Chapter 171: Tentacles
"There's someone here!"
Fan Kai was walking at the back, so when he turned around, he saw that person first.
The figure was covered in blood, resembling a male, lying at a door not far from them. His lower half was inside the door, with only his upper body and arms in the corridor, as if he had collapsed from inside and fell outward.
He was riddled with injuries, his mouth gaping open and closed, his eyes bloodshot and filled with terror as he looked at Xiang Beifei and the others, his hand laboriously reaching up as though begging for their help.
"It's a pioneer! That's the standard uniform of pioneers hired by the alliance!"
Fan Kai exclaimed in a low voice, they hadn't expected to actually find a pioneer trapped in the City of the Old Days.
"Go and check, he must have been attacked, and whatever attacked him might still be nearby. Stay alert!"
Sun Yushan scoured the vicinity with her gaze to make sure it was safe before approaching the man.
"Hold on!" Xiang Beifei quickly grabbed Sun Yushan.
"What's wrong?"
"Something's off about that person," Xiang Beifei said, frowning.
"Of course, something's off, he must have been attacked by a desolate beast! Don't worry, we've encountered situations like this many times. We'll first conduct a probe to ascertain the surroundings, and if we can't help, we'll leave him be," Sun Yushan assured him.
In the wilderness beyond civilization, if they encountered a pioneer in distress, they should help, because Sun Yushan and Fan Kai were also pioneers and had the obligation and responsibility to protect their colleagues.
"No, I mean...he doesn't look like a person," Xiang Beifei said gravely.
He could see everyone's system interface; typically, it appeared right before the person's eyes, and he could clearly see what each individual's system interface was like.
But the system interface was completely absent above the bloodied man's head!
"What do you mean 'not a person'?" Fan Kai asked, on alert.
"It's hard to explain, but he's definitely not a person," Xiang Beifei said confidently.
Just as they hesitated, the man at the door suddenly began thrashing in terror, his gaze fixed on something within the door, as if some horrific entity inside was drawing near. His throat convulsed desperately, as though resisting the monster within.
Whoosh!
Then, in an instant, he was dragged inside the door.
"Ah..."
A scream emanated from inside the door; the man seemed to be enduring severe torment, his voice piercingly shrill, filling them with dread.
"No, we have to check it out; he's an alliance pioneer, we can't just let him die! Fan Kai, be ready to pull us out at any moment. If something's wrong, get us out of here immediately!" Sun Yushan said urgently.
Alliance pioneers were one of the most esteemed professions in the world, though also with the highest mortality rate.
Some chose the career because they loved adventure, some because their loved ones had been killed by desolate beasts, others for their system tasks or to obtain Beast Pills to enhance themselves, and some were driven by a noble sense of mission to contribute to the future of humanity.
But regardless of the motive, each pioneer was, in a sense, one of their own.
"Okay."
Fan Kai was already covered in dust, wrapping both Xiang Beifei and Sun Yushan in it.
Xiang Beifei was worried; the sudden appearance of this strange person, and the mysterious entity that had been following them without revealing itself, could attack at any moment.
This City of the Old Days was clearly not right.
Xiang Beifei's attention remained fixed on the corridor entrance behind them; Sun Yushan and Fan Kai hadn't noticed anything unusual there, but it was imperative for him to be vigilant.
But at that moment Sun Yushan had already briskly moved forward, her hands gripping two hook swords, ready to deal with any situation.
However, just as they moved forward a few steps, they saw the blood-soaked man suddenly crawling out of the room on his own, his blood leaving a trail on the floor, now in the corridor, he lifted his head to look at Xiang Beifei and the others.
"Save..."
He mumbled from his throat, trying to articulate, but as he opened his mouth, bright red blood flowed out, a ghastly sight to behold.
"Who are you? What happened?"
Sun Yushan was cautious; she didn't rush to help the man but approached step by step, all the while surveying their surroundings, particularly the door the man had just crawled from.
Yet, the more Xiang Beifei considered the situation, the more uneasy he felt, halting Sun Yushan with a low command, "Don't approach, be careful!"
"I saw the badge on his chest; he's an alliance pioneer," Sun Yushan declared seriously, "We have to help!"
"I told you, he's not a person!"
Xiang Beifei's voice rose, and then he fixed his gaze firmly on the man as his spiritual power rapidly spread towards him, and then—
Crackle!
Xiang Beifei's spiritual power swiftly intertwined around the man, instantly igniting into flames!
The man seemed not to have expected to burst into flames; the panic in his eyes vanished, replaced by an annoyed expression. He quickly slapped away the flames on his clothes with speed so rapid it was astonishing, not at all like someone who was previously at death's door.
"This..."
Sun Yushan was shocked!
At the same time, the blood-stained man suddenly turned his head, his pupils darkening with malevolence, and then he leaped towards them fiercely!