"Governor!" A piercing scream echoed through the command center.

Just as the two major races were on the verge of annihilation, Li Tianran, the supreme commander of humanity, suddenly collapsed for unknown reasons. Blood streamed from his eyes, nose, ears, and even pores, making for a ghastly sight.

Worse, as Li Tianran fell, personnel within the Kunlun dreadnought command deck began exhibiting similar symptoms.

Thud…

Thud…

More and more people collapsed, mirroring Li Tianran's condition.

On the battlefield…

Within Mad Breath Island…

Over half of humanity's remaining sixty million people were suddenly struck by this unheralded collapse!

Crack!

Crack!

From within the Kunlun dreadnought, the sound of straining metal being pushed beyond its limits rang out.

Then, an engine exploded.

Next, a giant cannon.

Soon after, weapons and buildings across the human world crumbled and collapsed!

"What's happening?" Star and Dark Apostle stood atop their Miracle Buildings, watching as the Kunlun dreadnought, Sky Citadel, and Gonggong battleships abruptly ceased fire. They were puzzled by Li Tianran's actions.

Similar questions arose among the Pyramid race.

"What is Li Tianran doing? Why has he suddenly stopped attacking?" Nilaam furrowed his brow.

Just then, he received a message. After reading it, his pupils constricted, and he strode over to Han Han, whispering, "My Queen, the humans are experiencing some… difficulties."

He handed her a video file. It was footage from Pyramid surveillance satellites showing mass collapses and deaths, inexplicable building collapses, and decaying weapons across the human world.

"This is definitely not the work of Star and Dark Apostle… they don't possess such power. This must be…" Nilaam paused, taking a deep breath. "This is the… Great Scourge of the human civilization!"

Having accepted the Pyramid race, Han Han had also gained access to information about the Great Scourge.

She knew that when a civilization reached level 0.8 or higher, the Great Scourge would descend. However, there was no predictability to its arrival; it could occur on the day a civilization reached level 0.8, or it could happen after they had advanced to a higher level.

The ancient civilization's first Great Scourge had struck around level 0.85, when terrifying meteorites obliterated all the glory the Apostles had created, forcing them to construct the Miracle Buildings.

Now, the human civilization had at least reached parity with the ancient civilization, around level 0.95, and was long overdue for a Great Scourge.

"The higher the level of civilization, the more terrifying the Great Scourge…" Nilaam said gravely, "The Lizardmen civilization we once aided nearly drove us to the brink of extinction. Their civilization reached almost level 0.96, and the Great Scourge that targeted them wiped them out completely!"

Han Han was silent. She suddenly said, "Cease fire!"

Nilaam remained quiet.

He never imagined the human Great Scourge would arrive at this moment. If humanity couldn't survive this Great Scourge and was completely destroyed, would their assistance to the human civilization even matter?

Did the Pyramid still need to help the human civilization eliminate the two Apostles?

"Bring Li Tianran back first…" Han Han suddenly said, glancing at the two Apostles. "Let them live a little longer."

The Kunlun, Gonggong, and Sky Citadel all ceased their attacks simultaneously. Han Han easily guessed that Li Tianran was also experiencing problems. The priority now was not to kill the two Apostles, but to ensure Li Tianran was still alive.

Soon, under the bewildered gazes of Star and Dark Apostle, the Pyramid dragged away the three pieces of heavy human weaponry.

After a long while, Star and Dark Apostle received the video information from the satellites.

"So, the human Great Scourge has arrived, hahaha!"

"Are we about to relive the battle against the Lizardmen civilization? Hahaha!"

Laughter erupted from the followers within the Miracle Buildings.

At this moment, they felt the gods were favoring them.

…

Li Tianran felt like he was sinking into a dark swamp, his entire body heavy. He tried to open his eyes, but his eyelids felt like they were weighed down with lead, impossible to lift.

He didn't know how long passed, but he felt an extremely cold gas being injected into his body, almost freezing his limbs and bones. But strangely, he felt his body instantly lighten. He tried to open his eyes again, and this time, blinding light flooded in. He finally struggled out of the darkness and saw what was in front of him.

As the light swirled, his vision slowly focused, and he saw Nilaam's aged face.

He abruptly sat up, gasping for air. He looked around and realized he was in the Farm's castle.

