Bologue's attention was entirely on driving and communicating with Aimou, completely oblivious to Palmer's actions. However, judging from the extremely furious expressions of Kronin and Gold, Palmer's foul language must have had a strong mental impact on them.
Before Bologue could deal with the pursuers behind, the car emitted a muffled sound, and the body tilted slightly to one side, causing the speed to drop suddenly.
"No way!"
Bologue complained loudly, angrily pounding the steering wheel.
Bad things kept happening one after another, and thinking of this, Bologue turned his head to glare at Palmer, who looked unconcerned.
Forget it, Bologue was already used to such unlucky developments.
Just as Bologue was about to pull over and desperately give it his all, Aimou pushed open the passenger door and leaned out to inspect the car.
"What are you doing?" Bologue asked in confusion.
Aimou turned her head to look at Bologue with a confident smile and said, "I can fix the car!"
"What!"
"Car repair! From changing headlights to engine maintenance, I can do it all!"
Bologue was completely stunned, but recalling Aimou's fighting techniques, it seemed quite normal for her to know car repairs too.
"How do you do it?"
The swarm of snakes crawled towards the interior of the car. Thanks to the meticulous training in Secret Energy, as long as the damage wasn't too severe, Bologue could immediately replace parts.
Aimou reached out, and under the glow of Canyin, her arm merged into Bologue's body, and the swarm of snakes' perception transmitted back to Aimou's mind.
She felt herself rushing between the mechanical crevices, searching for the damaged corner amidst the searing heat.
No words were needed; Bologue understood Aimou's intention. The swarm of snakes solidified and shaped, as the broken metal support was re-erected and reinforced.
Bologue was like a diligent sailor, steering a ship riddled with holes, trying to patch them up while finding a way to escape the storm's chase.
"You drive now!"
Bologue gripped the door frame tightly and flipped up onto the roof, while Palmer seized the opportunity to leap into the driver's seat, taking over the steering wheel from Bologue.
A green light trail spread, and Deceitful Snake Scale Liquid was released like tentacles from Bologue's body, gripping the car roof firmly and allowing Bologue to stand stably on the vehicle.
In front of Bologue, two Prayer Believers sped rapidly, approaching swiftly. Despite the engine's roar, it was momentarily impossible to shake them off.
But as long as they held out a bit longer, their speed was being exchanged for a large consumption of Ether. They couldn't sustain it for long, and just by holding on, Bologue could shake them off.
However, if just one of their attacks hit the car, it would easily be smashed to pieces, intercepting Bologue.
The silver-white swarm of snakes spread out in the gale, the ends solidifying into sharp tail blades. With Bologue's swing, it transformed into a Whip Blade slicing through the howling wind, slashing towards the two.
Gold suddenly halted, then thick roots broke through the ground, blocking the Whip Blade, continuing to extend outward, reaching for the car.
The car's speed and the time needed for Gold's Secret Energy release reached a delicate balance. Whenever Gold summoned the giant wood, the car had already escaped his attack range, but just a slight delay would result in being hit by the giant wood.
"Need my help?"
Aimou poked her head out, asking Bologue.
"Not yet!" Bologue responded loudly.
Now Bologue could clearly feel, even with Palmer's Wind Source support, the car's damage was gradually dragging down the pace.
The swarm of snakes touched the ground, and the Summoning Hand then commanded the earth, causing the solid road to collapse into countless Long Halberds, like a forest of spikes, trying to intercept Gold.
But before Gold could pass through, branches sprouted from the Long Halberds. As a Secret Energy of the Sect of Illusion Creation, the Giant Wood Garden itself required the earth as its foundation. Bologue's every summon of the rocks would be easily neutralized by Gold.
Just as Bologue was thinking of the next move, a strong Ether reaction arose from underground.
Bologue shouted, "Palmer!"
"Don't rush me!"
Palmer jerked the steering wheel, winds gathered on the car roof, pressing the vehicle firmly to the ground to prevent it from losing control and overturning.
The tires carved blackened paths on the ground, and Palmer steered the car in a nearly impossible maneuver, charging towards another junction.
The ground trembled, massive roots with thrashing branches erupted, completely shattering the ground where the car had just been. Had they been one second slower, the car would have collided with the giant wood, turning into a burning fireball.
