Location: Linghui Academy Ruins · Abandoned Sports Hall (Ghoul Den)
Once a hall of youth and shouts, it is now a breeding ground for death and evolution.
In the center of the Sports Hall, the massive football field had long been trampled into a muddy swamp. At this moment, a bloody feast was unfolding in this mud swamp.
Hundreds of ghouls of various forms, like devils returned from hell, were frantically tearing and devouring a mountain of mutated rat corpses!
These mutated rats were comparable in size to house cats, with grayish-black fur, exposed fangs, and blood-red eyes. They were clearly the vanguard of a massive rat pack from a nearby area, and had unfortunately stumbled into this forbidden zone.
“Roar—!”
A particularly burly ghoul (Bone Eater Realm early stage), covered in grayish-white bone armor, let out a deafening roar.
Its thick bone claws, like steel pincers, easily crushed the head of a mutated rat, stuffing the still twitching rat corpse into its giant, fanged mouth. The chewing sound was bone-chilling.
Dark red rat blood mixed with brain matter dripped down its chin, staining the bone armor on its chest.
Around it, more ghouls swarmed like hungry wolves. The sound of bones shattering, flesh tearing, and greedy swallowing… intertwined into a horrifying symphony of death.
Ghoul Evolution Method: Flesh and Blood Devouring.
On the dilapidated grandstand at the highest point of the Sports Hall.
Zhuang Han’s massive body stood like a sculpture. His body, covered in dark jade scales, reflected a cold luster under the blood moon. The wound on his left shoulder, torn by Lei Zhan’s electromagnetic pulse punch, had already scabbed over.
His scarlet beast eyes, like cold searchlights, scanned the bloody “training ground” below. Each scan carried a sense of… scrutiny and… a subtle, almost imperceptible… restlessness.
The cold will of the Soul Jade Physique was imprinted deep in his soul. Fragmented memories from his master—of how humans in his previous life trained elite soldiers, how they sharpened their edge through actual combat—were like an invisible whip, constantly lashing at his nerves.
“Weak… too weak…” Zhuang Han’s throat emitted a low gurgle, like sandpaper rubbing.
These ghouls, though numerous, were mostly still at the Ghoul Realm. Devouring these low-level mutated rats would only make them a bit stronger, their bone spurs a bit sharper, but they were still too far from the “elite legion” his master demanded!
They needed… stronger opponents! More brutal battles! To temper true ferocity… in blood and fire!
His gaze subconsciously turned towards the depths of the ruins outside the Sports Hall, shrouded in darkness. There… were “neighbors.”
Hmm, it seems he’ll have to trouble those three little brats to help with the training…
Perhaps due to inheriting a portion of Ling Chen’s original power, Zhuang Han seemed to have developed a bit of a mischievous streak.
Location: Linghui Academy Ruins · Library Underground Safe Room
The cramped space was filled with the greasy smell of canned food and a faint musty odor. Several makeshift lights, cobbled together from car batteries and LED beads, emitted a pale, sickly glow.
Tang Buyu leaned against a collapsed bookshelf, his face somewhat pale.
His right hand was loosely cupped, and above his palm floated a palm-sized piece of… a can lid, its edges shimmering with a metallic glint.
Under his mental control, the fragment fluttered up and down like a nimble butterfly, cutting through the air with a faint hiss.
He was practicing.
Practicing more precise control over metal, practicing how to maximize the lethality of limited metal fragments. He had to become stronger! Stronger, faster!
“Brother Buyu, water.”
Bai Lingdong’s voice carried a hint of fatigue. She carefully handed him a mineral water bottle with only half its contents remaining.
Her complexion was worse than Tang Buyu’s, her lips cracked, and her eyes sunken. Around her neck, the inconspicuous, tear-drop shaped silver pendant (spatial fragment) clung to her skin, emitting an almost imperceptible coolness.
“Thanks.” Tang Buyu took the water, took only a small sip to moisten his dry throat, and then handed the bottle back to Bai Lingdong, “You drink.”
Bai Lingdong shook her head, stubbornly pushing it back: “I’m not thirsty. You use more energy.”
In the corner, Li Bing’s figure seemed to melt into the shadows, almost imperceptible.
He had his eyes closed, seemingly resting, but the layer of dark shadow flowing like water ripples over his body indicated that he was fully operating his 【Shadow as My Body】 ability, guarding the safe room’s only entrance—the heavy fire door that Tang Buyu had blocked tightly with metal bookshelf wreckage.
“Food… is running low again.”
