Chapter 1: Strange Species

As the day began to break, faint light rose from the narrow streets of the city, brightening the dim indoors.

There was a knock on the door, just two taps, then silence.

The person on the bed opened their eyes, got up, put on a blue and white school uniform, and went to open the door.

Upon opening the door, the first thing that rushed in was the strong scent of alcohol.

The person who knocked leaned against the wall, shirt wrinkled, half-tucked into their pants, chin sparsely covered in stubble. Their hair was a disheveled mess; if they lay down in a garbage heap, even a beggar would give them space.

Jiang Yujin, still leaning against the wall, managed a chuckle and set the bottle of alcohol down, waving his hand. "Good morning."

His voice was significantly hoarse due to years of drinking.

After he finished laughing, he covered his mouth, dry heaving without caring about his appearance.

Chen Jing, who had just changed into a clean school uniform, took a step back, expressionless, and asked, "How much did you drink?"

Jiang Yujin walked in, still leaning against the wall, didn't answer directly, but instead turned the tables and reproached, "When you first came here, you used to care a lot. Now… hic… you've turned into this."

He groped for the wall and then, with determination, turned on the TV.

Physically weak but quite talkative, he could still operate the TV.

Chen Jing: "…"

Chen Jing scoffed coldly as he closed the door.

[Since the return of survivors of missing persons from various places, the resettlement project for underage survivors has been implemented.

Half of the survivors have returned to their families, while the rest have been placed under the care of individuals or families certified by the government to provide suitable living conditions.

They are also provided with necessary learning conditions according to the law. Currently, efforts for the return and resumption of studies for underage survivors have been substantially implemented.]

The voice of the morning news echoed as Chen Jing, barely a high school student, hurried to eat.

Jiang Yujin lay on the sofa, turned over, and the TV anchor switched to a different script.

The second news piece reported another incident of consecutive disappearances of individuals in the East District of City A. According to preliminary investigations, the missing individuals were all adults, most of them being proprietors of various personal or group agencies handling miscellaneous affairs. The case remained unsolved, prompting a reminder to the public to stay vigilant.

Chen Jing, seated at the dining table, glanced up and then lowered his head again. After taking a couple of bites of food, he picked up his backpack and stood up.

As he opened the door, the hand of the person standing outside, about to knock, froze in mid-air. Slowly, upon realizing, they withdrew it.

Outside stood a well-dressed aunt with permed hair, hesitantly asking, "Is this the Sunset Red Agency?"

It wasn't visible at night, but in the daylight, one could see the large letters affixed to the side of the door: "Sunset Red Agency."

The worn-out figure lying on the sofa waved a disinterested hand and said, "No…"

An icy stare immediately pierced his back. Chen Jing reminded, "Electricity and gas bills."

Jiang Yujin sat up straight, "Yes, that's right."

A high school student with a backpack left, and the permed aunt stepped inside.

Jiang Yujin poured a glass of water and pushed it toward the aunt's table, "Please have some Avistate Special Mountain Water."

The kettle in the kitchen remained uncovered, reflecting the sunlight distinctly.

The aunt said, "Thank you for the Avistate Special Mountain Water."

Jiang Yujin smiled and nodded, taking a seat opposite her.

"Well, my surname is Xu. You can call me Sister Xu."

Sister Xu took a sip of water and took out a photo and a small map. "I'm here to ask for your help in finding my cat."

The photo wasn't complete; it was torn, revealing only half, but it showed Sister Xu and a milk-colored cat clearly.

"My cat is territorial. It usually likes to play around nearby and absolutely won't step out of this area. I even heard its bell recently; it must still be here."

Jiang Yujin stifled a yawn and nodded along.

Sister Xu glanced at him and said, "I live in the East District. Do you know that recently… all the nearby agencies have closed? I couldn't think of any other solution, so I had to come here and try my luck."

As she spoke, she pulled out a box from her bag.

Opening the box revealed a large, lustrous pearl inside.

She tried to put the pearl into Jiang Yujin's hand, and Jiang Yujin quickly placed two pieces of paper on his hand.

"I don't have anything else valuable. I hope you can accept this."

Although she expressed hope, her grip was surprisingly strong, leaving no room for refusal.

"One last question," Jiang Yujin's expression turned slightly serious. "Will you reimburse the travel expenses?"

Sister Xu's hand, in the midst of packing, paused. Her lips twitched, her voice sharpened, "Yes."

Jiang Yujin stood up, bracing himself against the sofa.

Sister Xu had other matters to attend to; she took a car, and he had to take a taxi to the location marked on the map.

His place was a two-story building. He lived on the upper floor and, as he left, casually greeted the barber from the shop below who was smoking at the store entrance.

The barber politely responded to his greeting, "You're not dead from drinking yet?"

Jiang Yujin waved down a taxi before leaving, smiling and nodding, "Hurry up and smoke yourself to death."

Neither of them died from drinking or smoking, but based on the situation after getting into the car, he might pass out inside.

The yellow taxi raced along the road, and after getting out of the car, Jiang Yujin leaned against the wall, slowly squatting on the roadside, reflecting.

Perhaps due to the recent news, there were few people on the roads of the East District, which was second only to the population count of the North District. Occasionally, pedestrians hurried by, their eyes constantly scanning the surroundings with vigilance.

Jiang Yujin, with a pair of hangover-induced dead fish eyes, looked utterly world-weary, squatting innocently by the roadside, attracting several curious glances.

To avoid causing unnecessary psychological burdens to passersby and to prevent appearing in the morning news the next day, he got up and left.

The location Sister Xu provided was nearby.

As the clouds slowly gathered in the sky, darkness enveloped the surroundings.

The wind died down, and the sound of a bell rang out.

The sound disappeared within the courtyard of a villa.

Jiang Yujin politely knocked on the gate.

The gate was not closed, and as soon as he knocked, it moved inward. Through the gap, he could see the already dilapidated courtyard inside. There was no wind, yet the courtyard's door was opening inward.

The scene looked eerie in every way, and a normal person would have turned and walked away.

But Jiang Yujin didn't. He felt idle and anxious, yet he hadn't forgotten to look for the cat.

Pushing the courtyard gate open, he took out his phone and yawned politely, asking, "Hello, is anyone there?"

Clearly, there was no one.

After apologizing for the disturbance, Jiang Yujin crossed the courtyard, lifted his foot, and walked into the dilapidated house.

The moment he entered, the partially open door instantly closed with a dull sound.

He seemed to be in the house, yet it felt like another place altogether.

It was dim inside, and the screen of his phone became the only source of light in the room.

There was a disturbance; a dark shadow flashed before him. Jiang Yujin pocketed his phone and slightly turned to the side. His white shirt fluttered in the air and then settled down.

The lunge missed him, and the person emerging from the darkness first paused, then groped and pulled Jiang Yujin towards a corner.

As soon as he entered the door, he was pulled into a quick crouch and felt his stomach churning. Jiang Yujin slowly closed his eyes.

