Unexpected

Chapter 48: Accident

Her bright, gentle gaze swept over everyone present with a look of confusion.

Although her legs were disabled, she was truly beautiful. Her appearance was not the type to stun at first glance, but the longer one looked, the more firmly one was drawn to her.

Moreover, even now, this disabled girl had not made a scene or lost control of her emotions.

Her left hand gripped the armrest of her wheelchair tightly; it was clear that her inner state was not as calm as her expression suggested.

At a time like this, it was natural for Zhou Li to step forward and offer her a brief explanation.

Because she was the only newcomer this time, Zhou Li found it relatively easy to explain things.

And... although she remained suspicious, she did not ask reckless questions.

Everyone approved of her performance, yet they did not believe she would be able to survive well in the Mist Gathering.

After all... her legs were far too inconvenient.

Bai Yanliang glanced at her and suddenly asked, "Are you from Ye City?"

The girl's eyes brightened slightly. She turned to look at Bai Yanliang and replied, "Yes."

"Sir, do you... know me?" the girl asked in a low voice.

Bai Yanliang shook his head, looked into her eyes, and said, "Your wheelchair has the emblem of Ye City Third Hospital on it."

"Are you from Ye City too, sir?"

"Yes."

Hearing Bai Yanliang's affirmative answer, her gaze seemed to brighten a little more.

It wasn't quite trust; it was that strange feeling of encountering a "fellow townsman" in a "foreign land."

The communication between the two did not last long, as the gray mist surrounding them had already begun to change.

Names rapidly condensed and took shape one by one.

Because twelve people had died last time and only one newcomer had entered this time, the total number of people was thirty-eight.

The arrangement was completed quickly.

Li Mu, Feng Xiuxue, Du Shangjing, Lin Yan, Yang Xiu, Zheng Jiajia... six people per row, for a total of seven rows.

In the final row, two names stood out, trailing at the end of the orderly thirty-six.

Bai Yanliang, Yu Sheng.

Only then did everyone learn the name of this disabled girl.

She had a beautiful name, but she had not been able to have a beautiful life.

Everyone held their breath and stared. All the names had already taken shape, which meant that this time's mission selection... was about to begin.

At this very moment, only heavy or rapid breathing could be heard within the Mist Gathering.

Bai Yanliang was not particularly worried. He remembered a rule in the Mist Gathering: those who served as Grudge-Bound... if they successfully completed their previous mission, they would be automatically skipped for the next one.

And he had been a Grudge-Bound last time.

Therefore, Bai Yanliang had come this time basically with the intention of observing the members of the Mist Gathering.

Just then, the transformation of the names finally began.

And this time, the first name to turn blood-red was, unexpectedly... Li Mu!

Before the crowd's shock could subside, six more names followed in quick succession, turning blood-red!

Lin Yan, Yu Hanzhou, Huang Yourong, Su Qian, Bai Yanliang, Yu Sheng!

"How is this possible!"

"How could it be like this?!"

"..."

Cries of shock and doubt rose one after another; the Mist Gathering was in an uproar!

It was not only because the first person chosen as a Grudge-Bound was Li Mu, the one who had survived the longest.

What was even more unbelievable was that Yu Hanzhou and Bai Yanliang, the two Grudge-Bound from the previous mission, had actually been selected again!

This meant... the rules had been broken?

At this moment, even Bai Yanliang was very surprised, let alone Yu Hanzhou.

The young double-doctorate holder stared blankly at his blood-red name, and behind him was Su Qian, whose expression was somewhat strange.

She seemed to be afraid, yet also somewhat happy, stealing glances at Yu Hanzhou's back from time to time.

As for Lin Yan and Huang Yourong, although they showed no excessive reaction, their bloodless lips revealed that their hearts were far from calm.

And the newcomer, Yu Sheng, did not yet fully understand what this meant, nor did she know what she was about to face...

The shock and uproar of the crowd did not last long; soon, the second mission began.

This time, the first name to turn blood-red was... Zhou Li.

Zhou Li's expression remained unchanged as he quietly looked up, waiting for the "companions" who would be joining him.

However... an accident occurred once again.

This time, only one person's name turned red alongside Zhou Li's... Yu Wenxuan.

Zhou Li's gaze shifted slightly as he searched through the crowd, meeting a pair of squinting eyes and a smiling face.

"Hello."

Zhou Li nodded slightly, though he was suddenly startled in his heart: Yu Wenxuan... when did this person enter the Mist Gathering?

This name appeared in the middle of the thirty-eight names, so logically, he should be considered a veteran; why, then... was his impression of him so faint?

It was not just Zhou Li who felt this way; in fact, there were many people who only revealed an "oh, it's him" expression after Yu Wenxuan took the initiative to step forward.

Yu Wenxuan himself seemed not to have expected that he would be singled out at such a peculiar moment.

This should... be the first time everyone has encountered a mission involving only two people, right?

Du Shangjing's expression grew increasingly grave.

The Mist Gathering was becoming stranger and stranger... this was definitely not a good sign, and he vaguely felt that perhaps some extraordinary event was about to occur.

This premonition had no basis, but Du Shangjing took it to heart because... it was this very inexplicable intuition that had saved his life many times before.

At this moment, the final mission began.

The name that turned red first this time was... Lu Guo.

Lu Guo was stunned, then stepped forward. Me again... and it's finally my turn for the Grudge-Bound...

Following that, three more names quickly turned red alongside Lu Guo's.

Xu Zhi'an, Yan Feibai, and... Qi Nian.

Qi Nian again?

Lu Guo looked at her. After the last time, he had tried to contact that woman privately, though not because he had any designs on her.

Because... she looked far too much like Lu Ran, and aside from a pervert, no one would have thoughts about their own younger sister.

But... Qi Nian had never responded to a single word of his in reality; no... she hadn't even sent a single message when everyone was enthusiastically praising her in the group chat.

Regardless, the three groups had fully stepped out.

Yu Sheng blankly followed Bai Yanliang's movements; after all... he was, to some extent, a fellow countryman.

At this moment, the same transformation as before was quietly taking place.

Under Yu Sheng's incredulous gaze, the remaining names dissipated with a roar and condensed once more into three lines of text, floating in mid-air.

"One, Heartless Blood Sacrifice, survive for three days."

"Two, Flesh Not Yet Dissolved, whence comes the guest, survive for seven days."

"Three, Who Bestows the Comb, face the mirror to form a visage, limit of three days."

Bai Yanliang read them carefully, memorizing every word.

Heartless Blood Sacrifice.

What could this interpretation be hinting at...

"It has begun."

Zhou Li's voice was no longer as relaxed as before.

And with his words, the three lines of misty characters rapidly dispersed, transforming into a thick fog that enveloped everyone.

Yu Sheng's fingers turned white from gripping them so tightly; she finally felt it...

This terror surging from the depths of her soul.