56: Chapter 56 Rule-Based Kill! The Vanished Eighth Person

"Run!!"

Although the guide was invisible, the path to survival that appeared out of thin air was like a lighthouse in the dark.

Xu Mo didn't dare hesitate, dragging Lin Sa along as he sprinted for his life.

The giant lizard behind them wasn't affected by the Yin-Yang Mirror; it was the embodiment of divine power, a perfect killing machine.

Its massive body leaped into the air, carrying the kinetic energy to crush everything as it slammed down hard toward the duo's backs!

"Still chasing? You just won't quit, will you!"

Pei Duo looked at the monster, then at the disheveled Xu Mo and Lin Sa fleeing in panic, her cheeks puffing out in anger.

Gritting her teeth, she reached into her qiankun bag, her fingertips touching a bone-chillingly cold, grey stone fragment covered in cracks.

Upon it flowed an ancient aura that made the Six Paths of Reincarnation tremble.

That was one of the trump cards her brother, Pei Fei, had left her—the [Six Paths Reincarnation Disk Fragment].

Without a hint of hesitation, Pei Duo swung her arm and hurled the fragment with all her might at the giant lizard in mid-air.

Shuuu—

The grey fragment drew an inconspicuous arc through the air, accurately striking the giant lizard right between the eyes.

A faint grey ripple spread out like waves on water.

In the next second, the scene froze.

Within that grey domain, time seemed to have been paused by an invisible giant hand, then stretched infinitely until it solidified.

The giant lizard, still roaring, saw the ferocious light in its eyes quickly dim. Its once violent charging posture gradually became sluggish and heavy in the air.

Its eyelids felt as if they were weighed down by a thousand pounds, drooping uncontrollably.

It took only a single breath.

This S-rank mythical beast, while still in the middle of its charge and maintaining its gruesome pouncing stance, was forcibly dragged into a "Samsara Slumber."

Thud.

The giant lizard's massive body, like a sculpture that had lost its power, crashed heavily onto the ground. It didn't even kick up much dust, falling into an eerie sleep just like that.

Having escaped death, Xu Mo stopped and looked back at this incredible scene.

That grey power... that law of reincarnation with an ancient Eastern charm...

It was all too familiar.

"Who is it?!"

Xu Mo shouted into the empty void, "Are you right here with us?!"

Within the void.

Pei Duo floated in front of Xu Mo, the two of them inches apart.

She looked at Xu Mo, nodded vigorously, and shouted loudly:

"It's me! You dummy strategist! I'm right here in front of you!"

However.

The wind continued to howl, and the Corpse Trees swayed.

Under the isolation of those damn rules, Xu Mo heard nothing.

He only saw a deathly silent darkness and the sleeping behemoth.

After waiting for a few seconds, the light in Xu Mo's eyes gradually dimmed, finally turning into a bitter smile: "Am I overthinking things..."

"Let's go."

Xu Mo turned around, supporting Lin Sa as they continued their mad dash toward the altar.

Pei Duo's outstretched hand froze in mid-air, passing through Xu Mo's retreating figure.

A sense of grievance from being forgotten by the whole world welled up in her heart. She wiped her face hard, her gaze becoming fierce again as she turned toward the altar.

"Old Ghost... I've noted down this debt. Just you wait!"

...

Ten minutes later.

The black altar, the finish line.

Old Ghost and the remaining team members had already arrived. Panting and shaken, they were gathered in front of a stone door.

"Quick! Everyone, adjust your positions. That monster is still behind us; we need to take the photo and open the door immediately!"

Old Ghost gripped the shutter release cable connected to the camera tightly, his eyes flickering as he urged them on.

In truth, he didn't want to wait at all.

He was the one who had scattered the powder to lure the monster. If Xu Mo and the others actually made it back alive, it would be hard to explain. It was better to act now...

"Wait! Old Ghost, let's wait a bit longer!"

It was Sturdy who spoke. The burly man was currently drenched in sweat, standing firmly in front of the lens. "Lin Sa just saved my life. If it wasn't for her strike, I would've been strangled to death by those corpse flags long ago!"

"Sturdy, you're being foolish!" Old Ghost said with a look of pained frustration. "That's an S-rank monster! They definitely won't survive! If we waste time here and the monster catches up, we'll all die! Can you take responsibility for that?"

"I don't care! We have to wait!" Sturdy was stubborn, stiffening his neck and refusing to move.

