Eugene raised a hand and rubbed the cheek that had been slapped.

He Yu's strength posed virtually no threat to someone from Mechanical Planet.

But being slapped in the face—

Whether on Blue Star or in the Federation—

Carried a very special meaning.

He had been slapped by He Yu.

Literally.

Physically.

Eugene's furious roar echoed clearly through the long corridor, shaking the hallway itself.

The two guards froze before instinctively moving to stop Eugene as he charged out.

Unfortunately for them—

This was Eugene... who had been bottling up his rage for several hours.

The instant they tried to make a move, two savage chainsaws roared to full power.

The spinning blades sliced toward their necks while Eugene's mechanical body slammed into them like solid steel.

Bang!

One guard was smashed against the corridor wall.

The expression on Eugene's face was utterly ferocious.

Neither of them could stop him.

Time was precious.

He didn't waste a second on the two guards.

After knocking them aside, he sprinted across the corridor at astonishing speed toward the laboratory.

Straight to the room where Ling Buchen and the others were.

The audience was dumbfounded.

[Bullet Screen: "Holy shit! When did Eugene unlock his handcuffs?!"]

[Bullet Screen: "It was He Yu! He unlocked them while beating the crap out of Eugene."]

[Bullet Screen: "My god! They were working together?! I seriously thought they were having an elementary-school-style catfight!"]

[Bullet Screen: "HAHAHAHA Eugene has been holding that anger in for hours!"]

[Bullet Screen: "When He God was beating him, there was definitely a bit of personal revenge mixed in. Hahaha!"]

[Bullet Screen: "I'm dying! He God is unbelievable. He figured out how to unlock the handcuffs just by watching the doctor do it a few times, then hid the whole thing inside the beating!"]

[Bullet Screen: "Their teamwork is insane. They coordinated perfectly without exchanging a single word. If it were me, I'd have had absolutely no clue what was going on QAQ."]

[Bullet Screen: "AHHH! Both livestreams are incredible! I'm opening both projections!"]

[Bullet Screen: "He God blowing that whistle was so unbelievably cool!!"]

...

From taking out the medicine...

To smashing the vial...

To blowing the whistle...

To Eugene's furious roar echoing down the corridor...

Everything had happened too suddenly.

Too quickly.

Dr. Ganlun hadn't even fully processed what was happening.

His expression froze.

After lowering his hand from the whistle, He Yu heard Eugene's response.

The corners of his lips lifted.

His beautiful black almond-shaped eyes sparkled with mischief, brighter than the light reflecting from his glasses.

His cool voice carried a faint smile.

"Dr. Ganlun..."

"You see?"

"I can stop you."

The defensive barrier blocked attacks.

It couldn't stop vapor.

The instant He Yu shattered the vial, an overwhelming surge of energy burst outward.

The concentration was so dense that pale white mist became visible as it poured directly into Dr. Ganlun's lungs.

The violent energy immediately invaded his body, rampaging through him with savage force.

Dr. Ganlun's pupils shook violently.

His reason returned in an instant.

He instinctively held his breath.

It was useless.

The medicine seeped through every pore of his skin.

It also flowed into He Yu through the fingers holding the vial.

Smack!

Dr. Ganlun slapped He Yu's hand away.

The vial hit the floor.

The medicine had already completely vaporized.

Only an empty test tube remained.

Crash!

Glass scattered across the floor.

Neither of them paid it any attention.

Dr. Ganlun's heartbeat accelerated.

His breathing became ragged.

He stared at He Yu in disbelief.

"Are you insane?!"

This wasn't sacrificing eight hundred to kill a thousand.

This was sacrificing a thousand to injure eight hundred.

When the enhanced serum vaporized, He Yu had undoubtedly absorbed far more than Dr. Ganlun.

He Yu's pale skin became covered with another layer of crimson.

His eyes gradually reddened.

Large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.

One hand braced itself against Zhen Xing's operating bed.

His vision blurred.

Even the hand supporting him trembled almost imperceptibly.

Yet he never stopped smiling.

His eyes remained perfectly lucid as he looked at Dr. Ganlun.

"Eugene will be here soon."

"Doctor..."

"Maybe we can't hurt you."

"But we can die together."

His other hand slowly rose.

Another enhanced serum.

Dr. Ganlun instinctively retreated several steps.

