Chapter 40 I’m Late

Chapter 40: I Am Late

"Put him down."

The voice, carried on the wind and sand, repeated itself, imbued with an undeniable authority.

It was the inherent oppressive presence of a high-level Sentinel!

But Fang Ran’s heart, which had been suspended in dread, seemed to plummet in an instant.

It wasn't Fu Zhangzhou.

His nails involuntarily dug into his palms.

Even though this was someone who could save him, Fang Ran felt a flicker of disappointment.

He scoffed, shaking his head, finding his own thoughts utterly absurd.

But Zheng Mingyu...

Why had he suddenly appeared here?

The howling wind around him grew even more violent.

Though he couldn't see, the fierce wind whistled past his ears, its terrifying, energy-laden gusts sweeping over his back, causing Fang Ran to curl up in pain.

"Put him down!"

Zheng Mingyu’s angry voice rang out again.

No one answered him, but screams erupted all around. The Sentinel carrying him was breathing raggedly, constantly leaping and changing direction as if under a furious and relentless assault.

He remembered that Zheng Mingyu’s ability was wind-based, incredibly fast.

Although this group was of a high rank, the male lead’s fighting strength was not to be underestimated.

Was there still hope of rescue?

Suddenly, a nearby Sentinel shouted:

"Get moving! We’ll hold him off!"

The Sentinel carrying him paused, nimbly leaped a few steps, changed direction, and fled.

The brutal jolting resumed.

Constant up-and-down movements rattled Fang Ran’s head until it rang, his stomach churning so violently he almost retched.

The sounds of fighting behind them grew increasingly distant—Zheng Mingyu was clearly being held back.

Damn it!

A thread of despair suddenly rose within him.

This area was so vast, and these people were clearly prepared...

If they deliberately hid him, it would be impossible to find him.

What should he do?

Suddenly, an odd sensation flashed through Fang Ran’s Spiritual Sea.

Anxiety boiled up instantly from the depths of his heart.

Agitation, unease, a desire to tear everything apart...

Those emotions felt alien yet churned in his mind, raging across his Spiritual Sea.

Fang Ran’s Spiritual Sea was an expanse of green grass, where something seemed to have taken root and was about to break through the soil.

His breathing quickened uncontrollably, the energy in his Spiritual Sea swelling until it felt ready to burst.

A pair of dark eyes suddenly appeared in the darkness before him.

"Fu Zhangzhou?"

It was as if something vibrated in time with his heartbeat.

A surge of psychic energy flowed out from his Spiritual Sea.

The next moment, a powerful wind whipped up again beside Fang Ran.

His heart raced wildly.

Was this an illusion?

The wind-blown gravel struck his arm, burning sharply.

Fang Ran instinctively jerked his arm back.

It wasn’t an illusion!

The wind gradually grew more violent, its howling louder, and an oppressive energy swept through the area.

Had Zheng Mingyu caught up?

No!

This was far more violent and commanding than Zheng Mingyu’s power earlier.

It was as if it wanted to obliterate everything, to churn and shred everything to pieces.

The Sentinel carrying him clearly sensed something wrong and picked up his leaping pace even further.

Fang Ran heard his breathing grow heavier, as if he had reached his breaking point.

Now!

He shook the tranq dart in his sleeve, and the syringe slid into his hand.

Judging the position, Fang Ran raised his bound hands and drove with all his strength at the back of the Sentinel’s neck.

"Ah!"

The Sentinel screamed and reflexively flung him off.

A whirling, disorienting spin.

Fang Ran slammed hard into the ground, tumbled twice, and skidded forward. The searing pain from the impact left him briefly stunned and disoriented.

His back was a bloody mess, the searing pain rapidly spreading through his mind.

Fang Ran snapped into alertness.

He could finally see some light!

The blindfold had come loose when he fell to the ground earlier.

There were still no stars or moon in the sky, surrounded by a thin mist and deadly stillness, with only scattered specks of fluorescence shimmering from the mutant plants in the grass.

By this faint glow, Fang Ran clambered upright.

Behind him, the Sentinels were cursing loudly, as if they were about to lunge any second.

He ran forward frantically.

Perhaps it was the adrenaline, or maybe the tranquilizer in the Sentinels’ system was starting to take effect—the sounds behind him grew fainter.

But Fang Ran didn’t dare look back.

His hands were still bound, his center of gravity unstable. He nearly lost his balance multiple times.

There was a thicket ahead!

It was as tall as a person, seemingly mixed with a large number of glowing mutant plants, radiating a psychedelic glow from within.

Like a sanctuary emitting holy light in the darkness.

Fang Ran felt as if something had captivated him, and he ran desperately toward it.

Just as he was about to charge in, a sudden wind whipped up from all sides, rooting him to the spot, making it impossible to move forward.

It was as if a voice in his heart told him to stop.

Fang Ran opened his eyes, touched his wind-stung cheeks, and slowly adjusted his breathing.

What had just happened?

Then the wind gradually died down.

Faintly, a scent drifted to him.

Black locust flowers?

Why was there the scent of black locust flowers here too?

Shit!

He had actually forgotten that in the wilds of such a mutated zone, the greatest danger wasn’t the Sentinels who had captured him, but the mutated flora and fauna.

Fang Ran warily edged backward but found his feet entangled by something.

He hurriedly looked down.

Several slender tendrils had wrapped around his ankles, stretching deep into the thicket.

In panic, Fang Ran kicked wildly.

But losing his balance, he tumbled backward.

Sudden weightlessness seized him, panic rising.

At the same time, a streak of fire streaked across his vision, crashing into the thicket ahead.

Instead of the expected pain, the bindings around his ankles loosened.

"Boom!"

The fire exploded in the thicket.

A wave of blazing, wild energy broke Fang Ran’s fall.

He fell into an embrace.

A searing, familiar heat enveloped him, and Fang Ran instinctively gripped the person’s clothes.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm late."

Their gazes locked suddenly.

In the Sentinel’s eyes were panic, unease, and an indescribable, complex, and turbulent emotion.

Fang Ran suddenly almost laughed.

Could Fu Zhangzhou—usually so detached and arrogant—actually be afraid?

What took you so long?

But Fang Ran lacked the strength to demand answers.

The tension in his heart seemed to shatter all at once, his eyelids growing heavy.

He blinked slowly.

His consciousness felt like it was treading on cotton, teetering; the world grew hazy and unreal.

Fu Zhangzhou looked down, studying intently the person in his arms.

He reached out and placed a hand over Fang Ran’s eyes.

"Sleep."