Like a Stray Dog

Deep diving?

The siren became wary and denied it, saying, "No, I was just saying that out of anger. You saw it yourself, my abilities are just that weak. I'm this weak after fighting off just one ghost."

Zhao Yijiu ignored her explanation and muttered to herself, "If you're so good at maritime simulations, then you can do me a favor."

He tossed the cup aside, and to the astonishment of the siren and the others, he scooped her up from the ground, hooking her knees under his arm and hoisting her onto his shoulder.

"What are you doing!?" Zhao Mou was also unsure about his younger brother, who was in a ghostly state he had never met before. He immediately blocked Zhao Yijiu's shoulder and questioned, "Where are you going?"

"Don't be nervous, brother. I just need to take her somewhere; it's related to whether she can help me in the future." Zhao Yijiu steadied the struggling siren. After drinking water, the siren's skin had gradually returned to normal, but it was still very slippery, making it a little difficult to hold. He smiled and gently brushed Zhao Mou's hand away. "It's a very important favor, brother."

"With that Miss Qu who's really curious about me here, your safety is more than guaranteed. Trust me, when she can't hold off Han Yan, Yu Xing will drag me over to help."

"You're going to find Yu Xing?" Zhao Mou felt slightly relieved.

"Of course, he and that ghost in the blue clothes were mocking me for talking too much in the last round. How can I not take this opportunity to go and see?" Zhao Yijiu was not going to Yu Xing for help as Zhao Mou had imagined; clearly, he was there to cause trouble.

Zhao Mou: "..."

Siren: "Wait, I'm not going with you. I can't help you with anything. Put me down!"

Zhao Yijiu pressed down on her knees as a warning, a cold, eerie air seeping into the siren's skin through his fingers, instantly rendering her powerless to struggle. "You can. I said you can, so you can."

Siren: "..." What sins have I committed? First, Yu Xing asked me inexplicably if I had ever lived in an underwater dragon palace, and then Cold Wine seemed to have gone mad too, asking me if I was good at deep-sea diving?

Damn, is her secret that she's been hiding for so long really going to be exposed? She didn't even tell anyone in the Midnight Guild about these things.

It was obvious that Zhao Yijiu, who Ghostification, had a terrible temper and personality. It was his domineering nature, which was completely different from human nature, that made Zhao Mou realize that, yes, the person standing in front of him was a non-human race with a weak sense of morality. He absolutely could not lower his guard against him just because his behavior was no different from that of a human.

"Let him take his men away. Anyway, you can't stop him." Qu Xuanqing, as if she had watched the show long enough, stopped Zhao Mou from saying anything further and said to Zhao Yijiu, "You're right, I am indeed a little curious about you, because you now... are very similar to that guy Yu Xing. However, Yu Xing hasn't been this rude in a long time."

"Tsk, are you praising that person? If he were polite, he wouldn't have called me a chatterbox." Zhao Yijiu was bothered by that nickname, a hint of displeasure on his face, before turning around with the sea monster on his back.

The shadows around him suddenly enlarged, and before anyone could see his movements, he went to the corpse of the Crimson Dean, pulled out the Stop Killing, and then, in a daze, he and the Siren disappeared.

Zhao Mou: "..."

Zhao Mou couldn't help but feel a little worried, not only because of his younger brother's problem, but also because the live stream was focused on him, and everything that had just happened had been seen by the audience...

How can Zhao Yijiu convince his teammates that he's not such a bad person when he does normal deductions in the future?

That gloomy aversion to human contact wasn't feigned; presumably, after returning home this time, his younger brother will become withdrawn and isolated, reflecting on everything he did.

However, Zhao Mou's worries were unnecessary, because the audience outside had already gone wild the moment Zhao Yijiu appeared on the lawn.

Why did the screen suddenly go black? Oh no, the live stream didn't disappear, but I can't see anything anymore.

[Black screen is black, but at least play some sound so I can hear it! What's going on? There's no sound at all!]

[Has Han Yan started his attack? It seems like he uses shadow ghosts a lot in his powers.]

[Come on, what attack? This is clearly just the live stream being blocked.]

[Yes, I've seen the live stream blocking issue before. It seems that certain forces can indeed bypass the system to block live streams or negotiate with the system to temporarily shut them down.]

[So what's going on now? Who blocked this?! It's almost over, and they blocked it at this point. If I miss the exciting parts, I'm really...]

[Huh? It's back to normal. What happened? Where's the Siren?]

What is Zhao Mou looking at? And what's that pile of grayish things next to him?

