The opened boot stomped heavily on the piled dead leaves, stopped, then hesitated to retract, making a soft rustling sound. In the dimness, it was as if a silent beast lurked, a tattered cloak being pulled from the shadows, wrapping around the boy like a gray flag. He adjusted his broken spectacles and carefully turned his head back.

The heavy footsteps drew nearer, mingled with cursing and the barking of dogs, the clinking of iron chains, and the light from torches seemed to faintly penetrate the thick underbrush.

He instinctively hugged the sword in his hands tightly to his chest as if it were his only hope.

Indeed, that was the only hope.

Tears couldn't be stopped from rolling down, passing over the scraped cheeks, he opened his mouth wide, gasping for air, yet dared not make a sound.

It was already very close, just a little bit more—

A hand reached out from the darkness, somewhat pale and slender, extending in front of him.

The boy, as if seeing a vision, gazed up blankly.

"He, Hes...?"

The girl reached out her hand, standing in front of him, her eyes filled with a faint smile.

The boy almost collapsed to the ground, but the girl seemed to have anticipated this and stepped forward to support him.

With tears not yet dried, the boy opened his mouth wide in shock as he stared at the seemingly dreamlike figure, forgetting for a moment that his glasses had slipped from the bridge of his nose and fallen among the soft leaves.

The girl grabbed his hand and said, "This way, follow me."

"But, you..."

"Shh, don't ask."

She dragged him by the wrist into the thicket.

The two of them walked farther and farther away.

In the darkness, only a black cat with a swaying tail remained, its amber pupils fixed on the figures within the forest. Then it lowered its head and gently rubbed its cheek against the glasses amidst the fallen leaves—

...

Another boot, covered in scratches, stomped heavily on the piled dead leaves and stopped. Fang Hong picked up the broken spectacles from the leaves with some perplexity and held them up. The fires in the sky pierced through the dark forest, and with the help of the light, he examined them closely.

They were Hudi's glasses.

"Miss Spoon!" Tianlan suddenly called out in a low voice.

Everyone turned around, only to see a shadow in the bush. Tianlan turned back, grasping Gita's and Fang Hong's hands somewhat urgently, "Did you see that? It was a cat."

"Of course, I saw it, but that was a male cat—it had such long whiskers—ouch!" Parker's short hair was grabbed by Tianlan. "Parker, if you talk nonsense, I'm going to get angry!"

"But has it been following us all the time?" Gita blinked slowly, looked at Atira in Fang Hong's arms, and asked.

Fang Hong slowly shook his head.

Suddenly, he took a step back and stood in front of Gita.

Gita was slightly stunned, tilting her young face up, "Brother Ade?"

"Wait, don't you feel something is off?" Red Leaf suddenly asked in a low voice.

The others stopped as well.

Recall was the first to take down the Longbow from behind his cloak, his brows slightly furrowed, showing a puzzled expression as he surveyed around, though he seemed somewhat uncertain.

"What is it?"

"Is the Forest too quiet?" Tianlan released Parker's hair, asking somewhat fearfully.

"Not that..." Red Leaf carefully raised her head.

Fang Hong also raised his head at the same moment.

Among the pine treetops, the night sky was faintly wine-red, speckled with Mars, with smoke billowing in the Lower City Area, but besides that, nothing seemed unusual.

But what was missing?

"...Where's the Barrier?" Red Leaf's voice suddenly trembled slightly as she asked softly.

Fang Hong just felt a twinge in his heart, turning his head back.

Recall suddenly cried out in a low voice, "Watch out!" He charged forward abruptly, pushing Red Leaf out of the way as a long Strange Shadow came hurtling through the darkness, colliding directly with him.

The creature let out a piercing screech, carrying Recall a few dozen feet away, crashing loudly into an ancient pine tree nearby. The trunk cracked, shaking violently as pine needles fluttered down.

"Captain!" Red Leaf, getting up from the ground, saw this scene, her eyes filled with rage. "Annihilator—!" She placed both hands on the square Crystal on her chest and shouted furiously, drawing a long blue line in the darkness.

The blue line slowly extended, opening to both sides.

A spinning cube materialized from the void.

Red Leaf pointed forward, and a golden line shot towards the woman near Recall.

Nikopolas—or rather, the incarnation of Dragon's Golden Eyes—looked back indifferently, swiping her claw nonchalantly and shattering the golden line into glittering light dust.

The Knights all raised their Weapons, pointing at the terrifying woman.

"Run—" Recall, held by Nikopolas against the tree trunk, blood gushing from his chest, his breath weak, he looked down, barely whispering to the others.

"Captain!"

"I told you—" Recall lifted his head, his face covered in blood, looking fierce, he opened his mouth, showing canine teeth, and with all his strength, he roared, "Get out of here!"

The Knights simultaneously took a step back, looked at their Captain, hesitated for a moment, then gritted their teeth and turned to leave.

"Thinking of running?" The incarnation of Dragon's Golden Eyes sneered, let go, and turned around, spreading her wings to give chase.

But a bloodied hand suddenly grabbed her shoulder. The incarnation of Dragon's Golden Eyes paused for a moment, turned around, and saw the staggering man raise his head and smile at her.

"I'm not dead yet, Miss Nicopolis." Recall coughed and said.

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