Gu Jinzhi held the warm, soft body in his arms, ignoring the cold sweat pouring down his forehead as excruciating pain tore through him.
Gritting his teeth, he took a step into the warped patch of light and shadow at the end of the corridor.
It felt like passing through a layer of water.
In an instant, the gray, decaying stench receded like a retreating tide.
Blinding lights.
A roaring sea of voices.
All surged toward them at once.
Buzz, buzz, buzz—!
"They're out! Look, they're out!"
"They really came out!"
"Waaah~~~"
A choked sob escaped.
"Thank goodness!"
"It's 'Little Bodhisattva'! Why did she pass out?"
"Shh—!"
Gu Jinzhi instinctively narrowed his eyes and tightened his arms, burying Li Wei's face more deeply against himself.
The rift exit plaza, where warriors usually hurried past in a constant stream, was now packed with a sea of heads.
Hundreds of Investigation Bureau clerical and combat personnel in uniform gray uniforms had long since abandoned their usual orderly discipline.
They were pressed together in a clump, craning their necks, shoulders rubbing against shoulders, all trying to squeeze toward the very front.
Outside the medical area, people stood three layers deep inside and three layers deep out, with the wounded, medical staff, and anyone still able to move all crowding over.
Even those with severe injuries, so long as they still had a breath left and had not completely lost consciousness, struggled to be helped upright and staggered tremblingly toward the exit.
At the very front of the crowd, Jiang Xinyue still wore her red dress.
The anxiety and ferocity on her face vanished the instant she caught sight of Li Wei.
Those phoenix eyes that usually brimmed with teasing allure were now veiled in a layer of tears.
At her side, Gu Shiheng