You Might Die Soon—Wanna Talk for a While?

"The Cannibal Fungus (Mutated Variant)"Classification: Plant, Fungus, VirusCombat Resistance: 1580Regenerative Ability: 2150Movement Speed: 89Mental Will: 4520

Biological Traits:[Underground Root System] – Its roots can penetrate to the deepest parts of any planet, extracting nutrients from the planet's crust. This gives it remarkable regenerative abilities, though its speed is hindered by the complexity of its root structure.[Collective Consciousness] – All Cannibal Fungus within a certain radius share a single, collective consciousness. They are not individuals but a singular entity, allowing for powerful coordination and a heightened mental will.[Frenzied Regeneration] – Under the influence of a special energy, the Fungus accelerates its growth, entering a premature evolutionary stage (giantization). Although its size increases, the energy is mismatched, leaving its evolutionary state incomplete.

Hidden Information:[Soul Plague - Mother] – After killing the original Soul Plague mother, this Fungus became the new source of the Soul Plague. It now draws on mysterious energy from the ancient gods, but is fully controlled by them, severing its connection to the collective consciousness. It loses its autonomy but gains the full effects of the Soul Plague.

Jiang Xiaoci had been closely monitoring the situation around Chen Dafeng, and when she heard Mike call out about the Mother, it didn't take long for her to realize she had been played.

She prided herself on her intelligence, but even she wasn't immune to error. The mastermind had pulled a fast one, using the Cannibal Fungus as the source of the infection. This was something she hadn't anticipated.

Mike's forces had grown too quickly, and now the Cannibal Fungus in the second round of the apocalypse barely registered as a threat before him.

"Sir, we underestimated them."

Jiang Xiaoci sighed softly. At the moment Mike called for her, she was already formulating a solution. "But the Wuqing can still be of use."

"Yes! Wuqing!"

Mike's eyes lit up. He didn't need a full explanation from Jiang Xiaoci; her simple prompt was enough for him to know what had to be done next.

"Chen Dafeng! Tell Wuqing to kill the Fungus!"

"Xiaoci, has the shelter entered its destruction phase yet?"

"Yes, sir."

Jiang Xiaoci responded coolly, her tone steady. "The shelter is already on standby for destruction."

Though she hadn't anticipated the Cannibal Fungus being the true Mother, her cautious nature had ensured that all important personnel in Xinchang were already covered in her plans.

Anyone listed in her intelligence reports—Liu Wenbo, Chen Xun, Wuqing, and the leaders of the major factions—were all on her destruction list. Despite limited manpower, Jiang Xiaoci had made sure her fail-safes were in place.

No matter who the true Mother turned out to be, the shelter could be destroyed in time.

"Chen Dafeng!"

Mike's voice cut through the tension. "Hurry! Get Wuqing to kill it, and then control him to ensure he remains unresisting!"

"Remember, don't kill Wuqing or the Fungus, or we're finished!"

"Understood, sir."

Chen Dafeng chuckled, though there was a trace of reluctance in his voice. "Don't worry, sir, I've got it handled."

"Then get moving!"

Chen Dafeng groaned in mock exasperation. "Xiaoci could have told you earlier, but no, she had to let you figure it out yourself. Now I've got to play along..."

"What did you just say?"

Mike's voice dropped, a warning in his tone. "Did you mention Xiaoci?"

Before Chen Dafeng could respond, Jiang Xiaoci's stern voice came through the earpiece.

"Military orders are absolute! The commander is waiting for you to complete the mission!"

With a flash, Chen Dafeng disappeared, reappearing in front of Wuqing.

Wuqing had hidden in the corner of the ruins, thinking he had evaded Chen Dafeng's watch, but he hadn't counted on the man finding him so quickly.

"Captain Chen..."

Wuqing's eyes widened in alarm as he stared at the stoic expression on Chen Dafeng's face.

"Smack!"

Chen Dafeng grabbed Wuqing by the collar and instantly leaped to the Fungus's side.

"Push the blade in."

Chen Dafeng gestured to the black short blade lodged in the Fungus's wound. Wuqing noticed the faint crimson glow surrounding the blade, as if something dark and powerful had been awakened.

