The sewer remained oppressive, with the rat swarm behind relentlessly chasing and letting out sharp, piercing screeches.
However, Eli was faster!
His steps never faltered, and it was as if an invisible map existed in his mind.
On this unseen map, the precise locations of Alan, Ethan, and Landon were clearly marked.
This ability was almost comparable to the map function in an RPG game.
Because of it, Eli could make quick, decisive choices at every turn and intersection, moving with unwavering confidence.
Each step seemed to declare: I am the master of this underground labyrinth!
Of course, even without this ability, Eli could still find the right path.
At every intersection, Alan had left clear markers—slashes from his axe etched deep into the walls, impossible to miss.
Alan''s professional expertise was as reliable as ever; the simple yet practical markings were enough to guide Eli in the right direction.
Gradually, he put more distance between himself and the enemies behind him.
Despite the high-intensity combat Eli had endured earlier and his current rapid sprint, there were no signs of fatigue in his body.
From a physiological perspective, such exertion should have exhausted an ordinary person long ago.
Yet, Eli''s stamina showed no significant decline—he still felt full of energy.
Eli recognized this and understood—he wasn’t ordinary.
While he couldn’t immediately explain the source of these changes, his current physical condition was undoubtedly an advantage, granting him unmatched strength and reaction speed.
What concerned him more than his stamina, however, was the condition of his baseball bat.
He couldn’t help but glance at the weapon in his hand.
After the previous battles, the bat’s metal surface was no longer smooth, marked with deep scratches and cracks.
Especially the front end of the baseball bat, which was slightly deformed, with several noticeable dents standing out prominently.
Even so, it remained solid—a reliable weapon.
Finally, after rounding a bend, Eli spotted familiar figures ahead—Alan, Ethan, and Landon!
The three were leaning against the wall, quickly trying to recover.
Although Alan and Ethan were gasping for breath, they remained alert.
Landon’s condition, however, was clearly dire—he was slumped against the wall, pale-faced, barely able to stand.
His frail state seemed to silently declare that this underground labyrinth might soon claim his life.
Clearly, Alan and Ethan had noticed Landon’s condition and were deeply anxious.
From a distance, the three of them caught sight of Eli’s figure.
In that instant, a flicker of relief broke through the tension gripping their hearts.
But just then, Eli suddenly shouted, "Run! They''re coming!"
Eli’s voice pierced through the underground air, instantly awakening Alan and the others'' sense of alertness.
Alan and Ethan reacted almost reflexively, standing up quickly and grabbing their weapons.
Landon, however, remained slumped against the wall, trembling.
His eyes were hollow, his exhaustion so overwhelming that he seemed unable to muster even a reaction.
Ethan was the first to rush to Landon’s side, grabbing his arm and yanking him away from the wall.
“Stand up and move with me!” Ethan ordered in a low, urgent voice.
Landon lifted his head with great effort, his lips pale and his voice barely audible. “I… I can’t, Ethan.”Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Don’t give me that crap! Get up now!”
Gritting his teeth, Ethan tightened his grip on Landon’s arm, forcibly dragging him forward.
Landon’s steps were unsteady, but under Ethan’s pulling, he continued to move forward with difficulty.
“Faster, come on!” Ethan urged, his tone pressing.
From a distance, Eli saw the scene unfold and even caught snippets of their conversation, stirring an internal conflict within him.
He knew: if he didn’t act soon, Landon would very likely die here.
But at the same time, he also understood: taking action would further expose his true strength.
Should he stand by and watch Landon fall, or risk revealing his power to save him?
After a brief moment of hesitation, his gaze sharpened like a blade as he made his decision: “Hesitation? What kind of hero hesitates?!”
He prepared to turn around, ready to unleash his true strength and deal with those bastards behind them once and for all.
But before he could act, his instincts flared like a siren, as if the very air around him was warning:
No, you can’t. Doing this will make Landon lose something even more important than his life!
Though he didn’t know what could be more important than life, Eli made an instant decision: “I can’t do it!”
Taking a deep breath, he feigned heavy exhaustion and continued running.
His steps seemed heavy, but in reality, they required no effort at all.
Every deep breath, every gasp, was merely a cover for his secret.
Soon, he caught up with Ethan and Landon.
Ethan gritted his teeth, firmly gripping Landon’s arm as he struggled to keep him moving.
Landon’s steps were unsteady, and he was on the verge of collapsing.
Eli felt a pang of heaviness in his chest but forced himself into “survival mode.”
Landon’s steps grew weaker and more unsteady. Every stride felt like an immense struggle to overcome an invisible barrier.