The person beside him took a couple of breaths and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Jiang Yujin, holding his stomach, replied, "Looking for a cat. What about you?"

"I'm Xu Gao from the Special Investigative Unit for Strange Species, Third Unit. We're investigating a series of disappearances in the East District residents."

Xu Gao half-crouched, drew his gun, and said, "It's dangerous here. Once you're in, you can't leave. Please make sure to stay behind me and don't move around recklessly."

​​ Strange Species were not widely known a few years ago until those who claimed to be involved in an infinite game returned. The term was then used to refer to the peculiar creatures appearing alongside survivors in the game, gradually becoming widely known.

Jiang Yujin took a couple of steps back and tried pushing the door but it didn't budge. He nodded and indeed followed slowly behind Xu Gao.

In a brief moment, he learned from Xu Gao that he had entered this courtyard while following someone from a law firm during an investigation. However, upon entering, he lost track of that person. Later, he realized there was no signal here, no way to contact the outside world, and all the doors and windows seemed ornamental, impossible to break.

As they exited the room, a sudden burst of light appeared. Their eyes couldn't adjust, and Xu Gao, who was leading, instinctively squinted.

Jiang Yujin scanned the area with his eyes.

They had arrived in what seemed like a living room.

It appeared uninhabited for a while, with dust gathering on the furniture. Near the partially drawn curtains lay scattered building blocks and small balls.

Xu Gao, holding the gun cautiously, scanned the surroundings, while Jiang Yujin, hands behind his back, bent to examine the dusty photos displayed on the cabinet.

Xu Gao leaned in to wipe off the dust from the photos and took a look.

It seemed to be a family picture: a curly-haired woman holding a small cat on her lap, while a well-behaved and cute little boy stood beside her.

Jiang Yujin introduced, "This is my employer, and this is the cat I'm looking for."

The photo shown to him by Miss Xu was missing the little boy from the top.

Xu Gao's eyes twitched slightly; he tilted his head and then noticed huge claw marks on the sofa nearby, a shocking sight.

Before he could intervene, Jiang Yujin had already looked over.

The contents of the sofa spilled out from a tear, displaying dark red streaks with scattered pieces of various sizes nearby. The smell was pungent, but at least the liquid on top had already solidified; it wasn't freshly produced.

Jiang Yujin lifted his drooping eyelids gradually.

"This isn't…," Xu Gao tried to block him, attempting to calm him down, "you better not…"

Jiang Yujin raised an eyebrow after lifting his eyelids, "Spilling tomato sauce everywhere, such lack of manners."

Speaking like a person with exceptionally good manners.

He looked at Xu Gao and asked, "Right?"

"…,"

Xu Gao nodded, "Yes."

He cautiously led Jiang Yujin to another area.

There was still no sign of the person he was looking for.

The room wasn't as bright as the living room but had some light, enough to see the furnishings inside.

This was a child's room, with blue walls and a thick layer of blankets on the floor, covered with various toys, giving a warm appearance.

The only discordant element in the room was probably near the window, around the desk. There was a fallen, damaged chair and dark red marks on the desk. The notebook on the desk was crumpled and open.

Xu Gao held the gun alertly, while the eager citizen, Jiang Yujin, helped by picking up the notebook and flipping it open to check its contents.

It seemed to be a child's diary, with "Xu Cong" written earnestly on the cover in a rather childish handwriting.

"[6/5/30: After Dad disappeared, Xiao Mi also vanished. Mom looked very sad.]"

"[6/7/30: Mom bought me a new small ball, but it rained today, so I could only play indoors.]"

The diary only had a few entries, followed by large sections of blank pages until some content reappeared where it had been previously opened.

"[4/9/32: Xiao Mi came back. Mom and I are very happy, but it hasn't been eating. We're both very worried.]"

"[4/10/32: Mom wasn't home today, and Xiao Mi still hasn't eaten. I heard a noise coming downstairs. I'll be back.]"

The diary abruptly stopped on April 10th, the pages crumpled as if someone struggled with it, and there was no further content upon unfolding.

The room fell into a sudden silence.

After a moment of silence, Xu Gao said, "This is the last room on the ground floor. I've checked the entire ground floor. Stay here and don't move. I'll check upstairs."

Jiang Yujin placed the diary back in its original position and nodded slightly by the table.

Xu Gao exited the room and ascended the stairs.

The staircase was covered with a layer of carpet, ensuring silent steps. Around a corner, he heard faint sounds.

Chewing sounds.

Slowly navigating the dark corridor, Xu Gao suddenly stepped on something as he reached the last few steps. He slipped, the tin can hit the wall, creating a sound that echoed in the empty corridor.

Instantly, cold sweat broke out on him.

The chewing sounds stopped.

After the sound of a heavy object hitting the floor, the entire space fell silent.

The corridor was dark, but the second floor was lit, visible from the corridor, and there was movement near the farthest room's doorway.

"Meow—"

A cat emerged from the room, identical to the one in the photo, even making a bell-like sound when it moved.

"Phew."

Xu Gao, recovering from his heightened vigilance, exhaled deeply.

The cat tilted its head, extending its paw—

A massive heap of flesh, unidentifiable, replaced the innocent cat, emanating a strong, pervasive scent of blood throughout the space.

The pile of flesh was covered in eyes, dark and eerie. When all the eyes turned toward him, an indescribable sensation exploded in Xu Gao's mind.

Trembling, he raised his gun.

From within the fleshy mass, something resembling a naked tail swiftly slapped towards him. He dodged, but another "tail" swiftly swept, impossible for the human eye to track. The gun flew out, clattering as it hit the ground, while Xu Gao was thrown down the stairs, rolling uncontrollably.

The flesh heap drew nearer, its mouth gaping, revealing undropped bits of flesh and emitting a nauseatingly putrid odor.

Xu Gao dared not look back. His pores opened wide, his legs weakened, but he still struggled, dragging his body across the floor, desperately reaching out, attempting to grab the gun flung far away.

The distance, normally covered in a few steps, seemed insurmountable now, a despair-inducing chasm.

Even without turning back, the chilling sensation at the back of his head was palpable.

For the first time, he directly and intensely felt the presence of death. His hand futilely reached towards where the gun had landed. A sickeningly pungent breeze wafted from behind him. Xu Gao, wide-eyed with terror, felt the looming threat.

"Bang—"

A gunshot pierced the darkness, exploding almost next to his ear.

The anticipated excruciating pain never arrived. Instead, a sound resembling a child's cry pierced his eardrums.

Raising his gaze, Xu Gao saw a figure standing at the stairwell, holding a gun, fingers still on the trigger, eyes drooping but meeting his gaze.

Chapter 2 – Species B607

Then Xu Gao saw the other person raise an eyebrow, perhaps a bit surprised, wondering why he was on the ground.

Xu Gao: "…"

Feeling momentarily complicated, he took the opportunity to gather strength and swiftly stood up, stepping back.