He had no way of knowing whether the medicine in He Yu's hand was another vaporizing serum.

Nor could he tell whether He Yu truly intended to drag them both to their deaths.

The medicine was already taking effect.

Even that tiny amount of enhanced serum was violently powerful.

Neither of them possessed particularly durable physiques.

Dr. Ganlun glanced between He Yu and the operating bed He Yu was stubbornly protecting.

Grinding his teeth, he hissed,

"You just wait."

"I won't let you go."

"You lunatic!"

He really was insane.

Instead of cherishing his own life...

He insisted on dragging someone else into death with him.

Dr. Ganlun knew perfectly well—

If He Yu shattered another vial...

He Yu would die before he did.

But why would Dr. Ganlun gamble his own life against a madman?

He believed himself to be the "Father of Gods."

His ambitions were limitless.

Which meant he treasured his own life even more.

He would never allow himself to be placed in genuine danger.

So...

He retreated.

There was an old saying—

The reckless feared the ruthless.

The ruthless feared those who no longer cared whether they lived.

Someone like He Yu—

Crazy.

Fearless.

Completely willing to bet his own life—

Made anyone hesitate.

He always gambled with his own life.

Dr. Ganlun couldn't.

The laboratory contained a downward teleportation platform.

Dr. Ganlun's figure disappeared from the room.

Only his furious roar remained.

"Capture them!"

[Bullet Screen: "Only now did he realize He Yu's crazy? We've gotten used to it!"]

[Bullet Screen: "Bullshit! I still haven't gotten used to it! He shocks me every single time—and amazes me every single time."]

[Bullet Screen: "My god... He's always surviving right on the edge of death. He's too ruthless... too insane."]

[Bullet Screen: "He Yu's madness has become contagious. Even Eugene and the others have caught a little of it now..."]

The instant Dr. Ganlun disappeared—

He Yu's body gave way.

He dropped to one knee.

The vial rolled onto the operating bed.

He barely avoided losing consciousness by supporting himself against it.

The enhanced serum was simply too powerful.

His current body had absolutely no chance of enduring it.

The most terrifying part—

His wristband was still on.

The energy couldn't escape.

Nor could his body absorb it.

The only thing he could do was force all that energy into his brain.

In an instant, every brain cell became hyperactive.

His nervous system could barely withstand it.

His vision repeatedly went black.

Hallucinations began appearing.

Everything before his eyes became blurry.

—I can't pass out.

He Yu shook his head.

It felt as though his skull had exploded.

The skin elsewhere gradually returned to its pale color.

Only his eyes remained blood-red.

His hyperactive brain no longer made him smarter.

Instead—

His thoughts dissolved into chaos.

He slowly lost the ability to think.

Tilting his head upward, those blood-red eyes remained wide open.

His hoarse voice echoed quietly.

"I can't pass out..."

"Eugene... will free Ling Buchen and the others..."

"I have to take Zhen Xing out..."

When his brain reached this state, thinking became impossible.

The violent energy racing through his body continuously issued one incorrect command after another.

He Yu could only keep repeating what he needed to do aloud.

What he absolutely had to do.

Speaking out loud worked better than trying to think through the chaos.

"Tenth floor..."

"Can't go through the laboratory..."

"That's the doctor's passage..."

"He can cut it off..."

"Go outside..."

"The main hall..."

"Hurry..."

Broken fragments of sentences left his lips.

He knew he had to leave immediately.

Yet he couldn't even perform the simple action of standing up.

Everything before him changed.

One moment he was in the past.

The next—

In some chaotic future.

The ground beneath him became an endless abyss.

Then clouds.

The operating bed beneath his hand transformed into a monster trying to swallow him whole.

His distorted nervous system kept sending increasingly irrational commands.

The splitting pain inside his skull made him want to smash his own head against the floor.

To scream.

The audience watched everything unfold.

The Bullet Screen exploded.

[Bullet Screen: "Oh my god! He God's condition is horrible!"]

[Bullet Screen: "My god... I can actually imagine how painful this is. Even after removing their wristbands, Ling Buchen and Qiong almost couldn't endure the enhanced serum. He Yu is forcing that serum into his fragile body! He can only push the energy into his brain. His brain must be enduring unimaginable pain. It hurts just watching him..."]

