"It's been over an hour."
Liu Zhang's voice broke the silence.
A deep furrow lined his brow as he kept his eyes fixed on the blazing Portal ahead.
Behind them, police and ambulance sirens continued to wail.
More than an hour had passed, yet the stream of evacuees showed no sign of thinning.
"Old Yang... that S-Rank Vanguard?"
"An A-Rank Portal appeared in Jiang City."
Ruan Yang slipped his phone into his pocket and lit a cigarette.
"Didn't we notify them beforehand? Why send him there for support?"
Liu Zhang's face hardened.
"Twin Portals."
"..."
"You heard me right, Old Zhang."
Liu Zhang froze, his free hand tightening around the wrist behind his back.
Ruan Yang lowered himself onto the ground and leaned back, exhaling a cloud of pale smoke toward the sky.
Helicopters droned overhead as police announcements rolled across the evacuation zone.
The first drops of rain pattered against the pavement.
"It's raining. You two should get inside."
Guan Yu hurriedly pulled his jacket over his head.
Ring. Ring.
Ruan Yang pulled out his phone.
"Mr. Mayor, the situation is under control. Eighty percent of the city's residents have been evacuated."
"Continue as planned. Make sure everyone gets out safely."
"Understood, sir."
Beep.
The rain grew heavier.
"Old Yang, give me one."
Liu Zhang lowered himself beside Ruan Yang.
"Thought you'd quit."
Ruan Yang pulled another cigarette from the pack.
Liu Zhang said nothing, his gaze never leaving the blazing Portal.
A cigarette hovered in front of him, quivering faintly.
"..."
Only then did he lower his eyes.
He accepted it and placed it between his lips.
"Haven't seen you like this before."
"I'm getting old."
Ruan Yang glanced sideways.
The lighter rested in Liu Zhang's hand, his thumb lingering on the striker wheel.
"..."
Ruan Yang took the lighter from him.
Click.
A tiny flame flickered to life.
A thin trail of smoke curled upward.
The ash vanished into the rain.
Jeez... It's pouring, and these two old men are still sitting out here...
Guan Yu scratched his head and ducked inside.
He returned a moment later with two umbrellas.
Neither man reached for them.
Guan Yu turned toward the blazing Portal.
Then let out a quiet sigh.
*****
"Hey... doesn't the ground feel softer?"
Chen Guang panted, each step leaving a deep footprint in the earth beneath him.
"We've probably gone deeper into the swamp."
Sun Feng's voice made him glance back.
Each step she took sank ankle-deep into the mud.
"Wait... is the ground over there... boiling?"
Mei Mei cried, pointing to their right.
Countless translucent bubbles swelled across the muddy surface.
They expanded, burst, then swelled again.
"This..."
Sun Feng motioned for them to stop.
The ground ahead shifted.
It rose and fell... like the heartbeat of something buried beneath.
"This is bad. We need to get out of here."
She shoved Chen Guang and Mei Mei from behind.
"We can't move any faster! The ground's too soft!"
Chen Guang shouted back.
Before they even realized it, more than half their bodies had already sunk beneath the surface.
"Since when..."
Sun Feng frowned as she struggled against the mud.
"Stay calm. Don't move. The more you struggle, the faster you'll sink."
Chen Guang turned around, forcing himself to stay as composed as possible.
"How do you know?"
"I've been in an E-rank Portal like this before—"
"What's beneath us?"
"Something slimy just touched my leg!!!"
Mei Mei screamed.
The swamp swallowing them erupted with countless bubbles.
"It's... cold?!"
This time both Chen Guang and Sun Feng gasped.
At this point, running wasn't even an option.
He tried moving his lower body, but not even a toe would obey.
"What are you doing?!"
He whipped around.
Sun Feng had both hands clamped tightly around Mei Mei's wrists.
"I can swim. Let me—"
"Stop moving!!!"
Sun Feng shouted.
By now, the mud had already reached both their chests.
Think... There has to be a way out...
Sweat beaded across Chen Guang's forehead.
His eyes swept across the forest again and again.
"Damn it... there's nothing..."
"Your Majesty."
That voice... the fire ants?
"Where exactly am I?"
"Your Majesty, we believe you are near the center of the swamp."
