The closer he got, the more striking the other's presence became.
Even surrounded by the rat swarm, this person seemed as radiant as the sun and moon.
The contrast was stark; the humanoid rat, in comparison, seemed like a cheap creature that had crawled out of a sewer.
The difference was so jarring—it seemed almost unfair.
The Creator must have been so unjust!
In an instant, the humanoid rat's eyes turned bloodshot, and it shrieked in anger: "Ah—!"
Seizing the opportunity, Lin Yebai threw out a sharp fang with the skill of a concealed weapon.
The fang turned into a white flash in midair and pierced straight through the rat's open mouth, tearing through its throat. Its shriek suddenly cut off.
The sound struck Zhou Yuan's ears painfully, his whole body trembling. Blood trickled from his neck, and as he touched it, he found his hand covered in blood. His head throbbed violently as he gripped the steering wheel, trying to restart the truck. If he could just find a way to run over those rats!
Coach Wang, dizzy and disoriented, reinforced the truck door with spider silk to prevent the rats from breaking in.
The rats charged at Lin Yebai, but he leaped into the air, using the back of a large rat as a springboard, and soared several meters, his body moving like a graceful breeze. He slashed down at the humanoid rat's neck.
The rat's tough gray fur blocked the blade, leaving only a white streak.
Lin Yebai struck again, this time slashing at the rat's eyes. Despite its attempts to dodge, a line of blood appeared in its gaze, completely blurring its vision.
The injury wasn't from his bone knife, but from his cutting intent.
The humanoid rat, now blinded and wounded, was filled with rage. It immediately commanded the rat swarm to attack.
Now that it had lost its sight, it had to rely on its senses to dodge attacks. However, no matter which direction it fled in, it could feel the cold intent of death closing in.
Its fur stood on end, forming an almost impenetrable armor of protection.
Realizing it couldn't escape, it started to charge and bite, but Lin Yebai evaded every attack.
To protect itself further, the humanoid rat opened its mouth once more, issuing commands. However, its throat was so severely injured from the fang that its shrieks became sharp and hoarse.
Some smaller rats formed a protective barrier around it, creating a circular shield.
Lin Yebai couldn't get any closer, when suddenly a voice shouted, "Bro, retreat!"
He leapt up just in time to see a fist-sized object thrown into the swarm of rats.
Boom! The explosion sent a bloodied, mangled shadow scattering in all directions. Lin Yebai threw his knife, slicing the thing in half, as a notification from the main system rang in his ears:
[Slay Intermediate Mutant x1]
[+500 Points]
[Gained 'Attribute Card' x1]
The humanoid rat was likely dead.
The floor was now littered with rat corpses, and the air was thick with the smell of charred meat, mixed with the acrid stench of blood and dust. It was overwhelming.
The once frenzied rats scattered in fear, their rat king no longer controlling them.
Lin Yebai, though exhausted, was not injured. The only effect of the humanoid rat's shrieking was a slight dizziness. He quickly took a small medicine pill from the [Blue Bottle] he had exchanged earlier, which helped him recover significantly.
Although his stamina was replenished and his internal energy surged, his complexion remained pale, and his lips were unnaturally faint. Compared to an ordinary person, he looked unnervingly frail, his black hair almost taking on a supernatural aura, surrounded by an eerie silence.
The chatroom viewers were commenting on his state:
[Magician's Grandstaff]: "Be careful, that's a weapon from the New Era, it can be dangerous."
[Soft Cat Ears]: "Cai Cai, are you sick? You look so weak."
[I Am a Needle Expert]: "As a veteran in Chinese medicine, this person seems to be born weak, with severely depleted life force. If he continues like this, his lifespan will be very short. He should avoid physical exertion; his vitality is fading fast."
[God of History]: "The medicine from the live stream can help him recover, but it still drains his life force. Use it sparingly."
[God of History]: "After completing missions, you can exchange for life-extending potions, like the Life Spring Water from the Elf Kingdom."
[Truth Above All]: "Life Spring Water costs tens of thousands of points, but it's worth it."
[Super Rich Orange Seat]: "Don't worry, I'll take care of you once the dungeon is done!"
Lin Yebai took note of the chat messages, considering ways to extend his life, such as the Life Spring Water.
Having been ill for a long time, he knew his body well. Even if the main system healed his injuries, he wouldn't survive for long.
