Chapter 18: Xia Ning

　　I stood there, frozen in terror, watching the elderly man's approach. A chill ran down my spine as I glanced nervously towards the police car. Without hesitation, I dropped the gun and sprinted towards it, my heart pounding in my chest.

　　Escape!

　　It was my only option, my last resort.

　　In that heart-stopping moment, as I turned to flee, I saw him running towards me too, each heavy footfall sending shivers through the ground beneath me.

　　Just a few steps away from the police car, the ground suddenly stilled. Before I could even react, there was a deafening crash, and the elderly man, now transformed into a monstrous figure, crashed heavily onto the police car, crushing it in an instant!

　　The car's roof collapsed with a thunderous roar, glass shards spraying in every direction. I squeezed my eyes shut and instinctively shielded my face with my arms, feeling the sting of glass cutting into my skin.

　　When I dared to open my eyes again, I saw his terrifying figure, somehow even larger and more menacing than before. With a determined grit of my teeth, I turned and sprinted towards the school, my mind racing with fear and uncertainty.

　　I didn't know where else to go...

　　With a resounding thud, he landed right in front of me, a mere step away. In one swift motion, he grabbed me by the neck, lifting me off the ground.

　　"Please... let me go!" I begged, my voice trembling with fear and desperation.A profound sense of hopelessness flooded my body as his firm grip constricted around my neck, making each breath a struggle. I frantically scratched at his robust arm, but it was futile!

　　I could envision my imminent demise!

　　Tears streamed down my cheeks like a torrent, my voice choked with sobs.

　　"Ha-ha-ha," his laughter pierced through the air like a sinister melody. "Look at you now, so exquisite it's almost breathtaking. How about we play a little game? Let's see when your time will come to see the god. Ha-ha-ha!"

　　His laughter felt like a death sentence delivered by a demon.

　　This fiendish creature seemed intent on consuming me alive, inflicting unspeakable cruelty with every possible means!

　　Fear gripped me like never before!

　　I felt warmth pooling beneath my thighs, my body betraying me!

　　"Ha-ha-ha!" His laughter rang out once more, sharp and piercing.

　　"Look at you, I almost hate to end you now, but I'm simply too thrilled!" The double-headed monster grinned, extending a finger, and to my horror, a long knife appeared!

　　With a cruel smile, he slowly brought the blade closer to my abdomen.

　　I watched in terror, reaching out to grasp the blade in a futile attempt to halt its advance.

　　The blade effortlessly pierced my skin, blood flowing freely!

　　I fell silent, no longer pleading, knowing this monster would never show mercy. My pleas would only fuel his excitement.

　　I bit down on my lip until it bled.

　　The knife penetrated my abdomen, emerging from my back, crimson liquid trailing down.

　　I trembled, enduring the agony in silence, refusing to give him the satisfaction of hearing me cry out.

　　"Look at that, a poor little life about to fade away, ha-ha-ha...!" His maniacal laughter echoed as he callously tossed me to the ground!I let out a subdued grunt, cradling my aching stomach as I lay there in discomfort.

　　His raucous laughter reverberated in my ears, unsettling and jarring.

　　"The fabric of this illusion is woven from your memories and his, and those darker elements are his tools of mayhem within the illusion!"

　　"I can assure you, he's nothing but a lunatic. In reality, he may not pose any threat, but within this illusion, you must never seek him out, for here, he's the embodiment of terror!!!"

　　Recalling Professor Li's earlier words, a faint smile crept onto my lips.

　　Though tinged with weakness.

　　"Heh..."

　　I gazed at him with a mixture of pity and defiance, my smile bittersweet.

　　"What's amusing you?" He inquired, his brow furrowing as he tempered his own amusement.

　　"You're just a pitiful lunatic!" I retorted weakly.

　　"Is this your memory? How pitiable...!" he remarked, as I chuckled once more.

　　"Heh..." The laughter caused a twinge of pain in my wound, but I couldn't help myself.

　　"Am I the lunatic? Can a lunatic fashion such a world?" He gestured expansively, casting his eyes skyward before fixing them on me once more.

　　"You're quite remarkable. You're more than just a haunted house proprietor, aren't you? Which medical school do you hail from? It's all becoming clear to me now!" I exclaimed as if a sudden revelation had dawned upon me.

　　A decade ago, there was a medical doctor whose career came to an abrupt halt due to his groundbreaking invention. He had attempted to use medication to alter a person's character and had made significant strides in his research.

　　However, this medication failed to gain recognition from the authorities, leading to the destruction of his work and the nullification of all his medical accomplishments. Since then, the man had vanished without a trace.

　　"Zhu Zhongcheng!" I uttered a name.

　　"Shut up!" The double-headed old man's face twisted with anger as he pointed a sharp knife-like finger at me.

　　"So what if I'm crazy? Aren't you the same, watching helplessly as yourself and your friends die together?" He sneered at me again.

　　"In fact, there's a way to save them!" My tone suddenly turned sinister, surprising even myself.

　　The double-headed old man suddenly narrowed his eyes, looking at me with confusion. "What?" he asked.

　　Suppressing the pain, I groaned and slowly stood up, staring down at the blood pooling on the ground.

　　"As long as I pay a small price!"

　　"To save them, I'm willing to sacrifice everything. What does it matter if I become a lunatic like you!!"

　　"Ah...!" A sudden intense pain shot through my back, and I hung my hands in front of me.

　　In that moment, I felt like my heart was being torn apart!

　　Thud, thud, thud...! The sound of clothing tearing echoed behind me as six arms, each about five or six meters long, burst out from my back like giant skeletal limbs!

　　I jerked my head up to look at him, and two of the skeletal arms lifted me off the ground, towering over him like a spider. I saw the shock on his face!

　　"It's impossible, how could you do this?!" he exclaimed incredulously.

　　To achieve such a feat meant that I had truly become a madman...

　　"Give them back to me!" My voice was chillingly cold.

　　He gritted his teeth and looked at me, seeming reluctant.

　　Without further ado, he leaped into the air with his five claws, slashing towards me with his long knife!

　　"I am the ruler of this world!!"

　　"Go to hell!"

　　With a dull thud, I sent the double-headed monster flying with a single punch!

　　With a clang, it collided with a lamppost more than ten meters away, bending it in half!

　　As I was about to chase after it, the zombies around me reached out their hands towards me.

　　"Xia Ning...!"

　　"Xia Ning...!"A sinister smile crept onto my face as I no longer regarded them with any concern.

　　With a wave of my hand, the giant skeletal palm behind me swept out!

　　In a series of impacts, those who first came into contact with the skeletal arm were immediately severed, their entrails spilling out and then flung away by the immense force!

　　With a single sweep, I cleared a large area in front of me.

　　The supporting skeletal arm suddenly extended violently, propelling me into the air. Clenching my right fist, the enormous skeletal hand mirrored my motion.

　　Descending towards the double-headed monster, it clutched his chest, gritting his teeth as he stared at me intently!

　　As I looked at him, my eyes filled with growing hatred, and I struck down with a clenched fist!

　　Boom!

　　The ground caved in under my blow, cracks spreading all around, and the lamppost was sent flying far away!

　　In that split second, the double-headed old man chose to dodge instead of resisting head-on!

　　He stood nearby, looking at me coldly, and said, "How did you do that?"

　　"Hehehe, I knew I could do it, so I did!" I chuckled strangely.

　　I didn't even pay attention to my current state. There was only one thought in my mind: "Kill him!"