Rumble!
The entire building collapsed completely with a loud crash.
The figure that dashed out of the sea of flames would have been crushed underneath if they were even a fraction of a second slower.
"Oh my God!" Exclamations sounded one after another.
Humboldt had already taken off his robe and turned around, but now he turned back, surprise evident on his face.
He had just asserted that no one could survive his Magic Flames, but now—?
He saw the figure barely make it out of the fire, seemingly exhausted, with their running movements distorted, and tripping over their own feet.
The result was a face-first fall to the ground!
Heroic for less than three seconds...
Yet the exclamations rose again.
And the astonishment in them was even more profound.
Because people then realized: it wasn't one person, but two.
The figure that charged out of the flames had a person on their back!
As he fell, the small body on his back also rolled to the ground due to inertia.
Rushing out of the fire at the last moment and saving someone too?
"This... why are you all just standing around? Help now!"
A few quick-reacting residents hurried over.
They first protected the small body and, upon closer examination, exclaimed with joy: "Sophie? It's little Sophie! Sofia, it's your Sophie!"
Then looking at the person who carried little Sophie out of the fire, there was a mix of confusion and disbelief in the eyes of the people: "... Andrew?!"
It turned out to be Andrew?
Aunt Sofia, who had been like a lost soul, as if her body had no strength left, suddenly sprang up upon hearing her daughter's name and rushed over.
Raymond was dumbfounded by the sudden chain of events and unintentionally looked at Humboldt: "Sir, look, this..."
Although he was the sheriff of Wildfire Town, as long as Humboldt was present, Raymond always followed Humboldt's lead without acting on his own accord.
The old mage said nothing, staring at the crowd gradually gathering around Andrew and little Sophie, his eyes slightly narrowing.
Wildfire Town is a small town located in the desert.
It was now nighttime, the wind carrying sand, and the temperature was very low.
Yet, the people on the street outside the fire scene were very excited.
Over the years, they had grown accustomed to buildings collapsing in the tongues of fire, with no one coming out alive, forming a mindset in their hearts.
But today, they witnessed a different scene with their own eyes!
"Everyone, step back a bit, let the injured breathe!"
"Thank goodness! Little Sophie is alright! Oh my God, that was so close just now!"
"What about Andrew? How is Andrew?"
Andrew—or Lin Dong as he is now—felt extremely uncomfortable.
How Sophie was doing over there, and how the people around were helping in a chaotic manner, Lin Dong could not care less.
Just as he rushed out of the flames, there were still sparks on Lin Dong's body, thankfully extinguished by several brave residents using their clothes—a simple action that in this world already represented extraordinary courage, as putting out Magic Fire in any form could potentially bring a trial from the Magic Guild.
But the real problem was not the fire outside, but the "fire" inside.
Lin Dong felt a burning pain in his lungs, with each breath agonizingly painful.
"Damn it, even covering with a wet towel can't completely guard against smoke and toxins?"
This was a judgment made from Lin Dong's memories of the pre-transmigration world.
The judgment made based on Andrew's memory was: "It's not just because of the smoke, but also because of being scorched by the 'magical aura' in the flames!"
In this Flame Realm, fires caused by magic flames were very frequent.
Innocent civilians suffering lung damage from this was not uncommon.
But common does not mean insignificant.
This kind of lung injury was not a minor injury but serious damage caused by magic power!
"So, just after transmigrating, I'm going to die? This is too unlucky..."
Lin Dong felt very unwilling and slightly regretful.
With a painful dry cough, Lin Dong felt breathing becoming difficult.
Alright, it seems it really is the end.
The unluckiest transmigrator, looks like it might have to be me?
Alright, at least I saved someone.
Now I just hope that after kicking the bucket this time, I get to transmigrate again, preferably into a better world.
Or at least let me transmigrate back, things were going pretty well back when I was chatting with the class belle at the karaoke...
Lin Dong's thoughts were already starting to blur, gradually sinking into deeper darkness.
Until an enchanting female voice suddenly rang out in his mind:
"'Tear of the Water God' activated."
"Acquired initial basic capability: Water Spirit Technique."
"Detected host is critically endangered, would you like to use 'Water Spirit Technique' for self-healing? PS: The effects of Water Spirit Technique as an initial basic capability are as follows—"
Lin Dong paused for a moment, then perked up: "This is it!"
As if grabbing onto the last straw, Lin Dong shouted with all his might in his heart: "Never mind the effects, just hurry, hurry and use it! Any more delay… and I'm done for!"
"Alright then."
The female voice responded, surprisingly with a hint of human-like warmth.
The voice sounded like a young girl, yet had a kind of water-like gentleness not likely found in girls.
Lin Dong felt a gentle, nourishing water sensation, starting from his chest, swiftly flowing through his entire lungs, thoracic cavity, and even his whole body.
Reaching every cell, every nerve ending!
At this moment, Lin Dong suddenly understood what the saying "long drought meets sweet dew" truly feels like!
Not only did the sensation of breathlessness disappear, the discomfort in his lungs significantly subsided.
Even other parts of his body felt an unprecedented comfort, the sensation of being nourished by vitality.
What a relief!
For the first time in his life, Lin Dong genuinely felt the benefits of hydration.
Like heaven and earth compared to struggling to survive in the sea of flames earlier.
The body that was tightly stretched finally began to relax as well.
—No matter what, he survived.
Didn't kick the bucket right after transmigrating, didn't bring shame to our numerous fellow transmigrators!
Sitting on the ground, Lin Dong rested for a bit, then slowly sat up, catching his breath.
That's when he felt the dry and cold sensation of being in the desert night breeze with tattered clothes after rushing out of the flames.
"Cough, cough..."
Couldn't help but cough softly a couple more times.
Lin Dong thought to himself, this "Water Spirit Technique," though miraculous, is after all an initial capability and doesn't seem to immediately cure his lung discomfort.
Looks like he'll still need to rest for a couple more days.
Still, this so-called "Tear of the Water God," appears to be his "Golden Finger" in this world?
But isn't this a world dominated by Fire Mage? Why not give me something awesome like Samadhi True Flame or Flowing Blade Like Fire as a powerful "Golden Finger"?
In a world of flames, giving me a water-based "Golden Finger"...
Darn, why does it feel like I'm supposed to go against the whole world!?