The instant the dagger touched the energy ball, a powerful backlash surged through Tom, nearly throwing him off his feet.
He gritted his teeth, however, holding onto the dagger with a death grip, channeling every ounce of his strength into it. The blade of the dagger shimmered with a faint light, a testament to his unwavering will.
The energy ball emitted a piercing shriek, black light pulsating violently as it tried to break free from the dagger's hold. Yet, Tom's gaze remained steady, showing no sign of retreat. He knew this was their only hope.
Just then, Chen Tao's voice echoed in Tom's mind again, carrying a note of urgency, "Use your blood! Mortal blood is the best medium! It can break through this evil power!"
Without any hesitation, Tom bit down hard on his tongue, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the dagger. The blood made contact, instantly being absorbed by the blade.
The dagger's light blazed intensely, and a surge of power emanated from it, directly striking the evil energy ball.
The energy ball let out a cry of despair, its black light rapidly dissipating. Finally, with a soft "pop," it vanished completely, turning into wisps of black smoke that dissipated into the air.
As the energy ball vanished, the subway's shaking ceased, and the evil aura that had permeated the car quickly dissipated.
However, with the energy ball gone, the subway's shaking did not stop. A wave of scorching heat slammed into them, followed immediately by flames erupting inside the car.
Metal groaned and twisted under the intense heat, emitting piercing shrieks, and the glass windows shattered with explosive force, sending shards flying.
The entire train car became a giant oven, engulfing Amy and Tom in a raging inferno.
Before they could even celebrate their victory, their bodies were being seared by the flames. The pain surged like a tidal wave, as if their internal organs were on fire.
Amy and Tom collapsed to the ground, barely conscious, their breaths shallow and ragged. The ornate clothes and the dagger they held had lost their luster, now dull and lifeless.
Just when they thought their lives were about to end, Bao Zheng's stern, icy voice resounded in their minds once more, carrying an undeniable decree:
"You have five chances remaining."
"Should you fail again, this official will personally send you to the Nineteenth Layer of Hell, never to be reincarnated!"
The voice was like a bucket of ice water, instantly extinguishing the last flicker of hope in their hearts. Five chances meant their previous efforts had been in vain, and the price of failure was eternal damnation.
The scene before them dissolved once more like a receding tide.
When their consciousness reformed, they found themselves back in the same death-trap subway car.
The lights were bright, everything was as it had been, as if the previous brutal battle had never occurred.
The ordinary passengers were still engrossed in their phones or dozing off, while the three men and three women assassins still wore their nonchalant smiles, radiating an icy and cruel aura.
Amy and Tom felt the power within them surge back, but their hearts were heavy.
They knew this wasn't just a restoration of strength; it was a replay of torment. Every detail of the previous fight, every moment of despair, was vividly etched into their minds.
The man reading the newspaper once again curled his lips into a sinister smile. He slowly lowered the paper, his blood-red eyes sweeping across the passengers in the car, with the detached gaze of a predator watching its prey.
"Passengers, welcome aboard the final destination train. Please fasten your seatbelts, because… the journey is about to begin." His voice was low and gravelly, like sandpaper scraping against wood.
"Time is running out," Amy whispered in Tom's ear, her voice tinged with a hint of fatigue, but her eyes were even more resolute. She knew they had to change their strategy; they couldn't repeat the same mistakes.
Tom gripped the dagger tightly, his palms slightly clammy. His gaze sharply scanned each assassin, trying to find new weaknesses, new clues.
He knew they had to do more than just defeat these killers; they needed to understand the true meaning of this trial.
Amy closed her eyes, trying to calm the despair and fear that threatened to overwhelm her. She began to replay every moment of the previous battle, trying to find a different possibility within it. She recalled Bao Zheng's words: "This is the gate of trials, and also the place where karma intertwines."
"Karma…" Amy murmured to herself. Could this trial be more than just a physical confrontation?
She thought back to Chen Tao's past that she had glimpsed in the illusion, and the students swallowed by the mist.
Wang Xin's power always seemed to be closely linked to human weaknesses and consequences.
Could these assassins also be controlled by Wang Xin through their own "karma," causing them to be possessed by evil spirits?
Tom also considered this.
He looked at the innocent passengers; their fear, despair, even their apathy, seemed to be invisibly fueling this evil power.
"We can't just kill them," Amy suddenly said, her voice low but filled with a newfound clarity. "We need to… purify them."
