Chapter 120: Station 24: The Chime

Chapter 120: Station 24: The Chime

Arriving at the end of the corridor, they were now some distance away from those who had stayed behind.

Mobis looked at the eccentric Eastern man beside him with his gray eyes:

"Our priority now is to find food, water, and any clues on how to escape this damned place."

"I have no objections."

Mobis wasn't interested in that response. He decided to be more straightforward:

"Yan, I can see that you possess a unique ability, one that could be beneficial to everyone."

Yan Qiling wasn't surprised by Mobis's perceptiveness; this time, he hadn't concealed his abilities as much.

However, he didn't wish to intervene excessively at this stage:

"I can certainly do what is within my power, but I cannot conjure food, Mobis."

The man gazed into his eyes for a moment with his profound gaze, a shadowy smile forming on his thin face.

"I understand. Yan, just do what you can, and Kapis and I will assist you."

This implied that the task of scouting was entrusted to Yan Qiling.

Yan Qiling wasn't surprised by this arrangement.

His porcelain-white face lit up with an Eastern-style tolerant smile, an elegant composure that always drew others' attention. At times, Kapis even found this smile angelic.

The man spoke softly, "Then, I'll lead the way."

At the end of the corridor lay an old and dilapidated stainless steel footbridge.

The bridge was made of interconnected stainless steel plates riddled with tiny holes. Its original blue paint had almost entirely peeled off due to exposure to the elements, leaving behind yellow rust stains across its entire length. One couldn't help but question its safety.

Located outdoors, the bridge was originally separated from the corridor by a door. However, that door now lay in a pile of shattered wood fragments on the ground.

A rush of cold air from outside replaced the stifling stench of blood and disinfectant, offering a moment of respite.

It seemed to have rained recently, as the sky was so overcast that darkness threatened to descend at any moment.

The strong wind brushed against the three's cheeks, carrying with it fine droplets of rain.

The walkway was the direct route out of the building, leading to another taller structure.

That building was made of gray concrete walls with chimneys, giving the impression of a workshop related to boilers. If Hu Gaoming's memory served him right, the map he saw earlier had labeled this area as the "academic zone."

It sounded like a resource-scarce and troublesome place, but with no other options available, they had no choice but to explore it.

Yan Qiling nonchalantly lifted the hem of his black robe and stepped onto the creaky bridge without a change in expression.

After the recent turmoil, Mobis had developed a fear of such iron bridges. However, seeing Yan Qiling, who was thinner than both him and Mobis, display such courage, he didn't want to appear cowardly. Thus, he followed closely behind.

As they reached the midpoint of the bridge, their view, which had been obstructed by walls, suddenly opened up!

The factory's silhouette resembled towering monoliths in Monument Valley, revealing different connecting points from various angles.

Especially the spiral iron staircases embedded on the exterior walls often played tricks on the eye due to the building's optical illusions. They seemed to offer multiple routes – that is, if one could reach the other side first.

The gangway creaked with the strain of rusted steel plates beneath it. Below, several large cylindrical concrete tanks stood, while massive, mysterious mixers hung from nearby cliffs, their functions unknown.

The mixers appeared to have been dormant for years, with most of their metal blades corroded by rust. Some had even shattered at the bottom of the tubular cement pools, submerged in a thin layer of water. Green patina and moss covered them, and some vines had taken root, creating an eerie yet natural beauty amidst industrial decay.

Strange, yet brimming with a vibrant vitality that didn't belong to humanity.

From the gangway, Yan Qiling perceived more than anyone else, especially when a faint, lilac hue illuminated his right eye.

In front of him stood a gray concrete structure, while to the left was an unidentified building overgrown with ivy. To the right, a row of low-lying tin sheds resembled temporary workers' quarters.

However, appearances were deceptive. Through the walls, he could discern intricate gears and mechanisms – a lethal labyrinth seemingly designed to toy with unsuspecting mice in this cruel world.

The screams of human death and the sight of blood were precisely what this Ruler of the Unseen desired to witness.

Mechanisms, in Its hands, had become an art form of execution.

The contraptions It designed were like puzzles waiting to be solved by life, with curiosity fueling Its anticipation for unconventional methods of defying them.

As the Ruler of the Unseen, Yan Qiling mused, the master of this world possessed an innocent, fearless childlike fascination.

Cruel, yet filled with unconscious malice.

Others had different perspectives. For instance, when Cabius first laid eyes on the row of shacks, he thought, This place probably doesn't experience typhoons often, or else these structures would have been torn apart by gales in no time.