"Is there any way out of this?"
"None."
"Those ones call this place... the Carnivorous Swamp."
...
For a moment, everything went silent.
"Something lives deep below."
"We remember hearing those ones call it earth cat fish."
Something clicked.
"Earth cat fish? You mean a catfish?"
"We are not certain."
"What is it like?"
"Sometimes we see the swamp ripple."
"But we have never seen it emerge."
...Wait.
Chen Guang scanned the swamp.
Every inch of muddy water rose and fell in slow waves.
Then he turned toward Sun Feng and Mei Mei.
"There's probably a creature beneath our feet."
"It can move, no, it can swim through the earth."
"You mean..."
As if reading his thoughts, Sun Feng narrowed her eyes.
"We catch it... and use it to get out of here."
Chen Guang nodded.
"It's big or small? How are we supposed to—"
"Gamble."
Sun Feng cut Mei Mei off.
Chen Guang met her gaze and forced a faint smile.
"We're counting on you."
Sun Feng answered with a slight nod.
Then both hands plunged straight into the mud, and an icy sensation swept through her body.
The ground shifted once more.
"It's coming."
The words came out as a whisper while every muscle in his body tensed, eyes locked on Sun Feng's every movement.
The ground heaved faster and faster.
"Damn it... I can't keep up with it."
Chen Guang gritted his teeth as sweat rolled down his face.
"Ahhh! It's so slimy!!!"
Mei Mei screamed, her whole body shaking.
She sank even deeper until only her shoulders remained above the surface.
"GRAB IT!!!"
Chen Guang roared.
Sun Feng's eyes darted back and forth.
Thud.
"Got it!!"
The muscles in her neck tightened as she threw all her strength into lifting both arms.
Splurt!
The ground split apart.
A massive hole burst open beside them.
Muck shot into the air.
Beneath it, two glowing dots stared back at them.
They kept growing.
"GET UP HERE!!!"
Sun Feng shouted.
She tore through the mud, sending it flying everywhere.
An enormous silhouette erupted into the sky, blasting through the dense canopy overhead.
Then—
Boom.
The massive body crashed back down.
Muddy water exploded in every direction.
Then rained back down over them.
All three threw up their arms to shield themselves.
"It stinks!"
Chen Guang spat, coughing.
"Hurry! I can't hold it much longer!"
Sun Feng yelled, both arms wrapped tightly around the creature.
Its body thrashed so hard the ground shook beneath them, spraying mud in every direction.
Sunlight glinted off its black hide.
"Whiskers... on its head?"
Chen Guang wiped the black mire from his face and stared at the gigantic creature.
"Fire ants!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Anything unusual around here?"
"We do not understand."
The fish struggled even harder.
"What are you doing?! Hurry!!!"
Sun Feng's teeth ground together.
The fire ants... they're probably only around here.
"Army ants!"
"At your command, Your Majesty."
A chorus of voices instantly echoed inside his head.
"HURRY!!! I can't hold it much longer!!!"
Sun Feng shouted, both arms trembling.
"Do you see anything unusual?"
"Unusual?"
Chen Guang clenched his jaw so hard it hurt.
"There are a few four-legged creatures."
"They aren't moving."
"Go there. Immediately."
"As you command, Your Majesty."
The voices vanished.
"CHEN GUANG!!!"
Sun Feng screamed.
The fish thrashed violently again, throwing her hands aside.
Its tail slammed into the swamp.
Mud erupted in every direction, drenching the three of them.
By the time Chen Guang regained his bearings, it had already launched itself into the air.
Then drove itself straight back down like a drill.
"Damn it!! Don't let it get away!!!"
Chen Guang roared.
Veins bulged across Sun Feng's neck as she clenched her teeth.
The fish stopped dead less than a foot from her.
Boom.
She lowered her hand.
The creature dropped with it.
Chen Guang forced his way toward Mei Mei.
Both hands plunged into the mud until they reached her waist.
"UP!!!"
He roared, pouring every ounce of strength into his arms as he lifted her free.
"Step onto my shoulders!!!"
"..."
"NOW!!!"
Chen Guang shouted.
He crouched so low that the swamp nearly swallowed him whole.