The creature from earlier, the strange species, was no longer in its original place. That shot must have hit a crucial spot. It had created a large hole where it had been, causing the steel reinforcements in the floor to bend at an eerie angle. The large creature had clearly gone downstairs.

"…"

Xu Gao looked at the gaping hole leading downstairs and the debris around it. His fingers trembled for a moment. Then, regaining his composure, a sense of foreboding emerged. He took the gun Jiang Yujin handed to him but didn't seize the chance to pursue downstairs. Instead, he quickly ran toward a room, saying, "Let's save people first!"

Though the gunshots and screams from earlier still rang in his ears, he remembered the chewing sounds he had heard before.

Jiang Yujin was asked not to follow into the room and stood waiting outside.

Xu Gao entered and came out quickly, his face drained of color.

He held a large, bloodied pearl in his hand. His lips trembled for a moment, and only then did he swallow hard and say, "This fell from the clothes of the deceased."

It seemed he had found the person he had been searching for all along.

Though their condition might not be ideal.

Jiang Yu Jin glanced at him.

He guessed what was on Xu Gao's mind.

Xu Gao clenched the gun in his other hand.

The confidence Xu Gao had previously exuded crumbled in an instant. Tears welled up, and he said, "I was a nominal substitute, essentially a clerk in the Fifth Unit. This is my first assignment after being transferred to the Third Unit."

The first mission was supposed to be a routine surveillance, but it unexpectedly led to the current situation, and they couldn't save the deceased.

Jiang Yujin took out a pearl of the same size from his pocket, still covered in paper, and said, "This was given to me by the employer."

Xu Gao's gaze paused on the paper in his hand for a moment, then he compared the two pearls a few times.

They couldn't be said to be exactly alike, but they were identical.

It seemed the person claiming to be Sister Xu was casting a wide net.

From the people Sister Xu had contacted to the given address and even this house, it seemed likely that she was involved in the disappearance of the people from the East District.

While the investigation of the truth was temporarily on hold, the primary task now was to protect the innocent around and eliminate the anomalies.

Though his heart raced, in this situation where they couldn't call for backup and couldn't leave, Xu Gao had no choice but to take action. He carefully preserved the pearls as evidence and readied his gun again, turning to Jiang Yujin. "Do you want to go down together or stay here?"

Earlier, it wasn't clear, but faced with the gaping hole nearby, it was hard to say which was safer.

"Down," Jiang Yujin looked at the hand that had taken the pearl and said, "I'm afraid to stay alone."

He appeared serious, speaking with conviction.

This explanation also indirectly clarified why he hadn't stayed in the room downstairs earlier and had suddenly appeared at the staircase.

Xu Gao nodded. "Stay close to me."

The two descended the stairs slowly.

Downstairs looked entirely different from what they had seen before. Furniture was damaged, curtains along the corridor were torn apart, and the previously dark areas were now lit.

There was a meandering trail of blood in the middle of the living room, extending all the way to the corner.

Around the corner was where they initially hid, near the entrance.

Earlier, the lack of light prevented them from seeing everything, but now, it was easily visible.

Everything else in the entrance had been moved aside, and a large basin, looking out of place, had been placed near the door, with the blood trailing up to its edge.

The thing they were searching for was on top of it—one bleeding eye, its other pupils contracted, shaking uncontrollably and appearing quite pitiful.

Suddenly, in an instant, the shaking stopped, and the mass of flesh relaxed.

Underneath the exposed tail, there was an additional glistening pearl.

"…"

Thinking for two seconds about where the pearls came from and recalling what he had touched earlier, Xu Gao raised his gun decisively.

The out-of-place large basin turned out to be an oversized cat litter box.

Jiang Yujin remained silent on one side.

As Xu Gao raised his gun, the eyes all over the mass of flesh aimed at the muzzle.

It was a speed that human eyes couldn't capture.

Xu Gao was knocked down, three claw marks appeared on his arm in the blink of an eye, and the black combat suit slowly darkened in color.

Weapons ultimately were slower than the speed of strange species.

He remembered Jiang Yujin's action after hitting the strange species' eye and, being pinned down, Xu Gao decisively holstered his gun and pulled out a specially made knife, aiming for the eyes atop the mass of flesh.

Once he struck, he slashed forcefully, leaving a trail of blood around the eyes.

The colossal mass emitted a high-pitched cry like that of a child. Jiang Yujin raised his hand to cover his ears, and a red rope flashed from his long sleeves.

The monstrous entity began to retreat, only to be tripped by a suddenly sliding chair.

The chair shattered, and it fell heavily to the ground.

Jiang Yujin, standing at one side of the room, nonchalantly retrieved his foot.

This time, Xu Gao reacted swiftly. While the strange species' eyes were still struggling on the ground, he swiftly switched to his gun and aimed, repeatedly firing rapidly, leaving no time for any response from the other side.

None of the eyes could open again, and the high-pitched cry grew weaker.

Before the sound vanished completely, the door from the outside swung open, allowing a faint glimmer of light to filter in.

A person with permed hair, wearing small heels and carrying a bag on her arm with the handle of pliers peeking out, stood at the doorway.

It was the woman who had previously claimed to have other matters to attend to, Sister Xu.

The moment she opened the door, she glanced at the large basin and reached for the pliers in her pocket. However, halfway through her action, she noticed a sound coming from nearby, paused, and raised her eyes to see the collapsed mass on the ground.

The weak cry still lingered in her ears. Her eyes widened instantly, and disregarding everything, she ran towards the fallen mass:

"Xiao Cong!"

Possibly related to the weakness of the strange species, the partially open gate did not automatically close again this time.

Xu Gao, holding his arm, tried to stop her: "The strange species still pose a threat, please don't get closer."

"He's not a monster, he's my child!"

Xu Jie pushed Xu Gao aside and staggered, trying to hold down the bleeding eyes, but all the eyes were bleeding, and her two hands couldn't press them.

Xu Gao approached: "It's not—"

Xu Jie widened her eyes, staring at him tightly, "Listen! That's Xiao Cong's voice!"

As soon as she finished speaking, the crying disappeared, and the undulating mass of flesh stopped breathing.

The woman sitting on the ground looked down at her blood-covered hands, her pupils suddenly contracted. She turned to look at Xu Gao, who still held the gun, then took out pliers, shook them, and quickly ran towards him.

Xu Gao holstered his gun, preparing to block.

Xu Jie bypassed him and rushed straight toward Jiang Yujin behind:

"Did you call the police, huh?"

The conflict inexplicably shifted onto Jiang Yujin. He stepped back half a step to avoid the swinging pliers and asked in confusion, "How is this my fault?"

As the pliers swung empty, Xu Jie forcefully swung them down again, her voice sharp, "I've found so many people to feed Xiao Cong, but when I found you, there was a problem! Why didn't you let Xiao Cong eat you obediently!"

Jiang Yujin: "Auntie, don't you want to think about what you're saying?"

