Chapter 66: Get Up

“What the hell is happening?” Harrison stared in disbelief at the gruesome sight of Claire’s mangled arm, blood oozing from the wound, while she lay completely still. His legs, once crossed casually, dropped to the floor, his confidence evaporating.

In the arena, Claire lay there, wide-eyed, as the bear turned around, charging back toward her. She desperately wanted to fight back, to scream, to do anything, but her body refused to cooperate. It felt as if the relentless torment Claire had endured in prison had beaten her down to the point where she could no longer muster the strength to resist.

“Alright, folks, one minute has passed, and it looks like the bear is gearing up for another attack. But the girl isn’t showing any signs of resistance or even attempting to dodge,” the announcer said, glancing at the timer. “Blood is pouring out of her, and we’re left wondering if she’s just waiting for the perfect moment to strike or if she’s truly powerless.”

“What’s wrong with her? Get up, damn it! Run!”

“Can’t even run? What kind of idiot is she?”

Chapter 66: Get Up

“Come on! Move it!”

“Go, baby, go!”

The crowd was divided, with one half shouting in frustration over their dwindling bets while the other half cheered Claire on, hoping for a miracle. The bear, fueled by the excited shouts of the audience, flexed its claws, readying itself for a second round of attack. Yet Claire remained motionless, like a paralyzed doll, stripped of any will to fight back.

As the bear charged forward, the ground trembled beneath its weight, sending shockwaves through the arena. The spectators erupted into a frenzy.

“Get up! Run for your life!”

“Are you kidding me? Lying there like you’re dead?”

“What a stroke of bad luck, running into a woman like this!”

“Tell me about it! We’re definitely losing this one!”

When the bear lunged at Claire’s leg, sinking its teeth into her flesh and dragging her a good ten feet across the arena, blood sprayed everywhere, painting the ground a vivid scarlet. The sight of the long, crimson trail sent chills down Harrison’s spine, and he finally stood up, unable to contain himself. “At this point, how can she not fight back?”

Frederick stood there, his eyes glued to Claire, who was now drenched in blood. A single thought consumed him: “If this continued, Claire would die in that arena.”

After being dragged across the ground, Claire felt the familiar sting of pain coursing through her, yet she lay there, utterly defeated. The bear’s relentless assault had reduced her to a state of complete submission. The pain she felt was all too familiar, reminiscent of the horrors she had faced in prison. Claire’s body seemed to remember the torment as if an invisible hand was pressing her down, preventing her from fighting back. Her mind screamed at her, “Claire, if you resist, it’ll only get worse.”

At that moment, Claire was like a machine, controlled by the terror that gripped her thoughts, unable to respond, unable to move. But the truth was, she was on the brink of collapse, nearly too weak to even open her eyes.

Chapter 66: Get Up

She could feel her blood seeping away, each heartbeat a reminder of her fading strength.

Frederick watched Claire in the arena, her once vibrant spirit extinguished, her face pale, and her breaths shallow. His heart twisted painfully in his chest as he realized the gravity of the situation.

“Four minutes! Four minutes! We’re almost at five minutes now!” The host roared again, his voice filled with fervor as he kept an eye on the clock.

“Four minutes! No payout for me! This is fantastic!”

“I don’t have to pay up either! Amazing!”

“We might even make it to five minutes!”

“Yeah, let’s keep it going! Make it to five minutes, maybe even ten!”

“Ten minutes! Ten minutes!”

The crowd reached a fever pitch once more, their excitement palpable. With the roar of the crowd fueling it, the bear, now fully enraged, launched into its third wave of attacks. The spectators were solely focused on their bets, their concern for Claire’s fate long gone, their eyes gleaming with fervor.

As the bear’s gaping maw descended toward Claire’s head, a sudden shot rang out.