Chapter 18: Heart Snatching Stop 21

Chapter 18 - Station 21: Heart Seizure

Ming Yiyang was aware that he was trapped in a false slumber.

Yet, he was powerless to break free from the illusion, wandering alone in the desolate wilderness of his mind.

Vaguely, he recalled his mission to pluck the brightest heart from the depths of this darkness, now within his grasp.

That heart—hanging tantalizingly just out of reach on a branch.

He stretched his hand overhead to grab it.

His flesh and blood began to melt from his fingertips, revealing stark white bones, which eventually evaporated into the air.

He heard a delighted tsk-tsking, as if some part of him was being devoured by an unseen force.

It was a tangible sensation of sharp edges grinding against flesh.

Yet, pain seemed severed, preventing any instinctive emotional response. All his thoughts weighed heavily in this surreal environment.

He frowned and stretched out his remaining left hand.

Suppressed pain erupted the instant it touched his heart, then swiftly vanished.

As his left hand passed over his head, it gradually peeled away, transforming into a vivid, frothy residue on his shoulder.

In this illusion, he had already lost both arms; there was nothing that could now stop him from seizing that heart.

The malicious mist crept silently closer, hungrily seeking to devour the despair of this soul, only to find emptiness.

The young man seemed unaffected; he even lifted his toes slightly, opened his mouth, and tilted his head back, ready to bite down on that heart, even if it meant turning into foam.

Suddenly, a Spirit Binding Rope shot through the air, pinning him firmly in place, rendering him immobile!

The icy touch of the silver rope seemed to unlock a floodgate of emotions, allowing his severed senses to rush back with a vengeance.

Searing pain originated from his right hand, then spread through his limbs.

Amidst his blank thoughts, he opened his deep purple eyes.

Countless oval mouths, equipped with multiple teeth, attached themselves to his body, piercing the skin and sucking on flesh like leeches, burrowing into his warmth and pulsating within the living flesh.

And above his head, in the remaining airspace, hung that glowing heart.

He couldn't recall what he was thinking at that moment.

All he knew was that by the time he realized what was happening, that familiar silver cord had already coiled around the delicate veins of his heart, tightening with a speed that left no time for a gasp, ruthlessly pulling it downward with fierce force!

The heart creaks under the weight, yet it remains intact, unseized.

The "leech" that had burrowed into the flesh wriggled wildly, and then, to the youth's gasp, it ignited into white flames.

Extending his arm through the flames, this time, he grasped that wicked yet vibrantly alive heart.

With a fierce grip, he, along with the silver chain, forcefully tore it off!

Inky darkness swelled like a swamp torrent, flooding every corner of the room.

It regurgitated an endless array of undigested bones, clothing, watches, cell phones, necklaces, shoes...

There was also a silver filigree bracelet, tumbling down through the air.

It clanged and rolled to an unknown corner with a clatter.

The tall young man stood naked in the torrent, allowing it to wash over him.

His muscular frame was covered in fresh wounds, from which crimson droplets trickled down in a steady stream.

Even as they fell, they seemed to ignite the remaining black stains.

Thus, a patch of pure white flames sprang up at his feet.

From a distance, they resembled clusters of moonlight grass, woven from light, cuddling close to him. They persisted until the blood and mud were entirely consumed, then shattered into countless firefly dust, vanishing without a trace.

His silver eyelashes fluttered slightly.

With a beating heart held tightly in his hand, he suddenly turned around.

The man with yin-yang eyes leaned against the charred doorway, drenched in fresh blood, save for his clean hands and face. He didn't appear to be in a much better state than the young man.

They exchanged a brief glance, and Yan Qiling threw Ming Yiyang a set of neatly folded clothes. He tapped the door frame with his pipe, his tone indifferent.

"Get dressed before you come out. Class is about to start."

Hugging the clothes that smelled of disinfectant, Ming Yiyang put on the ill-fitting attire and retrieved his phone from the mud. He stepped out barefoot.

