Chapter 73: Entangled Battle

With a series of sharp “slaps,” some tentacles whipped the roof, creating piercing noises. Su Li, right as the tentacles were about to strike, darted toward the edge of the roof. His feet pushed off the edge and he plummeted straight down.

All of the Nightmare Beast’s attacks missed completely.

The roof was over ten meters above the water. Su Li roared as he fell straight down, plunging into the water like a cannonball with a massive splash.

Although Su Li had no professional diving training, his body was extremely robust, several times stronger than an ordinary person’s. Falling into the water from a ten-meter height only caused his head to jolt slightly. His muscles immediately tensed, and he quickly calmed himself, instantly diving and swimming away at top speed.

He didn’t know if Ding Longyun and the other two had found the kayak or raft, nor did he know their exact location. However, they were likely safe. The Nightmare Beast was distracted by him on the roof. The time it would take for the monster to climb back down the building would give them a chance to escape.

As Su Li swam forward at full speed, he looked up and saw a huge dark shadow appear above him. The shadow grew larger instantly.

With a tremendous, earth-shaking “BOOM,” a giant splash erupted on the water surface. The surging wave engulfed Su Li, pushing him several meters away.

Su Li was stunned, unable to believe his eyes.

He had never imagined that the completely enraged Nightmare Beast would jump down after him. The monster’s colossal body fell into the water about five meters away from him.

He was lucky that the wave created by the Nightmare Beast slamming into the water had pushed him away. Otherwise, he would have been less than one meter from the monster.

“Does this beast hate me that much?” Su Li was both shocked and furious. He immediately dove deeper.

He didn’t know the Nightmare Beast’s speed in the water, but the only thing he could do now was swim as fast as possible. His target wasn’t to flee the area but to swim toward the submerged building.

He had fallen into the water less than three meters from the building’s edge. The Nightmare Beast also landed right by the building. The resulting waves had pushed him several meters sideways along the building, not away from it. He was now only about two meters away from the wall. Diving down now, he instantly reached the submerged 29th floor.

The Nightmare Beast’s tentacles were already extending toward him. Underwater, it wasn’t clumsy at all; in fact, it was more agile than on land.

Su Li cursed inwardly. He kicked his feet and shot through one of the submerged 29th floor windows.

Escaping the Nightmare Beast in the open water was nearly impossible. His only chance was to rush inside the building and use the structure’s many rooms as barriers, which might offer a slim hope of evasion.

Su Li remembered that the 29th floor was the nest of the Corpse Beasts, but he saw almost none now. They had likely been scared off by the Nightmare Beast.

Su Li shot through the window. Tentacles immediately extended into the opening, thrashing wildly, but the Nightmare Beast’s massive body couldn’t squeeze through.

Suddenly, a thunderous “CRASH” erupted. The water surface was roiled by giant waves. The wall containing the window shattered completely. The entire section of the wall collapsed.

The Nightmare Beast, having fully charged its energy, launched another ultrasonic/infrasonic attack. The wall, caught in the sonic assault, completely crumbled.

Su Li had already gained some experience. He calculated the timing as he shot through the window, guessing the Nightmare Beast was about to launch its sonic attack.

He shot through the window into the room and immediately exited through the door facing him. Although the ultrasonic/infrasonic attack was devastating, it could only shatter one wall. It couldn’t shatter two walls and hit him.

Su Li paused, listening to the tremendous explosion outside and watching the wall collapse. He saw the Nightmare Beast squeeze through the fallen wall and raise its forelimbs, preparing to attack the next wall separating them.

“If this keeps up, this building will collapse soon,” Su Li thought silently. However, the situation forced him to continue. Although the Nightmare Beast couldn’t catch him immediately, it was almost impossible for him to truly escape. In this kind of prolonged battle, he would either be caught when his stamina gave out, or the Nightmare Beast would tire first, allowing him to escape.

Considering the monster’s power, the likelihood of it tiring first was negligible.

(End of Chapter)