Chapter 38

Just then, a hand touched the back of Ji Mingxia's hand.

Ji Mingxia trembled, and before he could speak, he felt that hand gently write on the back of his hand.

It was Yu Ning's hand and his fingertips were gently tracing Ji Mingxia's hand, one stroke at a time.

Ji Mingxia immediately maintained his posture, not moving a muscle, not even shifting his eyes, as if he had been completely frightened by the monster ......

Song Yuelin was hiding in a corner with bated breath, and when he noticed the monster staring at Ji Mingxia and coming in their direction, his facial muscles twitched slightly before he quickly closed his eyes.

The whole forest was dead silent.  Except for the sound of the monster walking around, there was no other more movement.

The sound of leaves being crushed was soft and crisp, and under the pressure of the monster, no one even dared to breathe hard. They were so tense that they could even hear their heartbeats.

Song Yuelin silently counted the time in his mind according to the frequency of his heartbeat. After about 30 seconds or so, he opened his eyes.

Compared to earlier, the sky was a little darker at this time. Song Yuelin looked ahead only to see that the place where the monster was standing was empty. In just thirty seconds, the terrifying behemoth had simply disappeared.

There were no more unwanted sounds within the forest, as if everything had returned to its previous calm.

A hint of suspicion flashed across Song Yuelin's face as he slowly turned his head and looked to his side.

Ji Mingxia, who had been hiding there had likewise disappeared, leaving only Yu Ning standing in place, looking at him coldly.

The person targeted by the monster had just disappeared?!

Song Yuelin froze for a moment, then his eyebrows twitched. He was barely able to suppress the joy on his face, and Yu Ning's cold face made him quickly calm down.

Although this guy was lean, he was young and tall, a tough guy.

Men's body fat rate was lower than women’s. Although the texture was not as filling as women's meat, it was also more soft because of less fat ......

Song Yuelin quietly stuffed the mirror in his palm back into his pocket. He wiped his face with his hand, took a deep breath and adjusted his facial expression before looking at Yu Ning suspiciously, "What's going on ...... is something wrong? How come him and the monster both disappeared?"

Yu Ning did not say anything, but directly turned around and walked in the direction of the commercial vehicle.

Song Yuelin had wanted to check the situation, but he didn't expect Yu Ning to walk away without giving him much face.

Song Yuelin's face was cold as he stared at Yu Ning's back. After seeing that Yu Ning had taken several steps out and was still unharmed, Song Yuelin eventually took quick steps to follow Yu Ning's footsteps and walked behind him.

Although they had been together for less than two hours, Song Yuelin had figured out Ji Mingxia and Yu Ning have distinct personalities and he has long seen through what kind of person Yu Ning is. He forced himself to restrain his emotions, and while walking back, he could not help but take the initiative to speak up again: "I was just so scared that I closed my eyes. I had no idea what was going on, and I didn't hear any sound... ...I didn't expect ...... the result to be like this."

Song Yuelin moved closer to Yu Ning and looked at his face, "Is your friend alright? Was he dragged away by the monster? Did you see him die with your own eyes? If you didn't see it with your own eyes, maybe there's still hope for everything?"

Yu Ning didn't even look at him.

Song Yuelin was so angry that he could only change direction and continued through clenched teeth, "Allow me to say one more thing ...... if I didn't see him die with my own eyes, there is actually still hope for survival ...... maybe the monster just took him away and we can find him, really, even if he was cut up into pieces ......it’s better to find the remains to be buried in the ground."

He had just finished his sentence when Yu Ning jerked to a halt and turned his head to look at him with a cold and stern expression.

Yu Ning had finally reacted and Song Yuelin couldn't help but smile. He raised his hand to Yu Ning and said in a slow tone, “I guessed blindly, don't be angry. Being trapped in this forest with no way to get out, having one more person is more reassuring. I also hope that your friend is alright."

"Is that so," Yu Ning said, "I can't really tell."

"Alas, I have seen several of my friends die with my own eyes. I was very scared when I first saw someone die. My legs were weak, I didn't sleep all night and as long as I closed my eyes, all I saw were images of my friends dying..... but, after seeing it a lot, I became numb, I hope you can forgive me. " Song Yuelin sighed, “the most important thing now is for the people who are still alive to successfully get out of this forest. Let’s work together to try to win a chance to live. I'm sure your friend would also want you to live in good health."

