Human Genius? Sorry, I’m a Deviant Chapter 23

Six snake-tailed beast corpses lay scattered around, emitting a pungent, fishy stench.

The four stood back-to-back, their rapid breathing unnervingly loud in the silence.

Beads of sweat trickled down Xu Hao's forehead.

The repeated use of his teleportation ability made his leg muscles ache with dull pain.

Licking his chapped lips, he whispered hoarsely:

"A few more waves and my legs are done for."

Liu Ziming's face had turned pale as he gritted his teeth:

"Too many... The energy drain... If this continues, I'll die from exhaustion before they kill me."

Feng Jue's breathing remained steady, but his sword-wielding wrist had tensed up.

His cold eyes swept across the restless horde of snake-tailed beasts: "They're learning. The next wave will be harder to handle."

Su Zhan's Time Abyss Eye demanded the greatest toll, its continuous use making his temples throb with pain.

What unsettled him more...

Was the growing hunger in his gut for the snake-tailed beast corpses.

Eat them... and you'll grow stronger...

"Something's wrong..."

Xu Hao frowned.

The remaining snake-tailed beasts had stopped attacking recklessly, instead fanning out to form an encirclement.

Their gill-like organs vibrated in perfect synchronization, as if preparing something.

"They're adjusting tactics... Those earlier attacks were just probes."

Su Zhan's heart sank.

"Fuck! These beasts can coordinate?!"

Cold sweat broke out on Liu Ziming's forehead.

Suddenly—

"BOOM!"

All the snake-tailed beasts drove their tails into the ground simultaneously, and in the next instant, the entire street's pavement exploded violently.

Countless stone shards mixed with venom came pouring down like a deadly hailstorm!

"No way to dodge!"

Liu Ziming's face changed drastically.

Xu Hao's figure blurred as he flickered desperately between the gaps of stone and venom.

"Swish! Swish! Swish!"

Three consecutive teleports barely got him out of the kill zone.

But a flying rock still struck his right leg, tearing open flesh.

"Hiss—!"

Xu Hao gasped sharply, dropping to one knee, helplessly watching his teammates still trapped in the deadly storm.

His Life Soul could only teleport himself—not others.

Feng Jue's Startling Swan Sword flashed.

Abandoning defense, he unleashed three sword beams that split the incoming barrage clean in half.

But the attacks were simply too numerous.

Several still got through.

"Thud! Thud!"

Two stone shards embedded deep into his shoulders while venom splashed on his arm, instantly corroding hideous wounds.

Feng Jue grunted but didn't falter in his swordplay.

Spiritual energy nearly depleted...

Liu Ziming's lightning had long lost its initial fury, barely maintaining a thin shield around himself.

"Zzzzt..."

Rocks hammered against the electric barrier.

His face grew paler, blood trickling from his lips.

"Can't... hold on!"

"CRASH!"

A final boulder shattered the lightning shield, slamming into his chest.

Liu Ziming coughed blood, staggering back several steps.

Su Zhan's Time Abyss Eye whirled madly over his chest.

The projectiles and venom slowed dramatically as they neared him.

But his temples pulsed violently, warmth flooding his nostrils.

"Drip."

A drop of blood fell from his nose.

Reaching my limit...

Vision blurring, the deceleration field shrank rapidly.

All four except Su Zhan were wounded, their spiritual energy nearly exhausted.

The remaining snake-tailed beasts advanced slowly, gills vibrating as if celebrating victory.

Can't do it after all?

Liu Ziming coughed up bloody froth staining his hoodie.

He glanced down, forcing out his signature roguish grin:

"Cough... this was... limited edition XX collaboration..."

Wiping his mouth, he added hoarsely: "Should've worn... that XXX haute couture... if I knew I'd die here..."

Feng Jue shot him a cold look: "Save your breath."

His condition wasn't much better.

The Startling Swan Sword planted in the ground barely kept him upright.

"Hey hey hey..."

Liu Ziming wheezed but still managed a cheeky smirk: "Stone-face... you know... I've got three bottles... century-old Lafite... at Vermilion Bird's... priciest five-star..."

