A sharp, rumbling buzz echoed in my ears, as if I was back in Room 0 again. Ed felt all the blood rush to his head, and there were blood-red spots everywhere in front of his eyes.
Only then did he realize that he was still alive.
[Do you need me to remind you about your health status? Mild concussion, closed comminuted fracture of the left calf, and varying degrees of skin damage. 】
I'd rather not know these things now...
This time he really had a broken leg. "Three-legged cat", this nickname given by Anvil is really unlucky.
Ed heard a familiar faint voice next to his ears, mixed in with the irregular humming. He opened his eyes, and in front of him was a sea of fire as dense as a maple forest.
"Are you okay, Ed?"
Tia looked extremely anxious. The purple eyes were particularly bright in the firelight, so bright that Ed could clearly see his reflection. An invisible force wrapped around her body, driving away the flames coming from around her.
Fortunately she is here, otherwise I would have been burned to ashes. Ed thought to himself.
"I'm fine, uh..."
He resisted the discomfort and sat up. His eyes were spinning. The strong feeling of vomiting stimulated his nerves, but Ed used his will to push back.
Judging from the scale of the explosion, Issyk should have detonated a small portion of the buried "Emperor's Blood" just now, thus causing the passage to collapse. Ed tried to clear his mind.
What really puzzled him was the current position of the two of them:
Even the most complete rat trail map in Ed's hand did not mention that there were deeper underground facilities under this corridor.
There was thick smoke all over the head, and it was difficult to see what was happening above, but Ed estimated that it was at least ten meters high.
Time is running out, and Mr. Eaton won't spend too much time on search and rescue.
Fortunately, they did not give up on the two of them directly. Ed noticed a black hook hanging down. This was a climbing equipment independently developed by the Bureau's R&D department. It was made of fire-resistant materials and was tough and reliable. It was obviously an escape route for them.
"Tia...see that black hook? Let's go in that direction."
Ed pushed himself up on the hot stick and pointed in the direction of the hook. In the firelight, it looked like a thin black line from the sky.
Suddenly, in the direction of that thin line, a huge black hand with sharp nails stretched out from the pile of burning rubble...
"Fuck..." Ed couldn't help but gasped.
Quinn, or some kind of monster that once looked like her.
Its skin was burnt black and beyond recognition, but under the cracked and scorched surface, new, pink flesh grew out, like the charred corpse of a giant.
"Forget it, go back, Tia." He changed his words.
Ed understood that before it climbed out completely, they could not pass through its side and climb all the way up along the hook rope. They had to find another way out.
And at the back is the original exit of this place - a dark and narrow corridor that can only allow one person to pass.
In just one sentence, half of the giant wolf's body had already struggled out of the rubble. There was no trace of humanity in his eyes as red as the setting sun, staring coldly and cruelly at the two prey in front of him.
Such a terrifying recovery ability far exceeded that of the bookstore owner George he had met before. I don’t know whether it’s because the old wolf’s physical functions have deteriorated in his old age, or because Quinn’s self-healing ability far exceeds that of her own kind.
Tia picked up Ed, who had an injury on his leg, and rushed into the narrow corridor. The long whip was wrapped around the flame-scorched wooden support in front of the door, trying to tear it down.
The pillars, thick enough for one person to surround, remain solid and tenacious despite the grinding of time. Tia struggled to pull backwards, but could only stay put.
Upon seeing this, Ed took out the pocket watch bomb from the waist pocket of his vest, pressed the spring and threw it, then grabbed the whip and pulled it together.
At the moment when the giant wolf stood up from the burning ruins and swooped over, the unique scream of the pocket watch bomb sounded, and the sky collapsed again.
The ancient support pillars fell down with rolling rubble, sealing the entrance to the passage.
Phew, it's safe for now.
He leaned against the wall made of stone bricks, his cheeks covered with sweat. The one-eyed spider has already fallen into the sea of fire and disappeared, but this is not a big deal. The design of the one-eyed spider is public, and it can be produced with the help of the R&D department of the Bureau of Supervision.
Anyway, you can apply for allotment again, or simply make one yourself using a dream catcher.
"Your leg is injured. Let's rest here for a while. I'll find you something to make a splint." Tia suggested.
"No, we have to move on." Ed took out the brass pocket watch he bought a while ago and checked the time. "It's already three o'clock in the afternoon." The twilight of April in early spring always comes early, and it's almost here. Towards dusk.
If even the Divine Adjustment Bureau and the Woodcutter and Fishing Gang don't know this place, then Elder Issyk and other members of the Nirvana Order are probably hiding here.
"You walk in front, and I'll keep up as much as possible. If not, don't look back and worry about me."
There was a rustling sound like a wild dog digging a hole from behind. The black wolf was digging through the ruins, trying to find a passage. They have to get out of here before then.
Ed stood up with force. The Extraordinary's enhanced physique allowed him to walk despite the severe pain. Even without the one-eyed spider, he can still use the "Lake" secret text that Catalina is good at.
Walking under such conditions, every step was a heart-piercing pain.
Time seems to have been artificially stretched, I don’t know how long it has passed. Ed didn't dare to stop and look at his pocket watch, because once he stopped, he didn't know if he would have the courage to continue walking forward.
Big drops of sweat fell from Ed's cheeks. He gritted his teeth and walked silently behind Tia.
Finally, a faint light came from the front, and the conversation between two people could be vaguely heard:
"Do you think it's possible? The elder told us to seal up the surrounding area." The voice was low and rich, with a hint of smoothness.
The other voice was much sharper and faster:
"Why seal it? That side has been burned down by the blood of the emperor. Thousands of tons of warships will be burned to pieces by it. Why are you worried? They can't come from here. What's more, we You have to leave a few escape hatches.”
"You want to run away?" The rough voice was a little surprised.
"Shhh! Keep your fucking voice down, won't you run away and wait for death?! Once the bathing in fire ceremony is completed, the whole city will fall on our heads. You have to stay here by yourself."
"But, think about what happened to Holland..."
"Hey - what you said makes sense." The sharp voice said with a guilty conscience, "Give me a cigarette to calm down."
"The elders said that smoking is a symbol of depravity."
"So what? The elder said, the old guy is soaking in the pool now, and it's up to the two of us to stand guard for him. Stop talking nonsense, give me one now, I know you have it in your pocket ." The sharp voice said angrily.
"Why?" The rough voice was somewhat dissatisfied.
"Just because I gave you half an apple that day, it was my last apple..."
"Hello, gentlemen."
Under Ed's stunned gaze, Tia, who was walking in front, walked up swaggeringly.
