Chapter 111 - The Institute (52)

The bullet streaked through the air with a deafening roar, tearing through the void and causing an ear-piercing whistle before exploding violently against the steel canisters!

In the same breath, Chao Bin flicked the lighter.

Boom––

Under their horrified gazes, some parts of the room actually lit on fire! The sound of air gushing from the pierced holes inside the metal canisters overpowered the intensified shrill wails of the organisms in the room. The heavy smell of strange toxins and dried blood spilled into the room, and like water had been thrown into burning pot of oil, the parasitic monster's attacks suddenly became chaotic and scattered.

The grew smoke billowed upwards from the scalding black opening of the muzzle, 

Tang Shun lifted his lips maliciously, unfazed by the sudden scene, this was within the scope of his expectations, the finger that bent against the trigger never left, he smiled and with an unexpected move, he actually pulled the trigger again!

Another bullet slammed into metal tubes, the host bodies screeched even louder, although they didn't stop their attacks, it could be seen that a wide empty radius had been formed around the space in front of the metal tubes.

One after another, bullets slammed into the metal tubes, piercing empty dark holes into the dark surface, the flames burned brighter and brighter, and the sound of wails grew louder. 

The doors behind them were locked and it wasn't long before the players realize that their situation was truly unprecedented scale this time, if they come and get out they would be trapped here with the parasitic spores until they were eventually defeated from exhaustion and reduced to nothing but nutrients and egg capsules for these creatures.

The disgusting creatures weren't strong by useless without a host body, but they could reproduce asexually on the spot as well as quickly controlling a players neurons brain cells that would autonomously control the dead corpse to give it the appearance of false life!

Chao Bin who had been watching all of this suddenly felt a faint prick on his finger, but before he could react, his mind quickly suck into a euphoric swamp, unable to struggle or even resist!

The violent and ruthless, Chu Yi had appeared beside him at an unknown time, the exposed scarlet lines on his skin and the hair that stuck to his chin, wet with sweat and blood didn't seem to faze him. There was a lingering sense of excited tyranny and cruelty, his beautiful face reminded him of a dazzling, white rose stained with a sinful red.

There was no need to ask the fate of the scorpion monster.

The taut lines of Tang Shun arm stretched out, as his hands continued to release bullet after bullet, even when the smoke in the room had started singing and burning in their lungs, his hands never stopped, the feeling of his heart racing and dopamine flooding his nerve endings made his mind run wild with the unstoppable feeling!

Hollow bullets.

This kind of bullet had powerful penetration ability and great killing power, it could be filled with anything, poison, gunpowder and toxins that would explode violently and seep into the broken flesh of its victim.

Using it here so plainly, even felt like a kind of waste.

Mu Fang followed by the rest of the players suddenly surrounded their side, naturally assuming a position behind Tang Shun, however the gaze they used to stare at his back was hostile.

The parasitic monster's were naturally attracted to them, and the situation became even more tense as they struggled to beat back the concentrated effort of all the creatures, scarlet blood rained, screams and wails echoed inside the empty walls, flames burned and gunshots roared!

It was as if a tiger in the front and lion on the back, the parasites seemed hell bent on devouring their flesh but behind them the doors were locked and seemed to be no route of escape for them!

But Tang Shuns action only seemed to be making them worse, 

Mu Fang's face was solemn, and his voice took on a heavy questioning tone as he spoke to the two, "If you can't give me a good reason as to why you're doing this, then I'd be forced to stop you. Even if you're no longer human, I won't have you put the rest of in danger for you're selfish desires, if you want to seek death, do it on your own terms."

Tang Shun seemed to pause at his words and slowly lower the gun as if intimidated, the yellow smoke and flames reflected in his dark pupils like the soul fire on the shores of the softly, winding yellow river straight from the nine realms.

His brows furrowed, face sinking to a anxious as he quickly moved back, and twisted the gun, even as the hot nuzzle burnt his skin!

Almost immediately after Mu Fang spoke up, the subconscious fluctuations were captured in the eyes of everyone. He seemed to have acquiesced to Mu Fang's words but to everyone's surprise, he didn't rush to explain himself but suddenly reached over and dragged Chao Bin to his side. The youth's shoulders, arms, waist, and abdomen were all extremely tense, and beneath the player's astonished gaze, he turned the gun and smashed down to Chao Bin's arm with the handle.

Something flew off and with a flash of cold light, Chu Yi suddenly swung the sharp knife in his hands, the putrid sound of knife meeting flesh appeared and when they refocused, Chu Yi had completely sliced in half the disgusting parasite that has unbeknownst to them crawled up Chao Bin's body and was trying to squirm into his flesh!

Tang Shun's face turned black.

Chao Bin felt as if he had been abruptly pulled out a sticky and heavy swamp, his mind was dazed and the sharp pain from before seemed to have disappeared but before he could register what happened, his legs stumbled and he crashed directly into Tang Shun's arm.

The players who still had the mind to say something was directly horrified, frantically searching themselves and distancing from watching other wearily. Such an attack was silent and couldn't be defended against.

Without being able to kill them a second away from the larvae leaving its host body, then the players could only struggle and barely cope under their onslaught. 

Even managing to kill it would only mean that it would multiply–

Not killing it instead, would mean being at the risk of being parasitized without anyone being none the wiser.

Chu Yi raised a brow at the hugging figures beside him, unable to stop the smirk from appearing at his lips, turning away he quickly noticed Mu Fang's burning stare, the smile on his lips grew even more exaggerated!

Mu Fang kept his composure and continued to speak, double, "I still stand by my previous statement. Tang Shun has made the situation worse by adding flames and guns to the mix." His voice passionate, "I won't allow you guys to play around with everyone's lives, just because yours will be short!"

