Just then, Ferren and five of his men chased them inside. He gazed at Xiaoqi’s trapped group of four and sneered triumphantly.

"Run! Why aren’t you running anymore?"

Xiaoqi and her three companions instinctively took a step back, their bodies hitting the machinery behind them. Their faces twisted with anger and indignation.

"Do this, and you’ll be blacklisted by our Star Wish Guild! Our guild won’t let any of you go!"

"Haha! Us, people from Sin City, afraid of you? What a joke!"

Ferren reacted as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the world.

Hearing Ferren’s words, a look of grim resolve flashed across Xiaoqi’s face. She drew her tactical dagger, ready to fight to the death.

"Still want to fight back? I’ll show you what I’m capable of!"

Ferren then lifted his AK with one hand and opened fire on Xiaoqi’s group.

"Scatter!"

Xiaoqi and the others immediately dove to either side.

BANG! BANG!

Bullet after bullet slammed into the equipment console behind them.

SSSZZZT~

The entire console erupted in a shower of sparks.

At the same time, He Zhong was hit by the spray of bullets. He cried out in agony and collapsed, his blood staining the ground.

"Ooh, you’re quick. But let’s see where you run to this time."

Ferren playfully aimed his weapon, locking onto their leader, Xiaoqi, and pulled the trigger again.

BANG! BANG!

"Sister Qi!"

Seeing this, Tang Ye lunged forward, shielding Xiaoqi with his own body.

Instantly, Tang Ye’s body was riddled with bullets, and he collapsed to the ground.

"Tang Ye!"

Xiaoqi stared at Tang Ye’s brutal death, her expression consumed by absolute fury.

"Haha, how touching! I didn’t expect a simp to take a bullet for you. But who’s going to shield you now?"

Ferren expertly ejected the empty magazine and slapped in a fresh one, a cruel, playful smile on his face.

PSSSHH~

Suddenly, a hissing sound filled the air.

The indicator light on the giant machine behind Xiaoqi switched from red to green, and its integrated glass chamber automatically slid open.

Startled, Xiaoqi and Cloud Fish instinctively turned to look.

A thick, massive leg emerged from the open glass chamber.

"What the hell is that?"

Ferren and his men were instantly on alert, raising their guns to aim at the object.

A burly figure stepped out of the glass chamber. A closer look revealed a green-skinned woman with short brown hair and a square jaw. She stood two meters tall, weighed around 330 pounds, and had enormous pectoral muscles straining against a black leather outfit.

"Fuck, what the hell is that thing?"

As Ferren and his men stared at the woman before them, goosebumps erupted all over their skin, and a chill crept into their hearts.

It was the first time they had ever seen a living being inside a game instance, and this creature looked bizarre—nothing like a normal person.

At that moment, the wristbands on Ferren, Xiaoqi, and everyone else began to vibrate.

They instinctively glanced at the notification that popped up on their wristband interfaces.

Lula (Corpse Monster)

Note: Evolved Species.

"Boss, that thing’s a monster!"

One of Ferren’s subordinates stumbled back a few steps in terror.

"What the hell are you scared of? With an AK in my hand, the world is my oyster."

Ferren said with forced bravado, suppressing the unease in his heart.

CRACK! CRACK!

Just then, Lula cracked her neck, her eyes locking onto Ferren and his men before she charged right at them.

"You’re asking to die!"

With no other choice, Ferren opened fire, unloading on Lula.

BANG! BANG!

A dense spray of bullets slammed into Lula’s green body.

But the bullets bounced off like rubber pellets, only creating small dents on her skin without even breaking it.

Seeing this, Ferren scrambled to dodge in terror.

Lula charged up to one of Ferren’s men, grabbed him in a hug, and buried his head in her massive pecs.

"Let me go!"

The man struggled in terror, but his Power was nothing compared to the massive woman’s.

"Come here, little darling! Hugs!"

The woman gave an excited hug, squeezing her pecs together.

The player’s head instantly burst like a squished tomato.

Ferren’s face went pale as he stumbled back in horror.

Xiaoqi and Cloud Fish, who were trying to sneak toward the laboratory exit, turned deathly pale at the sight and quickened their pace.

Seeing that Xiaoqi and her companion were about to escape, Ferren and his men also turned and ran.

"You don’t really think you can run from my embrace, do you, my little darlings?"

Lula didn’t give chase. Instead, she walked over to a giant, ten-foot-tall piece of equipment, gripped it with both hands, and heaved it toward the laboratory exit.

Hearing the whistling sound of the projectile hurtling toward them, Xiaoqi and Cloud Fish dove through the laboratory doorway with all their might.

BAM!

The next second, the massive piece of equipment slammed into place, sealing the exit.

Seeing the blocked exit, Ferren and his men felt as if they’d been plunged into an ice cave. They turned stiffly to face the approaching Lula and forced pained, hideous smiles.

"Ma’am, we were wrong!"

"Oh, no, wait—Granny, we were wrong!"

"Spare us!"

...

Lula’s only response was a horrifying grin as she charged straight at Ferren and his men.

"Ahhh—"

...

「Outside the laboratory doors.」

Xiaoqi and Cloud Fish scrambled to their feet and fled, a series of bloodcurdling screams echoing from behind them.

Hearing them, the pair ran even faster.

...

「First floor of the research building.」

Fleeing downstairs, members of the Rat Group ran right into Raimon and other players waiting for them.

"Haha, the rats can’t hide anymore!"

"Finish them."

...

Raimon and his men showed no mercy, gunning them down one by one.

Just as they fell into despair.

A volley of gunshots rang out.

Several of Ferren’s men fell to the ground.

The members of the Rat Group froze, then whipped their heads toward the entrance.

Long Ming was there, charging in with Johnny.

"Damn it, get them!"

Raimon immediately led his subordinates, turning to fire on Long Ming and his companion.

The two of them quickly ducked behind a toppled information desk.

"Brothers, let’s get ’em!"

Seeing their chance, the Rat Group members who had rushed down pulled out axes and crowbars and charged the remaining enemies.

For a moment, Raimon and his men panicked, firing relentlessly at the charging Rat Group members.

BANG! BANG!

Still, many of them were closed in on and instantly tackled to the ground.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Long Ming raised his automatic pistol, locked onto the leader, Raimon, and pulled the trigger.

BANG!

Raimon was instantly killed with a headshot.

Some Rat Group members also took the opportunity to pick up fallen guns and join the fight.

A few minutes later, all of Ferren’s men who had been left behind were dead.

The members of the Rat Group breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"We’re finally saved."

Long Ming scanned the crowd and asked with a frown.

"Where’s Xiaoqi? I don’t see her."

"Yeah, where’s Sister Qi?"

Johnny asked, having just realized she was missing.

"Sister Qi was being chased by those bastards! She fled upstairs! You have to go save her!"

A Rat Group member named Nak said anxiously.

Hearing this, Long Ming immediately bolted for the stairs.

"Wait for me!"

Johnny immediately ran after him.

...

「Top floor of the laboratory.」

Xiaoqi and Cloud Fish ran, gasping for breath.

"Sister Qi, what in the world was that woman back there?"

Cloud Fish asked, her voice trembling with lingering fear.