Xu Jinsong stood there, dumbfounded.
He realized that all his thoughts and feelings had been seen through by Number Three.
Number Three chuckled, "We grew up together. I always considered you my brother, and I never imagined we'd end up like this."
"It's… fine…"
"Brother—" Xu Jinsong's voice was hoarse.
"Did I… did I do something wrong? Should I have killed Chen Jinzhao with you? But I truly couldn't. I know I'm from the Divine Kingdom, but I'm also from the Hua Nation's military. Chen Jinzhao is too important to Hua Nation. I could only kill you."
Hearing this, Chen Jinzhao slumped against the wall, completely defeated.
Only now did he understand that Xu Jinsong's actions had a discernible pattern. For instance, on the speedboat, he had asked Chen Jinzhao to scatter his ashes on Changbai Mountain after his death, wanting to guard the nation's borders for three thousand years.
Perhaps he had long wished to die.
Chen Jinzhao felt a heavy weight in his heart. Xu Jinsong's decision had not been easy, and Chen Jinzhao felt admiration for him.
At that moment.
Number Three's smile grew softer, more radiant.
"My brother, you did the right thing. You did something I never dared to do. If I were absolutely loyal to the Divine Kingdom, why would I have killed Wu Qin?"
Hot tears streamed down Xu Jinsong's face as he knelt on the ground before Number Three.
Number Three reached out to help him up, but Xu Jinsong choked out, "Let me kneel. Let me atone for what I've done."
"Get up. A man kneels only to heaven, earth, and his parents!" Number Three's tone became stern. Yet, Xu Jinsong remained kneeling. Number Three spoke again, "Xu Jinsong, get up immediately, or I will never forgive you, even in death."
Only then did Xu Jinsong rise from the ground.
Number Three patted his shoulder. Each cough spat out a lot of blood, making Xu Jinsong's heart ache even more.
"I'm running out of time. I want to say a few last words to you," he said weakly.
"The fact that you could act against me proves you've truly grown up, becoming an independent individual. This is what I'm most gratified by. I hope my death will allow you to shed your gratitude towards the Divine Kingdom Research Institute, and I want to use my death to pave the way for your future."
"Brother, please don't say any more. I was wrong…" Xu Jinsong, a six-foot-tall man, wept uncontrollably, like a child.
Number Three said gently, "Don't cry. From now on, your name is Xu Jinsong, not Number Four. Do you understand?"
"You must live on for me."
"I'll be watching you from heaven, watching you raze the Divine Kingdom Research Institute to the ground."
With these words, Number Three's last ounce of strength was depleted. Blood flowed faster from his mouth, leaving Xu Jinsong even more helpless. Under Xu Jinsong's bewildered and fearful gaze, Number Three collapsed to the ground with a thud, his breathing growing weaker.
Xu Jinsong immediately embraced Number Three, begging him to hold on.
Number Three weakly said, "A grown man, why shed tears? I order you to wipe your eyes and continue fighting."
"You can't die, and I won't let you die," Xu Jinsong choked out.
Number Three managed a bitter smile. "Who can live forever? No matter how brilliant you are, in the end, you're just dust. We are all shackled by the Divine Kingdom. While they grant us power, they also imprison our freedom. I believe death might also be a form of freedom."
Amidst Xu Jinsong's wailing cries, Number Three finally breathed his last.
Chen Jinzhao did not disturb Xu Jinsong. Instead, he forced his battered body towards the remaining A-class members.
"Cut the grass and remove the roots" was Chen Jinzhao's principle.
The few A-class members were terrified when they saw Chen Jinzhao approaching them. They wanted to scatter and escape, but Chen Jinzhao said coldly, "Run? Can you escape?"
As the words fell, Chen Jinzhao charged forward with his blade, and screams echoed from the area.
An A-class member shouted, "Don't run! Chen Jinzhao is at the end of his rope. If we scatter, he'll pick us off one by one. But if we stick together, we might be able to turn the tide and kill him!"
His words were met with a resounding echo. The A-class members who had been fleeing returned.
Chen Jinzhao glanced around. There were still six people left to face him. It was indeed a force to be reckoned with.
However—
Even though Chen Jinzhao was severely wounded, these A-class members were no match for him!
Chen Jinzhao glanced at the man who had spoken earlier and said, "Thank you."
If this man hadn't spoken up, Chen Jinzhao would have had a harder time hunting down all six of them in such a short period. Now that they were gathered together, it was much easier to kill them.
The man blinked, not understanding the words.
But half a minute later, he understood the profound meaning behind them. Chen Jinzhao, even after being injured, was still as ferocious as a tiger. In just a moment, two A-class members lay in pools of blood. The remaining four were no match for Chen Jinzhao, unable to even hold him off for a moment.
After killing five A-class members, Chen Jinzhao left the last one alive.
This was the man who had previously rallied the A-class members to counterattack Chen Jinzhao. Seeing Chen Jinzhao's gaze upon him, he was so terrified he collapsed to his knees with a thud, pleading, "Lord Zhulong, I beg you, spare me. Won't you let me live? If you let me go, I'll be your dog or servant from now on. I'll do anything you say."
"I'm sorry, I don't keep dogs," Chen Jinzhao replied.
"Do you know why I left you for last?"
The man shook his head blankly.
Chen Jinzhao smiled faintly, "Because I'm grateful you gathered them. Otherwise, it would have been quite a hassle to chase them down one by one. Letting you live a little longer is only right, don't you think?"
The man was petrified, his liver and gallbladder splitting with fear. He quickly cried out, "No, don't kill me!"
Before he could finish speaking, Chen Jinzhao's Tai Sui pierced his skull, instantly killing the A-class member.
Chen Jinzhao kicked the man's corpse aside and returned to Xu Jinsong's side.
Xu Jinsong's eyes were red. He looked up at Chen Jinzhao, choking out, "Zhulong, I killed my brother. I deserve to die."
Chen Jinzhao patted his shoulder. "The dead cannot be brought back to life. I believe he wouldn't want you to live in guilt forever."
"I know," Xu Jinsong sniffled.
Chen Jinzhao looked around at the numerous corpses strewn about, their deaths gruesome, which made his stomach churn.
For some reason, the sense of danger in his heart had not subsided.
It was as if a greater crisis loomed ahead.
The next moment.
Chen Jinzhao abruptly turned his head towards the deepest part of the laboratory. Xu Jinsong also tensed up, looking with Chen Jinzhao towards that dark recess of the laboratory.
Xu Jinsong suddenly recalled something, his face turning ashen. "This is bad. There's an even more terrifying entity in this laboratory. He was in hibernation. Perhaps Wu Qin's death awakened him. You need to leave here quickly!"
"Otherwise, we'll all die."
"And you?" Chen Jinzhao retorted.
A tragic smile flickered across Xu Jinsong's face. "Me?"
"Death awaits!"