Chapter 17 : The Haunted House Owner

　　"Hello there, miss. Here's the thing, you can just dial 110 directly!" Wei Junliang's voice was soothing and patient.

　　"Wei Junliang, please hurry and come over. There are quite a few people following me behind!" My anxiety and fear were escalating, and I kept glancing back at the approaching crowd while scanning my surroundings. I spotted a road sign on the roadside, confirming my location.

　　"I'm at the telephone booth on Sunshine Road, number 240!" I called out, making an effort to maintain composure.

　　"Alright, I'll be there in a jiffy!" Wei Junliang's voice sounded a bit hesitant, but I trusted he'd arrive soon.

　　After ending the call, I noticed the people behind me closing in once again, causing a surge of panic. I gritted my teeth and limped swiftly in a single direction.

　　As I listened to the footsteps trailing behind me, I realized they were drawing nearer with each passing moment.

　　Although pedestrians continued to pass by on the street, they all seemed to join the procession behind me as soon as they caught sight of me!

　　There were one or two regular folks around, but they all got spooked and bolted as soon as they caught sight of the scene!

　　Feeling utterly helpless and terrified, I found some semblance of safety clutching onto that gun.

　　I couldn't tell how long I'd been walking when suddenly, the blaring sirens of a police car cut through the eerie silence, bringing me to a halt. The patrol car, its lights flashing, slowly pulled up in front of me. The door swung open, and Wei Junliang, with a serious expression, fixed his gaze on me without uttering a word. My heart skipped a beat as I instinctively reached for the gun, aiming it straight at his head!

　　I spotted a police car with its lights flashing, gradually approaching me!

　　The door swung open, and Wei Junliang, wearing a grave expression, locked eyes with me in silence!

　　My heart skipped a beat as I instinctively reached for the gun, aiming it straight at his head!

　　Clutching onto that gun was the only thing giving me even a shred of reassurance.

　　His demeanor made me question if he had already been turned into one of those paper people. My hand trembled uncontrollably, but I couldn't afford to lose my cool. I made an effort to stay composed as I asked, "Who are you?"He stood there, unmoving, his expression frozen in place.

　　Bang!

　　I pulled the trigger, and his face bore the brunt of the shot, blood and flesh splattering across the window. The glass shattered, the bullet leaving a gaping hole. Watching Wei Junliang, my heart clenched with an unexpected pang of pain.

　　It wasn't a sense of loss, but rather a surge of gratitude towards Wei Junliang. Did I have feelings for him? Perhaps just a flicker. I never imagined Wei Junliang would turn into one of those monsters. This world had become devoid of humanity!

　　At that moment, my heart truly ached, as if it were being torn apart.

　　"Ahh...!" I let out a cry of agony, almost losing my footing.

　　I clutched Wei Junliang's lifeless body, dragging him out of the police car. In this world, there was simply no one left to trust.

　　Another wave of intense pain shot through my chest.

　　"Ah!!" I bit down hard on my lip.Bang!

　　As I slid into the car, I made sure to lock the doors tightly.

　　Pushing through the pain, I pressed down on the gas pedal and sped away, heading straight for the haunted house. The figures I left behind were mere specks in my rearview mirror.

　　If I had been in the passenger seat just moments ago, I would have been as helpless as a bus, if not worse.

　　Thankfully, my dad had imparted his driving skills to me. Memories of my family flooded my mind, images of them bustling around in the kitchen.

　　"The world feels so unreal," I muttered to myself, finally regaining my senses.

　　I had lost track of time, only noticing the sudden darkening of the sky outside, as if a storm was brewing.

　　The streets remained eerily filled with zombie-like figures, their eyes following me as I drove past.

　　Not a single car was on the road, and the traffic lights stubbornly stayed red. I simply disregarded them and continued on my way.

　　Less than twenty minutes later, I found myself passing by the school and arriving back at the gates of the haunted house.

　　Seeing the familiar entrance filled me with a sense of dread, my heart pounding in my chest.

　　Taking a deep breath, I swung open the car door and grabbed the gun before stepping out of the police car.

