Explosion

Pop!

Huo Lian silently emerged from the air, making a soft footstep.

She nodded at Luo Wei. A sharp glint flashed through Luo Wei's eyes, and he nodded as well.

Splat!

"Haha! The cowardly nuisances have finally run off!"

Li Wen cut down one of the remaining cavalrymen with a single sword stroke, his face twisted into a smile that was impossible to tell whether it was mocking or delighted.

He glanced at Sun Lei beside him and said as they ran:

"Kid, Sun Lei, you and Luo Wei's group go on ahead! I have no wife or children, so it doesn't matter if I die. Let me hold them back!"

"What are you talking about? Uncle Li Wen, we should escape together!"

Sun Lei was covered in blood. He held his sword level and kept up with Li Wen, staring coldly at the monsters.

"Yaaah~!!"

Two Goblin Cavalrymen charged at the two captains with spears raised, constantly letting out sharp, grating shrieks!

Swish! Swish!

Yet two flashes of sword light streaked past. Sun Lei and Li Wen continued retreating with the group, while two severed goblins and gray wolves now lay on the ground behind them!

"Hahaha! This power really feels great. Too bad it'll be gone in a little while!"

Li Wen laughed heartily, but his face had gone deathly pale, and sweat kept dripping down.

"Still too weak..."

Sun Lei panted heavily. Looking at his slightly trembling hand, he couldn't help clenching it tightly!

He raised his head and glanced at the surrounding team members. Only thirteen people remained alive; the rest had died along the way!

There were only seven Shield Guards and six Warriors left. The group had originally contained twenty-four melee-class professionals!

A single charge from the Goblin Cavalry had cost them nearly half their numbers!

Although they had also slain more than a dozen Goblin Cavalrymen, that was still far too few compared with the hundreds of them!

And there was also that Gold-grade ogre...

Sun Lei raised his head and looked toward the enormous figure in the distance, his heart growing heavy!

Because it was getting closer and closer!

Rumble...

Just then, another charge from the Goblin Cavalry swept toward them!

"Hey, kid Sun Lei... can you still hold out?"

Li Wen stopped, a trace of exhaustion showing in his smile as the longsword in his hand trembled nonstop!

"I can manage, but I'm afraid I won't make it to the next round."

Sun Lei spoke calmly. Only his faintly labored breathing revealed the burden his body was bearing.

Li Wen smiled and said in a slightly hoarse voice:

"Then stop the spell, kid. You're still young..."

"I'm the captain. You don't have the right to order me around."

Sun Lei grinned, looking as though Li Wen could do nothing about him.

"You brat..."

Li Wen cursed him with a laugh, but said nothing more. He should save what strength he had for dealing with the monsters!

The Shield Guards in the group once again formed a defensive line, preparing to receive another wave of impact!

However, Luo Wei suddenly issued a different order!

"Pick up the pace! Everyone, fall back!"

Sun Lei and Li Wen froze, but their bodies moved without the slightest hesitation!

They grabbed several team members who had yet to react, turned around, and sped off again!

"Captain Luo, what happened?"

Sun Lei sped up and ran to Luo Wei's side, asking him in confusion.

Luo Wei did not answer Sun Lei directly. Instead, he raised his head and looked solemnly overhead before saying in a deep voice:

"Are you sure there won't be any problems?"

He was clearly asking Huo Lian, who was also beside him.

"I'm sure. The detonation site is still within the sealed area. Judging by how long ago we came down, the residents have already been evacuated!"

Detonation?!

Hearing those two words, Sun Lei was startled. He stared wide-eyed at Luo Wei!

"Surprised?"

Seeing Sun Lei's astonished expression, Luo Wei couldn't help asking with a smile.

Sun Lei came back to himself and nodded.

"Eh... didn't you say a collapse would be very troublesome?"

"That was before. The collapse is inevitable now. We can't deal with this World Gate, so we might as well use the collapse to shake off these monsters!"

"Fortunately, when we came down, the City Guard was already organizing the evacuation and sealing off this area. Now we can only let those monsters go up!"

Luo Wei sighed. A trace of grief and regret flashed across his face, but it quickly turned into resolve!

Since it couldn't be changed, they had to save as many teammates as possible!

Luo Wei reached out and touched the armor over his chest, as though something precious lay inside.

"We're almost there. I'll go on ahead!"

Huo Lian called out before instantly speeding past everyone!

"Everyone, move faster!"

Luo Wei glanced back at the Goblin Cavalry, which was drawing ever closer, and shouted at the top of his lungs!

Perhaps sensing the movement behind them—or perhaps because of Luo Wei's order—the people running picked up their pace even more!

Even so, the distance between the Goblin Cavalry and the group continued shrinking!

"Hah... ah, hah..."

Sun Lei panted heavily as he ran close beside Luo Wei, occasionally glancing over at the group's condition.

Suddenly, Sun Lei's expression changed. Something was wrong—Li Wen was missing!

Sun Lei hurriedly looked back and saw Li Wen slowly come to a stop. He turned around and raised his longsword toward the monsters!

"Captain Li Wen!"

Seeing this, Sun Lei shouted and tried to turn back to pull him away!

However, Luo Wei grabbed Sun Lei and said coldly:

"Don't go. He's completely spent. Even if you brought him back and stopped Life Burn, he'd still die. You should stop Life Burn too!"

"How could this happen... We were clearly just about to survive..."

Sun Lei couldn't accept it. His comrade, who had just been fighting alongside him, had died right when they were about to escape!

"That's how human lifespans are. Without crossing the Gold-grade threshold, you only have a hundred years to live!"

"He's already done everything he could. We can't waste everything he did..."

Luo Wei took a deep look at Li Wen, who was facing the Goblin Cavalry alone, then pulled the dazed Sun Lei away.

Rumble...

"Haha..."

A low, hoarse laugh rang out. Li Wen gripped his sword and watched the approaching monsters, killing intent filling his eyes!

"Die, monsters!"

Although his body was already as lifeless as withered branches, the flame hidden deep within him continued to burn!

His beloved family! His most cherished love!

As Li Wen recalled everything that had been shattered, his heart felt as though it were being torn apart. The flames of hatred nearly consumed him completely!

Power surged from his withered body as he unleashed a strike that burned his soul!

Battle Qi Slash—!

"Ahhhhhhh—!!!"

A blinding sword light shot forth with Li Wen's roar, slicing through the darkness as it crashed toward the charging ranks!

Splurt, splurt, splurt, splurt—

In an instant, more than a dozen goblins at the front of the charge were cleaved in two!

Blood sprayed outward, dyeing the surrounding Goblin Cavalrymen in a layer of crimson!

But that was all...

"Hahaha... what a pity... hahaha..."

Li Wen laughed himself hoarse, as though mocking them—or perhaps mourning!

In his final moments, Li Wen watched the cavalry lances drawing closer and closer. A trace of relief appeared on his face.

In the end, I didn't even get the chance to avenge the people most important to me...

Splat...!

As the cavalry lance pierced through Li Wen's body, a tremendous explosion echoed through the sewer!

Boom—!!!