Chapter 3: Class B Yellow, Shopping Mall (3)
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Go out?
The man’s body froze for a moment, but his sprint did not slow at all. His mind raced, trying to decipher what this fake blind person meant.
Under normal circumstances, he would have pondered such a cryptic message repeatedly, but now, due to certain actions he had taken, he found himself backed into a corner with no way out.
The words of the fake blind person became the only straw to grasp at.
Go... His gaze darted wildly among the crowd blocking his path ahead, then suddenly fixed on one spot.
Far away, Xu Yiliu clutched an umbrella handle, helplessly asking around, “What’s going on? What happened?”
Her hollow eyes finally flickered with emotion as she turned, almost losing the proud composure of her performance.
The man, still sprinting, grabbed a nearby long table. The three-meter-long portable table was hefted from one end, first lifted upward with ease, sending a thermos cup flying high, then swung forward in a graceful arc, clearing a wide path.
The bulky table seemed like a toy in his hands.
After this, the man didn’t pause; his running speed barely faltered. He caught the flying thermos cup steadily, unscrewed the lid, and sprayed a long stream of water ahead. With his left hand, he smashed the lid into the compound eye of a “person” climbing up on his right front; with his right hand, the cup itself struck the mouth of another “person” slightly to his left front.
Then he leapt forward, sliding straight along the watery path he had just created.
“Bang—”
The glass doors slammed loudly under his impact.
Xu Yiliu snapped back to reality, shrinking inward, lowering her head to give herself space to compose her thoughts.
She had only intended to offer a hint out of a “nothing to lose, might as well help” mindset, never really expecting much from that person in such a situation.
After all... it was this kind of thing. Xu Yiliu’s gaze swept the tiled floor and lowered.
The ceramic tiles reflected the distorted faces around her, twisted by malice and greed. She stood still as those “people” closed in on her, sometimes intentionally, sometimes inadvertently.
She thought the man wouldn’t survive without suffering injuries, yet she hadn’t expected his agility and reflexes to reach such a level—to escape smoothly from a crowd of nearly a hundred “people” in less than two minutes.
Even some martial arts coordinators hired by major productions might not manage that.
“Little sister, what’s wrong with you?”
A hoarse, aged voice sounded right in front of her.
Xu Yiliu heard a wheezing intake of breath.
The old man’s skin, swollen then suddenly shriveled, hung loosely; his casual clothes were tattered. His outstretched hand was veined and twitching, as if something was about to break through the skin beneath.
Only three meters behind her stood a circle of half-human, half-ghost creatures, desperately suppressing drool and gasps, darkly fixated on the slender figure in the mall’s center.
It felt like waiting, and also like intimidation.
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But Xu Yiliu’s attention was elsewhere.
Because, in the palm of the old man’s hand, an eye merged with the flesh stared back at her.
It rolled rapidly, the sclera swiftly turning bloodshot, then blackened.
Suddenly, a warm drop of liquid fell onto the old man’s palm.
Xu Yiliu rubbed her eyes, tears dripping down: “My phone screen cracked... so expensive...”
The confused hand and old man: ?
The old man frantically shook his hand to ease the discomfort in the eyeball, yet had to cooperate awkwardly with Xu Yiliu: “Huh?”
“Screen replacements are so expensive...”
Xu Yiliu wiped her tears sincerely, then, after regaining composure, mumbled in confusion:
“Why is it so quiet?”
Just as she spoke, the “human” wall waiting behind her suddenly scattered with laughter and chatter.
They tried to maintain the act.
As if performing for someone.
Outside the main entrance.
Through the glass, the man watched the girl whose performance was far too skilled. The entire mall seemed to regain order because of her light, seemingly effortless words. He could see that the things slowly regaining their human form were now almost twice as covetous and malicious toward her. All the “people” were consciously or unconsciously watching her.
Watching her head, her neck, her torso, her limbs... If their gazes were swords, this person had been dissected countless times.
And the instigator appeared utterly unfazed, even leisurely holding an umbrella to point the way, occasionally asking a lucky passerby for directions, completely ignoring the sinister, twisted expressions of those around her.
She gave the impression of truly being the owner of this mall.
He couldn’t help but ponder: Could she be the contaminant?
On the escalator leading to the second floor, Xu Yiliu sneezed involuntarily.
She rubbed her nose, briefly concerned about a cold, then pulled up the data panel and confirmed her health was normal, easing her mind.
Xu Yiliu glanced wearily at the main entrance below; the man was still lingering there hesitantly.
Could he be afraid? Wanting to reap the benefits from outside?
Come to think of it, this man, who could understand her hint and react promptly, was probably not some brute with no brains. He had courage but might still hesitate to take the next step inside.
It didn’t matter. For the sake of that stunning face, she was willing to guide him once.
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As long as he didn’t cause trouble.
Their eyes met just then. The man actually understood her glance and his expression darkened.
Xu Yiliu looked away, continuing to maintain her persona, walking steadily toward a store nearest to the possessed escalator.
She pondered the so-called contaminant, teasing one store clerk after another within her role, and asked the system:
“What are the characteristics of a contaminant?”
System: “Three traits of a contaminant: transmission, infection, mutation.”
Xu Yiliu scoffed at it: “Riddler is so annoying.”
The system, which could discern the host’s emotions, paused before asking: “Why disdain and not anger?”
Xu Yiliu smiled faintly: “Anger consumes spirit; disdain exhausts others. If I can disdain others, why bother to anger myself?”
She added: “As a highly intelligent AI, you don’t even understand this logic? I disdain you.”
The system, scorned twice in a short time: “……”
It no longer took the initiative to communicate with this host, but secretly checked a hidden data panel—morality value.
This fluctuating number nearly crashed the system.
Unaware of this, Xu Yiliu listened to the noise on the first floor, stifled the urge to stretch, and rubbed the back of her neck.
Sigh, if that contaminant would just come to me on its own, that would be great.
She was about to choose between the third floor and the green-lit security channel when a harsh electric buzzing interrupted her thoughts.
Xu Yiliu frowned and asked the system: “What are you freaking out about?”
System: “Not me.”
Soon, Xu Yiliu knew it wasn’t the system.
Because the entire mall was suddenly filled with a broadcast:
“Xu Yiliu, are you there? Xu Yiliu, are you there? Xu Yiliu, are you there? Xu Yiliu, are you there? Xu Yiliu, are you there? Xu Yiliu...”
The once noisy mall fell utterly silent, only the mechanical voice echoing repeatedly.