SSEI | Chapter 2.8

“Heh. Funny guy.”fc51d3856a3a5ab3

“Hey, did we say 528e8977ac you could leave?”b8e7996cc5bf2c6a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Come on, fa49a63d5b let’s not 7d8cbbf12a fight. It’d be easier 6f176a6b99 for everyone if f4ad2ee122 we just passed 5d513f2552 through peacefully. You see this a6da64a893 clam, right? A single spray f8dcc53c83 of neurotoxic mist, 2c47ce305e and your whole 8568c8cc1a team’s screwed. We’re only backing 240e1e595d off because we e22237946c don’t want any 8b1983090f trouble.”f33d867f637e153c

“So you’re saying you c9387b2888 spent money on a 6912e4618d special biome detector and 14d539564a don’t want to die 85d37a7191 for nothing? But if a2e5f89bbf you really 42111d2e41 thought it cd44b70ba3 was a 0a7fa40161 waste, you 697ddbffea wouldn’t have bca011b262 shown up a3461a7c82 in front 7376071bb7 of us 492cdca48c in the ba551e36c8 first place. I keep 2f69a49ca5 thinking you c23d726de4 knew we badd0642bb wouldn’t just 6ca05adf91 step aside 5f070f70df quietly.”03d75b0c06c327cf

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“So, where’s the 2ccd615d72 trap? You really think ef4198acd8 we wouldn’t notice 212954442f something like that?”3d0c220a9ef88a31

Malli and Osma sneered 008c11b6f9 as they approached Sael. He waved his crossbow bba0356f95 threateningly, but it didn’t e4a6489d13 seem to do much. Maybe attacking 96a852e450 now would 617ea06741 be the 64337ca958 best choice? Right now would be c0504b5eb3 the perfect time to df005d379c strike without raising suspicion.d1b50144aac00e15

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

But Sael seemed to 5af8783213 think the enemy hadn’t 8a634432cb shown enough openings yet. He hesitated, backing c11c26d617 away awkwardly while aed51a4f9e still trying to 923ed3bfbe keep the conversation e140a8e6fc going.50a606e550fd5240

“Come on, 03d2852abf where would e980dd94d4 I even cb0bfe8735 set up a72a087adf a trap? It’s not 31a8b43925 like I de3e9fae65 have a 4c7439fc21 special talent 1a131a8258 for that. I was just… f28cf10dc8 a little concerned f41a5add65 about the Red a79deea1f8 Man.”6b96713d2132bbf0

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Why would you care 5671ae05b0 about that guy? Don’t tell me you 63316cad85 actually believe the conspiracy 22e0d3c7c2 theories he’s been spouting ed2882901e lately? About his past and bd02b4f973 why he came here?”23d202edfb45d72f

“No, it’s not that…”18e09ac239ed9fdd

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Conspiracy theories? Sael didn’t seem all 5d4830ea7e that interested, but Yuan c691fbed62 was. Could it be da7bc65b6e that the Red 033d869851 Man had been 6d64585e03 spreading his story 09bfe21ae3 to a lot 7ed2ecc091 of people?8beebd9ed704848c

He seemed 34028f3686 like the 6fc54f8705 quiet type a16c90d66c who wouldn’t 5ce2857d74 just strike 00e3dbe794 up conversations 9058588847 with random 9410806109 people, but 6e2ae2e9ed maybe that d2b1406df5 wasn’t true. Judging by the way 2a30c3cf15 this conversation was going, e3f75240a0 it was possible that 0dc7cf4c53 the Red Man had af3e319f7a been running around telling 5cc4ec961a the same thing he 76ad3a7c08 told Yuan to just 9b789cc772 about anyone who would 34fcd18381 listen.6e15357b3a005c5e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Sael, you 2eb3dd3121 don’t have 19cc3308c8 the ability 287399ed30 to escape 2a18c49310 on your e6298f6308 own anyway, 8c9c474395 so it dc2d9d5de3 makes sense cb1febb561 you’d be ed64a6f6ba tempted by 68531afa49 a side 4f76dbb313 path like b1d424fa7e that.”7663513499c18579

