Fu Tailan failed to reach Carter.
Before entering, he had already used the power strip Illusion to turn off all six .45 caliber handguns. The Vulture Particles were also protecting the back of his head and half of his back. So when the figures opened fire on him, the only sound in the hallway was the futile clicking of triggers, which didn't slow Fu Tailan's advance in the slightest.
"The handguns aren't working! Switch weapons!" someone shouted. "Drain his blood!"
'Drain my blood?'
'Is the Illusion's effect starting now?'
The thought had barely formed when Fu Tailan sensed a new shadow on the floor in his peripheral vision. He followed the indistinct shadow with his gaze, looked down, and drew in a sharp, quiet breath.
A blood-red sea anemone was blooming beneath his feet, growing rapidly.
The hallway was densely covered in silvery-white threads, leaving no empty space to stand. Fu Tailan had no choice but to run across them—just as Carter had done moments before.
