Chapter 594: Chapter 506: Sea Girl
The desolate village below was experiencing a supernatural event, and he was certain, this wasn’t a man-made phenomenon, but something that intrinsically existed there.
Swirling like a living thing, the gray fog exuded an unearthly chill that made one’s skin crawl, a sensation Yang Xiao had felt before in the Nightmare World brought about by the Ghost Script; it was a presence uniquely attributed to Ghosts.
As the fog in the abandoned village thickened, suddenly, a blood-curdling scream shattered the silence, causing Yang Xiao’s body to involuntarily shudder. He quickly lowered himself to the ground; the scream came from the other side of the village, identifiable as a man’s voice.
The screaming lasted less than 10 seconds before it abruptly ceased, and the dense fog enshrouding the village gradually dissipated, leaving only a wisp of mist behind. The pale gray mist streamed through the village like clouds, the scene surreal as if from a dream.
Someone in the village had just died, likely attacked by a Ghost. And the people who could be in this place at this time were, without a doubt, competitors in the contest.
He was in the seventh qualifying match of the Grudge Level competition, which theoretically involved eight contenders—now at least one less.
The fog inside the village was clearing, but Yang Xiao still lay in quiet ambush, with no intentions of moving just yet. He was looking—not only for the Ghost but also for the positions of the other competitors.
The intricacies of this dark contest were indeed numerous. If his guess was correct, he would have to contend not only with the other competitors but also guard against Ghost attacks.
The place bore a strong resemblance to the Nightmare World; one might say it was like a smaller version, except... Yang Xiao’s thoughts flickered, and the Soul-Capturing Mirror instantly materialized in his left hand, while his right hand tightened around the Human Bone Staff. Feeling the surge of spiritual power within him, Yang Xiao knew: the biggest difference here from the Nightmare World was that they could use the power of the Resentful Eye, no longer defenseless lambs awaiting slaughter in the face of Fierce Ghosts.
In some ways, this place was more akin to the origin of a supernatural event, and the competitors’ primary concern was how to survive this occurrence.
"Hmm?"
His gaze sharpened suddenly. Through the thinning mist, Yang Xiao thought he saw a figure dashing through the dilapidated walls within the ghost town.
It appeared they wore a mask, possibly another contender.
As Yang Xiao hesitated whether to investigate the village or continue lying low, a rustling sound came from the bushes not far away.
Yang Xiao immediately relocated himself to stay hidden. Before long, a person emerged from the bushes. By their movements, it was a woman, donning the same mask as Yang Xiao.
It was competitor number 127, who, after a cautious scan of the surroundings, nimbly climbed over a mound and headed towards the village below.
Yang Xiao quickly retrieved the antique copper mirror from his body, detached one of the three panels, and inserted it into a concealed spot at his feet, creating a teleportation point. Only then did he pick up the remaining copper mirror and chase after the woman, "Please wait a moment!"
The sudden call from behind almost made the woman jump out of her skin, but as she turned around, she brandished a strange-looking weapon, with both ends wrapped in cloth; to Yang Xiao, it looked like an oversized hanger.
"Who are you?" the woman’s voice quivered, clearly lacking confidence, "What are you doing here?"
Yang Xiao pointed at the same mask on his face. From the woman’s two questions, he confirmed at least two things: first, she was a young girl, and second, she wasn’t the brightest—both questions were nonsensical.
"Someone just died in the village, I heard the screams. There’s a Ghost inside, this is a supernatural event," Yang Xiao stated succinctly, "I think we should join forces first to figure out exactly what’s going on; otherwise, we all might die."
"Okay, but don’t play any tricks. I have the strength of the peak of Grudge Level," the girl warned with a ferocious tone.
Using the Human Bone Staff to sense around, Yang Xiao didn’t detect much malice from the girl. It seemed she was bluffing; at best, she was slightly higher than middle Grudge Level. With such ability, Yang Xiao believed he could knock her senseless with one charged swing of his staff.
"Are you a top-tier Grudge Level expert?" Yang Xiao fawned, "That’s great, I’ll be safe with you here."
"Not necessarily so. I’ve heard that these secret trials at Ru Lin Academy are extremely risky. I’ll help you as much as I can if I have the means, but you’ll have to follow my lead," advised the girl with the naivety of someone fresh to the world of martial arts, utterly clueless as to the true identity of the person masked before her.
Yang Xiao inwardly chuckled with resignation. If this woman wasn’t acting, then she was genuinely clueless; to attend such a trial with her meager skills was to court disaster. She was fortunate to have encountered Yang Xiao—anyone else might have conned her until nothing of her remained.
Seeing Yang Xiao’s non-reaction, the girl couldn’t help but speak up more earnestly, "Alright, stick close to me, and if we encounter danger and I say run, you run fast."
"Thank you, big sister!" Yang Xiao followed close behind the girl, full of apparent gratitude.
Though the girl seemed simple-minded, she was not stupid; she knew to avoid the village entrance and sought a secluded spot to sneak in.
The two cautiously treaded along the narrow village path with low walls on either side, the village eerily quiet, not a soul in sight.
It seemed there had been recent rain here; the ground was slick with wet mud, releasing a damp, rotten stench as if something had decayed in the water.
"Big sister, let’s find a house to inspect," Yang Xiao suggested softly, feeling increasingly uneasy as they walked the deserted path.