"Don't worry, she'll be fine." Qu Xuanqing snorted when she saw Zhao Mou still staring at the spot where Zhao Yijiu had disappeared. In her opinion, Zhao Yijiu's ghostly state still followed Zhao Yijiu's own will; only her personality had changed. She still had no malice towards Zhao Mou or anyone else. From this perspective, Zhao Yijiu's control over the ghost was actually quite deep.

She felt that Zhao Mou was blinded by concern, which was why he couldn't see this point.

"Why did you bring me here?" When the siren realized where she was, she was immediately bewildered.

Here, the space is open and warm, with golden sunlight spilling across the ground. Looking up, you see clouds burning like fire, and even with your back to the setting sun, you can see wisps of its gradually brightening afterglow.

This is the rooftop; she's never been up here before. Why did Zhao Yijiu bring her here?

Zhao Yijiu gently put her down from his shoulder, looking down at her, his smile slowly widening, "It's very safe here. Even the Dean wouldn't dare to come up here casually. Just stay here and feel the power of dusk."

"What do you mean? What's in this twilight?" Even the slow-witted siren realized that Zhao Yijiu's words had a hidden meaning, and even if he hadn't said it, she could feel a subtle change in her body.

Beneath the skin illuminated by those warm rays, the scales stirred restlessly. This time, they weren't the illusory scales covering her skin when she activated her abilities, but rather the real scales that grew on the back of her hand when she dispelled the ghostly energy from Zhao Mou.

"I understand, people will mutate if they stay here!" Her pupils contracted, and she almost instantly tried to run away. She had just gotten up and hadn't even taken a step when Zhao Yijiu grabbed the back of her neck.

Zhao Yijiu was very close to her, his calloused fingers stroking the back of her neck, giving her a strong sense of danger. If her scales had grown back, she would probably explode again.

Zhao Yijiu looked at her with a hint of impatience, but after a moment's thought, his expression softened, and he said gently, "Stay here obediently and don't move. You're right about one thing, this place can indeed cause mutations, but it will only amplify the strangeness you already possess. If you undergo any changes, don't blame it on the magnetic field at the boundary of Yin and Yang; it's because you yourself are somewhat different from humans."

"Your power catalysis level is too low. If we wait any longer, I don't know when I'll be able to take you there... Anyway, because I need you, you need to adapt to the alienated side as soon as possible, understand?"

The siren wanted to say she didn't understand, but she knew she shouldn't provoke this obviously dangerous person in front of her. She could only try to negotiate. "I'm from the Midnight Guild. Even if you need my abilities, once we're out, if my guild doesn't release me, you can't forcibly take me away. So..."

"So what?" Zhao Yijiu released her and took a step back. "The person I want to take away, even if it's that Midnight Guild, can they protect them? And don't misunderstand, most of the time I'm a very socially awkward person, even easily embarrassed. I suppose when I come to you, I'll be the same."

At this point, he seemed to recall something amusing, and chuckled, "I didn't mean to hurt you. This is actually helping you control your abilities, so please don't refuse me, okay?"

He stared directly into the siren's deep blue eyes, where something indescribable was silently brewing within their dark depths.

The siren immediately closed her eyes, cold sweat beading on her temples. She dared not look directly into those eyes, and could only say in a trembling voice, "Okay, I understand."

You know nothing! Once you get out of here, do you really think you can catch up to my guild?

"What a good girl. You stay here then, I'm leaving first." Zhao Yijiu looked up at the horizon, checked the system's attention on him again, and, finding he could still have some fun a little longer, disappeared from the rooftop with satisfaction.

Only the siren remained. After standing for a while, she collapsed from exhaustion and slowly lay down. Like a fish out of the sea, she breathed with difficulty. A golden halo enveloped her body, and soon, blood gushed from her entire body.

That was when the scales finally pierced her skin and took root on her body. The fewest scales were on her cheeks, and the scales spreading on her neck stopped at her jawbone. At this stage, her breathing became smooth again.

The siren raised her hand, staring blankly at the marine creature's mucus that had appeared on her finger. Some unwanted memories surged from the depths of her consciousness. She sighed and muttered "What a sin," but dared not disobey the person's command.

Fortunately, this simulation is almost over, and she won't have to stay here for too long. The cost is still bearable.

At this point, there were still twenty minutes before the Fear Hospital would completely close.

Shafuri and Ren Yi met up and encountered Yu Jing on the way. The three of them quickly ran into the garden, where they joined the others, chased by the Shadow Dean.

The Shadow Dean, of course, saw the seven people in the garden. He sneered and, relying on his enormous size, slowly crawled out of the wall like a giant. His body could reach almost a quarter of the garden, and with that huge scalpel, almost 1.5 times the length of his body, he forced the seven people into a corner of the garden.

Qu Xuanqing tried to hurt it, but it was only a temporary fix. As long as the Fear Hospital building remained, the shadowy dean would not disappear.

