Chapter 498: Rescue

Lin bit her lip.

Then she lifted her head and looked at San Yue Qi.

"San Yue Jie." Her voice was calm but firm, "I want to save her."

San Yue Qi was startled for a moment.

"Lin…"

"I know she is an enemy, banana."

Lin interrupted, "But she is also my classmate, banana. Watching her die right before my eyes, I can't do that, banana. People of the Yuanban Family don't do such cowardly things, banana!"

San Yue Qi looked at her, then gave a slight smile.

"Alright!"

She stood up, "As an unnamed passenger of the Starry Sky Train, I cannot just watch someone die without rescuing!"

Lin's eyes lit up, "Thank you, San Yue Jie, banana!"

"But you have to hide well."

San Yue Qi looked toward the two figures still battling in the distance, "That side is too dangerous; I can get there faster alone. Take care of yourself, and if I fail, you have to handle the aftermath."

Lin solemnly nodded, "Leave it to me, banana!"

San Yue Qi took a deep breath and looked toward the corner of the distant ruins.

There, Lixiang was still curled up, her fate unknown.

Smash— tile— Lu Duo—!!!

Time paused.

The world instantly solidified.

The drifting dust hung in midair, the burning Flame froze into a strange shape, and the fragments of stone remained suspended in their falling pose, motionless.

In the distance, the two battling Sabers also halted, golden sword light and black sword light intertwining like a still painting.

San Yue Qi pushed off the ground, her body shooting forward like an arrow released from a bow!

Her assassin vocation granted her extraordinary agility and stealth, and even in frozen time her speed was astonishing.

She leapt among the ruins, using the stones for leverage, and in the blink of an eye covered hundreds of meters.

Lixiang's curled figure drew nearer.

Ten meters.

Five meters.

Three meters.

San Yue Qi landed beside her and scooped her up in one hand.

Lixiang's body was soft, unbelievably light.

Her complexion was pale, her clothes tattered, yet she bore no obvious external injuries and was still breathing.

San Yue Qi didn't have time to examine closely, she turned and ran with her!

Returned the same way!

Her speed was even faster than on the way out!

Behind her, frozen time flowed behind her.

Finally, she saw Lin hiding behind the cover.

San Yue Qi rushed to her side and set Lixiang down.

One second of time remained.

She exhaled.

Time Resume.

"Huh—" San Yue Qi let out a breath.

Lin looked at the suddenly appearing San Yue Qi and Lixiang beside her, froze for a moment, then quickly crouched to check Lixiang's condition.

"No external injuries, banana… breathing steady, banana… just unconscious, banana…" Lin muttered while examining, each sentence ending with that damned "banana" suffix.

She pulled several gems from her pocket, placed them on Lixiang's forehead and chest, and began casting Healing Magic.

A faint blue light emanated from the gems, enveloping Lixiang's body.

San Yue Qi remained vigilant, scanning the surroundings.

In the distance, the two Sabers continued their clash, golden sword light and black sword light constantly colliding.

It seemed they hadn't noticed what was happening here at all.

"Temporarily safe." San Yue Qi exhaled in relief.

At that moment—

Footsteps came from behind.

They were light, yet unusually clear in the silence of the ruins.

San Yue Qi's ears twitched, and she whirled around!

Nothing there.

But she trusted her intuition.

"Zawa Rudo!"

Time paused again.

San Yue Qi spun quickly, scooped up Lin from the ground—Lin's body was rigid, still crouching, still holding a healing gem in one hand—while her other hand lifted Tengcun Lixiang, and they rushed into a nearby relatively intact abandoned small building.

She placed the two in a corner, hid herself by the door, and looked out through the shattered window.

Time Resume.

Almost at the same instant, a figure walked past the side of the spot where they had just been standing.

Black armor, golden short hair, dark‑red magic swirling around the body.

An eerie black mist spread across the face at an unknown time, as if something was writhing beneath the skin, completely obscuring the features.

Only two streaks of dark‑red light shone through the black mist.

Archer.

Gilgamesh.

But he looks like this now…

San Yue Qi held her breath, staring intently at the figure outside.

Corrupted Archer stopped at the place they had just been, tilting his head slightly, as if sensing something.

The two dark‑red lights swept the surroundings, drifting among the ruins.

San Yue Qi's heart rose to her throat.

(Don't get discovered… Don't get discovered…)

Corrupted Archer's gaze swept over that small building.

Paused for a second.

Moved away.

He began to continue forward, his steps steady, the armor clanking with a faint metallic sound.

When he reached the doorway of that small building—

He stopped.

San Yue Qi's breath halted.

She hid by the door, and through the shattered window could clearly see that black figure.

Less than three meters away. The pervasive black aura, the dark‑red glow, the magic swirling around it—all could be felt.

Corrupted Archer stood at the doorway, tilting his head slightly.

As if listening to something.

San Yue Qi dared not move a muscle.

Assassin's concealment ability peaked at this moment—she suppressed her own breath to the minimum, even trying to slow her heartbeat.

Just as San Yue Qi thought she was about to be discovered—

"Um…"

A faint moan came from behind.

San Yue Qi whirled around—

Lixiang opened her eyes.

She stared blankly around, lips slightly parting, as if to say something.

(Bad!)

San Yue Qi didn't have time to think—

"Zawa Rudo—!!!"

Time paused again.

The world solidified.

Lixiang kept her eyes half‑open, her mouth half‑opened, frozen there.

San Yue Qi looked at her, then at the Clockboy beside her, unsure what to do.

"Fen Mao, time is limited Tick."

Clockboy stuck his head out of his pocket, "In seven seconds she'll make a sound, that black guy outside will definitely hear Tick. What do you plan to do Tick?"

San Yue Qi scratched her head, "How about… let her keep sleeping?"

"Good idea Tick! Knock her out Tick!"

"Knock, knock out?!"

"Yeah Tick! Simple and brutal, the effect is outstanding Tick!"

Clockboy waved his slender arms, "Look, Fen Mao, she's just woken up, her mind is still fuzzy, give her a tap on the back of the head and she'll be able to keep sleeping forever Tick! Perfect solution Tick!"

San Yue Qi's eyes widened, "That's way too violent!"

"Violent but effective Tick!"

Clockboy said confidently, "Do you want her to be discovered by that black guy outside, and then everyone die Tick? Or let her sleep peacefully until it's safe to wake up Tick?"

San Yue Qi fell silent.

She glanced at the motionless Archer outside, then at the dazed (about to awaken) Lixiang beside her.

Four seconds of time remained.

"... I'm sorry, Lixiang!"

San Yue Qi gritted her teeth, raised her hand, controlled the force, and tapped the back of Lixiang's head.

"Dong."

Lixiang's head tilted, and she fell unconscious again.

San Yue Qi let out a sigh.

One second of time remained.

She hurried back to the window, continuing to watch outside.

Time Resume.