334: Evolution complete.

Just as Shen Mingyuan and Lin Xun were stunned by this sudden and drastic change, having just finished off the last few ordinary Dinosaur Persons who were still putting up a desperate struggle, the remaining two or three infected creatures that were still capable of movement performed an unexpected action.

They didn't take the opportunity to attack Shen Mingyuan and Lin Xun, nor did they flee. Instead, they let out a screech that sounded almost like a mournful wail and threw themselves recklessly at the evolving individual, whose body was twitching violently, its surface constantly bulging and flattening as if countless living things were fighting and moving beneath its skin!

The strongest Dinosaur Person among them even took the initiative to turn around, using its body to block Shen Mingyuan's muzzle and Lin Xun's path of advancement, adopting a stance of sacrificing itself to cover the rear.

Meanwhile, the other two lunged straight onto the evolving individual, using their claws and teeth to tear open his skin, which was already rupturing and reorganizing itself!

The expected resistance did not occur. The evolving individual seemed to have turned into a greedy furnace; the torn wounds instantly erupted with a powerful suction, secreting a large amount of biological enzyme fluid with strong corrosive and decomposing properties.

The two infected creatures were like beings trapped in thick, high-temperature asphalt; their flesh, bones, and scales were dissolved, devoured, and absorbed at an incredible speed!

This process was accompanied by a tooth-aching 'sizzling' sound and a low-frequency hum emitted during the violent energy conversion. A large amount of metabolic heat rose from all around the evolving individual in the form of steam, making him appear as if shrouded in a layer of distorted, transparent heat waves.

These plundered materials and energy were converted by the frantically operating evo factors into the most primitive building materials, poured into that total body reconstruction concerning survival and 'purification'.

As these two infected creatures were completely 'digested', the evolution seemed to reach a critical point. The violent twitching and deformation gradually stabilized.

The final form that emerged was starkly different from the previous semi-Dinosaur Person or any known Dinosaur Person.

His main framework once again followed the human genetic blueprint, restoring a basic humanoid silhouette. Most of the lizardman scales that had grown out of control on the skin's surface had fallen off or dissolved. However, this war of clearance and survival against the 'invading virus', led by the evo factors, also left unique marks.

He had absorbed a large amount of the infected creatures' flesh and blood, as well as that swallowed piece of rusted metal. Under the forced integration of the evo factors, these substances formed a unique symbiotic structure:

The head, the forearms to the hands, and the lower legs to the feet—these key movement and sensory areas—were covered in a layer of streamlined carapace that was tightly integrated with his own bones and muscles, possessing a cold metallic luster and biological textures. Like a naturally grown exoskeleton armor, the design was sharp, with dark patterns formed after absorbing the metal faintly visible on the edges.

Behind him, a thick and powerful tail remained, covered in something similar to lizard leather and fine metallic scales with protruding bones at the end. Perhaps it was because its structure was deemed 'useful' in the survival assessment, or perhaps it was just a remnant that evolution hadn't completely eliminated; it now swayed unconsciously.

The other parts of his body had basically restored a human skin texture, only appearing exceptionally pale and covered in fine blood streaks and steam burns from the intense metabolism.

He stood there, exuding a contradictory aura of exclusive purity mixed with predatory wildness. The madness and pain in his eyes had faded, replaced by a cold, hollow, yet sharp indifference like a newly forged blade.

Shen Mingyuan and Lin Xun stood on guard with their weapons, looking in shock at this 'new life' born from desperation and coincidence, which was difficult to define with existing knowledge.

Shen Mingyuan held his gun ready and said in a heavy voice, 'This form... can it be considered a successful evolution, or a complete mutation?'

Lin Xun stared intently at the other party, attempting to communicate: 'Can you... still understand us? Do you still have human consciousness?'

The newborn creature seemed to react to Lin Xun's voice. Its head, covered by the metallic exoskeleton-like structure, turned slightly, and a faint sound like the friction of mechanical structures came from beneath the 'faceplate'.

Immediately afterward, its 'lower jaw' suddenly opened, revealing an internal oral structure that was not human—it was densely packed with interlocking sharp teeth and an exceptionally long, dark tongue with a forked tip like a snake's!

