Chapter 151: Against Death’s Clock.

Bianca dropped down beside the bleeding men. She shoved Daniel’s hand onto his own neck wound to stem the bleeding, then immediately placed her other hand over Big Vince’s chest, frantically pumping away in a desperate attempt at CPR with one hand.

"Hang in there, big guy! Don’t you dare die on me after I just saved you! I need to know where Hunter is." Bianca shouted, sweating profusely. "Maybe we should play rock, paper, Somnivore and you two should decide who lives and who dies because I can save only one of you." She had only two hemostatic pills and she could only give up one. The other had to be saved for her own use in case of emergency.

Sensing her focus was elsewhere, the flying lizard made his escape. With a quick shake of his head, he unfurled his wings and took flight. He faltered at first, dropping dangerously close to the ground, but managed to regain his balance and disappear into the sky. Bianca’s Inferno lynx tried to throw flames at it but it was too late.

Zyra, Achilles and Hunter had already reached the back gate, but it was still closed.

"Beauty open the back gate." Zyra commanded.

Bianca was completely taken aback when the rocks around them suddenly groaned, sliding to the side like a cheap sliding door. Before she could even process the movement, a gate materialized out of nowhere, the doors burst open. People poured out like a hive of disturbed bees.

Right in the front of the pack were two very familiar faces: her brother and her cousin.

"Hunt?" Bianca gasped, her jaw dropping for a split second. But she didn’t let her hands stop rhythmically pumping down on the dying man’s chest or blocking the sputter of blood in the other man’s neck. "No time to waste on pleasantries! Help me move them!"

They didn’t exchange greetings or ask questions. Hands reached out, lifting the two bloodied men and rushing them through the gates and into the shelter. Bianca desperately wanted to stop and gawk at the unbelievable paradise hidden inside the valley, but she forced her eyes forward. Saving the humans came first. Gazing at beautiful scenery could wait.

The moment they crossed the threshold into the medical room, Tessi and Yanxi glided forward. Their hands burst into gentle, warm light as they began pouring healing spiritual energy into Vince and Daniel’s wounded bodies.

Bianca took one look at his wounds and shook her head. "You girls can ease the small one’s pain for now and close his wounds, but I have to pull these bullets out of the big guy first."

A collective gasp echoed through the room. Even Malia_ who actually had some medical training_ stared at her in absolute shock. Surgery? "Are you a doctor?"

"She is not." Achilles said.

"I need alcohol and clean cloths. Now!" Bianca barked, rolling up her sleeves.

Achilles stepped forward, his brows furrowed in disbelief. "Wait, are you planning to cut into the man so crudely?"

Bianca whirled around, her eyes flaring. "Shut up or get out of my way! He’s bleeding to death while you’re standing there asking stupid questions!"

Malia didn’t hesitate. She quickly brought the Surgery Spirit and laid out a set of sharp silver instruments. Sensing the tension, Malia turned to the crowding onlookers. "Everyone out. Give her room."

Outside in the corridor, Zyra paced back and forth, her boots clicking softly against the stone floor. She was feeling regretful for leaving the men out there to teach them a lesson. If she had acted sooner, they would not be in danger.

Further out in the courtyard, the rest of the valley’s residents and beasts huddled together, holding their breath as they waited for any news.

An agonizing hour passed. It felt like an eternity.

Finally, the heavy doors slid open. Bianca stepped out, her clothes splashed with bright red blood and her forehead slick with sweat. She wiped her brow with the back of her wrist and let out a long, exhausted breath.

"He’s going to be fine," Bianca announced, leaning against the door frame. "Honestly, thank goodness for his fat mass. The bullets got stuck in the blubber layer before they could hit anything vital. His liver got a little bruised, but he’ll make a full recovery."

A huge wave of relief washed over those in the waiting area. People were practically deflating with sighs.

Malia walked out behind her, looking at Bianca with a mixture of awe and suspicion. "Are you_ a doctor?"

Bianca gave a tired, faint smirk. "I’m a lot of things, sweetie."

She pushed off the door frame, walked straight past the small crowd, and threw her arms around Hunter, burying her face in his shoulder for a quick, desperate hug of comfort.

Zyra watched the embrace, cleared her throat, and quietly excused herself to inform the crowd waiting in the courtyard. The moment she stepped into the courtyard, two shadows rushed toward her.

Daniel’s Eclipse Raven flapped its wings anxiously, while Vince’s giant Spine Hedgehog shuffled forward, its quills practically vibrating with emotion. Both beasts leaned in and threw their limbs around Zyra in a clumsy, giant group hug.

"Whoa_ easy with the spikes, Mr. Hedgehog!" Zyra yelped, leaning back to avoid getting turned into a pincushion.

A soft, mechanical chime echoed directly inside Zyra’s mind:

[Ding! You have received 10 liters of Harmonization Liquid and 50 resonance points. for saving the beasts from becoming feral.]

"Hmm!" Was all that Zyra said.

The two half-life beasts looked at Zyra, their big, intelligent eyes brimming with actual tears.

"Please forgive our foolish masters! Daniel has a soft spine, he is easily led by the nose by others." the Eclipse Raven cried out, its voice trembling. "We beg you, don’t send us away! I love the Beast Pavilion so much! I don’t want to leave! I have good friends here and we are fed well. I will even miss Scotty."

"Yeah, we’ll be good! We swear!" the Hedgehog whimpered, tucking its nose in.

Poor things, they had not done anything wrong, Zyra thought. She looked at the sad beasts and let out a long, defeated sigh. How could she say no to a crying bird and a dramatic hedgehog? "Alright, alright. I promise I won’t kick you out."

[Ding! You have received 50 rounds of Gravity Bullets for the Spatial Lock Gun for allowing the beasts to stay.]