The Revenge of Today, Paid Today!

Chen Xun's voice sliced through the darkness, cutting through the mist.

In the next moment, his vision blurred. When he could see clearly again, Chen Dafeng was standing beside him, though he couldn't tell when he'd arrived.

At that moment, Chen Dafeng was carrying the weight of a severed hand and holding a blood-dripping human head with a short blade. He stared at Chen Xun with a grim, silent gaze, his expression dark.

"Captain Chen! Are you okay?" Chen Xun asked, panic rising in his voice.

Chen Dafeng grumbled, his tone sharp and agitated. "What was that you said? That the more I kill, the faster I die?"

Chen Xun nodded quickly. "Yes."

Chen Dafeng's anger flared. "Why didn't you say that sooner?! These bastards are nearly all dead by my hand!"

"How could I have known? You didn't even have a communicator!" Chen Xun thought, but didn't dare voice it.

He gasped. "Captain, how many are left?"

"Probably... fewer than ten," Chen Dafeng replied, uncertainty in his voice.

Before Chen Xun could speak, Chen Dafeng cut him off. "What exactly is going on? Explain it clearly!"

At this point, Chen Dafeng had no time for further fighting. His own survival was now his priority.

"Go, search for the remaining ones and take them alive!" Chen Xun ordered his team of defenders and combat specialists before turning to Chen Dafeng, whispering urgently. "While you were fighting, the Commander used a skill to see the details of these people. But they couldn't contact you..."

Vengeance Curse: This is a curse from the dead, a thirst for revenge that seeks to slay one's enemies. The curse has a "Certain Death - Time-based" effect, and those infected cannot perceive any abnormality. Anyone who kills a creature under the effect of this curse will themselves become infected. This curse can be passed repeatedly, and each subsequent infection brings the curse closer to its explosive threshold.

Certain Death - Time-based: The curse's effect intensifies over time, leading to inevitable death when it finally explodes. The afflicted cannot resist its fatal consequences, unaffected by any external mechanisms.

When Chen Xun explained this to Chen Dafeng, his expression instantly morphed into shock. "What kind of twisted mechanism is this? This is just playing dirty!"

"Uh..." Chen Xun hesitated, sizing up Chen Dafeng, wanting to say, Aren't you just as unreasonable, Chen Dafeng?

But knowing Chen Dafeng's temper, he wisely kept his thoughts to himself.

Before he could console Chen Dafeng, he suddenly tilted his head, hearing Mike's voice from the communicator.

"Wait, the Commander is speaking... According to the latest check, you still have... 3 days, 12 hours, and 26 minutes left."

"That's a countdown. Once the time runs out, you'll die..."

Before Chen Xun could finish speaking, explosions suddenly rang out from the mist nearby.

"Boom! Boom!"

With each explosion, human limbs and organs were violently ejected into the air.

Moments later, the defenders pulled back from the mist, and the team leader of the combat specialists, without turning around, reported loudly, "Captain Chen! Deputy Commander! These bastards blew themselves up! They were like death soldiers! Luckily, the defenders were on the front line, and none of our people were injured!"

"This is bad!" Chen Xun's face drained of color as he glanced at Chen Dafeng. The latter's expression twisted in fury.

"Shit! They're targeting me!"

At this point, even if Chen Dafeng wasn't a strategist, it was clear what was happening.

Whether it was the Soul Rotting Toxin or the Vengeance Curse... these things bypassed physical defenses, directly affecting the mind and life force. They were particularly effective against him!

And these bastards didn't target just anyone; they entered the city after killing, and then specifically ambushed him. This was clearly aimed at him!

"How long do I have left?" Chen Dafeng's gaze bore into Chen Xun.

Without waiting for a reply, he yanked the communicator out of Chen Xun's ear and shoved it into his own.

"Hey? Hey, hey!" Chen Xun was about to speak but thought better of it.

This poor guy was really in for a rough day.

"I checked... you have 24 hours left."

Mike's calm voice came through the communicator in Chen Dafeng's ear. "According to the hidden information, 24 hours is the minimum threshold for this Time-based Curse."

"So, I've only got one day left?" Chen Dafeng fell silent, his face a mixture of confusion and disbelief.

He never imagined that such a powerful man like himself would face death in the third apocalypse, of all things.

He'd imagined dying in battle against a worthy foe, a death befitting his strength.

