Deep in the Living-Chapter 478 - 464: The Spread of Panic

Wenslim City.

The rain drizzles on,

though the roads are flooded, a local hotel seems to be leaking water outward, and shells unpredictably spill onto the streets.

Cold, bluish neon lights illuminate the hotel interior.

Reporter Wu Wen droops her arms, holding a uniquely shaped, slightly curved octopus tentacle key in her mouth, quickly inserting it into a moist wooden door with no sign.

Clack!

As she used her body to push open the door, a curtain of water descended.

The room was filled with water, with various aquatic plants growing through the floorboards.

Wu Wen swiftly slipped inside, shutting the door with her heel as if evading a pursuing presence.

Bang!

A sudden impact hit the door from behind, but it held firm, and after a moment, the attacker left.

Wu Wen finally caught her breath, leaning against the damp wall, arms slack, a black liquid streaming down her limbs.

Though she could control her body to achieve superfast regeneration easily, her current wounds were different.

With difficulty, she grew a third hand and tore away her sleeve.

Her arm was "beachified," covered in holes of varying shapes, housing something alive within.

The third hand constructed by Wu Wen had unusually long, slender nails, functioning like tweezers capable of delving deep within.

She extracted tiny fish, shrimp, sea anemones, octopus tentacles, clams, every single root coming free, subtly audible friction as roots left the flesh.

Seawater spilled during the extraction.

Wu Wen had attempted to sever the entire arm and grow a new one.

Yet, the new arm suffered the same affliction; she confirmed through an internal examination that only by excising the entrenched marine life could the issue be eradicated.

The process was lengthy, and each removal brought an indescribable sensation to her body, even soul.

Even Wu Wen perspired profusely, lips pale, beginning to develop a newfound fear of the ocean, a dread of the deep sea.

Ah~ as the last was pulled free, she couldn’t stifle a cry.

Feeling the sand-like sensation in her arm disperse, Wu Wen refocused on the mysterious room, finding what she sought in the bathroom.

The bathtub filled with seawater,

inside floated a dead fish,

its enormous eyes eerily human-like.

The scales on its surface were extraordinarily glossy, reminiscent of fine craftsmanship.

Knowing exactly what she sought, Wu Wen unhesitatingly picked up the fish, consuming its already decayed insides.

Once finished,

Gag!

she began to vomit furiously,

ejecting black liquid, fishbones, and human-like organs.

Yet, when she raised her head again, the filth vanished, even the bathtub appeared pristine.

"Indeed... to survive, one must heed true fear’s guidance."

Wu Wen supported her weakened body to the washbasin.

In the mirror’s reflection, she saw a glinting point below her cheek, upon closer inspection, a translucent scale had emerged.

Rather than repulsion, she bore a bizarre grin, even laughing aloud.

"This unknown corner event is marvelous,

allowing me to touch pure fear, hoping all that happens here can be taken out as a reward, even partially suffices."

No longer frantic, Wu Wen boldly exited the room.

A dark mass shaped like an octopus filled the corridor, tentacles stretching over ten meters, its body covered in eyes and mouths.

This was the previous "Pursuer."

This time it did not hunt but watched the approaching reporter like a peer, allowing her to pass through it.

Whew!

Finally stepping out of the sea-stench-filled hotel, rain pelted her freely.

Wu Wen lit a cigarette from the room, smoking in the rain, pulling out a worn city map to decide her next move.

She did not linger long, fearing even the outdoors’ fear influences.

From her peripheral vision, she glimpsed a tall man at the end of the road, wearing a mask like her father’s.

With prolonged outdoor presence, the man drew closer.

Then,

Wu Wen suddenly sensed something, lifting her right hand! A long flesh sword separated from her palm, firmly clutched, she slashed behind.

Pop!

The balloon popped.

Behind it stood a surrendering Joker.

Wu Wen was surprised; having locked onto the other’s physical information, she swung perfectly. She expected at least a slit throat if not decapitation.

Instead, she only cut open a balloon.

She turned, leapt back, creating distance.

Studying the novice Joker who hadn’t found employment, as if differing from before on the train.

"Hello! Reporter Wu... what a coincidence. I was passing by, saw you smoking here and came over, no ill intent, just bringing you an umbrella."

The Joker directly blew out a balloon umbrella and handed it over with a grin.

But Wu Wen took a step back voluntarily, "I like the rain. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going first."

The Joker looked dejected and tossed the umbrella into the trash can.

