Chapter 29: Phantom City Saga (6)
Chapter 29 Phantom City Saga (6)
After walking about fifteen minutes down the street, the five reached the police station entrance. The building spanned roughly five hundred square meters, with its main entrance facing the street. A side entrance led to the parking lot.
Feng Bu Jue checked the side entrance first. It was a narrow driveway blocked by a tall wall at the end. A movable iron gate sealed the passage shut. Peering deeper revealed only pitch-black darkness—this route was clearly impassable.
Returning to the main entrance, Feng found Long Ao Min already inspecting it. The wooden double doors were thick and sturdy, tightly shut. Something inside the station seemed to be jamming them; even pushing yielded no movement.
Feng shook his head, signaling the side entrance was blocked. Long Ao Min shrugged. "This one won’t budge either."
Wang Tan Zhi paced along the building’s exterior. "All the windows have iron bars. Getting inside won’t be easy…" His voice trailed off as his expression shifted. "Uh… Did you hear that?"
Feng had heard it too. He barked, "Back up!" while lunging forward to yank Wang backward by the shoulders.
Long Ao Min, Gu Du, and Jimo had already retreated a few steps. As Feng and Wang pulled clear, a thunderous crash erupted behind them. They turned to see the wall beside the station’s main entrance collapse inward. A towering monster lunged halfway through the rubble, its massive form nearly crushing Wang, who stood frozen moments ago.
"Guess that was its footsteps charging at the wall", Wang muttered, his face pale. Though his voice trembled, he’d grown numb to the constant shocks—his Terror Value hovering around 35%, far below the 50% threshold that once terrified him.
True to every small boss’s script, the monster roared after its dramatic entrance. Feng recognized it instantly: a Bloodless Corpse.
This one was far more muscular than the tutorial version Feng encountered earlier. Its sheer strength had reduced a concrete wall to debris, unlike the smaller one that merely cracked plaster.
"Great. It opened the door for us and hinted at better rewards inside", Feng said, smirking as he eyed the beast. His tone suggested this was a fortunate turn of events.
"Brother Feng, ‘great’ only matters if we survive killing it", Long Ao Min replied, wiping sweat. He accepted Feng’s sudden offer of a pipe wrench, despite its risks.
"Here. This has no equipment requirements. Use it, Long. It deals bonus damage to the head."
Long hesitated. Feng’s reputation as a cautious player made this gesture surprising. In this world, trust was fragile. High-tier gear like this could tempt betrayal—players had abandoned scenarios just to steal such items.
"Take it", Feng urged.
Long accepted the Mario’s Pipe Wrench, noting its stats. His question came naturally: "What if I log out with it?"
Feng chuckled. "Worrying’s more accurate. But honestly, I’m more scared we’ll all die here."
Meanwhile, the Bloodless Corpse tore through the remaining wall, stepping into the street. Fully exposed, its two-meter frame was grotesque—muscles knotted under semi-coagulated blood, its skinless face more horrifying than a skeleton. This mini-boss had spawned the moment players lingered too long at the station, seeking entry.
"Long, stall it. I’ll circle behind and search inside for guns", Feng ordered. "Conserve your vitality. Don’t fight head-on."
Assessing their gear—shield, pipe wrench, and fruit knife—Feng knew close-range weapons were inadequate against this hulking foe. Boosting Long’s chances meant sacrificing his own advantage.
"Go ahead. Even if I die, I’ll return this", Long said, charging the monster to draw its attention.
Feng waved off the sentiment. "Just a tool. Don’t overthink it."
He dashed sideways, vaulting through the wall’s breach into the dark station.
Gu Du and Jimo, unarmed and helpless, retreated further. Wang, meanwhile, darted in to slash the Corpse’s flank when distracted, relying on speed over strength.
Their contrasting styles highlighted the game’s depth. Long’s brute force versus Wang’s agility—both martial artists, yet polar opposites. Later, such distinctions would define players. With no fixed classes, proficiencies like Martial Arts or Shooting combined freely, creating infinite possibilities.
The Title System, however, offered structure. Titles granted unique abilities—Long’s Lightning Charge, for instance—evolving with player growth. Publicly visible, titles like Valiant Charger or Precision Shooter revealed strengths instantly. At higher levels, titles hinted at mastery: East Heretic, West Poisoner—names that demanded respect.
As Long and Wang distracted the Corpse, Feng navigated the dark station, searching…
(End of Chapter)
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