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There was a burst of laughter from the microphone, and then Du Hongyuan spoke: You've finally seen through me.

I didn't say anything, but the hand holding the microphone started trembling violently.

Du Hongyuan chuckled again: "It's no use for you to see clearly now. It's too late. Huang Ping is already in my hands. If you dare to spread this around, you know how serious the consequences will be."

I opened my mouth to say one word, then stopped.

Du Hongyuan's voice suddenly turned angry: "It's all your fault, Zhao Zhuo! If you had listened to me and left the company after get off work, none of this would have happened! But you were too clever for your own good and secretly hid in the company, causing me so much trouble. You only have yourself to blame!"

I finally spoke, my voice hoarse and strained: How did you do that?

Du Hongyuan didn't hear clearly and asked, "What?"

I repeated: How did you transform into a monster?

Du Hongyuan laughed heartily: Everyone has a monster inside them, it's just a matter of whether you have the ability to unleash it, Zhao Zhuo, you are no exception.

I shook my head blankly: I don't understand.

Du Hongyuan lowered his voice, as if telling me a huge secret: "Release, Zhao Zhuo, release the darkness in your heart. Think of those bloodthirsty giant reptiles from ancient times. They grew terrifying venomous stingers, secreted corrosive mucus, and sprayed sulfur and flames. They roamed the land and sea unchallenged. The difference between their genes and ours is less than one ten-millionth. As long as you are willing to change yourself even a little bit, you will find that you possess powerful abilities."

I tried my best to stay alert and said, "So, you've materialized the monster in your heart and made it a real thing?"

Du Hongyuan laughed: This is not difficult to do; you have already seen it.

I said listlessly, "I still think it's better to be a human being."

Du Hongyuan sneered: So you failed, and Huang Ping fell into my hands.

My breathing suddenly became heavy: Give Xiaoping back to me, and I won't pursue the matter.

Du Hongyuan's voice revealed a hint of surprise: What nonsense are you talking about, Zhao Zhuo?

I roared angrily: Du Hongyuan, you know I'm serious!

Du Hongyuan spat nonchalantly: Zhao Zhuo, how about we make a deal?

I frowned: What deal?

Du Hongyuan said: I'm planning to open another subsidiary, and I'm short of a president. I think you're quite suitable, but I don't know if you're willing.

I sneered: Trying to bribe me?

Du Hongyuan burst into loud laughter: Do you think I would be so stupid in this situation?

I grunted: So what exactly do you mean?

Du Hongyuan grinned slyly: You can interpret it your way.

I remained silent.

Du Hongyuan continued, "Let's settle this for now. Don't do anything foolish, or you'll bring Huang Ping a lot of trouble. You don't want to bring her pain and misfortune, do you? Tomorrow—no, come to my office at the company later, and we'll have a good talk."

I threw down the phone, jumped up, and immediately prepared to leave. It was obvious that Du Hongyuan's invitation was a trap, an attempt to use Xiaoping as bait to capture me and completely cover up the matter. I was also looking to use this opportunity to rescue Xiaoping. Du Hongyuan could say that he had the upper hand and knew that I had no choice but to obey orders, but I was not one to be easily captured.

I concealed a lightweight fire axe in my clothes, grabbed a flashlight, and set off immediately. Half an hour later, I arrived at the company. The building was still pitch black, without a single light, but the door was open. I walked up the stairs step by step, turned on the flashlight, and steadily ascended the stairs. I could clearly hear a woman sobbing from upstairs. I couldn't be sure if it was Xiaoping's voice, but the weak and helpless weeping made me panic.

I shook my head and continued walking uphill. Suddenly, something lunged at me in the darkness. I dodged quickly, only to hear a strange, gurgling laugh. A four-legged animal, dragging its long tail, fled swiftly before my axe could strike. I followed the animal's sound and chased after it. The creature escaped into Du Hongyuan's office on the sixth floor, and I rushed in after it.

