They had thought they rested for quite a while, only to realize that less than twenty minutes had passed when they checked the time. The outside sky had turned completely dark.
The building's electrical system had also recently shut down, plunging the entire building into darkness, with only a small flashlight illuminating a faint path.
Gu Jingyong walked at the front, and the creaking of the hallway door sounded particularly piercing in the silent night.
Tan Xinger held her breath as she followed behind him, walking out through the doorway and descending the stairs while pressing against the chilly wall.
The night seemed to have no effect on the zombies, as the darkness added to their unpredictability, making people even more fearful in the dark, never knowing when a zombie might come rushing up.
A dim beam of light shone on the stairs, and Tan Xinger lifted her head to meet several pairs of crimson eyes, causing her hand to shake, almost dropping the flashlight.
The night provided a good background for the zombies to lurk, but they had forgotten to cover up one of their most prominent features.
The corridor was pitch black with no sign of human figures, only several pairs of red eyes floating in the air, like ghosts pouncing towards them.
Gu Jingyong swung the steel pipe in his hand, striking the zombies and taking advantage of the opportunity to leap forward. As he turned around, several zombies were knocked aside, opening up a small path.
Their vision obstructed, they could only rely on their senses to dodge the protruding tongues and outstretched claws of the zombies. They descended several floors in a somewhat disheveled manner, but with too many zombies, they were forced to retreat into a floor.
"This won't work, there's simply not enough time."
Gao Xin's face was ashen, and after thinking for a while, he couldn't come up with a good solution.
At this moment, Gu Jingyong looked towards Jiang Nan and asked, "Can you use your ability again?"
Seemingly surprised that Gu Jingyong was speaking to him, Jiang Nan looked up at him.
Tan Xinger noticed that the bruises on his face had almost disappeared, indicating that he had recovered.
"I can, but I can't hold it for much longer."
With a faint smile on his lips, Jiang Nan looked at Gu Jingyong and said, "There are too many zombies. Even if I can use my ability, there's no way for us to escape."
After glancing at him, Gu Jingyong said, "I'll cooperate with you."
"Alright, I'll give it another shot."
Jiang Nan straightened his clothes, smiled at Gu Jingyong, and then walked to the door. He knocked on it and then stood still, slowly closing his eyes.
Tan Xinger, who had been observing Jiang Nan, suddenly felt a pull behind her. When she turned around, she saw Jiang Qiqi standing behind her like a thief.
"What's wrong?"
Afraid of disturbing Jiang Nan, Tan Xinger whispered.
Pulling Tan Xinger down, Jiang Qiqi glanced at Gu Jingyong and said, "Where did you meet them? How are they so powerful!"
Jiang Qiqi had only heard rumors that some players had special abilities, but she had thought it was just a rumor. However, seeing it with her own eyes today, she felt her worldview being shattered.
Jiang Nan had successfully frightened her with his performance, and now, listening to Gu Jingyong's explanation, she was sure he was also hiding his true strength. Thinking about this, Jiang Qiqi felt inexplicably excited. She hadn't expected to encounter such powerful players.
"Um, I just met them on the road."
Tan Xinger replied truthfully, but Jiang Qiqi looked at her incredulously, then gave her a strange look before shaking her head to herself.
"No, it's not right. You don't know anything, so you must be a newbie. You can't possibly be a hidden expert."
Hearing Jiang Qiqi's words, Tan Xinger smiled. She was indeed not a new player, although she had forgotten her memories as a player. However, being a hidden expert was definitely out of the question, otherwise, she wouldn't have become an NPC.
Seeing that Jiang Qiqi had more to say, Tan Xinger quickly stopped her, asking them not to disturb Jiang Nan.
"Okay, okay."
Jiang Qiqi pursed her lips and returned to Gao Xin's side.
Jiang Nan seemed to be taking longer than usual to use his ability, perhaps because he had just experienced the backlash. Under the gaze of everyone, Jiang Nan slowly opened his eyes.
Turning around to look at Gu Jingyong, he said, "There are about two hundred zombies in the corridor, not including the ones on the way to the car. I can only control them for a maximum of 20 seconds. The rest will depend on you."
