Release

This time, he finally heard it clearly. It was indeed a human voice calling for help.

Not only Simon, but Millie and Long also heard it.

"Someone is calling for help? There's someone on this corpse ship." Long, curious and disregarding the stench and revulsion, jumped aboard.

The center of the corpse ship had caved in, forming a massive fissure from which the faint cries for help emanated.

As Simon peered into the fissure, he immediately saw a person.

It was a man in his thirties, his face pallid and devoid of color, eyes sunken deeply into their sockets, filled with despair, fear, and pain. His lips moved like a fish gasping for air, as if uttering "help" had drained him of all his strength. He panted, needing to rest before he could speak again.

Simon looked at him, feeling a sinking sensation in his heart.

The man's exposed parts were only his face and half of his chest; the rest of his body was fused with the corpse ship, integrated into it.

It was a miracle he was still alive.

"Help... me..." He saw Simon, opened his mouth, and used all his remaining strength to utter the words. His eyes shone with a desperate will to live; he didn't want to die.

Millie and Long, who had climbed onto the corpse ship, approached and were equally shocked by the sight.

Long immediately stepped forward, intending to pull the man out of the corpse ship.

"Don't worry, I'll pull you out." Long grabbed the man's shoulder and started to pull. As he exerted force, the man's face contorted in pain. Long managed to extract the man's arms from the corpse ship, only to find that chunks of flesh fell off like jelly, revealing white bones underneath.

The man seemed unable to feel the pain in his arms. But when he turned his head and saw his own arms melting, the flesh falling off, fear filled his eyes.

"No..." he gasped in terror.

Long, initially intent on pulling him completely out of the corpse ship, stopped at this sight.

He realized that the man's flesh had melted away, leaving only bones from his chest downwards. He could see the white bones and even the faint outlines of internal organs. The man had become part of the corpse ship.

If Simon were to pull the man out, he would perish instantly.

These were fatal injuries, beyond the power of any substantial spirit source to reverse.

"Help... me..." The man, unaware of his dire situation, looked at Long with pleading eyes, hoping to be freed from the corpse ship.

Long shook his head and gently set him down, unable to bear the sight any longer, he stepped back.

Simon watched silently, understanding at first glance that the man was beyond saving, refraining from any attempt to move him.

As Long retreated, the man's eyes filled with terror, and with his remaining strength, he cried out hoarsely, "No... don't abandon me... please... save me... I... I don't want to die..."

He was utterly terrified, dreading the thought of being left behind.

"Alright, I'll save you," Simon suddenly declared, stepping forward and grasping the man's shoulders.

Seeing Simon's approach, the man's eyes shone with gratitude, tears streaming down his face.

Long was taken aback, thinking the man was beyond rescue. If Simon pulled him out, he would surely die. He rushed to stop Simon.

Millie blocked Long, shaking her head slightly, signaling not to interfere with Simon.

Perplexed, Long hesitated but eventually stepped back.

Simon tightened his grip on the man's shoulders, murmuring, "I'll save you now; it won't hurt. You'll be free soon..."

With a sudden force, Simon pulled the man up.

With a sickening sound, the man's flesh and internal organs detached from his chest downwards, leaving only a white spinal column extracted from the corpse ship.

The man's expression of joy and relief froze on his face. His mouth opened slightly, as if to speak, his eyes showing a fleeting look of bewilderment before turning blank.

As Long had predicted, the moment Simon pulled the man from the corpse ship, he died. He had become an integral part of it; his death was inevitable once severed from it.

"Saved, you will no longer suffer, nor despair..."

Simon murmured softly as he gently laid down the unnamed man, reaching out to close his wide, vacant eyes.

Long sighed deeply; now he understood Simon's intent.

The man was beyond saving. Rather than let him continue to struggle in agony here, it was better to give him a glimpse of hope, then end his life in his moment of joy and relief. At least he would pass away with hope and excitement, far better than succumbing to the torment of pain and despair.

Millie glanced deeply at Simon, her eyes reflecting a curious light. This man had surprised her in many ways.

Initially, she thought Long was the only Level 4 spirit source wielder among them, the most formidable. Being an accomplished woman herself, she admired strength, hence her admiration for Long.

However, in just half a day's acquaintance, she realized Simon was the most formidable among them. Whether it was his performance during the underwater exploration earlier or his courage and decisiveness in luring away the dreadbeast alone later, he far surpassed both her and Long.

Even if Long was a level above him, compared to Simon, he seemed somewhat overshadowed.

"Let's go," Simon turned back, seeing Long and Millie standing quietly together. He smiled broadly, "Why linger here? Don't you feel hungry? Perhaps we should eat."

At his words, Long suddenly remembered they hadn't eaten dinner yet, having been preoccupied. The nauseating scene before them had momentarily distracted them, but Simon's reminder brought back the pang of hunger.

"You're something else, thinking of food in such circumstances," Long shook his head, now somewhat admiring Simon.

Simon looked up at the three-story building exposed above the water's surface. "The dreadbeast has caused considerable damage; this building won't hold much longer."