After hearing this, everyone fell silent, their minds heavy with worry.
“We must strengthen our protection from now on. The first assassination attempt failed, so a second one is impossible to succeed,” said The Hero of the Gale, her expression tender and affectionate. “I will protect you.”
“You’re still protecting me? I already said I have Niubao and Serina; your job is offense. Forget that. Our position is exposed; we need to leave here immediately,” Samimi stated.
The group had no choice but to press forward, raising torches to illuminate the darkness.
Night travel was extremely dangerous, but staying put was even more perilous.
That “Contact Girl Demon” could not only locate their position but also design bizarre traps. Even Samimi, a Transmigrator, had fallen for one and nearly been successfully backstabbed.
Of course, even if she had been stabbed, it might not have been fatal—she still had the Substitution Technique.
But the contest between a Mage and an assassin is inherently a game of “I hide one step, you advance one foot,” testing whose hidden cards run out first. One mistake means plummeting into the Abyss.
That girl demon wouldn’t use the same method again; the next attempt would surely be a brand new assassination plan.
And Samimi remained passive—she couldn’t exactly turn around and assassinate the assassin.
—
Dawn broke.
The group, however, hadn’t gotten proper rest. They could only set up a temporary camp to catch up on sleep, their original schedule completely disrupted.
Samimi, unusually, didn’t meditate. Instead, she curled up in her sleeping bag and fell into a deep sleep.
With Niubao guarding beside her, a sense of security enveloped her, and she slept coiled up like a caterpillar.
The Hero of the Gale sat opposite, watching this scene, and said softly:
“She must have witnessed many Forbidden Knowledges at the Church… The pressure she bears likely far exceeds our imagination. But she never relies on us, always carrying it alone… We could actually share the burden for her.”
Bemore sat nearby meditating. Hearing this, she didn’t mock as she usually would.
If anyone understood Samimi best, it was Bemore.
They had lived together for a long time, sharing meals and lodgings, and Bemore had even taught Samimi Universal Magic.
Bemore knew her personality well—
Cunning, hypocritical, full of lies, fond of scheming, with a volatile temper, quick to resort to violence.
But the current Samimi… was different.
That effortless composure was gone, replaced by a poorly concealed anxiety and pressure.
Perhaps, just as The Hero of the Gale said—
She knows too much.
And “the more one knows,” is often more dangerous.
For a Magic User to choose to forgo meditation and simply fall asleep—that in itself indicated she had reached her limit of exhaustion.
“Before, we were really just playing house… This is the real battlefield now,” Bemore muttered self-deprecatingly.
—
But the battlefield wouldn’t grant them much rest.
Not long after daybreak—
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
A tremendous rumbling sound came from the distance.
The next moment—
Countless Abyss Insects surged out from behind tree roots as thick as city walls!
Everyone’s expressions changed drastically.
But even if afraid, they could only draw their swords and meet the fight.
Once a Worm Tide erupts, the entire area must be cleared. Otherwise, once stamina fails, the swarm will devour them completely.
“Serina, Niubao, go help. No need to guard me,” Samimi said, crawling out of her sleeping bag.
“But…” Niubao hesitated.
“I’ve recovered,” Samimi stated firmly.
Serina was also hesitant—she had always been responsible for protecting the Core. Being told to leave now felt unnatural.
“This isn’t the time to protect me. Every second counts. We need to clear the swarm quickly to buy rest time. Go!” Samimi ordered sternly.
The two no longer hesitated and joined the fray.
—
The insect swarm was even larger than the last time.
Dragon Bombardments, Leaf Blades, Shield Axe Burst Slashes—all were unleashed.
Yet they still couldn’t clear them quickly.
New bugs poured out endlessly from behind the tree roots.
What was more disgusting—
The newly arrived Abyss Insects would immediately devour their fallen comrades’ corpses.
The more they devoured, the more insect limbs sprouted from their bodies, their forms gradually twisting and becoming chaotic.
Soon, even flying insects with wings appeared.
Fortunately, The Hero of the Gale and Bemore had anti-air capabilities. A barrage of Leaf Blades and Dragon Bombs shot down the flying insects.
But this was merely treating the symptoms, not the root cause.
—
Samimi had already judged—
To deal with the swarm, the “Core” must be killed.
And the swarm’s Core wouldn’t hide in the rear.
It was more like a “general,” constantly devouring its kind during battle, eventually evolving into an Elite Boss.
“Another deviation from the Original Plot…” Samimi frowned deeply.
—
Right at that moment—
Heavy footsteps sounded from behind her.
“Lady Shalum! Behind you!” Steve cried out in alarm.
Samimi instantly understood.
She slowly turned around.
Sure enough—
A massive insectoid Monster stood not far behind her.
The distance was less than twenty meters.
She let out a soft sigh.
It seemed the name “Shalum” had already spread throughout the Abyss through some means.
All Monsters—
Were prioritizing hunting her.
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