Gu Jingyong nodded to indicate that Jiang Nan could begin. Everyone held their breath subconsciously, and as the corridor door was pulled open again, the zombies outside stopped in their tracks.
Everyone rushed out of the corridor, with every second being precious. Tan Xinger felt as if her legs were not her own, and she was almost being pulled along by Gu Jingyong, moving so fast that she almost left the ground.
As they descended to the lower floors, the zombies gradually resumed their activity. Gu Jingyong pulled Tan Xinger into a floor, with the others following closely behind, and the zombies trailing after them, tightly entangled.
Even without turning around, Tan Xinger could imagine what the scene behind them looked like.
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The crimson eyes moved in the air, accompanied by the wheezing of the zombies, as if someone were breathing in your ear. A sudden turn would reveal a pair of eyes right behind you.
Navigating through the floors, they quickly reached the last three levels. Outside the windows on the ground floor, the light from street lamps was already shining in.
Tan Xinger inadvertently glanced at the mottled purple bruises on Jiang Nan's hand, then looked at his face. Sure enough, the same bruises as before appeared on his face, this time even more severe and obvious.
With a sense of consideration in her heart, Tan Xinger exerted all her strength to run. The further down they went, the more zombies there were, and it was also the time for Gu Jingyong to take action.
In the dim light, only the sound of zombies being thrown out could be heard, along with the sound of skeletons breaking under their skin.
Tan Xinger and Jiang Nan were closest to Gu Jingyong, allowing them to keenly feel the change in the air.
Tan Xinger was somewhat worried about his condition and occasionally checked on him.
Jiang Nan, on the other hand, stared at Gu Jingyong's back, a pensive smile flashing across his face. Under the fleeting light, Jiang Nan's bruised face seemed to be about to spit out a crimson tongue.
Gao Xin inadvertently caught sight of Jiang Nan's expression, his gaze gradually becoming vigilant. On this perilous night, something was about to emerge.
The zombies being swept aside by Gu Jingyong saved a lot of time going downstairs. As they completed the last flight of stairs, they arrived in the lobby.
Gao Xin repelled a zombie and shouted, "The car is over there."
Tan Xinger quickly pulled Gu Jingyong and rushed over. All their hopes rested on that black car. If the zombies had scattered it, they would truly be in dire straits.
Tan Xinger ran while surrounded by zombies converging from all directions, their attacks leaving no intact piece of clothing on her body.
While she was grateful for wearing thick clothes, she struggled to make her way to the vehicle.
Si Qiao took the lead in breaking through the encirclement of zombies. As soon as he got onto the car, he quickly started the engine and rushed toward them.
The impact of the car created an opening in the encirclement of zombies. Taking advantage of the gap, the others pulled open the car doors and got in.
Tan Xinger was pushed in by Gu Jingyong, followed closely by Jiang Qiqi who almost knocked her over. Jiang Nan and Gao Xin also got into the car. It was then that Tan Xinger realized Gu Jingyong was still outside.
Several zombies surrounded him, attacking from all sides. Each time Gu Jingyong dodged an attack, it made Tan Xinger's heart race in fear.
A zombie behind Gu Jingyong stuck out its long tongue, with thorns rising on its soft surface, about to pierce Gu Jingyong's neck.
Before Tan Xinger could scream, she saw the zombie's tongue being severed by an invisible blade, landing on the ground with a thud.
Tan Xinger quickly directed Si Qiao to drive over, and upon hearing the sound of the car, Gu Jingyong grabbed a zombie's shoulder and slammed into the opposite side, using the force to climb onto the car.
As Tan Xinger had just opened the car door, Gu Jingyong unavoidably collided with her. The already narrow backseat instantly became crowded.
Tan Xinger was pressed up against Gu Jingyong, feeling the intense pressure emanating from him. She found herself starting to get used to this feeling, a bitter smile crossing her mind. It seemed that one could indeed get used to anything after experiencing it multiple times.
Everyone got safely into the car, and Si Qiao drove quickly, retracing their route.
Si Qiao's gaze was stern as he stared at the road ahead, making sudden turns from time to time to avoid the zombies rushing toward them. Inside the car, everyone was shaken up by the bumpy ride.