The corridor had already been stained by the black flow, reflecting like a mirror.

A man stood upon this reflective surface, casting a casual glance.

His hair, neither too long nor too short, was casually tied up with a smoke-blue ribbon. Silver bamboo leaves shimmered in the light.

He resembled a legendary lotus, untainted by the mud.

Ming Yiyang tossed the rolled-up Spirit Binding Rope to the man and said, "Thanks."

It was the first time the young man had thanked this person.

The rope slithered into his sleeve like a snake, but Yan Qiling seemed unperturbed.

"No need, you've helped me before."

Then, he took out the matching bracelet he had found from his sleeve.

"Yours."

As the young man received the bracelet, he unexpectedly added,

"This is a magical artifact used to contact and sense the location and safety of the employer, making it easier to protect them."

"Mm."

For a moment, there was silence.

They walked under the brilliant sunshine, stepping over countless fragments of flesh and blood. They watched as brown liquid seeped from fallen black plastic bags, forming small pools that shimmered white under the sunlight.

Ming Yiyang stepped over them and asked,

"Did you do it?"

"No."

Yan Qiling wore no particular expression.

"I wouldn't soil myself with blood."

The explanation sounded pretentious, but coming from this person, it carried conviction.

"So what's going on? Don't tell me they're killing each other off."

"The cycle in this space repeats every three days."

Yan Qiling moved steadily forward.

"From the moment we entered the campus, the two Incarnations have been vying for the flesh and blood of outsiders. The more time passes, the stronger their powers grow, and the fiercer their contest becomes."

"But just now, you took the school doctor's core. The balance of power has shifted. These 'people' you see are the resources the school doctor can mobilize."

"Since the school doctor is absent, Jin Shuen would naturally eliminate any 'person' from the opposing side... and quickly bring us back to her territory, so we won't encounter any interference during this time."

Ming Yiyang held the still-beating heart in his palm and asked,

"What use does this have then? Should I put it back and let those two monsters fight each other?"

"Certainly not."

Yan Qiling finally halted his steps, turning half of his face to meet the sunlight.

The rays pierced through his crimson irises, reflecting an orange-red glow that made his entire eye appear plump and translucent, like a fine red crystal.

"It will be useful."

"Our immediate priority is to return to the classroom. Otherwise, your employer will soon face a one-sided massacre."

-

Hu Zhicheng, who led the way into the academic building, had an unsettling premonition.

Senseless malice crept up from the edges of the windows, veiling the outside world with a dense fog.

The walls, once rigidly painted white concrete, transformed into a pulsating, crimson flesh that seemed to breathe.

An ominously heightened scent of iron filled the air from all directions, engulfing them in an unsettling embrace.

Dusky red light seeped through the mist, casting the monotonous window frames onto the dark basalt floor, creating an eerie echo.

It was as if they were submerged at the bottom of a blood-filled abyss, imprisoned within a vast, crimson sea.

Escape was now an impossibility.

The path back was also blocked by a grotesque mass of flesh and blood.

Moreover, the school ID cards they carried had transformed. The section that originally read "1130" now displayed "1330."

Just like the entrance, the area that was originally marked as 1130, which had been teeming with some sort of living creatures made of flesh and blood, had become an inaccessible place.

They realized that their previous speculations in the dormitory had indeed come true.

The actual classroom, as expected, was located at 1330.

A chilling wind swept through the corridor, shifting directions unpredictably, making it impossible to discern its origin.

Hu Zhicheng moved cautiously ahead, striving not to make a sound with his steps.

In their vulnerability, they were acutely aware of the world's terrifying nature, haunted by the fear of being observed by unseen entities.

Chapter 1330 was already occupied.

It was Yao Kunrui, who had gone missing that morning.

Seated amidst a glow of crimson light, he held a book in his hand, flipping through its pages as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

Upon seeing someone enter, he didn't even spare them a glance.

