Speed Change

Third Day

At night.

After meeting Possessed Chen Li at dusk, Han Dong returned to his room and did not come out again.

The other team members also returned to their rooms before eleven.

The power still cut off promptly at eleven at night... only the large red lanterns remained lit.

This would be the final night of the incident. The two women in the team took out all the candles from their backpacks and lit them in every corner of their rooms, using the light to dispel the fear in their hearts.

As for Edward, who knew the "hidden rules," he peacefully went to sleep after checking his Steam Prosthetic.

Han Dong rested as well... Even Though he had already rested for the entire day.

The third night was different.

He was no longer awakened by footsteps wandering through the corridor.

Han Dong slept until he woke naturally.

The instant he opened his eyes, Han Dong swiftly turned to look at the Clockwork Device on his wrist.

There are still nine hours until the "incident ends."

"Strange... is there something wrong with the time, or with the environment?"

Outside the window, the full moon hung high in the pitch-black sky. No matter how he looked at it, it was nighttime.

However, Han Dong and the others had arrived at the manor at six in the afternoon. The time limit should have ended at six in the afternoon three days later... counting back nine hours, the current time should have been nine in the morning.

Yet there was not the slightest sign of dawn outside.

"Could it be... Edward's so-called Speed Change has already begun?"

Just then.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Han Dong's bedroom door was knocked on repeatedly.

Standing outside were Edward, Mori, both looking flustered, and two women with severe dark circles under their eyes.

At the very least, it meant that no one had been killed last night.

"My friend Nicholas, it's good that you're all right... The Speed Change I mentioned to you yesterday should have arrived."

Han Dong put on a bewildered expression and urgently asked, "Captain! What should we do?"

Edward suggested, "Let's meet up with the incident characters first. Perhaps we can get help from them.

"There are rumors that the former captain of the Black Rose Knights was able to lead a large number of Newcomers out of Destiny Space alive partly because he received help from the incident characters."

"Fine."

The four traveled together, with Edward leading at the front.

Unfortunately, the changes in the situation exceeded Edward's expectations...

When they pushed open the Wooden Gate to the first-floor hall with a creak.

The sight revealed by their flashlights made the blonde Monica collapse onto the floor in terror.

Even the usually composed Captain Edward had beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

The believer Akaman dropped to both knees, clutching his cross as he muttered strange scriptures, trying to drive away the fear in his heart.

The hall was indeed like every other morning. The sister and brother had prepared breakfast and were waiting for everyone to eat.

However, today the siblings had turned into paper dolls.

They were the paper dolls used in the Soul Transfer Ritual—a man and a woman, crudely made.

But to the four of them, they were Chen Li and Da Qing.

As for breakfast, six bowls of rice with long incense sticks inserted into them had been placed on the table.

Even Han Dong was startled by the bizarre scene, thinking that something had truly happened to Chen Li and her brother.

However, through his connection to the "prison level," he knew that Chen Li was still alive and was not the paper doll before him.

"Ah!!!"

Suddenly, Akaman let out a scream.

In the direction illuminated by her flashlight, a "van" belonging to Granny Wang and her husband was parked on the small path outside the bungalow.

Han Dong knew that Granny Wang and her husband had already been killed... but the other team members did not. Even Edward believed that after the Soul Transfer Ritual succeeded, Granny Wang and her husband had returned on their own.

Edward led the group slowly toward the somewhat crude "van."

Upon closer inspection, it was a large paper funeral hearse.

Granny Wang and her husband, also "paper dolls," sat inside the hearse. Their paper faces bore eerie smiles made from red stickers.

"Is there no way back? There's simply no route where we can seek help from the incident characters..."

Just as Edward fell into deep thought.

Whoosh!

The several large red lanterns hanging in the corridor all went out... the bungalow, which had originally served as a "light source," was completely swallowed by darkness.

Everyone reflexively aimed their flashlights at the corridor on the building's second floor.

Creak!

In the silent night, the sound of an old wooden door opening was especially clear.

Room 6.

From the room belonging to Possessed Chen Li, a woman with black hair covering her face slowly emerged... She stood silently in the corridor, staring through her hair at the team members beside the hearse.

The two pieces of information—"Chen Li is the evil spirit" and "the bungalow cannot be returned to"—were deeply imprinted in Edward's mind.

Edward steadied himself, took out the map of the five-hundred-meter area drawn by the newspaper boy a few days ago, and quickly formulated a response plan:

"The situation is worse than we imagined! Returning to the bungalow means certain death... The only way to survive now is to use the five-hundred-meter radius in which we can move and evade the evil spirit's pursuit.

"If all four of us stay together, we'll be wiped out the moment we encounter the evil spirit.

"I suggest we split into two groups and act separately!

"This will increase the survival chances of at least some of us... I'm sorry. My abilities are limited. I may not be able to bring all of you out alive."

"I'll be on your team!!"

The blonde Monica naturally clung to this lifeline.

In her eyes.

Nicholas, whose body was weak and who spent every day resting in his room, and the believer Akaman, who did nothing but pray at every turn, could neither survive nor deserved to survive.

At this moment, the Woman in Red Robe standing in the second-floor corridor had already begun to move, leaving them little time to discuss how to split up.

"Then let's divide up like this... Miss Akaman and I will be a team." Han Dong said with a bitter expression.

Edward gave a knowing smile and handed Han Dong a map. "Everyone, flee separately. You and Akaman head toward the southern hill... You must survive!!"

Edward appeared concerned, but he had pointed Han Dong toward the most difficult route.

Han Dong and Akaman were already in poor physical condition. If they fled toward the high slope, their stamina would be greatly depleted... if they encountered the evil spirit, they would not even have a chance to run.

However, Han Dong raised no objection.

"Run... I hope we can meet again in the Holy City."

They split into teams of two and fled in the north and south directions... Edward fled downhill, where there was also a cluster of abandoned buildings at the foot of the mountain for hiding.

After the team members scattered in all directions, Chen Li, who had slowly walked to the first floor of the bungalow, revealed an eerie smile.

At this time, her younger brother Da Qing came over from the direction of the latrine, carrying an oil lamp.

"Sis... do we really have to help that foreigner who can speak the Nine Provinces language? We don't actually need to take the risk."

"Help!"

Chen Li's black hair was disheveled, and she had entered a state of possession.

That single word made her younger brother Da Qing shudder... He did not dare voice any objection.

That was right.

Although the paper doll arrangement had nothing to do with Han Dong, Chen Li's appearance had been arranged entirely by Han Dong...