Chapter Twenty-Eight: Lost

The piercing howl that echoed from the center of Wushan City did not escape Luo Ling’s ears. Her delicate brows knit together slightly as she hesitated, staring at the back of the enigmatic man for a few moments.

After a brief silence, Luo Ling turned to glance at Ke Bei, whose face was deathly pale. Just as she was about to take a step forward, she slowly drew her foot back, sighing with a hint of resignation before walking toward him.

That harrowing cry was neither from an ordinary zombie nor a simple beast—it belonged to a Commander-level beast.

Luo Ling had been trailing this weakened Commander-level beast all the way to Wushan City, never anticipating the presence of the Divine Clan here—nor encountering Ke Bei, the young man who had once saved her life.

Chancing upon a weakened Commander-level beast was a stroke of rare fortune. Luo Ling, having stumbled upon the creature, was reluctant to let it slip away. Her plan had been to follow it and strike only when it reached its lowest ebb. But now, the unfolding events were far beyond her expectations.

Even with a weakened Commander-level beast, she didn’t have absolute confidence in victory. Now, with the addition of a low-tier Divine Clan member, the chance of slaying the beast dwindled to near impossibility.

Beasts and the Divine Clan had always stood together in alliance.

Against the ever-strengthening humans, these two powers had formed a pact ages ago. It was clear that if Luo Ling attempted to kill the beast, the Divine Clan member would never stand by idly. Should both join forces, her current strength would be woefully insufficient. And with Ke Bei, her benefactor, gravely wounded, Luo Ling had no choice but to stay.

“Can you still hold on?” Luo Ling came to Ke Bei’s side, supporting his tottering body, concern etched across her face.

“Mm,” Ke Bei gritted his teeth, enduring the fierce pain in his chest, and nodded slowly.

“Are you sure? Should we return to the base city?” Luo Ling eyed his pallid cheeks, still uneasy.

“I—I’m fine…” Ke Bei forced a wan smile and shook his head.

“Don’t push yourself.” Luo Ling glanced at the bloodied mess of his chest, her brows furrowing as she helped him slowly into the half-collapsed apartment building.

With swift efficiency, she removed his tattered gray combat uniform, carefully cleaned his wounds, and applied a layer of ointment.

Yet, after tending his injuries, her worry only deepened. Ke Bei’s wounds were far worse than she had imagined.

His ribs were all but shattered, his internal organs ruptured. How he managed to survive such trauma was beyond her comprehension.

“No, we must return to the base city. Your injuries can’t be delayed any longer.” Luo Ling pressed her brows together, resolutely lifting Ke Bei into her arms.

As a transcendent, Luo Ling’s pure physical strength surpassed even a third-tier enhancer. Though the breakthrough hadn’t advanced her body qualitatively, she possessed the strength of thirty men—carrying Ke Bei was effortless.

Cradled in her arms, Ke Bei managed a helpless smile. Truthfully, there was no need to return to the base city; he had just received a prompt from the system—his body was now strong enough to undergo the third refinement of Dragon Elephant Power.

Once he accepted the refinement, everything would be fine. But he didn’t know how to explain, unwilling to reveal the system’s secret to anyone. Thus, he had no choice but to let Luo Ling carry him.

With Luo Ling’s swift pace, Ke Bei’s cheek brushed lightly against the softness of her chest, his face reddening as if drunk.

This awkward proximity embarrassed both Ke Bei and Luo Ling, whose body tingled and whose cheeks were flushed with a rosy hue.

“Don’t move,” Luo Ling, her face aglow, saw Ke Bei with closed eyes, seemingly enjoying the moment, and snapped in embarrassment and anger—though she misunderstood him.

Ke Bei, equally mortified, tried to move his face away, but his injuries were too severe to control his posture. He ended up pressing his cheek against her softness, hoping to lessen the jarring movement, only to provoke her reproach.

Luo Ling’s speed was undiminished, and soon she reached the ruined sports hall on the outskirts of Wushan City. Crossing it would mean leaving the city behind.

Suddenly, a guttural roar sounded and Luo Ling halted abruptly.

A beast, three stories tall and covered in azure scales, with a single horn protruding from its forehead, thundered toward them on limbs thicker than a human waist.

On its shoulder stood the enigmatic man with a handsome, otherworldly face.

Luo Ling’s expression changed drastically as she gently set Ke Bei down.

“Roar! Human, die!”

The mountain-sized beast opened its bloody maw, roaring, words tumbling from its mouth.

Commander-level beasts possessed intelligence equal to humans and could speak.

“Heh heh, human woman, do you still hope to return alive?” The enigmatic man on the beast’s shoulder smiled wickedly.

His eerie joy stemmed from the fact that alone, he could not hope to detain Luo Ling. If she escaped, he would have to abandon Wushan City, for news would bring a swarm of human elites.

But now things had changed. A Commander-level beast—even weakened—combined with his own power, ensured they could keep this newly ascended transcendent from leaving!

“Hmph.” Luo Ling made no reply, only a cold snort. Her expression was grim as her sword flashed from its scabbard, a chilling aura surging from within.

With an enemy Commander-level beast and a low-tier Divine Clan member, even as a Chosen, Luo Ling could only hope to flee. But with Ke Bei wounded at her side, escape was nearly impossible.

She could never abandon Ke Bei; she had no choice but to fight!

She resolved to gamble. The beast had been weak for over ten days. Though she knew not the cause, its combat power must be diminished.

Gazing coldly at the mountain-sized beast, Luo Ling’s mind was set. She must strike swiftly, kill the weakened beast in a flash, and then the Divine Clan member would be less of a threat.

She could not let the battle drag on, or death would be certain.

“Roar!” The beast charged like a tank, its azure scales glinting coldly, the blood-red horn on its forehead stabbing toward Luo Ling.

Simultaneously, the enigmatic man leapt from the beast’s shoulder, exerting tremendous force as he dove like lightning.

“Winter Chill!” Luo Ling’s eyes blazed white as a terrifying cold erupted from her body. At her low shout, her jade hands spun swiftly before her chest, unleashing a blast of chilling energy. Within a ten-meter radius, the temperature plummeted.

As the beast and the man entered the frigid zone, white mist enveloped them. An iceberg rose suddenly from the ground, freezing both mid-air.

Without a moment’s pause, Luo Ling’s sword surged with killing frost, slashing at the beast’s massive, snarling head.

Crack—boom!

In less than a second, the iceberg exploded! Just as her sword was about to strike the beast’s neck, the ice shattered and it broke free, howling in agony. Its massive body twisted, her blade scraping its azure scales with sparks.

At the same time, the enigmatic man launched a powerful punch at Luo Ling.

The terrifying wind of his fist whistled sharply.

“No, at this rate, Luo Ling can’t last much longer!” Ke Bei watched the battle, worry furrowing his brow.

“I must help her!” Ke Bei gritted his teeth, enduring the throbbing pain, and staggered toward the battered sports hall.

He needed to undergo the third refinement of Dragon Elephant Power immediately, but could not let anyone witness it, so he slipped into the sports hall.

Luo Ling’s jade palms met the man’s attack head-on. She retreated swiftly, catching sight of Ke Bei’s trembling figure as he made his way inside. A wave of disappointment swept over her.

“So you’re just another coward after all,” Luo Ling’s lips curled in a bitter smile. She thought back to the first time they met—when Ke Bei shielded her from zombies, not letting a drop of blood touch her. Now, seeing him falter and hide, she felt a surge of boundless disappointment.