Caesar fired as he retreated, the Desert Eagle bouncing rhythmically in his hand. With every bounce, a bullet screamed out, tearing a bloody gap through the Bird-men. But he dared not fire too quickly. The bullets in his magazine were limited, while the Bird-men seemed endless in number. He had to strike a balance between the density and endurance of his firepower.
The beak-faced creatures pursued them relentlessly. Light on their feet, they leaped between the tree trunks. Fortunately, perhaps because they had come to attend the ritual, these Bird-men carried no bows or arrows. Without ranged weapons, they were half as threatening.
"Ow—"
Su Enxi fell to the ground. She was wearing high heels, and one heel sank into the soft, wet mud, throwing off her balance.
She struggled to get up, but the heel was stuck too tightly. She tugged at it, but it would not come free.
Amid the chaos, no one noticed her at first. By the time the others realized, she had already fallen somewhat behind the main group.
Two Bird-men cut in from the side, separating her from the team. Another beak-faced creature pounced from behind, Su Enxi's terrified face reflected in its golden eyes.
"This is bad." Caesar's expression changed. He wanted to shoot, but the Bird-man was too close to Su Enxi. Afraid of hitting her by mistake, his finger rested on the trigger, yet he hesitated to pull it. On a battlefield where everything changed in an instant, even a fraction of a second was too long.
"Ah—" Su Enxi screamed.
Then—
She reached out and grabbed the beak-faced creature by the throat with one hand.
That slender, fair arm became like an iron vise, pinning the Bird-man in place. Its eyes bulged wide, its beak opening as it tried to