In this kind of environment, avoiding conflict was nearly impossible. He could only conserve his energy and avoid further injury.
"Bro, are you alright?"
A car arrived, and several burly men got out, walking toward him. They were dressed similarly to Zhou Yuan, covered head to toe in protective gear.
They saw someone standing alone, dealing with a rat swarm with legendary agility—his body floating like a phoenix, black hair flying like a sage from another world. They couldn't resist stepping in to help. Up close, Lin Yebai was even more striking, but his poor health was hard to ignore.
Lin Yebai had already retrieved his bone knife, discreetly pocketing a blood drop from the humanoid rat's brain.
"Thank you, everyone."
"Be careful," the leader said, a young man with a clear voice, who gestured toward the dim moon above, as if explaining something Lin Yebai might not know:
"The mutations are tied to the moon. Don't let it shine on you."
[Sexy Spider Louis]: "No matter how many layers you wear, the Abyss will still get through."
[Magyu Mushrooms]: "With the current level of technology, they should be able to make decent protective suits."
[White Umbrella]: "Don't look directly at the moon. Stay hidden inside buildings. It can slow down the transformation. You won't turn into a beast within ten years."
Lin Yebai paid attention to the comments and thanked the group again before opening the car door.
Zhou Yuan was slumped over the steering wheel, bleeding from his ears, unconscious. His clothes were torn by rats, his body covered in dozens of bites and scratches. The windows were shattered, likely from rats crawling through.
"He's been bitten? If his blood's contaminated, he could mutate. If his condition worsens, act quickly."
The others took out a medical kit and quickly began treating Zhou Yuan's wounds.
"What's your name, bro?" the leader asked, his voice light and youthful.
"Lin," Lin Yebai replied softly, too weak to speak loudly.
"We're searching for survivors, planning to move to a shelter in the north. Lin, you should come with us."
Coach Wang remained silent in the back, not daring to show himself.
"I'll think about it. I'll wait until he wakes up," Lin Yebai said, glancing at Zhou Yuan.
"If he turns into a monster but still retains his mind, he can come with us. We've had some of our companions transform, but they can still think." The leader spoke seriously:
"This disaster is upon us, and we must help each other to survive. We do not discriminate against anyone."
"The Rat King attacked the shelter, causing hundreds of deaths. It's lost all humanity and is vicious. You've rid us of that threat, and we are truly grateful, Lin."
The leader bowed sincerely, and the others followed suit.
Lin Yebai was about to speak when he couldn't suppress another cough. Blood stained his fingers as he tried to control it.
The leader and his group fell silent, seeing the state of Lin Yebai, whom they had hoped might be the answer to their plight.
"Lin, there's a medical team at the shelter. Do you need any help?"
"Can you provide some common medicines?" Lin Yebai's voice was faint.
When they searched for supplies, they hadn't found any medicine. If he fell ill, it could be fatal.
The leader nodded, and one of his men immediately handed over a small medical kit.
"Thank you."
"If you're surrounded again, try to escape. Pour gasoline and set it on fire. Mutants, including animals, fear fire by instinct."
The leader seemed about to convince Lin Yebai to join them, but seeing Zhou Yuan unconscious and the sealed truck, he changed the subject:
"We have to search for others, but if you want to head to the shelter, follow the markings on this map."
He drew a special symbol.
Lin Yebai recalled something from earlier:
"There's a tall person near Tianxing Garden, with unusually long legs. They were using a loudspeaker to call for survivors. Are they from the shelter?"
"People from the shelter never act alone.
It could be survivors working in groups, or worse, a mutant with bad intentions. Approach with caution."
The group quickly departed, and a while later, Coach Wang finally spoke:
"Lin, how are you feeling? Can I come out now?"
"Come out." Lin Yebai was feeling Zhou Yuan's pulse. It was erratic, sometimes strong, sometimes weak. No living person should have such a pulse.
Looking at Coach Wang, he motioned for him to extend his hand.
"Lin, what's wrong with me?"
"Am I about to die?" Coach Wang was panicking. He noticed how serious Lin Yebai had looked while checking Zhou Yuan's pulse, and now it seemed even worse.
"It's a joyful pulse," Lin Yebai said, instinctively looking at Coach Wang's stomach.