The sound of the car's engine reverberated through the streets, with zombies chasing after them, creating a spectacular scene.
Tan Xinger inadvertently glanced out the window and saw a car driving in the opposite direction across the green belt. She turned around and sat back in her seat, watching the building they had just escaped from.
Those people must be planning to go upstairs. In the fleeting moment as they passed by, there was no time to stop them, nor to alter their fate.
After a brief moment of melancholy, Tan Xinger sat back down, feeling the car surge forward once again. She quickly reached out and grabbed something nearby.
She happened to touch Gu Jingyong's arm, as if he were afraid she might feel uncomfortable grabbing onto something and intentionally reached out toward her side.
Tan Xinger smiled gratefully, but the next moment, she was thrown out of her seat.
"Hiss."
Jiang Qiqi wasn't faring much better. Sharing Tan Xinger's fate, both of them were thrown beneath the seats. They didn't bother getting up and instead sat there leaning against the front seats.
Gu Jingyong hadn't reacted in time earlier. By the time he reached out, he only touched Tan Xinger's hair. The soft strands slid through his fingertips, reminiscent of a touch from memory.
But it wasn't a pleasant memory; it was more like a nightmare.
Tan Xinger had been talking to Jiang Qiqi, but she looked up to see Gu Jingyong's tightly furrowed brows. He seemed to be in pain, and his already pale face now looked even more fragile, like porcelain.
"What's wrong with you?"
Tan Xinger sat up straight, subconsciously looking at the wound on his hand. However, when she undid the bandage, she found that the wounds had healed quite well, with only a faint red mark remaining.
If the wounds weren't infected, it wasn't because of the zombies. Tan Xinger breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time, she became even more worried.
"It's nothing, just a backlash."
Gu Jingyong looked at Tan Xinger's face, filled with worry. While moved in his heart, he reassured her. Then, he closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat, seemingly trying to calm something within himself.
In Gu Jingyong's mind, a scene kept repeating: the empty hand and the sensation of long hair slipping through his fingers. It was as if he could hear the sound of the lake, the sound of falling into the lake replaying in his mind, the pain almost tearing his head apart.
Gu Jingyong's brow furrowed deeply as he felt the force on his wrist. Subconsciously, he wanted to break free, but then he thought of something and didn't move.
Tan Xinger carefully re-tied the bandage she had just removed, watching Gu Jingyong with closed eyes. She breathed a slow sigh of relief and leaned against Jiang Qiqi.
Gu Jingyong hadn't rested for long. With the sudden emergency brake of the car, he slowly opened his eyes and looked at the scene outside.
Taking advantage of the fact that the zombies hadn't all gathered yet, Si Qiao stepped on the gas pedal, and the car sped towards the building once again.
The access control had long been broken, and the car trembled as it stopped unsteadily at the elevator door.
Jiang Nan was the first to get out of the car, opening only the side close to the elevator door. By the time Tan Xinger got out of the car, the zombies had already surrounded them.
As if by divine providence, not only had the building not lost power, but there wasn't a single zombie inside the open elevator. Tan Xinger pressed the button, watching the flickering elevator light, praying silently that the building's power would hold out a little longer.
The numbers stopped flickering, and everyone held their breath, poised in the narrow elevator.
Gao Xin and Si Qiao led the way, punching and kicking the zombies trying to rush up. As they approached the rooftop, success or failure was imminent. Everyone cast off their previous fatigue and became excited, almost bloodthirsty, ready to fight to the end.
The zombies were virtually indestructible, and those that had been scattered naturally regrouped behind them. Gu Jingyong and Jiang Nan were in charge of the rear, while Tan Xinger and Jiang Qiqi were responsible for the zombies preparing to attack from the sides.
The rooftop door, originally painted red, was splattered with blood, almost recoloring the iron door.
Tan Xinger noticed some things on the ground, including a backpack and some torn clothes that weren't there before they arrived. It seemed that other players had made it to the rooftop before them.
Her suspicions were quickly confirmed as they reached the back of the signal tower. They saw a blue light curtain that wasn't there before, identical in size and shape to the one they saw on the previous building.
