Four Left

Ling Chu closed her eyes for a moment.

Sight could deceive her. The wind could not.

As a Wind Chaser Ranger, she sensed a faint rush of air ahead and to her right. She whipped the Death God's Scythe around, and its broad blade struck the Ghostfire Command Sword head-on.

The blow knocked Auston's slender sword aside, but a dull pain pulsed deep in Ling Chu's mind. At least it was weaker than before she had destroyed the first node.

Ling Chu endured the ringing in her ears and smiled.

"Getting weaker, too?"

Auston's expression darkened further.

Ling Chu gave him no chance to answer. She swept the Death God's Scythe across, forcing him back through the kitchen doorway, then raced along the second set of soul chains toward the cargo hold below.

She had no reason to fight Auston to the bitter end.

The power he had borrowed dwindled each time he used it. Dismantling the nodes did not weaken her.

Auston immediately chased after her, screeching curses. Ling Chu was too scared to face him, he shouted. All she could do was run!

Meanwhile, after the first Soul-Lock Node was undone, six Corpse Puppets fell out of control. The pressure on Huang Xiaowen and Lingering Wind and Fading Moon eased at once.

The six bodies that had been lunging and biting a moment ago went limp almost simultaneously. Their six souls finally broke free of the black chains as well.

One man stood dazed for several seconds before slowly looking down at the body lying in the corridor.

"Is that... me?"

Ling Chu was already running downstairs and only had time to glance back.

"Yep, you're dead. Wait for the Netherworld Rules to come for you, and remember, the Acting Death God saved you!"

The man opened his