The super hybrid controlling the group of symbiotic hybrids and forcing them into battle against Xing Bi and his team was Zheng Ting.
Qiu Shi was frozen in shock, standing motionless as he watched.
In the distance, gunfire and explosions roared, the flames illuminating the snow swirling in the sky. The snowfall grew heavier—half the black pine forest was bathed in golden fire, the other half in white snow.
Yet, the fierce battle before him came to an abrupt halt the moment Xing Bi drove his fist into Zheng Ting’s chest.
The high-pitched hum flickered erratically before finally cutting off.
Zheng Ting, who had been staring at the sky, slowly lowered his head to look at Xing Bi’s arm buried in his chest. Though his expression was unreadable, the sluggishness of his movements betrayed his emotions—somewhere between disbelief and relief.
After that single strike from Xing Bi, all the symbiotic hybrids froze, as if their consciousness had been severed. Without Zheng Ting’s control, they were left in a blank, unresponsive state.
Within seconds, Yun City’s bioroids subdued them. But Qiu Shi noticed something unusual—none of them immediately crushed the hybrids’ necks.
“Captain Qiu,” Captain Yang’s voice came through the earpiece. “What’s the situation there?”
“Halt the main advance for now,” Qiu Shi ordered. “Secure and clear the area—ensure no infected remain, burn all traces of the fungus.”
“Copy that.”
“Xing… Bi.” Zheng Ting struggled to lift his head, his voice fragmented—not from his throat, but from his shattered chest, each word laced with the sound of torn breath.
“It’s me,” Xing Bi replied.
“Long… time… no… see.”
Xing Bi said nothing. His hand, still buried in Zheng Ting’s chest, twisted slightly—the blade he held turned to the left.
When the tip pierced Zheng Ting’s heart, the massive black figure shuddered violently.
His head jerked upward, staring at the sky.
“Go… back,” he gasped. “Donglin is… ours…”
Qiu Shi stiffened.
Xing Bi’s hand stilled. Then, in one sharp motion, he yanked his arm free and flung the blade to the ground.
“Contact Li Feng,” he said, turning to Qiu Shi.
—
The battle at the camp was brutal, with heavy casualties. Updates from Xima Town scrolled across the screens in the command center. Li Feng sat in a corner, cigarette dangling from his lips, watching the room full of busy personnel.
Another sleepless night—but he was still wide awake.
Taking out this camp was crucial. It was the closest and largest threat to Yun City since the Nest’s emergence. Eliminating it and fortifying Xima Town’s defenses would buy Yun City a long period of safety. The city’s geography had earned it the nickname “Peach Blossom Spring”—a carefully chosen sanctuary by its founders.
But Li Feng wanted more than just survival. He wanted negotiation. No one wanted to live in perpetual war. Demonstrating Yun City’s strength might force the enemy to reconsider endless conflict.
The call came from Curator Wu. Li Feng checked the time—Wu wasn’t on active duty for this battle. Probably couldn’t sleep either.
“Lao Wu.” He answered.
“Come to the lab,” Curator Wu said. “Mr. Long is here. Seems urgent.”
“Why’s he at the lab?” Li Feng frowned.
“How should I know?” Curator Wu snapped. “You people treat my place like your private meeting room all the time. Since when does anyone tell me anything?”
Li Feng chuckled and stood, glancing at the command screen—the battle was stable for now.
He didn’t particularly care why Mr. Long wanted to see him, but the man was still Yun City’s highest authority. And Li Feng preferred it stayed that way.
“On my way.”
After briefing Colonel Yu, he left the command center.
His driver was asleep in the car, but the two bioroids accompanying him—Qu Shen and Cheng Gu—were awake, waiting. Unlike combat models, they were administrative types, similar to Chen Dang. Li Feng kept them around partly to study bioroid history, partly to test how humans and bioroids could coexist.
The era of bioroid oaths was long gone. The humans who witnessed it were dead; the bioroids who lived through it had changed.
