By the time the unconscious Haruki was brought to Lanling's chambers, Lanling had yet to regain his composure.
The only silver lining was that his sight had finally returned. But that small relief was crushed every time his eyes flicked to the clock.
An hour and ten minutes remained.
Meixi's divine energy was the only thing holding back the disintegration, and Haruki's fading consciousness made the spell more aggressive. When Lanling had tried to use his own mana, the curse devoured it instantly.
His eyes were red from suppressed tears. The sight of Haruki's body—damaged and still deteriorating—was pulling at the last threads of his sanity.
The spell had begun to claim Haruki's right leg.
And there was nothing Lanling could do but wait.
Sitting at the edge of the bed, he cupped Haruki's face, smoothing his furrowed brows whenever they creased. It was all he could offer.
The door creaked open, and multiple footsteps echoed into the chamber.
