63: Aren't you ashamed?

Inside the Secret Realm, central area.

A three-meter-tall Diamond Demon was running quickly inside the mountain stream. Running ahead of it was a Long-Nosed Strength Tapir whose body was half-covered in blood and walked with a limp. High in the air, a Thunder Dragonfly was swaying precariously, guarding them and occasionally releasing lightning bolts far behind it.

Several thick metal back spikes grew on the Diamond Demon's back. Lying in the angle between the spikes and its back was a person wearing City Defense Force combat gear. He seemed heavily injured and had fallen into a coma.

Sitting on the Diamond Demon's shoulder were three people, pale-faced and still reeling from shock and anger. They occasionally looked back, their eyes filled with panic, as if something was chasing them.

This group was none other than Jin Feng and his two companions.

“Why hasn't Xie Ning arrived yet? If he doesn't come soon, he'll be collecting our corpses!” Ye Chong said anxiously.

Jin Feng was also highly agitated, but he still comforted him: “Don't worry, he will definitely come. Did you forget what that officer said earlier? A large number of people came in to hunt the examinees. Maybe Xie Ning and the others ran into them too.”

“How can I not worry? Yingying is already injured, and the Demon Tamers Beast's injuries aren't light either. If they catch up to us again, we'll truly be doomed.”

“With Xie Ning and Miss Lu's strength, dealing with them definitely won't be a problem. As long as they arrive, we'll be saved. Just hold on a little longer.” Zhan Yingying held her dislocated shoulder, cold sweat beading on her face, but she gritted her teeth, didn't cry out in pain, and even comforted Ye Chong in turn.

As they spoke, the Demon Tamers Beast quickly crossed the stream and ran toward the exit of the mountain gorge. Faint sounds of pursuit could be heard behind them, growing closer and closer.

The Thunder Dragonfly rallied, condensing a basketball-sized sphere of lightning, and sent it backward.

Midway, the lightning sphere was struck by flames and shattered. The remaining flames, their momentum undiminished, pierced the Thunder Dragonfly's wing like a long arrow, causing it to lose its ability to fly. After a fierce flapping struggle, it crashed down into a pile of rocks.

“Little Lei!” Zhan Yingying cried out, gritted her teeth, and jumped down from the Diamond Demon.

“Yingying!”

“What are you doing?!”

Jin Feng and Ye Chong were startled and quickly shouted.

“You guys go first, I'll hold them off!” Zhan Yingying said without turning her head.

Watching Zhan Yingying's retreating figure, Ye Chong forcefully slapped his thigh and shouted unwillingly, “What the hell is this supposed to be?! A perfectly fine Secret Realm Trial has turned into hunting down examinees!”

After speaking, he abruptly stood up and also jumped down.

“Vigor Tapir, follow me!” Ye Chong finished, rushing toward Zhan Yingying's location. “Little Jinzi, leave that officer to you. You must hold out until Xie Ning arrives! I'm done playing the coward; I'm going to fight!”

“Ye Chong!” Jin Feng's eyes were bloodshot with fury and reluctance, but he gritted his teeth, turned around, and urged the Diamond Demon forward.

Right now, this Soldier's life was more important than the lives of the three of them!

Zhan Yingying glared at the approaching Ye Chong: “Are you crazy?! What are you doing playing the lone hero?!”

“Heh heh~ Aren't you too?” Ye Chong chuckled, listening to the approaching footsteps. “I've been suffocating with frustration this whole time. If we have to die today, then taking one down is good, two is breaking even, and three is pure profit.”

Zhan Yingying sighed: “Fine, I guess I have a slightly better impression of you now.”

Ye Chong grinned, his dark face looking exactly like an advertisement for a certain brand of toothpaste.

Just then, a rustling sound came from the distant woods, followed by a five-meter-tall, deep cyan Tyrant Dragon emerging.

“Tired of running? Little brats.”

Sitting on the Tyrant Dragon's back was a Black-Robed Person. His hood was down, revealing a face covered in stubble, and he was looking mockingly at Ye Chong and his companion.

“Run? Run your grandma's leg! I was waiting for you here!” Ye Chong cursed under his breath, though his eyes darted around.

