The “ants'” target was originally the eye on her back, and in her panic the middle-aged woman began to resist violently.

Her entire body began to metallize, but she forgot that these “ants'” bodies had also been enhanced. Under this tremendous pressure, aside from protecting herself, she had no way to break free.

The lead “ant” felt the middle-aged woman’s body gradually becoming hard. After trying several angles and only being able to touch metal, it seemed there were no longer any weaknesses.

In the chaos, his withered arm touched the woman’s neck. That warm sensation made him confirm that only here was still skin—all other organs had already turned to steel.

He seized this last opportunity to open his mouth and bite down on her throat.

Before the middle-aged woman could react to what was happening, her eyes instantly widened. The metallization across her body rapidly receded, her throat was torn apart, and blood continuously gushed from her mouth.

Seeing this, Yan Zhichun and Jiang Ruoxue hurriedly entered the room and helped up the Earth-Rabbit from the ground. Several people had briefly met at Black-Sheep’s place and could recognize each other as comrades-in-arms.

“This is…” Earth-Rabbit looked at the horrifying scene before him, like a pack of wild beasts tearing into a living person.

“This is the last army,” Yan Zhichun said, then looked at Earth-Rabbit and discovered he was already extremely weak.

He already had old injuries, and now countless new wounds covered his body. A large amount of fresh blood had dyed his fur red, and those blood-stained hairs hung in strands, clearly distinct.

“That’s great…” Earth-Rabbit swayed as he leaned against the wall, his blood-stained gray-red face showing a relieved smile. “I was just worried whether I could take her down before dying… now it’s good…”

Yan Zhichun felt that Earth-Rabbit looked exceptionally exhausted—not just physically, but mentally as well.

After seeing that Heaven-Rabbit had completely stopped moving, Earth-Rabbit’s expression changed. He slowly took a breath, then began spewing blood in large mouthfuls.

It seemed that each of his breaths would make him spurt blood, his face now filled with helplessness.

“Cough… this really hurts…” He covered his chest and said with difficulty. “Just now all my thoughts were suppressing my desire to breathe… now that I’ve relaxed… my whole body feels wrong…”

“Don’t make that expression… ha…” Earth-Rabbit raised his head and said. “I’m someone who was already dead to begin with… it’s fine…”

Seeing Yan Zhichun’s worried look, Jiang Ruoxue stepped forward on the spot and gently grasped Earth-Rabbit’s hand.

“Earth-Rabbit, you need to understand the logical relationship here…” Jiang Ruoxue murmured. “This is the ‘Land of the End.’ Even if you keep not breathing…”

“No…” Earth-Rabbit interrupted Jiang Ruoxue’s words and pulled his hand back. “Although I don’t know what you’re trying to do, don’t bother with me anymore… I don’t want to live anymore…”

“You…” Jiang Ruoxue paused. “Don’t worry, saving you isn’t troublesome…”

“No need…” Earth-Rabbit shook his head. “My life plan only goes up to this moment. After completing all my goals, I no longer know with what kind of mindset I should continue living in this beast skin… What you’re doing isn’t salvation for me, but a curse.”

He slowly walked out the door, leaving a tragic bloody handprint on the doorframe.

“While I can still move, I want to go look at Heaven-Mouse’s corpse one more time…” Earth-Rabbit said. “No need to bother with me anymore…”

Watching his tall yet lonely figure, Yan Zhichun and Jiang Ruoxue could only shake their heads helplessly.

At this moment, the “ants” burst open another door. The two ran out following the sound, only to discover the room before them was somewhat larger, covered completely in black hair, making it impossible to see the specific situation clearly.

The many “ants” outside the door seemed to sense something and lunged toward the center of the black area, but in an instant suffered violent counterattacks. Several “ants” had their necks broken on the spot.

…

Earth-Dog slowly stood up at this moment. He cocked his ear to listen to the commotion outside the door, then said to everyone in the room, “It’s about time. The moment for us to act has arrived.”

The expressions of Xiao Xiao, Lin Qin, Zheng Yingxiong, and several surviving “Extreme Path” members inside had all become complicated.

“What exactly are you planning?” Xiao Xiao asked. “We’ve already delayed for so long. Whatever the situation is outside, they probably don’t need us anymore, right?”

“Oh? So what?” Earth-Dog asked lazily. “If people are allowed to be late for work, why not for a rebellion?”

“If the battle outside has been won, what use is there for us to go out?” Xiao Xiao asked with an irritated expression. “If the battle outside has been lost, going out is just sending ourselves to death.”

“How can you say that…” Earth-Dog smiled and shook his head. “I always feel the battle has just entered its climax… striking now is perfect. If my judgment is wrong, then I’ll have to trouble everyone to bear infamy with me.”

“You…” Xiao Xiao gritted her teeth. “We’re unlucky to be acting together with a ‘Zodiac’ like you. You’d better not be making excuses for your laziness and fear of death.”

“No need to be in such a hurry to die…” Earth-Dog stretched lazily. “Everyone will have a chance to die.”

Lin Qin took several deep breaths at this moment to stabilize his thoughts, then came before Earth-Dog and asked, “I really don’t understand what role you’re playing in this rebellion.”

“Me…” Earth-Dog thought for a moment. “Theoretically, I’m supposed to kill Heaven-Dog.”

“Then why aren’t you going?” Lin Qin asked. “If we leave Heaven-Dog alone, the consequences will be quite troublesome, won’t they?”

“No… precisely because I understand Heaven-Dog… that’s why I temporarily changed strategies,” Earth-Dog said thoughtfully. “This is a small bet with minor stakes. If I can win the bet, it will add luster to this plan. If I can’t win, then we’ll all be reduced to cowards who provided no help whatsoever in this operation.”

“What…?”

“I’m betting that the more Heaven-Dog knows, the smaller his courage becomes,” Earth-Dog said. “I’ve observed this plan from the sidelines… its rigor exceeds my imagination. Sadly, Heaven-Dog knows even more comprehensively than I do. He’ll comprehensively judge in his heart which side has a greater chance of winning this rebellion.”

After hearing this, Lin Qin paused. “I think I understand…”

“If Heaven-Dog believes we’ll win, to save his own life he’ll decisively defect from his current camp, and we’ll win without a fight,” Earth-Dog said. “Conversely, if Heaven-Dog can find a way to turn the tide and reverse the outcome of this entire affair, then whatever we do will be futile. So I boldly speculate that in this battle, Heaven-Dog doesn’t need to be killed separately.”