The roof collapsed, burying the writhing worms and their corpses under rubble. Now—charge!

Xiao Ye and Sinan Ying dashed for the door. Along the way, a few surviving worms blocked their path. Not daring to linger, Xiao Ye swung his blood whip, clearing a way.

Hurry! Hurry!

The Sinan Family must have sent rescuers. With their detection skills, they’d know exactly where we were. Once outside, we’d meet them for sure!

Unless… the rescuers also ran into Wasteland Beasts.

A bad feeling suddenly gripped me. No, I must be overthinking it.

Shaking off the grim thought, I focused on escaping—

“Xiao Ye!”

“Huh?”

Sinan Ying’s scream cut through the air. Before I could react, the ground shook. A massive force seized my foot, yanking me into the air!

Crushing weight overwhelmed me. My spinning vision made me nauseous. Something had grabbed me, swinging me like a toy!

No… I had to protect myself—

Thud!

Before I could summon a blood shield, a heavy impact slammed my left side. Agony ripped through me, stealing my scream.

That damn thing had slammed me into the wall!

My brain reeled. Instinctively, I conjured a Blood Blade to slash downward. But as it formed, a sharp pain pierced my ankle—a thick thorn had stabbed deep. Numbness spread instantly, draining my strength. My vision blurred as if all energy fled my body.

Poison! My sluggish mind finally reacted. I forced my blood to purge the toxin. My sight cleared, revealing my captor.

Clearly a burrowing worm kin, but its aura marked it extraordinary. Nearly two meters wide, it gleamed with purple shell. Crown-shaped antennae crowned its head, and two long, spiky tentacles stretched from its front—one holding me.

This thing… was it their king?

A worm king, yes, but far weaker than a Wasteland Beast. Normally, I wouldn’t fear it. But now…

All my focus was on expelling poison. No energy remained for defense. I was at its mercy!

---

Sinan Ying was frantic!

Watching her companion swung like a toy, badly hurt, while she stood helpless!

Firing a bubble was risky. Low power would only anger the worm king. High power would vaporize Xiao Ye too. What could she do?

Luckily, when the worm king appeared, the other worms froze, bowing like subjects. Otherwise, she’d be dead too!

Escape?

Staying here helped no one—it only endangered her. Fleeing might save one life. Rationally, abandoning Xiao Ye was wise.

But the thought vanished in a second. She’d never abandon a friend! Better to fight with all her might, even if it meant death!

Priority now—save Xiao Ye!

Her face paled. Her beautiful features twisted in pain. Limbs hung limp, clothes torn. Where was her usual grace?

Damn worm, daring to treat my Xiao Ye like this… unforgivable!

But how?

No—there was only one way: kill the worm king without harming Xiao Ye. “Implosion” wouldn’t work on such a huge target. This was the only option. Could she do it?

Sinan Ying focused, crafting a bubble. Control the range… one strike kill…

If bubble power ranked ten levels, this needed four or five. She’d never succeeded at that level. If she failed again…

A memory flashed—mountains collapsing. Sinan Ying froze, gaze lost. Yes… she couldn’t control her Anomaly Power well. Rushing in might kill Xiao Ye faster!

Damn it… if only she were stronger! If her past efforts had mattered, she wouldn’t be so helpless!

But regret changed nothing. What couldn’t be done, couldn’t be done.

Powerlessness filled her heart with despair…

“X-Xiao Ying…”

Her weak companion’s voice snapped her head up like an electric shock.

“Hurry… hurry up…

Trying still has a chance.

Giving up means no hope.

Do it now…

If death’s inevitable anyway…

Bet my life on it!”

Bet?

In that moment, Sinan Ying shed all doubt. No hesitation. No fear. Only one thought—save her.

Feel the Anomaly Power. Merge with it.

Elder Hong’s teachings echoed. Sinan Ying closed her eyes, mind calm as still water. She sensed the raging power within. Before, she’d tried to tame this wild horse with brute force. Now, gentle guidance mattered—not savage control…

Imagine…

If she succeeded. If she saved her. If they escaped!

Sinan Ying’s eyes snapped open, clear and determined. Spiritual energy gathered in her hands. Power adjusted—release!

A deep blue bubble floated out. No dangerous aura, no weakness. It glided through air, tracing a deep blue path, striking where the worm king met the ground.

Clang!!!

The bubble screeched. Shockwaves erupted. The impact point deformed, shattered, vanished! The blast radius expanded—then stopped abruptly inches from Xiao Ye. Perfect precision.

Power level four to five. Three-meter diameter!

Sinan Ying’s most controlled use of Anomaly Power since awakening!

---

Below, the explosion roared. The worm king shrieked. The tentacle holding me loosened. I flew out like a broken kite, crashing hard.

“Xiao Ye!”

Arms lifted me. That voice… Sinan Ying? She’d actually succeeded?

“Ha… congrats. You did it.”

“Mm…” Tears streamed down her face—joy or relief, she couldn’t tell.

“Well then,” I stood shakily. The worm king was dead. The biggest threat gone. Nothing to fear now. Just get out and wait for rescue…

But I was too naive.

A distant rumble shook the ground, mixed with beast roars.

The main force of the beast tide had arrived.