Volume Two, The Devil's Game: Chapter Sixty-One: Boiling Blood Burned Out, The Wind-Chasing Hero Broken

The Warden’s gaze swept across the members of the Wind-Chaser Squad. It lingered briefly on Deng Yuqi, who, sensing the attention, immediately looked up. Their eyes met, and Deng Yuqi’s body shuddered, her limbs trembling uncontrollably.

Ge Wendong noticed this instantly and reached out to cover her eyes. Deng Yuqi calmed down slightly, but Ge Wendong watched the Warden with a grim expression. Could they truly survive against such an enemy?

However, remembering his duty as the leader trusted by his teammates, he steadied himself, lowered Deng Yuqi against the wall, and spoke in a low voice over the team channel: "Prepare to engage."

The Warden let out a faint scoff, indifferent to their actions. It was only when the squad drew their weapons, manifesting their intent to fight, that the Warden glanced at them with a glimmer of interest.

Wang Ge moved first. His eyes narrowed as a strange pattern rapidly formed across his face. He drew his bow, and the piercing shriek of an eagle echoed through the air once more.

Just as the eagle phantom dove toward the Warden, the creature suddenly raised its left hand and made a grasping motion toward Wang Ge. Wang Ge was immediately lifted into the air, as if seized by an invisible hand. Despite his best efforts, he could not strike the unseen force. With a cold sneer, the Warden pulled his hand back, and Wang Ge was sent flying toward him.

"Leave my teammate alone!" Yang Tonghua roared, charging forward with his dual-bladed axe. With every stride, his leap distance grew—first one step, then two, then four. With each footfall, a wisp of green smoke rose from the ground.

Seven meters from the Warden, Yang Tonghua leapt, covering half the distance in a blink. He fixed his gaze on the Warden and let out a furious shout. A scorching aura erupted from his body, and fiery red light flowed across the blades of his axe.

The Warden did not even look at him. He casually flicked his left hand, and Wang Ge, who was about to collide with him, was sent hurtling into Yang Tonghua instead. The two collided and went flying backward together.

Seeing this, Ge Wendong let out a roar toward the sky. His fists clenched, muscles straining, as a tattered tiger phantom merged into his body. His aura spiked, though his face grew pale, suggesting he was forcefully overdrawing his talent.

The Warden shook his head slightly, clearly holding Ge Wendong in contempt. Faced with this disdain, Ge Wendong hesitated for a moment, then screamed as if to purge his inner fear. He swung his broadsword, unleashed a crescent slash, and charged.

The Warden raised his left hand again; the crescent slash veered off course, drawn beneath his palm, where it rotated and shrunk until it vanished. Ge Wendong’s expression shifted, and he abandoned the straight charge, zig-zagging to reach the Warden’s flank.

As the broadsword swung from the right, the Warden remained calm. He flicked a finger, and a transparent, ring-shaped crystal appeared. The blade struck it with a metallic clang, causing the muscles in Ge Wendong’s arms to tremble violently. The Warden chuckled and flicked his finger toward Ge Wendong’s head.

At that critical moment, an ice spike and several projectiles arrived. The Warden’s eyelids twitched; he waved his left hand, scattering the attacks and allowing Ge Wendong to retreat. The Warden glanced dismissively at Deng Yuqi, who was leaning against the wall with her staff, and Hua Yanghui, who was pulling out a metal tube, before returning his focus to Ge Wendong.

Just then, a sharp arrow appeared silently before the Warden. Under the influence of the Warden’s ability, the arrow’s speed plummeted, coming to a complete stop less than a decimeter from him.

As the Warden reached out to bat it away, a piercing eagle cry rang out. An eagle phantom manifested over the arrow, flapped its wings with force, and dove.

"Well done!" Ge Wendong shouted, his confidence restored. This was Wang Ge’s signature skill: the arrow vanished from sight, only to reappear near the target accompanied by the eagle’s assault, dealing double damage. At such close range, even if the Warden shattered the phantom, the arrow would surely pierce him.

Ge Wendong stowed his sword, crossed his arms, and roared, unleashing a white fist-shadow toward the tail of the eagle. If the arrow failed, his strike would seal the deal.

"Heh." The Warden’s eyes widened. Under his gaze, the eagle and the arrow slowed once more. A rectangular crystal shield appeared on his left arm, and he swung it upward. The collision produced a deafening boom; the ground beneath the Warden cracked, but the eagle and the arrow were swatted away.

The Warden swept his hand, and crystal rings appeared before him. They vibrated, emitting silver-gray ripples that seemed to carry the wails of tortured souls. The ripples obliterated the white fist-shadow and swept over the squad, sending all five flying upward with screams of agony.

Soon, the tiger phantom fell from the sky, fading before it hit the ground. Feathers drifted down as a mangled eagle fell, dissolving into light.

The squad had been blown a dozen meters away, landing in awkward, inverted positions. Had they hit the ground directly, they surely would have died. In the crisis, Deng Yuqi sacrificed her equipment to release an energy film, cushioning the impact.

Even so, they could not rise. "How is this possible?" Hua Yanghui struggled to roll over, disbelieving. "That was a horizontal attack—why did we fly vertically?"

Deng Yuqi gasped for air. "If it were a horizontal strike, we could have created distance. Why did this happen?"

Wang Ge stared at the Warden in horror. "No, that’s not all. The Warden has only used its left hand from the start, and through this entire exchange, it hasn't taken a single step."

The squad looked at the Warden, their faces filled with dread.

"Ha... ha..." Yang Tonghua panted. "Leader, it’s my fault."

