The group made their way back to the place where Slade had met his end.

The stone chamber was pitch black without a trace of light. They swept it with the flashlight, and in the spot where Slade had lain, they found a short sword.

It was a stretch to call it a sword at all.

Bai Youwei even wondered if Slade had simply scratched it down from the mural, because it looked exactly as abstract as the wall paintings. A blackened piece of iron, barely hammered into the shape of a sword — utterly crude. More like a shoddily made cross than any real blade.

If they had searched Slade at the very beginning, even if they had found it, Bai Youwei probably wouldn’t have recognized it as a sword.

A’Shalina picked it up from the ground and looked around.

No sign of Slade.

He had long since been gnawed to nothing — not even bones remained. Every last trace of hair and clothing had been erased by the stone chamber on its own.

“We searched so long for this sword, and to think it was here all along…”

“Now we go kill the Minotaur, and we can leave this maze,” Leonid said, cracking his knuckles eagerly. “Once I’ve dealt with it, I’m going to go outside and eat an enormous meal! I’m starving to death in here!”

Du Lai was quiet for a moment, then nodded in agreement. “Let’s make it quick. We really can’t afford to linger in this place.”

Bai Youwei lay against Shen Mo’s back, head lowered to study the compass. “If the Minotaur is still in its original position, we can use the teleportation point and then go two chambers west, then head south… the Minotaur will move in our direction as well.”

She looked up at Leonid. “How is your wound — are you alright?”

Leonid’s shoulder — a chunk of flesh had been bitten out by the Minotaur.

Bai Youwei hadn’t used the mud on him. Those who had entered the maze multiple times developed strong natural recovery, and unless a wound was life-threatening, there was no need to use the mud.

Leonid tightened the bandage on his shoulder and said: “I won’t die from this. The injury is minor — while the rest of us still have our heads on straight, let’s act now.”

“Alright…” Bai Youwei looked around at everyone, her voice dropping. “But I need to remind you — we only have one chance. If it doesn’t die, then one of us must die for the others to escape.”

Everyone looked at one another.

They had entered the maze to strengthen themselves. Who would be willing to die if it wasn’t their last resort?

“Let’s go,” Shen Mo said quietly, carrying Bai Youwei on his back. “As long as this sword is the real thing, none of us have to die.”

…

This was the first time they were not retreating, not evading — but deliberately moving toward the Minotaur.

Black insects still drifted and crawled over Shen Mo’s body from time to time.

Leonid and Du Lai weren’t clean either — even when they beat the insects away, after a little while the creatures would buzz back from some unknown direction.

As they closed the distance to the Minotaur, the insects flew with increasing frenzy, their numbers seeming to grow.

Shen Mo’s breathing grew heavier alongside them.

Bai Youwei knew. They were being affected.

“Let me down,” Bai Youwei said softly.

Shen Mo’s footsteps halted. After a brief silence, he slowly set Bai Youwei down and checked her legs.

Bai Youwei had entered the maze many times; her body’s recovery was strong. The two stab wounds had been deep, but the bleeding had stopped. The injuries were red and raw, and when her knees bent they left a shape like two brackets on her legs — somewhat odd-looking.

Shen Mo cupped her knee in his hands, at a loss for words.

At that moment, something small and fluffy leapt onto his shoulder. He glanced sideways — it was Bai Youwei’s rabbit.

The rabbit seemed to find the swarm of tiny black insects around him distasteful and shuffled a little distance away.

Bai Youwei said: “Take the rabbit with you. It only charged for one night, so the power might be a little low — but it should still be able to interfere with the Minotaur. When the moment comes, find the opening and drive the sword into its heart…”

She paused, pressed her lips together, and looked steadily at Shen Mo. “Chen Hui and I will wait outside for your good news.”

Shen Mo met her eyes. He nodded. “Alright.”

—