The fire in the Clock Tower pressed down from above, and thick smoke and dust surged through the stairwell like a tide.
"Cough, cough..."
Xu Ye coughed twice. It felt as though a blunt knife were slowly slicing through his brain, while his eyes stung and streamed with tears.
"Let's... go first... meowww... I'm exhausted..." Alice had wilted too, slumping weakly in Xu Ye's mind.
Using the large black umbrella as a cane, Xu Ye planted it against the floor and shakily stood up, about to leave.
Suddenly, a faint sound came from behind him.
He whipped his head around.
At the bend in the stairwell, a figure crawled out with great difficulty. It was Rock, who had tried to snipe Xu Ye earlier.
Rock's entire left leg had been blown off. Tiny tentacles sprouted from the mangled flesh of the wound, constantly weaving together like needle and thread to stitch it shut.
But they did not regenerate his leg.
The right half of his face was completely burned. He stared at Xu Ye, his expression hideous.
Bracing his left hand against the floor, he raised his right hand high, a Wind Blade gathering in his palm.
Xu Ye's scalp prickled.
Man, you're already in this state, and you still want to kill me?
Do you really have to be this persistent?
"Kill..."
"Mission..."
Rock slowly crawled toward Xu Ye, inch by inch, blood spilling from both eyes.
Xu Ye struggled to straighten up, barely managing to turn around with the support of the large black umbrella and the wall.
He had no strength left. Even moving a single finger sent an electric shock of agony through his whole body.
The smoke pouring in dulled his senses further, and his lungs felt as though they were burning nonstop.
Gritting his