These peaches had scorpion legs and a large mouth split with fangs. They were terrifying, but the drool dribbling from the corner of their mouths was sweet-smelling and enticing, almost making one want to give it a lick.
[Ugly they may be, but edible!]
Was ugliness really the issue here?
Lin Baici hadn't yet figured out what to do when the Peach Monsters paused briefly before scuttling away toward Cui Feng.
"What the hell does this mean?"
Cui Feng wailed.
He felt he was supremely unlucky.
Phew!
Lin Baici exhaled a sigh of relief, only then did he notice that Kim Myungjin was grabbing onto his jersey.
"Why aren't you running?"
With them being so close, the Peach Monsters might decide to nibble on Kim Myungjin as well.
"If we run, we run together!"
Kim Myungjin had planned to call Lin Baici to escape together. After all, they couldn't just sit around and wait for death. But to his surprise, the Peach Monsters stopped in front of him and then crawled away.
"Oppa, you're so lucky!"
Kim Myungjin became even more determined to stick with Lin Baici.
This Oppa was handsome, cool, and a bit lucky. Following him, they might actually make it out of God's ruins alive.
"If we can't think of something, we'll all die here!"
Lin Baici worried.
They couldn't run away—the speed at which those Peach Monsters had chased and bit the double-eyelid auntie was unbelievably fast, almost like rabid dogs.
"Eat me!"
"Eat me!"
The Peach Monsters surrounded Cui Feng, baring their teeth and screeching.
"Fuck!"
Cui Feng pulled out the firewood knife attached to his waist with his left hand, and with a torch in his right, he struck the ground forcefully, igniting it with a sssk sound, just like striking a match.
The torch actually lit up.
In the dim peach orchard, the light of the torch illuminated Cui Feng's face, which was etched with panic.
Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!
The Peach Monsters seemed to fear the torch, screaming as they hurriedly backed away.
"It works!"
Cui Feng exclaimed in joy.
The others were instantly buoyed by this.
They could survive!
"That torch is a Taboo thing!"
Kim Myungjin was envious.
A normal torch couldn't be lit just by drawing it across the ground.
"Aren't these kinds of things really dangerous?"
Lin Baici was puzzled.
"Generally, Taboo things are sealed in a black coffin before they can be used. Although their power is weakened, they are safe!"
Kim Myungjin explained quietly, "Of course, some Taboo things are inherently less dangerous and can be used directly."
Lin Baici suddenly understood why these people were following Cui Feng—he had the torch.
"Asiba, can his luck get any better?"
Kim Myungjin glared at Cui Feng, biting her lip in vexation.
So annoying.
After wavering for about ten seconds, the Peach Monsters decisively abandoned Cui Feng and crawled toward the cheongsam-clad auntie.
"Brother Cui! Brother Cui! Save me!"
The cheongsam auntie hastily ran toward Cui Feng.
"Fuck, don't come here!"
Cui Feng, afraid of an accident, quickly tried to stop her, but the cheongsam auntie didn't listen.
Fortunately, the Peach Monsters chased after her for a bit and then stopped again, clearly wary of the torch. This finally put Cui Feng's mind at ease.
Everyone saw the situation and quickly ran to Cui Feng's side, seeking protection.
Kim Myungjin originally wanted to join them, but seeing that Lin Baici hadn't moved, she retracted the step she had taken.
"Brother Cui!"
The cheongsam-clad lady looked at Cui Feng ingratiatingly, "I'll give you money, 100,000."
Cui Feng's eyes lit up and he demanded a big amount, "One million!"
"This..."
The lady in the cheongsam hesitated.
"What? Your life is not worth a million?"
Cui Feng raised his foot and kicked hard at the cheongsam-clad lady's thigh, "Then get lost!"
"I'll pay! I'll pay!"
The cheongsam-clad lady forced a smile.
"Haha!"
Cui Feng was pleased.
He looked at the lady in the cheongsam, noticing that aside from a small belly, the rest of her body hadn't gained much weight, and the cheongsam paired with black stockings was quite attractive.
"Here, hold the firewood knife for me!"
Cui Feng thought the torch would suffice, so he handed the firewood knife to the lady in the cheongsam, and after she caught it, he casually pinched her butt.
The cheongsam-clad lady was angry but dared not speak up.