Chu Yi had seen this maneuver many times before, the art of borrowing a knife to kill. Insinuating that they're short-lived, therefore will inevitably have different priorities than the rest, accusing them of wanting to harm the others and placing them in awkward position where they could neither go up or down. 

Their was no evidence in his words at all but such subtle mind games quickly made it so subconsciously the players would start to see as outcasts and white-eyed wolves among them.

He almost laughed, but instead Chu Yi stared meaningfully down into Mu Fang's eyes, regardless, it wasn't until Mu Fang had started ruminating uncomfortably in his heart did he finally shift his head away.

"Unless you plan to become food for the parasites," as he spoke, Chu Yi's hand swung his hand before him and chopped in half the fleshy larvae that had dropper from the ceiling above watching its body quickly melt into a pool of yellow flesh and immediately forming two smaller flesh larvae's that lungs at them. They're reproduction speed seemed to be getting faster. "–Then what we're trying to do is find a way out."

The players attention was quickly brought away from the budding hostility in their hearts, it wasn't erased but for now, all of them shoved the emotion down. 

Chu Yi almost wanted to applaud Mu Fang for his successful instigation, but his mind was completely still, such a thing would not cause fluctuations in his heart.

"If you look closer at the metal tubes, you can tell that they are completely disrupted from the entire room, almost as if the walls were built after it. Such abnormal discrepancy could only signal one thing, the tubes can be detached."

Mu Fang quickly caught on, this in fact was his true purpose of coming to them now. In fact, he had only barely made it to the lowest rung of official players by relying on a special prop. He had neither overwhelming strength or intelligence and therefore although he could fool some of these reserve players with his act, the true veterans would have long figured out this part. But since he couldn't, then he would just take it from these people, they would soon be dead anyways.

Intelligence couldn't make up for the lack of experience.

Even though his mind was sneering viciously, his face showed nothing of it, with a dignified and resolute look, he nodded heavily at Chu Yi and powerfully pulled out a pair of knives. Before anyone could react, the two silver figures pierced through the burning room, galloping into the distance, with the speed of light before slamming into the gloomy metal canisters!

Gas from the tubes immediately gushed heavily from the two deep back holes that were punctured into the solid tube, with a wave of his hand, the knives were chicly summoned back and with a flashing silver arc, they jumped back into Mu Fang's hand!

The admiration in the players eyes grew deeper.

Chu Yi narrowed his eyes as he watched the now roaring fire. The bright yellow reflections flickered against his brighly-coloured eyes.

The flames instantly surged in intensity along with the release of the gas, and when he looked over lazily, there was a hint of arrogance lingering at the corner of his lips. 

Tang Shun looked around at the burning lab room, under his hands, the entire laboratory had been turned into a burning furnace. The smoke choked their lungs and the stench of rotting blood was overwhelming, fear–greed– despair–anger, He inhaled a deep breath, feeling the negative emotions being absorbed into his body, his eyes glinted sharply and with malicious grin, he slowly raised the dark muzzle in his hands.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

Tang Shuns finger slowly squeezed the trigger–

The monster's suddenly became frantic as if sensing something, Chu Yi even noticed an emotion akin to fear radiating from their bodies!

Boom––

The final bullet in the magazine left the muzzle with a ruthless smoke trail, even the air seemed to shatter as time itself slowed in the player's dilated pupils–

It hit the canister!

Bang!–

The tube suddenly fell! 

Bursting out from within, as it slammed against the lab floor, stripping away to reveal a pitch black gaping hole in the wall!

But the players didn't have time to feel joy when the atmosphere suddenly changed,

The air stilled and slowly the players felt an uncanny heartbeat slowly sounding from the void!

Ba–Dump, Ba–Dump–

It was as if with the final bullet something terrifying had been woken up!

A sticky fragrance of roses suddenly appeared, with an ambiguous touch it slowly teased Chu Yi's senses and softly trailed along the tip of his nose, 

His red eyes darkened to a crimson black.

The players faces changed, sudden horror settling deep in their hearts as an oppressive and irresistible pressured suddenly billowed from the gaping hole!

Chu Yi also felt the deep and gloomy aura suddenly engulfing the air, pressing heavily against their heads like subjects bowing in the face of a noble King.

The thought, made Chu Yi restless.

His heart seemed to be equipped with a motor, and it kept banging against his chest uncontrollably. A sense of fear unnaturally occupying his mind, his fingers trembled and his knees fell weak, as of with a slight push he would be forced to kneel in humility.

Tch–

Chu Yi's eyes narrowed dangerously and without hesitation, he slammed his teeth into his red tongue, piercing a deep painful hole into his mouth, not letting up until the inexplicable weakness disappeared!

The scarlet blood instantly overflowed from his swollen lips, trailing down the translucent skin of his face and dripping from the sharp lines if his chin!

The arrogance at the corner of his eyes grew deeper and a bloody smile appeared at his lips as he savored the feeling of pain.

The heartbeat grew louder!

At this time, the ground suddenly began to overflow with a familiar black liquid, as if the thing that had been holding then back disappeared, the blood pooled into the room extremely fast, occupying a large area of ​​the lab in an instant!

The players weren't initially wary of this sudden change, they had waded through this black sludge to get here but a steady stream of black sludge had flowed into the room, accumulating more and more on the ground, until some of the screeching parasitic monsters got stained with the liquid!

That's when the strange scene appeared.

The body part of the fleshy creatures that got soaked in the liquid, suddenly bloated like a fat sponge soaked in water, the pink arthropod began to swell and grow grotesquely, hideously bloody red capillaries started appearing from the stretched skin, beating in tune with the heart beat in the hole, the creature expanded out hideously, as if was slowly being filled with water until the hideously red balloons couldn't hold up any more and with a loud bang,

They exploded in a flood of blood and black sludge!