Mind Games

After passing through the boundary wall, Man Man suddenly accelerated...

When Yi Feng woke up, Man Man was already sprawled on the ground, and ahead of him loomed a majestic city.

The dark city walls, crafted from some unknown material, towered hundreds of feet high. Even from a distance, they exuded an overwhelming sense of oppression.

The walls stretched endlessly on either side of the gate, spanning thousands of miles like a mighty lion crouching in wait.

"Is this the place?"

Yi Feng murmured as he gazed at the city before him. He trusted Man Man's automatic navigation, after all.

Yet what puzzled him was that despite the city's grandeur, not a single soul could be seen in its vicinity.

Even the massive gates were tightly shut, shrouding the place in deathly silence—like a city of the dead.

Since the gates were closed, Yi Feng decided against heading inside immediately. Instead, he opted to scout the area outside first.

The land beyond the walls was desolate, but upon closer inspection, traces of past habitation could be seen.

Following these signs, Yi Feng soon discovered a path.

He walked along it, moving forward...

After what felt like over ten miles, he spotted signs of human dwellings.

"Ah, a village!"

Yi Feng grew excited.

He hoped to find locals and ask about the most dangerous places in the area.

Entering the village, he saw no one, but the surrounding structures suggested it wasn’t abandoned.

So, Yi Feng raised his voice and called out.

"Is anyone here?"

"I’ve been traveling and am hungry. Could I trouble you for a bite to eat?"

The village was small, and his voice echoed through every corner.

Rustling sounds emerged from all directions.

"Oh? Quite a few footsteps—did the whole village come out?"

"The people here must be incredibly hospitable. Such warm, rustic camaraderie can only be found in small mountain villages!"

Yi Feng grinned.

But the next moment, his smile froze.

The figures emerging from the shadows weren’t villagers at all.

They were grotesque, monstrous creatures of all shapes and sizes.

Some had six eyes and eight legs, others stood like pillars with a single limb, and a few towered like colossal titans...

The monsters, upon seeing Yi Feng, were equally stunned.

A human?

The air turned icy, the atmosphere thick with tension.

Neither side had expected this encounter, leaving them staring at each other in disbelief.

After a brief pause, the monsters snapped out of their daze.

With furious roars, they bared their fangs and lunged at Yi Feng from all sides.

To them, he was a delicious piece of meat—a prize they fought over, each desperate to claim him first.

"Well, well. So the whole village is overrun by monsters!"

Yi Feng finally understood.

Excitement gleamed in his eyes.

Now he knew why Piaomiao Hong had called this place dangerous—it was teeming with powerful monsters!

These creatures were clearly far stronger than the likes of Mundobeasts or Crawlers he’d faced before.

True, being devoured and turned into waste was hard to stomach...

But for the sake of immortality, he could overlook such details.

So instead of defending himself or fighting back, Yi Feng gritted his teeth and braced for the monsters to tear him apart.

The attacks came.

A massive black claw descended toward his head, its grip strong enough to crush his skull with the slightest pressure.

But just as death seemed certain—

Another monster let out a furious shriek and sliced off the claw with a razor-sharp limb.

It then roared triumphantly, declaring to the others:

This prey was his alone!

Yet before it could savor its victory, another monster ripped it in half.

In moments, the creatures descended into chaos, slaughtering each other for the right to claim Yi Feng.

Monsters that had lunged at him first became prime targets for the others.

Even those that managed to lick his head were promptly torn to shreds.

Soon, the air reeked of blood, and the ground was littered with dismembered limbs.

The carnage only intensified.

Meanwhile, Yi Feng remained untouched.

Any monster that tried to attack him was immediately torn apart by the others.

At this rate, the creatures wouldn’t lay a finger on him until only one remained standing...

Yi Feng’s face darkened, his lips twitching.

"What the hell?!"

"Are you kidding me?!"

Just when he thought he’d found a way to die, this happens?!

Frustrated, he even tried advising the monsters to share him equally.

But the bloodthirsty beasts were beyond reason—each wanted him all to itself, unwilling to spare even a single hair for the others.

Time crawled by.

Eventually, Yi Feng sat on a step, propping his chin on his hands as he watched the spectacle with boredom.

A severed tongue plopped onto his head—he didn’t flinch.

Next, a mangled kidney splattered against his face. He peeled it off and tossed it aside without a word.

Then half a monster’s rear end came flying his way. He shoved it aside with his foot, grimacing as it wobbled upright, its backside facing him.

With a yawn, he stretched and dozed off.

He had no idea how long he slept, but when he awoke, the ground was carpeted with corpses and gore.

Only one monster remained—barely alive, its body torn in half.

Its face twisted between agony and triumph, but mostly into a grotesque grin.

It seemed to gloat: it was the last one standing, the victor entitled to feast on Yi Feng.

Slowly, it dragged itself toward him, determined to claim its prize.

At last, it reached Yi Feng’s feet.

With its last ounce of strength, it raised a claw—its longest finger just barely brushing Yi Feng’s toe...

Then, with that final touch, it exhaled its last breath.

Yi Feng stared at the dead monster, rubbing his forehead in exasperation.

A storm of curses swirled in his chest, but he couldn’t even muster the energy to vent.

Wiping a chunk of flesh from his face, he stood up with a grumble, his expression dark.

Then, with reluctant steps, he trudged away...