Chapter 42: Heartless

"Clink!" They gently clinked their glasses, both smiling easily, everything understood without a word.

Xu Wanqing took a small sip of wine, set down her glass, then sat before the piano. Her slender, pale fingers glided across the keys, producing beautiful music.

Mu took out a thumb-sized crystal vial, gently shaking it. Inside was a blue liquid, dreamlike and illusory, emanating an eerie glow.

This was the new agent, a rare substance capable of awakening mutants' potential. It was incredibly difficult to extract, but its effects were astonishing.

His gaze was soft, as if admiring the most captivating treasure, as he toyed with it while awaiting news of the battle.

"Everything is fated," he murmured to himself.

In the mountains, among the thirteen mutants, four had already fallen to the ground, dead, blood streaming from their mouths and noses.

Their minds were already in violent flux; after encountering the Mighty Ox Roar, they were stimulated again, and the fluctuations exceeded their current limit, causing them to succumb to the consequences.

"Ah..." Other mutants also screamed, writhing in unbearable pain, their faces contorted in agony. Some clutched their heads, rolling on the ground, unable to bear it.

Others bashed their heads against trees; with loud thuds, some thick old trees snapped, scattering leaves everywhere.

The blue agent was mysterious and extremely potent, granting them immense power, but the current outcome was also terrifying.

All thirteen mutants were formidable experts, yet four died in the blink of an eye, merely due to a single external mental shock, which caused this catastrophe.

"This is my life's work; it can still be improved, there must be a way to refine it," the old pharmacist muttered from a distance, collapsing to the ground, his mouth full of bloody foam.

He had not consumed the agent, so his mental state was normal, but as a mere mortal, he was severely wounded by Chu Feng's powerful roar.

"Gah..." Suddenly, a mutant lunged forward, his massive body three meters tall, drool dripping from his mouth, his pupils dilated.

The violent mental fluctuations had warped his mind, leaving him dazed and his brain severely damaged.

Splat! This mutant grabbed the old pharmacist, then violently tore him apart with a yank. Accompanied by screams, the scene was horrifying and bloody.

Chu Feng couldn't bear to watch. Even though he had acted ruthlessly moments ago, he was not this brutal. These mutants had gone mad, their ferocity terrifying and outrageous.

On the ground, several other mutants writhed, some tangling with each other and attacking, but without any order, purely driven by instinct, a regression to bestiality.

Chu Feng didn't hesitate. He strode forward, his sword rising and falling. Blood splattered, and several individuals were instantly decapitated, dying on the spot.

If these crazed mutants broke out of the forest, they would cause immense damage to nearby towns.

At the same time, Chu Feng had no intention of letting them go. Since they had come here to ambush him, there was nothing more to say; they had to pay the price.

Moreover, as mutants, when contemplating taking the lives of others, they should have already realized that one day, their own lives might be taken.

Thwack, thwack, thwack... Chu Feng's sword rose and fell without mercy. The black short sword was as sharp as silk, and wherever it passed, heads fell one after another.

In an instant, six or seven people had been decapitated.

Even for those who had already died and fallen, he approached and dealt each a final blow with his sword. Since he had already acted, he would kill thoroughly, leaving no future troubles.

"How ruthless you are!" One person actually opened his eyes. Though unfocused and swaying, he had regained some semblance of consciousness, filled with both shock and terror.

"Can I be more ruthless than you?" Chu Feng retorted indifferently. "So many of you came to kill me, even bringing heavy weapons. Anyone else would have already died."

"Kill!" The man roared. Though his pupils were somewhat dilated, he struggled and still erupted, charging towards Chu Feng, determined to fight to the death.

It wasn't that he was fearless of death, but he knew that if he didn't retaliate, he was doomed to die. Only by fighting desperately was there a glimmer of hope for survival.

In an instant, his body turned to stone; he became like a statue, yet his movements weren't slow. With a boom, the ground trembled beneath his feet—a terrifying sight. Enveloped in a yellowish-brown mist, he lunged forward, punching.

Wherever he passed, many objects turned to stone.

Chu Feng was secretly surprised. He had noticed this mutant earlier, having seen him transform into a half-flesh, half-stone body. Now, he had completely turned into a stone figure.

Clang! Chu Feng activated his short sword. Unsure of the situation, he hadn't used his fist technique, fearing he might be trapped and turned into a human-shaped stone.

The black sword light sliced through, cutting open the stone man's palm. Dark red blood flowed, and a hazy yellow mist emanated, surging towards Chu Feng.

His expression subtly changed. He went all out, activating the Ox Demon Fist. His body instantly became translucent. When the hazy yellow mist surged, it only caused his arm to tingle. As he vibrated with full power, his fist glowed, and his skin remained unharmed.

What was called petrification was blocked by him.

He could feel that as the Ox Demon Fist vibrated, a layer of mystic energy covered his body, capable of isolating the yellow mist and preventing it from harming him.

Chu Feng understood now. He no longer had any reservations and unleashed his full killing power.

Bang! After several clashes, he delivered a fist strike to the mutant's chest, sending him flying sideways through the air, where cracking sounds emanated from him.

Crack! The stone man disintegrated, shattering into pieces. He dissolved in mid-air, and when he hit the ground, some parts were stony while others bled.

