Chapter Seventy-One: A New Enemy

As it turned out, placing their hopes on Yunxi had been the right choice. Yet raising the Kunpeng was nothing like they had imagined. At first, the Kunpeng could not adapt to its new diet, vomiting repeatedly. Seeing it on the verge of collapse, it was Yunxi’s cleverness that saved the day; she found a way to mash all the food into a liquid, finally managing to feed it. Watching the Kunpeng slowly regain its vigor, Chen Yi finally breathed a sigh of relief.

But soon another problem arose: leaving such a massive Kunpeng carcass here was dangerous. If a male Kunpeng discovered it, their doom would be certain. Someone suggested slicing it up for barbecue, earning a sharp glare from Chen Yi.

“Fine, I’ll let you have it. If you really dare to eat it, go ahead.” At these words, the man shrank back in fear, taking several steps away. After all, who knew what would happen after consuming mutated creatures from the sea? He laughed awkwardly and scratched his head.

“Alright, we’ll do as you say. After all, you guys—”

A deafening roar resounded overhead; the sky flashed with a dazzling red light. “The next wave of toxic rain is starting! Hurry, find a safe place to hide—now!” Chen Yi’s urgent shout spurred everyone to quicken their pace, scrambling beneath the sheltering rocks and into the dugouts they had prepared.

Sure enough, the torrential rain soon arrived. The crimson light kept falling; everyone’s hearts pounded in their chests, as the incessant tearing noise overhead signaled not just poison, but corrosive rain. Had Chen Yi not noticed in time, they’d have been left riddled with holes.

Yet, at this moment, Chen Yi realized the rain might be a blessing in disguise. Its acidic properties would obliterate the Kunpeng’s body, neatly concealing the truth of their accidental kill. It weighed on his conscience, but at this point, there was no time for regret.

The storm raged through the night. Only when dawn broke did they emerge from their shelter. The sight before them nearly made them retch: the enormous Kunpeng corpse reeked with a foul stench, and the ground was littered with bite marks—evidence of the zombies that had been there. But around these zombies, there were other, peculiar footprints—not those of mutants, but seemingly left by humans.

“What’s going on, boss?”

Hu Sanhan and Lu Kai hurried over, tension written on their faces. “Is something new happening?” “I can’t say for sure yet,” Chen Yi replied, his brows knitted. “But I sense traces of other people surviving nearby.”

“That’s impossible,” Lu Kai protested, waving his hand. “If they really existed, why wouldn’t they come out to meet us?”

“Because they see us as hunting tools.” His words left everyone stunned. To be used as bait—did that mean they were the prey, and whoever hid in the shadows was the true winner?

“Damn!” Hu Sanhan snarled, his face darkening. “That bastard treats us as targets? Boss, you should be able to sense them. Why not lead us to settle this?”

“Of course I’ll lead you.” Chen Yi’s gaze hardened as he looked at the pair. “If they sneak onto our island, steal our resources, and shamelessly try to kill us here, I won’t tolerate it.”

Meanwhile, on the other side of the island, the concealed soldiers began to stir. “Boss.” A man in body armor eyed the officer in sunglasses and uniform with concern.

“We’re sneaking onto the island and taking their supplies. What if he finds out? Won’t that be hard to explain?”

“What are you afraid of?” the officer replied, unconcerned. “It’s their honor to provide provisions for our army. Besides, everything on this island belongs to the country—who are they to distribute it privately?”

“But I think—”

“Shut up!” Unable to bear the dissent any longer, the man drew his pistol and fired three shots into the sky. Those gunshots immediately changed Chen Yi’s group’s reaction.

Hu Sanhan finally believed someone was on the move. “Damn, there really are bastards trying to profit from us! Just wait till I—”

“Don’t rush,” Chen Yi said, gripping his blade. “Men, five of you come with me; the rest stay put. Lu Kai, what abilities do you have now?”

Lu Kai muttered, “Now you care about me, boss?”

Chen Yi instantly brandished his blade. “If you don’t want to suffer, I won’t hesitate to cure that annoying mouth of yours myself.”

“Don’t!” Lu Kai slapped his face, and, as his intention flashed, a black vortex appeared before everyone.

“That’s a black hole,” Chen Yaxi exclaimed in disbelief. The power of a black hole in human hands—what couldn’t be controlled with such strength?

But soon, everyone realized the catch. The black hole could only transport things within a palm-sized area. It was useful for emergency escapes, but only over limited distances. Though the ability was more solid than others’, it required careful, situational use.

Lu Kai grew dejected. “Boss, I don’t get it. I should have greater power, but my strength feels like it’s draining faster and faster!”

Chen Yi saw the flickering energy and made his decision. “Don’t open the black hole now. We’re not desperate yet, and your energy burns too quickly—I can’t let you overuse it.”

Lu Kai protested, “Don’t underestimate me. Helping you solve problems is my greatest honor. Watching you all suffer—I just can’t do it!”

“What a touching scene!” Across the island, several men drove an armored tank toward Lu Kai’s group, snickering and shaking their heads.

“I wonder—can these supernatural powers ever rival human intelligence?”