The exhaustion in his body and the despair in his heart made every breath feel like an unbearable burden.
He knew he was dragging everyone down—Eli, Ethan, and Alan.
Each of them was giving their all, yet he, Landon, could only lag behind, becoming a burden.
This guilt was eating him alive, making it nearly impossible for him to keep going.
In his mind, the faces of his parents and sister surfaced involuntarily.
They were still in New York, and since the outbreak of the disaster, all contact had been lost—their fate unknown.
Landon’s chest felt so heavy it was suffocating, his heart consumed with unbearable pain and regret.
He closed his eyes, lacking the strength to endure the despair of this world any longer.
Eli could clearly sense Landon’s emotional turmoil. His gaze tightened slightly as he reached out to help him.
But at that moment, Landon’s foot slipped, and he suddenly lost his balance, collapsing heavily to the ground.
“Landon!” Ethan’s face changed drastically as he rushed over, reaching out to help him up. “Don’t give up!”
Landon coughed weakly and struggled to lift his head. “I… I’m holding you all back… I’m useless…”
Ethan''s lips trembled as he growled softly, "Get up! Don’t give up!"
Eli stepped forward quickly, grabbing Landon’s shoulder and speaking softly, “Get up. We’re not done yet. Stay alive!”
Landon’s eyes were filled with confusion. He wanted to give up, but with Ethan and Eli’s support, he had no choice but to stand again.
Alan heard Ethan’s roar, his steps suddenly halting as he instinctively turned to look back.
His gaze quickly swept over the three of them before settling on Landon.
Landon’s face was pale as a sheet, his legs trembling so violently he could barely stand, his vacant eyes hinting he could collapse at any moment.
Seeing this, Alan’s heart sank heavily.
Logic told him that if they continued like this, it would drag everyone down.
Logic told him that to save himself, Ethan, and Eli, it was time to let Landon go.
But Alan couldn’t accept that rational conclusion. His hands gripped the fire axe tightly, his knuckles turning white.
He knew his decision would determine everyone’s future, but he couldn’t bring himself to abandon a teammate.
A flame of unshakable resolve burned within him—a sense of duty built over years as a police officer.
He took a deep breath, clenched his teeth, and steeled himself."I won’t let these monsters take anyone from my side."
Once the decision was made, he didn’t hesitate. He ran toward Landon, Ethan, and Eli.
Every step felt heavier than the last, but his determination made him fearless.
Alan ran up to the three and gave a low command, “You go ahead. I’ll hold them off.”
His fingers gripped the handle of his fire axe tightly, preparing for the impending battle.
He knew he might die here, but even so, he was determined to buy the others a chance to survive.
Ethan glanced at Alan, clenched his teeth, and pulled Landon forward. “Go!”
Landon’s lips trembled as Ethan dragged him step by step toward the front.
Eli looked at Alan and said, “I’ll stay and fight with you.”
Alan gave him a look, nodded, and said nothing.
In an instant, the rat swarm surged forward with overwhelming momentum, the air thick with the stench of death.
The eyes of the rats glimmered with bloodthirsty light as they lunged at Eli without hesitation.
Soon, the ratmen came into view, their sharp claws and teeth sending chills down the spine.
Their ferocious eyes locked onto Eli, temporarily ignoring Alan, who became a secondary target.
Without hesitation, Eli swung his baseball bat and charged toward the ratmen.
But just as he took his first step, a wave of rats pounced on him.
Eli swung his bat with all his strength, striking down one rat after another.
Each strike landed with a dull thud, the rats'' shrieks mingling with the sound of the bat''s impact, echoing relentlessly in his ears.
Yet new waves of rats kept surging forward, determined not to let Eli break free.
Alan followed closely behind, his fire axe slicing through the air in a bright arc, slashing into the advancing swarm.
The sharp blade cut through the bodies of several rats, sending blood spraying and eliciting shrill cries.
His swings with the axe grew increasingly frantic, each strike cutting down several rats, yet he still couldn’t break free from the overwhelming swarm of rats.
The ratman commander fixed its gaze on Eli while using its psychic powers to issue commands to several nearby ratmen.
Immediately, a few ratmen and a large swarm of rats turned and began pursuing Ethan and Landon.
Eli noticed this scene. He was fully capable of stopping them, but he didn’t act.
His instincts told him that Landon’s fate was on the verge of a significant turning point.
If he intervened too much at this moment, it could very likely disrupt Landon’s opportunity and make things worse.
That intuition couldn’t be explained with words or logic—it felt like a deeply rooted premonition within him.
Even knowing his choice would put Ethan and Landon in grave danger, Eli still decided to stick with it.
He believed his decision was the right one.