Translator: Lonelytree
Due to the condition of Xue Ba, Gu Jun and 17 other agents, the group halted their progress at the plains but the gunfire did not cease. It had been five minutes since the medical unit gave the shot to Xue Ba. It showed no effect, his heart was silent. Uncle Dan persisted with heart resuscitation on his old partner. He pressed heavily on Xue Ba’s chest, he refused to give up. But suddenly, Wu Siyu who guarded beside Gu Jun wailed in pain.
“Take over for me please!” Uncle Dan handed the job over to his assistant, Zhang Huohuo before he rushed over to Wu Siyu, “Miss Wu, what’s wrong?!” Wu Siyu was not the only one with a problem, even Deng Ximei’s face was pale and her body was swaying. Gu Jun was still in a state of hallucination. His eyes gradually focused but no words came out of his lips, who knew what he was experiencing…
“My face, it’s changing….” Wu Siyu said in pain as she moved her hands that covered her face away, “It’s changing into Ah Mei’s face…” Uncle Dan took a quick examination. Other than some minor swelling and a pair of purplish lips, there was nothing wrong with her face. However, Siyu claimed her facial features were morphing, they were disintegrating and reshaping. Was it a mental corruption? Peacock hurried to channel an Ancient Seal but it was to no avail.
“Miss Wu, your face is fine. It’s just a psychological complication.” Uncle Dan consoled before turning to look at Deng Ximei. “Miss Deng, what is the meaning of this?”
Turning into Deng Ximei’s face? The land’s travellers were confused and anxious. Nothing could happen to the Goddess of Hope under their watch! In their desperation, they levelled hostile gazes at Deng Ximei for they were warned of the girl’s allegiance before the departure. And this incident, could it be her doing…
“It has nothing to do with Ah Mei, my feeling tells me that…” Wu Siyu said through painful tears. She pinched her face. “So a psychological complication? That’s something I’m familiar with… They’ve gone after the wrong person… I’m not normal to begin with…” She touched her face like she was familiarizing herself with it. “I’ve used that old face for 21 years already, perhaps it’s time for a new one. And I don’t need to go under the knife for it? That’s not a bad deal… I think I better sit down…” She plopped herself down on the ground, “It’s more comfortable this way…” The others were shocked and inspired, the girl’s optimism knew no bounds. The most inspired was none other than the land’s travellers. Even in the midst of the abyss, their Goddess of Hope was still radiating light.
Everyone had their own measures to deal with mental assault. After a while, Wu Siyu’s expression softened. She even managed to encourage Gu Jun, “Dirty-minded Jun… I know you’re fighting the fight too… We will have to return, every one of us. Please don’t make me waste all my money preparing those presents…”
The group saw the changes to Gu Jun’s face. It was true that he was fighting something. Uncle Dan checked Deng Ximei’s vitals, her heartbeat and blood pressure were rocketing. It had reached a dangerous level. At the same time, the flesh monsters gradually approached. They were now less than 100 metres away. It did not go unnoticed that the Phecda leaders, whom the group had accepted and depended on, were the first to collapse…
“First it’s Captain Xue, then comes Captain Gu, what the hell are they doing?!”
“What’s happening… is the ancient seal really useful?”
“Damn it! They are only 80 metres away now!”
The morale shook but at that moment, one of the agents from FBM, Bill Harrison shouted, “Agents, trust in our friends from Phecda! They are currently under the heaviest mental assault; I can feel that. They have pulled the greatest psychological pressure away from us so we must not give up! We have to hold on!”
“Stick to your post!” Bill Grant added, “When they’re less than 30 metres away, pulpifying them, and then hit them with the Ancient Seal!” Pusolcov roared until his beard shook. “Captain Gu’s team has their own battle to fight, and so do we!” Grisman and Frederickson concurred. These leaders knew it was important to steady morale. Furthermore, they believed someone like Gu Jun would not have halted for no reason. They mustn’t add to his trouble. Captain Gu’s earlier speech was correct. They should leave the conflict outside the island for later, now it was most important to secure a victory here.
Inspired by their leaders, the agents swiftly calmed down. They were all elites with great responsibility on their shoulders. A tragedy like the legionella pneumonia must not be allowed to happen for the second time…
The gunfire continued. The flesh monsters were now 40 meters away…
At that moment, an assault unit led by Lou Xiaoning fired off an Ancient Seal, it hit both a shambling flesh monster and the shattered flesh on the ground. The broken flesh sizzled in a black smooth before finally settling down as an inanimate object. The flesh monster shrieked in pain.
“It’s effective!” Lou Xiaoning shouted, her voice travelled through the walkie-talkie and inspired the agents. The Ancient Seal was effective!
This creature of darkness could still be stopped by the Ancient Seal, that gave the agents a ray of hope. But only Phecda members mastered the usage of Ancient Seal, the others had only picked it up less than a few hours ago. Furthermore, using Ancient Seal would drain mental power. Once it lowered beyond a certain threshold, it would be easy for the agents to succumb to the voices of the call.
On the other hand, Wu Siyu’s forehead was covered in cold sweat. Extended pain could pare down even the strongest mental fortitude. She might be able to survive for now but for how much longer?
“Miss Wu, how about a shot of morphine?” Uncle Dan suggested. Xue Ba’s heart was still silent and things over here were not looking better either.
“To be honest, I’d prefer a shot of coffee…” Wu Siyu mumbled.
“And I’m sure also a couch… a tv set… and some bags of snacks…”
Hearing this second set of voices, Uncle Dan exclaimed with joy, “Ah Jun!”
Wu Siyu, though, sighed and her eyes shone. “I can do without the tv set… You can sit next to me and we can chat instead…”
“Sure, we always have plenty of topics to chat about…” Gu Jun finally responded. Even though his voice was still weak, and his consciousness wavered, he was present. “Ah Mei is our ally… This is the effect of the ritual on the hill, it’s power of Dagon, the power of misfortune…”
Hearing this, the lethargy that pressed on Deng Ximei’s heart lightened. She knew that her former childhood friend finally regained complete trust of her again. And now perhaps it was time for her to do something for him and for them.
“Ah Jun, Siyu, Uncle Dan, Peacock and everyone else… thank you for everything.”