Chapter 68: Oh No, I've Rescued a Little Chatterbox!

The massive ghoul let out two low growls. All the ghouls brandished their bone clubs and lunged at the short-haired girl.

“That’s right, I’m beating you up with sheer numbers. Why would I bother with a one-on-one?” Wang Chen sighed.

He swung the Forest Gale in his hand, the tip of the staff emitting a point of light that adhered to the girl’s torso.

“Paralysis!”

Threads of light, crystalline as piano wire, were pulled taut by Wang Chen’s hands. The girl, who had braced herself to take a few ghouls down with her before dying, suddenly felt an immense force gripping her torso.

She cried out in surprise as her body was yanked up, soaring out of the ghouls’ encirclement.

Seeing her break free, Wang Chen immediately released the threads, leaped down from the tree canopy, rolled to absorb the impact, and sprang up with agility.

His movements were smooth and fluid, reminiscent of an assassin from a brotherhood.

As the ghouls’ gazes followed the girl, they now turned their attention to him. Their confused expressions clearly questioned: Is there another expert?

Wang Chen looked at them coldly, swinging the Forest Gale as if about to unleash a world-ending incantation. However—

“Power of Haste!”

The staff tip flared with a stagnant brilliance, distorting the air in ripples that swept over the ghouls. Their movements visibly slowed.

In truth, I’m preparing to run!

Having cast his spell, Wang Chen turned and fled. Spotting the girl still sitting dazed on the ground, he shouted,

“What are you waiting for? If you stay, you’ll just end up as another dish at the ghoul family banquet! Run!”

He didn’t concern himself with the girl’s reaction, sprinting for his life.

It was enough to get her out of the circle; he couldn’t possibly carry her as well. What could be done had been done, so now he let go of any notions of heroism, respecting the fate of others.

Thinking this, he suddenly heard another set of footsteps beside him.

His heart tightened; he turned to glance.

“Hero! The way you spun around and bolted just now was so cool!”

The short-haired girl was running alongside him, her face alight with excitement.

“Uh, you managed to catch up pretty quickly.” Wang Chen replied awkwardly.

Why did he always feel this girl was a bit unhinged?

“Of course! My class is Shadow Thief—I specialize in agility and stealth.”

The girl declared with pride.

To think someone who tumbled from a tree and attracted ghouls would so shamelessly boast!

Wang Chen’s mind raced with retorts, but focused on escaping, he didn’t waste his energy and kept silent.

“Hero, don’t ignore me!” The girl, seeing Wang Chen unresponsive, looked genuinely anxious.

“I haven’t spoken to anyone in ages, I’m about to explode. Please, just talk to me for a bit!”

“Or is it some side effect of your skill? Like that move you used to fling me out of the circle?”

Her questions came at him like a barrage, relentless. Now it was clear she had the traits of her class: running while chattering non-stop, yet her breath barely faltered.

“Hey! Why won’t you talk to me?” The girl’s voice rose in discontent, her expression aggrieved.

Wang Chen, exasperated, finally spoke:

“We’re running for our lives here—could you show a little urgency?”

The girl paused, then a look of sudden realization dawned on her face. She agreed,

“Oh, right.”

Right, indeed!

What else did she think they were sprinting for—a fog island marathon?

As if to heighten their sense of peril, a powerful tremor rumbled behind them.

Wang Chen felt the ground shake so violently, he was momentarily bounced mid-stride.

“What’s happening behind us? Are they catching up?” Wang Chen asked urgently.

As a support class, his stamina couldn’t match the girl’s effortless pace, so he hoped she’d look back.

Unexpectedly, she twisted her body to run backward, utterly unfazed, her movements as coordinated as if she were floating rather than running—forward, backward, it made no difference.

“No, they’re not catching up,” the girl replied.

Wang Chen felt a bit relieved. “So what’s causing the tremors?”

“It’s that big brute, chasing us. Probably three hundred meters behind,” she answered casually.

“Huh? Didn’t you say they weren’t catching up?” Wang Chen asked in confusion.

“They aren’t, just the big one is chasing us,” she muttered.

“…Impressive.”

Wang Chen, in this life and the last, rarely found himself speechless to such a degree.

Could a bodhisattva please take this madwoman away!

Even amidst his frustration, he remembered they were still in danger.

“My spell’s cooldown is nearly up. Soon, I’ll cast another acceleration spell—should help us shake it off…”

Before he could finish, the girl yelled, “Hero, dodge left!”

She didn’t give him a chance to react, barreling into his right side and pushing him left.

Off balance, Wang Chen tumbled aside.

“What are you doing…”

Just as he steadied himself, ready to complain, he saw a massive bone club crash down where they’d been standing moments before.

Looking behind, he saw the gigantic ghoul, its arm slowly retracting from the throw.

Due to the Power of Haste’s effect, its movements were sluggish, allowing Wang Chen to witness its recoil.

Seeing this, Wang Chen felt he’d been too harsh with the girl and apologized, “Sorry…”

“Hero, I just saved your life. Let’s call it even!” The girl grinned, “Hurry up and keep running—didn’t you say we need some urgency?”

“Right, let me cast the spell.”

A flash at his fingertips, the Forest Gale settled into his palm.

He gripped the staff, his eyes aglow with deep blue light.

“Leaf Veil!”

The vision of the gigantic ghoul appeared in his mind.

With a sweep of Forest Gale, the staff tip released a delicate radiance, enveloping the two.

“Power of Haste!”

Wang Chen immediately felt his body lighten.

“Hey, hero, you cast another spell. Does that mean you can’t talk again?” The girl chirped.

“I can, I can. Let’s run first,” Wang Chen pulled her along, “Once we’re safe, you can do stand-up comedy for all I care. For now, just run.”

The girl was overjoyed, running alongside him. Though she didn’t tire easily, she exaggerated her breathing as if struggling.

With two Haste spells layered and aided by the ghoul’s vision, their speed soared, and no bone club hurled from above could strike them.

Soon, they vanished from the ghoul’s sight.

“Roar—”

It howled in frustration, slamming its massive bone club into the ground, carving a deep pit.