"Grab its whiskers! Hold on tight!"
Mei Mei sprawled across the creature's slick body, both hands wrapped around a whisker as thick as a rope.
Chen Guang turned to Sun Feng.
"Your turn."
Panting, he pushed himself closer.
"What about—"
"You have to control it! Hurry!"
He braced both hands against her waist before shoving her upward.
Without hesitation, Sun Feng stepped onto his shoulders and sprang onto the fish.
One hand seized a whisker.
The other reached toward Chen Guang.
"Your turn."
He stretched out with everything he had, trying to grab her hand.
Then—
His entire body became unbearably heavy.
"Something's wrapping around my leg!!!"
"You're kidding me!!!"
"Does this look like the time to joke?!!!"
Chen Guang struggled desperately.
The harder he fought, the heavier his body became.
Little by little, the swamp swallowed him.
Darkness crept into the edges of his vision.
"Sis! Save him!!!"
Mei Mei screamed.
Sweat poured from Sun Feng's face.
She bit her lip so hard that blood seeped out.
Thud.
She lunged forward and caught Chen Guang's hand just before it disappeared beneath the mud.
"Hang in there..."
A low murmur escaped her lips as warmth flowed from her hand into his.
Then, gritting her teeth, she pulled with everything she had.
What... is this pain?!?!!!!!
Chen Guang's fading consciousness snapped back.
An invisible force crushed his entire body.
It felt as though every bone in his body was being crushed inward.
Crack. Crack.
Bones creaked.
Every blood vessel felt squeezed to its limit.
His body slowly rose out of the swamp.
"Chen Guang!"
His eyes had almost rolled back into his head.
"Chen Guang!!!"
Someone... calling me?
"WAKE UP, CHEN GUANG!!!"
His eyes flew open.
Muddy water rushed into his mouth.
"HURRY... GET... UP..."
Mei Mei screamed, throwing herself forward to grab his wrist.
"Sis! Pull him up!!"
Grinding her teeth, Mei Mei pulled together with Sun Feng.
At last, Chen Guang was dragged onto the fish's back.
A mouthful of dirt and blood sprayed from his lips as he doubled over coughing.
Sun Feng's shoulders trembled.
"Are you—"
"GRAB ITS WHISKERS! HOLD ON TIGHT!!!"
Chen Guang shouted, cutting Mei Mei off.
[ACTIVATED: MONARCH PHEROMONE]
Faint golden trails stretched straight ahead.
The fish twisted violently, its tail hammering against the ground.
Chen Guang wrapped both hands tightly around one of its whiskers.
"Let it go!"
The moment Chen Guang shouted, Sun Feng released the hand pressing against the creature and grabbed its whisker instead.
Freed at last, the fish shot forward like an arrow across the swamp.
"Hold... on... tight..."
His fading shout disappeared behind the endless rows of trees.
"Keep low! Hold on to its whiskers!!"
Sun Feng shouted as the fish shot through the forest at breakneck speed.
Its massive body slammed into tree trunks, jolting the three riders clinging to its back.
"What... are those?!"
Mei Mei cried, her voice swallowed by the rushing wind.
Following her gaze, Chen Guang froze.
"White... bones?!"
Yellowed bones drifted across the undulating swamp.
Pop. Pop.
The sound of bursting bubbles echoed around them.
Columns of black mire spiraled into the air like miniature tornadoes.
Chunks of sludge splattered against the trees before raining back down over the three of them.
The fish shuddered and lowered its head.
"This is bad! It's trying to dive!!!"
Sun Feng shouted, pulling hard on its whiskers.
Chen Guang and Mei Mei did the same.
The creature writhed, its tail pounding the swamp hard enough to shake the surrounding trees.
"Damn it..."
Chen Guang gritted his teeth as the golden trail drifted farther from the fish's path.
"Get me... my knife..."
He turned toward Mei Mei, his voice nearly drowned out by the wind.
The fish thrashed harder and harder, darting wildly.
Clenching her teeth, Mei Mei reached toward the pouch on his back.
"No..."
The fish rolled.
Everything inside the pouch spilled out and vanished beneath the thick sludge.
"Damn it!!"
Chen Guang roared.
The golden trail in his vision veered sharply to the right.
