The sound came in waves, beating against No. 2's nerves and gradually wearing him down. No. 13 sensed something was wrong and immediately snatched the phone away, but the sound turned on him next.
As the crying began, the whole world fell silent.
Zhou Ze stared behind him in terror. At some point, everyone around them had stopped moving. Now they all turned their heads in unison, staring at them with eerie expressions.
They hadn't moved yet, but their shadows seemed unable to contain themselves. They gradually twisted and stretched, creeping toward the three of them.
"Get behind me." No. 2 left him with those words, then strode toward the shadows.
Zhou Ze pressed his back against the wall, his teeth chattering with fear. The shadows on the ground were all shapes and sizes; some were so misshapen that they no longer resembled people. But he could clearly sense the malice emanating from them.
At last, one shadow lurched toward No. 2, its head missing half its shape. In the next instant, a foot came down on the half that remained. No matter how it struggled, it couldn't break free.
Then No. 2 pressed down hard, and the shadow shattered.
Gradually, Zhou Ze began to see what was going on. The shadows looked vicious, but they couldn't last a single round against the cowboy-hatted man. He dealt with them as easily as chopping melons and vegetables.
At the thought, some color returned to Zhou Ze's pale face.
But No. 13, standing right beside him, looked more and more tense. Every time one of the shadows was taken out, another immediately took its place. They seemed endless, giving No. 2 no time to catch his breath.
Besides, he and the person beside him were no help at all. No. 2 even