Chapter Fifty: Hide and Seek!

Blood!?

When he first heard the word, Zhou Chang simply couldn’t believe it.

But the moment he reached out and wiped his hand across Li Hua’s palm, his mind felt as if it had been struck by lightning, leaving him blank and dazed.

That sticky, slick sensation—what could it be if not blood?

How could the contents of the barrel be blood?

“Brother Zhou, what’s going on?” Li Hua stood frozen, afraid to move a muscle, his eyes locked on the barrel perched on Zhou Chang’s shoulder. “Did the factory workers make a mistake with the shipment?”

Zhou Chang didn’t reply, his face growing ashen.

A worker’s mistake?

What kind of joke was that!

The assembly line, the water source, the packaging—so many steps…

Could everyone involved really not tell the difference between water and blood?

Zhou Chang felt the weight on his shoulder intensify, pressing so heavily he could barely breathe.

He had never questioned the barrels before, but now a paralyzing terror crept over him, his skin tightening, goosebumps rising in waves.

Did this mean he’d been delivering blood for years without ever knowing?

If so, where on earth did this batch come from?

And what kind of place was this school?

“Li Hua, quick! Take off your shirt and wipe the blood off the floor. Pretend we know nothing,” Zhou Chang ordered, his tone decisive.

Jolted by the command, Li Hua didn’t dare hesitate. He tore off his shirt and frantically wiped the blood clean, then grabbed the barrel and hurried into the room.

No matter what secret they’d uncovered, they would have to wait until they were far away before saying another word.

“Hehehe...”

Just then, a string of girlish giggles echoed from the end of the corridor—clear and joyful, yet eerie.

The sudden laughter halted both men at the doorway, their faces turning grave as they peered into the darkness.

Faintly, the patter of skipping footsteps drew nearer.

Hehehe—

Tap, tap, tap—

The bell-like laughter seemed enchanted, tugging at their very souls.

A few heartbeats later, under Zhou Chang and Li Hua’s wary gaze, a little girl emerged, skipping down the corridor—a vision of delicate beauty, a porcelain doll brought to life.

She wore her hair in a ponytail, a white princess dress, and tiny red shoes. In her arms she hugged a black-covered book, passing right by them without sparing a single glance.

Zhou Chang and Li Hua exchanged glances, both seeing the same hint of unease in each other’s eyes.

Was she blind?

Tap—

Just as the thought surfaced, the little girl suddenly stopped—right where the barrel had fallen.

Then, silence.

Zhou Chang signaled to Li Hua. They set the barrel down in the room, steadied their breathing, and strolled out as if nothing had happened.

But as soon as they turned, the little girl was standing at the door, less than a meter away.

When had she moved? She’d made no sound at all!

The little girl tilted her head, those gemstone eyes never blinking as she stared at them.

“You’ve dirtied the floor. I’m telling the headmaster!” she announced crisply.

Forcing a strained smile, Zhou Chang bent down, ruffling her hair. “Little one, the floor’s clean, isn’t it? We didn’t make any mess.”

“Hmph, don’t try to lie. The marks are obvious—I know what I saw.” The girl spun and pointed at the floor, then quickly turned back.

But this time, her eyes were even larger—unnaturally so—the flesh beneath the lower lids clearly visible.

At the same time, Zhou Chang felt an icy chill from the small head beneath his hand, as if he were touching not a living child, but a corpse.

He snatched his hand away, guessing it was just nerves, and forced himself to speak calmly.

“How about this—we play a game of hide-and-seek. If you lose, you can’t tell the headmaster what happened tonight. But if I lose, you can do whatever you like with me. Deal?”

“Yay, yay!” The girl’s mood soared at the mention of a game. Zhou Chang sensed hope and pressed on, “Then let’s start. I’ll count to ten—go find a place to hide.”

“Okay!” The girl nodded eagerly, like a pecking chick, and without waiting for him to begin counting, she darted off down the hallway and vanished in a blink.

Seeing their chance, Zhou Chang and Li Hua wasted not a second. They dashed for the archway, dove into their van, and started the engine.

Click—

The headlights blazed on. Zhou Chang pressed the clutch and shifted gears, just about to pull away—

He froze.

Right there at the archway, the very spot where she should have been hiding, stood the little girl, glaring at them with a face full of fury.

“Little one, we have some business to take care of and can’t play right now. Why don’t you run along?” Li Hua called out, rolling down the window as Zhou Chang adjusted the wheel.

“You liars!” Tears seemed to glimmer in the girl’s enormous eyes.

Li Hua wanted to console her, but suddenly noticed her eyes bulge grotesquely, the black pupils expanding until they shattered the whites.

Then her limbs swelled, her skin split open to expose the black flesh beneath.

From her mouth, rows of sharp fangs sprouted outward—like a mouthful of wild grass, terrifying to behold.

A wave of malevolence crashed over them, striking at the very core of their being.

“Zhou... Zhou-Zhou-Zhou...” Li Hua’s eyes bulged in terror, unable to form a complete sentence as he slapped frantically at Zhou Chang’s arm.

She wasn’t human!

Zhou Chang had seen it all too clearly—especially when the little girl transformed fully into a black monstrosity. He was paralyzed, his body shaking uncontrollably, powerless to stop it.

But at least he knew what he must do. He slammed the accelerator, tires screeching as the van shot forward like an arrow from a bow.

Bang!

But before they could cover five meters, a deafening crash sounded, and a massive force struck the right rear of the van, flipping it over.

It all happened in a heartbeat. Li Hua, struck by the earlier horror, had already smashed his head against the window and lost consciousness.

Blood from his scalp trickled down onto Zhou Chang’s face below.

Zhou Chang was little better off—his left arm dislocated, his right pinned in the steering wheel. He couldn’t unfasten the seatbelt, couldn’t escape—he could only stare helplessly through the shattered windshield as the black creature crept closer, his face drained of all hope.

In that moment, he thought of his wife and child, wondering what they were doing now.

He thought of his parents back home, wondering if they were well.

He thought of old friends he hadn’t seen in years, wondering if they were happy.

He thought of so many things—people and memories he’d long taken for granted.

But sadly,

All he could do now was remember.

Zhou Chang shut his eyes in despair.

Whoosh—

A muffled rush of wind tore through the air. Zhou Chang, certain his end had come, clenched his fists and braced himself for agony.

But nothing happened.

He couldn’t help but open his eyes. Not far away stood a young man with short hair, a backpack slung over his shoulders.

In his right hand burned an eerie white flame, and at his feet the black creature lay reduced to a heap of mangled flesh, not a single piece intact.

“Damn, this fire’s too strong. What a waste of good ingredients...” the young man muttered to himself, his voice drifting over.

(To be continued...)