Chapter 344
Zhang Yang had moved so quickly, it was almost unbelievable. Even Su Jin finally realized that Zhang Yang had misled everyone right from the start. Regardless of whether it was the ones who knew who he was like Su Jin and Ning Ran, or the ones who didnt know like Xu Ge and the spirits, everyone had assumed that Zhang Yang was just a clever dude with little fighting skills.
This was a perfect disguise. Both Su Jin and Zhang Yang were some of the best strategists among owners like themselves, but Su Jin was also great at fighting, so some of his setups and strategies were based on his physical strength and abilities.
Zhang Yang, on the other hand, was clearly not as skilled in fighting as Su Jin. He presented himself as more of a quirky and unpredictable character, like wasting the two items he was allowed to use on exacting revenge on Su Jin.
But while Zhang Yang wasnt as skilled as Su Jin, it didnt mean he wasnt skilled at all. Or rather, there werent many owners who were more skilled at fighting than Su Jin in the first place.
Either way, Zhang Yang had made good use of Su Jins incredible strength to hide his true prowess, and only revealed it when absolutely necessary.
Xu Ges eyes were round and wide, because he hadnt noticed Zhang Yang coming toward him at all. By the time he realized what was going on, Zhang Yangs finger blade was already in his throat.
Xu Ge collapsed onto the floor with a loud thud, kicking up a large cloud of dust. Zhang Yang wiped the blade before it turned back into his finger again.
Good job, said Su Jin as he breathed a sigh of relief. The spirit hesitated for a moment, then turned into a cloud of smoke that vanished immediately. The spirit clearly felt that it was too hard to fight Su Jin and Zhang Yang together.
After it had vanished, Su Jin checked the mirror. Thankfully, Zhang Yang had killed Xu Ge in time, so the mirror was only cracked on the perimeter and wasnt badly affected.
I was so scared Ning Ran was obviously the most frightened. She was now inside the mirrors world, so if the mirror were shattered, she would probably die too.
Thank you so much, Su Jin thanked Zhang Yang.
Zhang Yang threw Su Jin a glance and sneered, Ive realized that youre a really weird guy. Were all Handbook owners and our aim is to survive this Challenge and get out of here. I did that because I didnt want to die, but you why are you thanking me? You make it seem like this whole things about you.
Su Jin burst out laughing when he saw Zhang Yangs annoyed expression. This was probably a habit left behind from being with his teammates all the time. He couldnt help but thank them every time they did something to help.
They turned the mirror to face the exit of the maze again. Ning Ran carefully opened the door on her side, and the door on Su Jin and Zhang Yangs side opened as well.
The two men exchanged glances, then walked out of the maze together. The moment they set foot past the door, Ning Ran appeared in front of them. Su Jin checked the mirror and she was no longer inside it.
Im out? Ning Ran was very happy. The mirror was no longer of use to the Challenge, so Ning Ran was allowed to come out of the mirror.
Watch out, though, Zhang Yang reminded her. This was not the time to celebrate, since the Challenge had clearly not come to an end yet. The dangers they would face right at the end would be even more terrifying.
Su Jin immediately pulled himself together and observed his surroundings cautiously. They discovered that they were in a small room, and this was probably the real third story of the house. When they turned back, they saw a model of a maze, which was probably what they had walked through earlier on.
There werent a lot of things in the room. A small bed, a study table, a light on the table, some papers, and a paintbrush. They walked over to the table to look and saw that there were many drawings on the papers.
This this is a drawing of what happened to us during the Challenge, Zhang Yang said to Su Jin after looking through a few pieces.
Su Jin nodded slightly. The drawings looked like they were done by a child, but the content was definitely what they went through so far.
The first one was about them when they first entered the house, then Qian Yingyings mishap, then Yu Wenkuo getting possessed, then their dreams on the second floor and their search for the key, then what happened in the maze after they entered the third floor. One of them showed a spirit whispering into Xu Ges ear. Xu Ge represented the ignorant lifeform, and that was a drawing of how he had been persuaded by the evil spirit.
But what surprised Su Jin was that there was more after that. The last piece showed the three of them trying to kill each other, and only one person survived. But the last person standing was just a silhouette, so they could not tell who it was.
Is this an oracular drawing? said Ning Ran as she trembled in fear.