Tan Xinger gritted her teeth in frustration. She hadn't expected the instance to be so ruthless. When they were there earlier, there was nothing here, let alone such a glaring blue light now.
Everyone rejoiced at the sight of the escape door, but Tan Xinger, learning from their recent lesson, picked up a stick and threw it into the light curtain.
After waiting for about a minute without seeing anything fall from the sky, they finally relaxed.
The zombies had completely surged in, and the spacious rooftop made it easier for them to attack from all sides.
Gao Xin led Jiang Qiqi into the escape door first, followed closely by Si Qiao. Watching them leave, Tan Xinger suddenly felt a sense of being in a different world.
Gu Jingyong saw her standing still and grabbed her hand. The two stood under the light curtain. Tan Xinger thought Gu Jingyong would lead her into the curtain, but instead, he pricked his own finger with a clean blade.
As the blood slowly seeped out of his fingertip, Tan Xinger was about to speak when Gu Jingyong wiped the blood onto her lips.
Sensing the taste of rust, Tan Xinger frowned. Gu Jingyong seemed to guess what she was about to say and just said, "I'll explain when we get out."
Tan Xinger nodded, and Gu Jingyong led her towards the escape door.
The blue light curtain near them was a bit dazzling, far from the softness it appeared to be. Tan Xinger took one last look around before stepping forward.
The grotesque and twisted faces of the zombies were etched in her mind. This place where she had once lived as an NPC had become like a hell on earth, and she was about to leave.
Tan Xinger's wrist was tightly gripped by Gu Jingyong, but the next moment, the force on her hand suddenly disappeared. Tan Xinger subconsciously turned around and saw a dark shadow pounce towards Gu Jingyong.
Tan Xinger was too late to react; her whole body was pulled into the light curtain by a force.
The light was a bit blinding, and she instinctively closed her eyes. The last thing she remembered seeing was Jiang Nan's face covered in bruises and Gu Jingyong's gaze.
A few seconds of weightlessness made Tan Xinger feel as if she had returned to the beginning of the instance. It would feel like this if she had jumped off the rooftop back then, wouldn't it?
As she thought about it, Tan Xinger took a step forward, and when her foot touched solid ground, she snapped back to reality.
Feeling a bit nervous in the unfamiliar environment, Tan Xinger cautiously moved to the edge of a chair and sat down, vigilantly observing the surroundings.
"Is this the entrance to the instance?" Tan Xinger remembered Gu Jingyong telling her that the second floor of the Square City Tower housed countless rooms filled with instances, and it seemed like they were in one now.
Once she calmed down, Tan Xinger thought about the last situation she saw. Jiang Nan seemed unable to withstand the backlash from the zombies and launched an attack on Gu Jingyong.
She wondered if Gu Jingyong, injured as he was, could still defeat Jiang Nan.
"Ptui, ptui, ptui."
As soon as that thought crossed her mind, Tan Xinger immediately pushed it away, focusing on more positive things.
Gu Jingyong had managed to handle the zombies' attacks without harm, so Jiang Nan shouldn't be able to do much to him.
But as they waited for nearly half an hour, Tan Xinger went from slight nervousness to growing anxiety.
She paced around the room, hesitant to open the door and venture outside, so she settled for thoroughly searching through everything in the room.
Letting out a sigh at the door, Tan Xinger turned around and bumped into something hard.
Rubbing her nose, she looked up to find Gu Jingyong standing behind her.
"You're back!"
Tan Xinger exclaimed with joy, quickly checking Gu Jingyong over to ensure he hadn't been injured before relaxing.
"Let's go."
With a drop of blood at the corner of his eye, Gu Jingyong looked slightly sinister, but Tan Xinger felt strangely comforted by his presence as he led her towards the door.
As the door opened, the noise from outside flooded in, and Tan Xinger stared blankly at everything before her.
After a moment of confusion, she looked at Gu Jingyong standing beside her. His gaze was indifferent, as if nothing in the world mattered to him.
Gu Jingyong held her hand as they walked outside, and Tan Xinger knew that a brand new world was about to unfold before her.