The scene fell into silence. As beads of cold sweat seeped from people’s foreheads, the corners of their eyes twitched involuntarily. Brian Carter had not lied: the deceased’s left arm had turned completely black. The area around the elbow had taken on a bizarrely flat shape. As for the five fingers at the end of the wrist, which had once been separate, they were now completely fused together. The muscle and skin wrapped around them seemed to be slowly melting, transforming the entire arm into a slightly curved blade-like object.

People felt their bodies trembling uncontrollably. The two rows of teeth in their mouths chattered against each other beyond their control, producing a rhythmic and exceptionally crisp “tak-tak” sound. Moreover, this nerve reflex, triggered by the sudden contraction of muscles, was becoming more and more rapid. It started with the fingers, then slowly extended to the arms, shoulders... and finally, the whole body.

As the most elite soldiers of the Republic, they had long since seen through life and death. But that did not mean they were immune to fear or terror—especially when watching a once-familiar comrade slowly transform, and realizing they themselves might face the same fate. That kind of bone-deep cold and despair was enough to make even the strongest soldier lose all reason...

“Medic, bring the anesthetic. Hurry—”

Among everyone, the Colonel reacted the fastest. As the medic ran out from the vehicle cabin, stumbling as he set the red cross-marked case on the ground, the Colonel quickly flipped open the lid, pulled out a large syringe that had already been prepared, and plunged it hard into the bulging vein on the deceased’s neck, injecting several hundred milliliters of clear liquid from the barrel.

“Your mission is to capture a mutant alive?” Watching the Colonel handcuff the corpse tightly, Brian Carter asked thoughtfully.

“My mission is only to make contact with the 75th Division. However, if we can get a live specimen, the military can develop better weapons and tactics against their weaknesses. That way, fewer people will die.” The Colonel wiped the sweat from his brow, patted Brian Carter’s shoulder gently, and said solemnly, “From now on, I’ll escort you all the way to Army Group Headquarters. Everything that’s happened here is of great significance to all soldiers. Do you understand what I mean?”

Brian Carter nodded silently, then took a finger-thick iron chain from the assault vehicle. Starting from the corpse’s abdomen, he wrapped it tightly, binding it to the rear of the vehicle compartment. Finally, he took a thick coil of wire from the repair kit and fastened the corpse’s mouth and neck together so it could no longer move, then leapt into the compartment.

“These monsters are far more terrifying than you imagine. Tie it tighter, so we’ll be safer ourselves.”

Sitting in the speeding assault vehicle, glancing at the seemingly unnecessary Colonel beside him, Brian Carter suddenly felt a sense of ease he hadn’t experienced in weeks. After being on edge for so long, his whole body was weak and exhausted. The hunger that had been forcibly suppressed by his survival instincts now clamored in his stomach, the sourness rising up and demanding to satisfy its most primal desire.

“Is there anything to eat?”

A young lieutenant with a fair complexion, sitting across the compartment, kindly handed over his canteen and a standard military ration. Tearing open the food packet quickly, Brian Carter buried his head in it, closed his eyes, and inhaled the mouthwatering aroma for a long time. Only after a while did he, with trembling fingers, pick up a piece of compressed biscuit and slowly chew it.

“How long has it been since you last ate? Why don’t you eat more?” Watching Brian Carter swallow a biscuit and then put all the food back in the bag, the lieutenant couldn’t help but ask in surprise.

“Since the day before yesterday, I’ve only eaten a few earthworms. Luckily, I still had enough water. Otherwise, I would have died of thirst.”

Brian Carter calmly licked the biscuit crumbs from the corner of his mouth. “My stomach could definitely hold more. But I don’t dare eat any more. First, my stomach can’t handle a sudden expansion. Second, hunger keeps me alert. If I’m full, I’ll just want to sleep. And now is not the time to sleep...”

Hearing this, the silent Colonel nodded to himself. Everyone understood this logic, but very few could actually do it—especially after going hungry for days and suddenly seeing a pile of food in front of them. Someone who can control their desires and stay rational in such a moment undoubtedly possesses a decisiveness and willpower far beyond the ordinary.

This was an outstanding soldier. Even more rare, he was a warrior who had crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood—a true elite of the Federal Army. When they returned, who knew what kind of commendation the military would bestow...

Just as the Colonel was lost in thought, a sudden cry came from the front seat of the assault vehicle: “Everyone on alert, something’s up ahead.”

Several scrapped cars were sprawled haphazardly across the end of the road. Four mutants, thin and gaunt, knees slightly bent, their faces as pale as corpses, were dragging heavy black blade-arms as they stood in the middle of the road, legs apart. Their cold, emotionless gazes radiated unrestrainedly from those bulging, bloodshot, hideous eyes.