An oracular drawing, huh. Su Jin and Zhang Yang both frowned. This was a common trope in novels, and it usually referred to people with supernatural powers or techniques who could use their words or art to control what was going to happen in the future.
Su Jin glanced at Zhang Yang. Zhang Yang immediately shook his head and said, Thats impossible. If the ending has already been fixed, then the struggle of the owners in this Challenge would be a joke. I wouldnt call this an oracular drawing. I think the spirits are trying to use this drawing to affect how we act.
But the front drawings were things that really happened. Ning Ran was very uneasy.
Zhang Yang scoffed. Ha! I think those spirits have just been observing us all this while and drew what happened, then left that last picture behind to subconsciously hypnotize us.
Does that mean if we just ignore it, nothing will happen? asked Ning Ran curiously.
Su Jin considered this, then shook his head. No Im afraid this drawing does possess some powers that we cannot understand. The drawings on these papers will happen.
Zhang Yang opened his mouth to retort, but he paused for a moment, then said, Are you saying that the drawings here will happen not because it is a prophetic vision of what will happen, but because the drawings themselves can control what we will do?
Youre smart. Su Jin nodded and said, But if thats the case, then we can just tear it up.
Su Jin was about to tear it up when Ning Ran suddenly reached out to snatch the drawing from him. Su Jin initially thought that Ning Ran was under the control of a spirit and was about to attack her when she shouted, No, Mr. Su, no!
If its already been drawn, it means that this ending already exists if destroying the drawings ends up being unable to change what happens, then then we wont have any other way out, she explained.
Su Jin froze. Ning Ran didnt explain it very well, but he got what she was saying. She was saying that since the drawing had already been made and they had already seen it, then destroying the drawing would not make any difference. Doing that would cast their fates in stone instead.
Ah, I was too rash. Su Jin slapped his head, then thanked Ning Ran, Thank you, Ning Ran. If not for you, I might have done something terrible!
No, no I just said what I was thinking, but thats all that came to mind, said Ning Ran a little embarrassedly.
But Su Jin and Zhang Yang exchanged glances, and Zhang Yang said, Then theres only one way to go about doing this.
Well treat it as an unfinished drawing! Su Jin smiled. He and Zhang Yang had thought of the same thing again. Since this drawing could affect the future, then they had to add some things to this drawing.
Su Jin and Zhang Yang started searching the desk, but they only found one paintbrush and no paint. Su Jin looked at Zhang Yang.
He shook his head, Dont look at me. My body doesnt have any blood in it.
My body has reached a level where its impossible for me to squeeze any blood out without the use of some high-grade Spirit Power item too. Nothings going to come out even if I hit myself, said Su Jin in frustration. He had a body that was comparable to a gods now, so it was impossible to hurt him unless one had very high-grade Spirit Power weapons.
They had no choice but to turn to Ning Ran, who did not hesitate and stretched her arm out. Zhang Yang grinned as he said, Sorry about that! and turned his finger into a blade before making a cut on her wrist.
Just then, a sinister air filled their surroundings, making Su Jin and Zhang Yang tense up. Su Jin handed the paintbrush to Ning Ran and whispered, Finish the drawing. You know what to draw, right?
Yep! Ning Ran wasnt stupid. She knew by now what she ought to draw.
Meanwhile, a black smoke suddenly arose in the room, which turned into an evil spirit with a face that kept switching between Xu Ge, Qian Yingying, and Yu Wenkuos. The three dead owners kept howling at Su Jin and Zhang Yang.
Get lost! bellowed Zhang Yang as he shot a bolt of electricity out from his body which struck the spirit accurately, but the smoke merely dissipated to dodge the attack and gathered again within seconds. This time, it charged toward Ning Ran, who was still drawing.
I wont let you get your way! yelled Su Jin as the silver glint in his eyes turned into a shield that blocked the spirits way.
But the spirit hit the shield with a claw, which made Su Jin tremble violently all over before causing him to actually vomit blood.
Damn it, so much for boasting about my godlike body I just puked blood from getting bashed, thought Su Jin with a bitter smile on his face. His psychokinesis was running out fast and it was probably going to run out in less than a minute.
Zhang Yangs body had some resistance against these supernatural things, so he ran toward the spirit to attack it, but the spirit sent some of its black smoke into Zhang Yangs nose, and Zhang Yang stood still, unable to take the next step forward.
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