Chapter 15 The Endless Crisis

• Skyler looked somewhat troubled. He had just attempted it, but the barb of this harpoon was extremely intricate; it was virtually impossible to remove it from Michael's body.
• As he watched the fresh blood gushing out, Skyler was struck by an epiphany.
• Are they really dead? Can the dead... also feel pain?
• Skyler steadied his mind. Now is not the time to ponder such issues but to swiftly cut the rope.
• With all the harpoons gradually being pulled back, he couldn't use another one to sever the rope.
• The only certainty was that when all the ropes had retracted back into the wall, the harpoons would vanish entirely, and Michael would meet his demise.
• “We need to find a way to get a harpoon... but how exactly...” Skyler's brows furrowed slightly as he quickly scanned the surroundings.
• There was no choice but to take one more gamble.
• He swiftly picked up two retreating harpoons from the ground, then rapidly tied their ropes together, securing them with a firm knot.
• “Hey! Stop crowding around Michael.” Skyler yelled, “Do as I do! We need to at least save one harpoon.”
• In an instant, Pomeline understood his intentions. She also found a pair of harpoons and neatly tied them together in a knot.
• However, the knot she tied was peculiar, a shape Skyler had never seen before.
• At that moment, he didn't have the luxury of time to think. All he could do was focus on the two harpoons before his eyes.
• As the ropes continuously shortened, they were now tightly intertwined with each other.
• At this rate, it wouldn't be long before a rope would snap, leaving one of them behind.
• Skyler slowly backed away as the two ropes creaked ominously. If his guess was correct, the ropes could potentially injure someone if they were to snap under such immense tension.
• Sure enough, one of the ropes snapped the very next moment, making a tremendous noise.
• Another rope, with a harpoon attached, danced wildly in the air before whipping the ground, leaving a deep imprint.
• Skyler rushed forward, intending to untangle the broken rope before the harpoon was retracted back into the wall.
• However, at that moment, he found that the two ropes that had been tied together earlier had completely deformed due to the immense pulling force. Recognizing the shape of the ropes had become difficult, let alone untying them.
• “I'm done!” Pomeline shouted from a short distance away. “Whoever's is strong, hurry up and help cut the author's rope.”
• “You're done?”
• Upon looking back, Skyler noticed that the knot Pomeline had tied was incredibly clever. It was designed to automatically untie itself the moment the rope broke.
• Spencer hadn't even finished tying the initial knot when he heard these words. He quickly set down the harpoon he was holding and said, “I'll do the cutting. Hand it to me!”
• After taking the harpoon, Spencer moved swiftly. He arrived behind Michael just as the latter was about to be pulled into the wall.
• Fortunately, the harpoon in his hand, although pointed, had a small blade at the tip, making it usable as a small knife.
• In response, Jeremiah stepped forward to lend a hand. Although Skyler had already thought of a solution earlier, Michael was already less than half a meter away from the wall.
• The excruciating pain was unbearable for Michael, leaving him no choice but to slowly retreat with the rope. Otherwise, the barb lodged in his chest would cause him pain that was worse than death itself.
• Spencer swiftly grabbed the rope behind him. After a brief moment of contemplation, he aimed for the rope closest to Michael's body and began to chop through it with the sharp harpoon.
• His hands were steady, each chop precisely landing on the rope.
• However, the rope was tougher than expected. After several attempts to cut it, only a tiny nick was made.
• He quickly reassessed the situation, realizing it was somewhat difficult.
• Even though the rope was bound to be severed sooner or later, there was not enough time to do so.
• In less than a minute, Michael's body would make contact with the wall. By then, the idea of cutting the rope from behind would become an impossibility.
• “F*ck, aren't you done yet?” Jeremiah asked somewhat anxiously. “You're taking your sweet time. You're going to get this poor soul killed!”
• “Shut up!” Spencer snapped before continuing to exert more force.
• As Michael's body inched closer and closer to the wall, Spencer's face was already slick with a thin layer of sweat.
• It must be said that his mental fortitude was remarkably strong. Despite the air being thick with tension, he wielded the small harpoon flawlessly, not making a single mistake. Each strike landed precisely on the same notch.
• However, as Michael was less than thirty centimeters away from the wall, Spencer's arm struggled to move.
• With a swift reaction, Jeremiah positioned himself behind Michael, using his own body as a shield for him. In doing so, Michael would suffer injuries earlier than expected, but the distance between him and the wall would remain unchanged for a short while.
• “Cop, hurry up!”
• Spencer held his breath, persisting in his task. By then, the rope had been severed by more than half, yet it still held together.
• Michael was continuously crying out in agony. The harpoon had mercilessly pierced through his body and then cruelly hooked back into his chest. By then, his clothes were thoroughly soaked in his own blood, making for a horrifying sight.
• “Am I going to die...” Michael gritted his teeth and said, “I'm really going to die, aren't I... Who on earth wants us dead...”
• “Man up!” Spencer said seriously, “So many people are trying to save you, so don't you dare start breaking down on me!”
• Upon hearing these words, Michael immediately fell silent. He knew Spencer was right. Everyone was doing their best, and he couldn't afford to hold them back.
• The barb of the harpoon had sunk deep into Michael's flesh, causing him to grunt in pain as he continuously gritted his teeth.
• In response, Harvey immediately took a strip of cloth and stuffed it into Michael's mouth.
• After all, in situations of extreme pain, a person might end up grinding their own teeth to pieces.
• Everyone subsequently gathered around Michael.
• The brief span of twenty seconds felt like several hours, as Spencer meticulously cut through the rope.
• Finally, with the last swing of the harpoon, the rope was severed.
• At the same moment, Michael and Jeremiah both collapsed to the ground, overcome by exhaustion.
• Everyone around immediately stepped forward to support the two.
• It seemed that Michael's life had been saved.
• Harvey immediately pulled Michael to one side, beginning to inspect his injury. The condition of his wound was as anticipated, it still required the harpoon to be removed from the front.
• The most pressing issue at hand was stopping the bleeding.
• After pondering for a long while, Harvey eventually used a few strips of cloth to cover the wound near Michael's harpoon injury.
• “Hey, Doc, aren't you going to remove the harpoon from him?” Jeremiah asked.
• “We can't do it now. If we do, he will die,” Harvey said with a grave expression.
• “Die?” Jeremiah was somewhat puzzled, stepping forward to nudge Harvey. “What's going on? We've gone through so much trouble, and you're not going to save him?”
• “I am saving him!” Harvey impatiently shook off Jeremiah's hand. “To put it bluntly, the only way he can survive is if the harpoon stays in his body.”
• “Why?” Renee, standing by the side, couldn't help but ask.
• “If the harpoon were to be removed, he would bleed out. Death would merely be a matter of time,” Harvey calmly explained. “For now, leaving the harpoon in, despite the unbearable pain, will prevent him from dying from excessive blood loss. The minor wounds would soon stop bleeding due to blood clotting.”