A pungent, rotten sll lingered in the air, a stench worse than aged surströmming that assaulted every cell of her respiratory system. It made her dizzy and faint, a sure sign the monster behind her was getting closer.
At the thought of her companion's bloody fate, the short-haired girl gritted her teeth and ran for her life. Suddenly, she saw a figure erge unhurriedly from the Desolate Forest ahead, raising a hand and aiming it right at her.
"Get out of the way."
A clear voice rang out. Without a second thought, the short-haired girl abruptly dodged to the side.
BOOM!
In that instant, accompanied by the explosive sound, she saw a burst of pale white fire erupt from the young man's hand. A massive wave of fire suddenly surged through the dark Desolate Forest, the dancing flas instantly engulfing the monster.
The surroundings were brightly illuminated by the blaze. A searing wind spread out, making the branches rustle and sway as it sent fallen leaves scattering into the air.
The foul-slling monster lted in the intense heat, its body collapsing like a scarecrow. When the flas dissipated, all that remained on the ground was a charred, smoking heap of residue.
As the firelight reflecting on her face gradually dimd, the short-haired girl stared at the effortlessly cool and composed figure, her mouth hanging open in a daze.
"An… an Ascender?"
"What are you doing in a place like this?" Zhou Chen turned to the short-haired girl and pointed at the Corrupter's remains on the ground. "How did you manage to attract its attention?"
"I-I was exploring an abandoned factory with my friends…" the short-haired girl gasped, an anxious expression on her face. "Can you save my friends? There are still several more monsters in the factory… I-I'll pay you."
Zhou Chen pretended to ponder for a couple of seconds before nodding. "What's your na?"
"Li Xiye," the short-haired girl replied.
'Her surna is Li…' Zhou Chen's mind imdiately jumped to the Li's Flower Group. After a mont of deliberation, he asked, "What's your relationship with the Li's Flower Group?"
"What?" Li Xiye looked completely blank, having never heard of the company. She said cautiously, "My… our Li Clan is in the automotive business. You're not from Hong City, are you?"
Zhou Chen's brow furrowed slightly, but he didn't press the matter. "Lead the way. If we hurry, your friends might still have a chance."
"I-I don't have any strength left…" Li Xiye said with a pained expression, panting so hard she could barely speak. Her physical fitness was considered good for her age—better than most boys'—but that desperate sprint had completely exhausted her.
"Just point in the general direction."
Zhou Chen walked over and placed a hand on Li Xiye's shoulder. "I'll take you there."
Fla Jump could be used to transport companions, though it consud an extra portion of Essence for each person. The more people he brought along, the more Essence it would cost.
"It's… over there…" Li Xiye pointed. The next second, her vision was completely filled by a surge of pale white flas.
The flas surged, and the scenery around them blurred and shifted. In just a few seconds, Li Xiye realized they had left the Desolate Forest and were now looking at the distant, abandoned factory on the outskirts of town.
"That's the place!" she shouted.
Zhou Chen perford a few more Fla Jumps in succession, bringing Li Xiye to the factory entrance. Two cars were parked there. Not far away lay a corpse, mangled by bite marks to the point of being unrecognizable. It looked like the person had been trying to get to a car to escape, but hadn't made it.
"That's Du Tao…"
Li Xiye murmured, her expression filled with sorrow. 'Her composure is stronger than I expected,' Zhou Chen thought. She didn't even vomit at such a gory sight, almost as if she were already used to seeing dead bodies.
"How many of you were there in total?" Zhou Chen asked.
"Eight. Besides and Du Tao, there are six left…"
Zhou Chen gazed at the abandoned factory looming in the thick darkness and sighed. 'Why are kids these days so determined to get themselves killed…'
The factory was so huge it would take tens of minutes just to walk through, let alone search for people inside. Besides, those unlucky brats were being hunted by Corrupters, and it was entirely possible so had already escaped outside, just like Li Xiye.
Luckily, he had a navigator.
'I wish to find Li Xiye's companions.'
Zhou Chen made the wish in his mind. The wish value for it had all been provided by Li Xiye monts ago.
On the map in his Spiritual World, three bright cursors appeared, along with three dim ones. This indicated that of the six remaining people, only three were still alive.
It wouldn't be safe to leave Li Xiye here alone, so Zhou Chen decided to just take her with him. The next second, pale flas flashed, and the two of them vanished on the spot.
Deep inside the abandoned factory, in a room so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face, a teary-eyed girl covered her mouth and nose. She did her best to slow her breathing, desperately hoping to evade the monster that was hunting her.
Suddenly, the sound of slow, heavy footsteps echoed from the hallway outside the room. She trembled from head to toe like a frightened fawn, pure terror on her face. 'Please don't let it find ,' she prayed, 'please, soone, co and save .'
BOOM!
Abruptly, an explosion resounded from the hall, and the heavy footsteps fell silent. The next mont, the old door was kicked open.
"Found one," Zhou Chen said, looking at the girl cowering and trembling in the corner.
"Yuqing!" Li Xiye quickly ran over to comfort her best friend.
There was no ti to lose. Without another word, Zhou Chen placed his hands on both of their shoulders. A vortex of pale flas swirled up, engulfing all three of them.
In a dilapidated building, a young man was sprinting down a long corridor with a flashlight, trying to use the terrain to shake the monster off his tail. But the monster was just as fast, sticking right behind him like the Death God co to claim his soul.
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