"I really want to blow up this building..." This thought involuntarily surfaced in everyone's minds. It's a pity that no bombs are provided in this simulation.

Realizing it couldn't do anything to them, the Shadow Dean was somewhat angry, but it wasn't without options. After staring at the group menately for a while, it retreated back into the building. Immediately afterward, some mournful, inhuman sounds echoed from all around the building.

"He's continuing to kill the monsters in the tower, trying to get even bigger!" The Pearl Seller immediately realized the Shadow Dean's intention. Actually, having managed to hide in the garden for so long, she had developed some trust in Zhao Mou, who made this decision. However, it was obvious that the Shadow Dean had his own methods. If they couldn't come up with a new way, the Dean would probably return soon, with an even longer body and a larger scalpel...

"Don't worry about that." Ren Yi and Zhao Mou exchanged a glance and shook their heads. "The Dean isn't our biggest enemy, and his threat is far less than you perceive. We should be wary of Han Yan."

Shafuri had already used her strongest escape ability to distract the Dean, and now she was increasingly exhausted. Hearing this, she smoothed her hair and said, "Don't you think something's wrong? The rules have been broken; Han Yan can use all his power. Why hasn't he come looking for us yet?"

"It seems he's turned to someone else," Ren Yi said. "Disappearing when there's an opportunity to act suggests only two possibilities: either he's not planning a direct attack because of Qu Xuanqing's presence and is making additional preparations, or he's chosen someone more tempting to him and is temporarily unable to attend to us."

"Oh? You mean..."

"Han Yan Yu Xing, who left alone," Ren Yi said, offering a definitive answer.

How long can Yu Xing, a Struggle Level deducer, hold out against Han Yan, who is at the level of despair?

This was a strange question. Everyone thought about it, but found no answer, because in fact, according to common sense, it wasn't a question of how long they could last, but rather that they would die as soon as they met.

Yu Xing, this foundation can bring them completely unexpected developments and a future.

Perhaps, ultimately, it's because they don't know just how much strength Yu Xing is hiding; as they say, the unknown is the most terrifying.

Qu Xuanqing said, "He might be struggling on his own. Although he can hold them off, killing Han Yan is almost impossible."

She was the one who understood Yu Xing the most among these people. She knew Yu Xing's resurrection and recovery abilities very well, but if she wanted to kill Han Yan, she would need extremely powerful and extreme attack power, which only she could do. Yu Xing could not.

It has nothing to do with her own abilities, because Yu Xing's current level is not high enough to obtain powerful sacrifices that match her in larger-scale plot developments, and the existing sacrifices have not yet fully matured.

If it weren't for this, Yu Xing wouldn't need Qu Xuanqing to guide her into this deduction; Zhao Mou would have been enough.

"If necessary, I will leave here to help Yu Xing. If you haven't found a way to deal with the Shadow Dean by then, you'd better pray for yourselves," she coldly announced.

"You really are devoted to that kid. Hey, you should know that as long as we survive this simulation, once we get out, with our strength, Han Yan, a newly promoted Despair-level cultivator, won't be able to escape at all." For some reason, Shafuri felt a slight displeasure in her heart. She held back for two seconds, but still couldn't help herself.

"So what?" Qu Xuanqing looked at Shafuri, a hint of undisguised mockery in his eyes.

Shafuri was used to Qu Xuanqing's gaze. "Why can't you choose a safer way? There are clearly more rational options available, yet you insist on taking the risk with Yu Xing? Is he worth it?"

"Your logic is as idiotic as ever," Qu Xuanqing sneered. "If I were to choose the safer path, no one would have asked me to kill the bastard. Besides, this was my own choice. What do you mean by 'with Yu Xing '? Don't forget, you can choose to stall for time, and so can I. Why can't Yu Xing? Han Yan's goal is to kill everyone here and establish the authority of Single Prism. It's not targeting Yu Xing alone. He could also choose to hide, drag things out until the end, and then leave the mess to you major powers that have to retaliate. Wouldn't that be incredibly profitable for him?"

"But some things, some people, when you want to kill them, you have to kill them." She spoke at length, which surprised Shafuri. "And you're supposed to be on the Fallen Path? If you can't do what you want and you avoid powerful people, what's the point of everything you have? Is it just to bully more people weaker than you and keep getting stronger?"

"I..." Shafuri was speechless for a moment. What finally silenced her was Qu Xuanqing's last sentence.

"And what are you trying to persuade me to do? Your Midnight Guild would love for me to die here, wouldn't you?"

Qu Xuanqing's cold, thin smile seemed like a profound mockery, etched into Shafuri's eyes.