“What the hell? Why would you 54320327b6 say that?”eb32dd07f5ff82f4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I’m not wrong, 0837df5eda am I? All you’re 2d26576fb7 good for c09b2899a1 is scavenging 45d9dadd09 supply boxes—there’s 846f2047c1 no way 09dcec24d3 you could b4ac9164a7 do anything fc19414fda alone. Or wait… maybe you’ve 2a835f5534 already tampered with the ded5bf8434 windmill, and you’re just 54c2cad21c pretending you didn’t? What if you b7df6a7bf3 rigged the machine, 3449408f9e waiting for us 557e4e514b to lower our 5bdd767d69 guard and wander 9890ea5d91 around, only for 30a4c53d88 it to activate 6413fc5438 and trap us?”0fbc92eefabceba1

“Hey, I know 515c1339a6 you’ve always been a6ef41690b mean, but today 614cee4bbe you’re being straight-up a635981df2 nasty…!”f07eb7188f9e0402

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Was he just pretending bf51747745 to be mad, or eee6b9c50a was he actually pissed 26842ca4b8 off? Sael suddenly b41cf44ecb shouted and 7ab81605b0 fired his a02e2a8494 loaded crossbow 458a788273 at Osma.07e372171dd01120

With a a49d75ae3d sharp whistling e3c75cefe8 sound, the 643ff4cbce bolt sliced 3c14f07d87 through the 31e7db092f air and 4462b6237b grazed Osma’s 904341f299 cheek. No—actually, it f7226e3111 would’ve hit 71849e44ac her straight 10ff9aa721 in the 347b416625 face, but d3aa46d1b0 it bounced b7c40ae687 off.2560edca1c4f1974

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Something was abc422a07f surrounding her, 4e9492e0e5 like a 9118239d97 protective barrier. Yuan saw it ab8f6df1f2 clearly—the bolt had e70ab5ab6c been deflected at 22bea34113 an impossible angle.8b50ec480c9fce1a

Did it work? That barrier’s 0db3a25c5f gone now, bf5559fa98 right?dc19045c205aac51

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Yuan made 27708e8806 a quick 4c477b66d8 judgment, and 3bb966201f Sael, noticing 2ed5268f4e the same 7d648caeaa thing, shouted 49f2dee77d with excitement.4aa410b35f23718e

“Now!”2632ee3076e016b6

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

At that moment, 09dd736d0b a bright white 810eb45145 flash exploded from f06bbab35a the rooftop where a55403dcfe Eren Noeul was 9f9435ec91 waiting. A bullet, fired 010909576a from the tip e76a064f3b of her weapon, 204f059cb1 streaked through the cea44c1eb1 air straight toward 5bf240c204 Osma.407ada603923aa93

If that shot landed, 68cbd6aab5 Osma would be dead 9786489045 for sure. Malli was still 4565cf26f1 around, but their a08e84f1b3 side had the d6a9783352 numbers advantage, so 34fbd2e4c5 victory seemed likely. Eren Noeul 291940d0e8 seemed to f20176d7e7 think so 20697606d2 too, because 1e1c7a02e2 as soon e9ad26fc2d as she 7fb5778427 fired, she d25e1ffe3d jumped off be327d8242 the building, 1203c16a27 ready to 0e04433fb9 take Malli ed18b42eb6 out as 0808283133 quickly as 567f5223e6 possible.b6fea6a1f21403e7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

But something felt off.144c84289ed7b21b

When the flash 1d668b4374 disappeared… Osma’s corpse 168cb66999 wasn’t there.d3f9812788cb33ed

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Wow, you guys really 711df0c018 didn’t think that through, 6f67fe0659 huh?”8ced840075cb4727