“The lab? At this hour?” Even the usually silent driver couldn’t help but ask.
The entire city was awake. With Xima Town under attack, inns and shops were packed despite the late hour—a rare midnight bustle in the inner city.
“Yeah,” Li Feng sighed. “Can’t be helped. There’s always something unexpected.”
“Two cars have been tailing us,” Qu Shen noted from the back seat.
Tonight was chaotic—vehicles from every department were on the move, reinforcing defenses or handling logistics. But Li Feng trusted bioroid instincts. Checking the rearview mirror, he realized these two cars didn’t belong to any inner-city agency.
“Recognize them?” he asked the driver.
“No. They’re not inner-city vehicles.” The driver frowned. “Should we lose them?”
“Proceed to the museum as normal.” Li Feng dialed the checkpoint. “Run a check on these two cars—any records?”
“Director Li,” the person at the checkpoint replied, “this is the coordinated defense vehicle from Donglin Town that came in today using the password.”
“Thank you,” Li Feng ended the call, feeling uneasy.
He then connected with Zhang Qifeng: “Who did you give today’s password to?”
“No one,” Zhang Qifeng said. “If you suspect me—”
“I don’t suspect you. Stop jumping at every word like you’re guilty,” Li Feng interrupted. “Has there been anything unusual in Donglin since you arrived?”
“Nothing noticeable,” Zhang Qifeng lowered his voice. “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
“Not yet,” Li Feng frowned. “Director Zhang, how long have we known each other?”
“Don’t bring that up. No matter how long we’ve known each other, I’ve disliked you the entire time,” Zhang Qifeng said. “Just tell me what’s going on and what you need me to do. For the bigger picture, I’ll listen to you.”
“Ha,” Li Feng chuckled, but the smile quickly faded. “Director Zhang, I need you to secretly mobilize all the reliable people under your command—without anyone noticing—and be ready to coordinate with Colonel Yu’s forces to take control of the Donglin camp from the inside and out.”
“What?” Zhang Qifeng was shocked. “What are you planning?”
“It’s not my plan,” Li Feng said. “Colonel Yu will contact you. When the time comes, follow Qiu Shi’s lead.”
“What?” Zhang Qifeng was stunned again.
“Do it,” Li Feng said, ending the call.
The two vehicles behind him were slowly closing in. He wasn’t sure if they intended to kill him now or force him to go to the lab to see Mr. Long.
For Li Feng, the safest place in all of Yun City was the lab.
Very few people knew that this lab wasn’t built by Yun City—the city lacked the technology and manpower for it. The lab had been relocated entirely from an old research base.
Though it was undoubtedly a trap now, it was the only place where he might survive.
“Speed up, head to the lab,” Li Feng said.
The driver pressed the accelerator.
“Once we reach the parking lot, don’t wait for me,” Li Feng instructed. “Drive off immediately. Go home or back to the office.”
The driver glanced at him. “I’ll wait for you.”
“I might not come back out,” Li Feng said, then connected with Colonel Yu.
“Director Li,” Colonel Yu’s voice sounded busy on the other end.
“There’s a problem in Donglin,” Li Feng said. “I’m going to see Mr. Long now. I might not make it back out. The City Defense Office will coordinate with your people at the Donglin camp.”
Colonel Yu was silent for a few seconds. “Donglin has teamed up with the Symbionts.”
“I misjudged,” Li Feng chuckled.
“Maybe it was a misjudgment,” Colonel Yu said, “but the decision wasn’t wrong.”
“If I…” Li Feng cleared his throat. “Protect the current situation. Trust Qiu Shi and Xing Bi completely. Without them, we wouldn’t have made it this far.”
“I’ll send people over now,” Colonel Yu said.
“I have a backup plan,” Li Feng said. “Don’t cause panic. The heroes must return victorious. Yun City must remain in celebration.”
“…Understood,” Colonel Yu replied.
