Chapter 504 - 316: Fleeing Separately (2)

"If we... sh... t! It’ll expose the Wizard!"

King Arthur was someone who clearly distinguished between kindness and animosity. The Wizard didn’t have to get involved, but he had chosen to act anyway, saving them from a desperate situation.

That being the case, how could they let the Wizard bear this risk for them, all over a little pain?

’That’s no way for a person to be!’

Hearing King Arthur’s words, and the pained screams laced within them, Master Ma ultimately fell silent.

’Fine!’

’I’ll just endure it!’

Master Ma gritted his teeth, enduring the agony of having a Prosthetic Body installed without anesthetic.

...

Meanwhile, Lin Qi’s attention wasn’t solely on King Arthur and Master Ma; he was also observing Baili Xueyuan.

’She still has Spiritual Power!’

’I have to increase the intensity of the drain!’

’Otherwise, once King Arthur and Master Ma emerge with that Half a Person, Baili Xueyuan will become the biggest risk.’

’Drain!’

’Drain it all!’

Baili Xueyuan felt a stabbing pain emanate from her Sea of Consciousness.

Over eighty percent of her Spiritual Power was already gone!

But the siphoning speed hadn’t slowed in the slightest.

Baili Xueyuan gazed down at the ruins of the H4 Skyscraper.

The monster coiled upon the ruins had fallen still. The fleshy, tentacled growths showed no more signs of life.

Though it still writhed, it seemed to be nothing more than nerve reflexes; no conscious entity was deliberately controlling it.

Everything seemed to have returned to a state of calm.

"Director, the signal is gradually being restored."

At her side, Wu Yong’s face was deathly pale. Fortunately for him, Lin Qi was no longer draining his Spiritual Power—he had already been drained dry.

Baili Xueyuan spoke. "Sync the intel and have the department assess the remaining risk."

Frowning, Baili Xueyuan continued to gaze down below.

Wu Yong looked at Baili Xueyuan and reminded her, "Director, is your Spiritual Power still being drained? From the looks of it, the Bearer’s transformation has most likely been stopped. Those two should have succeeded by now..."

How could Baili Xueyuan not know this?

But she had her own unspoken troubles and could only reply, "We can’t be sure. For now, we have to let that person continue draining my Spiritual Power. If we interfere and they fail, the consequences will be catastrophic."

That was what she said, but in truth, Baili Xueyuan was thinking that this was the perfect opportunity to let that Dead Ghost make his escape.

’If I let the Mercenary Corps go while I still have power to spare, I’ll definitely be held accountable when I get back to the Eastern Alliance.’

’Only by exhausting my power and being unable to stop those two from escaping can I justify my actions later.’

All in all, Baili Xueyuan still believed that Dead Ghost wouldn’t completely screw her over.

If that Dead Ghost hadn’t been involved in this operation, Baili Xueyuan would never have allowed her Spiritual Power to be drained like this.

She would have kept at least thirty percent of her power in reserve for emergencies.

Hearing Baili Xueyuan’s explanation, Wu Yong could only nod helplessly.

About five minutes later, Lin Qi felt it becoming increasingly difficult to draw Spiritual Power from Baili Xueyuan’s Sea of Consciousness, so he finally stopped.

By then, King Arthur and Master Ma’s surgery was also mostly complete.

However, most of the Prosthetic Body parts were connected hastily, and they could only exert ten to twenty percent of their full power.

This was especially true for the implants in King Arthur’s brain; Lin Qi had just stuffed them back in, with no time to arrange them properly.

The two of them would need to find a Prosthetic Doctor later for detailed repairs.

Projecting his voice through the flesh-like vocal cords wrapped around them, Lin Qi left one final message: "Prosthetics aren’t my specialty. I could only perform simple repairs. I need to leave now. The rest is up to you."

"Wait five minutes before you reveal yourselves and negotiate with the Eastern Alliance."

After saying this, Lin Qi immediately withdrew his control over the monstrous entity.

From a kilometer away, he picked his direction and beat a hasty retreat!

He had to prevent Baili Xueyuan from suddenly making a connection to him and going to the Prosthetic Clinic to probe for the truth.

Lin Qi moved at his top speed, heading straight for the Prosthetic Clinic.

...

"Director, are you all right?"