The blade was a mesmerizing mix of black and red, almost hypnotic against the night.

"I... I'm scared..."

Wuqing hesitated, fear evident in his eyes. His instincts told him this was no ordinary task.

"Scared? Here's your chance to make a name for yourself."

Chen Dafeng's voice was low, almost a growl. "Don't you want to redeem yourself? Or do you want to spend the rest of your life at my mercy?"

"But... Captain Chen..."

"An order! Kill it!"

With a roar, Chen Dafeng's killing intent surged, and in that moment, Wuqing's resistance shattered. Panicked, he grabbed the black blade and thrust it deep into the wound.

"Shhh—"

Dark green fluids burst from the wound, dousing Wuqing as the Fungus's massive body trembled violently. A red aura engulfed it, and electric arcs seemed to tear through its body, quickly draining its life force.

"Boom!"

The massive Fungus collapsed, crushing nearby cars and buildings in its fall.

In that instant, Mike noticed Wuqing's eyes. What had once been full of fear was now completely black, his body rigid and unmoving, as though frozen in place.

Chen Dafeng observed Wuqing's condition with a smirk before delivering a sharp slap to his back.

"Smack!"

The sound of snapping bones echoed through the street as Wuqing's body collapsed limp onto the ground. Before he could even react, Chen Dafeng's foot pressed down, pinning him firmly in place.

Then, in a flash, Chen Dafeng pulled a pair of bloodstained handcuffs from his pocket.

[Bloodstained Handcuffs of the Demon Police]: A-Class Item; if the creature's combat rating is below A-Class, they will be forcibly restrained. If the creature is injured to a moderate level or above, the restraint effect will increase by 500%.

"Crack!"

With lightning speed, Chen Dafeng shackled Wuqing's hands together. The cuffs, stained with blood, pressed into Wuqing's face as he struggled futilely.

"You can't escape, not even if you were an S-Class," Chen Dafeng said, leaning down to stare at the blank expression in Wuqing's eyes. "You might die soon—wanna talk for a bit?"

"I'm curious... Who are you, really? Someone who could make Xiaoci care so much... almost fooling her into thinking she had been outsmarted."

Chen Dafeng's tone was playful as he tapped Wuqing's shoulder, as if this whole situation were just a game.

Wuqing didn't respond. He simply lay on the ground, staring back at Chen Dafeng with his black, hollow eyes.

"Hmph!"

Suddenly, a sharp electric jolt shot through Chen Dafeng's head, a searing pain that nearly drove him insane. He flinched, his body shaking.

"Chen Dafeng!"

Mike's voice came through, full of concern. "What's happening to you?"

"Sir, don't worry. I'm not dead yet..."

Chen Dafeng waved a hand dismissively, his voice hoarse as he straightened up.

He pressed a hand to his head, his face pale, lips tinged blue, clearly suffering from the intense mental assault.

"It's a mental corruption effect."

Jiang Xiaoci's calm voice came through the earpiece, as if she were stating a fact, never once sounding worried. "I warned you, Chen Dafeng. Be careful."

"Hmph."

Chen Dafeng sneered, though he didn't argue. "How was I supposed to know his eyes could shoot electricity?"

"It won't harm you. Even Chen Xun could handle it. You'll just be a little worse for wear."

Jiang Xiaoci's disinterest was clear as she casually added, "Can you keep him under control for 30 minutes?"

"Mm... About 28 minutes left."

"Xiaoci, are you insulting my abilities?"

Chen Dafeng raised his head defiantly, no longer looking at Wuqing, but stomping his foot harder onto his prisoner's body. "I demand 100,000 points in worker's compensation for this injury! Or else, we're not done here!"

"I'll consider it."

Jiang Xiaoci's voice remained cold, and she fell silent.

Meanwhile, Mike had bypassed the earpiece communication, using his connection skill to send a private message to her.

"Xiaoci..."

Mike took a deep breath, his voice laced with the question he'd been holding in for a while. "Did you know all of this already? Why didn't you tell me?"