Endless Debt Chapter 714 - 204: Cycle of Desire

The icy and bone-chilling seawater soaked Ewen’s body. With the surge of the current, he was tossed like a leaf, covered in scratches and bruises, while the desperate wails from Bai Ou broke through the barrier.

Illusions and reality overlapped before Ewen’s eyes. He felt like a fish racing through the stream, seeing branches intercepting above him. Ewen reached out to grab a branch but was met with an excruciating pain.

A fresh red wound cracked open across his palm, blood streaming endlessly.

It wasn’t a branch but a Blade embedded in the wall, repeatedly severing nerves to the point of numbness. As Ewen bobbed in the water, realizing that survival might be impossible, he dragged the heavy object in his other hand, trying with all his might to lift her above his head.

"Ha!"

Cinderella’s head emerged from the water. She vomited violently, then breathed strongly, pale-faced, unclear whether from fear or cold.

"Can’t you swim!"

Ewen struggled to support Cinderella. Without his help, the girl would have nearly drowned.

"No, actually," Cinderella clung tightly to Ewen like holding onto a barrel, "I only really saw the sea for the first time in Free Port."

"Can’t even swim, looking for whales? You really did no preparation."

Ewen was clearly dead tired, yet when he spoke nonsense with the girl, he always found a little bit of strength.

Blindly reaching out, Ewen swallowed the agony, trying to grab something to avoid being dragged under the boat. If caught by the whirlpool, they would both be doomed.

Ewen once imagined his death, but he didn’t want to die in such a place. He still had things to accomplish.

Logically, if he abandoned Cinderella, Ewen’s chance of survival would greatly increase, but such a notion never even crossed his mind.

Their knowing each other was brief, fleeting even, yet these events made the few days feel like years to Ewen.

Ewen revealed stories buried deeply within, as if it was some form of acknowledgment; Cinderella had become his friend, and he wouldn’t let a friend die like that. That isn’t something a noble person should do.

Drawing the Short Sword, Ewen stabbed at the walls along the way, endeavoring to brace the Blade. Leaving dense sparks on the metallic surface, just as he was about to lose his grip on the hilt, he halted.

"Quick, climb up!"

Ewen said weakly, though he initially intended to shout.

Cinderella, like a monkey, nimbly climbed up using his shoulder. Her red dress completely soaked, sticking together with her white hair like a clownfish emerging from the water.

Ewen intended to climb up together, but halfway through, the startling howl returned. Injury of Bliss, laden with chaotic and ferocious illusions, instantly shattered Ewen’s consciousness.

As though electrocuted, his body writhed in agony, rigidly plunging back into the water. The icy seawater poured into his mouth, bubbling rapidly.

With what little awareness he had left, Ewen sorrowfully realized this time he was truly going to die here, in these burning ruins.

Looking up, Ewen could see Cinderella’s blurred figure. Separated by seawater, her features dispersed, leaving only the clothes on her body smearing large patches of color on the water-formed canvas.

In a daze, Ewen felt an inexplicable familiarity with these colors, a familiarity stemming from ancient days.

Ewen guessed it was his illusion, yet he still reached out towards the mirage, like some form of comfort. Dying within such an illusion wasn’t a bad ending, Ewen thought.

Illusion broke apart.

A hand broke the surface of the water, grasping Ewen. An immense force surged from the arm, pulling Ewen out from the current with one tug.

Ewen crashed onto the ground, seemingly yet to escape the crisis of death, dumbly staring for seconds before vomiting profusely, while gusts of cold wind swept over, seeping through the soaked garments into Ewen’s body, his form trembling.

He lifted his head—it wasn’t Cinderella—and rightly so, how could Cinderella possess such strength.

"Are you alright!"

The other seized Ewen’s shoulders, face filled with sincerity and worry—almost unrecognizable compared to the person who previously threatened him with a gun pointed at his head.

"Xiao?"

Ewen recognized the odd fellow, who not long ago glared at him with hostility, yet why now act the part of a bosom friend.

"Xiao? Who is Xiao?"

Palmer appeared puzzled, then kindly introduced himself to Ewen.

"Come, let’s properly get acquainted."

A terrifying rumble echoed around them, large chunks of metal fell, icy torrents shot from metallic seams. No matter how he thought about it, Ewen didn’t think this was a time for reintroductions, but Palmer, incredibly sincere, grasped Ewen’s hand.

Ewen felt disgusted, deeply disgusted. Already assaulted by the cold, his body seemed brimming with goosebumps.

"Hello, I’m Palmer Clarks!"

The matter of his false identity during operations was now completely forgotten by Palmer, as he nervously and anxiously spoke, almost like a girl’s confession.

"I’m your fan!"

Ewen was dumbfounded; Cinderella, nearby, was too. Was there something wrong with this person? The ship’s about to sink! And this is all he wanted to say?