This was bizarre. But the stone man was dead nonetheless!

"No matter if you're a monster or a demon, I'll smash you with one punch!" Chu Feng said calmly.

After his continuous attacks, only one person remained: the mutant Chu Feng had previously found dangerous, whose feet had been surrounded by magma. He was now sitting, clutching his head, leaning against an old tree.

This individual was exceptionally powerful. Even after suffering a backlash that nearly tore his mind apart, he still retained a sliver of conscious awareness, his pupils crimson as he stared at Chu Feng.

"They're all dead. You walk over the bones of mutants, your hands stained with blood. Who would have thought that the so-called mortal was that mysterious master?"

He knew Chu Feng, having seen his photos, because he was the leader of this group of mutants and understood the hidden circumstances.

"Be on your way," Chu Feng said, his voice not loud but powerful.

Boom! The mutant's entire body erupted with dazzling light—red flames that shot over ten meters into the sky, instantly incinerating surrounding trees and objects.

He refused to be captured without a fight. With a roar, he unleashed his last reserves of power, lunging towards Chu Feng. His punch, when delivered, surprisingly brought forth large swathes of magma.

It was the earth and rocks on the ground, which he had melted. They erupted with his fist, creating a terrifying spectacle.

It must be said, this person was incredibly formidable, a true master. Under normal circumstances, few could stop him.

However, his current condition was extremely poor. His head was splitting, and after his power had increased tenfold, it rapidly receded, proving ineffective.

Having gained experience from several battles, Chu Feng activated his fist technique, unleashing his strongest power. A massive black brute ox truly materialized, charging forward with his punch.

Boom! The forest was destroyed, ancient trees shattered, and a massive explosion rocked the area!

All of this was a result of their clash.

"Cough!" Within the flames, in the midst of the magma, the mutant coughed blood, clutching his hair. His head was splitting with pain, and the brute ox's roar made blood trickle from all seven of his orifices.

At the same time, his chest was slightly caved in, having sustained a heavy blow.

Chu Feng's punch, condensing the ultimate divine form of the brute ox, possessed overwhelming power. It pierced through the flames, dispersed the red magma, and struck him in the chest.

"This new agent ruined me!" the mutant roared, his eyes crimson and face contorted in profound unwillingness. He couldn't even unleash his normal strength.

He looked mighty, but he was now just an empty shell!

At the same time, Chu Feng sensed danger and looked up at the sky. An armed helicopter roared overhead; it had returned.

He swiftly moved, evading it.

Earlier, the pilot in the air had also suffered a terrifying sonic attack. Even from a distance, his mind had nearly collapsed, almost causing him to crash.

He had hovered unsteadily in the distance for a long time, only then recovering before bombing again.

Boom! A massive explosion rocked the forest as rocket-propelled grenades fell, destroying the area.

The mutant leader was blasted backward amidst the flames and rubble. Mid-flight, he felt a chill at his neck, then saw his opponent.

Chu Feng raised his short sword and brought it down like a black divine rainbow streaking across the sky, cleanly severing his head with a thud, then calmly departed.

The mutant leader's eyes were filled with despair and shock. This opponent was too terrifying, daring to approach him amidst a massive explosion to take his life.

With a single strike, Chu Feng retreated far into the forest, composed and calm.

Soon after, he discovered a stronghold containing several individuals, all armed with heavy firearms. Chu Feng infiltrated, and under their terrified gazes, he acted ruthlessly.

Moments later, he heard the roar of the armed helicopter again. He picked up a rocket launcher, stepped out, and fired with a boom.

Boom! In mid-air, flames burst forth, and the helicopter disintegrated in a violent explosion.

In a luxurious mansion in the county town, the piano music flowed like a gentle stream, yet also like fluttering butterflies—light and nimble. One lively note after another danced from her pale fingertips.

This reflected Xu Wanqing's mood; she was thoroughly content.

The music stopped. She rose and looked at Mu, smiling, "The results of the battle have come in, haven't they?"

"Soon," Mu smiled. "There won't be any suspense." He believed the outcome was already predetermined.

Just then, the communicator rang. Both individuals in the room smiled.

"Dead... everyone... they're all dead!" A ragged breath came from the other end of the communicator. The person was utterly terrified, their voice hoarse and strained.

"What did you say?!" Mu shot upright.

"All the mutants were killed. He... he's like... a demon god!" From the other end came ragged gasps. He was still alive, but he was terrified.

"Explain clearly, what happened?!" Mu's expression changed. He demanded that the person elaborate slowly.

"No... gah!" That was the person's last sound, filled with terror. The voice abruptly ceased, and nothing more could be heard.

In the forest, Chu Feng picked up the man's communicator and held it to his ear. But there was no sound from the other side, only silence; the other party had stopped speaking.

He remained silent, standing quietly.

Finally, the person quickly hung up.

Chu Feng re-entered the forest, continuing his search. He dealt with several more groups of people armed with firearms and destroyed some traces he had left behind.

Half an hour later, the forest was completely silent.

Chu Feng wiped the blood from his black short sword, sheathed it in his boot, and set off towards the county town, treading on fallen leaves and following the mountain path!