In the moment before the pliers were about to strike his neck horizontally, Xu Jie twisted her body, unconsciously retracted her arm, tightly clutching her stomach, and the pliers fell to the ground.

She appeared to be in a lot of pain.

Clutching her stomach, Xu Jie looked up and stared at Jiang Yujin.

Ever since she left the agency today, her stomach had been aching subtly; it's hard to say there wasn't someone behind it.

Jiang Yujin was stared at for a long time. As if he suddenly remembered something, he said, "Well, it's like this. We've been a bit tight on money at home recently, couldn't afford gas to boil water."

It's widely known that water from the mountains is equivalent to fresh water.

He also apologized sincerely, with a completely genuine attitude.

Clutching her stomach, Xu Jie clenched her fist a couple of times.

Before she could clench her fist again, Xu Gao handcuffed her.

Her hands restrained, she continued to resist, kicking forcefully at Xu Gao with her heels, screaming, "Xiao Cong has always stayed in this house, never went out, he hasn't done anything wrong, why did you kill him!"

Xu Gao ignored her words, instead, he adjusted his earpiece and contacted the team, reporting the location and a brief summary of what had occurred.

Based on his report, the team sent over a file containing information about the Species B706.

Species B706, a parasitic type, originally slightly larger in size, multiple-eyed in the head, swift in movement, aggressive, possessing the ability to mimic sounds and exhibiting territorial behavior. It can transform human bones into pearl-like structures and its weak point lies in the eyes on its head. Five of these have been discovered so far.

The cause and effect were now clear.

After the family's pet cat went missing and returned mutated from a game world, it first attacked Xu Jie's child, Xu Cong, imitating the screams of Xu Cong. Xu Jie mistook it for her own child and, to prevent B706 from going out in search of food and being discovered, used the pearls it produced as a reward, luring people from the agency to the villa as prey. This cycle led to today's incident.

After the report, Jiang Yujin and Xu Gao finally left the gate and stood in the yard, incidentally opening the mobile game.

Jiang Yujin indeed seemed to have good mental composure; he played the mobile game seriously, as if nothing had happened moments ago.

Xu Gao glanced down to check his gun, making a few crisp sounds, remembering something, and glanced at the person beside him, saying, "You shot quite accurately just now on the stairs."

Briefly lifting his head from the mobile game world, Jiang Yujin replied, "Know the shooting doll game? I'm quite good at it."

He chuckled, "Just didn't expect the real deal to be so shaky."

As his moves in the game exhausted, his smile vanished from his face.

Smiles don't vanish; they just shift.

Unable to hold back, Xu Gao smirked, but when Jiang Yujin looked over, he pretended to adjust his earpiece, and said in a serious tone, "The rest of the team will arrive shortly."

Jiang Yujin pocketed his phone, yawned, and said, "I've told you everything I know, so I'll take off now."

Xu Gao asked, "Why so sudden?"

Jiang Yujin casually replied, "My ex-boyfriend is in your unit, not keen on bumping into him."

He seemed to nonchalantly drop something quite explosive.

Xu Gao's eyes widened. For a moment, he didn't know which aspect of this news was more explosive, so he didn't dare to stop him, watching as the person left.

Ambulances and the Special Investigation Unit arrived promptly. They set up a yellow police line at the scene, red lights flashing. Onlookers surrounded the area, while informed journalists arrived but were kept at bay.

The body parts found at the scene were covered by white cloth, obscuring the view, but emitting an indescribable odor.

The body of B706 was handled by specialists from the team responsible for investigating the bodies of strange species. It was packed into an opaque box and taken away; no one could see what was inside.

Someone crossed the police line and entered the yard.

Xu Gao, still in conversation with his teammate, turned his head and saw that the person was already approaching.

The man wore a combat suit, his arm muscles defined, the black tactical pants creating a gust of wind as he walked. He exuded a strong aura.

A few people were caught off guard when they noticed him, their hearts skipping a beat as they exclaimed, "Captain Xu!"

Xu Tonggui, also known as Captain Xu, led the Special Investigation Unit for strange species. He was tough, spoke little, and could break the neck of a strange species without showing any expression, making everyone feel frightened.

Someone asked, "Why has Captain Xu come?"

Xu Tonggui took off his bloodstained combat gloves, saying, "Just passing by to take a look."

Glancing around, he then inquired, "Wasn't there supposed to be another person?"

"Oh, him…"

Faced with Xu Tonggui, Xu Gao didn't dare to fabricate, speaking truthfully, "He mentioned his ex-boyfriend was in the team and he didn't want to meet, so he left."

"What's his name?"

Xu Gao truthfully provided the name.

Xu Tonggui didn't respond, simply stating, "When the scene is handled, wrap up the team."

Infinite Game Ch.3

Chapter 3 – Convenience Store Clerk (1)

Jiang Yujin conjured up a nonexistent ex-boyfriend so that he could slip away early.

He stayed up all night last night, and today, after being busy for half the day, he could lie down right where he stood, even with a brick on him.

After drifting back home and lying down, he appeared a few days later as a citizen in the evening news.

The high schooler was coming home late again. Jiang Yujin ran downstairs to the barbershop to hang out and wait for someone.

Today, the barber at the shop was unusually indifferent. He couldn't successfully chat and had to settle for watching TV for free.

He even found interest in an evening news broadcast.

There was no one at the barbershop in the evening. The boss, cigarette in mouth, was cleaning when he turned around and saw someone sitting in a chair, engrossed in watching the news.

"A few days ago, the Special Investigation Unit cracked a series of disappearances in the East District, rescuing a citizen. Items found at the scene were delivered to the victim's family by a specialist."

Jiang Yujin was sipping on water and pointed to the boss, saying, "That citizen is me."

He sounded oddly proud of being a rescued citizen.

The boss, broom in hand, glanced at him. "So, was it a wasted trip earlier?"

Jiang Yujin swirled his water cup. "I returned the reward to the victim's family, but I actively participated and received a two thousand yuan reward."

He added, "Now I have utility bills covered."

The boss scoffed but acknowledged, "Impressive."

Jiang Yujin nodded. "Indeed."

After the boss finished sweeping, he casually took Jiang Yujin's water cup and remarked, "Do you know your employer has issues?"

Jiang Yujin watched helplessly as the cup, with only a sip left, moved away from him. His eyelids drooped gradually as he said, "The smell on her body is similar to… let's call it 'pearls'. It's so strong that it's hard not to know. ."

He knew there were problems, but he still took the job, maybe out of boredom or due to the intimidating gaze of the high schooler standing at the door.

The boss succinctly said, "Disappointing."

Being scolded and deprived of water to drink, Jiang Yujin defiantly pushed the door open and left.

The boss leisurely blew out a smoke ring.

"…"

Not more, not less, precisely five seconds passed as Jiang Yujin pushed the door open and then returned.

He rubbed his hair and chuckled, saying, "Chen Jing hasn't come back yet. I'll wait a bit longer."

