Chapter 148: The Burning Drug (7)
James’ simple words echoed in my mind.
“Please guide the guest well.”
The moment I opened my eyes, an overwhelming pain surged through every inch of my body. Above me, the sky was thick with creamy smoke. I lay in the ashes of what had once been a beautiful city, my gaze fixed on the crimson and ash-streaked sky.
Smoke billowed, writhing like a serpent swallowing the heavens. Beneath it, the flames raged, painting the world in hues of destruction.
The smoke, darker than the night sky itself, glowed with an eerie red as the flames below reflected off it. Every so often, the sky roared with thunder, like an ominous drum signaling the end.
“Haa… Haa…”
Breathing grew harder by the second. With every exhale, the blood filling my lungs gurgled, each breath no more than a boiling rasp.
Cough-!
Blood sprayed from my mouth, staining the cracked asphalt beneath me, leaving behind the only evidence that I was still alive.
Death was close. My body screamed in agony from every corner, though at this point, it was easier to identify the few parts that weren’t injured.
I had failed.
If I had been more cautious, we might have escaped…
Caught in this cycle of regret, I heard a faint rustling nearby. Slowly, painfully, I forced my head to turn.
“!”
James’ guest, Yerin, was rising from the wreckage. Despite the crash, she was still able to move.
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, James’ guest stood.
Thank goodness.
Relief coursed through me. She was hurt, but it wasn’t fatal. At least she would survive.
This was James’ mission, and I had wanted to see it through to the end. I needed to guide her to safety, but my body refused to obey. No matter how much I willed myself to stand, to move, I remained paralyzed.
Sigh… I couldn’t guide her all the way, but isn’t this enough, James?
The words wouldn’t come, but in my mind, I spoke to him. Apologies mingled with the blood in my mouth—regrets for failing to complete the task.
My eyes barely opened now, my lips trembling, as I sensed something—someone—drawing closer.
In the blurry distance, yellow and grey flickered, swaying in my fading vision.
And then, everything went dark.
***