Apocalypse: Master of Soul Beasts

Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Fleeing in Desperate Straits_1

As Simba’s gigantic figure loomed closer, Wen Yu hastily tore open the space teleportation scroll in his hands.

Teleportation direction: ten meters ahead.

The power of the space teleportation scroll allowed Wen Yu to land on his feet instantly. Wasting almost no time, he once again broke into a frantic run. Meanwhile, the steel saber in his hand traced lines of blood across his upper body.

Simba’s sudden burst of speed took Wen Yu by surprise. At this pace, he couldn’t outrun the predator’s pursuit.

Simba, seeing his seemingly unavoidable pounce evaded by Wen Yu, stumbled from the excessive force he’d used, and his speed dropped instantly.

When Simba looked up at Wen Yu again, he saw blood continuously streaming from him, yet Wen Yu’s speed was increasing.

Simba’s rage had drowned his reason. With a furious roar, he once again dashed towards Wen Yu.

Hearing Simba’s panting grow louder and closer, Wen Yu couldn’t help but feel anxious. Steeling himself, he plunged the steel saber directly into his own abdomen.

Excruciating pain shot through his abdomen. The sharp steel saber had even sliced through his intestines. Wen Yu had stabbed himself skillfully, on one hand causing significant trauma, but on the other, not hampering his running speed. As for the internal injuries, as long as I’m safe, there are plenty of ways to heal them.

With Wen Yu running faster and faster and Simba relentlessly chasing from behind, the man and beast disappeared at breakneck speed down the road leading away from the park entrance.

「...」

Inside the park, tranquility had returned. Next to the entrance of the treasure land, Wan’an’s body lay peacefully on the ground, surrounded by splatters of dark blood and scattered organs. The scene evoked an indescribable sorrow.

A group of three slowly approached from the distance—it was Guan Tao and his companions.

After escaping, they hadn’t ventured far. Seeing Wen Yu engage Cyclops, and having witnessed Wen Yu’s strength before, they were confident in his combat prowess. They had thought that after Wen Yu severely injured Cyclops, they could pay a small price, take Cyclops’s life from Wen Yu, and personally avenge Wan’an.

However, the situation had changed suddenly. First, the large dog—Cyclops—grew stronger as it fought, dashing their hopes of revenge. Then, the terrifying Big Lion returned to its lair, chasing Wen Yu and Cyclops further and further away.

The trio had observed most of these events from the sidelines.

Once Simba and Wen Yu had left the park, the trio returned.

Wanping quietly walked to Wan’an’s side. As he gazed at his lifeless brother, tears streamed down his face.

He took off his own protective suit and used it to bandage the large wound on Wan’an’s waist, ensuring his brother’s organs wouldn’t spill out. Then, he carefully lifted Wan’an onto his back.

Guan Tao and Lin Li watched Wanping in silence, neither daring to step forward.

This was their simple funeral, their simple memorial.

Wanping, his brother on his back, walked over to Guan Tao. He took the cigarette Guan Tao offered and inhaled deeply.

The tip of the cigarette flared brightly, a third of it consumed in an instant due to Wanping’s lung capacity; as a professionist, it far exceeded that of an ordinary person.

”It won’t end like this, will it?” Wanping murmured.

”Definitely not,” Guan Tao said, tossing aside his own cigarette. He gazed quietly at Wan’an’s bloodstained face. ”Wan’an can’t have died in vain. Someone must pay, accompany him in death, even if not now.” He gently tried to wipe away the blood, but it only smeared, impossible to clean completely.

”HUFF.” Wanping exhaled heavily, wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, and hitched his brother’s body higher on his back.

”Let’s go,” Wanping said.

Guan Tao took the lead, and the three slowly headed back the way they had come. No one spoke, but the oppressive atmosphere hung heavy, like the calm before a violent storm.

Three people, carrying a body, slowly faded into the darkness of the night.

「...」

”HUFF... HUFF...”

Wen Yu panted heavily, blood continually seeping from his wounds. The murderous intent from behind still lingered, never more than a hundred meters away. Wen Yu dared not let his guard down for a single moment.

My judgment wasn’t wrong.

With his Mortal Combat ability activated, the continuous self-harm and increasing blood loss caused his physical attributes to skyrocket, even surpassing the peak of a Level 2 professionist.

With one of Simba’s paws injured, Wen Yu’s speed gradually matched the lion’s.

Unfortunately, Simba never gave up the chase.

Wen Yu could only keep sprinting forward. Any zombies he encountered along the way were sent flying by his tremendous force. Any survivors or mutant creatures, hearing Simba’s terrifying roars, had already steered clear of Wen Yu’s escape route.

As Wen Yu lost more and more blood, his mind grew heavier. Yet, paradoxically, his speed kept increasing.

After running for an unknown amount of time, Wen Yu stumbled. The significant blood loss had drastically reduced his coordination, to the point where he could barely maintain his balance. Only then did he snap back to awareness of his surroundings.

He observed the unfamiliar surroundings: a straight highway flanked by vast farmland and scattered small factories.

I must be outside Mudanjiang City now. He glanced back; Simba’s figure was nowhere to be seen.

Wen Yu endured the intense pain racking his body and the dizziness from excessive blood loss, ducking into a nearby abandoned factory complex. He didn’t stop to wonder why Simba had stopped chasing him. If I keep running, I’ll bleed to death sooner or later.

Soul Pet Augmentation. Wen Yu silently activated the ability, then deactivated his Mortal Combat skill, choosing another of Cyclops’s abilities: Powerful Healing (B Grade).

The vast factory complex seemed deserted. Wen Yu stumbled into the security booth at the main entrance.

The room wasn’t large, and showed no signs of blood or any trace of life.

He locked the door behind him and collapsed onto the single bed inside. Feeling completely drained, as if hollowed out, he instantly lost consciousness.

As the Enhanced Healing ability activated, the bleeding from Wen Yu’s wounds gradually stopped. The B-Class skill’s potent effects even significantly boosted Wen Yu’s blood production. Color visibly returned to the unconscious Wen Yu’s face.

Meanwhile, back where Wen Yu had run from, a massive lion paced restlessly at the Mudanjiang City expressway toll station.

Simba had lost track of Wen Yu.

Normally, with Simba’s keen sense of smell, Wen Yu couldn’t have escaped his pursuit even if he’d fled to the ends of the earth.

However, when Simba chased Wen Yu to the Mudanjiang City expressway toll station, an overwhelming sense of danger from ahead made him involuntarily halt.

Beyond lay the Territory of another powerful creature. Simba could feel it, just as Cyclops could sense that the park was Simba’s Territory.

If Simba had been weaker, he might have been able to enter this unknown creature’s Territory freely.

Unfortunately, Simba was considerably strong, perhaps on par with this unknown entity he sensed. For a creature of similar strength to invade another’s Territory was an undeniable provocation, and the consequence would be a fight to the death.

Risking a fight to the death with an equally powerful creature just to chase down two ’bugs’ was something only a brainless beast would do.

And Simba was no brainless beast.

Roaring in anger, Simba spat a torrent of Flame Flow directly at the toll station. The massive plumes of smoke vented some of his raging fury.

Sniffing deeply, Simba committed the scents of Wen Yu and Cyclops to memory.

Given the chance, Simba would absolutely not let these two ’bugs’ escape.