'Hiss—Roar—!!'

A piercing roar, a mixture of metallic vibration and biological bellowing, erupted from within, filled with primitive violence and... an insatiable hunger.

'Well,' Lin Xun quickly took a half-step back and assumed a combat stance, 'it seems communication is ineffective. He doesn't seem to have much sanity left.'

'Hungry...' A blurred syllable squeezed out from the creature's throat, accompanied by a scorching breath.

Even though it had devoured two infected creatures, for a being that had completed such a violent evolution and total body reconstruction, that bit of energy was far from enough. Its cells were screaming, and every newborn organ was demanding more fuel. It needed to eat, right now, immediately!

'Calm down! You're hungry, right? How about I go buy you some cake? A burger works too!' Shen Mingyuan tried to use words to distract it, but the creature's crimson eyes had already locked onto the two nearest 'high-energy reaction sources'—themselves.

The evolved creature dropped to all fours and then launched itself like a cannonball, lunging straight for Lin Xun! Its speed was so fast it left only an afterimage on the retina!

Metal-covered claws struck with a whistle that tore through the air! Lin Xun relied on his exceptional reflexes and speed to dodge at the limit, the tips of the claws grazing his bracer and drawing a trail of sparks.

At the same time, Shen Mingyuan stepped forward. Instead of using the muzzle, he crossed his arms and used the tough bodies of his dual pistols to forcibly block another swinging metallic claw!

'Clang!' The massive force made Shen Mingyuan's arms go numb, and his figure was forced back violently. But as he leaped backward with the momentum, the dual pistols in his hands already spat tongues of fire!

'Bang! Bang! Bang!'

Black-red plasma bullets formed a barrage that blanketed the area. The evolved creature displayed an agility unlike a human, actually leaping toward the side wall during its high-speed charge, its metal-covered claws embedding deeply into the concrete like steel nails.

It scrambled rapidly across the vertical wall in an eerie right-angled posture for several steps, narrowly avoiding most of the trajectory. Only one or two plasma rounds grazed its back armor, leaving scorched burn marks.

It launched itself from the wall to the ground, with Shen Mingyuan's shots following closely behind. It was forced to stay low and roll, and at the end of its rolling path, Lin Xun had already appeared behind its side like a ghost, launching a fierce sweep kick aimed straight at its lower body!

Just as Lin Xun's leg was about to hit, that thick tail, like a pre-planned whip, suddenly lashed out and precisely wrapped around Lin Xun's ankle!

'What?!' Lin Xun was startled as he was swung up by the immense force and slammed hard against the wall of the nearby cistern!

Thud!!

Before it could slam Lin Xun into the ground a second time, Shen Mingyuan's suppressive fire arrived again, forcing it to release the tail and dodge the lethal plasma rounds. Lin Xun took the opportunity to break free and land, appearing slightly staggered.

The evolved creature hissed, its claws going straight for the throat of the temporarily unbalanced Lin Xun! Shen Mingyuan didn't have time for precise aiming and directly lunged forward, using his dual pistols as melee weapons, delivering a vicious strike with the gun butt that slammed hard into the side of the opponent's metal-covered temple!

'Clang————!!!!'

A deafening sound of metal clashing echoed through the sewer, as if a giant bell had been struck. The evolved creature's head was knocked to the side, its movements momentarily stalling.

'Whoa,' Shen Mingyuan shook his arm, which was numb from the counter-shock, and quipped, 'This head is certainly tough!'

Lin Xun caught his breath and added, 'Clearly, the concussive effect isn't great either!'

The evolved creature shook its head, the red light in its eyes growing stronger, seemingly completely enraged. It gave up its pursuit of Lin Xun and turned to lunge at Shen Mingyuan with an even more frenzied posture!

Seeing this, Lin Xun took a deep breath and increased his speed once more, launching a surprise attack from the side. A full-force 'Sacrificial Flying Kick' struck like a cannonball toward the evolved creature's waist and ribs, attempting to rescue Shen Mingyuan and create an opening!