“MEOOOOW!!!” Caught by the rope, the cat went into a frenzy.

At the same moment, Yu Yaqing sprinted up from behind and did the same — hurling her own loop of rope, catching the rag doll riding atop the cat!

The rag doll had no time to react. It slammed to the ground with a crash!

“Seven minutes!” Shen Mo shouted.

Yu Yaqing heard this and hauled on the rope with even more force, pouring every last reserve of strength into it — dragging the rag doll in the opposite direction from the stuffed cat, running as hard as she could!

The rag doll was furious beyond measure. It raised its conical spike-arm and swung it in a vicious slash!

The rope snapped!

Yu Yaqing’s strength gave out in an instant and she crashed to the ground!

“Stop it!!!” She scrambled back up, refusing to give in, and lunged forward again — grabbing hold of the severed rope still attached to the rag doll, wrenching backwards with everything she had!

She could not let the rag doll near the cat!

And she absolutely could not let it near the Crystal Tower!

Just three more minutes — and this cursed game would be over!!!

The rag doll stumbled about in a mess, cut the rope again with a back-handed slash, then stabbed furiously at Yu Yaqing! “You’re so annoying, you woman! Just die!!!”

This time, Yu Yaqing wasn’t fast enough to dodge.

Her body was pushed far beyond its limits, staying upright on pure will alone, gripping the severed rope — and now there was no escaping it. The conical blade drove straight through her chest!

There was a ringing in her ears.

She looked at the rag doll’s twisted, vicious face, then looked down at her hands still clutching the rope…

She could not let go.

One more minute…

The last minute…

Whoosh!

The blade was yanked out and the rag doll stabbed her again, snarling viciously: “Let go! LET GO!!!”

Yu Yaqing’s world began to spin.

The rag doll, incensed beyond reason, stabbed her again and again and again — turning her into a blood-soaked figure — then wrenched its conical blade free one final time and fled!

Yu Yaqing’s body… slowly… limply… sank to the ground…

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