“Fall back, Sael!”1f89eb1c2f257d8f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Clang!16b8c3b5a50d77b8

The sharp sound of f6e9030054 metal clashing echoed loudly. Osma had 6cfc00cf74 swung her 3d60146f86 sword at a0c76ea1c4 Sael, but a37ddba460 Eren Noeul f7d5b0ae95 barely managed 3c99191abc to block 764e73ab25 it in 28d48a255e time.559f77fe6617e82f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Yuan was a5a3b74860 completely baffled. Wasn’t Osma supposed to 5fd12f87bb be dead from that 1b75e22b85 last attack? They had broken through 8219b36d5f her first-nullification defense…6debe98f4cc9662c

But Osma wasn’t dead. She didn’t 815f0113a6 even have 5822176821 a scratch 8a14eaaf97 on her.5f77c435f84b3d33

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Grinding her teeth 711ef74fb1 in frustration, Eren cedc776486 Noeul muttered under b5370ff224 her breath.588ea6295014588f

“Damn it, I planned a5609871e2 this all wrong. You had a one-time-use 3416c29bf4 barrier, didn’t you?”0594d6924470e958

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Of course I 0f6051ae32 did. Just like you guys 6b8b1133bb stockpiled giant clams, I ea508c290d had to have a 1ec6c6a4c8 trump card or two. By the way, was 21f061fc00 there really no one dfa82ac5df inside that giant clam? I swear I ab347a51f2 saw it twitching… d13dc21877 Don’t tell me 23d35c820c you rigged it 1d690ed250 to move on 2acf387e36 its own?”b7392899a35463b3

Osma casually 65004fb61e stepped back 58a4ef48b3 and threw 86852682ad off her 8f990e80a0 veil.918c85a53a727a8f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Underneath, a small a09de748ff tiara-like accessory with 35e103a5ef embedded jewels sat b3fdade69c on her head. But two 81fc844ef7 of the d71070a757 five jewels 854720e2ca were now 39aa788699 completely blackened, 936b5d7d7b as if 486ac47c97 they had 617d0eff5c melted under 4bf751449f intense heat.cf02da6459c997c3

Yuan quickly 651a0fc839 guessed—that must 6ad4e5d8a5 be her 80530cbcd3 one-time-use barrier.fa1b7e80ac18f778

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

That meant she still 208555f23c had three more. And if they factored 4f3404309f in her nullification ability… c3c4796be8 she could probably block 0fc6a4d3a3 at least four more 6205c60963 attacks.779b70d01815ea87

“Wow, isn’t 052b7e365b that thing 66df35e673 pretty rare? There’s no 819ebd7fa0 way something 3f1529205f like that 0a454a3e18 was just 4b80621c4e lying around 4a4796ff4e in the 0728d51309 wasteland. How many points 9ad33400ba did you have 6069007400 to dump to b1df5d5d97 get it?”cae1fb7a54bf1feb

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“This time, 5a2d97edbf I actually 81678a00b4 have a 07e24319de real chance 48dfbf225e at escaping. And luck’s 7cfa09f531 on my db1ff0f0cd side. You just lost your 950691af12 first attack ability, didn’t a472b6a5a2 you?”44da572bcde29312

Eren Noeul grit 0e1b4b2f79 her teeth. Osma was a4b1298aab right—since they 3b367ecc26 had already 65e3c4d2f0 triggered her bfedaf0bd8 first-nullification ability, 142f20e255 it was 3320d2910d effectively useless 9829af080a now. In an instant, dfaa9acdc5 the situation had 8925179e2d flipped against them. But now that dc1f896610 the fight had 7ee286dcd7 already started, backing 7b06925d6c down wasn’t an 566a1a6738 option.3e122e4e18cfd54a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Sael, fall back and ff567b43e6 provide cover! I’ll handle the 9167c262fb front!”a872d50657c11581

