Dr. Zhao and the others nearby were choked by the smoke, coughing uncontrollably. Being too close to Zhong Zhen, they were engulfed in the thickest haze in the entire area.
“Cough, cough…” Dr. Zhao rasped, “Are you all okay… Lin Qin, are you still here…?”
“I… I’m here…”
Lin Qin’s voice came from nearby. Squinting, Dr. Zhao waved his hands to disperse the smoke and hurried to her side, shielding her protectively.
“Is anyone else here…?” he turned and whispered, “Xiao Xiao, Kim Won-hoon, Han Yimo… Are you still with us?”
No one answered. Swallowing hard, Dr. Zhao and Lin Qin began inching cautiously toward where they remembered the giant bell to be.
“What’s wrong with that lunatic…?” Dr. Zhao muttered under his breath. “He wouldn’t listen… and suddenly unleashed all this smoke…”
“You should keep your voice down,” Lin Qin warned. “If he spots us, we’re in trouble. The White Tiger must already be alerted. Every step forward has to be taken carefully now…”
“That massive explosion earlier really bothers me…” Dr. Zhao murmured. “It sounded like something was built and then instantly blown apart…”
“Don’t dwell on it,” Lin Qin said. “Focus on the bell.”
“Right…”
Both knew that in a battlefield filled with “echoes,” intelligence was always more crucial than ability. Yet now, everyone was fighting blindfolded—no one knew what was truly happening.
Kim Won-hoon, cradling his injured arm, moved silently behind Dr. Zhao and Lin Qin.
He had heard Dr. Zhao’s calls but chose not to respond immediately. Instead, he picked up an iron rod from the ground and stealthily followed, staying in the shadows, wary of Zhong Zhen’s sudden appearance.
As Dr. Zhao had said, Zhong Zhen’s actions were bizarre. Though “Paradise Gate” knew he was no saint, there was no reason for him to go on a solo killing spree here.
Earlier, when Dr. Zhao had shouted in the smoke, Zhong Zhen should have emerged to attack. Yet he never appeared. Kim grew even more cautious, ensuring his steps made no sound.
Then, his ears twitched—a faint but distinct footstep behind him. He spun around just in time to see Zhong Zhen’s grinning face as the man suddenly swung a blade downward. Kim instantly raised the iron rod in defense, blocking the lethal strike.
The clash of metal rang out sharply. Dr. Zhao and Lin Qin whirled around to see Kim and Zhong Zhen locked in a deadly standoff, weapons trembling against each other.
“Old man, you…” Kim gritted his teeth, gripping the rod. Though agile, he couldn’t match an adult’s brute strength. “Have you lost it…? What did we ever do to you…?”
Zhong Zhen didn’t answer, only grinning wider as he pressed the blade down harder. Kim tried to activate his “Warp” ability, but the urgency of the moment disrupted his focus.
“If you won’t talk, don’t blame me for fighting back…”
Just then, Kim noticed blood trickling from Zhong Zhen’s ears. Frowning, realization dawned.
“He… can’t hear…?”
“Can’t hear…?”
Dr. Zhao froze briefly before snapping back to reality. To save Kim, he clumsily charged forward with a flying kick—hitting Zhong Zhen but also tumbling to the ground himself.
Zhong Zhen staggered back, readying another attack, when a massive figure emerged from the smoke behind him, locking an arm around his neck like steel.
“Xiao Xiao…!”
It was Xiao Xiao restraining Zhong Zhen.
Seeing his teammates unharmed eased Dr. Zhao’s nerves—only Han Yimo remained missing, lying somewhere in the haze.
Without hesitation, Zhong Zhen flipped his folding knife and stabbed repeatedly at Xiao Xiao’s arm.
She grunted in pain and retracted her grip, inspecting the five deep gashes now bleeding profusely.
Seizing the distraction, Zhong Zhen kicked her knee. As she bent over, he thrust the knife toward her throat.
Forced to block again, Xiao Xiao raised her arm—only to be stabbed once more, blood splattering the ground.
As Zhong Zhen lunged for the killing blow, Kim finally regained his focus. In a flash, he “Warped” beside Zhong Zhen and swung the iron rod at his wrist—expecting to disarm him. But Zhong Zhen withdrew, slashing at Kim’s throat instead. Kim barely dodged, though the blade grazed his eyebrow, leaving a deep cut.
Before Zhong Zhen could strike again, Kim vanished, reappearing behind him. But just as his rod descended, Zhong Zhen released another burst of smoke.
The sudden pressure forced Kim back, his eyes burning shut. Coughing violently, he sensed something slicing through the haze toward his chest.
A cold sensation pierced him—then stillness. Both he and Zhong Zhen froze.
Kim looked down in disbelief. The knife had sunk into his chest—but only the tip. Blood dripped down his shirt, the wound gruesome yet not fatal.
He stepped back, pulling the blade free. Sharp pain flared, more blood oozing out.
Confused, he lifted his gaze as the smoke cleared—then his eyes widened.
A perfectly round hole gaped in Zhong Zhen’s throat, blood gushing freely. He had been dead before stabbing Kim.
“Damn it…” Kim cursed under his breath. “What the hell just happened…?”
Dr. Zhao and the others rushed over, equally baffled. Had someone else attacked Zhong Zhen?
But no other “participants” were nearby. Who could have done this?
Zhong Zhen’s body toppled stiffly like a statue, lifeless.
“I think someone else is watching us…” Dr. Zhao whispered.
As he spoke, the space around Zhong Zhen’s corpse twisted. A figure in a suit materialized beside the body.
The group stared in shock.
The newcomer wore a “Monkey” mask—clearly a Human Monkey.
“My god…” Dr. Zhao swallowed hard. “This path is way too brutal…”
Before they could react, the Human Monkey lifted its head. Its masked gaze locked onto them, then uttered four chilling words:
“Long live the Yakuza.”
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