Mark 45

The monster charged towards Su Chen with incredible speed, leaving him with little time to think.

I can't die here!, Su Chen said.

Despite the overwhelming danger, Su Chen adhered to his original plan and fired his gun at the third elongated ghost in front of him. He didn't bother to aim or even look at his target, instead, he frantically pulled the trigger to defend himself.

With his other hand, he drew the darkened Miao Knife from his waist and prepared to face the fourth elongated ghost's deadly array of blade-like feet. Without hesitation, Su Chen slashed at the monster with all his might.

The woman behind shouted... in an attempt to come to Su Chen's aid, but upon seeing her arrow fail to harm the elongated ghost, she quickly turned and ran away.

Having witnessed the horror of the elongated ghost firsthand, she knew that ordinary people were powerless against them and that there was only a slim chance of survival once they were targeted.

While her initial intentions were to help, she also had another reason for doing so.

She had noticed that the person fighting the monsters had already killed and seriously injured one of them, which sparked her desire to assist.

But now, all the man can do is run no matter how powerful he is.

Unless, he will die!

Expecting to hear Su Chen's howls of pain. The woman, who had taken cover behind a load-bearing pillar, turned back to see what had happened and was shocked to see that Su Chen was still alive.

She watched in amazement as Su Chen, holding a blood-stained knife, approached the two elongated ghosts with an angry and determined expression. Despite his injuries, he moved forward with the confidence and power of a seasoned killer. One of the ghosts had already lost a leg in their previous encounter with Su Chen.

The woman was surprised by her own actions, but she gritted her teeth and ran out again, this time towards the other side.

Meanwhile, Su Chen fought fiercely against the elongated ghost, but his face was twisted in pain.

Despite the strength of his Miao knife, it was unable to stop the monster's dazzling killing array. A knife foot sliced across his waist, leaving a gaping hole about one centimeter deep. The pain was almost unbearable, and Su Chen struggled to stay conscious.

Despite the severe injury to his waist, Su Chen managed to survive the first round of surprise attacks. Using his magic-changing pistol, he seriously injured the third elongated ghost, while the fourth elongated ghost was countered by his dark sword and shot down mid-air.

The remaining two severely wounded monsters were beheaded by Su Chen one by one.

After the dust had settled, Su Chen absorbed the energy units from the defeated monsters and made his way towards Mark 45.

As he was heading towards the exit, he heard the sound of someone running.

To his surprise, it was the woman who had previously tried to help him but had fled in fear.

She had returned, looking very heroic with her short hair and tight-fitting clothes bearing the logo of the bow and arrow hall.

The woman approached Su Chen, looking incredulous and surprised as she exclaimed, "How did you manage to do it?"

But Su Chen was in no mood for small talk and replied, "This is not the time or place to discuss it. I need your help."

Having sustained injuries to his waist and abdomen and with his internal organs feeling as though they had shifted, Su Chen knew he needed assistance. If he had not strengthened and reformed his body, he would have already collapsed.

The woman quickly understood the situation and offered to help, saying, "I understand. With the commotion here, other monsters are bound to arrive soon. I will get you out of here."

"Wait," Su Chen said, stopping the woman in her tracks. She looked at him with surprise, but what he said next shocked her even more.

Pointing towards the Iron Man suit on the other side of the booth, Su Chen said, "We have to take it away."

The woman was taken aback by his suggestion and asked, "Are you sure?"

Without hesitation, Su Chen replied, "I am sure."

Three minutes had passed, and the booth on the third floor, near the escalator, was now empty. Several elongated ghosts patrolled from all directions, searching for the culprit of the chaos that had occurred.

Meanwhile, on the second-floor platform, Su Chen leaned against the wall, gasping for breath while pressing one hand on the Mark 45 armor. The woman who had helped him earlier stood beside him, still in disbelief.

"I can't believe I cooperated with you to move this thing over," she said. "What is the use of you wanting this thing?"

Despite the bleeding wound around his waist, Su Chen had somehow managed to carry the heavy armor. The woman was amazed at his strength and physical stamina.

Su Chen shook his head, unable to speak as he focused on trying to stop the bleeding using a method he had learned from the internet a long time ago.

The woman watched in awe as Su Chen tended to his wound. She then asked him about his identity and whether he was from the military, given his impressive ability to defeat the elongated ghosts.

Su Chen replied, "I'm Iron Man. That's why I want my armor. With it, I am stronger."

The woman was skeptical, thinking he was joking. However, she soon realized the severity of Su Chen's injury and offered to help, saying that she knew a little about treating wounds.

Su Chen declined her offer, stating that the smell of blood on his body was too strong to deal with. He then asked for a safe place to rest, as the safe passage they were in could easily be blocked by the monsters.

The woman suggested hiding in the dressing room of a big clothing store on the west side of the third floor, where she had previously managed to survive. However, she was unsure if they could make it there safely.

Looking at Su Chen's impressive strength, the woman suggested they leave the building and head to the military for help.

Su Chen looked at the Mark 45 armor with a sense of joy in his eyes. Despite his injuries and exhaustion, he was determined to take it with him.

The woman observed this scene with a mix of confusion and concern.

She couldn't understand why someone would risk their life for a suit of armor and began to question Su Chen's mental state.

After a moment of contemplation, she offered to help Su Chen, stating that she was a doctor and a member of the Bow and Arrow Gym.

She assured him that she would not be a hindrance and was willing to accompany him on his journey.

Su Chen looked at her, recalling how she had previously fled in fear. "If I fail, will you still turn around and run?" he asked, with a note of skepticism in his voice.

The woman's response was concise and straightforward. "Yes," she said, "But as long as I believe there is hope, I won't abandon you."

Su Chen appreciated her honesty, finding it refreshing compared to the empty promises he had encountered in the past. He had grown accustomed to people telling him they would help, only to abandon him when things got tough.

He had tried offering incentives like "As long as you take me, I will toss with you tonight" or "We will help each other," but he had to wonder if those promises were just empty words.

Su Chen's current state was dire. He struggled to carry his armor, find a safe refuge, and evade the monsters. He felt powerless and alone.

Despite people's desires to be good, the reality is that when resources are limited, self-preservation becomes the top priority. Su Chen understood this and appreciated the woman's honesty.

"I promise you, but you have to listen to me," Su Chen said, making it clear that he needed the woman to follow his lead. "If you act on your own or cause trouble, I won't be responsible for you."

The woman agreed to Su Chen's conditions and suggested a safe place in the supermarket on the first basement level, where the monsters were unlikely to go.

"I understand," Su Chen replied, grateful for her suggestion. "Let's head there now."