Feng Tian saw Kuang Feifan clutch his injured waist and sit down, realizing the injury was likely serious, and he couldn't help but be greatly alarmed. But just at that moment, the starved ghost’s wildly flailing claws lunged toward him. Although he tried his best to lean forward to dodge the grasp, it looked like sooner or later he would inevitably get hit if things continued this way.

The situation was urgent. Kuang Feifan suppressed the pain of his injury and rolled his flashlight on the ground toward Feng Tian, knowing this was a last-ditch effort. Feng Tian ducked his head, slipping under the swinging ghost claws, grabbed the still-lit flashlight, and swung it back with all his might, smashing it against the starved ghost's stick-like arm.

By sheer luck, despite its formidable claws, the starved ghost’s arm was as fragile as it appeared. With a sharp crack, the bone was actually shattered directly by Feng Tian's blow.

But the claw gripping the strap hadn't let go. In desperation, Feng Tian couldn't worry about anything else. He cursed himself internally for being foolish, slumped his shoulders, shrugged the strap of his satchel off his body, stood up, and began wildly smashing the flashlight against the starved ghost until the creature was essentially a pile of broken bones, unable to move at all.

At this point, Kuang Feifan remained seated on the ground, still wary of stopping his movements, and managed to shift his body to kick away another starved ghost trying to approach him. Seeing this, Feng Tian hastily stopped what he was busy doing, spun around, rushed to Kuang Feifan's side, and forcefully drove off several approaching ghouls. But he immediately noticed the situation was turning increasingly disadvantageous; the horde of starved ghosts was beginning to regroup and advance on them, perhaps triggered by the scent of Kuang Feifan’s blood stirring their olfactory senses.

Suddenly, a flash of light sliced through Feng Tian’s mind, but he knew Kuang Feifan’s condition was the priority. He first swiftly pulled him aside, tossed him a towel, telling him to use it to staunch the flow for now, as he wouldn't be able to properly treat the wound for a little while longer.

Immediately after, Feng Tian was seen rummaging through his satchel and pulling out a small plastic bottle, pouring about half of the contents over himself, and the remaining half over Kuang Feifan.

Without even needing to use his nose, Kuang Feifan could smell the wave of foul stench invading his nostrils, nearly making him vomit. Forcing down the urge to retch, he shivered and complained, “I’m already injured, and you’re still torturing me.”

Feng Tian clearly wasn't enjoying the smell either; his features were contorted, but he still managed to say, “It can’t be helped, just bear with it. I’m trying to confuse the starved ghosts’ sense of smell, aren't I?”

Next, he abruptly snatched the towel Kuang Feifan was using to cover his wound, tossed him another one, and then tore the blood-soaked towel into several pieces, balling them up and scattering them into the darkness like a shower of celestial blossoms.

After throwing away one towel, he motioned for Kuang Feifan to hand over the one he was holding too.

At this point, Kuang Feifan understood what he was doing. While he had no idea if this would actually work, the thought that this kid was actually using his blood to attract the starved ghosts left him utterly speechless.

After a short while, the two realized that this desperate, last-minute tactic seemed to be effective. They could even quietly observe, by the light of the flashlight, a starved ghost crawling on the ground pass directly in front of them, completely ignoring their presence.

Only then did Feng Tian bend down, rummage through his satchel, and pull out a first-aid kit, completely dousing Kuang Feifan’s wound with an entire bottle of Yunnan Baiyao spray, then finding adhesive dressings—much more effective and convenient than bandages.

“How is it?” Feng Tian whispered.

Kuang Feifan’s face was currently ashen, his facial muscles twitching from the pain. He watched Feng Tian busy himself while struggling to maintain composure, “Piece of cake. Barely more than a mosquito bite…”

Despite saying that, he felt a deep lingering fear inside; if he had retreated even a fraction of a second later, he might have ended up having his intestines pulled out.

However, even injured, there was no time or space for him to rest. Even if the dangers ahead were endless, they had to move forward. This was both perseverance and a gamble: moving forward offered a chance of survival; staying put offered no other outcome but death.

Kuang Feifan wasn't beaten down by the waist injury; after all, he was reasonably well-built, and his inherent character was to become stronger when met with adversity, never giving up even at the final moment. Of course, if he hadn't possessed this mentality, he might have already perished in the ghost tower.

Although starved ghosts still lurked nearby, the blood-soaked towels scattered about and the stench clinging to their bodies had indeed effectively masked their presence. Feng Tian no longer pushed through the crowds of ghouls, but instead moved forward cautiously, step by careful step, with Kuang Feifan. If they encountered a starved ghost blocking their path, they avoided contact as much as possible, lest they expose themselves, the true prey.

They walked for an unknown duration—from being in large groups to small clusters—until finally, the starved ghosts could no longer be seen. Only then did Kuang Feifan quietly ask Feng Tian what the foul odor clinging to them actually was.

Feng Tian didn't answer immediately. Instead, he pulled out his compass to reorient himself, discovering they had indeed deviated from their previously set course. After adjusting their bearing, he started to reach out to help Kuang Feifan, but Kuang Feifan shook his head, signaling he didn't need it. With a dry chuckle, Feng Tian then told Kuang Feifan that the liquid was originally used to repel wild beasts like dogs, and as for its composition, he could rest assured there was absolutely nothing harmful to humans in it, though it was probably best not to know the specifics.

Kuang Feifan started berating him repeatedly in annoyance: “You’re not part of the Beggars’ Sect, why are you carrying all this bizarre stuff around, and carrying it every day? Does it have anything to do with your job? Besides, are dogs considered wild beasts?”

Feng Tian sneered, “Are dogs not wild beasts? When you run into a dog that bites people, what do you think you should call them? Furthermore, my job requires me to go everywhere, so I need to be prepared for anything. Otherwise, I’d have no one to call on or nowhere to turn when things go south, with nowhere left to even cry.”

The two continued moving forward while engaging in this light bickering. In reality, their nerves had been held at a high pitch for a prolonged period, and trapped in an unknown peril, if they didn't find a way to relax, they would soon collapse. Thus, they naturally used their squabbling to remind their own brains that they were still alive.

As they walked, Kuang Feifan suddenly fell silent and gestured for Feng Tian to stop. Whether it was an illusion or not, he felt a chilling wind brush past his back, like thorns against his skin, and a cold sensation on the back of his neck, as if someone were occasionally blowing air there.

He relayed this feeling to Feng Tian, asking him to shine the flashlight around. Unexpectedly, just as Feng Tian turned and raised the flashlight, before he could get a clear look, the light suddenly dimmed, flickered weakly a couple of times, and then extinguished.

Instantly, the two were plunged into true darkness—at that moment, they finally understood what absolute darkness meant: the kind where you truly couldn't see your own hand in front of your face.

In that moment, Feng Tian and Kuang Feifan gasped out instinctively. No matter how brave one was, the depths of the human heart could never ignore the panic and dread of darkness. This transcended gender or bravery; it was an inherent nature. On a grand scale, even the core of this universe was an endless, profound darkness, and for now, the surrounding gloom concealed too many unknowns. Who could say what terrifying things might emerge from this deathly still blackness?

However, after the initial cry, both coughed dryly almost simultaneously, a small sound meant to mask the lapse in composure brought on by their fright.

“Don’t worry… the flashlight… is dead,” Feng Tian said with a self-deprecating tone.

He fumbled in the dark for the rectangular battery in his bag, replaced it, and shone the flashlight again toward the spot Kuang Feifan had been indicating.

But as the light cut through the void, the expression on Feng Tian’s face instantly froze as if cast in clay, his eyes filled with horror and disbelief.