Wow! The item-dropping rate is really high!

The undead's movements in confined spaces were not very agile, but their linear speed was quite astonishing.

Their numbers far outstripped the patrolling squad, and the oppressive force when they charged one after another was overwhelming. Moreover, their decaying claws carried lethal pathogens, and a single scratch could send you back for months of rest and treatment. The veteran holding a gun instinctively retreated,

moving the battlefield to the more spacious streets outside.

Fortunately, it was nighttime, and the curfew order on workdays also meant that the rainy streets were devoid of any human presence.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

The sound of gunshots carried far in the quiet evening only disturbed by the pitter-patter of rain. Residents hidden in their homes were startled awake, their eyes glazed over, murmuring to themselves, "They're purging the dissenters again..."

Every day it's like this... every day it's like this...

Who knows whether those they're killing are actually heretics or just fellow citizens they simply took a dislike to?

When will such days ever end?

Alas~

"Stop talking, the guard are all following orders from the higher-ups..." His wife tugged at the man's sleeve but was roughly pushed away by him.

"Don't touch me! I've seen you making eyes at the young man leading the guards for a long time now, don't you start defending them!"

"I..." Tears glided coldly down her cheeks as the woman huddled in the corner, wrapping her arms around her knees, just quietly weeping.

The rain washed everything away.

Including the pus oozing from the bodies of the undead.

In the curbside gutters clogged with grease and overgrown with moss, the pale yellow pus washed down by the rain flowed toward lower ground. As an undead charged forward heedless of death, it was suddenly yanked back by an overwhelming force and slammed against a door. An emaciated figure in a flaxen poncho, unbeknownst to when, had placed himself at the center of the conflict between the veteran and the undead.

"Stop!"

Xu Ruoguang flicked his sword to shake off the rain coursing down his face, his expression icy as he addressed the figure blocking the way, "What do you think you're doing?"

"They..." The Believer's voice trembled, his whole person lacking confidence due to facing matters he was not adept at, "They are harmless."

They lived secluded, and as long as they weren't startled into mutation, they wouldn't turn into undead, let alone attack other humans.

Like the compassionate Heavenly Father who watches over all His children, the Believer was aware of the ordinary lives of these common believers, perhaps even more humble in status.

Reverence for that Heavenly Father didn't require calling His name, offering sacrifices, or even acknowledging His existence. The merciful Heavenly Father would bless every poor soul who sought escape from suffering yet had no means to do so—that was the definition of a "Believer."

And only the more favored "Elect," like him, who possessed special "random blessings" and could maintain their form through consciousness, were such beings.

Everyone was of the same origin.

This was also the core reason he took the initiative to help these battered veterans after settling into Black Street, drawn by the scent of "kin.

But now, even these "harmless" commoners were being cruelly exposed to the light of day?

"Harmless?" Xu Ruoguang sneered, his sword pointing toward the earthy-yellow solution flowing with the rainwater in the sewer, "Look at that foul pus! How many people have fallen ill because of it in recent times? As the personal guard by the master's side, you must not be insulated from these critical figures, right?"

After the master had decreed the building of bathhouses and consumption of hot water among other measures, the illness rate in Black Street rose instead of falling, a strange development that put Xu Ruoguang on alert. This was the very reason for his unscheduled inspection tonight.

Perhaps these undead had no intention to harm others, but their mere existence was a threat to humankind.

That was heresy! Their very existence was a blasphemy!

"Stand aside!" Xu Ruoguang flicked Longsword, throwing off the rotten flesh attached to it, then pointed the sword at the Believer, "You are a trusted confidant of the master. I won't deal with you today! But once the master returns, I will demand an explanation from him! But for now... do not obstruct my execution of duty!"

"They are innocent!" The Believer was at a loss for words, not knowing how to argue.

His simple mind could not conceive that his "status" meant nothing to the other party, so with a blank mind, he extended his arms protectively over the undead behind him, slowly retreating.

"Bang!" A gunshot resounded from behind him.

Tiger, limping with the support of a cane, hurried out from the far end of the yard.

The gunshot had come from the cane in his right hand.

"There are still survivors?" Seeing normal people emerging from the nest of undead, Xu Ruoguang's gaze sharpened. He signaled to the veteran guard behind him, "Prepare to protect!"

To eradicate all heresy and protect all humankind.

This was the creed he was determined to uphold.

```

"Look at yourselves!" Tiger's eyes were wide with fury as he looked at those companions who had just been chatting casually with him.

Right before his eyes, these companions had rapidly decayed from their normal human forms into their current state of corruption under the stimulation of gunshots.

Was the transformation sudden, or were there early signs?

Tiger didn't know.

All he knew was that this blasphemous existence was the enemy of all mankind.

"Look at what you've become now!" Tiger's gaze swept over his former companions, who turned their attention to him because of the sound of gunfire.

Their ruined faces with those pale, bulging eyes seemed utterly repulsive.

"Our duty is to protect this world for humanity!"

Even if these chaotic heretics were not the usual foes for ordinary soldiers, they were still enemies of humanity!

"You are becoming enemies of humanity! Who gave you the right to desecrate the duty you were born with!" Tiger stood in the rain, not knowing whether it was rain or tears that were mingled on his face, cascading down.

Facing the living humans close at hand, the rotting corpses showed no desire to attack.

Those pale eyes blinked slightly, a deep ink color slowly emerging from their centers.

It was as if their own consciousness was trying to gain control of their bodies.

"I know we may never have the chance to go into battle for humanity again, but that's no reason for our downfall!" Tiger spoke passionately, the things he had seen and heard recently filled him with sorrow and rage.

"We may no longer have the capability to fight for humanity, but we must never turn against mankind. If needed, I can bleed out every drop of blood for the city."
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In the days since leaving the military camp, even if life hadn't been great, the memories of fighting for humanity shone like gleaming gold.

It was the most honorable cause of their lives.

"Just a bit of suffering has made you lose the pride of being human warriors. Do you still remember the blood and sweat you once shed for that struggle?"

"Click!" The defensive pistol was reloaded, Tiger tucked his cane under his arm, raised the pistol with a steady hand, and pointed it at his comrades of old, "Must we really confront each other with weapons?"

"No..." came a strangled voice from the decaying throats.

The bodies of the rotting corpses visibly began to tremble.

"No! It won't happen!"

"We... are brothers."

"We... have never, ever been enemies."

The decaying old soldiers shed bloody tears, their corrupt faces conveying a profound apology unique to humans.

"I'm sorry..."

"Sorry, brother."

The rotting corpses knelt, begging for death.

"Kill us."

"Kill!" Xu Ruoguang's cold command resounded.

Tiger frowned deeply.

He didn't want to see his brothers turned into this, but he didn't want to see them die either.

The old soldiers also remembered their innate camaraderie and hesitated to strike.

Seeing this, Xu Ruoguang's brow furrowed deeply as he snatched the rifle from one of the old soldiers, kicking away the stiff body.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

The sound of gunfire formed a continuous volley before a short and clear voice could be heard through the curtain of rain from a distance.

"Don't kill them!"

```