The museum was pitch-black from the outside at night, with no lights or people.
“Qu Shen, guard this place with your team and wait for Xing Bi and the others to return,” Li Feng said.
“Got it,” Qu Shen replied.
Li Feng and Cheng Gu got out of the car. As instructed, the driver drove away from the parking lot.
After hours, the museum had minimal security, but even the usual strict security around the lab section was gone.
It seemed Donglin had brought covert guards—they’d cleared the path thoroughly.
“Can you sense it?” Li Feng asked Cheng Gu.
“Yeah,” Cheng Gu replied.
“Thanks for coming with me,” Li Feng said.
“No problem,” Cheng Gu said.
As they turned into the final corridor leading to the lab, Qiu Shi’s call came through. The secretary, following Li Feng’s earlier instructions, didn’t ask questions and patched it through immediately. Qiu Shi’s voice came through the earpiece: “Li Feng, is everything okay on your end?”
“Make sure the camp is completely destroyed,” Li Feng said. “Go back to Xima and spend time with your brothers—those are the only real ones you’ve got.”
Li Feng pushed open the lab door, and a gun was immediately pressed to his head. The call with Qiu Shi was cut off.
“What does that mean?” Qiu Shi looked at Xing Bi. “Something’s wrong, isn’t it?”
“Qiu Yu,” Xing Bi said.
Though the second part was confusing, Xing Bi’s mention made Qiu Shi realize immediately—Qiu Yu wasn’t a real brother.
“What about the first part?” Qiu Shi asked.
“Exactly what it sounds like,” Xing Bi said. “Ensure the camp is completely destroyed so Yun City can be safe from threats for a while.”
“Was Li Feng kidnapped?” Qiu Shi asked.
“Not sure,” Xing Bi looked at him, “but there’s definitely a problem in Donglin.”
“Colonel Yu should know,” Qiu Shi frowned. “He’s someone Li Feng trusted, but we can’t contact him directly right now.”
“What’s the plan?” Xing Bi asked.
“Clear the camp,” Qiu Shi said, glancing at Zheng Ting lying on the ground. “Check for casualties. Starting tomorrow, speed up the establishment of defense lines connecting Shidi and Zhuyuan to Xima. Then, using these three points as bases, send teams to thoroughly scout the surrounding terrain. Investigate every possible hiding spot.”
“Got it,” Xing Bi nodded.
“After cleaning up the camp, we’ll take the team back to Yun City,” Qiu Shi said.
“Got it,” Xing Bi replied.
Given Qiu Shi’s personality, he would have returned to Yun City immediately. He didn’t have any particular trust or affection for Li Feng, but Li Feng was the one capable of changing Yun City—and willing to do so. At least for now, Li Feng couldn’t afford to die, or Yun City would surely collapse.
But Li Feng had ordered him to secure the camp first, ensuring Yun City faced no immediate threats. That took priority over Li Feng’s own safety, so Qiu Shi had no choice but to comply.
Even if he didn’t fully understand the reasoning behind that priority.
The Symbionts under Zheng Ting’s control hadn’t fully regained their original consciousness after losing their connection—whether due to prolonged or deep manipulation. Xing Bi implanted restrictors at the base of their necks to temporarily immobilize them, waiting for the convoy to arrive and transport them away.
The remaining infected humans and animals, now uncontrolled, were much easier to eliminate. Many were simply burned to death.
“All teams, report casualties,” Captain Yang’s voice came through. “Gather the wounded for basic disinfection and bandaging first.”
“Count your casualties too,” Qiu Shi glanced at Deng Yeye.
“Can’t count,” Deng Yeye said. “No one knows how many of us there were to begin with. No need to tally—death is normal.”
“Let us know if you need medical supplies,” Qiu Shi said.
“Yeah,” Deng Yeye frowned. “What’s going on? Can’t you tell me? I know those Donglin people and Qiu Yu pretty well. From what that big black monster said, Donglin teamed up with the Symbionts?”