"Hold on tight!!"
He drove his left fist into the fish's flank.
Glub. Glub.
The swamp bubbled as the ground churned faster.
The fish slammed its tail down, lifting its head.
Then it banked and swam toward the right.
"It worked."
Chen Guang looked at Sun Feng.
"I'll take the left. You take the right. Wait for my signal."
She nodded.
The golden trail gradually shifted toward the left.
"Right!!"
The instant he shouted, Sun Feng drove her fist into the fish's right side.
It twisted and veered left.
Chen Guang glanced at her and gave a slight nod.
"Straight ahead..."
Mei Mei cried.
A massive fallen tree blocked their path.
"Can you lift it?"
"Not in time."
Chen Guang shouted.
Sun Feng answered almost at once.
"Stay low. Hold your breath. Three seconds."
She pressed a hand against the fish.
Mei Mei looked between the two of them, clearly confused.
"Hold tight!! Hold your breath!!"
Chen Guang shoved Mei Mei's head against the fish's body.
The fish plunged straight into the ground.
Mud engulfed them.
One.
Two.
Chen Guang tightened his grip on its whiskers.
Three.
He yanked them backward.
Sun Feng pulled at the exact same moment.
Splash!
The fish burst high into the air.
Mud poured off its body like rain.
Boom.
It crashed back down, flailing wildly.
Chen Guang wiped the muck from his face.
Bracing himself, he slammed another punch into its side.
The fish whipped its tail and shot off to the right once more.
Sun Feng let out a long breath.
"This place..."
Her expression darkened.
White bones and yellowed skeletons floated everywhere around them.
The golden trail in his vision grew brighter.
"Your Majesty."
"What is it?"
"Something is approaching us at incredible speed."
The voice sounded unusually urgent.
"Scatter. Now."
"At once, Your Majesty."
It must be over there.
Chen Guang lifted his head.
Ahead lay a pitch-black stretch where not a single ray of sunlight reached.
"Watch out, we're abo—"
Crash!
Before he could finish, the fish slammed into something.
Its entire body bounced upward.
The impact flung all three of them into the air.
"AAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Mei Mei screamed, eyes squeezed shut.
Chen Guang grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms.
Every muscle in his body tensed.
His skin gradually took on a pale metallic gold sheen.
Boom.
He hit the ground hard enough to crack it beneath him.
A mouthful of bright red blood burst from his lips.
Mei Mei scrambled off him.
"Are you—"
"I'm fine... just let me lie here for a bit."
Panting heavily, Chen Guang lay sprawled across the ground, drenched in sweat.
His thoughts were a blur.
Every nerve in his body screamed in agony.
"Where's Sun Feng?"
The words came out in a shaky mumble.
Trying to lift his head only sent another wave of pain through his neck.
"I'm fine."
Sun Feng's voice came from nearby.
"Thank goodness... you're still... What's that?"
Mei Mei asked, trembling as she pointed at something by Sun Feng's feet.
"I think this is the same thing that grabbed him."
Sun Feng crouched down.
Then tossed it beside Chen Guang.
It landed less than an inch from his face.
One glance made him jerk back.
"Could you not scare people like that?!"
He shouted.
Lying beside him was a slimy arm.
Bits of flesh still clung to the moss-covered bones.
"This swamp..."
Sun Feng turned toward the rippling ground behind them.
"I think it's alive."
The Carnivorous Swamp...
Chen Guang's eyes widened.
"Then those bones..."
"They're probably what's left of the unlucky ones."
A cold wind carrying the stench of decay swept past.
Sun Feng reached down and helped Chen Guang to his feet.
"Easy... easy..."
A series of cracks echoed from inside his body.
Mei Mei hurriedly pulled out her notebook and began sketching.
A brown, undulating area appeared in the center of the forest.
Alongside it was the drawing of a fish with five twitching whiskers.
"I think we've just crossed the center of the forest."
Sun Feng stared intently at the sketch.
"Then where are we—"
Before Mei Mei could finish, a cold gust swept across the three of them.
The hairs on the back of Chen Guang's neck stood on end.
"Who... are... you?"
A voice drifted out from the unfathomable darkness ahead.
A voice...
Unlike anything they had ever heard before.