The atmosphere in Shen Zhiling's flat was heavy with tension, the weight of Shen Zhiwei's grim announcement settling over the group like a suffocating fog. The news of deaths and injuries within their own building had shaken them all.
Being haunted and being killed is different matter altogether.
Now the situation was like: they were not safe, not even within the walls of their own home.
Before they could think, They heard a sharp and shrill scream.
It was a chilling sound, filled with pure, unadulterated terror, and it came from somewhere downstairs. Everyone in the room tensed.
Lu Ningfei was the first to react, he turned to Si Qin, who was still pale and visibly shaken. "Go back to the flat, Si Qin," he ordered, his voice calm but firm. "Don't lock the door and stay inside. Don't come out until I tell you it's safe."
Si Qin hesitated for a moment, fear and uncertainty flashing in his eyes, but he nodded quickly and did as he was told, retreating to the safety of their flat. Wang Lei also sent his younger sister, Wang Yu, back to their apartment. The young girl looked terrified, but she didn't argue, her small figure disappearing down the hallway as she hurried to safety.
With the most vulnerable members of their group secured, the remaining adults quickly gathered their makeshift weapons. Shen Zhiling grabbed a heavy kitchen knife from the counter, while Zhang Wei picked up a sturdy metal rod he had found in the maintenance closet. Lin Yuxi clutched a rolling pin in her hands, her knuckles white as she tried to steady her breathing. Wang Lei just grabbed a baseball bat.
Shen Tianming and Shen Zhilan, both aware of their own limitations, decided to stay behind, keeping watch over the flat and the younger members of the group. But their eyes were filled with concern as they watched the others prepare to head out.
"Be careful," Shen Tianming said, his voice filled with the quiet authority of a father who had seen too much in his life. "And come back in one piece."
Shen Zhiling nodded, his expression serious as he led the group toward the door. "We will."
When they reached the 11th floor lobby, the scene that greeted them was weird and abnormal.
A man stood in the center of the lobby, his body contorted in unnatural angles as if his bones were broken and rearranged. His eyes, once human, were now glowing a sickly red, filled with a malevolent energy that made the air around him hum with power. He looked possessed, a puppet controlled by some unseen force, and he was attacking a small girl, no older than five or six, who was curled up on the floor, crying in terror.
Lu Ningfei acted on pure instinct. Without hesitation, he rushed forward, his body moving faster than his mind could process.
He grabbed the man and yanked him away from the girl, throwing him aside with a strength that surprised even him. The little girl, now free from the man's grasp, stumbled into Lu Ningfei's arms, her sobs shaking her tiny frame.
But the possessed man was not done. With a guttural growl, he lunged at the girl once more, his twisted limbs propelling him forward with terrifying speed.
Lu Ningfei barely had time to react before Shen Zhiling was at his side, his fist connecting with the man's jaw with a sickening crack. The force of the blow sent the man flying backward, crashing into the wall with enough force to leave a dent in the plaster.
Before Lu Ningfei could process what was happening, Shen Zhiling's arm was around his waist, pulling him back and away from the danger. The little girl's mother, who had been hiding nearby, rushed forward and snatched her child from Lu Ningfei's arms, her voice choked with gratitude as she thanked him profusely.
"Thank you, Thank you so much for saving my A'nie!"
"No problem, Please retreat to a safe distance." Lu Ningfei replied.
Shen Zhiling didn't let go of Lu Ningfei. His grip was firm, protective, as he stared down at the possessed man with a look of cold fury.
The man, now on the floor, was writhing and snarling, his body twitching as if fighting against whatever force had taken hold of him. The sound that came from his mouth was inhuman, a low, guttural noise that sent chills down everyone's spine.
Lin Yuxi, already on edge, backed away from the horrific sight, only to bump into something solid. She turned around quickly, her breath catching in her throat as she came face to face with a woman—another resident of the building, but she, too, was not herself.
Her eyes glowed the same sickly red, and her expression was one of twisted rage. The woman looked possessed, her movements jerky and unnatural as she reached out toward Lin Yuxi.
"A'Wei!"
Lin Yuxi's scream pierced the air, her voice filled with pure terror.
"Xiao Xi!!"
Zhang Wei, who had been keeping an eye on the man, quickly turned at the sound of his wife's scream.
He grabbed Lin Yuxi, pulling her back as he placed himself between her and the possessed woman. His grip on the metal rod tightened, his eyes narrowing as he stared down the woman who tried to hurt his wife.
The situation quickly escalated. The group found themselves surrounded on all sides, with the possessed man and woman closing in on them, their eyes glowing with a malevolent light. Shen Zhiwei and Wang Lei moved quickly to position themselves on the left and right, creating a protective circle around the others. Shen Zhiling and Lu Ningfei stood at the front, facing the man, while Zhang Wei and Lin Yuxi were at the back, facing the woman.
The possessed people seemed to move in unison, their mouths opening wide as they bared their teeth, preparing to bite. The sight was grotesque, their mouths unnaturally wide, their teeth jagged and yellowed. There was nothing human left in their eyes—only a deep, consuming hunger.
The possessed man lunged first, his body twisting unnaturally as he aimed for Lu Ningfei. But Shen Zhiling was faster. He pushed Lu Ningfei behind him, his arm acting as a shield as he blocked the attack.
With a swift motion, he grabbed the man by the neck and slammed him into the ground, using the momentum to pin him down.
At the same time, Zhang Wei moved to protect Lin Yuxi, swinging the metal rod with all his strength. The blow connected with the woman's shoulder, sending her reeling back. But she quickly regained her footing, her red eyes glowing even brighter as she hissed at him, her hands clawing at the air as she prepared to strike again.
Wang Lei didn't hesitate. He grabbed the woman from behind, pulling her off balance as he forced her to the ground. Shen Zhiwei joined in, helping to subdue the possessed man that Shen Zhiling had pinned down. It took all their strength to hold the two possessed people in place, their bodies thrashing and twitching as if trying to break free from some invisible chains.
"Quickly throw them aside and retreat back."
Lu Ningei felt that this situation was strange and yelled.
Finally, with a coordinated effort, they managed to throw the possessed man and woman to one side of the lobby, creating enough distance to make a quick escape. Shen Zhiling didn't waste any time. He grabbed Lu Ningfei by the arm and pulled him toward the stairs, the others following close behind as they made their way back up to the 15th floor.
As soon as they were back in the hallway, Shen Zhiling slammed the door shut, bolting it securely. Everyone was breathing heavily, their bodies trembling from the adrenaline and fear.
For a moment, no one spoke, the silence filled only with the sound of their pounding hearts.
Finally, Shen Zhiling turned to Lu Ningfei, his eyes filled with concern as he scanned him for any signs of injury. "Are you hurt?" he asked, his voice low and intense.
Lu Ningfei shook his head, though his heart was still racing from the ordeal. "No, I'm fine," he replied, though his voice was slightly breathless. He could feel his pulse pounding in his ears.
Shen Zhiling's eyes remained locked on him, his expression unreadable. He seemed to be searching for something in Lu Ningfei's face.
"Good," Shen Zhiling said quietly. "Stay close. We can't let our guard down."
Shen Zhiwei, who had been standing off to the side, finally spoke up, his voice tinged with relief.
"That was way too close. What the hell was that? Those people… they...are they even human anymore?"
Lu Ningfei lowered his eyes.
"No...they might no longer be human."