Chapter 1192: Ice Cold

After speaking, Zhuque took Yun Shijiu and flew forward, grabbing Wu Shisan’s neck in an instant.

“Ah… damn it… you…” Wu Shisan immediately reached out, thrusting his dagger at Zhuque.

But before the blade could touch Zhuque’s body, Zhuque exerted force in his hand. With a crisp sound, his fingers sank into Wu Shisan’s neck, pulling out something white. Wu Shisan collapsed like a deflated balloon.

Qian Wu couldn’t keep up with Zhuque’s speed. Before he could even reach Wu Shisan, Wu Shisan had already stopped breathing.

“There are many ways to break a person,” Zhuque said, turning slightly as if speaking to Yun Shijiu behind him. “Next, I’ll let you see from my perspective how your teammates die at our hands.”

Yun Shijiu’s gaze swept past Zhuque’s shoulder. The two had already arrived before Feng Shiqi.

Feng Shiqi looked up in terror, facing Zhuque’s smile and Yun Shijiu’s despair.

Yun Shijiu’s lips moved silently—his mouth forming the word “run”—but no sound came out.

“This is the true ‘Divine Beast’…” Feng Shiqi murmured. “I thought killing Xuanwu meant we had passed the hardest trial…”

In the next moment, Feng Shiqi’s head flew off, the dazzling light around her dimming as she fell.

Even after landing, her lips still trembled, her voice so soft only the earth could hear:

“…So why is it still this hard?”

Then came Cui Shisi, who was decapitated almost instantly, unable to resist. Her “teleportation” ability hadn’t even been activated, and Yun Shijiu couldn’t help at all.

Every time, Qian Wu arrived just a step too late. Zhuque seemed to take pleasure in toying with him, making sure he watched his teammates die one by one.

Qian Wu paused, his expression grim as he stared at Zhuque, then turned to Su Shan. “Are you sure all the ‘ripples’ are in the mouth?”

“Yes…” Su Shan wiped the blood and tears from her face. “That must be Zhuque’s weak point.”

Qian Wu nodded, pulling a flare from his waist. “Maybe there’s still one chance to kill him—before Lao Qi returns.”

“Damn it!” Zhou Mo trembled at the mention of Song Qi’s name. “Fifth Brother, Lao Qi must’ve run… There’s no way his path is this long… Even walking, he should’ve arrived by now! He definitely—”

“Shut up.” Qian Wu turned, his icy gaze silencing Zhou Mo. “Lao Qi has died with me countless times—never once running. If he’s truly not coming, you can say he’s dead, but never that he fled.”

“But this time is different…” Zhou Mo’s will seemed shattered by Zhuque’s cruelty, leaving only despair. “Who would choose to kill Zhuque after already killing Xuanwu…? No one’s coming…”

“We all came,” Qian Wu said. “So will he.”

With that, Qian Wu gripped the flare and took a few steps forward.

Now, all they could do was wait. Even if Song Qi did arrive, there was no guarantee he could destroy Zhuque.

Just like how Qian Wu stood here now, helpless to stop Zhuque from killing.

Ruthless methods, overwhelming power, unshakable conviction.

Every trait far surpassed that of “Cat’s” members.

Qian Wu lit a cigarette and looked up at Zhuque soaring through the air, now heading straight for Ning Shiba.

Frowning slightly, Qian Wu wondered: What could possibly suppress Zhuque’s conviction, even temporarily?

Was “Cat” truly destined to be this powerless?

Just as Zhuque’s fingers were about to touch Ning Shiba’s neck, his speed suddenly slowed—then stopped completely.

He turned, confusion flashing across his face as he looked into the distance.

Today was truly bizarre…

Many “Human-Level Zodiacs” had removed their masks, marking them as “deserters.”

Fragments of scenes and information rapidly flashed before his eyes—a standard measure set by “Tianshe” for the “Divine Beasts,” the simplest form of “causality-driven broadcast.”

Whenever a “Zodiac” violated the rules, the scene was instantly transmitted to the “Divine Beasts,” ensuring they could witness the violation and “teleport” there immediately.

But the transmissions Zhuque was receiving now were excessive.

First three or five, then over a dozen, now more than thirty “Human-Level Zodiacs” had removed their masks.

“Today has truly opened my eyes…” Zhuque froze momentarily, sensing the urgency of the situation.

He had to deal with these violators immediately. If they put their masks back on and boarded the “train,” even he might not remember all their faces.

Just as he was about to leave and handle the pests, a familiar sensation struck—his feet were once again tightly bound by vines.

This time, the vines were unusually thick, forcing him to bend down and break free.

How to describe this feeling?

It was like being watched by mice that couldn’t kill you but refused to let you leave or rest.

Now, one of those mice was even clinging to his back—unable to harm him, just hanging on.

Zhuque felt his patience wearing thin. These people restrained him yet had no means to kill him.

Time was running out. If he delayed, Qinglong would surely reprimand him.

He hadn’t broken Qinglong’s rules in a long time.

After all, where else could he kill and torture freely, like in this paradise?

Not even prisons.

Prisons… what a joke. They housed the worst of humanity, yet the inmates were forced to follow rules.

“This place… stinks just like a prison,” Zhuque’s smile faded, his expression lifeless as he stared at the few remaining survivors. “You’re all sinners, yet you pretend to shine with humanity. I don’t understand.”

Qian Wu couldn’t hear Zhuque’s muttering.

Under Zhuque’s puzzled gaze, Qian Wu clenched the flare between his teeth, then lunged forward and grabbed Zhuque’s arm.

Zhuque’s eyes widened in shock. He tried to shake Qian Wu off, only to find his “brute strength” had vanished in that instant.

Qian Wu tilted his head up, letting the flare’s scorching heat pierce through his throat.

The magnesium and aluminum powder inside ignited, instantly generating temperatures over a thousand degrees. Ignoring the pain, Qian Wu focused only on maintaining his conviction—faltering under the extreme heat.

Zhuque’s expression flickered as a sharp, icy pain seared through his throat.

Why did a burn feel so cold?