As soon as Ma Twelve left with the “arm,” the scene fell into silence, as if nothing had just happened.
Song Qi paused for a moment, then gestured to the people on the roof, arranging the next round of offensive tactics.
Now that Xuanwu had lost an arm, it was somewhat helpful no matter how you looked at it.
“Oh… damn…” Jiang Shi suddenly thought of something and turned to look in the direction Ma Twelve had run off, muttering blankly, “Forgot to tell Twelve the bad news about ‘Undying’…”
“Ah, fuck me!”
A distant scream from Ma Twelve drifted over, faint and ethereal, as if he had already run quite a distance but was still within the range of “Silence.”
“This—this arm is beating me up! Ah, I—!” His voice grew fainter. “Can anyone come help? Goddammit, this is Xuanwu’s arm—how am I supposed to fight it alone?! Oww!”
“Oh…” Jiang Shi turned back as if nothing had happened. “Never mind, looks like Twelve already knows.”
The others then acted as if nothing had occurred, focusing intently on Song Qi’s hand signals and Xuanwu on the ground, all while Ma Twelve’s screams grew increasingly distant.
After Song Qi made a series of gestures, everyone nodded in unison.
Moments later, the combined assault of the “Cat” team was launched once more. This time, the strategy was nearly identical to the last—utilizing tools and “Echo” to unleash a large-scale attack. A myriad of bizarre phenomena converged, engulfing Xuanwu’s entire body again.
Though Xuanwu had lost an arm and couldn’t block such a widespread assault, the team still struggled to inflict any substantial damage.
Every attack landed, yet it felt like sinking into the sea—loud but leaving not a single ripple.
“Truly formidable, this ‘Undying,'” Jiang Shi mused, squatting on the roof with his arms crossed. “When will I ever possess such power?”
Officer Li, who had been watching from the rooftop for a while, flicked away his cigarette butt.
“Song Qi,” he said softly. “I’m going to try something.”
“‘Try’ what?” Song Qi turned to ask.
“No matter how strange she looks, at the end of the day, she’s humanoid,” Officer Li replied. “What if I try to rip out Xuanwu’s heart…? What would happen?”
Song Qi pondered the question, finding the answer elusive.
Though no one could know for sure, Song Qi had a gut feeling that Xuanwu wouldn’t die.
Even if every other humanoid creature could perish, Xuanwu absolutely wouldn’t.
“I can’t say for certain,” Song Qi answered honestly. “Xuanwu’s current state is just too bizarre.”
“Song Qi, based on your experience, if I really try to rip out her heart…” Officer Li asked hesitantly, “would she go completely berserk and kill us all?”
“Well…” Song Qi lowered his head in thought. “Fourth Brother, to be honest, I’ve met many people who claim they ‘don’t want to live,’ but survival is human instinct. Once someone truly realizes they’re about to die, their subconscious will drive them to fight for their life. So Xuanwu might very well be enraged.”
“So… should I try it or not?”
“Do it,” Song Qi said. “We don’t have any other options left. If Xuanwu does lose control, then we’ll all face the consequences together.”
“Alright…” Officer Li nodded, then slipped his right hand into his pocket and closed his eyes.
Xuanwu emerged once more from the thick black mist, still seemingly devoid of emotion.
This latest barrage of attacks was, for her, yet another novel experience of death—one that she felt brought her closer to the end than ever before in all this time.
Maybe just a little more effort would do it…?
If they pushed harder, coordinated better, amplified their “immortal techniques” further, she might finally fall right here.
How fitting that sounded…
A guardian of the rules, dying on the path of upholding them—that was the most fitting death for her.
So she owed no one—not the “rules,” not those she had killed in the past, not even Qinglong, who had spared her from starvation.
The “Cat” team also sensed that Xuanwu was unlike any enemy they’d ever faced.
Rather than resembling a “divine beast,” she felt more like a supremely powerful “native” of this land.
Every foe they’d encountered in the “Land of Endings” had required wit and strategy to overcome—except Xuanwu.
She only understood the simplest of notions, as straightforward as “You kill me first, then I’ll kill you.”
Yet the simplest things were often the hardest. Even with “Divine Power” and “Heavenly Strength” on their side, they still couldn’t gain an advantage over Xuanwu.
She clearly wanted to die. She’d given them every opportunity. But they simply couldn’t kill her.
**”You…”** Xuanwu murmured as she stepped forward, **”are getting closer… Aren’t you almost there…?”**
No one dared answer her question. After all, success or failure, they were doomed either way.
Succeed, and Qinglong would kill them. Fail, and Xuanwu would.
**”I can feel it…”** Xuanwu continued, dragging her long hair behind her. **”I can feel you’re on the brink…”**
As soon as she spoke, Xuanwu felt a sudden, strange throb in her heart.
Yet the sensation felt distant, as if transmitted from another space into her mind.
**”Hmm…?”**
She glanced down at herself but found nothing amiss.
Then, in the next instant, a sharp pain tore through her chest—a cold, searing agony that flooded her consciousness.
This pain was fiercer than any before, as though something had attacked her from within.
“Undying” could no longer shield her from this bone-deep torment.
Behind Song Qi, Officer Li trembled as he extended his hand, clutching a vividly beating, crimson heart.
The heart pulsed with faint starlight, as if it had been summoned from another realm.
Song Qi turned around, his face a mask of shock. He’d never imagined Officer Li’s plan would work so flawlessly. Beside him, Su Shan’s eyes widened in disbelief.
There it was—Xuanwu’s heart. Her vital weakness.
If this heart were destroyed… would she finally die?
Without hesitation, Officer Li grabbed a sharp wooden shard from the ground and plunged it deep into the heart.
At the same moment, Xuanwu let out a bloodcurdling shriek from the clearing, startling everyone nearby.
But the next second, Officer Li sensed something was off—it felt like he’d stabbed the shard into a bundle of straw.
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