[Bullet Screen: "AHHHH Yu Yu, hang in there! Please! Eugene already cut open the restraints around their necks! He's waking Siya and Duan Yuchen! Hold on! Wait for them!"]

...

In the other laboratory—

Following He Yu's earlier instructions, Eugene charged directly toward Ling Buchen's room while He Yu distracted Dr. Ganlun.

He had to free all four of them before the doctor could react.

It was incredibly dangerous.

One moment too slow—

And Dr. Ganlun could instantly kill them.

All four remained strapped to the operating beds.

Their wristbands and handcuffs had already been removed, allowing them to use their equipment.

Only the deadly restraints around their necks remained.

Eugene reached out with both arms, dragging the two closest toward him.

Both chainsaws started simultaneously.

His movements were unbelievably fast.

With no time to spare, he immediately attacked at maximum power.

The restraints could indeed be cut apart.

But there was one enormous problem—

Crunch!

The instant the restraints broke—

Even though Eugene withdrew the chainsaws immediately—

The tremendous force still carved long gashes across both of their necks.

Blood sprayed everywhere.

Fortunately—

Qiong and Ling Buchen reacted instantly.

The moment the restraints came off, they equipped defensive gear while simultaneously drinking healing potions.

The defensive equipment weakened the damage.

The healing potion immediately repaired the wounds.

They survived.

Eugene lunged toward Duan Yuchen and Siya.

"Hurry! Help!"

Ignoring the wounds still healing across their necks, Qiong and Ling Buchen rushed over to rescue the remaining two.

Still only half-conscious, Duan Yuchen and Siya needed protection while Eugene cut away their restraints.

All four were finally free.

While Eugene and Qiong hurriedly tried waking them—

Ling Buchen shot out of the laboratory like lightning.

Leaving only one sentence behind.

"I'm going to save He Yu first!"

He Yu had to be in terrible danger.

The normally honest, simple expression on Ling Buchen's face had disappeared.

Only fierce determination remained.

Outside—

Countless gray-white faces emerged.

The walls twisted.

Attack after attack flew toward him.

His zither appeared before him.

Ignoring every attack, Ling Buchen charged forward without hesitation.

His eyes were unwavering.

His aura carried absolute resolve—

As though even gods and Buddhas alike would be cut down if they stood in his way.

The previously forgettable face now shone brilliantly.

[Bullet Screen: "Holy shit... Ling Buchen is so damn cool again."]

[Bullet Screen: "No wonder He God values him so highly!"]

[Bullet Screen: "This year's contestants are seriously incredible. Though of course, He God is still number one."]

[Bullet Screen: "AHHH! Hurry! Ling Buchen, save He Yu!"]

While Ling Buchen rushed toward him—

The last thread of He Yu's consciousness told him—

He couldn't stay here.

His head remained tilted upward.

His blood-red eyes stayed wide open.

Even stained crimson, they remained astonishingly beautiful.

Slowly—

He reached down.

His distinct fingers trembled as they picked up a shard of broken glass.

His hand shook so violently that the sharp edge immediately sliced open his fingertip.

Drops of blood splashed onto the floor.

He raised the shard.

Despite the trembling—

He ruthlessly slashed it across the center of his forehead.

Without hesitation.

[Bullet Screen: "AHHHHH!"]

[Bullet Screen: "My god! That's brutal!"]

[Bullet Screen: "Holy shit... My heart hurts so much for He God!!"]

The place hurting most was his brain.

So—

He injured the place closest to it.

Blood flowed down from the wound between his brows.

His nearly collapsing consciousness became slightly clearer.

He threw away the glass.

One hand slowly wiped away the blood streaming down his face.

Those crimson eyes stared forward.

Combined with that bloodstained gesture—

He Yu suddenly carried an almost demonic beauty.

Slowly—

He forced himself to stand.

He unlocked the iron chains securing Zhen Xing.

Then—

He lifted Zhen Xing onto his back.

And staggered toward the exit.

Blood dripped from his forehead.

It rolled down his chin.

Finally falling onto the back of Zhen Xing's hand hanging over He Yu's shoulder.

The warm drops seemed almost scalding.

Zhen Xing's fingers twitched slightly.

He Yu never noticed.

He staggered not because he lacked strength—

But because he no longer possessed reason.

His chaotic brain continued issuing one nonsensical command after another.

Yet he resisted every one of them through sheer instinct.

Carrying Zhen Xing—

He walked out of the laboratory.

