At the same time, Bai Ya had already left the fifth floor of the mall. Even if Yue Ge returned to this side of the real world, he wouldn’t find her there. The reason was simple: the floor had been smashed through by the mole-like monster. She’d been forced to follow it through the tunnel it dug.
Though the mole—a mere Hazard-class creature—couldn’t pierce Bai Ya’s defenses, she struggled to pin it down. Not because she couldn’t break its guard, but because her "commands" couldn’t match its speed. That massive body moved with shocking agility, vanishing across an entire floor in the blink of an eye.
If Bai Ya hadn’t been exceptionally resilient, this monster would’ve overwhelmed her. Even among Hazards, it ranked high—normally requiring several Chosen Ones to subdue. Alone, she could barely contain it. The Organization had ordered her to capture it alive. If necessary, they’d let her level the entire mall.
Capturing it was far harder than killing it. Even Bai Ya’s patience wore thin after the mole slipped through her fingers multiple times, burrowing right under her nose. Only concern for Yue Ge and Little Ash inside the mall stopped her from warping the entire floor, crushing the mole into the earth. She *could* do it—exhausting, but possible.
Unconsciously, she chased the mole back to the first floor. Like a game of cat-and-mouse, Bai Ya pursued while the mole fled. It couldn’t escape the mall’s perimeter; electrified fences sealed the outer walls and even the underground levels. If it stupidly charged one, Bai Ya’s job would be easier.
"Where did it vanish this time?" Bai Ya moved between shops, carefully suppressing her aura to avoid spooking the creature.
Compared to upper floors, the first level remained relatively intact. Most stores stood undamaged, roller shutters still up, lights still on. Given the mole’s size, spotting it here should’ve been easy.
Yet after circling the entire floor, Bai Ya found no trace of the mole—only another upward passage hidden in a corner shop.
"Run again… endless game." She ruffled her hair and stepped into the dark tunnel. The far exit was blocked, likely by the mole itself. They’d played this chase countless times since their first clash, when the mole realized it stood no chance against her.
Halfway through the tunnel, Bai Ya froze. Trouble had found her.
Somehow, the mole had interconnected all the passages. Standing at a fork with at least three branching paths, she couldn’t tell which route it took. Worse, wasting time on wrong choices would only prolong this.
Bai Ya sighed and picked a path at random. The Organization had already disabled all mall cameras—no records could remain. No outside help was possible.
She’d find Little Ash first, then let it track the mole. Alone, she’d never catch it. If she recalled correctly, Yue Ge had taken Little Ash to the fourth floor. *I should’ve given him a phone,* she thought belatedly. *Now we can’t even contact each other.*
In her fully activated state, Bai Ya didn’t need stairs. Her ability lifted her effortlessly upward. Back on the fourth floor, she searched until spotting Little Ash curled asleep on a chair in a corner.
"You really have zero sense of crisis…" Bai Ya sighed, gently lifting the creature. "Where’s Yue Ge? Not here?"
Little Ash blinked up at her, then shook its head.
"Huh? Really gone? Where could he be?" Bai Ya frowned.
Little Ash yawned, jumped down, and crouched still. After a long pause, it shook its head again.
"Can’t find him… Fine. We’ll deal with that pest mole first." Bai Ya bent to scoop up Little Ash—
***CRASH!***
A violent explosion echoed from above. Bai Ya stiffened, her expression darkening. She knew exactly what it meant. Little Ash nodded grimly. Only one thing caused that much noise: the mole was fighting something upstairs.
No time to hesitate. Bai Ya snapped her fingers. The ceiling shattered. She shot upward, orienting herself toward the chaos.
*He hasn’t learned to control his Essence yet. This could go badly.* Powerful Essences were prone to spiraling out of control—especially aggressive ones like Yue Ge’s. Unleashing it without restraint could trigger another accident like the one during his absorption.
She’d planned to wait until they reached a new base, with stabilizers ready, before letting him adapt slowly. That’s how *she’d* done it. Now, beyond her control, she could only pray nothing went wrong.
---
Yue Ge didn’t understand what had happened. He woke to a world drained of color—only shades of gray, white, and black remained, flickering like an old television broadcast. The Death Aura that had once threatened to drown him now coiled around him like subjects kneeling before their sovereign. He felt it: this death obeyed his will.
Then—movement. Something lunged at him. Instinctively, he turned and blocked.
Recognition flashed. The monster from earlier. No time to wonder why it was here. Without thinking, he gripped its claw, raised his hand, and sliced the air with his fingers. It felt natural. Effortless. Like breathing.
A single thought was all it took.
Black vapor surged, condensing into a massive scythe midair. It slammed down, cleaving the mole’s body and pinning it to the ground. The creature’s wail echoed like a sob, its huge frame trembling uncontrollably. Yue Ge stepped onto its claw, then walked up its shuddering body.