As for Mobis, his cold gaze seemed incapable of holding much, at least on the surface. He appeared disinclined to offer any opinions.

They crossed the footbridge and arrived at a platform connected to the gray building, but their path was blocked by a wooden door.

Mobis expected a challenge, but to his surprise, the moss-covered, rotten door creaked and crashed to the ground with a thud when he merely nudged it!

Cabius immediately looked behind and around them, seemingly fearful that the sudden noise might awaken some hidden presence.

Yet, after a brief silence, nothing unusual occurred.

Yan Qiling's perspective was somewhat different from theirs. As the two were about to enter the room after confirming the door was safe, he walked alone to the right side of the door frame and looked at a pull handle on the wall.

Of course, Mobis wouldn't be the one to rush in first. Thus, when he noticed Yan Qiling, who should have been scouting ahead, stop in front of the wall, he snapped back to attention and halted his steps just in time. He gazed at the man with sharp, hawk-like eyes:

"Yan, it's time to move."

Yan Qiling merely gave him a calm glance. His crimson and sapphire heterochromatic eyes revealed no emotions.

Mobis suddenly realized that this seemingly easy-going East Asian man didn't seem as compliant as he appeared on the surface.

Or perhaps, this man's cooperation came with conditions.

In situations where their goals aligned, he didn't mind taking a minor loss or being instructed.

But if their objectives diverged, the man would undoubtedly prioritize his own will.

At that moment, after the man coldly swept his gaze over him, he unilaterally pulled down the protruding handle on the wall without any prior discussion.

Mobis' pupils constricted, but it was already too late to stop whatever was happening. He could only reflexively fall to the ground alongside Cebius.

However, they weren't crushed by anything. Instead, a creaking sound came from the direction of the walkway.

Yan Qiling watched expressionlessly as the rusted metal walkway split in the middle and both ends began to rise automatically, forming an angle that prevented any contact with the other side.

It resembled an ancient wooden drawbridge spanning a moat, isolating them completely from the building they had come from!

Cebius, who had been lying on the ground, was stunned. But soon, he grew excited:

"If we lift this thing up, that monster won't be able to get in, right? Then we'll be safe."

Mobis remained indifferent. Looking at Yan Qiling's calm expression, he felt a inexplicable frustration:

"Don't celebrate too soon. We still don't know what's in this building. There might be even more terrifying monsters hidden here. After all, this is a slaughterhouse!"

Cebius disliked the gloomy aura emanating from Mobis.

Fortunately, Yan Qiling released the lever again. A gentle smile rekindled on his previously cool face:

"Let's lower the bridge first. That way, if we encounter any danger, we can retreat promptly and avoid being trapped in a perilous situation."

Though he didn't explicitly offer comforting words, his inherent mysterious charm conveyed a sense of reassurance, soothing the tension around him.

Cephus silently drew closer to Yan Qiling, following him into the house.

They found themselves in a long corridor, heavy with the scent of dust. The floating particles were illuminated by a faint light, making their presence visible.

This place was more humid than the hospital they had previously visited, with its strong disinfectant smell. The constant alternation of humidity and temperature had caused the corridor's floor to be mostly cracked.

Through these crevices, one could see tiny green grass and nameless white flowers stubbornly thriving.

In addition, thin, emerald vines crawled across the ground, snaking their way in an unknown direction like serpents.

Gray light filtered in through the amber-tinted glass, casting a strangely captivating aura of decay.

Yan Qiling opened the first door directly in front of them, revealing, as expected, an abandoned classroom.

The crooked desks remained in their original positions, some collapsed, others decayed.

Mathematical formulas, still faintly visible on the blackboard, coexisted with creeping vines that had climbed to the ceiling in the corridor, entwining the hanging fan above.

"Cygnus, isn't this supposed to be a factory? Why are there both a hospital and a classroom here?"

Capy felt perplexed, but Mobis sneered in response,

"This is the realm of the void where anything is possible. Didn't that place we just left serve as a clinic for children? And this one is for their education. What's the issue?"

The trio combed through the classroom.

The room was indeed in utter disarray, containing nothing but chalk.

Just as they closed the door to this classroom, a clear and abrupt ringing echoed from the end of the corridor.

They exchanged puzzled glances.

The sound resembled that of an old-fashioned telephone, brief yet piercingly shrill.

It continued incessantly.

Yet, nobody moved.

They waited until the call ended, and only then did the anxiety that had risen in their chests slightly subside.

But soon, the ringing sounded again.

This time, it did not cease.

It was like an obstinate wind chime outside the window, or as if it knew someone was in the hallway, relentlessly ringing until someone attended to it.