38 Make It In Time!

My heart is squeezing very tight, on the verge of bursting. What is this feeling? Fear? Anxiety? It's the first time I'm feeling this, but all I know is that it's telling me that I must hurry. I don't have much time left to save her!

I look at my {Location Marker} skill and found a new location named {Save Her}. Based on the direction, it seems to be at one of the mansions on the opposite corner of this slum area. It is impossible for me to make it in time with my slime body, but I know I can barely make it in 2 minutes if I equip my Wind Wolf gear on my human body. I must change now!

[Ding~ Host wants to activate {Protagonist's Rebirth} and recover human mode. Host will keep all stats, abilities, and skills, but will permanently lose {Slime Body}. Host will gain a random innate ability from {Slime Body} after rebirth. Host will enter hibernation for 10 minutes to reconstruct body.]

[Confirm?]

Although staying as a slime was wonderful, but alas, I need the strength to protect the one I need to protect. At least I am getting one of the slime body's ability as an innate ability. I hope I get immunity to physical damage. Let's leave all that to luck though, I need to hurry. Confirm.

[Host is entering hibernation mode for reconstruction of body.]

I hope I make it in time ...

---At the marked location---

Three chatting bandits casually sat at a table while nearby a girl was lying in a pool of blood.

"Eh? What happened to the red blob? I thought we brought it along?" a bandit asked suddenly and scurried closer to check.

"Oh? Is it dead? That's weird, but it must have been crushed while we brought the bag over. Should have been less rough brat," a tough looking bandit responded with the tone of a leader as he got up and walked over.

"Ehh...it shouldn't matter much right? After all, that man that hired us did say to keep it alive ..." the third bandit worriedly asked as he followed along.

"Hah! Him and his dog fart orders! A** lickers of nobles like him are worst than the dogs living on the street! Like hell I would listen to him!" the leader bandit angrily growled.

"Then Boss, why did we listen to him and bring this girl back?" the curious bandit questioned.

"Heh. Such a beauty, how can we not bring it back and enjoy it for ourselves," the leader bandit snickered and lustfully glances at the girl on the ground of blood.

"Hehehe, boss is right! Although she's a bit dirty, but we've done worst," the curious bandit also can't control his lust.

"But, do we not have to worry about the noble?" the third, timid bandit questioned worriedly.

"Heh, that'll noble never know the difference. We'll just say she was already damaged," the boss slyly said, "Oh? She's awake, perfect."

The girl on the ground stirs, and weakly opened her eyes. She saw the bandits then she planned to assure her loyal companion in her embrace, but she realized he was gone. Her eyes snapped opened and she glared at the bandits and shouted weakly, "W-what did you do to Xiao Ling'er's Squishy?!"

"Hahaha! Of course we killed him! In the end you failed to protect him!" the leader bandit sneered as he replied.

Ling'er froze in shock, then tears started to roll down her eyes, "S-squishy, Xiao Ling'er failed to protect you *sob* Ling'er broke her promise *sob* Don't worry, Ling'er will get revenge for you!"

"HAHAHA! Revenge?! You can barely move right now! Heh, I've got a better idea, how about you serve us three then we'll help you get your "revenge"," the leader bandit evilly replies while stretching his hands to tear off the girl's robe.

"W-w-what are you doing?! Let go of Xiao Ling'er! Let go-"

"Hahaha! Brothers, help me hold her down so I can get a taste first, then you two can take turns!" the leader bandit hollers. The two bandits held the girl's hands down to the ground as the leader bandit shreds more of her robe.

"NO! NOOO! Father! Senior Brother, Senior Sister! Xiao Ling'er's scared! Squishy, squishy. Bad guys are bullying Xiao Ling'er. Squishy, come save me-"

Tears spilled from the unfortunate girls's eyes as she pleaded. The men laughed horrendously as the girl realized that her fate was sealed and her eyes dulled.

---Not too long before---

[Ding~ Host has awaken from hibernation. Host's body has been reconstructed.]

[Host has gained ability {Slime's Greed}.}

[Slime's Greed] Level : 1

This ability's progress to the next level can be increased as host uses the passive effect more. This ability will allow anything host consumes to either normally satisfy hunger or be absorbed as resource for boosting host's abilities or skills. As the ability's level increases, host's hunger and thirst will be decreased by 1%. This ability has a max level of 100.

Current progress to next level : 0/10000

Current hunger/thirst reduction: 1%

Urrgg! That ability, does that mean Mr.Aura will force me to eat hard-a** treasures to power up? How will I even stuff that inside my mouth?! But at least finally, my body's back. This feeling ... I clenched my hands into fist. It's been too long, but I have no time to admire this any longer. I hurriedly equipped my {Wind Wolf's Boots}, {Wind Wolf's Cloak}, and {Earth Dragon's Fang}. I exited the small shack I was hiding in, inserted 10 Qi into the boosts, and blasted off towards the direction that the {Location Marker} skill pointed. I slipped through alleys and scaled some walls in order to decrease the time I needed to reach there. I hope I make it in time ...

Around 1 minute and 30 seconds later, I finally arrived at the location. Did I make it in time? I activated {Ghost Emperor's Voyage} and inserted 5 Qi to enter void form to pass through the wall of the building. What I saw was like a lightning bolt strike through my mind. I saw a girl lying on the ground with dull eyes staring at the ceiling, like she lost all hope. I recognize her, it's Ling'er. Rage bubbled uncontrollably inside me. Did I not make it on time? Did I come too ... late?