“Seems like it,” Qiu Shi said.
“What about Li Feng?” Deng Yeye reacted the same way—Li Feng couldn’t die.
“For now, he’s still alive,” Qiu Shi said.
“Qiu Shi,” Deng Yeye looked at him, “when we get back, you have to kill Qiu Yu. That guy can’t be left alive anymore.”
“Go contact his… kin as soon as possible,” Qiu Shi said. “The sooner the better.”
“Understood,” Deng Yeye nodded.
The camp was thoroughly cleared. Several hidden underground caves in the forest were discovered, containing supplies, weapons, supplements, and repair materials for the bio-forms. Everything usable was hauled away before the rest was set ablaze.
The fallen soldiers were dragged together, laid out in neat rows. Qiu Shi slowly walked past their bodies, unwilling but forcing himself to look at each face.
Some he’d never seen before. Some he recognized but didn’t know their names. And some… he knew by name, even well.
Squad Two was down to five men.
Qiu Shi walked over to the makeshift infirmary, where the survivors of Squad Two were gathered. Zhao Yi had a leg injury, and Long Hao’s head was wrapped in bandages.
“Still alive,” Long Hao said. “Not all dead.”
“Undying heroes of Squad Two,” Qiu Shi said.
“Can we really call ourselves that?” Long Hao asked.
“Yes,” Qiu Shi said.
“The convoy’s here,” Xing Bi said from behind him.
“Yeah,” Qiu Shi turned to look at him. “Pick a few hidden guards to bring with us. We’re heading back to Yun City.”
As the horizon began to lighten in the distance, Qiu Shi and Xing Bi set off toward Yun City in their vehicle.
Aside from Xing Bi’s three most compatible squadmates and Sang Fan, they had five hidden guards—all handpicked by Xing Bi.
They didn’t know what awaited them in Yun City, but with Xima Town sufficiently defended, they brought the best possible team.
Major Liang connected Qiu Shi’s call: “Captain Qiu, I’ve patched you through to Colonel Yu. You can speak directly now.”
“Thanks,” Qiu Shi pressed the private comms button on his earpiece. “Colonel Yu.”
“I’ve received the report on the camp operation,” Colonel Yu said. “A great success. You’ve all worked hard.”
“How’s Li Feng?” Qiu Shi skipped the pleasantries.
“He…” Colonel Yu’s voice was hoarse, clearly exhausted. “He’s in the lab right now.”
“With who?” Qiu Shi asked.
“Mr. Long, Chen Dang from Donglin Town, and a group of Donglin hidden guards,” Colonel Yu said. “Communications are cut off. We’ve surrounded the museum, and we’re in a standoff with the Donglin camp.”
“Yun City has hidden guards too,” Qiu Shi said. “Can’t we storm in and get Li Feng out?”
“Right now…” Colonel Yu hesitated. “Even if we stormed in, we wouldn’t be able to reach Director Li.”
“Why?” Qiu Shi frowned.
“The lab is in complete lockdown,” Colonel Yu said.
“Impregnable,” Li Feng leaned back in his chair, legs propped on the table, staring at the people on the other side of the glass.
Mr. Long, Chen Dang and Gao Shan from Donglin, and a covert guard.
“Getting to appreciate the high-caliber masterpieces of humanity in this day and age is a rare pleasure,” Li Feng swung his foot idly.
“Li Feng,” Chen Dang said coldly, “your struggle is meaningless.”
“More meaningful than letting you kill me,” Li Feng replied. “Staying alive is meaning enough. Of course, that’s something only humans truly understand, right?”
He glanced at Mr. Long—of the group, only he and Gao Shan were human.
Mr. Long’s expression was grim, silent.
“You’ll die in here too,” Gao Shan said.
“Not necessarily,” Li Feng turned to look at Curator Wu. “Lao Wu here is a man of many talents. Locked up for eight or ten years, I might still survive.”