"Little Cui, since the torch can keep these monsters at bay, let's hurry and get out of here!"
Sima Mu urged.
"No rush!"
Cui Feng glanced around and looked at the people around him, "One million per person, and I'll get you out of here!"
No one expected Cui Feng to demand money at such a time, and the atmosphere instantly became awkward.
"I... I don't have that much money!"
Ma Xiao looked at Cui Feng, pitiful, "Can I give it to you after I graduate and start making money?"
This young girl had an above-average appearance, wearing a light blue dress and looking like a pure girl-next-door, but her voice told of having had an abortion and a severe gynecological disease.
"Don't be afraid!"
Wang Kun saw his girlfriend begging others in a low voice, his heart twisting in pain, and quickly promised, "I will definitely protect you!"
"Shut up, did I let you speak?"
Cui Feng kicked Wang Kun in the abdomen, making him stagger backwards.
Wang Kun was very angry and wanted to fight back, but Sima Mu stopped him.
Cui Feng had intended to say, if you don't have money, you could be my girlfriend, but his gaze shifted to Kim Myungjin not far away, and suddenly, that college student in the dress lost all appeal to him.
She was even prettier.
Damn,
I never even dared to dream of such a woman before.
"Hey, do you want to come with us?"
Cui Feng made a pass.
Kim Myungjin could feel Cui Feng's malice towards her, and with the high EQ she had developed growing up under her mother's tutelage, she could toy with this young man as if he were a dog, but...
I refuse!
Kim Myungjin hugged Lin Baici's arm, not even deigning to give Cui Feng a glance.
"Fuck! This is your choice! Don't regret it!"
Cui Feng was infuriated, "Let's go!"
"Yes! Yes! Let's hurry!"
The cheongsam-clad lady was terrified, clinging tightly to Cui Feng.
"You don't regret it?"
Lin Baici was surprised, not expecting Kim Myungjin to choose him.
"I can't help it, I'm a sucker for good looks, so I chose you, and for the record, I've never had plastic surgery!"
This was Kim Myungjin's most proud fact.
Ever since elementary school, when she went shopping, she was often stopped by talent scouts, and if it weren't for her mother's disapproval, she would have entered the entertainment industry a long time ago.
The Peach Monsters saw Cui Feng and the others about to leave and immediately became restless, but because they were afraid of the torch, they did not dare to get close.
```
"Haha, we're safe!"
Choi Seong was very smug, he looked back at Lin Baici and Kim Myungjin, "You two just stay here and wait to die!"
"Brother Choi, stop talking nonsense with them, let's hurry up and escape?"
The qipao-wearing lady followed beside Choi Seong, pleading incessantly.
"Are you teaching me what to do?"
Choi Seong glared at the qipao lady, then suddenly, his mind twitched, as if he had gone mad. Holding the torch, he forcefully stabbed it into the chest of the qipao lady.
Boom!
The qipao lady, like a straw man soaked in gasoline, instantly ignited and turned into a human-shaped torch.
Everyone was stunned by this unexpected turn of events.
"Ah!"
The qipao lady screamed in agony as her body visibly charred black, and after barely ten seconds, she toppled over, breaking into a pile of ashes, completely dead.
"Choi Seong, what... what are you doing?"
The sunhat-wearing elderly lady asked in shock and anger.
"I... I don't know!"
Choi Seong was sweating profusely, his expression dazed. Why did I light the qipao lady on fire?
But burning things feels so good!
Choi Seong thought to himself, extending the torch toward the right to the old lady wearing a gold bracelet.
The old lady dodged, but the flame still touched her, and like the flame from a lighter, she caught fire.
Whoooosh!
A group of people were scared to pee, hastily backing away.
"Have you gone mad?"
The sunhat lady questioned.
"He's not mad, it's the rule contamination effect from that torch starting to take hold!"
Sima Mu spat out blood in frustration.
Couldn't we have held out a little longer, wait until everyone escaped the peach grove before getting contaminated?
Now it's all over!
"I..."
Choi Seong wanted to explain, It wasn't on purpose, but a strong impulse suddenly emerged in his mind, Wouldn't it feel even more exhilarating to burn myself?
No sooner had this idea appeared than Choi Seong was scared to death and wanted to throw the torch away, but his right hand gripped it tighter instead.
