Chapter 117: Brutal
Xu Zhi clearly didn’t let the shock cloud her judgment. Upon regaining awareness, she immediately realized the critical issue—time—and began her retreat without hesitation.
However, while earlier it was just one [Cup]-affiliated being bothering her as she moved forward, the moment she revealed her intent to return the way she came, the atmosphere in the forest changed instantly.
Those hidden entities lurking in the shadows had only been watching. They certainly coveted Xu Zhi—this rare, living intruder—but the competition among them was fierce, and Xu Zhi carried a protective lantern. None dared act rashly. They were waiting for some reckless fool to make the first move.
Who knew the first one would be such an utter idiot?
Not only did it fail, but it actually spooked Xu Zhi into trying to leave.
That wouldn’t do. They couldn’t let her escape. She was a prize they’d waited too long for—a vessel that could carry them out of Midnight!
Suddenly, a fierce wind whipped through the dark forest. The once-thin mist twisted and tangled around Xu Zhi, slowing her escape and clouding her vision. Amid the murky darkness, she sensed something approaching.
Damn it—that’s definitely not friendly!
Xu Zhi broke into a sprint, careful to keep the lantern steady and balanced, never allowing herself to stray from its protective glow.
She ran swiftly. Even with the wind and fog impeding her, she estimated she could reach the doorway in under three minutes.
But her path was anything but smooth. Shadowy figures hidden in the mist would occasionally lunge toward her, attempting to breach the lantern’s light and seize her. Fortunately, each time they tried, they recoiled as though scalded.
Even so, distorted claws and grotesque “hands” would sometimes grab at her ankles, arms, or shoulders—straining against the light’s burn, desperate to pull her back.
Xu Zhi fought them off as she ran, swatting away the invasive limbs. But these were not easy foes.
In less than a minute, a savage claw tore a deep gash into her right calf—so deep it exposed the bone, ripping away chunks of flesh. And yet Xu Zhi didn’t cry out. She simply kept running. In fact, the wound had worsened because of how violently she tried to shake the thing off her leg.
By the time she reached the doorway, her body was soaked in blood. The scent of it stirred the lurking creatures, especially those with sensitive noses.
As she neared the door, Xu Zhi’s vigilance didn’t falter. She could’ve sworn she heard a whisper carried on the wind:
“There’s something wrong with this scent.”
Her heart clenched. Ignoring the pain, she pushed herself harder, sprinting the final distance toward the exit.
Then, something strange and slippery coiled around her wrist—the one holding the lantern. The thing sizzled with smoke as the light scorched it, but it still clung stubbornly, trying to drag her away from the door.
Xu Zhi’s gray eyes flashed with fierce defiance. Ignoring her injuries, she stretched out her free hand and grabbed the doorframe. Her bloodied legs pushed off the ground with all their remaining strength, and blood gushed anew from her torn flesh.
Had she not been a transcendent being, she’d already be dead.
The lantern’s light began to burn a searing brand into the thing’s body. Somewhere in the haze, Xu Zhi could hear it screaming.
At last, through her own strength and the lantern’s power, she managed to drag herself closer to the door. As her body was halfway through the threshold, the creature seemed to realize it couldn’t hold her back any longer. Reluctantly, it began to retreat.
But Xu Zhi wasn’t about to let it go that easily.
Fury and violence gleamed in her gray eyes. Seeing the thing try to flee, she smirked coldly. “Trying to run?”
She whipped her hand around, grabbed the remaining part of the creature that hadn’t escaped yet, stepped fully into the doorway, braced herself against the frame—and yanked hard.
You wanted to keep me inside?
Well, you’re coming out with me.
“—No!”
A wretched, agonized scream rang out behind her—but it was too late. Xu Zhi had already crossed into the real world, and the creature, upon contact with reality, lost all its strength. Xu Zhi easily dragged it through.
She hadn’t expected the thing’s power to vanish so suddenly. Caught off guard, she fell heavily to the ground with a loud thud. But the pain of the fall was nothing compared to the torment tearing through her body and mind.
At this point, she was so hurt she was practically numb.
Blood continued to pour from her wounds. An overwhelming fatigue took hold, and she felt like she could fall asleep at any moment.
But she couldn’t—not yet. Not because sleeping would kill her, but because her injuries were far too severe. With her usual regenerative abilities, her wounds should’ve already begun healing—but the process now felt agonizingly slow.
Xu Zhi debated whether to call Zhong Lingfan and have her send a [Heart]-aligned transcendent to treat her, when she suddenly saw Yu Shenwei emerge from her room, alerted by the noise.
Xu Zhi raised an eyebrow slightly and tossed the still-unidentified creature into storage. Then she silently stared at Yu Shenwei.
She was badly injured—visibly so. What would Yu Shenwei do?
Attack her? Try to escape?
Probably not. Xu Zhi might be wounded, but her familiars were very much alive and well.
At that moment, her familiars rushed to her side, sensing her condition. Even the usually arrogant black cat came over, pacing worriedly beside her.
She could feel their concern. None dared touch her due to her ghastly wounds—not even the little mutant who usually drooled over her blood. Now, it only seemed agitated, not tempted.
“At least you’ve got a conscience.”
Xu Zhi thought to herself. Just then, Yu Shenwei’s voice sounded beside her:
“You don’t look too good.”
Yu Shenwei rolled up her sleeve and offered her pale arm to Xu Zhi.
Xu Zhi blinked. “What are you doing?”
Yu Shenwei looked down and admitted quietly, “I’m not just able to heal myself—I can heal others too.”
She hadn’t intended to reveal that secret. It was far too dangerous. But now wasn’t the time to worry about that.
Well damn.
Better than ginseng, and more useful than one. If others found out, would Yu Shenwei ever know peace again?
“Thanks.”
Xu Zhi accepted with a nod—and then, without hesitation, bit down hard.
She’d once fed Yu Shenwei her own blood. Now, the other girl was returning the favor. It was only fair.
