Chapter 185

"Damn it... In the end, it's just a small piece of flesh that was separated out. It was already difficult enough to just support this body so that it could move normally..."

"Hey Zuo Jian... what's your condition...?"

Looking at him like this, the Doctor asked with some concern.

"It's nothing..." he replied breathlessly, while opening a mouth from the visor on his head and feeding him Sanity Liquid.

"Leave it to me, I'll go and bring Laurentina back..."

"Zuo Jian!! I can't stop the Shark!"

The next moment, Skadi's voice came from the side. The former looked up and saw Laurentina kick Skadi away and then rush straight towards them!

"Leave it to me..."

As he spoke, he reassembled the surrounding flesh and blood into a fighting stance!

In just a few breaths, the two sides clashed again, and their speed reached the limit that could be observed with the naked eye!

"Skadi! Don't move!" He turned his head and called out to Skadi, who was about to step forward.

It's not an opportunity yet... it's not an opportunity yet!

Zuo Jian silently observed the other's movements, while feeling his strength rapidly draining from his body.

Wait a minute... wait a minute... we need to find a way to succeed on the first try!

Gradually, he began to fall behind Laurentina's speed, and was forced to retreat repeatedly.

If this continues, I will have no chance to fight back if I reveal even the slightest weakness.

But... it's not the right time yet!

He opened his new eyes on the visor and watched Laurentina's movements intently.

Finally, as if seizing an opening, Zuo Jian transformed his hands into sharp claws, grabbed Laurentina's Circular Saw, and shouted!

"Skadi! Now!"

"Clear!!"

The hunter's movements were swift and decisive. The instant she received the command, her longsword was once again imbued with the pale blue glow of the ocean tide, and she swung it toward Laurentina!

However, the latter released the controlled weapon once again, and with his hands covered in scarlet armor, he punched Zuo Jian again and retrieved the stolen Circular Saw!

"What...?" Skadi's pupils widened as she watched her longsword develop cracks under the immense force, which then continued to widen until it broke completely!

A shard of metal grazed her cheek, making her feel as if time had stood still, watching the circular Circular Saw slowly swing towards her...

Skadi's cheek was just a few fingers' distance from the Circular Saw when it suddenly stopped in mid-air.

What happened...? In a daze, she seemed to see black threads appearing around Laurentina, holding her body in place!

"Skadi! Back off!" Zuo Jian's voice rang out again, and he, who had been knocked away, charged towards the bound girl once more.

Without hesitation, Skadi jumped back to create distance, and then she saw Laurentina break free of Shu, holding Circular Saw and staring at the weapon that was rushing towards her from the Zuo Jian!

"Watch out! Zuo Jian!"

The Doctor and Skadi's voices rang out almost simultaneously, and the next moment, Zuo Jian's figure, who had lunged forward, stopped abruptly just as the Circular Saw was about to strike him...

Pfft!

The two people around them froze on the spot. They watched as the scarlet carapace covering the vital parts of "Zuo Jian's" body instantly converged into a twisted shape that lunged at Laurentina!

The severed body transformed into a face resembling Laurentina's in mid-air, watching the Circular Saw whiz past below it before catching Laurentina before she could change her attack stance.

The next moment, Zuo Jian cupped the other person's cheeks and kissed him without any hesitation!

The yellowish-green Sanity Liquid was delivered into Laurentina's body through her lips, her most vulnerable spot, while Skadi, standing to the side, blushed as she watched this sudden turn of events.

As for the Doctor ----

"Therese?"

She stood there, somewhat stunned, staring blankly at the body that had been freed from its coverings.

Upon seeing the pink Sarkaz woman's figure emerging from behind the carapace, he almost instinctively called out her name.

Chapter Twenty, Doctor! Very reliable!

How could it be her?

Theresa?

Why... why did my chest feel a tightness involuntarily after seeing the other person in person?

The Doctor clutched her chest, feeling an indescribable emotion welling up within her, yet she couldn't pinpoint its source.

She was grieving, but not by herself... rather, someone else was grieving for her.

"Hey... Wraith... what's wrong... say something..."

Her hands were pressed tightly against the fabric of her clothing over her chest, so tightly that her palms turned red, and the wrinkles in the fabric remained stubbornly there for a long time.

"Hey... Wraith... tell me! Why... why do I feel this sadness..." she gasped, her gaze lingering on the other's figure.

However, the Wraith in her mind did not respond to her confusion. The only thing the Doctor could feel at this moment was that the original sadness was gradually dissipating, as if... she was really grieving in her place.

"Hey, Wraith! Speak up! Damn it! Speak up!" the Doctor shouted absentmindedly, but what answered her was the gradual return of reason, and the inexplicable, overwhelming sadness gradually dissipated.

Ghosts! Ghosts! Ghosts!

Even now, why won't you tell her anything?

Thinking of this, the Doctor almost subconsciously looked up at the figure standing quietly in place.

"Theresa... you're Theresa, right?"

As if drawn by his own voice, the other person slowly turned around, and in a daze, the Doctor saw a pair of familiar pupils.

However, before she could say anything more, Theresa's body began to become unsteady. Then, as she realized this and quickened her pace, she could only watch as the other person slightly opened their mouth, trying to say something, before abruptly collapsing to the ground.

Beside Theresa, Laurentina, who was embracing the half-monster body made of red flesh and blood, seemed to have a glimmer of rationality in her eyes. The next moment, the flesh and blood gradually dissipated and were absorbed back into her body. But at the same time, she also fell to the ground with Theresa.

For a moment, the Doctor stood there in a daze, looking at the relatively spacious tomb where she was the only one left standing there.

"..."

Fragments of memories resurfaced in her mind, as if piercing her brain, bringing an indescribable stinging sensation.

