Chloe had always felt that she wasn't a good person, but in that split second when danger struck, she instinctively threw Qin Huaibei away.
She regretted it now a little. She thought it would be better to have someone accompany her than to have this shaggy octopus bind her alone.
Especially since this octopus was covered in disgusting, viscous fluids all over Chloe's body.
Its massive, thick tentacles encircled Chloe tightly.
She must be incredibly filthy now.
Plus, this octopus moved way too fast.
From being ensnared by the tentacles to being dragged to the bottom, the whole process took no more than two seconds.
By the time Chloe regained her senses, she had been dragged into the nest.
There was a faint light in the nest, though its source was unclear. But at least it allowed Chloe to see her surroundings.
This nest was essentially an ice cave, filled with crushed ice and sand, surrounded by countless skeletons that seemed to have endured for ages.
After being released by the tentacles, Chloe was covered in filthy slime.
She felt slightly nauseous. When she looked up, she saw the numerous, densely packed eyes outside the nest.
Pitch-black pupils, roughly the same size and shape as human eyes, dotted the entire head, staring unblinkingly and chillingly at Chloe.
Chloe was startled and instinctively lashed out with her Perception!
The sharp, invisible blades pierced through every eye in Chloe's field of vision. In the next instant, fresh blood gushed from the monster's countless eyes as it let out an agonizing, ear-splitting wail.
Chloe backed away a few steps, her gaze alert as she watched the monster outside the nest.
If it dared to charge in for revenge, Chloe wouldn't hold back.
Chloe was on full alert, her body and mind highly tense.
She felt she had reached the point of paranoia, where any slight sound could drive her to the brink of breakdown.
After all, this monster was just too sanity-draining.
Massive, hideous, a complete mental pollution.
It reminded Chloe of the monsters from the Cthulhu Mythos she had glimpsed in the ruins in her previous life.
At first, Chloe thought this monster was some kind of mutated octopus, but upon closer inspection in the dim nest light, she realized it bore no resemblance to an octopus.
Its white body and skin, round and massive, were covered in tentacles, resembling a sea urchin. But on its body were numerous tightly packed eyes.
Enraged by Chloe's attack on its eyes, steam began to rise from the monster's body.
However, it did not retaliate against Chloe. Instead, it fixed its many bloodied eyes on her and used its tentacles to shove a skeleton into her embrace.
Chloe trembled all over and instinctively wanted to lash out again with her Perception.
But when the skeleton was thrust into her arms, she reflexively hugged it.
Chloe: "......"
What could she do? She had been using skeletons as stuffed animals since childhood and couldn't break this habit.
Seeing Chloe obediently hugging the skeleton, the monster nodded in satisfaction and slithered away from the nest entrance with its tentacles.
Chloe closed her eyes and spread out her Perception.
She then realized that outside was a vast underground ice field, stretching for miles upon miles, surrounded by dense fog.
Chloe gulped and struggled to her feet, placing the skeleton back on the ground and trying to step out of the nest.
But as soon as she took a step outside, the monster sensed it and charged over, using its tentacles to force Chloe back inside!
The force was so great that Chloe's back slammed hard against the ice wall, feeling like her internal organs might shatter.
She curled up in pain, a trickle of fresh blood oozing from the corner of her lips.
Seeing this, the monster shuddered, seemingly realizing its mistake, and hastily extended a tentacle to wipe the blood from Chloe's lips.
But just as the tentacle was about to touch her, Chloe turned her head to dodge, her crimson eyes burning with a frosty gaze.
In the next instant, her Perception lashed out in a relentless barrage, tearing through the monster's skin, flesh, and tentacles.
The monster writhed in agony, letting out a deep, anguished roar.
But no matter how sharp and thorough Chloe's Perception was, it could not overcome the monster's formidable regenerative abilities.
Chloe tried to completely tear the monster apart with her Perception, but no matter how hard she tried, it would heal itself completely in the next second.
Chloe refused to give up. She wiped the blood from her lips with the back of her hand, her temples throbbing, but she continued to unleash her Perception.
If she didn't settle this score for being dragged into the ice cave, prevented from continuing the competition, and injured, she wouldn't be Chloe!
After a while, the monster's wails grew weaker.
It silently used its regenerative abilities, apparently realizing why Chloe was angry.
It extended a tentacle and patted Chloe's leg in a soothing gesture.
But in the next instant, that tentacle was sliced off by her Perception.
The monster made a "whoooo" sound and persisted in trying to touch Chloe's leg.
But Chloe was blinded by rage and would never let this monster touch her.
The slender, seemingly fragile blood tribe girl, her lips stained with blood, her crimson eyes bloodshot, her temples pounding painfully.
Realizing that if this continued, the pet it had finally recovered would be completely ruined, the monster let out a shrill, mournful wail.
This sound was not only shrill but also traveled exceptionally far. The moment Chloe heard it, her Perception faltered, and she fell into a deep slumber.
She collapsed against the ice wall, unconscious.
The monster regenerated its injured parts and tentatively touched Chloe's forehead with a tentacle.
......
Qin Huaibei had broken a leg.
But this was already fortunate, since falling from such a height without wings like other races, he had used all his strength and luckily hit something soft on the way down, cushioning his fall before landing.
He wasn't dead, just a broken leg.
He stumbled and leaned against the ice wall to stand up. Soon after, Daniel fell down next to him.
Daniel's condition was about the same, except he had broken an arm instead.
The two crippled individuals met, both letting out a wry laugh.
They didn't linger long but pondered which direction to search for Chloe.
Qin Huaibei: "I heard wolves have an exceptional sense of smell. Can you pick up Chloe's scent and tell which direction she's in?"
Daniel sniffed and hesitated, "Seems to be eastward, but I'm not sure."
Having a general direction was still better than wandering aimlessly like a headless fly. Qin Huaibei decisively said, "Then let's head east."
They supported each other and headed eastward.
After walking for a few minutes, a shrill, inhuman wail suddenly echoed from straight ahead.
Both men tensed up—
Now they were certain they needed to go east!
