Chapter 23

The sky gradually turned dark.

One after another, those who had not been infected with the werewolf virus died from excessive blood loss. Their bodies were thrown into the enclosures by the blood slaves, becoming food for the caged werewolves. Here, humans were treated like pigs and sheep, slaughtered either to be the food of werewolves or to become slaves and blood meals for vampires. Those who managed to survive by some miracle ended up looking like the blood slaves—neither human nor ghost.

"Roar!..."

Low growls began to emanate from the cages. Although it was not yet completely dark, the moonlight was already filtering through the narrow windows into the cages. There was no doubt that it was another full moon night, as those infected with the werewolf virus had started their first transformation. Their pupils began to dilate, then split into double pupils, and thick saliva dripped from their mouths. The sound of gnashing teeth echoed.

At this point, their human consciousness was beginning to dissipate.

The skin of the infected began to show blue veins that looked like wriggling worms, moving strangely as if they had a life of their own, pumping blood to every part of the body except the heart. The power of the werewolf virus began to spread through their bodies. Their foreheads protruded, their hind legs elongated, and their spines extended and curved, with dense fur gradually covering their bulging muscles.

—"Howl!"

The transformation process lasted about fifteen minutes, varying in speed. However, when the first werewolf appeared, the other infected individuals who were transforming undoubtedly sped up their process. As if called by their genes, the caged werewolf slaves also began to howl, and soon the cages were filled with numerous werewolves.

"Cough!..."

Zhao Futu heard Kane's continuous coughing. Under the moonlight, most of the werewolf virus-infected individuals had completed their first transformation. However, for some reason, Kane and the Butcher showed no signs of mutation. Instead, their coughing grew more severe, and eventually, Kane even coughed up clumps of blood from his throat!

"Could they not survive the first werewolf transformation?" Zhao Futu took a deep breath, thinking to himself.

Among the werewolf virus-infected individuals, about 70% successfully completed their first transformation. Those who failed to transform reverted to their human form, but their hearts had stopped beating.

"Snarl!... Roar!..."

Kane's expression became increasingly painful. After a bout of violent coughing, he seemed to feel great discomfort in his lungs, constantly scratching his chest with his fingers. Soon, his chest was covered in bloody scratches, and Zhao Futu could even see his ribs! Kane's face contorted, his eyes rolled back, revealing a murky white, and his skin was covered in veins that looked like centipedes, even the smallest capillaries had swollen several times over, making his entire body bulge!

"Looks like? Their mutation is different from the others?" Zhao Futu immediately noticed that Kane and the Butcher's werewolf mutation had begun.

Their mutation was different from the others; it did not start from the head but from the spine, then extended to the arms and legs, and finally to the head! Their spines showed clear signs of elongation, making their bodies grow to nearly two meters tall, not including the curvature of the spine.

The special mutation brought them far more pain than other werewolves during transformation. However, during their transformation, for some reason, all the werewolves in the area instinctively fell silent, leaving only Kane and the Butcher's increasingly painful howls echoing in the cage!

When the first rays of the full moon shone on them,

The mutation process that had lasted nearly half an hour suddenly seemed to be injected with a catalyst. Their muscles rapidly expanded, the worm-like and centipede-like veins twisted and expanded, and their skin began to keratinize. Black, dense fur covered their bodies, and the handcuffs and shackles restraining them snapped, while the iron collars around their necks were deeply embedded in their flesh due to the bulging neck muscles!

—"Howl!"

In a deep growl, the giant werewolves that Kane and the Butcher had transformed into slammed their fists into the ground, their muscles bulging, breaking all the chains, and the iron collars around their necks snapped in two.

"Could... they have been infected by the giant werewolf's virus?" Zhao Futu immediately recalled that many of their injuries were inflicted by the giant werewolf that the blacksmith had transformed into.

Especially the Butcher, whose arm was broken by the giant werewolf!

For some unknown reason, Kane and the Butcher transformed into further enhanced giant werewolves. They easily broke free from their restraints and tore open the iron doors of the cages with a twisting motion! Their arms, as thick as an adult's waist, were bulging with muscles, proving their incredible strength. The cages that held ordinary werewolves were useless against them!

The animalistic growls echoed through the prison.

As the only one who had not transformed, Zhao Futu felt immense pressure. He clearly noticed that after completely transforming into werewolves, Kane and the others had lost their human consciousness, and their actions were now driven by the bloodthirsty animal instincts of werewolves! However, what happened next shocked Zhao Futu!

Instead of attacking others like wild beasts after breaking out of the cage,

Kane used his terrifying strength to open one cage after another, releasing the werewolves. He seemed to retain some of his consciousness, as he did not attack Zhao Futu when he opened his cage but instead broke all the chains on him and closed the cage door again! Then, he growled and began directing the released werewolves to continuously ram the heavy iron doors and enclosures, preparing to free all the werewolves!

"He retained his consciousness?" Zhao Futu did not leave the prison, even though the chains were broken. There were at least a hundred werewolves outside, and running out now would be suicide!

"It seems so! He retained some of his consciousness! He didn't completely turn into a mindless beast!"

"Could he be Lucien?"

"That doesn't seem right! Lucien's background is completely different from his!"

Zhao Futu had many questions, but he found no answers. However, it was clear that the werewolf virus had undergone a special mutation when it spread to Kane, resulting in him inheriting the genes of the giant werewolf and retaining some of his consciousness.

At least, he remembered Zhao Futu, his former comrade, and did not attack him.

Kane's transformation into a giant werewolf even reminded Zhao Futu of the super werewolves in "Underworld," those super werewolves with genetic breakthroughs, who might have inherited the werewolf virus genes that Kane was now passing on.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The heavy thuds echoed in the prison, and the alarm sounded as the vampire warriors were alerted. More and more werewolves broke out of the cages, using their strong bodies to break through the doors and charge at the Death Corps warriors waiting outside like mad beasts! Before leaving the prison, Kane glanced at Zhao Futu, growled, and was gradually enveloped by a bloodthirsty aura!

Rumble!

In the shocked gaze of the vampire warriors, the giant werewolves that Kane and the Butcher had transformed into appeared before them.

—The Wolf Uprising!!!