Chapter Fifty-Two: Out of Control (2)

A sense of imminent danger swept over him, and Mu Chen, who had been rushing toward the door, suddenly changed direction with lightning speed.

A searing pain made him shudder; his leg was riddled with holes where the corrosive liquid had touched. Nearby, a pool of putrid fluid sizzled on the ground, emitting billows of white smoke. Though the main spray hadn’t hit him, even the scattered droplets were unbearable.

With a forceful push, Mu Chen managed to open the storeroom door. Fortunately, it was empty inside.

Clenching his teeth, he glanced at Lord Biryuzi, who was once again locked in combat with Ivy. Left with no other option, Mu Chen temporarily deactivated the effect of the Black Eyes.

A shadow as large as a millstone circled Ivy, and she, lacking its speed, was forced into a passive defense.

Little Bone had already huddled off to the side, perhaps spared from attack because it showed no signs of life.

“Little Bone, come here…” Mu Chen beckoned, and the creature ran to his side.

“In a moment…”

…

On the other side, Ivy was truly at a loss. Although her Holy Light Healing spell had no cooldown and could be cast continuously, her injuries now outpaced the rate at which she could heal them, her mana nearly depleted. Even if she used all the stored magic in her mithril amulet, it would not last much longer.

After much hesitation, she used her reserved 100 mana points, preparing to unleash her strongest life-based healing skill.

“Newborn Hymn!”

Ivy clasped her hands tightly over her chest, bowed her head as if in prayer, and in that instant, a sacred aura enveloped her. Her dark brown curls floated gently, untouched by wind.

Suddenly, green runes appeared on the ground, and within a radius of thirty meters, luminous specks glowed around her. As the points of light swirled, a rich life force filled the air, even healing the corrosion wounds Mu Chen had sustained not far away.

“Sir Mu Chen! I beg you! Please leave— Ivy can handle it.”

Her voice was resolute.

As she spoke, Lord Biryuzi’s razor-sharp claws swept across Ivy. The aura surrounding her wasn’t enough to fully block the attack; her holy white dress tore, pale skin sliced as if by a blade. Yet before blood could flow, the wounds healed instantly.

…

Such wounds soon covered Ivy’s entire body, yet she continued to bow her head and pray.

Mu Chen narrowed his eyes, veins bulging at his temples.

He could see Ivy’s condition clearly in the information panel. As for her claim that she could cope, Mu Chen understood all too well what it meant.

“I really thought everything would be so simple.” In this moment, his heart was weighed down with conflicting thoughts.

He had originally planned to trap the foe inside, then use Little Bone’s repellent nature to slowly wear it down. But now, it was clear this was unrealistic.

Before the plan could even be enacted, it was doomed from the start.

—

【You realize there are only two ways to survive.】
【First, abandon Ivy and leave immediately. Endure for the moment, and at least you’ll survive to return home. Within your territory, Mu Jiu’er has been praying to some fictitious deity since the moment you left, never stopping, with only one wish: that her brother returns safely.】

This message lingered in his mind for at least five or six seconds, refusing to fade.

“…”

【Second, when your sanity reaches zero, the containment entity within you will not turn you into an abyssal creature. Instead, once its suppression is lost, it will immediately revive— but no one knows what will happen next… at least not until you regain your sanity.】
【Is this for real? Someone would actually use themselves as a vessel to revive a containment entity? Even though you are now symbiotic, if your sanity cannot be restored, you will forever lose control of your body.】

Seeing the way out, Mu Chen fell into brief contemplation.

Sanity recovers at a rate of one point every two hours.

In other words, in the best case, for two hours, he would lose possession of his body, and after two hours, his consciousness would return.

…

At this moment, the formation around them disappeared. Seizing the opportunity, Ivy bound Lord Biryuzi with a Sacred Lock, but she had no mana left to continue her assault.

Right then, Mu Chen no longer hesitated.

He drew out a handful of Sources of Turbidity and clenched them in his palm.

“Take Little Bone and leave this place. Don’t look back. Stay far away. Only return after two hours, once you’re certain it’s safe!”

Seeing Ivy remain unmoved, Mu Chen frowned.

“Don’t you understand? Leave, now! Don’t look back!”

His tone brooked no argument, and Ivy found it hard to accept— this was the first time since being recruited that she had been rebuked.

But…

Seeing Mu Chen’s icy expression, Ivy suddenly felt a pang of disappointment, her tattered figure appearing utterly forlorn.

【Ivy Victoria, the Evangelist, has lost 10 points of loyalty to you. Current loyalty: 65.】

She said nothing more.

“As you wish, Sir Mu Chen.”

Now, Ivy led Little Bone thirty meters away.

“Ivy… remember, come back for me in two hours… take me home…” Mu Chen’s voice was soft, almost as if murmuring to himself.

As Ivy retreated with Little Bone, her body suddenly trembled…

…

For a creature of Lord rank, the Sacred Lock could only hold for ten seconds at most.

With the aura fading fast, Mu Chen swallowed more than ten Sources of Turbidity.

Taking one was refreshing, but more than ten at once sent a chill through his body.

A sudden dizziness blurred his vision; in that moment, Mu Chen felt his body stiffen, his ears filled with countless murmurs.

In that instant, the space around him rippled, and then, centered on him, all light within a hundred meters was sucked away.

—

He saw none of this.

Because—

If his consciousness was a flame, it was now barely flickering…

He strained to regain control, but could only make his body tremble slightly…

…

…

The ruined territory.

Resting room.

Mu Jiu’er, who had been praying, suddenly felt a wrenching pain in her heart, followed by a suffocating sensation that brought her to her knees.

“Brother…”

She scrambled to her feet, quickly sending a message to Mu Chen.

“Brother, what are you doing? Please reply if you see this.”

“…”

A minute passed; the silent family channel showed no activity. Mu Jiu’er fought to suppress her panic.

“Brother, are you facing a difficult monster? Reply quickly if you see this. At least say something, or I’ll be angry!”

“Brother, is Sister Ivy still with you?”

Mu Jiu’er lay across her desk, sending messages to Mu Chen’s name over and over, hoping to reach him.

…

Meanwhile, around Mu Chen, the darkness was like a black hole, devouring everything.

Not far away, Lord Biryuzi seemed to sense something, letting out a piercing scream…

Seconds later, Mu Chen’s body stopped moving.

Because—

The flame had gone out…

At the same time,

Mu Jiu’er pressed a hand over her mouth, choking back sobs as tears poured uncontrollably from her eyes, as if she had been struck by a terrible blow.

“Wuuu!”

Bent over, Mu Jiu’er cried and screamed, her emotions utterly lost to chaos.

She herself didn’t know why she was reacting this way.

…