Just as the two sides were at a stalemate.

"Huff... huff..."

Two disheveled figures burst out of the dark tunnel.

It was Xu Mo and Lin Sa, covered in blood!

For the first time, a crack appeared on Old Ghost's honest-looking face, filled with a horror as if he'd seen a ghost.

In his script, even if those two had nine lives, they should have become Xiuhtecuhtli's excrement! How could they be alive? And back so soon?!

"What, disappointed?"

Xu Mo looked at Old Ghost coldly. Though he was in a sorry state, the gaze behind his glasses was as sharp as a blade. "Sorry to disappoint you, but we're tough. King Yama won't take us."

The muscles on Old Ghost's face twitched a few times before he quickly forced a smile that looked worse than crying. "How could I be! That's wonderful! I knew you two were blessed by fortune!"

"Blessed by fortune? Then what was with that powder you scattered?" Xu Mo didn't buy it at all, stepping closer. "That was 'Soul-Luring Powder,' wasn't it? Specifically for attracting undead creatures. Do you think I'm some greenhorn?"

Old Ghost's expression changed; it looked like they were about to have a fallout.

Right then.

Roar—!!!

From deep within the tunnel behind them, the roar of the awakened giant lizard echoed once more.

The sound was extremely close; clearly, the monster had broken free from control and was chasing them in a frenzy.

The ground began to vibrate violently.

"Oh no! It's coming!" Lin Sa's face was deathly pale. She was already at her limit, holding on by a thread. Hearing the roar, her legs gave way, and she fell forward uncontrollably.

As luck would have it, she fell right at the edge of the altar, just a step away from the camera's viewfinder.

"Lin Sa!" Xu Mo instinctively reached out to pull her.

At that moment, a vicious glint flashed in Old Ghost's eyes.

The perfect opportunity!

If he pressed the shutter now, Lin Sa, who wasn't in the frame, would be erased by the rules! As for Xu Mo, he'd be left all alone!

"The monster is here! We're all going to die! There's no time!"

Old Ghost bellowed, finding a perfect excuse for himself as his finger pressed the shutter button without hesitation.

"Wait! She's not in yet!" Xu Mo's eyes were nearly splitting as he tried to rush out to grab her, but he was held back tightly by the team members beside him.

At this critical juncture.

A burly figure suddenly charged out from the crowd.

It was Sturdy!

This honest man didn't have any complex thoughts; he only knew he couldn't leave a teammate behind. He leaped out of the viewfinder in a few strides and grabbed Lin Sa on the ground.

"Sis, get in there!"

Sturdy roared, using all his strength to violently hurl Lin Sa into the group within the viewfinder.

Lin Sa was thrown into the safe zone, crashing heavily into Xu Mo.

Meanwhile, due to the massive counterforce, Sturdy stumbled and fell out of the viewfinder, completely exposed to the darkness.

He turned around, preparing to leap back in.

"Click—!!!"

Old Ghost didn't give Sturdy even a single second. With a triumphant sneer hanging on his lips, he pressed the shutter down hard.

The blinding magnesium flash erupted instantly.

The intense light froze everyone's expressions in that moment.

As the light faded, the giant lizard's roars vanished along with it.

Xu Mo shook his head and glanced at the teammates beside him.

Seven people.

Though he vaguely felt something was wrong, looking at the seven people before him, his brain told him this was the reality.

"Phew... that was close. The door's open! Let's go!"

Old Ghost was the first to rush through the rumbling stone door.

Xu Mo helped Lin Sa up and was about to leave, but Lin Sa suddenly froze.

She felt her pocket, her brow furrowed. "Strange..."

"What is it?" Xu Mo asked.

"My 'Evil-Dispelling Coin' is gone." Lin Sa looked at her empty pocket, her eyes dazed. "I remember... I think I used it? To save... save who again?"

She tried hard to remember, but there was only a blank space in her memory.

"Maybe it fell off on the way." Xu Mo pushed up his glasses. That intense sense of incongruity made his heart race, but no matter how he thought about it, his mind only held the image of seven people.

"Let's go, don't delay."

The team filed in one by one.

Only Pei Duo remained.

She stood alone on the altar, looking down at the photo that had just been spat out on the ground.

In the photo, the faces of the seven people were clearly visible.

But in the shadows of the background, there was a blurry, humanoid black shadow, frozen in a pushing posture, gradually fading into the darkness.