Plan B

Li Qing flew out, sticking close to the ground like a dragonfly skimming water, while the flesh mass pursued him relentlessly like a charging bull.

His "phased" body passed eerily through the houses and buildings blocking its path, whereas the flesh mass, with a fierce and exaggerated posture, smashed everything in its way into powder.

Echoes Act was fast, but the flesh mass was naturally faster.

Fortunately, Li Qing had maintained a considerable safety distance from the flesh mass beforehand, so he wasn't overtaken by the monster during his charge.

In this way, he successfully lured the flesh mass away from the young man and then crashed headfirst into Giorno, who was rushing over on a motorcycle.

Golden Bell Shield was a non-damaging displacement and support skill. The immense kinetic energy generated by the high-speed movement vanished in an instant at the moment their bodies touched, in a way that defied scientific explanation.

A faint fluorescent glow from the protective barrier lit up on both Li Qing and Giorno simultaneously. Li Qing, with quick hands, placed one hand on Giorno's shoulder as a pivot point and, while still unstable, forcefully rotated his body in mid-air.

Ultimately, he landed on the back seat of the speeding motorcycle without a scratch.

But the danger had only just begun.

"That's disgustingly gross."

Listening to the sickening squirming sounds of the flesh mass, which were several times clearer due to the greatly reduced distance, Li Qing said to Giorno with some guilt:

"Giorno, I've led that monster here to you, and there's no one else to help distract or pull it away."

"This is a huge problem."

"Haha. I didn't expect I'd ever be the kind of person to screw over a teammate."

"It's fine."

Giorno didn't blame Li Qing for his foolish choice at all.

As if he had anticipated this, his voice was calm, without a trace of fluctuation:

"Although we discussed the so-called 'optimal option' beforehand, as I said before:"

"When it comes down to making a choice, no one can think of everything."

"And if it were me, I would have made the same choice as you."

As he spoke, a deep sense of recognition appeared in his gaze towards Li Qing.

"So."

"If there's trouble, we'll find a way to solve it!"

Giorno calmly summoned his Stand and suddenly began punching the motorcycle's dashboard furiously:

"Muda muda muda!"

Gold Experience's fists, shining with a faint golden light, shot out like a storm, instantly turning the lifeless dashboard into a blooming flower – a literal flower.

Under the life force infused by Gold Experience, the dashboard suddenly transformed into blooming small yellow-green flowers, with verdant vines growing out.

And the thick, tough vines, as if possessing intelligence, rapidly grew and spread under Gold Experience's onslaught, soon firmly covering the entire front of the motorcycle and precisely pushing the throttle to its maximum.

"The handlebars are stabilized by the vines, the throttle is locked, and there's a clear straight road ahead."

"Even if we jump off, this motorcycle will keep going forward on its own for a long distance – that's enough to lure the flesh mass away by a significant margin."

After effortlessly transforming the motorcycle into a "driverless" version, Giorno added in a subtle tone:

"All that's left is..."

"All that's left?" Li Qing vaguely sensed something.

"All that's left is a cushion."

Giorno managed a rare smile.

Then, he unceremoniously ordered Gold Experience to lift Li Qing from the back seat of the motorcycle and throw him underneath like a skateboard.

Thus, Giorno, lying on the safety cushion named Li Qing, leaped off the speeding motorcycle.

Screech.

Li Qing's body created a dusty gray mark on the asphalt.

Fortunately, he was now using a data-based body that could instantly repair itself; otherwise, this "braking mark" would have been blood-red, mixed with some pale bone fragments.

"Heh."

Li Qing lay on the ground helplessly, slowly lifting his head out of the shallow pit he had scraped with his face:

"You're really not holding back."

"Can't be helped."

"Your body is just too useful."

Giorno slowly stood up and cast his deep gaze towards the flesh mass in the distance:

As expected, just as he had envisioned, the flesh mass was completely captivated by the "driverless" motorcycle.

Without even stopping, it pursued the motorcycle, waving its tentacles.

"Phew."

"Good, this distance is safe enough."

"I also hid a group of insects in the vines. They can help delay things for a while after the motorcycles are caught up."

"If we move slowly now, we'll be out of this meatball's sensory range safely in no time."

"And besides,"

Giorno tilted his head, gazing towards the young man who had stopped moving in the distance:

Whether he was intimidated by Li Qing's "Wind Riding" superpower, or had finally noticed the bizarre sight of the bloated meatball crawling on the ground.

This guy finally stopped causing trouble.

He just stood there, staring straight this way with a vacant look, not making any unnecessary movements.

Giorno let out a soft sigh:

"It's good that guy isn't bothering us anymore."

"Even though we lost two motorcycles and the plan had to be halted, it's fine."

"We'll just find two more vehicles and start over."

"."

Li Qing lay on the ground, silent.

Seeing his somewhat strange expression, Giorno asked with some confusion:

"What's wrong? Why are you lying on the ground and not getting up?"

"I told you not to tempt fate,"

Li Qing mumbled softly.

He didn't get up; instead, he pressed his ear tightly against the ground and responded in a rather comical pose:

"Giorno, I have good news and bad news for you."

"Let's start with the bad news:"

"There's a slight vibration coming from the ground. Judging by the sound, there are quite a few vehicles, and they're moving in two orderly columns – clearly an organized convoy."

"More importantly, that sound is getting closer and closer to us, to the crash site."

"You mean..."

Giorno's expression also turned serious: "The Americans are coming?"

"That's right," Li Qing sighed helplessly: "At this speed, those American soldiers will be here in two minutes at the latest."

This was undeniably terrible news.

Just the appearance of that troublesome young man had completely shattered the delicate and fragile balance of offense and defense between them and the meatball.

And now, the main force of the U.S. Navy was about to arrive.

"Damn it... We're completely out of time."

"Just finding new vehicles, even with good luck, would take at least two to three minutes."

"And with only two minutes, even if we could lure it away in time, we wouldn't have enough time to get it into the sea."

"If the Americans notice the obvious tracks left by the meatball moving, they'll definitely follow those tracks and interfere."

Giorno frowned tightly, but then quickly relaxed.

He looked at Li Qing with anticipation and said:

"So, what's the good news?"

Li Qing remained on the ground, carefully listening to the sounds from the earth:

"I have a Plan B. I can deal with it within 'two minutes'."

"Deal with it within two minutes?" Giorno frowned slightly: "Two minutes is definitely not enough time to lure it into the sea..."

"We don't need to go to the sea."

Li Qing slowly stood up, pointing to the solid ground beneath him:

"This is the grave that will bury it forever!"