Chapter 550: [A Godless World] (18)
Adrian looked at the savage expression on Ember’s face, then his gaze dropped to the hand that wouldn’t stop trembling. He said nothing.
At that very moment, however, a strange voice suddenly echoed inside Ember’s mind. It sounded distant, yet carried an unmistakable note of cunning triumph.
[I can smell the scent of weakness. What an unpleasant odor, my future believer.]
Ember’s pupils constricted, his gaze turning even more guarded. He hadn’t expected the thing before him to be powerful enough to invade his very mind.
But as though it had heard his thoughts, the owner of the voice spoke again.
[Now, now, now... Surely you don’t mistake me for those lowly creatures of darkness.]
The instant the voice fell silent, the ghost twisting before them in a raging storm suddenly let out a piercing shriek, as though someone had struck its fatal weak point.
Crack!
A sharp pop rang out, like an overinflated balloon bursting. The ghost didn’t even have time to scream before it completely disintegrated, clearing Ember’s line of sight.
His mind, however, was another matter.
[The reason you are always afraid... is simply because you are not strong enough.]
[Speak my name. Worship me...]
"Shut up!"
Ember roared.
Yes, he wasn’t strong enough. He knew that better than anyone. But that didn’t give some wandering spirit squatting in his head the right to wreak havoc.
[How laughable. You seek a way out, yet refuse to place your trust in anyone?]
The mocking laughter echoed through his mind before gradually fading away.
Yet Ember could clearly sense that the being calling itself a god had not truly disappeared. It had merely concealed itself somewhere beyond his awareness, patiently waiting for another opportunity to emerge.
His entire body, taut like a bowstring drawn to its limit, finally relaxed. Only then did Ember realize that cold sweat had already soaked through his clothes.
He turned to Adrian, sounding utterly drained.
"Let’s go home."
Adrian merely stared back at him with wide eyes.
"I don’t want to."
Ember let out a weary sigh.
"What else do you want? Didn’t I tell you to stay inside and wait for me? If I hadn’t been there just now..."
The thought that Adrian hadn’t even been able to tell which one was really him made Ember’s frown deepen.
If you hadn’t been there, I would’ve eaten that guy, Adrian thought to himself, just as dissatisfied as Ember.
"Even so, you didn’t have to yell at me like that. I was only saying you’re really strong," Adrian said, sounding aggrieved.
Ember paused for a moment, suddenly remembering that he had probably shouted his own thoughts out loud earlier.
He rubbed his forehead, feeling a dull throbbing pulse through his brain.
"I wasn’t yelling at you. And stop complimenting me. There’s nothing impressive about it."
After all, he hadn’t been the one to destroy that thing.
It was... a God?
Most likely.
Seeing Adrian still wearing the expression of someone whose feelings had been deeply hurt, the corner of Ember’s eye twitched. He honestly wanted to leave Adrian here and walk away. After all, Adrian was the one who hadn’t listened in the first place.
"Fine, let’s go home. I won’t say another word to you, okay? You going outside was my fault. Saving you was my fault. Happy now?"
Ember glared at Adrian, the veins on his forehead bulging.
Without another word, Adrian kicked him lightly in the shin.
"Remember that."
Then he swaggered off ahead as if nothing had happened.
[...]
[I knew Adrian would end up bullying Ember!]
[Why did I never realize Ember was actually this gentle?!!!]
[All he can do is glare and try to look intimidating.]
[He’s so pitiful.]
The next morning, three more people went missing.
This time, however, they had vanished without a trace. No bodies were found, and there wasn’t the slightest clue as to where they had disappeared.
There were no clues to be found by staying put, yet going outside only meant dying sooner. They weren’t John—they had no reason to believe they could venture out and return alive. As a result, many of the artists chose to remain where they were. If death was inevitable, they’d rather postpone it for as long as possible.
"A bunch of cowards!" Elle shouted angrily.
John, meanwhile, stepped forward to steady the group’s morale.
"We can’t give up this early. We will get out of this place."
One of the five people following him couldn’t help asking,
"So where are we going now? This isn’t your room, John."
John looked at them, his smile both excited and mysterious.
"This is my reward for those who chose to trust me. I actually found a clue yesterday. It’s hidden inside this corridor. Just come in and see for yourselves."
The group immediately grew excited, thanking him one after another.
John shook his head.
"I’ve said it before—we’re a team. Those who aren’t loyal to the team don’t deserve to find the clues."
"Exactly."
"That’s right."
The others eagerly agreed, completely unaware of what awaited them beyond the door.
The door leading to the fourth floor’s emergency stairwell slowly swung open.
Yet instead of a staircase, what greeted them was nothing but endless darkness.
"I discovered that this passage leads to an entirely different room..."
John said as he stepped inside first.
The others followed in high spirits.
The door quietly shut behind them, sealing away every sound.
None of this had anything to do with Adrian and Ember.
Every morning, Ember would head outside twice to scout the area. By the time he returned, Adrian would only just be crawling out of bed.
It was already ten in the morning.
The very first thing Adrian did after leaving the bedroom was open his mouth and shout,
"Ember, I’m starving! Is there anything to eat? If you haven’t cooked yet, I’ll just eat you instead."
[That’s outrageous!]
[Does he think Ember is his personal servant?!]
[You already ate two people yesterday, remember that, Adrian?!]
[He probably forgot already. Cold-blooded monster.]
Ember glanced at Adrian.
"There’s nothing to eat."
Adrian immediately looked at him with concern.
"That’s not good for your stomach."
"For my stomach," Ember asked flatly, "or for your mouth?"
Adrian clicked his tongue without answering. Instead, he opened the door and walked out.
"Then I’ll go find something to eat. Stay home and wait for me. I’ll bring food back for you."
[Feels like he’s about to go catch mice...]
[You mean catch people?]