Chapter Thirty-One: Battle to the Death, Part Two

Faced with the ferocious monster, Cui Kaixuan didn’t even have time to utter a sound; he spun around and fled in panic. Xiu Ming had no choice but to follow—if Cui Kaixuan were killed alone, he and Fei Xin would sooner or later become the monster’s meal.

“Take care of yourself!” Xiu Ming hurriedly instructed Fei Xin. He couldn’t concern himself with her sudden strangeness now; helping Cui Kaixuan was the priority.

The monster moved with astonishing speed and strength. Cui Kaixuan dashed up the stairs, and seeing the monster relentlessly close behind, he suddenly vaulted over the railing, landing atop the red-doored room on the first floor, then jumped down. The monster leapt after him, landing heavily on the rooftop like a boulder, glaring at Cui Kaixuan. Its right hand reached for the steel pipe lodged in its eye, and amidst agonized roars, it yanked it out, unknown fluid dripping from the wounded eye.

With a roar, the monster’s arm bulged as it prepared to hurl the steel pipe at Cui Kaixuan.

Cui Kaixuan cursed inwardly; the brute was going to impale him with the pipe! He darted erratically to evade.

The monster flung the steel with all its might, a shadow as swift as lightning streaking toward Cui Kaixuan’s back.

“It’s over!” Xiu Ming thought anxiously. That throw was precise, striking Cui Kaixuan’s back at such speed there was no way to dodge.

A cruel smile appeared in the monster’s eyes.

But Cui Kaixuan suddenly leaped high, legs split to either side, and with a backward somersault, the speeding steel pipe shot between his thighs, sparking as it ricocheted into the darkness ahead.

Cui Kaixuan felt a chill under him, and after landing quickly checked himself: “Thank goodness, only my pants are torn, scared me half to death!”

The monster, enraged by its failed attack, roared and jumped down to chase him.

Cui Kaixuan dared not linger, nor retrieve the pipe—it was a dead end ahead, so he ran back upstairs.

Their agility was beyond Xiu Ming’s ability to match; he could only follow the monster.

Cui Kaixuan wriggled like an eel, eluding the monster for the moment, but the pain in its eye drove it madder.

Xiu Ming grew desperate; he saw Cui Kaixuan’s movements becoming sluggish. He needed a plan. A human’s stamina couldn’t compare to a monster’s.

Wait—alcohol!

There was plenty in the basement, some with very high proof.

“Cui Kaixuan! Hold on for one minute!” Xiu Ming shouted, then rushed to the kitchen.

The kitchen was nearby. Xiu Ming dragged Fei Xin with him at breakneck speed.

“Catch the bottles I throw up!” With that, he nearly tripped over the steps.

Fei Xin watched him dash off, her lips curving in a slight smile.

When the two arrived at the place where the monster’s roar was loudest, each carrying a bottle, they saw Cui Kaixuan dangling his left arm—it was probably broken.

Meanwhile, the monster pursued him like an unrelenting, enraged ape.

Xiu Ming silently bit off the cork and threw the bottle at the monster with all his strength.

It missed, shattering on the floor with a smack.

The sound didn’t distract the monster; it didn’t even turn its head. The scent of alcohol spread.

Cui Kaixuan kept circling on the stairs, then jumped onto the rooftop again, the monster following.

Without hesitation, Xiu Ming flung another bottle, this time landing on the monster’s head.

The monster reacted swiftly, swiping the bottle to shatter it, dousing itself in liquor. It paused, turning to see Xiu Ming grabbing two more bottles from Fei Xin, smashing one against the wall.

Alcohol ran down, joining the earlier pool on the floor.

Next, Xiu Ming tossed a candle onto the ground.

The monster looked down; it stood right at the roof’s edge, with spilled liquor running toward the wall.

“Get ready!” Cui Kaixuan saw the monster preparing to flee and darted forward, locking its legs to trip it.

One foot lost balance, the monster toppled from the roof to the first floor.

Flames leapt up, and the monster erupted into fire with a whoosh.

Xiu Ming hurled the last bottle at the fallen creature, the blaze engulfing it completely.

The monster rolled desperately to extinguish the flames, but the more it rolled, the more liquor it picked up.

Cui Kaixuan collapsed atop the roof, panting, and gave Xiu Ming a thumbs-up. “Damn, good thing I figured out what you were up to and drew it here!”

“Well done, Cui Kaixuan. Now we can take our time—”

Before Xiu Ming could finish, the monster let out a shrill howl, spreading its arms and lunging at him.

“Watch out!” Cui Kaixuan cried.

Xiu Ming, caught off guard, retreated, but couldn’t outpace the monster’s desperate attack.

The monster barreled toward him like a truck.

I’m dead. That was Xiu Ming’s last thought; his mind seemed to stop, watching helplessly as the monster loomed before him.

“Xiu Ming!” Cui Kaixuan hadn’t expected this, but even if he had, he couldn’t have stopped it.

“Useless!” Just as the monster was about to strike, a mocking voice sounded in Xiu Ming’s ear.

Fei Xin? That’s right! Fei Xin is still behind me! If I die, so will she!

No, I must save her!

Xiu Ming suddenly turned and shoved Fei Xin away.

His arm met unexpected resistance, stopping him as if he’d pushed against a wall.

???

Before his mind could react, Fei Xin grabbed him forcefully, yanking him behind her—he tumbled like a dog, landing at Fei Xin’s back.

Roars echoed behind him—the monster’s fury.

The fall was brutal; Xiu Ming lay sprawled on the ground, feeling as if his body had collapsed. He could only turn his head with difficulty.

He saw the monster stagger back, then suddenly counterattack, but a slender figure leapt high and kicked its forehead, sending it crashing down.

Fei Xin? She can take down the monster alone!?

Then, a cold, delicate hand took the steel pipe from Xiu Ming and strode toward the monster.

“Fei… Fei Xin.”

“No… don’t… I, I am… ah!!” Behind them came the monster’s anguished cry: “You! I tell you! It’s—”

Silence.

That was the monster’s voice—it could speak?

Is it dead? What did it want to say? In its final words, it seemed to mention him.

Him? Harris? Him? Her? It? Cui Kaixuan? Or Fei Xin?

Why is Fei Xin so strong? Cui Kaixuan’s prowess was already surprising, but Fei Xin utterly overturned everything I thought I knew.

Xiu Ming struggled to his feet, gazing at the monster’s burning corpse.

Through the flames, he saw Cui Kaixuan cowering atop it, casting a fearful glance at Fei Xin.

Fei Xin stood with her back to him, a deep, low laughter echoing from her lips.