Song Yuelin talked as he walked. Both of them were fast on their feet and soon, they had returned to the vicinity of the commercial vehicle.

Yu Ning suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Song Yuelin, who was originally walking behind him, was still talking and he unconsciously walked ahead.

Seeing Yu Ning standing still and not following him, Song Yuelin turned back: "What, you don't believe my words?"

They had walked out for so long without seeing Ji Mingxia, and the monster had completely disappeared.

Although Yu Ning did not explicitly say what had happened, Ji Mingxia, in all probability, had been taken away by the ghost.

Today’s hurdle ended like that.

Song Yuelin was relieved and his confidence was restored. He walked over to the commercial vehicle, took a box out and fiddled with it.

Yu Ning didn't like to talk, but it didn't matter, he could talk on his own.

Song Yuelin said: "Although you look difficult to get along with, unlike that friend of yours, you should be a smart person. No matter what the reason is, in any case, there are only two of us left now. Either we kill each other or cooperate for mutual benefit, you should know very well which choice to make, right?"

Song Yuelin looked amiable and kind-hearted when communicating with Ji Mingxia, but at this time, he completely changed his face.

Although he was persuading Yu Ning, his demeanor seemed unhurried, as if he was in complete control of the situation.

This invisible aura, under the particular circumstances, would crush Yu Ning.

After all, Yu Ning was just a young high school student that had come to a strange environment, saw a ghost with his own eyes and lost his companion. He had a strong heart considering that he was not breaking down. But he was facing Song Yuelin, who had survived in the forest for four or five days, there was no way he would be a match for him.

The forest was quiet, and it was as if they were the only two living people left in the world.

It was as if Yu Ning was also slightly relieved, and for the first time, he took the initiative to voice his plea: "Why should I trust you?"

Song Yuelin couldn't help but smile when he heard the words.

Sure enough, he was still young and was so quick to take the bait.

He lifted his head and looked at Yu Ning, "I know that you and your friend have a good relationship. A living person just suddenly disappeared so you must not be able to accept it at once. You might even want to take it out on me, and I understand all these emotions you have.”

"In order to express my apologies, I can tell you one more thing, which is also considered as the sincerity of our initial cooperation."

After Song Yuelin finished speaking, he slowly opened the box in front of Yu Ning.

The lid of the box was facing Yu Ning, so he could not see what Song Yuelin's hands were doing.

Song Yuelin had his head down and was fiddling with the box, so he didn't notice that although Yu Ning was facing him, his hands were also behind him. So from Song Yuelin's angle, he also didn't know what Yu Ning's hands were doing.

Although they were facing each other, they each had their own thoughts. Song Yuelin said, "Every evening, ghosts show up on time to kill people. It's been five days now ...... Do you still remember what I told you, that seven of us entered the forest?"

Yu Ning said, "If it was one person killed a day, you would have two people left now."

"Yes, but you also saw that the ghost which appeared had three faces..... those three faces were all with the features of my friends. Every time the ghost kills a person, one more face appears on its body, so I guess that only after seven people are killed would the ghost let us out." Song Yuelin said.

Yu Ning said, "Without counting today, you have been in the forest for a total of four days, and the ghost has only killed three people?"

"That's right, that's the problem." Song Yuelin looked at Yu Ning and said, "The ghost had to kill seven people before this nightmarish game of hide-and-seek can end. But I want to live, and without me, that is one less spot."

Yu Ning whispered, "So that's the reason why you harmed Mingxia?"Song Yuelin laughed, "How can you call it harming? I closed my eyes tight and didn't even touch him when he met his accident. I didn't do anything. The person who killed him was the ghost, if you are resentful, you should resent the ghost."

After saying that, Song Yuelin twisted his words: "Things have come to this and there is no point in pursuing the previous matters. The most important thing is that the two of us have to survive..... I don't want to die and it just so happened that you two walked in by mistake, your friend…”

Seeing Yu Ning's face not looking too good, Song Yuelin expressed himself a little more euphemistically, "It is uncertain if your friend is alive or dead, so for now, we can be sure that the two of us are definitely safe."

