Chapter 78: Relief

This time, he finally heard it clearly. It was indeed a human voice, and it was crying out, “Help!”

Not only him, but Gong Xiao and Ding Longyun also heard it.

“Huh? Someone’s calling for help? There’s a person on this Corpse Ship.” Ding Longyun’s curiosity was piqued. Ignoring the disgusting stench of the Corpse Ship, he jumped aboard too.

The center of the Corpse Ship had sunken in, forming a large fissure. The weak cry for help was coming from this huge crack.

When Su Li peered inside, he immediately saw a man.

The man was around 30 years old. His face was deathly pale, his eyes deeply sunken and filled with despair, terror, and pain. His lips were moving like a fish’s. A single word of “help” seemed to have exhausted too much of his energy. He was panting, needing a moment to speak again.

Su Li’s heart sank as he looked at the man.

Only the man’s face and half his chest were exposed. The rest of his body was fused with the Corpse Ship, integrated with the mass of corpses.

It was a miracle that he was still alive.

“S-s-save… me…” The man saw Su Li, opened his mouth, and used the last of his remaining strength to barely manage the words. His eyes showed a desperate longing for life; he didn’t want to die.

Gong Xiao and Ding Longyun, who had climbed onto the Corpse Ship, also walked over and were shaken when they saw the man.

Ding Longyun immediately stepped forward, intending to pull the man out of the Corpse Ship.

“Don’t worry, I’ll pull you out,” Ding Longyun said, grabbing the man’s shoulder and pulling hard, attempting to wrench him free. With the tug, the man’s face instantly twisted in pain. Ding Longyun managed to pull out a pair of arms that were fused into the Corpse Ship. He suddenly noticed that chunks of flesh on the pulled-out arms were falling away like jelly, exposing the white bones inside.

The man seemed unable to feel the pain in his arms, but when he twisted his head and saw his arms melting, with chunks of flesh dropping off, terror finally registered in his eyes.

“No…” a horrified sound emerged from his mouth.

Ding Longyun, who had intended to completely pull him out of the Corpse Ship, stopped there.

He could see it now: not only was the flesh on the man’s arms melted down to the bone, but the flesh from his chest downward had completely melted and festered. He had already seen the white bones beneath the chest and could even vaguely see the internal organs. The man had become part of the Corpse Ship.

If he pulled the man out, the man would die instantly.

This was a fatal injury. Even bringing a massive amount of Spiritual Sources for him to absorb now couldn’t reverse his condition.

“S-s-save me…” The man, still unaware of his own state, stared imploringly at Ding Longyun, begging him to drag him out of the Corpse Ship.

Ding Longyun shook his head and gently let go of the man. He seemed unable to bear the sight and retreated.

Su Li watched the whole thing in silence. He knew the man was beyond saving the moment he first saw him and hadn’t tried to move him.

Seeing Ding Longyun retreat, the man’s eyes filled with terror. He used the last of his strength to shriek, “No… don’t give up… on me… please… save me… I… I don’t want to… die…” He was utterly terrified. He was afraid of being abandoned.

“Alright, I’ll save you,” Su Li suddenly said. He stepped forward and placed his hands on the man’s shoulders.

Seeing Su Li coming to his rescue, the man immediately grew excited. Gratitude welled up in his eyes, and tears streamed down his face.

Ding Longyun was stunned. He thought the man couldn’t be saved. How could Su Li help him? If he pulled the man out of the Corpse Ship, the man would die instantly. He quickly moved to stop Su Li.

Gong Xiao suddenly blocked him and quietly shook her head, signaling him not to interfere with Su Li.

Ding Longyun was confused but stopped nonetheless.

Su Li grasped the man’s shoulders and murmured, “I’m here to save you. There will be no more pain. You will be free now…”

He pulled suddenly, wrenching the man’s torso upward.

With a “rip,” a large amount of flesh and internal organs from the man’s chest downward detached completely, leaving only a white spinal column pulled out of the Corpse Ship.

The man’s look of excited joy instantly froze on his face. His mouth opened slightly, as if he wanted to say something, and a look of confusion appeared in his eyes before turning into a blank stare.

Just as Ding Longyun had guessed, the man died the moment Su Li pulled him from the Corpse Ship. He had already become a part of the ship, and leaving it meant his death.

“You’re rescued. You won’t feel pain or despair ever again…”

Su Li murmured. He gently lowered the nameless man and reached out to close his wide, vacant eyes.

Ding Longyun sighed deeply. At this moment, he understood Su Li’s intention.

The man was beyond saving. Rather than letting him continue his painful struggle there, it was better to give him the hope of life and then end his suffering at his most excited moment. At least he died with hope and excitement, which was far better than dying tormented by pain and despair.

Gong Xiao glanced deeply at Su Li. Her eyes held a strange expression. She felt that this man constantly surprised her.

She had initially assumed Ding Longyun, as the only Level 4 Spiritual Source Wielder, was the most capable among them. Being an accomplished woman, she admired strength and was drawn to Ding Longyun.

But after just half a day of interaction, she realized that Su Li was the truly formidable one. His performance during their underwater exploration, and his courage and decisiveness when he lured the Nightmare Beast away alone, were far superior to anything she or Ding Longyun could do.

Even though Ding Longyun was one level higher, he seemed overshadowed when compared to Su Li.

“Let’s go.”

Su Li turned to walk away. Seeing Ding Longyun and Gong Xiao still standing silently, he smiled brightly and said, “What are you doing standing around? Don’t you guys feel hungry?”

His question made Ding Longyun realize they hadn’t eaten dinner yet and were long past being hungry. Given the nauseating scene before them, he hadn’t thought about food, but Su Li’s reminder brought the hunger pangs back.

“You’ve got some nerve, thinking about eating in this situation,” Ding Longyun said, shaking his head. He looked impressed by Su Li.

Su Li looked up at the three-story building exposed above the water. “The Nightmare Beast damaged quite a few areas. This building probably won’t hold up for much longer.”

(End of Chapter)