Zhao Yong tried to drag the girl away from the ground, but found her feet seemed rooted to the floor, completely immovable.

Xu Min, seeing Zhao Yong was unharmed, activated her talent ability as well, her entire body undergoing mutation.

If Zhao Yong died, her desperate struggle would just mean one more casualty. It would be better to escape while the monster was distracted by Lin Ye and Li Ji.

But in this situation, escape wasn't guaranteed either. Since Zhao Yong survived, fighting desperately actually offered better survival odds.

However, before she could charge forward, the situation changed again - the girl sent the enlarged Zhao Yong flying with a single punch. Fortunately, Zhao Yong blocked the attack this time, avoiding serious injury.

The girl stubbornly turned back toward Lin Ye, only to find Li Ji already carrying Lin Ye downstairs.

Lin Ye had put on the Cross Necklace, his gaze locked onto the girl while using his perception to track her position, his hand gripping the fully mutated CL0 Pistol.

There was only one bullet left in the pistol.

It wasn't until now that Lin Ye understood the pistol's mutation mechanism - the magazine could store 20 mutated bullets initially. As the bullets mutated, their number gradually decreased until only one remained, completing the mutation process.

Lin Ye didn't fully grasp the gun's principles, but that didn't hinder his ability to use it.

The girl only had one mutated part - right at her body's center. But her movements were too fast; Lin Ye needed an opening.

The girl seemed to notice Lin Ye's "gaze" too. This time she didn't rush to move, allowing Lin Ye to create distance instead.

This was a game of chess.

Lin Ye's perception range was limited; the girl was waiting for him to move out of range.

Lin Ye was waiting for her to charge and reveal an opening. At close enough range, no speed could dodge a bullet.

At Lin Ye's signal, Li Ji stopped running. If the opponent wouldn't come, he'd have to go himself.

Currently, Zhao Yong and Xu Min were on the second floor, Lin Ye on the first - the trio had the girl surrounded from three directions.

The girl stood at the stairway landing, looking down at Lin Ye.

With her back to Zhao Yong and Xu Min, she completely disregarded the other three.

Time ticked by as the stalemate continued.

Zhao Yong and Xu Min wanted to stall until dawn; the girl showed no urgency; Li Ji still didn't understand why Lin Ye wasn't running. The only one who needed to hurry was Lin Ye.

He couldn't hold on much longer.

The Cross Necklace's side effects grew increasingly severe - his vision had started doubling.

Yet he calmly gestured for Li Ji to find him a chair.

Though it wouldn't affect his shooting, he refused to face the enemy while being princess-carried.

Sitting on the chair, Lin Ye pulled out a metal syringe and injected its contents into his neck - this was the Lifesaver from the medical kit.

[Lifesaver]

[A mass-produced emergency stimulant with revitalizing effects]

[Note: Mind the dosage, or you might really "revitalize" permanently]

The Lifesaver's effects were terrifyingly potent - within seconds it restored Lin Ye from near-death to normal condition. But moments later, Lin Ye realized something was wrong as the stimulant kept enhancing his state.

Time's flow seemed to slow; the empty syringe slipped from Lin Ye's hand but took forever to hit the ground.

Lin Ye's perception first expanded outward, then abruptly condensed into something more concentrated - a different kind of power entirely.

"Now!"

Knowing this enhanced state wouldn't last, Lin Ye drew the Red Blade and charged at the girl.

Hearing Lin Ye's signal, Zhao Yong reacted first.

With a slight foot movement, he instantly closed the distance to the girl and unleashed a full-power strike at her head.

Xu Min moved just as fast, targeting the girl's back with surging spiritual energy, aiming to pierce straight through.

Yet the girl remained motionless as if unaware of them, her gaze fixed solely on Lin Ye's approaching figure, letting both attacks land on her.

Thud!

Thud!

Their blows struck an invisible spiritual energy barrier one centimeter from the girl's body. No matter how hard they pushed, they couldn't advance even a millimeter further.

Lin Ye "saw" that barrier - a full-body shield woven from high-density spiritual energy. But what constructed it wasn't just spiritual energy - there was another force similar to his condensed perception.

By now Lin Ye had ascended the stairs, bringing them within two meters. He could even see the coldness in the girl's dark red eyes.

At this proximity, the girl still didn't move, having long sensed Lin Ye possessed power that could threaten her.

She could easily kill Lin Ye if she acted, but if he found an opening, he could seriously wound her.

Lin Ye didn't attempt anything fancy - he simply directed his condensed perception force at the girl's weak point. Since she could weave spiritual barriers with this power while he barely understood it, trying to outmaneuver her would be foolish.

The spiritual barrier shattered instantly. Lin Ye's vision went dark, his mind dizzy, but current-him needed neither eyes nor brains - just reckless momentum.

The girl seemed surprised Lin Ye broke her barrier, but she still blocked his spiritual energy-charged Red Blade.

BOOM!

Point-blank shot!

Lin Ye practically pressed the gun barrel against the girl's mutated spot before firing. The tremendous impact punched straight through her body.

Yet at the last millisecond, the girl shifted slightly, moving her vital spot aside.

Even so, she suffered severe injuries, clutching her wound as she scrambled to the corner to prevent pursuit.

Lin Ye had no strength left to chase. As the Lifesaver's effects faded, he became the helpless cripple who couldn't even stand without assistance again.

Still, he lay there aiming his gun at the girl, seemingly ready to fire any moment.

Zhao Yong and Xu Min naturally wouldn't miss this opportunity. Though badly injured themselves, when survival hung in the balance, condition mattered little.

Deathmatch.

A brutal, blood-soaked deathmatch where only living or dying remained.

When it all ended, no one present could stand anymore.

After some time, Li Ji - having stayed luckily unharmed - was first to rise.

Lin Ye got up next, having only maintained gunpoint intimidation without participating in the final clash (not that he could have in his state).

He began collecting spoils - he might die, but he wouldn't return empty-handed.

By the time the battered Old Man Zhao and Xu Min struggled up, Lin Ye had already processed all harvestable mutation organs, filling several large woven bags (fortunately being in a supermarket meant no shortage of bags).

As the four regrouped on the second floor, the hazy morning sun finally shone through the supermarket windows.