"Sima Mu, help me!"
After Choi Seong shouted, he placed the torch on his hair.
Boom!
Choi Seong was on fire.
Seeing this, everyone's hair stood on end.
In an instant, Choi Seong turned into a pile of ashes, the torch fell to the ground, and it went out.
"Wang Kun, you go pick up the torch, and lead everyone out!"
Sima Mu urged.
"Why don't you go?"
Wang Kun replied resentfully, Do I look like a fool?
Without the deterrence of the torch, the Peach Monsters crawled back over.
Dozens quickly rushed to Ma Xiao's front.
"Eat me!"
"Eat me!"
Ma Xiao shivered uncontrollably, grasping tightly onto Wang Kun's clothes: "I don't want to die!"
Wang Kun looked at the goddess he adored, clenched his teeth,
All in!
"Xiao Xiao, I'll pick up the torch and protect you as we rush out!"
Wang Kun ran towards the torch. After picking it up, he mimicked Choi Seong's actions, vigorously scraping the torch on the ground.
Whoosh!
```
```
The torch was lit.
The Peach Monsters immediately stepped back on their scorpion-like legs, not wanting to get burned to death.
"Be careful,"
Ma Xiao shouted. She dared not get too close to Wang Kun, for fear of being burned to death herself.
Wang Kun ran for over ten meters, then suddenly used the torch to set his shirt ablaze.
Boom!
He burst into flame like a human candle.
"Wang Kun!"
Ma Xiao was in despair. If you die, what will I do?
Just hold on a little longer!
She actually didn't like Wang Kun, but his father was the school's vice-principal, and for the sake of securing a position at the school after graduation, she had accepted his confession.
In less than three minutes, four people had died, numbing Lin Baici to his core.
Taboo things like these were too terrifying, weren't they?
"Well done!"
Jin Ying Zhen wanted to clap when she saw that Choi Feng was cold, at least this annoying fellow had died before her very eyes.
"Eat me!"
"Eat me!"
Ma Xiao dared not face those Peach Monsters and suddenly ran like mad toward the Moon Cave Gate, but she hadn't gotten far before the Peach Monsters caught up with her, biting and tearing frenziedly.
The screams were piercing.
The young college woman writhed in agony on the ground.
"How can I avoid getting burned to death when using this torch?"
Lin Baici was ready to take a risk.
There was no time to hesitate; he might be the next one to be forced to eat the peaches.
"I don't know!"
Jin Ying Zhen saw what Lin Baici was planning and quickly dissuaded him, "Don't mess around, you'll die!"
Lin Baici ignored her, focusing on the torch.
[Songmu Torch, when lit, emits a pine scent. It can ignite anything and turn it to ashes in a very short time.]
[Everyone who sees this torch wants to pick it up and play with it. As they play, they'll feel an impulse to burn others, or even themselves!]
[But don't be afraid, just pick it up. It's easy to cook with, as it makes stir-frying a breeze, a fine kitchen utensil indeed!]
A mysterious voice echoed thrice in Lin Baici's mind.
"I don't have to be afraid? What does that mean?"
Lin Baici questioned, "I won't get contaminated?"
The voice didn't answer, but Lin Baici guessed that's what it meant.
Because Jin Ying Zhen had mentioned that radiation from God's bones in the Divine Ruins could cause symptoms like dizziness, nausea, and vomiting, but so far, he had experienced none of these reactions.
The Peach Monsters that had eaten Ma Xiao went to rest, and another batch crawled out to the front of the sun-hat-wearing old lady.
"Hah, these monsters even know how to queue for food!"
The old lady mocked herself.
Lin Baici didn't want to drag things out any longer. What if there was another twist of fate?
"Stay close to me!"
After speaking, Lin Baici started quickly and ran towards the torch.
"No!"
Jin Ying Zhen became anxious.
Lin Baici picked up the torch and, with all the strength in his arm, dragged it across the gravel path.
Whoosh!
The torch caught fire, its light dispelling the fog like dawn spreading.
"Everyone, run with me!"
Lin Baici charged forward with large strides while waving the torch.
The flickering firelight trailed behind him like a swimming dragon, running through the peach grove, scattering the Peach Monsters far and wide!
```