"Ah, no wonder it’s hard for me to find a job. You see, on the train, I wanted to cooperate with Mr. Luo Di, who seemed reliable, but was ruthlessly rejected.

Now I run into Miss Wu, and I’m rejected again. Seems like I’m really not suited to be a clown; I’d guess everyone leaves as soon as I step on stage."

Wu Wen didn’t listen to his nonsense and left quickly.

The Joker, however, proactively followed, wearing a fawning expression, "Reporter Wu~ This pure primal fear, or call it real fear, is really hard for one person to handle. I believe your experience inside the inn was not easy.

Do you want to try cooperating?

Just a simple, temporary cooperation. I promise not to touch you, just a strategic collaboration.

Information sharing, and a fifty-fifty split."

"You’re too dangerous..."

A whisper permeated the Joker’s eardrum, making the space between his ears itch a bit. After scratching his ear with his finger, the reporter in front of him had already disappeared.

"Really, why are they all so cautious~ Just stay put and let me chop off your heads, is that so hard? So difficult, so difficult."

...

[City Outskirts - Shiyin Town]

Inside the house’s secret compartment.

A vertical wooden ladder led straight to the underground.

There wasn’t the slightest hint of a bloody smell below; moreover, even the bloody smell inside the house couldn’t seep down.

"I’ll go down first to check the situation. Luo Di, are you coming down?"

Mia, despite being somewhat neurotic, seemed reliable enough, whether in killing or exploring, she charged ahead.

Carrying a kerosene lamp she found inside the house, she slid straight down.

Luo Di immediately took the girl on his back and followed down together.

"Is this... a sewage system?"

Unlike the village, there was no bright red, only filth.

Below, there was no fog dispersing. With the help of the firelight, they could even see the situation a hundred meters away. The entire sewer system was very comprehensive.

"A typical village wouldn’t have a sewer system of this scale; it should be Wenslim City’s sewage system extending here.

If that’s the case, once we collect enough Blood Stones and exchange them for what we want, we can directly head for the city through the sewage system, avoiding the self-imposed fear that outdoor brings."

As Luo Di was giving his analysis, Mia suddenly became different. She looked grave, staring at one end of the sewer.

Luo Di followed her gaze but saw nothing.

"What’s wrong?"

"It’s very dangerous here; we should leave quickly... It’s hard to explain to you, but it’s really dangerous."

Mia, at this moment, remarkably stopped being neurotic, climbed up the ladder with a serious face, and wanted to leave quickly.

Of course, Luo Di followed too, but midway through the climb... Buzz! His tongue in his mouth quivered slightly.

Suddenly turning his head, he once again looked at the farthest place his sight could reach.

On that filthy, dark dirty water, it seemed like there was an eye staring at Luo Di.

"What is that?"

Some unknown strong danger urged Luo Di to climb back to the wooden house quickly.

However,

just after climbing out of the ladder and closing the secret compartment, a strong smell of blood permeated his nostrils, drawing his attention back to the village, gripping the bat in his hand tightly.

Mia, on the other hand, wore an excited expression, quickly surveying the surroundings.

The wooden house was already exposed, surrounded by villagers whose faces were full of bloody holes. Inside and outside the house, even the windowsill was crowded with those bleeding faces.

It seemed that because the hidden door was opened, Luo Di and his actions were exposed. Or possibly the smell from the sewers alerted the villagers to the anomaly here.

But Mia didn’t care,

to her, this would save a lot of time, collect enough Blood Stones faster, and head to the city sooner to kill more interesting things.

"Luo Di, let’s enjoy this properly."

Just as Mia was about to unleash her true strength, and Luo Di was preparing to put on his mask,

a mutation occurred.

All the blood tentacles protruding from the villagers’ faces retracted into their bodies, and cracks of blood threads appeared on them.

Boom!

Each one exploded on the spot.

The bodily explosion did not have much power, only releasing clumps of strange blood mist.

With the increasing number of self-explosions, the blood mist soon filled the wooden house.

Even though Luo Di held his breath at the first moment, exuded gray from within to block it.

The blood mist was too thick, penetrating gaps, permeating pores, and entering Luo Di’s body circulation.

Whether it was him or Mia, they both bled from all seven orifices within a short time, fainting and feeling dizzy, their consciousness blurring.

Vaguely felt someone dragging his legs and feet,

taking them to a very far, very deep, very smelly place.

It was as if something sharp pierced through the calf, hanging the whole person up.

It seemed to hear the sounds of chopping meat,

as if someone was screaming.

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