Ye Chen reacted instantly. He grabbed Lu Shixun by the collar and jumped aside.

The lid slammed into the ground where they had been standing, cracking the stone.

"Shixun, go to the other side," Ye Chen said quickly. "If they chase you, just run."

Lu Shixun nodded. "Don’t worry. I’m not good at fighting, but running is my speciality."

"That’s enough."

Ye Chen released him and stepped forward.

He rolled his shoulders slightly, loosening up.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"I’ve killed many people," he said calmly, "but this is my first time fighting the dead."

The mummies closed in, their hollow eyes fixed on him.

His grip tightened on the gun.

"...Let’s see what you’ve got."

The corpse closest to Ye Chen moved first.

There was no warning or buildup.

It simply stepped forward and threw a punch straight down at him.

The motion was stiff, but the force behind it was anything but.

Ye Chen’s instincts screamed.

He didn’t try to block like a fool.

Instead, he twisted his body sideways and stepped out of range at the last possible moment.

The fist slammed into the ground. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

*Boom.*

A dull, heavy impact echoed through the chamber. The stone floor cracked instantly, thin fractures spreading outward from the point of contact. A small tremor followed, subtle but undeniable.

Ye Chen’s pupils shrank. His expression tightened.

’I underestimated them.’

There was no time to dwell on it.

Using his left hand, he pushed off the ground and flipped backwards, creating distance. At the same time, his right hand steadied the pistol.

He fired.

*Bang!*

The bullet struck the corpse’s neck cleanly, sinking deep into the rotten flesh.

For a brief moment, the corpse paused.

Its head tilted slightly, as if something had interrupted its movement.

Ye Chen watched closely.

’Let’s see if that does anything...’

The corpse opened its mouth to roar.

But no sound came out.

The bullet had destroyed whatever remained of its vocal cords.

Then it moved again.

As if nothing had happened.

"...Tch."

Ye Chen exhaled lightly, his grip tightening. ’On the optimistic side. At least one of them is quiet now.’

Before he could reposition, the other three closed in.

One swung its arm horizontally, aiming to crush him against the ground. Another came from the side, its fingers clawed, aiming for his torso.

Ye Chen stepped back, then pivoted sharply.

The first attack brushed past his chest, the force of it still strong enough to make his clothes ripple. The second came too quickly to dodge fully, and he raised his arm just enough to redirect it.

The impact still hurts.

A dull ache spread through his forearm, forcing him to retreat another step.

They didn’t give him space.

The four corpses advanced together now, their movements slightly faster than before, as if they were adapting to the stiffness.

If the fight escalates for long. He would lose the only advantage of high agility and would be in deep trouble.

"Shixun!" Ye Chen called out without looking back. "Find the exit! I can’t keep this up forever!"

"On it, Brother Ye!"

Behind him, Lu Shixun snapped out of his shock and immediately began scanning the chamber.

His eyes moved quickly—from walls to corners, from floor patterns to ceiling details.

Then, his gaze stopped on the central sarcophagus.

Unlike the other four, it had remained completely still.

No movement or sound.

A bad feeling crept into his chest.

But at this point, hesitation meant death.

He rushed toward it.

Meanwhile, the fight intensified.

One of the corpses lunged again, its arm coming down like a hammer.

Ye Chen sidestepped, but another was already behind him.

He reacted instantly, dropping low to avoid a sweeping strike. The attack passed just above his head, the wind pressure alone enough to make his hair shift.

He rolled forward, creating a small gap, then turned and fired twice.

Bang! Bang!

Both bullets hit their targets—one in the chest, one in the shoulder.

Neither slowed down.

"Figures," Ye Chen muttered.

He didn’t stop moving.

Standing still, even for a second, meant getting surrounded.

Another corpse grabbed a fallen lid and swung it like a weapon.

Ye Chen’s eyes sharpened.

He ran forward instead of backing away.

At the last moment, he stepped onto the edge of the lid as it came down, using the momentum to push himself upward. His body lifted just enough to clear the follow-up attack from another corpse.

He landed behind them.

For a split second, their formation broke.

That was all he needed.

He fired again—this time aiming at joints.

Knees. Shoulders. Elbows.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The bullets struck, slowing their movements slightly—not stopping them, but enough to disrupt their rhythm.

"Brother Ye!"

Lu Shixun’s voice suddenly rang out.

"I found it!"

Ye Chen’s head snapped in his direction.

Lu Shixun stood by the central sarcophagus, its lid already pushed aside.

At the same time, the four corpses froze.

It was sudden and unnatural.

All four stopped mid-motion.

Then, as if controlled by the same will, they turned around.

Their hollow gazes locked onto Lu Shixun.

A cold chill ran through the chamber.

"...Not good," Ye Chen muttered.

"Go in!" he shouted immediately. "Now!"

Lu Shixun didn’t hesitate.

He climbed onto the edge and dropped inside.

The moment he disappeared, the corpses moved.

Not toward Ye Chen. But toward the sarcophagus.

Faster than before. To stop that intruder.

"Not happening."

Ye Chen rushed forward, raising both pistols.

He fired continuously.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The bullets didn’t damage them—but they disrupted their advance just enough.

One staggered slightly. Another paused for a fraction of a second.

That was enough.

Ye Chen closed the distance, then leapt.

He grabbed the edge of the sarcophagus and pulled himself inside in one smooth motion.

Behind him, the corpses reached the opening—

But it was too late.

Ye Chen dropped down, his boots hitting the ground with a solid thud.

Above them, the lid shifted slightly.

Then everything went quiet.