However, the Doctor simply shook his head and then calmed himself down again.

No... this isn't the time for her to vent her emotions or ask questions! Who knows if a few of these black-robed Confessors will suddenly appear as reinforcements?

With that thought in mind, she took a step forward, and after taking one last look at Laurentina and Theresa lying on the ground, she quickly went to Skadi's side.

"Skadi, are you alright? Can you still walk?" She squatted down next to the hunter girl leaning against the wall and asked with a worried expression.

The person who was asked nodded, then glanced at the broken sword beside him...

Oops.

The weapon broke... If the captain finds out...

Thinking of this, Skadi's expression changed, and she suddenly stood up and tried to pick up the broken longsword beside her. However, as soon as she stood up, her muscles felt like they had been electrocuted, and various stinging sensations prevented her from taking any further action.

Even the ground beneath my feet was a little unsteady.

Just as she was about to fall, a slender shoulder caught her from behind.

"Doctor..."

"How can you walk normally if you keep yelling like that? Damn it, hold me up, I'll get you out of here first."

"No, Doctor... my..."

"Honestly, I think this is normal. If someone could withstand an attack from an enemy like Laurentina for so long and still be alive and kicking, that would be abnormal!" The Doctor, supporting Skadi, walked straight past the people around them and headed out of the passage.

"But... my sword..." Skadi turned her head and looked longingly at the broken sword discarded behind her. Just as she was about to say something, the Doctor ruthlessly interrupted her.

"It's just a broken weapon! Skadi! The most important thing right now is to ensure everyone's safety! You should talk less and save your energy..." The Doctor said to Skadi with some difficulty, gritting his teeth.

Damn it... Why is Skadi so heavy? She doesn't look that much different from me! Is it because her muscle and bone density is much higher than mine? Or is it something else...?

Drink... at least I can still lift him up.

The Doctor shut his mouth and focused on helping Skadi leave, hoping to conserve her energy.

Skadi seemed to still be gazing longingly in the direction of the broken sword, but the Doctor...

Despite his words, he obediently turned around and said, "Oh..."

The two figures gradually disappeared at the end of the cave.

However, about five minutes later, the Doctor's footsteps, which were jogging along, could be heard again.

After helping Skadi onto the land vehicle, she didn't stop for a moment and immediately turned back into the cave.

As she passed Skadi's broken sword, she even crouched down and tried to lift the longsword, which was now only half intact...

After wasting about ten seconds without moving even a fraction of a distance with the broken sword, the Doctor left a comment about Terra's superhuman physique and then ignored the special weapon, walking directly to Theresa and Laurentina who were lying on the ground... or rather, to Zuo Jian as well.

However, to her surprise, when she picked up Laurentina, she found that she was much lighter than she had thought... probably less than half the weight of Skadi.

However, she didn't have time to think about these things anymore. Theresa's weight was also unexpectedly light, even lighter than Laurentina's... But just now, these two seemingly light bodies unleashed a power that could destroy almost everything.

Wow... Terra is truly amazing!

The Doctor gritted her teeth, hoisted Laurentina onto her back, used her coat as a rope to secure her, and held Theresa in her arms. After taking a deep breath, she took another step.

Before leaving, she glanced at the white-haired Sarkaz and the blonde Sarkaz girl lying on the ground; the former seemed to call the latter... Nightingale?

She looked very weak... more like a victim than one of their accomplices.

We can't just leave them here...

With this thought in mind, the Doctor stumbled and staggered along, leading Laurentina, Theresa... and Zuo Jian, who was Zuo Jian someone else's body, out of the cave. When she arrived at the land vehicle, she was almost completely soaked in sweat.

"Doctor!"

Skadi, seated in the land vehicle, looked at the Doctor, who was panting heavily, and was momentarily at a loss for words. After all, in her initial impression of the Doctor, he was so physically weak that he might not even be able to keep up with their pace. She was also quite curious as to why they insisted on bringing the Doctor along.

After all, the captain had told her that hunters only entrust their backs to worthy companions.

In that instant, she seemed to remember something Zuo Jian had said before, about the Doctor...

Don't worry, the Doctor is very reliable!

"Phew, please look after those two... three. There are still two guys inside who haven't been brought out yet. I'll go back again."

The Doctor's slightly hoarse voice interrupted Skadi's thoughts, causing her to subconsciously nod in response.

"Oh oh."

And so, she watched as the woman, who seemed to be in poor health, turned her head unsteadily, still clutching the black coat that had just been used as a rope.

The other person casually draped the coat over their shoulders, leaving Skadi standing there with a resolute back view.

"The Doctor... is very reliable..."

"But..."

Skadi glanced down at Laurentina, then at Theresa beside her, and finally at the Doctor was walking away.

Finally, her gaze settled on the face of the unconscious Laurentina, or more precisely, on the latter's slightly parted, jelly-like lips.

As if remembering something, Skadi's face flushed unconsciously.

So this is... the embarrassing scene she had just witnessed resurfaced in her mind! At the same time, she couldn't help but recall those soap operas she had watched on television in Londinium, Laurentina had called melodramatic trash...

This is...

A love triangle!?

However, the Doctor, who was panting heavily, had no idea what Skadi was thinking about. If she did know, she would just grumble and say that it was one thing to talk about such things, but why was it a love triangle?!

Did she include Theresa in her calculations?

Unfortunately, since the Doctor himself had no idea what Skadi was thinking behind him, there was no segment of his usual witty banter or sarcastic remarks.

Rather, after seeing Theresa, the subconscious urge to say something insincere to cover it up vanished... replaced by... a blankness as if he had forgotten something.

"It doesn't matter..."

The Doctor gritted his teeth and stepped back into the cave.