Wu Yong asked with concern, seeing that Baili Xueyuan’s face had also turned pale.

Baili Xueyuan nodded. "The drain has stopped."

Just as she said that, her attention was captured by the scene below.

The mountain-like humanoid body suddenly went slack. Massive ruptures appeared, and from them poured a landslide of flesh, tissue fluid, hair, and shattered bone.

Maintaining the giant, malformed entity required Lin Qi’s precise control; after all, the thing was a product of multiple, overlapping Abilities.

Tier Three flesh and bone were simply not enough to support such an immense volume. Like a giant sea creature washed ashore, gravity alone was enough to crush its body.

The sight left both Baili Xueyuan and Wu Yong momentarily stunned.

’Is it... dead?’

’Did that mysterious Extraordinary, the so-called No. 5, die?’

’Why else would her body suddenly collapse?’

Neither of them had yet considered an Ability like a "clone."

If this thing was a clone, its power would be far too terrifying to comprehend.

After a moment of hesitation, Baili Xueyuan said, "Let’s go. We’ll go down and take a look."

As she spoke, the light around her distorted slightly, carrying Wu Yong down to the top of the H4 Skyscraper as if by teleportation.

SQUELCH, SQUELCH...

With two wet, squelching sounds, King Arthur and Master Ma burst out of a mixture of gelatinous matter and minced flesh, appearing before Baili Xueyuan.

King Arthur was carrying Ning Hao. He had been reduced to Half a Person, but his life signs were still present.

He hadn’t died from such grievous injuries, but he appeared to be unconscious.

On his remaining half-a-head, his single eyeball was vacant, as if his consciousness had transferred into the half-monster body and, with the connection now severed, could never return.

King Arthur didn’t hesitate. Without even consulting Guang Ling, she tossed the Half a Person to Baili Xueyuan. "Here’s the sole Bearer. As per our agreement, you will pay the commission and let us leave."

King Arthur was extremely cautious, wary that Baili Xueyuan might suddenly go back on her word.

Baili Xueyuan caught the Half a Person and looked at King Arthur and Master Ma, her gaze lingering on the latter for a long moment.

Master Ma looked quite disheveled.

Though he and King Arthur were both wearing Yellow Bear Expedition Team Exoskeletons, theirs had become loose and ill-fitting after the battle.

This was obviously Lin Qi’s handiwork.

He hadn’t even installed the Prosthetic Body securely, let alone the Exoskeleton.

The fact that Lin Qi had managed to get it on Master Ma at all was a sign of his utmost benevolence.

Baili Xueyuan nodded slightly. "I will not pursue the actions of your Holy Relic Legion this time. However, my promise is only good for thirty minutes. After that, a warrant for your arrest will be issued throughout Asia."

King Arthur grew anxious. "Thirty minutes? Doesn’t the Eastern Alliance have any sense of honoring an agreement?"

Though she was getting flustered, King Arthur didn’t waste time arguing with Baili Xueyuan.

Instead, she immediately sent a message in the temporary chat for the Highest-Level Mercenary Corps.

King Arthur: "@Guang Ling, mission failed. Master Ma and I are being targeted by a Tier Four Peak. Quick, help us plan an escape route!"

Baili Xueyuan was about to speak again: "You now only have twenty-nine..."

Before she could finish, Baili Xueyuan felt a surge of Knight’s Will wash over her.

Immediately after, she saw King Arthur use a basic Knight Profession skill, Fearless Charge, and bolt.

King Arthur paid Baili Xueyuan no mind, not even sparing a glance for Master Ma.

Master Ma stood stunned for a moment, glanced at Baili Xueyuan, and then hurried after King Arthur.

He had seen the look in Baili Xueyuan’s eyes, a look that could kill...

’Run!’

...

Inside the Prosthetic Clinic, Liu Xuan listened to Lin Xin’s endless chatter. Lin Xin’s mouth never stopped moving, but Liu Xuan couldn’t remember a single thing she’d said.

Liu Xuan’s gaze passed through the wall toward Lin Qi’s room, and the blue light in her left eye finally dimmed slightly.

...

Lin Qi lay in his bed, pulled the covers up, and feigned as if he’d been in his room the whole time. ’I think I left something interesting in the H4 Skyscraper ruins,’ he thought to himself. ’I wonder if the Eastern Alliance will find it.’