The cries of the distant survivors grew quieter. Perhaps they had begun to understand. But Ling Yu did not care. Her mind was only on the next pile, on the next ignition point, in the next step in the chain that would prevent the second wave from swallowing the city.
Ling Yu never paused until twenty minutes were left in hand. The fire hunters worked alongside her with almost religious zeal.
Ru Feifei remained as the human shield, quieting the frightened people, and preventing interference, ensuring order in chaos. The students' earlier hesitation had faded, replaced with a grim understanding. They were part of something bigger, something that would not wait for sentiment. They were fighting not with swords or magic but with fire and willpower, under the eye of the one person who had already demonstrated she could stand against hundreds of monsters and survive.