But now... to be felled like this, it felt so meaningless. It was infuriating.

"Well, not exactly," Mike continued with a chuckle, glancing at the map on the wall. "If it really comes to that, I'll destroy your shelter. By destroying the shelter, all the positive and negative effects on you will be purged."

"No shelter, no mechanisms," Mike finished matter-of-factly.

"Ah, right!" Chen Dafeng's face lit up. "I thought I was just gonna die in a day!"

Mike sighed, muttering, "This guy's brain is all muscle, isn't it?"

"Well, that's a relief... But it's a shame about my amazing talent," Chen Dafeng added, his mood fluctuating. "Damn it, if my new talent next month sucks, I'm screwed... I can't stand without power, and you'll never take me seriously again, Commander!"

"With all the people I've offended, if my new talent is weak, my future will be worse than death."

It seemed that the grim reality of his situation had brought some clarity to Chen Dafeng. He murmured, "Maybe... maybe death's better."

"Can you think a little more positively?" Mike groaned in exasperation. "Do you think I'm just going to toss you aside after using you up?"

"If it comes to destroying the shelter, I have the ability to help you acquire a new S-rank talent."

"And besides, there are other options. This is just a backup plan."

Mike's words seemed to ignite hope in Chen Dafeng. "Commander, you have a plan? Hurry up and tell me! Don't leave me hanging, I only have 24 hours left!"

Mike looked up at the map, taking a deep breath. "Chen Dafeng, I've learned something about these people."

"They have similar talents and skills... It seems like they were specially trained as a team."

"I don't know how they've managed to make hundreds of people share the same talents and skills... but I know where they came from."

Mike pointed to the map, tracing his finger over Guangling City and the neighboring Dantu City.

"They're survivors from the Dantu shelter."

Mike's voice was calm but sharp, "They traveled over a hundred kilometers to cause trouble for you, Chen Dafeng. They're quite the characters."

Mike had used his detection skills to learn that this group of death soldiers came from Dantu City, which was right next to Guangling City.

The proximity confirmed the suspicion: they were clearly targeting Chen Dafeng... or rather, targeting Mike!

"People from Dantu?" Chen Dafeng raised an eyebrow, his voice dripping with venom. "Damn it! Once I'm better, I'll make them pay!"

"Why wait for revenge?" Mike's eyes narrowed, a wry smile creeping across his face. "You're not exactly a gentleman, are you?"

"You're not dead yet. How about a trip to Dantu?"

"To Dantu?" Chen Dafeng was stunned, then both surprised and excited. "Commander, are you saying...?"

"Mobilize!" Mike said coldly. "We're launching a surprise attack on Dantu."

"Within 24 hours, find the source of the curse! Kill them!"

Mike couldn't let this slide.

The enemy had come to his doorstep, trying to destroy his key fighters.

If he backed down now, how could he lead his team in the future?

And if the leadership in Xin Chang knew about this and saw him do nothing, they'd surely start questioning him.

"Alright! Let's attack Dantu! Let's do it!" Chen Dafeng grinned, eager for the action. "Commander, you really understand me! I can't wait to wipe them out!"

"Commander, what should I do now?"

Chen Dafeng was entirely focused on vengeance, not bothering to ask how they'd find the curse's source or what would happen if they couldn't. His mind was fixated on one thing: revenge.

Mike's voice grew darker. "Gather the entire Magician and Defender Corps from Xin Chang."

"We're attacking Dantu immediately!"

"Yes, Commander! I'm on it!" Chen Dafeng answered enthusiastically, already eager to mobilize.

"Chen Xun, help me out!"

Chen Dafeng pulled Chen Xun in, grinning widely. "Quick, send out a city-wide notice! Gather the defenders and magicians!"

"Wait, what are we doing?" Chen Xun asked, confused.

"Going to kill people!" Chen Dafeng's smile was cold as ice. "They dared to mess with me. Now, it's my turn!"

"Are we really going to launch a full-scale operation?"

Chen Xun was stunned. He knew this was an order from the Commander, but what was the reasoning behind it? Why take such drastic action?

Mike had always been cautious and strategic. Why was he acting so rashly now?

"Something's off..." Chen Xun thought, a growing suspicion taking root. "Why is the Commander suddenly so reckless?"

"There's something else going on here. I can feel it."