Even weakened, Eric was terrifyingly powerful.
"Brother Chen Xiao, watch out!" A Yao cried, panic rising in her voice. None of them had expected that, after being baked in the Underground Furnace for so long, anyone could still summon such force.
Boom—
Another massive boulder hurtled toward them. Eric sneered as white light coalesced around him; he meant to blast through whatever blocked his path. A rock like that was nothing to him. These Huaxia people had underestimated him badly.
But before Eric could channel his strength, the light in his core suddenly died. No matter how he tried to gather power, it felt like his magic heart had been cut out. Something indescribably oppressive descended on him.
The Rules had arrived.
Nine-Foot Seal.
Boom—
The boulder became unstoppable. It slammed into Eric and shoved him headlong back into the cave's mouth, plunging him into the mist.
The Free Nation members stared after the plunging figure, stunned. "Boss—are you alive? Why won't he fight back?!" Panic replaced their rage. "He's been ambushed!" someone hissed. "We crawled out of the furnace and now they attack us?"
Seeing Eric vanish, the Free Nation team dared not resist — but they refused to give up the fire seeds they'd risked everything to take. Helpless, they fled back into the furnace, calling for Eric as they disappeared into the heat.
Zhao Yuanhang surged forward to pursue, but Chen Xiao only sighed and raised a hand. Water burst up and formed a huge palm that hauled Zhang Longqi back to safety.
"Mad Ghost Boss, we can't just let them go?" Zhao asked.
Chen Xiao shook his head. "They won't last long. The Underground Furnace is heating up."
Zhang Longqi stared at him, incredulous. "How do you know that?"
Jiang Ling answered quietly, pallor on her face: "Because… they're all coming up now. Many people. Too many." A Yao tugged nervously at Chen Xiao's sleeve.
Chen Xiao's smile was faint. He gazed down into the yawning cave. "Those groups — they're everyone left in the third stage."
Sure enough, faint sounds rose from the depths: shouts, hurried footsteps, the ragged breathing of survivors who'd been pushed to their limits. One by one, faces and voices bubbled through the mist.
"The temperature spike earlier — they're forcing us to our deaths!" someone cried. "If we get to the surface and crush our seeds, it's over — we'll be rewarded!" Others spoke excitedly of returning home and of celebrations to come. Some laughed about weddings, unaware how close they were to being extinguished.
The first group clambering up were the last three of the Sakura camp: Hokusai, Aokura Seiya, and another survivor. They were still drunk on the hope that the game was done, dreaming of peace, when they saw the uninvited guards blocking the cave mouth. A Huaxia man stood at the front, a faint smile on his face.
"Are you from Huaxia?" Hokusai asked, voice like cold steel. The samurai in a loose white robe had a sword at his waist. "What are your orders?"
Chen Xiao's answer was blunt. "This is the main entrance to the Underground Furnace. Sakura and dogs use the dog hole."
Hokusai bristled; his contempt flashed. But before he could draw, Aokura Seiya lunged forward, enraged. The oyster-awakened warrior — SSS-rank magic [Ecological Reversal], SSS-rank defense [Thorn Shell Armor] — roared, energy coalescing into a brown, brutal mass in his hand.
"You damned Huaxia! I'll take your heads as a wedding gift!" he snarled.
Chen Xiao shrugged, water blade materializing. "Everyone from Sakura says the same thing. My ears are tired of it."
Aokura snapped: "You met other Sakura people?" he demanded, furious.
Chen Xiao's smile grew mischievous. "Of course. I killed two in this stage."
The claim hit like a slap. Aokura's eyes widened, his breath ragged. Only five Sakura had reached this third stage; three of them now gathered here — and two missing? Panic flared.
"You lie!" they shouted. "You couldn't have killed two—maybe one at most! Kawakima's speed is unbeatable!"
Chen Xiao's tone was cutting. "You want proof? The woman you care about — the one with the mole by her left breast and a small tire mark on her waist — I know about her."
Hokusai faltered at that single sentence. He glanced at Aokura and saw something in his friend's face he'd never expected: doubt, shock — betrayal. If what Chen Xiao said was true… the implications were ugly.
Aokura's pupils dilated; he shook his head wildly, fighting denial. "You lie! Kawakima would never betray me!"
Then, as if possessed, Aokura threw himself at Chen Xiao in blind fury. His scream tore through the hot air: "Tell me it's a lie! Tell me she's true!"
Chen Xiao's water blade gleamed. The battle was on.