Evelyn Ford packed the tent into her space as fast as she could. Cradling Mina and Lola, she dashed to the flat ground above. But just then, the ground began to shake. This tremor was different from the one at Broken Cloud Mountain. With the very first jolt, Evelyn lost her footing.

She dropped to the ground, stuffed Mina and Lola into her backpack, and left only a small opening for air.

The first wave of shaking ended. It paused for only two seconds before the second wave hit. Evelyn, still on the ground, was instantly thrown three to four meters.

Gritting her teeth against the pain, she buckled the backpack’s straps across her stomach, her eyes fixed on the earthen houses. A few seconds later, the third wave arrived, and Evelyn was thrown again.

She was tossed more violently than a swing. Evelyn landed hard on a rock, the impact making her grimace in pain.

Just then, the ground beneath her began to crack and collapse. A massive fissure appeared. Evelyn rolled to the side, but before she could even catch her breath, the ground at her feet gave way, and she plummeted. In the nick of time, she grabbed the edge, her hands digging into the soil. She bent her knees, bracing them against the wall of the chasm. Gathering all her strength into her arms, Evelyn heaved herself up and climbed out.

But she had barely pulled herself out when a new tremor hit. Evelyn was thrown more than ten meters. Her chest slammed heavily onto the ground. Not only did she get a mouthful of dirt, but the pain searing through her body nearly took her breath away.

"Ugh..." Evelyn clutched her chest. She tasted the coppery tang of blood in her mouth and grimaced, swallowing it down.

Screams and shouts echoed from not too far away. Evelyn had just tried to move when the ground started shaking again.

Evelyn felt like every muscle in her body was screaming in pain. She bit the tip of her tongue, forcing herself to calm down quickly.

"Evelyn."

This was the first time Evelyn had ever heard Ronan Kendrick shout her name in such a panic. She pulled out the whistle hanging around her neck and blew it twice, hard.

Ronan Kendrick was by her side in an instant. Evelyn watched him sprint over, pull her to her feet, and start running.

"Ronan."

"I’m here. Don’t be afraid. I’ll get you out of here."

"What about the others?"

"They ran toward the farmland."

The ground was still shaking violently. The sound of landslides and cracking earth from the distance drilled into Evelyn’s ears. Half-dragged, half-carried by Ronan, they ran, hunched over, as fast as they could. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

The strong wind whipped against them, cold and painful. Evelyn looked up at the sky, which had turned a deep red, and said in a hoarse voice, "The hurricane is here."

The highest level for a hurricane is Level 12. A Level-12 hurricane can sweep across thirty to forty meters per second.

Evelyn felt her body go light as she and Ronan were swept up by the hurricane.

They were lifted seven or eight meters into the air, then slammed back down. Ronan held Evelyn tight, using his own body to cushion the fall. Evelyn’s head spun, and the pain was making her go numb. In that moment, she felt like she was about to die.

"Evelyn, don’t fall asleep."

Evelyn heard Ronan’s voice and tried to open her eyes to look at him, but another blast from the hurricane hit.

Even someone as formidable as Ronan Kendrick was no match for the forces of nature.

Evelyn coughed up a mouthful of blood. ’It’s over,’ she thought. ’I’m really going to die this time.’

Evelyn suddenly felt like crying. ’I still wanted to go live with Ronan in some hidden paradise.’

’I still wanted to raise lots of chickens and ducks, and plant all kinds of flowers and trees.’

"Evelyn."

Ronan tried to wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth, but only ended up smearing it all over her face. ’I must look hideous,’ Evelyn thought, a hysterical laugh bubbling up inside her. But a dull ache flared in her chest, and she coughed up another mouthful of blood.

"Ronan, don’t worry about me! Just go! Get out of here!"

Ronan hoisted her onto his back. Where Evelyn couldn’t see, his eyes were crimson, and a single tear streamed from the corner of his eye.

"Don’t be afraid. I’ll get you out of here. It’ll be quick, trust me."

But with the earthquake and hurricane raging together, they could barely move an inch. They fell to the ground again, and Ronan kept apologizing to Evelyn over and over.

"I’m not in pain, Ronan. You can make it out. Don’t worry about me."

Ronan ignored her. He struggled up from the ground with her on his back and charged forward again. But they had barely run twenty meters before the hurricane swept them up once more.

’Maybe dying like this wouldn’t be so bad,’ Evelyn thought. ’But I don’t think I can bear to leave Ronan... or the others... Poor Wendy, I wonder how she’s doing.’ As these thoughts filled her mind, tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.

Evelyn could only watch as Ronan fell again and again, only to climb back up each time and run forward with her on his back. Her arms were wrapped around his neck, and she felt a wetness on the back of her hand.

’What a fool.’

She didn’t know how much time had passed. The earthquake seemed to have stopped, and the hurricane had died down. Evelyn was still on Ronan’s back. They had no idea how far they’d run when Ronan suddenly collapsed, sending Evelyn flying. He immediately scrambled over and pulled her into his arms.

"COUGH, COUGH, COUGH..."

"Where does it hurt?"

Evelyn opened her eyes and looked at him. She tried to smile, but it pulled at the cuts on her face, making her twitch in pain.

"It doesn’t hurt that much. Is the earthquake over?"

"Yes."

"Did you... feed me your blood? My mouth tastes like blood."

"I was afraid you’d lost too much blood..."

A hint of a smile touched Evelyn’s eyes. "You’re turning me into a vampire."

Just as she spoke, the color drained from Ronan’s face. He hoisted Evelyn onto his back and took off running.

Evelyn knew an aftershock was coming. She used all her remaining strength to cling tightly to Ronan.

A deafening RUMBLE filled the air. Evelyn wanted to get down and run on her own, but she realized her legs were injured—she could barely even stand.

The ground behind them was continuously cracking and collapsing. Faintly, Evelyn saw the truck parked outside the base. The next moment, however, the truck was swallowed by the splitting earth.

Ronan was fast, but the cracking and collapsing ground behind them was faster.

The insects had vanished, the sun had hidden itself away, and the sky had turned from dark red to black.

The path ahead of them suddenly gave way. Ronan skidded to a halt, spun around, and sprinted to the right.

But it seemed fate was determined to give them no way out. Hail began to fall from the sky. Pea-sized pellets slammed down on their heads, making them see stars.

Evelyn took two hard hats out of her space. With trembling hands, she put one on Ronan’s head. As she pulled her hand back, the back of it brushed against his lips. Both of them froze for a second.

The ground was collapsing toward them from all directions. Ronan picked up his pace again, and Evelyn could hear his heart pounding abnormally.

"Evelyn, help me wipe the rain from my face."

"Okay."

A ROARING sound came from behind. Evelyn glanced back, and her face went deathly pale.

"Ronan, go left! The hurricane’s coming!"

The hurricane behind them seemed to have eyes, following them wherever they ran, as if it wouldn’t rest until it had tortured them to death.

But Ronan was fast, too. He began to veer off the hurricane’s path, and they finally brushed past its edge.

Evelyn had just let out a sigh of relief when, with a great RUMBLE, the ground beneath their feet collapsed.