BXBX NOVEL Chapter 321: 318 Hell
After the building collapsed, the fire did not extinguish; instead, it spread around like serpents, entwining and climbing over the residential buildings. Looking down from above, it seemed as if a fiery python had burrowed out from the core of the Earth, inch by inch squeezing and twisting its way up the building, determined to crush it to dust.
The fire grew more intense, with temperatures on the top floors reaching fifty or sixty degrees Celsius. Bi Fang felt as if he hung above a furnace, his cold sweat instantly drying.
Time was running out; if things continued this way, he would either run out of strength and fall to his death or be roasted alive. Swallowing saliva that was thick like glue, Bi Fang’s movements grew increasingly desperate and even somewhat deformed. The rebar bent lower bit by bit. Half a minute passed, and not only had he failed to secure a hold, but he also found himself even further from the broken rebar.
Having hung from the top floor for a full minute and a half, under normal circumstances, this amount of time was trivial, barely a test of skill. But now, hanging from a tall building, exhausted, and with flames burning below, his strength was sapped away faster, sweat couldn’t even run down his skin; it was forcefully evaporated within his pores.
Feeling the salt crystals left on his face from the dried sweat, Bi Fang licked his lips and steeled his heart, the movements of his hands grew larger. He was no longer just swinging his bag but swaying side to side like a pendulum, with an astonishing amplitude.
Such intense actions naturally caused the rebar to bend almost like a plastic board, emitting a grisly creaking sound until, with a tremor, a chorus of metallic clangs rang out as the rebar on the floor above broke off. And just when everyone couldn’t bear to look, Bi Fang took the opportunity to launch himself outwards!
Midair, Bi Fang’s heart pounded wildly, but he successfully got closer to the broken rebar. Watching for the right moment and force, he threw his backpack!
The shoulder strap, swung by centrifugal force, instantly hooked onto the broken rebar!
Under the influence of gravity, Bi Fang plummeted down, his entire body weight pressing down, causing searing pain in his right hand grabbing the other shoulder strap, almost dislocating it, but he clung to the strap, his fingers white from the pressure.
Bi Fang knew that once he let go, it would be all over.
Hiss!
The countless viewers inhaled sharply, as if even the temperature at the fire scene had dropped a few degrees, nearly stunned by the scene before them. They were unclear about Bi Fang’s status but still felt elated.
[Damn, awesome!!!]
[The legendary ‘inverse hanging stunt,’ that’s insanely strong!]
[For the host stinking of smoke, Bear gifts you 5 Spaceships.]
The flames below roared higher, the temperature getting hotter by the moment, leaving Bi Fang’s lips white and peeling with dead skin.
His right arm, which had been enduring for some time, had just gone through a fierce strain and felt as if the muscles were tearing, leaving him momentarily unable to exert any pressure.
Fortunately, catching the rebar meant there was no major problem.
The backpack acted as the connecting medium, stretched and completely deformed. Thankfully, it was a product from the System; its reliability could support not just one person but even another if needed.
Bi Fang reached out with his left hand to grab the strap, pulled himself up by grasping the backpack, and took hold of the rebar, replacing the strap. The moment he touched the rebar, it was so hot that it almost burned off a layer of skin from his hand.
“Damn it.”
Even with Bi Fang’s tough disposition, he couldn’t help but swear at that moment. The thermal conductivity of the rebar was too good; its temperature was so much higher than the surroundings.
But no matter how hot it was, he dared not let go; bit by bit, he pulled himself up.
Not until half of his body emerged over the top of the building did the crowd cheer and jump for joy.
The majority of people also relaxed their minds, silently praising, “It’s no wonder that Master Fang can survive in such a desperate situation. Anyone else would have been terrified silly just seeing a whole building bearing down on them, let alone escaping.”
Bi Fang climbed back up to the top floor. The dust was held back, and the air was clear. He lay there, taking deep breaths of fresh air. Seeing these discussions, he let out a laugh, showing none of the annoyance of being trapped but instead patiently explained.
“It’s quite normal. When animals face danger, apart from the strategies of ‘fight’ and ‘flight,’ there’s another very important one—’acting weak.’
When the power disparity is too great, and they can neither fight nor flee, animals have evolved the instinct to ‘play dead.’ Trembling, weak legs, or even fainting outright, the common point is ‘showing weakness.’
It’s easy to understand, if you can’t fight or flee, then you’d do well to minimize your threat level. If the aggression isn’t predatory in nature, showing weakness in a dire situation can make it easier to survive.”
After catching his breath, Bi Fang sat up from the ground. Even through his trousers, he could feel his backside starting to heat up. He opened his right hand to take a look, finding several blisters. They hadn’t gotten to the point of peeling skin, but they were enough to show how critical the situation had been and further impressed the audience.
The billowing black smoke grew larger around him, and the fire was clearly about to reach him. Bi Fang quickly stood up from the ground.
“It’s no use. I have to escape quickly.”
Moving his sore right arm, Bi Fang ran towards the east side of the residential building.
The residential buildings were connected, making it easy to run across the rooftops. The collapsed building was situated at the edge, so once he ran a bit further, it wouldn’t be a bother.
After crossing four or five buildings, Bi Fang dared to slow down, clicking his tongue at the fire that grew larger behind him.
It was past noon in his home country, but here, it was dusk.
The entire residential building was ablaze, with even the tendency to spread. The roaring flames and the orange dusk sky reflected off each other; for a moment, even survival expert Bi Fang couldn’t tell east from west, feeling bewildered.
Damn, I’ve never had such bad luck in my life.
First, I encounter an attack by bandits upon arriving, then, as luck would have it, a building collapses—utterly perilous. If I had known, I would’ve gotten an off-road vehicle and sneaked into the city quietly.
I mustn’t act like this again in the future; I have to do thorough research before setting out.
The once arrogant Bi Fang from the increase in power was knocked back to reality. Fortunately, his awakening was not complete; being suppressed at the first sign of hubris might even be considered a good thing.
With a sigh, feeling the scorching heat close at hand, Bi Fang continued to flee, trying not to let the fire catch up to him. It was only after running half a street that he stopped; the line of fire was blocked by the open road, thus cut off.
Bi Fang stood atop a tall building, looking out. Intense light shone on his black clothes—not sunlight, but the glow of fire.
In the raging flames, the city was wailing; it was practically hell.
“I see my shoulders crumble from dust,
I see my beauty fall ill,
Apart from vanishing—there’s no other wish.”
Bi Fang’s eyelids drooped as he murmured, his face half in light, half in shadow.