Another coughing fit.

Grimacing through pain, he persisted:

"Was gonna... invite you guys... someday... Now? Died before proving myself... even our fucking tombstones... gonna be group discount..."

Distant footsteps signaled the beasts' approach.

"Hey... you think..."

Liu Ziming's voice weakened but kept that trademark arrogance:

"If we really bite it here... tomorrow's headline would be... 'Liu Group's second son dies heroically'?

Those media vultures... would totally spin me... as some self-sacrificing saint."

Su Zhan couldn't help a strained chuckle.

This rich kid was chattier than Xu Hao even at death's door.

Xu Hao watched from afar, eyes nearly bursting:

"HEY! You blind fucking monsters!!!"

His voice cracked with raw fury as he waved wildly from down the street.

"Over here! Your gills just for show?! Can't even catch one guy?!"

He grabbed a rock and hurled it at the nearest beast.

"THUD!"

Direct hit to the creature's skull.

The snake-tailed beast froze, gills vibrating wildly before turning toward Xu Hao.

"Yeah! Look here!!"

Xu Hao's chest heaved as he screamed hoarsely: "Love eating people? I'm the fastest! Tenderest meat!"

Shouting while stumbling backward, he deliberately kicked debris to make noise.

"Come get me! Freaks!"

More beasts took the bait, slowly changing direction.

Xu Hao's legs trembled.

His teleportation was nearly spent—he wouldn't last long.

Yet he grinned, uglier than a sob.

Damn it... buy every second possible!

"RUN!"

He spun and bolted the opposite way, staggering but accelerating: "Catch me and it's all-you-can-eat!!"

The beasts' gills emitted high-frequency vibrations—finally, two pounced after him.

Xu Hao glanced back, relieved some monsters were diverted.

Feng Jue, Liu Ziming, Su Zhan...

Hold on... just hold on.

Su Zhan's eyes flashed.

He never expected Xu Hao to risk himself as bait—they'd only met yesterday.

This... this was someone you could truly trust with your back!

Since normal methods won't work...

He stared at a nearby corpse, his mutation factors boiling over!

Then eat them!

"Five left on this side."

Su Zhan scanned their surroundings: "Only chance—split up. Whether we live or die... that's fate."

No other way to use his trump card.

"You kidding me?"

Liu Ziming rasped: "Split up? How's that winning?"

Feng Jue mustered a final sword slash to repel the nearest beast: "Go."

"Rich boy, forget winning. Split up, maybe some survive. Stay together—certain death."

Su Zhan immediately dashed into a side alley.

His figure vanished around the corner almost suspiciously fast.

Liu Ziming gaped: "Motherf—"

Before he could finish, the remaining five beasts divided—

One chased Su Zhan while four kept advancing.

Feng Jue acted decisively: "Move!"

Liu Ziming turned reluctantly, sprinting the opposite direction.

He hated admitting Su Zhan was right.

Feng Jue covered their retreat with one last sword arc.

The energy slash briefly barricaded the street, buying precious seconds.

He cast a final glance toward Xu Hao's disappearing figure.

Then leaped onto rooftops, vanishing across the skyline.

Four snake-tailed beasts shrieked in rage, splitting to pursue both groups.

In the alley—

Su Zhan's lungs burned like fire, legs leaden.

The pursuing beast closed in.

No good... can't outrun it!

Mental energy nearly gone—Time Abyss Eye unusable.

His surroundings?

Dead silent.

All civilians long slaughtered.

Now's the chance!

Gritting his teeth, he unleashed the suppressed power within.

Bones cracked as his frame expanded abruptly.

Gray-black scales erupted across his skin.

Su Zhan stomped hard, launching forward like an arrow—far faster than before.

The pursuing beast screamed in frustration.

Using his momentum, Su Zhan veered sharply into a half-collapsed convenience store.

The glass display shattered explosively.

He rolled behind shelves, curling tight.

Holding his breath.

The beast's footsteps circled outside.

Its gill-generated sonar waves swept over him like physical touch.