In the darkness, Shen Xixi could hear the steady rhythm of her breathing and heartbeat. It had been five minutes since she used the Battle Mania card, where the D-grade game item took effect, turning the creature’s attention onto her.
However, what was about to happen next would be her biggest test yet. She knew that if she continued running aimlessly like that, she wouldn’t last more than thirty minutes.
After a while, Shen Xixi learned the pattern of the creature’s movements, where its behavior was in direct relation to the walls. In other words, the further she stayed away from the walls, the safer she would be. Less than a kilometer outside the school grounds was People’s Park, which was had been opened to the public and was probably the furthest place from the city’s jungle of reinforced concrete.
Shen Xixi planned to deal with the creature there until Wang Yu and the others arrived. But just as she ran through the eastern gates, she saw that the beast was already waiting for her there. The creature appeared to have guessed her plan and had surpassed her. Shen Xixi did a quick assessment and decided to give up on heading to the south gate because one, it was too far, and there was no way she could outrun the thing, and two, the gate was usually locked at nine at night. Even if she managed to get there, it would be a waste of effort.
Eventually, she opted to retreat to the small garden where she had been, the furthest place from all the other school buildings. She decided that she could hide around the small artificial lake over there and play hide and seek with the creature.
After running for so long, though, Shen Xixi’s body was starting to send her brain fatigue signals. She was, after all, a girl, and even though she began to workout regularly to enhance her stamina since becoming a player, she was only slightly more durable than an ordinary person. Moreover, unlike Zhang Heng, who had been playing as a single-player, Shen Xixi was used to playing in a team setting To improve efficiency and cope with various complex situations, each member of the team had their own specialty. As far as possible, the skills and abilities wouldn’t overlap, but rather, complement each other. Each teammate had a predetermined development route as well.
In her team, Shen Xixi’s played the role of team leader and brains. Battles were the responsibility of the other members. Since her job was to improve her leadership and decision-making abilities, it meant there wasn’t much time for physical exercise. Also, the low visibility in the dark was causing her a lot of trouble.
Being in the cramped garden would put a distance between her and the buildings, but the setting was also more complicated. Of course, it wasn’t without reason that the garden was hailed as a sacred lovenest for budding couples – there were only two street lamps in the whole area, one of which was broken a long time ago. Exuding a vibe of romantic ambiance, it was perfect for hugs and cuddles. Right now, it wasn’t exactly ideal for Shen Xixi.
She didn’t know if the creature had eyes or how it was able to see, but one thing for sure, its vision was definitely not affected by the amount of light surrounding it. Her perception, on the other hand, was definitely influenced by the darkness, which was causing her to lose her sense of direction.
In fact, if it had not been for energy preservation, Shen Xixi wouldn’t have risked it to run to this place and allow the creature the chance to a sneak up on her. As she panted, she stopped by the lakeside to slow her breathing. She stood with her back facing the artificial lake as a precaution, so the other directions were clearly in her sight. Her strategy was straightforward but also very effective.
Under the glow of the sole streetlamp above her, she could clearly see to her left and right. Behind her was the lake, and since there wasn’t any concrete structures on it, save for a little rock formation, it should be safe. The only problem was the trees that blocked her front view. Thankfully, it was winter, and most of their leaves had fallen off.
It was in this direction that Shen Xixi focused her attention on. If the creature were to attack her, she would surely be able to see it. Her nerves were still frayed, knowing that no matter what, the enemy was still a supernatural creature. Even in her calm demeanor, she was a little skittish. Suddenly, the phone in her pocket vibrated. It was a text from Wang Yu.
He wrote: Wait for me! I’m nearby. I’ll be there soon!
She had to admit that the text calmed her nerves a little. It seemed that the situation was a lot better than she expected. Wang Yu wasn’t the team’s main fighter, but he was second only to Yu Yangzi. The only problem was that he lived the furthest from the school. He was the one that Shen Xixi mentioned would take at least an hour and a half to get there. Nevertheless, he would have to be her best bet, for the time being, at least.
Shen Xixi shook her head in an attempt to clear her mind. Receiving Wang Yu’s text set her thoughts in motion again. She wasn’t merely thinking about passively running for her life but hoped that she would be able to gather more useful information to deal with the creature later on. As she was thinking about her next strategy, the hill on the artificial lake behind her began to melt quietly.
This wasn’t Shen Xixi’s fault. Because that thing had been traveling through concrete walls, she had deliberately avoided the buildings on campus. It didn’t cross her mind that the creature could also use the mock rock formation.
By the time Shen Xixi noticed the black liquid moving toward her, it was too late to react. Thank goodness, Ma Wei’s imposter arrived just at the nick of time. As she searched for Shen Xixi, she had stopped to tear off a piece of clay from her pocket and began molding it. It wasn’t until two minutes ago that she succeeded. Sprinting to the artificial lake, she threw it at the creature when she saw it.
It landed between Shen Xixi and the pool of black liquid, and a wall was instantly erected.
Shen Xixi was terrified. She thought that Ma Wei’s imposter must have had a grudge against her and was about to use the creature to get rid of her. But a minute later, she saw that the wall was actually blocking the creature from reaching her.
“What are you still doing there? Run!” shouted Ma Wei’s imposter. “My plasticine wall won’t hold for long!”
Shen Xixi didn’t even look back as she started running. She turned to the girl who had just saved her and asked, “You’re a player too?”
“I suppose so,” Ma Wei’s imposter answered as she huffed. She hated working out the most. Without Zhang Heng around, her human mule was gone, and she was forced to buck up and run alongside Shen Xixi. But as soon as she started, she stopped, looking very excited. “Oh, how silly of me! Why am I running? That thing will only attack you, right?”
Shen Xixi’s answer, however, only destroyed her hope. “My game item also has a time limit. Its effect can only last for fifteen minutes. That’s less than two minutes from now.”
When Ma Wei’s imposter heard this, she wanted to cry. “Fine! i’ll continue running then.”
