Chapter 277
Chapter 277
Meanwhile, inside the Fiend Investigation Bureau, young John stared tensely at the Fiend ahead.
At the cost of one Substitute Scarecrow, he had roughly determined her ability.
The little girl’s power resembled the game Red Light, Green Light.
First, the instant she saw someone, their body had to remain perfectly still.
Second, whenever she turned away, they had to stare fixedly at her without blinking. Otherwise, she would break their neck. He had died last time because he treated it as a simple game and had his neck broken.
Young John remained uncertain. Under the rules, the players behind had to touch the shoulder of the person playing the ghost before the game ended.
Whoosh!
The girl’s head spun toward him, her eyes fixed on him. Young John seized the opportunity to blink his aching eyes rapidly. Eyelid movements did not trigger her Taboo.
Only one step separated him from her.
About ten seconds later, she slowly turned away, only to whip back around the next instant.
When young John remained motionless, disappointment crossed her face.
That reaction confirmed his judgment. Her behavior had changed, something that had never happened before. His guess was probably correct.
Survival in such a world always meant seeking life amid death. Young John made his decision. The instant the girl turned away, he swiftly slapped her shoulder.
“Aah!”
A piercing shriek rang out, and the girl vanished.
“Huff, huff…”
Young John gasped. After resting briefly, he went outside and brought Xiaoshuai in.
“As expected of you.”
Xiaoshuai spoke admiringly, though guilt showed on his face. Young John should not have been made to do this.
As if reading his mind, young John immediately said,
“Don’t indulge in useless emotions. You know only calm judgment can save the other me.”
Xiaoshuai fell silent, then drew a knife and drove it into his palm. The intense pain steadied him somewhat.
Young John merely glanced at him and said nothing.
“Let’s go.”
This time, Xiaoshuai walked in front.
The Bureau had two floors above ground and two below. It also had many secret passages leading outside, designed precisely to prevent such disasters.
But their preparations had failed this time. The Fiends erupted from inside the Bureau and instantly killed many employees.
The corridor ahead was likewise filled with corpses, though their deaths were strange.
Their faces were terrified, eyes wide, hands clutching their chests.
Xiaoshuai approached one body and cut open its chest with the knife in his hand. The heart inside had already necrotized.
“Xu Fei! Save me!”
John’s voice suddenly came from behind.
Xiaoshuai and young John tensed but did not turn.
They both knew that in such circumstances, the real John would never speak that way.
“Xu Fei… Brother! Please save me! I can’t hold on much longer!”
John’s voice sounded extremely weak, but the two ran forward without hesitation.
“Xu Fei! I’m your younger brother! How can you refuse to save me?”
The voice behind them grew hoarse with venom. Though Xiaoshuai knew it was not John, he still felt compelled to turn.
“Don’t look back.”
Xiaoshuai held young John’s head in place. Because of his age, confusion had already entered the boy’s eyes.
“I can’t control it!”
Xiaoshuai grew anxious. Then he spotted boards on the floor and his eyes lit up.
“I have an idea!”
Moments later, young John speechlessly touched the wooden frame bracing his neck. It held him so firmly that he could not turn his head.
“At a time like this, don’t worry about appearances. I used to be a celebrity too. Look at me now. When have I cared about my image?”
Xiaoshuai’s voice became tearful. Ever since meeting Brother Liu, his image had indeed strayed farther and farther off course.
Young John: “…”
They slowly continued with the frames in place. The method worked well. Several times they tried to look back, only for the frames to stop them.
Soon they reached the Bureau’s operations room. Xiaoshuai guessed that if John had not escaped, he must be trapped inside.
He opened the door, but before entering, he heard tapping from within.
Both instantly recognized Morse code. Someone inside warned them not to enter because a Fiend was there.
The person then identified himself the same way. It was John!
John rapidly tapped out the situation.
The Fiend had erupted from a staff member. No one had expected that person to be Wang Xu’s spy.
This new Fiend had a troublesome Taboo: within its designated range, another Taboo appeared every two hours.
There were currently three inside. No one could speak; the number of people in the room had to remain odd; and everyone’s heart rate had to stay below one hundred.
They could not leave because another Fiend was inside with John and the others.
That Fiend’s Taboo required two people to touch it, or it would kill everyone. Thus, they were trapped.
Only Swan, Frog, and John remained in the operations room. Everyone else had become too frightened, exceeded the heart-rate limit, and died.
“Isn’t Brother Liu here?”
Xiaoshuai tapped on the wall.
“We were separated from him in the fog.”
John’s tapping immediately became urgent.
“Then leave! We can still hold on. There are other Fiends outside!”
The corridor lights suddenly went dark.
When they came back on, a shadow stood at the far end of the left corridor. The lights flickered repeatedly, and the Fiend drew closer each time. Xiaoshuai and young John had no chance to run. Just as it was about to reach them, an engine roared.
Crash!
A van burst through the wall!
“Fei! I’ve come to save you!”
“Brother Liu… ah!”
Xiaoshuai’s delighted expression became terrified when a huge black chassis appeared above his head.
Thud!
His voice vanished. The nearby Fiend stared silently at the van.