The boss replied, "Hmm."

After a few minutes, a high school student appeared at the street corner.

Jiang Yujin briskly dashed out the door.

Chen Jing, from a distance, spotted a swiftly approaching figure and discreetly tucked his school uniform jacket away.

Jiang Yujin approached, placing a hand on his shoulder.

The hidden school uniform was still discovered.

Jiang Yujin leaned in to examine the uniform several times. Chen Jing shifted his gaze aside, his expression unchanged, but one of his hands involuntarily clenched.

Finally, the person hanging onto him pointed at the faint red marks on the uniform and asked, "Are you planning to switch to being an art student?"

Chen Jing remained silent for a moment, then hesitantly nodded. He hadn't expected the other person to mistake blood for paint.

Jiang Yujin rubbed his chin, "Looks like we're going to have an art student in the family."

Chen Jing replied, "Not necessarily."

The conversation stopped there. Jiang Yujin casually changed the subject, "Are we having dinner tonight?"

Thus, the high school student also ended up cooking dinner after returning home in the evening.

Tight on funds, but willing to do whatever it took, even selling the pot, they managed to get a dishwasher. After tossing the dishes into the dishwasher, Jiang Yujin yawned and went back to his room to sleep. Before sleeping, he instructed the high schooler, "Don't study too late."

Chen Jing nodded, took a sip of water, and headed to his own room.

Two rooms weren't exactly side by side, but by stretching out from the window, one could barely glimpse the neighboring lights.

Noticing the dimming of the light from next door, Chen Jing withdrew his gaze, returned to his room, opened a drawer, and swiftly assembled scattered parts in silence. After confirming the absence of any activity next door, he turned off the light and quietly flipped down the window.

Someone was already waiting downstairs.

Upon meeting up, there was no commotion. Someone held a locator and informed him, "Activity traces of A-Class Intelligent Strange Species have been detected in the Central District. Though we're unsure if it knows what we want to know, we need to investigate."

Glancing at the time, Chen Jing said, "We need to hurry. I have to get to school before seven tomorrow."

Before heading to school, he had to come back and prepare breakfast for the person upstairs.

The person with the locator asked him, "Is something important happening?"

Chen Jing replied, "There's a midterm exam tomorrow. I need to review beforehand."

The others fell silent for a moment. "…"

Indeed, this person was a genuine high schooler.

To not delay the high schooler, they set off promptly.

Until the group vanished at the street corner, the room that was engulfed in darkness lit up again. Jiang Yujin, dressed in a tank top, lay on the bed, took a slow sip from the bedside water glass, glanced down, and casually swiped away the little creatures on the screen.

Out of moves.

The next morning, when Chen Jing returned, the person in the bedroom was sprawled asleep as usual, completely unconscious of their surroundings.

After a shower and changing into a school uniform, Chen Jing quickly prepared breakfast and left.

Jiang Yujin slept until waking naturally, lucky to catch a replay of the morning news at noon.

With the TV murmuring in the background, he played a mobile game while eating, exhausting his number of plays during the breakfast meal.

There was one last chance to clear a level in the game. He concentrated on looking at his phone and put the dishes and chopsticks into the dishwasher.

It seemed like something was stuck, so he exerted a little force.

Click

The kitchen fell silent after a sound, not loud, but deafening in a way.

Jiang Yujin glanced down at the metallic block the chopsticks had accidentally flung, his hand pausing in motion.

As he attempted to piece the metal block back together, a knock on the door interrupted him.

Glancing at the mobile game again and then at the dislodged part of the dishwasher, Jiang Yujin swiftly made his way to the kitchen door.

Thankfully, it wasn't the high schooler returning. Instead, a middle-aged man stood at the door, smiling awkwardly at him.

Jiang Yujin wiped his sweat, returning the smile wholeheartedly.

The order had arrived.

…

A few days ago, after dealing with the Species B607, Xu Gao, although alive and kicking at the scene, was subsequently admitted to the hospital.

The strange species was dead, but he wasn't doing much better, left with an arm almost half disabled, successfully checked into the hospital in the North District.

After only a few days, he roamed the hospital, eventually strolling out after a routine examination.

The hospital was near a commercial area, with a convenience store across the street.

Today the sun was scorching, evaporating even the sweat from his skin. He glanced around before finally stepping into the convenience store.

The air conditioning in the store made it refreshingly cool.

It was still early, and there weren't many people in the convenience store, just a clerk sitting behind the cash register playing a mobile game, looking more comfortable than he, a patient.

He grabbed a bottle of water and placed it on the counter.

The clerk, engrossed in the game, looked up, their perpetually wide-open eyes strikingly familiar.

Xu Gao: "…"

Xu Gao asked, "Aren't you the one who runs the agency?"

"This is a commission." Jiang Yujin scanned the barcode of the water, succinctly stating, "Long story short, two yuan."

In essence, the middle-aged man who had visited him yesterday managed this convenience store. He wanted to take a few days off with his family and, through referrals, ended up hiring Jiang Yujin to manage the cashier, paying him significantly more than the regular clerks.

Jiang Yujin didn't understand the wealthy man's mindset, but he did appreciate the salary. After all, he still owed for a dishwasher.

Xu Gao paid, glanced around, leaned forward slightly, and whispered, "Someone from the unit might visit me today. Your ex-boyfriend might show up."

This person was unusually kind.

Jiang Yujin's eyebrows twitched, thanking him with clasped hands.

The kind-hearted Xu Gao bid the temporary cashier farewell.

Stepping out of the store, Xu Gao glanced back and saw the clerk starting his mobile game career again.

Throughout the day, Jiang Yujin did a lot of things. He mostly played a game called "Xiaoxiaole," followed by collecting money, and then, while his phone was charging, he watched the ebb and flow of people outside.

Several ambulances rushed by multiple times today, and until the evening, they continued to roar back and forth.

Something must have happened because shortly after the ambulances arrived, lights began flashing on the roadside, casting a red hue on the streets. People kept going in and out of the hospital.

Jiang Yujin didn't pay too much attention, just occasionally counting down to the end of the workday.

The pedestrians on both sides of the road became fewer and fewer. Another employee responsible for arranging shelves and restocking had already finished work on time. Jiang Yujin glanced at the time again, preparing to leave at any moment.

Two minutes before closing time, the motion sensor at the entrance made a noise.

Jiang Yujin, who had already moved closer to the counter, slowly shifted back and continued silently counting down to the end of the workday.

The customer who entered grabbed some iodine and placed it on the table. Veins protruded on their arm, and dark brown bloodstains flashed on the inner side of their fingers.

Jiang Yujin noticed but didn't mind, still keeping an eye on the closing time. Swiftly scanning the barcode, Jiang Yujin lifted his gaze and said, "Ten yuan."

The person in black combat uniform lowered their eyes, rare lead-gray pupils meeting the gaze of the person opposite.

