Chapter 17: Station 21: Struggle

Chapter 17: Struggle at Station 21

The black fog fracturing from his side didn't dissipate but twisted into a wisp of ethereal smoke, hurtling rapidly towards Hu Gaoming!

The youth let out a cold scoff, swiftly twisting his body and reaching out as he leaped backward.

A pale purple energy surged from the tip of his finger before he abruptly clenched his hand!

The smoke was enveloped in a purple glow, letting out a mournful wail that was neither a cry nor a sob. It was utterly consumed by the flames that spontaneously erupted in mid-air.

Such minor injuries were negligible to the anomaly, but the creature was fiercely enraged by the human's effective resistance!

It shot up abruptly, its body slamming against the ceiling. It then charged at the young man with a terrifying roar.

With his left hand, he swiped the blade as if wiping it, slicing his palm open in the process. Blood poured from the wound and coated the blade entirely.

The bloodied blade instantly slashed into the oncoming fog.

Upon contact, sparks flew violently as the blade grated against the mist.

In the confined space, black and white shimmered, slicing through the air with countless whirling fragments.

The swirling debris formed a tornado, with the mist enshrouding an undying flame attempting to "embrace" the young man before it.

Droplets of blood from the blade pattered onto the ground.

With his jaw muscle tense, Ming Yiyang used pain as bait and wiped the blade with his left hand once more.

As long as he swung the bloodied blade, this entity couldn't come any closer to him, and might even ignite itself, causing trouble for its own body!

The creature seemed to have realized this issue and exerted more force to spread a thin veil of fog, stealthily circling around from behind in various ways.

The blood blade danced into an impenetrable wall, while a thin veil of gloom crept slowly behind the youth.

Seizing the opportunity when he relaxed, they suddenly coalesced into sharp, spiky columns, aiming to pierce his left back!

His reaction speed far exceeded expectations; instinctively, he rolled low to the ground.

His coat, billowing in the air, was slashed open like a wing torn from a bird, precisely piercing the inner pocket!

The pack of cigarettes and lighter tumbled out with a clatter, coming to a stop after hitting the wall.

The young man, engrossed in dealing with the anomaly, couldn't be bothered with such trivialities.

Swinging his arm backward, he severed the sharp spikes of black fog. He then crushed the dripping, viscous residue underfoot, causing a cloud of smoke to rise up.

The black fog temporarily retreated, searching for another opportunity to attack.

His purple eyes shone brightly, like a lighthouse illuminating the path home for travelers in the depths of the sea, even against the backlight.

He saw it.

In the heart of this pitch-black mass, there was a pulsating red crystal, resembling a beating heart.

Ming Yiyang casually reached for his slashed coat with his left hand.

If he had hesitated just a moment ago, his heart would have been pierced instead.

The Boundless World was the domain of ghosts and monsters. Although he seemed to have the upper hand now, if the battle persisted, he would be the first to succumb.

Kill or leave.

He should leave.

But he had finally found its weakness... and it was right before him.

Wiping the blade with his blood once more, he charged into the black mist, the blood-stained sword pointing straight at that heart!

The black fog, sensing his intention, tried to engulf him, but was repelled by the scorching heat.

In no time, the crystal shifted position, turning the spot where it once stood into a maw of numerous "tiny mouths," forming a monstrous abyss!

Ming Yiyang retreated a few steps out of their attack range, but this time, his expression wasn't as grave as before.

Viscous black liquid dripped from his hair and shoulders. He glanced down at the blade in his hand, then at the crystal deep within the fog. His purple irises suddenly faded.

Turning his head to glance at the quivering figure in the corner, he moved his lips.

Hu Gaoming, who met his gaze, widened his eyes in terror.

Aware that he could not offer assistance, he remained steadfast, holding the first-aid kit and closely observing the unfolding battle.

Seeing Ming Yiyang retreat from the dark mist once more, he had just let out a sigh of relief when countless tendrils formed from liquid suddenly shot out, unforeseen, entwining Ming Yiyang's wrist and sword blade, dragging him right back in!