Yu Ning said, "You used Mingxia to take your place in exchange for your life. You are safe, I am not."

Song Yuelin laughed, "As long as those six remaining people die, you will be safe."

"How are you sure that the ghost will only kill seven people?" Yu Ning asked.

Song Yuelin had said so much and an ordinary person would have been relieved to learn that he was safe and would have been glad that he was lucky.

This Yu Ning was unrelenting, ignoring Song Yuelin's various hints and refusing to follow his train of thought from start to finish.

Song Yuelin was a bit impatient and said, "Because it was us seven that created that ghost. It wants to deal with only us and is not interested in you at all. You run in by mistake so of course you are safe. Do you understand this explanation?"

Yu Ning looked at Song Yuelin and faintly hooked the corners of his mouth.

This was the first time that Song Yuelin had seen such a vivid expression on Yu Ning's face. He had to say that although this person was a bit weird looking, his appearance was still extremely refined and superior.

He was an internet celebrity and knew many internet celebrities. The pictures and videos were full of handsome men and beautiful women, but after leaving the lighting and retouching, many of them showed their original looks.

The best-looking ones can only reach Ji Mingxia’s level. Yu Ning's kind of appearance, which stands out in the crowd and looks three dimensional, would surely explode once put online.

He didn't expect Yu Ning to smile at him in this situation, Song Yuelin's heart felt a little tickled.

After people are dismembered, they are nothing but cut up dead meat.

But it had to be said that even when buying vegetables at the market and picking out pork, people would instinctively choose the ones that looked more beautiful and tasty.

This was true for a piece of cut meat, let alone when faced with one of its kind that has not yet been disassembled.

Song Yuelin said smugly, "This is a rule I figured out myself. You are lucky to have met me, if you had met the other fools, lost in the forest and hiding, I am afraid you wouldn't know what was going on even now."

"Are you talking about yourself?" Yu Ning said.

It didn’t sound polite and Song Yuelin frowned slightly. He had the upper hand at the moment, and whether Yu Ning lived or died depended on his mood.

He was about to reprimand Yu Ning, but when he saw the latter’s expression, Song Yuelin suddenly felt that something was wrong.

Not because of Yu Ning, but because of himself.

The monsters appeared at dusk to kill, it was accompanied by the sun setting. The monsters who had finished harvesting lives leave, and the forest becomes much safer at night.

Dusk is the moment of madness and is usually brief as day and night alternate, and yin and yang merge.

From the time Song Yuelin, Ji Mingxia and Yu Ning started hiding, dusk was approaching. After Ji Mingxia disappeared, they returned from their hiding place to the commercial car and talked for so long.

The forest was so full of trees and foliage that it had gone dark early when it was still light outside.

So much time had passed now, so it should have been dark by now.

But at this moment, Yu Ning was standing several metres away from him, but he could still see the expression on Yu Ning's face!

So much time had passed yet the sun was still setting.

Either his perception of time was off, or there was something wrong with the weather today that was causing it to become dark extraordinarily late, and dusk to be constantly stretched out ......

Whichever it was, it wasn't good within this crisis-ridden forest!

A chill inexplicably ran down Song Yuelin's body when he discovered this.

The hairs on his body stood, and a feeling of danger swept through his brain. Song Yuelin snapped back to his senses and looked behind him—

He saw a black shadow standing not far from him in the interlaced light and shadow.

With a “crunch” as leaves got crushed, Song Yuelin saw its appearance up close as the figure stepped out of the darkness.

The body was huge, like three human bodies stitched together. The heads were triangular and at this moment, one of the faces was staring straight at Song Yuelin.

"Impossible ...... this…this is impossible!" Song Yuelin muttered, taking two steps back. His back pressed against the body of the commercial vehicle and he looked at the monster incredulously.

The monster stared at Song Yuelin, seemingly not worried at all that he would escape.

It slowly dragged its heavy body, like a heavy mountain of flesh, it slowly came towards Song Yuelin.

Song Yuelin was so frightened that his body went weak, and he pressed his palms against the commercial vehicle, moving his body along it with great difficulty.

When he moved to the back of the car, Song Yuelin happened to be facing Yu Ning.

He saw that Yu Ning was still standing in the same place, looking at Song Yuelin with a cold face.