A sudden eye contact, but the expression behind the counter remained unchanged, and there was even a yawn.

The convenience store was very quiet, and the slight yawn seemed infinitely amplified.

Xu Tonggui paid for the item, grabbed the iodine, and left.

After walking a distance away from the convenience store, he turned back.

The store employee, with disheveled hair, bent over to shut down the computer under the bright light, looking weary.

"What's Captain Xu looking at?"

Approaching in a brightly colored floral shirt, the person narrowed their eyes and followed his gaze. They caught a glimpse of someone trying to take a shortcut and cross over the counter to leave work early.

They seemed in a hurry, not willing to stay a second past closing time.

Xu Tonggui withdrew his gaze. "Nothing, let's head back first."

<< _ >>

Infinite Game Ch.4

Chapter 4 – Convenience Store Clerk (2)

When Jiang Yujin arrived for work the next day, he had the chance to hear from another clerk named Xiao Li about what had happened yesterday.

Xiao Li had family members hospitalized, so he couldn't be too far away, which led him to work there. He happened to get some good melons from other patients in the hospital.

Yesterday, besides the usual emergency cases, an additional special patient was brought in by ambulance and was accommodated on the floor above them.

Rumors spread from an unknown source suggesting that the patient was physically fine but seemed exhausted to the point of being unable to move. Upon examination, it was discovered that their eyes were dry, as if they hadn't closed them for a long time. Despite the rescue efforts, the patient remained unresponsive and still lay in bed.

Jiang Yujin listened intently, propping up his chin, and asked, "Has anything like this happened before with someone else?"

Xiao Li replied, "Yes, this is the third one this month."

"The three individuals who had these incidents all worked in an office building. They were found collapsed at the building's entrance at night. The police investigated several times but found nothing. I heard that many companies and shops in that building have temporarily stopped their night shifts."

"I have a delivery to that building today."

He paused for a moment, then continued, sounding like he was stating a fact but also perhaps reassuring himself, "I'll go in the afternoon and return in the afternoon, won't stay until the evening. Hopefully, nothing will happen."

Outside the glass door, people were moving around. Xiao Li glanced outside as he spoke, catching sight of someone in a unique black uniform getting out of an oddly styled vehicle and swiftly entering the hospital.

Jiang Yujin glanced as well but wasn't particularly interested. After a brief look, he withdrew his gaze.

Xiao Li, on the other hand, seemed quite intrigued. It wasn't until the figure disappeared from sight that he turned back, sighing, "I heard the members of the Special Investigation Unit all returned from that game."

Most of them still didn't know the difference between those returning from the game and regular people, but they were undeniably powerful.

Jiang Yujin raised an eyebrow, "Is that so?"

He glanced at Xiao Li, nodded, and said, "We have a customer."

The morning passed quickly. In the afternoon, Jiang Yujin received a call from Chen Jing.

Chen Jing mentioned having midterms these days and was going to a classmate's house for a study session, so would return late.

As an understanding parent, Jiang Yujin agreed and instructed Chen Jing to get along well with classmates and to be polite when visiting someone else's home.

Xiao Li was nearby during the call and heard a couple of sentences. His expression gradually shifted from calm to shocked.

After ending the call, Xiao Li hesitated before asking, "Do you have… a child who's already in high school?"

His tone was incredibly incredulous.

With a quick nod, Jiang Yujin admitted, smiling, "Can't tell, huh? Actually, I'm quite old."

Xiao Li chose to believe him but seemed greatly shocked. He glanced at Jiang Yujin several times, then left with a wooden expression.

Jiang Yujin grinned, leaning on his hand.

…

In the quiet afternoon, Xu Gao, still in recovery, came by again, pretending to browse on a shelf. When the customers in line at the cashier had left, he swiftly approached the counter, his somewhat mobile hand reaching for something on the table, his face full of excitement.

That expression was too familiar to Jiang Yujin.

After all, not long ago, Xiao Li had shared hospital melons with that same expression.

Xu Gao asked him, "Have you run into your ex-boyfriend these past few days?"

Jiang Yujin withdrew his previously kind evaluation of this person.

Their relationship wasn't significant, as it was evident this person primarily wanted some fresh melon.

"Sorry," Jiang Yujin apologized, "I forgot he's already deceased."

Xu Gao: "?"

Xu Gao was greatly shaken.

The clock in the store chimed, followed by a series of light-hearted tunes.

Accompanying the tunes was the sound of the automatic door opening.

A guy in a floral shirt appeared at the entrance, squinting as he glanced inside the store, waving to Xu Gao by the counter:

"Hey."

Jiang Yujin glanced at him.

The guy in the floral shirt raised an eyebrow at the corner of his eye. When he smiled, he resembled a fox.

Xu Gao glanced at the guy's attire and asked, "Aren't you on duty today?"

This person didn't look like he was on duty; he seemed more like he was on a leisurely vacation.

The guy in the floral shirt introduced himself as Hu Li, casually handing a pack of cigarettes to Jiang Yujin from a shelf while pulling out his phone to scan something. He said, "It's not time for my shift yet."

Xiao Li passed by with the goods, loaded them into the car parked on the side of the road, and got in.

Jiang Yujin waved at him.

Xu Gao and Hu Li left too.

Jiang Yujin yawned.

…

As the sky gradually darkened, the city's skyscrapers stood against the descending orange sun, now a pitch-black silhouette, appearing like abrupt black pillars standing on the ground, cleaving the sky.

People came and went in the convenience store. Xiao Li, who was supposed to return in the afternoon, still hadn't shown up. Jiang Yujin tried calling him, but there was no answer.

Raising an eyebrow, he dialed the hospital's number.

After a few transfers, a doctor picked up, indicating that Xiao Li, who was supposed to come to the hospital that afternoon, hadn't shown up.

Jiang Yujin made another call.

Half an hour later, the barber shop owner stood at the convenience store entrance, cigarette unlit in his mouth. His expression carried a chill as he said, "You better have a good reason for calling me here."

Jiang Yujin smiled.

The barber shop owner successfully transitioned to become a distinguished convenience store clerk.

Facing the cold stare, Jiang Yujin pocketed his phone, waved, and said, "Good luck."

He swiftly left.

Outside the store, the air felt heated. The second rush hour was in full swing, causing a series of traffic jams emitting a stifling gasoline smell.

Jiang Yujin checked the store's records and found the building Xiao Li had gone to today. He glanced at the route on his phone, pondered for a moment, then procured an electric scooter.

The scooter was small but fast. The wind whistled by as his slightly long hair flew backward, revealing relaxed eyes.

In the immobile traffic, the scooter maneuvered through and attracted the attention of other drivers. Finally breaking free from the gridlock, it sped away.

By the time Jiang Yujin reached the building, the sky had turned completely dark.

City lights illuminated, forming a collective brightness among the surrounding buildings.

At night, the city transformed its appearance.

Carefully parking the scooter, Jiang Yujin patted its handle and looked up at the towering building before walking to the entrance.

