you a member of the Dragon Gate Compassionate Temple from the urban legends?" Chen pouted, mimicking Qin Duanyu's smug tone.

"Don't try to provoke me, and don't try to test my background." The man in black shook his head. "Just like a cat catching a mouse or a dog catching a rabbit, the Guard Bureau only needs to do its job. No owner likes a dog that meddles in other people's business."

"That kind of threat won't work on me! But believe me, if I just press a finger, all the Rhodes Island operators in the entire area will know you're here," Chen Yang said, brandishing the communicator in his left hand.

“Why bother? We’re all just executors of the plan. We’ll eliminate those mutated infected for the Guard Bureau, while the Guard Bureau’s job is to wipe out the regular Reunion Movement.” The man in black said, turning to walk out the window. “Superintendent Chen, stop trying to investigate. I’m only letting you off the hook because of Mr. Wei.”

Chen Gang tried to speak up to stop him, but the man in black had already disappeared, leaving only a sentence echoing in his ears: "By the way, cutting off your arm was actually quite easy, especially when you were wavering. If I were you, I would choose to forget about it."

Before Chen could even go to the window to check, Swire rushed over.

"Changfen Long, I have important news, we..." She rushed excitedly to Chen, but was startled by his unpleasant expression. "What's wrong? Did a relative visit or were you rejected by the doctor after confessing your feelings?"

“I don’t have time for jokes. Lungmen has deployed special forces, and the fate of all the residents in this area is unknown. I suspect they are doing something terrible,” Chen interrupted Swire, speaking solemnly.

"You've been reading too many urban legends. How could such a thing exist? Instead of believing these gossip rumors, you might as well tell me that the medics are the best fighters on Rhodes Island." Swire's expression stiffened, and she forced a smile as she tried to change the subject.

"Stop pretending, Char Siu Cat. Your acting is really bad. When have you ever fooled me?" Chen pressed down on her shoulders, his red eyes staring straight at her.

"If I really have to say, there's only one possibility... Gray Forest." Swire really wanted to say that she had sneaked into the doctor's room in the villa that time, and Chen had been fooled by the two of them, but in the end she didn't dare.

“How could someone who treats the entire slum like his own child allow something like this to happen?” Chen shook his head, temporarily suppressing his doubts. “By the way, what was the important news you mentioned earlier?”

"So why are you bothered by all that nonsense? While supporting the various outposts, the Doctor discovered traces of Reunion Movement cadres and successfully wounded them. They are now requesting us to send reinforcements to encircle and annihilate them!"

That's all for today. I've estimated that I've written about 8000 words.

By the way, tomorrow's first chapter will feature Consort Mei and Faust meeting their demise, and the content is unlikely to be pleasant. Readers who are fans of these two characters can skip this chapter.

Chapter 69, Section 354: Sing Me a Song

How many deaths have I witnessed?

Of these people, how many were buried by my own hands?

A series of shadows flashed before Faust's eyes, some were his close companions, others were enemies he had only met once. He tried to make out their faces, but he could not concentrate and his vision became increasingly blurry.

This state is undoubtedly fatal for a sniper.

Who taught me all this? Was it Patriot and his guerrillas? Or the Phantom Crossbowmen?

Faust's thoughts became chaotic, and he even recalled four or five years ago when he and Mephisto met Talulah, were influenced by her emotions and joined the Reunion Movement, and then received training under the Patriots, gradually growing into an excellent warrior...

Then, the scene shifts dramatically, and young Mephisto holds him in his arms, gently telling him that because an Originium crystal was inserted into his throat, he can no longer sing, but he has also gained immense power, allowing him to kill all the Infected children who bullied them, as well as their so-called family...

Is this a revolving lantern display before death?

I'm so sleepy, it hurts so much, and I really want to sleep.

We promised to live together, but in the end, I couldn't do anything. I'm so useless.

"Save him..."

"Save him..."

An anxious and concerned call pulled Faust back to reality. The innocent child's face in his memory transformed into a bloodstained and dusty, distraught young man's face, as if the sky had fallen.

"How can we save him? The field medics we brought were attacked by your herd immediately and turned into mindless monsters. Moreover, with their shoddy medical skills, even if they manage to remove the bullet from Faust's body, there's no guarantee he can survive the subsequent infection and inflammation!"

The voice of a phantom crossbowman came through the communicator, reminding Faust of his previous encounter.

After noticing the abnormality of the herd, he abandoned Mephisto and tried to rescue more of his brethren from the herd. However, he encountered the Rhodes Island sniper. Already outmatched by the sniper and suffering several losses, coupled with the fact that his previous injuries had only been barely healed, he was no match for him.

An etched bullet struck him a few centimeters from his heart, embedding itself deeply in his internal organs. To make matters worse, several of his ribs were broken, piercing his lungs.

While Mephisto can accelerate wound healing, this spell cannot remove bullets or bone fragments.

"No, a fully liberated herd should be able to hold off the Royal Guard and Rhodes Island. I've studied their equipment and tactics carefully; those guys should be in a tough fight. Faust shouldn't be encountering the enemy!"

"But from our observation, your herds are dying! Perhaps the initial offensive was incredibly fierce and successfully halted their advance, but it seems that the Reunion Movement itself is suffering the most damage."

"How is this possible? Where exactly did things go wrong..." Mephistopheles gritted his teeth, unable to figure out the crux of the problem.

“It was those people in black raincoats!” Faust slowly spoke up, joining the discussion. “I saw them indiscriminately cleaning up everyone.”

"Faust, you're finally awake? Don't worry, just like we agreed, we'll live on together!" The silver-haired boy forced a smile, but it couldn't hide his weakness and helplessness.