Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen

Lin Ciyan stopped speaking with Yan Shaozhe, turned around, and looked at the girl who was struggling toward him step by step.

A faint ripple passed through his eyes.

He had naturally noticed the changes in the arena long ago.

Xiao Hongchen had suffered the Dark Badge's backlash. Meng Hongchen had forced herself to save her brother, then forced herself to come here...

He had seen every single step.

This girl's perseverance was even stronger than he had imagined.

Meng Hongchen raised her head, her ice-blue eyes fixed on Lin Ciyan. Her lips moved, and her voice was hoarse and weak, yet it carried an almost pleading determination.

"Captain Lin..."

Her voice trembled, every word seeming to be squeezed out from the depths of her throat.

"My brother... he's badly hurt... The Dark Badge's backlash... we can't stop it..."

Tears welled up in her eyes again, rolling down her pale cheeks and dripping onto her tattered crimson-gold dress.

"Please... help my brother..."

Lin Ciyan looked at her without answering immediately.

His gaze passed over Meng Hongchen and fell upon the stretcher at the edge of the enormous crater, surrounded by people.

Xiao Hongchen was curled up on the stretcher, black veins writhing beneath his skin as black blood seeped from his seven orifices. The healing soul masters gathered around him wore grave expressions, utterly helpless.

Then his gaze returned to the unsteady girl before him.

Her body trembled, her eyes brimmed with tears, and her lips had been bitten pale.

Yet she stood there like a young tree battered by a storm, still refusing to bend.

A faint ripple flashed through Lin Ciyan's eyes.

It was not pity.

It was... a faint appreciation.

Just then...

A gentle voice rang out.

Zhang Lexuan rose from her seat. Her ink-black hair fell