The rune array's suction grew stronger and stronger, and Ning Yu and Mu Xue's bodies were uncontrollably swept towards the dazzling light, like leaves in a storm. "Ning Yu, what do we do? We can't hold on much longer!" Mu Xue's voice was torn apart by the wind, but she still held Ning Yu's hand tightly, her eyes filled with determination.

"Trust me!" Ning Yu gritted his teeth, diverting some of his attention to the plant. The pale green light flickered under the impact of the runic energy, but it never went out. Instead, it displayed a peculiar rhythm as the runic energy surged.

Ning Yu's mind raced, analyzing everything before him. The energy of the plant, the energy of the runes, the subtle connection between the two... Suddenly, a flash of inspiration pierced his thoughts.

"Could it be... that the plant's energy is the key?" Ning Yu's heart stirred, and he mobilized the few supernatural abilities within his body, cautiously reaching out towards the plant.

However, the instant his power touched the plant, a powerful repulsive force jolted him away. Ning Yu groaned, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, his face paling slightly. The plant's energy was far stronger and more tenacious than he had imagined; his power was mercilessly repelled the moment it made contact, and he even suffered a slight backlash.

"Ning Yu!" Upon seeing this, Mu Xue's heart tightened. Disregarding her own safety, she struggled desperately to get closer to Ning Yu.

Ning Yu took a deep breath, suppressing the surging blood within him, and turned his gaze back to the plant. He knew this was their only hope; he had to find a way to utilize the plant's energy, otherwise he and Mu Xue would be devoured by the rune array.

This time, Ning Yu didn't act rashly. Instead, he carefully observed the plant's every move, sensing the flow of its energy, trying to find the underlying pattern. Time passed second by second, and the rune array's suction grew stronger and stronger; they didn't have much time left.

"We must hurry!" A resolute glint flashed in Ning Yu's eyes. He activated his supernatural ability again. This time, he didn't choose to directly contact the plant, but instead tried to guide its energy with his power, hoping to find a breakthrough... Mu Xue saw the bloodstains at the corner of Ning Yu's mouth, and her heart ached as if it were being stabbed. She knew Ning Yu too well; he would never easily take risks unless absolutely necessary. And now, to protect her, he was willing to challenge the unknown dangers time and time again.

"Ning Yu, stop trying! Take my power too!" Mu Xue said, recklessly pouring all her remaining power into Ning Yu's body. She knew that doing so might deplete all her strength, but she was unwilling to watch Ning Yu suffer all of this alone.

A warm and powerful energy flow instantly surged into Ning Yu's body, replenishing his previously depleted supernatural abilities and making them even more abundant and powerful. Ning Yu looked at Mu Xue in surprise. Her face was as pale as paper, but she still gave him a firm smile: "Don't worry about me, I'm fine."

With time of the essence, Ning Yu had no time to think. He merged Mu Xue's special ability with his own and tried to guide the plant's energy once more. This time, his perception seemed to be infinitely amplified. The flow of energy in the plant became clearly visible to him, and the energy fluctuations of the runes became much easier to detect.

He carefully controlled his supernatural power, guiding the energy of the plant, slowly approaching the raging runic energy. The two completely different energies met in mid-air, colliding to create a dazzling light, and the surrounding space seemed to distort at that moment.

Suddenly, Ning Yu sensed a strange resonance; there seemed to be some unknown connection between the energy of the plant and the energy of the runes. He keenly grasped this and continued to guide the energy of the plant, attempting to establish a deeper connection with the energy of the runes.

However, his actions seemed to have triggered some taboo. The rune array suddenly emitted a deafening roar, and the already violent energy fluctuations became even more intense, sweeping outwards like a raging storm.

"Not good!" Ning Yu's expression changed drastically. This energy surge was far beyond his expectations, and even with his current strength, he could hardly withstand it. He instinctively wanted to protect Mu Xue behind him, but found that a powerful force was pushing him backward.

"Ning Yu—" Mu Xue exclaimed in alarm, only to see her teammates, who had been standing behind them, rushing forward without hesitation... One by one, the teammates fell, their bodies as fragile as leaves in a storm under the violent runic energy. Screams and the roar of colliding energy intertwined, creating a scene of hell on earth.

"team leader!"

"Sister Xue!"

With their last ounce of strength, the team members shouted out those two names, their eyes filled with resolve and reluctance. They fell for protection, for hope, and for the shared belief in their hearts.

Ning Yu's eyes were pierced by the horrific scene before him; his heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, making it almost impossible to breathe. They were his brothers-in-arms, his only support in this apocalyptic world, and now, they were falling one by one to protect him…

"No!" Ning Yu roared in a heart-wrenching rage, his eyes bloodshot, his blood seemingly burning within him. He couldn't fall; he had more important things to do, he had to live on, carrying the hopes of his brothers!

He frantically channeled his supernatural abilities, pushing the plant's energy to its limit in an attempt to contend with the raging runic energy. However, his body had reached its limit, and his supernatural abilities were like a spring about to dry up, threatening to run dry at any moment.

"Ning Yu, no..." Mu Xue's voice was weak and trembling. She struggled to stand up, but collapsed helplessly into a pool of blood. She knew what Ning Yu was doing, and she knew what it meant, but she couldn't stop him. She could only watch helplessly as he headed for destruction.

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