Inside the office, everything was as usual. The two security guards were still lying on the floor, fast asleep. The night wind blew in through the window whose glass I had smashed with a chair, ruffling my hair. In the rushing wind, there was a nauseating, fishy stench.

Behind the desk directly opposite the entrance sat the obese Du Hongyuan, a straw dangling from his mouth, cradling the unconscious Xiao Ping in his arms, and smiling at me.

Just stand there and don't make any rash moves, unless you don't want Huang Ping to die.

His words made me freeze, my hands, though still tucked into my clothes, still gripping the handle of the fire axe tightly. Looking with disgust at the multi-legged reptile in human skin, I said coldly:

I'm here. Now, just say what you need to say.

4)

Du Hongyuan's flabby face twitched. I couldn't tell if he was laughing. I heard a cold, unrestrained laugh ring out, like an evil bat flying around my ear: "Zhao Zhuo, now we can talk calmly. It's a rare opportunity for us."

I sneered: "Du Hongyuan, there's no need for this pretense. Give Xiaoping back to me, or else—"

Otherwise—, Du Hongyuan chuckled sinisterly, slowly lifting Xiaoping's head. Xiaoping seemed to be unconscious; I could see her lips twitching slightly, but her eyes were tightly closed, showing no awareness or ability to resist. Otherwise—, Du Hongyuan continued to chuckle sinisterly, his fierce eyes fixed on me, his long tongue hanging down, slowly descending towards the top of Xiaoping's head.

What a terrifying tongue it was! Crimson and nauseating, covered in bluish spots, secreting a thick, corrosive venom. That venom possessed a horrible corrosive power, capable of piercing Xiaoping's skull as easily as a red-hot iron rod drilling into tofu.

Seeing that I was about to pounce on her in desperation, Du Hongyuan suddenly raised his head and said coldly: "Stand there and don't move, Zhao Zhuo, if you still want this woman's life."

My body was trembling violently, and fear and anxiety were driving me crazy: Du Hongyuan, what exactly do you want from me?

Du Hongyuan stared at me with his sinister eyes without blinking: "Accept my suggestion, Zhao Zhuo. You have no room for negotiation."

I let out a heavy sigh. For Xiaoping's sake, I had no choice but to submit to his coercion: Okay, I promise you, but you must release Xiaoping.

Du Hongyuan let out a strange, snickering laugh: Why shouldn't I let her go? You gave me a reason, Zhao Zhuo. I hope you can give me another reason to return her to you. Are you really willing to give me this reason?

I stood there, stunned, my mind a jumbled mess, unable to grasp the true meaning of Du Hongyuan's words. I remained silent for a long time. Du Hongyuan seemed to be getting impatient. He opened his mouth and once again stretched his drooling tongue toward Xiaoping. Only then did I suddenly come to my senses and shouted: "Okay, you surnamed Du, I promise you, I promise you everything."

Du Hongyuan let out that smug, sinister laugh once more. He knew I would give in; for Xiaoping's safety, I had no other choice. He grinned maliciously as he stood up, holding Xiaoping in his arms. My legs gave way, and I stumbled backward, tripped by the sleeping security guards behind me. I lost my footing and fell. Before I could get up, the two guards suddenly flipped me over, grabbed my arms, and pinned me to the ground.

This unexpected turn of events stunned me, and I couldn't help but look at the two of them. I saw two pairs of empty eyes, devoid of any human emotion. Because of the sudden, forceful roll over, one of the security guards' brains splattered out from the hole in his head, flowing onto his face. He actually stuck out his tongue, greedily licked it, and then smacked his lips, revealing a satisfied expression.

No wonder Du Hongyuan was so fearless; these two security guards had sold their souls and become his loyal servants. Although this unexpected turn of events occurred, I cannot blame them; their brains had been drained, and they had lost their basic ability to think.

Du Hongyuan walked over and looked down at me.

Zhao Zhuo spoke, his voice tinged with anger: "You've caused me too much trouble. You and your woman have caused me far too much trouble. I don't like employees who create trouble, do you understand?"

