Chapter 696 – The Disappearing Path

Yu Shiran stood still, motionless, but two silver threads had already discreetly moved: one towards the ceiling and the other creeping along the floor behind her.

The loli zombie wasn’t very intelligent, but there was still Black Silk…

The silver threads explored the surroundings but found nothing and slowly retracted.

However, Yu Shiran skeptically blinked, took a step back, and turned to face the mirror.

The mirror was covered in a layer of dust, making it difficult to see clearly. Given the dim light, if Yu Shiran weren’t a zombie, she might not have even been able to make out the faint reflection.

“Huh, how could… Black Silk, be quiet! I didn’t see it wrong!”

After staring at the mirror for a while, Yu Shiran pouted and defensively claimed, then lifted her sleeve resolutely and began to wipe the mirror.

As the dust gradually cleared away, the reflection of Yu Shiran in the mirror also became clear.

The most striking feature was the pair of eyes as red and almost glowing as if lit from within, while the whites of her eyes were devoid of any blood vessels, resembling fine porcelain. This stark contrast looked extremely eerie in the mirror, yet it was filled with a kind of bloody beauty.

Her delicate yet immature facial features carried a sense of innocence mixed with a hint of malevolence and coldness. Behind her were about a dozen silver threads moving as if blown by an invisible breeze…

However, for most survivors, a zombie’s appearance didn’t matter. The only thing worth noting was their eyes, as this was directly linked to their survival rate or the speed of their death.

Zombies themselves didn’t care much about their appearance. Their society enforced a strict hierarchy: without strength, even a superstar model turned into a zombie would end up prowling the lower ranks with a twisted face, constantly at risk of becoming prey.

Senior zombies fought among themselves too, but it was at least a bit better.

At least they didn’t need to stagger slowly like common zombies, conserving energy like mindless puppets…

In reality, the higher the level a zombie reaches, the more frequently they hunt.

Unlike Ye Lian and the others who stay with Ling Mo, wild zombies basically have no rest time.

Their entire existence revolves around one thing: killing.

And the purpose of all their actions is singular: evolution, constant evolution.

Yu Shiran used to live a similar life. Although her life was slightly different due to following Ban Yue, a zombie with peculiar ideas, it largely followed the same pattern.

But ever since she followed Ling Mo, she embarked on a completely different path.

Of course, Yu Shiran hasn’t realized this yet. She hasn’t even noticed that since she was captured, Ling Mo has continuously given her two pets…

“Pft…”

Yu Shiran glanced left and right in the mirror and, seeing no other reflection, snorted in displeasure.

The dozen or so silver threads trembled in unison as if silently mocking her, creating an extremely eerie sight.

Luckily, there were no survivors nearby, or else even without knowing Yu Shiran’s level, just seeing these silver threads would be enough to send chills down their spines.

“What’s so funny…”

Yu Shiran felt frustrated and was about to walk away when she instinctively sensed a hint of danger.

Soon after, the reflection in the mirror began to change…

A figure slowly emerged from behind Yu Shiran’s head, standing almost level with her. The figure had disheveled hair, skin that was deathly pale, and a slightly lowered head.

Eventually, the figure’s head appeared fully next to Yu Shiran’s face, as if someone were leaning on her shoulder, looking into the mirror with her.

Although this scene was horrifying, it shouldn’t have had any effect on a zombie…

However, Yu Shiran remained expressionless, staring intently at the figure’s head!

There was no sensation!

The silver thread hadn’t captured any silhouette behind her, and her shoulder was empty…

This scene, which defied Yu Shiran’s understanding, left the loli zombie momentarily stunned.

She wanted to know what exactly was going on…

At that moment, the head slowly lifted its chin, and the hair hanging over its face parted to the sides.

A mouth smeared with blood, a pair of completely blood-red, extraordinarily chaotic eyes, and a twisted, frenzied countenance…

This appearance was in stark contrast to Yu Shiran!

Yet, upon seeing this face, Yu Shiran couldn’t help but take a step back.

Although the expression was different and the eyes had changed drastically, there was no mistaking it…

It was indeed her face…

“Bang!”

Several silver threads shot out, shattering the mirror instantly.

Watching the image break into pieces and the shards scatter to the floor, the bewildered Yu Shiran took several steps back before turning to look down the corridor.

But as soon as she turned, Yu Shiran froze.

In the darkness in front of her, a pair of blood-red eyes were staring intently at her.

It was the figure from the mirror… also her former self…

“What’s going on…”

Yu Shiran stood dumbfounded for a couple of seconds. When she came to her senses, the figure had already retreated into the darkness, its gaze never leaving her…

“Don’t you dare run!”

Yu Shiran couldn’t understand what was happening, but this inexplicable figure had successfully captured her attention.