　　Several figures on both sides of the road were staring at me, approaching slowly.

　　Limping a few steps, I reached the gate and gazed at the skeletal entrance, feeling as though I had stepped into the real world.

　　I exerted all my strength to push the gate, but it didn't budge a bit...!

　　Pausing for a moment, I stubbornly pushed again, only to realize that something was blocking the gate from behind!

　　With a thud...!

　　A few drops of blood splattered on my arm!

　　I looked up, but there was nothing there!

　　Thud! A raindrop landed on my face, giving me an uncomfortable sensation.

　　Another drop fell on my eye, and suddenly everything I saw turned red. I quickly wiped it away, only to find that it was blood!!

　　Before long, the steady drumming of blood rain gradually turned into a downpour, the viscous liquid sticking to my skin and causing extreme discomfort!

　　Fear spread through my heart as everything around me was tainted with the color of blood.

　　"Xia Ning...!"I spun around in terror, only to find a cluster of people had silently amassed behind me. And yet, more figures emerged steadily from the shadows!

　　The blood rain showered down upon them, each one soaked in a gruesome crimson. Even the closest among them reached out, calling my name in a haunting chorus!!

　　"Xia Ning...!"

　　"Xia Ning...!"

　　"...!"

　　Splish, splash...! The blood rain intensified, painting my hands and body in a grotesque hue. Trembling, I raised my hands to examine myself in horror, then glanced towards the eerie figures extending their hands towards me!

　　I couldn't hold back any longer, screaming and crying out, "Enough of this!!" With quivering hands, I aimed the gun at the nearest figure and pulled the trigger!

　　Bang!

　　The figure collapsed, but the others continued their relentless advance!

　　Bang! Bang!

　　Two more shots rang out, felling two more bodies!

　　Yet, despite my actions, those behind them showed no fear. Amidst the chaos, I even recognized some of my classmates among the haunting mob!

　　"Xia Ning...!"

　　"Xia Ning...!"

　　Bang! Bang!

　　My aim was surprisingly true, each shot striking their grotesque heads and causing them to burst like overripe melons.

　　"You all deserve this fate!!" I cried out in anguish!The gunfire echoed relentlessly, leaving behind over twenty bodies with shattered heads scattered around me. It made me wonder, where did all these bullets come from?

　　But before I could ponder further, a raspy laughter from an elderly man emerged from amidst the crowd.

　　Strangely, as his laughter filled the air, the downpour of blood gradually ceased.

　　"Hahaha, Xia Ning, how's my creation? Still sending shivers down your spine?" As he spoke, a man dressed in a suit emerged, his laughter bending him over in amusement.

　　"Who are you?" I watched him cautiously, his words triggering memories of the note. Was he the mastermind behind this haunted house?

　　The people around him seemed to regard him with a mix of fear and reverence, parting to make way for him hesitantly.

　　"Indeed, I'm the proprietor of this haunted establishment. It's quite remarkable that you're still breathing. By all means, you should have been reduced to dinner by your own parents..." The old man spoke calmly.

　　Anger simmered within me, but I maintained my composure. I aimed the gun at him, demanding angrily, "Where is Yumeng?"

　　"You mean the little girl? She's too precious to harm. Watching her fearful expression is truly a pleasure... However, I must deal with you, the nuisance, first, before indulging in her emotions and voice!" The old man spoke with a hint of intoxicated satisfaction.

　　"I'll end you!" I raised the gun at him.

　　"Your gun is empty! How do you plan to end me?" The old man sneered.

　　My heart sank, yet I attempted to pull the trigger. Click. The empty click of the gun reverberated, freezing my expression.

　　"You've already dispatched so many zombies, quite an achievement."

　　"Now, allow me to introduce you to the taste of despair!" The old man declared as he ripped off his shirt.

　　His body expanded rapidly, doubling in size and height, reaching nearly two meters tall! A large lump of flesh protruded from his neck, and after a moment, facial features gradually emerged, forming an additional head!

　　His skin darkened gradually as he grinned menacingly. "Hahaha, I am the deity of this realm! All disturbances shall perish!" His voice transitioned from arrogant to deep.