Apocalypse: Master of Soul Beasts

A fierce wind whipped against his cheeks, and coarse grains of sand stung Wen Yu's face.

As the stinging pain registered, Wen Yu gradually regained consciousness.

He felt a slight swaying beneath him and realized he was on someone's back.

Wen Yu pried his eyes open slightly, but all he could see was complete darkness.

He couldn't see a thing!

"I'm blind..." Wen Yu managed a hoarse sound, and a sharp pain shot through his throat.

"Yeah, you're badly injured!" said the person carrying him. "I'm actually surprised you're still alive!"

Wen Yu recognized the voice. It was Sun Ruixing.

"Yeah, I can't feel anything; it's like I'm paralyzed. Judging by the situation, I'm most likely done for!" Wen Yu assessed the injuries on his body and said, half-joking.

"Your lower body is completely gone, and you've lost at least half of your internal organs, including your heart... I have to admit, I'm surprised you can still talk. To be honest, if Big Brother Sun hadn't insisted on bringing you, I wouldn't have bothered with you in this state!"

The one speaking this time was Chu Ziling.

In fact, if not for the power of the Blood and Flesh Badge, Wen Yu would have been dead for sure! Even now, Wen Yu was still in a combat state. Once he left that state, without the support of the Blood and Flesh Badge, Wen Yu would die instantly!

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Also, thank you..."

If Wen Yu hadn't pushed Chu Ziling at the last moment, Chu Ziling would likely be nothing but ashes now.

"Better one of us dies than two. Besides, I'm not dead yet, am I? By the way, where's the Fourth Prince?"

"With me," Chu Ziling, who was beside them, said.

Other than theirs, no other footsteps could be heard...

"How long was I unconscious?"

"For a day..." Sun Ruixing, beneath him, answered.

"Well, we must be close to our destination then."

"Correct."

"Where's Jiang Wentao?"

Upon hearing this, both Chu Ziling and Sun Ruixing fell silent.

William and Monkey were definitely dead; after all, Wen Yu had seen their dying moments.

However, Jiang Wentao had definitely escaped the Bone Demon's self-destruction range; this was evident from the Fourth Prince in Chu Ziling's arms.

But now, only the footsteps of Sun Ruixing and Chu Ziling echoed...

"Hmm," Wen Yu murmured to himself, already understanding.

After a full day of travel, it was impossible not to have encountered Demon Fiends—that was Wen Yu's experience. Now, their silence explained everything.

"It's not necessarily a disaster. Old Jiang said he'd lead the Demon Fiends away and then come back for us."

Chu Ziling's voice trailed off. Jiang Wentao had been gone for nearly fifteen hours.

If he could have returned, Jiang Wentao would have caught up long ago.

"I'm sorry. Sorry to you all, and even more sorry to them," Wen Yu said in a low, somber voice.

"What's there to be sorry about?" Chu Ziling responded in a deliberately nonchalant manner.

Truthfully, any intelligent person could understand why Wen Yu apologized.

Wen Yu had taken all the treasures, but everyone else had paid the price. And for that price, they had sacrificed everything.

Even if greed had played a part, after such brutal battles, Wen Yu felt he had to apologize and thank these fallen warriors.

"ROAR..."

A loud roar echoed from the distance, growing closer and closer!

Hearing the roar behind him, Chu Ziling paused briefly.

Then, he silently passed the Fourth Prince he was holding to Sun Ruixing.

"It's my turn now. I'll leave the rest to Big Brother Sun. Take the Fourth Prince and get away from here."

"Oh, and if I survive, I'll catch up."

Before he finished speaking, white flames erupted around Chu Ziling's body as he sprinted towards the source of the roar.

He was like a shooting star, blazing with white light.

...

As Sun Ruixing moved as quickly as the Fourth Prince could endure, the sounds of fierce battle raged in the distance. The ferocious roars of a Demon Fiend and Chu Ziling's shouts were audible, followed by a deafening explosion and then a wave of heat.

It was all over in moments.

The Demon Fiend.

Chu Ziling.

"They were all good men."

At this point, that was all Wen Yu could say. Though useless to the dead, the words offered Wen Yu some small comfort.

"Yes."

On Sun Ruixing's back, Wen Yu felt him nod firmly.

"Put me down. Take the Fourth Prince and go on your own. In this state, I'll only slow you down," Wen Yu spoke earnestly to Sun Ruixing.

Given Wen Yu's physical state, "burden" was an understatement.

If it were anyone else, Wen Yu would have abandoned them without a second thought.

However, the one carrying him now was Sun Ruixing.

Sun Ruixing said nothing and didn't break stride. Like a machine, he carried Wen Yu, pressing steadily onward. Ahead lay their only path to survival, their only hope.

...

The scorching wind howled relentlessly. Sun Ruixing took the water bottle from his lips and held it to Wen Yu's.

"GLUG, GLUG."

Wen Yu gulped the water down, but it flowed out from the gaping wound on his chest, spilling onto Sun Ruixing's back.

"See? In my current state, I can't even drink water. What's the use of you carrying me?" Wen Yu's tone was flat, as if he were advising Sun Ruixing to abandon the elders of Town hl.

He had said these words many times along their journey.

It wasn't that Wen Yu had a death wish. But if the mission failed, everyone would die. Those already dead would have died for nothing.

Wen Yu didn't want to die, but he wasn't afraid of it either. In his current state, however, whether he lived or died was not up to him, nor Sun Ruixing.

Only the unknown obstacles ahead—the Demon Fiends yet to appear—could decide that.

"No. If I leave you here, in your condition, the heat will kill you by noon tomorrow. With me, at least I can find you some shade."

"Besides, unlike you, I don't abandon my comrades."

Wen Yu mulled over Sun Ruixing's words. After a moment, he burst into wild laughter.

The laughter tore at his injured windpipe and airways, quickly turning into violent coughs.

"COUGH, COUGH, comrade, COUGH, COUGH."

"What makes you qualified to be my comrade, Wen Yu?" His voice was cold, cruel.