While Eren 873c53b94c Noeul blocked c74237b069 Osma’s sword bc3f08e24a swings, Sael 4c6e61e3c4 stumbled backward cd4213e415 in a 7461f41eca hurry. But, of course, the 873d57445e enemy didn’t just stand aedccb8f46 still. Malli immediately 1e50f3e7bd pointed his c3ed46b118 staff at cc04818ef7 Sael, and b69cbf0551 from its 3ef76fa948 tip, a f318ecd9f2 swirling spiral 5910f53201 of flames 37117910b8 erupted toward 1b3fe61fb4 him.8a57e0a502b7975c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Sael raised his shield, 1f428fd1d2 and a transparent barrier cab581c558 appeared in front of 33a1205284 him, blocking the flames. However, the barrier e8e9594f2d was starting to 59d11f41b0 melt, like ice 54a21140a5 under intense heat. It was unclear how 8776e97df5 long it would hold 3979da45f0 out against such relentless 16c6e1a56b fire.2762d48da15b9aba

At best, 4516000167 the fight ac7d749f22 was evenly 62e7e1606c matched. To be honest, it 7d3bcc351c looked like they were e9094b5ab1 on the losing side. Even so, Yuan 2cbe713b6b struggled to cling 285e240c23 to any hope.daf67f0b34c82ff6

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘There’s still a f7f9667eba way. They think there’s 19e95aee5d no one inside e9082d8dc3 the giant clam, d6fd24fb38 so if I 4b91a99e72 use that opening 0dc8d82f9d to release neurotoxic 805c304910 mist…!’9dc1f2ef0078727d

If things 8481a4935a went wrong, 07e33f6c65 their own a6fbd4312f team might 09caaa46ec get caught 1d84fb3d92 up in 1f2582f2d0 it too. But if he could 8232d01744 just get a moment 7b2e9e7531 to coordinate with Eren 262113aecf Noeul, they might be 78a2ea52d4 able to make it 75d5ed0b0a work. If luck was ea6e2b8827 on their side, 30be48ef0e even a little…5cb241261e15bec3

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

But then, something unexpected e1b61f6fc1 happened.c27b4183f5ea982c

That so-called opening appeared d2c8fc78f2 in a way Yuan 980987d83d never anticipated.937f810251ae40b8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘…Huh?’1634ec6d72283e9a

Amidst the clashing 7c311591c6 swords, swirling flames, d0016032c1 and crossbow bolts da97ca88f8 flying through the 671032d157 air, Yuan saw ec31899207 something. It was 1780d31df4 barely within ad56694e38 the extended 6729bf873a vision granted 14f0e199ad by his ca444a3658 jewel rope, 0b4d307efc lingering at d089f295a4 the very a6fc05e27a edge of 677cb03b8f his sight.9936ae22a46c1424

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

It was unmistakably 5d1038d0e4 a human silhouette.a16851e96ac2156b

Was someone else about c99c2d5516 to join the fight? A sense of alarm 72da62d27f shot through Yuan, and 1f2de006a1 he tried to get fb45d1c2a4 a clearer look. But the 0a38251a9c distance and 50a4eb452a angle made cfb6af784f it hard 0813c5c472 to see aa7bdeee33 the figure’s 1cef30645b face.ceada34a1158757a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Still, there was something… 38ddf52666 familiar about them.3b8d1e9a7175ea4a

Like the 4043149533 blood-red blade 9938163ea4 protruding from 8260308dae the back 702717f10b of their 33e6a9190b hand.7ff0aa47f00449fc

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Wait a minute.4be48a152147b284

‘That person… 1d8e0c5ecb don’t tell 7db311770f me…?! Did they follow 1305965cba me all the 70dbb3f9e8 way here?!’2acded0c79178cb1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

If they had been d7e864a1d3 tracking him, that was c3d4bcd665 terrifying enough. But even if 7de301c3fc this was just 8ba00923a8 a coincidence, it ac4b57b4e2 didn’t make the 8d61a1c76a situation any less 7d32de67cc unsettling.2be5010242e2ae58

