The freshly formed scab was torn clean off by Ye Chong — along with a small piece of skin — and flicked onto the ground in a bloody mess.

The fabric of the clothing around the wound, already stained rusty and mottled, was now soaked again with vivid crimson.

Still not enough.

Ye Chong’s hand probed experimentally around the wound, his fingers even pressing and digging into the newly grown flesh.

He furrowed his brow slightly, ignoring Tan Xiao’s repeated screams of agony, and said in a cool, detached tone, “Didn’t expect such strong regenerative capacity… it seems this one has been through more than two labyrinths. The cellular healing ability is exceptionally powerful…”

Ye Chong withdrew his hand and casually wiped the blood from his fingers. His voice was very quiet, yet carrying an unmistakable chill: “Truly enviable…”

Everyone else in the cave was silent.

Tan Xiao lay on the ground gasping for breath, the hair across his forehead soaked in sweat, clinging to his skin in damp strands.

Ye Chong turned and looked at his companions, giving a small smile. “How many times have each of you been through a labyrinth?”

Hu Dashan answered honestly: “Just once…”

Xiao Qi also said: “Once.”

The muscular man said: “Once. I accidentally got trapped inside and only managed to get out by following others… After that, whenever I encountered one again, I steered clear.”

“Twice for me…” Tian Li answered quietly. “I got out by following others both times. The first time, the effect on physical enhancement was quite noticeable, but the second time, I felt like it was less than half as effective as the first.”

Ye Chong said with a mild smile: “I’ve been through two as well. Though labyrinths aren’t as interesting as the games — too few people inside. It’s hard to find anyone to play with. Far too lonely…”

No one spoke. At the word “play with,” everyone felt a chill run down their spines.

Though the atmosphere was noticeably stilted, Ye Chong paid it no mind. He clasped his hands together and then drew them apart — and dozens of slender steel rods suddenly shot out! With a sharp series of sounds, they pierced through Tan Xiao’s body!

This time, Tan Xiao didn’t even manage a scream. He was nearly instantaneously knocked unconscious.

Hu Dashan lost his composure and shouted: “What are you doing?!”

Ye Chong slowly drew his hand back. Those steel rods began to retract with it — and with each one pulled free, blood surged from the wound like a spring.

He turned his head and looked at Hu Dashan. “You — are you talking to me?”

Hu Dashan had acted in the heat of the moment. Now, recalling Ye Chong’s cruelty, his throat worked nervously and his bravado collapsed in an instant. He said tensely, “I… I meant — he’s already badly wounded. Why… why would you still…”

“To be used as a bargaining chip in negotiations, of course it’s better if he looks worse off. The worse he looks, the more alarmed the other side will be — and the more cautious.” Ye Chong said slowly with a mild smile. “You were friends with him before, weren’t you? Don’t worry. His constitution is stronger than any of ours. Wounds like these will heal quickly.”

Hu Dashan opened and closed his mouth, his throat dry, unable to speak.

By now, the steel rods had been fully retracted into the glove, every last one of them.

It was all so visibly bloody, and yet the glove remained immaculate — that sharp, dazzling, eye-searing white.

“Bring him for the exchange at noon.” Ye Chong said, then turned and left the cave.

The reason he wasn’t acting now was, in all likelihood, that his team members were far too depleted and needed the midday food and water to recover.

Ye Chong left.

The others filed out of the cave one by one as well.

Tan Xiao’s blood silently soaked into the ground, flowing slowly along the cracks in the stone and the hollows of the earth.

Hu Dashan crouched down in remorse, the rims of his eyes burning again and again.

Xiao Qi pulled at him from the side and said quietly, “Let’s go, Brother Shan. We still have a morning patrol to do.”

Hu Dashan looked up at Xiao Qi. “Xiao Qi… let’s get Tan Xiao out of here…”

He had never imagined it would come to this.

Originally it was only supposed to be an elimination. Then, to avoid becoming the target of Ye Chong’s anger, he’d spoken up, trying to earn some credit — and now the situation had spun so far out of control…

—