The building's gate was shut, a sign reading "No Entry" placed in front.

"…"

After a moment's contemplation, Jiang Yujin glanced at a nearby camera, then at the ground, and staged a fake stumble.

Stumbling forward a few steps, he grabbed the door handle with precision and exerted a bit of force, successfully tripping himself into the building.

Different from the other buildings around, this office building was devoid of people. Only the emergency exit signs glowed faintly in the darkness, emitting an eerie greenish light.

Because his phone had run out of battery from playing games for too long and forgetting to charge it, Jiang Yujin didn't force it and navigated blindly on the ground floor.

There were five elevators on the ground floor—three were for passengers, and the last two were for goods. Despite the building being dark, the elevators still had power, their red numbers glaring in the darkness.

Apart from the innermost freight elevator, which remained on the fourth floor, all the other elevators had stopped on the first floor.

It seemed necessary to make a trip to the fourth floor.

The situation wasn't clear at the moment. Logically, the most cautious method would have been to take the stairs.

However, contrary to ones better judgment, Jiang Yujin confidently stepped into one of the elevators.

He never opted for walking when there was an option to take the elevator, always aiming to conserve energy.

Fortunately, the elevator was still operating normally and stopped on the fourth floor.

Exiting the elevator, Jiang Yujin patted the neighboring elevator door, calling out, "Xiao Li?"

There was an instant "clank" sound from inside the elevator, like something colliding with it.

"Ah… I'm here! I'm here!"

Jiang Yujin found himself involuntarily taking a deep breath.

That sound was a bit unsettling.

He attempted to find something to open the elevator door from the outside. Perhaps it was the fear that arose from being alone for too long that made Xiao Li, still inside the elevator, speak continuously:

"This afternoon, I had an accident while delivering goods. When I was going downstairs, everyone on this floor had left. As a result, the elevator got stuck, no signals inside, and the emergency bell was broken."

Most shops on this floor were still under renovation, and there were only a few that were actually open for business. After they closed, this place became completely deserted. No matter how much they shouted, no one would hear them.

Jiang Yujin continued searching for something suitable.

Xiao Li inside the elevator momentarily sighed in relief, "Thank goodness you're here."

Not finding anything suitable, Jiang Yujin directly reached out and pulled at the elevator door.

"Whoosh—"

The enormous metal door slowly opened, allowing light to seep out, illuminating the dark space.

Xiao Li's eyes widened gradually inside the elevator.

Supporting himself against the elevator door, Jiang Yujin appeared even more surprised than Xiao Li and said, "Isn't this elevator supposed to be fine? Just press a button and it opens."

Being trapped inside the elevator for too long had made Xiao Li dizzy. Upon hearing this, he nodded and rushed out of the elevator, using both hands and feet.

Suddenly transitioning from brightness to complete darkness, his eyes took a moment to adjust. Xiao Li took out his phone and turned on the flashlight to see more clearly.

Once the person was found, it was time to leave. Xiao Li was in no state to consider taking the elevator again, so Jiang Yujin guided him to find the stairs.

Following the signs for the emergency exit, finding the stairs wasn't too difficult.

Even though it was already dark, having someone beside him made things progress smoothly. Xiao Li let out a slow breath, directing the light towards the stairs.

Jiang Yujin was still observing other parts of this floor. As he turned his head, he noticed the person beside him had stopped.

Looking at the area illuminated by the phone's light, Xiao Li trembled and raised his hand, asking, "Was this thing originally here on the stairs?"

Jiang Yujin followed his finger's direction.

A small puppet stood in the middle of the stairs, dressed in a blue uniform, a face oddly familiar.

It was Xiao Li's face. The puppet smiled, the corners of its mouth forming an eerie and oddly cheerful arc.

Observing for a moment, Jiang Yujin finally gave his assessment:

"Really ugly."

<< _ >>

**TN

Melons – meaning gossip or news / eating melons = listening to gossip or gossiping

Infinite Game Ch.5

Chapter 5 – Convenience Store Clerk (3)

The sound of sirens and ambulance pierced through the quiet night.

The number of onlookers outside the caution line only grew.

Someone noticed another person collapsed at the entrance of the Hongsheng Tower, wearing a blue uniform, identified as one of the building's security guards. This time was different from the previous occurrences. It wasn't just a single individual encountering an accident; instead, several security guards were found lying together at the entrance.

Police and medical personnel arrived, cordoned off the area, swiftly removing the security guards, and the special operations team was also dispatched.

Within the team was a detector specialized in sensing strange energies, as extracted from the game. Everyone else remained on the perimeter, while two team members, outfitted in specialized gear, approached the inner side of the entrance with the detector.

The detector was reliable, capable of sensing even the faintest strange energy. However, it was eerily quiet now, showing no signs of activity.

It matched the detection results from the previous incidents.

The two team members exchanged glances and slowly withdrew.

Back at their original positions, someone took out pen and paper, jotting down the detection results.

Another team member looked at the rest, who were waiting for the outcome, and said, "No signs of strange energy. We've thoroughly searched the entire building previously and found no trace of strange species. This seems to be an act of human cause."

Knowing that this chain of events wasn't related to the strange species, none of the people present seemed relieved.

If it wasn't linked to the strange species and was instead an act of human cause, it somehow felt more intricate and mysterious.

"Beep—"

As the conclusion was drawn, a sharp sound suddenly echoed, piercing the eardrums of everyone present.

All eyes turned to the detector, which was previously silent but now emitted a continuous alarm.

The expressions of the two team members changed. They quickly thought about the nearby team on duty.

One of them grabbed a walkie-talkie, urgently stating, "Vice-Captain Hu, there's a strange energy disturbance detected at the Hongsheng Building, preliminarily categorized as A-Class. Second Unit requests backup."

…

Fourth floor stairway of Hongsheng Building.

After Jiang Yujin spontaneously commented on the puppet, its expression instantly changed, faint traces of blood seeping onto its originally pallid face.

Wide-eyed, Xiao Li, more astonished by Jiang Yujin's statement, incredulously said, "It broke the barrier just like that?"

Facing something seemingly supernatural for the first time, Xiao Li's hand holding the phone trembled involuntarily. He slowly stepped back, then tightly grabbed Jiang Yujin's arm and turned to run.

While being dragged along, Jiang Yujin reminded him, "Look back."

Xiao Li glanced back, his eyes widening instantly, evident red streaks in his eyes.

In the brief moment of turning around, the distance between the puppet and them significantly decreased. Its speed reached an eerie level. However, as soon as Xiao Li turned back, it froze in place again, completely motionless.

Xiao Li dared not shift his gaze away, nor even blink. He stared fixedly at the puppet, gingerly stepping backward.

The puppet remained motionless as it continued to be watched.

The probable reason why those people's eyes were wide open and dry before they fell into a coma was found – it was probably because they encountered this ghostly thing.

Despite knowing the reason, Xiao Li didn't feel like rejoicing.