"What are you saying?" Ge Wendong coughed up blood. "Even if you had run as I said after breaking the wall, we wouldn't have escaped its range."

Yang Tonghua smiled miserably. "No, I mean, when I grappled the Warden, I should have let you run."

"We are a team," Ge Wendong insisted, his face flushed with emotion. "We wouldn't leave you behind to die."

"That’s right," Hua Yanghui added weakly. "We couldn't abandon you."

Yang Tonghua gave a tragic laugh. "Boss, I’m clumsy and stubborn. If you hadn't taken me in, I wouldn't have survived this long."

Ge Wendong felt a sudden, ominous chill. "Yang Tonghua, what are you talking about?"

"Don't give up," Wang Ge urged. "The Warden isn't attacking. If we catch our breath, we can survive."

"I was so focused on saving you that I entered that state," Yang Tonghua murmured, clawing at the ground. "But once I thought about escaping with you, I couldn't find that feeling again. I think this power was meant for me to protect you."

The Warden stood waiting. Seeing no one rise, he pointed his index finger at the sky, and a silver-gray beam shot upward. Crystal cages appeared above the five of them.

"Ah!" Yang Tonghua rolled over, his arms trembling as he pushed himself up. His aura shifted again. "Boss, I’m going in."

He charged with his axe. The Warden retracted his hand, and the cages vanished. But seeing only Yang Tonghua, the Warden looked annoyed and made a downward pressing motion. With a thunderous boom, a meter-deep handprint appeared in the road, with Yang Tonghua crushed inside.

"Ah!" Yang Tonghua roared, climbing out. His skin was burning red, and his aura had solidified—his talent had fully awakened.

"Boiling Blood," Wang Ge whispered, removing his goggles with a look of despair. "Burning internal essence and potential to increase all combat stats."

Yang Tonghua struck the Warden’s crystal shield, but it didn't budge. The Warden vibrated his arm, and Yang Tonghua stumbled. With a final roar, Yang Tonghua’s body grew scorching, emitting thick white steam. With god-like strength, he forced the Warden’s shield down onto its shoulder.

"Boss, run!" Yang Tonghua screamed in the team channel.

But his axe, rusted and worn from the impact, turned to dust under the immense pressure. Seeing the Warden raise a hand toward the others, Yang Tonghua lunged and grabbed the creature. The Warden, clearly irritated by the interference, directed a silver-gray ripple at him.

Yang Tonghua’s equipment manifested and was instantly encased in crystal, then shattered into powder. Exposed, he took the full force of the blow. He convulsed, blood spilling from his lips, but let out a hoarse roar, his aura surging as he attacked again.

Ge Wendong and Wang Ge prepared to move. "Boss, run!" Yang Tonghua shouted. "You can't use your talent anymore. If you don't run now, it'll be too late!"

Ge Wendong was agitated, but Wang Ge pulled him back, pointing at Yang Tonghua. "Leader, look. Yang Tonghua is growing hair."

Ge Wendong fell silent. Yang Tonghua’s hair had grown twice as long in moments. Time was not just eroding his gear; it was consuming his body.

"Time is affecting him," Wang Ge said, his voice heavy with despair. "He’s only holding on through sheer willpower. He isn't coming back."

As time took its toll, the Warden began to shake him off. Yang Tonghua roared, a pale red gas emitting from his body, and he pushed the Warden back half a step.

"Leader, run!" Yang Tonghua’s voice and appearance were now those of a middle-aged man. Though his aura was strong, it was clearly the final flicker of a dying flame.

Ge Wendong clenched his fists and let out a broken, unwilling growl. "Go." The squad helped each other limp away.

Seeing them flee, the Warden frowned. A black pillar of light shot into the sky. The sheer pressure sent Yang Tonghua flying to the ground, his aura fading rapidly. The Warden stepped forward, but felt something grab his robe. Yang Tonghua, now gray-haired and withered, lay on his side, his hand clutching the hem of the Warden's garment.

The Warden looked down and sneered. "A futile gesture." He looked at Yang Tonghua. "Still, for your passion to force me back half a step, you deserve praise. Very well, I shall grant your wish and let them leave in peace."

The Warden turned away. Yang Tonghua’s eyes sparkled for a moment before they went dull, his head dropping heavily to the ground.

A notification echoed in the minds of the survivors: "One challenger has died. 12 remaining."

After a long moment, the Warden took a step forward. "However, no matter how far they run, it takes but a flick of my finger to end them." He sighed. "Such bonds... they are only worth savoring for a fleeting moment." He stepped into a light portal, leaving behind nothing but a withered, aged corpse.

"Yuchan, are these potato chips?" Shen Yixue asked, chewing on a bag of snacks.

Opposite her, Yuchan pouted, hugging a pile of snacks protectively. "Yes," Yuchan grumbled, "but you’ve already eaten several bags!"

After Yuchan had led her to safety, Shen Yixue had been trying to gauge her recovery. Unable to see or hear, she had randomly tried snacks from the team storage to pass the time. Now, realizing the supply was gone, she tried to sound ingratiating. "Yuchan?"

"No, no!" Yuchan shook her head. Suddenly, she froze. "That strange person is coming."

"The Warden?" Shen Yixue gasped.

"I’ll lure him away," Yuchan said, heading for the door.

"Yuchan, wait! Where are we? Maybe he’s just passing by!" Shen Yixue pleaded.

Yuchan, confused and troubled, simply walked over and tapped Shen Yixue on the neck, knocking her unconscious. "A good person told me to bring you to a safe place. It’s safe here." Yuchan returned the snacks to the storage and rushed out of the room.