The instant his foot crossed the ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) doorway—

Two monsters appeared where Dr. Ganlun had vanished.

Human heads.

Beast bodies.

One crimson eye.

One green eye.

The instant they landed—

The ground shook violently.

Savage killing intent filled the air.

[Bullet Screen: "My god! So that's why He Yu left the laboratory! The doctor released monsters to capture them!"]

[Bullet Screen: "They're terrifying! He God, run!"]

[Bullet Screen: "He Yu, RUN!!"]

He Yu had barely stepped into the corridor.

His body swayed with every step.

At this moment—

He no longer knew who he was.

Nor where he was.

In his vision—

The corridor became a snowy wilderness.

Then a forest.

Then a sea of flames.

His feet never stopped.

His hands remained tightly locked around Zhen Xing.

He simply kept moving forward.

This was pure instinct.

When he shattered the vial, he had planted an anchor deep inside his own consciousness.

Even with his mind consumed by chaos—

His instincts still remembered what had to be done.

He left the laboratory.

Walked some distance.

Still not yet halfway between the two laboratories...

ROAR!!

The monsters burst from behind.

They lunged toward He Yu.

[Bullet Screen: "AHHHHH!"]

[Bullet Screen: "HE YU, WATCH OUT!!"]

Inside another room—

Dr. Ganlun lay within a medical chamber.

Recovery medicine poured endlessly into his body.

Machines worked to stabilize him.

He had also absorbed the enhanced serum.

His entire body burned.

Energy rampaged through him.

Rage flashed across his wide-open eyes.

His fists clenched tightly.

They had to be captured.

He would tear that lunatic into pieces.

Taking a deep breath, he continued adjusting his condition through the machines, gradually dispersing the rampant energy.

The projection before him displayed everything clearly.

He Yu staggered ahead.

Behind him—

The failed creations he had released rushed toward their prey.

Dr. Ganlun's eyes lit up.

"Catch him!"

A gust of wind came from behind.

He Yu's hyperactive brain detected it immediately.

Danger.

But those same hyperactive nerves no longer obeyed him.

He couldn't dodge.

Couldn't run faster.

He could only continue staggering forward.

One of the monsters was slightly smaller.

Unable to run side by side in the corridor, it reached He Yu first.

Its agile body crossed in a few steps what took He Yu many.

Its massive claw swept downward.

Enough force to crush He Yu into pulp.

The monster opened its mouth.

Saliva dripped.

Almost...

It had him.

Its claw nearly touched He Yu's hair.

Zheng—

The sharp, piercing sound of a zither echoed through the corridor.

The monster hesitated for a fraction of a second.

That instant—

Ling Buchen arrived.

Ignoring the countless wounds carved across his body by the gray-white faces—

Stepping directly on them—

Eyes blazing with determination—

He threw himself at the monster.

One kick blasted it backward.

With his other hand—

He grabbed He Yu.

Along with Zhen Xing—

And threw both of them behind him.

The old Ling Buchen could never have done this.

The transformed Ling Buchen could.

Holding the zither, he spun.

His long leg swept outward.

The divine treasure's power merged perfectly with his own enhanced combat power.

Physical attacks.

Magical attacks.

Both erupted simultaneously.

The two monsters were completely blocked.

The monsters were powerful.

Ling Buchen was no weaker.

The airborne He Yu and Zhen Xing began falling—

Bang!

Eugene blasted aside a gray-white face with his chainsaw and caught He Yu.

One powerful arm wrapped around He Yu's slender waist.

A completely inappropriate thought flashed through his mind—

His waist is really that thin...

Only for an instant.

His reason immediately returned.

He tossed both He Yu and Zhen Xing farther back.

"Catch them!"

Without even turning around, he stepped onto the gray-white faces and charged toward the front of the corridor.

To help Ling Buchen fight the two monstrous abominations.

Behind him—

Qiong caught He Yu with perfect coordination.

Without slowing in the slightest—

Threads shot through the air.

Pulling He Yu clear of the gray-white faces.

Passing him onward.

Into Duan Yuchen's waiting arms.

Duan Yuchen held a massive hammer in one hand.

He caught He Yu with the other.

Siya caught Zhen Xing.

Duan Yuchen's face was still pale.

His eyes, however, were completely clear.

Though covered in wounds, explosive strength radiated from his body.