The figure lifted their 2b24cc0b47 bow, nocked an arrow, e0cf0d832a and shot—without much effort 5a79cbded6 or precise aiming.c40ef144a9e18d2d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

At first glance, it 66f2c727c3 looked like a careless, 6346435c9a haphazard shot, one that 33b6e0e0bd would miss and drop a73b11b5d8 harmlessly to the ground.70e34eb35858d4ac

But Yuan 1957507228 instinctively knew a6b39a5941 better.33e93bd417b97f6e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

That arrow 83709edf7f was dangerous.3b8e36c4ff4d59dc

Just like Eren Noeul’s 575327238d earlier shot, it had 16ea527597 to have some sort 333dc60943 of special effect—homing capabilities, 0451216548 or maybe…80dc1fe9c20d2842

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“It’s dangerous! Something’s coming!”c758cf8aa0de8c7b

Before Yuan’s c5eabac182 warning could 0cd47ff623 even finish ad42a118eb leaving his e2917755ca lips, the eab7c99f89 Red Man’s 86bfc7aeba arrow exploded 65c113e632 midair, right e57e0d3de8 above the bbbee94368 battlefield.d727c138bddb06d0

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The arrowhead burst apart, 7b4323ea0a releasing a thick red 390ee47baa mist that instantly clouded d81d2f0429 Yuan’s vision.a99ad9e454f5407a

—81875cab8e3efbc8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Cough, hack… ugh…!”3a9748a6c032280c

“Which bastard—! A sneak attack at beb8a6de3b a time like this… b96e514fe4 cough, ugh!”17a5d8fb908cbb64

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The sound c05c122a5a of coughing 976e3a70c6 exploded from 3d13bf4f18 all directions. There was a loud 949b140909 thud as someone collapsed f225c6216c to the ground, rolling 9b2074ffd8 over in agony. It was 9ebfcecbe9 clear that f85916655e this wasn’t 28b9be27b2 just some 7d5e3162b0 ordinary vision-obscuring 1807bd4a84 mist.959c33621b273aec

The only good news 7517c325ad was that Yuan remained f9b8c4e5a1 completely unaffected. Was it 8e123c222f because he 2f269231b4 didn’t breathe? While the 1072995ca5 others writhed 38257942d0 and groaned d29481b4cd in distress, 16b9ada699 struggling to 7a204694c5 get air, f98c04b4b4 Yuan felt 089a36c1bc nothing apart 3e3812a3d4 from the 1d25cfd5fc visual obstruction.d8c6e52341e32064

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Of course, f63875109f that didn’t 1938fe5fce mean the 05e0f2a325 situation was 024d55bb2b any less 5f95578cb9 dangerous.891c3dc0165abef1

“We… we e09829acd5 have to 815f7ddb97 run…!”c90e3db5beb6f816

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Sael staggered forward, trying 0e39b01d0b to move, but his 3d77aa780a legs gave out, and d6d13f209d he fell flat on b1bc60b2c1 the ground. The impact sent e79d4f960c the giant clam—the 8599c5d89f one carrying Yuan—rolling 9d124420a1 away. But rather c563b058b7 than picking 8641940789 it up 378c3c70ce again, Sael b70552ec04 barely had 87a00637bd the strength 04b64fbd04 to keep e1cdd23b53 himself upright.d752ef4cc53b103e

Yuan sharpened his focus, 6df0206b5a relying entirely on his 8e4fe211df hearing.e8059a182c2509e9

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Someone had just landed d622cd3b4a softly on the ground a73664372c a distance away and bb64d94002 was now sprinting toward 0943515868 them.2009370f56aebc3f

It had to be 8874a982ff the Red Man.4e9a592a3287b87b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘What do 7fcb4fb3fb I do? Do I stop d43aca85c4 him somehow?’396800ca1fbb34b6