This didn’t count as disobeying Ling Mo’s psychic command either. He had told her to be careful while searching and to stay alert for danger… This sudden appearance of her “past self” was clearly something to be vigilant about…

With this in mind, Yu Shiran chased after it without hesitation…

However, the loli zombie failed to notice that what was once a dim environment had now become as pitch-black as ink. Her eyes, which could usually see through the darkness, were now struggling to discern what lay ahead in the dark tunnel…

“Bang!”

A sharp noise echoed from the distance, accompanied by some clattering sounds.

Ling Mo, who was fully concentrating on controlling the little zombie puppet and his tentacles, immediately raised his head, cautiously looking ahead.

“Something’s happening…”

He had already sensed that Yu Shiran had entered, but he couldn’t switch perspectives right now, and ever since Black Silk and Yu Shiran’s psychic light clusters became a mess, switching perspectives had become more taxing each time…

However, if there was any danger, Ling Mo could still notify Yu Shiran immediately, and vice versa.

Could it be Mu Chen?

If Mu Chen got injured and accidentally bumped into something, it was possible. After all, the only things left in the passage were those lockers, but still…

“Wait a minute…”

Ling Mo suddenly stopped in his tracks and slowly turned his head.

He glanced around, and something in his mind clicked.

Damn, he had been so focused on probing the psychic light clusters and watching for blood traces on the ground that he had overlooked the surroundings.

Although the lighting hadn’t changed much, when did everything start to look so unfathomable?

“I fell for it…” Ling Mo’s expression subtly shifted.

He stood still and commanded the Little Zombie Puppet ahead to halt as well.

The noise he heard earlier wasn’t particularly distant, and as far as he remembered, the staff passage wasn’t long, with only a few turns. If the Little Zombie Puppet ran forward at full speed, it should have seen what had happened by now.

But right after hearing the noise and accelerating the puppet, they still hadn’t located the source of the disturbance.

Realizing the suspicious environment, Ling Mo understood that this conventional search approach was now meaningless.

However, Ling Mo didn’t panic. Once caught in a trap, panicking would only lead to a quicker demise.

Judging by the circumstances, it was likely a mental ability superhuman.

Despite of all his advancements, for a mental ability superhuman to trap him so silently was no small feat…

Mu Chen apparently fell victim too, and Yu Shiran…

“Wait… I can’t sense her?”

Ling Mo’s face finally twisted with concern; the psychic link wasn’t severed, but he couldn’t pinpoint Yu Shiran’s location.

Not just Yu Shiran, but Ye Lian and the others too…

“It all happened without me even noticing…”

Grinding his teeth, Ling Mo thought, this was a tough opponent, and they had some degree of understanding about him!

At least they knew he was a mental ability superhuman and that he had probing skills!

“First they lured Mu Chen over in some fashion, and then knew that when I came looking, I’d be focused, making it easier for them to ensnare me due to my concentration…”

Considering everything, this seemed to be the only logical explanation.

Whether or not Ling Mo would bring everyone along, one thing was certain—he wouldn’t just ignore it and not show up…

Ling Mo, oddly enough, felt a bit relieved. Fortunately, he had left Ye Lian and the others behind.

Given the opponent’s skills, even if Ye Lian and the others had come in, the outcome would have been the same, or potentially worse.

If he had to worry about them during a fight, his combat effectiveness would be severely reduced.

By now, he had stepped into the trap, which meant the opponent was focusing solely on him. Ye Lian and the rest wouldn’t be harmed.

Even if the opponent had companions, non-mental ability superhumans would have a hard time dealing with Ye Lian and the others.

Moreover, there were hundreds of zombies on the ground floor. Their presence could also give Ye Lian and the others some cover…

Despite this rationalization, Ling Mo couldn’t help but feel a twinge of anxiety.

Especially with Yu Shiran already trapped…

“I need to think of a solution fast! First, I need to determine if this is a hallucination…”

Ling Mo looked back; the path he had come from was now pitch black, as if engulfed by darkness.

Since he had realized the trap, the light had significantly dimmed.

Being in the opponent’s trap, hiding made no sense, so he decisively switched on his flashlight.

Tap, tap…

Even after smacking it twice, the flashlight still emitted a faint glow. Ling Mo could only grudgingly accept it.

“I thought it would last a few more days…”

Ling Mo felt a bit speechless. Why did today feel particularly unlucky, and why was he so off his game?

Was it the anxiety affecting him?

Come to think of it, ever since Mu Chen went missing, he had struggled to find his usual state of mind…

“I can’t be so worried about him that it’s clouding my judgment… that’s frustrating…” Ling Mo frowned, but he was already controlling the Little Zombie Puppet to slowly approach him along the wall.

Her sharp claws scratched his palm, leaving a bloody imprint against the wall as she moved…

Though anxious, Ling Mo knew that panicking and running around, or rushing to find people, would be a surefire way to get killed.

Understanding the opponent’s abilities was crucial to figuring out how to counter them.