Sack dropped straight to the ground as Flowing Shadow's hand loosened.
The fall helped clear Sack's hazy consciousness somewhat. Seeing Qiao Ying sitting there, he thought it was an illusion and croaked out with difficulty, "Boss..." Blood was dripping from his mouth.
He struggled to turn his head, wanting to grasp his current situation and also seeming to be looking for something. Lying there with his face against the floor and blood smeared everywhere, he was stubbornly persistent.
Through his tireless efforts he finally caught sight of a familiar figure. "....Boss."
Sack was incredulous, instantly becoming emotional. His reaction was far stronger than when he saw Qiao Ying, his eyes even turning red against his will.
"Boss..."
Other than the blood, he saw no one else in his eyes. He stared fixedly at the face, not daring to blink, afraid the person would disappear if he looked away for even a moment. Then he struggled to get up, without the use hands bound behind his back, he used his forehead to prop himself up.
He had just risen slightly when he heavily smashed back to the ground.
He quickly got back up again.
He repeatedly went through these motions, but the one he was exerting all his effort to get close to just stood there and watched him coldly.
Qiao Ying bit her teeth as she looked at Sack.
"What a wonderful drama of old friends reuniting, it's moved me to want to applaud." JOKER said.
"This subordinate of yours is truly loyal and righteous, no wonder you'd die for him time and again." His gaze turned to Qiao Ying.
Sack finally struggled up from the floor on his knees.
But before he could fully rise, Flowing Shadow kicked him back down. Right after, Flowing Shadow tried to stuff something in his mouth.
Qiao Ying wanted to stop him but didn't dare make any rash moves — this Flowing Shadow was too dangerous.
Sack clenched his teeth tightly, refusing to open his mouth. In the end, Flowing Shadow pried his jaw open to forcibly feed him the pill.
Qiao Ying's expression was icy cold. "What did you feed him?"
Flowing Shadow straightened up. "Medicine to quiet him down a bit."
JOKER said, "Don't be nervous, it's not poison."
His tone suddenly shifted. "But I've hidden other nice things in his stomach. "
He checked the time. "Fifteen minutes. If you can defeat her in fifteen minutes I'll give you time to take it out for him."
"If you can't, after time is up you'll get to watch him blasted into a pile of flesh and blood with your own eyes. By then even I won't be able to help you."
Qiao Ying's gloomy eyes seemed to drip shards of ice. Her hands tightly clenched out of sight and the urge to kill caused her face to slightly distort.
He said benevolently to the clone, "Go my child, kill her for your father. Kill her and you'll be unique."
The clone acknowledged the order.
Stepping forward two paces then launching from the ground in a leap.
JOKER urged, "Why not make a move? Let me remind you, if you want to save him you only have ten minutes at most."
He checked the time again. "You have nine minutes left."
He was already eager to watch the two fight.
One whose strength was not inferior to Blood Shadow, her skills and movements identical to Blood Shadow's; one a clone with eighty percent of Blood Shadow's genes.
One injured, one flawed — it was bound to be thrilling.
The clone struck first, rushing towards Qiao Ying in a lunge.
Qiao Ying slapped the armrest, using the leverage to launch herself upwards in a kick aimed right at her opponent, which was evaded. She pressed on seamlessly.
The two instantly grappled.
Their moves were like copy and paste, both completely anticipating the other's next attack and easily neutralizing it.
It looked as if they were watching themselves fight themselves.
JOKER watched satisfied, reveling in the visual feast.
But Sack was in endless pain. The two people he cared for most fighting was the last thing he wanted to see.
He wanted to stop them but didn't even have the strength to go forward.
"Don't fight..." Sack felt unprecedented helplessness.
He prayed someone would come to put an end to this — White Owl, Batman, even Qin Han Yue whom he had no liking for.
He watched as they each took a kick from the other, spitting blood as they retreated several steps. Then they were at each other again.
With no way to call for help, Sack collapsed and despairingly yelled at Flowing Shadow, "Just kill me!"
Flowing Shadow only looked at him coldly.
Sack kept pleading, "I'm begging you, kill me — Stop fighting, stop fighting..." He looked again at Qiao Ying and the other person.
The two both specialized in daggers and short blades. At this time the clash of their weapons brought immense danger, the slightest carelessness would lead to blood spattering on site.
It was thrilling to watch.
But JOKER was somewhat unhappy.
He realized Qiao Ying was not using her full strength.
So he reminded, "You have five minutes left."
As he wished, Qiao Ying's attacks instantly became much sharper, forcing the clone back.
JOKER's expression returned to enjoyment as he continued spectating.
His inner twisted desires were satisfied once more. JOKER felt as if he was watching two Blood Shadows fight, heating up his gaze.
The desperate Sack collapsed limply to the ground, ashen-faced. The impending tragedy made him beyond desolate. Whether Qiao Ying or Blood Shadow died, it would be fatal for Sack.
JOKER said, "Two minutes left."
As JOKER's words sounded, Qiao Ying was spurred on once more.
Seeing signs Qiao Ying's formation was on the verge of chaos, JOKER hooked his lips in a smile and continued, "One minute left."
Ten minutes was already past.
JOKER said, "Four final minutes left."
JOKER: "Three minutes left."
JOKER: "Two minutes left."
Two minutes wasn't nearly enough time to remove the bomb from Sack's stomach.
Qiao Ying's moves grew increasingly vicious and fast, the short blade in her hand almost too quick for the naked eye to catch. Only the continuous clashing of blades could be heard. The clone's short blade was sent flying.
With eighty percent of Blood Shadow's genes, it did sound terrifying. And the reality matched.
But her opponent wasn't anyone else. It was the genes' origin.
Even if Qiao Ying's physique wasn't as strong as her past self's, to deal with her own clone, as long as she wanted, it could be crushing domination.
As Qiao Ying kicked the clone back several meters, her short blade in hand took advantage of the clone's body as cover and fiercely shot towards JOKER on the throne!
JOKER didn't dodge or evade.
The short blade had yet to reach JOKER when Xiao Yi in front snatched it out of the air.
The hall quieted.
At that time, on the first floor of the castle —
In front of the elevator door hidden behind the oil painting, the wide-eyed corpse of Q Meihua was suddenly dragged up from the floor. Someone forcibly used his iris to open the elevator door heading down to the underground level of the castle...
JOKER and Qiao Ying's icy stares locked. His tone flat, "Looks like you're set on dying here with him."
Next,
JOKER's voice lowered, killing intent abruptly surfacing in his eyes, "Flowing Shadow, attack together."
Flowing Shadow had been impatient for a while already. "Yes."
He decisively moved to attack Qiao Ying, the clone also came forward to help after adjusting her state.
The two jointly attacked the lone Qiao Ying.
JOKER said, "Looks like it'll be ending soon."
He commanded the two, "I want her alive."
When Qiao Ying was tied up by Flowing Shadow for a moment, the clone took the chance to attack her vitals. This punch, if landed, could cost Qiao Ying at least one third of her combat ability.
Beset from front and back, Qiao Ying saw the clone's fist coming right for her from behind while Flowing Shadow in front suddenly ceased his attack. Qiao Ying slipped out from between them with a flash of her body, instantly moving to Flowing Shadow's rear.
The clone's fist was caught by Flowing Shadow.
Flowing Shadow's eyes abruptly shifted. Next he raised his other hand, baring a mechanical arm, the silver-grey palm flickering coldly as the dexterous fingers nimbly opened, oozing lethal capacity.
The next second, a shell fired from his palm, shooting towards JOKER on the throne with unstoppable momentum!