In the blink of an eye, the black mist transformed back into its viscous essence, writhing fiercely in the air!

It was absorbed in digesting the disobedient flesh and blood it had just swallowed, paying no attention to Hu Gaoming, who was paralyzed with fear and astonishment in the corner!

The youth's hands and feet were icy cold.

His sole reliance here was Ming Yiyang, and now that Ming Yiyang had been consumed, he would be next!

The creature thrashed about in the room, its once robust body suddenly elongating and becoming slender.

The sticky substance adhered to other areas began to rush back into its main body rapidly.

It was evident that Ming Yiyang had posed a significant challenge to it, compelling the creature to retract its power and focus solely on dealing with him.

As Hu Gaoming watched the black substance peel away from the door, he suddenly understood the silent message Ming Yiyang had tried to convey before being engulfed.

"Run."

As if infused with the youthful man's resolute voice, this single word injected his limp limbs with an energy that didn't belong to him.

Hu Gaoming was well aware that he had only one chance.

His mind had never functioned at such a rapid pace.

Reaching into the first-aid kit, his hand touched the cold surgical alcohol. His gaze fell upon the lighter that had been knocked to the ground amidst the battle.

He reached out and grasped the lighter tightly.

Run!

He leapt up like a monkey, nimblely landing on the hospital bed.

The viscous entity, having discovered his escape, greedily extended its tentacles in pursuit, only to be blocked by the billowing bed curtains he had dramatically flung aside.

Tentacle-like blades sliced through the bed curtains, rigidly and relentlessly advancing upon the youth who was frantically rolling across the floor!

The youth rolled on the spot, and his tentacle blades sharply pierced into the cobblestone floor! Instantly, he scrambled to his feet and dashed towards the door!

No sooner had I opened the door when the tentacles caught up!

With a resounding slam, he pushed the door shut and exerted all his strength to keep it closed. Then, he pulled out some alcohol and indiscriminately splashed it onto the floor.

He wouldn't be able to hold on for much longer!

With a push from behind the door, he stumbled forward, trembling as he flicked the lighter several times to ignite the bandage in his hand. He then threw it backward!

A towering inferno raged along the trail of spilled alcohol, and the shrieking tendrils dissipated once more into dark smoke, engulfed by the blazing inferno.

Hu Gaoming rushed out of the corridor in a panic, his limbs filled with the exhausting relief of having survived a disaster.

He realized that he was already weeping uncontrollably.

The draft blew away the alcohol splashed on his clothes, and as he thought of Ming Yiyang being devoured by the monster, a chill of dread trembled down his spine.

Before he could regain his composure, he heard another eerie sound amidst his disoriented state.

Instinctively crouching down and hiding among the grass, he observed secretly.

The once-desolate campus was now teeming with students, each wearing black plastic bags over their heads, wandering about.

They appeared aimless, yet held an assortment of tools in their hands...

Gazing at the enormous protractor, drenched in blood, held by the hooded figure closest to him, Hu Gaoming felt on the verge of collapsing.

He could no longer conceive of a safe haven, but retreating was out of the question. That mass of black fog might emerge from the academic building at any moment.

Yes, Brother Yan! It's Brother Yan!

With a newfound sense of reliance, he cautiously approached the dormitory, leaning against the wall for support.

-

The purple mist seeped into the dormitory.

Si Shuhao and the others, expecting some sort of chemical assault, held their breaths for a long while. Yet, nothing extraordinary occurred.

Yan Qiling, however, walked to the door and softly whispered, "Shh."

"Hear that."

Everyone held their breath as Suo Suhao suddenly covered her mouth:

"I think I heard... footsteps?!"

"How could that be? Didn't we agree that no one would be here this morning?"

Si Shuhao pressed her racing heart gently and clenched her fists:

"Could it be Ming Yiyang and the others returning?"

The mist began to dissipate.

Clearer now, irregular footsteps and the sound of something knocking against objects gradually intertwined, drawing closer until they became audible to all.