She pursed her lips, gave a cold laugh, but didn't argue with Qu Xuanqing as she usually did.

Because she was also a little puzzled. Yes, she should be the one who most wanted Qu Xuanqing dead, so why did she feel a strange displeasure when she saw Qu Xuanqing trusting Yu Xing so much?

She even advised Qu Xuanqing to choose a safer path... Has she lost her mind?!

No, she was simply used to men's fickleness, so she didn't want Qu Xuanqing to die in the end because of love or some other emotion, somewhere she couldn't see him. Qu Xuanqing should die from the attack in the dead of night, adding an achievement to their Midnight Guild! That's right!

Shafuri quickly found an excuse for herself; although she still felt a little uncomfortable, she managed to calm herself down.

Ignoring Shafuri's slightly changed expression, Qu Xuanqing checked the time on the system panel.

Fifteen minutes remain until the Fear Hospital closes.

Zhao Mou listened to the two women's argument in silence.

He and Qu Xuanqing had some different opinions about whether Yu Xing could kill Han Yan.

He was certainly aware of Qu Xuanqing's considerations regarding strength, but Qu Xuanqing's analytical habits often overlooked one factor. "Emotion."

... Han Yan's feelings for the Lingren, and the Lingren's feelings for Yu Xing.

Human emotions can sometimes truly reverse the outcome of a battle in an instant, and Zhao Mou has studied this point quite thoroughly.

Han Yan idolizes the Lingren. Even if he manages to wipe out all the guests here, at the cost of his own exposure or even destruction, the wrath of all the major powers will be directed at him after he leaves. His chances of survival are almost zero.

Even so, he still did all this for the Lingren, finding it sweet and fulfilling; this is the power of faith in one person.

As for the Lingren's feelings towards Yu Xing... Although Zhao Mou didn't know much, he could glean some information from the live stream of the Death Parallel Line. Coupled with his recent subtle probing into Yu Xing, it was basically certain that the Lingren, this paranoid, treated Yu Xing's death as his own possession. Not to mention, the Lingren might even need the living Yu Xing to do things for him.

This operation was planned by Single Prism long ago. Yu Xing found him before the system announced the list of participants and asked him to help with divination. That was because Han Yan had already chosen the Fear Hospital, so he would only get the result. In other words, regardless of Yu Xing participated or not, Lingren had already made Han Yan start the massacre in this live broadcast.

Yu Xing's involvement was an accident, Lingren... would they really let Yu Xing die so rashly in this "accident"?

What can fifteen minutes do for a madman?

What can three madmen possibly do?

The answer is that it's enough for Han Yan to prepare for the final wave of attacks, enough for Yu Xing to find Han Yan and interfere with him, and enough for Zhao Yijiu to find Yu Xing have a confrontation with him.

On the fourth floor, which was the first to be cleared out by the Shadow Dean, darkness almost drove away dusk, and the corridors and rooms were filled with all sorts of shadowy ghosts.

These shadows do not belong to any patients or medical staff; they are superfluous sins that have fallen from the Shadow Dean and the wall.

As the Dean grows stronger, they overflow, thus perpetuating their endless cycle of reproduction.

This kind of ownerless evil, devoid of self-awareness, is also the most suitable for Han Yan to control.

Han Yan stood in an office with its brand-name items falling off. All the furnishings in the room had been destroyed by the Shadow Ghost. In the empty space, only one hunched shadow after another surrounded him, spreading outwards like a spider web.

With his eyes closed and mind focused, he tirelessly controlled one Shadow Ghost after another, leaving him no extra energy to move the terrifying spectacle he was about to deliver to everyone here, including the viewers outside the live stream.

A dark, circular protective layer completely enveloped Han Yan, with grotesque ghost faces appearing on it from time to time. As they screamed and tried to escape, they were cruelly pulled back by the protective layer itself, which then served as their energy source.

So Ren Yi was wrong after all. Yu Xing didn't restrain him head-on. He just sent out a portion of his Shadow Ghost to chase after that overconfident guy who was running around the hospital.

"Bang!"

Yu Xing burst through the door of the first-floor storage room. The long run had taken its toll on his previously suppressed physical abilities. He leaned against the wall and gasped for breath. The shadows behind him followed like leeches.

However, this time the Shadow Ghost failed to entangle him and instead became much quieter.

Yu Xing raised an eyebrow and turned around to see Zhao Yijiu standing behind him, replacing Shadow Ghost.

"Yu Xing, you look pathetic, like a stray dog."

He heard Zhao Yijiu say this in a gloating tone.

"Oh?" Yu Xing's eyes narrowed into a dangerous arc. "Brother Jiu, even if this is your vengeful ghost form, I won't forget this line later, okay?"