Bai Youwei and Chen Hui followed Du Lai as they retreated through the door, watching the situation on the other side from the doorway in anguished suspense.

The Minotaur had already released Leonid, but Shen Mo’s strike had failed to kill it!

It shook Shen Mo off and lunged at A’Shalina!

A’Shalina dodged frantically inside the stone chamber, backing up until she was beside Marc. She grabbed Marc — now half-soaked in blood — and hurled him at the creature, trying to divert the Minotaur’s attention!

The tactic failed.

The smell of blood only stoked the Minotaur’s fury further. It let out an enraged shriek, lowered its head, and aimed both sharp horns directly at A’Shalina, charging straight for her!

A’Shalina scrambled desperately out of the way. The Minotaur moved too fast — she barely dodged in time, stumbling awkwardly. Shen Mo and Leonid moved in from front and back to intercept, giving A’Shalina a precious moment to breathe.

“Get over here!” Du Lai shouted from beside the door.

A’Shalina glanced back at Shen Mo and Leonid, hesitated a moment, then finally ran for the door.

Now only the Minotaur, Shen Mo, Leonid — and the already-dead Marc — remained in the stone chamber.

Leonid’s shoulder wound had reopened, blood flowing without pause! His body was nearly half-covered in swarming black insects. Any other person would have collapsed long ago, but his ferocity hadn’t diminished in the slightest — he slashed at the Minotaur again and again, blow after blow!

“I’ll hold it off — you get out!” he bellowed at Shen Mo.

Shen Mo was no less covered in insects!

Both of them had to fight the Minotaur and fend off the insects simultaneously. They quickly fell on the back foot, forced into a fighting retreat, unable to mount any powerful offense.

“You’re wounded — you go first!” Shen Mo swept the insects from his face, saw the Minotaur lower its head again, bristling with deadly intent, and come charging straight at them!

“GO NOW!!!” Shen Mo shoved Leonid hard! At the same time he himself rolled sideways, dodging the impact!

The Minotaur’s horns drove straight into the stone wall!

THUD! The whole chamber seemed to shudder with the impact.

“NOW!!!” Du Lai rushed forward, grabbed the wounded Leonid, and hauled him out through the door!

Bai Youwei’s heart was in her throat. Now only Shen Mo was left alone in that chamber, facing the Minotaur!

She bit her lip hard, her eyes fixed on him.

The black insects on his body were multiplying — the ones that had scattered from Leonid seemed to have all descended on Shen Mo at once.

The Minotaur’s attacks were growing faster and more frantic, more chaotic. It seemed to sense that its prey had slipped away, and it raged in furious desperation — not just using its horns to gore, but slashing with its claws, snapping with its teeth!

It had singled Shen Mo out as its one remaining target!

“Shen Mo!” Bai Youwei called out to him, her voice breaking.

Du Lai stood at the edge of the door and shouted: “Shen Mo! Get over here!”

Shen Mo’s face was no longer visible — his whole body was engulfed in insects. From a distance he looked like nothing more than a dark, writhing shadow.

That dark shadow dodged the Minotaur’s attack once more, then rushed toward the door — but seized the door’s edge and began pulling it shut!

“Shen Mo?!” Du Lai was stunned.

A’Shalina and Leonid froze as well.

Shen Mo looked at Bai Youwei on the other side of the door.

In truth, he could barely see her anymore. Those insects had crawled into his eyes; his vision was mottled and blurring as though rusted over. Bai Youwei’s face was nothing but a smear of indistinct shapes.

He felt her grab his hand and heard her say: “Shen Mo, come out…”

Shen Mo steeled himself and wrenched his hand away!

“Go quickly,” he said, then pulled the door shut with all his strength!

“Shen Mo! SHEN MO!!!” Bai Youwei threw herself against the door and slammed it with her fists! The door didn’t move an inch!

A’Shalina couldn’t believe it. “Why isn’t he coming out?!”

“Damn it!” Du Lai swore in a low voice. “He’s afraid that if he comes out, he’ll eat us!”

Leonid and Chen Hui were beside themselves. “Can’t we force this door open?! Push it together!!!”

“Push?! HOW?!” Du Lai said urgently. “You’re injured! With just me and A’Shalina, we don’t have anywhere near enough strength to overpower Shen Mo!”

Bai Youwei gritted her teeth. She suddenly turned, snatched the dagger from Du Lai’s hand, and said coldly: “I know how to make him come out.”

—