Chapter 196: Pray

Chapter 196: Pray

Deep into the night, the gray blue sky was free of stars. The lonesome moonlight washed over the Eleventh High School. All throughout the campus, horrifying rune corpses roamed about. The air was filled with an eerie atmosphere.

Pzzt—

All speakers in the school crackled for a brief moment before a song started to play. Violins, nylon guitars, oboes, and pianos composed a quaint, melancholic melody, accompanied by the hums of a soprano.

The rune corpses became anxious and excited, and they followed the music and dashed toward the speaker closest to them.

“Now!”

From the broadcast room on the fifth floor, Gray Bear opened the door and led the charge, followed by Black Sparrow and Xiuyi.

Xiran, Ronnie, Can, and Yellow Butterfly were in the middle, and Nine Frost, Gao Yang, and Old Joe were in the back.

Most rune corpses in the corridor had rushed to gather under the speaker outside the classrooms, leaving only two seriously injured rune corpses dragging themselves along the floor.

The cool morning dew dampens the black tuxedo.

A fog descends upon the pebbled path, the father murmurs in prayer.

Cruel is the resolution made in resignation. This chapter was first shared on the Ñøv€lß1n platform.

It’s all to pave the way leading to the sanctum.

As the music played, Gray Bear and Black Sparrow each approached the two rune corpses from the back. After an exchange of glances, they pounced on the rune corpses and grabbed their hair, slamming their heads to the floor.

Soon, the two rune corpses stopped moving.

Gray Bear and Black Sparrow immediately stood up and waved their companions over, signaling them to catch up. They went to the stairway and rushed downstairs.

Stubborn fog obscures all intentions.

To whom does the halted pacing belong?

Before tears can fall,

A bullet shoots through and drains the warmth.

They rushed to the third floor at once before suddenly, Gray Bear and Black Sparrow halted in the lead. They reached out to stop their companions.

The others looked over and saw a rune corpse on the stairs. Covered in bites, its thighs had almost been chewed to the bones, and having lost the ability to walk properly, it crawled on the floor.

Its now twisted face had lost its chin, and the familiar fake smile was gone.

Its empty eyes glowed with flickering red as it swung its arms around, like it was trying to grab something.

Dark Li.

The sight was heartstopping.

“Dark Li...” The name escaped Yellow Butterfly’s mouth. Xiran quickly muffled her.

Hearing it, Dark Li flailed around madly in an attempt to grab the prey before it, croaking out unintelligible sounds.

Thud.

A wooden stick with a sharp end pierced through its right eye and straight into its brain.

We are all guilty,

Guilty of different sins.

The old pipe organ stands in the corner,

Keeping up the accompaniment nonstop.

Wind rustles the black curtain.

Sunlight quietly shines through

On the monster I have tamed.

“Ah!”

Gray Bear grabbed the announcement board for the students on duty and turned back to rush to the rune corpses, attempting to use it as a riot shield like earlier to buy his companions time. However, the board was too brittle, and the two sides broke off in less than a second, leaving only a small piece for Gray Bear to protect himself.

Most rune corpses forewent Gray Bear and rushed toward the prey behind him.

Charging at the front, Nine Frost kicked one rune corpse in the chest, twisting his body in the air while making another kick at another rune corpse.

That was the best he could do as a regular human.

The moment he landed, yet another rune corpse lunged at him. Gao Yang showed up just in time with a metal dustpan he had found somewhere. And clang! It hit the rune corpse in the head, sending it flying. He saved Nine Frost at the last moment.

Nine Frost’s eyes flashed with gratitude.

But more rune corpses were already coming.

Gao Yang and Nine Frost were close to the exit. If they ran without looking back, they should be able to escape on their own. However, there were more companions behind them.

No one could be completely rational. They could not simply make the most optimal choice after weighing the pros and cons.

Most of the time, people were driven by instincts and their beliefs of right and wrong.

“Out of the way!”

There were noises coming from behind them. Gao Yang and Nine Frost turned to see Xiran and Ronnie pushing a prop piano over. Gao Yang and Nine Frost jumped to the sides.

The prop piano hurtled into the fray of rune corpses, knocking them off balance, but the prop piano itself broke down.

At the same time, Black Sparrow and Xiuyi had lifted a pot of sago palm and hurled it at the rune corpses. The rune corpses toppled like dominoes, and the moment of chaos bought them a few precious seconds.

“Run! Hurry!” Gao Yang urged.

They rushed toward the door, but came to a sudden halt after taking a few steps. Outside, about a dozen rune corpses were swarming their way after hearing the commotion.

Nine Frost shouted, “We can’t leave this way! Go back! Upstairs!”

They turned back. A few rune corpses rolled down the stairs and quickly picked themselves up before rushing at them. Behind them were even more frenzied rune corpses.

Their way back was blocked as well.

It felt as if all the rune corpses in the building were rushing into the main hall. Strangely, Gao Yang couldn’t hear the growls of the rune corpses at that moment, nor could he hear his companions’ voices. The faint song alone monopolized his hearing.

Silently yell, silently yell.

The lonesome feeling permeates,

Mocking me nonstop.

Memories burn.

Images of innocence lost

Surface cruelly and gently.

Time of vulnerability arrives.

Let us pray together.