"Wasn't I fighting Star and Dark Apostle? How did I get back to Mad Breath Island?" Li Tianran looked around and saw Bai Jingyan standing beside him. He immediately asked, urgently.

"Governor Li," Nilaam said, "Before you collapsed, we were indeed at war with Star and Dark Apostle, but… the Great Scourge of the human civilization descended."

The Great Scourge…

Li Tianran felt a sharp pain in his head. He struggled to recall the events before his collapse, but he couldn't remember anything.

"Did we kill Star and Dark Apostle?" Li Tianran asked again.

"…" Nilaam sighed and said slowly, "We were… so close."

Hearing this, Li Tianran felt all the strength drain from his body.

"After we discovered the human Great Scourge, we left the battlefield. After examination, we found that this Great Scourge targeting human civilization seems to be related to the power of [Decay]." Nilaam pointed to Li Tianran's body and said, "Inside your body, many of your internal organs and blood vessels show signs of aging, and your brain nerves have also suffered the same condition… Not just you, nearly half of the entire human race has been corroded by the power of Decay…"

"This power, it seems, even the self-healing ability of evolutionaries cannot cure…"

"And most importantly, this power is not only targeting living beings, but even the weapons and buildings of human civilization have been eroded by the power of Decay…"

Hearing Nilaam's words, Li Tianran couldn't sit still any longer. He strode out of the castle and saw a scene of utter devastation.

At least half of Mad Breath Island had been reduced to ruins!

Even the Kunlun dreadnought and Gonggong battleships looked battered and scarred!

Buzz!

Li Tianran's brain spun. He staggered forward. Apart from the Sky Citadel, all the facilities on Mad Breath Island had been affected.

"What the hell…" Li Tianran clenched his fists, unable to believe the reality before him.

Victory had been within reach, but why had the Great Scourge descended at this moment? Did the god in the darkness not want to see him destroy the ancient civilization?

"We injected you with a booster. This drug can help reactivate your genes and help you fight the power of Decay, but there isn't much of it, so we can't inject it into all humans… I'm sorry." Nilaam followed him out and said, "I have to go back."

Li Tianran looked at the scene before him, his expression frozen.

Bai Jingyan came out and said, "I can replicate that booster, but it will take time… Well, this is good too, you should get some rest. As long as you give us some time, we will rebuild Mad Breath Island."

"Help me count how much firepower and combat personnel are not affected by the power of Decay." Li Tianran suddenly raised his head and said, "I want to concentrate our firepower and fight again!"

Bai Jingyan was stunned, his expression becoming anxious. "That's absolutely impossible! There's something wrong with your body, and there are major problems with our firepower! If you insist on fighting, the consequences could be disastrous! Nilaam told me that the booster has side effects. Now you need to rest. If you continue to fight, you might die!"

"Do as I command!" Li Tianran suddenly roared. He turned to Bai Jingyan and said, word by word, "Do you know how difficult it was to get the Pyramid to participate in this war? At this time, we can't let the Pyramid think we're about to collapse…"

"The Pyramid wants to end the war as quickly as possible. If they think destroying us would be faster than destroying the ancient civilization, they might help the ancient civilization!"

Li Tianran's voice was hoarse.

He believed his judgment. In order to end the war as quickly as possible, the Third Consciousness might indeed do this. She wouldn't kill the people on Mad Breath Island, but would choose to have the people on Mad Breath Island join her race for protection, as for the other human worlds…

She would simply flatten them.

Hearing these words, Bai Jingyan was stunned.

"I want to turn everything into a foregone conclusion before she changes her mind!" Li Tianran gasped.

Bai Jingyan was silent for a moment, then turned back to the castle to get some data for Li Tianran, saying, "It's recorded in detail here."

Li Tianran picked up the data and looked at it for a while, then used his authority to address the entire Mad Breath Island: "Abandon all defenses, all combat personnel with the ability to act, follow me to set out again, not destroy the ancient civilization, vow not to return!"

…

Half an hour later, three thousand pioneers followed Li Tianran onto the Sky Citadel again, with the Kunlun and Gonggong battleships following, like a hungry tiger launching its last attack on its prey.

If this battle is won, devour the prey, be reborn in blood!

If this battle is lost, be doomed forever!