The long-planned explosion continued. Shrapnel and heat waves rushed blindly at Si Qi, enormous tongues of flame licking across his body as the charred smell rose together with the scent of blood.
He raised a hand to his cheek and neck, finding them covered in sticky fluid. Crimson blood flecked with gold poured over him like a waterfall. His scarlet suit filtered out the red liquid, leaving behind intricate gilded streaks.
Lin Jue had prepared ample explosives, determined to send both the terrorists and the hostages to their deaths in a single strike, leaving no room for survival.
The three from Listen Wind retreated swiftly the instant the explosion sounded. Yet human legs could never outrun the chemical reaction of saltpeter and sulfur. Their running steps were swiftly swallowed by the expanding blast wave, and when the smoke cleared, only three gravely wounded, dying bodies remained.
"Old man, I might really die here..." Yu Jinsheng still had a thread of life left after spitting out several mouthfuls of bloody foam. His unfocused gaze turned toward Si Qi. "I wronged you over what happened before. Hurry and go back the way you came. Don't worry about me..."
"What gave you the illusion that I care whether you live or die?" Si Qi sneered, more warm blood sliding down from the corner of his lips.
He was in no better condition. Fine wounds covered his body, while iron fragments and grit were embedded in his flesh, leaving him a horrifying mess of torn skin and exposed flesh. Yet he was still alive. Gods did not die easily. Even if only a skeleton remained, they could still maintain their basic functions, just as Si Qi had in the Carnivore Instance.
"It's not yet time to turn back."
The pain had exceeded its threshold.