Li Bing’s voice came as if from the depths of the shadows, carrying a hint of solemnity. He pointed to the empty can boxes and compressed biscuit wrappers piled in the corner.
“At most… three more days.”
A brief silence fell over the safe room. The oppressive atmosphere pressed down on everyone’s nerves like a tangible weight.
“We have to go out again.”
Tang Buyu’s voice was low and firm. He stopped manipulating the metal fragment, which silently dropped back into his palm. “The supply point in the library is empty. We need to go further… the Experiment Building’s underground warehouse, or… the small supermarket in the cafeteria.”
“Small supermarket?” Bai Lingdong’s voice carried a hint of imperceptible tremor, “That place… it’s too close to that Sports Hall…”
She would never forget the demonic figure (Zhuang Han) from a few days ago, and the overwhelming tide of ghouls! If Li Bing hadn’t desperately activated 【Shadow Space】, the three of them would have long become ghoul fodder. And that Sports Hall… was now the ghouls’ lair!
“I know it’s dangerous.”
Tang Buyu clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white from the effort.
“But we have no choice. Staying here is waiting for death. Going out… there’s still a glimmer of hope.” He looked at Li Bing, “Bingzi, how many more times can you use your Shadow Space?”
Li Bing slowly opened his eyes, shadows swirling within them: “Short distance, twice. Long distance… once. Energy recovery… is very slow.”
Two chances. This meant they only had two chances to make a mistake.
“Alright.” Tang Buyu took a deep breath.
“Tomorrow at dawn. Target, the cafeteria’s small supermarket. There might be sealed protein bars, energy drinks, and even… weapons.”
He looked at Bai Lingdong, his gaze falling on the pendant around her neck: “Lingdong, your pendant… at a critical moment, we’ll rely on it.”
Bai Lingdong subconsciously tightened her grip on the pendant; its cool touch brought her some reassurance. This seemingly ordinary pendant, left by her parents, was her last life-saving trump card. She nodded, her voice soft but resolute:
“Mhm.”
Location: Abandoned Sports Hall · Grandstand
Zhuang Han’s scarlet beast eyes suddenly locked onto the direction of the Sports Hall! A faint but clear energy fluctuation… drifted in on the night wind! It was the sharp sensation of metal! It was the ripple of space! And also… the aura of living people!
“Roar…” He let out a low, excited roar from his throat.
My dear trainers… they’ve delivered themselves!
His massive body slowly turned, his bone-spiked tail sweeping across the ground like a steel whip, emitting a harsh scraping sound. In his scarlet beast eyes, that hint of restlessness was replaced by a cruel… anticipation.
“Whet… stone…” He awkwardly uttered a few words, terms from the fragmented memories instilled by the Soul Jade Physique.
Below, the ghouls, having finished devouring the rat pack, seemed to sense their leader’s excitement. They all raised their heads, letting out a chorus of roars, their scarlet eyes glinting with bloodthirsty light in the darkness.
Zhuang Han suddenly raised his bone-armored right claw, pointing towards the Sports Hall!
“Go… tear… them apart!”
Of course, he couldn't actually let them be torn apart. At that time, he would issue a mandatory command for them to stop, otherwise his master would definitely rage.
Location: Sports Hall · Corridor outside Equipment Room
The air was thick with dust and the smell of rust. Broken emergency lights buzzed with current, their light flickering, stretching the shadows of twisted, deformed metal lockers like ghosts.
Tang Buyu led the way, tightly gripping two sharp short spears fashioned from metal table legs. His 【Metal Storm】 ability was poised, his perception scanning every corner ahead like an invisible radar.
Li Bing, like a true shadow, moved close to the shadows on the wall, his figure blurred and indistinct. 【Shadow as My Body】 made him almost blend into the environment, responsible for guarding the flanks and rear.
Bai Lingdong was protected in the middle. Her hands tightly clutched the pendant around her neck, her heart pounding. Every gust of wind whistling through the broken holes made her jump.
“Ahead… turn left and it’s the equipment room.” Tang Buyu whispered, pointing to the corridor corner ahead.
The three carefully approached the corner. Tang Buyu gestured to stop; he listened intently… silent. It was too quiet. Quiet to the point of… being eerie.
“Something’s wrong…” Li Bing’s voice, like a mosquito, whispered in Tang Buyu’s ear (shadow transmission), “There are… things in the shadows… many…”
Tang Buyu’s pupils contracted! Just then!
“Roar—!!!”
A deafening roar suddenly exploded from behind the corner! Immediately following! A tidal wave of ghoul roars instantly engulfed the entire corridor!