Curator Wu’s expression was also grim—likely because he knew all too well that once the lab’s lockdown was activated, there was no way to undo it.
The few of them were now trapped in this two-layered prison. As Li Feng had said, the place was impregnable, built to withstand even first-tier covert guards.
Even the glass separating the experimental area was of the same grade.
“Curator Wu,” Mr. Long, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. “You can’t possibly not know how to undo the lockdown.”
“I truly don’t. You’re Yun City’s highest authority—if even you don’t know, how would I?” Curator Wu glanced at Li Feng. “I never thought I’d live to see this door locked shut in my lifetime!”
Li Feng chuckled but said nothing.
“Li Feng”, Chen Dang stood and walked up to the glass wall. “Do you even know what will happen outside if this door can’t be opened?”
“I don’t know what will happen to Donglin Town,” Li Feng said calmly, “but I know Yun City will remain exactly as it is.”
Gao Shan let out a cold laugh.
“If I didn’t have a plan,” Li Feng said, “I wouldn’t have come here in the first place, let alone locked this door.”
Gao Shan lost control. He grabbed a nearby chair and hurled it at the glass wall, smashing it right in front of Li Feng.
“Calm down, Mr. Gao,” Li Feng said. “The few of us are going to be spending a long time together here. We might even have to eulogize whoever dies first…”
“Shut up!” Gao Shan pointed at him.
Li Feng obediently fell silent, sitting back in his chair, crossing his legs, and closing his eyes. “At least there’s one benefit for me—I haven’t had a proper sleep in ages.”
Yun City looked no different than usual—except, perhaps, for the fact that everyone from the outer city to the inner city seemed unusually excited.
That was to be expected. Everywhere, slogans celebrated the great victory at Xima Town, eagerly awaiting the heroes’ return.
There were even photos of the “heroic Squad Two,” grinning foolishly and shouting, “For Yun City!”
When Qiu Shi’s vehicle entered the inner city, they were met with an enthusiastic welcome from the residents. Some even chased after the car, laughing and crying, shouting their names.
It wasn’t until two military vehicles flanked theirs, guiding them into the tunnel leading to the military base, that the crowd finally dispersed.
The convoy stopped inside the tunnel. The door of the lead vehicle opened, and Colonel Yu stepped out.
Qiu Shi opened his own door and jumped down.
“The situation at the lab is temporarily stable, but communication is still cut off. We’re trying to find a way to restore contact,” Colonel Yu said. “The standoff with the Donglin camp is more urgent.”
“Then let’s head to their camp,” Qiu Shi said.
“Do you have a plan, Captain Qiu?” Colonel Yu asked.
Qiu Shi looked at him but didn’t answer.
“Before Director Li entered the lab, he contacted me and told me to place full trust in you and Xing Bi,” Colonel Yu said. “I intend to honor that. But if I’m to coordinate with you, I need you to trust me as well.”
“Kill Qiu Yu,” Qiu Shi said. “Mobilize Yun City’s forces—whatever can be spared without compromising the city’s safety—and wipe out Donglin as quickly as possible. Then establish Yun City’s own defensive line there.”
Colonel Yu stared at him for a long moment before speaking. “How? Right now, both sides are in a standoff. No one can get close to Qiu Yu easily. Any troop or firepower mobilization on our part will prompt him to flee immediately. Once he leaves the camp, any further action becomes nearly impossible.”
“I’ll kill him,” Qiu Shi said. “I can get close.”
“Qiu Yu is a fully modified bio-form,” Colonel Yu said. “How do you plan to kill him?”
“Don’t know,” Qiu Shi answered bluntly. “They’re definitely waiting for us to negotiate. So we’ll negotiate. Once terms are settled, we’ll betray him and kill him. Simple as that.”
Colonel Yu studied him. “Are you certain you can get close to him?”
“Certain,” Qiu Shi said. “He’s always wanted me dead.”
