Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Only then did I notice how long the paper figure’s fingernails were, like a zombie’s. Even through my clothes, I could clearly feel a bone-piercing chill drilling through my windbreaker and into my skin. It hurt like hell, as if I’d been clawed by a lizard.

I screamed and kicked backward.

The paper figure’s body split apart, kicked in half by me, and fell face-up into the water.

Then, in the very next second, I saw two identical paper figures rise from the water.

“What the hell, are they doing mitosis? How are we supposed to fight this?”

“Retreat, retreat!”

I flailed wildly, punching and kicking, using brute force to shove aside the paper figures around us. Then I grabbed Jiang Haoyan and ran for my life.

After we ran for a while, the sounds of an intense fight came from up ahead.

Water splashed everywhere. Every so often, pieces of paper figures would fly backward, fall into the water, then turn into even more of them and swarm forward in a dark mass.

Lu Lingzhu’s desperate shout rang out.

“Oh my god, how are we supposed to finish them all off?!”

Song Feifei shouted, “Li Fire Talisman!”

“Damn it, why isn’t this one working either?”

“Thirty-Six Thunder Talisman, go-”

My eyes nearly split from fury.

“Stop!”

I charged desperately into the mass of paper figures, snatched the thunder talisman off the water’s surface, and stuffed it into my jacket.

“Are you stupid? Spells don’t work here! Stop wasting them!”

Song Feifei said, “I don’t believe it.”

“Soul-Calming Talisman!”

“Three Yang Talisman!”

“Azure Dragon Wood-Guarding Talisman!”

Song Feifei was scattering talismans like a goddess flinging flowers from the heavens.

I darted all over the water, dodging the paper figures’ attacks while picking up the talismans floating on the surface.

“Stop picking them up! Qiao Moyu, help!”

Lu Lingzhu was about to lose her hold. Spotting an opening, she punched one paper figure away with both fists, then rolled on the spot and tumbled right to my feet.

“You hold them off for a bit. Let me catch my breath.”

For some reason, with Lu Lingzhu and me there, the paper figures almost never attacked Song Feifei or Jiang Haoyan. Instead, they surrounded me and beat the crap out of me like their lives depended on it.

I struggled to block them. Lu Lingzhu sat in the water, forming a hand seal and chanting.

“Nine Heavens Mystic Tone, urgently summon the gods. Gather at Jingxiao, drive thunder and chase clouds.

Golden axes lead the way, thunder drums charge forth. Taiyi metes out punishment and commands the thunder troops.

Come in answer to the talisman’s decree, sweep away the wicked spirits, go-”

Lu Lingzhu lifted her hand, and a paper figure slapped the back of it hard.

I lost it.

“Why the hell are you still chanting? I already told you, none of it works here!”

As the saying went, two fists were no match for four hands-and right now, there were hands coming from every direction. After holding out for a while, I really couldn’t keep it up anymore.

My left cheek took a heavy punch, and two paper figures clawed my right cheek at the same time. I grabbed Lu Lingzhu by the collar and hauled her up from the ground.

“Run-run!”

The two of us forced our way through the paper figures surrounding us and charged out.

But there were simply too many of them. Lu Lingzhu and I took who knew how many punches and scratches to the head and body. Our hair was a mess, our faces bruised and swollen, and we held hands as we stumbled forward.

Jiang Haoyan and Song Feifei helped from the side, drawing some of the pressure away, but it didn’t do much.

We had barely managed a few steps when ripples suddenly spread across the water ahead.

Countless pitch-black heads emerged from the water. Lu Lingzhu and I stopped in our tracks, despair written all over our faces.

Behind us was a massive swarm of pursuers, and now there were so many more in front. These paper figures might not be strong individually, but if each one spat once, they could drown us where we stood.

Song Feifei’s face turned ashen.

“We’re done for. We’re not going to die here, are we?”

I swept my gaze left and right, then spotted a dark wooden staircase hidden in the corner by the wall. My eyes lit up.

“Go! Upstairs!”

Once we hid inside a room, the four of us could take turns guarding the door. At least we’d have a chance to catch our breath.

Lu Lingzhu immediately caught on. We changed direction and rushed toward the stairs, with Jiang Haoyan and Song Feifei close behind. I ran at the very front and reached the stairs in just a few steps. Looking at the large wooden door in front of me, I angled my shoulder and rammed it with all my strength.

Bang!

The door swung inward on its own. I crashed heavily to the ground, my head spinning from the impact.

Lu Lingzhu gave me a thumbs-up.

“Impressive! You hit it that hard without breaking the door down. Now that’s what I call finesse.”