Without a word, I was grabbed by the arms and forcibly pulled up by two security guards. One of them kicked me hard in the back of the knee, causing my leg to bend involuntarily, and my body was forced to kneel down in front of Du Hongyuan. Du Hongyuan still glanced at me with that cold look in his eyes: "Although you've caused me so much trouble, Zhao Zhuo, I will still give you an important position. The condition is that you need to undergo a process of self-reflection and transformation. This process will be completed soon, and I guarantee you will be grateful to me for it, hmm?"

Still clinging to a sliver of hope, I said, "You promised me you'd exchange me for Xiaoping. Now that I'm here, let her go."

Du Hongyuan looked at me in surprise: "Let Huang Ping go? Are you talking in your sleep? Do you know how rare it is to find such a fresh, delicious, and nutritious delicacy as her?" "No, no, no, I won't let her go. I want to suck the last drop of fluid from her brain, drop by drop. I want to watch her wail in despair. Her pain will bring me the greatest psychological pleasure. How could I possibly let her go?"

I roared in fury, struggling desperately, trying to kick Du Hongyuan, this treacherous and evil monster. Du Hongyuan seemed to approve of my resistance; he laughed shrilly with excitement, continuing to provoke me, like enraging a bull about to be sent to the kitchen. He wanted to unleash the deepest anger within me, to make my brain race and increase the nutritional content of his food. I knew all this, yet I was still consumed by uncontrollable rage.

I couldn't help but be furious. Xiaoping collapsed onto the chair behind him, her feeble groans driving me almost to madness.

Finally, Du Hongyuan felt it was about time. My brain was already boiling enough, and I could sit down at the table. So, the two security guards grabbed my arms and forcibly held me down. Du Hongyuan, holding a straw and with an evil smile on his face, walked towards me. I screamed and shouted desperately. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot from my head and spread throughout my body. I seemed to lose consciousness all of a sudden.

A sharp pain in my head woke me up. The pain was beyond human imagination. It was not just a piercing pain in my heart and lungs, but a despairing pain that even my consciousness felt. The pain made me curl up, my limbs twitching weakly, and my toes curling up desperately. I would rather be in a blazing glacier than experience the terror and pain of having my brain drained.

In an instant, I let out a miserable wail, a sound filled with despair and pain, like the agonizing screams of countless ghosts in hell being scorched by flames. The screams were long and drawn out, endless and lingering. The boundless resentment carried in the wail was like a sharp needle, stimulating my pain even more intensely. I roared madly, my body curled up into a ball due to extreme pain.

I howled until blood gushed from my throat, my voice hoarse. I desperately shook my head to try and ease the pain, but my resistance was so weak that it only earned me Du Hongyuan's more triumphant grin and mockery.

Du Hongyuan's smacking sound drifted over from afar, as if it came from another ethereal world. My consciousness gradually dissipated, and I lost control of myself.

In a daze, I felt Xiaoping moving behind Du Hongyuan. My eyes widened suddenly; she had indeed woken up from her unconscious state, most likely startled by my agonizing screams. When she saw Du Hongyuan holding me down and sucking my brains, her body trembled. I thought she would faint again from the horrific scene. But she didn't. She staggered to her feet, grabbed the bronze paperweight from Du Hongyuan's desk, and hurled it viciously at his head.

Du Hongyuan was startled and turned around sharply. Taking advantage of this opportunity, I suddenly raised my foot and kicked him in the groin. I used a lot of force with that kick. The three of them, along with the two security guards who were holding my arm tightly, crashed into the doorway. The two security guards hit the wall and screamed in pain, while I fell out.

Du Hongyuan's wolf-like roar rang out, and two security guards, ignoring the pain, rushed out with batons in hand. I hurriedly reached for the fire axe in my pocket, but unexpectedly, I had fallen during the struggle. Empty-handed, I had no choice but to turn around and retreat.