The light from the phone shifted, and the shadow of the doll changed accordingly, stretching out into a long shape.

After circling the doll, Jiang Yujin and Xiao Li returned to the side of the stairs and slowly descended step by step.

The building was quiet, with faint footsteps audible. Despite a wall separating them, outside was excessively noisy.

Hu Li had arrived at the scene. Finally, he wasn't wearing that floral shirt anymore, looking slightly more serious.

Someone at the scene was briefing him: "Except for a few security personnel, all the staff in the building had clocked out and left this afternoon."

The person briefing paused, then handed a tablet to Hu Li, saying:

"However, after investigating the people entering and exiting the building after work, we discovered that someone entered the building through another entrance a while ago and hasn't come out since."

On the tablet was footage captured by a surveillance camera. The building's cameras couldn't be accessed temporarily, so they had to rely on roadside cameras, which were a bit distant and produced slightly blurry images, but at least they showed clear silhouettes.

A person in the footage rode an electric scooter into the surveillance range. After parking the scooter and removing the helmet, the person revealed their iconic messy hair—it was the convenience store clerk Hu Li had seen earlier today.

The clerk patted the electric scooter before heading towards the building. They stood at the entrance for a moment, then stumbled and fell into the building.

The footage ended there.

Hu Li nodded, putting on his operational gloves. "Got it."

Other members of the special search team checked their firearms and emergency supplies. He glanced at them and said, "I'll go alone."

Others paused in their actions. "But…"

Hu Li smiled, eyes narrowing. "Don't add extra trouble for me."

The others refrained from speaking further, indeed stopping their movements.

Some people usually appeared friendly and approachable but held absolute authority.

Without meticulous preparation, Hu Li wore night vision goggles, unlike the others who were gearing up with weapons. He walked straight into the building.

The security room where several security personnel worked was on the ground floor. He looked at the building's layout prepared by the data team and easily found the security room.

The building's power seemed to have been disrupted, as the lights couldn't function properly, but the security room, like the elevators, had alternate power. The door was partially open, allowing the light inside to be visible.

The surveillance in the security room was still operational.

Among several static surveillance screens, two figures moving between the third and fourth floors in the emergency stairwell were particularly conspicuous.

Surprisingly, there were two individuals.

Noticing the motionless puppet on the screen, he sensed something and turned his head.

A human-sized puppet dressed in black stood at the doorway, quietly observing him under the light.

The puppet didn't smile. Hu Li smiled faintly, taking a step toward the puppet as a long blade slid out from his sleeve.

As they drew closer, the puppet rapidly transformed into a creature resembling a spider, with six long and sinister black limbs tearing through what seemed like papery skin, swiftly lunging towards his sides.

The metallic blade reflected the light from above as it struck. The deformed puppet split in half, its six long limbs twitching involuntarily.

Hu Li held the long blade aloft.

The once-empty ground floor was now filled with human-sized puppets dressed in black, all silently watching him.

…

On the third floor, Jiang Yujin was slowly retreating with Xiao Li.

Honestly, walking backward was far more exhausting than walking normally, and constantly staring at the strange and ugly human-sized puppet around them was incredibly dull.

While Xiao Li was intensely focused, Jiang Yujin began to glance around.

The light from the phone moved slowly, revealing a broom placed near the stairwell with a wooden handle.

Seemed like it could be useful.

Jiang Yujin took a few steps to the side and reached out his hand.

"Clang—"

A noise echoed from downstairs. He glanced downward slightly, then casually withdrew his hand as if nothing had happened, patting Xiao Li's shoulder. "Hang in there, we're almost on the first floor."

His pat startled Xiao Li, who almost turned directly around, causing a subtle movement from the doll.

Slowly descending to the second floor, from here, they could vaguely see the lights outside. Xiao Li was completely on edge. However, as they proceeded downstairs, they heard a rustling sound that felt ominously overwhelming.

Xiao Li kept staring at the doll and asked Jiang Yujin, "What's that noise downstairs?"

As they reached this corner, they could already see what the first floor looked like. Anyone on the first floor could also see them standing here.

Jiang Yujin peeked and thought for a moment before replying candidly, "Quite lively."

Xiao Li, puzzled, asked, "Huh?"

Unable to turn his head, Xiao Li didn't notice the swarming, overlapping, headless humanoid figures.

Jiang Yujin took two steps forward, leaning against the railing and gesturing towards the mass of spider-like puppets.

"Help us," he shouted.

The voice wasn't particularly loud, but its drawn-out tone sounded oddly lazy amidst the tension, yet it was enough for the people downstairs to hear.

Hu Li swiftly slashed a few spider-like puppets and glanced up to the second floor. With a leap supported by his long blade, he jumped onto the staircase leading to the second floor.

Xiao Li felt a blur beside him, only to witness the human-sized puppet that had been following them since the fourth floor cleaved in half.

"Head up and find a sealed space to hide," Hu Li instructed.

Jiang Yujin nodded first, pulling the still bewildered Xiao Li up the stairs, expressing gratitude before moving, showing complete cooperation.

He led Xiao Li into the second-floor restroom. After a startle, he looked at Xiao Li with a worried expression. "I sense it now."

Initially planning to hide in one of the restrooms for a sense of security, Xiao Li immediately volunteered to hide in the adjacent one.

He remained quiet, listening to the sound of fabric rustling coming from the neighboring compartment. Then, there was silence.

After a while, using a whisper, Xiao Li asked, "Are you okay?"

No one responded from the neighboring stall.

Jiang Yujin, without a doubt, took off, pushing open the unlocked stall door and leaving the restroom. It was almost time to clock out, and his phone's battery wouldn't last for a game while hiding in the restroom all night. He had no intention of spending a lengthy night in the restroom.

Despite the building still being devoid of lights, it didn't affect him much.

The faint red glow from the cameras on the floors was easily identifiable and avoidable.

He circumvented the ground floor and headed for the basement.

The basement was soundproof, and upon entering, the sounds from the first floor were completely muted. The dark corridor only echoed with footsteps.

The signboard ahead suddenly lit up with green light, revealing something that appeared abruptly in front of him.

It was a humanoid figure, just like himself.

Jiang Yujin continued walking without stopping, getting closer to the figure.

"…"

In the silence, before it even had a chance to extend its long limbs, the puppet disintegrated into pieces of fabric scattered on the ground, its six long legs disappearing into the shadows, indiscernible.

At the end of the basement corridor was the electrical room, followed by a wall covered in dust, and there was nothing else beyond that.

Jiang Yujin reached out and touched the wall, then exerted some force.

The wall instantly turned into strands of thread, slowly drifting down and accumulating on the ground in a substantial layer.

Behind the dusty wall lay a vast space, surrounded by thick threads, impenetrable. The ground was littered with oval-shaped objects.

Jiang Yujin greeted with a polite smile, waving his hand. "Hello, old acquaintance."

<< _ >>

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