Zhan Yingying whispered, “Strange, why is there only one?”

The Black-Robed Person seemed to know what they were thinking and said, “Stop looking. Since this is a hunt, I wouldn’t be stupid enough to just chase from behind. If you hadn’t stopped, maybe you would have met my companions a few minutes later.”

“What!” Ye Chong and Zhan Yingying's expressions changed, becoming even gloomier.

“No more nonsense with you two. I need to kill you quickly so I can chase the escaping rat.” The Black-Robed Person finished, patting the Tyrant Dragon's back.

The Tyrant Dragon roared furiously and charged over, its two small foreclaws clenched tightly.

The heavy thudding of its footsteps struck the hearts of the two people with every step, mirroring their own frantic heartbeats.

“Thunder Dragonfly, use Electric Spear!”

“Vigor Tapir, entangle it!”

The Thunder Dragonfly stood up, lightning condensing on its back, forming a long spear that shot across the space with a 'whoosh' and stabbed toward the Tyrant Dragon. At the same time, the Vigor Tapir also howled, pounced forward, and its long, powerful nose contracted, spraying out a highly compressed Water Gun.

The Tyrant Dragon let out a long roar, brought its two small foreclaws together, grabbed the Electric Spear, and crushed it, causing the spear to dissipate into the air. It then met the Water Gun head-on without dodging, and after being hit, it merely scratched itself with a small claw.

The Black-Robed Person sneered, “Truly courting death. I'll let you see what real strength is.”

After speaking, the Tyrant Dragon took a deep breath, its abdomen swelling. When it opened its mouth again, a wave of foul-smelling, fierce flames swept toward the Vigor Tapir.

“Dodge quickly!”

The Vigor Tapir hurriedly dashed a few steps sideways, but it was still burned slightly, letting out a painful howl. After struggling through the flames, it rushed in front of the Tyrant Dragon, its long nose bursting forth to lash fiercely at the Tyrant Dragon's body.

Roar!

The Tyrant Dragon cried out in pain, spun around, and its python-like tail lashed out at the Vigor Tapir, sending it flying backward. It smashed rocks everywhere and fell into the stream, struggling a few times before failing to get up.

“Is that all the strength you have? Then you may die.”

The Black-Robed Person looked nonchalant, as if he were doing something utterly trivial.

“Damn it!”

Ye Chong and Zhan Yingying gritted their teeth, filled with unwillingness, but they also understood that the gap in strength between the two sides was too vast—it was not something effort could overcome.

For a moment, the two exchanged glances, seeing despair reflected in each other's eyes.

Gazing at the Tyrant Dragon approaching step by step, both of them couldn't help but tremble, their faces deathly pale.

After all, they were just students who hadn't seen much bloodshed yet.

Suddenly, the Black-Robed Person seemed to remember something. He pointed toward where the Long-Nosed Strength Tapir had fallen, and the Tyrant Dragon turned accordingly.

“I just remembered, killing you outright is too easy. How dare you meddle in others' business! You made me get scolded.”

Hearing the Black-Robed Person's words, Ye Chong was instantly alarmed. He didn't have time to think and quickly ran toward the Long-Nosed Strength Tapir: “Vigor Tapir, run!”

“Get up quickly! Run!”

Ye Chong, with a slight choke in his voice, rushed toward the Vigor Tapir, but his speed was far slower than the Tyrant Dragon's. The Long-Nosed Strength Tapir was struggling hard but couldn't get up.

Before he had run a few steps, the Tyrant Dragon arrived at the Long-Nosed Strength Tapir's location.

“Hmm? Still struggling? How painful. Let me send you off.”

As his voice fell, the commanded Tyrant Dragon raised its large foot and stomped down violently.

“Vigor Tapir!!!”

Ye Chong's eyes were wide open, bloodshot and glistening with tears. His distorted expression made him look utterly desperate.

Further away, Zhan Yingying closed her eyes, tightly hugging the Thunder Dragonfly, unable to bear watching.

Just then, a voice rang out:

“Um... excuse me, did you guys embarrass yourselves?”