The aftershocks of the battle slowly dissipated in the air. The heavy body of the beast collapsed into a pool of blood, its eyes losing the light of life and closing forever. Zhang Zhi and the others stood in place, panting heavily. Although their weapons were still gripped tightly in their hands, their tense nerves relaxed just a bit. Their gazes turned toward the sky as one; that huge flying bird had already vanished without a trace, leaving only its heart-palpitating cries echoing in their ears.
Lin Wan'er gently patted her chest, trying to calm her rapid breathing. Her voice carried a trace of a tremor: "Did we... did we really defeat it?" Her gaze shifted between the carcass of the beast and the ruins around them, as if she still could not believe everything before her eyes.
The middle-aged man wiped the sweat from his forehead, a weary smile appearing on his face: "Yes, we did it." Although his voice was hoarse, it was filled with relief and pride. He turned to look at Zhang Zhi, his eyes full of praise: "Young man, your reactions were fast. If you hadn't pushed Miss Lin out of the way in time, the consequences would have been unimaginable."
Chapter 18