Yu Ning was not surprised by this sudden appearance of the monster, he was not even afraid and just stood aside, watching with cold eyes.

"It's you .....!" Song Yuelin was not stupid. He saw Yu Ning’s behavior and immediately guessed that all the abnormalities today must be related to him!

"What have you done ...... you set me up! Aren't you afraid that it will do the same to you after I die?" Song Yuelin shouted angrily at Yu Ning.

Yu Ning said nonchalantly, “Didn’t you say that it was targeting you guys and that it had nothing to do with me.”

Song Yuelin was startled, and only then did he remember the logical error in his words.

When he had met Ji Mingxia, Song Yuelin had deliberately created a terrifying atmosphere for Yu Ning and Ji Mingxia, warning them that this was a terrible game of hide-and-seek.

Yet he had told Yu Ning, in order to pacify him, that the monster was not targeting him and would not kill him.

Ordinary people who suddenly encountered such a scene would have already pissed themselves in fear, so how could they care about such details.

The monster was close at hand, and in such a situation, not only was Yu Ning not fooled, he even had the presence of mind to look for holes in logic?

What kind of freak was this? Was this guy ……was he really human?

Thinking of this, Song Yuelin’s heart chilled.

In fact, when he thinks about it, Yu Ning and Ji Mingxia were also very suspicious.

Especially Yu Ning, he had an eerie aura all over his body and was not quite normal at first glance.

If Song Yuelin met Yu Ning alone, let alone in this forest, even in the city, he would have looked at him a few more times and increased his vigilance.

But between Yu Ning and Ji Mingxia, Ji Mingxia looked……so full of life.

Ji Mingxia looked too silly and naive, and added on the fact that the two of them were not too old, it led to Song Yuelin letting down his guard.

Now that Ji Mingxia had died, this Yu Ning was completely exposing his true nature ……

The monster had appeared and was even chasing him, yet Yu Ning neither left nor chose to save him. He just stood there and watched coldly.

Song Yuelin looked at Yu Ning’s indifferent expression. Those weird eyes were clearly in a state of observation.

Yu Ning was observing Song Yuelin and the monster.

He wanted to see how the monster killed people?

Realizing this, Song Yuelin instantly felt some regret in his heart.

How did he provoke such a pervert.

This guy was so young ……he couldn’t be a murderer, right?

The first time he saw his companion die, he was really scared to the point that his legs felt weak.

It was only later, under the instinct to survive, that he did all sorts of things.

Whenever he felt like was going against his humanity, Song Yuelin convinced himself that everything he did was to survive.

In order to survive, ancient humans ate their own kind. Although humans all over the world have various skin colors, they all belong to the same species.

Under the “category” of humans, there is only one race left, not because the primitive people were all eaten up ……

He was in the forest and ate his kind only to live, to see tomorrow.

The first time he did it, Song Yuelin was so scared and excited, and he was exhilarated for a long time.

But looking at Yu Ning’s behavior at the moment, it looked like it wasn’t his first time to see a person die ……

Song Yuelin’s mind flew through various thoughts, but the sound of the monster walking kept getting closer and closer, not allowing him to think wildly anymore.

Under Yu Ning’s gaze, Song Yuelin gritted his teeth, reached his hand behind his back and pressed a switch in the trunk.

The trunk of the car slowly opened.

It was like a closed space that was suddenly opened. A rotting stench spewed out from inside the car, and the moment the monster walked to the back of the car, Song Yuelin suddenly dodged and ran away.

The monster that was originally chasing after Song Yuelin suddenly stopped in its tracks when it saw what was in the trunk.

A burst of blood-red mist floated up and enveloped the entire area, making it impossible to see what lay ahead.

The blood-red ring in Yu Ning’s hand flickered impatiently in the midst of the blood mist.

After about ten seconds, the blood mist dissipated, and both the monster and Song Yuelin had disappeared, leaving only the highly decomposed corpse in the open trunk that was emitting a foul stench.

Yu Ning turned around and returned to the position where he and Ji Mingxia had been hiding together.

“Mingxia.” Yu Ning called out.

Ji Mingxia, who was still standing in place and hadn’t moved a muscle, walked out from the depths of the dense woods after hearing Yu Ning’s voice.