Chapter 14: My Eldest Brother’s Tactics Are One Hundred Years Ahead of the World

Half a month later, the headquarters of the Corrupted.

Before it became the base for the Corrupted, this building served as the municipal government office—a structure leaning toward a Western architectural style. After several rounds of haphazard renovations and the addition of various disjointed contraptions, it had evolved into the current gathering place for the Corrupted. It was their lair.

In the finest room in the entire City of Evolution, chaos reigned. Food, precious commodities since the outbreak of the apocalypse, was scattered across the floor, accompanied by countless shards of shattered tableware. A closer look revealed that the steaming food was drenched in a vibrant, crimson hue, emitting a pungent, metallic stench of blood. It was less a product of careful culinary preparation and more like chunks of freshly butchered flesh.

"Trash! They're all a bunch of trash!"

Lai San had been in a foul mood these past few days. He smashed objects while hurling insults at the top of his lungs. This intense rage even managed to suppress the overwhelming urge for destruction that had been born from his twisted psyche. Now, he only wanted to find those few rats causing trouble in the City of Evolution and vent his fury to satisfy his seething hatred.

"Third, you need to learn to be calm and composed," a man standing to one side said coolly. He wore gold-rimmed spectacles and a tailored suit. If one ignored the two tentacles currently slicing through a piece of "steak" and the wine glass hovering in mid-air, one might mistake him for a business executive.

"Calm? How the hell do you expect me to be calm?" Lai San’s eyes were bloodshot, and a violent, murderous intent swirled around him, casting a chill over the room. "You know as well as I do, Qian, that those self-destructive pieces of garbage actually cut the head off my most beloved 'Big Guy'! Calm? Screw that! I want to grind them into dust!"

"I believe you enjoyed eating Big Guy’s heart quite a bit. Besides, your impotent rage here doesn't solve anything." Qian Li revealed a sinister, cold smile, using a tentacle to pick up a napkin and dab his mouth. "It’s just a few dozen losers lost; it’s no big deal. It must be those suicidal 'Outsiders' again."

Lai San puffed heavily, his breathing ragged. "Then what do you propose?"

"No matter. I’ve already roughly located them. A bunch of arrogant trash—they can be wiped out with a flick of a finger. They will be just like the others: fuel for our path of evolution," Qian Li said calmly. "Not only that, I’ve even tracked down those rats we’ve never been able to catch."

"Really?" Lai San’s eyes lit up.

Ever since the food supplies in the city ran out, they had begun to cannibalize each other to continue evolving and surviving. At first, it started with devouring rivals, then eventually their own subordinates. However, the flesh of the Corrupted was not as flavorful as pure, untainted flesh. Consequently, Lai San had been craving those survivors for a long time. He viewed the occasional "players" who descended upon the city as the finest supplements; consuming just one could grant a significant boost in strength. That was how he and Qian Li had broken through to D-rank.

"Rest assured, we will have their precise location by this afternoon at the latest," Qian Li said, full of confidence. "According to previous estimates, there are at least several hundred more head of 'livestock.' Once we devour them all, our strength will rise to another level."

"And when that happens... heh, the two of us can head out and explore other territories!"

Prompted by Qian Li, Lai San began to daydream. In a sense, he was almost a "pure" person. He didn't smoke, drink, or indulge in lust; he had no bad habits. He only ate to fill his belly and increase his power, focused entirely on becoming stronger... It was just that the things he used to fill his belly were a bit abstract, reminiscent of the chaotic customs of the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties.

"Report!"

"Get in here."

"Boss! Incredible news! We’ve basically found the location of those sheep! There are a lot of them; I’m afraid the brothers will have to mobilize in full force!"

"Haha... See, Third? Good news has arrived, hasn't it?"

"Indeed, indeed! Go, tell the underlings: prepare for the feast!"

...

At dusk, the army of the Corrupted swarmed out. Since the outbreak of the apocalypse, the city’s fuel had long since run dry. Nearly a thousand individuals, led by a scout, surged forward toward the building where the survivors were hiding. The spectacle was such that if you didn't know it was an army of the Corrupted, you might have thought Patrick Star was leading the citizens of Bikini Bottom on a mass relocation. The entire aesthetic was defined by its grotesque abnormality.

In some ruins not far away, Lu Wuwu pulled out a walkie-talkie and whispered:

"Brother Long, the targets are heading toward your position. The numbers match our estimates. How many we can keep here depends on how well Niu-Niu performs—don't let him get himself killed."

"Received. Everything is ready on our end; Director Ye will keep an eye on him. Stay careful. Over."

Compared to Lu Wuwu’s casual tone, Wei Long’s reply was much more formal. Yuan Shi, who was hiding alongside Lu Wuwu, still felt uneasy. Even though he tried his best to keep from looking nervous and kept trying to steady his breathing, his exhales were still shaky.

Even though Lu Wuwu had lured away nearly a thousand minions, there were still at least twenty or thirty D+ rank leaders and over a hundred D or D- rank underlings left in the Corrupted headquarters. Now, the two of them and one dog were about to head in against all those powerhouses to forcibly assassinate the C-rank Lai San. To say he wasn't nervous would be a load of nonsense.

"Take it easy, you're breathing harder than Mao Mao," Lu Wuwu said, handing him a piece of gum. "Just set your heart at ease; my 'Big Brother' has a tactical edge that’s a hundred years ahead of the world. Just sit back and relax, I’m carrying this match."

"Your... 'Big Brother'?" Yuan Shi chewed the gum, his tension dissipating slightly, though he still clutched the special close-quarters firearm at his waist. He had prepared it specifically for this assassination. "To be called 'Big Brother' by a powerhouse like you, he must be a tactical master with a profound understanding of this instance dungeon!"

"That goes without saying." Lu Wuwu nodded slightly, a look of nostalgic admiration on his face. "Trading home bases to secure victory when ahead, trading bases to break the stalemate when equal, and trading bases to salvage the situation when behind! Once you've mastered my Big Brother’s operations, all that’s left is to A-move to victory."

Yuan Shi: "..."

Brother, hearing you say that, the heart I had finally managed to set at ease is back in my throat again.

They waited patiently for a while. As the sun dipped toward the horizon and night began to fall, the signal finally came from Wei Long’s side. Lu Wuwu breathed in and out for a moment, adjusting his spirit and energy to their peak.

He patted Mao Mao on the head. "It’s up to you, baby. Go play with them for a while."

He wasn't worried about Mao Mao’s life at all. With a speed stat as high as 56 points, if Mao Mao was determined to run, even a standard C-rank couldn't catch him.

"Woof!"

Mao Mao let out a low bark, suddenly transforming into a streak of light as he bolted toward the main entrance of the Corrupted headquarters.

The Yellow Flash Dog had returned to the world!