Tom turned sharply to Amy, his eyes filled with surprise. Purify? How could they possibly do that?
"The power of the Nine Heavens Maidens is not just for battle, but also for protection and purification," Amy said, her grip tightening on the divine sword, her eyes gleaming with determination. "
These people possessed by evil spirits might still be saved. If we can purify the evil aura within them, perhaps we can sever Wang Xin's control over them."
This meant they couldn't just aim for physical defeat like before.
They needed to understand these killers more deeply, perhaps even touch the "karma" that Wang Xin had exploited.
However, time was pressing, and the killing intent was palpable.
The subway broadcast chimed again, a sweet female voice announcing the station name in a cold and ironic tone:
"Next stop, Hell's Gate."
The subway announcement tone repeated, like a countdown to death.
The killers in the car wore even more intense and bizarre smiles, their bodies surging with malevolent power.
Just as the situation reached its most critical point, the subway doors slid open, revealing two young figures to Amy and Tom.
A girl, about five or six years old, wearing a bright yellow dress and two pigtails, clutched a rag doll tightly in her hand.
She was being led by a young mother, her eyes filled with innocent curiosity as she looked around the car.
Following behind was a boy who looked about seven or eight, wearing a small blue T-shirt and carrying a small backpack.
He held a toy car in his hand, absorbed in playing with it. He was being led by a tired-looking middle-aged father, whose face was etched with the burdens of life.
The father didn't seem to notice the strange atmosphere in the car.
The appearance of the two children brought a moment of innocence and vitality to the suffocatingly oppressive atmosphere of the car.
However, this brief moment of peace felt more like the calm before a storm.
The killers' eyes also scanned the two newly boarded children with a hint of amusement.
The man who had been reading the newspaper's smile deepened, and a cruel light flickered in his eyes.
He no longer seemed in a hurry to attack, as if enjoying the cat-and-mouse game, savoring the despair of the prey as they stepped further into the trap.
Amy and Tom's hearts sank. These two innocent children had become a new burden on their shoulders.
If before they could focus solely on fighting the assassins, now they had to find a way to purify them while ensuring the children's safety.
"They… can't get hurt," Tom said, his grip tightening on the dagger, his voice low and firm.
Amy nodded. She knew this was their bottom line.
The divine power of the Nine Heavens Maidens was not only for slaying demons but also for protecting all living beings.
The divine sword in her hand radiated a soft light once more, a manifestation of the Nine Heavens Maidens' compassionate power.
She took a deep breath, her eyes shining with unprecedented determination.
This time, they weren't just trying to pass the trial; they were fighting to protect these innocent lives.
"We have to secure the children and their parents first," Amy whispered to Tom. "Then, we can try to purify those killers."
Tom understood Amy's intention. Now, the challenge they faced was far more complex than before.
They not only had to withstand the assassins' fierce attacks but also ensure the children's safety, and most importantly, they couldn't repeat their previous failure; they had to find a way to purify.
He quickly scanned the car, trying to find a relatively safe corner or an environment they could use. He noticed the connecting area between the cars; the space was relatively narrow and might serve as a temporary refuge.
"I'll distract those killers; you take them over there while I do," Tom said. He knew his dagger couldn't deliver a fatal blow, but his agile movements could effectively distract the enemies.
Amy looked at Tom with a complicated expression. She knew he was risking his own safety to buy them time. She nodded lightly. "Be careful."
Bao Zheng's voice echoed in their minds again, carrying a hint of profound meaning, "Every choice will affect karma."
This sentence sent a jolt through Amy's heart. She suddenly understood that this trial wasn't just a test of strength but also a test of the "choices" deep within their hearts.
Would they choose to meet violence with violence, or would they choose to transform evil with good? Would they simply complete the task, or would they truly protect?
The man who had been reading the newspaper finally revealed his sinister face.
He suddenly stood up, and the two assassins beside him moved simultaneously. The nail-wielding female assassin, who had been sent flying by Amy earlier, although heavily injured, had eyes that were even more bloodshot as she lunged at the nearest passenger.
The poisonous powder female assassin slammed her powder box down, and pitch-black poisonous mist instantly spread out. This time, the mist covered an even wider area, almost engulfing half of the car.
Chaos erupted in the car once more, filled with screams and cries.
Amy and Tom knew they had to act fast.