The team made it through smoothly, once again using the buildings as cover as they felt their way toward the distant Safe Barrier.
Along the way, they encountered some elderly people who had not yet had time to evacuate. After settling them somewhere safe for the time being, they continued onward.
The main force's final decision had been to risk passing through.
There was danger in staying where they were as well. Rather than sit around and wait, why not take a gamble and try to pass through as quietly as possible?
"Good. Only one kilometer left."
"Everyone, be careful. The demon density around the Safe Barrier will be even higher. Do not let your guard down."
Xue Musheng warned them.
For this final kilometer, there were no broad streets, only a maze of crisscrossing streets and alleys where demons could easily hide.
Although the Vanguard Squad had two Wind Element Mages scouting ahead, Tang Yue was still observing from the shadows as an additional safeguard.
"Buzz."
At that moment, a ripple came from the darkness.
Tang Yue stepped out with a solemn expression. Before anyone could react, she immediately raised a finger in a gesture for silence.
Everyone was instantly alarmed. Then, under Tang Yue's signal, they slowly pressed themselves into the corners by the walls, scarcely daring to breathe.
"Huff!"
A burst of breath came from nearby, stirring up a chaotic current of air across the ground.
"Thud, thud, thud..."
Heavy footsteps rang out, drawing closer and closer, each one more violent than the last. The surrounding buildings trembled along with them.
Everyone held their breath, not daring to stick their heads out to inspect the situation. They could only vaguely judge the demon's size from the shadow cast on the ground.
Nearly two stories tall, with an enormous head and bone spikes all over its body... With such obvious traits, there was no doubt about it. It was a General Grade Demon, a Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf.
"Thud!"
The footsteps finally came to a stop.
The Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf stopped because it had caught an unfamiliar scent.
Its head, as large as a bedroom, turned toward them. Its body leaned against the building as its three reddish eyes swept the area below, its 270-degree field of vision taking everything in.
But it did not lower its head completely, so it failed to spot the Vanguard Squad beneath it.
The Vanguard Squad, pressed tightly against the wall below, all had their pupils shrink as they stared in terror at the dark mass above them.
Tang Yue's expression also grew slightly grave.
As an Intermediate Level 3 Fire Element Mage, she naturally did not fear the Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf. With the terrain and environment here, she could fight it.
But she was not alone.
Behind her was a group of inexperienced, immature students. Before the Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf, they could be dealt with by a casual swipe of its claws.
"Hoo hoo hoo..."
The Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf's heavy breathing was perfectly clear.
It sniffed at the unfamiliar scent in this area.
Fortunately, there was a pile of garbage beside the Vanguard Squad, temporarily masking their scent.
"Huff."
The Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf exhaled and slowly withdrew its head.
Just as everyone began to relax, the clouds in the sky happened to part, and the moon's faint light shone straight down.
The glass windows opposite the Vanguard Squad brightened slightly.
At that moment, everyone's figures were completely exposed.
The Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf's head had not yet fully turned back, and it happened to see them.
"!!!"
"Scatter!"
Without the slightest hesitation, Tang Yue barked an order and immediately began drawing a Fire Element Star Map. Brilliant flames burst forth.
But no one had time to admire them. They instinctively scattered in all directions, diving and dodging toward the distance.
"Roar!!!"
The Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf let out a roar, its three reddish eyes cold and furious.
It had nearly been fooled by these cunning humans. So they had been hiding here.
"Sparrow Flame—Fierce Fist..."
The scorching flames burning across Tang Yue's body rapidly gathered in her right hand. That compressed ball of fire looked calm, but it was destruction incarnate.
Empowered by the Sparrow Flame Spirit Seed, it was even stronger than an ordinary Fierce Fist.
"Sky-Shattering Fist!"
Tang Yue swung her right hand upward. A huge flaming fist silhouette instantly appeared and blasted straight toward the Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf's jaw.
The Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf immediately dodged, narrowly avoiding the Fierce Fist as it grazed past its face.
"Roar!"
It was completely enraged. Its enormous body slammed viciously into the building.
"Shadow Escape—Traverse." Tang Yue merged into the darkness and fled.
"Rumble..."
In an instant, the building collapsed, revealing the Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf's savage, terrifying body.
Compared to it, a human was barely as large as one of its claws.
Mo Fan and the others had dodged in advance at Tang Yue's warning, so they were not seriously hurt, only suffering minor scratches.
But now they were in trouble.
The Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf looked at the humans below, randomly selecting a nearby lucky victim as its claws slashed down.
Slash!
"Ah!"
Zhang Yinglu's little face turned pale with fright, and she completely forgot that she was a wind element mage.
"Zhang Yinglu!"
Everyone's expressions changed in alarm.
Just as the demon wolf's claws were about to tear Zhang Yinglu apart, the darkness beneath where she had collapsed rippled. A hand grabbed her and vanished into the distance.
"Buzz."
In the distance, darkness emerged, revealing Tang Yue and Zhang Yinglu.
"Stop standing around! Run!"
"Get as far away from here as possible!"
Tang Yue shouted.
She wanted to use the third-tier Fierce Fist, but its range was too wide. One mistake and she might accidentally strike one of the students, burning them to ashes.
"Tap tap tap..."
Everyone immediately scattered, splitting into several groups and sprinting wildly in different directions.
"Roar!"
The Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf roared and chased after a frail-looking girl.
It was smart. It knew Tang Yue was difficult to deal with, so it avoided her edge for now and targeted the others first.
"Damn it!"
Tang Yue cursed under her breath.
The situation she had feared most had still happened. The Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf was ignoring her entirely and preparing to start killing the weak.
"He Yu!"
At that moment, Zhang Xiaohou noticed that the Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf had already caught up to He Yu.
His eyes instantly reddened. He turned around and raced back, charging madly toward He Yu. "Wind Track!"
"Sparrow Flame—Fierce..."
Tang Yue had intended to use Fierce Fist again, but when she saw the distance between He Yu and the Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf, she gave up once more.
"Shadow Escape—Flying Shadow!" Tang Yue still used her Shadow Escape skill.
But He Yu was on the exact opposite side from her.
Even she could not reach He Yu in time, much less Zhang Xiaohou, who was even farther away.
"Roar!"
The Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf opened its blood-filled maw and pounced to bite He Yu, who was still running.
He Yu kept running in terror. Even though she knew the Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf had come for her, she did not dare look back.
She felt that she was about to die, so she could only numb herself this way.
The sky darkened.
Because the moonlight had been blocked by the Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf's huge body.
Am I going to die...? He Yu closed her eyes in despair.
Tang Yue and the others looked on in grief.
Zhang Xiaohou ran like a madman, his eyes growing redder and redder.
Just as He Yu was about to be swallowed whole by the Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf, an icy chill suddenly descended.
"Extreme Cold—Ice Lock—Ice Chains!"
Several ice chains formed from ice blue interlocking links suddenly rose from the ground, firmly binding the pouncing Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf.
"Crack crack!"
The chill of the ice chains crawled up the Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf's limbs, seeming to freeze it into an ice sculpture.
Before you continue