Stone strike

Lu Heng rushed down the slope on the side of the volcano. The loose rocks under his feet made him run close to the hard rock, avoiding the volcanic ash. The smell of sulfur faded behind him, and the wind blew in from the front, carrying the smell of damp earth and sun-heated stones.

He burst through the last patch of scorched earth, his feet landing on relatively flat gravel. A flash of cold light from the Wristband, and the Off-Road Motorcycle fell to the ground.

I got on, started the engine, and shifted gears. The engine roared to life.

He had just twisted the accelerator when a roar came from the direction of the volcano. It was deep and powerful, rolling out from the mountain's belly.

The Goblin King has caught up with them.

Lu Heng didn't look back, and sped towards the forest along the gravel road on the outer edge of the volcano. The tires rolled over the scorched earth and volcanic rock fragments, making the bike bounce violently. He lowered his center of gravity and gripped the handlebars tightly with both hands.

The road surface was too bad, so he couldn't pick up speed. The scorched earth was brittle from the high temperature, and you could sink half your foot in if you stepped on it. Fragments of volcanic rock were scattered everywhere, some of them buried in the ash and invisible. He could only keep adjusting the angle of the car to avoid deep pits and exposed rock layers.

Behind me, heavy footsteps grew closer.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

Each step sent tremors through the ground. Lu Heng scanned the area with his mental power— the Goblin King had already chased them out of the volcanic region. His dark green figure moved swiftly across the scorched earth, his iron hammer dragging on the ground, leaving a trail of sparks.

The distance is still widening, but not fast enough.

He gritted his teeth and twisted the throttle to the floor. The motorcycle engine roared shrilly, and the speed increased again, but the rear wheel slipped on the loose, scorched earth, almost tipping over. He quickly eased off the throttle a little.

Just then, a whooshing sound came from behind.

Lu Heng suddenly lowered his head.

A huge volcanic rock flew from the side, heading straight for his back. The Goblin King picked up a stone from the roadside and hurled it at him like a cannonball.

There was no time to dodge.

With a thought, the Blood Taisui within his body instantly became active. Dark red lines spread from beneath his skin, covering his upper body, arms, and the motorcycle's front, forming a thin film. It didn't swell into armor; instead, it clung tightly to his skin like a layer of elastic skin.

Volcanic rocks hit the membrane.

The Blood Taisui dented slightly upon contact and was pulled to the side by the impact. It grazed the motorcycle's rear wheel, flew past, and crashed into the ground a few meters ahead, exploding in two.

Gravel and dust flew everywhere. Lu Heng adjusted the front of the car in advance to avoid the falling rocks, but a few fragments still hit the Blood Taisui. The impact was transmitted into his body through the membrane, making his arms numb.

The Blood Taisui slowly receded, the lines faded, and it disappeared beneath the skin.

He took a breath and continued to accelerate.

The second volcanic rock flew over immediately. This time, the Blood Taisui spread ahead of time, and he slightly turned the car, letting the rock hit the side. The Blood Taisui dissipated the force again, and the rock was deflected, smashing a shallow pit in the scorched earth next to it.

The third piece, the fourth piece...

The Goblin King continued to throw. The Blood Taisui spread, dissipated, and retracted continuously. Lu Heng could feel his stamina being depleted—after each dissipation, a slight burning sensation would come from under his skin.

We can't keep dragging this out.

Ahead, a dense stretch of volcanic rock appeared on the road, with large and small rocks piled together, leaving almost no flat ground. He had to slow down and carefully navigate through it. The tires bounced between the rocks, and the car swayed from side to side; he was practically holding the fuel tank between his knees to maintain his balance.

The footsteps behind me suddenly changed.

The heavy running sounds were replaced by a more rapid and intense thud. Lu Heng glanced around— the Goblin King had abandoned his throwing and started running at full speed.

The speed was astonishing.

A dark green figure rapidly approached across the scorched earth, its armor swaying, a hammer slung over its shoulder, each step covering three or four meters. It no longer avoided the rocks, but trampled them directly, crushing the volcanic rock beneath its feet and sending sparks flying.

The distance is starting to close.

Lu Heng twisted the accelerator to the floor, and the engine roared at its limit. But ahead was a sloping gravel slope, covered with loose volcanic ash and gravel, and the tires couldn't grip the ground at all. He could only slow down and drive along the edge of the slope.

The Goblin King, however, doesn't need to walk the edge.

It rushed down the slope, its feet landing on the gravel, its body leaning slightly forward to maintain balance, and it was actually faster than on flat ground.

Lu Heng glanced at the rearview mirror.

The Goblin King's figure was now clearly visible. His dark green skin, cratered armor, crooked crown, and bloodstained hammer—everything was clearly discernible. A grin spread across his lips, his yellow teeth glaringly bright in the pale sunlight.

If this continues, they'll be caught up in less than half a minute.

At the end of the gravel slope ahead was a patch of low bushes, the trees not tall, but dense enough. Lu Heng swerved sharply, the motorcycle cutting diagonally down the slope and hurtling toward the bushes. The motorcycle jolted violently, he was almost thrown up from his seat and then thrown back down, his hands aching from the impact.

The Goblin King did not follow them into the bushes.

It stopped at the edge of the scree slope, watching Lu Heng rush in, the smile on its lips vanishing. It raised its hammer, seemingly wanting to throw another stone, but looking around, there were no stones big enough on the ground.

It roared, but didn't chase after it.

Lu Heng didn't relax immediately. He rode his motorcycle through the bushes, branches scraping his face and arms, leaving several bloody marks. The Blood Taisui spread automatically, forming a very thin protective film on the skin's surface, blocking most of the scratches.

He burst out of the bushes in one breath, and ahead lay an open wasteland, beyond which was the edge of the forest.

Lu Heng turned around and glanced back.

The Goblin King still stood at the edge of the scree slope, its dark green figure like a statue in the grayish-white light of the sky. It didn't chase after him, but stared intently in his direction, its hammer resting on its shoulder, its chest heaving violently.

Lu Heng did not linger.

He twisted the accelerator and sped towards the forest. The Goblin King behind him gradually shrank until it disappeared from sight.

Lu Heng only stopped when they entered the depths of the forest, where the trees were so dense that the motorcycle could no longer pass. He turned off the engine, got off the vehicle, leaned against a large tree, and gasped for breath.

The Blood Taisui slowly withdrew from under his skin. He could feel some of his strength being drained, and his arms were still trembling slightly. Those last few attempts to deflect the force had taken a toll; if the Goblin King threw a few more stones, he might not be able to hold on.

He glanced down at his Wristband. The Off-Road Motorcycle had already been stored away in his spatial storage. He touched the wounds on his body—the scratches from the tree branch weren't deep, and the bleeding from the Blood Taisui had stopped. Apart from the exhaustion, he was fine.

He looked up into the depths of the forest. The trees were tall and dense, and sunlight filtered through their canopies, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The air was filled with the scent of grass and earth, completely different from the acrid smell of the volcanic region.

Lu Heng took a deep breath, adjusted his backpack, and headed deeper into the forest.

The Goblin King didn't pursue them, but it's definitely still guarding that area. He must get away from the volcano as soon as possible and find a safe place to rest.

The light in the forest grew dimmer, and the layer of fallen leaves beneath his feet was thick and soft. He treaded lightly, extending his mental energy forward to sense the movements around him.

It's safe for now.

But he knew it was only temporary.