North Bridgehead.
The noon sky was as dark as the hours before dawn, and the wind plastered Pei Ye's loose hair and robes tightly against his body.
He tucked the manuscript into his waistband, swung onto his horse, and galloped toward the County Office with a grave expression.
"He's already here," Black Cat said beside his ear, watching the sky.
"This sudden change in the weather-is that His doing?"
"Yes. Power like this... He really has reached Sky Tower. Ming Qitian can't stop Him," Black Cat said. "But the good news is that He's preparing to wipe out the city rather than heading straight for the County Office. That means He hasn't found 'Endowed Fortune' yet. We need to hurry and get Xi Wuchou out."
Pei Ye naturally saw no good news in this, but getting the old man away quickly was what he wanted too, so he urged his horse on all the harder.
Hooves thundered down the deserted street. Suddenly, a raindrop splatted against his face, giving Pei Ye a violent start. The rain was slightly viscous, and that familiar sensation-
A sudden burning pain seared his cheek. A tiny bloom of Netherfire had evaporated the drop.
Black Cat spread a membrane of fire over both rider and horse. Every raindrop that struck it evaporated with a sizzle.
"Hurry," the cat urged again.
Pei Ye couldn't help glancing at the sky, his heart sinking-how many people would suffer if dragon saliva spread throughout the city this way?
As he rode, the door of a house up ahead suddenly opened. A young girl poked her head out, a coat draped over her shoulders, and called the two little black dogs beneath the eaves back inside.
Pei Ye's keen eyes had already spotted that both little black dogs had been