Chapter 1040: Deadly Cycle

“Roar!”

A howl erupted at the most inconvenient moment, followed by a series of piercing cries that surged like waves. The Hellforged Monsters had formed a circle below, patiently waiting…

“Damn it! What are we afraid of? If it comes to it, we’ll fight them!” Ye Kai couldn’t help but mutter under his breath.

“Fight them how? Getting injured means death… Do you really think you can take them on?” Mu Chen retorted, casting a sidelong glance at him.

Despite their bickering, both of them instinctively turned their gaze to Ling Mo, waiting for the captain to speak. The others mirrored their reaction… Unbeknownst to them, this ragtag group, constantly teasing each other, had finally developed a shared understanding-trust in Ling Mo.

“Hey, don’t just assume that you can dump all the trouble on me! You might call it trust, but deep down, you’re really thinking, ‘You’re the captain, you deal with it,’ right?” Ling Mo said, exasperated.

“No way…”

“Well, it’s pretty much the same… But saying it so bluntly makes us feel awkward…”

“Give it a rest! We’ve already resigned ourselves to letting you lead us into whatever mess you want, what more do you want…” Mu Chen grumbled.

“Anyway… Let’s all calm down for a moment,” Ling Mo said.

The group fell silent once more… After this brief exchange, they found themselves snapping out of their panic. When they looked at the Monsters again, the restless feeling had eased considerably…

“Yuwen, how much longer on your end?” Ling Mo suddenly asked.

“Hard to say… At least five minutes,” Yuwen Xuan, who had been silent, raised his head and replied, pulling his hand from his pocket.

“Then… let’s hold out for five minutes,” Ling Mo said, looking at everyone.

Five minutes…

Surrounded by so many Monsters, every second felt torturous… Moreover, these five minutes wouldn’t just be a standoff… How long could these Hellforged Monsters wait? A minute? Two? Regardless, within five minutes, they would definitely charge towards the rooftop…

“The building ahead is even less suitable for fighting… Even if we keep moving, it would only delay things by ten seconds or so… As long as they don’t climb up, and just follow below, this method of moving loses its purpose,” Xia Na said, having observed from the railing before jumping down. “The conclusion is… we should stay here and hold out for five minutes.”

The group exchanged glances… Indeed, Xia Na was right, continuing to move was pointless. It was better to remain on this rooftop, which was relatively advantageous for them, and find a way to endure the seemingly endless five minutes… But what awaited them after those five minutes?

“Everyone… follow the captain’s orders and block the door,” Mu Chen interrupted, cutting off any questions before they could be asked.

After a brief moment of silence, everyone sprang into action…

“Ling-Ge…” Ye Lian, who had been watching the scene below, tilted her head slightly to glance at Ling Mo beside her, speaking softly.

“Hmm?” Ling Mo responded.

“What do you think they’re after?” Ye Lian continued to gaze at the Hellforged Monsters. Her hair was whipped by the wind, obscuring her expression, but Ling Mo could still sense that it wasn’t really a question. Had she realized something during the battle with the spiritual body? ℟áℕоＢĘ𝐒

“Ling-Ge, didn’t you say before…” Ye Lian began slowly, “They capture people but don’t eat them… So why do they keep chasing? Zombies pursue humans because they’re hungry… But what drives these monsters?”

Ling Mo was taken aback, furrowing his brow. Despite the distance of several floors, he felt the Hellforged Monsters could see him… and they were fixated on him with a gaze as cruel and greedy as a Zombie’s.

Different? How?

Ling Mo pondered for a moment, then his eyes widened in realization. Yes, the Hellforged Monsters lacked that frenzied desperation seen in starving Fierce Beasts…

“You’re right, kid…” Ling Mo pinched the bridge of his nose, speaking with a hint of excitement, “Their aim isn’t to eat us… We might be killed, torn apart, but their purpose is entirely different from Zombies. At least in this regard, they’re a completely different species… Zombies aim to destroy humanity, but what about these Hellforged Monsters? What’s their goal?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” A child’s voice suddenly chimed in, followed by Black Silk leaping onto the railing, casually sitting there, smirking down at the Monsters. “They want to replace.”

“Humans?”

“Yes, replace humans,” Black Silk replied. “Just look at me. That’s their evolutionary path. They possess the strength of Zombies and the intellect and appearance of humans, able to switch between the two or combine them. That’s why they call themselves Hellforged Monsters… truly from hell, capable of ending everything. But in reality, it’s the Progenitor’s self-assigned evolution level… Hell level, surpassing King level… Before evolving into such a Progenitor, it was just an ordinary Zombie.”

“This world first had humans, then Zombies because of humans, and then Hellforged Monsters because of Zombies. Isn’t that straightforward? But ironically, the Hellforged Monsters don’t aim to surpass both but to merge them, forming a complete cycle… In this cycle, humans are both the beginning and the end… Once the cycle completes, they will be eradicated.” Black Silk turned to Ling Mo, “So, what these Hellforged Monsters want is to become you…”

“How?” Ling Mo asked, his face serious.

Black Silk’s expression turned solemn as well. It shook its head, speaking quietly, “I don’t know… But one thing’s certain, with the Hellforged Monsters out, those humans hiding in corners won’t be safe anymore…”

“There’s time to think about that… All I know is, we’re about to be unsafe,” Ling Mo suddenly shouted, turning back, “Everyone! Block the corners, don’t let a single Hellforged Monster climb up! Whatever they’re planning, during this time, knock them all down!”

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