"I always said I should become a racecar driver!"
Palmer dreamed of his childhood aspiration, suddenly filled with enthusiasm. He slapped the radio, and after a brief crackling of static, a familiar broadcast started.
"Hello, listeners! I am Dudel, your faithful friend, streaming twice a day. Welcome to our channel!"
There was enough absurdity today. Bologue, seated atop the car, wasn't the least bit surprised when he heard Dudel's voice.
"Urgently interrupting with news, currently unknown chaos is occurring around the Great Rift. According to surrounding citizens' calls, this appears to be a robbery incident, a notorious hooded criminal is firing at crowds. Citizens, please move away quickly, protect your safety; the sheriff is on the way."
"Robbery? What a foolish criminal! The bank's not even open at this hour!"
Palmer laughed at the broadcast news and then pounded the radio, trying to switch channels.
Aimou hesitated for a moment, correcting Palmer, "Um… he seems to be talking about us."
"Huh? Is that so?" Palmer glanced at the rearview mirror, reflecting a masked bandit, "Damn it, I forgot about that."
Palmer had grown accustomed to using anything on hand to conceal his face, whether it was black stockings or delivery paper bags.
"So, does that mean we're also wanted? The sheriff is after us?" Palmer asked Aimou.
Aimou seemed a bit at a loss, wondering why this guy wasn't the least bit anxious about being wanted, instead getting a bit excited.
"Get ready!"
Palmer said something cryptic to Aimou before smashing the windshield with a punch, letting a rush of wind sweep in.
Bologue felt the car beneath him jolt, encased in the pressure of the wind as he found it hard to catch his breath.
"How's the situation over there?"
A familiar voice sounded in his mind; it was Lebius.
"Already picked up Aimou, we're being chased by two Prayer Believers, currently heading towards the Great Rift." Bologue responded, pressing the whistle.
"According to Aimou, she can't sustain the Fantasy Species' Time Reversal anymore, meaning this is the last Time Reversal!"
The voice in his mind fell silent for a few seconds and then replied, "I understand, keep in touch, reinforcements are on the way."
Reinforcements?
Will there really be reinforcements in such a scenario? If there were reinforcements, where were they in previous Time Reversals?
Bologue didn't question too much; he trusted Lebius just as Lebius trusted him.
He extended a Silver Hand into the car, opening a suitcase in the back seat and grabbed a handful of weapons.
This was originally support alchemy armament for the tenth squad, the Hunter of Many Nations, who had recently clashed with the Corrupt Sect in the Narrow Countries.
No one expected that while battles broke out in the Narrow Countries, within the Great Rift, the Order Bureau faced Immortal Heart's loss of control, making these alchemy armaments highly utilizable.
This was the alchemy weapon Lebius brought from the warehouse. Since Bologue was only a First Stage Condenser and had limited Ether storage, these alchemy armaments were basically disposable.
Bologue casually toyed with an alchemy grenade in his hand, pulled the pin, waited a few seconds, and then threw it toward Gold.
Gold paid no heed to what Bologue threw, the sprawling giant wood easily swallowed it into darkness, but in an instant, a massive Ether reaction erupted from within the giant wood.
The loud explosion reverberated through the streets, shattering windows along the way, and the wave of impact even pushed the car forward.
As for the entwined giant wood, it fragmented upon the explosion, but this wasn't the most lethal. The daunting part was the raging fire scattered around.
Unlike usual flames, the fire triggered by the alchemy grenade stuck tightly to the surface of matter, even if it burned through it, it lingered for a while before extinguishing entirely.
The giant wood and roots blazed with fierce flames, like rampant fire snakes. Turning her head, Aimou, as an alchemist, instantly recognized the burning material.
Aimou murmured, "Red Mercury…"
Red Mercury, or rather Red Mercury, is an alchemical product transformed from mercury, possessing immense combustibility. It's perfectly suited for dealing with endlessly proliferating flesh.
In the explosive flames, before Bologue could relish it, a familiar figure intercepted them as the wall on the street side burst.
"I've got you!"
Kronin circled around to catch up with Bologue. The Ether impact swept through, the roaring Ether effortlessly lifted vehicles, demolishing the street along the way.
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