Chapter 7 Thud ! My vision went black as I puked a mouthful of blood , my body collapsing backward , completely out of control . Rita's anguished scream pierced my ears . " Ella ! " Everything blurred . Out of the corner of my eye , I saw Edgar with his arm around Natalia , smiling triumphantly , cruelly . The referee's icy countdown echoed in my head . Ten ... Nine ... Was I about to lose ? If I lost , Rita and I would both fall into an endless hell . Eight ... Seven ... No ! I couldn't lose ! I'd promised to bring Rita home . Six ... Five ... Rita's desperate sobs stabbed into my heart like knives . Four ... Three ... A surge of fury and stubbornness exploded from deep within me . 0.00 % 09:31 Chapter 7 1 bit down hard on my own lip , the sharp pain and taste of blood jolting my mind awake . Two 288 Vouchers Just as the final second was about to drop , I forced myself to my feet with every ounce of strength I had left . The crowd erupted in shock . I wiped the blood from my mouth , looked toward the auction stage , and gave Rita a reassuring smile . If I didn't have strength , I'd use skill . If I didn't have stamina , I'd use sheer willpower . A lifetime of fighting experience flashed through my mind - redirecting force , using leverage , targeting weaknesses ... I stopped trying to overpower my opponent and instead struck at his most vulnerable spots , every move precise and ruthless . He was stunned by my sudden change in tactics and the fierce energy pouring off me . With a crash , he hit the mat and didn't get up again . The referee finished the count . I'd won the third match . For a moment , the crowd was dead silent - then a deafening roar of cheers exploded . My third opponent was dragged off the ring like a heap of broken flesh . Victory . Another win . But I could barely stand - my left arm throbbed so badly I couldn't lift it , probably fractured . Sharp pain stabbed at my ribs , and every movement felt like a dull knife carving me up . My vision kept swimming in and out . This body was far too weak . After lying in bed for so long , my muscles had wasted away , and my organs still nowhere near recovered . 19.88 % 09:31 Chapter 7 288 ( Vouchers Those last three brutal fights - I'd survived on nothing but reckless grit and pure stubbornness . And yet , the crowd below was still full of hungry beasts , eyes fixed on me . I couldn't fall . Rita seemed to have regained some awareness , gazing at me with silent tears streaming down her face . Her lips moved , mouthing the words , " Ella , don't worry about me , just run ... " Idiot . Like I'd ever leave you behind . I lost track of how many fights I'd endured ; my mind was foggy , running on instinct and sheer will . My arm wouldn't lift , my ribs were probably broken , and every breath felt like my chest was being ripped apart . But I couldn't stop . The crowd's jeers and taunts turned to shock , then silence . And finally , applause - some even tinged with respect . In the VIP box , Edgar's face was dark as a storm , his eyes locked onto me . Natalia sat beside him , her expression twisted , unable to force another laugh . On the stage , Rita went from sobbing in despair to biting her lip , her eyes fixed on me with unwavering determination , as if she were sending me strength . At last , when I sent the final opponent crashing off the ring in a near - suicidal collision , the entire place erupted in chaos . I'd won . I was the last one standing . I'd become one of the rare few to seize victory in the Crimson Lounge's brutal gauntlet . 61.03 %