Surprisingly, Hu Zhicheng felt a sense of unexpected comfort at this moment. He stepped inside and turned to beckon,

"Come in quickly."

Si Shuhao sensed something odd, but still proceeded forward.

In the next moment, the illusion shattered!

Yao Kunrui was suspended by thin black ropes right above his seat!

To avoid being strangled, he balanced precariously on the tip of his toes, his right hand contorted unnaturally, and his face already turning a ghastly mix of red and purple from asphyxiation!

Simultaneously, Hu Zhicheng, who had just entered, was also instantly hung from the ceiling beam, desperately clawing at his throat!

Before she could even scream, the black tendrils descending from above ensnared her too, lifting her up!

The sensation of suffocation hit her like a wave, and she kicked wildly, overwhelmed by the despair of impending death. Tears, a mixture of fear and physiological response, streamed down her face.

She stuck out her tongue, trying to draw in more air, only to feel the ropes tightening further around her neck!

Ming Yiyang!

She attempted to cry out, but no sound escaped her lips as her strength drained away rapidly with each passing second.

The silver filigree couple's bracelet on her wrist burned scorchingly hot.

Just as she felt utterly helpless, unable to call for help, a familiar voice buzzed in her ears:

"Big Brother Ming! They're here!"

Hope flickered back to life. She struggled against the noose around her neck, desperately seeking any breath she could find.

She heard a man's clear, low voice murmuring something.

With the sound of pages rustling, the rope around her neck loosened, and they tumbled between desks and chairs.

"Uncle!"

Hu Gaoming rushed over to support his uncle, a wave of relief washing over him.

After meeting Yan Qiling, he had obediently come to the academic building.

Strangely, while there were monsters lurking outside the infirmary, the area around the teaching building was eerily empty.

He soon found that he couldn't enter Classroom 1130, but not knowing where else to go and not wanting to be alone, a trail of blood led him to Classroom 1330.

Following the trail of blood, he caught sight of Yao Kunrui seated inside.

From the moment he entered this world, he had never seen eye to eye with this man. Moreover, after narrowly escaping death, he wasn't foolish enough to ignore the obvious warning signs.

The bloodstains were clearly a red flag, suggesting that there was some sort of trap lurking within the classroom. It would be wise to wait for Ming Ge and Yan Ge to inspect it first before entering.

So, he pretended not to notice.

Initially planning to leave, he found the entrance trapped, forcing him to seek refuge in the adjacent corridor instead. No matter how many times the blood trail beckoned him towards Room 1330, he deliberately turned a blind eye.

Eventually, he encountered Hu Zhicheng and his group who had entered.

He called out to them, but they seemed not to hear, heading straight for room 1330.

By the time he caught up, he witnessed Su Bo's figure vanishing through the doorway.

He chased after him.

In the classroom, an air of tranquility prevailed, yet his uncle, Hu Zhicheng, didn't spare him a glance. Instead, he was engrossed in casual conversation with two young girls.

A strange chill crept up Hu Gaoming's spine, and instead of entering, he turned around and sprinted towards the entrance.

Fortunately, he stumbled upon the still-alive Yan Qiling and Ming Yiyang!

Ming Yiyang pulled out a silver bangle with intertwined patterns, explaining that Si Shuhao was in grave danger. They rushed to room 1330, only to witness a horrifying sight – the peaceful figures they had seen from the outside were hanging lifelessly in the classroom, barely struggling.

Without hesitation, Ming Yiyang swung his blade, but the black rope didn't sever; it recoiled like water, swiftly returning to its original state.

In that moment, Yan Qiling drew an enigmatic symbol on the cover of a floral-patterned notebook, which he had withdrawn from his sleeve. He muttered a few words, and the notebook opened on its own, emitting a faint glow.

The abnormalities around them began to recede. The sunlight through the window regained its brightness, mimicking a typical sunny morning in class, yet purer than ever before.

Suddenly, the bell signaling the start of class rang loudly.

New sounds emerged from the corridor.