Hu Zhicheng's face paled:

"There really is someone coming up, and there's more than one!"

With a flick of the tassels on his smoking pipe, Yan Qiling softly made a decision:

"We can't stay in the dorms. Let's go."

The thick purple mist blotted out the sky and the sun, eerily reminiscent of the fog that had driven them into the campus before.

Yan Qiling glanced in the direction where Yao Kunrui resided by the corner of his eye.

The dorm room door stood wide open, devoid of any signs of life. It seemed as if everyone had deserted the building.

Using his acute hearing, he led everyone to the right staircase, skillfully avoiding whatever lurked in the mist.

As they reached the bottom of the dormitory, the purple haze began to thin out.

Outside the dorm, an unknown number of "people" wearing black plastic bags had somehow gathered.

These "people" appeared vastly different from their initial encounter. They seemed to have regained some form of will or consciousness, wandering around the area with various items in a rhythmic pattern.

"Slow down our pace."

Yan Qiling's voice was soft yet clear:

"They're searching for prey."

Everyone held their breaths, regulating the pace and steps they took.

Just then, a sudden itch tickled Sù Bó's nose.

She tried to endure it, but eventually couldn't help covering her mouth for a tiny sneeze.

All the wandering plastic bag figures immediately turned in their direction.

Yan Qiling lowered his voice:

"You go to the teaching building first. I'll distract them!"

Without waiting for a response, he dashed off in another direction, tapping on tree trunks with his pipe!

The clinking sound of metal against solid wood echoed and faded rapidly, prompting the plastic bag figures that had been facing them to turn around and give chase.

Sù Bó clenched her finger joints, suppressing another urge to sneeze. Filled with self-directed anger and frustration, she fought back tears. Si Shuhao and Hu Zhicheng hurriedly escorted her toward the academic building.

When Hu Gaoming encountered Yan Qiling, he barely recognized him.

-

The man stood amidst a field of shattered limbs, blood dripping down his porcelain-white arms. He turned, fixing his gaze precisely on his hiding spot, his eyes revealing an unconscious, inhuman cruelty.

Faced with such a gaze, Hu Gaoming's courage was utterly drained from his entire being.

At one point, he even believed himself to be dead, now observing the scene before him as a spectator from beyond the grave, rendering him incapable of any action.

But those twin phoenix eyes curved slightly in a moment, and the horrifying bloodstains seemed to transform into rouge within the warmth of that smile.

An irresistible solvent of affinity blossomed and spread, defying resistance.

Despite the bizarre scene, Hu Gaoming was miraculously soothed. He opened his mouth to speak but found himself at a loss for words. All he could manage was to stammer:

"This... This is..."

"They were fighting each other, and I was too close."

The man spoke with an unfazed demeanor, uttering words of uncertain truth:

"Where's Ming Yiyang?"

"In the infirmary... I burned it down, he was inside... Oh, no, I didn't burn the infirmary..."

He held the first aid kit, speaking incoherently.

Just as he was in panic, a slight weight on his shoulder caught his attention. Yan Qiling gently placed his hand on him.

Yan Qiling's blood-stained face was now devoid of amusement. His slightly serious expression helped Hu Gaoming regain clarity.

He explained the situation in as concise a manner as possible.

Yan Qiling released his grip and calmly instructed him:

"Go to class first. The path will be clear, just keep your voice down. I'll go up and assess the situation."

Looking at the debris scattered before him, Hu Gaoming wondered if he had just helped or harmed Ming Yiyang.

Recalling the silver-haired youth being consumed by the black fog, he swallowed hard and tugged on the man's sleeve uneasily:

"Brother Yan, your burns... Maybe I should accompany you..."

"I'm fine."

He resumed his inappropriate smile, hiding his true feelings behind a mask:

"You must be careful, okay? Promise me you won't die."

Hu Gaoming wanted to say that it wasn't within his control, but the man had already turned away, swiftly vanishing amidst the buildings.