Every person struck by an arrow collapsed, their bodies convulsing. Black blood oozed from the mouths of some, yet they didn’t die immediately, a sight that struck even greater fear into the hearts of the onlookers.

But she no longer paid them any mind. Her cold gaze was fixed on the only thing that mattered: the targets that were still moving.

In the blink of an eye, caught between the Superpower Users pinning them down from the front and the poison arrows raining down from behind, the Blazefire Hunters had already lost half their fighting force. The survivors had no choice but to disengage and fall back toward their captain.

Howard Everett and the others were too weak to give chase, but they were relieved to see their boss and Paige Summers return.

Meanwhile, Gordon Howell, furious, forced Martin Warren back with a powerful surge of flame, then spun around and launched several fire arrows at Paige Summers.

Paige Summers was prepared for the counterattack.

As she dodged aside, Marcus Monroe stepped forward to block the fire arrows.

With a wave of his hand, he unleashed an attack tinged with white. Even from as close as Paige Summers was, she couldn’t make out its shape, but she could sense it was a formless projection of energy, its speed and power absolutely astonishing.

It collided with the fire arrows in an utterly crushing display, plowing right through them! Not only did it extinguish the projectiles, but it continued on, unimpeded, straight for Gordon Howell’s chest!

Gordon Howell knew he was outmatched, but he couldn’t retreat now!

A wall of searing fire erupted from his hands, forming a barrier in front of him.

A whistling sound swept past, and nearly half of the fire wall winked out. Gordon Howell himself was thrown back several steps as if struck by a heavy object. Blood slowly trickled from the corner of his mouth, but he managed to stay on his feet.

The woman beside him frantically grabbed his arm to support him.

No one from the Blazefire Hunters dared to make another move. Aside from Gordon Howell, the others were so still and quiet they seemed to hold their breath, as if wishing they could simply vanish on the spot.

Seeing that Marcus Monroe didn’t press the attack after that single strike, Paige Summers also stopped shooting.

The six men who had accompanied them were utterly terrified.

It wasn’t as if they’d never seen Hunting Parties fight over prey before. They knew to steer clear of people from the upper districts, but here in the Lower District, with Captain Gordon Howell leading them, they were almost always victorious. After so long, they had no idea how to handle such a lopsided, disadvantageous situation.

Gordon Howell’s hoarse voice rang out. "What do you want?"

Marcus Monroe replied calmly, "Relax. I don’t intend to wipe you all out. However, you injured my people. There’s a price to pay for that."

’Isn’t this injury enough?’ Gordon Howell knew his own condition well; it would take a very long time to fully recover. But he didn’t need to be told—he understood the unspoken message. ’It’s not enough.’

Gritting his teeth, he said, "Let’s do this by the rules."

The rules, of course, were the rules of The Dead City: you use Crystal Cores to buy back your life, with a price for each person.

While they negotiated, Paige Summers exchanged a word with Marcus Monroe and went back to find Levi Young.

When the two of them returned, Levi Young said, "Everything I told you before was the truth."

Paige Summers gave a knowing smile. "Words can be lies, but actions can’t be faked."

Levi Young gave a silent, slight nod.

By the time they returned, the Blazefire Hunters were already gone. Paige figured Gordon Howell must have gone to look for Cedric Howell, who still hadn’t returned.

Marcus Monroe and his team were resting where they stood, tending to their wounds.

Howard Everett and Isaiah Langley were seriously injured. Their wounds weren’t life-threatening, but after taking some medicine, they were both groggy and dazed.

Without a word, Paige Summers—thirsty, hungry, and with her own supplies depleted—quickly finished the food and water she’d gotten from Martin Warren.

Then, Marcus Monroe and Grant Yardley each hoisted one of the injured men onto their backs, and they began the journey home.

The task of clearing the path naturally fell to the newcomer, Levi Young, and he took it very seriously. Fortunately, most of the high-level Mutant Beasts in this forest had been dealt with back in the valley. His superpower was effective enough against the smaller creatures and mutant plants, and if all else failed, Paige Summers’s crossbow was no joke. As a result, they managed not to disturb the two men carrying their injured comrades.

Halfway there, Paige Summers offered to take over for Grant Yardley, but he firmly refused.

Even Martin Warren, who was leaning on her for support, chimed in. "It’s not that we think you’re not strong enough, but look at those guys. They’re all close to six feet tall. With your height, it’d be inhumane to have the patient’s feet dragging on the ground!"

She was speechless.

"Don’t worry, as long as everyone’s alive, that’s what counts. To us, this is nothing!" Martin Warren boasted shamelessly.

But by that evening, a crisis proved him wrong.

Isaiah Langley developed a high fever.

He had taken fever reducers and anti-inflammatory medicine, but by dawn the next day, the fever still hadn’t broken.