The pink flames illuminated the entire corridor as if it were midday.
Hong Ying held a long spear, her body slightly crouched, eyes locked on the four monsters before her. A wave of fiery heat spread outward, centered on her.
Suddenly, her figure transformed into a ball of blazing fire, shooting forward!
The pink embers rapidly dissolved in the air, leaving behind a lingering trail of crimson as she moved too fast for the eye to follow!
In an instant, she flashed in front of the monsters!
The long spear trembled lightly, and countless fiery spear shadows exploded like blooming flowers, piercing the four monsters before they could react, turning them into swiss cheese!
The pink flames ignited, engulfing the shrieking monsters, leaving nothing behind.
Sparks fell from the sky like withering cherry blossoms, covering the entire corridor.
Hong Ying placed her spear behind her back, snapped her fingers lightly, and the flames in the corridor were instantly extinguished, plunging it back into darkness.
"Xiao Nan, are you okay?"
"I'm fine... I even killed one," Si Xiaonan grinned as she kicked the disfigured monster on the ground.
"Good job, Xiao Nan." Hong Ying walked over and ruffled her hair, smiling. "But it's nothing compared to Sister Hong Ying. Once your [Rose Fire Feathers] is out, even dozens more monsters wouldn't be enough to kill."
"You're so sweet with your words."
At that moment, hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway.
Hong Ying frowned, gripping her spear behind her and cautiously looking toward the sound.
"What's going on? Why are there still students inside?" The panicked dorm supervisor rushed up the stairs, gasping when she saw the two standing in the scorched corridor.
"She's here to put out the fire; it's already been extinguished," Hong Ying replied.
Since the corridor was dark, the dorm supervisor didn't seem to notice Hong Ying's spear and hurriedly waved at them.
"Which class are you from? Are you crazy?! Come with me, the fire truck's on its way!"
Hong Ying and Si Xiaonan exchanged a glance, putting away their weapons into the black box and quickly heading for the stairs.
As they reached the dorm supervisor, she seemed about to speak…
Bang—!
The loud gunshot suddenly rang out. A bullet shot through the gap in the handrail, hitting the dorm supervisor in the waist!
Hong Ying and Si Xiaonan's pupils constricted, instinctively pulling away from her. The powerful recoil sent the dorm supervisor crashing against the wall. Her eyes widened, shocked as she looked at the young man slowly walking up the stairs.
The next moment, her head exploded, transforming into a hideous blood-soaked monster! It shrieked!
"I aimed at the head... how did it hit the waist?"
At the corner of the hallway, Lin QiYe, holding a gun, muttered, then pointed the muzzle at the monster's gaping mouth and expressionlessly pulled the trigger.
Bang! Bang! Bang!! Three consecutive shots pierced the monster's mouth. Its body convulsed violently before going still, rigidly rolling down the stairs.
"QiYe?" Hong Ying exclaimed in surprise.
"I heard you were in a tough fight, so I came over." Lin QiYe put away his gun, stepped over the bloodied floor, and looked around. "Hmm? Where are the monsters?"
"All killed," Hong Ying placed her hands on her hips, smiling with a "I'm so strong, praise me" expression.
"Did you find the source?"
Hong Ying's face immediately dropped, shaking her head in frustration. "No."
Lin QiYe carefully scanned the floor, lost in thought. "Logically, this is where the first infected appeared. Did it leave after infecting others?"
"Is it that smart?"
"Yes, this mythical creature must possess a high level of intelligence." Lin QiYe stated firmly. "It can perfectly replicate a person's personality and habits, making it impossible to distinguish the real from the fake. This is not something an animal can do.
Moreover, its infection strategy so far has shown strong logic."
"Logic? Is it really that logical?" Si Xiaonan asked in confusion.
"Yes, it started infecting from the girls' dorm, not only because girls are physically weaker and easier to control, but also because of their unique charm, which makes others drop their guard.
It used these girls to communicate with other boys, gain their affection, then lured them to secluded places to infect them, all without anyone noticing, even the teachers got infected.
Its actions seemed random, but in reality, they were very concealed and methodical.
If it weren't for Li Yifei happening to run into Liu Xiaoyan infecting the Director of Education, we might not have noticed its existence for another six months. By then… the number of infected would have reached terrifying levels."
After hearing Lin QiYe's analysis, Hong Ying and Si Xiaonan felt a chill on their skin.
"I've never seen a mythical creature so intelligent," Hong Ying frowned. "If it's that smart, it probably already knows we're here, so it wouldn't stay here."
"Most likely," Lin QiYe nodded in agreement.
"Then… what's that over there?" Si Xiaonan tilted her head, pointing to the end of the corridor.
Lin QiYe and Hong Ying were stunned for a moment, then both turned their heads. Their pupils constricted!
At the end of the corridor, on a small balcony, a snake-tailed, human-bodied monster coiled up, its black scales emitting a cold, eerie aura in the weak sunlight. Its eerie green eyes silently stared at the three of them.
Hisssssss—!
The scarlet snake tongue flicked out, and its mouth curled into a mocking smile.
Lin QiYe and Hong Ying stood frozen for a moment before exchanging a glance, and without a word, they sprinted toward the balcony!
"Chase!"
The snake-tailed, human-bodied monster raised its head high, opened its massive mouth, and let out an abrupt scream into the sky!
Hisssss—!!!
Then, it swiftly slid down the edge of the balcony, moving at an incredible speed.
Almost as soon as the scream echoed, screams from classrooms in the distance were heard!
Lin QiYe suddenly stopped, looking toward the distant classrooms. "The infected are rampaging!"
Hong Ying leapt lightly and landed on the balcony edge, her long spear on her back. She turned back to Lin QiYe and shouted,
"You protect the students, I'll go after it!"
Before the words left her mouth, she leapt down, disappearing off the balcony.
Lin QiYe immediately reversed direction and sprinted down the hallway.
With Hong Ying's skills, jumping from the fifth floor was no problem. But for him, that would be a huge problem.
Lin QiYe, carrying the black box, ran at full speed. Around him, students screamed and scattered like headless flies. In the distance, monstrous roars echoed.
"Stop running! Follow me! There's no way out of the school now!" Lin QiYe shouted.
Unfortunately, in the chaos, no one heard him. Everyone was frantically running toward the school gates, but they were blocked by an invisible barrier.
This was the [Zone of No Fear] preventing the monster and the infected from escaping.
"Silence! Silence!"
"Listen to me..."
Lin QiYe shouted several times, but no one paid attention. At that moment, the words of Qian Lengxuan echoed in his mind again.
Then,
Lin QiYe pulled a gun from his pocket.
He aimed at the sky and pulled the trigger!
When the gunshot echoed through the campus, the panicked students froze in place.
Lin QiYe stood with his gun, aiming at the statue-like students, expressionless, and raised his chin.
"I said, everyone be quiet!"