“All of you, get to the corners and cover your ears right now! No matter what you hear from outside, do not open the door!”
Ye Fanyu didn’t even need to finish his order—everyone had already scrambled into position, huddling in the corners with their arms wrapped around their heads, trembling in fear.
In the past three days, they had already experienced several such situations. Almost every ti dawn arrived, the so-called villagers would swarm the house and try to deceive them. These “villagers” could change their appearance, even take on the faces of loved ones just to tempt soone into opening the door.
So the best solution was simple: don’t look, don’t listen, don’t respond.
Outside the house, Li Qiang knocked for a long ti, but still got no reply.
“How strange… What’s wrong with them? Why won’t they open the door? There are clearly people inside,” he said, confused.
“It’s probably a misunderstanding,” Su Mu guessed. He glanced behind at the neat rows of “zombies” lined up behind him. Indeed, after being hunted by humanoid monsters for three days in the Nightmare World, it was only natural to panic when confronted with a group like this.
Especially since these black-clad n were all under hypnosis, with only one thought in their minds—serve the Chief. They had no concept of fear, which made them appear completely out of place in this eerie world.
“Chief, let
break down the door,” Zhao Chaoyao offered imdiately.
“Go ahead,” Su Mu nodded. But before Zhao Chaoyao could move, Yang Dongqing stepped forward.
“No need. Let
talk to them. Forcing our way in might escalate the misunderstanding.”
He walked to the door and spoke in a loud, clear voice. “Don’t get the wrong idea. We’re not Nightmare Monsters—we’re Nightmare Apostles, just like you. We entered the Nightmare World three days later than you. I’m a Transcendent. Please open the door so we can discuss how to work together and survive this nightmare.”
Silence. Deathly silence. No one inside responded.
“…” Yang Dongqing was speechless.
Bang!
He kicked the door wide open. The rusty tal slamd against the floor with a sharp tallic crash.
But the mont the door opened, what greeted Yang Dongqing was a bullet of fla!
The fiery projectile sliced through the air, distorting the atmosphere with its heat. It left behind a long, burning trail in the darkness.
Yang Dongqing’s expression changed dramatically. There was no ti to dodge. He raised his hand to block it—his palm taking on a tallic sheen.
Boom!
The explosion of fire roared through the air. He was blasted backward as though struck by a cannonball, tumbling across the ground, and his palm was left scorched and blackened.
From inside ca Ye Fanyu’s surprised voice: “Steel Resolve?! You’re really a Transcendent!?”
He stood there with one hand shaped like a pistol, index and thumb extended while the other fingers curled in—like a child pretending to shoot. But at the tip of his finger, a real fla flickered brightly in the dim room.
“Damn it!” Yang Dongqing cursed, dragging himself to his feet in a ss. “Didn’t I just say we’re not Nightmare Monsters!?”
“A misunderstanding. Just a misunderstanding,” Ye Fanyu replied, now with a look of excitent on his face. But he still kept his hand raised like a gun, and the fla didn’t fade.
“You don’t understand. In this nightmare, there are monsters wearing human skin that do everything they can to trick us into opening the door. So I couldn’t take the risk. But the ability you used—it is Steel Resolve. And monsters can’t break down doors or windows. I reacted on instinct, but now I’m sure. You’re a Transcendent—not a monster.”
Yang Dongqing brushed the dust off his clothes and relaxed a little.
Ye Fanyu’s gaze swept over the rest of the group behind him—Su Mu and his n. His expression turned wary.
“I can accept that you aren’t a Nightmare Monster. But what about them? Why are they all wearing the sa outfit?”
Su Mu leaned on his snakewood cane and stepped forward slightly with a calm smile. “Why? Do Nightmare Apostles have a dress code?”
“That’s not the point. All Nightmare Apostles enter alone, and each nightmare is assigned randomly. But you all look like you ca as a team. When did Apostles start entering in squads? Don’t tell
you all ford a group after arriving and just happened to prepare matching uniforms beforehand.
You’d better give
a reasonable explanation. Otherwise, I’ll assu you’re not human… but Nightmare Monsters in disguise.”
Ye Fanyu supported his right hand with his left, still pointing at Su Mu. Without the fla between his fingers, the pose might have seed ridiculous.
Su Mu narrowed his eyes slightly. He was starting to understand. It seed that Apostles were “matched” into the Nightmare World like in a multiplayer ga—randomized teammates, solo queue only.
That would explain Ye Fanyu’s suspicion.
Now then… how should he lie?
Su Mu definitely couldn’t say he had dragged them all into the sa nightmare through his Dream World. And even if he did say it, Ye Fanyu probably wouldn’t believe him.
So…
Su Mu adjusted his tea-colored glasses and gave a faint, cool smile. “That’s a fair question. But… I must ask, Mr. Ye—just what exactly do you think you are? Do you think you’re worth an explanation from ?”
Click! Click!
The sound of guns being cocked echoed in unison!
A dozen pitch-black pistols were instantly raised and pointed straight at Ye Fanyu.
Whoosh!
Sweat instantly stread down Ye Fanyu’s face. The fla between his fingers nearly went out. His whole body stiffened under the pressure of being surrounded at gunpoint.
Sure, he was a Transcendent—but he didn’t have an iron body. At this range, with that many guns trained on him, death was certain.
Especially when he saw the expressions in the gunn’s eyes—his heart was gripped by cold fear.
Those rows of black-clad n stood like statues. Their faces were expressionless, eyes filled with icy intent. Their muscles were taut, fingers ready on the triggers. Under the faint moonlight, the shadows on their faces made them look even more terrifying.
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