"Get back!"
Tang San pulled Xiao Wu back. At the same time, Blue Silver Grass wrapped around Ma Hongjun and dragged him away from Bu Le.
Ma Hongjun fell to the ground. Ignoring the pain, he stared at Bu Le. "What's happening?"
Bu Le lay in the mud. The cloth across his back sagged against his bones, and the flesh of his face was shrinking inward.
Dai Mubai's expression darkened. "He wasn't like that a moment ago."
Zhao Wuji strode over. The moment his Soul Power touched the muddy water beside Bu Le, it cracked and dried, as though something had sucked it empty.
Zhao Wuji cursed and pulled back his hand. "That's uncanny."
Flender raised a hand to stop the others. "Don't go near him."
Bu Le was terrified now. He lifted his head and crawled toward Flender. "Save... save me..."
Before he could finish, his fingers clawed at the ground, flesh drying tight against the joints.
Ma Hongjun went pale. All the satisfaction of revenge vanished. "Dean, I didn't mean to kill him."
Flender's face was grim. "No one said you did."
Tang San stared at the ground beneath Bu Le. Blue Silver Grass crept toward him, but Tang San withdrew it before it reached the body.
Something's wrong.
That sensation of being swallowed reminded him of the shriveled wolf carcass in the Soul Hunting Forest.
And the Blood Ginseng drained dry in Notting City.
Tang San's fingers tightened inside his sleeve.
There was no evidence linking these events, but every time, he had been nearby.
Xiao Wu noticed his expression. "Brother?"
Tang San drew the Blue Silver Grass back into his palm. "Don't touch the body yet."
Oscar swallowed. "Body? He's dead already?"
Bu Le's chest was still rising and falling, but more weakly with every breath.