The security guards kept chasing after me. I forced myself to listen to the grief, and as Xiaoping's pitiful cries faded into the distance, a cold wind suddenly swept over my face. I had already rushed out of that terrifying building.

5)

I ran hurriedly through the dark streets, shaking off two security guards. When I reached an empty square, I sat down on the steps, panting heavily, my heart filled with endless sorrow. Xiaoping, I couldn't even save her. What should I do now?

Call the police? It's pointless. Du Hongyuan is such a prominent figure in society, the police would never listen to me and suspect him. Even if they do suspect him, they won't act rashly before they have solid evidence. As a result, he will have plenty of time to destroy all the evidence, including Xiaoping's.

I can't risk Xiaoping's safety!

By then, there were more cars on the road, and city sanitation workers had started sweeping the streets. A water truck passed by, spraying me with water. I shuddered like a dog, forcing my scattered consciousness to focus. I felt in my pockets and found several debit cards. I withdrew all my money from the ATM, then found a hotel and booked a room. After entering the room, I came out again and asked the staff to change me to a room with a balcony. The reason for changing rooms was that I planned to sneak out from the balcony at night to rescue Xiaoping.

After choosing a room, I lay limply on the bed, closed my eyes, and carefully used a pillowcase to plug the hole in the top of my head to prevent cerebrospinal fluid from leaking out while I slept. Then I drifted off to sleep.

I must conserve my energy to fight against that devil Du Hongyuan. The future and Xiaoping's rescue will depend entirely on my efforts. I cannot fail, I absolutely cannot.

I don't know how long I slept, but a subconscious premonition suddenly woke me up. I quickly sat up and looked up to see bright lights in the darkness outside the window. I was startled; I couldn't believe I had slept for a whole day. Du Hongyuan had sucked the fluid from my brain, making my consciousness scattered, my spirits low, and the pain in my head even more intense. Just as I was about to endure the pain and turn over, I suddenly heard a soft sound coming from the doorway.

My ears perked up like a dog's; yes, it was a survival instinct that awakened me. The sound that startled me was the doorknob turning gently.

My heart jumped. I hurriedly and quietly got out of bed, not daring to turn on the light. I groped my way to my shoes on the floor and put them on. Then I quietly opened the window and was about to slip out when the door suddenly clicked open. I covered the hole above my head with my hand and stumbled, falling onto the balcony outside the window. At the same time, I heard a splash from inside the room, like a huge jellyfish falling onto the bedding. The sound was gloomy and muffled.

It was indeed that monster, Du Hongyuan, but how did he find his way here? I didn't have time to think, so I grabbed the drainpipe hanging from the balcony and hurriedly climbed down.

I heard heavy breathing above me. I looked up sharply and saw a pair of strange eyes staring at me from the darkness. A scaly tentacle whip swept across the sky. I was in mid-air with nowhere to dodge, and the tentacle lashed my back with a sharp crack. I screamed in pain. The tentacle then coiled around my abdomen. I was terrified. If I were to be entangled by this tentacle, I feared I would not escape my fate tonight.

In desperation, I struggled downwards and fell to the ground with a thud. The tentacle still clung tightly to me, and the corrosive slime secreted from it burned my skin. I endured the excruciating pain and sat up from the ground, groping blindly around with my hands. Finally, I found a piece of scrap metal and used it as a saw blade to saw through the tentacle.

The sheet metal cut through the thick keratin layer of the tentacle, revealing the white tendons that gleamed with scales inside. I was about to continue sawing when the tentacle suddenly retracted.

The tentacles suddenly retracted, startling me for a moment. Then, I snapped out of my daze, jumped up, and fled desperately into the distance. I ran onto the road and just then, a taxi came along. I quickly waved it down and told the driver to speed towards the company.

Since Du Hongyuan has tracked her down here, Xiaoping is very likely being held captive in the company. If we rush there now, we might be able to rescue her.

