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墨書 Inktalez
I could feel the bullets whizzing around me, flames spreading across the Ceiling and Cave Wall. It must have been a Fire Oil Bomb thrown by the Hakka People. I had no idea what materials it was made from, but it clung to the Cave Wall, burning and releasing immense heat, dripping down like molten asphalt onto the Ground.
The intense fire kept the Long-Tailed Monsters away from the entrance, but I couldn't stay there for even a second. Thankfully, despite the high temperature, the rope I was holding onto hadn’t caught fire. I gripped it tightly and slid down at nearly free-fall speed. My palms quickly wore raw, and my body repeatedly slammed against the steep stone walls.
At that moment, my mind felt hazy, overwhelmed by fear of the Flames erupting around me and the chaos of the scene. I lost control over both my surroundings and myself. After one of my legs took a heavy hit, I finally became aware enough to tighten my grip on the rope, slowing my descent slightly.
However, it seemed I wasn't the only one panicking. Just as I began to slow down, someone above stepped on my head and kicked me downwards. I fell with a thud, feeling as if my entire body had shattered. But that wasn’t the end; another person landed on top of me, descending even faster than I had. The impact knocked the breath out of me.
I experienced a brief moment of dizziness; my mind was still foggy, but I knew I shouldn’t remain lying there. Despite the sharp pain from what felt like broken bones, reason compelled me to roll over and get back up.
Just as I stood up, a shadow fell rapidly from above, landing right where I had just been lying. I looked up to see a Hakka Person who had taken quite a fall; he was twitching on the ground.
Cold sweat broke out on my forehead. If I hadn’t reacted quickly, that twitching figure would have been me.
At that moment, another Hakka Person appeared—likely the one who had landed on me. Thanks to me acting as a cushion for him, he seemed unscathed. In no time at all, he was drawing his bow and arrow. He crouched down to check on his companion but didn’t offer any help; instead, he dragged him aside to lean against the stone wall before turning to run off. He probably thought his companion was out of danger.
What frustrated me was that despite bearing his entire weight, I received no thanks in return—not even a glance in my direction. This guy completely ignored my presence from start to finish.
Watching his retreating figure, I cursed under my breath. Despite my loud outburst, the chaotic environment swallowed my words, leaving no one to hear me.
I had no time for further lamentations. Every slight movement sent cold sweat coursing through my body in pain, yet I had to keep shifting positions. I staggered and swayed across the ground like a drunken man. Aside from the immobile Hakka People, everyone else was constantly on the move.
The area engulfed in flames was extensive. From the flickering light, it was clear that a White Phosphorus Incendiary Grenade had detonated. The flames were fixed in place and scattered, with considerable distance between them. Although the heat from the White Phosphorus Incendiary Grenade was intense, as long as I kept my distance, I would remain unharmed.
However, the fire dripping from the ceiling was unpredictable and dangerous. I leaped and dodged among the White Phosphorus Fireworks, constantly avoiding both the falling flames and the scattered bursts of fire. While this oily fire wasn’t as terrifying as White Phosphorus itself, any drops that landed on me would be impossible to extinguish, leaving me to watch helplessly as I became a living candle.
In addition to people, Long-Tailed Monsters were also weaving through the White Phosphorus Flames. These creatures were far less intelligent than humans and crucially unaware of the dangers posed by White Phosphorus. As I evaded the dripping fire from above, I made sure not to step into the White Phosphorus Fireworks; I knew that in this situation, contact with White Phosphorus would be fatal—only by burning it off could one hope to extinguish it.
Long-Tailed Monsters often stumbled into the White Phosphorus Fireworks while trying to avoid the dripping oil fire, many of them turning into torches themselves, running aimlessly and desperately. This added another hazard for me to dodge.
Suddenly, a flash caught my eye; judging by its brightness, it had to be from a One-Eyed Beast Flashlight. I turned my face away just as an even brighter beam struck me directly in the eyes. It felt blindingly bright. I cursed at that direction with all my might, and then the flashlight flickered out.
Not far away, in a relatively open area, several figures sat or crouched in a circle with their backs turned toward me. The flames surrounding them towered high above; unless they signaled me, I wouldn’t have noticed them unless I ran right up to them.
Though I couldn’t make out their faces clearly, I could identify their weapons by the sound of gunfire. Clearly, none of them were using bows or arrows. At least Jack was among them; the rapid-fire sound of his 16-round bursts was unmistakable.
It felt like seeing family again. Humans have a tendency to flock together, especially in times of danger; they prefer to stay close to their kind even if it doesn’t alleviate their peril.
Of course, I shared this trait too. But my need was more immediate; my body felt like it had fallen apart. I could clearly feel at least two fractures—one finger bone was broken, and several ribs were likely fractured as well; severe pain radiating from my ribcage suggested that a Hakka Person had smashed my ribs. I needed to get closer to my own people for protection.
I immediately moved toward that direction. There was no fear of losing my way; even without the guidance of the One-Eyed Beast Flashlight, Jack’s gunfire provided enough direction. I silently rejoiced at having found my group so quickly.
As I maneuvered around a cluster of larger White Phosphorus Flames, I realized my luck had run out. A Long-Tailed Monster, whether lost or struck by Jack's shot, was rapidly fleeing from the sound of gunfire and collided head-on with me as I turned away from the flames.
We both froze in shock, just five meters apart. I cursed under my breath, not at the creature that couldn't understand human language, but at my own bad fortune.
However, I didn't turn to run; that would have been futile. I estimated that the moment I turned my back, my head would be crushed by the Long-Tailed Monster. There was no chance of outrunning it, so I had no choice but to confront it.
Recognizing my situation clearly, I didn't discard my handgun. Even when I nearly suffocated in the stone chamber, I found it and brought it with me. At that moment, it became my only hope.
Faced with the massive creature, I didn't wait for it to make the first move. In the instant we locked eyes, I raised my gun. Aiming and pulling the trigger happened almost simultaneously.
(To Be Continued)
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