CHAPTER 1632: CHAPTER 1626: GODS BATTLE, MORTALS KEEP AWAY

"Die!"

At the exact moment Su Xiujun successfully transformed into a zombie, a bloodthirsty growl erupted from Yan Jiang’s mouth! The massive sword in his hand spun once, and he became a streak of lightning, appearing before "Su Xiujun" in the blink of an eye!

Swish!

The sword was just raised and immediately came crashing down onto "Su Xiujun’s" shoulder. The coarse, bark-like skin split under the blade, revealing grayish-pink flesh beneath. Yan Jiang glanced at "Su Xiujun’s" face—it was utterly devoid of emotion, as though he felt no pain!

Hmph!

Yan Jiang snorted coldly, gripping the sword with one hand and attempting to wrench it free from "Su Xiujun’s" shoulder. But just then, "Su Xiujun" reacted. Like a mechanical automaton, his head turned toward Yan Jiang, his gaze locking onto him. The next instant, the corners of his mouth curved upward, forming a chilling smile that sent shivers down the spine!

"Get lost!"

Yan Jiang roared furiously, delivering a powerful kick directly to "Su Xiujun’s" abdomen. The force sent his opponent staggering several steps backward, while Yan Jiang seized the moment to pull the sword free. Without pause, he aimed the blade at "Su Xiujun’s" neck and swung forcefully!

Even as the blade flew toward him, "Su Xiujun" maintained that eerie grin, seeming completely indifferent to Yan Jiang’s actions. But as the sword neared his neck, a thin red line suddenly appeared. The line widened in the blink of an eye, and then—his head tilted slightly, the bloodline split further, tearing into a massive gaping maw! Rows of razor-sharp teeth glinted coldly, exuding an unsettling aura!

The sword blade landed squarely on the mouth at his neck, and in the next second, a crisp "ding" echoed. Those rows of sharp teeth snapped shut, clenching onto Yan Jiang’s sword with unyielding force!

"Su Xiujun" tilted his head back, staring at Yan Jiang’s face once more. That same terrifying smile stretched across his features again. Yan Jiang, however, merely cracked his neck with audible pops, then tightened his fist and launched a thunderous punch at "Su Xiujun’s" forehead!

The air compressed, exploding outward in a burst of white mist. "Su Xiujun’s" entire body was sent flying skyward by Yan Jiang’s strike. Before he could hit the ground, Yan Jiang reached out, grabbing his hair mid-air, and slammed him into the ground like a sandbag!

"Go to hell!"

Not giving his opponent the slightest chance to recover, Yan Jiang raised his foot and stomped "Su Xiujun’s" head directly into the ground!

Pulling the sword out from where it had lodged in his neck, Yan Jiang was about to make his next move when he suddenly muttered in confusion, "Hm?"

The moment the sound left his lips, a dark-purple, multi-branched tentacle shot up from the ground without warning, coiling tightly around Yan Jiang’s waist! Taken by surprise, Yan Jiang’s reactions stalled, and within a second, the tentacle had securely ensnared him.

Quickly releasing his grip on the sword, Yan Jiang grabbed the tentacle around his waist, attempting to rip it off. But before he could exert force, a tremendous surge of power erupted, hoisting him into the air effortlessly. Glancing at where "Su Xiujun" lay, Yan Jiang saw sharp, insect-like legs breaking through the ground, their pointed tips bracing against the surface. Using these newfound appendages, "Su Xiujun" rose to his feet.

This sight alone was enough to send chills down anyone’s spine. The transformed Su Xiujun resembled a horror film’s nightmare—a body clad in tree-bark-like skin, black hair cascading down, a human-like face with perfectly formed features. Just looking at him triggered an explosion of the uncanny valley effect!

Combined with the insect-like legs supporting his body, "Su Xiujun" looked more like a wandering specter of despair!

Oddly enough, however, Yan Jiang seemed to calm down upon witnessing Su Xiujun’s hideous transformation.

"How many more like you are out there?"

His voice cut through the tension as he addressed "Su Xiujun." Though the latter remained silent, his twisted grin warped into something new—mockery, laden with disdain. It was as if he were saying, "Want to know? Keep dreaming!"

Yan Jiang’s eye twitched slightly, and then he, too, broke into a grin: "Not talking, huh? Fine, I’ll beat the answer out of you!"

As his words fell, Yan Jiang abruptly gripped the tentacle wrapped around his waist with raw strength. With a sudden motion, "Su Xiujun" stumbled, losing footing as Yan Jiang flung him across the ground. Yan Jiang himself hit the terrain but landed steadily, grabbing his massive sword in the process. With one clean swing along the blade’s edge, he severed the tentacle binding him. Loosening his grip, "Su Xiujun" was sent flying backward, and Yan Jiang, dragging the long sword with one hand, sprinted forward with astonishing speed. Before the fallen zombie could react, Yan Jiang was upon him, unleashing a chilling arc of light with the sword in hand!

Bang!

Crack!

Su Xiujun crashed down hard, shattering the cement ground beneath and tearing loose thick slabs of rubble. Amid the storm of dust and debris, Yan Jiang’s figure flickered like lightning, passing through in an instant. Two nearby gun-wielding soldiers froze in shock, utterly dumbfounded. Though they wanted to help, fear kept them rooted in hesitation.

"What’s going on?"

From the distance, a squad of approaching soldiers appeared, clad in high-tech exoskeleton armor and wielding laser weapons. Their expressions shifted between confusion and alarm as they surveyed the chaotic scene. When the anti-lifeform detection system issued urgent warnings, their faces turned pale!

"A Level 7 zombie? How is there a zombie here?"

The data displayed on their detection devices left the soldiers utterly perplexed. Dangerous Sanctuary City had been bracing for the inevitable zombie wave, but it wasn’t due yet. So how could they encounter a zombie here—let alone a Level 7 one? Such a revelation immediately conjured dark premonitions in everyone’s hearts.

Though survivors’ bases had experienced sudden zombie invasions before, such instances were extraordinarily rare. In every case, the outcome for those bases or Sanctuary Cities had been horrific beyond description. Nobody wanted to face such despair, but as their gaze fell upon those thrashing dark-purple tentacles, the inevitable truth became undeniable: Sanctuary City had indeed been breached by zombies.

The soldiers raised their weapons in unison, aiming them at the battlefield where Yan Jiang and "Su Xiujun" clashed. Yet none dared to pull the trigger. Both the combatants were creatures of enormous power, their movements too swift for the soldiers’ eyes to track. A stray shot could easily miss—or worse, mistakenly hit their ally.

For the moment, it seemed Yan Jiang had the upper hand. Their assistance wouldn’t aid him but instead hinder his efforts. High-level combat was not something weaker beings could interfere with. If they forced their hand recklessly, they’d only meet collateral damage—or even death. After all, there’s a saying: when gods fight, mortals should beware.

When gods collide, the wisest choice is to stay far away.

The only worry lingering in their hearts now was that, despite Yan Jiang’s seeming advantage, the zombie hadn’t truly begun to act. The sinister smile on "Su Xiujun’s" face exuded an air of enigmatic menace that made their blood run cold.