Qi Xu gave a dry, mirthless smile, sending chills down Endless Longevity’s spine.
"Cyclone Boss, you’re really hurting my feelings saying that. There are so many people around, and you chose to ask only me. Tsk, makes me feel so upset."
Endless Longevity forced a grin, but couldn't manage to hold it for long.
Qi Xu remained straightforward, saying, "No need to be embarrassed. Everyone has their own views and choices. If you leave now, I won’t blame you. But if we’re in the middle of a fight and I catch you pulling any tricks, we’ll be enemies."
Endless Longevity understood.
Invincible Black Cyclone had already guessed she wanted to leave and didn’t care either way. Bringing it up now was just to avoid affecting the battle plan later.
Watching the monsters closing in, Endless Longevity gave a powerful cough, spitting out a thick glob of black blood.
Wiping her mouth with a flourish, she said, "I’m not leaving. Don’t worry, I’ve got that much backbone. I told you, you’re my idol, and I’ll always follow you."
To be honest, Qi Xu was surprised by her answer, and it did raise his opinion of her. She was definitely sharper than Shadowkill.
No matter what she really thought, staying and fighting beside him in a situation like this earned her goodwill.
"Alright, everyone head southeast. Brother Xie, keep an eye on Wang Buyu. You two take the lead. Cheese Foam and I will cover the rear."
"I’ll cover the rear. Let that stinky Cheese run ahead. I only have one hour before I turn into a waste, but until then, I’m unstoppable. I could even take you on without flinching!"
Qi Xu’s eyes lit up. Endless Longevity was finally showing her true skill.
Cheese Foam fought with all the sweet fire possible, grabbed Wang Buyu, and charged straight ahead.
"Coughing Queen, you’re impressive. I admit it, you’re way cooler than Shadowkill!"
"Hahaha, worth it! Hearing that from you and getting seriously hurt was worth it!"
Endless Longevity’s voice was usually soft and weak, but now it carried a heroic edge. Watching Invincible Black Cyclone charge back into the horde of monsters to buy everyone time to escape, she rushed in without hesitation.
Wang Buyu couldn’t help looking back every few steps, feeling like a burden, useless and unable to contribute. Helpless as Endless Longevity and Invincible Black Cyclone were nearly swallowed by the swarm of monsters, tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.
"Your skill is strong. Figure out how to level it up. Crying won’t solve anything, but getting stronger will," Cheese Foam said firmly.
Endless Night Star lit softly added later, "Believe in yourself, dear. Get stronger quickly and become someone we can rely on."
The two gave Wang Buyu a solid boost of confidence. The young girl’s eyes suddenly lit up, and she shot them a grateful look.
Battle Wolf 005 smiled and said what came to mind, "You’re all good girls."
"Oh, ladies, stop praising each other. My sword is about to go dull!"
Xie Shaoning had already pushed himself beyond his limits. He didn’t want to protect Wang Buyu, so seeing Cheese Foam by her side, he took the lead to clear the path.
But his fighting style—all broad, bold moves—drained his stamina quickly. Before long, he started lagging.
Battle Wolf 005 immediately took his place. Xie Shaoning couldn’t help admiring her moves. As expected of a professional soldier—truly something else.
No one knew why Invincible Black Cyclone insisted on heading southeast, but this wasn’t the time to ask. They just followed orders.
The two of them—Invincible Black Cyclone and Endless Longevity—somehow held off the monsters rushing in from three sides.
Invincible Black Cyclone was already formidable, but Endless Longevity now looked nothing like her usual self. She was like a sturdy young ox!
Every aspect—endurance, strength, speed, agility—had been boosted. She could even vanish and reappear, with one second of damage immunity.
Pairing her burst potential with Qi Xu’s made them the perfect combo. They fought when they could and retreated when necessary growing more in sync by the minute.
The front and flanks had fewer monsters, but that didn’t mean none. Sprinting at full speed, it was easy to miss something.
Xie Shaoning tripped over a Drywood Python disguised as a branch and nearly got coiled into its body. Endless Night Star quickly hooked him with her whip and flung him forward.
Cheese Foam and Battle Wolf 005 flanked the python, blades and daggers sinking deep into its body, piercing its vital spots.
Wang Buyu hesitated for a moment, then dashed toward the python’s tail and slammed her weapon into its tip.
Instantly, the python convulsed twice and went limp.
Xie Shaoning blushed. "You guys make me look useless!"
On the other side of the screen, Overlord Mountain watched the livestream, rolling on the floor in excitement. He mimicked Xie Shaoning’s stumble in a very lifelike way, laughing himself silly.
Bian hugged his little bunny, feeding it energy meat, while mentally calculating the odds of getting the boss to take all these top-ranked followers home...
Except for those few mages, everyone else seemed likable. Keep it up, boss!
After what felt like endless running, thick fog appeared ahead. The group hesitated until Qi Xu shouted, "Don’t stop! Go through it!"
They plunged into the mist. The moment they were all inside, something unbelievable happened.
The monsters that had been chasing them suddenly seemed unable to find their targets. They circled and searched, but it was as if they couldn’t sense anyone.
Finally, they slowly dispersed.
An hour was up. Endless Longevity collapsed like a boneless jellyfish, too weak even to cough, only spitting out blood.
Her face was covered in dirt and gore, a complete mess.
Cheese Foam softened again. She gently helped her up, settled her on her lap, wiped her face clean, and turned her onto her side so she could keep spitting without choking.
...........