I eagerly pointed out the way to the driver, urging him to go faster. The driver was a steady middle-aged man who didn't seem to care about my urgency at all, just humming and hawing in response, but he refused to speed up. Later, seeing how anxious I really was, he took a shortcut, casually turning the steering wheel and driving the taxi into an alley, saying: "Don't rush, we'll be there after we get through this alley."

Before I could finish speaking, the ground in front of me suddenly bulged up. Caught off guard, the taxi driver cried out and watched as the taxi drove onto the suddenly raised mound, flipping over with its wheels in the air. As I fell, I saw it clearly: the monster, that monster, it was crawling out of the ground.

I finally understood why this monster could roam freely in the city unnoticed. It used the city's sewer system and had an astonishing sense of smell. It could track my scent underground for long distances, and once it sensed that there was no one else on the surface, it would break through the soil and emerge from its burrow.

At that moment, the monster emerged from the ground. Its shape was unclear in the darkness, but it resembled a tubular worm covered in scales. As it burst from the earth, it overturned the taxi and pounced fiercely. Its massive body pressed down on the car, and the thin metal body of the vehicle immediately creaked and twisted rapidly. The driver next to me suddenly screamed in agony. For some reason, his head was ripped off by the monster. I endured the stench emanating from the monster's body, bent my body to the side, and kicked hard with my right foot. With a thud, the twisted car door flew off.

I rolled to the ground, hoping to grab a stick or a rock as I rolled away, but I grabbed nothing. My head slammed hard against a protruding rock on the ground. I could clearly hear the gurgling sound of my brain matter from the shock, like a tap being turned on, with cerebrospinal fluid and blood gushing out. I quickly pressed my hand against the hole in my head to stop the fluid and blood from spurting out. I got up and took a few steps forward with difficulty. When I looked back, I saw the driver's body being torn apart by a monster like a rag doll. I was powerless to save him, and I couldn't even save myself.

I covered my head with one hand and desperately tried to walk forward as fast as I could, but I dared not run. If I increased my speed and body pressure, the semen and blood inside my body would gush out from the hole in my brain, and my life would end.

I staggered forward, swaying from side to side, while the monster let out a chilling screech behind me, its countless fleshy legs moving swiftly as it chased after me.

The monster was getting closer and closer, almost within arm's reach.

Suddenly, a bright light appeared ahead, and several cars drove in from both sides of the alley at the same time. I staggered in the blinding light, my consciousness becoming confused. I no longer knew where I was, or even who I was.

Cars on both sides honked their horns and sped past me. Suddenly, I realized that the monster feared the light. I quickly turned my head to look around, but apart from the overturned taxi on the side of the road, the monster had vanished without a trace. I didn't even know when it disappeared.

I continued to stagger forward, step by step, the night wind growing colder, blowing straight into my heart.

I finally realized that I no longer had the ability to rescue Xiaoping from the monster's mouth. In this contest, I lost, and lost everything, without even a chance to win back my losses.

I walked in the night wind, my heart filled with desolation and sorrow.

I knew I was finished. The rest of my days would be spent fleeing for my life from the monster's pursuit. As long as I lived in this world, the monster would never have a moment's peace. It would do everything in its power to search for me and devour me. Otherwise, sooner or later, its true form would be exposed to the light of day!

6)

Zhao Zhuo kept telling his story, constantly devouring steaming hot wontons as he went. As his tale unfolded, the empty wonton bowls piled high in front of him. He was clearly starving, likely having gone without food or water for days. He ate with ravenous abandon, seemingly oblivious to the scalding heat of the wontons, relentlessly consuming them.

Lin Hong and Qin Fangcheng's initial curiosity and unfamiliarity with him gradually turned into a feeling of fear. The two clung tightly to each other, Lin Hong's hands were icy cold, gripping Qin Fangcheng tightly. A thought swirled in their minds at the same time, like a mosquito crawling into a mosquito net, forcing their minds to accept this thought.

Zhao Zhuo has gone mad!

Lin Hong and Qin Fangcheng exchanged a glance, and from each other's eyes, they read this clear message.