Swinging his hammer, he laughed.

"He Yu!"

"You protected us all day."

"Now it's our turn to protect you!"

Siya smiled as well.

"That's right."

"We're protecting our brain!"

Carrying Zhen Xing, flowers bloomed around her one after another.

They opened their jaws and bit into the gray-white faces.

Ling Buchen and Eugene held back the two monsters at the front.

Qiong cleared the path through the center.

Duan Yuchen and Siya each carried one person as they advanced.

Siya shouted,

"Which way?!"

Eugene answered,

"We need to reach the tenth floor, but I don't know how!"

Qiong's threads swept away another gray-white face.

"The laboratory ahead! We can go down from there!"

Earlier, following He Yu's instructions, she had overheard Dr. Ganlun.

Ling Buchen rejected it immediately.

"No."

"He Yu came out from there carrying Zhen Xing."

He understood He Yu.

If He Yu had deliberately come out—

Then going down that route meant walking into a trap.

At that moment—

A hoarse voice sounded.

"The middle."

"The teleport elevator."

Qiong's eyes lit up.

"He Yu!"

Duan Yuchen.

Eugene.

Siya.

All of them brightened.

Ling Buchen turned around in delight.

Meeting a pair of blood-red eyes that were steadily regaining clarity.

He Yu looked at him.

Then slowly smiled.

He Yu was awake.

At that instant—

Everyone found their backbone again.

Their attacks became fiercer.

While holding back one monster, Eugene yelled,

"Damn it!"

"You all doubled your strength while I'm still standing still!"

"AAAH! Ling Buchen, help!"

He Yu's voice remained hoarse.

But perfectly clear.

"Ling Buchen—hold both monsters."

"Duan Yuchen, reinforce him."

"Qiong—hold back the gray-white faces."

"Wrap their necks with your threads."

"Attack the forehead and temples."

"Siya—take us to the teleport elevator."

"Watch the corridor walls."

"Eugene..."

"Cut downward from the teleport channel."

No one hesitated.

Everyone carried out He Yu's orders immediately.

Ling Buchen blocked the center of the corridor.

Eugene retreated toward the teleport elevator.

Duan Yuchen charged forward with his hammer to assist Ling Buchen.

The gray-white faces attempted to stop them.

Qiong's threads danced through the air.

One set wrapped around necks.

The other pierced foreheads and temples.

Siya protected He Yu as they headed toward the teleport elevator.

Zhen Xing remained on He Yu's back.

Everything progressed smoothly.

By the time they reached the teleport elevator—

Eugene had already begun cutting through the floor.

Standing nearby with Zhen Xing on his back, He Yu's gaze remained sharp.

He continued issuing orders.

"Siya."

"Protect Eugene."

"More gray-white faces and monsters will arrive here immediately."

The moment those words fell—

Several gray-white faces and monsters teleported in.

Siya narrowed her eyes.

A smile curved her lips.

"I haven't really tested my enhanced combat power yet."

"Come on."

"Let's see just how strong I've become."

She charged straight at them.

At this moment—

Every one of them had become fearless lunatics.

Dr. Ganlun's blood churned.

His body trembled.

Realizing the enhanced serum was causing discomfort but no serious damage, he abruptly stood up.

The projection shifted accordingly.

Everything appeared clearly before him.

Watching them cut open the floor around the teleport elevator—

His face flushed bright red with rage.

At that same moment—

He Yu tilted his head toward the upper corner of the corridor.

He smiled faintly.

From Dr. Ganlun's perspective—

It was as though He Yu were looking directly into his eyes.

Smiling at him.

The doctor trembled even harder.

His teeth ground together.

This time had been bought with everyone's lives.

While frantically cutting through the floor, Eugene shouted,

"He Yu!"

"Have you figured out how we're supposed to escape?!"

Their mission wasn't merely escaping.

It was escaping prison...

Without triggering the prison's defenses.

But escaping would inevitably activate those defenses.

He Yu's eyes remained crimson.

Yet with every passing second, they grew clearer.

His evolving brain analyzed everything with unprecedented clarity.

What had once been only a vague suspicion—

Had now become absolute certainty.

He adjusted his rimless glasses.

His body still hadn't recovered.

His voice remained low and hoarse.

"I know now."

"Doctor..."

"We're going to borrow one of your passageways."

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