"Captain!"

"Big Brother!"

"No!"

In the desperate cries of the team members, the heavy door slowly closed, sealing away the bloody and chaotic scene bit by bit. Some of them were injured and couldn't retreat in time, finding themselves trapped outside. They watched the closing door, their eyes full of despair and unwillingness. Glaring at the man who had crushed their last hope of survival, they began to curse him.

"Ren Qiang, if you want to die, why don't you just do it yourself?"

"We haven't even made it inside yet!"

"Yeah, who knew you'd be so useless…"

The curses from the remaining few made Ren Qiang's pale face darken. Here, humanity showed its true colors.

Unfortunately, he no longer had time to teach these people a lesson, as they all shared the same fate.

The insects were here!

Under the first wave of the insect swarm's attack, they were dismembered without any resistance. Blood stained the ground red as their lives were extinguished like candles in the wind, leaving only endless desolation and death hanging in the air. Although Ren Qiang fought desperately to slay his enemies, all he could manage was to trade his own life for the corpses of a few dozen insects.

To the enormous swarm, however, it made no difference.

「Inside the Bank Vault」

The moment he entered, Chen Pingchuan immediately surveyed the vault's layout. The surrounding walls, ceiling, and floor were seamlessly constructed from large metal plates, each shimmering with a cold, silver light. The surfaces were as smooth as mirrors, without a single crack or flaw, sealing the entire vault like a secluded metal cage. Chen Pingchuan's first impression was of a cold, heavy, metallic world.

In the center of the vault floor stood a platform about a foot high, piled with neatly stacked mountains of Federation Coins. Bundles of new banknotes were arranged in order, forming small "Money Mountains" that nearly touched the ceiling.

Even Chen Pingchuan, who was used to grand sights, felt a sense of shock. His previous wealth now seemed like a molehill; this was a true mountain!

Under the vault's lights, the Federation Coins emitted a unique luster—a symbol of the wealth and power that countless people dreamed of achieving.

Along one side of the vault stood a row of what looked like glass protective cases. Each case was like an exquisite display cabinet, and inside each one quietly rested vials of genetic enhancement serum.

In the opposite corner, a variety of high-tech weapons were on display. Long-range, large-caliber guns were lined up neatly on custom racks, their gunmetal gleaming with a cold light. The black muzzles were like deep holes, seemingly ready to devour all life at any moment. The firearms were diverse, ranging from light and flexible handguns to powerful sniper rifles, as well as various other rare and formidable weapon types.

Beside the guns was a row of bladed weapons for close combat. The sharp edges glittered with a cold gleam under the light; some blades were curved like crescent moons, while others were straight and slender. Each blade was meticulously crafted, its surface etched with patterns like mysterious runes. They complemented the firearms, together forming an impressive weapons display.

Chen Pingchuan immediately led his subordinates to stand beside the weapons display. There was a saying from his past life that went, "You store food, I store guns; your home becomes my granary!" So Chen Pingchuan immediately seized the advantageous position. Although the protective cases required passcodes to unlock, if he couldn't have the weapons, no one else would either.

Unlike Chen Pingchuan and his group, the rest of the team members trapped in the vault were overwhelmed by a heavy sense of grief. They knew that their current safety had been bought with Captain Ren Qiang's life.

The other bank employees had also witnessed the terrifying scene of the giant insects dismembering people. They were all as pale as ash. A suffocating silence filled the vault, broken only by the sound of everyone's heavy breathing.

After about ten minutes, Lilia finally regained consciousness. At the same time, Ren Qiang's surviving subordinates also began to emerge from the quagmire of their pain and injuries.

Among the crowd, a calm-faced young man was the first to survey every corner of the vault. He saw the cold, hard metal walls surrounding them. Several bank employees cowered nearby, their eyes full of bewilderment and helplessness. Not far away, the four vicious and savage bandits from before stood by the weapons rack.

Seeing this, the young man's eyes narrowed. Previously, he had been so immersed in the profound grief of his captain's death that he had momentarily overlooked Chen Pingchuan and the other uninvited intruders. Yet now, a sliver of doubt entered his mind.

Was this truly the best time to turn on them completely? His side had just managed to wound them severely, but in just this short time, they seemed to have recovered from their earlier pathetic state.

Since he couldn't be sure, the young man could only turn his attention to his own people. He had to do something to snap everyone out of their earlier terror.

"Listen, everyone," the young man said, trying to keep his voice steady in an attempt to calm the others. "Let's put aside our grief for a moment and see if there's another exit or anything else we can use."

However, panic was not so easily quelled. Unlike the others, some of his comrades sat slumped on the ground, their eyes empty, as if they had lost their souls, while others paced back and forth, anxiously wringing their hands and muttering the captain's name.

"Captain Ren Qiang… h-how could he just abandon us…" one of the younger team members said, his voice choked with sobs and tears welling in his eyes.

"Shut your mouth!" the young man snapped. "The captain made that decision so that all of us could live! What we need to do now is figure a way out of this crisis, not stand around complaining!"

At the young man's rebuke, the younger team member lowered his head and sobbed quietly. The others began to look thoughtful. After all, they weren't ordinary people and could suppress their grief to rally, even if only for a moment.

About fifteen of Ren Qiang's team members remained, less than half the number they started with. Although they weren't top-tier powerhouses, they could still be considered elites.

Based on Chen Pingchuan's analysis, if the other team decided to fight to the death, there was a ninety-percent chance they could wipe out his own group. Yes, the odds were that high. This was because Chen Pingchuan's current condition was the most pathetic it had been ever since he'd gained his powers.

But as the saying goes, what you fear is what you get.

Just as he was thinking this, Chen Pingchuan heard Porcupine's shout.

"Get away from us!"

"Get any closer and I'll snap your heads off!"

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