Chapter 317 – Prey or Predator?

As soon as they entered the hallway, Li Yalin and Black Silk slowed their pace.

The people behind them slowly walked into the building as well, with the Short Fat Man raising his gun and firing a threatening shot.

“Bang!”

The bullet hit the stair railing above, making a sharp sound.

The other men, while laughing loudly, banged their weapons against the iron railings, producing a cacophony of “clang clang clang” noises.

This display of force, aimed at causing psychological torment to their prey, was something they were well-practiced in.

The woman had already been released by the Short Fat Man. Compared to Li Yalin and Black Silk, she was quite inferior. Li Yalin’s allure was natural and effortless, while this woman’s every move was nothing more than a crude attempt at seduction.

Her eyes showed displeasure, but her face remained adorned with a fake smile as she clung to the Short Fat Man’s arm in a fawning manner.

“Do you think the three upstairs are all such top-tier babes?” the Tall Skinny Man asked excitedly, rubbing his hands together. He looked like he was about to drool.

“Haha, if they are, we’ve hit the jackpot this time! Damn, it’s been so long since I had a turn. Last time, the girl was already dead by the time it was my go!” one of the men complained.

The Yellow-Toothed Man let out a series of strange cries and then shouted loudly, “Pretty little sisters, slow down. If you’re too tired to struggle later, it won’t be any fun! Hahaha…”

The men’s laughter and various other noises echoed through the hallway. Li Yalin turned to Black Silk with an expressionless face and said, “Such noisy humans. These humans are the most annoying I’ve ever seen, reeking of blood even more than Ling-Ge. But in terms of danger, they’re nowhere near as threatening as Ling-Ge.”

“Woof…”

Black Silk let out a low growl in response.

“They’re like dogs in heat all the time, right?”

“Woof?”

A strange smile suddenly appeared on Li Yalin’s lips. “I just thought of something fun…”

The height of this residential building was typical—just seven floors—but being an old structure, its internal layout was quite unique.

A long corridor stretched out, lined with doors on both sides, with twenty units on each floor.

At the end of the hallway, there was an old, abandoned communal bathroom.

With no lighting, a musty smell mixed with a faint scent of blood permeated the space. Cobwebs were visible everywhere, and dark bloodstains splattered on the walls and doors added to the eerie and terrifying atmosphere of the building.

When Ling Mo chose this building, he had taken all this into consideration. A complex structure like this meant that few survivors would choose to live here, and it also provided him with plenty of escape routes in case of emergencies.

However, at this moment, there were a dozen or so survivors in the building, kicking open the doors along the corridor while laughing loudly and shouting various threats, even hurling vulgar insults.

But after Li Yalin and Black Silk entered the building, they seemed to have vanished without a trace. Even the three people upstairs remained completely silent.

The Short Fat Man, after searching for a while without finding anything, began to grow impatient.

Just as he was about to close his eyes to look more carefully, he suddenly saw a door in the distance sway slightly.

“Hahaha! Got you!” He grinned, his face lighting up as he eagerly waddled over, his body jiggling with each step.

Meanwhile, the Tall Skinny Man at the back heard a faint noise behind him. He quickly turned around and just caught a glimpse of a shadow slipping into a room behind him.

“So clever, thinking that places we’ve already checked are safe, huh? Big-breasted and brainy…”

The Tall Skinny Man nervously rubbed his hands together, licking his lips with his tongue.

He hesitated for a moment, glancing at his companions ahead, but ultimately, his lower instincts overpowered his rationality.

“What’s there to be afraid of from a girl who only knows how to run and hide…”

After giving himself a pep talk, the Tall Skinny Man slowly walked toward the door.

When he pushed it open, he saw an extremely innocent-looking girl standing in panic in front of another door.

She was wearing a floral knit cardigan over a plaid mini skirt, black knee-high socks, and black shoes with butterfly bows.

She looked pure, yet exuded a hint of deadly allure.

“Don’t come any closer…”

Xia Na’s expression was so convincingly frightened that the Tall Skinny Man’s excitement grew even more.

“Haha… Another top-quality catch. I love prey like you, completely helpless. Don’t worry, I’ll take my time tearing you apart. But first, I’ll have to rip out your tongue; otherwise, I won’t get to enjoy you slowly… Ah! Gahah…”

Before he could finish his sentence, he felt an invisible chain tighten around his throat, and he watched in horror as he was gradually lifted off the ground.

His feet dangled in the air, and the sensation of suffocation hit him. He struggled desperately in mid-air.

A young man stepped out from the doorway, his eyes glinting with a mocking amusement as he stared at him.

“Scum among humans, even to us, you’re nothing but disgusting trash, not even worthy of being called food. At best… expired gutter oil.”

In a blur, Xia Na appeared right in front of the Tall Skinny Man.

Her eyes suddenly changed color, and a powerful sense of oppression made his heart feel as if it were being squeezed by a hand.

“Gah… Z-zombie…”

“Let me finish that for you. Wow! Come out and see the zombie! But for you, this will be your last sight.”

Still smiling, Xia Na reached out her hand and quickly pulled it back.

She moved so fast that there wasn’t even a trace of blood on her fingers.

The Tall Skinny Man was stunned at first, then felt a sharp pain in his chest.

He struggled silently, horrified to see a torrent of hot blood spurting from his chest.

His heartbeat grew fainter…

Meanwhile, the Short Fat Man had already reached the door ahead.

Excitedly, he grabbed the handle and forcefully pushed it open.

“Little girl, don’t hide. I’ve already seen you!”

He shouted with a manic laugh, then impatiently waved back at the others, “You guys keep searching; this one’s mine.”

With that, he walked inside. The others glanced at each other, then eagerly ran upstairs.

The Short Fat Man didn’t notice that as soon as he entered, the door slowly closed behind him, as if pulled by an invisible hand.

“Bang.”

A light sound came from the inner room, catching the Short Fat Man’s attention.

“Little girl, come out quickly. I promise if you come out obediently, I’ll let you die quickly. If you serve me well, I might even let you live! Hahaha…”

Just as he finished speaking, his expression suddenly turned serious, and he looked back.

Standing quietly at the kitchen door was a figure.

The Short Fat Man relaxed as he took a closer look.

It was a girl with a blank expression and somewhat dazed eyes. From his experience of preying on girls, this one was definitely untouched. Encountering a virgin already excited him, but what thrilled him even more was that she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

She looked like every man’s fantasy of a perfect wife: her features were delicate and pleasing, she had an excellent figure, and exuded a girl-next-door charm that made one feel she needed protection. Even with a blank expression, she could warm one’s heart.

The Short Fat Man was momentarily stunned. In that instant of distraction, a force suddenly gripped his hand.

A sense of danger immediately surged in his mind as he watched in horror. Ye Lian’s eyes had changed color, and she lunged at him. He frantically pulled the trigger.

To his terror, it felt as if an invisible finger was pressing against the trigger, preventing it from moving.

Simultaneously, another invisible hand covered his mouth and squeezed his neck.

Despite a sudden burst of strength in his arms, the choking sensation made him jump like a ball, and he smashed the gun towards Ye Lian.