As the one-month deadline approached, everyone except Klein felt the mounting pressure. This immense pressure was beyond the comprehension of ordinary people because, if they failed to break through by the deadline, they only had a few days left to live.
Unlike patients given a death notice, who are often hopeless due to terminal illness, these individuals still had a sliver of hope. Though this hope was very faint, they had to cling to it. Terminal patients might use their remaining time to enjoy things they hadn't before, doing activities they previously didn't have time for. As their death date approached, though terrifying, they could face it with relative calm.
But for them, it was different. That faint hope, though minuscule, had to be seized. They trained relentlessly, barely taking time to eat. Yet as the days passed, their hope grew dimmer.
Finally, on the third day before the deadline, Odyssey broke through to the third level. The rest of the group, already on the edge, crumbled under the pressure. They began to wait for death, unable to focus on training due to the immense stress.
Augustus's face was grim. Despite all his training, he showed no signs of breaking through. His face was ashen and bloodless, his once-handsome features now pallid. His proud heart was shattered by reality, and he had lost his confidence. Staring blankly at the sky, long periods without sleep and the immense mental pressure had left him utterly exhausted. He was beginning to despair.
Seeing Odyssey and Klein's excited expressions nearby, a surge of inexplicable resentment and jealousy filled his heart.
Cindy was still training furiously, having not eaten for three days. His pallor indicated he had not yet broken through. Could it be that in four days, he would die?
No, absolutely not. Augustus resolved inwardly, "My fate is mine to decide, not heaven's. Even if it means risking everything, I can't just wait for death. I must escape!" He decided it was better to risk fleeing this devil's lair than to stay and wait for death, however slim the chance of success might be.
Having made up his mind, Augustus stopped training. He needed to rest and gather his strength for the escape.
He tore off a piece of raw meat and stuffed it into his mouth. It was from a deer carcass left out since the morning, now starting to rot and surrounded by swarming insects. After nearly a month of eating raw meat, he had grown accustomed to its taste, no longer feeling the initial disgust.
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The venison, now a dark purple, was placed into his mouth. Slowly chewing, the blood juice slid down his throat and into his stomach. He suddenly realized that raw meat tasted quite good—apart from the slight fishiness and certain odors, it was exceptionally tender and delicious.
His eyes continually scanned his surroundings, meticulously searching for an escape route. Although he had looked countless times, he still examined the area carefully again and again. If any part of the escape plan failed, it would all be for nothing.
A gigantic gorilla was dozing next to the cave, emitting thunderous snores. Several strange, massive snakes were lazily sunbathing by the deep pool. A large blue bird was likely hunting in the forest. As for the dragon, he hadn't seen it for several days; the terrifying demon seemed to be sleeping in the cave.
Augustus felt there was no hope of escape. If he ran even a kilometer, the valley's snakes would be alarmed, revealing his location. He would be torn apart by the beasts.
Augustus had rehearsed the escape many times, and each time it ended in a deadlock. There was no hope. He had grown desperate and began praying to God, more sincerely than ever before.
Although he was a priest with a lofty position in the church, his belief in God had always been shallow, more a solace for his soul. He knew many priests didn't believe in God's existence. To them, being a priest was just a job. But in this moment, he was devout—God was only sought in times of greatest need.
The next day, Augustus found that God had indeed manifested a miracle. All the giant beasts followed the dragon outside, and even the blue bird flew away after a while. It was a miracle.
Augustus contained his excitement, feeling more confident than ever. He believed God was by his side, and he was certain he would succeed this time.
The other priests were training together. Cindy, with her eyes closed, hadn't woken up. Augustus hesitated but ultimately decided not to take Cindy with him. With her level-two strength, she would be a burden and drastically reduce his chances of success. He also chose to ignore the other two priests who had already broken through.
In this life-and-death moment, human nature's ugliness was laid bare.
Augustus glanced at his companions with contempt. As a young elite, he had always felt superior. His usual humility and friendliness were mere social masks.
He made up his mind.
He lay down, pressing his ear to the ground. The vibrations from the beasts' movements grew fainter and more distant. It seemed the beasts had indeed left the valley. He scanned the surroundings again, then crouched low and quietly moved towards the outside.
After covering two kilometers, everything was going smoothly. He swiftly killed any attacking snakes with his peak human-level strength. In a valley without the giant beasts, ordinary snakes were no match for him.
He gradually stopped hiding, running swiftly towards the outside. He had never felt so fast before. His heart pounded as if it would burst from his chest, filled with immense excitement. His face flushed as he ran faster, the dense forest retreating behind him. He easily killed any obstructing giant snakes.
But before he got far, the forest ahead shook. Trees moved aside as a strong fishy wind blew in his face. Soon, a python as thick as a barrel came rushing towards him.