A fierce wind howled, sweeping fine gravel and orange sparks into the abyss.
"Heronman, were you the one who threw me into the Nightmare Demon apocalypse?!" Before Xia Lun could speak, Flathead demanded an answer.
Tumor lay on the ground, looking from Flathead to the Buzz-Cut Brawny Man and back again, bewilderment written all over his face.
Beside Flathead, Lorena's expression changed drastically. "Herman? Didn't you fucking die in the line of duty ten years ago?"
The Buzz-Cut Brawny Man glanced at Flathead and shook his head slightly. "It wasn't my fault you fell into a deep dream. It was yours. You weren't observant enough. To be precise, none of you were. You lack a keen understanding of the world, and fate naturally punishes those who fail to pay attention."
"True," Xia Lun agreed, though he could barely keep from smiling. He was clearly holding back a laugh.
The Buzz-Cut Brawny Man raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny? You're not about to tell one of those boring, shallow 'jokes' again, are you?"
66
"..." Xia Lun stopped smiling.
The Buzz-Cut Brawny Man gave a cold laugh. "What, did I hit a nerve? Don't tell me you still haven't realized you're terrible at jokes."
Xia Lun said nothing. He gently adjusted his Mindvoice Earbud.
The Buzz-Cut Brawny Man suddenly stiffened as though struck by lightning.
His face turned deathly pale. Black veins burst into view, spreading across his neck like rotting branches. They raced up his carotid artery like crawling vipers, reaching his cheek and eyes.
The blackness writhed like slick leeches. In the next instant, it squeezed in through the corners of his eyes and spread across his eyeballs like ink dropped into water. His eyes bulged, but his pupils slowly dilated.
"Urgh..."
The Buzz-Cut Brawny Man doubled over and