Lost in the Otherworld

"Swish—"

A radiant and deadly arc of a blade flashed before Wu Dahai’s eyes, severing the three bloodied tendrils that lunged at him. A spray of blood misted the air, glinting gold and red beneath the streetlight’s eerie glow. A tall girl in a high school uniform, gripping her blade in a reverse hold, stood between Wu Dahai and Old Zhang like a divine warrior descended from the heavens. Her long hair flowed in the wind, her legs slender and poised.

Wu Dahai stared in stunned silence, momentarily forgetting his fear. For the first time in his life, he felt his heart stir.

“Go.”

Qing Ling’s voice was calm, her eyes fixed intently on the enemy.

“Oh... oh,” Wu Dahai snapped out of his daze, scrambling to his feet and running, not forgetting to stammer, “Be careful, miss…”

By now, Old Zhang had transformed into a monstrous hybrid of plant and beast, with pus-filled sores and blood bubbles oozing from the human features on his flower-like head, emitting a guttural, ravenous growl: “Human… human… human…”

The tendrils beneath him were no longer attacking but instead coiling tightly around his body, compressing themselves like a meat grinder.

Gao Yang could scarcely describe the sickening scene. In less than ten seconds, the air became thick with the stench of blood and decay. He suppressed the urge to retch and helped the retreating Wu Dahai up. “Why didn’t you fight back?”

“I’m useless in combat!” Wu Dahai retorted indignantly.

“But earlier, that move of yours looked pretty impressive,” Gao Yang said, confused. “One snap of your fingers and all the machines turned off.”

“That was just a voice-activated circuit breaker. You could’ve done it with a snap too,” Wu Dahai replied.

Gao Yang was speechless. Brother, you’re even more useless than me? How did you even get into this organization? Through a back door? Or did you open it yourself? Is this organization really worth joining?

Forget it. Better rely on yourself than on others.

“Got any weapons?” Gao Yang shouted at Officer Huang.

“There’s a golf club in my trunk,” Officer Huang responded, tossing his car keys to Gao Yang, one hand gripping his gun.

Gao Yang caught the keys, quickly opening the trunk and pulling out a gleaming silver golf club.

Not far away, Old Zhang’s body had been shredded, leaving only the hideous, multi-faced mass, which could barely be called his “brain.” The rest had turned into tendrils—or more accurately, tentacles.

These tentacles were composed of Old Zhang’s intestines, internal organs, muscles, and cartilage, numbering well over twenty.

Old Zhang now resembled a grotesque octopus sprawled on the ground.

“Swish, swish, swish…” Three tentacles shot toward Qing Ling.

With swift precision, Qing Ling’s blade slashed through them.

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—” Four more tentacles descended from above, aiming for her.

Qing Ling rolled aside just in time, evading their whip-like strikes. However, several tentacles, creeping silently along the ground in the shadows, had already reached her feet.

Startled, Qing Ling leaped backward.

Like a cobra, one tentacle hissed and sprang into the air, coiling tightly around Qing Ling’s white ankle, yanking her back to the ground.

“Bang!” A bullet severed the tentacle.

Ignoring the pain, Qing Ling flipped over, slicing through the three remaining tentacles in one swift motion.

Without pausing, she sprinted, long blade in hand. During her brief dodges, she keenly observed that the tentacles, when attacking in a straight line from Old Zhang, moved at their fastest. However, once extended, they became significantly slower when attempting to shift direction.

Qing Ling made a quick decision to circle around Old Zhang, reducing her chances of being caught by the tentacles.

“Bang—” Officer Huang seized the moment, firing three consecutive shots at Old Zhang’s “brain” in under a second.

“Aaaah… human! Human! Human, human, human…”