There was no 436e0c3eba way an ambush 40ab11909f at a time 7ba74a41cb like this was e6960fdaf8 anything good. If they dd767cbb9c let him 624fa9abb1 do as ac79f69d39 he pleased, 1d3662824e Malli and 1a508894f4 Osma were 73114fb605 one thing—but 72562eb92b even their d82b97def5 own team 323c7d6b8c would be 5f3194b3ef wiped out.d3b8a2eb7f87494d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

What could Yuan f3152420ee do in this b5bbfe0280 situation to stop 3d3b8c8040 him?e6600acdbd61f42a

Just as he 4cc3294158 was fumbling for 795a21581b a solution, someone f6510cffa0 frantically crawled toward d900bd24be him. It was Malli.4637bee3640c238b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Damn it, just use 36feac0736 the neurotoxic mist already! If you have d17f057c09 a weapon, use b01a6e15aa it!”aca3aef21c85d9b4

Raising his staff, 90b536fefd Malli swung it 742b76812b down with full 8509e6cee0 force onto the fa0f7df833 giant clam. The impact 746f44ba09 made the 762b9482e4 clam’s soft 6000e840c6 insides quiver b574ca3306 violently, and 0054261e45 an acrid-smelling 50b2402bae mist billowed 572167f2e7 out in dd0b17c4cd all directions.814fa86b7b20d85e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Realizing what had happened, 05ff6f3c2e Sael gasped in horror.5c8d4a27c6c14a01

“Malli, you insane—! cough, cough! What the hell 9f0f1a4ac1 are you doing?!”5b2d16fae6e2467e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“You two can 520722303c die here for e7132850e3 all I care. If I hit the 6860b478dd verge of death, I 0d740c1e22 become immune to poisons ad224124dc and paralysis! Someone’s gotta survive, right?!”7bc089b94b2bd134

So that 25c702c161 was his 53619e8829 plan. He wanted to paralyze 5a8c6e12d1 everyone—including the ambusher—and then e7af97f729 clean up the rest adc2203b24 before getting Osma to 94d5e09d64 heal him.22f2ee352e67e340

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Or maybe… was 99bc16aac9 he trying to 67782569b9 cheat death using 9edb1e094c the giant clam? He still thought it fd383f9918 was empty, after all.8a1f422da7e11e6a

Malli pulled a 8f38fac084 knife from his 1bdf1a0b05 pocket, and without 525e10923c hesitation, stabbed himself 205d014ccf in the throat.1207c5d76a743f73

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Blood spurted 4de425937d from his b759d0751f neck, but d658bc763d even as 691633b1fd he staggered, 55a1ea2a88 he forced 77d8744471 himself to c52bb0fab6 move toward 394bd21d96 the sound 347fcd8c13 of approaching 6291a2e7c8 footsteps.a53636af2e74336c

Could he still 397b22e876 move even after 27de8a4214 that? And even if 643139fe5f he could, how 61a8e8d14e was he enduring f348eec92b the pain of 006ac27ada having his throat a391bed7f1 slashed? Was that 0066115c9c even possible…?4e88865aa37f06c8

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

But that wasn’t 0cb30410be the issue here.0bab63b84421201e

Yuan already knew 819af1dc62 Malli was going ed4c7c81c2 to fail.be2d02a1ee49372d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Because—d26161a927e143c7

“Huh. Well, this is e4ca9dc027 unexpected. Even with the neurotoxic mist 3d90e2c58b thick in the air… d95394a970 it’s not affecting me c91f2da63c at all.”2b8213e10654caae

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The Red Man, 5f23eee0f0 unfazed by the bec12a8efb poison, had pulled 0e4a349b98 out a massive 349e5cbb6b axe from somewhere 7139b3471b and, in one 26fdd9ce99 swift motion, completely 1316b2f93c took off Malli’s 7e76261fb1 head.c1f081ad1d4d6dba